
Listen to this: New singles from Meghan Trainor and Carly Rae Jepsen
By Nicholas Jennings
No artist likes to be tagged with “one-hit-wonder” status. It’s a pejorative that suggests their career will forever be reduced to a single song that topped the charts. This week sees the return of two singers who might have been cursed with that tag. Canada’s Carly Rae Jepsen became a sensation in 2012 for her song “Call Me Maybe,” which sold over 18 million copies worldwide and received a GRAMMY nomination for Song of the Year. America’s Meghan Trainor had a similar experience two years later, when her song “All About That Bass” sold 11 million copies internationally and was also nominated for GRAMMY’s Song of the Year (she won this year for Best New Artist). Fortunately for both Carly and Meghan, each has been able to follow up their ubiquitous songs with other hits. Two new singles show these singers are definitely moving forward.
Meghan Trainor: “No”
Meghan, who did women a favor with the positive body image
message of “All About That Bass,” offers the perfect brush-off to unwanted male
suitors with her latest single from her forthcoming second album
Thank You. “My name is No, my sign is
No, my number is No,” she sings on the empowerment dance-pop anthem. “You need
to let it go.”
Some critics are calling “No” the “big eff-you song,” while others are taking to Twitter with corny-but-positive one-liners.
After hearing the new @Meghan_Trainor single, the World's Cheesiest Music Critic says: "OMG, I'm saying YES to 'No'! @1079theend
— JasonWakeUpCall1079 (@JasonWakeUpCall) March 4, 2016
The Knocks: “Love Me Like That” featuring Carly Rae
Jepsen
New York electronic duo the Knocks rounded up some
powerhouse guests for their debut album,
55,
including Fugees founder Wyclef Jean, rapper Cam’Ron and Carly, who shines on
this pure pop, slightly-retro-sounding nugget. Full of love and longing, it's
sung with feathery vocals and shimmering accompaniment.
While the world awaits her next album and with Grease Live under her belt, Carly is keeping busy with her Gimme Love tour and can be heard singing the Full House theme “Everywhere You Look” on the revived Netflix reboot Fuller House. The "E•MO•TION"singer performed a stripped-down take on the theme during a recent On Air With Ryan Seacrest appearance.
Hello! music columnist Nicholas Jennings surveys the pop landscape each week to find the most dynamic tracks to add to your playlist.