Florida’s Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival Is Making Its Return In 2022

After taking 2019 off, Florida’s Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival returned in 2020, from March 5 to 8. That was right before pandemic-caused quarantines were put into effect in the US, making it one of the last large-scale events to happen before the world changed. There’s not going to be an Okeechobee this year, but organizers have announced dates for the 2022 event, their fifth overall: March 3 to 6.

Pasquale Rotella, founder and CEO of Insomniac Events (one of the companies behind the festival), offered a statement, saying, “After this long year, I couldn’t be more excited to return to Sunshine Grove and be back in nature with all my Okeechobee friends and fam. This festival is all about music, camping out, and making s’mores while dancing in a jungle, grass fields, and on a beautiful beach. It was the last festival I attended before the pandemic hit so I can’t wait to be back!”

Soundslinger (the other company behind the fest) founder Rechulski also says, “It’s been quite a difficult 14 months for all of us, especially everyone in the live event mass gathering community. I hope that music can once again shine as a beacon of light and hope and bring us a much needed distraction. I’m just glad to be back and have the chance to do what I love the most!”

Tickets will be available to purchase in a limited pre-sale starting on June 3 at noon ET. Learn more about the 2022 Okeechobee festival here.

All The New Albums Coming Out In June 2021

Keeping track of all the new albums coming out in a given month is a big job, but we’re up for it: Below is a comprehensive list of the major releases you can look forward to in June. If you’re not trying to potentially miss out on anything, it might be a good idea to keep reading.

Friday, June 4

  • Annie Keating — Bristol County Tides (self-released)
  • Atreyu — Baptize (Spinefarm Records)
  • Biesmans — Trains, Planes & Automobiles (Watergate Records)
  • Billy F. Gibbons — West Coast Junkie (Concord Records)
  • Bizou — Tragic Lover (Moonboot Records)
  • Black River Delta — Shakin’ (Sofaburn Records)
  • Black Veil Brides — The Phantom Tomorrow (Sumerian Records)
  • Brett Young — Weekends Look A Little Different These Days (Big Machine)
  • Cavetown — Man’s Best Friend EP (Warner Records)
  • Chris Thile — Laysongs (Nonesuch)
  • Circus Rhapsody — Just Kidding (Mannequin Vanity Records)
  • Cleopatrick — Bummer (Nowhere Special Recordings)
  • Crowded House — Dreamers Are Waiting (EMI Music Australia)
  • The Cucumbers — The Desk Drawer Tapes (Life Force Records)
  • Dark0 — Eternity (YEAR0001)
  • Das Beat — Identität EP (Arbutus Records)
  • Easy Life — Life’s A Beach (Island)
  • Eric Johanson — Covered Tracks: Vol. 2 (Whiskey Bayou Records)
  • Flotsam And Jetsam — Blood In The Water (AFM Organization)
  • Fousheé — Time Machine (Trackmasters Entertainment/RCA Records)
  • Gary Louris — Jump For Joy (Thirty Tigers)
  • Ghost Twin — Love Songs for End Times (Artoffact Records)
  • Goose — Shenanigans Night Club (self-released)
  • Greentea Peng — Man Made (AMF Records)
  • Hard Nips — Master Cat (Dadstache Records)
  • J3PO — Mains (Ropeadope)
  • James — All The Colours Of You (Piccadilly Records)
  • Jána — Works EP (Majestic Casual Records)
  • Japanese Breakfast — Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
  • Kajsa Lindgren — Momentary Harmony (Recital)
  • Kevin Hays, Ben Street, And Billy Hart — All Things Are (Smoke Sessions Records)
  • Kirk McElhinney — You Are Not Your Past (Limefield)
  • Latewaves — Hell To Pay (Know Hope Records)
  • Leni Stern — Dance (Leni Stern Recordings)
  • Lil Baby and Lil Durk — Voice Of The Heroes (Quality Control Music/Wolfpack Global Music/Motown Records/Alamo Records)
  • Liz Phair — Soberish (Chrysalis Records)
  • Loraine James — Reflection (Hyperdub)
  • Monograms — Floors And Ceilings EP (Papercup Music)
  • The Mumps — Rock & Roll This, Rock & Roll That: Best Case Scenario, You’ve Got Mumps (Sympathy 4 the R.I.)
  • My Name Is Ian — Fantastic Company (Bubblewrap Collective)
  • New Candys — Vyvyd (Little Cloud Records)
  • Niia — If I Should Die EP (self-released)
  • Nonô — Midnight Mimosa EP (Dice)
  • Ô Lake — Gerry (Music Inspired by The Motion Picture) (Night-Night Records)
  • Oslo Tapes — ØR (Pelagic Records)
  • Overcoats — Used To Be Scared Of The Dark EP (Loma Vista Recordings)
  • Pan Daijing — Jade 玉观音 (PAN)
  • Paris Pick — Hope For The Best (Care Record)
  • Pastel Coast — Sun (Shelflife Records)
  • Paul Gilbert — Werewolves Of Portland (Mascot Label Group)
  • Peter Rosenberg — Real Late (Real Late Records)
  • PJ Sykes — Fuzz (Cherub Records)
  • Poté — A Tenuous Tale Of Her (Outlier)
  • Qlowski — Quale Futuro? (Maple Death Records)
  • Raheem DeVaughn & Apollo Brown — Lovesick (Mello Music Group)
  • Rebecca Vasmant — With Love, From Glasgow (Rebecca’s Records)
  • Renforshort — Saint Dominique EP (Interscope Records)
  • Rhapsody Of Fire — I’ll Be Your Hero EP (AFM Records)
  • Rise Against — Nowhere Generation (Loma Vista)
  • Rostam — Changephobia (Matsor Projects)
  • Satsang — All. Right. Now. (SideOneDummy Records)
  • Skids — Songs From A Haunted Ballroom (Cleopatra)
  • Steve Kilbey And The Winged Heels — The Hall Of Counterfeits (MGM)
  • Stubborn Heart — Made Of Static (One Little Independe)
  • Talk Show Host — Mid Century Modern (Wiretap Records)
  • Tape Waves — Bright (Emotional Response)
  • Totally Slow — Casual Drag (Refresh Records)
  • Tristen — Aquatic Flowers (Mama Bird Recording Co.)
  • We Are The Union — Ordinary Life (Bad Time Records)
  • Wolf Alice — Blue Weekend (Dirty Hit)
  • Wooden Veins — In Finitude (The Vinyl Division)

