This week’s alt pop finds the light in difficult places. Cyclical heartbreak turned into something euphoric, the marks people leave behind, and a quiet act of reclaiming your own time. Three writers making pop that thinks as hard as it feels.
Anna Thoresen – GROUNDHOG DAY
“GROUNDHOG DAY” is a stunning piece of experimental dark-pop from Anna Thoresen, a song that turns a spiral into something genuinely euphoric.
Anna Thoresen’s new single is dark-pop that refuses to stay small. Built on unconventional chord progressions that mirror the disorienting loop of repeated heartbreak, the track moves with a cinematic ambition, dark subject matter set against production that swells toward something close to euphoric. It’s a lovely sound world to dive into, produced like a dream, and manages to be kinda experimental without losing its grip on melody. The hook is a banger, I love Anna’s vocal and overall the whole thing is a compelling listen that finds its moment in a unique way.
Anna Thoresen is a Los Angeles artist who wrote, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered this entirely in her home studio during an isolating stretch, drawing on The Cranberries, The Smashing Pumpkins and No Doubt. She calls the song her death march, a track born from personal and professional disappointment that she says has since grown much bigger than her as listeners connect with it. This is great, and one of our favourite singles in the last couple of months.
maryann connolly – Etched In Love
maryann connolly serves up a gorgeous, tender alt-pop ballad that’s one of the most affecting songs you’ll hear this summer
This is a song about the traces people leave behind. Sitting in that warm space where alternative pop meets soft rock, it carries its central idea gently: the marks that stay with us long after someone is gone. The arrangement stays unfussy, letting a clear vocal and an easy melody do the emotional work rather than reaching for a big dramatic swell. I love the driving rhythms here, and the chorus really soars here. Definitely lighters in the when it hits.
maryann connolly is a 25-year-old actress, model and singer based in Cape Coral, Florida, who has performed at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks and makes monthly trips to Nashville to perform. She is pursuing her ambition as a pop artist across a genuinely multidisciplinary career, moving between the runway, the stage and the studio. “Etched In Love” reflects that same emotional directness, an aspiring pop singer channelling personal feeling into a beautiful track. We love this single, and will be keeping an eye on maryann connolly.
Ornnala – Au diable
“Au diable” is a superb debut from Ornnala, a genuine breath of fresh air for French-language pop and a groovy. liberating listen.
This is a song that chooses tenderness over noise. Carried by a soft, assured acoustic melody, “Au diable” celebrates freedom and gentleness. It follows a woman who finally decides to slow down and reconnect with herself amid the invisible weight of domestic obligation. As well as a great concept, there’s a kind of 90s elegance to how it builds, almost orchestral pop with touches of early madonna, french pop and a whole lot of vibe. Sincere and unhurried, it turns a small private decision to step back into something genuinely uplifting.
Ornnala is a French singer-songwriter from Manosque whose world blends francophone chanson, lyrical influences and orchestral pop. Conservatory-trained, she has developed a sensitive approach to voice and interpretation, deepened by experience on stage, in cinema and in musical theatre. Born between two cultures, she draws on that dual heritage for writing that feels both intimate and universal. “Au diable” is her first single, a tribute to the women who hold things together. It’s a great single, and an elegant, sincere opening statement.