#Beyoncé's last single is doing really really good

[gracefullou]

I saw this tweet about an article( i didn't read) stating the connection between recession and surge in popularity of country music, folk music. Beyonce probably wanted to make a mark. Zayn has said many ears ago that he likes country stuff.

Oh ok, thank you. It's just interesting that so many country albums by big artists will be released this year. Kacy Musgraves and i think Lana Del Rey included. And except for Kacy the rest are not country singers. It's probably bc of the surge in popularity for country music as you said (dare i say it's that Morgan guy's impact 💀. I think his album was the third best selling album worldwide last year)

[cooki3face]

what will your marriage be like 💍

I’d been thinking about how much humans fight and disagree but the one thing we have in common is the love we share for things around us. For people in our lives. We have wars, we fall into different categories politically, we have different souls purposes, we have different needs, different desires. But most often, what we do share, what we all desire is to love and to be loved. So anyways, here’s the reading for today. I’m working on trying to crimp out two readings a day or within the week.

***

i.

channelled music 🎵:

There Is Something on Your Mind- Big Jay McNeely

Misty- Ella Fitzgerald

At Last- Beyoncé’s cover from the Cadillac record’s soundtrack

I Wonder Why- Dion & The Belmonts

Stormy Weather- Etta James

A Sunday Kind Of Love- Etta James

Channeled locations 📍: Vancouver, New Orleans, San Francisco, New York city, Maine, South Carolina, Seattle

-

I see this being a marriage with someone you knew in the past whom you had a true love with that you may have had to walk away from or put down for a while in the name of growth or internal alignment. Like right person wrong time. Of course that doesn’t exist spiritually because all the time is the right time, divine timing is always right but you know what I mean. I see happiness and genuine joy within this marriage with this person. I see two people celebrating their marriage and their love and what it took to get them there every single day of their lives together like you know that drake song where he says “it might not mean nothing to y’all, but understand nothing was done for me, so I don’t plan on stopping at all, I want this sh*t forever.” The two of you put a lot of work in for yourselves for this connection, this connection was divinely orchestrated. All the pain, all the hardship, all the separation was for the greater good so you guys can grow and have the divine love you wanted.

Everyone’s gonna be looking at the two of you. I see you guys glowing, I see the two of you rising to success in each-others love and in each-others presence. There’s so much self love and confidence between the two of you. It’s giving power couple, it’s giving when two people in a connection are very attractive and have a lot going for themselves. Everyone wants to look at them, everyone wants in on their connection and the love they share, everyone aspires to have that one day. I’m hearing Beyoncé, “so many people that I know, they just tryna touch ya. Kiss up, and rub up, and feel up on ya. Give you some time to prove that I can trust you again I’m gonna kiss up, and rub up, and feel up, kiss up, and rub up and feel up on ya”

I get heavy feminine energy within this group. Some of you are involved with a masculine or this masculine from your past is someone who is very desired or that people will desire even more when you guys come together and wed. This masculine could’ve been someone who clung to romantic/sexual company in his past for some time out of insecurity with me getting something from Beyoncé’s lyrics about getting time to prove she can trust someone again so she can really love on them and I think that’s kind of the energy of this connection. The two of you rising out of karmic cycles and habits and finally growing up and coming out of the storm to be the people you two need for each other and being able to share the most divine love and forgive the past and have peace.

Yea, the king of cups is coming out, this is my favorite masculine in tarot. This is a masculine whose caring and compassionate and loving. Emotionally in tune, in connection with his own inner feminine. He’s the embodiment of a healed water sign masc lover in my opinion. Some of you could want a water sign partner or have water in your own chart and need someone who can appeal to your needs in that way. And this is going to be the relationship, open, caring, gentle, and supportive and this person will be that as well. I see this marriage or this union being a personal celebration for you pile one, maybe even for your significant other as well. You guys have worked so hard and this is your reward or your personal idea of success and fulfillment to be with this person and share a life with eachother.

All the stagnancy, all the pain, will be gone from your lives and from this connection. You guys struggled individually and as a collective and I hear spirit saying that now you deserve someone to be happy and abundant with. This person is gonna be really good in bed as well, their going to keep you over the top satisfied. I see you guys having very passionate and loving s*x lives and maybe even potentially creating a large family together. Like if you’ve ever seen queen Charlotte where she’s telling her kids that her and George created all the many children they had all by themselves without any help. You guys give queen Charlotte and king George vibes. Love is so deep and real and unconditional despite obstacles or obvious flaws within one another. You love eachother through it all. Regardless of it all and that’s all that matters. Go watch queen Charlotte on Netflix if you haven’t man. Ugh. It’s so good.

Yess, this ten of Pentacles upright here speaking of wealth, long term success, and family !!! I see you guys becoming very wealthy together as well, being able to give your children and yourselves good, long, prosperous lives. So beautiful. You and this person may end up having a lot of children together as well. I see you guys getting to work. Someone carries the energy of the empress, or the divine mother here. You could have a cancer moon or some prominent cancer placements in your chart. This person is gonna load you up, keep you pregnant like clock work. Everyone is gonna be tired of y’all like damn do you really need another baby shower this year too.

Overall success and abundance with this ace of pentacles proud and upright. Very good.

***

ii.

channeled music 🎵:

Drunk In Love- Beyoncé

Adorn- Miguel

Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton

Ooo Baby Baby- Smokey Robinson & the miracles

channeled locations 📍: Texas, Little Rock Arkansas, California, Alabama, Connecticut, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Georgia, Philadelphia, Country sides and suburbs,, Canada

-

You may meet this person at a rough time in your life or at a time where you may have isolated yourself from others or stepped into some sort of hermit mode. This could be after some sort of heart break or some type of significant life experience that causes a lot of insecurity and self limiting beliefs to come to the surface to be purged or be removed. A dark night of the soul or some sort of right of passage towards your ascension with this eight of swords upright speaking of negative thoughts and imposed restriction here. I’m getting this pain or this isolation and hurt may be caused by your spouse or your significant other. But there’s a lot of change and transformation here with the death card upright. Cycles ending. There’s a lot of mixed energy here for this part of the collective. I’m getting some of you may be coming out of rough relationships and being burned repeatedly in love and mistreated and pushed into a path of learning and healing and some of you may end up marrying someone or are married to someone who doesn’t have good intentions towards you and that you may separate from and grow into yourselves because of.

You may have an astrology placements that indicate complications and love and long term relationships. You could potentially get married early and get divorced due to turbulence or general just lack of happiness and harmony within your marriage. But whatever this downfall is or whatever this drama or turbulence is will lead you down the path of releasing limiting self beliefs and embarking on your own personal spiritual journey and path to self love which will bring in a greater love and a true love for you later in life when the time is right here. This person that you’ll find yourself married or committed to in the beginning, some type of truth will come out about them that will lead to this not working out.

But, this new love that blossom and come from your ending in your first connection or marriage will further propel you into soul searching and really finding out who you are and becoming secure in yourself here. This is going to be someone whose going to benefit you, whose going to compliment you and push you to be a better person and continue to heal and improve. You could have similar chart placements as Ariana grande or relate to her love life in some way. She’s known for having somewhat of a turbulent love life or to have issues within her personal relationships.

***

iii.

channeled music 🎵:

Valerie - Amy winehouse

Beggin’ - Maneskin

Hey ya - outkast

Milk - Kings of Leon

Creep - Radiohead

Cherry wine - Hozier

Ho Hey - The Lumineers

channeled locations 📍: Brooklyn, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Colorado, Oregon, St. Helens Oregon, Washington, New York City, Long Beach California

-

I’m getting that some of your are masculine energies, masculine energy dominant or are literally men lol. I keep hearing over and over the opening lyrics to Hey ya by OutKast.

The song Hey Ya is a really chaotic and high energy song we all know that but there’s an artist on TikTok who has a beautiful soft cover of the song and i feel like it really captures the energy I’m getting from these lyrics. Link to her TikTok.

You could marry someone you feel really anxious or worried about your connection with. I hear someone worried about losing their person or losing this person in particular. Many of you will marry someone you know already or someone who plays a massive part in your life or who shaped what love means and what love meant for you. Spirit is telling me that this person and this connection was given to you to to you to test your strength and push you to become the person you were meant to be become all along because this person inspires you to grow and go the extra mile in life.

This person gives you hope, you may feel as though your purpose in life is to love this person because they inspire you so heavily. This person may trigger some sort of spiritual awakening for you or lead you down a journey of self discovery and soul searching as well. I see this person teaching you and allowing you to release your fears and open up your heart. Someone’s heart chakra could be blocked or has been closed off for a long time due to trauma and other issues. This marriage with this person will be full of clear communication, in depth conversations, and clear and healthy boundaries and ideas. This person could create a safe space for you or a safe environment. I see you and this person becoming an example of what a harmonious and healthy relationship is meant to look like. You out of anybody knows what it feels like to be in unhealthy relationships or have a turbulent and draining relationship dynamic with someone I’m hearing and this is not that. This relationship will be a breath of fresh air for you.

I see you being someone who is anxious in energy or is prone to pessimistic ideas or thinking due to your anxiety as well. Like the second something positive happens with this person especially if you know this person already your mind finds a way to push you away from them out of fear of becoming too comfortable or too vulnerable and then leaving you or pulling away from you but I don’t see this with this person with the four of wands upright. This person loves you unconditionally, you can’t lose something that’s unconditionally. That’s gentle and that doesn’t judge you or intend to hurt you the way that people may have in the past.

I’m hearing it took someone a while to come forward and take the leap of faith to pursue this relationship because they couldn’t decide if they were worth this persons love and time or if they were strong enough to handle this person rejecting you or walking away from you because you felt that they would and that they would wake up one day and realize that they don’t want you anymore or feel burdened by you. But I see you looking at this connection when you guys are married and the rough part of the push and pull that you feel in regards to this person blows over and you being proud and abundant because this relationship is long term, steady, and giving.

