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judithsupportsteamchampery · 5 years

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Why you’ve made my winter!

- by Judith Dombrowski

My personal Team Champéry season review

This is dedicated to figure skater Deniss Vasiljevs, coach and figure skater Stéphane Lambiel and their manager Christopher Trevisan!

My very special thanks to my mother Beate. Without you nothing of this would have been possible. I can say with my whole heart that you are the best mother I ever could have imagined.

Also special thanks to:

Anastasia, Charlie, Estephanía, Jelena, Laia, Maria R., Maria T., Marina, P., Susanne, Szilvia

You all have become amazing and true friends. I love you with my whole heart!

And to everyone else whom I met because of Team Champéry this winter, either personally or via the internet. We are the best fan community I can imagine.

On March 2nd 2019, after I had been able to take THAT picture, that picture thousands of skating fans dream of, that picture I would never ever had imagined to happen, I turned around and thanked both of you: “Thank you so much for everything!“, I said. Then I looked at you, Deniss, and said: “You’ve really made my winter! Thanks!“ You looked flattered and surprised but didn’t respond anything. But you, Stéph, said something like: “Wow, you are really so positive!“ It was the second time you said that that afternoon and I do understand why you said it in this situation: For the two of you it definitely hadn’t been the winter you’ve dreamed of. It must have been a hard winter full of worries, concerns and disappointments. It seemed to surprise you, Stéph, why you’ve made somebody’s winter even though so much seemed to have gone wrong for you.

So I am writing this blog post / article / review to explain to the two of you and to everyone interested, why this sentence was incredibly true. Why I actually couldn’t have thanked you in a more accurate way. Beware, this might gonna be long. I usually fail saying things short and there has been really a lot going on this winter relating to the two of you. I will also miss out some moments because it has just been too much.

When to start? Should it be the moment when we decided to go to Grenoble? The moment I started to be your fan, Deniss? Should I go back to Worlds 2005 when I had my first big crush on that handsome Swiss figure skater? This would turn into a novel so lets start right at the beginning… of… this winter:

October

“Hey, I just wanted to tell you that I am free earlier than expected today. So if you’d like we can meet earlier?“

“I am sorry I fear I won’t be able to come over before 18.30? Hope that’s still alright?“, I replied to a good friend of mine on WhatsApp.

“Haha, yea, sure, thought you have holidays…“

“Well, yea“, … she was a really good friend so I could be honest, “but my Mom doesn’t. She’s only free from 3pm and we’ll have to watch a movie together this afternoon. This is like the only possibility before next weekend. Will explain you later!“

“Okayyyy…!“

It was a Wednesday afternoon in early October during my autumn holidays and I spent the week in South Germany with my mother and tried to meet up with as many old friends as possible. It was also the week before Japan Open, the first time you, Deniss, were supposed to skate your new free program. And it finally had leaked that you would be skating to the soundtrack of the movie “Last Samurai“. So to totally understand the program my mother and I watched the movie together, listened to the music very precisely, discussed about the plot, read and learned about the history of the samurai on Wikipedia.

We liked and appreciated the theme and that music choice right away. As we did with the whole program when it had finally been uploaded. Despite technical difficulties we saw the efforts and the great thoughts behind the choreography of this program right away and were really looking forward to see this program grow and bloom over the season.

It was different with the Short Program. When “Papa was a rolling stone“ was posted first, I listened to the song in the car and it left me quite puzzled… How was that supposed to be the song of a skating program? And those lyrics? Well… I liked the beat and the rhythm of the song from the beginning and I put all my trust in your good taste and I wasn’t going to be disappointed.

The figure skating season was speeding up: The first Grand Prix was coming along together with a small competition called “Minsk Ice Star“ - the warm up contest for you, Deniss. I spent that weekend in the Netherlands where a friend celebrated her birthday. The moment I remember best of these days is myself walking up and down at the beach streaming the free program in bad quality on my phone screaming and jumping up and down at every landed jump. This weekend brought the first fully rotated and landed Quad in competition for you, Deniss, and the first gold medal of the season. For me this weekend made me like and appreciate the short program and I “met“ my “soulmate“ because of this competition:

Until then I hadn’t been too active about figure skating on social media, because most of my followers on Instagram were my real life friends who didn’t care about this sport at all. There was no official livestream of Minsk Ice Star. But I found some Russian girls via Instagram who were in the arena and were so kind to stream the practices and the competition. That’s how I met my today very very good and close friend Maria. We started texting since then, we went through this winter together, kept each other updated all the time and finally went to Innsbruck together. But that happened many moments and stories later.

November

NHK Trophy was after all the only competition this entire season I didn’t manage to follow live. Despite all efforts I didn’t make it home from work in time for the SP, and I also missed the LP the next day because of my tennis practice. I did come home when Shoma Uno was about to start his Free Skate performance but of course he skated deep in the second group. I clicked on “pause“ and scrolled back to start watching the competition from the beginning. There had been a number though in the left upper corner of my screen I couldn’t have avoided seeing: The leading skater at the moment Shoma started to skate had the technical score of 70 points. 70 Points! DAMN! That was…. low. Very low for that moment in the competition. And 70… that was a number you, Deniss, were likely to score. My heart started racing. Could it be possible? If you were the leader at that moment you were… about to win a medal.

“It was hard to see how excited you still were!“, my Mom told me on the phone an hour later when I was full of disappointment. She had been able to watch everything live and knew that it unfortunately hadn’t been you, Deniss, who had scored those 70 points, it had been Matteo Rizzo. I felt really sorry for you, missing that opportunity. “Keep your head up, keep your heart strong…“, I kept listening on repeat during that weekend and I wished you could also hear that motivating song by Ben Howard. The next competition was going to be better. I was sure! And the next competition was: IdF in Grenoble. THE competition. Our competition. Where my mother and I would go to see and support you live. The weekend I had been waiting for since the end of June when the assignments came out. And now it was not even two weeks away…The Sunday after NHK I spent in the kitchen baking my gifts for the two of you: The lion and the ladybug as German gingerbread. I am not the most artistically talented person, and I didn’t honestly expect this project to be successful, especially drawing a lion with chocolate and sugar icing on a piece of cookie seemed like a far too motivated project for me. But I did it, every millimeter drawn with concentration and passion. And succeeded: I had baked a lion and a ladybug gingerbread. The presents were ready, the flags had arrived and got inked, all tickets were printed, we were ready to go.

You probably all remember a weekend or an event you once desperately had been waiting for. And then the moment when it is really happening. So you can probably imagine how I felt: I see myself as if it was yesterday walking from the parking lot in Mainz to the station where I had to take the train to Frankfurt airport, feeling like I was flying: It was real, yes, it was. I was on my way to Grenoble, I had everything prepared, I had gotten the extra day off at school, I had the gifts and the banners in my bag, I had your program music in my ears, I was so so ready for it!

I had high expectations for this weekend just as you probably had as well, Deniss. Unfortunately yours weren’t totally fulfilled again especially in the long program. Mine instead were outreached by far:

That moment, when I saw the two of you live right ahead of me in practice. The moment you really nailed your SP, how I was screaming and celebrating of relief. The moment I was able to give you the gifts after the second practice. The moment when you walked around proudly showing my baked lion to other fans. All those moments of wonderful and magical performances by your fellow skaters, all those people I had been admiring in front of the TV screen for years: Evgenia Medvedeva, Rika Kihira, Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, Nathan Chen, Jason Brown and Dimitri Aliev just to name a few…

And that moment, Saturday 24th of November, 6 pm during the Ice Dance medal ceremony when I checked on my emails and my heart skipped for sure more than one beat: Email by Christopher Trevisan: “Sorry for the short notice, if you are still interested you can have a fan meeting with Deniss tomorrow morning either at 10 or 11 o’clock. Let me know if you are still interested.“ If I was interested? Hell, YES. But: Our bus to the airport was booked tomorrow at 10 o’clock from the main station in Grenoble. Our flight home was leaving Lyon at 2 pm. I was in shock, excited and concerned at the same time. It was hard to think straight.

I will never forget the night from November 24th to November 25th in my entire life. So many insecurities: When exactly? Where? Who will come? How will we get home? Take the train instead of flying? Take a taxi to the airport? Skip the whole fan meeting myself?

Charlie, my mother and I were sitting together until far after midnight without having any solutions. The three of us mainly discussed the question: Where? There was no nice café that had opened Sunday morning just around the corner…

We noticed that the only space we had available on this short notice were our own hotel rooms. Probably our entire hotel woke up by us laughing loudly about the joke: “Imagine, when I come home, I will be able to say: There was Stéphane Lambiel… in my hotel room!“ We weren’t sure back then if you’d accompany Deniss, Stéph.

Sometime during the night after sleeping for a few hours I was able to calm down and think more straight again. I checked the Lufthansa App and found out that it was actually possible to change our booking to a flight that flew to Frankfurt four hours later than our original one. I got the idea to ask in our hotel if there was a possibility to hold the meeting in a free conference room or another silent place. It was all coming together. We got a space in our hotel, we had people who messaged they would come to the meeting, we had the time to sit down and think about some questions that I wanted to ask you, Deniss. You came, you had quite some time, you were incredibly nice and the two of us got more and more relaxed while the interview / meeting went on and I had the feeling that I could continue talking with you forever. You are such an interesting, intelligent, nice, humble and funny person. Before Grenoble I had liked you mostly because of your beautiful and amazing skating, after Grenoble I knew where this was coming from. Before Grenoble I had been amazed by you, after Grenoble I was totally enchanted.

December

I was on endorphins for the next weeks straight. That weekend had been far better and beyond all my expectations.

But at the same time I was afraid: Was it ever going to be that perfect again? Should I maybe keep this one perfect weekend as one magic memory and not let it get destroyed maybe by disappointments coming in the near future? Would I maybe expect too much from future events? I told around: “That weekend was perfect. I will not go again this season. Next season again!“

What a luck I hadn’t been able to resist. Because my heart, longing to see the two of you again, won over my anxious head.

