#kmm: idolator

[louistomlinsoncouk]

I’m done! I’m finally finished recording the album thank fuck. That took fucking ages. I’ve probably got another two or three more singles after “Kill My Mind.” So the album’s probably going to be out early next year. I’ll be relieved the day the album is out, I can’t wait for that day.

Louis about LT1 for Idolator

[dailytomlinson]

I’m pretty sure the plan is to release a song every month or every six weeks, so there’s more music out there. I want to really drive home who I’m trying to be as an artist. I think the next single’s coming middle of October, something like that.

You said you filmed a video for the single after “Kill My Mind,” how long will we have to wait for it?

[elceeu2morrow]

Mike Nied @mikeynied | September 5, 2019 11:34 am

Louis Tomlinson breaks new creative ground with the release of “Kill My Mind.” The One Direction alum has explored a variety of sounds since launching his solo career. He kicked things off by linking up with Steve Aoki on their heartfelt floor-filler “Just Hold On.” After that came the sparse, emo-pop musings of his Bebe Rexha-assisted “Back To You.” The musical evolution continued on “Just Like You” and “Miss You.” Then the 27-year-old struck gold with his tender ballad “Two Of Us.” Out today (September 5), his latest switches it up again.

This time he channels a ’90s-inspired indie-pop sound. The end result feels like a natural progression from the pop/rock fusion of “Miss You.” And it works well for the “Drag Me Down” hitmaker. Over a production courtesy of Jamie Hartman, Louis finds himself dangerously enchanted by a love interest. “You’re a nightmare on the dance floor. And you hate me, and I want more,” he croons on the opening lines. He’s even more addicted on the chorus. “And you won’t let go of your hold on me. You kill my mind. Raise my body back to life. And I don’t know what I’ll do without you now.”

It’s nice to hear Louis taking some sonic risks instead of chasing a trend. Hopefully it pays off and nets the solo star his next big hit. Press play on “Kill My Mind” below and let us know what you think.

[watch the video here]

[hlupdate]

After experimenting with everything from EDM to acoustic ballads, Louis Tomlinson finally found his sound on “Kill My Mind.” The just-released single is a throwback to the fuzzy, indie-leaning pop/rock of the ’90s and early ’00s. Which is not a coincidence given that it was inspired by the bands Louis grew up listening to on UK radio. (Think Oasis and the Arctic Monkeys). The song also sets the tone for the superstar’s debut solo album, which will be similarly raw and organic.

I spoke with Louis about his gutsy new single on Friday (September 6) and he recapped his search for a sound that was authentic to him. The “Miss You” hitmaker then revealed that his debut album is finally finished and gave some insight into its tracklist. He also reminisced about his heartwarming “Two Of Us” video and fond memories of being in One Direction. Other topics of conversation included the “Kill My Mind” video, upcoming live shows and his next single. Find out more about the 27-year-old’s solo journey below.

It feels like you really found your sound with “Kill My Mind.”

I think it’s important for any artist to play around with different sounds and find a place in their industry. For me, it frustrates me now that I’ve got four or five singles that just feel different sonically. It’s important to me, and something I’m going to focus on moving forward, to have a real identity as an artist. With the album that is really, really important to me. I feel I found my home on “Kill My Mind,” definitely sonically and the way it makes you feel and how it sounds to you. Yes, it feels good.

Was it a matter of finding the right collaborator or producer?

Definitely. You need someone who is going to embrace your ideas and embrace you for who you are. I did quite a lot of different sessions with producers in America. Everyone has their own opinion of what they think you should be. With some people, you can go into the session and say, “This is who I am, let’s work with this.” Whereas in other sessions, I can sometimes feel producers trying to pull me certain ways. When I found Jamie Hartman, who I wrote quite a few songs with including “Kill My Mind,” I didn’t even have to explain too much about who I am or what I want. We were just on the same page straight away.

It definitely has more of an indie sound. There’s also something quite ’90s about it. Was that your intention?

Yes, I’m a massive fan of ’90s music. I always talk about when I grew up, pop Radio had the like of Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys and Oasis. Now it’s a little bit more urban-leaning. I just went with what I grew up with. That’s where my influences lie.

I think that really comes through on the song. It’s a bit fuzzier and more organic than what you heard on radio right now.

That’s a big compliment. I appreciate that, thank you.

As you said before, you now have maybe five songs that all sound very different. Will you go back to those songs and tweak them?

Well, there are some songs like “Two of Us,” for example. That is just a really simple, organic ballad that fits in line with what I want to do. There are songs like “Back To You” with Bebe Rexha that I absolutely love but, sonically, even just melodically, it’s so set on what it is. Whereas the Steve Aoki song, I have actually reworked to try to fit more in line with “Kill My Mind.” It has been stripped back and that worked straight away actually. I think it’s kind of song dependent really.

I can’t wait to hear the new version.

It’s such an anthemic melody. Anyway, it leads to that guitar-driven stuff. It works pretty well actually.

How far along are you with an album or an EP?

I’m done! I’m finally finished recording the album thank fuck. That took fucking ages. I’ve probably got another two or three more singles after “Kill My Mind.” So the album’s probably going to be out early next year. I’ll be relieved the day the album is out, I can’t wait for that day.

It must be so exciting to have it in the can.

Oh, definitely. It’s been two or three years in the making and when I was in One Direction, we were literally putting out an album once a year. It does feel like a long time for me but I’ll feel really proud when I get it out. I’ve been quite meticulous with it. I’m really excited to hear the feedback.

Who else have you worked with apart from Jamie Hartman?

Let me think about this, who else have I worked with? There’s a guy called Sean Douglas, who actually also wrote “Kill My Mind” and wrote with him on a couple of tracks. I’ve probably done sessions with close to 75 different producers. I think what I’ve realized and learned during the process is that finding the right writing and creative partners, who are all on the same page, is priceless. I have also worked with Wayne Hector, Steve Robson, Julian Bunetta also. There are probably four or five songs that I wrote with Jamie, so they really will be a big chunk of the album.

Will those earlier singles be on the album?

They will be, definitely. I’d say, maybe 30 percent of the songs on the album were written longer than a year ago. There are some songs that are so special to me and I think they mean a lot to the fans. Some of those songs also represent that time in my life in whatever way. So I couldn’t necessarily start fresh, but once I’d written “Kill My Mind,” I kind of found my sound. Once I’d written “Kill My Mind,” there were three or four songs that followed on from that, and it was a little bit more straight forward because we knew exactly what we were aiming for.