This person is made for you, your relationship and connection is very divinely protected and orchestrated pile three. And all of this will be revealed to you more and more as years progress within this marriage here. You and this person are incredibly connected on an intuitive and spiritual level you share so much love and compassion for one another as well. You think yourself less than this person or someone who doesn’t deserve this persons love and presence and that’s simply not true. I hear spirit saying if anyone deserves this person, if anyone is made for this person, if anyone deserves a love or connection like this it’s you.

**

That’s it, lol I might take a break from love readings for a moment because the collective is very steady and my readings can often be repetitive but many of people within the collective are about to get married or be in the most divine love within their life. A good amount of the collective is still learning what love means and it may take them a while to find that but otherwise everyone is exactly where they’re meant to be. 💕

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

Having a #1 Song doesn't mean SHIT anymore! It doesn't mean the song is a hit.

Let's be so serious rn. Nobody knows any of her damn fault track that keep charting. I asked my mom to name one song of hers and she could name "Shake it off."

Smooth Criminal went #7 in the US.

Remember the Time went #3 in the US.

Heal the World went #27 in the US.

They don't care about us #30 in the US. But it still went viral on tiktok. A song that is almost 30 years old!!

Thriller the song also never went to number one, but ask people to name one Halloween song they gonna name that song.

And what is more impressive, having 1M EAS the first day or still selling 1M EAS 15 years after your passed and more than 20 years after you dropped an album. Longevity is quality. 1M first day sales she's gonna sell that much for years. Hell, she be lucky if she even sold 50k in a year in 30 years.

5 music videos of his that are made in the 80's and 90's are about to have 1 billion views this year.

Billie Jean still gets 1M daily streams on Spotify.

I'm sorry if you aren't an Mjfan and I bring him up but he's the best example I can give you also because Swifties keep comparing her to him.

If people don't like the song they won't keep listening to it. And if Taylors song just stay in her fanbase and they just massstream her shit. Nobody is gonna know this song in 20 years.

Because what is the last hit Taylor Swift had that was known to the general public? Anti Hero maybe? Cruel Summer?

And something that is also funny is that, Remember when her drunk self got on stage and snatched the grammy from Celine Dion and didn't even look at her.

And people were pissed and her team was quick on working getting a picture with her to mend the damage.

Celine Dion has 5 Grammys and Taylor Swift has 14.

But they knew that Celine Dion got more respect from the GP then Taylor will ever have. And that is something you cannot buy. And they know if someone wins out of pure talent or just because of favourism. And let's be real. Most people know these award shows are rigged and they don't care about it.

Like when RollingStone came out with that fuck ass best singers list that put Taylor at #102 and excluded Celine Dion. People were mad that Celine was included but Taylor was.

Or just recently they also called her the better Adele. Nobody from the GP was like oh yeah that is true.

I mean they can try to name her the Queen of Pop in one of the award shows alà Michael Jackson style, but it's not gonna work with her. When he got that name people actually agreed and they still do. Outside Taylors cult nobody will agree with that.

Taylor's Team is aggressive with the Marketing and pushing these numbers onto us because they know outside of it she has nothing to offer. Her talent isn't marketable. Her singing and dancing isn't that impressive. The most marketable things about her career are her wealth and business success. Have they ever talked about her performance while she is on tour. What is so impressive what she does on stage? No they just keep talking about the money she makes.

No I completely get why MJ is a relevant comparison here. Swifties do keep comparing TS to him and for that alone they need to collectively get their asses beat. But you used good examples and I just want to applaud you for that

& you’re right, I can’t name a single vault track. Every time I’m exposed to her its against my will through my recommended (and its usually so out of place too because i watch really weird video essays).

Charts truly don’t reflect cultural impact because Drunk in Love by Beyoncé never went #1 and neither did Toxic by Britney Spears but both are super well known. Anti Hero is probably the last single to go #1 but I genuinely felt harassed by that song 😭 its sooooooooo bad

Yes! The vocal trinity—Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston—have done SO MUCH for music and all have less than half of Taylor Swift’s amount of Grammys. Celine and Mariah each have 5 and Whitney has 6.

I didn’t watch the Grammys this year (forgot to) but I heard about the Celine Dion incident I was SHOCKED because the audacity of this woman! Her entitlement shows in everything she does and she’s really starting to believe her commercial success makes her a better artist.

THE ROLLING STONE LIST WAS BULLSHIT. THEY DIDN’T INCLUDE JENNIFER HUDSON EITHER! Their definition of a “singer” was soooooooo bullshit too like that magazine’s merit has gone down so much in the past 20 years it should be regarded with way less status and credibility. And who tf called TS better than ADELE?

You’re right, her moniker will be chosen by the general public (probably from a viral tweet/tiktok/etc).

And she needs aggressive marketing because she really is a below average musician in all respects! She has her songwriting but she should’ve just been a hit songwriter (like Estelle Dean) not a singer. What makes her marketable is very “ordinary” image—which makes her relatable to “every girl, like me and you” 🙄 her soft voice really creates an intimate atmosphere especially with her vulnerable (but superficial) lyrics. She has to be friends with her fans for her success to work. Because there is no way you can justify her being regarded as a “god” the way people do with Beyoncé and MJ otherwise.

🎯 with the Eras Tour coverage. No one ever references or cites a particular jaw dropping vocal performance or dance number. It’s always the amount of wealth she’s generating.

[moodymelanist]

You Showed Me Love Was All You Needed

happy day 5 of @cassianappreciationweek everyone! I was throwing around some ideas with @arinbelle about what to write for today and this was calling to me so much that I had to do it. hope y’all enjoy and happy birthday Cassian ❤️‍🔥 title from Heaven by Beyoncé!

Cassian spent the day before his thirtieth birthday sweaty, exhausted, and not even in the good way.

“Please tell me that’s the last box,” Nesta groaned as she set a medium-sized box down in the center of their new living room. They’d finally made the decision to move in together, and had picked up the keys to their new three-bedroom this morning.

Cassian briefly ran outside to double check, closing their small moving van and locking their cars with relish before returning inside. “Looks like it, sweetheart.”

“Oh, thank God,” she replied, still panting somewhat from all the boxes they’d brung in. “Hell of a way to ring in your birthday, huh?”

Of course their leases had managed to both be up right around Cassian’s birthday. He had moved enough times to know that he’d be too exhausted to do something on his actual birthday, so his big plans to celebrate turning thirty were on hold until the weekend.

“No one I’d rather ring it in like this with,” he responded honestly. She rolled her eyes at the open affection, but that didn’t stop him from stealing a brief kiss. “Okay. Let’s get to work.”

They spent the next few hours cleaning their new place and unpacking as many boxes as they could. The movers weren’t bringing the big furniture until tomorrow, so today was about getting as many boxes done as possible. They took a brief break to order pizza and relax on the floor of their living room, but they worked late into the night to get as much done as possible — namely, their kitchen supplies and all the essential bathroom items.

“Cassian,” Nesta said after hours had gone by. They were standing side by side in the master bathroom, and when he looked ovef at her, she held up her phone to display the time was now 12:01. “Happy birthday, my love.”

“Thank you,” he said back, smiling. He pulled her into a kiss that quickly turned heated, as they usually did, one of his hands digging into her hair while the other snaked around her waist to pull her as close to him as possible.

“Wait, wait, I got you something,” Nesta told him, pulling away from him. She poked him in his chest as her expression turned firm. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“There’s nowhere to go!” Cassian called out to her retreating back. He couldn’t help but smile as he waited for her to return, wondering what she’d managed to put together even though they were both sweaty and exhausted.

“Happy birthday to you…” Nesta sang quietly as she returned, her voice completely off-key but no less endearing. In her hands was a tiny vanilla cake that had a single, blue candle burning in the center of it. “Happy birthday dear Cassian…”

“Sweetheart,” Cassian said, swiftly reminded of the strength of his feelings for her. He really was the luckiest bastard in the world. “You shouldn’t have.”

“I shouldn’t have celebrated your birthday?” she asked, raising one of her brows. She beckoned him out of the bathroom and managed to sit on the floor of their bedroom without jostling the cake. “Come on, make your wish.”

He gladly sat next to her and took the cake to make his wish, blowing out his candle with relish. Maybe it was corny for him to wish that she’d say yes when he asked her to marry him, but he didn’t care. That would stay between him and the birthday gods.

“Do we even have plates?” Cassian asked, setting the cake down on the floor between them. Today was such a blur that he couldn’t remember if they’d done all of the plates and forks yet, and he was in no shape to dig through their many, many moving boxes to find out.

“I’m not an amateur,” Nesta scoffed as she rolled her eyes. She stood up and briefly disappeared into the kitchen before returning with a set of plastic utensils and some paper plates. “Do we even have plates, he says.”

“I should know better than to doubt you,” he replied, leaning in for a quick kiss. “Sorry, Nes.”

“Just shut up and eat your cake,” she answered. Still, she kissed him back and let him cut his slice first, so she couldn’t have been too mad.

Cassian was halfway done with his slice of cake when the thought hit him. “Fuck.”

“What?” Nesta asked, looking up from her own slice.

“I’m older than my mom was when she died,” he told her honestly.

“Fuck,” she repeated.

“It’s not like I didn’t know it was coming,” he continued quietly, “but… yeah. Fuck. I miss her.”

Cassian had only been ten years old when his mother’s life had been tragically cut short. She’d been just shy of her thirtieth birthday when she’d gotten into the car with his father and hadn’t gotten back out, the only one not to walk away from a car accident so bad there had been hardly anything left to bury. He missed her so fiercely it hurt, and he certainly hadn’t realized how it would feel to outlive her before it had become reality.

