#seriously i am literally so thrilled about the guest artist work! they are literally making the CUTEST stuff

[autisticgayplushie]

little sneaky peak of a wip for the colorful kitties, just for you :3 this is taffy the transgender kitty!!

earlier this year I fully intended to have the campaign ready to launch in june, which would have been fitting, but unfortunately we're still only about halfway there so it'll be a bit later in the year, most likely early August if things stay on track!! :D I am SO SO excited to share more of what I have in store, guest artists for the stickers, pins, and charms have been doing amazing work and the plush samples are coming out SO cute!! I'll keep posting a little more behind the scenes here as we get closer to the campaign :3c

[onestowatch]

Phangs Is Searching For the Beauty in Everything [Q&A]

This past year has changed a lot of things. Your state of mind, outlook on life, maybe the way you take care of yourself mentally and physically, the list can go on and on. For a lot of musicians, this past year changed the way that they write, where they draw inspiration from, their recording process, who they work with, so on and so forth.

Last year we covered Phangs’ debut album, Who’s Gonna Break Your Heart Tonight?. We dove deep into his world of self-questioning, mental stability, and purpose, which he then penned into music as an emotional outlet. Through his music, he created a sanctuary for his own vulnerability. In his latest EP, I Love Everything, the emotions change. The EP stands as a reminder that life is short and life is good. There are so many things going on in the world today, and sometimes you need to take a step back to realize what you have in front of you. 

We had the pleasure of catching up with Phangs and submerged into what this past year of writing looked like.

Ones to Watch: Take us through the writing process behind I Love Everything. What ultimately inspired you?

Phangs: Honestly, COVID and quarantine was what pushed me to wanting to make a fully collaborative collection of songs. I found out quickly that collaboration is something I genuinely crave. And that’s not even just for music. I just enjoy creative people. So being away from everyone was tough for me. I got depressed and overwhelmed by everything. The moment I decided to fully throw myself into this project, I just felt more human. So I guess the process of writing these songs was more so just about finding joy for myself.

You’ve been steadily dropping tracks from the EP all year, tell us a bit about your first single, and the track that welcomes us into the EP, “Product of the 90’s.”

Well, when I truly think of me at my happiest, a giant piece of that is my childhood. Specifically, the culture that surrounded my upbringing, the lack of decisions I really had to make, just overall simplicity. So, I made a song about that and then tied it into how much being a ‘90s kid is kind of a brain fuck. because we were really the last generation that was born to no world wide web and we literally grew up alongside the internet. Also, having Phoebe Ryan on the song was a bullseye, to me. We hadn’t met, prior to the song, but our mutual friend Bonnie McKee heard the song and immediately said Phoebe was the person for the song. And when the queen of pop music says something, you listen! haha

What’s the story behind the name of the EP, I Love Everything?

It’s a reminder to the version of myself that I was sinking into during quarantine. Nobody is truly all good or all bad. There’s beauty somewhere in everything, and I wanna remember to look for it. That’s the reason these songs even exist.

Is there an underlying message behind the EP itself?

Yeah, just again, that there’s beauty out there. Even in the worst times. Even in a pandemic. Even with wild politics. You can find beauty if that’s what you recalibrate the lens that you’re viewing everything through.

Which song is your personal favorite on the EP and why?

Oh man. That’s tough. Maybe “A Hurt Like That.” My childhood hero was Matt Thiessen, and I’m lucky to call him my friend now and have gotten to tour the country with him a few times. So having him on that song was a dream. And honestly, it rips live. Probably my favorite to perform, as well.

Which song was the most fun to write/record?

Easily “Digital Age.” My co-writer/producer, Justin Amundrud, and I originally sat down with acoustics, thinking we’d write a calm downtempo song. We tried to force that for like 20 mins then decided to make a track that felt like the complete opposite idea. I think we wrote and recorded “Digital Age” in like 45 minutes. It was just some honest thoughts with a hook that felt applicable. Having LFO hop on that one was insane for me. Their song “Summer Girls” was my ultimate childhood summer song.

This EP is a bit more upbeat than your album from last year. What changed?

True. I guess I write the kind of songs I mentally need, myself, when I personally need them. It’s all circumstantial and from a genuine place wherever I am when I sit down to write. Seems like I needed these songs for now.

It seems that everytime we see your name on socials, it’s another sold out show. Tell us a bit about your EP release event and upcoming tour. What excites you the most?

Haha yeah, it’s crazy! I’m lucky to have people that care about the stuff that I make. This EP release show is special because it’s at the new Gibson Garage in Nashville and I’m also releasing a merch line with a custom designed guitar through Kramer, which is under the Gibson Guitar umbrella. It’s insane to even say that again right now haha but the show is going to rule! Lots of guests and surprises too!

What are you hoping this EP and upcoming shows do for you? What goals do you hope to exceed?

