Four artists in my regular rotation released singles this week. What a time to be alive! Here’s a rundown of the four songs I’ve added to my playlists.
“Forever” by Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan took the folk world by storm in 2023, and I’ve definitely caught the bug. After months of releasing collaborations with some of the genre’s biggest names (think Brandi Carlile and Gregory Alan Isakov), Kahan’s “Stick Season” era is finally coming to a close with “Forever.” He’s been teasing the song on social media for months, and dare I say it lives up to the hype.
A hopeful twist on some of his more devastating musings about growing up and leaving home, “Forever” looks forward to a future where Kahan will be able to take all the time in the world to get to know every inch of his lover. With a slow, somber beginning that builds to a fun, cathartic second half, the song is the perfect bookend to one of my favorite albums of 2023 — ask my friends, it’s been on repeat to a concerning degree.
“Don’t Forget Me” by Maggie Rogers
I’ve been a Maggie Rogers groupie since that Pharrell video came out in 2016, and she has yet to let me down. She’s been playing this song for live audiences since the summer, and we plebeians who didn’t have the chance to go to the shows have been furiously refreshing Instagram waiting for updates since.
“Don’t Forget Me” showcases what is arguably Rogers’ most valuable asset — her outstanding vocal range. She is Singing with a capital S on this one, and it takes the already unforgettable (no pun intended) song to the next level. In the chorus, Rogers begs for “a good lover or someone that’s nice to me” all while wondering if her view of love is making it impossible to find the right person for her.
It will be nearly impossible for any new release to top the feeling of listening to “Heard It In A Past Life” for the first time, but I’m looking forward to the full album dropping on April 12.
“Deeper Well” by Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves, my pop-country queen! The emphasis here is on pop, and I haven’t decided yet if that’s for better or for worse — I much prefer the more traditionally country-focused “Golden Hour” to the pop vibe of “star-crossed,” and it might take me some time to decide which side of the aisle this falls on.
I already know, though, that I’ll be able to belt the lyrics, which use the “deeper well” metaphor to describe Musgraves finding something much more restorative and fulfilling than her previous relationship. It seems to be a pretty healthy mindset, too; in the second verse, Musgraves sings, “It’s natural when things lose their shine/ So other things can glow.” I’ll be thinking about that view of past relationships for a while.
Musgraves’ full album comes out on March 15.
“Older” by Lizzy McAlpine
No one knows how to spin a gut-wrenching yarn like Lizzy McAlpine, and the lead single off her April album is no different. The “ceilings” singer continues her sad girl anthem streak with “Older,” which tackles, as the title suggests, growing up and staying in relationships that aren’t good for you.
The repeated lyric at the close of the chorus stopped me in my tracks: “I wish I knew what the end is.” Don’t we all, Lizzy? Don’t we all? The sentiment is striking the first time, heartbreaking the second time and downright haunting in the outro.
We’ll all have more music to cry to when McAlpine drops her full album on April 5.
