Sam DeRosa calls for a wellness check in her new single “Sad Faces,” and she could not be more timely: the month of October has been a long one already. Laced in the slapping/bap-bap beat that rides across a pop atmosphere is DeRosa’s call for universal cheerfulness, perseverance, and hope for a better tomorrow. The conversational, on-beat verses that segway into beautiful choruses show off DeRosa’s vocals, polished and sweetened with honesty. “Sad Faces” layers each sound so neatly without feeling overproduced: it’s intricate pop in production, simple and approachable in sound—the way it ought to be. Stream the bright music video for “Sad Faces” below for a reason to be cheerful. – René Cobar