I can imagine “Kill My Mind” sounding great live. Have you thought about a live show or tour?

I’m lucky enough to be playing a show in Madrid. They’re doing a Coca Cola festival and I’m headlining one of the days. I’m really excited about that. I’m doing 10 songs. Now, to this point, I’ve only done three or four songs on the odd radio show. So I’m really, really excited to get out and get a reaction and feed from the audience. I know, “Kill My Mind,” is naturally going to make the transition to a live show and I’m pretty confident it’s going to be fun. So I’m really excited about that moment.

How different is it standing on stage by yourself compared to being in a band with other guys?

I’ve done the odd performance. I feel like I’m growing into that. It won’t be so new to me, but doing 10 songs and creating a show about me on the stage, it’s a little bit, I would say, daunting. There’s naturally more pressure. That’s another thing I’ve realized from working on my own as a solo artist. I have to stay across absolutely, everything and all of a sudden, I’m so meticulous about every single detail. When I think about the tour, it’s going to be an even more rewarding situation for me because when we put it on, I will literally have painted this picture from the ground up, so it’s something that really excites me.

You mentioned “Two of Us” a little bit earlier. I love that song.

Thank you.

The video was so touching. Who came up with that idea? That old guy is a legend.

Oh my God, honestly. Of all the things that I’ve done in the last 12 months, that is definitely one of the best things. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I think it was a conversation between me and the record label. We talked about different, interesting ideas that we could do for the video. Everyone should watch that video and be inspired. Not from my story, but from Richard’s story. That old guy recently lost his wife and it was raw to him, but I’ve never met anyone with such an amazing view on life. Although he wasn’t dealt the best hand, he lived so happy and so fun, and he was up for anything literally. He was a proper, proper, brave old guy and I was really taken aback by him as a person.

Has he inspired the way you approach your own life?

Definitely. I think that I have the luxury of now being able to see that the glass is half full as opposed to half empty. Richard really taught me that. There are some things that we did together, which he had obviously never done before. It takes a brave man of that age to do new things. Yes, we can all learn something from that, definitely.

Have you thought about what you’re going to to do for the “Kill My Mind” video?

I’ve already filmed the “Kill My Mind” video, and the next video actually. I’m really excited about this. It’s with Charlie Lightening who directed a documentary about Liam Gallagher. I’m really excited about that. Visually, he’s really cool. Conceptually, for “Kill My Mind,” I wanted it to be like all the Oasis videos I love. I wanted it to be more about the performance. Not focusing too much on a narrative and just being lit really well. I think we pulled it off. I’m excited about that one.

I can’t wait to see it. Do you know when it’s coming out?

Yes. What day is today? Friday. I think it’s due Monday or Tuesday. I think we’ve got some last few notes to do before signing off. So, yes, early next week.

Do you enjoy the visual element?

Yes. I’ve always been quite inclined to get involved in conversations about that. To be honest, sometimes One Direction was so manic, there literally wasn’t time to be across as many things as I am now. It’s really, really rewarding. It’s the same buzz that I get off writing songs. Like when we sat and we spoke about the idea for the Richard video, “Two of Us.” Then you actually watch the final piece, you’re like, “Wow, we’ve actually created something really interesting.” To a certain degree, important, that’s proper refreshing. Definitely.

You mentioned some of the One Direction videos. Has enough time passed that you can look back on it and feel nostalgic or does it still feel recent to you?

It still feels recent but there have been numerous times where I find myself kind of reminiscing about old videos on YouTube, interviews, or performances, whatever it is. There’s still that side of the nostalgia where you miss it as well. It’s like looking back on your school days or your university days. It gives you that funny feeling in your stomach where you miss it, definitely.

You said you filmed a video for the single after “Kill My Mind,” how long will we have to wait for it?

Because I have other songs that don’t really reflect the overall identity and sound of the album, I just want to get as much music out as I can before the album comes out. I’m pretty sure the plan is to release a song every month or every six weeks, so there’s more music out there. I want to really drive home who I’m trying to be as an artist. I think the next single’s coming middle of October, something like that.

Thanks so much for your time. Good luck with the album.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

[dreamings-free]

I’m done! I’m finally finished recording the album thank fuck.

Louis in how far along he is with an album or an EP?

Idolator 6/9/19 (published 9/9/19)

[1ddotdhq]

🎤Wed 9 Dec ‘20❄️

LOUIS!!!!!! I am posting this from beyond the dead because Louis’ trailer KILLED MY MIND! But THEN, it brought my body back to life because I HAVE to be around on Saturday to see this show go down. NEW LOUIS SONGS!!!! I AM NOT READY!!! First Eleanor kicked off promo for the livestream day by modeling Louis' purple Balenciaga windbreaker for us with a caption about her “BF”. I mean, it’s a look! No dogs today tho :(. Oddly though after posting herself in the outfit and saying that she was going to go out in the get up, she didn’t! Changed right back into her own clothes after all. Just like how Louis liking her post a few weeks ago was the first sign of action, this too was an indication NEW THINGS COMING! And boy, did they come! After Louis this posted his fifteen (15) second long clip, which included at least one full second each of an as of yet untitled song, KMM, Too Young, Walls, and a badass unidentified riff by Michael Blackwell (POP OFF, dude)! Louis was NOT done there though; fans were wondering what the unfamiliar songs in the trailer were. In what seemed to be a hint, Louis tweeted “copy of a copy of a copy”, which, when googled, turned up with two musical results. The only one that matters is the song ‘Copy of A..’ by Nine Inch Nails (“I am little pieces. Pieces that were picked up on the way, invented with a purpose, a purpose that's become quite clear today”). According to the band, this song is about breaking out of an image that no longer fits you: “How dare you have the audacity to not perform in the role you have been placed in”. Nine Inch Nails has also been really vocal about the importance of artistic freedom and the struggle to maintain it in the face of label interference, which I’m sure Louis can relate to. But! It turned out the untitled song that fans were wondering about isn’t ANY of these, it is, instead a “New song. Not a cover!” according to Louis himself! Let’s be clear: this does not mean that he WASN'T tweeting that lyric about doing a Nine Inch Nails cover, just that the snip in the teaser ISN’T ‘A Copy of A…’. Okay guys, I didn’t say this when the show came up, but now I will: I am IN LOVE with 12/12!! Last year, we got Fine Line on the 12th, and THIS year, we get BRAND! NEW! LOUIS! SONGS!!!!!!! This is one trend that is welcome to keep continuing!

