Artist Spotlight

Micki Balder Chronicles Loneliness in New Single

Micki Balder debuts her new single “Lonely” on September 2 ahead of her highly anticipated EP, releasing later this fall. “Lonely” was written while in what Balder refers to as “the throes of misery that is dating.” Having written several songs with consistent themes of heartbreak and frustration, Balder was beginning to feel as if she was stuck in an endless cycle… until a funky strum pattern opened up a new place of songwriting within her. The light-hearted track moves away from Balder’s folk tendencies with lyrics that reflect what she wishes someone would sing to her to melt all her frustrations away. “I think we all get a little bogged down by the sad and lonely parts of life sometimes, and this song was just about crafting a version of hope that worked for the moment, just to get through it,” says Balder. The burgeoning artist goes on to describe the single as riding a line of “hopeful melancholy” – a trait found in much of her previous catalog as well. “Lonely” is the first tease to Balder’s upcoming EP and will be available on all major platforms.

“My songs are personalized storytelling, generally a one-woman show, with an authentic voice. I like to write and record with a time capsule attitude in mind, that each recording or album is like a glimpse of a moment in time, what was going on in myself and the world in that snapshot.”

Micki Balder is a folksy singer-songwriter writing sad songs for happy people (and ever so occasionally, happy songs for sad people!). Her music is born from a life-long desire to be a character in a musical, unapologetically singing her feelings for the world through simple and poignant lyrics. Though she’s been dabbling with music her whole life, it wasn’t until 2018 when a friendship’s moment of truth unveiled itself in the middle of a Denver coffee shop. She walked home, wrote a song, and has been writing ever since, now a regular at local music venues around her Colorado home. Micki writes from a place of vulnerable storytelling, with people and relationships at the core of her music. She’s been compared to modern folk bands like The Weepies and Mipso, along with classic songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, but she draws inspiration from all over the spectrum — the swing and soul music of her lindy hop days, the earthy folk of Gregory Alan Isakov and Mandolin Orange, the candor and dry humor of John Craigie, or the heartbreak of Sara Bareilles, to name a few.

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Artist Spotlight

Amanda Fagan unveils lost love and regret on latest release “Forever Yearn”

Amanda Fagan‘s latest release, “Forever Yearn,” is a tragic love story of pride, lost opportunity, and the harrowing knowledge that some mistakes can never be undone. A young couple at heart, wild and almost in love, but whose pride prevents the relationship from flowering. Their story doesn’t end with seeing what went wrong. It hurts more because you don’t see it for years.

“It’s a song about breaking cycles, but the characters are caught in the consequences of their choices. They learn from their mistakes, but knowledge cannot change the past. What remains is the longing for each other, which gives the song its emotional weight and its title, “Forever Yearn.”

Inspired by Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, the song feels like a love story that never gets old. Fagan’s premise blends regret and longing, showing how pride can linger long after an alternative decision could have changed everything. So “Forever Yearn” is less about lost love than about two people wondering what might have been.

Artist Spotlight

iLLLACAT brings sharp bars and catchy production with latest release “Like Dat”

iLLLACAT drops “Like Dat,” a Hip-Hop cut with punchy production, percussion, and synths that give the record movement. Bookie comes on the track and sets the tone immediately with the hard lines, “Get out of my face with the gas, we’re on the chase for the cash, if you’re moving fake I’ll pass, I’ll pack it, and I’ll put it in a bag.” The delivery is right there in the money, the movement, and staying away from anything fake.

The production leaves plenty of space to land those words. Percussion powers the track with synths adding another layer to the beat, a backdrop for the straight-up vocal approach. “Like Dat” maintains tight energy and, instead of overcomplicating its message, lets the verses do the work in terms of personality.

The line, “Steady making money while smoking a pain killer” provides another memorable moment and an insight into the attitude that runs throughout the record. iLLLACAT brings us “Like Dat”, a pure hip-hop joint with Bookie on the track. A catchy production that stays sharp, an assertive voice, memorable lines, and enough rhythmic punch to keep the record moving.