Christmas time came, I followed the Grand Prix Final together with my Mom, we got up in the middle of the night to cheer for Koshiro, we were worried when you, Deniss, withdrew from a competition in Zagreb, were relieved when it was announced that it wasn’t an injury. And we decided that it was finally about time to see you skate live as well, Stéph! So we ordered our tickets for Art on Ice in Davos in February. And with booking those tickets my plan not to go anymore this season had already faded away. I spent hours on the internet searching for possibilities to make it to Minsk for the European Championships. Meanwhile I knew many fans via social media and almost all of them were about to be in Minsk to support you, Deniss. I wanted to be part of it really badly. As a teacher though it is hard to get days off apart from the public holidays. Flights for the weekend only costed a fortune. It seemed impossible. My frustration grew. I am a person who fights really hard if she really wants something and usually tries everything to make it happen.

January

New years eve came along, together with a very nice and enthusiastic video of the two of you: “We hope to see you in Bellinzona for Music on Ice!“, you said, Stéph. And after countless times watching this lovely video and a sleepless and crazy night from the 1st to the 2nd of January my decision was made: Instead of the impossible mission going to Minsk, I would to go to Music on Ice in Bellinzona. I was going to take a train from my hometown Osnabrück in the Northwest of Germany on Friday afternoon to Stuttgart in the South of Germany. The next morning I was going to take the earliest train to continue traveling all the way to Switzerland where I would arrive in Bellinzona on January 12th at 11 am. I would go to the show on Saturday night and early Sunday morning I was going to take the train back, 10 hours all the way up to Osnabrück where I would arrive at 6 pm, ready to go back to school on Monday morning. But going to the show wasn’t the only plan I had. With help of the amazing Jelena from Daugavpils who runs the official Fan Club on Facebook we activated fans from all over the world to send me pictures with good luck wishes for you for Europeans. I was overwhelmed by the positive responses on the project. I received exactly 50 pictures, most of them amazingly creative.

When I entered the train on Friday afternoon, January 11th 2019, I felt the company of all those 50 people. I was nervous because I hadn’t heard of Chris yet, whom I had messaged with the idea of the project and had asked for an opportunity to give you the album personally.

But the sun was shining, I had motivating music in my ears, the train was riding further and further South and I felt the support of all of my friends and of my mom, who unfortunately couldn’t accompany me this weekend, so the nervousness turned into major excitement.

In Bellinzona I also wasn’t alone at all: I teamed up with two friends that I had both met in Grenoble. After our arrival we checked out the ice rink and sat down on a bench nearby the arena. The girls went through your album, Deniss, when suddenly my phone vibrated and I saw the message: Christopher Trevisan had written: “Hey Judith, can you be at the rink at 15.00?”

Have you ever been waiting for a message to come in for five consecutive days? Do you know that feeling that whenever you get a message you have that slight hope inside you that it could be the one you are waiting for and you get disappointed over and over again? And then the releasing moment comes? And you know my temper, right? Then you can maybe imagine how I screamed and jumped up and down when seeing that message. Did you maybe even hear that scream from somewhere far away that afternoon? Quite possible since Bellinzona isn’t that big and my joy was… LOUD! My two friends shared my joy and enthusiasm but not as loud. We had an “appointment”! I messaged all of my good friends right away: “Appointment at 3 pm!” I was so happy and excited. I carried the hopes and wishes of 50 people in my bag and now I knew I wouldn’t disappoint them.

That moment on the bench had only been the beginning of a day that again turned out so much better than all my expectations:

Hearing you say: “So nice to see you again!”, and being really thankful for the book. Being able to watch all three hours of show rehearsal, including the two of you practicing throw jumps. Recording an successfully landed throw jump for all my friends and many other fans. Seeing you, Stéph, skate live for the first time in my life. You, that man that had carried me through my teenage years with all your wonderful programs. Finally seeing you perform in person was magical. Seeing that wonderful and touching duet of the two of you. I had tears of joy in my eyes. And that moment after the show when you, Deniss, were walking beneath us and you turned around and came back thanking me for the album: “Thanks for the book. It’s fantastic!” These six words meant so much to me and to all those who had participated. My heart was full of joy and my body full of dancing endorphins again. It didn’t matter at all that the train ride the next day didn’t last ten but twelve hours. I was the happiest and luckiest girl on the planet.

Thanks to my amazing two girls who were my company during these crazy 21 hours I have spent in Bellinzona. Wouldn’t have been the same without those two and we do have an appointment at our “Appointment Bench” next year.

Still… after the Bellinzona - Fun it was getting serious! Europeans were on their way and it felt like the most important competition for you this season, Deniss. The season hadn’t gone as planed yet for sure… plus: Skating really well there would give you the chance to medal. Even though I had been in Bellinzona it was really hard for me to follow the action in Minsk from home. But that week showed me what great friends I had got to know because of you, Deniss. Those girls, who kept me updated the entire week, and never forgot about me were my personal heros. Some special mentions: Jelena, who waved at me through the TV stream during the Ladies Short program. That was so hilarious and made my day. Szilvia, whom I would have loved to share that horrible hostel with. Maybe with the two of us that place would have been less spooky? And thanks to her for sending birthday wishes to my mom during the live stream of your fan meeting, Stéph. Marina, for telling me the “they-only-want-me”- story right after it had happened and for asking Brian Joubert about his inspiration for the tiger jacket. And my amazing girl Maria. Thanks for just everything. I felt with her and like her at every moment during the entire week. I shared her excitement, her fears, worries, tears and joy. And I am proud and thankful to all of the girls who organized both fan meetings and streamed it for us at home. You’ve got the most amazing fans, I really hope you know that both.

Deniss? We all know you gave your best! You wanted it so much and we know you actually are able to do everything you had planed. That makes the outcome of this competition so sad. Thanks for keeping your smile for us fans, thanks for still performing amazingly. Thanks for that intense gala-program. “Iron“ is now one of my personal top 5 programs of all times.

And Stéph? Your week must have been nerve-wracking and cruel. Thanks for being there for your students, giving them strength and confidence. Thanks for trying everything you could to support Deniss and Emmi and still staying that nice and friendly to us fans. The pressure must have been immense. Maria summed it up so perfectly as an Instagram caption, so I will quote her here: “Thanks for being in the world!”

February

During Euros you were so nice to confirm that Team Champéry would keep its tradition and would come to the Cup of Tyrol in Innsbruck, Stéph. The planing for us attending and supporting you at that event started the moment Europeans were over. That Sunday still after watching the Gala my mother and I booked the last available cheap apartment in the city centre of Innsbruck. All February long we were busy planing that trip but hadn’t there been another appointment in February? My second 10 hour long train ride was scheduled from February 15th to February 17th. Osnabrück - Davos and back. Art on Ice was about to happen. I imagined that trip to maybe be a little less exciting. I expected to watch the show, see you perform two wonderful programs and was also looking forward to see James Blunt live again after more than 10 years. Back in 2006 James Blunts concert had been the first concert I had ever visited, so it was going to be a bit nostalgic… But… probably no surprise anymore: Also this trip turned out to be so much better than expected.

The afternoon in Davos was beautiful already, the sun was shining brightly and we had an amazing walk through the snowy landscape. We managed to sneak in to watch the practice again and: I got the opportunity to talk to you, Stéph. It was short and since totally unexpected I also didn’t really know what to say but it was extremely special for me. And I could take a selfie with you. A picture I had wanted to have ever since my teenage years. I am not the type of person who collects pictures with celebrities. I think asking for a picture is such an unreal and awkward situation. But I really longed for that picture with you, Stéph. With the guy I used to tell all of my friends about, who all didn’t know you, because figure skating is not too popular in Germany. With the guy I had admired ever since my teenage years. With the guy that is in my opinion the most passionate and elegant skater ever. With the guy that touched me to tears and overwhelmed my emotions when skating to the song Goodbye my Lover some hours later. With the guy who gave his second last performance at Art on Ice ever that night.

I read your post about quitting Art on Ice when my train had almost reached Osnabrück again. I felt incredibly sad and incredibly blessed at the same time: I had still been able to see your magic. Art on Ice will miss you incredibly, Stéph. But you surely made the right decision for yourself and we as fans will support you and keep loving you no matter what projects will come for you in the future.

I had two more weeks until the crazy road trip to Innsbruck was about to happen but well… there was one weekend in between. And I found the perfect place to go for that weekend: Barcelona, Spain.

You have already heard some names of great people I got to know because of you two, but I haven’t told you about Laia yet what is a shame because, Deniss, you would certainly like Laia as much as I like her: She’s an artist, she draws amazingly. She’s a baker and an excellent cook. She’s a bit of a philosopher. She is a big Star Wars fan. She’s incredibly funny and sarcastic but at the same time a bit shy and introverted. And she is a big fan of the two of you. Even though you know the story how Laia and I met already, Deniss, I think it’s worth telling it here again: Laia was also at the Grand Prix in Grenoble. I didn’t know her back then. And we also didn’t meet at the event itself. But she was the girl who took the picture of you holding my baked gingerbread lion. I discovered that picture on Instagram some weeks later. We started to chat, and we chatted even more. I talked with her for hours because, Deniss, in many ways she seems like a female version of you.

So at that last weekend in February I took a plane to Barcelona to finally meet her in person. She showed me some skating tricks on the ice and I showed her that the mediterranean sea is not too cold to swim in in February. She introduced me to traditional Catalan food and I brought her some Swiss Chocolate I had bought in Davos.

And she gave me the most precious gift I ever received from anyone: An amazing drawing of you, Deniss, skating to “Iron“. You have seen it in Innsbruck yourself and I am quite sure you will remember it.

So that weekend was another amazing experience thanks to the two of you.

March

“Good morning everyone”, I told my Instagram followers totally excited at the morning of February 28th, “my last big journey of the figure skating season is about to start. I will drive to work first and then I will drive from my school via Frankfurt airport and Munich airport all the way to Innsbruck. It will be a really long journey but I will pick up some amazing girls on the way. And I actually can’t wait to see Deniss and Stéph tomorrow.”

