This week in pop music saw some pop stars continuing new eras of music. Silk Sonic keeps capitalizing on their success with a new track, Charli XCX teamed up with some other pop stars for her next single, and Lorde graced fans with some bonus tracks to accompany her latest album.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.
Silk Sonic — “Smokin Out The Window”
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak took the world by storm when they formed the retro duo Silk Sonic and released their debut single “Leave The Door Open.” Now giving fans another taste of their upcoming LP An Evening With Silk Sonic, the duo tell a different side their loved-up debut single. “Smokin Out The Window” is their version of a brokenhearted track. Over lush instrumentals, Mars and .Paak tell the story of how a relationship took a turn south and now they’re all alone “smoking out the window.”
Charli XCX — “New Shapes” Feat. Christine And The Queens, Caroline Polachek
After unleashing her inner demon in her previous track “Good Ones,” Charli XCX is ready to fall in love in “New Shapes” in her new single. The track is a synth-heavy bop featuring fellow disco pop artists Christine And The Queens and Caroline Polachek and officially points to Charli’s upcoming album Crash. “I think the whole record is about my relationship with relationships and sex and power,” Charli said about her upcoming album.
Lorde — “Hold No Grudge”
Silk Sonic aren’t the only ones singing of a soured relationship this week. Lorde returned to add a few more tracks to the deluxe version of her Solar Power album, including the lovelorn tune “Hold No Grudge.” Armed with a shimmering beat, Lorde leans on her fluttering vocals to tell the story of those in her life that she isn’t close to anymore. But no matter what happened, she will eventually forgive them. “I came to the conclusion that when it comes to holding grudges, I am just not that b*tch,” Lorde said about the track.
Kali Uchis and Omar Apollo — “Bad Life”
After kicking off a new era of music with the pumped-up track “Go Away,” Omar Apollo teams up with Kali Uchis to take things down a notch with the mood track “Bad Life.” It’s an emotional guitar ballad that speaks to wishing ill will on a partner after a particularly painful breakup. “To me, ‘Bad Life’ represents putting in energy into a relationship and not getting anything in return,” Apollo said of the single. “It’s a song about being resentful towards somebody — wanting them to have ‘bad life’ with whoever they’re with now.”
Tiësto, Ava Max — “The Motto”
YOLO may have been the motto of the 2010s, but Tiësto and Ava Max are here to bring about a motto for a new decade with their new collaboration. The resilient dark-pop tune is an ode to living a carefree life and solving your problems on the dance floor. “‘The Motto’ is empowering — it’s about not caring, doing you, having a good time, and letting the world know!” Max said about the song.
Slayyyter — “Stupid Boy” Feat. Big Freedia
It’s been a few months since hyperpop star Slayyyter released her debut album Troubled Paradise, and she’s now back for more. Teaming up with the incredible Big Freedia, Slayyyter delivers an irresistible banger about the shortcomings of her romantic partners.
LANY — “The Older You Get, The Less You Cry”
Pop band LANY dropped the deluxe version of this summer’s LP Gg Bb, Xx this week, which included their shimmering and emotional track “The Older You Get, The Less You Cry.” The iridescent song walks through mistakes made in past like giving up on love too early and feeling beaten down by past relationships.
Arca — “Prada”
After announcing her project Kick II, Arca returned with two new songs this week, “Prada” and “Rakata.” The former track features Arca’s swirling vocals delivered in Spanish over a hypnotizing beat. About the single, she says: “Prada is a song about defying shame and healing ancestral wounds; about the futurity of desire and love as a moebius strip; about kink as an engine, about sex and love, and above all else about simultaneity of being able to surrender and submit as well as being able to overpower and dominate within a collaboratively created space of consent.”
Little Mix — “Between Us”
Even though they’re now a trio, Little Mix aren’t holding back on their new releases. The girl group’s latest track “Between Us” shows a more vulnerable side of the singers. Leaning on each of the members’ far-reaching vocals, “Between Us” is a romantic ode to sticking by your word in a relationship.
Lauren Jauregui — “On Guard” Feat. 6lack
Celebrating the release of her debut project Prelude, Lauren Jauregui shared her 6lack collaboration “On Guard” as her final single. The smooth and sultry track about keeping your walls up in a relationship. Alongside her Prelude release, Jauregui thanked her fans for always sticking by her side. “Thank you for reminding me of my artistic voice, thank you for teaching me to believe in myself, thank you for evolving with me and for keeping me company through the growth,” she said.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
