Welcome to yet another instalment of What’s Going On, Biff Bam Pop!’s weekly roundup of the hottest tunes that have been making waves in the music world. This week, we’ve got an eclectic mix of sounds from a unique bunch of artists. From the sultry pop vocals of Camila Cabello to the island vibes of King Cruff, and an empowerment anthem for the ages from LU KALA, there’s something for everyone. Plus, we’ll be taking a listen to the latest offerings from pop sensation Mabel and the ever-evolving sound of the band Travis. As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow the artists.
Camila Cabello – Pop superstar Camila Cabello is sure to get tongues wagging with “HE KNOWS,” her new collaboration with the always provocative Lil Nas X. This propulsive single sees Camila engaging in a serious game of cat and mouse with a potential suitor. The addition of Lil Nas X adds to the tension, making “HE KNOWS” stand out from anything else currently on pop radio. Amping up the sex factor even more, Camila and Lil Nas X have recently been doing appearances at gay clubs, throwing out condoms to throngs of rowdy clubgoers. If you can’t get enough, Camila Cabello’s upcoming album C,XOXO is due out June 28th on Interscope Records.
Photo Credit: Rahul Bhatt
Listen to Camila Cabello’s new single
King Cruff – We recently featured King Cruff’s single “TORONTO CONDO GIRLS” and now the Canadian-Jamaican artist King Cruff has another vibey summer-ready track on his hands. “PROPPA GHANDA” sees Cruff teaming up again with Montreal production giants Banx & Ranx. The pair previously worked on King Cruff’s collaboration “FALLBACK” featuring RUNKUS from earlier this year. Don’t let the new single’s breezy sound fool you, the song was inspired by the pandemic and the heightened sense of uncertainty from that time.
“Banx & Ranx and I have this mutual love and connection to Caribbean music, and that became the basis of what we wanted this collaboration to be – an homage to that sound that we love so much,” says King Cruff. “Lyrically, I was recounting the feelings I had felt during the pandemic and in its aftermath. There was so much uncertainty and it always felt like you were waiting to hear what else is coming around the corner. Meanwhile, all of these platforms were saying different things and telling you what you should and shouldn’t trust or believe in. The essence of the song is just to question everything.”
Listen to King Cruff’s new single “PROPPA GHANDA” featuring Banx & Ranx below.
LU KALA – Canadian pop diva LU KALA is out now with her latest single on LVK/Amigo Records, “Who’s Gonna.” The Congolese-Canadian singer has maintained a constant presence on Canadian radio with hits like “Pretty Girl Era” and “Hotter Now.” Her refreshing pure pop sound and collaborations with acts like Latto have amassed LU KALA millions of streams. The positive and uplifting “Who’s Gonna” is another much-needed self-love anthem, sure to empower listeners not to lower their standards for potential partners. “‘Who’s Gonna’ is a rule book for how I want to be treated,” LU proclaims. “When you know who you are and what you want, you don’t settle for less. This is an anthem for women with high standards.”
Listen to LU KALA’s new single “Who’s Gonna” below.
Mabel – Don’t you get fresh with her! Pop progeny Mabel is back with her new single “Look At My Body Pt. II” featuring Shygirl, out now via Polydor Records. Produced by MXM and Wolf Cousins, “Look At My Body Pt. II” is an unrepentant empowerment anthem that’s all about owning your sexuality and reclaiming the narrative. The track gets some extra sass thanks to a feature from sex-positive performer Shygirl. The David Wilson-directed music video amps up the girl power energy with Mabel and Shygirl flipping the male gaze on its head.
Explaining the single’s message and what it was like working with Shygirl, Mabel states: “This record is about questioning the male gaze and the power of the divine feminine. I’ve felt judged by my appearance a lot and I’ve let comments get the better of me at times. Now I’m at a stage in my life though where I’m celebrating the body I’m in without letting it define me. I wanted to let anyone that’s ever underestimated me or judged the book by its cover know that I’m ok with them doing that now because I know who I am.
Collaborating with Shygirl is something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time as I’m a big fan of her music and everything fell into place with this record. She totally understood everything I wanted it to be and she’s made the song so special. She’s a superstar.”
Listen to Mabel’s new single “Look At My Body Pt. II” featuring Shygirl below.
Travis – Glasgow rockers Travis have unveiled “Raze The Bar,” the latest single to be released from the band’s forthcoming album L.A Times, due out on 12th July via BMG. The reflective track is an ode to the magic of the now-closed Greenwich Village staple Black & White Bar. A hub for artists and creatives, the space was a haunt for everyone from The Strokes to “Godfather of Street Art” Richard Hambleton. “Raze The Bar” channels that communal feel as Travis are joined by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Brandon Flowers of The Killers who provide additional vocals on the track.
What’s “Raze The Bar” all about? According to Fran Healy: “There was a great bar in New York City. It didn’t have a name but everyone called it Black and White on account of the black and white striped awning that hung over the entrance. They had poetry nights, great DJs, open mic nights. If you played a show at Irving Plaza or Webster Hall, chances are you ended up at Black and White till the wee small hours. One of the owners, Johnny T, looked after so many artists and bands over the years. If that bar could talk, what a story it would tell.
During the pandemic, their landlord refused to negotiate a reduced rent and they had to close. So, in the middle of the night, they turned up with a truck and removed every single trace and fixture of the bar. Then they white washed the whole space so it could never be repeated. ‘Raze the Bar’ is a song about a fictional last night in the bar. Johnny is in there, Jack, Richard and Johnny’s brother and bar co-owner Chris. The cameos were almost an afterthought! I just called Chris Martin in a bit of a panic because I couldn’t figure out what the track sequence should be. When Chris heard it, he was like, ‘That song is the best thing you’ve ever written!’ And because he and Brandon Flowers both live quite near…”
Listen to the new Travis single “Raze The Bar” below.
