The Listening Party:

It all started with a Ticketmaster queue, as most exciting things in my life do. But this time instead of checking credit card limits, I was staring wide-eyed at the number in front of me: 81,235. That’s how many people were waiting to submit their request for one of the listening parties Billie Eilish had announced via her Instagram story an hour prior. The site told me the estimated wait was about 46 minutes, so I took a walk. By the time I got home my place in line had timed out, so I got back into the queue, this time with only a little over 46,000 people in front of me. I waited another 20 minutes and finally put in my request. A week later, I got the email saying I had been selected to attend the Barclays Center listening party on May 15th.

Half an hour late, Billie emerged like a God; a bright spotlight shining from behind, transforming her into a faceless body as she stood and we cheered madly. She let us scream for a bit before telling us she was going to shit herself from the nerves. Then she hit play on the first song. 

The Album:

This is going to be a surface level walk through of each track since I’m writing this the day after the official release, meaning I’ve only just now been able to fully take in the work and its lyrics. 

Hit Me Hard and Soft is a project that begs you to listen to it cover to cover. From the story it tells to the transitions for the intro and outros—it’s clear Billie and Finneas are trying to break the playlist trend that’s plaguing the experience of listening to an entire album in order. (Not to mention all the songs being over three minutes; it’s good to know that those two are holding their ground.)

“SKINNY” is everything I want from an album intro: it eases us into the project musically, but lyrically it’s already diving deep into the emotions we’re about to explore. Fog covered the floor as Billie sprinted from one end to the other, her cameraman, (who I realized a few songs in was actually just Finneas,) tried to keep up with her. 

Is the jump into “LUNCH” a bit jarring? Absolutely, but, the second track is already so shocking as a long-time fan, (even with the Coachella spoilers,) that I don’t even care. It’s a catchy, gay-pop anthem with Eilish’s classic bass-heavy groove that doesn’t need a second to grow. It’s the perfect pick for a lead single, even if a bunch of kids are going to listen back to it in a decade and realize what the lyrics they heard on the radio are actually about. 

“CHIHIRO” is where the album starts to feel experimental production-wise. The rhyme schemes are simultaneously too heavy and too simple for my liking, but I am a fan of the falsetto-driven chorus and EDM finale. Hearing it for the first time with an unexpected laser show probably sways my opinions...what I’m saying is, if you aren’t a fan now, you probably will be if you’re going to see it live.

We’re still flying as we get to “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” one of my favorites from my first listen. Although the excessive yet simple rhyming bothers me a bit in the pre-chorus, the drums leading into the chorus and the repeated “I’ll love you til the day I die,” make me want to start twirling around my apartment. “WILDFLOWER” is also a standout piece. It feels the most broken down and raw out of all the tracks; a whispered confession. At the listening party, this felt like the first deep breath after the high-production, more vocally-filtered tracks that came before. 

“THE GREATEST” was the clear standout to me. This made me feel the same way as my first listen to “Happier than Ever” or any Ethel Cain song—when you can tell the build is coming but it still surprises you. It’s a song I can’t wait to hear crowds sing along to. This was the track I kept talking about after the listening party, and I’ll never forget the way my body felt hearing it for the first time in that arena.

“L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” was my least favorite at the listening party, mainly because the repeated “you were the love of my life” annoyed me. However, once I read through the lyrics and realized she was confessing that phrase was a lie, I was on board. Not to mention this is my favorite switch-up on the album; I love the shift from the reflective themes into a celebration of moving on. 

As I was hearing these tracks for the first time, I kept thinking about how much this felt like the Billie I loved when I discovered her back in 2016—when we’re talking about classic Billie sounds, nothing even comes close to “THE DINER”. This song could have easily been on  When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and fit perfectly while still being a standout song. This is mainly due to the eerie production, but the writing style brings me back even to the era of “COPYCAT” and “bellyache.”

“BITTERSUITE” doesn’t stand out to me that much. It’s not that it’s bad, but there’s not much that makes it stand out when it’s in the middle of this stacked lineup. Not to mention the Kahoot theme adjacent production of the second half, which was pointed out to me within the first ten seconds—so, yeah, I can’t unhear that.

There’s no better way to end this album than with “BLUE,” a song that Eilish has been holding onto for years. (So, maybe this album feels so much like the old Billie because some of it actually is the old Billie.) She integrated themes and lyrical references to previous tracks, which she also did in “goodbye”, the finale of her debut album. This song also takes a shocking turn, split into two parts, with the second including a pitched-down bridge that, once again, scratches my brain as a long-time Billie lover. 

The album finishes off with the final line: “but, when can I hear the next one?”

There’s a theory that this is a double album—the first one blue, the second one red, to align with “ilomilo,” one of Billie’s favorite songs from her debut album. I have too many thoughts and too many questions, so I’ll leave that up to your own research.

I had a feeling this project would feel like Eilish’s earlier works going in, and not just because she went back to capitalizing song titles—and it’s for the best. Even though Happier than Ever did well numbers-wise, it wasn’t a memorable album aside from a few standout tracks. It’s clear her power is in the darker themes, heavier production, and, apparently, gay shit.

Billie interacted with the fans in the first few rows of Barclays until the album ended. She took a bow, grabbed the mic, said, “Okay, bye!” and walked out. I was hoping for some commentary, but I got to see Billie Eilish in the lower bowl for free—so I left with my voice memos to keep listening to the album until the release.

Top Tracks: SKINNY, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, THE GREATEST

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*A quick note: as you can see, I’m making the shift to Substack and will no longer be using my website—I think this site will give me more growth opportunities.

If you were subscribed to my blog, I’ve transferred you over to my email list here! And if you don’t want to get an email every time I post, which should be every couple of weeks, that’s okay, I will not be offended if you unsubscribe! And if you’re sticking around, thank you! I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my work.

We’re getting more upbeat with each coming month, so Spring must be close! These are my top tracks of March: 

 March Playlist

Best New Release: Gangsta — Free Nationals, A$AP Rocky, Anderson .Paak

When I see .Paak has even laid a finger on a song I know it’s going to have my ears tingling. So when I saw the feature I never doubted I wouldn’t be all over this track. I love the shifts between .Paak’s smooth chorus, the rhythmically driven post-chorus, and the heavier rap verses. It creates a seamless versatility that keeps me actively listening as the smooth guitar melody and spooky, groovy undertone carry me through the track. 

Best Album: Unheard — Hozier 

I don’t know a single person who hasn’t had the highly anticipated Too Sweet on repeat since the release of the “Unheard” EP, (yes, this is an EP, I know. My blog, my rules.)

Hozier could never disappoint us at this point. We know the gist of what we’re getting, but he never fails to add a bit of flare to set it apart from his other projects. These four songs have that classic, warm, sound he consistently delivers, but with a fresh mix of intensity and folksy anthems. Empire Now is my clear standout at the moment. 

Best K-pop Bop: Magnetic — ILLIT

 I had to change my choice and rewrite this post because no K-pop song this month, and maybe even this year, compares to Magnetic. The newest HYBE girl group delivered this eclectic bop as their first release, so I had no preconceptions going in. I was shocked to hear the repetitive, almost baby-voiced drop, which has been running through my head since my first listen. 

What we’re looking at here is the future of K-pop. It’s songs under three minutes, featuring a dreamy production that will sound even better sped up, paired with bouncy, arm-focused choreography This dance did bring something new: anime-styled movement point choreography. If you’re looking to test your hand-eye coordination, definitely give the choreo a shot.

Best Music Video: we can’t be friends (wait for your love) — Ariana Grande

Let me take you through the plot of this video. Yes, I said plot, a concept I would love to see more of in Western pop music videos. Basically, Ariana goes to get her memories of a past partner wiped; as they’re cleared out, we’re taken through them one last time. The video ends with a flash of the new memories—morphed photographs and a dog replacing man. She walks out of the procedure refreshed. 

Now is the best time for me to admit that I’ve never seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which directly inspired the concept. I definitely benefited from a bit of background after my first watch, but I didn’t need it to enjoy it. 

Artist I Don’t Think You’ve Heard of: Chlothegod

I had never heard of Chlothegod before she danced out onto the stage before opening for Lola Young on her tour—and let me tell you, this woman has charisma. As much as I enjoy live music, if I’ve been standing in a pit for a while I’ll find myself silently wishing for time to move faster as the opening acts perform. But Chlothegod immediately had me entranced. She sang each lyric like they were the last words she’d ever say, making faces in the crowd and pointing out the fans who sang along. She looked like she was having so much fun with each song—a refreshing set at a time when we’re all putting too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect. 

Camille is my favorite track, which I added to my March ‘24 Wrap Up Spotify playlist. 

Best Viral TikTok Song: Back on 74 — Jungle

This song has gone through a couple of viral waves at this point, but it’s reached a new peak in my obsession, so here we are. Let me say, there are levels to this one. It originally gained popularity for the one-take music video, which featured a posse of dynamic dancers. After the initial hype wore down, as it often does, it was reignited with the Brit’s performance, featuring the same dancers. Will West, who I’ve been following closely since, was a standout as he grooved his way down the catwalk. Basically, everything about this song is perfect, including the visuals and concept, which is getting increasingly difficult to find. 

A little note: I was super excited to get into Jungle as a band after hearing this song, but I can’t get myself to enjoy their album. Back on 74 stands out being the only song of its style on the project which has thrown me off.  

Best Throwback: The Entire “Dangerous Woman” Album — Ariana Grande

I was originally going to write a post ranking every Ariana Grande album, which is why she’s popping up so much this month, but I was quickly reminded that I can’t get myself to listen to her that much; (when I wrote my deep dive on Troye Sivan’s discography I didn’t listen to anyone to him for a week straight. He’s one of my favorite artists and it just about killed me.)

