(Originally published on angelamclean.ca)
Message to Mother Nature: It’s OK, you can stop withholding the summer weather from us! She’s come out a few times, we loved her and we’re ready to embrace and love her. Not to mention that I need the weather to match my summer-ready playlist ☼
Whatever the weather where you are, this playlist is filled with upbeat songs and good vibes you can enjoy night and day. My hot tip: Listen to it the whole way through! I worked extra hard this month to make sure every song flows into the next to the point where I can’t stop listening to it myself, so hit play and enjoy the next 105 minutes.
Scroll down to check out June’s ‘finds & faves’ playlist and some of my top tracks.
Find: “Body” – Sinead Harnett
I’ve been following British artist Sinead Harnett for a few years and have been waiting for her to blow up internationally. Her latest release “Body” may just be the song to solidify her star power. It’s a sensual and sexy track that highlights Sinead’s stunning vocals and has been gaining momentum online with over one million Spotify plays to date. If you like this song, I highly recommend checking out the rest of her discography, especially “Unconditional.”
Fave: “Baby, You Make Me Crazy” – Sam Smith
When I first heard Sam Smith’s ‘The Thrill of It All,’ I was on a streetcar with about 30 other fans, all of us listening through headphones – a very unique experience hosted by Umusic and the TTC. But I distinctly remember listening to this song, in the colder months, awkwardly swaying back and forth, KNOWING this would be a perfect summer single. Here we are, in June, just following the official start of summer, and “Baby, You Make Me Crazy” is Sam’s new single. Can’t say I didn’t call it! Check out the acoustic version in the video above – it gives the song such an intimate touch that I love.
Find: “the light is coming” – Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj
At some point in recent history, pop songstress Ariana Grande made a smooth transition from mainstream hitmaker to dance-pop mastermind and I’m here for it. This is Ari’s second collaboration with Nicki Minaj released this month following Nicki’s single “Bed,” which I personally think is the superior song all factors considered. That said, there’s something irresistible about “the light is coming” and I know it will be my go-to summer dance song.
Fave: “Cold Blood” – Bruno Major
I recently had a conversation with a friend where we talked about going to shows for artists where you know maybe one or two songs, but those one or two are so good that you just can’t give up the opportunity to see them live. Similarly, I’ve bought last-minute tickets to shows because of strong word of mouth for the artist, despite never having heard a song in my life (oops). I’ve had some of the best experiences in those situations, and seeing Bruno Major at the start of the month here in Toronto was one of the BEST. Going in, I really only knew of him as Sam Smith’s opener in the U.K. and, luckily, anyone who gets Sam’s seal of approval automatically gets mine too. As I quickly realized, Bruno has a voice like no other and is one of the sweetest people. Check out one of my other fave songs, “The First Thing You See,” further down in the playlist.
Find: “Growing Pains” – Alessia Cara
Though she hasn’t left the radio thanks to her empowering 2017 single “Scars to Your Beautiful,” lyrical genius Alessia Cara is BACK with another honest, reflective and smash pop hit in “Growing Pains.” In the song, Alessia talks about navigating through sudden stardom while trying to stay grounded, humble and, most importantly, herself, all while growing up in the spotlight. By the looks of it, she’s doing a great job and I can’t wait to hear more of her growth on her sophomore album, ‘The Pains of Growing,’ when it drops in September.
Fave: “Superstar” (Cosmo’s Midnight x Lido Remix) – AlunaGeorge
I loved this song when it came out in 2013, but just recently discovered this groovy remix. The first thought that came to my mind when I heard it was, OMG, wouldn’t this sound awesome on a plane or in a travel video? (More of those coming soon!) It’s so good!
What’s on your playlist this month? Share it with me in the comments below or over on Twitter @angelamcleanx. Let’s work together on my July playlist!
(Playlist Cover: Angela McLean)
