In the latest episode of Press Play, the incomparable Andrew Bird performs "Olympians" with help from Madison Cunningham. Have a look and listen:

From his new album, My Finest Work Yet, "Olympians" can be taken as a "socio-political allegory," according to Bird. Showing the contrast of despair and hope, the "darkest before the dawn" scenario song expresses how we as people can, "Spiral in our thoughts," said Bird, "get competitive about suffering" and ultimately, "Will ourselves out of these dark places." 

Growing up in Chicago with a mother who loved classical music and a father who loved Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, Bird started playing violin at age 4. His influences grew to include jazz, gospel, Lester Young, Staples Singers, and much more. Early in his career, Bird became known as a virtuoso violinist, songwriter, composer, vocalist and whistler, pushing the boundaries of style and technique with each new album since his 1666 debut, Music of Hair.

Enjoy Bird and Cunningham's live rendition of "Olympians," and stay tuned for more exclusive original performances on Press Play. 

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With his single "MOONLIGHT," Henry Lau refuses to be burdened by his past relationships. Now, he's turning a new leaf, dancing carefree under the night sky, regardless of the negative emotions he might feel.

"I'm waking up in a daze, get it out of my face/ The sun is shining on every move that I make," the singer reveals in the second verse. "So, let's get to forgetting everything that went wrong/ Everybody here, we been crying too long/ We can dance about it to our favorite song."

In this episode of Press Play, Lau performs "MOONLIGHT" from a mansion rooftop during sunset. He constructs the entire song using a loop station, playing a violin, cello and electric and acoustic guitars — one of his signature performance techniques that  prompted his nickname, "one-man band."

Lau released "MOONLIGHT" in January — marking his first single in two years — via Monster Entertainment, the label he founded alongside his brother Clinton. He released another single, "Real Love Still Exists," two months later; the track features Malaysian R&B singer Yuna.

Watch the video above to watch Henry Lau's impressive loop station performance of "MOONLIGHT," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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With "girls like me don't cry," Vietnamese singer/songwriter thuy searches for a personal sanctuary. Broken and battered from heartbreak, she's taught herself to hide from her true feelings.

"Tell me that you keep me safe and/ Never let this fade away/ Girls like me don't cry/ Girls like me pretend that we don't cry," thuy sings in the song's chorus. By the end of the track, she realizes that the stoic life isn't how she wants to live, revealing, "All I want to do is hide/ Gotta let it go/ Don't wanna keep this all inside."

In this episode of Press Play, thuy delivers a monochromatic performance of "girls like me don't cry." Compared to the track's original arrangement, thuy offers a slow, stripped-down performance, creating a more emotional sonic experience as a piano accompanies her.

"girls like me don't cry" is the lead single from thuy's latest project of the same name. The emerging R&B songstress is currently supporting Ella Mai on The Heart on My Sleeve Tour, and she will embark on a headlining tour through Europe in October.

Click on the video above to watch thuy's performance of "girls like me don't cry," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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Growing up with severe eczema, Hong Kong native XTIE has struggled with body image issues her entire life. But on her single "Skin," she's ready to embrace what she once believed were flaws.

"I just want to heal on my own/ To take care of my skin," she declares in the chorus, later revealing, "Fighting all of my insecurities/ Stop judging by looking at my skin/ I just want to lift up my chin/ Telling me there's a world to win."

In this episode of Press Play, XTIE delivers a live performance of "Skin," constructing the song with a MIDI controller and keyboard. She wears a vest that exposes her neck and arms, emphasizing her growing comfort in her body.

Chatting with EnVi Media, the singer/songwriter called "Skin" the "most important song" in her catalog. Before her debut, she considered staying behind the scenes as a producer due to her eczema battle. 

"I felt like no one wanted to hear me sing," she explained. "When people consume music, they also consume your singing and your appearance."

Click on the video to see XTIE promote body positivity with her performance of "Skin," and be sure to check back to GRAMMY.com every week for more new episodes of Press Play.

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With "CAKE DIET," DABOYWAY promises to celebrate every day like it's his birthday. As he put it himself, "The fundamental idea behind the song is basically just to have fun. The party doesn't stop, so we ought to live life to the fullest and not take the good moments for granted." 

And the songs lyrics illustrate exactly that: "24-hour cake diet, you should try it/ All the girls and guys like it/ Money making, break it to a science/ Whatever we want we tryin' to buy it/ It's not my birthday, but, for sure, we getting this cake," he proclaims in the second verse.

In this episode of Press Play, DABOYWAY continues the festivities with a cheerful performance of the single. Clad in hot pink outfits, the Thai rapper dances alongside five dancers under flashing neon lights before finally throwing a cake at a mirror with a closing declaration: "You know we're never stopping!"

"CAKE DIET" was released in 2022, and marked DABOYWAY's first solo track since his 2020 self-titled album. On April 5, he released his second party-focused single, "BAKA," featuring Japanese EDM collective Repezen Foxx.

Press play on the video above to watch DABOYWAY's delectable performance of "CAKE DIET," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

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