Her debut album, BULLSEYE, is a deeply personal exploration of authenticity, attachment, obsession and renewal. Making the record meant confronting emotions she’d initially been afraid to put into words, while learning to trust her instincts, embrace collaboration and become more confident in her own creative voice. The result is an album that finds beauty in uncertainty, allowing opposing feelings to coexist without necessarily offering easy answers.

We caught up with Moyka to talk about finding the courage to be vulnerable, protecting her artistic vision, learning to let others into her creative world and why she wants her live shows to become spaces for connection, freedom and collective release. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Moyka for the first time through this interview, how would you describe the world you’re trying to create with your music – and what makes you want to keep building it?

“I’ve always wanted to create a space where I can feel free and express myself the way I want, and I think that’s the most honest way to maybe create that space for someone listening too. I want this universe to feel magical and maybe a little bit mystical. I want you to feel comfort, a place to move and dance freely to the music, maybe even forget time and place for a moment. What keeps me creating and building this universe is my urge to be creative. I love being in the studio, I love to dream and to get lost in the process. That’s a magical place where anything is possible, and one of my favourite places to be!”

BULLSEYE has been described as a kind of self-portrait, exploring authenticity, performance, attachment, obsession and renewal. Did making the album reveal anything about yourself that you hadn’t fully understood before?

“Yes, absolutely. One of the things it revealed was that I was way more scared to dive into the deep of making a new album than I initially thought. At the start of the process, I tried to run away from writing certain songs because I was terrified to be as honest as I knew I had to be. I was really confronted with the question of what kind of artist I wanted to be, and it took some time to find the courage to say the things I wanted to say with this record. After releasing music for several years now, it felt more important than ever to reveal something honest, raw and untouched. And maybe something my teenage self would have appreciated hearing growing up. Making an album sometimes feels like going on a crazy mission. It’s so self-indulgent, messy, delusional and such an intense practice of endurance.”

You held out for the right collaborators and were determined to release this record entirely on your own terms. What did that process teach you about trusting your instincts as an artist?

“I think our gut feeling and our intuition as artists is our most important quality. It’s what guides me through making my art and through everything I do. With the music industry being so unstable, I feel like the most important thing you can do is trusting yourself and your vision. That’s how I think you’ll attract the right people as well. They will understand what you’re doing and where you’re going, and they go there with you!”  

You’ve spoken about once being very protective of your creative process, but gradually becoming more comfortable letting other people into it. What helped you realise that collaboration didn’t have to mean losing control of your own voice?

“With time as I’ve gained more experience with that way of working, I’ve grown to enjoy it more and more. Writing with other people sparks different creative directions than where I would have gone alone, so it’s more fun and playful than writing by myself. Also, I’ve become more certain of myself, my voice and what I want to say, so I’m less scared speak up if I think we’re moving in the wrong direction too.”

‘Moon’ explores that fragile space between despair and hope, and the temptation to escape yourself when things feel difficult. What draws you creatively to those moments where two opposing emotions can exist at once?

“I think it’s such a special place to write from. It creates this tension and uncertainty. With ‘Moon’ I didn’t have a conclusion or an answer, it was just a moment I wanted to capture. Maybe that leaves some space for you as a listener to find the answer for the questions yourself?”

Music gave you a sense of refuge and belonging when you were growing up, and that idea still seems central to the world you create now. What does it mean to you when a listener tells you they’ve found that same kind of refuge in your music?

“That is honestly the most beautiful thing. Music has always been my safe place, and if I can provide that with my own music to anyone else, that’s absolutely incredible to me.”

Your music feels incredibly immersive, almost like stepping into another place. When you take that world onto a stage, what do you hope happens between you and the people in the room?

“Oh, I love that! When I play my music live, I want to create a space for connection, freedom, expression and celebration. Being many people in the same room, singing and dancing together feels sacred and I want to honour that in the best way I can. When I create a show, my dream is to create this world you can step into and be totally immersed in for a little while. A world where you can be yourself, sing, dance, cry and move freely! My biggest hope is that we’ll feel some kind of magical release together.”

