Jai Waetford & Mansus have to be one of the best duos for making fire music, and their new record "Options" is an automatic hit. Although I haven’t heard much from the artists, you can tell the chemistry is on point, and their vocal performances are both powerful. Sonically, the beat begins with smooth cadences and the rumble of trap 808s meshed with island melodies. As it progresses, we are introduced to one of the most infectious hooks of the year, and I must say I still hear the hook in my head as we speak. Although the singing is very in the pocket, the consistency from both artists is very noticeable, and there are no dull moments in this record. The Australian pop singer and songwriter came third on the fifth season of "The X Factor Australia." He subsequently signed with Sony Music Australia and released his debut single "Your Eyes," which peaked at number six on the ARIA Singles Chart. Waetford's self-titled debut EP was released in December 2013. In addition, Waetford joined the Australian soap opera "Neighbours" in February 2016 as Angus Beaumont-Hannay.

Melanie C has released a new "In and Out of Love." Acoustic EP. It’s 20 years since Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm went solo so after a successful singles run, the Spice Girls star shared stripped-back recordings of tracks from her extensive collection. The new EP comprises six acoustic versions of her tracks that include her hits "In & Out Of Love," "Who Am I," "Never Be The Same Again," "Too Much," "Into You," and "Blame It On Me." Speaking of her single "In & Out Of Love," she says, “It’s so brilliant to release a pure pop, upbeat, positive fun tune. I think it’s exactly what the world needs right now!” The choreography-filled music video, directed by Graham Cruz, was filmed at London’s Alexandra Palace. Melanie released her latest single, "Into You," from the Deluxe Edition of her recent album, ‘Melanie C,’ in December. It follows "Who I Am," "Blame It on Me," "Fearless," and "Overload" as previous releases from the LP.

First announced back in 2020, singer Miley Cyrus had spent time recording Metallica material, with an update this year revealing that Elton John, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, and others were involved. Next, Metallica announced an upcoming "Black Album" reissue that will partner with a Metallica covers album by various artists called "The Metallica Blacklist," the tribute set featuring Cyrus' take on "Nothing Else Matters," one of the watershed 1991 metal album's original singles. In addition, the Cyrus cover version is now available to hear. The tune, released by Metallica alongside Tuesday's "Black Album" announcement, includes contributions from John and Smith alongside Cyrus' lead vocal; it also counts Ozzy and Post Malone producer Watt (Andrew Watt), cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Metallica's own Robert Trujillo among its collaborators. "Blacklist," along with a remastered version of the original "The Black Album," will both be released Sept. 10 via Metallica's Blackened Recordings. The covers album boasts new renditions from a total of 53 artists. Cyrus released her seventh studio album, "Plastic Hearts," in November 2020. Over the last year, she’s been on a tear covering notable classics from Hole, The Cranberries, Nine Inch Nails and more.

Singer-songwriter Morgxn released the anthemic indie-pop 'Wonder" as a single in 2020. After releasing an EP for the remixed and reimagined version of the song, now again Morgxn released a new version for "Wonder" and teaming up with Sara Bareilles. Sara Bareilles was prompted to collaborate with Morgxn after hearing the story of Morgxn being abandoned by her music label in March 2020 — a time when much of the world was in lockdown. On the same day, Billie Eilish revealed that the song 'home' by Morgxn inspired his song 'bad boy.' This is what strengthens Morgxn to keep going.'Wonder" was first released in June last year and went viral on TikTok, where the song managed to get over 25 million views in addition to racking up over 50 million streams globally to date. In related news, "Girls5eva," the comedy series via NBC’s Peacock streaming service, was renewed for a second season that stars Sara Bareilles. The show is about a 90s girl band getting back together, and there’s a lot of music in it, which makes perfect sense for the Humboldt-exported Grammy-winner.

