This Week In Music: Sub Urban, Mai Moxi, and More!, News In Progress

We at TREMG love spotlighting rising and underappreciated talent to give underground creators a platform and the recognition they deserve. But while we love a good monthly roundup, there’s so much great music coming out on a weekly basis that we wanted to share even more. And artists like Ike Rhein and Tessa Kaye were killing it this week! Here’s what you may have missed over the past few days.

TREMG Reviews

Harry Styles is entering a new era of his career with “As It Was,” and the results are absolutely stunning. Ahead of his Harry’s Home album release, we took a look at the meanings you might’ve missed behind the lyrics, music video, and more. Check that out here!

TREMG News

As New York City comes back to life, there are plenty of events coming up in the realms of music, culture, and more. From the Korea: Cubically Imagined exhibition, to concerts from artists like Jamie Miller and Valerie June, to Red Bull’s innovative Culture Clash event, May is packed with stunning attractions you can’t miss. Check out some of our top picks right here!

New Signings

Congratulations to the rising Nigerian star Pheelz, who just joined the Warner Records family! He’s finding viral success with his laidback single “Finesse” with BNXN, which boasts the acclaim and money he’s garnered so early into his career. If he keeps up with this amount of finesse and determination, we know there will be a whole new world of success in his future.

New Singles

Sub Urban recruits BENEE for “UH OH!,” an electrifying and irresistibly catchy track about calling out someone who treated you wrong. Perfect for fans of YUNGBLUD’s “parents,” it merges a vengeful, revenge-driven message with an eclectic pop sound so effortlessly. And don’t even get us started on the eerie music video! Set in a suburban neighborhood, it sees Sub Urban creeping and hovering around a family’s retro home, all while resisting their attempts to kick him out. Meanwhile, they call police officer BENEE for help, but she assists Sub Urban in freaking them out even more when she simply sings away their concerns.

I feel so refreshed to finally release this song, and I am beyond thrilled to start the countdown to my debut album. Benee’s presence in ‘UH OH!’ gives the song a much-needed level of enchantment. Though it’s a shame we never met in person, she nailed her parts in this project, both vocally and in the video.
Sub Urban

Pushing past self-doubt and insecurity, Mai Moxi reflects on her journey as an artist and a person on “Impostor Syndrome (Interlude),” and a year and a half after its initial release on her NYMPHAEA album, she’s breathing new life into the track with a colorful music video! While listening to the song, the back-and-forth vocals make it feel like you’re speeding through a tunnel towards your future, for better or for worse. But for Mai, it’s clear she only has better and brighter things in her musical future. She never compromises her vision or her ambition and the results are already starting to inspire others and pay off.

As black women, we wear many ‘hats.’ I self-reflect with the mantra in the ‘Impostor Syndrome (Interlude)’ lyrics saying ‘Who do you think you are?’ over and over. Though I am asking you in the song, I am ultimately asking, ‘who are we NOT to be dope?!’
Mai Moxi

rei brown delivers the ultimate escapist love story on ‘Could I Be Somebody,’ inspired by his experience in a closeted queer romance when he was discovering his identity. ‘Could I Be Somebody’ is simply electric, with the dreamy synths nodding to 80s pop while still maintaining a futuristic, almost otherworldly, feel. You can hear just how much each lyric means to rei as he sings, and it’s clear that his unapologetic vulnerability and confidence while navigating such personal matters are going to be the defining traits of his musical legacy.

In middle school, I was realizing I was queer, and navigating that loneliness. Other people were starting to have relationships and it felt like that world was cut off to me. I felt like someone must be out there for me, but I just couldn’t see them or feel them — as if they were in a different plane of reality. When another boy and I came out to each other and started dating, it really felt like entering a parallel dimension. We got to form our own little secret world where we could be safe together.
rei brown

Tessa Kaye fights the idea that life is all “Sunshine & Rainbows” on her addictively catchy new alt-pop single! From the bouncy, unique bassline to the unapologetic honesty in her lyrics, this song and Tessa’s vocals will instantly hook you in. She’s never afraid to speak her mind or tell people not to “tell her not to cry” when she’s dealing with something difficult, and after the hectic few years everyone has gone through together, it’s the perfect anthem for those days where you just need to feel what you’re feeling without someone telling you to shrug it off.

So many times I’ve found myself in situations where I was trying to mask my authenticity to not come off as ‘negative.’ Life isn’t always sunshine & rainbows…and I’d say that’s kinda the whole point. Balance, baby. Contrast. Bad times just make the good ones feel that much better.
Tessa Kaye

You already know we love Ike Rhein, who we got to interview earlier this year, and his latest single “Violin” gives us even more reason to. Even with how upbeat and catchy the track is, it might just be some of his most introspective, vulnerable work to date. He pours his heart out about how a girl in his life seems to dismiss his worries and thoughts, and he starts picking up the pieces to build a life he feels more secure in.

The song captures the turning point in life where a person starts to notice their self-worth and self-value. It shows that the best way to see value in other people is to build value in yourself.
Ike Rhein

Live Events

aespa are set to become one of the biggest acts in K-pop history, and their jaw-dropping set at Coachella this weekend is the perfect example of their ability to command a stage and connect with fans. With stunning vocals, smooth dance moves, and a clear bond as a group, aespa absolutely stole the show and converted several festival-goers into MYs, or their fans. They even gave a preview of an unreleased song, “Life’s Too Short!”

Warning: The performance video below contains flashing images – viewer discretion is advised for people with photosensitivity.

Coi Leray is bringing her buzzing new album Trendsetter on a tour presented by Monster Energy this spring! The Monster Energy Outbreak Tour Presents: Coi Leray Trendsetter Tour is Coi’s first headlining run, and she’ll be stopping in cities like Boston, MA and Houston, TX. Wanna grab those tickets? Go, best friend! You can browse the dates right here.

For pop-punk and rock fans, you need to make your way to Washington, PA this fall to catch the 8th Four Chord Music Festival, which is bringing together acts like Jimmy Eat World, The Maine, Bad Religion, and more for two straight days of energetic performances. It’s only half an hour from Pittsburgh, so it’s like a musical escape of sorts without having to venture too far from the big city. You can grab your tickets on the festival’s website here!

Music On Screen

If you’ve been keeping up with NBC’s American Song Contest – a weekly competition where musicians from each state perform their best original songs – you’ve probably been at the edge of your seat waiting for the announcement of which eliminated competitors will go through as the Wildcard pick for the semi-finals. And trap-country fusion rapper Ryan Charles is coming back to represent his home of Wyoming! You can catch the semi-final rounds starting on Monday, April 25th, so be sure to check your local listings so you don’t miss it.