Finally, BULLSEYE suggests that even when we try to escape ourselves, we ultimately find our way back. What do you hope listeners might understand about themselves by the time they reach the end of the album?

“I’m not entirely sure if I can answer that. I think that’s an individual journey the listener themselves has to embark on, but what I do hope is that it makes you feel something.”

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Working with longtime collaborator, The Coral’s James Skelly, and recorded at his Kempston Studios in Liverpool, Too Late For Tears is 11 tracks of modern soul. With one foot firmly in the timeless influence of the past and the other very much in the future, Brooke perfectly straddles the sounds of old with a modern edge. Recorded live with her formidable band, when the needle hits the wax, for a precious moment the world seems to stand still. Such is the power of Brooke; the purity of a voice with the power to both heal and cut to the bone. Hers is the soul of British youth; youth of the future and youth of old.

“It’s the spirit of soul, of ska, of Motown, Stax and 2-Tone,” Brooke says of the album. “It’s the soul of radio, old radio — midnight radio — some unknown station you accidentally find between a sea of static; a song that sticks with you for the whole of the next day and the day after; one song that might change the course of your life. Soul for the soul, to stave away the cold.”

Alongside the announcement Brooke has also released the album’s latest cut in new single ‘Passing Faces’. An infectiously upbeat number, ‘Passing Faces’ takes you back to the soul clubs of the 70s. “I wrote this one dead fast in the kitchen,” Brooke says of the track. “Danny was upstairs in the music room editing a demo we’d just worked on for the album, and I was going through what we had, seeing if there was any type of song we were missing. I needed something light-hearted, catchy, upbeat… I started playing my guitar and the chorus sort of wrote itself. I had the whole melody, so I just thought of lyrics to go with it. It really began to take shape when I started trying different organ lines to open the song with. Once we settled on that and the soulful guitars playing off each other were added, it became its own thing. Pure mod.”

Too Late For Tears:

1. How Can I Tell You (To Love Me More)
2. Tears Won’t Lie
3. Love Was Made Of Stone
4. Price To Pay
5. Passing Faces
6. What Will I Do?
7. It’s Not Over
8. Don’t Go Blaming Me
9. So Glad (I’m With You)
10. I Still Love You
11. Am I Losing You?

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DZIANA

Indie-pop artist DZIANA creates intimate, diary-like music inspired by artists including Lizzy McAlpine and The Marías. Written from her bedroom while living far from home, her songwriting draws on personal experiences and the emotions that accompany distance, uncertainty and change.

‘lonely boy’ was written during that period away from home, with DZIANA hoping to bring listeners a sense of comfort and reassurance. Rather than overlooking life’s difficulties, the song acknowledges their existence while recognising that challenging circumstances are rarely permanent. At its heart is a simple message about finding moments of light and peace, even when things feel uncertain.

Meital

New York City indie-pop singer-songwriter Meital creates music that feels like reading somebody’s journal, embracing the confessional, introspective and occasionally messy sides of everyday life. Drawing on influences ranging from classic singer-songwriters to contemporary indie pop, her work turns personal experiences into emotionally direct storytelling.

The first single from her debut EP, ‘Insomniac’ was inspired by Meital’s impulsive decision to move to New York following a particularly painful breakup. The emotional upheaval left her unable to sleep, providing the foundation for an angsty indie-pop-folk track built around a repeating guitar riff. It’s a song for those restless early hours when your thoughts refuse to switch off, but you might still find yourself dancing alone in your bedroom at 3am.

Filmstar

Edinburgh alternative rock four-piece Filmstar combine the grit and emotional honesty of ’90s and early-2000s rock with contemporary production and big, guitar-driven choruses. Formed by vocalist Lauren Thompson and guitarist Alasdair MacFarlane, the band channel personal experiences into energetic, melodic rock.

