Mixed Notes March 2026: Hotel Fiction, Holly Humberstone, Katie Tupper, and MoreHOTEL FICTION RELEASE DELUXE VERSION OF 2024 ALBUM STARING AT THE SUN 

Hotel Fiction, the indie project of Athens, GA-based duo Jade Ireland Long and Jess Thompson, released their sophomore album Staring at the Sunin 2024, and now, the band has shared the album’s deluxe version, featuring four never before heard tracks. On the deluxe version, Hotel Fiction pulls back the curtain on the early years of their singular creative partnership, crystallizing the first phase of their music as they prepare to move into the next.

ADRIATIQUE JOINS FORCES WITH YUBIK AND VINCENT VOSSEN ON MELODIC HOUSE/TECHNO TRACK “NEVER ALONE”

Adriatique explores fresh artistic territory for their latest club record “Never Alone,” a three-way production with rising melodic maestro Yubik, and emotional genre-blender Vincent Vossen. “Never Alone” is the first of many new tracks to come from the pair moving into 2026.

POP STAR NAÏKA RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM ECLESIA 

French-Haitian singer and global pop artist Naïka returns with her highly anticipated debut album ECLESIA, a project deeply rooted in community, self-reflection, identity, and spiritual clarity. In support of the album, Naïka is bringing ECLESIA to the stage on an almost sold-outinternationaltour across Europe and North America, marking her largest global run to date.

GEN Z ALT POWERHOUSE LIA PAPPAS-KEMPS SET TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM WINGED

Following the release of her single “Towers,” alt singer-songwriter Lia Pappas-Kemps is set to release her debutalbumWinged on March 13. Acting as a continuation of the Toronto-basedmusician’s intimate, emotionally textured sound, it’s the kind of close-to-the-bone storytelling that makes her a new voice to watch in 2026.

KATIE TUPPER RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM, GREYHOUND, ANNOUNCES HEADLINE TOUR DATES IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE

Katie Tupper has released her debut album Greyhound via Arts&Crafts. The record is about the instinct to chase—fleeting desires, guaranteed mistakes, the feeling of home, love in all its shapes and forms. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Greyhound will bring the prairie roots of Tupper’s past to meet the blended and expanded worldview of her present. Kicking off in May, Tupper will embark on a headline world tour. Making stops across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, Greyhound will take on a new form for audiences across the globe.

GIRL TONES JOIN AMAZON MUSIC'S LIST OF ARTISTS TO WATCH, FORGE AHEAD INTO 2026

After releasing their first single of the year titled “Volcano,” Girl Tones, the high-energy rock duo brought to life by sisters Kenzie and Laila, are currently on the road with supporting Peter McPoland on tour before stepping up as a Showcasting Artist at SXSW. The duo was also has also joined Amazon Music’s list of Artists to Watch in 2026, joining peers like Fcukers, Florence Road, Folk Bitch Trio, and NewDad.

HOLLY HUMBERSTONE SET TO RELEASE SECOND STUDIO ALBUM CRUEL WORLD ON APRIL 10 VIA INTERSCOPE RECORDS

HollyHumberstone’s forthcoming release of her highly anticipated sophomore album, Cruel World, is due on April 10via Interscope Records. Cruel World was written with a new discipline through daily studio sessions with collaborator RobMilton and draws deeply on love (romantic, platonic, and feminine). Looking ahead, Humberstone will perform in Europe for a run of intimate headline dates, tour in the U.K. this spring, and is set to make major festival appearances at Coachella, Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo.The post Mixed Notes March 2026: Hotel Fiction, Holly Humberstone, Katie Tupper, and More first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Reservoir receives unsolicited $1.2B bid from activist investor Irenic Capital (report)Reservoir's shares jumped as much as 15% on Thursday (February 26) following the report.
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Album Review of "Declaration of Resistance" By My Ruin (8/10)Magick Room RecordingsProducers: My Ruin

