It’s summertime once again, which means it’s scorching hot, Dubai is a ghost town, and I missed the memo about the whole world and their mothers going to Italy on holiday.

My music taste always seems to take a turn towards mainstream pop tunes during the summer months. Maybe it was my effort of emulating the fun I’m seeing everyone have on Instagram, or my need to match my music’s BPM to my hastened walking speed as I dodge the heat on my stroll (read: jog) to the local coffee shop.

This July, however, proved different. while still existing within the borders of the mainstream, my preferences have leaned more towards soft, grungy and subtle angst, brewing underneath feminine vocals.

So, without further ado, I present you with my top 3 listens of the month of July. Themes to look out for: 1D revival, Barbie, and Girl Power.

Wet Leg – Being in Love

I know, I know; where have I been for the past year and a half? The female duo has been making waves on the music scene for over a year now, seeing unmatched success for its eponymous debut album, Wet Leg.

But it wasn’t until I caught the sensational best friends open for Harry Styles earlier this summer that I really fell into a wet hole. I’ve had their entire album on repeat this July (to irritating levels that made my sister groan “Oh god, not again!” upon climbing into my passenger seat and hearing their electric guitar riffs yet again). The thing with obsessively listening to an album is you tend to uncover gems that had been hiding in plain sight all along. In this case, it was the opening song, Being in Love, that jumped at me after a dozen times hitting the repeat button.

Being in Love feels like unrequited love. A high school crush. Young, foolish hope for catching his eyes across the room. The soft hum of the guitar, the elongated way lead singer Rhian Teasdale drones the word ‘love’ and the comically angsty line in the first verse that goes: “I feel like someone has punched me in the guts, but I kinda like it ’cause it feels like being in love” had me hooked. It also woke up the equally angsty, melodramatic 17-year-old version of myself; the one who used to sit at her desk writing poems for boys who barely knew her existence.

Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For

The Barbie bug is hovering around my atmosphere in the form of bright pink roses (that I keep buying myself) and Billie Eilish’s heart-wrenchingly honest take on losing – and searching for – one’s purpose.

I’m always in awe of how straight-to-the-point Billie’s lyrics seem to be. In her 2021 single, Getting Older, she effortlessly described how it feels to turn your passion into a career with the words “Things I once enjoyed, just keep me employed now.” A feeling many writers, including myself, have felt deeply at one point or another. This song is no different, putting into words things that many have been feeling lately – including, it seems, Barbie herself. Sitting in a car listening to this song with a friend led to both of us finally admitting feeling in a rut since 2020.

This song, like so many other Billie Eilish songs, speaks to the most human part of our existence. The one many of us shy away from. What Was I Made For is a spotlight, a mirror and a wake-up call; at least, to me.

Zayn – Love Like This

This summer is really turning out to be a One Direction obsession revival era for me. From seeing Harry Styles live on his last Love on Tour London show (I’m still screaming on the inside) and falling down the Niall Horan interviews rabbit hole on TikTok to obliterating the replay button on Zayn’s new single, Love Like This, I’m one step away from fishing my old 1D posters out and plastering them all over my bedroom.

With an incredibly naff music video reminiscent of Enrique Iglesias circa 2001 – think red and black leather jacket, vroom vrooming on a motorcycle, running down an alleyway with a gorgeous female lead and, of course, staring deeply into the cameraman’s soul, Love Like This really understood the Naughties assignment and I’m so here for it. But beyond the music video is a catchy, energetic, dance-inspired beat that makes me want to put my favourite low-waist denim mini-skirt on and go clubbing – neither of which has happened in a very, very long time.

Most important though are Zayn’s vocals, faultlessly making any lyrics both catchy and sexy. With a comeback single like Love Like This, I’m on the edge of my seat for his album drop.

Playlist Highlight: Badass

I’m going to be completely honest here and say that I could probably write an entire dissertation on Spotify’s playlist library. I stumbled upon Badass on a train from York to London just as June was turning into July, and I’ve since been listening to it every time I felt like I needed a kick up the ass (which has been a lot).

From Clairo and Wet Leg to Little Simz and Japanese Breakfast, this playlist is a convention of powerful words, punchy melodies and a whole lot of tongue-in-cheek. Do yourself a favour and slap this baby on next time you’re feeling like your tank is running out of gas.