10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Carly Rae Jepsen, Kim Petras, Samia & More

Jason Lipshutz, Joe Lynch, Lyndsey Havens and Starr Bowenbank
·5 min read
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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 including Carly Rae Jepsen, Kim Petras, Samia and Charly Bliss and more 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 of our favorite 2023 pop songs.

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Carly Rae Jepsen, “Shy Boy”

Following her introspective LP The Loneliest Time from last year, Carly Rae Jepsen has given us something with a fizzier flavor for the summer: “Shy Boy” is a straight-up disco single, with squelching production, a falsetto-heavy hook and a post-chorus that gives the pop veteran some space to praise that funky music. It’s an immediate beach-playlist addition, and another winning step in Jepsen’s journey. – Jason Lipshutz

Gatlin, “Lonely Life”

On “Lonely Life,” Florida native Gatlin wrestles with the pros and cons of the titular phrase: she feels comfortable in her own skin as “an island in a big sea,” but acknowledges societal pressures to take a leap of faith on someone else and unmask her vulnerabilities. The ambiguity of that dilemma makes “Lonely Life” crackle, as Gatlin refuses to paint her solitary existence with too broad of a brush and keeps the listener hooked on her words. – J. Lipshutz

Slowdive, “Kisses”

The music video for Slowdive’s gorgeous new single “Kisses” focuses on a couple driving through a city on a Vespa, the lights bleeding into each other as night falls; it’s a perfect visual representation for the veteran shoegaze band, whose tunes often contain the dizzying effects of a dream. “Kisses” is founded on soothing, blurry romance, the words “Kisses born desert sun” comprising the entire chorus but making tonal sense within the haze. – J. Lipshutz

Samia, “Charm You (Blondshell Version)”

A few months after the release of sophomore album Honey, Samia is launching “Honey Reimagined,” a singles series featuring a slew of artists hopping aboard reworked versions of the tracks — and she’s off to a rollicking start with a Blondshell-assisted take on buoyant album standout “Charm You.” The steady indie track brightens up in its new version, with Blondshell not only injecting some rock muscle to the mix but providing a conversation partner to Samia’s charming confessional. – J. Lipshutz

Charly Bliss, “You Don’t Even Know Me Anymore”

Charly Bliss specializes in pop-rock that’s both anthemic and lived-in, and new single “You Don’t Even Know Me Anymore” progresses the point of view of 2019’s excellent Young Enough without sacrificing any of that tension. Eva Hendricks delivers the all-too-relatable details of a messy breakup — the returned leather jacket, the subway freakout, the uneven playing field about how serious things actually were — as a cozy clap-along, her intimate kiss-off made universal. – J. Lipshutz

Icona Pop, “Where Do We Go From Here”

Ten years ago, Icona Pop were ruling the summer with their top 10 smash “I Love It” — and with new single “Where Do We Go From Here,” a simmering club track that refuses to relent for even a second, the duo of Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo answer the titular phrase by pointing forcefully towards the dance floor. Icona Pop have been riding this Ultra Fest wave for a minute, but the remix-ready “Where Do We Go From Here” offers a more cleanly produced, exhilarating high. – J. Lipshutz

Boyish & King Princess, “Kill Your Pain” 

This intimate indie rock track sounds less like a collaboration between two acts and more like the debut from a new trio: “Kill Your Pain” is a seamlessly stitched team-up on which the duo of Boyish welcome King Princess into the fold — trading hushed verses until the very end, when there’s an electric eruption of emotions, a final stab in an effort to kill that bottled-up pain. – Lyndsey Havens

Kim Petras, “Uhoh”

From her official debut album Feed the Beast, Kim Petras’ “Uhoh” finds the German-born pop provocateur declaring “everything I drop is a banger” in a sing-song tone over a thumping beat and warped synths. One of many highlights from the stylistically eclectic LP, this one splits the difference between club music circa 2023 and Y2K Eurodance, and more than confirms her boast. – Joe Lynch

Corinne Bailey Rae, “New York Transit Queen”

Corinne Bailey Rae broke through in 2006 with the effortless, warm “Put Your Records On,” an oft-covered tune that’s an undeniable neo-soul classic. So when the deliberately under-produced “New York Transit Queen” kicks down the door with its craggy garage guitars and bratty chant of a chorus about a 17-year-old subway fare skipper, you might think, wait, is that somehow a different Corinne Bailey Rae? The English singer-songwriter has made a completely unexpected Le Tigre-styled pivot, and we can’t wait to hear where this DIY detour takes her next. – J. Lynch  

Beck & Phoenix, “Odyssey”

Ahead of Phoenix and Beck’s co-headlining Summer Odyssey tour, slated to kick off on Aug. 1 in Seattle, the artists have offered a collaboration to soundtrack their joint time on the road. “Odyssey” sees the two joining forces seamlessly, coming together for sunny guitar work and synth instrumentation, as Phoenix’s Thomas Mars and Beck sing of their hopes for the season ahead: “Somewhere / We’ll fall into the ocean / I’ll be there / On an odyssey in the sun.” – Starr Bowenbank

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