“I know,” Nesta told him softly. She put down her plate and reached out to grip his hands in hers. “It sucks, and it’s not fair.”

“It’s not,” he echoed quietly. He put down his cake and raked his hands through his hair, wishing that his mom was here to do it instead. “I wonder what she’d think about all this. If she’d be proud of me.”

“I think she would be,” she answered just as softly. After a few moments she added, “I didn’t get the chance to meet her, but I’m lucky enough to know you. You’re the best person I know, Cassian. Anyone would be lucky to have you as their son.”

“You think?”

“I know, Cassian. How could she raise such a good guy and not be proud of that?”

At Cassian’s silence, Nesta stood and reached out her hand. “Come on. Let’s shower and go to bed.”

He took her hand without hesitation, letting her lead him back to the bathroom and fiddle with the shower settings until the water was warm and inviting. It felt good to stand under the spray and wash the day’s grime off, and even better when she held him and didn’t push for him to say anything before he was ready.

“Better?” Nesta asked once they’d moisturized, put on pajamas, and laid down on their air mattress.

“Better,” Cassian answered quietly. They were laying facing one another and he reached out to cup her face, gently rubbing his thumb against her cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” she told him, leaning into his touch with a happy little sigh. “Happy birthday.”

tag list: @perseusannabeth | @bookstantrash | @charming-butt-insane | @oversizedbats | @melphss | @sv0430 | @podemechamardek | @autumnbabylon | @live-the-fangirl-life | @julemmaes | @that-little-red-head | @jmoonjones | @sayosdreams | @thewayshedreamed | @hiimheresworld | @brieq | @pearlfortears | @swankii-art-teacher | @nerdperson524 | @snickerdoodlechittybangbang | @imsointobooks | @nesquik-arccheron | @sweet-pea1 | @champanheandluxxury | @dustjacketmusings | @mrs-shadowsinger04 | @unlikelypersonalknight1 | @goddess-aelin | @arinbelle | @talkfantasytome | @simpingfornestaarcheron | @duskandstarlight | @letstakethedawn | @vidalinav | @c-e-d-dreamer | @dealfea | @katekatpattywack | @burningsnowleopard | @thatsowlmazing

[arandomdai]

Beyoncé: My Echoville Theory Part 2

• What Is Echoville?

I feel like Echoville is a place that is supposed to be utopian when it's actually dystopian. I also think its supposed to make us believe that utopianism is the way to go when in reality it's dangerous. For instance, in an utopian society, everyone agrees to the same thing, believe in everything the news says, talk the same, look the same, have the same ideals, But go against them, your ridiculed for it (like society today). I feel like The Motherboard (one of Beyonce's characters) controls Echoville and makes sure that the civilians only have one belief, look, ideal, etc. This is where the local woman comes in (another Beyonce character) to dismantle that belief. I also believe Cowboy Carter is the local woman that gets captured by the Echoes (or the space shuttle) to Echoville.

• What Does Echoville Look Like?

So going off by what the RENAISSANCE stage looked like, the base of the town might look like a mixture of the power symbol and the alchemy symbol for the sun. This can have many meanings...

1.) This can mean enlightenment (or knowledge) is power and one of the lessons and themes of the film

2.) power on = light. This can allude that The Motherboard controls light and darkness

3.) Notice how the symbol for the sun looks like an eye. I could be reaching, but this can mean " I have my eyes on you." Eyes are symbolic for light and vigilance. ITS ALL ABOUT SURVEILLANCE. This made me think about the book "1984". The book was about how the government didn't allow individual freedom or enjoyment. The Motherboard keeps eyes on the people without their knowledge (due to them being controlled).

Last year, I remember I looked up the word "Echoville" it is said that she trademarks the word and also there's an album called "Echoville" by the music artist Gelbart. The album cover is really interesting (in a good way)...

I can actually see Echoville looking like this, but bigger. The Motherboard could be at the center of the city and the buildings and houses surrounds it.

• The Rebellion

Act i=Renaissance

Act ii= Enlightenment

Act iii=Romanticism?

After the Enlightenment era, the Romanticism era started in the late 18th century. It was about individualism, freedom, and rebellion. What genre of music gives those types of things...Rock and Roll. I feel like after the end of SUMMER RENAISSANCE, I can see the local woman starting a rebellion. The rebellion could be about wanting people to have their own mind or free will. Basically no more control. Heroism also is a characteristic of Romanticism 👀.

I also wanted to point out the "I'm not a robot" from the Mind Control interlude from the RENAISSANCE: WORLD TOUR. During the interlude, the song Ghost (or the beginning of "Haunted") plays and we see Beyonce's moments through out her childhood and career, THE AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM single cover, the green screen, etc. This has different meanings as well...

• The local woman isn't a robot or being controlled. She's trying to fight the Machines to get everyone's individualism back.

• The song Ghost is about the boredom of the music industry and how creating music has lost it's art (quantity over quality) and also wondering how come people work 9 to 5's just to try to make ends meet and not do things what you enjoy (or feel alive). Beyoncé has Ghost as the song choice because she is constantly working on how to out do her previous eras and showing that she's not a machine who can work for hours and hours on end. She's reminding everyone that she's a human being that is just tired and wants a break. Not to mention she has personality.

[khaylin27]

You're a What!?

Part 1 of DODGERS VS PHILLIES BABY!!!

Pairing: Miles Teller x Fem!Reader

Summary: What if Miles Teller dated someone who was a Dodger fan instead of a Phillies fan?

Warnings: SO MUCH FLUFF, Miles being drunk, So many baseball references, Dodgers v.s. Phillies lol

Word Count: 1893

A/N: BEFORE Y'ALL COME AT ME, I respect Miles and Keleigh's relationship and marriage. THEY ARE RELATIONSHIP GOALS!!!! I wanted to write this because I love Miles and baseball. If you feel this isn't for you, please don't read it.

You met Miles not too long ago at a mutual friend's wedding in Philadelphia. He was one of the groom's friends and you were the bride's friend so you guys were ironically sitting at the same table.

You knew who he was because of his recent movie Top Gun Maverick but you were shy to say anything as he was drunk and dancing to Single Ladies by Beyoncé. So instead you decided to watch the Dodgers v.s. Angels game at your table while everybody danced.

As Max Muncy was up to bat, you suddenly got disturbed by a very drunk Miles Teller sipping another glass of whiskey. "Aren't you a little bit too drunk right now to be drinking some more?" You ask as your focus was now on Miles instead of the game.

"Maybe just a tiny bit but I'm sobered up now because you're talking to me." His flirty comment made your cheeks slightly red as he moves right next to you. "What are you watching there?"

"Umm the Dodgers v.s. Angels game. I've been a big baseball fan since I was little, especially for the Dodgers." As you said that you see that Max Muncy hits a home run and the Dodgers win. "OH MY GOODNESS. WE WON!!!" You shout out with happiness while Miles covers his ears. "Sorry for being loud."

"It's okay. I like a girl who's very passionate, especially about baseball. I'm the same way too. " He winks as he says that. "I don't think I introduced myself. I'm Miles, Miles Teller."

"And I'm James, James Bond." You both laugh at your response. "Just kidding. My name is Y/N L/N. I'm a friend of the bride."

"It's nice to meet you Y/N. I'm a friend of the groom but hopefully, I can be more than just a friend to you." He smirks at you as your cheeks were turning bright red. "Is it possible to get your phone number?"

"Well, I would give you my number but I don't think it's worth it considering how drunk you are. You might forget me." You laugh at the end because after tonight he might forget you ever existed.

"Sugar, I won't be able to forget a pretty face like you getting so excited about baseball." You're writing your number on a napkin as he says that and put it in his coat pocket.

"That's my number. If you don't forget about me, text me and we can go on a date." You say as you get your stuff to go say goodbye to the newlyweds. Leaving Miles at the table smiling happily as you leave.

The Next Day

You were asleep in the hotel bed until you hear your phone buzzing nonstop. At first, you thought it was your manager texting you for an upcoming project but to your surprise, it was someone else.

UNKNOWN: Hey sugar! I don’t know if you remember me from last night but I remember you ;)

YOU: Ahh so you didn’t forget about me, Miles. I feel touched 🥹

MILES: How can I forget a beautiful woman like you that passionately loves baseball?

YOU: You remember that too, I guess I left an impression on you. Are you hungover right now?

MILES: Yes you left a very good impression last night. And yes I am VERY hungover *sends pic

YOU: Aww so sorry for that bud. Wish I can help but your actions do have consequences. You drank too much and now you have a hangover.

MILES: It’s nothing that I’m not used to. It’ll go away once the medicine kicks in. What are your plans today?

YOU: Nothing really. This might be the only time I have free time so I’ll probably explore Philadelphia. I’d never been here before until I got invited to the wedding.

MILES: Oh that sounds fun but if you want I have Behind the Plate tickets to the Phillies tonight. Wanna come?

YOU: Ooh you got me at Behind the Plate tickets. Who are they playing against?

MILES: The LA Dodgers. Why?

YOU: Oh no reason :) What time do I have to be there?

MILES: We have to be there by 5 pm. So I’ll come to your hotel by 4:30 pm cause your hotel is close to the stadium.

YOU: WOW! How do you know I’m staying at a hotel?

MILES: I might have asked my friend where you were staying at 🫣

YOU: Wow 😅 you really think you have a chance with me?

MILES: Yep cause we both love baseball 😉 and I like you.

YOU: Is this considered our first date?

MILES: It can be our first date ;) Hey, I’ll text you when I’m at your hotel. I have to get ready.

YOU: Okay, talk to you later.

Hours Later

A couple hours later and now you’re heading down the hotel lobby. You see Miles wearing a red Phillies hat with a Phillies jersey. The Dodger fan in you was kinda disgusted but you didn’t want to say anything. This was considered your “first date.”