Singer-songwriter Lady Gaga will release “Born This Way Reimagined: The Tenth Anniversary” as celebrating the 10th anniversary of her second studio album “Born This Way” on June 25, 2021. The new album features the original album and six covers of her tracks from artists who come from or advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, including the "Edge Of Glory" cover from Years & Years. His version of the song adds some chip-tune glissandos to the affair. It’s not as dramatic a reimagining as Orville Peck’s cover of “Born This Way,” but it still reads as distinctly Olly. Other "Born This Way" reimagines include Kylie Minogue and Big Freedia. Years & Years is the band-turned solo project of Alexander. Earlier this year, Y&Y collaborated with fellow "Born This Way" cover artist Kylie Minogue on “Starstruck (Remix)." Alexander also recently starred in the HBO Max series "It’s a Sin," about the AIDS epidemic in England. In addition, Alexander and Elton John covered “It’s a Sin,” the Pet Shop Boys song, which inspired the show’s title.

British singer-songwriter Paul McCartney premiered a new music video for “Slidin'” for International Surfing Day. The video was directed by Jack McCoy, featuring Craig Anderson and created in association with Surfrider Foundation and included on his 18th solo album “McCartney III,” released last December. Paul McCartney said about the song, “Slidin' came from a soundcheck jam when we played in Dusseldorf in Germany. During soundchecks, when I'm checking my guitar, I like to try and make something up, and the band will join in, and the sound man then gets the sound of my guitar which I'm going to use later in the show. So I started jamming, and this riff came out that I liked, and so we developed that, and I thought, 'I must do something with that. I really liked it as a riff; it stayed in my brain, so we did and recorded it for 'Egypt Station' [his 2018 solo album] with my band, but it didn't work out, so I had it kind of half-finished, so I changed some things here and there and put lyrics on it, and so it became this.”

Ariana Grande kicked off a live performance video series in partnership with Vevo built around songs from her latest album, "Positions." For her song “POV,” the first video shows Grande singing in front of a single spotlight in a field of flowers. After the intro, Grande is lit by a massive purple ring light overlooking her and her band. “We are so excited to release these exclusive video performances to Ariana’s fans,” JP Evangelista, Vevo’s Senior Vice President of Content, Programming & Marketing, said in a statement. “We’ve loved Ariana’s music for years, and it’s been such a privilege to watch her artistry grow and evolve. An immensely creative and collaborative artist is key to these visually stunning performances, and Ariana embodies that — her efforts translated beautifully onscreen. We look forward to seeing her continue to blossom and hope everyone enjoys watching." Grande released her sixth studio album "Positions" last October, following 2018’s "Sweetener" and 2019’s "Thank U, Next." The Weeknd tapped Grande for a remix of “Save Your Tears,” a cut off his fourth studio album After Hours, in April, and the two artists later performed the song live at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. The track marked the pair’s third collaboration following 2020’s “Off the Table” from Grande’s Positions and 2014’s “Love Me Harder” from Grande’s My Everything.

Snoh Aalegra has revealed a new single, "Lost You," which arrives ahead of her upcoming album "Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies." Produced by No I.D. with co-production courtesy of Maneesh, the mid-tempo track finds the Swedish artist navigating uncertainty in a relationship, where she finds herself doubting an intimate connection she’s had with a lover. “I was in the studio with No I.D. finishing up the album, and he just played these drums of ‘Lost You,’” Snoh, speaking on the track’s creation, explained on Apple Music 1. “I instantly fell in love with them. I just knew where I wanted to go with it straight away. It evoked this melancholy in me, and the song paints all the emotions you go through. You’re in one of those relationships you know you’re not supposed to be in, but you keep ending up together with this person over and over until it gets really toxic.” An accompanying music video also premiered via Aalegra’s YouTube channel. Aalegra appears deep in contemplation in the clip, wearing several sequin-lined outfits in a montage of moody and disorienting shots. Aalegra is set to release "Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies" on July 7 via Artium Recordings/Roc Nation Records. ‘Lost You’ is the second single unveiled from the album following "Dying 4 Your Love." which was released last July. The album is set to feature two tracks with Tyler, The Creator: ‘Neon Peach’ and ‘In The Moment.’ In addition, Singer-songwriter James Fauntleroy is credited as the featured artist on the track "On My Mind."

