10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of October 25, 2024
Halsey has done something incredible with her new album, The Great Impersonator, channeling the best eras and artists on pop music in order to tell a deeply personal and painful story no one else could tell. It's genre-defining—and just the start of an unforgettable New Music Friday.
The last seven days also saw Gwen Stefani getting more in touch with her country side, a showstopping collab between Medium Build and Julien Baker and so much more. Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Oct. 25, 2024.
(The Great Impersonator via Columbia)
1. Will Swinton Confronts a Broken Heart in 'Where I Belong'
Recently, New Zealand's own Will Swinton hasn't been slowing down, releasing a string of hits and kicking off a U.S. tour with BabyJake. If you're not yet a fan, his newest single, "Where I Belong," will make you one. It's a delicate yet profound folk track driven by an acoustic guitar and Will's raspy vocals as he reflects on the end of a relationship. It's part yearning, part introspective, as he accepts the blame for what went wrong in the relationship and reckons with the consequences.
2. Anna Shoemaker Reflects on Growing Up in 'Game of Thrones'
Have you grown up and realized that getting older isn't what you thought it would be? Indie-pop sensation Anna Shoemaker knows this sensation well, and she explores it in her latest single, "Game of Thrones." It's a shimmery pop reflection on the chaos of growing up and realizing that even in your late 20s, you haven't shaken off the bad habits you thought you'd have left behind by now. It's also yet to appear on her newly announced second album, Someone Should Stop Her, out Feb. 21, 2025.
3. Katie Gavin Goes Solo With What a Relief
Katie Gavin is perhaps best known as the frontwoman of indie pop band MUNA, but with her debut solo album, What a Relief, she's proven she can stand all on her own as a musical powerhouse. Consisting of a dozen songs, the new album leans away from bombastic and synthy pop, instead taking on a more folk and country sound as Katie explores her own humanity. It's complex yet inviting, with Katie's inimitable songwriting front and center. We're also expecting to hear new song "As Good As It Gets" featuring Mitski, everywhere.
4. Devon Cole Gets Vulnerable With Two Shades Blonder EP
Canadian artist Devon Cole is best known for her optimistic bops and high-energy performances, and with her sophomore EP, Two Shades Blonder, she explores a more vulnerable side of her artistry. Over six tracks, she explores the ups and downs of her experience, from feeling like she can take over the world to exploring insecurity and heartache. "I believe the world needs more love, more laughter and more empowerment," Devon revealed in a press release. "I've come to believe my mission as a human (and an artist) is to help us get there. If I can make someone giggle or feel confident through my music, that means everything to me. I naturally lean towards music that is feel-good, where the subject is sure of their worth and takes no s***. That sort of music has helped me throughout my life, so that's the sort of music I love making. It's also just my personality. I am an extroverted eccentric over-sharer, and that's how I write. The themes in this EP range from empowerment and bad-b****ery, to some messier things like the thrill of the chase and feeling insecure. It's really a smorgasbord of emotions, because I'm a smorgasbords of emotions. But on the whole—the songs are bright, fun, and full of personality. Each song is its own story."
Also read about: Devon Cole Explains the Aspirational Message Behind Her Friendship Anthem, 'I Got You'
5. Lanie Gardner Opens Up With Debut Album, A Songwriter's Diary
Country artist Lanie Gardner has had a year full of ups and downs, from performing at CMA Fest and touring with Jelly Roll to seeing her hometown of Burnsville, North Carolina, getting batted by Hurricane Helene. Truly, the timing for her debut album, A Songwriter's Diary, couldn't be more serendipitous. Consisting of 10 tracks, the album serves as a peek into Lanie's diary and her story as an artist so far. The opening track, "Somewhere, Nowhere in Carolina," also takes on a new power in the wake of the destruction there. "These songs were written as first experiences to many things," Lanie shared in an interview with Sweety High. "From girlhood to womanhood, a diary would be a coping mechanism of choice. However, I felt writing in a diary didn't quite cut it; as most songwriters fall too. Words as poetry and combined with a rhythm and melody are how we express ourselves and cope completely with things. I believe you are born with this, and blessed with the ability to connect and understand the music within all of us."
