New music Fridays are a thrilling, yet daunting prospect for any music lover.
It's essentially a weekly holiday where fan-favorite artists and fresh faces alike drop their latest offerings for all the world to hear, flooding streaming services and digital retailers with an onslaught of aural goodies. But who has the time to sit there and listen to everything before updating their playlists? There's just too much good stuff! (And, if we're being honest, usually a few stinkers, too.)
As it turns out, we do. Welcome to The MixtapE!
What a week for collaborations.
After E! News kicked off its newest series Heart of A Beat with an exclusive peek behind the curtain of real-life couple Julia Michaels and JP Saxe's hit "If the World Was Ending," a bevy of new releases arrived to offer us inspiration for future installments! From BLACKPINK teaming with Selena Gomez on the delicious "Ice Cream" to Calvin Harris and The Weeknd linking up on the seriously smooth "Over Now," everywhere we turned, there was another meeting of the musical minds for us to enjoy.
There were so many that, by the time we'd finished putting together our picks for the best of this week's best, your playlist for the weekend of Aug. 28-30 wound up an all-collaborations affair!
BLACKPINK with Selena Gomez — "Ice Cream"
For the second single off their forthcoming debut Korean-language album, the killer K-pop quartet added an extra spoonful of sugar to their original recipe in the form of Selena's feature. And the result is one hell of a candy-coated confection that'll have you screaming for, well, you know.
Calvin Harris x The Weeknd — "Over Now"
It's hard to believe this is the first time these two powerhouses have ever joined forces. And after listening to this blissful R&B bop, we certainly hope it won't be the last.
Dua Lipa feat. Gwen Stefani — "Physical (Mark Ronson Remix)"
Gwen's vocals sound right at home on the '80s synth-ballad feel Mark brought to this standout rework on Dua's remix album Club Future Nostalgia.
Disclosure feat. Kehlani and Syd — "Birthday"
Energy, the latest LP from brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, is chock full of collabs that are worth your attention, including the Kelis-featuring "Watch Your Step" and "Lavender," which puts rapper-producer Channel Tres in the spotlight where he belongs. But it's this delightful duet between two of our favorite current voices in R&B that immediately stands out. From the skittering hi-hats over the late '90s-sounding beat to their silky vocals, this one's a true gift on any day.
Tiwa Savage feat. Sam Smith — "Temptation"
Just two gorgeous voices coming together on this island-inspired song off the Nigerian singer's latest album, Celia. The sunlight practically glistens on this one.
Aluna & KAYTRANADA feat. Rema — "The Recipe"
What do you get when an English singer exploring a solo career meets a Canadian producer and a Nigerian rapper in the kitchen? This Afropop dish off Aluna's debut album Renaissance that'll have you begging for seconds.
Olivia Holt & R3HAB — "Love U Again"
The Cloak & Dagger star continues her very promising foray into pop stardom on this shimmering collab with the Moroccan Dutch DJ.
Ledisi feat. Sa-Roc — "Wake Up"
The R&B-jazz superstar joins forces with rapper Assata Perkins on this supremely soulful cut off her new album The Wild Card. By the time Sa-Roc's powerful verse ends, you'll be wide awake.
De La Ghetto & Nicky Jam — "Sube La Music"
These two reggaeton all-stars bring the heat on this track, expertly built around an interpolation of Wayne Wonder's 2003 hit "No Letting Go," off De La Ghetto's new album Los Chulitos.
JoJo feat. Tinashe — "Love Reggae"
The headline collab off JoJo's deluxe version of good to know may be the "Lonely Hearts" remix featuring Demi Lovato, but we're partial to this brand new track that pairs her with the criminally underrated Tinashe. It's a funky little number that's built for the bedroom.
Bonus Tracks:
This section is dedicated to five tracks that, despite not fitting with our obvious theme up above this week, are still very much worth a listen.
Katy Perry — "Teary Eyes"
Sasha Sloan — "House With No Mirrors"
CNCO — "Beso"
Zella Day — "Benny My Dear"
Maggie Lindemann — "Knife Under My Pillow"
Happy listening!