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mysticstarlightduck · 21 days ago

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OC Deep Dive Tag!

Thanks for the tag, @illarian-rambling (here)!

Rules: Answer the questions for your oc

I'll go with some of the living older siblings from my WIP Crash Stardom! for this one because I'm in a sibling mood (:

TW. Mentions of drugs (cocaine and ecstasy), mentions of high fantasy torture and implied past SA

What uncommon/common fear do they have?

Crash Stardom!

Tristan Mallory: Tristan has claustrophobia. He hates being locked in a room and usually sleeps with his bedroom door wide open, and showers with the bathroom door closed but slightly ajar so he doesn't feel trapped. The only time he locks himself in his dressing room or bathroom is when he's having a breakdown and doing drugs to drown out the emotional pain (usually cocaine but his agent got him hooked on ecstasy tablets too during the story and that made it worse. He gets over his addiction by the end of the book, so don't worry, but oh boy he suffered), because he doesn't want his little brother (Noah) to find out and feel sad.

Beck Staudder: He is terrified of iron and silver. As an Aimari (an magic humanoid species that has both vampiric and lycan traits, but is closer to fey than other races), silver and iron burn their skin worse than any fire could ever burn them. When he was held captive by the Secret Society (which hunts and kills magic folk but captures a few for their 'studies'), he was forced to lie down on a sheet of iron mixed with silver or they would hurt his Fatebound (its a fey thing, where two souls that are unrelated develop a strong familial bond, like spirit siblings), Aspen. The Secret Society wanted to study the effects of iron and silver in contact with an Aimari's skin. He wanted to protect her, so he did as he was told, but his back was seared with burns. To this day, it is still heavily scarred and even the thought of silver or iron makes him flinch.

Esther Caeli: She has emetophobia, quite severe, and is also easily disgusted by quite a lot of things but she doesn't really mind it. She also has some nyctophobia and has a warm nightlight by her bed to this day, and also has fairy lights around her room.

Do they have any pet peeves?

Tristan Mallory: People who chew gum loudly with their mouth open, someone he doesn't know or doesn't like standing behind him to stare at his phone while he texts, people who refer to themselves in the third person, having to keep repeating himself because someone won't pay attention or keeps interrupting him.

Beck Staudder: Anyone watching him sleep without waking him up, summer itself - he doesn't like sunny days and the heat makes him want to die because it makes him uncomfortable, invasion of privacy or invasion of personal space, people who try to pull up his shirt to see the scars on his back when he said 'no' (he will snap their arm if they do so, he has vampiric strenght), the sound of styrofoam rubbing on styrofoam, people who are unhygienic.

Esther Caeli: Cars tailgating her car, any food that is too smelly, strangers who full-name her, people who say "no offense" after saying something insulting, her little sisters getting catcalled by strangers, trying to sleep close to someone who snores, people who underestimate her talents or her strenght.

What are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

Tristan Mallory: A scrapbook photo album with pictures of him and Noah having fun or in important moments throughout their lives, scribbled sheets of music for new songs he is composing for his shows, a cup of vanilla milkshake.

Beck Staudder: A mini fridge filled with many, many packets of animal blood he refuels every feel weeks (he needs blood to not go feral, its not his fault, he's just vampiric), yarn threads to crochet or do macramé, a gun under his bed to shoot anyone who tries to kidnap him again.

Esther Caeli: A messy pile of clean clothes on the arm chair that she swears she will fold and put on the wardrobe one day but never gets around to it so its a cycle lol, a shelf filled with sports trophies and medals along with DIY sculptures her little sisters make for her, an autographed death metal band poster on the wall above her bed.

What do they notice first in a person?

Tristan Mallory: If the person has second intentions - he's learned to spot a creep from a MILE AWAY from dealing with his agent (Sinclair, she makes his life hell) and he tries to avoid those kinds of people. On another note, he's also good at reading people's emotions and adapting to the conversation effortlessly.

Beck Staudder: If they look like a Reaper (the Secret Society's elite hunters they use to kill or kidnap magic folk) or are armed in any way. Even if someone seems non-threatening, while Beck maintains a friendly facade he's scanning them to study their face expressions and body language to see if he can truly let down his guard. He also immediately notices any silver or iron jewelry or ornaments a person may be wearing, and makes a mental note to stay away from those jewels.

Esther Caeli: If she can have a good conversation with that person, like if that person is a killjoy who will just annoy her or if she can genuinely talk with them about her weird hyperfixations and have fun. She also notices if that person has 'good vibes' or if they feel off, or if they give her The Ick. Every time she says a person is bad news, even if that person is charismatic, she is usually right.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance?

Tristan Mallory: He hates pain, he really does. He's terrified of it. But his ability to endure any pain imaginable becomes unmatched the moment someone threatens his little brother. Yes, he's scared and hates being in pain, but the thought of Noah getting hurt is more terrifying to him than anything could ever be so he just endures it, even if he's broken at the end. The reason he lets Sinclair hurt him (beat him up, belittle him, get him hooked on more drugs to make him hyperactive so he can make more shows and she can get more money, and frequently let's her have her way with him in bed despite how much he hates it) and never said a word nor ever let it show, is because he's protecting Noah. So I would say an 8/10 pain tolerance but like, 4 or even 5 of those points are sheer willpower alone and not actual 'pain tolerance'.

Beck Staudder: 11/10. He spent quite a lot of time trapped by the Secret Society and was one of their favorite subjects for their studies. He would have gone insane if he didn't have good pain tolerance. His vampiric metabolism helps but some of it is just his determination to spite them. For example, when he was made to lie down on that sheet of iron and silver, he didn't make a sound for the first few hours. He was essentially being burned alive by the contact but he barely let it show. He only screamed at the end where they pulled him off the iron/silver sheet and it uh... ripped at his skin because of how molten/burnt it was - and even the Secret Society was impressed, despite how sick and twisted they are.

Esther Caeli - 9/10 This girl does kickboxing and many other martial arts, as well as has a reputation for getting into street fights or underworld fighting rings. She has an insane level of strenght. She's tough, she can take a punch like its nothing and return it to her assailant ten times worse than what hit her.

Do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure?

Tristan Mallory: None of those. His fear response is Fawn. If he's pressured or threatened he'll immediately lose all of his confidence and swag, and go into a desperate mode of trying to appease whoever is the source of the threat. He'll do whatever the person wants if it means it won't get any worse because he fears that if he doesn't appease them, then the consequences will go to Noah (and in his world and industry, that is true).

Beck Staudder: Fight, all the way. He has the vampiric strenght to fend off any attacker with brutal ease (except for female Aimari because they tend to be even stronger than male Aimaris, but even then, he'll still fight if they're attacking his loved ones or his Fatebound). He goes into a feral, bloodthirsty mode if someone he loves or is bonded to is threatens, and it would take many, many people to take him down, or a very heavy sedative. He'll break chains, tear someone's throat off with his fangs and then continue his massacre until his loved ones are safe. It's instinct. And then he feels so guilty about it, once the animalistic trance passes because he feels like a monster.

Esther Caeli - FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT. Oh she will fight - be it verbally, and trust me this girl knows how to throw some mean burns when it comes to it, or physically, because she will punch, smack or kick a bitch if said jerk crosses her line.

Do they come from a big family/are they a family person?

Tristan Mallory: Not a big family - his father (who was a good guy) died when he was six, his abusive mother remarried a jerk who left shortly after his half-brother was born, and then said abusive mother kicked out Tristan and Noah when Tris was 15 because he wanted to be a musician. Tristan had to raise Noah on his own despite him being a kid himself, but he managed and did a good job - both in the year after they were kicked out and had nothing, but also in the years after he won his first talent show and then they got fame and wealth, he was always there. Noah is his whole world, he does everything and anything to keep him safe. So he is a family kind of young man when it comes to the only family he has left.

Beck Staudder: In Aimari society, the males are the ones who do the parenting/caring for kids (be it their children or their siblings), while the females (who still are very much present), are the warriors. So he has strong parenting instincts, especially towards Aspen who he sees as his adopted little sister (she's a half-human, half-Aimari girl who was found by his community when he was a teen. Their leader wanted to kill her because they considered her weak for having human blood, but Beck didn't let it happen because she was just a little kid and adopted her as his sister/ward, and they did the ritual so she could become his Fatebound - his soul sibling - and officially join the community). He also cares a lot about his cousin, Rune, who is like a sister to him too.

Esther Caeli - Yep! Big family! She lives with her parents who have been happily married for 20 years, has six younger siblings, four of which are girls two of which are boys (the boys are really young). Her grandmother, uncles/aunts and cousins are also often around.

What animal represents them best?

Tristan Mallory: Nightingale

Beck Staudder: Feral red fox.

Esther Caeli: Wild Ox

What is a smell that they dislike?

Tristan Mallory: Sinclair's perfume

Beck Staudder: Burning flesh

Esther Caeli: Rancid things or smelly food

Have they broken any bones?

Tristan Mallory: Never.

Beck Staudder: Yes many times, sometimes even exposed a bone, but due to his vampiric metabolism it always healed faster than normal (a few days) but if he has blood available it heals even faster, with animal blood it heals within hours. If he can drink human blood it'll heal within minutes.

Esther Caeli: A couple of times while streetfighting or kickboxing but none were too serious.

How would a stranger likely describe them?

Tristan Mallory: "Oh, him? He's the nation's sweetheart! His songs are always on the radio, there's always an interview of him on TV, and he's toured half the world already. He's the talk of the country most days. Honestly, I'd say he's living the dream life, the guy knows the road to success, dude."

Beck Staudder: "The insanely hot and brooding vampire looking dude with long red hair that stares at everyone from the shadows? Yeah I've seen him. He's weird. I think he broke someone's arm once in two places because they got curious about his back. Rude, am I right? What a freak. Stay away from him, or the girl for that matter. He's like her guard dog or something."

Esther Caeli: "That one is a tough cookie right there. Quite the hardworker too! I hear she helps around the family business while also attending college. She seems so friendly and no nonsense. I hear she does kickboxing too. Once a guy tried to get handsy with her on a pub and she taught him some manners with her fists, so quick. She's baddass, that girl."

Are they a night owl or a morning bird?

Tristan Mallory: Unfortunately nowadays there's usually so many stimulants pumping in his bloodstream along with sheer adrenaline that he tends to sleep late and wake up early, so he is both. Before he started struggling with his addiction, he used to be a night owl and was always sleepy in the mornings and loved to sleep in until 9 or 10AM.

Beck Staudder: Most Aimari's are nocturnal so he tends to be a night owl and is more quiet during the day and sleeps a couple of hours at a time during the day.

Esther Caeli: Morning bird.

What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love?

Tristan Mallory:

Hates: Anything that has artificial grape or cherry flavor

Loves: Vanilla; Pepperoni Pizza; Latte Coffee

Beck Staudder:

Hates: Oatmeal, or any kind of bland, flavorless food, especially if there's no meat on it

Loves: Fresh blood (its natural to his species, its just like juice to him), Chocolate Cake with coconut frosting; roasted chicken heart skewers.

Esther Caeli:

Hates: cold or greasy food, and anything too pungent

Loves: Spicy stir fries, Parfaits, Mint Lollipops

Do they have any hobbies?

Tristan Mallory: writing new songs or just idly playing music, listening to music from other singers he likes, watching his favorite movies and series with Noah on their TV night, going out for a walk on sunset by the beach, going out for ice cream with Noah.

Beck Staudder: crocheting, macramé, making DIY stuff with yarn to focus on the texture, reading books, watching niche 1950s movies and sitcoms, walking on the ceiling (like straight up upside down within the room) to think, doomscrolling on his cellphone when dissociating.

Esther Caeli: shadowboxing, listening to heavy metal/punk rock/pop rock, kickboxing, going to the shopping mall with her siblings, painting her sisters' nails, helping her family around the house, dancing to her favorite music in her room.

Boom, surprise birthday party! How do they react to surprises?

Tristan Mallory: He'd be happy and really, really grateful. He wouldn't be expecting it - because he's usually so caught up with doing things for others, for the people he loves, he forgets about himself. And when he sees the party, when he sees that someone (probably Noah), put in all that effort just to make him happy, it'll remind him, even if just for a moment, that he deserves to be cared for too.

Beck Staudder: He'd react like Megamind in that final scene where the town gets all happy for him and he snaps and goes "GET BACK YOU SAVAGES" and Roxanne has to explain "don't worry, guys, he just isn't used to positive feedback!". Look it up, its glorious lol. Aspen would probably be the one having to explain that last part to people lmao.

Esther Caeli: She'd be H A P P E H (happy but 10x more lmao). Think full on golden retriever vibes but with some happy pit bull vibes as well.

Do they like to wear jewelry?

Tristan Mallory: Yes, he does. He loves jewelry, especially glittery earrings in tones of either black, diamond white or light grey. Sometimes he wears necklaces and earrings too.

Beck Staudder: No. He likes to keep his style simple and comfortable. He especially hates necklaces, and even bracelets, as it feels constricting and remind him of when he was stuck with a silver collar that burned his neck.

Esther Caeli: Not really, unless she's going somewhere really fancy or having an important event, like a birthday or date.

Do they have neat or messy handwriting?

Tristan Mallory: Cutesy cursive writing with glitter pens, he also adds stars to his i's.

Beck Staudder: Passably neat in a way that its more simplistic and straightforward than anything else.

Esther Caeli: Messy, very messy.

What are the two emotions they feel the most?

Tristan Mallory: Anxiety and Shame

Beck Staudder: Inadequacy and Anger

Esther Caeli: Joy and Determination

Do they have a favorite fabric?

Tristan Mallory: Not really, he just wears whatever will look nice while on tour and then whatever is comfortable while at home. He does have a specific style but other than that he couldn't care less about the fabrics.

Beck Staudder: Anything soft and loose, especially cotton.

Esther Caeli: Plush things, like fluffy softs and fuzzy jackets.

What kind of accent do they have?

