First Stream: New Music From Camila Cabello & Ed Sheeran, Dominic Fike & Zendaya and More
Billboard’s First Stream serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
This week, Camila Cabello drops a flashy new single with Ed Sheeran, DaBaby and YoungBoy Never Broke Again team up, and Dominic Fike and Zendaya find musical euphoria. Check out all of this week’s First Stream picks below:
Camila Cabello feat. Ed Sheeran, “Bam Bam”
“We were kids at the start — I guess we’re grown-ups now,” Camila Cabello sings on her Ed Sheeran-assisted new single, “Bam Bam.” Cabello is likely referencing her recent split with fellow pop star Shawn Mendes, who had known each other since their teenage years, yet “Bam Bam” also positions Cabello (whose new album Familia arrives next month) as a maturing pop voice, with more nuance and lived experience packed into each word. Sheeran stops by to sing about overcoming hardship, but Cabello commands “Bam Bam,” adapting to the different movements of its Latin pop production.
DaBaby & YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Better Than You
After linking up for “Jump” and “Thug of Spades” in 2020, DaBaby and YoungBoy Never Broke Again — two gifted rappers with tumultuous experiences in the public eye — have joined forces for Better Than You, their first collaborative project that carries an us-against-the-world energy. The dynamic between the two star MCs shines on songs like the synth-drenched “Turbo” and the fast, furious “Hit,” as YoungBoy takes his unhinged flow to a higher register and DaBaby hunkers down on lean, effective bars.
Dominic Fike & Zendaya, “Elliot’s Song”
One mustn’t need to know the inner machinations of Euphoria plot lines and character arcs to appreciate “Elliot’s Song,” Dominic Fike’s fragile new song alongside co-star Zendaya, featured in the season finale of the smash series and the newly released season 2 soundtrack. Heard as an open-hearted conversation turned sing-along between Elliot and Rue, the cavernous track proves emotionally affecting… as it does as simply a vulnerable moment for Fike and Zendaya, both wildly talented double threats.
Machine Gun Kelly with Lil Wayne, “Ay!”
On the surface, “Ay!” serves as another rap-rock prelude to Machine Gun Kelly’s forthcoming Mainstream Sellout album, with Lil Wayne stopping by this time to add some star power and Auto-tuned crooning. Yet “Ay!” plays out as an impressive showcase for MGK’s songwriting: as he muses on ignoring solutions to personal struggles and pitches his voice up on the refrain “I don’t ever wanna fall when I’m this high,” his pain is on full display, and the emotional payoff feels earned.
King Von, What It Means To Be King
Over the past two years, posthumous projects from gone-too-soon rap superstars like Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD have been embraced by both the music industry and fans, with A-list collaborators hopping on tracks to honor these artists and listeners helping them top charts. King Von’s What It Means To Be King, the first album from the rising Chicago star since his tragic death in November 2020, functions similarly — Lil Durk, Five Foreign and Moneybagg Yo are among the rappers paying their respects, but Von’s storytelling, hooks and personality remain the attraction throughout these 19 songs.
Kane Brown, “Leave You Alone”
As “One Mississippi” becomes another No. 1 country airplay single for Kane Brown this week, the superstar keeps rolling with “Leave You Alone,” digging deep into his croon on this understated ode to long-term commitment. The guitar solo on the bridge heightens the stakes here, then Brown swoops in with a heartfelt final chorus, his vocal steadiness highlighting this one.
