Press play and the room changes temperature. 'Make The World Stand Still' by Kaitlin Corbett Jones comes in with piano, strings, and a voice that sounds ready for the balcony seats and the person crying quietly in the back row. This is big-feeling music, but it is not messy for the sake of drama. Kaitlin Corbett Jones has the training to go massive and the...

There’s a curious sort of old-soul gravity to Amelina’s single, “Step by Step,” one that defies the pop-rock sheen and the artist’s young age. The track opens with a resolute, almost stern, string and piano line that feels less like an invitation to a party and more like the sound of someone tying their shoelaces before a long journey. This is the sound of...