13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus features songs by Coco Jones, Jack Harlow, Lynks, Selena Gomez + benny blanco, Tanya Tucker & William DeVaughn.
Remember, YOU can make a difference and be influential in many ways. You are a big deal. You, as a second-person pronoun, appears in many songs. 13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus, is a sequel to 13 Songs Where YOU Are the Focus (2025). It celebrates the power of Y-O-U! You or some form of the word is the only requirement for songs selected on this playlist. 13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus features songs by Coco Jones, Jack Harlow, Lynks, Selena Gomez + benny blanco, Tanya Tucker, and William DeVaughn. So, without further ado, prepare to be wowed by MORE irresistible Y-O-U songs!
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1. Coco Jones, โYouโ
Why Not More? // Def Jam Recordings / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 2025
โLilโ mama fine, and he a dime piece / Gotta be from heaven, looking like my blessing.โ Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Coco Jones (Courtney Jones) released โYouโ as an advance single from her full-length debut album, Why Not More?. Jones penned โYouโ with producers London on da Track, Boobie, Philip Cornish, Herothaproducer, Banger Slanger, and Kushaan Khattar. Damn, that is a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but โYouโ ends up being an enjoyable, positive listening experience. With so many producers, the music backdrop is โon point,โ PERIOD. The instrumental is lush, which is characteristic of the contemporary R&B sound (guitar, keys, bass, drum programming). Coco Jones โbrings it.โ Her vocals are ear-catching โ nuanced, rich, and robust to the nth degree. She sings beautifully with ample expression and sincerity. The section of โYouโ to beat is the tuneful chorus, which highlights the titular pronoun:
โYou like my drink in the Sahara
You showed me things I never saw and
You know what, you real-life
Gave me my heart and then taught me to love again.โ
The verses are intriguing, too. In the second verse, Jones asserts, โGot me on my knees /โฆ I mustโve prayed so well for it / I swear on it.โ Ultimately, as she states in the intro and outro, โKnow that Iโm down, Iโm down in love.โ What is not down is โYouโ which gives Coco Jones another winning R&B song.
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2. Lauv, โBecause Of Youโ
โBecause Of Youโ // Lauv / AWAL Recordings America, Inc. // 2024
โDriving fast in the lane / Of the cold remains of L.A.โ Los Angeles always gets a โbad rap,โ doesnโt it? Lauv (Ari Leff) adds to it in his brief but entertaining single, โBecause Of Youโ. He continues singing in the first verse, โWinter comes, winter goes / But it all just stays the same.โ Is it because of L.A. or someone in L.A.? Itโs the latter. Leff and Michael Pollack penned the song. Leff and Federico Vindver produced. Thereโs a lot to โsink your teethโ into in โBecause Of You.โ The sound of โBecause Of Youโ is a huge selling point. The song is a vibe from the beginning. The instrumental is bright and spirited. Specifically, the strings (programming) are sublime. Another musical touch that shines is the harmonic progression, specifically in the pre-chorus (โDonโt you say that you want me back, babyโฆโ). Matching the spirit of the accompaniment are sweet vocals. He pours his heart out: โItโs not celebration, itโs just a big occasion / From the man who loved you at all.โ The section to beat is the chorus:
โBecause of you, babe
Oh-ooh, oh-ooh, oh-ooh
Because of you, babe
Oh-ooh, oh-ooh, oh-ooh.โ
โBecause Of Youโ gives our handsome, talented pop singer/songwriter/producer another worthwhile addition to his collection.
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3. Phyllis Hyman, โYou Know How to Love Meโ
You Know How to Love Me // Sony Music Entertainment // 1979
โMeasure for measure / Your loveโs so much pleasure / Like a haunting melody / You came inside and captured me.โ Phyllis Hyman (1949 โ 1995) was gifted, talented singer who sadly committed suicide at 45. Her legacy endures, led by the stellar โYou Know How to Love Meโ that appears on the 1979 album of the same name. The late great James Mtume and Reginald Lucas composed and produced it. Hyman sadly didnโt impact the pop charts during her career. She did earn success on the R&B charts, where โYou Know How to Love Meโ peaked respectably at no. 12.
