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Independent pop/R&B singer-songwriter Em Davila returns with her latest single, “Limited Edition,” a playful 2026 release capturing the excitement of finding a romantic connection that feels genuinely one of a kind. Produced by Finbar Stuart, the track introduces a confident, feel-good chapter for Em Davila while remaining rooted in the emotionally direct songwriting that has shaped her catalog. “Limited Edition” builds its concept around meeting someone who feels rare, valuable, and impossible to replace. Em Davila taps into that early stage of attraction when chemistry begins to feel different, and someone’s personality and presence suggest that something real could be developing. Rather than complicating the moment with uncertainty, Em Davila embraces it. Written during what she describes as one of the happiest periods of her life, the single carries an easygoing optimism that feels natural rather than forced. Its flirtatious energy is balanced by something more meaningful underneath: the importance of feeling safe and secure with the right person. The release follows Em Davila’s 2024 EP, THIS IS TOO MUCH, which showcased a stronger R&B side of her artistry. Her catalog dates back to 2020’s “Unstoppable” and also includes “Blame Me,” created with Phil Allen, whose credits include Adele’s 21. Em Davila has also performed at major venues including Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, House of Blues New Orleans, and Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. With “Limited Edition,” Em Davila trades emotional turbulence for celebration without abandoning vulnerability altogether. Playful and romantic, the single captures the unmistakable feeling of realizing somebody stands apart from everyone else. As Em Davila prepares more new music, “Limited Edition” offers a confident glimpse into the direction of her evolving sound and songwriting. “Limited Edition” comes from one of the happiest periods of your life. How did writing from a place of happiness change your creative process compared to writing from heartbreak or uncertainty? My writing from a place of happiness changed the experience and flow of my songwriting into a peaceful and fun process compared to writing heartbreak songs. Yes, in the past it was cathartic and therapeutic to write down all of the ways that people have hurt me and how it affected me. In a way, it’s scary to write something vulnerable when you’re still going through that process, but it also makes a great song, especially when you’re angry and you don’t care anymore. Writing from a place of happiness has a certain freedom of letting go of the walls I had put up, and in those ways, it’s healing. The song uses the idea of something “limited edition” to describe a person who feels impossible to replace. Was there a specific moment or realization that gave you that concept? There certainly was a specific moment for that concept, which even surprised me. It was an idea long ago when I was tired of being sad and let down, so I wrote some lyrics in a journal about who I would want to sweep me off my feet. The “limited edition” lyric came to fruition years later when I said to my mom that I want someone one of a kind, and you only have one in a lifetime, and that’s hard to get. I wrote the song, and it was still unfinished until I met my boyfriend. I realized the rest of the lyrics were right there in front of me. You’ve said that feeling safe is one of the most important parts of falling in love. How did you want to capture that sense of security while still keeping the song playful and flirtatious? I wanted to capture the feeling of having that sense of security by saying that I have already received this love and that I’m embracing it while also being flirty. The first stages of falling in love are getting to know your partner, laughing with them, and finding out they’re your best friend, the person you needed for a long time. It also helps that they are extremely attractive not just on the outside but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. That’s sexy, and it makes you think, “Wow, I have someone who is funny, smart, emotionally intelligent AND stable AND they love exactly who I am? Yeah, that’s a keeper. Safety is a part of that when you feel like you can breathe and they feel like home. Your 2024 EP, THIS IS TOO MUCH, explored a more vulnerable R&B side of your artistry. What does “Limited Edition” reveal about where you are creatively two years later? God, I loved writing and making that EP. It truly was the gateway into creating exactly how I wanted me as an artist to sound from that point. I wanted to create something after THIS IS TOO MUCH by piggybacking off of “What a Shame”. That song inspired the instrumental palette and led me to want to experiment with what’s current in the R&B world. “Limited Edition” reveals that I’ve grown more as a woman, and I want to embrace exactly who I want to sound like while actually having fun in my writing. Let’s get a little flirty while still being romantic! It’s super empowering how getting up time and time again can make you stronger when, for so many years, I’ve been trying to get over that hill of heartbreak. Now it’s time to celebrate that. With another release planned for January, does “Limited Edition” give us an indication of the direction your next chapter is heading, or should listeners expect another shift in sound? I’m so excited to release my new single in January, and “Limited Edition” is definitely giving an indication of where my next chapter is heading. This song is diving deeper not only genre-wise but creatively as well. I don’t think people will expect something like this from me, but that’s the most exciting part!

