Hello. I'm a gay with really great taste in music, who's BACK AGAIN with just some really great bops from up-and-coming artists that were released in April that I REFUSE to let you sleep on!!! Hopefully, you'll find your new favorite song!
1. "Linger" (The Cranberries cover) — No Vacation
The song makes me wanna: Listen to The Cranberries ONLY AND FOREVER.
Unsolicited thoughts: Last year, I fell in love with Dresage's eery spin on The Cranberries' "Linger" (there honestly wasn't a day where I didn't listen to it) and now, just when Dresage's cover stopped to ~linger~, No Vacation delivered this gorgeous more-true-to-the-original cover and my repeat button is EXHAUSTED. Um, also, I literally just found out No Vacation covered The Cranberries entire Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? album and now they have me wrapped around their finger... forever.
2. "Anybody Else" — Bronze Avery
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The song makes me wanna: Go to Costco and buy Kleenex in bulk.
Unsolicited thoughts: If you're an emotional mess like me, "Anybody Else" is that song to play post-breakup while you're scrolling through your camera roll torturing yourself with cute AF memories (and nudes). It's a song that'll put your head on the ghost of your ex's shoulder and make you second guess the entire breakup. But as tempting as Bronze Avery's angelic voice makes it seem, don't do it! DON'T GO BACK!!!!!!!!. Anyway, Bronze wrote AND produced this, and I'm shaking at the talent!
3. "Soulmate" — Lizzo
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The song makes me wanna: Propose to myself and have my own babies.
Unsolicited thoughts: It's slightly insulting to call Lizzo an up-and-coming artist (I mean, she's already a gay icon) but everyone needs to hear "Soulmate" and the entirety of her new album Cuz I Love You — NO EXCEPTIONS. I saw Lizzo perform this bop at Coachella and honestly, she put on the best set of the entire damn weekend. We have stanned for life and you will too!
4. "Sometimes" feat. XYLØ — DallasK and Nicky Romero
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The song makes me wanna: Unpropose to myself and call up my ex to have their babies.
Unsolicited thoughts: If there's one thing to know about my music tastes, it's that I love a sop (a sad bop) and "Sometimes" is THAT sop! Like, I could run to this on a treadmill AND cry to it?! What more could you want from a song? XYLØ released one of my favorite pop songs of last year — "Tears & Tantrums" — and I will not allow anyone to sleep on her ANY FURTHER!!!
5. "Pieces" — Emily Vaughn
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The song makes me wanna: Throw a vase full of water and flowers against a wall.
Unsolicited thoughts: OKAY, Emily Vaughn just dropped her new EP Bitch Bops and if that doesn't sell her for you, sweetie, I don't know what to say! Emily's *that* bitch whose music breathes almost TOO MUCH sass and confidence in me, especially "Pieces." This song should really come with a vase to throw.
6. "Trip" Feat. Casey Abrams — Adanna Duru
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The song makes me wanna: Get laid, fml.
Unsolicited thoughts: This. Song. Is. NUTS. I've been following Adanna Duru ever since her angelic vocals sent me spinning in whole 'nother universe with her 2018 album Manic Pixie Dreamgirl, and she just KEEPS DELIVERING. Luckily for me, Adanna just released the video for the Manic Pixie Dreamgirl track "Trip" — topped off with newly-added vocals from jazz musician Casey Abrams — and I'm: Gagging. Deceased. Canceled. Don't even try to sleep on this because YOU CAN'T.
7. "January" — Vardaan Arora
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The song makes me wanna: Officially move the summer to January.
Unsolicited thoughts: Vardaan has been on the rise ever since he struck gold with his wildly infectious 2016 single "Feel Good Song." The eyebrow and cheekbone king is back with "January" — his first single this year — officially unthawing my freezer-burned heart. This song is super cute and, if you're in love or whatever, you'll eat this one up!
8. "Another Lover" — Leland
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The song makes me wanna: Be cute with a cute boy 😭
Unsolicited thoughts: I'm very excited for you if this the moment you're discovering Leland! You know "1999" by Charli XCX and Troye Sivan? "Fetish" by Selena Gomez? "Dance to This" by Troye Sivan and Ariana Grande? Leland co-wrote those AND SO MANY MORE. Somehow, this talented and booked bitch found the time to craft solo music for himself and, dare I say, "Another Lover" is his best effort yet? It's a warm mid-tempo that's equivalent to the feeling of the sun's rays waking you up on a Sunday morning as you're snuggled next to your lover. Talent really won on this one.
9. "Real Truth" Feat. Tkay Maidza — J-E-T-S
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The song makes me wanna: Twerk on a robot???
Unsolicited thoughts: I don't even know how to describe the production on this certified SLAP. Like, I've never heard anything like this. Techno-hop? Robo-trap? IDK! All I know is J-E-T-S and Tkay Maidzaand's 🔥🔥🔥 rhymes fucked with my ears on this one and I can't stop listening.
10. "If You're Gonna Lie" — Fletcher
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The song makes me wanna: Breakup with my non-existent man who's A CHEATING LIAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unsolicited thoughts: Wow, who keeps fucking with Fletcher?! Fresh off the release of the PERFECT "Undrunk" earlier this year, Fletcher is back with another attitude-filled anthem, canceling cheating men/women/ceatures once again. Honestly, just the lyric "If you're gonna lie, do it in my bed" makes the song worth 100x listens. WHO HAS BEEN DOING THIS SHIT TO HER? TELL ME RIGHT NOW!!!
11. "Ur Eyez" feat. Al Wright — Peking Duk
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The song makes me wanna: D A N C E.
Unsolicited thoughts: Peking Duk has been on my radar since I discovered their single "Sugar" with Jack River back in February — it's easily one of my favorite songs of the year!!! The guys are back, this time teaming up with Al Wright for an optimistic dancefloor-bop that has me dripping for a summer pool party. HERE FOR THIS.
12. "Don't Forget" — Sophia Bel
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The song makes me wanna: Listen to the Dawson's Creek soundtrack??? IDK WHY!
Unsolicited thoughts: I am so hypnotized by this gorgeous song from Canadian singer Sophia Bel. The song is something that would've fit in perfectly in a Dawson's Creek soundtrack, and I mean that in the best possible way! It's dreamy like a Dido song and driven by an acoustic guitar like a Jewel song — a heavenly combination. I couldn't eat this one up more if I tried. THANK YOU, SOPHIA.
13. "Our Youth" — All The Rest
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The song makes me wanna: Put on my quantum suit, travel back to the '80s, and do cheap drag.
Unsolicited thoughts: I just discovered All The Rest and their delicious '80s electro-pop sound with the release of their Our Youth EP and it has CHANGED ME. If you're a fan of the The 1975 or A R I Z O N A, you're about to lose your shit. "Our Youth" is their latest single but don't you dare sleep on my personal favorite from the EP, "Sleeping With The Lights On"!
14. "Crying" — Jesse Saint John
The song makes me wanna: Explode.
Unsolicited thoughts: Jesse Saint John is iconic. He has written for the likes of Charli XCX, Kim Petras, and Britney Spears (NBD!) and now he's back with a wild new single of his own which has completely murdered my eardrums in the best possible way. Honestly, I'm just gonna shut up now and make you listen because this synth-bop FLIPS.
15. Caffeine — Lolo Zouaï
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The song makes me wanna: Order a venti MAN.
Unsolicited thoughts: 24-year-old Lolo Zouaï just released her debut album High Highs to Low Lows and it's packed with endless bops and sharp songwriting. IMO, the most addictive of them all is the hip-hop infused "Caffeine." I'm gonna need a venti of this one...