VIDEO PREMIERE!: rita ora - i will never let you down

rita ora - i will never let you down
produced by alleged boyfriend calvin harris (what a hot coupling!), this is a perfect pre-summer happy jam that brings the best smile in pop back into the charts. can you tell she's my girl crush of the season!

LIVE PERFORMANCES: sam smith - stay with me / lay me down (live @ snl)

so sam went on snl last night and you could just feel much of mainstream america collectively discover him for the first time. it was pretty electrifying. sadly this also means that our boy sam is no longer our little secret as he breaks into the mass. bless.


sam smith - stay with me / lay me down (live @ snl)

WONGIE FOLK SONG OF THE WEEK: john smith - there is a stone

john smith - there is a stone
uk folk troubadour john smith offers up yet another gentle number from his wonderful 'great lakes' album. a long live favorite, it's nice to see an official video for the fans... just beautiful.

check out john smith perform this song live (and listen to his amazing guitar playing!)

john smith - there is a stone (live @ the crypt sessions)

WONGIE INDIE SOUL SONG OF THE WEEK: meg mac - every lie

meg mac - every lie
oh the vocal control of this melbourne singer/songwriter! not only is this one of the coolest soul songs i've heard in awhile, but it's actually megan mcinerney's 2nd ever single! definitely an exciting new voice that i'll be keeping an eye out on.

WONGIE INDIE FOLK SONG OF THE WEEK: birdy - words as weapons

birdy - words as weapons
yeah... this ryan tedder produced number is pretty darn good! throw in the haunting video where birdy gets all angry ghost and you've got a strong new single that deserves multiple listens!

NEW FRIDAYS: rixton - me and my broken heart

rixton - me and my broken heart
uk boyband rixton are coaxing the screams of teen gals all over the world now that they've signed with super manager scooter braun (ariana grande, justin bieber). it also helps that they have a highly catchy (yet very maroon 5 sounding) single geared for perfect world domination. you have been warned...

NEW FRIDAYS: annie drury - some day

annie drury - some day
nothing like discovering some sweet music from an up and coming UK singer songwriter for your friday. based in yorkshire, annie drury is getting some love over at bbc radio 2 these days. it's a gentle tune, perfect to kick start your weekend.

VIDEO PREMIERE: ellie goulding - beating heart (divergent OST)

ellie goulding - beating heart (divergent OST)
with the YA film adaptation of 'divergent' currently holding it's #1 spot on the box office, there's alot of pressure for everything around the film to also succeed. so it's really nice that they've chosen our gal ellie to jump start the soundtrack (she also has two more songs on it!) though the lyrics are ahem... a bit schoolgirl... the song is a fine epic-lite number that will appease the fans or both the book and ellie.

VIDEO PREMIERE!: sam smith - stay with me

sam smith - stay with me
as he's touring the east coast of the US and scheduled for a massive performance on SNL this weekend, our vulnerable 'lonely' boy sam smith releases his next single and it's a heartfelt power balled (chok with full choir) for the season. girls and gays, you have your next midnight ballad to swoon to!

WONGIE GARAGE SONG OF THE WEEK: shift k3y - touch

shift k3y - touch
damn! this old skool garage soul number is HOT! lewis jankel (aka shift k3y) gained recognition the past year as a remixer and dj, but this track is definitely going to propel him into high chart territory. it's on serious repeat and should be your fave song of the day too!

NEW 2ne1!: 2ne1 - come back home

2ne1 - come back home
currently sitting atop the kpop charts at #1, this reggae influenced pop number does what 2ne1 does best, which is swerve into other genres at the drop of a hat (check out the hip hop dubstep breakdown midway through the song). the song is so weird that its hot!!

want more? check out the more conventional poppy "happy" that's being released as come back home's b-side:

2ne1 - happy

NEW GORGON CITY!: gorgon city feat liv - no more

gorgon city feat liv - no more
the ever classy gorgon city duo offer up this lovely house tune (with the heartbreakingly catchy chorus) for the season as they head over to miami for the annual massive dance winter music conference. i'm sure this number will go down huge! just awesome!

WONGIE DRUM N BASS SONG OF THE WEEK: sigma feat kanye west & charlie wilson - nobody to love

sigma feat kanye west & charlie wilson - nobody to love
sampling the piano riff of kanye's 'bound 2' and charlie wilson's catchy vocal hook, this bootleg got so popular that dj/producers sigma had to officially release the song. who knew that a dnb track could be an epic summery anthem? bring on the sun!

