No quarter given
With top artists releasing new music, James Barr says there can hardly be a be tter time of the year
Celine Dion’s dropped new music, Adele’s working on an up- tempo album about her divorce, and Whitney is going on tour as a hologram… thankfully not in a coff in. We’re hitting the all- important part of the year musos call Quarter Four, and there’s a lot popping.
Celine just released three anthems ahead of her new album Courage and a forthcoming UK arena tour. I’m shook. Lying Down, Courage and Imperfections are so actually perfect, the fi rst listen made me cry. Imperfections vibes RuPaul’s famous quote, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” with Celine giving up on a new relationship to save herself. The strippedback vocal and softly layered production is so fresh, it could be a Mabel release. Plus, there are a lot of fi nger snaps and sass that’s getting us excited for a new Dion era.
Speaking of Mabel ( bae- bel, more like) the High Expectations singer is back with a huge new Tiësto team up right now. God Is A Dancer is lit, sassy and confi dent.
I’ve had a lot of D in my time but 1D is still my fave. I recently interviewed my husband Niall
Horan on Hits Radio and our favourite Irish lad has promised us some Adele- style break- up bops on his next album — yass. He’s working with the Rolling In The Deep star’s song- writing partner Greg Kursten, with the new EP set to drop this year. And we can breathe a sigh of relief after fans misread his album cover art for “Flicker” as “Fucker”. Niall confi rmed that he’s picked out a better font this time. His new single Nice to Meet Ya is about that moment your eyes follow someone around the club, and Niall hopes the song’s upbeat stadium sound surprises people.
Adele’s joked that her next studio album could be a drum ‘ n’ bass record to spite us, and now studio producers have revealed that it features some pretty upbeat bangers. It’s expected before Christmas and I wouldn’t be surprised if we spot her partying with the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK soon — remember when she and pal J- Law crashed a drag show in New York earlier this year?
I gotta hit you with some rising talent, too. Check out non- heteronormative collective
Brockhampton’s latest album Ginger. It’s a diverse, soulful and sick listen, bringing some serious mood. Sugar is the kind of track you’d pop on when entertaining a midnight caller.
London dyke pop princess Foxgluvv is bringing some Eighties pop into our lives.
Her latest release Desperately Seeking Susan is a chilled synth- bop and it’s worth getting her debut release Crush on your playlists, as well as her EP I Never Felt Hollywood which is released soon.
As a fi nal note, I have to share just how obsessed I am with Michelle Visage on Strictly, and I just propositioned Love Island star Curtis Pritchard to see if he’d fancy being my professional dancing partner ( you know, if I were to ever be the next Dr Ranj and go on the show).
Curtis said YES! Same- sex Strictly curse alert. I just need to be asked... * waits impatiently*
“My hubby Niall Horan has promised some Adele- style break- up bops”