I try not to get too far ahead of myself. I’m just trying to make songs that connect to people that need them. That simple. And I feel like that goal is being met, so overall, I’m thrilled that this is what I get to do for a living. Music, to me, is a service industry and I’m just trying to make sure I’m serving people the best I can.

After this EP, how do you hope to be perceived as an artist on an all-around scale?

I guess I just want to be perceived as someone who takes the experience of music seriously, rather than taking myself too seriously, if that makes sense. I just feel like everyone is so concerned about perception lately, and all I want to do is be the artist that takes care of the people that need their emotions serviced. I want to be the person that allows people to feel what they need to feel, when they need it most.

[peterpanswendy]

Unpopular Opinion: I think the new Magic School Bus show is actually okay

Listen up, Walkerville: The 90s are over.

In the weeks leading up to the release of the long-awaited Magic School Bus reboot, I have seen a LOT of negativity. Now the full season has dropped, I’m seeing even more disappointment, with many claiming that it has "ruined their childhoods”.

Okay, yes, it’s clear that they were making a show on a Netflix budget two decades after the craze as opposed to a PBS budget in the heat of the initial craze, BUT THEY DO SO MANY THINGS RIGHT. Or at least they’re trying.

I consider the Magic School Bus to be one of the biggest, most important parts of my childhood, and it left a huge impact that still resonates strongly years after the fact. Honestly, I take it perhaps a bit more seriously than a woman nearing 30 should.

So please believe me when I say that the new show is not so bad!

Here are three pieces of evidence:

1. They don’t try to fix what’s not broken

At its core, the original Magic School Bus cartoon is about Ms. Frizzle, an eccentric teacher with a magical school bus who takes her class on crazy field trips that simultaneously teaches them science and holds the key to solve whatever issue the kids have that particular day. At the end of each episode, the producer would clear up any scientific inconsistencies during a phone call segment. While it made science easily comprehendible to young audiences, it contained pop culture references (quotes and impersonations, celebrity voice actors, some jokes) that only older audiences would really get. It had wit, it had class, it had an endless number of really, REALLY awful puns.

In “Rides Again”, this hasn’t changed. Each episode follows the exact same pattern as the predecessor, and they poke fun at this in Arnold’s speech at the beginning of the new episode. They know it’s predictable.

Ms. Frizzle is still voiced by a popular comedienne. The theme song is still sung by a popular musical artist in their heyday. Heck, the opening theme is basically an (updated) frame-for-frame of the original. The science is there, the bus does its stuff, and oh, are the the puns still as bad as ever.

Oh, and celebrity guest stars?

Bojack Horseman, the first black female astronaut, and the former Dr. Christina Yang of Grey’s Anatomy? Not bad for a first run if you ask me!

2. Sometimes change is for the better

I dunno about you other 90s kids, but when I was in elementary school, NONE of my classmates dressed like any of the kids in the original show. Pleated skirts and saddle shoes? Initial jerseys and backwards hats? Matching vests and pants with Mary Janes? COLLARED SHIRT DRESSES AND HIGH HEELS?! Yowza! The characters were originally designed in 1989 with the release of the book “At the Waterworks”, and the show stayed pretty faithful to Degen’s original art style...so yeah, the styles were dated coming out the gate.

Okay, yes, I am sad Arnold lost his curly hair and that Tim and Keesha’s skin lightened in tone, but overall, I LOVE the redesigned class! They look like believable modern kids. Tim especially benefits from the updated look. (I do wish they had made Wanda look a little more tomboyish and Keesha a bit less sweet, but anything was better than what they were wore back in the 90s.)

Now, the cast changes: Out with Valerie and Phoebe, in with Fiona and Jyoti. As I mentioned earlier, the show knows it’s repetitive. They needed something to change it up, and I think this was an okay way to go about it.

First: The Friz. Practically, and I know none of you 90s purists want to hear it, Kate McKinnon is more relevant in this day and age than Lily Tomlin. As a character, Fiona maybe relies on the bus a bit too much, but she brings a believable joy to the novelty of the bus’s capabilities that Valerie often took for granted. Honestly, I think they handled the “changing of the guard” really spectacularly - heck, they worked it into a story about Invasive Species. That was darn clever and caught me delightfully off-guard!

As for Phoebe, she was just the soft-hearted animal-loving “new kid” and, I feel, didn’t really contribute as much to the class dynamic as say...literally everyone else except Tim. Jyoti is the non-whiny, adventurous new girl with the tech and industrial design knowledge that brings the show into the 21st century. (Plus some Southeast-Asian representation!) She’s a much more exciting character, but I don’t really know who her foil is. Anyway, she’s smart and adorable and I’m glad she’s on board.

