#drew this while listening to never be yours by kali uchis

[yootato]

I know love is real because i exist and i am full of it

[juliaisabellphoto]

My 2020 Albums of the Year

Never requested, always provided. Here are my favorites of 2020. Here’s the playlist. 

The Secret Sisters, Saturn Return

As soon as I saw “Water Witch, featuring Brandi Carlile” on this tracklist I knew that the Secret Sisters would be a favorite of 2020. In February, I was staying with a friend in Nashville and she mentioned them as a local favorite, and when I stopped at Grimey’s to shop for records I came upon a signed copy of “Saturn Return.” I had never heard the Secret Sisters before, but there is nobody I trust more to recommend music than this Nashville friend of mine, so I bought it. I made no mistake here: this record blew me away. The soft, soulful, lullaby of “Healer in the Sky” pulled me through the pain of the first month of quarantine and soothed me as the world was turned upside down. In reading more on the record, this seems to have been the point: they say, “this album is a reflection of us coming to terms with how to find our power in the face of an unfair world… our hope is that women can feel less alone in their journey through the modern world.” There is something in the caramel-thick sweetness of these sisters’ voices that makes a listener feel as though they’ve been bewitched into calm. When I think of this album, I think of the cross-country drive I took at the beginning of the pandemic to make my way home and the happy moments that can be found in darkness. No album touched my heart this year in the way that “Saturn Return” did. 

Taylor Swift, Folklore and Evermore

Taylor Swift… can even be said? Somehow, while we all sat on our couches in quarantine, this woman created not one but two musical masterpieces. She begins “the 1” by stating “I’m doin good, I’m on some new shit,” and that says a lot about the album as a whole. She created the 2020 we all wish we experienced: soft, sweet, and gentle. Listening to Folklore feels like visiting a cabin in the woods, with a fireplace well lit. Swift tells winding stories of love, hardship, and mystery and tenderly walks us through the forest of her imagination. This magical feeling was amplified by her release of The Long Pond Studio Sessions, a film in which Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner finally play the album together for the first time after recording it entirely remotely. The setting matches the sound: they play in an album in the middle of the woods, cozy and hidden from the snow. Evermore cuts through the delicate ice of Folklore: it is the color to Folklore’s black and white. Swift combines the soft folk sound of “willow” with some of her country and Americana roots in “no body, no crime,” drawing us in once again. She includes Bon Iver singing in his lower register in Folklore and then in his falsetto in Evermore: two sides of the same magic coin. The work in these two albums is Swift’s strongest ever, and solidifies the fact that no modern artist can really reach her. 

Chris Stapleton, Starting Over 

Following a three-year hiatus, all lovers of southern rock deeply needed a Chris Stapleton album. In “Starting Over,” Stapleton yet again does what he does best: combines his unique whiskey-tinged growl with the best lyricism present in country music today. This record can’t be captured in any singular fashion, neither musically nor emotionally. The title track sets a high bar for the rest of the record with a reflection on re-remembering what really matters, a message certainly relevant for this turbulent year. Stapleton’s typical outlaw-country brand is present in full with “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice,” “Arkansas,” and “Hillbilly Blood,” but other songs take him in a completely new stylistic direction. “Maggie’s Song” takes on a very classic old-time country feel, as Stapleton weaves sweet and simple stories as he processes the loss of his pup. He harnesses the energy of the Chicks as he angrily lambasts the perpetrators of the 2017 mass shooting at Route 91. The song is a Stapleton-sponsored judgment day reckoning, including the cacophonic sound of a crowd in panic and the shrieks of a gospel choir. In contrast with this energetic high, Stapleton goes deep into his blues side by finally releasing “You Should Probably Leave,” a song he has been sitting on for six years. This one feels just right to sway around the kitchen to. With each listen to “Starting Over” I find new lyrics to write down and remember, new sounds to love. 

Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG

Bad Bunny. Our unproblematic reggaeton prince. In the wake of his many popular features and his collaborative album with J Balvin, Bad Bunny makes it clear that it is time for Balvin to share the throne of popular reggaeton. He features the original reggaeton king Daddy Yankee in “La Santa,” paying tribute to the very classic reggaeton style before mixing it and transcending beyond the classics in the following tracks. “Yo Perreo Sola” is the album’s standout track, accompanied by my favorite music video of 2020. The song is an ode to gender equality and the destruction of the patriarchal norms contributing to gender-based violence. “Yo Perreo Sola,” meaning “I twerk alone,” sets the overarching theme of consent present throughout the song’s lyrics. In the video, Benito’s backdrop references the Argentinian-born “Ni Una Menos” movement, a now global movement against gender-based violence. As if this wasn’t enough to make you adore him, the video further extends its activism to the LGBTQ community, with Benito appearing in full drag, in his normal attire, and at some points held in chains by women. He makes a statement about sexuality and gender expression in the video, twerking solo. The other jawdropper track on YHLQMDLG is Safaera, a perfect display of Bad Bunny’s skill in expanding the scope of reggaeton as a genre. In the same thirty seconds of the song, he subtly samples both “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley and the Wailers and Missy Elliot’s “Get Ya Freak On” - a segment I just can’t get out of my head. Bad Bunny’s prowess on this record is rounded out with the aggressive and prideful “P FKN R.” What a masterpiece. 

