Ava Valianti represents something increasingly rare in contemporary music: genuine precocity without artifice. This Massachusetts artist, who is only fifteen years old, handles general themes with a level of emotional depth that is shocking. She shows that youth can bring out the best in complicated human experiences, rather than hiding them. "Distant," her sixth single, functions as a sonic archaeology of friendship's dissolution. The track excavates layers...

Filipino singer Erin Kaith, who now lives in New York, has quickly made a name for herself with her sincere R&B songs. Kaith has become a new sign of how strong young people can be, and her music helps both lonely people and courageous individuals. Most people know her for the TikTok video "Down Bad," which went viral and got a lot of attention. Erin got...