(Slight tangent: Wanda seems to have taken on Phoebe’s attribute of being an animal lover and conservationist. Yes, Wanda did like slightly unconventional animals in the original show - remember Bella in “Hops Home”? - but she wasn’t necessarily for preserving them in their original habitats. Do recall that she was the main proponent for clearing out the abandoned lot in “Meets The Rot Squad”, not to mention the eccentric habitat she believed was best for Bella. New Wanda still loves animals like fish and rats, and gets arbitrarily attached to them and tries to force her ideas of what’s best on them, but dang, I did not expect her to suggest field trips to preserve animals. Where’s the thrill-seeking? Where’s the reckless adventure? I can see why they needed to transfer the love of biology to someone, and Wanda was the logical choice, but like, man...I miss her edge. Maybe she matured over the summer break.)

BACK ON TASK. The kids have more or less dropped their catch phrases....with the exception of “CARLOS!” Now that they’re in their second year in Ms. Frizzle’s class, they have a stronger sense of agency during field trips. Heck, they even got to pick a location once! With a less experienced Frizzle in the driver’s seat, the kids really get to run the show...which I think is really neat!

3. They throw the old fans plenty of bones

Weatherman. Keesha directing. Arnold’s obsession with rocks. Phoebe going back to her Old School. Ralphie’s horrified face when he finds himself inside a classmate’s nose, a bodily location everyone (except Jyoti) has been once before. Janet being a snobby little bitch with a blog...who’s still a total coward. Is it just me, or did the writers include a bunch of throw-backs to the original show? I unapologetically love every single one of them.

Also. ALSO. I don’t know if any of y’all took a close look at the credits but...in the Additional Voices there’s three that really stand out:

Amos Crawley: Arnold’s original voice actor (before Danny Tamberelli). Lisa Jai: Wanda’s original voice actress. Stuart Stone: Ralphie’s original voice actor. 

Wow.

I ask you, WHY WOULD THEY SPECIFICALLY GET THEM BACK IF NOT AS A LOVE LETTER TO THE ORIGINAL?

The new show’s not perfect. There’s not as much banter between the kids, and their personalities seem a bit watered down compared to the original (and unexpectedly less sarcastic)...but it’s not BAD. I’d love to hear a kid’s opinion on it, honestly. I know the kid in me can’t wait to see more!

In conclusion, haters gonna hate, the new Magic School Bus is good, and darnit, Netflix, I want more! Make of it what you will.

Thanks for reading!

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

I was really struck by something I read in one of your earlier replies to an ask, which was "we’ll never know what Rachel would have done after the war ended", and I wondered if perhaps you may actually have some thought about what might have happened if she did? How WOULD Rachel, who thrived in war, adapt to the mundane life after?

Jake

After a while Rachel’s aunt and uncle get so used to her stopping by that they just make her a copy of their house key; it’s easier than answering the door all the time or leaving a window open for her, besides which they’re grateful because she’s there almost every day to bully Jake out of bed and into the world to go do something.  Most days it’s just attending Habitat for Humanity builds in the devastated areas downtown or visiting kids from the local hospital who idolize them both.  Rachel doesn’t mind dragging Jake out of his room at all, because while Tobias is good for taking random college classes or exploring new parts of the country with her, there are still plenty of stupid things that she can only talk Jake into doing.  Together they surf during hurricanes, skydive without parachutes, swim to the bottom of the ocean as orcas and throw themselves off cliffs as birds of prey.  

Rachel doesn’t pretend to understand what he’s going through, because she quite simply can’t—if she even tries to think about what it would be like if it was Jordan or Sarah she’d had to kill during that last battle, she tends to lose the ability to breathe.  But while she can’t give him empathy she can give him this: the scream of wind rushing past their bodies as they hurl toward the ground at nearly a hundred miles an hour, the incomparable thrill of the ground approaching them faster than an oncoming train, the moment of simple euphoria during that millisecond decision to once again open one’s wings and tell death not today.  He doesn’t smile much, and never laughs, but that’s always been true to some extent.  She doesn’t concern herself with making him smile, but with forcing him to gasp for air in his refusal to give up on life, to morph when not doing so would mean drowning in the cold Pacific, to swerve a second away from spattering on the ground.  Because she’s the only one who understands the power of those moments to make them forget everything in the world except the heady rush of being so goddamn alive they can barely even stand it.

Marco

It’s strange, really, how tough and showy they can be around each other most of the time… and how vulnerable they can become when no one else is around.  Rachel’s pretty sure she’s the only one who ever saw Marco cry after they all watched Eva’s body tumble hundreds of yards to its apparent death, and she knows for certain that she’s the only one to whom he says “it’s like we never really got her back at all,” the day his parents announce their divorce.  In public Rachel and Marco become even more themselves, one-upping each other to see who can come out with the most embarrassing story in round after round of interviews and bantering at lightning speed as live studio audiences laugh and cheer.  Rachel gives a hysterical, exaggerated account of Marco’s failed attempt at gatecrashing William Roger Tennant’s award banquet; Marco comes back with a heroic narrative of how his llama-self saved an entire television studio from the crocodile Rachel conveniently forgot to mention she had puked out backstage.  When talking about the time Helmacrons invaded Marco’s nose, they each manage to make the whole mess entirely into the other one’s fault.  

