11 Songs SOOO Hot, They MELT!

Reading Time: 11 min read

11 Songs SOOO Hot, They MELT! features music courtesy of Denzel Curry, Kehlani, Mariah Carey, Niall Horan, and Prince & The New Power Generation.

It’s MELTING, it’s MELTING? 🫢 What’s melting? The butter 🧈! The ice cubes 🧊! The ice cream🍦! The snow ❄️! Okay, okay – enough silliness! If you couldn’t tell, this playlist, 🎧 11 Songs SOOO Hot, They MELT!, is all about some form of the word MELT, or synonyms and associated words. A taste of the melting arrived with the miniature list, 🎧 Melt: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 44 (2023), comprised of five melt-worthy songs. Now 🎧 11 Songs SOOO Hot, They MELT! adds six additional songs to the mix. Musicians fueling the fire of the melt include rapper 🎙 Denzel Curry, R&B singer 🎙 Kehlani, iconic pop/R&B diva 🎙 Mariah Carey (twice), handsome Irish pop singer/songwriter, 🎙 Niall Horan, and the legendary 🎙 Prince & The New Power Generation among others. So, without further ado, prepare for these songs to totally melt your ❤️ – well – something like that!

via GIPHY

1. Niall Horan, “Meltdown”

💿 The Show • 🏷 Neon Haze Music Ltd. / Niall Horan / UMG Recordings, Inc. • 🗓 2023

“When it all melts down, I’ll be there.” Good to know, 🎙 Niall Horan! The Irish singer/songwriter released 🎵 “Meltdown” as the second single from his third studio album, 💿 The Show. “Meltdown” is brief but potent, running about two-and-a-half minutes in duration, more than enough for the listers to experience that Niall magic, WOO! He wrote “Meltdown” alongside 🎼 ✍ Amy Allen, Joel Little, and John Ryan.  Little and Ryan also produce the track, with incredibly positive results. “Meltdown” benefits from an electrifying groove and driving bass line.  Furthermore, Niall gives us strong vocals.  “Screamin’ in your car (Yeah) in the driveway / Spinnin’ out, think your life’s goin’ sideways,” Horan asserts in the first verse. In the second, he adds, “Sleep is so thin (Yeah) out of habit / Hard to tell the real from the dreams you imagine.” Clearly, things are NOT going well for this person.  Even so, superhero Niall is there for you, he reveals on the memorably penned, tuneful chorus! Good to know! All in all, “Meltdown” is a surefire earworm after the first listen! 

Appears in 🔻:

2. Prince & The New Power Generation, “I Wanna Melt with U”

💿 Love Symbol • 🏷 NPG Records, Inc. / Legacy • 📅 1992

“Slow and slippery, groovy / If we bathe in each other’s hips / In other words, get close enough to the stick / And I’ll melt with you.” Ooh, wee! 🎙 Prince was a freak… at least, prior to 💿 Musicology (2004). Another pristine example, that occurs prior: “Don’t look now, but there’s a river of blood / You must have been a virgin / What am I guilt of?” Holy shiitake mushrooms 🍄! On his 1992 LP, 💿 Love Symbol, 🎙 Prince & The New Power Generation asserted, 🎵 “I Wanna Melt with U”. The melting, of course, is sexual, sexual, and more S-E-X-U-A-L! Prince doesn’t try to be too discreet if we’re being honest 😏.

“And I’m thinking about the way that you kiss

… And my lips just drip

And then the hips just whip and whip and

(I wanna melt with you).”

