Beat the summer heat with some cool new jams from your favorite queer artists! Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.

From King Princess’ bold kiss-off anthem to Reneé Rapp’s diatribe against DL relationships, check out some of our favorite tracks from this week below:

King Princess, “Cry, Cry, Cry”

As Bob the Drag Queen once famously told Derrick Berry on RuPaul’s Drag Race: “If I wanted to hurt you, you’d be crying right now, b—h.” That’s the energy King Princess comes with on her stellar new single “Cry, Cry, Cry.” Throughout the shimmering pop-rock single, the singer Mikaela Straus takes aim at a former friend she ditched after a bitter betrayal. As a result, the singer delivers a series of cutting jabs, accusing her old confidant of stabbing her in the back and not being able to live with the consequences. It’s raw, it’s moody, and it’s the kind of high caliber song we’ve come to expect from KP.

Reneé Rapp, “Why Is She Still Here?”

Staying friends with your ex can be tricky — especially when it’s clear that you’re both still in love with one another. Reneé Rapp finds herself caught up in that exact sexual dynamic on “Why Is She Still Here,” her gorgeous new R&B track off her forthcoming sophomore album Bite Me. Over a silk-smooth bassline, Rapp croons about a lover still hung up on their ex, demanding to be treated better with every effortles flip into her stunning head voice. Her lyrics remain top-shelf, as Rapp goes for the jugular throughout the song: “God forbid I draw the attention to questions you never answer,” she spits. “Well, except for ‘Who’s f–king you better?’”

Blood Orange feat. Caroline Polachek, Lorde & Mustafa, “Mind Loaded”

It’s no wonder that as one of the most sought-after producers in modern pop music, Dev Hynes (known onstage as Blood Orange) is pulling out collaborations with stars like Caroline Polachek, Lorde and Mustafa for his own solo project. His latest single “Mind Loaded” sees Hynes teaming up with all three artists for a mournful rumination on grief, as Hynes narrates his own state of mind after experiencing a heavy loss. Once his guests join him to create intricate, stunning harmonies over the song’s chorus, “Mind Loaded” quickly becomes a standout in Hynes’ already-stacked discography.

The Last Dinner Party, “This Is the Killer Speaking”

If there’s one thing a band like The Last Dinner Party loves, it’s melodrama — and their newest single is soaked with histrionics down to its core. “This Is the Killer Speaking,” the first track off the band’s forthcoming sophomore album From the Pyre, sees the quintet taking a story as simple as being ghosted, and spinning it out into a mythical, fantastical western. From the production to the songwriting to the vocal performances themselves, the entirety of “This Is the Killer Speaking” plays out as a heightened piece of theatricality that you simply must hear to believe.

Fletcher, Would You Still Love Me If You Really Knew Me?

When she released the single “Boy” off of her new album, Fletcher created a firestorm online — the beloved queer pop singer telling her fans that she was in love with a man and knowing that she’s “scared to think of what you’ll think of me.” Online anger aside, that feeling suffuses the rest of Would You Still Love Me If You Really Knew Me?, Fletcher’s deeply introspective, often discomforting new album that sees the singer asking herself some of the hardest questions of her career. Whether she’s comparing herself to other pop stars (“Hi, Everyone Leave Please”), reconciling with her past decisions (“Chaos”) or just asking her audience for a little space (“D i s t a n c e”), Fletcher spends Would You Still Love Me taking every intrusive thought and pouring it out in front of her listeners, waiting to hear what they think.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise, “Dang”

There’s just something about “Dang,” the latest song from rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, that demands to be blasted out of the nearest speaker on a hot summer day. Throughout this gleaming new single, frontwoman Ela Melo pens a heartfelt love letter to RKS’ fans, while the stunning music video offers up a Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist-esque rom-com playing out to the sound of this joyous new song.

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:

Ovrkast. is the future.

The young Oakland rapper and producer built a core fanbase organically by utilizing social media and Discord early on in his career and had millions of listeners before labels started knocking on his door.

He got early cosigns from the likes of Earl Sweatshirt and superproducer Cardo who he happens to already have a collab tape with, and impressed fellow Oakland native Sway when he held his own during a freestyle session with Lupe Fiasco. Oh, and he also produced two songs for Drake in “Red Button” and “The Shoe Fits.”

