#she's got best debut album in the us... like in sells | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rays-of-fire-and-ice · 8 months ago

Text

The Music Goes On and On

Rating: K/General

Setting: in the decade before the main story.

Synopsis: Shinji is going about his daily life at his job in a music store, until he sees an old face from the past.

AN: the winner of my first poll! This was fun to write, so thank you to everyone who voted for it!

I hope I did Shinji justice here. He's a character I love, and I've always wanted to know what he and Visoreds did after escaping the the Living world and before they introduced themselves to Ichigo. I've broached the topic before in As Months Go By, As Season Change part II, but I wanted to write a specific instance of his life in the World of the Living. I had intended this to be more comedic, but well...it's me, and it ended up more angsty with one sappy moment.

In terms of research, I looked into Japanese 1990’s music and the workforce during the 1970’s. I'll briefly go over it here, but if you want to skip it and get to the fic, continue to the line break before the story begins.

For music, I mainly used information from this article about Japanese jazz bands, doing Youtube searches for 1990s Japanese music, and searching for what records stores in Japan typically look like.

The songs, albums, and bands mentioned in this fic are:

B'z: a Japanese rock duo who sold millions of albums during the 1990's. They're one of Japan's best-selling artists even to this day, having sold over 80 million albums. Sasori ni sasa reta by Kimidori Review by Glay: this was one of the best-selling albums in Japan for 1997, and sold over 2 million copies in it's first week. Casiopea: a Japanese jazz fusion band who have created over 40 albums as of the time of writing this fic. They've been active since the 1970's, and have gone through four phases with different band members; in this story, they're in their second phase. Light and Shadow by Casiopea Casiopea by Casiopea Yasuko Agawa: a Japanese jazz and blues singer. Before releasing her debut album, Love-Bird, in 1978, she starred in movies in the early 1970’s. This included the Bloodthirst Trilogy, a Japanese horror film trilogy that involves unconnected stories about vampires. Agawa starred in Chi o suu bara, which is the final film in the trilogy and it's title has been translated to Evil of Dracula in English. Love-Bird by Yasuko Agawa All Right by Me by Yasuko Agawa Scenery by Ryo Fuuki (also mentioned in As Months Go By, As Season Change part II)

In terms of the workforce research, I had to change the timeline in light of what I found. Rather than seeing a coworker Shinji knew from 30 years ago, it's now 21 years. This is because the store they worked at together, Yodobashi Camera, opened it's first store in 1975, and in this fic Shinji got a job with the company a year later. In it's early years, the stores primarily sold cameras and photography equipment, but eventually branched off into other technology and home electronics such as TVs and PCs. Nowadays it's online version is incredibly popular and one of Japan's most visited online shopping platforms. Why a camera store? I can't explain why, but I have this weird feeling that Shinji might've worked in a camera store at some point. Maybe because old camera's used to have inverted lenses, meaning they could be upside down (and we all know how Shinji feels about things that are inverted).

Finally, there's a slight joke with the name Shinji chooses to use here. From what I saw in my research, ‘Mako’ can use the same Kanji characters as ‘Shinji’, (which are ‘真子‘ and if I’m not mistaken have the same meanings of ‘truth’/’sincerity’ and ‘children’) but both names can also be spelled using other Kanji characters too (but it changes the meaning of the name). While ‘Mako’ tends to be primarily a girl's name, it seems it can also be a boy’s name too, and from what I can see, the spelling of it can be same for both boys and girls when using the same characters as ‘Shinji’. If I got any of this wrong, please let me know so I can change it. My sources for all of this were here and here.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this!

______________________________________

The bell above the music store’s entrance rings as the latest customer leaves. Shinji doesn’t glance their way, taking and unfurling a poster of B’z from his cart. After pinning it to the wall, he lifts out a box of CDs to restock the ‘New Releases’ display rack at the front.

Karakura Beats Records Store is empty save for him and Kana, who resumes pricing the latest shipment of vinyls behind the cash register. The morning sunlight pours in through the many posters and notices stuck to the windows facing out on to the quiet street, casting blocks of shadow over the many vinyls and CDs.

From the speakers high up on the walls, a tune he’s never heard before begins to play quietly through the air. Shinji drums his fingers on the CD rack to the tune in between stacking in copies of ‘Review’ – which will no doubt be gone by the end of the week if the hype around the album and the sales figures from other music stores are to be believed.

Eventually, he’s swaying his body to the beat too. “Yo, Kana-san!”

She looks up, her bright, dyed hair falling over one shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Which track is this?” he asks, still swaying as he tops up the rack the. “It’s a good one, I might buy the album if the rest is any good.”

“ ‘Sasori ni sasa reta’ by Kimidori.” She grins. “I knew I could get you to like something I like.”

“Didn’t think you’d like hip hop.”

“Not much of it, but I heard this one when I was in my last year of high school.”

Done with the CDs, Shinji returns to his cart and rolls it behind the cash register. “Ya done with those?” he says, pointing at the vinyls.

Sticking a price on the top one, Kana picks up the pile and drops them into the cardboard box that just had 'Review' in it. “Done now.”

He goes to pick it up, but blinks down at the cover. There’s three shadows on a white surface, and above them with is a de-saturated sky, and running along the middle is a dark lake and the silhouettes of hills and houses. The album’s title is in English, as is the band name. Even so, he recognises the name without having to read the blue slip on the vinyl’s side with a translation. “Huh, when did this come out?”

“In September. The old drummer came back, apparently.”

“Ya mean Jimbo Akira?”

“Yeah, but it’s got a guest drummer too.” Kana cocks an eyebrow at him. “I’m surprised you don’t know. You like Casiopea, right?”

Shinji shrugs. “Some of their stuff, sure. I can take ‘em or leave them, just surprised I didn’t know about this one.”

“They release something every year, right?” Kana says, moving on to the next stacks of vinyls and CDs to price. “Shouldn’t be too surprising.”

No, it shouldn’t. He’d been listening to their music since their self-titled debut album in 1979, and even though he’d lost some interest in their music by the late 1980’s, he still kept tabs on them. But then, even after being in the world for as long as he has, the passage of time is so different it sometimes escapes him.

Resisting the urge to shake his head, Shinji puts two other boxes of CDs and vinyls Kana had prepared into his cart, and rolls it down the right-side aisle.

Hecomes to a stop at his favorite section. Written above the display racks and cupboards is ‘Jazz’. When he’d started here three months ago, while he'd been impressed the store's collection was better than others he'd come across, the section had been smaller and in desperate need to of a wider range of artists. After showing his extensive knowledge about jazz and blues music had been one of the reason’s he’d been hired by he and Kana’s manager.

Aside from the usual roles in customer services, he’d been tasked with refurbished the store a little, putting up posters for bands and music artists on the walls and redoing the titles over each genre section. While doing the latter task, he had to withhold the temptation to write every genre name upside down – he’d tried to argue it would make them stand out from other stores, but backed down when Kana protested against the idea, saying ti would confuse customers.

The jazz section was his unofficial space in the whole store, the one where he got to arrange it as he wanted. The entire row against the wall has a wide variety of artists, from the famous to the up and coming to local talent. He goes to the where the rest of Casiopea’s discography is and clears a space for the vinyls.

The bell rings again. Kana greets their new customer from the counter and offers assistance. Judging from the voice that thanks her, the person is elderly.

Shinji doesn’t listen to the rest, but as he makes his way down the middle aisle to stack some vinyls and CDs in the ‘Rock’ section, the older man remains in his peripheral. He takes out the box, balancing it on the rack with his arm over the top, and unloads the vinyls two at a time into an empty space with the others. He frowns at the sensation in the back of his mind; something nags in the back of his mind, begging him to look at the man.

The bell rings again. This time by the sounds of it, it’s one of their regulars, a young woman who’s name doesn’t remember. She and Kana chatter away, discussing the weather and family. It’s so ordinary, so far away from all of the worlds he’s ever known. He hasn’t been in the Soul Society for decades, and yet there are times like now when it feels like only yesterday he was a captain.

With all the vinyls stacked in, he begins to lift the almost empty box back into the cart. However, his arm bumps into someone, clattering the records inside. Shinji turns to apologize, but his throat closes up involuntarily when he sees it’s the older man from before.

“Oh, sorry, please excuse…” The old man trails off.

Shinji frowns, that nagging sensation getting stronger now that he has a closer look at the man. He’s not as old as he thought. His hair is greying, but there’s still some dark hair on the top of his head and in his thick eyebrows. Wrinkles ring around his eyes and the ends of his mouth, but they aren’t deep, only just beginning to show more prominently. Behind his glasses, the man’s eyes are dark brown, and widened with probably the same strange feeling of familiarity as Shinji is experiencing.

Then, when the man tries to speak again, and his brows furrow into a frown, it hits Shinji.

He nearly has to bite his tongue from saying the man’s name aloud. “No harm done,” he somehow manages to say without any of the spiking nerves thrumming through him.

He tries to remain calm as he continues stacking the vinyls in, but he can feel the man’s – Keiji Mimura’s -- lingering gaze on him, even as he turns and pretends to browse the albums in front of him.

He has to get out of this fast. He can hear the cash register going; Kana must be ringing up the regular, which means she’ll be free any second now. He hoists the box back into the cart, planning to head back to the counter, then offer to take over the register for Kana. She’d go out on to floor, probably keep Keiji distracted and try to sell him some obscure rock album she likes. If he ends up buying the album, Kana will likely keep the conversation going all the way to register, get Shinji to move aside so she can ring Keiji up, and then he’ll be gone from the store, and Shinji’s life again.

Shinji doesn’t even make it three steps when Keiji speaks up behind him. “…Hirako-san?”

Shinji has no choice but to stop and turn around. In the face of the man’s shocked expression, Shinji somehow manages a smile. “Excuse me? Did you say something.” It sounds lame even to his own ears.

The man shakes his head. “Forgive me, it’s just…you look and sound like someone I used to know.”

It takes everything in Shinji to not drop the smile, but even then, the corners of his mouth twitch. How to get out of this?

He and the other Visoreds had managed to keeps their identities a secret up until now, switching jobs every few years, never getting close to any coworkers and never revealing anything about their personal lives. They mostly find work outside of Karakura Town in the major cities, countryside towns, and to a smaller extent the towns that surrounded Karakura. The commutes were a pain, but they needed to make a living and not expose themselves as being ‘ageless’ to local residents. This was his first job in Karakura Town, and it had partly been out of desperation when he couldn’t get another anywhere else.

He can dismiss Keiji, just treat this as an awkward encounter with an elderly man who had a case of mistaken identity. It happens, more often than he realized before being forced into the World of the Living.

It’s what he should do.

Later, as he's walking back to the warehouse and then while being lectured by the other Visoreds after telling them about his day, he will reflect on this moment where he chose to do something far more troublesome for himself.

Shinji’s widens his eyes, pretending to come to a realisation. “Ah! Wait. I think I understand your confusion.” He chuckles and shakes his head to himself for effect, leaving the older man bewildered. “I’m terribly sorry, sir,” Shinji continues. “Did you used to work with Hirako Shinji?”

“Y-Yes!” Keiji stammers out.

“Ah, ya see, he’s my father. I’m his son.”

The older man blinks, briefly scanning Shinji from head to toe. “He never said anything about children,” he murmurs under his breath.

Shinji pretends he didn’t hear it, remaining rooted in place, grin plastered wide over his face and a fisted hand on his hip. Seeing the man’s unfaltering skepticism, he bows slightly and holds his hand out to him. “I’m Hirako…Mako.”

Of all the names! He purses his lips and continues to stare at the ground, hard, as he inwardly begs, Please don’t think too much on it, please don’t think to much on it, Keiji-san, don’t think --

After a beat, the older man bows and shakes Shinji’s hand. “I’m Mimura Keiji. Forgive me for before, it’s just that you look so much like Hirako Shinji – your father, I meant.”

“That’s fine. I’ve gotten that quite a bit, actually. Everyone’s always saying I look like my old man.”

That gets a huff of a chuckle out Keiji; Shinji can’t tell whether it’s due to the comment, how informally he’d spoken, or how the way he spoke was identical to his 'father'. It's probably the latter.

Keiji lets go of Shinji’s hand and they both straighten back up. The store bell rings, briefly drawing Shinji’s attention to Kana. To his chagrin she doesn’t look his way, instead continuing her chat with their regular as she makes her purchases.

“I worked with your father a long time ago.” Keiji explains. “We were coworkers”

Shinji keeps his grin small as he returns his focus back to his old coworker. “Where did you work with him? The old man’s had a lot of jobs across his life.”

Keiji smiles. “So he said. We used to work at Yodobashi Camera together.”

