The evolution of Becky G’s career from YouTube cover singer to platinum-selling performer has been one for the books. She’s had some serious career peaks and some total flops, but it’s her ability to reclaim relevance through quality music that has kept her name in the conversation over the years. After almost a decade of “almost” hits, she finally struck gold in 2019 with two back-to-back smashes, “Mayores” and “Sin Pijama”, with the former being one of Bad Bunny’s first international hits. She has since dabbled in film and even provided vocals for Diane Warren’s Oscar-nominated song “The Fire Inside”. Now, she’s back with a new single from her upcoming album Baraja Bendita and she’s using the project as a way to speak up for injustices in our society today, while still serving diva looks and catchy summer sounds.

In the music video to her new hit “EPA”, Becky G is seen smashing a giant block of ice. Many fans have read this as a subtle symbol of protest against ICE and the anti-immigration violence that has been plaguing the USA over the last few years. Becky G has always been a proud voice from the Mexican community and her using her art to convey this message of resistance is powerful and has the capacity to speak to millions. She is quite literally saying it is time to “break the ice”, and it is that moment in the video that has millions of fans online cheering in encouragement. When Becky takes that hammer and smashes those ice blocks into a pieces, it’s symbolic of not just owning where she comes from but fighting for her right to be proud of that heritage and to exist.

Becky’s ice block usage also happens to be occurring at the same time another very popular artist has been using ice blocks as promo; his blocks however aren’t tied to social issues at all, but rather his own desire to be seen as a king of music. Of course I’m talking about Drake, whose album ICEMAN dropped this week, along with two other albums Habibti and Maid of Honour. Last week, I told you that I would listen so you wouldn’t have to. I kept my promise – well, 70% of it anyway. After a certain point I really did finally have to say “enough of this sh-t” and turn it off. I’m not going to make this a hit piece on Drake because I’m aware that there are millions of people out there who truly do enjoy his music and I’m not one to yuck someone’s yum. Having said that, to me, the new music is not good. Aside from maybe two or three songs, it sounds like a whole bunch of whiny filler music to me. Something that is perfect for people who are just looking for something to listen to and be told what’s good and what’s not. If it’s your thing then I’m happy for you, but this week, I’m sticking to Becky G.

Next week’s music lounge will follow the 2026 American Music Awards, so there’s always the possibility for a surprise release the weekend leading up to it, and my eyes will be peeled waiting to see what’s coming. This week, Becky G is joined by new music from Shakira and Burna Boy, Mýa with Snoop Dogg, GIVĒON with Leon Thomas and Gracie Abrams. Plus, a viral hit from one of Australia’s greatest exports.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“EPA” by Becky G

“EPA” is the perfect song to capture the allure that is Becky G as a Latin pop artist. The song switches between both Spanish and English with a beat that is so juicy and infectious it’ll have even the most cynical on the dancefloor. Becky’s sweet spot is the summer banger, she has a way with her sound that just makes it feel like it’s time to get outside. This entire new project is her returning to her Mexican music roots, as well as rapping. Who could ever forget “Becky from the Block” with JLo, robbed of the Grammy for “Best Rap Performance” if you ask me. This song isn’t one for the rapping but more of an homage to her culture. The video to “EPA” furthers her intention to return to those ancestral roots as she also captures Mexican pride and joy through different cultural depictions, from clothing to dancing. It’s a celebratory return for her in every way. It’s also exactly what my soul wants to listen to as the start of summer blooms. The song exudes a level of absolute joy that reminded me of the way I felt when I first heard “Whine Up” by Kat Deluna as a pre-teen. That feeling of just needing to dance and forget everything around you. A real summer anthem to me is a song that is so universal you don’t even need to understand what you’re singing. English, Spanish, Korean, French, whatever – does the beat do something to you? “EPA” is that, and I am a proud member of the Becky G universe or whatever her fandom is called, lol. It’s euphoric really. I’d press play if I were you.

“Dai Dai” by Shakira, Burna Boy

Continuing her now long-standing tradition of gifting society with a new World Cup anthem, Shakira has teamed up with Burna Boy for what is now the fourth Shakira World Cup theme song. The song is fun and definitely something that is universal enough to please the masses. That is the intention of a theme song for a sporting event of this size in the first place, and Shakira is a sure thing. I wouldn’t say it’s anything too innovative – Ed Sheeran did write the song so that tells you all you need to know about whether it’s a risk-taking track or not. But it doesn’t need to be. Since this is a stand-alone single, Ed basically gave us a “Waka Waka” part two, albeit a little less infectious. Still a nice listen, and I’m sure we will all be singing the chorus to this song without even realizing it in no time. Shakira has so much to celebrate this week. She was announced as one of the headliners of the World Cup halftime show alongside Madonna and BTS, her new single with Burna Boy was released, her summer shows in the USA are selling like hotcakes, and she just got acquitted of tax fraud. It’s not just her hips that don’t lie.

