'Hold My Hand,' by Jess Glynne.

• Position: Living

English pop singer Jess Glynne made quite a stir singing on Clean Bandit's 2013 soulful and groove-laden "Rather Be.'' Her voice was instantly arresting and her phrasing nearly perfect, leaping between her high and low ranges seemingly without effort, all while finding the emotional intention behind each word sung.

With her latest single, "Hold My Hand,'' Glynne proves that "Rather Be'' was no fluke. Here, she takes the straight-up pop structure and finds nooks and crannies within it, creating a jagged-edged feeling.

This feeling becomes a through-line, connecting the disparate sentiments such as the longing-filled "Just put your arms around me, tell me everything's OK'' and the defiant "Break my bones but you won't see me fall.'' In Glynne's hands, both lyrics feel honest, and...