As I was beginning my quickl-to-die research I was reminded what an incredibly all-rounded album “Dangerous Woman” is. Each single was a certified hit: Dangerous Woman, Be Alright, Into You, Side To Side, and Everyday. Like, um, what? I don’t think I realized at the time how crazy it was that all these radio station occupiers were from the same project. Not only are all these songs great as stand alones, this album feels like 2016, which was such an iconic time for pop music. 

My Most Listened to Song: Home — Jack & Jack

If you knew me anytime between the ages of 13 and 16, you’d know that I was Jack & Jack’s number one fan. I’m talking about waiting outside for shows on a school day and knowing every word to every single rap—no matter how fast—type of fan.

So, after their break from music, I was thrilled when this comeback exceed all my expectations. Home, in particular, has been on repeat for its soul-filled vocals and nostalgic lyrics. There are also some great horn riffs, which explained why it became my favorite so quickly. I’d also recommend taking a listen to the complete album, which is by far their most mature work to date.

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Let me lead off with this: I’m not going to be talking about the little shows with local bands in bars or basements—those are an easy, typical weekend night—you can figure that one out on your own. This post is about the high stakes, high rewards, almost completely luck-based experiences I’ve had here. The phrase that describes it best, while overused, is “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” So keep in mind that if you’re getting to see a slew of A-List celebrities or your favorite K-pop idols for free, there are going to be sacrifices. Whether it be sleep, time, or even safety, I didn’t walk away from any of these experiences without going on bed rest for a couple of days. I know it sounds dramatic, but when you’re living in a city as expensive as NYC, where concert tickets will be $100+ more than other tour stops, sometimes those sacrifices are worth it. 

The Today Show Citi Concert Series

I’ve had two very different experiences with The Today Show. The first wasn’t actually the Citi Concert Series, but a special interview for BTS for the release of “Map of the Soul: 7.” To be honest, if 18-year-old Hannah wouldn’t have been completely doe-eyed and blinded by tunnel vision, this probably would have to be one of the worst concert experiences of my life—wait, it wasn’t even a concert—it was a 15-minute interview that I could barely see between the pickets, lightsticks, and phones. But on the bright side, my feet didn’t hurt from the numbness that succumbed after 18 hours in 20 degree weather. After getting home and regaining feeling in my feet I told myself I would never do anything like that again.

And I didn’t do anything like that again until almost 4 years later. It was a bit cyclical in a way. I had just graduated college, I was with my high school friends who had gotten me into K-pop, and Twice was set to perform the day before their concert at Metlife Stadium. So, I justified it with the summer warmth and before I knew it I was back at Rockefeller Plaza.  

This experience was so much more enjoyable. The most unique part was getting to see Twice soundcheck. This meant we got to see each song twice, (haha,) along with getting to see them navigate themselves on a new stage. A lot of the VIPs hadn’t all shown up yet, so the line of view wasn’t completely obstructed. Once, (haha,) they came out for the on-air performance it was a bit difficult to see, but every time I got a good view of Sana it felt worth it. The true saving grace was that we managed to be a part of someone’s Fan Pass group, meaning we were let in after the VIPs. The applications for fan passes usually open pretty quickly on The Today Show’s Twitter account after the artist announcement; it grants early admission for groups of two or four depending on the show. I’ve never been able to get one myself, but I won’t be going in the future unless I have one. Once again, I walked away thinking I would never do anything like that again. . .

Good Morning America

So, two days after seeing Twice on The Today Show it was announced that Jungkook from BTS was going to be on Good Morning America. It was the same deal: you had to wait outside overnight, (or if you wanted to be in the front, multiple nights.) The biggest difference is that you need a ticket to get let in—I mean, you could try without one, but they didn’t even let in everyone with passes for his show. I told myself this was a perfect situation; I would apply for a ticket, not get it, and then have a valid reason to not put my body through that again.

I was one of the first people to receive a pass. They gave them out for almost a week leading up to the show and I got my email two hours after applications closed. So, I went in more prepared this time. I bought a blow-up cushion to sit on, a poncho for the predicted rain, (more on that to come,) and found someone to take my extra ticket that would start lining up early for us. But nothing could have prepared me for the night I was about to have. 

One thing about K-pop fans is they’re going to commit. You know what, let me add to that: they will lose all respect for the people around them to get what they want. So that’s how we all ended up standing from 1 A.M. until they let us in at 6 A.M.. We could have been sitting in our comfy seats and celebrating the new release if a few people hadn’t tried to cut the line, sparking panic in everyone else. So, we stood. One person passed out and then refused to leave the line. Then as the sun came up we finally started moving—and by moving I mean stampeding. Holding onto my plus one, we were herded forward; into the trees, into the stone wall, tripping over roots and left-behind lawn chairs. Eventually, we made it to the stage, where I had an otherworldly view as Jungook walked down the stairs of the VIP section right next to me. And then it rained, and then it thundered, meaning they legally had to make us leave. So they aired the soundcheck as I squeaked my way back to the Metro-North. 

Remember what I said about that free lunch? Don’t worry, the rest are a bit smoother. 

VMA’s 

This was probably my favorite experience of 2023, and the subject of my first blog post, which you can find here; let me just give a rundown of how I managed to get tickets, which is more simple than you’ might think. 1Iota is all you need. They’re the main ticket distributor for free events—most of the award shows, talk shows, and movie premieres use their site. 

When applying for tickets for the VMA’s you have the choice between floor, seated, and seat fillers. I didn’t have any interest in standing in a pit for a show like this, so I applied for one seat and received confirmation the day before. While there weren’t many obstacles, I would say the sacrifices were getting to and from Newark, (I left early and it’s still the latest I’ve gotten back to my apartment,) waiting to get into the venue and for the show to start, and having obstructed views behind the stages. Still, there won’t be a doubt in my mind to try to go again next fall. 

Global Citizen Music Festival

This would have been a stress-free experience if it wasn’t for the rain, (every time Jungkook came to New York it rained.) But if you ignore the pruned fingers, muddy shoes, and almost-salmonella, (a story for another day,) it was a fun time. We got in line in the mid-morning and managed to get a spot by the media tent barricade, meaning we had something solid to stand on. I went into it with super low expectations, because of both the weather and knowing that half of the festival would be speakers. But I have to say, I enjoyed every performer and will definitely be going back next year since getting tickets wasn’t an issue. 

When the lineup gets announced I’ll be posting a full guide for the festival—how to get tickets, navigation, and what to expect! (So you should subscribe to my email list—info at the bottom of the page.)

TSX Entertainment

I’ve had two crazy, completely unexpected free concert experiences in Times Square. The first was with Italian rock band, Måneskin. I was standing in line for their merch pop-up, only a few people from the front, when the security informed us that they had run out of shirts, but the band was about to perform in Times Square, so, run. And oh man did I run. Weaving through the tourists, I managed to make it to the tiny stage, making sure I was on their bassist’s side. Only a few feet from the band, I enjoyed their twenty-minute set before going to replenish myself at Raising Cane’s.

TSX was also the reason I was able to see Jungkook a third time here in NYC. It was posted on TSX’s Instagram story with 30 minutes notice that he would be the second artist to perform on the TSX stage—you know, that pops out from one of the billboards. There’s a whole story behind this that I can’t even get into right now, but the abstract is: that morning I happened to be flying back from Oregon. I knew that he was doing a free performance at some point in the day, but I tried to not think about it since I wouldn’t land until the early evening. My flight got in over an hour early, and even though there was nothing official, it was confirmed by the fans waiting outside all day. I dropped my bags off at my apartment and made it to Times Square with five minutes to spare. This was the most enjoyable experience I had with any K-pop act purely because the stage was so high that I wasn’t blocked by any phones. It’s difficult to stay on top of the TSX events, and it’s not like we’re hanging out in the Times Square area often, but it’s a good thing to keep in the back of your mind.

There are plenty of other opportunities I know of but haven’t gotten to experience yet, like MTV Fresh Out or the Jingle Ball All Access Lounge, but there’s still plenty of time to discover all the possibilities of free music in NYC! 

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It’s the most viewed performance of the year, but how do we keep it exciting?

As long as I’ve been alive, the expectations of the Super Bowl Halftime show have been consistently high—it will be a spectacle and we will be wow-ed. We anticipate the predictability of every hit getting its time to shine—but there also have to be surprises; whether it be in the form of a special guest, a new dance break, or a crazy stunt, there has to be something. Unfortunately, with each coming year I’ve become more frustrated with the increasinging mundanity of the show despite my expectations remaining the same. I don’t know who is in charge of reaching out to artists and approving performances, but this post is my advice for them. Feel free to reach out with a job contract when you’re done reading. 

The first prioritization needs to be choosing artists based on expected peak. Let’s look at one end of the spectrum: Bruno Mars. There was a good amount of backlash after the announcement since he only had two albums out at the time. But what was he supposed to do, turn it down? Now, we all know Mars puts on an entertaining show, and he delivered well with what he had, but imagine what he could have done with “24k Magic” under his belt as well. He would have had more hits to cycle through, more touring experience, and hopefully a better guest than the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The other end of the spectrum can be seen with the most recent performer, Usher. If he could have taken on this performance 5-10 years ago he still would have had more than enough establishment along with a little endurance boost. (Although, I have to say how much I appreciated both his and Alicia Keys’ live vocals, voice cracks and all.) Madonna is another clear example of this. Her performance easily set the tone for the possibilities of the show going forward, not to mention she’s one of the most memorable performers of our time—but it would have been so much more pleasing to the eye had it been aligned with her prime years. I would even argue that Rihanna made a mistake by accepting the show when she was pregnant; it would have been appreciated if she had at least broken the news before the show started so I could lower my expectations. But instead, I was strapping myself in for the performance of the century only for it to be carried by the backup dancers. And now, same as Mars, we’ll never see the potential of what could have been.

