CHXRRY’S READY FOR HER DEBUT

Chxrry is bringing back audacity in a music landscape that’s become uninspired in the age of AI and rush for 15 seconds of social media fame. The Toronto based songstress crossed my rotation back in 2022, around the time she signed to The Weeknd’s label XO Records and became the First Lady of the alternative r&b roster of artists. Songs like “The Falls” “Call Me” and my personal fav “Around” were late night ride around, sensual and sonically cinematic cuts that made me curious to dive deeper into Chxrry’s catalogue and experience where her unapologetic bars and moody production could evolve into with a full project. Four years later Chxrry is ready to properly give us a taste of her artistry and as her star continues to rise, U, Me & My Ego is a bold, precise body of work showcasing a human that isn’t afraid to embrace the layered intricacies of our egos and how they impact who we are and how we love.

Throughout the 10 tracks Chxrry unravels the concept of ego and brings us into her rockstar lifestyle. On the opener “Blockstar” Chxrry’s in her brightest, most cocky form raging over trap production letting us know she’s on a mission to make us fall in love with her music. Alongside her executive producer Believve the duo brings her vision to life taking us on a high octane synth-pop ride on “Hall Of Fame”. The slinky electronic warning shot on “Call Security” commands your attention as she confronts a cheating lover and the sidechick on his arm. “Boring” details wanting a lover that might be toxic but keeps things exciting, “I want a show / baby lights camera action / I need fast whips and fast lips and accents / I wanna argue in the middle of Manhattan.” I wore out the live preview of the Mariah The Scientist assisted “Bottles & Lights” for months and the official netxel chirp filled version didn’t disappoint.

Chxrry is proudly carrying the torch for a specific range of eclectic 2000s artists that could give us songs for the Pop charts, clubs and late night moments of reflection when the feelings can’t be avoided by daily distractions and shots of 42. The Blockstar has always referenced her love for this era in music and the women that didn’t want to be put into a box. Think Cassie in 2012 with a freshly half shaved mohawk, urging us to escape to the dance floor with the dark, electropop “King of Hearts”. On the opposite end of the genre spectrum Keyshia Cole has been cited as a source of vocal inspiration and whenever I listen to a Chxrry song I can hear the intention put into her authenticity in the songs she writes (Chxrry wrote every song on this project alongside Believve). The lyrics are coming from her perspective. The production is what she wants to add to the pop culture zeitgeist and its makes an album like this one so satisfying to hear because it doesn’t feel like a safe effort for Billboard recognition.

Dropping a 10 track debut album in an era where labels encourage glutonus 20+ track albums hoping something penetrates the algorithm has left us with a lot of uninspired, hollow, sonical fast food that won’t be remebered in three months. U, Me & My Ego will be on heavy rotation as the weather warms up and will be the soundtrack to my nights out and moments of reflecting on where my ego is taking me. After listening to this album and reading Chxrry’s features on The Fader and Interview Magazine, I think her ego is going to bring her everything she desires:

But I don’t look at ego like a negative thing. I don’t look at it as a thing that’s like, “Fuck you, I’m better than you.” And that’s what this album’s about. It’s challenging the word and the taboo behind it. Why is it so negative, especially with women? Ego is just another layer of how confident you are. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else, but I do think I’m the best. 

Add to rotation: Hall Of Fame, Call Security, Badness (Feat. Cash Cobain), Bottles & Lights (Feat. Mariah The Scientist)

Skip: Bible

41 Reach Flow State On “Presidential”

41 is one of the most distinctive nyc voices dominating the rap game and the trio gave their fans plenty of vibes to add on their rotation last year. “Presidential” is a personal favorite from their latest singles as the “Bent” rappers Kyle Richh, Jenn Carter and TaTa go bar for bar on an hybrid Jersey club meets New York drill beat.

Seeing this song come to life on a plaqueboymax stream is another dope element to the sonic landscape happening in New York. There’s so much young talent building careers and massive fanbases solely through social media as gatekeepers try to keep up with who will be next to top the Billboard charts and potentially become a household name in the next couple of years.

Pining the Katy Perry “Legendary Lovers” sample from first listen gave me a little nostalgia for the 2010s mixtape days when I pressed play on Wiz Khalifa’s Kush & Orange Juice and heard a Camp Rock era Demi Lovato vocal on “We’re Done”. I’m curious if one of the producers (plaqueboymax, sauceproducedit) was the mastermind behind the pop moment or if one of the 41 members had the pop cut on repeat but this genre bending track is great representation of how chronically online most people are and the inspiration that can come from it collaboration.

Jae Stephen's "WET" Is Nostalgic Pop Gold

As Troye Sivan’s character on the controversial, limited series The Idol non chantly questioned “when was the last truly nast, nasty, bad pop girl?” Jae Stephens is stepping up to the ring with her latest single “WET”, a sexy but sweet mid-tempo vibe. Jae’s vocals smoothly glide on the early 2000s, Neptunes sounding cut as she enters a single era where the reposado is flowing and the dancefloors are packed.

