10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of March 17, 2023
It's officially the final weekend of winter, and we're celebrating (and getting warm) with the week's freshest new tunes.
The last seven days were full of surprises and standouts, from an unexpected new (to us) song from Taylor Swift's vault to a new solo single from BTS's Jimin and some truly epic collabs—plus some greatness from the rising artists we love. Simply keep scrolling to listen to the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of March 17, 2023.
1. Absofacto Dives Deeper Into the NITESHIFT Universe With 'Unquit You'
Platinum-certified artist and producer Absofacto is always pushing boundaries and reinventing the way we view music, and with his audio-visual narrative NITESHIFT universe, he's slowly unveiling what he has in store for us all. The latest piece of the puzzle is the beautifully haunting new single "Unquit You," complete with a music video evoking iconic visuals from the best in '70s horror. The track is nostalgic, with a shimmering sound as it tells a tale of longing for a lost love, and the video isn't quite like anything we've ever seen. "NITESHIFT is for people who want to feel challenged and discover something truly new for themselves," Absofacto explained in a press release. "Yes, it's a literal place… but it's also a puzzle, a mystery, a community, and a tool for expanding your horizons in every way. Stories on stories. Discoveries on discoveries. It's about immersing yourself in the infinite depth of being alive."
2. Ryan Beatty Teases His Next Album With 'Ribbons'
We've been megafans of singer-songwriter Ryan Beatty for nearly a decade now, and with the release of his gorgeous new single "Ribbons," he's shown us that his upcoming Calico album will be his best yet. Backed by a delicately somber piano, the song sees Ryan describing a tale of love and regret, growth and solitude, with his exquisite voice and growing, sweeping orchestration pulling you right into the tragedy of the narrative. Calico, his third album, is set to drop on April 28, and we're already counting down the days.
Also read about: Benson Boone Talks 'Sugar Sweet,' Its Serendipitous Music Video and His 'First Real Tour'
3. Joy Oladokun and Noah Kahan Join Forces for Playful Single 'We're All Gonna Die'
Joy Oladokun has one of the most irresistible voices and songwriting styles today, and while you might expect doom and gloom from a track called "We're All Gonna Die," we think you'll be surprised once you push that play button. Featuring Noah Kahan, it's really an anthem about trying your hardest to just understand the right way to live life and get by, and though the lyrics have a sense of hopelessness about them, the upbeat vibe is comforting somehow, reminding us that we're not the only ones who don't have anything figured out. It's instantly infectious and destined to be stuck in your head all weekend—and way beyond. "When my friends and I started 'We're All Gonna Die,' we were most shocked at how nihilistically joyful it is," Joy shared in a press release. "Death is a dark and difficult subject for most people, including myself. This song is about facing the fear head-on and acknowledging that we're all guessing what the best way to live is. I love that it highlights a sense of humor that both Noah and I have that people may not always pick up on in our music." The song will also appear on Joy's upcoming album, Proof of Life, which is out on April 28.
4. ODESZA Recruits Claud for a Dreamy Sense of Yearning in 'To Be Yours'
There truly never has been a better time to be a fan of electronic music duo ODESZA. The duo's Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight are set to headline at Bonnaroo, Governors Ball and Electric Forest this year, and their newly released single "To Be Yours" just might be our favorite yet. Featuring emotional and nostalgic vocals from bedroom popstar Claud, the vibrant track beautifully captures the feeling of yearning for someone who's stuck on someone else. "'To Be Yours' was a track that we had originally started back at the end of 2018," ODESZA revealed in a press release. "We loved the idea but struggled to find the right fit for the song until Claud sent us back their incredible vocal top line. As soon as we heard what Claud put together we knew we had something special. The vocal melodies and delivery complement the track in such a perfect way. We couldn't be happier with how this one came together and are really excited for people to hear it."
5. Bea Miller Confronts Her Own Monstrous Envy in 'jealous of my friends'
Singer-songwriter Bea Miller's music has always struck a chord with us, tackling the deeply personal subjects that often go untouched, and her latest single, "jealous of my friends," is no different. Bea gets extra vulnerable as she finally shares the feelings of jealousy for her best friends that she usually hides, told through a pop-punk confessional with a driving beat that conveys the anxious, doubting energy behind her words. In the end, it's really a sense of imposter syndrome that creates this internal struggle, and the music video shows her own shadow taking on a monstrous form as it embodies her envy. "'jealous of my friends' is a song I was honestly a bit hesitant to release," Bea admitted in a press release. "Nobody wants to admit that they feel anything but proud and excited for their friends when they accomplish or experience great things. I think, though, that it's only human nature to grapple with pride and jealousy every once in a while, and I'm hoping that if people relate to this song, they'll be a little bit less hard on themselves for it, knowing they're not the only one."
