Brett L Walker’s new single, “Best Redneck Life,” is a curious and compelling thing. From the opening notes, it leans into its identity with a sound that’s all humidity and frayed denim—a confident strut of swampy, chicken pickin’ guitars that feel both West Coast-baked and Southern-fried. It’s a track that plants its flag firmly in the soil of North Carolina, unapologetic and unconcerned with...

Imagine now that there is a voice telling you about this very transformation, one note at a time. Noora Alho, better known simply as Noora, is the artist behind the uplifting new song "Butterfly." Noora was born in Finland to a British mother and a Finnish father. Imagine that you are encased in a feeling that is equal parts vulnerability and eagerness and that you...