Her two-part EP project The Apothecary emerged from a period of emotional healing, gathering songs about heartbreak, insecurity, self-sabotage and the things we continue to carry from our past. Rather than documenting a journey she had already figured out, songwriting became part of the process itself – a way of recognising feelings she hadn’t always been able to put into words.

Now taking those songs far beyond Manchester, including her first headline shows across Europe, Lusaint has discovered that their meaning continues to change once they’re shared with other people. We caught up with her to talk about finding a path into music, understanding home from a distance, the jazz and blues foundations that still shape her work, songwriting as self-discovery and why performing live is where everything finally makes sense. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Lusaint for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist – and what is it about making music that feels important to you?

“I think at the heart of it I’m a singer-songwriter who’s always been really drawn to soul, jazz and blues. I grew up listening to those kinds of records and I think they’ve naturally found their way into the music I make now, even as it’s developed into something more contemporary.

“The most important thing to me is that there’s honesty in it. I’m not particularly interested in making something just because I think it’s what I should be making. Music has always been the place where I can say things that I probably wouldn’t necessarily say in conversation. There’s something really special about taking something that feels incredibly personal and then watching it become somebody else’s song because they’ve attached their own experience to it. I think that connection is probably the part of being an artist that means the most to me.”

You’ve said that growing up in Stretford, you never imagined a career in music was possible. When did that change for you – was there a particular moment when you first allowed yourself to think, “Maybe I really can do this”?

“It happened quite gradually. Growing up in Stretford, being a singer was something I loved, but I don’t think I understood that it could actually be my life. I was working in a clothing shop, studying fashion and singing covers in bars and restaurants at weekends. Music felt like this thing I did because I loved it rather than something I genuinely thought could become a career.

“When some of the covers I’d recorded started reaching people online, suddenly doors began opening that I’d never really imagined would open for me. I think that was the first time I started thinking, maybe I could do this.”

The Apothecary came from a place of emotional healing, but you’ve said you now feel very different to the person who began making it. What has creating these two EPs taught you about yourself?

“Probably that you don’t always realise you’re changing while you’re in the middle of it.

“When I started The Apothecary, I was carrying things that I hadn’t completely understood or dealt with, and a lot of those emotions ended up in the songs. The whole idea of The Apothecary became almost like collecting different remedies for different parts of yourself — heartbreak, insecurity, self-sabotage, things from the past that you’re still holding onto.”

‘Tib Street’ is a love letter to Manchester and the people, streets and memories that have stayed with you. As your career has taken you further away from home, have you come to understand Manchester’s influence on you differently?

“Definitely. I actually think leaving Manchester made me understand how much of me comes from there.

“When you grow up somewhere, you don’t really analyse it because it’s just normal to you. Stretford was home, Manchester was where I went out, worked, studied, sang in bars — all these little parts of my life happened there without me ever thinking they would eventually become memories I’d write songs about.

“The further I’ve travelled with music, the more I’ve realised how strong that sense of home is. There’s a familiarity and an ease to Manchester that I think will always be part of me, no matter where I live or where the music takes me.”

You grew up listening to your parents’ jazz and blues records before singing Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone covers in local bars. Do you feel like there are parts of that younger version of yourself that still come through whenever you make music now?

“Absolutely. Probably more than I consciously realise.

“Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone were some of the first voices that made me understand how much emotion could exist in the way somebody sings something. It wasn’t about showing what your voice could do all the time — it was phrasing, restraint, tone and making somebody believe what you were saying.

“I think singing those songs in bars when I was younger taught me so much without me knowing I was learning. There was no big plan behind it. I just loved singing.”

So much of The Apothecary is rooted in healing and understanding who you want to become. Has songwriting ever helped you recognise something about yourself that you hadn’t been able to put into words before?

“All the time. Sometimes I’ll start writing about one thing and halfway through realise that the song is actually about something completely different.

“There’s something about having to condense an emotion into a lyric that forces you to be quite truthful with yourself. You can spend months avoiding something or telling yourself you’re fine with it, and then you write one line and think, oh maybe that’s what I actually feel!”

