By the time Alana Springsteen was 9 years old, she knew she was destined to be a singer/songwriter — so much so that she wrote a song about it.

"It was called 'Believe,' as cheesy as it sounds," the rising country star recalls with a laugh. "It was about believing in myself and how my parents believed in me, and knowing, even from that young, that I was going to do this and I could do this. I remember playing it for my parents and they were in tears. They were like, 'Okay, we get it. We're gonna do this. We're gonna take you to Nashville.'"

Sure enough, that November, Springsteen and her family headed to Nashville, meeting with folks at Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and Broadcast Music Inc (BMI). Instead of brushing off the then-10-year-old, each person she met invited more people to come hear her, and eventually got her set up with some writing sessions. At 14, she moved to Nashville, and officially began her career with her first publishing deal.

Now 22, Springsteen just released her debut studio album, TWENTY SOMETHING. The album carries the same conviction and authenticity that she showed in those rooms when she was 10. Over its 18 tracks, TWENTY SOMETHING intricately details the woes of growing up in three parts: messing it up, figuring it out and getting it right.

A major theme on TWENTY SOMETHING is also one of Springsteen's mantras: "we don't chase, we attract" (a line that sneaks its way into the flirty "look i like"). While that sentiment can seem ironic for someone who has been chasing her dream for 13 years, it's a perfect portrayal of who she is as an artist — one whose confidence radiates and resonates.

Whether she's owning her own faults on "if you love me now" and "hypocrite," expressing insecurities on "chameleon" and the title track, or reclaiming her narrative post-breakup on "you don't deserve a country song" and "tennessee is mine," Springsteen's self-awareness is remarkable for someone so young. Her perceptive storytelling and pop sensibilities make for a captivating kind of country reminiscent of young Taylor Swift (who is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of Springsteen's biggest inspirations, as she details in "taylor did").

One of her most powerful statements comes on album closer "amen," an acoustic tune in which she gives herself permission to navigate life on her terms. At her album release party in Nashville on Aug. 15, Springsteen closed her set singing "amen" on her own, stepping out into the crowd to declare its final verse a cappella: "And no I ain't got all the answers/ But I'm finding mine for damn sure/ And I mean it, so I'm sayin' it again/ Amen."

"The best thing that I ever did was double down on my truth and my story," Springsteen says. "Never giving up on that vision that I had in my gut, listening to that. My blind faith and blind confidence has been my superpower."

One of the biggest factors in Springsteen's decade-plus journey to TWENTY SOMETHING was the struggle to find the right team, which she's now found in people like her manager, Basak Kizilisik. But even before she felt things were completely right, others around her could feel her star power — including superstar songwriter Liz Rose, with whom Springsteen co-wrote two songs on the album.

"I've known her since she moved to town, and we never really wrote until the last year and a half. I was like, 'Why the f— am I not writing with Alana Springsteen?'" Rose says. "She knows who she is as an artist, and she's spent a lot of time not taking anything for granted. She just knows that she doesn't know everything, [which makes her] a fantastic songwriter."

Country star Mitchell Tenpenny — who co-wrote and features on "goodbye looks good on you" — has seen that same spark since he began working with Springsteen in 2021, and especially while they were on tour together in early 2022. "I watched her control the crowd with just an acoustic guitar. And that's when you know, man," Tenpenny says, referring to Springsteen as a "little sister." "She is just the total freaking package." 

Springsteen is the lead songwriter on all 18 tracks and co-producer on all but two, with guitar and piano credits across the album as well. Not only does that add to the intention behind her music, but it's an indication of the growth that she's felt — and presented — with TWENTY SOMETHING.

"The entire goal of this record, for me, is to really get to know myself for the first time," she says. "It was about acceptance, growth, empowerment, learning to trust myself again. And that's a journey that I hope everybody has the courage to go on when they listen to this album."

While the numbers show that she is certainly making an impact — with more than 100 million career streams to date — Springsteen's autobiographical style and knack for catchy melodies resulted in a slew of recognition even before TWENTY SOMETHING arrived. Along with being honored as part of 2023's CMT Next Women of Country Class and MusicRow's Next Big Thing, the singer was also one of eight rising country stars selected to perform at Nissan Stadium during CMA Fest in June.

And accolades aside, the fan reaction is enough evidence that she's achieving her goals. "As someone who just turned 18 and about to go to college this album to me is like a guidebook on how to navigate this part," one fan wrote in an Instagram comment. As another added, "This is what new + upcoming artists should be aiming for on debut or sophomore releases."

As she continues to grow her budding career, Springsteen will likely also continue hearing the inevitable question, "Are you related to Bruce?" The answer is no — but she's also not keeping the name for clout.

"I never wanted it to feel like I'm just taking advantage of that name and using that as, like, clickbait or anything," she asserts. "That's the opposite of what I'm trying to do." 

Though Springsteen says that she's "definitely thought about" a stage name in the past, using her birth name is the only way her music would feel as true as she's always intended it to be. And as she's proved so far, she knows she has what it takes to compete with big guns like The Boss: "I'm making my own name."

Is Nashville Really A 10-Year Town? Walker Hayes, HARDY, Lainey Wilson & More Country Hitmakers On How The Wait Pays Off

Country music has long felt like a boy's club.

From the genre's humble beginnings of Hank Williams, Roy Acuff and Jimmie Rodgers, through the outlaw movement of Johnny Cash, George Jones and Merle Haggard, to more modern day giants like Garth Brooks, George Strait and Tim McGraw, men have been dominating the genre for nearly a century.

Even now, megastars like Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Zach Bryan have comfortably inherited the position, virtually ruling the airwaves of country music and beyond for the majority of 2023. Those three have almost single-handedly helped the genre become arguably the biggest it's ever been — and it's finally opening the door for women to join in.

