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Seasonal depression hits everyone a little differently. Maybe it’s the early sunsets, the cold slowing everything down, or the familiar heaviness that creeps in when the holiday chaos fades. This month’s Mood Ring Radio leans into the cozy, cathartic, and quietly defiant songs that make surviving winter feel a little less lonely. 

Florence + The Machine — “Everybody Scream”

After Florence Welch dropped a teaser of herself screaming down what looked like a rabbit hole to hell, “Everybody Scream” arrived as a full-body exhale. I immediately thought of the women in Whitefish Bay, WI, who staged a “primal scream” at Klode Park on Nov. 9, 2024, throwing their grief toward Lake Michigan after Trump’s win. Florence permits you to unravel without guilt, a candlelit release valve for every emotion you’ve been “handling” a little too well.

MARINA — “Cuntissimo”

If the 2010s let American women reclaim the word bitch, the 2020s have become a renaissance of embracing one’s inner cunt. “Cuntissimo” delivers exactly that: glitter-laced self-confidence with MARINA’s signature wink. It feels like indie sleaze blended with orchestral drama, silk pajamas paired with immaculate boundaries, and the reminder that “your energy is precious!”

Zara Larsson — “Pretty Ugly”

A glossy pop confession about wanting to be loved as a whole person and not just the polished veneer. The irony of a music video full of gorgeous women doing a rain-soaked cheer routine is obvious. It works because that contrast is precisely the point.

Hilary Duff — “Mature”

Hilary Duff (yes, that Hilary Duff) returns after nearly a decade of radio silence with a song that is pure melodic dopamine. The lyrics are thoughtful, the production is sugary, and the chorus will embed itself in your cerebellum without warning.

Ethel Cain — “Dust Bowl”

Wistful, wandering, and cinematic. Ethel captures the quiet power of walking away with a touch of prairie-goth elegance.

Olivia Dean — “Man I Need”

Warm and soulful with grown-woman clarity. Olivia writes the anthem for wanting connection without losing yourself. It’s cozy, honest, and grounded.

HAIM — “Down to Be Wrong”

A sisterly shrug put to music. Sometimes you choose the wrong person because your heart wants the experience anyway. HAIM offers no judgment and plenty of groove.

The Beaches — “Jocelyn”

I may be late to the fan club, but I’m fully obsessed after their NPR performance. “Jocelyn” is peak indie-pop with breezy melodies and an irresistible run of oh’s. Lyrically, it hits that universal self-deprecating nerve, because who hasn’t felt like the person looking up to them is somehow way better? Seeing the best in other people is both a curse and a comfort, which makes this track incredibly relatable.

Remi Wolf — “Motorcycle”

Chaotic cuddle-core. Remi blends weirdness and warmth into a jazzy lounge vocal you can practically swim in. It feels like catching the last shard of summer sun bouncing off your bike “until the sun goes down at 5, 5 in the afternoon.”

Faye Webster — “Lego Ring” (feat. Lil Yachty)

An off-kilter romance wrapped in melancholy sweetness. Faye and fellow high-school alum Lil Yachty make an unlikely pairing, but together they’re salt-and-apple-slice magic, a combo you didn’t realize you needed.