While people are dying in the streets, Declaration of Resistance is the sort of album that we need; a no-punches-pulled, lyrically sharp slab of aural resistance (as the album title suggests). Anyone familiar with the band’s catalog, and indeed Tairrie B. Murphy’s previous work with Manhole and Tura Satana, won’t be surprised by any of this. But still, it’s refreshing during these shocking times to hear demands for women’s rights and the rights of minorities spelled out so succinctly. “I resist the fascists when push comes to shove, because there’s no hate like Christian love.” Incredible!The post Album Review of "Declaration of Resistance" By My Ruin (8/10) first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Charles Goldstuck’s GoldState secures ‘significant’ Bridgepoint investment for growth equity fund targeting music companiesA source close to the details told MBW: 'Charles is looking to deploy up to a billion dollars in growth equity capital over the next few years.'
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Sony Group’s blueprint for AI music detection tech is promising. Here’s what it’s working on…MBW reacts to three research papers detailed by Sony AI.
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Release Radar: Jai’Len Josey Is A Serial RomanticIt’s a rare thing in the current R&B landscape to find an artist who doesn’t just sing about the cycle of heartbreak, but actually hands you the exit map. Enter Jai’Len Josey.

After years of being the "songwriter’s songwriter"—including co-writing gold-certified hits like Ari Lennox’s “Pressure”—Josey is finally stepping into her own light with her debut album, Serial Romantic. Executive produced by five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Tricky Stewart, the project is a masterclass in what happens when a Broadway-trained powerhouse decides to stop looking for salvation in other people and starts finding it in the mirror.

While the industry has been buzzing about Jai’Len since her 2026 "Artist to Watch" nod from Spotify, the soul of this record was forged in the fire of a 2024 breakup. It wasn't just a "sad girl" moment; it was a total recalibration.

“This project really came together at the breaking point of a relationship I was in back in 2024,” Josey tells us. “I had all these songs accumulated, and I didn’t know what to do with them. My A&R, Drew Corria, had the idea to bring Tricky Stewart into the picture, and the rest is history.”

The title Serial Romantic might sound like a diagnosis, but for Josey, it’s an autopsy of her past self. She’s remarkably candid about the "tests" that led her here.

“The inspiration was all the experiences, failed relationships, and tests that ultimately led me back to myself. Every lesson, every heartbreak—it all pointed me inward.”

She isn't just making music to fill space in a playlist; she’s trying to disrupt a pattern.

“Being a ‘Serial Romantic’ was the loop I was stuck in—trying to find God in romantic partners when I really needed to recognize God’s love within myself. I want my listeners to feel strong enough to break that loop. That’s what excites me most—the possibility of someone hearing this album and choosing themselves.”

If you’ve been following her journey from her days as "Pearl" in The SpongeBob Musical to her 2020 Illustrations EP, you know Josey’s voice is seismic. But Serial Romantic is where the storytelling catches up to the scale of the vocals.

Whether it's the flirtatious energy of "New Girl" or the raw, boundary-setting vulnerability of "Won't Force You," the album plays like a cohesive narrative. While she’s biased toward the whole tracklist, she urges fans to listen to the project as a single piece of architecture.

“I’m excited for supporters to hear every song… but I really can’t wait for people to experience them in the full context of the story. It’s meant to be heard as a journey.”

For an artist who has spent years perfecting the art of the "creative therapy session," the actual mechanics of the music industry are the only things that still feel daunting.

“Honestly, the hardest part has just been getting the music out for people to hear. Creating it was therapy. Releasing it? That’s the real leap of faith.”

But don't mistake her vulnerability for hesitation. When asked about her plans for the rest of 2026 and beyond, Jai’Len’s answer was clear:

“The first plan for 2026 is simple: release this album. After that? The world is mine.”

If Serial Romantic is the sound of breaking a cycle, it’s also the sound of stepping into something bigger. Not searching for salvation in somebody else’s arms—but recognizing it in your own voice.

Look out for Serial Romantic in the coming months.

Photo Credit: Zoë MillsThe post Release Radar: Jai’Len Josey Is A Serial Romantic first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

A Song That Changed My Life: Hawthorne Heights on Saves the DayBand Members: JT Woodruff, vocals and guitar; Matt Ridenour, bass and vocals; Mark McMillon, guitar, backing vocals, and Chris Popadak, drums

The Storyteller: JT Woodruff

The Song: “Shoulder to the Wheel” by Saves the Day

With its earnest, get-in-the-car-and-go sing-along chorus and propulsive, hook-laced rhythm, Saves the Day’s “Shoulder to the Wheel” captured the house-show spirit of the late ‘90s New Brunswick underground. The track — a melodic punk snapshot of believe-in-yourself ambition — awakened bands to an escapist state of mind, pushing them beyond basement parties and onto the open road.

