10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of Nov. 6, 2020

This has been one stressful week for many of us. The remedy? Great new music.

And lucky for all of us, a number of amazing artists truly pulled through for us this week. From Latin-infused R&B to pop megahits and hard-hitting hip-hop beats, these last seven days had it all. Keep reading to discover our top 10 faves of the week.

1. JC Stewart Releases Debut EP When the Light Hits the Room

Northern Irish singer-songwriter and self-proclaimed "professional sad boy" JC Stewart is an incredible young talent that everyone should know. His debut EP, When the Light Hits the Room, is the perfect showcase of his abilities. Including four amazing tracks, the songs are reflective, soulful and beautifully sung. Our favorite might have to be his new single, "Rest of My Life." "I wrote 'When The Light Hits The Room' about growing up and searching for the end goal that would make everything make sense," JC explained in a press release. "I realized that the finishing point might not even exist, but came to accept that it's okay."

 

2. Yashua Explores New Territory With 'Dancing in the Rain'

Dominican-American singer-songwriter Yashua is best known for his Spanish tracks, but his single, "Dancing in the Rain" isn't just different because it's in English—it's exploring a whole new side of his sound that we haven't really heard before. Plus, it's all based on a true story. "The song means everything to me from the storyline to the musicality of the song," Yashua told Sweety High. "The lyrics are self-explained and the musicality, beat and structure with the merging genres takes you on a journey of all the emotions and moods I was feeling that day."

 

3. Ananya Continues Dominating the U.S. With 'Everybody's Lost'

Ananya is a multi-platinum artist who's a household name in her native India, but her success in the U.S. market has shown she's capable of thriving anywhere. "Everybody's Lost" is her second U.S. single, and with its romantic sound and confident vocals, we think she has another hit on her hands. She wrote the track in L.A. shortly after moving to the U.S. "Everybody's Lost" is a snapshot of what I was feeling," Ananya told Sweety High. "I feel like everyone knows that feeling, though, and everyone feels lost in their own way. The entire world feels like it's lost at the moment. In a sense, it's what brings us together. We're all lost, but it's okay to be lost—and that's what the song is about."

 

4. Bea Miller Drops New Single 'Hallelujah'

Bea Miller is such a powerful artist, and every new track she releases blows us away. Her latest single, "Hallelujah," which comes off her recent Elated! EP, is jazzy and powerful, and Bea uses it as a soapbox to speak her mind about the current state of the world. The music video is similarly raw and impactful, filmed in reverse to show Bea going from a vulnerable yet authentic state to being fully made up and modestly dressed, donning a huge fake smile. Her message is an important one.

 

 

5. NLE Choppa Gets Real With His From Dark to Light Mixtape

NLE Choppa celebrated his 18th birthday on Nov. 1 by releasing a new mixtape called From Dark to Light. Featuring 13 stunning tracks, these thoughtful and contemplative new songs are an exploration of hope and inspiration, starting from a place of dark, difficult thoughts and moving into the light through growth, change and acceptance. This week, he also released a new video for the song "Bryson," a compelling comic-of-age story that's sure to hit home.

 

6. Gorillaz and Beck Team Up for 'The Valley of the Pagans'

Gorillaz have been very busy this year with their "Song Machine" collabs with artists including Robert Smith, Elton John and more, but their latest team up with Beck on "The Valley of the Pagans" might be our favorite yet. The track is quintessentially Beck with its funky alt rock sound, with a little hip-hop thrown in for good measure. The music video was filmed almost entirely within Grand Theft Auto V, showing Gorillaz animated members Noodle, 2-D, Murdoc and Russell cruising through Los Santos, and we can't get enough of it.

 

7. Monsta X Releases Third Album, Fatal Love

Monsta X is one of the biggest K-pop groups on the planet, and the release of their third album, Fatal Love, is sure to make the band even bigger. The album includes ten all-new tracks, with contributions from the band as composers, producers and songwriters for the first time, and it's honestly made their music better than ever. The music video for the single "Love Killa" also dropped earlier this week, with a stylish and captivating music video borrowing elements from classic films including The Dark Knight, American Psycho, Fight Club, Silence of the Lambs and more. Seriously, it's not like anything you've seen before.

 

8. Little Mix Celebrates Their Sixth Studio Album, Confetti

Little Mix never fails to inspire and get us moving, and their sixth studio album, Confetti, just might be their best yet. It contains 13 new tracks that are each bursting with energy and confidence, spanning a number of genres and sounds and demonstrating the full breadth of what this incredible girl group can do. Today, they also released a music video for the sultry and danceable "Sweet Melody," which we think is primed to be the next TikTok craze.

 

9. Maluma Collaborates With The Weeknd for a 'Hawái' Remix

There's no denying that Maluma's "Hawái" has been a massive hit, with its music video racking up nearly half a billion views since July, but we think its remix, featuring The Weeknd, might be an even bigger success. On this new version of the track, The Weeknd goes bilingual by singing in both English and Spanish, adding a whole new flavor to the smash song. "I have always admired The Weeknd so it feels nothing short of a dream come true to have him collab on 'HAWÁI' Remix," Maluma said in a press release. "He brought another flow to it and sang in both Spanish and English which is impressive."

 

10. Miley Cyrus Has a New Take on 'Midnight Sky' With Help From Stevie Nicks

This has been an amazing week for remixes. Miley Cyrus's "Midnight Sky" was a revelation when it released back in August, and now it's back with a twist. The remix is called "Edge of Midnight," sampling the iconic "Edge of Seventeen" riff and chorus, and incorporating vocals from the legendary Stevie Nicks to make something that takes the track to a whole new level. Somehow, we've become even more obsessed, and we don't think we'll stop listening anytime soon.

 

Need even more great tunes to add to your listening list? Click HERE to check out our favorite musical releases of last week.