Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like No Rome, Daisy the Great, Spill Tab and TWICE will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
Kwesi Arthur and Teni, “Celebrate”
Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur tapped Nigerian singer Teni for his latest (and aptly titled) pop song “Celebrate,” an uptempo and spirited single about enjoying the good things in life. While Arthur holds his own on the track, Teni’s smooth verse adds an extra layer of warmth to this already sunny hit — just in time for winter to hit here in the States. — Lyndsey Havens
No Rome, “Remember November / Bitcrush*Yr*Life”
Last week, London-based artist No Rome finally released his long-awaited debut album on Dirty Hit, It’s All Smiles. The experimental dance-pop track “Remember November / Bitcrush*Yr*Life” features glitchy production that nicely contrasts No Rome’s gliding vocals — both of which work together to deliver a definition of organized chaos. — L.H.
Léon, “Fade Into a Dream”
Swedish singer-songwriter Léon’s latest, “Fade Into a Dream,” is in fact a dream-inducing ballad that makes any listener feel enveloped in a cushy sonic cloud. As Léon’s angelic voice carries on about fading into a dream, the song’s production manages to make that feel like a reality — especially when the song unexpectedly cuts to a jarring end, making you question (much like a dream), “Did that ever even happen?” — L.H.
Daisy The Great, “Glitter”
Alternative-indie act Daisy The Great’s greatest strengths are the smooth, intricately arranged harmonies they deliver. While the lyrics of “Glitter” are built around one repeated phrase (“I paint my face with glitter in the morning light”), that organization allows vocalists Mina Walker and Kelley Nicole Dugan to show off just how many times they can make the same words sound like entirely new universes. — L.H.
Morgen, “Sunsets In Malibu”
Bedroom-pop singer-songwriter Morgen describes her new EP, Unaccompanied Minor, as “a 6 song self-therapy session” in a press release, and project highlight “Sunsets In Malibu” does indeed toss out personally revealing questions while yearning for reassurance. Morgen pairs that intimate approach with an unassuming piano line and a soothing vocal tone that recalls Alessia Cara’s jazzier pop moments. — Jason Lipshutz
Spill Tab feat. Gus Dapperton, “Velcro”
Every inch of “Velcro,” the latest single from French-Korean artist Spill Tab, comes naturally: the slow-rise introduction of harmonies, the guitar flare-up that turns the hushed pop production into a gentle rocker, the arrival of Gus Dapperton as a contrasting point of view. Spill Tab boasts collaborations with JAWNY and Tommy Genesis on her new EP, but “Velcro” with Dapperton makes for a one-listen high mark. — J.Lipshutz
Dempsey Hope, “Skip Curfew”
Dempsey Hope’s songwriting often focuses on harmless danger, the type of giddy late-teen recklessness suggested by a song title like “Skip Curfew.” The song on his new I Hate Rollercoasters EP captures the rush of young love that slightly break rules, programmed beats bouncing up and down to create a dizzying sensation; Dempsey wants to have a blast with his subject, even if it’s not, as the EP title clarifies, going to be at Six Flags. — J.Lipshutz
Marina, “Happy Loner”
Marina’s Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land is getting a 2022 update with a deluxe release in January, but the singer gave fans a taste of what to expect with the new song, “Happy Loner.” The piano-driven, melancholic ballad sees the pop star reflecting on how drained she feels around others, an anthem for all the highly sensitive and introverted people of the world. — Starr Bowenbank
TWICE, “Doughnut”
Though TWICE is known and deeply loved amongst K-pop fans for their catchy and upbeat tracks, the girls slow things down a bit with their newest Japanese offering “Doughnut.” The opening instrumental calls back to the golden era of city pop — which has seen a massive boom online in recent months — before launching into a sugary sweet tale of a seemingly infinite love. — S.B.
Bully, “Just for Love”
Bully, the Nashville-based project of Alicia Bognanno, delivers a sugary-sweet slice of indie-pop heaven with “Just for Love.” The playful, Feelies-esque verses give way to a wall of fuzz and pile-driving energy on the chorus, where she snarls and spits about that oh-so-unpredictable four-letter word without ever losing sight of the melody. – Joe Lynch