Friday, June 11

  • AFI — Bodies (Rise Records)
  • Alessandro Cortini — Scuro Chiaro (Mute)
  • Azure Ray — Remedy (Flower Moon Records)
  • Beta Radio — Year Of Love (Nettwerk)
  • Brandon Jenner — Short Of Home EP (Nettwerk)
  • Butterfly Ali — Preacher’s Kid EP (The Orchard)
  • Cold Cave — Fate In Seven Lessons (Heartworm Press)
  • Danny Elfman — Big Mess (Anti-)
  • Dany Laj And The Looks — Ten Easy Pieces (Rum Bar Records)
  • Dave Koz And Cory Wong — The Golden Hour (Just Koz Entertainment)
  • Dustin O’Halloran — Silfur (Deutsche Grammophon)
  • Eden Ahbez — Dharmaland (Subliminal Sounds)
  • Elissa Mielke — Finally EP (Slashie/Mom + Pop)
  • Ethan Gold — Earth City 1: The Longing Out (Electrik Gold)
  • Evan Klar — Blissful Thinking EP (Grönland Records)
  • Folly Group — Awake And Hungry EP (So Young Records)
  • Fred Lee & The Restless — Sleepwalking In Daylight (Lövely)
  • Garbage — No Gods No Masters (Infectious Music)
  • Haus Of Fraser — Same Ol’ Dance EP (Norma Music)
  • Hyunhye Seo — Strands (Room40)
  • Islands — Islomania (Royal Mountain Records)
  • Jeb Loy Nichols — Jeb Loy (Decca Records)
  • Jessie Ware — What’s Your Pleasure? — The Platinum Pleasure Edition (PMR Records/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records)
  • Jim Ward — Daggers (Dine Alone Records)
  • Julian Lage — Squint (Blue Note Records)
  • K.Flay — Inside Voices EP (BMG)
  • Karma Kids — Vibes (Legend Recordings)
  • Kaylee Elizabeth — Playing With Fire (Cool Granny)
  • KennyHoopla — Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape (Arista Records)
  • King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard — Butterfly 3000 (KGLW)
  • King Ropes — Way Out West (Big and Just Little)
  • Larry June — Orange Print (Warner Bros. Records)
  • Les Agamemnonz — Amateur (Hi-Tide Recordings)
  • Lucas Nelson & Promise Of The Real — A Few Stars Apart (Fantasy Records)
  • Mammoth WVH — Mammoth WVH (EX1 Records/Explorer1 Music Group)
  • Marina — Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land (Atlantic Records)
  • Maroon 5 — Jordi (Interscope Records)
  • Merci — Subtle Fiction I EP (Rise Records)
  • Migos — Culture III (Quality Control)
  • Mike Block And Sandeep Das — Where The Soul Never Dies (Bright Shiny Things)
  • Mind Maintenance — Mind Maintenance (Drag City)
  • Mirabai Ceiba — The Quiet Hour (Terrorbird)
  • Mr. Bungle — The Night They Came Home (Ipecac)
  • The Oak Ridge Boys — Front Porch Singin’ (MCA)
  • Olivia O’Brien — Episodes — Part 1 EP (Island Records)
  • Phosphorescent — The BBC Sessions EP (Dead Oceans)
  • Polo G — Hall Of Fame (Columbia)
  • Pronoun — OMG I Made It (Wax Bodega and Sleep Well)
  • Quivers — Golden Doubt (Turntable Kitchen)
  • Rachel Baiman — Cycles (Signature Sounds)
  • Rarelyalways — Manic EP (Innovative Leisure)
  • Red Ribbon — Planet X (Danger Collective Records)
  • The Routes — Instrumentals II (Groovie Records)
  • Ruth B. — Moments In Between (Downtown Records)
  • Sammy Sadler — 1989 (Evergreen Records)
  • The Scientists — Negativity (In the Red Records)
  • ShitKid — Sort Stjerne! (Pnkslm Recordings)
  • Slayyyter — Troubled Paradise (Fader Label)
  • Sleater-Kinney — Path Of Wellness (Mom+Pop)
  • Smoothboi Ezra — Stuck EP (Loma Vista Recordings)
  • Social Haul — Social Haul (FatCat Records)
  • Stephan Micus — Winter’s End (ECM)
  • T. Griffin — The Proposal (Constellation Records)
  • Todd Cochran — Then And Again, Here And Now (Sunnyside)
  • Tone Stith — FWM EP (RCA Records)
  • Torgny — Together EP (Telemachus Records)
  • Wristmeetrazor — Replica Of A Strange Love (Prosthetic Records)

gvia Friday, June 18

  • Ambar Lucid — Get Lost In The Music EP (300 Entertainment)
  • Amy Helm — What The Flood Leaves Behind (Renew Records/BMG)
  • Andrew Hung — Devastations (Lex Records)
  • Angelique Kidjo — Mother Nature (Universal Music Group)
  • Authority Zero — Ollie Ollie Oxen Free (Mutant Rock)
  • Benjamin Francis Leftwich — To Carry A Whale (Dirty Hit)
  • Berwyn — Tape 2 / Fomalhaut (Columbia Records)
  • Bossk — Migration (Deathwish)
  • Boyband — Never Knows Best (Dirty Hit)
  • Briars Of North America — Supermoon (Brassland)
  • The Catenary Wires — Birling Gap (Skep Wax Records)
  • Cher Strauberry — Chering Is Caring (Mri Associated)
  • Cola Boyy — Prosthetic Boombox (Record Makers/MGMT Records)
  • Colin Macleod — Hold Fast (Silva Screen Records)
  • Country Westerns — Country Westerns EP (Fat Possum Records)
  • Covey — Class Of Cardinal Sin (Rise Records)
  • Crobot — Rat Child EP (Mascot Records)
  • Deap Vally — American Cockroach EP (Cooking Vinyl)
  • Dereck Higgins — Future Still (Discrepancy Records)
  • Devin Shaffer — In My Dreams I’m There (American Dreams Records)
  • De’wayne — Stains (Hopeless Records)
  • Dream Racer — Gloomy Eyes EP (Cargo Records)
  • Dylan LeBlanc — Pastimes EP (ATO Records)
  • Evolfo — Site Out Of Mind (Royal Potato Family)
  • Francis Lung — Miracle (Memphis Industries)
  • Gary Kemp — INSOLO (Columbia)
  • Good Morning TV — Small Talk (Geographie Records)
  • Half Moon Run — Inwards & Onwards EP (Glassnote)
  • Hannah Georgas — Versions EP (Hidden Pony)
  • Hemi Hemingway — The Lonely Hunter EP (PNKSLM Recordings)
  • Jad Fair & Kramer — The History Of Crying, Revisited (Shimmy-Disc)
  • Jake Miller — Silver Lining II (Empire)
  • Kings Of Convenience — Peace Or Love (EMI)
  • Lady Gaga — Born This Way: The Tenth Anniversary (Interscope)
  • Lost In Society — Stay Jaded EP (Wiretap Records)
  • The Lounge Society — Silk For The Starving EP (Speedy Wunderground)
  • Matt Bachman — Dream Logic (Orindal Records)
  • Morgarten — Cry Of The Lost (Inner Wound Recordings)
  • Mountain Movers — World What World (Trouble In Mind)
  • Mykki Blanco — Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep (Transgressive)
  • Natalie Gelman — Moth To The Flame (Blue Elan Records)
  • NJOMZA — Limbo EP (Since the 80s)
  • Oh! The Horror — 1692 (Majik Ninja)
  • Paula Fuga — Rain On Sunday (Downtown Records)
  • Rejjie Snow — Relax (BMG)
  • Rocket Report — Overmorrow (The Peoples Electric)
  • Scalping — Flood EP (Houndstooth)
  • Social Disorder — Love 2 Be Hated (Afm Records)
  • Steve Cole — Smoke And Mirrors (Mack Avenue Records)
  • Stevie Weinstein-Foner — Wondering (Wild Kindness)
  • Superlove — …But For The Moment EP (Rude Records)
  • Ten City — Judgement (Ultra Records)
  • Tigercub — As Blue As Indigo (Blame Records)
  • The Tremolo Beer Gut — You Can’t Handle… (Crunchy Frog)
  • The Wind-Ups — Try Not To Think (Mt.St.Mtn)
  • Yagow — The Mess (Crazysane Records)

