Glasgow has always been home to some of the most distinctive and heartfelt sounds in the UK music scene
From the raw indie magic of The Vaselines to the wistful storytelling of Belle and Sebastian, the city’s ability to craft music that feels both intimate and expansive remains unmatched.
We will always have a soft spot for these pioneers, and Janey July’s latest single, ‘How to Learn to Live’ carries all the hallmarks of their influence—timeless, soulful, and brimming with vulnerability.
Janey July, a Glasgow-based singer-songwriter, is no stranger to the power of self-reflection. Having honed her craft from a young age, her love for music flows as naturally as her own personal evolution.
‘How to Learn to Live’ is a track that whispers rather than shouts, but the gentleness of its approach is precisely what makes it so captivating.
A simple, soft guitar opens the song—a delicate invitation into the inner world she has created. The track doesn’t demand more than this quiet introduction; it doesn’t need to.
As the song progresses, its layers gently unfold, with harmonies adding depth and a soft progression of instruments giving the track a floating, almost ethereal quality.
Picture it like drifting down a river, sunlight dappling through the trees above—serene, peaceful, yet full of quiet movement.
The lyrics themselves carry an air of self-discovery, an exploration of the unknown that resonates deeply.
It’s about learning to be, to exist in your skin, even when life doesn’t give you the answers you want.
‘How to Learn to Live’ feels like a cathartic journey, an awakening to the beauty of imperfection, and it’s this very sentiment that the music mirrors so effortlessly.
In the end, it’s clear: there’s something about Glasgow that nurtures this kind of honest, evocative songwriting.
Janey July’s music feels like part of the city’s rich legacy—a sound that comforts, challenges, and reminds us of the value in embracing both the good and the not-so-good.
This is why we love bands from Glasgow. They never shy away from making the personal universal, and Janey July’s music is no exception.
Listen to ‘How to Learn to Live‘ below.
