MUSIC

My experience of becoming a Doors fan has always been inextricably intertwined with my concurrent experience of attending boarding school. The Doors reached the nadir of their popularity during the same four years in which I was a student in Stockbridge.

Drake’s song “NOKIA” is a standout track from his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, “Some Sexy Songs 4 U”. Released on February 14, 2025, this hip-hop and electronic banger features a catchy beat with flashy synths and androgynous vocals.

Meet Sydney Jo Jackson, the Birmingham-born, London-based artist whose gritty, soulful voice cuts straight to the heart. Inspired by legends like Millie Jackson, Tina Turner, and Prince, Sydney fuses old-school soul, blues, and funk with a modern edge, crafting a sound that’s as fearless as it is addictive.

“End Of The World” is a disco-inflected anthem about partying during the apocalypse — a classic pop song topic that only gets more relevant.

“Abracadabra” is a song by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga. It was released on February 3, 2025, through Interscope Records, as the second single from Gaga’s album Mayhem (2025).

British artist Harry Lloyd, aka Waiting for Smith, has undergone a transformative journey that has deeply influenced his music. After breaking his back at 24 and spending a year in recovery.

Levi Robin’s journey of exploration and curiosity has taken him down many roads. The soul-baring folk artist’s distinctive musical style combines deeply personal and transformative lyrics with emotive stirring vocals.

Lyra is kicking 2025 off with her latest single “Freak”, which was co-written with Bill Maybury (Jazzy, Cian Ducrot, Kygo, James Bay) and Kingdoms (Tom Grennan, Bellah Mae, Sigala), who also produced the track.

With a sound that blends traditional rock instrumentation with ambient synths, drum loops and samples, Hartwig’s Battleflagg songs seek to straddle the Heartland/Americana/Indie rock divides, leaning into direct, heart-on-sleeve lyrics and arena-size, sing-along choruses. 

Before she was Party Nails, Elana Carroll was a guitar-toting tween, playing any open mic near her hometown of Chatham, New York. At home she recorded herself with Garageband, instigating a love of music technology which continues to this day.