“Ah yeah! He was a sales clerk there. He barely knew a thing about camera’s when he started, huh?”

Another huff of a chuckle broadens the old man's smile. “He learned on the job. I was no expert at the time by any means, but he even had to learn which button to press to take a picture.”

Shinji chortles, both from the memory and the embarrassment of those years. He’d been the World of the Living for several decades by that point. He’d known about cameras but was so concerned with training to control his Visored abilities and stay afloat money-wise he hadn’t ever learned about some of the most basic things for humans.

“He was all right with the other technology of course,” Keiji continues. “We often had shifts together. Every now and then we went for drinks at ‘The Golden Cup’ with everyone else.”

Despite himself, Shinji can’t help but grin wider as nostalgia flutters in his chest. He and the other Visoreds tried to maintain a certain distance between themselves and the cowrokers in whatever job they worked in. Regardless, on rare occasions, he’d indulge himself and go drinking with his coworkers. He did it more often with the employees of Yodobashi Camera than in any other job, and he’d never had a bad night out with them. They were a good bunch of hard workers who knew how to party even harder afterwards -- or at least as much as they could given that they all needed to wake up and go to work the next day.

“I -- He mentioned that too,” Shinji eventually says. “He always came home in a good mood after those nights, tripping over his feet."

Keiji gives a nervous snort. "I must admit, I did worry about how much he drank sometimes."

Shinji did too. He recalls the concerned pinch of Keiji's brows when he was about to leave, wobbling on his feet. He rarely got drunk, and he didn't always understand why he chose to get drunk with those guys.

"Nah, he was always sharp," Shinji says, "even when drunk. Heck, he could even play mahjong while drunk and still win." He let's Keiji's chuckle fill in the air for a pause. "He used to play that game with his coworkers too, right?”

“Ah, yes! I used to enjoy our games.” Keiji sighs. “It’s been a long time since then, and Yodobashi Camera has certainly grown bigger and bigger over the years.”

“Ya can’t escape them these days, huh? Feels like they’re at every railway station in the major cities.” Shinji leans back against the vinyls racks, trying to appear casual. “So, do you live in Karakura Town now?”

“Oh, no. My wife and I are visiting our daughter. I assume you live here?”

“Yeah, I moved here about a year ago.” A lie, so natural sounding from years of saying many more like it before.

He can sense the next question coming – something to effect of ‘Do your parents live here as well?’ – so he quickly continues, “It’s a small town, but there’s a few places I can recommend for visitors if your daughter hasn’t taken you to them already.”

“We only arrived two days ago. We visited one of the shrines with her yesterday. My wife and daughter are having breakfast at a cafe nearby. We’re planning to walk around the shopping district this afternoon.”

“All good ideas. There’s also Tsubakidai Park, it’s always nice to walk around there. There’s also a music performance happening there two days from now, local bands mostly.”

“Is there now?”

Shinji points to the most recent poster taped up next to the store’s entrance. He briefly glances at Kana, who had gone back to pricing the vinyls, but she’d stopped at some point, staring at their exchange. She eyes him with a raised brow. Her expression is asking him ‘Is everything okay?’

“See that there?” Shinji says, keeping Keiji distracted long enough to wink at Kana in reassurance. “It’s got the details for it if you’re interested.”

With a shrug and a good-natured roll of her eyes, she returns to her task.

Keiji nods. “I’ll be sure to look at it on my way out.” Turning back, he looks over Shinji shoulder. “Speaking of, I came here to get an album I was told would be here. I believe it will be under jazz.”

“Yeah? Which one?” Shinji asks as he leads Keiji to the ‘Jazz’ section.

“It’s often hard to find, but Umei -- oh, she's my daughter -- thought I should try my luck here. She said this store often sells music from older artists. ‘Retro’, she calls it.”

“She ain’t wrong.”

Keiji frowns thoughtfully when they stop in front of the rows of CDs and vinyls. He let’s out a sudden, ironic laugh. “Actually, now that I think about it, it’s from a singer your father introduced me to.”

Shinji already knew, and his heart squeezed for a moment. “Oh, yeah? Which one?”

“Agawa Yasuko.”

The memory comes to him. He’d gone drinking with Keiji and his coworkers, and they ended up discussing films they love. When the topic of The Bloodthirsty Trilogy came up, Shinji brought up how Yasuko Agawa had gone on to make music since then. Only Keiji was interested, and took up Shinji’s suggestion to go buy her debut album. He hadn’t seen someone as smitten with a jazz album as Keiji (and apparently his wife) was. They discussed her singing the next day during lulls at work, and for the first time in a while, Shinji felt relaxed, briefly forgetting the troubles that always weigh on his mind.

“Well, her albums are just here,” Shinji says, gesturing to the left-side display racks. “Were you after CD or vinyl?”

“CD,” Keiji says while steps around him. He bends over the CDs and thumbs through them. “You have most of her albums here.”

“It’s like your daughter said, we’re retro here.”

He takes out a copy of ‘All Right With Me’ with a grin. “This is the one! I listened to it last year, but haven’t been able to find a copy of it until today.”

“It’s a good one, she’s always had a great voice. I can recommend any of her albums, they're all good.”

“Ah, are you a fan of jazz music too? Just like your father?”

“Yeah, like my old man, jazz is one of my favourite genres. It never gets old.”

“He said the same thing.”

Then, because one of half of him is now stuck in the past, Shinji says, “My father mentioned you had a wife, a daughter, and a son. They doing okay?”

Keiji hums in ascent. “Yes, very well. I’m not sure if your father told you, but my wife, Kyoko, works in a bakery. She has worked in the same place for over twenty years now, and got promoted to manager five years in.”

“That’s incredible!”

Keiji nods firmly and returns to flicking through the albums. “She’s always been determined. Umei is a newspaper reporter for the local news here, and my son, Naoya, is an accountant in Tokyo.” He grins. “He’ll be having our first grandchild soon. My wife is eager to be there in the weeks before the baby is born, she already has gifts planned for him. He’s a lot like his mother, determined and hard-working. I have no doubt he’ll be a good father.”

Shinji has the sudden urge to reminisce with this man. To talk about their days in the store, where Shinji learned how to use a camera, and about their regular customers. To show he remembered the little details Keiji had told him about his life outside of work – how Kyoko would come to visit them with baked goods when she knew her husband hadn’t packed a lunch, or how happy he was about Umei’s first day of school, or when he was pleasantly surprised by Naoya’s sudden obsession with the new ‘Astro Boy’ anime. To talk about the music from that time, and see if he’d taken on other jazz and blues recommendations he’d made.

At Shinji’s silence, Keiji’s grin transforms into a bashful smile. “You’ll have to forgive me. I must seem like an old man rambling about my family and reminiscing about the past.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I get it. My old man worked at Yodobashi Camera over twenty years ago, and if I saw an old coworker, even if it was their kid, I’d want to talk about it.”

"Well, thank you then," Keiji says, “How is your father these days? I probably should've asked that first.”

Shinji knew it was coming, hovering over them from the moment Keiji recognised him without realising. Even so, the pit of his stomach plummets along with his grin. He’s at another crossroads.

He takes in the man’s features again. How the wrinkles gather deeper around his eyes and around his mouth as he speaks. The fact he wears glasses now, resting over the faint scar on his nose he got when he broke it during a high school baseball game – he’d tumbled after getting homebase and cracked it on the ground, Shinji recalls; it'd been a drunken confession made on one of the night he'd gone out with the coworkers.

He thought noticing age couldn’t affect him anymore. But seeing someone from his past, someone who he got along well with and truly wished the best for, it strikes something in him. He’d been a Shinigami for centuries, ferrying hundreds of Souls like him to the Soul Society. One day, Keiji will be met by a Shinigami when he passes on, and forget the life he’d lived by the time he gets to the Soul Society.

It’s then SHinji realises he's been living in this world for too long. That detachment, that knowledge that he was not like humans, has eroded over time, crumbling bit by bit, leaving only a thin slab behind. Hiyori was right; he should’ve left his job at Yodobashi Camera sooner. It's been one of the longer jobs he'd had, and he recalls trying to stuff down the bitterness of leaving it behind when he left on his last day.

It hadn't been right to drag Keiji along like this, for his own selfish whims of wanting to relieve the past. So he does the right thing this time.

Shinji looks off to the side. “He’s gone. So is my mother.”

In the pause, Keiji remains frozen in place, lost for words. “Oh, I…I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up…I had no idea.”

“It was three years ago. He and my mother were involved in a car accident.” Like all his lies, it comes out smooth and natural, like he is the son reflecting on grief he's only just overcome. He hates it.

Keiji shakes his head in disbelief. “That's awful, truly. I really am sorry.”

“Thank you, but you don’t have to be. I’m sorry you found out this way.”

Keiji is silent again, staring at the ground for a long moment before raising his head. There’s a faint mist across his eyes. “Your father and I only knew each other at work, and on the occasions he came to drink with the rest of us. Even so, I could always tell he was a good man. He worked hard, but he always had time to help others around the store too. Not just his coworkers, but also the customers.” His smile faintly returns. “I always wondered what happened to him after he left the store. I always thought, though, that wherever he went, he’d do good work.”

Keiji always saw the good in others, and in a time where Shinji still hadn’t fully processed Aizen’s betrayal, he’d been wary of the man at first. He'd reminded him of his seated officer Genji Isawa: a hard worker who could bring a smile and laugh to anyone who met him. Maybe this is why he'd eventually came around to being a little less guarded with him.

In his last year with the store, it was only then he’d begun to take an interest in his personal life and the lives of his coworkers, whether it was the rowdy Takahiro, or the quiet but hard working Kaneshiro. In some ways, now that he thought about it, Keiji might’ve been the closest thing he’d had to a friend in many years. Still kept at a distance, still lied to, but still an echo of a friend, one he probably would've had in another life.

He can't tell him any of this, not without it sounding like he truly knew him rather than a son telling a father's old coworker what his old man thought of him.

He'd put what little detachment he still had between him and his past, but now it came bleeding through like a bruise. If only he knew he was speaking these words directly to him and not to the son he thought he was.

“Thank you,” Shinji says quietly, still unable to meet Keiji’s eyes completely. “He’d have appreciated your words a lot.”

A sombre awkwardness settles over them, only broken when the store bell rings. A young couple come in, with the woman goig straight to the ‘New Releases’ rack. Shinji looks to Kana, who now unabashedly just stared at the scene unfolding in the corner of the shop. She’s only distracted away when the man who just entered asks for assistance.

Keiji bows. “Thank you for your assistance and for listening to my ramblings today, Hirako-san. I’ll go purchase this now.” He rises, but doesn’t move to the counter. He hesitates to say something else, lips parting and closing. "And I'm truly sorry for your loss. You have my condolences."

Shinji can only nod. This will be the last time he ever sees Keiji. It’s just as well, given the emotions and reactions he’d undergone today. Who knew how he’d react to meeting some of his other old coworkers from his other jobs. If nothing, this has reiterated why he shouldn’t get close to any of the humans, not even asking them about or taking an interest in their personal lives.

But some part of him, a wistful part that he’d thought was buried under the cynicism and hurt of Aizen’s betrayal, urges him to do one last thing. His detachment tries to block it, but it shine through, clutching at his heart.

“Did my father ever tell you what his favorite record was?” Shinji asks.

Keiji frowns slightly and shakes his head. “He might have, but I’m sorry, I can’t remember.”

“Well, to be more accurate, it’s one of his favorite records.” Shinji takes a step backwards and scans the lines of CDs until he finds the one he needs. He fishes it out of the rack and presents it to Keiji. A copy of ‘Scenery’. “He loved it from the moment he heard it. I still have his vinyl copy of it.”

Keiji is slow to take the CD. “I’ve always been more into pop music, really. Agawa Yasuko is the only jazz singer I liked.”

“It came out in 1976, the same year he started working for Yodobashi Camera. He said that while listening to it, it’d remind of his life at the time, including his work and his coworkers. He always associated it with good memories.”

Keiji nods, and his smile returns, albeit with a sadder edge to it. “I’m glad, then.” As Shinji holds his hand out, planning to take the album and put it back, Keiji raises his gaze back to him. “In that case, I’ll be buying this too.”

Shinji let out a chocked chuckle. “Whoa, hey, I wasn’t trying to make a sale –”

“I know, but I want to buy this now.”

Keiji had to be guided by his sentimentality right now, this isn’t fair. Did he feel the need to listen to this to honor him? “Hey, look, it’s really not –”

“If you recommend it, and if your father would’ve recommend it to me, then I have no doubt I will enjoy it. I’m sure my wife would too. She also likes Agawa-san’s music, and a few of the other recommendations your father made.”

Somehow, that lightens the load on his heart. He even manages a grin. “Then in that case, it’s on me.”