Mac Miller, Circles 

A posthumous record that never should have been posthumous. A companion-piece to Mac’s 2018 record “Swimming,” Circles takes a similar tone, one of resilience through pain. The title track serves as a somber introduction, followed by the funk energy of “Complicated” and the GO:OD AM energy of “Blue World.” The song that really got to me, and many other fans of Mac, was “Good News.” It is the pinnacle of Mac’s musical insight and talent. The melody matches the melancholy of the track, as Mac sings of his desire for time and space. The melancholy is matched in “Everybody” with the lines about death feeling particularly haunting in the wake of Miller’s accidental overdose. Somehow, Miller wrote the perfect eulogy for himself prior to his passing, one that will live in the hearts of his fans forever. 

Kali Uchis, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞

I’m not quite sure what to call this record. If I just listened to “la luna enamorada,” a cover of a classic Cuban bolero, I would call it gorgeous. If I just listened to “fue mejor” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR or “quiero sentirme bien,” I would call it sexy. If I just listened to “vaya con dios,” I would think she wrote the theme music for the next James Bond film. The bottom line of the record is Uchis’ absolute stunning use of her upper register. She hits notes that “Isolation” never would have foreshadowed, painting a dreamland for any listener. She slides back into the energy of her sophomore album in “telepatia,” but adds in moments of her new sound. She incorporates a slower reggaeton beat into no eres tu (soy yo), and dives into a heavier reggaeton sound in te pongo mal (prendelo.) My personal favorite of the record is “aqui yo mando!” with Rico Nasty: it is the perfect display of Uchis’ unique upper register combined with Rico’s trap style. Anyone passing this record up for another “Isolation” listen is missing out. 

FLETCHER, The S(ex) Tapes

This record has a story like no other, coming from a woman like no other. This EP was recorded while Fletcher quarantined with her ex-girlfriend, who also happened to film all of the music videos for it. It is this messiness that makes The S(ex) Tapes absolute magic. Fletcher’s own description of the name of the release explains the situation best:  “A sex tape is someone being captured in their most vulnerable, wildest, rawest form, and my ex has always captured me that way.” She captures all of the feelings of a breakup with someone you still love deeply, and the relationship relapse that comes with moving past those feelings. Fletcher’s special ability comes in representing these deeply painful experiences in an uplifting manner: this is a sexy pop EP meant to be danced to. Fletcher simultaneously validates all of the emotional tumult, but subtly nudges the listener toward blissful reckless abandon. It almost makes me wish I had a breakup to go through! The abrasive apathy of “Shh… Don’t Say It” and the flippant, angry vulnerability of “Bitter” are paired perfectly with Fletcher’s raw brand of distortion. In an interview with Nylon, Fletcher speaks to this: “Listen, I've done my fair share of just straight-up sad, crying in your bed music. I'm still going through shit, but I want to bop to it. We can still be emo and want to twerk at the same time.” Yes, Fletcher, we do. 

Halsey, Manic   

Prior to 2020, I wasn’t Halsey’s biggest fan. I wouldn’t have even called myself a fan. I just wasn’t that excited by her music. “I’m Not Mad” was the song that triggered a 180 for me. The heavy, dissonant kick of the drums and her raw, angry lyricism drew me in without hesitation. I suppose this was just the push I needed to fall in love with the rest of her music: the songs with similar bite, “Without Me” and “killing boys,” and the more raw side of the record in “You should be sad,” “929,” and “Graveyard.” Her vulnerability is so much of what makes this record perfect. The album fully made sense to me when I listened to her podcast feature on “Armchair Expert” with Dax Shepard. In it, she talks through the time period covered by the record and gives context to her powerful lyricism. “Manic” is a story of chasing someone she loved into drug-fueled oblivion, and then finally finding the power to leave. The album is brimming with this power, and I just can’t turn it off. 

