Years & Years have released an acoustic version of his latest single, "Sweet Talker." The glistening track was initially released as a collaboration with Galantis, but this one is his solo version. It's a preview from the new Years & Years album "Night Call," which will arrive on January 7 via Interscope Records. According to Alexander, the song is an ode to all those who habitually text sweet nothings and promise the world but never see any of it through. While ghosting is all too familiar in modern romance, he's not settling for it, aiming to reclaim the narrative of his relationships. “I was writing from a fantastical space, stuck in the same four walls,” Alexander said earlier this year of the following Years & Years record. “I wanted to have as much pleasure as possible in the music.” "Night Call" will be the first Years & Years release as the solo project of Alexander, rather than the trio it used to be. It follows 2015’s "Communion" and 2018’s "Palo Santo." “We’ve been in this band for a decade, and in that time, we’ve just kind of grown apart musically, right. We stopped making music together, and when we announced that I was going to be Olly Years & Years, it had been a long time coming if that makes sense,” Alexander told Capital FM earlier this year.

Ed Sheeran has revealed an acapella performance of his 2020 track "Afterglow," recorded in a church with a spine-tingling choir behind him. The atmospheric take on the track was released to celebrate one year since the single was released ahead of his album, "Equals." "=" marked the Sussex pop singer-songwriter's fourth studio LP and went straight to No.1 globally. Sheeran's "Divide" tour in 2019 was the highest-grossing of all time, with him earning £587 million after selling 8.9 million tickets across six continents. He later stepped back from performing worldwide every night to record "=" and start a family. Sheeran recently released a festive collaborative single with Elton John, "Merry Christmas." Proceeds from the track go towards the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. A three-star review described the song as “a nice, safe, mid-paced sleigh ride through lyrics simple enough for your young relatives to recite, and sleepy enough to ensure your Nan doesn’t spill her eggnog.” The two stars also teamed up with festive chart-topper LadBaby for the track "Sausage Rolls For Everyone." The novelty duo – comprised of YouTuber Mark Hoyle and his wife Roxanne – have topped the festive charts on three consecutive years with "We Built This City" (2018), "I Love Sausage Rolls" (2019) and "Don’t Stop Me Eatin’’ (2020).

Maeta released her acclaimed EP "Habits" earlier in the year, collaborated with Tone Stith and even got to take part in H.E.R.'s "Lights On Festival." With her future looking relatively bright, the singer looks to Don Tolliver's catalogue to take her victory lap with a cover of "Swangin' On Westheimer." Don Toliver's original version found the rapper/singer warbling with a bit of assist from Auto-Tune over a slow synth groove reminiscent of the '80s. For hers, Maeta takes the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it approach and keeps the music almost identical. That includes the quiet synth intro and the drums' programmed knock that keeps the song swaying despite its slower pace. The most significant change here is that she skips the Auto-Tune. That choice makes a difference, as the natural warmth of her vocal plays well against the coolness of the song's electronic sound, adding just a bit more spark to the proceedings. This month, Maeta revealed in a post that she received more than 12.7 million streams on Spotify this year. Many of those plays are likely attributed to "Habits," an EP she released under her new deal with Roc Nation Records. The project features seven tracks, including the BEAM-assisted “Toxic.” Maeta She also joined forces with Rini on the song “Over Some Wine,” which appears on his "Constellations" project.

Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, rock band Walk The Moon has released a new track titled “Win Anyway” via RCA Records. The track is featured in the animated feature film "Rumble," streaming exclusively on Paramount+. “Whether you’re 13 or 21 or 35 or 70 years young, I think we all go through cycles where we’re somehow back to square one, and we feel like underdogs again,” says the band’s Nicholas Petricca. “‘Win Anyway’ is that against-all-odds victory song, the soundtrack to the comeback. In college, when we were just getting started, bands like MGMT, The Knife, Passion Pit were that for us, and I think we mingled a little of their DNA with ours for this track.” Last month, the group released their highly anticipated fourth studio album, "Heights." The album features six new songs and previously released tracks “Rise Up,” “Fire In Your House” ft. Johnny Clegg & Jesse Clegg, “DNA” (The Keys), “Giants,” “I’m Good,” and their explosive lead single “Can You Handle My Love??” "Rumble" stars Will Arnett and is an entertaining and original animated family film that explores the world of monster wrestling and celebrates moving to your own groove and paving your own unique path to success. Based on the graphic novel Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell, Rumble is directed by Hamish Grieve, screenplay by Hamish Grieve and Matt Lieberman and produced by Brad Booker and Mark Bakshi.

