5 TRACKS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS WEEK
SIGN OF THE TIMES Harry Styles It’s finally here! With his band One Direction on an extended break the British singer has released his much-anticipated solo debut single – and it’s a clear new musical direction for the 23-year-old singer.
Gone are the carefree pop anthems we’ve come to know from him; this is a soft pop-rock piano ballad chronicling the life advice a mom who dies after childbirth passes on to her newborn in her final moments, and it’s an earworm of note.
Harry’s self-titled debut album is due out on 12 May. WAY BACK TLC ft Snoop Dogg TLC are making a comeback! The iconic ’90s group recently released a track from their upcoming fifth album, due out next month. It was made with the help of crowdfunding and is their first LP with remaining members T-Boz and Chilli (Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes died in 2002 in a car crash).
The tune stays true to the group’s signature R&B sound and is sure to please fans. T-Boz and Chilli reminisce about the old times and hanging out with pals, and even give shoutouts to the likes of Marvin Gaye, Prince and Michael Jackson. ONLY YOU (LIVE, VEVO UK) Zara Larsson This vid of the 19-year-old Swedish pop princess performing her ballad Only You (from her second album, So Good) is a mustsee – it’s one of her best live recordings yet.
The laid-back rendition has garnered much praise from fans on YouTube. “I think this is one of the most beautiful, strippedback vocal performances I’ve ever seen on Vevo. Wow, this is stunning!” one fan raved. “That voice, that beauty . . . she’s just perfect!” another added. We totally agree – you’ll be hitting the repeat button more than once! ON IT DJ Sliqe ft Shekhinah South African songbird Shekhinah’s collaboration with award-winning local DJ Sliqe is one of the standout tunes on his album Injayam Vol 1. The song is all about pining for a former flame and life after a breakup. Sliqe’s catchy beats paired with the former Idol songstress’ stellar chops make for one hot track.
“The objective is not to narrow my sound but open it to different parts of the market,” he says. “Music is for the soul; it should be able to speak to different types of people regardless of the genre.” We’re definitely not complaining. LUST FOR LIFE Lana Del Rey ft The Weeknd The title track off her latest album is also the alt-pop songstress’ new single – and it’s vintage Lana. It’s not the first time she’s teamed up with R&B singer The Weeknd; the two collaborated on Prisoner, off his second album, Beauty Behind The Madness, and on Party Monster and Stargirl Interlude, off his latest album, Starboy.
Lana couldn’t wait to rope him in for her newest offering. “We’d said for a while that we were going to do something,” she says.