HAIM, Women In Music Pt. III

HAIM is THE soft rock band of the modern era.Women In Music Pt. III, their most mature album yet, solidified this opinion for me in a way that I didn’t expect. There is so much to be said for this record: it is innovative and skilled, with the perfect balance of softness and hardness. Though the record is one of pain and trauma, you wouldn’t know it purely from its melodies. “Don’t Wanna” is a very classic HAIM pop rock number, and “The Steps” follows suit making frustration fun to dance to. Though one may not notice at first, in this record HAIM dives deeper than ever before. “Now I’m In It” does a phenomenal job of sonically representing the feeling of being completely and utterly overwhelmed. “I Know Alone” is a beautifully intimate rainy-day account of Danielle’s struggle with depression. Then comes “3AM” - a lighthearted song about a booty call with Thundercat-type bass and an R&B vibe - just in case you didn’t already know how much range these three sisters have. Everything about this record is filled with talent. 

Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher

Only Phoebe Bridgers could write a song about murdering a skinhead and fill it with nostalgia. “Garden Song,” the leading single preceding “Punisher,” foreshadowed a record that is just so very Phoebe: melancholy, vulnerable, and heart-wrenching. The eagerly awaited album certainly followed suit, with typical sad ballads “Halloween” and “Moon Song” played alongside more raucous, Better Oblivion Community Center-esque songs such as “Kyoto” and “ICU.” She goes bluegrass on “Graceland Too” with banjo, violin, and layered harmonies from boygenius collaborators Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. In “Punisher,” Bridgers shares with us the wistful catharsis that she is so very talented at creating.

Noah Cyrus, THE END OF EVERYTHING 

I always underestimated Miley’s little sister, but here I am writing about her EP before I write about Miley’s in my end of the year roundup. Every piece in this record gave me chills: Cyrus’ lower register allows her to access a somber kind of ballad that I just can’t get enough of. The record starts off at a peak with the slow burn of “Ghost” and somehow manages to get even better with “I Got So High That I Saw Jesus.” This powerful song, even better in the live version where Miley joins her younger sister, builds into an almost gospel-like ode to the idea that everything will be okay. “July,” the single featuring Leon Bridges that pushed Cyrus into the national spotlight, stands as the most beautifully layered song of the EP. The soft guitar picking and choral sound complement Cyrus’ upper register. The whole record, extending through the closing title track, is a comforting, soft emotional analgesic for 2020. 

The Chicks, Gaslighter

This record is gorgeous. It is painful. The feelings Natalie Maines expresses in this record are feelings I have felt far too deeply in personal relationships, and they also are feelings everyone is feeling globally in 2020. “Gaslighter” is just straight up fun, a perfect extension of the Chicks’ energy found in “Goodbye Earl” and other older revenge numbers (but with an extra poppy Jack Antonoff twist this time.) “Tights On My Boat” is bitter, funny, and shows off Maines’ upper register with stripped guitar. “Sleep at Night” musically and lyrically embodies the pain of being betrayed. “Julianna Calm Down” is a stunning ballad of female resilience. “Texas Man” perfectly captures the bubbly feeling of moving on. “For Her” and “March March” fit in with the frustrated, betrayed, power-centered theme of the record in a very different way. The Chicks’ dualistic ability to discuss her ex-husband’s cheating alongside the band’s political views is what makes the record special: not only are we watching a woman try to move on and develop her personal strength, but we are also seeing this personal strength harnessed for political impact. They simultaneously denounce the abuse of power in both politics and relationships, while reclaiming that power for themselves in standing up for what they believe in. How very Chicks of them. 

Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia

Dua motherfucking Lipa. This woman would have been the official owner of 2020 had we been able to dance to this record at bars and clubs. This was proven ten times over by the success of the album’s first single, “Don’t Start Now,” a song that is absolutely the MOST fun. Or so I thought… until I heard “Physical,” “Levitating,” and “Break My Heart.” What poor timing for such a phenomenal dance record, but at least she gave the people some great material for Tik Tok dances! All COVID-dance-related concerns aside, this is a really well done sophomore album for Dua Lipa. The funk elements of the album most clearly seen in “Levitating” elevate Dua’s brand of pop to a new level. The all gas no brakes nature of this dance-pop record works wonders for her - she knows what the people want from her, and she delivers. 

Megan Thee Stallion, Good News

THIS! RECORD! If WAP could be an album of the year, it would be, but it’s a standalone single and Megan Thee Stallion proceeded to release the next best thing. The explosion of Megan Thee Stallion has been a pleasure to watch in 2020, with both WAP and Savage leaving the charge. With an artist like her, it’s easy to get lost in the smash hits and ignore the prolific nature of her work. “Good News” is an immaculate rap album, brimming with sass and defiant bad bitch energy. “Shots Fired” kicks off the album with a Biggie sample and a diss to the man who shot her in the foot earlier in the year, personally my favorite track of the record. Other highlights of the record include “Don’t Stop” with a Young Thug feature, “Body” which is now a Tik Tok staple, and “What’s New.” Perhaps the most impressive work Megan does on “Good News” is “Girls in the Hood,” a rework of Eazy-E’s Boyz-N-The-Hood. She inverts the classic misogyny of the original song by emphasizing her control over men like Eazy-E in an indignant assertion of female power. This embodies Megan Thee Stallion’s essence: busting in on a male industry and making her presence known.

