Each Measure Feature: LESS

FEATURE

Less has been through a lot, and we love it? In her new single, “Hellya,” she bares all with an anthem of liberation and rebellion, an exciting raw start to a promising name in indie rock. The child of two leatherworkers with a smoky pop-punk voice, this Italian singer-songwriter has a few memorable quirks, but it's her original and heartfelt sound with its lilting vocals and nostalgic sound that sets her apart. 

“Hellya” is a song about getting up and out there and bracing yourself against the struggles but blasting through regardless. Not a swelling cinematic solo, not a chant of the masses, this song goes deeply personal with balanced instrumentation, subtle mixing, and heartfelt lyrics. 

The single opens and is led by that classic warbly electric guitar sound, settling into some rhythm and atmospheric sounds boosted by keys and a simple steady kit beat. The two main players are that guitar and vocals combo. Vocals stay as a deep and casual register to erupt into a few backing layers and that victorious chorus, a slight wail as she proclaims that “Hellya” motto to the world. The song stays simple and wholly encapsulating, with electric guitar and vocal distortions preserving that alt-rock core following the highs and lows of a truly mesmerizing vocal talent. The message? That amidst the mysterious confusion and damage she feels, she can still face the world head-on and accept that inevitable change will come from within. 

This song struck a nostalgic chord for me, bringing me back to the days of listening Dido, The Cranberries, and Alanis Morissette, probably on some public bus headed to my first gastronomy gig. But Less’ take is totally, utterly, completely different…and yet the sound still seemed to remind me of something, something that I still can’t put my finger on, like the face that always reminds anyone of their best friend and yet can’t be totally placed. I’ve resolved myself to conclude that that is exactly the secret power of the Less: she creates with her original sound a modern take on familiar chapter of life we can all remember. 

For Less, that chapter involves moving cities, and struggles with identity and sexuality (fill in the family drama yourself). Through that journey, music was a personal haven and playground for self-expression. Her connection to the craft has truly grown as she reflects on her songwriting evolution, stating it was first a “game” but has since transformed to the point of creating a home studio. Less might be one of the most exciting recent artists I’ve heard, sliding into SoundCloud just in autumn 2025 with the equally ear-catching single “Instead of making love (say hello).” With casual magnetic confidence, Less reflects her musical movement to that liminal chapter between adolescence and maturity, a sympathetic time that, apparently for some, results in some banging tunes. 

So does that new home studio pay off? Hell yeah.

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