The single received its world debut on TalkSport, and at its heart is a soaring, instantly memorable chorus: “Some might say we’re dreaming, but I just got a feeling, so why can’t we all believe it, this time, this time we’ll be winning.” It’s a classic indie song at its core, big-hearted, anthemic, and built to be sung at full volume. ‘This Time We’ll Be Winning’ captures the infectious optimism that a major international tournament conjures; that rare, collective sense of community and shared belief that sweeps across the nation every time England take to the pitch.

The song features a powerful, chant-driven singalong section that immediately evokes the atmosphere of iconic sports anthems such as “Seven Nation Army” and “Zombie Nation” – two of the most globally recognized non-lyrical crowd chants in sporting culture. Anchored by the instantly memorable refrain, “This time we’ll be winning,” the track carries all the hallmarks of a stadium-ready anthem destined to resonate with football fans on a massive scale.

This is not Maddox’s first foray into football. For UEFA Euro 2024, he teamed up with internet sensation The Wealdstone Raider on ‘England Together’, a raucous indie-rock rallying cry that paid homage to the victorious spirit of classic football anthems, complete with a music video featuring England football legend Stuart Pearce. Originally conceived by Paul Rumens, Ex President of National League Wealdstone FC, the single was inspired by Maddox’s passion for the sport and his instinct for the anthemic.

Before that, for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Maddox again joined forces with The Wealdstone Raider on ‘We’re All Here Together (Go England!)’. The idea was born from Paul Rumens and his wife Lori from Northampton, who wanted to create an uplifting World Cup song dedicated to good causes. With ‘This Time We’ll Be Winning’, Maddox completes a remarkable hat-trick of England football anthems, cementing his place as the go-to voice for the nation’s footballing hopes.

Maddox enjoyed early success with The Departure, securing four Top 40 hits, sharing the stage with iconic bands such as The Killers and Placebo, and playing prestigious festivals like Reading & Leeds and Glastonbury. Maddox has a track record of electrifying performances alongside notable acts like Thomas Heaton, Beaux, The Lottery Winners, and Lemar, and after a busy start to 2025 supporting artists like, Lucy Spraggan, Will Young, and Rebecca Ferguson, the singer-songwriter announced his own, first-ever UK Headline Tour.

Having burst onto the scene as a solo artist in 2020 with the critically acclaimed EP, ‘Headspace’, the EP reached #4 in the iTunes Singer-Songwriter chart. The follow-up 2021 single, ‘Can’t Wait for the Summer’ followed suit, hitting the top spot on the same chart. Tipped as One to Watch by BBC Introducing Northampton, Maddox has garnered further acclaim across the industry, earning a spot at #5 on Music Week’s Commercial Pop and Upfront Club Chart with ‘Make Me Yours’ off his debut album ‘Believe It’ and his recent #1 on the Music Week Black Music Club Chart with his Great Adamz on, ‘Body & Soul’ ending 2025 on a high note.

The wait was worth it.

“Working For The Man” pulses with restless desire for independence — a track born from a grey, rainy afternoon in a Portobello Road flat in London, where a nervous teenage Janet sat across from acclaimed singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti during one of her first ever co-writing sessions. Across two days, the pair wrote two songs: “Delicate,” which appeared on her debut album, and “Working For The Man,” which did not. Instead, it became something rarer — a live staple, a fan obsession, and a personal favourite that refused to fade.

“It was so magical to hear the song I’ve loved for so long finally come to fruition,” Janet says. “To go from a little garage band demo on my laptop with Jack, to a full live band in none other than Blackbird Studios. It really felt like a beautiful, full-circle moment. If only 17-year-old me had a crystal ball, she could’ve seen where the song would end up.”