Tristan Mallory: Fictional NYC accent

Beck Staudder: Faint british accent (fictional)

Esther Caeli: Northwestern Accent

My Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3,

@thepeculiarbird

@the-golden-comet, @urnumber1star, @ominous-feychild, @anyablackwood, @amaiguri,

@lyutenw @finickyfelix

@thecomfywriter, @the-letterbox-archives, @differentnighttale @wyked-ao3

@thelovelymachinery @an-indecisive-nerd

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Let me know if you'd like to be added!

#wip crash stardom!#oc questionnaire tag #writeblr #writers #writers on tumblr #writerblr #writing #character writing #my characters #my wips #my writing

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no-tengo-ojos · 3 months ago

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Hee hee hoo hoo! Music nerd time! In this edition, my favourite music award The Mercury Prize!

The Mercury Prize has been a long running award for British artists to determine the album of the year. Most recently the Leeds band English Teacher won the award for their 2024 album 'This Could be Texas' on 05/09/2024 (today).

I saw this band perform live at Truck Fest 2024 and met two of my greatest friends in the crowd so needless to say, this band means a lot to me and my group. This was also the first gig the band had played since they'd been nominated for the prize the day prior. And I mean it when I say that was the best gig of the year for me. The atmosphere of the crowd and the genuine joy from the band playing was just euphoric.

It was also during this gig that the lead singer, Lily Fontaine, climbed the barrier and held my hand during their song 'Nearly Daffodils' and chat, I have never felt gayer.

I first discovered English Teacher through the Netflix adaption of Lockwood & Co. which featured their song 'A55' which they also played during their set (which also became the first time I'd cried to live music). Like many fans of L&C, I clung to that OST after the show was unfortunately cancelled after just one series. English Teacher remain one of the few bands that are still performing (the loss of Joy Divison has taken its toll on all of us) so seeing 'A55' live was an emotional moment.

Their win is also especially important for fellow up and coming bands on the post-punk scene as they were up against the likes of Charli XCX's 'Brat' (named 'Album of the Summer') and The Last Dinner Party's 'Prelude to Ecstasy', both of which were favourites for the prize.

And though I've sung the praises of English Teacher here, I shouldn't forget to mention my other favourites from this years selection:

Nia Archives - Silence is Loud

ooooooh what an album. My introduction to Jungle and another Leeds act. Silence is loud has been the most influential album for me this year. It's introduced me to a genre that has so many facets (and no I definitely didn't find it by misclicking on the suggested search options on YouTube when looking for TMA animatics).

Charli XCX - Brat

I don't even need to say anything. Just watch the video for the 'Guess' re-release with Billie Eilish.

CMAT - Crazymad, For Me

I have had two CMAT gigs scheduled this year. One was cancelled because of a storm (fuck you English weather) and the other was cut short due to a storm (fuck you English weather). CMAT is an Irish country/pop act for the girls and the gays. Also the cowboys. Michael Walters would like her.

And that concludes the round up for now! See you next week for the VMAs!!!

xoxo

Lotte

#The Mercury Prize #Mercury Prize #The Mercury Prize 2024 #Mercury Prize 2024 #English Teacher #Lily Fontaine #CMAT #Charli XCX #Billie Eilish #Nia Archives #Silence is loud #brat #this could be texas #crazymad for me #music #british music

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cherrylng · 5 months ago

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MUSE X LIVE [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

MUSE X LIVE

The overwhelmingly powerful shows that continue to attract fans from all over the world.

What is the attraction of Muse's live performances, which grow in scale each time they visit Japan?

Pic: The enthusiasm is captivating. "The Resistance" tour's superlative set. Muse auditioned with a dazzling show that was as voluminous as the 1984-esque world of this set.

pic: Morena Brengola/Getty Images

A spectacular and cathartic show supported by the band's growth.

Text: Yoshihiro Hoshina

Japan must be as important to Muse as their home country of the UK, as they attracted attention as soon as they made their debut and made their big breakthrough with three visits to Japan in 2000 alone, including showcase shows. As proof of this, not only have Muse become an indispensable part of the festival circuit, touring with every album release and participating in the summer festival circuit for the fifth time this year, but they have also become the most successful band to debut around the 1990s, and are now unquestionably the most successful headliners of all time. The band's success has been so far outstanding that Muse have become a household name.

There are many reasons for Muse's outstanding success, but it goes without saying that the biggest factor is the appeal of their live shows, which maximise the appeal of their songs. When they first debuted, their melancholic melodies and emotional sound earned them the nickname "emotional", citing the likes of Radiohead, Suede and Placebo, but since then, only Muse have changed their name to "passionate". Muse's pursuit of the "passionate" line to the extreme has undoubtedly resulted in the band's unshakeable popularity today.

Having seen them live many times, I think that Matthew Bellamy's performances have gradually developed into a distinctive and established style since their early shows, when he was sometimes so self-absorbed that his expressive ability could not keep up with his emotional intensity and seemed to be spinning out of control, which was even comical. The band's growth is what has enabled them to support their over-expression.

Looking back, I think that the exceptional, fully-invited show at ZEPP TOKYO in July 2001, which coincided with the release of their second album "Origin of Symmetry", was a major turning point for the band. The band's first song, "Micro Cuts", with its impressive, passionate, full-set performance, lured the audience into an extraordinary space, and the tension and relaxation dynamism created by the amplitude of the vocals and dramatic performance, which exploded with straight emotion one after another, and the arrangements filled with delicate poetic sentiment, created a catharsis of the highest level. This may be an element closer to musicals and theatre than to rock bands, but I thought this expressive power was a characteristic of Muse. Since then, Muse's sometimes over-the-top sound has become even more spectacular, not only as a guitar band but also with the use of synths and samplers, and their live shows are loved by their fans because of the great catharsis they provide by reproducing it perfectly at a high volume.

#Muse #The Resistance era #my scan #translation #STYLE Series #STYLE Series 004 #Muse band

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iuteamstarcandy · 1 year ago

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[INTERVIEW] W Korea (January 2013)

The album “Again, On the Road” is Choi Baek-ho's first trip in 12 years. The melody added by young musicians such as guitarist Park Joo-won, jazz vocalist MALO and harmonica player Jeon Je-deok is also wonderful, but the most impressive thing is the power of vocals like sighs and whispers. At one point, Choi Baek-ho sings like a young man in his 60s with a light trembling voice that has fresh and stubborn energy that does not seem to wane no matter how much time passes. On the other hand, IU is a 20-year-old who conveys deep emotions with a young face. When she played her guitar on stage and sang “About Romance”, the familiar song took on a new look. The two of them who see each other as a junior he has been keeping an eye on and a senior whom she respects, sat side by side. The two musicians who have an age gap of more than 40 years also had things in common. Choi Baek-ho and IU confessed that music is not everything to them.

The two of you have met before, right? I heard that IU got an autograph for her father, who is a fan of Choi Baek-ho, in the waiting room of a broadcasting station.

IU: When my father and I went for karaoke together, I sang ‘About Romance’ especially often. He likes ‘My Heart Has Lost Its Way’ too. Unlike my peers, I have listened to sunbaenim’s music a lot from a young age.

You sang ‘About Romance’ at your concert last summer, right? It's probably not an easy feat for a 20-year-old female musician.

IU: I don't think I've tried to think about the lyrics (Note: what the lyrics mean) until then. I read them carefully while preparing for my concert, but I couldn't understand anything. The feelings in the song… So it was very tough. Honestly, I still don't understand everything.

CBH: Of course.

IU: Yes. It's really tough... When I was young, I just listened to it thinking that it was good.

Choi Baek-ho mentioned IU several times as a junior musician that he has been keeping an eye on. What do you think makes her special?

CBH: Actually, I don't really know IU's songs. I just listen to some of her music when I’m free. But I was surprised to hear her sing Lee Moon-sae's ‘First Love’ while playing the guitar. It’s the same for ‘About Romance’ too, but people in their 30s and 40s can relate better to the lyrics, but she managed to pull it off cleverly. It's nice to have such a young… no, rather than young, a little singer who is good. Songs these days are too commercialized and seem to be biased (Note: swayed by company interests). We need more people who are enthusiastic about music. Besides, I also like that she is a singer-songwriter.

For the first time in your new album, “Again, On the Road”, you received and sang songs by junior musicians. I think there must have been a reason why you tried doing this.

CBH: The songs I make have become so commonplace. I always wanted to break away from them and I got an opportunity to do that, so I grabbed hold of it.

You consider the lyrics so important that you write the lyrics first and add the melody to them. What is your favorite part of the lyrics written by your junior?

CBH: I love the second verse of ‘On the Road’. ‘My laughter flies into the blue sky / My youth, redder than flower petals, passes by.’ I still feel emotional when I sing this part.

IU is also preparing for her album. What's your biggest music-related concern these days?

IU: I’m ambitious to include many of my self-composed songs. But as I write my songs, I start to realise that I'm not good enough. The separate parts may sound okay, but if I put them together and listen to it as a whole, I’ll be like, ‘This sounds weird…?’ I think I still have a long way to go, but I don't want to give up composing songs. So I encounter problems when coordinating with my company. The concept of an album is important too, right? It's hard to stick to only what I think.

CBH: It's like that when you write a song. I thought it was amazing when I wrote it at night, but it's terrible when I listen to it in the morning.

IU: Haha, that's right. Everything sounds great at night.

CBH: It’s right for you to think that way. It’s problematic if you get narcissistic in the morning over what you wrote the night before.

What were you troubled about when you were IU’s age at 20 years old?

CBH: It was so hard for me around that time. My mother passed away when I was 20. So I just went to the army. But I realized when I got older that those hard and difficult times were very precious times in my life. Musicians need to go through some hard times. Yet you’re not able to go around looking for such things on purpose.

May I ask why you say so?

CBH: Our human experiences all get expressed in music. I don't think you can write lyrics or melodies that strike a chord in people's hearts without going through a hard time yourself.

You are more like a musician I like as a fan rather than a senior that juniors formally respect. I think your voice is powerful and special.

CBH: I don't do anything special to maintain my vocal chords, but I think my voice tone is well-preserved. Actually, I feel my voice is better now than when I was young. I don't know if it's just self-hypnosis. But sometimes I’m tired of listening to my own voice. As I don't want to listen to the songs I sang, I may even stop listening to my own albums for a few months.

What’s the reason?

CBH: I don't know. There are times like that occasionally.

In a previous interview, you said that music is not everything to you in life. What you said left an impression on me.

IU: Wow.

CBH: I don't know if it's just the case for me. I don't want to be tied to just one thing. I actually thought about quitting being a singer too. If someone comes and tells me to stop singing, I might even go ‘Okay!’ and quit. (Wouldn't it still be an important part of your life?) It's a really important part, of course. It's like family to me. My wife, daughter and music are all living together with me.

IU: I was surprised just now, because I said something similar before too. Music isn't everything to me. But I thought I'd get in trouble if I said this out loud. I thought a lot about whether people would think I’m being arrogant or crazy. But no matter how hard I thought about it, music isn't everything to me. There are many other things that are important to me. That's why my fans say they're upset. Since I’m the kind to say that if I don't like music anymore at some point, I might do something else.

Choi Baekho compared music to family. What about you, IU?

IU: It's a kind of escape from reality to me. Watching a movie or reading a book is an experience that lets you immerse yourself in the story for a brief period of time. You can run away from reality for a while when you make music, listen to it, or sing it. But on the other hand, I’m someone who’s too practical to live in pursuit of only music or my ideals. I think that's why I think it can't be everything to me. When I was a rookie, my company CEO asked me, ‘Are you tired?’ I said, ‘It's fun though.’ He told me that professionals shouldn't find it fun and that they should always be suffering instead. So I answered like this. ‘Oh, then I'll just be an amateur.’ Honestly, I still feel the same way. If suffering is being a professional, I just want to remain just as an amateur.

CBH: This is what I think. Even if you're singing a sad song, you have to enjoy yourself while singing it. I mean, even though I say I can leave music at any time, eventually, I won’t be able to cast it aside even when I grow old. I think it’s the same for IU.

Choi Baek-ho is someone who wants to do many things and actually does many things too. I heard you drew illustrations and held an exhibition and wrote a movie scenario too. There are stories about unknown singers and I heard you completed writing an SF (science fiction) film too.

CBH: Haha, SF is really awesome.

I was so curious about that. What kind of story would Choi Baekho write?

CBH: It's about the Earth becoming uninhabitable and everyone leaves for a new star. Unbelievable right?

IU: Hahaha.

CBH: My daughter does movies. So I showed it to her once, but she said it can’t be done because it would cost a lot of money.

I’ll ask IU a question then. What would you choose to do if you had to do something else because music suddenly became boring to you?

IU: I want to cook. I have a lot of downtime these days, but I don't have any hobbies. I was hungry and there was no one at home, so I found a recipe by myself and cooked a meal. I was so amazed by the taste. Well, it tasted like food? After that, I made bulgogi, stew, and spaghetti... It's so fun. I think it's my first time finding something to spend time doing other than music.

In a way, music has become an enjoyable kind of ‘work’ for you. You might need other things that are enjoyable besides music.

CBH: But it’s because you already have music, so other things are enjoyable. Nothing would have been enjoyable without music.

[truncated question about CBH’s album]

What if you were to do a remake of one of your released songs when you turn 60?

IU: For a start, I don't think it can be ‘Good Day’, haha. I don’t think ‘You and I’ would work either. I want to sing my own (Note: self-composed) songs. I would like to sing ‘Peach’ and ‘A Lost Puppy’ with a more professional arrangement. I would be able to make up for my shortcomings then, right?

CBH: Yeah, I've heard of ‘Peach’.

IU: Really? Thank you.

If I dare to make a guess, for most people, when they are in their 60s, they are more interested in maintaining their position than taking on a new challenge. I think it's an exceptional case that you are maintaining such energy at the age of sixty-two.

CBH: I still don't know how much I have in me. I don’t even get the feeling like, ‘Let's rest since we’ve come this far.’ I still have new thoughts everyday and no lingering feelings about what has gone by. I really like that. I want to make movies. I want to work hard to draw and I'm positive, hopeful and I like challenges. That's why people close to me have a hard time. (laughs). Bae Chulsoo (Note: Former singer) is always telling me this. Hey, stop earning money now. But that's why I'm enjoying myself. I think I'm still very curious.