And, for the TRUE piece de resistance: LOUIS’ HAIR! It is long long long, and slightly curly at the ends, and “HIS HAIR” (in all caps) was trending under “Beauty” immediately after the trailer was released. As it SHOULD! It’s BEAUTIFUL! And, in the middle of all of this, we got pictures of Louis from outside his rehearsal studio two weeks ago - OP said he said not to tell anyone about his hair, so they posted them the second after the trailer went up like “well if HE'S showing everyone..' They also scribbled out his hand. People asked does he have a new tattoo?? A ring?? Nope! It seems that he was probably holding a beer, which was edited out because yes certainly fans should jump in to take on the role of 1D management circa 2011 and preserve Louis' squeaky clean teen idol image! If Louis didn't want to be photographed with something he wouldn't come out to do fanservice holding it, give me a break, you really think he's sharing actual secrets with you? Grow up! Anyways, while on twitter Louis followed Isabella Signs, who he met through the charity work that she does for her younger brother. She has a YouTube channel by the same name and does A LOT of really cool SSE (Sign [language] Supported English) covers of all the boys plus 1D, check her out!

The Naughty List music video is OUT! It is a #quarantinevideo made with the green screen that Liam talked the other day about having had set up in his living room for days and how much he disliked that. It features Liam in a Snow Globe and Dixie and her friends dancing in a photobooth in colorful outfits (Liam in a red sequin vest with nothing underneath anyone?), pastel and glittery backgrounds, and lots of Christmas cheer! More than Liam had today, that’s for sure! Dixie loves Christmas, but Liam said that if it wasn’t for his son “pfft, Christmas can pass me by” in the joint live Liam/Dixie did to introduce the video. Steve the Manager (who made Liam’s naughty list for “making him work today”) spent most of the time feeding Liam questions for Dixie and trying to keep him on track. Liam and Dixie shared stories of Christmas presents (Dixie’s best Christmas was when she got a four wheeler), who made their Naughty List this year (Dixie: No one, Liam: “NIALLLL” - no he did not say why), and if they’d ever been kissed under the mistletoe (Dixie was when she was 12, Liam has not yet because he’s “a loonneeelyyyy boyyyy”, but then went on to say, “Mayaaaa you gotta kiss me under the mistletoe!!” so I guess that’s that).  Steve the Manager kept cutting Liam off before he could even TRY to do his Harry voice, so we didn’t get any of that, but we did get a nice solo Liam alarm to wake up to this morning, where he did a meditative bit and reminded people that it’s almost Friday!! And he's added some signed Naughty List single CDs to his store and merch! Really cute hoodies-- I'm not personally sure I want my chest to say Naughty List all over it but Liam can work it and it is a cute design. He also went on a radio show (not Roman’s) to promote Naughty List and revealed that he had NOT done any Christmas shopping yet, which IMMEDIATELY put him on their naughty list. Not to worry Liam, I think you’re still pretty nice!

And my favorite larrie is BACK: we got a sneak peek of Harry’s Jingle Ball set and, surprise, surprise, it’s the pre-recorded set with the Free Nationals! The description is, “Harry Styles and the Free National light up an LA backyard celebration with a hit-stacked set”. So, uh, I guess he’s not going to be playing in front of a blank wall - it’ll be a garden with a camper van, little blue flags, and fairy lights strung up. His shirt matches the small flags in being That Color Blue, and my one and only prediction for the set is that he’ll be covering Blue Christmas. I gotta say that I have NEVER seen anyone as dedicated to that - or ANY color - as Harry is. He still hasn’t popped up anywhere, but this is EXCITING! A new Fine Line set!!

Zayn made Martyre’s Instagram story again, and though you STILL can’t see his face, it’s his neck this time instead of his hands! I think that he’s meant to be modeling the necklace he’s got on, but the picture is too blurry for me to make it out. Alas. Anyways, I’d love to see some pictures of his FACE if Martyre has those? Please? Meanwhile, Niall promoted  a beloved Doncaster native musician... no it was Yungblud! On Instagram, of course: he did tell us he wasn't going to be on twitter for a while! 

[hazzabeeforlou]

Walls Masterpost

It’s the 28th of pride month, and fitting to post this now. The soul of Walls is the unabashed, fierce, tender, and brave love of a man who has shown for years that he is proud. This album isn’t a cohesive story line, nor do I think it’s even the album Louis envisioned himself putting out. He only flirts with true indie music like that of his idols; Always You is a pop masterpiece, TOU is a ballad, and Perfect Now a love song in the style of Little Things. The album is a collection of letters each addressed to a singular recipient, personal, self-searching, blunt, too vulnerable to be easy listening (if you really listen). Walls shows us the scope of Louis’ capacity for love. It’s the culmination of years of pain, heartbreak, and hope, written with the raw honestly of an archeologist stumbling upon his own personal memoirs. 

Please feel free to ask questions if any of the technical stuff is confusing, and remember these are my interpretations as a classically trained musician. I will use the name “Subject” for the implied “you” in each of Louis’ songs. 

Kill My Mind: in F minor. The verses are i VII IV, the tiny bridge IV III I (?), and the chorus is VII IV I, repeat. 

There are two oddities about this. First, in a natural minor key, the forth chord is minor (iv) but Louis keeps this B flat chord in major, changing the D flat to a D natural. Secondly, in the chorus, Louis changes from using a minor one chord to a major one. He raises the A flat to an A natural as he sings “Raise my body [A natural here] back to life.” This bit of text painting not only illustrates his words, but lends the song an off kilter feel, confusing the key signature between F minor and B flat Major (which has an A and D natural). 

Kill My Mind is Louis’ only ‘drugs’ song on the album, and I say that both because the metaphor is obvious and because he uses that obvious metaphor to compare addiction to a relationship. It reminds me, lyrically, of Back To You, and, like that song, could easily be interpreted as about a controlling force in his life on whom he’s become dependent, or a lover. 

Don’t Let It Break Your Heart: this is easily in the key of B flat Major. The verses are I IV vi 6/4 V 6/4, the bridge vi vi V IV vi V, the chorus same as the verses, I IV vi 6/4 V 6/4. 

