Release package

Undertow

Kairo Vale

Alternative R&B · 142 BPM · F♯ minor · 3:34 · Out 2026-08-14

Song Analysis.

A brooding, late-night alternative R&B record built on a half-time trap pulse and detuned synth pads. The vocal sits close and confessional through the verses, then splits into stacked harmonies at the hook. Strongest asset: the pre-chorus lift into the first hook, an immediate, replayable moment tailor-made for short-form.

Overview

EnergyLow-mid · 4/10, simmering verses, cresting hooks

Genre fitAlternative R&B / dark pop, sparse half-time drums, warm tape saturation, intimate vocal takes with cinematic swells.

Emotional themeBeing pulled back into a memory you swore you'd left, the quiet gravity of almost-texts and open loops.

Release goalShort-form growth (TikTok / Reels first)

Mood

BroodingCinematicLate-nightConfessionalWeightless

Energy map

0:00Intro

0:28Verse 1

0:52Pre-chorus

1:06Hook

1:34Verse 2

2:02Pre-chorus

2:16Hook ×2

2:44Bridge

3:10Outro

Audience

Core listener

18-27, streams after 10pm, playlist-first listeners

Adjacent artists

The Weeknd6LACKBrent FaiyazPARTYNEXTDOORDon Toliver

Playlist targets

Late Night VibesR&B WeeklyAlt R&BMoodsBedroom Beats

Short-form clip windows, 5 found

0:10 - 0:26

Intro, ambience loop

The opening pad-and-vinyl texture loops seamlessly, built for late-night POV posts, study ambience, and 'sound on' first-frame hooks.

“3am and the city finally went quiet”

0:42 - 0:58

Pre-chorus lift

Rising tension with a clean vocal entry, the 4-bar build gives creators a natural 'wait for it' arc that holds retention past the 3-second mark.

“when the beat finally drops and it's 2am”

1:06 - 1:24

First hook

The stacked-harmony hook is the most memorable 18 seconds of the record. Loops seamlessly, ideal for a sound-page anchor clip.

“POV: you almost texted them again”

2:16 - 2:34

Hook ×2, emotional height

The doubled hook carries extra vocal texture and weight, the strongest bed for voiceover storytelling, reactions, and duet/stitch prompts.

“tell me your 'almost' story”

2:44 - 2:59

Bridge drop-out

Everything cuts to bare vocal and one pad, the gut-punch moment. Best for lyric-focused and storytime formats.

“the undertow part hits different here”

Content angles

Lyric-tap hook

Run the hook line over nostalgic montage cuts, engineered for saves and repeat loops.

POV confession / voiceover

Pair the doubled hook with a text-overlay prompt asking viewers to share their own 'almost' story, duet and stitch friendly.

Object-led memory

Slow reveal shots of a phone face-down, an unsent draft, a jacket left on a chair, micro-stories told through objects, faces never shown.

Late-night ambience loop

The intro as a 15-30s loop for late-night drive, city-window, and 'quiet hours' aesthetic posts.

Bridge cinematic edit

The drop-out bridge under night-drive and long-exposure footage, primed for poetic caption trends and audio remixes.

Comment-bait duet chain

Anchor clip asks one question ('what's your undertow?'); repost the best replies weekly to compound reach.

Campaign.

A 30-day, four-phase rollout weighted toward short-form. Teaser week seeds the hook without revealing the title. Pre-save phase converts attention with the sound-page anchor clip and creator prompts. Release week floods every channel, then the sustain phase compounds UGC and retargets everyone who engaged.

Rollout phases

Days 1-6

Teaser

Seed the hook. No title, no date.

Days 7-20

Pre-Save

Reveal title + date. Convert to pre-saves daily.

Days 21-24

Release Week

Volume everywhere. 2 posts/day.

Days 25-30

Sustain

UGC compounding + retargeting.

