The MixtapE! Presents Joshua Bassett, Blake Shelton and More New Music Musts

Featuring new releases from Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi, Lauren Hashian, Hardy and more, your playlist for the weekend of Dec. 3–5 has arrived.

By Mike Vulpo Dec 03, 2021 7:54 PMTags
Watch: Hallmark Channel Stars Share Their Favorite Holiday Tunes

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 (and if we're being honest, usually a few stinkers, too). But who has the time to sit there and listen to everything before updating their playlists? 

As it turns out, we do. Welcome to The MixtapE!

There's just no rest for Blake Shelton

In the middle of coaching his 21st season of The Voice, the country singer found time to drop Body Language Deluxe, a re-release of his 12th album, which features four new tracks in addition to the original album's hits like "Happy Anywhere" and "Minimum Wage."

While fans are already loving Blake's ode to wife Gwen Stefani in "We Can Reach the Stars," we recommend another new collaboration this week in the MixtapE! 

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Musicians Performing Live on Stage

Not to be outdone, Blake's fellow coach Ariana Grande also has some new music up her sleeves. We'd tell you more, but why not just keep scrolling to see our playlist for the weekend of Dec. 3–5. 

Getty Images. E! Illustration

Blake Shelton feat. Hardy—"Fire Up the Night"

As part of the deluxe edition of his latest album, Body Language, Blake teamed up with Hardy for a party anthem. "Tonight we're gonna party like it's redneck '99 / Gonna kick it way down at the county line," The Voice coach sings in the chorus. "Get to sippin' on some Tennessee mountain shine / I think it's time we fire up the night."

Lauren Hashian and Naz Tokio—"What You Want (DeJa Vu)"

Turn it up! This nostalgic R&B tune, with a throwback vibe, pays homage to the fun, feminine, soulful energy of the '90s that still influences music, style and tastes today. As the first single from Lauren's forthcoming EP, Love…And Other Things (Side A), we already want more. Luckily, the EP comes out Dec. 10.

Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson, Chase Rice and Granger Smith—"Beer Song"

While it may be the season of eggnog and hot chocolate, Hardy and his country friends are here to remind music fans that there's nothing like an ice cold beer. The new track, which is sure to get listeners moving and cheering, is featured on Hardy's star-studded HIXTAPE: Vol. 2 album out on Dec. 10.

Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi—"Just Look Up"

As anticipation grows for the Netflix film, Don't Look Up, premiering on Dec. 24, the movie's two stars are teasing fans with a new song from the movie. Before you watch Ariana and Kid Cudi transform into pop music power couple Riley Bina and DJ Chello, let your ears enjoy the sweet sounds of this powerful new duet.

Joshua Bassett—"Crisis"

The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star kicked off December by documenting his tumultuous 2021 with a trio of raw, highly emotional singles that seem to hint at the long-rumored love triangle between him and co-stars Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. "If you get to tell your truth then so do I," Joshua sings over acoustic guitar on "Crisis," before setting the record straight. "Half the s--t you're saying is only half true, messing with my life as a career move." And he's not just all talk: 100 percent of the earnings for "Crisis" will be donated to mental health organizations in perpetuity.

morgen—"Sunsets in Malibu"

As the rising 17-year-old bedroom pop singer-songwriter celebrates the release of her EP, Unaccompanied Minor, we highly recommend the new track, "Sunsets in Malibu." "I used ‘Unaccompanied Minor' to help me grow through isolation, sexuality, relationships, trauma and all that teenage bs," morgen shared. "It created the person I am today…who is far from perfect but closer to who I want to be."

Casi Joy—"Winter Wonderland" 

It's not the MixtapE! without a new holiday recommendation and The Voice alum is putting her own spin on a Yuletide favorite. "I wanted to put my own classic twist on ‘Winter Wonderland" with ‘yodely' flairs and traditional instrumentation, and I'm so happy with how it turned out!" she told The Country Daily. "Christmas time has always been like a big bowl of nostalgia for me, so it felt right to go back to my traditional roots for this song!"

Happy listening! 

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