MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE: A Higher Frequency

3 years after her launching full-length studio album Jaguar II and winning 3 Grammy awards, Victoria Monét is prepared to release her sophomore job Frequency of Love on October 2^ndToday is a huge one for her with the release of a brand-new single and the statement of a headlining trip throughout North America that will go through the fall.

There’s something fitting about Victoria calling the album Frequency of Love, as music has constantly had the capability to alter the frequency at which we run. One tune can raise your state of mind, transportation you back to another time or make a normal day feel unique. Can like do the exact same thing? Possibly both those together will work, a minimum of that’s what the title is informing me. There’s a heat to R&B and particularly the ’90s R&B age that Victoria is greatly affected by in the visuals launched up until now in anticipation of this album.

Back to the entire frequency of love of all of it however– she’s taking that concept and introducing the “Frequency Of Love Foundation” together with the album and trip. It’s a youth-centered effort concentrated on mentor kids about food, cooking, health, and more. Fans who purchase tickets to the trip are being offered the choice to contribute to the structure. With more success comes power, and it’s a gorgeous thing to enjoy an artist usage that power to make a distinction in their own method. I can’t think of a higher cause than informing the youth about how to look after their mind and bodies. That’s what operating on a greater frequency is everything about.

Victoria has actually come a long method from being among the primary authors on Ariana Grande’s thank u, next album and its hit songsShe invested several years behind the scenes, however it was all resulting in this minute where she’s the primary act. She’s not deserting the music that got her here either, in truth, much of the magic that all of us liked in those Ariana Grande albums exists in Victoria’s music, because, well, she’s the source of a lot of it. Fantastic R&B endures through generations since of artists like her who assist spread out the gospel.

Next week, Miley Cyrus drops her brand-new album Bass Persuades. If you’re one of the fortunate lot who endured her Ticketmaster line of more than 1.5 million fans for her 2 programs at the Hollywood Bowl, congratulations. I’ll need to opt for the vinyl. Today, Victoria Monét is signed up with by Tinashe, Jhené Aiko with Kendrick Lamar, Bleachers, and Cage The Elephant. Plus, fans online are consuming over Pitbull and have actually made one of his classics go viral.

Listen on …

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“Juicy” by Victoria Monét

Familiarity is soothing, and while I do not always like when something is a copy-paste scenario, I do enjoy hearing something “familiar” however with a brand-new spin on it. “Juicy” triggers a striking similarity to “Bed Chem” by Sabrina Carpenter in the opening chords. There’s likewise an SWV interpolation in the tune from their track “All Night Long”Both of those tunes are favourites so hearing “Juicy”, I quickly leapt up with enjoyment. I’m especially a sucker for SWV so the melodic interpolation seemed like a welcome made simply for me. “All Night Long” is from the Waiting To Exhale motion picture soundtrack for those who do not understand so Victoria, if I wasn’t tuned into your brand-new album age yet, you definitely got me now.

Aren’t we the ones who are constantly grumbling online about yearning for the days of 90s R&B to come back? Victoria Monét is among the great women who can assist bring us there. “Juicy” makes you seem like you’re drifting and I enjoy the method Victoria’s voice sparkles through each run. This is a few of the very best modern R&B I’ve heard in 2026, in the nick of time for my preferred season … cuffing season.

“So Good”by Jhené Aiko, Kendrick Lamar

At this moment, I’m going to need all the R&B ladies to have a duet with Kendrick Lamar since the method he balances with them is what I think of paradise seem like. I’ve discussed this about his voice before, however melodically, his deep tone fits effortlessly with the angelic noises of a female voice. Jhené’s voice is distinctively heavenly– her actual visual is peace, love, water, and weed. You all call me a more relaxing mix of frequencies.

In the early days of this column, I spoke about Bruno Mars and his streak of partnerships with female artists ideally developing into an idea album with only collabs. That dream never ever took place, however perhaps I was planting seeds for something else. A Kendrick all-female duets album? I believe it might strike. “So Good” is a radio smasher the very same method that “luther” was. My spidey-senses are informing me that this track is going to be played out the speakers of numerous automobile this fall. Keep in mind, you check out that here.

Not to make Jhené’s tune about Kendrick, however he includes a lot to it and I genuinely think that his R&B abilities surpass what the public offers him credit for. “So Good” is a splendid tune– attractive and addicting. It’s the ideal starter for my Fall 2026 playlist and is making me feel prepared for sweatshirt weather condition. Now all I require is a video and a marketing push from Jhené’s label due to the fact that this tune has actually “struck” composed all over it.

“Caught Myself Believing “by Bleachers

I hope you all have actually been having a witchy weekend with the release of Practical Magic 2. Critics have their ideas however as a life-long fan of the initial movie, I rather took pleasure in the follow up. Much so that I went to see it two times currently. What a present it is to reside in a world where the audience now has a say in what we wish to see, and to us women and gays, that’s a lot more Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

Among the important things that made the initial so cherished is the music. The group behind the music of the initial movies simply spoke in information about the fandom that the soundtrack has actually established throughout the years, so naturally, the music in the follow up was going to be simply as essential. There are timeless tunes from Stevie Nicks, Harry Nilsson(naturally )and more recent hits from Olivia Rodrigo in the movie, in addition to some brand-new tracks like this one from Bleachers. Jack Antonoff, otherwise called Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter’s hitmaker, is the diva and discusses participating in such a renowned movie franchise. The noise of Bleachers is taken in 90s fond memories to start with, so it’s an ideal match.

