Baylee Lynn’s debut single “Cautiously Optimistic” tops this week’s new music poll.
In a poll published Friday (Aug. 29) on Billboard, music fans voted the 17-year-old singer-songwriter’s first-ever release as their favorite new track of the week.
“Cautiously Optimistic” earned 64% of the vote, beating out fresh releases from artists like Sabrina Carpenter (Man’s Best Friend), Hayley Williams (Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party), Zach Top (Ain’t In It For My Health), and Blood Orange (Essex Honey).
The Tennessee native’s debut, produced by AJ Pruis, is a country-pop anthem inspired by artists like Dolly Parton and Faith Hill that captures the emotional journey of navigating love after heartbreak.
“When we wrote ‘Cautiously Optimistic,’ I envisioned this song being one that most teenage girls can relate to,” Lynn said in a statement. “I know what it’s like to be the girl who’s scared of letting her guard down because she fears being hurt again — but also what it’s like to be the girl who’s so good at ignoring all the red flags. I am beyond thrilled for this song to finally be out in the world!”
The track was co-written by Lynn, Pruis, Kyle Sturrock and Brett Tyler.
Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend took second place in the poll, pulling in 26% of the vote. The pop star’s seventh studio album, produced by Jack Antonoff, arrives just over a year after her Grammy-winning Short n’ Sweet, which topped the Billboard 200 for four weeks.
Williams’ Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, a collection of previously released singles with a brand new song titled “Parachute,” came in third with nearly 4% of the vote.
Check out the full results of this week’s poll below and visit Billboard’s Friday Music Guide for more must-hear releases.