#ode to you in chicago

[mcmansionhell]

ode to a faux grecian urn

Howdy everyone,

Today's house, built in 2001, comes to you from, you guessed it, the Chicago suburbs. The house is a testimony to traditional craftsmanship and traditional values (having lots of money.) The cost of painting this house greige is approximately the GDP of Slovenia so the owners have decided to keep it period perfect (beige.) Anyway.

This 5 bedroom, 7.5 bathroom house clocks in at a completely reasonable 12,700 square feet. If you like hulking masses and all-tile interiors, it could be all yours for the reasonable price of $2.65 million.

The problem with having a house that is 12,700 square feet is that they have to go somewhere. At least 500 of them were devoted to this foyer. Despite the size, I consider this a rather cold and lackluster welcome. Cold feet anyone?

The theme of this house is, vaguely, "old stuff." Kind of like if Chuck E Cheese did the sets for Spartacus. Why the dining room is on a platform is a good question. The answer: the American mind desires clearly demarcated space, which, sadly, is verboten in our culture.

The other problem with a 12,700 square foot house is that even huge furniture looks tiny in it.

Entering cheat codes in "Kitchen Building Sim 2000" because I spent my entire $70,000 budget on the island.

Of course, a second sitting room (without television) is warranted. Personally, speaking, I'm team Prince.

I wonder why rich people do this. Surely they must know it's tacky right? That it's giving Liberace? (Ask your parents, kids.) That it's giving Art.com 75% off sale if you enter the code ROMANEMPIRE.

Something about the bathroom really just says "You know what, I give up. Who cares?" But this is not even the worst part of the bathroom...

Not gonna lie, this activates my flight or fight response.

If you remember Raggedy Ann you should probably schedule your first colonoscopy.

Anyways, that does it for the interior. Let's take a nice peek at what's out back.

I love mowing in a line. I love monomaniacal tasks that are lethal to gophers.

Alright, that does it for this edition of McMansion Hell. Back to the book mines for me. Bonus posts up on Patreon soon.

If you like this post and want more like it, support McMansion Hell on Patreon for as little as $1/month for access to great bonus content including a discord server, extra posts, and livestreams.

Not into recurring payments? Try the tip jar! Student loans just started back up!

[pathologicalreid]

an ode to a conversation stuck in your throat | s.r.

in which Spencer tries to talk you out of taking a job across the country

margotober masterlist

who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: fluff content warnings: miscommunication (sigh), very cheesy, brief mention of wine, defining the relationship, insecure spencer, easily confused reader, chemist!reader word count: 1.04k a/n: if i could go a week without writing a dwg song fic that would be crazy. also surprise it's chemist!reader again.

"Thanks for stopping so I could change,” you say to Spencer, leading the way into your apartment and locking the door behind you. “I’m sure lab dress code and David Rossi dress code are miles apart,” you continue, hanging your backpack on the wall.

Spencer hums in response, “You’d look great in anything you wear.”

Your face warms at the compliment, “You’re sweet. You can just wait out here, I shouldn’t be more than a couple of minutes,” you gesture to the living room, smiling at him before heading off to your room.

Nervously, you pull off your lab-safe attire and discard all of it into the laundry hamper before putting on the dress you’d chosen for dinner tonight. It’s not overly fancy, but you hope his team will like it. You hope his team will like you.

Looking at yourself in your dresser mirror, you reconsider your choice of shoes, switching from a pair of kitten heels to flats before walking out the door, “Hey, Spence, is Rossi’s patio heated, or should I bring a sweater for when the sun goes down?” You stop in your tracks when you find Spencer, still in the entryway, looking at the color-coded whiteboard calendar you keep by your front door, “What’s up?”

His hands are stuffed in the pockets of his slacks, and he looks upset. What’s worse is you think he might be upset with you. “What’s this dinner you have planned next Friday?”

You feel like a child who’s been caught doing something they shouldn’t be, draping the proposed sweater over the back of a kitchen stool and crossing your arms in front of your stomach. “It’s a work dinner,” you answer nervously.

“With?” Spencer asks, but he’s not pushy about it, there’s something desperate in his tone.

Pursing your lips, you look at the purple writing on the calendar, “The chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at Northwestern, and a representative from the college's dean. They’re offering me a job with a private lab and my own team of researchers… so they’re taking me out to dinner.”

Spencer’s face fell, “They’re offering you a job in Chicago?”

“Well, that’s where Northwestern is. Evanston, if you want to get technical about it,” you respond, chewing on the inside of your cheek.

He looks at you dumbfoundedly, “I don’t want to get technical about it. When were you going to tell me that you’re taking a job in Chicago?” It almost seems like he’s afraid.

You raise your eyebrows in curiosity, you’ve been seeing each other for a month, and you’ve never known Spencer to jump to conclusions. “I’m not,” you tell him, keeping your tone void of any accusation, “They’re just taking me to dinner.”

Spencer sighs, “But they’re offering you a job. In a different state. In a different timezone.”

Admittedly, he was beginning to sound a bit ridiculous to you, “Don’t you field offers from colleges all the time? They want you to teach or tell you to become Spencer Reid, PhD, PhD, PhD, PhD, or whatever?” 

His eyes follow you as you move to sit down at the kitchen counter, “It never gets as far as dinner.”

“I’m not taking the job,” you tell him simply, shrugging your shoulders demurely.

Spencer falters at that, knitting his brows together as he tries to piece together the answers you’re willingly giving him, “If you’re not taking the job then why are you going to dinner with them?”

Hiding a small smile, you give him the truth, “They pick up the tab. I go to a lot of these and I get good food out of the deal. These people love to schmooze but I’ve never been offered anything that I would be inclined to accept.” This specific job seemed perfect on the surface, but they weren’t willing to let you choose what to research. That was non-negotiable for you.

“I could schmooze you,” he insists, “You don’t need other people to schmooze you.”

You giggle at him, waving him over to you so you can look him in the eyes when you tell him, “I go for free food and good wine. No other reason.” Your smile was gentle, but inside your heart was pounding. He was scared I was going to leave, you think to yourself.

He sighs, “Will you… will you tell me in the future when you get these dinner offers?” His voice is tentative, almost as if he’s afraid you’ll think he’s asking too much of you.

Nodding, you reach out and take one of his hands in yours, “I can, but I didn’t think were at the ‘I’m being courted by another workplace, and I wanted to let you know’ stage yet. That’s kind of a girlfriend thing,” you explain.  

Spencer frowns, “Aren’t you?”

Tilting your head to the side, you look at him curiously, “Aren’t I what?”

“My girlfriend,” he clarifies.

Your eyes go wide, “Oh! I didn’t think so, I thought you had to ask yet.” Although you’re far from a relationship expert, you’d had to ask your PhD advisee what to wear before your first date with Spencer.

The panicked look on his face returns, “I’ve been telling people you’re my girlfriend. Should I not have been doing that?”

Shaking your head, you beam up at him, “I don’t mind. I just thought you had to ask about that kind of thing.”

“I don’t know,” he admits, “I’ve never really done this before.”

The two of you sit in an awkward silence for a moment before you decide to speak up again, “So, just so we’re on the same page. I’m not moving to Chicago.”

Spencer frowns again, and you have to hold yourself back from using your thumb to smooth out the crease on his forehead, “Will you?”

Confused, you lean your head back, “Move to Chicago?”

“Be my girlfriend,” he amends quickly.

You nod, “I would love to.”  

“And just so we’re on the same page,” he ducks his head down, so close to a kiss that it makes you feel dizzy, “I like to think I’m the only one who can really court you.”

Laughing, you lean forward and peck his lips, “I would be insulted if you didn’t think that.”

[hummingbee-lievable]

Song of the Day #24:

'Mile Magnificent' by Molly OfGeography (released 2019).

An apartment when it's empty echoes lovely, bright and clean

Sing odes to green-blue water that we stole so it comes free

All things end, it's part of living; forest fires feed the trees

Lift your glasses full of sunshine, sing a toast to gasoline

Track #4 on 'Myths'.

Fun fact: Molly refers to this song as 'The Song My Producer Said I Was Not Allowed To Name “CHICAGO IS BETTER THAN NEW YORK”'.* Honestly, her descriptions for some of the songs on this album are hilarious:

'1) The Song That Made My Producer Go, “Wait, What Was That Bit About Worms?”

2) The Song My Producer Said I Had To Append A Parenthetical To So That People Would Be Able To Find It Because The Lyrics Never Mention The Title Once But I Was Raised On Fanfiction So Joke’s On You, Pal! I Love A Long Title With A Parenthetical In It!!!

3) The Song That Is Sad'

Pretty dang accurate, honestly. Also, I think she has a Tumblr!!! *Gasp.* What if I...tag her???

