Arjan Writes Newsletter #3

👋 Hi everyone! Welcome to the third issue of my new weekly newsletter about all things new music. Thank you for all the encouragement following last week’s newsletter. It means the world to me! There’s a lot of great music out this week. I’d specifically love to call out Wrabel’s superb debut album, These Words Are All For You, which dropped this week on his fabulous Big Gay Records. This debut LP has been long in the making, and after some twists and turns, I’m so glad it’s finally in the hands of fans. Wrabel is one of the finest storytellers of our time, and this album is truly great.

🎤 I also saw a few new artists showcase this week, including Finn Matthews, who played a brief set at Madame Siam in Hollywood. I was impressed by his performance and showmanship. He’s one to watch. It was great to see some other familiar faces in the crowd including In Real Life alumns Chance and Drew, who are both working on new projects.

🌟 Meanwhile, looking at the charts and playlists all over, Lil Nas X is unstoppable. His debut album is breaking records, and it’s loaded with hit singles. This week, the Los Angeles Times published an excellent article investigating his role as a “vanguard of queer iconography.” Lil Nas X is making history song by song, video by video, tweet by tweet. The GRAMMY deadline is just days away, and it’s shaping up to be another big awards season for Lil Nas X.

🥳 There are a few big pop birthdays this week, including the 20th anniversary of John Mayer’s debut LP Room For Squares. Time flies. The album introduced me to the concept of the “quarterly-life crisis,” which I’ve referred to a lot. I also wrote one of my first music reviews for the New York Blade about this album, which, well, ultimately led me to writing this newsletter. Carly Rae Jepsen’s pop classic “Call Me Maybe” turned ten this week. It’s without a doubt one of the best pop productions in the modern era that will stand the test of time for many more decades to come. While on the topic of outstanding pop records, Ava Max’s Heaven & Hell is one year old. She appeared at the GRAMMY Museum this week for a celebratory performance and interview. It’s a totally excellent pop record that captures a global sound that established Ava as a bonafide pop star.

🆕 If you want to discover something off the beaten path, make sure to check out some previously unreleased Killboy music that she dropped in anticipation of her formal Atlantic Records’ debut next month. The song “Travis” is fantastic. I’m massively bullish on Killboy’s potential. Make sure to get her on your radar.

The state of Pop is strong—lots of great music out this week. Let’s dig in!

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Office Hours Playlist Updates

Office Hour playlist cover art by @bongangart

First things first. Office Hours is a new passion project of mine to support and nurture new artists. Periodically, I will open up my Twitter DMs for official office hours to meet new artists, listen to pitches, and provide instant feedback. It’s been a gratifying experience to help out and lend an ear.

How it works. Every week, I add a selection of pitched songs to my Office Hours playlist on Apple Music. This playlist also includes tracks that I feel are extraordinarily great and fit the spirit of the Office Hours playlist: new, next, noteworthy, and very pop.

Thanks for all your pitches and suggestions for the Office Hours playlist. Here are some of the top new tracks I added this week:

“Weightless” by Conrad. Conrad delivers his message with pure soul and great intensity. Great song with a very personal message. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here. (listen)

“Big Bear” by MNYS. Promising track by a promising new artist. It takes me back to TRL’s early 2000s glory days. Punk-pop is on the rebound, and I’m here for it. (listen)

“Life’s A Bitch (L.A.B)” by Nina Nesbitt. The British singer continues to serve up bop after bop, and this new 80s-inspired single is not any different. Written by Nina and Swedish production duo Jack & Coke. (listen)

“Cars” by Wrabel. Every track on Wrabel’s new album is worth adding to the Office Hours playlist quite frankly. “Cars” is exemplary for the quality of the entire LP. Goosebumps from start to finish. (listen)

“Next Girlfriend” by Gia Wood. I love what Gia has been up to lately. She serves me total pop star, and this new track is a fun and frothy number. Written together with hit writer Jesse Saint John. (listen)

