Singles Round Up: Jan. 9
Singles Round Up – The Arts and Entertainment Department takes a look at some of the recently released singles from the past week.
“PRESSURE” - AViVA
Australian electro-pop singer and songwriter AViVA released her second single “PRESSURE” since the release of her third album in anticipation of her upcoming one.
She has a similar sound to artists like Ellie Goulding and Zara Larson and is a young adult novelist on top of writing music who released her first novel of a series in 2021.
AViVA uses a subtle voice effect for most of the song with one unedited spoken line and others pitched in various higher and lower tones, which adds variety to the track.
The minimal lyrics and repeated phrases pair well with the electronic synths and catchy beat which really brings this song to life.
The lyrics are pretty straightforward, as AViVA delves into the stress and perseverance that comes with being under pressure. This theme is on brand for her “outsider’s perspective” that she has stated her music is about. - Rachel Fisher
“Where do we go now?” - Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams has an undeniably beautiful voice, and each new release of hers reminds listeners of that.
Abrams is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter and the daughter of famous director J.J. Abrams and producer and actress Katie McGrath. She has released two EP’s, one in 2020 and one in 2021, and “Where do we go now?” is the first single from her upcoming debut album, “Good Riddance.”
She is also set to open on a portion of Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which has already gained her a lot of publicity and fans.
This song is about losing feelings for someone and not knowing what to do about it. The chorus consisting only of the repetition of the title is a haunting echo that illustrates that the singer feels helpless and doesn’t know what to do about the situation.
Abrams’ upcoming album is produced and co-written by Aaron Dessner of The National and will be released on February 24, 2023. – Izzy Charboneau
“I Wanna Dance With You” - Royel Otis
Australian band Royel Otis, known for their 2022 single “Oysters in My Pocket,” dropped another alternative-pop track this past Thursday titled “I Wanna Dance With You.”
The song’s quick tempo is introduced by snappy snare taps met by guitar chords remnant of The Smiths mixed with yacht rock.
A short intermission is taken from the driving beat about a minute and a half in, allowing a slower piano tune to take the driver’s seat before returning to the chorus.
Muffled vocals with a slight background echo effect complement the softer side of the lyrics, asking a significant other to join them in a dance.
Though not lyrically intense, “I Wanna Dance With You” falls into the “timeless love song” category that can be enjoyed by couples of all ages.
With an anticipated EP on the way and the well-roundedness of “I Wanna Dance With You,” hopefully Royel Otis continues to prove themselves worthy of their newfound praise. - Megan Kelby
“Oceans Niagara” - M83
On January 10th, M83 released the first single off of their brand new album, “Fantasy.” It's the first one being released since 2019. This will be their 15th album after their formation in 2001.
“Oceans Niagara” is very heavily reliant on the production, as there are legitimately six words sung in it. Specifically, “Beyond adventure.”
Adventure seems to be a present subject on M83’s social media, with frontman Anthony Gonzalez putting it both in the Instagram bio and some of the captions. He seems to be ready to start this new journey and era.
It has the same synthesizer components that all of their music has, but the best part of it was the dreamy guitar and bass-filled drum elements. It's very otherworldly, which is a common theme in M83’s discography.
“Fantasy” is set to be released on March 17 and will be followed by a tour starting in April. This will be the first live show since 2017. - Chloe Rey
Rachel Fisher is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email rlf5481@psu.edu
Izzy Charboneau is a second-year student majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email ijc5186@psu.edu.
Megan Kelby is a third-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email mkk5701@psu.edu.
Chloe Rey is a first-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact her, email ckr5449@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).
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_
Isabelle Charboneau
/ Journalism
Izzy Charboneau is a second-year student majoring in digital and print journalism. She is from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Izzy is in the news department and the arts and entertainment department of CommRadio. In the arts and entertainment department, she contributes to many listicles, writes reviews, participates in talk shows, and co-hosts a podcast. In the news department, she is on a weekly newscast and writes news stories. To contact her, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Chloe Rey
/
Chloe Rey is a first-year majoring in telecommunications. This is her first semester in CommRadio in the Arts and Entertainment department. Other than CommRadio, she is a member of Penn State’s Student Programming Association. To contact her, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
