It’s a three day weekend in America. Need some new music to listen to?
I gotchu.
Here’s some of my favorite New Music Friday picks for July 1! Feel free to check out last week’s roundup here.
Alyssa Reid – When It Hurts
“When It Hurts” is guaranteed to be your new favorite self-sabotage anthem!
Canadian singer/songwriter Alyssa Reid made her debut in 2011 with “Alone Again.” The track quickly soared to #1, and since then, Alyssa has been no stranger to having radio hits, JUNO Award nominations, and penning songs for artists like Alessia Cara and bülow. Earlier this year, Alyssa returned from a hiatus, releasing amped-up singles such as “Roses” and “Like a Song.” Her newest offering “When It Hurts” will resonate with anyone who doesn’t want to give up on the tug-of-war game that can be their connection with someone or something that isn’t working in their favor.
Alyssa spills, “‘When It Hurts’ is a fun, tongue in cheek song about continuously falling for the wrong people and being a little self sabotaging in relationships,” Reid shares. “It was so fun to write because it’s filled with so much sarcasm and irony. I’m not exactly known for writing ‘happy’ songs, but this one definitely brings me joy, despite being about my romantic misfortune.“
Bazzi – Miss America
Tbh, a summer never really feels complete if we don’t get a complete banger from Bazzi. Thankfully, he came thru with “Miss America,” the perfect song for the long weekend!
“Miss America” symbolizes perfection in the moment for the singer, as it’s exactly what he wanted to put out during this current moment in time.
Bazzi elaborates, “’Miss America’ is exciting for me because it’s the first piece of music I’m putting out in years that really represents where I am in this moment. I’d be lying if I said I wrote this song from some calculated approach and went into it knowing what I wanted it to mean lyrically, but looking back on it, something really beautiful happened. There’s an optimism in this song that encourages us to take the broken pieces of the things we once stood on and put them back together in a way that makes sense to us. I can’t wait to watch people enjoy this record and find all of their own personal meaning inside of it.”
BLEACHx – My Friends Are a mEsS
BLEACHx is the moniker of LA-based singer/songwriter Jeremy Thurber. Previously, Jeremy has worked and collaborated with artists such as Meghan Trainor, Jake Miller, TVXQ, SHINee, and more!
The name “BLEACHx” stems from Jeremy’s desire to “bleach” his past and have a fresh new start with a bold, unapologetic look and sound. As he prepares to release his upcoming mixtape Fear & Loathing, BLEACHx is giving us a look into his colorful mind with “My Friends Are a mEsS.”
“I knew i wanted a more uptempo party with ur friends song for the project,” Jeremy says. “So when my writing partner Sadie was late to the session literally from a flight back from Vegas a wreck, she opened the door and as the chords were playing the first two lines flew out of my mouth as we laughed at each other, ‘My girl just flew in from f****n Vegas, cause Tuesday’s just as a good as Friday night.’ We laughed and without missing a beat we dove right in and I think we finished the topline in like 15 minutes. It’s an anthem to just have a good time with your friends and not care, you don’t have to be drunk or on a bender to enjoy the madness and good times in this record.”
Cardi B – Hot Shit
Any single Cardi B puts out will become inescapable at some point, and her newest “Hot Shit” is no exception to this. I didn’t write the rules of music, but I’m just saying… deal with it! My fave is back… hehe.
Dreamer Boy – HUES
Following his ultra-dreamy single “JUMPSHOT!“, Dreamer Boy is analyzing the emotions surrounding a breakup with “HUES.”
Dreamer Boy spills, “Seeing your world change around you, being in and out of love, and seeing the good and bad from the person you are with is what HUES is about. The actual idea of the walls changing colors as you are magnetically connected to a person but seeing how the good may be slipping away. This song represents the push and pull of that relationship, even after feeling used, and only being there for them, you end up back at their place falling into their world again.”
J-Hope – MORE
You’re gonna want some more too, once you start listening to the BTS member’s new single.
VALÉ – plain chip
Colombian singer/songwriter VALÉ started performing on stage when she was six years old, and has blossomed into an artist with a unique take on the pop and R&B sounds she grew up adoring. Her new single “plain chip” can be regarded as something relatively experimental from VALÉ, but bears a message we can all apply to our daily lives.
VALÉ spills, “The song is inspired by a relationship a friend of mine was in, where she would tell me she was unhappy, and over the whole thing, but would still stick by this dude that clearly didn’t value her at all. When writing the song, I tried to think of light-hearted phrases one could use to describe someone that isn’t interesting or out of this world, and we came up with ‘plain chip’! I hope this song makes everyone realize how they don’t have to settle for less! This is a common feeling to have whether you’re 15, 20, 35, 50, we all feel like we might not be good enough- therefore we shouldn’t expect too much from a partner. But this song reflects the opposite, you are a gem that deserves to be treated accordingly, and you should never let anyone make you feel smaller than that.”
Your Grandparents – “POOTIE TANG (G.T.K.Y.)”
Somehow, Your Grandparents always manage to make music that can be described at the end of the day as “the chef’s kiss.” The genre-bending trio’s new single “Pootie Tang (G.T.K.Y.)” is a bright, groovy serenade about wanting to get a little closer to a special someone.
“The inception of ‘Pootie Tang’ all started from a true story,” says Your Grandparents. “Jean was walking to his car after taking some photos with the group when he saw a stick of gum placed on his car window above the door handle. It read, ‘I hope yo fine ass is single, cause I’m tryna get to know you’… and the rest is history.”
“Pootie Tang (G.T.K.Y.)” was also produced alongside Josh Conway of The Marías, so… double chef’s kiss?!
Wanna hear more? Check out WIFI’S PLaylist on Spotify!