Also read about: Lanie Gardner Goes on a Journey of Self-Discovery With Debut Album, A Songwriter's Diary
6. elijah woods Explores the Different Sides of Love in New EP, Elijah Would!
elijah woods released a new EP, Hey There Elijah, just last month, so we weren't expecting another release so soon—and certainly not one this irresistible. Today's new release is titled Elijah Would! While the previous EP was bolder and grittier, Elijah Would! gets more reflective and intimate with six new songs exploring themes of love. We also challenge you not to catch a tear in your eye watching the new music video for "Skin & Bones," which elijah wrote about his wife, Hannah, a week before their wedding. "We wrote 'Skin & Bones' in under an hour," elijah shared in a press release. "It's a deeply personal song that captures this special moment in our lives."
Also read about: How elijah woods Went on a Journey of Self-Discovery With His Hey There Elijah EP
7. Liamani Celebrates Her 16th Birthday With Debut Single, 'Sunkissed'
With multiple viral videos under her belt and a role in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, there's a good chance actress and singer-songwriter Liamani Segura was on your radar before she ever released her first single. She made that very special debut earlier this week on Oct. 24—also her 16th birthday—with "Sunkissed," a soulful R&B track that showcases her songwriting talents and vocal prowess in celebration of one of the most important relationships in her life. "I have always wanted to write a song about the relationship that two sisters have. The bond is truly unbreakable. My sister, Anaya, has played a big role in creating this song. We have been the best of friends since birth, and she quite literally is my person that I go to for whatever, whenever, from doing each other's makeup to fighting over who got the pretty characters on Just Dance when we're little to riding our bikes together at grandma's house to gossiping about all of our boy problems, singing our favorite songs at the top of our lungs while driving."
Also read about: Liamani on Celebrating Her 16th Birthday With Debut Single, 'Sunkissed'
8. Medium Build and Julien Baker Yearn for Acceptance With 'Yoke'
Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Nick Carpenter, better known as Medium Build, is one to watch in 2024, and his voice is especially powerful on his new single, "Yoke," featuring Julien Baker. The two have been friends for more than a decade, first meeting during collage at Middle Tennessee State, and their gorgeous new song reflects on their shared experience of yearning for a sense of belonging and the struggle to leave behind the communities that didn't accept them as queer people in the South. " When I sent her this song about deconstructing my relationships with church and the people around it, I knew she would understand," Nick shared in a press release. "I'd been scared in the past to release songs this niche and heavy, worried about the people from my past I would offend as I heal my inner child. Julien's presence on this track feels like a friend holding your hand as you share your testimony or open up at an AA meeting. This industry is lonely and the value of long-lasting friendships cannot be overstated, but having a friend in this business that you look up to, admire and adore is a godsend (pun intended)." It will also appear on Medium Build's upcoming EP, Marietta, dropping on Nov. 15.
Also read about: 20 Angsty Julien Baker Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
9. Gwen Stefani Deals With Romance Anxiety in 'Swallow My Tears'
We've loved seeing Gwen Stefani put her own twist on the country genre leading up to her next album, Bouquet, and "Swallow My Tears" has precisely the type of cross-genre appeal to be a massive hit. It's got that classic No Doubt angst, with a twangy country sound, as she sings about a painful past rears its head and continues to impact the love she's clinging too today. We can't wait to hear the full album once it releases on Nov. 15.
Also read about: 17 Lyrics From Halsey's The Great Impersonator to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
10. Halsey Gives Us an Emotional Crash Course in Pop With The Great Impersonator
We've truly never heard an album quite like Halsey's The Great Impersonator, which over the course of 18 tracks sees the pop superstar imitate 18 different pop icons from Dolly Parton to David Bowie, Aaliyah and Britney Spears— as well as Halsey herself—while telling her most gut-wrenchingly emotional and intimate stories to date. She recorded it over the last two years, during which she gave birth to her son, Ender, and was diagnosed with both lupus and a T-cell disorder, believing it would be the last album she's ever make, and it shows with every powerfully sung note and word choice. "I made this record in the space between life and death," she wrote in a post on Instagram. And it feels like I've waited an eternity for you to have it. I'll wait a bit longer. I've waited a decade, already."
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Oct. 18, 2024.