Rae Charlea (pronounced kar‑lee‑ah) is the kind of artist who slips into a city and immediately begins rewriting its emotional weather. As a Scottish‑Australian singer, songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist now rooted in Liverpool, she crafts songs that feel like late‑night confessions whispered over the hum of streetlights.

Meet Dublin’s newest alt‑rock apparition Merricat! Formed in early 2025, the band’s origin story is as unpretentious as it is charming. “We’re ultimately just a couple of art students who became friends through a shared interest in music,” they tell us.

With their debut single “Nothings Going Well,” the Dublin-based trio crash through the noise with a thrash-pop anthem that’s as emotionally raw as it is sonically explosive. It’s a breakup song, sure – but not the kind that wallows. This one claws its way out of a toxic relationship, fists swinging and harmonies soaring.

London’s most feral newcomers Stereo Cupid return swinging with their new single Ready for Nothing, which they proudly describe as “real, nasty Rock ‘n’ Roll in its purest form. It’s one of those lines that sound like bravado – until you hear the track. And honestly, they’re not wrong.

I said ‘fuck it’ and started writing without pressure, with no creative criteria.” That’s how Oslo-based artist Kispah describes the moment everything shifted.

Holy Show formed in the early months of their music course in Dunboyne, 2024. Cathal and Emily began writing songs together just a few weeks in – “Vacancy” being the first. What started as a writing partnership quickly grew into a band, with Ben and Alex joining soon after. Their first rehearsal took place in Ben’s bedroom, and from that point on, they met weekly to write, rehearse, and chase the thrill of live performance.