“No Pressure” by Mýa, Snoop Dogg

Another artist who is wanting to throw it back to the musical roots of her childhood is R&B Y2K icon Mýa. In a revealing interview with Nessa on Air, Mýa who is now an independent artist, details the journey that is the business side of the music industry, as well as what went into crafting the sound for her album appropriately titled Retrospect. It’s a look back to the music she grew up listening to; Motown, Disco, Funk, Pop and Hip-Hop all at once. It’s a delicious confection of the greatest time in soul, and it was all done on her own terms… and her own dime. “No Pressure” has that roller disco sound, picture Jessica Simpson’s “A Public Affair” video except with a lot more gold, and a lot less Andy Dick. Mýa was clearly having a ball in the studio when recording this because you can just feel her delight ricocheting off the speakers from the first “woo!” at the start of the song. She is creating from a space free of label pressures allowing for her to explore wherever her creativity takes her. She also has a devotion to her craft which was on full display this fall when she, within a few hours, filled in for Muni Long as the opener for Brandy and Monica’s tour. In the same interview mentioned earlier, she speaks fondly of the 90s when those ladies all reigned supreme along with her, the “one name girlies” as she lovingly refers to the group. It’s beautiful to see all those icons still out here doing their thing three decades after their initial commercial peaks.

“FOOL ME ONCE” by GIVĒON, Leon Thomas

For those who are yearning for some summertime sadness, look no further than GIVĒON’s new deluxe edition project BELOVED: ACT II. “FOOL ME ONCE” featuring R&B man of the moment Leon Thomas is an immediate vibe. It’s a song about being blind to the obvious red flags in a partner out of sheer infatuation, the yearning that we love R&B for, except this time it’s coming from a place of being wronged but still wanting it to work. It’s also rich in instrumentals with a lush production that separates GIVĒON’s R&B from the trap production that plagues so many of the artists out today.

Leon is quickly establishing himself as a modern day Babyface for the 2020s, an artist other artists can depend on to help write and elevate a song, while also maintaining solo success in his own right. He definitely has a ways to go before he gets to the Babyface level of success, but he’s on the climb. Leon is currently on tour opening for Bruno Mars on his North American stadium tour, so he’s busy. Back to “FOOL ME ONCE” though. This track has serious replay value, and left me in my feels during a 1am Toronto rain storm over the weekend. Always a good sign of a song’s staying power.

“Hit The Wall” by Gracie Abrams

I’m not generally the biggest Gracie Abrams fan, but when I first listened to “Hit The Wall”, I was immediately transported to the music I would hear in the teen drama soaps I loved as a kid. The music that played in shows like Smallville and One Tree Hill when one of the main characters would have a major emotional breakthrough moment. Naturally, the song has stayed on replay all weekend as a result. There’s something about Gracie’s voice that just makes me feel like I’m in a movie, my boyfriend just broke up with me and I’m about to go write in my journal about it as I cry looking out the window. Gracie is following up the success of her sophomore album The Secret of Us, an album that brought her to new heights of mainstream recognition. With more fans comes more interpretations of your lyrics, and the internet is already speculating what or rather WHO “Hit The Wall” is about. Turns out, it’s about her and an honest look at her shortcomings in relationships. Her collaborator Aaron Dessner says the song came at a time where they literally hit a wall during the writing process. Life imitating art as they say. The song is sure to captivate her fans; I can already picture the social media trends that this song will serve as the soundtrack too. A very 2026 lens, but a realistic one.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

"Can’t Get You out of My Head” by Kylie Minogue

It’s about to be a big week for Miss Kylie Minogue whose new three-part docuseries KYLIE hits Netflix this week. The doc takes an intimate look at her entire FORTY year career, during which she has amassed countless hits including her signature track “Can’t Get You out of My Head”. I’ll be back here to dive into the doc with you on Thursday but in the meantime, in what has to be considered perfect timing, that very signature song is going viral on TikTok. The song is being associated with a new dance trend that is all about shaking your ass. The dance takes the last few lines of the second verse into the pre-chorus of the song where Kylie sings “don’t leave me locked in your heart, set me freeeeeeee”. The camera circles around you and right at the little build-up in the song right before she sings “set me free”, the camera closes up on the booty – some call it the money shot, and that’s when you shake what your mama gave you. It’s flirty and sultry just like the song, and the perfect trend to get you feeling sexy but in a classy way (like Kylie herself).

@millonmusic Set me free… #cantgetyououtofmyhead #fyp ♬ original sound - ellzlyrics★
@_mari_ettaaa_ Love this trend and song💗👅💅🏻#cantgetyououtofmyhead #setmefree #dancer ♬ original sound - ellzlyrics★
@shiningmuzcat I want freedom✨ #cinematic #cantgetyououtofmyhead ♬ Can't Get You out of My Head - Kylie Minogue

For many years now “Can’t Get You out of My Head” has been considered Kylie’s big major hit in America, because even though she’s had a highly celebrated career, the majority of her hits were in Europe and Australia. But music is now more accessible than it has ever been, Kylie’s legacy is more than cemented, and her deep discography is getting more love than ever before. This trend alone has earned the song a place on Spotify’s “viral songs” playlists, and has close to a million new sound uses. It’s been 25 years since the song’s release, so it’s the perfect time for it to have yet another moment to unite us all.

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. 

With Love,  

MC

Becky G attends MOSAICO Impact Presents La Cena, May 16, 2026 in LA

Photo credits: CraSH/Shutterstock

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