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natsaffection · 8 months ago

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heyyy so i have this idea and i think no one can write it like you so yeah.

forced marriage between Natasha and reader in the present time. they both don't like each other because of this situation yk but with time they come around each other.

i know this is a really classic one but I've been thinking about this for a long time and sending a request to you seemed like a good idea considering your beautiful writing. but of course it's okay if you don't want to write it! hope you're having a good day!!! (or night idk😭😭) 💗

I see you. | N.R

Warnings: Forced Marriage for a Mission, a lot of arguments, Drinking, mentioned of sex while beeing drunk (both)

Word count: 6,7k

A/n: I hope it makes sense. I thought for a long time about how best to implement this scenario and found this solution to be the most plausible..(The beginning takes place before the invasion of Loki)

Natasha sat stiffly, her gaze sharp and unforgiving, fixed on the man sitting across from her. Nick leaned back in his chair, his one good eye studying her with an intensity that matched her own. “So, what’s this about, Fury?” Natasha’s voice was as cold as the steel walls surrounding them in the underground briefing room of the Avengers headquarters. She had been urgently summoned, pulled out of a mission briefing that had been weeks in the making, and the weight of this interruption hung heavy in the air.

Fury exhaled slowly, his fingers drumming on the edge of the sleek metal table. The silence stretched just long enough that Natasha’s patience nearly snapped. “It’s about alliances.” he finally said, his tone measured, as if he was still deciding how much to reveal. Natasha’s eyes narrowed. “I thought we had our alliances sorted out. Stark has the tech, Banner is working on the gamma projects, and I’m ready to handle the intel with Rogers. What’s missing?”

Fury’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he leaned forward, his hands tightly clasped together as if preparing for what he was about to say. “What’s missing is political stability. The kind that can’t be bought with technology or power. We need trust, and that’s in short supply these days.”

“Trust?” Natasha scoffed. “From whom? What aren’t you telling me?” He met her gaze, unwavering. “There’s a situation with Y/n.”

Natasha’s brow furrowed slightly. The name struck a nerve. You were no stranger in her world. Known for your diplomatic skills and sharp intellect, you were a key figure in international negotiations, often brokering deals that kept the world from chaos. You weren’t just a diplomat, you were a force, wielding influence in ways even Natasha respected. But that didn’t explain why you were the subject of this mysterious meeting.

“And what does that have to do with us?” Natasha asked, her voice low and laced with suspicion. Fury’s next words fell like a hammer. “You’re going to marry her.” For a moment, the words didn’t register. Natasha stared at Fury, waiting for the punchline to a joke that never came. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me right, Romanoff." Fury replied, his tone unyielding. “This marriage is the only way to secure the alliance we need. Your influence can grant us access to certain..resources and information that we desperately need. This goes beyond SHIELD, it’s about global security.”

Natasha leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “And you think a forced marriage is magically going to solve all these problems?”

“I’m not saying it’ll be easy.” Fury admitted. “But this isn’t about love or personal happiness. It’s about necessity. We need a visible, undeniable alliance, something that other nations and organizations can see and recognize as a commitment. A marriage between you and Y/L/N would achieve that.”

Natasha’s jaw tightened. She was a soldier, a spy, a warrior..she had never allowed anyone to dictate the terms of her life, let alone something as personal as marriage. The very idea was repugnant to her, and yet..Fury’s expression told her this wasn’t just an idea, it was an order. The stakes were high, as they always were in her line of work, but this felt different. This felt personal in a way she hadn’t expected.

“And what makes you think she’ll agree to this?” Natasha asked, struggling to keep her voice steady. She wasn’t ready to show more emotion than necessary. “She’s already agreed.” Fury said, and Natasha felt the ground shift beneath her feet. “She understands how important this alliance is. She’s as reluctant as you are, but she knows what’s at stake.”

Natasha let that sink in for a moment. She didn’t know you well, but she knew of you, respected you even. You were someone who didn’t back down easily, who saw through lies and acted on your convictions. If you had agreed, then the situation was worse than Natasha had thought.

“And if I refuse?” she asked, though she knew the answer, but she needed to hear it. Fury’s expression hardened. “You won’t refuse. You’re too smart for that, Natasha. You know what’s at stake. You’ve always done what was necessary.”

Natasha exhaled slowly, her mind racing. She didn’t want this, she didn’t want to be tied down by something as archaic as marriage, especially not to someone she barely knew. But Fury was right. She had always done what was necessary, no matter the cost. And this, it seemed, was just another mission, one that would require all her skills to navigate.

“Fine..” she said finally, her voice clipped. “I’ll do it. But don’t expect me to play the happy housewife.” Fury almost smiled, but it was a cold, thin smile. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Natasha’s mind raced as she left the cold, sterile briefing room. Fury’s words echoed in her ears, a reminder that her life was no longer entirely her own. As she walked through the corridors of the SHIELD headquarters, her footsteps echoed ominously, each step bringing her closer to a fate she hadn’t chosen.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Fury again:

Meeting with Y/N in conference room in five minutes. Be there.

No time to think, no time to prepare. Typical. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before heading to the designated room. Natasha arrived at the conference room a few minutes early. The room was empty, the lights dimmed, casting long shadows across the table. It felt oddly impersonal, a stark contrast to the gravity of what was about to be discussed. She stood by the window, staring out at the headquarters’ grounds, trying to gather her thoughts.

The door opened behind her, and Natasha turned as you entered the room. You were dressed in a tailored suit, exuding the same sovereign confidence that had made you a respected figure in the diplomatic world. But there was something else in your eyes. A hint of irritation, maybe even anger. Clearly, you weren’t any happier about this situation than she was.

“Natasha.” you greeted her with a curt nod, your voice cool and distant. “Y/n.” Natasha replied just as coolly. She crossed her arms and leaned against the windowsill, her eyes narrowing as she studied the person in front of her. “So, I guess we’re getting married.”

You let out a short, humorless laugh. “Looks that way. Not that either of us had a choice.” Natasha raised an eyebrow. “And whose fault is that? If you and your people hadn’t been so secretive, we might not be in this mess.” Your face hardened, a flicker of anger crossing your features. “Oh, please. Don’t act like SHIELD is any better. You’re all about secrets and manipulation. This marriage is just another one of your little games.”

Natasha’s eyes narrowed further. “You think I want this? To be tied to someone I barely know, just to fulfill a political agenda? Don’t kid yourself.”

“Kid myself?” You scoffed and took a step closer, your voice rising. “Do you think it’s any easier for me? Being forced to marry the Black Widow, of all people? I know your reputation, Natasha. You’re a manipulator, a killer. This is the last thing I wanted.” Natasha’s jaw clenched, her anger boiling up. “And what about you? You’re no saint either, Y/n. You’ve played your games, made your deals behind closed doors, pulled strings to get what you want. Don’t pretend you’re any better.”

Anger flashed in your eyes. “At least I don’t hide behind a mask of false righteousness. I do what needs to be done for the greater good, just like you. But don’t mistake necessity for desire. I have no interest in playing house with someone who doesn’t even know what trust means.”

Natasha felt a sharp sting of anger mixed with something else, something she didn’t want to name. “Trust? That’s rich, coming from you. You’ve built your career on deception. And now you expect me to believe you’re the victim here?” You stepped closer, your voice low and sharp. “I don’t care what you believe. We’re both victims of this situation, but if you think I’m just going to roll over for you, you’re sorely mistaken.”

Natasha’s anger flared again, her voice turning icy. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Let’s get one thing straight, I’m not here to make you happy. This is a business arrangement, nothing more. We’ll play the part when necessary, but other than that, stay out of my way.”

For a moment, they stood facing each other, only inches apart, the tension crackling between them like a live wire. Finally, Natasha turned away, breaking the tense silence. She moved to the table and sat down, forcing herself to focus. “Let’s talk logistics. The sooner we get this sorted, the sooner we can get it over with.”

You took a deep breath, regaining your composure, and sat down across from her. “Agreed. But don’t expect me to make it easy for you.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Natasha shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I have an apartment in Brooklyn. It’s secure, and there’s enough space for both of us without stepping on each other’s toes. We can start moving your things tomorrow.” Your eyes narrowed. “Brooklyn? How convenient for you. Always need to have the home-field advantage, don’t you?”

Natasha offered a crooked smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m practical. It’s close to headquarters, and it’s safe. Unless you have a better suggestion?” Your lips pressed into a thin line, clearly dissatisfied but unwilling to argue further. “Fine. But don’t expect me to play the obedient spouse. I need my space, my own office, my own schedule.”

“Fine.” Natasha responded sharply. “I don’t want you around me all the time anyway. We’ll do what’s necessary to make this look real, public appearances, a few shared events, then back to our own lives.” You leaned back in your chair, arms crossed. “And what about the media? They’re going to follow us everywhere, looking for any crack in the facade.”

Natasha waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll handle it. Stick to the script, and we won’t have any problems. There’s no need to make this more complicated than it needs to be.” You remained unconvinced. “You’re acting like this is so simple. But we both know there’s nothing simple about this.”

Natasha’s eyes hardened. “We don’t have a choice, Y/n. We do this because we have to, not because we want to.” Your jaw clenched, your voice turning icy. “Believe me, Natasha, the last thing I want is for this to work. But I’ll do what needs to be done. Just don’t expect anything more from me.” The two of you sat in silence for a moment, the weight of your mutual dislike hanging heavy in the air. This was going to be a nightmare..

In this silent moment, an agent came in with a pile of paper stuff. He sensed the tension immediately and just put it on the table and quickly left the room.

Thebtable was now filled with details on how your upcoming marriage would be presented to the world. It was an intricately crafted plan, covering everything from the official story of how you met to the timeline of your relationship and your behavior in public. Every detail had been meticulously planned by SHIELD’s PR team to ensure that the marriage appeared genuine.

You flipped through the pages with a grim expression, your fingers gripping the edges of the paper as if you wanted to tear them apart. “This is ridiculous..” you muttered, not bothering to hide your frustration. “They expect us to memorize a script? Like we’re actors playing a part?”

Natasha, sitting across from you, “That’s exactly what we are.” she said coolly. “This isn’t a real marriage, remember? We’re playing a role for the public.”

You shot her a sharp look. “I’m well aware. But this..” you gestured contemptuously at the file “is insulting. ‘Shared interest in global politics and mutual respect for each other’s abilities’? Really?” You read the lines aloud, your voice dripping with sarcasm. “They’re acting like we’re two diplomats who fell in love over a discussion on trade agreements.” Natasha’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Would you prefer they invent a fairy tale romance? At least this version is believable. It’s not like we have a real story to fall back on.”

You slammed the file shut with a loud bang that echoed in the small room. “We wouldn’t need to make anything up if we weren’t being forced into this situation.” Natasha’s jaw tightened. “No one’s forcing you to stay. If you have a better solution, by all means, let me know.”

You sighed in frustration, rubbing your temples. “You know as well as I do that there isn’t one! Fury made sure of that.” Natasha watched you silently for a moment, her expression unreadable. “Then we make the best of it. We memorize the script, play the show, and get it over with.”

You looked up at her, your eyes flashing with anger. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re used to lying, aren’t you? Playing different roles, lying to people’s faces. But this..this isn’t just another mission, Natasha. This is our lives.”

Natasha's eyes hardened at the accusation. "You think I don't know that? You think I enjoy being paraded around like a puppet? I've spent my entire life fighting for control over my own decisions, and now I'm being told who I have to marry. So don't act like you're the only one angry about this." Your lips pressed into a thin line, your anger momentarily softened by a flicker of understanding. "Then why are you so calm? Why aren't you angrier?"

Natasha exhaled slowly, working to keep her emotions in check. "Because anger won't change anything. We're stuck in this, whether we like it or not. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can figure out how to deal with it." You stared at her for a long moment, your expression softening just a little. "So we learn the script, smile for the cameras, and pretend we don’t hate each other?"

Natasha leaned forward slightly, her voice low and controlled. "Yes, we pretend we don't hate each other. But we have to make it believable. People will be watching us closely, if they sense something is off, the whole show falls apart. That means we need to know each other, at least enough to sell the act."

You raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident on your face. "And how do you suggest we do that? Some getting-to-know-you games? Maybe ‘Two Truths and a Lie’?" Natasha gave a humorless smile. "We start with the basics. We go through the script and fill in the gaps with real information. What's your favorite food? What do you do in your spare time? What’s your biggest pet peeve? Things that couples know about each other."

You leaned back in your chair, arms crossed, clearly not thrilled with the idea. "Fine. But don't expect me to share my deepest secrets."

"I wouldn't dream of it." She opened the file again and flipped to a page titled *Personal Details*. "It says here that you enjoy hiking and reading. Is that accurate, or did they make it up?" You rolled your eyes. "It's true. I like hiking when I have the time, and I read a lot, mostly history and politics, but they don't need to know that in detail."

Natasha nodded, making a mental note. "Good. We can work with that. Mine says I'm into physical fitness and strategy games." She paused and looked at you with a raised eyebrow. "Is there anything else we should add?" You looked at her thoughtfully before replying. "You like ballet, right? I read that somewhere." Natasha blinked, surprised by this observation. "Yes, that's true. Not many people know that."

"Well, it’s part of who you are.." you said, your tone less confrontational now. "We could use that." Natasha nodded, slightly impressed by this small concession. "Good. We'll add it to the list." You continued to go through the script, exchanging brief, factual information about yourselves, preferences, dislikes and childhood memories that could be used to support your fake story. But every answer was tinged with tension, each of you holding something back, building walls around yourselves.

After nearly an hour of discussion, you closed the file with a sigh and rubbed the back of your neck. "This is going to be a disaster." Natasha leaned back and crossed her arms. "Not if we're careful. We stick to the plan, stay on script, and give them no reason to doubt us."

You met her gaze, your expression weary but determined. "I just don't know how long we can keep this up. People will expect us to act like we actually care."

"We don't have to care." Natasha said, her voice cold and distant. "We just have to pretend we do." You shook your head, frustration evident in your voice. "And what happens if we slip up? If one of us says something off-script? We can't be perfect all the time."

"We won't slip up." Natasha said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We're both professionals. We've been in situations far more stressful than this. We'll manage." You stared at her for a moment, searching her face for a crack in her ironclad facade. "You really believe that, don't you? That we can just fake our way through this lie without any consequences?"

Natasha's gaze remained unchanged, unyielding. "I believe we don't have a choice." The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of your situation pressing down on both of you. This wasn't just about memorizing lines or putting on a good show, it was about maintaining a facade that could crumble at any moment, exposing you both to public scrutiny and potential danger. Finally, you stood up, your movements stiff with unresolved tension. "I guess we'll see, won't we?" Natasha stood as well, her posture mirroring yours. "Yes. We will."

