PinkPantheress checked a “false narrative” about her when a comment she made in an interview went viral, mischaracterizing her opinion on her fan-favorite breakout hit, “Boy’s A Liar,” and its remix with Ice Spice. In the interview with The Guardian, PinkPantheress is quoted saying, “They’re crap,” but after the comments went viral on Twitter, she had to step in and make her own correction.
“lord help us,” she wrote, adding a laughing emoji to show it wasn’t that serious. “I told the journalist I thought the OG was crap at first but the remix made me love it, I’ve said this openly before too.”
lord help us. I told the journalist I thought the OG was crap at first but the remix made me love it, I’ve said this openly before too false narratives be like https://t.co/m7SnDojUKk
Perhaps she was worried that the comment would be received similar to Doja Cat’s comments. Ahead of the release of her new album Scarlet, the “Paint The Town Red” rapper called her two previous albums “cash-grabs” that fans “fell for.” Fans angrily responded by unfollowing her in droves on Instagram — although that didn’t stop her Scarlet Tour from selling out. (During a recent stop on the tour, she delivered a well-timed callback as she performed “Say So,” the breakout hit from her second album .)
However, perhaps PinkPantheress needn’t worry; after all, Billie Eilish also said something similar and her fans agreed when she said one of her biggest hits, “Bad Guy,” is “the stupidest song in the world.”
The mid-way point of November is already near, meaning Christmas spirit is ripe in the air. At this time of year, many prefer to take a break from their hip-hop-heavy playlists in favour of slow jams and holiday hits. Thankfully, you can count on our weekly R&B Season update to recap some of the hottest releases for you. Unsurprisingly, Chris Brown’s 11th studio album, 11:11 is at the top of today’s list – specifically his “No One Else” collaboration with Fridayy.
More heat from Breezy comes later on, but before that, we hear from two UK superstars on “Nice to meet you.” Central Cee is just one of the recording artists who joined forces with PinkPantheress on her debut LP, Heaven knows. Rema and Kelela are the others, along with Ice Spice on “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2.” The viral remix is one of Pink’s biggest hits to date, though she recently shared that she thinks the song is “crap,” even with all its numeric success.
Holding it down for Canada this weekend is Roy Woods, who’s soundtracking your late nights with his “4am” single. Chris Brown and Maeta’s joint effort “Best Ever” comes afterward, though its worth noting his new album has some solo titles that are worth a stream as well. Back on the topic of collaborations we have Rosemarie and Roddy Ricch’s “Is It Real?” marking our final tandem release today. Yaya Bey and AUDRE close things out with their work, respectively. The former shared “the evidence,” while the latter shines on “Cp Time,” concluding yet another impressive week of new music coming our way.
Tune into all our new R&B Season playlist additions, along with last Sunday’s titles from names like Giveon, Lucky Daye, and Majid Jordan, exclusively on Spotify. Which of this weekend’s arrivals is your favourite? Let us know in the comments, and click the link below to find more HNHH release recommendations on our weekly Fire Emoji update.
The 2024 Grammy Awards nominations have been announced, and as usual, there are plenty of surprises and snubs to discuss. Although the Recording Academy added some new categories this year to accommodate the emergence of Afropop as a global force, it looks like another growing genre was left out in the cold. Meanwhile, as country music experiences a resurgence, some of the genre’s most dominant stars missed out on the biggest looks of the year. And even though the Grammys have taken huge steps in addressing the awards’ shortcomings in rap and R&B, they appear to have overlooked some of the year’s most talked-about projects and artists.
Here are the biggest surprises and snubs of the 2024 Grammy nominations.
PinkPantheress Wasn’t Nominated Despite A Breakout Year
“Boy’s A Liar” was one of the biggest hits of the past year, sticking its index finger directly on the pulse of the zeitgeist. From predicting the resurgence of the 2-step/garage sounds that shaped huge hits like “Seven” and “Super Shy” (more on them later) to introducing the non-rap-fan population to the pop culture juggernaut that is Ice Spice, “Boy’s A Liar” was an inescapable phenomenon and the fact that PinkPantheress couldn’t get a record, song, or Best New Artist nomination speaks to both how competitive the field was this year and how much further the Academy has to go in bridging that pesky generation gap.
