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Sethy Books | A Melodic Journey from Shadows to Spotlight

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By the time he was 14, Seth Christoph Pilipski, best known as Sethy Books, was crafting his own songs. A self-taught musician, Sethy found inspiration not from existing songs but from a personal desire to engage with music. Amidst the peaks and valleys of life, he became a testament to music’s restorative powers and a beacon for artists seeking their own creative path.

Seth began his professional career in 1997 when he enigmatically signed with J-Bird Records, the internet’s first record label predating iTunes and streaming platforms. Co-existential with the likes of John Entwistle and Billy Squire on the label’s roster, Seth released his first album ‘Send out a Dove.’ He then dove into the live music scene, promoting and selling CDs at gigs up and down the Eastern coast and on the then-nascent internet.

In the early 2000s, Seth was primed to release his second album, “Piker,” through an independent small New Jersey-Based Label, Ultra Scene. The album’s release party was scheduled for September 11th, 2001, yet, due to the World Trade Center attacks, the event was regrettably cancelled. As the world shifted on its axis, “Piker”, packed with potential, lost its time in the limelight.

Undeterred, Seth continued his behind-the-scenes role, crafting songs under Ghostwriting contract for multiple publishers. In the world of theater, he supported Broadway’s vibrant aesthetic via a service company, BB Props, based in Little Falls, New Jersey. But as happens with many creative hearts, life took a turn, Seth found himself entangled in personal battles with drugs, alcohol, and sex addiction.

Fortunately, 2012 brought a new beginning to his journey. Seth has since reconciled with his mental health and family while using his past trials and experiences as fuel to continue writing and composing music.

Despite a history of hurdles, Seth’s love for his craft remained undeterred. Today, with the digital landscape ever-evolving, he confidently steps out from the shadows to share his own work. Reuniting his band, Superflo, and swiftly releasing two albums in 2022 — “Doodooshoe” and “Songs from the Ether” — he reintroduces himself to the world.

A harmonic fusion of folk rock that escalates into hard rock, Superflo’s music is often likened to Van Morrison, Foo Fighters, and Counting Crows having a party. The “Doodooshoe” album, on the other hand, feels more like a session between Herbie Hancock and Oscar the Grouch.

Seth also has an interesting perspective being an independent artist. He believes the listeners’ scene creates the artist. In this connected age, his dream for independent music is to revitalize local tunes into global anthems, inspiring listeners to delve into the shared human experience via his writing and messaging.

Having walked a challenging path, Seth underlines the importance of focusing on one’s purpose and allowing it to guide one through life’s highs and lows. “A life lived, is one with many hills and valleys,” he explains, using the visual analogy of music’s sine wave. His projects are a testimony to this belief.

Fans can look forward to the next Superflo release, a sequel to “Doodooshoe” in late 2023, and a self-titled rebranding under Sethy Books scheduled for 2024. These can be tracked via social media followings under @sethybooks, @thebandsuperflo, TikTok, and Facebook. You can also visit a one-stop digital front over on his linktree.

In an exciting move, Sethy is now a part of Fresh Roots Music, a publishing arm dedicated to working with New Jersey-based songwriters, producers, and singers, creating collaborative compilation albums.

When asked about his dream collaboration, Seth reveals a humorous humbleness, “The artist I would most like to collaborate with is the artist that is next.” A testament to his unwavering belief in the innate value of every musician’s artistry.

Through all triumphs and tribulations, Sethy Books embodies resiliency and relentless passion. He is not just a songwriter or performer but an artist committed to truth, dignity, and respect. His work, now released under different names Seth Pilipski, Superflo, and Sethy Books, continues to inspire many, advocating for personal truth and showing his children, and by extension his listeners, the respectful pursuit of one’s passion.

Track his journey through his website.

This article contains branded content provided by a third party. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the content creator or sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or editorial stance of Popular Hustle.

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iurisEkero Proves Pop Music Doesn’t Have to Be Loud to Be Good

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iurisEkero

There’s something refreshing about an artist who doesn’t chase volume. “I don’t make music to sound loud. I make music to sound deep,” says iurisEkero, and after diving into his catalog, you get exactly what he means.

Born in Mendoza, Argentina, iurisEkero (stylized in lowercase, like his approach to fame) grew up in a house where music wasn’t just background noise—it was the main conversation. His grandfather recorded albums as a vocalist, his father played trumpet, and young Iuris absorbed it all. But here’s what’s interesting: instead of just carrying the torch, he’s completely reimagined it.

Now splitting time between the USA and Argentina, iurisEkero creates what he calls “sonic exploration”—pop mixed with electronic textures, ethereal vocals, and these atmospheric moments that genuinely make you want to hit pause on everything else. He pulls inspiration from unexpected places: cities at night, red wine, those comfortable silences between people who know each other well, and what he describes as “the glitch of memories.”

His latest single, “This Summer Night,” dropped on August 19th and perfectly captures that specific magic. At 3:17, it’s packed with synths that stick in your head and a melody that somehow feels both nostalgic and brand new. Other tracks like “The Sun, The Wine and You” and “Midnight Drive” show his range—each one catching different emotional frequencies while keeping that distinctive warmth that comes from his bicultural perspective.

The numbers tell their own story. Nearly 3 million Spotify streams. Over a million YouTube views. But when you mention this to iurisEkero, he seems genuinely surprised. “I don’t even understand those numbers,” he admits. “I just enjoy and am grateful.”

What he hopes listeners take away is simple: that urge to play a song again, whether you’re remembering someone, dancing alone in your kitchen, or waiting for something you can’t quite name yet. Even his breakup songs somehow feel optimistic—there’s always this undercurrent of possibility in his work.