“Asking For A Friend” by Brigetta. Super fun, low-key pop number by the bubbly NBC Songland alumn. I love the course Brigetta is plotting. Keep going!(listen)

“Sad! Hot! Girls!” by Tramp Stamps. Obsessed with this. It sounds fresh, crisp, and perfectly timed. In other words: It may spark the pop riot we need right now. (listen)

“Die On The Dancefloor” by L Devine. Sleek and stylish pop banger that packs a perfect dose of bittersweet. Palms to the sky! Co-written by the amazing Julian Bunetta. (listen)

“Death Wish” by Role Model. Role Model’s “Alive” was one of my favorite tracks of 2020 with its clever blend of genres. He continues to carve out his unique niche by innovatively combining compelling pop writing with forward production stylings.(listen)

“Name In Your Phone” by Carson Boatman. Fun country-pop track by a singer, Days of our Lives actor, and overall awesome person. (listen)

Listen to the Office Hours playlist on Apple Music.

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New Music: Conrad “Weightless”

(Conrad publicity photo)

First things first. I’ve been loving the music Conrad has been putting out over the last year, including singles like “Lost” and “Blue Blooded.” The Manchester-born musician is next up in a long line of great Northern soul singers. He serves up a classic sound with powerful vocals and a message that has the potential to resonate far and wide.

Here’s what you should know: Conrad just released his new single, titled “Weightless,” which gives you a good understanding of his style and tone. The track was written by Conrad, Danny Shah, and Marc Dowding.

Here’s what he said about the music: Conrad and I chatted via Twitter DM after he sent me his music during my office hours.

• About the meaning of the song: “[‘Weightless’] was specifically about how I know I’m really bad at telling people how I feel, never really tell people how much they mean to me. I think it’s a problem a lot of men have.”

• About the first line of the song: “My dad is my biggest fan, but he hates telling me anything bad or even saying anything remotely soppy or deep, which is where the first line came from specifically and also partly where the whole idea for the song came from.”

Thanks for sharing, Conrad!

Listen to “Weightless” by Conrad on Apple Music.

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New Music: Alexander Jean "Pain"

(Alexander Jean publicity photo)

First things first. Alexander Jean is the duo of BC Jean and Mark Ballas. They are a prolific singer/songwriter pairing who are both accomplished musicians in their own right. BC Jean has several major songwriting credits to her name (including Beyonce’s “If I Were A Boy), and you may know the multi-talented Ballas from his work on Broadway and ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

Here’s what you should know: Following the very good ”Highs & Lows“ that I included on the Office Hours playlist this summer, the duo put out their new single "Pain” last week that showcases the duo’s moodier and introspective side.

Here’s what they say about the music: Alexander Jean and I had a Zoom call last week to chat about the new music and a dig a little deeper into their inspirations.

• About the making of the song: “We had a very unsuccessful day in the studio. Ideas weren’t landing, melodies weren’t coming together, lyrics felt forced. We’d been there all day, and we were like, ‘let’s just call it a day.’ We were in the car home, and [BC] started singing the chorus. Things just started pouring out.”

• About the meaning of the song: “We repeat ‘I’m so good at taking pain, I’m so good at taking pain,’ it’s continuous throughout the song (…) It’s a way of numbing yourself from emotions [but also] promoting self-care as you’re admitting a problem. You’re taking the first step of fixing the problem.”

• About their future plans: “We have been really productive this year. We plan on releasing more songs soon, and we can’t wait to play shows again.”

Thanks for the chat BC and Mark!

Listen to “Pain” by Alexander Jean on Apple Music.

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In Conclusion

Thank you for tuning in to my newsletter this week. I had fun writing this issue. I appreciate all the artists for sharing their music and ideas with me via social media. You inspire me so much! I intend to send a fresh new edition every Saturday. Subscribe, share, and spread the love.

The best way to reach me is via Twitter DM.

And remember, always, the state of Pop is strong