‘Outgrown’, the first single from their forthcoming second EP, was written by Lauren as a message to her younger self. Having grown up painfully shy and insecure, she remembers allowing others to walk over her out of fear of being judged or mocked. Recognising similar struggles among the band’s younger listeners, Lauren wanted to create something encouraging. The resulting track celebrates overcoming insecurity, finding confidence and finally allowing yourself to take up space in your own life.

LEO

Splitting her time between a small coastal town in Normandy and London, singer-songwriter LEO creates intimate soul-folk shaped by the sea and her experiences of living between places. Drawing inspiration from Motown, classic soul and Britpop, her music combines warm analogue textures with vulnerable storytelling.

Opening her EP I Met a Girl (Who Is She), the title track explores the unusual experience of a woman encountering her own double. Wrapped in gentle folk instrumentation and a dreamy, nostalgic atmosphere, the song introduces a project built around personal reflections and emotionally open songwriting. Its playful central idea sits alongside the EP’s wider themes of vulnerability, hope and discovering strength through personal experiences.

Bebe May

Manchester bedroom-pop artist Bebe May creates lo-fi indie music inspired by girlhood, nostalgia and the difficulties of navigating modern life. Drawing from ’60s pop and ’90s indie, she combines a love of analogue recording equipment with dreamy synths, retro guitar tones and intimate songwriting. Her DIY approach extends beyond music into artwork, animation and music videos.

‘Maybe in the Morning’ explores the disappointment of realising life hasn’t turned out quite as you imagined, alongside the understanding that a change in perspective can sometimes make everything feel more manageable. Recorded in her bedroom with fellow musician Henry Smith, the track layers organ, Mellotron and shimmering synths into a woozy, melancholic atmosphere. It’s a song about uncertainty that still leaves room for the possibility of a brighter morning.

Holly Clausius

Toronto singer-songwriter Holly Clausius blends soul, pop and rock influences, using personal experiences to explore identity, vulnerability and self-acceptance. Her latest single, ‘Every Size’, takes a brighter, R&B-inspired direction while addressing the complicated relationship many people have with their bodies.

Drawing on her own experiences of weight fluctuations and believing self-love would arrive once she looked a certain way, Holly challenges the idea that body acceptance is something to be earned. Instead, the track celebrates recognising your worth through every physical change, rather than postponing happiness until an imagined future version of yourself appears. With soulful vocals, playful pop hooks and an upbeat groove, ‘Every Size’ turns a deeply personal reflection into a celebration of the body you’re living in right now.

Cierra Cinti

Independent pop artist and producer Cierra Cinti brings together nostalgic 2010s pop influences, edgy synths and layered harmonies. Taking a completely DIY approach to her music, she writes, records, produces, mixes and masters her songs herself from her bedroom, allowing her to shape every detail of their sound.

Latest single ‘Party Favors’ transforms financial struggles, a failed relationship and feelings of loneliness into an unapologetic party anthem. Beneath its energetic production and singalong chorus, the song explores self-destructive behaviour and the temptation to escape difficult emotions through a night out. Inspired by the atmosphere of summer coming to an end, Cierra embraces nostalgic pop production while allowing the less glamorous reality beneath the celebration to remain visible.

Sydney Millevoi

Pop and R&B singer-songwriter Sydney Millevoi draws on soul, gospel and contemporary pop influences, bringing emotionally direct storytelling into her music. Her songwriting explores personal experiences through a combination of intimate lyrics and expressive vocals.

‘Can’t Have You (All Roads)’, taken from her forthcoming album Eyes On Me, was written while Sydney was competing on The Voice. The track explores the bittersweet experience of continually finding yourself drawn back towards somebody you know you cannot have. Combining pop songwriting with R&B influences, the song captures the tension between understanding that a relationship isn’t possible and struggling to let go of the feelings that keep pulling you back.

GÖRE

Berlin feminist trio GÖRE combine distorted guitars, bass and playful synthesizers with indie-rock energy, danceable pop hooks and unapologetically confrontational lyrics. Their debut EP Crush explores the experiences of young women navigating contemporary society, moving between heartbreak, anger, trauma and solidarity.