Co-produced by Janet alongside Jurgen Korduletsch and Rick Chambers, mixed by Vance Powell, and mastered by Christian Wright at Abbey Road Studios, “Working For The Man” fuses Janet’s signature country-tinged vocals with a jaunty, gloriously chaotic arrangement of jangling guitars, crashing drums, and spirited piano. Her voice — edged with Americana twang and grit, stronger than ever — guides the song from brooding tension into a soaring crescendo that captures exactly what it has always been about: the restless momentum of reclaiming control, searching for self-identity, and pushing back against a system that asks you to exhaust yourself for someone else’s gain.

The song’s anger is specific and personal. Janet’s parents worked full-time jobs while raising four children under five — she watched their exhaustion, felt her anger at what the system demanded of them, and channelled it into something that still rings as true now as it did when she was a teenager.

“Obviously, that system hasn’t changed since I wrote it,” she says. “It still angers me. That’s why the song still feels so true and relevant to me, all these years on.”

Savoretti, for his part, has never lost his admiration for the artist he wrote it with. “I have always loved Janet’s voice and admired her approach to music. She has always done things her own way.”

“Working For The Man” kicks off what promises to be a busy year on the road for Janet, following a 2025 that included performances at C2C Festival, The Long Road, and The British Country Music Festival. Upcoming dates include:

• April 2 — Camden Club, London (headline show, Chatter Hoochee Podcast)
• May 22 — In It Together Festival
• July 30 — Belladrum Festival (alongside Mika and Callum Beattie)
• August 16 — Country Calling, Essex

“Working For The Man” arrives on the heels of a remarkable recent chapter for Janet Devlin. Her 2024 album Emotional Rodeo reached #1 on the iTunes Country Chart, #4 on the UK Official Country Artists Albums Chart, #5 on the UK Official Indie Breakers Chart, and #21 on the UK Official Independent Albums Chart. Lead single “Houston” was added to the BBC Radio 2 playlist, and an acoustic cover of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” — recorded at George Ezra’s studio, Hotel Quebec — showcased the range that has always defined her. The 2025 deluxe edition Not My First Emotional Rodeo extended the album’s reach further still.

Janet has been praised by Russell Crowe — who previously took her on tour and has compared her to Stevie Nicks, admiring her ability to be both “ethereal” and “very direct” on stage. She appeared on The Scott Mills Radio 2 Breakfast Show ahead of C2C Festival. And through it all, she has remained exactly what “Working For The Man” celebrates: an independent artist, living and dying by her own sword.

“My Own Flame” is a story about rediscovery. The song moves through emotional spaces shaped by silence, self-erasure, and the painful habit of shrinking oneself to fit into expectations. Rather than turning those experiences into bitterness, Riley Finch reshapes them into something restorative.

That transformation appears immediately within the opening lines: “I walked through fire they told me to fear / They tried to break me, but I’m still here.” The imagery is simple yet effective. Fire becomes both the obstacle and the path forward, representing not only survival but the willingness to emerge changed.

The track sits comfortably between acoustic rock intimacy and alternative rock depth. The arrangement avoids unnecessary excess, allowing the emotional weight of the lyrics to remain at the center. There is restraint throughout, but it never weakens the impact. Instead, the quieter moments give the song its pulse.

The chorus acts as the emotional turning point: “I light my own flame, I beat my own drum / Don’t need permission, I don’t need to run.” Here, the fire motif shifts from struggle into ownership. What once threatened becomes something carried with intention. The song stops asking for acceptance and begins speaking from self-recognition.

One of the strongest lyrical moments arrives in: “I wore your mask, I bit my tongue / Lost myself trying to belong.” It is perhaps the most vulnerable section of the track because it addresses something deeply human, the exhaustion of abandoning parts of ourselves in pursuit of belonging.

As the song progresses, its emotional landscape widens. The bridge introduces a decisive shift: “They tried to write my ending / But I rewrote the page.” This moment feels less like rebellion and more like reclamation. The narrative no longer centers on what was lost, but on what can still be rebuilt.