Song choices and run of shows are crucial, not to mention the easiest way to piss people off. Once again, let’s use Usher as an example since he’s fresh in our minds. I enjoyed that he took us through his career, and I know he has a lot of older hits that even younger listeners know, but he left out a lot of big hitters from the past decade. I know from scrolling on TikTok that I’m not alone in missing DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love, (his number two most streamed song on Spotify,) Scream, and Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home,) which hasn’t left my For You Page in months. Still, even after leaving out these hits it felt like he was cycling through the songs at a rapid pace, moving around or changing wardrobe to separate them, but still too fast for my enjoyment. This is another issue of bringing an artist who is this far into their career—it’s not enough time to satisfy the multigenerational audience. It’s difficult to find that balance for the setlist, which is why the timing of the performance is important. Imagine if Beyoncé was performing next year—she would be amazing, no doubt about that, but she has so many hits at this point that it would be difficult not to focus on what she left out. I think the prime example of solid setlist choices is Rihanna, who had a solid lineup of hits, a good mix of tempos, and gave every song its time. 

The standards of a Super Bowl Halftime Show can be seen clearly with Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, which isn’t shocking given they’re both the blueprint for putting on unforgettable performances. So, let’s use them to showcase what’s been done well. It all starts with the entrance, which is a great determining factor for how the rest of the show will pan out. There’s no doubt that Gaga takes the crown for the most iconic entrance in halftime history—jumping off the top of the stadium. Beyoncé opted for a more simple form of drama: a silhouette and acapella intro of Love on Top. It was a classic choice, but it sure made Usher look like an amateur as he . . . stood up from a chair? Yeah, from that moment I knew what we were in for. He couldn’t have even used a toaster? Okay, no, we’re focusing on the positives here. 

Moving on from the entrance, we reach the true baseline of it all, which is the set and movement on stage. While Beyoncé started out simple, her use of LED screens created more depth, gave the illusion of more dancers, and felt very technologically forward at the time. The camerawork showcased the screens on the floor, creating unique perspectives and a sense of movement even though the set wasn’t that intricate. Gaga, on the other hand, used levels to her advantage; moving from the top of the stadium, flying down to an elevated platform, and then onto the main stage with varying backgrounds. The number one thing that both of these performances had was choreography. They both showed us a variety of styles, all while belting it out with minimal backtracking. This kept us engaged and entranced—and that’s what we want from a halftime show. They also didn’t rely on random guests for relevancy. Think about the Coldplay performance—I don’t know about you, but all I remember is the Bruno Mars and Beyoncé dance off. Gaga did it all herself, and Beyoncé created an iconic Destiny’s Child reunion. They’re the true performers here and they made sure everyone knew it.

Now, I don’t think the halftime show is going completely downhill. I’m glad the era of inviting bands, (hopefully,) was a short-lived chapter in the progression of the shows. I think if we keep bringing the true performers to one of the most watched performances of the year, it has the possibility to continue having an impact. But let’s keep bringing the artists that will make it fun. I want to see Miley Cyrus within the next decade, who would surely deliver what Katy Perry thought her performance was doing. Given Dua Lipa’s recent Grammy performance, I could see her doing a great job as well; especially now that she worked past her stiffness and lack of stage presence. Doja Cat’s tour had some of the best collective sets, choreography, and storyline of any show I’ve been to—once she wins back the hearts of the general public, she would be a great choice. You know what, the list goes on, so I’ll spare the rest. If you see this and are in any way affiliated with the Super Bowl Halftime Show, you can reach me via the contact page. 

If you’re interested in the history of Super Bowl Halftime Shows, here is the video that inspired this post!

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TikTok may control the music industry, but they have nothing on the biggest award ceremony of the year.

There will always be backlash when the nominations of a major award show are announced. Everyone thinks their favorite deserves to be at the top—trust me, I’ve sent my own plethora of carefully-worded tweets directed to @RecordingAcad, even if nothing will come out of it. But seeing the same results year after year despite the obvious shifts in the industry is frustrating—it may even be the start of a downfall.

The Grammy’s critique has spiked with each coming year as more POC shine alongside the other mainstreamers without the same recognition. The biggest proving point is the fact that Beyoncé, the most awarded artist in Grammy history, has never won Album of the Year. Jay-Z didn’t hesitate to bring it up during his acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, (along with a few other comments directed at the Academy, but we’ll save that for another post.) Even Adele focused her 2017 acceptance speech for “25” on how much “Lemonade” and Beyoncé herself had impacted her life. (Another interesting fact: the last black woman to win Album of the Year was Lauryn Hill for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1999.) Now we’re starting to see the cycle come back around with Sza. Even though she was the most nominated artist of the night, she didn’t receive any of the major awards—but she did sweep the R&B categories. 

The disrespect toward POC artists only became more clear as BTS began to break into the Western music market. It’s been claimed the awards are highly based on numbers, but when Dynamite broke record after record, they couldn’t even award them with best Pop Duo/Group Performance—but they could nominate them, save that category’s announcement for last, and have the highly-followed boy group perform right at the end of the show; clearly fighting for the viewership that is so rapidly dropping. A 2019 Forbes article explained it perfectly: “BTS will continue to tour and release music, and fans will continue to support them unabated, regardless of Grammy recognition. The Academy may properly acknowledge the K-pop group someday. But as BTS continue smashing records and the Grammys continue to lose relevance, who really needs who?” The same can be said for artists like Beyoncé. Her fans are loyal, and a lot of them would tune into the show to see her for only a few moments. The Grammy’s don’t have fans.  

The outcome of the nominations have become predictable, so I went into this year’s ceremonies with low expectations—after the initial disappointment of the nominations wore off, of course. It all makes sense when you have it all laid out in front of you: Boygenius swept the premiere show. (You know, the untelevised ceremony where they give out over 80 awards as quickly as possible. The winners have to sprint from their seats to have enough time for a speech.) It was clear the rock trio wouldn’t step foot on the Crypto.com arena stage, given their competition in the main categories—but they were given just enough screen time to satisfy the lesbians. Meanwhile, with Victoria Monet’s success in the premiere show, there was no way she couldn’t be winning Best New Artist when you saw her lined up with the other nominees. As for the other main categories, What Was I Made For? easily had the strongest songwriting, and it’s clear the Academy adores our favorite sibling duo. Flowers, while repetitive and painful to listen to at this point, was bound to win something after dominating every radio station for the past year. And, let’s be honest, that performance pumped life back into that track—you couldn’t help but be happy for her. That leaves, of course, Ms. Swift. It would be a crime to send her home without one of the big awards, even if “Midnights” is one of her weakest albums, (many members of the Academy expressed disappointment in this year’s mainstream albums.) So, that left Olivia Rodrigo bleeding and trophiless. And, you guessed it, I wasn’t surprised, (did someone say Best New Artist curse?) Here’s hoping Monet doesn’t face the same disappointment in years to come.

So, why do we feel like so many tracks and artists got snubbed? It’s simple: we’re all consuming music more quickly with time. TikTok has a new viral song every few days, making it easy to get attached to a variety of artists without realizing it. Now, think about the people you want to be recognized, then compare the run time of their lead singles to your favorites from a decade ago. One example from this year is Greedy, by Tate McCrae, which is a Tube Girl certified bop—clocking in at 2 minutes and 11 seconds. Most albums last only thirty minutes, maybe forty-five if you’re lucky; that’s only because people care less about full bodies of work and more about playlists of their favorite individual songs. So not only are we having a quick rotating roster of music shoved in our faces constantly, but we’re able to make it through this music quicker due to shorter run times. 

There’s not enough time or nomination slots to recognize every artist who has made an impact in music this year, but that won’t stop people from feeling snubbed. The real question is: how will this affect the Grammy’s in the next couple of decades? The view counts can only plummet so much at this point, with the majority of people getting their updates from live tweets and reuploaded performances. The answer is simple: nominating and inviting people with the most powerful fanbases. Even if they don’t perform, even if they don’t win, people will tune in just to see if they’re chatting it up with their other favorite artists. The biggest issue with this strategy is that besides the Best New Artist category, which never actually awards anyone new to the industry, the smaller successful artists don’t get any opportunities for recognition at the primary ceremony.

It’s hard to be a star these days, let alone win a Grammy. With TikTok being such a driving force, a lot of labels have discovered they save a lot of effort and money by only signing artists with a preexisting following. Why pay someone for marketing when you can get the artist to do it themselves for free, right? And if you don’t want to, that’s okay, because there are thousands of people who will. So step aside, the next big music star is just one scroll away on your “For You Page.” They may not win a Grammy with their 1 minute and 45 second song, but they’ll make everyone in their label enough money until they find a new influencer to crank out the next hit.

-SHUFFLEDNOTES-

The post There Were More Grammy Snubs Than Ever in 2024—And Here’s Why appeared first on shuffled notes.

– AT A GLANCE –

Overall rating: 4/5

Live vocals: 3/5 (When they sang live it was amazing, but almost half the show was lip-syncing.)

Is it worth the price? I was lucky to find a half-price ticket for the top row of the lower bowl, so I would say yes. But the VIP packages checking out at over $400? Yeah, the 15 minute soundcheck isn’t worth it.

Would I see them again? For the right price, yes. But they won’t be a future priority for me.

The “ae” in the beginning of Aespa stands for “avatar experience,” creating an otherworldly immersion from the jump. Each member has an AI counterpart that is . . . technically part of the group . . . but also has a group of their own . . . You know what, I’m just going to give up this poor attempt of establishing background and get right into the concert. Even after sitting through pre-show videos explaining their lore, I was still confused every time the animated girls popped up on the screens. 

The Synk : Hyper Line Tour started with high energy. The crazy bass in Girls shook the arena as the members hopped in place for the iconic face-framing gun choreography. I blinked and suddenly three of the four girls had disappeared, leaving Winter, who was equipped with a sharp-edged electric guitar. It was shocking to see the tiny, sweet girl shredding such a sharp and sleek instrument—but she killed it. 

