For Halflives fans, it’s been a long 18 months since their last release. Now, the creative force behind the project, Linda Battilani, has dropped ‘Unshattered’, a catchy, hook-filled, but still nice and heavy track.

As Battilani explains, “Unshattered came from a place of feeling like I wasn’t enough. I think that’s something a lot of us experience today. We’re constantly surrounded by other people’s achievements, especially on social media, where everyone seems to be winning and reaching new milestones. When you’re already struggling, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself and feeling like you’re falling behind.

I think that’s also very true in the music industry. There are moments where you’re in between chapters, when things are quieter, and it feels like everyone else is moving forward while you’re standing still. The industry can turn music into a race driven by numbers and the pressure to constantly be bigger than everyone else. But art was never meant to be a competition.

When I wrote Unshattered, I imagined all of this as a battlefield. The lyrics are filled with images of conflict because that’s what that mindset feels like: a relentless fight where everyone is trying to reach the top, even if it means stepping over someone else to get there (“we climb on bodies just to reach new heights, being better maker the pain feel light, but is it right?”). That’s the world we’re often encouraged to accept, but it’s not one I want to be part of.

This song is a reminder to myself that music (and life in general) is about something much deeper. I make it because I love it, because it’s what keeps me alive. More than anything, I hope Unshattered encourages people (whether they’re musicians or not) to let go of comparison, step away from the race, and focus on what truly matters: creating, living, and staying true to themselves.” 

To accompany the release, there’s a moody, rain-soaked music video, which you can watch here. The band will be playing live in 2027.