NEW SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS WEEK
- Apr 1, 2022
- 5 min read
Every week, we highlight the cream of the crop in music through our best music of the week column. Here's our round-up of the best tracks and music videos across our desks. This week, we're bringing you the best new music that popular culture offers. Genres mean nothing to us, so be prepared to take a vision quest down many different avenues.
GAVIN JAMES | CIRCLES
Irish singer-songwriter Gavin James, whose song-craft has been the key to unlocking 1.8 billion streams, 6 million monthly listeners at Spotify, 1 Diamond and 45 Platinum & Gold records across the globe, kicked off 2022 by embarking on a UK tour with James Blunt, and now releases his brand new single "Circles." Produced by Patrick Pyke Salmy and multi-Platinum awarded Richard Muñoz (Zoe Wees) with additional production by Ollie Green (Freya Ridings, Lewis Capaldi), and written with Jimbo Barry (The Script), the new single "Circles" has all the credentials to match Gavin’s previous success, which has earned himself arena level notoriety. Gavin comments on his latest single, “I wrote Circles about a desperate one-sided relationship about a person playing games on the other. “If you’re going pull the covers over me” kind of sums up how one person can be fooled into heartbreak by choosing not to believe anything bad is happening.” Following his UK tour with James Blunt, which started February 3rd, 2022, Gavin James will also embark on his Irish headline tour later this year.
PABLLO VITTAR & RINA SAWAYAMA | FOLLOW ME
Pabllo Vittar is a Brazilian drag queen, musician, and activist who’s collaborated with Charli XCX a couple of times and gearing up for a world tour that includes stops at festivals like Primavera Sound, the Chile, Argentina, and Brazil editions of Lollapalooza. Now, Vittar has teamed up with Rina Sawayama, another recent-vintage Charli collaborator, on a thumping, euphoric dance-pop track called “Follow Me.” the club-ready pop number boasts a wild guitar riff and fierce vocals from both artists as well as a vibrant music video to match the track’s carefree yet exotic direction. Speaking on the track in a press release, Vittar – who is a noted activist – called Sawayama “an icon,” adding that the merging of their musical styles in ‘Follow Me’ is “perfect.” In the coming months, Pabllo will embark on a massive tour of North and South America and Europe, performing at iconic venues such as Los Angeles’ The Fonda Theater, London’s The Electric and Terminal 5 in New York City, as well as festival appearances at Lollapalooza, Coachella and more.
MATOMA & A R I Z O N A | HEART SO BIG
Inspirational Norwegian DJ and producer Matoma released a new single entitled “Heart So Big,” which is a collaboration with electronic dance-pop trio A R I Z O N A. The track was written with A R I Z O N A’s longtime collaborator PJ Bianco as a love letter to his son with autism. April is National Autism Awareness Month in the U.S., and the song seeks to celebrate each one of us for the unique gifts we bring to the world. The official music video features video footage of fans from all over the world sharing some of their fondest memories. Beyond this, content network FlightHouse is spearheading the #HeartSoBig charity campaign that encourages people to share videos celebrating the person with the biggest heart they know. To accompany the release, Matoma and A R I Z O N A has partnered with Quincy Jones-backed, environmentally friendly NFT platform OneOf to create three unique heart NFTs where the proceeds are going to Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. They will also be gifting NFTs to select users who participate in the #HeartSoBig social campaign.
LLOYISO | SPEAK
Gearing up for a massive 2022, South African singer and songwriter Lloyiso returns with his brand new single “Speak” via Universal Music Group South Africa/Republic Records. In this ballad, bold piano introduces the track as his unmistakable voice immediately captivates. The vocals stretch from vulnerable verses into a soulfully striking refrain as he pleads, “Speak, don’t let this love hold you down.“ It exudes raw and real emotion in between each breath. Regarding the single, he commented, “I co-wrote "Speak" with Molly Irvine and Dennis Neuer. I loved working with them, and they brought all the amazing flavours and colours that this song needed. "Speak" is about that moment when you realize that you’re honestly not sure whether your presence is wanted or not. Personally, it took me a while to come to terms with the doubt that comes from that realization. "Speak" is the song that made me realize that if I’m honest with myself and the way that I feel, I can get relief from the pain!” Last year, he made his international debut for Republic Records with the single “Seasons.“ Right out of the gate, it tallied 16 million streams and garnered a ton of buzz.
FRANCIS KAREL | LIKE ALL MY FRIENDS
Viral singer-songwriter Francis Karel has released his striking new single, “Like All My Friends.” Karel spoke of the track, saying, “Over the past few years, I’ve prioritized so many things above a romantic relationship… school, my career, moving to a new country,” says Karel. “Whenever my friends have asked if I have anything going on in my love life, I’ve always just had a mentality of ‘maybe someday,’ but I think this song represents me being surrounded by so many people I care about who are in love, and wondering what that feels like for the first time.” What started as a mission to bring joy to people in the most unexpected place ended up being the catalyst for Karel’s breakthrough moment. During COVID, the unassuming singer/songwriter began sharing countless Omegle reaction videos in which he reduces unsuspecting strangers to instant tears with his mesmerizing voice and soulful guitar. Recorded alone at home, Karel’s jaw-dropping, impromptu performances have taken the internet by storm, earning him more than 2.3 million followers on TikTok, 159k YouTube subscribers, and high-profile Instagram fans like Meghan Trainor, Zedd, Tori Kelly, and Bebe Rexha.
CHLOE LILAC | HOW DOES YOUR GIRLFRIEND FEEL ABOUT IT
Singer-songwriter Chloe Lilac has released a new single titled "how does your girlfriend feel about it." The song is the latest arrival from Chloe's forthcoming new mixtape, due for release on April 29. Showcasing Chloe's gritty take on pop-punk, blending biting vocal runs with soaring earworm melodies set against a backdrop of crunching guitars, the song further defines the latest era of Chloe's artistry as she leads into her next mixtape release. Speaking on the new single, Chloe notes, "how does your girlfriend feel about it is about when someone I was involved with was dishonest. I wanted to write a silly song about it to shed light on a disappointing situation." Her new single follows Chloe's previous release, "last week," the first taste of her upcoming mixtape project. An understated, guitar-driven ode to the complexities of grief and loss, the song has seen critical praise, including looks from Dork and Guitar Girl Magazine and streaming support on playlists such as Spotify's New Music Friday and Apple Music's New In Alternative. Chloe will join Pom Pom Squad as direct support on their forthcoming U.S. / Canada tour, which will kick off on April 14.
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