Enfnts Terribles

1. London Grammar — Lose Your Head

There are only a few bands that manage to sound relevant throughout the years without really changing the core of their sound. London Grammar released their first album in 2013 and became one of the most popular British bands of the past few years.

Their third album Californian Soil is coming out on 8 April, but the band around Hannah Reid is already treating their fans with new music. “Lose Your Head” is a dramatic ballad with a powerful twist that’s combining Reid’s angelic voice with a pop structure. “Lose Your Head” won’t get out of your head once you’ve listened to it.

2. Zara Larsson and Young Thug — Talk About Love

Sweden’s pop darling Zara Larsson has been teasing a new album for some time now but is certainly taking her time to develop the best way to promote her new era. Her previous singles “WOW” and “Love Me Land” took us to bop wonderland and increased our impatience to discover new music from Larsson.

To give her success a new boost, the popular rapper Young Thug joins the pop star on her new track “Talk About Love”. Compared to her recent songs, the single is maybe a little bit more predictable, but Zara just knows how to sell herself on a track with her undeniably strong voice.

3. Alice Glass — SUFFER AND SWALLOW

Alice Glass is not just an average pop girl. The former Crystal Castles member dominated stages all over the world with her overwhelming stage presence and loves to break boundaries with her music and videos.

The Canadian singer didn’t gift us an album yet, but she’s slaying the game with her over-the-top songs. “SUFFER AND SWALLOW” is on the boundary between honey-sweet and rebellious, but those opposites seem to attract each other on this inventive dark pop-anthem.

4. Araya — Color Palette

Araya is a newcomer on the scene but already has us in his bag! The 22-year-old artist is a creative centipede and uses different artistic outlets to express his feelings. Later this year, the Brooklyn-based act will release his debut LP Atlas alongside a short movie.

His new song “Color Palette” is the third preview of what we can expect from his full-length project and is a laid-back song to chill around after a hard day. It’s that kind of song that will always make you happy and can potentially put Araya on everyone’s map!

5. L’impératrice — Peur des filles

When you can’t tour the world physically, you have to do it virtually. The French disco-formation L’Impératrice organized some impressive live streams last year to bridge the time between their highly praised debut Matahari and the upcoming project.

With the release of their new single “Peur des filles”, they finally announced TAKO TSUBO. The song itself is a feminist thriller with a little sarcastic touch, which makes their groovy sound even more loveable, and is translated brilliantly in the accompanying music video. L’Impératrice’s hunger to return to a stage is huge, but the announcement of their second album is certainly another milestone in their career to look out for.

6. NAO — Antidote (feat. Adekunle Gold)

NAO became a star in no time. The British singer made two albums in a few years and toured the world. That stopped when she was expecting a baby in early 2020. Now, a year later, she’s finally back with some new music. Two years after her last album, we get “Antidote”, in collaboration with Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold.

The temperature rises when you listen to the song. Thanks to Adekunle Gold, we’re in for a dance. The sultry beats and the harmony with NAO are very catchy. When the British singer takes over, everything falls into place. “Antidote” is a fun, catchy song but is also very chill. A combination we’d like to hear more of in the future!

7. The Haunted Youth — Teen Rebel

The Haunted Youth is a band to keep an eye on in 2021. The project of Joachim Liebens is already listed in some ones to watch lists without releasing any music! That changes today because the young Belgian band releases the debut single “Teen Rebel”.

The first single of The Haunted Youth is a hit. With some MGMT and The War on Drugs vibes, the song became a wonderful trip through dreamland. After a while, the guitar is accompanied by additional synths, which is the icing on the cake.

8. Charlotte Lawrence — Talk You Down

Besides being a model, Charlotte Lawrence is also a pop star. After releasing several singles in 2020, we’re still waiting for a bigger project. The coronavirus is probably the reason we’re still waiting, but 2021 has to be the year. The new single “Talk You Down” sounds promising at least.

The song sounds very dark but catchy. The choruses will definitely stick in your head when you hear them. Thanks to the happy beat and Charlotte’s voice, we’re convinced this single is a new step in her career. More of this in 2021, please!

9. Odette — Amends

Odette is only 21 years old and lives in Australia, but she’s slowly breaking through. After releasing her debut album in 2018, she’s now slowly making some new music. She works with producer Damian Taylor (from The Killers and Arcade Fire), so the future looks very bright for the young singer!

Her new single “Amends” is without any doubt another step in the right direction. The song starts of slow, but flowers to a big bang. With some dark synths and an intriguing voice, Odette builds to a lowkey chaotic chorus. The vibe stays chill, but it’s very cool to hear some bombastic touches. A nice way to start the new year for the Australian singer!

10. Kings Of Leon — The Bandit

After four years, Kings of Leon is finally back with new music. The American indie rock band has had several hits such as “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” and is without any doubt one of the biggest bands in the world. In March, they’ll release their eighth album When You See Yourself. To celebrate their comeback, Kings of Leon released two new songs, with “The Bandit” as a showpiece.

Nothing really changed after WALLS. Kings of Leon still sounds the same, but they aren’t as bombastic as before. “The Bandit” became a catchy indie rock song, that will stick in your head once you’ve heard it. Not the best song the American band ever made, but a modern version of an indie banger!

Co-written by Lucas Palmans