@ofgeography Hiiii and thank you, your music is amazing.

I did it bees and knees (yes, this is my hip modern way of including every kind of person, fight me or provide more hilarious options; I'm content with either option).

I have had a fun time perusing this flavourful dose of humanity's wild website and I think my fun fact today should be her story where she becomes a donut god:

You're welcome, singular entity that reads this blog (that entity being my sister and/or the rogue bots, doesn't matter, we're all friends here).

Personal blurb: Alright, full disclosure time: I discovered this artist because of the 'Good Omens' fandom. Someone said we were missing out on feelings and shared this song, and when I tell you I felt those feelings, I certainly don't mean that I danced to this on repeat for several months (and her 'Hanahaki (Bloom)'), often at 3 in the morning in the bathroom. Of course not.

Pro tip: dancing with your toothbrush in your mouth is a choking hazard, but in the spirit of Alanis Morissette, I recommend doing it anyway:

One of my favourite books in the world is 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers. In it, one of the themes that arises often is the concept of pyrophitic serotinous plants (it's okay, I won't remember it either). They are plants that need fire to open. (There are actually different types of pyrophitic plants, from passive to fire-activated but I probably shouldn't start talking about that because you'll need to pull out the duct tape.)

(Technically, 'serotinous' plants are a category in which plants release seeds over a longer period of time, and it doesn't matter how they are released, but the seeds that open by fire fit into this category.) The eucalyptus tree, the lodgehole pine, and other pyrophitic serotinous trees encase their seeds in resin that can only be melted by fire (thereby releasing the seeds).

The thing that I love about this concept is this: we need to burn to grow. I recently read this book called 'Life in Oil' about the Cofàn tribe in Ecuador who were drastically impacted by oil companies. And the thing was: Yes. They were impacted horribly (physically, psychologically, environmentally, the works). They also survived. They figured out, through tumult and trial and falling apart, how to keep going. And for every hard moment and loss, there was laughter and love to accompany it. The book was wonderful in that it confronted the concept of trauma on a large group of people. We are never just our trauma, but the balance of everything else as well. I think that gets lost, sometimes. Makes us seem less human.

This song screams to me of that same instinct. I mean, look at us. This is what we do, isn't it? We fight, we fall, we continue. We're just like every other aspect of nature in that we are born, and in our fight to continue, we impact everything around us. We're just a part of the cycle and eventually we will decay back to where we belong and serve as soil for our children. And all we'll be? A story. And after a while, not even that. Just a whisper of what was.

In a way? I find that freeing. We might as well live the life we want to live; how little it will matter. (This isn't absolution, please don't go murdering people.) I just mean that I don't have to put so much weight into every little thing. Not everything has to be joyful or depressing (and if we really think about it, everything is always a balance of both). It can just be what it is.

We are as we are. And we don't have to love ourselves for it, but we don't have to hate ourselves either.

I love the lyrics to this song. For a long time, I misheard 'We're animals of love/ the city never makes us beg' as 'the city never makes us pay' and I don't know why? But I kind of like that image.

We are animals of love. And that's okay.

We are the cogs in a continuous cycle and we always will be.

I think often of this monologue (content warning for the video, it's gory, but you don't need to watch it, you can just listen) from 'Midnight Mass', in regards to this:

(It sort of lives in my brain on a regular basis now; hope it takes up good residence in your brain, too.)

We just are. Everything just is.

[thegeekyartist]

The end of a year-long personal project has finally come! 💖

I'm primarily an oil painter, but I love playing around with collage. This year, I challenged myself to make one artist trading card (mini collage) every week of 2024 to complete a full 52 card deck. My theme? A collage based on one song that I couldn't stop listening to that week. I've now got a full deck of artwork plus a banging playlist. ✨

Click below to see what I was listening to, or check out the whole playlist I made for it! 💖

1. A Change is Gonna Come - Greta Van Fleet

2. Eat Your Young - Hozier

3. Coffee Cold - Galt MacDermot

4. Burning Down the House - Paramore

5. Understand - Hippo Campus

6. Bambi - Hippo Campus

7. How to Build a Planet - Kansas Bible Company

8. No Instructions - The Happy Fits

9. Hard Times - Paramore

10. Oh! Darling - Florence Welch

11. Supersonic Rocket Ship - The Kinks

12. Too Sweet - Hozier

13. Take Me to the River - Lorde

14. OutRight - Wild Party

15. Stupid Love - Lady Gaga

16. Femininomenon - Chappell Roan

17. Good Luck Babe - Chappell Roan

18. Holy - Frightened Rabbit

19. Curse Me Good - The Heavy

20. Street Player - Chicago

20. Eye Know - De La Soul

22. HOT TO GO! - Chappell Roan

23. THE BADDEST - Joey Valence and Brae

24. August - flipturn

25. Busy Earnin' - Jungle

26. The Staunton Lick - Lemon Jelly

27. Slow Sipper - The Dip

28. SOS - Timothy Fleet and Wayne Murray

29. ode to rashaan - berlioz

30. Abstract (Psychopomp) - Hozier

31. Scars - The Crane Wives

32. Nobody's Soldier - Hozier

33. Girls - The Dare

34. Star Trek Theme (Main Title) - Alexander Courage

35. Alien Blues - Vundabar

36. enknee1 - hemlocke springs

37. Six Below - flipturn

38. The Moon Will Sing - The Crane Wives

39. Arcturus Beaming - The Crane Wives

40. Concrete - Dolores Forever

41. Introduction to the Snow - Miracle Musical

42. The Bottom of It - Fruit Bats

43. Visitor - Of Monsters and Men

44. Black Water - Of Monsters and Men

45. Space Cadet - The Technicolors

46. No. 1 Party Anthem - Arctic Monkeys

47. Piece of Me - Britney Spears

48. Nobody Sees Me Like You Do - Yoko Ono, The Apples in Stereo

49. Too Close - Sir Chloe

50. DENIAL IS A RIVER - Doechii

51. Teddy Picker - Arctic Monkeys

52. Blue Hair - TV Girl

[swifty-fox]

What did you think of The Bikeriders?

omg Im a lilll drunk so.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW:

I honestly think its the best movie I've seen since Green Knight. The sound design is phenomenal, the soundtrack is deeply immersive. I think (not sure) they used real film so it had that lovely 60's grain and bloom that made me feel like I was watching a documentary more than anything else. I think the plot was clear and concise and enjoyable without being overcomplicated or trying to make any sort of broad statements. It knew what it was and it did it well.

Jodie Comer/Kathy was PHENOMINAL!!! She was funny qitty, she made me Feel like she was a 60's housewife in Chicago. The accent was flawless, her hair and wardrobe reminded me of my grandma (in the best sort of way) and you really feel for her and connect with her the entire time. Her facial expressions had me laughing several times.

Tom Hardy/Johnny was wonderful of course, it's Tom hardy. he nails the accent, honestly everybody did. And like. It's Tom Hardy man. He acts like he wants to fuck whoever he's talking to its his signature. but he plays the sensitive biker so well, he was great in every scene he was in and It felt like watching an aging lion with his pride. This bittersweet melancholy colored with utmost respect. i won't give spoilers but once you watch it you'll understand.

Norman Reedus/Sonny!!!!! he wasnt in it a ton but he CRUSHED every scene he was in I was cracking up every time he opened his mouth you could just tell he was having a blast playing an absolute Bum. He's not hugely important to the plot but he was just a delight to watch.

Austin Butler/Benny was just....beautiful. It won't make sense until you watch it but he doesn't exist. but he does. but he also doesn't. He's a real man but he's symbolic of the biker spirit. We know nothing about him but we come to understand him so well. he's a tomcat who desperately wants you to scratch his head, and then he's a prize thoroughbred who will run until its heart gives out if given the chance and he wouldn't choose to be any other way. he has very few speaking lines but he OWNS every scene he's in. He's got all the sex appeal of Marlon Brando and all the bad boy charisma od James Dean. but jesus christ give this man a shower and some clean clothes. He's. hot. He's vulnerable. he's unkillable because he's a mythological figure more than a man. he takes a role that could have been deeply 2D and makes it something DELICIOUS.

My only complaint is sometimes it was hard to hear lines over the background noise/the motorcycle engines.

[louisupdates]

FULL ARTICLE ON EUPHORIAZINE

By Saskia Postema 26.4.2024

Mere days after winning “Artist of the Year” at the inaugural Northern Music Awards, Louis Tomlinson is celebrating the only way he knows how – by giving back. Tomlinson just dropped a surprise album, which includes a curated list of live performances over the past years. It’s a risky move, as live albums are notoriously difficult to make worthwhile. But there’s no doubt about it: Tomlinson is deserving of that award, and the recordings on Louis Tomlinson: LIVE deserve to live forever.

