Introducing Interview: Madison Cunningham

Having been included as a favourite by not just one, but two, other artists in their ‘Five Favourites’ features for us (Laura Reznek earlier this year, and Sarah Walk back in 2020), we’re so glad to have been introduced to LA artist Madison Cunningham and her swirling heartfelt creations. With the release of her third album, Ace, last month, she has continued to hone her sound; interweaving a lilting folk-tinged musicality with a soaring cinematic splendour and the captivating delicate crystalline grace of her rich vocals, it offers a stirring reflection on heartbreak and perseverance.

We caught up with Madison to find out more about the new album, collaborating with Fleet Foxes and her thoughts on the industry at the moment. Read below and make sure you check out the truly exquisite Ace if you’ve not already!

Hi Madison! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! How are you doing today?
I’m feeling well and like I’ve had too much coffee today.

Are you able to tell us a bit about what initially inspired you to start creating music?
Watching my Dad and Grandma and their relationship to guitar was my initial introduction.

I love the raw stirring emotion and glistening musicality of your songs, but who would you consider to be your main musical influences?
Very hard to choose just a handful. The most expansive influences have to be: Juana Molina, Ry Cooder, Jon Brion, Bjork, and Joni Mitchell. 

Your new album Ace has just been released, which is super exciting! It’s said to be a really personal collection, reflecting on heartbreak – are you able to tell us a bit more about this and how your experiences inspired your writing?
Recently I’ve been inspired by passion. Specifically passions that are born out of heartbreak. The chefs, authors, and poets that were inspiring me while writing Ace really lit the way for how to talk about my own heartbreak. Essentially there are no rules to telling the truth. You just have to be willing to greet the consequences and understand that the ability to understand and tell your own story is the closest we get to liberation. 

And how would you say the process of recording the album has differed from your 2022 Grammy winning album, Revealer?
This process was much more free and clear. Oddly enough, I think that was the direct result of putting more rules in place. No vocal overdubs, no demos, and nothing that felt overly cool, for example. The emotion and first instinct had to be priority. It’s also worth mentioning I recorded with my touring band for the first time, aside from the one single I produced called ‘Subtitles’. 

You collaborated with Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes on the album track ‘Wake’ – are you able to tell us a bit about how this collaboration came about, and what the experience of working with him was like?
I met Robin backstage at our second to last Revealer show. I was so amazed he even wanted to be there. We kept in touch and I braved the ask after the ‘Wake’ harmony was written. Robin is the consummate professional in every way you can imagine. Prepared, kind, hard working, and wouldn’t let up until it was right. Didn’t think it was possible to walk away being a bigger fan. 

And you’ve recently been on tour with Mumford & Sons – how was this experience for you? 
I love those wild boys. Was blown away by their live show and their kindness. 

When you’re out on tour are there any particular essentials that you like to have with you to keep you going?
I have my headphones, spearmint tea, a good candle, books, and running shoes. 

And has there been a specific show you’ve played over the years that stands out as a particular highlight?
The release show we just played at Largo as a band was an all timer spiritual experience for me.

As we’re an organisation with a focus on supporting new and marginalised artists, I just wondered how you feel the industry is for them at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the years in its treatment of female and queer artists?
I think we need to do better. I want more for artists and I imagine I always will, but I am thankful that at least we’re attempting to talk to each other, and that’s a start. 

And are there any other bands or artists that you’d recommend we check out at the moment?
Do check out Sam Weber, Anna Tivel, Mike Viola, and Dylan Rodruige. The best in the business.

Huge thanks to Madison for answering our questions! Listen to / order her exquisite new album here.

LISTEN: GIHE on Soho Radio with Blue Loop (23.10.25)

Tash, Kate and Mari were all back in the Soho Radio studio together, bringing listeners their usual eclectic mix of new music tunes from some of their favourite female, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ artists. They were also joined by London-based electronic musician and producer Emma Hall aka Blue Loop to talk about her upcoming debut album, Cycles.

Set for release on 7th November, Cycles is a deeply personal work for Emma, inspired by her experiences of being diagnosed with and undergoing treatment for breast cancer – for which she is now in remission. Emma spoke candidly about the context and inspiration behind specific tracks, the people she collaborated with on the record, and shared her excitement for the listening event and Q&A session she’ll be hosting on Saturday 8th November at The Cavendish Arms in Stockwell, South London, to help celebrate the release. You can grab a ticket here.

