Mollie's Feel-Good Feed: My go-to workout gear and an exciting new album

Mollie King brings you your weekly dose of what to listen to, watch and work out in

Welcome to Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed, a place where each week Mollie King shares her round-up of the things bringing her joy in these strange and uncertain times. Check back each week for uplifting music, self care tips and, hopefully, a smile being put on your face.

With the end of July fast approaching, we’re officially in the height of summer and it’s certainly been lovely soaking up some sunshine!

It was my sister’s birthday this week so we had a family get-together in the garden, which is always my favourite type of celebration, but it felt particularly special with the last few months we’ve had! I hope your families are safe and well. FaceTime and Zoom calls are still taking up most of my evenings; there’s no better pick-me-up than a little hello from someone you love!

That said, this week I’ve also experienced binge watching at its best with a new series I’m loving, and have some exciting new music to get you through whatever you have in store for next week. If you’ve got a glow stick nearby, it might come in handy…

Singles

Let’s kick off with a new artist who has been on the music scene for a while, but actually as a songwriter rather than an artist, Eyelar. Having penned songs for Little Mix, Demi Lovato and Camila Cabello, it’s safe to say she’s already well-respected in the industry and critics have been eagerly anticipating the release of her own material.

She’s spoken about the fact that she felt so passionately about this particular song that she wanted to release it herself – that song is Say It With Your Eyes. This track has a sensual, laid-back feel to it, perfect for a ‘winding down' playlist.

From one style of music to something right at the other end of the scale, when I first played this next track on Radio 1 I instantly knew I'd want to hear it again, Live Without Your Love. It’s hypnotic and feels big, which ironically has been achieved by keeping everything pretty stripped back. It comes from Calvin Harris’ side project – no, not his allotment – his techno/house alias, Love Regenerator.

If you’ve been missing going to raves these last few months and want to recreate your own version at home, Love Regenerator is the artist you need to be searching for. Probably worth warning the neighbours first though! He’s teamed up here with Grammy-nominated songwriter Steve Lacy, and it’s not a bad combination by any means. I know what you’re thinking, though – does he also have an allotment, and what’s he growing on it?

Albums

The release of this album is a big one in the calendar! With a lot of artists stepping back from releasing albums and sticking purely to single releases, it’s major news when a big artist steps forward with a collection of their favourites songs they’ve written over the past few years.

This album, Brightest Blue from Ellie Goulding, is particularly exciting because it comes in two parts. One possibly demonstrates her more vulnerable side, and the other she describes as her alter ego, featuring collaborations with Diplo, Swae Lee and Blackbear, all of whom have seen chart success. As a fan of Ellie’s, this new album fills me with excitement; the new tracks I was instantly drawn to are Power, Love I’m Given and Tides. This is definitely an album to make a note of, and has contrasting songs to fit every mood!

TV Shows

Confession time: I admit I’m late to this show. I actually did start it when the hype first started building, but clicked off within about five minutes – more fool me!

This last week I have been deep down a Dead To Me hole, having completed Season 1 within two days (I clearly need to get out more) and Season 2 keeping me up late as I roll straight from one episode into the next.

The first thing I have to say about this show is that it’s hard to categorise what genre it is! Is it a comedy? Yes. Is it a drama? Yes. Is it a thriller… You see where this is going! It ticks so many boxes and navigates its way through so many different emotions, and I think that’s the beauty of it.

Produced by Will Ferrell and starring Christina Applegate, the show is about a woman who has suddenly lost her husband. I know, it doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs (hence me turning it off on first watch), but trust me, this show has it all and I only wish I’d got into it sooner!

Fitness

I often get asked about workout clothing as it’s become almost as much fun picking out our workout outfits as everyday looks. Sounds odd, I know! I’m a real believer that whatever I’m doing I need to be comfy. I’ve been known to take my heels off in a taxi after a long day, so you know what I’m talking about here. Comfort is key!

I love that there are now so many labels offering people with different body shapes all sorts of options so that we feel our best when we’re working out. This week I was introduced to a brand I hadn’t worn before, USA Pro. My eyes were immediately drawn to their coral set (the sunshine probably influenced that), and it has become my go-to for style and comfort.

I’m not the type to spend hours considering what leggings to put on for a spin or a jog, but these gorgeous colours give every look a considered and stylish feel. I have to admit that I'm so taken with it, I've also been wearing it on days when I have absolutely no intention of working out… we’ve all had days like that, haven’t we!

Thanks so much for reading this week’s Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed – check back on Marie Claire every Friday for more of my feel-good recommendations. Stay safe, take care and enjoy!