Welcome to Mitxoda Weekly #43!

This week feels like standing at a crossroads.

On one hand, a national tragedy: Tomorrowland’s iconic main stage, a symbol of music’s grand spectacle, went up in flames just days before showtime. Whether you adore or critique its deluxe aesthetics, it remains a Belgian-born beacon of global culture. And yet, against all odds… it might still open today. That’s the power of belief.

On the other hand, beneath the surface of the mainstream spectacle, another kind of music fights for breath. The kind that doesn’t chase virality, but truth. This Weekly dives deep into that invisible world: the iceberg of indie creation, the hidden hours, the unspoken emotions, the vulnerable trust.

And personally? It’s a reflective week too, my birthday’s coming up on July 26, and like every good indie release, it’s a reminder that time passes, stories evolve, and we’re still here. Still listening. Still creating. So thank you for being part of this quiet, stubborn revolution. To mark the occasion, I’m preparing a special Salon Indie on July 25, and yes, today’s salon is still happening, no worries!

We also honor those who kept the indie flame alive for 15 years of Dutch Pure Indie Radio Show IndieXL, celebrate today’s brave new releases, and remember the day Live Aid shook the world.

So take a breath.

Lean in.

And let this week’s indie journey unfold.

And as always, you can find the full list of the latest tracks on the Weekly’s website (link below).

Enjoy the read!

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You don’t have to love the ultra-deluxe, big-budget side of festivals to admit it: Tomorrowland is a global success story. Born in Belgium, one of the world’s most beloved festival lands, it grew into a cultural export, from Boom to Brazil and beyond. And yet, just days before 400.000 fans (under 2 weekends) were set to arrive, disaster struck. On July 16, 2025, a massive fire engulfed and destroyed Tomorrowland’s iconic main stage, the breathtaking centerpiece that took a year to build. No one was hurt, but the emotional damage was immense. Years of dreams, labor, and magic burned away in hours. And still, despite the devastation, the organizers say the show might go on, with doors expected to open today. Fingers crossed.

You’ve probably seen that image: an iceberg, floating silently, with only the tip above water labeled “The Song”. What listeners hear.

But underneath? A world of chaos and devotion: doubt, late nights, criticism, creative blocks, countless takes, persistence, and faith.

It perfectly captures what most people don’t see: the emotional, technical, and existential depth that lies beneath every piece of truly independent music.

Music today is instant. Swipeable. Disposable.

We stream it, skip it, forget it. But true music, real, complex, intentional music, needs time, silence, attention. And in a world built for scrolling and dopamine, our listening habits have changed.

Songs are becoming simpler: harmonically, lyrically, structurally. Following multiple scientific studies. It’s a systemic transformation.

Streaming has created an economy of attention where songs are not meant to be heard, they're meant to hook. The first 15 seconds are everything.

And complexity? Emotion? Meaning? They rarely survive the algorithm.

For an indie artist, a song is a whisper of truth. A reflection of nights spent trying to translate a feeling that words alone can’t hold.

Creating music outside the mainstream is about awakening the senses, about chasing that fragile spark that makes us human. Every unusual chord, every unedited breath, every dissonance left untouched are an act of vulnerability. A form of trust.

But how can that be felt if listeners aren’t trained to hear it anymore?

If schools drop music education, if algorithms reward predictability, if attention spans vanish… then art loses its ability to connect.

The Philosophy of Free Music

Independent musicians live between risk and revelation.

They create with no safety net, no guarantee of being heard, no assurance of reward. And still, they do it. WE DO IT.

Why?

Because we believe. That somewhere, someone is still listening.
Really listening.

And that belief is sacred.
Because behind every song is a life.
And behind that life, a need to make meaning.

It’s not the artist who must simplify. I think the listeners must elevate their ears.

Because to truly listen is to resist the numbness.
To remember that music is not background noise, it’s a something like a mirror. A fire. A message, sometimes.

It’s love, shaped in sound.

And that love, like the iceberg… is almost always hidden beneath the surface.

Whether you're watching main stages burn or discovering quiet masterpieces beneath the surface, one truth holds: music survives.

Keep your ears open and your heart stubborn.

Join us in today’s Salon Indie, and don’t forget, a special edition is coming on July 25 to mark my birthday. Would love to see you there.

Until next time,

Stay loud, stay kind, stay indie.
With heart,
🖤 Mitxoda

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