The past two years Ariana Grande has been extremely busy. She’s been acting in some of the biggest movies, doing remarkable promo runs for them, hosting Saturday Night Live and regularly releasing new perfumes and make-up. Yet somehow the singer still found the time to record new music in between it all. At the beginning of this month she announced her upcoming album petal, set for release on July 31st. Announcing an album this early without any new music attached to it feels quite unusual in a world where surprise releases dominate the industry. We love seeing Ariana take a step back in time and build real anticipation around an album again. Today we are finally treated to the lead single ‘hate that i made you love me’. For the song she reunited with her usual team, including ILYΑ and Max Martin. It’s clearly the team she feels most comfortable with. Together they previously brought us hit records like Dangerous Woman, Sweetener and eternal sunshine. It comes as no surprise that the catchy pop track sounds familiar in the best way possible. And as the true businesswoman she is, the song also marks the first release under her newly launched record label BabyDoll. Let’s go Ari!
West End Girl marked one of the biggest comebacks we’ve seen in years. Out of nowhere Lily Allen released her fifth studio album, becoming her first new body of work in seven years. The struggles surrounding her ex cheating on her became the soundtrack of 2025. The album is without any doubt one of the most personal projects we’ve heard in a long time. It almost feels like hearing pages from her diary being sung over glossy, beautiful productions trying to cover up the real pain hidden beneath each track. “Hey, it’s me. Just checking in, I know there’s a lot going on right now. So, how are you feeling?” True friend that she is, JADE checks in on Lily after all her public confessions. The two pop stars have linked up for the remix of ‘Beg For Me’. This collaboration simply had to happen, as both singers have been publicly supporting each other’s music whenever they could. We love some sisterhood in this industry. The choice of song is everything we could’ve hoped for. It’s by far one of the most commercial sounding tracks on the album and JADE sounds absolutely perfect on it. She brings exactly the kind of support Lily could use during times like these, truly having her back. “No buttplug’s gonna fill the void. So don’t you forget, before you both met you were the bitch with the razor tongue.” Tell ’em, JADE!
While her mum is busy conquering the dancefloor with the sequel to her 2005 success Confessions On The Dancefloor, Lourdes is finding herself in the studio recording the complete opposite sounding music. Don’t expect glossy, commercial dancefloor fillers from the young singer. Instead she floats through a dreamy, indie-pop world. The first release under her new artist name Lola Leon is everything you’d want to hear from an emerging pop artist. With a sound landing somewhere between Imogen Heap and Sky Ferreira, she easily sets herself apart from simply being “the daughter of the Queen of Pop”. ‘T Shirt’ was produced by Sega Bodega, who previously worked with the singer while she was still releasing music under the name Lolahol. With this new artist name and refreshed sound, she is ready to take over the world by storm.
Naïka has your back for the current heatwave dominating Europe. On her February released album ECLESIA you’ll find the fan favorite ‘ONE TRACK MIND’. The song itself already feels like a sun-soaked certified summer hit. Now that summer is actually here, the singer clearly wanted to remind everyone of that once again. She just released a Part 2 of the track and got a little help from a friend to make it even bigger. Kalash jumps on the new version of the song. For those unfamiliar with the artist, Kalash is immensely popular in France and Belgium, where he has several huge hits under his name. Together the two are ready to dominate your summer playlists. Listen once and we dare you to get the catchy “Zo-bo-do-bo-do” out of your head.
CLEAN brings you new music on the daily. We make sure you stay up to date with the latest releases you shouldn’t miss out on. However, every now and then, we like to take a little throwback. Whether it’s a song we believe you may have missed or a true blast from the past that once dominated the charts, these moments are here to remind us what today’s music is built on. We celebrate the hits of today — and revisit yesterday’s best tunes, like the one below. We love it when fairy tales become reality. From singing covers on YouTube to becoming the first official signee to Justin Timberlake’s record label Tennman Records. We watched a down-to-earth Dutch girl grow into a young popstar right in front of our eyes. Esmée Denters became the blueprint for the American Dream in a time where YouTube was turning into a platform for artists to be discovered. With the help of Justin, who was at the absolute peak of his career at the time, she took over the world by storm. Her debut album Outta Here is pure perfection if you ask Clean. It perfectly captures what pop music sounded like back in 2009. The era where artists like Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears were working with producers such as Timbaland and Danja. The sound instantly transports us back to the days when songs were still over four minutes long, good old times. The singles ‘Outta Here’, ‘Admit It’ and ‘Love Dealer’ became instant classics in our books. There is however one album deep cut we wish had gotten its flowers back then. ‘Bigger Than The World’ remains our absolute favorite song in Esmée’s discography. It’s no surprise she delivers vocally, after all, her voice is what made the world fall in love with her in the first place. What really caught us by surprise, however, is Justin’s work behind the scenes. We all know him for his flawless pop music and incredible voice, but here he proves he’s an excellent producer too. You can clearly hear the influence of his longtime collaborator Timbaland, as the production genuinely sounds like something he could have created. The production, the voice and the catchy lyrics make this an absolute banger to return to from time to time. To this day we keep falling in love with the song every single time we press play.
