The moment the jaunty guitar kicks in on John Smyths’ new single, "Now I'm Wiser", you feel a familiar, comfortable warmth. It’s the sound of a good chair in a bar where the floor is sticky with spilled truths. And then the story starts, a classic yarn of a hard-living past yielding to a peaceful present. Smyths, a Dutch ex-metalhead singing country out of...

Ily Gabi, a singer from Frankfurt, has released her newest song, "learning how to hurt." It is an emotionally honest song that examines boundaries, self-defense, and the unknown ache of heartbreak. The song perfectly expresses the realization that love may hurt you in ways you weren't aware you were susceptible to, in addition to being gentle and lovely. Do you recognize that strange feeling you experience?...