30-day calendar, every day planned

Day	Phase	Channel	Action
Day 1	Teaser	TikTok · Reels	10s teaser: intro loop over a dark window, caption 'you know that pull…'
Day 2	Teaser	Instagram · X	Lyric-still image, one line from the pre-chorus, no title
Day 3	Teaser	Instagram	Behind-the-scenes photo: the 2am vocal take, short caption
Day 4	Teaser	TikTok · Shorts	30s audio-only preview with text overlay 'AUG 14'
Day 5	Teaser	All socials	Pre-save page goes live, link in every bio
Day 6	Teaser	TikTok · Reels	Stems teaser (vocals only) inviting duets and remixes
Day 7	Pre-Save	Instagram · X	Title + date reveal with cover concept A; pin the post
Day 8	Pre-Save	TikTok	Sound-page anchor clip (hook 1:06-1:24), the duet prompt starts here
Day 9	Pre-Save	Email	Email #1 to list: pre-save link + exclusive demo snippet
Day 10	Pre-Save	Reels · TikTok	'How this song started' story-format clip with melody sample
Day 11	Pre-Save	TikTok Ads	Low-budget 15s Spark ad on best teaser, pre-save CTA
Day 12	Pre-Save	Shorts · TikTok	60s mini-interview: what the title means, captions burned in
Day 13	Pre-Save	Instagram · TikTok	Comment-bait post: 'what's your undertow?', feature best replies later
Day 14	Pre-Save	TikTok · Reels	Acoustic snippet of the pre-chorus as a native clip
Day 15	Pre-Save	Email · Curators	Pitch independent playlist curators with the anchor clip + pitch copy
Day 16	Pre-Save	IG Live · TikTok Live	20-min live studio chat: writing the bridge; tease release-week plans
Day 17	Pre-Save	TikTok · Reels	15s ambience clip (intro loop) for the late-night audience
Day 18	Pre-Save	All socials	Countdown graphic: one week out + pre-save reminder
Day 19	Pre-Save	YouTube · TikTok	Lyric-video teaser (0:10-0:26) with pre-save CTA in caption
Day 20	Pre-Save	Email	Email #2: 48-hour reminder, add to library on release
Day 21	Release Week	All DSPs · socials	Release-day announcement + smart link; single live everywhere
Day 22	Release Week	TikTok · Reels · Shorts	Full vertical visualizer + hook cut with 'sound on' CTA
Day 23	Release Week	TikTok · Meta Ads	Boost best-performing hook creative to lookalike audiences
Day 24	Release Week	IG Live · TikTok Live	30-min Q&A: the story behind the record + acoustic bridge
Day 25	Sustain	TikTok · Reels	Fan duet montage compiled from days 21-24 UGC
Day 26	Sustain	Email · Curators	Curator follow-up with early streaming + save-rate stats
Day 27	Sustain	Shorts · TikTok	'Making-of' short: producing the outro, one lyric insight
Day 28	Sustain	Stories · X	Line-by-line lyric thread; prompt saves and shares
Day 29	Sustain	TikTok · Meta Ads	Retarget engaged non-streamers (watched >50%, didn't click)
Day 30	Sustain	All socials	Wrap-up: thank fans, top fan moments, tease the next drop

20 short-form clip ideas

City Window Loop

0:10-0:26

Static shot through a rain-flecked window at night; neon smears, intro loop, no text until second 3.

Drafts Folder

0:10-0:26

Screen-record scrolling through unsent message drafts timed to the intro pulse.

Hook in the Rain

1:06-1:24

Lip-sync under an awning in the rain; overlay 'POV: you almost texted them again'.

Skyline Push-In

2:16-2:34

Slow cinematic push on a figure watching the skyline as the doubled hook swells.

Drop-Out Blackout

2:44-2:59

Hard cut to black at the bridge drop-out; single lyric line fades in, nothing else.

Leave the Light On

3:10-3:25

Placing a small lamp in a dark room on the outro; loop-ready final frame.

Fan Hook Collage

1:06-1:24

Stitched montage of fans singing the hook layered over the original stems.

Night Drive Dash

0:42-0:58

Dashboard POV, streetlights strobing in time with the pre-chorus build.

Lyric Rain Type

2:16-2:34

Animated typewriter lyrics over a looping rainy-street scene.

Walk It Back

0:10-0:26

First-person POV retracing a familiar street with ghosted double-exposure overlays.

You vs. Memory

1:06-1:24

Split-screen: present-day vs. grainy 'memory' footage of the same location.

Bridge Keys

2:44-2:59

Macro piano keys under the bridge with soft night-sky B-roll.

Glow Crescendo

0:42-0:58

Single candle in frame; glow blooms as the pre-chorus lifts into the hook.

Last Texts

0:10-0:26

A message thread overlay ending mid-sentence as the intro plays.

Jacket on the Chair

1:06-1:24

Slow-motion object study, a jacket left behind, under a soft hook voiceover.

Tide Lines

2:16-2:34

Long-exposure waves at night; each crash timed to the doubled hook's downbeat.

Places of Us

0:42-0:58

Rapid montage of unremarkable places made heavy: a corner booth, a bus stop, a hallway.

Heartbeat Intro

0:10-0:26

Black screen, whispered count-in, subtle heartbeat sub under the intro.

Night to Morning Reverse

2:44-2:59

Reversed timelapse of dawn retreating back into night as the bridge plays.