By the closing lines, “Yeah, I light my own flame / And it’s mine alone to carry,” the fire imagery reaches its final form. It is no longer a symbol of pain or resistance. It becomes responsibility, identity, and acceptance.

“My Own Flame” by Riley Finch delivers an emotionally charged piece where heartbreak gives way to healing and resilience grows quietly beneath the surface. It is a song that does not burn everything down; it, indeed, lights the way forward..

The single blends country-pop storytelling with alternative pop and pop-rock textures, creating a sound that feels both familiar and contemporary. A driving acoustic guitar anchors the arrangement while crunchy electric layers bring momentum and edge. The gradual rise into a hip-hop inspired beat gives the song additional character, while the harmonic guitar riff leaves one of the track’s strongest impressions.

“Carpe DMs” cleverly balances between humor and reflection. The title may invite listeners in with playful energy, yet the song itself reaches further, touching on instant gratification, ghosting culture, short-lived excitement, and the hesitation that often defines modern relationships. It captures the strange reality of living in a time where communication is constant, yet genuine connection can still feel elusive.

There is also a sense of optimism beneath the sharp observations. Rather than criticizing dating culture outright, the song approaches it with curiosity and self-awareness, leaving room for vulnerability amid the chaos.

Influenced by the spirit of alternative rock acts and rooted in story-driven writing, Zach Outman delivers a track that feels personal while speaking to a wider audience. “Carpe DMs” by Zach Outman is both a clever commentary and an engaging listen, offering a snapshot of romance in the era of notifications and read receipts.

One critic put it best, describing the band’s sound as something that hits you before the drums even drop — “transcendent, slightly eerie, pulling you just off-kilter enough to listen harder.” That quality — the ability to create a world you want to inhabit before you’ve fully understood why — is what Floodlights delivers in full.

Floodlights is an album that operates on multiple levels simultaneously. On the surface it is immediate — melodic, rhythmically propulsive, and full of hooks that arrive before you’ve consciously noticed them. Underneath, it is an easter egg hunt. Evocative lyrics layered over pop rock rhythms, lush harmonies threading in and out, and a sonic palette that extends far beyond the standard rock lineup into pedal steel, harmonium, vibraphone, banjo, mandolin, trumpet, baritone saxophone, drum machines, and more.

Dark themes get paired with playful lines and reflections on inter- and inner-connectedness. Because, as the band puts it, if we’re going down, we might as well have some fun and love people as best we can.

The album draws inspiration from Wolf Alice, Rilo Kiley, and Metric — but the combination of Laura Hollingsworth‘s introspective songwriting, Justin Wheeler‘s melodic lead guitar, Andrea Santiago‘s harmonies, MJ Johnson‘s bass, and Alex Karan‘s drums produces something distinctly and unmistakably their own. This is not a band chasing a sound. This is a band that has found one.

The Transference began in the middle of the pandemic, born out of a handful of demo songs written by singer, songwriter, and keyboard player Laura Hollingsworth following the breakup of a previous band. With former bandmates Alex Karan and MJ Johnson at the core, and the subsequent additions of lead guitarist Justin Wheeler and vocalist Andrea Santiago, the lineup solidified into something greater than any of its parts.

They built a reputation across Chicago’s live music venues — including performances at beloved spots like The Burlington — earning the band descriptions of “brilliant” and “soul-stirring” from Chicago’s Rock Charts News, and “pioneers” in the alternative rock scene. Their debut EP 100 Mirrors introduced listeners to the band’s introspective yet anthemic sensibility and earned them a dedicated following that has only grown since.

Earlier this year, Hardstop Records — the Chicago-based independent label focused on punk, rock, and indie artists pushing creative boundaries — announced their signing of The Transference. Floodlights is the first full-length fruit of that partnership.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome The Transference to the Hardstop family,” says Hardstop Records CEO Tom Spira. “Their ability to create emotionally resonant music is exactly what the indie rock scene needs right now.”