This is Louis’ most hopeful track, and is so clearly about grief. Much has been made of the first line “on our way to twenty seven” being a reference to the 27 Club, a cultural phenomenon of icons/musicians/artists that die at that age due to fame/high risk lifestyle, but Louis then says they’re “doing better,” implying that both he and Subject are in this category. The rest of the song is him counseling and comforting Subject, empathizing with the hurt of loss, encouraging Subject, “Don’t let it kill you even when it hurts like hell.” He knows this pain, knows it deep, and knows that it takes time to heal. 

Two Of Us: IV I V iv V IV I V vi V. This progression is the same for both verses and chorus. The bridge is a bit hard to decipher as it moves in 3rds and not triads, something like IV V vi V vi V. 

Not much needs to be said about this song. It’s Louis’ beautiful ode to his mom, and he sings it with incredible vulnerability and heart. 

We Made It: this is the revolving door song. One progression is used, IV I V iii, and repeats from start to finish. It keeps reminding me of Coldplay. 

What’s interesting is that each chord functions as the subdominant or leading chord of the next, basically spinning us ever forwards so we never stop on a tonic home base. The E flat IV chord leads to the B flat I, the B flat I then functions as a IV chord to the V chord (F Major), then the D minor III chord functions as a major VII leading to a I of E flat (the beginning IV chord we started with in B flat Major) and the cycle repeats. 

Louis leaked part of this song several years ago, and a line about moonlight replaced the “met you at your uni” section, interestingly. “Playing something pop’y on the same four chords, used to worry bout it but I don’t no more.” Young love. He remembers how it tasted. Subject was high on what? Adrenaline? Orgasm? It’s a tender reminiscence with a hint of tragedy, “don’t know why they put this all on us when were so young.”  

Too Young: in E Major, the verses and chorus are IV I V vi (the vi is omitted at the cadences), the bridge is vi I V IV I V. 

Louis is once again looking back, regretful. Louis doesn’t speak in metaphors, the lyrics are to the point and precise. He’s hurt Subject, he’s given in to pressures, he’s cut subject off... the “2 years since I’ve seen your face” of course doesn’t fit the chronology of the album, but rather of his public life, as does the previous song’s line of “met you at your uni.” It’s interesting, then, that while Louis takes the blame for so much, he still says ‘we were too young’ and not ‘I was too young,’ implying that Subject was at least partly to blame for the hurt too, if only by fault of immaturity. 

Walls: This is in B Major. The chord progression for verses is

 vi I vi I, V [V7 with the melody note on the E natural] IV V V7 II IV i6 (passing chord)

chorus, IV I V I6, IV I V III6 vi V II6 Vi ii I (IV I passing chords) 

bridge, IV vi V, IV vi V, Vi vi III6 vi V II (this holds over til chorus) 

This is Louis’ tour de force. Walls is as complex as it is beautiful. His use of Major II chords, altered from a normal ii chord in Major key signatures, and his use of a Major III chord (which, again, is minor in Major key signatures) adds an unconventional twist. The opening and closing lyrics, “nothing wakes you up like waking up alone,” are set against a sparse vi I; but you see the vi chord doesn’t normally go to I, usually ii, IV, and V have that role, so by using a vi to I Louis is showing us the tonic alone, nothing ‘surrounding’ it. This song is so complex and layered, and I would argue it’s the one song besides OTB that is ripe for poetic interpretation; on first glance the lyrics seem so obvious, but there’s the music video to consider, the metaphor of him being left alone, high on a wall that has not fallen down, a blank name tag on his chest. The door opening to a desert on one side and a bullseye masquerade on the other has no happy implications, yet Louis has become a man through it all, he says, and he has no regrets about letting his walls crumble for love, damn the consequences he’s suffered. 

Habit: in G Major, the verses are I ii IV I, the bridge vi V IV I vi V IV ii7, the chorus I ii IV (vi V added when leading to next verse). Interestingly, in the verse that says “come so far from Princess Park,” the repeated line “in front of me, in front of me” adds two chords to the verse, between the IV and I, a vi and V. 

Like in too young, this is an apology, and Louis lays out his sins plainly. And while it’s unequivocal, we can see the extenuating circumstances: “took some time ‘cause I ran out of energy playing someone I heard I’m supposed to be.” There is no more damning line of lyrics. Louis has been exhausted holding some line, an invisible current through his music that he never truly addresses, yet always its there, a background character, a force of cruel divinity. “Don’t know why they put this all on us when were so young.” “I’m too far gone to pray.” 

Always You: This song could conquer radio in half a heartbeat, given a chance. It’s in E Major, verses are I vi IV, chorus is I vi IV, the same. 

This is world tour of missing Subject, this is Miss You but rephrased, reworked, gone from punk to pop princess. We have Amsterdam, Tokyo, LAX, Heathrow, which speak for themselves. “My baby,” Louis quotes over and over. He’s been “chasing a high,” and I’m reminded of the high in We Made It, “baby you were still high.” Orgasm? Adrenaline? Love? 

Fearless: A minor. Verses, i VII VI (added VI VII when leading back to verse), bridge is i V VI (III VII passing chords can be heard) i V VI VII

Now the very short chorus (”fearless, fearless,”) is, if we stick to A minor, III, III4/2, i, VI. I think, however, that at this point the piece modulates, going from A minor to C Major, (A minor is the relative minor of C Major, which means that the two keys share a key signature and can go into and out of each other easily) making the progressions I I4/2 (4/2 is an inversion of a 7th chord) vi IV. Now to add complexity on top of that, having a I7 chord is incredibly unusual, so I wouldn’t label it that, I would label it a V4/2 of IV, meaning that C7 chord functions as a cadential chord leading to F, or the IV chord, of C Major. This is all rather complicated, but knowing how it was constructed shows the song’s complexity. The final “fearless, fearless” progression then is: I, V4/2 of IV, vi, VI. 

In this song I believe Louis’ Subject is himself. it’s a song about fame and anxiety and the lost innocence (and gutsiness) of youth. It’s a brutal song that I doubt Louis would write to anyone besides himself given how he focuses solely on his own faults and doesn’t lay anything at the feet of his other Subjects. The laughing children heard fist and last are a cutting effect. 