You’ve now taken your music across Europe on your first headline tour, with a hometown show at Manchester’s Band on the Wall still to come. What does performing live give you that making music alone can’t – and what do you hope people feel when they’re in the room with you?

“Live is probably where everything makes sense.

“You can spend such a long time making a record — writing it, recording it, listening to tiny details over and over again. Then suddenly you’re standing in a room somewhere in Europe and people you’ve never met are singing those words back to you. I don’t think I’ll ever find that normal.

“I also love that every show is slightly different. I come from singing jazz and blues, so I’ve always liked music having a bit of freedom and not feeling completely identical every night.

“More than anything, I want people to feel connected to it. I don’t need somebody to understand a song in exactly the way I wrote it. If they leave having felt something — or one lyric has reminded them of their own life — then the song has done its job.”

Finally, if The Apothecary represents a chapter of your life that you’ve now grown beyond, what do you hope someone who might still be living through their own version of that chapter finds in these songs?

“I hope they find some comfort in them.

“I’d never want the message of The Apothecary to be that I worked everything out and here’s how somebody else should do it, because that isn’t what happened at all. These songs were written while I was trying to understand things myself.

“But I think there’s something comforting about knowing that somebody else has felt something similar to you — whether that’s heartbreak, insecurity, regret or just feeling a little lost.”

The post Getting To Know… Lusaint appeared first on She Makes Music.

Sometimes, when life brings you to a crossroads, the only option is to trust your gut. For Chrissi, that instinct has shaped the making of I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! The album traces the messy territory between love and loss, self-doubt and self-discovery, finding humour, tenderness and clarity in the experiences that have shaped her.

At the centre of the album is its title track, a song about the contradiction of knowing something is hurting you while still desperately wanting it to stay. ‘I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !’ moves through codependency, self-destruction and the difficulty of letting go, finding Chrissi caught between wanting to sever the tie and the part of herself that still cannot bear to.

“‘I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !’ is about codependency and my personal inability to let go of anything without leaving claw marks, but trying to let go and do better,”  explains Chrissi.

The song arrived during Chrissi’s first studio session after six months away from music. Following the discovery that her ex-boyfriend had been lying to her throughout their relationship, she had convinced herself that he was the only person who would ever love her. Returning to the studio, ‘I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !’ offered a different perspective. What began as heartbreak became a way of understanding herself, and eventually, a way forward.

The album takes that story and opens it out. I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! is a record about falling in love, struggling to leave, and learning what it means to grow from girlhood into womanhood while navigating the experiences that shape you along the way.

“I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! is the full story of the song on a larger scale, going into my moments of feeling in love and why it was hard to sever the tie. It also covers my experience as a girl growing into womanhood and still trying to navigate all the negative experiences that come with it.” comments Chrissi.

I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !:

1. PUCKER UP!
2. ⁠HEARTLESS DARLIN’!
3. ⁠HARD LAUNCH
4. ⁠JOSEPHINE!
5. ⁠I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME!
6. ⁠PAPER MAN!
7. ⁠THE SCARIEST PART!
8. ⁠ONE IN FIVE!
9. ⁠APOLOGY JEWELLERY!
10. ⁠SEVEN MONTHS CLEAN!
11. ⁠WISHING YOU WELL!

The post Chrissi announces debut album I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! & shares the title track appeared first on She Makes Music.

A subtly funky beat gives ‘Late Nights’ its easy neo-soul groove, while jazzy brass flourishes bring touches of classic soul into its distinctly modern sound. But it’s NNAVY’s beautifully smooth vocal that really draws you in, becoming increasingly sensual as the song unfolds. Warm, intimate and effortlessly fluid, this is music firmly made for dim lights and the small hours.

That intimacy carries beautifully into the accompanying video, which finds NNAVY alone at home after dark, dancing, moving through softly lit rooms and simply feeling herself. At times we’re even watching from outside the window, giving these moments an almost private quality. Rather than fighting against the song’s themes of visibility and desire, the simplicity feels significant – NNAVY takes centre stage entirely on her own terms.

