This February, both love and snow are in the air, and so is the sound of new music. Many small indie artists released music or made big announcements this month. Back again, The Cardinal Chronicle has made a list of recommendations for what you should listen to going into this next month. This is New Music Monthly.

Ella Luna

Ella Luna, a Los Angeles-based artist, released her second single, “Vintage Lingerie,” from her upcoming album “Anything To Make It Loud.” Ella Luna is an indie folk musician who makes music centered around her experience as a queer woman. In her new single, she writes about how her brother treats his girlfriends poorly, and how she wishes she would have taught him better when he was younger. A line to remember is “Maybe that’s just the male gene, so bless my female anatomy/ I know how to treat the girl I love.”

Lindsay Coulson

Lindsay Coulson is another California-based artist, making music some might compare to a young Phoebe Bridgers or Taylor Swift. At just 17 years-old, Coulson is working on her debut EP and this month she released her second single. “Sweatshirt” is a slow rock ballad about the ending of a relationship and the “major plans” Coulson had following a breakup.

Lizzy McAlpine

On Valentine’s day, Lizzy McAlpine released a music video for her song “ceilings” after it went viral on the social media app TikTok in the previous months. The song itself is the eighth track on her sophomore album, “five seconds flat,” which came out in April 2022. “ceilings” is a very picturesque song about meeting somebody new and seeing this big picture in your mind of yourself and that person, and the relationship you may have with them…but none of it is actually happening. This song, like many others in McAlpine’s discography, paints a clear picture in the listener’s mind. Over the past three years, she has amassed 8.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Her music is a blend of rock, pop, folk and even musical theater; so there is something for everyone.

Grace Gardner

Grace Gardner is an indie-pop artist from Austin, Texas. After teasing an EP for several months, she finally announced  “Peach,” which will be out March 3. Along with this announcement, Gardner released a song from the EP, “Parcel.” This song is about watching an ex fall for somebody new and the jealousy that comes along with that experience. 

Allison Ponthier

Allison Ponthier released her first single since early 2022, entitled “Character Development.” Ponthier gained followers on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since released two EPs. She also gained popularity from working and touring with Lord Huron, an indie-folk group led by songwriter Ben Schneider. Ponthier’s music is a unique combination of genres: from country to pop and even rock. She also has unique visual art accompanying all of her songs and albums. “Character Development” had a music video that included visual references to iconic films. 

Leith Ross

Leith Ross is another indie artist who became popular on TikTok, though they had been making music for several years prior. Their debut album was released in 2020, and they are currently working on a second record. “(You) On My Arm” is a single from this upcoming record, and it was released on Feb. 10. It is a sweet and lustful song, with a melody that easily gets stuck in your head. Shortly after the release, Ross announced a tour in which they will be playing 20 shows in North America, and an additional eight in Europe. 

Ella Jane

Along with making a stop in Madison, Wis. on her Marginalia Tour, pop musician Ella Jane also made a big announcement in February. On March 24, the deluxe version of her album, “Marginalia,” will be out. It includes two remixes and a completely unreleased song. “Marginalia” was Ella Jane’s debut album, after gathering listeners on social media for the previous three years.

February’s indie music releases stood up well to the first month of this year. Keep an eye out for New Music Monthly next month to see what March brings for both artists and listeners.