He hugs you. “Hey beautiful. You look amazing.” You were wearing a simple black romper but it made you look amazing. But there was one thing Miles didn’t like and it was the blue Dodger hat that was on your head. “Except I don’t like that hat.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble hot stuff but this girl is from LA and loves her Dodger blue.” You smile at him and comment back at him. “I also don’t like yours either.”

“I didn't know you were a Dodgers fan!?"

"If you weren't too drunk last night then maybe you would've remembered me saying that I've been a Dodgers fan since I was little." You laugh a little because he totally forgot you said that last night.

"Is that why you asked me what team the Phillies were playing today?” He asks as you guys walk into the limousine.

“Of course! If they were against someone else I wouldn’t have come. I’m loyal to my boys in dodger blue.” You smile at him. “You’re very lucky to have met me at the right time or else you would’ve lost me.”

In The Car

As you were heading to the stadium you guys started to get to know each other. He was born and raised in Philadelphia and perused acting. For you, you were born and raised in LA and perused being an influencer on social media. The conversation was very good and you got to know him a little more until you reached the stadium.

“Hey Y/N. I think we should hold hands. There’s going to be a lot of paparazzi and you might get lost.” He suggests as the limousine had stopped.

“Are you asking me because you’re worried or you just wanna hold my hand?” You ask with a smile as he smirks back.

Miles gets out of the car first and holds your hand as you get out of the car. He was right about the paparazzi, there were a lot and you were a little bit anxious. But when Miles was holding your hand it was calming to you and you got to your seats safely.

“Hey, thanks for holding my hand. I was feeling a little anxious back there with all that paparazzi but you calmed me down.” You sincerely thank him and he smiles.

“I’m glad that I helped. There’s going to be a lot of that today since I’m an actor and you're an influencer. But I’m going to be here for you.” You smile back at him. “Is it just me or are you hungry?”

“I’m kinda hungry too."

"I’ll ask a staff member to get us some Philly cheesesteaks. It’s a staple to have in Philadelphia and since it’s your first time you need to get it!” He says as he calls a staff member to get us some cheesesteaks.

Once he’s done talking to the staff member you ask him a question. “So who do you think is gonna win tonight?”

“I gotta go with my team. We got Harper and Schwarber!” He say’s excitedly. “You think your team is gonna win?”

“I for sure think my team is gonna win! We have Betts and Muncy.” You say with so much confidence to him.

Your Philly cheesesteaks come on time and you both open them. It smells so good but the taste is! Was so good!! “OH MY GOODNESS!! This is so good!!! How did I live my life not trying this!?”

“That’s what happens when you're a Dodger fan sugar. All you have is hot dogs.” Miles says.

“That’s not true. We have some BOMB tacos every Tuesday.” You say as you eat your cheesesteak.

Once you guys finish your cheesesteaks Miles makes you a deal. “Hey Y/N you wanna make a deal?”

You were now curious, “what type of deal?”

“I know you live in LA and I currently live here. I don’t want this to end. If the Phillies win tonight, this doesn’t end and we get to keep talking. Even though we live far away from each other.” Miles suggests.

“And what if the Dodgers win?” You ask with a smirk on your face.

“That’s up to you then. But I have much faith in my team that they’re gonna win.” He smiles as the game starts.

Bottom of 9th Inning

It was the bottom of the 9th inning. You guys were both anxious for different reasons.

You were anxious because the Dodgers were winning 4 to 3. Since it was the bottom inning, the Phillies were batting because they were the home team. If someone from the Phillies magically got two runs that would mean Miles would win his bet.

Miles was very anxious too. The Phillies need two more runs and they would win. Except there were two outs and if one more batter got out it would be over.

This was a make-it-or-break-it moment. If this batter gets out it’s game over, but if he hits a run the Phillies still have a chance. As Julio Urías was pitching the last pitch to determine it the umpire declares it as an out.

THE DODGERS HAVE WON!!! All Dodger fans at the stadium we cheering with joy because they won. Miles however wasn’t.

He lost his bet with Y/N and that meant he might never see her again. “OMG MILES!!! WE WON!!! WE WON!!!”

“Congrats to guys I guess?” He says with a sad smile.

You can tell he was sad. He really thought his team was gonna win. “Hey don’t be so sad? Cheer up hot stuff.” You say with a little smile.

“Why would I cheer up. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to see you again.” As he says that you put your arms around his neck and kiss him passionately.

You pull away and ask with a smile, “Does that answer your question hot stuff?”

“That most definitely does sugar.” He kisses you again but this time it gets caught on the Phillies kiss cam.

And this was just the beginning of their relationship and their feud with the Dodgers and Phillies.

A/N: OMG THE FIRST CHAPTER! Hope y'all liked it.

Here's to be added to the taglist

Taglist:(crossed out means I couldn't tag you) @eternalsams @angiem219 @mizzysx @xlynnx07 @withakindheartx @lethalbeautiful @atarmychick007 @shanimallina87 @adoringsebstan @mak-32 @nograce-nomercy @brittancqs

[thevirgodoll]

Hi doll!

Could you give some advice on how to stop being so self critical, and feel like you’re never doing good.

~

Like for instance, although I get good grades I’m always like I could have done better, and never praise myself for it.

Overcoming Self-Criticism

You're in luck, I am a Virgo and one of the most critical people I know. This will be a short, detailed answer.

I find I am the most critical of myself when I don't live in the moment. If every single thing is about what I need to do in the future, then I don't give myself proper credit for now. It's really important to realize that you already have what you need within you.

Just because you feel you could do "better", doesn't mean you aren't trying hard enough. While it's important to take initiative with your goals, it's also important to ask yourself "what am I currently grateful for?" and "what is something that I would love to hear rn from someone else?" Tell yourself affirmations and praise you would want to hear from someone else who loves you!!!

A useful method I use is a quotes widget on my lock screen to remind me throughout the day. Another method I use to reinforce that is sticky notes!!! It really helps to have sticky notes all over my room so that when I feel discouraged, I can look at my sticky note and be like, "okay I AM The Virgo Doll. I am one of one." and in your case, "I am already doing the best I can. I am the smartest girl I know."

Think Beyoncé's Crazy In Love video...as self critical and as Virgo as she is to this day...she still knew she was THAT girl.

Dollhouse Announcement:

This will be my one of my last DETAILED answered advice question, as I am now moving to Patreon. Doll Diaries will be on my upcoming website debuting soon.

Videos and audio content is coming onto YouTube/TikTok for free of course, but members get exclusive content months in advance.

I will still answer questions and you can send requests for posts or videos, but no longer in elaborate detail *unless on Patreon. Your support means the world to me. Tumblr is not a lucrative platform for creators at this time. I will still be active here. Send your questions to my Patreon and I will get back to you exclusively!

If you love my content, you can also support me by buying me a coffee.

[yourlocalegotisticalqueerishere]

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better!

Tagged by @sideguitars thank you bestie :)))

Last song: currently listening to I Wanna Dance With Somebody, but before that it was the Homecoming Live version of Diva by Beyoncé

Favourite colour: pink. Pink my beloved.

Currently reading: Bored Gay Werewolf, which is really good by the way, among others

Currently watching: Station 19 S6, and Criminal Minds. Always Criminal Minds

Last movie: Scooby-Doo (2002) because I needed it in my life

Sweet, spicy or savoury: I'm a sweet toothed bitch, but I do love spicy food (even though it does not love me) and savoury. I guess it depends on the day

Relationship status: deeply, deeply single

Current obsessions: Criminal Minds (shocker), but also kind of Station 19? It's complicated.

Tea or coffee: tea. I'm a Brit at heart

Last thing I googled: Person of Interest

Hmmmmm nine people to tag. No pressure: @puppetsoftomorrow @random-jot @eafee-drawsstuff @mycatismyeditor @nonbinary-alien25 @halfaqueen @nobodyorlando @rockford-peaches @helloiamacashier and anyone else who's interested :)))

[ballplayersxo]

“Her family is well known and it’s a small town he wouldn’t dare 😡”

🤨🧐🤨🧐🤨🧐

Princess Diana from the Spencer family got cheated on by the now King of the Commonwealth who has married his mistress

Kate Middleton, the Princess/Dutchess of Wales (or whatever it is) is allegedly getting cheated on by the Prince/Duke of Wales and her family was also well known in their city before they got together

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter’s family was pretty much known by not only the entire city of Houston but the state of Texas before she got with JayZ, and now they are known by the entire world, and guess what???? BEYONCÉ herself still got cheated on

Jackie O “allegedly” got cheated on by the President when she was the First Lady and her family was well known before she got with JK

Hillary Clinton literally got cheated on by the President in the f*cking Oval Office when she was the First Lady of the USofA and got humiliated in front of not just the nation but the entire f*cking world

Im sure there are women who come from well known families in their hometowns who are married to local/statewide politicians or even just regular dudes who are getting cheated on as well

And the sad part is, guess what all those women (excluding the OG Princess Diana) have in common?

Once they found out about their partner’s infidelity: they stayed.

and there are people who most likely knew this was happening, but to those people, why say something against this powerful man (yes we would usually call those people cowards with no back bone) and it has nothing to do with them and ain’t messing up they pockets?

Im not saying JB9 is a cheater, I really hope he isn’t because that shit isn’t cool at all, and I have nothing against his girlfriend, but to say that she wouldn’t get cheated on because of her family is some top tier nonsense when the most powerful women in the world throughout history have gotten cheated on.

Y’all know the saying: “If Beyoncé got cheated on what does that say about what happens to the rest of us?”