As the genre has boomed over the last year or so, it's created an opportunity for female artists to get in on a bigger slice of the pie. While the guys were out there wooing the mainstream, a handful of ladies were making their own fair share of noise with superstars Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, Kacey Musgraves and Carly Pearce showing the genre what girl power is all about, and representing at the 2024 GRAMMYs as a result.

Of course, a handful of female artists have been able to push through the cracks through the years, from Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton to Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood. But historically, women have largely been chasing equal stature in the country music limelight. The genre's gender gap came to a head with 2015's "Tomato-gate" controversy, when radio consultant Keith Hill compared radio airplay to a salad, with the men as the lettuce and women as a tomato garnish.

Although airplay hasn't necessarily grown (a recent study found that female artists received an abysmal 11 percent of airplay in 2022), that hasn't stopped women in the genre from making an impact. In the last few years, a growing group of women have been rewriting the rules, nabbing major award nominations and wins, selling out headlining tours, notching No. 1s and breaking records — and they only seem to be gaining speed.

As a new year begins, take a look at a few of the ways women are breaking through in country music.

GRAMMY Representation

For the past few GRAMMYs ceremonies, we've been seeing more and more female names in country music listed among the nominees.

The shift was first really felt at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards in 2021, when women dominated the nominations thanks to the colossal successes of Best New Artist nominee Ingrid Andress, country stalwart Miranda Lambert and female supergroup the Highwomen (comprised of previous GRAMMY winners Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires).

Female artists have continued to carve out their spot in GRAMMY history with nominations and wins. One of the most notable wins came in 2023, when Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde's history-making duet, "Never Wanted To Be That Girl," claimed Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

Pearce is once again nominated in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category at the 2024 GRAMMYs, this year for her chilling duet with decorated tunesmith Chris Stapleton, "We Don't Fight Anymore," which could find her claiming the prize for a second consecutive year.

While women don't dominate the Country Field nominees at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Pearce isn't alone. There's plenty of success stories throughout the categories, and one of the people leading that charge is Lainey Wilson.

More than a decade after moving to Nashville, Wilson's fourth studio album, Bell Bottom Country, has been propelling her to the forefront of the genre. The album helped earn Wilson a nomination for Best Country Album — one of her first two career GRAMMY nominations, the other for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Save Me," her evocative collaboration with country-rap trailblazer (and 2024 Best New Artist nominee), Jelly Roll.

One of the genre's most enduring duets of 2023, Zach Bryan and Kacey Muscgraves' "I Remember Everything," is also in the running for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Along with debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reigning atop Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for 16 weeks as of press time, the collab continued Musgraves' GRAMMY success. Also nominated for Best Country Song, "I Remember Everything" brings Musgraves' nomination total to 13; as of press time, she's won 6 GRAMMYs, including the coveted Album Of The Year in 2019 for Golden Hour.

Seasoned singer/songwriter Brandy Clark secured the most nominations of all the female country artists, with 6 nods across the Musical Theater, Americana and Country categories. Notably, her twice-nominated "Buried," included on her self-titled LP, nabbed nominations for both Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.

Dolly Parton earned her 54th GRAMMY nomination this year, for Best Country Solo Performance for her solo version of one of her earliest hits, "The Last Thing On My Mind." First released in 1967 as her debut duet with Porter Wagoner, the 2023 version of the song features Parton's signature, soulful vocals and was included in the I Am a Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100 tribute album.

Elsewhere in the 2024 GRAMMY nominations, pop-country darling Kelsea Ballerini is nominated alongside Wilson in the Best Country Album category with her Rolling Up the Welcome Mat EP. The triumphant and soul-bearing project led to one of her most commercially and critically successful years to date (more on that later).

Growing Success At Country Radio & Beyond

As her two GRAMMY nominations indicate, Lainey Wilson was arguably country music's woman of 2023. Notching four trips to the top of the Mediabase Country Airplay chart in 2023, she set two records: most No. 1s by a female country artist in a calendar year and most No. 1's on Billboard's Country Airplay chart by a female artist this decade. This was thanks to her own "Heart Like A Truck" and "Watermelon Moonshine," as well as her HARDY collaboration "wait in the truck" and the aforementioned Jelly Roll team-up "Save Me."

Beyond her profound radio success, 2023 also saw Wilson nab four ACM Awards and five CMA trophies; at the latter, she won Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and the coveted Entertainer of the Year, whose last female winner came in 2011 with country-turned-pop superstar, Taylor Swift.

Wilson's fellow Best Country Album nominee, Kelsea Ballerini, also had a banner year. While her nominated Rolling Up the Welcome Mat EP didn't spawn a radio hit, it made quite an impression on streaming and social media. Due to its raw account of her public divorce from singer Morgan Evans, Ballerini's latest project helped her sell out her headlining tour, receive an invite to perform on Saturday Night Live, and earn an array of major award nominations.

Another proven hitmaker, Carly Pearce, nabbed her fourth No. 1 with her heartbreak anthem, "What He Didn't Do," which reached the top of the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart last March. Newcomer Megan Moroney topped the same chart in June with her 2022 debut single, "Tennessee Orange," which helped her have a remarkable breakout year including her first award and a sold-out tour.

Rising country star Priscilla Block also secured a No. 1 on Mediabase's Country Airplay chart with her Justin Moore duet, "You, Me, and Whiskey," while more veteran act Gabby Barrett — who scored back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard's Country Airplay chart in 2020 and 2021 — reached the top 10 of the chart in 2023 with her single "Pick Me Up."

