#it happens to mainstream artists and their big hits

[delicatepointofview]

gonna have to deal with people missing the point of louis singing 1d songs in festivals... don't get me started on the other covers

[maounosekai]

A bit late and I wasn't even sure if I can make a tribute art for Akira Toriyama, but here's a quick sketch.

My taste in men started when I chose Vegeta over Goku :)))

For this tribute art, I wasn't sure if I'd copy Toriyama-sensei's art style like how I used to draw DBZ fanart in grade school, or go with my own. ^^;

My introduction to Dragon Ball was through my cousins, but my memories of that are vague, and it wasn't until I was in grade school where one of the more mainstream local channels started airing Dragon Ball in Filipino dub that I got into it, and it was then that I understood why my cousins are so into it. I also remember watching a DBZ movie (tho I don't remember which movie was it because I was still not very familiar with Dragon Ball at that time) with my aunt, cousin, and a family friend's son in a theater. DBZ was a big hit in the country that not only it attracted male fans, but also female fans thanks to the likes of Vegeta and Trunks, haha! In grade school, I remember having friends debating on who the best DBZ guy is between Vegeta and Trunks, and also discuss about what happened in the last episode. It made us go home early to catch it on TV and look forward to school the next day to talk about it. This was a time before mobile phones and social media. I also used to make fanmade DBZ comic strips (like what I still do now haha!) on the back of my notebook or on a piece of paper, then share it to my friends. Fast forward to high school when I managed to get a copy of Chrono Trigger. When I found out that it was the same person who made Dragon Ball and the characters for Chrono Trigger, I was in awe. I never thought that a comic creator can also be an artist for a game. I went, "Damn I wanna be like that, too. Make comics and characters for games! I wanna be just like Akira Toriyama!" And that's how Akira Toriyama has inspired me. I took art seriously and took it as a degree along with game development. Now here I am, making my own comics, and have made character and mecha designs for games.

It is undeniable that Toriyama-sensei is a huge influence for creatives.

Thank you very much for your work, and for being an inspiration to many!

[tomorrowxtogether]

TOMORROW X TOGETHER Reflect on the ‘Sense of Pride’ Collaborating With Jonas Brothers for ‘Do It Like That’

The fast-rising pop collab connected two superstar boy bands, as well as OneRepublic hitmaker Ryan Tedder, in ways that go beyond music.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER‘s highly anticipated entrance into the music industry in 2019 generated immense interest as the latest addition to the esteemed roster of Big Hit Entertainment (now BIGHIT MUSIC), whose strong music history was laid by chart-toppers BTS and innovative singer-songwriter Lee Hyun. 

Meanwhile, a cornerstone of TXT’s musical story has been the array of worldwide collaborators including global hip-hop stars (Coi Leray, iann dior, pH-1, Woodie Gochild), rising singer-songwriters (Salem Ilese, Seori, Lilas Ikuta), punk-rock icons (ModSun), EDM heavy-hitters (Alan Walker) and more. With TXT’s prime-for-pop-crossover smash “Do It Like That” alongside the Jonas Brothers, fans saw how the process goes beyond music.

Ahead of the July 7 release of “Do It Like That,” the K-pop stars shared a series of teaser videos to piece together their biggest Top 40 moment yet. Amid the U.S. leg of TXT’s Act: Sweet Mirage world tour, the quintet jetted off to meet OneRepublicfrontman Ryan Tedder in the studio. While the super-producer behind multiple Hot 100No. 1s already pumped some mainstream magic into the track, adding TXT’s Republic Records label mates in the JoBros expanded the song’s appeal to a broader generation of boy-band fans for maximum pop appeal.

With nearly 20 million views on YouTube since its release, the song is beginning to connect worldwide in its quest to become—as TXT’s eldest member Yeonjundescribes it—”the perfect summer track” for 2023.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and HueningKai‘s took a moment to delve into the collaboration with Billboard to share behind-the-scenes anecdotes, aspirations for the song, who would make the best TXT/JoBros sub-unit and the latest message to their fans, affectionately known as MOAs.

Billboard: Tell us more about how TOMORROW X TOGETHER and the Jonas Brothers came together for “Do It Like That.” Have you ever previously connected with Jonas Brothers, or was anyone a longtime fan?

YEONJUN: It was our first time meeting Jonas Brothers for this collaboration and I had personally been a fan of their music growing up and even practiced with their music as a trainee, so it felt surreal to be working with them. “Do It Like That” seemed like the perfect summer track and when Jonas Brothers also expressed their interest in the single, we met up in the States during the U.S. leg of our world tour in May to make this collaboration happen.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER has collaborated with several artists, but we got to see you meet, interact and record fun content before the song release. What was the vibe like? Any fun stories from the day?

TAEHYUN: From recording the track to shooting content, this collaboration was such a fun project. Jonas Brothers were even cooler in person and their friendliness helped us work together in a chill environment. 

BEOMGYU: Jonas Brothers were incredibly welcoming from the moment we met. They were just as enthusiastic as we were about shooting content, which we really appreciated.

YEONJUN: We gifted Jonas Brothers our most recent album The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION! We shot a lot of content together, and I remember being pleasantly surprised by how good they were at filming TikTok videos. 

Do you want fans to look out for anything specific in the music video?

HUENINGKAI: Viewers will be able to see how much fun we had on the set if they pay attention to TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers’ facial expressions and gestures within the music video!

Fans loved Jonas Brothers’ sharing “concept photos” in the style of TOMORROW X TOGETHER on social media. Did you enjoy?

HUENINGKAI: We thought their concept photos turned out really well and felt a sense of pride seeing the positive reactions from fans. 

In what ways do TXT and Jonas Brothers have similarities, and in what ways are they different? 

TAEHYUN: I’d say TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers are both artists who have a jam-packed discography with quality music. We, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, are not related by blood like Jonas Brothers, but the five of us are a band of brothers too and a family nonetheless. 

What are your personal and professional goals with this single?

SOOBIN: It would be amazing to achieve good results on the Billboard charts with “Do It Like That,” but more importantly we hope that this single acts as a window for more people to discover TOMORROW X TOGETHER and get to know us.

Sometimes K-pop groups split into “sub-units” for certain performances or albums. What would be the best combination if one member of TXT and Jonas Brothers formed a duo?

BEOMGYU: I think HUENINGKAI and Nick Jonas would make the perfect duo because their vocals complement each other very well. 

TOMORROW X TOGETHER has a lot of big things coming up: Headlining Lollapalooza 2023, a Disney+ documentary, of course this new single. What’s your message to fans as you roll it all out?

SOOBIN: We can’t spoil too much, but including our new single, we have a lot of exciting plans coming up for the rest of the year beyond what you mentioned. It’s a busy time for us, but we’re thankful and working hard to put our best foot forward for the many opportunities to meet our MOA. As always, we would appreciate our MOAs’ excitement and support every step of the way!