The sound of “I Wanna Melt with U” is a vibe, period. The groove kicks @$$ and takes names, coupled with electrifying keys and synths. The record is a blend of dance, funk, pop, and the New Jack Swing brand of R&B prevalent at the time. Furthermore, Prince exudes personality. His vocals are naughty, playful, and sexy. In the breakdown section, he asserts, “Yeah, do that baby, just like a dog.” Dayummm – more like WOOF, WOOF 😈! Obviously, sex is great fuel for the fire, and he channels it into the melodies. Underrated in the Prince catalog, 🎵 “I Wanna Melt with U” is fun and sexy to the nth degree.

via GIPHY

Appears in 🔻:

Prince & The New Power Generation, “I Wanna Melt with U”: Midnight Heat 🕛 🔥 No. 43 (2023)

3. Denzel Curry, “Melt Session #1” (Ft. Robert Glasper)

💿 Melt My Eyez, See Your Future • 🏷 PH Recordings, LLC / Loma Vista • 📅 2022

“Take a ride on my train of thought, fundamentals what I bought / Penniless, I await the emptiness enlightened,” 🎙 Denzel Curry raps in the opening line of the sole verse of 🎵 “Melt Session #1”, a banger from his 2022 album, 💿 Melt My Eyez, See Your Future. The Floridian rapper continues, “Twenty-six years on Earth, my soul fighting / Habits that ain’t happen, my body has took a liken…” WOO! An electrifying start to the lyrical portion of the song, prior to that, the tone is set by an enigmatic backdrop. Of course, featured guest and producer 🎙 Robert Glasper helps to make the backdrop of “Melt Session #1” into a classy, jazzy, and sophisticated affair. The production consists of keys, bass, drums, and smooth, incredibly sweet vocals (non-lyrical singing) from 🎙 Bridget Perez, who wrote “Melt Sessions #1” alongside Curry and Glasper.

Curry sounds amazing rapping over this backdrop, which is fitting for conscious performance. He gives great cadence and flow, performing with incredible agility and ease. Even so, Curry bears his soul; he’s authentic, honest, transparent, and vulnerable. One of his best moments in the verse finds him reflecting on suicidal thoughts, objectifying women, and being sexually molested as a child.

“Dealt with thoughts of suicide, women I’ve objectified
Couldn’t see it through my eyes so for that, I apologize
I’m just hypnotized, working hard to empathize
Strung out on love addiction and groupies when souls collide
I’ve been this way since the day I turned six
I’ve been touched before, way before I touched my—”

It’s heavy but give Denzel Curry credit for his honesty. 🎵 “Melt Session #1” is not your standard rap banger, but it is NO LESS a banger, PERIOD. You can always count on Denzel and Robert to deliver the goods!

Appears in 🔻:

Denzel Curry, “Melt Session #1”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 21 (2023)

4. Kehlani, “melt”

💿 blue water road • 🏷 TSNMI / Atlantic • 📅 2022

“I can’t tell where your hair ends and mine begins,” 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 Kehlani sings in the opening line of 🎵 “melt.” She adds in the first verse of the 10th track from her fine 2022 album, 💿 blue water road, “If I move too quick past you, I would think it’s my reflection.” Aww 🥰, the feels, the feels, THE FEELS! Kehlani is dedicated to this woman, PERIOD. Notably, prior to the release of blue water road, Kehlani, already a member of the LGBTQ+ 🏳️‍🌈 community (bisexual), came out as a lesbian, ending her chapter dating men. “Melt” feels honest, intimate, and personal, as the bond Kehlani sings about feels right for her. It features incredibly classy vocals, thoughtful songwriting to melt your heart, and refined production (🎛 Happy Perez and Pop Wansel). Lines like “Wish I could build me a cute apartment / One-bedroom right where your heart is,” and, the titular lyric, “I melt into you,” are nothing short of awesome.

