This week in pop music saw a handful of musicians ringing in the holiday season. Ariana Grande joined Mariah Carey and Jennifer Hudson for a jolly tune, Shawn Mendes dropped his anticipated album Wonder, and Finneas offered a reflective Christmas ballad.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.
Mariah Carey — “Oh Santa!” Feat. Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson
Mariah Carey is unequivocally the Queen of Christmas, so of course she had to celebrate this year’s holiday season in style. Carey tapped fellow vocal powerhouses Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson for the fun and festive single “Oh Santa!” where the three harmonize about wishing to spend the holidays with the one they love.
Shawn Mendes — “Call My Friends”
Shawn Mendes’ album Wonder dropped this week and in it, he sings of fame and falling in love with Camila Cabello. His track “Call My Friends” takes a brief detour from heavier themes, instead opting to sing of letting off steam with his best buddies.
Finneas — “Another Year”
Finneas was another pop artist who is getting into the festive mood, but his is far less jolly. About the slow piano ballad, Finneas said in a statement that he actually penned the song last December. “I wrote this song last Christmas, with a year of uncertainty ahead of us, had I known, anything I know now about how 2020 would go, I don’t think I would have changed a word,” he said.
Rina Sawayama — “We Out Here”
Following the massive success of her album Sawayama, Rina Sawayama decided to grace fans with a deluxe version of the record. Released this week, her deluxe project features the bonus track “We Out Here,” a fun and dancefloor-ready tune perfect for getting in the mood for a night out.
Claud — “Soft Spot”
Gearing up for their debut album Super Monster, Claud shared “Soft Spot” this week. Over a warm-toned guitar, Claud sings of dealing with the emotions behind unrequited love. “I have a soft spot for lots of people, places, and things,” they said about the single. “This song is about knowing I can’t be with this one specific person, but my feelings won’t go away… I still hope I run into them, or they randomly text me about something. It’s just me romanticizing what I can’t have and being like ‘but what if…’”
Yuna — “Dance Like Nobody’s Watching”
Following her defiant 2019 album Rouge, Yuna has offered a handful of one-off singles in 2020. Returning once again, she released the slow-burning number “Dance Like Nobody’s Watching.” The song starts slow, building onto an atmospheric background until hip-shaking beat drops break the building anticipation.
100 Gecs — “Sympathy 4 The Grinch”
100 Gecs is back this week, and they’re here to say “bah humbug” with their latest single “Sympathy 4 The Grinch.” Over a heavily layered beat, 100 Gecs sing of being scorned by Santa. “Wanted some speakers, Xbox, and t-shirts / I’ve been good like every single day / Looked under my tree, my box was empty,” they sing.
Cheat Codes — “Do It All Again” Feat. Marc. E Bassy
Cheat Codes have released a number of uplifting singles this year but for their latest, the trio tap Marc. E Bassy for a fluttering tune about wishing to re-live their past. “Doesn’t everyone wish we could redo normal life all over again,” Cheat Codes said in a statement about the song.
Wens — “Love Blind”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTNaixtrTw
Wens may have released her debut EP this year, but she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Releasing “Love Blind” this year, Wens takes on a lovelorn ballad. “Falling in love for the first time is completely terrifying, its all consuming and the most beautiful thing until it isn’t,” she said. Wens continued: “I was trying so hard to bring us back to life but my harsh reality was that it’s nearly impossible to repair something that is past the point of being fixed.”
Bailey Bryan — “Fresh Start”
Returning with her fourth single of the year, Bailey Bryan is ready for a “Fresh Start.” “You can grow into a new mindset every single day if you want to,” she said about the single. “This project is just me owning that, and revealing it in my own way, each song representing a moment that triggered that sort of growth.”
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
