About Paytra Paytra was born in the small hamlet of Lambertville, Michigan, south of Detroit, to a mixed-Mexicana mother and a German father. Paytra made a very bold move and took a risk of a lifetime, alone, she moved to Brooklyn, New York. She already knew what she wanted in life, but with no money and lack of experience, she ultimately came to the reality...

Helena May’s new single, “Side Effects,” doesn’t just enter a room; it strides in with the kind of confident, hip-swinging swagger that makes you instinctively check your own posture. This is Brit-Funk with a capital F, built on a groove that feels less like a rhythm and more like a wry, talkative companion. It’s got that specific, indefinable warmth of an old analogue recording,...