10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of June 9, 2023

The moment we've all been waiting for is here with the arrival of Niall Horan's third album, The Show—but that's not the only reason this has been an unforgettable week of music.

BTS fans were doubly blessed thanks to a new release by the group and a stunning Suga single with Halsey, while Conor Maynard made his return after a decade with the instantly iconic +11 Hours mini-album, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Curious about what else caught our attention over the last seven days? Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of June 9, 2023.

1. MAVICA Finds Peace After Heartbreak in 'no puedo decir que no (no regrets)'

Spanish singer-songwriter and producer MAVICA is a powerful artist on the rise, and if you're not yet a fan, her new single, "no puedo decir que no (no regrets)," is the perfect place to start. The atmospheric electronic pop track is gorgeously whispery and dreamlike as MAVICA finally comes to peace with her feelings after a breakup.  You can feel the emotion behind each and every line, regardless of your understanding of the language, and we adore its feel-good vibes. "Sometimes it's hard to learn how to say no to things, but eventually we become owners of our own decisions," MAVICA explained in a press release. "This song is about not regretting, but acknowledging that things could have been different if you had avoided getting/being influenced by someone or something. The song was written right before moving back to Spain during the pandemic and crafted in Madrid."

 

2. Shamir Finds Security in 'Oversized Sweater'

Few artists are quite as prolific as 28-year-old non-binary musician Shamir, and with his ninth album, Homo Anxietatem, on the way, he's about to show us just how versatile his artistry is, too. With a title translating to "anxious man" in Latin, the album (out Aug. 18) will show Shamir moving away from his typically heavy, industrial rock sound to explore the realm of alt-pop, and he does so masterfully in the new single, "Oversized Sweater." The track has '90s sensibilities while still feeling undeniably fresh as Shamir weaves a tale in his warbly falsetto, finding safety in the comfort of a huge sweater as he tries to ignore the sounds of an argument and a relationship falling apart. "The first quarter of 2020 before lockdown, I felt a lot of anxiety," Shamir shared. "I spent the first couple months of 2020 knitting this huge baby blue sweater. It's basically a wearable security blanket that I used to channel all my anxiety into. I wear it all the time, but most notably in the video for my song 'Diet.'"

 

3. Will Linley Makes a Broken Heart Fun With 'Tough (The Girls Song)'

South African singer-songwriter and TikTok phenomenon Will Linley may be just seven songs into his musical career, but again and again, he's demonstrated that he deserves to stand among the pop greats. He's the king of what he calls "happy sad pop music," and his latest release, "Tough (The Girls Song)," is proof. The anthemic alt-pop track glows with '80s-tinged synths as he laments seeing the girl of his affections with someone else. There's a striking energy to his pain, and honestly, heartache has never sounded so fun. "'Tough' is such a carefree and playful song to me that I really think embodies the sonic space I've been wanting to explore a lot more," Will revealed in a press release. "It was such a fun song to write, and I really think that shines through in the actual recording."

 

Also read about: How Finding Her Perfect Match Inspired Stephanie Poetri's 'Astrologically Illogical'

 

4. Jeremy Zucker Tears Down His Walls for is nothing sacred?

Singer-songwriter and producer Jeremy Zucker already has multiple Platinum certifications under his belt, but the artist claims that it's only now that he's truly opening up, as a human and as a musician.  He just released his eagerly anticipated new EP is nothing sacred?, exploring the big questions he's been tussling with across five deeply personal tracks, including the pleading new single "cindy" and hits "OK" and "internet crush." "is nothing sacred? is a shout into the void," Jeremy shared in a press release. "A question born of frustration, and a call to action. For a while, I thought it was cool to not care. It felt easier to lose myself in dopamine-fueled swipes than to call up a friend. I chose to be aloof instead of open—not by ego but out of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of seeming awkward, fear of not fitting in. To me, not caring meant removing the possibility of getting hurt. It took me a long time to realize just how isolated that had made me. I think we're losing sight of what makes it so special to be a human in this world: caring about people. Being selfless, loyal. Appreciating what's in front of you."

