Music Without Borders Vol.1
featuring: Rosalía, Annalisa and a journey through global music
Hope you’ll enjoy this one - feel free to share your thoughts below and your personal favorite international artists!
I’m happy to welcome you to Music Without Borders - a new monthly feature where we travel around the world and discover artists from dozens of international scenes. I’m soooo excited to finally start this, I’m literally jumping through the roof. For years I’ve been listening to artists from all around the world and I’ve been wanting to share them so bad. This format feels like the perfect opportunity to explore the world through music together with you.
Each month, I’ll dive into different scenes - digging out new artists, major releases and the ones under the radar, stories and cool events from across the globe.
Whenever I listen to international music, one thing becomes clear pretty fast: every nation has its unique scene, artists, rules and sound - and all of them deserve to be seen and heard. Unfortunately most of us dont have the time to really explore them, so I wanted to introduce a series that keeps you updated with what’s happening in music scenes around the world - so you can save time while discovering something new.
I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time and spent a lot of time and effort bringing it to life. I really hope you’ll enjoy it and if you do, I’d truly appreciate your support. It takes a lot of time to research, design and write this, so every bit of encouragement - whether it’s a comment, share, like or subscription - helps me keep it going.
Thank you for being part of this journey and supporting me!
Rosalía - LUX
With who to start, if not Rosalía?
Her new album LUX is not just a masterpiece - it perfectly captures what this format stands for. Thirteen languages, fifteen tracks, three years in the making. LUX is multicultural music at its finest - music without borders, in every sense of the word.
It was never a secret that Rosalía was capable of reaching incredible heights with her music. She has always been curious and unafraid to experiment with different sounds. But LUX is not just an experiment - it’s a declaration that music can connect even the most distant places as one. It’s Rosalía, and yet it’s all of us - through the languages she touched, the vision she created and the deeply emotional cinema she built.
The last thing I expected was to hear my language on this album - but it’s a little moment of genuine joy hearing it. I think everyone whose language is featured here might know what I mean. Whether its Ukrainian, German or Sicilian - those languages usually play no big role in the music scene. It’s not like Spanish or English which are everywhere, it’s something special.
This album also leaves behind much of the sounds of Motomami and dives deeper into something orchestral, classical and more complex in many ways. The whole album feels carefully crafted into a sort of modern opera. Rosalía delivers her best on LUX to create art without borders, blending thirteen languages and multiple new sounds into one unified vision. An album like this, especially toward the end of the year, was unexpected for me but more than welcomed. This album doesn’t feel like another release: it feels like a moment.
It’s vulnerable yet powerful - rich in spiritual and feminist symbolism, yet still centered around Rosalía. She mentioned herself that she wanted to channel feminine strength through something sacred and she does it with immense passion. Rosalía has already been one of the worlds biggest artists but LUX is a triumph that could place her among those who actively shape the music of the next decades. She is bold, creative and ready to explore things others don’t even consider.
One thing is certain: Rosalía is only beginning to unleash her full vision on us… and I am so ready for it!
Annalisa: Italy’s Pop Queen
We travel to Italy to meet one of the countries most successful artists: Annalisa.
Annalisa is a 40-year-old singer-songwriter from Carcare, Savona in Italy. With a career spanning more than a decade of successful hits, she has rightfully earned her title as Italy’s Pop Queen.
Born Annalisa Scarrone, she began making music at a young age - playing guitar at six years old and later the flute as a teenager. Her journey started in two bands before she decided to take full action as a solo artist. That decision came in 2010 when she joined the Italian talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi, one of the country’s biggest and most influential talent competitions. Reflecting on that time, she once said that she might have “waited too long” before focusing on her music career.
Her debut album Nali was released on March 4, 2011, peaking at No. 2 on the official Italian album charts. Just two years later, she took part in the Sanremo Music Festival. It’s one of Italy’s most prestigious and historic music competitions, where many of the nation’s greatest artists first found success. A good result here makes you an instant star in Italy. Competing with her song Scintille, she reached ninth place in 2013, gaining her massive amounts of attention.
The Italian music scene is full of diverse styles, genre and fierce competition. Within it, Annalisa stands out cause she is capable of blending all these sounds into her own music. She’s not just delivering hits - she is constantly experimenting with different sounds, aesthetics and vocal styles.
Annalisa would continue to release two more Top 10 albums in the following years, but it was 2023 that marked a real turning point. Her single Mon Amour became a massive success, reaching No. 1 - her first chart-topping single. Since then, there’s been little to stop her from dominating the Italian charts. Hits like Bellissima, Storie Brevi and the recent Maschio have solidified her position as the undisputed Pop Queen of Italy. Her 2024 Sanremo entry Sinceramente wasn’t just another hit - it exploded, amassing over 100 million streams on Spotify, three times Italy’s population.