Band: Laura Hollingsworth — Vocals, Keyboards, Synths, Drum Machines Justin Wheeler — Guitars, Vocals, Mandolin MJ Johnson — Bass, Banjo Alex Karan — Drums Andrea Santiago — Vocals

Featuring: Mike Przygoda — Pedal Steel Guitar, Harmonium, Vibraphone, Congas, Glockenspiel, Shakers, Tambourine, Keyboards Tim Schoenrock — Trumpet (Wildfire) Tim Buechler — Baritone and Tenor Saxophone (Wildfire)

Production: Producers — Aaron Wallace, Mike Przygoda, Laura Hollingsworth Recording Engineer — Taylor Hales at Electrical Audio, Chicago, IL Additional Recording — Mike Przygoda, Chicago, IL Mixing and Mastering — Aaron Wallace, Tucson, AZ Label / Publisher — Hardstop Records, Chicago, IL

‘Candy’ showcases Devlin’s passion for storytelling, addressing a rarely explored topic in country music with nuance and empathy. Co-written with Chris Markey, the song subverts stereotypes around “sugar baby” relationships, presenting a narrative that is human, complex, and authentic. Speaking about the song, Devlin explains: “With two Irish people in a room, I knew we had to tell a story. I love tackling taboo topics, and after a random chat about sugar-babies (probably sparked by a TikTok I’d seen), we ran with the idea. What fascinated me was flipping the stereotype: a sugar baby who actually falls in love with her sugar daddy. From the outside it looks shallow and transactional, but like any relationship, it’s messy, imperfect, and real.”

Recorded in Nashville alongside the sessions for ‘Emotional Rodeo’, ‘Candy’ also marks a key moment of artistic assertiveness for Devlin. “I recorded this track, along with the ‘Emotional Rodeo’ album, in Nashville with musicians I’ve admired for years. This one pushed me, though. After a few takes, I knew the tempo was wrong, so I stopped the session and spoke up. It was nerve-wracking, but the faster version ended up being the clear winner. It gave the song the playful, upbeat chorus I’d been chasing, rather than putting too much weight on the lyrics and making it feel heavy or seedy. This track was always on my shortlist for the original album, but I ran out of time. It went through countless iterations, especially vocally, and nothing felt quite right. Stepping away turned out to be the best thing – I came back months later, re-recorded the vocal, and suddenly everything clicked. Thanks to the deluxe edition, it finally gets the release it deserves.”

Following her support slot for country star Corey Kent in February, Devlin launched festival season with appearances at the iconic C2C (Country to Country) festival in Belfast, London, and Berlin in March. Building anticipation for ‘Not My First Emotional Rodeo’, she delivered her fearless style at The Long Road Festival in Leicestershire on August 22nd and 23rd, and headlined at The British Country Music Festival in Blackpool on Sunday, August 31st. She will cap her live performances with a headline show at Colours, Hoxton, on Thursday, October 16th, featuring electrifying new material.

Released in November 2024, ‘Emotional Rodeo’ achieved significant success, solidifying Janet’s position in the country-rock genre. The album topped the iTunes Country Chart, reached #4 on the UK Official Country Artists Albums Chart, #5 on the UK Official Indie Breakers Chart, and #21 on the UK Official Independent Albums Chart. Devlin featured on The Scott Mills Radio 2 Breakfast Show ahead of C2C Festival and earned accolades from Russell Crowe, who previously toured with her and lauds her as reminiscent of Stevie Nicks—ethereal yet direct on stage.