The Background:

Always leaning toward movement, Hawthorne Heights — an anchor of the Midwest emo-core punk scene since the early aughts — have continued to evolve, expanding their harmonious choruses and surges of cathartic screams across seven studio albums with threads of alt-rock textures. That restless evolution of sound, combined with touring, has galvanized the band as one of the defining acts of the hardcore scene.

For frontman JT Woodruff, his aversion to daily norms — coupled with a Jack Kerouac On the Road “nowhere to go but everywhere” mindset — first flickered to life growing up in his hometown of St. Mary’s, West Virginia. He recalls, specifically January 1999, the moment when he first connected with “Shoulder to the Wheel” — its melodic alacrity and rhythmic drive hitting him immediately. Moreover, the song’s believe-in-yourself, hit-the-road chant became a directive: he sought out a copy of BYOFL (Book Your Own F*cking Life) as a manual for his wanderlust. The pairing — song plus DIY guide — established JT’s mantra: seize every opportunity and never hold back; just go.

That early mix of song plus guide set the tone for decades of music and life on the road. Now — as Hawthorne Heights celebrates the 20th anniversary of If Only You Were Lonely with an international Lonely World Tour — the experience has come full circle, a reminder that the open road can still lead anywhere.

The Story:

For JT, the energy of the road and the restless, wandering spirit embedded in “Shoulder to the Wheel” quickly became his compass for navigating the rugged terrain of early indie-rock touring. What began as a dream didn’t stay abstract for long — the song triggered a transformational shift. It wasn’t just about having fun or discovering newfound freedom; it revealed the physical grit and mental fortitude required for emerging acts to survive and thrive in the pre-ultrafast broadband Internet era.

“This song specifically made me want to buy a van, grab my band and friends, and just hit the open road. And that’s what I did.” 

Knowing enthusiasm alone wouldn’t be enough, JT leaned on his fresh hardbound edition of BYOFL, Book Your Own Fucking Life, a DIY touring guide before everything was readily available online. With it, he had both the practical roadmap and the musical conviction to chase something bigger.

By the summer of 1999, JT bought a van and booked an entire tour. Long drives, nights on the road, and a steady flow of local shows forged resilience, cohesion, and deep friendships — the kind that help carry the mental weight of touring. He elaborates, “Saves The Day introduced me to the New Jersey music scene in general. Back then, the bills on shows were so diverse. Through them, I found bands like Lifetime, New Found Glory, and Reggie and The Full Effect. It made me scour the entire Equal Vision roster.”

That dreamy, out-of-the-window state watching the world pass by eventually morphed into more than a touring philosophy — it influenced songwriting. JT moved toward internal, personal themes that reflected Quixotic philosophies. One lyric in particular struck him: "Get us as far as far can be, get us away from tonight.”

During these long stretches of travel, buried dreams often rise under an open sky. JT explains, “The interstate can take you anywhere in the United States, which is why it is so beautiful. I've lost myself out there and found myself at the same time.”  The underlying On the Road “keep rolling under the stars” mindset — restless and expansive — became his motto for both touring and life: “The world is out there to chase your dreams — you have to go after them; they won’t chase you.”

Even now, decades later, JT returns to the song. “A few days ago, I listened to it on a cruise ship with my wife of 20 years. I still feel everything I felt the first time I heard it — which is why it is so magical.”  For JT, dreams rarely come easy; they demand initiative, courage, and persistence — all stemming from within.

He concludes: “Chase every dream you have ever had. It will help you tear down all the walls and set aside excuses. Just get in the van, so to speak. Let it rip — gun it to 70 mph on the interstate.”

Photo credit: Sarai Kelley

The post A Song That Changed My Life: Hawthorne Heights on Saves the Day first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Lauren Demarte promoted to Chief Operating Officer at GoDigital MusicExec also oversees operations in Colombia
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Stevie Wonder Returns to the Lutefish Stage for a NAMM ReunionLutefish recently reported that, on Day 1 of this year's NAMM, Motown icon Steve Wonder "made his way back to the Lutefish booth to reconnect with artist Devyn Rush and her remote band members, highlighting how music can bring people back together."

