Mia Mormino's music has an immediate impact and a power that is unlike anything else in the pop scene. You can find the tenacious spirit that sings songs of self-empowerment at the core of this beating heart. That's also where the ability is. On her way to loving herself, Mia has had both hard times and happy times, which gives her a truly captivating sincerity....

The first listen of Haus of Sound’s new single, “Mirage,” is like walking into a room where a beautifully ornate vase has just been shattered against a wall. There's a jagged, crystalline energy here, a collision of theatrical drama and raw, modern discontent. Evolving from their 2000s tribute roots, the Everett band has synthesized the best of that era’s angst—the coiled tension of early...