Friday, June 25

  • Alex McArtor — Welcome To The Wasteland EP (Bigmac Records)
  • Amaro Freitas — Sankofa (Far Out Recordings)
  • Anne Freeman — Keep It Close (Muscle Beach Records)
  • Arrested Youth — Nonfiction (Lowly/Big Noise)
  • Ashlynn Malia — Rather Be Alone EP (Jullian Records/The Orchard)
  • Bill Evans — On A Friday Evening (Craft Recordings)
  • Buckcherry — Hellbound (Round Hill Records)
  • Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion — Let The Soil Play Its Simple Part (Schoolkids Records)
  • Cat & Calmell — Life Of Mine EP (EMI)
  • Cautious Clay — Deadpan Love (The Orchard)
  • Cedric Burnside — I Be Trying (Single Lock)
  • The CEO — Redemption (Rat Pak Records)
  • Coma Culture — Camouflage (Repost Network)
  • The Creature Comfort — Everything Is Hidden (Missing Door/AWAL)
  • Dave Keuning — A Mild Case Of Everything (Pretty Faithful Records)
  • Devora — Outlaw EP (Tiger Tone)
  • Drug Church — Tawny EP (Pure Noise Records)
  • Drug Store Romeos — The World Within Our Bedrooms (Fiction)
  • Eli & Fur — Found In The Wild (Anjunadeep)
  • Eli Keszler — Icons (LuckyMe)
  • Ellis — Nothing Is Sacred Anymore EP (Fat Possum)
  • Ellis Mano Band — Ambedo (Jazzhaus)
  • Emily Wolfe — Outlier (Crows Feet Records)
  • Eve 6 — Grim Value EP (Velocity Records)
  • Evidence — Unlearning Vol. 1 (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
  • Fargo — Strangers D’Amour (gvia Fargo — Strangers D’Amour ()
  • Faye Webster — I Know I’m Funny Haha (Secretly Canadian)
  • Fehler Kuti — Professional People (Alien Transistor)
  • Free Throw — Piecing It Together (Triple Crown Records)
  • Future Prawn — A Day At Promenade (La Pochette Surprise)
  • Gabe Dixon — Lay It On Me (Rolling Ball Records)
  • Gaspard Augé — Escapades (Ed Banger Records)
  • GoldenOak — Room To Grow (self-released)
  • Goo Goo Dolls — Rarities (Warner Records)
  • Gorgon City — Olympia (Astralwerks)
  • The Grid / Fripp — Leviathan (Panegryic)
  • Hiatus Kaiyote — Mood Valiant (Brainfeeder Records)
  • Hiss Golden Messenger — Quietly Blowing It (Merge)
  • Hurry — Fake Ideas (Lame-O Records)
  • Hypnotic Brass Ensemble — This Is A Mindfulness Drill (Jagjaguwar)
  • Imur — My Molecules (Epic Records)
  • Island — Yesterday Park (Frenchkiss Records)
  • Janette King — What We Lost (Hot Tramp)
  • Jesse Marchant — Antelope Running (AntiFragile)
  • John Carroll Kirby — Septet (Stones Throw Records)
  • John Grant — Boy From Michigan (Partisan)
  • Joywave — Every Window Is A Mirror EP (Cultco Music)
  • JP Saxe — Dangerous Levels Of Introspection (Arista Records)
  • Julien Baker — Home Video (Matador Records)
  • Justine Skye — Space & Time (Nynetineth)
  • Kojaque — Town’s Dead (Soft Boy Records)
  • L’Rain — Fatigue (Mexican Summer)
  • Lightning Bug — A Color Of The Sky (Fat Possum)
  • LoneLady — Former Things (Warp Records)
  • Maple Glider — To Enjoy Is The Only Thing (Partisan Records)
  • The Marías — Cinema (Atlantic Records)
  • Massage — Still Life (Mt.St.Mtn.)
  • May Rio — Easy Bammer (Dots Per Inch Music)
  • Michael Cormier — More Light!! (Dear Life Records)
  • Michael League– So Many Me (GroundUP Music)
  • Modest Mouse — The Golden Casket (Epic)
  • Mother Mother — Inside (Mother Mother Music)
  • The Mountain Goats — Dark In Here (Merge Records)
  • Mt. Misery — Once Home, No Longer (Prefect Records)
  • The Murlocs — Bittersweet Dreams (ATO)
  • Nathan Germick — Goldenboy (self-released)
  • Odd Circus — Arch Nova EP (Good Idea Music)
  • Perila — How Much Time It Is Between You And Me? (Smalltown Supersound)
  • Picture This — Life In Colour (Island Records)
  • Pom Pom Squad — Death Of A Cheerleader (City Slang)
  • Robbing Millions — Holidays Inside (MGMT Records/[PIAS])
  • Roger Chapman — Life In The Pond (RUF)
  • Rose City Band — Earth Trip (Thrill Jockey)
  • Saint Motel — The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Elektra)
  • Saint Sister — Where I Should End (FUGA)
  • Sasu Ripatti — Fun Is Not A Straight Line (Vladislav Delay)
  • Spelling — The Turning Wheel (Sacred Bones)
  • Split Single — Amplificado (Inside Outside Records)
  • Squirrel Flower — Planet (i) (Polyvinyl Records)
  • Summer Salt — Sequoia Moon (Cherry Lime Records)
  • Tim O’Brien — He Walked On (Howdy Skies)
  • Tom Odell — Monsters (RCA Records)
  • UB40 — Bigga Baggariddim (SoNo Recording Group)
  • Vincent Neil Emerson — Vincent Neil Emerson (La Honda Records)
  • Wild Pink — 3 Songs EP (Royal Mountain Records)
  • William Fitzsimmons — Ready The Astronaut (Nettwerk)
  • Zoee — Flaw Flower (Plz Make It Ruins)