On May 30, he dropped his sophomore album While the Iron Is Hot which made multiple Best Albums of the Year, So Far lists, including ours. It’s a concept album that encapsulates where he’s currently at in his young career with a name that’s bubbling in both rapper and producer circles. He’s now looking towards what’s next as he tries to navigate his newfound notoriety.

We sat down with him to talk about a variety of topics ranging from his days teaching kids how to make beats at Oakland Tech High School to the meaning behind the character Lil Tanner that he played in his music video “I’m On.”

Check out our conversation with July’s Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month, Ovrkast., below

The first time I heard your music I couldn’t really tell where you were from and I was surprised that you’re from Oakland. And then when you talk – Sway kind’ve alluded to this when you were on there – you don’t have that prominent Bay accent, maybe that has to do with growing up with the Internet. Regional slang isn’t really a thing like it was in the past.

My dad is from Arkansas. My mom is from California but her family is from somewhere else. And then also, lit’s more of a thing where the accent might come out when I’m with my people. During interviews I’m trying to be clear.

You might sound like Too $hort when you’re around the fellas?

Growing up and having so many different people not from California around me, you know, from the south, that had an impact. And also just being on the Internet broadening my horizons and talking to people from different cultures. Like when I’m rapping? I’m trying to be clear, I’m trying to say things in a certain manner, so that kinda changes it.

How was that experience with Sway? I’d imagine he’s a major figure for you guys.

It was crazy, definitely a full circle moment. I grew up watching Sway with Chance the Rapper, Sway with Pro Era, Sway with Future. I knew Sway was from Oakland, but that’s not where I got the association. I got it from seeing him with these rappers going on his show. Like yeah, I’m from Oakland. But it also speaks to Sway. Sway is from Oakland, but he also stepped out and did some other s—t.

Yeah, I mean, he just seemed so proud. He was talking to your manager about a burrito spot. Sway was like, “We got somebody from the town on here today.”

[Laughs.] He genuinely didn’t know.

And the Lupe Fiasco comes in and you go toe to toe with him. He was going off top, freestyling and sh—t. I was kind of surprised by that.

That was so random. That was not planned. That was the most hip-hop s—t you could experience.

And Lupe teaches hip-hop at MIT and you also teach, right?

Yeah, before I moved to New York, I was teaching beats at Oakland Tech.

When your mentor Mr. Holiday taught you how to make beats, was he the music teacher?

He was an after school teacher. Well, I guess you can say he was a music teacher because he also made beats. We did activities and he was kind’ve like, “Whoever wants to make beats, come.” And I was the only kid that wanted to make beats. It wasn’t like a music program or anything like that.

Oh, okay. It was a something to keep you guys busy and out of trouble.

[Laughs.] On God.

Were you already curious about producing?

I was already into the beat scene, but I really didn’t know where to go. He was like, “This is what you do.” I didn’t know FL Studio, I didn’t know anything. The closest I did was tried to record a rap on Travis Scott’s “Uptown” beat on my computer and it sounded terrible. I didn’t know how to do any of that s—t yet.

Okay, so you started rapping before you started doing beats? Like, what’s that about? I seen you on Bootleg Kev making a beat while rapping. That’s not even like chewing gum and walking, that’s some other s—t.

[Laughs.] I was writing raps. I think everybody tries to rap at first; it was just something I was doing. I knew when Igot older that I was gonna try to do this for real, but beats were the gateway to understanding music.

What’s your process like? Do you find a sample and build around it? What’s your approach like?

For the last album, I had a lot of friends who would send me a pack of samples that they made every month. And so, like, Angelo Leroy and Fly Williams sent me packs.

How was that experience teaching at Oakland tech? Were you a good teacher?

I was a good teacher, I had fun, but it’s teenagers, bro. I remember I told them I got the Drake placement and half the class didn’t give a f—k. You gotta really connect. I had to really sit down and get to know them, tell them the about the industry, be like a real person first. You gotta be cool with them.

Like how Mr. Holiday did with you.

Literally, yeah, exactly. I remember I would pull up during eighth period and like their faces would be like, “Oh, s—t he’s here. Let’s get the f—k outta here.” They’d be so happy to see me, so they can go to do whatever they wanted to do.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you give me the vibe like you was probably mad quiet back then when you started making beats with Mr. Holiday. You said in a previous interview that you always had your headphones on and you’re already just a reserved person.

Oh, hell yeah, definitely. He had to stop me while I was walking me like, “You wanna make beats?” It was that sort of thing but it was definitely cool having somebody I could trust who I could go to and be like, “Yo what do you think about this?”

