The summer may be winding to a close, but that doesn’t mean that the party is over.

Lucky for all of us, no matter what time of year it is, we can depend on our favorite artists to keep dropping music that will lift our spirits, utterly break our hearts and everything in between. This week, we were blessed with stunning releases from Maisie Peters, Chloe Moriondo, Liam Payne and more, and you’re going to want to hear it all.

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Can’t wait? Just keep scrolling to check out our 10 favorite things that happened in music this week.

1. Miles Francis Questions the Notion of Fame With ‘Popular’

Singer-songwriter and producer Miles Francis is a relatively new artist on our radars, but their new song “Popular” has instantly made them a new favorite. With its pumping, bass-driven beat, the new track is all about ego and what it means to constantly demand attention from others, really not caring if it’s the good kind or the bad kind as long as people know who you are. In the music video, they get a transformative (and possibly unwanted) makeover in search of fame. “As you’ll see things started out a bit rough but I ended up Loving everything My Team did for me!” Miles said on Instagram. This is one that’s sure to get stuck in your head for weeks.

2. Carter Ace Turns on the Romance With ‘Stay Here Instead’

Looking for a smooth and swoon-worthy R&B track to get your weekend off on a romantic start? Look no further than Carter Ace’s cozy new track “Stay Here Instead.” The singer-songwriter’s new single is all about hoping the person you’re with doesn’t go home at the end of the night because you just want to be with them. In the song, he gives all of the excuses about why they can’t leave while dropping hints that he’d like the relationship to be more serious. It’s dreamy in all the right ways, and you have to give it a listen.

3. Seaforth Drops a Whimsical Acoustic Version of Their Song ‘Breakups’

Nashville-based musical duo Seaforth has won our hearts with their gorgeous approach to country-pop, and their song “Breakups” has been breaking out hearts ever since it was released in June. This week, they dropped a new acoustic version of the track, adding a whimsical touch that somehow makes its emotional impact even greater. The song is about finding yourself completely lost after a breakup, losing your best friend and not quite being sure where to head next. If you’ve ever been there, you may need to break out the tissues for this one.

4. Maisie Peters Releases Her Painfully Relatable Debut Album You Signed Up for This

Maisie Peters has cemented herself as one of our very favorite young singer-songwriters in the past year, and her quirky songwriting style, always-relatable lyrics and unique voice work together to make each of her songs a memorable delight. Today, she released her debut album, You Signed Up for This, distilling what she’s all about into 14 amazing tracks. “i don’t know what to say or how to say it but ysuft has been the time and privilege of my life,” Maisie gushed on Instagram. “i could not love this album anymore if i tried, and i have so many people to thank but for now i will just say anyone who is still reading this, thank u so so so much from the bottom of my feral heart.” It’s all brilliant, but the emotional final track, “Tough Act,” just might be our favorite.

5. Talia Jackson Finds Herself Thanks to Love in’19’

We’re longtime fans of Talia Jackson from her work on the Netflix series Family Reunion, but her rocking new track “19” shows us she also has major chops as a singer-songwriter. It’s semi-autobiographical, about feeling older than your age and dealing with the stresses and struggles of life until you find that special person who makes it all feel worthwhile. “I grew up fast, the industry will do that to you, especially if you get started young,” Talia explained in a press release. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been around longer than I actually have and I’ve struggled with my mental health for so long that I was exhausted with life. Then I met a person who made me feel so incredibly seen and heard that even the sh***y days felt like heaven. He showed me that there is so much more to life than just the bad moments and helped me feel safe enough to be one thousand percent me.”

6. Prateek Kuhad Shares the Delicately Euphoric ‘Khone Do’

Prateek Kuhad is an Indian singer-songwriter whose gorgeous tunes transcend language. His latest single, ‘Khone Do” may be in Hindi, but the delicate acoustic sound fits right in among the best folksy indie soundtracks, and even though we don’t speak a word of the language, we cannot stop listening. “I wanted to explore the idea deep physical and emotional intimacy that lovers share by the idea of them being in bed together,” Prateek explained in a press release. I’ve experienced that intimacy and I’m sure so many others have as well. Reema took that idea into a fantastical and dreamy world that’s privy only to these lovers, that they share together and that outlines their relationship. It’s a gorgeous take on the sentiment behind the song!”

7. Chloe Moriondo Channels the Overthinker in All of Us With ‘What If It Doesn’t End Well’

Chloe Moriondo is a songwriter whose deep tracks always feel so raw and real, and her latest release, “What If It Doesn’t End Well,” is no different. The song seems to be about anxiety and overthinking a relationship, anticipating things going wrong and praying they don’t before there are even any signs of trouble, simply because you know how devastating it would be to lose them. It’s just one of the powerful tracks off her new Blood Bunny album, available now.

8. Surf Mesa Teams Up With FLETCHER and Josh Golden for ‘Another Life’

It’s not every day that you hear a breakup song inspired by alternate dimensions, but Surf Mesa isn’t just any producer. His latest work is the ethereal “Another Life” featuring vocals by FLETCHER and Josh Golden, considering what you could do if you could go back in time to save a relationship. “Love can make us do crazy things,” Surf Mesa told Sweety High in an interview. “In the Cristopher Nolan movie Interstellar, they describe love as a fourth dimension—the only thing stronger than time and space. ‘Another Life’ tells us that extreme heights can be taken because of love.”

9. Diane Warren Recruits Sofía Reyes, Rita Ora and REIK for the Summer Anthem ‘Seaside’

Diane Warren is a songwriting legend, having penned tracks for Whitney Houston, Selena, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey and so many more, and her latest track, “Seaside” is the song to blast as we say goodbye to summer. The song wears its Latin influences on its sleeve, and features vocals by Rita Ora and Sofía Reyes, as well as the Mexican pop-rock band REIK to create one danceable tune. “For me, without a doubt, it is an honor and a dream come true to be part of a project that will go down in history,” Sofía Reyes said in a press release. “Working hand in hand with Diane Warren, who is one of the greatest songwriters in history, is something that I would never have imagined. I have been a great admirer of her work for a long time! This song has made me reconnect with great friends like Rita, who I really believe is a huge artist with a lot of power, and also gave me the opportunity to collaborate for the first time with REIK, who is for me one of the best bands in Mexico. I grew up listening to them and to think that now we will sing together is incredible! Plus, it was a privilege to write my Spanish part!”

10. Liam Payne Shares the Feel-Good Song of the Summer With ‘Sunshine’

It feels like it’d been far too long since Liam Payne’s last musical release, so we were thrilled to discover that today he’d dropped a new song called “Sunshine” that makes us as happy as real beams of sun against our skin. The song is smooth and so easy to dance to, making it one of the greatest feel-good tracks of the summer—and did we mention it’s featured in the upcoming CGI movie Ron’s Gone Wrong? The movie looks so cute—and the fact that Liam does a voice in it makes us want to see it even more.

Missed us last week? Click HERE for all the biggest and best things that happened in music the week of Aug. 20.

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10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of August 27, 2021

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