Described by the label as a record which “encapsulate[s] the thoughts, hopes, and fears of growing up as a young Black woman in the U.S.”, What Is Going On? sees Hannah Jadagu combine themes both personal and universal into polished and infectious pop songs inspired by influences as diverse as Snail Mail, Frank Ocean and Phoenix.

“You could take my bones and place them home,” begins opener ‘My Bones’, a song that confronts the terrifying reality of violence against Black women around the world. “With the influx of media coverage of Black women going missing, being murdered, and the lack of care there is for Black women in general,” Jadagu says, “I wanted to dedicate a song to it.” Sonically, the track shimmers with crystalline grace, a slo-mo pop song that gleams with emotional intensity.

‘Think Too Much’ takes a different tack entirely, an infectious pop song that refuses to think too much, decides to just go with the flow. “I was challenging myself to make a song that was high energy, fun, and a bop,” Jadagu says, and it doesn’t take long to see she has succeeded. Honed to a razor-sharp simplicity, the song possesses an effortless lightness and buoyancy—something captured perfectly in Cameron Livesey’s video.

The title track is a rewrite of an early Soundcloud demo, an ode to the joy and uncertainty of young love, while closer ‘Bleep Bloop’ sounds laidback and easy-going but is a thoughtful meditation on the mental health issues faced by many young people. It is perhaps the perfect end to the record, and one last reminder that, even on her very first release, Hannah Jadagu is able to craft easy listening music with timely and powerful messages.

What is Going On? is out now. You can buy it from Sub Pop or via the Hannah Jadagu Bandcamp page.

Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz

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