Music
Mimi Pretend Redefines Heartbreak with Unapologetic New Single, ‘Guys in LA’
Mimi Pretend, the talented singer-songwriter known for her emotionally charged music, unveils her latest single, “Guys in LA.” The track is a part of her upcoming album, “Sick Eros,” which is a chronicle of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. Mixed and mastered by Chris Ostler of Black Honey, this collaboration has resulted in an exceptional piece of art that reflects Mimi’s personal and musical growth.
Mimi Pretend’s journey with Chris Ostler began during the pandemic, where they connected over Skype, allowing Ostler to guide Mimi through the intricacies of mixing and producing her music. This partnership has played a significant role in shaping her sound and allowing her to explore new depths in her artistry.
“Guys in LA” diverges from Mimi Pretend’s usual exploration of the aches and pains of love, as she ventures into uncharted territory. The song is a testament to her time at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), which challenged her to write in ways that were foreign to her, ultimately leading to the creation of her alternate persona, Mimi.
The single is a perfect amalgamation of Mimi’s experiences, inspirations, and newfound writing techniques. It retains the soundscapes and textures that accompany sadness, while introducing a refreshing and uplifting melody that captures the essence of happiness. The track follows the adventures of the other Mimi, with a backdrop of old cars, haunted mansion pools, foggy beaches, bourbon, cloves, and a unique blend of southwestern gothic, LA noir, and grunge aesthetics.
“Guys in LA” is a vivid representation of Mimi Pretend’s growth as an artist, both personally and musically. The song showcases her versatility, as she breaks away from the role she once created for herself – the girl who wallowed in self-pity and couldn’t save herself. This single signifies a transformation and a rebirth, as Mimi Pretend embraces the complexity of emotions and experiences in life.
Artist Spotlight
“Subterranean Homesick Blues” finds a new direction through Ghost of Panama
Rearranging a song that carries six decades of cultural weight is a creative challenge, but Ghost of Panama approaches “Subterranean Homesick Blues” with clear purpose. The rock band radically reworks Bob Dylan’s counter-culture hit, reshaping its identity while keeping its rebellious spirit. It’s a tribute to musical heritage and a statement of artistic independence all in one.
This new interpretation is very much shaped by the production, made at Ghost of Panama’s home studio in West London. The setting allows an intimate approach to reinterpreting a familiar song and lets the group engage directly with the material, taking it in a new artistic direction.
“Subterranean Homesick Blues” centers on the tension between conservation and transformation. Ghost of Panama is true to the song’s rebellious spirit without adding to its legacy, and this approach gives the release an adventurous feel, grounded in countercultural energy but driven by a desire to see what the composition can become in a different musical context.
Their version of this 60-year-old classic shows that respecting a song’s history can also mean breaking the rules and finding new ways to express its spirit. Fundamentally, “Subterranean Homesick Blues” presents Ghost of Panama as artists who want to engage with the past without being tied to it. The release’s strongest identity is a familiar heritage reimagined through a singularly forward-looking creative vision.
Artist Spotlight
“NO MORE” by Amanda Holley connects healing, awakening, and survival
“NO MORE“ carries that kind of emotional weight, and some songs feel like they come from lived experience but reach for something bigger. Amanda Holley blends R&B and soul, turning a lifetime of survival into a vision of healing, awakening, and the determination to move beyond what caused the pain.
“NO MORE“ is a healing anthem for people who have gone through bad experiences and reached a place of higher awareness, but it’s also an emotionally charged protest. The duality is introspective and outward-looking at the same time, turning personal survival into a broader declaration that some experiences, conditions, or cycles should end.
Holley had a premonition of the song six months before the world went into global shutdown. In the vocal booth, working out melodies with her collaborators, she pictured people in the streets. Those images were hard to imagine at the time, but subsequent events would make them painfully familiar.
“NO MORE“ is given a particularly contemplative underpinning by the context. The identity of R&B and soul leaves room for emotion. The song’s themes link survival, awakening, resistance, and the need for change. Amanda Holley is an artist using music to process personal endurance and a broader sense of social awakening. It’s got a complicated significance, and its release feels like a glimpse of a moment when personal intuition and public reality collided in an unexpected way.
Photo Credit: Yulia Shusharina
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