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British musician Nia Smith has shared her new single “High” and announced her sophomore EP, Payback Is A Dog, due June 26. The Ivor Novello and MOBO-nominated artist released “High” on May 29 as the third song from the project, following her earlier single “Tough.”

“High” centers on leaving behind people, relationships, jobs, and interests that once felt defining. Smith said the song is “about outgrowing things that once made you feel on top of the world,” adding that it is “emotional and soft while also being dreamy and reflective.” The track includes the lyric “like jeans that are fading, lost and frayed, it’s nothing worth saving.”

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Payback Is A Dog follows Smith’s debut EP, Give Up The Fear, which arrived last year. The new project is described as a narrative time capsule, with each song marking a make-or-break point in a relationship, whether romantic, familial, or rooted in friendship. Smith also said she recently took time away in Jamaica after releasing her first collection. “I’ve just been living life,” she said. “I think the whole break was just me living life and just gaining life experience to talk about.”

The announcement follows a run of live dates and media attention for the Brixton artist, who signed to Polydor in 2023 and later to Def Jam 0207. Smith attended the Brit School and ELAM, wrote songs as a teenager, and found an early audience on TikTok with cover songs. Smith has performed on Later… With Jools Holland and appeared at All Points East, City Splash, and Glastonbury through BBC Introducing. She was nominated for Rising Star at the Ivor Novello Awards this year and previously received coverage from Billboard, NME, and more. Smith has also performed at Mahalia Presents at the Jazz Cafe, supported Pip Millett at Somerset House, and joined Jordan Rakei and Elmiene on US, UK, and EU tour dates.

Listen to Nia Smith’s “High” here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

In the decade after leaving The Supremes in 1970, Diana Ross had enormous success. She released ten solo albums, starred in Lady Sings the Blues and The Wiz, and was named the “Female Entertainer of the Century” by Billboard. But by the end of the decade, she knew it was time to turn her sound “upside down.” So, in 1979, she commissioned Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of disco group Chic to create material for what became the album Diana.

“I’m Coming Out,” the second single from Diana, was born in the bathroom of a transgender night club called the Gilded Grape. After observing a group of drag queens dressed as Ross, Rodgers ran to a pay phone and instructed Edwards to write down the lyrics “I’m coming out.” “Because to the gay community, ‘I’m coming out’ is a battle cry,’” Rodgers recalled saying to Edwards. “It means the same thing as James Brown’s ‘Say it loud — I’m black and I’m proud.’” While Ross originally loved “I’m Coming Out,” she later expressed uncertainty about both the song and the album as a whole. Following the 1979 Disco Demolition Night and declarations that the genre was “dead,” she didn’t want her sound to be perceived as outdated. At the last minute, she took Diana to be remixed by Motown engineer Russ Terrana, who sped up many of the tracks and re-recorded Ross’ vocals to make them sound more prominent.

The originally released version of “I’m Coming Out” is shorter and glossier, but it still playfully teases out the beginning. Punchy electric guitar strums, dynamic drum fills, and a peppy horn section play for nearly a minute before settling into a groovy rhythm. “That’s Diana Ross, who we consider the queen of pop R&B,” Rodgers said. “If you listen to that intro, when we tried to explain it, no one got it. We said, ‘She’s the queen, it’s a fanfare.’” Before the final chorus, Meco Monardo also delivers a jazzy trombone solo. The jubilant track is at once polished and unpredictable.

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While the song signaled the start of her new musical era, as Rodgers predicted, “I’m Coming Out” was quickly embraced by the LGBTQ+ community. Adding to the myriad meanings, Ross has also consistently used “I’m Coming Out” as the opener for her live performances, marking her “coming out” onto the stage. The beauty of “I’m Coming Out” is that it resonates widely, and that’s certainly reflected in the song’s commercial success. “I’m Coming Out” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks. It’s also been a stalwart on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

Listen to Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” now.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music