Nearly halfway through 2021 and we already have some amazing new music with more on the way. The music on the way ranges from Blake Shelton to Lana Del Ray. In this article, we’re going to talk about new music from popstar on the rise Olivia Rodrigo, alternative duo twenty one pilots, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Demi Lovato. 

CONTENT WARNING: Please consult with a parent or guardian before listening to the new music listed in this article as some tracks may be explicit.

Olivia Rodrigo

Disney Channel star and singer-songwriter, Olivia Rodrigo, has been making headlines for the past couple of months because of her music, and now we’re going to have a lot more to listen to. The first single from her upcoming album which is what may have put her on the map, “Drivers License”, made millions of people across the world feel like their heart was being broken into two. In this single, she talks about an ex-boyfriend moving on yet she is still in love with him. (You can read more about this single in this article: DISNEY LOVE TRIANGLE). Several months later on March 29th, Olivia followed the successful release of “Driver’s License” with the announcement of a new single “Deja Vu” to be released on April 1st. This song follows a well written theme of life after a break up as she ponders whether her ex-boyfriend  experiences feelings of “Deja Vu” when he is with his new girlfriend.  Shortly after, she announced the release day of her debut album, “Sour” on April 12, you will be able to listen to “Sour” on repeat for the rest of time on May 21st.

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots are going to be releasing a new album! The new record will be titled “Scaled and Icy”, it will be their first new album since the release of “Trench” in 2018. There have been two singles released from “Scaled and Icy”; “Shy Away” (released on April 7th) and “Choker” (released on April 30th). “Shy Away” was their first new song following their Christmas single “Christmas Saves The Year” which was released on December 8th, 2020. You can pre-order “Scaled and Icy” now and it will be able to bless your ears on May 21st. 

Taylor Swift 

Back in August of 2019, well-known singer-songwriter Taylor Swift announced her plans to re-record her first 6 studio albums after a grueling experience fighting over ownership of her work while under her previous record label. Re-recording her original work will give Swift the opportunity to have full ownership over her music, and also give long-time fans of the artist the chance to relisten to her beloved original music from albums “Taylor Swift” through “Reputation” in a way they never have before. These re-recorded albums, dubbed “Taylor’s Version”, are expected to be released over the next few years, with the first release being her second studio album “Fearless”.  “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” came out on April 9th and included the 20 original tracks from the album as well as 6 additional tracks “From the Vault”; songs first written when the album was first released in 2008 but not included in the original album. These “From the Vault” tracks are expected to be included with every re-recorded album and fans look forward to hearing more of her unreleased music in this form. Taylor’s re-recordings are a chance for her to reclaim her work in a new and exciting way.

Billie Eilish

In mid-March, 19-year-old artist Billie Eilish first hinted towards the release of a new album by revealing her new blonde hair, a change from her previous style of black and green and an introduction to a new era of her music. A little over a month later on April 27th, Billie made the official announcement for her new album “Happier Than Ever” to be released on July 30th of this year. It has been over 2 years since the release of Billie’s latest album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”, and fans were eager to hear more from the talented young artist. This album will include 16 tracks, including singles “my future” and “Therefore I Am”, which were released in 2020, and “Your Power”, released on April 29th following the announcement of the new album. 

Demi Lovato

Former Disney Channel Star, Demi Lovato has released their first new album since the release of 2017s “Tell Me You Love Me”. The album titled “Dancing With The Devil…The Art Of Starting Over”, released on April 2nd, has nineteen tracks with the deluxe version having twenty-three and the expanded version having twenty-two. All three versions combined include features from Ariana Grande, Sam Fischer, Noah Cyrus, Saweetie, Sam Smith, and Marshmello. The latest album has been about their past struggles, they go further into details about their struggles in a four-episode documentary (which nearly has the same title as the album), “Dancing With The Devil”. 

Many iUniversity Prep students enjoy listening to the artists featured and are looking forward to the release of their new music. 10th grade student Eleni Asturias says she is most excited for Billie Eilish’s new album, while 10th grade student Nathan Janak anticipates Olivia Rodrigo’s album “Sour” and Taylor Swift’s album re-recordings. Nathan also notes that he is excited for 22-year-old artist Clairo (not listed) to release new music as well. 

Citations

Demi Lovato. Spotify. (n.d.). https://open.spotify.com/artist/6S2OmqARrzebs0tKUEyXyp?si=pbHE7xhQRvyJ_QHZ0kKVyA 

Photo Sources

Olivia: https://mistrapitosceleste.com/2017/05/21/premiere-piratas-del-caribe-la-venganza-de-salazar/

twenty one pilots: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Twenty_One_Pilots,_Brixton_Academy,_London_(25218646916).jpg

Taylor Swift: https://tr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Swift

Billie Eilish: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Billie_Eilish_at_Pukkelpop_Festival_-_18_AUGUST_2019_(10).jpg

Demi Lovato: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi_Lovato