[fossil0000]

The following description was written by Sloane Angel Hilton, the creator of the facebook group for this aesthetic: Its rise and fall between the years 1996-2002 - a movement in pop culture that is spawned from the research of The Y2K Aesthetic Institute. A notable shift in the visual mood of pop culture happened during the turn of the millennium, but it wasn’t Y2K Aesthetic. One thing I have found is that it was en vogue to be between 25-35, the prime age of Gen X at this time. I think of the “Music First” era of Vh1 programming. Contrary to contemporaneous Y2K Aesthetic, and also McBling style of the early 2000s, Gen X Y/AC models in editorial fashion or artist marketing were much more "natural". You will see tons of nude lipstick, hair parted down the middle or natural textured hair, natural leathers, knee high boots, duster jackets, natural and muted colors - especially greens, beiges, tans, greys, and black. Design and fashion was moving from 60s revival into early 70s. Retro-futurism was Y2K Aesthetic, but Gen X YAC was more terrestrial. Its futurism was a mix of sterile and organic. McBling was a full blown disco revival, but here, we just see hints of the 70s. Depictions of city life through a colonialist lens. First wave gentrification. Urban life influenced graphic design, such as in the use of Helvetica as inspired by the NYC subway signs. The rise of a minimalist design revival. On the runway, the rise/peak of the modern supermodel - Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Linda Evangelista, who were all peaking at 25. In photography and film, prevalence of bleach bypass, cross processing, “Lomo effect”, and other color grading trends. Hit music in the US was heavily influenced or even imported from the UK and Europe. Notably, we saw a surge in french house/disco, big beat, electronic, trance, uk garage, and “easy listening”/adult contemporary marketed for Generation X. Less Pure Moods and more Cafe Del Mar. Pop artists were reinvented to fit, like Madonna (Ray of Light). "Soft Club" refers to club culture trickling down into mainstream culture. As the style shifts into McBling, club culture becomes so huge that only the rich can enjoy it in Ibiza. R&B + hip hop had a marked shift in production, due to producers like Soulshock and Karlin, Trackmasters, Darkchild/Rodney Jerkins, in addition to many more who formed top of the millennium sounds working with both these genres. Pop music was equally transformed by club music, R&B, and Latin pop. Rock, pop and poetry were put over trip/hip-hop & breakbeats. Songs that may not have been written for the dance floor were produced as club music. See: soft club. Get X young adults were into entrepreneurship, which supposedly fueled the 90s economic recovery, especially via tech industry. This is why they have been considered a generation which "sold out". Discussion is much deserved regarding the nature of media diversity, both genuine (largely POC in leading production roles across mediums) and as a marketing tool, and the start of gentrification as it would come to be known in post-industrial cities.

[dearlittlefandom-stalker]

2024 Predictions By Me—

Whataburger opens in more states

Animators Strike

AI gets Sued

A Sasquatch movie is made

Joe Biden has a Health Scare

Something else is named ‘X’ 

Cornbread becomes a Meme

America gets involved in another war we have no business in

A Major Meteor Event

Bon Jovi hits mainstream again (either he releases a new song or an older song gets used in something or memed and becomes big again)

ACME Vs Coyote gets a theatrical release

Din Djarin comes back from the war (The Mandalorian season 4 comes out)

Ahsoka series gets a season 2

There’s a recall on canned soup

Duolingo does a ridiculously funny PR prank/stunt/marketing scheme AND IT WORKS

Barbie’s Princess and the Pauper becomes a meme

On that note, a new Barbie movie is announced/made

Big ~Presidential Race Debate Scandal~

Another Life Series (season 6!) (Bonus points if season 7 also begins!)

Also Hermitcraft Season 10 begins (Bonus if multiple Hermits base together)

A  world leader gets ousted/exposed and flees or is killed

Owl City releases a new song

Skillet releases a new album (bonus points if they have a crossover hit)

A 1920s-based or inspired movie is made

“Dice” becomes a slang term

Another poorly covered up government-caused catastrophe takes place 

A church service or livestream lasts for more than three days and sparks a revival

Tanera Double Chocolate (Everybody’s So Creative!) will make a video showing people how to actually cook

Something happens to before or during the Summer Olympics schedule that causes a delay or pause

At least two artists will release a movie in theaters of their live concerts (a la Taylor Swift and Beyonce)

New averse side affects of vaping are revealed

Some obscure holiday gets memed

The World Map changes (a country that exists now is dismantled or a new country is formed)

The Spanish-American war becomes relevant somehow

Something Weird is going to happen on February 29th 

[dalekofchaos]

I have a conspiracy theory involving Taylor, Olivia and Sabrina.

Does anyone find it weird how suddenly Taylor took Sabrina Carpenter under her wing? Especially after the supposed feud between Olivia Rodrigo? She's everywhere with Taylor. Award shows, opening the Eras Tour, public outings and even at the football games. It's especially weird for a 30+ lady hanging with someone in their early 20's. Strangely, Taylor even spotlighted Sabrina's cover of WNEGBT, but not Guts. 🤔

Olivia hit it big at such a young age. Disney star, Swiftie and broke out during the Pandemic era and her first album was a hit. Taylor seemingly gave Olivia her blessing, Olivia and Conan spotlighted Fearless TV, but Taylor wouldn't do the same for their albums,? Weird since Taylor claimed them as her kids. and then the copyright thing happened. Olivia stopped talking about Taylor and vice versa.

Realistically this is what's going on

I think Olivia was told to stop associating so much with Taylor by her team so that she could have her own stand-alone career rather than be seen as a baby Taylor Swift, ensuring the longevity of her career. Olivia puts out great catchy tunes and doesn't need Taylor to promote her.

I actually think Olivia didn’t believe Taylor would take the 50% on Deja Vu, since Taylor herself has been inspired by other artists and never once gave them credit (let alone 50%). She was most likely very disappointed and decided to take a step back from that “relationship” they once had and make her own career.

Taylor pulled her out of relative obscurity, and without Taylor there promoting her, she can't stand alone the way Olivia does, and maybe Sabrina is fine her fame being from her associations with Taylor in a way that Olivia isn't.

My theory is basically this.

Taking Sabrina under her wing would put a stop to the envious allegations, and makes Taylor look good for being so helpful to a rising artist.

Suddenly Taylor associates herself with someone Olivia has alleged heat with. Sabrina has good music, but doesn't get the attraction Olivia got, suddenly Taylor picks her out of nowhere and she's seemingly getting popular and it just raises some questions.

Taylor doesn't want to be seen as a 30+ woman competing unfairly against a rising 20 year old or as the crazy old lady trying to sabotage a young woman's career. So the next best thing. She can build up this young talented woman who she feels doesn't get the attention she deserves, be seen as this great mentor while at the same time conspiring to use Sabrina against Olivia.

So psychological/guerrilla warfare.

She’s going to be pushing Sabrina really hard to compete with Olivia in the mainstream she’s been moving Sabrina’s seats at award shows for a year now to sit next to her when Sabrina is usually seated rows back at the beginning of the program she’s having Sabrina open for her on tour and at all her parties including the one she threw at electric lady on Olivia’s album release night now Sabrina has been working in the studio with Jack Antonoff and I have no doubt Taylor will give the album a big shout out when Sabrina’s 6th album comes out she’s trying to send a message imo all of these pr opportunities for Sabrina even though she’s like 24 and they’re all in their like mid 30s. There’s a reason why Olivia immediately left the VMAs after her performance and didn’t stick around to sit next to them on the front row.

