Arjan Writes Newsletter #5

👋 Hello, Saturday! It’s Libra season, and there was a lot to celebrate this week, including my birthday, new music from Måneskin, the release of AJ Mitchell’s debut album, and, finally, the impending return of Adele! I’m so ready! (And thank you for the birthday wishes.)

🌟 I’m debuting an Artist of the Week spotlight in the newsletter this week to highlight an emerging artist that I think is special and worth checking out. Generally, the Artist of the Week segment will include an interview to make it a personal introduction. I hope you’ll enjoy this new addition to the newsletter.

🎤 Live shows are back! I went to Writer’s Block at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood this week to see a great lineup of songwriters and artists perform, including Leezy, Mia Nicolai, and Noah Davis. Both Leezy and Noah Davis played their first show ever. Leezy is enchanting, reminiscent of early Lana Del Rey. Davis demonstrated poise, confidence, and larger-than-life vocals that make him one to watch.

💿 I’m excited about the release of AJ Mitchell‘s Skyview this week. People that have worked with me know I’ve been rooting for Mitchell for a very long time. Executive produced by Mike Dean, this is an album that has been long in the making, but boy, it’s been worth the wait. It’s chockful of gems that spotlight Mitchell’s pitch-perfect, angelic vocals. The LP is an accomplished mix of ballads and uptempo tracks that hold a steady middle between pop and R&B. I’m particularly a big fan of “Stop,” “Heaven’s Gate,” and the breezy “Hi Lo.” This is dynamite stuff. Give it a listen and spread the word.

💿 Noah Davis has been stirring a steady amount of buzz with the release of his debut album, F**k Flowers. Along with his sensational vocals, Davis stirs his brand of pop with raw emotion and a dose of fun and playfulness that make for a unique combination. I love how Davis has been developing his craft, and this album is an excellent tastemaker. Make sure to check out the very good title track.

🔥 Also worth checking out this week: Måneskin “Mammamia” (bold and loud in all the right ways, I love these Italians so much), Justin Bieber “Red Eye” (his consistency and volume of content are impressive), bbno$ and Rebecca Black “Yoga” (fun, mild disco banger), Fletcher “Girls, Girls, Girls” (worthy Katy Perry throwback), Dillon Francis “Real Love” (a proper dance-pop stomper), Matt Hansen “Without You With Me” (gorgeous, what a voice), and Jesse McCartney “Lemonade” (he’s still going strong).

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

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Artist of the Week: Killboy

(Killboy photo by Jimmy Fontaine)

💬 Killboy is one of those rare, refreshing talents who storm onto the scene with a sound, aesthetic, and point of view that’s instantly compelling. Making her way from Texas to Los Angeles via Nashville, this purple-loving, mullet-bearing, and self-proclaimed music nerd whips up mighty pop smashers entirely at her own terms.

Case in point is Killboy’s new single, titled “I F**k Everything Up,” that she unveiled this week. The track is a perfect introduction to Killboy’s raw and transparent style of making music that’s an immediate reflection of her life.

“[The new single] is really just a theme song of my whole life,” Killboy tells me while riding her bike out in Van Nuys. “The lyrics are like ‘alright, I just start over,’ and that happened so many times in my life. With school, friends, and music.”

But regardless of the many twists and turns she had to face in the past, Killboy is now entirely committed to making her new music project work. “I used to have this urge to say, ‘it’s just not working, I’ve done too much, I’ve screwed up too much, but I’m not going to do it this time, I’m really committed. This is my one thing with Killboy I’m not going to give up on.”

Killboy’s music is an invigorating blend of pop that crosses styles and doesn’t fit any particular label. Her songs are incredibly catchy, plus it’s produced to perfection. “I always wanted to play live shows and be a performer,” Killboy explains. “Producing just came from not knowing any producers who wanted to produce for free, and I was poor, so I had to learn how to produce my music if I wanted to do music.”

The emerging pop star also worked in a proper Britney “Oops, I Did It Again” Spears reference into the new single as a homage. “The two artists that I listened to when I grew up were Britney and NSYNC. I can do really good Britney impressions and everything,” she laughs. “[The timing of it] has nothing to do with what’s going on [with her] right now. I wrote the song a year ago. It’s just a coincidence.”

Listen to Killboy “I F**k Everything Up” on Apple Music. If you want to dig deeper into some of her music, I also highly recommend listening to “U + Me” that’s one of my favorite Killboy tracks.

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Office Hours Playlist Updates

Office Hour playlist cover art by @bongangart

📅 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.

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.

🔥 My quick takes on some of the tracks I added this week:

“You Don’t Love Me” by Josh Golden. Gorgeous, heartfelt balladry by the artist formerly known as GOLDN. (link)

“Hurt U” by Devin Kennedy. The emerging pop singer wears his heart on his sleeve on this peppy ballad. Kennedy demonstrates his knack for melody. Very good. (link)

“Fame Kills” by Gia Woods. The young pop star aims for the stars while noting the trappings of fame on this track from her new EP, Heartbreak Country, Vol. 1. Co-written with Jesse Saint John, this is one of the best tracks she has released to date. (link)

“Love Back” by Why Don’t We. Jonah Marais noted on Twitter that the group’s new single feels like their “biggest song” to date. He’s not wrong. It’s a deliciously catchy mega bop that reminds me of early Loote, which should come as no surprise as the great Jackson Foote produced. (link)

“Stay Golden” by Chance Perez. The In Real Life alumn and current star of Nickelodeon’s Power Rangers keeps the vibe fun and hopeful on his new single. (link)

“Middle Fingers” by ASTON. The Australian pop singer serves up a heavy dose of girl power, and I’m here for it. The track is taken from her new self-titled EP. (link)

“They Will Hear Us” by Cael Dadian. Timeless and groovy bop dominated by Dadian’s soulful vocals. (link)

“Rollerblades” by Blake Rose. Lush, dreamy pop perfect for the season. Lyrically, the tone is more serious, addressing the pitfalls of social media, “a prison we found online.” This track is taken from the Aussie’s new EP, A World Gone By. (link)

“Blind Spot” by Maddie Zahm. Goosebumps from start to finish. Drenched with honesty. (link)

“The Legend of Jennifer” by Tramp Stamps. My favorite new girl band put out something sturdy and fun just in time for Halloween. (link)

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The state of Pop is strong.

Thank you for tuning in to my newsletter this week. I appreciate all the artists for sharing their music and ideas during my Office Hours on Twitter this week. That was fun! You inspire me every day. Look for a fresh new edition of this newsletter every Saturday. Subscribe, share, and spread the love 🙏

And remember, always, the state of Pop is strong 🔥

(All words in this newsletter are my own.)