(Of course, not everyone is getting cheated on, there are good men out there believe it or not and I want to believe JB9 is one of them)

Again, I’m not saying he cheats, I really hope he doesn’t because no one deserves to get treated like that whether they accept it or not, but she’s not exempt from it happening to her. Especially when that man is the franchise QB1 that brought that team out from the trenches and is arguably the 2nd best quarterback in the league

I personally don’t think I could stay knowing my partner is out there doing me wrong whether in public or doing it quietly,

but those women I listed above have the mindset that “ a power couple is better than what else I could get or if I stay single” (which is unfortunate, bc we deserve the force that a single Beyoncé would give). JB9 & her ain’t on that level, maybe in Cincinnati I guess, but ykwim

I don’t know what goes on in their relationship it really ain’t our business, but it seems like the girl is doing just fine regardless

But y’all fans need to be so forreal

And if it helps, I used to be painfully naive too, but then when growing up and reading blogs like this or LSA or hearing things in the news, or just seeing what happens in my city……yeah, unfortunately the rose tinted glasses fall off and get stepped on real fast without mercy (and this is coming from a 24yo hopeless romantic)

Sorry this is so long but last thing:

I’m rooting for all y’all ladies out there 😘 be safe girly pops!

It’s hard out here for women, and people (including women) don’t care about us when it protects their favorite men

this is such an excellent post lmao thank you for this anon cause the girlies have lost their damn minds when it comes to speculating about athletes cheating. none of us are safe and i think that’s the main point we have to remember

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 06/07/2024

Some may argue that this is the first Labour-led #1 on the UK Singles Chart since 2010. I would disagree: much of the tracking week, like has been the case since at least 2021, has been under the watchful eye of a functionally flailing Conservative government, but indeed, Labour got their landslide victory, and if we’re going for political analogies, it seems pretty apt that in an election where the Conservatives are doing anything for you to stick with them and Labour’s just desperate to get anything done in spite of their organisation… I feel like a third week at #1 for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” is pretty fitting. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: language, UK politics

Rundown

As always, we start with our notable dropouts, which if you don’t follow the show, are songs exiting the UK Top 75 (that’s the region I cover) after five weeks there or a peak in the top 40. This week, we bid farewell to: “Genesis.” by RAYE - awfully prematurely but as to be expected with a song structured like that - “Pedro” by Jaxomy, Agatino Romero and the late Raffaella Carrá, “We Ain’t Here for Long” by Nathan Dawe, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande, “Thank You (Not So Bad)” by a rogues gallery of people who should know better - Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiesto, Dido and W&W to be specific - as well as “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé and finally, “Valerie” by Mark Ronson and the late Amy Winehouse.

So what’s filling in the gaps? Well, bizarrely enough, some songs that had dropped out just last week: “3 Lions” is at #73 of course, I’ve written extensively about that song, but “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor and Cris Mj has also crept his way back in at #75 for some reason, and same goes for “Carry You Home” by Alex Warren at #60. We also have a Glastonbury impact in terms of its most viral performers having catalogue songs returning: Coldplay’s “Yellow” and “Viva la Vida” are back at #66 and #63 respectively, and they peaked at #4 and #1 respectively too. The latter debuted at the top for one week in 2008 whilst “Yellow” was stalled out by another suprisingly still relevant act, Eminem, who was #1 that week in 2000 with “The Real Slim Shady”. In addition, their new track, “feelslikeimfallinginlove” soars up to #16. The second notable Glastonbury impact is Dua Lipa, as not only is the #2-peaking “Houdini” from last year back at #38 but she sees a gain for “Illusion” at #25.

Speaking of gains, we definitely have a plenty notable ones here, starting with “The Man Who Can’t be Moved” by The Script at #55, “misses” by Dominic Fike at #50, “Kisses” by BL3SS and CamrinWatsin featuring bbyclose at #35, “NIGHTS LIKE THIS” by The Kid LAROI at #30 (helpful reminder that this song isn’t even 90 seconds), “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan at #26, and finally, “KEHLANI” by Jordan Adetunji at #24. Looking pretty dire, Starmer, you’ve got to release a diss track to spice up the game.

And now of course, finally we have the top five where there’s not much change but what is there I’m sure will make a lot of folks happy. Firstly, Billie Eilish’s “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is steady at #5 - in fact, the rest of the top five is completely still - but secondly, Chappell Roan brings her breakout “Good Luck, Babe!” to #4, and outside of the fact that her other songs are doing so well that the streams might be spread out, I don’t really see it going anywhere. Otherwise, it’s as normal: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey at #3, and Sabrina Carpenter with the top two spots: “Espresso” at #2 and the aforementioned “Please Please Please” at the very top. The gap between the two is tiny, but also pretty unimportant: it’d be Sabrina either way. That’s that Keir espresso, or something to that effect.

New Entries

#61 - “Move” - Adam Port, Stryv, Keinemusik, Orso and Malachiii

Produced by Adam Port and Stryv

Okay, I’ll bite: who in God’s name are any of these people? Seriously, it’s not every day that five acts debut out of nowhere all on one song. To be fair, this was bubbling under the top 75 last week, and it has 39 million streams since June worldwide, so clearly there’s a big hit on these guys’ hands… I just want to know how the royalties are split. I feel like Mr. Port gets a bigger slice of the pie here, as thankfully, some of these guys are actually the same people. Port is a DJ from Germany who is part of the Keinemusik collective, though no other members feature on this track. Those who do however include Stryv, who is also credited twice as Orso is actually another DJ duo between him and Justin Kam. Stryv also seems to be pretty proud of his work on Ye’s VULTURES 1, so much so that he even pinned it on his Instagram. Telling. As for Malachiii, he’s a California singer who acts as the vocalist on this Afro house track that despite all the names attached is relatively relaxed and subtle in its execution. It’s got a slightly chalky Afrobeats groove, a very staccato lead melody to begin with that does get a bit annoying and some minimal Auto-Tuned vocals from the nasal Malachiii who I suppose does his job within the cloudy atmosphere, and I wouldn’t expect much lyrically, but there’s still very little here other than a relatively solid beat and constant wooshing and flowing. There’s barely even a drop, mostly just a synth that slides in occasionally, and that might be for the best, as it seems much more concerned with just flowing across smoothly, which it… tries. The second clap sound they bring in is way too loud and mixed bizarrely so it just sounds obtrusive, and there’s really not enough here melodically to chew into for it to function on “just the vibe, man”. Honestly, for three producers, it’s impressive how dull this ends up being.

#49 - “Rockstar” - LISA

Produced by Ryan Tedder and Sam Homaee

For your badass solo single about living the dangerous rockstar life, you bring in the most milquetoast pop rock singer and one of this milennium’s safest songwriting choices on the boards. That really should tell you all you need to know about the new single from LISA, a member of BLACKPINK who seems closely tied with JENNIE in terms of who is the biggest solo star so far. As the first of our two K-pop songs, which really makes up for half of what is a nothing week, I was at least expecting some punch and we do get that, with an annoying beeping synth is placed under vaguely factorial but not quite industrial trap drums, that end up not hitting nearly as hard as they should be. As for convincing me on selling the rockstar lifestyle… maybe some actual guitars would help, or at least an instrumental that isn’t minimal weaksauce outside of abrupt, bizarre synth blasts that would act as interludes if there wasn’t a more fitting phrase: random insertions of unfitting textures in place of actually being interesting. Also, there’s nothing rockstar about synth organs, or having gold grills you don’t use, or knowing Japanese. If the life is so fast, big and exciting, and you’ve got a beat that isn’t subverting that hard-hitting expectation, at least sound like you could care about selling it, both lyrically and in the delivery, because this isn’t even on an annoying level of obnoxious or heavy. It’s once again just stunted and dull. If that’s the theme for this week, well, I suppose make a political analogy out of that, it’s not difficult.

#47 - “GIRLS” - The Kid LAROI

Produced by Jon Bellion, Pete Nappi, Rogét Chahayed and Tenroc

I really thought that LAROI’s career has been hanging on strings for years now, and I’m still not entirely convinced that’s not the case, but he still ends up notching minor hits just out of complete luck, I suppose. Spin of the draw, surely, because the songs aren’t particularly any more catchy, unique or charismatic than other pop singers, including this one’s co-producer, Jon Bellion, who seems to make every song he writes a hit, for anyone other than himself. In this one, he tries to flip Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” but I suppose they didn’t have the budget so he just… plainly references it instead when the song’s chorus reads as if it were clearly written with nostalgia sample bait in mind. For whatever reason, this was replaced with a flat orchestra and buzzing, Neptunes-lite groove that isn’t awful but is still plain and much stodgier than Pharrell or Chad Hugo would ever allow. LAROI himself is whiny and useless as always - that’s not even an insult, he’s practically trying to be - and there’s something particularly gross about the sinister, whispering delivery Mr. LAROI opts for when flipping an anthem for women having fun and being themselves into how he’s just trying to get some ass. It’s decidedly unpleasant, barely saved by a surprisingly decent swell and sizzle in the bridge that shows at least one guy in pop music - probably Jon Bellion - still cares about bridges. Yet I still prefer it to half of this week. It’s nights like these, I suppose.

#46 - “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” - Jimin featuring Loco

Produced by TBHits, Mr. Franks, Pdogg and GHSTLOOP

…Huh? Okay, so the smeraldo flower apparently has a deep connection to BTS lore and iconography, first being used in 2017 and ending up featured on cover arts, promotional pictures and the like. Hence, when releasing his solo single for his upcoming album, Jimin fused the concept with that of a similarly massive band with an obsessed fanbase, the Beatles - and “obsessed” isn’t necessarily a negative in either case. The Smeraldo Garden Marching Band sounds like word salad but seems to reference Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, and he’s enlisted fellow Korean rapper Loco for a track with similar swell and narrative to that record… right? Well, no, but there is a certain childlike joy to the chipmunk vocal chop and the cheering sound effects used to punctuate Jimin’s unfortunately Auto-Tuned and often weirdly-inflected lyrics, flinging between Korean and English. I actually really like the goofy ad-libs and decoration added all over the mix, even just for tonal clash’s sake, but I’m somewhat disappointed in the actual song, which feels a bit underwritten given the nothingness of the basic, lovestruck chorus and a surprisingly blank production that does not layer the mix as consistently or as effectively to not demonstrate some of the faults of both artists’ vocal deliveries, with Loco in particular coming off as indistinguishable and avoidable, though Jimin’s vocal processing fading right into the drums he’s against is pretty egregious too. By the time the horns come in above the heavy-handed drums, I start to understand the silliness and bombast it’s going for - maybe a late-stage Panic! at the Disco - but for a song with that name, it spends way too much of its runtime on a five when it could probably justify being on eleven, and I think Jimin would be up for that. As it stands, it functions, I just don’t really vibe with it as much as what could have been.