Olivia's Mean Girl comments of industry leaders she looked up to comment makes sense now.

[dropintomanga]

Anime NYC 2023 - I Still Have a Place

What a weekend.

Anime NYC 2023 just ended and while there were a few things I didn't like, I really enjoyed my time there this year. And more importantly, it was a personal epiphany for me.

I started the weekend by attending the Viz Media panel. There weren't really any significant announcements, but Yoshifumi Tozuka, the creator of Undead Unluck, stopped by and he was great. It was a teaser of his own panel the following day, but Tozuka-sensei did enlighten fans about Undead Unluck and how he wanted to present the series to fans worldwide.

After that, I went to the Autism in the Anime Fan Community panel. This was a live panel version of the "Autism in the Anime Fan Community - Solo Version" video by James Williams, an anime fan diagnosed with autism and a public speaker on autism awareness. James has been doing the panel at various conventions over the past couple of years. It was a very raw and vulnerable panel on the challenges those with autism face at conventions. James also had a special guest, Larissa Grabois, an artist who uses music and art to teach people about children living with autism. She has music videos and books pertaining to autism on her website and I will be paying very close attention. This provided much food for thought.

After that, I didn't stick around for the night panels. Though It was nice to hear Denpa license the ODDTAXI manga as I know people who adored the anime when it came out.

So onto Saturday, I went to the Yen Press panel and was impressed with what they did. They did a fun "Know the Editors" section alongside their announcements, where each editor would promote a title they work on and provide "Useful Nihongo" (which isn't actually useful in a regular context) to use. It was pretty funny to see. Yen Press also gave a shout out to The Summer Hikaru Died, which I yelled "YES!" to. Not many of the new titles they licensed caught my eye, but the one that did was She Likes Gays, But Not Me. I will say this - the manga isn't a romantic comedy and that's why I can't wait for its release in 2024.

Afterwards, I went to the Dark Horse Manga panel. There wasn't really anything new announced per say, but they did promote the latest Deluxe Edition of Berserk and the 1st omnibus of Innocent coming out very soon. Also, Carl Horn and Zack Davisson are truly the manzai duo of the manga industry scene. They have a very fun chemistry that really takes the best of both of their personalities and mixes them into something you really don't see in manga publisher panels. Both also know A LOT about comics in general. If you ever get a chance to see a Dark Horse Manga panel, do it. Carl and Zack really make worth it your while.

I didn't stick around for the later panels on Saturday night, but I know the Kodansha Manga panel that happened that night was great. There's a LOT of fun stuff coming out from them in the future. Blue Lock has become arguably THE big mainstream manga hit of 2023. I love a lot of their titles as their stories are often ones I value highly. What I'm looking forward from them? Home Office Romance (which was REALLY popular in the manga Reddit) and Sheltering Eaves (Another Rie Aruga story? Sign me up).

On Sunday, I only attended the Star Fruit Books panel. I got to learn a lot about the company being there and it was actually a small group of people who attended. So it made for a more intimate experience compared to other industry panels. Even though the publisher started during COVID, they have made huge strides in being an strong publisher of independent manga (alongside Denpa). I actually inquired about them possibly licensing manga stories from indie creators about mental health/illness because I have heard there's a lot of manga out there in Japan that covers those topics.

After that, I was done with everything. I did manage to get some nice items from booths and played mahjong with the Riichi Nomi club.

I think the convention was fine for the most part. It was crowded, but I didn't feel overwhelmed. I always had space to move around. The only things that stood out to me were that some of the panel rooms were a bit too warm to my liking and that the gaming area just felt too tight. In particular, mahjong. My club's presence last year had a good amount of space for mahjong. This year, we were relegated to the show floor and to a far end corner of the convention center. I hope this changes next year.

(Side note: NYC public transit on the weekend continues to suck ass. Why have a train stop right next to the convention center when weekend construction would prevent trains from stopping there? Sigh.)

And speaking of next year, Anime NYC 2024 will happen in the summer - August 23-25, 2024. It's going to be the bang that ends summer convention season in the U.S. after Anime Expo, San Diego Comic-Con and Otakon. There's definitely concerns about the timing, but they will have the FULL convention center at their disposal. I don't mind honestly as I dislike going to a convention when it's happening a month before winter starts.

Anyway, I'm going to finally make a reference to the headline of my post. For those of you who read my birthday post, anime and manga don't seem to inspire me a great deal lately. Getting into mahjong was one of the best things I did for my mental health over the past 2 years. Despite being a manga blogger, I was becoming more of a mahjong addict.

However, when I arrived to the con on Friday, I was greeted by a manga journalist/colleague that I hadn't seen in years. It was a surprise to see them and we caught up. We had a wonderful discussion about manga, comics and pop culture.

And then on Saturday, I got to meet people I followed on Twitter that I never met in person. I even reunited with a few blogger folks along the way. We talked about manga and convention trends that made me smile. I also met up with Anime for Humanity (who I volunteered in the past) and finally met its founder at the event. I even reunited with a local Japanese culture personality that I hadn't talked to in years. It felt really cool.

To cap it off, I finally reunited with Peter Tatara, who was working the Japan Society booth. For those who don't know, he is the founder of Anime NYC and now Director of Film at Japan Society New York. He also has a long and established history of promoting anime in New York. When I first started my foray into anime fandom in 2008, it was Peter who MCed events at the Kinokuniya NYC store that got me hyped. We worked together at those events a few times due to a mutual connection we both shared. Even though he's a huge and very busy personality now, Peter would take the time to talk to me in years past. We both shared laughs and talked about how long we known each other.

Ever since I got so deep into mahjong, I questioned my place in the manga fan community. I wasn't active as much on Twitter as other online manga personalities these last few years. While I do get hyped, I don't get heavily excited covering manga license announcements. I don't have a huge manga collection at home. I struggle to keep up with everything.

And then someone at the con told me that because of my interest in what's happening the world regarding mental health problems that plague communities, I still bring a certain view that's unique and refreshing to hear. After meeting and reuniting with a bunch of faces, I can't leave the manga blogging scene. I just can't. I love talking about manga so much still. Mahjong still has a place in my heart, but there's nothing that gets me going like talking about the stories and characters that shape people's lives.

What's more important is that being around the industry/pros/press folks I was with at Anime NYC tell me that I still have a place here. I may not be attending everything manga-related, but I want to be the person from the shadows who talks about things that definitely deserve to be heard. Besides, it's much cooler doing things in the shadows than being in the spotlight.

An old friend I saw at the convention on Sunday said that I looked the happiest I've been in years. Mahjong definitely played a huge part in that and I want to bring that energy back into my manga blogging.

I've been going to conventions for 15 years now. So many people in my life that I met via conventions have come and gone. People that I wish were still here. I have often felt lonely. Being 41 now also doesn't help either.

And yet, I keep meeting new people at conventions like Anime NYC who inspire me and value my take on things. I may not be living the best life, but I'm definitely happy-ish with what I have now. And that's all I ever wanted to ask for.

Also, thank you to everyone I talked to at Anime NYC. I'm now really ready for the 2nd half of my life.

