Looking for some tunes to add to your playlists? We’ve got you covered!
BY FRAN DI FAZIO, IMAGE VIA INSTAGRAM (@TEGANANDSARA)
Happy Friday, DIVAs! Our weekly selection of exciting new music releases is back. Ready to find out which tracks will keep you enthralled during this bank holiday weekend? Discover your next queer anthem, from Rina Sawayama’s lyrical pop to Valerie June’s bluesy covers.
Demi Lovato – HOLY FVCK
Starting with a release last week that’s still making waves, Demi Lovato’s eighth studio album leaves behind the softer pop of their previous released Dancing With The Devil (2021) to embrace a gritty post-punk sound. For the twice Grammy nominee, HOLY FVCK represents both a return to the roots and a step forward towards owning their identity in full.“What I learned about myself making this record is that it’s okay to own your truth,” Demi told Vogue.
Tegan and Sara – Faded Like A Feeling
The indie Canadian duo unveiled this ethereal track preluding their next album Crybaby, coming out on 21 October.
Tegan and Sara said on their socials: “Releasing a new song is just as terrifying and exciting as it was the first time we did it. […] This ones vulnerable, it’s stripped down and raw. It started as a love song but grew into something else entirely.”
Rina Sawayama – Phantom
Alt pop rising star Rina Sawayama dropped another promotional single for her upcoming album Hold The Girl. The singer and songwriter first teased the Phantom via Twitter.
Compared to the previous singles extracted from Hold The Girl, Phantom presents a more traditional sound. Rina’s take on the lyrical pop ballad is guaranteed to touch your heart.
Valerie June – Under Cover
Blues-folk diva Valerie June melted our hearts when she lent her talent to Universal Love, a cover album reimagining six classic love songs as LGBTQI by changing the interpreter’s identity and the pronouns in the lyrics.
“Love is universal,” the Tennessee native had tweeted to proudly announce her collaboration to the project. This Friday (26 August), the Grammy nominee is coming back with another cover project. In Under Cover, Valerie June reinterprets eight immortal songs through her distinguishing velvety sound. Non-binary musician Treya Lam collaborated on piano and vocals.
My cover of Frank Ocean’s ‘Godspeed’ is out today! This cover will be a part of my upcoming EP ‘Under Cover’ coming out August 26th. I can’t wait for you all to hear it! 🌸 @treyalam joined in on piano and vocals.
— Valerie June (@TheValerieJune) June 28, 2022
Presave Under Cover: https://t.co/YzahCFvE0x pic.twitter.com/vcrazR9R0X
Ezra Furman – All Of Us Flames
Ezra Furman’s latest studio album, coming out today (26 August), represents the culmination of a journey to the artist’s own self-discovery after coming out as a transgender woman last year. With its majestic music and brutally honest lyrics, All Of Us Flames is a release not to be missed.
Ezra has said she wishes for All Of Us Flames to be the first album by a trans artist to top album charts. She posted a leaflet on her Instagram, encouraging fans to download them and put them up in their neighbourhoods, digital or otherwise.
“Very excited for you to hear this album. It’s my favorite art I’ve ever made,” Ezra wrote.
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