#Pop culture haters refuse to do it

[itspileofgoodthings]

there’s enormous power in admitting that something has its charm and then looking it dead in the eye anyways.

[writingwenches]

MaesterList

summary – In courts through history, all over the world, women played an important part of building the culture *tongue pop* I was inspired by the lack of courtly women in the HOTD universe, so I added a few dozen and the game of thrones began. Instead of a Fix-It Fic approach, I went with a more "explain it" direction regarding the overall plot related to the show.

House of the Dragon Explain-it Universe

Freedom From – Aemond x Peasant OC; Mixed-Race OC; status – ACT ONE complete

summary: Prince Aemond finds himself in the northern Riverlands on a quest to fetch a gift for his sister. The local Peasantry do not believe him a real prince, and enjoys the lack of responsibility…until he learns that one of the peasants will soon be joining him in the Red Keep. series found here

Aemma Velaryion – Rhaenyra's Religious Team Green Daughter; status – more to come!

I started off wanting to write a version of Rhaenyra's daughter that was staunchly Team Green, and I ended up creating a nightmare monster. I love her so much. Part One

Aegon, Aemond, Daeron — teenage brotherly bonding; status: idk lol

Aegon’s new favorite hobby has taken him away from his training, and the punishment calls for a field trip, and the only way for real men to travel is on horseback rip it’s silly, it’s dumb, I hate/love it lol

Original Character Directory

Princess Aemma Velaryon – Rhaenyra's eldest daughter. She is angry, and sad, and everything in between. Currently a ward of Queen Alicent. [aesthetic inspiration – Hozier singing "Take Me to Church" at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show]

Lyn – the main POV character we see the world through. Grew up as a lowborn peasant, in the backwoods of the Riverlands. She is living in a horror story. Have you ever dreamed of being a princess? Of having a family of untold wealth and power? To have everyone in the realm know your name? To truly have everything you've ever wanted? Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.

She generally has no idea what is going on in this game of thrones. She can not yet read, she grew up thinking the Freys at The Twins were Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. The targtowers/courtly ladies have convinced her that Lord Larys Strong is the father of Rhaenyra’s bastards rip

Team Red

Lady Cinda Lannister – Younger Sister to Lord Jason Lannister, Lady of Coin for the Red Keep, First Lady of Honor to Queen Alicent. Childhood crush of Aemond Targaryen. Her age is described as "almost too old to bare children." Aemond has proposed to her on numerous occasions through his youth (and beyond) and she has refused him every time. (Lady of Coin makes sure the cooks/servants have the coin they need to perform their job, a “lower” job, fit only for a women, because it requires speaking to servants lol)

Lady Cordelia Lannister – Younger niece of Lady Cinda Lannister, by way of an elder brother. Both Cordelia's parents passed when she was younger, as has been living as a ward of Cinda, in the Red Keep, most of her life. She is supposed to be a friend to Princess Aemma, but she finds the princess extremely tiring. She has never had to make a decision for herself, and doesn't know if she will ever be able to. She doesn't want the life planned out for her...but what other choice does she have? Her age is described as "almost too young to bare children."

Team Reach

Lady Ivyanne Tyrell – engaged to Aemond Targaryen on numerous occasions against her will, trapped in the Red Keep, living in a horror story. Aemond Targaryen’s number one hater, a sword lesbian. The only child to Lord and Lady Tyrell, there is a rumor she was caldron made. She would rather die than marry a man, and her parents seem to think removing a few fingers could make her see reason. They were wrong. If she is to die, she will die free. On again, off again with Helaena. What started as a way to annoy her nemesis, Aemond, Ivy sometimes finds herself dreaming of the princess. Ivy believes that Lyn MUST marry Aemond, if she has any hope to be free of him. (Face inspo: masc Kirsten Stewart in a dress)

Lady Oletta Redwyne – the heir to The Arbor, a dragon pit is currently being constructed on the island, mentally engaged to Aegon Targaryen since the age of three, has shaped her entire personality around him, there is no option other than Aegon. There is a small chance she is poising him. (Face inspo: Havana Rose Liu)

Lady Alarie Mullendore – first cousin to Lyn, the fashion influencer of the Seven Kingdoms, runs her own business designing and making dresses for ladies at court. Uses fashion as a backstabbing method. Her hair is big because it’s full of secrets.

Lady Tatsu 🏳️‍⚧️ – A Nobleperson from Nososs, a place ruled by dragon lords long ago, but they all died out. Legendary fighter, “dancing master” to Lady Ivyanne. Living as a trans woman in King’s Landing. Maesters are fascinated by Nososs, but most refuse to speak with her for close-minded reasons. Wants to go home more than anything else in the world, but knows she’ll never be able to (unless…)

more characters coming soon...

Original Location/House Directory

Nososs – geography based on Japan, on the other side of the known world, pre-Dawn society, former dragon lords, noble pilgrims

Tropicos – continent southwest of the Reach, destroyed during Aegon's Conquest, home to strange and hostile terrain, cursed from chemical poisoning, based on where i grew up, more info coming soon.

House Stone – Inspired by Mongolian culture, the Newest House of the Seven Kingdoms, sworn as loyal vessels to House Stark, and named a noble house by King Viserys I Targaryen after their economic rise from the sale of ice.

My requests are always open for original locations/house content! If you want to send geographic or cultural inspiration, I can make an OC house/country based on them~

Old Valyria Original Lore

Vaestal Virgins – Old Valyrian Goddess of Luck, Dragonfire, Virgins and Dragondreams // Inspired by the Vestal Virgins of Ancient city of Rome

[lindwurmkai]

Thinking about the "how dare you humanise abusers" attitude that often pops up in response to a) discussions of fictional portrayals of abuse and b) generalised statements like "dehumanisation is never okay" (which those people object to on the basis that abusers exist and should, according to them, be dehumanised).

I never understood this before because I thought we were all discussing the actual question of whether talking about abusers in that way was beneficial. You know, to society as a whole. Or to victims of abuse in particular. But I just realised that's not what those people are doing.

To them, dehumanisation is simply a punishment. Describing abusers as complex human beings would be treating them more kindly than they deserve. Even fictional abusers don't deserve such kindness, no matter how many abuse survivors say they find nuanced portrayals more relatable. Or if you must make them seem human, at least punish them in some other way (preferably death) at the end of the story, right?

It's like when someone who normally identifies as an ally starts misgendering a trans person as punishment for (real or perceived) misdeeds. They don't think they're making a statement about trans people and misgendering in general, they don't think they're being transmisic, they're just doling out punishment. The trans person doesn't deserve to be treated "kindly" (respectfully) anymore in their eyes, so they're hitting them where it hurts.

Much like many of these so-called "allies" secretly never saw the trans person as their real gender to begin with, I bet many of the people who make a fuss about "humanisation of abusers" also have ... worse reasons for it than the most benign interpretation I am describing here. But I genuinely think a lot of people are simply trapped in the mindset that the person who abused them, abused their friend, or abused one of their family members deserves to be punished in any way you can think of and therefore ideas like "all people should be treated with respect" no longer apply to them.

But I'm not talking about what they do or don't deserve. I don't want to "humanise" abusers in order to be kind to them; I have at least 3 separate reasons for it that all come down to "it's better for society as a whole" in some way. For survivors, for the prevention of further abuse, and for neurodivergent people.

So we're over here discussing what we think would be best for all of us and someone comes in with, "You want to be nice to abusers???" No! That's not the point! But I think even if they understand that it's not our intention, they still feel like anyone who refuses to participate in this form of "punishment" is effectively being too kind. And anyone who fails to sound sufficiently vicious in their condemnation of abuse is automatically suspect, because any "normal human being" should be filled with rage at the thought of it.

I have never aspired to be anything close to a normal human being, but if you think I haven't felt that rage, you're wrong. I just don't feel the need to express it constantly regardless of context, and I don't think it makes sense to judge people based on whether they do.

Oh. It's DNI culture all over again, isn't it. If you hate something, you must wear a flashing neon sign on your forehead announcing it in order to signal to the other haters that you're safe to interact with because anyone who doesn't hate that group strongly enough to wear the sign could potentially be sympathetic towards them, right? Much like a writer who doesn't explicitly condemn all of their villain's actions. Ah.

