Browsing Tag

Bubblegum Pop

Embrace the nostalgically chaotic empowerment in Melody Key’s hyper-bubblegum-pop hit, College Groove, ft 0mili0us:

Posted on 2 December 2024

Melody Key’s official debut single, College Groove, featuring British rapper 0mili0us, is an explosion of Y2K pop nostalgia ignited by unapologetic hyper-pop ferocity.

Formed virtually through TikTok in 2022, the trio—Kitty, Shanti, and Bella experimented with their creative synergy by recording tracks on Bandlab and releasing them on Soundcloud. After a year of digital experimentation, they’ve graduated to the big leagues with a debut that’s impossible to ignore.

Sticky-sweet bubble gum harmonies form the earworm’s anatomy, but its soul thrives in its feminist grit. Between the euphoric bursts of neon-coloured melodies, 0mili0us delivers rapid-fire rap bars that sharpen the edges of this otherwise sugar-coated anthem.

By injecting Y2K aesthetics with a progressive punch and proudly wearing their serotonin on their sleeves, Melody Key became the ultimate conduit of female empowerment with their anthem that crashes onto the airwaves like a fresh feminist wave.

TikTok virality may have been their genesis, but Melody Key proves they’re more than a digital gimmick. They’re a powerhouse with enough energy to keep their fans craving more.

Whether you’re here for the nostalgia, the empowerment, or the unapologetic chaos, Melody Key delivers it all with an infectious swagger that commands attention. It’s pop, but not as you remember it—this time, it’s here to stay.

Stream College Groove on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Anike stylised the archetypal perennial pop earworm in her sophomore release, Victorious

Posted on 30 October 2023

Following the success of her debut single, Beautiful Fate, the unforgettable electro-pop originator Anike took a year to hone her sound and sharpen her sonic signature before unleashing her superlatively stylised sophomore earworm, Victorious.

With as much experimentation in her sound as Warpaint, Cherry Glazerr, and Blonde Redhead fused with a sticky-sweet bubblegum pop sensibility, Victorious bridges the gap between two pop worlds with her synth-carved melodies and rhythmically arresting progressions. The track is an overpass you’ll want to revisit time after time for the feel-good factor which has all the euphoria of a guilty pleasure and all the gravitas of an artful pop-hooked Tour De Force.

Victorious was officially released on October 20; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get caught in the melodicism of the ‘Morning Rush’ with Sophia B.’s latest single

Posted on 6 August 2023

You’ve heard of bubble gum pop; prepare yourself for the even more visceral rush of caffeinated pop before you delve into the latest experimentally authentic single, Morning Rush, from the one and only luminary, Sophia B.

However you take your coffee, you will find the notes in Morning Rush more than palatable as Sophia B. creatively tears the monotony from the morning commute and replaces it with a soulfully sticky-sweet buzz. There is a plethora of pop hits that pay ode to the way infatuation hits late at night when you’re left with little but your thoughts, but only the NYC-hailing award-winning composer and lyricist found the opportunity to pay ode to the confusion that brings you to question whether your morning rush is stemming from the sugar in your coffee or the apple of your eye.

With the dreamy chords, the smooth installations of soul, and the aptly hyper touch to the vocals, regardless of your relationship status, Morning Rush will leave you blissfully on cloud nine.

Keep Morning Rush with you at all times by purchasing the track on Apple Music or stream the official music video via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The sandman chewed bubblegum (pop) in Delila’s third single, Sex Dreams

Posted on 29 June 2023

Not many pop hits can rival Marina and the Diamonds’ Primadonna and Icona Pop’s I Love It, but the NY-hailing pop icon-in-the-making Delila effortlessly matched the sticky-sweet floor-filling energy with her third single, Sex Dreams.

Sex Dreams, which hit the airwaves on June 28th, is a drastic change in tone from Delila’s previous releases, Mad World and Killerkiller; it is safe to say she’s come into her own with the sugar rush of a single, which was created in collaboration with the production team, Supperclub.

In stark contrast to the title, Sex Dreams is a romantically rapturous release which celebrates the strength of a connection that goes beyond the conscious and spills into the subconscious to litter dreams with wanton lust.

Building an infectiously electrifying pop hit around real emotion is more than what artists with decades of experience in the industry can achieve. The sincerity resonates through the vibrantly honeyed euphoria in Sex Dreams while the production gives Taylor Swift’s discography a run for its money.

Delila said:

“Sex Dreams is about an off-and-on long-distance relationship, which left us mostly communicating over the phone. After a long period of not speaking, I received a text asking me if I was manifesting them because they couldn’t stop thinking about me, and I was in all their dreams. I wrote the song to say, listen to yourself and be with me.”

Stream Sex Dreams on Spotify now.

Follow Delila on Instagram and TikTok.

Mara Liddle unleashed the ultimate upbeat pop earworm for the awkwardly inclined with her single, Oversharing

Posted on 20 May 2023

If you have a tendency to overshare, don’t cringe about your proclivity to spill TMI; tune into the latest futuristic feat of bubblegum pop from the effortlessly relatable artist, Mara Liddle.

