This week's best new songs have a little bit of everything: a dancey Victoria Monét hit full of manifestations, a vibey Doja Cat track that takes her music in a fun new direction, and the first EXO comeback in years.
Below, check out this week's best new songs. Your playlist deserves a refresh, and this week's New Music Friday truly delivers.
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
“I’m so deep in my bag / Like a grandma with a peppermint.” If this lyric doesn’t prove to you that Victoria Monét is one of the best songwriters of her generation, you’ll be able to dive deeper into her genius when her next studio album, Jaguar II, drops later this year. Until then, you can savor the three singles she’s released from the stellar project so far: “Smoke” featuring Lucky Daye, “Party Girls” featuring dancehall legend Buju Banton, and “On My Mama,” out today. “On My Mama” samples Texas rapper Chalie Boy’s 2009 smash hit “I Look Good,” and is an ode to Southern swag and the delicious satisfaction of fearless confidence.
“‘On My Mama’ is kind of a soundtrack to manifestations and affirmations,” Victoria Monét tells Teen Vogue's Jaelani Turner-Williams. “I think [by] singing the lyrics, it does elevate your frequency because you’re talking positively about yourself. So go ahead and sing it, dance to it, and have fun this summer.” Y’all heard the woman! Outside we go.
EXO, “Let Me In”
EXO’s first group comeback since 2021’s “Don’t Fight The Feeling” has finally arrived in the form of R&B ballad “Let Me In,” with a cinematic music video to boot. The track features eight of the current nine members of the group — minus Lay Zhang, who parted ways with SM Entertainment in 2022. “Let Me In” was first unveiled back in April, during the group’s EXO’ Clock fan meets held in Seoul to commemorate their 11th anniversary, giving fans a taste of EXO’s next chapter. The single is the first release off EXO’s upcoming album, Exist, arriving in July.
Both live and in the studio version, the highlight of “Let Me In” is the members’ voices. The slow snapping base with soft percussion and gentle hi-hats serves as the perfect pared-down foundation for the group’s honeyed vocals, rife with stable riffs and suave rap lines. Watching the music video on a big screen might seem tempting, but “Let Me In” is best enjoyed with over-the-ear headphones to really appreciate the clever vocal layering and smooth harmonies.
Doja Cat, “Attention”
Doja Cat's single “Attention” feels like a new mood for the musician, and we're here for it. It's got a simple bass line with soft drums, creating a late ‘90s vibe for her to rap and sing over. The lyrics are full of her signature playfulness, but she’s pointed too. In the music video, a crowd of distorted, rabid faces take endless photos and reach out for her attention as she drives coolly by. “Talk your sh*t about me, I can easily disprove it, it's stupid/You follow me but you don't really care about the music.”
Rosalía, “Tuya”
Rosalía continues to go against the grain with her new single “Tuya,” unveiled on June 8, right in between her headlining sets at Primavera Sound Barcelona and Madrid. The song kickstarts with a composition led by simple plucking sounds and burgeoning organ synths that soon transforms into the classic tresillo-led reggaeton rhythm over faint flamenco palmas. The highlights of the song are Rosalía’s vocal runs in the song’s second verse as well as the hard closer for the end of the song, culminating with autotuned chipmunk voice chops.
The ambient sounds present in the music video, except for an 8-bit-esque synth machine sound and some background noise towards the end, are not part of the studio version of the track, but they undoubtedly add a characteristic rawness when paired with the visuals shot by Stillz in Japan. Rosalía’s love for the East Asian country is well documented, often even mentioning it in her lyrics. The music video was filmed during one of her numerous recent visits. The sultry lyrics have sparked much speculation, but the Spanish singer has made it clear that she is team “leave it all up to interpretation.”
Reneé Rapp, “Snow Angel”
This new Reneé Rapp ballad will break your heart.“Snow Angel” is an intimate, wrenching look at a relationship, but really at yourself: “Look in the mirror, she looks like me/But half-alive and twice as weak." The song comes with a music video, directed by Rapp's best friend and Sex Lives of College Girls costar Alyah Scott. Together, the collaborators create this epic ghostly Revenant-meets-Frozen esque snow story that's some of Rapp's most moving work yet.
Judeline, “Canijo”
Hailing from the Spanish coastal city of Cádiz, newcomer Judeline is an artist that should be on your radar if she isn’t already. Clocking in at exactly two minutes, her new single “Canijo” is the epitome of short but sweet. The experimental production led by soft percussion and fast dancehall-inspired skimpy rhythms serves as the base for Judeline’s trademark murmured velvet vocals, which always feature a generous dose of autotune, to shine. The use of spatial audio is beyond words, so this is another one you ought to listen to with headphones.
Judeline, whose real name is Lara Fernández, also debuted the song live first to the crowd at Primavera Sound Madrid the weekend prior to its release, and we have a feeling you’ll be hearing a lot more from her soon. Judeline has just been announced as one of the many artists featured in Tainy’s long-anticipated upcoming album, Data, alongside the likes of Bad Bunny, Sech, Rauw Alejandro, Skrillex, and many more.
Chappell Roan, “Red Wine Supernova”
Chappell Roan came just in time with the fun summer bop to end all summer bops. “Red Wine Supernova” is the pop singer's latest anthem, and a new music video brings the magician metaphor that's heavy in the song to life on screen. Using magic as a symbol for queerness, Chappell sings of an exciting new love interest and all the dramatic emotions that come along with her. Best line in a pop song this year goes to: “I heard you like magic, I've got a wand and a rabbit.” IYKYK.