Annalisa has never limited herself to one sound in her music. It’s no surprise, considering her influences include the likes of Joni Mitchell, Muse, Radiohead, Madonna and Björk. Her sound consists of elements from pop, rock and R&B - ranging from (unbelievably) catchy dance-pop bangers to vulnerable ballads. Throughout it all, her voice remains her greatest strength. She knows exactly how to convey emotion and uses her vocal range to make her lyrics resonate deeply. Beyond music, Annalisa has used her platform to support important causes including social justice, climate change and various humanitarian initiatives. Despite her fame, she keeps her private life away from the spotlight. She lets her art speak first, something many fans appreciate deeply.
Over the years, Annalisa has crafted a discography filled with catchy hits, emotional ballads and songs that challenge complex lyrical themes. She has become one of Italy’s biggest artists and an inspiration for a new generation of Italian musicians.
Now, its time for Annalisa to win something bigger than the next award - your ears and your heart.
Where to start?
Here are a few songs to get to know Annalisa:
Sinceramente - incredibly catchy dance-banger about self-destruction and longing for emotional connection
Bellissima - electro-pop ballad with melancholic look on instability and neglect in a relationship
Mon Amour - high-energy club hit about jelaousy and frustration in a love triangle
STORIE BREVI - pop-ballad about how some connections are meant to be short-lived
Enjoying our journey so far?
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Linecheck 2025: A Reflection on Music of the present and future
We stay in Italy for the next section, Inside the Scene, where I take a closer look on international events or festivals who deserve more attention.
This November, Milan once again becomes a place for artists, industry professionals and music lovers from across the world to meet up. Linecheck is more than a festival - its an open and inclusive platform where everyone can participate. A place for artists, industry professionals and listeners to exchange ideas about the latest music trends, discover new music and gain new perspectives on the music scene.
Before the research for Music Without Borders, I have never heard about this festival but honestly, it sounds pretty cool. This year marks its eleventh edition and will revolve around two main parts: the Music Meeting, a professional conference packed with discussions, workshops and networking sessions exploring challenges and opportunities in the modern music industry. And the Music Festival, where a series of artists will perform, most of them still largely unknown - making it a great opportunity for them to showcase themselves in front of wider audience.
As part of the broader Milano Music Week, Linecheck will feature live music, DJ sets and performances in venues across Milan and for the first time also in Bologna. As part of their efforts, the festival commits to actively promoting gender equality and shaping the industry towards inclusivity and innovation.
This year’s theme is “A Beautiful Presence”, reflecting on music’s role as an emotional connector between people and cultures. That idea is also actively represented by the performing artists: Spanish artist Rita Payés combines jazz, bolero and bossa nova into an elegant sound, the Catalan duo Tarta Relena reimagine Mediterranean vocal tradition through modern minimalism and Greek composer Sissi Rada blends harp, voice and electronic into futuristic soundscapes. Linecheck seeks to connect people within and outside the scene - across borders and language and to actively shape the industry for more equality.
Honestly, it sounds quite amazing and like something I want to see in real life as well. What do you think? Should I visit the festival next year and report on what’s going on?
On Stage: The World in Concerts
Every month I’ll keep you updated about new festivals, events and handpicked tours from artists around the world. This time, we travel far from Sweden to India!
Until tomorrow, you still have the chance to visit Pitchfork Festival Paris, where experimental, indie and alternative scenes meet up. Prominent artists on location include Blood Orange, A. G. Cook, Jane Remover, Saya Gray and more. You can check the lineup here.
Later this month, Uganda’s Nyege Nyege Festival will put spotlight on Africa’s growing and diverse alternative and electronic music scene. Over 100 artists from across the continent will perform on six immersive stages. For its tenth anniversary, the festival has announced Skrillex as prominent headliner. For hip-hop fans around the world, Rolling Loud India marks a milestone: the festivals debut in South Asia and a huge platform for the regions rising rap scene. The lineup includes homegrown artists as well as international acts like Wiz Khalifa, Don Toliver and Central Cee.
While the Latin Grammy Awards 2025 celebrate the best of Latin music (more on that in the next section), Milan’s Linecheck Festival offers space for artists, professionals and fans to reflect on the future of music.
Aside from that, many artists are currently on tour or about to begin one and maybe you’ll want to visit some of their concerts. Swedish pop star Zara Larsson is touring worldwide in celebration of her latest album Midnight Sun. Expect a a few live debuts and her hits like Lush Life (my personal favorite!!). Who knows, maybe she brings out Tate McRae as guest after they toured together last time.