Listen back to the show below:

 

We’ll be back on Soho Radio on Thursday 13th November from 16:00-18:00 (GMT)
 Make sure you tune in via DAB or download the new Soho Radio app!
You can also listen at www.sohoradiolondon.com

Tracklist
Planningtorock x Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
Kelly Lee Owens – ASCEND
Nourished by Time – Crazy People
feeo – The Hammer Strikes The Bell
better joy – steamroller
Samia – Cinder Block
Whitelands – Glance
skullcrusher – dragon
Dogviolet – Now
Hadda Be – New To The Office
F*Choir – Ceasefire (You Cannot Stop The Sun)
Beverley Glenn Copeland – La Vita
Blue Loop – All Of You
**Interview with Blue Loop**
Beth Gibbons – Whispering Love
Pien – Totally Honest
HAAi – Voices (Tash’s Track Of The Show)
Hilary Woods – Taper (Kate’s Track Of The Show)
Breakup Haircut – I’m Okay (I Lied) (Mari’s Track Of The Show)
congratulations – This Life
No Other News – Flowers
Brain Leak – Moon Eyes
Madi Diaz – Ambivalence
Ailbhe Reddy – Align
Shy Charles – Come Little Children

PLAYLIST: October 2025

The Get In Her Ears team have put together another eclectic mix of alt-pop & indie gems, reverb-drenched guitar tunes, DIY punk bangers, electronic musings & intriguing experimental sounds for your listening pleasure. Scroll through our recommendations below!

In order to best support the female, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary artists that we love here at GIHE, we are moving away from using Spotify as our main playlisting platform. We have now set up an account on TIDAL, so feel free to follow us on there! We’ve also included YouTube/bandcamp links for all of the tracks below, so there’s plenty of ways for you to get your new music fix.

You can still access our GIHE profile on Spotify (which we do not have a paid subscription for) but we urge you to use TIDAL, bandcamp or YouTube instead. Happy listening!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON TIDAL

 

ARXX – ‘W.I.P’
GIHE are always excited when total faves ARXX share a new tune and the latest offering from the Brighton duo feels particularly special. With a gloriously catchy, country-inspired energy, ‘Work In Progress’ (WIP) offers a rousing, empowering anthem; a comforting acknowledgement that we still have a way to go, a subtle reassurance that it’s ok to have imperfections: “It’s about trying. It’s about getting it wrong and getting it right but finding the beauty in the process.”

Another instant earworm from Hanni and Clara, the release coincides with the band being featured on the soundtrack to the new Sally Wainwright drama Riot Women. It’s certainly an exciting time to be an ARXX fan and they truly deserve every bit of success that comes their way. They’re one of the hardest-working, and most lovely bands in the world.
(Mari Lane – Managing Editor)

Beauty Sleep – ‘You (You’re All I Wanted)’
Following the release of their glistening debut album, The Whole Damn Cake, Northern Irish radical alt-pop duo Beauty Sleep have shared a wonderfully euphoric new single. Shimmering with all the lo-fi hooks and scuzzy uplifting energy you could ever desire, ‘You (You’re All I Wanted)’ is “a love letter to failing and not giving up” – a perfect example of the empowering queer spirit of the band. Watch the wonderfully wacky video below and make sure you nab tickets to catch Beauty Sleep headlining for us at The Cavendish Arms on 27th November! With support from glitch-pop faves Dream Phone and pioneering songwriter Lein Sangster, it promises to be a pretty dreamy night. Tickets on DICE now and are always cheaper in advance. (ML)

congratulations – ‘This Life’
Full of chaotic tempo shifts, cathartic beats and relatable lyrics, ‘This Life’ by Brighton-based four-piece congratulations is a much needed distraction from the monotonous nature of the everyday routine. It’s taken from their debut album, Join Hands, which is due on 13th February 2026 via Bella Union. The band describe it as “a bombastic ode to first world problems and that feeling of losing at life before you’ve ever gotten out of bed.”
(Kate Crudgington – Features Editor)

Lala Lala – ‘Does This Go Faster?’
Having just signed to legendary label Sub-Pop, Lillie West aka Lala Lala has now shared a sparkling, synth-driven new single. Drenched in West’s rich, syrupy vocals and twinkling hooks, ‘Does This Go Faster?’ is steeped in a raw, stripped-back emotion as it flows with beautifully existential meanderings. (ML)