The Cup of Tyrol in Innsbruck was the smallest event I visited this season but it highlighted up everything that had happened before. At the beginning of the season my mom and I had been alone. The trip to Innsbruck ended with seven good friends from five different countries sitting together in a small apartment, laughing and celebrating you, ourselves and life.

Marina had flown to Frankfurt from Kyiv and Szilvia from Budapest. Maria had come from Chelyabinsk, Russia, to Munich. I met both, Marina and Maria for the first time in real life and that alone was really special. Suddenly sitting with those three girls together in my small car, singing along to Britney Spears songs was unreal and amazing enough. But of course we were here to support you, Deniss.

All three of you, Chris included, seemed quite surprised to see us around. Cup of Tyrol was such a small competition. Why should anyone go there? Well, we were and we weren’t the only ones, even though probably the loudest ones. Here are again some very special moments picked from many special moments:

Imitating your car karaoke to Britney’s Toxic on our way to Innsbruck with Marina and Szilvia.

Stepping out of our apartment early Friday morning in Innsbruck and seeing this city in all of its beauty: The river, the colorful houses and the mountains in the beautiful morning sun.

Watching you skate a nice and clean short program after some struggles during practice.

Chris laughing loudly about our designed shirt for you, Deniss: “I am not coaching Stéph!” Do you wear it from time to time? If you don’t I am sure Chris would…

Giving you my self knitted hat in Latvia colors.

Showing you Laias drawing and you complimenting her amazing “shade work”.

You, Stéph, telling us that we were just about to hang up our “Team Champéry banner” mirror converted. Oh dear…

Suffering with every quad attempt. Cheering for every jump that seemed “okay” somehow- especially for underrotated quads…sorry Stéph, but that’s what fans are there for.

Crying with Matilda after her Free Program. It was hard to see this but those moments belong to the sport just as tears of joy at another time. Please, Stéph, tell Matilda, that she is a very beautiful skater. She is very graceful and a joy to watch on the ice and we all hope to see her shining on the ice sometime again.

Calling ourselves to be the “Crazy Rabbit Crew” after constantly eating carrots and joking about what to throw on the ice. Carrots, maybe?

Watching your little extra show on the ice after you won the title, Deniss.

Joking with you, Stéph about our petition to bring Britney Spears to Art on Ice.

And for me, personally, receiving the compliment from you, Stéph, of being such a positive person. I am aware that you, the first time you said it, thought that my positivity was even a bit too much when we discussed the success of your Quad attempts, Deniss, but when we all said goodbye I had the honest feeling that you liked me, Stéph. And that means more than a lot to me!

And of course THAT picture. Yes, again a celebrity picture. But what a special one. Standing in the middle of both of you. In the middle of the two people who made my winter. You didn’t understand it back then, right?

I am sure you understand it now!

Of course Innsbruck hadn’t been the end of the season yet: Worlds were yet to come. Far away in Japan. The competition where you wanted to show everyone what you actually could do. In the country that you love so much and where your season had started. The country on which history your free program was built. The Last Samurai. The last dance of the season. It was a hard week for us as fans because it was obviously a hard week for your whole team. I watched the Short Program locked into the music room of my school during our break. Afterwards I had to teach a Music lesson, singing cheerful and happy songs with eight year olds. It was tough. But I can hardly imagine how tough it was for you.

The free program was a huge fight. After everything you had gone through that week, it was even an incredible fight. The score still wasn’t probably what you had dreamed of neither the placement in the end.

But you can be incredibly proud of that fight, Deniss. This whole season was surely a hard learning process. It was a season without a single competition you were completely happy with. After all the hard work you put in every single day it must be horribly frustrating. I got to know you though as a person who is thinking thoroughly about everything. And I got to know you as a person who is able to see this season as a learning process for the future. You never stopped performing no matter what happened to the jumps. All three programs this year were incredibly well choreographed and performed even better. And during that hard and rocky road you made so many people incredibly happy.

Stéph, this winter was surely also a hard one for you. One of the reasons why I like you that much is that you, just as I do myself, put your whole heart and passion into everything you do. I could feel your pain when things didn’t turn out as you wanted them to go for your skaters. It must be so hard to just watch and not being able to actually do something in those moments. I do imagine those intense emotions you had during your last Art on Ice shows. Thanks so much for sharing some of these moments with us.

And equally I want to thank you, Chris: Thank you so much for being there for the whole team whenever you are needed. Thanks for staying calm, positive and objective throughout the season. Thanks for sometimes probably being the connection between the two artists. I am sure it hasn’t always been easy. Thanks for the great cooperation with us fans. You are doing an amazing job in every way.

You as a team managed to go through this season together and I hope with my whole heart that it brought you even closer together. Success, failure, joy and sorrow are so close together in this sport. The future seasons will bring all of that again. And I am looking forward to laugh, cry and celebrate with you again next winter and hopefully many more winters. Until then I will spend time with some of the amazing people I met on the road. Next weekend Szilvia and I will visit Marina in Kyiv. It will be another amazing trip. You are about to make my spring, too!

#teamchampery #denissvasiljevs #Stephane Lambiel #figure skating #fanreview #teamchampéry #stéphane lambiel #figureskater #figureskatingfan

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hiphopscriptures · 4 years

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Fresh Artist Fridays: Sincerely Collins

At long last, Sincerely Collins is ready to drop his most ambitious project to date: ALIEN.

You may recognize Sincerely Collins as the voice behind “Light Work” and “Possible." More recently, Collins’ one-off song, "Let It Ring," was the official promo song used by UFC 253 (Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa). Another of his top tracks, “Prosper Season,” is currently in the Shazam Top 200 Global Chart.

Collins’ songwriting is often compared to Drake, Kanye West, and Kid Cudi, but he maintains a distinct approach to his work. On ALIEN this is more true than ever, and Sincerely Collins outdoes himself with plenty of heart behind his fiery flow. Coupled with Tony Choc’s foundation of moody and vivid production, the result is a musical experience which is both catchy and compelling.

Tony Choc wasn’t the only producer to work on this project. Collins called in old friends Iroc Daniels, Qux, and AKT Aktion to lend a hand with production. Alongside them were new contributors such as The Kaleidocope Kid, Marley Rich, EQHarp, Matt Campbell, and Beatknockaz. In addition, Collins found himself reaching out to his “secret weapons” for orchestration. Longtime collaborator David Thulin and former high school bandmate Dan ET added a silky-theatrical finish with their incorporation of classical live strings, horns, bass, and synths.

ALIEN is the final chapter in a trilogy of albums which details the fall and rise of the Sincerely Collins character. The story began with his first full-length album, DESTROYER (2015), continued with The Legend Of The Phoenix (2016), and is now concluding with style. Having spent two years pouring his heart and soul into ALIEN, this project will be sure to satisfy longtime fans in addition to drawing in new ones.

As a deeply spiritual artist, Sincerely Collins is very conscious of the impact he makes with his music. Speaking on his goals for ALIEN, Collins said:

“Every time I speak on that microphone I direct the intentions of my words with precision. I live my art and I take the expressions that I put out into this universe very seriously.”

The care he puts into his craft is palpable in the finished product, and listeners will be sure to resonate with the carefully cultivated energy of his music.

Sincerely Collins – Bio

We all have words we use to describe ourselves, but Sincerely Collins takes his self-descriptors to the next level: ALIEN, visionary, wordsmith, genius, wizard. That’s not just smooth talk — the man lives his truth every day and tells the stories that he knows best.

The work of this Phoenix-born hip hop artist is teeming with joy, pain, hardship, celebration — an autobiography, to be sure, but also a blueprint for the life and spirituality of Everyman. Collins taps into the common experiences of his uncommon life for his otherworldly lyrics, and in doing so, becomes the kind of messenger that is too often missing in today’s musical landscape. Collins’ work is a microcosm of his life: both sobering and brash.

Born Kyle Collins, he grew up without a father, survived the early disappearance of his mother and later homelessness, then threw everything he had into hip hop. Listening to his work is an eye-opening existential journey — a road map to enlightenment. “I make music for dreamers,” he says. “I make music for people who just know that there’s more, I make music for people who have visions, for people who believe in themselves but don’t necessarily know how to take action on that.”

Or maybe they don’t believe in themselves... yet. “Maybe they want to believe in themselves. Maybe they come to me, they come to my music to learn how to believe in themselves or to learn how to break away from the norm as much as they’ve wanted to their entire life,” he says. “I just provide that bridge for people to unplug from the Matrix.”

His first mixtape, Destroyer, was released in 2015 to critical acclaim from reputable sources such as (COMPLEX, HipHopDX, 2DopeBoys, HNHH, and more). The album spawned Collins’ first big landmark record “Light Work”, which made it to A list rotation at KKFR POWER 983 Phoenix. The album featured guest appearances from Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo of Gym Class Heroes, Jason DeVore of Authority Zero, Locksmith, Rittz, and Jarren Benton. His second, The Legend of the Phoenix, was released in 2016, and included the haunting standout track “Others”. The album also birthed the inspirational song “Possible” which was Collins’s second radio single to receive heavy spins at KKFR, Phoenix. Since then, his fan base has exploded — and includes devotees who don’t just enjoy his music, but who also consider him to be a new age shaman.

After experiencing 4 more years of life since his last major release effort, Collins is set to drop his latest LP, ALIEN, describing the sound of his newest project as “a mature, confident, dark, and inspirational look into the most recent chapter of my life.” Collins’s lyricism leaves it hard to believe he isn’t on a journey to becoming one of the most inspirational and influential creators of our time. He knows it can be done because that’s the central theme of his own story. It’s what makes this visionary, wordsmith, genius, alien, and wizard more than just a man who moves to the beat of his own drum, but one who encourages the rest of us to get with the rhythm of believing in our infinite potential.

That, more than anything, is what his music is all about.

Check out his music through the links above and stay connected with Sincerely Collins through his socials to make sure you never miss new music. Remember to follow Hip Hop Scriptures to stay updated on the latest Fresh Artist Friday.