Barbie Took Over
Here’s how dominant the Barbie soundtrack was this year: the Best Song Written For Visual Media category only features ONE non-Barbie song (Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Wakanda Forever) and a Barbie song is nominated in both eligible Big Four categories, as well as for Rap Song of the Year. The doll who does it all is practically guaranteed at least one win at this year’s awards — even at the cost of me and my editor’s bet about “Peaches” from Mario and “Dear Alien” from Asteroid City. And Across The Spider-Verse deserved more.
Foo Fighters Weren’t Nominated For Album Of The Year
In somewhat of a break from Grammy tradition, Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are wasn’t nominated for Album Of The Year, despite the recent death of drummer Taylor Hawkins and the album’s emotional material. It’s grim to think about, but in past years, you could reliably expect a consolation posthumous nomination. It’s downright disheartening to think that this time the Grammys ignored the macabre tradition.
Country Dominated The Charts But Got (Mostly) Shut Out Of The Big Four
The general awards are always controversial but there’s an argument to be made here. While the Big Four are almost never actually tied to commercial achievement — hello Esperanza Spalding — Zach Bryan, Luke Combs, and Morgan Wallen all utterly dominated the charts this year, yet it appears that if this was taken into consideration, it wasn’t enough to lift them out of their respective niches. Perhaps the ideological fractures in that fanbase had an effect. At least there is Jelly Roll.
Where Are The K-Pop Stars?
During the eligibility period this past year, a bunch of songs from K-pop acts took over the American charts. Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” has been impossible to get away from (I may or may not have tried), New Jeans’ “Super Shy” became a mall P.A. mainstay, and Jung Kook’s solo hit “Seven” peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100. What makes K-pop’s absence from this year’s nominations stranger is how ubiquitous K-pop has been at the Grammys for the past handful of years, with BTS performing “Dynamite” in 2021 and “Yet To Come” earning a history-making nomination in 2022.
Reggaeton And Latin Trap Were Locked Out Too
Take everything said about K-pop above and translate it into Spanish. Sure, there’s a Latin Grammys, but that smells suspiciously of “separate but equal,” you know? You’d think Bad Bunny or Karol G would warrant a nod, even if Grammys voters could hardly be expected to tunnel all the way down to discover newer breakout artists like Myke Towers or Rauw Alejandro. Again, with the Latin Grammys coming just a few weeks after the “standard issue” ceremony, perhaps interested voters were just too distracted to manage both sets of ballots. Still, it’s a black mark for sure.
Gunna Didn’t Make The Cut For Best Rap Album
Yes, awards nominations are subjective, but there’s a general consensus among rap fans online — corroborated by chart performance — that Gunna had one of the standout albums of the year, if not the only one with any real staying power. Yet, it seems Grammy voters went for the lowest-hanging fruit: Killer Mike and Nas are obvious “prestige” picks for the Gen X hip-hop heads that mostly make up the part of the Academy most well-versed in rap (heyo), while Drake and Travis Scott are brand-friendly pop mainstays. However Utopia only spent four weeks on the Billboard 200 — a massive drop off from his last two projects, and reception was largely lukewarm. Metro Boomin is a nice addition, but again, for the wrong album (Across The Spider-Verse getting snubbed is going to give me heartburn for the rest of the year).
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The 2024 Grammy Awards nominations have been announced, and as usual, there are plenty of surprises and snubs to discuss. Although the Recording Academy added some new categories this year to accommodate the emergence of Afropop as a global force, it looks like another growing genre was left out in the cold. Meanwhile, as country music experiences a resurgence, some of the genre’s most dominant stars missed out on the biggest looks of the year. And even though the Grammys have taken huge steps in addressing the awards’ shortcomings in rap and R&B, they appear to have overlooked some of the year’s most talked-about projects and artists.
