New Music Friday (Mar 27): Mariah Carey, Ye, Travis Scott, Miley Cyrus, RAYE, The LOX, Yeat, ZAYN, Nicki Minaj, Coco Jones, & NE-YO

YE feat. TRAVIS SCOTT – “FATHER”

One thing about Ye, he will rarely drop as planned, but when he does, he will deliver. Today is no different. The seemingly one-take video was directed by Ye’s wife Bianca Censori. Congratulations to the homies TK (the legend!), Andre Troutman, 1SRAEL, and others who worked so hard on BULLY . Besides “FATHER,” my favorite songs on Ye’s 12th studio album are “THIS IS A MUST,” “ALL THE LOVE,”

Mariah Carey – “Volare / Nothing Is Impossible”

Mariah Carey reminded the world why she remains the "Songbird Supreme" at the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Milan. After stunning the San Siro Stadium with a breathtaking medley of the Italian classic "Volare" and her powerhouse ballad "Nothing Is Impossible," she officially released the live recording as an EP. The drop arrived on March 27, perfectly timed to celebrate her anniversary with a global gift for the Lambs.

The LOX, Jaheim, Trent Shelton – “Never Change”

I cannot even begin to express to you how much this release means to me. The LOX hail from Yonkers, NY (aka my hometown!) and I had the pleasure of interviewing Styles P on a panel for TIDAL’s Hip-Hop 50 anniversary event, so you know I had to kick off this weekend’s releases with my GOATs.

Often I wonder why more rappers don’t recruit R&B singers to do what they do best, so leave it to the OGs to show us how it’s done. Trent Shelton took us to church on the hook of “Never Change,” with his soulful delivery that screams trained in church. The melody is so sticky, even the string outro followed it. From the intro, it’s evident that uplifting yet hardhitting lyrics await, and what you’ll experience is a song you needed to hear more than you realized. We can’t all afford a psychologist, but we can all listen to music, and records like this serve as therapy more than entertainment.

(Unrelated to everything, I have a song I co-wrote with the same title that discusses a similar sentiment and I’d love to play it for the LOX one day. A girl can dream, right?)

Miley Cyrus – “Younger You”

Where do I even begin. The fact that 2026 marks 20 years of Hannah Montana is further proof that time isn’t real because how??? As a die-hard Disney channel kid, I religiously watched the show and listened to her music.

Miley always resonated so strongly with me, not just because of her lyrics that championed young listeners, but because of the premise of the show that, in many ways, bled into her real life: it’s difficult to find the balance of being who you truly are and being who you feel you need to be. I’d like to think that by now we’ve both figured that out. But if not, at least we have the memories and this new music video to bring us back to “Younger You.”

NE-YO – “Up Out & Gone”

NE-YO is back with a country twist, further blurring the lines between R&B and the Nashville sound with his latest single, "Up, Out, & Gone." Following his historic Grand Ole Opry debut, this new record proves the hitmaker’s elite pen remains unmatched regardless of genre, blending his signature smooth vocals with a laid-back, feel-good country rhythm. It’s the perfect addition to this week’s star-studded lineup that celebrates living in the moment, arriving just as he prepares to kick off his Nights Like This global tour with Akon.

Yeat feat. Joji – “Back Home”

When Spotify announced its class of new hip-hop leaders , many wondered why Yeat wasn’t in the running. The 26-year-old star stated he has no interest in being one, but depending on who you ask, he is the undisputed king of the new school of underground rappers.

He had a slew of features, some expected like longtime collaborators BNYX and Don Toliver as well as his and Drake’s new favorite artist, Julia Wolf. But there were also some pleasant surprises like Grimes and Elton John. The slow tracks hit surprisingly harder than the more uptempo ones.

ZAYN – “Sideways”

I’m thrilled to report that the “Sideways” music video by ZAYN matches the music video. His buttery vocals will make you fall in love if you haven’t already.

Mike WiLL Made-It, J Money, KARRAHBOOO, Anycia – “MY WAY”

Mike WiLL Made-It deserves a documentary for numerous reasons; one being his ability to deliver decade after decade. From Drake to Miley to Anycia and KARRAHBOOO, his versatility allows for him to maintain his signature sound whilst remaining inventive. Shout out to Sonny Digital, not only for his contributions to this record, but for putting the video release on my radar.

Coco Jones – “LUVAGIRL”

Millions asked for Ciara’s prayer, but I need Coco’s. Miss Jones is in her “LUVAGIRL” era, but this we knew. From the snippets alone, I had a feeling I was going to love this song. I am a sucker for upbeat anthems that depict women being treated right and mirror that. The music video looks like something straight out of a Disney live-action movie. Granted, there has been ongoing discourse on social from fans for Coco to play Princess Tiana. And at this point, it is more evident than ever that there is no one more fitting for the role. We need that secured by next Valentine's Day.

Jim Legxacy – “idk idk”

I sadly missed Mr. Legxacy when he popped out for a few shows here in NYC, but I’ll be sure to catch him next time.

Maiya The Don – “Let’s Be Clear”

As someone who is not blessed in the booty department, I have had a little too much fun rapping along to the “dragging that wagon like a mobile home” bar in Maiya The Don’s new song, “Let’s Be Clear.”

Momo Boyd – “She’s a Sweetheart”

Birthday releases can be risky , but for Momo, it was a risk worth taking. If you’re a recovering self-sacrificer (or if you need to be), this is the song for you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: just as she did on “American Love Song” and “Strong,” Momo has a singular way of painting the most vivid picture of uncomfortable truths to the sweetest melodies. It’s both amazing and disturbing due to the precision in the lyrics coupled with the campy production juxtaposed to the seemingly optimistic visual. Happiest birthday, Momo. You’ve done it again. Here’s to 26 and more music in 2026.

Victory – “Every Woman”

It’s a family affair. Similarly to her sister , Victory sounds like an artist who transported from another era to modern day and it helps to distinguish her amongst her Gen Z peers. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that ye worked as an executive producer on her new album Confessions of a Lonely Girl in 2019.

“Every Woman” is a song that encourages all women and girls to band together. I appreciate the triumphant nature of the record and I’d love to see it as a part of a coming of age film one day. I had noted the cinematic nature of the album before seeing her explanation, so when Victory explains, “These aren’t just songs. These are scenes,” it was already evident that she executed what she set out to do. Be sure to give the full movie a listen from Act I.

What about Nicki and Ye?

Not quite sure. Ye had several listening parties across the country from LA (where he was present, word to Mike Hector) to NY.

Rumor has it, the artist formerly known as Kanye West didn’t drop his highly anticipated 12th studio album BULLY , due to dissatisfaction with the final master. The legendary rapper and producer is known for frequently delaying release timelines indefinitely, so this wasn’t a surprise to loyal supporters. Stay tuned for what’s to come; in the meantime, his eldest child, North West , has been cooking up and releasing relatively often. Her self-produced EP is expected to drop this year.

As for Nicki, she had announced her album release date relatively early, in September 2025. Granted, the rap queen did state about a month later that the release was canceled. Just last month, Ms. Minaj provided another update on the status of her album, saying it would not hit shelves until her contract was renegotiated.

Nonetheless, the Barbz held hope that she’d surprise them. Maybe later this year we’ll have a Pink Friday.

Who are you looking forward to hearing from this year? These are my picks:

Note: Edited Saturday, March 28, 8:51 AM ET to include the surprise arrival of Ye's new album BULLY, specifically the Travis Scott-assisted “FATHER.”