Perfect Now: D Major. Verses, I I7 [again this is technically a V7 of IV, and functions as that since it leads to IV] IV6/4 iv6/4

bridge, iii vi ii vi

chorus, IV V I IV V I, IV V I IV I

second bridge, V vi IV I, V vi IV vi (then to chorus) 

This is a strange little song, perhaps its most unusual quirk being the switch from a Major IV chord to a minor iv chord in the verse. The Subject in this song loves to dance, and I’m reminded of KMM. Subject isn’t just not feeling pretty, they’re depressed, they are reticent to be looked upon (”don’t hide away”) they are a crown-less queen, and tears are the norm. Subject has a platform - everyone is looking at them - and is a scene stealer, charismatic without trying. I’ve attempted and failed to understand this song in any way other than that Subject is dealing with dysphoria, and that this is Louis’ ode to their perfection, an affirmation of an identity that perhaps can only be realized in private. It is in this interpretation that the Major to minor flip of the 4 chord makes me absolutely crumble into pieces. 

Defenceless: C flat Major (a most unusual key for a pop song). Verses are I V6 vi IV, bridge IV vi I V, chorus is IV vi I V (the falsetto second bridge is the same) 

Defenceless is Louis at his most honest. Who writes these lyrics in a pop song? “You don’t have to keep on being strong for me and you,” “just want to be loved by you,” “you don’t have a thing to prove,” “I’m too tired to be tough,” “Wish I didn’t need so much of you.” A moth to a flame is different from a moth to a light; immolation is a theme in love stories. This is too honest for a love song, and it feels intrusive just to listen. Louis has a deep love for Subject, an abiding care and need for them. 

Only The Brave: E flat Major. Verse, I (IV I) IV I, I (IV I) IV I

Chorus is vi V IV I [ii iii IV V OR IV V IV V, I can’t determine because of the movement in 3rds] I 

This song. I can only compare it to when I used to cry when I’d see speeches about gay love; I never understood why, but I just knew, in my heart, before my brain had figured it out yet, that I was the same. This song is that. It is so intrinsically gay, the metaphors are woven in every word, every nuance. Burn history, break rules, cry like a fool, close enough to touch... the church of burnt romances. “I’m too far gone to pray.” Love is only for the brave. Of course it takes a great deal of bravery to love anything completely, to face the prospect of loss knowing how that love will rip you apart. And in the end, some might say from the cradle to the grave you are ultimately alone. Yet Louis knows better than any that those you love are always with you, “even when I’m on my own, I know I won’t be alone.” I believe this song is Louis’ concluding thesis to an album filled to the brim with anecdotes of his own love, a gift to us speaking of the commonality he shares with the wider community, a history of brave love, of loneliness, of too many dying stars in the sky. The tall tales, only hello hello, no goodbye; we don’t focus on the goodbyes. We tell our stories with happy endings, but love, sometimes it doesn’t have those, for some of us it’s a solo song. 

Louis Tomlinson, I’m sure there’s not a chance in a million you’ll ever read this but, if you do, I see you, we see you. You are so loved. Thank you for this album, thank you for giving us this gift of love. Continue your artistic journey and follow your heart. We’ll be here, because for us, it’s Always You. 

[hearttstopper]

HL & ‘We Made It’

6/22/18: Harry & Kacey perform ‘You’re Still the One’ by Shania Twain at Madison Square Garden.

To set the scene: Kacey wears a rainbow dress - a colorful outfit change from the white dress she’d worn earlier during her opening performance. Harry wears a blue suit. Everyone is swooning. Kacey gives us the lyric change to end all lyric changes and sings, “Looks like they made it.”

Harry cannot refrain from looking pleased as punch throughout the entire song. His reaction to her lyric change:

6/26/18: A few days later, Kacey confirms that Harry chose the song, and was adamant about his choice.

6/26/19: Exactly one year later, Louis corrects previous fan speculation as to the title of a snippet fans believed to be ‘Moonlight’ teased on Instagram back in Feb. 2018.

9/2/19: A german article surfaces confirming the song title as ‘We Made It.’ (the article has since been deleted.)

9/9/19: Louis confirms via an Idolator interview that the next song will be ��coming middle of October, something like that.”

9/13/19: Kill My Mind Music Video premieres, and teases Louis’ next single. The teaser for the video shows Louis walking in front of a pier that features a prominent flashing rainbow light, standing directly in front of almost-but-not-quite rainbow arcade game, and beside the Pink Panther, a reference that some believed was a nod to the LGBT rights organization of the same name. 

9/17/19: Louis confirms during a Q&A on the KMM music video that the next single was written two years ago.

9/19/19: The next single is all but confirmed via the resume of the cameraman who filmed the KMM music video. And then we all died. The end.

[cuethetommo]

LOUPOCOLYPSE DIGITAL STRATEGY BREAKDOWN: DAY 90 (24 Nov 2019)

Digital Happenings (All times are Los Angeles = UTC -7):

12:41 pm - @ LTHQofficial: #DLIBYH http://louis-tomlinson.co/DLIBYH RT @ rollingstone: Hear Louis Tomlinson’s catchy new single "Don’t Let It Break Your Heart"(Twitter)

1:04 pm - @ LTHQofficial: Don’t you let it kill you, even when it hurts like hell   #DLIBYH (Twitter)

1:12 pm - @ LTHQofficial: #DLIBYH ����😎RT @ capitalofficial: "Don't you let it kill you, even when it hurts like hell" Catch the next play of @Louis_Tomlinson's new single Don't Let It Break Your Heart on Capital before 9pm  http://capitalfm.co/ListenNow (Twitter)

~1:15 pm - @ LTHQofficial: RT @ idolator: He just gets better & better. @Louis_Tomlinson soars on new single "Don't Let It Break Your Heart": http://bit.ly/2OdQxW1 (Twitter)

New Spotify Vertical Video for DLIBYH

My Opinion:

This is good social media content for an off day. We’ve got promotion of major channels. I’m optimistic for the way radio will treat this song. It’s too early to see the uptick in streams, but I’d bet it’ll be there next week in a big way.

Spotify Stats: : 2,639,578 followers / 5,789,254 monthly listeners / KMM streams 8,739,545 / WMI streams 5,422,214 (4:45 pm UTC - 7)

My goal is to chart this over time, so there will for sure be mistakes. But if you want to see the rest of the series LOUPOCALPSE DIGITAL BREAKDOWN is the tag.