Here are the biggest surprises and snubs of the 2024 Grammy nominations.
PinkPantheress Wasn’t Nominated Despite A Breakout Year
“Boy’s A Liar” was one of the biggest hits of the past year, sticking its index finger directly on the pulse of the zeitgeist. From predicting the resurgence of the 2-step/garage sounds that shaped huge hits like “Seven” and “Super Shy” (more on them later) to introducing the non-rap-fan population to the pop culture juggernaut that is Ice Spice, “Boy’s A Liar” was an inescapable phenomenon and the fact that PinkPantheress couldn’t get a record, song, or Best New Artist nomination speaks to both how competitive the field was this year and how much further the Academy has to go in bridging that pesky generation gap.
Barbie Took Over
Here’s how dominant the Barbie soundtrack was this year: the Best Song Written For Visual Media category only features ONE non-Barbie song (Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Wakanda Forever) and a Barbie song is nominated in both eligible Big Four categories, as well as for Rap Song of the Year. The doll who does it all is practically guaranteed at least one win at this year’s awards — even at the cost of me and my editor’s bet about “Peaches” from Mario and “Dear Alien” from Asteroid City. And Across The Spider-Verse deserved more.
Foo Fighters Weren’t Nominated For Album Of The Year
In somewhat of a break from Grammy tradition, Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are wasn’t nominated for Album Of The Year, despite the recent death of drummer Taylor Hawkins and the album’s emotional material. It’s grim to think about, but in past years, you could reliably expect a consolation posthumous nomination. It’s downright disheartening to think that this time the Grammys ignored the macabre tradition.
Country Dominated The Charts But Got (Mostly) Shut Out Of The Big Four
The general awards are always controversial but there’s an argument to be made here. While the Big Four are almost never actually tied to commercial achievement — hello Esperanza Spalding — Zach Bryan, Luke Combs, and Morgan Wallen all utterly dominated the charts this year, yet it appears that if this was taken into consideration, it wasn’t enough to lift them out of their respective niches. Perhaps the ideological fractures in that fanbase had an effect. At least there is Jelly Roll.
Where Are The K-Pop Stars?
During the eligibility period this past year, a bunch of songs from K-pop acts took over the American charts. Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” has been impossible to get away from (I may or may not have tried), New Jeans’ “Super Shy” became a mall P.A. mainstay, and Jung Kook’s solo hit “Seven” peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100. What makes K-pop’s absence from this year’s nominations stranger is how ubiquitous K-pop has been at the Grammys for the past handful of years, with BTS performing “Dynamite” in 2021 and “Yet To Come” earning a history-making nomination in 2022.
Reggaeton And Latin Trap Were Locked Out Of The Big Awards, Too
Take everything said about K-pop above and translate it into Spanish. Sure, there’s a Latin Grammys, but that smells suspiciously of “separate but equal,” you know? You’d think Peso Pluma or Karol G would warrant a nod, even if Grammys voters could hardly be expected to tunnel all the way down to discover newer breakout artists like Myke Towers or Rauw Alejandro. Again, with the Latin Grammys coming just a few weeks after the “standard issue” ceremony, perhaps interested voters were just too distracted to manage both sets of ballots. Still, it’s a black mark for sure.
Gunna Didn’t Make The Cut For Best Rap Album
Yes, awards nominations are subjective, but there’s a general consensus among rap fans online — corroborated by chart performance — that Gunna had one of the standout albums of the year, if not the only one with any real staying power. Yet, it seems Grammy voters went for the lowest-hanging fruit: Killer Mike and Nas are obvious “prestige” picks for the Gen X hip-hop heads that mostly make up the part of the Academy most well-versed in rap (heyo), while Drake and Travis Scott are brand-friendly pop mainstays. However, Utopia only spent four weeks on the Billboard 200 — a massive drop off from his last two projects, and reception was largely lukewarm. Metro Boomin is a nice addition, but again, for the wrong album (Across The Spider-Verse getting snubbed is going to give me heartburn for the rest of the year).