[stpaullutheranchurch]

november 13 2022

November 13th 2022

Old Testament: Malachi 4:1-6

Psalm: Psalm 56

Epistle: 2nd Thessalonians 3:1-13

Gospel: Luke 21:5-36

Sermon Text: Luke 21:25-36

Sermon Title: “Your Redemption is Drawing Near”

Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

“For behold, the Day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and evildoers will be stubble … leaving them neither root, nor branch”. (Malachi 4:1) “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars. People fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world … and then they will see the Son of Man, coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. When you see these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads because, your redemption is drawing near”. (Luke 21:25-28)

There is a line from a (rather obscure) pop song from the 1980’s that goes like this; “We will walk right through heavens door and proudly raise our hands”. This seems to be the attitude of most in our sick and twisted culture/world; either claiming there is no God, or outright mocking Him; shaking their fist at the heavens; saying I know better what is right for me. Most, in our world, no longer make any secret of their sins, even boasting about them. Willfully murdering millions of babies in the name of choice, denying our sexuality, that God created us with when “He knitted us together in our mother’s womb”; (Psalm 139:13b) claiming men can be women and women can be men; mutilating children in the name of transgenderism.

All of these things were enshrined into law in several state constitutions this past Tuesday and many other states have already passed such laws or are promoting them. The churches’ and parental concerns about such things are dismissed by many in authority as bigoted and hateful; and parental notification and consent have also been wiped out. In many places in our country, government authorities are threatening to arrest parents or remove their children from homes that refuse to go along with these evils; claiming it is abusive not to affirm these vile behaviors. One state even passed an addition to their constitution saying that doctors cannot be held accountable if (for any reason) they refuse to treat new born infants.

In our nation, we are truly living out what the Apostle Paul described in Romans 1; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them … So, they are without excuse”. (Romans 1:18-19, 20b)

“Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a debased mind, to do what ought not to be done. They are filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice … murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness … gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless”. (Romans 1:28-31)

Like in the days of Noah and of Sodom and Gomorrah, sinners engage in all kinds of evil acts, secure and carefree, with no fear of God; laughing at those who bear witness to the truth of God’s wrath and threatened punishment. As Walther described in his day, and its even worse today, “the world has descended into a pit of vileness and have drunk deeply from the cup of shame”. We are ripe for God’s judgment.

So, how do we respond? Certainly, we are not to respond in carnal security, denying our sins and thinking that we are immune from such false beliefs. God is sounding the warnings for all to hear, even those in His church, that the day of His return is very near. So, we are to respond as Luther wrote in the Small Catechism, (4th part of Baptism), “the Old Adam in us (sinful nature) should by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die, along with all sins and evil desires”. God offers no comfort to the unrepentant sinner; as the prophet Malachi declared, “Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming, shall set them ablaze … so that it will leave them neither root nor branch”. (Malachi 4:1)

While the unbelieving world continues in their false security; the heavens will suddenly open and ���all the tribes of the earth will mourn” (Matthew 24:30a). “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory”. (Luke 21:27) On that day, just as on the day of death, there will be no more time for the unbeliever to change their mind. In His grace, God provided the remedy for sin and death, by sending His Son Jesus to die for the sins of the world, but “the time of grace will end with the appearance of the judge … this could happen today, even this hour, and it should prompt us to rise immediately and to flee into the wounds of Jesus Christ”. (C F W Walther sermon on Luke 21)

In the Gospel text, Jesus first warns the people of His day about the coming destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in the year 70 A. D., and then He speaks of signs that will occur as the time of His second coming draws near. “There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the seas and waves; people fainting with fear and with foreboding at what is coming upon the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken”. (Luke 21:25-26)

As fearful as these events are/will be, Jesus tells us His people, “when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”. (Luke 21:28) So, we who are baptized and believe in Christ, prayerfully look forward to that day, for when “Christ appears a second time, (it is not to) deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him”. (Hebrews 9:28) Therefore, Jesus instructs us, “Watch yourselves … Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man”. (Luke 21:34a, 36) So, when Jesus says, “Surely, I am coming soon, (we reply) Amen! Come Lord Jesus”. (Revelation 22:20b)

Since the day of Jesus’ second coming is a day of joy for the Christian, let us go to the Small Catechism to review what Scripture teaches about Christ’s Second Coming. First, the Scriptures teach that Christ will return visibly and with great glory on the Last Day. Jesus said, “As lightening comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man”. (Matthew 24:27) “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne”. (Matthew 25:31)

At Jesus’ ascension, the angel told the disciples, “this Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come again in the same way you saw Him go into heaven”. (Acts 1:11b) John also, in the book of Revelation declares, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him”. (Revelation 1:7) Therefore, the teaching of some churches that there will be a secret “rapture” of God’s people to heaven before the final judgment is utterly and completely false. (unbiblical)  

Second, Christ (our Savior) is coming to judge the world by His Word. “Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats”. (Matthew 25:32) “We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ”. (2nd Corinthians 5:10) “He will judge the world in righteousness”. (Acts 17:31a) Jesus also said, “I came to save the world, (but) the one who rejects Me … has a judge; the Word that I have spoken will be His judge on the last day”. (John 12:48) Contrary to the teaching of some churches, Jesus is not coming again to set up an earthly kingdom for 1000 years; for He taught, “My kingdom is not of this world”. (John 18:36)

Third, contrary to the predictions of many misguided people throughout the history of the church, Christ will return on a specific day, known only by God. The Apostle Peter and Paul wrote, “the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night”. (2nd Peter 3:10a, 1st Thessalonians 5:2b) Jesus also taught us, “Concerning that day or hour, no one knows” (Mark 13:32a) and “You must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”. (Matthew 24:44) We must be ready, because “it is appointed for a man to die once and after that comes the judgment”. (Hebrews 9:27)

Fourth, before Christ’s return, there will be increasing turmoil and distress in the church and the world, “the Holy Spirit expressly teaches that in the latter times, some will depart from the faith”. (1st Timothy 4:1a) “Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold”. (Matthew 24:12) “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes and pestilences in various places. And there will be terrors and great signs in the heavens”. (Luke 21:10-11)

Why does Christ give us these signs of His coming again in glory? He gives these signs in order to demonstrate His love for us. It is a great kindness of God to warn us about the troubles to come, so that we do not fall away from Him when things get difficult; for “He who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Philippians 1:6)

He also gives us these signs to drive out any false security that people may have about His coming judgment. These signs take away any excuse for unbelief, because Christ has been warning us for a long time that the judgment could come at any time. These signs are also for our encouragement, “because your redemption is drawing near”. (Luke 21:28b) When trials and tribulations come upon us, we long even more for deliverance from them and from this world, which is not our home. Again, we pray, “Amen, Come Lord Jesus”. (Revelation 22:20b)

This is the fifth thing the Catechism teaches us about judgment day, the return of Christ Jesus in glory is a source of hope and joy for the Christian. As St. Paul wrote to Titus, “(we are being) trained to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, (as we) await our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession”. (Titus 2:11-14a)

What do the Scriptures teach about the resurrection of the body? “They teach that on the Last Day Christ “will raise me and all the dead and give eternal life to me and all believers in Him”. (3rd Article, Explanation) The opposite is also true; those who have not believed in Christ will be raised to eternal punishment. As Jesus declared, “God will say to those on His left (unbelievers), depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”. (Matthew 25:41) Hell was not created for any people, but those who reject Christ will nevertheless end up there.

“And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will arise, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt”. (Daniel 12:2) For those who have trusted in Christ, He has promised to “transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body”. (Philippians 3:21) So, “blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord from now on”. (Revelation 14:13a)

Knowing Christ’s promises, we can now say with the Apostle Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is your victory? O death where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. (1st Corinthians 15:54b-57) Having been forgiven, we gladly receive God’s gift in Word and Sacrament, and we now look forward to the day of His return with confidence, “straighten up and raise our heads, because your redemption is drawing near”. (Luke 21:28b) Amen.