Female Artists On the Horizon

In the last 12 months, rising female country artists hit their stride, bringing a lot of promise to tackling the genre's gender gap. Hailey Whitters landed her first chart entry on both Billboard's Country Airplay and Hot 100 charts with her breakthrough single, "Everything She Ain't," which broke the top 20 on the former tally. Sister duo Tigirlily Gold saw their debut single, "Shoot Tequila," surge into the top 40 on country radio while they also juggled making their Opry debut, a loaded touring schedule and the release of their acclaimed Blonde EP.

Aside from the radio dial, women also had massive years on the road, earning major touring slots with some of the genre's big hitters. Big Loud prodigy Ashley Cooke put out her debut effort, Shot in the Dark, which propelled her onto Luke Bryan's Country Again Tour and Jordan Davis' Damn Good Time Tour. Meanwhile, Ella Langley, a country-rocker in the making, spent her year alongside Riley Green and Jon Pardi, as songs from her debut EP, Excuse the Mess, garnered millions of streams.

Beyond commercial success, there are a slew of burgeoning female singer/songwriters who are also poised to break through. Alana Springsteen, who released her three-part twenty something project in 2023, is establishing herself as one of the newest (and most relatable) voices in the country-pop world. Meanwhile, Lauren Watkins — who doubled down in 2023 with two EPs, Introducing: Lauren Watkins and Introducing: The Heartbreak — is reinventing the neo-traditional, retro country music of generations past.

Similarly, "The Voice" alum Emily Ann Roberts is out to make traditional country cool again as demonstrated on her debut LP, Can't Hide Country, while Catie Offerman, a powerhouse multi-instrumentalist, is bringing her Texas charm and clever turns of phrase into the country mainstream one infectious single at a time.

Next up is Brittney Spencer, who will release her debut album, My Stupid Life, on Jan. 19. As her glistening, genre-bending music continues to gain commercial traction, she's already loved by critics and artists alike; Maren Morris just recruited her for a dynamic performance of "The Tree" on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" alongside Mickey Guyton.

While it's impossible to mention all of the country women out there making moves, it's more than evident that female artists are ready to take up more of the country music landscape than ever before — and 2024 might just be the year that women finally get their due.

2023 In Review: 5 Trends That Defined Country Music

"Right now in 2021, everyone's doing everything," Chris Martin remarked to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe while promoting Coldplay's ninth album, Music of the Spheres. "You can like Olivia Rodrigo as much as you like AC/DC and no one thinks that's weird. And that's musical utopia for me ... It's miraculous. So why would you want to stay in one box?"

It's this willingness to break the boundaries of the traditional guitar band setup that's helped Coldplay maintain relevance for the best part of 25 years.

The Londoners first caught attention at the turn of the century riding the post-Britpop wave. But while most of their peers failed to sustain their early momentum as the decade progressed, the "Yellow" hitmakers flourished.

In the studio, Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion continually challenged the notions of indie rock, tapping up everyone from Brian Eno to Max Martin to help fulfil their creative vision. Simultaneously, they also grew in confidence on the live stage, their ability to emotionally connect on a grand scale with equally grand songs eventually challenging U2 as the world's must-see stadium act.

The stats speak for themselves, too: more than 100 million album sales, 10 consecutive UK No. 1s, and seven GRAMMY wins. And they're still very much at the top of the game, as 2024's Moon Music reached pole position in 16 countries and their latest tour set the record for the highest attendance of all time.

Viral kiss cams aside, the Music of the Spheres World Tour sold 11.4 million tickets as of press time, the most of any artist in history. And to close out their momentous run, they'll play 10 sold-out shows at London's Wembley Stadium from Aug. 22 to Sept. 8.

As the band wrap up their record-breaking trek, here's a look at the all-conquering quartet's musical evolution.

The Indie Favorite

Coldplay might now be renowned as chart-topping, LED-flashing stadium rock giants. But their debut album's artwork alone highlighted how they started out in much more humble fashion. Iconic as it became, the front cover was taken on a disposable Kodak camera, with the spinning yellow globe costing 10 English pounds. And the sounds within were equally low-key.

Largely co-produced with Ken Nelson, Parachutes could occasionally get loud (see the jagged indie-rock of "Shiver"). But highlighted immediately by hushed opener "Don't Panic," it was undeniably defined by the double whammy of Buckland's ethereal chiming guitars and Martin's intimate tones.

Standout "Trouble" remains one of the latter's finest vocal displays, his initial world-weary resignation giving way to impassioned pleas before showcasing the kind of fragile falsetto that made Jeff Buckley a cult hero. Breakout hit "Yellow," recent TikTok favorite "Sparks," and "We Never Change" all harnessed Martin's uncanny ability to heighten the emotions with sentiments that were almost willfully oblique.

As a result, Coldplay hoovered up the post-Britpop audience that had been left bewildered by Radiohead's experimental Kid A, ultimately spearheading Parachutes to the UK No. 1 spot, worldwide sales of at least eight million, and their first GRAMMY for Best Alternative Music Album. A new group of sensitive stars were born.

The World-Beaters 

Perhaps burned by Oasis manager Alan McGee referring to them as bedwetters, Coldplay abandoned the politeness and timidity of their debut for follow-up A Rush of Blood to the Head, a much more confident LP that suggested they had one eye firmly on stealing U2's "biggest band in the world" crown.

Loud and proud opener "Politik" immediately made it clear they meant business. And from the surging "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" to the nervy existentialism of "A Whisper," the second consecutive Best Alternative Rock Album GRAMMY winner had a similar sense of urgency throughout.

