#HitsOfTomorrow: A Weekly Rundown Of The ‘Should-Be’ Hits

February is here and we’ve got the much-anticipated return of Nicki Minaj. It will be very interesting to see how much of a chart force she is with Cardi B, Saweetie, Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat all now having become Top 40 staples. With help from Lil Baby, “Do We Have A Problem?” will test just that, if audiences have a problem with the artist. Beyond the rapper, there are also big new releases from Tate McRae, Rosalia, and the return of the Red Hot Chili Peppers! While they’ll all likely impact most immediately, here’s our picks for those that deserve a little more attention this week!

“Faces Change” – Willow Kayne

UK’s Willow Kayne is a breath of fresh air and “Faces Change” is ideally the start of an amazing career for the young artist. The artist is able to seamlessly mix genres as diverse as hip-hop, punk, jungle and pop without wasting a beat. There is a Nineties/early 2000s nostalgic tint to her style (reminiscent of Tracy Bonham) but with more of a Top 40 sensibility that makes her exciting in the same way Dua Lipa did just a few years back, and well, we know how well she’s doing now. If there’s any justice, this will be Kayne’s breakthrough singles. Compared to the many Avril-lites we’re hearing these days, this is the real deal. 

“Party Sickness” – Hope Tala

Another young ingenue on the rise is Hope Tala. The young Brit’s “Party Sickness” brings the right mix of lyrical playfulness and vocal expression that helped Alessia Cara stand apart from the lot a few years back. The mixed-race singer-songwriter has already struck a chord in her native England thanks to her single “All My Girls Like To Fight” and has gotten praise and support from the queer community there. “Party Sickness” is just the right way to ensure that audience keeps expanding across the globe.

“Angels” – Hamond

While most young artists seem to be finding solace in either the late Seventies/Eighties or late Nineties/early ’00s, it’s a refreshing change to see Houston-based Hamond go back a little further, finding inspiration somewhere between to a time when samples were far and few but effective and that new jack swing carried us through pop, rock, soul and we experienced the beginnings of hip-hop. “Angels” is as modern as it can get in terms of production, but with a nostalgic twist that makes the song feel timeless, which is a great thing for singer-producer. This would sound perfect on Top 40 and I really hope it gets the chance.

“Dance” – Jay Safari

Twenty years ago, “Dance” would have sounded like every other song produced by the Neptunes back in the day. Today, it sounds strangely inventive again. This isn’t because it’s doing anything new but by bringing on the nostalgic memories of the past, it reminds us of a time when production could be so minimal and you could still have a hit song. While I’m not sure Safari will get the kind of play a track like this all but guaranteed back then, it’s nice to hear a formula that works not get messed around with, just to feel more relevant. 

“Unbearable” – Henri PFR, Tyler James Bellinger, ROZES

ROZES was just featured last month here with her fantastically and criminally underrated “Best They Ever Had”. Here she and Tyler James Bellinger support Henri PFR for “Unbearable” – another melodious jam that five years ago would have skyrocketed to the top of the charts. While the track sounds tailor-made for blasting from the radio, it needs the right placement in a show or TikTok to give it the chance it deserves. Make it happen, this needs to be a hit.

“Honest” – Peking Duk, Slayyyter

What do you get when you blend Charli XCX with Empire Of The Sun–well you get Peking Duk featuring Slayyyter and this instantly memorable track “Honest”. If I’m being honest, radio and the world at large is desperately in need of a fun track like this. The singalong vibe, the production all scream hit–let’s hope that audiences get a chance to bop along to this. SMASH!

BONUS: Comeback Collab Of The Week

“Impossible” – Royksopp, Alison Goldfrapp

As one of the biggest Royksopp fans, I was more than excited by their most recent return to prominence. Then seeing Alison Goldfrapp of Goldfrapp featured on vocals, I nearly lost it.

“Impossible” is everything I’d expect from the two forces coming together. It’s hypnotic and takes you instantly into a trance. It’s a marvel to me that Royksopp have continued to be at the forefront of creating a sound that’s always been ahead of its time yet there has always been a connection they make sure to bring through the lyrics and their choice vocalists. “Impossible” has just made my 2022 that much easier to get through. A radio edit is needed at the earliest for it to get the plays it deserves.

On the cusp…here are three more new releases we hope to see go far!

“Tainted” – Carl Storm

“Running Around” – Goth Babe

“Won’t Forget You” – Shouse

Listen To #HITSOFTOMORROW Playlist on Spotify!