Rico Nasty, Nightmare Vacation

Nobody does it like Rico Nasty, and I’m convinced nobody ever will. I saw a New York Times headline titled “Can the Mainstream Catch Up to Rico Nasty?” the other day and I think the answer is a firm no. Rico is abrasive, rude, and outside the box in the absolute best way. Need an album to slap in the car when you’re feeling like a bad bitch? This. is. it. The record kicks off with “Candy,” a song with a wild beat and the iconic chorus line “Call me crazy, but you can never call me broke.” Following is a Don Toliver and Gucci Mane feature in “Don’t Like Me,” a song that truly should have hit the mainstream by now. She gets back to her signature scream-rap in “STFU” and “OHFR.” “OHFR” is the confident standout of the album, along with the reworked re-release of “Smack a Bitch,” making it clear that Rico Nasty is not a woman to be fucked with. In “Back and Forth” with Amine, Rico steps into Amine’s “Limbo” style and does it well. The record’s second single “Own It” is a more classic club banger that unfortunately didn’t get to see the dark of night in any clubs this year. Even if the mainstream never catches up to Rico Nasty, I’ll be following along with her self-labelled “sugar trap.” 

Ariana Grande, Positions

I mean, duh. Ariana just doesn’t miss. She surprised everyone with this album’s release in Fall 2020, displaying the bliss of her relationship with later-confirmed fiance. She goes dirtier than usual in the sex-centered “34+35” and “nasty,” rounding the record out with the Craig David-reminiscent “positions.” Ariana allows herself to lust for someone and even love for them in these three, but defaults to her brimming self-confidence in “just like magic” and “west side.” The album is more R&B than pop at times, with the peak of this style visible in the groove of “my hair” and the Mariah Carey ballad-like nature of “pov.” Each album, Grande shifts just a little bit, keeping us attached: “Sweetener”’s cotton-candy pop, the savage pop-trap of “thank u, next,” and the R&B conclusion of the spectrum with Positions. 

Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts 

This year I anticipated no record more than I did “Plastic Hearts.” Its leading single, “Midnight Sky,” described by Pitchfork as a “cocaine-dusted disco track,” channels Stevie Nicks’ eighties rock-pop era in the absolute best way. Apparently this opinion was even picked up by Stevie herself, as the two collaborated on a mash-up of “Midnight Sky” and Stevie’s “Edge of Seventeen” (the excitement from which nearly led to my passing away, by the way.) Cyrus’ voice is in the perfect place on this record, with “Plastic Hearts” emphasizing her rasp and making me want to spin around a room. She dips into the pop realm in “Prisoner” with Dua Lipa, a song that Lipa clearly influences with an unforgettably sexy music video. Every song is different on this record: “Gimme What I Want” channels the grinding rock sound of Nine Inch Nails, “Bad Karma” allows Joan Jett’s punchy style to run the show, and she slips on the shoes of Billy Idol in their collaboration, Night Crawling. Somehow, Miley manages to wear the shoes well, and 80s copycat record or not, I can’t stop listening. “Never Be Me” is where she shines most deeply, baring her soul, the complicated nature of her past few years’ journey, and her knowledge of who she is and always will be for the world to hear. I’m not sure if I’m blinded to the album’s flaws by my absolute and complete love for everything about Miley’s current persona, but I am a huge fan. 

Glass Animals, Dreamland

The sound of this album is such a blissful respite! Glass Animals gives us the fun and funky techno-pop that they always do, but dive into personal lyricism in a way that they never have before. Many of the songs actually have a storyline (an intentionally rare feat for Dave Bayley, first broken with the incredible “Agnes” on their last album.) This record explores trauma and pain in “Domestic Bliss” and “It’s All So Incredibly Loud,” Bayley using the soft sides of his voice to express pained desperation. The boisterous energy of the past two records is not forgotten in Dreamland’s intimacy, however: “Hot Sugar,” “Tokyo Drifting,” and “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” do the trick. “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” is the most intriguing song on the record: at first listen, I had absolutely no idea what Dave was discussing and assumed it was just his typical neuroscience-inspired ear-candy. Upon a deeper dive, the song addresses the factors that encouraged Dave’s childhood friend to bring a gun to school. He disguises a discussion of the risk factors involved in school shootings within his flowery, figurative linguistic excellence. This duality of blissful melody and solemn subject matter is the magic of Glass Animals. 

