New Music Friday: Abrams, Lacy, Jepsen and More

Billboard’s “Friday Music Guide” and Rolling Stone’s weekly feature spotlight a slate of fresh releases across pop, R&B, rock and reggae. Gracie Abrams drops her third album Daughter From Hell, Steve Lacy returns with the self-produced third LP Oh Yeah?, and Carly Rae Jepsen adds the second single “After All” to her upcoming 24-track double album Day and Night. Additional entries include Bella Kay’s debut My Reckless Abandon, Texas rockers Dexter and The Moonrocks with “If You Could Talk,” Rick Ross’s Set in Stone, and Buju Banton’s reggae project Too Too Bad.

Billboard

• Gracie Abrams – Daughter From Hell – recorded at Aaron Dessner’s Long Pond studio, the record leans into intimate production and lyrical expansiveness, led by “Hit the Wall,” “Look at My Life,” and the contemplative focus track “Good Reason.”

Billboard

• Steve Lacy – Oh Yeah? – the third studio effort blends synths and guitars, featuring guest verses from SZA, Erykah Badu and Cecile Believe, and explores personal breakup themes across a double-track “Nice Shoes / In Your World.”

Billboard

• Carly Rae Jepsen – After All – a sleek, dance-floor-ready cut that follows the lead single “On Wires,” showcasing Jepsen’s falsetto and a groovy instrumental bridge.

Billboard

• Bella Kay – My Reckless Abandon – a 13-track debut that includes the breakout hit “iloveitiloveitiloveit” and the reflective closing song “I Deserve Better.”

Billboard

• “If only I chose you and not me/ If only I had a good reason.” — Gracie Abrams, *Daughter From Hell* lyric

Billboard

• “I love to blame myself/ It’s all on me when it goes to hell/ But this time, I don’t think that’s true… I’m not perfect, not ever/ But I still deserve better.” — Bella Kay, *My Reckless Abandon* lyric

Billboard

• “This week, Gracie Abrams pens a tearjerker on mother-daughter relationships, Steve Lacy escapes the abyss of a breakup on a colossal double track, and Beabadoobee contemplates risk and reward on a fuzzy new single.” — Rolling Stone feature

Rolling Stone

Both Billboard and Rolling Stone frame these releases as the week’s “essential” tracks, suggesting they will dominate playlists and streaming charts. The guides emphasize the artists’ return after multi-year gaps—Abrams follows her 2022 debut, Lacy after a four-year interval, and Ross after five years—highlighting a broader trend of established musicians using the summer window to launch ambitious projects.

Billboard