Justine Grove and the Healing Pop Magic of “little dog”

There’s something undeniably cathartic about a great pop song — the kind that makes you dance a little while your heart quietly cracks open. That’s exactly what Justine Grove delivers with her new track “little dog”, a euphoric, upbeat anthem that shimmers with synths and emotional honesty.

From the first second, “little dog” sets the tone: airy, glittering synths lift you up like the first rays of sun after a long storm. But make no mistake — this isn’t just feel-good fluff. Grove, a singer-songwriter and producer with a remarkable story, knows exactly how to pack a punch beneath all that shimmering sound.

The chorus alone is pure medicine: “No time to cry, I just sing these blues away”. With one line, she gives us a masterclass in survival — not through denial, but through transformation.

Grove's ability to balance vulnerability with groove is part of what makes this song so special. Underneath the bright production lies a message about letting go of the people who’ve hurt you and finding healing in unexpected places. One of those places, it turns out, is right at her feet — her little dog, and even more deeply, her relationship with Jesus.

In a striking moment of candor, Grove sings about trying to find peace in church, only to end up broke and empty. It’s a quiet critique, but not a bitter one. Instead, she draws comfort and strength from something simpler and more personal: Faith, love, and a small, loyal companion. Sometimes healing doesn’t come from the pulpit — it comes from a wagging tail and a quiet moment of grace.

What makes “little dog” stick with you isn’t just the catchy hook or the nostalgic-but-fresh production — it's the weight in the songwriting. There’s a lived-in wisdom here, the kind that only comes from walking through fire and coming out singing on the other side.

That voice — tender, resilient, and utterly authentic — is shaped by Grove’s powerful personal journey. After surviving a deep depression and suicide attempt in 2017, she made a life-changing decision at the start of 2018: to stop hiding, and to become Justine Grove fully and unapologetically. Every note of “little dog” feels like a piece of that promise — fully realized, gloriously unfiltered, and deeply felt.

Grove cites influences like Hayley Williams, Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, and Aaliyah — artists who fuse raw emotion with fearless sound. You can hear echoes of that lineage in “little dog”, but what makes the song truly soar is how unmistakably Justine it is. It's a pop song, yes — but it’s also a lifeline, a journal entry, a Sunday sermon for the ones who’ve lost faith in all the usual places.

So turn it up. Roll the windows down. Let your little dog hang its head out the window, if you’ve got one. And remember: healing might take time, but in the meantime?Just sing these blues away.

Stream “little dog” wherever you listen to music. Follow Justine Grove on Instagram, TikTok, and wherever good vibes live.

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