Melissa Kacar

"stupid song" by Olivia Rodrigo  Trying to put the strong, all‑encompassing emotion of what it feels like to love so deeply into words is the pursuit of so many of the greatest artists' lives - especially one as emotive and diaristic as Olivia - but acknowledging that you could never fully articulate the extent of your love becomes, in itself, the truest expression of it. That's exactly what "stupid song" represents for me and is one of the many highlights off of her new album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love , so it was very difficult to choose just one to share here. This song is so addicting and moving, as she showcases her strength for songwriting and capturing a feeling that is complicated, yet so universal.  This is very well going to end up being my album of the year for 2026. I truly cannot foresee another record topping girl so in love -  and if something does manage to in the latter half of the year, then I can't even imagine how inc...

"the cure" by Olivia Rodrigo The second single off of Olivia 's you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is such a cathartic, existential, and melodramatic masterpiece - all of which are traits that have continually made up so much of her best work to date. If the lead single "drop dead" is the embodiment of the girl so in love portion of the album title, then "the cure" in turn feels like the representation of the you seem pretty sad aspect of the time in her life that inspired her to write this. Coming in at the midpoint of the album's tracklist, it's definitely going to serve as a crucial transition piece for the album's overarching narrative. The build‑up to the bridge and the explosive final chorus is absolutely incredible and feels so powerful with every single listen. It's genuinely one of the best songs Olivia has ever written, and also one of the greatest pop songs of recent memory, which is not an overstatement in the slig...

BRAT is so fun, so introspective and so Julia . The release of  BRAT  marks a bold new chapter in Charli xcx 's career that has been incredible to witness. She has been a pop music innovator from the very start, always so ahead of her time in every regard. It feels like this is now the time everyone is finally catching up to her and recognizing the artistic genius that she is on a mainstream level. Charli is taking such a different approach to this music compared to many of her peers in the space by releasing a record that is this bold, daring, and abrasive. All of the major risks she took paid off so well, resulting in what is the greatest work she has ever released. This truly feels like the album she was born to make, coming at the perfect time to truly infiltrate the culture in a major way.  The act of being BRAT , to me, is being unabashedly confident in yourself and your vision, but also simultaneously living alongside a lot of deep fears and insecurities. She ...