As the music industry begins ramping up for the new year, many big-name pop musicians released new music this week. Taylor Swift added a few tracks to a deluxe version of her Evermore album, elusive ex-One Direction member Zayn returned with a new single, and Saweetie tapped Doja Cat to embark on antics in a fun collaboration.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.
Taylor Swift — “It’s Time To Go”
“It’s Time To Go” is one of a pair of tracks Taylor Swift unveiled this week to keep eyes on her surprise Evermore release. A quiet ballad, Swift sings of learning the hard lesson of letting go of toxic relationships, even if they used to be a close friend.
Zayn — “Vibez”
Fans thought Zayn was gearing up for a new era of music when he dropped the single “Better” as his only track of 2020, and they were proved right this week. Zayn returned to promise fans that new music is, in fact, on the horizon with the shuffling single “Vibez.” The single arrived in tandem with the announcement of his album Nobody Is Listening, which includes “Better” and “Vibez” within the LP’s 11 tracks.
Saweetie — “Best Friend” Feat. Doja Cat
Though Saweetie and Doja Cat’s “Best Friend” was prematurely published by her record label in late 2020, the duo teamed up for a captivating visual to award fans for patiently waiting for its official release. The song is a swaggering single devoted to dynamic duos and serves as a hyped-up anthem for women everywhere to shake their hips to with their best friends.
Zara Larsson — “Talk About Love” Feat. Young Thug
Returning after her hit “Wow” went viral on TikTok, Zara Larsson tapped Young Thug to “Talk About Love” in a new single. “’Talk About Love’ is about that phase before two people work out what they are to one another,” Larsson said. “That specific window is so beautiful and fragile, as soon as you start asking ‘are we doing this?’ or ‘how do *you* feel?’, for some people that ruins the magic. ‘Talk About Love’ is savoring that moment before you have to decide.”
Alice Glass — “Suffer And Swallow”
It’s been nearly seven years since Alice Glass left Crystal Castles after saying she survived “almost a decade of abuse” from bandmate Ethan Kath. Now, Glass is pivoting back to her solo career with the new single “Suffer And Swallow.” In a statement about the song, Glass said: “The song is true to the singular vision that Glass has crafted over the course of her career, but finds her exploring the dichotomy of pain and beauty in a manner more stark than ever before.”
Charlotte Lawrence — “Talk You Down”
If Charlotte Lawrence has taught us anything over her career, it’s that she’s perfected the club-ready beat drop. Following a handful of 2020 singles, including one that landed on the Birds Of Prey soundtrack, Lawrence returns with another banger. “Talk You Down” explores times the singer has been needlessly in her own head underscored by a sparkling beat.
VanJess — “Curious” Feat. Jimi Tents and Garren
Sister duo VanJess have been turning heads since their 2018 debut album but now, they continue to tease a new era of music. Along with announcing their upcoming EP Homegrown, VanJess share the sultry single “Curious” to showcase their project’s captivating harmonies.
Olivia Rodrigo — “Driver’s License”
After coming into stardom with her lead role on Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Olivia Rodrigo has shared her debut solo single. “Drivers License” offers a vignette of the aftermath of one’s first heartbreak, with Rodrigo writing: “When I came up with ‘Drivers License,’ I was going through a heartbreak that was so confusing to me, so multifaceted. Putting all those feelings into a song made everything seem so much simpler and clearer.”
JC Stewart — “Break My Heart”
Following a string of mellow pop hits, JC Stewart’s distinctive sound has captured the attention of many, including Niall Horan. Stewart teamed up with Horan to co-write “Break My Heart,” a bouyant tune about knowing a relationship isn’t right, but taking the risk anyway. “‘Break My Heart’ is big, fast, and fun,” Steward said. “It’s about someone who can catch you so off guard that they can ruin a city for you and tear your life apart. But sometimes that can be addicting.”
Aaron Frazer — “Can’t Leave It Alone”
Aaron Frazer is gearing up for the release of his debut solo album Introducing… this week, produced by Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. Sharing the grand single “Can’t Leave It Alone,” Frazer said: “I have a soft spot for mid 2000s hip hop with marching band vibes. It just takes me back to the formative songs I heard emanating from 92.3 on my boombox. […] I wanted to write something in tribute to that sound, and who knows maybe a marching band out there will play it at a football game someday.”
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.