The days passed in a blurred whirl of public appearances, each one a carefully staged performance that only deepened the rift between you and Natasha. Every event, every gesture, every word was meticulously planned, yet the underlying tension between you was impossible to ignore. The first major event you attended as a married couple was a high-profile gala, the kind of glittering affair where the rich and powerful gathered under chandeliers to sip champagne and discuss global affairs. Natasha had attended similar events countless times before, but never under these circumstances.

You wore an elegant black evening gown that accentuated your every movement, while Natasha was dressed in a sharp suit. As you walked into the ballroom, her hand rested lightly on your back, a gesture meant to appear familiar, but to you, it felt like a shackle. "Ready to charm the masses?" she murmured with a sarcastic edge as you entered the room.

The night was a marathon of forced smiles and carefully calculated interactions. You moved through the crowd like seasoned professionals, your hand never leaving Natasha's back as you met with diplomats and high society, maintaining the facade of a loving couple. But beneath the surface, Natasha could feel your simmering anger, mirroring her own. At one point in the evening, as you were cornered by a particularly nosy journalist, Natasha's patience was put to the test. The journalist smiled broadly and inquisitively as she fired off questions about your supposed whirlwind romance.

"How did you two meet?" the journalist asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Natasha suppressed an eye roll, but her voice remained smooth and warm as she responded. "We met at a diplomatic conference. We were both there on separate missions, but we kept running into each other. Things developed from there."

You seamlessly picked up the conversation, though your smile was a bit too stiff. "It didn’t take long for us to realize how much we had in common. After that, everything just fell into place naturally." The journalist seemed satisfied with the answer but continued to probe. "And when did you know it was love?"

You hesitated, your smile faltering for a split second before you recovered. "It wasn't just one moment. It was a lot of little things that made us realize we couldn’t imagine our lives without each other." Natasha forced herself to smile at you, her fingers lightly brushing your arm in a gesture meant to appear affectionate. "Yes, it was all those little moments that made it clear."

As the journalist moved on, Natasha could feel the tension in your posture, your hand pressing a little more firmly against her back, as if you were reminding her of your shared discomfort. "That was close.." you muttered as you both retreated to a quieter corner of the room. "We handled it." Natasha replied curtly, her voice barely above a whisper. "That’s what we do."

The rest of the night proceeded in much the same way, the two of you moving through the room, presenting the perfect image of a loving couple. But every touch, every smile, every word was carefully calculated, and by the time you finally left the gala, Natasha felt as if she were about to snap from the strain.

The ride back to your shared apartment was suffocatingly silent. The driver, a SHIELD agent, wisely kept his eyes on the road, leaving you both to your thoughts. When you arrived 'home', you immediately went to the kitchen to pour yourself a stiff drink. Natasha followed you, already on edge, her patience worn thin by the constant charade.

You turned to her, your expression hard. "You're really good at this, you know that? At pretending. It’s almost like it’s second nature to you." Natasha tensed as she heard the accusation in your words. "I had to be good at it. It's my job."

You let out a humorless laugh. "Your job. Right. I guess that's what happens when you're trained to be a spy from childhood. You learn to play whatever role is required." The words hit a sore spot, and Natasha's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Careful, Y/n. You don't know what you're talking about."

You took a step closer, your voice dropping to a near growl. "Don't I? You’ve spent your whole life being prepared for this, haven’t you? To lie, to manipulate, to make people believe whatever you want them to. This whole marriage..this whole act..probably means nothing to you."

Natasha felt her anger flare, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "You think this is easy for me? You think I enjoy lying about every aspect of my life, pretending to be someone I’m not?" You didn’t back down, your eyes burning with frustration. "But you're damn good at it, aren’t you? Must be all those years in that room. They made you the perfect little actress."

That was the breaking point for Natasha. Her eyes flashed with anger as she stepped forward and closed the distance between you. "You have no idea what the Red Room did to me. What it took from me. So don’t you dare try to twist that into some kind of compliment!" You stood your ground, your own anger flaring in response. "I’m not giving you a compliment, Natasha. I’m saying it’s terrifying how easily you slip into these roles. How convincing you are at pretending to care."

Natasha's breathing quickened, her pulse pounding in her ears. "You think I want to be convincing, huh? You think I want to be good at this? I’ve spent my entire life fighting to break free of what the Red Room made me, and now I’m stuck in another damn role..and it’s with you."

Your jaw tightened, your anger now tinged with something that looked like guilt. "Maybe it’s not just a role for you. Maybe you don’t even know who you are when you’re not on a mission." The words cut deep, and for a moment, Natasha didn’t know how to respond. But the anger was too strong, too raw to let go. "You don’t know anything about me. Nothing about what I’ve been through, what I’ve had to do to survive."

You both stood there, staring each other down, the air between you crackling with fury and unspoken pain. Natasha's chest heaved with the force of her emotions, her mind a whirlwind of anger and hurt that she could barely keep in check. You set your glass down with a sharp clink, your face tight with suppressed frustration. "You know what? Maybe you’re right. Maybe I don’t know you. But it sure as hell feels like you’re more comfortable in this lie than I am."

Natasha turned away, her hands trembling with the effort to contain her rage. "Go to bed, Y/n." You didn’t respond, simply turning on your heel and leaving the room, your footsteps echoing through the apartment. Natasha waited until she heard the door to your shared bedroom close before she finally let out a shaky breath. She was too good at pretending, far too good. And that was the problem. Because despite all her skills, all the years of training and missions, this felt different. It felt personal in a way she hadn’t anticipated, and your words had struck a nerve deep within her.

As Natasha stood alone in the kitchen, she couldn’t shake the feeling that you had seen through her facade in a way no one else ever had. The truth was, this marriage, this charade, was wearing her down in ways she hadn’t expected. And the more time she spent around you, the harder it became to maintain the mask she had worn for so long. She wanted to dismiss your words as just another argument, another clash of wills between two people who were forced into a situation neither wanted. But the truth was, you had hit on something she didn’t want to admit, even to herself. With a heavy sigh, she finally turned off the lights and headed to bed, her mind still racing. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up, but she knew one thing for certain. Whatever this was between the two of you, it was far from over.

The days that followed were intense, with both Natasha and you deeply immersed in your respective missions. Despite the tension between you, you had found a certain rhythm, maintaining your cover as a married couple while focusing on the tasks at hand. Your partnership was more functional than personal, efficient, strategic, and devoid of unnecessary emotional entanglements.

But that all changed when Loki appeared.

When chaos erupted in New York, the two of you were thrown right into the conflict, working side by side with the newly formed Avengers. The stakes were higher than ever, and there was no room for mistakes. You fought shoulder to shoulder, defeating Chitauri soldiers and securing key positions as you tried to save the city from destruction.

It was during one of those intense moments, after Natasha's confrontation with Loki, that everything changed. Loki had made it a point to bring up Natasha's past, the "red" in her ledger, the sins she had committed, the people she had hurt. He taunted her with names and events that Natasha had long tried to forget, using her guilt as a weapon to break her. The words were meant to destroy her, to make her doubt her worth, and they hit harder than any physical blow. But Natasha, the eternal professional, pressed on, using her pain as fuel to outmaneuver Loki and secure the information they needed. But the damage was done. The conversation with Loki had revealed more about Natasha’s past than she ever wanted anyone, especially you, to know.

After the battle, when the Avengers had won and the immediate threat had passed, Natasha returned to the SHIELD Helicarrier. The city was still in chaos, but the focus had shifted to recovery and rebuilding. Natasha was exhausted, both physically and mentally, the weight of Loki's words hanging over her like a dark cloud.

You had always had a keen sense for people, always quick to pick up on the smallest changes in mood or behavior. It was one of the reasons you were so good at your job. But now that sharp intuition was focused on Natasha, and it made her feel exposed in a way she wasn’t prepared for.

After debriefing with Fury, Natasha retreated to the quiet of your shared apartment, hoping to find a moment of peace. She had barely sat down on the edge of the bed when she heard the door open behind her.

“Natasha?” Your voice was soft, cautious, as you entered the room. Natasha didn’t turn around, but she could feel your probing gaze on her.

“What is it, Y/n?” Natasha’s tone was curt. She was too tired for this conversation, too drained to face another confrontation. You hesitated, the silence between you stretched out. “I..wanted to talk to you.” Natasha closed her eyes, bracing herself for another argument. “About what?”

“About Loki.” you said, your voice carefully measured. "We need to talk about what he said." Natasha’s muscles tensed, her back straightening as she tried to suppress the rising wave of fear in her chest. “I’m fine, Y/n. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“That’s the point, Natasha.” you continued, taking a few steps closer. “I am worried. I know I’ve pushed you before, teased you about your past, but I didn’t..I didn’t realize it was something so serious.” Natasha’s jaw tightened, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She didn’t want to have this conversation, not now, not ever. “I’ve already told you, my past is none of your concern.”

“But it is, Natasha!” Your voice was firmer now, the frustration evident. “We’re supposed to be partners, and I feel like I don’t know you at all.” Natasha finally turned to face you, her eyes narrowing as she stood. “You don’t know me, Y/n. And that’s how it’s supposed to be. I didn’t ask for your sympathy, and I don’t need your pity.”

Your expression hardened, but there was a flicker of pain in your eyes. “This isn’t about pity, and you know it. I’m just trying to understand.”

“Understand what?” Natasha snapped, her voice rising. “That I’ve done things I’m not proud of? That my past is full of blood and darkness you can’t even imagine?” You flinched at the sharpness in her voice, but you didn’t back down. “You’re right. I don’t know everything, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. I’m trying to apologize, Natasha. For pushing you, for not realizing.”

Natasha stared at you, her anger battling with something deeper, something she didn’t want to name. “Why? So you can feel better? So you can feel like you’ve done the right thing?” Your eyes flashed with frustration. “No, damn it! I’m doing this because I care about you. Because, despite everything, I don’t want to keep fighting against you! Its draining..”

For a moment, you stood facing each other, the air between you charged with tension. Natasha felt her defenses beginning to crumble, the walls she had built around herself starting to give way under the weight of your words. Finally, she let out a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging as the fight drained out of her. “You want to know the truth?"

Natasha sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands resting on her knees as if she needed to hold herself together. “The Red Room..it destroyed me. It took everything I was and made something else out of it. Something that had no choice, no control.” You sat down beside her, but you kept your distance, respecting the space she needed. “You didn’t have a choice, Natasha. You were a child.”

“That doesn’t change what I did ” Natasha said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. “I killed people. Innocent people. And I..I enjoyed it, Y/n. Back then, I enjoyed it because that’s what they made me.” You reached out, placing your hand gently over hers, but you said nothing. You knew this was a moment where words couldn’t do much.

Her voice was soft and laced with pain. “The things I’ve done..the people I’ve hurt..you can’t just brush that aside. The Red Room wasn’t just training, it was torture, it was conditioning, it was turning little girls into weapons. I did terrible things because I was programmed to. Because I didn’t know any better.” She paused, as the memories came flooding back with painful clarity. “And even after I got out, even after I tried to make up for it, the past still haunts me. Loki knew exactly where to strike, exactly how to remind me of the monster I once was.”

You listened in silence, your heart aching at the pain in Natasha’s voice. “You’re not a monster, Natasha.” She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “That’s easy for you to say. But you didn’t see what I did. You didn’t live it.”

“No, I didn’t. But I’ve seen who you are now. I’ve seen how hard you fight to do the right thing, how much you sacrifice. That’s not the work of a monster. That’s someone trying to make things right.” Natasha turned to you, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “But what if it’s not enough? What if it doesn’t matter what I do, and I can never atone for what I’ve done?”

You took her hands in yours. “You don’t have to do it alone, Natasha. You don’t have to carry this burden by yourself. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” Natasha looked down at your hands, the warmth of your touch grounding her in a way she hadn’t expected. For so long, she had believed that her past was something she had to face alone, that no one could understand the shadow that had shaped her. But in this moment, with you by her side, she realized that maybe, just maybe she didn’t have to be alone anymore.

“I’m sorry.” Natasha whispered, her voice breaking. “For pushing you away.” You squeezed her hands gently. “I’m sorry too. For not seeing how much you were hurting.” You sat there for a long moment in silence, the weight of the past finally beginning to lift, replaced by something new..something fragile, but real. It wasn’t love, not yet, but it was trust, and for now, that was enough.

The days after your late-night conversation were different, marked by an unspoken understanding that hadn’t been there before. Natasha and you continued with your missions, and the world was still recovering from the chaos of Loki’s attack, but something between you had shifted. Where there had once been tension and unspoken resentment, there was now a cautious, growing trust.

You moved around each other more easily, your conversations were less strained, your silences less heavy. The sharp edges of your interactions had softened, replaced by a tentative camaraderie that surprised you both. You weren’t friends yet, and certainly not lovers, but you were no longer just colleagues forced into a marriage of convenience. You were partners..genuine partners.

One evening, after a particularly exhausting mission, you returned to the Helicarrier and noticed the weariness weighing on Natasha. Her shoulders were slumped, and her usually sharp eyes were dulled with fatigue. But there was also something else, a lightness that hadn’t been there before, as if the burden she carried was now a little less heavy. “You look like you could use a break.” you said, your voice light but laced with concern. Natasha glanced at you, a small, tired smile playing on her lips. “You’re not wrong. This week has been hell.”

“More than usual.” you agreed. “How about we grab a drink? No talk about missions, just..a chance to unwind.” Natasha hesitated for a moment, her instinct to decline warring with the realization that maybe, just this once, she didn’t have to handle everything on her own. “Yeah, okay. That sounds good.”

You headed to one of the quieter lounges on the Helicarrier, a small, dimly lit room where off-duty agents could relax. It wasn’t exactly cozy, but it was private enough to talk without the weight of your roles hanging over you. You ordered a couple of drinks, and the two of you sat down at a small table near the window, through which the vast, dark night could be seen. For a while, you drank in silence, the easy silence between you a far cry from the tense moments of the past.

“You know..” you began after a while, swirling your drink in your glass, “I’ve been thinking about what you said. About carrying this burden alone.” Natasha looked at you, her gaze steady but curious. “Yeah?”

“I’ve just..been thinking about how we’re supposed to be partners in this, but we’ve been so focused on keeping our walls up that we forgot what that really means." you said thoughtfully. “It’s not just about watching each other’s backs in a fight. It’s about being there for each other when things get tough, when the past tries to drag you down.”