The peace of God …

[evilthotiana]

i’ve got lots of feelings on this but i’ll sum it up, individually for each of the 3 first then as a whole.

- skrillex: he made the honorable genre of dubstep into a bastardized american version which i can’t forgive him for. his rebrand into a alterno-electro-pop guy is just bad vibes

- four tet: honestly i just don’t care for his music and i think he works with some great artists which makes his own music’s relative midness even more apparent

- fred again: FUCK this guy. his music is boring and uninspired and he has managed to scam tons of people into thinking he’s “higher-brow” or emotionally deeper than other electronic musicians. nope, sounds like h&m dressing room music. plus i’ve seen a few djs say he’s an asshole in person.

- as a whole, i think that these guys being the face of electronic music is indicative of the cultural stagnancy of “slightly off-center” electronic music… a collaboration between these three just makes me feel like the electronic world is stuck in the past, refusing to find new icons unless they’re co-signed by already-known names.. once again it’s just bad vibes

maybe i’m too jaded or i’m just a big hater, who knows. but i really do love and care about electronic music and think that these guys aren’t taking things in a good direction (or forward at all), rather, they’re just regressing into bland, comfortable sounds. it’s not cool, new, innovative, or anything imo. but that’s just my two cents really

four tet fred again skrillex are the worst thing to happen to electronic music rn. crazy that skrillex has managed to do that twice now

[bloodwards]

Can u explain the significance of Karma?

Love Taylor’s music but don’t follow celeb stuff and know very little abt her personal life

Hey anon, sorry it took me so long, I've been busyyy

You came to the right place though, I am a known Karma truther/enjoyer/overall stan lmao

The first thing you need to know is that our girl has not gotten over a single thing that has happened in her life, ever. She has been trying to get back at her haters and whatnot by singing at them for more than a decade now. We’ve got Mean, we’ve got Shake It Off, we’ve got bits and pieces scattered through many other songs, and Karma is the latest installment in that whole saga. 

It has been a concept she’s been enamoured with for a while now, and I do mean the western pop culture “what goes around comes around” notion of karma. 

It was also widely speculated that we would get an album called “Karma” (around reputation era) and then especially after The Man music video which featured the Karma graffiti, as well as the names of her other albums (which she does not own). 

 (tbh I didn’t really think we’d get a Karma album but I knew she would put out something bc there had to be a reason and also bc that lady is insane)

Karma the song is honestly pretty silly if I’m being honest but! First and foremost it’s honestly such a banger! (Block the outro out of your memory every time you listen though, it’s just so lazy and Not Good)

Meaning-wise... Karma is all about winning! It’s about vindication! It’s about rising above, not by being the Bigger Person, but out of spite!! 

It’s about Taylor refusing to disappear into obscurity and sticking it out in the industry when so many have left! But she’s still here! It’s about her ultimately getting rewarded for refusing to leave, to bend, to give up, she is relevant as ever, absolutely no one is doing it like her fame-wise.

Speaking as a queen of petty myself, this song is honestly so ecstatic to me. This is not the end, I’m refusing for it to be the end, I will carve out my own happy ending and it will be on MY terms!! And also? Maybe there’s an invisible yet all-encompassing force out there that knows I did nothing wrong and it loves me, how about that huh

An argument can be made that it’s about the feud with K*nye and/or about the whole debacle with her masters being bought out without her knowledged or involvement but to me?? It’s about ALL the detractors eating shit. She IS big enough so they can’t hit her now, she has learned from all the shit that has happened to her and you simply cannot kill her in a way that matters at this point.

In a way, Karma is This is why we can’t have nice things’ rich aunt who shows up to the family gathering and doesn’t give two shits about who might say what because guess what!! She’s the one giving the most lavish gifts! Everyone wants to be on her good side! She’s simply too powerful! And sure, she can’t have some nice things, but that’s okay because the things she’s been dreaming of? The fame, the stardom, the awards, the acclaim, the fans etc etc. She has that. And maybe the rest of it isn’t as important, even though it does hurt. Bring out the wine, I guess.

[duhragonball]

I get not understanding why people like Dragon Ball Minus over the Bardock TV Special (or vice versa), but throwing a shitfit about it is kind petty and childish. Honestly though, the Dragon Ball franchise plays so fast and loose with its own idea of "canon" that it's safe to just... focus on the things you like outside the original manga and discard whatever you don't like. Like, if you like some parts of Super but others ring hollow, it's valid to indulge only in the stuff you like. If you like Goku Jr. but dislike the rest GT, picking the little guy out of that and ignoring the rest is also valid. Want to mix Bardock Special and Dragon Ball Minus for your ultimate Kakarot origin? Valid! We just gotta remember the original story we all united around in the first place (though AUs and What Ifs are ALSO extremely valid) and not be jerks about our preferences or others'. Thumper's mom in Bambi was right, fandom!

I had to look up Thumper's mom for context. Was "Bambi" the origin of "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"? I've heard that my whole life, but "Bambi" came out in 1942, and the book was published in 1923, so maybe that is the source.

But yeah, you're absolutely right, Anon. "Brittleness" is something I think about a lot. There are those who want everything to be a certain way, and they get upset when people and things don't line up to the rules they made up in their heads. In their refusal to compromise, they make themselves so rigid that there's no satisfying them. You can try to get along with them, but sooner or later their inflexibility becomes a sticking point, and you'll find yourself "disqualified" for some arbitrary reason.

With the DBZ fandom, and probably every other fandom, I think "brittleness" often manifests over preferences rather than the content itself, because most fans understand that they have no control over the content. They can't force Akira Toriyama to withdraw "Dragon Ball Minus", and they can't force Funimation to erase the Faulconer score. So they take out their frustrations on the fans who like (or at least tolerate) the things they hate. "Oh, I'm so mad about the 16:9 aspect ratio on the DVD release! If you bought or enjoyed the DVD then you're a waste of oxygen!" That sort of thing.

It probably doesn't help when liked-minded fans get together and support each other on this sort of thing. It still boggles my mind that there's a bunch of Vegebul shippers that feel obligated to harass Gochi shippers. Usually shipwars in a fandom are about which relationship becomes canon, but these are canon and one doesn't interfere with the other, so I don't understand it. Except that the haters probably all get together in their haterade server on Discord and pat each other on the back for sending rude messages to the other side. Until they start to fight amongst themselves, over whatever internal differences they have with each other.

I'm not saying the answer is to bend over backwards for everything that comes your way. There are some things that shouldn't be compromised with or accepted because they're abhorrent. TERF's, Nazis, cryptocurrency peddlers... I'm just thinking off the top of my head.

But pop culture isn't a hill worth dying on, and neither are things like "personal canon" or voice actor preferences. Neither are artistic choices, or consuming art that's been deemed "problematic". Someone got on my case once because they didn't approve of who I was following on social media. Was I supposed to get permission ahead of time? Bullshit. I like to get along with people, but if the only way I can get along with someone is to stop getting along with everyone else, then I really don't have much of a choice, now do I?

This is probably why I've always been more comfortable with blogs, because you can just write out your opinions and no one has to listen if they don't want to. They can stop and see what you have to say, or move on, whichever they please. But for some people, that's not good enough, and they use their platforms to try to get the rest of the world to agree with them on every little thing, and that's just a pipe dream. Nobody's got that kind of leverage. And anyone who thinks that they do is just fooling themselves.

