Last year, Harris Rafferty landed on our radar with the charming indie-rock debut ‘Duck Duck Goose’, an honest tale of turbulent youth wrapped up in a distinctively British sound. Now in 2026, this Lancashire-based artist has returned to our pages with another rapturous insight into this burgeoning songwriter’s mind. While the previous track was inspired by the nostalgia of playground games, his newest single ‘Burnin” takes an unapologetic and wholly present stance that signifies Rafferty’s forward-facing ambition.
From the very first guitar strums, ‘Burnin” shakes off the shadow and the past and looks to the future. Rafferty‘s subtly raspy vocals deliver his poetic opening, “like waves against the coastline,” which draws a metaphorical parallel between the sea gradually washing away the land and the inevitable changes of life. This shouldn’t be seen as something destructive, but rather this ebb and flow brings in new, positive change.
As Rafferty himself explains: “A lot of people don’t feel rewarded for working hard right now and you can feel that in the air. I’m not claiming to have any righteous message, but I hope this track stands as proof that your goals and dreams matter. Chase them.”
To emphasises that sense of optimism, hope and courage, Rafferty pulls in a vibrant Britpop-esque guitar refrain that cycles throughout the track. With energetic drums adding an extra oomph to his extroverted vocal performance and those fiery guitars, you really can’t help but to feel uplifted while listening to ‘Burnin”. This is such an essential listen for the start of a new year.
You can listen to ‘Burnin” in our Shades of Pop playlist.
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