MC's Music Lounge: "Leak It" by FLO is a serious contender for a 2026 Pride anthem

K-pop has made boy bands and girl groups relevant again: BTS, Stray Kids, BLACKPINK, Cortis, Katseye, the list goes on. These successes have also helped usher in groups from other genres and the next thing you know we get FLO. FLO has been around for a few years already and were even nominated for a Grammy this year. The girls have a Destiny’s Child vibe to them, and I’ve seen them live in concert, they’ve got the chops, but even with a stellar debut album they haven’t had that smash pop hit to level them up just yet. With their new single “Leak It” they’re working with a more mainstream sound and could score the biggest hit of their career. They’ve already collaborated with artists like Missy Elliott and GloRilla, but it’s once a group can score a solo hit when the tides can truly shift.

To go with the new song is a music video where they poke fun at the “Khia Asylum” (renamed of course). I spoke about this a few weeks ago with Bebe Rexha, who I am happy to report has been enjoying success with her latest release “Bad Religion”. It’s always fun when an artist can poke fun at themselves, but it’s also a very interesting way to look at how much online chatter can impact legitimate pop music releases. Because what do you mean we have a girl group that is taking serious inspiration from online slang? I’m obsessed but also a little concerned. The girls haven’t had a high charting hit yet in their career which is why they find themselves the butt of some jokes with online trolls. In an effort to flip the switch and take back the power, FLO are using the same chaotic internet humour that usually tears pop girls down and turning it into part of the rollout and creative vision.

But on the other hand, why are we letting trolls online dictate our art intake? Either way, I’m listening and watching so I guess it’s working. What makes FLO so compelling is that while the hype around them died down a little bit after their debut EP in 2023, they persisted and were able to earn a Grammy nomination for their debut album Access All Areas. They’ve always understood the assignment and have let it be known that they are in here for the long haul, representing for the R&B girl groups of past.

Next week is Robyn week, and this gay is very happy. It’s been eight years since Robyn’s last album and I will be going to the bars for this special occasion. I’ll report back on that later. This week, we’ve got new music from Coco Jones, Foo Fighters, Miles Caton and BTS. Plus, a pair of Brits encourage people to let loose and be themselves in this week’s viral pick.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“Leak It” by FLO

I’ve been a fan of FLO for a while, but I have been waiting for the song that would be their true breakout. “Leak It” is as good of an attempt as any for them do just that. The best part is that they are letting us know crystal clear that those are their intentions in the music video where we follow their journey into “The Retreat”, an institution where irrelevant artists go to become relevant. FLO has seen the success that acts like Katseye and BLACKPINK have gotten and are ready for it to be their turn, and I’m right there with them. The song has a nasty pop girl beat that is the exact type of track that would go off in the gay clubs. It’s a pop girlie bop through and through and is already a serious contender for a 2026 Pride anthem. Well, for me at least.

The group is serving down in the video and maintain their impeccable harmonies. No compromising of vocals for these girls, they are giving us pop ambition with perfect pitch. The video has “Piece of Me” Britney vibes with the magazine covers splashed over the screen and the general feel of the song. It’s like an improved and much more interesting Tate McRae. Plus, the girls are poking fun at themselves in the process. They’ve had a few little scandals with accusations of not paying their staff, but that seems to have been resolved or fizzled out of the headlines. Nothing makes a pop act more intriguing than a low-stakes scandal. The fact is the girls are extremely talented and have now released one of the best songs of their career thus far. It’s an instant replay and with all the drama with Manon and Katseye still fresh, it’s nice to see a group of girls sticking together.

“FYA” by BTS

I’ve been saying it for months, and this week is the ultimate proof – 2026 is the year of the comeback. After a years-long hiatus, all seven members of BTS are back together and taking over the world one performance at a time. Lainey has obviously got the BTS news on lock but to my (very pleasant) surprise, there was a little gem on their new album ARIRANG that felt like it was made just for me, MC, and it comes courtesy of their song “FYA”. The album as a whole is a party from start to finish, but it’s this cut that got my attention, particularly thanks to a few dare I say ICONIC references in the pre-chorus as the boys sing “I go full Thriller tonight. Club go crazy like Britney, baby. Hit me with it one more time”. Using both a Britney Spears and Michael Jackson reference to evoke the feeling of dancing the night away at a club is about as MC as one could get. As if I wasn’t already sold by their slick dance routines and hard-hitting bops, they just entered a whole other realm for me. There’s an unspoken rule in my world and that’s if you support Britney, you have my support, always. And I mean, ALWAYS. Of course, it helps that the actual song is a bop – in fact, it’s already been added to my half-marathon training playlist. Jimin and Jin perform the first pre-chorus while Jung Kook and V put their stamp on it in the second half of the song, but each of the boys have their respective moments which is something I’ve always liked about them. Unlike other groups, they all have their own signature flair that they add to the music. I may not be well-versed enough to get an ARMY card just yet, but I’m well on my way there.