STAY CONNECTED WITH SINCERELY COLLINS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Spotify - Apple Music - YouTube

STAY CONNECTED WITH HIP HOP SCRIPTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

#fresh artist fridays #new hip hop #new music #sincerely collins

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jonathantaylorthomas · 7 years

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Taylor Swift's New Album 'Reputation': Everything We Know, Everything We Want

The Old Taylor can’t come to the phone? Long live the New Taylor. Reputation is one of this fall’s most tightly guarded secrets; Taylor Swift’s sixth album is her first in three years, her longest vacation ever. So far, each Swift LP has been a major musical departure. But this time, she isn’t letting any secrets slip, declining interviews and, somehow, avoiding paparazzi detection wherever she may be. All we have to go on is a quote from a source close to the project who tells Rolling Stone, “Reputation is lyrically sharper and more emotionally complex than 1989. This music has and will continue to speak for itself.”

So what do we know about Reputation? We know it has 15 songs; “…Ready For It?” will be the first track and “Look What You Made Me Do” will be the sixth. We know it drops on November 10th, which happens to be Richard Burton’s birthday. (What if that makes Reputation the Burton to Taylor’s Taylor? What if she is about to marry herself and embrace her muse as her soulmate?) It’s one day before the nine-year anniversary of Fearless, which came out in 2008 on November 11th, whereas she usually prefers to pounce in late October, as she did with Speak Now, Red and 1989. So here’s a rundown of all the clues to the burning mysteries around Reputation – what we know for sure, what we wonder, what we want, what we hope.

The sound. The first two singles are moody electro-pop: the Hot Topic quasi-goth blare of “Look What You Made Me Do” (produced by Jack Antonoff) and the hip-hop island breeze of “…Ready for It?” (produced by Max Martin, Shellback and Ali Payami). “Look What You Made Me Do” is Sal-Tay in supervillain mode; “…Ready for It?” is sultrier and far superior. Neither sounds like any of her previous work. But drastic swerves are what Swift does. All five of her previous LPs have developed a sound she could have milked for years – but she’s never made the same record twice, even when that’s what everybody wanted, from her record company to her fans.

Last time the world was hoping for Red II: Fifty Shades Redder, Red III: Revenge of the Scarf or Red IV: Maple Latte Massacre, but instead she made 1989, an album as far from Red as Speak Now was from Fearless. Nobody sane would have advised her, “You know what you should do next? Make an album that sounds nothing like Red, but exactly like Erasure or the Pet Shop Boys.” Yet Swift followed her own muse and turned out to be right – when it comes to high-risk moves that pay off, she’s gone five for five. So whatever she tries on Reputation, it won’t be what she did last time.

The romance. The line that jumps out from “…Ready For It?” is “He could be my jailer / Burton to this Taylor.” Not her usual kind of love story. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor got married and divorced twice, which by 1970s standards made them the ultimate glamour couple – even Sonny and Cher only got to break up once. Their boozy jet-set affair lasted a total of (hmmm) 13 years, despite the fact that they basically loathed each other. Burton was fond of referring to Liz as “MGM’s Little Miss Mammary,” while she called him “the Frank Sinatra of Shakespeare.” By the time Liz was Swift’s age, she was on Husband Four; Burton was Five (and Six). So Liz and Dick weren’t exactly Romeo and Juliet – their Shakespearean duet was a 1967 film adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. Fans have speculated the song is her ode to her beau of the past year, British actor Joe Alwyn – currently filming Mary Queen of Scots, where he plays the lover of Queen Elizabeth. Burton once got an Oscar nomination playing her father, King Henry VIII.

The playlist. Her Spotify playlist “Songs Taylor Loves” is loaded with sad weepy ballads – the side of her music missing from the two new singles. It’s also full of younger artists – from pals like Selena Gomez and Ed Sheeran to country upstarts like Maren Morris and Brett Young to indie brooders like the National and Bon Iver. But none of the legendary names Swift usually loves to invoke – the girl named after James Taylor isn’t bumping “Fire and Rain” these days. Is the playlist representative of her new music? Or is she digging these tearful ballads because she’s no longer writing them?

The cover. She’s wearing black lipstick, clearly a sign that Old Taylor is dead, given her affection for the red-lip classic thing. She gazes blearily through newspaper headlines spelling her name – math experts have counted her name on the cover 899 times. The cover’s weirdest detail: the Richard Hell-like torn sweatshirt, stitched up to create five triangular peaks, one for each previous album.

The magazines. The exclusive Target edition comes with two different 72-page magazines full of Swift’s poetry, watercolor paintings, handwritten lyrics and fashion photography. (Oh, pop stars – always secretly fantasizing about being editors of print magazines.) Judging from the cover of Reputation magazine, the typographical sensibility evokes the famously experimental (and often illegible) 1990s music mag Ray Gun.

The snakes. She’s teased the album with serpentine imagery – want to buy a $60 Gold Snake Ring? Either she’s a budding herpetologist or she’s reviving her Kimye feud. You remember – from last summer, before Kanye’s 5150 or his rock-bottom moment ass-kissing the new President. But it’s safe to surmise the feud factor will be the least intriguing aspect of Reputation, since her celebrity conflicts have been fruitless musically for all the artists involved. “Look What You Made Me Do” is much stronger than Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish” or Kanye’s “Famous,” but that’s hardly an achievement given how those remarkably wretched gaffes sandbagged the albums they were intended to launch. All evidence indicates that we’re in a post-beef era where nobody cares about pop-star feuds, since we’ve got more pressing problems. Swift sending Cardi B flowers to congratulate her on “Bodak Yellow” hitting Number One – even though it replaced “Look What You Made Me Do” – is much more in step with the 2017 zeitgeist than snake emojis, which are so last year. And you have to love how Cardi B made sure to document the flowers on Instagram, to thwart any would-be Cardor truthers.

The Drake factor. Be on guard for Drizzy content. Last year, while the rumor mill was full of reports of them hanging out and possibly working together, the two did linked Apple Music ads, one with Taylor lip-synching the Drake/Future collabo “Jumpman” and the other with Drake doing “Bad Blood.” Since Aubrey Graham is the only pop star on earth who can approach Tay’s feelings-per-minute ratio, the mind reels at how they might sound together – let’s just say they could go from zero to 100 real quick.

The shirt. The “Look What You Made Me Do” video ends with an attention-grabbing shot of Swift in a “Junior Jewels” t-shirt decorated with her friends’ names. Squadologists plotzed at the roll call, from Patrick Stewart (he’s on it twice? Make it so!) to Abigail (the “Fifteen” bestie whose wedding had Swift as a bridesmaid last month). Who’s lurking on the back of the shirt? And who’s a blank space? The most high-profile absence was Karlie Kloss, currently seen in a new Cole Haan ad campaign with well-that-escalated-quickly pal Christy Turlington. (In Elle a few weeks ago, K.K. gushed, “I am surrounded by extraordinary women – from my mom and sisters to role models like Christy Turlington, Melinda Gates, and Sheryl Sandberg, and many more.”) Will Reputation offer a state-of-the-squad update?

The exes. Just because Swift seems to be in a functional relationship, is that any reason she should keep a dignified silence about her Long List of Ex-Lovers? Dignified silence is not this lady’s style. Between Tom Hiddleston and Calvin Harris, she has some real content opportunities. In the new video, Zombie Tay digs a grave marked “Nils Sjoberg,” her ghostwriting pen name; there’s also an empty engagement-ring box. Perhaps she’s mocking Harris for both his career and love life, given that Nils Sjoberg is an anagram for “Jobless Ring”? Or maybe she’s accusing him of swiping her work, since it’s also an anagram for “Robs Jingles”? Or maybe – just maybe – anagrams are meaningless and dumb coincidences?

The tour. One thing Swift has made clear over the years – she’s not into looking back. In the spirit of Madonna or Bowie, when she tours, she focuses on the new songs, not the hits of yesteryear. It was a shocker when she left “All Too Well” off most stops of the 1989 tour, just as she left “Enchanted” and “Long Live” off the Red tour. But given the choice between reprising the oldies or showing off her new songs, she’ll go new every time. And that goes for her albums as well – she’s never been an artist who repeats herself. Don’t expect her to start now. “Honey, I rise up from the dead, I do it all the time”? Bring on the New Tay-stament.

#rolling stone magazine #Taylor Swift

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wallpaperpainting · 4 years

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Here’s What People Are Saying About Door Colour | Door Colour

Last week, we appropriate that for a absolutely orted adventure industry, the bound ally who accommodate beforehand basic to VCs — institutions like universities and hospital systems — charge to alpha aculation ortment mandates into their work. Say a adventure close basic to defended a charge from the University of Texas System; it would aboriginal charge to agree, in writing, to cascade a ertive allotment of its basic into startups founded by underrepresented groups.

Given how burst the apple of institutional investing, the abstraction ability complete impracticable. But Lo Toney, one of a baby but growing cardinal of atramentous VCs in Silicon Valley, suggests it ability absolutely be inevitable. He points, for example, to alimony funds like the California Accessible Employees’ Retirement System, which manages the ets of 1.6 actor employees, abounding of whom “look like me,” says Toney. Imagine what ability appear if they started allurement added questions about who is managing their money.

Not that Toney is cat-and-mouse on this development. He doesn’t charge to. As a above accomplice at Comcast Ventures, afresh GV, Toney was able to defended Alphabet as the ballast broker in his own beforehand firm, Plexo Capital, whose admission agent has been allotment adventure outfits, as able-bodied as authoritative absolute startup investments. Now, with renewed absorption actuality paid to the absence of bodies of blush throughout the startup industry, Plexo has LPs animadversion on its aperture again, and Toney’s affairs for that additional armamentarium absorb not aloof allowance his accepted armamentarium managers but allowance added investors of blush anatomy adventure firms of their own.

It’s an addendum of ignment that’s

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scotianostra · 4 years

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youtube

Happy Birthday Scottish singer/songwriter Lewis Capaldi born on October 17th 1996 in Glasgow.

Lewis is the youngest of four children. His mother is a nurse and his father is a fishmonger. He went to school at St Kentigern's Academy Blackburn, the family having moved to that area when Lewis was about four, he went on to gain an HND in music at New College Lanarkshire, Motherwell, graduating in 2016. Lewis Capaldi began creating a buzz in early 2017 with the release of his debut single, Bruises, a brooding exploration of a failed relationship that introduced his intimate piano and vocal sound. The song hit number 2 in Scotland and 6 UK wide.

