today’s pop picks cover a lot of emotional and geographic ground: a melbourne artist turning grief into a haunting power pop tribute, a texas songwriter skewering small-town hypocrisy with real wit, an australian bedroom artist reclaiming self-love as a subject worth taking seriously, and a german-nigerian duo fusing salsa with afrobeats. four tracks, four distinct worlds.
angel in heaven – cenzina
cenzina turns grief into a genuinely moving power pop tribute with angel in heaven
angel in heaven is a haunting power pop ballad written for cenzina’s longtime neighbour and close family friend, someone she describes as a second mother, who passed away earlier this year. she wrote the lyrics before the chords, an process that gives the song a real sense of urgency and directness. and michael zammit’s string arrangement adds a genuinely sophisticated emotional lift on top. it’s a properly moving tribute, heartfelt without ever tipping into melodrama.
cenzina is a melbourne, australia based euro pop and dance artist who’s been releasing music since 2015, playing community festivals and open mics around the city along with radio airplay across the uk, us and europe. angel in heaven is her most significant work yet, already picking up airplay on the uk’s deal radio. we’re not surprised, it’s clearly a real creative step forward for her. a great single.
thank u for making this cenzina 👼
jesus, tequila & whiskey – celeste marie wilson
celeste marie wilson skewers small-town hypocrisy with genuinely sharp, rock storytelling
jesus, tequila & whiskey is a witty, southern-fried takedown of small-town contradictions, the saturday-night sinners who show up sunday morning acting like nothing happened. it’s a modern harper valley pta, and wilson’s storytelling is sharp enough to sting without ever losing its affection for the community it’s about. the accompanying music video, ending on a half-hearted confession booth apology, nails the joke perfectly. it’s a genuinely clever, well-observed single.
celeste marie wilson is a texas based singer-songwriter blending southern rock, pop and jazz into her own genre-blended sound, powered by commanding, powerhouse vocals. she recently placed third overall at the texas state songwriters championship, also winning most soulful sound and most original style. with an ep and more singles on the way, her rise feels well underway. keep it up, celeste.
thank u for making this celeste marie wilson 🤠
essensual – juman
juman reclaims self-love as a genuinely powerful subject with essensual
essensual plays on the words sensual and essential, and uses that wordplay to explore self-love as one of the most powerful things a person can offer themselves, stripped of any sexual connotation. it’s fully self-produced and mixed, and marks juman’s first time recording vocals outside her own bedroom setup, a genuinely vulnerable step for someone this hands-on with her process. it plays like both a prayer and a manifesto. it’s a genuinely thoughtful, intimate listen.
juman is a mullumbimby, australia based independent artist who handles her own songwriting, production and mixing from a bedroom turned creative sanctuary. she recently supported australian indigenous artist adrian eagle in byron bay, a real step up in visibility for her. that kind of hands-on control is rare, and it shows in how personal this one feels.
thank u for making this juman 🕯️
adriana mamacita – l-zone
l-zone fuses salsa and afrobeats into a genuinely infectious summer jam with adriana mamacita
adriana mamacita blends salsa rhythms with afrobeats grooves in a combination that genuinely feels like nobody else is doing quite the same thing right now. recorded between germany and lagos, it’s got real high-class vocal artistry running through it, backed by european production polish. with radio, club and amapiano mixes all in the mix, it’s clearly built for maximum reach. it’s a genuinely fun, danceable single.
l-zone are a frankfurt am main based duo, michael adeyemi (easy cutx) and paul onwunachi (m piece), bridging their lagos roots with european production sensibilities. adriana mamacita follows their comeback single, back to you, and continues building momentum after a run of frankfurt shows this summer. their own team is calling it a top hit for summer, and it’s hard to disagree.
thank u for making this l-zone 🌴
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