Wellness apps are a hot ticket right now and they’re getting artists to partner up. What made them so popular? Hmmm…maybe hurricanes, natural disasters, pandemic, political polarization, 24 around the clock negative news? Yeah, that’s it.

So the meditation business has turned into cash cow with millions of subscribers and streams. The Calm app made deals with Atlantic, Capitol and Interscope. For instance, Harry Styles partnered with the meditation app  and talks through a 40-minute sleep story titled “Dream With Me.” Sam Smith recorded an hour-long “Sleep Combine” of their hit “How Do You Sleep?”.

Of course not everyone is sold on the idea of mega stars putting them to sleep.
Do you want a bad boy Harry Styles putting you to sleep having you imagine holding hands and snuggling on a raft?

Or what about this line?
“Flanked by fields of sunflowers, hand in hand we walk, as the gentle sound of nature, surrounds us while we talk”

I like the portrait of Harry Styles that lives on radio and the videos. I’m not sure about his voice putting me to sleep.
Listen, I’m all about artists cashing in, but sometimes it’s good to say no. I would probably say no to this.

I’m liking Vertigo from Luca & Julia. It’s poppy, sounds familiar and unique enough to know I’m not listening to the blandest of the bland on top 40. Well, Luca & Julia is a brother sister duo and it’s their first collaboration with Adam Christopher. The duo cite artists like Fleetwood Mac as influences. Check it out on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.

Check out Warm by KIT. It has a fun. vibe (not the adjective, the band). This is the first track release from his debut 4-track EP. It sounds great and it was mastered by Grammy award winner Joe Laporta (Lizzo, Sam Fender, Yungblood). Studying songwriting and performance at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, he says he channeled inspiration from Lauv, Troye Sivan and Jack Anotonof. OK, I nailed it, I mentioned the band fun. before even reading about his Jack Anotonof influences. Obviously, Anotonof was the main songwriter in fun. and went to work with Lana Dal Rey and those types. Check it out, I added the track on KOAR’s Indie Invaders.

Watch out for UK’s indie pop Sianon and the track Make Me Jealous. It’s a pretty cool track, almost reminds me of Tay Tay, but Sianon (pronounced Shannon) is a stronger singer. The 22 year old singer/songwriter went to music college in Brighton, England and majored in songwriting which makes sense because she’s pretty good at it. She won best folk song in a international songwriting competition. The track also landed on Spotify’s New Pop UK playlist. Give it a stream.

Check out the Place For Me track by Bad Love. Think The Cure, The 1975, and LANY. The Manchester based four-piece describes themselves as sad boy pop writing anthems that belong to the no hope, heart-broke generation. The pandemic generation needs hope because they have no directive. With no directive and being dazed and confused the generation are told to mask up, stop the spread and we’re all in this together. By the way, who came up with slogans? I don’t know, it doesn’t matter now that we have Bad Love, because they’ll offer solace in the storm.