Sharing some new releases by out recording artists to help fire up your playlists this weekend, and we’ve got something for everyone: dance, alt-pop, country, synth-pop, and more.
We begin with global pop sensation MIKA, who drops his fresh new dance single, “YO YO.” MIKA says he wrote the song “for you – as you listen in your room, or in a club: it doesn’t matter it’s just about you.”
The infectious dance-driven track has an undeniable beat that’ll have you bouncing in your seat. The hypnotic laid-back groove is smooth as silk and the hook is a total ear-worm.
“I wanted to write a song that could make you cry and dance at the same time,” MIKA explains. “A song to make the world, in all its harshness, feel better. Something that will always be there to comfort you.”
MIKA recently concluded a sold out North American Tour, which concluded with two showstopping turns at Coachella.
Look for MIKA on May 14 when he will co-host the world-renowned finale of the Eurovision Song Contest. He’ll also deliver what is sure to be an unforgettable performance of his hits – including his first performance of the new single “YO YO” – to an international audience expected to exceed 180 million people.
Follow MIKA on Instagram here.
Australian-based singer, DJ, and artist Tanzer recently released the psychedelic, vivacious music video for “Destination Love” featuring queer art duo The Huxleys.
The single is in celebration of the out artist’s brand new mini-album, Disco Automatic.
In the music video, directed and edited by The Huxleys, Tanzer travels through a backdrop of scenic destinations accompanied by a glamorous squad of queer characters including the incomparable duo The Huxleys.
A Euro-trash fever dream, the video for “Destination Love” mixes kitsch Australiana with projections of a fictional ‘dolce vita holiday’ to Italy, their favorite destination. The hyper-color music video references everything from Leigh Bowery to Tweety Bird to Jean Paul Gaultier, ready to leave you in a glittery daze. We’re definitely getting B-52/camp vibes, and we are down with it.
You can follow the irrepressible Tanzer on Instagram here.
Out country crooner Cameron Hawthorn serves up “Nothing Like A Cowboy,” a loping musical ride extolling the allure and attraction of a gentleman cowboy.
With a steel guitar keening in the background, Hawthorn delivers tender yet muscular vocals that echo the intimate, aching authenticity of the lyrics:
There’s nothing like a cowboy / A rough and tumble, hold his ground boy
Treat you right like the way he was raised / A little yes ma’am, a little John Wayne
Like something from the movies / Faded leather and some blue jeans
But the real and genuine kind / The one you keep around ‘cause he’s hard to find
There’s nothing like a cowboy
Hawthorn has shown impressive musical range in his releases. He came out in 2019 with the romantic, through-back ballad “Dancing in the Living Room,” and then followed that up throwing down some line dancing in his red-hot “Oh Hot Damn!” Since then, he’s continued to deliver his classic style of country music from a straight-up, unabashedly gay perspective. We definitely like.
Hit play below, and follow the Cameron Hawthorn on Instagram here.
Alt-pop artist CLAY shares her new EP, Breathing Into Bloom – an unapologetic, vulnerable exploration of the artist’s experiences with the delicate topics of mental health and unrequited love. Co-produced by CLAY, Breathing Into Bloom is stoked with heart, honesty, moody soul-searching melodies, and graceful vulnerability.
“’Breathing into Bloom’ is about accepting that healing is a process, one that has many phases and breaths, ups and downs, and learning how to love yourself throughout the journey,” shares the artist.
With over 17M streams across 520K+ monthly listeners on Spotify, CLAY is definitely an artist to follow.
Check out the airy arrangement and soulful, uplifting vocals of the title track “Breathing Into Bloom” below, and you can follow CLAY on Instagram here.
Alt-pop sensation Zolita has released her new single and video “I F*cking Love You,” which closes her cinematic musical trilogy with a clever spin on the nostalgia of ‘90s teen movies.
Following the previous two installments “Somebody I F*cked Once” (which sees high school cheerleader Zolita falling for the artsy outsider Gia, played by Tatchi Ringsby, ahead of prom) and “Single In September” (which brings the heartbreak of separation after graduation and a summer of love), “I F*cking Love You” jumps ahead five years.
In the new video, Zolita (now a big pop star) and Gia (a photographer) experience an unexpected and joyful moment of reconnection.
The media has described the out alt-pop star and her music as “multi-dimensional,” “limitless,” “fiercely honest,” and “sophisticated” as she pairs catchy hooks with her vibrant vocals and top-shelf production.
Zolita will bring her infectious music and message of inclusivity to LA Pride’s main stage June 11, joining Christina Aguilera, Anitta, Michaela Jae, and more. Click here for more info and tickets.
