Welcome to Music Daily’s Trending Tracks, where we highlight the artists and trends occupying the music industry’s attention. Some come out of the woodwork, others have endured a months-long crusade to greatness. Nonetheless, all of them are captivating the short-circuited minds of Gen-Z social media users.
Today, Trending Tracks newcomer Artemas blows away his competitors with his new single, “i like it when you kiss me.”
Artemas Strikes TikTok Gold with Hazy New Single “i like it when you kiss me”
Billboard first recognized the English-Cypriot on its Hot Alternative Songs chart with 2023’s “if you think i’m pretty,” but “kiss me” is worlds apart, in the range of 100 million streams or so. On the Spotify Global chart, the dark pop artist is currently capping at 135 million streams with “kiss me,” while knocking down Hozier’s “Too Sweet” and Djo’s “End of Beginning” to top-three placements.
Now soundtracking over 800k TikTok videos, Artemas, born Artemas Diamandis, first let users soak in the song’s “ice-cold disco-noir” prior to its March 19 release. In the vein of The Weeknd and Artic Monkeys, Artemas is somewhere in the middle (of all the biggest Spotify “sex” playlists, too). “kiss me” is a sad-boy pout, cigarette in hand. Though the rare TikToker finds the spoken word angsty aggression more palatable, no dance is required for virality.
“I like the way you kiss me, I can tell you miss me / I can tell it hits, hits, hits, hits.” Artemas’ intro has a smoky punch. “Not tryna be romantic, I’ll hit it from the back / Just so you don’t get attached (’tached, ’tached, ’tached).” The accompanying lyric video’s luscious blue background embodies the same spirit of pouty lips and sketchy Gen-Z hook-up culture. Stream “i like it when you kiss me” by Artemas below!
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