Pretty | 5 Gems

Pretty: 5 Gems No. 12 features songs by Benson Boone, Isabel LaRosa, Kyle Dion, LU KALA, and LUKAS OSCAR.

[otw_shortcode_dropcap label=”P” size=”large” border_color_class=”otw-no-border-color” shadow=”shadow” square=”square”]-R-E-T-T-Y! That is the modus operandi on Pretty: 5 Gems No. 12! All five of the songs that appear on this five-song, bite-sized playlist must be pretty! Well, they must feature the word, pretty, that is! No ifs, ands, or buts! Synonymous words such as gorgeous and beautiful are not permitted! Pretty: 5 Gems No. 12 features songs by Benson Boone, Isabel LaRosa, Kyle Dion, LU KALA, and LUKAS OSCAR. So, without further ado, let’s dig into the prettiness, shall we?![/otw_shortcode_dropcap]

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1. LU KALA, “Pretty Girl Era”	2. LUKAS OSCAR, “Pretty Words”	3. Kyle Dion, “Tears On A Pretty Face”
4. Benson Boone, “Pretty Slowly”	5. Isabel LaRosa, “Pretty Boy”	5 Gems (2026)

 

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1. LU KALA, “Pretty Girl Era”

No Tears On This Ride » LVK / Amigo » 2025

[nx_pullquote]“Yeah, I’m in my P.G.E., baby / Oh, yeah, oh, yeah / So glamorous.”[/nx_pullquote] Congolese Canadian 🇨🇬🇨🇦 singer LU KALA is in her “Pretty Girl Era”! Exhibit A, the confident, pretty, and unforgettable chorus: “I don’t care, I’m in my pretty girl era / I’ma stare when I see myself in the mirror, oh-oh / ‘Tis the season, it’s that hottie time of the year / I don’t care, I’m in my pretty girl era / I don’t care.” Damn right she doesn’t care! “Pretty Girl Era” is the fifth track from her brief 2025 album, No Tears On This Ride. LU KALA co-wrote “Pretty” with Madison Love, Lukasz Gottwald (Dr. Luke), and Rocco Valdes.

“Pretty Girl Era” features a fabulous, danceable beat, fitting for a pretty girl! Overall, this pop cut is well-produced with Dr. Luke working behind the boards. The sound isn’t brand-new (Luke has been doing Luke things for a while), but it is highly effective with its sunny-sounding vibes. LU KALA sings confidently and brings plenty of personality to the track. She shines in the rhythmic, tuneful melodies during the verses. “Wake up gorgeous every morning / I’ma put a ring on it,” she sings in the first verse, adding, “Fourteen karats, horse and carriage / Cinderella, I’m that bitch.” Woo! In the second, she confidently asserts, “Giving sassy, giving body / Wanna give myself a bow,” adding, “Drippin’ head to toe / Sexy, yeah I know.” The chorus, highlighted earlier, is fabulous. Ultimately, “Pretty Girl Era” is a two-and-a-half-minute, surefire vibe.  Yes, LU KALA is feeling herself, but in an empowering, positive way.  There is nothing wrong with loving and uplifting yourself, particularly those of us riddled with self-esteem issues.  Speak that pretty girl or pretty boy era into existence 🙌!

Appears in:

LU KALA, Pretty Girl Era: Music Lifts No. 27 (2025) 11 Exhilarating Era Songs (2025) A Poppin’ Compendium of P Songs (2025)

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2. LUKAS OSCAR, “Pretty Words”

“Pretty Words” » LUKAS OSCAR » 2025

[nx_pullquote]“I pick you up in the morning / Train tracks to euphoria / ‘Til you say so long / And I feel pretty numb.”[/nx_pullquote] Uh-oh… it’s those pesky matters of the heart affecting Filipino Austrian musician LUKAS OSCAR (Lukas Oscar Janisch). In the indie pop song “Pretty Words”, Oscar tries to ‘play off’ his feelings for this person. “You ain’t ever felt real to me / Like fantasy, a distant dream of mine,” he sings, adding, “When you talk to me / I evaporate like clouds into the sky / … You caught me red-handed / And I can’t even lie.” Lukas is in his feelings on this alluring, if somewhat unusual pop cut.  On “Pretty Words,” Oscar sings in an undertone. He is cool, calm, and collected. Despite his reserved vocals, he delivers an honest, sincere, and thoughtful performance.  The familiar, universal topic of love is inescapable.  “Can’t tell me it gets boring / With a stoner boy just like this,” Lukas sings in the second verse, adding, “So, will you let me be your stoner boyfriend, babe? / Will you let me be your stolen boy?” Beyond the theme and lyrics, the music is ear-catching.  The musical backdrop is anchored by a sickening drum groove. Additionally, there are colorful, warm synths – a kinder, gentler sound palette. Notably, there is a great change of pace during the outro.

“Feel like I shouldn’t

Say it out (loud)

Loud, but, oh

I love you.”

The sound and vibe are left-field yet ear-catching and intriguing.  “Pretty Words” is a distinct, enjoyable, and captivating indie-pop song.

Appears in:

LUKAS OSCAR, Pretty Words: Wacky Wednesday No. 13 (2025)

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3. Kyle Dion, “Tears On A Pretty Face”

SOULAR » Position Music » 2025

[nx_pullquote]“I’m taking back my love tonight.”[/nx_pullquote] Ooh-wee! R&B singer/songwriter Kyle Dion has spoken, rather sang, in his infectious single, “Tears On A Pretty Face”. “Tears On A Pretty Face” is the seventh track on his 2025 album, SOULAR. Dion is a star, delivering smooth, sensual vocals.  His falsetto is marvelous to the nth degree – incredibly ripe! He navigates the rhythmic, melodic lines like a champ. Dion penned “Tears” alongside Bubele Booi, David Balshaw, and Rose Marie Tan.  The songwriting and melodies the team composed are fab.

