Enfnts Terribles

1. Charli XCX and Rina Sawayama — Beg For You

Fans have been begging for this for ages and finally got what they wanted. Pop heroes Charli XCX and Rina Sawayama joined forces on “Beg For You” and gave us another reason to stan them. With a sample of the classic “Cry For You”, they created a whole new song and gifted us a track we can’t wait to blast at our next ET party. Charli and Rina are at the peak of their careers, and it was about time they worked together on a new song.

2. IKRAAAN — Dode Bloem

We usually don’t listen to a lot of Dutch music but acts like Eefje de Visser have drastically changed our perception of Dutch songs. Another artist that always blows us away with incredible lyrics and mesmerizing productions is the Brussels-based artist IKRAAAN. After having a strong debut with her EP HAPPY PILL, she has been working with different producers for her debut record. The first single “Dode Bloem” is bringing rawness and fragility, comparable to FKA Twigs, and has a phenomenal music video.

3. Tove Lo — How Long

One of the most underrated pop stars around must be Tove Lo. The Swedish songstress had her breakthrough with the massive hit “Habits (Stay High)” and continued to release strong bodies of work, which undeservingly didn’t equal the success of her big song. After Lana Del Rey and James Blake, she’s the next artist to add a song to the soundtrack of the HBO hit series Euphoria, and she really brings it to the table. “How Long” has an addictive, mysterious sound, which gets us immediately excited about the fourth episode.

4. Alice Glass — LOVE IS VIOLENCE

Our most recent musical crush Alice Glass will release her debut album in three weeks and already dropped songs that left us breathless. Her new song “LOVE IS VIOLENCE” is no exception and is an overwhelming pop song with a bombastic production that takes the lead. It’s so well thought out and smart yet still manages to come across as extremely playful and dramatic. Her album PREY//IV will be a milestone in her career for sure if it meets the same level as her past singles.

5. Cariss Auburn — Fantasy

Cariss Auburn has been one of our favorite discoveries of last year and established herself as a force to be reckoned with thanks to her strong debut EP Refraction. On the edge between pop and R&B, she can be compared to the likes of Destiny’s Child or Bree Runway. Her first single in months is called “Fantasy” and just fulfills our musical dreams with its starry melodies. Cariss Auburn knows how to write an enchanting song and convinces us every single time.

6. Charles — Never Fair

We first met Charles in the summer of 2020, when she was still starting out as an artist who freshly released her debut single “Wasted Time”. In the meantime, a lot has changed for the rising singer because her debut EP Falling While Rising did not disappoint and landed her many shows. Her new single “Never Fair” is mixing rock elements with pop influences, which once again results in a very cogent track. Her debut album is in the making and could be the start of an international adventure.

7. Sweats — in the club

“in the club” by Sweats inspires us to daydream about some sweaty, obscure underground raves where you lose track of space and time. The song is another banger from the Belgian group and has the signature freakiness that we already admired in their songs “Sluts” and “pimped up car“. Sweats is indescribable and provocative yet somehow also sweet and innocent. The duality between those two opposites makes them unique and could bring them far.

8. Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul — Ceci n’est pas un cliché

Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul belong to one of the most acclaimed Belgian acts when it comes to alternative pop music. The duo has been working together for a while and will release their debut album Topic Album on March 4th. “Ceci n’est pas un cliché” is another song where they aren’t afraid to play with humor because the whole song is a parody on generic radio pop songs that somehow always sound the same or use similar lyrics. The geniality of the concept and the inventiveness of the production assure that this duo is another Belgian pride.

9. Shaka Shams — Black Metal Rebel

We introduced Shaka Shams in our series ‘On Our Radar’ back in May, and we already knew that it wouldn’t be the last we’d hear from him. His song “Black Metal Rebel” got picked up by Studio Brussels and ensured him a spot as a finalist in their competition of upcoming artists. While he originally is a hip-hop artist, Shaka Shams dared to experiment with his sound and elevated it by infiltrating some different genres that give it much more depth.

10. Luka — FOMO

FOMO is a very recognizable sentiment for many people and inspired upcoming singer Luka to write a song about it. “FOMO” is her second single since her departure from the Belgian band Hooverphonic and sees her experiment with more dynamic pop sounds. Backed by some haunting synths, this song embodies her rebirth as an artist and is the second sneak preview of her upcoming debut EP.

Pictures by Camille Vivier