Hello, my favorite Monday peeps! Here we are, the final Monday of February already! January seemed to go on forever, but February has gone by in the blink of an eye! Meanwhile, since it is Monday, you know that Monday means music! This week is a freebie week, so grab your favorite tune(s) and come dance with us, won’t you?
Let’s start with a new (to me) American singer-songwriter and former rapper. After self-releasing his debut extended play in the Summer of 2017, he built an online following and was signed to Interscope Records in 2018.
In this song the aritest dives into the willful ignorance that comes with a young love that won’t last. As he states, “the puzzle won’t piece,” he acknowledges the relationship between the girl he loves, who “never treated [him] nice,” will not work. At the same time, he admits that even though “the writing’s on the wall, [he] pretends [he] can’t read.”
The song takes an honest, vulnerable approach to what it feels like to begin admitting to yourself that the love you feel won’t last. Chalk it up to youth or growing pains, no matter what, it hurts.
Give a listen to ROLE MODEL with “Writing’s On The Wall”:
Next up is another new (to me) group with a new song they dropped in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The tender ballad is joined by a heartwarmingly romantic official music video directed by Matthew Coleman, and co-starring avowed fans, superstar comedian Matt Rife, as well as fitness influencer Mariah Morse. Matt said:
“When I first discovered [this group], I was like, What is this? Who is this angel?” I was just playing music over the house speakers, and ‘I’m Still Fine’ came on, and I absolutely fell in love. I went through a total rabbit hole, playing every song off every album on repeat for months and months. We finally had the opportunity to meet last year at Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City, Florida, and they’re even better guys than they are musicians.”
In the music video, Matt meets a woman on a bus, forges a bond, then lets her get away. The video becomes a Sliding Doors-like search for the couple, with both struggling in vain to find the other: One is walking into a bookshop while the other is walking out. At one point, he chases down the bus, sees her board, and finally is reunited. He said:
“The music video for ‘[this song]’ is pretty much about a guy who feels kind of lost and alone, not really sure what he’s supposed to do with his life or who he’s going to spend it with. One lonely day, he’s on the bus and this woman – played by Mariah Morse – walks on and just seems to be the answer to everything he’s been missing.
They have an immediate spark on this very short bus ride and then get off without really finalizing their interaction. So then my character kind of goes on this quest to find this woman who made him feel the way that she did, and hopes that she feels the same way.”
Here’s The Red Clay Strays with “If I Didn’t Know You”:
Next up is a brand-new single from this favorite duo (who my kid introduced me to quite a number of years ago), which was originally an exclusive bonus track on their latest album, a limited-edition expansion of their 2025 album. At the time, however, the song was only available for one week.
Since then, the song has found new life on social media—and the duo decided to get back in the studio to record a new, shortened version of the song. Though it was previously unavailable on streaming, the song amassed more than 1.5B views across over 75K creates, according to a press release.
The song also created a trend on social media, where creators would post reflective videos using the term “drag path” to describe memories, objects, or moments that have left a lasting emotional mark. On Instagram, the duo explained their reason for releasing the song:
“We had not wanted to release ‘Drag Path’ officially because we wanted to respect those who purchased it back when the album was being released, so that’s why we’ve waited. But now we want to release it.
What we’re gonna do is we’re gonna release it with a slightly different edit to it so that those who bought it have a more original version of it. So the official released version is gonna be a little bit different, structurally.
Most of it is intact, but I wanted to save something special for those who purchased it originally. We’re in a rehearsal space now, working on maybe playing this song live this year. Hopefully you’ll like it.”
Give a listen to Twenty One Pilots with “Drag Path”:
Last but certainly not least, a new single from this American pop band, which was released back in September. Following their fifth studio album back in 2023, they began crafting new material for a new EP. During the writing and production process, they encountered creative uncertainties and opted for a more emotional, honest approach.
In mid-2025, they began hinting at their next single by posting multiple short teaser clips on their TikTok account—generating early buzz and speculation among fans ahead of the official release. The full song was officially released on September 5, 2025, as the final track on their new EP.
The official video, released alongside the single, features surreal visual sequences and thematic imagery that tie into the song’s exploration of change and reflection. Scenes include the band navigating a shifting landscape of past-and-present symbols and the use of a titular “goodbye” motif.
Get ready to dance, here’s AJR with “The Big Goodbye”:
That’s a wrap for this week – have a great Monday! See you on the dance floor!
Now, onto the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me: 
I have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and our musical cohort, the awesome Cathy from Curious as a CAThy, and Alana of Ramblin’ with AM!
Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!
It’s all new to me.
I found Red Clay Strays a few years back and fell in love with their music. They are a great band. Thanks for sharing this new-to-me song. New-to-me seems to be the theme this week.
I don’t know any of these bands/groups..lol. i did enjoy the listen and lived the animation with the poor bunny and the wolf.
My favorites this week is a tie – The Big Goodbye and If I Didn’t Know You.