Music Scene: New recordings from Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo

New releases by Lana Del Rey, Twenty One Pilots, Demi Lovato and Olivia Rodrigo. PHOTOS: INTERSCOPE/POLYDOR, FUELED BY RAMEN/ELEKTRA, ISLAND, GEFFEN/INTERSCOPE

SINGAPORE - The recent crop of music releases include songs by two generations of Disney stars - Demi Lovato and Olivia Rodrigo.

Lovato, 28, opens up about her traumatic past in her latest and seventh album Dancing With The Devil... The Art Of Starting Over while Rodrigo, 18, grapples with the complexity of relationships in her sophomore single Deja Vu.

Pop juggernaut Taylor Swift releases Fearless (Taylor's Version), the first of a series of re-recorded old albums, while Old Town Road star Lil Nas X courts controversy with his new single Montero (Call Me By Your Name).

Check these out on music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.

1. Pop/R&B/Country

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL... THE ART OF STARTING OVER

Demi Lovato - Dancing With The Devil

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American pop singer Demi Lovato's seventh album is released in conjunction with her four-part YouTube documentary series Demi Lovato: Dancing With The Devil.

The deeply personal songs, like the documentary, sees the former Disney child star open up about the struggles that led to a near fatal overdose in 2018, as well as the aftermath.

The album features several guest stars: fellow pop singer Ariana Grande sings on Met Him Last Night, I'm Ready features British singer Sam Smith while OK Not To Be OK features electronic dance music star Marshmello.

2. Pop

DEJA VU

Olivia Rodrigo - deja vu (Official Video)

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Rising pop star Olivia Rodrigo's new single Deja Vu is the follow-up to her massive first single Drivers License.

"The concept of deja vu has always fascinated me and I thought it would be cool to use it in a song around the complex feelings after a relationship ends," the Disney actress says. "I started writing and recording Deja Vu last fall and had so much fun creating the different melodies and sonic textures that you hear throughout."

She is expected to release her full-length debut album on May 21.

3. Country Pop

FEARLESS (TAYLOR'S VERSION)

Taylor Swift - Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault) (Lyric Video)

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Fearless (Taylor's Version) is the first of six re-recorded albums that American star Taylor Swift has planned to release in order to claim the masters to the past works.

It features the 19 tracks, albeit with new vocals and instrumentation, from her second album Fearless that was originally released in 2008.

It also includes six previously unreleased tracks that she dubbed the "From The Vault" songs. These include You All Over Me, which features guest vocals from country singer Maren Morris; That's When, with vocals from country singer Keith Urban; and Mr. Perfectly Fine.

4. Pop/Disco

KISS ME MORE

Doja Cat - Kiss Me More (Official Video) ft. SZA

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Kiss Me More is the first single from American singer/rapper Doja Cat's upcoming third album Planet Her.

It is a duet with fellow singer SZA, and the science-fiction/fantasy themed music video stars Korean-Italian actor Alex Landi, known for his role as Dr Nico Kim on medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy (2005 to now).

Doja Cat was full of praise for her collaborator SZA in a recent interview with Apple Music. "She took it to like a deeper level, which is what I needed, you know what I mean? Because then it starts to become like a children's jingle and she just made it feel relatable and adult and sexy and funny and awesome."

5. Hip-hop/Pop

MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)

Lil Nas X - Montero (Call Me By Your Name) (Official Video)

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Montero (Call Me By Your Name) is the title track from American singer/rapper Lil Nas X's upcoming debut album, expected to be released in mid-2021.

The song went straight to No. 1 on the American charts upon its release.

The song title is a mix of his first name - Montero - and the 2017 drama Call Me By Your Name.

The Grammy winner's controversial devil-themed sneakers, which attracted a trademark infringement lawsuit from sportswear giant Nike, can be seen in the song's surreal music video.

6. Alternative/Pop

SHY AWAY

Twenty One Pilots - Shy Away (Official Video)

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Shy Away is the first single from Grammy award winning American duo Twenty One Pilots's upcoming sixth album, Scaled And Icy.

The record is expected to be released on May 21 with a ticketed performance titled Twenty One Pilots - Livestream Experience.

Their previous album, Trench, was released in 2018.

7. Alternative/Americana/Folk

CHEMTRAILS OVER THE COUNTRY CLUB

Lana Del Rey - White Dress (Official Music Video)

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Chemtrails Over The Country Club is the seventh album from American singer Lana Del Rey.

The 11 songs are co-written with star producer/songwriter Jack Antonoff, known for his work with prominent artistes such as Taylor Swift, Lorde and St. Vincent.

The album is her fifth to top the British charts and peaked at No. 2 in the United States.

8. Hip-hop

ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE

Buzzcut Feat. Danny Brown - Brockhampton

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Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine is the sixth album from American hip-hop supergroup Brockhampton.

It is the second in the collective's The Best Years Of Our Lives trilogy.

The album features their largest number of collaborators to date: guest rappers include Danny Brown, A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg and JPEGMafia.

9. Alternative Rock

NEW LONG LEG

Dry Cleaning - Unsmart Lady (Official Video)

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Dry Cleaning, a South London group led by singer Florence Shaw, have released their debut album New Long Leg.

It is a follow-up to the two EPs the band released in 2019, Sweet Princess and Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks.

Explaining the album's moniker, Shaw says cryptically: "The title is ambiguous; a new long leg could be an expensive present or a growth or a table repair."

10. Ambient/Jazz/Classical

PROMISES

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises

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Promises, an album comprising a single composition spread over nine movements, is a collaboration among British electronic act Floating Points, iconic American jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra.

It is Sanders' first album in more than 10 years. He came up with the idea for the collaboration after being impressed with Elaenia, the 2015 debut album by Floating Points, whose real name is Sam Shepherd.

The pair recorded their parts in Los Angeles in 2019, while the London Symphony Orchestra recorded in London in the midst of the pandemic in mid-2020.

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