Out of all the K-pop concerts I’ve been to, I think this was my favorite way I’ve seen a show organized. Usually, for the sake of variety and members’ energy levels, they’ll sprinkle in songs with alternating genres throughout the show. It’ll start with a run of some high energy songs, followed by some talking and maybe a few more chill songs leading into another burst of energy before the first break. But Aespa broke their setlist into increments of similar songs—each VCR being followed by a solo performance before being joined by the other members for the remainder of the set. The first increment, which also included other hits like “aenergy” and “Savage,” was full of hard-hitting anthems. They were songs you could belt out while following along with the familiar choreography. The girls were adorned in baby pink, sparkly outfits as they performed these songs without any introduction. Then they walked off the stage. 

The second installment opened up with Karina’s unreleased solo, Menagerie, which had a catchy drop that wasn’t too harsh on the ears. This section had more of their R&B-inspired tracks. This included one of my favorite performances of the night, Lucid Dream. This was never a standout song for me, but after seeing the sultry choreography on the chairs and tabletop . . . yeah, I was thinking about it afterward. At this point, the girls finally introduced themselves to the crowd before playing rock paper scissors to determine who would be stuck explaining the name of the tour to the crowd. (I will not be relaying this information, as I barely understood it at the moment. Go look up a video.) 

The following set had similar energy as the previous one. It opened with Winter singing a sweet ballad, dressed in a little getup I could only describe as chic schoolgirl. This set included the English version of Life’s Too Short and an unreleased track, Don’t Blink. This was probably the least memorable run of the show.

Giselle’s solo was the only one that fell a bit flat for me. 2HOT4U was basically just her telling the audience she was too hot for us over and over. The bridge hit me especially hard when she repeatedly told us to “hashtag settle down.” The song could have potential . . . if there was a complete rewrite. The rest of the performances were enjoyable. They transitioned seamlessly into the widely popular Hold On Tight remake, along with their most recent title track, Spicy, (my personal song of the summer.) As much as I loved this group of songs, the last set is what ended up really getting me. 

Ningning is my favorite member of Aespa, but there is a common conception that after going to a K-pop concert there will be someone else who will catch your eye and take their place. While I have experienced this phenomenon on some occasions, I did not experience it with Ningning that night. Her solo, Wake Up, had the entire crowd going crazy. Was she very obviously lip-syncing? Yes, but so was every other member during their solos. Her hair blew in the wind as she faked her high note—and everyone bought it. Anyways. This was a short but incredible set: Salty and Sweet, Next Level, and Black Mamba. They brought out their handheld mics, which was quite a bold choice given the amount of floorwork in Black Mamba, but they nailed every note. I have to say, they actually sang live more than I was expecting them to. In my mind, Aespa is a group that is most notorious for lip syncing, and for the first couple of years of their career, I never felt like I actually heard their voices during performances. So I was shocked to hear Winter hit some of her crazy high notes and realize that it actually was her voice at that moment.

Aespa isn’t one of my top K-pop groups—I went with a friend I knew I would have a good time with. But I ended up leaving liking them a lot more. When it came to their b-sides, I actually enjoyed all of them, which is an uncommon occurrence with K-pop groups’ discographies. They had a lot of tasteful choreography and kept up their endurance throughout the show. Would I go see them again? For the right price and with the right people, yes; but I wouldn’t go out of my way or alone. But for my half-price, last-minute ticket, I was content with the experience I got. 

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

Setlist:

Girls

Aenergy

I’ll Make You Cry

Savage

Menagerie

Illusion

Thirsty

Lucid Dreams

Dreams Come True

Lips

Life’s Too Short (English Version)

Welcome To MY World

Don’t Blink

2HOT4U

YEPPI YEPPI

YOLO

Hold on Tight

Spicy

Better Things

Wake Up

Salty & Sweet

Next Level

Black Mamba

‘Til We Meet Again

ICU

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Why post your Spotify wrapped when you can just write your own? So much can change in a year, so let’s take it month by month. These are my top tracks of November: 

November ’23 Playlist

New Release: Cocktail D’Amore – Mahmood

The first single for Mahmood’s upcoming album is finally out, and it’s exactly what I wanted from him. If you aren’t familiar with the Eurovision’s 2019 winner, his superpower is consistently delivering solid, rich vocals over every pop ballad track. Cocktail D’Amore combines smooth, almost R&B production with his classic electronic sound to create an anticipatory beginning to his new era.

Album: “Rush! (Are You Coming?)” – Måneskin

If we’re already talking about Italian Eurovision winners, it’s only right to include Måneskin. I’m taking the opportunity to highlight their album, “Rush,” since the deluxe version was just released. I’ve loved this project since it came out at the beginning of the year, but these five songs being added had me going back and appreciating it all over again. I especially love The Driver, which they played as a spoiler on their most recent tour. The verses and chorus are smooth and sultry with a few solid breakdowns and shreds from their lead guitarist, Thomas Raggi interspersed throughout. I’d suggest having a listen before you ask yourself the question: is Maneskin truly the last rock band? (I’ll go ahead and relay the band’s answer to that question: no.)

K-pop Bop: Drama – Aespa

At first listen, this is an ear sore, as most K-Pop songs are. I see it as paying a tax before you get to actually enjoy the song—you may not want to make sacrifices while consuming music, but if you’re able to make it past the first verse and into the sweet pre-chorus vocals, it’s golden. And if you’re able to make it to the last 30 seconds it somehow gets amped up even more. What made this song stand out to me so much was the performances; the choreography is forceful and filled with more power than I’ve ever seen from these girls. Next month I’ll be posting a review on my Aespa concert experience, so stay tuned. 

Music Video: Feather – Sabrina Carpenter

Finally, Western music videos are becoming entertaining again. I recently saw a tweet where someone said that they think Sabrina Carpenter can be the next mega pop girly to follow Britney Spears . . . which is . . . quite the statement, and the comment section was sure to express their scrutiny. But I do agree that Miss Carpenter is taking chances and creating experiences that no other mainstream pop artist is right now. This music video is a great example of doing something a bit risky: filming a “Jennifer’s Body” inspired music video in a Catholic Church. Will she get sued? Who knows, but at least it wouldn’t be the first time. 

Artist I don’t think you’ve heard of: Absolutely. 

Absolutely., formerly known as Abby Keen, may have just released one of my favorite albums of the year. From her spiritual lyrics to The Weeknd-esque production, Cerebrum is a must listen. Some stand-out tracks include Arrivals, Close To You, and Symphony. While she has a reserved persona on stage, her lyrics are introspective and raw, creating that connection I always crave with artists. 

Viral Tik Tok Song: Angels in Tibet  – Amaarae

I was drawn to this song from the first dance video I saw on my FYP. I always think upbeat tracks are elevated with the right choreography. I also think a lot of songs are destined to be accompanied by dance. If you can manage to sit still for the entire 2 minutes and 22 seconds, you deserve an award. Amaarae’s speedy, pitched-up vocals interspersed with jarring pauses keep you on your toes and creates a unique listening experience.

Throwback: Rocketeer – Far East Movement, Ryan Tedder, Ruff Loaderz

This track isn’t from too far back in time, but it’s forgotten enough that I felt the need to bring it back to the surface. I was reminded of it as I was looking through Bruno Mars’ credits, and I wasn’t surprised to see that it’s his. It has that classic early 2010’s one-hit wonder flare that you just can’t find anymore. 

My Most Listened To Song: Standing Next To You – Jungkook

As Jungkook released his debut solo album, “Golden,” he completed the era of each BTS member releasing a solo project—and this one is definitely my favorite. Maybe it’s because Jon Bellion helped produce it, maybe it’s the Michael Jackson influences, or maybe it’s the dance break to finish it off—but if you know me, you know that I am always going to be floored by a powerful horn section in a pop song . . . so, basically every aspect of this song aligns with my music taste. Who could ask for anything more?

The post November ’23 Wrap Up appeared first on shuffled notes.

Ateez

I  had to get this one out of the way first. You can call me biased—I’ve been a close follower since their debut in 2018 and I’ve seen them live 7 times, but there’s a reason for this. I truly believe Ateez is the best performance group in K-Pop right now. Not only are they executing crazy choreography while singing live, but they have this genuinely terrifying presence that I find addictive to see in person. At their last tour I was able to get a spot in the second row. Normally, I would be leaning forward to get as close as possible, but during some dance breaks I found myself subconsciously taking a step back. If you’ve seen my Tik Toks, you’ll know how crazy I go at these shows, but there are also moments where I’ve never been so quiet. Paying attention to the small changes they make in their facial expressions night to night made me appreciate them even more.

Highlights: Stage presence, high-intensity choreography with live vocals.

Favorite song live: “Wonderland” — a special choreography and remastered version of their 2019 title track that they used as an opener for their 2022 tours. Every person I show this to has looked at me with their mouth wide open at least once. It’s crazy.

Twice

If you want a fun, upbeat, classic girl group K-Pop concert, you can’t go wrong with Twice. They have a perfect discography to build up a lively show and have unique set and light designs to top it off. They also had my favorite solo performances of any group I’ve seen. Almost every group will have a segment where each member will perform individually or in smaller units. Sometimes it’s original songs, other times its covers—but it’s always a hit or miss. For Twice managed to show a variety of charms and showcase each member’s strengths. From Chaeyoung’s self-written song with her acoustic guitar, to Momo’s electric choreography to Beyoncè’s “Move,” to Jeongyeon playing a recorder as an outro to Lizzo’s “Juice,” you’re getting a little bit of everything.

Highlights: Set design, mostly upbeat, best solos

Favorite song live: “Go Hard” — a great example of how their lighting plays a huge role in the show. I love the choreography, I love the drop, I love the vibe.