Appears in 🔻:

Melt: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 44 (2023)

5. Kali Uchis, “Melting”

💿 Por Vida • 🏷 Kali Uchis LLC • 📅 2015

“You are my church, you are my place of worship / I heard you’re the plug, can I be the circuit?” Clearly, 🎙 Kali Uchis feels some type of way about him on 🎵 “Melting.” She continues singing in the first verse, “When I got court, I hope that you’re the verdict / When you’re around, my insides turn inverted.” Wow! Perhaps she’s exaggerating to some extent, but, when you like someone, it affects you tremendously. In the second verse of this highlight from 💿 Por Vida (2015), Uchis petitions for the gift of comedy. Why? So that he can smile at her, of course, and make her melt some more. The sentiment is sweet, and the vibe is utterly sublime. Anyone who has ever crushed and felt some type away about someone can relate to the melting that Kali sings about on this sweet early career gem.

6. GIVĒON, “Vanish” 

💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2021 

🎙 GIVĒON (Giveon Evans) marks one of R&B’s brightest stars.  His baritone vocals are gorgeous – buttery smooth and incredibly nuanced.  It’s not surprising his 2020 EP, 💿 Take Time, was nominated for a 🏆 Grammy.  Reissued in 2021 as 💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time, the extra songs only sweetened the deal.  One of the best songs that appears on both versions is 🎵 “Vanish.” Vanish is a synonym of melt, FYI. “You said, you hate me, and you wish I would vanish,” he sings, continuing, “Okay, you love me, baby, I speak your language.” “Vanish” is idiomatic of a more alternative brand of contemporary R&B. How so? Well, the record opts against the traditional verse/chorus form.  Instead, there is pre-chorus (occurs twice), chorus (occurs thrice), a bridge (a variant of the pre-chorus), and outro sections.  Also, there’s intentional use of instrumental music that stretches a potentially shorter record to three-and-a-half-minutes overall.  Form aside, GIVĒON focuses on matters of the heart.  He’s getting mixed messages from this girl who sometimes wants him and other times, as aforementioned, wants him to vanish.  Of course, he admits he’s made mistakes too, and they both need to work together to make the relationship work. 

Appears in 🔻:

7. St. Vincent, “The Melting of the Sun”

💿 Daddy’s Home • 🏷 Loma Vista • 📅 2021 

🎙 St. Vincent (Annie Clark) exhibits musicianship at its finest on 💿 Daddy’s Home, one of the best albums of 2021.  One of the best songs from one of the best albums of 2021 is the brilliant 🎵 “The Melting of the Sun,” which appears as the fifth track. Notably, Clark highlights numerous women telling their respective stories, most of which are filled with pain and adversity.  

For example, “Saint Joni [Joni Mitchell] ain’t no phony / Smoking Reds where Furry sang the blues.” She goes on to reference the drug overdose of Marilyn Monroe, singing, “‘Hell,’ she said, ‘It’s better than abuse.’” Wow.  One of my favorite lyrics arrives later, as she sings, “And proud Nina [Simone] got subpoenaed / Singing, “‘Mississippi, good goddamn.’” “The Melting of the Sun” is a must-hear.     

Appears in 🔻:

8. Adele, “Melt My Heart to Stone”

💿 19 • 🏷 XL Recordings Ltd • 📅 2008

“Right under my feet is air made of bricks / That pulls me down and turns me weak for you.” Sigh, 🎙 Adele doesn’t waste any time on 🎵 “Melt My Heart to Stone,” the sixth track from her debut album, 💿 19. 19 was the beginning of a pop superstar, PERIOD. The future 🏆 Academy and Grammy award winner is the first sound listeners hear, commencing abruptly sans an instrumental introduction. Of course, what Adele serves up is nothing short of brilliant – expressive, nuanced vocals that ooze with soul. Thematically, “Melt My Heart to Stone” is about unrequited love. Adele tries to convince herself of the possibilities with him but ultimately, only she is in love: “And I hear your words that I made up / You say my name like there could be an us / I best tidy up my head, I’m the only one in love / I’m the only one in love.” Sad, but true – unrequited love is universal. Besides the relatable topic and elite vocals by Adele, the arrangement and production (🎛 Eg White) also deserve major credit. The backdrop is lush, particularly the strings, providing ample fuel for Adele’s fire.

