Exclusive: Stream Kyle Richardson’s New Curated “Powerful Pop” Spotify Playlist

By: Staff –

To celebrate the release of Kyle Richardson’s new single, “Can You Hear Me”, the emerging Canadian LGBTQIA+ pop artist curated a brand new “powerful pop” Spotify playlist with songs that are meant to be the soundtrack to life’s loudest moments whether you’re getting ready for a workout, or a night out. Stream it below!

Written by Richardson and fellow Canadians Andrew Allen and Grammy-nominated Jeff Dawson (who also produced), “Can You Hear Me” is the first of three planned singles to land from Kyle’s debut album, “Louder Than Words”, which arrives later this year.

Coasting on a modern pop vibe with a rock edge, “Can You Hear Me” boasts minimalistic bouncy verses leading into call-and-answer chorus vocals with big harmonies, and an appropriately energetic percussion throughout.

Kyle says, “We wanted to write a song about inspiration, making a statement, and living your best life. It needed to be nostalgic about the past but also optimistic about the future. In the studio, Jeff took the songwriting elements and we put a fresh pop spin on the sound. I feel like ‘Can You Hear Me’ is a strong musical representation of who I am as an artist. It also sets the tone for the album’s broader themes of hope, good times, love and friendship.”

As the first new music for the Vancouver-based LGBTQIA+ artist since 2019, “Can You Hear Me” is a re-introduction of sorts for the artist and dedicated songwriter. Having written with a wide range of Canadian artists, including superstar Carly Rae Jepsen, WCMA-nominated DYLN, and rising star Garrett Neiles, Richardson previously released two singles of his own to Canadian radio (“Painkiller” and “So Hot It Hurts”) and has lent his talents as a guest vocalist on a number of collaborations, including Bobina’s 2016 single, “Love is the Answer” and its accompanying remixes, which have earned over 1.5 million streams on Spotify.

Having performed at multiple Pride events around his home city (including 2019’s New West Pride), Richardson also wants “Can You Hear Me” to serve as a calling card and a proud statement for the LGBTQIA+ community – especially fellow artists and creatives – to follow their inspirations. Ultimately, his aim is to guide others to live boldly, while also leaving them ready for more music.

He says, “I want to give all of us the confidence to live loud in the moment, make memories to hold on to, and celebrate the good times while you can. Treat every night like it’s your last night, so you won’t have any regrets.”

For more about Kyle Richardson, please visit KyleRichardsonMusic.com.

Kygo / OneRepublic – “Lose Somebody”

This song starts out so sparse – with essentially just a piano/vocal – but it builds so much into a huge anthem about love and loss. The vulnerability of the verses leads to a huge emotional chorus, filled with impressive vocal runs and a really huge instrumental hook. I can listen to this song on repeat, and it just totally hits all the right notes for me.

Justin Bieber – “Deserve You”

This song completely caught me off guard when I first heard it. The way Justin’s voice has grown and the complete confidence to be emotional and self-deprecating in the chorus lyric really hits home for me. I love the bits of falsetto vocal in the chorus that really drive the emotion behind the lyrics. The bass really propels the verses forward and the rhythm of the vocal melody really takes what other artists would write as a ballad and turns the song into such a banger. 

Miley Cyrus – “Jaded”

After the huge hit that was “Flowers”, I was so interested to see what Miley’s latest album would sound like in its entirety. I absolutely love how she has a bit of her natural country vocal tone present in the verses of this song, and in the chorus, she totally rocks out vocally. She’s not afraid to be honest with what she’s singing about and it makes the song feel so authentically her.

Carly Rae Jepsen – “Stay Away”

How a B-side album has songs as strong as “Stay Away” completely baffles me. This song is such a fun listen. Carly’s vocal is so delicate and emotional, juxtaposed with an absolutely huge pop production. The repeated ‘away, away, away, away’ can get stuck in my head for days!

Bryan Adams ft. Melanie C – “When You’re Gone”

This song is an absolute party staple, and it has been for most of my life. It never gets old to me! Bryan Adams was one of my first big concerts and stands out as one of the absolute best shows I’ve ever seen… and this song is such a fun time and the interplay between both singers brings such a great energy.

Shania Twain – “Up!”

Keeping with the Canadian talent theme of the last few songs, this has always been such a huge genre-defying party of a song. I love the fact that Shania released multiple versions of her albums to appeal to different tastes in music worldwide. Seeing her perform this on her current tour was such a rush. The energy she brings to the stage and the ease of her vocals is such a joy to witness.

Harry Styles – “Adore You”

I don’t know what I was anticipating from Harry Styles following his first album, but this moody, modern, soulful pop vibe was a bit unexpected for me and I absolutely love it to this day. The groove in the chorus, with those extended falsetto notes and the big vocals in between… this song kills. The guitar solo towards the end with the backing vocalists repeating the hook gives the last section such a lift. I can’t get enough of it!

Queen – “The Show Must Go On”

I had to include Queen on this list, as I’ve covered Queen before and it is not an easy task! “The Show Must Go On” brings so much drama. The chorus is huge and anthemic, the guitar solo leading into the bridge is everything, and the bridge itself brings on total theatricality followed by a gospel choir backing to the final chorus. This song really just brings everything to the table and completely knocks it out of the park.

Jessie J – “Domino”

Since I first saw Jessie J in some low-res YouTube video of her just singing into her laptop – before she even released any original music – I knew I was a fan for life. Her vocals are completely next-level, probably the most technically skilled singer in pop music, and when this song came out, it changed the game. That bright guitar tone, her insane vocals, the ad libs she does at the end of the song, and the fact that this song just beams positivity from every angle makes it totally timeless for me. 

Kelly Clarkson – “Behind These Hazel Eyes”

Kelly’s voice seemingly gets better and better every time she opens her mouth. It’s crazy! I turn to her “Breakaway” album whenever I’m having a bad day and this song is always a go-to! There’s so much emotion she brings, and the rock edge to the production makes this such a fun song to sing along to.

Adam Lambert – “The Original High”

This was the title track of Adam’s third album, and it totally sets the mood for what he was doing at the time. There’s a mysterious element to the production that really drew me in, and the chorus just blows up. I love a strong falsetto vocal moment and he kills it in this. 

Gavin DeGraw– “Not Over You”

Another artist I’m a lifelong fan of, Gavin Degraw always brings the emotion, the lyricism, and an amazing melody to the table. “Not Over You” is such a vulnerable statement and the lyrics tell such a great story, and it’s wrapped up in this huge chorus that is so fun to sing along to. I’ve been able to relate to this song on more than one occasion and I knew it had to have a place on this list.