The end of summer is fast approaching and this week's best new songs certainly reflect that. Change is in the air and it's definitely permeating through the sonic waves, with artists channeling nostalgia and heartbreak big time.
This week's New Music Friday is a big one for longtime Disney Channel fans, with both Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus making grand musical returns. However, the nostalgia continues for the '90s and '00s kids. Were you a fan of Pokémon in your youth and still have a soft spot for the fictional creatures? There's a song for you. K-pop fans are also in for a treat, with new songs from the likes of super rookies RIIZE and superstars BLACKPINK. It's also a big week for heartbreak, with Omar Apollo and Conan Gray tapping into their crooner sensibilities to make us feel all the feels. Finally, Victoria Monét's new album Jaguar II is quite possibly the best new album this week.
But why tell you when you can just listen? Keep scrolling to check out some of this week's best new songs and releases, and update your playlists accordingly.
Selena Gomez, "Single Soon"
Selena Gomez is back in the music scene, and she chose a flirtatious pop song with a disco flair for her return. As you can probably infer from the title, her new track "Single Soon" is a break-up ode that's sonically tame but catchy nonetheless. "I'm picking out this dress / Trying on these shoes / Cause I'll be single soon / I'll be single soon," Sel sings in the chorus. “I know he'll be a mess / When I break the news / But I'll be single soon / I'll be single soon.”
Teasing the song prior to its release, Selena admitted that "Single Soon" serves as a little appetizer for fans to satisfy their hunger until she's ready to drop something bigger further down the line. "Y'all have been asking for new music for a while. Since I'm not quite done with SG3, I wanted to put out a fun little song I wrote a while back that's perfect for the end of summer," she shared on Instagram.
Miley Cyrus, "Used To Be Young"
You know you are in for a treat when Miley Cyrus releases a ballad. Opening with lullaby-esque arpeggios and led by suave guitar strums, "Used To Be Young" is a poignant reflection of Cyrus's past in which she addresses naysayers forthwith. "The truth is bulletproof / There's no fooling you / I don't dress the same / Me and who you say I was yesterday / Have gone our separate ways," the singer reflects on the opening lines. "I know I used to be crazy / I know I used to be fun / You say I used to be wild / I say I used to be young / You tell me time has done changed me / That's fine, I've had a good run," she continues in the chorus.
The push and pull of good and bad is what makes "Used To Be Young." Cyrus herself describes the single as optimistic but laced with sadness, looking back on her past to open the door to her future without regrets.
RIIZE, "Memories"
After a buzzy introduction with the performance video "Siren" earlier this month, SM Entertainment's new boy group RIIZE have finally given a full song. Accompanied by a video romanticizing suburban summers, “Memories” toes the line of hip-hop and pop. The rookies' very first song introduces various rhythmic changes throughout its just under three minutes duration, striking a balance that showcases the members' vocal and rapping abilities while keeping fans on their toes.
Taking cues from the golden age of hip-hop, "Memories" opens with a muted guitar strum 'that morphs into skittering beats and distorted synths and keys. "East to the south, to the north, to the west side. We RIIZE!" the septet shouts in the pre-chorus right after the first switch-up. High-powered drum and bass take over leading up to the chorus, with the RIIZE's honeyed harmonies taking center stage.
"Memories" will serve as the B-side to RIIZE's upcoming debut single "Get a Guitar," slated for September 4, which we get a small peek of at the end of the "Memories" music video — or so we assume. The snippet is seconds long but enough to discern that the vibes couldn't be more different from what we've seen so far. It's safe to say RIIZE's got the range.
BLACKPINK, “The Girls”
Can you guess who BLACKPINK's new song is for? "The Girls" is the quartet's newly unveiled song for the free mobile game BLACKPINK The Game. Though players might have already heard it in-game, "The Girls" made its long-awaited streaming debut this week, and, sure, it is part of a game, but it could have easily been part of a main album.
The rap-heavy, fast-paced track was co-written and co-composed by members Rosé and Jennie during their trips to L.A. and produced by Ryan Tedder and Michel "Lindgren" Schulz. "The Girls" features the quintessential BLACKPINK sound, including a dance break that the quartet's chibby avatar counterparts bring to life in the accompanying music video. "Don't mess with the girls / With the girls, with the girls / Stop sign we're burning it down / Better watch out, we coming in loud / BANG BANG / Just playing around / Don't mess with the girls / With the girls, with the girls," the chorus goes.
Victoria Monét, “Alright”
“Alright” is an anthem for leaving guys on read, doing your own thing, and celebrating your life for what it is with or without a romantic partner. Victoria Monét has long had a penchant for slick wordplay, precise language, and lyrics that stick in your heart for days to come; those skills, plus an ear for music history and her place within it, are on full display on her new album Jaguar II, out this week. As Jaelani Turner Williams wrote for Teen Vogue, “Victoria Monét could very well be the musical genius who puts all “R&B is dead” debates to rest.”
aespa, "We Go"
Do you like K-pop and Pokémon? Then you'll love aespa's "We Go." The SM Entertainment girl group has been tapped to sing the new opening theme song for the Korean version of Pokémon Horizons: The Series. Tinged with nostalgia, "We Go" takes the rock route, with electronic guitar strums, riffs, and clean, rhythmic drums leading the composition. The aespa members narrate the hopeful story with their vocals, with smooth runs and harmonies sprinkled all throughout. It's as anthemic and energizing as you'd expect from the opening song of an animated series, which is why I can't help but stan. (If you want even more aespa, the quartet also debuted a new English single, "Better Things," last week.)
Omar Apollo, "Ice Slippin"
Omar Apollo is also giving us a taste of what's to come in his upcoming EP, Live for Me, slated for October, with "Ice Slippin." Waving the flag for new-wave indie R&B, Apollo dusts off the autotune and drum pad for the piano-led vibey ballad, co-produced with Teo Halm. Heartbreak is the main conductor, but not in a clear-cut romantic way. Instead, "Ice Slippin" is inspired by Apollo's experience coming out to his family.
"'Ice Slippin' is about reliving the thoughts I had passing through my mind the winter I came out to my family. Receiving cold judgment as opposed to the acceptance I felt I deserved," Apollo shared in a press release. "This song is a reflection and reaction of all the emotions I had to face before and after I decided to leave the icy streets of Indiana."
A music video for the track — directed by duo Rubberband, who were also behind the visuals for Apollo's hit "Evergreen (You Didn't Deserve Me at All)" off Ivory — is slated for next week.
XG, "New Dance"
Following "TGIF" and "GRL GVNG," XG has pre-released another song off their first mini album, New DNA, slated for a September 27 release. The South Korea-based Japanese group is back with "New Dance," a groovy and poppy, feel-good summer song inviting us all to enjoy a little jam on the dance floor. Snappy and bassy, "New Dance" is an instant serotonin boost that's easy to listen and dance to. My only gripe with it is that it might have arrived slightly too late in the season to see its full potential realized, but maybe XG is telling us to milk summer until its very last drop.
Conan Gray, “Winner”
The last heartbreak hymn of the week — this one purely romantic — comes courtesy of Conan Gray and his new single, "Winner." Opening with piano keys and later introducing electric guitar, Gray's vocals take center stage in the Queen-esque composition. "You don't really want to hear the truth, do you? / It's obvious to anyone who ever knew you / That all you ever want is to be right / Even if that means you gotta lie to do it," Gray croons. "The only thing you've proven / Is that there's no one who ever has done better / At making me feel worse / Now you really are the winner," he then belts. Simple but effective is sometimes the way to go, just like in yesteryear.
