Cailin Russo Releases Dark Pop EP SCARE via 10k Projects

Los Angeles-based artist and Grammy-nominated songwriter Cailin Russo has shared 'Stone Lip Kiss,' produced by Billy Lemos (SZA, Bon Iver, Tinashe, Lexa Gates), the final track off of the EP SCARE, out now via 10k Projects. She celebrated the release at Jean's in SoHo, an informal sendoff to NYFW and a birthday for a new era for Cailin.

Cailin continues to experiment with genre, swinging to this darker basement corner of things from previous ventures into upbeat indie rock (see her viral hit 'Bad Things,' the single took off last year when it prominently featured on Heated Rivalry's closing scene; it's since taken up residence in Spotify's Viral 50 Chart), the entrancing trip-hop pulse reminiscent of Portishead of 'I Can't Help You Now' and the American Cowboy/John Denver-inspired 'Take Me Home' from her previous EP, DON'T. Across all aspects of Cailin's sound, her distinct energy and ability to connect with her longtime fans remains.

On SCARE: 'Stone Lip Kiss' is an atmospheric, emotional pop song fit for the closing credits of yet another cross-continental love story. 'Gnarly,' produced with Vadakin (Grimes, Cobrah, fakemink), is a lightly sun-dappled, low-light, falsetto-laden slow jam, while 'X On My Chest' boasts a grimy, 'Daddy AF' / early Slayyyter-esque energy.

With the influx of millions of new listeners (290% increase in total streams on Spotify, 380% increase on Apple, 1400% increase in Shazams, and millions of views on socials) appearances atop various charts (Spotify Viral 50, Billboard Emerging Artists, Shazam Most Viral), a Grindr collab, and the attendant viral TikTok explanation, the surprise success of 'Bad Things' has served as a table-setter for a year of artistic reinvention.

This overdue notoriety is just the latest twist in an artistic career that has continually defied convention. Cailin's own distinct projects — including her debut House with a Pool and the restlessly inventive INFLUX — have allowed her to take her combination of pop futurism and punk poise to top festivals (Lollapalooza, Reading & Leeds) and on tour with Shygirl and Madison Beer. She's recently been featured in Vogue, Wonderland, and more for her hand in the fashion side of things.

Her one-offs have had fascinating ripple effects: In 2025, her song 'Triple It' became a TikTok sensation, with the likes of Julia Fox, Ellie Goulding, ADELA, and Suki Waterhouse all posting videos of themselves singing along. In 2021, she grabbed a Grammy nomination as a co-writer on Kanye West and The Weeknd's 'Hurricane.' She'll also play a few select dates supporting JMSN in the US this month.

Cailin was already on the radar of pop luminaries like Rosalía, Slayyyter, and Addison Rae, but since the explosion of interest around 'Bad Things,' she has leveled up her game as an artist whose marriage of pop sensibility, imperious attitude, and genre-fluid sonics is ready for the moment.

Cailin Russo Live – Supporting JMSN

9/22 – The Whirling Tiger – Louisville, KY

9/23 – Off Broadway – St. Louis, MO

9/24 – The Vanguard – Tulsa, OK

Photo Credit: Harris Weiskopf