The latest album from R&B singer ELHAE, ‘Lotus Ave.,’ is an exercise in self-reflection. In this exclusive commentary, ELHAE talks about his creative process and breaks down the making of album tracks. On the dark, moody “Is This Love?,” he kicks off a song cycle that veers from stubbornness and resentment to self-acceptance. Along the way, he taps into some “overwhelming guilt” (on “All Bad”) and “plain delusion,” he admits with a laugh (on “She Loves Me”). After breaking out a decade ago with his ‘Aura’ EP, ELHAE collaborated with artists such as Lecrae and Ty Dolla $ign, to name a few. Hear all about his newest project in this SoundCloud exclusive.

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Breaking My Own Heart"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Touch"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "She Loves Me"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Intro"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Change My Ways"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "I Choose You"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Encore Interlude"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Not Myself"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "All Bad"

Voice Notes: ELHAE on "Is This Love?"

Rio Romeo has found a large, devoted audience for their mash up of musical theater, punk and queer folk. Their latest album, 2025’s ‘Good Grief,’ comes in the aftermath of a skateboard accident that required a long recovery. Now, in better health, Rio gives this exclusive commentary, breaking down tracks from the album. Their honesty and integrity are on full display in songs such as “I Might Be the Problem” (“You cannot outrun your problems,” they tell SoundCloud) and “Without You” (about a friend who lost his life at a young age, and “how weird and unfair it feels for the world to keep turning”). The track “Johnny Scott” is a song full of vengeance for a real-life groomer. “The older I get, the sicker it seems to me,” says Rio. “Orchard of One” is about the orange tree in Rio’s California backyard, “a parable of what it means to have relationships.” Listen now, only on SoundCloud.

Voice Notes: Rio Romeo on "Without You"

Voice Notes: Rio Romeo on "I Might Be The Problem"

Voice Notes: Rio Romeo on "Orchard Of One"

Voice Notes: Rio Romeo on "JOHNNYSCOTT"

After a string of singles, the “High School Musical”-actor-turned-musician Adrian Lyles drops his debut EP, ‘Horizons: Dawn.’ In this exclusive commentary, he talks about the inspirations behind and making of the project. On “Concrete Boy,” “the main focus was energy,” he says, “with a build up to release.” For the track “Formalize Me,” the singer-songwriter works through the feeling of “being forced into a box” and “losing creative control.” Elsewhere, he confesses how he made “King Of Everything” in only 30 minutes, but “took six years to write,” while on “Way Down,” he explores the theme of infatuation through alt-rock, pop and rap influences. Listen now, only on SoundCloud.

Voice Notes: Adrian Lyles on "King Of Everything"

Voice Notes: Adrian Lyles on "Formalize Me"

Voice Notes: Adrian Lyles on "Way Down"

Voice Notes: Adrian Lyles on "Concrete Boy"

SoundCloud Stories elevates artists’ creative journeys, spotlights vibrant music communities and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the defining sounds of today and tomorrow. Original content includes the Sound Advice interview series, exclusive track-by-track artist commentary on Voice Notes, and the Weekly Download playlist, which highlights essential scenes and groundbreaking artists.

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