10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of November 8, 2024
Nothing helps us unwind from a long and stressful week quite like losing ourselves to great new music, and our favorite artists did not disappoint this week.
Going into this weekend, we're diving deep into everything we're feeling with new releases from everyone from Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Julia Michaels and Descendants multi-hyphenate Kylie Cantrell to German pop sensation Levent Geiger, K-pop heavyweights EPEX and more. To listen to everything that has us humming along, keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Nov. 8, 2024.
(Image courtesy of GFY Records)
1. AVATARI Confronts, and Accepts, Mortality in 'My Skin'
Indie rock frontman AVATARI is an artist on a mission to create unity and understanding through his music by telling universal stories. At first, that may seem like a lofty goal, but his newest song, "My Skin," makes it evident precisely what he's going for. With a haunting melody and an undercurrent of glam-rock, it's an exploration of mortality and the realization that letting go of the fear of death is essential to living your fullest life. "Death. It waits for all of us. Right?" AVATARI wrote of the song. "Who the F isn't scared of death? I mean, isn't it built into the fabric of being a human? Bears, car wrecks, poisoning, cancer, snakes, freak accidents, etc. etc. etc. All things to have a healthy fear of and to try and avoid as much as possible right? And then of course, there's plain old aging… My new song coming out at the end of the month is called 'My Skin.' It's an exploration of mortality. And identity, I suppose."
Also read about: AVATARI Embraces His Own Mortality in Powerful New Track 'My Skin'
2. Moody Joody Tackle the Duality of Life With Debut EP, Dream Girl
Rising shimmer-pop trio Moody Joody have impressed us with the buzzy energy of their most recent singles, and we think their debut EP, Dream Girl, is about to put them on the map in a big way. Its six synth-pop tracks demonstrate their effortless versatility, between vibrant and upbeat sounds and moody darkness, while taking us through their lives and the highs and lows of the human experience. "Dream Girl as a whole was born from a place of capturing the duality of life and our experiences and raw emotions as women in the world translated into an edgy, dreamy indie pop EP," the band's Kayla Hall shared with Sweety High in an interview. "We wanted to capture everything that we are and feel, which at times is sexy, ethereal, lighthearted, powerful and at other times is dark, deep, depressed and raw; creating a safe space for ourselves to experience and embrace the highs and lows of womanhood through this project."
Also read about: Moody Joody Encapsulate the Highs and Lows of Being Human With Their Debut EP, Dream Girl
3. Saint Blonde Catch Feelings in 'Prowl'
Alternative band Saint Blonde is another group that should definitely be on your radar as we move into the end of the year. They just released a new single, "Prowl," featuring a driving bassline and cool vocals, with lyrics that are bound to get stuck in your head all weekend. The song reflects on casual dating and the whirlwind of vulnerability, confusion and giddiness that can result from unexpectedly falling hard for someone. "I wrote it a time after a long hiatus from dating or feeling strong feelings, bein' crummy, working on myself—all those tropes—and then I felt some that I didn't really expect to," Saint Blonde frontman Hunter Fitch in an interview with Sweety High. " I think it's about that?"
Also read about: Saint Blonde's Hunter Fitch on New Song 'Prowl' & Catching Feelings When You Least Expect Them
4. ROREY Wonders If It Gets Better in 'Soho Grand'
We're eagerly awaiting bedroom pop singer-songwriter ROREY's upcoming EP, Dysphoria, much of which was written around her bipolar disorder diagnosis in 2021. The EP promises to serve as an exploration of her mental health journey, and we just got a powerful taste with the release of her new single, "Soho Grand." With atmospheric and dream-like instrumentation, pulsing like a heartbeat, the ethereal track asks the question "Does it get better?" It's been a process, but ROREY promises it does. "Healing isn't linear; for me, it took years of commitment and surrender," ROREY revealed in an interview with Sweety High. "To anyone who listens looking for relief, I'd encourage you to lean into the uncertainty. Trust the process—it's worth it."
Also read about: ROREY Yearns to Heal and Surrender to the Process in New Single, 'Soho Grand'
5. Beth McKenzie Finds Empowerment Through Her Trauma With 'Inside Out'
22-year-old Manchester pop artist Beth McKenzie is gearing up to release her debut EP, Does This Make Me A Bitter Woman?, next week, teasing it this week with her most vulnerable and raw track yet. "Inside Out" is an autobiographical track, at times delicate and reflective, at other times bursting with pleading angst, as she recounts the retraumatizing aftermath of an assault. It also comes accompanied by an evocative music video, with many scenes taking place from the inside of an interrogation room. "I knew immediately that this is what I wanted, it perfectly represents what happened, the mistreatment I felt from the people around me and the resulting internal conflict," Beth shared in a press release. "While the song is incredibly important to me the way it is, it is still quite metaphorical. It leaves the meaning of the song open to interpretation, which is great—I want people to be able to find their own meaning in my songs."