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Best Albums Of 2021 So Far

If 2020 was a year of scary and uncertain darkness, 2021 is so far a tentative sunrise. The world is getting vaccinated, people are making plans to do things outside of the house again, and overall, it’s starting to look like our planet and its inhabitants might just be okay.

While pointing out the good parts of a historically devastating pandemic isn’t the most obvious or even appropriate thing to do, it should be noted that 2020 at least delivered a ton of great music. Also during that time, artists had a year off from live shows and have been able (whether they liked it or not) to either write new material or finish stuff they hadn’t had the chance to properly wrap up. So, 2021 has brought and will presumably continue to deliver a new wave of exemplary music.

Some of these sounds reflect on the tough year that preceded them, others try to help us all sport smiles and move forward, and others yet check different boxes. Whatever the case, there’s been a lot of music to be grateful for so far this year. That’s as important now as it’s been during any other time in recent memory, so let’s go through the best albums of 2021 so far, presented below in alphabetical order. Please note that December 2020 albums are eligible to be included here, as they came out too late for our 2020 lists.

Another Michael – New Music And Big Pop

Run For Cover

It takes a mere 31 seconds for the opening track of Another Michael’s debut album to capture your full attention, when frontman Michael Doherty hits a falsetto so striking it is impossible to ignore. Across its ten tracks, New Music And Big Pop is imbued with a sense of liberation and raw talent that feels rare in 2021, a breath of fresh air that creates a unique lane and a promising future for the indie-folk trio. – Zac Gelfand

Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams

Transgressive Records

With her poetic lyrics and vulnerable songwriting, UK singer Arlo Parks won over hearts with her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams. The singer has earned co-signs by the likes of Michelle Obama and Dua Lipa, and it’s no secret as to why. Over shimmering harmonies, Parks is able to share catchy-yet-moving songs that resonate, exploring subject matters like queerness, teenage depression, and anxiety, and offers earworms about why it’s important to never lose hope. – Carolyn Droke

The Armed – Ultrapop

Sargent House

Are they called The Armed because the band members always look so jacked? Are these even really the band members? There’s so much mystery to this enigmatic noise-rock outfit, but what’s obvious is how much fun Ultrapop is. Chaotic soundscapes abound as always but there’s more melody and hooks to be had here than on previous records. It’s like if The Go! Team did crank for three days and then made a record. – Steven Hyden

Caleborate – Light Hit My Skin

Caleborate

Bay Area native Caleborate is one of few stalwarts of the indie rap scene who deserves placement here, mostly because Light Hit My Skin is the perfect showcase for what feats of creativity artists can be capable of away from the commercial expectations of the major-label system. In spots, it dazzles. It also asks listeners to think — about the world around, about the art they consume, and about themselves. Plus, it sounds lush, a true accomplishment when compared to the repetitive, bare-mininum production that often defines bigger-budget releases. – Aaron Williams

Claud – Super Monster

Saddest Factory

As the first artist to officially be signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ fêted Dead Oceans imprint, Sad Factory, (now featuring the queer trio Muna as well) Claud’s sparkling sad-pop anthems are a fitting foil to Bridgers’ own terrifically depressing tunes. Super Monster is 21-year-old Claud Mintz’s first official album, but it’s by no means their initial foray into music. The artist formerly known as toast has been making delightfully left-field pop songs for the past two years or so, and they’ve honed in on that sound with confidence on this surprising, gentle debut record. – Caitlin White

DDG – Die 4 Respect

Epic

DDG’s imminent path to rap stardom is found on his mixtape Die 4 Respect. Helmed by production from the Grammy Award-nominated and legend OG Parker, a sound is developed as DDG establishes his own style of rap. Though the current star of the show is the pop-based TikTok track “Impatient” with Coi Leray, Die 4 Respect is loaded with so many hidden smashes outside of the previously released “Rule #1” featuring Lil Yachty, “Money Long” with 42 Dugg and of course, the platinum-certified “Moonwalking In Calabasas.” The melodic “Hakuna Matata” is a storytelling number about what it took to get out of his hometown of Pontiac, Michigan and “Let em Go” is the tale of how it goes when fame hits. At this point, it’s hard to deny DDG’s artistry. If you’re reading this, it’s probably not too late to give Die 4 Respect a spin. – Cherise Johnson

Girl In Red – If I Could Make It Go Quiet

AWAL Recordings

Girl In Red may have gotten her start writing gentle pop songs in her bedroom, but with her debut album If I Could Make It Go Quiet, the Norwegian songwriter positions herself as a major indie pop contender. Altering between heartbreak and horniness, the album boasts smoldering hooks and towering choruses that sometimes veer into pop-punk territory. Her cutting-edge alt-pop songs about queer relationships have even made the question “Do you listen to girl in red?” become a discrete way to find out if a crush is gay. – C.D.

Guapdad 4000 – 1176

Guapdad 4000

From its opening track’s clever Alice Deejay rework to its closer’s raw, gut-wrenching storytelling, the Oakland native’s latest release is 100 percent authentic to who he is. Though he’s primarily known as a comedic figure, here, he gets tender, delivering heartwarming odes to the flavors of his youth (“Chicken Adobo“) and poignant plugs to partnerships ruined by split attentions (“PlayStation“). And still, despite his commitment to peeling back the layers and hailing his Filipino heritage, he’s wiling to remain a little goofy on tracks like “She Wanna” with fellow Bay Arean P-Lo. – A.W.

Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales

RCA

It’s been so long since the R&B game heard a full project from Jazmine Sullivan and Heaux Tales satisfyingly came through at the top of 2021. The words Jazmine sings are relatable hymns found out through time and wisdom, are what make this collection of songs inspired by stories from the women in her life truly special. “This process and making the project helped me to do that by listening to the tales of other women, my girlfriends, and older women,” she told Uproxx in an exclusive interview. “Bodies (Intro)” alone is a moment that many women may have found themselves in at one point in time when it comes to making sure sexual needs are met after a cocktail or two. “Pick Up Your Feelings” reiterates a classy new mindset of what it means to have a hot girl summer. – C.J.

Joyce Wrice – Overgrown

Joyce Wrice

Joyce Wrice is without a doubt one of this year’s brightest and most promising newcomers in the R&B world. The LA native shared her debut album, Overgrown, at the beginning of the year and while it flaunted her youthful spirit and cheery vocals, Wrice also injected enough maturity and wisdom in the project’s 14 songs to deliver her intended message without error: Indecision and false hope are two things she won’t deal with in love. – Wongo Okon

Julien Baker – Little Oblivions

Matador Records

The contradiction of Little Oblivions is that it’s the most musically inviting album that Julien Baker has yet made, and also her most lyrically devastating, observing a period of personal upheaval. The extra heft added to the guitars and rhythm section nudges her closer to a full-on rock record. Somehow, the emotional brutality of the words melds with the uplifting beauty of the music, perhaps giving Baker some peace in the process. – S.H.

Kota The Friend – To Kill A Sunrise

Kota The Friend

It’d be easy to write off Kota The Friend and Statik Selektah’s collaborative effort To Kill A Sunrise as “just another backpack rap album,” if not for the laser focus of its execution, the earnestness of Kota’s rhymes, and the intensity that emanates from each of its 10 tracks. It’s a vibe that says it’s cool to just, like, enjoy the process. Unlike J. Cole’s The Off-Season, Kota raps with nothing to prove, and the lightness and enjoyment with which he does is infectious. – A.W.

Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Polydor/Interscope

Confounding, canceled, and always coquettish, Lana Del Rey managed to drop an album that can stand up to the best of her career while even long-term fans were rolling their eyes at her endless social media gaffes and tone-deaf “rebuttals.” But maybe Lana does best when she’s under pressure, managing to turn in the breezy and beautiful Chemtrails Over The Country Club despite all the noise. With the finest take on folk-pop since music critics started scorning the Laurel Canyon vibes, Del Rey comes out on top again. It’s not a statement record like Norman F*cking Rockwell but a gentle, whispering one, the kind Jackson Browne and her own beloved Joni used to deliver. – C.W.

Lil Tjay – Destined 2 Win

Lil Tjay

Of all the 20-something New York rappers utilizing the singsong flow pioneered in large part by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Bronx rapper Lil Tjay is perhaps the most versatile. He illustrates as much on the wide-ranging Destined 2 Win (shout out to the power of manifestation), where he contemplates heartbreak on “Love Hurts” and turns up on the jaunty “Oh Well.” He even displays a penchant for broader ranging, tough guy taunts on “Headshot” with his longtime partner-in-rhyme Polo G. – A.W.

Manchester Orchestra – The Million Masks Of God

Loma Vista

Manchester Orchestra have spent the better part of the last two decades as one of the biggest emo bands on the planet, known for their emotive and volatile brand of post-hardcore. The Atlanta band’s latest album, The Million Masks Of God, features the their grandest vision to date, delivering a collection of what Steven Hyden called for Uproxx “expansive and philosophical indie rock” tracks inspired by the death of guitarist Robert McDowell’s father. – Z.G.

Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime

Matador

Afrique Victime is loaded with moments where this Nigerian phenom steps out of the song in order to ram his guitar directly into your guts. He does this for emotional effect, bending and blurring notes with the furious energy that defines one of his most obvious influences, Jimi Hendrix. But you suspect that Moctar also believes that ripping off a sick solo is extremely dope, which on this record it absolutely is. – S.H.

Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta’s Pain

Moneybagg Yo

While A Gangsta’s Pain is only Moneybagg Yo’s fourth album, the project is a part of more than 15 projects he’s released since 2012. Known for his braggadocious bars and nonchalant approach to seemingly anything that doesn’t benefit him, A Gangsta’s Pain, which saw help from Polo G, Jhene Aiko, and more, found the Memphis rapper effectively tap into his emotions and how the pains of yesterday affected him. It’s an illuminating look at what created the rapper and man he is today. – W.O.

Nick Cave / Warren Ellis – Carnage

AWAL Recordings

Nick Cave has proven to be hard to predict: Just since March, he’s voiced a “virtual midsummer forest” in an online theater production and released two songs inspired by a letter from a fan. So, it shouldn’t have been a tremendous shock when he released Carnage, an album made alongside Warren Ellis that Cave says was made with risk-taking and “an accelerated process of intense creativity.” It’s one of the finest offerings of his already incredible career. – Derrick Rossignol

Olivia Rodrigo – Sour

Geffen

Olivia, what’s left to say? Dominating 2021 from the jump with her darkly sad, magnificently constructed “Drivers License,” Rodrigo proved she wasn’t a one-trick-pony ten times over on the simple, eleven-track Sour. Veering from pop-punk to delicate electronic-laced anthems, to even folk-infused harmonies on one of the album’s sleeper cuts, “Favorite Crime,” Rodrigo proved that she has the range — and it only took her 34 minutes. All this quick, efficient pop record did was make fans want another one. And another one. And another one. – C.W.

Origami Angel – Gami Gang

Counter Intuitive Records

The sophomore album from Washington, DC duo Origami Angel is a sprawling double LP that transcends the traditional boundaries of emo and puts on full display the band’s knack for catchy and undeniable songwriting. With tracks ranging from borderline metalcore to intimate folk punk, Gami Gang feels like nothing short of a modern punk masterpiece, fraught with intricate guitar insanity and impressive vocal hooks that show the band won’t be stopping anytime soon on their way to the big leagues. – Z.G.

