From Rush to She’s the Best: Troye Sivan’s three-year comedown, explained
Troye Sivan’s “Rush” (2023) was the party. She’s the Best (2026) is what happens when it ends. He told Vogue that “Rush” captures the feeling of being “addicted to your friends”. Three years later, critics hear his new album as the comedown: quieter, more yearning, more alone. Put the two side by side and you get one of pop’s clearest before-and-after stories.
For our full take on the new record, read She’s the Best: the sound of the party after everyone leaves.
What was “Rush” about?
Euphoria with your people. In his Vogue interview, Sivan described it as being endlessly addicted to your friends and wanting a really good time. It was the lead single from Something to Give Each Other, his first album since Bloom in 2018. The video was shot in Berlin and built around group choreography, something he had never done in a video before (Rolling Stone).
It was also a late addition. “Rush” was reportedly the last song added to the album (uDiscover Music).
What is She’s the Best about?
She’s the Best, his fourth album, came out on October 9, 2026. The title track’s video stars Nicole Kidman, his co-star from Boy Erased (Variety Australia). PopMatters framed the album as Sivan coming to terms with “what happens when the rush wears off”, and Dazed’s interview centres on yearning and life after the party.
How do the two eras connect?
| Rush era (2023) | She’s the Best era (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Feeling | Euphoria, together | Yearning, alone |
| Setting | The dance floor | The ride home |
| Video | A crowd of dancers in Berlin | One famous face watching from the crowd |
The table is Pylcrow’s reading of the two eras, based on the coverage above.
The Pylcrow Afterparty Test
We think the best pop albums about partying are secretly about the morning after. Our test asks three questions:
- Does it remember the high? She’s the Best clearly does. It only works because “Rush” happened.
- Is it honest about the low? Critics say yes. That’s the “yearning” everyone keeps writing about.
- Would you play it alone at 3am? That’s the real test, and it’s yours to answer.
Memory Unlocked: what do these two songs bring back?
- Play “Rush” when: you’re getting ready to go out with people you love.
- Play “She’s the Best” when: you’re the last one awake after they’ve gone home.
- It unlocks: the summer you thought would never end, and the autumn when you realised it had.
Frequently asked questions about Troye Sivan’s Rush and She’s the Best
What album is “Rush” on?
Something to Give Each Other (2023).
When did She’s the Best come out?
October 9, 2026.
Who is in the “She’s the Best” music video?
Nicole Kidman.
What is “Rush” about?
Sivan described it as the feeling of being addicted to your friends and wanting a really good time.
What should you read next?
Read our She’s the Best review, then put on our November nights playlist.
Sources: Vogue, Rolling Stone, PopMatters, Variety Australia.