VIDEO PREMIERE: shakira - empire

shakira - empire
shakira's most alt-rock track to date, it's actually a joy to see the most liked artist on facebook (86 mil!) continually try new things to entertain both herself and her fans. great song.

WONGIE HOUSE SONG OF THE WEEK: dansson & marlon hoffstadt - shake that

dansson & marlon hoffstadt - shake that
HUGELY popular last summer in ibiza, this nate dogg sampled jam proves that a great song continues to play well almost a year after it's initial popularity. it's friggin groovy as all heck and i've already played the song 3 times while writing this post. awesome!

WONGIE INDIE DANCE SONG OF THE DAY: tove lo feat hippie sabotage - stay high (habits remix) / habits

tove lo feat hippie sabotage - stay high (habits remix)
what happened when producers hippie sabotage remixed swedish indie pop singer tove lo's new single 'habits'? well ellie goulding fell in love with the single and recommended it to her legions of fans, making it an instant viral hit that has only gained more momentum with each play. with it's hip hop groove and catchy chorus, this hot remix definitely sets up tove lo for international recognition. i think it's my new jam of the day!

wanna hear the original version? check out tove lo's MUCH poppier, but just as wonderful single "habits" below:

tove lo - habits

INDIE POP GAL: allie x - prime / catch

allie x - prime
channeling some serious marina and the diamonds  with her latest release (but with some seriously beautiful arty visuals supporting her), torontonian pop songwriter allie x (she's playing the anonymous real name card) is getting serious blog loving these days. it helps that both her current singles are collaborations with cirkut and billboard (they are regular contributors to the dr luke hitmaking factory) and luckily, they speak for themselves. new pop wunderkind for 2014... we shall see!

wanna hear more? check out the pop electro ballad 'catch' which had katy perry buzzing on twitter a few weeks back:

allie x - catch

WONGIE INDIE POP SONG(s) OF THE WEEK: broods - bridges / never gonna change

broods - bridges


broods - never gonna change
[UPDATED WITH TWO NEW VIDEOS!] new zealand is churning out some serious pop bands with indie leanings these days! brother and sister duo caleb and georgia nott (aka broods) gained some serious blog buzz the past few months and got signed to a worldwide deal on the basis of this particular song. with an EP of gems ready for you to listen. check out these two new videos that give you an idea of the exciting year they'll be offering up!

WONGIE SOUL POP SONG OF THE WEEK: tinashe feat schoolboy q - 2 on (video premiere)

tinashe feat schoolboy q - 2 on
[UPDATED WITH VIDEO PREMIERE]
nothing like a chilled soul voice over a sexy groove (and hopefully some slick choreography) to make me take notice. besides being the new gal on the block, tinashe also has a day job as an actress (two and half men), which probably explains why she's so confident on the dancefloor. she's on our radar watch.

VIDEO PREMIERE: lady gaga - g.u.y.

lady gaga - g.u.y.
it's almost 12 mins (though the last 4 mins are just credits), features snippets of 3 other songs, guest stars some real housewives of beverly hills and sees director lady gaga channelling some serious donatella versace (gaga is her muse) from beginning to end. it's all very OTT and beautiful to look at... but the song (like everything on the album) i've heard a few times and i still can't hum it back.

VIDEO PREMIERE: justin timberlake - not a bad thing

justin timberlake - not a bad thing
using the documentary style format for the video, it's kind of weird to me that the 'storyline' is more important than the song itself. just saying... maybe the reveal is a performance piece of the song?

WONGIE HIP HOP SONG OF THE WEEK: le1f - boom

le1f - boom
after his awesome national debut on david letterman last week, harlem rapper le1f continues his streak with a brand spanking new single that's all sorts of hawt. easily my quirky jam of the week!

WONGIE NSFW VIDEO OF THE WEEK: dj snake & lil jon - turn down for what

dj snake & lil jon - turn down for what
the song is massive on the dancefloor, but this video by daniels (aka daniel kwan and daniel scheinert) is CRAY-ZEE! i would like to never see thrusts and twerks like this again thank you!

WONGIE FUTURE SOUL SONG OF THE WEEK: kwabs - pray for love

kwabs - pray for love
produced by plan b (where is he these days?), this is a dramatic sparse number that pushes kwabena's strong vocals front and center. definitely an artist already making 2014 a good music year.

