Supernova | 3 or 4 BOPS

In the 23^rd edition of 3 or 4 BOPS (2022), we select awesome songs that are associated with a SUPERNOVA in some form or fashion.

Ah, sometimes it’s better to keep things lite on the fat and calories ! That’s the goal of the miniature playlists gracing The Musical Hype.  On 3 or 4 BOPS, we select a topic or theme, choose three or four relevant songs, and provide a lit , electrifying blurb.  3 or 4 BOPS shouldn’t take too much time to consume – typically 5 minutes or less! On the 23^rd  edition of 3 or 4 BOPS (2022), we select awesome songs that are associated with a SUPERNOVA in some form or fashion.  Without further ado, let the BOPS begin!

1. Fousheé, “supernova”

softCORE • Trackmasters Entertainment, Inc. / RCA • 2022

“Supernova high like glitter in the sky / I’m faded out my mind, let’s make a memory.” So, let’s get this straight, Fousheé.  You’re high as f#¢k and want to have some fun? This seems to be the case in the chorus of her single, “supernova”, which graces her debut album, softCORE. She continues singing in the unique, vibe-of-a chorus, “Runnin’ through my mind, I think you may be my type / Or you could be cyanide but I’ll never leave.” Intriguing!

“Supernova” is alluring from the start – an understatement. It all begins with that active, robust bass line.  The drum groove also contributes to the ear-catching vibe. “Supernova” is only a minute and a half long, but that’s the perfect length for Fousheé to, um, surprise us with this enigmatic earworm.  The vocals are breathy, high-pitched, and playful.  True to the chorus, she sounds high or perhaps, extraterrestrial.  The first time you listen, it’s truly off-putting.  Listen a couple more times, and you’ll be hypnotized by her ambitious, rhythmic performance.  She has no shortage of attitude, bringing some hip-hop swagger to this alternative joint that’s honestly, tough to categorize.  Things we know for sure are, “My squad got the blicky, don’t squeeze / ‘Cause my niggas don’t play about me,” and, “Smokin’ on that stanky shit, might pull up in a new spaceship / I’m his supernova so he shootin’ star’d my necklace.” Um, blast off ?

2. Ansel Elgort, “Supernova”

“Supernova” • Island • 2018

“I’ve been waking up drenched in sweat / All my dreams, full of my regret / I keep hearing what my mother said / Eyes are open, all I see is red.” Actor-musician Ansel Elgort delivered an enjoyable, pop single, “Supernova”  in 2018.  There’s plenty to ‘sink your teeth into,’ starting with the slick, modern production work, exemplifying an R&B/hip-hop-infused pop sound.  The trap percussion coupled with minor key synths adds a ‘desirable toughness’ – an ‘explosion’ of sound if you will.

Elgort matches this toughness with emotional, expressive, and honest vocals and lyrics. “I’ve been, I’ve been so fucked in my head / I’ve been going through phases,” he sings in the second verse, continuing, “Don’t know what this craze is / When’s the last time someone said shit? / Walking through your mazes / When’s the last time someone meant it?” All of that’s lovely, but where does the explicit reference to the supernova occur? That would be in the chorus, where the supernova is Ansel’s heart:

“I met you in California

You told me you loved him in Georgia

Your heart’s in the ground, frozen over

My heart’s in the sky, supernova.”

Appears in :

• 17 Songs Inspired by Outer Space…to an Extent
• 13 Totally Captivating Songs That Reference Science
• 13 Compelling, Totally ‘Super’ Songs

3. Julian Daniel, “Supernova”

“Supernova” • Julian Daniel • 2019

“You’re my first supernova / You’re my first but I hardly know you…” Hmm, what does that even mean? Well, NASA defines supernova as “the biggest explosion that humans have ever seen.  Each blast is extremely bright. Super powerful explosion of a star. Fair enough.  That said, for rising Canadian pop artist Julian Daniel, the supernova referenced on his single “Supernova”, is his first one-night stand.  The new life experience for the young singer gets a truly thrilling, ear-catching treatment to say the least.  That makes sense. One will be hard-pressed to find something amiss about “Supernova.” Daniel seems to cross every ‘T’ and dot every ‘I.’ The listener is blessed with intriguing production work – decadent ear candy comprised of colorful synths, and a driving, rhythmic groove.

Daniel delivers expressive, nuanced vocals, while his runs stand out on the chorus especially.  The chorus is catchy (the opening lyrics hail from it), backed by alluring, busy production work. Furthermore, the emphasis placed on the titular line is brilliant and so fitting. Daniel truly pulls you into his sexual experience, ‘sound-tracked’ by the dark, minor key, gimmickry within the vocal performance, and the playful, sexy approach.  Also, worth mentioning are the guest female vocals on the second verse, which provide a fine contrast to Daniel’s own awesome pipes.  All the boxes are checked off with “Supernova” – strong vocals, personality, songwriting, and production.

Appears in :

• 11 Awesome Songs: June 2019
• 13 Totally Captivating Songs That Reference Science
• Super: 5ive Songs No. 5 (2022)

4. Kylie Minogue, “Supernova”

DISCO • Kylie Minogue / Darenote Limited • 2020 

“Shining like a supernova, brightest of the stars / From another galaxy like Jupiter and Mars.” Woo! Hey, didn’t disco die? Maybe, maybe not! In 2020, Australian singer Kylie Minogue ensured it was alive and well on her album – wait for it –  DISCO!  One of the explosive dance-pop gems from Disco is “Supernova” which appears as the fifth track.  It is a surefire bop – exuberant from start to finish.

Kylie Minogue delivers a fun vocal performance that’s filled with attitude – ample personality.  Beyond her spirited vocals, she’s backed by marvelous production, courtesy of Sky Adams. The synths bite and the groove is electric.  Fittingly, the lyrics embody the bang – the sheer explosiveness – of a supernova. “It’s a thousand light years, you call to me / It’s supernatural, your energy,” Minogue sings in the first verse, before dropping more key vocabulary: galaxy and gravity.  Of course, in the second verse, Minogue makes it clear, “There ain’t nobody on planet Earth / The way you got me, I’m on my way to your dimension.”  Now that’s those supernova vibes by all means!

Supernova: 3 or 4 BOPS No. 23 (2022) [: Brent Faulkner, Darenote Limited, Island, Julian Daniel, Kylie Minogue, Luis Felipe Alburquerque Briganti via Pexels,The Musical Hype, RCA, Trackmasters Entertainment, Inc., Wilson Blanco from Pixabay]