New Music Reviews: Leona Lewis, Alicia Keys, and More!

Leona Lewis - "Trouble" ft. Childish Gambino

A gentle warning escalates to a paranoid, frightened demand in this intriguingly dark new single. Since Leona's last single, the gorgeous and under-appreciated "Collide," failed to bring chart success, perhaps it makes sense for her to return to her ballad roots. With its brooding feel, it follows in the tradition of "Bleeding Love," while lacking the perverse romantic optimism of that track and opting for quite the opposite outcome.

Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire (Inferno version) ft. Nicki Minaj

Okay, despite Alicia Keys' long planning of this single irrespective of a certain book and film franchise, no one (no one, no oooonnnne) is going to hear this track without thinking of this person:

....but that's hardly a bad thing. Anyway, this is quite classy in that low-key sort of way Alicia has perfected. Sure, it's not on the level of the epic "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart," but then, what is? While the "Bluelight" version shimmers in its gentle resilience, I prefer the somewhat sassier "Inferno" version, not least of all because, well. Nicki Minaj.

Ellie Goulding - "Anything Could Happen"

Very pretty and very dreamy, with a super-fun non-verbal chorusy moment.

Parade - Light Me Up
Since this UK girlband's debut album was fierce, it's great that they actually didn't break up after their singles sorta fizzled on the charts. "Light Me Up" is more of the sweet, frothy, poppy goodness at which these ladies excel:

Tulisa - Live it up (ft. Tyga)