(February 7, 2026) New York City has no shortage of love anthems. From Frank Sinatra’s “(Theme From) New York, New York” to Jay-Z & Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind,” the Big Apple continues to stack up its adorned record pile of worship ballads celebrating its beauty, allure and addictive personality. There’s so many more: The Drifters’ “On Broadway,” Bill Withers’ “Harlem,” Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City,” even Taylor Swift’s pop ditty “Welcome to New York.” And the collaborative team of Palma Groove Project wants to add to that glorious stack with their latest single, “New York City People Swing.”
Founded by London-bred songwriter/producer Orlando Lund, Palma Groove Project — now hard at work on their sophomore album — once again puts Sheela Gathright, the daughter of ‘Telling the Truth’ ‘70s soul singer Willie Wright, upfront, serving sultry lead vocals to the mix. On this five-minute long track, Gathright celebrates her birthplace of New York with a kind of fervency that draws you in to the appeal of big city vibes using lo-fi vibrations.
“There’s something here for everyone,” she sings on the chorus. “You know the city never sleeps/All the people movin’ to their beat/And anything you dream is possible.” It feels so aspirational, even as it glides with the smooth jazz and Jamiroquai soul anchored by Lund’s instrumentation and arrangements.
Check out the track below and let us know if you’re swinging to this NYC love letter.
By J. Matthew Cobb