Canadian DJ Felix Cartal will release his upcoming fourth studio album “Expensive Sounds For Nice People” this Friday, June 25th via Physical Presents. Today, we get a new promotional single titled "The Life" that he teamed up with Fjord, who has previously worked with the acclaimed producer Tim Bran (whose other associations include London Grammar, Paul McCartney and Bloc Party) and have collected nearly 20 million times on Spotify alone. Fjord states: “When we received the demo from Felix, it was an instant crush! We knew we were about to have loads of fun working on this tune. The songwriting was refreshing, and the production was already mind-blowing.” Also taken from Cartal’s forthcoming album are ‘Mine’ with Sophie Simmons and ‘Love Me’ (featuring the singer LIGHTS), also winning the Dance Recording of the Year at the Junos 2020. Felix Cartal has gained support from BBC Radio 1’s Danny HowardandDiplo & Friends, and SiriusXM Chill has also heavily supported several singles. At the same time, his WeekendWorkout radio show is also featured on SiriusXMDiplo’sRevolution. His sound can be compared to those of the industry greats of Avicii, Kygo and CalvinHarris.

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Lisa Heller unveiled a new song, “Pity Party." The song was written by Lisa Heller and Meghan Williams and is the third single off her upcoming sophomore EP “Is Anyone Listening? following “Red Flags” and “18." The track takes us on a melancholy ride through the circus of the mind. During the first few months of quarantine, the track was conceived when Lisa, like many others from all walks of life, battled with depression and felt bad about being depressed. This is a song for those who struggle with spiralling. The music video stretches the metaphor of a “pity party” to the fullest extent, featuring multiple Lisas having their own dystopian gathering. “I think everyone has these feelings about their life at moments,” Lisa says. “Everyone is capable of getting in those headspaces, but we’re also capable of getting back out of them. I wanted to stop feeling sorry for myself, acknowledge that this is a part of life, and turn the subject matter on its head with a whimsical production and chorus.” Lisa’s forthcoming 6-song EP, “Is Anyone Listening?” due on July 15th.

Italian singer Gigi D'Alessio released "Buongiorno" Special Edition, which contains all the songs of the first edition of "Buongiorno," with Toa second CD with 12 songs, 4 unreleased tracks. After the explosive success of the album "Buongiorno," which in September debuted directly at No. 1 in the official FIMI ranking, Gigi D'Alessio completes this musical chapter which represented an important moment of renewed creative energy thanks to the collaboration with new talents of the Neapolitan urban scene, but at the same time brings to light a new essence of the world of the most intimate feelings and emotions. The Special Edition brings to completion a project that marks a restart from Naples and its origins: from the hits that in the 90s saw Gigi fill the San Paolo stadium to the unpublished ones, the common thread remains the Neapolitan language and the strong bond of belonging to his land. From the past, other hits from the artist's early repertoire have been rediscovered, such as "Na song nova" with Geolier, "'O posto d'Annarè" feat. Lele Blade, "Meza Bucia" feat. Coco, "30 song" feat. Bl4ir, "Anna se sposa" feat. Ivan Granatino, "Defeat of love" feat. Hal Qartièr, up to a tribute to Mario Merola with a new guise of "Cient'anne."

