3 under 30k - Pt. 5
Featuring Little Moon, Ellie Bleach, and Stasi Mai
1 – Little Moon
she/her | Avant-Folk | 16k monthly listeners on Spotify
📍Provo, Utah
If you’ve been following Rare Orignals for a while, you may have noticed that I have a thing for unique, ethereal music beyond classic genre labels. Little Moon is just that. Emma Hardyman, in collaboration with her husband Nathan, captivates you with a sound that is eclectic and, at times, surreal. Hardyman’s multi-octave vocals will remind you of Joanna Newsom, Agnes Obel, or Tori Amos. Little Moon is getting ready to release her sophomore album, “Dear Divine,” out on October 25th. Inspired by her and her husband’s experiences of grief and change, the project draws from their departure from the Mormon Church and Nathan’s loss of his mother: “It’s been long in the making, and this album has had many iterations of itself. It’s taken on various meanings, and it’s a very sacred album.”
Favorite songs: wonder eye, Dear Divine, now
Streaming | Bandcamp | Instagram
2 – Ellie Bleach
she/her | Indie Singer/Songwriter | 26,700 monthly listeners on Spotify
📍London , UK
“‘Cause you were born to be my man / and if you do not take my hand / I’ll burn this wretched strip mall to the ground / and if you think I’m crazy / well then baby / you’ve never been in love”
Now Leaving West Feldwood, the sophomore EP of Ellie Bleach, is among my favorite projects released in 2024. Telling the story of six different characters from the fictional town, she creates complex personalities with the wit of Jenny Lewis’ songwriting. Listening to Bleach’s music really evokes the same immersive feeling as reading a book—it's that sense of being fully drawn into another world, which, to me, is what makes her songs so special.
Favorite Songs: Hottest Man Alive 1995, The Lakehouse, Doing Really Well Thanks
Sreaming | Bandcamp | Instagram
3 – Stasi Mai
she/her | Singer/Songwriter | 2,600 monthly listeners on Spotify
📍 Los Angeles, US
Sometimes, it doesn’t take a full discography to realize how beautiful someone’s music is—you can often feel it with just a few songs. With only five tracks out in the world, LA-based singer-songwriter Stasi Mai caught my attention with “White Teeth,” a soulful, folky Indie-Pop song. I recently learned she’s also performed with the Freedom Singers, a group organized by the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN), comprised of Skid Row residents and activists. Like many artists I feature here, Stasi Mai is still early in her career, and I’m very excited to follow her journey.
Favorite songs: White Teeth, Loved You Bad, Moon Rover
Wow, Little Moon is great! Thanks for the recommendation.
Thank you for introducing me to Little Moon, Mandy. Dear Devine is my album of the year and has provided many uplifting and inspiring moments over many plays.