On March 28th, Avery Friedman returns with “New Thing,” the final single (and title song) from April 18th’s debut album. Produced by James Chrisman (SISTER. / CIAO MALZ) and featuring Felix Walworth (FLORIST / TOLD SLANT), “New Thing” follows the acclaimed “Flowers Fell” and “Photo Booth” singles, which explored themes like growth, resilience, queerness, and change.
Previously, Friedman had felt that songwriting was just something that other people did until she found herself pushed by a transcendent live music experience and this traumatic mugging to seek catharsis through words and music. After first appearing on benefit compilations like GUNK’s ‘For Palestine,’ she played her first show in July 2024.
Friedman has quickly established herself as a heartfelt artist unafraid to be vulnerable, and the latest single from her album proves this sentiment. “New Thing” is driven by vague yet potent poetry that reaches into your soul and unearths a memory you were trying to forget, but facing it is the only way to process it all. Friedman’s smooth vocal delivery makes the emotional songwriting all the more palpable, giving her lyrics all the more depth. Her approach to songwriting leaves just enough room for the listener to paint their own picture, digest, and process the heaviness of “New Thing.” Friedman delivers this poetic prowess over twinkling acoustics juxtaposed by dense, grunge-leaning electric guitars, combining to create a stunning canvas for the artist’s writing. With a new album around the corner, Friedman unleashes the wistful title track. “New Thing” is a beautifully crafted and emotionally dense ballad that tugs at the heartstrings with gentle melodies.
“I wrote ‘New Thing’ in one sitting after riding the subway home alone at night for the first time since being mugged at knifepoint months prior,” explains Friedman. “I was shocked and disoriented by the anxiety I experienced doing something so routine—I felt foreign to myself. It’s one of the first of my songs that I truly loved, which is part of why I chose it as the title of my upcoming record. I’m grateful for how this song continues to bring me back into my body.”