Wet t-shirt contest, I win

Went through hell, and back again

Ended up in SoHo, and now I don’t know where my wallet is

But I don’t give a fuck ‘cause he’s sticking to me

It’s like we sharing skin

Getting hot in here, and I’m finna take it all off like, Nelly did

“WET” brings me back to a time when artists we’re giving us shit that we wanted to move to. People tend to be more timid on the dancefloor these days but I appreciate Jae Stephens giving us a carefree bop that will hopefully remind the girls that life’s too short to not be living your Nelly Furtado 2006 Loose fantasies. Side note quick queue suggestion with “Wet” starting the vibe:

1. Wet - Jae Stephens

2. Strip - Brooke Hogan (HEAR ME OUT if you don’t know the pop greatness of this record)

3. Get Naked (I Got A Plan) - Britney Spears

4. Touch - Omarion

5. King Of Hearts - Cassie

Thank me later m,xoxo

Pleasure Is Key On Tamera’s “Wickedest”

Tamera’s “Wickedest” always finds a way back onto my rotation. Whenever I hear the slinky, afrobeats slow burner I get entranced by Tamera’s silky smooth vocals and catchiness of the entire track. Tamera commands your attention throughout as she lets her lover know what’s to come, “My place / your place/ my waist on your face / Your secret's safe if I say so / Gimme slow pace / don't race / lemme take off my halo.”

FLO Is In Their ‘FLY GIRL’ ERA

FLO is officially teasing a new era. After reigniting the excitement for girl groups in 2022 with their undeniable debut single “Cardboard Box”; Renée, Stella and Jorja have garnered countless co-signs from legends in the music industry, blessed us with flawless live vocals and continue to top themselves with each new release honing in on their nostalgic R&B sound. “FLY GIRL” will be their first single of 2023 and judging from the bold, summer ready sound, FLO is coming for wigs and dance floors all around the world. 

https://t.co/JIyQcW1hSH pic.twitter.com/g8yXLiI4cg

— FLO (@flolikethis) March 14, 2023

Missy Elliott’s classic hit “Work It” can be heard on the sassy hook before FLO adds their signature confident bars:

“If you're a fly girl, get your nails done

Get a pedicure, get your hair did 

See, you're tellin' me I'm pretty, but it's obvious

I don't need no man to tell me where the party is.”

I’m analyzing a 30 second snippet like it’s the full masterpiece so lemme collect myself and patiently wait for this bop to drop. In the meantime make sure you have your tickets for one of their upcoming shows and add a couple of their joints to your rotation if they aren’t already on replay as we speak.

Omar Apollo’s “3 Boys” Is On Rotation

Omar Apollo is currently alongside SZA supporting her sold out S.O.S. stadium tour and while new fans are falling in love with his earnest lyrics, charming voice and beautiful face (just me?) I’m STUCK on his latest single “3 Boys”. Apollo is in a dilemma on the sonically sparse record. While there’s seemingly a lot of fish in the sea, when your heart is fixated on one person trying to move past that connection can feel impossible.

The troubadour’s rich vocals float on this dreamy track as he tries to consider taking his ex’s advice and moving on. “I know there's some things you can't speak,  but thoughts of a third make me weak,” we’ve all been in this emotionally grueling scenario and hearing it in music form feels therapeutic. Instead of texting my therapist, I’ll probably text my ex (that’s not really my ex that only responds on the weekends) 3 boys make me weak too Omar I feel your pain….

Tyla Is Your Next Favorite Pop Star

Something about an expertly crafted pop song restores my faith in humanity and Tyla is preparing for Global superstardom with her growing success. The South African singer is effortlessly blending Amapiano, Pop and R&B to deliver music made for the dance floor. Her debut single “Getting Late” dropped in 2019 showcasing her irresistible, airy vocals over a hypnotic Kooldrink beat. Two years later she dropped a visual for the bouncy cut and and the colorful, choreography-filled visual has garnered over six million views since its release.

Tyla is upping the ante with her latest single “Been Thinking”, a playful, uptempo groove that exhibits a star in the making adding to the popularity of the Afropop genre. Theron Thomas (Saweetie’s “Best Friend”, and Tricky Stewart help Tyla bring “Been Thinking” to life and I hope they also contribute to Tyla’s debut album. Her love for early 2000s Pop and R&B can be heard in the singles dropped so far and with a new deal with Epic, touring with Chris Brown and a stellar debut at the 2023 Milan Fashion Week, I can’t wait to see what this year brings this new artist.

Libianca’s “People” is an Anthem For Life’s Last Call

Libianca blessed us with an emotionally potent record titled “People” before 2022 came to a close and it continues to keep me locked in its therapeutic trance.

“I’ve been drinking more alcohol for the past 5 days, did you check on me?”

Libianca ponders on the slow moving, afrobeats conversation starter. Humans dependence on a vice isn’t new but with so many platforms to communicate sometimes it’s still a challenge to let people see when you’re hurting. Libianca’s songwriting and soothing vocals commanded me to listen and genuinely check in with myself the first time I heard a snippet of this song on TikTok and since the full track dropped, it hasn’t left my mind.

When an artist can share something this raw and somehow still make you want to dance, not only do they have a hit but they’ve fully tapped into the magic in music. Songs like this can heal and I hope whoever listens take a second to process how they feel when they hear “People”. Are the tequila shots celebratory or a means to getting through the night?

GloRilla is 'Blessed' and Highly Favored On New Single

GloRilla’s music feels like sharing a couple shots of Don Julio with your favorite people in the middle of a lit spot. Every time I hear her on a hard beat my energy is elevated and I’m mentally restraining myself from utilizing my Meg knees if the occasion doesn’t call for it. “Blessed” is the Memphis rapper’s latest offering and the slow burners is laced with gems in every bar;

Rather give the people hope, it's pointless to be givin' fucks
Cuban round my neck, look like my opps when they be linkin' up

The baddies and men comfortable with their masculinity can easily vibe to this record and Yo Gotti adds a solid verse at the end complimenting his newest signee’s unapologetic energy. Get into GloRilla’s next viral hit.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2DNOQSfV9U1Wen1uffsdeP?si=-s5T1XmrTNKQUUA3X5GSmg

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/blessed/1642612029?i=1642612034