--

Bias Disclaimer: I don’t believe in objectivity. I don’t think that’s something that humans are capable of and certainly not me. So, all I can do is be straight forward about what my biases are (as I know them). I’ve been involved in digital marking since the beginning of Twitter in both small and large capacities. There are certainly folks here who know more than I do, but I know a reasonable amount. I am also a recklessly optimistic person, and I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t color how I see just about everything.

[louiseyesinsky]

SEPTEMBER 2019 TIMELINE

01: Louis MIA / Harry in Italy / (the beard on inst) Louis on instagram

02: Louis MIA / Harry in London / Harry on instagram on twitter / Louis on  twitter on inst stories (rumor Louis’ new single on 3rd October We Make It article)

03: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / HSHQ on social Rolling Stone magazine is out / Louis on mailing list on twitter ist stories

04: Louis in London for interviews / Harry MIA / Louis on twitter X  X  X X X on instagram LTHQ on social X on mailing (Snippet of KMM) the video-message to fans / Harry for The Face magazine HSHQ on social / (Briana posted F)

05: Louis in London (pap pics) / Harry MIA / Kill My Mind (Lyrics Video) Louis for BBC INDIE SHOW (JACK SAUNDERS), for Hits Radio (JORDAN LEE’S SHOW) , for KMFM LTHQ on social X Louis on twitter X X on instagram X X X on mailing thank you video / Harry for The Face written interview

06: Louis in London doing interview and rehearsals / Harry MIA / Louis for Hits Radio BREAKFAST SHOW (pre-recorded) Louis on twitter on instagram on instagram stories / HSHQ on social

07: Louis in Hertfordshire at the Hadley FC x Arlesey Town match with beard and dogs / Harry MIA (rumor at Ed Sheeran’s celebrity wedding) / Louis for BCC The Beat (pre-recorded) LTHQ on social (Br*ana on inst)

08: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / Louis’ written interview for Forbes Louis on twitter / Harry on instagram

09: Louis in London / Harry MIA (rumor in London at Fleabag show) / Louis on instagram on twitter X written interview for Rolling Stone India, written interview for Idolator / Harry on twitter

10: Louis in London doing rehearsals / Harry MIA / Louis on instagram X X on Spotify

11: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / (article of The S*n on Fizzy 💔) Louis’ phone interview for Smallzy LTHQ on social  X on Spotify

12: Louis MIA / Harry in London and pap pics / LTHQ on social X MTV UK snippet of KMM mv

13: Louis in Madrid (beard was there) / Harry in London / Kill My Mind (Official Video) LTHQ on social X Louis on twitter on instagram on inst stories (Br*ana posted on inst)

14: Louis in Madrid performing at Coca-Cola Music Experience 2019 (beard was there) / Harry MIA / LTHQ on social X Louis on twitter on insta stories X

15: Louis in Madrid at the airport / Harry in LA at the Creative Emmys party / Harry on instagram

16: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / LTHQ on social X Louis on twitter on instagram X

17: Louis in London / Harry in LA (pap pics) / Louis on twitter answers under KMM mv LTHQ on social

18: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / Louis on inst stories X on instagram on twitter Louis phone interview for Hot 99.5  written interview for PureBreak

19: Louis MIA / Harry in LA (pap pics) / LTHQ on social X X Louis on twitter X for Buzzfeed UK written interview for GQ MAGAZINE UK

20: Louis MIA / Harry in LA at the gym / Louis phone interview for Prambors Radio (pre recorded) Louis on instagram X LTHQ on social / Harry on twitter

21: Louis in London at Heathrow Airport to LA (pap pics) / Harry in LA / Harry’s written interview for Vogue Spain / (Br*ana posted on inst)

22: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / Louis’ written interview for PureBreak (beard posted on inst) / Harry’s writing interview for Vogue Italy

23: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / Louis’ new song Walls on GEMA LTHQ on social Louis on instagram on twitter interview for Clyde1 (pre recorded)

24: Louis MIA / Harry in LA  / Louis’ written interview for The Guardian for GALA

25: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / Louis’ phone interview for NRJ Radio

26: Louis MIA / Harry in Miami / Louis on inst stories on twitter

27: Louis MIA / Harry in Miami at the airport (pap pics) / KMM video bts Louis on instagram LTHQ on social X / Harry on instagram

28: Louis MIA / Harry in London leaving a dinner (pap pics dm article) / Harry on instagram

29: Louis MIA / Harry in London at the Antony Gormley exhibition / Louis on instagram Louis’ written interview for Melty.fr / Harry on twitter on instagram

30: Louis MIA / Harry MIA / Louis on twitter

[louistomlinsoncouk]

Interview: Louis Tomlinson Talks “Kill My Mind” & Debut Album

After experimenting with everything from EDM to acoustic ballads, Louis Tomlinson finally found his sound on “Kill My Mind.” The just-released single is a throwback to the fuzzy, indie-leaning pop/rock of the ’90s and early ’00s. Which is not a coincidence given that it was inspired by the bands Louis grew up listening to on UK radio. (Think Oasis and the Arctic Monkeys). The song also sets the tone for the superstar’s debut solo album, which will be similarly raw and organic.

I spoke with Louis about his gutsy new single on Friday (September 6) and he recapped his search for a sound that was authentic to him. The “Miss You” hitmaker then revealed that his debut album is finally finished and gave some insight into its tracklist. He also reminisced about his heartwarming “Two Of Us” video and fond memories of being in One Direction. Other topics of conversation included the “Kill My Mind” video, upcoming live shows and his next single. Find out more about the 27-year-old’s solo journey below.

It feels like you really found your sound with “Kill My Mind.”

I think it’s important for any artist to play around with different sounds and find a place in their industry. For me, it frustrates me now that I’ve got four or five singles that just feel different sonically. It’s important to me, and something I’m going to focus on moving forward, to have a real identity as an artist. With the album that is really, really important to me. I feel I found my home on “Kill My Mind,” definitely sonically and the way it makes you feel and how it sounds to you. Yes, it feels good.

Was it a matter of finding the right collaborator or producer?

Definitely. You need someone who is going to embrace your ideas and embrace you for who you are. I did quite a lot of different sessions with producers in America. Everyone has their own opinion of what they think you should be. With some people, you can go into the session and say, “This is who I am, let’s work with this.” Whereas in other sessions, I can sometimes feel producers trying to pull me certain ways. When I found Jamie Hartman, who I wrote quite a few songs with including “Kill My Mind,” I didn’t even have to explain too much about who I am or what I want. We were just on the same page straight away.