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It is Hope’s voice that immediately draws you in. Effortless, vulnerable and deeply soulful, her vocal sits beautifully alongside soft piano and soaring strings, creating a warmth that feels almost cinematic without ever becoming overly grand. There is something incredibly comforting about the arrangement, even as the lyrics explore the pain of being let down by someone you still love. Rather than wallowing in the heartbreak, ‘If You Ever Loved Me’ feels like the soundtrack to a quiet afternoon, sunlight streaming through the window as you sit alone with your thoughts. It is gentle, intimate and effortlessly beautiful.

Hope describes the track as being “about denial as much as it is a breakup song, about the pain of being let down, despite the love you might still feel.” That emotional honesty is what gives ‘If You Ever Loved Me’ its quiet power. There is no need for huge production or vocal theatrics when the feeling is already there in every note; Hope simply lets the song breathe, resulting in a soulful and deeply human listen.

The post Hope Winter lets her soulful vocals shine on ‘If You Ever Loved Me’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

From the opening moments, ‘weary soul’ radiates warmth. Built around smooth, laid-back instrumentation and rich analogue textures, the track evokes the effortless cool of classic soul records, recalling the lush, cinematic atmosphere of artists such as Minnie Riperton. Everything about the song feels tactile and lived-in; the kind of record that sounds as though it was always destined to be played through vintage speakers with sunlight filtering through the curtains.

At the centre of it all is Dani’s captivating vocal performance. Soulful yet fragile, she delivers lines such as “I’m sick with wanting, someone to hold me, someone to carry my weary soul” with a quiet vulnerability that never slips into self-pity. Instead, there is a gentle sadness running throughout the track, a yearning for connection that feels universal in its honesty.

As ‘weary soul’ unfolds, it gradually drifts into more ethereal territory, closing with lush harmonies that seem to dissolve into the atmosphere around them. The effect is dreamlike and cosmic, leaving behind a lingering question that feels as expansive as the sound itself: “Did you ever know me?”

Warm, soulful and quietly devastating, ‘weary soul’ is the kind of song that demands to be lived with rather than simply listened to; a late-afternoon soundtrack for moments of reflection, longing and everything that exists in between.

The post Dani Offline wraps longing in satin-soft soul on new single ‘weary soul’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

Built around a smooth groove and effortlessly soulful vocals, ‘heartbeat.‘ balances warmth with emotional tension. While Cherise’s voice remains beautifully controlled throughout, moments of frustration occasionally break through the surface, hinting at the anger beneath the song’s polished exterior. A welcome saxophone adds further richness to the arrangement, while the track’s closing moments showcase a series of stunning high notes that leave a lasting impression long after the song has faded out.

Speaking about the track, Cherise explains: “In such relationships, there’s usually a thin line between love and hate that keeps the emotional cycle going between two people. I wanted to highlight that it’s not often one-sided.”

The post Cherise Michelle blends soul and subtle fury on new single ‘heartbeat.’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

A visceral journey toward self-liberation, ‘Amputate the Fake’ arrives as a soul-infused anthem for shedding illusion and reclaiming truth. It is a call for everyone to strip away the external masks that confine us and reevaluate our relationship between authenticity and artifice.

“I wrote this song to describe the feeling of putting down our external masks, freeing our most authentic selves, and letting go of what didn’t serve us,” Shilpa says. “I wanted to speak about not letting go of my dreams and not forgetting my own name – even when faced with intense pushback and adversity. I no longer wish to be put into a box or labelled in a way that makes others feel comfortable about who I am or what kind of music I make. This song marks the moment where I am letting go of the need to find a sense of belonging, especially if it means I need to conform to a mind view I don’t believe in.”

Sonically, ‘Amputate the Fake’ is smooth, warm, and full of movement, led by deep bass grooves, layered vocal harmonies, and Tona’s soulful flugelhorn riffs. With a hip-hop undercurrent and deep R&B soul flavour, the track offers modern Tamil-soul, inspired by the likes of Victoria Monét, Kimbra, and Hiatus Kaiyote, to Erykah Badu, Priya Ragu, and A.R. Rahman.

The accompanying AI-driven music video, directed by Suruchi Sharma (Studio Ainak), blurs the line between what’s real and what’s performed, mirroring our modern struggle with authenticity in a world obsessed with appearances. Shilpa adds: “’Amputate the Fake’ is an act of release – a call to amputate the fake and awaken the real.”