[singlesablog]

The New Wave

“Rock with You” (1979) Michael Jackson Epic Records (Written by Rod Temperton) Highest U.S. Billboard Chart Position – No.1

Before I begin this entry a few disclaimers (in the style of the wonderful Andrew Hickey, creator of the absurdly great podcast The History of Rock and Roll in 500 Songs, which I wholeheartedly recommend), there has been so much press, and bad press, about Michael Jackson since his death that it should be acknowledged.  Much of the bad news is the accusation that he was a constant, and serial, sexual abuser of young boys.  The jury will forever be out on these accusations based solely on his influence and power, which have grown steadily since his death in in 2009.  His estate is vastly wealthy, and continues to grow.  It does not surprise me that he was disturbed considering the amount of child abuse he suffered, or that the truth was heavily twisted by him (just watching him in old footage deny his physical alterations, plain for the eyes to see, is evidence enough that he was severely distorted in his relationship to truthfulness).  However, I cannot deny how powerful and productive his artistry was and is, and his influence is undeniable.  His role as a conduit for other artists alone is wildly impressive.  He was one of the greatest innovators in many ways.  I believe he was in a lot of pain, and perhaps he caused a lot of pain by displacing that.  But his musical influence, which is the reason for this entry, is my absolute focus.

I understand that this set of posts have been under the title of The New Wave, which would lead one to associate all entries to New wave music, and in way, they do.  And yet stylistically, what exactly is New wave?  It is technically a catch-all phrase, a term for the many, many styles emerging post Punk.  A big factor for my purposes is the era; here, 1979/1980.  All of these records represent a shift forward in musical styles and tastes, and if not (or if you disagree), they did that for me. Perhaps they were just the cleverest and most sophisticated pop songs happening.   Although this track is certainly disco, that dirtiest of words, “Rock with You” was one of those musical shifts forward.

It opens with a drum fill— a solid rat-a-tat-a-tat that is an absolute hook to the song, and more wonderful in that it doesn’t appear again.  Drum fill to flute sounds, what could be better? Then strings, a chorus of heavenly voices, and a beautiful, perfect vocal.  Danceable but midtempo, it is maybe one of the most approachable, perfect radio hits ever.  When I first heard it, I felt my teenage life change; it must have been what the Beatles were like in the 60s, just like that drug of newness.  It was a song that felt like it belonged entirely to its year and era, but was singular.  I rocked and rocked and rocked (the dance move that accompanied the hit).  I bought my first album ever in Off the Wall, and played the grooves off of it.  But perhaps the real secret to the song was its composer: Rod Temperton.

By all accounts the British-born Rod Temperton was the most modest of supreme talents as a songwriter (he is described as quiet and unassuming); not only did he write “Rock with You”, he arranged it in minute detail (including vocal and rhythm arrangements) just as he had as a bandmember for all of the big hits in the disco funk 70s band Heatwave (“Boogie Nights”, the ballad “Always and Forever”, and the exultant “The Groove Line”).  He was an expert songwriter and arranger, and his ability to mainstream soul records was not missed by Quincy Jones, who snapped him up to write new songs for Michael’s record (he also wrote the title track “Off the Wall”, and later the title track for “Thriller”).  

Of all of the songs in Jackson’s catalogue, none float over the airwaves as effortlessly.  Like the drum fill open, Michael’s first line (“Girl, close your eyes, let the rhythm get in to you”) is masterful: sexy and inviting, a soul record.  The song itself is forged in disco, 4/4 time.  It invites you to the dance. The bridge of the record is a flute solo, with mellow velvet voices as a cushion, an Adult Contemporary record (think Carpenters).  So, in this one song, a sweet romance about coming to the dance, you have a perfect fusion of what in many previous eras the parts of which would have segregated to its own chart, own region, own audience.  The magic of the single was that it existed at all, because Michael was the perfect performer to truly bridge these gaps.  It was overt, it was executed to perfection, and it was designed to top the charts, and it did, for 4 weeks.  And it made my teenage heart burst with joy every time it came on the radio.

The list of musicians on any Jackson record is surely going to be a who’s who: among them Quincy Jones as producer, whose long career was uncanny (or well, extremely canny for winnowing talents), Greg Phillinganes on synths (a prolific career), and John Robinson on drums, to name a few.  Robinson, the architect of that famous drum open for “Rock with You”, was so revered as a session musician that his Wikipedia page is dizzying.  He appears to have been on every pop single ever post-Michael (Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” notably has his drums on it).  He was famous for perfect technique, and a sure steady hand.  I had never really ever considered just how much I love the drum opening for “Rock with You” until now, and that without the drums that begin the song, well, I am not sure my heart would have beat quite as fast.  

Coming to the end of this post it is apparent how hilariously un New wave “Rock with You” is.  It is not post anything, but obversely it was the full flower of 1979, the apotheosis of 70s pop and disco, and possibly a harbinger of the excesses in studio production that the 80s would bring to recordings, not least in Jackson himself trying to top Off the Wall.  If that record sold an astounding 20 million copies, Pink Floyd’s The Wall would sell 33 million in the same year.  Michael Jackson would have to do something about that.

Rod Temperton passed away in 2016; John Robinson, Greg Phillinganes, and Quincy Jones are still with us.

[joemuggs]

BLACK WHITE YES NO ZERO ONE

A twitter thread from the other day, archived.

Something that's nagged at me for a REALLY long time about how cultural narratives get oversimplified, to the detriment of the best artists, came into relief for me at the weekend: the false dualities at the heart of American canonical criticism are the ghosts of segregation.

Recently on a FB group someone was asking why Latin freestyle wasn't better known. Valid question because it's one of THE keystones of the last 40 years of pop. Thinking back through reporting of the 80s it occurred: because history has been written - literally - as Black And White.

(Before this goes any further, pls note this is NOT to erase Black music or say it's all one big happy clappy melting pot, quite the opposite really)

When I was about 12 and first really into pop - so mid 80s - I got given a fat Rolling Stone tome that presented itself as a definitive history. It presented the birth of rock'n'roll as the Big Bang, the source of everything thereafter: and, crucially, it painted this origin point as what happened when black met white, specifically a fusion of R&B and country.

Very strong implication (possibly made explicit, I can't remember, but I feel like it was) was that this was "African rhythm plus European melody and harmony".

Fine, I was 12, I had no reason to doubt this, I was finding stuff out, great. As I learned more, for years I never came across much to make me question the Creation Myth or its assumptions; it was written into everything.

It was only YEARS later that I read a brilliant book about the Brill Building generation of songwriters, and understood the complexity of the rock'n'roll era and the birth of pop, soul etc. In particular: huge swathes of the songs were written by Jewish kids obsessed with Latin mambo.

(Side note - given that Spanish music contains huge amounts of Arabic influence, it's fun to whimsically think of this interface as a moment of Middle Eastern reunification)

Again, this is not to say that the African, Celtic, Anglo influences previously cited weren't real, even dominant, but suddenly the picture - and all the histories of migration, exile, colonialism, slavery etc -burst open, became three dimensional, came to life.