After an initial stop-start to his solo career, Tomlinson has certainly flourished since finally getting to hit the stage. He’s been touring extensively over the past few years, performing a mix of tracks from his first two albums. Both were solid records that heavily referenced anthemic, rich sonic soundscapes. In fact, Tomlinson previously admitted that he wrote certain tracks with a live show in mind. Indeed, songs like “Face The Music,” “Out Of My System” and “The Greatest,” from his No. 1 selling album Faith in the Future, absolutely benefit from the live instrumentals compared to their studio versions.

It isn’t often that live performances consistently seem to not only live up to but objectively improve the perfectly engineered studio recordings. Perhaps it’s the love that the album so clearly captures for live music that does it. The singer-songwriter is an avid fan of his own fans and gets to share a collective experience of joy with them. Just listen to the crowds serenading Tomlinson in return during “Chicago,” recorded live in – you guessed it, Chicago. From Tomlinson’s perspective, audiences across the world have always been part of breathing life into these live recordings. Now, people get to live that same experience with him by listening to this record that is woven together with impeccably mixed joyful screaming in the background.

Tomlinson’s storytelling isn’t hindered by the crowd’s reaction. Rather, it is bolstered by it. In both power ballads like “Common People” as well as raucous tracks like “Silver Tongues.” The live setting seems to function almost akin to a prism – each song shining brighter, richer, fuller. Perhaps the only track that is tighter in the original version, is the seductive “Written All Over Your Face.” Nonetheless, the instrumental break and palpable, wild excitement make for an enjoyable listen.

Similarly, right in the middle of the highly addictive “All This Time/We Are Beauty” mash-up, a fan can be heard screaming “I love you” if you listen closely. The sheer adulation of the crowd is decidedly earned. Tomlinson has worked hard to prove himself, despite never having lacked the talent. Perhaps merely the confidence that he could do it, would do it, has done it. Nevertheless, he’s been open about the tension between his own love for music, and his at times debilitating need for perfection. As he’s settled into his career, a quiet undertone of determination and grit, of relief and fulfillment – of gratitude remains in every single show.

On “Saturdays,” you can actually hear Tomlinson mumble that the view’s never been better from where he’s stood on stage. It’s a high-maintenance track with all the right ingredients for a Tomlinson classic. There’s confessional lyricism, emotive delivery, and a gradual yet powerful crescendo in musical arrangement. It needs to be sung with conviction, and it’s clear that Tomlinson pulls power from the audience to deliver.

Notably, none of the covers that Tomlinson frequently incorporates in his concerts made it onto this live album. With that in mind, perhaps this release signals that Tomlinson has finally embraced his own artistry. Because if anything, Louis Tomlinson: LIVE is a reckless celebration record. An ode to joy, the synergy between artist and audience, and the impact of well-timed, flawlessly executed live guitar solos.

[shefanispeculator]

Words and phrases like "nostalgia" or "back to her roots" come to mind when listening to Gwen Stefani´s fifth studio album, "Bouquet" - and it is in no way negative.

Across 10-tracks, the powerhouse singer leans into the mellow rock of her youth - think Hall & Oates, Chicago, Fleetwood Mac - with dashes of country vibes here and there. Her voice is ageless, unaltered and distinctive, immediately recalling the early aughts when No Doubt still existed, and Stefani was still a bit of a ska girl.

Thematically, however, the songs are about a woman who´s been through the ringer - but life gave her a reprieve in her second act, and she found stability, lots of flowers and no mo´ drama. In that way, "Bouquet" is a not so furtive ode to husband Blake Shelton - who she met and fell in love with while they were both coaches on the singing reality competition show, "The Voice." At the time, they were both going through divorces

On "Bouquet," the Stefani-Shelton romance arrives through yacht rock sounds and flowery language in songs with titles like "Marigolds," "Late to Bloom" and "Empty Vase." When the album reaches its end, it is with a duet with Shelton on "Purple Irises."

If the album tells a story of her relationship, it starts with the opener "Somebody Else's." Stefani starts off the proceedings by listing her previous romantic entanglement and bad choices. "I don´t know what a heart like mine/Was doin´ in a love like that, ah," she sings. "I don´tknowwhata woman likeme/Was doin´ witha man like you, ooh."

It's a direct counter to the title track, where the focus appears to be back on Shelton: "We met when my heart was broken/Thank God that yours was, too," she shares. "So lucky that you were goin'/ Through what I was goin' through."

In "Late to Bloom," she decries the fact that they met so late in life.

A nice bass progression, a clever turn of the phrase and a great voice are what it takes to get this album going. Add a cohesive theme, a pleasant vibe and a charismatic star -- and that's coming up roses.

[hldailyupdate]

Mere days after winning “Artist of the Year” at the inaugural Northern Music Awards, Louis Tomlinson is celebrating the only way he knows how – by giving back. Tomlinson just dropped a surprise album, which includes a curated list of live performances over the past years. It’s a risky move, as live albums are notoriously difficult to make worthwhile. But there’s no doubt about it: Tomlinson is deserving of that award, and the recordings on Louis Tomlinson: LIVE deserve to live forever.

After an initial stop-start to his solo career, Tomlinson has certainly flourished since finally getting to hit the stage. He’s been touring extensively over the past few years, performing a mix of tracks from his first two albums. Both were solid records that heavily referenced anthemic, rich sonic soundscapes. In fact, Tomlinson previously admitted that he wrote certain tracks with a live show in mind. Indeed, songs like “Face The Music,” “Out Of My System” and “The Greatest,” from his No. 1 selling album Faith in the Future, absolutely benefit from the live instrumentals compared to their studio versions.

It isn’t often that live performances consistently seem to not only live up to but objectively improve the perfectly engineered studio recordings. Perhaps it’s the love that the album so clearly captures for live music that does it. The singer-songwriter is an avid fan of his own fans and gets to share a collective experience of joy with them. Just listen to the crowds serenading Tomlinson in return during “Chicago,” recorded live in – you guessed it, Chicago. From Tomlinson’s perspective, audiences across the world have always been part of breathing life into these live recordings. Now, people get to live that same experience with him by listening to this record that is woven together with impeccably mixed joyful screaming in the background.

Tomlinson’s storytelling isn’t hindered by the crowd’s reaction. Rather, it is bolstered by it. In both power ballads like “Common People” as well as raucous tracks like “Silver Tongues.” The live setting seems to function almost akin to a prism – each song shining brighter, richer, fuller. Perhaps the only track that is tighter in the original version, is the seductive “Written All Over Your Face.” Nonetheless, the instrumental break and palpable, wild excitement make for an enjoyable listen.

Similarly, right in the middle of the highly addictive “All This Time/We Are Beauty” mash-up, a fan can be heard screaming “I love you” if you listen closely. The sheer adulation of the crowd is decidedly earned. Tomlinson has worked hard to prove himself, despite never having lacked the talent. Perhaps merely the confidence that he could do it, would do it, has done it. Nevertheless, he’s been open about the tension between his own love for music, and his at times debilitating need for perfection. As he’s settled into his career, a quiet undertone of determination and grit, of relief and fulfillment – of gratitude remains in every single show.

On “Saturdays,” you can actually hear Tomlinson mumble that the view’s never been better from where he’s stood on stage. It’s a high-maintenance track with all the right ingredients for a Tomlinson classic. There’s confessional lyricism, emotive delivery, and a gradual yet powerful crescendo in musical arrangement. It needs to be sung with conviction, and it’s clear that Tomlinson pulls power from the audience to deliver.

Notably, none of the covers that Tomlinson frequently incorporates in his concerts made it onto this live album. With that in mind, perhaps this release signals that Tomlinson has finally embraced his own artistry. Because if anything, Louis Tomlinson: LIVE is a reckless celebration record. An ode to joy, the synergy between artist and audience, and the impact of well-timed, flawlessly executed live guitar solos.

[alldancersaretalented]

Project 21 Solo Comp Results Season 9

Nuvo Meadowlands (September 29-October 1, 2024)

Junior Solos:

6th: Bristyn Scifres (Ode To The Blue)

7th: Berkeley Scifres (Interrogation Room)

Jump Las Vegas (October 20-22, 2023)

Mini Solos:

4th: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Junior Solos:

3rd: Berkeley Scifres (L.O.V.E.)