Mamamoo

Now, I don’t know if Mamamoo will do a US tour as a group again due to their new contracts, but if they do come back I think they’re worth seeing purely for the live vocals. Their choreography isn’t as intricate as some other groups, but that gives them the lung capacity to truly belt and show us everything they have. It was definitely the most unique K-Pop show I’ve been to: instead of the typical slow-mo model shots between sets they had animated VCRs with a pitched up voice telling a story written by the lead vocalist, Solar . . . Yeah, it was a bit shocking at first, but it ended up being entertaining. What I loved most about Mamamoo’s show is that they made the live versions fresh by adding in dance breaks or intros rather than switching up choreography the fans all know and love, (which is something I had a hard time with the first time I saw Blackpink.) 

Highlights: Flawless live vocals, entertaining VCRs, older fanbase

Favorite song live: “Paint Me (Orchestra Ver.)” — not only is this a beautiful song but it showcases their individual vocal colors perfectly.  

The Rose

Before you say anything, I know this is technically a band, not a K-Pop group, but there is an overlap with the fans so I’m including them. I wanted to see The Rose for a long time, so when I finally got to hear some of my favorite songs live, like “She’s in the Rain” and “Insomnia,” it was a really special night. These guys are long-time friends who write and make all their music together. Hearing their heartbreaking lyrics live was emotional, but it was nicely balanced out by their goofy comments between songs. I decided not to go to their most recent tour because I’m not the biggest fan of their newest project and the tickets were way more expensive, but I’ll definitely see them again at some point.

Highlights: Personable members, emotional songs and lyrics

Favorite song live: “Time” — this song has a great build and was so fun to scream out at the end of the bridge. There’s a good mix of vocals from all the members, which isn’t the case for most of their songs.   

CIX

I’m gonna put it simply: this is a great group to see on a budget. For just $50 and a couple hours waiting in line I was in the third row. I believe that CIX has one of the best discographies in K-Pop, straying away from noise music, so they have a lot of really enjoyable performances besides the promoted title tracks. One thing that made this show so exciting for me was seeing Seunghun, one of my favorite idols, perform live for the first time. His vocals stood out as he was the only member with a handheld mic, and anyone could see he was pushing himself until the end with the choreography. This last tour didn’t sell as well as their previous run, so I’m curious as to when they’ll return to the US . . . but whenever they do I’m gonna be there.

Highlights: Solid setlist, great charisma, nice and chill fans

Favorite song live: “What You Wanted” — This is still one of the most hype, well-choreographed, iconic performances of theirs. Seeing it live awakened the 17-year-old Hannah who was losing her mind over it in 2018. 

BTS, Group or Solo

I am already fearing the ticketing process for the 2025, (realistically 2026,) reunion tour. BTS was my first K-Pop concert back in 2019 and it’s still one of the most impressive shows I’ve seen to date. They’re one of the only groups that don’t sound cliche when addressing the crowd, trading in the typical “you’re the brightest star in my universe” lines that I’ve heard way too many times for believable messages to the fans.

This past year I saw Suga on his solo tour, which was an emotional rollercoaster that had me sobbing in my seat as the arena emptied out. It told a story, aided by movie style VCRs that immersed us in the story of his alter ego, Agust D. I’ve also seen Jungkook three times—once on Good Morning America, then at the Global Citizen Music Festival, and just this past week at the TSX stage in Times Square. Every time I’ve seen him he’s delivered stable vocals and engaging performances despite the consistently terrible weather conditions. So, the moral of this section is: go see BTS if you can—they’re the number 1 boy group in the world for a reason.

Highlights: High budget shows with cool concepts, favorite ending ments.

Favorite song live: I do not have an answer to this. There are too many options. Here’s the live stream of Jungkook’s Times Square performance. 

Honorable Mentions:

(groups I’ve only seen perform short sets)

The two groups I saw at KCON 2022 that stood out to me the most were Stray Kids and The Boyz. Both of these groups brought super high energy, and I enjoyed every song whether I had heard it before or not. One of my highlights of the weekend was The Boyz opening the night two show with “Maverick,”  which has one of my favorite drops and choreography. Stray Kids, of course, was a crowd-pleaser—the fan’s reaction is half of what made their set so memorable. The song I was looking forward to the most was “Back Door,” which didn’t disappoint. 

If you read my first official post, A Night at the VMA’s,  then you know how impressed I was by TXT that night, specifically Yeonjun’s dancing. However, the group as a whole doesn’t have a weak link when it comes to performance. While I’ve never been the biggest fan of their music, this debut performance of “Back For More” definitely changed my views. I’ve spent the past couple of months going back and forth as to whether or not I’d want to spend money on their upcoming tour—I guess we’ll just have to wait and pray for a successful Ticketmaster lawsuit before then.

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

– AT A GLANCE –

Overall rating: 5/5

Live vocals: 5/5

Is it worth the price? This was one of the cheapest concerts I’ve been to this year and I would pay much, much more going forward. But the $200 she was charging for a meet and greet and early entry? In small venues? Absolutely not, never.

Would I see her again? Yes. I fantasize every day about somehow being able to attend her upcoming EU tour. I do have a lot of credit card points saved…

Raye is magic. If you’ve seen even a five second clip of this woman singing you know she’ll milk each note for everything it has—but nothing can prepare you for hearing it in person because I’m telling you, I’ve never had such a chronic case of stank face at a show in my entire life. From the start, Raye informed us that this concert had a theme: honesty. She repeated this throughout the show, the first mention followed by a check-in to be sure she used boob tape. She told us in-depth stories behind the songs, apologizing when she started to ramble—she goes into every show without a plan, which resulted in her having to skip the classic run-off-the-stage-but-everyone-knows-there’s-going-to-be-an-encore-because-she-hasn’t-done-Escapism-yet moment . . .  so she just hid behind the drums while the band played her back in, barely escaping whatever fee Terminal 5 charges artists for playing past 11:00 P.M.. 

Raye is real. It wasn’t even her vocals or honesty that struck me the most as I left the show; it was how personal everything was, rather, how personal she was. And yes, this ties into the theme of honesty, but it was more than that. She knew the audio technician by name and asked him politely each time she needed an adjustment—always thanking him after he fixed a problem. Every time someone expressed their love for her, usually in the form of a high-pitched scream, she would thank them. Pause. Then ask the person to identify themselves so she could look into their eyes and blow them a kiss after learning their name. When someone in the crowd needed water she stopped immediately, flagging down one of the security guards. She asked his name as well, leaning off the stage to be sure she got it right. She asked the crowd to give it up for Marcus before continuing her interrupted spiel. 

Raye is a woman who knows what she wants. As I said before, this concert had little structure. This NYC show was only the second stop of her headlining tour, so she made a variety of changes throughout the two hours. A few songs in, she decided the band was too far back and helped them all scoot a bit further up the stage, (she didn’t want to move back because it made her feel too far from the crowd.) There was also an adjustment made to the location of the keyboard for her improv session while the band took a break. During this segment she took suggestions from the crowd, most of them being her old dance tracks, but she made sure to include a slowed down version of her newest EDM feature, “Prada.” Concerts with this much spontaneity always end up being my favorite, mainly because the artist never gets bored. If she wants to throw in a freestyle, she can. If she decides her monologue needs BGM, she’ll motion to the band and they’ll come up with something. It’s never about being perfect and practiced, it’s about doing what feels best in response to the varying venues and crowds.

Raye isn’t afraid to try something new. Before playing the finale to her album, My 21st Century Blues,  “Buss It Down,” she explained that she couldn’t afford to have a gospel choir on stage yet, (as an independent artist, she was paying not just a standard band but the additional trumpet and saxophone players out of her own pocket.) So she decided to make a choir with the crowd, similar to her Tiny Desk Concert. But there was a twist: she was adding in harmonies for the first time. So she pointed out someone in the crowd, and kept pointing until that exact person realized she was looking at them, and split the pit down the middle. From there, she taught us our individual parts, emphasizing the technique to use as we sang. The beginning of the song was definitely a bit rocky, but it ended up working by the end.

Raye is everything I want to be. Not only as a writer but as a person. We should all be doing things that leave us with that same excitement she has on stage. I could see it throughout the show. The way she would close her eyes and tilt her head back, arms spread open as the brass section would take over the melody. There was one moment when she paused mid-riff and smiled out into the crowd before sighing. “I love singing,” she said with a giggle before she continued. It’s spiritual. Seeing someone who has fought so hard to be where they are today. Watching as she broke down after the first chorus of “Ice Cream Man,”  a song about the various instances of assault and violence in her life. Reliving it all with 3,000 of us watching. Under the theme of honesty, she cried. And then she kept singing. 

Raye and I crossed paths again in the latter half of her tour in Portland, Oregon. While there was some overlap, the show felt completely different. She cut out an entire song, had more precise comments about each track, and the band knew when to bring in their ambient jazz-club background music. Since the last time I’d seen Raye, her live album, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, had been released. I was listening to it religiously within this time period and that’s when I realized the best way to consume My 21st Century Blues is in a live setting. Even though this US tour setup was missing the full orchestra and choir, it became clear to me how much she amps up these performances with just the addition of some brass on the stage. And that’s what makes Raye so special: the subtle details. The mic chord she drapes over her shoulders, the coordinated, classy outfits with the band, the small side table for her water bottle and tissues. She cried during “Ice Cream Man” again—actually, she started crying as she introduced it. She said that sometimes the song makes her feel so powerful, but other days it feels like she can’t sing it at all. She sang for us anyway. When the song ended she handed a tissue to a girl in the front row who was still crying.

Raye’s passion is something that’s been inspiring me every day. I walked away from both of her concerts feeling refreshed, my brain repeating a mantra of: This is what music is. This is what live music should be. This is what a musician is. Why aren’t there more artists like Raye? That sparked something in me—I’m on a mission to find more artists who value musicality and the spontaneity of live music like Raye does. But for now, I’m going to keep listening to the live album on repeat and wait for her to announce the next tour. 

