Songs of the Week - 17/11/2025
These are the essential tracks you need to check out this week!
Photo Credit: Clementine Morris
ili - 'Mean To Me'
This week’s Songs of the Week are headlined by ili and her new single ‘Mean To Me’. This track shows ili at her most open, turning the fallout of a one-sided toxic relationship into something bold and cathartic. The feeling of giving someone your whole heart only to be left with hurt and loneliness is far too common, and she captures that ache with a hook that hits with real force. Her vocals rise and fall with real emotion, moving from fragile to fiercely assured in a way that hits straight away. ili turns her own pain into something that speaks to anyone who has been through it, and the result is raw, powerful and impossible not to feel. ili is a musical genius, and feels on the cusp of a stratospheric rise to the top of this industry
TYGERMYLK - 'Local Girl, Always Tired'
Last week saw TYGERMYLK release their long awaited debut album ‘Local Girl, Always Tired’. It is a ten-track journey of musical mastery, fronted by a standout title track which immediately grips from first listen. The track starts off built around soft indie pop textures, but quickly explodes into an energetic chorus that refuses to settle for the remainder of the song. TYGERMYLK has managed to sonically paint a vivid picture of burnout, longing and the quiet ache of trying to rebuild yourself in the most vibrant way possible. Their voice feels close and clear, carrying a mix of exhaustion and hope as they navigate the gap between who they were and who they’re growing into. It’s a gentle but powerful reflection on identity, place and the need to break out of the boxes people put you in, delivered with a warmth that makes the whole thing feel deeply human.
Afrobaby - 'Our Garden'
Last week also saw Afrobaby return with her first new music for nearly a year with ‘Our Garden’, her most emotional and poignant song to date. The track takes Afrobaby’s memories of her mum and turns them into something warm and steady with a liquid DnB pulse throughout. It is the perfect contrast of heartbreaking lyricism meeting an energetic backing, meaning this is a song you can enjoy no matter your mood. The vulnerability throughout this track has moved me every time I listen, and yet the expert musicality on show means I cannot stop listening. It’s a tribute shaped by love and loss, allowing both Afrobaby and listeners of the song to stop and reflect on the loved ones they’ve lost, even when life tries to make you move on.
Eppie - 'Listening to Charm'
‘Listening To Charm’ is the second track from this new era of three-piece band Eppie, building on September’s ‘Sunbathing in Winter’ with a glistening follow-up track that has a warm hopeful glow running through it. Inspired by vocalist Palomi’s younger sister and the band’s namesake Eppie, the song is built around the idea of coming home to someone who makes everything feel lighter. It mixes memory and future possibility in a way that feels soft but grounding, with the song moving like a quiet conversation that stays with you long after it ends. There’s a sweetness in the way the track unfolds, with the production keeps things gentle without losing impact. This is a song that carries that sense of looking forward, while holding tight to the moments that still mean the most.
Iona Summer - 'Bleen on This Land'
Iona Summer has returned with her first new music since the release of her EP ‘Maryhill’ earlier this year. New single ‘Bleed on This Land’ hits with a real sharpness, pulling you into a moral tug of war that sits heavy long after the track ends. Opening with ethereal vocals and stripped vocals that draw listeners in, the song soon shifts into a fiery tone, with Iona’s powerful vocals turning that clash between doing what’s right and living with the consequences into something gripping. The song possesses the fierce honesty that Iona Summer is fast becoming known for, rooted in real life and everything she’s fought through. It’s bold direct work from an artist who is still managing to get better, both lyrically and sonically, with every release.
CHAR - 'we are not the same'
This week’s Songs of the Week are rounded out by one of the year’s most highly anticipated debut singles, ‘we are not the same’ by CHAR. This striking debut is filled with a bold sense of release, turning all that reflection and emotion that pushed the song into the world into something sharp and empowering. There’s a real spark in the way this track is delivered, almost like CHAR is lifting a weight off her chest and urging listeners to do the same. Her vocals shine throughout, paired by a gripping instrumental that builds with intensity as the song progresses. ‘we are not the same’ is an empowering and confident-filed debut that instantly marks CHAR as a real artist to watch in 2026.