Lorde's Ultrasound tour, 5 Seconds of Summer and a cold snap

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Friday 21 November 2025

Hello, splendid ones! Are you all staying cosy?

We've been rattling through the last few big gigs and album releases of the year, drawing ever-closer to the end of 2025 (wild). On Sunday, Adam went to see Lorde play the O2 Arena and had a bawl (literally, he cried - the Gen-Z crowd around him were apparently a tad unmoved by comparison). Pop singer Ella Eyre makes a confident comeback with her first album in a decade, Everything, in Time - read Helen's review here.

Elsewhere this week, Hannah interviewed Australian pop band 5 Seconds of Summer about their new record, why they balked at early One Direction comparisons, and delving into the dark underbelly of celebrity partying.

A heads up that Pamela Des Barres, author of the New York Times bestseller I'm With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie, is in conversation with the legend Kate Hutchinson on 2 December at the Rock N' Roll Book Club in Soho. I actually wrote the foreword for the latest edition of the book so I've had the pleasure of chatting with Pamela myself - she's an absolute queen and has the best stories! I'd hugely recommend going along if you're in town.

New music I'm into this week includes Irish singer-songwriter David Keenan's superb new album, Modern Mythologies. It's gorgeous songwriting pared with subtle production - soft shimmering hi-hats, a characterful brass section and lush twangs of electric guitars. Keenan sings in a lovely lopsided croon; his lyrics tackle everything from gentrification, loneliness, love and conflict.

Elsewhere: Melbourne trio Sex Mask have dropped their mournful new single "Blisters", and Tems has surprise-released a whole new EP, Love is a Kingdom. I love Odeal on the soulful, sultry "Pretty Girls", and Kingfishr on "Hold Me Down", a track from the deluxe edition of their debut album Halcyon. Sam Fender is tremendous on the acoustic "I'm Always On Stage", while Mysie sounds breezy and cool on dance track "NO MORE". Bastille just finished up a big old arena tour with the release of shuffly pop-rock track "Save My Soul"; Bad Omens sound dark and dangerous on "Left For Good".

More bits: Westside Cowboy are fantastic on jangly single "Can't See", Absolutely has a dramatic turn on the icy-sounding "No Audience", and Master Peace is still leading the indie revival with Good Times", I love it. "Only Girl" from Man/Woman/Chainsaw is superb - I adore the flurry of violins and the choppy piano notes - as is the heavier "Marsh" from Cliffords. And British actor Louis Oliver is turning hand to music with promising early results: "Time Can Really Run Away" is fab. Last but certainly not least, Kneecap x Sub Focus on the hair-raising "No Comment", yes.

Have a splendid weekend everyone, stay toasty x

Now Read This:

5 Seconds of Summer: 'The boyband label was emasculating. It felt like, how are we ever going to grow up?'
Lorde review, O2 Arena London – Energy, cringe and restless teens pining for Melodrama tracks

Written by Roisin O'Connor

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ON THE RECORD

I'm not on Morrissey's Christmas card list

Mike Joyce to The Independent, November 2025

I'm not afraid to be vulnerable

Jon Bon Jovi to The Independent, read the full interview this Sunday

My parents had what we call a shotgun wedding. They were just kids doing the best they could

Stephen Wilson Jr to The Independent, November 2025

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Tracks of the week

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1. "Marsh" - Cliffords

2. "No Comment" - Kneecap, Sub Focus

3. "Hold Me Down" - Kingfishr

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Q&A

Spotlight on... Eleni Drake

Hello! Tell me about yourself

My name is Eleni, but everyone calls me Len. Raised in London, but I have Greek roots originally.

I would consider myself to be a pretty boring person, but there's things that I do through my days that fulfil me greatly - I love gardening, cooking traditional recipes from my roots, hanging out with my cat, I love painting and drawing, I like making my own clothes, I love reading, going on hikes, swimming, and most importantly to me - creating music. I won't lie and say I make music every single day, sometimes I do, but not 365 days a year. Whether it's just for my own creative outlet or working on an actual project. Music feeds my soul, everything else keeps me in check and reminds me to slow down, and being self sufficient is a beautiful thing.

What are the inspirations and influences behind your music?

Honestly, where do I begin - I feel like I'll forget something in here, but it ranges from Mac Miller, Mazzy Star, Stevie Nicks, Hayley Williams, King Krule, Mac DeMarco, Billie Holiday, alllll the way to my grandfather - he's the main reason I even picked up a guitar and wanted to sing when I was younger. It was seeing the joy he emitted when he played his guitar on his balcony for me, the calmness I felt when he would sing for hours, and the peace that filled any room he played in. His audience was only ever his wife, his two children, and me. I sing because, through him, I learned what music can mean to someone, so my other influences extended that meaning for me. The way these artists felt like my safe space, and my understanding companions throughout the years of my life.

What do you have lined up for the rest of the year and beyond?

I recently finished a support tour round the UK and EU with Will Varley, and I'm currently midway through my own headline UK dates! Basically promoting the release of my brand new album CHUCK.

Probably most excited for this release than any other because there's a conviction in me that this album captures my artistry more fully than anything I've done before.

Im planning on releasing a deluxe version in the future, and heading to ESNS festival in January, hopefully heading out for my first tour of the States and then Australia to play the album for as long as I can really. Other than that, I have no idea what the future holds, so we'll see what comes my way.

Geordie Greig

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