pop music triumphs of 2021 thusfar

 As the midpoint of the year approaches, I've taken it upon myself to review the best that pop music has had to offer in the beginning of 2021, in the opinion of just one woman, of course. In a time when the most prominent thoughts are that of the negatives, we can always depend on music to uplift and unite us, even when we feel at our most, disconnected. 

Starting off the year on the high of her musical success on TikTok, Ashnikko released 'DEMIDEVIL', an alt-pop expression of female power and dark confidence. The album takes inspiration from the 00s classic pop sound, but with a very 2021-esc hyperpop twist. Tracks like 'Daisy' and 'Toxic' showcase a darker side to the 'weird girl artist', with a new take on self-interest that embraces the weird and wonderful, while 'Slumber Party' explores queer girl confidence in it's unapologetic explicit nature. The album boasts features from Kelis, Princess Nokia and Grimes, and combines alt and pop into a hyper-polarising musical journey. It stands as a push of confidence for LGBT+ outsiders trying to find their footing, proving that you can have faith in your queerness, your femininity, and your innate weirdness, and channel it into your self-love. 

Alongside his performance at the Super Bowl, The Weeknd released an album of his greatest hits titled 'The Highlights', a fitting title that encapsulates the aim of the album, neatly rounding up the work of the artist so far in his career. Whether you are a fan of him, or not, there has to be some level of recognition for his musical talent. The album begins with three of his latest released tracks from 'After Hours'. Opening with songs that feel upbeat and lean towards the genre of Dance is a smart choice, to lift the energy before easing into the rest of the album. We pass through classic songs like 'Can't Feel My Face' and 'Starboy', before reaching the more sensual-feeling songs that brought The Weeknd to fame, like 'Earned It'. This album proved once again that The Weeknd is one of the few artists in the charts right now that produces albums with very few skips, production and lyrics alike. 

An artist I never thought I'd be commending is Justin Bieber, however I have to appreciate his album 'Justice' that was released this year. As someone who has had a love-hate relationship with Bieber ever since the beginning of his music career, 'Justice' is a fair high point. We begin with an audio clip of Martin Luther King Jr., who speaks on racial injustice, which, in all honesty, feels misplaced and a cheap stab in the dark at attempting to make some sort of vague statement. In issues such as this, you either go the full mile, or should leave the sentiment unmade. As for the rest of the album, there is a sense of adulthood about it, which compares drastically to tracks like 'Yummy' that Bieber has created recently. He reflects on spirituality, love and self-worth, which showcases the musical changes Bieber has been through over his career, which deserves acknowledgment. 

The album I was most looking forward to listening to after hearing of it's release was 'Dancing With the Devil... The Art of Starting Over' by Demi Lovato. Her story of addiction is one that broke the hearts of many, and the reality of her situation has artistically been channelled into her music, for an even more harrowingly beautiful experience. The album follows Demi's journey through addiction, sobriety, relapses and near overdose, and stretches to 19 tracks, lasting just under an hour. This album is more of a musical experience than anything, as songs such as 'Anyone' which was recorded just days before Demi's heroin overdose almost three years ago. The duality of her life can be felt in her lyrics, as she balances her expression of the raw truth with her understanding of pop music and culture. The album calls to question the pressure of young artists in the music industry, and manages to completely capture Demi's redemption arc of reclaiming her own life, backed up by her consistent musical talent which has never let her down. The album serves as a companion to the docu-series 'Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil', which puts into perspective the sentiments expressed in the album.