Handwritten Hook

1:06-1:24

Minimal lyric video, handwriting appears stroke-by-stroke in sync with the hook.

10 TikTok / Reels hooks

01some songs you play. this one pulls you under.

02this is the song I wrote when I couldn't sleep…

03if being pulled back had a melody, it would sound like this.

04one chorus that ruined my last three nights, listen.

05I recorded this after a call that changed everything.

06do you ever talk to the dark like someone's listening?

07pause if you've ever typed a message and deleted it.

08hear the line I can't sing without breaking, 0:42 in.

09the city goes quiet at 3am. this is what's left.

10sound on. wait for the drop-out at the bridge.

Captions & hooks

“when the beat finally drops and it's 2am”

spent 6 months on this one. the pre-chorus alone took 40 takes. out Aug 14, pre-save in bio.

#altrnb #newmusic #independentartist #latenightvibes

“POV: you almost texted them again”

this song is every message you typed and deleted. 'Undertow', pre-save is live.

#rnb #darkpop #undertow #unreleasedmusic

“the undertow part hits different here”

stripped everything back to one pad and the truth. bridge of the year? you tell me.

#bridgecheck #songwriter #newrelease

“sounds like The Weeknd got stuck in traffic in 2016”

if you know, you know. full song drops Friday. sound is on my page.

#theweeknd #altrnb #fyp #newartist

“rating my own song's saddest lyrics (part 1)”

starting with the bridge because I'm not okay. 'Undertow', out now, link in bio.

#lyrics #sadrnb #musictok #undertow

“what's your undertow?”

the thing that pulls you back when you swore you moved on. comment yours, featuring the best ones friday.

#fanshare #duetthis #altrnb

“3am and the city finally went quiet”

looped the intro for 20 minutes writing this caption. ambience version on the pre-save page.

#latenight #ambience #nightdrive

“duet this: sing the hook and I'll repost my favorites”

the harmonies are open on the sound page. go.

#duetwithme #undertow #singers

“if this post hits 500 saves I'll drop the acoustic version”

no label to stop me. deal?

#acoustic #independentartist #pledge

“the last 15 seconds are a quiet light”

made the outro for whoever's still up. out Aug 14, pre-save in bio.

#outro #newmusicfriday #altrnb

Launch checklist, leave nothing on the table

Lock your distributor & upload

4-6 weeks out

Deliver a 24-bit/44.1kHz WAV master and 3000×3000 cover. Set the release date at least 3 weeks out, that's the window editorial pitching requires.

Sign the split sheet

4 weeks out

Every writer/producer signs before anything ships. Unsigned splits are the #1 cause of frozen royalties.

Claim your artist profiles

4 weeks out

Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and a YouTube Official Artist Channel, you need all three verified to pitch, see data, and merch-link.

Launch the pre-save + email capture

3 weeks out

One smart link everywhere. Every visitor who won't pre-save should still leave an email, that list is the only audience you own.

Batch-shoot 20 clips in one day

3 weeks out

Use the clip windows from Song Analysis. One shoot day = 30 days of content. Vary formats: lip-sync, POV, object-story, ambience.

Pitch Spotify editorial

2 weeks out

Via Spotify for Artists ≥7 days before release (aim for 14). Use the pitch in this package, lead with the save-rate stat.

Pitch 30 independent curators

2 weeks out

Personalized 3-line emails, playlist named in line one. Independent adds compound into algorithmic triggers (Discover Weekly, Radio).

1 week out

Musixmatch or LyricFind gets your lyrics on Spotify, Apple, and Instagram Stories. Add the song to Genius with annotations.

Set up Shazam & Content ID

1 week out

Your distributor should cover both, verify. Every unclaimed Shazam or YouTube use is lost attribution and revenue.

Run the day-one protocol

Release day

Post at your audience's peak hour, story-chain every platform, reply to every comment within 2 hours (reply velocity feeds the algorithm), DM the link to your 50 warmest fans.

Put $150 behind the organic winner

Day 2-7

Wait 48h, find your best-retaining clip, then split spend 60% TikTok Spark / 30% Meta Reels / 10% Shorts on that one creative only.

Make the sustain call with data

Day 14-30

At day 21 check saves-per-listener and completion rate. Strong → push a remix/acoustic/sped-up version. Soft → bank learnings and roll momentum into the next single's tease cycle.

Spotify editorial pitch

'Undertow' is a late-night alternative R&B record about the messages you never sent. Half-time drums, detuned pads, and a stacked-harmony hook sit somewhere between 6LACK's confessionals and early Weeknd atmosphere. Self-produced, mixed by G. Harmon. Kairo Vale's last single held a 41% save-rate across 12k listeners with zero playlist support, this one is built for Late Night Vibes and Alt R&B moods.

