new (and old) music friday #24: kim petras, troye sivan, blair st. clair

i knew it had been a while since my last new music friday post, but didn't realise quite how long. when i checked the tag i saw my latest one was in october last year, and though my last post discussed some recent releases that failed to wow me, luckily there have been a few songs i've been loving since then. 

1. blair st. clair

it's safe to say that i'm now a fully fledged drag race fan. after years spent ignoring related tweets and tumblr posts that would often appear in my feed, i finally watched season nine and all stars three, and am now totally invested in series ten. no spoilers here, but after a powerful revelation during the main stage panel, broadway loving queen blair st. clair released her first single now or never, a solid Club Banger that also has the ability to reduce me to tears and make me feel like That Bitch, and i've been repeating the lines i've come undone but now i pulled myself back together and i'm gonna turn the tide / i'm gonna live my life the way i want to non-stop to myself as a reminder that i'm already doing so much better than i ever thought possible after a hellish few months. 

2. kim petras

by far my most played artist in recent months, i fell in love with kim after hearing unlock it and immediately went to seek out more of her sound. tracks like hillside boys, faded, heart to break and i don't want it at all are pure pop perfection and so sugary sweet they might just give you a cavity or three. 

3. troye sivan

with the exception of kim, my my my! is still dominating my top 25 played songs on itunes, and nothing has come close to replacing it yet. enter then, troye's brand new single bloom, which i loved as soon as i pressed play and is definitely a strong contender for my favourite song of the year so far. bringing that same euphoric chorus and synth-driven sound of his first single, it finally feels like spring has sprung when i walk around with this blaring from my headphones. i've also been loving the slightly more low-key strawberries and cigarettes, released as part of the soundtrack for love, simon. 

4. janelle monae

upon first listen i was disappointed with dirty computer, the latest release from the kansas city native, but pynk was a real standout. a collaboration with grimes, whose influence can be heard ever so subtly, the mary sue describes it as a "glorious celebration of female sexuality" and the video is also filled with euphemisms about said anatomy. it's also Quite Gay - monae recently described herself as a pansexual, "free ass motherfucker" - and ensures her a place on the list of artists like troye and hayley kiyoko who aren't afraid to talk - and sing - openly about their sexuality. 

5. king princess

another artist refusing to hide who she is goes by the name of king princess, who recently did her first ever interview for i-D magazine. her debut single 1950 received a shout-out from the light of my life harry styles, but other than that i didn't pay much attention to it until a few days ago when i found myself re-listening. i wasn't prepared for the punch to my chest as i pored over the lyrics, which pay tribute to those unable to be open about their sexuality during a time when it was still illegal to be gay; the line tell me why my gods look like you / and tell me why it's wrong brought tears to my eyes. second single talia is an ode to heartbreak, and i can tell it too will be on heavy rotation.

5. ariana grande 

april 20th saw the release of ariana's comeback single no tears left to cry. while i was secretly hoping for something along the lines of into you or greedy, this low-key bop has slowly worked its magic and been in my head non-stop since i first heard it. she also released an exciting new video and debuted a blonde low ponytail as part of her new era, with new album sweetener arriving sometime in july. again this song has provided a much needed boost of positivity and just like ariana, it feels like a new start for me. i've also been loving this remix of into you by 3LAU, which is a perfect Getting Ready To Go Out track.

6. CHVRCHES

i was decidedly negative about their latest releases in my last post but one song i just can't get enough of is their cover of somebody else by the 1975 which they performed during their stint on radio 1's live lounge. it doesn't differ much from the original, which is exactly why i like it as the two bands have both embraced an 80s-inspired electronic sound in recent years and i would love to see a collaboration between them someday. 

the 1975 however, have been driving people (me) mad with the deletion/restoration of their social media accounts, ominous posters popping up in london and manchester and a mysterious countdown has now appeared on their website, suggesting new music will be released at the start of june. someone on twitter has provided a handy guide to all the references they've thrown at us so far, but set aside five or ten minutes to scroll through as there's a lot to take in. 

my favourite theory so far is that lorde is also in on the act too, having deleted all her instagram posts and posted the cover of guy debord's book, the society of the spectacle, who the 1975 have referenced in the lyrics for loving someone. it's still too early to say for sure, but i'd like to think they're collaborating in some way and am eagerly awaiting the end of this ominous countdown. 

these songs - and many others i've been enjoying lately - can be found here.