Around this time I also discovered Paul Gilroy and ideas about the Black Atlantic, i.e. that diaspora was multiple and complex with criss-crossing influences of its own. Realising that ofc "Latin" music included all sorts of African historical influence ("cumbia", or "cumbees", was noted as an African style in the 17th century!) made me realise that history was interwoven all the way down.

Since, it's nagged at me that American culture so often gets presented as Black Music / White Music as monolithic things - until recently, Latin was a category Somewhere Over There (even with its own separate Grammys) - but didn't really think about the root of that assumption.

But then yesterday, responding to that freestyle question, the term "Black And White" leapt out: having that binary opposition written into mainstream as the source of EVERYTHING in popular music is an expression of segregation mentality. The same mentality that kept radio, recording industry, etc so split apart in the US.

Yet as jazz and country hit 100 years old, and we look again at the history of THEIR genesis, they were each, as Beyoncé lately reminded us, SUCH a tangle - even in Jim Crow time, music WAS a place for information exchange that couldn't happen elsewhere.

AGAIN: this is not to say there's no such thing as Black Music in the USA, obviously there is. But as we start talking about decolonising history, reasserting things like the roots of house and disco etc, it's worth being vigilant for false binaries as a vehicle for stereotyping and oversimplification of multiplicities of history and identity.

(Another side note: it made me realise why I hate poptimism vs authentocrats etc, because that is just the FALSEST of false binaries)

(And another: if I see another false binary around "Were Kraftwerk the fathers of techno Y/N?" I'll scream down a vocoder loud enough to be heard in Dusseldorf)

Anyway just jotting that down before I forget. As you were.

[septembersghost]

in a timeline where Elvis had been in good health and lived longer or even was still alive! what do you think might've happened with his career?

this is a great question, and i love it despite it also making me unspeakably sad. obviously so many things would have to change for this to happen, and there are endless hypotheticals that can be asked about him - what if he'd gotten, and been willing to accept, help with the pills and his other struggles, what if he hadn't been trapped in vegas, what if he'd left parker, what if he had had the chance to make dramatic pictures and choose/record more music that inspired him rather than the movies and soundtracks he ended up having to do for so long, what if he hadn't been drafted, what if his mother hadn't died when she did - any one of these changing potentially changes the whole course of his life. but let's say nothing is different except he's healthier and survives. keep in mind elvis would've only been 45 in 1980, and, all things being equal, his voice would still have been strong and clear and beautiful. i don't think he's the type of person who ever would've wanted to stop creating and performing. the 80s gets us into an interesting time with music, disco fizzles out, a bunch of fresh rock and pop and country sounds rise and flourish, hip-hop begins to enter the mainstream. another big thing that happened was the revitalization of broadway, with particularly flashy, sweeping musicals. barbra streisand, who'd primarily been recording various forms of pop as it shifted for a good decade or so, along with her successful film soundtrack music, returned to her roots and released the broadway album in 1985 (one of my albums of all-time), when el would've been 50, and it was seen as a gamble, but turned out to be a huge hit. elvis may not have been a musical theatre performer in that sense, but he had a natural affinity for drama and flair, so it'd be cool to know if he would've taken to any of that or incorporated aspects of it (in my head, he'd totally enjoy the phantom of the opera). the rock sounds, the r&b, the fusions in pop and country, all of that would've piqued his interest, i think, because he was so passionate about music and was so skilled (and such a sponge for it across genres) at adapting it. so he could've experimented with new sonic forms, kept expanding his abilities and repertoire. i'd love to imagine that he'd have flown away out of vegas and finally gotten to tour the way he wanted. i even think he would've added innovation to the culture and music happening at the time. if he'd remained well and found creative outlets that inspired him, it's something he could've kept going on and building for a long while. i feel certain he would've done more gospel records too eventually, while still staying current at the same time. i imagine any of that would've somewhat altered how his legacy has been viewed, especially the wrongfully disparaging commentary. maybe he'd be like some of the other artists we've seen, paul, elton, bob dylan, billy joel, and so on, and kept playing well into his 70s. maybe eventually he'd have retired instead and taken time for himself (and you asked career specifically, but i hope he could've found some personal peace and love that he kept looking for too), but...part of me really does think he never could've left making music or being onstage and sharing that love and energy with an audience, as long as he was able. he would've found those songs to keep singing. which is what he did do in life. if only he'd had more time.

kind of off-topic/an aside, but i honestly believe he'd be so, so touched, and so amused regarding some things (i simply know he'd dissolve into that contagious laughter), that the young women on the internet, even a generation behind me, (after i explain the internet to him, i will tell him <3) are listening to and watching, and writing and reading about, and making countless fanvids and edits/gifs/etc for him in 2023. i hope in 2027, when he's been gone for fifty years, all the fans right now, new and old alike, still hold onto part of what they're currently experiencing. there's something indescribably wholesome about it (even in the thirst posting tbh, because it's still his power?!). i just cannot fathom any current star having this effect decades later, including the ones i adore. not because they aren't great, not because they aren't creating wonderful, lasting work, they undoubtedly are, but so much has shifted in how we absorb and keep and pass that on which alters it along the way. elvis' status as the best-selling solo artist of all time could *maybe* be broken eventually (although it's not in the foreseeable future), but it won't actually be comparable because streaming and everything within the industry has vastly changed. another difference, unfortunately, also lies in the tragedy. i hope our current young musicians have long careers and carve out happy, peaceful lives free of as much of that torment as possible, but the immense sadness and mythic rise and fall of it all are why we culturally still cling so much to certain people - as i've oft mentioned with EP, MM. to those eternally young and heartbreaking figures. if they'd experienced recovery, and lived the long, contented lives we wish they had, would we be this captivated by them now? or do we look into the abyss of their absences and hold them closer to keep them alive, to understand and feel that connective empathy? it's deeply human nature to be drawn to trying to understand the shadow of that darkness chasing their light. we want them to live and we can't give it to them, so we find ways to bring them to life instead.

i wish he was here to know how beloved he is, and i wish he was here because it would mean the trajectory of his life was far more gentle. i wish he was here to laugh with us about it and see us singing and dancing along to his music as if it was brand new, but i do believe he often looks down at us like:

[thatgirlonstage]

I am so very possibly kicking a hornet’s nest with this and may regret posting it immediately but

For being The Fandoms Website it’s kind of shocking to me how often posts here advocating for indie art *over and instead of* mainstream/big budget stuff just ignore the fact that part of the draw of art is that it’s communal.

I recognize and agree with the fact that by far some of the most interesting, boundary-pushing, insightful and incisive and bold art comes out of the indie scene. I think socially we ought to give indie artists more support and incentives, culturally we ought to be unafraid of sharing and talking about and recommending and creating transformative work of the weird niche indie projects that we find. I am all for support of indie artists in every way we can give it to them.