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It is safe to say that PinkPantheress was anxious to release her debut album, Heaven knows. It does not help that she had only been pushing music out on streaming for two years before the release. On top of that, people were already eager to hear what she could do. Even though we got a mixtape in 2021, to hell with it, the nerves are valid. Delivering your first true album comes with a lot of mixed emotions and she expressed that tenfold in a couple of interviews.
In a chat with Pitchfork, the English pop singer about the heavy weight of expectations she was feeling. “I’m scared of putting out music now. There’s more on the line, there’s more pressure, people expect a certain standard.” In addition, PinkPantheress also said she wanted to take some different artistic directions as well. In her chat with NME, she explained that she wants to start “making a shift towards other styles of music.” Furthermore, the Bath-born artist preached how important it is to be well-rounded. “I feel like it’s so important as an artist to show versatility.”
Well, she certainly has a lot of tools at her disposal. Pantheress bolsters that by bringing on guests such as Central Cee and Rema to dip her toes in other directions. While she does have “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” on here we encourage you to check out the deeper cuts to truly appreciate what she has going on. PinkPantheress is here to stay and we cannot wait to see what is up next.
What are your initial thoughts on PinkPantheress’ debut album, Heaven knows? Is she one of the best female artists going right now? Which tracks are you gravitating toward the most so far? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around PinkPantheress, as well as all of the hottest album drops.
Nightcrawler, the 2014 neo-noir film starring Jake Gyllenhaal as an obsessive video journalist received great reviews when it was released and has a great reputation even now, but PinkPantheress has plenty of reason to resent it. In a new interview with i-D, the “Boy’s A Liar” singer revealed how the film made her miss out on an opportunity to record with Kendrick Lamar. Apparently, during a date to see Nightcrawler with a guy, she courteously put her phone on silent — and missed Kendrick’s text inviting her to the studio. “I can’t even think about it,” she said.
Now, she’s a little over a week away from the release of her debut albumHeaven Knows, which features Central Cee, Kelela, Rema, and, of course, Ice Spice. Weirdly enough, though, it does not feature her collaboration with Destroy Lonely, the ironically titled “Turn Your Phone Off.”
PinkPantheress is one of the more intriguing and new female artists to pop off in the hip-hop and R&B scene. While she is not directly within those two genres, the Bath, England singer is bringing some funky and quirky vibes that are shaking things up. So far, it is continuing to bring her loads of success in a very short time frame. In fact, it was around the middle of 2021 that PinkPantheress started to release some tracks to streaming. Additionally, she put out her first-ever project that year with to hell with it. That contains some of her most popular songs “Pain” and “Break It Off – Bonus.”
Of course, we cannot forget about what she and Ice Spice did together on “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2.” The irresistibly cute instrumental along with the sad and honest lyrics about boys being toxic won so many people over. It has already racked up over 700 million streams since its release at the beginning of February. While grabbing Ice Spice for that song was a big deal, she could have caught an even bigger fish.
PinkPantheress nearly featured on a Kendrick Lamar song, but missed the studio session when her phone was on silent
“She tells me how she ‘nearly’ featured on a Kendrick Lamar track but missed the studio session because she was at the cinema, and her date asked her to put her… pic.twitter.com/bahS8807RE
In a recent interview with i-D, she brutally recalled a time when she could have landed a placement on a Kendrick song. NFR Podcast tweeted an excerpt from the story and it is honestly gut-wrenching. “Oh f***, I can’t even think about it. I was watching Nightcrawler with this guy.” You might be wondering why she did not pick up and put a pause on the date for King Kendrick. Well, PinkPanthress’s date asked her to put her phone on silent. We do not know if she was expecting the call or not. However, that guy hopefully feels real awful about it.
