NEIL FRANCES was formed practically by accident. 

The Los Angeles-based dream pop duo of Aussie DJ/producer Jordan Feller and Southern Californian singer/songwriter Marc Gilfry first linked up in 2016 with hopes to write music for other artists. While they struggled to find artists to sing their tunes, but their fate was sealed when KCRW radio DJ Chris Douridas played one of their SoundCloud demos live on air.

Seven years later, NEIL FRANCES' dreams have come together and expanded on their lively, funky sophomore album, It's All a Bit Fuzzy. While leaning into a dance pop sound, NEIL FRANCES' latest highlights their penchant for collaboration, their love of indie and dance music, and open creative approach. 

It's All a Bit Fuzzy was inspired by the feeling after a great night out with friends, and its eclectic mix of layered, infectious tunes begs for multiple replays. All three of their collaborators reflect this feeling, effortlessly expanding NEIL FRANCES' sunset-hued sound. There are two tracks — one chill, one hype mode — with St. Panther, a killer '80s funk throwback with dreamcastmoe, and the dreamy "High" with PawPaw Rod.

Calling in from their studio in Los Angeles, Feller and Gilfry serendipitously embody this mood, tired from a late night of rehearsal for their imminent tour, yet bubbling with excitement to talk about anything music-related. They're the type of people you could find yourself talking to for hours at a party about music, always run into on the dancefloor, and really make you want to maybe even get into the studio yourself.

"The best song is something that reveals itself over and over again to both the listener and the artist," Gilfry muses. "We'll start with something specific, but there will be times where we'll be performing on stage and I'll think about a lyric in a completely different way. Good songs are these little beings, these constantly evolving animals."

Read on to hear from NEIL FRANCES about their new album, their favorite collaborative songwriting method, the artist they're digging right now (with some stellar deep cuts) and much more.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

What were you feeling going into working on It's All a Bit Fuzzy? How did the storyline and vibe come together and evolve as you worked on it?

Marc Gilfry: When we started we thought we were gonna do all collabs. We had just finished our previous album, which was very concept heavy. We told a rough narrative through the lyrics about this insect who was down on his luck and then ascends and transcends. We took that idea and ran with it and made a poem out of the song titles — it was a huge undertaking.

You don't ever really follow your plan to the tee. So, we do have quite a bit of collaborations on this one, and they're all amazing songs, but we continued to write [on our own]. Then I stumbled upon this Spanish digital painter named Angela Bacher on Instagram and she's created all these really cool, fuzzy warm but a-little-bit-sinister characters. I showed Jordan the artwork and we were inspired by it to name the album It's All a Bit Fuzzy.

Then we wrote [the opening] song called "It's All a Bit Fuzzy" and did a whole aesthetic campaign around the idea. So, we kind of reverse-engineered it a little bit. And to be perfectly frank, we didn't have that song written when we created a bunch of merch. It was the very last song that we wrote.

Jordan Feller: I think musically [it's different] as well. We got the chance over the last year or so since we put out the first record to play shows and see what other people are doing and the music that DJs are playing. I come from the electronic space and we've noticed that everything's kind of picked up tempo in that world. I feel electronic music as a whole is always kind of ahead of everything else in a cool way. I'm always influenced by that musically. 

I would say this record is potentially more electronic-leaning than the first one and where we initially started from. Who's to say that carries over into what we do next, but [on this album there's] some faster tempos, which is fun to experiment with. I had this threshold that we could never make anything over 120 BPM and I started pushing the tempo a little bit faster. How do we write something that's as fast as what some of these DJs are playing but still has verses and choruses? It's been a fun process to kind of dance around that world. 

I'm interested in hearing more about the different sonic elements of the album.

Feller: There are a lot of referential moments on this album. If we're going to do the '90s house-leaning thing, I definitely want someone that's representing the culture that sound came from. So, on "Let's Break It Down," we'd already worked with St. Panther and got them on that record. 

In my opinion, if you're gonna do ['90s style house], you've got to use 909 drum sounds and the Korg M1 piano sound, with a rhythmic piano line that maybe you've heard before but you haven't quite heard before. The particular style of the chords have to evoke that sort of minor feeling but at the same time makes you want to party, like melancholy happiness.

"Gimme" is probably one of my favorites on the record. We try to always push ourselves out of writing cute indie jams which is a bit of a comfort zone. I love that we pushed that song to 134 BPM. I found a technique that I'd never used before where I would slow the song down, record [Marc's] vocals and then speed the song and vocals back up at the same time. 

The pitch up effect of staying in tune with the song kind of sounds like Detroit Grand Pubah's "Sandwiches." It's a standard effect, don't get me wrong, a bunch of people have done this. 

