Songs of the Week - 13/04/2026
These are the essential tracks you need to check out this week!
Photo Credit: Liam Maxwell
South Arcade - 'SUPERMAN'
South Arcade build on their monumental rise to the top of the UK's rock scene with 'SUPERMAN', their first release of 2026. It is a furious and anthemic alt-rock track about being pushed past breaking point, capturing that very specific feeling of holding it together for too long before something finally snaps. It is a huge sounding song with a chorus built for bigger rooms and South Arcade are clearly on their way to filling them.
Bea - 'Never Know Love'
Bea continues her new chapter with 'Never Know Love', a heartfelt ballad that strips everything back to let the masterful songwriting speak for itself. It is a truly poignant song, tackling body confidence and the self-doubt that past relationships can leave behind. Bea's lyrics hit with a raw honesty that is hard not to be moved by, delivered with the kind of towering vocals that remind you exactly why she is one of the most important emerging voices in UK music right now.
Talia Mar - 'Lady'
Talia Mar continues her stellar 2026 with 'Lady', one of the most personal tracks of her career to date. Written in the aftermath of becoming a mother, the song is a moving reflection on womanhood and the world she hopes her daughter grows up in. It carries a powerful conviction throughout, showcasing a side of Talia Mar's songwriting that feels more considered and purposeful than ever before.
Lyla - 'Untouchable'
Surrey-based pop artist Lyla makes her debut with 'Untouchable', a confident and self-assured first release from someone who clearly has a strong sense of who she is as an artist. Sharp songwriting and ethereal vocal delivery immediately give the song a relatable warmth that draws you in from the very first listen. With just one release Lyla has already made herself an artist to keep a very close eye on.
Isaac Stuart - 'Champagne'
Isaac Stuart's first release of 2026, 'Champagne', is a brilliant ballad about missing someone so deeply you would rather wallow in the sadness than feel nothing at all. Delicate piano and strings guide the emotion perfectly, allowing Isaac's vocals to sit on top and carry every word with a weight that is genuinely hard to shake. It is a genuinely special piece of songwriting from an artist who continues to grow with every release.
Iona Luke - 'Existential'
Iona Luke confronts the spiralling thoughts that come with identity, self-doubt and creative pressure on new single 'Existential'. The result is one of the most arresting listens of the week, shifting between stripped back confessional verses and a chorus that is nothing short of anthemic. Iona Luke continues to impress, writing with a confidence and clarity that many artists spend years trying to find and still never achieve.
Frankie Archer - 'Death and The Maiden'
Frankie Archer shares the latest taste of her debut album 'The Dance of Death', out June 5th, with new single 'Death and The Maiden'. Rooted in a 1907 folk retelling of a young woman bargaining with mortality, the track immediately grabs attention with striking violin before giving way to haunting ly angelic vocals that pull you deeper into the tale. If the rest of Archer's album is even as half as good as this then June cannot come soon enough.
Leona Rue - 'Start Again'
Leona Rue captures the moment of post-heartbreak clarity on 'Start Again', nailing the point where you realise you never needed anyone else to live the life you want. High-energy and empowering, it is a track that showcases exactly why Leona is one of the most exciting emerging alt-pop voices right now. This has been one of my most anticipated releases of the year after seeing social media previews and Leona has still managed to blow me away with the final release.
Kate Couriel - 'Patriarchy's Dead'
I am not sure I have heard a debut release quite as striking as Kate Couriel's 'Patriarchy's Dead', a thrilling, high-adrenaline track that wastes absolutely no time making its point. Kate manages to deconstruct the world around her with a precision that makes it feel as urgent and vital as anything I have heard in a long time, all whilst sounding absolutely brilliant.
colby! - 'Who's Your Angel Now'
colby! has delivered one of the most instantly quotable choruses of the week with 'Who's Your Angel Now', a track about leaving a relationship as a changed person and wondering who fills that role now you are gone. Built around a hook that lodges itself in your head from first listen, it is a catchy and cathartic piece of songwriting from an artist with a real gift for turning personal experience into something universally felt.