Conclusion

Welp, welcome to Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer. I feel like you don’t need a mediocre chart week to have your stint in power recognised largely as mid, but it helps. Worst of the Week goes to LISA, sadly, for “Rockstar” - I don’t dislike BLACKPINK and they can sell more bombast and fun than she did here - and Best of the Week fittingly goes to the other K-pop act, Jimin, for “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” featuring Loco. Hey, a fun title will get you places in my books. Thank you for reading this short little episode, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

[natlacentral]

Elizabeth Yu Surrounds Herself With Fan Art

The corseted leather armor Elizabeth Yu wears on Avatar: The Last Airbender is what really transformed her into Princess Azula, the show’s cut-throat, fire-bending, conniving villain. The costume snapped Yu’s posture into place while filming, keeping her back straight as she stomped onto set while listening to a playlist that included “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado. “Walking around with that playing in your ear, how could you not feel like the baddest bitch in the room?” the 21-year-old actress tells the Cut from her apartment in New York, which she shares with three cats and her boyfriend, Stranger Things’ Gaten Matarazzo. “I couldn’t really relax back into my own body language.”

On the original Peabody-winning animated series, the blue-fire-shooting character of Azula doesn’t actually appear until the second season. In the highly anticipated live-action adaptation, which premiered February 22 on Netflix, we get to know more about Azula behind the scenes while Aang and his crew fly around the world training to take down her father, Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). “We’re laying a foundation for her to jump off of,” Yu says of the earlier-than-expected introduction to her character. After filming Avatar when she was 19, Yu went on to appear in the critically acclaimed film May December, in which she plays Mary Atherton-Yoo, one of three children raised by two controversial parents (Julianne Moore and Charles Melton).

Below, Yu shares the advice Melton offered on set that she follows to this day as the young actress blazes her own path in Hollywood.

Were you a fan of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series before auditioning for this role?

I was one of those kids who was only allowed to watch Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. So I would watch all the reruns, but I didn’t actually see it all the way through until the audition process. Growing up you see it as a children’s cartoon so there are all these zany adventures, but then actually watching all the way through I was like, This is actually so good. There are a lot of lessons that you can take through your whole life.

It feels to me, as an outsider, that we’re in a breakthrough moment for Asian representation in media. Are you feeling that shift in the opportunities coming your way as a young actor?

Hopefully! I’m really lucky to just be starting in this sort of new era of Asian representation. It’s also so amazing to be able to work with actors who were the ones to lay out that sort of format that we are now able to play with. I’m reminded of it every single day I go to work through new auditions that I’m getting and seeing new movies. Past Lives was groundbreaking for me. Here’s this movie that is probably 75 percent in Korean, but it’s so American. And it’s a love story that everyone can relate to with a female Asian lead. That and Everything Everywhere All at Once — it’s healing the little Asian girl in me.

Moving onto our Taste Test — Where do you get your best culture recommendations from?

I follow a lot of Asian artists and creators on Instagram. There’s this new band Wasia Project I’ve been listening to a lot recently. I’m also half-white, half-Korean, so following mixed-race artists is really cool. Trying to surround myself with Asian creatives is a huge part of why I love doing what I do. I also like to keep up with Michelle Zauner, Bailey Bass, David Iacono, a lot of my actor friends. And Daniel Dae Kim!

Which celebrities, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party?

Beyoncé. Everyone loves Beyoncé. Michelle Yeoh, Michelle Obama, William Shakespeare, and Stephen Sondheim.

What’s the last meal you cooked for dinner?

I made a leftover risotto kind of thing two days ago. I had leftover rice and a bunch of vegetables in my fridge: broccoli, peas, corn, celery, onions. I boiled the leftover rice in chicken stock and added heavy cream to it. It’s actually really good.

What is your pre-filming ritual? 

I make a playlist for every character that I play. I had to make a good Azula playlist because I needed a hype up before I walked on set. Eminem’s “Without Me” is on there, that one was really helpful. There’s also “Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz, “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado, and “Pride” by Kendrick Lamar. I’m pretty proud of the playlist actually.

What’s your comfort rewatch?

I love rewatching movies. I watch Perks of Being a Wallflower a lot, Call Me By Your Name, The Breakfast Club. My favorite movie of all time is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I’ll throw it back on if I’m feeling uninspired.

What’s the best piece of gossip you’ve ever heard?

When Solange slapped Jay-Z in the elevator. If I could travel through space and time and be in one place it would be in that elevator. I’ve done a deep dive on TikTok and YouTube of like, Here’s everything that was leading up to that moment and what could have been said. I love that pop-culture moment. I think it’s absolutely iconic.

Favorite game to play?

I just recently started getting into video games. This is a new development from the strike, just being home not doing anything. I started playing Hogwarts Legacy. Fuck J.K. Rowling, but I loved it. I started playingBaldur’s Gate, the Dungeons & Dragons game. I spent months and months finishing that game. I’m on the final boss now but I don’t want to finish it, it’s so good.

What music do you listen to when you’re alone?

I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks. Jon Brion’s soundtracks are really good, he did Lady Bird. I like a lot of the A24 soundtracks. I like romantic, sad music. I don’t know why. I’ll play it while I’m cleaning or cooking.

Name a book you couldn’t put down?

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Actually I had to put that down because it was too sad, but I’m picking it back up. I blew through The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. It’s a pretty easy read, but it’s so interesting to see her perspective of everything we were seeing in pop culture. I’m also reading Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman right now, it’s really good.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I ever received was from Charles Melton. When we were filming May December, he was constantly offering me advice and mentoring. I filmed Avatar first, but this was my first big movie, it’s the first time I’m doing all this stuff. And he was just like: “Whatever career decisions you’re facing, follow what you want to do, not what you think you should do, or what everyone else is telling you that you should do — and you’ll never regret a decision.” That was really helpful.

What about bad advice?

I can’t think of bad advice I’ve been given. Probably because when I hear bad advice I’m like Yeah, okay, let me expel that from my memory.

Favorite piece of art you own?

I live with my boyfriend and he gets a lot of cool fan art that he collects. He was on Broadway last year and got a lot of fan art from that. So we have that sporadically around our apartment. We have to keep it around because it’s so good! There’ll be little paintings of him and his cast members or like, bracelets that people have made him.

What show is your boyfriend not allowed to watch without you?

We’re currently watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith and he is not allowed to watch that until he comes back home and sits down to watch with me. Once I heard that Maya and Donald were doing it, I was like, This is going be my whole personality, I have to watch this. And it is now my whole personality.

What would your last meal be?

A mixture of guilty-pleasure foods. Raising Cane’s, and I’m notoriously known for my obsession with Applebee’s breadsticks and Alfredo sauce. Oh and my boyfriend makes bomb-ass Kraft mac ’n’ cheese.

[whiskeyswifty]

Tell us how your renaissance tour concert was!!

omggggggg absolutely SPECTACULAR. I've seen bey a few times, mrs. carter and the formation tour, and every time has been better than the last but this...... this was on another level. the crowd was like a live wire, totally jam packed metlife stadium (we did not win the on mute award though because new yorkers are are STUPID. my hometown of DC won though i'm proud to say :)) Every single minute of it, was expertly paced, even down to starting with ballads which is kind of an insane move??? She sang like idk 4-5 ballads to open the show and honestly that was a very smart choice. Most people leave slower stuff for the end, but Bey's show is also 3.5 hours so by hour 3.... yeah you're already tired so a slow song is NOT the move. Also, to open with her voice just BOOMING like that, absolutely stunning and her riffs!!! her adlibs!!! as the sun sets!!!! MY GODDDDDDDD it's life changing to hear her live. I cannot recommend it enough, especially when she sings ballads. the piano player was also this hot woman that my gf and i were like oh???? kiss???? they didn't but bey sat ON the piano for most of the ballads so i'll settle for that.

then the show really started and it was PHENOMENAL!!!!! mind blowing what she did with some of the robot arms and the set pieces she had. There was this one part where the robot arms "painted" stained glass onto her and the dancers outfits???? it was't actually painting it, but I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY DID IT???? The show was so high energy, so joyful, and also so funny??? i haven't laughed that hard at a fucking stadium tour show like.... ever?? like not even her banter, which she doesn't do much of, just that the show had BITS. America has a problem has the famous news desk that i'm sure you've seen, which says KNTY News.... cunty news..... SCREAM. she also comes out in this stupid ass bee helmet that's sooooooo funny to see on her. There's one part where a giant sliver vertical mattress is brought out seamlessly, pillows and all, and they wrap her in it like in a split second and SHE PRETENDS TO TAKE A NAP STANDING UP!!!! FOR NO REASON. IN BETWEEN SONGS. she's just having sooo much fun, making such silly faces, saying silly shit. it really felt like a huge party and was just the most joyous and cathartic show i've ever been a part of. not a single second where you wanted to sit down or stop dancing. les twins were SOO GOOD and this one part at the end of america has a problem they got up on huge poles and were like swinging over the audience?? some real cirque du soleil shit. and the end of heated live... screaming with 65k people.... THAT is gay culture. AND IN THE END SHE RIDES ON A GIANT BEDAZZLED HORSE. IN THE AIR. The stage as well was really cool, how they used the visuals to transform it into sets and the giant circle in the middle, which YES turned into a cyborg's open vagina because why not??? just.... unreal. god i could gush about it forever, if you can manage to get tickets, go see it. it's dazzling and unreal and the production value, the spectacle of it all, the pacing and the energy, not to mention Beyoncé is the single greatest singer/performer currently living and she's incredible to behold. the voice, the choreo, the art direction of it all, just beyond compare.