On "She's Just the Type of Girl" with dreamcastmoe, I felt some funky Rick James energy.

Feller: Davon [a.k.a. dreamcastmoe] showed me the [original] song from a band by the name of Circuitry out of Washington D.C. from the 1980s. It's a big sample; I've never sampled as much of someone else's music. I didn't want to get in the way of the creative process with dreamcastmoe. We were playing records [for each other] and I was like, "Man, this is so sick. I can't believe I've never heard it before." We just riffed on it and thankfully Electro Wayne, whose uncle wrote the music, let us basically get on his uncle's song.

Can you speak to working with St. Panther and the message of LGBTQ+ support on "Let's Break It Down"?

Feller: When we finally got the chance to connect, I had a laugh because they left me on read when I reached out over Instagram three years ago, which Danny came up with some excuse for. I had a few beats that I played to Danny and they more or less went down the same path that Marc and I do where we sort of freestyle ideas back and forth. "Head Straight" came together really quickly.

I also had "Let's Break it Down" for a while, which got sort of buried in tempo a couple of times. By pure happenstance, I did the speed up thing again, and it went into the same key as Madonna's "Vogue." A little part of it was influenced by my relationship with my brother. When he came out, I wanted him to feel comfortable to do so, [for him to know] it's a safe space. And like I said, if we're going to do the '90s house, I don't just want to jump into the pool and jump out. I'll go all the way with not only sounds representing that era of music, but somebody from that community that can speak to it legitimately. It was another very quick session [with St. Panther].

Gilfry: To add to that, I love being in the safe space of a club. I think we feel a lot more liberated when everyone can be themselves and feel accepted and open. We wanted to kind of write an homage to that experience of being in a place where people are liberated and happy to be themselves. 

You mentioned in the album's press release that "Gimme" was inspired by San Francisco's Portola Festival last year. Paint that picture for me.

Feller: We saw Peggy Gou into Floating Points and Four Tet. I was tapping out their tempos and they were like 138 BPM but it was still accessible. It made me want to write a song up here. When we play mid-tempo songs live, sometimes if the people don't know the songs, they kind of stand there, which is strange for me coming from the DJ space. Why don't we give people body music that's going to move you in a physical way even if you don't know it? That was a cool experiment to see if we could still apply traditional songwriting techniques to what could otherwise be a pretty linear-sounding electro house or techno banger.

We ended up adding a lot of live drums [on "Gimme."] I sent the original song with just an 808 drum kit on it to a buddy of mine. He's like, "Dude, this is sick, but you should lean in and try to make it sound live." Three or four songs on the record have [our drummer] Rhythm on it to give it a little bit more life than just an electronic drum kit. "Gimme" is a really good cross section of everything that we do, from electronic stuff to drum machines to guitars, bass guitars; kitchen sink and all.

Gilfry: There's another song on the album, "Some Kind of Static," which paints the picture of us being at Portola last year. We had a great group of friends we were rolling around with that I'm talking about in the song. Sissy is Sophia, Jordan's girlfriend. We call her Sissy because we joke about Jordan being daddy, and she and I are sisters. It's a little demented inside joke. The alien in the song is my wife Mariel. She was wearing this reflective puffy jacket that every time we took a picture it would suck up all the flash.

Feller: I always say this, but years ago, Marc and I read Nile Rodgers' book where he goes on about DHM (Deep Hidden Meaning). Chic's "Freak Out" was originally "F— Off" because Studio 54 wouldn't let them in. We kind of write by that theory.

How does your songwriting process usually go?

Gilfry: It's such a crapshoot. There's plenty of songs where Jordan's yelling out the lyrics to me as I'm singing. There're other songs where I've got a whole pre-written 20 verses and choruses and I bring that in. Or we'll be in the middle of writing something and I'll be referencing a dream that I've written in my notes.

Are you always writing things down as you get inspiration?

Gilfry: I write a lot of haikus because I think it's a good discipline to be forced to stay within a syllabic kind of structure. It's good for practice. Not to get too arty farty, but I like the Jack Kerouac method of keeping constant notes on everything and then sitting down once you're ready to write you have it all and you compile and finesse. I'm trying to write all day, every day, everywhere. And I've got a ton of voice notes and voice memos for that reason too. 

I like that. When you're working on music, do you find that you're more creative when you're together, like fun stuff happens when you're bouncing off of each other? 

Gilfry: I'm more creative with him. I don't think he's more creative with me. He tries to kick me out, like "You're done. Thanks. See you tomorrow." I'll come in here by myself and will spend eight hours and I'll have nothing. 