There were still plenty of quieter moments, of course. The acoustic country rock of "Warning Sign" paid homage to Johnny Cash. Martin audibly pined for his lost love on the stunning, swelling ballad "The Scientist." And Record Of The Year-winning "Clocks" possessed one of the decade's most hypnotic piano motifs.

The quartet had to work hard, though, to stay on top of indie-rock's new premier league with their third studio effort, X&Y. By this point, the similarly melancholic Keane and Snow Patrol had started to snap at their heels, while a second wave of Britpop, including Razorlight and Kaiser Chiefs, were offering a much rowdier alternative.

That perhaps explains why the record had such a difficult conception: the band not only discarded more than 50 songs they believed weren't up to scratch, but sacked regular producer Nelson in favor of their mixer Danton Supple.

Still, the behind-the-scenes troubles weren't particularly evident on another self-assured affair designed for mass consumption. Buoyed by the gleaming "Speed of Sound" and gospel-tinged "Fix You," X&Y went on to top the charts in 32 countries including the U.S., became the best-selling album of 2005 worldwide, and earned Coldplay their first Best Rock Album GRAMMY nomination.

While the group largely stuck to their winning formula, there were hints of the reinvention that lied ahead. Maverick Brian Eno provided the synths on "Square One," while there were inspired samples of Kraftwerk's "Computer Love" and the theme to Stanley Kubrick's A Space Odyssey. Coldplay have repeatedly dismissed the album as their weakest since its 2005 release, but it still stands up to most of their peers' best.

The Creative Leaps

"I don't care if we sell a million less records," Martin declared while promoting Coldplay's fourth LP, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends — a statement that hinted the band had ditched the formula that propelled them to the top of the charts. In the end, the album ended up shifting similar numbers, securing their first Album Of The Year GRAMMY nomination, and spawning their first No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic.

Viva La Vida and Death To All His Friends isn't quite as revolutionary as its Les Misérables -inspired cover art (and the band's matching uniforms) implied. Bittersweet melodies, universal platitudes and epic woah-oh choruses are still very much the order of the day. However, with Eno — the man who took Coldplay's heroes U2 to another musical plain — fully at the helm, the group's template is given a much richer texture.

There are flourishes of worldbeat, art rock and orchestral pop throughout, with seven-minute epics "Yes" and "Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love" giving chances for Martin to further show off his newfound baritone and each bandmate to flex their musical muscles. The biggest curveball, however, from a group renowned for their abstract lyrical themes is "Violet Hill," a booming protest song apparently aimed at the evils of Fox News ("When the future's architectured/ By a carnival of idiots on show"). This was still Coldplay, but not quite as we knew them.

They pushed the conceptual levels even further with its follow-up, Mylo Xyloto, a rock opera that depicted a love story amid a war against color and sound on a totalitarian planet named Silencia. On paper, it sounded like the kind of post-apocalyptic opus you'd expect from the world of '70s prog. Instead, it was a melting pot of electronica, new wave and R&B-tinged pop every bit as colorful as its graffiti cover art.

This is where Coldplay truly distanced themselves from their indie-rock roots and made a concerted bid to maintain chart relevance. The percussive banger "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" and soaring festival anthem "Paradise" gave them back-to-back Top 20 hits in the U.S. for the first time in their career, while the Rihanna-featuring "Princess of China" kickstarted their penchant for superstar collaborations.

By the end of its campaign, they'd added a further five nods to their GRAMMY tally. And if you're wondering how all the dystopian drama ended, well, of course, the two lovebirds saved the day.

The Breakup Album

The recruitment of superstar DJs Avicii and Madeon, not to mention innovative beatmaker Timbaland, suggested that Ghost Stories would be a maximalistic hands-in-the-air affair. Conversely, it proved to be the most downbeat and stripped back album of Coldplay's career thus far.

Penned in the wake of Martin's split from actress Gwyneth Paltrow, the Best Pop Vocal Album GRAMMY nominee eschewed the band's trademark optimism for songs of despair and heartbreak, with only the slow-building EDM-adjacent "A Sky Full of Stars" providing a sense of euphoria. "There's only so far you can go without becoming pompous and a bit overblown," Champion acknowledged about removing the playful excesses of their previous two records.

Ghost Stories might be short of songs you can sing along to in the shower, but it's the four-piece at their most evocative. Based on an unreleased soundscape from electronic maestro Jon Hopkins, "Midnight" is a gorgeous piece of beatless ambience with ghostly melodies that appear to drift in and out of the ether. Elsewhere, the beautifully meditative "Magic" remains one of the band's most interesting builds, its initially unassuming charms slowly unfolding with each listen.

Gossip hounds looking for clues into all the divorce drama would have been found wanting — although drawing upon far more personal themes, Martin's lyrics still keep specifics at arm's length. But with its intimacy, wistfulness and inherent sense of loss, Ghost Stories is still worthy of joining the canon of pop's great breakup albums.

The All-Star Epics

Following the muted palette of Ghost Stories, Coldplay went full-on Technicolor for their seventh album, A Head Full of Dreams, literally — both in the accompanying tour that established their penchant for pyrotechnics, lasers and glow-in-the-dark wristbands, and with a couple of on-the-nose track titles like "Kaleidoscope" and "Colour Spectrum." And they utilized a whole host of star names to further heighten the razzmatazz.

Having previously worked with Jay-Z on an alternative version of "Lost!," the quartet tapped his other half Beyoncé to provide vocals on three numbers including the soaring "Hymn for the Weekend." Noel Gallagher, the proud rocker who you wouldn't necessarily expect to gravitate toward such a famously polite outfit, beefs up the guitars on "Up and Up."

