This week saw the release of a ton of great new pop music. Dua Lipa is beating a man at his own game, as she shared her latest single from her summer-themed upcoming album. Sabrina Carpenter treated fans to another catchy pop anthem, just in time for her set at Coachella. Maggie Rogers and Girl In Red returned with brand new records. And so much more.
Check out the rest of Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Dua Lipa — “Illusion”
Dua Lipa is preparing to lift our moods this summer with her Radical Optimism album. While it’s still a few weeks away, she dropped “Illusion” as the latest preview — a confident anthem that finds Lipa continuing to take charge of her love life, without letting any toxicity confuse her. “‘Illusion’ was the first song Caroline, Danny, Tobias, Kevin and I worked on together, and it really broke the ice for the record,” she shared. “It’s about knowing what you’re getting yourself into but staying for the hell of it. The joke’s on them, it’s the fun of playing someone at their own game because ultimately you won’t fall for an illusion.”
Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
Just a few days before her Coachella set, Sabrina Carpenter had a fun new hit on her hands with “Espresso.” The catchy pop track plays on the ways Carpenter is pulling and maintaining an addictive relationship, complete with a surf-inspired music video. Of course, she added it to the performance in the Californian desert, giving the crowd just enough time to memorize the words.
Maggie Rogers — “If Now Was Then”
Maggie Rogers is back with her anticipated album, Don’t Forget Me. The record finds Rogers operating on a higher level of songwriting — on top of already being clearly talented in the field. One of the highlights is “If Now Was Then,” where she heads back to her old NYC stomping grounds and feels nostalgic seeing younger kids in the same places. Specifically, she remembers a past love and wishes she could go back in time to change things.
XG — “Undefeated”
“Ain’t no rivals, ain’t no rivals / They can try, but they’re never ever slowing me down / On arrival, this is my show / Crossing my heart, they know we are / Undefeated,” XG points out on their confident anthem about the girl group wrecking the competition — and showing off their skills in the process. If you’re looking for something to lift your spirits, this is it. The release is tied to the video game Valorant.
Zayn — “Alienated”
Zayn lets his vocals shine on center stage with his latest “Alienated” single, from his next album, Room Under The Stairs. Lyrically, it finds him struggling with the feeling of being alone — and allowing fans who feel the same to find comfort in it. “This is my favorite album that I’ve made to date, mainly because it comes from a place of sheer honesty and vulnerability,” Zayn shared. “I wanted each song to feel as if it was just me sitting beside you telling you how I feel, singing directly to you. It’s raw and stripped back and the type of music I always hoped to make.”
Peso Pluma, Arcángel — “PESO COMPLETO”
Peso Pluma performed his new “PESO COMPLETO” collab with Arcángel from the massive stage of none other than Coachella. The video taps into a wild level of extravagance, as the two are surrounded by bikini-clad women and lots of cash to show off. They even manage to fight some sumo wrestlers through it all.
Girl In Red — “I’m Back”
Girl In Red finally dropped her new I’m Doing It Again Baby! album, giving fans lots of jams to listen to this weekend. “I’m Back” opens the record, providing an update about the singer’s mental health — and how she is in a much better place. To set the tone for the rest of the project, it is a very hopeful and optimistic track.
Willow — “Bigfeelings”
After a string of singles over the past few months, Willow is teasing more of the new album that she has on the way with “Bigfeelings.” Ahead of Empathogen, she described that she wrote the vulnerable track “during a week where I was coming to terms with my own emotional patterns that I hadn’t known were there. Musically, it has a darkness and complexity that reflects what we all experience in our own minds. The song is about accepting those intense feelings that you have no idea what to do with.”
Suki Waterhouse — “My Fun”
Suki Waterhouse, who was also at Coachella over the weekend, recently released “My Fun” as part of a double single drop — her first few pieces of new music since welcoming her daughter. This track is all about feeling carefree, while also acknowledging a love that she’s found. “Love me like I love my fun,” Waterhouse adds in the chorus.
Hailey Orion — “Angry Woman”
About a month after Hailey Orion first released “Angry Woman,” she gave it another boost by dropping the lyric video for it. The moving song is about Orion finding and maintaining her inner strength, no matter who or what tries to knock her down. Although this release isn’t necessarily from this week, it’s still well worth checking out.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