On ‘alexanderplatz’, the band confront the aftermath of sexual violence through the perspective of a survivor consumed by anger and fantasies of revenge. Setting the story against Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, GÖRE refuse to soften the uncomfortable emotions that can accompany trauma. With abrasive instrumentation and fiercely direct songwriting, the track gives space to female rage without demanding that those feelings be made more palatable.

Imogen Plunkett-Hamer

Sydney songwriter and producer Imogen Plunkett-Hamer takes a hands-on, experimental approach to her music, bringing together jazz-rock influences with a DIY recording process. Her latest double-sided single was written, recorded, produced and mixed by Imogen herself, with performances from just two friends and fellow music students, Luke Moore and Niya Vohra.

‘Want To Be Close’ explores desire and frustration through heavy, energetic jazz-rock built from a collage of live recordings. Rather than following a predictable arrangement, the track embraces shifting dynamics and unexpected musical turns, balancing experimentation with a concise, pop-influenced structure. It’s a release that reflects both Imogen’s creative independence and her interest in pushing familiar songwriting forms into stranger territory.

Check out more of our recent submissions via the playlist below!

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Opening with heavily distorted guitars, the track gradually introduces those familiar, atmospheric guitar textures associated with classic goth rock. A rigid, almost mechanical drumbeat establishes a relentless momentum, while the driving bassline becomes more noticeable as the song progresses. Melissa Charbonneau’s vocals are particularly striking, shifting from the snarling, confrontational delivery of Amyl and the Sniffers’ Amy Taylor in the verses to something more melodic and theatrical in the chorus, recalling Siouxsie Sioux.

There’s little attempt to disguise the band’s influences, but ‘Mantis’ wears them confidently. Its combination of brooding atmosphere, distorted guitars and commanding vocals would sit comfortably alongside the classics on any goth rock or post-punk playlist. For a debut single, it’s a convincing introduction to the darker world of of Shapes.

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Musically, ‘Do You Believe Me Now?’ transforms that frustration into an upbeat, defiant indie-pop anthem. Jangly, 90s-inspired pop-rock guitars, lively percussion and touches of tambourine create an infectious, danceable rhythm. The sisters’ bright vocals and close harmonies bring an additional sense of solidarity, while the cathartic, singalong chorus turns the song’s central question into a powerful demand to be heard.

The accompanying video embraces a stylish, colourful retro aesthetic, with vintage telephones and playful nods to 90s and early 2000s culture. Its confident presentation complements the song’s message without diminishing its seriousness. Both catchy and confrontational, ‘Do You Believe Me Now?’ is a reminder that believing women matters most when something can still be done.

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Musically, ‘Stuck’ is a vibrant, maximalist collision of dirty indie-sleaze guitars, 80s-inspired new wave synths and punchy, slightly mechanical rhythms. There’s a danceable undercurrent, but the real appeal lies in its restless energy and attitude, recalling the likes of Haute & Freddy, Gossip and Metric. Madeleine’s commanding, slightly snarling vocals carry shades of Karen O and Siouxsie Sioux, balancing frustration with defiance over an irresistibly catchy chorus.

The wonderfully camp accompanying video captures the song’s central conflict, contrasting the mundane reality of working in a convenience store with a glamorous performance fantasy accessed through a television screen. It’s playful, colourful and sharply observant, highlighting the exhausting gap between surviving and pursuing your ambitions. ‘Stuck’ might sound defeated at times, but its determination refuses to disappear.

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Warren unveiled the first look at the album with the lead single ‘Automatic,’ a driving, angsty tune that finds the narrator exhausted by the endless cycle of striving, falling, trying again, and discovering that the only home she can ultimately count on is the one inside herself. The accompanying video features found footage filmed by a teenage Warren with a digital camcorder visualising excerpts from her dream journal.

“I’ve been on a bit of a mission these last few years to resuscitate within myself a spontaneous, uncomplicated way of making art for pleasure, like children do,” stated Warren, harkening back to her experimental EP The Night of the Wind based on a book she wrote when she was 3 years old. “My high school friend Leora and I recently reconnected out of the blue, and we got to reminiscing about all the weird art we used to make for fun/to stave off the doldrums of suburban adolescence. I remembered this one film in particular and just had an inkling it could make a good music video for ‘Automatic.’ When I put the song over the footage, the way the two things lined up was spooky.”

