Music has been embedded in my life ever since I was in the womb, my Mum and Dad basically raised me on music, especially POP music! I grew up listening to Madonna, Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls, Britney Spears… even AQUA! I’m excited to share my favourite songs and album every month with you all from Scene HQ! Find me on Twitter @DaleMelita and Instagram @itsdalemelitabitch and listen to all the songs I’m loving in this article via my Spotify playlist HERE.
Rina Sawayama – This Hell
Craving an over the top pop-cultural banger? Well Japanese-British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama gives us one with this track. Rina also explores the injustice and rights being taken away from the LGBTQ+ community through religious beliefs too and explores the concept of being told we are going to hell for just being ourselves.
Rina chucks in so many good pop culture references as well and this song is basically the Born This Way/Express Yourself of 2022. Rina will be in Brighton in October at the Brighton Dome.
N-Dubz – Charmer
TBH this song isn’t what I was expecting for an N-Dubz comeback, it’s very modern and 2022 but I guess they want to move with the times, it’s still a good song though but l do love the classics! Charmer is still a vibe though and 19-year-old chavvy me is buzzing that they’re back, na na niiiiiiii!
Tove Lo – No One Dies From Love
Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo’s new era is here and she said about this track: “When you’re with someone for a long time and it ends all of a sudden, it’s like a part of you has died. This person is now a stranger to you. All of the memories are tainted.” and “What I believe I do best is ‘heartbreak you can dance to’. This song is that.”
We loveeeeee a heartbreak BOP at Scene HQ so thanks Tove, very much appreciated.
Bananarama – Favourite
BOP ALERT! Iconic girl group Bananarama are back and this song is “a brilliant pop song,” according to Keren Woodward and I absolutely agree. Favourite is a delicious electro-synth pop song with a splash of melancholy and the lyrics describing the heartache of being ghosted by a former lover.
Sara Dallin said “I love writing songs it’s probably my favourite part,” and that “Shutting myself away and coming up with ideas and then telling a story in less than four minutes, it really is quite an art.”
Carly Rae Jepsen – Western Wind
Omg this song is so relaxing, a breathe of fresh air and rather summery! Carly’s kicked off her new era with Western Wind.
After teasing the song with billboards, hidden treasure maps, and a text hotline and then performing the song at Coachella in April, the single and the video are finally here!
Måneskin – SUPERMODEL
Italian glam rock band Måneskin’s new song is produced by Max Martin (he’s worked with Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift omgomgomg).
They said “We wrote Supermodel after spending the best few months in LA,” and “At times we were surprised yet intrigued to find how people cared so much about the idea of ‘celebrity’ and status, obsessing over their looks and connections.” Sounds deep but it’s another bop I promise.
Amber Mark – Softly
My friend from workypoos, Andrea (hey Andrea if you’re reading this :)) introduced me to Amber Mark, well not the actual Amber but you know what I mean, her music! Softly samples Craig David’s Rendezvous (I used to love that song) and is taken from Amber’s luscious debut album, Three Dimensions Deep.
In a press release, Amber described her new album as “a musical journey of what questions you begin to ask yourself when you start looking to the universe for answers.” Sounds other-worldly, just like Softly.
ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
I’ll admit the first time I ever heard of Bad Bunny was when he performed with Shakira at Shakira & J. Lo’s Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show in 2020 and I googled him straight after and found out that he’s kind of a big deal. Not only is he gorgeous, he’s super talented. He uploaded music independently onto Soundcloud in 2016 whilst working at a supermarket chain in Puerto Rico and after hearing his song Diles online, DJ Luian signed him to his record label. Bunny then began taking over the Latin Trap scene and international charts with hits including Soy Peor.
Un Verano Sin Ti is his fourth studio album and he’s described it as a sonic love letter to Caribbean music and IMPO has helped solidify his presence in Puerto Rican music. For me, the best tracks are Moscow Mule, Party (with Raúl Alejandro), Tití Me Preguntó and Después de la Playa. Actually the whole album is fab and makes me feel like booking a summer holiday to Puerto Rico RIGHT NOW and also I love that Bad Bunny doesn’t feature any mainstream artists on this album like Miley Cyrus or Katy Perry, he only had features with other Puerto Rican artists and sings and raps in his native language throughout the whole album. Un Verano Sin Ti is THE summer 2022 album.