There are also contributions from Scandi-pop favorite Tove Lo, gospel legend Merry Clayton, and perhaps most surprisingly of all, Martin's Oscar-winning ex-wife. Proving that their split was of the amicable kind, Paltrow pops up on her own piano-led tribute number "Everglow," in which Martin gushes "This particular diamond was extra special" on the opening verse.

While that song is firmly rooted in the Coldplay of old, hit factory Stargate — who has worked with Rihanna, Katy Perry and pretty much every other major chart act of the 21stcentury — continually pushed the Brits into new shinier pop territory on the rest of the album. Had A Head Full of Dreams turned out to be the band's swansong as Martin purported, they'd have gone out on one dazzling high.

As it turned out, Coldplay wasn't done, returning with Everyday Life four years later. But while that album traded star power for genre exploration (more on that later), they went back to the collaborative approach for 2021's AOTY GRAMMY-nominated Music of the Spheres. The quartet roped in Selena Gomez on the sobering ballad "Let Somebody Go," musical wunderkind Jacob Collier and We Are KING on the a cappella "Human Heart," and K-Pop sensation BTS on the infectious "My Universe."

But perhaps the most notable appointment was Max Martin, the hitmaking machine with 24 U.S. chart-toppers and counting to his name. Hailed by the band as a "true wonder of the universe," the Swede stamped his melodic mark throughout an unwaveringly optimistic record that pondered the existence of humanity in outer space.

With each of its nine full-length tracks designed to represent a fictional planet, satellite or star, Music of the Spheres certainly committed fully to its intergalactic theme — so much so that lead single "Higher Power" was beamed into the International Space Station. The majestic closer "Coloratura" (which recalls Pink Floyd in their celestial prime), the gleaming astral electronica of "Infinity Sign," and the handful of ambient instrumental interludes also helped immerse listeners in their lands of make believe. Yet it's the killer pop hooks and considered collaborative spirit that sent this sci-fi spectacular sky high.

The Boundary Pushers

Recorded in places as far-flung as Los Angeles, Tuscany and Johannesburg, Coldplay's eighth LP, Everyday Life, was inevitably informed by its surroundings. "Arabesque" is a swaggering burst of desert blues boasting three gifted members of Fela Kuti's dynasty. "Bani Adam" pairs a medieval Persian poem with neo-classical piano and African choral music. And like Vampire Weekend before them, "Orphans" takes the syncopated worldbeat of Paul Simon's Graceland and gives it a 21st century sheen. Everyday Life's unique worldwide premiere, a full live performance against the backdrop of Jordan's Amman Citadel, made total sense.

Split into two sides — Sunrise and Sunset — the creatively restless double album also found room to sample Janis Joplin, Alice Coltrane and the late Scottish indie cult hero Scott Hutchison. And the quartet were so keen to show off their new-found freewheeling spirit they even included a demo. "I haven't finished that one yet," Martin admits on the stripped-back folk of "WOTW/POTP."

It's not just musically where Coldplay expanded their horizons, though. Previously famed for their aversion to all things socio-political, the band suddenly tackled everything from firearm control ("Guns") to the systematic racism within the American police force ("Trouble in Town"). Meanwhile, the hymnal title track, Buddhist-referencing doo-wop of "Cry Cry Cry," and finger-clicking gospel of "BrokEn" saw Martin delve much deeper into themes of faith and spirituality than ever before. And in a first for the band, there's not just one but three uses of profanity.

Despite proudly deviating from their winning formula, Everyday Life still gave Coldplay an eighth consecutive UK No. 1 and a second GRAMMY nod for Album Of The Year.

2024's Moon Music might not have been as globe-trotting — although it does feature talents from Argentina, Chile, Palestine, and Nigeria — but it was no less eclectic. It veered from Balearic electronica ("AETERNA") and The Beatles-esque pop ("ALL MY LOVE") to sprightly disco-funk ("GOOD FEELINGS") and sweeping symphonies ("ONE WORLD") during a loose narrative journey once again based in deep space.

Perhaps the album's most impactful track is "WE PRAY," a defiant burst of alternative hip-pop which brings together Burna Boy, Little Simz, Elyanna, and Tini for a life-affirming ode to the power of prayer, and the acoustic "JUPITER," an "it gets better" message of hope to a teenage girl struggling with her sexuality.

"There's never been an easier time to give up, and so this is a record about not doing that," Martin explained about its glass half-full approach. Indeed, Moon Music cemented Coldplay's evolution from masters of indie melancholy to pop's ultimate spirit-lifters.

In August 2024, singer Lila Iké was performing in a rain-soaked Brooklyn park before a small but enthusiastic crowd who had gathered to see the biopic Bob Marley: One Love. Nearly a year later, she stood before tens of thousands of fans at Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay. 

That the singer found herself among the top-billed acts at Jamaica's premiere festival (in a year that saw Vybz Kartel crowned king of dancehall, no less) was not lost on Iké. Her short but powerful set marked the first time in six years that she graced the Sumfest stage, and her first time as a solo act — a particularly important milestone for the rising star. 

"You’ve got to do Sumfest before you're really considered a big artist in Jamaica," Iké tells GRAMMY.com from her home in Kingston. "The first time I did it, it was [supporting] Protoje. So six years later, it was a full circle moment for me."

The Sumfest performance — which saw Iké clad in metallic jewel tones, offering a mix of melodic reggae tunes, ballads and a gospel track — announced that Iké had arrived. Five years after Iké's debut EP introduced her to international audiences and a slew of singles cemented her as a reggae act to watch, the 31-year-old will release her debut album on Aug. 22.  Written and produced over multiple years, Treasure Self Love is an ode to Iké's personal and artistic growth.

 "It's about love, it's about emotions, it's about mental health. Some of it is just celebrating [what] I've been able to achieve over the years and what music has been able to do for me," she says.