Nashville may be known for producing musical talent, but some of its most compelling emerging voices are still sitting in classrooms. Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow, the second original album from the Metro Nashville Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts Department, gives those young creators a professional platform to show exactly what they can do. Created through the award-winning MNPS Songwriting Summit, the seven-track project brings students together with professional songwriters, producers, musicians, and recording artists while keeping student perspectives at its center. Participants developed lyrics, melodies, production, and concepts before recording at Nashville's East Iris Studios. The title track, “Marching Into Greatness,” features Grammy Award-winning artist Mr. Talkbox and transforms perseverance into a collective anthem. “Make It Undeniable” pairs Grammy Award-winning artist Tiera Kennedy with seventh-grade student Luca McLaughlin and was produced by fellow seventh-grader Carter Hammonds. Nashville School of the Arts senior Kingston Kharif takes the lead on “Here,” an uptempo reflection on the work and determination behind reaching a defining moment. Elsewhere, “Confidence,” “Grounded,” “Beside You,” and “Above and Beyond” showcase student songwriting teams exploring belonging, purpose, self-belief, and growth. Importantly, students weren't brought in simply to perform finished material. They participated across songwriting, recording, production, performance, and music video creation, gaining firsthand experience with the infrastructure surrounding a professional release. The 2026 Songwriting Summit was expanded through investment from the CMA Foundation, with additional support from the Tennessee Titans One Community Foundation. It builds on a program already earning recognition, including a 2025 Midsouth Emmy Award for Every Student Known and four 2026 Telly Awards for the district's first album, I Believe, I Belong. As Visual and Performing Arts Director Franklin Willis puts it, “The talent has always existed within Metro Nashville Public Schools.” Marching Into Greatness makes the case that young artists don't need to wait for someday to be taken seriously. The students weren't simply performers on Marching Into Greatness. They were involved in songwriting, production, recording, and video creation. Why was giving them genuine creative ownership so important to the Songwriting Summit? As educators, we often talk about student voice, but I believe we have to create opportunities where students can actually use that voice to shape something meaningful. From the beginning, the Songwriting Summit was never intended to be a program where adults created something and students simply performed it. We wanted our students to be the songwriters, producers, vocalists, musicians, storytellers, and creative decision-makers. There is something powerful that happens when a young person realizes, “This is my idea. These are my words. I helped create this.” That sense of ownership changes how students see themselves and what they believe they are capable of doing. My role as an educator and director is not to be the most creative person in the room. My responsibility is to build the room, provide the resources, bring the right people together, and then create enough space for students to discover just how creative they already are. Marching Into Greatness is powerful because our students can genuinely say that it belongs to them. Nashville is surrounded by a world-renowned professional music industry. How do you make that industry feel accessible to young people who may not yet see themselves as having a place within it? Access has to be intentional. We live in Music City, but proximity to the music industry does not automatically mean access to it. A student can grow up only a few miles from a recording studio, publishing company, or performance venue and never imagine that those spaces belong to them. That is something I want to change. Part of my responsibility as Director of Visual and Performing Arts is to help remove the invisible barriers between our classrooms and the creative industry that surrounds us. When students walk into a professional studio, work alongside professional musicians and producers, collaborate with artists, or see their ideas treated with the same seriousness as the ideas of adults, the industry becomes less abstract. They begin to see a pathway. I want our students to understand that Nashville's creative community is not simply something happening around them. They can be part of it. They can become the next generation of songwriters, producers, engineers, performers, filmmakers, designers, educators, executives, and entrepreneurs shaping what Music City becomes. For me, that is what access really means. It is not simply opening the door. It is making sure young people know the door exists, helping them walk through it, and ensuring they are prepared to thrive once they get inside. “Make It Undeniable” was produced by seventh-grade student Carter Hammonds and features fellow student Luca McLaughlin alongside Tiera Kennedy. What did moments like this reveal about what students can accomplish when they're trusted at a professional level? Moments like that remind me that sometimes the limitations we place on young people have more to do with adult expectations than student ability. When a seventh-grade student is producing a record and another young student is recording alongside an accomplished professional artist like Tiera Kennedy, we are challenging the traditional idea of what students are “ready” to do. We are saying that their age does not disqualify them from contributing at a high level. But trust does not mean lowering the standard. It means giving students the instruction, mentorship, tools, time, and professional environment necessary to rise to it. We held our students to a high creative standard because we believed they could meet it, and they did. That is really where the phrase “Make It Undeniable” resonates with me. When young people are given meaningful opportunities to demonstrate what they know and what they can create, their brilliance becomes difficult to overlook. Our job is to make sure they have access to those opportunities. The program has grown from its first district album into an Emmy and Telly Award-winning initiative. What have you learned about student creativity and confidence as the Songwriting Summit has expanded? I have learned that creativity grows when students know their ideas are valued. The awards and recognition are meaningful, and I am incredibly proud of what our students and team have accomplished. But the greatest measure of success for me is not an Emmy or a Telly. It is watching a student walk into the Summit unsure of whether their idea is good enough and then watching that same student stand in a professional recording studio confidently advocating for a lyric, a melody, a beat, or a creative decision. That transformation is everything. As the Summit has grown, I have also learned that excellence and access do not have to compete with one another. We can create opportunities for more students while maintaining incredibly high artistic expectations. In fact, when students are given access to excellent instruction, professional resources, authentic collaboration, and adults who genuinely believe in them, they consistently rise to the occasion. The recognition our work has received is exciting because it validates something educators already know: young people are capable of extraordinary work when we create environments where their creativity is taken seriously. When these students look back on Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow years from now, what do you hope they remember most about creating it? I hope they remember how they felt. Years from now, they may not remember every lyric they wrote or every hour they spent in the studio, but I hope they remember being in a space where their ideas mattered. I hope they remember adults listening to them, their peers encouraging them, and the moment they realized that something they imagined could become something real. Most importantly, I hope they remember that we believed in them. The title Marching Into Greatness is not about having already arrived. It is about continuing to move forward with purpose, confidence, and courage. I want our students to carry that mindset far beyond music. Whether they become professional artists, educators, engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, or pursue something they have not even discovered yet, I hope this experience becomes evidence they can return to throughout their lives. I want them to be able to say, “I was young, someone trusted me with something important, and I discovered that I was capable of more than I realized.” If they carry that with them, then the impact of this album will extend far beyond the music.