You have a concert in January, right?

CBH: It's a performance that focuses on the songs in my new album. I learned a lot while preparing for this album with my juniors. They are more like great music teachers than my juniors. It will be an opportunity to show everyone my results from studying.

Is there anything you're curious about, regarding Choi Baekho?

IU: Oh, I really want to ask you a question.

CBH: What is ‘balloon flower whisky’? (Note: ‘Balloon flower whisky’ is in the lyrics of ‘About Romance’ which IU covered at her concert.)

IU: Haha, no. I know what balloon flower whisky is now. Why is a broken heart so sweet? In the lyrics of ‘About Romance’, I really couldn't understand the part ‘Now, at this age / there's no need for sweetness’. I think I asked all the adults around me while practicing. I wonder if my broken heart becomes sweeter as I get older.

CBH: A young man's broken heart is bitter of course, but he can't turn back time, when he gets older.

IU: Oh...

CBH: When we get old, we don't experience broken hearts. So even the painful memories of our youth feel sweet.

I think Choi Baek-ho also has something to say to his junior, IU. What should she bear in mind in order to age well as a musician?

CBH: I don't want talented people to be swayed by anything other than music. You'll experience many things in your life and sometimes you'll face great difficulties, but you shouldn't miss what’s really important because of that. As a good musician, I hope you can protect your current music.

Translated by IUteamstarcandy

Source: [1]

#IU #interview #choi baekho #w korea #2013

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day6source · 1 year ago

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[NEWSEN] 'Letters with Notes' Release Interview

by News Reporter Hwang Hye-jin [1/2/3]

Singer Young K is accompanied by a variety of modifiers. Starting with the vocalist of "I Believe You" (DAY6) band DAY6, the lyricist, composer, bassist, radio DJ, and person Kang Young-hyun. He is a "hexagonal artist" who is not easy on anything, but never treats or throws anything lightly. Young K, who only ended his military career in April, will open the second act of his musical life with his new album "Letters with Notes," which will be released at 6 p.m. on September 4. This album is the first solo full-length album to be released since debuting in the music industry with DAY6 in September 2015, and two years after the first mini album "Eternal" released in September 2021. The album name "Letters with notes" means "letter written in notes" and "letter with notes". As the title suggests, it is a sweet letter that singer-songwriter Young K, who touches the hearts of listeners through his own lyrics and melodies, floats to the world on the threshold of autumn. The album, which begins with "waited" will be followed by the title track "Let it be summer," "Dreamer," "Bungee Jumping," "Natural," "STRANGE," "SOUL (Feat. Choi LB)" (Soul), "playground," "babo," and "what is…" (what is…). Like his previous work, Young K took the lead in writing and composing all 11 tracks. This is his new masterpiece, which has created many "Best Part" by living every day held by him for the past eight years. "nothing but" has its roots in its previous title song, "Guard You" Like the first line of "You're sobbing in my arms," the sad emotion line of the speaker, who can't let go of the ever-disappearing love, harmonized with the classic elements of British sound in the late 1960s and the straight and appealing atmosphere unique to American hard rock ballads in the 1980s. Young-K's new voice, which has become stronger, is expected to give listeners a deep resonance this fall. Until each line of sentence written with all heart and sincerity meets different high and low notes and becomes a sweet letter. I met Young-K, the writer who has been looking forward to "waited" hoping that time will pass faster than anyone else, and asked about his old sincerity, the best now, and new dreams in "Letters with Notes."

Q I’m curious about your thoughts ahead of your comeback after two years.

▲ I am very excited and nervous. It's the same at this moment as I'm doing the interview. (Laughs) I wanted to show a good performance with my first album in a long time. Actually, I think the biggest reason for singers to show their faces is the album. So, I wanted to work faster to let people hear the music and show my face.

Q When did you start preparing for the album in earnest, and what had the biggest influence on drawing up the rough sketch of the album?

▲ It was after I was discharged that I started recording properly. It's difficult to tell you exactly how long the preparation period was because I had already sketched it out in my head and imagined it. I think ‘my current self’ has the biggest influence when I’m working on a song. Since each song on the album contains a different feeling, it would be difficult to say that it contained the genre that I liked at the time. I did my best every moment while working on each song.

Q The album name is ‘Letters with notes’, which means letters written with musical notes. Who is the recipient?

▲ The recipient is the person who listens to these songs. The album name refers to letters with phonetic values, but it also refers to words and letters with phonetic values. As a lyricist, when I write lyrics, I tend to carefully choose the letters that best match the music. Since the song is relatively short, lasting just a few minutes, and has limited syllables, it is important to choose each word. All the things I wrote down with so much effort came together to form ‘Letters with notes.’

Q How satisfied are you with the completed album? Since you have created numerous masterpieces as a member of Day6 and Young K, expectations were high that ‘of course this solo album will be good as well.’

▲ Satisfaction with the album is high. But I don’t think I can say 100%. (Laughs) I think it’s about 95%. While working this time, I felt like I was lacking something. I want to see that as a possibility for development and fill it up. I think it's very fortunate if you are looking forward to my new album. Actually, what I still hope for is ‘an artist whose next move is expected’. I hope that I will continue to be an artist that people look forward to and look forward to. This applies not only to Young K, but also to Day6. If I was waiting and looking forward to it, I wanted to do the best I could, even if I couldn't meet and satisfy everyone. I did my best for every song.

Q I’m curious about the Day6 members’ reaction to the new song.

▲ Wonpil and Dowoon have not heard the entire song yet. Only Sungjin has listened to all the songs. My hyung told me that he likes the songs and that rhythmic songs go well together.

Jinyoung Park, the CEO producer of Young K's agency JYP Entertainment, said about Young K's first solo album, "He is a friend who truly perfectly embodies what I have always emphasized to my friends who make music, 'Start with the heart and finish with the head.'" Did you receive any advice or praise regarding this album?

▲ I once played the included songs to the producer when the album was not yet complete. At that time, the title song was not released. Even back then, he said, ‘You’re really good at it.’ I can't remember the exact wording, but he praised me. (Laughs) I haven't received any feedback regarding the title song yet. I think the saying, ‘Let’s start with the heart and finish with the head’ makes a lot of sense. I think if you aim for something like a successful melody, the results will come out a little differently. Even if I start with a melody or word or something I like, I don't try to only do what I like from beginning to end. At the organizing stage, I think we need to cool-headedly ask ourselves, ‘Is this really true?’ So, I plan to continue the attitude of starting with the heart and finishing with the head.

Q The title of the documentary produced as part of the comeback promotion is 'HEXAGON: 6 Sides of Young K'. Young K is also living diligently as a 'hexagon artist' who moves across various fields. Looking at artist Young K from a hexagonal perspective, I am curious about what his greatest capabilities are. Conversely, there are also capabilities that I would like to further develop in the future.

▲ It is a great honor to have the title Hexagon, Hexagon Artist, attached to my name. I am so honored, and thanks to that qualifier, I am determined to work harder in the future. However, hexagon artist... is not a title I gave myself. (Laughs) In fact, the more I work in all fields of life, the more I feel that I am lacking in many things. When making music, as a DJ, and as a person. I always try hard to fill those things. Even if I feel inadequate, rather than being discouraged, I think about what areas I can improve in.

Q Among the lyrics of the b-side song ‘let it be summer’, which was pre-released as a single on August 25th, there is a line that says, ‘I hope that the hot summer sunlight inside me never dies.’ What is the hot summer sunlight that singer-songwriter Young K, now in his 9th year since his debut, wants to cherish for the rest of his life?

▲ I had a hot feeling when I wrote that song. I wanted to convey the message that I hope this hot summer will continue. Actually, winter is a beautiful season, and spring and fall are both good. (Laughs) If you look at the period from spring to winter as the beginning and end of life, spring is when you are born, grow, and bloom when you are a child, and winter is when your hair turns white. So, I compared the time we grow up and live in our 20s and 30s to summer. The lyrics contain the idea that I want to keep the burning feeling of youth, no matter what season it comes, and carry it with me for the rest of my life. This is what I thought about when I was working on the 'Youth' series albums ('Shoot Me' and 'Remember Us' released in 2018), but the youth I thought about and defined was not from a certain age to a certain age. . The moment you think your youth is over is the moment it really ends. 'Let it be summer' was also written with the mindset that as long as I think I am youth, I can continue to live as youth.

Q Your first solo concert will last three days. What are the highlights you would like to convey from the performer's perspective?

▲ The biggest highlight of this performance is that all 11 songs from the new album will be performed live. It was also a big task. Because it’s a concert, not a showcase. Unlike a showcase, a concert is a space you come to enjoy. Since this is a concert held before the album is released, the audience will come without knowing the 11 songs, so I wondered how they could enjoy it while not knowing most of the songs. So, after it was decided whether or not to hold a concert, I sang each song as an encore song at the festival with more confidence. (Laughs) We also released the pre-release single 'Let it be summer'. I wanted to tell you about it first so that you can enjoy the concert in a more familiar and familiar way. I think the moment that got the best response during the festival pre-release stage was when I started saying “not yet” after the encore started. I said, “The next song I’m going to play is still~”. I think that was probably the moment when the cheers were the loudest. (Laughs) I think the reaction was the best when we said that we were presenting a song that wasn't yet known to the world.

Q What are your goals for this solo album?

▲ ‘Healthy and fun’. I hope I enjoy every moment. I think that way, the people who join us will also be able to enjoy it.

Q: Among the 11 songs, why did you select ‘nothing but’ as the title song?

▲ I didn’t choose it, because (JYP) has a confirmation system. (Laughs) From the beginning of the work until I write all the songs, I write them with love and do my best. I'm the type of person who works while thinking of every song as a title song, so I was actually happy with which song was selected as the title song. When I write every song, I often imagine, ‘What would it be like if I stood on stage with this song?’, ‘What would it be like if a music video was released and I started promoting with this song?’

Q Among the lyrics of the title song, there is a phrase that says, ‘This is all I have.’ What is ‘this’ in Young K’s life?

▲ In that song, it’s love, and if I had to choose just one thing, wouldn’t it be love? The emotion of love is the driving force that keeps me alive and moving. I think it's an emotion that includes all of these things: love for parents, love for fans, and love for music.

Q In the fan song 'Beautiful Feeling' released to commemorate the 3rd anniversary of Day6's debut, the words "The word love is not enough/This beautiful feeling", "Some people say love/But I have more/something more than that" There are lyrics that say “I think/If you know, let me know.” Now can you clearly define what that beautiful feeling is?

▲ Now, it can be defined as love. If this isn't love, what is it? (Laughs) I think the emotions my fans send me and the emotions I feel towards them are not just simple support. It's difficult to express what kind of emotion it is, but I think it would be very difficult not to express it as love.

Q How do you want fans who love this album to listen to it?

▲ I hope My Day will be incorporated into people’s daily lives. I wish I could be your comfort when you need it. It's just me too, but I hope that the music I make and play will provide comfort to My Day people.

Q DAHYUN of TWICE appeared in the music video for the title track. What made you act together.

▲ The music video story line was established first, and then the people at the company said it would be good to have a co-star. I was very, very honored to work with Dahyun because she was recommended to me. I was very grateful to Dahyun for acting so passionately and well on set.

Q When I watch the music video, I can see a more mature atmosphere compared to before enlistment.

▲ During my military service, I exercised a lot and grew in size. When I came back (to society), I heard a lot from people around me that I had gotten a little bigger. I heard a lot of people say that I was too skinny because I lost weight while taking care of my body. Ahead of this comeback, I tried to stay healthy. I guess my time to exercise has decreased. Rather than just deciding that I had to go on a huge, unconditional diet, I thought that I needed to stay healthy. I don't know exactly how many kg I lost since I tend to wear eye makeup. (Laughs)

Q On October 12, 2021, I became a hot topic by becoming the first idol singer to enlist on active duty as a KATUSA soldier. What impact did serving as a KATUSA Soldier have on Young K?

▲ While serving, I met and talked to a variety of people, and I think my scope of thinking broadened thanks to this. One of the things that greatly influenced me was the 2022 Eighth Army Best Warrior Competition (a competition that tests the physical and mental limits of soldiers). I felt the same way while preparing for the competition, and I felt like I was constantly hitting my limits throughout the competition. I did my best with the goal of completing the race, and after completing the race, I am approaching anything in the future with the thought that I can accomplish it with more effort. With the mindset that I will be able to do that in the future.

Q Even though you were an administrative soldier (member of the Korean Military Support Group, 8th U.S. Army in Korea), you volunteered and won.

▲ The only goal I had while serving was to regain my health. It wasn't 'let's build a healthy body', it was 'let's stay healthy'. The idea was to take care of my health again. When I was told that it was a competition where I would undergo various training sessions, I decided to give it a try, even though it might be physically difficult. I was just around 30 at the time. I decided to take on a new challenge in my thirties. Looking back on the time before I enlisted, it wasn't that my health wasn't all that good, but I think I prioritized my (singing) activities more than my health. Because I did my best. (Laughs) Fortunately, I was born with good physical strength, so I think I was able to carry on that well. However, I felt like I didn't put more effort into my health, so I thought I should take better care of myself during my military service.

Q After being discharged from the military, I appeared in various festivals such as ‘Beautiful Mint Life Festival’, ‘Seoul Park Music Festival’, ‘Have a Nice Trip’, and ‘Awesome Stage’. At the 'Seoul Park Music Festival', you also performed a cover performance of 'A Journey' from his solo debut album 'Pilmography' while member Wonpil watched from the audience.