The Rolling People - 'Soldered Souls'
Manchester's The Rolling People have dropped their new EP 'Outlier' with lead single 'Soldered Souls' being the standout moment. Melodic and expansive with a weight to it that feels genuinely stadium-ready, it showcases a completeness to their sound that marks 'Outlier' as the release that could take them to the next level. This whole EP is a real statement of intent from a band who are clearly hitting their stride.
Amy Jo - 'Hypocrite (la da di da)'
A longterm favourite of mine and previous winner of the SBTM Best Newcomer award, Amy Jo has announced her debut album 'la da di da' with title track 'Hypocrite (la da di da)'. The song manages to distill everything that makes Amy Jo such a compelling artist into one track. Witty and relatable, it tackles the very human contradiction of judging others whilst failing to acknowledge your own flaws, delivered with a lightness of touch that makes the message land perfectly. If this is the gateway to the rest of the album, the full release cannot come soon enough
jem wax - 'Brother'
Jem Wax returns with 'Brother', a soulful and jazz-tinged track that draws you into the complexity of a sibling relationship that has frayed and reshaped itself over time. The song opens immediately with jem's isolate vocals before blooming into something far more expansive. It is a beautifully crafted piece of music that rewards repeated listens. The raw lyrical honesty at its core gives it a real emotional pull, showing Jem Wax at her very best.
Mara Liddle - 'rivers'
Mara Liddle has takem a more intimate turn with 'rivers', a quietly affecting pop track about anxious attachment and the fear of not quite measuring up to someone you admire. Layered harmonious vocals and atmospheric acoustic guitar give it a warmth and vulnerability that makes it one of the most disarming listens of the week. It's a song that hits harder with every play.
heddah - 'Just by looking'
Norwegian artist heddah introduces herself with 'Just By Looking', one of five stellar tracks from her debut EP 'Echoes of Myself'. 'Just By Looking' is a bright and pulsating electro track with a playful energy that masks a deeply personal message about identity and the way people are so often misjudged based purely on appearance. A compelling impression from an artist with a clear and distinctive vision from the off.
Trinity Mei - 'looking for you'
Written in the days following the passing of her grandmother, Trinity Mei's new single 'Looking For You' is one of the most deeply moving tracks to feature in my Songs of the Week. Few songs manage to reflect on grief and the quiet disorientation that comes with loss in such a deeply personal way, yet it is one that anyone who has lost will find themselves relating to completely. Cinematic in its instrumentation yet raw and intimate in its vocal delivery, it is the kind of song that captures a feeling so precisely it stops you in your tracks.
Livia - 'For Good'
Livia closes out her debut EP 'For Good?' with its namesake title track 'For Good', a raw and honest look at moving on from someone you know wasn't right for you whilst still trying to hold onto the good times. Building into an incredible soundscape that feels like closing credits to the whole EP, the outro alone is worth the wait and rewards those who have listened all the way through. It is a brilliant way to sign off a really special debut project.
Hollie Isabella - 'greenhouse'
Only a year after release her debut single, Hollie Isabella is already writing with a maturity that belies her age and 'greenhouse' is her finest work yet. Built around the poetic central lyric "I'm not your greenhouse so you can grow", the song captures that subtle turning point where nurturing someone else's growth begins to come at the cost of your own. The atmospheric instrumentals frame Hollie's voice beautifully, creating something that feels genuinely stirring.
Serena Mary - 'There Is Love'
This week's Songs of the Week are rounded out by Serena Mary's 'There Is Love', a warm and deeply felt soul track celebrating the love found in friendship and community. Rooted in gospel and jazz influences, it is a love-filled tribute to a best friend of nine years and the kind of gratitude and joy that often goes unspoken. It is an infectious listen that reminds you to appreciate the people who show up for you every single day.
