Hailing from London, 23-year old Ivana June is a rising independent artist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who blends Neo-Soul, Indie and Pop creating music that is both personal and deeply relatable. She is releasing her first single of 2026, ‘Peppermint Tea’, today. A tender, late-night track exploring vulnerability and quiet romance.
After writing and producing the original demo of ‘Peppermint Tea’, Ivana June set to record it live at a studio in London with her producer Peter Anderson, (guitarist for Skinshape) and drummer Felix Foilleret.
The single is June’s honest and vulnerable take on a novel and uncertain romance. “This song represents the potential for uncertainty in the early stages of a romance, but simultaneously the growing sense of comfort the two people may find in one another’s presence.”
‘Peppermint Tea’ is an infusion of many musical elements, flavoured with authentic percussion including steady bongos and an original rare ‘Maestro Rhythm King’ drum machine from the early 1970s, lending the song a true retro feel going beyond usual digital loops. The sophisticated production balances pillows of distant synths and piano, textural Spanish guitar and intimate vocals that develop into a groove-led chorus.
Although ‘Peppermint Tea’ drifts through dreamlike, soulful production and harmonically rich vocal arrangements reminiscent of Sade and Hiatus Kaiyote, it is ultimately grounded in conversational, candid storytelling akin to that of Olivia Dean.
June wanted to explore the delicate balance between trepidation and desire, through her comparison of this entanglement to a mug of comforting peppermint tea. She says: “I was at Notting Hill Gate station, meeting my then ‘situationship’. I felt this sense of warmth and excitement even though our relationship was uncertain at the time, and I was afraid of being vulnerable and potentially getting hurt again. Despite the fear, the invigorating warmth and sense of their presence was the inspiration behind the comparison with a cup of peppermint tea”
