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

It may still officially be winter, but this week's new music releases have us in a sunny summertime mood for more reasons than one.

Of course, today saw the release of Miley Cyrus's highly anticipated and instantly classic new album, Endless Summer Vacation, and with a TWICE comeback, some unexpected collabs and bold surprises from rising stars, this week had a little bit of everything. If you're curious about the music that moved us, keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of March 10, 2023.

1. Nat Vazer Explores Love and Powerlessness With 'Addicted to Misery'

We weren't previously familiar with Australian singer-songwriter Nat Vazer, but her new single and music video "Addicted to Misery" propelled onto our radars in a big way this week. The soul-baring track feels like a confession of her deepest, darkest feelings, irresistibly blending folksy charm with catchy pop. It's also the first single off her upcoming second album, dropping later this year, In a press release, Nat described the track as "a portrait of a time of feeling low, explored through a conversational journey. It's about feeling powerless to help the one you love and the sense of spiraling through that feeling."

 

2. James Hersey Tackles Betrayal in 'Cut Me Out'

There's something about Austrian artist James Hersey's approach to bedroom pop that feels effortless and impactful all at once, and his newest single "Cut Me Out" is yet another hard-hitting earworm. We first fell in love with James's music thanks to various remixes of his viral 2015 hit "Coming Over," but we might like his more recent, indie-rock-infused songs even better. "Cut Me Out" combines warmth and bitterness to perfect effect—and our only complaint is that, at two minutes and 17 seconds long, the track feels like it's over before it started. At least we can always listen on repeat!

 

Also read about: Josh Cullen Finds a Way of His Own on Nefarious Solo Debut, 'WILD TONIGHT'

 

3. morgen Discovers the Anxiety of Adulthood on Her BRAVADO EP

18-year-old singer-songwriter morgen is one of our favorite lyricists in the game today, and her abilities are on full display on her wonderfully chaotic new sophomore EP, BRAVADO. Across six tracks, morgen seamlessly blends the genres of rock, indie-pop and electronic genres, making them feel perfectly at home amongst one another. They burst with an energy that perfectly captures the pains and anxiety of growing up, feeling relatable, introspective, dark and playful all at once. "BRAVADO to me is about putting up a confident front while internally freaking out … settling into the unknown," morgen explained in a press release. "While I was making this EP, I was going through the utter chaos of self-discovery of becoming an adult."

 

4. Chappell Roan Swims in the Ambiguity of an Undefined Relationship in the Music Video for 'Casual'

Chappell Roan's "Casual" somehow slipped past us when it first dropped in October, but we couldn't be happier that its cinematic new music gave us a second chance to become obsessed. The moody pop track perfectly captures the longing and pain that come with falling hard for someone when you were both trying to keep it casual, soaring with Chappell's unmatched vocals and striking lyrics. The music video might also be one of our favorites all year, with Chappell falling in love with an ostracized sea creature, giving us The Shape of Water vibes with a queer twist—and an extra heartbreaking conclusion. "The video is a representation of how I dream of a serious relationship with someone in my head, but in reality it may be far from that," Chappell explained in a press release. "Even though it may not feel like it, if there are no labels, it's just casual."

 

Also read about: Victoria Anthony Gives Into Infatuation and Angst With 'Can't Hold Back'

 

5. Meet Me @ The Altar Show Us What They're Made of With Debut Album, Past // Present // Future

When we think of modern-day pop-punk, trio Meet Me @ The Altar comes to mind, and with their debut album Past // Present // Future, they've cemented themselves as some of the most talented and promising young artists in the genre today. The 11 new tracks give us all kinds of Y2K nostalgia while also feeling fresh and current, with all-too-relatable lyrics and a sound that makes us feel like we can do anything. "The things we hold from our past inform who we are now and where we might go," the band explained in a press release. "This album pays homage to the music we loved growing up while reflecting our modern-day lives, sounds, and experiences." We think the new music video for the focus track "TMI" will have you just as hooked as we are.

 

6. corook Opens Up With 'i'm not doing well'

Nashville-based singer-songwriter corook is one of our go-to artists to listen to when we need a good cry, and their latest single, "i'm not doing well," feels almost tailor-made for that purpose. There's something magical about their always raw and personal songwriting, feeling like unfiltered emotions ripped straight out of a journal entry. "i'm not doing well" is an honest confession about those deep depressions when everything's going okay, and yet you're not doing well at all mentally. It can be hard to open up about these moments, but there's a power in doing so. "I got to write this song with two of my favorite writers, Wrabel and Ben Abraham, at my house in Nashville," corook said in a press release. "To put it simply I wrote it when I was not doing well. Sometimes my sad is short, sometimes my sad is long and this time it felt long. I remember being embarrassed to tell them how I was actually doing but by the end of us writing the song I felt empowered saying how I felt. I recorded and mixed it in my bedroom studio in the cold January winter in hopes of capturing the rawness of my everyday life."

 

7. Nicki Nicole Refuses to Shed a Tear With 'NO voy a llorar :')'

There's no denying that 22-year-old Argentine singer-songwriter and rapper Nicki Nicole has become a global sensation with her skillful blending of pop, hip-hop, trap and reggaeton sounds, and her new single "NO voy a llolar :')" has exactly the kind of irresistible crossover appeal to make it an instant classic. The track (with a title translating to "I will not cry" in English) begins with a falsetto before settling into Nicki's natural voice, spitting flawless bars between gorgeous choruses as she sings about the end of a relationship, and how she's over being sad about it. "This song is my emotions without fear, the first cut of what it was like to open my soul towards music, to heal through it, and now to be able to share it with you," Nicki shared in Spanish in an Instagram post. "On Thursday the song that gave me answers to my questions comes out. Hopefully, they can also be found through it."

 

Also read about: PIXY Talks Destiny and Their Comeback Mini-Album, CHOSEN KARMA

 

8. Anne-Marrie and Minnie of (G)-IDLE Join Forces for 'Expectations'

U.K. singer-songwriter Anne-Marie is a powerhouse in her own right, shining bright whether she's on her own or teaming up with other music sensations, and her new track "Expectations" with MINNIE of K-pop group (G)I-DLE is what dreams are made of. The two artists' voices are the perfect complements as the two team up to sing about ignoring judgment and expectations, and simply looking forward to the future to live their best lives. The track has an unexpected pop-punk edge and an anthemic sound that we find truly empowering.

 

9. TWICE Is Triumphant With READY TO BE Mini-Album

Last year, TWICE was the most-streamed female K-pop group on Spotify in the U.S., and there is no denying their power as artists with the release of their 12th mini-album, READY TO BE. The group first teased the mini-album in the form of the infectiously catchy "MOONLIGHT SUNRISE" in January, resulting in a whopping 1.7 million preorders, and with their READY TO BE world tour kicking off in April, they're only getting this year started. If you're not sure what all of the fuss is about, just check out the new music video for "SET ME FREE" to see for yourself.

 

Also read about: 36 Biting Lyrics From Miley Cyrus's Endless Summer Vacation to Use as Instagram Captions

 

10. Miley Cyrus Declares Her Independence With Endless Summer Vacation

Miley Cyrus's "Flowers" just might be the biggest song of 2023 so far, but that was just the first taste of her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation. The album dropped today, featuring a dozen of Miley's best songs so far, fusing pop, rock and dance sounds to carefully craft a story of heartbreak, deception, confidence and unapologetic independence. It's clear that Miley has never been stronger, as a musician or as a human being, and these songs are destined to be the soundtrack to our lives this spring, summer and beyond.

 

Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of March 3, 2023.