In an interview with British Vogue last week, Charli XCX declared that “the dance floor is dead” as she readies the launch of her new rock era. This statement incited a firestorm of reaction online. DJ John Summit took offense to it, writing a message to Charli on his IG stories.

The timing is also curious because just as Charli is putting dance to bed, we have the emergence of the true dance queen, Madonna. M is the artist with the most #1 singles on any Billboard chart with a whopping FIFTY number one hits on the Billboard Dance/Club Play charts, and it looks like she’s on her way to earning another with the first release from her next album. This week sees the release of her new single “I Feel So Free”, the first official track from her upcoming album Confessions II which happens to be the sequel to one of her crowning jewels, the 2005 classic album Confessions on a Dance Floor. So Charli may think that the dance floor is dead but the way I see it, Madonna is the ONLY artist who can dictate its state and, according to her, the dance floor is alive and well.

Dance music and Madonna will forever be intertwined. There’s a reason that she has the most dance #1s, she understands the genre and its origins in ways other artists are still catching up to. From bringing vogue-ing to the mainstream to working with EDM producers like Sickick and BLOND:ISH, she’s always been on the cutting edge of what’s about to hit the speakers. In addition to the sound itself is Madonna’s knack for storytelling – hence the “confessions” aspect of it all, and M has a ton to confess. It’s been seven years since her last official studio album and in that time she has suffered the loss of two brothers, her own near death experience, a (for now) shelved biopic and constant ageist and misogynistic comments from the general public. As a fan, I look forward to hearing more “confessions” in music form and for her to remind people who the f-ck she is.

Next week, we’ve got Kehlani’s self-titled project finally coming out after over a year of teases. She just announced the list of features for the project including Brandy, Leon Thomas, Usher, Missy Elliott, Cardi B, T-Pain and more. R&B heads, this is your time. This week, Madonna isn’t the only one with some dancefloor confessions. We’ve got new tunes from Tyla and Zara Larsson, Demi Lovato, 6LACK with 2 Chainz, and Olivia Rodrigo. Plus, Bieber Fever is still going strong post-Coachella for this week’s viral pick.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“I Feel So Free” by Madonna

This deep house song is the first taste of what the confessions sequel will sound like. The track opens with a spoken word soliloquy about creating a new persona on the dance floor and allowing your inhibitions to run free. Dancing is an introspective experience for many and can be a gateway to finding new versions of yourself you didn’t know existed. The song samples a spoken word portion from the 1989 house song “French Kiss” by Lil Louis while also drawing comparisons to the work of both Donna Summer and Madonna herself. The 2005 album track “Future Lovers” from the first Confessions album sampled “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer, and the spirit of both of those songs live on in “I Feel So Free”. The entire song feels like a love letter to the lights, escapism, and action of Studio 54. There isn’t even a traditional chorus in this song, just a hypnotic beat and continuous melody. It’s the perfect track for listeners who are familiar with the structure of a house song but still crave the comfort of Madonna’s instantly recognizable pop voice. This is a song I need to be making out with someone to, in a very dark room with flashing strobe lights at 2am. It was written and produced by Madonna and Stuart Price with additional production by Venezuelan producer Arca who has made a name for herself in the underground dance community for her experimental avant-garde type dance music.

“Low Rise Jeans” by Demi Lovato

Demi has been all over the news for the last week and a half. She just kicked off her It’s Not That Deep Tour and opening night saw two major Disney Channel reunions that sent older Gen Z and Millennial-cusp hearts ablaze. First, she performed some Camp Rock classics with Joe Jonas and then reunited backstage with Selena Gomez. If all that wasn’t enough, she has also announced the release of the deluxe edition of the album It’s Not That Deep with the lead single “Low Rise Jeans” already available. Oh, and did I mention the song is a f-cking bop? It’s a nasty pop girl anthem that is reminiscent of something you would hear on Britney Spears’s Blackout record – dance music, yes, but with a hip-hop edge that was very prominent in the works of Nelly Furtado, Pussycat Dolls and Britney Spears in the late 2000s. Think pop music for a girl’s night out in 2006 where low rise jeans are a requirement. It’s the type of pop music that’s meant to be played as you get ready with your girls and the only concern is what outfit you’ll be wearing for the evening. Demi’s current era is her at her happiest and most fearless. For an artist who spent so many years living in the shadows of her own demons, this feels like a celebratory moment after healing. It’s the exact type of pop song that I look forward to jamming out to, but the reality is that even though the quality is there, it doesn’t always translate into chart success. Demi’s new era hasn’t been as successful as her previous album but on the flip side, her arena tour is her highest selling to date so the demand for her is still there. “Low Rise Jeans” is as good of a radio single as any from her discography and deserves a chance to shine in the right way.