403 / 500 chars

Press & outreach

Press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kairo Vale returns with 'Undertow', an alternative R&B single about the messages we never send, out August 14 on all platforms.

Written and produced independently, 'Undertow' pairs a half-time trap pulse with close, confessional vocals that split into stacked harmonies at the hook. The record leans into the late-night interior world Vale has been building: deep blacks, one glass-blue accent, presence implied through absence.

"I wrote it at 2am and told myself nobody would hear it," says Vale. "Releasing it is the point. The song is about the pull of things you swore you'd left behind, and I stopped swimming against it."

'Undertow' is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major platforms from August 14. Press assets, artwork, and the full release package are available at releaseos.net/p/kairo-vale-undertow.

Playlist curator pitch

Subject: 'Undertow', alternative R&B for {playlist_name}

Hi {curator_name},

I'm Kairo Vale, an independent alternative R&B artist. My new single 'Undertow' comes out August 14 and I think it fits {playlist_name}: it sits between 6LACK and Brent Faiyaz, a half-time late-night record with a chantable hook and a clean, radio-ready mix.

Private stream: {stream_link}
For fans of: 6LACK, Brent Faiyaz, dvsn

If it works for the list, amazing. If not, thank you for listening either way.

Kairo Vale

Creator collab brief

CREATOR BRIEF: 'Undertow' by Kairo Vale

THE MOMENT: Use the pre-chorus lift into the first hook (0:52 to 1:10). It's built for a reveal: the beat drops away, then the stacked hook lands.

THREE DIRECTIONS THAT WORK:
1. The unsent message: type a long message, hold, delete it as the hook lands.
2. The 2am drive or walk: low light, slow motion, let the hook carry the turn.
3. Duet chains: react to the a cappella hook, harmonies welcome.

DO: keep the first two seconds visual, caption in lowercase, tag @kairovale and use #undertow.
DON'T: use daylight footage, hard cuts on the hook, or watermark other platforms.

DELIVERABLES: one 15 to 20 second vertical clip, posted between Day 7 and Day 24 of the rollout.

YouTube description

Kairo Vale, Undertow (Official Visualizer)
Release date: 2026-08-14

About the song:
'Undertow' is a late-night alternative R&B confession about the pull of an unfinished goodbye, every message typed and deleted at 2am. Half-time drums, detuned pads, and stacked harmonies, written for headphones and empty streets.

Credits:
Artist: Kairo Vale
Writers: K. Vale, J. Calder
Produced by: Kairo Vale
Mix: G. Harmon · Master: Northline Audio

Stream / Save:
Pre-save: LINK_PRE_SAVE
Spotify: LINK_SPOTIFY
Apple Music: LINK_APPLE
YouTube Music: LINK_YTM

Connect:
Instagram / TikTok / X: @kairovale
Press kit: LINK_PRESS_KIT

Support the release:
1) Stream it and add it to a playlist
2) Post a clip with #Undertow, I repost my favorites
3) Pre-save for early access to the acoustic version

(Replace LINK_* placeholders with live URLs before publishing.)

#KairoVale #Undertow #altrnb #newmusic #official

Ad copy, 5 variants

A, Curiosity

Every message you typed and deleted. In one song. Hear it first →

B, Social proof

41% of listeners saved the last one. The new single goes deeper. Pre-save 'Undertow' →

C, Mood match

For the 2am drives and the texts you didn't send. 'Undertow', out Aug 14.

D, Fan-alike

If your late-night rotation is 6LACK, Brent Faiyaz, and early Weeknd tapes, this is yours. Pre-save →

E, Restless

Can't sleep? Press play and sit with it. 'Undertow' by Kairo Vale, out Aug 14. Save it now.

Press bio

Short (embed / bios)

Kairo Vale makes late-night alternative R&B, confessional vocals over cinematic, detuned production. 'Undertow' is the first single from the upcoming EP 'Night Swim'.

Long (press / EPK)

Kairo Vale is an independent alternative R&B artist writing songs for the hours nobody posts about. Built in a bedroom studio and mixed for headphones, the sound pairs close, confessional vocals with half-time drums and washed-out synth architecture, drawing comparisons to 6LACK, Brent Faiyaz, and early Weeknd tapes. The new single 'Undertow' distills a year of almost-sent messages into three and a half minutes, marking the first release from the forthcoming EP 'Night Swim'. No label. No co-signs. Just save-rates that keep embarrassing the algorithm.