Feller: The fastest, most efficient method of writing for us — this isn't always the way that we do it — is me presenting something that I'm really excited about and we'll put a microphone in front of Marc, first listen. We stay open to anything, yes to everything and spit out ideas. Give me everything. Then I organize all the stuff into what I think are the best bits and then we come in and we both finesse it into a finished state.

Gilfry: The first listen, first take thing is really important to me. Jordan will start showing me something and I'll be like, "Wait, wait, don't play it!" There's something about hearing something unfold in real time and working off of that and singing whatever comes to mind. It's hard to get that after the first listen.

When did you make the decision to make music together as NEIL FRANCES instead of songwrite for other artists?

Gilfry: We actually never did. We sent  a couple of songs to a few vocalists and that didn't end up panning out. We showed what we had done to a few of our close confidants and they're like, "Hey, this is really good, you should just put this out." 

Our mutual booking agent at the time — I was in another band and Jordan was DJing — shared our SoundCloud link of demos with the KCRW DJ Chris Douridas. Chris ripped it off of SoundCloud and played it on the radio. And then we were like, This is worth pursuing.

Feller: We did a School Night during the pandemic with Chris and told him the story. He didn't even remember. I told him, "Dude, you're literally the reason that we're a band. We tell this story all the time." 

Given that this album was originally going to be all collabs, what are some of your dream collabs that haven't happened yet?

Gilfry: I can never think of anyone when I get this question. I always say Unknown Mortal Orchestra. I would love to work with them, I'm a total fanboy of UML and Ruban [Nielson]. If we weren't doing this, that would be the exact kind of music I would want to be making. 

Feller: Kylie Minogue. 

Gilfry: Geez, that would be amazing. Robin. Cleo Sol. 

Feller: Little Simz. I'm really a big fan of everything that's happening in the UK at the moment where all of a sudden, UK drill and UK rap music is as big as it is. There's something about that hard East London vocal tone. And that new soul stuff that's happening over there with Inflo producing all of Little Simz and Cleo Sol. The Jungle guys are a part of that whole crew as well. That whole set is doing cool music that I'd like to have the opportunity to work with for sure. 

Who are some other artists also making funky music that you're really vibing to right now?

Gilfry: Jungle is really putting out some great music, especially the new stuff. I'm a huge fan of his band Cruza out of Florida. They're kind of lo-fi R&B. Just really vibey, downtempo with interesting mixes and production approach. Going back to the indie rock world, I love Hether out of Orange County. He's a classically trained jazz guitarist writing these really cool indie tunes now. 

Feller: PawPaw Rod's new one is really good. There's this crew out of Bristol that I'm loving called 1905 [thathas a release on] Former City Records of these party breaks that work great in a club and in your car. Parallel Dance Ensemble's this crew out of New Zealand with this Danish producer [Roblin Hannibal] who do basically like a new-school ESG…and Tom Tom Club. deem spencer's new record's great, Marc's been a fan of him for a while. 

This is a deep cut, but there's this Italian model from the '80s that Giorgio Moroder produced named Vivien Vee. She has a song called "Destiny," which if it was released now would be the most forward-thinking pop tune. Blue Hawaii's stuff is really cool. Also, St. Panther. 

Say She She's Big Year: How The NYC Disco Funk Group Made Sure The World Wouldn't Forget Them

The 2024 Paris Olympics came to life today as the Parade of Nations glided along the Seine River for the opening ceremony. The opening spectacular featured musical performances from Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, and more. Earlier in the week, some of music’s biggest names were also spotted in the city for the Olympics, including Olympics special correspondent Snoop Dogg, BTS' Jin, Pharrell Williams, Tyla, Rosalía, and Ariana Grande.

Read More: When The GRAMMYs & Olympics Align: 7 Times Music's Biggest Night Met Global Sports Glory

Below, see a full breakdown of some of the special musical moments from the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

In a grand entrance, Lady Gaga emerged behind a heart-shaped plume of feathers on the golden steps of Square Barye, captivating the audience with her cover of the French classic "Mon truc en plumes." Accompanied by cabaret-style background dancers, she flawlessly belted out the song, executed impressive choreography, and even played the piano.

Lady Gaga’s connection to the song is notable, as Zizi Jeanmarie, the original artist, starred in Cole Porter’s musical "Anything Goes," which was Lady Gaga’s debut jazz release.

"Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music — I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth — Paris," Lady Gaga shared on Instagram.

Celine Dion 

Closing out the ceremony with her first performance in four years since being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, Celine Dion delivered a stunning rendition of Edith Piaf’s everlasting classic, "L’Hymne à l’amour" from the Eiffel Tower. Her impressive vocals made it seem as though she had never left.

