Billboard’s First Stream serves as a useful information to this Friday’s most important releases — the important thing music that everybody can be speaking about at this time, and that can be dominating playlists this weekend and past.
This week, Rihanna returns from a far-too-long absence, SZA tries out the full-length model of a long-teased fan favourite, Ice Spice goes beneath the ocean and extra. Try all of this week’s First Stream picks under:
Rihanna, “Elevate Me Up”
Rihanna’s much-anticipated return to music comes not with the sort of door-kicking, floor-filling lead single we as soon as anticipated from her on a yearly foundation, however fairly with a lush, percussion-less ballad of home bliss. Co-written with producer Ludwig Göransson, Afrobeats sensation Tems and movie director Ryan Coogler and featured on the soundtrack to the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Endlessly soundtrack, the stirring tune showcases Rihanna’s still-improving vocals as she sings of the safety she seeks in her accomplice and her life: “Elevate me up/ Maintain me down/ Hold me shut/ Protected and sound.” A easy and touching love tune, additionally written partially as a tribute to the late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman.
SZA, “Shirt”
It’s not fairly as long-awaited as Rihanna’s comeback, however SZA followers have been ready for the complete model of “Shirt” since she first teased it on TikTok in 2020, spawning a dance problem within the course of. Protected to say the complete model of the tune matches good, with the singer-songwriter’s sometimes scattered and piercing vocals racing over a booming beat, resulting in an already trademark refrain: “Blood stain on my shirt/ New b–ch on my nerves.” If the tune seems like one thing that would’ve performed on BET’s Planet Groove in 1999, there’s a purpose for that: Flip-of-the-century R&B architect Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins co-produced and co-wrote the observe, together with SZA and “Freaky” Rob Gueringer.
Jin, “The Astronaut”
Coldplay’s first blast off into the BTSverse went fairly nicely — the 2 teams’ “My Universe” collab debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100, marking the previous group’s first time topping the chart since 2008 — so it’s not shock to listen to Chris Martin & Co. known as on once more for co-writing duties on Jin’s solo single “The Astronaut.” The bilingual love tune supplies the sort of glowing pop-rock maximalism we’ve come to count on from the 2 teams, with Jin’s plaintive vocal completely promoting the refrain sentiment (“After I’m with you/ There is no such thing as a one else/ I get heaven to myself”) — with Martin’s personal backing cries in fact offering invaluable help beneath.
Polo G, “Bag Speak”
After proving near-ubiquitous in widespread music from 2019 to 2021, Polo G has had a extra laid-back 2022, with only a couple options and a one-off single (“Distraction”) to his credit score to this point this yr. “Bag Speak” suggests the break would possibly coming to an finish: Co-produced by heavy-hitters TM88 and Southside, Polo brings the urgency to the widescreen manufacturing, promising “You can choose any location within the metropolis I’m good, b–ch/ In every single place I’m going, I’m stamped… I would like evеry dime, I keep on my grind/ Like Tony Hawk up that ramp.”
Dove Cameron, “Dangerous Concept”
Following within the mode of prior releases “Boyfriend” and “Breakfast,” “Dangerous Concept” is Dove Cameron’s third badass “B” single of 2022, one other sultry and alluring pop providing carried out with an audibly devilish grin. This time, Cameron additionally takes cues from one other “Dangerous” singer: With its alternately jaunty and eerie manufacturing, darkly pulsing beat and whisper-cooed vocals (with occasional dips into sing-speaking), the tune might’ve slotted fairly naturally into the center third of Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, The place Do We Go?
Ice Spice, “Bikini Backside”
Everybody’s favourite viral Bronx hip-hop sensation — and Billboard‘s personal R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month for October — is again with a brand new single, and it is likely to be her most irresistible but. Ice Spice hopscotches via a skittering beat and a very springy RIOTUSA manufacturing in “Bikini Backside,” spitting, “How can I lose if I’m already selected?/ Like, If she feelin’ scorching then I make that b–ch froze.” Working a really replayable 1:46, you’ll be able to guess that the employees on the Krusty Krab is getting all the way down to this one at any alternative.
