Songs of the Week - 15/06/2026
These are the essential tracks you need to check out this week!
Photo Credit: Emma Lucy Davies
Caity Baser - 'Where's My Bikini'
Caity Baser is back and doing what she does better than almost anyone else right now with 'Where's My Bikini'. Packed with witty one-liners and her infectious personality, it turns a chaotic situation into the kind of gloriously fun anthem that only Caity could pull off. The social media content surrounding the release has been nothing short of genius too, particularly off the back of how much her fanbase wanted this song to be released, and it all adds up to one of Caity's best moments yet.
The Warning - 'Ritual'
The Warning have just released their thunderous new single 'Ritual' alongside the announcement of their upcoming album 'Everything's Falling', out August 28th. The new song epitomises everything that has made The Warning so loved, using hard-hitting rock to deliver what is at its core a deeply vulnerable piece of rock music. 'Ritual' tackles the way anxiety convinces you disaster is right around the corner even when life is going well, channelling that feeling of self-sabotage into a crushing and cathartic listen.
Chloe Slater - 'Southern Youth'
Chloe Slater has paired the announcement of her debut album 'Riot Youth', out October 9th, with new single 'Southern Youth', a track which may feature some of her most affecting writing yet. The new single is a bittersweet reflection on growing up in forgotten coastal towns and the complicated feelings that come with leaving somewhere behind, only to romanticise it once you are gone. It's a song that stems from Chloe's own experiences, but manages to capture something so universally felt about youth and place that it is hard not to relate your own experiences to it. With songwriting this good, October cannot come soon enough.
Eileen Alister - 'WHERE'S THE FUN?'
Eileen Alister closes one chapter and opens another with 'Where's The Fun?', a track born from a period of searching for something more and being unable to quiet a very loud brain. The song's verses almost feel like diary entries they are that emotive and confessional, before the energetic chorus drops, capturing the restlessness of a mind that never fully slows down. Eileen Alister's brilliance has been long stated on this page and yet still the depth of her songwriting manages to blow me away.
piri - 'ahh bby'
Everything piri touches right now seems to turn to gold right now, proving exactly this with new single ‘ahh bby’. This is piri’s third and final single before the release of her debut album, making the excitement for that record even stronger. Exploring the intoxicating early stages of falling for someone who may not feel the same way, it captures that barely recognisable feeling of infatuation hitting you all at once after a long time without it. And of course, don't sleep on the B section.
Loveday ft. piri - 'mash potato'
Loveday delivers one of the most infectiously chaotic tracks of the week with ‘Mash Potato’, a release that captures the energy of a messy night out and bottles it into something that will soundtrack every big night going forward. It’s carefree and gloriously fun which makes it feel like summer in its purest form. The track is a collaboration with piri who becomes the first artist to land two Songs of the Week entries in one week. It’s a pairing that brings out the best in both of them and the result speaks for itself.
Sorcha Richardson - 'Illinois Again'
Sorcha Richardson announces her much anticipated third album 'Draw The Outline', out September 11th, with new single 'Illinois Again'. It is a warm and gently ruminative track about the conflicting feelings that come when you're surrounded by people but still feel so alone. It is precisely the kind of song that has made Richardson one of Ireland's most magnetic voices, delivering tender lyricism in the most compelling way.
Grace Calver - 'New Shirt'
Grace Calver continues her run of indie pop excellence with ‘New Shirt’, a song capturing the giddy terror of having a crush on someone who barely knows you exist. It’s full of tongue in cheek lyricism and catchy instrumentals which sums up everything that makes Grace Calver so great. The time signature change towards the end, where she gets lost imagining a future together, lands in a way that proves just how sharp Grace is as a songwriter.
KnowOne - 'Transparent'
KnowOne follows up his stellar debut single 'Roses' with 'Transparent', a huge alt-rock anthem that immediately solidifies his place as the future of the genre. The songwriting explores the gap between who we present to the world and who we actually are underneath. Driven by urgent guitars and a rallying energy, it speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt stuck watching life move forward around them. It is a bold second step from an artist you need to keep an eye on.