This performance marked Dion’s return to the Olympic stage; she previously performed "The Power of the Dream" with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and composer David Foster for the 1996 Olympics.

Axelle Saint-Cirel 

Performing the National Anthem is no small feat, yet French mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel knocked it out of the park.

Dressed in a French-flag-inspired Dior gown, she delivered a stunning rendition of "La Marseillaise" from the roof of the Grand Palais, infusing the patriotic anthem with her own contemporary twist.

With the stirring lyrics, "To arms, citizens! Form your battalions. Let’s march, let’s march," Saint-Cirel brought the spirit of patriotism resonated powerfully throughout the city. 

Gojira 

Making history as the first metal band to perform at the Olympics Opening Ceremony is just one way Gojira made their mark at the event.

The French band took the stage at the Conciergerie, a historic site that once housed French kings during medieval times and later became a prison during the French Revolution, famously detaining Marie Antoinette – Creating a monumental moment as the first metal band to perform at the ceremony, but also stirring the pot as they used the chance to nod toward politics. 

Performing a revamped version of "Ah! Ça Ira," an anthem that grew popular during the French Revolution, the artists aren’t new to using their songs as a vehicle for political messages. The GRAMMY-nominated group are outspoken about issues concerning the environment, particularly with their song, "Amazonia," which called out the climate crisis in the Amazon Rainforest. Using music to spread awareness about political issues is about as metal as it gets. 

Aya Nakamura

Currently France’s most-streamed musician, Aya Nakamura went for gold in a striking metallic outfit as she took the stage alongside members of the French Republican Guard. As there were showstopping, blazing fireworks going off behind her, she performed two of her own hit songs, "Pookie" and "Djadja," then followed with renditions of Charles Aznavour’s "For Me Formidable" and "La Bohème." 

Although there was backlash regarding Nakamura’s suitability for performing at the ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed the criticism. "She speaks to a good number of our fellow citizens and I think she is absolutely in her rightful place in an opening or closing ceremony," Macron told the Guardian.

Since Ice Spice first caught our attention two summers ago, she's been nothing short of a rap sensation. From viral hits like her breakout "Munch (Feelin' U)," to co-signs from Drake and Cardi B, to a Best New Artist nomination at the 2024 GRAMMYs, the Bronx native continues to build on her momentum — and now, she adds a debut album to her feats.

Poised to be one of the hottest drops of the summer, Y2K! expands on Ice Spice's nonchalant flow and showcases her versatility across 10 unabashedly fierce tracks. She dabbles in Jersey club on "Did It First," throws fiery lines on lead single "Think U the S— (Fart)," and follows the album's nostalgic title with an interpolation of an early '00s Sean Paul hit on "Gimmie a Light."

Y2K! also adds more star-studded features to Ice Spice's catalog, with Travis Scott, Gunna and Central Cee featuring on "Oh Shh...," "B— I'm Packin'," and "Did It First," respectively. At the helm is producer RiotUSA, Ice Spice's longtime friend-turned-collaborator who has had a hand in producing most of the rapper's music — proving that she's found her stride.

As you stream Ice Spice's new album, here are five key takeaways from her much-awaited debut, Y2K!.

Ice Spice is one of the few ladies holding down the New York drill scene on a mainstream level. She's particularly rooted in Bronx drill, a hip-hop subgenre known for its hard-hitting 808s, high-hats and synthesizers — and according to the sounds of Y2K!, it’s seemingly always going to be part of her artistry.

"It's always time to evolve and grow as an artist, so I'm not rushing to jump into another sound or rushing to do something different," Ice Spice told Apple Music of her tried-and-true musical style. 

While Y2K! may not be as drill-driven as her debut EP Like…?, the album further hints that Ice isn't ready to retire the sound anytime soon. The subgenre is the dominant force across the album's 10 tracks, and most evident in "Did It First," "Gimmie a Light" and "BB Belt." Even so, she continues her knack for putting her own flair on drill, bringing elements of trap and electronic music into bops like "Oh Shhh…" and "Think U the S— (Fart)."

Minus a few tunes, all of Ice Spice's songs start off with her signature "Stop playing with 'em, Riot" catchphrase — a direct nod to her right-hand man RiotUSA. Ice and Riot met while attending Purchase College in New York, and they've been making music together since 2021's "Bully Freestyle," which served as Ice's debut single. "As I was growing, she was growing, and we just kept it in-house and are growing together," Riot told Finals in a 2022 interview.