In private, they sit on the back porch of Marco’s primary house once a week and work their way through a bottle of triple sec they’re definitely too young to own.  It’s during those long evenings as the sun sets over the Newport Beach mansions that they air the things to each other they’ve never told a living soul before.  Marco talks about the hard bright-edged joy of watching 17,000 yeerks sucked into space and only being able to imagine their screams.  Rachel confesses to having cried herself to sleep after she and Ax dropped David on that island.  They air their sickest thoughts, lance their most pus-rotted wounds, spew poison at each other because they know that they are both strong enough (hard enough, cold enough, ruthless enough) to take it and give back in turn.

Cassie

Rachel’s honestly not sure how far Cassie would have gotten, politically, if not for her help.  Because that girl might have passion and conscience and common sense to spare, but Rachel’s not sure she’s met a more appearance-clueless person in her life.  The world of politics runs on fashion and makeup, though, especially if one happens to be a woman, and any time Cassie’s about to go tell the United Nations why they need to update the Universal Declaration of Human Rights today to include the hork-bajir and taxxons, or to scold Congress into giving the ex-hosts war reparations and not murder charges, Rachel is there in the background helping.  She shows Cassie the power of stalking into a room in a pair of towering heels, the ways to make a string of pearls or a Chanel handbag into a weapon of power.  Cassie laughs incredulously every time Rachel shows up at her house with a literal truckload of perfectly-tailored business suits and evening gowns, but over time she starts to understand just how much her reputation for being as elegant as she is fierce can work in her favor.  

Rachel, in turn, starts to put out patents for the kind of clothes Cassie would love: comfortable and practical items that can be worn for years without needing replacement.  Rachel figures that if she’s an international trendsetter already (and she is: her line of perfume makes millions every year, while black leotards are debuting on Paris runways) then she might as well have her best friend and the world of high fashion meet in the middle.  Of course Rachel doesn’t explicitly mention that her patent-leather pumps with arch support and heel padding are inspired by the experience of trying on Cassie’s Timberlands, or that her choice of size-16 models for all her advertisements comes from making dresses that would fit Cassie and sizing up or down from there.  But what’s most amazing to her is that the other dressmakers and shoe lines start to emulate her choices, emphasizing the comfort and sturdiness of everything they make even as they tout it as “cutting edge.”  If Rachel has dragged Cassie into being a fashion icon, then it turns out Cassie might just have dragged Rachel into being a social justice warrior along the way.

Ax

Ax seems somewhat dumbfounded when Rachel explains that there’s an Earth tradition that any ship’s captain can perform a marriage ceremony, and that even if there’s no law on the books about this particular power she wants him to do it anyway.  She’s not sure herself how her and Tobias’s small private ceremony (at least, that was the intention) has grown so much, but even she has to admit that somewhere between the 230-person guest list, the custom chuppah to be hand-embroidered by a team of local artists, the five-tier cake imported from a German bakery, and the dress which is personally designed by Alexander McQueen, things might have gotten slightly out of hand.  Ax takes the duties very seriously, practicing the strange mouth sounds he has to recite more than once in advance and promising solemnly that he will not eat any of the cake until Rachel and Tobias have had the chance to cut it.  

He serves as their best man as well (probably breaking with tradition, not that they care) and the speech he makes afterward is surprisingly heartfelt.  «There has been no greater honor in my life than to fight by your side,» he tells them, «and I owe you both my life many times over.  I owe you more than that, of course, for you have made this strange planet my home when I came to you lost and alone.  I am not sure what humans traditionally wish for each other with a bond such as this, so I will wish you this much: may your lives be long, may your battles be easily won, may you be loved and feared in equal measure, and may your chili always be perfectly seasoned.» 

Tobias

It’s not like they get jobs, or hold down formal obligations, or do anything more structured than attend occasional classes at UCSB or consult with the fashion agency that sends Rachel freelance checks.  So there’s really no reason they can’t continue their odd lifestyle, only in the same form at the same time for two hours at most.  At least, that’s how it is for the first several years… and then one day Rachel comes out of the bathroom, a tiny white stick in her hand, and they both realize their lives are never going to be the same again.  Tobias is terrified, of course: he’s been abandoned (voluntarily or not) by two parents, four guardians, and countless authority figures, and he’s got no reason to believe he’ll be any different.  But he knows what the first step will be in committing to raising this baby for real.  And so he morphs human for the very last time.  