Empress Of, I’m Your Empress Of 

This album is an emotional electro-pop masterpiece. This record meditates on the feelings felt in the wake of a relationship’s end. She begins the album with a quote from her mother about the reality and value of struggle, then launching into a synth-filled storm of missing someone. “Love Is A Drug” is the album’s next fun dance track, addressing the addictive quality of touch after you lose someone you love and embodying the urgency of the feeling. She takes a more somber tone with the influence of Jim-E Stack in “U Give It Up,” incorporating quotes from her mother about the difficulty of womanhood and reminiscing on love lost. In “Should’ve,” the post-relationship regret is palpable in her vocal tone and production, and in “Maybe This Time” she contemplates this pain. In “Give Me Another Chance,” her emotions swing the other way, with a bouncing dance beat and pleading vocals. The album concludes with the heartfelt and pain-filled “Hold Me Like Water” and the dissonant “Awful,” leaving the listener to meditate on the mood swings of a broken relationship. 

Tame Impala, The Slow Rush 

This album came out so early in 2020 that it already feels like a vintage piece of music. Perhaps that was the point. Although “The Slow Rush” had a hard time living up to Kevin Parker’s last epic masterpiece “Currents,” it was the fix many fans like myself needed after five years without an LP. “Borderline,” the single that allowed anticipation of the album to build, stands out as one of the most essentially Parker tracks of the record. He introduces a little Toro y Moi style funk in “Is It True,” and highlights his voice more than usual in “Lost In Yesterday.” “Posthumous Forgiveness” builds in the wonderfully dissonant fashion that fans learned to love through “Eventually.” The bass track on “Glimmer” is so good that I never even noticed it had nearly no lyrics. This record is not groundbreaking by any standards in the way that “Currents” was, but it is intentionally jubilant and energetic in a way that still feels good. Even if he doesn’t shatter any expectations in “The Slow Rush,” Tame Impala’s tracklist still makes the perfect sunset companion. 

Joji, Nectar

Joji’s “Nectar” is just that: sweet R&B nectar, from the minute the first track plays. Joji’s work here is not in the individual tracks, but in the sonic experience he creates with the album as a whole. This is not an album to pick out singles from: it is a full cinematic mood adjustment. Maybe it’s the weed I smoked when I first listened, but the record feels like a wonderful progression of gentle yet rhythmic R&B songs. The transition from the soft and contemplative “MODUS” to the more upbeat trap-infused “Tick Tock” to the full R&B ballad “Daylight” featuring Diplo raises the listener’s energy gradually to a crescendo. “Run” is a gorgeous and sad confessional of disappointment, and “Sanctuary” follows as a soft and uplifting analgesic to that pain. “Pretty Boy” and “777” mark the more upbeat section of the record, filled with Joji’s accounts of living far too fast. The tracks of this record all bleed into each other seamlessly, mixing pain and confidence in an emotional rollercoaster.

Amine, Limbo

My journey to being an Amine fan started with “Caroline,” ended with “Heebiejeebies,” and started back up again when he found depth in “ONEPOINTFIVE.” His 2020 release is exactly why I came around to his music yet again. The record is soulful and fun, with the flute and cocky lyrics in “Woodlawn” and the funky beat and Young Thug feature of “Compensating.” The two songs I absolutely can’t stop listening to however, are “Can’t Decide” and “Becky.” “Can’t Decide” highlights Amine’s singing voice and dips away from rap and trap into the more traditional R&B realm. “Becky” is an intimate account of the difficulties involved with interracial dating, both in public and in the family realm. The two sides of the album, one emphasizing rhythm and immaculate production, and the other lyricism and emotion, are found in these two songs. The punchy “Pressure In My Palms” (featuring slowthai and Vince Staples) and “Riri” round out the record’s light side. In “Limbo,” Amine finds the perfect balance. 

Fleet Foxes, Shore

This album is a wave of calm. Robin Pecknold’s soothing voice is exactly what we needed more of this year. Pitchfork described his mission as “turning anxiety into euphoria,” and that is how this record feels. Each song is dynamic and filled with what makes Fleet Foxes so special. There is a choral quality to the vocals of “Shore,” as always, adding to the calm aura of the record. “A Long Way Past The Past” takes the listener on a what feels like a long walk filled with serious conversation. “Going-to-the-Sun Road,” a song that takes its name from the famous cliffside road through Glacier National Park, oozes sunshine in its Tame Impala-Bon Iver crossover sound. “Cradling Mother, Cradling Woman,” truly feels like being cradled in sound. Fleet Foxes has a knack for beginning songs by hitting the listener with a wall of sound, and that is so perfectly represented in this track. This is a seriously beautiful album. 

