Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Halsey, Rebecca Black, Julien Baker, TORRES & More

Spring has nearly sprung, so why not freshen up your seasonal playlists with some new tunes 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 Halsey’s BDSM-inspired new single to Rebecca Black’s excellent new album, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Halsey, “Safeword”

Ready to riot? Let’s go grrrls. Halsey’s wild, uninhibited new punk single “Safeword” takes the chameleonic approach they took on The Great Impersonator to new levels, as Halsey dives deep into a Bikini Kill, Bratmobile-esque sound. Her piercing voice, screaming over top of the blown-out guitars and crashing drums, squeals in delightful defiance as she instructs their lover on all the kinky things she’d like them to do. But don’t try and turn those tables on her: “I don’t gotta listen to you,” she chants. “You’re not the boss of me!”

Rebecca Black, Salvation

Rebecca Black is done attempting to prove herself. On Salvation, the singer’s hedonistic 7-track project, Black assumes the position as your new favorite pop girl. Blending together hard techno (“Do You Even Think About Me?”), house (“Twist the Knife”) and thrilling dance pop (“TRUST!”), the singer asserts her bold new vision for herself as a must-listen artist in this day and age. But it’s on the excellent title track that she truly finds her voice, casting aside doubt for a dose of unbridled cockiness. “Promise that it hurts to hate me,” she coos on the A+ chorus. “Swear you’re only poisoning yourself.”

Julien Baker & TORRES, “Tuesday”

Good country songs take a specific, personal story and translate them into a universally-understood feeling that everyone can understand. “Tuesday,” the latest track from Julien Baker & TORRES’ forthcoming duo album, is a great country song. With Baker taking on a support role throughout this painfully real ballad, TORRES gets her moment to shine, recounting the story of a girl she fell in love with at 18, only to be rejected by her and her homophobic family. It’s a stunning, immediately affecting single, and one that thrums with latent energy from the moment it starts. If you’re in need of a good cry today, press play on “Tuesday.”

Miya Folick, Erotica Veronica

Even as queer romance has become an oft-discussed theme in this column, no one has written an album as specific on the subject as Miya Folick. Erotica Veronica, the singer-songwriter’s latest LP, explores queer desire within the context of a world of heteronormativity — something any queer person can understand in 2025. Whether she’s crooning about the pleasure of some pain on “Felicity” or examining conflicting senses of attraction on “This Time Around,” Folick holds nothing back throughout her best-yet album.

Corook, Committed to a Bit

Don’t be distracted by the whimsical energy radiating off of rising pop singer-songwriter Corook — underneath all the humor and hilarity is an artist well worth your attention. Nowhere is that more apparent than on Committed to a Bit, their excellent, wide-ranging debut album. Throughout the new project, Corook invites fans in on their good times (“Worchestershire”), their darker thoughts (“Joke’s on Me”) and an ingenious blend of both (“Pepto Bismol”). The one thing that remains, present throughout every inch of the record, is Corook’s innate talent at crafting spellbinding pop songs that make you want to hit “replay” again and again.

Shura feat. Cassandra Jenkins, “Richardson”

Ever felt like you just needed to take a walk after a hard day? Shura certainly has, and she wrote a song for you to listen to while you do it. “Richardson,” featuring singer-songwriter Cassandra Jenkins, sees Shura looking for solace wherever she can find it, whether that’s from the people closest to her or a stranger on the street. As lonely as that may sound, Shura and Jenkins’ gorgeous voices make “Richardson” feel whole and welcoming — even if you’re feeling down, these two stunning artists will be right there with you, singing you through it.

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