What are your initial thoughts on PinkPantheress revealing that she almost featured on a Kendrick Lamar song? Would this have been a great collaboration? Do you think she will ever get a call back from him? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around PinkPantheress, as well as everything else going on around the music world.
Born in Bath, England, in 2001, the enigmatic PinkPantheress, whose real name remains a well-guarded secret, began her ascent into the music world with the kind of subtlety that belies her immense talent. Harnessing the power of platforms like TikTok, she introduced a fresh blend of drum ‘n’ bass meshed with UK garage sounds, offering nostalgia with a contemporary twist. Her music, often laced with samples from the early 2000s, resonates with both Gen Z and those yearning for the yesteryears. And while she might describe herself as just a girl with a mic and GarageBand, by 2023, her meteoric rise in the music world had translated to a notable net worth of $1 million, as highlighted by GorillaOverview.
Career Highlights & Accolades
FREMANTLE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 08: Pinkpantheress performs. At Falls Festival on January 08, 2023 in Fremantle, Australia. (Photo by Matt Jelonek/WireImage)
PinkPantheress’s entry into the music scene was nothing short of revolutionary. Songs like Break It Off and Passion didn’t just garner streams; they heralded the arrival of a disruptive voice in the UK music scene. Her debut mixtape, to hell with it, was a testament to her versatility, effortlessly blending genres and eras. With lyrics touching on themes of love, angst, and the myriad challenges of youth, she rapidly became the voice of a generation seeking authenticity. With its raw energy and DIY aesthetics, the mixtape firmly established her as a force in the indie pop realm, receiving rave reviews from critics and fans alike.
Personal Life & Highlights
AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 14: PinkPantheress performs at Mala Vida on March 14, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Lorne Thomson/Redferns)
PinkPantheress, while captivating audiences with her music, has managed to maintain an aura of mystery around her personal life. Choosing to let her music speak for itself, she often avoids the limelight when not performing. It’s a rarity in today’s age of overexposure. Her decision to withhold her real name, too, reflects her desire to prioritize art over persona. However, she’s not entirely reclusive. Her active engagement with fans on social media platforms paints the picture of an artist deeply connected to her audience, understanding their joys, struggles, and dreams.
Business Ventures & Philanthropy
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) (L-R) PinkPantheress and Ice Spice. Speak onstage during the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. On March 27, 2023. Broadcasted live on FOX. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
While PinkPantheress’s primary domain remains music, her influence extends beyond. Her distinct style, merging vintage aesthetics with modern sensibilities, has made her a fashion icon in her own right. This has led to collaborations with brands and designers keen to tap into her unique vibe. On the philanthropic front, PinkPantheress uses her platform to amplify issues close to her heart. From supporting mental health causes to advocating for artistic freedom, she embodies the spirit of a new generation of artists — socially conscious and unafraid to challenge the status quo.
PinkPantheress is no stranger to the art of collaboration. Her “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” with Ice Spice was one of the ubiquitous hits of the year; more recently, she teamed up with Willow for “Where You Are.”
Now, the versatile singer has joined forces with Destroy Lonely, who released their new album If Looks Could Kill earlier this year. The song is called “Turn Your Phone Off,” an ironic sentiment from an artist who’s benefited exponentially from apps like TikTok.
Of course, though, “Turn Your Phone Off” is a love song, just slanted by Gen Z’s technology-saturated upbringing: “I turned my phone off but your calls still came through / I reply when they do ’cause I want to chat to you,” she sings, against her typical skittish, otherworldly sound. It’s fewer than three minutes, but the two artists prove their music chemistry.
“After years of having this song in the vault, I’m so happy I can release ‘Turn Your Phone Off’ with someone who has spearheaded his own sound and incorporates beautifully into mine,” she said about the track in a statement.
Listen to “Turn Your Phone Off” above.
PinkPantheress is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
With all that in mind, we’ve shifted from our typical listmaking to try something new in 2023. We asked the core Uproxx writers to each pick their favorite song of the year so far, and what we found is something that somewhat resembles the greater music landscape. Country, hip-hop, indie, pop, and afrobeats all make appearances, while Ice Spice is just as omnipresent here as she is in the real world. There’s even a couple chart-toppers in this mix.
