The 4.5 Songs You Need to Hear This Week
Another week, another group of songs that are all vibey as hell, serious contenders for heavy streaming success stories to come, and a few comebacks in the mix that have been long, long, long awaited.
DeJ Loaf, "In A Minute"
It feels like it’s been a minute since we heard from DeJ Loaf, but the Detroit rapper is back with a sublime new single. We get a nice taste of what she's been up to as she raps over a super mellowed-out beat and works through the things going on in her life lately. It’s a bit of a shift from previous DeJ tracks, the ones that make you want to stand on the table at the club, but it still feels great. And if that wasn't enough to sell you already, the video is filled with some tremendous fits and DeJ looks cool as hell in it. Truly a multifaceted icon! —Gabe Conte, digital producer
Rosalía & J. Balvin feat. El Guincho, "Con Altura"
The first real contender for Song of the Summer is here, and it's Spanish pop star Rosalía's new one with J. Balvin, "Con Altura." Co-produced by Frank Dukes (who had a hand in Camila Cabello's sizzling "Havana" a couple of years ago), "Con Altura" is sunshine and cold beer and that artificial coconut sun block smell and the "oh shit it's light past 8 p.m." kind of joy you associate with the warmer months.—Brennan Carley, associate editor
Sky Ferreira, "Downhill Lullaby"
It's here! After six years, we finally have new music from Sky Ferreira. Much like its rollout—"Downhill Lullaby" is a long and drawn-out affair, cinematic in scope and unnerving in tenor—it looks like her work with David Lynch left an impression. Sky sings about domestic abuse over a string section that sounds like it's at the tail end of a detox. Disturbing stuff, but what else would you expect from a project called Masochism?—Colin Groundwater, assistant to the editor in chief
Kelly Clarkson, "Broken & Beautiful"
Mark my words: Kelly Clarkson will EGOT.—B.C.
And our .5 of the week...
Sterling K. Brown impersonating Jackson Maine
A Star is Born was a disappointing 1-for-8 at the Academy Awards, and the brainchild behind the remake, Bradley Cooper, came up short in the Best Actor category. Turns out, the film would've earned additional hardware if Cooper (also the director and producer) had cast Sterling K. Brown—rather than himself—as Jackson Maine. At a red carpet event this week, Brown admitted he hadn't watched ASIB until a recent flight, but he made up for lost time with an impromptu "Shallow" performance that must be seen to be believed. Forget the raw chemistry between Cooper and Lady Gaga—this one-man show is one for the ages. The only person who might not be on board with that view is Brown's wife, actress Ryan Michelle Bathe, who realizes in realtime that her husband will be doing a country accent impression for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately for her, a method actor must never break character.—Alex Shultz, editorial assistant