It definitely has more of an indie sound. There’s also something quite ’90s about it. Was that your intention?

Yes, I’m a massive fan of ’90s music. I always talk about when I grew up, pop Radio had the like of Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys and Oasis. Now it’s a little bit more urban-leaning. I just went with what I grew up with. That’s where my influences lie.

I think that really comes through on the song. It’s a bit fuzzier and more organic than what you heard on radio right now.

That’s a big compliment. I appreciate that, thank you.

As you said before, you now have maybe five songs that all sound very different. Will you go back to those songs and tweak them?

Well, there are some songs like “Two of Us,” for example. That is just a really simple, organic ballad that fits in line with what I want to do. There are songs like “Back To You” with Bebe Rexha that I absolutely love but, sonically, even just melodically, it’s so set on what it is. Whereas the Steve Aoki song, I have actually reworked to try to fit more in line with “Kill My Mind.” It has been stripped back and that worked straight away actually. I think it’s kind of song dependent really.

I can’t wait to hear the new version.

It’s such an anthemic melody. Anyway, it leads to that guitar-driven stuff. It works pretty well actually.

How far along are you with an album or an EP?

I’m done! I’m finally finished recording the album thank fuck. That took fucking ages. I’ve probably got another two or three more singles after “Kill My Mind.” So the album’s probably going to be out early next year. I’ll be relieved the day the album is out, I can’t wait for that day.

It must be so exciting to have it in the can.

Oh, definitely. It’s been two or three years in the making and when I was in One Direction, we were literally putting out an album once a year. It does feel like a long time for me but I’ll feel really proud when I get it out. I’ve been quite meticulous with it. I’m really excited to hear the feedback.

Who else have you worked with apart from Jamie Hartman?

Let me think about this, who else have I worked with? There’s a guy called Sean Douglas, who actually also wrote “Kill My Mind” and wrote with him on a couple of tracks. I’ve probably done sessions with close to 75 different producers. I think what I’ve realized and learned during the process is that finding the right writing and creative partners, who are all on the same page, is priceless. I have also worked with Wayne Hector, Steve Robson, Julian Bunetta also. There are probably four or five songs that I wrote with Jamie, so they really will be a big chunk of the album.

Will those earlier singles be on the album?

They will be, definitely. I’d say, maybe 30 percent of the songs on the album were written longer than a year ago. There are some songs that are so special to me and I think they mean a lot to the fans. Some of those songs also represent that time in my life in whatever way. So I couldn’t necessarily start fresh, but once I’d written “Kill My Mind,” I kind of found my sound. Once I’d written “Kill My Mind,” there were three or four songs that followed on from that, and it was a little bit more straight forward because we knew exactly what we were aiming for.

I can imagine “Kill My Mind” sounding great live. Have you thought about a live show or tour?

I’m lucky enough to be playing a show in Madrid. They’re doing a Coca Cola festival and I’m headlining one of the days. I’m really excited about that. I’m doing 10 songs. Now, to this point, I’ve only done three or four songs on the odd radio show. So I’m really, really excited to get out and get a reaction and feed from the audience. I know, “Kill My Mind,” is naturally going to make the transition to a live show and I’m pretty confident it’s going to be fun. So I’m really excited about that moment.

How different is it standing on stage by yourself compared to being in a band with other guys?

I’ve done the odd performance. I feel like I’m growing into that. It won’t be so new to me, but doing 10 songs and creating a show about me on the stage, it’s a little bit, I would say, daunting. There’s naturally more pressure. That’s another thing I’ve realized from working on my own as a solo artist. I have to stay across absolutely, everything and all of a sudden, I’m so meticulous about every single detail. When I think about the tour, it’s going to be an even more rewarding situation for me because when we put it on, I will literally have painted this picture from the ground up, so it’s something that really excites me.

You mentioned “Two of Us” a little bit earlier. I love that song.

Thank you.

The video was so touching. Who came up with that idea? That old guy is a legend.

Oh my God, honestly. Of all the things that I’ve done in the last 12 months, that is definitely one of the best things. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I think it was a conversation between me and the record label. We talked about different, interesting ideas that we could do for the video. Everyone should watch that video and be inspired. Not from my story, but from Richard’s story. That old guy recently lost his wife and it was raw to him, but I’ve never met anyone with such an amazing view on life. Although he wasn’t dealt the best hand, he lived so happy and so fun, and he was up for anything literally. He was a proper, proper, brave old guy and I was really taken aback by him as a person.

Has he inspired the way you approach your own life?

Definitely. I think that I have the luxury of now being able to see that the glass is half full as opposed to half empty. Richard really taught me that. There are some things that we did together, which he had obviously never done before. It takes a brave man of that age to do new things. Yes, we can all learn something from that, definitely.

Have you thought about what you’re going to to do for the “Kill My Mind” video?

I’ve already filmed the “Kill My Mind” video, and the next video actually. I’m really excited about this. It’s with Charlie Lightening who directed a documentary about Liam Gallagher. I’m really excited about that. Visually, he’s really cool. Conceptually, for “Kill My Mind,” I wanted it to be like all the Oasis videos I love. I wanted it to be more about the performance. Not focusing too much on a narrative and just being lit really well. I think we pulled it off. I’m excited about that one.

I can’t wait to see it. Do you know when it’s coming out?

Yes. What day is today? Friday. I think it’s due Monday or Tuesday. I think we’ve got some last few notes to do before signing off. So, yes, early next week.

Do you enjoy the visual element?

Yes. I’ve always been quite inclined to get involved in conversations about that. To be honest, sometimes One Direction was so manic, there literally wasn’t time to be across as many things as I am now. It’s really, really rewarding. It’s the same buzz that I get off writing songs. Like when we sat and we spoke about the idea for the Richard video, “Two of Us.” Then you actually watch the final piece, you’re like, “Wow, we’ve actually created something really interesting.” To a certain degree, important, that’s proper refreshing. Definitely.

You mentioned some of the One Direction videos. Has enough time passed that you can look back on it and feel nostalgic or does it still feel recent to you?