4th: Bristyn Scifres (Little Secrets)

5th: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

7th: Madelyn Nasu (This Will Be)

7th: Leilani Lawlor (Cold Hearted Snake)

Teen Solos:

1st: Gracyn French (Sillhouetted in Sunshine)

5th: Stella Eberts (Nebula)

5th: Richie Granese (Black Sea)

10th: Lilly Barajas (Bone Marrow Stem)

10th: Ally Choi (Echo)

Senior Solos:

3rd: Avery Reyes (I Dare You)

3rd: Sammi Chung (The Silent Word)

4th: Lexi Blanchard (Fame)

Nuvo Tulsa (October 27-29, 2023)

Senior Solos:

4th: Kami Couch (Red Desert)

5th: Katie Couch (NERA)

24Seven San Diego (October 27-29, 2023)

Mini Solos:

5th: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

6th: Aliya Yen (All That Jazz)

Junior Solos:

4th: Berkeley Scifres (L.O.V.E.)

5th: Bristyn Scifres (Little Secrets)

5th: Sara Von Rotz (Absolute Final Goodbye)

5th: Kira Lieberman (Awakening)

6th: Madelyn Nasu (This Will Be)

6th: Ellie Anbarden (Somebody Help Me)

7th: Leilani Lawlor (Cold Hearted Snake)

10th: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

Teen Solos:

2nd: Gracyn French (Silhouetted In Sunshine)

3rd: Brooklyn Ladia (Sing It Back)

4th: Richie Granese (Black Sea)

5th: Ally Choi (Echo)

8th: Dillon Barron (Moon Song)

8th: Lilly Barajas (Bone Marrow Stem)

8th: Stella Eberts (Nebula)

9th: Brooklyn Lieberman (The Clock)

10th: Brielle Lieberman (Happiness)

Senior Solos:

2nd: Sammi Chung (The Silent Word)

YAGP San Diego (November 2024)

Pre-Competitive, Contemporary

3rd: Aliya Yen (Matrix)

Pre-Competitive, Classical

Didn't Place: Aliya Yen (Kitri Act III Don Quixote)

Didn't Place: Aliya Yen (Coppelia)

24Seven Chicago (November 3-5, 2023)

Teen Solos:

3rd: Gracyn French (Paul Is Dying)

Radix Anaheim (December 8-10,2024)

Mini Solos:

7th: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Junior Solos:

5th: Sara Von Rotz (Absolute Final Goodbye)

10th: Leilani Lawlor (Cold Hearted Snake)

Teen Solos:

2nd: Gracyn French (Paul Is Dying)

5th: Richie Granese (Black Sea)

7th: Brooklyn Ladia (Sing It Back)

Didn't Place: Stella Eberts (Nebula)

Senior Solos:

2nd: Sammi Chung (The Silent Word)

24Seven Provo (January 18-20, 2024)

Teen Solos:

5th: Brooklyn Ladia (Sing It Back)

NYCDA Vancouver (January 19-21, 2024)

Junior Solos:

16th: Sara Von Rotz (Light Surrounds)

Nuvo Los Angeles (January 19-21, 2024)

Junior Solos:

4th: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

5th: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

7th: Kira Lieberman (Awakening)

9th: Bristyn Scifres (Perderse)

Teen Solos:

2nd: Brielle Lieberman (Going Under)

3rd: Gracyn French (Pale Blue Sun)

4th: Ally Choi (Let's Fall)

7th: Richie Granese (The Way You Take Up Space)

Didn't Place: Brooklyn Lieberman (More Than One Time)

Senior Solos:

7th: Lexi Blanchard (Catching Smoke)

Nuvo Santa Clara (February 9-11, 2024)

Mini Solos:

1st: Aliya Yen (Before It Ends)

3rd: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Junior Solos:

3rd: Sara Von Rotz (Light Surrounds)

4th: Regan Gerena (Heartburn)

Teen Solos:

3rd: Gracyn French (Pale Blue Sun)

5th: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

7th: Makeila Bartlett (Liquid Slow)

7th: Richie Granese (The Way You Take Up Space)

10th: Lilly Barajas (Falling Inwards)

10th: Brielle Lieberman (Going Under)

Senior Solos:

4th: Loila Rhee (Rework)

6th: Kami Couch (Volant)

6th: Sammi Chung (In One Ear)

8th: Avery Reyes (Tell Me Why)

10th: Katie Couch (Winding And Unwinding)

Didn't Place: Kenzie Couch (Siren)

Didn't Place: Lexi Blanchard (Fame)

KAR Redondo Beach (February 16-18, 2024)

Top Elite Solo 9-11:

4th: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Top Elite Solo 12-14:

2nd: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

Elite Miss Junior Dance:

2nd Runner-Up: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Elite Miss Teen Dance:

1st: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

Other:

Cece Chung: Elite Solo NYC All Stars, Elite Solo HDE All Stars

Chloe Mirabal: Elite Solo NYC All Stars, Elite Solo HDE All Stars

Seven Detroit (February 16-18, 2024)

Senior Solos:

5th: Kami Couch (Volant)

5th: Katie Couch (Winding And Unwinding)

6th: Kenzie Couch (Siren)

NYCDA Las Vegas (February 23-25, 2024)

Teen Solos:

15th: Ally Choi (Let's Fall)

YAGP San Diego (February)

Pre-Competitive, Contemporary

Didn't Place (Higher): Aliya Yen (Before It Ends)

Pre-Competitive, Classical

Top 12: Aliya Yen (Kitri Act III Don Quixote)

Top 12: Aliya Yen (Graduation Ball)

NYCDA Santa Clara (March 1-3, 2024)

Mini Solos:

3rd: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Junior Solos:

2nd: Ellie Anbarden (Somebody Help Me)

3rd: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

4th: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

10th: Kira Lieberman (Awakening)

13th: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

Teen Solos:

3rd: Gracyn French (Paul Is Dying)

6th: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

14th: Airi Dela Ccruz (To Build A Home)

17th: Makeila Bartlett (Red Shadow)

19th: Dillon Barron (Beneath The Surface)

Senior Solos:

3rd: Sammi Chung (In One Ear)

4th: Kami Couch (Volant)

7th: Loila Rhee (Rework)

9th: Lexi Blanchard (Fame)

11th: Katie Couch (Winding And Unwinding)

15th: Kenzie Couch (Siren)

Radix Dallas (March 8-10, 2024)

Junior Solos:

3rd: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

4th: Regan Gerena (Heartburn)

Teen Solos:

3rd: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

NYCDA Tulsa (March 8-10, 2024)

Teen Solos:

14th: Richie Granese (Black Sea)

Adrenaline Los Angeles (March 8-10, 2024)

Mini Solos:

3rd: Cece Chung (Move)

24Seven Anaheim (March 22-24, 2024)

Mini Solos:

1st: Aliya Yen (Mink, Schmink)

Junior Solos:

1st: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

1st: Sara Von Rotz (Champagne Taste)

1st: Ellie Anbarden (Somebody Help Me)

3rd: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

3rd Regan Gerena (Heartburn)

Teen Solos

3rd: Gracyn French (El Tango De Roxanne)

4th: Richie Granese (Black Sea)

4th: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

10th: Leighton Werner (Back To Black)

Senior Solos:

3rd: Avery Reyes (Tell Me Why)

5th: Lexie Blanchard (Fame)

5th: Sammi Chung (In One Ear)

6th: Katie Couch (Winding And Unwinding)

6th: Kami Couch (Volant)

7th: Loila Rhee (Rework)

7th: Kenzie Couch (Siren)

Ultra Mesa (April 5-7, 2024)

Top Ultra Competitive 12-14 Solos:

9th: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

24Seven Bellevue (April 5-7, 2024)

Mini Solos:

7th: Delaney Anbarden (Hollyrock)

Junior Solos:

4th: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

Showcase Only Solo: Sara Von Rotz (Champagne Taste)

Showcase Only Solo: Ellie Anbarden (Somebody Help Me)

24Seven Glendale (April 19-21, 2024)

Mini Solos:

6th: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Junior Solos:

1st: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

2nd: Leilani Lawlor (Take Note)

6th: Regan Gerena (Over The Rainbow)

7th: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

Teen Solos:

1st: Richie Granese (Nothing More Simple)

2nd: Brooklyn Ladia (The Middle Is The End)

2nd: Gracyn French (El Tango De Roxanne)

2nd: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

6th: Dillon Barron (Beneath The Surface)

Senior Solos:

2nd: Lexi Blanchard (Clay Pigeons)

3rd: Kami Couch (Volant)

3rd: Katie Couch (Winding And Unwinding)

4th: Loila Rhee (Rework)

4th: Kenzie Couch (Siren)

5th: Sammi Chung (The Silent Word)

5th: Avery Reyes (I Dare You)

Nuvo Westminster (April 26-28, 2024)

Junior Solos:

Didn't Place: Kira Lieberman (Awakening)

Teen Solos:

Brielle Lieberman (Going Under)

24Seven Houston (April 26-28, 2024)

Junior Solos:

1st: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

NYCDA Provo (April 25-27, 2024)

Junior Solos:

8th: Sara Von Rotz (Champagne Taste)

