As always, it’s another big week for the best new pop — given that people always have a need for new music and the singers in the industry deliver more than ever. Tons of stars, both established and rising, dropped some great albums recently, so we’ve got a ton to dive into.
Here’s Uproxx’s Best New Pop picks of this week.
Miley Cyrus – “Jaded”
Cyrus dropped her anticipated new album, Endless Summer Vacation, over the weekend. One of the standouts, “Jaded,” finds her seemingly reminiscing about her separation from a certain actor. “You’re not even willing to look at your part,” she notes in the biting verses that showcase her strong, soulful vocals.
Maluma – “La Reina”
In the video for Maluma‘s latest, “La Reina,” he shines a spotlight on the power of Colombian women from all backgrounds. The ballad opens with a somber guitar line, as Maluma goes to introduce the pop instrumental later in the song.
PNAU, Khalid – “The Hard Way”
The Australian trio PNAU brought on Khalid for lead vocals of their new collaboration, “The Hard Way,” which serves as a perfect balance between sparkling and sad.
“It’s just awesome; it’s feel-good but then the lyrics have that melancholy, bittersweet thing about them,” Khalid added about their song. “It’s that juxtaposition, that the lyrics are heartbreakingly sad but if you listen to the song, you can’t help but smile.”
Becky G – “Arranca” (feat. Omega)
“The sound of merengue music is so familiar, and it feels like home because growing up any family wedding, any quinceañera, there was some Elvis Crespo playing,” Becky G said to Access Hollywood of her new song, “Arranca.”
Gayle – “Everybody Hates Me”
Gayle’s “Everybody Hates Me” is an emo track about coping despite the haters. “Life’s a b*tch and she’s cool with me / I’ll let it be,” she sings. The Grammy nominee is set to open for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which officially kicks off this week.
Mae Muller – “I Wrote A Song”
Given Mae Muller has now been announced as the UK’s pick for this year’s Eurovision song contest, she followed the news with her latest, “I Wrote A Song.” The dance-y track finds her spinning heartbreak into a win.
“After you go through a breakup, a relationship or a friendship, it’s easy to want revenge. I thought, ‘how can I turn a negative feeling into a positive?’”
Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding – “Miracle”
The third collaboration between Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding, “Miracle” is propelled by the DJ’s looped electronic beats. There’s even a piano solo that sandwiches Goulding’s vocals to give listeners a little bit of a pause.
“I definitely have very defined sort of likes and dislikes for music and artists. And one of my likes is an Ellie Goulding angelic vocal,” Harris told Zane Lowe. “One of a kind. You’re not going to get this from anyone else. Ellie can do a lot of different things, for me, this is my absolute favorite thing that she does, and only she can do it, in my opinion.”
Twice – “Set Me Free”
Twice gave their live debut of “Set Me Free” to fans in the crowd on late night TV. Given their preference for perfection, they both delivered clean-cut choreography, a high-budget music video, and a sleek pop song. As always, it’s insanely catchy.
Chelsea Cutler – “Stay Anything”
“I wrote this song about how it feels better to be hurting together, instead of hurting apart,” Chelsea Cutler prefaced the release of “Stay Anything” on TikTok. The somber track has pieces of hope sprinkled in, as it details a relationship that’s able to come back after a fight.
Claire Rosinkranz – “Never Goes Away”
Claire Rosinkranz’s “Never Goes Away” opens with her hypnotic, breezy vocals — and then the beat drops, speeding up the pace. “Why can’t you think before you speak?” she poses on the song, layering the call-it-out lyricism with a calming instrumental.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.