NYC Scene Report – Eleanor Kelly, Anya Marina, & Sarah Bernstein

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Eleanor Kelly with “One Last Goodbye,” Anya Marina making us feel “Beautiful & Stoned,” and Sarah Bernstein working towards what she was “Born to Be.”

* Eleanor Kelly closed out 2024 with one last goodbye, “One Last Goodbye” being the final track from her Another Red Scar EP.

With strong Violator era Depeche Mode vibes – both musically, and lyrically – the song is a heck of an invitation to anyone who hasn’t already jumped on the Eleanor Kelly bandwagon.

I’m not sure what she has in the works for 2025, but I’m keeping an eye out for any shows, because hearing songs like “One Last Goodbye” live has to be incredible.

Click play on the song, and hear why I’d love everyone to say hello to Eleanor Kelly, and “One Last Goodbye.”

* Anya Marina’s latest album, Asteroid, landed in our playlists this past fall, and she recently released a video for the standout song “Beautiful & Stoned.”

A wonderfully jazzy gem she wrote about the city of Los Angeles, but with the video having been shot in her home of NYC, “Beautiful & Stoned” has a bit of a Norah Jones feel to it, and if you know me, you know that’s something I absolutely love.

Anya is about to take “Beautiful & Stoned,” and the rest of Asteroid, out on the road for a co-headlining tour with her husband, Matt Pond PA. The ten-date run begins January 29th, and concludes February 8th.

While you anticipate her coming to a city near you, dance along in the streets with her by clicking play on the gorgeous “Beautiful & Stoned.”

* Closing things out this week is a fantastic pop ballad from Sarah Bernstein.

Titled “Born to Be,” the song deals with the hurdles, and heartaches of attempting to live one’s dreams. For Sarah, those dreams include going from the part-time pop star she describes herself as in her social media bios, to the full-time artist she became this past year.

Discussing “Born to Be” on her Instagram, Sarah wrote, “It’s been on my ‘unofficial list of songs I never plan to record’ for some time because it made me sad to write (and you know how I feel about sharing sad songs!!), but the harmony between this timing, and the subject matter just couldn’t be more perfect. So, if the occasional existential ballad also happens to be your thing, I hope it helps you come to terms with wherever you stand in the arc of your own story.”

Click play on “Born to Be,” and get inspired to keep pushing forward.

For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.