2019 was a hell of a year for Kim Petras

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2019 was a hell of a year for Kim Petras. Releasing her first full-length project, Clarity, via the rather unconventional strategy of sharing a new track every week, Kim went from opening for rising pop stars like Troye Sivan at the Greek Theater at the end of 2018, to headlining a set at the Shrine Auditorium herself just a year later. And despite the sh*t show that 2020 has turned out to be, with fear and anxiety mounting due to concerns about the pandemic, the 27-year-old pop star is more determined than ever to keep putting out music that’s a distraction and a relief from the worst parts of the outside world.  Releasing her latest, sunny single “Malibu” yesterday to kick off her next era, Petras is clearly entering a phase that will contain some of her most upbeat and brightest work yet. “I just hope it makes people forget about everything that's going on right now and just takes them into this little pop bubble,” she said of the track, when we spoke over the phone earlier this week. “I hope everybody's staying safe and sane, I just wish everybody all the best and I’m sending so much love.” "Malibu" is definitely a love letter of a song, featuring big, bombastic synths and a golden era pop aesthetic that evokes what Kim calls the "superstar-feeling pop" sound. It's imperial in tone, and breathless in feeling, and a complete 180 from the dark, trap-inflected pop she was leaning toward on Clarity. As the lead track off what will be her formal debut album, "Malibu" sets the bar high, and is the perfect escapist fantasy to lose track of reality inside. While observing the safer-at-home ordinances in LA as much as possible these past few weeks, I absolutely had to take my car for a quick spin around the block just to hear this in full cruise mode — it's a perfect soundtrack for that, and a reminder that a more light-hearted future exists out there, somewhere. Calling me from her own personal quarantine, Kim took the time to break down the timeline of the writing this song — it was actually one of the first tracks she wrote — and what to expect from her upcoming new era, along with how she's built her career as an independent artist running her own label.  — Caitlin White, Uproxx Pop Critic in conversation with Kim Petras about her new single “Malibu” and looming debut album. Read the Q&A here. NUMBER ONE STUNNERS DOJA CAT Given all the talented women there are in the music industry, ladies clinching the number one spot should be very common. But... it’s not. It’s a little outrageous when you really dig into it, but the fact remains that women grabbing the No. 1 spot on the chart is still rare enough to frequently be historic when it happens. For instance, did you know a Nicki Minaj song has never hit the top of the chart? She got her due this week, though, when the Minaj-featuring remix of Doja Cat’s hypnotizing hit “Say So” officially went No. 1. It’s the first entry in that coveted top spot for both of these women, and they both deserve all the props. LISTEN BUBBLING UNDER JAMIE WYATT Jaime Wyatt has a voice like whiskey, cigarettes, and the late, sparkling nights that go along with ‘em before it all goes to hell. Wyatt definitely has the kind of past that allows her to pen bonafide heartache honky-tonk tunes — drug addiction, a stint in jail, and other outlaw blues informed Wyatt’s 2017 debut, but they also paved the way for recovery and restitution on this year’s Neon Cross. Plenty of pop fans are more than happy to snap up a fantastic country crossover when it comes along, and Jaime’s new record is nothing short of a new classic. Produced by Shooter Jennings and spiked with a dollop of Tammy Wynette-style gender commentary, Neon Cross is the kind of album you’ll want to get up on before it becomes the de facto country record of the year. Look for it coming out at the end of May and check out “Just A Woman” right now. LISTEN REMEMBER WHEN HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANET JACKSON! Later this week, a music icon celebrates her 53rd trip around the sun and her third year of being a mom — yes that’d be Janet Jackson, queen of having a baby at the age of 50. Not only is she a mother, but Janet is one of the foremost pop stars of the last several decades, leaving her mark on the ‘80s, ‘90s, and today via young stars like Yaeji and Grimes who carry her influence forward. Janet has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has at least two or three more comeback albums in her. Raise a glass wherever you’re quarantining to salute the “Rhythm Nation” legend later this week. LISTEN LOVE LETTERS LENNON STELLA & CHARLIE PUTH If Scoob! The Album isn’t where you thought you’d find your new favorite summer bop, well, you’re not alone. But dammit if that detective dog and his gang haven’t amassed one of the finest pop soundtracks in recent memory, and the cherry on top is a new Charlie Puth collaboration with Lennon Stella. “Summer Feelings” manages to capture the butterfly-feeling of a new crush in a classic, windswept groove that’s a throwback to classic ‘00s love songs. And before you quibble with my designation of that era as classic, remember that as of this year it was twenty years ago. Let’s celebrate this new bop while we’re still young, shall we? LISTEN This email was sent by: Warner Music Group 1633 Broadway New York, NY 10019 USA