 

5. Madilyn Bailey Trades in Her Vices on 'Tattoos & Therapy'

We first fell in love with Madilyn Bailey as a phenomenal YouTube cover artist, but in recent years, she's more than demonstrated her abilities as a singer-songwriter in her own right. Her newest single, "Tattoos & Therapy," is as catchy as it is poignant and relatable, with an infectious synth line that matches Madilyn's downward descent into the bad habits she's trying to channel into more productive vices.  "There are a lot of unhealthy vices in the world," said Madilyn in a press release. "Coupled with how overwhelming and confusing navigating life can be, it's almost too easy to turn to self-destructive behaviors like texting an ex late at night or drinking too much and then buying dumb s*** off the internet. I've found it helpful when self-destructive tendencies kick in to have a healthy alternative for all that angst, enter 'Tattoos and Therapy.' Wanna text an ex? I'll call my therapist instead. Want to go out? Go get a tattoo instead."

 

6. keshi Shares New Music Video for Romantic GABRIEL Track 'UNDERSTAND'

Texan singer-songwriter and producer Casey Luong, better known by his stage name keshi, made quite the name for himself with his award-winning 2023 album GABRIEL, and the LP is the gift that keeps on giving. Its beautifully romantic acoustic track "UNDERSTAND" has been a longtime fan favorite, and today, it finally received a music video to accompany it. The video shows keshi playing his guitar over quiet, cozy moments in the life of a couple, making the song feel sweeter than ever.

 

Also read about: Here's Everything You Need To Know About 'TOUCH' Singer-Songwriter keshi

 

7. Conor Maynard Makes a Triumphant Return With +11 Hours

More than a decade after Conor Maynard first became an overnight sensation thanks to his YouTube channel and hit album Contrast, he's back with a follow-up that we think will be just as huge. The new mini-album is called +11 Hours, with each track focused on a different aspect of the emotions he dealt with in the face of a difficult breakup. In fact, even the title is inspired by the 11-hour time difference between him in London and her in Sydney, Australia. Conor's truly at the top of his game on the mini-album, from his soaring, pure vocals to the introspection in every line. "It almost happened by accident," Conor shared with Sweety High in an interview. "I went through a really difficult breakup at the end of last year, and I took that time to pour my feelings into music and write about what I was going through, because it felt like the most therapeutic and comforting thing I could do at the time. It was the best way to process it, instead of just going out all the time. It made more sense to try to be productive with the whole thing. And it wasn't my first rodeo. I knew what worked last time. I knew what didn't work last time. Rather than spiraling out of control, I wanted to utilize this in the best way that I could. That was music."

 

Also read about: Conor Maynard on His Highly Awaited Comeback and 'Therapuetic' New Mini-Album, +11 Hours

 

8. BTS Celebrate 10 Years With 'Take Two'

At this point, it feels like we've known BTS our whole lives, but it's still hard to believe that the K-pop icons are celebrating the 10 year anniversary of their debut this month.  Of course, the band is making a whole event out of the momentous occasion with their BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA, starting with the release of a new single, "Take Two." The song reflects a renewed beginning for BTS as they enter a new decade together, taking a laidback and acoustic approach to this love letter to ARMY. It feels like the perfect bow on 10 years as BTS, as well as a launching point for everything that comes next.

 

9. Halsey and SUGA Reimagine 'Lilith' for Diablo IV

And as if that wasn't enough BTS for fans, SUGA had another sizzling release this week, joining Halsey for a reimagined version of her song "Lilith," recorded especially for the release of Diablo IV. The game's drop is already proving to be one of the biggest gaming events of the year, and with Lilith being the daughter of the nefarious Mephisto, we really couldn't imagine a more fitting theme. The reworked track gets even darker with thundering percussion and SUGA's silky vocals, with a foreboding music video to boot. "I'm thrilled that I got to collab with SUGA of BTS on a reimagined version of 'Lilith' for the Diablo IV anthem!" Halsey said in a press release. "Having spent countless hours in Sanctuary with my family, I'm here as both a fan and a collaborator. Plus I've always wanted to do a concept with SUGA with this type of dark mythology, Hopefully fans of Diablo, SUGA and myself will love Lilith's embrace."

 

Also read about: 21 Introspective Lyrics from SUGA's D-Day That Make Great Instagram Captions

 

10. Niall Horan Sets a New Standard With The Show

Niall Horan's The Show was easily one of our most highly anticipated albums for all of 2023, and its release today delivers everything we could have dreamed of. There's a kind of brash authenticity bursting through at every point of this third studio album, and with 10 songs, The Show is lean and tight, without absolutely zero filler. This feels like a brand new Niall in all the best ways, revealing how he's matured, both as a man and an artist, in the three years since Heartbreak Weather, with unforgettable melodies, honey-like vocals and very human lyrics coming together to create something flawless. The piano-driven title track truly is a showstopper, and we can't tell you how many times we've watched its new music video.

 

Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of June 2, 2023.