Check out songs by the likes of Australian artist Tash Sultana and K-pop group NMIXX
It’s midway through March and we get an October surprise from Taylor Swift this week. As she embarks on her The Eras tour, she has released four previously unreleased singles including new “Taylor’s Version” versions of her soundtrack contributions “Eyes Open” and “Safe And Sound” from The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond, “If This Was A Movie” from the deluxe edition of Speak Now and “All The Girls You Loved Before,” an outtake that recently went viral on TikTok from the “Lover” era. Given that song releases nowadays need not be current anymore to chart and find a home, Swift is brilliantly creating hype for her tour by giving Swifties a few more treats.
Of course, there are other big releases this week including the latest single from country superstar (and at the moment the only real mainstream country crossover competitor for Morgan Wallen) Luke Combs with “5 Leaf Clover.” New additional releases include Hozier with “Eat Your Young,” Lana Del Rey giving us more previews from her upcoming LP with “The Grants” and Melanie Martinez returning with “DEATH.”
While these singles will likely impact the charts and streaming, there are several songs that might fall below the radar and thus get a shout-out here as we give you this week’s HITS OF TOMORROW, the should-be hits that deserve our attention!
Tori Kelly sidelined her rising pop-star status to go gospel and ended up winning two Grammy awards in the process. But the singer has always found time to collaborate with everyone from Justin Bieber to Pink Sweats. Well, her inner R&B queen is unleashed in “Missin U,” the most soulful pop single she’s ever recorded. After winning hearts in the Sing film series, the artist feels more comfortable than ever and it helps that the single showcases her musical depth with its melodic versatility. Kelly has made a song that sounds both soulful but very 2023 radio and SM friendly. While the singer has changed her hair color to showcase a new era, the constant, her soaring voice, is in every bit of the song. This isn’t a reinvention per se, but a very apt evolution for one of the most talented vocalists of our recent times. Radio, please, please take notice.
Speaking of amazing vocalists, Jessica Mauboy has been sluggish in releasing new material from her new era but, to use baseball terminology, the artist is batting three for three now. “Glow” was such a winning start to this more updated sound and “Automatic” even featured in my Top 100 Songs of 2022, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that “Right Here Right Now” is in the same wheelhouse, making us further excited for a full-length album. I don’t know what the strategy is or if these are meant to be stand-alone singles but seriously, three hit bangers in a row is a rarity these days. Someone please give Mauboy her flowers, or at least a few of Miley’s! This is a hit, hit, hit!
One of the most interesting artists to come from Australia in recent times is Tash Sultana and their new single, “James Dean,” is the perfect reason for why they need to be a global star, across the board. Deeply moving vocals coupled with melodies you’ll be singing along to for days, this is a true showcase of a gifted singer-songwriter. It’s time the world took notice of Sultana and I really hope this single previewing their next EP does the trick because “James Dean” is that good.
Just before they release their new album Exotico, Temples give us “Afterlife,” one of the best alternative rock singles I’ve heard in a long time. The song fits perfectly into any evening playlist and just like “Sweater Weather,” it has the ability to stay embedded in your head for a long time. These days so many tracks within this genre feel hyper-produced or lack any ingenuity – so much so that I rarely have featured singles in this column because there’s not been anything worth featuring, but this single gives me hope not just for the upcoming LP but also about there being a chance for one of my favorite styles of music to make a more genuine return to form, rather than just the occasional novelty genre hit. “Afterlife” is how it’s done. Programmers, take note!
What’s there to say about one of the biggest releases in K-pop this week? “Young, Dumb, Stupid” might work wonders for fans of NMIXX but for the first time, the group is likely to score a global smash with this one. While nursery rhymes being sampled in pop songs has been overdone, the girls do such a great job in mixing in “Frere Jacques” that you can’t help but hum along. At a time when so many Korean artists are crossing over and also recording English versions of hit singles, I hope NMIXX does the same here because its appeal could be even bigger than they imagined. SMASH!
Even More Hits!
“On A Roll” Of The Week!
Ever since “The Last Goodbye” last year, ODESZA has been on such a winning streak, their latest single release “To Be Yours” further blends their pop sensibility with electronica in the most inviting of ways. I’m still upset that “Forgive Me” never got an official release but this single carries some of that same spirit so here’s hoping 2023 give ODESZA and Claud that big Top 40 hit!
Listen To #HITSOFTOMORROW Playlist on Spotify!
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