Two bands can bring nearly the same repertoire to the same room and receive completely different reactions. At one gig, the audience stays involved from the opening song to the final chord. At another, attention drifts even though the musicians play every number cleanly. Often, the songs matter less than the sequence in which they arrive. Song order, tempo, transitions, and the ability to read the room all shape the momentum of a live performance. A set list must support those choices while remaining practical enough to use under stage lighting, with little time to discuss what comes next. That preparation starts with what the band puts on the page before anyone plays the first note. What Goes on a Setlist Before the First Song A working setlist is more than a list of songs. It records the playing order, keys, rough timings, who counts in each number, and planned spares if the set runs short or long. Together, those details help the band move through its repertoire without debating the next step onstage. Every member needs a copy printed large enough to read under stage lighting and taped where it will not move. For a multi-set night, the sheet should also show where breaks fall and how each set fits the available time slot. Published concert setlists on Ticketmaster or Setlist.fm serve a different purpose. They record what an artist played and help establish what fans can expect live. However, copying one verbatim provides little practical guidance for a band with a different audience, set length, and repertoire. Building the Energy Arc With Tempo and Key A live musical band working regular gigs quickly learns to sort its repertoire by tempo and mood before considering release year or popularity. A room responds physically to pace before everyone identifies the song. Era still matters, particularly with cover songs, but it remains secondary to an energy arc that gives the audience clear reasons to keep moving. Grouping Songs by BPM, Not by Decade Research into how music tempo affects movement explains why changes in pace affect how people move. A 20 BPM drop between consecutive songs can clear a dance floor that was full moments earlier, even when both songs are familiar. Cluster songs in groups of three or four at similar tempos, then step up or down deliberately. Zigzagging between fast and slow numbers forces the crowd to reset repeatedly. Key relationships matter as well. Repeatedly dropping more than a couple of semitones can make the set feel as though it is sinking. Meanwhile, two songs in the same key back to back can blur their boundaries and sound like one extended song. Why the Strongest Song Rarely Opens The biggest hit rarely makes the best opening song because a cold room has not committed its attention. Some people are still arriving, ordering drinks, or deciding whether the performance deserves their focus. Using the most dependable number at that point can waste its strongest effect. A confident, mid-tempo opener survives a half-full floor and gives the band time to settle. Once the room is watching, the biggest hit becomes a shared moment rather than background music. It can then anchor the first sustained rise in energy. Planning the Encore Before You Need It An encore may look spontaneous from the floor, but its mechanics should already be settled. The band needs to choose the song, agree on the return cue, and keep that number out of the printed main sequence. Otherwise, the return carries little sense of release. The closer and encore also need different jobs. The closer should finish the planned set decisively, while the encore offers a final, immediate payoff. Familiarity, a clean count-in, and a definite ending matter more here than novelty or a long introduction. Transitions Are Where Sets Gain or Lose a Room The gap between songs belongs to the live performance as much as the songs themselves. Strong playing followed by repeated four-bar silences still appears hesitant because the audience sees musicians checking pedals, exchanging glances, and waiting. Every consecutive pair needs a defined relationship, whether that means a straight segue, an overlapping count-in, a held note leading into the next introduction, or a deliberate full stop. Counting In Without Killing the Momentum The set list should identify who starts each number. That might mean the drummer clicking sticks, the guitarist playing an exposed riff, or the singer giving a physical cue. Writing down that responsibility prevents a circle of musicians looking at one another while the room goes quiet. Whenever possible, the band should hand over the tempo rather than establish it from nothing. The drummer can count the next song over the final chord, while a sustained keyboard or guitar note bridges compatible song arrangements. If the next number requires silence, the stop must look intentional and be followed by a prompt cue. Tuning Gaps, Guitar Swaps, and Stage Chatter Capo changes, guitar swaps, tuning checks, and pedal resets should fall within one or two planned speaking spots. The song order can place a brief vocal introduction or audience interaction over those unavoidable tasks, allowing the technical change and stage talk to finish together. Chatter fails when it creates a gap rather than covering one. Fast runs should pass without commentary, especially once people are dancing. During a longer equipment change, one musician can maintain contact with the room while the others reset. That arrangement also needs rehearsal because an improvised speech may end before the guitar is ready or continue after it is. Reading the Room and Rewriting the Order Live Reading an audience means watching behavior rather than counting raised phones. People returning to tables after a song, refilling drinks during an introduction, or turning away to talk can signal falling attention. The opposite is equally useful. If dancers remain in place between numbers, the band has permission to preserve the current tempo rather than follow the sheet mechanically. Same Songs, Different Night The same repertoire needs a different shape for each setting. A 45-minute festival slot has little room for a slow middle because the limited time slot must establish momentum quickly. A wedding set weights its dance floor fillers after the speeches, while a three-set pub night must restart each section as though entering a cold room. Accordingly, tailored live-song selections involve sequencing as well as choosing material. Two or three swap options marked on the sheet allow improvisation without an onstage discussion. Song requests fit when they match the current tempo band; otherwise, they can wait for a suitable change of pace. Sequencing Mistakes That Empty a Floor Front-loading every hit leaves the second half with nowhere to go. Placing three ballads in the middle asks dancers to wait too long, while four songs at the same tempo can make individual numbers feel interchangeable. Variation needs direction rather than randomness. Extended solos can create another break in the room’s social energy. They reward people watching the player but may lose those dancing or talking with friends. When attention dips, the first adjustment is straightforward: cut the least suitable ballad, move a proven floor-filler forward, and preserve the run that is already working. A Setlist Is a Plan You Expect to Change The skill behind a set list is not simply choosing strong songs. It lies in deciding the order, tempo relationships, and transitions before the gig, leaving the musicians free to watch the audience during the live performance instead of negotiating every move onstage. The printed sheet is a starting position, not a contract. A prepared band knows the intended route, the available alternatives, and when the room has given a clear reason to change course.