NYCDA Lake Geneva (April 26-28, 2024)

Teen Solos:

4th: Ally Choi (Echo)

Nuvo Provo (May 2-4, 2024)

Junior Solos:

4th: Ellie Anbarden (Somebody Help Me)

9th: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

24Seven Dallas (May 3-5, 2024)

Senior Solos:

6th: Lexi Blanchard (Clay Pigeons)

KAR Exclusive Long Beach (May 4-5, 2024)

Miss Elite Teen Dance

2nd Runner-Up: Leighton Werner (Back To Black)

Jump Honolulu (May 10-12, 2024)

Junior Solos:

2nd: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

2nd: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

3rd: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

5th: Kira Lieberman (Awakening)

6th: Sara Von Rotz (Champagne Taste)

Teen Solos:

1st: Richie Granese (Black See)

5th: Lilly Barajas (All I Wanted)

6th: Makeila Bartlett (Red Shadow)

6th: Dillon Barron (Beneath The Surface)

6th: Ally Choi (Let's Fall)

NYCDA Phoenix (May 10-12, 2024)

Mini Solos:

2nd: Aliya Yen (Before It Ends)

Junior Solos:

4th: Regan Gerena

Teen Solos:

2nd: Brooklyn Ladia (The Middle Is The End)

14th: Leighton Werner (Back To Black)

NYCDA Meadowlands (May 10-12, 2024)

Mini Solos:

didn't place: Olivia Armstrong (About That Walk)

Radix Portland (May 10-12, 2024)

Junior Solos:

2nd: Chloe Mirabal (Woman)

24Seven Orlando (May 10-12, 2024)

Teen Solos:

didn't place: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

KAR Long Beach (May 17-19, 2024)

Top Elite Solo 12-14

1st: Airi Dela Cruz (To Build A Home)

Other:

Airi Dela Cruz: Elite Ultimate Performance, Elite Solo HDE All Stars

Nuvo Phoenix (May 17-19, 2024)

Junior Solos:

3rd: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

6th: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

Teen Solos:

5th: Gracyn French (Paul Is Dying)

Gravit8 Orange County (May 30-June 2, 2024)

Elite Teen Solos:

2nd: Sara Von Rotz (The Calling)

KAR Riverside (May 31-June 2, 2024)

Top Elite Solo 12-14

2nd: Ally Choi (Let's Fall)

Top Elite Solo 15-19:

1st: Gracyn French (El Tango De Roxanne)

Placed with other solo: Gracyn French (Paul Is Dying)

Placed with other solo: Gracyn French (Pale Blue Sun)

Elite Miss Teen Dance

1st Runner-Up: Ally Choi (Let's Fall)

Elite Miss Dance

1st: Gracyn French (El Tango De Roxanne)

Other:

Gracyn French: Elite Solo HDE All Stars, Elite Ultimate Performance

Ally Choi: Elite Solo HDE All Stars, Elite Ultimate Performance

Ultra Ontario (June 6-9, 2024)

Top Ultra Competitive Solo 12-14

4th: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

19th: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

Ultra Competitive Teen Icon of the Year

Finalist: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

Starbound Upland (June 7-9, 2024)

Junior Elite Solos:

1st: Aliya Yen (Before It Ends)

2nd: Aliya Yen (Mink, Schmink)

KAR Nationals Las Vegas (June 30-July 7, 2024)

Top Elite Solo 15-19:

3rd: Gracyn French (Chemtrails Over The Country Club)

Other:

Gracyn French: Elite Ultimate Performance

TDA Orlando (July 6-13, 2024)

Mini Female BDs:

Top 10: Aliya Yen (Before It Ends)

Didn't Place: Cece Chung (Copacobana)

Junior Finals Solos:

4th: Regan Gerena (The Hollows)

Junior Female BDs:

Winner: Regan Gerena (That's Life)

Top 10: Berkeley Scifres (Cornet Man)

Top 10: Bristyn Scifres (It Cannot Be)

Top 10: Sara Von Rotz (Champagne Taste)

Didn't Place: Olivia Armstrong (When I Go)

Didn't Place: Leilani Lawlor (Taking Note)

Didn't Place: Kira Lieberman (Awakening)

Teen Finals Solos:

1st: Gracyn French (El Tango De Roxanne)

Didn't Place: Brooklyn Ladia (Sing It Back)

Didn't Place: Leighton Werner (Drag Me Down)

Didn't Place: Lilly Barajas (All I Wanted)

Didn't Place: Stella Eberts (Bloom)

Didn't Place: Brielle Lieberman (Happiness)

Teen Female BDs:

2nd Runner-Up: Gracyn French (Chemtrails Over The Country Club)

Top 20: Brooklyn Ladia (The Middle Is The End)

Didn't Place: Leighton Werner (Back To Black)

Didn't Place: Lilly Barajas (Falling Inwards)

Didn't Place: Stella Eberts (Nothing More Simple)

Didn't Place: Brielle Lieberman (Going Under)

Senior Finals Solos:

Didn't Place: Sammi Chung (In One Ear)

Didn't Place: Lexi Blanchard (Fame)

Senior Female BDs:

Top 10: Sammi Chung (The Silent Word)

Top 20: Lexi Blanchard (Clay Pigeons)

Scholarships:

Non-Stop Dancer Winners (24Seven):

Aliya Yen (Mini): San Diego

Ellie Anbarden (Junior): Anaheim

Regan Gerena (Junior): San Diego)

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Anaheim

Savanna Musman (Junior): Anaheim

Madelyn Nasu (Junior): Glendale

Bristyn Scifres (Junior): San Diego

Berkeley Scifres (Junior): San Diego

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): San Diego

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Glendale

Dillon Barron (Teen): Glendale

Ally Choi (Teen): Glendale

Stella Eberts (Teen): San Diego

Gracyn French (Teen): San Diego

Richie Granese (Teen): Glendale

Mady Kim (Teen): Anaheim

Brooklyn Ladia (Teen): San Diego

Leighton Werner (Teen): Anaheim

Lexi Blanchard (Senior): Glendale

Katie Couch (Senior): Anaheim

Kami Couch (Senior): Anaheim

Kenzie Couch (Senior): Detroit

Avery Reyes (Senior): Anaheim

Non-Stop Dancer Runner-Ups (24Seven):

Delaney Anbarden (Mini): Anaheim, Bellevue, Glendale

Cece Chung (Mini): San Diego, Anaheim, Glendale

Ellie Anbarden (Junior): San Diego

Olivia Armstrong (Junior): Anaheim

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): San Diego

Kira Lieberman (Junior): San Diego, Glendale

Chloe Mirabal (Junior): San Diego, Anaheim, Glendale

Madelyn Nasu (Junior): San Diego, Anaheim

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Anaheim

Dillon Barron (Teen): San Diego, Anaheim

Makeila Bartlett (Teen): Anaheim, Glendale

Ally Choi (Teen): San Diego, Anaheim

Airi Dela Cruz (Teen): Anaheim, Glendale

Richie Granese (Teen): San Diego, Anaheim

Brielle Lieberman (Teen): San Diego

Brooklyn Lieberman (Teen): San Diego, Anaheim, Glendale

Lexi Blanchard (Senior): Anaheim

Sammi Chung (Senior): San Diego

Katie Couch (Senior): Detroit

Kami Couch (Senior): Detroit

Loila Rhee (Senior): Anaheim, Glendale

High Five in Jazz (24Seven):

Lilly Barajas (Teen): San Diego

Brielle Lieberman (Teen): Anaheim, Glendale

Brooklyn Safford (Teen): Anaheim

High Five in Hip-Hop (24Seven):

Cali Cassidy (Teen): Anaheim

High Five in Ballroom (24Seven):

Olivia Armstrong (Junior): Glendale

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Bellevue

Jump VIPs (Jump):

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Honolulu

Berkeley Scifres (Junior): Las Vegas

Bristyn Scifres (Junior): Las Vegas

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): Honolulu

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Honolulu

Gracyn French (Teen): Las Vegas

Lexi Blanchard (Senior): Las Vegas

Jump VIP Runner-Ups (Jump):

Cece Chung (Mini): Las Vegas

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Las Vegas

Kira Lieberman (Junior): Honolulu

Chloe Mirabal (Junior): Las Vegas

Madelyn Nasu (Junior): Las Vegas

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Las Vegas

Dillon Barron (Teen): Honolulu

Makeila Bartlett (Teen): Honolulu

Ally Choi (Teen): Las Vegas, Honolulu

Stella Eberts (Teen): Las Vegas

Richie Granese (Teen): Las Vegas, Honolulu

Sammi Chung (Senior): Las Vegas

Avery Reyes (Senior): Las Vegas

BreakOut Artists (Nuvo):