In the years that follow, after their daughter eventually gets a little brother as well, Rachel and Tobias become more boring than they ever could have hoped for.  Rachel starts working full-time as a fashion designer, while Tobias finishes an advanced degree in graphic design and gets a job with the marketing branch of the same company.  They go to PTA meetings and teach their daughter softball, buy a sedan with good gas mileage and a two-story house in Mendocino County where the reporters can’t find them.  They still get restless sometimes, leaving the kids with Loren or Sarah for a week or two at a time to go white-water rafting on the Colorado River or to climb mountains in Tanzania, but they always miss the kids enough to come home before long.  They donate thousands of dollars to end world hunger every year, and they fundraise millions more.  Someday they’ll retire.  Someday after that they’ll die.  For now, however, they’re alive, and that’s enough.  

[theworstbob]

yellin’ at songs, 2.25.2017

or should i say, yellin’ at seangs this week! you know, ‘cuz of all the big sean they put in there, these are seangs this week, i say! my wit is grand and deserving of mass attention.

22) "No Favors," by Big Sean ft./Eminem 70) "Sacrifices," by Big Sean ft./Migos 74) "Halfway off the Balcony," by Big Sean 76) "Jump out the Window," by Big Sean 86) "Owe Me," by Big Sean 97) "Light," by Big Sean ft./Jeremih

...I prepared myself for a lot of things when I decided my weekly routine would include this silly project. Did I know I'd be listening to and thinking about a lot of songs I otherwise never would have made time for?  That couldn't be avoided. Was I aware a song I loved and would stand up for could fall off the chart the very next week? It hurts that we lost "Run Up," but yes, I know no pop song is destined to hit the top 40. ...Did I prepare myself for six Big Sean songs. I was cognizant of a newly-released Big Sean album. Did I realize relatively deep Big Sean cuts would make their way into my life. Did I realize that, thanks to this fractured world where major artists give their preferred streaming service the right to be the sole host for their album, how difficult it would be to find a song with an Eminem feature on The You Tube. I worked harder to listen to "No Favors" than I ever otherwise would have. I could have said, "Eminem is on this track! I bet that's bad to listen to." Nope. I had to spend three minutes clickin’ on various YouTube videos until I found the actual song so I could confirm that Eminem is still not worth anyone's time, to say nothing for the time it took to find this song. Eminem describes himself as "rapey" and describes beating Jamie Lee Curtis with a spaceheater. Eminem, still incredibly not cool with the fact women are alive and breathing the same air as he does! Still thinking as he ever has, that one. Eminem turns 45 this year.

And then I remembered that I have Amazon Music, because I am a 51-year-old office manager who needs all the Steely Dan he can handle and is thus in the Amazon Music target market, and a cursory search showed that Big Sean did not make his album exclusive to one streaming service. So while I am not thrilled to put four other Big Sean songs into my life (there's an Official Video for "Halfway off the Balcony"), I am elated to give you a version of Yellin' at Songs which is complete and honest in its evaluation of every pop song to make its chart debut in 2017, except for the 1.7.2017 chart, that chart doesn't count for... some reason, don’t ask, I’m weird I AM PLEASED however, to report that my opinion on Big Sean is the same as it was when we discussed "Moves:" Big Sean has made great strides as a rapper, and while I wasn't looking forward to hearing any of these songs, I didn't mind them! Why, I downright enjoyed "Light," though I'm just a big fan in general of the first song of albums. (I like introductions. I like starting things. It's the middle and end parts here I'm like, enh, I don't know how to do this, but beginning a new thing is always a rush.) "Sacrifices" was also somewhere better than okay. So we have one song I'd be okay listening to again, one song I mostly enjoyed, one song that might end up being the worst thing I'd heard this year (remember that this year has included a Brantley Gilbert song and "Body Like a Back Road," and know that we're about to get to "Look at Me!"), and three other songs. Given that this easily could have been 24 minutes of nothing, I'll gladly take three songs I could have thoughts about!

43) "Believer," by Imagine Dragons

Listen, we have our fun with Imagine Dragons. It's pretty nuts that this is the biggest rock band we have going, imagine going back in time and playing this for Chuck Berry and telling him this song is a direct descendant of his work, but this song, it's pretty okay! It's a nice "love letter to the fans" sort of song, there's nothing terribly offensive about anything that's happening, it's a perfectly competent rock song that is going to serve well as the walk-up music for the Kansas City Royals' back-up utility infielder in two years' time. My opinion of this is absolutely colored by the fact that this song contains an itemized list. 1) I'll say the words in my head. 2) Don't tell me who you think I could be. 3) Thank God for the haters. 4) We made it, you and I, and I gotta give mad love to you, the fans. I dig any song with a list. I still defend Jay-Z's verse in "Monster" on the grounds that rap could use more lists.

