Music
Nicky Buell Drops Queer Pop Anthem “Boy Crazy”
Seattle–based pop artist Nicky Buell is quickly establishing himself as a leading voice in the queer pop scene. He wants the LGBTQ+ community to feel seen and heard. His bullhorn of choice: music. As he puts it, “I just want to normalize a boy singing about another boy in music. I don’t hear enough songs about boys being in lust over other boys on the radio, or in music enough. We need more representation; I want to be that representation for other queer people when I didn’t have that myself at a younger age.”
Nicky has collaborated with iconic artists and producers throughout the Pacific Northwest including Phil Peterson
(Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Rey), Matthew Wolk (Dempsey Hope, Sam Lachow), and Seattle–based popstar Anna Thompson, his childhood best friend with whom he released ‘Thirsty.’ It was through this song that Nicky would publicly come out at the age of twenty. He followed ‘Thirsty’ with the releases of singles ‘Bromance’ and ‘Moonboy’ off his debut EP ‘Spongy Emerald Prince,’ a project that honors and chronicles his triumphs and heartbreak during his first year as an openly gay man. Having launched his project just four months ago, he’s already received press from major publications on the West Coast like RageRobot and The Spokesman–Review.
Sonically, Nicky draws inspiration from artists like Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and John Legend. He not only sits in the pop realm but also bends the genre, adding in the occasional punchy rap verse to elevate his sound. Nicky is an artist you can root for, coming into his own through the creation of fun electronic–tinged pop anthems guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days.
Artist Spotlight
North Shy leaves imperfection exposed with “i’ve” from the EP “aftermath”
There is something deeply compelling about an artist willing to leave imperfections exposed, and in the “aftermath,” North Shy does exactly that. Created entirely by 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and producer Kieran Garing from his bedroom in Lafayette, Indiana, the six-track EP feels raw in the best possible way, intimate, restless, and emotionally unguarded. Rather than polishing away the pain, North Shy leans into it, allowing every song to sound like a late-night thought spiraling out of control.
From the opening seconds of “I Meant to call,” the EP immediately pulls listeners into its atmosphere. The track bursts forward with energetic drums and mild hi-hats before unexpectedly melting into a calmer, soothing rhythm. It is an impressive introduction that not only highlights North Shy’s textured, emotionally expressive vocal delivery but also establishes the project’s emotional unpredictability. The transitions feel natural, almost like emotional waves crashing into each other without warning.
What makes “aftermath” stand out is how cohesive the emotional storytelling feels across its 20-minute runtime. The project moves through obsession, regret, resentment, memories, and acceptance without ever sounding forced or overly theatrical. Instead, every moment feels lived-in. There is no attempt to romanticize heartbreak here. North Shy presents emotional exhaustion exactly as it exists, messy, repetitive, and difficult to escape.
One of the most memorable moments arrives with the closing track “i’ve,” opening with the striking line, “you said you never meant to hurt but you, yeah, you always do.“ It is the kind of lyric that instantly cuts through the noise because of its directness and relatability. The song closes the project beautifully, not with resolution, but with emotional honesty. With the “aftermath,” North Shy proves that great music does not require massive studios or industry machinery. Sometimes, all it takes is vulnerability, sleepless nights, and the courage to document the emotional wreckage left behind.
Connect with North Shy on Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Youtube
Artist Spotlight
E.G. Phillips unveils where silence speaks the loudest on new release “Empathy for the Night Fly”
The mood of E.G. PHILLIPS’s “Empathy for the Night Fly” is instantly cinematic, dark, introspective, and frozen in time. The track sounds like a scene from a late-night club where everything slows down just enough for feelings to come out. The arrangement is jazz-like in that it lets each part breathe. The arpeggiating Rhodes piano comes and goes, giving the impression that the music is thinking, as if it’s moving.
The song is really about recognition, which is when you hear something in someone else’s voice that reminds you of your own experience. It’s subtle, almost fragile, but it has a big effect on people. That emotional connection is what holds the piece together.
That choice seems deliberate, even defiant. It asks the listener to pay attention differently, not just passively. Every break is a part of the story. E.G. Phillips doesn’t just make the mood; he keeps it going. In that space, “Empathy for the Night Fly” becomes a quiet, powerful look at memory, connection, and shared feelings.
Connect with E.G. Phillips on Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Youtube
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