Ava Valianti captures the agonizing, beautiful purgatory of sixteen on her new single, "Sophomore Slump". The Newbury, Massachusetts songwriter has tapped directly into the crushing gravity of adolescence, a phase where a trivial misstep somehow fractures your entire psychological reality. https://open.spotify.com/track/20fIdhi8sFspbb6FAzHXCr?si=27a8aa904ccb4a5b There is a distinct, humiliating vulnerability in breaking down in front of someone else. You desperately crave the safety of their connection, yet you burn...

Iona Griffey's latest number one is just as sweet as the treats we love to eat. Despite the melancholy subject matter, the song's title is a perfect metaphor for its sound and atmosphere. This summer will see the release of her newest album, and the song "Candy" will serve as the album's lead single. It's probably killing you not to know what it is already. In...