The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: September 2026

Ellijai - ‘Outta Nowhere’

Unfolding her melodic indie rock sound, Glasgow artist Ellijai is already making an impact with her captivating songs, and her third single ‘Outta Nowhere’ really showcases Ellijai’s dazzling vocals, which effortlessly fluctuate from vulnerable to explosive. She tells us about the sentiments that influenced the song;

“Outta Nowhere’ came from that point where you’ve been hurt before and you’re almost used to protecting yourself, then someone comes into your life and completely catches you off guard. It’s about learning to trust that feeling again and realising you can actually let yourself be happy without waiting for something to go wrong. I wanted the song itself to have that same feeling, so although the lyrics come from quite a vulnerable place, it’s bright, energetic and a bit euphoric. I wrote it at home and recorded it at my home studio with my dad, who produces my songs, and I love that it feels like a really natural step into the bigger indie-pop/rock sound I’m moving towards.”

So far, Ellijai’s singles have been picking up radio support from BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio, Avondale Radio and beyond, where they’ve regularly been bestowed with ‘Track of the Day’, ‘Track of the Week’ and ‘Artist of the Month’ accolades. She was also thrilled to be shortlisted for Young Scottish Music Act of the Year 2026.

“Having people choose to support the music and keep coming back to new releases has honestly meant a lot to me. I formed my full band in March this year, which has honestly been a bit mind-blowing for me. I feel so lucky because my guitarist is my boyfriend, and my bass player and drummer are two of my best friends, so it really feels like we’re all on this exciting journey together. Rehearsing, making videos, travelling to gigs and getting to play these songs live with my best friends has completely changed things for me. The live set is sounding so exciting now, and we’ve all been buzzing from the feedback we’ve been getting after the shows.”

With the full band set into motion, over the last few months they’ve played some stellar gigs at Glasgow’s King Tut’s, SWG3 and The Garage, as well as performing on the Discovery Stage at Heartland Festival.

A fresh new single ‘Skinny Boyfriend’ dropped just last week, which was already exclusively previewed by BBC Introducing Scotland (notably on Ellijai’s 18th birthday of all days!), and there’s even more exciting plans in the calendar as the year rolls on, including support slots for Anchor Lane in September and Daytime TV in October, plus the release of brand new single, ‘Numb’ on 16 October.

There’s bound to be more live dates to be announced, so keep an eye on the socials, but otherwise you’ll find Ellijai in the studio laying down her debut album, set for release in May 2027’; “Over the next few months I’ll be focused on developing the live show, releasing more of the songs from the album and hopefully reaching more people with each step.”

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RADIOGIRL - ‘State Lines’

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Wolf Alice, Slow Pulp and Smashing Pumpkins, London based trio RADIOGIRL are channelling their massive love for ’90s indie-rock energy into their feisty music. Their debut single ‘State Lines’ very deftly balances clean, modern pop hooks alongside fuzzy, grungy riffs. The band tell us more about the meaning behind the song;

“State Lines is about the uncomfortable and disorientating feeling of being somewhere new, only to keep running into things that remind you of home and the people you love. We wanted the track to capture a restless energy. Overall it’s about trying to find comfort in the ache of it all.”

Things are off to a flying start for RADIOGIRL with ‘State Lines’ already picking up airplay in both the UK and US, and even being crowned ‘Track of the Week’ by BBC Introducing Three Counties. And the band aim to harness this early support as they head towards the release of their debut EP this November.

With a new single ready to drop in September, plus more new material in the works, RADIOGIRL’s EP launch headline gig is the ultimate opportunity to catch this thrilling new band in their ascendancy. Be sure to mark 18th November at London’s Troubadour in your diary, and keep it locked for ticket sale announcements coming very soon!

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Louie Miles - ‘With The Sun’

Already an active touring musician in the UK indie scene, performing as a keyboard player for both Bill Ryder-Jones and Rianne Downey’s live bands, Liverpool-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Louie Miles has been crafting his own reflective indie-folk music for a while now.

When it comes to his sound, he describes it as; “Honest and poetic lyricism, combined with art rock sensibilities, and a child-like approach to creativity. The art rock sensibilities come from life long exposure to the music of The Beatles, Beach Boys and Radiohead, and my lyric writing has been more recently influenced from listening to artists like Neil Young and Leonard Cohen.”

