Curtis Waters' impossibly cheerful new single, and 7 more songs you need to hear this week

Hit play on our brand new Songs You Need to Hear stream, filled with songs that CBC Music's producers have chosen for their playlists. 

Here at CBC Music, we're always on high alert for new songs by Canadian artists.

This week, we're listening to new tracks from:

• Anders.
• Mirabelle.
• Loony.
• Curtis Waters.
• Rhye.
• Justine Tyrell.
• Aria Ohlsson.
• Pony.

Scroll down to find out why you need to listen, too.

What new Canadian tunes are you currently obsessed with? Share them with us on Twitter @CBCMusic.

Tune into CBC Music Mornings every Thursday to hear CBC Music's Jess Huddleston and Saroja Coehlo reveal which of these tracks is the standout new Canadian song.

'Baewatch,' anders

From his new EP, Chaos, "Baewatch" is anders at his best, serving up warm, genial R&B with nothing to prove except his ability to craft appealing melodies and beats. "Miami for the weekend/ we be chillin' on big yachts like Baywatch," he sings in the chorus — a play on words as he admiringly watches his bae from behind. As anders' vocals flow, an electric piano echoes his phrases like light reflecting off the water on a hot summer day while a solid bass line and crisp percussion drop the anchor into refreshing depths. — Robert Rowat

'Phénomène,' Mirabelle

Montreal pop singer Mirabelle dropped her most recent album, Late Bloomer, in May 2020, and she just released a colourful, lo-fi video to remind us of the album's delightful single "Phénomène." On it, Mirabelle sings of a hazy dream where the details of a past partner are just out of reach — but the feeling of their presence is unmistakable. "Je ne me souviens plus des mots/ que tu mʼas dit/ tant pis/ mais je me souviens tu portais/ tes plus beaux habits/ tes habits/ déshabille-moi," she sings on the chorus, slowly repeating "tes habits" (your clothing) until it sonically rolls into "déshabille-moi" (undress me). (The chorus fully translates to: "I don't remember the words that you said to me anymore/ never mind/ but I remember that you wore your nicest clothing/ your clothing/ undress me.") The video is a fun mix of '90s hints (including a video ID pop-up reminiscent of MuchMusic) and slow-moving cutouts of Mirabelle that dreamily float along. It's the perfect accompaniment for that lightly chugging bass and those breezy synths. — Holly Gordon

'Raw,' Loony 

Hot off the heels of her 2020 release, Joyride, Toronto artist Loony has announced a new project titled Soft Thing, set for release on June 17. Last week, she gave fans a preview with the new single, "Raw," a sunlit groove about "being in the moment with someone, and being completely clear, completely present," as Loony herself explained in a statement. The track basks in the early morning vulnerability of waking up next to someone and truly feeling seen by that person. On the chorus, a choir of voices swoop in like butterflies fluttering in one's stomach: "Let me see you, baby," they sing before Loony chimes in to add "See you for all you are/ I just want you raw, raw." Brimming with love and affection, "Raw" will surely wrap its arms around you and brighten up your day. — Melody Lau

'Doodoodoo,' Curtis Waters

Based on its puerile title and artwork suggestive of a TV cartoon for kids, you might think this impossibly cheerful new single from Curtis Waters was suitable for all ages. In fact, the bubble bath that the song's narrator draws is the venue for some rub-a-dub-dubbing of the adult variety. "Get in the tub while it's warming/ we could talk 'til the morning," Waters sings in the pre-chorus, although it soon becomes clear that talking is not the plan. With its descending-fifth harmonies, vaguely bossa nova beat and otherworldly celeste accompaniment, the song is so catchy it will have you "doodoodooing" along before the water gets cool. — RR

'Safeword,' Rhye

A fun and slightly shameful fact about me — which the fellow authors of this list love to tease me about — is that I truly disliked summer until just last year. Maybe it was lockdown, maybe it was just that I came to my good senses, but I finally grew to love the sticky heat and endless days, and now find myself craving them almost viscerally. Enter the power of a perfectly sun-kissed song in the dead of winter, like this standout track off Rhye's new album, which is exactly the prescription for your dull January blues. With colourful, cascading guitar and a little mid-century modern romance, "Safeword," which Rhye mastermind Mike Milosh wrote from his home in the Santa Monica mountains, is escapism in a song — something akin to that moment when the sun hits the water just so, and anything feels possible. — Jess Huddleston 

'Radar,' Justine Tyrell

If you're not yet familiar with Calgary's Justine Tyrell, then her latest single will put her squarely (and literally) on your radar. In contrast to "Worthy," a lush slow jam she released last fall, "Radar" presents Tyrell with only spare piano accompaniment. She commands your attention with her warm, impassioned vocals as she calls out an ex who can't move on — "one who still keeps an eye on what you're doing, spectating through social media, asking around and observing, unable to look away," she explained via press release. Most impressive of all, the song was recorded live off the floor, revealing a singer who can create magic in a live concert (when those resume) as well as the recording studio. Watch for her debut EP this spring. — RR

'Love on the Weekend,' Aria Ohlsson 

Love is sacred, but it can be a lot of work: the compromises, the caring, the communication — ugh, I'm exhausted just typing it all out. That's the beauty of the hook-up; you get all the best parts with none of the effort.  Or, at least that's the idea behind it, and the idea behind "Love on the Weekend,"  a sparse, low-key ballad shaped almost exclusively by the vulnerability in Ohlsson's delivery. It's the lyrics that tell you she'll be gone by morning and that she's "not trying to love you over me." But it's hard to leave your feelings at the door when you walk away, no matter the circumstances. That's the deceitful part of "Love on the Weekend" — the beauty of the music and Ohlsson's rich delivery betray the lyrics. Like love, the weekend is sacred. And choosing to give someone your weekend can be a metaphor for giving them the best part of you: your heart. — Ben Aylsworth

'Couch,' Pony 

While the music video for Pony's latest track feels like an ode to pastel-coloured TV sets of the '80s, the song itself is an unmistakable slice of '90s pop-punk confection. "Couch" feels ripped out of a '90s teen flick, with vocalist/guitarist Sam Bielanski's sugary sweet vocals peaking out underneath a landslide of reverb and riffs. But underneath the vibrant, upbeat melodies is something a little more introspective. Bielanski's journey of self-discovery and personal developments are undercut by people who pretend to believe in her, as she sings, "My Christmas card every year it reads/ 'We'll always have a couch for you to sleep on.'" But Bielanski moves forward, unphased, assuring detractors, "I'm getting smarter/ keep my head above the water." — ML