Pink Sweats – Pink Planet

Atlantic

Unlike most, Philly singer Pink Sweats endured an extended wait between his breakout moment, his debut single “Honesty,” and the arrival of his debut album, Pink Planet. The latter appeared nearly three years after the former and while it was certainly a long wait for those who got acquainted with the singer early, Pink Planet proved to be an excellent display of Pink’s artistry as it honed in on the qualities listeners were familiar and introduced new ones that made his music more enjoyable. – W.O.

Pooh Shiesty – Shiesty Season

Pooh Shiesty

Pooh Shiesty’s highly-anticipated debut album Shiesty Season came with evergreen hits in the chamber. He put his hometown of Memphis on full display through his lyrics and let everyone know what time he’s on over beats crafted by eerie beats. “Back In Blood” featuring Lil Durk stars one of the most prominent lines used to assert allegiance: “Pooh Shiesty that’s my dog, but Pooh you know I’m really shiesty.” Songs such as “Neighbors” with Big30, “Ugly” featuring 1017 general Gucci Mane, and “Box Of Churches” with 21 Savage offer a peek into what can become of Pooh Shiesty musically since he’s just getting started. Though Pooh’s rise happened during the pandemic, nothing is stopping Shiesty Season from its inevitable reign. – C.J.

Rico Nasty – Nightmare Vacation

Rico Nasty

Coming in hot at the end of 2020, Rico Nasty’s long-awaited debut turned out to be everything longtime fans could have hoped for from the eclectic DMV native. With forays into the thrash-rap that helped make her name on “OH FR?” and “STFU,” floaty, cotton-candy trap on “Own It” and “Don’t Like Me,” and splashy hyperpop on “iPhone,” Rico deftly displays every facet of her weird-girl style, delivering a debut that truly has something for everyone. – A.W.

Rod Wave – Soul Fly

Rod Wave

Rod Wave’s latest had something of a bumpy road to its release but once that road cleared, the Florida native easily coasted to an impressive chart debut, buttressed by his velvet vocals on tracks like “Richer,” “Street Runner,” and “Tombstone.” Even for fans who can’t relate to his traumatized tales of hood survival, his voice transmits every emotion needed to tap in and zone out. SoulFly is as soulful as trap music has ever been. – A.W.

Shelley FKA Dram – Shelley FKA DRAM

Empire/Atlantic

Three and a half years went by since Shelley (fka DRAM) dropped his debut album, Big Baby DRAM. At long last, he returned in April with his sophomore effort, Shelley FKA DRAM. It saw the Virginia native embrace the sultry love-driven ballads that appeared infrequently throughout his discography before this album. All in all, it made for an elegant and unblemished body of work that detailed the beauty behind a fearless love. – W.O.

Slowthai – Tyron

Slowthai

Casual American audiences might know Slowthai best from his raucous Tonight Show performance from early 2020. That uniquely high energy level can be found all over his sophomore album Tyron as well, although the UK rapper proves his versatility and also excels in tender moments, like on the James Blake-featuring “Feel Away.” – D.R.

St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home

Loma Vista Recordings

A departure from the futuristic sounds heard on St. Vincent’s previous albums, Daddy’s Home takes a trip through the past. Trading in electrifying guitars for woozy sitars, the album leans heavily on iconography from the ‘70s in order to revisit her own complicated history. Her most personal album yet, Daddy’s Home vaguely sheds light on St. Vincent’s private life with dizzying production, dreamy chords, sultry back-up vocals, and her acerbic sense of humor to explore what it truly means to be a struggling artist. – C.D.

Sun June – Somewhere

Run For Cover

Sun June previously told Uproxx that their second album, Somewhere, takes place at “a futuristic prom set in Albuquerque in a time where global warming has lapsed to a point of climate cooling.” Indeed, on Somewhere, there are handfuls of tender and hypnotic moments suited for a swaying embrace, the sort of calming blanket that can make any apocalypse more bearable, whether the world’s actually ending or it just feels like it. – D.R.

Taylor Swift – Evermore

Taylor Swift

Since the ever-prolific T. Swift managed to file her second album of 2020 after all the year-end lists had already been ranked, published, and debated, we have little choice but to take Evermore as a 2021 record. And since the project’s excellent bonus tracks “Right Where You Left Me” and “It’s Time To Go” were added to this year’s deluxe edition, we did technically already have new Taylor songs in 2021. Like the rest of this thick, folkish album, the songs hew close to Swift’s signature storytelling style, sprinkling in banjo twang and elevated strings that bring her closer to her best self than ever before. – C.W.

Topaz Jones – Don’t Go Tellin Your Momma

Topaz Jones

When Topaz Jones stepped away from the limelight in the wake of viral single “Tropicana,” it wasn’t just because he didn’t want to be stuck rhyming about fruit juice. Instead, he examined himself both as an artist and as a man and came back with the introspective, observational, and terrifically musical Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Mama. Like Kendrick Lamar with To Pimp A Butterfly, Jones threw out what had worked in the past, opting for something smart, experimental, and deeply personal. Tell a friend. – A.W.

Wild Pink – A Billion Little Lights

Royal Mountain Records

On previous Wild Pink albums, John Ross wrote sensitive story songs about millennial ennui set to surging synth-based rock, producing a rich, stirring sound that evoked a cross between Death Cab For Cutie and Lost In The Dream. For Wild Pink’s latest, Ross pursues a big, lush sonic canvas that integrates Americana instrumentation like pedal-steel guitar and fiddle into his usual heartland rock mix. – S.H.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Lil Nas X, Demi Lovato, And Others Helped Pay Tribute To Elton John At The 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards

Elton John has achieved a lot during his lengthy and illustrious career, so he was a natural choice to be given the iHeartRadio Icon Award at the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards last night. iHeartRadio went all out with honoring the legend, too, as they pulled out all the stops.

The award was presented to John by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who ran through some comedic fake facts about John. Lil Nas X then joined in to pay tribute. After the award presentation, there was a tribute performance from Demi Lovato, HER, and Brandi Carlile. HER started by playing “Bennie And The Jets’ at a piano, when then segued into Carlile performing “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.” Lovato wrapped things up with a rendition of “I’m Still Standing,” and John himself even joined in during the song’s climax.

Ahead of the performances, John also gave an acceptance speech and thanked the aforementioned artists for paying tribute to him. He also spoke about how stunned he was by American radio early in his career, saying, “When I first came to Los Angeles in 1970, radio was so important. I’d never heard radio in America before because I had never been here before, but it was just incredible to me. In England, we had one station. Over here, you’d have music coming out of the radio in all sorts of formats, all sorts of styles… I was a pig in sh*t, basically.”

