In the dynamic realm of contemporary music, Olivia Dunbar, known professionally as Livvy D, is quickly establishing herself as a formidable force. Her unique sound, an eclectic blend of pop, country, and rap, positions her alongside artists like Nicki Minaj, Paris Hilton, and Iggy Azalea, yet she carves out a niche distinctly her own. Livvy D's journey from the pastoral settings of rural Virginia to the...

Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...