Ren McLean Releases "Telescope"!

"‘Telescope’ is one of the first songs I wrote once I got back home after leaving college due to mental health struggles. I felt like I failed, everyone knew that I failed, and I could no longer hide my inadequacies behind my accomplishments. In the lyrics, I envision myself as a star blowing up in the sky, scrutinizing my perceived failures through a telescope. Crushed drums and dirty guitars clash with spacey reverb and lush strings to materialize the angst of everything falling apart around you while you’re in free falling limbo. I hope it helps people feel less alone with whatever they’re struggling with, and serves as a reminder that you are worth more than your successes.” - Ren McLean

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A songstress of foresty indie/folk, Ren writes music to say what isn’t said but needs to be heard. Rather than shy away from the messy stuff, she embraces it. 

Influenced by singer/songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy McAlpine, Ren paints vivid pictures through allegorical—yet relatable—lyrics, attracting those who yearn for a daily dose of whimsy. Through rich acoustic guitar tones, haunting string arrangements, and atmospheric vocal layers, Ren crafts the perfect soundtrack for staying inside on a rainy day or going out to grab a cup of tea at your favorite local cafe. She wears her heart on her sleeve, prioritizing authentic storytelling and raw catharsis as heard in her gut-wrenching vocals. 

Whether attending a concert or listening from the comfort of your own home, you will find that Ren creates a space for your most honest self to be seen, and you’ll be coming back for more.

Where to find Ren:

    Website

    Instagram

    Spotify

    Apple Music

Elliana Releases Adolescence!

 

"Adolescence" - by Elliana

Release Date - April 17, 2026

What You Should Know: Did you ever have that one person in your life that just literally has everything? Maybe even a friend of yours? The look, the money, the charisma, the kindness, and the talent. You cannot help but be a little bit jealous of them? Even thought you're grateful for your own stuff, you still kind of envy this person? Then this album is for you. Including Elliana's amazing single "Suburbia", the 12 tracks on the "Adolescence" album will create the soundtrack to your day. You'll want to have it on repeat for a very long time. 

Find It: Everywhere, like  Apple or Spotify

Ren McLean Releases "All I Want"!

Ren McLean wrote ‘All I Want’ while reminiscing about her childhood before going off to college. It’s an indie/folk song about growing up, and how the things you want most in life change as you get older.

‘All I Want’ encapsulates the feeling of nostalgia, complete with layers of finger- picking on acoustic guitar, wistful vocal arrangements, and a folksy string quartet. She hopes it inspires people to look back on their own childhood, hold their memories closely, and to relish in the little things in life before they’re gone.

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A songstress of foresty indie/folk, Ren writes music to say what isn’t said but needs to be heard. Rather than shy away from the messy stuff, she embraces it. 

Influenced by singer/songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy McAlpine, Ren paints vivid pictures through allegorical—yet relatable—lyrics, attracting those who yearn for a daily dose of whimsy. Through rich acoustic guitar tones, haunting string arrangements, and atmospheric vocal layers, Ren crafts the perfect soundtrack for staying inside on a rainy day or going out to grab a cup of tea at your favorite local cafe. She wears her heart on her sleeve, prioritizing authentic storytelling and raw catharsis as heard in her gut-wrenching vocals. 

Whether attending a concert or listening from the comfort of your own home, you will find that Ren creates a space for your most honest self to be seen, and you’ll be coming back for more.

Where to find Ren:

    Website

    Instagram

    Spotify

    Apple Music

Isabelle Gitlin Talks About "Running Circles"!

On March 6, Isabelle Gitlin treated us all with the release of her single, "Running Circles". It's an incredible offering that I assume you've listened to multiple times since then. I thought it would be fun to learn more about this release, and thankfully Isabelle was willing to answer some questions for us to help with that.

Let's see what she had to say!

What do you want listeners to know about “Running Circles”?

I just want listeners to know how much I love to create. Singing, writing, editing visuals, those have always been such important pillars in my life and my hope is that my love for it is evident in “Running Circles” (as well as all my other work, both released and unreleased).

Do you have a favorite lyric from the song?

My favorite lyric is probably “I, I, I well I’ve been here, wasting away I hope I don’t disappear.” 

How did you come up with the cover artwork?

We actually shot the cover at my friend’s house. Her mother is an incredibly gifted artist and has so much of her beautiful artwork around the house which I wanted to include. I really wanted to lean into this visual arts theme because I’ve always been very shy and not entirely comfortable expressing myself with words. With visuals, a photograph, a painting, a statue - these works speak for themselves. Many have withstood the test of time and are immediately recognizable hundreds (if not thousands) of years later.  As a visual person, art has always spoken to me especially in its expression of deep sadness, despair, and confusion. This song for me, really touches on not being able to express difficult emotions, and no matter how hard you try, there’s no resolution. I wanted to almost pose as an immortalized version of myself in that moment with what I was experiencing.