But if you accompany your pitch for indie art with “delete your Netflix and Amazon prime and never go to a major Hollywood movie ever again or you’re a bad person who doesn’t actually support indie artists at all” that’s… not helpful. Because while sometimes you may watch or read or listen to something purely for your own enjoyment and artistic fulfillment, it’s so often also about how art is a Fun Thing To Do With Your Friends Who Also Like The Thing. And yes, sometimes you can get your friends into the niche indie thing too, and that’s awesome!! But sometimes you don’t have friends who are into the subject matter of the niche indie thing, or the one friend you have who would be into it is in the middle of law school and isn’t going to be able to read anything for fun for the next two years, or they have brainworms and The Time Isn’t Right To Try This Thing, or… there’s a lot of ways that you end up the only person you know who’s read or watched The Thing, and trying to dig for fellow fans online nets you two pieces of fanart from five years ago and a single total stranger who you don’t really vibe with or want to talk to. If this is the only way you experience art, it will get so lonely so fast.

In contrast, if you’re watching The New Hit Show on HBO or Amazon or wherever, that’s water cooler talk. That gives you something in common with your coworkers or classmates or the guy at the front desk. If you’re watching the season’s most popular anime or reading the Hugo-sweeping new fantasy series, that might be less well known to random people in your life, but it’s very very easy to find communities online with your choice of people to talk to and hang out with and make new friends with.

I’m not saying you should engage with all popular media with no sense of comparison or scale. If something pushes particularly heinous messaging or had exceptionally bad labor practices or something else that crosses a line, by all means stay away from it and encourage others to do so. And please believe me when I say I am entirely and furiously aware that artists have been getting fucked over by corporations since forever and—particularly with everything happening with AI—it’s only getting worse. I don’t think our current state of affairs is good. I just don’t think acting like someone is irredeemably soulless because they still watch every MCU movie in theaters is helping it get better.

Support and pitch indie artists everywhere, always. Just please also have some compassion for the fact that people wanting to read/watch the popular thing isn’t just FOMO or boot-licking devotion to a corporation—it’s about wanting to share joy and excitement and fun through art with other people. Which is truly about the most human desire I can think of.

[afrobeatsindacity]

2023 Round-Up: The Year In Music

With Wizkid’s EP, Soundman Vol. 2, arriving ten days to the close of the year, 2023 has delivered an experience that confers on it a special place in Nigerian music lore—an album by each member of our putative big 3. Timeless, Davido’s well crafted, much appreciated comeback piece arrived in March, while Burna Boy's seventh studio album, the sonically brilliant but thematically petulant I Told Them… debuted in August. It is the first time since 2020 that these three stars have aligned in a single year, but this convergence is only one in a long list of the truly significant events of Nigerian music in 2023.

The music scene this year has delivered the expected good, with underground artists breaking through barriers to emerge the year's most successful singers; the unexpected bad, in the mysterious death of the young, promising Mohbad; and the numerous ugly, best-forgotten events, like when artist Oladips appeared to fake his own death in promotion of his new album. To navigate through this topsy-turvy sea, here is our round-up of the biggest Nigerian music happenings in 2023.

Our 2022 edition of this round-up was expectedly dominated, much like the year was, by tales of the exploits of Asake, who was a mainstay in the year's music scene, successfully arresting the attention of an entire country with a series of hits, each a little more fiery than the last, until his debut album arrived to cement his place in Nigerian music. 2023 has seen him continue his run with no break in stride, as he released his sophomore album, Work Of Art in June, which spawned tracks like "Lonely At The Top" and "Amapiano" that ensured his name continued to ring out in the new year. At the same time, it was also a gathering of the harvest of last year's sedulous work. He received Headies Awards for Album Of The Year and Next Rated, a Trace Award for Best Anglophone artist, and a nomination for the inaugural Best Afrobeats song at the MTV VMAs. And with his song, "Amapiano" already receiving a nomination for the 2024 Grammy's new Best African Music Performance category, it remains to be seen if Asake can bring his dominance to a third consecutive year.

Elsewhere, other rising stars continued to follow the paths that were first charted years ago. Rema, long earmarked to be Afropop's future prince, took several large steps towards his throne in 2023. The most visible of these was securing a global hit, "Calm Down", which, with its Selena Gomez–assisted remix, was a fixture on UK and US charts, eventually peaking at number 3 on Billboard Hot 100 in September. For these exploits, accolades came in droves, from national platforms like The Headies and Soundcity, to African award organisations like AFRIMMA and Trace Awards, with his crowning moment coming at the MTV Video Music Awards, where he clinched the prize for Best Afrobeats song alongside Selena Gomez. Seyi Vibez, another artist who had made a standout showing of consistency last year, sustained his momentum in 2023 with two albums and two EPs released over the course of the year.

As these stars ascended the next stages of their respective careers, 2023 provided a new set of upcoming acts writing the first chapters of their mainstream stories. Two of them, Odumodublvck and Shallipopi, spent the year dividing opinions for the sounds and themes of their music, but what is surely beyond argument is how much progress they made in 2023, propelling themselves to clinch the headlines this year, for good and bad. Odumodublvck released Eziokwu and its deluxe, that held fan favourites like Dog Eat Dog and Declan Rice side by side with new entries like "Blood On The Dance Floor" and "Kubolor", ensuring he remained in circulation on radio channels for most of the year. Shallipopi's debut EP, Planet Pluto and album, Presido La Pluto also debuted to strong reactions.

And 2023 was a year that would bring the spotlight to emerging female acts as well, which merits acknowledgement in Nigeria’s male-dominated music industry. Qing Madi's "Ole" featured Bnxn, and was propelled by its combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite delivery and smart collaboration to a spot in the top 20 of the Turntable top 100. She quickly built on this with her eponymous debut EP, which included other tracks like "Vision" and "American Love" that are providing her with.

Bloody Civilian is another female act whose career has been driven thus far by a combination of talent and an eye for ingenious collaboration. It was how she made her entry on the most auspicious of stages, singing opposite Rema on "Wake Up", a track off the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever album. If that debut flew under the radar for most Nigerians, then her feature on "Blood On The Dance Floor", providing a piquant variation to Odumodublvck and Wale's rugged sensibilities, did not. In 2023, she released first her debut EP, Anger Management in June, before its sequel arrived in November, this time sporting remixes from the original that featured stars like Joeboy, Odumodublvck, Fave and more. For female acts higher placed in the ladder of Nigerian music—Tems, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage, and Fave—it was a relatively quiet year, so we can expect a lot more in 2024, especially from Tems, who has already released two singles in anticipation of her debut album.

A dark cloud was cast over the musically prolific year with the passing of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, AKA Mohbad, best known for tracks like "Feel Good" and "Ask About Me", under circumstances that are yet to be fully understood. Whilst the initial outrage over his maltreatment at the hands of Marlian Music, his record label, has now waned, Nigerian music lovers still carry in their hearts the memory of an artist whose music brought peace to millions, even as it seemingly eluded the singer himself.

As Nigerians struggled, and still do, to accept his untimely death, a few other singers took to the studio to pay him proper homage. Bella Shmurda released "My Brother" in his late friend's honour. Chiké and Zoro released their cross-country collaborations with the artist, titled "M.A.D." and "Egwu" respectively. The latter took his tribute a step further, pledging the proceeds from the song to Mohbad's family, a wholesome gesture similar to that made by fast-rising singer Khaid when he released his own tribute to Mohbad, "Forever".

