Listening to Nigeria-born, Chicago-based Dreamer Isioma's debut full-length album, Goodnight Dreamer, feels like diving into an immersive new world. That's likely similar to Isioma's experience of creating the project: As they described to NME, the album was like a "science experiment."

"When I began the project, I was just somebody who wanted answers," the multi-genre artist explained. "As I was researching my philosophical questions about life and what is happening here, I kind of wrote my answers."

In this episode of Press Play at Home, Isioma delivers a kaleidoscopic performance of the first track on that album, "StayUp!" Surrounded by their band, the Celestials, Isioma seems to float through the performance, bouncing to the song's pulsing groove and twinkling riffs.

According to Isioma, the genre of "StayUp!" is "psychedelic afrobeats," and pulls from a wide range of musical eras. Picking influences piece by piece, as opposed to adopting one stylistic template, allows the artist to build their own new world, and invites listeners to wholly submerge themselves in the soundscape.

Though the song is one of Goodnight Dreamer's lighter tracks, its lyrics still dig deep into plaintive honesty, describing a person triumphing over the forces — both external and internal — that wish them harm. "I want to get better/ I want to see another day/ I've been writing letters/ Doing anything to keep me sane/ I'm not safe anymore with my thoughts/ I'm at war," Isoma sings in the yearning second verse. 

"StayUp!" might be a bop, but the lyrics make it clear that it's also part of a larger spirit quest. Isioma wrote this song and many Goodnight Dreamer tracks while tripping on psychedelic mushrooms, and they explained to Bandcamp that they also took inspiration from astrophysical literature, including theories of quantum immortality. 

Press play above to watch Isioma distill those diverse themes and influences into a catchy, prismatic, dance-along performance of "StayUp!," and keep checking GRAMMY.com for new episodes of Press Play at Home. 

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Lily Kincade traces the struggles of moving on from a short but impassioned fling in her latest single, "3 Months." She recognizes how irrational her feelings might be, but that doesn't stop the pain burning in her soul.

"I don't know why I'm still hung up/ On something that never made its way around the sun," Kincade sings in the pre-chorus. "Look how much damage three months can do/ It's almost September, what happened in June?"

In this episode of Press Play, the rising singer delivers a stripped-down performance of the introspective track. Kincade performs the song from her home studio, only using a keyboard to accompany her vocals. The simplistic arrangement allows the storyline of this heartbreaking tale to take center stage: "Maybe that's why I won't let us fade/ 'Cause we never made our way through the holidays."

Reflecting on her journey while writing "3 Months," Kincade revealed that the song's purpose was to help people realize that their feelings matter. "They're worthy of feeling. It doesn't matter if there's a reason. Feelings aren't logical, and that's a beautiful thing. After all, we must feel to heal," Kincade detailed to Showbiz CheatSheet.

Press play on the video above to watch Lily Kincade's performance of "3 Months," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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During Ava Maybee's run on American Idol in 2020, judge Katy Perry told the singer she has "a cool Blondie-esque voice." This year, Maybee takes her Debbie Harry-inspired vocals to the next level with the release of her pop-rock single, "Puke."

In this episode of Press Play, Maybee chronicles her experience living with anxiety in this premiere live performance of "Puke." "It's getting dark in here/ And no one's here to flip the switch/ Am I just too f*cked up to fix?/ God, it makes me sick," Maybee sings in the track's chorus.

Maybee's songwriting is largely focused on her struggles with mental health; she believes that starting the conversation surrounding mental health normalizes self-expression and admitting that it's okay not to be okay. When she released "Puke," she shared on social media, "I hope this song makes you feel less alone. That’s the whole point of why we do this s— right?"

Outside of her musical career, Maybee is a philanthropist, serving as the Youth Ambassador at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and co-founding the UNICEF Young Ambassadors group. This June, Maybee will graduate from New York University's Clive Davis School of Music with a minor in child psychology.

Press play on the video to watch Ava Maybee's cathartic performance of "Puke," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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As a first-generation Indian-American artist, Shuba strives to uplift minority voices through her progressive music and break down toxic socio-cultural norms. In her breakthrough single, "Indian Summer," Shuba takes full authority over her autonomy and works to normalize unapologetic sexuality.

In this episode of Press Play, Shuba offers a provocative, stripped-down performance of the empowering single, also known as the "Brown Baddie Anthem" online. "Pass out when he kiss me/ Lose track of time when it's in me/ Woah, I'm supposed to be a lady/ They say I'm going crazy," raps Shuba on the track's second verse, acknowledging the chatter surrounding her sexual liberation.

Known for her combination of Bollywood sounds and pop-rap vocals, Shuba sings along to an Indian tabla drum. Her signature Indian-American fusion is also represented in her outfit, as she combines a paisley-print skirt and gold dangle earrings with a white lace-up top.

Shuba first rose to fame in 2021, posting snippets of her music on social media under the alias TikTok Brown Chick. As of 2023, Shuba has accumulated over 6 million followers across all platforms. Earlier this year, she released two more singles, "Come Here" and "Bad Date."

Press play on the video above to watch Shuba's alluring performance of "Indian Summer," and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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Budding pop singer DAMOYEE chronicles the heart-wrenching surrender to unrequited love in her latest single, "to the next one," but she knows her future won't always look bleak.

"Maybe if I move on to the next one/ Just by a little/ A little less heartbreak by the next one," she sings in the track's outro, coming to terms with the realization that the visceral heartbreak will fade once she finds true love.

In this episode of Press Play, DAMOYEE performs "to the next one" live from her home studio. She is a known multi-instrumentalist and constructs the entire production of the song herself on a piano, electric guitar, and bass guitar. Still, she allows her warm vocals to take the spotlight as she bares her soul in the track's vivid, vulnerable lyrics.

"to the next one" is the third single from her forthcoming studio album, a collection of songs about DAMOYEE's college experiences. Outside of her musical career, she is a lively TikTok content creator and an advocate for social justice and bullying prevention.

Press play on the video above to watch DAMOYEE's candid performance of "to the next one," and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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