Currently working on a new album featuring various guest artists, iurisEkero seems ready for whatever comes next. The sound explorer from Mendoza has found his frequency, and people are definitely tuning in.

Find iurisEkero’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and other streaming platforms, or visit his official website and follow him on Instagram.

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Alain Mékani Confronts Success and Solitude in New Single ‘Quiet’

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Alain Mékani

What happens when you achieve everything you dreamed of before turning 23, but there’s no one around to celebrate with? That’s the question Alain Mékani wrestles with in “Quiet,” his introspective new single that dropped August 1st, 2025.

The Dubai-based artist, who grew up in Beirut speaking Arabic with his mom and French with his dad while MTV played in the background, has been carving out his own corner of the Middle Eastern pop scene since his 2023 debut “Fool.” But this latest track hits different. It’s raw, honest, and uncomfortably relatable for anyone who’s ever felt alone in a room full of people.

Written during a period of professional success while living abroad, “Quiet” runs just over three minutes but packs an emotional punch. The track opens with Mékani reflecting on his younger self’s dreams—the car, the new place, all achieved before his 23rd birthday. But here’s where it gets real: “I left it all behind just to find myself / But am I really free?”

The chorus doesn’t pull punches either. When he admits “I’ve been going through some changes and my mind is fucking racing,” you feel that restless energy. It’s not polished pop perfection; it’s someone working through their stuff in real-time. The official music video, which premiered July 31st, visually captures this internal conflict.

“Quiet” by Alain Mékani

Family threads through every verse — and you can feel it. There’s the promise to make his mother proud, the desire to share his victories, and that gut-punch line about missing the people who matter most. The bridge transforms into something between a mantra and a desperate reminder: “Be somebody if you’re nobody.” It’s less motivational poster, more survival mechanism.

Since emerging with tracks like “Awlad El Haram” and his licensed reimagining of the Lebanese classic “Tallou Hbabna” earlier this year, Mékani has built a reputation for blending French, Arabic, and English lyrics with what critics call a “melancholic awakening” sound. Regional outlets including Musivv and Buro 24/7 Middle East have taken notice of his ability to pair cross-cultural production with genuine vulnerability.

The artist, who taught himself guitar after starting on accordion at eight, turned to songwriting as therapy following his father’s death in 2015. While working a marketing day job in Dubai, he spent nights and weekends learning production, eventually creating the demos that would launch his career.

Currently working on collaborations with Rayan Bailouni and Jay Janith, Mékani is pushing further into French territory with his upcoming releases. It’s a natural evolution for someone who grew up switching between languages at home. As he puts it: “I write in three languages because some emotions need more than one passport.”

“Quiet” is now streaming across all major platforms. Connect with Alain Mékani on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Anghami, Instagram, TikTok, and at alainmekani.com.

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Siren Built Her Entire Sound in Secret and Now She’s Ready to Surface

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Siren

The first thing that hits you about Siren isn’t just her voice—it’s the sheer audacity of someone who taught themselves everything. No formal training, no music theory classes, just pure instinct driving her to create something that sounds like Rammstein got into a late-night conversation with Lana Del Rey while Massive Attack played in the background.

At 24, this LA-based artist has already written around 70 songs, most still unreleased, sitting in her vault like secrets waiting to surface. Born June 13, 2001, Siren started making music in 2019, and what’s emerged since then defies easy categorization. Her sound pulls from trip-hop pioneers like Portishead, the industrial weight of German metal, and the cinematic drama of Tchaikovsky—yes, the Swan Lake composer.

“Every ache must be turned into art,” she says about her approach to music. It’s this philosophy that drives her self-described “raw confessions where melancholy meets beauty.” Her mezzo-soprano voice shifts between whispered vulnerability and soaring intensity, creating what she calls “cold waves of sound that mesmerize like a siren’s voice in the night sea.”

Siren

The artist’s journey started unexpectedly early. One of her most vivid childhood memories involves her grandmother singing Russian folk songs on a winter swing—an experience she describes as “blue, cold, wintry, dark, nostalgic, deep, soulful, and melancholic.” By twelve, she’d discovered Rammstein, which she credits with awakening “strength, courage, resistance, and the spirit of a fighter.” The band shaped about 60% of her musical taste, while Lana Del Rey, who she calls her “musical mother,” opened up the other side of her artistic personality.

What’s striking about Siren’s work is how she balances opposing forces. She describes her music as reflecting both her anima and animus—the feminine emotional vulnerability paired with masculine instrumental drive. This duality shows up everywhere in her sound: acoustic piano meets electric guitars, string arrangements collide with rock drums, trip-hop grooves support orchestral swells.

Her latest release, “Devil 2019,” dropped on August 3, 2025, running 3:28 and showcasing her hypnotic vocal control. But it’s just a taste of what’s coming. Her debut single “Siren Heroine,” released on June 13, previews her upcoming album “Blue Blood,” which promises an oceanic, siren-themed concept drawn from songs written three to four years ago.

Siren

Beyond music, Siren works as a visual artist, filmmaker, and photographer, creating her own visual concepts exactly as she imagines them. She admits to both loving and fearing the ocean—thalassophobia mixed with an obsession for deep blue imagery. “I reflect what I fear. I am what I fear,” she explains.

When asked about dream collaborations, she mentions Hans Zimmer, Rammstein, and Lana Del Rey—though she notes that most of her musical heroes are dead. Her approach to creation remains uncompromising: “I don’t write for people—I write for myself. Music is how I let you know me.”

For those curious to dive deeper, Siren’s music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud, and her website. Follow her journey on Instagram and TikTok.

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