Kohla, photo credit Rhiannone Stone
Edinburgh singer-songwriter & producer Kohla returns with new single ‘Venus’,
a slow-burning, cinematic meditation on power, desire, and divine femininity
“Close my eyes, sprinkle stardust into the skies / You’ll be mine”. Kohla’s new single ‘Venus’ (out today 12th May 2026) is a luminous love-letter from the acclaimed Edinburgh-based artist, unveiling a spellbinding, jazz-tinged ballad steeped in mystique and emotional intensity. With a shimmering atmosphere and sweeping orchestration, ‘Venus’ is a hypnotic exploration of love, control, and the intoxicating pull of self-assured femininity.
Winning previous admiration for the “gorgeous gossamer-joy” of her sound (as described by Tom Robinson of BBC Radio 6 Music), ‘Venus’ is another cinematic, richly textured offering from this gifted multi-instrumentalist. It draws on the timeless drama of classical composition and the grandeur of film scores, while reimagining these influences through a hyper-modern lens.
On ‘Venus’, gentle piano motifs give way to opulent strings and glistening sonic motifs, all anchored by Kohla’s celestial vocal. Her voice glides effortlessly through the track’s slow-burning structure, imbuing each moment with a quiet intensity that lingers long after the final note fades.
Speaking about the track, Kohla says: “Venus was one of the most imaginative songs I’ve ever created. I wanted to explore how confidence, beauty, and desire can feel both empowering and overwhelming – like something magical, but also destabilising. Even when you feel strong in yourself, there can still be this deep, undeniable longing for another person.”
At its core, ‘Venus’ channels an Aphrodite-like femme fatale energy, examining the paradox of power and vulnerability within love. The song opens with the delicate casting of a lover’s spell, before blossoming into a chorus that reveals a deeper yearning beneath the surface of strength.
As the narrative evolves, fantasy and reality begin to blur as the muse succumbs to the enchantment. The final chorus descends into something darker, ultimately resolving in a glittering, ember-like crescendo that captures the vast, transformative force of feminine energy.
Following her recently released single ‘Caramel’, ‘Venus’ sees Kohla pushing further into cinematic and conceptual territory. Written and produced by Kohla, who also contributed to the mixing, the track was created in collaboration with her Popgirlz Scotland collective, featuring Laura Wilkie (violin) and Sarah Nail (cello), and is presented in immersive Dolby Atmos spatial audio.
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