Riot produced every track on Like.. ? as well as "Barbie World," her GRAMMY-nominated Barbie soundtrack hit with Nicki Minaj. Their musical chemistry continues to shine on Y2K!, as Riot had a hand in each of the LP's 10 tracks.

In a surprising move, though, Ice doesn't just lean on Riot this time around. Synthetic, who worked on Lil Uzi Vert's GRAMMY-nominated "Just Wanna Rock," brings his Midas touch to "Think U the S—." Elsewhere, "B— I'm Packin'" is co-produced by Riot, Dj Heroin, and indie-pop duo Ojivolta, who earned a GRAMMY nomination in 2022 for their work on Kanye West's Donda. But even with others in the room, Riot's succinct-yet-boisterous beats paired with Ice's soft-spoken delivery once again prove to be the winning formula.

Named after Ice Spice's birthdate (January 1, 2000), her debut album celebrates all things Y2K, along with the music and colorful aesthetics that defined the exciting era. To drive home the album's throwback theme, Ice tapped iconic photographer David LaChapelle for the cover artwork, which features the emcee posing outside a graffiti-ridden subway station entrance. LaChapelle's vibrant, kitschy photoshoots of Mariah Carey, Lil' Kim, Britney Spears, and the Queen of Y2K Paris Hilton became synonymous with the turn of the millennium.

True to form, Y2K!'s penultimate song and second single "Gimmie a Light" borrows from Sean Paul's "Gimme the Light," which was virtually inescapable in 2002. "We really wanted to have a very authentic Y2K sample in there," Ice Spice said in a recent Apple Music Radio interview with Zane Lowe. Not only does the Sean Paul sample bring the nostalgia, but it displays Ice's willingness to adopt new sounds like dancehall on an otherwise drill-heavy LP.

Taking the Y2K vibes up another notch, album closer "TTYL," a reference to the acronym-based internet slang that ruled the AIM and texting culture of the early aughts. The song itself offers fans a peek insideIce's lavish and exhilarating lifestyle: "Five stars when I'm lunchin'/ Bad b—, so he munchin'/ Shoot a movie at Dunkin'/ I'm a brand, it's nothin.'"

Whether she's flaunting her sex appeal in "B— I'm Packin'" or demanding potential suitors to sign NDAs in "Plenty Sun," Ice exudes confidence from start to finish on Y2K!.

On the fiery standout track "Popa," Ice demonstrates she's in a league of her own: "They ain't want me to win, I was chosen/ That b— talkin' s—, she get poked in/ Tell her drop her pin, we ain't bowlin'/ Make them b—hes sick, I got motion." And just a few songs later, she fully declares it with "BB Belt": "Everybody be knowin' my name (Like)/ Just want the money, I don't want the fame (Like)/ And I'm different, they ain't in my lane."

For Ice, "baddie" status goes beyond one's physical attributes; it's a mindset she sells with her sassy delivery and IDGAF attitude.

In album opener "Phat Butt," Ice boasts about rocking Dolce & Gabbana, popping champagne, and being a four-time GRAMMY nominee: "Never lucky, I been blessed/ Queen said I'm the princess/ Been gettin' them big checks in a big house/ Havin' rich sex," she asserts.

Further down the track list, Ice Spice firmly stands in her place as rap's newest queen. In "BB Belt," she raps, "I get money, b—, I am a millionaire/ Walk in the party, everybody gon' stare/ If I ain't the one, why the f— am I here, hm?"

Between trekking across the globe for her first headlining tour and lighting up the Empire State Building orange as part of her Y2K! album rollout, Ice Spice shows no signs of slowing down. And as "BB Belt" alludes, her deal with 10K Projects/Capitol Records (she owns her masters and publishing) is further proof that she's the one calling the shots in her career.

Whatever Ice decides to do next, Y2K! stands as a victory lap; it shows her prowess as drill's latest superstar, but also proves she has the confidence to tackle new sounds. As she rapped in 2023's "Bikini Bottom," "How can I lose if I'm already chose?" Judging by her debut album, Ice Spice is determined to keep living that mantra.

July has graced us with a diverse array of new music from all genres, lighting up dance floors and speakers everywhere.

The last weekend of the month brings exciting new collaborations, including another iconic track from Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding, as well as a fierce team-up from Paris Hilton and Meghan Trainor. Halsey and Muni Long offered a taste of their forthcoming projects, while Jordan Davis and Miranda Lambert each delivered fun new country tunes. 

In addition to fresh collabs and singles, there's a treasure trove of new albums to uncover. Highlights include Ice Spice's Y2K!, Rakim's G.O.D., Sam Tompkins' hi, my name is insecure, Wild Rivers' Never Better, Tigirlily Gold's Blonde, and kenzie's biting my tongue.

