Trios are powerful. Whether it’s established girl groups like TLC and Destiny’s Child (from the Michelle era of course), or collaborations between individual artists, music compliments a trio immaculately. In an age where very few girl groups cross into the mainstream, it’s always nice to see women coming together to give us a pop moment. One of the only girl groups in the last decade to achieve immense mainstream success is BLACKPINK, so it should come as no surprise that Lisa from the group has come around again to give us a girl power moment with her latest track “Born Again”. The song is lightning in a bottle, a pure pop song, and features Doja Cat and RAYE. Before we get into it and my other picks this week, let’s take a closer look at the power the number three has in music.

 

Last week, I talked about trilogies as The Weeknd dropped the final chapter in his album trilogy Hurry Up Tomorrow. This of course on the heels of Beyoncé winning 3 (yes, three) Grammys for Cowboy Carter, the second entry of her own trilogy. As the ladies of Charmed would say “the power of three will set us free”, or in Beyoncé’s case, finally give her Album of the Year. This week, I move on from trilogies to trios. LISA, Doja and RAYE aren’t the first artists to use the formula of a pop song featuring three female artists of different genres of course. Who could forget the summer 2014 smash “Bang, Bang” with Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, and the way it took over the pop charts? If we rewind a few more years we have the 2000s banger “Let It Go” by Keyshia Cole, Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliott which did the same. There’s just something about a trio that allows room for genres to blend together in perfect harmony. 

Musical trios aren’t the only significance the number three has in the music world. The elusive third album in an artist’s discography is often a make or break career moment because it’s what solidifies them as more than just a flash in the pan. It demonstrates their ability to not only produce a consistent body of work, but to be able to evolve and experiment in their sound. There’s a rule of thumb I have for considering an artist a favourite: if they are able to create three solid complete albums that I can bump front to back, then I’m a fan for life. This year is an exciting one for artists like Tate McRae and GIVĒON who are on their third albums, and by the looks of it, show no signs of slowing down. Tate, who I have covered quite a bit recently, is killing it at pop radio, while GIVĒON premieres his first single from his upcoming third album this week. 

 

Next week is already set to be one for the lovers, as all new releases will be put out on Valentine’s Day. Sabrina Carpenter’s deluxe version of Short n’ Sweet which features a Dolly Parton remix of “Please, Please, Please” is a big one, and Addison Rae is putting out her new single and video “High Fashion”. Since it’s the day of love I may even give the new Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR mixtape a listen, no promises though. Aside from the trio of ladies serving us a pop confection and the return of one of R&B’s princes, we’ve got new tracks from a trilingual queen, a dance/R&B mix, a viral pick from one of the most talked about artists today, and a collaboration between a 2010s rapper and one of the greatest pop legends ever (yes, ever). 

Listen on…

 

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“Born Again” by Lisa, Doja Cat, RAYE

Lisa has been teasing her upcoming album Alter Ego for a while now, releasing singles throughout last year. The album is her first full-length solo album and she’s brought out the big guns... Doja Cat and RAYE. It’s been a minute since we’ve heard new music from Doja and RAYE is fresh off her first-ever performance at the Grammy awards, so this trio is girl power for a new a generation (we need one every decade or so). It’s about time RAYE get her shine in North America, so big budget songs like this are exactly what my girl needs to take her to that next level. Sure enough, to my surprise, I came to learn that this song was actually a demo of RAYE’s from a few years ago, that her label actually rejected! It wasn’t until Lisa and her team heard the demo that the song got a new life. Fans online have been celebrating the fact that Lisa has given both RAYE and this song a chance at actual mainstream success, something that is long overdue for the British powerhouse singer. She is credited as both a writer and producer on the track. The song’s video is giving what the fans online like to call “illuminati pop” – the dark and glamourous aesthetic. Think old Hollywood but with more dom. Speaking of dominance, Lisa is about to dominate all of our TV screens as she is set to star in the upcoming season of The White Lotus which is just days away. If you didn’t know Lisa from BLACKPINK, pretty soon you won’t be able to escape her, if you’re not already there that is. 

 

 

“Twenties” by GIVĒON

After what has seemed like an eternity for fans, GIVĒON is finally back with a new single, and the official music video to match. “Twenties” is his first solo single release since 2022, so yes I am shaking in my boots. My boy is back. The song recounts how he’s spent his 20s in a six-year romantic relationship that didn’t work out, and the regrets that he has a result of it (my gosh, now where have I heard that story before). His talent for storytelling not just through his lyrics but his blissful vocals are enough to make you feel every single word that he sings even if you have no connection to the subject matter. That’s the beauty of R&B music that I have always loved so much, the way that it can make you feel. It’s been a great 2025 already for GIVĒON and we’re only in February. He already lent his vocals to Teddy Swims’ latest single “Are You Even Real” just last month. Now, with this single release and upcoming album, it seems he’s in full music mode for 2025, and I am grateful. I love feelings. Sometimes too much.

 

“Found Someone” by Tyga, Cher

What’s even more surprising than this collaboration is the fact that this isn’t actually the first time Tyga and Cher have hopped on a track together. The two first joined hands musically on the 2023 original Christmas classic (in my house), “Drop Top Sleigh Ride”. Cher and Tyga are friends through her man Alexander “A.E.” Edwards, who works very closely with him (remember this little incident?). They’ve been seen together on dinner dates and nights out multiple times. Cher is truly out here living her best life, with more energy and joie de vivre than my own 29-year-old self. The song is a re-imagining of her iconic 1987 hit “I Found Someone” except, plot twist – we get all new vocals! Cher opens the song singing the original first verse of the song before the inevitable trap drop comes in, with Tyga’s X-rated rap in full effect. This shouldn’t work, but it does. There’s a fan girl inside that squeals anytime I hear new Cher vocals, so the song resonates with that part of myself right away. The outro of the song that switches from the trap beat to the original song’s instrumental with the sounds of a cassette player in the background is just so perfect for my nostalgia loving heart. It’s also worth noting that Tyga samples Britney Spears’s “I’m A Slave 4 U” on this album too. Was he reading MC’s Music Lounge? Back to the queen Cher though, she is the woman who basically invented auto-tune with “Believe” in 1999; but who would’ve thought she would still be experimenting with new sounds at this stage of her career. I say we get a full Cher album with hip-hop features, don’t knock the idea until you hear the final product!