Paid targeting

Interests

The Weeknd6LACKBrent FaiyazR&B musicSpotify

Age

18-27

Budget split

60% TikTok Spark / 30% Meta / 10% Shorts

Retargeting

Retarget: anyone who watched >50% of any tease clip. Lookalike: pre-save audience once >250 emails.

Metadata.

Track information

Track titleUndertow

VersionOriginal

Primary artistKairo Vale

Featured artistsNone

GenreAlternative R&B

Sub-genreDark Pop

LanguageEnglish

ExplicitClean

Release date2026-08-14

LabelIndependent (Kairo Vale)

ISRCQZ-KVA-26-00001placeholder

UPC0-000000-000000-0placeholder

Credits

ProducerKairo Vale

Royalty splits

Notes

Planned release 2026-08-14; primary promotional goal is short-form growth. ISRC and UPC are placeholders until distributor assignment. Confirm final split percentages and publishing registration before distribution. Audio masters delivered separately.

Rights.

Everything below is prepared from your metadata and splits, not guessed. Items marked 'action' need a one-time account or filing you must do under your own name; ReleaseOS pre-fills what each form asks for.

The MLC

You file

Mechanical royalties from US streaming (Spotify, Apple Music).

Unclaimed mechanicals are held ~3 years, then redistributed. Free money left on the table.

SoundExchange

You file

Digital performance royalties (web/satellite radio, Pandora).

Not collected by your distributor or PRO, separate royalty stream entirely.

PRO (BMI / ASCAP)

You file

Performance royalties for both writers.

Covers radio, live, and a share of streaming. Both writers are affiliated, the work itself must be registered.

US Copyright Office

You file

PA (composition) + SR (sound recording) registration.

Statutory damages up to $150k/work require registration before infringement. $65 covers both filings.

DDEX / ERN

Prepared

Delivery-ready credit structure for your distributor.

Clean DDEX metadata means correct credits on every DSP and no royalty routing errors.

Sync readiness

Keep ready

One-stop clearance confirmed (both writers reachable, splits prepared for signature).

Sync supervisors skip tracks that can't clear in 48h. You can say yes fast.

MLC work registration prep

UndertowISWC: ISWC-PENDING

Writer, publisher, ownership-share, PRO, and IPI details are private.

SoundExchange recording data

Recording titleUndertow

Featured artistKairo Vale

ISRCQZ-KVA-26-00001 (pending)

Register the master after ISRC assignment. You'll need the performer roster, contribution roles, ownership percentages, and payee tax/banking details.

Readiness checklists

DDEX / ERN delivery

7/10 ready

U.S. copyright (eCO)

4/8 ready

Visuals.

The record is nocturnal and interior, art direction leans into that: deep blacks, one glass-blue accent, presence implied through absence (objects, silhouettes, empty rooms) rather than faces. Warm lamplight against cool shadow, soft grain, subtle analog artifacts. Avoid daylight and literal 'sad' clichés. Every cover must read at 64px, one strong shape, one accent. For social, convert square art into vertical-first edits with layered parallax and a loopable moment in the first two seconds.

Cover concepts, 4 directions

Night Swim

Photographic / macro

A phone face-down on wet asphalt at night, a single ice-blue streetlight reflection cutting diagonally across the frame. Title small, top-right, tracked out. Presence through absence.

Static Bloom

Analog texture / abstract

Analog CRT static frozen mid-frame, a silhouette barely legible inside the noise. Glacial blue phosphor burn at the center. Heavy grain, no text on the front.

F♯ Minor

Typographic / brutalist

Brutalist typographic cover: the title set huge in condensed grotesque, cropped past the edges, glass blue on near-black. A single thin rule and the ISRC as a design element.

Tide Lines

Long exposure / minimal

Long-exposure night waves reduced to thin luminous lines dragging across black water, the undertow made visible. One glass-blue line among the white ones. Horizon low, weightless negative space above.

Motion & visualizers, 6 ideas

Canvas loop (Spotify): 6s, rain on glass, blue bokeh pulsing at 142 BPM.
Visualizer: the waveform as a thin glass-blue line that frays into static at the bridge drop-out.
Lyric clips: typewriter-style unsent messages that delete themselves mid-sentence.
Parallax memory board: layered camera drift across a wall of objects; small items float forward on the hook. Deliver 3s, 9s, and 15s cuts for TikTok.
Candle-and-dust loop: macro flame syncing subtly to the kick; flicker reveals brief blurred silhouettes. 9:16 crop for phones.
AR face filter: translucent unsent-message bubbles orbiting the user, one flash revealing a silhouette, built for duet chains under the release hashtag.