March has finally arrived, meaning it’s time to break out those springtime playlists and add some new tunes from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
From Demi Lovato’s spine-chilling Scream song to Kali Uchis’ thrilling new album, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
Demi Lovato, “Still Alive”
There are a handful of modern artists uniquely suited to give us horror and thrilling pop music at the same time — Demi Lovato is one of them. “Still Alive,” the singer’s new track from the new film Scream VI, is a masterclass is balancing the scary vibes of the iconic franchise with a roaring rock sensibility, as they blast through the verses and chorus declaring that she “went to hell but I’m back and I’m breathing,” while asking you to “make me bleed while my heart is still beating.” It’s an excellent addition to Lovato’s renewed rock era, and still flexes the boundless vocal prowess that made them a star in the first place.
Kali Uchis, Red Moon in Venus
Are you ready to feel the love? If so, Kali Uchis has just the record for you. With Red Moon in Venus, the rising genre-bending star’s fourth studio album, Uchis dives head first into love’s many aspects, whether it’s letting someone you love go (“I Wish You Roses”), being treated right in a relationship (“Fantasy”), or the pain of heartbreak (“Deserve Me”). Featuring a supporting cast of stars like Summer Walker, Don Toliver and Omar Apollo, Red Moon drips with pleasure, pain and everything in between, showing just what a force of nature Uchis is.
Boygenius, “Not Strong Enough”
Indie rock supergroup Boygenius — a.k.a. Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus — has always thrived when it comes to emotionally devastating songs with a healthy mix of different rock ideas. “Not Strong Enough,” then, is a prototypical track for the trio; with Bridgers and Baker taking the majority of the lead vocals, the new song follows the group as they confess to their respective partners that, no, they cannot be the shoulder to lean on in the relationship. The track perfectly fuses all three artists’ distinctive sounds, making for a catchy, thrilling indie-rock anthem.
Arlo Parks, “Impurities”
Get yourself the kind of friends who love you for all of your insecurities — in this particular case, the kind of friends Arlo Parks has. The UK indie up-and-comer’s new song “Impurities” tracks Parks’ relationship with her friends, as she celebrates their acceptance of her in her entirety. The plinking guitars add a sense of drama to an otherwise tender song of platonic love, where Parks declares “You’re the rainbow in my soap/ You noticе beauty in more forms than most.”
Shygirl feat. Tinashe, “Heaven”
Welcome to the Pearly Gates, where Shygirl and Tinashe are ready to give you a guided tour of “Heaven.” This ethereal new track from the delightful pairing of LGBTQ R&B superstars is everything it’s title promises. With vocals that naturally complement one another and hypnotic production that will send you into pure bliss, “Heaven” is a slice of paradise that you’ll want to listen to again and again.
Peach PRC, “F U Goodbye”
If you listen only to the melody of Australian pop singer Peach PRC’s new song, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is another saccharine love song. But “F U Goodbye” instead creates a delicious juxtaposition through its lyrics — while the maximalist, 2000s-pop production suggests something sugary and sweet, the lyrics bite back, with the star insulting just about everything she can about her ex. Even with a sing-song performance, lines like “I hope you choke, go broke/ Lose your money” land perfectly on this excellent kiss-off.
Carlie Hanson, “LSE to LAX”
In the unforgettable words of Ms. Taylor Alison Swift: “It’s me … hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.” That’s, in a nutshell, the realization Carlie Hanson has on “LSE to LAX,” a mournful pop song about lost love and missed connections. Putting all of her emotions into her pen, Hanson nails the loneliness expressed through lyrics like “I promise everything then take it back the same night,” or “Got this weight on my chest/ Way too heavy to catch you.” It’s yet another stunningly vulnerable single from an artist continuing to show fans why she’s worth listening to on repeat.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