Natasha nodded slowly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. “I’m not used to that, you know. Letting someone in.”

“I figured..” you said with a small smile. “But you let me in, at least a little. And I want you to know that it meant something. It made me realize that maybe I haven’t been as fair to you as I could have been.” Natasha’s expression softened, a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability in her eyes. “You don’t need to apologize, Y/n. We were both just doing our jobs.”

“I know.” you replied. “But still, I’m sorry. For pushing you, for not seeing how much you’ve been through. I was so caught up in the mission and the cover that I didn’t take the time to really see you.” Natasha took a sip of her drink, letting the warmth of the alcohol ease the tension in her shoulders. “You see me now.” she said quietly. “And that’s more than I’ve let anyone do in a long time.”

You sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes, the atmosphere between you relaxed and open. Natasha realized that it was a relief not to have to be constantly on guard, not to have to keep everyone at a distance. “You know.." you said after a while, your tone lighter, “I’ve been thinking that when all this mess is over, we should take a break. Do something normal. I hear married couples go on vacations.” Natasha chuckled, the sound low and genuine. “I’m not sure we pass as a normal married couple.”

“Who said anything about normal?” you grinned. “We could do something out of the ordinary. Like..I don’t know, skydiving or rock climbing. Something that gets the adrenaline pumping without the life-and-death stakes.” Natasha raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eyes. “So you want us to jump out of a plane..for fun?”

You shrugged, a mischievous smile on your lips. “Why not? After everything we’ve been through, it might be nice to do something that gets the heart racing without our lives depending on it.” Natasha considered it for a moment, then smiled, a real smile, not the practiced one she used in public. “You know what? That actually doesn’t sound so bad.”

You clinked your glasses together, and as the evening wore on, you talked about everything and nothing. Trivial things like favorite foods and music, and deeper topics like your dreams and fears. The walls between you continued to crumble, and by the time you finally returned to your apartment, there was a new understanding between you. “Thank you, Y/n. For tonight.” You smiled back, your voice warm. “Anytime, Natasha. We’re in this together.”

“Yeah.” Natasha replied, the words feeling truer than ever before. “We are.” As you parted ways for the night, Natasha felt a lightness in her chest that she hadn’t felt in a long time. It wasn’t just the drink or the fact that she had survived another day, it was the knowledge that she wasn’t alone anymore. That for the first time in years, she had someone she could trust.

The following weeks were different. Natasha and you continued to work together, your partnership now stronger as the initial tension had eased. You were still far from being a typical married couple, but the foundation of trust you had begun to build made all the difference. One day, after a particularly successful mission, Fury called you both into his office. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was a hint of something, perhaps approval in his gaze.

“You two have done good work.” Fury said, his voice even. “The mission was a success, and your cover held under pressure. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how this partnership would work, but you’ve exceeded expectations.”

Natasha glanced at you briefly, and you shared a small, knowing smile. “Thank you, sir.” Natasha replied. Fury nodded, then leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharpening. “That said, I’m not sure how much longer we can maintain the appearance of this marriage.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” Fury sighed, a rare sign of weariness passing over his face. “The situation has stabilized for now, but I have a feeling more trouble is on the horizon. You two have done your job well, but I’m giving you the option to dissolve the marriage if you think it’s the right move.”

Natasha felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite identify, regret? Uncertainty? She looked at you, searching your face for a clue as to what you were thinking. You met her gaze, your expression thoughtful. “I think..we should talk about it. See where we both stand.”

Natasha nodded slowly, a strange mix of emotions swirling in her chest. “Yeah. We’ll figure it out.” Fury watched you both for a moment, then gave a curt nod. “Take your time." With that, he dismissed you, and you left the office in silence, the weight of the decision heavy on your minds.

As you walked through the corridors, Natasha felt a sense of unease rising in her stomach. She hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected to feel anything at the thought of ending the marriage. But now, the idea left a strange emptiness inside her. “So..” you said quietly as you reached your quarters, “what do you want to do?”

Natasha took a deep breath, turning to face you. “I don’t know." she admitted. “This started as a mission, as a cover. But now..I don’t know.” You nodded, your expression understanding. “I get it. It’s complicated.”

Natasha hesitated, then reached out and took your hand in hers. “But I know one thing. Whatever happens, I don’t want to lose what we’ve built. I don’t want to lose this..partnership.”

You stood there for a long moment, holding each other’s gaze, the air between you charged with unspoken possibilities. Finally, you smiled, a genuine, warm smile that made Natasha’s heart skip a beat. "I have a good Idea where we can talk further.."

The lounge was quiet, with only the occasional murmur of conversations on the other side of the room. Natasha and you had had a few drinks again, the alcohol warming your bodies and loosening your tongues. You had been talking for hours, the conversation flowing easily between you in a way it hadn’t before. The heaviness of your earlier tensions had lifted, replaced by a comfortable, almost intimate atmosphere.

Natasha took another sip of her drink, enjoying the burn as it slid down her throat. She looked at you, watching as you swirled the last bit of your whiskey in your glass, your eyes slightly glazed from the alcohol. Your words slightly slurred, “I never thought we’d end up here. Not like this.”

Natasha laughed, her own voice tinged with the effects of the alcohol. “Yeah, me neither. This whole thing… was unexpected.” You leaned back in your chair, your gaze fixed on Natasha. “But..I’m glad we’re here. I’m glad we’re talking like this.” Natasha felt a warmth spread through her, one that had nothing to do with the alcohol. “Me too.” she admitted, her voice softening. “It’s nice…not feeling alone.”

You smiled, a crooked, slightly drunken smile that made Natasha’s heart skip a beat as she felt a surge of emotions she wasn’t entirely ready to name. “You’re not alone, Natasha. Not anymore.” There was a charged moment between you, the air thick with unspoken words and the weight of your shared experiences. The alcohol had lowered your defenses, leaving you both more vulnerable and open than you had been in a long time.

Natasha set her glass down, her fingers lightly brushing against yours on the table. The touch was electric, sending a shiver of awareness through her. She looked up and met your gaze, and in your eyes, she saw the same spark of attraction that she felt. For a moment, neither of you moved, the tension between you growing more intense with each passing second. Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, you leaned across the table, and your lips met Natasha’s in a gentle, hesitant kiss.

Natasha’s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding as she responded to the kiss, her lips moving against yours in a way that felt both familiar and completely new. The kiss was tentative at first, an exploration of boundaries, but it quickly deepened as the need for each other became overwhelming.

Without breaking the kiss, you stood and pulled Natasha up with you. Your hands found each other’s bodies, exploring, touching, as you made your way out of the lounge and down the corridor to a quarter. Your kisses grew hotter, more desperate, as you neared the room. You fumbled with the keycard, finally managing to open the door, and the two of you tumbled inside, your bodies pressed tightly together. As you finally made it to the bed, the rest of the world seemed to disappear. There was only the two of you, entwined with one another, your kisses hungry, your touches urgent. The alcohol had stripped away your inhibitions, leaving only the raw desire for each other.

The night passed in a blur of passionate moments and whispered names, your bodies intertwined as you lost yourselves completely in each other. The connection between you deepened with every touch, every kiss, until there was no distance left between you, no more walls to keep you apart. When you finally fell asleep, your bodies were still entwined, your breaths mingling as you drifted into a deep, contented sleep. The alcohol had done its job, lowering your defenses and bringing you together in a way neither of you had expected.

The first thing Natasha felt as she slowly woke up was the dull pounding in her head. She groaned softly, turning over and pulling the blanket tighter around herself, trying to block out the morning light seeping through the curtains. But as she moved, she realized something was off, something warm and solid was lying beside her. She froze, her senses suddenly sharp despite the hangover. Slowly, she opened one eye and was immediately met with the sight of you lying next to her, your face turned toward her, still fast asleep.

Natasha’s breath hitched as the events of the previous night came rushing back to her. The drinks, the laughter, the conversation that had unexpectedly turned personal..and then how you had ended up here, wrapped in each other’s arms. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to piece everything together. You had both been drunk, very drunk but that didn’t explain everything. How had you gone from reluctant partners in a forced marriage to this point? What had driven you to cross a line she hadn’t even realized you were approaching?

“shit." Natasha muttered quietly, careful not to disturb you as she tried to extricate herself from the sheets. But as she moved, you stirred beside her, your eyes slowly fluttering open. For a moment, you both simply stared at each other, your expressions mirroring the shock and confusion that Natasha was feeling. “Morning.” you finally said, your voice rough and uncertain.

“Morning.” Natasha echoed, her voice just as hesitant. There was a long, awkward silence as you both tried to process the situation. Natasha could see the same questions in your eyes that were running through her own mind: How had this happened? What did it mean? And where do you go from here?

“I..uh..did we…?” you began, clearly struggling to find the right words. Natasha’s cheeks flushed slightly as she nodded. “Yeah. I think we did.”

You rubbed your hand over your face, slowly sitting up as you tried to shake off the remnants of sleep and alcohol. “Okay, so…how did we end up here?” Natasha bit her lip, trying to recall the details. “We were talking..had a lot to drink. And then..I don’t know. One thing led to another, I guess.” She managed a small, ironic smile. “But at least we don’t have to invent any lies if someone asks us about our sex life now.”

You chuckled at her comment, and the tension in the room eased slightly. “True. It’s almost like we’ve fully embraced our roles now. Now that she's finished.” Natasha rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. “I guess we’re just overachievers.”

The laughter died down, and once again, the reality of your situation set in. Things had gotten personal in a way neither of you had anticipated. “So…what do we do now?” you asked, your tone more serious this time.

Natasha sighed, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around herself. “I don’t know. We could just pretend nothing happened, but… that feels like we’d be lying to ourselves.”

“Yeah, and we’ve done enough pretending to last a lifetime.” you agreed, your expression thoughtful. “But we also can’t ignore the fact that this all started as a mission. A mission where we were supposed to pretend to be in love, even though we didn’t really like each other.” Natasha nodded, the weight of that truth pressing down on her. “Right. And now we’ve crossed a line, and I don’t think we can just go back.”

You frowned, deep in thought. “But do we need to go back? I mean, we’ve been through a lot together, and… I don’t know. Maybe this was just..inevitable?” Natasha looked at you, searching your face for any hint of what you were really feeling. “Maybe. But now it’s complicated. We can’t just act like everything is the same as before.”

Your smile, “Hey, at least we’re dedicated to the mission, right?” Natasha laughed, the sound easing some of the tension. “Right. We’ve more than fulfilled our duties.”

You both laughed, the tension between you beginning to dissipate. The humor was a relief, a way to ease the confusion and discomfort that came with waking up in each other’s bed after what was supposed to be just another night of playing your roles. But as the laughter faded, the reality of your situation remained. You couldn’t just laugh your way out of this, you had to figure out what it meant for you.

“So…what do we do now?” you asked again, your tone more serious this time. Natasha sighed, running a hand through her hair as she tried to organize her thoughts. “We figure it out. No more lies, no more excuses. We take it one step at a time.” You nodded, your expression softening. “I can do that. One step at a time.”

Natasha felt a strange sense of relief at your words. This was new territory for both of you, but at least you didn’t have to navigate it alone. You had each other, and while it was still a complicated mess, it was something you could rely on. As you both got out of bed and began to dress, the weight of your new reality settled over you. This wasn’t going to be easy, but you were in it together, and for now, that was enough.

“Hey, Natasha?” you said as you pulled your shirt over your head. “Yeah?”

You paused for a moment, your expression thoughtful. “I know this isn’t what either of us expected, but..I’m glad we’re here." Natasha smiled, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. “Me too, Y/n. Me too.”

As you left the room and stepped back into the world, you did so with a new understanding of each other. You had started as reluctant partners, forced together by a mission, but now…now there was something more. Something worth exploring, even if it was still messy and confusing. The mission had brought you together, but it was your shared experiences and growing bond that would keep you together. And as you walked side by side, ready to face whatever came next, you both knew that this was only the beginning of something new.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha x reader #natasha smut #natasha romanoff #dom!natasha x reader #natasha romanov x reader #nat x reader #natasha romonova #the avengers #natasha #natasha romanov smut

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black-dresses-band-fan · 11 months ago

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A Guide to Black Dresses (Band)

Who are Black Dresses?

Black Dresses is a Canadian musical band, formed by two women, Ada Rook and Devi McCallion, who are both artists on their own.

The band was formed in 2017, following their first ever single - Paper Planes (cover of MIA).

Devi and Ada started the Black Dresses project when they were friends, however they're currently in a relationship and implied to be married to each other.

They started the Black Dresses project, as a form of venting, and did not expect to blow up in the slightest. However, following the release of their debut album - WASTEISOLATION, they gained attention of the internet. With their unique sound palette, dark and vulnerable content of the lyrics, and general surrounding of enigmatic no-name artists, they started to quickly follow with underground cult following.

Gaining much praise, getting a score of 9 out of 10 from Anthony Fantano, and especially, becoming viral over the song "IN MY MOUTH".

Unfortunely the band diss-banded after harassment that Devi received from the internet users after they found her online presence and internet footprint. Both Ada and Devi didn't really like the attention they gathered. So in 2020, they stopped making new material. But did in fact release old unreleased stuff all up to 2022.

In 2023 they announced working on their 7th album and making new music. Releasing more singles and uploading little snippets on them working. Confirming that way that they're a band once again.

The musical style

Black Dresses musical style is based on mixing a lot of genres. As an underground artists, Black Dresses are influenced by a lot of lesser known styles and genres coming from the outsider world of music.

You cannot really explain their sound in simple words, but i'll try. Their genre is often described as "Noise Pop", but they're much more than that.

I'll try to describe their general sound, but i will go into more details following the guide's part about each individual album.

Most of all, Black Dresses are an electronic band, they do use real life instruments, mostly guitars and drums, but it's mostly electronical elements.

Black Dresses mixes elements of Pop, Industrial, Noise, EDM, Rock, and are mostly described as extremely experimental.

To lesser extent they also use hip-hop, ambience, metal, glitch, synth, and screamo.

Their vocals are rather amateur, which shouldn't really scare you, as it just adds to the charm. They're also notable for their usage of screaming vocals.

Themes of Black Dresses

TRIGGER WARNING: CSA, Abuse.

The main themes of Black Dresses music are:

Mental suffering,

Living with mental ilness - such like depression or severe anxiety,

Coping with trauma - mostly from their childhood, and the sexual abuse they went trough from the hands of adults in their life.

Healing from those experiences, seeing hope in the future.

And environmentalism - raising awareness about the issues of global warming and pollution.

But there's ofcourse many more songs that don't follow these themes.

