Music is supposed to resonate with listeners on an emotional level. In the pop music realm where records are supposed to be catchy, it’s refreshing to find songs that are both captivating and relatable. Our latest pop roundup features 6 emotional yet irresistibly catchy songs from the likes of Gia Darcy and Ellee Duke.
Gia Darcy – “Crash Test”
Hailing from the Central Coast region of Australia, pop music newcomer Gia Darcy is slowly but surely attracting the attention of international fans. As illustrated by her “Crash Test” single, she is capturing listeners’ hearts with her honest songwriting and powerful voice. “Crash Test” is raw and heartfelt. “It is about the heartbreak of being in a relationship where my partner dumped all their emotional baggage on me and then moved on to someone else. The lyrics reflect the pain of feeling used and discarded, as well as the struggle to understand why they couldn’t heal their own wounds before inflicting them on me,” says Gia, who has since dropped another song called “Nice Things”. Compared to “Crash Test,” that new song is a little more upbeat, and is lifted from the emerging artist’s upcoming EP.
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Francis On My Mind – “Hide”
Romanian singer Francis On My Mind created a rapturous and liberating anthem called “Hide”. The uplifting song was borne out of the frustration associated with trying to conform to societal norms. It takes listeners on a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance, urging them to embrace their true identities. Carrying contagious melodies and a catchy chorus, “Hide” is quite infectious. The diandian-produced track is an anthem for living an authentic life, something that’s becoming harder to do these days.
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Drew Schueler – “Hurtable”
Regular Aipate readers are definitely familiar with Drew Schueler. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter and producer returned on August 9th with another raw, gripping single, “Hurtable”. Already winning an award with this composition (it clinched the grand prize at the 23rd Annual NSAI Song Contest), Drew delivered the song with utmost vulnerability. “Falling in love is both beautiful and terrifying. You have to open yourself up and be truly vulnerable, because to love deeply, you have to be able to be hurt deeply,” he comments. Drew penned “Hurtable” alongside songwriters Claire Flynt and Nell Maynard.
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Ellee Duke – “fragile”
Salt Lake City-raised, chart-topping American singer Ellee Duke is standing up for herself in her latest single, “fragile”. With an instrumentation characterized by moving strings and delicate keys, the song has quite an epic feel to it. Elle wrote it from personal experience, having experienced online bullying. “When I stood up for myself I was verbally and emotionally attacked and bullied for months. I was told I was nothing but ‘weak and fragile,’ and ‘that’s all I’d ever be.’ My next single “fragile” is a big cheers to being underestimated,” she opens up. The track is out via MG Tunes, and is Elle’s first release of the year.
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Sydney Dale – “Girl You Call A Friend”
“Girl You Call A Friend” is what you get when a vocally gifted singer like Sydney Dale writes from the heart. The heart-gripping acoustic-driven piece delves into the helpless feeling of being with someone who has feelings for someone else. Despite her young age, Sydney is able to evoke strong emotions with her music. She released “Girl You Call A Friend” a couple of months ago, pairing it with a lovely music video which adds a dramatic flair to the lyrics. This is a great song from a really promising artist.
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Mae Stephens – “You Don’t Remember Me”
UK songwriter Mae Stephens is preparing a new EP titled Securely Insecure. The songs on the EP tackle the themes of identity, trauma and self-discovery, and sees the alt-pop artist revert back to the stripped-down style that she began with. New track “You Don’t Remember Me” is an emotive piano ballad describing the emotions she felt after recognising her childhood bullies on the street. “I realised that it’s such a universal thing, feeling that fear of being put back into that mindset from such a distressing time,” Mae says. “I hope those of you who can identify with that feeling can find solace in knowing that someone out here understands. You are not alone.”
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