Watch some clips from the show below.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Best Vinyl Releases Of May 2021

Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.

Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of May below.

Amy Winehouse — Amy Winehouse At The BBC

Island/UMe

Before her passing, Amy Winehouse was a mainstay at the BBC and gave many performances over the years. Now, they’ve been collected on one stunning vinyl collection, which includes the audio-only versions of performances previously heard on A Tribute To Amy Winehouse By Jools Holland and BBC One Sessions Live At Porchester Hall. Other goodies from Winehouse’s career here include her first-ever TV performances and her earliest BBC Radio sessions.

Get it here.

My Bloody Valentine — Isn’t Anything, Loveless, EP’s 1988-1991 And Rare Tracks, and mbv (Reissues)

Domino

My Bloody Valentine’s material isn’t necessarily always the easiest to track down, but Kevin Shields and company have finally treated their fans on that front. A couple months ago, they announced their signing to Domino and subsequent reissues of their entire discography, so everything from the debut album Isn’t Anything to the newer mbv can now be enjoyed on crisp new vinyl.

Get them here.

Paul and Linda McCartney — Ram (50th Anniversary Reissue)

UMe

Paul and Linda McCartney only made one album together on which they were both given primary credit, and to celebrate Ram‘s 50th anniversary, a fresh new vinyl pressing has been released. This release should be about the best this album has ever sounded, thanks to the half-speed mastering process the album underwent for this edition.

Get it here.

St. Vincent — Daddy’s Home

Loma Vista

St. Vincent has been strongly pushing the 1970s aesthetic here in the Daddy’s Home era, so it’s only appropriate that the album gets a slew of different vinyl editions. Of them, the deluxe LP is the most fleshed out, as it includes treats like an iron-on patch, an 11″ by 22″ poster, and an exclusive 20-page photo zine.

Get it here.

Fountains Of Wayne — Welcome Interstate Managers (Reissue)

Real Gone Music

Following the death of Adam Schlesinger in 2020, Uproxx’s Jason Tabrys wrote of the now-newly reissued Welcome Interstate Managers, “What stands out most about Welcome Interstate Managers is the diversity of the material. Nothing sounds like ‘Stacy’s Mom,’ but none of the other tracks really sound like each other either. Instead, Schlesinger and Collingwood pull inspiration from Tom Petty, The Beatles, The Cars, The Beach Boys, Linda Rondstadt, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, U2, and even country music. The end result stands out as an interesting and evocative collection of songs that too many people shruggingly dismissed as the filler around a one-hit-wonder. Because we’ve always had more content than time to appropriately assess and appreciate it.”

Get it here.

Phoebe Bridgers — Copycat Killer EP

Dead Oceans

Songs from Phoebe Bridgers’ album Punisher didn’t need to be re-worked by any means. That said, a handful of them took on a fascinating new life through her more string-focused Copycat Killer EP. In April, Bridgers announced the collection would be getting a vinyl release, and here in May, the Copycat Killer vinyl is out now.

Get it here.

Violent Femmes — Add It Up (1981–1993)

Craft Recordings

As of 2021, Violent Femmes have been around for 40 years. What better way to celebrate than with a retrospective collection? Earlier this month, the band re-released the compilation album Add It Up (1981–1993). This time, though, they’ve added things like live recordings, demos, B-sides, interstitial voice recordings, and other rarities.

Get it here.

Angel Olsen — Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories

Jagjaguwar

Angel Olsen’s two latest albums, 2019’s All Mirrors and 2020’s Whole New Mess, didn’t end up being released as a single double album as intended. The releases have been brought together, though, on a new box set, Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories. But wait, there’s more: The collection also includes Far Memory, a collection of new songs, alternate versions, and remixes.

Get it here.

The Shins — Oh, Inverted World (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Vinyl Me, Please

Vinyl Me, Please always comes through with the fantastic rereleases, and the aesthetics are always on point as well. Their repressing of The Shins’ classic Oh, Inverted World comes on a beautifully subtle but still standout “Coke Bottle Clear” vinyl, not to mention the lovely inverted cover art, which the record wonderfully pairs.

Get it here.

Lord Huron — Long Lost

Republic

Ben Schneider and the rest of Lord Huron dropped their latest stunner, Long Lost, this month. They also released a vinyl edition of it that makes it look like the cover art was made with these colored pressings in mind. The album art features a head that looks like it’s been replaced with a sunset, and the “custard & blue sky” double vinyl pressing is a beautiful complement.

Get it here.

Gorillaz Are Dropping A Collectible Vinyl Toy ‘Geep’ To Celebrate 20 Years Of The Band

The Gorillaz have been beloved for decades because of how meticulous they are when it comes to releasing new music and honoring their past work. Today they’ve announced a collaboration with Superplastic to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band with a limited-edition collectible vinyl toy called “Geep.” The toy is the green dune buggy that’s driven by Gorillaz member Noodle. The Geep comes equipped with working LED lights and a removable guitar. To give a sense of sizing, the toy is 10-inches long and 4-inches tall and will retail for $120.

Geep is not the first time Superplastic and Gorillaz have collaborated on merch. In 2019, they released a soft vinyl of Gorillaz lead singer 2D, along with a full band vinyl toy set featuring band members 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russell in 2020. Of the Geep collaboration, Noodle had this to say: “The Geep, our most loyal companion. We hope it will bring joy to all the homes it parks up in around the world.”

“It’s been my dream to ride shotgun with Noodle in the Geep…on mushrooms. As real as I want that moment to be, we all know that this shit isn’t happening. So, we decided to make a super limited, dope, amazing toy instead. It’s been killer bringing Gorillaz to life through designer toys over almost two decades, and I can’t wait for fans to get the Geep!” added Superplastic founder Paul Budnitz.

Check out some other images of the Geep below and pick up the collectible here.

Superplastic
Superplastic
Superplastic

Run The Jewels, The Strokes, Phoebe Bridgers, And More Headline Shaky Knees’ 2021 Festival

Shaky Knees festival is eying a massive return for their 2021 festival. Marking its seventh year, the festival has officially unveiled their 2021 lineup with Stevie Nicks, Run The Jewels, The Strokes, and Phoebe Bridgers leading the bill.