Fantasia Barrino has always been steadily, moderately, successful without a ton of fanfare. She’s scored a series of hits on the R&B chart. She did a successful run on Broadway in "The Color Purple." She’s even got a Grammy under her belt, joining the aforementioned Clarkson and Underwood as the only Idol champs to earn one of those trophies. Fantasia’s fourth studio album, "Side Effects of You," was released on April 23, 2013, by RCA Records after the disbanding of J Records in 2011. If you’re a fan of Fantasia’s three previous albums, there won’t be much that surprises you "Side Effects of You." It’s a delightful collection of well-written R&B songs. You might pick up subtle things, such as Fantasia doesn’t scream quite as much as she used to, and there are no patented Babyface or Diane Warren attempts at adult contemporary crossover. Still, it falls in pretty neatly with "Free Yourself," "Fantasia," and "Back to Me." Fantasia co-wrote most of the songs on the album, which gives the album a somewhat more personal feel. Wisely, though, she steers clear of directly referencing the man drama that landed her on the TMZs of the world that caused a rumoured suicide attempt. Sure, almost all the songs are about gaining love or losing love, but they’re relatable to just about anyone who’s ever been in a relationship. For proof, check out the first single, “Lose to Win.” Despite a somewhat awkward sample of The Commodores’ hit “Nightshift,” it strikes the perfect balance between mournful and uplifting. Fantasia’s singing from the gut and the heart on this one. “Ain’t All Bad” rides on top of a low-key reggae groove, making it a great summer song, while the sassy “Change Your Mind” successfully interpolates Whitney Houston’s smash “I’m Your Baby Tonight.” It’s a nice, low-key shout-out to someone who was undoubtedly a major influence on Fantasia’s singing career. "Side Effects" is solid straight through, and while there are no slam-dunk one-listen smashes, there’s also not one terrible song on the entire album. While the album is packed with soul jams, the “Get It Right” singer hasn't abandoned her hip-hop roots. She teamed up with Mississippi MC Big K.R.I.T. on the first track, “Supernatural Love.” She also teamed up with long-time collaborator Missy Elliott and “Motivation” singer Kelly Rowland on “Without Me,” which served as the second single. Elliott has a pleasant singing voice that would have suited this song better than the 16 bars she decides to drop. The title track is a heartfelt ballad in which Fantasia sings of a man as if he were a drug. This track marks a shift in the album's tone; the album speeds up a bit after this song. "Side Effects of You" closes with “In Deep,” a passionate song that shows although Fantasia’s been burned by love, she’s still an addict. Overall, "Side Effects of You" is an enjoyable album with many standard contemporary R&B cues. Even taking some risks, Fantasia doesn’t go overly ‘left-of-center’ stylistically. She always sounds superb, but that’s the expectation from such a distinct, vocal talent. "Side Effects of You" has a consistent production and lyrical content flow. Even though the songwriting themes seemed redundant, those songs are highly personal to the singer. She lived those records. Those emotions and messages can not be faked or duplicated by anyone else but Fantasia.

Lorde has released the music video for “Leader of a New Regime,” which she directed with Joel Kefali. The water sets the visual, as has been the case for visuals for "Solar Power," including “Fallen Fruit” and title song—both directed by Lorde and Kefali. The video pairs the short, contemplative song with some stunning shots of a seaside location. There are plenty of gorgeous landscapes, but the video is tinged with some hits of the surreal, like two horseback riders emerging from the ocean and a lingering shot of a mirror situated in the sand, reflecting the surf at itself as the tide rises. Lorde also revealed to fans that she was back home in New Zealand in her recent update to fans. She wrote: “By some stroke of good fortune, I made it home for Christmas this year, which means I can say ‘Happy Summer Solstice’, and mean it. In November, Lorde announced she’d been forced to postpone the Australian and New Zealand legs of her "Solar Power" world tour to February and March 2023. The tour was initially planned to kick off in New Zealand and Australia in March of next year before continuing to the rest of the globe in April. These dates have now been pushed back, with uncertainty around the easing of border restrictions and the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in New Zealand cited for the postponement.