[unclesamantha]

my own, unprompted and not-asked-for thoughts on lyn-z way that i’ve been pondering and wanted to share (it’s a long one, i wish I could remember how to do “read mores” on here lol):

I’m posting this from a side blog I’ve had hoarded for awhile, because I’m honestly kind of scared of what might transpire. With that said, I’ve been a lyn-z way fan for over 13 years. When I was going through high school, I obsessively watched her tasteit.tv interview and bought her “Don’t Call Me Mrs. Gerard Way” article off eBay, and really appreciated her story because I could wholeheartedly relate: I felt like a total misfit in my small-ish town, was extremely self-conscious and wanted to escape and make a name for myself. I loved (and still love!) her weird dark art, her expression through various mediums. Here on tumblr, back when I used to actually tag and organize stuff on my main blog, she was probably the third most tagged topic on my blog. I even assisted with some posts on the lynz style blog. I remember her tweeting about herself being half Indian and was so amazed, she offered representation to a group of people who rarely show up in pop culture, especially not rock n roll (the only other one I can think of is the bassist from No Doubt). She was a champion of women in rock and the arts, and was so kind to her fans after shows and on Twitter. Her story about achieving all her goals and finding true love and wealth in spite of her reported hardships gave a lot of us something to aspire to. With all that said, all of what’s being said right now about her has really made me start thinking critically about who I choose as my heroes. I remember when the “lynzuglyliar” blog first popped up in maybe 2012-2013, I was like “uhhh yeah ok” because she got a lot of hate for being married to her husband, so it was easy to write it off as a hate blog. The blog name also didn’t help (sorry!). But this year, with her family coming out and confirming pretty much everything that blog said for ages, I had to start reconsidering. Is her family capable of lying? Of course. But LynZ has used her platform to pretty much slander them for over a decade, while they struggle not only in real life financially, but also to have their voice heard. Them speaking up really broke my heart - they’re trying their best to get by in life, but keep getting knocked down by a famous family member who’s husband (and by default and marriage law, herself) is worth $10-20 million while they live in a very rough area (out $40K after LynZ dropped out of a very expensive school) and her legion of fans. LynZ’s disregard for the well documented instances of jimmy kissing underage fans was a bit unnerving. Yes, she said to believe victims, but went on to insinuate that it was all Jessicka’s doing, and kind of made it about herself. The reason why people are reaching out her about it is because she has the largest platform of anyone in MSI, and unfortunately she bares some responsibility in righting a wrong that her gross band mate thought was ok.

I have a lot of thoughts on how I feel about this whole situation; it’s mostly disappointment on my heroes part, and frustration at fellow LynZ fans who just outright refuse to acknowledge her kinda disgusting actions. When multiple friends and family members all corroborate the same things, and share their own stories of betrayal and bullying, who am I - a fan who has only been witness to a projected image of LynZ’s best self and a story she conconted for herself for almost 20 years - to say they’re lying or they’re “haters”? For me, it would be extremely entitled and delusional to tell these people “hey cool story, but this is what LynZ said so shut up.” I have to listen to their stories, and acknowledge a pattern.

Long story short, LynZ was part of my coming of age, my awkward and insecure teenage years. She inspired me to pursue art and follow my dreams. I also don’t even find fault with her getting into MSI without bass talent - they’re a performance based band, and I also don’t really believe she doesn’t play on the records or live, as she’s played bass for 15-20 years so she’s definitely learned how to play effectively in that time. But I can’t defend her actions and aid in silencing the people she’s hurt. Sorry this was a really long post, I just had a lot of thoughts on someone I considered my greatest hero for so long. I tried my best not to come off as spiteful, because I’m not sure if I can say I hate her, for the reasons I just stated. There’s this notion that “women don’t owe you anything” - which is true, when it comes to unwanted advances and gross shit like that. But when it comes to decades of playing in a band that used slurs and racist/pedophilic imagery for “shock” value, as well as a lot of extremely questionable behavior and misleading fans, I just hope that one day she can come forward and take some accountability, no matter how scary it will be.

[dailyexo]

[INTERVIEW] Lay - 200819 Rolling Stone India: “How Lay Zhang Claimed The Throne of M-pop”

"The singer-songwriter and producer offers an in-depth look into his latest record ‘Lit,’ his evolution as an artist and finding the balance between East and West

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

It’s been nearly two years since our conversation for Rolling Stone India’s November 2018 cover feature, and any signs of trepidation are a thing of the past for LAY. We could chalk it up to him being two years older and wiser, but I’d like to think it’s because he kept his promise to bring M-pop to the world. If Namanana was just a dip in the pool of fusion experimentation, his latest studio album Lit is the deep dive.

“It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

Some things however, never change; brand deals, TV shows, multiple singles, EPs and collaborations keep his schedule completely booked and– just like back in 2018– it’s extremely tough to pin him down for a conversation. He’s currently in the middle of filming a reality show and has several other projects in the pipeline, but still makes the time to catch up and answer a few questions for Rolling Stone India. In this exclusive interview, LAY details his most successful record yet, the journey of finding the balance between East and West, dealing with the dark side of media attention and why the relationship between an artist and their fans needs to be a two-way street.

Congratulations on the release and tremendous success of Lit! It is an absolutely phenomenal record and I was thrilled to see you explore so many new streams of production. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making this album and do you feel you met your own expectations for it?

For this album I wanted to mix in Chinese traditional instruments and tell Chinese stories. It is the evolution of M-pop for me. I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments you know it is a different sound and vibe. It is hard to say if I met my own expectations. As an artist you never ever feel your work is perfect. You can always find spots where you can improve. But I think what I was able to do with my team in the time we had was great.

You dove deeper into the fusion of tradition and modernity on this album than Namanana—there was a larger variety of Chinese instruments used as well as bilingual wordplay with language in the lyrics. In what ways do you feel you’ve evolved as a producer and songwriter since that album to Lit?

I am still trying to find the right style and combination to share my music and Chinese culture with the world. Lit was an example of my growth. I had this desire to include traditional stories and instruments from Chinese culture. Trying to find the balance with the Western music was challenging. I had to think and spend a lot of time arranging the chords around and fitting everything together. Also with this album I am talking about things in a more personal level and taking time to explain with more of an artistic style. I feel like I am growing up on this journey.

Lit is the first part of a series of EPs which will make a whole LP—why did you want to release it in this format and when did you begin working on the record?

I split it into two parts to give time to people to listen to it. I feel like if I released 12 songs at once, people may not give enough time to listen to each track. But when there are just six tracks each time, then it gives people time to listen more carefully. I started this project maybe early 2019.

The title track “Lit” is about your battle with the media, hateful netizens and malicious comments/rumors. Does it get easier over time to deal with this obsessive analysis of your life or does it never really ebb away?

It will always bother you, but over time you learn to deal with it. You focus on it less and less and back on what you love doing. When I make my music or learn dance or do anything I love, I kind of forget about it. Just focus on your goals and dreams and everything else becomes background noise.

The music for “Lit” is, in my opinion, the best of 2020 so far. Can you tell me a little about your role as the executive producer and music director on this project? How did the concept come about?

I was very involved in the project. I oversaw a lot of things that happened and discussed with almost everyone on the team on how to achieve my vision. When I was making the song I was thinking about how do we share Chinese culture. I thought filming in an ancient palace would catch people’s attention. It took off from there when discussing with the director. We started adding more and more elements of Chinese culture. We were trying to tell the story of Xiang Yu, a warlord who rebelled against the mighty Qin Dynasty but wasn’t able to conquer China. I’m Xiang Yu, but I’m trying to change my fate and succeed in my goal.

You incorporated Chinese Peking Opera in the music video version of the track and visual elements of Peking Opera in the album art for “Jade”–What was the motivation behind that decision and is there a particular story that the opera section references?

I wanted to bring people back in time to ancient China. I reference the traditional Chinese story of Xiang Yu and his love, Concubine Yu, so then I added in select passages from the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine which tells their tragic story.

You displayed your incredible skills in dancing in this music video and you recently talked about how dancing was a way for you to show the audience who you are. Did you feel a sense of relief that the audience can see you or understand you a bit better after the release of “Lit”? Can the audience ever truly understand an artist?

It feels good to know people can see me and understand me more. I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.

How do you hope that the artist you are today crafts the Lay Zhang of tomorrow?

I always believe in working hard and improving. I hope that the Lay Zhang of tomorrow continues to keep looking for ways to improve his art. I hope he never gives up his dreams.

Last time we spoke, we talked about Asian traditions represented in global mainstream pop culture. Now as you’ve grown as a megastar, you are one of the leading names in pop filling that space, bringing your heritage to the stage. Why is it important for our generation to see ourselves and our histories represented on these platforms by artists?