Marina Yozora – ‘Touché’
I was so pleased to discover this tender dream-pop tune by Japanese-born, London-based songwriter Marina Yozora in my GIHE inbox earlier this month. She describes ‘Touché’ as a “love letter” to her friends and fans, which she softly communicates through her delicate vocals, emotive lyrics and atmospheric guitar tones. I’m really excited to hear more new music from her in the future. (KC)

Jouska – ‘California’
Another graceful, shape-shifting offering from Norwegian songwriter and producer Jouska here, lifted from her recent album, How Did I Wind Up Here? ‘California’ is a hazy reflection on her first visit to Los Angeles and “finding calm in unexpected places”, which she explores through her lilting melodies, soft vocals and bittersweet lyrics. “I have a complicated relationship with the U.S.A, especially now,” Jouska elaborates. “There’s so much about it that I find difficult and a lot I still don’t fully understand. But that first visit stayed with me. It gave me space when I had nothing left to give, a strange kind of calm in the middle of everything falling apart.” (KC)

skullcrusher – ‘dragon’
Another disarming, wistful release from American indie artist skullcrusher here. Taken from her new album, And Your Song Is Like A Circle, ‘dragon’ is a song about disassociation and how, as skullcrusher so eloquently explains: “It is a heavy thing to feel the weight of living and pull yourself back to earth.” (KC)

Dogviolet – ‘Now’
The latest single from long time GIHE faves Dogviolet, who were one of the eight bands who played our 10th Birthday all-dayer at The Cavendish Arms last month. The dreamiest of days! Talking of dreamy, this new single showcases the band’s ability to create utterly dreamy soundscapes as its swirling dark majesty caresses the ears with a soaring, gritty splendour. Of the track, Naz from the band explains: “This song is about feeling so consumed by thoughts of the past and the future that you’re unable to move forward with your life, mentally trapped in a cycle of regret and nostalgia.” (ML)

Talking Violet – ‘Destroy’
Having been big fans of Talking Violet since first coming across their immersive “dreamo” sound back in 2018, the Ontario band have since been making waves and garnering acclaim for two sonically expansive albums, and it’s lovely to have another gorgeous track of theirs back in our ears. Rippling with a swirling, shoegaze-tinged allure and shimmering haze, ‘Destroy’ offers an stirring reflection on loss and acceptance. Of the track, songwriter and vocalist Jillian Goyeau explains: “(it’s) about closing a chapter in my life…before moving on I kinda needed to say goodbye…It’s me finally accepting that people can both love you and hurt you at the same time and vice versa.” (ML)

Red Ivory – ‘Crashing Down’
South London four-piece Red Ivory are new to team GIHE, but we’re already big fans of their brooding, distorted sound. Band members Eiliyah, Berry, Frida and Ivy began playing together in 2021 aged fourteen in their secondary school music rooms. Since then, they’ve been honing their skills and developing their songwriting, which has resulted in their upcoming EP, Please Leave, I Need To Wake Up Now, due on 28th November. ‘Crashing Down’ is the opening track on the record and it’s a dizzying reflection on the heightened state of anxiety that can arise when you’re under the influence. (KC)

THE NONE – ‘Pigs Need Feeding’
On one of our recent Soho Radio shows, I declared that punk-inspired four piece THE NONE were one of “the best live bands I’ve ever seen” and I stand by that statement. Kai Whyte is a formidable front person, backed by the cacophonous, momentous sounds of their talented bandmates Gordon Moakes, Jim Beck and Chris Francombe.

The band recently pressed their first two EPs, MATTER AND CARE, to vinyl and released them through Zennor Records. ‘Pigs Need Feeding’ is one of my favourite tracks, full of Kai’s raging reflections on their conflicting feelings about self-intoxication. “I was feeling some sort of shame about my vices, but it was juxtaposed with the knowledge that actual killers don’t feel any,” Kai explains. “I like a drink, but there are certain powerful people and organisations literally arming terror states that kill kids. Maybe I’m not the scumbag.” (KC)

Pinkshift – ‘Authority Problem’
Following gritty recent single ‘Vacant’ back in July, Maryland punk-rockers Pinkshift are back with the fierce, raging energy of ‘Authority Problem’. Propelled by an immense seething power and the raw searing force of front-person Ashrita Kumar’s vocals, it’s a perfect anti-establishment anthem: “”Fuck ICE, fuck the left and the right, fuck the false decorum of rules and laws and executive orders just created to make people feel small and helpless. Only I know who I am, and if you disrespect me then I don’t care, you’ll feel my wrath,” (ML)