Frog in the Belly of a Snake:

1. Web
2. The Current
3. Circular Logic
4. Automatic
5. Invocation
6. A Power Greater
7. Islamorada
8. Wildcrafted
9. Silver Light
10. Voice of Reason
11. Frog in the Belly of a Snake
12. Bathwater Baby
13. New Friend Blues
14. Feeding Me Feeding You

The post Johanna Warren announces new album, Frog in the Belly of a Snake, alongside lead single & video ‘Automatic’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

Musically, ‘Greyhound’ is a spirited slice of guitar-driven indie pop/rock, reminiscent of early KT Tunstall. Galloping acoustic guitars establish an infectious momentum, soon joined by energetic, driving drums and a supportive bassline. Katie’s bright, urgent vocals carry a mixture of vulnerability and frustration, creating an interesting contrast with the song’s lively instrumentation. Midway through, the arrangement slows dramatically, leaving just her voice and piano before the guitars return and percussion gradually builds everything back to full throttle.

There’s something wonderfully fitting about the restless, galloping rhythm of a song named after one of the fastest dog breeds. Beneath its energetic exterior, however, ‘Greyhound’ captures the loneliness of loving someone who makes you feel forgotten. It’s a catchy, emotionally honest combination of movement and melancholy.

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Musically, ‘Overflow’ blends cinematic dark folk with theatrical alternative pop, recalling the early work of AURORA with touches of Florence + The Machine. GEISTE’s commanding vocals are surrounded by chant-like harmonies and ritualistic percussion, creating an almost ceremonial atmosphere. Sweeping cello adds cinematic drama, while an unexpected, glitchy electronic passage briefly disrupts the otherwise organic arrangement. There’s something wonderfully primal about the combination of layered voices and percussion, as though the music belongs to an ancient ritual.

Although there’s no accompanying video, ‘Overflow’ conjures vivid images of mist-covered water, shadowy forests and ceremonial dancing beneath dark skies. Its combination of folk-inspired instrumentation, theatrical vocals and electronic experimentation creates a haunting world where beauty and unease exist side by side. It’s an atmospheric exploration of emotions threatening to spill beyond control.

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Shares guitarist Dan Fuson: “On this record I think we as a band gelled more than we ever have and made space for each other while still elevating each song. The goal of serving each tune was always in mind and we hit the fricking bullseye.”

“I f***ing love this record and I love that I got to make it (once again) DIY in a garage with my two favorite people,” adds front woman Coco Kinnon. “I especially love that we get to give our fans and new listeners something real in a world of slop.”

Concludes bassist Austin Luther: “In true Winona Fighter fashion, we put our blood, sweat, and tears into the making of this record. Our goal was to evolve as a band while still delivering the hard hitting and melodic songs we love to make. Please enjoy at full volume.”

Along with the news comes a grungy and self-aware new single titled ‘LEECH’. Fans can watch the music video, which was directed by Hannah Hall and embodies the song’s feelings of apprehension. ‘LEECH’ marks the second song to be released from the upcoming record; the band shared the explosive and confrontational ‘BOMBS AWAY’ earlier this year.

Winona Fighter tapped self-taught artist Glen Martin Taylor to create the cover art of Brutal & Extremely Underrated. His work maintains the same DIY ethos and authenticity found throughout the band’s discography, as he explores themes of transformation and healing through fractured pieces.

Brutal & Extremely Underrated:

1. TV On The Radio
2. BOMBS AWAY
3. LEECH
4. DEAD HORSE
5. You Don’t Have A Clue
6. SELF AFFIRMATIONS
7. HAWK FOOT
8. OUT! THERE!
9. Lily Cut Her Hair
10. PARA SIEMPRE
11. BULLY BUSTER
12. Title (REDACTED)

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