According to a statement from Lutefish, "Last year, Wonder encountered Rush performing live on the Lutefish stage, debuting the Lutefish Stream (technology built to jam online in real time) before joining in to create a spontaneous duet that captivated onlookers and social media alike. Rush, reflecting on that moment, said, 'I didn’t think anything could top last year’s duet, but having Stevie come back to me — pun intended — this year was even more beyond my wildest dreams.'"

Rush summed up the encounter publicly, noting, “There is no doubt that Stevie Wonder is a special person and a true gift to this world, but like I told him on the mic… his music isn’t about what he does, it’s about who he is.”

Wonder also shared stories and talked about his love of music, technology, and reuniting the world.

“We created Lutefish and the online platform for people to make more music,” stated Whitney Winkels, Sr. Marketing Manager at Lutefish. “We are musicians ourselves, and to enable others to make more music, connect, and utilize music as a universal language, well, that is truly something special.”

"It was an absolute thrill to have Stevie Wonder stop by our Lutefish booth for the second year in a row," Winkels told MC. "This year, he spent an extended time with us in our isolation booth, where he asked us all about our new features and experienced the Lutefish stream live. He even took a few of our streams to try from home! Definitely a magical NAMM occurance."For more information, visit www.lutefish.com. The post Stevie Wonder Returns to the Lutefish Stage for a NAMM Reunion first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Live Nation files to pause antitrust case for appeal, days after pulling public post calling for DOJ to ‘move on’ and settleLive Nation Entertainment asks judge to pause the DOJ antitrust case while two legal questions are reviewed by an appeals court.

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Tip Jar: A Tale of Loss, Redemption, and Fulfillment That Is All True and UpliftingWhen I was just back from my first year in college, I was staying in the house in Lexington on Hunt Road, and I was just getting things together and rehearsing and playing at the house. We had a big open basement and I had a great little set-up there with guitars, a turntable, and a collection of records I was trying to practice off of—and lift licks from—Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Al Kooperand Mike Bloomfield solos.

So, guitars were a big thing for me, and I had a Fender acoustic and had just bought a beautiful Fender Stratocaster, white and in perfect condition.

My parents had gone away for the weekend and my younger brother invited all his slacker and stoner friends over to drink beer and hang out. They were a real bunch of thugs and dopers and the party got started and I was downstairs when the police showed up at the front door and created quite a mad dash for the doors and exits. Kids came running down the back stairs for the garage door exits, and I got hit from behind with a table leg and was out like a light.

When I came to, the police were everywhere, quite a few items had been stolen from the house… and when I looked over at my little studio, my beautiful 1971 white Strat was gone. I was heartbroken. How could my brother have friends like this and what in the world had he done to these people?

My younger brother vanished, turns out he didn’t know any of these people, and I spent two days cleaning the place up and trying to track down my Strat and the person who had taken it from me.

I tried for years to ask people for leads—try to find the people who were there that night—but I was met with a dead-end at every turn. It was really sad because, as the years wore on, that 1969 Jimi Hendrix Strat had become pretty valuable. But time moves on and as the decades went by, it became a smaller burr under my saddle, but still a pain in my heart, and I learned to live with the sadness and the disappointments of life and various circumstances beyond my control.

“I am sorry for what I did 40 years ago. Please understand that my few years as a lost teenager do not represent the person I am and try to be. I’ve thought about trying to find you and make amends for many years. I’m glad I finally did.

I wish you well. I’m guessing your music career brings you much happiness and I hope that continues for many more years.”

One afternoon as I was driving west through Dallas, heading to Marfa, when I got a text on my phone—nothing new there, but the message was a bit odd: it said, “are you Eric Sommer? Are you Stevie’s older brother?” That was interesting, so when I got it again the next day, I responded and said, “yes, that’s me… what can I do for you?”

“I am the guy who stole your guitar from your basement 40 years ago. I am in a much better place now, and what I did that night has haunted me for all this time. I would like to try and give you your guitar back and ask forgiveness for what I had done so long ago.”

It was a haunting message, and I was pretty taken aback. I said that would be fine, I am glad he called, and it showed his true character. I gave him my address and he said he was a lost, messed-up kid, high on drugs that night… and sold it the next day.  He had no idea what happened to it, but he had something that I would like, that was the same brand, and model but a little different year and he will have it re-fretted, set-up, and sent as soon as possible.

The box arrived a few weeks later, along with the letter enclosed here.

