After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book called Record Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.
Lauren Jauregui "Expectations"
The long awaited debut single from Fifth Harmony's latest solo spinoff is here, and Lauren Jauregui did not disappoint with this slinky, sexy single. Her voice sounds like the low growl of an angry woman, and it soars on the chorus. The whole second verse is a litany of things I've told every man I've dated. I hope this chorus is ironic, though, because who wishes they had no expectations of the person in the same fucking bed?
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Moda Spira "Bang"
Moda Spira isn't this artist's real name; rather, it is a Latin phrase that means "the continual act of breathing." That should give you a hint at the beautiful songwriting you're going to hear when you press play. Nashville singer-songwriter Latifah Alattas really blew me away with this sultry track that's part muse-of-David Lynch vibes and part primal wail. Rejection with a side of lounge music? Yes.
Sara Bareilles "Armor"
So you saw Sara Bareilles' name on this song and thought you had an idea of what it would sound like? Me too. We're both wrong. Bareilles sets this one in a minor key and turns in a track that sounds like Fiona Apple or Tori Amos more than her usual brand of sparkly, empowering pop. She tops it off with a scathing rebuke of toxic masculinity and glowing praise of the support systems of women.
Raveena "Temptation"
If you're looking for a little healing — something cooling that feels good and calms the soul — then look no further than Raveena and her "Temptation." The song encourages you to slip into a fantasy, with overtones of that French pop style that Julie Delpy used in Before Sunset filtered through an Indian dreamland of Raveena's home country. Go ahead, wander into the garden.
Ciara "Dose"
It's Friday afternoon as I write this, and my life needs a dose of Ciara. Let's celebrate how she makes every day a damn dance party. And let's celebrate that Ciara makes her directorial debut with this music video. This woman came to slay all day.