▲ I missed the stage a lot. Due to the coronavirus, we were unable to hold face-to-face concerts not only during military service but also before enlistment. It was really nice to hear and see the fans cheering, laughing and having fun, and it was beautiful. I also gain a lot of energy when I make direct eye contact with fans and listen to their voices. Because I missed that time a lot, I wanted to perform on stage as soon as possible after being discharged from the military, and so many people invited me. That was fortunate. I prepared as best I could and enjoyed it as much as I could. More than anything, I wanted to enjoy myself. I think that I have to have fun in everything, including when I'm working on music and working on the radio, so that we can all enjoy it together. So, I try to enjoy everything as much as possible. Also, Wonpil said he would come at the right time (for vacation), and I sang Wonpil's solo song 'A Journey' there, and I was glad that people seemed to enjoy it.

Q The special stage of KBS 2TV's "Immortal Songs" on Armed Forces Day, which was presented last year, also received hot online attention. What is the memory of the performance of "Time of Our Life" performed in their military uniforms with Wonpil and Dowoon?

▲ I think it would probably be in the top 2 most memorable moments during my military service. We gathered at Dowoon's unit to play together before recording. We met up for practice after being apart for a long time, and we joked around and joked around as if we had been living together all along. And we annoyed each other. Those moments are the most memorable. It wasn't because I was wearing a military uniform and playing the bass, but because it had been a long time since I held the bass, it felt strange and my hands were awkward. So I practiced quickly and hard.

Q It is usually natural for popularity and awareness to decline during military service. Nevertheless, he continues to be highlighted as the sole lyricist of 'Time of Our Life' and 'You Were Beautiful', which unusually climbed the music charts several times, and as a co-composer and sole lyricist for the group High Key's 'Rose Blossom'. You got it. There are times when people get excited unintentionally when things are going well, so how did you feel when you heard the news of the turnaround?

▲ Rather than being excited, I felt much more determined to do better. And I thought about what I should do next. In fact, I think my desire to be active for a long time has become stronger than anything else. ‘I really need to do well. I need to sing well too. I need to write good songs too. To do that, I need to be really healthy. I thought, ‘Let’s take good care of our health.’ When preparing for this album and concert, I tried to take good care of my health and neck.

Q These days, even if you release a new song, there are many cases where it is not widely known or quickly forgotten. As I watch the songs I created, such as 'You Were Beautiful and 'Time of Our Life,' are loved and talked about for a long time and climb up the charts again and again, I wonder what it feels like as a singer.

▲ First of all, thank you for continuing to listen. (Laughs) To borrow Wonpil’s expression, one of the things I thought about and talked about with the Day6 members from the beginning was, ‘I want to make music that doesn’t age.’ I think this plays a big role in the band's music. The organic sound and the structure of the band, which uses instruments such as electric guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard, are similar to those of the past and present, so I think it will not be uncomfortable to listen to as time goes by.

Q If there is a song that you think is good but regrets not being better known, please recommend it.

▲ All unknown songs. (Laughs) Every time I write a song, I try my best to write it with love, so I hope that you will listen to it a lot. In fact, I think there are songs that give off more energy when sung together at a concert hall than when heard on audio. So even if there aren't many people listening right now, wouldn't it be okay if I could continue to sing it at concert halls?

Q What is the source of Young K’s sensitivity? What things bring you inspiration?

▲ I think it’s effort. There may certainly be some innate ability to write songs, but the first songs I wrote didn't have the same feel as they do now. (Laughs) I wrote a lot and revised it, but sometimes it wasn't accepted. I think the source is a lot of effort.

Q Your outside work is also receiving rave reviews. Following 'Rose Blossom', your name was engraved as a lyricist on the credits of two consecutive High-Key albums, including 'SEOUL' (Seoul), which was released on August 30th. In July, you produced Mnet's 'Queendom Puzzle' semi-final contest song 'PUZZLIN'', and in August, you also wrote the lyrics for Jo Yuri's new song 'Lemon Black Tea'. What do you think about the phenomenon where more and more people are visiting?

▲ I feel so honored when I receive an outsourcing offer not as a singer Young K but as a writer. I would be even more grateful if it were adopted. In fact, receiving external job offers and imagining and writing about new people is itself something that requires change for me. I think there will be progress within those changes, and I think there are some aspects that will result in my music and Day6’s music. If you have the opportunity in the future, please do your best. (Laughs)

Q ‘Rose Blossom’ has climbed the charts and is loved for a long time.

▲ First of all, from the time I wrote the song, it was not written with the intention of it being our (Day6) song. I wrote this song a few years ago when (Hong) Ji-sang, who I continue to work with, asked me, ‘I have a song with this kind of melody. Would you like to try writing the lyrics?’ I understand that at the time the song was written, it was before Hi-Key debuted.

Q From ‘Beautiful Mint’ to KBS Cool FM’s ‘DAY6’s Kiss the Radio’ to the Dongguk University festival at your alma mater, many people shouted “Young K Again” after you were discharged. How does it feel to receive a love call from the same place again?

▲ I was very honored when I received the offer again, both from the radio and the festival. Actually, the reason I thought I should release an album quickly after being discharged from the military was to let people know that ‘I’m back.’ Because if you’re a singer, you have to make a comeback with an album. I wanted to let you know that I worked quickly and came back in great shape.

Q I don’t think it’s easy to lead a radio program every day from 10 PM to 12 AM. Still, why did you decide to become a DJ again?

▲ I thought it was a great blessing to be able to meet listeners every day. You can feel and gain so many things while doing radio. I think my scope of thinking has expanded while hosting a radio show before enlisting. The world I feel now is a bit wider than the world I originally knew and lived in. Of course, I can't live the lives of all the listeners, but as I read their stories and positions with my own eyes and talked about them with my own mouth, I found myself thinking, even just for a moment, about what I would do if I were in this situation. I think I can now look at the world in a more diverse way. For example, a student listener once sent a story saying, ‘It’s Monday tomorrow and I really don’t want to go to school.’ The next story was that of a teacher (who didn’t want to go to school). (Laughs) As a DJ, I see the world from a more diverse perspective. I think we'll see.

Q How have you been able to make songs so well and perform so well in the past eight years? You host the radio every day and don't make a single mistake. Who is the person who helps Young K always do well?

▲ Well... Thank you. (Laughs) First of all, thank you for thinking that way. In fact, in that regard, I feel more comfortable now than before. In fact, I was more nervous at the beginning and middle of my debut. It was actually very difficult to say a single word. Even when doing things like live broadcasts, it was actually very difficult to do it without a script. Rather, as my fans gave me support and belief that no matter what I looked like and that it was okay for me to make mistakes because I was human, I started to think, 'It's okay to not be this nervous,' and I feel like I'm letting go little by little. But actually, even at this moment (of the interview), I am still nervous.

Q Next year, you will be entering your 10th year since your debut. Is there a part of you that made you think, ‘A singer who has been active for a long time will need these virtues?’

▲ I think that if you are a singer, you have to be good at singing, and if you are going to compose, you have to be good at making songs. If you're going to write lyrics, you have to use the words well to match the sound. I've been thinking about the criteria for singing well, but I don't think that just because you're good at producing high notes musically doesn't mean you're good at singing. Isn't it good to sing in a way that resonates with the listeners, not only when you hit a high note but also when you are chanting or whispering? I think the sound, melody, and lyrics are all like that. While working as a DJ, I got to meet many seniors (as guests), and those who have been doing it for a long time not only have excellent musical skills, but they also treat people around them very kindly, even to me, who is meeting them for the first time. I learned a lot from watching those seniors. I promised myself that I should do better to the people around me.

Q I understand that if you add the 11 songs included in this solo album, the number of self-composed songs will approach 170 (based on registration with the Korea Music Copyright Association). It's not important to simply write a lot of songs, but it's also proof that you've worked hard and been faithful to your job. I wonder how you feel when you see the ever-increasing number of copyrights. Separately, I’m curious about what copyright-earning songs are.

▲ Actually, my father manages my income... (laughs) I can only infer which song has the most royalties, but I don't know for sure. First of all, if you think about our songs, it's great that there are so many songs that we can sing, and that we can choose and sing them in a variety of ways at performances. If you think back to the past, when there weren't many songs, there were times when we would fill it with cover songs when thinking about the set list for a performance. I like that I have a lot of options now, and when it comes to cover songs, I can do them whenever I want.

Q About a month before enlistment, when you appeared as a guest on NOW's 'Music to You' hosted by Sang Yoon, you asked, "You have released a lot of music over a really long period of time. Do you still enjoy making music?" I remember that. Does 9 year singer Young K still enjoy making music?

▲ I think I’m much happier now than a few years ago. One of the reasons I asked my senior that question was because there was a time when I wasn't happy. At that time, I kept asking myself the question, ‘Is music a career I will pursue for the rest of my life?’ As I worked, I gradually stopped asking such questions. Also, My Day people continued to give me a lot of faith. As they gave me the belief that ‘I am a person who can continue to sing like this’ and ‘I can continue to go on stage’, I also felt the need to continue. I think it's a case that becomes more enjoyable as I do it. During my military service, I think I became more aware of ‘Ah, I miss singing.’ When I came back, I was busy working and it was fun.

Q If you look back on a time when you didn’t enjoy music, why do you think that was?

▲ I think it was because I thought my life as a singer might not be long. I think there were doubts like, ‘Can I do that well?’ and ‘Do I have the ability to survive for a long time?’ Now, those doubts have disappeared a bit, but I still feel like I have many shortcomings. I plan to fill it well in the future.

Q Many music fans say that they were comforted after listening to Day6’s songs. How do you hope the music Young K makes reaches the people who listen to it?

▲ I hope it provides comfort to those who need comfort, and I hope it provides excitement to those who need excitement. I hope I can provide laughter to those who need it. I think there are many different emotions you can feel even when listening to one song. I think it would be nice if you could feel it somehow.

Q Is there a difference in the way you work on Day6 music and solo music?

▲ When it comes to Day6, the members have their own colors and unique characteristics that only they can bring out, so we often work in a way that can bring out those. So, I think I started worrying about what kind of color I could express when I was working on my solo song. For a long time, I thought my vocals had nothing special. ‘Then what strengths do I have and what colors can I show?’ I thought a lot when working on my last (solo) album and also when working on this album. While working, I felt that I could create more diverse colors. I think we could have expressed that more in this album.

Q After discharge from the military and the release of this album, the second act of singer Young K has begun. How do you want to fill the countless pages of Act 2 going forward? Day6's 'military period' (military + gap period) will end with Wonpil's discharge in November, and I am curious about the full group's activity plans.

▲ I’m also very excited about Day6’s future. I'm really looking forward to what kind of music we'll make and how much fun we'll have on stage. In some ways, we have grown compared to the past. Through this album, I have shown the 'best I can do now' that I can show over time, and I am also looking forward to seeing what kind of color I can create by gathering the members and each individual's best. Wonpil is serving faithfully and is in good health.

#young k #day6 #day6 even of day #kang younghyun #brian kang #album: letters with notes #young k: interviews #[this interview was so long it started to lag LWKAEJGSDLK]#[anyways please enjoy!!]

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

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NITA STRAUSS Recruits Singer KASEY KARLSEN For Upcoming 'Summer Storm' Tour

Nita Strauss has recruited a vocalist named Kasey Karlsen to join her onstage during the guitarist's upcoming "Summer Storm" tour.

In a Twitter message introducing Kasey, Nita wrote: "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Kasey Karlsen to the squad!!

"Kasey will be holding down the vocal duties on the upcoming Summer Storm tour starting next month!!"

Strauss added: "We needed someone fearless and versatile for this tour who could handle tons of different vocal styles, and if you've seen Kasey's videos you already know she can do it all. She is going to destroy these stages and we are beyond excited to have her with us!!"

Karlsen has a half a million followers on TikTok where she posts vocal covers of such acts as SLIPKNOT, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, BRING ME THE HORIZON and ICE NINE KILLS.

The "Summer Storm" trek will kick off on June 13 in Nashville and wrap up on July. 14 in New Orleans. Support on the tour will come from LIONS AT THE GATE, the new band featuring former ILL NIÑO members Cristian Machado (vocals),Ahrue "Luster" Ilustre (guitar) and Diego Verduzco (guitar),alongside bassist Stephen Brewer (WESTFIELD MASSACRE) and drummer Fern Lemus.

Nita will release her sophomore solo album, "The Call Of The Void", on July 7 via Sumerian Records. The LP features guest appearances by IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale, Alice Cooper, DISTURBED's David Draiman, Dorothy, Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY and Chris Motionless of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE.

Regarding the album's title, Strauss shared: "Have you ever been at the top of a high building and had the fleeting thought, '… I could jump right now?' This feeling is sometimes called 'The Call Of The Void,' also known as 'high place phenomenon.' It's not a suicidal impulse, rather the exact opposite — a subconscious decision to live your life, to step back from the ledge, and take control. As researcher April Smith aptly put it: 'An urge to jump affirms the urge to live.'

"I wanted the follow-up to 'Controlled Chaos' to be exciting, new, and fresh, to take listeners to a new place and take myself somewhere new as an artist too. We have some amazing collaborations on this album with incredible musicians, as well as the instrumental guitar music that first inspired me to play.

"Some pieces of music come into the world gracefully and easily. This album is not one of them! 'The Call Of The Void' was born kicking and screaming, a labor of love for sure, but also of blood, sweat and plenty of tears. I couldn't be more proud of the end result. Making this album helped me learn and grow so much as a musician and songwriter and I'm excited to finally unleash it on the world."

In early December 2022, Nita told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast" about her decision to make the upcoming LP half vocal songs and half instrumental: "I did feel, and the label and everybody agreed, it's still important for me to keep my identity as a guitar player and not just branch off too much and go, 'Okay, well, now it's just guests.' Let me still have a little of what makes me me, which is the instrumental shred stuff. And the instrumental pieces that I've written on this record are, I think, better than anything I did on the first one — definitely more… I don't know if it could be more emotional but they're very emotional pieces of music and I think a little better crafted this time around. So I think all the songs in general are more well thought out, better put together this time around. And I do have some of my absolute favorite [singers guesting on it]."

