When you’re ready to take a break from Taylor Swift’s new album The Life of a Showgirl, why not listen to some excellent new songs from your favorite queer artists? Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.
From Young Miko’s slinky new single to Kali Uchis’ deluxe edition team-up with Mariah the Scientist, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Young Miko, “Meiomi”
Young Miko has made it a habit of disrupting the Latin space with her own, unique POV on reggaeton. But no song disrupts her own sound quite as well as “Meiomi,” a sensual, slithering ode to sex, desire and strippers, all packed into one tantalizingly spare song. Miko’s voice sounds incredible as she instructs her soon-to-be-lover on how exactly to please her. It’s raw, it’s well-made, and it’s a fabulous edition to Young Miko’s discography.
Kali Uchis feat. Mariah the Scientist, “Pretty Promises”
Amongst the new deluxe edition of Kali Uchis’ excellent album Sincerely, the neo-soul star teams back up with R&B singer Mariah the Scientist for another home run track, “Pretty Promises.” Throughout the song’s undulating, fluid melodies, Kali and Mariah trade verses about the importance of loyalty in love, all while maintaining their own otherworldly vocals in the process.
Honey Dijon feat. Chlöe, “The Nightlife”
Honey Dijon remains ahead of the curve with her latest release, “The Nightlife,” featuring R&B phenom Chlöe giving a stellar vocal performance to one of Dijon’s meticulously crafted productions. On this mid-tempo ode to the club scene, Dijon and Chlöe create an immediate vibe with their collaboration, toeing the line perfectly between the producer’s more dance-ready cuts and the singer’s moody vocals.
The Last Dinner Party, “Second Best”
In the latest cut off their forthcoming album From the Pyre, The Last Dinner Party are done settling for a silver medal. “Second Best” sees the group skewering a love interest who wants to have their cake and eat it, too, with lead singer Abigail Morris wondering why she’s been relegated to the role of mistress in her latest relationship. After she realizes that “he’s waiting downstairs,” Morris switches gears, angrily asking her partner over ratcheting-up guitars “what do I do to be better for you?”
Ink, Big Buskin’
After helping pen breakout hits for massive artists like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and Latto, songwriter Ink is ready to add a hyphen to her title and become a singer-songwriter. Big Buskin’, her new solo project, sees Ink going back to her days of street performing in Atlanta, as she lets her Southern roots bleed into songs like “Comin’ Back,” “God’s Been Drinkin’” and more. All the while, Ink’s pen remains fully intact, and she crafts gorgeous lyrics that prove a new star has arrived.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
