UK star Dua Lipa finally releases new music, Little Mix keep it fun and light, while George Wassouf is back with more of his signature Levantine folk.
'Swan Song' by Dua Lipa
The fans of this British singer are a patient lot. With her eponymous debut album selling by the bucketload, and singles on rotation on the radio, there has been a growing hunger to hear something new from Lipa. Judging by her latest cut, a stand-alone single that's part of upcoming cyber punk film Alita: Battle Angel, her muse is in rude health. Powered by a tribal beat and background chants, Swan Song is a defiant ode to self-belief and taking action. Lipa's vocal histrionics are tempered for a style that's coolly assertive. "What is the point of my lips if they don't make noise?" she sings in the opening verse. Too right.
'Apna Time Aayega' by Ranveer Singh and Divine
Taken from the upcoming Hindi film Gully Boy, with a plot heavy with shades of the 2002 Eminem drama 8 Mile, this track is insanely catchy and flamboyant, and a departure from usual Bollywood fare. Most impressive of all is the solid rapping by the film's star, Ranveer Singh. He is well supported on that front by Divine, a seasoned MC and veteran of the Indian hip-hop scene. The track is already a hit in India and has built the anticipation nicely for Gully Boy's February 14 release.
'Think About Us' by Little Mix (featuring Ty Dolla Sign)
With American girl group Fifth Harmony disbanding last year, the attention of the pop world's leading songwriters has been firmly focused on British girl group Little Mix, who are five albums in and just about to crack the American market. The latest single is calculated to achieve that objective: there is the Beyonce-like swagger and grunts in the verse, the appearance of popular rapper Ty Dolla $ign, and beats that burrow in elements of in-vogue styles Afrobeat and Latin pop. Like a well-made burger, it all works together – and by the end of the track you are left with a pleasantly guilty feeling.
'Hal El Garih' by George Wassouf
The veteran Syrian-Lebanese singer is still with us and that's all that matters. For years, rumours swirled around the 57-year-old singer's health, with news reports labelling him close to retirement, or at death's door. However, Wassouf continues to rack up a consistent number of gigs a year. That said, the years have crept up on him. That smooth tenor of the 1980s is considerably more ragged. It all serves to give his latest track, the mountainous Levantine folk song Hal El Garih, extra emotional heft.
'Away' by Faydee
The talented singer has been hoping for a hit for years. Well, I am glad to say, the tide has turned with this stellar pop tune. Away's breezy and spacious tropical beats are an ample base for the Lebanes-Australian singer to showcase his great voice and killer falsetto. The track is catchy and perfect for an afternoon pool party. Here's hoping the song acts as an industry calling card for his undeniable talent.
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