“What? Oh, no, please, there’s no need –”

Shinji holds up a hand to silence him. “It’s no trouble. Think of it as a gift.”

Even as they walked to the counter, Keiji fretted about the idea. Kana is ringing up the couple, but as the woman counts out the money, she eyes Shinji and Keiji as they approach.

After serving the couple, Keiji comes up the counter and Shinji digs his wallet out of his pants pocket.

“He’s buying the Agawa album, the Fuuki Ryo one is on me.”

“Really, you don’t have to do this,” Keiji insists.

Kana only shrugs as she takes Shinji’s money. “If you’re sure.” She turns to Keiji with a smile. “Good choices by the way.”

Keiji hands her the albums and his money. While waiting for Kana to count up his change, Keiji reads the poster for the upcoming music festival. “I’ll tell Kyoko and Umei about this. I have a feeling they’ll be interested.”

“It’s looking to be a good line up this year,” Kana says while handing him his change and bagging his purchases. “They have a lot more local acts. It’s always good to support them.”

“Yes, it is.” He bows to her after taking the bag from her. “Thank you very much.”

She bows in return. “Have a good day, sir.”

Keiji then bows to Shinji. “And thank you so much, Hirako-san. I’m glad I got to meet you. Please, pay my respects when you next see your father and mother.”

Shinji bows in return. “Likewise, Mimura-san. I’m sure my old man would’ve been happy to see you today.”

Both rising, Keiji smiles broadly, before turning and leaving the store. There’s a still silence after the bell above the door rings. A few heartbeats later, Kana finally speaks. “What was that about?”

“One of my dad’s old coworkers,” Shinji says, ungluing himself from his spot and going back to get his cart. From across the store, he says. “My old man and I look a lot alike, so he thought I was him.”

“Huh,” Kana huffs. “That sounds like it’s be awkward.”

“It was, but…I’m glad I got to see him.”

Kana’s brows frown slightly, but she doesn’t say anything about him ‘seeing’ rather than ‘meeting’ him. “So long as you’re feeling okay about it.”

“Yeah, I am.”

The rest of the day continues as usual until closing time. The sky has turned to amber, with the last of the sun peaking out over the horizon, by the time Shinji and Kana steps out of the store.

After locking the front door, Kana spins to him and hitches her bag over her shoulder. She jerks a thumb in the direction of Karakura’s main shopping districts. “You want to go for a drink?”

She always offers, and just like every other time, Shinji shakes his head. “Nah, gotta get home.”

Kana shrugs. “Suit yourself.” Unlike other times, concern flickers across her expression. He’d tried to hide the sombreness that’d settled into him after Keiji left, but maybe he hadn't been convincing. Maybe he's losing his tough.

Kana bows. “Thanks for your hard work today. See you tomorrow.”

Shinji does the same in return. “See you tomorrow.”

They part ways, going in opposite directions.

Autumn is in the air, crispy in the wind that brushes against him as he walks the quiet streets of Karakura Town. The streetlight pop on, beaming down over him and the those either returning home or heading for a night on the town in the shopping district. He can blend in with everyone, dressed like them and walking like them, but never be one of them.

He never wanted to be, still doesn't, but like them, he'd let that small part of him, that sentimental part of him, get the better of him.

As he comes to the quieter part of town, getting closer to the warehouse, he contemplates quitting his current job. It's only a passing thought, one that he dismisses when he considers his and the Visoreds financial situation. Kisuke had been generous over the years for someone struggling almost just as much as them, but they can't rely on him.

They needed to make their own path back to the Soul Society. Back to Aizen, to take him down once and for all. The old fire returns in Shinji's, a determination he'd used to fuel his detachment form humans.

But he's been here for so long, more than a century now. He's been alive for too long, and been around humans for too long.

Their lives are so short; one moment they're here, and the next, they're meeting a Shinigami or another agent of death. Yet, he'd come to like some of the human's he'd interacted with over the decades. Keiji is clearly one of them, and for all of the grief today had caused him, he still can't deny he'd been glad to see him. But now he'd another person in his past, one he'll never see again.

And one day Kana will have to be one of those people too. He could still visit the store for next few years and get away with it, but there will come a time where he’ll have to stop visiting. And even then, he’ll have to watch himself more in public; Karakura is a big place, but there’s still a decent chance he’d run into her on the streets in the years to come.

When that time comes, she might wonder where he went, what he’s up to, or maybe she won’t. Maybe she’ll unintentionally spare him and move away, going back further north to be closer to her family and finally confess to that one highschool friend she sometimes calls on her breaks and still lives in her hometown. Maybe she’ll use the money she’s saved over the year for singing and guitar lessons, then start that rock band she’s always dreamed of and leave Karakura to go touring.

And maybe none of that happens, and she stays here until the end.

It’ll be a shame when it happens. Despite how small the store’s original jazz section had been, he always loved the store’s collection. He hadn’t found another like it in all his time in the World of the Living.

#shinji hirako #sosuke aizen #mentioned only #Visoreds #genji isawa #yes he makes a cameo here!#bleach #fanfiction #angst #on a side note #I'd like to think this was Shinji's last job while he lived in the World of the Living #that he stays at this job for the longest of any of his jobs #maybe even up until the year before the start of BLEACH's main story #he tells his manager he has to leave #and then several months later BOOM he meets Ichigo #and yes #I think Kana would wonder about him long after either she or Shinji leave the store

36 notes · View notes

songbirdseung · 1 year ago

Text

award show / nishimura riki

It was that time of the year, award season. You either love it or hate it. Maybe it's the axcitement for your favorite artist's performance, the anticipation of knowing who wins, or maybe you hate the decisions and how rigged award shows can be.

Either way, you'd turn in and you'd love to see the interactions between idols during this time. Some end well, some leads to the spark of rumors.

Y/N waits in her respective waiting room with the staff members, her managers, and bubbling anxiety. As her make up artist gets her ready, Y/N can't help but express the feelings of nervousness towards the show. This is because, this award show will be Y/N's first one, as she just debuted as a soloist under HYBE Entertainment.

A young girl at the age of 17. The company made the choice to debut her as a soloist as her talents, charisma, and character was meant to be showcased individually and they didn't want that to be hidden within a group.

Now, she was barely in the industry for 10 months, but she had a successful debut with the album selling out quicker than expected. Due to her fast gain in popularity and supporters, she was nominated for a few awards.

A lot of the high ups, her senior groups under HYBE have encouraged her so much and made sure she was taken care of.

But even with all that care and support, here she was getting her make up and hair done with anxiety and multiple "what ifs". The soft hum of the dressing room's bustling activity and the gentle hands of her makeup artist did little to quell the racing beat of her heart. She took a deep breath, trying to find some semblance of calm in the midst of it all.

Her manager, a seasoned professional who had been guiding her every step of the way, leaned in and offered a reassuring smile. "Y/N, you've got this," she said with unwavering confidence. "You've worked hard for this moment, and your talent speaks for itself. Just remember to be yourself, and everything will fall into place."

Y/N nodded, her anxiety still bubbling beneath the surface, but she appreciated the encouragement. She had always dreamt of this moment, standing under the spotlight, showcasing her music and talent to the world. But now that it was here, the weight of the expectations, the scrutiny, and the "what ifs" weighed heavy on her mind.

As her makeup artist applied the finishing touches, Y/N's phone buzzed with a message from one of her senior labelmates, a member of a well-known group within HYBE Entertainment. It was a short but heartfelt message that read, "You've got this, Y/N! We're all rooting for you. Just remember, you're not alone out there."

Reading those words, Y/N felt a renewed sense of determination. She knew she had a supportive network of fellow artists and staff members who believed in her. And deep down, she believed in herself too. She was here because she had something special to offer, something that resonated with her fans and had earned her a place at this prestigious award show.

With her makeup complete, Y/N looked into the mirror and saw a reflection of the young girl who had worked tirelessly to get to this point. She knew that the journey was far from over, but this was a significant milestone. It was her moment to shine, to express herself through her music, and to show the world what she was made of.

Taking one final deep breath, Y/N smiled at her reflection and stood up from the makeup chair. "Thank you," she said to her makeup artist and manager. "I'm ready."

The ride to the award show's location was quiet. Y/N's manager tried her best ease up the mood and crack a few jokes until the car came to a stop at their destination.

As Y/N stepped out of the car, the flashing cameras and the roar of the crowd on the other side of the velvet rope greeted her with a wave of energy. The dazzling lights of the red carpet illuminated her path, making her feel like she had stepped into a dream. Her manager offered her arm, and she took it gratefully, using the support to steady her nerves.

She took a moment to adjust her dress, ensuring that every detail was perfect. Her outfit had been chosen meticulously, a collaboration with a top designer, and she felt like a princess in it. Confidence started to bloom within her as she reminded herself of the hard work she had put into reaching this moment.

As Y/N approached the red carpet, the guards guided her through the crowd of photographers, their cameras clicking rapidly as they captured her every move. The flashes were blinding, but she managed to maintain her poise, her smile radiant and gracious. This was the moment she had always dreamed of, and she wasn't going to let nerves get the best of her.

At the end of the red carpet, the interviewer/MC awaited her, microphone in hand and a warm smile on their face. They extended a hand to Y/N, welcoming her with a kind gesture. "Y/N, it's an absolute pleasure to have you here tonight. How are you feeling on this momentous occasion?"

Y/N took a deep breath, her heart still racing, but her voice steady. "I'm feeling incredibly grateful and excited," she replied, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "This is my first award show, and the support from my fans and everyone at HYBE has been overwhelming. I can't wait to share this special night with all of you."

The interviewer nodded appreciatively and asked a few more questions about her debut, her music, and her experience working with HYBE Entertainment. Y/N answered with grace and charisma, her confidence growing with each passing moment.

With the interview completed, Y/N thanked the interviewer and continued down the red carpet, pausing to interact with fans, sign autographs, and take photos with those who had supported her from the beginning. The excitement and energy of the evening filled her with a sense of purpose and a deep appreciation for the journey that had brought her here.

As she reached the entrance of the venue, Y/N couldn't help but smile to herself. The red carpet had been a whirlwind, but it was just the beginning of a night that held the promise of recognition, celebration, and the fulfillment of her dreams.

After the red carpet interview finished, she was led into the building and the area where most of the idols were already in. Y/N couldn't help but steal glances at the multiple groups and soloist. She spotted familiar faces from the industry, including her labelmates, who waved and cheered for her. Their support was a source of strength, reminding her that she was part of a larger family within the entertainment world.

Y/N settled into her seat, feeling a mixture of excitement and a touch of nervousness as she looked around at the sea of familiar faces in the artist area. She exchanged polite bows and greetings with her senior idols, showing the utmost respect to those who had paved the way for her in the industry. It was a surreal experience to be among artists she had admired for years.

As she glanced around, Y/N's eyes met with those of Ni-ki from ENHYPEN, who happened to be her age. Their gazes lingered for a moment before they both offered tentative smiles and nods. It wasn't the first time they had crossed paths, but it seemed that their shyness had always kept them at a distance, despite sharing the same label.

Y/N had heard so much about Ni-ki's talent and charisma, and she had always wanted to strike up a conversation or get to know him better. However, every time she had thought about approaching him, her nerves got the best of her, and she ended up retreating into her shell. It seemed that Ni-ki was equally reserved, making it a challenge for either of them to take the first step.

Despite the unspoken distance between them, Y/N couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Ni-ki. They were both young artists navigating the complex world of K-pop, and they shared a label that was known for nurturing talent. She admired his dedication and artistry from afar, and she hoped that one day they could break through their shyness and connect on a more personal level.

As the award show began, Y/N's focus shifted to the stage, where performances and award presentations unfolded. The energy in the venue was electric, and she found herself getting lost in the music and the celebration of the industry's best.

During one of the performances, she noticed Ni-ki's incredible dance moves and couldn't help but be in awe of his talent. She made a mental note to compliment him on his performance if they ever found themselves in a less crowded and intimidating setting.

Throughout the night, Y/N's nerves began to ease, replaced by a growing sense of belonging and a realization that she was part of a supportive and welcoming community of artists. She knew that the path ahead would still be challenging, but she also felt that she had a network of peers and seniors who would be there to guide and encourage her.

As the award show continued, Y/N couldn't help but steal glances at Ni-ki from time to time, silently hoping that one day they would find the courage to bridge the gap between them and form a friendship that went beyond the labels they wore.

Ni-ki couldn't help but steal glances at Y/N from his seat, either. He admired her talent and charisma from a distance and had often wondered what it would be like to get to know her better. The subtle smiles and nods they exchanged earlier in the evening gave him a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could overcome their shyness and strike up a conversation.

