Music
Alex Aiono Shares his striking single “Played Out” ft. Jake Miller
Alex Aiono is ready to share his most honest project to date, starting with the release of his striking single “Played Out” ft. Jake Miller, due out June 25th. The fast-rising, multi-hyphenate is a force to be reckoned with. As a Pacific Islander (Maori Samoan,) music was an integral part of his upbringing and the singer-songwriter first got his start when he picked up the ukulele, drums, and piano when he was seven years old. Constantly striving to learn more, Alex started producing his own innovative covers of hit songs and what started as a fun hobby has since blossomed into nearly a Billion views on YouTube, 500 million streams, 6 Million followers across socials, Top 10 hits of his very own, sold-out tours around the world, and starring movie roles.
In this follow-up chapter, we see a side of Aiono that he has never shared before when it comes to his music. This new music is a full reflection of Alex here today; he is the record producer, writer, and performer. “This new era of music for me is special because I’m on an endeavor to continually reach deeper,” shares Alex. “With every release, I see more of me in my music. This next era truly will be the deepest I’ve gone yet, and as I live more life and dive further into who I am, I plan to share it with the world.”
In the intimate and intoxicating new single “Played Out,” glassy vocals packed with emotion usher in gorgeous, anthemic production as Alex muses on all the hardships he’s had to overcome in order to get to where he is now. He shares, “I think at our core as humans we consistently lose the forest for the trees when we are in the thicker situations of life. It’s not until you’re out of the woods or have overcome what it was you were going through that you get to see it all for what it truly is. Whether it’s love (as I refer to in the song), a career, a long term goal, or any budding and flourishing situation, sometimes you have to stop and appreciate how everything ‘played out.’”
“a truly defining moment for Aiono” – Variety
“precociously experienced performer” – LA Times
“a clear intentionality behind all of Aiono’s work” – Wonderland
“Alex Aiono’s ‘Her’ is for everyone” – PAPER
“Aiono’s Drake-like tone has us in love” – Billboard
Aiono has seen a whirlwind of successes over the last few years. He released the unpredictable hybrid album The Gospel at 23 in 2020, which saw him deep in the mix of gospel truth-telling, stark hip-hop swagger, alternative ambition, and pop bliss. The album garnered praise from the masses, from Variety and The LA Times to Wonderland to name a few, and has racked up millions of streams. Early 2021 also saw Alex star in the Ian Bryce produced and Jude Weng directed film Finding Ohana, which marked the start of another burgeoning venture for Alex.
The uniquely talented Aiono has proven himself as a jack of all trades. From writing and producing his own music to his collaborations with artists like John Legend to Jon Bellion, to securing starring roles on major networks, we see Alex continue a soaring career that’s bound to position the star as a household name for years to come.
Follow Alex Aiono
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Spotify / Apple Music
Artist Spotlight
Lisa Boostani creates a mesmerizing tidal realm in “Ocean”
Lisa Boostani’s “Ocean” takes you deep into a sensory world where body, spirit, and myth come together, beyond the surface of genre. Boostani makes a soundscape that is both ethereal and deeply human by combining the broad essence of psychedelic pop with the strong appeal of alternative rock.
Her voice rises as if it is coming from deep within her, shaped by emotion rather than action. She intentionally channels the intangible, turning weakness into strength rather than a source of pain, and “Ocean” tells people to get involved in this inner world, not just watch it. This release is an integral part of her first EP, “One,” which will come out in March 2026 and is based on love, sensuality, and unity.
If “Ocean” is any indication, the EP will show sensuality not as something pretty, but as a kind of spiritual intelligence, a way to know yourself by connecting with others. The song’s textures and structure have an aquatic quality, moving between clarity and delirium, rhythm and freedom. Its emotional focus is on immersion instead of resolution.
The striking quality of “Ocean” is the blend of the mystical worlds. Boostani understands that strength often shows up as gentleness and that deep feelings are better expressed through frequencies than words. She wants people to see consciousness as immediacy, sensation as truth, and openness as an undeniable strength.
Artist Spotlight
NOAH. captures the unspoken signals in enchanting R&B track “That’s Bless”
“That’s Bless” captures the unspoken late-night message, the smile that was exchanged from afar, and the feeling you sense but are afraid to say. NOAH. offers a song with a smoky R&B feel and lyrics that capture unspoken tension, firmly in the realm of emotional ambiguity, where connection is clear but not defined.
This piece concerns the subtle discomfort of mixed signals and quiet longings, when looks say more than words ever could. NOAH. handles the theme with restraint, letting the chemistry simmer rather than explode. NOAH.’s delivery shows a confident gentleness, recognizing that some feelings don’t need strict definitions to be real.
In “That’s Bless,” he captures the essence of connection and the compelling allure that endures, even when both parties pretend it is not there. The composition is based on real-life events, and it acknowledges that specific attachments endure in the heart long after one has persuaded oneself of having progressed.
“That’s Bless” is at the crossroads of closeness and distance, clarity and confusion. The song doesn’t resolve the tension it talks about, and that’s what makes it so powerful. It sums up the connection we say we don’t want but keep coming back to in memory, rhythm, and pulse.
Connect with NOAH. on Instagram
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