We all have pent-up emotions regarding bad romances, but few can create the ultimate tune to put the sorrow to bed like Ryan Wright. Her new single “Happy Birthday (Go Fuck Yourself)” carries both warm and icy tones through the '80s-tinged synths, pulsing drums, funny but authentically brutal lyrics, and energized chorus. Her undeniably relatable lyrics are written about her everyday experiences, innermost feelings, and struggles, both universal and personal—everything from friend drama to being ghosted by boys to deal with anxiety. Wright confides, “My songs are essentially my bottled-up emotions all being poured out in a way that makes them sound surreal. I wanted to make these very relatable experiences sound unfamiliar and strange–almost like listening to a soundtrack from an alternate reality.” Wright was born in the suburbs of Northern Virginia in 2002. She began writing songs and performing live alongside her singer/songwriter dad at the age of 11. By the time she was a teenager, she had worked in the studio and on stage alongside some of her biggest musical influences. In 2019, she began co-producing her current EP with her dad Todd Wright and collaborator Ethan Mentzer (The Click 5), working to hone a sound that wears its influences on its sleeve while still maintaining Wright's originality and authenticity that defines Wright as an artist. Her influences range from the classic (The Cars, Roy Orbison, The Smiths) to the current (The Killers, 1975, Lana Del Ray) to the local musicians she grew up playing with and learning from. Her indie dream-pop has been compared to Lorde, Lennon Stella and The Japanese House.

LA-based pop artist Maggie Andrew has dropped her fiery new single “ILMIHM”—the second part of her trilogy of immersive musical experiences—and it’s about to get you hooked. “ILMIHM” is probably my favourite song in the trilogy because it shows two different sides of me,” Maggie says. The darkly glittering synths beckon you to dive right into the song’s depths, where it tells tales of an internal battle between self-confidence and self-loathing. It’s a hard line to walk, but Maggie Andrew dances along that line with swagger, moving between low and high emotions so fast you’ll be left dizzy from the fallout. “I love the structure of the song and the feeling of darkness it has in the beginning, but as you keep on listening, the dark melancholy sound shifts itself in confidence and power,” she says. There’s an intense energy that radiates from this song as Maggie takes us through the pain of introspection and pushes towards a burst of light and strength. “ILMIHM” is definitely a rollercoaster of soul searching that’ll take you on a ride. The skippy beat keeps your heart racing while the synths shift between anxiety and excitement, perfectly orchestrating how those feelings are often intertwined.

Swedish singer Sabina Ddumba appeared on the music scene 6 years ago. She broke through with the singles "Scarred for Life" and "Effortless" and four years since the acclaimed debut album "Homeward Bound" landed. After several acclaimed tours, gigs on Way Out West's biggest stage, participation in "So Much Better", she finally releases the long-awaited new album "The Forgotten Ones". It is a more mature and determined Sabina Ddumba we are now taking part in. She explains that she used to be a passenger on her own train, now she sits in the driver's seat. “I am an open person who likes to test, and I have learned a lot these years. If you are in a room with people who do not really know you, the music will be different. It can still be good, but now I have more control over who I actually want to make music with. I have also become more confident in those rooms and work more with people I know, like my conductor Mats "MASAKA" Sandahl, he knows my references without me having to explain. " says Sabina. The 15 tracks reflect on Sabina Ddumba's maturity, versatility and the person behind the artist beautifully. There is everything from electropop-scented pop to reggae and afrobeat influences, and always afoot in the soul. It is a wide palette that Sabina Ddumba offers.

21 years since the release of their debut album, "Sooner or Later," BBMak presents "The Lost Tapes," which features nine B-sides, "The Lost Tapes" is a gift from BBMak to fans both old and new who want to explore the hidden treasures of the band’s chart-topping catalogue. Formed in 1996 by Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Ste McNally, BBMak epitomized the sound of early noughties boybands. Their biggest hit, "Back Here," broke the Top 10 of numerous charts across the globe and spent eleven weeks at No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. The success of "Back Here" and "Sooner or Later" saw BBMak’s career flourish. By 2003, the band had toured with the likes of Britney Spears, recorded film soundtracks and released their second album, "Into Your Head." In addition, they have made guest appearances on ABC's "All My Children" in 2000 and Disney's Even Stevens in 2001 and were featured on various movie soundtracks. The trio disbanded in 2003 following the release of their second album "Into Your Head." BBMak reunited in 2018 after a 15-year absence. They recorded and released a third studio album, "Powerstation," released in 2019,

