Hello readers! It’s the first Friday of the first week of November and we’ve got brand new songs coming to you from Grammy-nominated pop star Selena Gomez, rockers Avril Lavigne and YUNGBLUD, multi-talented pop artist P!nk, hit English virtual band Gorillaz, and rising artist Joji.
“My Mind & Me” by Selena Gomez
💗 – Touching acoustic guitar and piano-driven ballad by pop star Selena Gomez! This is the title track from her new Apple TV+ documentary which is also out today!
😮 – I applaud her for being so vulnerable, not shying from the highs and lows of stardom and personal physical and mental struggles. By opening up about it, the Selenators will only support her even more, moving forward. Hopefully, those struggling with their mental health will feel seen by this beautiful song and have or will have the emotional support surrounding them during this difficult time.
🧠 – Yes, even celebrities overthink things! They’re just like us and we must overcome that stigma against the mental health of stars and pop culture icons. Just because they’re famous, that doesn’t mean you should treat them like trash. At the end of the day, they’re still humans.
🌟 – Shoutout to artist Elizabeth Laferrière for illustrating and animating the lyric video! Impressive to know that all of this was drawn on an iPad Pro.
“I’m A Mess” by Avril Lavigne (with YUNGBLUD)
👏👏 – Avril Lavigne a.k.a. “The Queen of Pop-Punk” is back with a new collaborative effort with none other than English musician, YUNGBLUD.
😵 – This track talks about missing someone special in one’s life. Long-distance relationships, lovers who suddenly needed a break after a heated rift, or even couples with super busy career lives will relate to this song the most. You hope your lover will feel the same and would want to continue being with you when a reunion is called for or when downtime does align again.
🛹🎬 – Nice to see Avril riding on a skateboard again which hearkens back to her “Sk8er Boi” days. Also, I like the use of Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and the famous red telephone booths for the London shots. Props to the cinematographer of this music video production!
👱♀️ – I dig Avril’s new shorter hairstyle. See Avril’s eye-opening Instagram post, here. How about you? What do you all think?
“Never Gonna Not Dance Again” by P!nk
💃 – 3x Grammy-winning pop musician, P!nk returns with a feel-good anthem this week! No matter what happens in life, you can’t stop a person from dancing their butt off!
🛒 – If only grocery shopping trips IRL had the energy this music video has! I love how committed P!nk gets when it comes to the physicalities (the roller skating) of her craft.
⭐🎤 – Talent recognizing talent with the nod to the late great Whitney Houston!
🎉🎷🦙 – Loved watching that epic group dance scene!
📺 – I’m looking forward to seeing her perform this fun track at this year’s AMAs and potentially next year’s Grammys! It will be a memorable TV moment for sure!!
“Baby Queen” by Gorillaz
🔊 – If you’re into synthesizers wholeheartedly, then check this new song out by the Grammy-winning group, Gorillaz! This single will appear on their upcoming eighth studio album, Cracker Island which is slated for release on February 24, 2023.
🙌 – I love the mellow vibes. It’s giving Coldplay plus Tame Impala in my opinion! How about you?
📚 – Great for those study sessions, and general relaxing in bed sessions.
“Die For You” by Joji
🥀 – Joji’s heartbreaking and soulful track, “Die For You” proves he’s no one-hit wonder! It’s cathartic and healing at the same time! After “Glimpse of Us” blew up this summer, I feel his new record, Smithereens will catapult his mainstream stardom in the music industry. Don’t sleep on his work!
🥺 – If you’ve recently been dumped and they’ve moved on and you haven’t quite yet, then this song will resonate with you! You still have good intentions for your ex and you hope they’re happy even though they’re not with you anymore.
☔ – Works well on rainy day playlists, or for those solo listening sessions when you want to contemplate life.
Thanks for reading this week’s post! I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to these picks. Feel free to comment, like, and follow my page for all the latest updates!
‘Til next time, stay safe and happy listening! ☮️
Philip's Music Corner 