We’ve got new music to move you through the week and there’s a little something for everyone from out artists Grant Knoche, Micah McLaurin, Chappell Roan, and Kisos.
Grant Knoche “Out Of My System”
Grant Knoche’s latest single, “Out Of My System,” blends a light, dreamy pop verse with a grungy, percussive chorus. The result is a sexy, soulful banger that’s definitely club-ready.
Knoche went viral on TikTok in September 2022 when he debuted his song “First Hello,” written as a coming-out letter to his father.
He also represented Texas on NBC’s twist on Eurovision – American Song Contest – with his self-produced & co-written song, “Mr. Independent.” Performing live on TV in front of millions, he made it to the Grand Final and placed 4th out of 56 artists & songs.
“Out Of My System” is from his upcoming EP, I Could Die Just Thinking Of Us, scheduled for release on October 20th. Follow Grant Knoche (pronounced ka-know-key) on Instagram here.
Micah McLaurin “Shallow”
Pianist/composer Micah McLaurin recently dropped his stunning new album Diamonds, a nine-track collection of standards including his evocative solo piano interpretation of “Shallow” from A Star Is Born, which channels Lady Gaga’s original emotion into a deeply moving performance.
I’ve become a bit obsessed with Micah’s gorgeous, understated performances on video. His quiet depth of connection to these standards is cathartic and hauntingly intimate, distilling the essence of the songs without being flashy or gauche, bringing tender exploration to each cut.
“I incorporated my love of classical music with jazz-influenced harmonies and wanted to keep everything melodic but as emotional as possible while maintaining simplicity,” explains the out artist. “I didn’t want to over-embellish, so I stuck to what I felt was necessary to maximize the emotional impact.”
Instinct interviewed the avant-garde artist here. Diamonds by Micah McLaurin is available now on all major music platforms. Follow him on Instagram here.
Chappell Roan “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl”
Midwest darling and imminent pop star Chappell Roan dropped her debut album along with the music video for her free-spirited (and alien-inspired?) “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl.”
A technicolor celebration of self-discovery and transformation, the new collection – The Rise & Fall of a Midwest Princess – is like a musical journal tracking Roan’s cinematic journey of falling in queer love for the first time while embracing all the messy and imperfect moments in between. The new music video is oh-so-fun and serves up a bit of free, frolicsome, fabu-pop flavor.
With bold hooks, sex positivity, honest songwriting, and expressive style and spirit, she has already earned attention from Pitchfork, NPR, MTV, Vulture, Billboard, Teen Vogue and more. Roan was also named Amazon Music’s ‘Breakthrough Artist of 2023.’
Roan is currently on a 33-city North American tour with nearly two dozen dates already sold out! Follow here on Instagram here.
Kisos “Six Feet Under”
Out recording artist Kisos says the title of his new EP, Autophagia, means to eat yourself alive, and psychologically, represents the self-harm we inflict on ourselves.
Kisos describes the new single, “Six Feet Under,” as a reverse funeral of sorts, adding, “It’s the culmination of a hard-fought healing journey and explores my rebirth from the edge of death.” Sonically, however, the track is a bouncy, buoyant pop celebration with gospel-inspired vocal arrangements.
Filmed in a Los Angeles backyard by Miss Ash Productions, the music video for “Six Feet Under” is a pink-tastic playful expression of joy and renewal, featuring nerdy dancing and a giant gummy octopus. Instinct previously covered Kisos’s 2021 guitar-driven single “He Didn’t Want Me.”
Autophagia is available now on all major music platforms and you can follow Kisos on Instagram here.
