Tyla and Ayra Starr. Photo via publicist.
The FADER’s “Songs You Need” are the tracks we can’t stop playing. Check back every day for new music and follow along on our Spotify playlist.
Dolly Parton's "Jolene" showed the world how to write a defiant song about a desperate romantic plea: just because you're racked with anxiety over the thought of someone stealing your lover doesn't mean that you have to be a simp about it. Tyla and Ayra Starr's new single is about as far away from '70s country music as you can get, but the spirit is the same.
A blend of Ampiano, Afrobeats, and contemporary R&B, "Girl Next Door" sports a rare chemistry between its two artists. Tyla lays out the stakes from the jump, singing, "Don't mess this up, I'm warning you / Got a lot of options, wish that they were you." The downy quality is brought back down to earth by the richly marbled vocals of Arya Starr, who gets more definitive in her verse while still sounding like she's running off the energy of a good cry. These complementing energies help to make "Girl Next Door" a richly rewarding, instantly mood-elevating listen that contains a deep emotionality within its "song of the summer" appearance.
