Dressing up in a Halloween costume was not enough for Keke Palmer this year. The singer and actress decided to go all out for the spooky season, and alongside recreating a music video with her son, she also had a new song and music video to share with fans. Palmer released her Halloween single, “Keke Frankenstein,” on October 28, followed by a black-and-white music video on October 31.

The song explores themes of heartbreak, survival and rebuilding yourself after going through a difficult experience. Palmer sings about being cut apart and rebuilt, describing her rebirth as something divine.

“So when you witness this rebirth, know that it’s divine / I was cut apart and rebuilt, I was water redefined / Call it monstrous, call it holy, either way, the frame is mine / Behold the rise of (Keke) Frankenstein,” Palmer sings.

Photo: Instagram/@ Keke Palmer

In the music video, Palmer takes on the roles of both Dr. Frankenstein and the monster. The vintage-inspired black-and-white visuals give the video an old horror-film feel, showing her as the scientist behind the creature’s creation before appearing as the monster herself.

Earlier, Palmer shared a teaser for the project on social media, writing, “Some girls are born. Others are MADE.” She followed it with a reference to electricity and experimentation, ending with the words, “The monster has awakened.”

The song was co-written and co-produced by Palmer and Jukebox. This is not Palmer’s first time taking inspiration from Frankenstein for Halloween. In 2023, she dressed as the Bride of Frankenstein for her son Leo’s first Halloween, while he wore a Dr. Frankenstein costume.

Photo: Instagram/@ Keke Palmer

The “Keke Frankenstein” release was not Palmer’s only Halloween project this year. She also teamed up with her three-year-old son, Leo, to recreate Michael and Janet Jackson’s 1995 music video, “Scream.” Palmer dressed as Janet Jackson, while her son dressed as Michael Jackson.

The new release also follows Palmer’s recent album, Just Keke. She has previously spoken about her interest in horror and her plans to develop more horror-related projects through her KeyTV network.

Rihanna may have given fans about how much unreleased music she has been keeping to herself. During a Fenty Beauty TikTok Shop livestream on October 7, the singer was asked how many songs she has sitting in her music vault, and her answer came with a little Fenty-style math.

Photo: Getty images

Instead of giving an exact number, Rihanna used Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb Vault as a comparison. The Gloss Bomb Vault has 10 products, which Rihanna used as the basis for her answer: “If there are 10 products in the Gloss Bomb Vault, then I have at least 17 vaults.” That would amount to roughly 170 songs.

Rihanna did not explicitly confirm that she has exactly 170 finished songs waiting for release. The figure comes from her Gloss Bomb Vault comparison, while her use of ‘at least’ suggests the amount could be higher.

The comment arrives as interest in Rihanna’s next album remains high. Her most recent studio album, ANTI, was released in January 2016. The project has been widely referred to by fans as R9, although Rihanna has yet to announce an official title or release date.

Photo: Getty images

There have been signs that new music is still in progress. A$AP Rocky recently said that Rihanna is back in the studio, revealing during an interview that she is working on music. The comment added to a series of recent hints that the singer has not abandoned her plans for another album.

For now, there is no confirmed tracklist or release date attached to the music Rihanna says she has stored away. But if her latest comparison is anything to go by, there could be a lot more material waiting behind the scenes than fans have heard so far.

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Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” arrived with the kind of immediate commercial response that has become familiar in her career, but the critical reaction has been considerably less consistent. Released September 25 as part of The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, the song quickly set two Spotify records for 2026. It became the platform’s most-streamed song by a female artist in a single day this year, while Swift became 2026’s most-streamed female artist in a single day.

Photo: YouTube

“Patient Zero” is one of four new songs on The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded edition of Swift’s 2025 album. The other additions are “Cleveland!,” “Pink Clouding” and “Babylon.” Swift wrote the songs with producers Max Martin and Shellback during a trip to Sweden celebrating the success of the original album.

The song takes its title from the language of disease and applies it to a toxic relationship. Swift addresses the new partner of a man she has previously dated, warning her about behavior she has already experienced. The premise gives the song a direct, conversational approach, with Swift positioning herself as someone who has already survived the relationship and knows what may come next.

Photo: YouTube

That concept has not translated into universal praise. Some reviewers have found the idea interesting but argued that the song does not give the subject enough emotional weight. One review criticized its production and lyrics as lacking depth, while another assessment of the four-song expansion argued that “Patient Zero” and “Cleveland!” lack the nuance associated with some of Swift’s earlier songwriting.

Other reactions have been more positive. Some listeners have found “Patient Zero” increasingly effective after repeated listens, suggesting that its appeal is not necessarily immediate. That divide has become part of the song’s story: its streaming numbers indicate strong audience interest, while the reviews question whether the music itself matches the scale of that response.

Photo: YouTube

The song also received a major visual treatment. Swift premiered the “Patient Zero” music video at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, where she received the inaugural Artist Director Honors. Directed by Swift, the video stars Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell and turns the song’s relationship warning into a darker story involving betrayal, death and a ghostly connection between two women linked to the same man.

The video gives the song another layer, but it does not resolve the central disagreement surrounding the release. “Patient Zero” clearly has the audience reach to make an immediate impact, yet its critical reception shows that commercial attention and artistic approval are not always the same thing.

Photo: YouTube

For Swift, that distinction is particularly noticeable. The new song has already produced major streaming numbers, extensive discussion and a high-profile music video. Whether it ultimately becomes a lasting favorite will depend less on its first-day records and more on whether listeners continue returning to it after the initial excitement of another Taylor Swift release has passed.