“Here’s my American Standard Strat. I think its model year is 1995. I bought it brand new at Ray Hennig’s store in Austin in 1996. I bought it off Ray himself and he regaled me with stories about how Stevie Ray Vaughan used to hang out in his store every day. Check him out on YouTube.”

I’ve spent most of my life on the road believing guitars are vessels. They carry songs, sweat, rooms, and years. But sometimes they also carry memory—unfinished business vibrating quietly inside the wood. That white Strat didn’t just come back as an instrument; it came back as proof that time doesn’t only take things away. Occasionally, if you’re lucky, it gives something back in a different key.

We don’t get many chances to resolve the long echoes of our younger selves. Fewer still arrive unexpectedly, wrapped in cardboard, with an apology inside. When I play that guitar now, I don’t hear the loss anymore. I hear distance traveled—by both of us. And that feels like music doing what it’s always promised to do: turn noise into meaning, and history into something you can finally lay down.The post Tip Jar: A Tale of Loss, Redemption, and Fulfillment That Is All True and Uplifting first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

New Music Critique: The AntennasContact: antennasrecords@gmail.comWeb: theantennas.netSeeking: Label, Distribution, ManagementStyle: Folk/Roots Rock

There’s an intriguing quality to The Antennas, driven by guitar work that feels fresh and purposeful, especially on “High Noon.” “I’m Alright” flirts with a low-grade angst, but the vocals verge on disinterested, flattening what could be a more compelling turn. There’s a clear ambition here—echoes of a modern-day Tom Petty sensibility—and when the vibes align, this could really click; for now, it feels like a promising signal still searching for its frequency. The charisma is there, but maybe it just needs a little prodding.The post New Music Critique: The Antennas first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From UMG’s deal with superfan platform EVEN to Live Nation’s $25B in 2025… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
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Signing Stories: Westside CowboyDate Signed: August 2025Label: Island Records/Adventure RecordingsBand Members: Reuben Haycocks, guitar, vocals; James Bradbury, guitar, vocals; Aoife Anson-O’Connell, bass, cello, vocals; Paddy Murphy, drumsType of Music: AmericanaManagement: Alex EdwardsBooking: Carly Goldberg, Andrew Morgna, Wassmerman Legal: Ally HornPublicity: Jaycee Rockhold - Pitch Perfect PR, jaycee@pitchperfectpr.comA&R: James TalbutWeb: westsidecowboy.com

Honing one’s sound and being unique can vastly increase the odds of industry attention. It’s a truism taken to heart by Manchester’s Westside Cowboy. The fast-rising band melds alt-country, punk, Americana, folk, and indie rock into a style they’ve dubbed Britainicana. “Don’t look for [a deal],” recommends drummer Paddy Murphy. “Just write the best music you can.” 

“Which is aggravating to hear,” chimes in guitarist Reuben Haycocks. “We had people say that to us, and I would be like, ‘Fuck off. You’re already signed.’”

Nevertheless, the tactic worked. They first inked deals with a pair of local boutiques, Heist or Hit and Nice One Records. Alex Edwards, who runs Nice One with Pete Heywoode, began managing the blossoming act. Touring then ramped up, and during this period they played London’s Sebright Arms. Edwards had invited a modest throng of record people to the show, but the band believes their performance that evening was subpar. “We thought we’d shagged it,” gulps Murphy. 

Yet it didn’t matter. Word was starting to get around. Edwards, who works with English Teacher and formerly supported Sports Team, both successful Island Records acts, similarly invited label people to a subsequent gig at The Social. A trickle of interest turned into an avalanche. “This sort of weird hype started,” tells Murphy. “It wasn’t engineered. It was a right place, right time type of thing.”

The group that once wanted to be on an indie soon found itself in Island Records’ offices. Before leaving, the president said they were sending over a contract. Chuckles Murphy, “We kind of laughed, because we’d never been in a situation like that. Two hours later, it was in our email.” The agreement with newly minted imprint Adventure Records is especially generous with the timeframe around which it will relinquish their masters.

Being on a sublabel of a major comes with advantages. “It means that smaller bands like us are less likely to get lost in the shuffle,” the percussionist points out. “Hopefully, it means we get the appropriate attention and care.”The post Signing Stories: Westside Cowboy first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Chris Welz named partner at Secretly Distribution after company’s ‘biggest year ever’The longtime COO steps into ownership after two decades at the independent distributor.
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