#DALEYPOP X November 2025

Music has been embedded in my life ever since I was in the womb, my Mum and Dad basically raised me on music, especially POP music! I grew up listening to Madonna, Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls, Britney Spears and even AQUA and I’ve always been obsessed with pop culture and Eurovison! I love sharing my favourite songs and album every month with the world from Scene HQ!

Melanie C - Sweat

Sporty Spice aka Melanie C is back with a high energy dance track that showcases her evolution from pop icon to a club ready artist, blending pulsating beats and empowering lyrics. Sweat was released in collaboration with DJ and producer Joe Goddard known for his work with Hot Chip.

Sweat stands out as one of Mel’s most confident and rhythmically infectious solo efforts, proving her versatility and relevance in today’s electronic music scene.

Diana Vickers - Pretty Boys

Pretty Boys by Diana Vickers blends whimsical lyrics with a catchy melody, reflecting her signature offbeat charm.

Pretty Boys is a playful yet underrated gem that showcases Diana's unique vocal style and flair for crafting fun, character-driven pop songs.

WILD WILD - Boiler Room

I raised my algorithm so well even though this was released in June and YouTube only recommended this to me last week so actually I guess my algorithm could do better because now I look like I'm late to the party but oh well! Boiler Room by WILD WILD is a hypnotic bass tech-house track that immerses listeners in a sultry, high-energy soundscape, serving as both a standalone single and a teaser for a South Korean musical Wild Wild.

This is WILD WILD’s first English digital single and I hope we got more. Boiler Room is a bold and electrifying debut that captures the raw intensity of club culture while showcasing WILD WILD’s flair for theatrical and sonic drama.

Oliver Sim - Telephone Games

Telephone Games by Oliver Sim is a sleek and introspective electro-pop track that blends playful nostalgia with emotional depth, marking a bold step in his solo journey beyond The xx.

Telephone Games was produced by Bullion, making it one of Oliver's first solo works not produced by longtime collaborator Jamie xx. Telephone Games is a stylish and emotionally resonant piece that captures Oliver's unique ability to fuse vulnerability with sonic sophistication, making it a standout in his evolving solo catalogue.

Freya Ridings - Wicker Woman

One of the most underrated voices out there, Freya Ridings is back with a fiery anthem of resilience and identity and it's giving me Florence vibes in the best way.

Wicker Woman, channels raw emotion and ancestral strength into a powerful sonic experience. Co-written by Ridings and produced by Jennifer Decilveo at Beach Tree Sound Studio in Los Angeles and is the first release from her forthcoming 2026 album. The song’s haunting video, directed by Benjamin Darville complements its primal energy evoking windswept landscapes and deep-rooted heritage.

I love how Wicker Woman blends a cinematic production and Freya's emotionally charged vocals creating a visceral listening experience that feels both timeless and urgent. The track’s lyrical depth and fierce delivery make it a battle cry for anyone reclaiming their strength after adversity. If this single is any indication, Freya's upcoming album promises to be a transformative and unforgettable release.

Micah McLaurin - Dancing With My Broken Heart

Dancing With My Broken Heart by Micah McLaurin is a glitter-soaked, disco-tinged anthem that transforms emotional pain into radiant pop euphoria, blending heartfelt lyrics with shimmering production.

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DWMBH was produced by Mark Taylor, known for his work with Cher, Lady Gaga, and Kylie Minogue! In my opinion, the track is a triumphant celebration of resilience, showcasing McLaurin’s ability to channel vulnerability into a dancefloor-ready masterpiece that feels both deeply personal and universally uplifting.

Khalid - out of body

Out of Body by Khalid is a hypnotic, Y2K-inspired R&B track that marks a bold new chapter in the artist’s evolving sound, blending sultry vocals with sleek, club-ready production. Taken from his new and delicious album After the Sun Goes Down.

Out of Body is one of Khalid’s most captivating releases to date, effortlessly fusing emotional vulnerability with a seductive groove that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.

Brandi Carlile - Human

Human by Brandi Carlile is a soul-stirring anthem that explores the raw vulnerability of being alive, wrapped in poetic lyrics and a hauntingly powerful vocal performance.

Taken from Brarndi's fantastic eighth studio album Returning To Myself which marks her first solo project in four years. Human is one of Carlile’s most emotionally resonant tracks to date, capturing the universal struggle of self-acceptance with a grace and honesty that only she can deliver.

AOTM: Lily Allen

West End Girl

Omg every month I have an idea what my album of the month will be, sometimes before I've even listened to it and I'm determined not to change my mind but then Lily Allen dropped this album without much notice and it just had to be my AOTM.

I was set on Dangerous and Moving by t.A.T.u. as my AOTM because they've finally reunited and they've just released a deluxe remastered version and opaque “Caution Yellow” vinyl to celebrate the 20 year anniversary (omg). Originally released in October 2005, Dangerous and Moving is the follow up album to the girls multi-million selling smash debut album, 200 KM/H in the Wrong Lane. Fun fact: Friend or Foe was written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and music icon Sting is playing the bass guitar on Gomenasai. Anyway it's an amazing album and you should check it out if you never have!

I'm obsessed with their Поднебесной (In the Celestial Empire) album that's just been released too which includes both previously unreleased compositions and versions of fan favourites and the legendary Простые движения (A Simple Motion) is finally available to stream! Technically not a new album as all of the tracks were recorded in 2004, but for various reasons, not all reached listeners, some were never released, while others were removed from music platforms. I'm obsessed with Florence + The Machine's Everybody Scream album and my favourite The Traitors traitor (well joint with Alan Carr) Cat Burns new How To Be Human album too.

Speaking of amazing album's, Lily Allen is back with West End Girl which is a searing, theatrical return to form. A brutally honest divorce album that plays out like a one woman stage show, complete with emotional crescendos and devastating monologues.

Written in just ten days following her split from Stranger Things actor David Harbour, the album is Lily's first in seven years and arguably her most personal to date. The title itself nods to her recent success on London’s West End and the songs unfold with the drama and precision of a live performance. From the samba-tinged opener to the haunting final track Fruitloops, Lily spares no detail in recounting the unraveling of her marriage, from passive aggressive exchanges to the discovery of sex toys and love letters all delivered with her signature wit and vocal clarity.

I love how the album is in chronologically order of the breakdown of her relationship, it feels like we're sat there with her listening to her vent. She shares details about an open marriage, infidelity and emotional manipulation.

West End Girl is a genre blending triumph, weaving sophistipop, synthpop, and orchestral flourishes into a cohesive narrative arc. Tracks like Ruminating and 4chan Stan showcase Lily's ability to pair biting lyrics with deceptively upbeat production, while Madeline and Just Enough plunge into raw vulnerability with cinematic intensity. Her airy soprano remains a powerful tool, capable of conveying both disdain and heartbreak with a single sigh.

West End Girl is not just Lily Allen’s best album in over a decade, it’s a masterclass in storytelling through pop music. Unlike other recent divorce albums that offer moments of reprieve or optimism, Lily's record refuses to look away from the wreckage. There are no commercial breaks, no reassurances of healing, just a relentless, riveting account of emotional devastation that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Ultimately, West End Girl is a cathartic purge. Messy, painful, and unapologetically honest. It challenges the listener to sit with discomfort, to witness the collapse of a dream in real time and to find beauty in the wreckage. Honestly it's such a good but sad album but so good! I've always loved Lily's storytelling, it's always so vivid and compelling.