Aliya Yen (Mini): Santa Clara

Ellie Anbarden (Junior): Provo

Regan Gerena (Junior): Santa Clara

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Santa Clara

Kira Lieberman (Junior): Santa Clara

Chloe Mirabal (Junior): Santa Clara

Bristyn Scifres (Junior): Meadowlands

Berkeley Scifres (Junior): Meadowlands

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): Santa Clara

Stella Eberts (Teen): Santa Clara

Gracyn French (Teen): Los Angeles

Brielle Lieberman (Teen): Westminster

Lexi Blanchard (Senior): Los Angeles

Kami Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Avery Reyes (Senior): Santa Clara

BreakOut Artist Runner-Ups (Nuvo):

Delaney Anbarden (Mini): Santa Clara

Ellie Anbarden (Junior): Santa Clara

Olivia Armstrong (Junior): Santa Clara

Regan Gerena (Junior): Los Angeles

Savanna Musman (Junior): Los Angeles, Santa Clara

Madelyn Nasu (Junior): Santa Clara

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Los Angeles

Dillon Barron (Teen): Santa Clara

Makeila Bartlett (Teen): Santa Clara

Ally Choi (Teen): Los Angeles, Santa Clara

Airi Dela Cruz (Teen): Santa Clara

Stella Eberts (Teen): Los Angeles

Richie Granese (Teen): Los Angeles, Santa Clara

Mady Kim (Teen): Santa Clara

Brooklyn Ladia (Teen): Santa Clara

Brooklyn Lieberman (Teen): Santa Clara

Brielle Lieberman (Teen): Los Angeles, Santa Clara

Brooklyn Safford (Teen): Santa Clara

Sammi Chung (Senior): Santa Clara

Kenzie Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Katie Couch (Senior): Tulsa, Santa Clara

Kami Couch (Senior): Tulsa

Loila Rhee (Senior): Santa Clara

StandOut in Jazz & Contemporary (Nuvo):

Cece Chung (Mini): Santa Clara

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Santa Clara

Dillon Barron (Teen): Los Angeles

Kira Lieberman (Teen): Los Angeles

StandOut in Ballet (Nuvo):

Brooklyn Lieberman (Teen): Los Angeles

StandOut in Hip-Hop (Nuvo):

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Los Angeles

Kira Lieberman (Junior): Westminster

Die Hard Dancer (Nuvo):

Cece Chung (Mini): Santa Clara

Protégés (Radix):

Regan Gerena (Junior): Anaheim

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Dallas

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): Anaheim

Gracyn French (Teen): Anaheim

Richie Granese (Teen): Anaheim

Protègè Runner-Ups (Radix):

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Anaheim

Chloe Mirabal (Junior): Portland

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Anaheim

Ally Choi (Teen): Anaheim

Stella Eberts (Teen): Anaheim, Dallas

Brooklyn Ladia (Teen): Anaheim

Outstanding Dancers (NYCDA):

Aliya Yen (Mini): Santa Clara

Outstanding Dancer Runner-Ups (NYCDA):

Cece Chung (Mini): Santa Clara

Ellie Anbarden (Junior): Santa Clara

Regan Gerena (Junior): Santa Clara

Leilani Lawlor (Junior): Santa Clara

Kira Lieberman (Junior): Santa Clara

Chloe Mirabal (Junior): Santa Clara

Savanna Musman (Junior): Santa Clara

Berkeley Scifres (Junior): Santa Clara

Bristyn Scifres (Junior): Santa Clara

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): Vancouver

Lilly Barajas (Teen): Santa Clara

Dillon Barron (Teen): Santa Clara

Ally Choi (Teen): Las Vegas

Airi Dela Cruz (Teen): Santa Clara

Stella Eberts (Teen): Santa Clara

Gracyn French (Teen): Santa Clara

Richie Granese (Teen): Santa Clara

Brooklyn Ladia (Teen): Santa Clara

Lexi Blanchard (Senior): Santa Clara

Sammi Chung (Senior): Santa Clara

Kami Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Katie Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Kenzie Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Avery Reyes (Senior): Santa Clara

Hip-Hop Scholarship (NYCDA):

Regan Gerena (Junior): Santa Clara

Savanna Musman (Junior): Santa Clara

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): Santa Clara

Kami Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Tap Scholarship (NYCDA):

Bristyn Scifres (Junior): Santa Clara

Winter Contemporary Intensive Award (NYCDA):

Kami Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Katie Couch (Senior): Santa Clara

Steps Summer Study NYC Intensive Scholarship (NYCDA):

Sammi Chung (Senior): Santa Clara

Avery Reyes (Senior): Santa Clara

Steps Academy Program Summer Intensive Scholarship (NYCDA):

Regan Gerena (Junior): Santa Clara

Chloe Mirabal (Junior): Santa Clara

Berkeley Scifres (Junior): Santa Clara

Sara Von Rotz (Junior): Santa Clara

Ally Choi (Teen): Santa Clara

Gracyn French (Teen): Santa Clara

Ballet Hispanico ChoreoLaB Scholarship (NYCDA):

Avery Reyes (Senior): Santa Clara

Intensive Standout Award (NYCDA):

Makeila Bartlett (Teen): Santa Clara

Brooklyn Lieberman (Teen): Santa Clara

Leighton Werner (Teen): Santa Clara

Rising Star (NYCDA):

Richie Granese (Teen): Tulsa

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Teen Summer Intensive (NYCDA):

Richie Granese (Teen): Tulsa

Peridance Global Summer Dance Intensive Scholarship (NYCDA):

Richie Granese (Teen): Tulsa

Ultra Solo/Duet/Trio Scholarship (KAR):

Airi Dela Cruz (12-14): Long Beach

Gracyn French (15-19): Riverside

[happinessismusic]

Words and phrases like “nostalgia” or “back to her roots” come to mind when listening to Gwen Stefani’s fifth studio album, “Bouquet” — and it is in no way negative.

Across 10-tracks, the powerhouse singer leans into the mellow rock of her youth — think Hall & Oates, Chicago, Fleetwood Mac — with dashes of country vibes here and there. Her voice is ageless, unaltered and distinctive, immediately recalling the early aughts when No Doubt still existed, and Stefani was still a bit of a ska girl.

Thematically, however, the songs are about a woman who’s been through the ringer — but life gave her a reprieve in her second act, and she found stability, lots of flowers and no mo’ drama. In that way, “Bouquet” is a not so furtive ode to husband Blake Shelton — who she met and fell in love with while they were both coaches on the singing reality competition show, “The Voice.” At the time, they were both going through divorces to Gavin Rossdale and Miranda Lambert, respectively.

On “Bouquet,” the Stefani-Shelton romance arrives through yacht rock sounds and flowery language in songs with titles like “Marigolds,” “Late to Bloom” and “Empty Vase.” When the album reaches its end, it is with a duet with Shelton on “Purple Irises.”

If the album tells a story of her relationship, it starts with the opener “Somebody Else’s.” Stefani starts off the proceedings by listing her previous romantic entanglement and bad choices. “I don’t know what a heart like mine/Was doin’ in a love like that, ah,” she sings. “I don’t know what a woman like me/Was doin’ with a man like you, ooh.”

It’s a direct counter to the title track, where the focus appears to be back on Shelton: “We met when my heart was broken/Thank God that yours was, too,” she shares. “So lucky that you were goin'/ Through what I was goin’ through.”

In “Late to Bloom,” she decries the fact that they met so late in life.

A nice bass progression, a clever turn of the phrase and a great voice are what it takes to get this album going. Add a cohesive theme, a pleasant vibe and a charismatic star —- and that’s coming up roses.

[gwen-tolios]

2025 Story Theme Poll

I'm not going to post my whole deep dive into my adventures in developing membership tiers (though you can read it on my substack if you're curious), but the tl;dr of it is I can't keep up and so I'm moving to a more sporadic schedule. I am 100% deadline motivated for the day job, but it makes creative pursuits...no longer creative.

I'm also hoping to keep my short stories this year around a central theme so I can put together a coherent collection. I'd love you're help choosing a theme!

[dailytomlinson]

Mere days after winning “Artist of the Year” at the inaugural Northern Music Awards, Louis Tomlinson is celebrating the only way he knows how – by giving back. Tomlinson just dropped a surprise album, which includes a curated list of live performances over the past years. It’s a risky move, as live albums are notoriously difficult to make worthwhile. But there’s no doubt about it: Tomlinson is deserving of that award, and the recordings on Louis Tomlinson: LIVE deserve to live forever.

After an initial stop-start to his solo career, Tomlinson has certainly flourished since finally getting to hit the stage. He’s been touring extensively over the past few years, performing a mix of tracks from his first two albums. Both were solid records that heavily referenced anthemic, rich sonic soundscapes. In fact, Tomlinson previously admitted that he wrote certain tracks with a live show in mind. Indeed, songs like “Face The Music,” “Out Of My System” and “The Greatest,” from his No. 1 selling album Faith in the Future, absolutely benefit from the live instrumentals compared to their studio versions.

