1. J.Cole – i n t e r l u d e
Cole is back! I think of the rankings of standoms, J. Cole fans are pretty high up there next to Bey hive, so when this album dropped, the earth shook a little. Interludes will always be the best song on an album for me, whether it’s actually an interlude or just a track called interlude because this is literally the second track on the album.
2. RAY BLK – Dark Skinned
I’ll keep shouting this, but no one is doing it like RAY BLK. She dropped this feel-good track for all the dark skin queens out there that have been told they were less than just because of the colour of their skin. I live for all songs celebrating my dark skin queens, I can't enough of them. Thank you Ray for reminding me to keep shining with my melanin.
3. Little Simz ft Cleo Sol – Woman
This song has been on constant rotation since release. his might be my favourite Little Simz track of all time,, there’s something about this song that’s just so perfect. The way Cleo Sol slides into the chorus is so beautiful – this collaboration was a match made in heaven and is undoubtedly building excitement for Little Simz’s upcoming album.
4. Squidgenini – All Made Up
It’s not easy to make a song that is perfect for sunsets like Squidgenini has done with this track. It immediately transports me to Ibiza or Croatia – that moment where the day winds down, you're freshly sun-kissed with a cocktail in hand, and you're hit with that wave of pure joy. That might be a lot to put on one song, but it's definitely how it made me feel.
5. Jorja Smith ft Shaybo – Bussdown
Jorja Smith dropped a classic Jorja Smith project; soft, relaxing and an all around good vibe. My favourite song on the project is “Bussdown” because of Shaybo. Do not sleep on Shaybo she is the future, new(ish) on the scene but has a flow like no other. I would definitely recommend listening to her single "No Pressure".
6. Smino ft Monte Booker– Rice & Gravy
Smino has never dropped a flop a day in his life. This song was in heavy rotation before his performance on COLORS which elevated the energy even more (shoutout to COLORS). I'm tired of Smino being underrated, he has pure untapped talent and I hope this song starts a new journey for him.
7. MARINA – Purge The Poison
It’s so weird to write “Marina” without “And The Diamonds” at the end, where have The Diamonds gone? Has she lost her jewellery? Nevertheless, even without them Marina's sound remains iconic and unlike anyone else around.
8. City Girls – Twerkulator
Twerkulator is one of those songs I feel like I’ve been dancing to for months before it even officially came out thanks to TikTok, but I don't mind because it's one of my favourite TikTok dances ever i.e. the only one I've managed to memorise.
9. Lil Nas X – SUN GOES DOWN
Nothing could have prepared me for how emotional this song would make me. Initially at the start I thought, okay, not your typical Lil Nas X track, but then when the lyrics started to set in everything made sense. Whether it's a club banger or a slowed down masterpiece, Lil Nas X always manages to speak for the unspoken for.
10. BTS – Butter
11. Charlotte Day Wilson – If I Could
Canadian native Charlotte Day Wilson has one of those unmatchable voices, so unique, she sounds like melted chocolate. This is the perfect song for pretending you're a main character in a story, looking out of a train window reminiscing over the "situationship" you left behind that barely lasted two weeks as you make your way back to the streets.
12. Lucky Daye – Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Anyone that actually knows me, knows I’m an old head at heart. So Lucky Daye covering one of my favourite Marvin Gaye songs spoke to me personally. It's hard for anyone to cover a song from a literal legend but Lucky Daye did it so perfectly – this song was made for him.
13. Olivia Rodrigo – good 4 u
I personally tried to leave Olivia Rodrigo alone because I thought I was too old to listen to her (I’m 27) but “good 4 u” hits so hard. I'm an emo in recovery and it triggered the old Paramore stan inside me – I haven’t been able to get enough. This album has pulled me right back to my 14-year-old self and I’m thankful, it was a happier time of not paying bills and having mum call the doctor for me.
14. Lil Baby & Kirk Franklin – We Win
Kirk has to tell me what he sprinkles in his songs because I’ve never listened to a Kirk Franklin song and not felt immediately happy. Just pure joy. Space Jam: A New Legacy cannot come quick enough, I feel like we've been waiting approximately five years for it to release.
15. Tiana Major9 – Silly Games
Tiana Major9 took on the task of covering the legendary song “Silly Games” by Janet Kay and nailed it. I held my breath when it got to the infamous note near the end of the song and Tiana smashed it with no problems, because she’s just that damn good. This is the first track from the Small Axe soundtrack to be released mid June.
16. Mustafa ft Sampha – Capo
This song is what I imagine happens when angels sing together. Mustafa has the most relaxing voice on the planet to me. The Toronto native just dropped his first project and it’s exactly what you expect from the poet – pure bliss.
17. Nicki Minaj – Fractions
Not to be dramatic or anything but Nicki Minaj re-releasing Beam Me Up Scotty momentarily cured my depression (therapy will have to do the rest). It immediately transported me back to 2009, no worries, just vibes - miss it. Nicki didn't have to give us new tracks on the iconic mixtape, but she did, and that's why she's the queen.