Oversharing hits you with the instant hooks; once your rhythmic pulses are receptive to the euphonically synth-driven sticky sweet melodies, the independent songstress utilises her candour-fuelled wordplay as reassurance that you’re not the only one that struggles with boundaries and self-consciousness.

The auto-tuned vocals effortlessly synergise with the high-energy pop beats, which made me reminisce about the days when Shiny Toy Guns reigned supreme while anticipating the bright future of the songwriter, who is currently hard at work on her upcoming EP.

Oversharing will hit the airwaves on May 19; catch it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get your gratitude fix with Nhala’ bubble gum pop-rock hit, Blissfully Distracted

Posted on 3 June 2022

With Beach Boys-style backing harmonies to round off the country nuances in the perfect pop hit, Blissfully Distracted by the LA bubble gum enchantress, Nhala’s tracks will take you higher.

The optimistic track, which hazily orbits around the emotions tied to being in the honeymoon phase, is almost as sweet as indulging in those feelings on a physical level with the new object of your affection. After her angsty no good at love era we’re all too happy to join Nhala on cloud nine.

She’s got the look; she’s got the soul, and, my God, she’s got the voice. Her Taylor Swift meets No Doubt dreamy demeanour more than has what it takes to leave you on a blissful pop plateau.

In her own words, here is what she had to say on the release.

“This is the perfect mood booster that 2022 desperately needs, leaving you craving sunshine & adventure. I’ve learned that appreciating what you have will always bring you more to be grateful for. With this single, I am literally saying “thank you”. I hope this song makes you want to put down your phone, get lost in life and fall in love with whatever that may be for you – this summer and for years to come.”

Blissfully Distracted will officially release on June 3rd. Hear it here, or head over to her official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

MACY looks at heartbreak through a sticky-sweet prism of optimism in her latest single, Pink Bandana

Posted on 28 April 2022

Nu-disco meets funk-pop in the latest single from the UK pop luminary, MACY. ‘Pink Bandana’ pops the bubblegum pop bubble with the overdriven guitar riffs, funk-laced bass guitar and vocals that will leave any Marina and the Diamonds fan with the inclination to make the perennial pop earworm a playlist staple.

Pink Bandana, which was produced by Owain Felstead, runs you through the early stages of heartache, seen through a sticky-sweet prism of self-empowered optimism. The emboldening energy reads through the high vibe hook-filled instrumentals and MACY’s playfully fiery vocal charisma. Together, they’e a powerfully infectious combination.

Pink Bandana is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cami Bex owns her lack of impulse control in her matured bubblegum pop earworm. Cut Me Off

Posted on 26 February 2022

There was no forgetting the pop-archetype-smashing artist, Cami Bex, after hearing her debut single, Type, in 2020. In 2022, she is on even more visceral form with the release of her seminal single, Cut Me Off, which is a playfully resonant admission to her lack of control in the face of temptation.

A chorus of, “I’m not strong enough for you, you better cut me off”, was always going to hit hard. But when those bruising words are delivered through Cami Bex’s signature bubble gum pop vocals, they hit twice as hard.

The Sydney Southwest-based artist has been worthy of viral notoriety from the start; we can’t wait to watch more hype garner around the sheer vulnerability in her indie breathy vocals and her hooky melodies.

Cut Me Off will officially release on February 25th, 2022. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sabreen Islam breathes indie-pop euphoria onto the airwaves with, ‘Glow’.

Posted on 10 July 2021
Sabreen Islam

‘Glow’ is the latest indie synthpop single by up and coming singer-songwriter Sabreen Islam whose sound has already reached the pinnacle of fun, life-affirming pop. At the age of 18-years-old, the Auckland, New Zealand-hailing artist has already mastered the art of creating infectiously euphoric melodies and serenading serotonin levels.

With a little help from Auckland-based producer Will Henderson, Glow carries all the earmarks of a summer bubble gum pop playlist staple. Fans of Selena Gomez, Carly Rae Jepsen and Rebecca Black will definitely want to keep Sabreen on their radar for her future releases.

Check out Sabreen Islam on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sophia Gonzon goes ‘Dancing With The Devil’

Posted on 11 April 2021

Working with producer Cesar Da Emperor is clearly working well for Florida-based Italian-American Sophia Gonzon, who – in collaboration with singer-songwriter Ryan Curtis – brings us her new single ‘Dancing With The Devil’.

Poppy, dancy R&B with enough of a hint of rock to perfectly suit the gritty edge to her voice, ‘Dancing With The Devil’ is all dynamics, soft verses and big, overdriven power-chord choruses. There’s a mix of influences here, from Pink and Christina Aguilera through Gwen Stefani and Gloria Estefan to Flo Rida and Lil Wayne. There’s some well-put together self-harmonies on the choruses, that Stefani/No Doubt vibe coming through on the catchy pop-funk-rock guitar stylings and Gonzon’s powerful vocals.

You can hear ‘Dancing With The Devil’ on Spotify; follow Sophia Gonzon here or on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes