September kicks off on a Friday, marking the start of a fresh chapter for our Best New Music series. It’s been a bustling week, but we’ve got an abundance of music to help you unwind. Let’s dive in!
Exciting news for Nicki Minaj fans—the Queen herself is making a triumphant return with “Last Time I Saw You,” the first glimpse of her Pink Friday sequel. Produced by ATL Jacob and Hendrix Smoke, this mid-tempo love ballad boasts an irresistible melody and a powerful message of resilience. Minaj introspectively revisits a past relationship that slipped through her fingers, expressing regrets about missed opportunities.
The 40-year-old superstar croons, “I wish I’d embraced you tighter the last time I saw you / I wish I hadn’t squandered precious moments the night I called you,” before acknowledging, “Perhaps I pushed you away, fearing I’d bore you.”
Her new album “Pink Friday 2” arrives in November.
Next on the playlist, a remarkable reunion unfolds as Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, and Justin Timberlake join forces in “Keep Going Up.” This track marks the inaugural tune for ESPN’s new weekly Monday Night Football music, curated by Timbaland himself. The legendary producer and dynamic pop duo deliver their trademark hit-making prowess, accompanied by confident rhymes.
Furtado shared that “Keep Going Up” initially began as a collaboration between Timbaland and Timberlake, but they felt her energy was the perfect addition. In an interview on Emily Ratajkowski’s High Low podcast (via Yahoo), Furtado expressed, “We connected. There was a real healing thing that happened. Between the three of us — me, Timbaland, and JT — we’ve all had long careers with ups and downs… To me, personally, doing this song together feels very authentic and is a mini-miracle.”
Elsewhere in the music scene, Rod Wave pours his heart out in the emotionally charged single “Come See Me,” while Doja Cat embraces eerie vibes in her spine-tingling new release, “Demons.”
This week also treats us to fresh tunes from Queen Naija and NBA YoungBoy (“No Fake Love”), JID and Lil Yachty (“Van Gogh”), JID, Lil Yachty, and BabyTron (“Half Doin’ Dope”), 38 Spesh, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher (“Goodfellas”), Lil Wayne (“Kat Food”), and more.
While we can’t cover every gem, these are some of the standout new tracks from this week, all conveniently gathered for your listening pleasure. Because not everyone cares.
