Friday Features: Katy Perry, Kid Cudi, Dua Lipa, JoJo and more treat fans to some new bops this week
This was a big week in music, especially for dance-pop, R&B and rap lovers, with everyone from Katy Perry and Kygo to JoJo and Kid Cudi giving us some gorgeous new music to keep us company. And while some tracks are arguably total bops that would have been absolute hits at clubs (if they were open), others stripped things back a bit to reveal some beautiful songwriting via lyrics that are sure to have you in your feelings for weeks to come.
Katy Perry: 'Smile'
As one of the reigning queens of dance-pop, it's no surprise that Perry put out an absolute bop with 'Smile'. The song is true to its form for the pop diva, featuring an extremely catchy hook, her signature vocals and evoking a whole lot of colorful visuals. But unlike her earlier work, this track sees Perry get a whole lot more vulnerable with her lyrics, blending the highs of throwing caution to the wind and dancing your heart out with the lows which, in the singer's case, involved being fed "a piece of humble pie" which she adds was an "ego check" that saved her life.
Kid Cudi feat Eminem: 'The Adventures of Moon Man & Slim Shady'
When Cudi dropped the announcement for this track, it was met with mixed responses ranging from total excitement to a whole lot of criticism levied against Eminem, mostly from folks who think the rapper is no longer relevant. But regardless of these opinions, both Cudi and Em continue to put out chart-topping and critically-acclaimed music, so a team-up between them was very likely going to produce a top-quality track. And that's exactly what 'The Adventures of Moon Man & Slim Shady' turned out to be. Cudi's alternative approach to hip-hop, full of soothing vocals and addictive humming is paired with Em's fire verses, which take shots at police brutality, and neither overshadows the other. Despite their entirely different styles, this song is a perfect blend.
Dua Lipa: 'Hallucinate'
Another dance-pop diva, Lipa's recent releases have been a retro music fan's dream. The music video for 'Hallucinate' lives up to the song's name, featuring some colorful and occasionally trippy animated visuals that stand in for Lipa herself, who couldn't film a music video owing to Covid-19 restrictions. Nonetheless, this video still meets any expectations anyone may have had for a Lipa song, including having the singer be blasted into outer space and land on a giant disco ball, and serves as the perfect appetizer for whenever we get to see her perform the track live.
Snoh Aalegra: 'Dying 4 Your Love'
Between Aalegra and Summer Walker dropping new music, pop-R&B fans have truly won. Aalegra's 'Dying 4 Your Love' is a gorgeously smooth track and a sultry reminder of just how good an artist she is. Her soft, soulful vocals pair with a chill background track transports you to an entirely different mental and emotional space. It's somehow both healing and seductive all at once. If this track tells us anything, it's that Aalegra's upcoming album is going to be one of the best things to come out this year.
Zara Larsson: 'Love Me Land'
Another one for everyone desperately missing the dancefloor, Larsson delivers a pumping track with quality vocals and orchestral instrumentation, all paired with a music video of the singer displaying her dancing skills at a party for one. The song itself details the experience of not being able to help yourself as you fall in love all over again, despite what you may have experienced in the past. Who here hasn't dealt with that? 'Love Me Land' is a single off Larsson's album, which drops after summer, and is a perfect representation of those post-summer vibes we'll all be sporting soon.
JoJo: 'Think About You (Acoustic)'
JoJo is one artiste who will always be known for both her incomparable vocals as well as her ability to pen songs that are both empowering and heartbreaking. Her latest album, 'Good to Know', is already a huge hit among fans who have been patiently awaiting a full return from the pop-R&B singer. The release is filled with everything from bluesy tracks including the self-love anthem 'Man' and several songs that had the listeners vibing along. JoJo has now dropped an acoustic version of the album, just in case you didn't quite catch her stellar vocals the first time around. 'Think About You' also gets a music video, with the song that sees the singer reminisce about a past love as she moves on to a new one being paired with equally nostalgic visuals.
Friday Features is a column that brings you the week's latest releases that you may or may not have heard yet.
