Ari Lee – Someone For You (2026)
Ari Lee is a Chinese-Portuguese singer-songwriter based in London who has been releasing singles on Spotify since 2024. After completing an EP in 2025 and finishing out the year with singles in October and November, Lee is back with a new song, ‘Someone For You’. Lee describes her sound as “a mix of psycho ex-girlfriend meets bittersweet lovegirl pop”, which seems fair.
But on ‘Someone For You’, Lee steps away from the “fighting men in pearls and heels” image she has fashioned for herself to create a song about a different relationship: one a young woman may have with her parents. “‘Someone For You’ explores the constant push and pull of trying to morph yourself to fit your loved one’s expectations”, she says.
While the song keeps it relational, one wonders if Lee’s heritage informs the conflict. In April 2025, Lee reflected on a time when she believed the Chinese part of her heritage blocked her ability to create art because it valued the “collective over the individual”. But now she believes it has uniquely positioned her. “I hope that I can help others realise that you can be both creative and care about the collective and that the two aren’t mutually exclusive”, she said.
Sonically, ‘Someone For You’ takes a small step away from where ‘Cruel Lover’ left us in 2025. The ’80s-style anthemic chorus of the latter cedes centre stage for an electric guitar through what sounds like a chorus pedal and an acoustic guitar resting on a pleasant synth cushion in the former. ‘Someone For You’ has a classic structure but struggles for distinction. One has the feeling that this single could have fit into modern country or CCM, depending on the producer.
Perhaps this exemplifies the dilemma Lee sings about. All the same, the singles that rounded out last year were more interesting. ‘Cruel Lover’ nods with just enough direction to the Psychedelic Furs that it lifts the number out of a crowded field. October’s ‘The Kissing Girl’ throws a harmonic curveball that grabs the listener’s attention and holds it.
To its credit, ‘Someone For You’ keeps a vibe of gentle disappointment that raises its head above snotty teenage angst. It also has a middle eight that does a lot to redeem the song from a chord progression that remains the same for both verses and choruses (though the melody changes).
‘Someone For You’ is a clean pop song that, while not as fulfilling as Lee’s last two singles, creates a pleasant, bittersweet vibe over lyrical terrain that adds dimension to the singer’s image.
Find out more about Ari Lee on her Spotify.
