SoniaLoxo, “fyp”
Local SonioLoxo’s first single of the year is a slight departure from her clutch of pop singles from the past few years, mostly by way of its utterly chill vibe. While she dabbled in dance tracks like 2020’s “Belladonna,'' and soft breakup songs like 2019’s “Not Over You,” “fyp” combines both contemporary pop motifs (warped synth vocals make up part of the beat, a few light-handed “skrrt, skrrt”’s punctuate the song), while also recalling nostalgic pop R&B. Think early millennium artists like Cassie, underrated steward of minimalist classics like “Me & U.” SoniaLoxo has a similar understated sensuality in all her songs, but “fyp” channels it the strongest. And though these days “fyp” is often understood to reference TikTok’s “For You Page,” it can also mean “for your pleasure,” which is probably more the meaning here, since SonioLoxo spends the song expressing the “up all night” fantasies that are on her mind. Released March 19, it’s available for streaming on Spotify. Follow her for more songs and updates on Instagram at @sonia_loxo.

Rachael Jenkins, “untitled”
While it was one of Rachael Jenkins’ many short, random videos of her singing covers and half-written originals that made me start following her, she’s only just released her first full song, titled “untitled.” Following in the footsteps of artists like Phoebe Bridgers, her three-minutes and 45 seconds-long song feels like a much longer journey, thanks to meandering acoustics that are spare yet powerful, and lyrics that paint a beguiling image. She sings that “it’s a tradition in my house / to bring a boy over unannounced / on a mission / for a spouse / don’t smile too big or he’ll ask for your hand.” But what’s just as compelling as Jenkins’ narrative skills is her voice, which is delicate yet serious, beautiful and grippingly emotive; it’s why I started following her to begin with. Her work also recalls that of artists like Skullcrusher—a fellow singer-songwriter who specializes in delicacy, came out of nowhere fully-formed last summer and is now an indie staple. Here’s to hoping not only for more releases from Rachael Jenkins very soon, but also that she gets the “rising star” status she deserves. Stream “untitled" on Spotify, and follow her on Instagram at @rachiichachii.