10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of July 14, 2023
We're officially one week out from the release of the Barbie movie, and it seems the iconic doll franchise has taken over our lives—not that we're complaining.
This week, we were surprised by a new Billie Eilish track for Barbie The Album, and while we expected it to be beautiful, we could never have anticipated how haunting and thoroughly devastating the track is. Of course, Billie's release was only one aspect of a week full of summer pop bops, groundbreaking K-pop releases and so much more. To find out what we loved best, keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of July 14, 2023.
1. Ash The Ghost Needs More Time to Figure Life Out on 'Achy Bones'
We've been following Ash The Ghost on TikTok for a while now, and we can't be more excited that her latest song, "Achy Bones," is finally out. With a driving alt-pop sound and dreamy vocals, it's a track about that strange feeling of being stuck while the rest of the world moves on, and still, that it's okay not to know what comes next. "I feel like our whole generation has been manipulated into thinking you gotta grow up and have life figured out right after high school, which makes no sense to me," Ash wrote in a TikTok post, "So I wrote this song called 'Achy Bones' to let you know it's okay to feel a little lost for a while."
2. a kid named rufus Reflects on Change and Young Adulthood in whatever works
With their introspective lyricism and vibey indie sound, a kid named rufus is one of our favorite up-and-comers on the scene today, and their debut album, whatever works, cements them as an artist who should be on everyone's radars. This album details the alt-pop artist's first year in the United States after moving here from Malaysia, capturing not just the challenge of adapting to a new place, but also struggles with money, love and heartbreak, insecurity and everything else that's wrapped up into young adulthood. "whatever works is an album about my first year in the United States," a kid named rufus shared in a press release. "I started writing the album the summer after freshman year, and I wanted to talk about how much life has changed and how much I still had left to navigate coming from straight out of high school, from a different country, during the peak of a global pandemic. I wrote songs about being broke, dealing with my anxiety, falling in and out of love, coming out as queer, fearing the world and everything you'd think a teenager on their own for the first time would write about. Making this album was the scariest, yet most fulfilling process I've ever gone through, and I'm so proud of the work I've created. I can't wait for people to hear it."
Also read about: Maddie Zahm Talks Grappling With a Loss of Identity on 'Where Do All the Good Kids Go'?
3. Yueku Teases His Second Album With the Uplifting 'Marathon'
If you're not yet onto the music of Christian Koo, aka Yueku, we are begging you to stop and take a listen. The indie artist's second album, Little Less Noise, drops in two weeks, and if the new single "Marathon" is indicative of what's to come, it's set to be one of our albums of the year. The new track is upbeat, vibrant and so full of life that we dare you not to bop along to the beat. It's just the type of thing we love to put on when we need to feel inspired, with '80s montage epicness and a music video that gives us serious The Bear vibes.
4. ZEROBASEONE Make a Thrilling Debut With YOUTH IN THE SHADE
We can't remember the last time we saw as much hype around a K-pop debut as we have with ZEROBASEONE and their first-ever mini-album, YOUTH IN THE SHADE. Thanks so being created on the K-pop survival show BOYS PLANET, the boys were beloved from the very start, which explains how the mini-album got a million pre-orders faster than any other in history. There's something so special about the nine-member group, with a unity and cohesion that feels fully natural, counteracted by a freshness and naivety that serves as a strength and gives them so much room to blossom. These guys are already big, but they're going to be unstoppable.
5. CMAT Recruits John Grant for Dreamy Duet 'Where Are Your Kids Tonight?'
Glastonbury favorite CMAT has had quite the summer so far, and the Irish singer-songwriter is keeping the excitement going with the announcement of the album Crazymad, For Me dropping in October, and the release of "Where Are Your Kids Tonight?" earlier this week. The soaring, '80s-tinged single is all about CMAT's struggle with growing older—and turning into her own mother—with the dual vocals each representing her experience from a different perspective in time. While CMAT's vocals are phenomenal, we think the track really comes to life as a duet with help from one of our all-time favorites, John Grant of The Czars. "I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, but I had him in mind the entire time I wrote the song," CMAT shared with Sweety High in an interview. "I think the song only works with his voice combining with mine at all times because, without it, you don't have that dual-time perspective that I was trying to get across in the song. He also is just, like, the best singer of all time, so that helps."