Pop and R&B artist JELEXY trades heartbreak for unapologetic confidence on her latest single, “One In A Million.” Marking the beginning of a new series of releases, the track introduces a more energetic side of the singer-songwriter while maintaining the intimacy and personal storytelling at the center of her music. Before “One In A Million,” JELEXY primarily gravitated toward slower, emotional love songs. This time, she wanted something feminine, powerful, and built for movement. The result blends sleek electronic production with infectious pop instincts and JELEXY’s honey-sweet vocals, creating a track driven by desire, chemistry, and the excitement of fully recognizing your own appeal. The phrase “One In A Million” became the song’s starting point, but its meaning grew as JELEXY wrote. Rather than directing all that admiration toward somebody else, the track gradually became an exercise in seeing herself differently. JELEXY imagined the most fearless version of herself and, in the process, began tapping into that confidence in real life. That transformation gives the song more substance than its flirtatious exterior initially suggests. There’s seduction and playful energy throughout, but the underlying message is about refusing to shrink yourself. “One In A Million” encourages listeners to recognize that confidence isn’t necessarily something another person gives you. Sometimes it’s already there, waiting to be brought forward. As a dancer and performer, JELEXY also approaches the track with movement in mind, making its shift toward more energetic pop feel like a natural progression. “One In A Million” is only the first glimpse of what’s ahead. JELEXY plans to explore seductive, romantic, vulnerable, and melancholic sides of herself across upcoming releases, with each song rooted in her own experiences. One In A Million” came after a period of writing mostly slower, emotional love songs. What made you feel ready to step into something more confident, feminine, and unapologetic? I just wanted to try something new, something different. I play piano, and every single song I wrote suddenly became melancholic, slow, emotional, etc. I believe that’s just how I feel the instrument) But watching huge pop stars such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Tate McRae perform made me always dream of writing something danceable, something I could perform to as well. So when the opportunity came, I took it without a single doubt, even though Iʼve never written anything in the genre before, and look how it turned out;) You’ve said that imagining the most fearless version of yourself while writing the song actually changed who you are. What parts of that version of JELEXY have stayed with you since finishing the track? The confidence that developed while writing this song is still here 100%! I don’t really care what people might think about me anymore. Sometimes, when I’m afraid to do something, to say something, I stop for a moment and think, “What would that version of me, the fearless one, do?” And suddenly everything seems much easier) But still, most importantly, I finally realized that I’m enough. There is no one like me in this whole wide world. And I really want everyone to understand those same things. The phrase “One In A Million” came to you early and shaped the rest of the song. What did those words mean to you when you first wrote them, and has that meaning changed since? For me, these words will always hold only one meaning: You are the one! There is not a single person like you in the whole universe. You’re One In A Million, and you should be proud of yourself!!! Never ever be afraid to show who you truly are, because this is what makes you special!!! Dance and movement are an important part of how you express yourself. Does being a dancer change the way you hear a song while you’re writing it, especially when creating something as energetic as “One In A Million”? Oh, of course. I believe that as a dancer, you are not just listening to music; you’re truly feeling it with your whole body. Every beat, every clap, every snare, literally everything. While writing, especially when it’s something energetic, I always imagine movements, and just me dancing to the beat. It also helps to catch the vibe, to understand how I want the song to feel in general. And also, the dancing community is a huuuge contribution to the music industry, so understanding music from their perspective is such a great thing. I can definitely say that being a dancer is really, really helpful to me as an artist, songwriter, and musician. You’ve said your upcoming releases will reveal seductive, romantic, vulnerable, and melancholic sides of you. What do you want listeners to understand about JELEXY once they’ve experienced all of those different versions of you? I just want you to understand that I’m different, unpredictable. I have so many sides of me that I want people to see. I believe that each emotion that I have, each feeling that I share, can evolve into something so beautiful. They can revolve into music , and maybe this music will be helpful to someone. I want people to see who I truly am and then let them decide if they want to continue the journey with me)

Mexican-Canadian singer-songwriter Lexi Valentine has released “Niña Feliz,” the latest introduction to her forthcoming album Lo Claroscuro. Blending electro-pop and indie-pop influences, the single previews a deeply personal project exploring identity, belonging, grief, love, and healing across Valentine’s Mexican and Canadian roots. Lo Claroscuro emerged during a period of significant change in Valentine’s life. While living in Mexico City, she spent months traveling between Mexico and Toronto as her father dealt with ongoing health issues, while also navigating the end of a long-term relationship. Those experiences became central to an album that examines what it means to feel at home, both geographically and emotionally. “Niña Feliz” captures that tension through warm, layered production and reflective songwriting. Rather than presenting happiness and sadness as opposites, Valentine allows both to exist within the same space, setting the tone for the larger themes of the record. The album takes its name from chiaroscuro, the artistic technique defined by the contrast between light and shadow. Valentine applies that concept to her own experiences, moving between English and Spanish while bringing her Mexican and Canadian identities together throughout the project. Produced alongside longtime collaborator Jon Drew, Lo Claroscuro also reconnects Valentine with a musical community tied to projects including Magneta Lane, The Balconies, Controller Controller, SeaDaisy, and Neverending White Lights. The project marks a notable return for Valentine, who first emerged as the teenage frontwoman, guitarist, and principal songwriter of Toronto indie-rock trio Magneta Lane. She later explored synth-pop with LOLAA before stepping away from music following the pandemic. With “Niña Feliz,” Valentine begins a new chapter without distancing herself from the ones that came before it. Lo Claroscuro instead brings those experiences together, using contrast as the foundation for a record centered on accepting the complicated realities of growth and healing.

