Is there anything quite like the rush of discovering a new song or artist you can’t get enough of? We think not, and that’s exactly why we at TREMG love spotlighting rising and underappreciated talent to give creators at every level the recognition they deserve. So many artists spent April offering fans new treats, releasing some of the best work of their career, and opening up in their lyrics like never before. Throughout April, we got to talk to incredible artists like Freddy Madson and Vakili Band about their latest projects, but there’s a whole world of talent making their own waves. Here are some of our favorite new releases from this month!
ALLYSE. – “Backup Plan”
In a world where everyone has a plan B, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’re just someone’s “Backup Plan” while they try to find another option. But you deserve more than someone “loving [you] like an option,” and rising star ALLYSE. is here to remind you of that! “Backup Plan” is a smooth mix of pop and R&B that sees ALLYSE. calling out a barely-there lover while recognizing that she deserves someone who will prioritize her like the prize she is. It’s airy and fun, making it the perfect sing-along on a night when your situationship leaves you on read or when you just need a little boost to inspire your self-confidence. Get more of your daily motivation by connecting with ALLYSE. on Instagram and TikTok!
Bianca James – “Monaco”
Time to listen up, because we’ve got an astonishing debut single on our hands from Bianca James! “Monaco” is a retro-inspired anthem all about knowing you want a more fulfilling, exciting life… then going out and getting it. Whether your definition of an escape is just driving down a highway or booking yourself a one-way ticket to Monaco, this song will take you right to your happy place and give you the motivation you need to get through any disheartening, gray days that stand between you and your ideal self! Bianca’s confident energy is truly infectious, and as the song fades to an end, you’ll feel empowered to take on the world. Find out more about Bianca James ahead of her debut album later this year on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and her website!
‘Monaco’ is the artistic embodiment of wanting more. It’s a fantasy about escaping the greyness of daily life, throwing your high heels in a suitcase and flying somewhere glamorous where you can be a wilder version of yourself.
Bianca James
Cassadee Pope – “People That I Love Leave”
It can feel impossibly difficult to open yourself up to a new love after a shattering heartbreak, but in the end, it’s worth it to push through those fears and be there for someone you care about. Cassadee Pope explores these feelings on the pop-punk banger “People That I Love Leave,” insisting, “I don’t wanna say I love you, ‘cause people that I love leave” while laying it all on the table for her partner to understand her better. It’s raw and honestly feels like a callout at times for our own abandonment issues, and that kind of striking vulnerability is what makes Cassadee such a special artist. She’s able to evoke so much emotion while still giving us a bop that can slide into our more high-energy playlists! If you love what you’re hearing, learn more about Cassadee and her music on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
This song describes the difficulties of letting someone love you when you’ve been hurt in the past. The idea came from my current relationship and how it sometimes scares me that I have something so beautiful and loving. How I can’t help but wait for the other shoe to drop because of past traumas.
Cassadee Pope
Franki – “Gotta Find That Soul”
With the hustle and bustle of work and social lives in the digital era, it’s easy to lose touch with your passions, or even your spark to find excitement in the world around you. One easy fix: listen to Franki’s “Gotta Find That Soul,” a groovy track all about working through feelings of being uninspired to get back in touch with your best self. The way Franki sings each lyric really highlights the frustration behind them while also feeling light and hopeful on the more sunny chorus. “Gotta Find That Soul” is destined to help you find yours again! If you want more mood-boosting music, find Franki on Instagram.
hey it’s jay – “Nobody Knows”
There’s nothing quite like listening to a song for the first time and feeling like the artist completely understands you, and that’s what we felt when we hit play on “Nobody Knows,” which feels like a big hug in the form of a pop-punk anthem. Throughout the song, hey it’s jay goes through different scenarios that illustrate how “Nobody Knows” the true secret to living a fully happy, perfect life – for example, your high-achieving boss might be going through a divorce, and the smiling faces you see on social media might belong to people who are struggling wih their mental health. It’s not worth it to compare your everyday experiences to the people you see around you, because everyone has their own things going on. As you listen, it feels less like you’re listening to a song and more like a close friend is giving you a pep talk on a rough day, and that’s the kind of energy we all need! Get more hey it’s jay on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
The more time you spend on this planet, the more you learn the hard, yet peaceful, truth. No one has it figured out. We’re all just kind of winging it… This song is a reminder that we’re all just creatures wandering this floating sphere trying to figure sh*t out.