Black Dresses often get accused of being "edgy", however you shouldn't perceive them like that. Their music is full of real struggles that both Devi and Ada are going trough. They do NOT romanticize or fetishize the themes of their music, nor they sugarcoat it or exaggerate it.

Not to mention their music is full of hope for better tomorrow and wanting to improve, giving it all a positive message.

Release guide

2018 - WASTEISOLATION: Their debut album, definitely the darkest in terms of themes. Essential for every fan of the band, the best place to start. Mostly lighter in sound, doesn't incorporate as much noise as following releases.

Really accessible for newcommers.

2018 - HELL IS REAL EP: A 5 five song EP making a bridge between WASTEISOLATION and THANK YOU. It's a bit moodier than the previous project, but also it's a place where Black Dresses started to use more screaming vocals and noise elements.

2019 - THANK YOU: Second album, much more surreal in the sound palette, much noiser and more electronic. Black Dresses at this point got a little less personal in their lyricism.

2019 - DREAMS COME TRUE 2019: A sequel to their first ever project together, DREAMS COME TRUE 2017 which i'll mention later. It follows 3 WASTEISOLATION songs re-made and re-worked. As well as one brand new song.

2019 - LOVE AND AFFECTION FOR STUPID LITTLE BITCHES: Black Dresses (succesful) attempt at poppier sound. Much less crowded instrumentals and simpler, catchier beats. Doesn't belittle their noise elements and screaming ofcourse!

2020 - Peacefull as Hell: Black Dresses most popular album after WASTEISOLATION, got an extremely positive review from Fantano and semi-blow up on the internet. A fan favourite.

Black Dresses production got more professional.

The sound is much lighter and goes into the direction of electronic pop rock.

2021 - Forever in Your Heart: Black Dresses heaviest project to date. Ada and Devi at their most industrial and metal. A lot of screaming and noise. Another fan favourite.

2022 - Forget Your Own Face: Their latest album, as for the time of writing this guide. Their most disorganised project (which was intentional), full of distortions and noise and screams. It was a surprise release and is made from re-made unreleased material going as back as 2019. It contains some of fan favourite songs.

Other notable work:

2017 - DREAMS COME TRUE 2017: First ever released collaboration between Ada and Devi, a short 4 song EP.

2017 - LETHAL POISON FOR THE SYSTEM: A 3 song EP in collaboration with 99Jakes and Laura Les - a member of 100 GECS. Includes first single Under Black Dresses name.

2018 - CRUSH: Single, a cover of Tessa Violet.

2020 - 745 Sticky Remix: Black Dresses remix of 100 Gecs song that ended up on the official 100 Gecs remix album.

2023 - Shines: Single, a collaboration between the band Purity Ring and Black Dresses.

Merch and how to support them

Black Dresses ocassionally releases their albums on cassettes, however they were all limited and are currently unavaible. No official CDs or Vinyls were ever made.

You can buy at any time Black Dresses hoodies or T-shirts on https://black-dresses-merch-store.creator-spring.com/

(Ada also sells her merch on that)

You can buy their albums over Black Dresses bandcamp, or support them directly trough Patreon.

You can also contact Devi or Black Dresses trough an e-mail and show your support with words!

[email protected]

(Please do not send this e-mail to anybody who could harass them)

That's all, i hope you'll have a wonderful time listening to our gals! :DD

Black Dresses Extended Universe Guide

What's that? You're interested in checking out Ada's and Devi's solo stuff? Well, it might be much more confusing or interesting than you think, in fact, it's a whole rabbit hole. So let me introduce you to, what i like to call, the "Black Dresses Extended Universe" (BDEU or simply BDU).

BDU is a collective of every side-project, nickname under which one of the girls released music, or any other band that contains either Ada or Devi.

Ada Rook's side of EU

Let's start with Ada Rook, since there's a little bit less going around her.

Ada started releasing her music in 2015, following her first OST for her game (as she's a game dev), and her first EP in 2016 "void memory".

Ada used the nickname "rooksfeather" or simply "rook", however after the release of "Parasite" she started using her full name.

Ada's solo discography follows 8 EPs, 4 Soundtracks, and 6 albums. 7th one on the way

Her musical style is similar to Black Dresses, but more into industrial and rock side of things. Her older music used much more ambience and was darker, moodier. Her recent style incorporates much more screaming and poppier sound. However, in case similar to Black Dresses, each album have it own distinct sound.

She also released one album with an artist called Deathirl, "DEATH IN REAL LIFE" and it's extremely rare media, not even listed on RYM. However reuploads of it exists.

She have one Alter-ego, called "Crisis Sigil" Under which she's doing extreme grindcore. Crisis Sigil released 2 EPs and 1 Album.

Ada is also a part of 2 other bands beside of Black Dresses,

"rook&nomie" is a collaboration between Ada and ESPer99, they released 2 albums. Their style is much more poppier than anything else that Ada does.

"Angel Electronics" is a fresh new band formed by Ada and Ash Nerve. They're doing power electronic rock, and their sound is more joyful. They released 1 album so far.

Notable Ada Rook releases:

"Shed Blood" by Rook

"Parasite" by Rook,

"2,020 Knives" by Rook,

"UGLY DEATH" by Rook,

"Rookie's Bustle EP" by Rook,

"GOD CUM POLTERGEIST" by Crisis Sigil,

"ULTRA PARADISE" by Angel Electronics,

"Superego Royal Jelly" by rook&nomie

Devi McCallion's side of EU

Wow, we are in for a heck of a ride... Oh well,

Devi started releasing her music since the age of 15, however most of it is probably lost media at this point. She's putting music out on her own label - Blacksquares, Under many different alliases and side projects, i'll talk about each one later.

Devi's style is mostly indie pop, influenced by sub-genres like dream pop, synthpop, ElectroPop and simply underground pop.

Her music is often simplistic and cartoony, but it's hard to explain her signature style in words.

But it's worth checking out.

Devi rarely releases anything Under her real life name, mostly singles. But she did release 2 albums Under her real name together with Katie Dey, mixing production of both girls.

Devi used many different nicknames trough her career, such like Dizzy Girl, Devi April McCallion, Vriska Serket, Walking Patriarchy and The Little Fears, however all of these names aren't connected to any specific releases, as far as im aware (Devi's music is a huge Rabbit Hole, full of lost media and rare material).

It's also worth mentioning that she released a compilation of her unreleased material Under the name "Blacksquares", it's titled "LIFE IS HELL (ASMR)".

Okay, so now we are going to talk about each one of her musical projects. We'll start with 4 of the most essential ones, then the more obscure ones, and we'll finish it all with Devi's other bands beside Black Dresses.

1. EAT BABIES? - A name she really doesn't like to be assiocated with, so it's better to treat this project as a fun fact, rather than the core of her career. EAT BABIES? was her first ever project (that we are awere of) Under which she released 2 albums and 2 EPs. It was much more amateur than what she's used to do now. And she doesn't like to associate this project with herself due of the fact she was much different person back then.

2. Mom - is her second most popular nickname. It was her primary stage name for a long time untill 2015 when she came out with "Girl Rituals".

Mom released 5 albums. And semi-blow up with a song titled "joyfulthought". Mom is a time when Devi really started to work on her pop sound and signature style.

3. Cats Millionaire - the third most popular Devi project. Cats Millionaire was active from 2011 to 2013. Released 2 albums, 4 EPs and 2 mixtapes.

Cats Millionaire is characteristic for overall theme of My Little Pony, since Devi used to be a brony. The lyrics and aesthetic are all about MLP. The sound was much more soothing and toned-down than most of Devi's releases.

4. Girls Rituals - Devi's current main allias and her most important project that's still active from 2015 to this day. Under that name Devi released most of her music, and she really perfected and evolved her pop sound with each and every release. Beside of many singles, she released 2 EPs (one with Ada, one with 4lung, however the second one is since deleted because of the 4lung allegations), 1 remix album, 1 instrumental album, and 5 albums. With "Reddishness" being Girls Rituals fan favourite release.

Now, Let's get over every other side project.

10 Chains - only one instrumental album have been released. It's noise/ambience.

Doro Doro Dono/More Bears- Just one single released each for two of these projects,

traptraptrap - 2009. one album released. Despite the name, it's her usual pop stuff.

Triangle Giant - named after one of Devi's bands, only one EP released. ElectroPop.

Yellow Bile - 3 EPs released. Usual pop stuff. One of the EPs are lost media.

Tiny Magnesium - Really obscure stage name for her usual pop sound. 2 short albums released.

Leader Misty - Pokemon themed 2008 project, one instrumental album.

Holographic Rainbow - Only the soundtrack to the discontinued web comic (of the same name) have been released.

Hexi Wing - name she used to release her self-spoken erotic fan-fiction. You're probably not interested in that 👀.

Now, last but not least, Devi's multiple bands before and after Black Dresses.

Dr. Massive and The Headwound Extravaganza - was a 2008 electronic band that released mostly covers of rock songs. Only one album have been released and the band is 100% discontinued right now. Devi was responsible for programming, drums and vocals. There also were

Mike Will Smith - percussion and vocals,

Allan Burke - synthesizer and vocals,

Jonathan Oscar Cianni - programming, bass,

And Sensitive Bear - bass and vocals.

Unfortunely i couldn't find any info about the band members.

Giant Triangle - A band where Devi used to do vocals from 2008 to 2016, the band had a lot of members that went and go, but it seems their only official release is an 2020 EP. Usual electronic and pop.

The Various Endeavors? - a 2009 band who's appearently still active? They released one synth punk album, and a compilation of unreleased tracks in 2021. John Bevier and Tyler Bruce are in the band along-side Devi.

VCF Freq - A collaboration between Devi and Boy Pussy, they're doing minimal techno. They're Technically still active but their only 2020 EP dissapeared from any streamings. It's thankfully archived on Soulseek.

Anarchy 99 - A collaboration between Devi and So Drove, they're doing electronic pop rock. They're still active from 2020 and actually release new material consistantly. A couple of singles have been released and one album.

Notable Devi McCallion releases:

'Self-titled" by Mom,

"3" by Mom,

"Fun Fun Fun" by Cats Millionaire,

"Reddishness" by Girls Rituals,

"Im Desperate" by Girls Rituals,

"CRAP SHIT" by Girls Rituals,

"Cow" by Girls Rituals,

"Rockstar Super Heat" by Anarchy 99,

And that's all there is to BDU ;)) have fun Discovering it! ❤️

#black dresses #Black Dresses Music #Black Dresses Band #devi mccallion #ada rook #experimental music #Spotify

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dlstmxkakwldrlarchive · 4 months ago

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(article) Best K-Pop Albums of 2024: 25 Staff Picks — ONEW'S Flow places #7!

As is seemingly tradition, the K-pop industry has plenty to celebrate when reflecting on the year’s album milestones. 2024 featured record-breaking achievements, inventive breakthroughs and a wealth of impactful projects to solidify K-pop’s ever-growing global presence as a commercial and creative force.

Stray Kids, ATEEZ and TWICE dominated the Billboard 200, earning their fifth, second and first No. 1 albums in America, respectively. Their successes contributed to a historic moment when three K-pop acts—BTS’ Jin, ENHYPEN and ATEEZ—simultaneously ranked in the top 10. Elsewhere, celebrated projects led several artists to their first-ever appearances on the Billboard 200, while rising, next-generation stars P1Harmony and BOYNEXTDOOR climbed to new peaks. But 2024 wasn’t just about breaking records, but also a year when artists pulled listeners deeper into their worlds. Beloved solo stars like ONEW, Baekhyun, Yves and D.O released their first projects under new labels, showcasing their individuality after departing longtime agencies. [...]

A new chapter for ONEW following the SHINee leader and soloist’s departure from SM Entertainment, FLOW lets the K-pop veteran step into a more hands-on creative role, writing all six tracks to curate a more personal project in his first under GRIFFIN Entertainment.

With a blend of dreamy synth-pop, jazz influences, and innovative vocal deliveries, FLOW showcases ONEW’s artistry as both a performer and songwriter, capturing the essence of a seasoned artist unafraid to push boundaries. Lead single “Beat Drum” encapsulates the album’s playful yet profound themes, pairing percussion-driven beats with clever lyricism to reflect ONEW’s nearly two decades of dedication to music. The EP is a testament to his growth as an artist and the opportunities provided by GRIFFIN, a place that can encourage him to flourish to cement his legacy as a K-pop trailblazer but also set the stage for even greater heights in his solo career.

#241207 #shinee #onew #lee jinki #jinki #articles #flow album praises #flow achievements #flow era #eng

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miklh · 5 months ago

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Next part of my final project

I introduced you the plot of the movie (still available on Amazon Prime Video btw), my primarily sources will be the themes used for the main characters: Miles Morales,Gwen Stacy, Hobbie Brown and Pavitr Prabhakar (I could also use the one for Miguel O'Hara but irrelevant for the topic I want to put forward) and scenes from the movie obviously ! My secondary source will be: Sekarini, Siska Ayu Diaz, Khadija Albar Hanafi, et Isna Shofiyani Fathoni. « THE INTERTEXTUALITY OF CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS AS SEEN FROM SPIDERMAN ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (2023) AND MS MARVEL (2022) ». CrossOver 4, no 1 (30 juin 2024): 95‑144. https://doi.org/10.22515/crossover.v4i1.9513. It shows how Spiderman Across the Spider-Verse strenghten superhero stories by putting cultural identities. With a way to not only ameliorating the character development but also by demonstrating the potential of global media to bridge cultural gaps, by raising some kind of empathy and understanding. (the other one is to be clarified)

Today I'm going to focus on Hobbie Brown: Hobart Brown as a full name, he is one of the main characters who got Miles' team out of trouble even if he brings trouble wherever he goes paradoxically. He is the embodiment of the Afro-Punk movement, Anarchism, rock'n roll and the idea of "Audiences" from the chapter of the Negus where he is a rocker, a fighter against fascism, for political actions and creating moral panic at each concert aiming to criticize society and music industry. Moreover he even helped Miles escaping from the Spider Society, giving him his watch and hope of freedom "Whole point of being Spider-Man is your independence." In his theme, you have the famous electric guitar, bass and drums. Therefore this is clearly a reference to a punk band and really similar to "Cerebral Ballzy- On the run" without the vocals.

youtube

Get ready for the next focus on the other characters ! See you next week, byee !

#spider punk #across the spidervese #anarchism #punk movement

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prgnant · 8 months ago

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1997 Drum & Bass

[Part 3 of a five part series where I’ll go chronologically thru every full-length single-artist dnb LP from 95-99 that I can find. Only including records where a majority of tracks are basically within the genre and new material. No remix albums, No VA compilations, No trip hop records with one dnb track, etc.]