However, what both Y/N and Ni-ki failed to consider was the watchful eyes of the fans in the audience. These dedicated fans were quick to capture every moment on their phones and upload it to social media platforms. It didn't take long for a few eagle-eyed fans to notice the interactions between Y/N and Ni-ki, and they couldn't resist sharing their observations with the world.

On Twitter and Instagram, fans began posting about the perceived tension and chemistry between Y/N and Ni-ki. They created GIFs and edited photos to highlight the moments when the two had exchanged glances and smiles. Hashtags like #YNKi or #ShyIdols quickly started trending, with fans speculating about the potential friendship or even romance between the two young artists.

As the posts gained traction, Y/N's and Ni-ki's mentions and direct messages started to fill up with messages from fans and curious followers. Some fans were shipping them as a couple, while others were simply excited about the idea of them becoming friends. The attention from the fans and the online buzz added a layer of complexity to their already shy and reserved interactions.

During one of the brief breaks in the award show, Y/N's manager leaned over and whispered, "I think the fans have noticed something." He discreetly showed her his phone, which was inundated with notifications related to the social media buzz surrounding her and Ni-ki.

Y/N's eyes widened, and she felt a flush of embarrassment. She hadn't expected their subtle interactions to garner so much attention. She turned to her manager and replied softly, "I hope this doesn't make things awkward between us."

As the award show continued, Y/N couldn't help but feel the weight of the online attention and the potential expectations of their fans. While they both longed to connect with each other, they also knew that they needed to do so on their own terms, free from the pressures of public scrutiny. Y/N hoped that, in time, they could find a way to overcome their shyness and form a genuine connection without the watchful eyes of the world on them.

As the moment for Y/N's performance approached, her heart pounded with a mix of excitement and lingering nerves. She had spent countless hours rehearsing, refining her choreography, and perfecting her vocals, all leading up to this pivotal moment. The stage awaited her, and there was no turning back.

The curtains slowly rose, revealing the grand stage bathed in an ethereal, soft blue light. Y/N stood at the center, poised and ready. The hushed anticipation in the audience was palpable, and she could feel all eyes on her.

The music began, and Y/N launched into her performance with an electrifying energy. Her powerful vocals filled the venue, carrying her song's emotional depth to every corner. She moved with grace and precision, her dance moves synchronized perfectly with the music. It was as if she was in her element, a natural-born performer.

The audience was captivated from the very first note, and as Y/N continued to sing and dance, the initial anxiety that had plagued her earlier in the day seemed to melt away. She was in her zone, pouring her heart and soul into her performance.

With each passing moment, the crowd's cheers grew louder and more enthusiastic. The atmosphere crackled with excitement, and everyone in attendance could see that Y/N was a force to be reckoned with. Her talent and charisma were undeniable, and she commanded the stage with a presence that belied her rookie status.

As the final notes of her song filled the air, Y/N struck a dramatic pose, holding it for a moment before flashing a radiant smile. The audience erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, standing on their feet to show their appreciation for her incredible performance.

Backstage, her manager watched with pride, knowing that Y/N had just proven herself as a rising star in the industry. She had not only met but exceeded the high expectations set for her. The other artists in the artist area, including Ni-ki from ENHYPEN, watched in awe as well, recognizing Y/N's immense talent.

After her small break, Y/N returned to her seat, her heart still racing but now filled with a sense of accomplishment and joy. She had blown everyone away with her performance, and she knew that this was just the beginning of her journey as a soloist under HYBE Entertainment. The respect she had earned as a rookie idol was well-deserved, and she couldn't wait to continue to share her music and artistry with the world.

As Y/N basked in the afterglow of her stellar performance, she was oblivious to the fact that once again, the fans had their eyes fixed on her and Ni-ki. This time, it was Ni-ki's reaction to her performance that drew their attention.

In the audience, as Y/N had captivated everyone with her talent and charisma, Ni-ki had been watching her with rapt attention. His eyes were locked on her, and he couldn't help but be amazed by her stage presence and the power of her performance. As she hit her final pose and the crowd erupted into applause, a smile of genuine appreciation and admiration graced Ni-ki's face.

Little did he know, the eagle-eyed fans in the audience had captured that genuine smile on camera. As soon as Y/N's performance ended, they quickly shared videos of Ni-ki's reaction on social media, eager to feed the growing fascination surrounding the two idols.

The footage showed Ni-ki's sincere admiration and applause for Y/N's performance. It was clear that he was genuinely impressed, and this simple act of support ignited a fresh wave of speculation among fans. Comments flooded in, with fans swooning over the potential "YNKi" ship and wondering if there was more to their interactions than met the eye.

"OMG, Ni-ki's reaction to Y/N's performance is the cutest thing ever! He's such a supportive fellow artist."

"I'm living for the 'YNKi' moments! Ni-ki's smile says it all – he's a fan, just like us!"

"I can't handle how adorable Ni-ki is when he watches Y/N perform. This ship is sailing!"

"Whether it's romantic or not, I love how Ni-ki and Y/N are forming a genuine bond. It's what the industry needs more of."

"I'm officially stanning the 'YNKi' friendship. They're both so talented and humble."

"Ni-ki's reaction is all of us when we see Y/N on stage – blown away by her talent!"

In the midst of this online buzz, Ni-ki remained blissfully unaware of the attention they were receiving. Caught up in the excitement and adrenaline of the event, focused on his experiences. Little did he know that the fans' fascination with their interactions was growing stronger by the minute.

Backstage, as ENHYPEN basked in the excitement of another well-deserved award, the boys were given a brief break to check their phones and relax while their makeup and hair were retouched. It was during this moment of downtime that the news of Ni-ki's reaction to Y/N's performance began to circulate among the members.

Sunghoon, always quick to pick up on any news within the K-pop industry, was the first to bring it up. "Hey, Ni-ki, have you seen this?" he said, showing Ni-ki his phone with a sly grin.

Ni-ki, who had been scrolling through his phone, looked up in surprise as he saw the videos and comments related to his reaction. His face turned slightly pink as he realized what his fellow members were about to do.

Heeseung joined in with a teasing tone. "Ni-ki, it seems like you're quite the fan of Y/N's performance. Is there something you want to tell us?"

Jake chimed in, unable to resist the opportunity to tease their maknae. "Yeah, Ni-ki, are you secretly a fanboy?"

Ni-ki's embarrassment grew as he realized he had become the center of attention within ENHYPEN. He tried to deflect the teasing with a bashful smile. "Come on, guys, I was just impressed by her performance. She's really talented."

Sunghoon, however, was relentless in his teasing. "Impressed, huh? Or maybe you're just trying to hide your true feelings for her."

The other members burst into laughter at Sunghoon's comment, with Jungwon playfully adding, "Ni-ki, do you want us to set up a meeting with Y/N for you?"

Ni-ki's face turned even redder as he tried to defend himself, but his hyungs were having too much fun. The teasing continued until their makeup artist called for them to return to the stage for their next performance.

As they got back to work, Ni-ki couldn't help but smile at the playful banter. While he was slightly embarrassed by the attention, he couldn't deny that Y/N's performance had genuinely impressed him, and perhaps there was a part of him that appreciated the teasing from his supportive and close-knit group of friends and fellow artists.

Little did he know that this light-hearted teasing would only fuel the fans' fascination with the potential "YNKi" ship, making it a playful and endearing aspect of their respective careers in the world of K-pop.

"No matter what, it's heartening to see artists supporting each other's growth. Ni-ki and Y/N are shining examples." another post reads

(a/n: please actually don't ship idols romantically. this fanfiction is mainly for entertainment purposes and not something you should take to heart and mind. thank you)

As ENHYPEN made their way back to their seats after, they passed by Y/N's table. Ni-ki and Y/N, still a bit embarrassed by the recent attention they had received, refrained from making eye contact, each feeling a mixture of shyness and amusement.

The rest of the ENHYPEN members, however, couldn't resist the opportunity to continue their teasing. They exchanged knowing glances and stifled their laughter as they walked past Y/N's table. Sunghoon leaned over to Ni-ki and whispered "Hey, Ni-ki, don't forget to wave to your 'fan'."

Ni-ki's face turned even redder as he shot a playful glare at Sunghoon. The other members joined in, chuckling and making exaggerated waving motions as they passed by. Heeseung added, "You know, Ni-ki, you could at least say hello to your 'idol' crush."

Y/N couldn't help but giggle at their antics from a far, and her manager, who was seated nearby, joined in on the fun. "Looks like you've got some supportive friends there," she remarked with a smile.

Ni-ki, though slightly embarrassed, couldn't help but laugh along with them. He waved in Y/N's direction, his face breaking into a shy but genuine smile. Y/N waved back with a smile, feeling more at ease with the playful atmosphere.

The exchange between them, though light-hearted, was captured by fans in the audience and promptly shared on social media. Once again, the fans couldn't get enough of the adorable interactions between the two young idols, and the "YNKi" ship gained even more followers.

"Ni-ki's shy wave to Y/N is making my heart melt. These two need to become besties ASAP."

"Ni-ki and Y/N are giving me major friendship goals. It's so heartwarming to see artists supporting each other."

Indeed, Y/N and Ni-ki were determined not to let the speculations and shipper fantasies affect their growing friendship and camaraderie. They understood that the K-pop industry was filled with passionate fans who loved to imagine connections between their favorite idols, but they also knew the importance of maintaining genuine relationships with their peers.

Over time, Y/N and Ni-ki found opportunities to interact more frequently, both at label events and during collaborative projects. They discovered common interests, shared experiences as a young soloist and a group idol and developed a mutual respect for each other's talents and dedication to their craft.

Their interactions became less awkward and more comfortable, and they began to genuinely enjoy each other's company. Whether it was a casual conversation backstage, a shared meal at a label gathering, or collaborating on a special performance, their friendship continued to blossom.

Both of their groups, ENHYPEN and Y/N's own growing fanbase, were supportive of their genuine connection. They appreciated that their idols were not only talented but also grounded and authentic individuals who valued meaningful friendships in the industry.

Their friendship served as a reminder that, beneath the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, it was the connections and genuine relationships that truly mattered. And regardless of whether they were viewed as a romantic couple by some fans, Y/N and Ni-ki cherished the bond they had forged and the support they provided to each other as colleagues and friends within the HYBE family.

#enhypen #enhypen imagines #enhypen au #engene #enha #enhypen x reader #nishimura riki #ni_ki #niki #niki nishimura #riki nishimura x reader #ni ki enhypen #ni ki x reader #ni ki fluff #ni ki imagines #enhypen niki

146 notes · View notes

taylor-on-your-dash · 11 months ago

Text

11 Questions With Taylor Swift (The Boot - Nov 5, 2007)

At the ripe old age of 17, Taylor Swift is already in the country music history books. She's the only female solo artist ever to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut album. And though the songwriting prodigy is hard at work on her second album, she isn't quite ready to put the CD that's earned her numerous accolades to rest. Swift recently sat down with us to talk about beefing up her eponymous debut. And in true teenage fashion, we also gab about boys, high school drama and how she helped her buddy Kellie Pickler through a tough breakup.

Tell us what's included on the new 'Taylor Swift [Deluxe Edition]' project.

The album has been out for a year, but it's too early to put out the second studio album. But we wanted to give [the fans] more music. So this was an opportunity to put out three new songs and a bunch of exclusive content. I actually edited a home movie on my laptop, and it's on there as a special feature. There's my first phone conversation with Tim McGraw, all my music videos and a bunch of concert footage. The [new] songs are demos that I wrote when I was 15, trying to get a record deal. (x)

Is there a true story behind your current single, 'Our Song'?

I wrote this song in my freshman year of high school for my ninth grade talent show. I was sitting there thinking, "I've gotta write an upbeat song that's gonna relate to everyone." And at that time, I was dating a guy and we didn't have a song. So I wrote us one, and I played it at the show. Months later, people would come up to me and say, "I loved that song that you played." And then they'd start singing lines of it back to me. They'd only heard it once, so I thought, "There must be something here!" (x)

You've toured with some notorious pranksters, namely Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley. What's the funniest joke that's been played on you?

Brad Paisley hasn't pranked me yet ... because he's afraid of me. [laughs] But Rascal Flatts had all of their crew take fold-out chairs and just sit on the stage during my performance. So there were eight guys, just sitting on stage reading the newspaper. And I'm playing right next to their faces, kinda hamming it up, trying to intimidate them. And I look in the newspapers they're reading, and there are Chippendales models in the newspapers! [laughs] (x)

We hear you wrote a song with Kellie Pickler for her next album.