Hadda Be – ‘New To The Office’
A gloriously scuzzy new single from south London band Hadda Be, ‘New To The Office’ offers an all-too relatable reflection on the anxious hallucinations of a Sunday night fever dream. It was recorded by Andy Ramsay of Stereolab and offers a gritty taste of what to expect from their upcoming second album. (ML)

Gravey – ‘Blessed With’
Following a five year hiatus, South London duo Soraya Fernandez and Nick White aka Gravey have now joined forces with bassist Myles Morgan and drummer Jonny Jurassic for an epic return to form. Reflecting on the complications and unpredictability of love, ‘Blessed With’ combines a dark, immersive groove with a raw punk-tinged passion. (ML)

Breakup Haircut – ‘I’m Okay (I Lied)’
Having been big faves since they formed at First Timers Fest many years ago, Breakup Haircut played for us at New River Studios recently supporting Strange New Places and – despite being a person down, as Ishani had hurt their ear the day before – Ripley, Delphine & Jordan still managed to put on an absolutely fantastic show! Their brand new single ‘I’m Okay (I Lied)’ is a perfectly catchy slice of punk-pop that comes ahead of their upcoming second album, No Worries If Not, out on 28th November via INH Records. (ML)

No Other News – ‘Flowers’
I was pleased to find a lovely email from Laura, vocalist & bassist of Italian indie-pop trio No Other News, in my GIHE inbox earlier this month. Based in Milan, the band – whose name is a reference to a line from the acclaimed film, The Banshees of Inisherin – write songs that are inspired by “universal themes like insomnia, awkward tenderness, and using someone else’s toothbrush to clean the kitchen sink.” I love the juxtaposition of bittersweet lyrics and playful indie melodies on this single ‘Flowers’. (KC)

 

Wax Jaw – ‘Creepshow’
Philadelphia five-piece Wax Jaw create emotionally charged guitar tunes that purge suffering and express joy simultaneously, and this track ‘Creepshow’ is the epitome of that ethos. It’s taken from their debut album, It Takes Guts!, which the band released via Born Loser Records earlier this month. The band revel in the duplicitous nature of life, love, politics and sexuality, playfully reminding listeners that “the horrors persist, but so do we!” (KC)

CHERYM ft. Uninvited – ‘Sofa Bed’
A cute, queer collaboration between Derry stars CHERYM and new upcoming band Univited, ‘Sofa Bed’ offers a fizzing reflection on coming to realise you may have romantic feelings for someone you consider a close friend; a catchy sapphic anthem, interweaving sugar-sweet vocals and a fresh, punk-pop energy.

Of the collaboration, CHERYM share: “We’re both not ashamed to admit losing hours of our lives sat in front of the TV watching Kerrang! in the early 2000s. It’s safe to say we knew quite early on the exact type of collaboration we wanted to make and saw it as an opportunity to create something that would make our younger selves feel seen and valued. It’s McBusted but more homoerotic and way better looking.” (ML)

Charley Stone – ‘I’ve Gotta Know’
The first of three new songs recorded with The Actual Band, ‘I’ve Gotta Know’ showcases the endearing vulnerability and playful lilting energy of Charley Stone. Taking the listener on a journey through the emotional states of a hopeless romantic caught up in a situationship, it’s another example of Stone’s ability to craft a perfectly catchy indie-pop ditty. (ML)

Rival Queens – ‘Time Goes By’
Following grunge-tinged singles ‘Not Your Enemy’ and ‘Right Now’ earlier this year, London based artist Sally-Anne Hickman aka Rival Queens is back with a reflective new single to celebrate the release of her debut solo EP, Crown and Conquer. A stirring rumination on moments we can never reclaim, it slows with a haunting melancholy with scuzzy shades of the likes of Dum Dum Girls. (ML)

Francis Of Delirium – ‘Little Black Dress’
Luxembourg songwriter Jana Bahrich aka Francis of Delirium is back with this infectious new single, ‘Little Black Dress’, released to coincide with the end of her EU tour supporting Blondshell. Inspired by the feeling of not having your expectations match your reality, the track is an angst-ridden offering that Jana wrote in the hopes that the urgency would translate when she’s on stage; giving her fans a chance to indulge in the messy, chaotic realm of desperation and disappointment with her. (KC)

