10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of May 13, 2022

Just like that, half of May is already behind us—and the passage of another seven days means another week of some truly stunning new music.

With bold new releases from rising artists including Amythyst Kiah and Fritz Hager to new songs from established greats such as Noah Cyrus and 5 Seconds of Summer, our faves didn't let us down this week. Curious about what we'll be listening to all weekend long? Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of May 13, 2022.

1. Amythyst Kiah Reinvents Tori Amos's 'Sugar' With Powerful New Cover

Tori Amos's "Sugar" is an ethereal, stripped-back track that sometimes gets a bolder, grunge-tinged production in live performances, and Amythyst Kiah has brilliantly taken the rawness of that live version and infused it with her own unique style. There's a gloomier, Joy Division-esque '80s tone to the guitar that perfectly complements her rich vocals, and we can't stop listening. "When I was 15, I fell in love with Tori Amos's music," Amythyst explained in a press release. "I was constantly playing her first five albums on repeat and even learned some of the songs. She inspired me to want to write songs—I wanted to be a guitar-playing version of her. She manages to take very specific, very personal things that happened to her and turn them into songs that the listener can relate to and feel, even without having had that specific experience."

 

2. American Idol Finalist Fritz Hager Wows With New Song 'Hearts Align'

This week, the top seven finalists from Season 20 of American Idol each released an original song, making this a very good week for new releases. All seven are worth a listen, but we were particularly struck by the brilliance of Fritz Hager and his song, "Hearts Align." "I think this song perfectly describes a moment that everyone has felt," Fritz said in a press release. "It's about the moment when two people fall out of step with each other, but you aren't ready to let go. It's about holding on to those final moments and the fear and uncertainty of what comes after. I think it's the perfect song to blast in the car after a breakup or a fight. It feels very cathartic to me, and I think music is the perfect tool to express these kinds of pent-up emotions when it can be difficult to express to the person you feel them for." We're calling it now—he's about to be a star.

 

Also read about: American Idol Winner Chayce Beckham Breaks Down Every Song on His Doin' It Right EP

 

3. Baker Grace Tries to Go Easy on Herself in 'Pressure'

Baker Grace's new single "Pressure" is the neurodivergence anthem we didn't know we needed. It's a song for anyone whose brain works a little bit differently, and who sometimes struggles to get by in a world not built for them, as well as a reminder to go easy on yourself when you know you're doing your best in the moment. "Having ADHD can cause me to be very careless and out of it and forgetful and it has always made me feel like I'm not good enough or that I can't do anything right. 'Pressure' is my way of accepting those mistakes and letting them go," Baker said in a press release. "It's important to give ourselves credit for managing to push through and not obsess over what we do wrong."

 

Also read about: Baker Grace Demonstrates the Power of the Self in Latest Single 'Shake the Earth'

 

4. Mt. Joy Celebrates Love in the Face of Adversity With 'Evergreen'

Mt. Joy has quickly become one of our favorite rock bands, with each new release constantly delighting us. Their latest, "Evergreen" is especially lovely, as an upbeat ode to the kind of love that gets you through every hassle and setback in life. "It's a love song about trusting what you have during times when the world seems to be changing faster than we can keep up," Mt. Joy singer and guitarist Matt Quinn revealed in a press release. "It's hard, but I think the only times I'm truly happy are when I embrace the insanity around us and pound my chest just enough to believe that if we stick together, we've got all we need to make it to the other side." The music video also stars The Office's Creed Bratton, himself a musician who's played with the band live!

 

Also read about: The Office Episodes to Watch for Every Emotional Need

 

5. Mogli Changes the Game With Her New Album and Film Ravage

We've always known that German artist Mogli is a phenomenal singer-songwriter, but the release of her new album Ravage, and its accompanying one-hour film, proves that she's a powerful creative in every sense of the word. The movie, which uses the album as its soundtrack, literally made our jaws drop and gave us chills from start to end. "When you listen to songs on an album, they're mostly very personal—which is a beautiful thing, because they're very vulnerable," Mogli shared in an interview with Sweety High. "My album, too, is very vulnerable, and lyric-wise tells my own story, and what I lived through. I realized after writing it that what I lived through happens to a lot of people, but out of different reasons. I hope with having this movie, people who see it will go on the same emotional journey with me and identify with it, but find a point in their own life to start the journey from, rather than just listen to the songs and hear my story." If you're not yet familiar with her music, the movie is the perfect place to start.

 

6. Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Drop Debut EP Pretty Good for a Girl Band

If you're not yet familiar with Australian pop-punk band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, their new debut EP Pretty Good for a Girl Band is the very best distillation of what they're all about. The title sarcastically shakes off the patronizing way the world talks about "girl bands," and over the course of the EP, Teen Jesus showcases what actually matters—the music and its message. "The main theme of this EP is just that we have figured out who we are, what our sound is, and what we want to say," the band's Scarlett McKahey told Sweety High. "The EP is meant to be fun and full of life, but with hints of riot grrrl energy and anger. The title Pretty Good for a Girl Band and the song 'Girl Sports' give listeners a taste of what we really think and how women in music are treated on a daily basis. The combination of our pop sparkly fun times with this sexism-based anger we all share is what Teen Jesus is all about."

 

7. Viral TikTok Artist Bazzi Makes a Triumphant Return With 'Will It Ever Feel the Same?'

Last year, Bazzi's "I Like That" became a viral hit thanks to TikTok and his highly anticipated followup, "Will It Ever Feel the Same?" is living up to all of our expectations. Based on Bazzi's real experiences, it's a song about the aftermath of a breakup, when it's not just that you're not over the relationship—it feels like you'll never move on. The music video is just as gorgeous and devastating as the song itself, so be sure to give it a watch.

 

8. Tate McRae Threatens to Leave in 'what would you do?'

With her smooth voice and authentic approach to songwriting, Tate McRae has never made a bad song. Her latest, "what would you do?" is an upbeat pop track that considers what might happen if you finally worked up the courage to leave someone who's hurt you, and make them feel as bad as they've been making you feel. The way she calls out the toxic relationship is super therapeutic, and if the rest of her debut album, i used to think i could fly (dropping May 27) is this good, it's going to be one of our favorite albums of the year.

 

Also read about: What You Definitely Need to Know About Canadian Singer and Dancer Tate McRae

 

9. Noah Cyrus Calls Out a Toxic Lover in 'Mr. Percocet'

It seems that these days, Noah Cyrus has become the queen of the heartbreak anthem, weaving narratives that suck us in every time and make us feel every bit of her pain. Her latest, "Mr. Percocet," tells a tale of destruction in a relationship, and the anguish of loving someone who only cares about you when they're under the influence, and not even themself. The honesty in this one is just crushingly relatable, whether or not you've actually been in a similar situation.

 

10. 5 Seconds of Summer Push the World Away in 'Me, Myself & I'

Is it just us, or is 5 Seconds of Summer only getting better and better with each new release? Their latest, "Me, Myself & I" is a smooth breakup ballad about the powerful sense of push and pull between a need to be independent and realizing the harm you're doing by isolating yourself. "'Me Myself and I' explores the emotional cycle of feeling like you can do everything on your own and that you don't need anyone else, but eventually realizing that sometimes you push away the best things in your life," the band's Luke Hemmings shared in a press release. "We love this song and hope other people connect with it as much as we do."

 

Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of May 6, 2022.