Kellie came on my bus this summer and was all upset about her ex-boyfriend. She was like, "I just want to be over this!" And she gets up on stage now and tells everyone all about it. She's like [imitating Kellie], "He went out and got some other girl pregnant!" [laughs] And I'm like, "OK, if you want to tell everyone your personal stuff, but there's no better way to get over something than to write it all down." So we went into the back bedroom of my tour bus and wrote this awesome song. It's about how, for the rest of his life, he's going to regret cheating on her. And she's said to me since then, "You know what, I didn't think there was anything I could do to really get past that. But writing that song gave me complete closure." (x)

Is there anything you miss about high school?

I don't think there's really anything I miss, to be honest. There's a lot less drama when you're touring the country on a major tour. And I've actually been to prom before ... twice. So I don't want anyone to feel bad for me. It was really great that I got to experience those first two years of high school, and I'll never forget that. I learned a lot. But I feel like I've had the best senior year ever. (x)

How would you say your young age has helped you and how has it hurt you in the music business?

I think my age has helped me, because I can write about things I'm going through and girls my age can automatically relate. And I think [my age] has hurt me, because in the beginning, people were like, "Teenagers and country music? No way!" And I had interviewers who were dead-set on trying to get me to feel bad about how old I was. But you have to stand by who you are. I am 17-year-old girl, and I'm not ashamed of that. Age should not limit what you can accomplish. (x)

Is there a special guy in your life?

I'm completely single! I think that love is something that hits you when you're not looking for it. So I've been actively not looking for it for like two years. [laughs] I'm always the third wheel on my friends' dates. I have a bunch of best friends who never go more than a month without having a boyfriend. And I think that's kinda rubbed off on me, because I've seen the stuff they've gone through over the past two years. And I'm just like, "I'm gonna pursue my career instead." (x)

Garth Brooks has said that you are one of his daughters' favorite singers. Is that surreal to hear that a living legend is familiar with your music?

He is a living legend! And if you asked me who my hero is, I'd say Garth Brooks. I've met Garth's girls, they're wonderful. They came out to one of my shows. And it's just so unbelievable to see someone like Garth Brooks have kids who like my music. I'm like, "Are you kidding me? Your dad is Garth Brooks!" It's the coolest feeling ever. (x)

Do you have any other famous fans?

I was at the ACM Awards, and Emma Roberts came up to me backstage. She was like, "I just have to let you know, I'm announcing you tonight. And I'm a really big fan." And I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm going to see your movie this weekend!" It was really cool. She's a sweetheart. (x)

Unlike a lot of other teen celebrities, you have managed to keep out of trouble. How do you resist temptation?

You have to surround yourself with good people who will tell you the things that maybe you don't want to hear -- the things you need to know to not do. I feel like I have an obligation to be responsible. I have a million people who went out and bought my album. Who knows how many of them were young girls? And I always think about the ten year old girl in the front row at my concert before I make a decision. "What would she think if she saw me do this? Would this affect her choices?" (x)

Out of all the milestones you've hit this year -- platinum sales, 8 weeks at No.1 on the country album charts, a CMT award, a CMA nomination -- what's been the highlight of your career?

The highlight of my career so far has been winning the CMT Breakthrough Video of the Year award. It's a fan-voted awards show, so I don't see any greater honor than winning an award that was voted on by fans. It was for my first video that I ever put out ['Tim McGraw'], and I'll never forget the feeling of just running ... bolting up to that stage. It was just the most amazing feeling. (x)

#don't mind this post #i'm compiling them here bc i don't want to put 11 different links in the interview spreadsheet #bc for some reasons the questions are broken down in 11 different pages #taylor swift #taylor swift interviews #writing of debut timeline

7 notes · View notes

x--daughters-of-darkness--x · 2 years ago

Text

DAUGHTRY Teams Up With LZZY HALE For Cover Of JOURNEY's 'Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)'

Multi-platinum rock band DAUGHTRY has released a new cover song, "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", a tribute to legendary rock band JOURNEY featuring vocals from Lzzy Hale, lead singer of HALESTORM. The cover releases exactly 40 years to the day that the original song was released on January 5, 1983.

"Chris Daughtry and I have been threatening to unleash a duet for years. What better way to do that than by paying tribute to one of our mutual influences…. JOURNEY!" said Lzzy. "This song is not only part of the 'Stranger Things' soundtrack, but has been my go-to for karaoke for as long as i can remember! I'm so honored to have been a part of this and I hope it makes you smile as big as I did while recording it!"

Chris added: "I've always loved the song and I was wanting to do a classic cover and my wife and I were watching the 'Stranger Things' season finale and there's this incredibly intense scene and 'Separate Ways' was a big part of this scene. It was so moving just the way it was used, it felt so cool and epic and I was immediately like 'THIS is the one! We have to cover this song.' Then I was, like, 'How can we make this extra special? What if it was a duet? What if we got Lzzy on it!!??" Needless to say I was pumped she said yes and I absolutely love how it turned out."

DAUGHTRY, one of the most visible and best-selling rock bands of the 21st Century, has sold out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled "Daughtry", was the top-selling album of 2007, and was the fastest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history. It was also nominated for four Grammy Awards and won four American Music Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards, including "Album Of The Year". The subsequent albums, "Leave This Town" (2009),"Break The Spell" (2011) and "Baptized" (2013) have all gone platinum, with "Cage To Rattle" (2018) certified gold. In 2020, DAUGHTRY released its first single from the album "World On Fire", which marked a return to the band's rock roots and the top of the charts. Their current single, "Heavy Is The Crown", has been met with great enthusiasm, and is currently climbing the charts.

youtube

#Lzzy Hale #DoD collaborations #Daughtry #2023 news

11 notes · View notes

papirouge · 2 years ago

Note

Hi!! sorry for the late response, you answered my ask about jpop idols, thannk you so much for such a thoughtful answer!!!

Honestly when i was younger i was really into mostly hello!proyect, so i know that they had literally child groups with berryz and cute, whose younger member was 8 years old! It was pretty creepy how they would make those photobooks with them posing on bikinis as soon as they turned 13 or 14.

I also really loved perfume, it used to be my favorite group, but like you said nakata got lazy and started prioritizing other acts around the level 3 era, and it really got cemented with cosmic explorer, which is when i started to lose interest in them. Their costumes also used to be so good, creative, and designed thoughtfully for each girl, but now its always the same costume except achan gets the longer skirt, kashiyuka the shorter skirt, and nocchi gets the shorts. Even the fabric is visibly cheaper. I feel like the only one who still cares is mikiko as her choreographies are still good.

But i dont know who that artist you mentioned is, but i'm interested in hearing the story 🍵

Japan is EXTREMELY problematic when it comes to child sexualization and the fact that rightoids who are constantly blaming the left for entertaining sexuality degeneracy....have no problem sporting anime pfp/watch anime is everything you need to know about how much of clowns those people are 🥴 They don't care about child abuse, they just pretend they do to dunk of their political opponents.

They try to cope saying it's "cultural" but Japan is currently recording an increase of sexual crimes, so...why would they defend a culture suspected of increasing sexual assault coming from a country struggling to contain their own sexual predator? 🤔 Also why the "it's cultural" argument shouldn't be used for honor killing and child marriage then ? Oh my bad, it's Muslims so this time we can finally admit it's a problem 🤡

To be fair with Perfume, they've been around since ~20 years now, so it makes sense their concepts are starting to become more rehashed. Nakata is a VERY derivative artist (even when he tried something new after he discovered future bass, he shoved this sound in everything he made around that time, whether it was on his own album 'Digital Native' or Perfume song "If you Wanna" lol.

The concept of them having distinctive outfits (as you said, longer dress/skirt for A-chan it's said that's bc she has wider hips which aren't considered a good feature in Japan, shorter dress/skirt for Kashiyuka, and shorts for Nocchi) goes back to their debut, and I think it's incredible they sticked to it for so long (especially since they also have respective hairstyle code - Nocchi has never been able to have hair longer than her chin for most of her life.... 🥲), but yeah, after so many years.... it's starting to get old. But they're basically idols I don't think doing an イメチェン (= drastic change of style) would be well received...

In the era of streaming, the lowering of budget for music videos is global. Perfume last outstanding MV (great costume + set design + extras on set) was "Cling Cling"... which was released almost 10 years ago🥴 but other Japanese artists had a drastic drop in MV quality, included Ayu Hamasaki (the artist I talked about in my first reply).

She is Japan best selling artist of all times and her "Jewel" MV has been for a while listed in the most expensive music video of all times🥶💎

Ayu story is quite endearing because her dad abandoned her when she was a child and was edging on delinquency before being scouted in a karaoke. She's from an era when random girls were being scouted and producers propelled them into stardom, tho very few of them made it beyond one single (which was initiall the case of Ayu who started... making rap and flopped miserably LOL) but by an odd turn of events, she got another chance where this time she did pop and things eventually took off. What's interesting with Ayu is that despite being marketed as an idol when she debuted, she from the start decided to take control over her music/image/artistry : she wrote all her lyrics, displayed her own (very distinctive) personal style, etc. By her sophomore album, LOVEppears, she endorsed a more daring image and in the following one, Duty, she dropped the cutesy idol thing to become more diva like and confident ...

That's also around the time she started pulling out very disturbing music videos. There are A LOT of them, but I'd say "Ladies Night" is the one who stuck the most with me (which is weird bc the song is pretty positive : celebrating girlhood support)...but the MV is just unnecessary creepy and dark. It starts off cute & goofy...only to become more and more scary & nightmarish 😰 WHY??

youtube

Her '(miss) understood' album era is pretty dark tbh ALL the MV of this album have this dark, gloomy energy... Excellent album musically, but with a very dark energy

Thankfully there is "Fairyland" (which was also one of the most expensive MV of that time) to brighten up that energy (but even the MV ends up in some sort of downturn with the photo burning up?)

- Her 'Duty' and 'Party Queen' album booklet + SURREAL MV features full on sex kitten programming (it's interesting that "SURREAL" has subliminals about her -then- hidden relationship with Tomoya Nagase (another popular male entertainer/idol of that time) and has a frenetic vibe which is very reminiscent of hypnosis/trance state. I hate that it's one of my favorite MV of her 😓(the scenery is just soooo pretty). There's a LOT of symbolism here.

youtube

- dissociation in "RAINBOW" and "Don't look back" MV

- mind control in "Alterna" and "Marionette"

- "Free & Easy" MV is a gigantic nod to Joan of Arc and apostolic martydom

youtube

- transhumanism in "Real Me" MV

Now that music videos don't have the same budget as they did 15-20 years ago, Ayu's MV aren't anywhere near as elaborated as they were before (also her music has gone down to the toilets - she should've retire after her 10 years best of). But it's obvious she sold out to achieve this level of fame and success, therefore she had to shove all these twisted messages in her MV.

#answered #papi conspiracy #ayumi Hamasaki

5 notes · View notes

chorusfm · 30 days ago

Text

Taylor Swift – 1989

Can it really be your “first documented, official pop album” if you’ve already released three of the biggest pop albums in recent memory? 10 years ago this weekend, Taylor Swift delivered the answer to that question, and the answer was a decisive, resounding “Yes.” From the vantage point of 2024, it’s almost difficult to remember any version of Taylor Swift that wasn’t a world-conquering, stadium-tour-dominating pop star. The past two years of Taylormania have so thoroughly dwarfed any other pop star achievement in my lifetime that it’s even a little difficult to think back to pre-COVID times, when it seemed like the Taylor Swift machine was maybe starting to run out of gas. As mid-decade lists pour out from every music publication out there, I expect plenty of debates about what was the quote-unquote “best song” or “best album” of the decade. When it comes to discussing the artist of the decade so far, though, there is simply no debate: it’s Taylor, then it’s 93 million miles, and then it’s everyone else. But it wasn’t always that way, and in the Taylor Swift story, it’s album number five, 2014’s 1989, that serves as arguably the most important inflection point between phase one Taylor and the force of nature we know today. Per the narrative, Taylor Swift before 2014 was a country star who had crossed over to pop music success but never fully left her Nashville roots behind. 1989, in being her “first documented, official pop album” – the weird phrasing she used to describe the LP when she officially announced it in August 2014 – was the album that made the crossover complete, and solidified Taylor’s status as the world’s biggest musical star in the process. The thing with narratives is that they’re often predicated on half-truths. Real life is messy, full of all sorts of jagged edges and unclean lines. The stories we tell about our lives often sand away those edges to simplify the act of retelling. Such is also the case with artists and the stories they tell about their art, and it’s certainly true about Taylor Swift, someone who had absolutely made pop albums long before 2014. Let’s review: Taylor arrives, at least as a recording artist, in 2006 with her self-titled LP. No arguments from me that this debut album is clearly a country record. The same is probably true about 2008’s Fearless, even though it achieved the kind of crossover that no country album in my lifetime up to that point had achieved. There had been massive, massive country acts in the ‘90s, of course: Garth Brooks and Billy Ray Cyrus and Shania Twain and Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks. All those artists sold tons of albums, and most of them scored massive hits. Faith Hill even had the top-charting song of 1999, besting Santana and Rob Thomas and “Smooth.” With Fearless, though, Taylor felt more embraced by the pop mainstream than any of country’s ‘90s titans, especially as songs like “You Belong with Me” and “Love Story” broke down every genre barrier out there. Fearless was also an awards show darling in extremely notable ways, whether Taylor was beating out Beyonce at the MTV Video Music Awards (much to the chagrin of a certain rapper) or winning her first of four (and counting) Album of the Year Grammys. So, that’s one true-blue country album, and one album that rode the pop-country divide so cleverly that it brokered a new kind of peace between pop listeners and country listeners. The widespread embrace of Fearless set the stage for two albums that arguably have more pop in their DNA than country. 2010’s Speak Now throws Nashville a couple bones, in the form of songs like “Mean,” “Back to December,” and the b-side “Ours.” But it’s also got pure pop moments like “The Story of Us” and “Sparks Fly,” and big rock songs like “Haunted” and “Better Than Revenge.” It was also the first Taylor album to sell a million copies in a week, a mark previously only achieved by one country album: Garth Brooks’ Double Live from 1998. 2012’s Red is even more blatantly “not country,” and that’s… https://chorus.fm/reviews/taylor-swift-1989-2/

