Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams shared excitement about her upcoming third album at a Los Angeles event on January 7, 2026, calling it her most personal work yet. Meanwhile, Australian artist The Kid Laroi released his sophomore album Before I Forget on January 10, 2026, a vulnerable exploration of heartbreak and acceptance. These developments signal a strong start to the year for both rising stars in pop and hip-hop.
The music scene kicked off 2026 with notable activity from two young artists navigating personal and professional milestones. On January 7, Gracie Abrams attended a Chanel event at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, where she spoke to People magazine about her third album, nicknamed GA3. "I’m beyond ready for it to belong to everyone else," she said. "I’ve never felt this way about anything I’ve made before, so it’s definitely driving me crazy in a good way." Abrams expressed calm confidence, noting, "I really like it right now. I think I feel kind of calm about it. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with it."
Building on her prior successes, Abrams collaborated with producer Aaron Dessner of The National for her 2023 album Good Riddance and 2024's The Secret of Us, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The latter included a duet with Taylor Swift titled "us.," earning a 2025 Grammy nomination for best pop duo/group performance—though it lost to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars's "Die With a Smile." Abrams opened for Swift on select Eras Tour dates and performed unreleased tracks like "Out of Nowhere" at Glastonbury, "Crazy Girl" at BST Hyde Park in summer 2025, and "Death Wish," released as a single in April 2025. In March 2025, she received Songwriter of the Year honors at the Billboard Women in Music Awards, underscoring her growing influence.
Abrams emphasized collaboration in her process: "At the end of the day, it’s all about the people you get to make things with and spend your time with, and that means the most to me right now. So, yeah, any day in the studio is a great day."
In parallel, The Kid Laroi, now 22, unveiled Before I Forget, his sophomore album reviewed positively by Melodic Magazine on January 10, 2026. Developed over three years—including one scrapped project—the record blends hip-hop, R&B, and pop, featuring Lithe, Clara La San, and producer Andrew Aged. It follows his 2023 debut The First Time and the chart-topping "Stay" with Justin Bieber. Influenced by 1980s synths and early 2000s R&B, the album delves into regret and growth, opening with "ME + YOU" and including the lead single "A COLD PLAY" from September 2025. Tracks like "JULY" feature raw lyrics: "They gas you up and give you seven different reasons to hate me." Standouts include "PRIVATE," "RATHER BE" with Lithe, and the acoustic "5:21 AM."
Clara La San appears on "THE MOMENT," leading into a reflective second half. As described, "The Kid Laroi acknowledges that, with the relationship now over, there is no one left to defend, signaling a quiet but complete acceptance." The album contrasts his earlier work, offering emotional depth for fans of artists like Juice WRLD and iann dior.