โYouโre welcome to my love / Just promise that youโll stay, yeah,โ Hyman sings in the second verse. She adds, โDonโt you know youโre a dream come true,โ and โBut each time weโre together / Forever and a day, yeah.โ The love is lit, further evidenced by the bridge and especially the chorus, the centerpiece: โYou know how to love me (Sure you do) / You know to make it right (So nice) / You know how to love me (Thereโs no denyinโ) / Sweet as the morning light.โ โYou Know How to Love Meโ benefits from lush production work. The backdrop exemplifies Philly soul, funk, and disco sound. The most ear-catching sounds come from the orchestra: strings and winds, including flute. Also, contributing to the greatness is the harmonic progression, which does not solely rely on โtried and trueโ chords. Also, a timely key modulation adds some spice. Still, the โstar of the showโ is Hyman. Her vocals are robust and commanding. The performance is dynamic, expressive, and nuanced to the nth degree. Hyman gets lifted by background vocals during the chorus section. Ultimately, โYou Know How to Love Meโ is an underrated gem from the soul catalog. This incredible song and Hyman deserve much more recognition.
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4. Selena Gomez & benny blanco, โScared Of Loving Youโ
I Said I Love You First // SMG Music LLC / Friends Keep Secrets / Interscope // 2025
โWould you take my side? Would you hold my hand? / If they sell a lie, donโt let โem send me back.โ Selena Gomez and benny blanco released a coupleโs album, I Said I Love You First. The sub-two-minute โScared Of Loving Youโ marked the first single and 14th/ final track. โโCause Iโm not scared of lovinโ you / Iโm just scared of losinโ you,โ Gomez sings in the chorus, the section to beat. Beyond the chorus, โScared Of Loving Youโ thrives off its thoughtful, love-driven lyrics. โWhen I was young, I would love too fast,โ Selena sings in the first verse, concluding, โHope I donโt repeat my past.โ Word. โScaredโ benefits from its memorable melody. The production by Blanco alongside FINNEAS is a selling point. Musical sounds include guitars, keyboards, and strings. Also, I cannot neglect to mention the sweet background vocals (Lucy Healey and FINNEAS). Although relatively simple and short, โScared of Loving Youโ is pleasant and comes from the heart. Gomez, often criticized for her vocals, sounds great here.
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5. Jack Harlow, โSet You Freeโ
โSet You Freeโ // Generation Now / Atlantic Recording Corporation // 2025
โIโm scared to leave you, but I know I need to.โ Word, Jack Harlow. The Grammy-nominated rapper needs to move on from her โ set her free on his brief single, โSet You Freeโ. โSet You Freeโ features musical accompaniment of busy, percussive drum programming and guitar. Jenius Level, Don Alfonso, and Angel Lรณpez produced โSet You Free.โ Jack delivers a smooth cadence and flow โ a different vibe. The rhymes are rhythmic but calm, cool, and collected. No worries, he still gets an f-bomb in: โIโm on ten, fuck that, fifteen for you / I love you, but I love my freedom, too / I know what I must do / But Iโm really just scared to leave you.โ In the verse, he expresses his feelings regarding the relationship, and, perhaps, beyond the relationship:
โI want to be alone, more than ever
Less free time, more endeavors
Less romance, more get cheddar
โฆ I canโt endure anymore antennas
Iโm overly in tune, Iโm overstimulated.โ
Beyond the overarching theme, Jackโs vocals, and the production, another interesting aspect of โSet You Freeโ is the vocals by GINI. They appear in the intro, chorus, refrain, and outro. They provide a lift. โSet You Freeโ is interesting from beginning to end. Is it game-changing? No, but it is a different sound for Jack Harlow and keeps him intriguing.
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6. Lynks, โ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ
ABOMINATION // Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS] // 2024
โIโm on the DLR, on my way to fuck a stranger / Know his age, know his height, donโt know his name,โ Lynks asserts in the first verse of the colorful โ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ. They acknowledge the risks in the highlight from their 2024 album, ABOMINATION: โShould be ashamed, all the danger I put myself in in the name of a shag, and a bad one at that / Itโs a matter of fact, to fuck a stranger is rarely a positive act for me / But I still go back โcause whoโs keeping track.โ Lynks penned and produced the unique electro-tinged alternative joint. It is nothing short of an exhilarating ride.
โ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ features intense, noisy-sounding musical accompaniment. This establishes a high-energy, intense vibe. Lynksโ vocals are unapologetic, often rapped and talked, using a distortion effect at times. He narrativizes an imminent hookup bringing ample personality to the table.โOh, the wonders of technology when youโre horny / Ordering a man like youโd order a curry,โ they sing in the second verse, continuing, โCall me up, babe, Iโll be there in a hurry / Iโm free delivery and all I really need is you to fuck my brains out.โ Holy cannoli! Lynks, being young and horny, isnโt picky regarding his sexual rendezvous. Grindr overdrive! Even though Lynks is receiving pleasure, the satisfaction or deeper connection is missing, which they highlight in the talk-sung chorus:
โRomance isnโt dead, itโs in a coma
Me? Iโm just a dog out, tryna get a boner
I donโt wanna spend my night alone (No)
So, I donโt think about how Iโll feel when itโs over
โCause honestly, Iโll probably feel the same
No miracle, no epiphanies
And disappointment always is the danger
But what did you expect from sex with a stranger?โ
โ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ is a sex-positive song but simultaneously acknowledges the unfulfillment of empty sex.
