Stephanie Lamond shares the female artists who dominated her year, to inspire your 2025 playlist-building.

Hi all, Steph here! Out of a great musical year, the music I discovered from these artists never seemed to leave my rotation.

FLETCHER, Griff, Angie McMahon, The Heavy Heavy, and Trousdale stole my “on repeat” heart this year with these tracks – read and listen on for some 2025 playlist-building inspiration. 

1. FLETCHER’s “Healing”

The clear top of my playlist. This one never gets old. Listen for the little incredibly satisfying production choices throughout, especially at the start of the second chorus. It sounds like inner peace, or loving acceptance incarnate, just a transcendent song, which is what I apparently was chasing all last year – can you tell I’m studying counseling? Shoutout to my dear friend Dana, aka DJ LA.CO.NY, for turning me onto FLETCHER and to Griff, below.

2. Griff’s “Into the Walls”

Griff’s “Into the Walls” is my clear second, only because I only started heavy rotation with this one after November – she may have given “Healing” a run for its money. Another one that never gets old, and is slightly a travesty to have not made it into the Shrinking Season 2 soundtrack (which is already incredible, but still…). This one has some of the most dynamic energy flow of any song I’ve heard lately – the way they move you through contemplative verse, to driving chorus, to dropping out, then back in, is just such deeply satisfying production. I dare you to not dance around like you’re in a movie with every “Yesterday I felt like dancing, tomorrow maybe I’ll cry…” 

3. Angie McMahon’s “Making it Through”

I discovered Angie McMahon by covering this album’s release on the WIMN, and I have not gone back since, and remain doubly deeply grateful she wrote “Making It Through”, and angry that I did not. Lyrically, this is some of the most powerful songwriting I have heard in modern music, backed up by arrangements that do them absolute justice. It has healed some deep, deep parts of my soul- I confidently and seriously posit that this song is holy, in the most universal, human way possible.

Here’s the bridge here, to kick off your year like a sweet, sweet sunrise.

Time is supposed to run out, time is supposed to,
Sun is supposed to go down, sun is supposed to,
Like your mood, like your power, like your battery,
Rise, fall, rise, life, death, life again,
Sky, ground, sky, day, night, day again,
Rise, fall, rise, life, death, life again,
Sky, ground, sky, light, dark, light again.

4. The Heavy Heavy’s “Happiness”

I gotta bring it back up after getting so existential there! Another discovery courtesy of our blog; The Heavy Heavy have an infectious, retro, tight, joyful sound that carries over onto every song on their debut album. Put it on start to finish, roll the windows down, and go for a drive; this one is for your dreaming to call in whatever you’re hoping 2025 will bring you.

5. Trousdale’s “Always, Joni”

Sweet Trousdale was such a glorious surprise of my year. My dear pal Natalie Morrison bought me tickets to see Glen Hansard at the Wiltern (my Irish king), and this darling group opened for him, Natalie’s own motive for wanting to see the show. Their musicianship, delicate melding voices, and earnest stage presence stole my heart, as did this song, which I sang very loudly in the car all the way back to San Diego the next morning, and apparently did not stop listening to, hence its spot in my top songs of 2024.

Well, there you have it – from the depths of existential healing, to retro, nostalgic fun, these artists well deserve a spot on your discovery playlist leading into 2025.

Drop me a line if you fall in love with them as well. Thanks for reading, all, and Happy New Year! I’ll see you on the WIMN blog as I keep chasing great new music like these all year!

Discover Steph’s Finds of 2024
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