Monday Roundup Mix

featuring Ariana Grande, Faye Webster, Lil Yachty, and more!

Hi, happy Monday! Thanks for being here for the first roundup mix of the year. This newsletter will be running on more of a most (not every single) Monday going forward- appreciate you sticking around!

Mid-December through mid-January is a pretty quiet period for new releases and music news, so the last two weeks have been busy as things bounce back. I’m slowly, slowly diving into what’s new.

In important pop music news: Ariana Grande released the first single ahead of her forthcoming album, eternal sunshine, last Friday. “yes, and?” is a response to what ~the critics~ have to say about her personal life and features a beat and spoken-word section very reminiscent of Madonna’s “Vogue.”

I am a big Ariana fan - sweetener is one of my all-time favorite albums - but this song does not really do it for me. I think it’s fine, but I’m not wowed. Maybe that's because I think she has done this theme [responding to the media while also telling you, the listener, not to let the haters get you down] better previously: “thank u, next” from her 2019 album of the same name and “shut up” from her 2020 album, positions, are both songs in a similar vein, while being more interesting than what is essentially new lyrics over a Madonna track. Sorry!! Would love to hear if you feel differently.

Today’s mix includes “yes, and?” (be your own judge!), plus new releases from Lil Nas X, Faye Webster featuring Lil Yachty, Waxahatchee featuring MJ Lenderman, Rachel Chinouriri, Shovels & Rope, and more!

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