By Olivia Turner | Arts & Life Editor

‘New’ has been a theme for many of us students this week. New classes, schedules and friends— why not throw some new songs into the mix? I hope you enjoy these trending tunes as much as I did.

“Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars (August 16)

This duet takes me back to my middle school music taste, which I can proudly say included several songs by Gaga and Mars. With Gaga starring in the upcoming “Joker: Folie À Deux,” fans have suspected there might be a connection between this release and the film, though that theory seems to have been disproven. I found this song to be a refreshing combo of two voices crafted perfectly for singing soulful ballads. It’s almost reminiscent to Gaga’s 2018 hit sung alongside Bradley Cooper, “Shallow,” but make it Bruno Mars with a 70’s country vibe.

“She likes sports” by almost monday (August 16)

Whoever Dawson Daugherty (leader singer) is singing about in “she likes sports” is the rebellious boss-girl I want to be. This song will have you walking to your classes confident and cool (although the weather might not be). If you’ve enjoyed this taste of almost monday and are hungry for more, the band will be releasing the full album titled “DIVE” on September 25.

“baggy t-shirt” by asiris (August 22)

With summer just wrapping up, we all need a tune to play while reflecting on the memories. “baggy t-shirt” is just one of those songs full of summer nostalgia, a theme common in much of this indie-pop artist’s work, such as his breakout hit “my friend’s toyota.”

“Taste” by Sabrina Carpenter (August 23)

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste,” my favorite song from her new “Short n’ Sweet” album, has been playing on repeat in my brain all weekend and I am not at all mad about that. So has Jenna Ortega’s stunning appearance in the song’s beautiful, yet bloody music video. This is the catchy and cleverly-written break-up anthem I didn’t ask for, but accepted with open arms.