Hailing from North Carolina's fertile music landscape, Late Stage Crush, the duo of Rebecca Sunnybrook and Susan Mahlburg, have quickly carved out a niche for themselves. With a focus on heartfelt honesty and resonant narratives, their folk sounds showcase a truly independent approach that feels both genuine and deeply personal.

Sunnybrook, with her background in classical vocal training, brings a refined yet raw delivery, while Mahlburg, a published poet, crafts the compelling lyrical landscapes. Their collaborative magic lies in a minimalist songwriting style that strips away the unnecessary to expose the raw emotional core of each track

Their debut EP, ‘High Noon Divorce’, beautifully illustrated this style, transforming the often-trodden ground of breakups into powerful stories of moving forward. More recently, the duo have released the undeniable ‘Someone Said My Name’, a bright, heartfelt single that is delivered with a tender touch and soulful immediacy.

It’s a song that stands out for its gorgeous folk sounds, flowing gently with a timeless, honest appeal. It possesses an almost weightless quality, carried by the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar and Sunnybrook's crystal-clear vocals. The poetry of the lyrics is striking, conjuring vivid imagery like "dresses never worn" and the poignant metaphor of "bruised fruit," which lingers long after the music fades. It's a track that truly resonates, a testament to the duo's ability to evoke powerful emotion with understated elegance.

With a second EP on the horizon for early 2026, promising expanded instrumentation like pedal steel and upright bass, and intimate live dates planned across North Carolina and Tennessee in late 2025, Late Stage Crush are steadily building their presence.

For more from the duo, be sure to connect today on Instagram and TikTok.