Sarah Brunner adds a dash of the 90's to her latest single, "Something Else"
Sarah Brunner’s “Something Else” feels like finding an old mixtape in the glove compartment of your car, only to realize the songs somehow understand the anxieties of 2026 better than half the music currently flooding us all today. The Seattle-based songwriter taps into a warm, familiar Americana and slightly folky framework, and reshaping it into something deeply current and undeniably relatable.
Built around themes of digital burnout and emotional disconnection, “Something Else” explores the strange exhaustion that comes from existing in a world permanently plugged in. Brunner approaches the subject with empathy though as she’s made a song that acknowledges the noise of modern life without ever alienating it. Truly, this is a masterclass in songwriting!
The first thing that grabs you is the song’s undeniable 90’s spirit. Not in a way that feels forced though, but with just enough influence to give a sense of nostalgia. The immediate acoustic work forms the backbone of the track, crisp and inviting without becoming overly polished. Every strum reverberates and there’s 100% an intimacy to the song that literally makes you feel like you’re in the room with her.
Though the instrumentation really amplifies the vibe, we’d be lying if we said that Sarah’s voice wasn’t the heart and soul of this song. Her voice carries a calm confidence that can’t be faked. She sounds conversational at times, reflective at others, but always completely believable.
Nowadays, plenty of artists borrow from the 90’s aesthetically, but few manage to capture the emotional directness that made so much music from that era resonate in the first place. It’s always rehashing a top pop hit of the time, but for us and growing up in that era, it’s the slow burner tracks like this that pop the most.
As a queer artist bringing her perspective into Americana and folk spaces where those voices are often underrepresented, Brunner also adds an important layer of individuality to the genre. She simply exists fully inside the music, letting authenticity carry it all instead of relying on grand statements. This appears to be her first single in quite some time, but believe us when we say this has us incredibly excited for whatever else is on the way.
At just over three minutes long, the song really immerses quick and refuses to let you go until those final notes ring. The beauty is endless, her vocals are ethereal, and the atmosphere is right on. We love it and we know you will too, so please, click those links below to listen in, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for the latest. You should also know, there’s an EP on the way!
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