Cam, The Otherside

Cam’s voice is irresistible. She showed her talent for sharing painful ballads in her breakthrough single “Burning House,” and in “The Otherside” she digs deeper. She writes this record in a period of change, and captures this change and dissonance in the nostalgia of “Redwood Tree.” She teamed up with Avicii for the title track before he passed away, and it shows. His signature building melodies and guitar breaks are clear, and they go perfectly with the range of Cam’s voice. She truly shows her range in this track and this record in general, from the highs in “The Otherside” and the lows of “Changes.” “Changes” is another standout of the album, co-written by Harry Styles. This record is a gorgeous account of outgrowing love and outgrowing people after the deep bliss that you felt with them in the past. “Till There’s Nothing Left” and “Classic” are the big love songs of the record, one that melts you and one that makes you want to dance in a field of flowers. The sisterly confessional “Diane” pulls Cam back to her country roots. She ends the record with what made her famous: a beautiful, sad ballad backed only by piano. Her unique vocals are on full display as the record concludes, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. 

Omar Apollo, Apolonio

Omar Apollo had his breakthrough in this record. His work spans languages and genres in a big way in “Apolonio.” “Kamikaze” and “Staybacik” stick to his typical R&B style, better produced than it ever has been. “Dos Uno Nueve (219)” goes a completely different direction, a Mexican corrido track featuring Yellow Room Music, honoring the Latinx musical styles that he expressed admiration for. Apollo also explores his sexuality in this album, fluidly discussing his bisexuality in “Kamikaze” and “I’m Amazing” in an exploratory manner. The whole album is generally quite exploratory, a quality that makes me even more excited for the work that is to come from Apollo. 

Also worth mentioning: 

Diplo, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Snake Oil

Thundercat, It Is What It Is

Sylvan Esso, Free Love

Lauv, ~how i’m feeling~

Niall Horan, Heartbreak Weather 

J Balvin, Colores 

Kelsea Ballerini, kelsea 

Dominic Fike, What Could Possibly Go Wrong

[onestowatch]

Tropicalia & Coachella Are Addressing Music Festivals’ Representation Problem. Who's Next?

This past weekend saw music and taco lovers alike flock to Long Beach, California, to attend Tropicália, for the second installment of what is likely to become an annual tradition for many. Showcasing acts like Morrissey, SZA, Kali Uchis, Chicano Batman, Mon Laferte, The Marías, Phum Viphurit, and many more, the two-day event felt like something beyond a spectacular celebration of music; it felt like a celebration of mainstream audiences’ increasing interest and investment in culturally diverse music and artists.

Tropicália’s lineup, which ran the gamut from bedroom pop, cumbia sonidera and slacker rock, drew in a crowd that largely resembled the actual performers playing the two-day event -- young and old Latinx who were both politically and socially conscious. Even amongst the festival’s more traditional acts, an air of allyship was felt, as Montreal-based indie-pop project HOMESHAKE and Oakland-quartet SWMRS both urged people to get out and vote in hopes for a better tomorrow. Although to many, Tropicália’s diverse lineup and audience will be taken as an uncommon result bred by the occurrence of a niche festival, Tropicália is, in fact, part of a larger trend. In the last year, musical festivals have seen a marked shift in the talent they are actively booking.

Coachella 2018 will likely go down on the records as Beychella, but it will also go down on the books as its most diverse year to date. The infamous festival’s 2018 run marked their largest lineup of Latinx artists ever, largely thanks to the recent addition of the Sonora stage, an air conditioned tent curated by VIVA! Pomona’s Rene Contreas. Beyond the addition of a Latinx-focused tent, the increase in representation was also felt in the festival’s genre focus, continuing its noted shift of favoring hip-hop and R&B leaning acts over traditional rock and pop acts. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has turned on the radio in the last odd year or so, as hip-hop dominates the charts alongside the occasional Spanish-sung crossover hit. 

Photo: Joseph Baura Music as a whole seems to be becoming more globalized as Thailand-born Phum Viphurit, who played Tropicália this weekend can attest to,

“I never felt that music was divided by your nationality or where you’re from. When I started music four years ago, people were like ‘You’re Thai. Why are you doing music in English?’ Even back then, people didn’t quite understand, but now there’s no rules, no barriers. I think we’re headed towards a very globalized world of music, which I think is a good sign for all of us.”

And while Tropicália, Coachella, and society’s growing interest in increased representation in music is certainly something to applaud, it’s important to note that we still have quite a way to go. Festivals as a whole and the internal composition of the music industry remain largely white and male-dominated. While streaming services like Spotify and SoundCloud allow listeners to search out for music regardless of language or geographic barriers, the underlying perception of music, particularly rock and indie rock, existing as a historically white affair are echoed in the words of Pablo Sotelo, who played the two-day festival as a part of Latinx psych-rock group Inner Wave,

“Even when I was younger, I’d always been into the stuff I’ve been into. I remember being young and thinking I don’t know if this will work, because I’m not white. All the dudes that were doing the stuff I wanted to do were white. It’s a subconscious thing. Even if you don’t think you’re thinking a certain way, sometimes society’s like ‘This is just how it is. You can’t do this, because you’re that.’”

