10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of August 11, 2023
You know it's an incredible week of new music when you get new releases from both Olivia Rodrigo and BTS's V—and that's just the half of it.
Whether you prefer pop, country, R&B or indie tunes, the last seven days offered a little bit of something for ever music lover, setting the perfect scene as the summer winds down. To discover our most recent favorites, just keep scrolling for the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Aug. 11, 2023.
1. moony Comes Alive With Love in 'FALLLLLLLL IN LOVE'
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Seth Findley, aka moony, is a rising artist with a lot to say, and his newest single, "FALLLLLLLL IN LOVE," is the perfect track for new fans to fall head-over-heels for. The catchy alt-pop tune is driven by twinkling percussion and feel-good synths as he belts out about the wonders of new love and how falling for someone can make you feel truly alive. "This was never meant to be a pristine, polished thing," moony explained in a press release. "It's the messy, unpolished side of me that needs an outlet. It's not that I think I'm doing something revolutionary, but I'm not going to let myself overthink this. It's been very personally rewarding."
2. Country Newcomer Eli Winders Has Us Enamored With 'Pack My Hometown'
Even if you don't consider yourself a country music fan, we dare you not to be enchanted by Eli Winders and his latest single, "Pack My Hometown." The 19-year-old North Carolina native is one of the newest voices in the country, and also one of our favorites, with a heartfelt approach to songwriting that's deeply relatable, no matter who you are. "It amazes me that a song so specific to my life resonates with other people," Eli shared in a press release. "'Pack My Hometown' is about leaving the place I have lived my entire life and all the memories I have there. It's about chasing a dream, saying goodbye to everything I know and all the people who have supported me so far, and about the people I love who made it so hard for me to leave."
Also read about: HunterGirl Dishes on 'the Song That Kept [Her] in Nashville,' 'Ain't About You'
3. corner club Get Petty in New Single 'whenever you're ready'
Vocalist Savannah Du and producer and guitarist Michael Zhang make up indie duo corner club, and they're definitely ones to watch in 2023. Their upcoming self-produced EP, in the rearview mirror, is out Oct. 6, with the new single "whenever you're ready" providing the perfect playful tease for what's to come. The moody bedroom pop track features whimsical vocals and a soft coolness that contrasts with the hilarious and somewhat petty lyrics as Savannah sings about her ex and imagines their new girlfriend while hoping this new girl makes them feel as bad as they made her feel. "We channeled all of the mean energy in our bodies into this song," she said of the track in a press release. "I would never want to wish truly bad things upon someone I once dated, but would I want them to feel the same insecurity that they caused me? Sure, maybe just a little."
4. frex Wants What's Hers After the Breakup in 'Hoodie Back'
R&B up-and-comer frex has a way of melding genres to create something all her own, and we love the way her talents come together on her newest single, "Hoodie Back." Driven by a thumping bass, the song has a cool and collected feel as frex reflects on the end of a relationship, realizing it was bad for her and just wanting back the hoodie she gave her ex back when things were good. "When the love dries up, I want my s*** back," frex revealed in a press release. "I made 'Hoodie Back' with Mulherin and Trackside. I wanted something with open instrumentation, and they were in the mood for early 2000s drums, so we meshed it together."
5. Berhana Reflects on Doomed Love in 'Like a Habit'
L.A.-based singer-songwriter Berhana's brand of dreamy R&B is the perfect fusion between nostalgic sounds and modern sensibilities, and that's especially clear with his latest single, "Like a Habit." The song combines jazzy percussion with sleek, '70s-infused synths and influences from his Ethiopian heritage to create a vibrant sound, propelled further by his dreamy falsetto. It's a track about being hopelessly infatuated with someone and hardly being discouraged by the knowledge it'll never work out—and that message is complemented seamlessly by Berhana's irresistible delivery. We are very excited to see what else Berhana's upcoming album Amén has to offer.
6. JP Saxe Throws Away His Filter for 'Caught Up on You'
We might consider Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter JP Saxe the King of Collabs, but he's also a force to be reckoned with as a solo artist, and new single "Caught Up on You" is proof. The track is performed in an unusually captivating cadence, highlighting JP's velvety vocals and quirkily specific lyricism as he tells a candid story of a love that probably shouldn't work, but does. "I completely turned off my filter and wrote nine of the weirdest verses I've ever written and picked my favorite four," JP explained in a press release. "It was a way to clear the pipes creatively, but I ended up being obsessed with the song. It was genuinely fun. It's still my favorite song on the record. When you're used to talking about heavy and emotional s*** and you write a song about kinks and communism, it's a nice little break." The song is also set to appear on his upcoming sophomore album, A Grey Area, set to drop on Sep. 22.
Also read about: Everything You Should Know About Grammy-Nominated Singer-Songwriter JP Saxe
7. UMI Finally Lets Love in on 'happy im'
Fresh off of her performance at Lollapalooza last weekend, R&B singer-songwriter UMI is back this week with the new single, "happy im," and we couldn't be happier to hear it. The chill and uplifting track features a cozy acoustic guitar and lo-fi drum beat as UMI's breathy vocals reveal a tale of discovering romance, joy and the ability to love yourself. The blending of lyrics in English and Japanese further lends to the song's sweetness. "I wrote this song to remind myself that it's okay to be happy • to not think so hard about love—life is meant to be sweet," she wrote on Instagram. "When we stop thinking so hard about it—we let it in."
8. Jamie Miller Finds Truth Within Himself in 'No Matter What'
Welsh superstar Jamie Miller has been through a lot over the last couple of years, and he plans to finally tell his story and show us the real Jamie in his newly announced EP, The Things I Left Unsaid, out Oct. 4. The EP's second single, "No Matter What," is out today, and it makes a big statement about what else he has in store for us. The song begins as a heartfelt ballad, with choruses that explode into anthemic triumph as he begins to embrace his belief in himself and fight for what matters most. "I was in the darkest headspace for most of 2022, but luckily I was able to surround myself with loved ones," Jamie shared in a press release. "Their constant support and encouragement was exactly what I needed, and a reminder that I'm too good to give up. I showed up for myself, even when I was at my lowest point, and I hope that this song can serve as a reminder that it gets easier."
9. Olivia Rodrigo Can't Get Over Her Ex in 'bad idea right?'
Olivia Rodrigo just wrote the ultimate anthem for anyone who's totally not over their ex, and we plan to have it on repeat through the end of the year. "bad idea right?" is the perfect follow-up to "Vampire," with angsty, pop-rock vibes and verses that aren't so much sung as they are declared. It's destined to be the most fun to shout along to live and flawlessly captures the feeling of still having feelings for your ex and being way too excited to maybe rekindle things. And did we mention the cinematic music video, reminiscent of all of the very best teen rom-coms? "I had such a fun time making this song with @dan_nigro in NYC last year," Olivia wrote in a post on Intsagram. "We wrote the chorus as a joke but we loved it so much we made it into a full-fledged song." Sep. 8 and the release of Olivia's next album, GUTS, seriously can't come soon enough.
Also read about: 23 Emotional Lyrics From Olivia Rodrigo's Sour to Use as Your Next Instagram Captions
10. V Is Lost Without Love on 'Love Me Again'
As if we needed any more proof that BTS's individual members are ridiculously talented on their own, V just shared his latest solo effort, "Love Me Again," and it's left us swooning. The track is romantic from the get-go, channeling the smoothest '90s R&B vibes as he croons about his recent breakup and pleads to restore the love that's been lost. It's as sensitive and lovey-dovey as it gets, so it's no surprise that V's new song has the world's hearts a-flutter.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Aug. 4, 2023.