I hate spring; let me explain. I’ve suffered from severe seasonal allergies since I was a kid. To me, spring is synonymous with congestion, pollen everywhere, and putting my life on pause until every plant known to man stops blooming. I can’t appreciate the beautiful flowers or the sun shining on my face because I can’t breathe (asthma, anyone?).
Instead, I’ll lock myself in my room and watch everyone enjoy spring from my window, but I can only do this with a killer playlist. Here are the indie songs that will keep me going this spring:
- “Piano Hands” by Soft Launch
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Soft Launch is a band from London who released their first single, “Cartwheels,” in 2024. I was absolutely obsessed with that song last semester for its upbeat rock sound and its switch-up in singing style in the second verse.
Admittedly, “Piano Hands” had to grow on me, since the sound of this song blends elements of the rock sound of “Cartwheels” with experimental autotune and piano chords. I wasn’t too sure about the song until I heard it in the car back in January, and it was probably the best three minutes and 38 seconds of my drive.
Soft Launch may have only five singles available to stream on Spotify, but they remain a current favorite, especially with “Piano Hands.”
- “moody” by Royel Otis
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Royel Otis is a music duo hailing from Sydney, Australia. This time last year, I was obsessed with their song, “Oysters In My Pocket.” Funnily enough, I got my dad into Royel Otis through that song, and now he regularly plays their music in the car.
“moody” is the second song off Royel Otis’ most recent album, hickey, released in August 2025. When I heard it for the first time, the bass and drum line immediately drew me in.
Now, the song’s topic may be a little off-putting to some. Royel Otis is singing about a girlfriend or lover who is vocal about their complaints in the relationship. They go as far as to say, “My girl’s a b*tch when she’s moody.”
However, the tone of the song changes in this part of the chorus when Royel Otis reminds their listeners that it doesn’t matter because “she’s my everything / She’s all that I need / Sometimes more than I want.”
To an extent, “moody” is about a toxic relationship, but it’s a fun, playful time reminiscent of some of our favorite tropes, like enemies to lovers or grumpy/sunshine.
- “stabilise” by Nilüfer Yanya
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Nilüfer Yanya was originally offered a position in a girl group created by Louis Tomlinson but declined. She then pursued a solo career that recently culminated in opening for Lorde’s UK locations for the Ultrasound World Tour.
Yanya’s latest song was released on March 6. It’s a collaboration called “Sunday Light” for War Child Records’ album, HELP2, with all proceeds from the album being donated to War Child UK, a charity specializing in advocacy for children impacted by war.
“stabilise” is a single from Yanya’s 2022 album, PAINLESS. The characteristic of this song that immediately got my attention was Yanya’s androgynous voice.
Throughout the song, her voice floats between sounding more feminine and more masculine. I don’t hear this in a lot of music I listen to, but I really like how it works in different verses of “stabilise.”
This song is (shocker) about finding stability. Yanya has no idea where she’s going, but she’s leaving. Personally, I can relate to this as I graduate at the end of the semester with a million options ahead of me.
Yanya’s discography is definitely one I’ll be exploring in the future!
- “Have It All” by The Manatees
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I rediscovered this song when I put my Spotify Liked Songs on shuffle for the chaos of it.
The Manatees consist of five friends from Southampton, UK. In an interview with EUPHORIA., their music was compared to the likes of Cage the Elephant and Nothing But Thieves. In December 2025, they completed their Consequence Tour across the UK.
“Have It All” is from their 2022 EP of the same name. The song is sung from the perspective of someone going back and forth between the positive and negative aspects of their relationship with someone.
In the chorus, lead singer Jay Harris sings, “You could have it all if you wanted / You could take the stars from my eyes / You could do no wrong in my mind.”
Similar to “moody,” “Have It All” details the singer’s weakness for the person who doesn’t always treat them the best way.
- “Siren” by Heidi Curtis
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“Siren” is the latest release from Heidi Curtis of North Shields, UK, the same town as Sam Fender. In fact, Curtis and Fender are friends, with Curtis having opened for Fender’s UK shows in the past.
The first time I heard “Siren,” I immediately knew one of Curtis’ music influences must be Fleetwood Mac. The opening of “Siren” reminds me of the opening to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”
Curtis’ style is also reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Florence + The Machine’s Florence Welch. Honestly, I didn’t need much convincing once I made this connection.
As of Jan. 22, Curtis only has two songs on Spotify, but I’m excited about where she goes next with her music. Fingers-crossed, we’ll see a collab between Curtis and Fender sometime soon!
- “Turn Up The Radio” by Danny Ray
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When I was in high school, I was devoted to my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify. I’m back on this grind, and “Turn Up The Radio” was one of those songs the Spotify gods decided to gift me.
Danny Ray is from West London and proclaims to “make funky beats for freaks and geeks.” “Turn Up The Radio” was released on Jan. 16, and the music video was uploaded to YouTube just three days later. In an Instagram post, Ray reveals that the music video had a $0 budget, was filmed in 12 hours, and stars his friends.
I can’t exactly pinpoint what I like about this song, but it just sounds fun. It’s something you can play in the car and have a good time, whether you’re by yourself or with friends. “Turn Up The Radio” feels like the sun returning after a long winter, and I can’t wait to play it over and over again this spring.
Hopefully, these songs bring you something new to enjoy this spring! Once the pollen count decreases, I’m already looking forward to joining everyone else outside in the warmer weather.
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