On the strength of his lone single, the Bathgate man sold out legendary Glasgow club King Tut's and notched millions of streams before dropping his follow-up single, the equally stark "Lost on You," later that summer. While the songs were not massive hits they certainly gained him many fans and had the record companies sniffing around looking to sign him

After signing with Virgin Records, Capaldi included both songs on his debut EP, Bloom, and capped off his banner year with a Scottish Music Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

The front half of 2018 was spent touring in North America and Europe in advance of his next single, Rush, featuring Jessie Reyez. Tough followed a few months later. Both tracks were featured on his next EP, Breach, which arrived in November of that year. The tracks performed well but still in my opinion never set the heather of fire This was all to change with the third single from the EP. "Someone You Loved" was a commercial success, peaking at number one in several countries including a hard nut to crack, the USA. It was what they call a sleeper hit over there, not reaching the top until its 24th week on the chart, one of the longest climbs to the top position in Billboard history, it spent three weeks at the top.

It earned him a Grammy nomination and another nomination as song of the year at the Brits.

In the NME Capaldi revealed that it took him six months to write the song. He said, "A lot of people say that 'the best songs fall into your lap' and that they're the easiest ones to write and take the shortest amount of time: I wholeheartedly disagree with that. I think my best songs come from me sitting at a piano, bashing my head against a brick wall for hours and hours on end to get one good melody."

Capaldi's debut LP -- titled Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent -- arrived in May 2019 on Virgin EMI, it hit the top ten in 9 countries and number 1 in three of them, including the UK and of course Scotland.

I love the wee guys sense of humour, he was slagged off by Noel Gallagher who remarked Lewis Capaldi: "Fucking Chewbacca should enjoy his 15 minutes" Lewis took it all in his stride, changing his Twitter username to Chewis Capaldi and updated his profile picture to him as Chewbacca. Capaldi later took to the stage at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow wearing a Chewbacca mask! After removing the mask, Lewis dedicated his rendition of Oasis hit Don't Look Back In Anger to his "dear, dear father" Noel and changed the title to “Don't Chewbac In Anger”. Gallagher further endeared himself to us Scots by calling Scotland "a third world country"

Taking to Instagram, Lewis posted a video in which he expressed his pleasure that being the latest in a long line of musicians to be "slagged off" by Noel was better than having a number one record.

The mask later raised £10,000 to fellow Scots singing sensation Paolo Nutini before it was raffled off again to raise even more money for the mental health charity Tiny Changes which was set up in memory of Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison, who tragically took his own life the year before.

This version of his song Someone you loved features his second cousin Scottish actor Peter Capaldi.

I hope Lewis follows up on his early success and gives us more great music in the future

#Scotland #scottish #singersongwriter #Birthday #peter capaldi

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buzzfeedreader · 7 years

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Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images

SZA’s Ctrl is a black girl’s Tumblr come to melodic, vibrant life.

SZA, who is 26 years old and grew up in New Jersey, is speaking in a specific vernacular that will be familiar to black women who spend chunks of their time in certain corners of the internet. It is apparent right from the opening song, "Supermodel," which begins with a recording of the singer’s mother speaking on the grand theme of the record (“That is my greatest fear. That if, if I lost control or did not have control, things would just, you know. I would be be...fatal”). It’s not that the lyrics come in the form of some impenetrable fancy language, necessarily — it is standard (African-)American English, after all — it is the attitude with which she throws out the lyrics that catches the ear, and then makes the words linger on the mind.

When she plaintively sings “Why can’t I stay alone just by myself / wish I was comfortable just with myself” on that opener, for example, you can almost taste the minimalist Tumblr theme; if you close your eyes you can picture an ironic Blingee lighting up on a loop behind your eyelids. Ctrl is covering much of the ground that fills my own dashboard up every single day, the hundreds of posts that essentially boil down to a quest for self-determination — self-determination in a world that seems hell-bent on pushing us into predesignated roles and situations. And that is expressed in pithy but heartfelt text posts about black girl magic in all its forms, mood boards and videos of hair and fashion inspiration, and the men and women we fancy and love, alongside photo sets and GIF sets of nostalgia-nourished TV shows and age-relevant quotes about life and love and self-care. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that SZA was for a good long time an active Tumblr user (I have followed her on there for years). Even now, via her million-follower Instagram, her preferred platform these days, SZA is still doing much of what her Tumblr used to do (minus the direct contact afforded by her Ask box). Last month she posted a screenshot of a Tumblr post about awkward flirting with the caption: “who dragged me like this?”

SZA’s reputation has been building for years via a couple of well-received EPs, See.SZA.Run and S, and her first studio album Z. In 2013, she signed with indie label Top Dawg Entertainment, the home of Kendrick Lamar and the rest of the Black Hippy crew — the first woman to do so. Three years later, she appeared on and co-wrote Rihanna’s opening Anti track, “Consideration.” Collaborating with the likes of Jill Scott and Chance the Rapper, she’s been making atmospheric, lush, and moody R&B that is as much throwback as it is forward-looking, and it is a combination that has made listeners consider her a safe pair of hands (3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify is no small feat, after all) — the evidence of which lies in her label’s ease with releasing Ctrl in the same week as Katy Perry’s latest.

Music like SZA’s found its first home on Black Girl Tumblr. Or, at the very least, gained loyal followings there. Artists like SZA, H.E.R., Jennah Bell, Jhené Aiko, and so on were the much-cherished discoveries of like-minded girls and young women who were also yearning for their own reflection to come back undistorted. And so perhaps it is inevitable and fitting that listening to SZA’s Ctrl often feels like reading a series of all lowercase, punctuation-free Tumblr text posts. Those posts are often telling a version of the truth, comically bemused but with an arched eyebrow. SZA is earnest, yes, but that doesn’t mean her eyebrow isn’t raised throughout Ctrl.

You can almost hear that eyebrow creak upward on "Garden (Say It Like Dat)” in which she sings engagingly about self-doubt and anxiety: “Lie to me and say / my booty gettin’ bigger even if it ain’t” is a funny, relatable lyric. And even before she expands it into something more plainly stated, it carries undertones of a little sort of sadness. The latter half of this second-verse lyric, for example, is tongue in cheek and on the nose: “I know you'd rather be laid up with a big booty / body hella positive ‘cause she got a big booty” (her ad-lib — an incredulous “wow” — is pitch-perfect). But then the emotion pinballs quickly again with the quiet admission that comes by verse’s end: “You know I'm sensitive ‘bout havin' no booty / havin' no body / only you, buddy / can you / hold me when nobody’s around us?”

In many ways SZA is singing about the things we have come to expect from our indie-slash-folksy white female singer-songwriters, but what Ctrl is delivering comes as experienced and reported through a firmly black girl lens. Like another young musician who has developed an ardent following, British singer-songwriter Nao, SZA makes pop that's sincere — almost painfully so — but she is also playful and smart and funny. Even when she is not in control (of her gravity, of her ex, of the size of her booty), she’s still "finding herself" while remaining refreshingly self-aware — she knows who she is and roughly where she wants to end up. I thought a lot about Nao’s For All We Know while listening to Ctrl and had a clear thought: Where Nao’s constructions sound something akin to black girl church, SZA sounds like the aftermath of a black girl night out (one in which you might have found yourself crying in the club). It perfectly encapsulates that keyed-up post-club, pre-sleep 3 a.m. feeling when feelings are close to the surface.

There is also a firmness in SZA’s persona on this record, best exemplified by her grandmother’s short, spirited interlude at the end “Love Galore”, addressing SZA by her given name, Solána Imani Rowe: “But see, Solána? If you don’t say something, speak up for yourself, they think you stupid. You know what I’m saying?” It’s a nod and a wink to the listener. SZA knows who’s listening, and who that message is for. Another noteworthy and matter-of-fact exemplification comes straight out the gate on “Doves in the Wind”: “Real niggas do not deserve pussy.” Which is self-explanatory.

On “The Weekend,” a soon-to-be sidepiece classic, SZA is funny: “My man is my man is your man / heard it’s her man too,” she coos dismissively before telling her paramour to make sure he’s at her place “by 10:30 / no later than / drop them drawers / give me what I want.” And on “Drew Barrymore” (a geniusly titled song, effortlessly conjuring as it does images of '90s teen rom-coms and coded norms of suburban insecurity and acceptance), she is sharp: “I’m sorry you got karma comin’ to you.” When she sings wistfully about the titular character from 1994 film Forrest Gump (first in cinemas when she was 4), SZA’s being cute but also serious — imagine a world in which pussy was given to only deserving men! “Where's Forrest now when you need him?” she intones almost solemnly on "Doves in the Wind.” “Talk to me.”

The dip into the '90s oeuvre of Robert Zemeckis notwithstanding, Ctrl is very much of the now. Even with its dizzying array of producers, the entire record sounds cohesively and fluently like 2017: Peep the references to Netflix show Narcos (which also got a shoutout on Stormzy’s 2017 LP Gang Signs and Prayer) or the aforementioned “body positive” (a term whose overuse has given it an unearned negative reputation on Tumblr and beyond). On “Normal Girl,” SZA borrows liberally from Drake’s 2016 single “Controlla” (“You like it / when I be / aggressive”). Even the nostalgic TV Ctrl harks back to is curiously very current again: that period in the '90s that young people have rediscovered and which they quote liberally from, thanks to streaming. SZA refers to comedy sketch show MadTV on “Doves in the Wind,” and on “Go Gina” she uses one of Martin Lawrence’s catchphrases from his sitcom Martin.

Ctrl is a mishmash of so many influences, which will continue to reveal themselves as it beds in with listeners. Its pop DNA is evident in its many catchy hooks and choruses (“Prom” sounds like a 2017 update of Gwen Stefani’s “Cool,” for example), and her guest stars — Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, James Fauntleroy, Isaiah Rashad — add weight but are never overwhelming. SZA has an ear for what is aurally pleasing and commercial: Upon my third listen to the record, I was struck by how happily pretty much every song would sit on the soundtrack of a teen show (won’t someone invite her to score a black girl coming-of-age movie, please?).