68) "My Old Man," by Zac Brown Band

Before the Grammys hit, I went through every nominee field for Record of the Year to see how representative the Grammys had ever been of trends in pop music (spoiler: THEY NEVER WERE), and something I wanted to do was go through each year and determine the true Record of the Year field. I didn't have time for that because I started writing the post early Saturday morning and wanted to get it out before the Grammys started, but I ended up doing it anyway, and I present this to you: "Chicken Fried" absolutely would have been an ROTY nominee for the year 2009 if the Grammys had any got damn sense. I don't know if there's been a country song this country has been more in agreeance with since. Everything about that song works, it even earns the ode to the flag! 2009 wasn't one of the best music years in recent memory, either, you don't have to stretch the imagination to see a nice song about how great fried chicken getting ROTY consideration. Zac Brown Band puts out really solid country music. They're not Chris Stapleton-y throwbacks, they're not trying to revolutionize the genre, but they have their niche, and they know exactly how to operate within that niche. Most country songs about a strong paternal figure would be insufferable, but this is about as good as that sub-genre gets! Zac Brown Band, generally pleasant to hear since 2009!

87) "Beauty and the Beast," by Ariana Grande ft./John Legend

The least necessary thing on the planet is pop remixes of signature songs from Disney musicals. It only worked for Elton John, but those were songs he was writing, so that is a CLEAR EXCEPTION. The pop remix didn't work in the '90s, it didn't work with "Let It Go," and it doesn't work here. I REPEAT: Angela Lansbury or GTFO.

89) "I Don't," by Mariah Carey ft./YG

The most amazing line on Wikipedia is "Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1969 or 1970)." That says so much, and not all it says is about Mariah Carey, but we learn so much about Mariah Carey from that biographical tidbit. But why was I on Wikipedia looking up Mariah Carey's age? Because I just had to listen to a 39-year-old man sing a love song with a woman 15 years younger than him, and one of the reasons that Mariah Carey is a legend is that she is nearly 50 years old but still getting in those slinky dresses and getting 27-year-old gangsta rappers to write guest verses about how hot she is. That’s amazing. Like, think about female romantic leads in Tom Hanks movies for a second, or in Woody Allen movies, or in any movie, literally any movie, it’s always, the dude is hella old and the woman is portrayed by an early-20s ingenue, and here Mariah Carey is FLIPPING THE FUCKING SCRIPT. That’s what you get to fucking do when you’re a legend. Think about YG for a second. In the same 12-month span, YG released a song called "Fuck Donald Trump" and wrote a verse about proposing to Mariah Carey. That's not a mark against YG, that is a testament to Mariah Carey's legend, that we’re nearly 20 years removed from “Heartbreaker” but she still wields the same influence. I did not start writing this series about pop music to besmirch Mariah Carey's good name. What I think of this song is immaterial. She is a goddess come to earth, and her every movement is a blessing.

93) "Now & Later," by Sage the Gemini

So, I don't know about this song's long-term ability to stay on the chart. It's been out since last October, and it's apparently part of a popular Snapchat filter, and I'm not sure I'm ready for a world where songs can get big via Snapchat. I barely got used to Vine hits, now I've gotta worry about Snapchat? Anyhoo. Take a trip with me. On last year's year-end Hot 100, the hip-hop entries were all either trap or Drake, with the exception of "All the Way Up." It's been way too long since we've had a solid pop/rap song hit the charts. And this is such a blast! Even the rap singles I've enjoyed over the course of this project, they're still slightly ponderous. This young man just wants to eat candy, and it's like "Cake by the Ocean," yeah candy is a metaphor for something but this dude doesn't want you to think about it too hard, he just has this dope song you can enjoy. It's nice to hear music that isn't taking itself seriously. Bless you, friend.

94) "In Case You Didn't Know," by Brett Young

Meanwhile, the world has hundreds of versions of this exact pop/country song. We're all good. We don't need more. This is a new dude! How do they keep finding dudes like this to sing songs like this? Are they just in a mall somewhere scouting dudes like this in line at the Auntie Anne's? Do they just go to baseball games and look for tall dudes with stubble? Do they just carry guitars to karaoke bars, and when they hear a voice just nasally enough to be considered twangy they give him the guitar to hold for a few minutes and evaluate how hot he looks while holding that guitar and smiling? “Oh, yeah, that could be an album cover. I could see that on an album cover.” “So y’all from ar” “Shhh, shh shh shh, you talking ruins everything we like here.” Where do these guys COME FROM even?

95) "Look at Me!" by XXXTENTACION

But I kind of understand the appeal of bro country. At this point, when I see a white dude's name on the Billboard chart, I know I can expect one of two things: a fast jam about a hot summer night in a Chevrolet truck, or a slow jam about a hot girl the bro truly loves. And there's a certain safety when you know what to expect. If you feel safe enough in an environment, you'll want to spend more time in that environment, and if you spend enough time in that safe environment, you'll eventually call that place your home. This is all to say that, as I listened to "Look at Me!" I found myself appreciating the mundanity and predictability of "In Case You Didn't Know," and it takes a certain kind of aggressive unpleasantness to make me consider the bro-country universe's redeeming qualities. This song is horrendous. There's no musicality, the lyrics are the most misogynistic thing I've heard IN A WEEK WITH A FUCKING EMINEM VERSE, there's nothing here that suggests this is something meant to be enjoyed. Who is this for? Who's listening to this song that would subject themselves to it more than once? There is neither creativity nor artistry, just a horrible worldview presented abrasively. Y'all rejected "Run Up" for this and I will never forgive you.