What was the biggest challenge when creating the song?

The biggest challenge for me was (and always is) in the actual recording of the lead vocal because I always believe I can do better or achieve a better sound. I’ll re-record lines constantly and be incredibly nit-picky with each of the takes. It can definitely be exhausting and I’ll need to take breaks from listening to myself haha

Do you have any favorite memories of the recording process?

My favorite memories are probably when everything finally started to come together; that usually happens when we begin working on the background vocals. It’s actually always been my favorite part of recording because to me, backgrounds add so much depth and color to a song. But overall, recording and building a song, it is such an outlet for me. It brings me a lot of joy, even when I’m stressed about it, it’s just something I really love to do.

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You can definitely feel that love!

As always, I want to thank Isabelle for taking the time to share this with us. It's always nice to be able to learn a bit more about a song.

Be sure to listen and follow along with her to see what she's up to. I would definitely follow her on Instagram, and/or Spotify. In fact, go do both right now! 

Thanks again Isabelle Gitlin!

Sarah Suarez Visits Section 36 Music!

So glad Sarah Suarez was able to visit Section 36 Music! I'm sure you have all listen to her fantastic single, "Front Row". If not, you'll want to listen as soon as you can. It's so wonderful that she wanted to visit with us and discuss her music, challenges, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Sarah Suarez visits Section 36!

I really love your recent single, "Front Row." What can you tell me about it?

I wrote "Front Row" early in 2025, coming off of a break from school that I spent in central Florida with my family. I've found that the longer I've lived away from home, building my own life, the harder it is to go back, although I love spending time with my family. I get really horrible writer's block in my childhood home, and that silence has a way of making me question whether I'm a songwriter at all…like the distance from my routine is enough to convince me the whole thing was a fluke. Coming out of that experience and returning home, back to my routine and my found family, found myself airing out all of the frustrations I'd been carrying: feeling stuck in fear, and realizing I had actually been preferring to live in that fear, watching my own life from a distance rather than taking risks and being an active participant in it. This song ended up being the first I ever performed at a writer's showcase, as well as my first single. It feels good to be disproving the very feeling I had while writing it, simply by putting it out into the world.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

My incredible producer and close friend, Ellie Schubert, has since made the "fuck-it take" a tradition in all of our sessions with players, and it was born during the recording of "Front Row." As far as I know, it's something Ellie came up with herself, and it's exactly what it sounds like: the final take of any session where everyone is encouraged to leave everything on the floor, mess around, have fun, and play as though it's the last song they'll ever get to perform. When we give players free reign to experiment, we often get some wonderfully chaotic results, but when we listened back to "Front Row"'s fuck-it take, we found some genuine gems, some of which actually made it into the final mix.

You're attending Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

I've been so grateful for the opportunity to study at Berklee. I'm actually a double major in Songwriting and Music Therapy, which is an unconventional combination that keeps me incredibly busy, but when I was applying to music therapy programs, many were at conservatories that wouldn't have allowed me to pursue an education in popular music alongside it. Berklee gave me the chance to study not only music therapy, but also songwriting and music production, all while being in an environment where I could explore every aspect of my musicality, including how it connects to my cultural background. Berklee's diversity made it the perfect fit for my diverse pursuits.

What do you enjoy most about performing live?

For me, music is fundamentally about connection and community, and there is nothing quite like what live music creates. One of my favorite facts from my music physiology studies is that when people listen to music together, their heart rates actually begin to sync, an entrainment effect where the heart aligns with the rhythm of the music (the same innate pull toward synchronization that makes us want to dance). Every time I'm on stage and I feel the room lock in, when the audience goes quiet in exactly the right place, or the energy shifts all at once, I think about that. I can't think of a better way to describe the feeling of togetherness I experience, not just with the band, but with the audience. It has always been the place where I feel most like myself.

If you could cover any Disney song, which would you choose and why?

A Disney song that has always meant a great deal to me is "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas. The film has been widely criticized for its romanticized and inaccurate portrayal of Indigenous people and history, and rightfully so, but the song itself has always struck me as a genuinely beautiful call to action, and one that remains, unfortunately, deeply relevant. The imagery in the lyrics is breathtaking, and the way the harmony moves creates tension in exactly the right places. I've always been drawn to the Disney music of the '90s, as I watched those DVDs on loop when I was young, and that song in particular holds a special place for me.

What are your immediate musical goals?