Music has taken Lila Iké from her home in Manchester Parish to studios with GRAMMY nominees ("Greatest Gift," Iké's 2023 pairing with Jorja Smith, has over 11 million streams on Spotify). A self-taught singer born to a religious family, Iké began writing songs in secret and later shared them on Facebook under an alias. Iké eventually relocated to Kingston — without the approval of her mother — where she hustled to cultivate her musical identity. After several years of performing at jam sessions, Iké caught the ear of Protoje, who signed her to his In.Digg.Nation label in 2017; the two have been close collaborators ever since. 

Treasure Self Love will also be released via In.Digg.Nation and reflects Iké's own multitudes. "Fry Plantain" feat. Joey Bada$$ brings sex appeal to an average Sunday morning at home; H.E.R. collab "He Loves Us Both" wonders if love can be contained. Lead single "Romantic," featuring fellow Sumfest performer Masicka, updates a 1993 dancehall classic by Patra.

While Lila Iké has been making her way in reggae for nearly a decade, she is truly stepping out to claim her space with Treasure Self Love. She spoke with GRAMMY.com about owning her identity, trying new things, and which of her lyrics she'd want on a T-shirt.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Your debut EP, The ExPerience, was a bit of an introduction to your life; what was your mindset going into this album? Do you feel like you're arriving as a different person or a different kind of artist?

I think I'm growing. If we speak about arriving, it's like arriving to where exactly? I feel like every artist is consistently, continuously evolving into better versions of themselves. [Treasure Self Love is] a journey of learning to love myself, understanding that each and every one of us should be able to treasure ourselves and value ourselves.

Every time I make music, every time I get to another level, every time that I've ticked off an accomplishment or overcome a particular milestone, it's just a reminder to just continuously evolve, to continuously work on getting better and especially to just learn myself because you really don't know what you're capable of until you do it.

Are there any big lessons that are reflected in the songs on this album?

I've learned to not doubt or limit myself, to always be open to what inspiration can produce. I've also learned to channel more of my emotions into the music, as outside of being an artist, I'm also just a regular human being who experiences challenges and great things. So it's finding a balance and finding a way to use that in the music because then that's what makes you more relatable to people.

Is there a song that you're particularly proud of that reflects that humanity?

"Serious" is one of those songs that is very honest. It's a very powerful message as well. I was very vulnerable in that song, sharing some of the things I go through mentally.

I’m also just proud of it [because] I was very much involved in how the song sounds. It took the longest for me to get to a place in the mix that I was comfortable with. There was a lot of things that other people were missing that I was like, "No, you all have to listen. I can hear this and that." So it also showed me the artistry and the dedication that it takes to really put the music on the level that you want it to be.

Tell me a little bit more about the production and creative process for Treasure Self Love; was it different from that of your EP?

We started creating some of the songs from the EP in COVID times; more people had more time to just sit with the music and work and each song, not thinking that you have this great deadline to meet.

The difference with this project is that I was working with people that I wasn't necessarily familiar with… I met them through my connection with RCA at the time when I was on that label. It was a bit challenging at first because it takes a while for me to get comfortable to do the more vulnerable songs.

I remember texting Protoje in the session like, "I need to come up with something." And he's like, "You got this. You don't have to feel like you have to be the best and the most talented person because you're with somebody that doesn't know you and has never experienced your artistry in person before. Just relax and get it done."

I've been very invested in bringing [this album] together because I had taken so much time to work on it. The time that it took me to get it done really made me create a deeper connection with the music, the relationship with the production and vocals and everything.

I imagine it must take a really strong artistic vision to hone years of experience into one project.

For sure. There were a lot of songs that got cut. It took me putting my foot down because there are other people that I work with — Protoje, Ineffable and my circle of friends and musical friends — who are like, "No, what are you talking about? This song absolutely has to be on it." But it really takes the artist's personal vision for their work to say, "I don't think I should put more than 11 songs on it. I don't think I should put this song, I should substitute this song for this one."

It takes more attention to detail, more understanding of what the story you're trying to tell is, what's the theme, and all of that. And mostly I enjoy that process. The next time I have an album to do, I won't stress myself that much.

The first line on this album is, "All my enemies scattered before me." That's a pretty powerful statement to open with — is there anything to that?

I wrote that song when I was going through a situation [where] I was just watching a lot of people's ideas and opinions about me and my life play out in front of me. And I never necessarily addressed it. I was like, You know what? Let me just use this song to express how I feel.

I'd also love to hear about "Romantic" and working with Masicka. Why did you want to re-record Patra's "Romantic Call"? 

I was at the studio in London with Juls, the producer, and he was playing me a bunch of different beats. It was November in London — it's dark, it's cold. My emotions were just heightened where I wanted to be a bit more vulnerable. That's around when I was making "Serious" and "Brighter Days" and all of these songs, so I wasn't feeling too party-party.

I remember he played me that particular instrumental and there was a saxophone lead-in that grabbed me; he just had it on a loop for a while. And just before it was time for us to wrap up the session, something popped in my head. And for whatever reason it was that Patra song — I'm on the romantic call. I just pre-styled it and twisted in my own words. 

I came back home and was more focused on the other, more emotionally packed songs on the project. And I remember Protoje was like, "Yo, this song have a vibe. People haven't necessarily heard you like this before." And I rocked with it for a while, wrote the verses. 

At first there wasn't a feature. And because I had met Masicka, worked with him for a song on his project, I was like, "I have this song, I think you'd be dope for it."

I sent it to him and even he was like, "I love hearing you like this. I'm going to deal with it for you." And he sent me back his verse about a week or two later and it was just like, "We have to put this song out as a single." 