“Caught Myself Believing” is a tune about thinking in a force or being that can not be rationalized through reasoning, however rather through faith and life experience itself. Comparable to the story of the Owens siblings, there are specific things that aren’t credible, however are still extremely real. The tune plays in a scene in the movie where music manager Season Kent states they were “searching for a male voice”. It fits completely, as does all the music in the follow up. From both a fond memories and music viewpoint, Practical Magic 2 is a slam dunk and honestly I feel bad for those who simply do not get it. The important things is, however, they were never ever going to get it to start with. The season of the witch lives and well … midnight margaritas anybody?

“Pillow Fight” by Tinashe

Attractive, sassy and positive are a couple of words that pop into mind whenever a Tinashe track begins and “Pillow Fight” just even more enhances this. She’s the essential bad b-tch, advising everybody millennials that we can still “dip it and do it “as my previous talk program queen Wendy Williams utilized to state.

“Pillow Fight”is dreamier than the previous single releases from this brand-new job. The piano chords are a throwback to the noise of the mid-2000s, particularly when taking in the manner in which the bass mixes to make the tune a danceable ballad. What is interesting to me about all the tunes that Tinashe has actually launched this summertime is that they do not seem like anything else that is out there. Tyla is one artist that enters your mind who embodies a comparable visual, however Tinashe performs it in a far more refined style, with a noise that is much more speculative and bold.

Tinashe likewise has a present for attempting brand-new things in her music while still keeping the signature noise that she has actually developed because the early 2010s. Popstar her brand-new album, drops in 2 weeks and while she hasn’t made a conventional “hit” since yet from it, she has actually certainly pleased the fans who are going to be purchasing tickets to her live programs. This is the Tinashe we fell for throughout her launching album age, and the very best response to the kind of success she has actually made the last couple of years is to simply bring things back to essentials.

“Dying In Reverse “by Cage The Elephant

Picture being carried back to 1997 when you would find a tune for the very first time on the radio and you feel your whole world shake. That’s what listening to “Dying In Reverse” for the very first time seemed like for me. Approved, I was 2 years of ages at that time however that sensation stayed continuous up until streaming took the radio’s thunder in the mid-2010s, so you capture my drift.

“Dying In Reverse”has actually got the spirit of an alternative 90s gem, believe”Bittersweet Symphony”. This tune belongs in the end credits of an intriguing teenager movie. It is the lead single from the band’s upcoming seventh studio album although no other information surrounding the job have actually been revealed as of. It has that “instantaneous classic” noise, you feel in one’s bones that it will speak with generations of kids (and grownups). I’m particularly fascinated with the piano solo in the bridge of the tune before a glitchy noise reroutes back to the chorus. It’s the kind of tune that my soul yearns for when I’m depending on the lawn and taking a minute to ground myself.

“Dying simply to live I’m gon na make it last/I do not even care if I make it back”; these lyrics in the tune’s outro talk to the existential crisis that a lot of us discover ourselves in when we get lost in the grind of everyday life. In some cases “living” actually seems like “passing away” and it really is an outright battle to “make it back” to living to the maximum. Music is the long lasting secret to discovering that method.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“The Anthem “by Pitbull, Lil’Jon

A few of you might be shocked to read this however I rather delight in Pitbull’s music. Hear me out, often it truly is okay to simply let loose and have a good time. Not whatever requires to be so major all the time, and Pitbull’s music is the ideal soundtrack for acting a fool.

It’s no marvel that his existing “I’m Back Tour “with Lil’Jon as opening act has actually ended up being one of the most popular selling trips of the summertime. He’s been carrying out in amphitheatres throughout North America for the last couple of months and is bringing the trip to Europe, and the tickets are offering like hot cakes. I’m severe. I attempted to get tickets to the program in Toronto simply a couple of weeks ago and all the tickets were choosing over $1,000 on resale. Safe to state– I missed out on the program. I understood the fans online would come through due to the fact that social media is flooded with fans in their bald caps having a ball at the program.

One tune that is acquiring lots of attention is the 2007 club banger “The Anthem” which includes both Pit and Lil’ Jon. The tune samples “Calabria 2007”among the most identifiable House samples of the 2000s. You’ll understand it when you hear it.

WE AIN’T HERE WITHOUT THE FANS BOTTOM LINE … THANK U @Lil Jon ♬ initial noise – Pitbull

This obviously is not the very first time that this tune has actually acquired attention on social networks. There have actually been dance patterns, lip synch patterns and more. When you’re an artist who has actually been making music for years, music that has actually ended up being implanted in the subconscious of the basic public, it does not take much for the music to have another minute. “The Anthem” is now sitting on top area on Spotify’s “huge on the web” playlists and is acting as the anchor for this whole world trip. It’s the tune fans are utilizing to reveal their delight, and what could be higher than that?

The 2026 “MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE” Spotify playlist is live. You can include it hereto maintain to date with my weekly choices throughout the year.

With Love,

MC