It's Tuesday! Time for another round of "5 Must-Hear Pop Songs of the Week"!
This week's roundup sees new releases from two "Idol" alums (one from America, one from Norway!), some big-mouthed irreverence from a promising, punky up-and-comer, a good ol' club cut from a dance floor favorite, and a celebration of a disco diva's surprising new management deal.
1.) Alex Gaudino featuring Jordin Sparks, "Is This Love"
While we're all eagerly kneading our hands and listening to "Battlefield" on repeat while waiting for Jordin Sparks to release her third studio album, the "American Idol" winner has decided to put her powerhouse pipes to work on Italian DJ Alex Gaudino's upcoming album, Doctor Love, out in March. "Is This Love" is a surging, euphoric bout of sizzling House beats and swoon-filled vocals: "Is this love?/ What I been waiting for," the songstress merrily cries above the pulsating chorus. It's a lovey-dovey dance anthem that ought to top the charts -- not to mention a perfectly timed love letter for her BF Jason Derulo this Valentine's Day.
+ LISTEN TO ALEX GAUDINO FEATURING JORDIN SPARKS, "IS THIS LOVE"
Listen to more Must-Hear Pop Songs after the jump!
2.) Conway, "Big Talk"
Conway might be new to the mainstream pop scene, but she's already got a bone to pick on her debut track, "Big Talk." "Funny how words never do mean s*** unless your name is in front of it/ Try to play a grow up, but we're really just kids," the singer taunts above an infectious stomp and whirling synthesizers. Equipped with a brash, ballsy attitude, the former punk rocker falls somewhere in between the raucous 'tude of Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and bad girl alt-pop irreverence of a Sky Ferreira. It's all very promising and very rebellious -- watch for her debut EP to drop in May.
+ LISTEN TO CONWAY, "BIG TALK"
3.) Margaret Berger, "I Feed You My Love"
"Norwegian Idol"-turned-electro-pop superstar Margaret Berger has been in the industry for nearly a decade now, releasing two brilliant albums, including 2006's amazingly titled Pretty Scary Silver Fairy. Now, she's back after an all-too-long extended hiatus, officially repping her homeland in 2013's Eurovision. (For those who don't know, that's sort of like "American Idol," but for all of Europe, basically.) "I Feed You My Love" is a lot angrier and rockier than the stuff she's known for, channeling the dramatic delivery of t.A.T.u.: "You put a knife against my back/ And you dare me to face the attack," she croons above the gritty synthesizers. This silver fairy just got a little scarier.
+ LISTEN TO MARGARET BERGER, "I FEED YOU MY LOVE"
4.) Erika Jayne featuring Flo Rida, "Get It Tonight"
Dance floor vixen Erika Jayne is nothing, if not reliable. The six-time No. 1 Billboard Dance Chart topper returns to us in 2013 with a brand-new club cut, featuring an assist from the professional whistle-blowing instructor himself, Flo Rida. Sure, the beats could double as a "Just Dance" regurgitation in 2013, and the lyrics aren't exactly being confused for Patti Smith ("Hey Mr. Sexy, standing over six feet/ Boy, you look good...we can get it tonight!"), but who can resist a little trash-pop fun?
+ LISTEN TO ERIKA JAYNE FEATURING FLO RIDA, "GET IT TONIGHT"
5.) Kylie Minogue, "Red Blooded Woman"
Nope, not a new song: Just a celebration. Last week, Kylie Minogue pulled a fast one on the pop world and announced that she's signed with Roc Nation for management in 2013. While her glittery brand of disco pop, half-naked men, and feathery boas don't exactly scream Jay-Z, we're thrilled to see the more hip-hop-inspired Kylie reemerge after a near decade of dormancy. Her 2003 studio album, Body Language, saw the disco diva fully getting into the R&B groove. "Red Blooded Woman" is just one of the more urban-inspired cuts from the record -- a sassy slice of lustful come-ons. Read her body language!
+ LISTEN TO KYLIE MINOGUE, "RED BLOODED WOMAN"
Bradley Stern is a writer from Connecticut. In his spare time, he enjoys organizing his Britney Spears CD collection in reverse chronological order and writing impassioned letters to Congress urging that Madonnalogy be taught in all public schools. But most of all, he spends his time tweeting musing daily about pop music on his blog, MuuMuse.
Photo credit: Getty Images/ Conway/ @Margaret Berger
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