The clubs are full, festivals are selling out, and somewhere a producer is finishing a record that taps into a now familiar pulse—one that keeps bodies on dance floors moving everywhere.

A playlist here, a viral sound there, and the slow abandonment of sitting still. Dance music’s hold on the current moment feels less like a stranglehold and more like a reflection of it: when the world gets too loud to think through, people move through it instead.

We love dance music for exactly that reason—but this weekend, V is also leaning into artists creating from a place of heart and soul, with sounds that feel a little more stripped-back, a little more acoustic, and just as transporting in their own way

Kehlani KEHLANI

When an artist has the gall to namesake a body of work, it’s obvious that the anticipation is meant to be high. The leading track, Intro, acts as the album’s manifesto, showing how much the 2x Grammy award winner prioritizes growth in honor of the craft.

The album was anchored by a trio of hard-hitting singles. Leading with Folded. The breakout anthem, which has become one of the utmost R&B sounds, sets the standard for what feminine excellence looks like in a male-dominated genre. 

What makes Kehlani most refreshing is her unwavering commitment to her roots. At a time when R&B artists are often pressured to dilute their sound for crossover appeal, Kehlani doubles down, pulling from the genre’s rich ’90s and early 2000s lineage while making something that feels in the present tense. She is an artist who knows exactly where she came from, and has chosen, confidently, to plant her flag right there.

Conan Gray Wishbone Deluxe edition

With his fourth album, the hopelessly in love Wishbone, Conan Gray captures the shivers and heartache that come with naivety and love. Using writing and music as Tums for the indigestion of past lovers is a process the founding fathers of melancholia, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, knew oh so well. For Conan, it results in an album defined by immediacy and vocal freedom that might not have emerged otherwise.

By channeling the smells, tastes, and sweat of love, Wishbone reads like a novel, one that pulls listeners into the beauty of heartache, with each track unfolding as a chapter in a complete arc. It is also refreshing to see a male pop figure remain unapologetically queer, with lyrics that hint at same-sex relationships while still feeling universal to anyone drawn to the poetry of life.

Today, Conan Gray releases the deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed album, Wishbone Deluxe, expanding the project with the new single “Door,” alongside fan favorite “The Best,” and additional tracks “Do I Dare,” “House That Always Rains,” and “Moths.” All are written and recorded by Gray himself, further developing the world of his current artistic vision.

EBONY RILEY BEAUTIFUL TRAGEDY

Detroit singer-songwriter Ebony Riley officially releases her debut album, Beautiful Tragedy, a project that finds her at her most exposed.

Drawing from her hands-on role in both songwriting and creative direction, Riley leans into vulnerability, both literally and figuratively. The album’s stark black-and-white imagery shows her atop a mountain of garments, symbolizing a shedding of identity and past expectations.

Ultimately, the album is not defined by loss, but by transformation. Dedicated to her late mother, it reflects Riley’s commitment to reframing her past and reclaiming her story. With Beautiful Tragedy, she delivers a debut that is intimate and layered, a testament to self-awareness, personal evolution, and the power of choosing yourself.

Guitariicadelafuente “Calypso”

“Calypso” is Guitarricadelafuente’s first single post the release of his breakthrough album Spanish Leather. Titled after the Greek tragedy Calypso, a story about a sea nymph who falls in love with the hero Odysseus, holding him captive on her island by offering her own heart for immortality. In the strumming of Guitarrica, the story becomes a reflection of the temptation to remain in the beauty of the present moment forever and the necessity of leaving it behind. 

KIM PETRAS “NEED FOR SPEED”

Kim Petra’s Need for Speed is a timely reflection of her presence in the music industry. The video shows Kim packing up the programmed luxury and fame of her life as she embarks on a new chapter.  Following a redundant amount of trial-and-error input from executives (reflected in the not-so-sly product placement and the 9 fashion looks that Kim self-styled for this video), Kim drives towards an unexpected career turn…. or, detour.  A childhood version of her reminds us that Kim has always been on the right path when she trusts herself.  Is this detour the end, or just the beginning?