0 notes

nxmuzluv · 1 year ago

Text

“ there’s something in the water, babe. i know you’re addicted ”

SOMETHING IN THE WATER is the SIXTH studio album by PARK AH-REUM, released by JH ENTERTAINMENT. released on october 20th, 2023, the album features TWENTY-TWO tracks, including the title track “DARKSIDE.” selling over four million copies within its first week, it became the MOST SUCCESSFUL album for a female soloist that year. with the title track winning SIXTEEN music show wins, the album has gone on to be lauded as one of ah-reum’s best works.

— TRACKLIST

INTRO: SOMETHING IN THE WATER

DARKSIDE (TITLE)

LUNA (B-SIDE #1)

PUSH ‘N PULL

MOONSHINE (PRE-RELEASE TRACK)

NOIR (FEAT. BIBI)

WOMAN OF THE SEA

ALLURE (B-SIDE #2)

INTERLUDE: CALL OUT MY NAME

REWIND (FEAT. YEJIN OF ND2ND)

TOUCH

WILL YOU TAKE ME AWAY?

PEARLESCENT

BY THE MOON

WARNING

BREATHE HEAVY

MY ONE AND ONLY (FEAT. SUGA)

FIRE AND ICE (STING)

SAY YES, SAY NO (DANGEROUS)

MIRROR MIRROR

FOREVER

OUTRO: WE’LL MEET AGAIN

— STYLING

oh the styling this era was something else !

lots of sheer, flowing fabrics, distressed elements, lace, armbands, lots of dresses, lots of two pieces, and lots (and lots) of couture (mugler, vivienne westwood corsets, dior, ludovic de saint sernin,, treasure chest of a wardrobe mhm)

bc the way hwayoung had ah-reum in archive mugler for one of her stages,, like insane that woman works magic every time !

the styling was very free and almost simple, featuring a lot of matching pieces. it was also very “sirencore” and clearly took inspiration from the ocean and its aesthetics, as well as from classical art ! ah-reum even said that a lot of inspiration came from sandro botticelli’s birth of venus painting, as well as from ancient greek mythology such as nymphs and the nine muses !

shoes were rare to see this era sjwjejjs ah-reum mainly performed barefoot, and if she did wear shoes, they were either lace up heels, over the knee stiletto boots, or doc martens

and omg the hair and makeup ! the makeup this era saw a lot of light shades such as pink, white, lilac, and occasionally black and red, and there were also a lot of pearls & glitter used ! the hairstyles were very loose and wavy, and we got to see ah-reum with a “wetlook” hairstyle a few times !

lots of extensions were used, and a lot of ribbons and pearls were used in her hair ! hwayoung also painted bows on her face once shwusjjsjk

overall, the styling was phenomenal and we got to see ah-reum in an aesthetic she’s never done before !

— ERA HIGHLIGHTS

after 2 years the it girl is finally back y’all !

the way this album was so anticipated like ah-reum released façade in 2021, broke records, and suddenly vanished (well, not entirely skweijdsj) from the music industry,, and then in the meantime she gets married and has kids like woah !

she did some collabs here n there, but goodness gracious the people were hungry !

so when that pre-release dropped ? oh lord !

“moonshine” came completely out of nowhere, too like,, ah-reum tweeted “something’s in the water” mere hours before the release in august, and all of a sudden there was a new track out

and it was a hit ! garnered over EIGHTY MILLION views in its first 24 hours, topped every major korean music chart, and found itself at no. 1 on the billboard hot 100 !

critics adored it too,, everyone was calling “moonshine” her best track since “façade”

before the album’s release, ah-reum promoted “moonshine” on music shows, was on two variety shows (one in korea, one in japan !), and attended the mtv vmas and she performed !

it was literally ranked as one of the best performances of the night like iktr !!

however, despite the limited amount of promo, the track did win THREE music show awards !

,,and then, the album dropped

this cb was thee cb of 2023,, “darkside” saw over A HUNDRED MILLION views within its first 24 hours, and debuted at no. 1 on the billboard hot 100 (and stayed there for nearly 4 months !), selling nearly 300,000 units. the album also debuted atop the billboard 200 and the billboard world albums charts !

the b-sides “luna” and “allure” fared really well, too ! the former debuted at no. 2 on the hot 100, while “allure” debuted at no. 8

seeing the b-sides on k-charts was so. interesting,, bc at first “luna” was at no. 2, but it was later knocked down to no. 3 and replaced by “allure” wijsjwiwj also yes ah-reum did take up the top 3 spots all on her own !

ah-reum had a lot of creative control when it came to this cb, ofc. she wrote most of the lyrics, produced a couple of tracks, and had a hand in the styling

she was everywhere this era, too. like immediately after having kids she threw herself into work

like do you see how many tracks are on this album ? girlie was working !

in addition to performing on music shows, ah-reum was also a guest mc on m countdown and music bank for about 2 weeks ! she also had american interviews & performances, had variety show appearances (she was a cast member on running man again !), and had a cameo role in a k-drama after ages !

on knowing bros they literally had this woman in a high school uniform at 27 and she’s literally married with 2 kids but she was having the time of her life so !

and she was on with le sserafim, too <33

ah-reum even won 2 grammy awards,, like she won grammys already but still, big deal for a k-artist !

the tiktok challenge collabs at music shows were on beauties’ minds for weeks,, like we hadn’t got one since april of 2021 like those were cherished

speaking of tt challenges, ah-reum’s for “luna” was notoriously kinda hard 😭 its difficulty became a meme and she eventually had to post a literal tutorial sjiwjsjsjk but at the end of the day that was more publicity for the album so !

ah-reum posted a lot on her yt, weverse, and insta this era, as well ! there were a lot of daily updates and behind the scenes,, it was very cute mhm

towards the end of the era, jh posted this “album quiz” to ah-reum’s website, and my goodness msjwjsk

it was essentially a quiz to test the fans’ knowledge on the album’s storyline, but the way most of it was complicated lore wjshisks like beauties on twitter were confused ! it was truly the great bts test of 2022 all over again

ah-reum ended up getting pregnant again at the end of november, but she still performed at melon and mama !

her performances received such rave reviews too,, literally turned both award shows into her own concert like iktr

also girlie literally dyed her hair 3 times this cb

her hair at the start was a deep purple with lilac tips, before jh dyed it completely lilac. and then towards the end of the era, it was literally dyed blonde

getting blonde ah-reum twice this year feels like winning the lottery but please free her scalp !

overall, this era was too good ! like 2 years of inactivity really paid off bc everyone was all over this cb ! so many people called it one of the best cbs of 2023, ah-reum was having the time of her life, and it was just a really great era <3

#cece writes :)#kpop oc #koc #kpop idol oc #fictional idol #fictional idol oc #idol oc #kpop soloist #kpop solo artist #honestly this was just sumn i did for fun WIIEJSJS #will i make her a blog ??? maybe idk !!#i’ve just been planning this album for a hot min n wanted to do a post like this !#so enjoy this ig !

0 notes

thisselflovecamebacktome · 1 year ago

Note

I really think Taylor does not care for Speak Now lol if we took a song and turn it into a hit maybe she'll show some affection

I think it's more complicated than this and like not even just in regards to the album itself. Like there's a bunch of factors I've considered lately including:

Tour: We all saw how Midnights releasing made the US tour sale a circus so while I don't think it's the main reason, I can imagine Taylor may be wanting to have her cake and eat it too as much as possible by allowing hardcore international fans to get tickets with less competition than it would be if she went hard on Speak Now's promo and built hype while then being able to sell any leftover tickets with the hype she can build afterwards for Speak Now. Now obviously this can't be the case everywhere because it's been pointed out to me that Europe's presale isn't until after Speak Now's release, but yeah it's one option that's been on my mind.

Taylor's life: She just had her long term relationship that was very clearly leading up to marriage and children fall apart and was heavily criticised for her rebound (not making any comments on if it was right to because that's not the point in what I'm saying here). While she obviously likes to work, maybe she's really not in the mood for facing cameras and getting the inevitable personal questions rather than music based ones.

Despite what people say it's not just her 'best selling' or 'favourite' albums that are getting heavy promo. Fearless got so little in comparison to RED and there's no denying that behind 1989, Fearless was the album she's always spoken most fondly about out of the ones getting rerecorded pre rerecording RED. Tbh at the time I thought it may be the case that the ones she felt needed more help to get to #1 (Debut, Speak Now and to a lesser degree RED and Reputation) would get more promotion but it could just be that every second one does or maybe Speak Now already has the numbers so doesn't need it.

Speak Now is kinda the antithesis of Midnights in a lot of ways and while I wouldn't say that means she doesn't care about it, I do wonder if she has a complicated relationship with it because of that.

There's still time. Like I pointed out with the tour stuff, we still have 2 weeks until it drops and another for extra hype to secure numbers. We also know that she was filming with Taylor Lautner and Joey King on that "batman" inspired music video a while back which I'm assuming is going to drop with the album. So yeah there's absolutely more coming, just not yet lmao.

#taylor swift #speak now album #speak now (tv)#speak now (taylor’s version)

1 note · View note

fayewonglibrary · 2 years ago

Text

Why Faye Wong deserves the 'diva' title and 9 other facts you should know about her (2022)

There is an enigmatic draw to Faye Wong. The celebrated Chinese singer-actress is fiercely private but whenever the slightest news of her comes to light, it never fails to make headlines.

Indeed, this proves the enduring pull of Faye Wong, who has been slaying in the Hong Kong and Chinese entertainment industry since her debut over 30 years ago. Ahead, we attempt to demystify, if even just slightly, who Faye Wong is and why she deserves the “diva” title.

She has sold millions of albums

With a career spanning over 30 years, it isn’t an overstatement to say that Faye Wong is one of the most celebrated artists in the Mando- and Cantopop realm. In fact, she held the Gunness World Record title as the “best-selling Canto-pop female” singer in 2000 and with cumulative album sales in the millions.

She's a celebrated actress too

Faye Wong has also crossed over successfully to the acting realm, with multiple credits in both television and film. Her most iconic roles are definitely Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express (1994), where she won the Best Actress at the Stockholm Film Festival and was nominated for the same title at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse Awards, and 2046 (2004). She has achieved "diva" status

With her overwhelming success, labelling Faye Wong a “diva” is rather apt. She was also the first Chinese singer to front Time magazine on October 14, 1996, with the headline naming her as one of “The Divas of Pop”.

She went by a different name

We know her as Faye Wong now, but at the start of her career, Faye Wong went by Shirley Wong Jing Man. In fact, Shirley Wong would eventually become the name of her debut album in 1989.

The decision for the name change was said to make it sound more “sophisticated” to help the Beijing-native break into the Hong Kong market, a place where she had to eventually learn to native tongue Cantonese. The name Faye Wong would come into existence from her 1992 album Coming Home.

Her fame didn't wane after her hiatus

Going on hiatus could mean damage to a celeb’s popularity. For Faye Wong, however, her return after a break between 2005 and 2009 only cemented her popularity.

Her comeback was marked by her rendition of Li Jian’s Legend at the CCTV New Year’s Gala and the performance was reported to be watched by over 700 million viewers. Her comeback concerts also resulted in nearly 200 million yuan of ticket sales in China being snapped up in 10 days, while ticket sales channels in Taiwan and Hong Kong crashed due to overwhelming demand.

