Kylie, Christina, Gaga, oh my! This week is filled to the brim with the divas that shaped our queer awakenings, sprinkled with a few artists who are well on their way to those heights. It’s a look back and a look forward in this week’s roundup of new queer music releases, and whether you’re craving a theatrical confession, a flirty dancefloor moment, or a club-ready anthem, this lineup has something for everyone.

Let’s hit play on this week’s Bop After Bop…

“Happy Mistake” by Lady Gaga

The world is a stage, and pop’s ultimate jester, Lady Gaga, is pulling the strings and making us take a seat with her surprise new album Harlequin. A companion album to her new film Joker: Folie à Deux, where she stars as Harley Quinn, the album is a chaotic carnival of emotions that includes reworked songs from the film as well as two original tracks. One of those tracks is the haunting ode “Happy Mistake,” where Gaga peels back the layers of her past, reflecting on her identity and how far she’s come. With every note, she dances between madness and melancholy, delivering pristine vocals while embodying the theatricality of a true harlequin—part fool, part genius. In an era of fast-paced, influencer-driven entertainment, Gaga stands as one of the last true all-around entertainers, reminding us that in her world, the show must always go on.

“Lights Camera Action” by Kylie Minogue 

Kylie Minogue is back and ready for her close-up, dropping the electrifying lead single from her upcoming album Tension II, the follow-up to last year’s Tension, titled “Lights, Camera, Action.” Co-written with Lewis Thompson and Ina Wroldsen, the track is a flashy, high-energy, pure dance bop that promises to keep Minogue in the pop spotlight—a feat made even easier with next year’s Tension tour on the horizon. Kylie once again proves she’s got her finger on the pulse of what her fans want, meeting the moment, and continuing her dancefloor domination.

“What a Girl Wants” by Christina Aguilera ft. Sabrina Carpenter

Christina Aguilera and Sabrina Carpenter just gave “What a Girl Wants” the glow-up it deserves. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Aguilera’s debut album, the performance, part of Spotify’s Anniversaries LIVE series, is a lovely collaboration between two pop diva’s on opposite ends of their careers. Carpenter’s rich, charming vocals blend seamlessly with Aguilera’s powerhouse performance, adding a modern twist to the 1999 classic. It’s a perfect fusion or past and present, and is a warm recollection of the legacy Aguilera leaves on pop music. 

“Live In My Truth” by SOPHIE, BC Kingdom, LIZ

SOPHIE’s posthumous album has arrived, cementing her limitless impact on modern music. Fusing bubblegum pop with the cutting-edge metallic production that defined her as a trailblazer, this release isn’t a swan song — it’s a celebration. A standout track, “Live In My Truth,” channels early 2000s pop sensibility with an unapologetic queer message, perfectly capturing what SOPHIE’s music means to the queer community: a place to call home. In an interview with PAPER, her brother Ben Long said, “It would have been a disservice to SOPHIE to just let it fester in a safe somewhere,” and by completing the album, Long honors her legacy—continuing to push boundaries, just as SOPHIE always did.

“Kiss Me Again” by Pale Waves

Pale Waves’ fourth album, Smitten, marks a confident evolution for the band, blending indie rock with romantic nostalgia while exploring themes of love, queerness, and self-discovery. Frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie calls it an unapologetic celebration of queer love, with standout track “Kiss Me Again” offering a playful, flirty reflection on a reckless one-night affair. Produced by Iain Berryman, Smitten captures both the euphoria and confusion of early relationships, showcasing the band’s most authentic and emotionally resonant work to date.

“Happens All The Time” by VINCINT, Party Pupils, Durand Bernarr

We don’t know how they do it, but VINCINT has outdone themselves again, dropping yet another banger with “Happens All The Time.” With some help from Party Pupils and Durand Bernarr, this dance record is a cascading, hedonistic club anthem that is bringing the heat and keeping fans fed until VINCINT’s upcoming project is released later this fall. 

“2 Year Itch” by girli

The latest single from girli, “2 Year Itch,” is also the lead track from her upcoming album Matriarchy: Queen Edition. It serves all the drama we never knew we needed. Inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s classic film 7 Year Itch, girli takes us on a wild ride through her fear of long-term love—think two years in, and the freakout hits. But in true girli style, it’s fun, flirty, and totally relatable. It picks up the pace quickly in the pre-chorus, launching into an electro-pop frenzy and dipping back into a slowed-down, introspective moment; it’s cute, chaotic, and oh-so-queer—just the way we like it!

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