[VIDEOS] Smooth Like 'Butter': BTS Is On A Mission For Global Dominance
Plus, new music from icons like NADDI, Twenty One Pilots, Lil Nas X, and 88Rising with Warren Hue!
#NewMusicFlyday is our list of the hottest song releases, music videos, and exclusive interviews of the week
We've got a week's worth of vibes for ya!
Bringing you a taste of Malaysian R&B is NADDI with Lowkey. Meanwhile, 88Rising is repped by Warren Hue this week on his emotional track. Keeping the emotions high is Lil Nas X - with a song that is very different from Montero. And in a collab we never saw coming, we've got the Jonas Brothers x Marshmello in a track that reflects this pairing: rather unexpected. Also teaming up are British singers Anne-Marie and 1D's Niall Horan as they sing about heartbreak.
Speaking of heartbreak, the TikTok heartbreak queen herself Olivia Rodrigo has dropped her debut album, SOUR! Teasing their album are legends Twenty One Pilots with a truly groovy track.
And wrapping it up are the buttery vocals of the BTS members!
1. Lowkey – NADDI
A classically trained pianist, NADDI, formerly known as Nadhira, has had success as an R&B/hip-hop artist in Malaysia. The multitalented artiste writes, sings, and raps!
The bilingual singer has kicked off 2021 with the release of Disappear; a collaboration with Malaysian R&B duo Wanted Symphony, and now she's back with her latest single, Lowkey.
Editor's note: This song contains strong language.
2020 saw the release of singles like R&B tunes Tonight, Keep On Running, and a dance funk remix of Tonight. NADDI is here to stay so expect more from her in 2021!
2. Too Many Tears – 88Rising, Warren Hue
18-year-old Indonesian rapper, singer, and producer Warren Hue's latest track serves as the title track for 88Rising's much-anticipated collaboration album, Head in the Clouds 3.
Produced by Jacob Ray, Warren Hue says the track is "...an emotional song that reflects on the dreams that I have. It covers the reality of chasing dreams and how people can treat you along the way. The unique production & beat structure from Jacob Ray adds an experimental feel to the song, which inspired me in the creative process."
Editor's note: This song contains strong language.
The Head in the Clouds series has had some major success - such as the RIAA-certified 'Gold' Midsummer Madness, US Top 40 radio hit Walking, and TikTok viral sensation Indigo.
Previous editions have included tracks by the likes of Rich Brian, Joji, Jackson Wang, NIKI, Higher Brothers, Stephanie Poetri, and AUGUST 08 and boast collaborations with Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd, Major Lazer, Playboi Carti, CHUNG HA, Phum Viphurit, and more.
3. Sun Goes Down – Lil Nas X
"In the Sun Goes Down video I go back in time to visit a younger version self who's struggling inside, hating himself, & doesn't want to live anymore. I try my best to uplift him," Lil Nas X wrote in a tweet.
Vastly different in vibes but similar in the message it's conveying, Lil Nas X is following up the release of his wildly controversial, Montero (Call Me by Your Name) with the emotionally vulnerable single, Sun Goes Down.
Ahead of his debut on this weekend's SNL, Lil Nas had already promised a live performance of Montero (Call Me By Your Name) and a new single on the show. Even in Montero, the rapper was addressing his younger self - albeit in a more, "I'm taking back my narrative" kind of way.
At the time, the 22-year-old tweeted of the track: "I know we promised to never come out publicly, I know we promised to never be 'that' type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret. But this will open the door for many other queer people to simply exist."
4. Leave Before You Love Me – Marshmello, Jonas Brothers
Joining forces for a sweet, sweet track are the JoBros and EDM star Marshmello.
The pop ballad is complete with handclaps and the kind of groove that will stay with you through the night. But in contrast to the beat are the sad lyrics, with the JoBros singing:
"If you wake up in your bed alone in the dark
I'm sorry gotta leave before you love me"
The brothers have just announced their closing performance at the upcoming BBMAs, due to take place Sunday (Monday in Malaysia), and will be joined by the Happier DJ.
It will be the brothers' first appearance on the BBMAs stage since their explosive 2019 medley. Joining them are BTS, Duran Duran, The Weeknd, Migos, and DJ Khaled featuring H.E.R., and Twenty One Pilots with P!NK set to perform and accept the 'Icon' award.
5. Our Song – Anne-Marie, Niall Horan
Anne-Marie and Niall Horan have written three different songs together, but the one they've both shared their excitement over releasing is the track, Our Song. On it, the English singers unite as they sing about the aftermath of a break up: waking up without their significant other, hearing the song that was theirs, the places they used to go.
On working with the 27-year-old boyband alumna, Anne-Marie said: "He's so lovely, I honestly didn't know what to expect because we hadn't met in real life until we met to record it. I wondered if what's he going to be like, is he talented is he nice? And he was both... I've got a really great friend out of this collaboration."
Our Song follows Anne-Marie's recent single Don't Play, which peaked #2 on the UK Singles Chart, and Bedroom with Asian superstar JJ Lin.
6. enough for you – Olivia Rodrigo
Stripped down, honest, and relatable: the three words to describe Olivia Rodrigo's latest track, enough for you. The track follows three previously released songs - drivers license, deja vu, and good 4 u - and is part of the 18-year-old actress/singer/songwriter's debut album SOUR.
Initially envisioned as an EP, SOUR was later expanded to a full-length album due to the breakout success of her debut single, drivers license, which was released on 8 January 2021.
The album contains the aforementioned four tracks and seven more: brutal; traitor; 1 step forward, 3 steps back; happier; jealousy, jealousy; favorite crime; and hope ur ok.
Rodrigo has said that she's super happy with the album, describing it as "super versatile", which she's really proud of.
"This is going to sound stupid, but I wanted to make it pop, alt-rock, alt-pop, and folk. I actually think I sort of pulled it off, maybe. I think there's a wide range of songs on that record, which I'm so excited about."
7. Saturday – Twenty One Pilots
Grooovvyyyy! The latest track from GRAMMY award-winning alt-rock duo Twenty One Pilots will have you doing body rolls and snapping your fingers!
Released a day before their album launch, Saturday is a feel-good track celebrating the weekend – and in a way, the ending of a long, tumultuous week (read: year) at work (read: of the pandemic).
The track is one of 11 from Twenty One Pilot's sixth album, Scaled And Icy, with two songs - Shy Away and Choker - already released ahead of the album drop, which is scheduled for today, 21 May.
To celebrate their return, the band will also be performing Shy Away at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards on 23 May. With 20 billion streams to date, their breakout hit Stressed Out was recently certified 'Diamond' in RIAA.
8. Butter – BTS
In their latest summer anthem, Butter, BTS play with our hearts with their sometimes smooth and always charismatic new track!
BTS showcases their musical fluidity in their ability to combine fun, witty lyrics with uplifting messages ("owe it all to my mother") and their razor-sharp moves with well-timed instances of flirtatious behaviour that includes running their hands through their hair and blowing kisses.
The dance-pop track is sung fully in English and sees the boys confess to wanting to steal hearts in a way that's "smooth like butter". Leader RM played an active part in the making of the track to ensure that the song stays true to BTS' signature style.
Not to be missed is this #FlyInterviews session with Destiny Rogers
Hang out with Destiny Rogers in this week's #FlyInterviews as she talks about her recently released EP, Great Escape, her song Tomboy that was covered by Lisa from BLACKPINK, upcoming plans, and more!
Tune in to Fly FM to listen to these songs and much more!