hey it’s jay
Kandrax – “Dimenticare”
When you lose someone, no matter how, it can be beyond difficult to forget their presence in your life or the special memories together. But you’re not alone in that feeling, because you have Kandrax’s “Dimenticare,” Italian for “To Forget” or “Forgetting.” Every lyric of this song is so beautiful, with one of our favorites being “dimentico anche chi sono, ma nulla di te” – “I also forgot who I am, but nothing about you.” Kandrax also does an amazing job of capturing the emotions of the song in his vocals, and you can really hear the frustration and longing in his voice, bringing the story to a whole new level. It’s simply haunting and we can’t wait to hear more from this incredible artist. Keep up with Kandrax on Instagram!
[“Dimenticare” is about] the difficulty of forgetting, when you’re separated. I put together different stories in one piece: ghosting, love that ends, and the one who never had the time to begin with, but also love interrupted by death.
Kandrax, translated from Italian
KAYHANA – “Rainy Days”
At some point after getting your heart broken, you look back at the person you thought you knew and decide they don’t deserve to rain on your parade anymore. As KAYHANA puts it on her new single, “Rainy Days,” “please just get out my face, no more rainy days!” The song is a slick fusion of indie-pop and pop-rock, turning a feeling of sadness into one of strength as KAYHANA sets an ex straight and breaks free of the effect they had on her. Not only does the song make you root for KAYHANA, but also for your past selves who were dealing with breakups. Be sure to connect with KAYHANA on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!
KiNG MALA – “Dirty Dishes”
Coming up for air after a relationship falls apart can either be suffocating or freeing, and KiNG MALA takes the second avenue with “Dirty Dishes,” a breezy, indie-pop jam about reclaiming your life and learning to love yourself after a heartbreak. The steady bassline mirrors how sometimes you just have to lean into routine to create new, healthier habits for yourself and work on the discipline to get to a more stable lifestyle, while the lyrics simultaneously reflect on the dark parts of putting yourself aside for someone else and the beauty of picking yourself back up after a breakup that you think will really get in your way. It’s a celebration of piecing together the things in your life that may have fallen apart, and piecing yourself together in the ultimate statement of self-love and empowerment. For more inspiration, follow KiNG MALA on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!
The day I wrote this song the line that kept coming to mind was, ‘I gave you the door code to my apartment.’ I was falling for someone new, and I had just given them open access to my life, whenever they wanted – which was terrifying. There was something so sad and so beautiful about it. I wasn’t willing to take care of myself for me (wash my hair, do my dishes, water my plants), but I was for someone else. This song is about that bittersweet feeling of knowing you don’t love yourself, but you love someone else enough to try.
KiNG MALA
Machine Gun Kelly & Cordae – “Doja Freestyle”
Between rap hits like “The Gunner” and rock triumphs like “twin flame,” Machine Gun Kelly has more than proven that he’s one of the most versatile artists out there, and his latest endeavor is just another example of his prowess. He kicked off a new YouTube series, The Cypher, by teaming up with Cordae to put a new spin on Central Cee’s viral “Doja,” which he first did in an Instagram story months back. There are also plenty of self-references for EST to catch onto – for example, the “I’m high as an alien” lyric ties into his 2020 track “concert for aliens,” while the “I got a lot of mob ties” line links to “young blonde don and the double-X mob” from 2019’s “Floor 13.” The Cypher series and the “Doja Freestyle” feel like a big middle finger to anyone who thinks Kells abandoned his rap roots or that his mainstream success was a fluke, all while making it clear he’s not going anywhere. Get more MGK on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and his website!
XODIAC – “Throw A Dice”
With their debut track, “Throw A Dice,” future K-Pop superstars XODIAC are already proving that loving them won’t be a gamble! The song encourages listeners to “stand again” to take charge of their own life and future, over slick beats that complement their energy and ambition. They’re really not playing, and it’s clear this is the first of many masterpieces we’ll be hearing from the group! On top of that, the music video racked up over 1.1 million views in less than a week, mesmerizing fans worldwide with elegant visuals and smooth choreography. From their vocal and rap skills to their confidence, XODIAC are shaping up to be a force you need to keep an eye on. Get to know the group on Instagram and Twitter!
What were your favorite releases this month? Let us know in the comments below or link up with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
By Madison Murray
Featured Image: Cassadee Pope, courtesy of Big Picture Media