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

New Release of the Month: “A Night To Remember” – Beebadoobee and Laufey

This is exactly the eerie, spooky, sexy, remorseful, pre-Halloween drop I needed. Beebadoobee and Laufey’s voices blend seamlessly together, and I love that they switch parts so frequently in the verses. I also respect the two of them using their dating rumors for clout.

Album of the Month: My 21st Century Symphony. (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Raye

Two things I love: live albums and orchestral arrangements of pop songs. So, obviously, this is my pick of the month. These arrangements couldn’t be more perfect, bringing a Disney-esque sparkle to these already magical tracks. I think the most elevated songs from the originals are “Flip a Switch,” “Buss It Down,” and “Five Star Hotel.” Stay tuned for my review of Raye’s concert next week!

Artist I Don’t Think You’ve Heard Of*: Uwade

As Spotify’s profile says, “You’ve heard Uwade before,” you may just not know her name. If you listen to Fleet Foxes, she’s the first vocalist you hear on their 2021 album, Shore. A few of her individual songs have also surpassed one million streams, so you may have heard “The Man Who Sees Tomorrow” or, my personal favorite, “Nostalgia.” She has a great blend of indie and R&B sounds that could make a great addition to some of your playlists.

*I’m really excited about this segment, so if you have any smaller artists you’d like to see included, just send them to me via the comment box at the bottom of the page!

K-pop Bop of the Month: “Perfect Night” – LE SSERAFIM

I was debating whether I wanted to choose this song since it’s all in English, but my second choice was also an all English K-pop track, so here we are. This song makes me feel like I’m in high school again. It’s giving late night drives with your friends before vegging out on the couch with a bunch of snacks. The choreography is groovy and has a lot of bounce that pairs perfectly with the beat and lyrics. It’s been stuck in my head since I first heard it and doesn’t show signs of leaving any time soon.

Viral Tik Tok Song Worth a Full Listen: “I’ll Be Around” – Cee-Lo Green Feat. Timbaland

I feel like the Baltimore strut trend was cut a bit short, but I’ve been listening to not only this track, but the entire Cee-Lo Green… Is The Soul Machine album since “I’ll Be Around” came up on my For You Page last month. We all know I’m a sucker for horns, but the opening verse is, as Cee-Lo says himself, “fucking ridiculous.” Not to mention the ad-libs, which have me feeling like I’m Mr. Green’s personal backup singer. But this song brings up one big question: can you do the Baltimore strut?

Throwback: “Cupid’s Chokehold / Breakfast in America” Gym Class Heroes

Every time I remember Gym Class Heroes exist I immediately queue up this song. It has the perfect vibe for my morning strolls, but most importantly, it has some killer lyrics. I love “She even cooks me pancakes / and Alka-Seltzer when my tummy aches,” and, of course, “If I had to choose her or the sun / I’d be one nocturnal son of a gun.”

Music Video of the Month: “One Of Your Girls” – Troye Sivan

I’m going to be honest, most months this is going to be K-pop because very few modern Western music videos compare. But this video actually had me on the floor—I’m telling you, my roommate had to take my pulse. The wink before the transformation? Yeah. I wish I would have gone into the first time not knowing anything, so if you haven’t seen it, then I won’t spoil anything.

My Most Listened To Song: “Rush” – Troye Sivan

So, my top ten tracks this month, according to Receiptify, were just the ten songs that make up Something To Give Each Other. This can be explained by the fact that it’s only a thirty minute album and that I had it on repeat while writing last week’s post. The next most listened-to track that wasn’t Troye’s is “Bouncy” by Ateez, and I’ll just leave it at that.

Check out my October Spotify playlist here!

The first beats of “Rush” never fail to bring my heart rate up, no matter how many times I’ve listened to it by the time the full album dropped. From the start, you’re there. The steady pulse of the chorus chants and heavy beat, Troye’s sultry falsetto in the chorus, the cutting in and out of the post chorus—if you aren’t already in a club while this is playing, you’re gonna feel like it. A lot of albums I’ve been listening to recently have been easing me into the work, but “Rush” throws you into the fire with a slap on the ass.

At the core of the lyrics, Something To Give Each Other is a breakup album, but there’s something that sets it apart from the rest. Most of those stories take place at the start of the heartbreak, filled with angsty, “Drivers License” types of remorse. But Something To Give Each Other seems to be further into the, dare I say, recovery process. It’s freedom and liberation, as far as it’ll go. But there are downsides to this freedom as well, and Troye doesn’t shy away from those feelings. In an interview with Zane Lowe, (possibly my favorite interviewer of all time,) a phrase was mentioned that I think could sum up the album as a whole: “Freedom is lonely.”

We hear the fun side in the production, the beats, the synths. But looking more closely at the lyrics and hearing the stories behind, it all has a silver lining. One of the most popular tracks, “One Of Your Girls,” which tells the story of Troye’s repeated experiences hooking up with straight men, has a lot of distractions from the reality of the situation: from fun lines like “face card, no cash, no credit,” or “pop the culture, iconography,” to the groovy baseline and filtered vocals. But Troye revealed in his interview with Zach Sang how damaging those experiences were for him. I personally love hearing emotional stories under high energy or sexy tracks because it creates a more versatile listening experience that can shift from listener to listener, mood to mood.

I see this album as a cohesive story—a borderline concept album. It’s the journey of bouncing back, which is never linear, and never easy. It’s the highs of Troye’s newfound freedom interspersed with the inevitable and repeated falls. This can come in many forms. Maybe it’s from seeing that person again, as described in “Still Got It.” Or feeling the loneliness when the madness fades away, like the yearning of “In My Room.” I see this dichotomy best represented by the lyrics “And it breaks my heart to say, I can’t wait to live without you,” from “Can’t Go Back, Baby.” It’s easy to hold onto the past, but you can only integrate certain aspects of it once you’ve taken time away to work on yourself. (Another great topic explored in the Zane Lowe interview: how Troye ended up bringing the ex described in this album back into his life in a healthy way.)

Troye said the track “Honey” sums up the album best for him. This song is about the discovery of the connections you can make with everyone around you. And these connections, as he mentioned on The Tonight Show, could even last a couple of hours and still be special. (According to host Jimmy Fallon, these special connections sometimes only last a few minutes in his own experience. We’re all different, I guess.) The outro of “Honey” reminds me of the In A Dream EP, which you can find a synopsis of in my previous post Troye Sivan, “Industry Plant”. It’s dreamy, it’s an anthem, it’s driving at night with your windows open on the freeway. As Troye says himself, it’s a mantra, repeating phrases like: “Give me the courage to say all the shit I mean.” This track goes directly into the finale of the album, “How To Stay With You,” a laid back track with an extended saxophone fade out to complete Troye’s story—well, kind of. It’s left a bit open, showcasing Troye back together with an ex, but battling with where this shift will take him. He says he has no idea where he’s going next, so there’s definitely no way we should know either. For now, we’ll just keep the album on a loop and take ourselves back to the beginning to feel the “Rush.”

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

Favorite Tracks:

Honey, Still Got It, One of Your Girls

Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5

Apparently, not everyone was a closeted bisexual in 2014 . . . Huh. Well, if you weren’t, don’t worry because that’s what I’m here for. This post is for the Harry Styles fans that have found their next queer, white man of choice, (but please don’t get too excited, this one is fully gay,) and the younger generation of gays that are about to go back and watch the Blue Neighborhood Trilogy for the first time. Or maybe you’re like me: a long-time Troye Sivan fan who’s looking for a little nostalgic trip. Either way, let's take a look through Troye’s work over the past decade. I’ll take you through my favorite tracks and projects, maybe some collabs you should skip and some you never heard about. This is Troye Sivan: Industry Plant.

2012: The June Haverly EP

If you scroll back far enough on Troye’s Spotify profile you’ll come across The June Haverly EP, titled after his birth month and mother’s maiden name. I personally don't ever listen to this, mainly because of the low production value. (Which is also why I've omitted talking about any unreleased tracks from his earlier days.) While these three tracks aren’t particularly bad, I don't go out of my way to listen.

2014: TRXYE

TRXYE was truly a moment in history. If you watched any popular Youtubers this year you couldn’t have gone two seconds without seeing someone sport the iconic crew neck with those white block letters. While "Happy Little Pill" was the lead single, and rightfully so, I also loved "Touch" and "Fun" for their electric, scratchy production. (And as I'm editing this after the release of Troye's newest album, I'm seeing how much he truly gravitates towards this style of upbeat music.) It’s also really fun to listen to the original release of "The Fault in Our Stars," which still lives on Spotify, before listening to the remastered version on this EP. While this was the first piece of music a lot of Troye’s followers loved, I still wouldn’t start off with this if you were to go back now. While it’s a solid piece of work, it’s very 2014, and you’ll be better off going back later on.

2015: WILD and Blue Neighborhood

This brings us to the year of the Wild EP and Troye’s debut album, Blue Neighborhood. The six songs on the EP open up the full album, so I’ll be talking about them as a part of that project. I think that Blue Neighborhood was probably the most formative music I consumed in the early realizations of my sexuality. I immediately became attached to "Heaven;" and I'm telling you, when I heard this live for the first time four years later I started crying after hearing the first chord. But if you aren’t looking to cry, which is a strange request when it comes to this era of Troye’s music, then "Lost Boy," "for him.," "DKLA," and "EASE" are great upbeat tracks for those coming in straight from "Rush". I’m going to be honest, though, I’m relistening to the album as I’m writing this and . . . I truly believe it's perfect. Even after all this time there isn’t a single song I would skip, which isn't something I would normally say about my middle school music choices. The lyrics are all emotionally driven and only hit harder with the swelling production. If you want to listen to Troye’s older work, start with Blue Neighborhood and be sure you go from top to bottom. I've started listening to "Too Good" and I can't continue writing without mentioning the absolutely FIRE bridge with the electric guitar and strings coming in hard . . . Yeah. I’m gonna sit down and listen to this whole album again before I move on to the next section.