As you check out all the new music that dropped today, be sure you don't miss these 10 tracks and albums.

Although fans anticipated Machine Gun Kelly's next release to mark his return to hip-hop, no one seems to be complaining about "KellyRoll." Embracing the trend of venturing into the country genre, mgk teams up with fellow GRAMMY-nominated artist Jelly Roll on their newest track, "Lonely Road."

The genre-blending track interpolates John Denver's classic "Take Me Home, Country Roads." However, unlike Denver's sentimental ode to the simplicity of rural life, mgk and Jelly Roll reinterpret the track through the lens of romantic relationships that have come to a, well, lonely end.

As mgk revealed in an Instagram post, "Lonely Road" was a labor of love for both him and Jelly Roll. "We worked on 'Lonely Road' for 2 years, 8 different studios, 4 different countries, changed the key 4 times," he wrote. "We finally got it right."

In another interpolation special, Halsey samples not one but two classics in their latest single, "Lucky." The song's production features elements of Monica's 1999 hit "Angel of Mine," while the chorus flips Britney Spears' fan-favorite "Lucky" into a first-person narrative.

While Halsey has always been a transparent star, their next project is seemingly going to be even more honest than their previous releases. After first revealing their journey with lupus with the super-personal "The End" in June, "Lucky" further details their struggles: "And I told everybody I was fine for a whole damn year/ And that's the biggest lie of my career."

Though they haven't revealed a release date for their next project, Halsey referred to her next era as a "monumental moment in my life" in an Instagram post about the "Lucky" music video — hinting that it may just be their most powerful project yet.

Read More: Everything We Know About Halsey's New Album

Ahead of Paris Hilton's forthcoming album, Infinite Icon — her first in nearly 20 years — the multihyphenate unveiled another female-powered collaboration, this time with Meghan Trainor. Co-produced by Sia, "Chasin'" is a lively pop anthem about discovering self-worth in romantic relationships and finding the strength to walk away from toxicity.

"She is the sister I always needed and when she calls me sis, I die of happiness inside," Trainor told Rolling Stone about her relationship with Hilton. Coincidentally, Trainor first wrote the track with her brother, Ryan, but the pop star was waiting for the right collaborator to hop on the track — and Hilton was just that.

"We made something truly iconic together," Trainor added. "It was a bucket list dream come true for me."

A highly awaited return to music after eight years, Australian electro-pop duo Empire Of The Sun are back with their fourth studio album, Ask That God.

"This body of work represents the greatest shift in consciousness our world has ever seen and that's reflected in the music," says member Lord Littlemore in a press statement.

Like their previous work that transports listeners to a different universe, this album continues that tradition with trancey tracks like lead single "Changes" and the thumping title track. Ask That God offers a chance to reflect on the blend of reality and imagination, while also evoking the radiant energy of their past songs.

Dance music's collaborative powerhouse, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding, are back with another summer hit. Their latest track, "Free," marks the fourth collaboration between the duo — and like their past trilogy of hits, the two have another banger on their hands.

The track debuted earlier this month at Harris' show in Ibiza, where Goulding made a surprise appearance to perform "Free" live. With Harris delivering an infectious uptempo house beat and Goulding's silky vocals elevating the track, "Free" proves that the pair still have plenty of musical chemistry left.

Post Malone's transition into country music has been anything but slow; in fact, the artist went full-throttle into the genre. The  New York-born, Texas-raised star embraced his new country era with collaborations alongside some of the genre's biggest superstars, like Morgan Wallen and Blake Shelton. Continuing this momentum as he gets closer to releasing F-1 Trillion, Post Malone teams up with Luke Combs for the new track "Guy For That."

The catchy collaboration tells the story of a relationship that has faded, where the protagonist knows someone who can fix almost anything, except for a broken heart. It's an upbeat breakup song that, like Post's previous F-1 Trillion releases, can get any party going — especially one in Nashville, as Malone and Combs did in the track's music video.

Just one month after Surfaces released their latest album, good morning, the duo's Forrest Frank unveiled his own project, CHILD OF GOD — his debut full-length Christian album. Among several features on the LP, one of the standouts is with GRAMMY-winning artist Tori Kelly on the track "Miracle Worker."

Over a plucky electric guitar and lo-fi beats, Frank and Kelly trade verses before joining for the second chorus. Their impassioned vocals elevate the song's hopeful prayer, "Miracle Worker make me new."