If you were to ask Clean about our favourite artists, Russ would easily be amongst them. The talented artist is the perfect example of a hard worker. Whoever praised Beyoncé for her non-stop grind clearly wasn’t familiar with Russ yet. He was releasing music independently long before it became normal in today’s industry. Better said, he became the blueprint for many artists wanting to release music on their own terms. He writes and produces his own music, raps and sings his own lyrics, personally selects the artists he collaborates with to deliver true art for his album covers, comes up with the craziest album campaigns and well, honestly… what can’t he do? All the fans out there know you’re always in for a treat with Russ. We seriously can’t think of another artist who releases as much music as he does. At times it even felt overwhelming because we didn’t know where to start listening. This time we had a short break from his music, which means we are fully tuned in again for this week’s release ‘Can We Just’. It’s another filthy, soulful hip-hop record. A true Russ classic that sounds like the music we first fell in love with. There’s only one question remaining: “Can we just fuck fuck fuck?”
It’s been a huge month for OVO Sound. Its founder Drake released not one, but a whopping three albums at once, the label’s first female artist Naomi Sharon released a brand new single, and now successful Canadian duo Majid Jordan are finally giving us new music for the first time in over two years. If you were in need of a catchy song with a mesmerizing production, look no further. Vocalist Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman bring us ‘Cold’, the first taste of their upcoming project. The song is another delicious slice of their familiar blend of synth-pop and alternative R&B. The up-tempo offering might be titled ‘Cold’, but the dance-worthy production is leaving us hot and sweaty. Welcome back, Majid Jordan!
Four Brit Awards wins. Seven MOBO Awards wins. Three UK number one albums and four UK number one singles. The first Black British solo rapper to headline the legendary Glastonbury Festival. All these achievements could only belong to one man. The one and only Stormzy. We’re just naming a few of his biggest milestones, because it looks like he is about to add even more to the list. The rapper just released the song of the summer for the UK. The release marks his first new music in over a year. We can only hope this is the lead single of a new album, as it has already been more than four years since his last full body of work. For ‘24 Hours’ he teamed up with another UK favourite, Odeal. The up-tempo track instantly sounds like it was made for London’s summer festivals. It transports us straight into the sun with a drink in our hand while the whole crowd sings every word back at the stage. The lyric “Let me see one finger dance!” is about to be everywhere this summer.
Whoever followed the popular Netflix show Building the Band is no stranger to SZN4. The band, consisting of members Aaliyah, Cameron, Donzell and Katie, claimed second place in the competition, losing out to girl group 3Quency. Luckily, the four are not giving up on their dream that easily. They are still very much actively building the band as we speak. So far they have released three songs, with the latest being the one to truly fall in love with. The four have always shown incredible potential. Their chemistry is undeniable and their charisma works perfectly together. They were without any doubt our favourite contestants on the show. When they first started releasing music, we were excited to hear what they had cooked up for us. Unfortunately, the earlier releases didn’t fully hit the spot or come close to the potential they had already shown their fanbase. With their latest release ‘Private Show’, we finally hear exactly what we wanted from them. A fun up-tempo track that showcases their amazing voices and playful personalities. This is the one for us and we already find ourselves pressing replay.