2023 was also a year for big albums by big artists. Already counting the projects by Davido (Timeless), Burna Boy (I Told Them…) and Wizkid (Soundman Vol. 2), other Nigerian music veterans glided the year with full length projects, including Wande Coal (Legend Or No Legend), Olamide (Unruly), Adekunle Gold (Tequila Ever After) and Kizz Daniel (Maverick). Also sustaining Nigeria's relatively new album culture were the younger stars, who logged in albums like Ru The World (Ruger), Boy Alone Deluxe (Omah Lay), Emeka Must Shine (Blaqbonez) and Tears Of The Sun (Teni, making a long awaited return)

In all, a lot of indicators from 2023 suggest Nigerian music's global flight will not be ending anytime soon—with global music platforms like The Grammys and MTV carving out categories for Afrobeats, and Wizkid and Burna Boy bolstering their UK profiles with performances in Tottenham Hotspur and London stadiums respectively. In sound, Nigerian music gained more depth and diversity, with artists like Odumodublvck, Zlatan, Blaqbonez Jeriq and Kcee helping to incorporate Igbo culture, and especially its iconic Oja flute, into mainstream music. With so many young talents making their entrances, and a host of seasoned veterans showing no signs of slowing down, 2024 promises to be an even more enjoyable experience for lovers of Nigerian music.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

Afrobeats City doesn’t own the right to the images

[meganmodeste]

St.Lucian Music is praised but not recognized

The Caribbean Music Awards aired for the first time on August 31 in Brooklyn, New York. Hosted by Haitian musician Wyclef Jean at Kings Theatre, this was the first award show to be solely for Caribbean music. Musicians from all Caribbean islands attended though some islands had more attendees than others. Honorary Awards were given to a few artists from the islands of Jamaica, Trinidad, and Haiti. Some of the winners include Buju Banton, David Rudder, Mikaben, and more.

Soca, Dancehall, Kompa, and Reggae music were the focused Caribbean music genres at the awards. Within these genres, each island makes its style of music. Many other genres in the Caribbean were not represented such as Bouyon and Dennery Segment. These genres can be found in Dominica and St.Lucia. Dennery segment and Bouyon are forms of soca music.

Many well-known Caribbean artists attended the awards as well as new artists. Only one artist from the island of St.Lucia was present. Teddyson John, well known for his hit Vent, attended the awards and performed alongside Nailah Blackman and Jada Kingdom. Teddyson John doesn’t sing St.Lucia’s Dennery segment but he does sing soca music. Some of St.Lucia's biggest artists like Motto, Umpa, Mata, Shemmy J, Ricky T, and many more were not even invited to the event. St.Lucian music was even played during the award show but no light was shed on the genre's achievements.

The Dennery Segment originally came around in the late 2010s. The music genre grew in popularity in St.Lucia and spread throughout the Caribbean. In 2017 the genre got lots of recognition when a single called Split In Di Middle was released by Freezy. West Indian islands all over the Caribbean began to play Dennery segment at parties or events on the island and internationally. The genre continues to produce more artists and great soca hits for the Caribbean islands. Some Dennery segment hits include Split In Di Middle by Frezzy, Plat by Umpa, Fire by BlackBoy, and Big Ride by Motto featuring BlackBoy and Ezra.  

Motto Lashey Winter has made one of the biggest impacts on St.Lucian music. Motto has produced and recorded many of the Dennery segment hits from the past to the present day. He spreads St.Lucia's music culture yearly performing in all Caribbean islands, Europe, and America. Motto was not invited to the Caribbean Music Awards which was eye-opening to many soca music lovers. When I asked Motto why he thinks this happened his answer was simply “I don’t know”.

Here is one of Motto’s hit songs:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeGsSjhkXa8   

Elmo Norville, a young rising musician, born in St.Lucia also was not invited to the awards. Norville has produced hits for artists in many different Caribbean islands. Elmo also plays many instruments including the ukulele and bass. His instrument playing has been featured on many tracks in the Caribbean. Although he wasn’t in attendance, Norville still celebrated, a track he performed bass on called “Down Dey” by GBM Nutron, and DJ Spider won the Collaboration of the Year Award. Norville said, “The fact that I didn’t know it was nominated and it won an award was shocking”. The win brought emotions for him and he was proud of himself for the achievement.

Both Norville and Motto wasn’t even aware of the awards. St.Lucian music was even played at the award show but the musicians who made these songs were not present. St.Lucian music has been mainstream for a few years now. Norville even said, “All soca songs now have an element of the Dennery segment in the beat”. If the music from St.Lucia was able to make such an impact why are the musicians not respected like others?

Norville believes the problem begins with the St.Lucian people. “St.Lucian people don’t support St.Lucian people like other islands like Jamaica and Trinidad do,” said Norville. Envy and fear are the root of why some St.Lucian artists fail to grow. Norville said, “If we don’t respect and uplift each other, how can other people”. Not all artists are like this and it shows through their work and progress. Many artists respect themselves and their craft and push hard to reach their successes.

Desray Desir, a St.Lucian going to school in New York, tuned into the Caribbean Music Awards and was excited to see all her favorite artists. Desir saw that Teddyson John was at the awards and was excited saying “ I saw him and I was excited because it was my first time seeing an artist from my country on a platform like this.” Desir was hoping to see more artists and was confused when she didn’t see Motto present, “ I thought he would be there after I saw Teddyson there because they are a part of the well-known artist but I was looking for him”.

This was the awards show's first airing, maybe next year they will bring more people to represent St.Lucia. The island has created a big influence on soca music while growing in the last nine years. Some St.Lucian people may have toxic views causing other islands to reflect these views onto other Lucian people. On the inside, you can see the truth more than you can from the outside. This may be why misconceptions are created. St.Lucian artists working internationally like Motto and Elmo Norville have found ways to push through these toxic habits and reach for their biggest dreams.

Soca and Dancehall music are continuously evolving and for Caribbean people, this is nothing new. All Caribbean genres and subgenres should be celebrated because the standard style of the genres is not the most known in the present day. Hopefully next year, The Caribbean Music Awards will be more inclusive and bring more of St.Lucia's biggest artists to represent St.Lucian music. The award show has the platform to help push these artists to the place they should be based on their talent and streaming numbers.

[mysmorgasbordoffantabulosa]

He never wore that brand before the rumors spread, so just another coincidence? "In June… 3 months prior to Shut Down’s release" It's a spoiler. Of course he wouldn't post it around the release. "BigHit does not deny ships that have no basis in true, unless they hit the mainstream press sites, which Taennie never did." But the taennie rumors dominated news for weeks (+MBC&SBS)? It was the biggest dating rumor in years and probably caused the most harm to tae in his entire career.

"It's a spoiler."

No it's not... Just because an idol posted an extract from a song 3 months prior to the release of a song by a different artist that references said song extract is vague as shit in the extreme. IF, and it's big IF, Tae was hinting at anything don't you think he'd be a little bit more obvious and oh I don't maybe try and post other things at the same time as said extract to give everyone a clue it was linked to BP? But he didn't.

"But the taennie rumors dominated news for weeks (+MBC&SBS)? "

No, they didn't, because if they did, any articles would have directly referenced or even posted videos of Tae and Jennie's dating scandal, and I don't recall any such videos being posting on YouTube, Twitter or any of the international news sites like Koreaboo, Soompi etc.

