Singles Roundup: Week of April 19
VÉRITÉ – “By Now”
“By Now,” the latest single from singer-songwriter VÉRITÉ, is a masterclass in intricate song-making. VÉRITÉ makes a weirdly structured song that works perfectly.
The melody in this song is top notch. There are four verses, and the melody is so addictive; VÉRITÉ’s vocals sound incredible. The lyrics in these verses are also very catchy, and the way she enunciates her words is unique.
VÉRITÉ’s voice is very powerful and shines throughout the song. Because the chorus is very short and the structure of this song is quite interesting, her vocals are the only constant. Ultimately, it’s the real star of the song.
The bridge of “By Now” is also fantastic. It is a nice transition from the rest of the piece. The instrumentation in the bridge is quite extraordinary and it blends really well with VÉRITÉ’s angelic vocals.
This is a super addictive song that has a high replay value. The melody of “By Now” is one of the best of the year; it is simple yet effective. VÉRITÉ sounds spectacular on this track over the ever-changing instrumentation. —Jack Freiser
Young Thug and Gunna – “Ski”
“Ski” is the second single from “Slime Language 2,” the first collaboration tape between Young Thug and Gunna. The trap song comes just in time for the summer, as it is perfect for.
The song was produced by Lil Justin, Outtatown and Wheezy, and it features a simple but appealing horn-stab melody. Synths kick in both Thug and Gunna verses, giving the track a little more variety. The hard 808 and drums help give the track some bounce and make it all more enjoyable.
Both artists do their thing lyrically, especially Thug, who is a seasoned trap veteran. His chorus, however, leaves a little to be desired. He sings “Yeah, yeah (Woo) / Yeah, yeah (Ski) / Yeah, yeah (Ski) / Yeah, yeah (Let’s go).” Regardless, it is still so much fun.
“Ski” is one of the many appealing tracks on the new record and is just another great collaboration between Young Thug and protégé Gunna. —Caelan Chevrier
“Sabotage” – Bebe Rexha
Bebe Rexha’s latest single “Sabotage” is heartfelt and reveals her true passion for the art of singing.
The nearly three-minute song can be emotional but has beautiful lyrics to make for a catchy and amazing tune to listen to. With this single, listeners can reminisce to the thoughts of a dance competition with a lyrical soloist performing to this song on stage. These are the types of songs that dancers would perform to, giving “Sabotage” a personal connection and relatable vibe.
“Sabotage” goes back and forth between its verses and slower- and faster-paced melodies. This helps the audience relate to what Rexha is singing about and creates a balance in the song. Rexha was extremely excited to release this third single off of her upcoming album “Better Mistakes.”
The song goes deep into Rexha’s life, how she feels about herself, and the way she treats others. She believes she messes things up but wishes she could just make herself happy within. Her lyrics express her feelings of ruining the good things and the blame she puts on herself. This song is very meaningful and can connect to audiences of many different age groups.
A unique and slower-paced tune, “Sabotage” by Bebe Rexha is a goodie and was a job well done. It will certainly be on the radio soon. —Olivia Manfredo
Rina Sawayama and Elton John – “Chosen Family”
Rina Sawayama has been getting some attention for trying to protest against the Brit Awards for not considering her debut album eligible because of her dual citizenship in the U.K.
Sir Elton John also has been very supportive of Sawayama and his love for her album, even calling it his “favorite album of the year.” Now the two have collaborated on a song together.
“Chosen Family” is a single on “SAWAYAMA,” and the lyrics are all about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Considering both Sawayma and John’s queer identity, this is the perfect song to do a remix of.
Sawayama and John both trade emotional vocals before Sawayama belts out a Lady Gaga-esque high note at the bridge, and instead of the electric guitar solo on the original release, it’s substituted with John’s signature piano playing in the background.
“Chosen Family” sends an important and emotional message of uniting despite our differences that anyone can relate to, and having one of the biggest artists in the world singing together with a newcomer, both contributors identifying as queer, on one song makes it even more meaningful. —Jimmy Lu
Olivia Manfredo is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email onm5039@psu.edu.
Jack Freiser is a freshman majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.
Caelan Chevrier is a freshman majoring in journalism. To contact him, email cjc6789@psu.edu.
Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu is a senior majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jfl5603@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu
Senior / Telecommunications
Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu is a senior from Taiwan majoring in telecommunications at Penn State. He is a contributing writer for the CommRadio arts & entertainment department. If you’d like to contact him, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Caelan Chevrier
Third Year / Marketing & Journalism
Caelan Chevrier is a third-year student in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University studying marketing and broadcast journalism with the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in four years. His career goal is to spread informative, meaningful, and entertaining content across various platforms and to be a positive impact on the community. He has also spent time working at WWE in the communications department and writing for The Westport Local Press in his hometown of Westport, CT. If you’d like to contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Jack Freiser
Third-Year / Telecommunications
Jack Freiser is a third-year student in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University studying telecommunications. He is very passionate about both music and film. He aspires to impact the music business as a successful A+R by signing artists who will be culturally relevant and will leave an impact on the world, and through keeping a strong relationship with the artist and their team. Email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Olivia Manfredo
Sophomore /
Olivia Manfredo is currently a second year student at Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of
Communications with a major in Broadcast Journalism and minor in Sports Studies.
Olivia is gaining exceptional knowledge in the field of communications, sports media and the broadcasting fields in and out of the classroom. She had been part of the Broadcast Experience course from Fall 2018- Spring 2020, where it was her job to report the daily news and announcements as well as provide sports scores and updates at Passaic Valley Regional High School. Olivia also served as a journalist for her high school news paper, “The Valley Echo” which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Presently, Olivia is involved in multiple clubs at Penn State. She is a producer for CommRadio, All Women In Sports Media and a THON OPPerations Committee member as well as the Family Relations Liaison.
She was also selected to be a part of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism certificate and is currently working with Penn State Athletics Marketing and Promotions as a Game Day intern.