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With its catchy consistent bassline inspired by The Temptations, shuffling live drum patterns and retro-inspired sound, ‘Shade Of Red’ offers listeners a touch of Motown with a modern twist. Taken from her upcoming debut EP, the track showcases Olivia’s raw songwriting ability, outlining the desire and guilt that comes with pursuing a love that is forbidden. With its instantly memorable instrumentation and Olivia’s sultry ‘jazzy vibe’, ‘Shade Of Red’ is set to establish Olivia Frances Brown as a rising star with her own unique style.

“I wanted to capture that feeling of being utterly consumed by something you know you shouldn’t want, yet can’t escape,” says Olivia. “There’s a raw, almost frantic energy in it—the way desire twists into something darker, something that haunts you.”

The post Olivia Frances Brown unveils captivating debut single ‘Shade Of Red’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

Welsh soul artist Nia Wyn has a talent for raw and powerful storytelling. Growing up in a small town in North Wales, Nia struggled with mental illness, isolation and confusion around her identity, taking solace in old records she found and playing guitar in her room. Inspired by the soul that came out of Philadelphia, Memphis and Detroit in the 60s and 70s, Nia writes, produces and sings songs about modern issues: being queer, hard times young people face in the UK, mental health and neurodivergence.

A Pleasure To Have In Class showcases Nia’s strong influences of mid-century soul but with a modern twist. Wyn’s vivid storytelling and reflective lyricism is partnere with heavy Motown and Stax inspired arrangements, her unmistakable and distinctly powerful vocals. Across her debut, Nia Wyn has self-produced numerous tracks, with production also coming from regular collaborators Blake Rhein (Durand Jones and the Indications), Duncan Pym, edbl and Evil Genius. The album is a heartfelt and raw confession of Nia Wyn’s increased understanding of her own struggles and growth, and a deeper look into why she (and you) might have been a Pleasure To Have In Class back in the day.

We had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Nia all about A Pleasure To Have In Class, her upcoming shows, experiences in the music industry and much more. Read the interview below.

Hi Nia! How are you? What does a typical day look like for you at the moment?

“Very well thank you. Typical day right now if I’m not in my day job is to get up, feed two persistent cats, have some downtime (video gaming, particularly Fallout 4) before getting to my desk and working on new music. I’ve got a home set up so I’m able to work whenever I need to. I also love doing laundry, it’s very relaxing.”

We have been following your musical career since the very beginning and you’re now releasing your debut album A Pleasure To Have In Class. Why was now the right time to share a full length project and what does it mean to you?

“Thank you for all the support you’ve given me! I had intended to release a debut album for a pretty long time, and once I dispelled ideas of having to have an indie or major label on board to release an LP, I thought, I need to just go for it. Republic of Music have been a joy to work with, and I was lucky to get some funding from Help Musicians UK to record the album. It means a whole lot to release a full length project, especially one I’ve produced half the tracks myself. It’s the project I am most proud of, and I feel is the most accurate showing of me as a music artist, lyrically and sonically.”

We adore your retro soul sound. What/who did you draw inspiration from sonically for this particular record? Who were you listening to around the time of writing it?

“Thank you. I was listening to a lot of mid century soul of course – lots of Philadelphia soul groups, Numero Records playlists. Always listening to a lot of soul revival artists as there is plenty out there now especially in the US and UK. I’m also a big fan of country music, blues, jazz – so I’m hoping that all comes through too (I’d like to think so).”

A Pleasure To Have In Class covers a wide range of themes. What do you hope listeners take away from the record?

“I hope everyone finds something they can take from it. My autism diagnosis and the self-reflection I did really kicked off the album writing process, so I wanted to express my perspective on being late diagnosed as neurodivergent after a lifetime of masking, and how both liberating and painful that can be. Halfway through the album I celebrated my 10 year anniversary being sober from alcohol – a major milestone, but one that felt quite weird. Sometimes recovering from dependence/addiction can be like losing an actual person in your life. You are proud of yourself for getting so far away from that time in your life, but it can always still feel quite precarious – not wanting to lose all the progress you’ve made as it could be gone in a split second, and not wanting to admit you sometimes miss it despite how destructive it was.

