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It only took one song to turn me into a Kim Petras fan. In early 2018 the bouncy, ‘80s-inspired feel of “Heart To Break” — with its surreal video to boot — was instantly catchy and smart, just the right balance between vulnerable and coy. Though it’s rarely the case with fledgling pop stars, nearly everything Petras has put out since has been even more impressive. Late last year she released the Turn Off The Lights Vol. 1 Halloween EP , a campy and playful project that still contained plenty of undeniable bops. And though a themed project is great for the holidays, Kim was still known more for her singles than anything else. That is, up until several weeks ago, when she began to unleash a slew of new music that would make up a full-length project.
Styled as her first full-length release, Clarity came out at the end of June, and the whole cycle perfectly coincided with Pride, which has been an interesting moment for Petras, an openly transgender woman who transitioned a decade ago and doesn’t necessarily make her queer identity the focus of her stardom. As the Clarity release ramped up alongside the cultural conversation around Pride, Kim used her social media to talk openly about her experience as a trans woman. “I’m hella proud of being transgender and I’m constatntly [sic] inspired by my trans, gay, lesbian, bi or whatever tf beautiful friends,” she wrote on Twitter at the beginning of June. “Happy pride month !!! y’all r my family and I’m so proud of us.” Read more about Kim’s story and our full review of Clarityhere.
-- Caitlin White, UPROXX Pop Critic |
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| LIL NAS X |
| Lil Nas X is not just a queer, Black cowboy hellbent on spreading the yeehaw agenda to the far corners of the earth, he’s a full-fledged star who has already followed up the success of his viral single “Old Town Road” with a debut EP, 7. His record-breaking streak for longest-running hip-hop single on the chart is being celebrated by fans of pop, country, and hip-hop alike. Previously three songs held a 12-week record: Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" with Charlie Puth from 2015, The Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" from 2009, and Eminem's "Lose Yourself" back in 2002. Needless to say, 2019 is ushering in a new era for acceptance and inclusion on the charts and beyond. Week fifteen just began for this unstoppable No. 1 hit. Giddy up. |
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| HATCHIE |
| It might be this summer or it might be next, but Hatchie is going to be the name on everyone’s lips. Her debut album Keepsake is flying just under the radar, released by the iconic upstate New York label, Double Double Whammy, and her pristine dreamy singles are already being passed around like talismans by those with an ear for the heartbeat of underground pop. It’s only a matter of time before Hatchie goes from playing small clubs to blasting through synthy anthems like “Without A Blush” on some of the biggest stages in the world. |
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| On this day almost twenty years ago, a then-unknown band called Coldplay released their debut album, Parachutes, a release that quickly went to the top of the charts in their native UK. Led by a slew of singles that included the insurmountable love anthem “'Yellow,” and other hits like “Shiver,” “Don't Panic,” and “'Trouble,” the band might have won a Grammy for best Alternative Album at the Grammys in 2002, but this album would usher in an earnest, emotional style of songwriting for male artists that would forever change the pop released over the next two decades. |
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| No one is strong enough to withstand the glorious, unstoppable chemistry that overtakes Ed Sheeran’s collaboration with Camila Cabello’s and Cardi B on the sizzling new single “South Of The Border.” At times reminiscent of Cabello’s previous Billboard smash, “Havana” — and another overt celebration of her Latin heritage — the collab is already poised to be a contender of Song Of The Summer, and it hasn’t even been out for a week. By working with a slew of other artists on his new project, No. 6 Collaborations, Sheeran has reasserted himself as a pop mastermind. |
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SDC RADIOWORKS
Warner Music Group 1633 Broadway New York, NY 10019 USA |
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