Florence’s Less is releasing “Hellya” on January 16th, a track born from creative frustration and apathy. Born in Naples in 2001 and raised in Arzano, Less grew up in a nomadic but happy childhood with a family that moved constantly. Her family relocated to Fano when she was 8, then to Scandicci at 11, around the time she lost her grandmother. Music became her shelter during adolescence when she picked up guitar and singing, especially as she navigated her sexual orientation and the conflicts that came with it.
During Covid, she invested in a home studio and met producers Lorenzo Santi and Federico Maremmi at Kapow Vintage Studio in Florence, where she’s been working with Marco Lega. Her first singles, “Up and Down” and “I need all your love,” dropped at the beginning of 2025, following “Instead Of Making Love (Say Hello)” in October, which marked a shift from melancholic ballads toward more rock-oriented material. “Hellya” continues that trajectory, capturing the urge to break free from personal and cultural constraints.
The song’s musicality is inspired by 2000s alternative music. Its melodies are epic, but it’s almost shy about it, and in that way, it mirrors the song’s subject matter brilliantly. The soft delivery of the vocals in the verses is contrasted perfectly with the belting delivery in the choruses. The arrangement doesn’t go for flashiness; it just creates a melodic bed for the vocals to tell this personal story that many creatives can relate to.
Less has been moving from melancholic ballads into more intense rock territory, and “Hellya” shows that shift clearly. The track works because it doesn’t try to be more than it is. It’s raw, honest, and captures creative frustration without overdoing the production. For someone who’s been using music as a way to process a lot of personal upheaval, this feels like a natural next step.
