Best New Music of September: Chloë, BLACKPINK's Lisa and More
The hottest tracks in R&B, K-pop and more.
Despite the rapidly cooling weather, artists from Chloe Bailey to BLACKPINK member Lisa brought the heat in September with new music releases that keep the energy up high. Making her solo debut, the elder sister from the R&B duo Chloe x Halle unveiled “Have Mercy,” a track that hypnotizes with its dance-inducing melody and sultry vocals. K-pop sensation Lisa also dropped her first solo single “LALISA” last month, with an impressively choreographed music video that has quickly gained millions of views and even smashed a YouTube record.
Continue reading for more of the best new music from September 2021.
Alessia Cara – ”Best Days”
Def Jam signee Alessia Cara has released her third studio album, In The Meantime, with a new video for “Best Days.” On the emotionally vulnerable ballad, the Canadian singer-songwriter contemplates what life will look like beyond one’s early twenties: “What if my best days are the days I’ve left behind?/ And what if the rest stays the same for all my life?”
Charli XCX – “Good Ones”
Charli XCX is back with a whole new aesthetic. A year after the release of her lockdown album how i’m feeling now, the British pop star returns with “Good Ones,” a synthwave anthem that sets the tone for her new music. In a press release, she said sarcastically, “The first single of my new chapter embraces all that my life has to offer in today’s world — fame, glamour, inner demons and global hits.”
Chlöe – “Have Mercy”
Chloe Bailey, who makes up half of the powerhouse duo Chloe X Halle, has made her solo debut with “Have Mercy.” Released under a simpler moniker, Chlöe, the attitude-heavy song sees the 23-year-old artist projecting a confidence sense of young womanhood. In the music video directed by Karena Evans, the singer plays a modern-day Medusa, who seduces and turns frat boys into stone.
Dua Saleh (with Amaarae) – “fitt”
You may recognize Dua Saleh as Cal from the third season of hit Netflix series Sex Education, but what you may not know is that they are a musician as well. Lifted from Saleh’s upcoming EP CROSSOVER, their new single “fitt” is a collaboration with Ghanaian-American artist Amaarae. “With CROSSOVER, I wanted to fuse the sounds of Afrobeats with trans-interdimensional pop and hip-hop dialects,” the artist wrote in a statement. “I really just aimed to make music people could dance to. The project represents all the transitions happening in my life right now.”
Jesse Jo Stark – A Pretty Place to Fall Apart
Jesse Jo Stark‘s latest EP A Pretty Place to Fall Apart serves as the soundtrack to Fracture, the drama series created by Balmain and U.K. television network Channel 4, in which singer herself plays the protagonist Mya. The project includes a cover of The Cardigans’ classic “My Favourite Game,” as well as the original track “Not Your Little Baby Anymore,” co-written by Stark and The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford.
Kali Uchis ft. SZA – “fue mejor”
Kali Uchis has tapped SZA for a new rendition of her song “fue mejor,” originally featured on her 2020 Spanish album Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞. Arriving with a trippy music video directed by Daniel Sannwald, the release marks the first time SZA performs in the Spanish language.
Kitty Ca$h ft. Kiana Ledé – “Just Fine”
Producer and DJ Kitty Ca$h, a staple in the fashion world and music scenes between Brooklyn and LA, has dropped her new single “Just Fine.” Featuring R&B singer Kiana Ledé, the slick, silky track offers listeners a taste of what’s to come, as Cash gears up for her first full-length album.
Lisa – “LALISA”
BLACKPINK member Lisa did not disappoint with her debut solo single, “LALISA.” The catchy tune, written by YG producer Teddy Park and Bekuh BOOM, commands attention with a chorus that makes you want to sing along: “Say, “Lalisa, love me, Lalisa, love me” (hey!)” The track was released with a striking music video that involves multiple wardrobe changes, including a badass biker getup, as well as a custom ensemble made in traditional Thai brocade golden silk by designer Polpat Asavaprapha of Asava.
