Bryce Glenn
Billboard’s weekly New Music Friday guide highlights the most essential tracks you need to hear. These are the records shaping the cultural conversation and destined to define your weekend listening.
Following a standout week featuring FKA twigs, Lil Yachty, and Myles Smith, we shift our focus to a fresh wave of talent.
In this edition: sombr returns with a compelling new visual, Phoebe Bridgers drops the lead single from her highly anticipated third LP, Lost Weekend, and Steve Lacy reunites with SZA to tease his upcoming project, Oh yeah?. Explore our top selections below.
sombr, “My Body Isn’t Ready”
Sombr strikes again. With this latest release, the New York-based singer-songwriter continues his streak of writing, recording, and producing his own material. “My Body Isn’t Ready” leans into a delicate, contemplative sound, moving away from his more upbeat pop-rock roots to capture the heavy, lingering emotions of heartache. It’s the perfect, moody soundtrack for those leaning into the “sad summer” aesthetic.
Phoebe Bridgers, “Lost Boys”
Bridgers opens “Lost Boys” with glitch-heavy experimentation before blossoming into an expansive, folk-pop anthem. Co-produced by industry heavyweight Jack Antonoff, Tony Berg, and Ethan Gruska, the track features vocal contributions from Boygenius collaborators Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. While the song feels polished and ethereal for its duration, it concludes with a signature Bridgers scream—a raw reminder of the angst hidden beneath her glossy, indie-pop exterior.
Steve Lacy feat. SZA, “is it cool?”
Following the sprawling textures of his lead single, “the feeling,” Steve Lacy gets straight to the point on “is it cool?” The track is a tight, rhythmic interrogation of trust within a relationship. SZA adds depth with two sharp verses, creating a candid dialogue about insecurity. Lacy’s vulnerable realization—admitting he struggles to trust himself—gives the song a poignant, real-time emotional arc.
Gracie Abrams, “Look at My Life”
The latest cut from her upcoming album, Daughter From Hell, finds Abrams masterfully disguising turmoil under a driving pop beat. Where her previous single, “Hit the Wall,” was direct, “Look at My Life” thrives on a sense of frantic denial. She balances dark lyrical themes—spirals, late-night tears, and crumbling facades—with a chorus that insists, “I’m so fine.” It’s a chillingly catchy exploration of performative wellness.
Katy Perry, “Watch It Burn”
Katy Perry enters a bold new era with “Watch It Burn.” Enlisting collaborators like Justin Tranter and Jason Gill, Perry adopts a defiant “no-nonsense” attitude. Clocking in at under three minutes, the song is a succinct anthem of self-prioritization. With lyrics declaring, “Finally I put myself first,” Perry sounds revitalized, trading studio perfectionism for pure, unadulterated confidence.
