It’s Sunday, so that means we’re back with another edition of What’s Going On, your favorite new music roundup. This week’s instalment is truly an international affair with the hottest release from Karol G, Sid Sriram, Jess Glynne, Byron Messia, and Troye Sivan. As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow the artists.
Karol G – The voice of a generation, global pop superstar Karol G is showcasing her growth on “S91.” The Colombian singer appears more vulnerable than ever before on the empowerment anthem. Uplifting and uptempo, “S91” speaks to rising above adversity and being thankful for the struggle. The Pedro Artola-directed music video shot in the desert includes several symbolic shots that speak to Karol G’s relationship to her faith. Further adding to the symbolism, Karol G sings a portion of Psalms 91: “Pues mil caerán a tu derecha, y diez mil a tu izquierda, pero a ti nada te pasará” which translates to “for a thousand shall fall at thy right hand, and ten thousand at thy left, but nothing shall befall thee.” Things are only looking up for Karol G as she’ll be kicking off her first headlining stadium tour on August 11th at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
Photo credit: Alex “Grizz” Loucas
Listen to Karol G’s new single “S91” below.
Sid Sriram – Keep your eyes on Indian musician Sid Sriram. Already one of the top contemporary Bollywood artists, Sriram has set his sights on a global audience. His NPR Tiny Desk Concert this past spring was met with universal acclaim. Newly signed to Def Jam Recordings, Sriram’s highly anticipated album Sidharth is due out on August 25th. Serving as a taste of what listeners can expect from the album is the latest single “The Hard Way.” The frantically paced track perfectly fuses Sid Sriram’s Carnatic roots with his broader pop sensibilities. If you’re on the west coast, check out Sid Sriram’s headlining show at the Roxy on July 26 and opening up for Bon Iver in August.
Listen to Sid Sriram’s new single “The Hard Way” below.
Jess Glynne – British dance-pop diva Jess Glynne is out now with “What Do You Do?,” her brand new single. With its disco instrumentation, house beats and Glynne’s soulful vocals, “What Do You Do?” is an instant earworm. Recently back from a three-year hiatus, we can only hope there are more bangers like this to come from one of the premiere UK vocalists. Talking about the new single, Jess says: “’What Do You Do?’ has a whole lot of feelings in it and I’m so excited to share this with you. This type of record is one of my favourites to make. Wearing my heart on my sleeve matched with a beat that makes you want to move. Sometimes we all need to escape our sadness and our thoughts and just be free to dance in the music. Feeling hope through whatever it is you’re going through is a must for me so if this is what you need right now, I hope this does it for you.
Listen to Jess Glynne’s new single “What Do You Do?” below.
Byron Messia – If you’ve been out and about in the clubs or day parties at all this summer, you’ll know that Amapiano is all the rage. The style of house music that emerged out of South Africa is rapidly growing in popularity thanks to its ability to sit easily alongside everything from dance to reggae and Afrobeats in DJ sets. The St. Kitts-based artist Byron Messia has put an Amapiano spin on his hit “Talibans.” Remixed by superstar Burna Boy’s official DJ Spaceship Billy, the already vibey street record gets flipped into an irresistible club track. This won’t be the last you hear of Byron Messia. Or the Amapiano sound, for that matter.
Listen to Byron Messia’s “Talibans” (Amapiano Remix) below.
Troye Sivan – Fresh off his Emmy-award-worthy performance as Xander in HBO’s controversial The Idol, Aussie pop-twink Troye Sivan just dropped his new single “Rush.” An absolutely sweat-soaked ode to the joy of sex, “Rush” is exactly the kind of queer dance banger that we need right now. The raunchy Gordon von Steiner-directed music video set social media alight. What’s “Rush” all about? According to Troye Sivan: “‘Rush’ is the feeling of kissing a sweaty stranger on a dancefloor, a 2 hour date that turned into a weekend, a crush, a winter, a summer. Party after party, after party after after party. All of my experiences from a chapter where I feel confident, free and liberated. Independent, yet somehow the most connected to the music and community around me.”
Listen to Troye Sivan’s new single “Rush” below.
