Saweetie & H.E.R., $not, Doja Cat, and More Best New Music

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Saweetie and H.E.R.
Courtesy of Icy/Warner Records. Photo credit: Pol Kurucz

You made it to the best day of the week: New Music Friday. This week sees a new release from Saweetie called “Closer,” which is a fun, dancey record that features Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter H.E.R. Talk about a dream team.

Also on this week’s NMF roster are soon-to-be-favorites like Doja Cat's “Celebrity Skin” reimagining, rapper $not’s junior effort Ethereal, and alt-R&B artist SAFE’s new music video for “Yonge St.” Below, see our picks of this week’s best new music.

Saweetie with H.E.R., “Closer”

New Saweetie alert! The rapper’s collaboration with H.E.R. is titled “Closer,” and it's a certified dancefloor anthem. (And a Hannah Lux Davis directed video is on the way!) They're a perfect pair, with H.E.R.'s gorgeous vocals and Saweetie's effortless charm and cadence teaming up to create a hit that will surely be on repeat for months to come.

Doja Cat, “Celebrity Skin”

Doja Cat is here with a killer cover of Hole's iconic “Celebrity Skin," made as part of Taco Bell's Super Bowl 2022 ad. It's a powerful reimagining in its own right, with Doja embodying that gritty rebellion that makes the original hit so hard. More Doja and deliciously scuzzy electric guitar, please.

$not, Ethereal

$not has released his third studio album Ethereal, with features from Teddi Jones, Kevin Abstract, and Joey Bada$$. The 24-year-old rapper got his start on Soundcloud in 2016, and broke into fame with his 2018 single “Gosha.” $not’s most recently released track is called “Doja” and features A$AP Rocky. “Doja” is the second single from the highly anticipated Ethereal.

SAFE, “Day Ones”

Though musical multi-hyphenate Safe technically released the first installment of his EP Get Home SAFE (Part 1) on February 4, today marks the arrival of his new music video for “Day Ones,” the second track off of the new project. The Toronto-raised, New York-based rapper and singer has worked closely with Drake and OVO Sound in the past, and has a sound that blends R&B, alt-pop, and Hip-Hop.

The music video for “Day Ones” is moodily nostalgic, with shots of Safe vibing against the backdrop of a snowy city park. “I have a bad habit of bottling up these emotions,” said Safe of his new EP in a statement. “I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I felt it was only right that the first installment was true to my reality.”

Bree Runway, “Pressure”

British rapper and songwriter Bree Runway's newest single “Pressure” is a delight: bouncy Afrobeats and endless confidence abound. “I love how this song embodies everything I am," Bree said in a press statement. "It oozes Africa with the rhythm of the drums, the attitude, the assurance, and the fashion. I made this song with nights out in mind. You know when you look so good before you head out, and you hope that you bump into an ex or a hater? Yeah, that’s the mood.” We couldn't agree more.