Chicago’s South Side has shaped generations of artists, but Rossyè Lamont isn’t interested in simply retelling familiar stories. On RaWshxtONLY, the Roseland-raised rapper, producer, songwriter, and engineer takes the environment that raised him and turns it into something intensely personal. Across the 12-track album, Lamont moves through survival, ambition, pressure, limited opportunity, and the mentality required to push beyond circumstances that can easily become defining. Instead of cleaning those experiences up for easier consumption, RaWshxtONLY thrives on its lack of polish in the best way. The project feels direct and intentionally exposed, allowing Lamont’s perspective to remain its strongest asset. Tracks like “100’s,” “Offense,” “G.T.T.M,” and “Goin’ Scotti” establish the project’s confidence, while collaborations with Duke da beast appear throughout “G.T.T.M,” “Jet Lee,” “To-do-list,” and “Mile High.” But some of the album’s deeper significance comes through Lamont’s collaborations with his late best friend Ace Mack on “Bottom,” “Pills & Hills,” and closing track “Get Dat Doe.” That connection carries particular weight considering Lamont’s earliest musical work began with producing beats for Ace Mack. What started behind the boards eventually developed into Lamont pursuing music on every level, making those appearances feel connected to the foundation of his artistry rather than simply features. There’s also a bigger idea running underneath RaWshxtONLY: where you come from can influence how you move without deciding where you end up. Lamont doesn't romanticize the pressure surrounding his upbringing. He examines what it can create in someone, both good and bad, and what happens when ambition begins outweighing circumstance. RaWshxtONLY ultimately works as an introduction because it doesn’t try too hard to introduce Rossyè Lamont. It simply puts his world, mindset, relationships, and experiences on record. Raw really is the point. What made RaWshxtONLY the project where you felt ready to give listeners such an unfiltered look at your life and the environment that shaped you? RaWshxtONLY took time because I wanted every part of the project to feel intentional. I built it one song at a time, putting a piece of myself into every beat, every bar, and every creative decision. I also worked with different producers because I wanted to challenge myself creatively and prove that my sound can stand alongside anybody’s favorite artist. Everything had to connect—the production, the writing, the artwork, and the overall feeling of the project. Together, it tells the story of a kid growing up on the South Side of Chicago and being shaped by everything that came with that environment. Every song comes from a real place. Every block holds a memory, and every lesson played a role in shaping the artist and person I am today. You’ve said your environment influenced you without defining your future. Was there a specific moment when you realized you could turn that pressure into something bigger? The moment I realized people could genuinely connect with my music and become real supporters was when everything started to feel possible. Seeing people engage with the records, relate to what I was saying, and connect with my story showed me that this could become something much bigger than a dream. One moment that will always stay with me was performing alongside Ace Mack and receiving a standing ovation. Seeing that crowd on its feet was like a light bulb going off. I knew we had something special, and I realized that if we stayed focused and continued putting in the work, there was no limit to how far we could take it. That experience made me lock in even more and continue sharpening my craft. Ace Mack is deeply connected to your beginnings as a producer and appears multiple times on the album. What does having his presence on RaWshxtONLY mean to you personally? Having Ace Mack on this project means everything to me. If bro were here today, I know he would be proud—but knowing him, he’d probably tell me it was already time to start working on the next hit. He was genuinely funny, incredibly talented, and somebody who played an important role in my journey. I had some of his final verses, and it was important to me that they became part of RaWshxtONLY, especially on records like “Get Dat Doe” and “Pills & Hills.” His presence on this project is bigger than just a feature. It’s about preserving his voice, honoring our history, and making sure his energy continues to live through the music. Long Live Ace Mack. You handle multiple sides of your music as an artist, producer, songwriter, and engineer. How does having that level of creative control affect the way your experiences ultimately translate into a record? I love creating original music and having the ability to shape a record from different perspectives. On RaWshxtONLY, I only produced one record, “Offense,” alongside Pyrex Whippa. We collaborated creatively to build a specific vibe, and that experience represents what I enjoy about the process—taking an idea and developing it until it becomes something people can feel. Creative control has always been important to me, which is why I trained myself and developed my ear over the years. Being a seasoned artist gives me the confidence to experiment, explore different sounds, and pursue soulful records like “WGH2.” Whether I’m writing, producing, recording, or engineering, I understand how to set the tone in the room and bring all those elements together. The goal is always to make something that feels authentic, polished, and unforgettable to the listener. For someone growing up in an environment similar to Chicago’s South Side who hears themselves in this album, what do you hope RaWshxtONLY shows them about what’s possible? I want RaWshxtONLY to show people that you can build something meaningful from nothing when you believe in your vision, stay disciplined, and refuse to give up. Something as small as a melody or idea in your head can eventually become a song that changes someone’s life or creates a memory they carry with them forever. That’s the beauty of creating. Everything starts with an idea, but belief, consistency, and hard work are what bring that idea to life. More than anything, I want somebody coming from an environment like mine to hear this project and understand that where you come from can shape your story without determining where that story has to end.