What sells the record best, though, is SZA’s own conviction. Like the black girls who live their multi-adjectived lives on Tumblr, she is the best chronicler of her own life. It’s an expansion of self-identity that stretches beyond Strong Black Woman (which is not entirely discarded as one facet) and travels into the territory we have always known was in us. SZA’s music is vulnerable and sweet, self-questioning and self-affirming, all at the same time, in a way that is performative, yes — but also intimate and tender. It is a snapshot of one 26-year-old’s life right now, much like all those Tumblrs are moments in amber. Ctrl feels “Dear Diary” real, which is to say it is Black Girl Tumblr writ large. Control, in all avenues, is the defining characteristic, and it is powerful. “I belong to nobody / hope it don’t bother you / you can mind your business / I belong to nobody” SZA sings on “Go Gina.”

Listening to Ctrl, you don’t doubt it.

—Bim Adewunmi on SZA’s new album

#sza #blackgirls #r&b #carefreeblackgirls #sadblackgirls #music #reviews #photos #bim adewunmi

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stue1967 · 8 years

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As readers may recall, Ryan Adams holds a bit of a special place in my heart. “Heartbreaker” is one of the most treasured LPs in our house. I wrote about last year’s bumper reissue here. But it has been a while since I’ve been excited about a new album by the boy. Ryan is a prolific artist and occasionally his quality control goes a bit awry. No bad albums per se but some aren’t consistently good.

However it feels like his version of Taylor Swift’s “1989” was like a palate cleanser. My daughter is a huge Taylor fan, we went to see her in Hyde Park in 2015 (reviewed here) and, to my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Consequently I’ve got a big soft spot for “1989”. Ryan’s attempt at it revealed further the already evident songcraft in the original, scraping away the sheen and adding a little bit of grit. The version of “Blank Space” is a particular favourite, gentle and acoustic, whilst “Shake It Off” is toned down, reduced to a close cousin of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” with a simple rimshot backbeat and works brilliantly as such.

Ryan is now much more of a visible presence. His Instagram account is worth a follow and it has shown the slow build up to the release of “Prisoner”. Whether it was the long slow burn or the quality of the early tracks I’ve heard but that old sense of excitement is back, probably the first time in a good ten years that I’ve felt this way about one of his LP’s. I genuinely wanted to hear the album, hoping that it marked another high watermark in Ryan’s extensive back catalogue.

In the run up to “Prisoner” being released, Ryan visited the UK. In between impromptu pop up gigs, he headed up to Salford, tried to perform at the iconic Lad’s Club, had his gig scuppered by a boxing event and ended up in a rather gentle interview on the BBC Breakfast sofa.

A couple of observations: firstly that the BBC interview, if a bit of fluff, does show a more mature Ryan with less goofing. Whether it is the passage of time or his divorce from Mandy Moore, there is a perception that Ryan is taking things a bit more seriously.

Secondly, Ryan has been building up the Smiths connection for this LP. He has often said that “Meat Is Murder” is his favourite LP and he has covered “The Headmaster Ritual”.

Up to now, his output has been paying a more subtle nod to the Manchester band but “Prisoner” places the Smiths at the forefront of the influences. The debt is more overt. The title track and “Anything I Say To You Know” have the lush multi-layered arpeggiated guitar sound of prime era Smiths which is prevalent across the LP. “Doomsday” has a rasping harmonica introduction, bringing to mind “Still Ill”. Ryan has long been a classicist, whether it is more commonly referencing country rock (“Cold Rose”), 80s radio rock (“Rock And Roll”) or college rock (“Love Is Hell”). He even recorded a song for song version of the Strokes “Is This It”. Here though, the influences feel more enmeshed in the music, rather than intellectual or artistic parlour games.

“Prisoner” is more rounded with a higher quality benchmark. The opening track and lead off single “Do You Still Love Me” works as a eighties power ballad, like an update of the original version of Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again”, complete with a very rock’n’roll guitar solo. Don’t let that put you off – it really is one of the most catchy and immediate songs Ryan has put out in a while.

The other obvious reference point is another of the all time great break up albums, Bruce Springsteen’s “Tunnel Of Love”. “Haunted House” would sit comfortably alongside the tales of a musician’s relationship gone bad, such “One Step Up”, “Two Faces” or “Brilliant Disguise”. “Tightrope” features a gorgeous sax solo that the Big Man himself would be proud of. It’s got some swelling 80s keyboard motifs throughout and does represent a progression.

In fairness to Ryan, lyrically too this is way beyond “Heartbreaker’s” self absorbed and mopy low point “Why Do They Leave”. This is mature and serious stuff and deals with the dissolution of a marriage.

It’s so hard to be without you Everyday I find another little thread of silver Waiting for me when I wake some place on the pillow And then I see the empty space beside me and remember I feel empty, I feel tired, I feel worn Nothing really matters anymore (“To Be With You”)

One of the acoustic gigs that Ryan performed on his UK promo tour was at Rough Trade East, where he did a gentle cover of Springsteen’s “Philadelphia”.

Whilst there, he was interviewed for their podcast taking an hour to discuss his favourite music. Tellingly, it was all alternative rock from the 80s and 90s. It is a fun hour to hear Ryan engaged and talking with affection about his youth and his plans for the future, especially his mega box set edition of “Prisoner”, which includes 7″ coloured vinyl versions of the tracks, all with non-album B-sides. Again, this another nod in the Smiths direction, paying homage to their habit of releasing singles such as “Panic” and “Shakespeare’s Sister” outside of their cycle of LP releases.

Here’s a few shots of the box set contents, retailing at almost £200. There are a few potential “Easter Eggs” in the box, in the shape of one off 7″ singles recorded by Jack White’s mobile straight to vinyl recording machine. These are literally unique, there is only one of each recording and do not exist in any other format. Keep an eye on eBay for those of you with deep pockets!

This is the most committed that we’ve heard Ryan in a long time, both musically and personally. He isn’t out to sabotage this record or wilfully ignore its existence. He is embracing “Prisoner”, which subtly weaves the Mancunian influence into his existing American template. He’s playing the UK in September. I may well give it a go.

May be it isn’t a bright new dawn for Ryan, but in the meantime it is a record that skilfully moves him gently in a different direction, albeit we aren’t talking drum’n’bass, techno or dubstep.

It is an enthusiastic Ryan Adams LP and I’ll take that for now.

The Rough Trade Podcast

Ryan’s favourite albums (with his chosen tracks from each LP) were as follows:

Sonic Youth – “Schizophrenia” (from 1987’s “Sister” LP)

Like me, Ryan was drawn to SY by the name but also by just how damned cool Kim Gordon looked (I wrote about Kim’s autobiography here).

The Melvins – “Hooch” (from 1993’s “Houdini” LP)

It’s a slow powerful track from the band that gave Boris their name.

Yo La Tengo – “You Tore Me Down” (from 1990’s “Fakebook” LP)

One of my favourite and most underrated bands. I’ve seen them give some stunning shows, which no doubt will be the subject of a blog post in future days.

Dinosaur Jr – “Freakscene” (from 1998’s “Bug” LP)

I saw Dinosaur Jr perform the LP in full at Ally Pally a few years ago. Another personal favourite of mine.

The Cure – “Disintegration” (from 1989’s “Disintegration” LP)

Not one of my favourite Cure LPs, but the one that broke them big in the USA.

I’ve popped the link to the Rough Trade podcast below.

Oh Manchester, so much to answer for. Ryan's back and he's not heading for the country As readers may recall, Ryan Adams holds a bit of a special place in my heart. “Heartbreaker” is one of the most treasured LPs in our house.

#Dinosaur Jr #Ryan Adams #Sonic Youth #The Cure #The Melvins #The Smiths #Yo La Tengo

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allbaymusic · 5 years

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Hyro FBB

ABM: What is your stage name? HyroFBB: My stage name is HyroFBB, the FBB stands for "Fuck Being Broke". ABM: Where are you from, and what was it like growing up there? HyroFBB: I was born in Antioch, CA and raised in Brentwood, CA. I’m from a Mexican community known as the Village, where a lot of my family and family friends are my neighbors. Growing up in my neighborhood was fun as hell as a kid. We be mobbin around on bikes, playin paper tag, skateboarding around the neighborhood and throwing lemons at the ice cream truck's when it drove by, ah man we did some fucked up shit, haha but kids will be kids. I had hella friends and cousins around my age group and some older. I looked up to the older guys hanging out on the block and I got into a lot of trouble growing up. I didn't make the best choices growing up, and if I can go back in time, I wouldn't change a thing because those choices made me who I am today. ABM: What are your last full length releases people can go check out right now? HyroFBB: I recently released my album “Hyro$hima II”. The project is available on all Streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. “Hyro$hima II” is the second installment to my first album “Hyro$hima”. The “Hyro$hima” & “Hyro$hima II” projects are entirely produced and engineered by X-A-V Productions. You Can Also Find my 9-track LP “Bay Livin” on all music platforms. “Bay Livin’” is produced by Budda. I also have a new mixtape out called “FBB Vol.1” available on Soundcloud under my artist name “HyroFBB”. ABM: What are you currently working on? HyroFBB: I'm working on my 4th album which I am gonna call it "Hyro$hima Ground Zero", which is the 3rd installment to the “Hyro$hima” series. I’ve been working tough on my music and music videos, trying to get more exposure by releasing them on YouTube and all major platforms. Thanks to the help from my cousin and producer X-A-V! ABM: What's your last visual release people can check out, tell us about it. HyroFBB: My latest visual release is called "I Think I". Its a single off of the Hyro$hima II album. This visual was a dope one to make, got a lot of energy from my homies in it and it’s a personal favorite off of the album. Unfortunately my latest visuals have all been filmed from my home because I’ve been on weak ass house arrest! But my cousin X-A-V Productions is a talented producer and always makes the best out of each visual we drop. ABM: Is there any artists you would like to work with in the future? HyroFBB: I have to say I'm a huge Bay Area rap fan, and to be honest Mac Dre (T.I.P.) & The Jacka(M.I.P.) would have been dope to work with, may they rest in peace. But I would like to work with Ya Boy aka Rich Rocka, he’s crazy with the flow. I would also like to work with Pay Roll Giovani from DoughBoyz Cashout, he’s fasho an inspiration. It’d be sick to collaborate with B-Legit, his flow is old school and real. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony had a huge impact on me growing up, I’d like to work with them. I would like to work with Berner, fuck around and make some real hustle music! Last but not least I would like to work with A-Wax! I'm all about the Bay music scene, and any artist who’s willing to work is a go for me. ABM: Any business ventures you wanna tell the public about? HyroFBB: I dream about opening up my own establishment, like a Clothing boutique/Barber-shop/Recording Studio. One day that dream will become reality, on mommas! ABM: Where can people find you online? HyroFBB: Follow My Instagram @Hyrofbb for the exclusive updates! As far as finding my music and videos you can simply search “HyroFBB” on all streaming platforms, YouTube and Soundcloud! Fuck with the kid! ABM: Any last words? HyroFBB: I just want to take this blessed opportunity to shout out those who support and influenced me to keep this rocking! X-A-V is my family, my producer and director and a major aspect in my music career. Shout out all my homies on that Vill Drive and all those before me, and most of all my huge family and homies who pushed me and looked out for the boy through it all! From the streets to jail and back home. I also cant forget my number one fan and my Bonnie, my girl Cynn. Also big Shouts to AllBayMusic for keeping it real and giving me inspiration. Its Fuck Being Broke Baby! Read the full article

