Avery Cochrane is the Alt-Pop Powerhouse 2026 Needs

If you spent any time on TikTok last year, you likely had the infectious hook of “Shapeshifting on a Saturday Night” living rent-free in your head. With over 15 million views and a coveted spot on Spotify’s ‘Best of Fresh Finds Pop 2025’, Seattle-based riser Avery Cochrane didn’t just enter the room—she kicked the door down. Now, as we move into 2026, Cochrane is proving she’s far more than a viral moment. Signing with S-Curve Records, she has returned with “Griever,” an upbeat yet emotionally jagged alt-pop banger that serves as the perfect post-breakup (or post-confrontation) catharsis.

The Anatomy of “Retroactive Rage

“We’ve all been there: that moment, days after an awkward encounter with an ex or a “frenemy,” where the perfect, cutting comeback finally hits you. Cochrane has bottled that specific frustration into three minutes of cinematic pop. “The lyrics of ‘Griever’ capture the retroactive rage and sorrow you feel after an unexpected encounter with someone from your past who has wronged you,” Cochrane shares. “It’s everything you may have wanted to say in the moment but couldn’t find the words to until days later.” The track manages a difficult balancing act—it’s sonically bright enough for a highway drive with the windows down, but lyrically heavy enough to satisfy those of us who still harbor a little bit of spite. The accompanying music video doubles down on this aesthetic, blending Cochrane’s signature Seattle “cool” with a raw, magnetic energy that explains why she’s becoming a mainstay on festival lineups.

Cochrane’s rise has been a steady build of high-profile “if you know, you know” moments. After a breakout performance at Bumbershoot—sharing stages with heavyweights like Weezer, Janelle Monáe, and Sylvan Esso—and a stint opening for AJR, the industry is finally catching up to the fans.Her momentum isn’t just limited to the stage. Her track record for “earworm” songwriting has already caught the eye of Hollywood; Amazon’s new Book-Tok inspired series Off Campus licensed her music for their high-profile spring launch.

Why 2026 belongs to Avery? Her new single “Griever” (Out Now via S-Curve Records) has been chosen to be Sync Featured in Amazon’s Off Campus series! Next, Live Circuit Confirmed Avery for SXSW in March 2026 which will coincide with the release of her new EP scheduled for March 2026 also. Between the “irresistibly catchy” (as LadyGunn put it) vibes of her previous work and the emotional depth of “Griever,” Avery Cochrane is carving out a unique space in the queer pop landscape. She doesn’t just write songs; she writes “cinematic anthems for the overthinker.”With a brand-new EP arriving in March and a showcase at SXSW on the horizon, Cochrane is no longer Seattle’s best-kept secret—she’s the next breakout LGBTQ+ star. If “Griever” is any indication, we should all be ready to feel a lot more of that “retroactive rage” on the dance floor this spring.

Follow Avery:

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