Dua Lipa released her sophomore album, "Future Nostalgia," released on March 27, 2020, which compiles of 11-tracks that have neither features nor filler and makes a loud case for Lipa as a pop visionary, not a vessel. Lipa's long-in-the-making debut's varying quality and the sound was a real-time document of how modern pop stars have to evolve in public. Presumably emboldened by her success, on "Future Nostalgia," Lipa sticks to the so-called theme. She anchors the songs on the album with snappy basslines, then makes them transcendent, fully conveying the transformative nature of the romance she’s singing about. On the new record, she gives us her 2020 vision through the lens of the music she grew up listening to. That includes the likes of Outkast, No Doubt, Prince, Blondie, Jamiroquai and Moloko, but the album’s predominant sound is disco. Lipa even hit the studio with legend Nile Rodgers and, although his contributions didn’t make the final cut, you can hear his influence throughout. The lead single “Don’t Start Now” made it to No 1 on Top 40 radio and acted as a spoiler for the album’s organically bottom-end-heavy giddiness. “Don’t Start Now” may be remembered as the feel-good song that weirdly cushioned their transition into a feel-not-so-good era and, one hopes, back again soon. But, for those of us with longer musical and institutional memories, we may remember it as a tune that brought a certain kind of deep groove and attitudinal happiness back onto the radio at a time we needed it most. Then we have "Levitating" that struts on a rubbery bassline and syncopated handclaps, the 24-year-old pop star singing of a love “written in the stars.” Next, "Pretty Please" strips back the layers to focus on gently throbbing bass, synth flashes occasionally making their presence felt and updating things from ‘70s disco to late ‘90s/early ‘00s dance-pop. ‘Love Again’ follows suit, sampling ‘Your Woman’ by ‘90s alt. dance star White Town. All the way through this album, the pop star is in the driving seat, both behind the scenes and in the situations, she describes in the lyrics. For example, on ‘Break My Heart’ – which she recently described on recent Instagram Live as “my forte, dance crying” – she questions whether a new love is going to leave her nursing a broken heart again. But she decides to open herself up to that possibility, making herself vulnerable but stronger for it. Then there’s last year’s stone-cold banger ‘Don’t Start Now, a kind of counterpart to ‘New Rules’ that finds her delivering instructions to an ex and its powerful pop perfection. Then we move on to "Good In Bed," where she crafts a summery, jaunty pop earworm on which she talks about getting “good pipe in the moonlight.” It might be a distinctly unsexy way of talking about getting laid, but that’s the point – this is the star continuing the work of her heroes and singing about her hook-ups. On the flipside of Lipa’s empowering stance is ‘Boys Will Be Boys, a string-laden slow cut that tackles sexual harassment. Again, this demonstrating some of the things women have to think about in their day-to-day lives. Her point is clear – girls have to grow up much faster than their male peers, who largely get to remain blissfully oblivious to the violence of the world until a later age. "Future Nostalgia" consciously crafts a distinct sound for the singer. Lipa’s nods backwards do not simply replicate the past sounds but use and manipulate them to shape a record that sounds undeniably modern. The album twists ‘80s pop comparisons in a way that feels unique, personal and fresh, creating a project that evidences Lipa’s growth from rising radio favourite to Britain’s leading pop star. As promised by its title, "Future Nostalgia" takes the listener on a nostalgic ride to the future: whilst recalling the dance-pop of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the album cements Lipa’s place in the future of British pop. Dua Lipa succeeds in building on the successes of her chart-topping first album by layering her well-established vocals and commanding lyrics with new sounds in pursuit of a cohesive and innovative follow-up that certainly tops its predecessor.

Auckland-based singer/songwriter Cecily has released her debut EP "Thinking About M(EP)." Cecily embraces her introverted self with her honest and self-effacing songwriting on the EP, which includes her singles "Thinking About Me," "I," "I Did It All," "Red Flags" and her latest release "Mad Girl’s Love Song." “This song was inspired by a very one-sided love,” says Cecily, “and I realized that the reason I couldn’t get over this person is that I didn’t know them well enough so I made them up inside my head.” With a range of influences from Kate Bush to ABBA, "Thinking About M(EP)" rolls in the depths of emotional turmoil, dealing with themes of isolation, love, and relationships (With the outside world) with cynical side-eye and plenty of autobiographical rawness. There is no sugar-coating or fluff. As a member of Generation Z, Cecily is pushing back against the ingrained institutions of the boomer generation with her music. She is certainly representing a breath of fresh air for a generation of change.