2018: Bloom

Alright, I’m back. It’s been three years and one relationship later. While I wasn’t interested in including Troye’s personal life in this post I feel like the fact that he was in a happy, committed relationship while writing this album affects my review. I’m a very strong believer that artists who create primarily depressing music go downhill when they’re happy—obviously, I’m always pleased when an artist I love is happy, but as a heartless listener I also want to feel like my arteries are being strung out one by one, you know? Anyways, Troye’s second album, Bloom, was a bit of a jarring shift, and I know many others agree. (After careful consideration I have decided not speak on my reaction after hearing the lyrics to the track, "Bloom." My mom reads this. I just can't do it.) While I enjoyed many tracks individually, like "My My My!," "Seventeen," and "Plum," it didn’t feel as cohesive as his previous work. Looking back at it now, I think fun, pop music music is Troye's calling as he gets older, but he was still trying to hold onto that "soft boy" concept, (his words, not mine,) and didn't fully commit. I can’t be too pessimistic, though, since "Animal" is one of my all time favorite Troye songs. There’s just something so eerie about the intense lyrics “I am an animal with you” being sung as ballad. And closing out the album? Yeah, that works for me. So yes, it isn’t a total bust, but I also have to say that the collaboration with Ariana Grande was one of the biggest disappointments of my pop music-consuming career.

This is also the year Troye collaborated with Charli XCX on "1999," and oh man did Mr. Sivan redeem himself. This is the alternative pop bop of the decade and nothing will ever take that title away from these two. They did try to do a follow-up collab, "2099," which doesn't deserve anyone's time. We just do our best to forget.

2020: In A Dream

Alright, we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Troye’s relationship is over. He had one job. And for me, he delivered. I know a lot of long-time fans speak lowly of the In A Dream EP, but I just don't think enough people sat with it enough. Letting an album marinate in your brain folds is one of my biggest beliefs when it comes to music. Yes, there are some harsher production choices and extended outros that don’t hit the ears right the first time, but this EP includes some of my favorite lyrics Troye has written.

My favorite track on this EP is "STUD," a song where Troye tackles a subject that countless queer people have encountered but is rarely sung about. Yes, there’s the idea of “do I want to be with them or do I want to be them?” that has become a cliche at this point. But Troye takes it to another level. He expresses his insecurity of being with someone who possesses physical qualities he wishes for in himself. He sings “How much of me would you take? / How much of me would you change? / On second thought don’t say a thing.” This is followed by my favorite lyrics, which he sings as the beat picks up: “When you’re looking at me / and your heartbeat is speeding / the seven hundred miles down highways, to Eden / like my body’s the apple you’re eating.” The "speeding," "eating," "Eden" rhyme is always going to have me pulling at my hair because it's just THAT GOOD. And a little biblical reference too?! Right up my alley. I was going to write about a couple other songs but this is already too long for an EP. But I have to say that "Easy" is another super fun bop.

"This house is on fire, woo!"

2021: Singles and Collabs

In A Dream was the last project Troye released, but there have been some singles that have done well. One highlight is "You," a track by Regard that also features Tate McRae, (I already know the TikTok girlies are going to be losing it when they hear about this one.) This song took a while to grow on me, but it’s worth holding out for.

We also got "Angel Baby," which I believe was the first booster for Troye’s popularity on TikTok, and rightfully so. The dreamy production was perfect for the BGM of panning scenic views and K-Pop edits alike.

2023: Lead Singles and Something To Give Each Other

Speaking of K-Pop, I think this whole "industry plant" idea is just a result of Troye's marketing team giving their all. "Rush" went viral because Troye himself posted an edit of K-Pop idol, Hyunjin from Stray Kids, with that song in the background . . . and then proceeded to feature both Hyunjin and Pink Pantress on an alternate version. His music videos include choreography that's fun and, most importantly, easy to pick up. He's also been randomly appearing in videos with popular creators, like the "Tube Girl." So, if you haven't heard of Troye before, it may feel like he's come out of nowhere. But the reality is that he got a little bit of traction on TikTok, so his company decided to put their time and resources into him. Because that's how the industry runs these days.

I’m going to spend the rest of the night rewatching old Troye music videos and pretending I’m 15 again. I suggest you do the same. And if you’re one of the newer TikTok girlies and you come across the “Blue Neighborhood Trilogy” on YouTube, do yourself a favor and don’t click.

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

- AT A GLANCE -

Overall rating: 4/5

Live vocals: 5/5

Is it worth the price? For me, yes. But I also got my seat for free from a coworker of a friend. I don't think I would ever pay high prices for better seats, though.

Would I see her again? Yes. She switches up the setlist throughout the tour and plays really fresh variations of her songs, so I know it would be a completely new experience. I would never splurge, though.

SUMMER OF '23 - MAGGIE ROGERS

The lightning started halfway through the show. When the first flash registered it was immediately followed by a canon of comments along the lines of “please don't tell me that was thunder.” But Maggie never flinched, never missed a note, and never acknowledged it until she reached her final song. 

It took a while for the Forest Hills stadium to fill up; pickleball tape on the tennis court floor was visible right up until Maggie made her entrance at sunset. As the sun was still blaring and most of the crowd was gathered around the food vendors, indie band Soccer Mommy put on a little show for the empty bleachers. As someone who doesn’t listen to them on the regular, they just sounded like every indie band—not that I didn’t enjoy it. (I can already feel my Sarah Lawrence peers stretching their fingers to send me a very carefully worded text.) But it's true, I did enjoy their set. The main vocalist, Sophie Allison, had a honey-sweet voice that created a striking dichotomy with the skunk-like streak in her black hair. But the real show stopper for me was the drummer, Rollum Haas, who NPR labeled as a “drum machine.” And what a machine he was. If there’s one thing I’m going to love about any track, it’s a build. And without fail Rollum brought up the energy with some .Paak-esque flair. The group played a pretty hefty opening set, clocking in at around the 40-minute mark. They ended with a couple popular songs that I knew I had heard before but couldn’t quite remember the names of. (I now know that "Your Dog" was the track with the groovy guitar melody I enjoyed so much.) The group thanked the sparse crowd as they left and the crew swarmed the stage, ready to transform it for Maggie’s performance.

The highlights of the setup included two aspects: a small stage with stairs in the center and a massive rug covering almost the entirety of the stage floor. Seeing this I expected Maggie to walk out barefoot, but instead, she was wearing chunky heels and a black dress with a slit cutting above her hip. But even if her attire didn’t match the laid back feel of the rug, she moved in a “dancing alone in my room” manner, her slightly grown out pixie cut blowing around in the warm wind. 

I have to say it: "Anywhere With You" as the opener fell a bit flat for me. Following a short VCR she simply walked up the steps to the mini stage and started singing. It was good, yes, but it didn’t give me that heart stopping, chill filled moment that I seek at the beginning of every concert. What I really wanted was brought to me by "Want Want," the second song of the set. This rock inspired anthem had the crowd stomping their feet, and as Maggie walked up to the edge of the stage and belted her high note I felt myself being lifted into the cloudy sky. 

I was shocked to hear the beginning lines of "Alaska" halfway through the set. Wouldn’t she want to end with such a classic? My confusion immediately faded when I was taken through a completely unique rendition of her first hit. Verse 1 was sung acapella and chorus 1 was lowered an octave, giving it a stripped down feeling. I was a bit worried that I was going to miss out on hearing that iconic falsetto live, but, of course, Maggie delivered for the final chorus. The moment ended with the soft notes of the intro melody as the lights lowered. 

My favorite song was definitely "Light On," a track that most of the audience seemed to know the lyrics to. Yes, even the pair of couples in front of me that talked throughout the entire show! Illuminated by flashlights, Maggie strutted to both far ends of the stage, holding the mic out to us as we sang her words back. I realized a lot of the crowd seemed to know more older tracks than newer ones, which I can’t particularly be the judge of since I also have spent more time listening to Heard it in a Past Life. Despite this, I enjoyed hearing many of the Surrender anthems, namely "That’s Where I Am," which was the perfect song to belt out with your hands up.

@maggierogers on Instagram

The concert ended abruptly. As the thunder grew louder and the mist turned into droplets, Maggie informed us of the situation as she held her acoustic guitar in anticipation for the final song: “I have people in my ears telling me to stop talking because there’s supposed to be lightning.” At that I immediately registered my surroundings: I was in the top row, directly beside a glistening flag pole. So Maggie played us out as we made our way down the slippery steps. We paused at the bottom and slid into an empty row to take in her final notes with a closer view. 

The final moments played out like this: the thunder swelled and Maggie thanked the crowd before running off stage. The pit cleared out in seconds as it started to truly pour. We ran for shelter under the seats and waited it out, which ended up being less than 10 minutes. The next morning I logged onto Instagram to see Maggie’s obligatory post about the show captioned: “Shoutout to the rain gods for the unbelievable timing.” 

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

Setlist:

Anywhere With You

Want Want

Say It

The Kill

Give a Little

So Sick of Dreaming

Overnight

Dog Years

Shatter

Don’t Forget Me

Symphony

Alaska

Retrograde / I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)

Love you for a Long Time

Light On

That’s Where I Am

Back in My Body

A Different Kind of World

The only time my friends were allowed to stay over late on a school night was when there was an award show airing. Whether it was the BBMA’s, AMA’s, Grammy’s, or the ever so controversial VMA’s, we were tuning in with our algebra homework thrown to the floor. I always wanted to attend a taping, which created even more fuel for my grudge against the unfortunate location of my hometown in the middle of Oregon. As I saw more and more of my favorite artists on those stages I grew to loathe the Californians and New Yorkers who so easily had these experiences.

