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MUSIC

Was Janelle Monáe Attacked with "Too Much Tuna?"

John Mulaney and Nick Kroll think that giving people giant mounds of tuna fish is a fun prank, but mercury poisoning is no joke

Kroll Show - Oh, Hello - A Medically Inadvisable Amount of Tuna (ft. John Mulaney)
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It was announced yesterday that Janelle Monáe will be joining the impressive lineup of musical acts performing at the Oscars this weekend.

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Casii Stephan Keeps Hope Alive on “Trapeze Artist”

"No one person can change the world," she says.

Casii Stephan

Logan Miller

Soul pop-rock singer-songwriter Casii Stephan felt "like a trapeze artist, swinging back and forth," while writing her new song.

With her lush voice, Stephan brings "Trapeze Artist" to life, allowing the song to grow from a gentle ballad to an anthem about finding one's place in the world. She was scrolling through her social feed, reading about everything from romance to racism, when she realized, "It's a growth process to know how to process all of this information and what to do with it and know what I can reasonably do in the community I'm in. No one person can change the world."


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Jah9 Has a Spiritual Reckoning on "Ma’at (Each Man)"

"What we pay, will be weighed, when we meet our judgment day."

Jah9

Wade Rhoden

Ever since her emergence from the cocoon of Jamaica's "reggae revival" movement, Jah9's polished jazz vibe has captivated listeners.

Described as "black magic," Jah9's spellbinding vibrato conjures up balanced textures steering the way toward spiritual evolution. Her latest single, "Ma'at (Each Man)," the second single from her forthcoming third album that drops early 2020, carries her potent feminine energy with its blend of reggae, soul, and spiritual consciousness.

Jah9 - Ma'at (Each Man) | Official Music Videoyoutu.be

Jah9 explains, "I speak about the karmic cycle and its real implications for the individual relative to their actions on 'Ma'at (Each Man).' No actions go unnoticed, and I am ever reminded that 'what we pay, will be weighed, when we meet our judgment day' in the lyrics. For [me], it represents a coming-of-age, an initiation into the real meaning of social and personal responsibility, an understanding that fosters self-discipline and strength of will: the key tools for rising above karmic forces."

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HĒIR Plays Games on New Single "My Love"

The singer-songwriter's latest single strips away the indie-electronica sheen for a sparser, more intimate track.

Lara Giliberto

HĒIR's "My Love" is an arresting gem, opening with a sparse guitar and growing steadily into something sultry and sardonic.

Patricia Manfield is the voice and pen behind HĒIR, a globe-trotting singer-songwriter with three compelling singles to her name so far. Her music combines wryly potent vocals with dynamic indie-electronica, a reliably effective mix, as evidenced by her past singles "Threads" and "Soundtrack." But "My Love," her latest offering, turns down the percussive power of her last few releases in favor of a more intimate and disarming sound.

"My Love" is a sort-of love letter, as its title hints at—but HĒIR's specificity makes the track far more enticing than just that. HĒIR's lyrics are softly browbeating, convincing the object of her affections that his current relationship is killing him. "She controls you, you gave her the switch / You'll be dialed if needed again," she reminds him over the sound of sliding guitar strings. The trick of "My Love," and the best part of HĒIR's songwriting here, is that she never outright tells him to leave his toxic girlfriend. She just pulls on the already-unraveling threads, emphasizing the track's feel of coy seduction as the drums kick in: "So I keep dancing, fooling you somehow / Why don't you keep me tied up to your bed?"

HĒIR makes "My Love" risky fun, from the song's slight production and her perfectly double-edged delivery, but the track also showcases an artist coming into her own, effectively building character and sound with the barest materials.

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Olive Louise Embraces Happiness on "Fool"

Olive Louise

Photo: Olivia Handler

New York singer-songwriter Olive Louise introduces "Fool," a song about not feeling guilty about finally feeling happiness.

"Fool" narrates Louise's journey from anxiety and fear of judgment to freeing herself from negativity, discovering self-love and an IDGAF confidence. She says, "I'm confident in my skin, I'm confident in myself and I trust that I'll always find my way."

Fool

Opening with Louise's lustrous voice, "Fool" rides pulsing pop textures and a simple, beautiful piano, along with layers of crystalline harmonies. "Break it down like a sculpture / So cool in your hands / Say that you understand, they don't understand / So come melt into me, let's make some art they can't have."

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Jack Gray Premieres His New Track "Friends Like These"

The Australian artist's latest single is an introspective look at his own burgeoning career.

Wolfe and Von Creative

In an exclusive Popdust premiere, Australian pop artist Jack Gray shares "Friends Like These," his latest infectious single.

Gray prides himself on a genre-blending aesthetic, and a scintillating track like "Friends Like These" is no exception. "I grew up listening to everything," he says, "so I feel like that sets the table for me as a songwriter."

"Friends Like These" originates from that same genre-blending aesthetic. Sustained by a powerful EDM-indebted beat, the song features Gray's earnest vocals tuned against a swooping backing chorus and a distorted guitar line. The sound is massive and immediate in its power, drawing the listener in and keeping them there with an electronic, nearly orchestral verve.

Gray's lyrics buckle down the track's soaring production with a dose of reality, worrying about authenticity and paranoia in an unfamiliar setting. "Don't get too close," Gray urges the listener, as if he's protecting someone else as much as he's protecting himself. The song's inviting sound bounces pleasantly off of Gray's anxious songwriting. As young as Gray is, it's refreshing to hear him experiment with introspection on "Friends Like These," a single shot through with a deeply accessible pop.

With a few singles under his belt already and an EP in the works, Jack Gray's making his way in the industry, and "Friends Like These" suggests he's an up-and-coming talent to watch.

Follow Jack Gray online at Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

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