New music Fridays are a thrilling, yet daunting prospect for any music lover.
It's essentially a weekly holiday where fan-favorite artists and fresh faces alike drop their latest offerings for all the world to hear, flooding streaming services and digital retailers with an onslaught of aural goodies. But who has the time to sit there and listen to everything before updating their playlists? There's just too much good stuff! (And, if we're being honest, usually a few stinkers, too.)
As it turns out, we do. Welcome to The MixtapE!
Pride Month is officially in full swing, music lovers.
And to celebrate, artists from the LGBTQ+ community have been releasing new material across all genres that's practically demanding to be on your Pride playlists. From Hayley Kiyoko and King Princess to a pair of RuPaul's Drag Race fan favorites and beyond, these are our picks for the best of the best.
Your playlist for the weekend of June 11-13 has arrived. Enjoy!
Hayley Kiyoko — "Chance"
Lesbian Jesus began Pride Month with this tender piece of electro-pop that's full of aching longing for the one that got away. And the video, co-starring Alexandra Shipp, is a sunny stunner. An all-around dream.
King Princess — "House Burn Down"
For her first release of 2021, the artist born Mikaela Straus has dropped this track that she's been performing live since 2019. Co-produced by Mark Ronson, it's a rock-inflected exploration of self-destruction recorded especially for her die-hard fans. As she recently told Apple Music's Zane Lowe, "I'm just so excited this is coming out because my fans have been….my sweet, sweet chickens, have been asking for this song forever and I've been playing it on tour, and I haven't given them the recorded version because I didn't have one."
Bimini — "God Save This Queen"
The RuPaul's Drag Race U.K. season two fan favorite wasted little time releasing their first track. And the resulting pop-punk celebration of self-acceptance is such a damn delight. Despite what the title may have you believe, this is one queen who needs no rescuing. They know exactly who they are.
VINCINT — "What If"
This standout track off VINCINT's sumptuous debut album, There Will Be Tears, is giving us shades of Robyn's classic "Dancing on My Own." And that's a very good thing. Get ready to cry on the dance floor. Oh, and his vocals? Pristine.
Grace Gaustad — "Creature"
This synth-pop bop featured on the rising star's forthcoming debut album BLKBX: what r u hiding may have taken inspiration from a dark place, but in doing so, Grace has mined her pain for our utmost pleasure. "'Creature' is a song about feeling ugly for the first time in your life," she said of the track in a press release. "I think most of us hit that point during puberty where all of a sudden, the face and body we'd grown to love starts changing rapidly into someone we no longer recognize. Since these changes cannot be stopped, we have no choice but to embrace our inner creature." Get into Grace now.
Todrick Hall — "Rainin' Fellas"
Fierce, funny and just a little bit filthy, this song celebrating the male form off Todrick's new album Femuline absolutely slaps. Be warned, the video and its many bare butts just might make you blush.
Calum Scott — "Biblical"
With his first new release since 2018, the U.K.-based singer absolutely soars as he sings about a transcendent love of epic proportions. It's romantic as hell. Expect to hear this one at a lot of weddings.
Monét X Change — "LOVE LIKE THIS"
The RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season four winner is taking us to the islands with this sultry reggae-tinged lead single off her forthcoming debut album. Steamy and summery, it's a knockout.
Happy listening and happy Pride!