Three new indie folk tracks that show us 2026 is going to be a good year for music

Mirabelle Skipworth – “The Feast”
-It seems like a good year to start with a love song. But… even as love songs go, this is a heartbreaking one. It’s about not being able to feel the connection anymore within intimacy. It’s not so much going through the motions as it is a numbness due to addiction. Wow. Ok, so if this is how seriously we’re getting already, where does the year have left to go? Skipworth sings with depth and sincerity, a delicate expressive style that encourages the listener to lean in. There’s a bounce to the “hold me fast, hold me tight” part of the chorus, but the word that defines this one for me is “bittersweet.” What beautiful vulnerability to express in song…

Chris Williams and Kid Reverie – “Bees”
-There’s something about the promise of bees appearing in spring that can help us get through the depths of winter. The metaphor of the song is the honey bees working so that we can live a little bit more. It’s a delicate orchestral folk tune that almost begs the listener to quiet down and pay attention. There’s a convicting tone to the lyrics, encouraging the listener to cultivate gratitude toward the broader world around us. In a time where so much of social and political order feels absolutely out of control, it’s great to connect with a song like this that feels rooted and genuine. There are some complex chord expressions here that make me think of what I loved about the mandolin work on the early Nickel Creek albums; this is a gem that speaks on multiple levels.

Anna Tivel – “Memphis”
-If you’ve been around this site for a while, you’ve seen Anna Tivel’s name many times. I often compare other emerging indie artists with Tivel if they have the ability to sing with vulnerability and write this this sort of sage softness. This latest track from Tivel is every bit within her wheelhouse, “Memphis” tells the story of a “man on a mission” with a “mouth full of demons.” I don’t even need to quote any more lyrics and you already know how good this writing is. I really like the juxtaposition between the darkness and light, with an expressive line in the chorus, “everything is beautiful now.” This is a true work of Americana as it brings together aspects of blues, rock, and folk for something that feels like the best kind of genre blending. The verses pull the listener into the story of raw reality, while the chorus soars with this vibrant sentimentality about everything being beautiful. How do we get to that beauty? How do we rise above? It sure feels spiritual; is that via some sort of earthly enlightenment or can it only become beautiful (dare I say, redeemed?) once we are released from this plain? I love that it’s a song that makes me ask these types of questions. It’s a gem to start off the year.