It’s a good day to be a Little Mix fan. Perrie announced her comeback, JADE debuted a brand new gothic look on the cover of King Kong magazine and Leigh-Anne is finally giving fans exactly what they want. During her My Ego Told Me To Tour, it quickly became clear there was one undeniable fan favorite on her debut album. Every single night the crowd exploded for ‘Tight Up Skirt’. The up-tempo, afrobeats-inspired track is finally getting the treatment it deserves. Today Leigh-Anne debuted the music video for the fan favorite song. The video is quite literally a tribute to all the day one Little Mix fans. The real fans will remember the official dolls that were released as part of the group’s merchandise line. The dolls later became somewhat iconic because of their questionable execution. In the video we not only see the Leigh-Anne doll come to life, but also the legendary dolls of Perrie and Jade. We love it. Give the fans exactly what they want!
Being in Berlin is a constant reminder of freedom. Freedom to express yourself the way you are and unapologetically love who you want to love. No wonder German singer siovo traded the Göppingen area for big city life in Berlin. The city, its culture and nightlife are clearly shaping the sound and visuals of the young singer. The result? Germany’s very own Troye Sivan-inspired pop star. Last month siovo released his debut album für immer: babyboy. A slick pop record packed with glossy synth-pop and melancholic songwriting. His music might sound international, but lyrically he stays close to home by singing in German. Smart move. First build a huge fanbase at home before expanding to the rest of the world. There’s no denying that siovo feels comfortable in the space he has claimed within the industry. His queer openness has become a big part of his identity and his experiences remain central to his music. With the video release for the latest single from the album, he once again proves he is a German artist with international star power. ‘BABYBOY’ quite literally looks like a Troye Sivan video. And honestly? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that when it’s done this well!
These seven tracks deserve a spot on your summer playlist. Whether you want to fall in love while the sun is burning, lift your mood on a rainy summer day or simply turn the heat up all summer long… we got you covered! Becky G – EPA No more singing in the shower. Becky G has grown into one of the biggest Latin artists on the planet. She has been taking over the world by storm and has massive collaborations to her name with artists such as Bad Bunny, Shakira and Karol G. It’s now time for her to score another global smash hit of her own with ‘EPA’. Keri Hilson – Thankful We are here to make sure you don’t overlook this absolute summer jam from Keri Hilson’s latest album WE NEED TO TALK. On ‘Thankful’ she channels her best island girl vibes. The reggae-inspired track is the perfect soundtrack for the drive on your way to the beach. GIVEON – JEZEBEL We all know GIVEON can pour out a beautiful heartbreak song like no other. His unique voice is the perfect instrument to sing along to at your loudest while pouring your heart out. Luckily there is life after heartbreak. The singer leaves the big emotions behind and makes way for a flirty love song. Bam Rigby – Silhouette Let us set the scene: Call all your friends, grab some drinks, bike to the park and play ‘Silhouette’ out loud under the sun. Trust us, before you know it you’ll be chanting along with all your friends to Bam Rigby’s latest single. Miguel – RIP It might just be us, but we have the feeling Miguel’s latest project has been completely overlooked. We need the perfect soundtrack for long days spent dancing outdoors, sweating through high temperatures while hunting down shade and garden hoses to cool down. ‘RIP’ is exactly what that feeling sounds like. Zara Larsson – All The Time It’s not summer without the queen of summer, Zara Larsson, coming through your speakers. For our pick we are throwing it back to 2019. Since she’s currently scoring a huge hit with a ten-year-old song, why not, right? ‘All The Time’ should finally get the flowers it deserves! cikho – Stranger What’s Your Name? Are you ready for the season of summer crushes? Ready for a temporary partner to become your summer love? Let’s fall in love with strangers this summer! And what better way to do that than with cikho’s ‘Stranger What’s Your Name?’ blasting in the background?
In Frank Ocean’s ongoing absence, we are blessed with artists like F3miii. The Nigerian-Irish singer is currently climbing the charts with his slow burner hit ‘Noble’. Everyone is falling in love with the song and praising how reminiscent it feels of the Channel Orange era, which might just be the biggest compliment a new artist could receive. The singer grew up surrounded by music, singing gospel and later becoming part of the Irish band GracePark. With that experience in his bag, he is ready to take over the music industry by storm. His latest release ‘Splinter’ is another one to add to your playlist. F3miii’s sound combines melodic R&B with soulful vocals and electronic influences, and the new single is no exception to that. While the world is currently falling in love with ‘Noble’, we want to make sure you also catch up on his newer releases to stay fully up to date with his incredible music before his career blows up.
