A star-studded line-up of new music releases
The first month of the new year has passed. It’s a time when tradition says we should welcome the new. That also holds true in the music business as new singles get dropped nearly every day and we welcome the ones we like, stream and view them on the Net and in the process turn them into hits. I came up with quite star-studded line-up of new releases and the following are certainly the most exciting and the ones most expected to dominate the hit lists within these next weeks.
Where Do We Go Now? by Lil Nas X is the biggest surprise of the lot and the one I like best. Not only because it is by Lil Nas X, who is one of my big favorites, but also because it is so beautiful and he sings it with so much feeling.
The flamboyant artist has come with a song so rife with meaning and which takes stock of what has happened to him since he shot off to stardom with Old Town Road five years ago. Where indeed can he go now? No need to worry, Lil Nas X. You will be around for a long time because you have proven you can make great music like this song.
Justin Timberlake is 42 years old but he still has those dancing chops that sent fans off to screaming jags back when he was front guy for N’Sync. Check out the video for his new single Selfish and there is Timberlake solo on the floor with graceful, powerful dance moves.
Selfish is Timberlake’s first solo release since the album Man in the Woods five years ago and his latest since he reunited with the other guys of N’Sync for the theme of the Trolls Together flick, Better Place in 2023. Selfish is reminiscent of vintage Timberlake, upbeat pop with touches of R&B, sleek and sexy, just like his monster seller SexyBack.
Yes, And? by Ariana Grande. The electronic dance track is the first single out from Grande’s upcoming album Eternal Sunshine and she has already made another No. 1 seller out of it. Yes, And? scored an impressive record on its first week out, with 27.2 million streams and 24.8 million in radio airplay.
I guess this one was inspired by the interesting lyric structure of her big hit Thank U, Next, which also made No. 1 in 2018. As always, Ariana combines superior studio craftsmanship, in this case with the biggest selling music producer today, Max Martin, with her vocal artistry. The formula works very well. This is Ariana’s first solo No. 1 since Positions in 2020. Her last stint at the top was with The Weeknd for Die for You a year ago.
Thank You the Sh-(Fart) by rapper Ice Spice from her upcoming album Y2K!. I do not know how that strange title came about but this track is by Ice Spice and cannot be ignored. Dubbed as rap’s new princess, this girl is only 24 years old, was discovered when her TikTok posts went hugely viral. She was one of last year’s most exciting new artists. She already has an MTV Moonman for Best New Artist and is up for the same at the Grammys. It looks like she might just get it.
Just think, within only a year, Ice Spice with her relaxed hip-hop style was with Nicki Minaj and Aqua in Barbie World, the theme from the Barbie movie. She did Karma with Taylor Swift, Princess Diana also with Minaj, Pretty Girl, with the Afro-beat star Rema; and Boy’s a Liar Pts. 1 and 2 with the Pink Pantheress. On her own, she had Munch (Feelin’ U), Deli and Gangsta Boo.
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