To not end on a dour note, with festivals like Tropicália becoming increasingly common, we are bound to only see a growth in festival lineups that more closely resemble the actual audiences that are listening to music. And that’s something worth striving for and celebrating. 

[umusicians]

UM Interview: LO LA

Los Angeles based artist LO LA has been performing her whole life. Since the age of five, LO LA began playing piano and at the age 16 began writing music. The now 20 year old artist has performed at venues and events across Los Angeles including the Autism Speaks Gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel and being accompanied by Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) at one of her past performances. Since launching her music career, LO LA has achieved over 2 million plays on Spotify.

Amandah Opoku sat down with LO LA to talk about her new single “Cherries & Lemonade”, performing with Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) & more!

Amandah Opoku: Hi LO LA, thank you for doing this interview with UMusicians! Can you introduce yourself to our viewers and tell us about one new song you’ve discovered in the last few months that you love! LO LA: Hi! I’m Lola (LO LA). I’m 20 years old, and I’m an independent artist. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and grew up listening to a lot of music and playing instruments! I started writing music when I was 16 and haven’t stopped since then! The genre I write in the most is pop! 

One new song I’ve discovered in the last few months that I love is “Radio” by Lana Del Rey! I really connected with the song. The chorus goes “Now my life is sweet like cinnamon, like a f*****g dream I'm living in, baby love me cause I'm playing on the radio, (how do you like me now?).” My music recently played on the radio for the first time ever (in Indonesia) and I was so elated after finding out the news! Around the same time I discovered this song and it literally described how I was feeling! I haven’t been able to stop listening! 

AO: In kindergarten you were drawn to the piano, which one can say sparked your interest in music. What was it about this instrument that drew you to it? LO LA: The piano definitely had a role in sparking my interest in music! I grew up playing classical music, but when I was around 15 years old, my piano teacher started teaching me chords and had me start playing pop songs. Then, I started to experiment with the chords and started writing music! Before I was born, my parents bought a piano for the house, but they didn’t know how to play, so they put me in lessons as soon as I could sit on the bench! 

AO: And now as you pursue a career as a singer and songwriter, what inspired you to choose this career path? LO LA: Growing up, up until high school, I had always done musical theatre, but really only enjoyed the singing aspect of it. When I started high school, I was in different school-run pop/jazz bands for three years and fell in love with performing. There was actually one moment, though, where I knew performing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. At the end of my junior year of high school, I was really stressed out because it seemed like all of my friends knew what they wanted to do with their lives, but I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do. 

Towards the last month of school, my school went on its annual school-wide retreat. There was a festival a bunch of music students were putting on, and as a part of my set, I performed “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” During that song, right before that last chorus, I swear I had an out of body experience. I looked around me at all of my friends instrumentally backing me up, at my best friend who was singing the song with me, and down at all of my peers cheering in the audience. During that moment everything slowed down and it felt like I was floating. It was so surreal. It was like a crazy out-of-body experience.  After that performance, I knew that performing was what I had to do for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.

AO: Are there any musical influences that inspired you to make music? If so, who are they and do they still inspire you today? LO LA: The biggest musical influence that inspired me to make music was the Beatles. I was in a house band at my high school in 10th grade and the other band members were huge Beatles fans, but I had never really listened to that much Beatles music before. We performed so many Beatles songs that year, and the following year once I was no longer in the band, it really made me miss Beatles music, and I really just became obsessed with them after that. I started listening to all of their albums, and during that same time, I also began writing music. A lot of people who have listened to my earlier songs I wrote often point out how they sound very Beatle-esqe. They definitely still inspire me every day. Without them, I don’t know if I would’ve become a songwriter. Some other big influences on my writing are Queen, The Zombies, Tyler the Creator, Boy Pablo, Rex Orange County, ELO, and Lily Allen. 

AO: You released a new single “Cherries & Lemonade” on July 10th, what was the inspiration for the single? LO LA: I began writing the song right around the time when I listened to Harry Styles’ song “Watermelon Sugar” for the first time. What I loved about Harry’s song was that it had super happy, summery vibes and just sounded really free. After hearing it, I wanted to make a song similar to it! It’s actually the first really happy song I’ve ever written (I usually write songs about past relationships) so I was super excited when I finished writing this one! The song was also written during this quarantine period, and the inspiration for it (besides Harry’s song) was thinking about all the carefree fun times I had with friends before the coronavirus. I’m hoping that “Cherries & Lemonade” will remind people of all the fun, carefree times they had before COVID-19! I’m hoping that the song will cause people to feel nostalgic about fun summer times, and put them in a better mood (as times are kind of rough right now in the world!)