Remember the days when a career could simply begin by posting covers on YouTube? Some of today’s biggest artists started exactly that way, including Chloë x Halle and Justin Bieber. The latest artist to join that roster is Johnny Orlando. He first caught attention by posting covers of artists such as Rihanna, Shawn Mendes and Taylor Swift. Those artists eventually inspired him to become a popstar himself. The young singer is currently promoting his upcoming album Songs For Young Lovers, set for release on June 12th. As the title already gives away, the record will be packed with love songs and heartbreak aimed at a younger audience. His latest single from the album, however, feels like the perfect easy breezy spring song that could work for every generation. It’s the airy way the track opens before building into a soft shouting, almost chanting chorus. The production lands somewhere between acoustic singer-songwriter pop and classic boyband music. There’s something about the catchy song that has us fully tuned in for the album to come.
Rodney Hulsey, better known as PawPaw Rod, is the artist to add to your playlist if you’re a fan of Steve Lacey and Channel Tres. Perfectly curated music with influences from all over the world. No wonder, as he calls himself a “military brat,” meaning he moved around frequently during childhood. He has spoken a lot about how constantly relocating shaped his sound. His genre-bending music pulls from Motown, funk, neo-soul, indie rock, R&B and pop. The Hawaiian-born singer released his new album Picture Day yesterday. The concept behind the album is pretty personal. Because he moved around so much as a child, school picture days became symbolic to him. He describes the album as a collection of emotional photographs documenting different moments in his life, capturing identity, memories and relationships. Our favorite song on the album is ‘Give It To Me Straight’. All the above-mentioned genres blend beautifully together in the production. There’s however one more genre being explored at the forefront. The song has that old-school ska feeling to it. We couldn’t think of a better soundtrack for our weekend!
This summer All Points East returns to Victoria Park, London with its beloved festival. Just like every other year, the line-up is nothing short of iconic. This year, August 21st will be headlined by Jorja Smith. We couldn’t think of a better artist to take on the role than the UK legend herself. The singer is guaranteed to bring the best vibes to the park. No matter the weather, the stage will be heated up like a hot summer day. Hopes are high for a setlist filled with her up-tempo hits such as ‘Be Honest’, ‘Feelings’, ‘Little Things’, ‘The Way That I Love You’, ‘On My Mind’ and our personal favorite, the Shy FX remix of ‘Let Me Down’. Yes, we are aware that’s already half the setlist done. Just like we said, Jorja has too many iconic songs under her belt to keep the crowd dancing. To add something fresh to the mix, she released another banger today. ‘What’s Done is Done’ has all the ingredients a Jorja Smith track should contain: great vocals, dance-worthy beats and those trademark garage-influenced rhythms to keep the party going.
Tove Lo’s long awaited comeback has finally arrived. After a four year hiatus from releasing an album, the singer announced her upcoming sixth studio album Estrus, set for release on September 18th. To give fans a glimpse into the world of the album she shared the following statement: “Estrus is an animal in heat. It’s primal, contradicting emotional chaos. It’s my mind and my body wanting different things, wanting everything. There’s no good advice on this album… just a lot of feelings, no solutions.” The lead single just came fresh out of the oven. ‘I’m your girl right?’ has us excited for a comeback in a way we haven’t been in a very long time. We have literally been dancing and chanting along ever since it dropped an hour ago. The pop track is packed with EDM influences while strangely enough still staying somewhere close to indie sounding too. It’s a massive tune ready to take over your summer. Trust us, you’re going to hear this everywhere. As if the song itself wasn’t already blowing us away enough, she also released a The Handmaid’s Tale inspired video. A true cinematic pop video masterpiece. Tove Lo has been underrated for way too long. Not anymore. This might just be her year.
Naomi Sharon took us to the club on the lead single of her upcoming third album. ‘Miss That’ was a glimpse into her vision of what dance music in her world sounds like. We were completely hypnotized by the sexy, confident song. The new single sounds much more familiar to what we know from the Dutch singer. If you ignore the lyrics for a second, you’d almost feel like we ended up at the afterparty. The production by itself sounds sensual and smooth, yet this is no reflection at all of what the song communicates lyrically. The singer prays for better days to come as she sings: “It’s not the place I wanna be. These aren’t the thoughts I wanna think. If these are the cards I gotta play, I’ll pray and wait for better days. Hold my head up, try not to sink.” We were in love with the beautiful ‘Feel Like Home’ off her previous album and love how ‘Better Days’ almost feels like a part two. Even the cover art looks similar, apart from the hair colour changing from black to platinum blonde.