Tulsa-born rapper and creative entrepreneur Jaiden Deshuan introduces a new chapter with FIRST BORN, a seven-track EP. Formerly known as KidGoten, the 23-year-old artist steps into his own name with a project built around confidence, independence, attraction, ambition, and having fun again. Rather than making his return about the difficulties he experienced in 2025, Jaiden deliberately takes FIRST BORN in the opposite direction. The record captures the energy he wanted for 2026: louder, more self-assured, and less interested in allowing the past to dictate what comes next. “First Born - intro” establishes that reset before “Act Stupid” becomes one of the clearest representations of the project’s carefree attitude. It’s a record rooted in letting loose, talking his talk, and rediscovering the side of himself that simply wants to enjoy life. That confidence carries into “Pimped Out,” while collaborations with Luv Lotus on “Fineshit” and GTG Big $mash on “Bad Bitch Roll Call” add to the project’s social, personality-driven energy. But FIRST BORN isn’t entirely about flexing. “214507 / I Heard - interlude” creates space for a more introspective side of Jaiden before “Have Fun” brings the project back to its central message. What makes FIRST BORN compelling is that Jaiden doesn’t pretend harder experiences never happened. Instead, he makes the conscious decision not to give them control over this particular chapter. That mentality extends beyond music. Through TFWW Creative, Jaiden works in artist development, branding, content, marketing, and release strategy, giving his return an entrepreneurial dimension as he simultaneously builds his own career and creates opportunities for other independent artists. FIRST BORN ultimately sounds like an introduction rather than a reinvention. Jaiden Deshuan is moving forward under his own name, reclaiming his personality and giving himself permission to have fun while doing it. You’ve described 'FIRST BORN' as getting your confidence back rather than documenting everything you went through in 2025. When did you realize you didn’t owe listeners access to your pain in order to make an honest project? I think I realized that while I was actually making the EP. At first, I thought I needed to talk about everything I went through in 2025 because that’s what people might expect from me. But when I started putting those ideas together, it didn’t feel completely authentic because I wasn’t ready to unpack all of that publicly. I realized being honest doesn’t mean I have to give people access to every painful part of my life. I can be honest about where I am now. FIRST BORN is honest because it represents how I actually feel in 2026. I’m getting my confidence back, I’m having fun again, I’m building my career, taking care of my family, and enjoying life. That’s just as real as anything I went through before. "Act Stupid" represents the carefree energy you wanted to reclaim. What did making that song unlock in you that had been missing creatively or personally? “Act Stupid” really represents the confidence behind FIRST BORN and honestly, it’s me living up to the name of the EP. I’m not the one to play with. I think people forget that I started rapping when I was 13, so this isn’t something I just picked up yesterday. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I wanted that confidence to come through. At the same time, I don’t want everything to feel so serious. After everything 2025 brought, I wanted 2026 to be about getting that confidence back, enjoying myself and having fun with what I’m doing again. “Act Stupid” unlocked that side of me where I can remind people that I know how to rap, I know who I am, and I’m still going to have fun while doing it. This is your debut project under Jaiden Deshuan after previously releasing music as KidGoten. What parts of that former artist are you bringing forward, and what are you intentionally leaving behind? I’m bringing the hunger forward. KidGoten taught me how to create, how to perform, how to deal with the music industry at a young age, and how to believe in myself before I really had anything to prove it with. That part of me is still here. What I’m leaving behind is the feeling that I have to fit into the identity I had back then. I’m older now, I’ve experienced more, and I understand myself differently. Jaiden Deshuan isn’t me trying to erase KidGoten. It’s me taking everything I learned from that chapter and building something that actually represents who I am now. There’s a contrast between the confidence of tracks like “Pimped Out” and “Bad Bitch Roll Call,” and the more reflective “214507 / I Heard.” Why was it important to let both sides of you exist on FIRST BORN? Because I’m both of those people. I don’t think confidence means you have to pretend you don’t have a deeper side. “Pimped Out” and “Bad Bitch Roll Call” show the side of me that’s cocky, playful, and unapologetic. Then “214507 / I Heard” gives you a different glimpse of what’s going on underneath everything. I wanted FIRST BORN to feel like a real snapshot of me instead of forcing myself into one personality for seven tracks. I can talk my shit, flex, have fun, and still have moments where I’m reflective. Those things don’t contradict each other. That’s just me. You’re simultaneously developing your own career and helping other independent artists through TFWW Creative. Has working behind the scenes in branding, strategy, and artist development changed the way you approach Jaiden Deshuan as an artist? Working through TFWW Creative definitely changed how I look at myself as an artist. When you’re helping other artists with branding, strategy, content, releases, and development, you start seeing things from a bigger perspective. I’m not just asking, “Is this song good?” I’m thinking about the identity behind it, the rollout, the visuals, the audience, the timing, and what the bigger picture looks like. I’ve also learned that I have to apply the same strategy to myself that I give to other people. Jaiden Deshuan is an artist, but I’m also building a business and a brand around the music. That’s why FIRST BORN isn’t just a collection of songs to me. It’s the introduction to a new era and a bigger vision I’m building through TFWW Creative.