Shaky Knees’ 2021 festival takes place in Atlanta, GA’s Central Park. While it usually kicks off in May, organizers have pushed the date back to the weekend of October 22 through 24. Along with headliners Stevie Nicks, Run The Jewels, Phoebe Bridgers, and The Strokes, Shaky Knees has booked over 60 bands. The lineup includes Alice Cooper, St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, Portugal. The Man, Mac Demarco, Dermot Kennedy, Dominic Fike, Royal Blood, The Hives, Arlo Parks, Ty Segall & Freedom Band, Jay Electronia, White Reaper, Noga Erez, Cults, Peach Tree Rascals, Frankie And The Witch Fingers, Idles, Lunar Vacation, Cloud Nothings, Neal Francis, Liza Anne, Orville Peck, All Them Witches, Tennis, Black Midi, Bartees Strange, The Aubreys, and more.

In a statement about the festival’s return, founder Tim Sweetwood said: “We are really happy to be able to deliver Shaky Knees this October with a lineup that truly has something for everyone. We look forward to getting back into Central Park with our amazing Shaky family of fans and hear some incredible live music together.”

See Shaky Knees’ full lineup below.

Shaky Knees Festival

Tickets for Shaky Knees festival are on sale 5/26 at 1 pm EST. Get them here.

The Grammys Have Changed Their Rules About Album Of The Year Nominations

After an especially rough year when it came to criticism, The Recording Academy is changing a number of things about the Grammys. They recently announced some changes, including the elimination of “secret committees” that decide on award nominees (The Weeknd is still boycotting regardless). Now, in the newly published rules and guidelines for next year’s 64th Annual Grammy Awards, the Academy has unveiled a number of other changes, including a significant one for the Album Of The Year category.

The “Rule Updates” section of the new rules and guidelines document notes that at this year’s 63rd Grammys, the “award credited artists, features artists, songwriters, producers, mixers, engineers with 33% playing time of the album.” Next year, though, the “33% playing time rule” has been removed, which means that more people who were involved in making an Album Of The Year winner will be recognized as Grammy winners.

For example, if these new rules had been in effect for the 2021 Grammys, Bon Iver would have won an Album Of The Year Grammy, as they were featured on “Exile” from Taylor Swift’s Folklore. Another historical example: In 2014, Pharrell Williams, Julian Casablancas, and Panda Bear also would have gotten Album Of The Year trophies for their work on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories.

There are more changes than that for next year, including the establishment of two new categories: Best Global Music Performance and Best Música Urbana Album. Find the full revised rules and guidelines document here.

The API Artists You Should Be Listening To

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a chance to shine a light on cultures that are often pushed to the margins in American society. This is just as true in the music world as anywhere else, where artists of Asian and Pacific Island ancestry can struggle for visibility despite making some of the most groundbreaking and engaging art out there. In honor of API Heritage month, Uproxx and Warner Music’s API employees wanted to share just a handful of the incredible artists currently catching their attention, showing just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the amazing API tunes being created today. The hope is that this resource introduces you off to your next favorite singer or band, and that it sparks a fire to dig deeper at the countless API acts crafting great music.

ANJL

With an absolutely gorgeous voice and music/lyrics that are deeply relatable, this Indian-Filipina songwriter and producer is a paradigm for talent that deserves massive recognition.

Asian Kung Fu Generation

Some classics never go out of style. This throwback will sure to bring a sense of nostalgia if you first found their music on YouTube in the mid-2000’s, but it’s also not too late to discover them for the first time now.

Hollis

Hollis pulls you into her songs with her dreamy vocals and lyrical imagery. Her greatest strength is in her ability to put emotions into words that listeners often feel but cannot describe. She is also an activist and uses her platform for social change.

Jay Som

Jay Som is strongly influenced by her Filipino roots and expresses her identity and emotions through breathy vocals, funky band production, and romantic music. Plus, she has a new collaborative project with Palehound, called Bachelor, out next month.

Khushi

Khushi’s music is the personification of intellectual conversation with a loved one while you’re snuggled in bed with some coffee. Intimate, sultry, and thought-provoking all at once.

Prateek Kuhad

This Mumbai-based singer-songwriter has already been shouted out by President Obama, but his folk-infused craftsmanship is now ready to be heralded by audiences far and wide.

Raveena

Raveena beautifully blends her South Asian heritage with contemporary, dreamy bedroom pop productions that just wraps you up and comforts your soul.

Rei Ami

With a name based on anime characters who both have very different personalities, this Korean artist creates songs that reflect that dichotomy through a dynamic structure where they can be high energy in the first half and dark in the second half. Or, the other way around. She also has awesome music videos.

Rina Sawayama

If you’re not listening to Rina Sawayama already, what are you waiting for? Rina masterfully blends together pop, rock, and Japanese Visual Kei among many other influences into witty social commentary, heartfelt ballads, and full-out f*ck you anthems.

Tiffany Young

A veteran of the K-pop scene, Tiffany has come a long way from her Girl’s Generation days. Her vocals and creative direction have matured and she is truly shining as a solo artist.

Umi

Umi’s rich voice draws you into her soulful productions. Heavily influenced by her Black and Japanese heritage, her songs are deep and unique but at the same time universal – evoking emotions that anyone can resonate with.

Yerin Baek

Yerin Baek embodies versatility. A Korean singer-songwriter, the music can cover ground from jazzy compositions to more alt and electronic music as well.

Yeek

Yeek is not new to the music scene, but the music is so dang sexy it still feels revolutionary. Blast it up and get someone to cuddle with.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Lorde Is Making Her Return As Part Of Primavera Sound’s Absolutely Massive 2022 Lineup

In 2020, Primavera Sound was forced to cancel. The Spanish festival faced the same fate this year as well. Organizers are getting ready for 2022 in a big way, though: They unveiled the lineup for the massive 2022 event today, which takes place over the weekends of June 2 to 4 and June 9 to 11, along with some ancillary performances from June 5 to 8 and on June 12.

The lineup is stacked, but fans seemed most excited about the inclusion of Lorde, as she became a trending topic on Twitter this morning following the lineup reveal. Primavera Sound is Lorde’s first confirmed show in a while: Her last full live set came in November 2018 at the Corona Capital festival (according to setlist.fm).

Alongside Lorde, headliners include Massive Attack, Pavement, Tame Impala, Beck, The National, The Strokes, Gorillaz, Jorja Smith, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Tyler The Creator, Disclosure, Interpol, Jamie xx, Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The rest of the poster has too many artists to list, but some of the others include Charli XCX, 100 Gecs, Brockhampton, Big Thief, Jay Electronica, Brittany Howard, Clairo, Run The Jewels, and Slowthai.

Tickets go on sale on June 1, so learn more about tickets and the 2022 festival here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.