Nita released 2018's "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

#nita strauss #kasey karlsen #2023 news #live 2023

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moonssugar · 2 years ago

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wip inspiration tag 🌟

got tagged by @encrucijada

there are A LOT of places of inspiration for my personal writing project roadtrip! and if i had to list them all i’d have pages and pages of bits of inspiration from so many different places but i think i can gather the core wells of inspiration...

list: the Northern Lights trilogy, the Oh Hellos, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky and Sprited Away

ROADTRIP! : sam, a transmasc youth, and his furry ever-companion soulmate kaid live in sunshine arizona with their new rambunctious friend who moved into the neighboring town a year ago, chelsie who has two furry companions of her own named cosmos and chrysanthemum. high school hell, summer shenanigans, friendships, chaos and fun ensue until a girl named aubry shows up in the middle of the desert following a series of strange occurrences. a week later, the three of them take a short walk and don’t return home. they find themselves in a new world, and, well, quite a few new worlds after that. they need to find a way home and they’re determined that nothing stops them, so they journey into a ever shifting, strange, curious and beautiful multiverse that unfolds before them.

this story is about changes and grappling with them, queerness (trans, lesbian/gay mostly), self discovery and becoming, love, family born into, made and found, faiths, destiny is fake, essentialism is bogus, war is hell, different kinds of trauma, the pace of healing, growing pains, be gay do crime, love for humanity, displacement and belonging, oppression and fighting it, the power in being kind gentle and merciful, and how hugs, hand holding and forehead kisses go a long way. theres a lot more but the hugs are extremely important!

The Oh Hellos

entire arcs in this story have started as seeds planted by me listening to the oh hello’s but especially the albums eurus and the other four winds albums, dear wormwood, and into the deep dark valley. ive got a deep emotional connection to their music and since i found them back in 2019/2020 which happened to be the time i started writing this wip. there are whole albums in my character playlists. they are this music on a certain level. the grip maggie and tyler heath have on me is criminal

HDM

daemons, angels and the multiverse concept not only totally ripped completely off from this series but also extremely yassified and hit with a transgenderification beam. transdimensional travel as a metaphor for being trans. a angel fabricating a physical body as a metaphor for being trans. rainbow colored openings to other worlds hint hint nudge gay. answering the age old question “trans people daemons gender what?!” with “lol whatever i have a 4D understanding of gender you wouldn’t get it”. using daemons as a way to talk about queerness, gender etc etc. also us american evengalicalism fuckin sucks, lets talk about that and religious trauma without demonizing “religion” as a whole!! this inspired me to think about the beauty of faiths instead of its ugliest sides but also honor the horrific trauma a certain brand of christianity causes. also what if this multiverse concept was executed better and the story was actually satisfying??

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the sSky (and some other ghibli movies)

okay nausicaä actually inspired a big latter part of roadtrip, mostly its solarpunk elements and focus on ecology, post apocalyptic world and humanity. and insects! castle in the sky is where i got the floating island idea from. some honorable mentions are spirited away, its one of my earliest memories of other world concepts in fiction i remember from when i was a kid, ponyo which is the favorite movie of my character chelsie + some ocean imagery sprinkled here and there and sam loves princess mononoke (this movie helped radicalize me)

Ari and Dante

the slice of life vibes, desert setting but arizona instead of el paso texas, a mexican main character, just taking it easy and being emotionally honest when writing and telling a story is something i learned from benjamin alire sáenz because its one of the first places in literature it really stuck out to me. that you choose your own methods for writing, whatever works for you even if it strays from ‘traditional’ literature structure. realizing a chapter could be 1 paragraph freed me, but now i wish i’d actually let myself apply the guy’s advice. this book had a profound effect on me when i read it at 17, it got me through a lot and its lived inside my head and my soul ever since. rent fuckin free. changed me on a molecular and spiritual level and im so glad it did

honorable mentions: a bunch of different science fiction media, fantasy media, real life locations like arizona, my own state, cartagena columbia, costa rica, peru and about a thousand other places, ecology and the concept of interconnectedness herself, class struggle, queer history, catholic imagery, ‘80s aesthetics, many romance languages, my friends and their many backgrounds, many different cultures, angelology, world history, revenge and spite but also self indulgence and falling in love with writing

gonna tag: @shapeshiftersandfire!

#this was a cool tag game #roadtrip by me #rdt by me #tag game

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365sylviaplath · 1 month ago

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happy 6th birthday to Sweetener by Ariana Grande x my alchemical emotional journey

the masterpiece she is. one of my favorite albums of all time. telling my Sweetener Story.

brief astro moment- midnight chart for sweetener. i could say a lot here but mostly living for the moon jupiter conjunction in scorpio harshly squaring mercury in leo while also trining neptune in pisces. i think everything i'm about to say is a testament to that- expressing pain, sharing feelings hard to process, transmuting/alchemizing, romanticizing, hyperbole. plus libra venus for pretty packaging.

i enter the space first and foremost as a top 0.1% fan of ariana grande (as of 2023, we'll see how i fare this year). i stand here firmly. i also believe that some may say she has some "more influential" albums, some songs might be ""better"" (whatever that may mean), so on and so forth. this isn't the point. this is strictly a love letter to sweetener. not an album review, not lyrical analysis, just from the spirit.

summer 2018. summer of In My Feelings - Drake, Nobody - Mitski, The Middle - Zedd, I Like It - Cardi B/J Balvin, One Kiss - Calvin Harris/Dua Lipa, Make Me Feel - Janelle Monáe etc etc. grounding us all in collective memory. other notables: Meghan and Harry royal wedding, Anthony Bourdain's passing, Aretha Franklin's passing, Black Panther, A Star Is Born, Crazy Rich Asians, netflix Queer Eye reboot, Beychella, i googled an article of 2018 pop culture moments so i am surely forgetting essential lore but we will have to move on

the story truly begins with the release of sweetener's first single "no tears left to cry" on april 20, 2018. hours into taurus season 2018, if anyone was counting. a little about me and where i was on april 20th, 2018.....

finishing the spring semester of my 3rd year of college

preparing to start my 2nd of 3 co-ops (akin to an internship, for the uninitiated) for the 6 months of late summer/fall 2018

feeling an enormous internal pressure to have a substantial creative outlet

Sad (multiple reasons)

spring 2018 semester, i went a bit rogue with my coursework and i created one mega final project that connected every class i took that had a fairly open-ended final paper/project. i did a geographical, sociological, historical, and political analysis of graffiti vs street art (what's permitted, what belongs to each, styles, criminalization, media representation) in new york city. i explored so many angles and talked about so much material and learned and created on repeat for WEEKS and then april 20th hit and i had to turn everything in in the next few days. it would all be over. peak of my creative agony and i was also engaged in an emotional cold war that would go on to affect me for Years after. i certainly had several tears left to cry. as i had not cried any of them just yet and wouldn't for a while.

while coping with this creative blockage, i turned my attention toward having more agency in my dating life. i was distinctly unhappy with how my romantic affairs had been going, deep in shame and insecurity, and wanted to meet people and figure out what my deal was. i saw a tiktok a few months ago that posited that many of our crushes/situationships are actually people who should've been our creative partners, we just don't always have the language to express this (or even identify ourselves as artists). this framing opened the world to me - not just this statement itself, but drawing this link between flirty/sexual energy and creativity really opened my eyes. i could tell there was a distinct connection. spring/summer of 2018, it was emotional agony, but i was exploring and creating as i could. some painting first dates, always punctuated with "i'm not really an artist but this could be fun!" it was humble, but it was hugely liberating, in its own way.

Other important Sweetener dates:

"the light is coming", ft. Nicki Minaj, was released on June 20, 2018 as promo with pre-orders - released following my yearly emotional cold war of a family vacation (you may be sensing a theme here...... repression....).

"god is a woman", the album's second single, released on July 13, 2018 - the end of one of my first weeks of co-op. i was such a professional mess, i had too many managers in that role, lots of personalities to learn, lots of material to synthesize quickly. would later become The female empowerment work experience of my young life. outside of work, i was bravely embarking on a new relationship while the emotional cold war was at its peak. multi-layer mess.

the full album was released Friday August 17, 2018 - the week before that year's fall RA training (yearly ego death), i was also moving in to what would be my absolute favorite apartment of college

"breathin" was the third and final radio single from the album, released on September 18, 2018 (post album release) - right after my philly trip. for some reason, every trip i've ever taken to philadelphia has taken me down on some emotional and physical level. even my 8th grade class trip. philly and i seem to have some sort of spiritual beef. astrocartography hasn't shown me anything relating to philly but i know something must be off. emotional pain so profound and unnamed that i had stomachaches so bad i couldn't stand. certainly did need to keep breathin and breathin and breathin

late summer 2018, i was very close to getting a tattoo which would have involved both The Fool tarot card and the Queen of Swords tarot card. spontaneity, new beginnings, and adventure meet logic, balance, and rationality - definitely speaks to the inner conflict i was in at the time. i was on perpetual pursuit of the new and fun while overly worried about presenting fairly and without too much emotion. i knew i was capable of feeling very deeply, but i was pretty shut off to this part of myself. it always felt like a detractor in my life. only stood to hurt me. i think i had convinced myself that i was able to shut this out, but certainly not many people believed it. many witnessed my "subtle" loss of the idgaf war. even the people i only very briefly dated! i think my most common feedback from people i met was that i seemed very disconnected. worth noting that the tarot tattoo i actually ended up getting years later is the death card.

this album and i were moving in such stunning parallel and i couldn't even recognize it then. i was so out of touch with myself. to continue on for a bit as an Ariana historian - there was a lot of pain in her life at this time! her relationships (there is a whole song on this album named after pete davidson), fame, even a bombing at one of her concerts the year prior, all while having to put on a smile and a show for the public. i do not envy celebrities. i could not fake a smile to save my life. and those are just the things the public knows about! who knows what else was occurring. she could not slow down and digest it all (she talks about this in interviews as well, not just my own speculation) and i think this comes out in the music. there is something alchemical to me about sweetener. if i was big into music production, i'm sure i could go into analysis about how she layered so much (sonically) in the songs on this album. or vocal techniques. or who knows. i was so frazzled at the time, i don't think i could've evaluated any of this. i was barely literate, to be honest with the class. the grander theme through the album, however, is this alchemy for the self. through anxiety and relationships and disaster and heartbreak and pain you haven't even fully felt yet, you keep yourself going. listening to this album kept me going! i could not put into words how much it kept me afloat through the worst of it. now, 6 years later, i make my best attempt to put it into words. journal excerpts below -

there is a sentiment sometimes, that the feelings you feel and cannot express will be enough to kill you. as they say - is it better to speak or to die? and sometimes the speaking kills you too. everyone says what they observe and deduce would be true, but i can never fake a feeling. painfully honest, despite my best wishes to prove myself otherwise, i knew what i knew. and what i knew was so divinely painful because it comforted me with the same familiar gut-wrenching story. your concept of falling in love vs. just repeating a pattern can be indistinguishable to you. especially when you’re so adept at shutting down your emotions. you show up, you play your part, you define love in the same way you always had. and it never actually was love. any of those times. it was so easy to induce the agony and call it what you wanted it to be. and it would never make it so. it always felt like lying. like you could tell yourself it was love, but if anyone asked you, you would obscure the answer and hope they wouldn’t notice. you knew it would be lying to say it was love. love would never do this to me. but telling the truth would be worse! never been in love would be an excruciating defeat. i would know nothing of the world if this were true. i would be a bag of flesh and bones with nothing to give, nothing to tell, nothing to offer. doomed. unknowing. separate. alone. i had to feel like i understood, best case, i had to prove it. work hard and that would make it so. turns out, no matter how hard you work, you cannot create what you won't let yourself feel. so you listen to people you have no doubt in your mind knew about love.

all i wanted was to be swept off my feet. for everyone to know it, too. girl who was and had been in love. wha a romantic title! i would prove my worthiness of writing dramatic lines about the depths of the human heart. anyone could relate to me, because they too had participated in the delicious agony and ecstasy of romantic love. i would be seen and heard and in no way alone. ever forward into time and space as one who was part of the lover's world. the lover's world shouldn't have felt so far. i was anxious, i was avoidant, i was whatever kept me out. and at the end of the day, it all felt the same and i admitted to none of it. if you always ask for something in the place you know it will never exist, at what point do you recognize that you'll have to leave to get it? and if you really wanted it, why wouldn't you go where they actually offered it?

when you use powerful and descriptive words, you'll never have to convince anyone of the depth of your feelings. even though talking about your feelings is certainly not the same as feeling those things. speaking in hyperbole does not excuse your actions and certainly does not make you feel better about your path. but sometimes, it's the only thing you can think of to get you through. to verbalize such a pitiful misery that it becomes a performance and vents off some of the subterranean steam. i do not have to recognize the depths of the pain if i speak incredibly dramatically of my inner world (which i had no contact with at that time) to my audience of zero while listening to the alchemist's album. maybe i could get out. maybe it would be fine and no one needed to worry. maybe all love would be true and mutual and if it was really there, it could never escape me. maybe i could create the world where love was a beautiful fantasy that just happened upon me and swept me up and held me above the surface and i would never come down. the pain and the grief were gone when i spoke their name, and now i was fully enveloped in the world of What Can Be. the world where i love the glamorous merely for being glamorous, i feel what i name, i move with respect for who i am. i am not afraid and i am not forcing anything. if the show is beautiful enough, it will be believable and that will make it true.

at the end of the day, happy birthday sweetener, and thank you for saying and expressing what i couldn't.

#astro #astrology #poem #poetry #ariana grande #sweetener #ariana grande sweetener #pop culture #pop music

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a-moth-to-the-light · 2 years ago

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maybe feelings aren't always so bad! (nov 30, 2022)

Spotify Wrapped

There are four days a year when I always get sentimental. Like really, REALLY sentimental. First is January 1, when I get all warm and fuzzy as I say goodbye to the old year; next is February 7, when I get to celebrate how long I've managed to keep myself alive. November 11 is the anniversary of an important moment in my life, and the fourth day is today--when Spotify Wrapped comes out. So I'm going to devote most of today's entry to being sentimental about music--I hope you enjoy!