With the first commercial peak of the genre, 97 will have the most spots on this list. Majorly influential classics include Roni Size - New Forms, Adam F - Colours, and Photek - Modus Operandi. Arcon 2, Jonny L, Panacea and Fauna Flash demonstrate the turn towards darker, edgier styles that had been taking place on dancefloors. Dnb goes global as Italy, Germany, Brazil, US, and Japan are represented in this list.

personal favorite: Boymerang - Balance of the Force

underrated/lesser known pick: Kid Loops - TimeQuake

one standout track: DJ Soul Slinger - Chega de Saudade

full list with links under the cut

Straight Beat - Fluidoscope

Panacea - Low-Profile Darkness

Voyager - Future Retro

Boymerang- Balance of the Force

Amon Tobin - Bricolage

Roni Size & Reprazent - New Forms

Dj Soul Slinger - Don’t Believe

Kid Loops - TimeQuake

Dj Dara - Rinsimus Maximus

Megashira- Zero Hour

J Majik - Slow Motion

Subject 13 - Black Steele Project

Photek - Modus Operandi

Spring Heel Jack - Busy Curious Thirsty

Omni Trio - Skeleton Keys

Cosmorama - Space Odyssey

Arcon 2 - self titled

Multiphonic Ensemble - King of May

Adam F - Colours

Souljah - Urbanology

Jonny L - Sawtooth

James Hardway - Welcome to the Neon Lounge

Fauna Flash - Aquarius

Earl Grey - Purveyors of the New Groove

Fantastic Explosion - self titled

Minus 8 - Beyond

#lists #drum n bass #dnb 95 99

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nattawinlove-andmygaytea · 1 year ago

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Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat And Tul Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai On Love, Travel, Upcoming Projects And More

Together, the Thai stars are rewriting the rules of being a leading man in film and television all while venturing into new territories, pursuing passion projects and living their lives unapologetically.

Forget everything you think you know about being a leading man. Thai actors, Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat and Tul Pakorn “Tyler” Thanasrivanitchai, are redefining what it means to be a household name after starring in Thai boys’ love (BL) dramas.

Unlike the uninhibited and daring characters he sometimes plays on screen, Mew comes across as a reserved, soft-spoken yet confident gentleman in person. On set, he’s polite, charming and eager for feedback despite possessing a wellspring of experience in the entertainment industry. “Are my poses okay? Do I need to do anything differently?” he earnestly asks Kenneth Goh, our editor-in-chief who was art directing the shoot in Bangkok, Thailand.

Mew’s rise to fame was gradual. The 32-year-old earned his stripes as a model before getting his first big break as an actor when he was cast as Pree in the Thai BL drama What The Duck: The Series (2018). The show was an instant hit in Thailand, and was brought back for a second season. But it wasn’t until his role in TharnType: The Series, where he played Tharn, a gay man who falls in love with his homophobic roommate (played by Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong) in university, that his star rose dramatically.

Mew is also a gifted musician. His debut album 365 ranked number three on the worldwide iTunes album chart, and was number one in 18 countries. He also became the first Thai artiste to debut an album that reached the 13th spot on iTunes’ Global Digital Artist Ranking list. He has since struck out on his own with Mew Suppasit Studio, through which he releases new music.

His success as an actor and recording artist hasn’t gone unnoticed. He caught the eye of luxury fashion brands such as Maison Valentino, Tod’s and BOSS, resulting in coveted partnerships and front row seats at Milan fashion week.

In contrast, Tul exhibits golden retriever energy. Charming and enthusiastic in the flesh, he is the polar opposite of Mew on set. Tul is playful and adventurous, taking initiative on how to better bring the concept of the shoot to life. “It might be better if I stood behind Mew for this shot so we’re both facing the camera,” he thoughtfully suggests. His energy is infectious and he’s not afraid to do whatever it takes to get the best photo. On set, they are drawn to each other, playfully tugging at each other’s clothes, while warm embraces and encouraging shoulder rubs signal a close bond. After lunch, the laughs grew louder, the boyish repartee naughtier and the hugs tighter. Clearly, Mew and Tul have a special affinity with each other.

Like his contemporary, Tul’s first foray into the entertainment industry was through modelling. “I was a drum major during the Chula–Thammasat Traditional Football match back in 2011, and I was scouted by a modelling agency,” he recalls. “I was later spotted modelling during a fashion show by a casting director and was asked to go on an audition. I started acting in my third year in university, accepting one production a year.”

The casting director’s eye for talent proved to be on the money—the 31-year-old shot to fame, thanks to the success of Together With Me (2018), where he played Knock, a sexually-confused university student who ends up falling in love with his gay childhood best friend. With his newfound popularity, opportunities within the fashion industry opened up for Tul as well.

Another similarity between the two men is their dedication to academic excellence. Mew has a master’s degree in Engineering from Chulalongkorn University, while Tul just graduated from Columbia University with an MSc in Real Estate Development and worked as an acquisition intern at Cycamore Capital in New York City.

Mew and Tul are testament to the modern idea that there’s no one way to reach the pinnacle of success, and that there’s always room for personal and professional enrichment and time for passion projects. We sat both of them down for an intimate tête-à-tête on style, travel, upcoming projects, their goals for the new year and more.

ON FASHION

Tul: How would you describe your style?

Mew: It depends. I love to mix and match. I have different types of tops that I’d mix with different bottoms, shoes and accessories.

T: Your wardrobe is huge (laughs)!

M: What about you?

T: In Thailand, anything lightweight. I’m very sensitive to the heat. I’m still experimenting with my style, but I love Korean fashion. I think the cutting is more flattering for us Asians and it’s more sophisticated. I like something minimal with details that is easy to mix and match with what you already have. For Thai fashion, I like Greyhound.

M: Handbags! You have so many bags!

T: Shoulder bags and crossbody bags. Well, the thing is, I don’t feel like dressing up much while in Thailand. So I play with bags instead.

M: I bought him a new bag last year and I only saw him use it once. You know the problem isn’t about how often he uses it. The problem is, he was whining a lot when he wanted it. But when I bought it for him, he rarely used it.

T: I used it many times! Around five times.

M: In the entire year!

T: When I want him to buy me something, I’ll send him a picture saying, ‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’

ON FOOD AND TRAVEL

M: Any restaurant recommendations?

T: I think Japanese restaurants are great. I like yakiniku and shabu shabu, but I really recommend grilled prawns.

M: Any good ones in Ayutthaya? Once I ate them on a raft and threw up. I guess I had seasickness. River prawns are very fatty and the raft was floating, so I felt terrible.

T: I would recommend Ginzado. It’s a Japanese yakiniku restaurant.

M: What’s your favourite food?

T: Asian food. I enjoy Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food.

M: You know what our new discovery is? Peruvian food! It’s very good.

T: Yes, Peruvian food! So good!

M: We ate it in Canada.

T: Peruvian food is like a mix of Latin and Japanese food.

M: The restaurant we ate at in Miami was very good too.

T: Yes. They have this dish that’s a lot like our Yum (spicy salad). I think Thai people will like it. If you don’t enjoy Mexican cuisine, you might like Peruvian.

M: Do you always plan your trips or just go with the flow?

T: I always plan.

M: Overplan, more like it! He’s the one in charge of trips, and the itinerary is always just nice—not too packed.

T: I told you I can be obsessive-compulsive. When we travel, I want the best things at the best price. It needs to be cost-efficient. When you need to be somewhere at a certain point in time—such as seeing the sunrise at a particular spot—I will do everything to make sure we get to see the sunrise. I plan everything in advance and I don’t want anyone in the group to have to pay for something unnecessarily expensive. If, at some time, business class tickets are excessively costly and premium economy is more value for money, then we should do premium economy. I’ll be attentive to everyone’s rewards and mileage to ensure they don’t need to pay extra when they can redeem miles.

M: He will have all the information on hand like, if we’re going somewhere and need to use a particular airline, we should apply for this and that in advance, so we have benefits like better seats or baggage allowance.

ON WHAT’S NEXT

T: What are your plans for this year?

M: Last year, I worked on many projects, series and movies, so you’ll see a lot of my work both on television and in cinema. I’ll be back working on music soon as well. In addition, I have a fan meet around my birthday in February, so I’m looking forward to meeting my supporters there. Among the projects that I’ve completed is Mon Rak Luk Thung, a remake of a classic Thai musical rom-com. This is my first time singing many luk thung [folk] songs.

T: I’m thinking of seriously moving away from entertainment, and focussing on my family business. I’m currently working as a project manager for our new project in Bangna. It’s a community mall with a fresh food market. In the future, I would love to work in property management. I enjoy exploring residential and housing projects. I want to do something that offers customers high-quality products and a good quality of life. This is also the reason why I pursued my postgraduate study.

M: What are your goals for 2024?

T: I want to have a sexier body. I want to have time for the gym no matter what I have going on at work. Another goal of mine is to make more use of what I’ve learned in the US in my life. I want to be working on more tangible projects.

M: I have never had a chance to use any of the things I learned during my postgraduate studies (laughs). The research I did… I’ve used none of it.

ON THEMSELVES

W: How would you describe yourself?

T: I’m a worrywart. I think too much about every little thing despite my image as a very sociable extrovert. But when I’m on my own, I’m quite obsessive-compulsive; I will tidy my rooms and fold my clothes.

M: Everyone thinks he’s easy-going and very laid-back, but in reality, he’s a worrywart. He really, really thinks about everything. He keeps worrying about others.

T: It depends. I thought I could handle social media better as I got older but sometimes, I feel like I’m not as good at it as I could be. That said, after years in showbiz, I’m better at letting go and not letting it affect me as much.

M: I’m the opposite of Tul. He’s a worrywart despite his easy-going image. I look like I’m overthinking but in reality, I’m much more laid-back.

T: Exactly (laughs)!

ON LOVE

T: What’s your favourite love quote?

M: I don’t know… I’ve never thought of it.

T: Just Google ‘love quote’ and pick one you like.

M: For real? Okay, let’s see… Top 10 Love Quotes…

T: My love quote is ‘Bitch, I say what I say.’

M: What should I choose…what about this one? It’s quite short. ‘When there is love, there is life.’

#Congratulation boys 👏🏻#Groundbreaking!!!❤#tul pakorn #mew suppasit #Yes they did it! At the same time they said nothing...#Did I post the entire interview here just cause I needed it? Yeah.#mewtul #Go tyler make mew buy you everything you want...😽#And people saying that this intervirw doesn't have a point!?!?!?!#This is mew fulfilling his promise from last year 💋#What are they promoting with this? People ask... Love!#haters gonna hate #‘When there is love there is life.’#thai actors

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tomorrowxtogether · 2 years ago

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TOMORROW X TOGETHER Goes on an Inner City Adventure in ‘Chasing That Feeling’ Teaser: Watch

The track and its music video are set to arrive on Friday, Oct. 13.

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The arrival of TOMORROW X TOGETHER‘s lastest song and music video is imminent. The K-pop group released a teaser for its forthcoming single, “Chasing That Feeling,” on Wednesday (Oct. 11) to drum up MOA’s anticipation for the release of The Name Chapter: Freefall.

The visual kicks off with Yeonjun, Soobin, HueningKai, Beomgyu and Taehyun staring each other down in what appears to be an underground tunnel, with flashes of colored light headed toward each member. The clip then cuts to Yeonjun hitching a ride on the back of a yellow taxi and Taehyun standing atop a traffic light in the middle of the day. The group then hits intricate choreography as the upbeat poppy track begins to play. The teaser cuts to black while the group sings the title of song, and the video concludes with the video’s release date — Friday, Oct. 13.

“Chasing That Feeling” is the follow-up to TXT’s most recent single, “Back for More (feat. Anitta).” The K-pop group debuted the track with a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12; the song received an official release less than a week after their performance on Sept. 18.

The Name Chapter: Freefall is the second installment in the K-pop group’s “name” series — the first installment was The Name Chapter: Temptation. The EP was released in January, and marked TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s highest charting album release to date. The set debuted and peaked at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200, and spent a total of 19 weeks on the chart. “Sugar Rush Ride” was released as the single from the project, and peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Global 200.

Watch the teaser for “Chasing That Feeling” in the video above.

#txt #tomorrow x together #231012 #article #billboard #soobin #yeonjun #beomgyu #taehyun #hueningkai #freefall #the name chapter: freefall

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ultrakdramamama · 2 years ago

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To size up the impact South Korean superstars SHINee have had on music is a difficult task. With a panorama that spans both K-pop and the world’s stage, the band’s dominance has grown exponentially since their debut 15 years ago. With their latest album, it’s also clear that SHINee’s future could only get even brighter.

When someone goes around muttering, “Hard like a criminal, hard like the beat” under their breath for about two months straight, it’s bound to attract a few stares at the workplace. Especially when you yell, “We go HARD” when your colleagues enquire about your state of mind. But that’s SHINee’s effect for you. The lyrics from the title track of the legendary band’s eighth Korean language studio album, fittingly titled HARD, tend to imprint themselves on the listener’s temporal lobe. But this isn’t a new phenomenon for SHINee. Fifteen years since the band’s debut, it’s safe to say that they have created K-pop’s (and pop in general’s) most satisfying earworms and anthems, from Replay (2008) to Ring Ding Dong (2009), and Amigo (also 2008) to View (2015), to name a nanoparticle of songs off a daunting discography. ONEW, KEY, MINHO, TAEMIN – and the late beloved JONGHYUN – together form one of the finest, most well-rounded groups to emerge from South Korea’s competitive music industry, and their longevity speaks volumes about their talent and relevance. This includes solo projects, too – each of their individual offerings is a class apart.

So, how does one even begin to dismantle SHINee’s hypnotic hold on both their Korean and global devotees? To be honest, there is no need to divide them because once a ‘SHINee WORLD’ (the name given to the band’s beloved fanbase), always a SHINee WORLD regardless of age, gender or geographic distinction. With their vocal prowess, stage mastery, and dexterity of movement, they’ve filled stadiums worldwide through the course of a 15-year-long juggernaut. ONEW possesses one of the most iconic voices known to this oeuvre, with a dominant baritone and operatic tenor. KEY’s aura and presence is impossible to translate into words. MINHO’s a towering personality in terms of both talent and charisma. It’s also not hyperbole to state that TAEMIN is the king of movement – an unparalleled dancer, and a star. Together, they’re extraordinary. Solo, their personalities jump off the screen too. They’re each lovable matrixes of sass, humour, gravitas... clumsiness (the fans will attest to this). If one were to sum them up, ‘real’ would be the word to choose. Even though they’re revered in the industry, and active in all its different aspects – variety shows, musicals, performing on OSTs, solo projects, etc – they’re as humble as the day they started.