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7. Tanya Tucker, โWould You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)โ
Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) // Sony Music Entertainment // 1974
โWould you lay with me in a field of stone / If my needs were strong, would you lay with me,โ Grammy-winning country musician Tanya Tucker sings in โWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ. She continues, asking him, โShould my lips grow dry, would you wet them, dear / In the midnight hour, if my lips were dry.โ โWould You Lay With Meโ is the opening track from her 1974 album, also named Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone). David Allan Coe penned this love song, and would later record it himself, and Billy Sherrill produced it. โWouldโ impacted the pop charts modestly, reaching number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. It topped the country music charts, unsurprisingly. Tucker earned her second career Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.
โWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ is controversial. Why? The song felt โmatureโ for a teenage country singer. Tucker was 15 years old when the song was released as a single in 1973. While the lyrics are not explicit by todayโs standards at all, a sexual relationship is implied. The innuendo is loud and clear, particularly the lyrics excerpted above. Arguably, the relationship aspects of the song feel premature for someone as young as Tucker. โWill you bathe with me in the stream of life / When the moon is full, will you bathe with me?โ she asks, continuing, โWill you still love me when Iโm down and out / In my time of trial will you stand by me.โ Those lyrics confirm what Tucker states Coeโs song was intended to be about: wedding vows. Controversy, or minor controversy aside, Tucker sounds marvelous on โWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ. Her voice is beautiful, distinct, and โ wait for it โ more mature than most 15-year-olds. Backed by a stunning musical backdrop with country cues and sweet orchestrations, Tucker โate this one up.โ
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8. NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, โDare Uโ
โDare Uโ // NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc. / Warner // 2025
โDare you, dare you / Say it to my face, I dare you,โ Dan Reynolds asserts in the intro to โDare Uโ. NLE Choppa and Imagine Dragons join forces on โDare U,โ a single that clocks in under two-and-a-half minutes. This seems like an unlikely collaboration, yet, here we are.โDare Uโ features nine songwriters, including NLE Choppa, the members of Imagine Dragons, and producer Johnny Goldstein. Following Reynoldsโ intro, NLE Choppa spits in the first verse. Despite lacking obscenities, NLE Choppa still brings the heat with a compelling cadence and flow. โI knock a few Mโs, my bank account trim / I promise you you ainโt richer than my daughter,โ he raps, concluding, โStep by step and take it day by day / I pray that death ainโt a second a way / Minimum wage was back in them days / But now we paid, they say Iโm the greatest.โ Woo! The rapper also spits in the second verse, dropping Jamaican patois and remaining confident to the nth degree. Dan Reynolds gets into the mix, too, holding things down in the centerpiece, the chorus:
โYou can take my life, whet your knife
Youโll never get me out alive
Try and try the catโs nine lives
Youโll never get me out alive
Dare you, dare you
Say it to my face, I dare youโฆโ
Ultimately, โDare Uโ is entertaining. Is it the second coming? No, but NLE Choppa and Dan Reynolds are high-energy throughout. Itโs a fun collaboration. The production is sleek, with big, minor key synths and thunderous hits. The chorus is catchy if corny. It is a harmless, inoffensive hip-hop/pop cut.
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9. Paul Anka, โ(Youโre) Having My Babyโ
Anka // Capitol // 1974
โHaving my baby / What a lovely way of saying / How much you love me.โ Wow. I understand what Paul Anka intended in โ(Youโre) Having My Babyโ. The fourth track from his 1974 album, Anka is either (1) underwritten to an extent (itโs simple) or (2) overanalyzed. Regardless, โ(Youโre) Having My Babyโ cemented its spot in music history, peaking at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1974. Anka had a duet partner to celebrate the pregnancy: Odia Coates. Anka penned this record, intended to be about the joys of fatherhood (he had four daughters) and celebrating his former wife (Anne de Zogheb, 1942 โ 2017). However, several aspects of โ(Youโre) Having My Babyโ made it controversial to some.