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – ‘Kurt Cobain’s Cardigan’
Not only does this song have one of the best titles ever, it’s just super beautiful. As beautiful as one of Kurt’s cardies, in fact. Oozing a fuzzy, nostalgic energy, it encompasses the whirring stripped-back emotion that shines through whatever The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart create. They explain: “We probably would have never gotten into the things we love if it wasn’t for Kurt telling all his 13 year old fans to ‘go check out The Vaselines, Beat Happening, and Teenage Fanclub’ – bands that have a pretty different sound to Nirvana, but shared a similar spirit.” (ML)

PINS – ‘I’ll Be Yours’
Manchester post-punk outfit PINS have returned with ‘I’ll Be Yours’, a gritty new offering inspired by the early emotions of falling in love and the expectations placed on women’s roles within romantic relationships. Vocalist Faith Vern considers ‘I’ll Be Yours’ to be one of the most “tender” tracks she’s written for PINS to date, but it still smoulders with the band’s trademark shadowy post-punk sensibilities. (KC)

Ezra Furman – ‘One Hand Free’
Taken from the same studio sessions as Goodbye Small Head, Ezra Furman’s acclaimed tenth album released earlier this year, ‘One Hand Free’ is her new standalone single. Flowing with twinkling keys and the distinctive raw emotion of Furman’s vocals, it offers a deceptively jaunty reflection on “feeling so bad you’re not sure what species you even belong to anymore.” A self-described slice of “loser-core kill-shot”, it showcases all the quirky spirit and strangely uplifting grace we know and love from the innovative artist. (ML)

Coral – ‘Garden’
Swedish songwriter Miranda Engholm aka Coral has returned with this bittersweet track inspired by feelings of disappointment and loneliness. ‘Garden’ is the first taste of what her upcoming new album will sound like, which is set for release in the Spring of 2026. Through her gentle indie-pop melodies and earnest lyrics, Coral gently dismantles her feelings and tries to make peace with the idea of “playing in the garden but without all of your friends.” (KC)

Ailbhe Reddy – ‘Align’
I’m so pleased that Dublin-born songwriter Ailbhe Reddy is back with new music! ‘Align’ is the first single from her forthcoming album, which is due in early 2026 on her new label Don Giovanni Records. I loved her previous albums, Personal History and Endless Affair, so I’m looking forward to hearing more from her in the near future. For now though, I’m content to listen to ‘Align’ on a loop. It’s a lilting, compassionate reflection on a big breakup, tentatively tracing how memories and emotions shift and soften over time. (KC)

feeo – ‘The Hammer Strikes The Bell’
Lifted from her debut album, Goodness, released via AD 93 earlier this month, I’m transfixed by this track from London experimental artist feeo. She describes her album as “an exploration of simultaneous yet opposing states of being; darkness and lightness, obscurity and visibility and most fundamentally, solitude and togetherness” – something which is epitomised on ‘The Hammer Strikes The Bell’. Her calm, meditative voice and mixture of ambient & experimental sounds is strangely soothing here. (KC)

Hannah Schneider – ‘Lighthouse’
One half of acclaimed electronic duo AyOwA, Copenhagen-based artist Hannah Schneider is now set to release an innovative solo album early next year. Rejecting the use of AI in music, she recorded the record together with other musicians at a residency at the historical Thorvaldsens Museum. The first taste of the new album, ‘Lighthouse’ offers a glitchy soundscape, interweaving sparkling layers of sound alongside Schneider’s beautifully rich Beth Gibbons-reminiscent vocals. (ML)

Hilary Woods – ‘Taper’
An airy, shape-shifting soundscape that stirs the senses, ‘Taper’ beautifully showcases the versatile songwriting of Irish artist & composer Hilary Woods. Lifted from her upcoming new album, Night CRIÚ, which is set for release on 31st October via Sacred Bones (one of my favourite record labels), Hilary says ‘Taper’ is “a song that honours a presence to one that is absent. A love song that only a children’s choir could express fully.” Retaining her experimental spirit, but also seeing her return to a more song-based structure, Night CRIÚ is centered around Hilary’s vocals, which act as threads of connection to the past and the present. (KC)

Penelope Trappes – ‘The Mercy of The Hagetisse’
This slow-burning, haunting lament from the marvellous Penelope Trappes is the perfect soundtrack for a gloomy Halloween night. After sharing her poignant album, A Requiem, earlier this year, the Brighton-based Australian artist is set to share a companion piece, titled Æternum, on 31st October via One Little Independent Records. ‘The Mercy of The Hagetisse’ features on Penelope’s new record, which she summoned from a place of grief and intense emotional vulnerability. Throughout the track, Penelope explores the compassion and the cruelty of Hagetisse – a witch, seer, or hag in Old Dutch folklore – through her melancholic vocals, un-nerving electronic textures and steady, somber beats. (KC)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN THE PLAYLIST ON TIDAL

