Another Good Friday (International Women's Day Special)

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru​​ 'Ave Maria'

We were excited to learn that Mississippi Records will reissue Church of Kidane Mehret, the 1972 private press album of Ethiopian pianist and composer Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru. Recorded in various churches in Jerusalem, the album features not only Emahoy's piano playing but also her talents on the harmonium and pipe organ. The reissue, part of an ongoing campaign from Mississippi Records to bring Emahoy's music to a wider audience, will also include two previously unreleased compositions. The lead single, 'Ave Maria', is out today and features Emahoy's emotional, reverberant piano playing sounding as heavenly as ever. RUSS SLATER JOHNSON

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VARO 'Green Grows the Laurel (feat John Francis Flynn)'

Dublin’s VARO (AKA Lucie Azconago and Consuela Nerea Breschi) have been working on their upcoming album for five years, alongside producer John ‘Spud’ Murphy, so there’s some build-up attached to the release later in 2025. This second single does not disappoint. Collaborator John Francis Flynn opens the track with the eerie, airy double-tones of his two tin whistles taped together, a sound fitting the trad song of unrequited love it carries. All three musicians take turns to sing the verses, while Francis Flynn’s deep voice meets VARO’s higher pitches in a chorus that you’ll simply sink into. Despair recounted so that it both distresses and warms its listeners – this is what it is to share loneliness. EMMA RYCROFT

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Nathy Peluso 'Erotika'

Inspired by the salsa romántica scene in New York in the 1990s, with her new track ‘Erotika’, Nathy Peluso again shows that no genre is off limits to this incredible Latin artist. Citing that salsa transports her back to Argentina, you can definitely hear she’s at home within the genre, inputting all the typical rhythm and desire with fluidity and flair. Accompanied by a steamy video which shows off Peluso’s considerable dance skills, this track is an addictive celebration of feminine sensuality. ERIN COBBY

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Natalia Lafourcade 'Cancionera'

The Mexican singer-songwriter has returned with a new alter-ego, La Cancionera, a character she sees as a wandering spirit, a singer that is both intimate and universal. This intimacy is evident on her latest single, co-written with Adan Jodorowsky, who she worked with on her De Todas Las Flores album. Explaining the track, Lafourcade says: "The song came to me one morning before my 40th birthday, speaking to me about the importance of being, of existing in this world and in my own world, walking my truth – without fear, without repressing anything. Expressing feelings through free singing, free dancing, or whatever I have at hand, like a red bird, like a hummingbird unafraid to live, unafraid to show who I truly am." Lafourcade has announced an extensive  Cancionera Tour which starts in Mexico in April before heading to the US - more details at natalialafourcade.com.mx. RUSS SLATER JOHNSON

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Mali Hâf 'H.W.F.M'

With her new single 'H.W.F.M', Welsh songstress Mali Hâf further refines her lush blend of Celtic R&B. Hâf’s music invites listeners on a trip that invokes an ancient futurism, as she delivers mystical Welsh vocalisations over a modern, electronic palette. 'H.W.F.M', a feminist reimagining of the Welsh anthem 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau', shifts the tune’s perspective to celebrate and honour women's contributions, reframing Wales as the 'Old Land of My Mothers.' The song playfully honours the original anthem while expressing a longing for Wales (and all lands) to be safe, equal spaces for women. It challenges listeners to move beyond gender roles and embrace empathy and compassion as core national values. Hâf’s passion for her culture and native tongue combine with her innovative compositional sensibility to create cutting-edge pop with a clear role in the evolving narrative of Welsh songwriting. NIKOLAS-KAAN YILMAZ

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Queralt Lahoz 'YNEPN'

Spanish singer-songwriter Queralt Lahoz, known for mixing flamenco and hip-hop, doesn’t disappoint with her latest release, ‘YNEPN’. It is a dark and confronting track; complex guitar lines are picked out among combative percussion, with Lahoz’s distorted voice speaking the chorus, giving the impression that multiple women are featured on the track. In its final third, the song takes an unexpected turn, with a harp-like melody contrasting with harsh-sounding vocals that imbue the song with Lahoz’s trademark fire. ERIN COBBY