_{By Mike Romero}

With so much music in the Provo music scene, it’s easy to get sucked in and start listening to music in a bubble. It’s always great to see what awaits you in the broader world of sonic textures, and to find new recommendations that can inspire you to make music differently than you did before.

Here are five songs from a variety of indie artists around the world! We hope something here helps spark that inspiration.

Piper Connolly – “warning”

We said it before, and we’re going to keep saying it: Piper Connolly rocks! Piper’s music channels the best elements of artists like Avril Levine, and we are absolutely here for it! Her style has previously been described as “caffeine-laced Pop Rocks,” which is such a perfect way to describe this 13-year-old’s infectious energy. Oh yeah, we forgot to mention that she’s 13.

“warning” showcases that signature pop rock sound, Piper’s incredible vocal work, and a few bits and bobs in the production that remind you this was made in 2025 and not 2008. It’s just such a banger! If you like clean breakdowns, catchy choruses, and a guitar-driven good time, this track is for you.

Marlhy – “little things”

This track is absolutely stellar. Marlhy had us hooked from the very start when those affected drums came in. Then, it got better. When those same drums opened up and dropped into the driving tom rhythm, we knew this was going to be good.

But “little things” is more than just some flashy drum work and neat percussion; this track has it all. Her vocal entrance certainly doesn’t disappoint and kept the track interesting and exciting as the energy cut in and out. The song is also well arranged, well produced, well performed, and catchy as heck. This is sure to get you pumped up for whatever you need pumped up for.

Pom Femme – “Buy Your Love”

It’s always fun to hear a track that you know is going to be good from the very first sound, and this is the second one this article that had us hooked from the beginning.

This Swedish duo’s synth and drum tones are incredibly dialed in, with the toms popping out in a very satisfying manner. This is the perfect track for anyone looking for dream pop that won’t immediately put you to sleep but instead wants to just relax in the sunset. The vocals have the perfect approach for the genre. They float over the top of everything, light and airy, but still rhythmic and catchy.

Rip Gerber – “Mister Happy”

Slow things waaaaaaaay down now with Rip Gerber. This track has an incredible slow-burn build that doesn’t give you a payoff until it’s nearly two minutes into the track. The build really suits the classic rock sound of the track, and calls back to longer tracks that take space to tell the full story like “American Pie.” (We’re not talking full prog here though, don’t worry!)

The groove here, driven by some brilliant piano playing, is immaculate, and the chance to hear each instrument get time in spotlight during the chorus is a ton of fun. Admittedly, the track is a bit more old-school than we usually cover, but we like it so much we’re doing it anyway!

Mahathi Malladi – “Say it”

Okay, this song is PHENOMENAL. South Asian-American singer-songwriter Mahathi’s vocal runs are wildly impressive, and will be stuck in your head for weeks! On top of that, the arrangement and production of the track is incredibly slick and satisfying. The string orchestration is gorgeous, the guitar tone is way clean and super effective, and the backing vocals MAKE THIS THING. They’re that cherry on top, especially as they pop in and out of exisitence with those delicious vocal effects on top. Very excited to hear more from Mahathi Malladi going forward.