New Music: Gracie Abrams, Drake’s "ICEMAN" tackles Kendrick feud head-on

Gracie Abrams — “Hit the Wall”

After a long string of teasers from the singer for her now officially titled GA3, fans were eagerly waiting to see what she had up her plaid sleeve. Today, she’s finally rolling it back for us.

Abrams found mainstream success for the first time with “That’s So True,” featured on the deluxe edition of “The Secret of Us (Deluxe).” Its catchy melody and brutally catastrophic lyric helped turn the song into a go-to sound for year-end TikToks. (“Made it out alive/but I think I lost it!”). Given how well the song landed, it would make sense for Gracie Abrams to revisit the formula she and co-lyricist Audrey Hobert struck gold with. But she doesn’t.

On the track, Abrams collaborates with the ever-in-demand Aaron Dessner, whose profile skyrocketed after his work on “folklore” with Taylor Swift (it feels like he’s working with everyone!) Still fans of Dessner, but curious to hear Gracie Abrams elsewhere.

The song feels like it’s constantly building toward something (maybe it is) but it never quite arrives. Sure, it’s the first glimpse into this era—but is it enough to fully reveal this “Daughter from Hell”? In any case, we’re keeping a close eye on it.

Baby Queen — “Word Vomit”

Baby Queen, who we know from the soundtrack of Netflix hit “Heartstopper,” released “Word Vomit.” If you’re unfamiliar with the singer, she has a very talk-singing style, which remains prominent here. We like the artist for her ability to create coming-of-age-style songs that feel deeply personal.

“I swallow my pride/It tastes like shit/I spit it back out in the bathroom sink,” she sings. It’s just fun and youthful.

GIVĒON — “JEZEBEL”

From his album released today, GIVĒON is promoting this song as the current single. The name might ring a bell from Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” collaboration.

The Grammy-nominated R&B artist has a lot going on right now, especially on this song, which carries an easygoing groove. We enjoy the production break halfway through, really putting you in the headspace. We’ll tap into the album this weekend, featuring artists like Kehlani, Leon Thomas and Teddy Swims. What we can do in the meantime is put on our shoes and get into it.

Shakira, Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”

Shakira and Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy have joined forces to release the official 2026 FIFA World Cup song. They namecheck some of the world’s most famous soccer players and countries competing in this year’s World Cup.

“Pelé, Maradona, Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo,” they sing. “Brasil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, US, England, Germany, France.” What’s fun is the culture remix at play.

Shakira, Madonna and BTS are set to co-headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium. The show will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

Tove Lo — “I’m your girl right?”

The singer announced her new album earlier this week, along with the release date for a new song that dropped today. “There’s no good advice on this album,” she wrote on Instagram.

A solo studio release from Tove Lo has been missing for a bit. The track doesn’t miss a beat, though. In the chorus, the singer delivers the title in a way that almost makes us believe the question. It’s a standout production that fills a gap in our lives.

Drake — “ICEMAN,” “HABIBTI,” “MAID OF HONOUR”

Drake comes through with three albums today… not just a single or a pair. That’s a pretty unconventional choice in today’s music scene, but Drake ranks just behind Taylor Swift as the second most-streamed artist of all time on Spotify, so maybe this risk is worth taking.

It’s hard to imagine anyone missed the alleged feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. “Iceman,” which references Michael Jackson through a diamond-encrusted glove on the artwork, seemingly addresses Drake’s reaction to it. “I came here to turn a new leaf and maybe finally get some sleep/But all I can think about is the mountain to climb and the conversations surrounding my music like they’re Twin Peak/With Dot back in 2024 was a big piece… Y'all keep on asking me what it did to me/That’s what it did to me,” he sings on opening track “Make Them Cry.” Drake has largely stayed out of the spotlight for nearly two years, until now. There’s a fair amount to dig into here.

“Iceman” emerges as the central project of the three. Some theories suggest Drake dropped the other two projects as a way to exit his record deal, but we digress, since there isn’t much clarity around that contract situation.

“Make Them Pay” is the track that initially caught our attention. This track pulls from the strongest parts of Drake’s storytelling style. There’s a playful reference to the M. Night Shyamalan movie: “My sixth sense is kickin' in 'cause all I hear is people that are dead to me.” Drake doesn’t hesitate to let us know when he’s upset with people. DJ Khaled also gets a name-drop here.

“Burning Bridges” is the most compelling moment and arguably the album’s thematic anchor. “Tables turn, tables turn, bridges burn, bridges burn
Lord, forgive me (Lord, forgive me), it's my turn,” he sings. We know he tends to burn bridges, and he knows it too. This could be the most sensible option for him. When it feels like everything is against you, you scorch the earth as you go.

— Dawson Therre

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