9. Drake, “Ice Melts” (Ft. Young Thug)

💿 More Life • 🏷 Young Money Entertainment / Cash Money • 📅 2017

In 2017, rather than dropping a new ‘studio album’ that would serve as the follow-up to his 🏆 Grammy-nominated Views, 🎙 Drake released a playlist, 💿 More Life.  More Life certainly felt like a playlist (or mixtape) as opposed to a cohesive project.  Ultimately, we get an icy joint, 🎵 “Ice Melts” (the keyword is… MELTS). “Ice Melts” features idiosyncratic, melodic Atlanta rapper 🎙 Young Thug for the second time on More Life. The tale imparted is about a girl who Drake is into but comes off as ‘ice cold,’ hmm. “Look, I want you to myself / But I know you just left someone else,” Drake sings in the first verse, continuing, “He did a number on you /…That must be why you move so… icy.” Her coldness is attributed to coming out of a bad relationship in which she wasn’t treated as she should’ve been.  Nonetheless, Drake asserts, “I still need some satisfaction / A little less talk and a little more action…” Thugga doesn’t get his own verse, but rather provides the chorus which supports Drake’s assessment on the situation.    

“Feelin’ rough, rough 

Baby, I’m needin’ somethin’, somethin’ 

I wan’ beat it up with somethin’, somethin’  

You’re a diamond out the rough or somethin’, somethin’.”  

Oh my!

Appears in 🔻:

11 Songs That Reference Ice (2019)

10-11. Mariah Carey, “Vanishing” & “Melt Away”

💿 Mariah Carey • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 1990 / 💿 Daydream • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 1995

“If I could recapture all of the memories / And bring them to life, surely I would.” Phew – there is something about a 🎙 Mariah Carey ballad that just hits different.  Carey is one of the greatest and most gifted singers of all time, period.  Her debut album, 💿 Mariah Carey, introduced the world to a surefire superstar – an undisputed musical icon.  Yes, 🎵 “Vision of Love” is THAT song from Mariah Carey without question. 🎵 “Vanishing” is one of those unsung gems of Carey’s illustrious career. “Vanishing” is simple in conception: this is a piano ballad.  Even so, it’s rich and nuanced finding Carey flaunting her masterful instrument.  She has a glorious melody to work with, which she does wonders with.  Furthermore, the background vocals only sweeten the deal, amplifying the lead ultimately.  Of course, second only to Mariah herself, the songwriting – those lyrics – make “Vanishing” the gem that it is.  The chorus is sweet (“You’re vanishing / Drifting away”) but it is the verses that have the most substance, such as the second: “I was so enraptured / No sensibility / To open my eyes / I misunderstood…” Good stuff, Mariah Carey!

Years later, on her 1995 album, 💿 Daydream, Carey also delivered a disappearing, melting song. “And baby I just melt away / Fall like rain / Every time I see your face I go off,” she asserts on the smooth ballad, 🎵 “Melt Away.” Oh, snap 🫰! She continues, singing on the tuneful chorus, “I just want to break it down / Anytime you come around / Maybe, I could melt away in your arms.” Notably, in verse one, she impresses with her low register – sultry! In the second verse, we also hear the lower register, but the melodic line is doubled, with Carey singing in that stunning upper register too 🤩. Throughout, the use of layered vocals – harmonized, ad-libs, and such – truly make “Melt Away” a vibe. Of course, Mimi is a vibe unto herself!

Appears in 🔻:

11 Songs SOOO Hot, They MELT! [📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Columbia, Epic, Kali Uchis LLC, Loma Vista, Neon Haze Music Ltd. / Niall Horan / UMG Recordings, Inc., NPG Records, Inc. / Legacy, OVO, PH Recordings, LLC, TSNMI / Atlantic, XL Recordings Ltd; Betül Nur, Enrique Zafra from Pexels]

11 Songs SOOO Hot, They MELT! | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on June 12, 2023June 12, 2023