(NAUGHTY) VIDEO PREMIERE!: kylie minogue - sexercize

kylie minogue - sexercize
um... i'm not usually a prude, but am i the only person a tad uncomfortable watching this video? i'll never look at an exercise ball the same way again.

VIDEO PREMIERE!: neneh cherry feat robyn - out of the black

neneh cherry feat robyn - out of the black
as much as i LOVE both these women, i have to say that their collaboration kind of leaves me lukewarm. i understand that her experimental new album 'blank project' is looking to deconstruct the formats of dance and pop, but in the case of this song, all i hear is dissonance and post dance free style. maybe it's just too ahead of it's time for my ears... still love these two women though!

WONGIE SONG OF THE WEEK: tUne-yArDs - water fountain

tUne-yArDs - water fountain
instantly amazing with its percussive celebration, it's only upon a second listen that you realize that the lyrics are actually quite dark and serious. kudos to merrill garbus for crafting this genius tune for your tuesday!

FOLK TUESDAYS: jeremy messersmith - ghost

jeremy messersmith - ghost
after being loved in the minneapolis music scene for many years, singer songwriter jeremy messersmith is gearing up for bigger exposure now that he's signed with the influential glassnote records (home of mumford & sons and phoenix). his latest single is a sweet folk pop number that's already garnered him a 'one to watch' title from a few publications (notably time magazine). time to get acquainted with this gentle talent.

FOLK TUESDAYS: luke sital-singh - greatest lovers / fail for you

luke sital-singh - greatest lovers
with 3 wonderful EP's in, singer songwriter luke sital-singh has released his most commercial sweeping single to date! though i've been listening to his gentle catchy songs on my spotify mix for the past year, i JUST realized that this would be my first posting about the talented UK lad and it's almost like i wanted to keep him as my own little secret. well secret no more... go and spread the love of this wonderful voice cause he deserves all your attention!

wanna hear the song that started it all off for me? check out the gorgeous "fail for you" below!:

luke sital-singh - fail for you

FOLK TUESDAYS: nick mulvey - cucurucu

nick mulvey - cucurucu
when you listen to singer songwriter nick mulvey's music, there is a lovely world music agenda underlying his sound as he was educated in cuban and african cultures during his uni days. after leaving the mercury nominated band portico quartet to follow solo interests, nick's current folksy single "cucurucu" definitely has people buzzing about him. throw in a beautiful indonesian shot video and we've got a bit of an indie hit here.

FOLK TUESDAYS: dustin tebbutt - the breach / bones

dustin tebbutt - the breach
leaving his australian roots to find life in the wintry climes of sweden, singer songwriter dustin tebbutt has crafted a folksy sound that is at once lonely and yearning. comparisons to bon iver and jose gonzales non-withstanding, it's still a gentle release that deserves multiple listens. i'm a new fan.

wanna hear more? check out his latest single 'bones' below:

dustin tebbutt - bones

VIDEO PREMIERE!: zedd feat matthew koma & miriam bryant - find you

zedd feat matthew koma & miriam bryant - find you
a perfectly pleasant edm pop future hit, but i'm slowly figuring out that the key to crafting these songs is to actually write catchy soundtrack ballads then pile up the beats afterwards. bam! edm pop hit for the masses!

POP GALS: neon jungle - welcome to the jungle

neon jungle - welcome to the jungle
though i've been a fan of neon jungle's previous edm heavy pop tunes, i'm a little bit confused about their latest single. sounding like 1000 ideas thrown together to make this song, it's almost like they gave everyone all the elements and want you to remix it instead. i'm on the fence on this.

WONGIE SONG OF THE MONTH: hozier - take me to church

hozier - take me to church
with an anti-homophobia video that's gone viral, irish singer songwriter andrew hozier byrne is definitely making his mark with this haunting spiritual single that bears repeating. just listening to him sing 'amen' over and over again is enough to bring instant goosebumps. amazing.

WEEKEND MIX: the chainsmokers - #selfie

the chainsmokers - #selfie
one of the most overused words of last year gets it's own cheesy edm anthem. already a viral hit (17 million on youtube yo!), the trick is to get radio and the clubs in on this to continue the mad love these past few weeks. #guiltypleasure

WEEKEND MIX: the vamps - last night

the vamps - last night
after claiming two top 5 hits in the UK, the vamps will continue their streak with this singalong pop jam that you'll be humming along to for months to come. on the verge of releasing in the US, there seems to be a wealth of material to choose from to break this country.