Belgian chanteuse Lara Fabian blesses us with a brand new album, "Lockdown Sessions," a versatile collection of tracks that saw the "I Will Love Again" singer collaborate with producer Mohammed Denebi during the early stages of the pandemic. Lara shared, “As the world entered a total immobilization last March and a surge of uncertainties, I felt the urge to do some soul-searching and seek out the positive aspects that we could take from everything we were going through.“ Like many creatives, Lara turned global turmoil into a time for artistry, as she continues: “I then explored new ways of writing, singing and making music. I am really proud to announce the release of a very special and limited edition with unique musical experiences that I have named: “Lockdown Sessions.” I hope you all enjoy, listen and fly freely to each of these musical experiences that I offer. It’s a pretty special album for me that I dedicate to my fans, that I dedicate to you." Immediate highlights for us were the striking "Le Passage," a track that begins near spoken word then transforms into an ethereal electronic trip-hop style track. The slinky electronic "Dance Under the Rain" is a treat, an icy cool electronic dance-pop affair. "Live Your Life" has a positive message and ear worming electronic melody, while "Introspection" allows Lara’s vocals to shine against striking piano arrangements. The mellow club sounds of "One" serve as a beautiful closer – an afterparty to a sumptuous musical banquet.

Earlier this month, singer-songwriter Alicia Keys released her eight-studio album “Keys.” Her first-ever double album consists of “Originals” and “Unlocked.” Today, Alicia Keys shares her new visual for “Come For Me,” featuring superstar Khalid and R&B crooner Lucky Daye. The 26-track double record also features Pusha T, Brandi Carlile, Lil Wayne, and Swae Lee. "Come For Me" video out now with my sis Alicia Keys, and Khalid Alicia directs the video, and it captures the behind-the-scenes synergy between the trio, where they had fun. The track is deemed her standout song on her musical journey to captivate Alicia’s core fans and provide an experience that only Alicia can provide. This is the second time Khalid and Alicia collaborated, and their song “So Done” was a vibe in itself. In this video for “Come for Me,” the two play board games. Next year, Alicia plans to head on tour, first starting in the UK in June, then the US in August. Alicia continues to transform her sound and willingly bridges different styles that offer something new yet nostalgic. Although she doesn’t have many features, she stands alone with her voice and her piano, boldly commanding the throne of R&B music.

2021 marked a hugely important date for Little Mix fans across the globe as it is the 10th Anniversary of the band's formation. It has been ten whole years since the band was formed at X Factor Judges Homes in Mykonos. To celebrate this monumental occasion, the world's biggest girl band released a new album, "Between Us." The album marks a decade of global hits from a record-breaking pop band. All of their hits are featured on the album, including 'Wings,' 'Black Magic,' 'Shout Out To My Ex' and 'Sweet Melody,' alongside major hits such as "Touch," "Move," "Power," "Salute" and their latest smash "Heartbreak Anthem." They have now gifted fans with a 2 CD deluxe version of the album that features 34 tracks, including five new songs. 2021 has proved to be a record-breaking year so far for the band. Earlier this year, Little Mix won ‘Best British Group’ at the 2021 BRIT Awards, the first female group in history to ever win the award. Then this August saw Little Mix celebrate 100 weeks in the Official UK Singles Chart Top 10, the most for a girl band in history. Earlier this year, the band hit No.1 in the UK with their smash hit single "Sweet Melody," their 5th UK No.1 single. Their 6th album "Confetti" has spawned four hit singles and had track sales of over 4 million. 2022 will see the band finally hit the road with their highly anticipated Confetti Tour taking in arenas across the UK and Ireland.