Pop singer-songwriter Hilary Roberts turns a deeply personal breaking point into a message of self-preservation on her new single, “Cutting Ties.” Written after Roberts reached what she describes as the final straw in a painful family situation, the track explores the difficult decision to walk away from toxic relationships and finally choose yourself. “Cutting Ties” is rooted in Roberts’ own experiences, but its message reaches far beyond them. The song speaks directly to anyone who has remained in an unhealthy dynamic because of empathy, codependency, trauma bonds, or the hope that things might eventually change. Rather than framing walking away as an act of anger, Roberts presents it as an act of self-respect. The release is accompanied by an official music video filmed at Butterfly Mountain in Topanga Canyon, California. Using the butterfly as a symbol of transformation, the visual begins with Roberts trapped and restrained inside a glass dome before moving through contrasting worlds representing toxicity and freedom. Eventually, she breaks free, turning the song’s central message into a literal visual transformation. For Roberts, who has built her career around music centered on resilience, recovery, and hope, “Cutting Ties” feels especially direct. It doesn’t romanticize staying, fixing someone else, or enduring more than you should. Instead, it makes space for a harder realization: sometimes healing starts with knowing when to leave.

The upcoming singer-songwriter from Vancouver, Canada, Christina Kennedy is turning a period of uncertainty into forward momentum with “Speed Limit." Marking the first release from a larger project, the track introduces a new era for Kennedy built around atmospheric production, acoustic and folk influences, and emotionally direct pop songwriting. “Speed Limit” began with a frustration that was surprisingly literal. Kennedy entered a writing session with Nathan Chiu, Sarah Jamison, and Bronwyn Pocock after an emotional conversation with her father about feeling stuck, including not having her car properly insured and struggling with the freedom to simply get around. That conversation quickly opened the door to something bigger: feeling directionless in her professional life while everything around her seemed to be moving too quickly. The resulting song turns driving into an effective metaphor for navigating life without a clear destination. There is yearning underneath “Speed Limit,” but also an urge to reclaim control. Kennedy’s vulnerable writing sits against an anthemic pop chorus, creating the kind of contrast that allows the track to work equally well as a solitary late-night listen or something shouted with friends on an actual highway. What makes the concept land is its simplicity. Kennedy does not pretend to have figured out where she is going. Instead, “Speed Limit” makes space for the confusion itself, recognizing that slowing down can sometimes be more necessary than racing toward the next milestone. Kennedy describes the song as a love letter to listeners who feel similarly lost, with the hope that it provides a sense of freedom and release. “Speed Limit” started from a very real moment of feeling stuck. When did you realize that frustration was actually connected to something much bigger happening in your life and career? The more we went deeper in the writing, the more I realized the frustration stemmed from a deeper source. My fellow co-writers did an incredible job of capturing the feeling that I was holding for so long and definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. The feeling of being "stuck" really amplified the tension I was experiencing of "everything is moving too fast," and I just need to "slow down for a minute," and "I have no idea what the future holds for me," and I need this momentum. I think that tension is very real. The song uses driving, highways, and slowing down as metaphors for uncertainty and direction. How did you balance making those images personal to your experience while leaving enough room for listeners to see themselves in them? The imagery of driving is very real to me because I personally love driving in my car. I love a good night drive and find it to be a comfort space for me. I think driving resonates with a lot of individuals as it's something people start to do when in high school or entering adulthood -- the beginning of independent freedom. In a lot of ways, roads, doors, slowing down, and speeding up are used as symbolism for life. There’s an interesting contrast between the song’s emotional vulnerability and its bigger, anthemic chorus. Why was it important for “Speed Limit” to feel freeing rather than purely melancholic? I honestly just love contrast and tension in my art. There's something so real and beautiful about it. Speed Limit feeling freeing and liberating while equally melancholic gives it a real-life human emotion. I think it's important to make the song singable, so fans in the audience can all connect with it. “Speed Limit” introduces a larger project and what you’ve described as a defining new era for your artistry. What are you establishing with this song that feels different from what Christina Kennedy listeners have heard before? So, I took the last year to really step back and take a break, and ask myself what I wanted out of music and my career. I felt very lost in media saturation and burnout and was thinking of quitting music altogether. And if I was ever going to do anything else, I wanted to do so intentionally and purposefully. So during the last year, I refined the sound and image that finally really felt like me and my inner world. Establishing this really helped with the direction of my career and what I want to say and how I want to say it. I spent the last year getting back into hobbies and sports that give me so much joy, spending time with friends and just living. I was getting out of my head and into my body again. So now, as I come back strong with the release of Speed Limit, I truly feel as though this is a fresh and authentic start in my artist journey. I'm so excited to share the rest of the songs that I've been working on behind the scenes this last year as well. The upcoming music video explores fear, yearning, and entering unfamiliar territory. How did working with Octavia Johnson expand the story of “Speed Limit” beyond what we hear in the song? Octavia Johnson played with very cool narrative themes and portrayed them in a hauntingly beautiful and nuanced way. The music video's story continues to expand on the emotion of feeling stuck in the "in-between" and what expressive freedom looks like. I am honored she chose this song for her directorial debut.