“SHE DID IT AGAIN” by Tyla, Zara Larsson

The second single off Tyla’s upcoming album A*POP has arrived and it’s hot. After tearing up the charts with “CHANEL”, she’s given pop another sultry makeover with this new bop featuring Zara Larsson. Zara has been having a major year, earning the biggest hits of her career and it’s only about to get bigger. The song is catchy, and the music video is attention-grabbing in all the ways you want for a pop girlie production. Not to make everything about Britney Spears all the time but there really is no other way to describe the influence behind this song. From the aesthetics in the music video mirroring those of “I’m a Slave 4 U”, the literal title of the song being a play-off of “Oops!... I Did It Again”, and Zara’s word for word reference to Brit during her verse, this entire duet feels like an homage to Ms. Spears. Tyla has gone on record before to state that Britney is one of her idols and has also caught some heat for denying Brit’s obvious inspiration in both her sonic and fashion choices. This seems to be a common thread with today’s pop girls, but I guess that’s just what happens when you are the blueprint. In this case however, both girls aren’t hiding the obvious inspiration and I’m loving every second of it. Zara is about to release the deluxe edition to her album Midnight Sun which will feature an all-female list of guest appearances including Tyla. I love when the girls get along and give us incredible art – more of that in 2026 please.

“Sunday Again” by 6LACK, 2 Chainz

For the better half of a decade, 6LACK has been cooking up hits with the likes of Khalid, J. Cole, Don Toliver and more. With his upcoming album Love is the New Gangsta, he is getting in touch with his emotional side, with the intention to address the stigma associated with men expressing their feelings, particularly men in hip-hop. “Sunday Again” is a song that highlights the importance of community, tranquility, and the power of love. When you have the right people around you, that’s when true peace is achieved. For many people, the idea of Sunday being a day of reflection and self-care goes back centuries and for 6LACK it’s his own Sunday routine that served as inspiration for the lyrics. Engaging in all the activities that help you feel recharged and whole, waiting for Sunday to roll around again is a feeling we all can relate to in some degree. Some people suffer from “Sunday scaries” ahead of the beginning of a new week but I always saw Sundays as an opportunity to get the week started on a healthy and positive note, no scaries over here. The song is mellow and laid-back, the perfect vibe for a Sunday evening recharge. It’s giving soundtrack to a calming night of restoration, candles lit and all, with maybe even a little rainfall sprinkled in there for good measure.

“drop dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

Take out the plaid skirts and electric air guitars because this one is for the adults who still are blasting Paramore and Jimmy Eat World from their speakers. Olivia has carved a lucrative lane for herself with the pop-rock sound that once took over radio stations. “Drop Dead” is an angsty anthem about a girl who is infatuated with her subject. A far cry from the lead singles from Olivia’s previous albums, this song is not about heartbreak at all. Instead, she’s singing about a complete obsession with a man that she isn’t with yet but wonders how amazing they could be if they were. So basically, describing me with every guy I’ve come close to dating since the pandemic. Olivia’s music has always hit - it’s all very late- 90s/early-2000s core, something that you would hear on the soundtrack for Legally Blonde or How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days. The video was fittingly shot at Versailles in France, which she references in the chorus when describing the object of her affection. “You’re lookin’ like an angel on the walls of Versailles” hits a lot harder when its being performed in the literal palace. Olivia topped off release weekend by making a surprise appearance during Addison Rae’s Coachella set where both girlies performed the song together. Olivia’s upcoming album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love breaks the one-word trend she has been following with her album titles up until this point, showcasing the desire to try something new creatively. Yet the sound is still quintessentially Olivia. It’s a sound that all the 90s girls like Alanis and Courtney Love did so well and I guess Olivia is the vessel for this generation.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“Baby” by Justin Bieber, Ludacris

Now that Bieberchella has come and gone, the result is a wide range of public discourse from pure adoration to critique, along with a ton of viral songs. For the last week and a half, Justin has dominated the streaming charts with both new songs and classic hits earning record-breaking numbers, and “Beauty and a Beat” even reaching #1 on Spotify’s worldwide streaming charts; his general discography is up a whopping 280%. But it’s the trend associated with “Baby” that has my heart this week and that’s why it’s being featured. Most of us can remember the moment we all met Justin Bieber, and for a specific group of people, it was the moment they fell in love. It’s a tender moment, when you as a child first discover the artist that completely mesmerizes you. For me it was Britney Spears and the Spice Girls when I was a kid, and to watch this moment in real time with today’s babies is adorable. Justin was that guy for so many people and many of those young girls now how children of their own (some of my friends included) and are introducing him to their kids. Below are some of my favourites, including some kids who just aren’t that into it. Nobody is more honest than a kid, lol.

@tvdwithdemi

♬ original sound - tvdwithdemi
@ericagbabyxo

She doesn’t have Bieber Fever yet 😭

♬ original sound - Erica 🌸
@katielittle38 Introduced my 6 year old to baby Bieber and she’s mesmerized 😂 #justinbeiber #baby #biebertiktok #coachella ♬ original sound - littlekatie_

“Baby” is one of the sweeter songs in Justin’s discography because it was his first Top 10 single and also is the absolute height of teenage Bieber Fever. My manager to this day has a doll of Justin with the outfit from this music video sitting at her desk. Say what you want about Justin, but you can’t say he wasn’t monoculture for a good stretch of the 2010s. We watched him grow up and go through a lot of crazy sh-t and those songs hold a special place in the hearts of millions. His music classic hits have entered the “timeless” category. One thing this viral trend also proves is that while Bieber Fever may not be as potent as it once was, it hasn’t been completely cured.

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

With Love, 

MC

Photo credits:  ANDRE COELHO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

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