Check out the best songs of 2023 so far, as chosen by the Uproxx staff, below.
100 Gecs – “Hollywood Baby”
The music landscape is as diverse and interesting now as it has ever been. Given that anybody with a laptop can create and release a decent-sounding album these days, it’s hard to be shocked. And yet, 100 Gecs surprise with pretty much every song they put out. On paper, what their hyper-pop distillation of ’90s alt-rock shouldn’t work, but songs like “Hollywood Baby” just do. Given, the unbelievably catchy pop-punk-ish track sounds relatively conventional for them, but it goes to show there’s more to 100 Gecs beyond making seemingly disparate sounds work together: They’re exemplary songwriters, too. – Derrick Rossignol
Arlo Parks – “Weightless”
Arlo Parks may be a musician, but she’s a poet first and foremost. The 22-year-old UK artist has been known to expertly wield her pen to write touching songs about mental health, mortality, and identity that bring listeners to tears. “Weightless,” which appears on her sophomore album My Soft Machine is no different. While much of the subject matter on her latest LP focuses more on budding relationships than waning mental health (we love to see it!), “Weightless” still manages to be just as moving. Her unique, honeyed vocals add a soaring dimension to the reverb-drenched instrumentals, and Parks even cuts in with a spoken-word verse about the all-too-familiar anxiety that takes over when near a crush. – Carolyn Droke
Ice Spice – “Gangsta Boo” Feat. Lil Tjay
With co-signs from Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice being crowned the People’s Princess is indisputable. Although the Bronx rapper found crossover success thanks to her guest verse on “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2,” Spice’s innovation in the drill scene shouldn’t be dismissed. As her first solo track to land on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Gangsta Boo” featuring Lil Tjay is the pop drill pocket Spice thrives in. Containing a sample of Diddy’s 2002 cult-classic song “I Need a Girl (Part 2),” an infectious chorus, and a fiery guest verse — it’s a sleeper hit. After the video shoot was canceled due to Tjay’s arrest, Spice moved on from promoting the song. However, it will live on far beyond her EP’s shelf life. –Flisadam Pointer
Lana Del Rey – “Let The Light In” Feat. Father John Misty
While Lana Del Rey’s newest album has plenty of fan-favorite standouts to choose from, it’s her collaboration with longtime buddy Father John Misty on “Let The Light In” that stands out. The harmonies highlight just how well she works with folksier artists — similar to 2017’s “Tomorrow Never Came” with Sean Ono Lennon. In this breezy song’s unique dynamic, Lana and FJM go back and forth before she decides, “Screw it, maybe you should and record some other songs.” This, coupled with the fact countless TikTok edits are set to the “love to love to love you / hate to hate to hate you” part, results in another modern classic from one of this generation’s most acclaimed songwriters. – Lexi Lane
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”
Miley Cyrus’ The career-best No. 1 single finds Cyrus rewriting Julia Roberts’ iconic Notting Hill line. Why stand in front of a boy, asking him to love her, when she can “love me better than you can”? Cyrus has been this individualistically empowered for a decade. It just took everyone else this long to meet her there. – Megan Armstrong
Militarie Gun – “Do It Faster”
Some songs just have it. “Do It Faster” by Militarie Gun is one of them. It has the adrenaline, the post-hardcore invigoration, the catchy hook to scream wherever you are in the mosh pit: “I don’t care what you do / Just do it faster,” Ian Shelton shouts. It has their signature barks to be emitted in unison; it has a less-than-two-minute run time that leaves no room for messing around. It’s an all-in ripper for anarchy, a call to immediate fervor. – Danielle Chelosky
Nicki Minaj – “Red Ruby Da Sleeze”