6. BE:FIRST Drop New One Piece Theme Song, 'Sailing'
BE:FIRST have rapidly risen in the ranks to become one of our all-time favorite J-pop groups, and their new song, "Sailing," reminds us precisely why we find them so irresistible. The new song serves as the ending theme song for Special Edited Version – One Piece: Fish-Man Island Saga, a condensed adaptation of the Fish-Man Island Saga from the beloved anime series, perfectly capturing the fun-loving energy of the show—complete with a rousing pirate chant. "Phrases like 'Let's turn any storm into a tailwind' and 'When I looked into my heart, I know my family and friends are there' were inspired by both the original story and our everyday activities,"BE:FIRST's SHUNTO explained in a press release. "These are messages, that we—BE:FIRST—hold close to our hearts in everything we do."
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About Japanese Boy Group BE:FIRST
7. EPEX Continue Their Tale of Youth With Youth Chapter 2 : YOUTH DEFICIENCY
Eight-member K-pop boy group EPEX are one of the fastest-growing names in the business, and that trajectory continues with the release of their sophomore album, Youth Chapter 2: YOUTH DEFICIENCY. Across eight tracks, the album continues the story they began in Youth Chapter 1: YOUTH DAYS, telling a coming-of-age story about coming up against your weaknesses and working on your shortcomings in order to lead the life you want for yourself. We're especially fond of the title track, "UNIVERSE," a sweet and straightforward love song about making your special someone the center of your entire universe. "We worked hard to make a better album, to show EPEX's growth, and to empathize more with all the listeners of our album," EPEX's KEUM said in a press release. "We wanted to create the stage with our color, focusing on not only the performance but also delicate expressions, so we thought of many ways to express the message that we wanted to convey through this album. Please look forward to the second story of youth by EPEX."
Also read about: How EPEX Explored Themes of a Broken Heart in Prelude of Love Chapter 2. 'Growing Pains'
8. Levent Geiger Wishes to Be Loved in Return With New Single 'Love Me'
With his angelic vocals and earnest songwriting, 21-year-old German singer-songwriter Levent Geiger has established his pop stardom. His newest single, "Love Me," is sure to be yet another viral hit. With a lovey-dovey pop-R&B sound, it's a love song for the ages as he sings about a moment of uncertainty in love, simply yearning to hear those three little words in return. "'Love Me' is all about that moment when you're waiting for someone to say they love you back for the first time," Levent explained in an interview with Sweety High. "I've definitely had those times where I was totally overthinking, just hoping the other person felt the same way. It's exciting but nerve-racking at the same time, and I wanted to capture that feeling because I think it's something a lot of us go through."
Also read about: Levent Geiger Yearns to Hear Those 3 Little Words With New Single, 'Love Me'
9. Kylie Cantrall Calls Out Dating Double Standards in 'Boy for a Day'
Singer-songwriter and actress Kylie Cantrall has had a big year following the release of Descendants: The Rise of Red, and with a major project releasing in 2025, she's not slowing down anytime soon. She just dropped her latest single, "Boy for a Day," a playful and expressive '90s R&B-tinged track about the consequence-free dating havoc she could creative if she were a man for 24 hours. She based the song on her own exasperation with dating, laughing at the double-stands in relationships between men and women while letting other girls know that they're not alone. "It feels like pages ripped from my diary," Kylie explained in a press release. "I open up more in this song than ever before, offering my fans a clear look at my feelings on the frustrating double standard between guys and girls. I definitely used a lot of my own past dating tribulations as inspiration for this one."
10. Julia Michaels Steps Into a New Era With 'Heaven II'
Even if you haven't listened to much of Grammy-nominated pop powerhouse Julia Michaels, you definitely know her work. She's beloved for writing songs that are as ridiculously catchy as they are poignant and insightful, writing hit singles for all of the biggest names in the business, from Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran to Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa and more. Now, she's ready to begin a new era of her own artistry as a soloist, kicking things off with aplomb with new single, "Heaven II." Julia weaves a blissful love song like no other artist could, coming further to life with its vibrantly sunny and feel-good new music video. "It's about love. Sex. Infatuation. Longing. Desire. Freedom," Julia shared in a press release. "And my hot a** boyfriend."
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Nov. 1, 2024.