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joneswilliam72 · 5 years

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Track Of The Day: Injury Reserve continues to render traditional hip-hop sounds abstract and slightly industrial with latest single 'Koruna & Lime'

Having already shared tracks 'Jailbreak from the Tesla' and the Rico Nasty-featured 'Jawbreaker' earlier in the year, Arizona rap trio Injury Reserve has proven themselves to be a busy bunch as of late. But today, the industrial rap instigators have culminated their recent efforts into today’s announcement of their self-titled debut album.

To celebrate the announcement of their debut LP and first full-length release since their 2016 mixtape Floss, the experimental rap trio has also shared their brazenly executed new single titled 'Koruna & Lime'

Flaunting their usual sticky energy, the trio’s two emcees, Stepa J. Groggs and Ritchie With a T spit fire with erratic charisma and a boisterous audacity that manifests differently with both rappers. For Groggs in particular, he spews with a righteous “I told you so” attitude, opening the track with a fearless preamble detailing group’s rooted approach to making and sharing music thus far: “Humble as a mumble in the jungle, ya dig / Can't never knock the hustle, get that shit how you live / If you didn't help me get it, don't be speaking on mine / No, for real, don't say shit, like you speaking in mime…”

Maintaining their respective flows across the track’s brief but memorable two-and-a-half minutes, the group’s sonic mastermind Parker Corey devises a wonky backdrop comprised of faint horns, pounding metallic drum beats and distorted vocal samples that grunt and wail with abrasive intent. Each of these elements combine to form a slightly deranged attitude that only rappers/rap groups like Death Grips and jpegmafia can portend.

Nevertheless, 'Koruna & Lime' certifies the rap experimentalists’ peculiar sound, attitude and a heaping amount of hype that is certain to arrive and frenzy out of control as the release date for their highly-anticipated debut nears.

youtube

Watch the music video for 'Koruna & Lime' above and keep tabs on this vigorous hip-hop trio by following them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Keep up with The 405's Tracks of the Day in our 2019 playlist, updated every weekday.

from The 405 http://bit.ly/2VbIihG

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mrwilliamcharley · 6 years

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The Best Remixes Of The Week 026

Start your week with smoking hot remixes from Sweater Beats, Win and Woo, Whethan, Tim Gunter, it’s different, and more. Also check out our feisty Run The Remixes playlist on Spotify with all our all-time favorite remixes, updated weekly.

Panic At The Disco – Say Amen (Sweater Beats Remix) | Stream

Sweater Beats never fails to deliver knockout remixes. In April, he unveiled a delicious official remix of Fall Out Boy’s “Hold Me Tight Or Don’t” and now he’s taken our middle school dreams to the next level. The LA based producer has been drafted by “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” hitmakers Panic At The Disco to craft a spicy official remix of their new single “Say Amen”. Sweater Beats taps into his sinister side for this one by stringing eerie melodies amidst dark bass lines and crisp percussion. He fills the iconic pop rock vocals with an ominous soundscape that rumbles into a haunting, grungy drop. Wondrously different from his usual vibrant dance pop atmospheres, Sweater Beats has shown us a refined, Jekyll-like side of himself that will instantly capture your attention. Stream Sweater Beats’ adventurous Panic At The Disco remix below. – Jordan Farley

Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones (Win & Woo Remix) | Stream

Win and Woo have just dropped off one of their finest remixes to date. For their latest, the Chicago duo have been tapped by the legends Fall Out Boy to turn their pop punk anthem “The Last Of The Real Ones” into a luxurious future house bop. Deep, shiny synths bounce off of Patrick Stump’s signature vocals, bringing an edgy electro house groove to the track. This remix follows a string of summer releases including their bubbly Cosmos & Creature collaboration “Beam Me Up” and official remixes of Robert DeLong and K.Flay’s “Favorite Color Is Blue” and Clara Mae and Jake Miller’s “Better Me Better You“. – Jordan Farley

Post Malone x Justin Bieber – Deja Vu (Whethan Remix) | Stream

Whethan is currently preparing for his debut project but he’s dropping off some treats to hold our anticipation. His latest flips Post Malone and Justin Bieber‘s Stoney hit “Deja Vu” into a future bass wonderland. Wonky, chopped synths bounce off breezy percussion, bringing a charismatic charm to the track. Keep your eyes peeled for Whethan’s next single.

Snails & Waka Flocka Flame – WFSU (Virtual Riot & Snails Remix) | Stream

Snails and Virtual Riot have been crushing the dubstep game for a minute now, so seeing them on the same track definitely perks our interest. The duo just dropped of a remix of Snails and Waka Flocka Flame’s “WFSU” remix and dear lord is it filthy. Get ready to start hearing this one at concerts near you. – Max Chung

DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper & Quavo – No Brainer (it’s different Cover) | Stream

it’s different are one of our favorite rising duos and they’ve drawn us in with their vibey new cover series. Following on the tail of their recent “Fireflies” cover, their latest is the second in their new Our Different Version series. They’ve now spun DJ Khaled‘s “No Brainer” into a hypnotic pop banger. Snappy percussion and sultry vocal chops beautifully drape it’s different’s dance pop flip and bring a new vibrance to the hit. Get hyped for their next cover.

Travis Scott – Sicko Mode (ANGELZ Remix) | Free Download

ANGELZ just dropped what has been the hardest rendition to Travis Scott‘s “Sicko Mode” so far. The single arose from Scott’s recent ASTROWORLD LP and slathered a hefty Drake feature so it’s no surprise to see the record see so much success outside of the album. Charting across the globe, countless remixes have hit the forefront but ANGELZ’s twisted rendition simply trumps the competition. In an era where house music continues to reign supreme, the Quebec City native continues to show off his immense versatility. Possessing a background in rap and hip-hop, his most recent house ventures have been tough to ignore. If you’ve yet to hear the name, now is the time to invest into ANGELZ. – Omar Serrano

Charlie Puth – The Way I Am (Taska Black Remix) | Stream

Bitbird producer Taska Black has just turned Charlie Puth‘s “The Way I Am” into an excessively hot remix. Tribal inspired percussion crafts an anthemic build up to the edgy future bass drop fueled by airy, chopped synths and deep bass lines. This is one of Taska Black’s finest remixes to date.

Loud Luxury – Body (Tim Gunter Edit) | Stream

Tim Gunter has certainly stepped up with this smooth remix of Loud Luxury‘s chart-topping hit “Body”. He recently impressed with his luscious remix of Hotel Garuda’s “Blurry Eyes” and has once again unleashed his dark futuristic soundscapes on “Body”. Swift percussion and bright piano hits bring a breezy future bass twist to the house original and it’s amazing. Tim Gunter has definitely caught our eye with this edit.

LIONE – Glimmer (tofû Remix) | Free Download

tofû is one of our favorite remixers and his latest remix is extra glittery. Taking on LIONE‘s “Glimmer”, tofû has wrapped the track in sugary sweet synths that drape it in a playful, light vibe. tofû’s “Glimmer” remix is a wonderful addition to his ever growing collection.

David Guetta, Martin Garrix & Brooks – Like I Do (LZRD Remix) | Free Download

LZRD have continually amazed with their adventurous future trap remixes of Louis The Child, Krewella, The Chainsmokers, and more. For their new remix of David Guetta and Martin Garrix‘s “Like I Do”, LZRD have unleashed wild percussion and wonky synths soar amidst chopped vocals, expertly blend future bass and trap. This is one of LZRD’s most ambitious remixes to date.

Two Friends – Bandaid (Wild Cards Remix) | Free Download

Wild Cards have consistently impressed with their jaw dropping remixes of Khalid, Fall Out Boy, Illenium, and more. They’ve now drafted a marvelous remix of Two Friends‘ “Bandaid” that erupts with vibrant piano hits and ringing synths. Their adventurous remix is sparked by playful future bass and bright dance pop, making it one of their finest remixes yet.

Lost Kings – Stuck (feat. Tove Styrke) [Kuur x Kbubs x DCB Remix] | Stream

Newcomers Kuur, Kbubs, and DCB have come together for one hell of a three-way remix. Together, the trio have pumped Lost Kings‘ “Stuck” with glittery synths, snappy percussion, and silky melodies that beautifully compliment Tove Styrke‘s lush vocals. Their vibrant, feel-good dance pop remix is quite a banger. Definitely keep an eye on these three this year.

Illenium – Chosen You (Birthdayy Partyy Flip) | Free Download

Birthdayy Partyy never fail to bring the bass and they’ve just brought it to Illenium‘s “Chosen You”. The Chicago duo have inserted their deep bass and hard hitting dubstep to turn the Illenium original into a wildly ambitious festival banger. This one goes off hard.