AO: What was the writing and recording process for “Cherries & Lemonade” and does it differ from your writing and recording process for music you’ve previously released? LO LA: The song started off with a beat that one of my good friends/one of my producers I met at college, Dariush (@darshmadebeats), made. He produced my songs “Overthinking” and “Jealous (Acoustic)” as well. I had always told him that I wanted to write a happy, flowy, chill, carefree song (similar to the songs that one of my favorite bands, Boy Pablo, makes. When he showed me the beat, I immediately fell in love with it and it made me think of summer right away! I started writing the song with one of my friends and the song practically wrote itself!  The song differs in many ways from the music I’ve previously released!

It’s the first happy song I’m releasing! 

It’s the first song I wrote over a beat that I’m releasing (usually I compose the songs as well) 

It’s the first song I’m releasing that I wrote with someone else!

It’s the first song I’m releasing where only people who have gone to my college have worked on it. My co-writer, producer, and bass player all went to my university! 

AO: As you work on your debut album, without giving too much away, what is the overarching theme of the record? What kind of story do you want the record to tell? LO LA: There’s not much I can say about it, since I’m just beginning to work on it, but with the singles I plan on releasing soon, I can say that there definitely is an overarching theme with those (overcoming/reminiscing on past relationships). With all the music I put out I really try to tell stories from the heart that other people can relate to. When someone tells me they listened to one of my songs and related to it, it always feels so good because that means they can know they’re not the only ones going through what they are going through, and it also reassures me that I’m not the only one going through the situation as well. 

AO: If you could describe your music in three words. What words would you choose and why? LO LA: If I had to describe my music in three words, I would choose storytelling, passion, & love. 

Storytelling because every song I’ve written this far tells a story or captures a memory. 

Passion because I am very passionate about the stories I write about and have only released songs in which I am passionate about the subject 

Love because literally all of the songs I have released thus far are about how love has affected me. 

AO: One of your favorite performances was when you sang and were accompanied by Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac). Tell us about that moment and what it meant to you. LO LA: It was one of the coolest, most surreal moments of my life. It was back in high school, when I was a senior in band. I was the singer for the band and our school was putting on a gala and wanted the band to perform at it. I knew I was going to be performing at it, but I had no idea what song I would be performing. One day, out of the blue, my band teacher called me and asked me “how would you like to sing a Fleetwood Mac song while being accompanied on the drums by Mick Fleetwood?” I was so shocked and excited! The song we ended up performing was “Don’t Stop.” Mick Fleetwood flew in his golden-plated drums from Hawaii to the gala venue! I got to meet him before and after the performance and it was just so surreal to be singing one of his songs. I’ll never forget that day! I’ll include a picture at the bottom! 

AO: If you could pick any 3 artists to collaborate with, who would you pick and why? LO LA: This is such a hard question because there are SO many artists I want to collaborate with! 

Tyler, The Creator for sure. I love his music so so so much. One of my favorite songs of all time is his song “See You Again” which was a collaboration he did with Kali Uchis. I hope one day I can make a song like that with him. It would be a DREAM.

Boy Pablo. They are one of my favorite bands and I’ve loved their music since the beginning! One day I hope I can go to Norway and collaborate with them. 

Lily Allen. Lily Allen is another huge influence on my music and I’ve always wanted to meet her and collaborate with her. So many of her songs inspired my songs and I would love to see what we would write together! I love how she tells stories in her songs as well!

AO: Your artist name is “LO LA”, what inspired you to present your name artistically in this way? LO LA: When I was coming up with a name, I knew I wanted to use my real name, and really didn’t want to make many adjustments to it. I saw that there were already a few “Lola’s out there,” but I hadn’t seen any “LO LA’s” and I really liked how the capital letters looked! 

AO: For a new fan that may across your music on digital music platforms, what do you want them to take away from your music? LO LA: I want them to listen to my music and see that it’s normal to get upset about things & overthink. Love definitely isn’t easy, but is often portrayed that way in the media and in music. I want people to hear my songs and know that they’re not alone with what they’re going through. I hope that my music will help people get through tough situations. I write for fun, but my ultimate goal is to be able to reach people and help them through my music. 

AO: LO LA, thank you for sitting down with me to do this interview! Before you go, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans and our readers? LO LA: Thank you so much for reading this and for listening to my music. It means the world to me that there’s actually people out there that enjoy listening to my music and my stories. It’s still hard to fathom that people are out there all around the world listening to my music! I never thought that it would happen! Thank you so much again! Also! To pass on my mantra, everything happens for a reason! :) Through writing my music, there’s been times where I haven’t understood why things have happened to me, but everything seems to always end up falling into place! Even if it’s not the way I intended it or imagined it to be! 

Connect with LO LA on the following websites: https://www.twitter.com/musicbylola_ https://www.instagram.com/musicbylola_ https://www.tiktok.com/@musicbylola_