I'm so excited for everything I have coming up. The songs on the horizon deal with themes that are very close to me: the kind of feelings that are easier to bury than to say out loud, and what happens when you can't keep doing that. I want to keep creating and writing as I have been, but my next goal is to invite people further into my world, whether through live shows or connecting online. I'll also just say: we recently recorded our first Spanish-language song, which feels like a really significant moment for me. Many more songs are on the way, reflective of my journey over the past year, and I hope listeners are able to connect with them, and with me. Stay tuned.

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I am most definitely staying tuned! 

As always, I want to thank Sarah for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Sarah, and good luck reaching your goals!

Taylor Hurd Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 had another visitor! Taylor Hurd is a talented singer who is fresh off the release of her debut single "Virginia". You'll want to listen that as soon as you can. I was thrilled she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, challenges, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Taylor Hurd visits Section 36!

I absolutely love your recent single, “Virginia”. What can you tell me about it?

My first single "Virginia" is one of my favorite songs I've written. It came as an emotional sigh of sorts at a turning point in my life when I decided that sometimes a bitter goodbye is the only way to move on and find solace. The song is poetic yet blunt, talking about the metaphorical monsters that creep under the bed. It is an amalgamation of all the genres I'm inspired by; primarily indie folk/pop and rock. "Virginia" is a journey of self discovery that winds through the hardships of loving someone whose drugs of choice are just as toxic as they are, the song ending in a confident and angsty goodbye. 

The song also has a great music video. What was it like putting that together?

The process of the music video was one of the best of the whole song. I worked with a lovely creative director, Sienna Leone, on the project and we were able to bond throughout the process. We met multiple times to discuss the overall artistic vision and then filmed over a two day period. We filmed for an entire Saturday and most of the following Sunday, but so many more hours went in outside of that by the creative team. Set building, costumes, editing, animation, all of it took about a month and a half to come together entirely. The director and editor spent over 200 hours in the editing process to create the final product. I loved getting to combine my musical theater past with my artistic present and the video came out so incredibly well. Overall, it was a beautiful process and I was so grateful to work with so many other creatives. 

You are attending Berklee College of Music. What made Berklee the right choice for you?

Berklee was the right choice for me because I wanted to get my bachelors degree somewhere I could also create music. All my family is educated and values schooling, so this felt like a really good way to pursue my passions. I also feel that there is no other school like Berklee that allows people to do contemporary music in a way that is truly applicable to the industry. For all these reasons, Berklee was the only place for me. 

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?

My favorite part of performing on stage with an audience is getting to finish the process of each song. I love getting to put the finishing touch of emotion into my music. I adore songwriting and it has become one of my greatest passions, but performing feels like the finishing touch on telling the story. The songs don't come to life until I can breathe life into them. I also just adore getting to interact with people, it brings out the conversationalist in me. The back and forth between a performer and the audience is such a gratifying dialogue, I feel so lucky every time I get to share a space with listeners. 

What would you say is your biggest career challenge?

My biggest career challenge is pursuing music and finding the best ways to advance myself and my career without compromising my artistry. So many of the ways people find success in music nowadays feels so inauthentic to me and that is not what I want my brand to be. I want to be able to find success in a way that feels real and genuine to who I am. There are also so many challenges in the way the industry is built, getting the time of day from anyone is always a battle, but I have hope that my music will resonate with the people who it was made for.

What are your immediate musical goals?

My immediate musical goals are to grow my influence and fan base, finding fans who want to feel deeply and connect through music. I want an audience that feels like an extended family, people I can bring into my world and my emotions. I also want to continue releasing music and keeping my standards for my artistry high. I just want to keep growing as an artist and expanding my horizons, hopping off of each opportunity to the next. 

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Let's see if we can help that fanbase grow! 

As always, I want to thank Taylor for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again Taylor, and good luck reaching your goals!

Sarah Suarez Releases "Front Row"!

There's a particular kind of paralysis that comes with knowing exactly what you want but being too afraid to reach for it. That tension is exactly where Sarah Suarez lives on her new single, "Front Row," out on Friday, March 6th.

Equal parts alt-rock grit and jazzy introspection, the song drifts between horse racing imagery, a love left unspoken, and a shelf full of dreams collecting dust, which all circle the same quiet confession: I keep waiting, and I don't know how to stop. The production matches the push and pull at the heart of the lyrics: warm but restless, textured but never quite resolved.

Fans of Mitski's emotional precision, Wolf Alice's raw alt-rockenergy, The Last Dinner Party's theatrical storytelling, and Hayley Williams' confessional urgency will find a lot to love here, with a touch of Faye Webster's jazzier, more reflective sensibility woven through the edges.

"Front Row" is out March 6th. Follow Sarah Suarez at @sarah.suarezzz and stream Front Row on all platforms