Wallice – ‘disappear’
Wallice’s new single ‘disappear’ begins as a whisper, the California singer-songwriter lamenting all the things she tried hard to achieve but didn’t get in an almost-mumble. When the chorus hits, though, her frustration erupts, exploding the song into a burst of jangly guitar urgency. “Wanna disappear / Before it gets too weird,” she cries. “I wanna leave this place / For a couple of years.” As long as she doesn’t disappear on us too, we’re good.
Baby Queen – ‘Dream Girl’
It’s always hard to see your crush living out your romantic fantasies with another person, but at least Baby Queen’s latest single gives us a sparkling pop gem to sigh to next time we’re stuck in that situation. “Does he love you every time you kiss? / Does he sign his name across your lips?” she asks on the ‘Midnights’-worthy chorus. “Does he write songs about you like this? / And does he ever tell you that you’re his / Dream girl.”
Kaien Cruz – ‘I Lay’
Listen to South African artist Kaien Cruz’s latest release ‘I Lay’ and you’ll instantly understand why they were chosen to support Justin Bieber on part of his ‘Purpose’ world tour. An intoxicating mix of Afrobeats, Spanish guitar licks, and an obvious knack for crafting pop hooks, it’s the kind of song that will keep spinning in your head long after the track’s finished.
Renée Rapp – ‘Snow Angel’
On the title track from her debut album ‘Snow Angel’, Renée Raps gets in her feelings. “First to arrive, last to leave / What’s misery without company?” she sings on the dramatic ballad, but vows not to let the pain she’s going through win. “I’ll make it through the winter if it kills me,” she promises, her resolve growing as the song adds more layers of wailing guitar.
Janelle Monáe – ‘Phenomenal (feat. Doechii)’
“I’m looking at a thousand versions of myself / And we’re all fine as fuck,” opens ‘Phenomenal’, one of the highlights of Janelle Monáe’s self-assured musical return. Here, she teams up with rising rapper-of-the-moment Doechii to create a low-slung, infectious anthem to add to your queue when you need something to strut to.
Listen to these and more of the week’s best new releases on our BRAND NEW playlist