In 2024 Louie was chosen as the deserved recipient of Moseley Folk & Arts Festival’s Hello You Janice Long Bursary which saw him perform at the festival in front of thousands. Fast forward to today and Louie’s current single ‘With The Sun’ has been picking up traction with airplay from the likes of BBC Introducing in Merseyside and Radio X. He tells us about what inspired the song;

“I recorded the track a couple of years ago. Lyrically it was influenced by ideas in Buddhism that nothing is lost, isolated, ending or beginning, Everything's connected and in a constant process of taking on a new form. It’s a way of seeing things that I started to embody and brought me a lot of comfort when I was in a really difficult place. I recorded most of it in Yawn Studios, Bill Ryder-Jones place. I play keys in his band, and in doing so I feel I’ve picked up some of his musical sensibilities. Unconsciously I think I put those sensibilities into the recording of 'With The Sun' more than anything else I've recorded. Instruments like his harmonium, mellotron and nylon guitars on the song further connect this song in my mind, to his studio and music. I wanted to make something that was me being honest about how I felt, and something that was large, mystical and transcended out of that. I'm really pleased with the final song.”

With his forthcoming debut album on the horizon, Louie plans to unveil some more singles before the end of the year, and already has Album #2 in mind;

“I've been writing and demoing a lot recently, so I'm starting to make some plans towards how I can start to get album 2 recorded this Autumn. I'm just feeling really focused and driven about that at the moment. I just need to keep applying for funding and hope that something comes through. That would enable me to be able to use a studio much more, and the assistance of an engineer. For the first album, it was really hard work spending 2 years doing it mostly all by myself. I'm hoping that the next one takes no more than 2 months to record.”

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Tender Claws - ‘Twinge’

Alt-grunge artist Tender Claws, aka Belfast-born but now North West dwelling singer songwriter Tess Corr, draws inspiration from gothic aesthetics, introspective storytelling, and the darker facets of both nature and the human experience.

Her EP ‘Tear Him to Pieces’ was unveiled earlier this month, immaculately capturing the Tender Claws sound which Tess depicts as; “angular alternative rock that bounces between punchy and ethereal; encompassing elements of grunge, indie, electronic, shoegaze and goth. It’s gritty but groovy, dark but sparkly, escapist but personal.”

Her single ‘Twinge’ acts as a spicy appetiser to what the EP has to offer, and on the topic of the song and how it came to life, Tess tells us;

“The title refers to that visceral gut-punch feeling triggered by a place, a song, or a photograph that suddenly reminds you of someone you once cared about. Written in the immediate aftermath of rejection, I wanted to articulate the lingering emotions that remain after a relationship has ended. It began with the bass line, then I added synths, then built it all up from there. I wanted to write an upbeat, in-your-face song to, ironically, have some fun while processing the feelings stemming from a relationship that I had really hoped would develop into something more, ending quite abruptly. It left me quite devastated at the time. Despite things not going the way I wanted, I felt some freedom from being ‘released’ from a connection that was making me feel anxious and small in a way. When we play this one live, I don’t play guitar for a change, which gives me the freedom to move more on stage, which is a nice parallel to the message of the song.”

The past 12 months have been quite a ride for Tender Claws, with many triumphs to celebrate including performing at FOCUS Wales, playing a few gigs at Liverpool’s O2 Academy, gaining recognition from DORK magazine for the debut EP, continued support from Louder Than War, national airplay of ‘Twinge’ on Ireland’s RTE2FM, not to mention her first radio interview on BBC Introducing Merseyside last month.

With a headline show coming up to salute the EP release on the 16th September at The Kaz Stockroom in Liverpool, Tender Claws will also be supporting previous Spotlighters Venus Grrrls on 6th November at the O2 Academy Liverpool. Beyond that, she’ll be busy writing and working on some more sonic delights to unleash next.

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Idyllic - ‘Side Eye’

When Motor Museum’s producer and engineer Ben Harper describes your songs as "some of the most exciting music I have ever produced", then you must be onto a good thing!

Liverpool based band Idyllic have certainly struck gold with their jaunty single ‘Side Eye’, released on Blaggers Records, which nimbly integrates the melodic pull of Motown-inspired songwriting with a raw, wiry, gritty edge. The band tell us more about the song’s lyrics;

“‘Side Eye’ is essentially us airing our thoughts on classism. We titled the song this as it’s something we all can see in our peripheral vision however we rarely choose to focus on this topic, paying attention to other subject matters rather than ones that matter. It serves as a commentary on the ways we often turn away from social and political issues that arguably demand greater attention and urgency.”

Over the past few years, Idyllic have been forging a solid reputation for their powerful live performances, culminating in an unforgettable slot at Kendal Calling, which resulted in closing off a packed Tim Peak’s Diner. Other accomplishments include selling out headline shows in Liverpool and Manchester, performing at Sound City, plus showcases across London.

With more gigs on the agenda over the coming months, be sure to keep an eye on Idyllic’s socials for details. The band will also be going back into the studio imminently to lay down some new material, so there’ll be plenty more exciting updates incoming from the Idyllic fold.

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