January Blue – Sha La La
January Blue's 'Sha La La' is a sun-drenched retro-pop triumph from Wellington, doo-wop warmth and breezy guitars meeting sharp, polished songwriting.
This one's a revenge fantasy wrapped in indie sunshine. January Blue's 'Sha La La' pairs 60s-inspired doo-wop harmonies with surf-rock guitars and a lyric that flips the breakup script: the one who left comes crawling back, only to find you're already thriving without them. That's a great message and the if you're not careful, the bright melody will make you almost miss the sting underneath. Ben Hunt and Christopher Buckland's brass arrangements lift the whole thing skyward. It's gorgeous, deceptively sharp pop.
January Blue is a Wellington singer-songwriter with a gift for melody-driven storytelling that moves between nostalgic pop, dreamy indie and darker alternative sounds. 'Sha La La' closes out a four-song arc following one protagonist through heartbreak and out the other side. Mastering comes from Benny Tones, and the whole thing sounds ready for summer playlists. A real gem this one.
Raeja – Alchemy
Raeja's 'Alchemy' is a vibrant Latin pop gem from Adelaide, Brazilian calypso rhythms meeting bilingual vocals in a celebration of cultural fusion that truly delivers.
Raeja sings in two languages across 'Alchemy', and the switch feels natural. The track rides Brazilian calypso rhythms underneath a pop framework that stays light on its feet, never crowding the vocal. There's a warmth to Lucas Mendonça's production that lets the message land: identity is something you build from what you inherit and what you choose. The chorus lifts without straining, and the blend of English and Spanish gives the whole thing a conversational intimacy. Brilliant Latin pop, buoyant and full of heart.
Raeja is an Adelaide singer-songwriter who has been writing in English and Spanish since she was fifteen. Her influences run wide: Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Amy Winehouse, Motown, salsa, merengue. Her self-titled debut EP landed in 2025, and 2026 has brought collaborations with Lucas Mendonça, Ms Trace and Trinity Canini. She's performed across Adelaide and appeared at Haythem Raslan's 2025 SALA exhibition. Worth keeping your ears on her.