BOWIE is a German electro pop artist who has just hit my radar. Her new single was written as a love letter to herself, to remind herself not to give up when faced with the seemingly insurmountable pressure and expectations of being a young female artist in the modern music industry. It’s called XO.

By Graeme Smith

XO opens gently with a delicate piano melody, soft percussion and low ambient layers of electronica. As it progresses it swells into the first verse where BOWIE’s expressive vocals come in. When the chorus hits, the energy ramps up, as does the emotional landscape. It’s a striking moment.

The track is the first single release from her forthcoming debut concept EP The Upside Down, due out next month. You can give XO a listen below.