So I chose a college in New York—for more reasons than this, of course. More than anything I wanted to be in the middle of it all. No tour would ever skip over my city again and I could go to any concert I wanted to! Little did I know how much Ticketmaster and dynamic pricing would ruin these dreams—which is why I’m constantly on the search for free events. And for that, 1iota is my new best friend. 

After applying I had basically given up on getting tickets, but the morning before the email showed up in my inbox, telling me that I was officially a “seated super fan.” So the next day I hopped on NJ Transit, trying not to think about the train that had been derailed earlier that morning, and made it to Prudential Center with only a few delays. I stood in the sun while the 1iota staff scanned everyone's tickets, diligently checking our ages before giving us bright blue and yellow wristbands. The seats were assigned at random and printed on a physical ticket that they handed us their second time walking down the line. We waited some more. And then they moved us up to the doors. And then we waited some more. At 6:00 we were let in, to my surprise, without a single act of security. We held up our tickets and filtered onto the escalators. 

After buying $16 chicken strips I made it to my seat. Now, with the free tickets you’ll have a partially obstructed view, which they did disclaim when you accepted the tickets. This is because they have three stages set up. The two for performances were located on either end of the arena, and then one in the middle to present the awards. This middle stage wouldn’t be obstructed if it wasn’t for the giant Moonman rising above it, but hey, it’s pretty iconic. (Click here for a short article on the stage design!)

Eventually, the lights went down for Lil Wayne’s opening medley. I lost focus about three bars in as all the celebrities seated below our section started to filter in. There was a particularly startling reaction to BTS’ juniors, Tomorrow X Together, or TXT for short, who walked in front of us with some polite waves before turning to record Lil Wayne. I watched as the leader, Soobin, (who I know is my favorite even though I don’t know too much about the group,) walked over to his consistently projected idol, Bebe Rexha. The two hugged and took a selfie before Soobin returned to his seat with his members. One of my favorite parts of this experience was getting to watch all the A-Listers squeeze into the tiny aisles, inching past each other when they had to leave to present or perform. Yes, they got drinks brought out to them and they’re all going back to their big, fancy houses in the end, but besides the designer dresses, they’re no different from us common folk! 

I didn’t realize Taylor Swift was right in front of me until someone to my left screamed her name. I didn’t even know she would be attending, but there she was, the woman that everyone was fighting both Ticketmaster and each other to lay eyes on. I’ll say it now so I won’t have to again: I’ve never been a big Taylor Swift fan. I liked some songs here and there but she wasn’t a formative part of my childhood like most other people my age. (No, this is not a “pick me” situation. Like I said, this is a one time statement that I don’t want to draw out longer than needed because that would be putting an excessive amount of attention on an artist that I don’t enjoy and didn’t even perform at this show. Nonetheless, it would be safe to say that you shouldn’t expect any Taylor Swift related content from me in the future because, as previously stated, I am not much of a fan of her or her music alike.)

So, not much of Lil Wayne’s performance was processed, unfortunately, because once I actually got a chance to look up my gaze was drawn by the flouncing headpiece on Lil Nas’ head. He stood and danced and I stood and followed the movement of the feathers with my own head. My attention wasn’t truly drawn back to the show until the much anticipated Emcee of the night, Nicki Minaj, took the stage. 

Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Taylor Swift won the first award of the night.

As much as I would love to take you through every performance, the show was long enough without my commentary. So here are the highlights: first off, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. I couldn’t see them for the majority of the performance, but Megan was on the center stage just long enough for me to watch her shake ass from behind, so I was pleased. Demi Lovato performed the new rock renditions of her dated tracks "Heart Attack", "Sorry Not Sorry", and "Cool for the Summer". While the high notes were more scream than sing at some points, childhood Hannah was beaming and singing along to every word. Taylor Swift won another award at some point in there. I watched her speak to someone very angrily under the stage afterward, which I enjoyed. 

I can’t talk about this experience without mentioning Shakira, the recipient of the Video Vanguard Award. She performed across all three stages, executing several styles of dances and even playing the guitar. My personal favorite was "Wherever, Whenever", when she danced on top of a raised circular stage as the dancers surrounded it. The rain came down as she belted, (or, perhaps, her backtrack did,) and smiled into the crowd. The final piece of her performance had her raised up on a lift in the middle of the crowd. While this was a very cinematic ending, the announcer yelled at the crowd as she tried to make her way back to the stage without getting her extensions yanked out. Fortunately, she made it back safely. 

A surprising favorite of mine was Karol G, who is someone I had never heard of until I saw her advertisements at Metlife Stadium a few months ago. While she herself has great presence, the reason why this performance shined was the dancers and the choreography. Karol started on a neon green platform, tiered with stairs going up until they formed a heart at the top. The all male dancers, dressed in thick, pink print jackets with nothing underneath, performed around her. Sometimes with dragged out, sensual movements, and other times with simple, sharp nods of their heads. There’s always something so hypnotizing about large dance groups that are completely in sync.

Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV

As always, a couple performances fell flat. Doja Cat, for example, is someone I've always wanted to see live. But I didn't find much enjoyment in her performance even though it had a cool, (and bloody . . . and lowkey scary) concept. Thinking back, I may have had expectations aligned with some of her previous performances, and expected more dancing. I also found Nicki's solo performance to be a bit underwhelming, as her new track, "Last Time I Saw You", leans towards being a ballad. She sang and rapped well, but when I think back to controversial performances like "Anaconda" in 2014, that's what I was really hoping for. It also didn't help that she was on the stage I didn't see. I will say there weren't any performances that I thought were flat out terrible. If the singing wasn't great then the backup dancers were good, and if there wasn't much going on, the songs stood well for themselves.

Now, I can’t end this piece without speaking about the two K-Pop groups in attendance that night: previously mentioned TXT and Stray Kids. (Feel free to skip to the paragraph starting with “Taylor Swift” if you aren’t interested in K-Pop, I’ll understand.) I would say one of the most anticipated, or rather, argued about awards at the VMA’s this year was “Best K-Pop.” And with both of these groups in attendance, it was impossible to know who would be taking home the trophy. I assumed it would be TXT, given that they’re statistically the more successful group. But to my surprise, and their own, Stray Kids were announced as the winners. I happened to be mainly seated by Moas, TXT’s fanbase, which all around made it an entertaining experience as I took in the blaring silence surrounding me. 

I was debating saying this, but I have to: TXT’s performance made Stray Kids look like amateurs. Now, I’ve seen Stray Kids perform live before, which I thoroughly enjoyed and almost coerced me into buying a ticket for their headlined tour. But this performance fell so incredibly flat, even when I watched it back online. They performed their latest title track, "S-Class", which I enjoy now but was quite the ear sore on the first listen. I couldn’t tell if their mics weren’t turned up enough or if they were lip syncing or if the music was too loud—but it doesn’t matter because I could barely hear their voices. There were too many backup dancers, all of whom were dressed in similar styles as the members, making the stage far too busy and confusing to anyone that doesn’t know the group. It makes me sad to write this because I know they’re a dynamic performance group, but this one just missed its mark. 

TXT, on the other hand, blew me away. They sang their new song that was set to be released within the week, "Back for More", featuring Latin singer Anitta. The choreography and sound of the track were MJ-inspired, which was a risk but executed cleanly. I also have to say that Yeonjun, their oldest member, is one of the most unreal dancers I’ve ever seen in person. Not only were his moves sharp but there was something that made him stand out from the rest of the group that I just can’t pinpoint. The entire spectacle was simple yet captivating, with no backup dancers, a short intro, and a high energy dance break at the bridge. The song was catchy and fun, and when Anitta came out for her verse it added just enough flare without being out of place. Needless to say, I will be coming back for more.

Taylor Swift won the last award I saw get presented.

I ended up leaving early. The show was set to end at 11:00, but by 11:20 I had seen everyone I went for and had a long journey home. (I had completely forgotten about the 50 years of hip hop performance, which I didn't realize until I made it to the train station.) So, as Kelsea Ballerini started strumming her guitar I walked back up the stairs and through the curtains. Given that this was a free experience and I really didn’t have any issues besides the ones I was prepared for, (standing in line for a few hours and having an obstructed stage view.) I would say it was 100% worth the time and energy to me, especially since I got to see so many artists that have been on my bucket list but I simply refuse to pay Ticketmaster prices to see. The only truly unfortunate happening of the evening was that SZA didn’t show up. But at least I got to see Taylor Swift. 

Photo by Justin Schmalholz/The VMAs/SteinDesign

-SHUFFLED NOTES-

I've had a lifelong passion for music; it started at age 4 when I began taking piano lessons, which soon morphed into me skipping school to stand in line to see my favorite singers. I've always given recommendations to my friends, even if I knew they would never actually listen. I've also never been afraid to tell someone when I think their favorite artist creates the most bullshit layers of noise I've ever heard in my life.

So this is it: I'm here to write, I'm here to listen, and I'm here to be honest with you. And by "you," I mean my mom and maybe a couple friends, but mostly my mom.

On the theme of honesty, I guess I have to be honest now. This is kind of scary. I'm used to sharing my writing in closed workshops where the professor will bash your head in if you speak about anything you read outside the classroom doors. I'm opening myself up to the judgement and criticism of literally anyone for the first time since I made a Tik Tok account. But one of my first poetry professors told me that if you're nervous to share something, you should just say it. So I'm saying it: this is scary.

I guess I'm just asking you to come in with an open mind. If you have feedback, I would love to hear it. If you notice a typo, please, for the love of God, let me know. But above all else, I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I love writing them.

I don't have a sign off or anything. Should I have a sign off? Like, uh, shuffle completed . . . notes: shuffled . . . I hope your notes get shuffled . . . you can shuffle my notes any day . . . no, I need to keep brainstorming. Alright then, I guess that's it.

-SHUFFLED NOTES-