Anyway, we’re a month and a half into this thing, and I think we’ve encountered enough Cs and C+s to expand the Top 10 into a Top 20! 20) "Road Less Traveled," by Lauren Alaina (2.11) 19) "I Don't," Mariah Carey ft./YG (2.25) 18) "El Amante," by Nicky Jam (2.18) 17) "Timeless," by A Boogie Wit da Hoodie ft./DJ SPINKING (1.14) 16) "Beibs in the Trap," by Travis Scott (1.21) 15) "My Old Man," by Zac Brown Ban (2.25) 14) "Castle on the Hill," by Ed Sheeran (1.28) 13) "Call Casting," by Migos (2.18) 12) "Running Back," by Wale ft./Lil Wayne (2.11) 11) "I'm Better," by Missy Elliott ft./Lamb (2.18) 10) "Way Down We Go," by Kaleo (1.14) 9) "Light," by Big Sean ft./Jeremih (2.25) 8) "Guys My Age," by Hey Violet (2.11) 7) "Good Drank," by 2 Chainz ft./Gucci Mane & Quavo (2.11) 6) "Now & Later," by Sage the Gemini (2.25) 5) "Shape of You," by Ed Sheeran (1.28) 4) "Despacito," by Luis Fonsi ft./Daddy Yankee (2.4) 3) "Issues," by Julia Michaels (2.11) 2) "iSpy," by KYLE ft./Lil Yachty (1.14) 1) "Run Up," Major Lazer ft./PARTYNEXTDOOR & Nicki Minaj (2.18)

[badgirl2chainz-blog]

coacHELLYA

Since I’m back and ready to express my thoughts and feelings about everyone’s favorite festival, here I am! Yes, my first blog was about Stagecoach, however it is no surprise that I would prefer Coachella over Stagecoach. Not in a conceited way, but I was one of the first people in my High School to attend both in the same year and have been fortunate enough to keep that going ever since. When April ends, the typical questions follow, “Which one do you like more?” or “If you had to choose which one would you go too?” As much as I loved country growing up, it’s no surprise that the vibes and the atmosphere you see and feel at Coachella are much more me. The most “eclectic music festival” they said, and man they weren’t wrong.  

After experience quite a few festivals, I think I can safely say what festivals are worth going to at least once in you're life and Coachella is 100% that one festival, no matter if the lineup isn't up to your “par” you still gotta go. Ya, just gotta.

The reason I was so infatuated with attending this festival was because one of my pal’s was very into EDM and always talked about the Sahara tent. The Sahara tent this, the Sahara tent that. And he kept blabbing about something called the “Do Lab” and he would constantly say, “Mas you gotta go, you would love coachella!” I figured he knew me well enough that he wouldn’t suggest I go to some lame event. The more research I did the more I realized I had to go.

My first Coachella experience began with my pal and I making sure we went to our Senior year English class because attendance mattered, but once the bell rang we were sprinting to the senior parking lot, yelling “Bye Triana!” It was literal go time. I had never been more giddy in my entire life, so giddy that I fell asleep immediately in the car on the way to La Quinta. Classic Carly for y’all.  But don’t you worry I woke up just in time for some in n out.

I had worked hard and paid for my ticket with my own money, which at the time $350 seemed like a lot for a ticket, I do even remember my parents telling me I was rather insane, but little did they know how much money I would be dropping on festival tickets in the future. Anyways sorry I got a little off topic there, SO we get to my pals house and she is much more girly than me and she was ready to go, knew all the outfits she was going to wear and all I really had to my name was a mesh tank top and a flower headband, literally so Coachella of me, am I right? Don’t worry my outfits have definitely improved over the years, or so I would like to think. Not that it matters what people think of my appearance because I have always been one of those people to actually attend something for the music and the experience.

Disclaimer - the thing about looking cute is really tough because you might walk into the sahara tent at 3:00 pm in 95 degree weather to see What so Not or Thomas Jack and you might just come out looking like you ran a 5K and haven’t showered in days, so just don't over do it with the outfits. Trust me your outfits that you ordered online in January will still be cool.

For someone that isn’t very crafty or artistic at all, the artwork at Coachella enlightens me every single year. I followed the snail around for about an hour and I took pretty heinous selfies of myself with the caterpillar. In all seriousness though, the art is much, much, more than a new twitter header, it’s interesting to see what artists are thinking and to think about why that piece of art is here.