Your press materials state that you wanted to pay tribute to dancehall queens and other women in music that paved the way. At Sumfest, you told the audience about the importance of feeling empowered to be sexy, but conscious and self-respecting. Could you speak on those themes and what that means to you?

People create their own narrative on who you are and what is expected of you. I like to think about myself as somebody that you can expect the unexpected from because I don't box myself in. I'm learning myself every day — there are a lot of things that I said I would never do that I did; a lot of things that I say I would never eat that end up becoming my favorite food.

[In] the music video [for "Romantic"], I'm wearing a wig. I'm all dolled up. I'm more in my feminine energy. I won't say that every single time I'm presented like that — femininity is fluid — but a lot of people had different opinions of it. They're like, "Oh, she's trying to be a sexy dance artist now. What about the roots?"

And so that's what I was expounding on, which is not the first time I've said it. I like doing my hair, I like doing my nails, I like wearing makeup every now and then. I do dress really sexy sometimes, but most of the time I'm reserved or I'm in baggy stuff or whatever. At the end of the day, we're women and we're expressive and you can want to look like a Barbie one day and the next day you just want to look like you're homeless. [Chuckles.]

But that should not define your mentality and it shouldn't define your consciousness. Some of the people that I've met that are some of the most conscious and deep and spiritual people, they don't present people who are normally seen like that. After hearing people's opinion on ["Romantic"], I wanted to just say that.

At Sumfest, I looked in the crowd and I saw one of my favorite young dancers right now in dancehall. Her name is Rebel and as her name suggests, she's rebellious. She practically go out not wearing much clothes at all, but when you listen to her speak, I see where she's coming from.

I just wanted to remind young ladies that you can love Rastafari culture. You can love consciousness. You can be smart and still look like a dancehall queen. You're just expressing yourself, nothing is wrong with that.

What was it like to perform your own set at Sumfest?

It was a bit nerve-racking at first. Sumfest is a big deal in Jamaica. You’ve got to do Sumfest before you're really considered a big artist in Jamaica. 

The first time I did it, it was [supporting] Protoje six years ago. And it was around the time I just started working with him and he's  like, "You should walk out to my song 'Second Chance.'" It was still new to me being in front of so much people, and I'd get really nervous and just not even interact with the crowd.

So six years later, it was a full circle moment, especially to play before him and Toni Braxton. I was like, All right, I need to ensure that I give these people a really great show.

One of [my band’s] closest friends, another drummer passed away just before we went on stage. So they got that news right before we went on and everyone was crying and it was a really heavy thing. But I was like, "Guys, let's just do this one for him. Everything you're feeling right now, let's see if we can just translate that in the music." It was unfortunate that they had to be bearing that pain while we're doing it, but I like to think everything happens for a reason. 

Since you've brought up Protoje a few times, I would love to hear a little bit about where your relationship is with him now.

We have a lot of songs together. But Protoje is, at this point in my life, a mentor that plays a lot of different roles. Some days he has to be a father figure to be like, "Okay, Lila, don't do that or do this." Some days, he's like a best friend that I can speak to about just everyday life situations, relationships, whatever it might be. Most of the times he's just my musical guru. We just get it. We have similar tastes in music, we write together, we vibe together. There's a lot of things, like musical history, that I've learned from him.

He's been that consistent musical guide for me ever since I came into the industry. He's the one who literally discovered me and was like, "You just tell me what is it that you're trying to achieve in music and I'll help you to the best of my ability because I just feel like reggae music needs you and needs your voice and needs your energy." And ever since that day in 2016 or so, we've been really close and have a great working relationship and he's supported me in a lot of ways.

Even the song that we have now for my project ["All Over The World"], I walked in on him recording that song for his project and I was like, "Nah, I love this song. I need this for my project."

I love that the song was going to be for his project. In my notes, I have that "All Over the World" sounds different than the rest of the record.

It's also a throwback song as well. It's an original Barrington Levy and the Rascalz, a rap group from Canada. At first I was deliberately just trolling Barrington, if I'm going to be honest, because I find his vocals so unique and so special. I don't know what it is about Jamaican artists, but especially back in the day when they collaborate with an American rapper, they tried to emulate the American accent. And so when I first heard Protoje working on it, I was like, You know what? I'm going to go sing the hook exactly like Barrington.

It really speaks about how much being an artist and reggae music has done for me. I'm about to go to Brazil for the first time; I don't think I'd ever visit a lot of places had it not been for the music. So the song "All Over the World" is really just us celebrating making positive music with positive messages that has brought us all over the world.

You told The Fader a couple of years ago that when you're dead and gone, you want to be the female Bob Marley, with your lyrics and quotes on T-shirts. Is there a line on this record that you think would be shirt worthy or timeless?

There's a song that I have called "Love in a Lovely Way." I say it in Patois, but I'm going to say it in English right now: "Love that doesn't change and it stay the same/ love that's so pure it shines a light, love that's so sure it saves my life." That song is a very special one.

For over three decades, Deftones have been more than just a cornerstone of the alternative metal scene — they've been its visionaries.

The GRAMMY-winning quartet — comprised of frontman Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, turntablist Frank Delgado, and drummer Abe Cunningham — carved out their own unique space during a time when nu-metal reigned supreme. Now, 36 years later, Deftones' 10th LP proves that the group remains as genre-defying and untouchable as ever.

Set for release on Aug. 22, Private Music marks Deftones' first new album in five years, following 2020's Ohms. Reuniting with longtime collaborator and GRAMMY-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz, the band leans into the sonic territory they've honed over decades, previewing the LP with two singles that show their wide-ranging abilities: the blistering "My Mind Is A Mountain," which taps into their heavier side, and "Milk Of The Madonna," which features shoegaze-inspired guitars, rhythmic drums, and Moreno's soulful yet razor-sharp voice.

