This week in the best new pop music saw the release of some anticipated LPs. Lana Del Rey dropped her long-awaited Chemtrails Over The Country Club, Justin Bieber debuted his album Justice, and J Balvin returned with a fiery new single.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.
Lana Del Rey — “White Dress”
Lana Del Rey has been teasing Chemtrails Over The Country Club for months, and it’s finally here along with her fan favorite song “White Dress.” About the track, co-writer/producer Jack Antonoff says it’s one of his favorites on the album. “What I like about that song is that for all of its weirdness, when you get to the end of it, you understand exactly what it’s about,” he said.
Justin Bieber — “Peaches” Feat. Daniel Caesar, Giveon
Other than getting hit with a cease and desist letter for his album’s logo, Justin Bieber’s Justice album rolled out this week without a hitch. The 16-track release dove deeper into his R&B sound, which can be heard on the song “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon. The track displayed Bieber’s positive lyricism over a snappy beat while offering an opportunity for his collaborator to show off their moving vocals.
J Balvin — “Tu Venemo”
J Balvin may have released his acclaimed album Colores just last year, but he’s showing no signs of slowing down since. The Colombian musician returned this week to debut his dark pop track “Tu Venemo,” where he sings of the addictive nature of a toxic relationship.
Addison Rae — “Obsessed”
TikTok star Addison Rae was highest-paid person on the platform in 2020, and now she’s pivoting to her music career. Rae released her debut single “Obsessed” this week, which is a sparkling anthem about maintaining self worth.
Glaive — “I Wanna Slam My Head Against The Wall”
Though he’s only been making music for about eight months, 16-year-old North Carolina native Glaive has already made a name for himself with his art-pop sound. Now, “I Wanna Slam My Head Against The Wall” marks Glaive’s latest release. The song offers another view into his psyche, this time contrasting relationship woes with upbeat instrumentals.
Dasha — “None Of My Business”
Up-and-coming pop songwriter Dasha released her shimmering debut EP $hiny Things this week, showing off her knack for catchy yet relatable tunes. In a statement about the project, Dasha said: “The mood of the entire project swings from crying on your birthday, to being so innocently in love with someone, to getting cheated on, to finally being the confident bitch you’re supposed to be. This EP is the epitome of all the ups and downs I’ve felt over the past year.”
Daniyel — “It’s Ok”
19-year-old musician Daniyel released the bittersweet anthem “It’s Ok” this week as a reminder to stay positive about mental health. Speaking about the track in a statement, Daniyel said: “At first listen, the song sounds like a love song. But the true inspiration is a quote I always tell myself when I’m feeling out of place and down. In the end everything will be okay. Whether it’s my mom’s living situation, my mental health, or when I get to the end of a show I’ve been binging for weeks…it will be okay.”
PJ Harding, Noah Cyrus — “You Belong To Somebody Else”
Best New Artist Grammy nominee Noah Cyrus released the folksy collaboration “You Belong To Somebody Else” with PJ Harding this week. The track arrives as another preview of the two songwriter’s joint EP People Don’t Change, which is slated for a release later this spring. “At heart, this is really a raw, homemade record,” Harding stated about the song. “There’s a strong folk tradition in Australia, which you can possibly feel. There’s certainly a lot of Nashville in there too. I feel like Noah is really the guiding force here. She’s the soul of this record.”
Babygirl — “Nevermind”
Toronto alt pop songwriting duo Babygirl returned this week to share the single “Nevermind” and announce the upcoming EP Losers Weepers. About the new song, Babygirl told Nylon that they are drawn to the word in particular: “I like the word ‘never mind. It’s often said after you’ve said something you immediately want to take back or undermine, and we like pointing to that nervous tick in the context of a romantic relationship.”
Madeline The Person — “As A Child”
Rising singer Madeline The Person offered a glimpse into her colorful world of pop with the euphoric single “As A Child.” “With my music, I’m trying to normalize the sad and hard and really gross stuff and make it more acceptable and less scary, because to me, as a person, I am all of those things combined. I’m super sad and also really happy and joyful and grateful. I have a lot of emotions and I don’t like to boil it down to just a few.”
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.