It is important for people to remember where they come from. They should know their own history and how their culture came to be. Also, it lets other people know another culture and have a deeper understanding. It can stop miscommunication and it helps people be closer to each other.

Why do fans need to see themselves in an artist? Does it work the same on the other side, do you as an artist see yourself in your fans?

I want fans to be able to relate with an artist. It is important for a fan to see themselves in artist and an artist to see themselves in a fan. When you can see each other you are able to understand each other better. You can connect with each other and really feel things.

I absolutely love the ‘Re-Reaction’ videos you have been doing for years and it means a lot to your fans that you take the time to do it. Why did you want to do this series and what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans like this and see them react to your work?

I am curious to know what fans and people think of my work. I want to know where I can improve. I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.

Other than releasing more music, what are the rest of your plans for 2020? Do you have any film projects that you’re looking at taking up or are you planning on doing something completely different?

I am busy filming a TV drama and a few reality TV shows for the rest of 2020. A very busy schedule.”

Photo links: 1, 2, 3, 4

Credit: Rolling Stone India.

[mensajeroseis]

do you have someplace where you talk about fallout 3 like a post or something cuz people gimme shit on saying fo3 is good even for all the hate it gets but my brain can never recall Why beyond like, Vibes

i recognize the criticisms but it’s still Good yknow and thats why i followed you cuz you Get It

I definitely do considering my years of fallout 3 posting lol, but also I do not have an actual tagging system on this blog outside of my art and ocs. So I will just write a new one, because it is somehow a talent of mine to dump my nuanced and very sexy opinion about fallout 3.

I will say that fallout bethesda haters are always going to exist and will want to shit on anyone’s positive opinions about fo3 or fo4 (i do not care for fo4 but somehow still have 1000+ hours in it) and yeah like you said there’s a lot to recognize in criticisms for fo3/4, and fnv as well. But people tend to be blinded when they like a video game with no analytical eye, thus reverting their evolution and making their brains smaller which means they lose all critical reasonings and civil sociality. anyways. I think the most important thing to even say to people like that is, that people’s opinions on media are subjective and then tell them they have very obvious insecurity problems to care so much about disregarding yours, and proceed to block them for a funny haha (optional). Or if anyone immediately changes topic to how fnv is better, when you simply post about appreciating fo3 ; also have issues and should be ignored lol

A lot of people’s initial reasonings for fo3 being a good game is it was their first fallout, or the first fallout to bring the series to mainstream triple A regard. And that’s certainly something to admire but really it doesn’t say anything about the game itself. Fallout 3 is very straight forward, and also has a lot of obvious christian tones to it in the main story lol (cringe). There isn’t much room for nuance in quests, and that can make it come off comical rather than realistic. Which it can be felt Bethesda wanted to get that quirky 50s vibe from like the pop culture of it, like corny 50s B movies almost. But I will however say, the emotional value that fallout 3′s quests have to them are stronger than any other game in the series. of course this can also be subjective to the type of person you are I feel, some people want a personal connection, others don’t care for it. Some people say fnv’s opening is personal because you’re mad a dude shot you, for the character of the courier sure. But for the player, it is literally a plot McGuffin of mystery to entice you so idk, my opinion tho. To each their own. It’s like the whole fo4 opening debacle. How can you care about your son if you spend 5 minutes with a babbling infant. At least in fo3, you get multiple scenes of growing up in the vault, and observing the interactions of everyone and general social climate of 101. And that’s a very obvious strength fo3 has imo over fo4. 

Okay I’m losing brain steam now but uh... I feel it’s pretty definitive that fo3 has the best post apocalyptic atmosphere out of all the fallout games (again this is subjective, i find staring at a desert to be very draining and i find the commonwealth to be repetitive. I just like Grey and Green lawl) Bethesda’s strength as a company is definitely environment building/level design. Also the OST Inon Zur made for fo3 makes me Cum. Uhhh also I would find that Fallout 3 runs inline with Fallout 1′s tone (on the same wavelength at least, very obvious with some things like Trouble On The Homefront etc etc), and FNV runs inline with FO2 tonally. Fallout as a series is like a chapter book of post apocalypse and post-post apocalypse stories, and you will merely pick which one you’d rather read more. You can flip flop, you may flip one day and flop another. 

Duhh UHHH hmm anyways I have beef with HBomberGuy’s fallout videos and I will never watch them because of how much he refuses to give any nuance to fo3 or fnv lmfao. You are not going to win anyone over by telling them they’re opinion over a game is shit, but you can have good enlightening conversation and opinion growth if you talk about things in a nuanced view, and even better talk about the shitty things of the entire fallout series as a whole. Because Fallout Sucks. It really does. Play Wasteland 3 instead. 

anyways hope everyone who somehow read thru all this has a nice night.

[everythingkimhongjoong]

I noticed that some people are still replying to my Jay Park posts. They are defending him, and claiming that I don’t know his struggle. They are also arguing about cultural appropriation. 

First off, I been a 2pm fan since the very beginning so I do know Jay Park’s struggle. I definitely didn’t think he deserved to be kicked out of 2pm, but I’m very proud of him for not letting that one situation ruin his dreams. Cause I know most idols give up when stuff like this happens. I have always been a big supporter of Jay Park and his labels. They give many Korean artists the ability to express themselves, which many of them aren’t able to do under traditional Korean labels. As a 2pm fan though, I am still hoping that one day a reunion will be possible. 

Second: There are tons of Korean immigrants that grew up in the hood. Just like any other ethnicity, your surroundings can change you. So if a Korean person has been living in Jamaica their entire life, I would 100% expect them to talk and act like any other Jamaican person. That is not cultural appropriation, because Jamaican culture is now their culture. It has now become them. Jay Park though did NOT grow up in the hood. He did not grow up in the projects. He takes black culture and puts it on and takes it off as if its a costume. He would NEVER show up to his business meetings with braids and a grill. Him donating money to BLM does not give him a free pass to take from black culture. He likes Hip Hop culture and that is okay. I like Korean culture, but that doesn’t mean I can now now walk around doing what Oli London is doing. 

At the end of the day, none of this really matters. Fans of Jay Park has been constantly telling him that this is wrong and please don’t do it. WE have constantly been trying to educated him and he just blows us all off as haters and keeps doing it. That is the ultimate disrespect. If someone tells you that what you are doing is hurting people, you should listen. Jay Park refuses to listen. He just continues to stands in his ignorance. Jay Park will NEVER have a big career in America because of this as well. The black community guards hip hop cause it is our creation. He might have big names behind him like Jay-Z, but at the end of the day, the people listening will be the ones to decide if hes gonna pop or flop. 

[fyexo]

200819 How Lay Zhang Claimed The Throne of M-pop

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

It’s been nearly two years since our conversation for Rolling Stone India’s November 2018 cover feature, and any signs of trepidation are a thing of the past for LAY. We could chalk it up to him being two years older and wiser, but I’d like to think it’s because he kept his promise to bring M-pop to the world. If Namanana was just a dip in the pool of fusion experimentation, his latest studio album Lit is the deep dive.

“It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

“’Lit’ continues to explore chasing your dream. This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

“I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

Some things however, never change; brand deals, TV shows, multiple singles, EPs and collaborations keep his schedule completely booked and– just like back in 2018– it’s extremely tough to pin him down for a conversation. He’s currently in the middle of filming a reality show and has several other projects in the pipeline, but still makes the time to catch up and answer a few questions for Rolling Stone India. In this exclusive interview, LAY details his most successful record yet, the journey of finding the balance between East and West, dealing with the dark side of media attention and why the relationship between an artist and their fans needs to be a two-way street.

Congratulations on the release and tremendous success of Lit! It is an absolutely phenomenal record and I was thrilled to see you explore so many new streams of production. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making this album and do you feel you met your own expectations for it?

For this album I wanted to mix in Chinese traditional instruments and tell Chinese stories. It is the evolution of M-pop for me. I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments you know it is a different sound and vibe. It is hard to say if I met my own expectations. As an artist you never ever feel your work is perfect. You can always find spots where you can improve. But I think what I was able to do with my team in the time we had was great.  