In this email interview, three of the band members dive into their music, providing perspective on the landscape they inhabit. ONEW, the leader of the band, is currently on hiatus for health issues. (However, he did send out a message to fans to reassure them of his rest and recovery and his imminent return.) One thing is for sure – it’s SHINee’s world, and we’re happy to be living in it.

You’ve always been completely ahead of the curve when it comes to genre, often blending several sonic elements in one album. In this album, for instance, you have wobbly drum and bass and soulful vocals on The Feeling, a really fresh take on the clear drum breaks of ’90s hip-hop on HARD, and dance-pop on Identity. Yet, you can tell a SHINee track from a mile away. How do you connect so many diverse sounds to the SHINee colour, and what – in the first place – would you say is SHINee’s colour? KEY: Rather than defining SHINee with one colour, I believe SHINee’s colour consists of all the colours each one of our fans sees us as. MINHO: SHINee is quite an interesting team because we have the ability to make any song into SHINee’s own colours. It’s our biggest weapon. We’ve built up this skill since our first album, and it only strengthened as we tried out various genres and concepts. Now, all our members know how to make any track SHINee-like. TAEMIN: SHINee’s colour is a combination of the various music styles we’ve experimented with. Without being limited to a specific genre, we capture several different colours and find SHINee’s own way of uniting everything into one.

Having said that, can you reveal the most “SHINee” song on this album for you, and explain why that would be your pick? KEY: For me, that would be the title track Hard, because it shows best all the efforts we’ve put into the visuals, performance, and recordings to demonstrate the genre of hip-hop. MINHO: It’s hard to select just one track. Many might say The Feeling but, rather than selecting one, I’d like to say this album in itself is “SHINee”, and it opens up our new chapter. TAEMIN: I’d say Satellite, because it shows the harmonious vocals of SHINee.

SHINee has a way of tapping into a collective sense of nostalgia – whether we go back to View, Married To The Music, or 1 of 1 even. Yet, you somehow manage doing this in a future-forward way with both your look and sound. How do you access and communicate a wide spectrum of emotions for people across borders and gender? KEY: Songs and melodies are very effective in expressing emotions and conveying messages to different people and genders. Though the lyrics might be interpreted differently depending on one’s culture, I believe a melody has a relatable power for everyone. MINHO: We try to convey emotions directly instead of hiding them. One of those characteristics is being upfront about how one feels and not hiding one’s emotions. TAEMIN: Even if we do not speak the same language, it’s the energy we’ve poured into this album that makes it possible for us to connect and communicate with those who listen to it.

Often, when you’re with a group of people who end up knowing you inside out, it helps you to see yourself more clearly. How would you say the close bond that exists between all of you has affected or changed you? TAEMIN: I was able to learn a lot from my (fellow band) members since they are all very talented. The bond we’ve formed through our time and experiences together is such a valuable gift to me.

People say there is always one side of the brain that’s more dominant. The left brain vs right brain – largely the analytical vs the creative. The artistes in you must make use of the right brain, but, to navigate this industry and learn from it, the left brain has to come into play. Given your successful ongoing careers, how do you balance the two sides? KEY: Balance is something I’m constantly thinking about not only as SHINee’s KEY, but also as an entertainer on variety shows so that I can continue to better myself and grow. MINHO: This is an interesting question that I’ve never thought of before. I probably use my left brain more since I’m always thinking about things that others might not have done yet or tried before. TAEMIN: When I tested myself, I found that my right brain functions better than my left!

Is it possible, as an artiste, to be happy and satisfied at the same time? MINHO: I’m not quite sure if happiness and satisfaction can be felt at the same time, though it’s different for each person. Even if I’m happy, I might not be satisfied, but I think that’s because I’m a bit of a perfectionist [laughs].

Can you talk about how the performance aspect of music has evolved for you over the years? Does it feel more poignant being on stage together again after a break? [The members of SHINee fulfilled their mandatory military enlistment duties, staggered, over the last five years.] KEY: I’m not sure if this properly explains it, but I’d like to think of our growth as ‘still strong’. As the years add on, there is a sense of pressure from wanting to show our best selves and great performances but, through this album, SHINee was able to show persistence and strength. Whenever I step on stage, it’s an overwhelming feeling. MINHO: You can see just how much we’ve grown through our performances. Compared to before, we’re more experienced so there’s a sense of ease. Yet we do feel more nervous when we return to the stage after a long time. ‘Will I be able to perform well on this stage? What if I make a mistake?’ These are the kinds of thoughts that run through my mind but that’s what brings out a perfect performance. The most important thing in all of this is to look as if you’re not nervous! [laughs] TAEMIN: The K-pop market has grown, and we’ve also benefited from that. The lifespan of K-pop idols has also increased compared to before, but I believe it’s (everyone’s) hard work that’s made this possible.

What sort of music are you gravitating towards right now? Do you connect music and movement given how proficiently you link the two? TAEMIN: I usually listen to calm music. I also enjoy humming or dancing along to whatever I’m listening to.

Fifteen years down the line, what is something you know now that you wish you had known then? KEY: That I don’t need to have any regrets because I’ve done my best throughout. MINHO: There are many things I wish I had known but, since I didn’t know anything at that time, I’d want to keep them a secret [laughs]. TAEMIN: What we’ve learned throughout holds greater value and meaning because of the process. If I were to say one thing to my past self, it would be to travel around the world more and study English.

Does the desire to experiment and the ability to actually be able to follow through with ideas become easier with time? KEY: It becomes harder with time but that’s why I make sure to put in more thought and effort to bring out the best I can.

As the world evolves at an almost breakneck speed, music evolves with it; you’ve also been witness to the shift in the influence of K-pop. How would you say the K-pop industry has also changed over these years as it has become a global phenomenon? KEY: From training to performing, everything has become very systemised and specialised. There’s also a wider variety of messages that can be delivered through performances. MINHO: K-pop has changed rapidly and, as a part of the generation that has seen that process of change, it is quite fast. The best development is the fact that the whole world can see what I’ve uploaded in seconds! TAEMIN: As a person who has been in this field for quite some time, I am amazed by K-pop. There have been a lot of changes through the years, changes that I did not realize at the time!

Looking back to when you started, would you say you are where you want to be as an artiste at this stage of your life? MINHO: I’m getting closer to where I dreamed I’d be when I debuted, but there’s still quite a way to go to get there.

How does the future look? KEY: SHINee will always remain the same. MINHO: The future will always be SHINee. TAEMIN: I’d like to live a happier life by giving back to our fans with good music and maintaining the precious relationships we have together. And I hope to perform overseas more often.

Would you please send a message to SHINee WORLD in India – any thoughts you’d like to share? KEY: I’m very much looking forward to the day we’ll get to meet our fans in person. Thank you for always showering us with love. MINHO: I’ve been to India before, but have not had the opportunity to perform. I hope that chance will come sometime soon, so please wait for us! TAEMIN: I really want to meet our fans in India and I’m sorry we haven’t been able to visit. I promise you we will create precious memories together!

#SHINee #Onew #Key #Minho #Taemin #FEMINA #Ambika Muttoo #interview #femina.in #Jonghyun

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dustedmagazine · 1 year ago

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Airto Moreira & Flora Purim— Airto & Flora - A Celebration: 60 Years - Sounds, Dreams & Other Stories (BBE)

This massive compilation tracks the intertwined careers of two pivotal figures in fusion jazz, offering three hours of music from pioneers Airto Moreira and Flora Purim.

Though both Brazilian, the two came from starkly different backgrounds, Moreira from the rural hinterlands in the country’s far south, Purim from a cultured Jewish family in cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro. Moreira was famously self-taught, drumming for the first time as a young teenager when a travelling samba band was missing a percussionist (he did well). Purim learned music from her pianist mother and a large collection of jazz 78s, then trained on the guitar with bossa nova master Manoel da Conceição. The two met when Moreira’s Sambalanço travelled to Rio and Purim sat in with the band in 1965. The outfit, slightly reconfigured as the Sambrasa Trio, became the pair’s first collaborative project together.

Purim left Brazil in 1968, fleeing a repressive military government. She connected with jazz players—Thelonius Monk, Wayne Shorter, Carmen MacRae, Joe Zawinul, Cannonball Adderly and Stan Getz—soon after her arrival in New York City and by 1969 was touring Europe with Getz. Moreira followed her to the States in 1969, arriving in New York, then flying to join her in Los Angeles. In 1970, he was invited to play with Miles Davis, who was then beginning to incorporate global sounds into his music.

Purim was arrested on drug charges in 1971, in an ill-advised attempt to raise money for a musician friend Hermeto Pascoal. She went to prison in 1974, just as her career was starting to take off. She learned that she had been named Downbeat’s Female Jazz Vocalist of the Year for 1974 while in jail. She was released in 1975. Afterwards she and Moreira connected with Chick Corea and joined Return to Forever.

It’s an extraordinary story, but despite the tumult both artists remained productive. Purim and Moreira released a string of albums together, with Purim often singing on Moreira’s releases and Moreira playing percussion on hers. BBE’s retrospective includes music released from 1964 through 1996, from earthy, percussion-heavy samba to cerebral fusion jazz anthems to airy new age meditations.

What strikes you first is that Purim and Moreira were very different artists. Purim’s high, extraordinarily agile soprano put a cool, sophisticated gloss on everything she touched, while Moreira’s best work was gutsy, visceral and celebratory. Together, though, they had an undeniable chemistry. “Andei” from Moreira’s 1970 debut Natural Feelings, for instance, melds the swaggering, sauntering exuberance of Moreira’s percussion with Purim’s note-perfect buoyancy. “Light as a Feather,” perhaps Purim’s best known song and the title track to the 1970 Return to Forever album, follows silky smooth, nearly disembodied vocals through gnarly thickets of improvised sax, keyboards, bass (that’s Stanley Clarke) and, of course, percussion. “Oh Sonho (Moon Dreams)” incorporates some of Purim’s most angelic, inhuman singing ever (and that’s saying a lot), and it comes from Moreira’s psychedelic samba-jazz masterwork Seeds on the Ground.

Moreira’s latter work turns fractious and lo-fi, and indeed, the 1990s cuts included here—“Musikana,” “The Happy People” and “The Peasant Dance”—are among my favorites. Yet while punk-trained ears may balk at the glassy smoothness of, say, “Open Your Eyes You Can Fly,” there’s a lot of friction even in the interstices. Purim made Moreira’s grooves sound unearthly, and Moreira surrounded her with terrestrial warmth. It was a great partnership, one that has lasted 60 years and counting and that is very well documented here.

Jennifer Kelly

#airto moreira #flora purim #a celebration #bbe #jennifer kelly #albumreview #dusted magazine #bossa nova #jazz #fusion #brazil #miles davis #return to forever #Bandcamp

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boonesfarmsangria · 1 year ago

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Basement alchemy: Yannis & The Yaw sees Foals' Yannis Philippakis and Afrobeat legend Tony Allen forge a treasure with 'Walk Through Fire'

The lead track from YANNIS PHILIPPAKIS’ posthumous collaboration with Afrobeat drumming legend TONY ALLEN captures the electrifying spark that ignited during their global musical meeting, weaving a tapestry of sound that reflects the cultural touchstones of Lagos, Paris, and London. Read our latest Dork Mixtape cover feature now.

Words: Martyn Young.

Photos: Kit Monteith, Rishi Salujah.

“It’s about serendipity and coming together with someone.” There’s always something amazing when you get to meet your heroes, but for Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis, the opportunity to not only meet but work with legendary Afrobeat pioneering drummer Tony Allen was a truly special experience. Tragically, Tony passed away during the pandemic, leaving the work that they started in flux, but seven years after they first met, Yannis has now put together a beautiful EP documenting their time and the music they made together as a special project under the name Yannis And The Yaw. ‘Lagos Paris London’ is a reflection of a moment in time and two generations meeting and creating a little bit of magic.

With Foals riding high on the wild success of their fourth album ‘What Went Down’, a call offering an intriguing opportunity came following two years of hard touring. “I got a call when we were deep in a Foals tour. We were touring ‘What Went Down’ so it was quite a few years ago now. I got a call from a mutual friend who said, do you want to go and write with Tony Allen in Paris?” says Yannis.

The mention of Tony Allen’s name immediately conjured excitement as he remembered the pivotal role Tony and his work as drummer for Fela Kuti, as well as his long and winding career, played in the genesis and evolution of Foals. “A lot of our formative musical years were spent listening to Fela Kuti,” he explains. “Especially this one compilation of Tony Allen’s that I think is just called ‘The Best Of’. It’s a quadruple vinyl. We used to hammer it when we were writing ‘Antidotes’ and ‘Total Life Forever’. I was a huge fan.”

He was immediately hooked on the unique skill of his drumming. “Another song that we loved that he played on was ‘La Ritournelle’ by Sebastian Tellier; that was a song we all obsessed over. His drumming is a huge part of why that song is great.”

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While the opportunity sounded exciting, a “no brainer”, as Yannis explains it, the reality of actually making it work became more of an issue. “I got home, and I hadn’t been home for a couple of months, and I collapsed into a puddle the moment the keys were thrown on the table. I was like, fuck, I don’t know if I’ve got the energy to get up and get to Paris the next day,” says Yannis as he describes his exhaustion after a punishing Foals tour. “I almost put it off, but my friend at the time encouraged me and said, look, you’ve got to go there for two days. It might be the experience of a lifetime, then you can come home and rest.”

For the experience of a lifetime, Yannis recounts the details in a refreshingly simple and down-to-earth style. “So, I trotted off with my guitar to the Eurostar and I got there in the morning,” he begins. “It was a basement studio. Very French and very 70s. Full of cigarette smoke and bad carpet and mirrors in weird places. It was basically Tony’s home, in a way. His drums were permanently set up in the live room.”

For the music icon that is Tony Allen, he had seen and experienced everything there is to experience and had worked with a who’s who of musical legends, “What was funny about the first encounter was he wasn’t particularly phased or that excited that I was there. He was just in his own vibe,” laughs Yannis. “I don’t think he knew of my work. It was set up, and he was in a place where he was very open to collaborating with people. He was doing some stuff with Jeff Mills. Tony, in general, collaborated a lot. He approached it like a jazz drummer. The producers and the other musicians that were around Tony knew me; they helped me set up and were very welcoming.”