Music is one of my great loves--the amount of minutes of listening I've managed to rack up this year (over 100,000!) speaks to that, I think. In college, I have a mental health accomodation that allows me to wear earbuds & listen to music in class, something I've been unofficially doing to manage my emotions for years now. Because of the mental health support music has so consistently provided me with, I can't imagine life without a soundtrack, and the songs I love are inescapably tied to the wonderfully full life I've lived since I began to grow into myself five years ago. What I'm trying to say is, Spotify Wrapped Day is my favorite holiday every year, and I hope you can see why!

[Image ID: Two screenshots of Spotify Wrapped, featuring Six's top songs and artists of the year.

Top Songs (in order from 1 to 5): Run2U by STAYC / Trucha by Chimbala, Secreto "El Fam..." / Maniac by Max Changmin / Devil by Max Changmin / Kokotsu ni Yamu. (feat. Takayan) by Alfakyun, takayan.

Top Artists (in order from 1 to 5): Red Velvet, Twice, Bad Suns, STAYC, Chung Ha. /. End ID.]

Not really any surprises in the songs category--every one of the five top songs made it onto either my Songs of the School Year or Songs of the Summer list, though the list is biased towards songs from earlier in the year, when I was using music for coping with a lot more frequency. In the summer, things got easier for me, and I also started to listen to podcasts & YouTube more frequently, which biases my Top 100 towards songs I really liked between January and March!

It's interesting to see "Run2U" here, because I wouldn't consider it my favorite of STAYC's releases this year! "247," my actual favorite, shows up later on my Top 100, but I wonder if I listened to "Run2U" more than I remember back in winter/spring! I loved it at first listen, so I wouldn't put it past me! "Trucha" is completely deserved--I love leaving this one on repeat, and it has aged beautifully, just like "Devil," which I'm overjoyed to see this high up! "Maniac" has lost a lot of its luster over the months, but the way it calls back to my favorite over-the-top rock songs is much appreciated! Finally, "Kokotsu ni Yamu" isn't the summer song I would have expected to make the top 5, but it makes a lot of sense in retrospect! It's such an appealing song to leave on repeat, with a soft but textured soundscape layered under gorgeous vocal performances (the whole album has really been growing on me because of Alfakyun's fascinating voice).

I'm surprised not to see "Mama Say" or "Old Me" or really any Betty Who high on the list--I feel like she's really defined my year! Though "Heartbreaker" by Bad Suns made it to my Top 100, I'm surprised it wasn't first or second, given how frequently I've come back to it throughout the year during bedroom-mirror karaoke sessions!

This is my third year straight of Red Velvet as my top artist, and my second year of having Red Velvet and Twice as my top two! I'm not surprised at all--though I don't listen to any one Twice song with super high frequency, I come back to their discography all the time! Red Velvet has the advantage of having a discography full of songs I find enjoyable, plus more than a few I'm absolutely obsessed with ("Really Bad Boy", "Zoo", and "Lady's Room", for starters!). Bad Suns is the one non-kpop non-girl act on the list, which is due to their absolutely wonderful Apocalypse Whenever, the (PINK!!!) album that soundtracked so many car rides to and from support group back in the spring & summer. STAYC is my favorite k-pop group, so were we expecting them not to be here? And I'm so proud to have Chung Ha on this list! I listen to her older stuff all the time, but this year's Bare&Rare, Pt. 1 is full of super fun songs that kept her in my queue all year!

I'm sure that Conan Gray, Betty Who, and Bruce Springsteen are lurking somewhere below the top 5! This year has been a Conan Gray renaissance for me--I created a self-soothing playlist which brought me back to Sunset Season (still an awesome EP!), which then led me to revisit "Maniac" and discover "Disaster"! And, of course, "Wish You Were Sober" is a classic!

I've been listening through my Top 100, so I'll talk more about that in my next entry! See you soon :)

the little dot thingies

I got a dot for leaving something unfinished--I realized I was too tired to do well on my astronomy homework, so I paused with about 15 questions left. It's not due until next week, but I was hoping to knock it out early--hopefully I'll feel up to trying again soon!

Also, I'm not sure if smiling at someone with all the affection you have stored up in your brain, trying to communicate pure sunshine, counts as flirting, but if it does I get a point for that, too!

things that make brain buzz

I've had a lot of trouble with brain fog recently--usually, my thoughts are pretty rapid-fire, but the brainspace has been quite sluggish this week. But then today, my mind exploded! Mostly, it's a lot of desire to write full pieces on things I've already thought about quite a bit--specifically, Flo Milli and Bruce Springsteen.

Flo Milli had me at the first "bitch, I'm from Alabama"--I don't know anything about her outside of her music, but I love how fully she embraces an obnoxious, frivolous teenage aesthetic. When I listen to "Not Friendly", I get to be the popular girl with the short plaid skirt without any of the guilt associated with being "too much" of a teenage girl.

And I've actually already written about Bruce Springsteen--I did a big essay on him about a year and a half ago, but I haven't posted it. Whether you're analyzing his portrayal of depression or his portrayal of capitalism, there's so much fun to be had with his discography! I've been a huge fan for a long time, and for an equally long time I've had this craving to dive even more into his work and express my gratitude for the songs that have helped me through scary depressive episodes the best way I can--through writing.

Quote of the Day

I WANNA BE A BIBLICALLY ACCURATE ROOMBA

-- me

#i can't decide if i want to post these the day of or the day after! any thoughts?#six keeps on running

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ialwaysknewyouwerepunk · 3 years ago

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fine line - a close reading

gonna cry bc i’m at the end, gonna cry bc it’s fine line.

(x x x)

want to give the same disclaimer as with lights up: this song is so layered, so multi-faceted, that i could never hope to give an exhaustive analysis. due to its vagueness and openness for interpretation, i assume that everyone, just like me, has their own ideas about it and has attached importance to it in ways that no one else’s words can or should alter. this song means the world to me for reasons that aren’t necessarily in this post, and that’s how it is with art that touches us deeply. i’ve tried my best to pull it apart, lay it bare, spread it open, if you will, so it’s almost as free as it can be for you all to form your own opinion on it. in the synthesis i will make my own conclusions, but feel free to ignore that if yours are totally different. i’m just one set of brain and heart taking in fine line and projecting whatever i think is right onto it. alright, let’s go

fine line, track 12

sung in falsetto

live version at the form: first verse not sung in falsetto - after first chorus goes into falsetto - like “thinking of her” has summoned her

Put a price on emotion

pouring emotions into the art you create: how much is genuine / how much do you show - line between being authentic to your audience and giving away too much, wanting to keep things to yourself and not feeling truthful with what you’ve written

exploits of the industry: lay your soul bare - or the exact opposite, some pretend emotion - to score that hit

I'm looking for something to buy

cynical. emotions aren’t genuine, right? where can i go buy some?

～ lights up themes. fake life, industry, being a sell-out

You've got my devotion

But man, I can hate you sometimes

“you” = career, music, Harry Styles™. devoted to the craft, to the job, all the ups and downs of it, despite the hardships it brings

“man” is deliberate: can be seen as an offhand interjection, like “man, that’s rough”, but nothing is casually placed in this song. “man” is: The Man, the heads in the industry, the people pulling the strings. The man in Harry, the man he’s been in the media all these years, the part he’s played/had to play, the man that’s in him

⟶ “hate you”: hate for industry shit, self-hate created by having to play pretend (～ only angel analysis, the persona of the Bukowski womaniser)

“sometimes” - it’s not fucked up all the time

“you” could also be a lover, but the sudden “hate” there then would be for that person, which is absent in any other song about them, doesn’t make any sense

I don't want to fight you

And I don't want to sleep in the dirt

like there’s a choice to me made, but he doesn’t want to make it: either I fight this “you” or I sleep in the dirt

“you” as the industry: if he doesn’t fight them, he might end up being a beggar, lose all his self-worth bc he gave in to everything they asked/told him to do

“you” as himself: fight your instincts, part of who you are/the persona. if he doesn’t fight to figure himself out, though, he fears he’ll also lose

“sleep in the dirt” as a sense of rejection, as well

We'll get the drinks in

So I'll get to thinking of her

drinks to cope - falling, only angel, from the dining table - or to be braver and confront emotions better - tbsl

who is “we”? who is “her”?

narrative of “you” as “lover” further disproven: if “I” and the lover get together over drinks and “I” starts thinking of “her”?

⟷ “her” could be the lover, but then who is “you”? the industry? some other person, besides that lover, harry is devoted to? multiple lovers, all of a sudden? no.

⟶ “I” and “you” are all harry, that get to thinking of “her” because she is in daydreams with him. the narrative that harry is fighting a part of him, the persona he has (had) to play bc of industry limits, makes most sense. that persona is within him now, and part of his work, but all of him, “we”, is begging to come into the light - of which she is a huge part

We'll be a fine line

balancing act. let everything coexist but pay attention that those lines don’t get crossed the wrong way. what we are, what i am, is a fine line between what makes us go under and what lets us thrive

we will be: determination to fulfil this prophecy, statement of fact “we always will be”

“we’ll be a fine line”: other way of interpreting it is that on both sides of that line is what entails “we”, all that is harry. what merges on that fine line is where it’s just right, when harry is fully himself in every way

“fine line” can also be an echo of criticism, bigotry, in the style of: it’s a fine line between being simply flamboyant and queer, between dressing like that and people thinking you’re a transvestite or summat (cause we wouldn’t want that, now, would we) - “we’ll be a fine line” could be owning all of it. putting himself in the middle of all those messy lines, as someone queer without a category

Test of my patience

patience with himself - kindness to self - took a long time to figure shit out and it was a challenge

waiting for change: industry and its allowances/openness

There's things that we'll never know

my favorite line

“we” = harry / harry and company / us in general, all of us listening

～ tpwk “i don’t need all the answers”: deep sense of acceptance

peace to be found in accepting this!!

You sunshine, you temptress

“sunshine” - as in all the love songs (blue skies, sunflowers, summer days…): lover - possible that there are multiple “you”s in this song?

sunshine could ofc also be directed at the temptress, still

female “temptress” - “i’ll get to thinking of her” - she - it’s tempting for harry to think of her all the time, to lose himself in the “her” in him

other interpretation for “temptress”: woman he knows with negative influence in his life - resemblance to woman “you flower, you feast”, so echo of Bukowski ～ only angel, kiwi (my sunshine, my love, who is involved with this temptress…)

My hand’s at risk, I fold

⟷ tpwk “dropping into the deep end”

not showing his cards just yet / forfeits

anxious to show all of him, to take the chance, with all the risks and consequences involved

Crisp trepidation

I’ll try to shake this soon

nervousness, anxiety - about (not) taking (enough) chances, (not) laying himself bare (release of the album that reveals much more than before)

“crisp” fresh, this feeling is unfamiliar - change is coming “soon”

sense of agency: I can get rid of this feeling by my own volition and make these changes - hesitant, insecure: “try”

wants to be braver. he’s not going back, but still needs to calmly coax himself further and further into the light, out into the open (“we’ll be alright”)

Spreading you open

Is the only way of knowing you

(can anyone else hear “spread thin” like a whisper under “spreading”? or am i imagining things.)

“you” is back - the only way of knowing “you” is to spread them open - the physical

to spread someone open - very literal, don’t need to paint the picture, or to lay bare, to lay it all out

⟶ “you” as himself - the only way of knowing who i am is by doing this: writing this album, performing these songs, letting others listen in and form their own interpretations, let this world grow where i’m laid bare and OPEN and exist as this person who has issues, who is angry, who doesn’t know who he is a lot of the time, but is still so happy to be here - let it spread and let it all circle back to me so i can grow deeper into myself

We'll be a fine line

We'll be alright

“we” = h & self, h & lover, h & fans

collectiveness from tpwk

(notes on a piano sounding like drops, like he’s emerged from the water and dripping dry)

SYNTHESIS

Everything about this song is plural. Personal pronouns are all over the place. I, you, her, we. The sound is incredibly layered, with Harry’s own voice echoing through its verses like he’s singing to himself in an empty cave. Meanings can be attached to every word like it’s a wax tablet used too many times. What Harry has said in interviews for once holds pretty true to the actual meaning, in my opinion.

“It felt like it described to me the process of making it and how the album felt in terms of the different kinds of songs on it.” (Capital FM)

This can mean a lot of things, and I think it means all of the things, of course. It means Fine Line is a summary of all of his emotions he visited on the album, of the things he’s laid bare. And it means that the actual process was also described, as one that can be frustrating and challenging, with added industry shit.

Harry has expressed straightforward gratefulness to his label for "leaving (him) alone” while making the album and that speaks volumes. This time, he had the chance to make his art without the constant interference of a label, which meant he could weave in criticism as well. “Put a price on emotion” is first and foremost a critique on the industry. It’s the first line of the song, setting the tone for the interpretation of this song is about the risks I took while making this album. It involves criticism on an industry that creates such an atmosphere that only a certain type of music and artist breaks through or can be successful, that limits people in their personal expression. Convinces them that it’s better that way. That it’s better to hide who they love because the general public won’t accept them. That it’s better to create a song about a fake emotion than be honest. Harry loves writing songs and being on stage, but it’s taken a while for him to be fully comfortable there as a solo artist and bloom into the person that could make Fine Line. He loves his career, but it’s also limited his freedom in ways beyond our comprehension, and it’s exploited him to the point where he didn’t know who he was, in ways that have clearly taken a toll on his mental wellbeing. To a point where he finishes this album reassuring himself, most of all, that everything will be alright.

That process of making Fine Line obviously includes Harry confronting emotions he hadn’t before. He has stated that he experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows while making it. There are things he hates, he was fighting but doesn’t want to (anymore), uncertainties he was trying to figure out but had to accept he couldn’t, risks he still doesn’t know he can take without shaking. At the centre of it all is this sense of “knowing you.” The different personal pronouns in the song paint a fractured picture, which is ultimately deliberate. That the “you” Harry is devoted to and can hate sometimes doesn’t line up with “her,” that the end focus does seem to be this “you” that is mentioned in the same breath as “man” and “temptress,” forming the “we” together with “I”.

