Zeina's no-nonsense warning, and 3 more songs you need to hear this week

Songs you need to hear is CBC Music's weekly list of hot new Canadian tracks. 

Scroll down to discover the songs our producers are loving right now.

Times Two, Zeina

Every summer needs a feisty kiss-off anthem — and with equal parts sexiness and biting criticism, Zeina's Times Two is ready to take the 2025 crown. Instead of wallowing in sadness when a man isn't treating her right, she's decided she'll return the favour: "I've got a set of brand new rules/ Everything you do I'mma do times two," she sings on the chorus. With a nostalgic early 2000s R&B groove and Arab guitar licks sprinkled throughout, Times Two is undeniably a banger, but it's Zeina's mess-wtih-me-if-you-dare energy that really sells it. Whoever she's singing about is likely quivering in their boots with the way she darkly sings: "My turn, baby." — Kelsey Adams

Furthest Limb,  Rachel Bobbitt

Throughout Rachel Bobbitt's latest single, Furthest Limb, the singer-songwriter repeatedly asks the question, "What did I say to you?" Bobbitt yearns to resolve a miscommunication that has caused a rift, her voice fighting through swirls of instrumentation that threaten to swallow her whole. "I try but I can't call you back in," she mournfully sings, "You sway like a child at play/ The wind one measured gust from taking you away." Furthest Limb is a moving plea for connection, one that is also beautifully reflected in the interpretive movements featured in its accompanying music video directed by Colin Medley. — Melody Lau 

GoodThankYou, Shelailai

Vancouver's Shelailai (Lailah Francis) slides her springy, energetic flow over skittering, summery beats on GoodThankYou, her reflective hip-hop track about learning to bounce back. Balancing self-deprecation ("I'm sure I should be more secure, but I'm misunderstood") and sly playfulness ("Hand me the money case so I can get away"), she seamlessly flips between singing and rapping, giving off a Tierra Whack-meets-Doechii inspired delivery. With hooky one liners sprinkled throughout, she saves the best for the chorus, gliding over the earworm-y melody. As she tries to explain why she's OK despite having had better days, she raps: "Therapy is on the list of things I do but don't got certificates for," and charmingly encourages listeners to persist through the lows and stay grinding. "I'm not alright but now I'm good," she sings before the groove of the outro twists and decelerates. — Natalie Harmsen

Better, Boyfrn

Toronto artist Boyfrn just culminated a five-part musical series, called Kissing Mirrors, that began last June. It explores the different stages of grief, with songs delving into denial (Show&Prove), anger (GoGo), bargaining (Good Time) and depression (Madman). The latest single, Better, finds Boyfrn as he reaches the final step: acceptance. His idiosyncratic vocals bop over buoyant synths, chock full of possibility: "You don't have to hurt no more/ Hope you find what you're looking for," he sings in a vibrant falsetto. Better is about "reaching a place where you no longer carry the weight of a past relationship," he shared in a press release. "It's not about anger or regret — it's about finally releasing it and hoping they find happiness, even if it's without you." The production is teeming with optimism, as Boyfrn parses through and lets go of his past, the danceable drums and airy synths promising a brighter future. — KA