The truth is, Nicki Minaj isn’t slowing down anytime soon. When she teased a minute-long snippet of “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” in February with the Lumidee “Never Leave You (Uh Oh)” sample, it was highly anticipated. “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” checks off all the boxes that make a rap song great in this era of music: top-tier production (shout out to Go Grizzly, Cheeze Beatz & Tate Kobang), a nostalgic Y2K sample, a catchy melodic hook, masterful lyricism, and memorable Instagram-ready bars like, “Shout out to hoes that’s watchin’ me like Movados.” Nicki is playing the role of rapper, singer, and featured artist on this standout, resulting in a bold boost of confidence to the soul of all who listen. No, slowing down isn’t in the plans. “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” is merely a cute reminder that “bad gyal don’t die.” – Cherise Johnson
PinkPantheress & Ice Spice – “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2”
Breakout stars PinkPantheress and Ice Spice kicked off the year proving they were the ones to watch in 2023. With PinkPantheress’ painfully relatable account of a dishonest ex, and Ice’s punchy bars reminding us why she stays on his mind, the song has proven inescapable. Whether you’ve heard the song in the club or discovered it on one of many viral TikToks, you can’t help but shake your “duh-duh-duh” when “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2” comes on. – Alex Gonzalez
Tyler The Creator – “Dogtooth”
Over the course of Tyler The Creator’s 10-year career in hip-hop, we’ve heard him angry, boastful, depressed, dismissive, gleefully defiant, introspective, and occasionally even impressed, but on “Dogtooth,” we finally hear him truly, ridiculously in love. Amid boasts about his luxury rides and snide jabs at phony would-be hangers-on, Tyler, at last, drops the facade of uncaring stoicism to simp out for his lady love for a minute, boasting “My girl look like Zazie Beetz and Kelis.” – Aaron Williams
Victony – “Soweto (Remix)” Feat. Don Toliver & Rema
With afrobeats’ increased presence in the mainstream light, fans of the genre have often been critical of the crossover collaborations, often in the form of remixes, that have been used to boost songs. It’s happened with records like “Essence” and “Calm Down,” but not with Victony’s hit record “Soweto.” That song, off his 2022 Outlaw EP, grew to prominence after it went viral on TikTok, and its remix with Don Toliver and Rema kept it close to its roots while simultaneously introducing it to a new audience. Rema’s verse on the remix has been memorized from start to finish by fans for what is now one of this year’s most well-received features and Don Toliver fits like a glove on the song’s new take to make it a textbook example of how crossover remixes should be done. – Wongo Okon
Wednesday – “Chosen To Deserve”
Part rock anthem and part teenaged dirtbag confessional, this is Karly Hartzman looking back on every bad decision she made in adolescence and concluding that she still deserves the world. But the words aren’t pushed to the forefront — it’s the crunching power chords borrowed from Southern rock gods Drive-By Truckers and that lifesaving pedal steel lick wafting throughout like a breeze on a sticky summer afternoon that immediately commands your attention. And, then on the 20th listen, Hartzman’s memoir finally lands a devastating blow. – Steven Hyden
Zach Bryan – “Dawns” Feat. Maggie Rogers
The meteoric rise of Zach Bryan during the pandemic era has been impressive to witness, especially as he operates far outside the normal country playbook. He generally eschews interviews, has licensed about 7000 songs to Yellowstone, and has hit both the top 10 on the Hot 100 and the top line of multi-genre festival lineups. But while his sound veers closer to the outlaw lane, this one-off collaboration with Maggie Rogers isn’t really a country song at all, showing the range and possibility for a young artist that doesn’t have expectations yet to defy. But while the male-female vocal tradeoffs and driving string section underscore the song’s emotional pull, it’s in Bryan’s words that he demonstrates his power, evoking his mother’s death, his relationship’s disillusion, religion, and the passing of time. Bryan is turning out great songs by the dozen these days, but “Dawns” is one of his best yet. – Philip Cosores
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
I told the journalist I thought the OG was crap at first but the remix made me love it, I’ve said this openly before too
false narratives be like https://t.co/m7SnDojUKk