It still feels recent but there have been numerous times where I find myself kind of reminiscing about old videos on YouTube, interviews, or performances, whatever it is. There’s still that side of the nostalgia where you miss it as well. It’s like looking back on your school days or your university days. It gives you that funny feeling in your stomach where you miss it, definitely.

You said you filmed a video for the single after “Kill My Mind,” how long will we have to wait for it?

Because I have other songs that don’t really reflect the overall identity and sound of the album, I just want to get as much music out as I can before the album comes out. I’m pretty sure the plan is to release a song every month or every six weeks, so there’s more music out there. I want to really drive home who I’m trying to be as an artist. I think the next single’s coming middle of October, something like that.

Thanks so much for your time. Good luck with the album.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

[dailytomlinson]

Yes. What day is today? Friday. I think it’s due Monday or Tuesday. I think we’ve got some last few notes to do before signing off. So, yes, early next week.

I can’t wait to see it [KMM MV]. Do you know when it’s coming out?

[elceeu2morrow]

Mike Nied @mikeynied | September 13, 2019 12:00 pm

Louis Tomlinson switched things up on his new single “Kill My Mind.” And it’s proving to be a winning formula for the 27-year-old. In the last week, the indie-leaning pop/rock track has amassed several million listens on various streaming platforms. And it’s about to get another bump with the release of an accompanying video. Out today (September 13), the Charlie Lightening-directed project creates an ambiance that is in-line with the moody anthem. In it, Louis takes the stage under bright red lights to put a show for a packed crowd. As he’s doing that, a romantic subplot evolves within the audience.

Make sure to watch all the way through because there’s a preview of Louis’ next project in the final seconds. The “Back To You” crooner opened up about the video in an exclusive interview earlier this week. “Conceptually, for ‘Kill My Mind,’ I wanted it to be like all the Oasis videos I love,” he explained. How did he achieve the goal? “I wanted it to be more about the performance. Not focusing too much on a narrative and just being lit really well. I think we pulled it off. I’m excited about that one.” Give the video for the latest single off his (finished!) debut album a view below and let us know what you think.

[watch the video here]

[louistthegreatest]

But it does, honey. You want larries to stop larrying but you also want them to support Louis based on a relationship that never existed. Because you think Harry betrayed Louis which is as fake as saying Harry and Louis are happily married. Your fanfic isn't better than the fanfic larries currently choose to believe. Both are equally ridiculous. If you want Louis to develop a fanbase, maybe start by accepting him for who he is?

Listen honey, I'm a fan of Louis since October 2019, since I listened KMM and I discovered this talented and charismatic guy. I have never been a Larrie or 1D fan, I can like or dislike the people around him but I'm here for him and his music and I really wish him all the happiness, no matter who he dates (of course I hope he's with a person that makes him feel loved, respected and complete) .

I don't even know why you are in my blog when I have not tagged your Take Potatoes With Kidneys idol and I'm not interested in your biased point of view neither.

You mad because I exposed (some of) the blunders of Harry that his fans find so funny and normal? Well, deal with it.

[mindtap]

Witch Craft Works - First Impressions

Studio: J.C. Staff

Genre(s): Action, Fantasy, Supernatural, Seinen

OP: "divine intervention" by fhána

ED: "Witch☆Activity (ウィッチ��アクティビティ)" by KMM Dan (KMM団) Tanpopo Kuraishi (CV: Shiori Izawa), Tsurupeta (CV: Momo Asakura), Twintail (CV: Shiina Natsukawa), Gantai (CV: Yuuko Iida), and Deko (CV: Natsumi Hioka)

Summary: Living a normal school life, Takamiya Honoka's only excitement was the fact that he sat next to the school idol Kagari Ayaka. He never really got a chance to talk to her because a large group of people in the school would always be around Kagari. However, with a small drop of Takamiya's eraser, his normal life took a turn for the worse as Kagari's fan club beat him up for interacting with her. To top is off a random falling building was about to crush him, but Kagari swiftly came to his rescue dressed as a witch. Kagari then tell Takamiya it is her mission to protect him, and now she is forced to do it openly after keeping it a secret from him for so long.

A new year, and another season is here; so what do we have going into 2014? Well a big breasted, magical, high school girl who is flaunted over by the whole school, yet has a kuudere personality and is protecting a high school boy from other magically people. Why? Cause Anime!

I honestly didn't have much expectation going into Witch Craft Works; I basically bracing myself for some crazy amount of fanservice, and surprisingly got none of that. Witch Craft Works ended up being more action than anything -- probably front loading the more intense animation to bring people into the series. Either way we have some kind of tactic used to drive viewership.

As far as the story goes, it is a pretty simple one. It is a "Mr. Damsel in Distress", if you will, which I have to problem with; however, every time it is depicted, it feels more like a comedy act than anything. And Witch Craft Works is no different, the main male character Takamiya Honoka pretty much stumbles into trouble as soon as he is separated from Kagari Ayaka. Not only that but a small group of Kagari's fans is out to get him because Takamiya dared to make Kagari pick up an eraser for him. Even for a setting like high school, it felt far too petty and exaggerated in the attempt for comedy.

And why is everyone out to get Takamiya you might ask? Hell if I know. The students are the more obvious case, which is jealously, but the witches set out to kill him is a mystery. All the first episode established was Kagari was secretly protecting Takamiya for some time and now she is switching to a more upfront approach. Of course now that it is more public, Kagari being a revered person at school, Takamiya will have even more problems in his school life other than people attempting to kill him.

Right now there isn't much excitement to pull from this first episode, besides all the lovely ladies. Nearly every element of the series so far is going to annoy me and that makes me less confident in actually continuing to watch this anime, but I'm going to stick to the three episode test at least. So as of right now, Witch Craft Work isn't catching my eye, but it might change in the next few episodes. And with the appearance of five different witches out to get Takamiya, there might be something exciting in the pipeline.

Originally posted 2014-01-13 on the now shutdown sekijitsu.com

[louistomlinsoncouk]

I’ve always been quite inclined to get involved in conversations about that. To be honest, sometimes One Direction was so manic, there literally wasn’t time to be across as many things as I am now. It’s really, really rewarding. It’s the same buzz that I get off writing songs. Like when we sat and we spoke about the idea for the Richard video, “Two of Us.” Then you actually watch the final piece, you’re like, “Wow, we’ve actually created something really interesting.” To a certain degree, important, that’s proper refreshing. Definitely.

Louis about filming the KMM music video for Idolator