“As a proudly queer woman I am very passionate about issues that affect all of our community. The worsening environment of anti-trans hatred and discrimination deeply concerns me as part of that community, and I wanted to raise awareness of the real life consequences of this. There’s also themes of mental illness (notably Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in there, and a whole lot of love too.”

What was your creative process for A Pleasure To Have In Class like? What was your favourite part making the album? Did you face any challenges or do anything differently this time around?

“This time around I worked a lot on my own rather than working with producers for each song – it was really enjoyable to finally be confident in my own skin as a producer, and really showcase my own style of production. That was probably my favourite aspect. I loved working with various session musicians to bring the record to life – expect lots of rich instrumentation, brass, strings! Having The Harlem Gospel Travelers on ‘It’s My Business’ felt special, as I was already a fan of their music. My collaboration with Duncan Pym who mixed and mastered the record (and produced and co-wrote ‘Your Team’ and ‘Loves Me Not’) was pretty crucial too. We worked out of his home studio for some songs, as well as at Hackney Road Studios. Duncan is great to work with, he got my vision for the project perfectly.

“I also was thrilled to work with Autumn Barney on the artwork and visual design of the album – I’ve been a fan of her work on Colemine Records album artwork for ages, and she’s a lovely individual.”

You will be kicking off a UK and EU tour in support of the album later this year. Will there be any changes to your live show? What can fans expect?

“Yes! Very excited. I’m looking to move towards a much more organic sound, trying to play as close to how artists and groups would perform in the 60s and 70s. It’ll be full band shows for the UK dates, and solo performances for the EU.”

Which of the new songs are you most excited to debut live and why?

“Oh gosh, I couldn’t pick one. Just the experience of being able to bring this LP to life on stage will be thrilling for me, as performing live is very important to me as an artist. I’ve teased some of these songs when I was supporting Say She She last year – it’ll be cool to perform ‘It’s My Business’ and ‘Happy Anniversary’ as those haven’t been played live yet really.”

You’ve worked with many different artists across your musical career. Is there anyone else you would love to collaborate with in the future and why?

“There are so many honestly, but one is Leon Bridges. I think our voices are so different and we are influenced by quite similar music, so I think we could make something real nice.

“I’d imagine Kacey Musgraves is a dream to work with too – excellent songwriter and artist.”

Based on your musical journey so far, what have been the biggest challenges that you’ve faced and how have you overcome them?

“Rejection. There’s been a lot of rejection and disappointment and you really have to grow resilient from that otherwise it destroys you. I think when you are so passionate and so laser focused on your music as an artist, it can sometimes be hard to separate this from your sense of self, so every rejection knocks away at your self-worth and that can be very damaging. I think going it on my own in the last 2 years, no manager, has been a challenge that I’m really glad I took on, as it’s been fruitful – I’ve been able to take more control (which admittedly, I like doing) and it’s been way more on my own terms.”

Finally, do you have a favourite highlight from your career so far? And what are your goals for the future?

“After releasing this album it’s probably opening for Paul Weller on his tour a couple years back, and performing at Glastonbury. I’m excited to see what this album will bring – my first UK/EU tour will be a big moment in my career, further projects (and producing myself) as I’m always writing. I ultimately just want to be able to do what I love, be able to sustain myself and my family, and keep growing as an artist.”

The post INTERVIEW: Nia Wyn appeared first on She Makes Music.

On the single, Cécile says, “‘Communion’ is a celebration of community, especially among musicians united in the pursuit of mastery. It pays tribute to the legends who paved the way and to those we admire for their artistry. The song embodies the transformative power of music—those moments of transcendence when we connect deeply, not only with each other but also with our audience. It’s about being fully present, together, and elevating our shared experience to a higher ground.”

The dynamic and nostalgic music video for ‘Communion’ immediately transports viewers to The Georgia Cécile Show, a homage to the 60s and 70s prime time broadcasting, with technicolour, charm and sparkles galore. The energy emanating on screen embodies the theme of community and the transformative power of music.

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