The only time it got on any news coverage in Korea was in May last year (when BTS went to the White House and around the same time HYBE was trying to distract people from a bullying scandal). After that it never appeared again. Even then all they talked about was what was happening, NOT that they were dating but that photos had dropped and that the rumours claimed they were in a relationship. But once BTS returned and the Le Sserifem allegations had quietened, then suddenly no more news coverage or leaks for that matter.

Nothing appeared in the mainstream news or TV shows when the massive Gurumi leaks occurred last Aug/Sept. NOTHING. At the time all the buzz was driven by Twitter and online forums. Some news sites wrote about it but nothing in the Mainstream press.

Oh, and where was the TMZ of SK... Dispatch? Nowhere... Not a mention or a whiff or report... NOTHING.... which should tell you everything you need to know about Taennie. Which is... if this "supposed" couple, who has allegedly been soooo obvious, that they are dropping hints and spoilers like it's not tomorrow, but the biggest revealer of celeb couples in SK (and who are merciless) hasn't mentioned Taennie once in the last 18 months should tell you all you need to know.

[variousqueerthings]

after 3 straight days of queer movie-watching at the festival (with an interlude to play some football) and my brain being overloaded with Stimulus, feel like I need to compile my thoughts on the experience overall: 

1. lotta DIY work, which is a great reminder that if you want to make, you can + opens up conversation around how institutions do not fund this kind of work (in the UK especially there’s a limit to spaces one can go for funding). the real experimentation/cinematic bravery isn’t happening for half a billion dollars, it’s being done on a shoe-string budget. that being said, one really wishes there was more money to be had in this, simply because it would make people able to live off the work and make much more

2. lot of sports-related stuff, both fiction and documentary, which is funny considering where a lot of my own focus is these days. also got to meet Verity Smith, which was a bit of a hero-moment, and he gave a lot of great info on the state of sports nationally and internationally. and yeah, I got to play football for the first time in 10 years!

3. generally met a lot of great people. I think the idea about “networking” as it’s been presented to me as an artist (including the word itself) is still a big problem, and will always be. it’s got too many concepts baked into it that don’t gel with the kind of work I do in the communities I do it in + my particular flavour of brain, but that being said -- once I realised that there are spaces where meeting/connecting with people in your specific field of work, where this aligns with queer practise of shared needs for what that work represents and is for, then yeah, I kind of got what networking was all about. So I could talk freely about my own work + listen to theirs, and not feel like we were just sussing out how we could use one another to get ahead 

when I was studying, there wasn’t this kind of... idk, discussion of ways that working in an arts industry -- with all of its [waves hands at the microcosm of any and all industries and life that is in the mainstream run by capitalist colonialist patriarchy] many many issues -- can be interacted with from different perspectives, so it’s neat to be able to find ways to do that by simply being in spaces like these

4. watched both wildhood and set it off as my main two fiction features (the others I either couldn’t make it for or missed parts of due to overlapping events). the former feels like a wonderful breath of air + fits into a space of both canadian first nations cinema that I’ve been lucky enough to get to watch, and queer cinema. the movies are getting made and they are good -- one does have to look for them/be active in spaces where they would likely be disseminated, which tbh is also an ethos of artistic engagement + community engagement that I’m very in favour of anyway. in order to get to the deeper stuff, it doesn’t do to simply sit back and wait for it to arrive. it does exist! go find it! 

also the sex scene in it was 👀👀👀 smthinsmthin water as metaphor belongs to the queers

also I’d been wanting to watch set it off for ages, as (only?) the second lesbian crime movie, next to bound. set it off isn’t technically centred on lesbians, but one of the leads is openly shown to be a stud/butch, and she’s respected/liked by her friends. I’m curious about how this film feels to the Black lesbian community and perhaps Black film-goers as a whole, since [spoilers] it’s got a fair bit of police violence and very little in the way of happy endings. 

where I sit with it, is that it’s criminally (ha) underrated and oughta be discussed in the same breath of compelling characters that exist in heat and dog day afternoon -- the bittersweet-at-best tragic ending fits with the general tone of this specific take on the genre (the non-oceans-movies versions tend to have mixed-to-tragic endings), although the violence does hit closer to home/more realistically than in most other heist films. and all the main characters are So So Cool, which is important for a good heist film! 

5. also got to watch two documentaries about older queers, one about the history of the Chicago bar “sidetrack” and the other about older queer people in Ireland. These connections and stories are so vital, and queer-cinema-as-documentation feels like one of the most queer things one can do. We love a documentary, because we’re trying to make sure those connections are built, that we don’t forget our pasts, that we have roots. there are people from whom we have these torches passed, and they’re our elders, even across continents.

also thank you to that lesbian couple acknowledging that young people are really struggling with money in this modern capitalism. definitely feels like it puts the work of the festival I was at into perspective -- with spaces closing and difficulty in renting (especially in cities), we need to find ways to open up spaces for one another

6. also I had a little curated archive piece up there and people said nice things to me about it 😭😭😭

[5secondsofhating]

Same anon, no I don’t think they will have another hit or Youngblood on their hands. I can’t say for certain- But I don’t see it happening unless they collab with another band like the level of fame chain smokers were at the time when they did “Who do you Love?” But they’re all idiots and collabing with Sierra Deaton and making music videos for songs that will never be popular (ie- Older). They’ll probably have like another 2 Complete Mess level minor hits imo if anything. I totally agree with what you said. They’re trying to survive from the fans they already have like you said, and that’s not a way to be sustainable (also a lot have left lol). The quality of the music is not as good in any capacity as it used to be and there is no promotion on their parts. Their independent album did not do well, and they literally were happy to reach #2 and the album then virtually disappeared from the charts. It flopped so hard. It reached #2 and then fell so low and then like disappeared. There’s 4 of them, I don’t understand how not one of them is taking a stand in regards to who they are collating or what they’re doing- they should be trying to be mainstream popular again ala Youngblood- but they’re just doing, whatever. I legitimately believe if they tried harder, or purposefully got into a scandal (LOL jk but not really), had a real label, collabed with other people, etc. they could at least become more recognized again.

yes, you're right, but didn't they say that no one wanted to collaborate with them? lmaoooo and if they did a collaboration with a big artist tbh I don't see any of the big artists wanting to collaborate with them, so they're losing either way. don't get me started on sierra collaborating with them because now she's part of the band and everyone treats her like she is (band and fans) she says she likes to be behind the scenes but we all know it's complete bullshit and it's only because she was semi cancelled, but every time she gets a chance to shine she does and her "shy persona" magically disappears and here we have 5sos pushing everyone she's super talented and poor her likeee stfu.

wait didn't they get to #1 because they were telling the fans to buy it and they even made the song cheaper?????? I don't remember

they should be trying to be mainstream popular again ala Youngblood- but they’re just doing, whatever. I been saying this for years but the thing is that 5sos don't want to be popular anymore because they're going to be "pressured" and I mean I understand but you can't expect good things if you never work, they want to do the minimum but expect to be the best and well, things don't work like that and they always come out with "finally we are doing what we like" but they say that every time there is a new album

i hope everything i said makes sense hhdwjffks

-n