Nobody is safe from the Deadpool & Wolverine press tour, including this roundup. Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds appeared in a new Stray Kids video, but Adrien Brody and Rauw Alejandro stole their thunder with “Déjame Entrar.” If that weren’t Hollywood enough, Benson Boone contributed a song to the blockbuster Twisters soundtrack.
Check that out and more in Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Jimin — “Who”
Jimin just released Muse, the BTS member’s second solo project. “Who,” co-produced by Jon Bellion, finds Jimin contemplating whom his ultimate muse is (“Is she someone that I see every day? / Is she somewhere a thousand miles away?”) and wondering why he hasn’t met her yet (“If every day I think about her / Yeah, every day of my life / Then tell me why I haven’t found her?”). The accompanying YongSeok Choi-directed video spotlights Jimin’s impressive range as a performer, as he executes mesmerizing choreography with expert precision. Being in the world’s foremost K-pop boy band will do that.
Stray Kids — “Chk Chk Boom”
Ryan Reynolds’ love for Stray Kids cannot be questioned. Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star, appeared in Stray Kids’ “Chk Chk Boom” video dressed in their respective superhero costumes. Jackman attempts to do the weather, but Reynolds is chewing someone out in the background. Finally, we see Reynolds take the desk as a CCB News anchor. Stray Kids are not overshadowed, however. Their undeniable star power oozes throughout the “Chk Chk Boom” video. “Chk Chk Boom” comes from Stray Kids’ newly released ATE album, their ninth mini-album.
Joe Jonas — “Work It Out”
This summer — more commonly known as Brat summer — has been dominated by the pop girlies, but Joe Jonas is undeterred. “Work It Out” arrives as the lead single from Music For People Who Believe In Love, his recently announced solo album due out on October 18. Jonas allows listeners into his inner monologue about anxiety, insecurities, and general wallowing. The song works to uplift himself and listeners, and while “Life’s gonna work it out” is the song’s hook, “Even baddies get saddies” is the internet’s motto.
Madison Beer — “15 Minutes”
Madison Beer did Megan Fox proud in her “Make You Mine” video, and she one-upped herself with “15 Minutes.” The pulsating beat underscores Beer’s impulsivity while her hushed vocals outline her racing thoughts, “Fifteen minutes ago, I was layin’ in bed / Then I had a crazy thought in my head / So I took the keys and got in the car / Don’t know how I got here, but baby, here we are.” It should also be noted that Beer seems to call back to her previous hit in the second verse — “Never forget I made you mine” — which only further immerses fans into the new world she’s unfurling.
Khalid — “Ground”
Next month, Khalid will release Spirit, his third studio album and first LP since 2019. It’s been five years, but “Ground” shows that his ethereal, melodic delivery is still well in tact. He appears to have gained new perspective from his time in relative obscurity with lines like “When you’re gone, the world doesn’t starve.” Khalid has always been uniquely capable of hypnosis, and Spirit figures to propel him back into the mainstream.
Rauw Alejandro — “Déjame Entrar”
Not to be outdone by Stray Kids, Rauw Alejandro enlisted Oscar winner Adrien Brody to grace his “Déjame Entrar” video. Directed by Martin Seipel and El Zorro, the video shows Brody and Alejandro driving around at dusk, and eventually, Brody asks, “Do you think she’s the one?” Alejandro doesn’t know, but “she’s different.” Throughout, Alejandro flirts with temptation. By the end, he concedes, “She’s the one.” This is cinema.
Role Model — “Scumbag”
Role Model released Kansas Anymore, his sophomore album, and self-deprecation is at an all-time high on “Scumbag.” The song’s beautiful video finds Role Model in his hometown Cape Elizabeth, Maine — so, yes, he is not in Kansas anymore — and grappling with understanding why anyone would think highly of him. “I’m a scumbag,” he sings in the country-pop’s chorus. “I’m a setback / I’m a stain on the kitchen floor / I’m a trainwreck / I’m a cigarette / I’m the side that no one’s rooting for / But you stand by me / Yeah, you stand by me.” Fans will be validated in standing by him after listening to the rest of Kansas Anymore.
Benson Boone — “Death Wish Love”
Benson Boone has steadily kept within the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 with his TikTok breakthrough “Beautiful Things,” so naturally, the next step was contributing to the blockbuster Twisters soundtrack. “Death Wish Love” accentuates Boone’s captivating voice and aching lyricism.
EarthGang & Snakehips — “Glimmer”
UK production duo Snakehips teamed with Atlanta hip-hop duo EarthGang for SNAKEGANG EP Volume 1, which is exactly what it sounds like. “Glimmer” embodies classic house music and prompts inevitable shimmying. “Like our past collaborations, we aimed to blend EarthGang’s flow with dance-oriented beats, creating a vibrant party atmosphere,” Snakehips said in a statement. “‘Glimmer’ came together last; by then, we were completely immersed in the vibe, and the energy on that track felt electrifying.”
Daydreamers — “All I Ever Dream About”
Daydreamers made everyone want to sprint to the nearest beach house with May’s lilting “Beach House.” The London-based alt-pop group fell further down the romanticism rabbit hole with “All I Ever Dream About,” an airy, free-spirited song. “You’re super obsessed with somebody, and you know it’s not good for you,” vocalist and songwriter Riley said in a statement. “It’s pure infatuation, but I think this song also comes from a place of slight irony.” There’s nothing ironic about Daydreamers’ artistic viability.