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Kesha Launches Smash With New ‘Attention! (Smash Features)’ EP

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Multi-platinum global pop superstar Kesha has unveiled ‘Attention! (Smash Features)’, an EP collecting two brand new spins on her hit single “Attention!” The release features pop disruptor Slayyyter and rising UK artist Rose Gray, created through an exclusive feature challenge marking the launch of Smash, a new global creator community and marketplace designed to help musicians connect and collaborate independently. The challenge drew more than 500 submissions from over 40 countries, with Kesha personally selecting her favorites, including original remixes from Sizzy Rocket and Xamiya. The EP is out now via her own imprint, Kesha Records.

Co-founded by Kesha Sebert alongside Alan Cannistraro and Lagan Sebert, Smash is built to help creators forge sustainable careers through community support and direct access to opportunities. By bringing together songwriters, artists, producers, instrumentalists, vocalists, and engineers in a safe, creator-first environment, Smash aims to shift power away from traditional industry gatekeepers and back into the hands of those making the music. The platform’s launch follows earlier Smash remix initiatives tied to Kesha’s single “Boy Crazy,” reinforcing the project’s focus on collaboration, visibility, and creative independence.

Tecate Pa’l Norte Unveils Massive 2026 Lineup

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Tecate Pa’l Norte has revealed its official lineup for the 2026 edition, reaffirming its status as one of Latin America’s most important music festivals. Taking place March 27, 28, and 29 at Parque Fundidora, the three-day event returns under its defining motto, Siempre Ascendente, promising an experience that continues to grow in scale, ambition, and impact year after year.

The lineup reflects the festival’s trademark diversity and global reach, led by headline performances from Guns N’ Roses, The Killers, Tyler, The Creator, and Kygo. Across eight stages, more than 100 artists will perform, including Deftones, The Lumineers, Halsey, Interpol, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Zoé, Morat, Myke Towers, Simple Plan, DJO, The Blaze, Cypress Hill, and Purple Disco Machine. Beyond the music, Tecate Pa’l Norte once again delivers a full-scale festival experience with immersive brand activations, standout food offerings, and surprises spread throughout the park, making every corner part of the event.

UMe Honors Joe Cocker’s Legacy With ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ Film Premiere

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UMe is celebrating the life and music of the late Joe Cocker with the full premiere of the documentary and concert film ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ on YouTube. The screening arrives as Cocker is posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, marking a major moment in honoring one of rock’s most distinctive and emotionally charged voices.

Directed by Pierre Adidge, ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ captures Cocker’s legendary North American tour alongside Leon Russell, unfolding as a vivid time capsule of the seventies. The film blends explosive live performances with candid behind-the-scenes moments, showcasing Cocker’s full-bodied delivery, sweat-soaked intensity, and deep emotional surrender to the music. Backstage reflections reveal both humor and hard-earned wisdom, as Cocker laughs, “I used to sing in front of the mirror with a tennis racket…full of shit I am,” before offering, “If you really want results, you have to forget everything you have of your old self, let’s say, and just surrender to what’s going on.” The premiere coincides with renewed interest in Cocker’s catalog, reaffirming his enduring influence as a vocal powerhouse and cultural icon.

Paige Kennedy Announces New EP ‘Style Over Substance’ and Shares New Single “Medical Emergency”

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Paige Kennedy (they/them) has announced their new EP ‘Style Over Substance’, due February 6th, and shared new single “Medical Emergency” today alongside a reliably iconic video. The track leans into Paige’s off-kilter pop instincts, turning a bleak real-life moment into an indie-tinged, larger-than-life anthem that balances humour with vulnerability. The EP will be supported by a headline tour running throughout February.

“After a life altering breakup, I was sitting in A&E with actual heart problems, feeling sorry for myself. My coping mechanism, has always been leaning into fantasy, silliness and comedy during dark times, which was how Medical Emergency was born. The persona in the track thinks all the nurses fancy them, and has delusions of grandeur. Musically I was inspired by Tupac, The Cardigans and PJ Harvey. There’s an overconfidence in gangsta rap I wanted to emulate. The sound world of the song is grungy with some silly sound design elements which matches the content.” The video mirrors that energy, with an exaggerated version of Paige and nurse backing-dancers causing cartoonish chaos. It follows “Male Friend,” a detective-style vignette exploring desire and identity, as Paige continues to build a fast-growing audience through sharp storytelling, viral clips, and live shows that thrive on sweaty club floors and open festival fields alike.

Monitors Return With Debut Album ‘The Madelaine Affair’

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Monitors return with their debut album ‘The Madelaine Affair’, marking a major moment for the Paris-based band previously described by Rolling Stone Magazine as “producing an outstanding musical fusion.” Formed in 2017 by members of English, Bosnian, and French backgrounds, the band signed to Manchester label AnalogueTrash in 2021 and have since built a reputation for challenging, life-affirming music and a formidable live presence across France and the UK. The group consists of Emil Balic on bass and composition, Renaud Fumey on guitar, Chris Remick on vocals and lyrics, and Féodor Trotta on drums.