Michigan native singer/songwriter Hayd dropped his EP, “Changes,” this past September and has now released yet another sad single for fans titled “What Did I Do?” The Interscope-signed artist has an honest following on Instagram of 45.2K; however, his genuine acclaim is from TikTok with 409.8K followers and 8.5M likes. On TikTok, he had his EP’s title track “Changes” rake up over 10 million views. Still, “What Did I Do?” feels like the remanence of “Changes,” another sad song of a failed relationship. To emphasize this loss, the artwork for “What Did I Do?” is a lonely neighbourhood streetlamp trapped in a blue haze. It’s isolated, dark, and alone. And, much like the single artwork, Hayd’s lyrics and production capture this disconnect. The simple guitar melody that introduces the song before Hayd comes in with, “It’s funny how life takes time from under your fingers / Like snowfall takes the life of flowers in winter.” His lyrics are introspective, aware, poetic, and, above all, relatable. He doesn’t add much to the seemingly acoustic production, only more orchestral layers for a more cinematic, atmospheric feeling. If anything, it is a natural build to the song and nothing out of the ordinary. In the song’s outro, there is a noticeable distortion in his voice, as if he is talking through the paper, and the sound adds that extra punch of loneliness. Through it all, he finishes, “Oh, what did I do? Mm-mm.” There’s no other way to take it but a defeat.

Mary J. Blige announced earlier this month that she is gearing up to release her 15th studio album, "Good Morning Gorgeous," which will drop next year. This will serve as the follow-up to 2017’s "Strength Of A Woman;" Blige is ready to leave a new mark on her storied career. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul closes out the year with her single “Amazing” video featuring DJ Khaled. The celebratory clip finds the 50-year-old superstar looking better than ever as she parties with some of her closest friends, including Diddy, Trina, Angie Martinez, Misa Hylton, and Justin Combs. “Amazing” is one of two singles from Mary’s upcoming 15th studio album "Good Morning Gorgeous," which arrives on Feb. 11. Earlier this month, she released a video for the title track. In an interview with Tamron Hall, she opened up about the follow-up to 2017’s "Strength of a Woman." “Wait till you hear it; it’s gonna blow everybody’s mind,” she said. “And it’s because it’s something I had to do, and something I had to say when I was in my darkest, darkest moments in that life, to build myself up to this person that I can see and accept my nose, accept my eyes, accept my cheeks, accept all the things that I used to hate.”

Bryson Tiller is doing everything in his power to cement his status as the R&B king of Christmas this year, it seems. The “Outta Time” recording artist recently shared "A Different Christmas," and now, just a few weeks later he’s teamed up with acappella group Pentatonix to give us their take on “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late).” The song is sure to put you in the holiday mood. Since it's a remake of a classic, you’ll already know all of the words, and Tiller’s beautiful voice pairs perfectly with Pentatonix to create a vocal medley that you’ll want to play over and over again during the coming weeks. On his latest album, the Kentucky native collaborated with Justin Bieber and Poo Bear on “Lonely Christmas,” Kiana Lede on “present,” and Tayla Parx on “Ain’t A Lonely Christmas song.” However, the 28-year-old most noteworthy feature is "Halo" — a.k.a. Harley, Tiller’s daughter. The eight-year-old singer is featured on the most classic cut of the album, “Winter Wonderland.” When it comes to his daughter’s love for music, Tiller says it was always apparent, but recently, he realized just how promising Harley’s voice is. “I was with her for Halloween, and she was singing an Ariana Grande song, and she hit some note, and I was like, ‘Yo, hold on,'” he says. The 28-year-old singer is already working on the album’s deluxe version, which he says will include happier tracks.

UK singer-songwriter, Sarah Proctor, releases an acoustic version of her track entitled “Not For Me." Inspired by genuine moments in Sarah’s life, the song is about unrequited love and self-discovery. The song is a universally relatable, powerful ballad and a continuation of Sarah’s signature mellow style with passionate vocals and heartfelt lyrics over a soft production. Sarah says, “I wrote 'Not For Me’ for everyone who has loved and not felt it in return. I think as humans, we can sometimes get caught between connections, where it’s not just friendship but not quite love, and it’s somewhere in between. I’ve been caught in a few of those moments, and this song & music video completely tell my story of that from beginning to end. My life is made up of all these little moments which have helped me discover my sexuality and realize who I am.” The accompanying music video follows a young Sarah in grade school to realize her feelings for a classmate. It is a beautiful depiction of Sarah’s real-life experiences that made her come to terms with her sexuality. She signed a publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing and released her independent debut EP, "Show Your Love, in 2020. In 2021, Sarah landed a major deal with Geffen Records and introduced her next chapter with her previous singles, “The Breaks” and “Lost.” The music video for “Lost” is significant to Sarah, as she is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Country singer-songwriters Vince Gill and Mickey Guyton teamed up to release a new song, “Love Changes Everything," that is featured the Lionsgate film “American Underdog” soundtrack. In regards to the piano-driven and string-laden love ballad, it’s one that Gill has wanted to create for quite some time. “I remember the first time I heard Mickey sing at an industry event,” Gill noted. “I went and introduced myself and told her that someday we’d sing together because I really loved her voice. Finally, that has come true. This great Tom Douglas song is better because of her being a part of it.” The film for which it is part of the soundtrack is the story of the love affair between supermarket bagger-turned-Super Bowl starting quarterback, National Football League Most Valuable Player, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda. When the couple met and fell in love, Kurt was still struggling, and Brenda was a single mother of two children. Zachary Levi portrays Kurt Warner, and Anna Paquin is in the role of his wife, Brenda. Dennis Quaid fills the role of Warner’s coach with whom he achieved stardom while playing with the St. Louis Rams, Dick Vermeil. Related, Guyton added, “I’ve always been such a big fan of Vince’s. Beyond his incredible voice and musicianship, no one has a bigger heart for giving back to the community and lifting people like Vince. For him to ask me to be on ‘Love Changes Everything’ and to get to work with him on such a beautiful song was just so special.”

Indie-pop outfit Arlie has treated us one final time for the year with the release of their glistening new single, "Crashing Down." The track is the latest in many engaging releases from the band, including "Poppin" and "Wait A Minute." Arriving hot off the heels of the group's 6-date DIY tour, the shimmering release explores the realization that everything is temporary and our lives could change at any given moment. Instead of dwelling on the fact, the track emphasizes spending time with loved ones, brought to life by frontman Nathaniel Banks' magnetic vocal performance. “Right now feels like about the right time to be putting this one out. "Crashing Down" is about this feeling of "everything I've built my sense of security upon might suddenly crumble" and how that can really make you re-evaluate your priorities. The more I internalize that everything I take for granted is temporary (including life itself), the more I consider radically shifting my life choices. It's about how a dream scared me enough to snap me out of taking a lot of things for granted and enough to make me realize how much I care about being in the physical presence of the people I love most.” frontman Nathaniel Banks shares. The release arrives alongside a vibrant nostalgia-fuelled visual, starring Banks alongside Adam Lochemes, Carson Lystad, and Ryan Savage. The captivating visual is another shining moment from the band, whose visuals never miss, directed by Gabe Drechsler.

Barenaked Ladies returned in October with their first new album in four years entitled "Detour de Force." The 14-track effort is the result of both pre-and post-lockdown recording sessions. Today they release a new song titled "Landed On My Feet" from "The Super Bob Einstein Movie." Set to premiere, Tuesday, December 28, the HBO Documentary Films production shines a light on the legacy of the actor and writer through the eyes of people who knew him best. HBO has unveiled its star-studded teaser for the documentary ahead of the premiere, which is full of laughs. Written and directed by Danny Gold, who produces with George Shapiro and Aimee Hyatt, "The Super Bob Einstein Movie" pays homage to Einstein’s past, including his comedic contributions with an alter-ego like Super Dave Osborne. The memorable role was part of Einstein’s work on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." The special also acknowledges one of Einstein’s final roles in HBO’s long-running comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm," He portrayed Marty Funkhouser. Einstein died in 2019 after a brief battle with cancer. Barenaked Ladies have sold over 15 million albums, written multiple top 20 hits, garnered 2 GRAMMY nominations, and won 8 JUNO Awards. The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and Toronto Mayor John Tory declared October 1st “Barenaked Ladies Day.”