Also read about: Evangeline Talks 'Mystic,' Fuzzy and Winter Spring Summer or Fall
6. Daniel Caesar Shares a Bold New Music Video for 'Let Me Go'
Grammy winner Daniel Caesar's third album, NEVER ENOUGH, is one of our most anticipated albums of the year, and even though it's not set to release until April 7, it's already proven itself to be the gift that keeps on giving. Last month, we fell in love with the new single "Let Me Go," combining a throwback R&B sound with modern lyricism in a way that only Daniel can, and today, we were blessed with its cinematic new music video. The video shows Daniel literally sprinting from his relationship as he croons about trying to leave it behind—but the woman in question won't let that happen.
7. T-Pain Proves He Can Do It All With On Top of the Covers
T-Pain is pretty much synonymous with autotune after popularizing the technique, so it can be all too easy to forget that he has one of the most phenomenal voices in the business—but this latest album, On Top of the Covers, is here to change that. The album consists of eight stunning covers tackling various genres—from soul and heavy metal to swing, country and everything in between—not just showing how talented T-Pain is as a vocalist, but how versatile he is as well. Whether he's belting out Frank Sinatra's "That's Life" or Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," he positively soars—but our very favorite has to be the first track, his own take on Sam Cooke's soulful classic "A Change Is Gonna Come."
8. Lewis Capaldi Opens Up About His Mental Health and Teases His Upcoming Documentary With 'How I'm Feeling Now'
The next couple of months are going to be very busy for Scottish multi-platinum singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi, and it all starts with his new single "How I'm Feeling Now." In addition to appearing on his highly anticipated sophomore album, Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent (out May 19), the track also shares a name with his upcoming feature-length documentary, headed to Netflix on April 5. With a straightforward rawness and stripped-back instrumentation, the track outlines Lewis's doubts and his struggles with success, realizing fame hasn't brought him the happiness he imagined, and that he's still trying to find himself and the things that will make him feel whole. Aptly, it seems those topics will also be pivotal to the narrative of his documentary. "When the opportunity to make a documentary came up for me, I was extremely hesitant," Lewis explained in a press release. "I think because I seem quite open about a lot of things, whether it be in interview, on stage or social media, people assume they know a lot about me and my life, but in actual fact, I tend to keep a lot of things to myself as a matter of preference. Now that this film is finally coming out, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't wildly nervous. I feel like there's a lot of things in it I haven't spoken about before, and in truth, the whole film became way more intimate than I'd ever imagined, so it feels like a particularly vulnerable position to be in … as nervous as I am, I'm really looking forward to sharing it with the world. The film is called How I'm Feeling Now and it's the last song I wrote for my upcoming album and is a tune that's all about something I've never really written about in my music before, which is my mental health."
Also read about: E'LAST Explores Their New Vibe in 'Thrill' and Shares Their Love for Their Elrings
9. Jimin of BTS Teases His First Solo Album With 'Set Me Free Pt. 2'
BTS's Jimin just announced this his debut solo album FACE is releasing on March 24, and he gave us an awesome first taste with his new single and music video for "Set Me Free Pt. 2." The new track is an anthem for independence and individuality as he demands to be set free of his former confines to finally reach his full potential. Jimin has always seemed to master every element of his craft, from his vocal abilities to his stage presence and choreography, and all of those things are clearer than ever in this bold hip-hop track, complete with unforgettable moves. March 24 seriously cannot come soon enough.
10. Taylor Swift Cracks Open the Vault to Share the Unreleased 'All of the Girls You Loved Before'
Today begins the start of Taylor Swift's internet-breaking Eras stadium tour, and while she didn't have to release "Taylor's Version" updates on some of her most beloved classics, she did just that. Not only did we get new recordings of "Eyes Open," "Safe and Sound" and "If This Was a Movie," but Taylor was also kind enough to share 2019's "All of the Girls You Loved Before"(which should have been on Lover in the first place, but that's a whole different story!). We adore its retro R&B sway and the lack of misogyny as Taylor actually thanks all of the past loves of her current man for making him the person he is today, rather than being jealous of the role they played in his life.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of March 10, 2023.