This week, some of the best new pop music came from big-name musicians. Lady Gaga finally released her long-awaited record Chromatica, Rosalía teamed up with Travis Scott for a rhythmic tune, and Tones And I returns with a new track following last year’s breakout “Dance Monkey.”
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.
Lady Gaga — “Sour Candy” Feat. Blackpink
For her Chromatica record, Lady Gaga joined forces with some unexpected collaborators for some of the best new pop music we’ve heard of late. Gaga released “Sour Candy” with K-Pop supergroup Blackpink just ahead of her full album’s release. In a statement, Gaga applauded her collaborators: “When I called them and asked if they wanted to write a song with me, they were so happy and motivated. It was a really exciting collaboration. I wanted to celebrate them because they love powerful women like us, and they also wanted to celebrate me, and we had a great time together with this song. I was excited to hear them interpret the song in Korean, and told them that the part was so creative and fun. I was impressed when I heard their singing voice. I’m a woman, really talented and proud to be the fifth member of Blackpink (in this song).”
Rosalía x Travis Scott — “TKN”
Rosalía and Travis Scott’s “TKN” is an irresistibly-rhythmic single. In a statement alongside the track, Rosalía praised Scott for his work: “Travis is an artist who I’ve admired a lot since the beginning of his career and I can’t imagine a better artist to collaborate with on this song. I feel that now is the moment to release this song, after so many months of staying indoors, missing freedom or being with people we love. I hope ‘TKN’ gives you energy, makes you dance, and gives you strength if you’re going through difficult times. With all my love <3.”
Tones And I — “Ur So F**cking Cool”
Following two tracks released earlier this year, Australian songwriter Tones And I returns with a buoyant tune that aims a blow at fake influencers. “I wrote this song after I went to a party and everyone there thought they were the coolest thing ever and I just thought, ‘This is sh*t, I’m leaving,’” the singer said about the single.
Kim Petras — “Broken Glass” Feat. Kygo
Kim Petras tapped Norwegian producer Kygo for the effervescent “Broken Glass.” Petras said the single is a reflection of her state of mind when she penned the song: “‘Broken Glass’ really connected with me and what I was going through at the time. Kygo and I have written a couple of songs together in the past, but we’ve been trying to make something happen. I think the song is amazing and I’m a big fan of Kygo, so I’m really excited to be on his album and for it to come out!”
Tayla Parx — “Dance Alone”
Tayla Parx’s groove-driven “Dance Alone” is her latest effort following last year’s acclaimed debut album. “‘Dance Alone’ is about that deep desire to connect with someone in order to cope,” Parx said of the single. “We all have that special someone who makes us feel things where we literally ache for them or feel for them. It’s about human connection, which we all desperately need right now, and how we realize we are not alone.”
Griff — “Forgive Myself”
At 19-years-old, songwriter Griff not only writes and producers her own tracks, but she also makes her own clothes. Her acclaimed debut EP The Mirror Talk showcased her devotion to craft. Now, Griff expands her catalog with “Forgive Myself,” a lilting ballad about overcoming and learning from past mistakes, however big or small they might be.
Ali Gatie — “Running On My Mind”
Ali Gatie’s 2019 debut EP cemented the songwriter as a poignant voice in music. Now, Gatie returns with “Running On My Mind.” Arriving on his birthday, the track features Gatie’s soulful delivery over a rolling, earworm beat.
Duckwrth — “Find A Way”
Hailing from South Central LA, Duckwrth shares some motivation in the form of “Find A Way.” Intricately layered, Duckwrth said the track is meant as uplifting inspiration: “In this journey we call life, us as humans will inevitably fall off the path. Sometimes due to forces outside of our control. But we always find our way. This is the theme song to Our Comeback. Let’s Find A Way.”
Phil Good — “Everything’s Good”
LA singer/songwriter Phil Good shares his sarcastically-cheery track “Everything’s Good” this week. “Even though I’m sarcastically saying that ‘everything’s good’ in the song, I think it’s important to be optimistic and remind yourself and those around you that things could always be much worse,” Phil said about the single. “You’re still here, reading this on your phone, maybe on the couch or the toilet.. who knows. But you’re alive and breathing and that alone is pretty ‘everything’s good’ right now.”
Gashi — “Paranoid”
Gashi’s sophomore album 1984 arrived this week, and along with it came the stand-out track “Paranoid.” Gashi said that although he wasn’t alive in 1984, he feels connected to the time period: “I wasn’t alive during that decade, but I connect so much with everything from that era. I love everything about 80s culture from the music to the films to the fashion and I always wished I could have experienced that time in history. My parents got married in 1984 and some of the greatest music ever made came from the 80s. I just wanted to make music that made people feel the way I feel when I hear anything from that era.”
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
