Welcome back to another week of new music! 

This week’s “New Music Friday” playlist was rich with many new releases by some of my favorite artists. Let’s get into it!

Top 3 (in no particular order)

1. For starters, Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” album was truly a work of art. The album dives into the overwhelming emotions Swift faced in the middle of the night, specifically thirteen sleepless nights. The “New Music Friday” playlist only displayed two songs from the album, “Anti-hero” and “Snow on the Beach (ft. Lana Del Rey)”, but “Anti-Hero” was actually one of my favorites as it exposes the internal struggles Swift faces with self-loathing. Though this is not a topic to be taken lightly, Swift ties meaningful lyrics along with a catchy beat and hints at some of her humor, also creating a confusing yet entertaining music video along with the song. I don’t even mind that it’s trending on TikTok already!

2. Two of my favorite artists, H.E.R and Anderson .Paak, collaborate with record producer Knxwledge to produce the new release “Where I Go”. Knxwledge and .Paak have worked together before under the name NxWorries, but unlike other songs NxWorries has created, “Where I Go” is calmer and has a warmer feel. Lyrically, .Paak dives into the complicated “situationship” he’s involved in. The soft drum and guitar beat in the background adds a certain layer of serenity and mystery.  

3. Yet another song trending on TikTok, “Just Wanna Rock” by Lil Uzi Vert was surprisingly a favorite on the playlist this week. Roughly fifteen seconds of the track was released early on TikTok and was almost instantly paired with a trendy dance. The unforgettable keys in the beginning produce a spooky feel in a rather pleasant way. This style is just slightly out of Uzi’s comfort zone, but it all worked well together and the gothic sounding keys are perfect for this time of year. “Just Wanna Rock” will definitely get you dancing, whether you want to or not. 

This week was definitely a strong release week in the music world. If you haven’t heard any of these yet, I’d highly recommend them. I’ve been reading all about a handful of good artists releasing new music next Friday, so I hope you’ll listen with me next week! Get excited!!