Star Moles drops bonus track and music video, announces headlining tour, signs with Dead Oceans for vinyl release
Star Moles’ star is rising, as Emily Moales announced some major developments in her burgeoning career as a singer-songwriter and perfomer.
The name of Star Moles‘ 2026 album Highway to Hell is rather fitting, given the Philly artist is on fire right now.
Star Moles—the music project from Emily Moales and part of the Historic New Jersey Recordings extended family (which also includes our October Artist to Watch, Sam and Louise Sullivan, and founder Kevin Basko’s Rubber Band Gun)—has earned tons of love from the music press after dropping a bonus track titled “Born Again” to the aforementioned album. And it comes with a locally-produced music video, directed by Lucky Marvel.
“The thing about writing something that’s true is that it basically can’t be narrative,” Moales said of the song. “If you’re angry or sad or in love, the feeling itself is an exaggeration. Trying to tell the truth in a song by saying ‘here’s what happened’ isn’t satisfying to me. ‘Born Again’ is a painting of real frustration, and the best way I can express that feeling is with a strong voice and words that mythologize. I wouldn’t say I’m religious, but I think sometimes my emotions are.”
On top of that, Star Moles announced her first headlining tour and signed to Dead Oceans for a proper vinyl release of Highway to Hell on Dec. 4. Preorder the vinyl online here.
Star Moles’ tour kicks off Jan. 22, 2027 in Chicago with Sam and Louise Sullivan supporting. But for us in the Philly region, she’s set to headline Johnny Brenda’s Jan. 26, 2027. She’ll play JB’s again on March 13, 2027 supporting Way Dynamic. All this comes after opening shows with Westside Cowboy and This Is Lorelei.
Highway to Hell features “psychedelic-of-center bedroom pop songs,” Pitchfork said, with “lines that jump out at you, melodies that stick with you, and the perfect balance between comforting familiarity and exciting newness,” according to Brooklyn Vegan. Paste, in declaring Star Moles a “Best of What’s Next” artist, writes that “Highway to Hell luxuriates in its own ennui…monotony, under Moales’ pen, is full of miracles and false starts.”
