Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Sasami, Clairo, Julien Baker, Torres & More

Yahoo

31-01-2025

The 2025 Grammys are nearly here! With a record number of LGBTQ+ nominees at Sunday's show, take some time to get ahead of next year's ceremony with these new tracks from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.
From Sasami's excellent collaboration with Clairo to Julien Baker and Torres' new ballad, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
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The best collaborations are the ones that put two artists together and push both of them to create a new sound within the context of a single song. That's exactly what Sasami and Clairo accomplish on 'In Love With a Memory,' the gorgeous new track off the former's forthcoming album Blood on the Silver Screen. From the jump, the vibe of 'Memory' is immediately pared down from the moody electropop Sasami has become known for, while also providing a jolt of energy to Clairo's softer offerings. The result is a reflective mid-tempo pop track that sees both artists expertly blending their vocals to make a cinematic portrait of a relationship at its end.
Speaking of successful collaborations, Julien Baker and Torres are back with yet another excellent example of their combined power. Where 'Sugar in the Tank' felt like something of a thesis statement for their forthcoming country album, 'Sylvia' leans into the pair's respective singer-songwriter roots, as they sing an ode to Torres' canine companion. Still sticking to their folksy, rooted sound, Baker and Torres manage to create something both nostalgic and fresh with this beautiful ballad.
Sometimes, you just have to say exactly what it is you're singing about in the title of a song. UK pop artist Cat Burns has already made plenty of waves for her frank songwriting and buttery vocals, but 'Girls!' adds even more dimensions to the singer's artistry. This bubbly new track sees Burns sharing her admiration for all things female — including 'different energies,' the spectrum of 'masc and femininity' — all while letting her sound explode into a burst of funky guitars and cascading synths on the delirious post-chorus.
For anyone looking for a pseudo-pop rap alternative to Travis Scott this week, may we humbly recommend this delectable new single from Skaiwater. 'Pop' feels like a distillation of all the facets that have make the rising artist a critical darling into one 3 minute package. Disjointed beats manage to sync up perfectly with their digitized voice, as the rapper narrates the tale of a relationship that just cannot possibly work out. Skaiwater makes 'Pop' sound like a stream-of-consciousness confession happening in real time, but just one listen tells you that their attention to every detail of their sound is what makes a record like this so deeply fascinating.
Penting up emotions tends to lead to an explosion down the line. 'Fist,' the latest track off Miya Folick's upcoming album Erotica Veronica, takes that idea and translates it as literally as possible into music. Starting out with a simple acoustic guitar and soft vocals, Folick lets her partner know that all is not what it seems from the opening line: 'I've been cooking dinner/ Hoping you'll forgive me for not wanting to swallow you.' As the intesity builds, so does the instrumentation — guitars are plugged in, drums are added and eventually, there are no more words to describe how Folick is feeling. Only a guttural scream in the song's last 90 seconds can encapsulate the whirlwind of emotion from this cathartic banger.
Maddie Zahm is ready to burn it all down on her latest single. A fiery bassline and small chorus of backup singers bring some weight to 'Sheets,' but no production elements can evoke as strong an image as Zahm's growling voice as she confronts her ex about how quickly they've moved on. The party is over and Zahm is ready to say it exactly how it is, bringing a 'f–k around and find out' attitude we've yet to see from her. If you ever hurt someone bad enough to get them to write the phrase 'did you tell her how you'll kiss her 'til a new b–ch has you on your knees,' maybe take a moment to reflect on your choices.
Nigerian-American singer-songwriter Dreamer Isioma has always been interested in creating an aesthetic that no one has ever seen before with their performance. They've never been more successful at that feat than on their pair of new singles 'Did You Ever Care' and 'Dead End.' Swinging wildly between gothic pop and angsty rock, Isioma spends two songs painting a portrait of unrequited obsession followed by painful realization, all rendered through the prism of their otherworldly voice. If you haven't managed to board the Dreamer Isioma hype train, now is an ideal time for you to get on board.
Want to get in on the groud floor with a very talented new artist? Looking for good songwriting and killer production? Need something silly to cut some of the darker parts of being alive right now? Charlie Houston checks all of those boxes and then some on her debut album Big After I Die. Over the course of 9 songs, the singer-songwriter tackles everything from love that almost makes you scared of yourself ('Lighter') to a love for organizational charts ('Slut for Excel'), Houston brings a lifetime of observations and idiosyncrasies into this winking LP, and it's well worth every single one of its 30 minutes.
Check out all of our picks below on Billboard's Queer Jams of the Week playlist:
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