Do you still share your stuff with him?

I just saw him last week. I went to his crib. We chopped it up.

So, you better at making beats than he is?

[Laughs.] Nah, that’s my OG. He the GOAT. He put me on.

The student passing up the teacher, man, that’s how it happens, bro.

He’s really proud, though, and happy. I smoked weed with him for the first time recently.

That’s like smoking with your uncle for the first time.

Yeah, yeah. I’m trying to have him tour management because he does that kind of sh—t too.

What I’ve found interesting is that you don’t produce every single beat on your projects. When KastGotWings dropped, I assumed Cardo provided all of them and then on While the Iron Is Hot, not every beat is yours. How do you allow yourself to work with other producers?

I’m very picky, for sure. It gotta make sense. Me and Vayda made a song, right? And she makes beats, so I came in and laid the sample down. She just killed it. She laid the drums down, 808s. It was cool, that was the formula. Sometimes people send me samples and I’ll flip them. Whatever feels the best is what I do.

Did you go into this most recent project thinking that you were gonna produce everything?

Yeah, I did, but I’m also open. If I hear something fire then I’m going to pick that.

What comes easier to you? Making beats or writing rhymes?

Making beats. I think writing is a challenge. You want to do better than you did the last time and you try to one up yourself. But I’ve learned with writing to just let go, like, let go of trying to be perfect. It’s better to just say the thing because I’ve been trying to get into my storytelling bag and with that, it kind of hurts the story when you’re saying too much s—t. It’s easier to just say this happened and this happened and this happened and this happened. I’m trying to train myself to just be easy with writing and not be so harsh on myself.

I guess with making a beat it’s more of like a vibe.

Yeah, it’s how you feel. It’s like fun like painting. There’s no hurry.

You’ve mentioned before that you’re a visual person, like you’ll be watching something and wonder what it would sound like if you added a beat to it. Pharrell and Ye have talked about being able to see beats. Does this also happen to you?

Oh, yeah, I do. It’s crazy. It’s called synesthesia, but for it’s not colorful. I see shapes and lights. Like if I hear an 808 it’s like a giant force of energy. I don’t know, I’ve had it since I was a kid.

How would you describe the type of rap that you do?

I guess this is a phrase I’ve been using a lot and it’s cerebral. You gotta think a little bit.

Who was inspiring you before you dropped your debut project Try Again in 2020?

I was listening to the homies a lot around that time like Mike, Mavi, Navy and Earl. It was refreshing because nobody was doing it. It felt new to me. I kind of felt like how the fans felt where it’s like, “Man, this just feels like the future.” I was also getting deep into like Erykah Badu and things like Dilla.

So, you got the Drake placement because Yachty hit you up. Who put him on? You said, Earl?

He was playing that song I made for Earl and he randomly DM’d me like, “Aye, I need one of these.” So, I sent him a pack of those motherf—kers.

When did you know that Drake picked your beats?

Two years after Yachty reached out. He hit me up again and told me Drake picked these. This was like maybe two weeks before they came out.

How did you feel actually hearing the tracks?

I heard it with a bunch of people around. It was crazy. It was like… it was a lot. It’s kind of surreal, you know? You never think that that’s gonna happen. The biggest artist in the world is on my beat right now, it’s crazy as f—k.

Do you plan on producing more for other rappers in the future? You don’t have any issues with that?

No, definitely not. I feel like producers, our role is to set the landscape. We’re like a blank page, and the rapper do they thing.

Did you learn anything from that process?

Yeah, points, publishing, and all that. They took care of me. I also learned to just keep cooking because you never know who gonna reach out or what’s the f—k is gonna happen. Check those DMs, man.

Were labels lining up to try to sign you after you had built this community yourself?

I dropped my first album. It did some numbers, but, you know, I think people are so sensationalized with numbers that kind of are like, “Well, if the numbers aren’t in the five million range.” Labels were talking to me but nothing really serious. And then I did a distro deal with Genius, but no money, just straight marketing. So they were kind of just promoting me and sh—t. Then from there my biggest song, “TBH!,” went crazy. Now from there, I’m having real conversations about music and labels signing, and then the Drake s—t happened. People just want more.

It’s never enough, you know? You’ll never have enough numbers. So, when the Drake s—t happened and they were like, “Okay, what do you want now?” So, I signed my first deal and had to play that game of having expectations now and stuff like that. A label deal is a partnership, like you’re partnering with these people. They give me money, so you have to meet halfway. I had to figure out how to maneuver in that world.. But now, I know my capabilities and what I can do.