After having songs like Lights Up, She, Falling and even TPWK, one of the central themes on the album has undoubtedly been self-discovery, in all its pain and glory. There are no female pronouns on the album besides, obviously, in She, and then here, in Fine Line. She is about a man living with a woman “just in his head”, who “sleeps in his bed while he plays pretend.” It is very clearly a trans narrative, the story of someone struggling to put into words what they’re experiencing in terms of gender. To a point that they fantasise about running away. Fine Line brings the ideas of knowing what it all means, which Lights Up kicks off (“do you know who you are?”), Falling deepens (“what am I now?”) and Treat People With Kindness turns on its head (“I don’t need all the answers”), together. Harry is still doubtful, and the questions asked earlier in the album haven’t disappeared, but he has accepted that “some things we’ll never know.” His aim, however, is still “knowing you.”

To have Fine Line, as the summary of these emotions of self-growth and self-discovery, echo that one female pronoun, speaks volumes. It is a direct reference to She, to that story about gender. “Her” in this song refers to “she (who) lives in daydreams with (him).” The one who still only fully comes out when they’ve had a drink. The one he’s still working to include in who he is, as he tries to figure out who he is, all of it. The song where he sings in falsetto, just like on Fine Line. Of which he sang the first verse an octave lower live at the forum, switching between those voices, those perspectives. That’s also why “you” in this song is also Harry to me. We get this fractured sense of self, this “I” and “you” conversing over a drink, this “you” Harry is devoted to and wants to figure out. “You” and “I” form “we” and all of them are Harry. The lines are blurry on purpose, there is no way to figure out where “you” ends and “I” begins.

“You sunshine, you temptress” is the most enigmatic line in that respect, and to me blurs those lines even more between the pronouns. “You” is suddenly also identified by a female noun. And no this isn’t about some kind of love triangle. “Sunshine” aligns with all the odes to his lover in the rest of the album. So what does that mean? That there are multiple “you”s in this song, meaning that Harry is addressing both his lover and a temptress? So “her” he’ll get to thinking of, the only other female pronoun used in the song, is identified as a temptress, but tempting to do what? To take risks? And no I won’t forget the “man, I can hate you sometimes,” where "man” is not a casual interjection but an identifier of “you.”

Or is it an echo of “the light” from Golden’s “bring me back to the light” and Light’s Up’s “step into the light”? So that the “sunshine” symbolises being in the clear, being out of the darkness running through his heart, the darkness caused by not knowing who you are. “You sunshine,” you beacon of light. “You temptress,” risk-taker and source of anxiety. You, one I need to spread open to figure out, to know about, source of happiness and despair, one I’m devoted to but also hate. You, man, you, temptress. You there, in the mirror looking back at me.

All of you, and myself included, we’ll be a fine line. And we’ll be alright.

This song is about all of that. The self in art, the self on its own, the other, the journey, the chances, the fears, the passion. Hope. Reassurance. Confidence. And, most importantly, that everything will be alright in the end.

read all my lyric analyses here

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madlori · 4 years ago

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A quick primer on Schitt’s Creek

So apparently going by the comments on some of my fics I’ve done the thing where some of you who have been reading my fanfic a lot over the years want to read my newest stories without ever having seen the canon source material! You are all valid and I support you.

So I thought it might be nice to write a bit of a primer on the show so you at least know what these people look like and who they are.

First of all I recommend just...uh, watching the show! It really is fantastic, and not just because of the amazing queer normalization. It’s funny and surprising and strange and heartwarming.

Caveat. A lot of people struggle with the first season. It is true that some viewers find it a rough start. The Roses all have significant character arcs and to do that you have to start from somewhere, let’s say. Also the tone of the show and its pace changed markedly between seasons two and three, which is when Dan Levy took over as head writer and they got a bunch of new writers. But even if you’re not quite feeling it from the first episode (I did not have this problem but some people do) I promise, you will be rewarded. And it’s fast, the episodes are only 20 minutes, so.

So! WTF even is this show.

The Premise: The wealthy Rose family lose all their money when their finance guy absconds with it having never paid taxes. They’re left with nothing but the clothes (and wigs) on their backs and the ownership of a small town called Schitt’s Creek that father Johnny once bought for his teenage son as a joke. They relocate there and move into a dilapidated motel, thanks to the good graces of the town’s rednecky mayor, Roland Schitt (Chris Elliott). There they occupy two adjoining rooms, the parents in one and siblings in the other.

The Roses

Johnny (Eugene Levy) - Patriarch Johnny Rose made his money with a chain of video stores. Johnny is the straight man of the family, finding himself constantly shepherding his dramatic spouse and offpsring.

Moira (Catherine O’Hara) - a former soap opera star, Moira is a creature not of this reality, it sometimes seems. She is an eccentrically outlandish persona who cares deeply for her family but is often befuddled as to how to handle those emotions or express them.

David (Dan Levy) - firstborn son David is probably the character most viewers connect with first and more strongly, for a variety of reasons. His personal arc(s) are really the show’s emotional backbone. A former gallerist and pansexual aesthete, David is constantly frustrated by the Incorrectness of everything happening to the family.

Alexis (Annie Murphy) - younger sister and socialite, kind of a Coachella girl, who has spent most of her life globetrotting and getting herself mixed up in outlandish scenarios (it’s a running joke on the show for her to drop in “That one time when I was...” stories as offhand remarks). David is very protective of her even though they fight constantly, and often bailed her out of her Situations when their parents were too caught up in their own stuff.

The Honorary Roses

While the central “character” of the show is the Rose family, in my opinion there are six core characters, which includes these two.

Stevie Budd (Emily Hampshire) - Employee of (and later owner of) the motel where the Roses fetch up. She is David’s best friend and the first person in town he connects with. She is snarky and deadpan and sarcastic. She and David have a short-lived romantic/sexual relationship which ends amicably in season two, but their close friendship remains an important part of the show (yet another thing SC does that’s quietly revolutionary - feature exes who decided to be just friends and then actually do that). She later develops a strong surrogate-father relationship with Johnny as he becomes the co-owner of the motel.

Patrick Brewer (Noah Reid) - David’s business partner, and by the end of the show, husband. Although the show has a great deal to offer apart from this, a lot of people watch mostly for the David & Patrick relationship (which is fine, it’s a big part of the show). Note: if you are watching for this, Patrick does not appear in the show until the mid-third season. At first Patrick seems like an oasis of down-to-earth normalcy amidst all these larger-than-life personalities but it doesn’t take long to realize he’s actually an enormous troll who expresses his love for David by gently roasting him constantly.

And the Others - The show is an ensemble, and apart from these six folks, includes a lot of great secondary characters. Veternarian Ted Mullens (Alexis’s on/off boyfriend), Mayor Roland Schitt and his wife Jocelyn (who is one of my favorite characters), town council curmudgeons Ronnie and Bob, cafe waitress Twyla (played by Dan Levy’s sister Sarah), the local all-gender Casanova woodworker Jake, and the Schitts’ adult son Mutt, Alexis’s first hookup in town.

The Arc: This show is about how the Rose family - who have historically been distant and disconnected - had to lose all their money to find themselves as a family, and later, for each of them to find new fulfillment for themselves. They start out chafing and struggling to get out of this new reality, trying to find a way to sell the town, get “back to normal,” but gradually, they fit themselves into the community. Their family reconnection is pretty strong by the end of S2 (the final scene of that season was my first teary moment) and starting in S3, each of them finds a way to rediscover themselves. Johnny invests in the motel and in Stevie. Moira joins the town council and the local women’s a cappella singing group. Alexis goes back to school and starts pursuing a career in public relations. David takes over a vacant general store and turns it into the Rose Apothecary (which you have probably seen on merch everywhere), a venue for local artisans to sell what they make. It is through this venture that he meets Patrick, who first consults and then decides to invest and become David’s partner in the store.

The show is at the same time outlandish, hilarious, touching, abrasive and over the top. The Roses are over-the-top characters - especially Moira, who speaks in an unidentifiable accent and uses words that may or may not exist - and the story seems to exist in a kind of alternate reality (it’s a fandom joke that the timeline of the show makes no sense - it doesn’t - and it is always summer in SC except for one time when it was Christmas). There is also, by design, no homophobia in Schitt’s Creek. The various iterations of queer characters and relationships aren’t just represented, they’re normalized in a way that I didn’t know I was missing until I saw it.

Plus, it’s fun. Like many of Eugene Levy’s previous works (although the show is really Dan’s creation), the show makes use of musical set pieces. Probably the most famous is the iconic mid-season 4 episode “Open Mic” in which Patrick and David host an open mic night at the store and Patrick serenades David with an acoustic cover of Tina Turner’s “The Best” (arranged by actor Noah Reid, who is IRL a talented singer-songwriter, check out his albums, they’re great). It’s one of the most romantic things I’ve ever seen, made more poignant by the really remarkable face journey David goes through as he listens.

Well, have a look.

youtube

Another big moment was season 5′s production of “Cabaret,” directed by Moira and Jocelyn and starring Patrick as the Emcee and Stevie as Sally Bowles. The rehearsals and performance were mined for a lot of great moments.

Anyway, that’s the gist. Probably more than you wanted or needed.

#schitt's creek

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louistomlinsoncouk · 4 years ago

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'Louis Tomlinson Live From London'

A Special Event To Raise Money For FareShare And Other Charities

Louis Tomlinson today announces a special one-off live streamed show to be broadcast on 12th December.

The multi-camera event will feature Louis and his full band performing fully live, and will be available to watch for 28 hours, giving fans globally the chance to view at a time convenient to them.

Profits from the show will be split between FareShare, Crew Nation, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and Stagehand. Louis will also be donating money to his own touring crew, many of which have been out of work since March.

The show will feature songs from Louis' smash debut soloalbum 'Walls' (Top 3 in the UK and Top 10 in the USA), alongside a few surprises.

Tickets for the show will be go on sale via https://louis-tomlinson.com/live from 4pm on 25th November.

Louis says: "I was absolutely gutted to have to postpone my world tour this year as I was really looking forward to seeing all the fans. Performing for a live crowd is the most important thing to me, this live stream is a step back into that world and is something I can't wait to film. I want to put on a real show for the fans, with scale and production, creating something special to end 2020 on a positive upbeat note and raise money for charities that are especially close to my heart. I also want to give my touring crew work, and raise some vital money for them, as without my crew the show literally couldn't go on."

In addition to the concert, Louis is also releasing an exclusive range of new merchandise that will also go on sale on the 25th November. All profits from this merch will go to the above four charities and Louis' touring crew.

January 2020 saw the release of Louis' debut solo album 'Walls', a lyrically personal album that proved he had found his feet as a solo artist. The album produced a clutch of acclaimed singles including the emotive first release Two of Us, the raucous Kill My Mind, the reflective We Made It and the soaring pop perfection of Don’t Let It Break Your Heart.After postponing his 2020 World Tour due to Covid-19, Louis is looking forward to finally getting on the road with his first solo tour next year, which is already completely sold out.. In 2019 Louis headlined the Coca-Cola music festival in Madrid to an audience of 25,000 people, and performed to 65,000 fans at Premios Telehit in the Foro Sol stadium in Mexico City.

Louis picked up the Best Song Award at the 2019 Teen Choice Awards for 'Two Of Us', which has so far hit over 100 million streams on Spotify alone. In 2018 Louis won an iHeart Award for 'Best Solo Breakout', and an EMA Award for 'Best UK & Ireland Act' in 2017. He was ranked No.5 on Billboard’s emerging artists of 2018 and has over 60 million combined followers on social media. This year he won 'Artist Of The Summer' in Philly radio station 96.5 TDY's annual awards.

As a member of One Direction, Louis has sold over 100 million records. Overall Louis’ solo music has garnered over a BILLION streams.

About FareShare

FareShare is the UK’s largest food redistribution charity, with more than 30 warehouses across the UK. It takes food from the food industry that can’t be sold in shops, either because of packaging errors, a short shelf life or overproduction. That food, which is the same as the food you’d eat at home, is then redistributed through a network of 11,000 frontline organisations, across the UK such as homeless hostels, school breakfast clubs, domestic violence refuges, older people’s lunch clubs, food banks and hospices. Since the pandemic, FareShare has more than doubled its work, providing the equivalent of more than 2 million meals a week to people who might not otherwise eat.

About Crew Nation:

Live music inspires millions around the world, but the concerts we all enjoy wouldn’t be possible without the countless crew members working behind the scenes. Crew Nation is charitable fund, created to help the people who were supposed to be working on shows planned for 2020. Crew Nation is powered by Music Forward Foundation, a charitable 501c3 organization, that is administering and managing the fund.

So far, the fund has raises $15 million, helping 15,000 live music crew members across 36 countries who were impacted by the rescheduled or cancelled shows scheduled to take place through June.

About Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice cares for children and young adults whose lives are sadly just too short, both in their own homes and at the North Anston Hospice. The charity supports children and young adults with life-shortening and life-threatening conditions, and are currently helping over 300 families at the hospice and in their homes across the region. Bluebell Wood is very much a happy, joyful place focused on helping families make wonderful memories together whether they have weeks, months or years together. in their homes across the region. With only around 15 per cent of its funding coming from Government sources, Bluebell Wood is reliant on its fantastic supporters, volunteers, fundraisers and staff who all consistently go above and beyond to help the charity reach as many people who need it as possible.

About Stagehand

The live events sector is in crisis and the largely self employed workforce faces a long winter without work, many of them without any form of alternative financial support. Those that could find alternative work have done so; many can access enough Government support to survive for the next few months, so our focus is on those who have seen income drop to virtually nothing.

Stagehand is for those people, to provide grants that help to cover basic living expenses for the crew and their families. These grants are already helping to relieve the financial and mental burden of keeping a roof overhead and providing for families throughout this crisis.

#louis tomlinson #simon jones #24nov20

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aurora-daily · 3 years ago

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AURORA

Interview by Stuart Williams for Euphoria Magazine (July 9th, 2021).