Five Favourites: Madi Diaz

Having just released her new album, Fatal Optimist (ANTI_), Nashville-based songwriter Madi Diaz continues to build on her reputation for chronicling heartache with a stripped-back lyrical honesty, endearing vulnerability and beautifully lush musicality. Reflecting on the rage, embarrassment and grief that comes with the ending of a relationship, the album showcases Diaz’s rich, resonant vocals which glisten throughout with a deep, raw emotion and shimmering heartfelt splendour.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of Fatal Optimist, we caught up with Madi Diaz to ask about the music that has inspired her the most. Read about her five favourite songs, and make sure you check out the album and watch the new video for album track ‘Why’d You Have To Bring Me Flowers‘ at the end of the article.

I’m going to use this moment to talk about five songs I wish I had written. These are the songs that are currently haunting me. I feel like they touch on the very same thoughts I touched on or ideas I’ve even tried to write out, but haven’t come as close as these songs totally nailing it for me. I bow to these songs

Stephen Wilson Jr – ‘Grief Is Only Love’ 
My friend Stephen Wilson Jr has a way of singing these deep profound soul truths in a way that feels like he is a feelings chemist explaining why your chemicals are making you feel the way you do. What the chemistry of your heart is doing to balance itself. ‘Grief Is Only Love’ just resolves a confusion of an indescribable pain in this way that I feel like I can understand myself a little better, and can be a little kinder to myself when I’m hurting over something or someone. It’s such a gift of forgiveness by way of listening to a song. 

Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Lie To Girls’
I’ve gotten close enough to writing this song. I’ve gotten as close as to say something like “you don’t even have to lie to me, I’ll just do it” but my GOD they just said it better. They walk you all the way there. The chorus stands alone so simply and plainly in one single line that it feels like a slap in the face. It’s also a feeling that I have felt so loudly so often that when I heard this song for the first time I almost had to pull my car, because it was so affirming that it shook me. 

SZA – ‘I Hate U’
It’s gotta be so fun to be so mad that you can just write it exactly as directly as you feel it. I hate you. I mean, the woman that she is. SZA’s writing feels like the full force of nature. It’s hard for me to pick one song off of this record that I wish I wrote because just all of SOS is such a deep dive into detail in a way that is just such a gift to the listener. It’s brutal and it’s self aware. It’s apologetic and empathetic as it is ruthless. SZA does this thing where she walks a line of bravado and poise. It’s just as visceral of a story telling as watching a movie is. Down to the hotel room to the brand of cologne but with such original word combinations describing things in ways that is so singular to her in that moment. A true capture of a place and time and feeling and memory. It’s like we are in her inner monologue with her working out a situation and dialogue in real time. 

Julia Michaels – ‘Worst In Me’
Julia Michaels injects cotton candy crack into her songs. She has these phrasings paired with melodies and vocal flippy jumpy acrobatics that are just so emotionally jarring that sometimes I find myself completely holding my breath. I can remember the first time I heard this song. I was driving back to my then partner’s house on the 134 in Los Angeles at night time and I just kept hitting repeat until I pulled into the driveway. And then I sat in the driveway just letting the lyrics wash over and over and over me in waves. Julia is just such a risk taker in her songwriting in a way that makes me feel like anything is possible. This song is again so simple in idea but speaking so directly to a moment where your worst moment and someone else’s worst moment continue a vicious cycle that is so difficult to break. You can feel how endlessly intoxicating the dance is here – the love is big enough to get back on the ride and think it’ll end different. 

Feist – ‘Love Who We Are Meant To’
This song is plain incredible. Coming to terms with love like this is so generous an offering. It feels as naked and romantic as it does severe and cutting and plain. There is an intentional wandering of the mind and a sort of grasping for logic as to why hearts do what they do, why we want what we want, why we have to decide to create and draw lessons from our experiences. Feist has a way of always comforting me in her wisdom and melodies, and I just love getting to understand the workings of the world through her lens.

Huge thanks to Madi Diaz for sharing her Five Favourites! Make sure you give Fatal Optimist a listen as soon as possible, and in the meantime watch the new video for beautiful album track ‘Why’d You Have To Bring Me Flowers’ below: