Probably?: Justin Bieber, “Yummy” – When the snippet of Bieber’s first single of the new decade dropped in December, I immediately contacted his publicist, Gabe Tesoriero. “Did Ty $ write this!!!! It sounds good,” was my verbatim email to Gabe; I have yet to receive a response, perhaps because as we now know, former Biebz collaborator Ty Dolla $ign had nothing to do with the making of “Yummy.” But the Ty-ness within the track is what I love about it: the dirty simplicity couched in the type of silken melody usually meant for wooing; the aloof approach to something (sex) badly desired but not so thirstily it must be forceful; the smoothness of the consonants in the chorus—yummyyummyyummyyummy. These are characteristics of Ty Dolla $ign’s near-entire catalog, why Ty is one of my favorite artists of the last 15 years. I’m not sure that Bieber sells it as maturely (or as nastily) as Ty would, but I can already predict this song will get under my skin, surely as it reminds me of Hailey Bieber being actively married to this manchild. I will very likely bang it, but mostly in the background. —Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
Yes: Hailee Steinfeld, “Wrong Direction” – While it is usually super wack and a total waste of energy to attempt to identify the source of pain (the man) behind a breakup song, the very title of Hailee Steinfeld’s comeback ballad is too delicious to ignore. “Wrong Direction,” I refuse to be told otherwise, is likely a nod to her recent ex, Niall Horan of One Direction. If that’s the case, it’s a biting tune; she accuses her former fling of an affair, which is very much not the sweet Irish boy’s brand. At any rate, the song is good—like a Selena Gomez single with less whispering—and I welcome any and all conspiracy theories about it in the comments below. Thank you.
Yes: Hailee Steinfeld, “Wrong Direction” – While it is usually super wack and a total waste of energy to attempt to identify the source of pain (the man) behind a breakup song, the very title of Hailee Steinfeld’s comeback ballad is too delicious to ignore. “Wrong Direction,” I refuse to be told otherwise, is likely a nod to her recent ex, Niall Horan of One Direction. If that’s the case, it’s a biting tune; she accuses her former fling of an affair, which is very much not the sweet Irish boy’s brand. At any rate, the song is good—like a Selena Gomez single with less whispering—and I welcome any and all conspiracy theories about it in the comments below. Thank you.