Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to New Music Friday’s most essential releases each week — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
Last week, we featured Olivia Rodrigo, sombr and Nine Inch Noize.
This week, Noah Kahan makes his triumphant return with his stellar fourth album, The Great Divide; Kehlani releases her classic R&B self-titled set; and Suki Waterhouse previews her upcoming album Loveland out this summer… plus much more. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Noah Kahan, The Great Divide
On Kahan’s fourth album (out tonight), he showcases just how sharp his songwriting, vocals and musicianship have become — so sharp, in fact, that they cut deeper than his previous releases. As a result, he opens himself up like never before, narrating various perspectives and perceptions held by his friends, family and hometown and analyzing in real time the impact it has all had on him.
Kehlani, Kehlani
Following the success of “Folded,” Kehlani knew it was time to double down on classic sounding R&B and pour that passion into her self-titled album. Billboard ranked closing track “Unlearn” as the project’s best, with Kyle Denis writing: “Once upon a time, R&B albums used to end with a gospel song, a cover of a hymn, or some kind of dedication to the faith, family and friends that made the project possible. Leave it to Kehlani to bring back those recipes…Gospel will always be a part of R&B, and when the secular meets the sacred, incredible music comes to life.”
Suki Waterhouse, “Tiny Raisin”
True to form, Suki Waterhouse takes listeners on a ride with “Tiny Raisin.” What starts with the vivid description of becoming a “tiny raisin” from soaking too long in the tub evolves into an ode to “her man” (aka Robert Pattinson). But it’s not quite a love song — rather, it’s a vent session. “Molly said that I should leave him/ And for a moment we aligned, but then I changed my mind/ And I hung up like the crazy bitch I am.” Throughout, Waterhouse details that while they may “break up, make up, do it all over again,” at the end of the day they always “laugh it off” — especially because, as she says, “he’s so fine/ and he’s all mine.”
Hayley Kiyoko and Gigi Perez, “Collide”
During weekend two of Coachella, Hayley Kiyoko popped out during Gigi Perez’s set to duet on the former’s hit “Girls Like Girls.” Turns out, that’s not all the two had planned: today, they share their new collab, “Collide.” The laid-back, emotional track is the first from the upcoming soundtrack to Kiyoko’s directorial debut, Girls Like Girls, out in June. As Kiyoko wrote on Instagram, “the soundtrack I wish I had when I was 16 is finally yours june 12. starting this chapter the best way possible.”
Dylan Gosset, “My Boy”
Since releasing his self-produced debut album, Westward, last year, rising singer-songwriter Dylan Gossett has kept momentum with new music including latest track “My Boy.” As the title suggests, the song is a beautiful message to his son (his and his wife’s first child, which they announced on Instagram last November) that functions as Gossett’s parental vow. “I’ll think about the things you’ll do and your momma does too/ Oh I hope you got her eyes and her soul too/ So when you need me I’ll be there when you need a little care/ I’ll be your rock to steady on, boy I swear.”
