Morgan Wallen had a tough year and a great year, both at the same time. The media turned it’s back on the rising country star after using a racial slur, but nobody seems to care. In fact, the media hoopla drew more attention to the country boy, making him more popular than ever.

Morgan Wallen has sold out 48 of 54 dates on next year’s “The Dangerous Tour,” selling more than 705,000 tickets. Wallen’s sellouts include three nights at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, making the singer just the third artist, to sell out three nights after Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift.

He also added dates including a stop at Madison Square Garden and Crypto.com Arena.

Freedom Fry released Ego Trip. A great  60’s throwback track from the Los Angeles indie folk pop husband and wife duo that had tons of success with TV placements.

More than 60 TV shows and commercials have used their songs, including Shameless, The Flash, The Morning Show, Grey’s Anatomy and 90210.

This year, they’re releasing a 3-track EP every month. Their songs have been remixed by the likes of Sofi Tukker and Penguin Prison and have been supported by the tastemakers at Alt Nation, KEXP, ALT 98.7, KROQ, WXPN, SIRIUS XM, the BBC.

LA based 20 year old singer-songwriter Gabe James dropped the fun uptempo track Gracie. Fans of Damien Rice and The 1975 will like. The track comes off the 4 track EP City Of Lost Angels.

Gabe notes, “Moving out to California made me want the production in my songs to feel big. Though I still felt somewhat attached to that singer-songwriter style of music I was so accustomed to growing up. I think this EP captures a little bit of both sides of what I used to listen to growing up and what I listen to now.”

Influenced by John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, the 20 year old was born and raised in Colorado. Previous tracks have landed on Spotify’s The New Alt, New Noise, and New Pop Picks.

Leila Dandan drops Elephant. It’s quirky, fun, and actually a well crafted indie pop tune. Think alt/folk meets R&B. A Huntington Beach native and now based in Dallas, Leila draws her influences from Phoebe Bridgers, Lizzy McAlpine, and Hayley Williams. She discovered writing and producing when she was 12 years old, and after four years she released the debut  EP, “Red Flags”. Give it a stream on KOAR’s Indie Invaders.

Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Richard Orofino has dropped the new track ‘Scratch Off’, which comes off the Chimaera EP. You like if you love the 90’s, Weezer, alternative pop or Spotify’s New Noise Playlist.  Previous tracks have found a home on Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Undercurrents.

Orofino says, “Lyrically, Chimaera touches on a few themes with the most forefront being loneliness, identity, and change. A lot of doubt, depression and self-sabotage come into play as well. Really fun, happy stuff.”

The 23 year old has garnered support from Clash, Earmilk, Clout, Wonderland, and Atwood, and the previous single, Wanna Say was place on CW series Walker. Give it a stream on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.