10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of April 7, 2023
Is it just us, or has there never been a better time to be a music fan than right now?
This week, we were treated to massive new albums from Daniel Caesar and Ellie Goulding, got a peek at SUGA's debut solo album as Agust D and so much more. Is there anything else we could ask for? If you're curious about what we loved most, just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of April 7, 2023.
1. Madisyn Gifford Seeks to Be Truly Seen With 'Pretiest B****'
Rising Canadian singer-songwriter Madisyn Gifford is someone who should be on everyone's radars in 2023, and her tongue-in-cheek new single, "Prettiest B****," is the perfect introduction to her charming wit and evocative songwriting. The relaxed yet upbeat pop track is at once self-deprecating and powerful, with a sense of self-assured confidence emanating from the music, even as Madisyn details being dissected and scrutinized. "'Prettiest B****' is a song I wrote on my guitar last spring in a moment of contemplation," Madisyn shared in a press release. "I was thinking about how I recognize myself for my flaws and everything wrong with me and still love myself anyway. I was thinking about how lovely it would be if I could just present everything wrong with me to someone on a silver platter and still have them say 'you know what I love you anyway.' At the end of the day, I feel like that's kind of what everyone wants. You can't feel truly seen unless the person seeing you is looking at the bad stuff too."
Also read about: Madisyn Gifford Dishes on 'The Self-Deprecating Pop Song of [Her] Dreams,' 'Hospital Beds'
2. Oscar Lang Teases His Sophomore Album With 'A Song About Me'
English indie-pop singer-songwriter Oscar Lang just announced his upcoming sophomore album, Look Now, and we've quickly added it to our most highly anticipated albums of the year. Its new lead single, "A Song About Me," effortlessly encapsulates everything that makes Oscar Lang shine. We adore it all, from his feel-good, Paul McCartney-esque mastery of lyricism and composition to the song's building conclusion, evoking the best of Oasis and The Verve to perfection with enrapturing strings over his impassioned shouts. It also comes complete with a new performance music video that feels like it could have come right out of the '70s. July 21, the album's release date, seriously can't come soon enough.
3. Devon Gilfillian Shares His Personal Story With Love You Anyway
Soul singer-songwriter Devon Gilfillian has never failed to enchant us with his smooth, sensuous sound, and his sophomore album, Love You Anyway, shows the artist at the top of his game. Over the course of 10 original tracks, Devon explores his own personal journey as a Black artist living and working in today's America. The songs are tales of long, survival, equality and the human experience, brought to life through seamless fusions of rock, R&B, hip-hop and more to get our hearts fluttering. He's also gearing up for a series of shows through the summer, including a performance at Bonnaroo in June ahead of a European tour with My Morning Jacket, and we cannot wait to hear these songs live.
4. Bailey Bryan Explores Confidence and Vulnerability in Sensitive Bad B**** Music Vol. 1
If you're not already infatuated with Bailey Bryan and her confident-yet-vulnerable brand of irresistible pop, start with her new EP, Sensitive Bad B**** Music Vol. 1. The 25-year-old artist just dropped the six-song collection, putting all of her feelings on the table to create anthemic tracks we can't help but relate to—in particular, the lead single, "Upside Down.' "To me, the song feels really fun and happy, but it's also about a very human feeling and experience—to dive into something knowing you could get hurt, because at the end of the day, we all just want to love and be loved and it's rare and special to connect with someone on that level, even if you know it might not last," Bailey shared in an interview with Sweety High. "We shame ourselves and others for not always knowing what we want right away in love, I wanted this song to be a moment of celebrating the beauty in uncertainty!"
Also read about: Bailey Bryan Dishes on SBB Music Vol. 1 and 'Upside Down'
5. KiNG MALA Tries to Get Her Life Together in 'dirty dishes'
If you've ever struggled to make your bed or watched the dishes pile up beyond your control, we think you'll relate to KiNG MALA's striking new single, "dirty dishes." With its fuzzy, groovy sound, it's a love song of sorts, capturing both the sensations of how someone new makes you feel, and how having their focus on you might finally inspire you to get your life together—starting with doing the dishes. "this is my sweetest, most hopeful song yet and i hope it makes you as happy as it makes me, more fun stuff from this shoot coming soon," KiNG MALA shared in the YouTube description for the video. "ilysm." She has a bigger project set to release later this year, and if it's anywhere near as good as "dirty dishes," we're in for a massive treat.
