Despite the quarantine, musicians continue to turn out some of the best new pop music to cure isolation blues. This week saw releases from major artists like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Doja Cat.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.
Lady Gaga — “Rain On Me” Feat. Ariana Grande
With a first-ever collaboration between two of today’s biggest pop stars like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, it’s sure to make our best new pop list. Lady Gaga has revealed the second single off her anticipated record Chromatica, which is due this Friday. “Rain On Me” features pulsing club-ready production with the two singers’ vocals reaching new heights.
Carly Rae Jepsen — “This Love Isn’t Crazy”
Just one day after teasing long-awaited Dedicated B-sides, Carly Rae Jepsen gifted fans with a whopping 12-track project. Collaborating with producer/Bleachers vocalist Jack Antonoff, the pop singers’ “This Love Isn’t Crazy” stands out as an exuberant effort.
The Weeknd — “In Your Eyes (Remix)” Feat. Doja Cat
Following a string of newly-rescheduled tour dates, The Weeknd tapped Doja Cat for a bouncy remix of his After Hours track “In Your Eyes.” The slightly reworked beat boasts a digital horn at the forefront of the instrumentals, with Doja Cat’s smoothly delivering her verse. “Love the way you’re talkin’, love your style, but, ooh, babe / We know that you got it from me,” she sings.
Tove Lo — “Sadder Badder Cooler”
Tove Lo released her record Sunshine Kitty last September. But that hasn’t stopped the single from taking on a handful of other projects and collaborations. Now, the Swedish singer has unveiled her Sunshine Kitty Deluxe record, which features the earworm “Sadder Badder Cooler.”
Sia — “Together”
“Together” is just one of the ten singles Sia wrote for the upcoming movie Music. The film is based on a screenplay the singer wrote in 2007 and it stars Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., and Dance Moms mainstay Maddie Ziegler.
Ellie Goulding — “Power”
It’s been five years since Ellie Goulding’s last record, but she’s now ushering in a new era with the triumphant single “Power.” In a statement alongside the single, Goulding said she wrote the single as a reflection on dynamics she’s experienced in modern relationships: “‘Power’ is about relationships in the 21st century, how they can now be dictated by social media, superficiality and material things. Dating can sometimes start out with lies or embellishments. The girl in the song is disillusioned by love and the cruel, good looking, self-obsessed people she keeps ending up with.”
Dana Williams — “Underwater”
Dana Williams’ “Underwater” is a reflection on impending doom oftentimes felt when relationships are going smoothly. The singer’s velvety-smooth cadence melts over a slow, rolling beat. “Are we / Running out of time, are we? / I’m so worried / That we’re running out of time,” Williams sings.
Nick Jonas — “Until We Meet Again”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qygpr6VDs_0
Serving as a judge on this season’s The Voice, Nick Jonas cooked up something special for the season finale with “Until We Meet Again.” The single is partially a tribute to the show, but mostly a tribute to essential workers fighting the pandemic. Alongside the single’s release, Jonas shared a heart-tugging video where he writes uplifting thank-you messages to hospital workers and offers his gratitude. Proceeds collected from the track will be donated to Feeding America, a cross-country network of food pantries and soup kitchens.
Shy Martin — “Nobody Likes Moving On”
The prolific Swedish songwriter has her sophomore EP due out this summer and the singer continues to preview the release with “Nobody Likes Moving On.” About the track, Shy Martin said: “In my past relationships I’ve moved to another city after they’ve ended and through that been able to easily have a fresh start, with new relationships and friendships. The conversation led on to our current relationships and I realized how horrible and hard a break up with my current boyfriend would be as we have so many friends in common and work with the same people in the same industry. We’re also completely in love with the same small part of Stockholm where we spend most of our time in the same favorite cafés, shops and restaurants.”
Cautious Clay, Still Woozy, Melanie Faye — “Cheesin’”
With much of the world still at home in quarantine, artists have decided to get creative with collaborations. A new collaboration between Cautious Clay, Still Woozy, and a number of other artists was born out of a similar creative drive. Each artist has their own verse on the track and 100 percent of net profits from the single will be donated to benefit MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