Feminist organizations werenโt thrilled with โ(Youโre) Having My Baby.โ Why? It feels patriarchal as if the womanโs role is stereotypical: to have babies and validate her husband. Was that Ankaโs intent? Probably not, but lyrics like โWhat a lovely way of saying / What youโre thinking of meโ feel self-centered and suspect. How does she feel about it, Paul? Even with Coates duetting, providing a โfeminine perspectiveโ on paper, the authenticity of that perspective feels masculine-driven. Coates, who sounds beautiful, sings, โIโm a woman in love / And I love whatโs itโs doing to meโ and โIโm a woman in love / And I love whatโs going through me).โ Is that really how SHE feels? โBabyโ has another bit of controversy with a reference to abortion. For some context, Roe v. Wade (overturned as of 2022) occurred in 1973. Anka sings, โDidnโt have to keep it / Wouldnโt put you through it / You could have swept it from your life / But you wouldnโt do it / No, you wouldnโt do it.โ Conflicting messages, right? Celebrating pregnancy (pro-life) and supporting abortion (pro-choice). From a musical perspective, โ(Youโre) Having My Babyโ is beautifully sung, while the accompaniment is stunning and warm. The songwriting hurts it, including the title. As Karen from Manchester, NH, smartly comments on the Songfacts page for the song, โOne small word change could have made it unoffensive: โ(Youโre) Having OUR Babyโ would probably fix that.โ
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10. The Reverend Horton Heat, โLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ
Rev // Craft Recordings. / Concord // 2014
If you need some psychobilly rockabilly on your playlist, The Reverend Horton Heat is your band! Jim Heath (James C. Heath), who sings and plays guitar, has been a member of the rock group since 1985. How does โRevโ intend to feed their flock? It is simple: โLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ, the wacky but fun sixth track on their 2014 album, Rev.
Jim Heath teaches us four main things throughout โLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ: eat, bake, shred, and toast. The approach for the verses is call and response, which is fitting.
โLet me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!)
Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!)
How to marinate the meat (Marinate the meat!)
Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!)
Itโs a culinary treat (Culinary treat!)
Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!).โ
Educate us, preacher! Between these teachings of eating/baking, and shredding/toasting, The Reverend Horton Heat โbridgesโ the gap (emphasis on bridge).
โIโll teach things that you never knew
How to choke a chicken and a make a meat stew
We can cook a taco in the middle of the street
And really feel good
Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!).โ
What kind of chicken are we choking, Rev? Just curious! The lyrics are a blast โ delicious! But is he really talking about food? Probably not, judging by the music video. Moving on the tempo is quick, while the energy is โon 10.โ The guitars roar while the drumming kicks ass and takes names. If you are starving for a distinct, slightly unusual song, look no further than โLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ. You wonโt be disappointed!
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11. Cรฉline Dion, โBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โUp Close and Personalโ)โ
Falling Into You // Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. // 1996
In 1996, Grammy-winning pop superstar Cรฉline Dion released one of the biggest songs of her career, โBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โUp Close and Personalโ)โ. โBecause You Loved Meโ is the second track from her 1996 diamond-certified album, Falling Into You. It was written by master songwriter Diane Warren. David Foster produced it. โBecauseโ was nominated for four Grammys at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. Warren won her sole career Grammy (!) for the Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. โBecause You Loved Meโ spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
So, what makes โBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โUp Close and Personalโ)โ so epic? First and foremost, it is the beautiful vocals of Cรฉline Dion. Dion gives an authentic, honest, and sincere vocal performance. She hits some impressive notes and slaughters (positively) the vocal runs.
โFor all the love I found in you
Iโll be forever thankful, baby
Youโre the one who held me up
Never let me fall
Youโre the one who saw me through, through it all.โ (verse one)
Dion gets awesome support courtesy of multiple background vocalists. The melodies she brings to life are gorgeous. Sheโs backed by warm, adult contemporary production. The backdrop is not particularly innovative, but it is characteristic of the late 1990s sound. A tuneful, uplifting chorus is the centerpiece where Dionโs bread is buttered.
โYou were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldnโt speak
You were my eyes when I couldnโt see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldnโt reach
You gave me faith โcause you believed
Iโm everything I am
Because you loved me
Ooh, baby.โ
Beyond the chorus, there is great musical contrast provided during the bridge section. It separates itself from the verses and chorus. The theme of love remains the same (โThrough the lies, you were the truth / My world is a better place because of youโ). Ultimately, โBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โUp Close and Personalโ)โ is among the crรจme de la crรจme of the Cรฉline Dion catalog.