SHALINI RANI - 'Beauty and the Beast'
Shalini Rani shares ‘Beauty and The Beast’, a dreamy and haunting soul pop track about integrating the light and shadow within ourselves. Beneath the surface is a real poignant message about finding that healing comes not from denying the darker parts of who we are but from learning to embrace them. The atmospheric instrumentals and vulnerable vocal delivery give it a closeness that suits the track's theme perfectly, making the whole thing land with real weight.
Piper Connolly - 'Beautiful Life'
Piper Connolly has returned with her first release in over a year and done so in the most gloriously sun drenched way. ‘Beautiful Life’ is a power pop anthem capturing the dizzying rush of unexpected romance with what might be Piper’s best delivery yet. The retro synths and bassline give it a lift that suits the feeling without drifting into nostalgia for the sake of it. It’s a windows down kind of song if ever there was one. Piper’s talent has been clear for years now and this release feels like her taking it to a whole new level.
Naya Yeira - 'twenty9'
Naya Yeira steps into a bold new chapter with ‘twenty9’, a hypnotic alt R&B track built around a stripped back beat that gives her room to be as direct as she wants to be. The song comes from hitting the same walls over and over and finally deciding she’s done with it which gives the whole thing a real bite. There’s a clarity to the way Naya delivers it that makes the message land without ever feeling heavy handed. It’s a strong statement to open this new era.
Tabi Harlowe - 'Erosion'
Tabi Harlowe has just announced herself in the most emphatic way with ‘Erosion’, an anthemic alt rock track about the fear of running out of time and the pressure to have everything figured out. The vocals and guitars hit with a force that makes the feeling impossible to ignore, it’s the kind of writing that will resonate far beyond her own experience. It’s a striking release for an artist who sounds ready to make a real impact.
Terrianne - 'Adulthood'
Terrianne returns with 'Adulthood', her first release for over a year and one of her best to date. It is a soft and reflective track about getting so caught up in the everyday pressures of life that you lose sight of what actually matters. Written with a disarming vulnerability and an honesty about the guilt that comes with overthinking problems that others might consider small, it is a quietly moving piece of songwriting from an artist who continues to develop with every release.
Bo Bardot - 'The Sun in June'
Bo Bardot shares ‘The Sun In June’, a stripped back release written about her grandmother June and the troubled past she uncovered behind someone she loved deeply. The song sits with that mix of affection and unease in a way that feels honest, a really impressive balance to strike. What stands out is how Bo manages to handle something so personal while still recognising that another life sits at the centre of it. She never overclaims the story and that sense of care is exactly what gives the track its emotional weight.
Poesie - 'Curious Eve'
Poesie storms back with ‘Curious Eve’, a bold and theatrical anthem that reimagines the story of Eve as a furious modern call to action. The instrumentation pushes everything forward with real intent without ever overwhelming the message, but it’s Poesie’s commanding vocal performance that really grabs your attention from the first line. The songwriting matches this intensity, sharply drawing the parallels between the story she’s retelling and the world she’s speaking to now, which gives the track a real sense of purpose.
meliss - 'old friend feeling'
meliss closes out her debut EP 'emotional hangover' with 'old friend feeling', her most intimate track yet. Stripping things back to acoustic guitar and soft instrumentals, she confronts the exhausting cycle of returning to the same worries again and again with a conversational honesty. It is the most stunning way to round off a truly special debut EP, but I cannot recommend enough that you listen to the whole thing.
Francesca Fuentes - 'Barely Breathin''
Francesca Fuentes shares 'Barely Breathin', the lead single from her long-awaited album 'Promise of Patience'. It is a bedroom pop track about the suffocating feeling of losing someone you love and being left alone with your thoughts in the aftermath. Nostalgic in its production and gut-wrenching in its lyricism, it is a really promising opening statement for an album that sounds like it will be well worth the wait.
Emanuela - 'Icarus'
Singer songwriter Emanuela rounds out this week's Songs of the Week with ‘Icarus’, a cinematic pop ballad told from the viewpoint of someone watching a person they love spiral through their own choices. The track builds slowly and deliberately with production that mirrors the tension in the writing rather than overwhelming it. What really stands out is how clearly Emanuela captures that mix of care and helplessness which gives the song its pull. It’s a striking and ambitious piece of songwriting.