WEEKEND MIX: lily allen - our time

lily allen - our time
NO WAY would the whole evening of driving around 4 lily allens be 67 pounds! yet another sweet catchy gem from lily allen!

WEEKEND MIX: half moon run - the mother we share (chvrches cover) (live @ bbc radio 1 live lounge)

half moon run - the mother we share (chvrches cover) (live @ bbc radio 1 live lounge)
yeah this cover is really darn good! one of my fave songs of last year gets a folkie turn by the wonderful canadian indie band!

WEEKEND MIX: aloe blacc - the man

aloe blacc - the man
getting serious love with his male empowerment anthem, it's nice to see aloe find appreciation in his own right.

WONGIE INDIE SONG OF THE WEEK: vv brown feat kele okereke - faith

vv brown feat kele okereke - faith (video premiere)
re-recorded to add bloc party lead singer kele okereke vocals into the gorgeous hypnotic track, vv brown offers up her 3rd single from the haunting 'samson & delilah' album and it's kind of wonderful. there's something powerfully epic here even with the electronic dance undertones. just awesome!

BIG UP!: le1f - wut (live @ late show with david letterman)

le1f - wut (live @ late show with david letterman)
it was a BIG night for queer hip hop as le1f brought his two year old jam to the national arena. how cool is that?

NEW JENNIFER LOPEZ!: jennifer lopez feat french montana - i luh ya papi

jennifer lopez feat french montana - i luh ya papi
after releasing some serious duds over the past year, jlo gets it seriously right with her latest single. not only is the song catchy and perfectly breezy, but there seems to be a buoyancy in her step that we haven't seen in awhile. throw in the fact that the video is packed with gratuitous men and you've got something for everyone. nice one!

BIG UP!: calvin harris - summer

calvin harris - summer
like the rest of us, calvin harris is ready for the summer! after teasing the song on his instagram for the past few days, the dj finally released the full audio for his fans and well, you will be bopping along to it for the next few months.

5 SONGS YOU SHOULD KNOW NOW: dillon francis & dj snake - get low

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dillon francis & dj snake - get low
um... how can this bombastic basstastic bro-llaboration NOT be a massive hit? just turn it up and stank face for the next 3'33"!!

5 SONGS YOU SHOULD KNOW NOW: kiesza - hideaway

kiesza - hideaway
canadian electro house diva is in the house (well actually... street)! with her highly catchy single which references all the awesome 90's house tropes, kiesza actually broke her rib shooting this video and well... it still looks like a hoot to shoot. your jam of the week!

5 SONGS YOU SHOULD KNOW NOW: jungle - busy earnin'

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jungle - busy earnin'
known only as J and T, this soul funk duo have premiered their cool choreographed video (where they remain anonymous) and it's pretty darn awesome! feeling like this could be my mantra for the week.

5 SONGS YOU SHOULD KNOW NOW: jagwar ma - uncertainty

jagwar ma - uncertainty
THIS totally reminds me of my obsession for all things manchester back in the 90's! with its psychedelic dance vibe that hail from australia, these guys are single handedly bringing back my baggy pants/hoodie yoof obsession!

5 SONGS YOU SHOULD KNOW NOW: mutual benefit - advanced falconry

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mutual benefit - advanced falconry
what a gentle track from the boston collective (currently showcasing at sxsw all this week) fronted by singer/songwriter jordan lee. co-written with friends on a collaborative cross country recording session, this lush, yet mild, gem should be enough for you to check out their debut album 'love's crushing diamond' now. nice one this.

WONGIE HIP HOP POP SONG OF THE WEEK: iggy azalea feat charli xcx - fancy

iggy azalea feat charli xcx - fancy
aw yeah!! single #4 from iggy is not only a fun jam but pulls in the underrated charli xcx (who sure can write a pop hook) for some of the action. throw in the fact that the video is inspired by 'clueless' and we are in happy camper land!

WONGIE SONG OF THE WEEK: george ezra - cassy o'

george ezra - cassy o'
we swooned over george's other single budapest a few weeks back and now he's releasing an official song in the form of the more upbeat retro pop folk number 'cassy o'. it's an insta-catchy number that you'll be singing along to for days on end. already selling out his first ever headlining mini tour, i can't wait to check this guy out when he comes stateside!