 

 

“ROMEO” by Anitta

Anitta’s ability to create hits in multiple languages is one of her strongest assets. She sings in Portuguese, Spanish and English – and has amassed an army of fans in the millions in the process. “ROMEO” is a Spanish reggaeton track, reminiscent of her mega-hit “Envolver” which shattered streaming records back in 2022. As you could deduce from the title of the song, the visuals depict Anitta playing both the roles of Romeo and Juliet in a modern day retelling. Anitta’s real name is actually Larissa, and that is the personality that she is intending to channel through Juliet. Both sides of her personality are being represented through the visuals, the superstar and the normal girl. Anitta recently released the trailer to her new Netflix documentary, titled you guessed it: Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta. It looks like we’re about to see Anitta up close and personal like never before. Nice to meet you Larissa, I’m ready for more new music from you. 

 

“WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY?” by Rory, Leon Thomas

You may know Rory if you listen to the New Rory & MAL podcast. He also doubles as a producer, and is gearing up to release his sophomore album. The lead single from the project features one of R&B music’s hottest rising stars, and one of my favourite singers out right now, Leon Thomas. Thomas sings about the questions we may be scared to ask ourselves, the ones that give us the answers we need but maybe don’t want. Leon and I are around the same age, naturally these are feelings I can relate to on a personal level. I said earlier in this post that I love feelings, so clearly there’s a pattern with my choices this week. Maybe it’s the winter blues. Either way, this futuristic R&B track has all the ingredients needed to help get through the cold months. It’s also just so incredible to witness the rise of new stars in music. From artists like Leon Thomas to Doechii and Chappell Roan, we are in a renaissance of fresh talent. What a time. 

 

 

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“peekaboo (feat. azchike)” by Kendrick Lamar

I couldn’t go on without acknowledging the Super Bowl halftime show. I’ve always been a fan of Kendrick’s music and artistry, so beef aside I genuinely loved the performance. Every single line that he spits is intentional, and his showmanship is underrated. The highlight moment for me surprisingly was not “Not Like Us”, but rather the eye-popping performance of “peekaboo” in the “x” game controller-shaped stage drawing comparisons to Squid Game. Many fans online have theorized that this stage was a relation to society itself being a game. A game with winners, losers, those who control, and those who obey. One could get pretty deep with that theory clearly, and that’s Kendrick’s intention. He wants to make you think while also entertaining you. The camera panning to each side was giving the popping beat a whole new feel. Given that this is a song that is frequent in my workout playlist, I already was hyped up. It felt like a big party, but partying with a message. Clearly this has translated to Tik Tok, because the song now has over 158.7k uses and countless viral trends and stand-alone videos attached to both the song and the performance of it at the Super Bowl.

@nfl

PEEKABOO #KendrickLamar #NFL #AppleMusicHalftime @Apple Music

♬ original sound - NFL
@the_aceattorney

#superbowlliv #gobirds she’s down with kendrick

♬ original sound - Blyssa

Don’t get me wrong, the haters had something to say too but don’t they always. Aside from the live performance, the song’s catchy “bing-bop-boom-boom-boom-bop-bam” chant towards the end of the third verse has sparked a whole new sound that is making the rounds. The playful vibe of the song makes it the perfect 10-second TikTok soundbite. From influencers creating outfit videos, to actual full on choreographed dance routines, the song has sparked a joy amongst fans and the general public. 

@in_the_nic_of_time

Bing, Bop, Boom, Boom, Boom, Bop, Bam, 😎. #suit #trend #notviral

♬ peekaboo - Kendrick Lamar
@in_the_nic_of_time

Replying to @Nayelie My dad was excited for this one 😎 #dad #trend #notviral

♬ peekaboo - Kendrick Lamar
@kerina.wang

Outfit Iinks in bio 🌟 IG/XHS @kerina.wang #outfit #fypp #girls #style

♬ peekaboo - Kendrick Lamar
@thebeaulexx

CHOREOGRAPH WITH ME ⭐️ who else saw @Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl performance last night?! 😫😫 decided to finally dance to Peekaboo! Did we like option 1 or Option 2 better for the beep bop part? LOL assistant: @Rayne.drop #choreographwithme #dance #studiosession #dancers #bts #kendricklamar

♬ original sound - beaulexx
@beginsisters_official

Happy Monday everyone!! 🫶🏻✨🕺😊 Did you enjoy the Super Bowl 🏈?! In honor of @kendricklamar half time show, we had to do this dance at least one more time😅 Dc: Us!!🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️ Joyeux lundi tout le monde!! Avez-vous apprécié le Super Bowl? En honneur de la mi-temps de Kendrick Lamar, nous nous devions de refaire notre danse au moins une autre fois 😅 We are @Ophé and @annflo_begin dancers and sisters from Canada 🇨🇦 #superbowl #kendricklamar #beginsisters #fyp #dancevideo #goodvibes #danceduo #sisters #halftimeshow #eagles #chiefs

♬ peekaboo - Kendrick Lamar

You can also check out my “MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE” Spotify playlist here to keep up to date with my weekly picks throughout the year. Join us at The Squawk to talk about all things music today. (App link here)

With Love, 

MC