This week's best new music has a little bit of everything: BTS member V making his solo debut, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan shifting pop music with the production influence of their joint collaborator Dan Nigro, Rauw Alejandro crafting his first post-Rosalía breakup ballad, and more.
Below, check out the new songs you need to be listening to this week.
V of BTS, “Love Me Again” and “Rainy Days”
BTS member V has finally arrived with his first official solo debut, two R&B tracks to introduce his forthcoming album Layover. As with the other BTS solo songs we've seen so far, V's new releases reflect his unique vibe and perspective; he's long had a deep appreciation for jazz, R&B, and meaningful ballads, and all of that is on display here. “Love Me Again,” the lead single, has V crooning about a lost love in the hopes they might return to him — in the music video, he sings karaoke alone in a cave in Majorca, Spain, blonde and glamorous, with a retro aesthetic. “Rainy Days,” meanwhile, has a pretty piano medley to accompany V's deep-voiced notes of longing; the video shows him going about normal life, stuck on a love in the back of his mind. Together, the two tracks effectively foreshadow the mood we'll get on Layover, out Sept. 8 — V, more confident and more himself than ever, musically and aesthetically.
Olivia Rodrigo, “bad idea right?”
Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo is probably somewhere enjoying a break while Pop Princess Olivia Rodrigo enjoys the warmth of the limelight. Rodrigo’s newest song, “bad idea right?” is a true demonstration that the recipe for pop perfection is simple and elegant. She has a real sense of humor and attitude on this track, talking about lying to her friends and to herself — and letting the voice in her head win. That sense of humor tracks in the music video, directed by iconic image-maker (and first gen Internet icon) Petra Collins, where Rodrigo hitchhikes and takes the bus and trudges through the rainy mud to bang on the door of her ex’s apartment. And anyway, girls who never say “f*ck it, it’s fine” rarely make history.
Chappell Roan, “HOT TO GO!”
On her most recent tour, Chappell Roan played “HOT TO GO!” with full cheerleader-inspired choreo, simultaneously introducing the new song and making everyone in the crowd fully obsessed with it. Now, the studio version is here, along with a music video showing off the dance. The song itself is all cheer-pop energy, bouncy anthemic verses, and quippy flirty lyrics that are quickly becoming a Roan signature — it's a clear late-entry contender for song of the summer.
TVXQ!’s U-KNOW, Reality Show
U-KNOW, of K-pop’s veteran group TVXQ!, is back with his first solo project in over two years. The star’s third mini album, titled Reality Show, comprises six tracks ranging from jazz to R&B and synthpop. Led by trumpets and saxophones, “Wannabe” opens the project, continuing the Big Band tirade across title track “Vuja De,” a wordplay on “deja vu,” with prominent swing influences. U-KNOW introduces whistling galore, contrasting with his crooner velvety murmurs, in “Tarantino,” while “Relax” and “Spotlight” momentarily divert the project into ’80s disco. Closer “Curtain,” a suave piano-led ballad, returns to jazz to bring Reality Show full circle. Come for the music, stay for the accompanying short film Nexus. Set in the metaverse, Nexus features U-KNOW as Noah and aespa’s Karina as AI assistant Sarah. The short film brings the idols’ acting skills to the forefront to explore what it means to be human in an increasingly technological world, and, of course, the complimentary story uses Reality Show’s tracks as its soundtrack.
Rauw Alejandro, “Hayami Hana”
Barely two weeks after confirming his split from Rosalía, Rauw Alejandro surprised fans with heart-tugging track “Hayami Hana.” The pared-down, spoken-word ballad is intended as a farewell message for the Spanish singer, giving fans a glimpse into their relationship while also addressing rumors and speculation. “I’m not going to pretend I’m strong; I’m not going to front; everyone knows I’m going to cry for you; I’m going to miss you. There’s nothing to hide, but there are a couple of things I want to get off my chest,” the Puerto Rican sings in the first verse before going into recounting sweet details from their time together.“I might be a lot of things, but never unfaithful. She always had the passcode of my cell. This was something that was beyond my power,” he proclaims in another verse, wishing Rosalía well during the song’s closing lines. “If life brings us back together on another occasion, I won’t fight fate’s reasoning.”
Äyanna, “Say You Love Me”
23-year-old British and Jamaican singer and songwriter Äyanna continues her star-making run with new single “Say You Love Me," a romantic soul and R&B song with a vibey pop beat. The lyrics are sincere, hopeful — “I'll say what you want for the both of us” — and combined with a 2000s color palette of a music video (and her instantly addictive voice), Äyanna clearly has a creative sensibility that makes her stand out. We can't wait for what she does next.