Her singles garnered strong chart performance, hitting #31 in the Big Top 40, #15 in the UK iTunes Charts, and #4 in the iTunes Country Charts, alongside national airplay on Capital & Heart, Absolute Country, New To 2 with Scott Mills, BBC Core playlist inclusion, and over 110 regional radio playlists. ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Best Life’ secured month-long spots on the BBC Radio 2 B List Playlist, with ‘Best Life’ peaking at #38 in the UK Radio Monitor Airplay Top 100. The album received coverage in outlets such as Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, The Sun, OK!, Record Collector, The Irish Post, The Irish News, Wonderland, CelebMix, ATC, VIP Magazine, and Record of the Day. Highlights include a performance on The Late Late Show Country Music Special, an interview with Ray D’Arcy on RTE1, and the ‘Red Flag’ video on Sunday Brunch.

Be swept off your feet and into the wild, untamed world of ‘Emotional Rodeo’ – a resounding single that comes hard and fast with unbridled intensity, igniting a passionate trail in its wake. Written with Ben Earle of The Shires and Kaity Rae (GIRLI, Beth McCarthy) Devlin boldly ventures into the heart of country music, effortlessly blending her signature Irish charm with the raw vigour of country rock. Playing in a Ceilidh band as a child, a fiddle plays loud and proud, propelled by driving guitars and thunderous drums. ‘Emotional Rodeo’ doesn’t hold back, as she draws from the diverse range of her musical influences, blending the fiery spirit of Red Hot Chili Peppers with the soul-stirring melodies of country legends like Chris Stapleton.

Since her early beginnings as a standout performer on the UK X Factor at the age of 16, Devlin has gone on to do so much more. Her debut album, ‘Running With Scissors’, heralded a defining moment, wherein she sculpted her singular artistic identity with finesse. Her most recent album, ‘Confessional’, served as a deeply personal narrative as she poured her heart out, transforming her struggles into a captivating folk-pop odyssey that resonated with audiences worldwide. Accompanied by her book ‘My Confessional’, this multifaceted project offered an intimate glimpse into her world.

As noted in a review by Rock Era Magazine, “Her tone is clear, intimate, and unforced, allowing vulnerability to surface without becoming fragile.”

Since its release, “I’ll Be Right There” has sparked a “90s Revival Wave,” drawing praise for its emotional depth, melodic intensity, and heartfelt storytelling. In France, critics have lauded its melodic legacy and vocal power, noting how it echoes Bryan Adams’ rock momentum and Celine Dion’s epic sensitivity while applying a current cinematic varnish for high-end power-pop. UK reviews highlight its stunning soft-rock elements, fueled by emotive melodies and passionate performances that encourage repeat listens, positioning it as a compelling case for the persistence of 90s power-pop. Canadian outlets emphasize Madleine’s vocals, which recall Bryan Adams’ raw power and Celine Dion’s heartfelt clarity, establishing her as a reviver of the era with intellect, craft, and soul.

⇒ Read our full review here.

The single’s universal appeal extends further, with Brazilian press describing it as immensely sensitive, featuring concise melodies, piano, strings, and a rhythmic section that complements her angelic voice, while dedicating it to reviving 90s pop-rock’s power and authenticity. In Egypt, it is hailed as a heartwarming pop anthem about self-loyalty, rooted in 90s romantic pop balladry by icons like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Bryan Adams, showcasing Madleine’s unique sound and character. Mexican commentary appreciates the atmosphere balancing melodic epic and intimate closeness between energy and sensitivity. Indian reviews praise its intensity, honesty, raw emotions, and captivating voice, while Italian sources note how it builds bridges between rock-pop history and modernity with a handmade soul that immortalizes music. Additional features in the USA, Iceland, UAE, and Portugal playlists underscore its cross-cultural resonance, including descriptions as a long-lost classic with strong melodies, bright guitars, and personality for big emotions (USA), and an ode to lifelong friendship and organic emotion (Iceland).

Kat Madleine, based in Southern Germany, draws on her academic background as a musicologist and professional studio expertise to bridge classic songwriting with contemporary innovation. Her work focuses on international collaboration, proving that music created with heart and real instruments remains profoundly relevant. “Since the song is already out and gaining amazing international traction with features in France, UK, and Canada just coming in, it’s thrilling to see how the ‘Vocal Kinship’ concept is resonating with a global audience right now,” said Madleine. “This single is a testament to the enduring power of a great melody and a voice that connects people across borders, reviving the soulful craft of 90s pop-rock for today’s listeners.”