Evanescence covered the Beatles’ classic “Across The Universe,” first performed at their 2018 on the "Synthesis" World Tour. They added the studio recording of the cover to the deluxe version of their latest LP, "The Bitter Truth." which went No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Hard Rock Albums chart. “Across the Universe” could be called a spiritual song. It is a song about life’s struggles, but Lennon insists that “Nothing’s gonna change my world.” The added Hindu mantra “Jai guru deva, om” roughly translates to “Victory to God Divine.” Amy Lee’s passionate singing brings out the genuine emotions of this song. It provides a sense of peace. It reminds listeners of a Disney soundtrack. Evanescence’s cover. In The Beatles’ version of “Across the Universe,” listeners can hear the soft, melodic background vocals of McCartney, Harrison, and Lennon. The cadence is a bit faster, and the strumming of the guitar is front and center in the song. Amy Lee’s vocals and piano are the most apparent instruments in the Evanescence cover. From their graphic novels to covering a hit by The Beatles, Evanescence is unstoppable. Evanescence will be heading back on tour next month (January) after COVID-19 cases within the band's touring party forced them to postpone the last five dates of their tour with Halestorm. You can check out the rescheduled dates and grab your tickets here.

Irish-American singer-songwriter Patricia Kelly is a highly successful artist and recently released the title single from her new album "Unbreakable," set to be released on December 30, 2021. Her courageous, combative personality, who had to free herself from phases of external control and narcissistic influences in the course of her global career, just as in her private life, is a little less in the foreground. How to stay strong and defend yourself is now documented by her brand new single "Doll," which Patricia's son and now songwriter Iggi Kelly co-wrote for the first time. It's in the lyrics of "Doll" as well as in the determining beats and Patricia's voice, which surprises with a perfect touch of rock appeal: “I ain't a doll you can play with - I'm not your Friday night entertainment. My heart's already been thru so much, but I've had enough. “It's the belief in yourself and unconditional trust in a love that moves mountains and the powerhouse Patricia Kelly on all tracks of the new album due in 2022, virtuoso and consistent set to music: “The new songs embody nostalgic emotion or move forward. In between, there is nothing. ”This makes the uncompromising "Doll" another perfect foretaste of "Unbreakable," a fearless, international pop album that not only fans will love. She will be embarking on her Unbreakable Tour in 2022 and 2023. The tour kicks off at Haus Auensee in Leipzig on September 23, 2022.

Better known as @xobrooklynne on TikTok, the 17-year-old built her brand with body-positive content and some POV princess videos. But don’t try to put her in a box, especially now. Her focus has been promoting her new single “My Crown” all over her page for the past month. It’s a song dedicated to all of her haters—and wow, did they show up. But now she surprised everyone and dropped her full album that includes fourteen tracks of the same song remixed in different ways from dance club to Broadway. Plenty of social media stars has turned their attention to the music industry over the years. TikTok is no exception, with its popular influencers releasing their hit songs and even albums in some cases. Bella Poarch, Addison Rae, and Dixie D’Amelio are all famous stars who have released music that has been the subject of conversation on social media. The latest artist to cause a stir is Brooklynne Webb, who goes by the name. Broklynne is a TikToker with over 10 million followers, often posts videos about makeup and fashion, and shares messages of positivity. On December 8, she released her debut song, "My Crown," but the song and accompanying music video divided viewers as people couldn’t tell whether the star was serious. Although Brooklynne is not planning on pursuing a music career, it seems that this project has garnered her a whole new group of fans.

Zedd, Grey, and Maren Morris’ hit single, “The Middle,” almost didn’t come to fruition because of the lead vocalist's drama. One of the biggest hurdles to jump was finding the perfect vocalist for the song. It took over a year before they stumbled onto Maren Morris, a singer Zedd had had never heard of before listening to her demo. Some top billing female vocalists took a shot at the lead vocals for the song, including Camila Cabello, Anne-Marie, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo, Bebe Rexha, Lauren Jauregui from Fifth Harmony, Daya, and Elle King. The three closest to making the cut were Camila Cabello, Anne-Marie and today, we get the version with the lead vocals from Demi Lovato with Grey and Zedd. Initially, the song producers and writers wanted Demi. In the end, however, she chose “Sorry Not Sorry” over “The Middle," which in the end was a good move. The songwriters next approached Camila, but just a tad too late. Her hit, “Havana,” was starting to climb the charts, making her incredibly busy. Finally, the project was thought to be finished with Anne-Marie on board. But, of course, it didn’t work out. Due to conflicts with her feature on Marshmello’s “Friends,” she had to back out at the last second. The producers were ready to give up on “The Middle” until Zedd came across a demo that they missed: Maren Morris’. They loved the country singer’s vocals and how well it matched Sarah Aarons’ vocals, who wrote the song and sang in the original demo.