philine Releases Thought-Provoking New Single “the devil’s advocate”

Emerging artist philine is back with a powerful new single, „the devil’s advocate”, a deeply introspective track that explores the nuances of polarization, empathy, and self-doubt in a world that often demands taking sides.

Driven by her own experiences, philine candidly expresses the emotional toll of standing in the middle of opposing viewpoints. “For the last couple of years, I’ve struggled with the feeling I get when I notice all the polarization around me. I’ve noticed that a lot of strong-minded people around me have a hard time really listening to those that have an opposite view on any matter,” she shares. “I often find myself somewhere in the middle, playing the devil’s advocate and trying to make everybody see the other side. The downside to that is that it makes me feel a little lost sometimes. I find it hard to confide in any convictions because I’m too aware that there’s always more sides to every story.”

With „the devil’s advocate”, philine translates these feelings into a raw and heartfelt song, blending compelling lyricism with evocative melodies. The track serves as both a personal reflection and an invitation for listeners to step outside of their own perspectives. “I find it easier to empathize with everybody than having to pick a side and have a strong opinion, which makes me question my own beliefs all the time,” she explains. “I still hope that with this song, I can inspire people to see behind their triggers and beliefs and be able to keep having conversations, especially with the ones that don’t agree with you. Not to convince them, but to find the thing where you do connect.”

Through „the devil’s advocate”, philine encourages a much-needed dialogue in today’s climate—one that prioritizes understanding over division. 

More about philine

When philine writes a song, she invites everyone to spend a little time inside her head. Her tender voice, delicate tunes, and vivid lyrics grab your attention right away, but it’s her wild imagination that really hooks you and, ultimately, inspires. It’s as if she’s turning her feelings into real-life magic, letting her thoughts dance around in catchy melodies and shimmering chords. After quietly buzzing out of The Netherlands, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist opens up her world on her upcoming EP, the side-effects of living in a fantasy, set to release later this year.

Early on, she recognized the power of music. Her mother, who taught music to kindergarten-age kids, was constantly singing and playing guitar around the house. Transfixed, philine began penning her own songs in Dutch, eventually shifting to English by the time she was 11. After participating in a professional songwriting competition as a teen, she recognized her path forward. “That’s when I decided I wanted to be a professional songwriter and musician,” she notes. She attended a conservatory in Rotterdam, logging countless hours in the studio with friends. She further built momentum with her debut so sick of myself EP in 2023, generating streams in the millions, while her collaboration with Melle on “Old Summers” reeled in over 1.2 million Spotify streams. Throughout 2023, she absorbed inspiration from the world around her, pouring her observations and feelings into her songwriting.

The first singles from her upcoming EP have already surpassed 1 million total streams, garnering international support on tastemaker playlists like Spotify’s Juniper, Women of Indie, Today’s Singer-Songwriters, and Herbst Chillout. Her track “green” hit #1 on Apple’s Global Breaking Singer-Songwriters chart and #1 on Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Folk. This year, she supported artists such as Lizzy McAlpine, MEAU, Provinz, Froukje, Son Mieux, and Krezip in venues across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, including 3,000-capacity spaces. A recent duet with BANNERS in Amsterdam showcased their song “Perfectly Broken,” while she also collaborated with Garrett Kato on the intimate track “Babe, I’m All Yours.”

With songs mixed by Matt Wiggins (Adele, Florence + The Machine, Lorde), produced by Loek van der Grinten (Duncan Laurence, Matt Simons, Dotan), and mastered by Robin Schmidt (The 1975, LANY, Sam Fender, Mumford & Sons), her music is crafted with top-tier expertise. Recently, her songs have received airplay on major Dutch radio stations including Radio 2, Radio Veronica, and 3FM, firmly positioning her as a rising star in the indie music scene.