Lucy Daydream – Go Flex (Post Malone Cover) | Stream

Newcomer Lucy Daydream has certainly impressed with her debut release. Taking on Post Malone is no small task but Lucy Daydream has done it magically by covering his Stoney hit “Go Flex”. Her soft and sensual rendition is dreamy and luscious, floating into an effervescent world that takes “Go Flex” to a whole other place. Lucy Daydream is definitely one to keep an eye on this year.

Cailee Rae – It’s On You (Mielo Remix) | Stream

Mielo has continued to amaze with each of his wondrously produced remixes. Earlier this year, he dropped a gorgeous rendition of Slow Magic’s “Wildfire” and now he’s unveiled a brilliant official remix of Cailee Rae‘s “It’s On You”. Hypnotic synth melodies wrap Rae’s sultry vocals in a haunting dark pop vibe that is seductive and enticing. Mielo has certainly stepped up with this one.

Anarbor – MIA (Dead Robot Remix) | Free Download

Anarbor has stolen the hearts of many through the use of their heartfelt records and grunginess. When the release of The EP hit the world, they simply continued to build onto the bands lasting legacy. Venturing into realms of music they’ve yet to experiment into, it was no surprise to see their remix package tackle the same concept. That’s why we’re sharing with the remix to “MIA” by Dead Robot. His tasteful remix offers a melancholy version of the single that is prepared to sink into your heart. Putting you in a melodic whirlwind of emotions, his adventurous rendition is something you need to get your ears onto asap. – Omar Serrano

Drake – In My Feelings (VAVO X Steve Reece Remix) | Free Download

Vavo and Steve Reece just dropped one of the best remixes of Drake that I’ve ever heard. They’ve both been crushing it on their own right, but them teaming up to take on “In My Feelings” is out of this world. Their lush chords and crisp production make this Drake remix unforgettable. – Hunter Thompson

Tiesto & Dzeko ft. Preme & Post Malone – Jackie Chan (HtPkt & Facade Remix) | Free Download

Two months ago, Tarro put his spin on Tiesto and Post Malone‘s “Jackie Chan” and now two up and coming hotshots have dropped another stunning remix. HtPkt and Facade have each been featured on our pages and now they’ve joined forces for a funky future bass remix. Snappy percussion instantly brings a dance crazed groove to the track before blasting into a summery future house drop. HtPkt and Facade make for an amazing duo.

The Chainsmokers – Side Effects feat. Emily Warren (Nolan van Lith Remix) | Stream

Rising producer Nolan van Lith has pulled out all the stops for his official remix of The Chainsmokers‘ “Side Effects”. He opens with an ominous, shadowy soundscape filled with eerily pitched vocals, twisting The Chainsmokers’ original into a haunting future bass rendition. Nolan van Lith has definitely tapped into his dark side for this one and it’s phenomenal.

–

STAY IN THE KNOW! FOLLOW US ON SPOTIFY & CHECK OUT OUR NEW RUN THE REMIXES PLAYLIST!

>> Submit Your Remix Here <<

Read more from Jordan and connect with her on Soundcloud, Twitter, and Instagram

'The Best Remixes Of The Week 026

The post The Best Remixes Of The Week 026 appeared first on Run The Trap: The Best EDM, Hip Hop & Trap Music.

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theseventhhex · 7 years

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Mary Epworth Interview

Mary Epworth

Photo by Dean Chalkley

With her second LP produced by Thom Monahan and recorded at his Golden Void studio in LA, ‘Elytral’ sees Mary Epworth arriving with greater ferocity and letting loose of her darker instincts through grinding, splintered soundscapes, electronic experimentalism, prog, psychedelia, free-jazz and more. Mary’s sophomore release is replete with electronic ticks and hypnotic whirrs, showcasing an album that leans more to the dark and experimental, in addition to topics delving into the mind over matter trick where you visualise yourself in a different place and time. Mary’s experimental nature has allowed her to formulate a deliriously and encouraging musical delight as her stellar progression continues to impress… We talk to Mary Epworth about having a freer approach, colour combinations and walking dogs…

TSH: How would you assess the contrast in sound that comes into play with ‘Elytral?

Mary: I think the main contrast regarding a change in sound came into play around about the time I finished my first record. When ‘Dream Life’ was coming out I was listening to Fever Ray and Planningtorock and I was really starting to get my head around different sound spaces. I guess the shift in sound on ‘Elytral’ is not an obvious one, but it is more sharper I feel.

TSH: With ‘Elytral’ you’re also less self-critical and embracing a freer approach to making music...

Mary: Definitely. I feel like that aspect alone has been life changing. A lot of the time, I’m not really sure about how my process is going to pan out. Most of this record was done in two weeks in the studio; we basically did two songs a day. Also, we didn’t have to, but we forced ourselves to work quickly on this record, which certainly helped me to excel...

TSH: What were the benefits in having such parameters in place?

Mary: You know, I’m just someone who responds well to self-imposed limitations. Limiting myself to time and a palette of sounds has been really helpful and I personally find it to be a good experiment.

TSH: Do you prefer being impulsive with your songwriting?

Mary: Yeah, definitely. To be honest, I’m very instinctive with my music, so very often I don’t know what I’m going to write about. I think I’ll figure out a lot of my songs many years later. I tend to follow the muse not really knowing what the common thread is at all. This record has some parts which are really noisy sitting alongside pop, and I didn’t know how they’d work together. I just listened to it afterwards and preferred it.

TSH: Talk us through the idea of beetle wings being a visual metaphor for this album...

Mary: Well, it’s kind of funny to incorporate this type of visual theme because the album itself isn’t a concept type of record whereupon I went in to write about beetles - none of the songs are about beetles. However, once the record was made, I started to feel the themes in the songs and what they meant to me. I’m a very visual thinker and I’m really into wildlife and creatures. Anyhow, I was thinking a lot about the flashy and glamorous texture that you get on a beetles wings. Beetles wings have these incredible iridescent colours, which are so cool. I remember being sat in Los Angeles recording this record and these creatures kept flying around, they were these iridescent green scarabs, and that was actually the genesis of the beetles settling in as a metaphor. Overall, I just really love to see a beetle fly. I mean you just look at them and never expect them to be able to do so, but they have these huge wings, which look like wrappers on a sweet. They have these awesome translucent and cellophane colours - it’s so cool.

TSH: Tell us about some of the highlights in forming ‘Gone Rogue’...

Mary: That song is one of my favourites on the record and Thom brought a huge amount to that one. It’s a looser song and it has less song structure. I wanted it to feel provocative and emotionally disruptive. I remember forming that one and there was a playful production process going on. We just let the guitar and sax have an extreme approach - we did it in three takes because we were short on time. All in all, that track is associated with the magic of being in the studio with Thom.

TSH: Furthermore, what are you looking into with a track like ‘Watching the Sun Go Down’?

Mary: I live in the suburbs outside of London in Bishop Stortford and I think a lot about the different settings that people live in. This song is me thinking about the daily lives of others and what others are possibly experiencing and looking at with their surroundings. Later on in the song, I’m also touching on the lost rivers of London, such as the River Fleet, which is now under St Pancras. The river is basically inside a metal tube and the song covers this. I mean it’s a big river and they’ve just stuck it in a tube! It’s the weirdest thing to think is under your feet when you walk around that area.

TSH: What changes are you looking to make with the live shows?

Mary: I’ve been quite keen to have some loops running with my updated live offerings. This is something I’ve struggled with before because I just had a normal live drum kit, but that’s not the case now. I’m mainly just thinking about what should be played live and what should be run as a loop. The live show is still a work in progress and is consisting of a fair bit of expanding going on.

TSH: Do you still get an endorphin rush from staring at the sky?

Mary: Yes, I do! I’m a daughter of a scientist and I think the way my brain is wired, I get more of an intensity from my experiences of certain things - such is the case when I stare at a sky. I also get a rush off music too. For some people music is just a sound or background noise, however, for me, music is so much more than that - it’s close to a religious experience. Maybe I’m just more sensitive to the world that I experience, meaning I get more of a physical feedback. I can get blown away by colour combinations too! I feel like I get a buzz out of them, haha! Perhaps it’s just easier for me to provoke my brain into an excitable state with my surroundings.

TSH: What led to you tweeting that your mother would be an ideal druid?

Mary: Haha! My mom’s just one of those people that just feels really connected to the earth, as well as the change in seasons and stuff like that. Her family historically are farmers from Norfolk going back 100s of years. Plus my mom’s brother, whom I slightly remember growing up, had this feature as though he was a wizard; there were rumours that he was a witch too! Maybe people that live with nature just have this certain peculiar energy that comes through their genes. I mean there’s something about the connection that my mom has with landscape which is really intense. Also, we both have this thing where we feel really relaxed in large bodies of water, hence all the swimming songs on the record. If my mom is near the sea, she’s a different person, and so am I. When I get near the sea or a river, I feel this physical pull.

TSH: Do you often walk the dog on your Instagram named Tasmanian Devil?

Mary: Ha! That’s actually my manager’s dog; she’ll be thrilled that she’s getting a mention! It’s not her real name; I just think that she looks like looks like a marsupial, haha! I sometimes walk my mom’s dog quite a bit, which is a nice bit of time out for me.

TSH: What’s pleased you most about your progression to date?

Mary: I like that I’ve learned how to follow where the muse is leading. Nowadays, whatever is pricking my ears, that’s the thing I look to follow and explore. For the first time in a long time I feel like an artist, rather than just somebody who does music as a job. I don’t have to put things out and worry about how I’ll be perceived or commercial success. If I get to be an old woman, I want to be able to look back and see my body of work as a journey. To me, it’s exciting to think what my music will look like when I’ve done like 6 albums. I guess that’s when I feel like I’ll really know who I am and what I’m saying. Most of the deeper meanings behind one’s earlier statements emerge later in life, and I’m excited by that.

Mary Epworth - “Me Swimming”

Elytral

#Interview #Mary Epworth

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