It isn’t often that live performances consistently seem to not only live up to but objectively improve the perfectly engineered studio recordings. Perhaps it’s the love that the album so clearly captures for live music that does it. The singer-songwriter is an avid fan of his own fans and gets to share a collective experience of joy with them. Just listen to the crowds serenading Tomlinson in return during “Chicago,” recorded live in – you guessed it, Chicago. From Tomlinson’s perspective, audiences across the world have always been part of breathing life into these live recordings. Now, people get to live that same experience with him by listening to this record that is woven together with impeccably mixed joyful screaming in the background.

Tomlinson’s storytelling isn’t hindered by the crowd’s reaction. Rather, it is bolstered by it. In both power ballads like “Common People” as well as raucous tracks like “Silver Tongues.” The live setting seems to function almost akin to a prism – each song shining brighter, richer, fuller. Perhaps the only track that is tighter in the original version, is the seductive “Written All Over Your Face.” Nonetheless, the instrumental break and palpable, wild excitement make for an enjoyable listen.

Similarly, right in the middle of the highly addictive “All This Time/We Are Beauty” mash-up, a fan can be heard screaming “I love you” if you listen closely. The sheer adulation of the crowd is decidedly earned. Tomlinson has worked hard to prove himself, despite never having lacked the talent. Perhaps merely the confidence that he could do it, would do it, has done it. Nevertheless, he’s been open about the tension between his own love for music, and his at times debilitating need for perfection. As he’s settled into his career, a quiet undertone of determination and grit, of relief and fulfillment – of gratitude remains in every single show.

On “Saturdays,” you can actually hear Tomlinson mumble that the view’s never been better from where he’s stood on stage. It’s a high-maintenance track with all the right ingredients for a Tomlinson classic. There’s confessional lyricism, emotive delivery, and a gradual yet powerful crescendo in musical arrangement. It needs to be sung with conviction, and it’s clear that Tomlinson pulls power from the audience to deliver.

Notably, none of the covers that Tomlinson frequently incorporates in his concerts made it onto this live album. With that in mind, perhaps this release signals that Tomlinson has finally embraced his own artistry. Because if anything, Louis Tomlinson: LIVE is a reckless celebration record. An ode to joy, the synergy between artist and audience, and the impact of well-timed, flawlessly executed live guitar solos.

[louistomlinsoncouk]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mere days after winning “Artist of the Year” at the inaugural Northern Music Awards, Louis Tomlinson is celebrating the only way he knows how – by giving back. Tomlinson just dropped a surprise album, which includes a curated list of live performances over the past years. It’s a risky move, as live albums are notoriously difficult to make worthwhile. But there’s no doubt about it: Tomlinson is deserving of that award, and the recordings on Louis Tomlinson: LIVE deserve to live forever.

After an initial stop-start to his solo career, Tomlinson has certainly flourished since finally getting to hit the stage. He’s been touring extensively over the past few years, performing a mix of tracks from his first two albums. Both were solid records that heavily referenced anthemic, rich sonic soundscapes. In fact, Tomlinson previously admitted that he wrote certain tracks with a live show in mind. Indeed, songs like “Face The Music,” “Out Of My System” and “The Greatest,” from his No. 1 selling album Faith in the Future, absolutely benefit from the live instrumentals compared to their studio versions.

It isn’t often that live performances consistently seem to not only live up to but objectively improve the perfectly engineered studio recordings. Perhaps it’s the love that the album so clearly captures for live music that does it. The singer-songwriter is an avid fan of his own fans and gets to share a collective experience of joy with them. Just listen to the crowds serenading Tomlinson in return during “Chicago,” recorded live in – you guessed it, Chicago. From Tomlinson’s perspective, audiences across the world have always been part of breathing life into these live recordings. Now, people get to live that same experience with him by listening to this record that is woven together with impeccably mixed joyful screaming in the background.

Tomlinson’s storytelling isn’t hindered by the crowd’s reaction. Rather, it is bolstered by it. In both power ballads like “Common People” as well as raucous tracks like “Silver Tongues.” The live setting seems to function almost akin to a prism – each song shining brighter, richer, fuller. Perhaps the only track that is tighter in the original version, is the seductive “Written All Over Your Face.” Nonetheless, the instrumental break and palpable, wild excitement make for an enjoyable listen.

Similarly, right in the middle of the highly addictive “All This Time/We Are Beauty” mash-up, a fan can be heard screaming “I love you” if you listen closely. The sheer adulation of the crowd is decidedly earned. Tomlinson has worked hard to prove himself, despite never having lacked the talent. Perhaps merely the confidence that he could do it, would do it, has done it. Nevertheless, he’s been open about the tension between his own love for music, and his at times debilitating need for perfection. As he’s settled into his career, a quiet undertone of determination and grit, of relief and fulfillment – of gratitude remains in every single show.

On “Saturdays,” you can actually hear Tomlinson mumble that the view’s never been better from where he’s stood on stage. It’s a high-maintenance track with all the right ingredients for a Tomlinson classic. There’s confessional lyricism, emotive delivery, and a gradual yet powerful crescendo in musical arrangement. It needs to be sung with conviction, and it’s clear that Tomlinson pulls power from the audience to deliver.

Notably, none of the covers that Tomlinson frequently incorporates in his concerts made it onto this live album. With that in mind, perhaps this release signals that Tomlinson has finally embraced his own artistry. Because if anything, Louis Tomlinson: LIVE is a reckless celebration record. An ode to joy, the synergy between artist and audience, and the impact of well-timed, flawlessly executed live guitar solos.

[platoapproved]

NO FORGIVENESS ODE: CHAPTER 6

Claudia had been so convinced that Lestat was cagey about his background to manipulate them and keep them in the dark. That Lestat lied or omitted information to intentionally mislead them both. Louis is increasingly convinced that Lestat is just genuinely incapable of talking about it. But Louis is also a different man than he was when he and Lestat were together before. He’s had 77 years with Armand learning how to avoid setting off landmines and coax answers from someone who’d rather mind wipe himself than admit to his own traumatic past. Comparatively, Lestat is just not on that level. “That’s fine,” Louis says, stroking his hands soothingly up and down Lestat’s back. “It’s fine, love. Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna tell you about Chicago, because I’ve been looking forward to that for weeks. That’s for me. Then when I’m done you’re gonna tell me about the nightmare thing. That’s for me too. Can you do those things for me?” Can you be good for me? he almost says, but he’s not sure if that’s the right tack with Lestat. He feels Lestat nod against the top of his head. “Thank you,” Louis says. “Kiss me.” Lestat kisses him, and Louis rewards him with a small nip of his fangs on Lestat’s lower lip.

HERE is the thing. Nobody writes Loustat like @marbleflan. NOBODY. This fic is TRANSCENDENT. It's humor and tragedy and realness and romance. It's so good. This is the penultimate chapter; if you haven't started it yet, cannot recommend highly enough. Pure joy from start to finish.

[tomorrowxtogether]

Tomorrow X Together draws cheers and tears from K-pop fans at Lollapalooza

After a 2022 set that one member remembers as ‘meaningful, memorable,’ the boy band moves up to headliner with singing and choreography that was clearly well-rehearsed.

Lollapalooza has really been going for a piece of the K-pop pie the past two years as the genre takes a hold on America. According to NPR, the U.S. is one of the biggest importers of Korean pop music, just behind Japan and China — and if the screaming crowds at Lollapalooza 2023 are any indication of larger trends, it’s here to stay.

Tomorrow x Together made history at the festival again Saturday as the first South Korean boy band to headline the event (following BTS member J-Hope, who was the first South Korean artist to headline in 2022, and NewJeans, who played Thursday, notable for being the first Korean girl group to play the festival).

Tomorrow x Together also famously played the fest in 2022, at Perry’s Stage, though the group’s performance Saturday was a major upgrade. The five members remarked on the back-to-back appearances, saying, “It’s such an honor to be here again. … Chicago is a very special place for Tomorrow X Together,” and adding, “It reminds us of last year, one of the most meaningful, memorable concerts we’ve performed.” 

The act prepared in earnest for the occasion, earlier in the week, sharing footage of rehearsals on TikTok. The singing and choreography were on par for the main event and had many dedicated fans dancing right along with their every step. As the video cameras panned over people in the crowd, they settled on one person who made a handmade poster that said she had traveled 2,000-plus miles to see TXT.

Also enhancing the set was a crew of talented backup dancers and a band of four musicians, who each got their own dedicated intro on video screens (a nice gesture given that K-pop bands often introduce themselves at their shows).