Co-produced at Paris studio La Canopée, ‘The Madelaine Affair’ draws on ideas of memory, loss, and collective resilience, referencing Proust’s reflections on the senses and grief. Emil Balic explains, “In an increasingly harsh world, our music is meant to be a refuge, a shelter against adversity. We remain pacifists, probably utopians, but more than ever, convinced that we must stand together. And even if everything falls apart around us, there will always be moments to stay united together, and to celebrate our love for this music.” Chris Remick adds, “The new album is Marinetti’s manifesto brought to life: sing the love of danger, the habit of energy, the beauty of speed, and motor cars running on machine-gun fire. Beauty exists only in struggle. The Madelaine Affair is a modern cacophony of violent inspiration, angelic epiphanies, and radical transformation.”

Von Loop Embrace Chaos on New Single “Aurora”

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Irish alt-rock outfit Von Loop return with “Aurora,” a chaotic and tongue-in-cheek dive into self-deception, denial, and human absurdity. What begins as a playful nod to The Simpsons’ iconic “Steamed Hams” scene quickly spirals into a sharp-edged reflection on how people disguise their own disasters, smiling through the wreckage while everything quietly burns.

Built on gritty grunge undertones, explosive guitar textures, and biting lyrical wit, “Aurora” captures the beauty and madness of human contradiction. The line “Starting to see-more of what I’ve been missing” lands especially hard, blurring the line between satire and heartbreak. It’s clever, raw, and unmistakably Von Loop, using humor and metaphor to expose denial, betrayal, and the absurdity of keeping up appearances when reality is falling apart.

Conquer Divide Return With Powerful New Single “The Ocean Between Us”

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Conquer Divide have released their new single and lyric video, “The Ocean Between Us,” a sweeping and emotionally raw track that leans into the band’s heavier sound while embracing a wide, atmospheric feel. “‘The Ocean Between Us’ is about being set on one life path, going through the motions until something or someone stops you in your tracks,” the band says. “It’s about seeing an alternate version of your life and wondering what if. What if you took the leap and started over somewhere far away, with someone new?”

Balancing melancholy and euphoria, the song unfolds without a clear resolution, leaving listeners suspended between escape and immersion. The uncertainty at the end mirrors the weight of choice, knowing that either path would permanently change reality. The new track follows “Bad Dreams,” featuring Of Virtue, and arrives as Conquer Divide continue work on their next album, slated for release in 2026, with major festival appearances already on the calendar.

GRACE. Unveils Intimate Debut Album ‘Hourglass Plea’

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GRACE. has released her debut album ‘Hourglass Plea,’ a tender, deeply personal meditation on time, loss, and emotional survival. Written during one of the most difficult years of her life, the album functions as both diary and refuge, capturing moments of grief, love, and closure with quiet honesty. “I wrote Hourglass Plea during one of the hardest years of my life,” GRACE. shares. “It became my safe space to process grief, love, closure, and everything in between. Each song feels like a page from my journal — vulnerable, gentle, honest, and deeply personal.”

Built around ethereal soundscapes and introspective storytelling, ‘Hourglass Plea’ invites listeners to sit with impermanence and the beauty of fleeting moments. Drawing inspiration from artists like Clairo, Olivia Dean, Cleo Sol, Bruno Major, and Laufey, GRACE. blends cinematic warmth with intimate lyricism. “This album is for anyone holding on to something they weren’t ready to lose but had to let go,” she says, framing the record as both comfort and reminder to feel deeply and hold close what still remains.

MAY-A Lets Loose With Queer Pop-Rock Anthem “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS”

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MAY-A switches gears with her new single “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS,” a sexy, pop-rock-driven anthem that arrives alongside a self-directed music video. Following the weightier, politically charged “[REDACTED],” the track leans fully into release and fun, powered by guitar-led dance energy and late-night chaos. “This song was created because I felt like the album writing process was getting quite heavy and serious, and I needed some kind of sense of relief and fun,” MAY-A says. Drawing inspiration from late-2000s Yeah Yeah Yeahs and early Calvin Harris, she adds, “We were just having fun and writing something stupid and less intense than the other tracks.”

The video mirrors that spirit, serving as a Y2K-flavored love letter to warehouse raves, club nights, and dancing until sunrise. The release lands amid a huge run for MAY-A, who has spent the past year building momentum through major festival appearances and high-profile support slots, including opening for Glass Animals and sharing the stage with Cyndi Lauper. With “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS,” MAY-A delivers a sharp, liberated moment that celebrates queerness, movement, and joy without overthinking it.

Anna Lunoe Returns to the Club With New Single ‘Trick’

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Anna Lunoe is back with her new single ‘Trick,’ out now via NLV Records. Built on tight percussion, heavy basslines, and warehouse-ready drums, the track leans into the raw, playful energy that has long defined Lunoe’s club output. Stripped back and forward-facing, ‘Trick’ is designed for the dancefloor, balancing physical momentum with restless experimentation. “Took me a minute post-album to find my studio flow,” Lunoe says. “I found myself stripping back to bones… sonic experiments, de-centering my vocals, gamifying the production and just enjoying working alone again with no outcome or agenda.”

The release follows a landmark period for Lunoe, who last year shared her debut album ‘Pearl,’ earning triple j Feature Album status and recognition as one of Billboard’s Best Dance Albums of 2024. Since then, she’s expanded that world with ‘Pearl (Remixes)’ and continued to cement her status as a global force through high-profile live performances and support slots across the U.S., UK, and Australia. ‘Trick’ signals the start of a new, club-focused chapter, with Lunoe describing it as “tried and tested, playable and ready to load up,” setting the tone for what’s next.