6. Daniel Caesar Is Full of Surprises With NEVER ENOUGH
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and producer Daniel Caesar knows precisely what he's doing as he bends the very bounds of genre to his whims, and we're confident that with his third studio album, NEVER ENOUGH, another well-earned Grammy is in his future. Across its 15 remarkable tracks—including hit singles "Do You Like Me?" and "Let Me Go"—no two sound quite alike, and yet, they all gel together into a single striking and cohesive album destined to stand the test of time. He'll soon be touring through New York, Toronto, Paris, London and Berlin to perform the album live for the very first time, and it's going to be something truly special.
Also read about: 33 Poetic Lyrics From Daniel Caesar's NEVER ENOUGH to Use as Instagram Captions
7. Kiana Ledé and Ella Mai Join Forces for 'Jealous'
Where has "Jealous" been all our lives? The track truly is a dream collaboration, with Platinum-selling artist Kiana Ledé recruiting Ella Mai for the ultimate reflection on jealousy and what it can do to the soul. It's a silky R&B confessional on envy and heartbreak, with Kiana's raw vocals revealing her doubts about her man and the other women he sees, contrasted by Ella's confidence as she puts her foot down regarding the situation. The result is modern poetry with some truly unbeatable harmonies, and it's sure to become an anthem for many. "Jealous," Kiana shared in an Instagram post. "It's the emotion a lot of us are scared to admit we feel bc it can bring out the worst in us if you let it. So instead of actin crazy just listen to this song."
8. The Jonas Brothers Celebrate Togetherness With 'Waffle House'
With the Jonas Brothers' sixth album, The Album, set to drop on May 12, it's a very exciting time, and we just got another delicious taste of what's to come with the new single "Waffle House." It has a celebratory pop sound and a chorus that's bound to get stuck in your head all weekend, with lyrics about spending time with the people you love most and coming together through teamwork to transform ideas into reality. "Growing up, we would go to Waffle House after shows, and it became our sanctuary," the band explained in a press release. "It was the place we dreamt up ideas, the place where we worked through our problems together, and the place where we finally realized we could find our way through anything as long as we came together. 'Waffle House' was born from a simple but powerful idea: When you sit down with the people that matter most, anything is possible. This song isn't about a restaurant, it's about coming together with the people you love and making your dreams come true."
9. Ellie Goulding Ascends Even Further With Higher Than Heaven
Ellie Goulding is one of the biggest pop artists in the world, and her newly released fifth album, Higher Than Heaven, is truly transcendent. Propelled by Ellie's signature dance sound and unmistakable voice, the album's 16 tracks, including "Like A Saviour," "Let It Die" and "Cure For Love," and pulsing, vibrant and endlessly stylish, resulting in her most confident and memorable collection of songs yet. "I'm so glad to finally share this album with the world," Ellie said in a press release. "When I listen back to it, I visualize myself floating, slowly downwards but never falling. I hope everyone takes something positive away from it—I want people to listen to this record and want to dance and fall in love with each other and themselves."
10. SUGA Shares a Look at His Upcoming Solo Album With 'People Pt.2'
BTS is the biggest K-pop group in the world, so it comes as no surprise that there's a palpable buzz around member SUGA and his upcoming debut solo album D-DAY under the moniker Agust D. We still have another two weeks to wait before it releases on April 21, but in the meantime, we were graced with a first look thanks to "People Pt.2" featuring actress and singer IU, and it is a vibe. The hip-hop track combines sensational singing from both artists and super smooth bars courtesy of SUGA, complete with a music video giving us a look at his process. "This song was written when I couldn't do anything due to Covid-19 and when I thought 'I lost everything,'" SUGA shares in the video. "So it conveys the message I wanted to tell myself."
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of March 31, 2023.