#lone star ep: in case of an emergency

[messymindofmine]

I will never be over Ronen's performance on this episode. He does such an amazing job of portraying someone who is in active addiction, it's actually painful for me to watch at times. The way he's so angry at Gwyn for even saying he needs help and his constant insistence that he's fine even though he's clearly not....God I wish I didn't recognize that so well. And his desperation for some kind of high that he stole alcohol and then stuck his fingers into the toilet to retrieve the bottles. The anger and his constant nasty comments. This is actually something a lot of people misunderstand about addiction.

The state TK was in during that time was a constant state of psychological terror. That's what was causing the anger. The anger came from a visceral, painful type of fear that completely wrecks your sanity. And Ronen portrayed all of that so well. And of course the beauty of how Gwyn remained so patient and loving the whole time. I know that it's been a whole season and so much has happened since then but I will forever be in awe of how well done this episode was done by everyone involved. The TV Line award mention he got was definitely well deserved. Honestly, I would definitely be interested I'm delving a bit deeper into TK's background and seeing more of his journey with addiction. How and when did he get into drugs? Addiction doesn't come out of nowhere and it's usually the result of something much deeper. I'd like to see that explored a bit more. It's also implied that he has had more than one relapse prior to the series or at least that there were multiple attempts to get sober. What was his relationship with the 252 in NYC like? Did he have any real friends back in NYC or when he was younger? Did he have any romantic relationships prior to Alex? If so, what were they like bc Owen's negativity about TK's relationship with Alex indicates there was a deeper problem there. How and why did he get into his first coma before Texas?? I think the show would do it very well with exploring that and we all know Ronen would absolutely kill it

[onestowatch]

19 LGBTQIA+ Artists You Need to Listen to This PRIDE

PRIDE is all about self-empowerment and self-determination. It’s about not just being comfortable with who you are but showing the world that there is pride to be found in being unapologetically you. And that’s why, this PRIDE, we wanted to shine a light on a small handful of our favorite LGBTQIA+ artists. Ranging from rapturous hyperpop, revelatory bossa nova meditations, romantic rave music, and everywhere in between, these are 19 LGBTQIA+ artists who deserve a spot on your PRIDE playlist and every playlist for that matter. 

girl in red

In her debut single, “i wanna be your girlfriend,” a teenage girl in red unapologetically sings of young queer love over a mesh of lofi production and jangly instrumentation that would come to define much of the bedroom pop genre. It is a standout moment of unrelenting honesty, and a serenely simple three-minute confession that would go on to strike a chord with millions who were afraid of what it meant to be something more than friends. Now, a few years later and following the release of her critically-acclaimed debut album, if i could make it go quiet, Ulven still writes with that same emotional honesty, putting forth every ounce of herself for the world to see. 

Meet Me @ The Altar

“the little lonely black alt girl i was in the 00s is living rn, she never even dared to hope she might see this 💖💖,” reads the top comment on Meet Me @ The Altar’s music video for their single “Garden.” It is a sentiment shared by much of the rising band’s fanbase, who are used to the mainstream alternative scene championing cis white males. Existing in the space between pop-punk and hardcore, Meet Me @ The Altar exists to challenge the notion that queer women of color don’t have a place in punk. And after penning a record deal with Fueled By Ramen, home to the likes of Paramore, Panic! at the Disco, and nearly every pop-punk band that made up your middle school playlist, chances are this is just the beginning for our new favorite punks.

THE BLOSSOM

For Lily Lizotte, better known as THE BLOSSOM, music exists as the synthesis and subsequent recontextualization of a host of past experiences. From the sound of their dad belting away in his home studio to stumbling upon niche Internet subgenres, THE BLOSSOM transforms all this and more into a sound that is instantly recognizable but impossible to perfectly place. The culmination of this host of influences takes sweeping sonic form on their debut EP, ‘97 BLOSSOM, a perfectly imperfect introduction to one of the most fascinating rising artists of recent memory.

BIMINI

You may recognize BIMINI as Bimini Bon-Boulash, the runner-up on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. And now you should familiarize yourself with Bimini, brit-pop extraordinaire. Releasing their debut single “God Save This Queen” earlier this June, Bimini deftly channels late ‘90s brit-pop and punk to deliver a single that has us absolutely living for the ensuing chaos. Serving up multiple looks throughout its eye-catching music video, “God Save This Queen” is not just a non-binary anthem but a veritable 2021 lookbook.

