10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of October 13, 2023
It may be Friday the 13th, but with all of the exciting new music that dropped over the last week, we couldn't feel luckier.
In the last seven days, we got a massive album from Troye Sivan and brand new boygenius tracks in the form of their The Rest EP, but perhaps the biggest news of all is that fans can now relieve the ultimate concert experience with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, playing in theaters everywhere. Just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Oct. 13, 2023.
1. Charlie Burg Celebrates in Light of the End in 'Before We Step Inside'
We've been eagerly anticipating new music from rising alt-R&B singer-songwriter Charlie Burg since his debut album, Infinitely Tall, dropped last fall, and we adore the way his latest single, "Before We Step Inside," marks a new chapter for the star. The track oozes with the essence of fall, with a smooth and laidback sound that's warm and familiar as Charlie sings about making the most of a relationship, celebrating a cherished moment together, before the inevitable end. "'Before We Step Inside' details the story of two individuals grappling with existential dread right before entering a party and then promptly dancing away their misery," Charlie shared in a press release. "The song is intended to juxtapose crippling despair with the euphoria of celebration."
2. SIPHO. Tries Not to Let Down His Love in 'RUN FOR YOUR LIFE' Featuring Shaé Universe
If you're not already counting down the days until Oct. 27, when SIPHO. releases his debut album, PRAYERS & PARANOIA, you will be after hearing his new single, "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE." Featuring Shaé Universe, the soaring and soulful, piano-driven ballad is as vulnerable as it is powerful. On the track, the two artists' voices melt together like butter as they sing about two sides of a relationship, with one person feeling like they're letting the other down and trying to drive them away rather than confronting it head-on, and the other refusing to go anywhere. "I wrote this one with Eg White," SIPHO. revealed in a press release. "The power went out in his neighborhood, so we just stripped it back and wrote it at the piano. I feel like a lot of people feel like this in their relationships – it's like, 'I feel like you could do better than me. Go, now, quickly.' With Shaé, we get the opposing perspective of that. It's the nuances of a relationship. It's never as straightforward as 'I hate you' or 'I love you'—it's the shades in between. I was trying to highlight the kinds of contrasting emotions. The grey areas."
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3. Kayla DiVenere Finds Her Own Inner Strength in 'Date Myself'
19-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter Kayla DiVenere is making quite the splash this year, and we're ready for her upbeat and melodic new single "Date Myself" to be the next big thing. The song pairs an effervescent pop sound with uplifting lyrics as Kayla tackles the struggles of dating and finally recognizes the power she has within herself to heal and find her own truth. "Writing 'Date Myself' reminded me of how beautiful it is to spend time by yourself, and how important it is to be comfortable owning your high standards and loving yourself," Kayla explained in a press release. "Being able to hear the song back after writing it and screaming it at the top of my lungs has comforted me more than any guy has, and I hope it can comfort people who relate to it too."
4. mehro Wonders What's Next on 'dopamine'
There's something about mehro's warbly falsetto that speaks to wisdom and emotion well beyond the words he sings, and that's especially true of his new song, "dopamine." The track is powered by a thumping acoustic guitar and snappy percussion, with the production slowly building up with twinkling piano and sweeping strings while never taking the focus off of mehro's voice as he sings about constantly being at odds with himself, and wondering if it'll be that way forever. "I finally understand the cliche of being terrified of one's own voice," mehro said in a press release. "I wanted to make a song from the depths of despair, just on the other side of the invisible line. So hurt that the only way to survive is to step outside of any perspective. The sound singed and scorched any remnants of my artistic past; 'dopamine' is what emerges from the ashes."
5. boygenius Continues The Record's Story With The Rest
We've constantly had boygenius's The Record since it released in March of this year, and we honestly couldn't think of a better follow-up than their new EP, The Rest. Consisting of four tracks—"Black Hole," "Afraid of Heights," "Voyager" and "Powers"—the EP is no less potent than the album that preceded it, serving as the perfect companion piece while reminding us why boygenius are so universally recognized as indie rock powerhouses. "When we chose these four songs to put out together, they all have this spacey, eerie quality about them," the band's Lucy Dacus shared in an interview with Grammy.com. "I feel like these songs—I don't think they lack optimism, but they're a little more focused on fear and unsteadiness."
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6. BoyWithUke Accompanies His Epic Face Reveal With New Track 'Homesick'
It's been quite the week for BoyWithUke fans. On Wednesday, after keeping his true identity secret for three years, the Platinum singer-songwriter and producer finally took off his mask to reveal his face. He shared that, at first, he wore the mask to protect himself and find the confidence he needed to release music, but now that the mask has started to hold him back personally and creatively, it was time to shed it and reveal himself. At the same time, BoyWithUke dropped the new single "Homesick" to celebrate, along with the announcement of the new album, Lucid Dreams. "Homesick" is optimistic and anthemic, with sweet lyrics about dreaming of coming back home to his love. "I started BoyWithUke when I was 18 years old as just a hobby," he explained in a press release. "I had no idea it would go so far, and I cannot express how grateful I am that it did. Because of all of you, I have been able to experience things I would have never even dreamed of. Throughout the past three years, I have grown and changed so much as a person and as an artist. Thank you. A thousand times, thank you."
7. blink-182 Gets Nostalgic on 'Fell in Love'
Ahead of the release of their next album, ONE MORE TIME…, on Oct. 20, blink-182 has not been letting up with the new singles. Today's new drop is the album's fifth single, "Fell in Love," with a vibe that's striking and nostalgic in all the right ways. With bright guitars, a clapped beat and an upbeat, classic pop-punk sound, the song has leads Tom Delonge and Mark Hoppus swapping turns on the vocals as they sweetly reminisce on the early days of a relationship. Though the lyrics definitely refer to romance, it's clear the song does double-duty as a throwback to the band's beginnings, and seeing as ONE MORE TIME… will be the first album featuring the classic blink-182 lineup in 12 years, that couldn't be more perfect.
8. Troye Sivan Celebrates Human Connection on Something to Give Each Other
These days, it feels like Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan isn't holding anything back, and after getting our first tastes with megahits "Rush" and "Got Me Started," we knew his third album, Something to Give Each Other, would deliver on the goods. These 10 iconic new tracks are positively flowing with swagger, movement and style, using big dance beats to celebrate human connection, queerness and the power of love. Across the album, Troye puts subtlety aside in exchange for bold statements of identity, and the new music video for "One of Your Girls," featuring Ross Lynch, is especially captivating.
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9. Ice Spice Teams Up With Rema for 'Pretty Girl'
Ice Spice is just about having the best year ever, and the celebratory vibes on her new single, "Pretty Girl," featuring Nigerian rapper and singer-songwriter Rema, are positively infectious. The sound is so playful, with a party beat and vibrant synths that practically make it sparkle as the two duet. It's a simple and straightforward love song about falling hard for someone, and the bridge has us hooked.
10. The Tour of the Year Hits the Big Screen With Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Today, Oct. 13, the concert event of the year graces the silver screen in the form of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. The nearly three-hour spectacle is impossible to look away from, from the first frame to the last, with Taylor perfectly demonstrating her talents and managing to turn even the hugest of stadiums into an intimate concert setting. She makes every last soul in the audience (including us in the theaters) feel like we're part of the performance. The energy is palpable, and whether you weren't able to attend in person or did, and just want to relive the magic, you have to see this before it leaves theaters. Plus, we're still misty-eyed over the ending credits, revealed via friendship bracelets.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Oct. 6, 2023.