Among the blurred lines Audrey Mika finds within her newest single, there is a thin one between her best friend and love interest. Describing the track as about a “really good friend you get along with super well,” Mika can’t help but wonder if she “should take the friendship to the next level because it's already so easy and fun." That tension underlies all aspects of “BFF,” whose production lends itself to feel-good mystery, at times vaguely ominous and others indulgent. The layering of the track establishes this conflict between wanting to preserve what is good and wanting to take things up a notch. “I didn’t want to believe in love,” Mika admits in her songwriting, before dreaming that she’s “never been used to this / But I can get used to this.” The groovy inflections of “BFF” hint at what could be, but the hesitance to commit to a single production style masterfully mirrors the emotional indecision Mika is pining through, all buoyed by her supreme vocals. All across “BFF,” Mika gives credence to all she is feeling, a noncommittal track that is relentless in its imagination.

As her first solo release of 2024, “BFF” opens a chapter for Mika built on self discovery and personal growth. The Japanese-American artist hasn’t been quiet in her time away from sharing new music: Mika’s always-spectacular and often-viral covers of popular songs on her YouTube channel has lived on, sharing videos and fulfilling requests from her nearly 1.5 million subscribers often. Her original recordings hold just as much weight, amplifying Mika’s voice and exemplifying her as the total package of songwriter, singer, and performer. In making her return, fans are right to expect nothing but the best from Mika in what’s to come.

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