Avril Lavigne, B.I, and More Best New Music Friday

The playlist is loaded with goodies this week. Avril Lavigne prepped our musical palettes on Hump Day with “Bite Me,” and things only got better from there. B.I premiered his solo half-album, Cosmos, and Atarashii Gakko! followed suit with their debut EP, Snacktime. Lennon Stella got carried away on an impenetrable “Bubble,” and Fijan rap sensation Jesswar gave Rihanna her flowers with an assist from Erica Banks.

Also in new music this week, Fave premiered the visualizer for her whine-worthy single, “Baby Riddim,” which will quickly help you to remember the first time you fell in love (or lust). The music mashup gods handed down phenomenal collaborations from Mack Keane and Esta, as well as from NOTD and The Band Camino. Plus, Spotify Singles blessed the world with a brand new track from Araya.

Open up those eargates for this week’s Best New Music Friday.

Avril Lavigne, “Bite Me”

Avril Lavigne reemerged with “Bite Me,” an empowering breakup anthem splayed across the backdrop of a high-energy drums and guitar arrangement. According to Rolling Stone, the Canadian singer says that the track is “about knowing your worth, what you deserve, and not giving someone a second chance who doesn’t deserve you.”

“Bite Me” is Avril’s first single since signing with Travis Barker’s label, DTA Records. “The first time we worked together was 15 years ago on my album, ‘The Best Damn Thing,’ and I have really enjoyed watching him develop into the producer that he is today,” Avril went on to share. “We spent a lot of time writing songs and working on this record together, and signing to his record label felt like the perfect home for me and my new music.”

B.I, “Cosmos”

Multi-hyphenate musician B.I delivered his debut solo album, Cosmos, this week – a seven-track project the Korean singer and rapper arranged with the universe and unchanging love in mind. Along with the album’s debut, B.I premiered the compilation’s title track, “Cosmos,” which is also about eternal love.

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“I have always liked the word ‘unchanged’ more than the word ‘forever,’ because I once believed that things didn’t last forever,” B.I said of the rock-inspired song in a statement. “Your love, which is impossible to put into words, was what kept me alive even during the hard times. So now I want to love you forever.”

ATARASHII GAKKO!, “Free Your Mind”

ATARASHII GAKKO! dropped their debut EP, Snacktime, this week. The five-track compilation, which is produced by Money Mark, includes their catchy new single, “Free Your Mind,” which strikes a delicate balance between rock and choral music. The quartet also released a spirit-raising visualizer for “Free Your Mind.” Decked out in their signature school girl ensemble, the girl band lets loose in the streets of Japan while encouraging onlookers to do the same.

Lennon Stella, “Bubble”

Lennon Stella continues to deliver happy feelings by way of ultra vibey tracks. Weeks after the release of “Fancy,” her first new music of 2021, it’s evident that Lennon intends to end the first fourth quarter with a bang. Today, the Canadian singer released “Bubble,” a mellow number that captures the essence of being in a positive place with someone who makes you feel good. Co-written by producer Malay and Simon Wilcox, “Bubble” will remind you of the moments when you feel untroubled and joyous.

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Jesswar ft. Erica Banks, “Bad Like RiRi”

Jesswar dropped their latest single, “Bad Like RiRi,” which features a verse from rapper and viral TikTok sensation, Erica Banks. The bass-heavy banger pays homage to Rihanna and the fact that she’s the total package while placing her on a pedestal for being the quintessential baddie.

Fave, “Baby Riddim”

Also this week, Fave premiered the visualizer for “Baby Riddim” – a tantalizing Caribbean-infused track that lays out the beauty of blossoming romance over smooth afrobeats. Filmed in Lagos and directed by The Alien, the visuals for “Baby Riddim” depicts love in the most flattering light. Refusing to be boxed in by a particular genre, the Nigerian music sensation says of the single, “I’m never slacking on a chance to unlock a phase. A chance to birth a sound, a chance to love up on a beat. If it’s calling, I’m answering.”

Mack Keane and Esta, “Open Up”

Mack Keane and Esta tag teamed for a new collaboration titled, “Open Up.” The content of the slow jam remains true to the title as the duo take turns pleading with a lover to be more open minded and less stubborn. “‘Open Up’ is about longing for that one person to change with you,” Mack & Esta shares. “That person who, while you want to spread your wings, grow, and open yourself up to uncertainty, is stuck in their ways, stagnant yet intoxicating, in love with ‘the old [you],’ and content with complacency.”

If you’re here for this matchup, you’ll be pleased to learn that we’ve heard through the grapevine that there is more to come from this R&B-singing duo.

NOTD and The Band Camino, “Never a Good Time”

Speaking of killer collaborations, NOTD and The Band Camino explored the power of goodbye in the upbeat pop single, “Never a Good Time.” The percussion-guided break-up track is both sad and hopeful while reminding us of the necessity of letting go.

Araya, “Lost”

This week, in partnership with Spotify Singles, Araya premiered “Lost.” Characterized by its downturned tempo and techno beats, the track’s arrangement will command your body to commence an irresistible sway as you vibe out to its hypnotic lyrics. “Lost is a song depicting my reaction to the ‘hesitant lover,’” says Araya in a statement. “I think this hesitancy can come from a safety that people need to feel comfortable; although I’ve also felt wronged by love in the past, It’s important to breathe new life into new experiences. That’s why I feel it’s important to be hopeful and rarely naive (lost).”