You dove deeper into the fusion of tradition and modernity on this album than Namanana—there was a larger variety of Chinese instruments used as well as bilingual wordplay with language in the lyrics. In what ways do you feel you’ve evolved as a producer and songwriter since that album to Lit?

I am still trying to find the right style and combination to share my music and Chinese culture with the world. Lit was an example of my growth. I had this desire to include traditional stories and instruments from Chinese culture. Trying to find the balance with the Western music was challenging. I had to think and spend a lot of time arranging the chords around and fitting everything together. Also with this album I am talking about things in a more personal level and taking time to explain with more of an artistic style. I feel like I am growing up on this journey.

Lit is the first part of a series of EPs which will make a whole LP—why did you want to release it in this format and when did you begin working on the record?

I split it into two parts to give time to people to listen to it. I feel like if I released 12 songs at once, people may not give enough time to listen to each track. But when there are just six tracks each time, then it gives people time to listen more carefully. I started this project maybe early 2019.

The title track “Lit” is about your battle with the media, hateful netizens and malicious comments/rumors. Does it get easier over time to deal with this obsessive analysis of your life or does it never really ebb away?

It will always bother you, but over time you learn to deal with it. You focus on it less and less and back on what you love doing. When I make my music or learn dance or do anything I love, I kind of forget about it. Just focus on your goals and dreams and everything else becomes background noise.

The music for “Lit” is, in my opinion, the best of 2020 so far. Can you tell me a little about your role as the executive producer and music director on this project? How did the concept come about?

I was very involved in the project. I oversaw a lot of things that happened and discussed with almost everyone on the team on how to achieve my vision. When I was making the song I was thinking about how do we share Chinese culture. I thought filming in an ancient palace would catch people’s attention. It took off from there when discussing with the director. We started adding more and more elements of Chinese culture. We were trying to tell the story of Xiang Yu, a warlord who rebelled against the mighty Qin Dynasty but wasn’t able to conquer China. I’m Xiang Yu, but I’m trying to change my fate and succeed in my goal.

You incorporated Chinese Peking Opera in the music video version of the track and visual elements of Peking Opera in the album art for “Jade”–What was the motivation behind that decision and is there a particular story that the opera section references?

I wanted to bring people back in time to ancient China. I reference the traditional Chinese story of Xiang Yu and his love, Concubine Yu, so then I added in select passages from the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine which tells their tragic story.

You displayed your incredible skills in dancing in this music video and you recently talked about how dancing was a way for you to show the audience who you are. Did you feel a sense of relief that the audience can see you or understand you a bit better after the release of “Lit”? Can the audience ever truly understand an artist?

It feels good to know people can see me and understand me more. I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.

How do you hope that the artist you are today crafts the Lay Zhang of tomorrow?

I always believe in working hard and improving. I hope that the Lay Zhang of tomorrow continues to keep looking for ways to improve his art. I hope he never gives up his dreams.

Last time we spoke, we talked about Asian traditions represented in global mainstream pop culture. Now as you’ve grown as a megastar, you are one of the leading names in pop filling that space, bringing your heritage to the stage. Why is it important for our generation to see ourselves and our histories represented on these platforms by artists?

It is important for people to remember where they come from. They should know their own history and how their culture came to be. Also, it lets other people know another culture and have a deeper understanding. It can stop miscommunication and it helps people be closer to each other.  

“I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

Why do fans need to see themselves in an artist? Does it work the same on the other side, do you as an artist see yourself in your fans?

I want fans to be able to relate with an artist. It is important for a fan to see themselves in artist and an artist to see themselves in a fan. When you can see each other you are able to understand each other better. You can connect with each other and really feel things.

I absolutely love the ‘Re-Reaction’ videos you have been doing for years and it means a lot to your fans that you take the time to do it. Why did you want to do this series and what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans like this and see them react to your work?

I am curious to know what fans and people think of my work. I want to know where I can improve. I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.

Other than releasing more music, what are the rest of your plans for 2020? Do you have any film projects that you’re looking at taking up or are you planning on doing something completely different?

I am busy filming a TV drama and a few reality TV shows for the rest of 2020. A very busy schedule.

Riddhi Chakraborty @ Rolling Stone India

[path-of-my-childhood]

Why Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' Is Her Best Album

By: Joe Lynch for Billboard Date: August 22nd 2019

Back in November 2017, Billboard celebrated Taylor Swift's singular pop catalog in the days leading up to the release of her sixth LP, Reputation, by asking five writers to argue for one of her five studio albums as her best. Now, before the release of her seventh album Lover, Billboard's Joe Lynch takes on Reputation itself, and how the album was misunderstood upon release but has since revealed itself to be her most mature, accomplished work to date.

You don't really expect a Taylor Swift album to open with a fuzzy, fat bass line that nearly rumbles the teeth out of the back of your mouth. Which is why when her sixth album Reputation opened with the maximalist industrial pop of "...Ready For It?," casual listeners were confused, Swifties were challenged, and haters were given a bounty of fresh ammo.

And that was exactly what she wanted.

When Reputation arrived in 2017, the media was neck-deep in an exhausting thinkpiece war about what Taylor Swift meant to pop culture – and Twitter was aflame debating whether she was a saint or a snake. Realizing she could no longer choose to be excluded from these narratives, Swift did the next best thing: She owned them. Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose, and by the time Reputation arrived, Swift was ready for real risks.

Think she’s a treacherous viper? Taylor’s not arguing with you - in fact, she’s hissing and poised to strike on lead single "Look What You Made Me Do." Wanna call her a fake? Turn your eyes to album opener “...Ready For It?” for proof, where she slithers into the skin of Goth Taylor, fresh from a trip to Hot Topic. As if to double down on accusations of inauthenticity, she morphs into Trap Taylor on the album's second track, "End Game." Not only did Swift rap, but she invited soft-rock torchbearer Ed Sheeran to spit next to one of the genre's guiding lights, Future. This wasn't just a creative risk - it was Taylor giving harshest critics a hand-wrapped gift and daring them to come after her.

Of course, if Reputation had been one stylistic detour after another, it would leave you with whiplash. In truth, the album openers are sonic red herrings - the Old Taylor wasn't quite as dead as she'd tell us on that lead single. Most of Reputation caters in reflective synth-pop that isn't a far cry from 1989: the lilting "Delicate," the coyly seductive "Dress" and the playful "Gorgeous" are far more representative of the overall LP. And while the tone is darker, the machine-precise hooks and indelible choruses from 1989 and Red return on Reputation, too. Are the peaks quite as high? If we’re talking karaoke sing-alongs and wedding dance floors, no - the best cuts on those two K.O. Reputation's highlights. But while those albums are fixated on love and loss, Reputation sinks its teeth into something far more interesting: the thrill and purpose of an artist hellbent on freeing their mind from the expectations of others.

Admittedly, part of Reputation's genius lies in context - you need to know the public image battle that preceded it to fully appreciate the maturation Swift shows as a lyricist. While some bemoaned the loss of Swift the Poignant Couplet Composer starting with her shift to straight-up pop on 1989, the truth is that Swift's deft turns of phrase never disappeared - it's just that we're preconditioned to privilege lyrics when they're paired with acoustic guitars vs. synthesizers. Which is a shame, because on Reputation, Swift's words deliver vivid Polaroid shots directly to your brain: "The ties were black, the lies were white"; "We can't make any promises now, can we, babe? But you can make me a drink"; "I bury hatchets but I keep maps of where I put 'em"; and "Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere."

More important than her pen remaining pointed, however, is the fact that for the first time on an album, Taylor sounds like an honest-to-god human. She's been brilliant since Speak Now, but there's a difference between intelligence and emotional intelligence. On Reputation, Swift has finally realized that being right or getting the last word isn't the most important thing. You might be the messy one, the lost sheep, the sinner, the seducer. A real grownup can acknowledge that sometimes, they are the bad guy (a lesson Billie Eilish was clearly taking notes on throughout). And as long as that isn't your entire existence, that's fine.

