This week’s new releases put an emphasis on the emotions that are present behind pop music — and the different lengths it can stretch. Not every song in the genre takes the form of a fully-packaged radio track, as many artists these days pull from a wide range of influences that cross over into their work.
With everything from R&B to disco serving as an inspiration for some of this week’s songs, here is Uproxx’s Best New Pop music to check out below.
Norah Jones — “Can You Believe”
Co-written by Norah Jones and producer Leon Michels, “Can You Believe” brings the calming energy, complete with Jones’ hypnotic and recognizable voice. As she continues working on a new album, this is sure to keep fans excited for it.
Leigh-Anne — “Don’t Say Love”
Leigh-Anne, previously from Little Mix, made her official solo debut with the new track, “Don’t Say Love.” The confident anthem finds her making intentions clear, both in love and life, as she simply won’t settle for anything less than she deserves.
Kiana Ledé, Khalid — “Where You Go”
Kiana Ledé’s “Where You Go” collab with Khalid appears on her Grudges album and finds the performers reflecting on how emotions affect the other person in the relationship — with some incredible duets throughout.
Nat and Alex Wolff — “Lucky You”
“Alex and I spent lockdown living together for the first time since we were both in high school,” the duo shared about their new album, with “Lucky You” being part of what came from the quarantine. “We took advantage of that time by spending months working on all our songs and then we decided to give ourselves a limited amount of time in the studio to inspire us to work faster and think on our feet.”
Gracie Abrams — “Two People”
The new album closer from Gracie Abrams’ deluxe version of Good Riddance, “Two People” finds her reflecting on how much people can change in the blink of an eye. “When you take me for granted, I make it alright,” she sings.
Sophie Cates — “Walking The Dogs”
Being someone who was familiar with Cates’ work before she switched over to her real name, her growth as a musician has been really interesting to see. “Walking The Dogs” show this extended power in both her lyricism and vocals, as she notes on the sad outro, “Seven hours ’til I get home and I start from scratch again / But I don’t wanna do that, you made me the happiest.”
Olivia Dean, Leon Bridges — “The Hardest Part”
Another collaboration on this week’s list, Olivia Dean and Leon Bridges walk each other through “The Hardest Part” — an extra-emotional spin on her original song. “Lately I’ve been growing into someone you don’t,” Dean sings before the beat drops, chalking their differences in a relationship to changing as people, as Bridges tackles the second verse.
Laufey — “Promise”
Laufey’s “Promise” showcases her truly powerful vocals over a somber piano instrumental, reminiscing on how she didn’t say goodbye to a past lover until it was too late. While it might be a heartbreaking introduction to her as a musician, it is one that still pulls you in.
Bruno Major — “Tell Her”
“Tell Her” maintains the moody, jazz-influenced vibes from the pop tracks dropping lately. Major uses his words as wishes that he hopes an ex would hear, or as he notes, “taking the words from the sad songs instead.”
Sophie And The Giants, Purple Disco Machine — “Paradise”
To throw in a party song this week, Sophie And The Giants’ collab with Purple Disco Machine on “Paradise” is certainly it. Shifting to a pure disco vibe, it really is an energetic song that is made for the dancefloor — right down to the carefree energy of the lyrics: “I know you want to get closer underneath the neon lights.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