i have to take a minute to just say..... the interludes...... oh fucking BITCH they were soooooooooooooooooo galaxy brain genius. works of art!!! every single one!!!! like short films!!!!! some of them were abstract and some of them were actual footage. There's one part where cyborg beyonce taps the camera lens and it's a VERY cool moment and was the one on the NY exclusive merch. one was a short film of the ballroom scene from the 80s/90s, i'd venture to guess, and i got so emotional seeing all of those queer people back then, most of them black and brown, full of joy and life. to spotlight them during this show like that was so beautiful, celebrate them now in front of all those people and see that despite the horrors our community has always faced, they always found joy and happiness, i couldn't handle it i got teary. Immediately afterwards they went into the Pure/honey section where the dancers did the ballroom portion and HONEY BALENCIAGA CAME OUT EVEN THO SHE WAS INJURED THATS A HOMETOWN GWORL. anyway i had a fucking phenomenal time if you couldn't tell. there's an amazing photo my best friend took of me and my gf where i'm just standing there gobsmacked, jaw on the floor, and my gf is a blur in the background cuz she didn't stop dancing the whole night. one for the ages!

[lmjupdates]

IN CONVERSATION WITH LAUREN JAUREGUI

Interview by Jana Letonja

Multi-platinum Cuban-American singer-songwriter Lauren Jauregui has projected her voice across popular culture, including collaborations with everyone from Halsey and Steve Aoki to Ty Dolla Sign and Russ. Her sophomore EP ‘In Between’ was released on 26th May.

Lauren, your new EP ‘In Between’, which was just released, dives inward to craft an ode to the process of becoming one’s true, whole self. Tell us more about the inspiration and meaning of this EP.

This project is I feel titled pretty appropriately. It is a collection of songs, opened by a spoken word piece also titled ‘In Between’, which I think really captures what this project means. The ‘In Between’ is the space before you fully arrive,so these are pieces of figuring out and releasing to be honest. I’ve held these songs for 5 years, so it’s good to just let them go and for everyone to be able to hear and feel and live with them.

Your new single from the EP, ‘Wolves’, features Ty Dolla Sign and Russ. It marks your first collaboration with Ty Dolla Sign since 2017. How was it collaborating with him again, after such a long time?

I have a lot of respect for both Ty and Russ as artists and humans and I consider them both friends of mine. They’re two people who have always uplifted, supported, shown up and helped guide my spirit in this industry, so working with them on this song was an easy choice, especially back in 2018 when it was made. I’m grateful they both still believed in it the way I did and still do. The message is timeless. It’s about finding your light and purpose and allowing yourself to chase your dreams and visions outside of the constructs and BS they feed us.

The first two released singles from the EP are a poignant ballad ‘Always Love’ and vulnerable and intimate ‘Trust Issues’. What are the stories behind these two personal and deep singles?

They both are branches on the same tree of time. ‘Always Love’ is an ode to unconditional love and the way that I love. I wrote it when I was trying to process my feelings of a breakup. And ‘Trust Issues’ stemmed from the same period of healing, where people start entering your life or you’re lightly dating again, but you’re warning this lover that you’re probably not in the best time to be getting too involved in a relationship.

Your first album ‘Prelude’ showcased every side of you with no shortage of spirit, sensuality, style and soul. How does ‘In Between’ differ from it? And in what ways does it connect to it?

To me ‘Prelude’ and ‘In Between’ are sisters. They’re songs that came from the same version of me. The naive, stubborn, healing, grateful, excited, scared, passionate, present, ambitious dreamer that allowed me to get to where I am today and these songs are her exploring her healing, heart and self. They would’ve been part of the same project once upon a time to introduce myself, but I’m not her anymore. I’ve grown and she’s evolved, but these songs are still as much a part of my journey as the ones that will come from who I’ve been since you all last heard from me. So they had to be heard.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations and influences and why?

I honestly have a really wide range if I’m being real. I’m heavily inspired by pop, r&b, alternative rock music. I love salsa, boleros and reggaetón. I was heavily influenced by growing up in Miami and around my dad who was in a bunch of bands and always playing the drums and music in the house. I love a whole wide range of things. It’s hard for me to fit into a box, but if I think of who I’m inspired by, I’m inspired by all the badass songstresses, songwriters and producers like Hayley Williams, Amy Winehouse, Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Summer Walker, SZA, Kali Uchis, Jhene Aiko, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Lana Del Rey, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Kaytranada, Shakira, Celia Cruz. I like people who tell their stories through their music. I love Jazz too. I’m hard to pin, which is my strength and weakness I suppose. I’m versatile.

You’ve collaborated with many artists, from Halsey to Steve Aoki to Ty Dolla Sign and Russ, who are all from different genres. How do you choose who you’re going to collaborate with? What makes it exciting to create outside of your genre?

I don’t believe I’ve defined a genre for myself as of yet. Like I mentioned, I’m influenced by energy from a lot of different genres, so getting to explore making music with artists I’m friends with and look up to and am inspired by is really my only goal with collaborations. Having fun and creating interesting things with other creatives is a blessing.

Tell us more about your songwriting process. What usually inspires you the most when writing songs?

I feel very inspired by love and being alive. The sounds and whatever the producer and I are feeling that day usually drive the direction the song goes in. I love exploring a concept from beginning to end and for the music to align with the words. I usually start off with a track and then build the melodies by playing around until I find what I like and then write the words.

Being in the spotlight can be challenging? How do you deal with it?

I’ve been doing this for a while, so I think at a certain point there was acceptance. I’m grateful to do what I love and I focus on the real love and support around me. Just stay grounded and true to myself at all times.

Lauren, you also actively speak up for social justice initiatives, including human rights, women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. What are your views and opinions on these pressuring matters?

Well, that’s a vague question, but I think my overall opinion in reference to the why is just that I believe we are all worthy of safety and a right to live life joyously and as ourselves, no matter our identity. I believe we all deserve to have the right to life, freedom, clean water and foods, shelter and autonomy over our bodies and minds. That’s what I believe and I just try my best to speak that truth to power as often as I can when handed a mic. I also believe it’s extremely important to be as loud about love as possible for this world to even remotely begin to shift into one where that can be a reality for everyone.

Now that your new EP is out, what is coming up next? Can you share a bit about your upcoming projects.

I’m focused on ‘In Between’ right now. She’s really fresh and new in the world, so I’m going to let her take a breath and live a little. In the meantime, I’ll be creating for my debut album while traveling a bit this summer and I’ll be going on tour in the Fall.

talent LAUREN JAUREGUI @laurenjauregui photographer BRIANNA ALYSSE @brialysse photo editor KWAMI LEE @notemplate.xyz stylist RAZ MARTINEZ @itsmerazzie make-up VITTORIO MASECCHIA @vittoriomasecchiabeuty hair NATHANIEL DEZAN @nathanieldezan producer DANIELLE HAWKINS @daniellehstyles @tunnelmediagroup editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA @timiletonja

[tridentarius]

Tag game: tag people you want to know better! (tysm for the tag @tigraine-mantear <3333)

Favourite time of the year: april-september, because it’s the best weather to take long walks in :)

Comfort foods: I don’t have a ‘favorite food’ but I do like it when my mother cooks sausage and beef curry for me lol

Do you collect anything: nah nothing really. That’s never been my style to collect anything.

Favourite drinks: orange juice (no pulp)

Favorite music artists: for the past year I’ve been super into car seat headrest, fiona apple, beyoncé, japanese breakfast, and BUCK-tick

Current favourite songs: I’ve been listening to the gun song by car seat headrest and carrion by fiona apple repeatedly

Favourite fics: mostly I’ve been reading star wars fics but also some fire emblem and locked tomb on the side, here’s some of em:

1. the shovel - the locked tomb - mercymorn/augustine. Rated M. (probably the best locked tomb fic I’ve read I love the lyctors’ immortal saint war criminal behavior, why did the author orphan their tlt fics 😭)

2. at arm’s length - the locked tomb - gideon/harrow. Rated T. (I don’t even read much griddlehark fics, much less modern AU, because reading tlt I’m getting the full griddlehark experience, but this author’s griddlehark fics are soooo good esp their modern AUs)

3. afterimage - star wars - padme amidala/darth vader. Rated M. (I looooove the lovecraftian use of archaic and lush prose here)

4. cutting down the family tree - fire emblem: three houses - no pairing, edelgard centric. Rated M. (probably the best fe3h fic I’ve read just yet, it gets dark tho wrt edelgard’s backstory, heed the warnings)

5. red meat - star wars - no pairing, darth vader and darth sidious centric. Rated M. (the author is probably one of the best fanfic writers I’ve ever read, I’ve read almost all their star wars fics. i really really love their fucked up, corpse-ridden prose, like a dead dog getting dissected by a surgical knife kinda vibes, again heed the warnings)

favourite video games: Uhhh I don’t exactly have a single ‘favorite’. I really love the last of us, the first game I played on ps4 therefore I’m always had some attachment to it, and bloodborne, but I got fire emblem: three houses in like july this year and it’s kinda taken over my life, sawry. currently im playing elden ring, hades, and I just got fire emblem: three hopes on black friday. I’ve been in a gamer mood lately.