When she gets deliciously petty on "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things," you don't get the sense that she thinks it's justified – but she's relishing playing the part of an asshole for a minute (perhaps not coincidentally, that's a role the song's presumed target famously toasted back in 2010 when she was still concerned with presenting as Best In Class).

But the real crux of the album is found in "Gorgeous," which sees a frisky Swift romanticizing her drunken attempt to cheat on her boyfriend because a dangerously attractive stranger has entered her field of vision. A stentorian moralist might lash her for abandoning the mantle of 'immaculate princess' in favor of becoming a tipsy twentysomething torn between cheating on her partner or cuddling her cats, but one is a hell of a lot more relatable than the other. She's acknowledging that stumbling, both physically and morally, is part of life. Her motivations here are muddy and a little embarrassing - and never before had Taylor Swift sketched out such a fully-formed, fallible version of herself in a song.

And that's what makes Reputation the most mature, fascinating and ultimately satisfying release from Swift so far. Prior to this album, you might describe her songwriting as "romantic," "longing," "poetic" - all wonderful things, but adjectives you could readily apply to many celebrated songwriters. Not so with Reputation. Here we have a top-tier talent embracing her contradictions, acknowledging her flaws and refusing to let you judge her. In terms of pop music, moral grey areas are rarely painted in such screaming color.

[tillidontneedfantasy]

‘Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)’ - Lizzo REVIEW: Blame It On Her Juice

“Why men great 'till they gotta be great?” has got to be the most pressing question of our time, and it’s crazy that no one has asked it before Lizzo did on her hit “Truth Hurts.” Lizzo feels like the pop star we've been waiting for so long, but really, she's the one that's been waiting on us, and very patiently, may I add. Although you might not have heard of Lizzo until 2019, she's been in the game since 2013. Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) (2019) is actually Lizzo's third studio album. So why the hell did it take us so long to take notice? When Lizzo released “Juice” as the lead single for Cuz I Love You, her first album with a major record label, she may have had some insight on the matter when she said, “I'm like chardonnay / get better over time.” Better over time, or ahead of her time? Why not both: her two high-charting singles of 2019 were "Truth Hurts," a song only included on the deluxe edition of Cuz I Love You that was initially released in 2017, and "Good As Hell," which was the lead single off of her 2016 EP Coconut Oil. Multiple factors play into the delayed rising popularity of these two tracks, such as Netflix and TikTok, but we should all be ashamed at how behind we have been; Lizzo is playing chess while we're all playing checkers.

And so here she is today, in 2020, about to attend the Grammys with a whopping total of 8 nominations, occupying a spot in all 4 of the night's biggest categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the year for "Truth Hurts," and Best New Artist. Three out of the four of these nominations would normally make no sense, considering there is an eligibility period for the Grammys, but a lot of technicality loopholes made it possible, and deservingly so. No DNA test- or Grammy Award, for that matter- is necessary for us to know that Lizzo is 100% That Bitch™; Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) is sufficient proof.

BEST TRACK: "Juice"

When the best track on an album is also the best to witness live, you know you've got a winner. It is impossible to stay still or think a single negative thought while listening to "Juice," and every performance Lizzo has put on of the track has been a marvel. In her first televised performance of the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she pulled out a flute and took the world by storm. Nothing like a wind instrument to top off an already perfect pop song. In the misery of our current society, "Juice" is a necessary mood booster. 

WEAKEST TRACK: "Boys”

This short track that is sonically reminiscent of “SexyBack” is groovy but adds little to the body of work. It is repetitive without purpose, and although it is congruent with the album’s overall message of acceptance (”from the playboys to the gay boys /Go and slay, boys"), having a track specifically dedicated to the male species on an album so empowering for women feels redundant. 

THE IN-BETWEENS

Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) shows Lizzo's eclectic abilities as a vocalist and musician, ranging from the funky "Crybaby" to the sultry "Lingerie.” Most of the album consists of self-love anthems celebrating the parts of Lizzo- and her listeners- that others might (and do) attempt (and fail) to use against her, such as her race on “Better In Color,” her weight on “Tempo,” and her femininity on “Like A Girl” (which contains quite a delightful moment where she refers to Serena Williams as “Serena Willy”). However, Lizzo does explore interpersonal and romantic love as well. On “Jerome” she puts her foot down and refuses to pick it up until her man- supposedly Jerome- grows the fuck up, and on the epic title track, “Cuz I Love You,” Lizzo is overwhelmed by all the love she is feeling for someone, as she previously thought she was “love-impaired.” Clearly, she’s not, as her self-love is overflowing; so if anyone is lucky to receive some of that love, they better recognize it. Jerome, I’m looking at you. 

BEST PROSPECTIVE SINGLE: "Soulmate"

The most impressive thing about "Soulmate" is how cleverly Lizzo injected her sense of humor into the track. I honestly laugh out loud at half of the lyrics in this song, because they are genuinely funny.  "The old me used to love a Gemini / like a threesome fuckin' with him every night," she starts off. Have you ever heard a better opening line to a song before? In the second verse, when describing her relationship with herself, she says "you know the sex is fire," implying that pleasuring herself is better than what men have given her in the past. As the spotlight has been shining on Lizzo, she has used every moment to preach self-love and acceptance, and "Soulmate" embodies that message perfectly.

***

Lizzo is such a necessary artist because she embraces who she is unapologetically. People who are uncomfortable with a bigger woman loving herself will ask why her weight needs to be celebrated or a part of the conversation at all, but this isn’t about them. There are plenty of people out there being told that the way they are is unacceptable, which is precisely why Lizzo made the album cover a picture of her au naturel. Because at the end of the day, the way you were made was beautiful, and Lizzo wants her music to be your constant reminder of that, even if our culture has ingrained in us otherwise. The entertainment industry practically endorses products that encourage eating disorders, and so having someone like Lizzo show that you do not have to look one certain way to achieve your dreams, be successful, and- most importantly- be happy, is vital, and can save many lives. As a slim white woman with more than enough representation in the media, Lizzo’s music makes me feel better about myself; I can’t imagine the immense impact it must have on someone with little to no representation at all to finally have a positive light cast upon them. As she sings, “If I'm shinin', everybody gonna shine.” And if it bothers you that much to see people give themselves the love that they deserve and of which society has deprived them for so long...well, it ain’t her fault- blame it on her juice. Grade: 4/5

DISCLAIMER - REVIEWER’S BIAS: I first heard of Lizzo through her hit “Juice,” and boy has watching her rise throughout the year been exciting. I find her to be so incredibly talented, and it is so nice to see a woman preach self-love and acceptance when we are constantly yet implicitly told to dislike and change ourselves. It is so rewarding as a music lover and consumer to see someone’s hard work pay off; I hope Lizzo’s rise to the top brings her only smooth sailing from here on out. I plan to continue celebrating everything about her along with the rest of the world. And to anyone who still has shit to say about her body....that’s a you issue, sweetie. As a wise philosopher once said, haters gonna hate, and it doesn’t look like Lizzo is gonna let that stop her anytime soon. I hope it never does.

[euniverse-art]

TREASURE DESERVES THE WORLD NOT YOUR HATE

I need to vent this out.

Recently, when I came back to k pop after my hiatus from it, I began stanning TREASURE. And to reiterate, I didn’t intend to devote my time to them unlike with BIGBANG, 2ne1 and WINNER, but it just so happens that TREASURE has charms that pull you in, and the next thing you know, they have you wrapped around their fingers. But in a good way ofc.

It’s really good to have a bias group again, esp when all of my UB are on hiatus, if not, disbanded. TT__TT However, I realized after a few years away from kpop, and coming back into it, this world became more toxic that it already was before. Imagine saying a group is already a flop 24 hours after their debut simply because they didn’t made a PAK, or reached a certain number of views the first day. I was baffled by this standard of success. What the heck happened in appreciating the music? Why do we measure their worth through numbers? Yes, ofc, I get it that it helps monitor a group’s impact, but the 24 hours milestone? Personally, I feel that’s ridiculous. Instead of celebrating their debut, a part of us gets demotivated because they didn’t start as big as we expected.

