Ettie, who was born and raised in London, is a phenomenon in the music industry because of her lyrical alchemy, which transforms cultural touchstones and personal histories into pure alt-pop gold. She is able to compose alternative pop songs that speak to the anxiety that is felt by millennials because of the gift of being able to play with words. Ettie, who has a degree in...

Janet Devlin’s new single, “Houston,” arrives as a gleeful contradiction, a two-stepping Americana anthem for the sovereign state of one. It has all the upbeat, country-rock fixings for a roadside sing-along, yet its heart is miles away, floating in a self-imposed, wonderfully stubborn vacuum. The track opens, and you’re ready for a communal good time; instead, you find yourself at a party where the...