How do you thing you’ve grown since Try Again?

I mean, everything really. Try Again wasn’t a concept album. It was like an assortment of songs that I kind of just strung together and I made it to album, which was cool. But While the Iron Is Hot is like an actual concept, there’s a theme behind it, it feels the same throughout the whole album. Try Again was my first attempt at doing that. This is way more intentional. It was way more like me setting the tone for myself.

So, what’s next? Like you said, everybody wants more. Have you already started thinking about the next project?

What’s crazy is I’ve already been thinking of the next project. I’ve been sowing seeds and ideas and songs before this last one came out. I’m trying to think four projects ahead.

You’re on now. It’s time to show and prove. You mentioned that Tyler, The Creator is your favorite artist. Have you talked to him?

Nah, not Tyler, but I got some more s—t coming with Vince Staples.

Did you guys start working after “Strange Ways” happened?

I was sending him beats and that’s how we got connected. And then “Strange Ways” happened. I’m supposed to tap in with Joey Bada$$ to see what he got going on, give him some beats.

Are you gonna do a whole project for Vince?

Not a whole project, but I got some s—t for him.

You should talk them into it. I think that could be something crazy.

I think I’m going to a project with somebody, I just don’t know with who yet. I think once I get like two or three more in of my s—ts, I’m gonna pivot to just doing the albums with n—as.

And you’re a big Pro Era fan, right? What was it like about Pro Era and Odd Future that drew you to them? Because you’re so different from what they were doing.

Just young n—a energy. They were young, it was new. I took pieces of what they loved like MF DOOM, Madlib. What they f—ked with, I came to f—k with and became inspired too. Just that whole era that they revamped and now I’m kind of in that shoot which is crazy.

You’re also a big fan of Travis Scott. What is it about his music that you like?

The world building. There are a few artists that I’m super fans of. I’m a Travis superfan. He’s forward-thinking, and boundary-pushing. The Rodeo album with the doll. It’s so encompassing. It’s so fun to just be involved in that s—t. And that’s kind of how I want to take my career, you know? N—as was like, “Oh man, Samara Cyn smoked you.” And I’m like, “Bro, I don’t give a f—k.” This is my s—t, though. I made the song. You’re coming into my world to hear her go crazy. I want it to be at a point where if I put an album out and the features is crazy, you come in to see what I did. N—as be so obsessed with the fact that I made the features stand out. They have to stand out.

I mean, also, people gotta understand that there aren’t too many people outrapping guys like Mavi and Vince.

These are incredible guys. Why would I ever want them to bring those guys down for anybody?

Lil Tanner in “I’m On,” was that about Ian?

The thing is, if it’s about Ian, it’s about all them n—as.

I bring that up because he’s getting killed for that XXL Freshman spoken-word freestyle.

None of the n—as gonna have ever have an easy time, like it’s not for you. And I like some of his music, but it’s like, gang, don’t overstep.

You know what it is, bro? You had mentioned that you watch Bamboozled. It kind of has that feeling to it.

Yeah, you’re putting on a costume because it’s cool.

Are you planning on going on tour anytime soon?

We planning it right now, trying to figure out, what cities work, openers, venues, you know, logistics.

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music, including Bad Gyal and Ozuna’s new collab “Última Noche,” Maluma’s soundtrack for summer “Bronceador” and Bad Bunny’s surprise track “Alambre Púa.”

For their second collaborative effort, Bad Gyal and Ozuna deliver a sweet track — produced by Jorge Milliano and Cromo X — that effortlessly blends their vocals and distinct musical styles over smooth Afro-Caribbean rhythms inspired by Haitian kompa. The two artists previewed the track in June when Bad Gyal made a surprise appearance during Ozuna’s performance at Ushuaïa Ibiza.

Meanwhile, Maluma’s “Bronceador” — his first single in almost a year — is the epitome of a summer song, powered by a merengue-tinged beat and cheeky lyrics about heating things up under the sun. Produced by Mad Musick, Ily Wonder and Los Jaycobz, the Colombian star narrates the story of a fiery, yet fleeting summer romance with a mysterious woman. The colorful music video, set in the vibrant streets of Cartagena, Colombia, stars model Ariadna Gutiérrez and truly captures the song’s tropical joy and essence.