And try as I might, I cannot avoid the culture of hate, absurd comparisons and trolls that seem to live off of negativity by dragging treasure.

I feel so bad for the boys. They are just rookies, and all of them are still too young to be exposed in such backlashes and harsh criticism. I hate it more that most of the hate stemmed from the fact that they are from YG. I don’t want to think that Koreans are sleeping on Treasure because of the issues about YG, but it inevitably shows by how trolls would shower hate comments on them by dragging YG along the lines. It’s also disheartening looking at the domestic charts. Treasure is full of so so so much potential and I am just sad that people refuse to acknowledge this because of superficial biases.

All these sentiments are pushing me to do better for them. My gosh I never streamed an MV before not even when my biases had a comeback. I only watch their MVs when I want to, not purposefully in order to raise the views. But now, I’m streaming Treasure’s MV on 4 devices at home, 3 to 4 hours a day because I want them to be recognized for the talented gems they are.  I pray, really really hard, that one day they’ll be the most successful boy group. Not to slap back at the haters and at SoKor for being snobbish, but simply because they deserve it.

I will remember these sad moments, because when the time comes and they are finally charting #1 songs (which I firmly believe will come true), I won’t allow anyone saying that they got there because they came from a big company. They did it because they’re TREASURE.

[readingthelastpage]

Tay is still playing the game: it is too soon to do this yet

hate to be the bearer of bad news

warning: this is a looooong analysis of the Gaylor fandom, the Rep era and the new era.

so us Gaylors were kinda enamoured with the queer context of the beginning of the Rep era. she dropped a few tunes that had people who used to believe her man-crazy reputation googling Karlie Kloss, wrote a nice little declaration about how everyone looking for specific men in her new songs is wrong, changed from outfits designed for the male gaze into something more comfortable and had a British unknown with a wonky relationship timeline as the public muse of the album. All is well, we thought - she is literally burning her Reputation, she will let people come to their own conclusions, she will take the money, they will both ditch the boyfriends and come out.

And hey, maybe that was the planned narrative in the beginning. But both boyfriends are still here, and one has been updated into a husband (with two separate highly publicised wedding parties). Now the new narrative is that Taylor will let people figure out things more and more - which is inextricably linked to Karlie, whose boyfriend wanted the “het card” so bad that he has to marry Karlie twice before she is released. They all want to erase Kaylor so deeply that they have to spend years in these new golden cages, but at the same time, Karlie will not even block instagram comments that call out her marriage as fake and Taylor will not stop people from writing articles about her that keep referencing Karlie. Maybe their strategy really is to lay low in public for years while building full separate lives but still be linked even in places that they have full control over, but then I don’t think it really is a good strategy. I think the more likely thing is that we overestimated the honesty of the Rep era and the extent to which is was another performance.

Of course people acknowledge it was a performance. Everyone in this fandom acknowledges that it’s good business sense to stay in the closet and maximize your fanbase before you cut the cord. But then, I argue, Reputation was playing the game on hard mode, it was a bit of a flop (sorry!), she switched gears and started contemplating the next era very fast, and we are probably about to get another performance, another continuance of the game, with things being concealed from us just like they were in the previous era. Everyone always wants that candid, natural era from Taylor and we were so smug thinking we were the only ones getting it.

Let’s walk back a little. Taylor always, always responds to criticism. They doubted her songwriting credentials, so she wrote an album solo. They called her a sugary country princess so she lost the accent, wrote a few pop anthems for Red, just for kicks, and did highly glam performances of them with no guitar in sight. They called her conservative and unfeminist so for the next album she debuted a glam squad and her public narrative was about friendship, her against the world, her against the haters who don’t want her to write about her feelings. She wrote Blank Space as an indictment of her public image (and, as Gaylors have probably correctly read, the narrative she pulls transparently with all public boyfriends), and people freaking loved it, and part of the reason why she keeps referencing it even into the Lover era is because she has never been so loved and lauded. But make no mistake, I’ve been on Tumblr since 2010 and people wrote first posts about how they shouldn’t be called out for liking Taylor Swift long before Taylor Swift started writing about being called out for BEING Taylor Swift. She has always responded to what we want to hear. Yes, her art is for herself as well as for others but Taylor wants to be an iconic popstar. Art is just a part of being an iconic popstar.

Flash back to the Rep era. The media was bad, so they get nothing. People were mean and used things on her social media, boom, wiped. There is no explanation, just Reputation. The sound is dark and she’s an edgy princess and she admits her faults and candidly writes all about a broad-shouldered love that helps her hold on - but no juicy details and pap pics. Looks like an abject refusal to play the game. But if you look again, it just looks like a response to all the criticism. Taylor, stop calling all your friends and the paps every time you go out to get milk - fine, you get next to zero pics. Taylor, stop exploiting your dating life for fame and having pictures taken every time you fly a jet to a famous boyfriend to sit on his lap - fine, I’m dating an unknown, we only hold hands, and I have broken up with two boyfriends in the meantime but will only write one relationship narrative song for both of them. Taylor, don’t play the victim when we know you’re a powerful popstar who plays the feud game sometimes - Look At How You Made Me Do Something Bad. The old Taylor you hated is dead - the new Taylor is both edgy enough to kill her and conscious enough to write this line making fun of herself. And those are not the only lines where she’s sarcastic and high drama either.

She Did All Of That, created some iconic imagery, and pretty soon she was able to see that it wasn’t really landing the way 1989 did. She gambled everything on a carefully planned (but still abbreviated) tour, won the gamble, landed on her feet, pulled some other cool artistic and political moves, got bolder with the wlw messages... but she started conceptualizing the next era very early on, at least visually, and we keep getting visual proof of that. I think Taylor wanted to reframe who she was even back in 2018, as abbreviated as the era was it was a long time to keep playing the snake Taylor character. It was the last album she wouldn’t own full rights to. I also think that it was a long time to keep portraying a cohesive narrative that wasn’t really all that true anymore. I think Karlie and her broke up for good around the time of the release, and had some serious arguments probably around the time Taylor disappeared, but even if you don’t and think they are still together, one can argue that Rep didn’t have a lot of space for all the angst Taylor was feeling. People say there’s even too many songs about how she got cancelled - but they mostly focus on the media and the Kardashians, with some shoutouts to false friends, and all quickly erased by “I have a hot partner so F U”. There’s not a lot about the pain you feel when you get rejected like that, including by your own fans, not a lot about fears for her career, not a lot about other things we know she went through, like being stalked and her mom’s cancer. Rep conceals as much as it reveals, and she probably wanted to write about these emotions as soon as she processed them a little better - hence the “really sad songs” we will hear on Lover.

One of the reasons why Rep just didn’t land is because “pop is dead” and people look elsewhere but the big pure pop girls for popular music. Every big pop girls latest era is either years away in the past or her most recent phase is an experimental or edgy one. The new sounds flirt with rap and trap, productions are minimal. Taylor’s Rep phase is also a part of that. The big girls try to play the game, but no one wants to hear Katy or Taylor doing Lorde, people want to hear new artists. Even Ariana, an old school maximalist who only barely adapted to this new era by being close to r’n’b from the start, is wearing a cute minimal uniform, writing in low caps and putting out trap-inspired songs. But the pop press has been talking about being bored of it for a long time. I think Taylor is seeing this opportunity for the tide to turn, has seen it since 2018, wants to be ahead of the curve and will put out a colorful maxi pop album about unabashed positivity, being who you are and celebrating others being who they are (ME!, as a first single of this era, blatantly points in this direction, just like every other Taylor first single pointed at the rest of the era), fighting for what’s right, processing your unhealthy feelings.

But will she come out? I don’t know, because this is still playing the game - it’s just that the game and the cultural moment aligns with what Taylor wants to write right now. Listen, I’m an older millenial just like Taylor and I am tired of edgy characters, dark spaces and the color gray. Maybe she is too. Maybe this time we’re getting full radical honesty from her. But it is likely that it’s not, and that it’s too soon to unleash everything that Taylor is into the world. Get ready for that possibility as well. Maybe the rainbow messaging will only remain as what it is right now - activism for others, and a little wink.