Faye Wong’s return to television through the Chinese reality TV program PantaCity in 2018 also clocked 160 million views with its first episode, where she performed her song Dream Lover. She has had multiple high-profile relationships

When you think of Faye Wong, you’ll likely think of Nicholas Tse. After all, the two have been romantically linked since they got back together in 2014.

Prior to Tse, Faye Wong was married to Beijing rocker Dou Wei from the band Black Panther and they had a daughter named Leah Dou Jingtong. Faye Wong later married Chinese actor Li Yapeng and had a daughter Li Yan. The two finalised their divorce in 2013. Her Weibo was uncovered by fans

Nothing escapes the prying eyes of Internet sleuths, not even Faye Wong’s private Weibo account. Named “veggigeg“, the unverified social media account has multiple selfies of Faye Wong herself and follows various people she works with professionally.

True to Faye Wong’s penchant for privacy, she perhaps left the account with the last update being in 2015.

She's one of the richest Hong Kong female singers

With an estimated net worth of US$150 million by Celebrity Net Worth, SCMP listed Faye Wong as one of the wealthiest Hong Kong female singers.

Besides earnings from the entertainment industry, Faye Wong is also reported to own several properties in Beijing and Hong Kong – a villa at Beijing’s Green Park is said to be worth more than US$7.6 million in 2020.

She's vegetarian

In fact, Faye Wong’s vegetarianism is so well-known that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) had named her the sexiest female vegetarian in the Asia-Pacific region.

She's known for her fashion

With a cool and effortless ease, Faye Wong is nothing short of a style icon in her own right. Just take a look at these photos of the star in the ’90s and tell us she isn’t deserving of the label. ——————————————————————

SOURCE: HER WORLD

#2022

0 notes

idolatryawards · 2 years ago

Text

i·dol·a·try (noun) the worship of idols

Voting is open for the first annual Idolatry Awards! Check out some of our nominees below and be sure to click on the source link to vote for all of your favorites! You can vote daily until the form closes at 8PM PST on July 7th!

Chloe Kwon (@chloekwon) The Nation's Older Sister got her start on JYP Entertainment's surivival show SIXTEEN, narrowly missing out on a spot in TWICE. A solo career some deemed a consolation prize at the start has flourished thanks to Chloe's songwriting abilities and creative ambitions. She has recently opened her own label, Lovely Records, to keep creative control of her career.

August Moon (@august-m) Initially debuting under the infamous C9 Entertainment, August Moon quickly became Angelico Entertainment's best-selling male soloist after his contract was acquired. Dubbed a "new soul" by his fans for his endearing enthusiasm, his honeyed voice and emotionally poignant music showcases a much deeper side of the beloved idol.

ROSARIO (@rcsvric) After she escaped the Cloud Entertainment dungeon, ROSARIO redebuted to follow her dream of being a soloist. She came out swinging with her first full album just this April, full of songs she had had to leave in her hard drive to rot. Now, she's with an agency who actually cares about her wants & needs, and she's ready to dominate charts for herself.

Natalia (@lcvedior) If you don’t know Miss Natalia Hwang - commonly dubbed as Korea’s it girl - she’s a flamboyant solo artist and model under Zephyr Entertainment. Most known for her glamorous aura and extremely charismatic stage presence, Natalia is a certified fashion icon and a world renowned socialite. Her music is a reflection of her character, giving us club bops and a provocative sound.

Persona (@whoispersona) Persona made her solo debut in 2016 with the mini album feel so fine. Although she’s had her fair share of bullying scandals and saesang run-ins, she still continues to pump out music that spans bubble gum pop to ballads. She puts her heart into everything she makes and it shows through well she promotes and preforms each song.

Minsu (@millionxnine) Minsu started his career as a producer for famous boy groups like ATEEZ and TREASURE, as well as appearing as an actor in several music videos. He has since worked hard to make a name for himself as a soloist and looks to push boundaries & change trends.

Bliss (@saerois) Bliss Eun has never not been famous. She made her debut as a runway model at only 10 years old and debuted as an idol at 16 in a duo with her sibling Saint. Her scandalous solo discography continues to keep her in the headlines and on top of the chart.

#⁽ ⠀ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ⠀ ⁾ ⠀ ⠀ 1ST IDOLATRY AWARDS ⠀ / ⠀ * ⠀ nominees.#idol oc #kpop oc #idolverse #fake idol group #fake kpop group #fictional idol community

8 notes · View notes

heliads · 4 years ago

Text

Sighted

When Willie directs Luke, Julie, Alex, and Reggie to seek out some mysterious girl who might be able to make lifers see them, Luke isn’t sure what to expect.

masterlist

Luke stares at the boy in front of him, hands shoved into his pockets to stop from fidgeting. Reggie, to his left, looks more confused than anything. Alex, to his right, is standing perfectly still, trying to look cool in front of Willie. Luke himself is standing right behind Julie, a not-so-silent shadow who’s still deciding whether or not Willie can be trusted.

Willie, to his credit, is doing everything he can to make up for his past actions. That’s why Luke and his friends have agreed to meet up with him today- to find out another solution to the grand problem of getting Bobby to see them.

Willie folds his hands in front of him. “I’ve been looking into every possible source I can. I’m not sure how many options you have.” Alex looks questioningly at Willie. “Do you have anything?” Willie nods. “There’s only one shot left- another lifer, one who can see ghosts just like Julie can.”

Luke steps forward, shocked. “I thought you said that lifers seeing ghosts was impossible.” Willie turns to face him. “It is. Or, at least it is for everyone except Julie and this girl.” He glances around to make sure no one is in the general vicinity, lowering his voice as he continues to speak. “I don’t want to say her name in case Caleb is listening, but if there’s any way to make lifers see you, she would know about it. I can’t go to her myself- Caleb’s grown pretty strict about monitoring me, but you can go find her yourselves.”

“She goes to this park every day after school. There’s a bench in the back of the park, closest to the corner with the fountain. She stays there to do homework, so if you want to go talk to her, that’s where she’ll be.” Luke nods slowly. “You think she’ll be able to help us?” Willie shrugs. “I don’t know, but she’s your best bet. If you want to talk to Bobby, or be seen by anyone who isn’t in this room, you’ll have to talk to her.”

After Willie leaves, the band discusses the matter for a while longer. Julie still isn’t sure that getting revenge on Bobby is the best of ideas, but she is eventually convinced, albeit pretty reluctantly. Besides, the boys have given up on revenge- now, they just want to speak to him and know why he took credit for all their music, what could have driven their former bandmate and friend to erase their legacies forever.

So, the band finds themselves heading to the park. Julie has to hurry out of school to make it over to the park in time to meet this mysterious girl, and the boys catch up with her, walking the remaining distance together.

When they first find the park bench, it’s empty. “I guess we wait.” Reggie says, slumping down onto the worn wood seats. Julie is about to sit next to him, but then she stops when she hears a voice calling her name.

“Julie, is that you?” Julie turns to see a girl walking towards them, backpack slung casually over her shoulder. “Oh, Y/N, it’s so good to see you! I feel like I haven’t talked to you in, like, forever.” Luke walks over to Julie, peering over at the girl. “Is this our girl?” Julie shakes her head imperceptibly. Just another school friend, Luke guesses.

Then, strangely enough, the girl turns to Luke. “Hi!” She starts to extend a hand, but then stops when she notices the confused looks of both Julie and Luke. Julie stares at Y/N, shocked. “You can see him?”

For just a moment, there’s this look in Y/N’s eyes, like she’s just come to a realization that she’s made a terrible mistake. She quickly pulls back her hand. “Oh, sorry, I thought I saw a friend of mine across the street. I don’t see him anymore, whoops.” Despite her casual explanation, she still looks unsettled.

“Well, you know what, I had better get going. Homework, you know?” With that, Y/N walks hurriedly out of the park, not even giving Julie a chance to say goodbye. Reggie speaks up from the park bench. “Well, that was weird.” Luke nods slowly. “Yeah. Give me a minute, I’ve got to check something out.” With that, he poofs out of the area, reappearing on the sidewalk outside of the park.

Beside him, Y/N is speed walking away from the park bench, evidently headed home. When Luke appears next to her, she flinches, but keeps walking. Luke starts walking too, and calls out to her. “Hey, I know you can hear me!” Y/N just squares her shoulders and walks even faster.

This isn’t going anywhere. Luke gives up, poofing into the space on the sidewalk directly in front of Y/N and forcing her to come to a complete stop to avoid hitting him. Now that he’s just a foot or two away, Y/N finally looks at him, staring at him as if he’s, well, a ghost. Luke grins.

“So you can see me.” Y/N glares at him. “I’d prefer not to.” She sidesteps him and tries to keep going, but Luke just moves in front of her again. “Hey, wait up. We need to talk to you. I know you can see ghosts, so how about we have a nice little conversation? You know, two friends just having a chat?”

Y/N looks at him suspiciously. “Look, there are good ghosts and there are bad ghosts. I don’t know who you are or what you want, so please, just leave me alone.” She starts walking again, this time even faster. Luke sighs, trying to think of anything to do to stop her from leaving.

“Willie sent us!”

That does it- she stops in her tracks and turns around. “Willie sent you?” Luke beams, glad to have made an impression. “Yeah, he told us to come find you. Something about how you could see lifers?” Y/N laughs lightly, a charmingly pretty sound. “You should have just started with that. Willie’s a good friend of mine. If he sent you, then you’re cool.”

Y/N fixes Luke with a pensive stare. “Okay, how about this- go back to Julie and the two other boys- I’m assuming they’re ghosts as well? Anyways, tell Julie to meet me at my house with all three of you. She knows where it is. Sounds good?” Luke nods, and poofs out. Seconds later, he reappears, and Y/N looks at him in confusion. “Oh, I’m Luke. By the way.” Y/N smiles at him, a genuinely happy smile. “I’m Y/N, but I guess you knew that already.” Luke stays there for just a heartbeat longer, drinking in the sight of her, and then poofs out one last time.

By the time Julie and the boys make it to Y/N’s house, she’s already unpacked her backpack and has her homework on the counter in front of her. When she hears them at the front door, she quickly moves it to a folder at the side and lets them in.

“So, what is it exactly that you want me to do for you?” Luke leans his arms on the kitchen counter. “Willie told us that you could see ghosts. We were hoping that you could tell us how you did that so we could make another lifer see us too.”

Y/N sighs. “That’s pretty complicated. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how I was able to see ghosts myself. It all started when my aunt died. I remember holding a picture of the two of us in my hands, and wishing that I could see her one last time to say goodbye. The next thing I knew, she was standing there in front of me.”

Alex frowns. “That’s it? You just had to look at a photo and want to see her?” Y/N shrugs. “That’s it. I’ve been able to see ghosts ever since, even ones that weren’t my family. That’s how I met Willie- he was out skateboarding alone and he nearly hit me. When I complained, he looked confused and I found out he was a ghost.”

Alex grins. “That’s basically what happened to me, too. Willie’s so cool.” Luke nudges his friend with his shoulder. “Can we get back on track? So all we have to do for Bobby to see us is give him a photo?”

Y/N drums her fingers lightly on the kitchen counter. “Probably. I mean, that’s what happened for me.” Luke nods, clapping his hands together. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

They make a strange group heading up the steps to Carrie’s house- two girls, three ghosts, one big plan to change Bobby’s life. When Carrie answers the doorbell, she rolls her eyes. “What do you want?”

Julie speaks first. “We need to see your dad. It’s something about his old band.” Carrie squints at her suspiciously. “Is that so?” From behind her comes a voice, echoing out from the living room.

“Let them in, Carrie. It’s alright.”

It’s strange hearing Bobby’s voice. It’s deeper now, deeper than it was when Luke had known him in Sunset Curve. It also has this almost dusty crack to it. Luke realizes it’s because he’s older, and it makes him shudder for a second. Would he have sounded like that too, if he hadn’t died? Would their lives have been any different?

Luke is distracted by thoughts of past and future by Julie and Y/N being ushered into the house. Bobby is sitting on a couch in the living room, but he rises to greet them, turning off the TV as he goes.

“So, you’re here to talk about my old band? How’d you know about Sunset Curve?” Julie clasps her hands together. “Oh, they used to practice in my mom’s old studio. I found this photo of them, actually.” Julie pulls a picture out of her pocket and hands it over to Bobby, who flinches ever so slightly when he sees the boys in the photo.

Luke still remembers that day. They were exhausted, hungry and practically broke, having just barely started to sell their debut album. The photo was taken by the owner of some small coffee shop, who had heard their music and wanted proof that the band had visited his shop. The owner had a photo, and the band had kept one, too.