Also read about: CMAT on Her Upcoming Album and Working With John Grant to Create 'Where Are Your Kids Tonight?'
6. Lauren Spencer Smith Reflects on Her Life So Far With Mirror
19-year-old singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith has quickly risen from a viral TikTok star to a global pop sensation, and we can't get enough of the way her story comes to light on her debut album Mirror. Across 15 powerfully personal tracks, Lauren puts everything out there as she shares her tale so far, pairing poignant and resonant lyricism with unforgettable melodies and the purity of her voice to create hit after hit. "I've been working on this album for years," Lauren shared in a press release. "It has been with me through so much in my life, the highs and the lows, and it means more to me than I can put into words. It tells a story of reflection, healing and growth. The title comes from the one thing in my life that's seen me in every emotion through that journey—my bedroom and bathroom mirror."
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About 'Fingers Crossed' Singer-Songwriter Lauren Spencer-Smith
7. Jon Batiste, Jon Bellion and Fireboy DML Join Forces to Uplift Us All With 'Drink Water'
Feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world? Oscar-winning artist Jon Batiste has teamed up with producer Jon Bellion and Nigerian singer Fireboy DML to create the ultimate remedy in the form of "Drink Water." The uplifting summer anthem reminds us all to slow down and take a moment when things seem too much, and to remember that the bad times will pass. It will also appear on Jon Batiste's upcoming album World Music Radio, dropping Aug. 18. "Traveling with my wife, leaning into the culturally diverse group of friends and family that make up my inner circle birthed the foundations for what is now World Music Radio," Jon Batiste explained in a press release, "much of which was recorded in transit, hotel rooms, basements and on smartphones either abroad or near big bodies of water."
8. Post Malone Promises to Do Anything for Love on 'Overdrive'
With Post Malone's two previous singles "Chemical" and "Mourning," we already had a good idea that his fifth album Austin (out July 28) would be different than anything we've heard from the artist before, and the new song "Overdrive" makes this clearer than ever. Today, the ballad was released, complete with a live performance of the song that flows with authentic desperation and yearning. The song is about Post being willing to go to any lengths for the one he loves, even if that means throwing his identity away to transform into someone they'd like more, and just might feature our all-time favorite vocal performance from Post.
Also read about: Use These Deep Lyrics From Post Malone's Twelve Carat Toothache as Your Next Instagram Captions
9. Jung Kook Makes His Solo Debut With 'Seven,' Featuring Latto
It seems that BTS's Jung Kook is always hard at work and showcasing his talents as an artist, producer and performer, so we couldn't be more excited to finally get our hands on his global debut solo single, "Seven," featuring Latto. The upbeat pop-R&B hit demonstrates all of the skills we've come to love from Jung Kook as a member of BTS, from his angelic singing to his rapping and all-around abilities as a performer, with Latto bringing even more fun and fire to the playful track. It's a straightforward love song about a romance you can come to depend on, seven days a week, making it the perfect soundtrack to your summer love.
10. Billie Eilish Brings Real Emotion to Barbie The Album With 'What Was I Made For?'
We have to say that when we heard Billie Eilish had released a song for the Barbie movie, we weren't expecting it to bring us to tears. The piano-driven ballad allows Billie's tearful vocals, wavery yet crisp, to be the star, and its double meaning deftly hits home. While it works perfectly from Barbie's first-person point of view, seeking truth as she navigates the real world, it's a deeply moving song from any perspective, telling a tale of feeling you don't know your life's purpose and questioning whether you're doing what's right for you. The music video, directed by Billie herself, is equally heartbreaking. "'What Was I Made For?' our Barbie song (and video) is out now," Billie shared in an Instagram post. "In January, Greta showed me and Finneas a handful of some unfinished scenes from the film; we had no idea what to expect at all… we were so deeply moved… that the next day we were writing and couldn't shut up about it lol and ended up writing almost the entire song that night. To be real with you, this all seemed to happen in a time when I really needed it. I'm so so thankful for that. This video makes me cry… it means so much to me, and I hope it will mean just as much to you."
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of July 7, 2023.