Was there a sense of trepidation, though, and having to prove yourself and prove your musical chops? “It wasn’t that Tony wasn’t welcoming, but he was waiting to see what it was going to be like. Who’s this little punk?” he laughs.

Almost instantly, though, the musical alchemy bubbled up, and from their first jam together came the project’s first track with the heavy groove of ‘Walk Through Fire’. “It’s a simple song,” he explains. “It largely revolves around this one riff. We played it round a couple of times, and some of these other French guys in the studio who knew Tony played along and were either helping out on bass or percussion. We kinda had it there. The moment that that had happened we were getting on like a house on fire after that. The room changed.”

As they played more and more, Yannis discovered at close quarters what he loved about Tony’s artistry and even discovered new things. “I was surprised at how quietly he played,” he says with deep reverence. “Coming from proper big arena rock shows on this Foals tour and playing songs like ‘What Went Down’ and ‘Snakeoil’ was a total pivot into this much more deft style of playing. Just being in a room with him and hearing him in the moment playing his drums that I had become so familiar with, the texture and the rhythm of the way he played and that being on something that I was writing live on the spot and that we were inhabiting the same moment of creativity together in a room was just electrifying.”

‘Walk Through Fire’ was the spark that ignited the whole project. “It was the first thing. It’s immediate in the same way that it was immediate in the room on that day,” enthuses Yannis. “The lyrics are pretty resonant with the time we’re living in. Tony encouraged this in me. He wanted the lyrics to be engaged with the social fabric. A lot of Tony’s music, and the lineage of Fela Kuti and Afrobeat, is often very political with protest songs. In discussing with Tony about the lyrics, he wanted it to mine the social discord. It resonates today. It’s got this fresh energy. It feels like a more garagey or bluesy song. It’s quite rough and freeing and fun. It was a good entry point to the project but also makes sense chronologically.”

The jamming session in Paris was intended to lead to work beginning on a full album, but events got in the way firstly with scheduling issues and then Covid before Tony’s sad passing, which ultimately gave Yannis the impetus to turn those special moments into something real and tangible. “Covid really scuppered us because he was based in Paris. It was impossible for so long,” he explains. “As is the way with collaborations, once you’ve captured the lighting in the bottle, sometimes you don’t complete it when you should. You know that it’s there, so you get slightly complacent about it. I had a lot of stuff with Foals and he was busy as well doing The Good, The Bad and The Queen. He was really busy, and between us we couldn’t get together. Sadly and tragically, he passed away during Covid. It strangely was a massive motivation to try to finish it. Largely out of guilt that we hadn’t done it while he was alive and realising that it had been such a special experience in my life creatively, but just as a person, it was such a unique moment for us to have not completed it and played shows together. Out of bittersweet guilt, I really wanted to finish it. We needed to put them out to do it justice.”

The EP is a beautiful tribute to the enduring legacy of Tony Allen and the creative spirit he represents. “His music will live on forever,” says Yannis passionately. “The drums will play on. He had such an incredible and unique style of playing. He was the originator. He was the source. There’s an untappable well that will continue to inspire people for generations.”

The record is also an example of his dexterity as a musician and willingness to still try new things. “This release is an interesting perspective on Tony’s writing,” says Yannis. “It’s definitely a different project than Tony’s worked on before. It’s the heaviest stuff he was involved in. For me, it’s obviously the most inspired by jazz and Afrobeat. For people coming to the EP, it’s an interesting prism that we were both put in and thrust together to write this.”

Even more remarkable is that it almost never happened. “Had I not gone to Paris that day and further along, had we not kept it up and had we not finished it, through these chance meetings and happenings, you can end up with something that’s precious and is permanent,” he continues. “When so much of life is impermanent, that’s a really important lesson that I learned. I feel protective over the record. It’s a treasure and a document of two people who came together. He was in his seventies when I met him, and I was in my twenties. There’s something amazing about two people from different cultures and backgrounds and generations being thrust together unknowingly without knowing each other and through music very quickly bonding and forming and creating something that will last.”

This collaborative project comes at a time when Foals are able to take a pause and reflect on a triumphant couple of years following their euphoric 2022 album ‘Life Is Yours’ which cemented them firmly at the top of the UK band pantheon after almost two decades of innovation. “We’ve been smashing it for so many years; it’s been such a constant focus of our lives,” says Yannis, explaining the band’s desire to take stock. “It has been incredible to devote yourself to something so absorbing, but I think every now and then you just have to come up for air and remind yourself what life looks like above the parapet. For self-preservation and the preservation of the band, it’s important to occasionally stop and assess what exactly we want to do next rather than just automatically make another record without consideration. This time, we want to think about what we’re going to do next, and I think that’s natural after having put out quite a few records; it’s important for us to decide what we want to do.”

In the meantime, Yannis And The Yaw offers the opportunity to have some fun and do something a little different. Certainly not a solo project, but just a different kind of creative expression. ��I’ve left it open-ended,” he says excitedly. “The idea behind the Yaw part is that it could be a rotating collaborative project. The title, ‘Lagos Paris London’, is the cultural touchstones for the EP, and it’s a musical postcard from these locations. If there was to be another project with the Yaw again, it would be three different locations and a different cultural mix. It’s not meant to be a solo expression. This EP is an archive of time recording with Tony and French musicians Vincent Taeger and Vincent Tuarelle, who were really important and produced it. I would imagine they might be part of the Yaw. It’s important to make the distinction. If I were to do a solo record, it would sound a lot different. This is led by Tony and the group of his musicians in France. If I was to do another one, it would sound quite different. There are no plans for that right now. I want to leave it open-ended and let this EP have its time in the sun, and let’s see what happens later on.”

With the EP arriving at the end of the summer, there’s a tantalising opportunity for perhaps some gigs as Yannis looks to continue to honour the legacy of one of his all-time heroes. “I think we will,” he smiles when asked if he’s planning to bring these songs to life on stage. “Not an extensive tour, but a couple of shows to give the record a good release and a good send-off and honour Tony.”

#yannis philippakis #y&ty #interview #actual reading #yannis & the yaw

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vcha-daily · 1 year ago

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Meet VCHA

VCHA (비춰) is a pre-debut global girl group under JYP Entertainment. The group was created from A2K (America2Korea), the project survival show. The group consists of Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna, KG, and Kaylee. They released a pre-debut single, ‘SeVit (NEW LIGHT)’ on September 22, 2023. They released a second pre-debut single, ‘Ready for the World‘ on December 1, 2023. VCHA will make their debut on January 26, 2024.

Name Explanation: VCHA means to illuminate, to give shine to fans around the world.

Learn more about the members under the cut!

Name: Lexus Vang (Lexi)

DOB: Nov. 22, 2005

Position: Leader

MBTI: ISFP

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Official Color: White 🤍

Representative Emoji: 🦖

About:

She was the 1st member to be revealed.

– Lexi is ethnically Hmong.

– She was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA.

– She lives in Cook County, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

– Lexi did ballet for 12 years.

– She can make a really good Hmong-style papaya salad.

– Her favorite number is 22.

– Her favorite seasons are fall and winter.

– She loves to draw and paint.

– She grew up listening to R&B, pop, KPop, etc.

– Lexi really looked up to Misty Copeland, a ballet dancer.

– She was in the K-pop cover group Prism Kru. She joined in 2019.

– According to the other members, Lexi is the funniest.

– Lexi is a skilled cook, occasionally triggering fire alarms.

Name: Kiera Grace (KG)

DOB: Jun. 17, 2007

Position: Not confirmed

MBTI: Unknown

Zodiac: Gemini

Official Color: Pink 🩷

Representative Emoji: 🦄

About:

She was the 2nd member to be revealed.

– KG was born in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

– She moved to Michigan, USA right after she was born and lived there until she was 13.

– KG moved to Los Angeles, California, USA in 2021.

– She is trained in musical theater.

– If she could open for anyone’s show, she would want to open for BLACKPINK.

– KG knows how to play the guitar, piano, and drums.

– Her favorite number is 12.

– Her favorite season is summer.

– Specialties: Singing & basketball.

– She enjoys playing football and basketball as well as skateboarding.

– Hobbies: Writing lyrics and playing the guitar.

– KG is not a natural blonde.

– Her role model is Taylor Swift.

– She started modeling at the age of 4 starting with Ford Models.

– Her original stage name was KG Crown (케이지 크라운) during her auditions.

Name: Camila Ribeaux Valdes

DOB: Aug. 10, 2005

Position: Not confirmed

MBTI: INFJ

Zodiac: Leo

Official Color: Green 💚

Representative Emoji: 🦌

About:

She was the 3rd member to be revealed.

– Camila is ethnically Cuban.

– She was born in Barcelona, Spain.

– Camila is from Quebec, Canada.

– She speaks Spanish, French, and English.

– Her favorite number is 8.

– Camila picked number 8 as it’s her grandma’s favorite number.

– Her favorite season is fall.

– Both of her parents are musicians.

– Specialties: Painting, drawing, acting, baking, & eating sour candies.

– She can impersonate Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, and Shakira while singing.

– Her role model is Shakira. Camila got inspired to get into music and start dancing & singing because of her.

– A hobby of hers is writing.

– She participated in La Voix Junior (The Voice Junior) 2016 and was in the top 3.

Name: Savanna Collins

DOB: Jul. 26, 2006

Position: Not confirmed

MBTI: ISFJ

Zodiac: Leo

Official Color: Orange 🧡

Representative Emoji: 🦦

About:

She was the 4th member to be revealed.

– Savanna was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

– She is half Venezuelan from her mom’s side and Trinbagonian from her dad’s side.

– Her favorite number is 18.

– Her favorite season is summer.

– Savanna’s favorite color is Green.

– She learns dances super quick.

– She can do handstands for a long time.

– A hobby of hers is gaming.

– Savanna has a collection of over 15 hats.

– Her role model is Michael Jackson because her dad would play a lot of his music around the house.

– Savanna was training to be a professional gymnast for 7 years, but she had to quit due to injury.

– She describes herself as the “swaggy dance teacher” of the group.

– Savanna has stated that she discipline from gymnastics which will help her in the Korean music field.

– She has a twin brother named Alonso and an older sister named Brianna Lauren (born 2001-2002).

– According to Camila, she describes Savanna as the most chill person and has a stylish, intricate hairstyle.

Name: Kaylee Lee

DOB: Nov. 24, 2009

Position: Maknae

MBTI: ISTJ

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Official Color: Blue 💙

Representative Emoji: Unknown

About:

She was the 5th member to be revealed.

– She was born in Olympia, Washington, USA.

– Kaylee is fluent in both English and Korean.

– She is very adamant and has a plan for everything she does.

– Her favorite number is 24.

– Her favorite season is fall.

– She has a big collection of Harry Potter.

– Specialties: Eating, baking, talking, and writing.

– Her role models are TWICE, their song ‘TT‘ was one of the first songs she remembers listening to.

– Her mom was a muisc major.

– She enjoys writing and reading.

– Kaylee started training singing one week before the final audition and learned her performance three days beforehand.

– According to Savanna, Kayle is funny as she’s straightforward.

Name: Kendall Ebeling

DOB: Jun. 1, 2006

Position: Not confirmed

MBTI: ISTJ

Zodiac: Gemini

Official Color: Black 🖤

Representative Emoji: 🐰

About:

She was the 6th and last member to be revealed.

– She is from Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

– Kendall is ethnically half Vietnamese and half Caucasian (American).

– Kendall has an older sister named Aimee (born 2003-2004).

– She attended a K-pop immersion in Korea and even got to perform with fellow classmates.

– Kendall has stated that music is her life.

– She did ballet for 5 years, as well as jazz, theater, and lyrical.

– Her favorite number is 4.

– Her favorite season is winter.

– Specialties: School, art, gaming, shaking pupils, and closing one eye without moving the other.

– She grew up listening to choral and gospel music.

– Kendall attended McLean Middle School. She was a part of the choir and was soprano 1’s 4th chair. Kendall was also a part of the cross country team.

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*Please note that all information comes from VCHA’s group page on kprofiles.com

#vcha #jyp #jyp entertainment #jypartists #kpop #kpop gg #kpop icons

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apureniallsource · 2 years ago

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Niall Horan is not worried about turning 30. The singer-songwriter, who famously devoted a portion of his youth to One Direction, will be crossing that threshold later this year, and he wrestles with maturity in “Never Grow Up,” one of the best tracks on his upcoming album, The Show: “I hope we still dance like we’re falling in love/ Hope we still drink like we’re back in the pub/ Hope we grow old, but we never grow up.”

“I don’t care anymore,” he says of the impending milestone, chatting with Consequence over Zoom. “We speak about what happens from 16 to 20, and 20 to 24, but more actually happens between 25 and 30 than I thought. Your interests change, and things happen in your life — the kind of things you write about.”

According to Horan, it’s a “lovely day in London town” when we speak a few weeks prior to the release of The Show, out June 9th. He comes across as easygoing, humble, and grounded, but also seems very excited to talk about his music. The album’s two pre-release singles, “Heaven” and “Meltdown,” have provided listeners with their first window into The Show, an album that plays like a natural extension of his previous two full-length efforts.

It’s the hope of most artists that each project is their favorite to date, and the vocalist confirms that his personal anticipation for this release is high. “I feel like I’ve got my best work here,” he notes. “If you don’t back yourself, who’s going to back you?”

The Show‘s 10 tracks were developed with some of Horan’s trusted collaborators. He reveals that part of the project was written in Nashville, Tennessee — “What a town,” he says with a smile, shaking his head. He tries to make a visit to Music City at least once a year, he explains, and “Never Grow Up” was one of the songs that came from his time at Starstruck Studios, located on a block lined with songwriting houses, labels, and publishing companies.

“Never Grow Up” was co-written with Julian Bunetta, John Ryan, and Shane McAnally, the last of whom is one of Nashville’s true producing and songwriting gems. The sonic landscape of the song, and most others on The Show, is where Horan seems to be particularly comfortable, surrounded by acoustic guitar, truthful lyrics, and a reliable drum beat.

“If I’m sat still for even a minute, I’m always thinking of something to write. I write a lot of stories,” he says of his process. Narratives are always turning over in his head, both real and imagined. “I like to have an idea before I go anywhere near a studio or before I start to sit down and write something.”

While The Show slots neatly into Horan’s discography, this album feels different to him for a few reasons. For one, “There’s no heartbreak,” he confirms. That’s quite the contrast to his previous project, literally titled Heartbreak Weather, which dropped on March 13th, 2020 as the world screeched to a halt. Like many other artists, he felt inspired by the stillness that came with a global pause. “Stillness was something that actually was more thought provoking than I thought it would be,” he explains. “Reflection. My outlook, and feelings and emotions that I hadn’t really cracked into — they were a big, big part of what this album’s about.”

