“It poses questions to a person who may not be listening at all,” Mikaela Straus says, “And I think that’s a beautiful sentiment”

King Princess has returned with “Little Bother,” a glitzy slow-burner featuring Fousheé.

Co-written with Zach Fogarty, the track kicks off with Mikaela Straus entering over subtle guitar: “I’m screwed from a past life/and that’s why I lost you.” The duo harmonize on the chorus, while Fousheé takes the second verse.

“I have been a big fan of Fousheé for a while, so when we started DM’ing and eventually set a date in the studio, it was a dream,” Straus said in a statement. “‘Little Bother’ kind of came out of nowhere; Zach had the guitar part and Fou and I just started going off. It became this song about tiptoeing around someone you’ve lost and feeling like a pest. It poses questions to a person who may not be listening at all and I think that’s a beautiful sentiment.”

“Little Bother” follows last year’s “House Burning Down” and the 2020 singles “PAIN” and “Only Time Makes It Human.” In an Instagram post last fall, Straus confirmed she completed her new album, her follow-up to her 2019 debut Cheap Queen.

“‘Queer pop’ is literally saying sexuality is a genre,” Straus told Rolling Stone upon Cheap Queen‘s release. “I don’t want to be grouped in with only gay people. That’s ridiculous. I want to battle everyone. If you’re going to compare me, compare me to straight people, too.”

Straus will support Kacey Musgraves on tour this month, kicking off in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Jan. 19. The trek wraps in Toronto on Feb. 25.

Monaleo has steadily built a strong connection with listeners over the past few years. She is an MC known for sharp lyricism and a high level of energy that shows up on every record. 2026 is shaping up to be an important year for her, with growing speculation that a larger project may be coming soon. That idea feels even more likely with the arrival of her latest release, “Crossroads Freestyle.” The brief, one minute track landed on YouTube on Tuesday and has already been getting a lot of positive reactions. Once again, Monaleo leans into her confidence, delivering tight verses over a smooth, consistent beat. It is a solid release that fans will definitely want to tap into.

Release Date: April 14, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

Quotable Lyrics from Crossroads Freestyle

Getting cake by the pound, I'm greater than britain
I'm greater than Alex on top like a attic (Uh-uh)
You pushing for Clipse I'm peeping a Malice
But fear ain't a factor I'm up for the challenge
The queen of my palace from Houston, not Dallas

 

 
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