Tagging: @frogdilf @helenfrankenthaler @alcahuetas @warmsafflinas @bonebutchblues @harrowhark @buffyboyfriend @elliewilliams @zutaralesbian @furiousfinnstan @lesbianahsokatano @sithbian

[thegirlwiththelilactattoo]

no. 2, or some of my favorite things of 2022

Uh oh, did I say I was gonna blog weekly and now it's been 4 months? My bad!

In the time since I last posted I: started writing my diss/was told to stop writing my diss to do data analysis, completed fieldwork, added another member to my committee, and got accepted to two conferences. This is sweeping over a lot of things that sucked a lot and I'll need to talk about in therapy for the next 5 or so years, but that's grad school, babes. All in all it's been an incredibly stressful semester. I am really looking forward to having a restful break in December focusing on writing a chapter in December!

I also decided to turn this into a catch all blog for My Thoughts outside of academic things! And since it's the end of the year, I'm doing a lil favorite things of 2022.

Various Academic Things

Data analysis: I looked at other qualitative data softwares and chose to use ATLAS.ti for my dissertation. I am a...let's just say neurodivergent person and ATLAS.ti was the most aesthetically pleasing and intuitive software for me. It has a ton of features and data analysis capabilities, most of which I've barely used, but the ones I've tried have been useful.

Writing: I'm basic. I use Scrivener. It confuses me. I don't know if I recommend it.

Scheduling: I highly recommend Calendly. I should have used it from the jump to schedule dissertation interviews instead of going back and forth over email with my interlocutors. Now that I'm done with interviews, I use Calendly for students to schedule office hours appts. I like the Zoom and calendar integration, so once the link is sent, it's very hands off on my end.

Coworking: Re: the whole neurodivergence thing, coworking has been a real boon for me. My friend and I have a standing cowork session on Friday and it's been a great time for us to catch up and suffer through school stuff together. We keep each other accountable during our lil pomodoros and I miraculously get work done.

Going to the Writing Center??? I recently started going to my school's writing center for feedback on my applications and it's been so helpful.

Music

Beyoncé Gisele Knowles has run my life this year. "Renaissance" is the best album of 2022. I've also been running up "Currents" by Tame Impala for the entirety of this year and I don't see that changing in 2023.

Honorable Mentions: "Running Away" by VANO3000, "Them Changes" by Thundercat, "Eastside" by DAISY (RIP to such a good band)

Playlists I've Been Loving: roslyn rainy day kinda vibe, sad girl starter pack

Shows/Movies

Depression has sort of ruined my ability to consume visual media. And for the better part of the last decade, I have enjoyed and perhaps made it "a personality" to watch bad movies. I noticed this year that I became afraid (in a sense) to let myself watch movies that were good. It's a weird thing. My goal for next year is to get comfortable watching things that are good. I want to watch movies that make me feel something instead of solely engaging with a film because it's awful. That just doesn't speak to me anymore as a fulfilling way of being in the world.

At any rate, the most impactful movie I saw this year was Everything Everywhere All At Once. I saw this movie four times in the theatre and each time I got something new from it. It made me cry and laugh and feel like I could try to hope in a life that often feels meaningless.

Honorable Mentions: Bram Stokers Dracula dir. Francis Ford Coppola, The Batman dir. Matt Reeves, The Menu dir. Mark Mylod

Recipes

I have been LOVING this Kale Walnut Salad from frommybowl. It's super easy to make, refreshing, and is perfect to take advantage of really good apples.

Honorable Mentions: I've gotten rave reviews on this pumpkin bread.

Beauty/Aesthetics

This past year, I have finally mastered the wash and go. I used to be a twists girlie, but wash and gos last longer and look better on my hair. I think my hair is also the healthiest it's ever been. It's hard to pick a single product that I've loved the most for my hair, but the duo supreme is: Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic and Innersense I Create Hold for a perfect wash and go every time.

Honorable Mentions: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 71 Perfume Mist, elf Brow Lift, ILIA The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Nude

I think that's everything???? Sadly, I have read nary a book for leisure, but that's something for future me to ruminate on. I hope this was moderately interesting and I will try!!! to not take 4 months to post another thing :)

[godiswithuss]

i think my biggest problem with “tiktok” songs is the fact that it’s so hand fed. tiktok kudus to them, have created such an expansive platform where old songs like that one miguel song, deep michael jackson hits, RADIOHEAD and SADE. are not popular songs with the young generation. but, the way they found it is so handfed that it bothers me so much because I HAD TO LOOK FOR THAT SHIT!?!?! DO YOU KNOW HOW I HAD TO FIND RADIOHEAD MUSIC??? first i listened to kanye west, then i listened to bon iver because kanye was inspired and worked with him, then i listed to james blake because kanye was also working with him, then i found out kanye was inspired by thom yorke and finally i listened to kid a for the first time in my life in August of 2018 and my life changed forever. and while i was working my way through radiohead, i found out more about kanye i found out about bon iver i found out about james blake and found these amazing songs and videos and live performances from them. if the car behind you, can’t make you love, vh1 storytellers. and all of this led me to find radiohead. but now, some 14 year old “and this is when i REALLY start sounding like a fucking boomer” just scrolls on tiktok, finds a sade song without having that experience of finding it on its own or someone cool asf sharing it with him. i know there’s this big thing of hate keeping and not letting anyone put you on which… TRUST I DO THAT SHIT TOO!!! but so many people showed me new music. and people on twitter as well which shows the hypocrisy in my words. but my ex girlfriend showed me mac miller, yunglame put me on to pharrell in may of 2018 which is now one of my favorite albums, this cool girl on twitter who’s username used to be ughgaby posted a lot about the smiths which introduced me to it. but i feel like tiktok has completely stripped that experience away which i felt was such a human experience. sharing music, finding music, that rush of searching through songs good and bad and you hear a song that immediately sweeps you and over time becomes your favorite song. there’s just something so wonderfully human about that.

this also sprung up another “problem” or rather just deepened a trend which is, the death of album. and to be fair, even i’ve succumbed to it. in 2015 prince went up on the grammy stage and said “like books and black lives, albums still matter” at the time streaming was getting more and more popular and artists and music lovers were fearing that albums would be going by the wayside as now artist were more focused on making that 1 billion stream hit and now a cohesive album that is personal to the artists. which made artists like beyoncé, kanye, and drake have different takes on this. beyoncé tried to go the traditional route, kanye announced the death of physical media with tlop and drake would put out a “playlist” called more life. all of this was happening when i was 14/15. and now that i am 21, i think prince would kill himself if he saw the current state of albums. after the rise of tiktok, it has become even WORSE. because, while these old artists have increased in popularity, it’s only select songs. while i’m sure that some in the young generation have gone out and listened to artists which,hey maybe i’m wrong, maybe this is how these teenagers are founding these artists and diving deep into their music, i would argue that most kids now listen to a playlist where they put all of their favorite songs in the moment and never think twice about listening to an entire album. and tbh, even i have succumbed to it. in 2020, my most played songs were stringed from albums. you would see 8-9 tracks from my favorite albums in the year. this is before i had tiktok. now in 2023, i have a list of just singles that i’ve been playing because even now i listen to a playlist of new one off songs and i can’t even remember the last time i had an entire album playing or even listened to an entire album. a clear personal example is astroworld vs utopia.

this is another BSCK IN MY DAY story. but wtv. on August 3rd 2018, ASTROWORLD came out. one my favorite albums of all time. one of the most anticipated albums in my lifetime. there was not a person at my school that didn’t listen to it, wasn’t taking about, and didn’t post it on their snapchat story. i listened to it at least once a day and it didn’t leave my rotation until october and november and even then, sicko mode wouldn’t die off until 2019. now let’s take utopia, another one my most anticipated albums, something that i’ve been waiting for 5 YEARS for. i listened to it at 10PM july 27th 2023. i even live posted my reaction on tumblr. it’s september 14th and i have not listened to it all the way through since. BUT I PUT MY EYES AND TELEKINESIS IN MY PLAYLIST!!! and it’s not because it’s a bad album, i actually LOVED the album when it came out but it’s just not in me to play it. i’ve changed so much that i don’t even listen to full albums anymore. which i get that people will say “bro stfu you just changed how you listened to music” but i feel like it’s the why i changed i feel like tiktok and others influenced me to listen to more “singles” than albums which i fear because albums are the most beautiful thing an artists can make and i’ll carry my favorite albums to my tombstone.

idk, maybe i’m just waffalling and i know i’m fucking 21 and i already sound like fucking “WELL BACK IN MY DAYYY” but that shows just how faster generation to generation are changing. for the most part i can relate a lot to how a 26 or 27 year old grew up. we had the same pre social media internet and we had the same technology more or less

but i’d love to hear what other people have to say and i know a lot of youtube always go” LWAVW A COMMENT ID LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU TJINK” and they don’t give a fuck but i’d love to hear others opinions especially kids in Gen X who are growing up now and have no recollection of what culture in 2016/2017 was and if you’re like 28 stfu i already know your opinion this isn’t about you.

p.s this whole rant was inspired by a tiktok of iniesta with weird fishes by radiohead which reminded me how much music and how i had to listen to the entire album to find that song while some fucking kid knows it from a football compilation on tiktok…. (sigh… at least i’ll always have go slowly 😌) maybe i’m just jealous of how easy it is now lol.

i guess another thing im curious about is, do you like the song or do you just like this certain part? can you listen to an entire song are you still listening to a build to the beginning to the verse not just the hook?? i feel like it’s too many hook music which i remember when X put out ? and a few people were upset at the length of the song and some people called it from a mile away that this is the direction music is headed and tbh… THEY WERE RIGHT, popular songs usually are shorter and just try to get to the hook as fast as possible and even starting with it sometimes

- October 25, 2023