According to a press release, the album meditates on the "beauty and peril of nature, the challenge of cultivating a positive mindset and visions of a journey beyond the physical realm." Seemingly capturing Deftones at their most expansive, the album, as the statement adds, is "at once a psychedelic voyage and a skull-rattling wallop" — and ultimately, "the latest peak in a catalog filled with immersive, emotive triumphs." 

Emerging from the backstreets of Sacramento in the late '90s, Deftones carved out a singular place in heavy music by blending aggression with atmosphere. Influenced by a wide range of artists such as Bad Brains, Metallica, Depeche Mode, and The Smiths, as well as genres like funk and hip-hop, the band's rhythmic foundation and genre-fluid mindset allowed them to create music as visceral as it was hypnotic.

Their 1995 debut, Adrenaline, quickly became a key album of the nu-metal movement, driven by detuned riffs, hip-hop-inspired beats, and Chino Moreno's shapeshifting vocals that ranged from primal screams to whispered melodies. But it was 1997's Around the Fur and 2000's White Pony that cemented Deftones' legacy. While Around the Fur marked their commercial breakthrough and saw them incorporating shoegaze textures into their heavy sound, White Pony fully embraced sonic experimentation, with the band swapping raw aggression for ambient synths and surreal lyricism, showcasing Deftones' fearlessness in evolving.

Over the next two decades, Deftones continued to evolve without abandoning their core identity. Their 2003 self-titled LP saw them return to their heavy metal roots after proving they can musically go in any direction they wanted with White Pony; 2006's Saturday Night Wrist captured the straining tension the band was going through, shaped by a gruelling creative process. 

2010's Diamond Eyes marked a rebirth for the band following the passing of original bassist, Chi Cheng, and also served as a nod to their earlier sound, drawing comparisons to Around the Fur. 2012's Koi No Yokan was seen by Moreno as a sonic high point, offering a cohesive balance between heaviness and melody. With 2016's Gore, the band deliberately subverted expectations, leaning into dissonance and unpredictability. In 2020, Deftones reunited with longtime producer Terry Date for Ohms, a return to form that revisited their alternative metal roots while sounding newly invigorated.

With Private Music, Deftones are ready to remind everyone why and how they became the masters of balancing beauty and brutality. In honor of a new chapter, a decade-defining discography, and a band that refuses to sit still, check out six tracks that are essential to the DNA of Deftones.

"Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" ('Around the Fur,' 1997)

Pulled from the band's second album, Around The Fur, "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" sees the Sacramento quartet at their most cinematic. Opening with a distorted guitar riff and blending into a shoegaze shimmer, "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" creates a sound that is crushing while Moreno sings about wanting to disappear and escape. His vocals are soft, androgynous and filled with desperation and desire.

The track showcased how they had mastered the quiet-loud, soft-heavy dynamics that would go on to become a Deftones signature. There is no denying it is utterly timeless in its beauty and brute force.

Serving as the first single from Deftones' genre-defining album White Pony, "Change" sees Moreno at his most hypnotic, yet restrained, over haunting guitars and a throbbing bassline. "I watched you change/ Into a fly/ I looked away/ You were on fire," the frontman sings, highlighting a new songwriting direction that featured abstract storytelling rather than autobiographical lyrics.

The song is sensual, sultry and unsettling, marking a shift in Deftones' sound that saw them lean into atmosphere over aggression. The band's most commercially successful and well-known track, "Change" solidified their reputation as alternative metal shapeshifters.

Bursting with glistening guitars and a piercing sense of melancholy, "Cherry Waves" is one of Deftones' more soft, slow-burning tracks. Though it may lean on the slower side of things, the track still features fluid guitars and striking drums with a smooth rolling bassline played by late Deftones bassist Chi Cheng. 

The song sees Moreno at his most vocally vulnerable, a sense of quiet devastation with each note he hits. It's an effortless blend of hauntingness and romanticism that highlights how heaviness isn't always spearheaded by volume.

Taken from Deftones' sixth album, Diamond Eyes, "Beauty School" opens with a rhythmic drum pattern that showcases the influence funk and hip-hop beats have had within their work. The drum beat is paired with a crisp guitar riff, laying the groundwork for the grandeur chorus featuring Moreno's vivid lyrics: " I watch you taste it, I see your face/ And I know I'm alive/ Your shooting stars from the barrel of your eyes/ It drives me crazy/ It drives me wild."

"Beauty School" is a dreamy and atmospheric standout within Deftones' discography, especially being included in Diamond Eyes, which marked a new era for the band as their first LP after Cheng's passing. The track serves as a perfect marker to signify how they pushed themselves to become something deeper than another heavy metal band.

After Deftones pushed their sound in several different directions between Diamond Eyes and 2020's Ohms, Private Music signals a return to their roots but with a refined edge — and the album's lead single, "My Mind Is A Mountain," shows just that.

With a raging guitar riff, pounding drum beat and Moreno's delicate yet assertive vocals, "My Mind Is A Mountain" blends elements that have been central to Deftones' DNA from the beginning. But this time around, they elevated what they do best: tight, aggressive riffs, spacious production and emotionally charged vocals, resulting in an album that feels confident and deliberate. 

"My Mind Is A Mountain" ends with a heavenly and melodic breakdown, highlighting how Deftones have managed to perfect the balance between beauty and brutality. Not only does the first taste of Private Music hint that they're still driven by that dichotomy nearly four decades on, but it proves that Deftones' shoegaze-laced take on heavy metal is truly one of a kind.