Fans of handmade, soulful anthems centered on vocal power and emotional storytelling are encouraged to add “I’ll Be Right There” to playlists, where it continues to build momentum as a symbol of friendship and resilience.

A German musician and musicologist, Kat Madleine returns with ‘I’ll Be Right There’, a heartwarming pop anthem about loyalty to oneself and with a strong live feel and a nostalgic sound that is deeply rooted in the 90s romantic pop balladry spearheaded by icons such as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Bryan Adams.

‘I’ll Be Right There’ is led by Madleine’s live-captured and capable vocals, artfully laid on top of the gorgeous piano ballad backing and slow, deliberate beat. Altogether, the song aims to feature that same immense presence as witnessed on legendary songs such as Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’, Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’, and Toni Braxton’s ‘Unbreak My Heart’. Kat Madleine’s lyrics are less directly about conventional love, and more about staying true to oneself, adding an interesting angle to the tried and true formula, for an extra layer of character and color.

‘I’ll Be Right There’ is an interesting and beautiful ballad that aims to bridge the gap between timeless classics from the 90s and modern production sounds and eclectic lyrical ideas. Kat Madleine’s sound and character are totally unique.

The EP is structured as a deliberate genre tour. It opens with “Rock Superman,” an 80s arena rock anthem that functions as the anchor for his existing audience, then moves through a high-velocity “turbo” version of the same track, followed by Pop, Traditional Acoustic Country, Modern Country, and Folk. It’s an intentional bridge, designed to pull his core rock fanbase into unfamiliar territory one step at a time. The concept is coherent, and as a structural exercise, it’s genuinely interesting. Each variant is produced with the kind of technical polish that AI does well: clean arrangements, competent performances, nothing out of place.

That polish, though, is also where the EP runs into its central tension. Joseph Schwartz has built his reputation on sharp social and political commentary, and his lyrics carry real intent. But across six genre shifts, the AI vocals deliver all of it with the same consistent, frictionless proficiency, and that frictionlessness starts to work against the material. The genres themselves are rendered accurately enough, but they don’t carry the weight that comes from a performer actually inhabiting them. Country and folk especially tend to rely on that human specificity, the imperfections and lived-in qualities that signal authenticity, and that’s precisely what gets smoothed out here.

That said, “Superhuman” is doing something genuinely provocative, and Joseph Schwartz isn’t hiding the ball. He’s openly using AI as the instrument and asking whether the songwriting and concept can carry the emotional load on their own. It’s a fair question, and the EP is an honest attempt to answer it. Whether you find that compelling or frustrating will probably come down to how much you think the performance itself is part of the meaning.

‘Candy’ tackles a subject that country music rarely explores with empathy: the so-called sugar baby relationship. But Devlin flips the script entirely, writing from the perspective of someone who actually falls in love with their sugar daddy. What looks transactional from the outside turns messy and real on the inside, which is a spicy topic for a song, but it is based in reality, which lends itself to good songwriting. Cleverly, after a few studio takes at the wrong tempo, Devlin stopped the session and pushed for a faster version, which gave the chorus the upbeat energy it needed instead of letting the subject matter drag it into something heavier or seedier.

Janet Devlin‘s had a solid year with Emotional Rodeo, making waves across UK country charts and landing BBC Radio 2 playlist spots for ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Best Life.’ She’s already wrapped a run of festival dates, including C2C and The Long Road, and Russell Crowe continues to sing her praises, comparing her to Stevie Nicks. With the deluxe edition giving tracks like ‘Candy’ a second life, it’s clear she’s not rushing things. Sometimes the best move is knowing when to step away and come back with fresh ears.