The Best Songs to Listen to in April 2018
Now that April is upon us, we have a whole month's worth of new music to look forward to. With new albums expected from artists like Janelle Monáe and Cardi B, the next few weeks are going to be loaded with new releases. Check out our favorites below, and check back in throughout the month for new additions.
Missed out on last month's best music? Listen to our March picks here.
"Don't Let Me Down" by Sabrina Claudio feat. Khalid
After releasing her debut project, About Time, last fall, the YouTube-sensation-turned-R&B-rising-star returns with two new standout tracks. (The second is "All To You.") Here, her vocals are as light and seductive as ever, blending well with Khalid's rich, low croon.
“I didn't always sound like this," Claudio told BAZAAR.com in November. "I've matured, but before that, singing wasn't something that I was thinking would happen or that I would get into. After that first cover, it was like, ‘Done. That's it.’”
"The Wave" by Lion Babe feat. Leikeli47
The NYC-based R&B duo (consisting of singer-songwriter Jillian Hervey and producer-instrumentalist Lucas Goodman) get fun and and funky on this single, featuring the enigmatic but slick Leikeli47. This is the latest of the group’s singles teasing their upcoming second studio album, which is due to arrive this summer. Make sure you add this track to your poolside playlist.
"Logout" by Saba feat. Chance the Rapper
After appearing on Chance's "Angels" in 2016, Saba landed a feature from his fellow Chicago rapper for a track on his new album, Care for Me. Together, they tackle the emptiness of social media. Saba lets his message be known right from the first line (which is also the last) over a stuttery beat: "If you press logout, you get forgotten, what's a post but a reminder? / Just how boring our lives ar-ar-ar-are."
“Pynk” by Janelle Monáe feat. Grimes
The multi-hyphenate artist gears up of her first album in five years, Dirty Computer, with another standout single that celebrates women. If you didn’t get the message in the lyrics, then maybe the vagina-shaped pants she and her dancers wear in the music video will give it away.
“I Do” by Cardi B feat. SZA
The Bronx native landed a number of impressive features on her highly-anticipated debut album, from Chance the Rapper to J Balvin to YG. Her link-up with SZA is a shamelessly savage bad bitch anthem, with lyrics like “I leave his texts on read, I leave his balls on blue” and “The only time that I”m a lady’s when I lay these hoes to rest.”
“Just a Stranger” by Kali Uchis feat. Steve Lacy
The songstress teamed up with The Internet’s Lacy for one of the best songs on her long-awaited debut. Their trippy spin on R&B will have you hooked.
“Nice for What” by Drake
With the help of a sped-up sample of Lauryn Hill's "Ex-Factor," our favorite soft boy delivers another go-to going out song. This time, is focus is praising women who live their best lives on the weekends-for themselves and their girls, not for any man.
“Chun-Li” by Nicki Minaj
Nicki packs every punch on this track, where she likens herself to the first female character in Street Fighter (hence the title) to describe her success in the male-dominated rap game. (“When's the last time you see a bad guy do the rap game like me?” she mulls in an interlude.) This marks her first release since 2017, and it was warmly welcomed. #NickiDay trended on Twitter the day she dropped her new tracks.
“Barbie Tingz” by Nicki Minaj
Minaj hit us with not one but two comeback singles, so we couldn’t help but include both. On “Barbie Tingz” the rapper gets down to an old school-inspired vibe and reminds us why she’s queen.
“Nothing Compares 2 U” by Prince
In honor of the two-year anniversary of Prince’s passing, his estate shared a previously-unreleased recording of the track he originally penned for Sinead O’Connor. Prince’s pure vocals on the song couldn’t be more chilling. (Never-before-seen rehearsal footage was unveiled, too.)
“On the Low” by Tove Stryke
The Swedish pop up-and-comer offers a charmingly minimalist confection that will have you singing along a minute in. The single joins other tracks like “Say My Name,” “Changed My Mind,” and “Mistakes” on her upcoming album, Sway.
“Gentleman” by Gallant
Grammy nomination with his debut album, Ology, Gallant returns with the kind of slow jam his seductive falsetto was made for. Smooth as they sound, his vocals were actually the product of practicing “just in the shower and in the bathroom and in the car-never where anyone could hear me,” he told BAZAAR.com last year.
Listen to all the tracks in the playlist below, and make sure to follow Harper's BAZAAR on Spotify. FOLLOW
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