Yesterday, Audible announced Origins, a new audio series that will feature music stars sharing stories about their early days. Billie Eilish is among the participants and in a statement about the project (via Billboard), she said how people perceived her early work was surprising.
Eilish said:
“It was so weird to me when I was first coming up and, and the thing everybody said was, like, ‘Billie Eilish’s music is so depressing and it’s so sad and it’s too dark,’ and I was like, ‘What are you talking about? Have you listened to The Beatles and ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and ‘Yesterday’ and Lana Del Rey? Like, what the hell?’ It was so surprising to me that people thought anything I was creating was dark. I mean, it’s real.”
Audible’s description of the Eilish episode reads, “Billie Eilish challenges origin, resists definition, and rejects the very idea that who she was yesterday is who she has to be tomorrow.”
Doja Cat also has an episode and she said in her own statement, “I’ve always tried to bring my fans into my world. I am more interested in being myself than what others want me to be. I want people to get a real understanding of who I am, and I think Origins will help them do that.”
October is ending with arguably the wildest week for the best of new pop music. Two of the biggest pop stars released brand new albums on the same day. One of the previously-mentioned powerhouse performers broke a ton of records with said album, and even released a special 3am Edition with seven new songs as a surprise. In addition, a certain Disney actor returned with another single this week. (It rules.)
Continue scrolling to see everything pop-focused that Uproxx loved this week. Here’s the best new pop music this week.
Taylor Swift — “Sweet Nothing”
On Taylor Swift’s Midnights album, “Sweet Nothing” serves as the soft side to all the hints of Reputation-era energy early on in the tracklist (“Karma” and “Vigilante Sh*t”). Co-written with her longtime partner, the two find comfort in one another and the little moments as they manage to ignore all the external drama surrounding them. However, as most Swift songs go, the bridge stands out as the most heartbreaking part. “And the voices that implore, you should be doing more / To you, I can admit, that I’m just too soft for all of it,” she notes, tying it with “You’re On Your Own, Kid” and “Would’ve, Could’ve Should’ve” as the album’s saddest.
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Surrender My Heart”
Carly Rae Jepsen opens her new album with “Surrender My Heart,” a song that sparkles as the arpeggiating synths propel it forward. Despite being one of the shortest run times on the record, it sets the tone for the themes to come. “I’m trying not to f*ck this up,” Jepsen declares just before the pre-chorus kicks in. There’s tinges of sadness, but at its core, it is a carefree dance anthem about craving openness in a relationship.
Ellie Goulding — “Let It Die”
“Let It Die” carries a similar dance floor energy, just with the production over Ellie Goulding’s vocals giving the song more of an EDM feel rather than pure pop. As a single, it’s not quite Goulding’s strongest — compared to her past hits of “Love Me Like You Do” and “Lights” — as the electronic style seems to take over the track. She has a powerful and recognizably unique voice, which deserves the chance to shine. It is, however, perfect if you take it as a quick-paced party play, earning it a spot on this list.
Blu DeTiger — “Elevator”
Bass queen Blu DeTiger is back with a new single, “Elevator.” Gritty and incredibly catchy, she brings a blend of retro indie rock vibes with a story about a nighttime party scene. “Call your mama, call your karma, I don’t wanna dance with you,” DeTiger detests before recognizing, “I can be a big shot too.” It’s one of those nights where you just want to do your own thing, and won’t let anybody stop you.
Joshua Bassett — “I’m Sorry”
Opening with a somber acoustic guitar line, Joshua Bassett’s latest weekly single, “I’m Sorry,” is a sympathetic message to someone he used to love. He paints pictures, from writing songs after a few drinks late at night to wondering whether someone’s mother hates him. At the end of all of it, he takes the blame and is incredibly apologetic to the unnamed person.
Caroline Polachek — “Sunset”
“Sunset” is a fast-paced, flamenco-inspired single from Caroline Polachek that shines on the instrumental and production style. The music video finds Polachek at a party, driving through the streets of Barcelona, and wandering the beach… just as the sunset comes. Through it all, she encapsulates wanting to run away with a relationship — all while providing some fun claps in the background.
Katherine Li — “Miss Me Too”
Katherine Li opens “Miss Me Too” with a sample of a voice recording, where she warns listeners that she “just woke up” and “it might be a little rough.” The exact opposite proves true, as Li glides through the song, despite the emotional detailing about her feelings of reminiscing on a relationship. Her message boils down to one line in the chorus: “I hope that you still miss me too.”
Emlyn — “Girl’s Girl”
Bringing the pop-rock fire, “Girl’s Girl” is Emlyn’s take on supporting fellow women when it comes to handling toxicity. Each line is biting, bringing a unique rhyme as it digs at a certain type of man. “So, she broke your PS4 / But didn’t you go and break her to her core?” Yeah.
Bishop Briggs — “Superhuman”
Bishop Briggs’ “Superhuman” places her powerful vocals at the forefront, with a soft piano ballad about making it through tough times. By the chorus and second verse, Briggs transforms the song by introducing layered harmonies and percussion. The enthusiasm she has for someone surviving “the eye of the storm” explodes by the end, truly carrying home the message.
Kenzie — “100 Degrees”
Kenzie might be most recognizable for her past appearances on Dance Moms. However, her new single “100 Degrees” proves she has the power to propel her career in music forward. A synth-heavy pop hit-in-the-making, Kenzie weaves in autobiographical lyricism to piece together the picture about missing someone. “Tell me, is your halo heavy?” she poses on the second verse. Sleek and seamless, there is serious potential for this one to go far, especially with TikTok’s popularity.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
![Caroline Polachek - Sunset [Official Music Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-YBP-D6vQIA/hqdefault.jpg)