Now lets talk about my favorite topic once again; food and drinks. Yes there is the infamous lemonade. One year I counted that I drank 8 in one weekend. Raw talent, I’d say. This could also be because Coachella does have designated drinking areas. So unless you sneak something in you can’t just roam freely with alcohol. Last Coachella was the first Coachella that I was allowed in the Beer Gardens. Now this craft beer was extremely expensive but it was so necessary as a newly 21 year old gal. It was really cute and fun to be in there but not as worth the hype as I had anticipated. Now this doesn’t mean I won’t make my way into the beer garden again this year. I will of course, but I won’t be feeling like I have to in order to complete my Coachella weekend experience. Okay enough about the alcohol, I swear I am not an alcoholic. In reality I enjoy about 2 popsicles a day because it’s cheap and SO bomb. Plus if you have a few minutes it’s a great food to grab right after you’ve filled up your camelback.

Talking about food and drinks is a great segway into my thoughts of buying a GA or a VIP ticket.  VIP at Coachella is extremely fun and well organized. The bars are fun and there aren’t designated drinking areas in VIP. There is also more food options in VIP and no lie they are much more upscale than the rest of the festival. So if you have a couple thousand to spend why not get that VIP ticket, ya know wha I’m sayin’?!

Weekend 1 or Weekend 2? Now that is the million dollar question, isn’t it. This upcoming Coachella will be my first time attending weekend 1, so based on my last 4 years at Coachella, I was a huge advocate for weekend 2.  The very first time my pal and I bought tickets we couldn’t get weekend 1 tickets so we were honestly just thrilled to get weekend 2 tickets! Then before we knew it, it became a tradition to always go that weekend, no questions asked. Is the grass truly greener at Weekend 1 than Weekend 2? Well time will tell and do promise to report back my thoughts.

Watching Mr. B rap every single world to every Ice Cube and NWA song really made me realize that yeah, he is the golden child. Honestly, I’m still kind of getting over it, but in all seriousness, he was killing it and I couldn’t have been a more proud big sister. Now as for my Father, he was a whole other story. We were getting ready to take a family photo and Guns N Roses was starting and my Dad literally left the photo op and sprinted to the stage. My Mom, brother and I were standing there shook as hell, but we decided we might as well enjoy ourselves so we went to the show and I swear we could still hear Dicky screaming “Paradise City” at the top of his lungs from 20 plus feet behind him.

Getting Mamafred to see Baaur in the sahara tent was the move. She was always so afraid of “tents” but she handled herself wonderfully. She looked so precious with her bandana and her special festival dress. My favorite tent is the Gobi tent. The way the stage lights reflect off of the chandelier lights made my first time seeing Flume, Kygo, Purity Ring, Odezsa, all so special.

Surprise Guests - Coachella has really done it all, from reuniting bands back together, incorporating Holograms, and simply shocking you more than you thought you could ever be. Now flashback to 2015, Drake brought out Madonna weekend 1 and even though they had an extremely awkward make-out session, I was so jealous, don’t worry not of the swapping of saliva but because I was thinking I wanted to see someone cool like Madonna. So weekend 2 rolls around and it’s Saturday night and my pal and I were at the Weeknd and as if Abel’s voice wasn’t enough he brought out Kanye. I was DEAD. I was screaming like a child. I remember being LOL at everyone who said weekend 2 sucked, because who truly received a better guest? Yeah most definitely weekend 2. Never forget last year that G Eazy brought out Lil Wayne. Mom was like “woah who’s this a milli guy”.

Even though it’s my favorite weekend of the year, it can be extremely stressful. Now I know that sounds super lame but once the set times come out, my hands get clammy and I get a nice sweat going with the fearful thought that all my favorite people will be interfering. I once sprinted from Major Lazer to 2chainz to Ben Howard, it was absurd but I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I feel at ease with going to multiple sets during a set time. Now a lot of people aren’t like that, but I would rather see 4 songs of 3 artists in a set time than just one.

It’s hard to decide what my favorite memories from Coachella are but I think a few would be seeing Kid Cudi as the sun was setting on that Saturday evening, maybe it was getting in a mosh pit by myself at Floss (no worries I survived), or it could’ve been sitting on the ground eating noodles watching ACDC, or maybe it was chugging Heinekens with my pal right before Tchami threw down the most epic set EVER. 

However if you know me you know seeing my boyfriend Porter Robinson for the first time, front row is something I’ll talk about 5ever !!!

Over the last 4 years I have spent 12 days at Coachella, eating high end food, attempting the running man, meeting new foreign friends, making Freddy memories, pulling all nighters, and craving the next year even more than the previous.

I can't wait to go this year and have friends who have never been see what the hype is all about and I can assure everyone, no one will be disappointed.  

Besame Mucho & thanks for reading :)