Singles Round Up: April 10
Singles Round Up – The Arts and Entertainment Department takes a look at some of the recently released singles from the past week.
“Esta Vida” - Marshmello, Farruko
The renowned electronic music producer Marshmello just collaborated with Puerto Rican singer and rapper Farruo on a song that translates to “This Life” in English.
Farruo sings entirely in Spanish. His voice is soothing throughout the song but gains power as it continues, and he increases his vocal variety.
The instrumentals mirror this, as they start relatively tame but increase the intensity with each change in the song’s progression.
The pre-chorus aids the gradual change of energy, from slow piano to a full-blown electro-dance party. The buildup in the pre-chorus leaves listeners on the edge of their seats, desperate for the musical climax.
Finally, the beat drops and the striking synths satisfy all the right places. - Rachel Fisher
“Next Exit” - Vacations
Australian alt-pop group Vacations gave their 8.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify something to chew on with their new single “Next Exit” while they’re out on tour.
Drawing on their name, “Next Exit” is a summery track driven by a light, catchy guitar melody.
With a potential air of heartbreak in the lyrics, Vacations seems to mainly touch on a feeling of being lost on the path of life with lines like, “I'll give this one more try, before I take the next exit, off the highway into a different life.”
Though the meaning might be juxtaposed by the soft vocals, the metaphor of making a change in one’s life being a “next exit” is a unique take on the topic, while also sticking to the summer vibe of a windows-down drive.
The song as a whole is too lackluster in terms of auditory individuality to make an impression in the mainstream, however, it could definitely find itself on the back end of an alternative pop summer playlist for 2023. -Megan Kelby
“Princess Diana”- Ice Spice ft. Nicki Minaj
It was only a matter of time before the Princess collaborated with the Queen. An Ice Spice-Nicki Minaj collaboration is truly one that dreams are made of.
Bringing Minaj to feature on Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana” was a brilliant move. Taking an already fun and catchy song and adding one of the greatest rappers of all time to it elevated the song so much.
As expected, Minaj’s verse is the best one on the track. Her energy juxtaposes Ice Spice’s melodic and chill flow in a brilliant way.
While there are plenty of things that Minaj deserves legitimate criticism of, she does deserve praise for always collaborating with the new it-girls of rap.
It’s Ice Spice and Minaj, it’s exactly what would be expected and it’s exactly what the world needed. -Sophia D’Ovidio
Rachel Fisher is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email rlf5481@psu.edu
Megan Kelby is a third-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email mkk5701@psu.edu.
Sophia D’Ovidio is a second-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Megan Kelby
Fourth-Year / Journalism
Megan Kelby is a fourth-year from Newark, Delaware majoring in journalism and minoring in English and history at Penn State. She is a member of the arts & entertainment department for CommRadio. To contact her, email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Sophia D'Ovidio
First-Year /
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year from Allentown, New Jersey. She is now a communications (undecided) major at Penn State University. Sophia intends on pursuing a career in journalism. Sophia writes for the CommRadio Arts department.
Rachel Fisher
2025 /
Rachel Fisher is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. She is the DJ Coordinator of the Arts and Entertainment Department and an involved member, focusing on music and TV news. She is from Ocean, New Jersey, and is interested in singing, food, music, and audio production. Follow her on Instagram @rachelfisherrr_
