Three hours. A producer building a beat in real time. An artist on the couch writing melodies and most of the lyrics before the session is over. That is the engine behind Nicosongs’ "In My Mind", the Melbourne artist’s original contemporary R&B single. It is an origin story with momentum, and it suits an artist drawn to records that carry emotional depth while still giving people...

The Ukrainian-American artist Kelsie Kimberlin has crafted a musical confession that cuts through the noise with its raw honesty and polished production. Kimberlin, who recently received both the United Nations Humanitarian Award and the St. George's Royal Medal of Honor from King Charles for her support of Ukraine, brings her activist spirit into her art. She wrote the song while she was shooting a movie about...