Appears in :
- Cรฉline Dion, Because You Loved Me (Theme from โUp Close and Personalโ): Bangerz N Bopz
21 (2025)
- 13 Intriguing Because Songs (2025)
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12. New Radicals, โYou Get What You Giveโ
Maybe Youโve Been Brainwashed Too // UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1998
โOne dance left, this world is gonna pull through.โ Perhaps those lyrics meant something different in 1998. However, those words Gregg Alexander sings remain relevant well into the 2020s. Another lyric that remains potent and thoughtful: โDonโt give up, youโve got a reason to live.โ Yes! New Radicals was comprised of Alexander and Danielle Brisebois primarily. Maybe Youโve Been Brainwashed Too was their sole LP, released in 1998. The song to beat is the second track and single, โYou Get What You Giveโ. It gave the band a top 40 hit, peaking at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. โGiveโ was written by Alexander and Rick Nowels. Alexander produced it.
โYou Get What You Giveโ is a feel-good, uplifting pop/rock classic. Yes, the song sounds 1990s, pre-2000 through and through. That is part of its charm pushing 30 years later. The encouraging vibes to those reckless, liberal kids are not dated but rather timeless. Gregg Alexander โbrings upโ the youth with his terrific tenor. โWake up, kids, we got the dreamersโ disease / Age fourteen, they got you down on your knees,โ Alexander sings in the first verse. Just like in the 1990s, the kids of the 2020s aspire, which some parents and conservative society desire to snuff out. Beyond battling narrow-minded views, Alexander criticizes the โbad rich,โ asserting, โGodโs flying in for your trial.โ Oh, snap! With a crazy, unpredictable world, Gregg encourages us not to be scared: โThis whole damn world could fall apart / Youโll be okay, follow your heart.โ The chorus is the section to beat:
โYouโve got the music in you
Donโt let go, youโve got the music in you
One dance left, this world is gonna pull through
Donโt give up, youโve got a reason to live
Canโt forget, we only get what we give.โ
No matter what happens, New Radicals encourage us to give our all โ donโt give up or fall victim to fears. Live life to the best of your ability. โYou Get What You Giveโ remains the sugar honey iced tea, with its thoughtful messaging, itโs seize-the-day, assertiveness, and celebrity shade (โFashion shoots with Beck and Hanson /โฆ Youโre all fakes, run to your mansions / Come around, weโll kick your ass inโ). #CLASSIC!
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13. William DeVaughn, โBe Thankful for What You Gotโ
Be Thankful for What You Got // Unidisc Music Inc. // 1980
โThough you may not drive a great big Cadillac / โฆ You may not have a cart at all / But remember brothers and sisters / You can still stand tall.โ How so, William DeVaughn? Itโs simple: โBe Thankful for What You Gotโ! โBe Thankful for What You Gotโ was written by DeVaughn and produced by Frank Fioravanti and John Davis. No, this is not a Curtis Mayfield classic โ itโs all William DeVaughn! A memorable and ultra-successful soul classic, it peaked at no. 1 on the R&B charts. It also gave William his sole hit on the pop charts, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. DeVaughn may only be renowned for this song and its remixes, but, itโs a whale of a song to be renowned for.
โBe Thankful for What You Gotโ is groovy to the nth degree. Itโs not only the drums and percussion, though. The warm organ, rhythm guitar, and robust bass also contribute to the sheer excellence. Even as dynamic as the instrumental is, the song lays back, never coming off as overwrought or too much. DeVaughn sings gloriously, never forcing things, yet oozing with soul. The lyrics are positive and uplifting, promoting gratitude โ counting your blessings. Also, the chorus is cool and iconic: โDiamond in the back, sunroof top / Digginโ the scene with a gangsta lean / Woo-ooh-ooh.โ Indeed! DeVaughn also gets a lift from background vocals, who also maintain a sense of โnon troppoโ (not too much). โBe Thankful for What You Gotโ is potent yet characterized by its cool energy. This classic has often been sampled by others including songs by N.W.A. (โGangsta Gangstaโ), Ludacris (โDiamond in the Backโ), and De La Soul (โKeepinโ the Faithโ).
Appears in :
- William DeVaughn, Be Thankful for What You Got: 1 Hit WONDERful 42 (2024)
- 15 Ear-Catching FOR Songs (2024)
- 13 More Songs Driven by the Power of BE (2025)
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13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus (2025) [
: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; AWAL Recordings America, Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, Capitol, Concord, Craft Recordings., Def Jam Recordings, Friends Keep Secrets, Generation Now, Heavenly Recordings, Interscope, Lauv, [PIAS], NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc., SMG Music LLC, Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings, Inc., Unidisc Music Inc., Warner; Ahmed Aziz from Pexels; AcatXlo, Niek Verlaan, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]
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