I don’t know what’s happening this week, but you may have picked up that every living, breathing artist is releasing new music. Seriously, name a heavy hitter in the industry and they’re probably dropping a new song on August 25. Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, and more will grace our sound systems soon enough.
On a day that BLACKPINK, Zach Bryan, SZA, Iggy Azalea, and many, many more are releasing songs, there’s almost a guarantee that this may be my best playlist yet. The odds are, for once, in my favor and I’m confident we are pulling out a weekend playlist worthy of repeatedly listening to.
For Ariana Grande, we are getting the 10th anniversary edition of her Yours Truly album, which was her debut. It’s been a hectic week, considering Ariana left resident evil manager Scooter Braun, who is seemingly retiring from managing in general. And while the public may be listening to “Karma” by Taylor Swift, we have a few new tracks to cover instead.
That’s right: another weekend, another playlist. And with this much good music, we have no time to waste!
Let’s get listening.
Joe P- “Don’t Wanna Love U”
I need everyone to listen up: if there’s one song you listen to from this playlist, make it this one. Ever since I first heard it, I have replayed it at least five times daily. Stream Joe P for instant serotonin, I guess! When I interviewed him a few months ago, Joe P mentioned he was bringing his production to a studio for a bigger sound…and we got it.
It’s a sunny, dance-y song that I bop down the street nodding my head along when listening. I’ve liked every song he’s released, but this is by far my favorite. The synth-heavy sound and tortured lyrics about not wanting to love someone who is bad for you, but loving them anyway make for a near-perfect song.
Miley Cyrus- “Used To Be Young”
We’re looking forward to a potential Vol II of Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation album just a few short months after its release. To confirm these rumors, Miley released ballad “Used To Be Young” today, and the promo has been equally exciting. With lyric posters popping up everywhere next to old lyrics from hits like “Party in the USA” and “Wrecking Ball”, everyone is referencing their different eras.
The song itself is a hit, which is no shock when it’s from someone with the range and vocal capacity that Cyrus does. She can do any genre, any type of song, and her voice will shine through. More importantly, the song will make sense. Just like fine wine, Miley only gets better with age.
Ariana Grande – Yours Truly
Fans have been anticipating new music from Ariana Grande, especially since she paused for Wicked filming – a scandal studded event that dominated headlines on its own…And while we love The Good Witch, we need to hear Grande’s voice again. The Yours Truly album was Grande’s intro to music, but now she gets to put her more mature sound and production abilities into it…so big things were expected.
We hold these singers at a high regard for a reason, it’s so easy for us to forget how hard it is to sing, songwrite, and produce. That’s why we are so harsh on the songs that aren’t so good, so when artists like Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande rework their old albums, it’s impressive, it’s worth the listen, and it’s normally flawless.
Selena Gomez- “Single Soon”
Selena Gomez is making a return to music with “Single Soon”, a fun-loving, carefree track about how exciting it can be to be single. There’s been a lot of speculation about Selena’s dating life recently, which makes this song even more perfect, because it’s truly her message to us all: she’s in her IDGAF era and we’re here for it. It’s great to dance to, and just reminds me of classic Selena.
A contrast to Miley Cyrus’ ballad, the Disney gals are showing their range. It’s good to see Selena having fun with her music, and just not listening to whatever the hell the outside world has to say.
Zevia- “something I can’t do”
Zevia’s voice fills your ears like a coo, gentle and calming, beautiful and equally heartbreaking. With notes of Billie Eilish, Zevia can make a sad song feel like a hug. She makes you feel seen, putting unspoken heartache and emotion into song, “something I can’t do” is about taking away that deep depressive pain that some experience. Zevia says,
“When someone’s been sad for a long time and bad things happen to them continuously, good things that come unexpected could be just as bad, as they’re not used to it. Sometimes depressed people pray for good, but for me even the good can be bad. I can’t allow myself peace otherwise I don’t know who I’d truly be.”
Chloe Stroll- Pedestal
Our feature artist of the week, Chloe Stroll has been breaking into the music industry with her raw voice, an emphasis on the piano, and most importantly, her honest lyrics. Writing about real life experiences, “Pedestal” sums up heartbreak in any form – whether it be a friend, a significant other, or even a family member.
A powerful follow-up to her debut single, “Run”, based on a break-in Stroll and her husband, snowboarder Scotty James, experienced. It’s a summation of Chloe Stroll: resilient in her lyrics, in the way she creates an honest track, and honest beyond measure.
Joel Corry, Rita Ora, MK- “Drinkin”
Recently, I had the privilege of seeing Joel Corry live in Atlantic City. Not only does he have some of the biggest club hits right now, but he can put on an equally exciting show. Now, with a highly-anticipated debut album, Another Friday Night, is on the horizon and he’s here with yet another major collab with Rita Ora and MK.
“Drinkin” takes the beloved sampling used in Chance the Rapper’s “Zero Problems”, and it makes you want to dance the night away. You can already hear this song shooting its way to the top of every bar playlist, it’s another soundtrack to your night out from Joel Corry. I’m convinced he’ll never disappoint, and I’m excited for the album.
Yungblud- “Hated”
You can’t get much more personal than “Hated”, which is Yungblud’s recounting of being molested by a doctor as a child and dealing with internal hatred. The punk-rocker has a way of making catchy hooks and capitalizing on guitar and a hard drum that makes you release any pent-up stress and anxiety. Few times do we get to see an artist bare their entire soul into a song, and be so open and vulnerable.
Not only is Yungblud’s song a testament for survivors of assault everywhere, he’s opening a necessary conversation about men’s mental health. It’s a mixture of anger, pain, sadness, and healing all in one.
Audrey Nuna- “Locket”
Audrey Nuna is a musical maverick, someone who creates larger-than-life music and it just works perfectly. For her new song, “Locket”, she is releasing a video directed by the late Valentin Petit, who tragically passed away in an aircraft accident this year. It’s the last video he ever directed, making the song that much more significant. Audrey says,
“He was gifted in all the ways his work vividly illustrated, and with such a sense of refreshing humility towards his collaborators and crew that can often times feel rare to find in this industry. This is his final music video of this lifetime – I’m sure he’s already getting started, some place, somewhere, gathering ideas and crafting wildest and freest visions to life.”
