By now, the holiday haze that surrounds December has worn off and been replaced with the realization that you ate too many sweets and spent all your money on “treat yo self” days.
What’s left to do but escape the gray skies of January with a colorful batch of new music? Plug in your headphones and savor the sounds of musical trailblazer Troye Sivan, triple-threat singer, actor and advocate Rita Ora, and our favorite Chance the Rapper collaborator and dance-partner, Francis and the Lights. We’ve rounded up our favorite new tracks from this week, and you’ll have them on repeat all weekend long.
1. “After the Storm” by Kali Uchis featuring Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins
This funky jam is the perfect soundtrack for a gray January day. Newcomer Kali Uchis teamed up with rapper Tyler, the Creator and legendary singer Bootsy Collins to create a groovy sound complimented by poetic words. The Grammy-nominated artist says of the single, “The storm may be scary now but it’s how your flowers bloom later, and paradise is just beyond the rainbow.”
2. “We’re Going Home” by Vance Joy
The newest track off Australian heartthrob Vance Joy’s upcoming sophomore album is a departure from his soft, ukulele-heavy debut album Dream Your Life Away. “We’re Going Home” is a louder, more confident sound from Vance Joy, showing off his skills as a poised lyricist. The song ends in a culmination of brass instruments and Vance Joy bellowing to listeners, “If you’re waiting all your life, you won’t ever go.” Fans can expect this newfound self-assurance to show its teeth on the singer’s upcoming album, not to mention his summer festival appearances at Coachella, Shaky Knees Festival and Firefly Music Festival.
3. “Just for Us” by Fancis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights celebrated the new year by surprising fans with his new album Just For Us. The 10-track follow-up to Francis’ 2016 Farewell, Starlite! offers intense lyrics on top of a quick beat, conjuring the high-energy dance movesFrancis is known for. “Just For Us” doesn’t stray too far from the Francis and the Lights we know and love but it does deliver vivid storytelling, reeling in listeners with every word.
4. “For You” by Rita Ora and Liam Payne
Rita Ora’s sexy rasp creates a lusty build-up before she unleashes in the chorus – a fitting crescendo given that the song is featured in the upcoming sexed-up blockbuster Fifty Shades Freed. Former One Directioner Liam Payne compliments Ora’s powerful vocals by offering a calm confidence. By the end of this sultry song, you will be on your feet.
5. “My My My!” by Troye Sivan
The dreamy, electronic sounds of this new song immediately make you want to tap your foot. It’s rhythmic and sweet, capturing Sivan’s youthful spirit while simultaneously propelling him into a more mature and confident light. Watch the official video for “My My My!” below.
