BEST NEW POP: SASHA SLOAN - NORMAL

Before I turned into the 26-year-old introverted grandma that I am now, I used to party a lot. And by party, I mean taking consecutive whiskey shots at the bar and giving bartenders my crappy one-liners.

So this next song is very near and dear to my heart!

Sasha Sloan may not be a name you recognize instantly just yet, but if you’ve listened to any Charli XCX or Camila Cabello in the last eight months, chance are you’ve encountered her lyrics. Next on her list of conquers was releasing two singles, back-to-back, and We Are: The Guard has certified them catchy, and filled with clever song-writing. Listen to “Normal” below, where she sings about my early 20s to a creepy accuracy.

SASHA SLOAN - NORMAL

The casually cool soundscape behind “Normal” doesn’t match the self-reflective (and self-destructive) lyrics, but that is likely Sloan’s point of it all. Late nights and questionable hookups shouldn’t be categorized as something trendy or seen as, ahem, normal, but oftentimes it’s veiled as such.

Sasha’s voice is lovely but quiet in the verses, like a lamenting woman waking up to face a fierce hangover. But the sweetness behind her vocals carries on, presenting the chorus as a bittersweet anthem for all the sad girls out in dancing shoes every Friday night. Trust, girl. I get it.

In any case, whether you can relate to Sasha or not, you can’t deny her refreshing minimalist pop. Listen to her other single, “Fall.” And watch out for this one.