Norwegian songstress AURORA returns with brand new single “Cure for Me,” a glistening, message-driven piece that looks to set summer 2021 alight. “The ‘Cure for Me’ single was actually born two years ago,” she tells EUPHORIA in an exclusive interview. “I was in Australia on tour and then instead of having a day off in between the gigs, I asked my drummer and co-producer Magnus if we could rent a studio for a day and have some fun. I had this theme I wanted to get out of my head [hums melody]. I just really wanted to make a song with this ugly theme and we made it — my team kind of discovered it a few years later and said, ‘Ah, this is lovely, we should make it a single.’”

Speaking about the synth-laden track, AURORA finds herself reflecting on a controversial practice evident around the world. “It was originally inspired by those countries in the world that still forbid being gay and also the countries where conversion therapy is still allowed,” she says. “I think even in Norway it’s allowed — that’s the main reason I wrote this song. I was like, ‘I want to make a fun, celebration song about I don’t need a cure for me, I don’t need it, I’m perfectly fine.’ It’s absurd how the world can ever think that people will ever need a cure for love. Then I also know that it can mean a few different things, which I’m excited about, but it’s mainly the fact that it’s very easy to make people believe that there is something wrong with them. People tend to go to that fact so quickly — it takes so little before we’re like, ‘Oh, something is really wrong with me. I didn’t react the same way that they did, I must be fucked up.’ Or, ‘I don’t look like them; OK something is wrong.’ You know, we think something is wrong with us all the time and the media is telling us we’re not good enough. Everything all the time is trying to make us think that we’re insane. That’s kind of sad isn’t it? So it is kind of an opposite thing.”

With “Cure for Me” evoking a deepened understanding of an important subject to the artist, AURORA finds herself looking inward. “I am very lucky because I’ve never been that affected,” she shares. “I’ve been told many times in my life that, ‘You’re a bit [makes cuckoo bird sound].’ I’m very little Norwegian in many areas; I’m very Norwegian in some. It’s a very strange culture here and if you are very open, emotional, impulsive, and if you have a bit of a different brain, [it] doesn’t take much before you get aware even as a child that, ‘Oh, I am a bit different’ and it messes with your head a bit. It messed a bit with my mind in the beginning when I first started noticing it. I’ve never really cared and I don’t care now — I find so much joy and liberation in simply existing in the way that fits me the most. That’s a joy I find hard to let go of. We’re so diverse and that’s the whole point. That’s the foundation in our species that we are all different and we still manage to twist it around and make people feel bad about it.”

With the pandemic pushing live music events back further and further, the singer is eager to explore the track in a live setting. Speaking about her feelings from the release of the new single, AURORA says, “I wish I was nervous because I love being nervous, it’s like being in love isn’t it? But I am not nervous, I rarely am — it seems like a waste to me to be nervous about something I can’t control. But when I’m done with it, I need to just release it and it’s out of my hands, out of mind and out of sight — it belongs to the world. So no, I’m not nervous at all, but I am very excited. It’s always interesting and a fun experiment to see how people react when you do something a little different. It varies a lot what people think about it, so that’s very interesting to watch.”

Describing the process of creating the track, she says, “I like experimenting with the people you have around you. I like using the people I love and I like working with close people, you know. I feel like you don’t need to look out and search for the big names out there when you have talented friends, and you can just make music with them instead. Magnus is very good — I love working with him because he doesn’t write lyrics and interfere too much. I can’t write with anyone because I don’t like it so much, so it’s nice for me to be able to write and do what I want. When we produce the music we are sometimes very on the same page and sometimes we disagree. It’s fun to either fight for your opinion or learn that you were wrong, and I love that. We just have fun.”

Six years ago saw singer-songwriter AURORA release “Runaway,” the opener to All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, an album that saw her career catapulted into the stratosphere. Today “Runaway” has 275 million streams on Spotify, 140 million views on YouTube, and is rising week over week in the Official Singles Chart Top 100. Not only this, the track has also been given new life on social media app TikTok and is being streamed 2 million times daily. The roots of “Runaway” emerged at 11 years old, AURORA says. “I often think about that — of course our mind I guess perceives the past like, ‘Oh my God, it went so quick’ and I can remember things from when I wrote the song when I was 11 and now I’m over 10 years older than that. It is weird but I guess I remember the times, I’ve been really depressed two times in my life and then time moves so slowly that it’s exhausting and suffocating, so I feel like it’s a very good sign when you feel like time has gone past.”

It’s hard to believe that in 2015 the track found its way to the ears of a then-12-year-old Billie Eilish. It arguably led to Eilish starting her music journey — a career that has made her a global phenomenon. The track, AURORA says, has found a brand new life out in the world. “It has lived its life and therefore the success ‘Runaway’ is achieving I don’t manage to take it personally because it’s not me anymore, you know?” she says. “It’s sort of like, it’s a baby and every song is a child when you make them and it’s best part: making the child. It’s the most fun in every way, I think, in all possible metaphors. But I think when you raise the song, it’s a teenager or an adult and you just have to let them go and let them live their best life out there.”

Reflecting further on a younger version of herself, AURORA explores a very different mindset from that age and then now. “I remember when I first started writing I was really aware and had this epiphany that, ‘Oh my God, music can help with so much and music can speak about the unspoken. It can explain the unexplainable and put words into these impossible emotions,’” she says. “It has to do with being human. I took music very seriously, music was always very serious for me — very emotional and very explosive. Like a medicine, but I took it really seriously and I have so many sad songs. They all have a little light in them, I don’t manage to bring out sadness unless there is light to complement it I guess. I have so many sad songs and with time I kind of learnt that, ‘Oh my God, there is a whole world out there and people also need to dance and have fun in this life.’ I kind of learnt as I grew older that I can write songs that are fun and I can address things in the world that I love and hate, and I can speak up. Music can be much now: it can be a political force, it can be an emotional force and a release. Now I’m just enjoying all the signs of it. But it’s changed a lot, I’m more open now to what music can be, which is delightful.”

The human experience is a theme AURORA touches on throughout her musical output, however the physical act of producing art has been a huge outlet for the artist during this time. “I am very comfortable with this staying-inside-being-anti-social situation,” she shares. “It’s very good for me and I’m actually enjoying it quite a lot. Even though I can feel it in the people that [there is] this itch under the skin. I can feel the itch for things to change and go back to normal, but I’m also really enjoying things as they are now. I’ve been painting quite a lot. I always find it very intimidating to paint big pictures, obviously you know, it’s very easy to make a small piece of art, for me at least. I’ve been trying to make a really big one so it’s really big, and it’s very scary; but it’s very soothing. Painting to me is like the same as music but the opposite, because it’s an outlet for the art and it’s quiet and serene. While music is very explosive for me so it’s a very nice thing to have in my life. I feel very balanced.”

#aurora #aurora aksnes #interviews #cure for me #new album #magnus

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hlupdate · 4 years ago

Link

'Louis Tomlinson Live From London'

A Special Event To Raise Money For FareShare And Other Charities

Louis Tomlinson today announces a special one-off live streamed show to be broadcast on 12th December.

The multi-camera event will feature Louis and his full band performing fully live, and will be available to watch for 28 hours, giving fans globally the chance to view at a time convenient to them.

The show will feature songs from Louis' smash debut soloalbum 'Walls' (Top 3 in the UK and Top 10 in the USA), alongside a few surprises.

Tickets for the show will be go on sale via https://louis-tomlinson.com/live from 4pm on 25th November.

As a member of One Direction, Louis has sold over 100 million records. Overall Louis’ solo music has garnered over a BILLION streams.

About FareShare

About Crew Nation:

So far, the fund has raises $15 million, helping 15,000 live music crew members across 36 countries who were impacted by the rescheduled or cancelled shows scheduled to take place through June.

About Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice

About Stagehand

#louis tomlinson #articles #241120 #lt livestream

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iuteamstarcandy · 1 year ago

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[TRANS] IU ‘CHAT-SHIRE’ Album Introduction and Song Introductions

ALBUM INTRODUCTION

A bunch of twenty-threes, IU's current state which is full of trivial things. Also, your current state.

IU's 4th mini album ‘CHAT-SHIRE’ is out!

IU's fourth mini album ‘CHAT-SHIRE’, which everyone has been waiting for, has finally been released.

IU, who showed her growth as a musician with her detailed and unique emotions through her previous albums and her self-composed songs, expanded her involvement to take part in the production of this album, making her voice heard throughout the whole album.

This album ‘CHAT-SHIRE’ contains a total of 7 songs and from the perspective of characters from different novels, she expresses the experiences and observations of 23-year-old IU, as well as her thoughts and feelings about people around her. The album name ‘CHAT-SHIRE’ refers to a small society where the character of each song lives in their own area and one can finish walking through the whole place in 23 steps.

[Note: A ‘shire’ is a county or something like a town for different characters. See Chat-shire map teaser image. IU also said she meant for the lyrics to be idle talk (chat) and not be taken too seriously. See news article on album showcase.]

Through ‘CHAT-SHIRE’, which features IU's current state, you will think about yourself in your future, present and past. While the stories are based on IU's own experiences and thoughts, these are things that can happen to all of us and that we may think about too. Hopefully, with your image of yourself in mind, you can share and communicate with us through ‘CHAT-SHIRE’.

SONG INTRODUCTIONS

01. 새 신발 (Shoes)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by Lee Jong-hoon

Arranged by Lee Jong-hoon

“I took off my old shoes and slid my feet into silver shoes. They fit just right as if they are my shoes.”

A track that serves as a guide to facilitate a tour of CHAT-SHIRE. While greeting fans who have been waiting a long time for this album with the most familiar-sounding strings and voice typical of IU, this is the busy start of a new date. This song is a medium-tempo song with a vintage sound of the 'Motown' style of the 70s.

02. Zezé

Lyrics by IU

Composed by Lee Jong-hoon, Lee Chae-gyu

Arranged by Lee Jong-hoon

“The tree speaks with its whole body. It speaks with its leaves, its branches and its roots too. Do you want to hear what it’s saying? Then put your ears to my body. You will be able to hear my heart beating.”

This is a kind of love song that is sung while waiting for someone who is charming, but difficult, puts you at a loss, yet lovely. It is a song that stands out with the hip-hop sound of Lo-Fi beats that have not been experimented with in IU songs thus far..

03. 스물셋 (Twenty-three) (TITLE)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by IU, Lee Jong-hoon, Lee Chae-gyu

Arranged by Lee Jong-hoon, Lee Chae-gyu

“‘Can you tell me which way to go from here?’

‘It depends where you want to go,’ said the cat.”

This song is based on the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. ‘Cheshire’, which is also related to the name of the album, is the most important keyword in the album. There are many different ways to look at something, none of which are wrong. Whatever you choose is the answer and it just depends on what you want to believe. This song has a funky beat and disco-like sound, which blend with the light, fun and confusing lyrics, giving the impression of feeling exasperated.

04. 푸르던 (The shower)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by IU

Arranged by Kim Je-hwi

“It was really fun that day... But I have no idea where all this water came from that day.”

The day when my papery heart was soaked with water, my vision narrowed and in one breath, I fell in love with the season I never liked. Is it just good or is it just sad to remember what used to be beautiful? This is an acoustic song that makes you imagine a summer night full of memories of your first love.

05. Red Queen (Feat. Zion.T)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by Lee Jong-hoon, Lee Chae-gyu

Arranged by Lee Jong-hoon, Lee Chae-gyu

“‘She did look as ugly as you. She was redder than you, and with shorter petals,‘ said the rose. ‘She’s the type with lots of thorns.’”

Don’t we all have the experience of a strange feeling when we see the person being attacked by everyone make a smile without worry? This is a song that asks questions about the preconceived notions of everyone who thinks that it is uncomfortable to discover a good side to a villain who deserves to be attacked. The main character of the song, ‘that woman’, can be the first person who comes to your mind as you listen to the song, or it can also be you. Who is the worst between the woman in the story, the speaker and the listener? This is an uptempo track with retro feels that mixes two completely different genres, including the rhythm and sound of bubblegum pop in the ‘60s and chord progression of bossa nova in the middle of the song.

06. 무릎 (Knees)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by IU

Arranged by Lee Jong-hoon

”She patted my head with a touch as light as air.

‘It's always hard to be born. You know that, right? They say a bird must struggle to get out of its shell.’”

This is a song that started out with the idea that doubt keeps a person from falling asleep. ‘Doubt’ can be someone's doubt about me, my doubt about myself, my doubt about the rest of the world, or maybe a doubt about a day that just flew by that makes one feel uncomfortable (Note: because the day flew by without one accomplishing much). Everyone will have a childhood experience of sleeping so deeply in a dreamless slumber, not knowing that they were being moved somewhere in the large hands of an adult. This song is sung in a soft voice with a piano melody accompaniment, on a night that suddenly feels sad because as we grow older and older, we lose sleep even because of a small sound and become more and more wary (Note: of things or people) around us.

07. 안경 (Glasses)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by IU

Arranged by Kim Je-hwi

'“‘Everyone calls you a fool.’ ’Never mind. It's nothing to worry about.’”

This album is made up of question marks. IU's age of 23 is so full of trivial details and confusing that she can't be sure of anything or draw any conclusions. Nevertheless, this song was included as the last track because of the need for a full stop. A conviction not to wear glasses does not necessarily signify innocence. Living day by day with enough freedom and humor to hum a song, while losing sometimes and returning an attack sometimes. For now, that's the image of an adult that 23-year-old IU has the least aversion towards. This is a song with a guitar accompaniment that sounds lethargic, the use of a bandoneon (Note: a kind of concertina musical instrument) and rather bizarre backing vocals that are interesting.

08. 마음 (Heart)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by IU, Kim Je-hwi

Produced by IU, Kim Je-hwi

Something fragile, yet silently shining.

09. Twenty three (Bonus Track)

Lyrics by IU

Composed by PJ, Lee Jong-hoon

Translated by IUteamstarcandy

Source: Melon, Melon

#IU #album introduction #chat-shire

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