Matters of the heart are firmly planted in Kyle’s mind.  “You know that love is unpredictable at times, but if you feel it / Gotta jump in.” Facts. In the infectious chorus, he sings, “365 days in a year / Been waiting for your love it ain’t here I’m tryna hold it back I feel the tears but when you turn around / I’ll be here.” Woo! “Tears” also features superb production work by South African, Los Angeles-based production duo, The Imports (Booi and Balshaw) and Alex Goldblatt: the keys, rhythm guitar, slap bass, and groove provided Dion with a stellar musical backdrop.  Also, keeping this teary-eyed song ‘on-point’ is the harmonic progression, which hearkens back to the R&B of old.  It’s more than three chords!  Kyle Dion drops a surefire bop with “Tears On A Pretty Face”.

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4. Benson Boone, “Pretty Slowly”

“Pretty Slowly” » Night Street / Warner » 2024

Benson Boone without a shirt = fire. More pertinent than showing off his chiseled bod on the cover art of his single, “Pretty Slow”, is showing off those big, dynamic pipes. “Pretty Slowly” arrived post-Fireworks & Rollerblades and pre-American Heart.  What I’m saying is, this cut doesn’t appear on an album. Boone, Evan Blair, and Jack LaFrantz penned it.  Blair also produced it. The results = positive! The first thing that catches the ear is Boone’s vocals.  His tone is beautiful, including his middle register and falsetto.  He’s supported by a folk-pop backdrop.  As “Pretty Slow” progresses (the chorus, specifically), Benson ratchets up the vocal intensity. The second iteration of the chorus, after the second verse, is even bigger.  The chorus is lengthier than usual, but that’s part of the allure and charm:

“And it started pretty slowly

Oh, when you asked about the old me

‘Oh, is he gone? Oh, is he gone?’ Oh, I don’t know

I think I left him somewhere I no longer go…

And it’s falling into pieces

No there’s not a way that we can stop this now…”

Then, he brings things down.  The bridge is more poised, accompanied initially by an acoustic rhythm guitar.  No worries, Boone nor the music doesn’t stay low.  The instrumentation picks up, as does Boone’s volume and vocal register.  He gets high and powered TF up as he sings, “Oh, there’s still two lovers / So who the hell are we?” Before all of this goes down, he’s reflective regarding a past relationship. He’s honest, even dropping a few baby swears in the mix.  “When I’m driving through the Rockies / And I feel this little knife in my heart / And it bleeds me out / Don’t wanna love, I don’t wanna love you now,” he sings at the end of the first verse.  In the second, he asserts, “I wanna know if you’re okay, mm / And I hope that you’re so damn sure that leaving me was right.” Oh, snap! Once again, our shirtless-loving, big-voiced Gen-Z singer/songwriter comes through big on “Pretty Slowly”.

Appears in:

Bops That Pop: August 2024

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5. Isabel LaRosa, “Pretty Boy”

Raven » Slumbo Labs / RCA » 2024

[nx_pullquote]“I want your name forever / Behind mine.”[/nx_pullquote] Isabel LaRosa is thinking about marriage before she turns 20 years old! The Gen-Z, Cuban-American pop musician has a “Pretty Boy” in mind. “Pretty Boy” is the third track from her 2025 album, Raven. With the help of her older brother, Thomas LaRosa, they penned this boy-loving pop joint. Thomas, alongside Lucas Sim, produced it. Brief, just clocking past the two-minute mark, Isabel speaks her peace about this pretty boy.  There’s trouble in relationship paradise, though… “Boy, I’m holding on for life…” The negativity is ‘negativing’ in the first verse: “Angry words… / Feel their worst… / When we try it one more time.” Hmm, can they successfully reunite? In the second verse, LaRosa remains perturbed, while singing with a breathy tone: “Watch me cry, drowning eyes / Are you running from the truth?” The chorus is the centerpiece, where Isabel implores him to be hers, again!

“Baby, be my pretty boy (Pretty boy, pretty boy)

I’m so obsessed, it’s not a choice (Not a choice, not a choice)

I’m melting when I hear your voice

I belong to you.”

Oh, snap, it’s serious! All told, Isabel LaRosa drops a short but sweet pop bop with “Pretty Boy”. We buy what she’s selling. Besides her breathy, fierce, and indulgent vocals, the instrumental backdrop is sweet, too. Set in a minor key, with dark, rhythmic vibes, “Pretty Boy” is the stuff.

Appears in:

Bops That Pop: August 2024 BOY, These Songs Are About You, Part 2 (2024)

 

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5 Gems (2026)
Almost: 5 Gems No. 1	Alone: 5 Gems No. 2	Am: 5 Gems No. 3
Big: 5 Gems No. 4	Break, Breaking, or Broken: 5 Gems No. 5	Can’t!: 5 Gems No. 6
Magic : 5 Gems No. 7	Money : 5 Gems No. 8	Mama: 5 Gems No. 9
Nut: 5 Gems No. 10	Watch: 5 Gems No. 11	Pretty: 5 Gems No. 12

 

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Pretty: 5 Gems No. 12 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Amigo, LUKAS OSCAR, LVK, Night Street, Position Music, RCA, Slumbo Labs, Warner; Canva AI; Gordon Johnson, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

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