10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of March 5, 2021

Is it really March already?

With the weather getting warmer, and the beginning of spring just around the corner, it only makes sense that this year's new music is in full bloom, too. With releases from our favorite rising indie artists to the biggest names in the business including Justin Bieber and Nick Jonas (both for the second week in a row), this season is shaping up to be a great one. Keep reading for our 10 favorite things that happened in music the week of March 5, 2021.

1. Liddy Clark Stuns With 'If There Was No Traffic in L.A.'

Liddy Clark is a singer-songwriter whose talents should be on everyone's radars, and this week, she released what might be her most poignant track yet in the form of "If There Was No Traffic in L.A.." There's something so raw and honest about the heartbreak detailed in this song, and her storytelling is just as powerful as the track's driving, emotional sound. Give it a listen and try not to be impressed.

 

2. Baker Grace Gets Honest in 'Be OK'

Baker Grace's delicately soulful voice is perfectly complemented by a gentle guitar in her newest track "Be OK." It's an anthem to embracing your authentic self and becoming okay with everything you are, and from here on out, we're going to have this one on repeat. "I wrote this song at a time in my life when I was both mentally and physically exhausted and I wasn't able to see the light until I let go of my ego and saw the beauty in the little things," Grace explained in a press release. "Now more than ever, it is so easy to get caught up in other people's ideas of perfection but I know that success, fame, and praise are meaningless if I can't accept and appreciate myself for who I really am."

 

3. Kat Cunning Releases the Sleek and Moody 'Confident'

Kat Cunning is releasing their debut EP sometime this year, and their sleek new track "Confident" is our first amazing peek into what we have to look forward to. It's a song about open communication with the people you care about, and making sure you're both on a level playing field, getting back as much as you put in. "I wrote 'Confident' in a day while in Los Angeles when I was really feeling uncertain about my relationships and needed to ask the people around me to step up," Kat said in a press release. "I think it's an important sentiment for any kind of relationship."

 

4. Kiran and Nivi Give Us Chills With 'Y'all Got It Wrong'

Twin sisters Kiran and Nivi have become TikTok sensations thanks to their incredible voices and undeniable charisma—and recently collaborating with Jason Derulo certainly didn't hurt, either! They have more than a million followers, and their new song "Y'all Got It Wrong" is about to win them even more diehard fans. With haunting vocals, it's about the tantalizing pull of social media, and losing your ability to separate "real" life from the one you live on your phone. Give it a listen—it's unlike anything you've heard before.

 

5. Kaskade Teams Up With Ella Vos for the Beautiful 'Miles to Go'

Kaskade is one of our favorite DJs and producers working today, and his latest release, "Miles to Go" featuring vocals by the talented Ella Vos, makes it so clear why that's the case. It's got a beat that'll put a bounce in your step no matter what mood you're in, and its inspiring message is just what we all need right now. "Underneath the uplifting good vibes of 'Miles to Go' is a message to 'keep going,'" Ella explained in a press release. "The work in our relationships with each other and the world are never finished; we can always become better."

 

6. Tate McRae Gives Us Yet Another Instant Favorite With 'Slower'

We're sure we're not alone in believing that Tate McRae is one of the most powerful songwriters out there today, and her latest track, "Slower," is so relatable and heartbreaking that it's rocketed to the top of our list of favorites. Maybe we're reading too much into it, but it seems to be about unrequited feelings, and the risk of becoming strangers if you wait any longer to reveal how you truly feel. Tate's words always cut us straight to the core, and we think you'll feel the same.

 

7. K-Pop Band ATEEZ Releases a New EP and Music Video for 'Fireworks (I'm the One)'

Not familiar with K-pop's own ATEEZ? You should be. Today, they released a new EP called ZERO : FEVER Part.2 that's worthy of multiple listens. If you're not sold, just check out the steamy music video for the hip-hop-tinged "Fireworks (I'm the One)." With its fiery choreography and vocals that'll captivate you even if you don't speak a word of Korean, it's sure to catch your attention.

 

8. MONSTA X and Snoop Dogg Collaborate on a Track for the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

MONSTA X and Snoop Dogg already sounded like an unlikely collaboration before the SpongeBob SquarePants connection was thrown in, but we have to admit that their new song "How We Do" is a banger. As much as we love SpongeBob, we do appreciate that this song doesn't have any overt references to the franchise, so we can enjoy it entirely separately. And we're obsessed with how totally natural MONSTA X sounds singing the fully English track.

 

9. Nick Jonas Reveals Yet Another Track From His Upcoming Spaceman Album

Nick Jonas is a very generous man, revealing two tracks in as many weeks from his Spaceman album, which drops next week on March 12. He premiered the second, "This Is Heaven," on Saturday Night Live, and it's a dream come true. The sultry '80s-inspired track is slow but ridiculously danceable, and the saxophone break gives us life. Just try to resist its charms.

 

10. Justin Bieber Teases His Album With New Single 'Hold On'

Last week, Justin Bieber announced he'd be releasing an album on March 19. We've been counting down the days, but we had no idea he'd be releasing another single and music video so soon. We couldn't have expected anything better than the bold and romantic "Hold On." The music video is even more stunning, showing Justin on the back of a motorcycle, on the run from the police, intertwined with the story of him caring for his partner as she undergoes cancer treatment. We guarantee it'll have your heart in knots by the end.

 

Missed our picks last week? Click HERE to find out our top 10 favorite tracks of the week of Feb. 26.