From Belle Mariano, Ariana Grande, Alex Bruce, and more, the week was definitely not lacking with new music to enjoy.
Related: POLL: What’s Your Favorite Music Release Of November 2021
It’s the first week of December, which means Christmas is almost here. But while many may be thinking about the holidays, the world of music is still churning along. Among other events, BTS held their Permission To Dance concerts in LA. Spotify Wrapped 2021 is also here with some rather awkward new features. Since the year is about to end, we are also entering awards seasons. Some notable awards shows of the week include the 34th Awit Awards and the 2021 Asia Artist Awards.
Adele announced that she is having a Las Vegas residency from January to April next year. And while Rihanna sadly did not announce any new music, she was made a national hero of Barbados, as she should. The week was also filled with new and exciting music releases. Here are some of our favorite ones that are getting a spot in our playlists.
With You – Belle Mariano
Belle Mariano is slowly conquering the world of acting. And now she is going to do the same in the world of music. The talented actress and singer just dropped her debut album, Daylight, and it’s filled with light yet emotional bops. At seven songs and 26 minutes long, it is relatively short, but oh so sweet package.
Just Look Up – Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi
Rumor has is that Ariana Grande is taking an extended break from making new music. If that’s true, she deserves it for how hard she works and all the projects she has lined up. But that means her new song with Kid Cudi might be the only new song we will hear from Ariana in a while. Released as part of the OST for her latest movie, Don’t Look Up, Just Look Up is a pop power ballad that has Ariana belt out an inspirational message.
It’ll Be Okay – Shawn Mendes
When Camila and Shawn broke up just a few weeks ago, we were wondering how new music from the two would sound like. And now we know the answer. Shawn Mendes recently dropped his latest single It’ll Be Okay, which seems to allude to his relationship with Camilla. The ballad sees Shawn recognize that while it hurt for the relationship to not work, he ultimately is ok and is still willing to support that special someone.
SZA – I Hate U
SZA is back with a brand new banger and let’s just say it feels good to have new music from her again. If you’ve been on TikTok in the past few months, then you may have heard a portion of the song as it went viral. And we now have I Hate U in all its full glory.
Kim Petras – Coconuts
If you’ve been on TikTok in the past few weeks, then you may have come across this song. Kim Petras premiered the song during the 2021 MTV EMAs and the song is finally out. It doesn’t take long to understand what this upbeat bop is all about.
2011 – 5 Seconds of Summer
After an extended hiatus, 5 Seconds of Summer is back with a new song 2011. Not only does the track have a nostalgic message behind it, but its sound evokes the early 2010s rock sound of 5SOS mixed in with their more modern production.
Peaches – KAI
EXO’s Kai is never one to disappoint and that holds true for his latest solo comeback Peaches. The dreamy track sees the talented idol sing from the POV of the bad guy. Kai also released his second mini-album of the same name. Speaking of EXO, the K-pop group is also now on TikTok if you want to follow them there.
stable life – dhruv
Dhruv definitely had a great 2021 thanks to the viral and chart-topping success of double take. And the 22-year-old musician has another thing to be thankful for as he recently signed a deal with RCA Records. In celebration, dhruv released the introspective single stable life and announced that his debut EP rapunzel will come out on 21 January 2022.
Christmas EveL – Stray Kids
Stary Kids puts their spin on Christmas with their new song Christmas EveL. It’s definitely an unorthodox Christmas song to listen to but Felix once again serves another addicting and memorable line in his Feliz Navidad moment. The group also released an EP of the same name with new tracks 24 to 25, Winter Falls, and the English version of Domino.
ELEVEN – IVE
This week saw the debut of a much-hyped K-pop girl group, IVE. Starships’ latest K-pop group has been making noise for some time thanks to who some of their members are and we now have a taste of their sound with their debut single ELEVEN. Unlike some other K-pop songs, ELEVEN doesn’t have a too explosive sound. That honor goes to their other single, Take It. Their debut has us excited as to what they have to offer.
Dime Gurls – Alex Bruce
14-year-old rapper Alex Bruce just reached a major milestone this week with the release of her self-titled debut EP. The five-track EP sees Alex going hard with sharp, playful tunes that celebrate life, puppy love, and being a young girl trying to make her way into the competitive and often male-dominated hip-hop music landscape. The EP also sees Alex explore different sounds like trap, soul, lo-fi hip-hop, reggae, boombap, contemporary R&B, new school, and old school.
Killing Me – CHUNG HA
Chung Ha is back with a new single and this time, she digs into some dark emotions. Inspired by her experience in lockdown, Killing Me sees Chung Ha let out her intrusive thoughts and realize that she isn’t as well as she thinks she is. The song’s addicting house beat drop plays into how the song may sound good, but its message is one of struggle and perseverance.
Remember November – No Rome
Manila-born and London-based No Rome has been releasing his string of acclaimed singles over the past few years. But now, he just dropped his debut album It’s All Smiles. In our interview, he recommends that you listen to Remember November first as that is his current fave song.
Crisis – Joshua Bassett
It seems as if we finally have Joshua Bassett’s answer to all the speculation surrounding him and Olivia Rodrigo. In his latest single Crisis, the young actor/singer gets real saying that his life has been made hell thanks to someone in his life. He then chides that person for not being 100% honest about their relationship. Along with Crisis, Joshua also dropped two other songs, Secret and Set Me Free.
GO TO HELL – Clinton Kane
Clinton Kane does not mince his words in his latest single GO TO HELL. In the rock track, Clinton goes after an ex who cheated on him with someone else and tells the both of them to…well, we think you know.
Pirate – Everglow
EVERGLOW is back with their latest comeback single, Pirate. They also released the EP Return of The Girl that has 5 brand new songs.
DI NA – 8 BALLIN
Filipino hip-hop group 8 BALLIN’ recently dropped DI NA, their debut single under Def Jam Philippines. With its minimalist beats and uniformly gentle guitar licks, the Filipino rap crew’s crossover anthem allows the group to set an acoustic-tinged blueprint for local hip-hop and infuse it with a contemporary-sounding approach to production. Lyrically, the track tackles love in its many forms and iterations.
I’ll Be Home This Christmas – grentperez
grentperez caps of his 2021 with the release of two Christmas song covers, I’ll Be Home This Christmas and Please Come Home This Christmas. As someone who started his career doing covers, these covers are right up his wheelhouse and he does them justice.
Honest – Bianca Tañega
22-year-old Filipino R&B musician Bianca Tañega is out with a new single, Honest. With her smooth vocals, the track portrays the vulnerability and sincerity of a person navigating through the “talking stage” of a potential relationship.
Continue Reading: The New Bops Of The Week Fit For Your Playlist
