First Out: New Music From Arlo Parks, Hippo Campus, Lucy Dacus

February 5, 2022 E Jazz Reporter

Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted another six weeks of winter, but that shouldn’t stop you from celebrating this weekend with new music from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is here to help with First Out, our weekly roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.

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From Arlo Parks’s new follow-up single, to Hippo Campus’s hotly-anticipated new album, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Arlo Parks, “Softly”

Following up a year like Arlo Parks’s 2021 would be a difficult feat by anyone — the critical and award-winning success of her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams made her an international name overnight. But listening to “Softly,” her first offering in 2022, you won’t detect any signs of struggle with newfound success. The dreamy new single retains the sharp songwriting that made Parks a star, while bringing in a tightly-produced indie-pop sound that veers slightly away from the delicate ruminations that permeated her debut. In a louder, more confident voice, Parks declares her need for her relationship to end, singing, “Break it to me softly, I don’t want no one else.”

Hippo Campus, LP3

With their third studio album, LP3, Hippo Campus is ready to give you all of the feel-good vibes you’ve been craving. Throughout the hazy, glittering project, the band flirts with everything from their professional aspirations (“Semi-Pro”), to the logical fallacies of long-distance relationships (“Bang Bang”), to being used in a relationship (“Listerine”). Whether the topics are light or dark, the sound of Hippo Campus remains solidly intact, as the band once again conjures their hypnotic indie sound to place you in a trance — and it’s not one you’ll be keen on leaving anytime soon.

Lucy Dacus, “Kissing Lessons”

Sometimes, you need a really good friend who’s willing to help you learn how to kiss — and maybe even discover something new about yourself. Lucy Dacus recounts such a tale on “Kissing Lessons,” her cheeky new single that follows a younger version of her wanting to learn how to kiss boys better, before being taught by an older female friend. The lo-fi rock sound only adds to the song’s inherent drama, following a young woman on a journey of self-discovery.

Peach PRC, “God Is a Freak”

Peach PRC knows how to galvanize an audience. With her newest offering, “God Is A Freak,” the Australian viral star certainly does just that, as she aims her tongue-in-cheek songwriting at the titular divine being, questioning why, when there is so much wrong in the world, he seems to be so interested in her sex life. The vocoder-assisted chorus, which has already blown up on TikTok, makes for an enchanting new single that will have you jamming out and singing along to the tune of Peach’s hilarious-yet-poignant critique.

Dreamer Isioma, “Bad Ting”

With a new name and a new outlo0k, Dreamer Isioma is ready to reintroduce themselves to the world. On “Bad Ting,” they do just that — this vibe-heavy new track sees Dreamer taking center stage, as they sing to the object of their desire, relenting that they love the way they make them feel, even if, after all, this person isn’t good for them. The trippy guitar riffs mixed with Dreamer’s impeccable vocals makes for a pleasure-inducing listen, and one that will have you coming back for more.

Hope Tala, “Party Sickness”

While it might not be the best in the long run, being messy can be very fun in the moment. That’s a fundamental fact that R&B singer Hope Tala is very interested in throughout “Party Sickness,” their new single. Singing over a simple, guitar-meets-bass track, Tala narrates the evergreen tale of arriving at a party and deciding to have some fun — even if it means creating just a little bit of drama. This fun, flirty new single is the perfect way to kick off your weekend.