When you come across a musician with the calibre of Class Vee, you can't help but pay attention. Victoria Castillo, an American singer, songwriter, and record producer, is quickly making a name for herself. The band Soltrio (2019-2021) was the catalyst in Tampa. She pursued a solo career after working on many band projects, incorporating elements of pop, R&B, funk, soul, disco, and Latin into her...

Casey McQuillen’s single “Better” arrives not with a bang, but with the quiet, decisive click of a well-made lock securing a door. It’s pop music, certainly, groomed and gleaming, yet beneath the surface bubbles a fierce kind of self-possession that’s less about demanding attention and more about curating who gets past the velvet rope of your own contentment. Coming from someone known for empowerment...