If youre in Germany or about to visit, how about that:
Here, the country’s biggest female pop star Ayliva is touring nationwide, moving people with her incredible vocals and emotional lyrics. And in case Annalisa convinced you with her music earlier, why not show up at one of her concerts? Her Capitolo I tour begins next week. Across Asia, aespa are selling out arenas, while GIMS is entering the final leg of his hugely successful tour through France.
If you happen to visit one of these concerts and want to share your experience - feel free to DM me your pictures! I’ll include some in the next edition. You can also send photos from other concerts around the world - the more international, the better!
The 26th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
Latin music’s biggest night is about to be back. On November 13, the 26th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards return live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Above you can see this year’s top nominees - including Bad Bunny and Edgar Barrera dominating and newcomers like CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso close behind. This years ceremony will be hosted by multiple-winning and nominated artist Maluma, alongside Roselyn Sánchez, who returns for her eighth time as host.
The performances are stacked - like, really:
Bad Bunny, KAROL G, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, Rauw Alejandro, Jesús Ortiz Paz (Fuerza Regida), Marco Antonio Solís, Grupo Frontera and many more will perform. Additional performances including Aitana, Ivan Cornejo, Gloria Estefan, Carín León, Liniker, Los Tigres del Norte and the 2025 Person of the Year, Raphael.
No surprise, Bad Bunny leads this year with twelve nominations, including Record, Album and Song of the Year. Honestly, no surprise after what a great album Debí tirar más fotos was. I also want to highlight CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, who I’m especially happy for - their fantastic album PAPOTA deserves a listen if you haven’t yet.
The show will run around three hours featuring incredible performances, celebrations and a joyful night of Latin music. As joyful as the GRAMMYs can be… (Sorry, I had to hit at least one time against the GRAMMYs)
My Little Music Corner
Welcome to my little music corner, where I share some of the international songs I’ve fallen in love with this month. Maybe you’ll find a few new favorites too.
Annalisa - Dipende (Italy / Electropop)
ELIF - NEIN (Germany / Deep Pop)
GIMS - SENTIMENTAL (France / French Urban Pop)
Dafina Zeqiri - Ku shkove naten (Kosovo / Albanian Pop)
Ayra Starr, Rema - Who’s Dat Girl (Nigeria / Afro Pop)
NMIXX - Blue Valentine (Korea / K-Pop)
Television Off - จะให้ไปรักใครได้อีก (Thailand / Pop Rock)
Maria Becerra x XROSS - JOJO (Argentina / Latin Pop)
Arcangel, Maria Becerra - 5 Pa Las 12 (Puerto Rico / Trap Latino)
DADDY YANKEE x BZRP - Music Sessions (Puerto Rico / Reggaeton)
Which song was your favorite? Do you have an international release to recommend? Comment Below!
Did You Know?
Remember how Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill had a second revival after being featured in Stranger Things?
A similar story happened to a whole genre: City Pop. The Japanese genre had its golden era in the 80s pushed by the country’s economic boom. Mixing Japanese themes with polished Western pop structures, it became the perfect soundtrack for a time of great wealth and westernization. But by the early 90s, it had lost most of its popularity as Japan’s economic situation changed. New genres like J-Pop and rock took over. Almost forgotten, City Pop was rediscovered in the early 2010s when its songs started appearing in hundreds of YouTube videos. Loved for its nostalgic sound, the genre came alive again, with songs like Plastic Love or I’m in Love becoming sudden hits.
Today, City Pop is everywhere again: in ads, samples and being sampled in new songs (ex. The Weeknd - Out Of Time). Some music might disappear for a while, but it’s never truly dead.
Need something to listen to until the next episode of Music Without Borders?
Award-winning producer Tainy’s DATA is a futuristic mix of reggaeton, pop and electronics. It pushes boundaries and redefines what modern Latin music can sound like.
And for those who prefer being all over the world…
Here could be your favorite international artist or song next time.
Comment them below - the best ones will be featured in the next edition, including a shoutout!
WOW - that’s it, the first edition of Music Without Borders!
If you’re still reading, all love to you - I cant express how much I appreciate it. Honestly, putting this together took a lot of time and love, but seeing it finished in front of me makes me genuinely so happy and proud. Music is truly wonderful, something that can connect us around the world. I hope I could help you find new artists, learn something interesting and enjoy our trip through the world.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for making it possible for me to post something like this. I’ll be back next month with a plane ticket in hand and my other hand reaching out to take you on another trip through music worldwide. Till then, please share your thoughts, feedback and favorite songs and artists from around the world in the comments and maybe they will be featured in the next edition!
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Love this series already!
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