Their collaboration arrives just before both artists hit the road for their respective tours. Frank kicks his U.S. trek off in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 31, and Kelly starts her world tour in Taipei, Taiwan on Aug. 17.

Since their debut in 2022 with "Tippy Toes," Japanese girl group XG has been making waves and showing no signs of slowing down. With their first mini album released in 2023 and now their latest single, "SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT," the group continues to rise with their distinctive visuals and infectious hits.

The track features a nostalgic rhythm reminiscent of early 90s R&B, showcasing the unique personalities of each member. As an uptempo dance track, it's designed to resonate with listeners from all across the globe.

"SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT" also serves as the lead single for XG's upcoming second mini album, set to release later this year.

For nearly 15 years, Mustard has been a go-to producer for some of rap's biggest names, from Gucci Mane to Travis Scott. On the heels of earning his first Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper as a producer with Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," he's back with his own collaboration-filled project.

Faith of a Mustard Seed features a robust 14-song track list with contributions from Vince Staples, Lil Yachty, Charlie Wilson, and more. The LP marks Mustard's fourth studio album, and first since 2019's Perfect Ten.

In an interview with Billboard, Mustard shared that the album's title is an ode to late rapper Nipsey Hussle, who suggested the title during one of their final conversations before his untimely death in 2019. And once "Not Like Us" hit No. 1, Mustard knew it was time to release the long-in-the-making album.

Faith has been a driving force behind Alabama band the Red Clay Strays, both in their music and in their journey to stardom. With their new album, Made By These Moments, the quintet leans into that foundation even further, giving listeners a look into their walk with God and road to redemption — all of which has helped them become one of country music's most exciting breakout acts.

Despite the divine influence, lead singer Brandon Coleman insists they're not a Christian band. And their music proves that: The Strays' sound delves as much into high-flying Southern rock and gritty delta blues as it does country, sounding like Waylon Jennings or Johnny Cash one minute, then Lynyrd Skynyrd or Elvis Presley the next. As Coleman insists, what's most important to the group is making music that resonates.

"Most of the time we're not setting out to write a worship song… or anything like that," he tells GRAMMY.com. "We don't want to be a Christian band or even a country band — we just want to make music, plain and simple."

Born out of a cover band in 2016, The Strays grinded it out for years in bars around Mobile and the Deep South before hitting a breakthrough with 2022's independently released Moment Of Truth. Their budding acclaim led to opening slots with Elle King, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and Old Crow Medicine Show, their first chart hit with "Wondering Why," and debuts on the Grand Ole Opry stage and on national television. And just one week before Made By These Moments arrived, the group were featured on the star-studded soundtrack for Twisters.

That all culminated in them signing with RCA Records in April 2024 and working with producer Dave Cobb, who helped the Red Clay Strays deliver their most polished and faith-focused set  to date with Made By These Moments. Its 11 songs serve as a blueprint of how with hard work, patience and God in your corner no obstacle is too big to overcome. The band navigates everything from questioning oneself ("No One Else Like Me") and searching for purpose ("Drowning," "Devil In My Ear") to discovering and becoming grounded in faith ("I'm Still Fine," "On My Knees") and growing into the best version of yourself as a result ("Made By These Moments," "God Does"). 

"We're not trying to go out and preach to anybody, we're just singing songs about our lives and people can listen if they want," Coleman asserts. "I've had many people who aren't spiritual or religious come up to me and say that our music has gotten them to think and reevaluate how they go about their daily lives. That's all you can ask for if you're trying to inspire or help people with your music."

Before the release of Made By These Moments, The Strays' Brandon Coleman and Drew Nix spoke with GRAMMY.com about how faith influences their music, the album's range of inspirations, and more.

You guys haven't shied away from making your faith a focal point of your music. Mind telling me about the roots of that influence, particularly with how it relates to the 11 songs on this new record? 

Brandon Coleman: I mean, God's really the driving force in all of it. He's why we do this. Everyone's wondering why they were put here on Earth and what their purpose is. Once you're able to get an idea for what that is, that's often what you end up doing. Our music is about our lives and living on the road, and God is a big part of all of it.

Drew Nix: When God gives you a gift you have to use it or it's wasted, right? The biblical things we talk about in our music are lessons that we've learned growing up. It's such complex and simple truths all wrapped into one, which makes it really easy to write about. There's victory and strife and everything else you go through in life. It leaves us thanking God at the end of each and every day for giving us another one.

It sounds like rather than faith seeping into music that it's simply been ingrained in your DNA long before you started making music? 

Coleman: Exactly. We're always looking to put God above ourselves.

Nix: When I'm writing songs like "Drowning" — a song that came about when I felt like I couldn't get ahead in life because I kept slipping and falling — it's very therapeutic too. 