Most notable of the song selections was “Happy Fools” in which the band was joined by special guest Coi Leray who appears as a featured collaborator on the track. Wearing a cropped “I (Heart) TXT” T-shirt, Leray was just as animated as the boy band and twerked her way through the song.

Other highlights included “Can’t You See Me?” with a good round of fireball pyrotechnics, “Thursday’s Child Has Far to Go” with the whole crowd waving light sticks in unison and the slowed-down ballad “Blue Spring,” written as an ode to their fans, which naturally had many faces crying.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Say Anything Interview: Intentional Is My Default

Photo by Nicole Mago

BY JORDAN MAINZER

I'm waiting back stage at Riot Fest for Say Anything's Max Bemis to finish a photoshoot, one that sees him lie in the grass in various positions that make it look like he's stretching after a tough workout. Despite the fact that he hasn't yet gotten his real workout in yet--his newly reformed band would go on stage in a few hours--and that this photoshoot is full of capital-p Poses, I'm taken by how at ease Bemis seems with everything. When we speak, he reveals to me that, yes, while he did in fact feel awkward during the photoshoot--most of us do--he's learning to lean into his feelings much more naturally.

Five years ago, the legendary emo band disbanded, with their 2019 album Oliver Appropriate billed as their final LP for the moment. A purported sequel to their beloved sophomore record ...Is A Real Boy, the album was publicized in conjunction with a nine-page letter from Bemis, in which came out as bisexual and admitted to struggles with drug use. (The frontman has long been open about his diagnosed bipolar disorder, previous self-medication through drugs, and manic episodes.) During the pandemic, Bemis stayed busy, performing livestreams of older material, but there was always lingering doubt the band's hiatus would become permanent.

It wasn't until late last year that Bemis dropped that the band would be reuniting for festivals in 2023. In typical nonchalant fashion, he shared that the reunion would include past members drummer Coby Linder and bassist Alex Kent by replying to someone's comment on a Facebook post. In April, the band released their first new material since Oliver Appropriate, the maximally stream-of-consciousness rant "Psyche!". The song sees Bemis laying out those same struggles for everyone to bear witness to, blaming himself for his personal, marital, and familial problems atop a bevy of references to the band's older material, Titanic, and Riot Fest itself. "By Riot Fest '24, I'll be coughing up corks if you supply the Malörk," he sings, a line that's instantly iconic and bound to be infamous for its satiric misspelling of Chicago's shot of choice. In August, the band followed it up with "Are You (In) There?", which also establishes itself within our emo universe, with mentions of Sunny Day Real Estate and mewithoutYou, but a more personal ode to Bemis' wife and the love they have for each other despite his past actions and shortcomings. And just this morning, Say Anything annouced ...Is Committed (Dine Alone), their new record, along with a single entitled "Carrie & Lowell & Cody (Pendent)", Bemis placing his "mommy issues" in conversation with those of indie folk luminary Sufjan Stevens. The song is musically heavier and more complex and full-throated, while also containing gorgeous choral harmonies from Bemis' wife, Sherri Dupree-Bemis.

At one point, the future of the band was a mystery to everyone, Bemis included. But with some newfound perspectives, the musical and personal influence of new band member Brian Warren of Weatherbox, and therapy, it seemed from just the short conversation I had with Bemis and Kent that they're in a good place, ready to embrace their new chapter. Read my interview below, conducted last month before I knew about their new album, edited for length and clarity. Catch the band three nights next week at The Regent Theater in LA and at When We Were Young in Las Vegas next weekend.

Photo courtesy of Say Anything

Since I Left You: How does it feel to be back?

Max Bemis: It feels great. I don't think I would have decided to write the songs again if I didn't aspire to how this feels now, which is very different than our experience as little kids being in a punk band, which was very intense and an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. But this is comfortable, and it feels like having the best job ever, in the words of Piebald. It could have been a stress fest, anxious, or bad, but the only reason I wanted to write again was to reach for this thing that we never got to settle into, being dads approaching 40. The bands we looked up to were doing it at that age and still making inventive music but still seeming to chill and not base their entire personas and aspirations around being in a band. I think I appreciate it more now that I'm not trying to be "a guy in a band" as hard as I was.

Alex Kent: Something we've been talking about since getting back up and running was the transition from utilizing it as an escape versus a form of healing. Because we've been through so much traumatic shit in our lives, most of the time Max and I talk, we talk about therapy. It's fucking weird going from 18 years old on a tour bus to having that self-awareness and reflection.

MB: I didn't need it like that for many years because our entire life cycle was keyed in to being on tour. I wasn't living a normal person life. I'm not saying I ever have really or ever will--I wrote comic books for five years. That's still weird. We're still weirdo guys. Having a family, coming out of that kind of circus, I feel more like my 14-year-old self who needed this music for that reason.

SILY: The new songs have a self-aware quality.

MB: More than ever.

SILY: How do you include the self-awareness in a set at a festival or concert, where you're literally referring to other songs you're playing in the setlist?

MB: We refer to Riot Fest itself!

SILY: And Malörk [sic]

MB: And Malörk. It's incredibly self-referential and ironic, but because the band started that way, it's come full circle and is no longer ironic at the same time. There's still a lot of exaggeration and bullshit, but it's closer to me saying actual things that are happening. As you age, everyone's life becomes a circus, more surreal. The world has been very surreal, with COVID and Trump. You kind of have to say your inner experience now. It's an emotional, crazy, surreal thing anyway. It's not like before, when I said, "I have to think about my ex-girlfriend, but I'm thinking about my wife, and what the fuck is this about?" Now, this is about being at Riot Fest. And I am at Riot Fest.

SILY: There is a song about your wife, though.

MB: Yes. Also quite literal. So many emotions are certainly exaggerated, but the sincerity isn't. The love for my wife is very real. But even there, if you're in any successful relationship, it goes through the most intense rebirths and reformations, and you're adjusting to each other, especially after having kids. It's more potent to me to say what's happening or what my emotions are than do what we did on In Defense of the Genre, where I was literally forcing drama into my life on a regular basis. Now, I have no room. I'm tired. I have children to look after. The drama just happens from kids, life, everything. It's real and heartfelt, but a seasoned emotion and not so adolescent. I still love those songs, and I relate to them, but they all speak to a certain side of me I can't live out anymore.

SILY: Do the new songs more than ever exemplify the idea that the more personal you are, the more universal the songs can be?

MB: Yeah. But probably by being a little too hyper-specific. That's why I fell in love with this kind of music. Saves The Day got me into wanting to be in a band. What wowed me was when he was talking about the names of the other band members in song, like, "Ted's drooling on his sleeve." He's just saying he's in this New Jersey bar and he misses his girlfriend. He's not cloaking anything. Our thing has been a kind of parody of that, but now I don't have to stretch anything for it to be a parody.

Photo by Ben Trivett

SILY: What do you think Brian Warren brings to the table on the new songs?

AK: I've known Brian since we were 9 years old. Our very first band, we were in together.

MB: I wouldn't know about Weatherbox if it wasn't for Alex.

AK: He brings this calming energy. Humble is a weird word to describe him.

MB: It's accurate.

AK: Weatherbox is fucking amazing.

MB: He has more impostor syndrome than even me.

AK: He can play everything, and he writes cool shit.

MB: He's a virtuoso. The cool thing about Brian is that there's always been a connection between our bands. It's similar to me playing music with [Chris] Conley [in Two Tongues] back in the day. It's surreal, but it makes so much sense that you don't have to think about where he fits into the sonic picture or personality picture because we're friends.

AK: It's very cool how much sense it makes.

SILY: Has your relationship changed to your old songs?

MB: I like them more. Over the break from the band, I would listen to Say Anything, with my kids or in my car, alone. The way I severed it was so intentional. I wasn't saying, "The band was over." I was saying, "We're probably going to get back together, but I have to sever this incarnation." I was listening to [old Say Anything songs] and thinking, "I like Alex's bass part. I like the production. I even like my voice." It was like listening to another band, because of the space. I've grown to like them. I definitely know people in bands that are not what they listen to, but Say Anything has always been a conglomeration of the type of thing we listen to. If I'm going to listen to The Get Up Kids, I might as well listen to Say Anything.

SILY: Moving forward, are you trying to continue to be more intentional, or do what feels best?

MB: Both. I know that's cliché to say, and it does and doesn't make sense. I find that intentional is my default, and before, I would second-guess myself constantly. Now, I allow myself to make mistakes, and I let other people give me advice that before were such cerebral trips. There was a lot that weighed on me. If the lyrics are super intentional and literal, I'm just going to do it. If I feel awkward in a photo shoot like right now, I'm just going to be awkward in the photo shoot. That is, of course, my safe and happy place in life.