ᴡʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ // unpacked 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
1. Needs
Tinashe
Baddies get down bad, too. That’s the subtext of Tinashe’s sultry second single from her 2023 album BB/Ang3l (which my AI-powered Spotify Wrapped podcast hilariously called “B Bang Three L”). “Needs” is about an attractive, empowered woman flexing on a desperate admirer and making him work for her attention. But it’s not a standard-issue bad bitch anthem. Tinashe subtly weaves in the signature vulnerable lyricism she’s been celebrated for since her early mixtapes. With the final line of the chorus — “I’m just human, we all got needs” — she flips the script on the narrative set up in the verses — our empowered narrator is, ultimately, just as thirsty as the man simping for her. Like all great R&B, this song can gas you up and get you in your feelings.
2. Galina ️⚠
Allie X
Who knew a song about hand cream could make you cry? This emotional track, from Allie X’s illustrious 2024 LP Girl With No Face, was inspired by the singer’s experience with eczema. Eczema can cause debilitating symptoms, which itself can be an emotional experience. The right treatment can provide much-needed relief — but losing access to proper care can cause more distress. That’s what happened to Allie X — as she told Apple Music, Galina, the old woman who created the homemade treatment Allie came to rely on, retired and lost her memory before she could be convinced to share her recipe. That story is sad enough, but the metaphorical version told on “Galina” creates a more ambiguous meaning and mood that resonates more broadly.
The name Galina comes from the Greek word for serenity and tranquility. In the song, Galina has fallen into an indefinite slumber. So the desperate plea in the chorus — “Galina, wake up!” — isn’t so much a call for Galina herself to be revived. It’s an attempt to hold onto the things Galina could take with her in her demise — the precious formula, yes, but also Allie’s peace of mind. In the song’s bridge, Allie’s hands are “turning raw and red” — from rough, flaky skin or perhaps bloodied palms — just as Galina cracks “the tiniest smile” — a positive sign that Galina could wake, but a sinister taunt if she does not.
The song may have been inspired by hand cream, but it’s more generally a powerful portrait of the complex, conflicting emotions that accompany grief — the distress, the desperation, the hopelessness, the guilt. While the lyrics don’t offer any resolution, the song’s hauntingly melodic melody, somberly sparkling synths and moody bass groove offer some catharsis — the tiniest smile indeed.
3. 360
Charli xcx
Brat was full of interesting turns but “360”, the album’s second single, is one of the album’s few forays into straightforward pop. But with quirky, personal lyrics that name-drop Charli’s it-girl muses and describe her commitment to her artistic vision, the song still works as a sort of mission statement for the album. It’s actually kind of prophetic — “I went my own way and I made it … I set the tone, it’s my design and it’s stuck in your mind.” Brat may not have produced many major chart hits, and the legitimacy of the album’s sales numbers may be questionable, but the cultural impact of the album cannot be denied. That pay-off was the result of Charli staying focused on her vision and putting in a decade of work to create something she believed in. This braggadocious dance-pop confection celebrates Charli’s rise to icon status after spending years shaping culture from the margins of pop music — a triumphant tale that can inspire anyone. Who knows — if you stick to your vision, maybe your own defining moment could be right around the corner.
4. It’s ok I’m ok
Tate McRae
After making her name for herself with angsty ballads and pop/rock bangers, Canadian pop star Tate McRae had a major breakout moment with back-to-back dance tracks “greedy” and “exes”, which went viral on Tiktok and blew up the charts. But she took her main-pop-girl transformation to new heights with the lead single from her just-released third album — and its jaw-dropping music video. “It’s ok I’m ok” is a sassy kiss-off anthem with a bouncy backtrack tinged with 2000s R&B influence (the main riff recalls Cassie’s iconic debut) and multiple hooks that exude the ultimate hot-girl confidence. The lyrics are directed at an ex’s new partner, with Tate warning her that the guy she’s with may not be all that he seems — “She be like, ‘He’s so perfect!’ / I be like, ‘Oh, what version?’” But Tate is more interested in moving on than taking names — “You can have him anyway.” The song is addictive on its own, but the racy video — with her trademark choreography and some of her most daring looks yet (including a nude illusion and references to Y2K icons) — serves up more mood-boosting energy. As Tate does a slow-motion split atop a Jeep while she cheekily taunts, “I don’t want him anyway, girl, take him,” you’re not only left in awe of her talent and charisma — but also convinced that you deserve better, too.
5. Nasty
Tinashe
Viral hits come and go, but it takes a special song to make a lasting impact. With this track, the lead single from Tinashe’s seventh album Quantum Baby, Tinashe introduced the phrase “match my freak” into the cultural lexicon. In a world where we’re all in our online bubbles, swiping through dating apps looking for compatible partners, it makes sense that that particular lyric resonated so widely. But the song stands on its own as a solid addition to Tinashe’s catalog of bad bitch anthems with heart. Like “Needs”, it reveals the emotional vulnerability of the bad bitch — despite her athletic stamina in the bedroom, she struggles to find someone on her level. But unlike on “Needs”, on “Nasty” Tinashe remains fully in her power — unapologetic about her “nasty” inclinations and refusing to compromise. She may still be on the hunt, but when she finds the right partner she “might just let him pay the lease.” Despite its memeable moments, “Nasty” resonates as a reminder to be true to what you want — in the bedroom, yes, but perhaps in life, as well. As Tinashe said in her Genius Verified video about the song, “Nasty” generally refers to “somebody who’s just kind of confident and willing to be themselves fully.” That might sound like a G-rated watering down of the lyric but it makes sense — after all, how can you find somebody who can match your freak if you’re not willing to let your Nasty flag fly?