Another example is "Devil In My Ear," which sees me dealing with a close friend and someone I considered to be family's suicide. It was our drummer's brother Jacob, who was an unofficial member of the band and one of the best musicians we knew. He took his own life in 2020, so that song was me trying to deal with that. The only thing I could come up with at the time was that the devil got in his ear because he really had it made — he was an incredible musician with a loving family around him. It just didn't make any sense to me until writing that song.

I obviously hate to hear that, but at the same time I firmly believe that one of the most beautiful things about music is the positivity that can radiate from even the most tragic of circumstances. It's a way to make others who've gone through similar experiences feel seen and not alone, easing the weight of the trauma that comes with it in the process. "Devil In My Ear" is a perfect example of that. 

Nix: Not feeling alone, that's a huge part of it. On a related note, the song "Made By These Moments" touches on exactly what you're talking about. We go through all these horrible and beautiful things in our lives that make us who we are. It's also one of the songs that finally brings up the mood on the album as well. 

Coleman: That's the beauty of this album. It starts out great a lot of times like life does. It starts with a good rock song before taking you down into the dark places that we all go to with "Drowning" and "Devil In My Ear." Then you come out of that with "I'm Still Fine" realizing "Oh crap, I'm down in the valley but I'm still fine because God's still got me" ahead of rejoicing with "On My Knees," and realizing that getting through all these bad things is what makes us stronger with "Made By These Moments." Closing out the album with a perfect ending is "God Does," a gentle reminder that even though you may not think something is possible, God does.

It's like a roller coaster ride to redemption. 

Coleman: Addiction and survival, too — all of it.

You mentioned "Drowning" a moment ago, which is one of my favorites on the record due to both its message and Brandon's high-powered vocals — particularly during its chorus — that remind me a lot of Chris Stapleton. It's a little bit country, blues and rock with a heck of a lot of emotion. 

Coleman: Thank you. "Drowning" was originally written in A, so we were singing the chorus, but it wasn't quite up there note wise. I felt like we had a lot of room to keep going up, so we walked it up to a C so it has more of that screaming vibe to it, which definitely helped the song. 

It feels fitting and reminds me of when we were struggling in 2020 and 2021 and were driving for Uber. I finally scraped up $100 to get my car's oil changed. It was supposed to be free, but the place ended up charging me a $40 fee before convincing me to buy new air filters too, to which I said "go ahead" because I just can't say no. What was a $15 air filter I ended up getting charged $75 for, taking my would be free oil change up over the $100 I'd just saved up. 

I remember leaving there, going back home and kicking this drawer that I'd picked up on the side of the road. I ended up breaking it and screaming at the top of my lungs, and that's what the big notes in the chorus of "Drowning" remind me of. 

If it makes you feel any better I literally got my car's oil changed this morning and they got me on the upcharge for an air filter too. 

Coleman: It does, but it hits a lot different when you only have $100 to your name.

Absolutely. And thankfully that's something y'all aren't having to deal with anymore. What a difference a couple years can make! 

Coleman: Even going through all that, despite how hard it was, we were never hopeless. We all just looked at it as going through a battle. We still had faith in God all the way, even when it was very hard to, which was very scary and stressful. People always say to never quit and to never give up, and that's turned out to be true for us too. 

That leads me to "God Does." There's a lot of rockin' tunes on this record, but that song stands out from the rest, both in its message and the stripped back format you recorded it in. Was it always your plan to compose it like that or did you ever have a plan to give it a similar treatment to the rest of this project? 

Coleman: I can't speak for Drew, but that was always my idea of how it would be. Working with Dave, he has his ideas too, and in the studio they all mesh together as we figure out and create it. He changed the whole beat up on ["God Does"] and gave the song more of a waltz-y feel that completely transformed it for the better, in my opinion.

Nix: I had a country-er imagination for it when I wrote and demoed it. I bought a pedal steel about a year ago to have it go more of the country route, but the way it turned out is better than I ever imagined.

Coleman: I like the way Drew came up with it, too. I actually still have that work tape on my phone because I remember how that song helped me out during that time of uncertainty and struggling. We played a show in Baldwin County [Alabama] somewhere and were using Jacob's old bus because our's was broken down. One of its tires went flat, so we had to leave it at the venue. Drew and I returned the next day to change the tire so we could get home. It was then that Drew told me about this new song he'd just written called "God Does." 

I don't know if he knew, but I was sitting there just trying to hide my tears as I listened to it because of being in that time of life of not knowing what to do and feeling hopeless. That song came along at a very good time and really changed my trajectory mentally.