Other new releases this week include music from Banda Los Recoditos (“De Esta Me Levanto”), J Balvin (Mixteip), Dei V (“Tumbao”), Danna (“Khe Calor”), and Reik and Xavi’s first collaboration (“La del Primer Puesto”). Which release this week do you think is best? Give these new releases a spin and vote for your favorite new Latin music release below.

Editor’s Note: The weekly New Music Latin poll results will be posted if the poll generates more than 1,000 votes. This poll closes at 7:30 a.m. ET on Monday, July 21.

Scooter Braun is once again addressing his feud with Taylor Swift.

While speaking to Danielle Robay on the Thursday (July 17) episode of her Question Everything podcast, the former music manager opened up about the misunderstandings he thinks took place in his famous feud with the pop star before addressing whether her song “Vigilante Shit” is about him. When the topic of his conflict with Swift — which sprung out of Braun acquiring her catalog in his 2019 purchase of Big Machine Records — first came up, the businessman said frankly, “I think going backwards and revisiting this is a waste of time.”

Even so, Braun went on to rehash his perspective on what transpired with Swift, who was outspoken in her opposition to the SB Projects founder’s purchase of her masters from the start. At the time, she accused him of “incessant, manipulative bullying” in a Tumblr post, and when Braun later sold Swift’s catalog to Shamrock Holdings in 2020, the 14-time Grammy winner claimed that he “would never even quote my team a price” without her first signing an NDA, which Swift refused.

“The only thing I didn’t appreciate is it was so public without an understanding of what was actually going on,” Braun reflected in the interview. “When Taylor says that she wasn’t offered the masters, the reason I was under NDA was because we were in negotiations to sell it back to her. I just choose to believe her that maybe [her team] didn’t tell her.”

“For me, the only thing that I really regret is that it’s easy to [see someone as] a monster if you never meet them,” he continued. “Taylor and I have only met three times in our life. I think at that point we hadn’t seen each other in two, three years. I was managing people she wasn’t a fan of, and she probably saw my name come up and was like, ‘I don’t like those people, so I don’t like him.’ But we never had an opportunity to sit in front of each other and have a conversation, to this day.”

At the time of the catalog purchase, Braun — who has since retired from management — represented Justin Bieber and Kanye West, both of whom Swift has clashed with in the past. In her 2019 Tumblr post responding to the initial sale of her masters, she shared a screenshot of an Instagram post from Bieber featuring Braun and West with the caption, “Taylor swift what’s up.”

Though he wishes things had played out differently, Braun says he’s still heartened by the fact that “everyone in the end won.”

“When [Swift] turned it down, we ended up selling it to someone else, because she didn’t want us to have it,” he told Robay. “We did very well in that sale, because we bought it at a really great price, and the value of the masters went up.”

Billboard has reached out to Swift’s rep for comment.

As Braun pointed out, the value of the musician’s old catalog heightened as she embarked on her Taylor’s Version series, re-recording four of her first six albums to reclaim ownership of her work. The project manifested in the record-breaking success of her Eras Tour, which led to her becoming a billionaire and eventually having the chance to finally purchase her masters from Shamrock this past May.

“She did incredibly well and basically had the biggest moment of her career,” Braun praised Swift, calling her the “biggest artist of all time.” “It was brilliant on her part. But also, each time she released [a re-recorded album], you saw a spike in the original catalog, and that’s how we were able to tell, ‘OK, if she doesn’t want them, this is still a really great asset.’”

That said, Swift seemingly hasn’t softened in her opinions on Braun since the beginning of their feud. In her December 2023 TIME Person of the Year interview, she doubled down on her stance that the mogul wanted her catalog for “nefarious reasons” — something he said on Question Everything doesn’t make “any sense” from a “financial standpoint” — and fans have long assumed that Swift has written about the situation on songs such as Folklore‘s “My Tears Ricochet” and Evermore‘s “It’s Time to Go.”

As for one such song — “Vigilante Shit,” on which Swift sings, “Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife” — Braun laughed when asked whether he thinks it’s about him. The entrepreneur was previously married to Yael Cohen, but he filed for divorce in 2021.

“No, ’cause I talk to Yael every day,” Braun told Robay, brushing off the possibility of his marriage inspiring the Midnights track. “My ex-wife is one of my best friends. Me and my ex-wife laugh about that stuff — we don’t even call each other ‘ex.’ That’s like my partner. That’s the mother of my children. That is my family for life. So no, I never thought that was about us. Great strategy move, but nah.”

Watch Braun’s full interview on Question Everything above.