Singer-songwriter Zella Day has released her third single of the year, the bubbly and slow-burning 'Girls." Slightly pop, slightly noir, and completely fascinating, Day is one of those artists who never does the same thing twice. ‘Girls’ comes with incongruously fuzzy guitar lines and live drums that sound like they were recorded in the world's largest echo chamber, contrasting with the fairly low-key strut of the track’s sultry vocal lines. Day explains the song's genesis. “‘Girls’ is a mentality or an embodiment of feminine spirit available to all through the communication of self-expression. To be beautiful, sensual, the feminine is not exclusive to one’s sex but a universal power that all humans can experience. This song is a celebration and an invitation to be GIRLS.” ‘Girls’ is a great track that plays to Zella Day’s strengths as an artist. Bizarre and unconcerned with appealing to the mainstream, but always happy to throw in plenty of hooks and harmonies to reel you in. In addition, Day is an artist that actually has substance and true artistic talent, and she proves it with each new single she releases.

British alt-pop singer-songwriter Charlotte OC released a drops a sultry and magnetic new song titled “Bad News." The track talks about coming to terms with a toxic relationship; the breakup ballad is the latest early offering from Charlotte OC’s forthcoming sophomore album, "Here Comes Trouble," out on October 15, 2021. "This song was written after a rough breakup, from a relationship that was simply — 'Bad News,'” Charlotte OC said. “It was the moment I realized, even though I was heartbroken — we weren't right for each other and were a recipe for disaster. This song is me in the throws of the upset and angry stage of a breakup.” When Charlotte OC offers up, “we’re both sad, we’re both screwed, we’re both bad, bad news,” we know there’s no going back. And it continues to set a poignant tone for "Here Comes Trouble." Talking about her new music video, Charlotte says, “I wanted to convey the turbulence of a troubled relationship and show a couple that is wild and passionate but just ‘bad news.” Together with the director Dave East, she created a music video that’s raw and powerful at the same time. The Welsh countryside offered up a spectacular scenic backdrop for the music video “Bad News,” which was completely shot on 16mm film. Explaining the main concept, director Dave East adds, “The idea of the video was to put Charlotte in a mystic setting where she and her lover just cause chaos and are just not right for each other.” With a new album on the way, this promises to be a big year for Charlotte.

Singer-songwriter Robyn Sherwell releases her new studio album "Unfold." The new album comes off her critically acclaimed full-length debut album, produced by Bat For Lashes collaborator David Kosten. She experienced a huge and incredible transition in becoming a mother, after the loss of a pregnancy. With this new-found strength, Robyn returned to her home studio in London and brought in an old friend on board to produce alongside her Jonas Jalhaying – whose credits include artists such as DJ Khaled, RagnBone Man and James Blake – and who had co-produced "Landslide," her spellbinding cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic, from her debut album. Her comeback EP "Where Do We Go From Here," released last December, signalled the confident return of an artist who's experienced a lot, and is never afraid to express her emotions through beautifully bruised but enveloping melodic electro soul songs. If you have yet not heard of Robyn Sherwell, then you should as it is a name that has been on the lips of tastemakers since her debut single "Love Somebody" became a firm favourite of Lauren Laverne's on BBC Radio 6 and signalled the arrival of a new heart-on-sleeve female singer-songwriter. Robyn's music has amassed over 20 million cumulative streams, establishing her as a fresh standout voice in the realm of heartfelt confessional electro-pop. The release of "Unfold" signals a new moment from a compelling artist, a mature leap forward from her debut album, solidifying previous accolades, with the promise of many more to come.