There hasn’t been an abundance of downtime for Horan recently, who also recently wrapped his role as a judge on Season 23 of NBC’s The Voice. Next, in support of The Show, Horan has mapped out an enormous 2024 world tour (find ticket details here), and the gears turning in his head while discussing the trek are practically visible. “My favorite thing about my career is being able to have an effect on people’s lives and create things for them to relate to,” he shares. “Hopefully we can just keep that going, and maybe gather some new people along the way.”

He describes himself as tied inherently to his artistry. When asked what goals he might have or what he might be looking forward to just as Niall the person rather than Niall the artist, he’s a bit stumped. “I just want to take it all in, because I feel like I’m so fired up. I haven’t toured and done shows in five years now, so I’m just more grateful than ever.”

For someone who has spent over a decade centered in the spotlight in a variety of ways, Horan seems to have his priorities quite clear when asked how he prefers to be seen by people. “I’ve been told if you’re a nice guy, that’s a good thing,” he jokes. “I love meeting new people and love chatting. To be told I’m a songwriter and a nice guy? I’d take both of them to the grave with me if I could.”

#niall horan #06june

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burlveneer-music · 10 months ago

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Bosq & Kaleta - No Be Today - 12 blasts of Afro-Latin disco from Colombia

After 10 years of globally celebrated but only occasional collaborations, Bosq & Kaleta have their first full length album together. On No Be Today the duo is finally able to stretch out and explore their wide range of influences and musical histories. The album seamlessly melds styles from West Africa & it’s diaspora, Caribbean & South American sounds most prominently, with Disco, Funk, Soul, Hip Hop & House. Live Horn sections mix with a blend of acoustic and electronic drums, Kaleta’s effortlessly funky guitar, Bosq’s layers of keyboards, bass & synthesizers, and heavily layered percussion sections that tug at your waistline. Kaleta’s virtuosic melody writing ties the pieces together with infectious chants and socially conscious lyrics that span Yoruba, French, Goun, Fon & English. Kaleta, having played in the bands of both Juju music great King Sunny Ade & Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, brings the first hand experience and authenticity seldom found in todays West African influenced fusions. Bosq, now on his 6th full length album, brings a 20 year run experimenting with updating vintage sounds in the most tasteful way possible, melding Disco & Funk with styles from around the globe. In that time he’s worked on adding his touch to records by Ray Barretto, Orchestre Poly Rhythmo de Cotonou, Toure Kunda, Poolside, Rawayana & more. The record is an ode to these musical histories, with the title No Be Today coming from a Nigerian saying, which explains that this did not just start and this did not happen by chance, there’s lifetimes of work behind this. It’s also a flag planted for a different way of doing things as technology makes the “perfect” & “clean” sound easier and easier to obtain, with AI art slapped on the front. This record is handmade, full of love and feeling, from the music to the incredible art by Brazilian muralist Amanda Lobos that graces the gatefold vinyl. The statement made by this record is that we should still take our time and delve deeply into projects with our whole soul. Marco Fajardo - Sax (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9) Jose Miguel Vega - Trombone (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9) Leon Pardo - Trumpet (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9) Andres “Bongie” Giraldo - Timbales (4) FLORENTIN KOUDJOU - Trombone (1, 4) TCHANVOEDOU PARFAIT TADAGBÉ - Trumpet (1, 4) ANICET HOUNDONOUGBO - BARI SAX(1, 4) Erlyn Correa - Bass (1, 2, 3, 10) Yuki Kanesaka - Keys, Synths, Organ (2, 4) Wilton Bravo Tascon “El Towii” - Congas (1, 2, 3, 7) Luis Miguel “Papinm” Guerrero - Marimba (3, 11) Hemmy Shout - Trumpet (10) NOAH DREIBLATT - Tenor & Bari Sax (10) Thank you Josephine Ikudehinbu & Salomon Fassinou OROBIYI MOTUNRAYO ABIODUN - Backing Vocals (2, 10) Daniel Biodun - Backing Vocals (10) HORNS RECORDED AT OZANA TRINITE IN COTONOU, BENIN (1, 4) HORNS RECORD AT MAMBO NEGRO RECORDS, BOGOTA (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9) All songs mixed & mastered by Caserta

#bosq #kaleta #afro-latin #disco #colombia #2024 #latin music #afrofunk #afrobeat #Bandcamp

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beyourselfchulanmaria · 1 year ago

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Benny Greb + Pete Lockett: Tea For Steve

In 2015, he released the DVD "The Art And Science Of Groove".

Born in 1980 in the town of Augsburg, Germany, Benny was given with his first set of drums when just six years old and so began his drumming journey. Initially, Benny was self taught, playing along to records before he took his first lesson when 12 years old and he quickly progressed to playing in punk bands before discovering rock and jazz and getting involved in the various bands that his school had to offer.

In 1997 Benny began his full time study in earnest when he attended music schools firstly in Dinkelsbuhl and then in Hamburg.

Today, Benny can be found playing with a broad assortment of musicians, all demanding his tasteful and immaculate playing style. You can find him in rock settings with Stoppok and The Ron Spielman Trio, in jazz, with his own Benny Greb Brass Band. Pop and Funkmusic too receives Benny's tasteful approach, recording and touring with Jerobeam.

Benny has also played classical music, working with the NDR Orchestra on their Zappa project. Benny's ability to mix jazz and rock finds him also working with fusion band 3ergezimmer. Allowing for his sense of humour to come to the fore, Benny performs with acoustic punk/cabaret act Strom & Wasser, clearly showing that no style is beyond his tasteful, yet fun loving approach.

As well as the previously named artists Benny has worked with Christian von Richthofen, where the duo feature a car as a percussion instrument and of course, Benny is also a highly in-demand session player, not forgetting composer and producer.

Benny's pure love of the drums compels him to show other - particularly young players, his approach to the instrument and he regularly teaches at the Hamburg School of Music, the Popakademie in Mannheim, the Popkurs of the Hochschule fur Music and Theater in Hamburg and the Bandcamp of the Bayerische Musikacademie Hammelburg.

Benny tours globally, entertaining drummers worldwide with clinics for Sonor and Meinl at such high profile events such as the Montreal Drum Festival, Canada, Ultimate Drummers Weekend, Australia, the World Drum Festival, Germany, Drummer Live, UK, and at PASIC in the USA.

Benny writes, records and releases his own solo records with Grebfruit being one such release. The Language of Drumming - A System For Musical Expression DVD was released in 2009 on the Hudson Music label, showing his unique approach to drumming.

#benny greb #drums #bennygreb #drummerworld #pete lockett #drummer

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mariacallous · 2 years ago

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Watching the coup politics of the Sahel, the broad band of territory that runs east to west beneath Africa’s Sahara Desert, it sometimes feels as if the region’s military-led governments have exhausted their imaginations with their acronyms and other naming conventions. In recent years, as civilian leaders have fallen to men in uniform in one state after another, national councils and national committees for the salvation or safeguarding of their countries have become the norm from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. The latest, of course, is the newly minted military regime in Niger, which has dubbed itself the “National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.”

For a number of reasons, as with events in Niger last week, Western governments have watched this trend with alarm. For France, the replacement of friendly democratic governments has demonstrated the futility of seven decades of post-independence strategy on the continent like nothing else has. Since the era of Charles de Gaulle, French governments of every persuasion have hoped that by maintaining a passel of onetime African colonies tightly within the fold as its economic and diplomatic clients, Paris would reap the dividends of aggrandizement on the world stage along with preferential trade.

For the United States, always more traditionally a standoff power in the region, the vast Sahel in recent years has been seen as a convenient, and maybe even irreplaceable, base for the conduct of its global war against Islamic extremism. This has been conducted out of public view, through covert means as well as the use of drone warfare and sophisticated surveillance.

For the European Union, meanwhile, the Sahel has become regarded as one of the final ramparts for holding back high-volume migration from sub-Saharan Africa into the rich continent to the north. Toward that end, the EU has spent increasingly large amounts of money to get Sahel governments to intercept and turn back desperate migrants from West Africa and even further afield on the continent before they can reach Europe’s gates.

Now, the almost domino-like fall of the Sahel’s governments has imperiled all of this. But what if we learned that the West’s way of looking at this part of Africa—and, to one extent or another, the continent as a whole—was actually a fundamental and even exacerbating part of the problem?

For many years now, Western policies have only paid lip service to seeing the Sahel in terms of its own immense problems instead of as a place to focus on the needs and priorities of the West itself. I first came to explore this part of the world and get to know it well at the outset of my career as a journalist in the 1980s. In 1996, hearing news of a coup, I raced overland and all night from eastern Burkina Faso to Niger to cover the event.

And as I look back, what is most remarkable are the continuities between then and now. There are few comparably sized parts of the world where the economic development challenges are so stark, and this has made political leadership unusually difficult. By almost every criterion, this is an unremittingly tough neighborhood to simply get by in, and I find it no accident that military rule, which has roots that stretch back decades there, has been so persistently recurrent.

Let us count the ways that the Sahel renders life tough on states. Starting with some vastly belated self-accountability would be helpful. For centuries, Europe helped drain this region of its people by fueling conflict to drum up volume in the slave trade, and the tendrils of unrest extended far beyond the continent’s coastal areas. In the late 19th century, Europe finally shifted its project in Africa from the trade in human beings to power plantation agriculture in the Americas to a focus on territorial control and colonization in Africa.

As it did so, it deliberately set about destroying the region’s own indigenous states and institutions, along with their traditions of self-governance and rule. Before colonization, the Sahel was peppered with states, including some with extraordinary historical pedigrees. Some people may feel inclined to regard this as ancient history, but they are wrong.

The best way to think about why this matters is to invoke the pithy remark of former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. He spoke of what he called the Pottery Barn rule—that if an outsider comes into a shop and breaks its delicate goods while fiddling around, they will somehow be billed for it. The West is still being billed, in effect, for its disastrous legacies in Africa.

Let us come closer to the present, though. Having decided it wanted to dominate Africa via colonial rule, the West worked hard to superimpose its political institutions on the new territories that fell under its control. I am inevitably compressing many details here, but by the time the independence era loomed, in the late 1950s and 1960s, Europe hoped to see Western-style presidents, prime ministers, legislatures, and courts on the continent, all functioning according to Western-style constitutions.

What they had neglected to invest in was Western-style education, or indeed education at all. As I wrote in my last column, by the time many African states were joining the United Nations, sub-Saharan Africa only had roughly 8,000 high school graduates. Most colonies had nothing resembling a college-educated elite. And, most pertinent to the present dramas of the Sahel, such paltry education as had been provided under European tutelage was almost entirely concentrated in coastal colonies such as Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Benin.

The Sahel was saddled in yet more terrible and lastingly exorbitant ways that few people understand or account for. As a result of the whims of the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, which apportioned nearly all of Africa’s territory to a variety of European colonists, most of the Sahel’s countries are landlocked and started out their national lives as sparsely inhabited lands with fragile and parched ecosystems.

For a nation, one can think of being landlocked as facing a permanent yet invisible tax on economic activity. Being parched means having a very limited upside in terms of agriculture, and agriculture is the most typical means that poor countries resort to in order to provide income for people and for national development.

On top of these harsh starting fundamentals, this region now faces twin perils that have only gradually wheeled into view—both existential. First, countries such as Niger, where the latest coup occurred, and Mali next door have some of the highest fertility rates in the world, meaning that their populations will balloon in the coming decades. Second, the entire Sahel region also faces an unusually high threat from climate change and global warming.

This should bring us back to the topic of Europe and the West’s engagement with this part of Africa. Is the biggest threat the Sahel faces really Islamic extremism? Can Europe realistically pretend to hold back the tides of people from this part of the world if they have no form of sustenance or economic advancement? To pretend that either thing is true strikes me as not only impractical but immoral.

The Sahel’s crises are tightly intertwined, and they run far deeper than the issues that preoccupy the West. There are no obvious solutions sitting ready on the shelf for dispensing, but starting out with the right diagnosis is an essential first step.

First of all, Western pressure that co-opts African governments to service the needs of Europe and the United States is a grave mistake. African populations have long put up with the overthrow of civilian governments—and often enough even applauded such actions—because they saw their elected leaders as essentially obsessed with currying favor with the West in exchange for aid or protection instead of focusing first on their countries’ own grave and nearly intractable problems.

If the West wishes to avoid the worst consequences of the threats it has prioritized in Africa— Islamic radicalism and migration—it will have to find much more effective ways of promoting African economic growth and development than it ever has before. And in doing so, it must avoid its reflexive tendency to think that it always knows best and then impose its political pressures and cultural dogmas on African states. As essential as it is, this kind of humility will not come easily to Washington, Paris, or Brussels. But now is the time.

Western leaders must learn to have real and extended conversations with African states on a broad range of issues about how to enhance the prospects of the Sahel’s weak and imperiled countries. It is only through this kind of engagement that African priorities can be placed at the top of the agenda, that trust and goodwill can be established, and that fundamental and lasting positive changes in the lives of the citizens of these fragile states can be achieved.

It is far from me to predetermine the details, but some things do seem obvious. Education in this region requires a huge boost, especially for girls. Africans need to be in charge of the details, but the West has a historic duty to help make this happen that it has shirked so far. Done right, education can foster more industry and services, dramatically lifting the region’s economic prospects.

One way or another, urbanization will continue to accelerate in this region as populations grow and life in the countryside becomes harsher. Niger’s capital, Niamey, is on track to be one of the world’s 20 most populous cities in this century, and Africa overall will account for 13 of the world’s 20 largest cities and 38 of the largest 100. Helping make cities livable and conducive to economic growth will be essential to making emigration less of a first option for many people. Figuring out how to supply affordable and reliable electricity will be key here, but all of these states have intense sunshine, opening the way for perhaps the greatest renewable energy resource of all.

Much more regional integration seems like the best tool to help overcome the penalty of being landlocked. This will require much better infrastructure, which the West has played little role in recently, mostly ceding that sector to China. There is plenty of room for both. This is not all about hard structures, though. Reinvigorating regional institutions and agreements is needed to get the most out of new roads, rails, ports, and cables. Here again, Africans must take the lead.

In terms of the West’s history with Africa, almost none of these things have precedents. Many of the Sahel’s problems don’t, either. They are new in scope and intensity. Therefore, it is time for the old playbooks to be thrown out and for much more imagination and, yes, resources. For both Africa and for the West, failing this will mean simply failing.

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