Spotify is expanding its investment in independent music with Fresh Finds Forward, a new artist development program designed to support approximately 10,000 emerging independent artists every year. Announced on September 17, the initiative takes Spotify’s long-running Fresh Finds playlist ecosystem beyond traditional editorial placement. Artists selected for eligible Fresh Finds playlists can now receive a full year of additional resources, industry opportunities, creative tools, and community support intended to help turn the visibility of a playlist placement into longer-term career growth. For independent artists trying to build without the infrastructure of a major label, that could make Fresh Finds significantly more valuable. Fresh Finds Is Becoming More Than a Playlist Spotify’s Fresh Finds ecosystem has spent more than a decade spotlighting independent, unsigned, and early-career artists across genres and markets. According to Spotify, more than 80,000 artists across 127 countries have appeared within Fresh Finds over the program’s history. Artists including Laufey, Clairo, ROLE MODEL, Ethel Cain, Megan Moroney, Royel Otis, and Omar Apollo were featured before developing the much larger audiences they have today. The platform says Fresh Finds has driven more than 128 million new artist discoveries since 2024, while nearly 70% of streams from the playlists have represented a listener hearing an artist for the first time. More than half of artists featured through Fresh Finds also go on to receive placements on other Spotify editorial playlists, including New Music Friday, RapCaviar, and Lorem. Fresh Finds Forward is essentially Spotify’s attempt to build on what happens after that first discovery. “Fresh Finds has always been about finding artists at a pivotal moment and helping them reach new audiences at the right time,” Spotify’s Global Head of Music Content and Partnerships, Joe Hadley, said in announcing the initiative. Rather than ending its involvement after a playlist placement, Spotify is positioning the new program as an ongoing support system for artists navigating their next stage. What Independent Artists Actually Get Fresh Finds Forward comes with several benefits that extend well beyond streaming exposure. Eligible U.S.-based artists can receive free studio time at major recording facilities including Electric Lady Studios in New York City, The Lighthouse at Ocean Way Nashville, and Spotify Studios in Los Angeles. Participating artists will also receive early access to select Spotify tools and features, prioritized consideration for certain tour and music video partnerships, and a Fresh Finds badge displayed on their Spotify artist profile. Spotify is also providing access to in-person and virtual events where artists can connect with Spotify employees, industry professionals, and previous Fresh Finds artists. The program includes premium access to LANDR Studio Pro and Splice’s Creator Plan, giving independent musicians additional recording, production, mastering, and creative resources. Fresh Finds Forward will even include wellness support, with participating artists offered six months of free therapy through BetterHelp. The program is free for participating artists and, according to Spotify, does not alter their royalty rates. Who Is Eligible? There is one major catch: artists cannot simply apply directly to Fresh Finds Forward. Beginning with artists added to eligible Fresh Finds playlists from January 1, 2026 onward, qualifying artists will receive invitations to join the program through Spotify for Artists. Once onboarded, participants can access Fresh Finds Forward benefits for 12 months. For artists who have not yet landed a Fresh Finds placement, Spotify says the best route remains pitching an upcoming release directly to its editorial team through Spotify for Artists. That makes properly pitching unreleased music increasingly important for independent musicians. Fresh Finds itself is curated by Spotify’s global editorial team, with more than 30 editors involved across its flagship and genre-focused playlists. The ecosystem currently stretches across categories including indie, pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock, dance, country, folk, jazz, experimental, Latin, música mexicana, heavy music, and more. There is no guaranteed path onto one of those playlists, but an editorial placement now has the potential to unlock considerably more than streams. Why Fresh Finds Forward Matters Playlist placement has become one of the most sought-after forms of exposure in the streaming era, but exposure alone does not necessarily translate into a sustainable career. An artist can experience a sudden jump in listeners after landing on a major playlist and still lack the budget, industry relationships, production resources, or strategy needed to capitalize on that attention. Fresh Finds Forward appears designed specifically around that gap. Spotify says the initiative was developed after years of conversations about what independent artists need once they begin gaining momentum. By combining editorial discovery with studio access, software, networking, education, partnerships, and other resources, the company is turning Fresh Finds into something closer to an artist-development ecosystem. The scale is notable too. Supporting approximately 10,000 artists annually would make Fresh Finds Forward considerably broader than the small, highly selective accelerator programs typically associated with emerging talent. There are still questions around how eligibility will work in practice. Music Business Worldwide notes that Spotify previously reported more than 18,000 artists appeared on Fresh Finds playlists in 2024 alone, while Fresh Finds Forward is expected to support roughly 10,000 artists annually. Spotify has not publicly detailed exactly how it will narrow the eligible pool if Fresh Finds placements exceed available program spots. Some benefits are also geographically limited. Free studio access, for example, is currently specifically available to U.S.-based artists. Still, for independent musicians, the announcement changes what a Fresh Finds placement can potentially represent. Instead of simply landing on a playlist and hoping listeners stick around, selected artists could now gain access to a year-long network of resources built around what comes next. For independent artists preparing upcoming releases, the takeaway is simple: Spotify’s editorial pitch just became even more worth paying attention to.