“Caught in The Echo” by Foo Fighters

I may take a particular liking to all things diva adjacent, but there’s a part of me that loves a rock tune. Especially if it comes from one of the great bands of our time. The last couple of years has seen Dave Grohl and the band itself in the headlines for everything besides music. First there was the tragic passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins back in 2022 which fans are still mourning today. Then there was Dave Grohl’s infidelity, fathering a child outside his marriage that made him headline news across all gossip outlets. This resulted in his “going to therapy six days a week” which he recently said in an interview was more than 430 therapy sessions. And now the guys are ready for the focus to be on the music again with a new album and world tour on the horizon. This new album Your Favorite Toy is the band’s first new recording with drummer Ilan Rubin who came into the picture after Taylor Hawkins replacement was fired back in 2023. It’s also the first piece of music that Dave Grohl has released since his own scandal, so the pressure is high. From the sounds of the new single “Caught in The Echo”, they haven’t lost their special sauce. The new track is as loud as a Foo Fighters song can get, with just the right amount of utter chaos that is reminiscent of the early days of the band.

“Don’t Hate Me” by Miles Caton

He might not have taken home Oscar gold for “I Lied to You” in Sinners, but Miles Caton is seeing all kinds of wins because of the film and award season. His new single “Don’t Hate Me” is his first under a new recording contract with Columbia Records that will see him releasing an EP of his own later this year. “Don’t Hate Me” is a blend of acoustic pop and Blues sounds, giving indie singer-songwriter vibes but through a more soulful lens. The song is stripped back and just Miles with his guitar letting the music speak for itself, like the music of Sinners. The power of the instrument if you will. He may only be 21 years old, but Caton’s emotional expressions are beyond his years and make the confessional lyrics about wanting out of a relationship much more believable. His voice sounds crisp and pristine over the acoustic instrumentals, giving listeners a true feel of what Miles Caton, the artist, sounds like. The man can sing his face off and it’s great to see him getting his moment to shine as a musician, because if there’s one thing the movie told me as a viewer it’s that his talents need to be appreciated beyond one film and one character. His music feels authentic and unlike anything that’s on mainstream radio today. Plus, releasing this new music right at the end of awards season is certainly a smart move. That way his new release isn’t overshadowed by all the Sinners glory, but it’s still fresh enough that the people care.

“LUVAGIRL” by Coco Jones

Coco is launching her new cycle with a vibrant new track and vintage-looking music video to match. Complete with dramatic vocal runs and an enchanting rasp that follows her vocal performance throughout the song, “LUVAGIRL” is Coco singing all about the abundance of love that she has in her life at this time. This song is flirty, and reminds me of something you’d hear from Beyoncé on the B’Day album. Coco is currently engaged to NBA star Donovan Mitchell, with a massive 5-carat engagement ring. Clearly inspired by her engagement, this song doesn’t hide its intention. Coco tells us about the man who “put a bad girl back to sleep” and turned her to a “luva, luva, luvagirl”. It’s cute, it’s fun, the aesthetic is giving Betty Boop; basically all the ingredients for a summer love anthem. Coco has been making quality R&B over the last few years, never afraid to experiment with different genres in the process. She hasn’t quite hit the success level of some of her contemporaries like SZA or Summer Walker, but with her series Bel-Air now finished, she can finally allow herself to focus solely on the music which will in turn hopefully open the door for her career to go to that next level.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“Rein Me In” by Sam Fender, Olivia Dean

Both Sam and Olivia have had the biggest year of their respective careers, bringing some good old fashioned British pop to worldwide heights once again. “Rein Me In” was originally a solo song of Sam’s, released as a single last June, and later remixed as a duet with Olivia for the deluxe edition of People Watching. It’s a breezy love song about being able to feel completely yourself in a relationship, and the walls Sam puts up in order to avoid being “reined in” by love. Olivia adds a female perspective to the song and it makes for the perfect commercial duet at just the right time for two artists on the rise. The song has already reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart, but is now taking on a whole new life as a viral hit online. “Rein Me In” is being used as the sound for creators to be vulnerable and express their goofier sides, their inner free spirit. It definitely has that free feeling a la “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. We could very well be experiencing the birth of an instant classic.

@brickingit1 Paul and Jamie could never be reined in from making TikTok’s #Samfender #Oliviadean #Reinmein #singingbuilders ♬ Rein Me In - Sam Fender & Olivia Dean

@spencer.barbosa good luck because I can’t be reined in😍😍😍@spencerxoconnor knows to just take a video for the memories instead lol #girls #trend #relatable ♬ original sound - soph ☆

@meganhelengrayx Raising a boy who never feels like he has to change who he is ♥️ #mumtok #reinmein #oliviadean ♬ original sound - sakanelli✨

The song has been used over 200,000 times and Sam himself is all up in the comments clearly enjoying every bit of the online success. I do love when a trend associated with a song is geared towards something positive, and this trend is as warm as it is sweet. Olivia is about to embark on a sold-out world tour, while Sam is finishing up one of his own. The two of them took over the Brit Awards last February, and the song has just earned its fourth week at #1 in the UK. Could an American chart takeover be next? Don’t be surprised.

The 2026 “MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE” Spotify playlist is live. You can add it here to keep up to date with my weekly picks throughout the year.