It’s funny, seeing them in that photo. Luke, Alex, and Reggie don’t look any different, of course, but standing next to them is a young Bobby. How odd that they had all been staying permanently young while he was the only one to change.

Bobby sighs. “We had some good days with that band.” Y/N nods. “Do you miss them? I mean, being a part of the band?” Bobby inclines his head. “They died too young. They should have been here with me, and I’ll always regret that.”

From across the room, Alex turns from studying an award to shout at the back of Bobby’s head. “Clearly you didn’t regret it enough to steal all of our music!” Y/N’s mouth twitches for a second, but she manages to hide the smile long enough to continue speaking to Bobby.

“Would you have continued to make music with them if they were alive today?” Bobby shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t know if we would have been different or not. I wish they were here, so I could ask them, but that’s one thing I’ll never get to know.”

Luke freezes. Bobby did it- he wished to see them and he was looking at the photo, just like Y/N said. Luke walks quickly over to him. “Bobby? Can you see me?” Bobby just keeps staring at the photo. “We look so young there. We were too young.” Luke’s voice breaks. “You can’t see us. It didn’t work?”

Y/N’s face falls. “Well, that’s really all we had to say. Uh, goodbye.” Bobby hands over the photo, issuing goodbyes of his own. Once they’re out of the house, Y/N speaks in a voice barely over a whisper. “I’m sorry it didn’t work. I guess I’ll just go home.”

She waves goodbye, and then starts heading away. The rest of the boys wave, still dejected, but Luke can’t look away from the sad hunch of Y/N’s shoulders. “Tell you what, I’ll be right back. I’ll meet up with the rest of you at the studio?” With that, Luke poofs away.

He waits until Y/N’s a sufficient distance away from the rest of the band to poof back into existence next to her. Y/N looks up when he appears. “Hey. I wish it worked.” Her voice is still quiet.

Luke sighs. “Me too, but it’s alright.” Y/N shakes her head. “I’m sorry things didn’t turn out well. I wish I hadn’t wasted all your time- I should have known that it wouldn’t work.” Luke takes Y/N’s hands, stopping her in place.

“Hey. This wasn’t a waste of time. None of this was a waste of time.” Y/N looks away. “Of course it was. You trusted me, and I should’ve been able to make it work.” Luke gently puts his hand on her cheek, forcing her to look back at him.

“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about meeting you. The whole thing with Bobby doesn’t matter, I’m just glad I got to get to know you. You’re a really cool person, Y/N, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.”

A slow smile is spreading across Y/N’s face, a light, golden glow of a smile. “I’m glad I got to meet you too.” Luke smiles back. “So, can we still hang out after this?” Y/N laughs. “Of course. See you after school?” Luke nods. “See you then.”

With that, she turns and continues walking down the street, but this time her disappointed steps are replaced with a happy stride. Luke watches her go, and can’t help but smile.

#jatp #luke patterson #luke patterson imagine #luke patterson x reader #luke patterson imagines #jatp luke #jatp luke imagine #jatp luke x reader #jatp luke imagines #jatp imagines #jatp x reader

211 notes · View notes

x--daughters-of-darkness--x · 2 years ago

Text

CHRIS DAUGHTRY And LZZY HALE Drop Video For Cover Of JOURNEY's 'Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)'

Multi-platinum rock act DAUGHTRY has released the official music video for its cover song, "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", a tribute to legendary rock band JOURNEY featuring vocals from Lzzy Hale, lead singer of HALESTORM.

The hit cover, which was originally made available in January, exactly 40 years to the day that the original song was released, is currently sitting at No. 6 on Mediabase's Active Rock chart. The track debuted at No. 1 on iTunes' All Genres chart. True to its roots with an updated grit, the single has racked up millions of streams on YouTube and Spotify, earning praise from heavy-hitters like Variety, Billboard, Consequence and American Songwriter, among others.

"This was an unexpected video in a lot of ways," Chris Daughtry admits. "I don't think either of us, Lzzy or myself, were actually 'dressed' for a video shoot. We were basically just trying to get some b-roll to capture the studio experience of recording this track. But when we got the footage back, it was like, 'Well… This looks way cooler than I expected, so… I guess we have a music video now?' Haha. It was the most low-key, low-pressure video I've ever done."

“There's a magic that happens when you decide to do a project with people you've adored for years," Hale adds. "We cultivated that chemistry into such a beautiful launch point, and 'Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)' is the result of that friendship. Thank you to everyone for giving this song wings, and thank you to the incredible Daughtry for inviting me to fly alongside!"

The visual comes hot on the heels of DAUGHTRY's sold-out show at London's Royal Albert Hall last week, where the band surprised fans with a performance of the duet, bringing Hale onstage as a musical guest.

When DAUGHTRY's cover of "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" was first released, Lzzy said in a statement: "Chris Daughtry and I have been threatening to unleash a duet for years. What better way to do that than by paying tribute to one of our mutual influences…. JOURNEY!" said Lzzy. "This song is not only part of the 'Stranger Things' soundtrack, but has been my go-to for karaoke for as long as I can remember! I'm so honored to have been a part of this and I hope it makes you smile as big as I did while recording it!"

youtube

#lzzy hale #DoD collaborations #daughtry #Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)#Youtube

1 note · View note

lochsides · 3 years ago

Text

You Signed Up For This Review

If you're following me, you really did sign up for this review. I love that the title of this album lends itself to so many puns. Maybe that was the second indication that I would adore this album (the first being that its a Maisie Peters album). God, where do I even begin to review the pop mastery that is YSUFT? The album is both cohesive and chaotic in the best way possible. Maisie is one of those songwriters who approaches writing with quick wit and personality. That’s my biggest takeaway from this album. YSUFT has so much personality. It is very authentic while being refreshing. I’m so glad it finally here, to be consumed in all its glory. She really hit it out of the park and it was well worth the wait. There is not a single skip.

For those of you interested, below the cut you will find a review for each song. My favourites are 'I'm Trying (Not Friends)', ‘Love Him, I Don’t’, ‘Hollow’, ‘Villain’, ‘Brooklyn’, ‘Elvis Song’ and ‘Volcano’ — yes I know that’s half the album. This is my review and I make the rules. I've also included a little ranking at the very end.

You Signed Up For This — This song has so much main character energy. My favourite thing about Maisie as a songwriter is that her songwriting has a sense of humour to it. This song says so much in 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Its the perfect album opener, particularly for a debut album, but it's also a really good introduction to Maisie Peters for new listeners and old fans alike.

I'm Trying (Not Friends) — I can't decide what my favourite part of this song is: her sharp, witty songwriting or the cadence. This is what I mean when I say that the album is authentic while being refreshing. The cadence is unlike anything I’ve heard before, especially from Maisie, but the passive- aggressive lyrics are so Maisie. She has always had this unvarnished honesty to her songwriting that I really appreciate about her.

John Hughes Movie — Pop perfection! That's it, that's the review. I love the message of this song. It has a sense of self-worth and confidence despite being let down. And when I tell you I adore the fuck out of the bridge of 'JHM', it's an understatement. It was actually the perfect lead single for an album with so much main character energy.

Outdoor Pool — 'Outdoor Pool' is basically Fifteen (Maisie’s Version), when all you wanted was to be wanted. She really captured that in this song. I felt so sad listening to it because 15 really is such a delicate age. The music and production felt very cinematic to me and that really brought to life this story that she was telling. It really is almost Skins. I have so much affection for this song in like a big sister way.

Love Him, I Don't — Ooft, this song hurt my feelings. The production at the start with her ‘ooh’s was already chilling but then she hit me with ‘I wasn’t eating and you still said nothing’ and ‘guess that was my stubborn season’ and took me out. ‘Love Him, I Don’t’ is a song about toxicity and I’ve been there. I have friends who have been there. The lyric ‘what a waste of your twenties’ reminded me of a relationship my best friend was in. There are so many little details in this song that make it so relatable in a way the hurts. I love the melody of the pre-chorus and chorus, and then she goes and strips it back in the last verse. The whole song is a 5-star experience. It's so raw and the emotion in her vocal takes it to another level.

Psycho — Maisie Peters said feral girl summer and make it catchy. There are two bridges in this song. That should be enough to sell me, but she had to go and write ‘you made me feel so useful then so used.’ All in all though, ‘Psycho’ is probably my least favourite and that’s only because there are so many good songs on this album that outrank this.

Boy — I’m joining Maisie Peters’ fight to take away men’s rights because valid. It’s funny because I can hear Ed Sheeran’s writing in this song, mostly in the production. I love the tone throughout this song, but specifically when she says 'I can tell that you've never been hugged, boy.' It's sassy as fuck and I love that for her. My favourite aspect of 'Boy' is that the catchiest part, the one that is most likely to get stuck in our heads. is 'I can do better than this' and that feels very intentional, like a little message from Maisie reminding us that we can do better than The Boy ™️.

Hollow — 'Hollow' is such a good heartbreak ballad. It has all the makings of a great classic pop ballad, from the piano to the production to the poetic lyrics. Was it fair of her to put the lyrics 'now I'm a comma in your explanation of your learning curves and your mistakes' in the same song, in the same verse, as 'you're the one that got away and you got away with a lot' and then follow it up with a bridge of memories and 'I just miss my friend'? Let's discuss. I think the reason I, personally, love this song so much is the lyrical links to other songs like 'Villain' ('now you're kissing that girl I shouldn't worry about'), 'Volcano' ('you got away with it') and 'Tough Act' ('saying goodbye to a best friend' / 'drain it all 'til its all so hollow'). I love it when there are layers to a story.

Villain — I’ve had the hook of ‘Villain’ stuck in my head all morning. The way she explores rage in this song as something bitter that we all swallow but it burns the whole way down our throats, that dichotomy being explored through the subtlety of the production and the feral lyrics, is absolute genius. The song is told through the perspective of someone that feels wronged but they are still the villain of someone else's story and that's something I can personally relate to. I love how much angst is in the bridge, aided by the build up in the production, as she sings 'whole town's gonna hear how you messed me up.' Truly excellent songwriting.

Brooklyn — I think Maisie absolutely shines when writing songs about her sister. 'Personal Best' is my most played song on Apple Music, ever. 'Brooklyn' is almost like a continuation of that, or a deeper dive into her relationship with her sister. The storytelling aspect of this song feels very organic, like a friend telling you all about the adventure of their transatlantic trip over a cup of coffee. And the production is chef's kiss.

Elvis Song — I think this song is the one I connect with the most. The nostalgia factor always gets me and that's what this entire song is. Is the whole second verse a callout? Maybe. It's fine. If I end up calling the person this song makes me think about, it's Maisie's fault. My favourite lyric is 'I was scared to throw my heart off the edge, easier to tell myself we'd mess it up instead, so I left.' That line reads me, but it also captures the tone of regret that comes with reflection on something that ended. The production of 'Elvis Song' gives me old-flame montage vibes. I think it's the perfect candidate for an end-of-summer single.

Talking To Strangers — 'Talking To Strangers' is such a cute song. The whole concept of random people knowing such minute details about your life, that maybe even the people in your life would overlook, just because this one person that loves you so much can't help but tell everyone they meet about you is so fucking romantic. This is such a romantic song. It is 'this made me think of you' in a song except instead of telling the person you think of, you're telling literally everyone that it made you think of them.

Volcano — 'Volcano' is very reminiscent of Maisie's musical roots, which is why this song is one of my favourites. The lyrics are an actual gut punch and her vocal delivery only makes it hit harder. I think the lines that really get me each time are 'in the silence when you stood there, you just stood there' and the bits in the chorus where she sings 'and your friends said nothing' or 'and the world said nothing.' When you're in a situation that can be toxic, it fucking hurts when no one says anything. Then you look back on it and wonder 'why did no one stop you from absolutely breaking me?'

Tough Act — I think many of the songs on YUSFT accumulate to 'Tough Act' and placing it as the album closer makes so much sense in terms of closure from a lot of these stories that Maisie has shared with us. 'Tough Act' is acknowledgement and growth. I think this is best described in the lyric 'I got busy and you forgot how to miss me when I'm not much of who you grew up with.' She has come to terms with the fact that things have changed and this break up is just 'the bad part of the right thing to do.' The melody of this song is so beautiful and it's only heightened when those strings come in under the piano. Maisie's lovely vocals are the cherry on top.

Ranking the songs on this album was so difficult because each one is so outstanding. I think YSUFT is honestly one of the best pop debuts in recent history. She absolutely nailed it.

Love Him, I Don't

Volcano

Villain

I'm Trying (Not Friends)

Elvis Song

Hollow

Brooklyn

Outdoor Pool

Tough Act

You Signed Up For This

Talking To Strangers

John Hughes Movie