Singer Songwriter Tatiana Hazel On A Third Coast Band With Beach Rock Vibes

A Reader staffer shares three musical obsessions, then asks someone (who asks someone else) to take a turn.

Burna Boy I became a fan of Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy in September, after he dropped the single “Gbona,” which pairs his deep baritone with a jazzy instrumental. When I explored his other work, one track caught my eye: “Heaven’s Gate” from the 2018 album Outside. It features UK pop singer Lily Allen, whose light, controlled harmonies layer perfectly over Burna Boy’s brisk, bouncy singing.

M.I.A., Arular First of all, how is M.I.A. effortlessly bodying so many genres at once? Her debut album, Arular, came out in 2005, and I still often look to it for production inspiration when I get stuck in the process of making a beat. I love how abstract the music can get while still maintaining structure. As good as M.I.A.’s later mainstream-appeal singles are (hello, “Paper Planes”), Arular has got to be my favorite album of hers.