Hope Tala

With a sound that falls somewhere between turn-of-the-century R&B and bossa nova, Hope Tala’s music is expectedly a dream given sonic form. Perhaps that’s why much of the UK singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist’s music is able to so deftly weave imagery of love, heartache, and teenage fistfights into tightknit tracks that feel simultaneously transcendental and deeply personal. And with the release of her 2020 EP, Girl Eats the Sun, Hope Tala poses one all-important question, “Why have a life if you’re not going to do something crazy and make a difference in the world?” 

chloe moriondo

For much of chloe moriondo’s avid fanbase, watching her transform from budding ukulele sensation to pop-punk phenom very much meant watching her grow up. Getting her start on YouTube, moriondo's fanbase witnessed her evolve as both an artist and person. Coming out in the aptly titled “a ramble about self identity, growth, and being a lesbian,” to be a fan of the artist often feels like trading secrets with a close personal friend. It is a sentiment that rings all the more true upon delving into her debut album, Blood Bunny. Grappling with coming-of-age at the axis of empathic pop and euphoric pop-punk, Blood Bunny sees moriondo taking yet another impressive step forward.

Godford

Little is known about Godford beyond what can be garnered from a handful of interviews online and his succinct Spotify bio, and chances are he’s happier that way. The anonymous DJ and producer aims to make non-binary music that exists outside of the confines of genres, overly-simplified classifications, and even himself. What is important are the emotions his music hold and what his listeners take away. Fusing romanticism and rave in his debut album, Godford: Non Binary Place, the anonymous artist does just that. He provides a space that exists simultaneously everywhere and nowhere, like an ephemeral night spent out on the dancefloor with a stranger or close friend.

Joy Oladokun

Joy Oladokun is at the core of her music. It may at first glance appear to be a painfully obvious statement, but as her sincere songwriting seeps into every corner of your soul, it is a notion that becomes undeniable. In her major label debut, in defense of my own happiness, Oladokun writes with an unabashed authenticity, never turning a blind eye to the world around her. These shared reflections and recollections of life are often heartbreaking and uplifting in the same breath, but in their candidness, we can begin to piece together what it means to be human, imperfections and all.  

Allison Ponthier

Allison Ponthier may only have a handful of singles to her name, but her unmatched potential is clear as day. Raised in the outskirts of Dallas, Texas, Ponthier’s moving songwriting and emphatic vocal prowess speak to her country roots. Pair that country sensibility with some of the most pristine pop songwriting we have heard in quite some time, and you begin to understand just how exciting Ponthier is as a rising artist. With only two singles to date, there’s not much else we can say beyond do yourself a favor and play “Cowboy” on repeat.

Rina Sawayama

It feels like no hyperbole to call Rina Sawayama an inevitable pop icon. First garnering critical acclaim with singles like “Cherry” and her 2017 debut EP RINA, the Japanese-British singer-songwriter staked her name on her immaculate ability to capture all the glamour and larger-than-life appeal of early ‘00s pop. Building on what was a nostalgic yet forward-thinking vision, Sawayama returned with her 2020 eponymous full-length debut. From nu-metal, club beats, to veritable pop anthems, SAWAYAMA emerged as a genre-defying showcase of an avant-garde pop star.

Arlo Parks

Listening to Arlo Parks’ music is akin to sipping on a hot cup of chamomile tea as you watch the world slowly pass by your living room window. It is a testament to the British poet and singer-songwriter’s subtle yet beautiful way with words, the way in which each lyric serves as a glance into a tightly-held memory or passing observation. These poetic musings come to life in her debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams, which layers lyrical revelations over some of the most tender R&B of recent memory. Parks’ is more than a must-listen; she feels like the birth of a new wave.

Claud

Claud has spent the past few years making a name for themselves in the indie pop world, and the culmination of it all arrives in their debut album, Super Monster. The acclaimed album sees Claud reckoning with coming-of-age and love with an irresistible charm. Pair that with a penchant for grounded, affective songwriting and infectious, dreamlike melodies and you have one of the best debuts of recent memory. In case you somehow need any further convincing that Claud is one to watch, Super Monster marks the debut release from Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records.

UMI

Equally as inspired by R&B and neo-soul as she is by her generation’s penchant for blurring genre lines, UMI and her music exist as a form of spiritual healing. Half-Black and half-Japanese, her work explores everything from identity to self-introspection, such as on the aptly-titled Introspection. It is a fondness for self-exploration that UMI delves headfirst into on her 2019 EP Love Language, a sublime blend of identity struggles, love, and anime that tackles the issue of always feeling like an other, never Black or Japanese enough.

Joesef

Sad boy summer. It’s the simplest way to being explaining Joesef’s serene albeit somber sound. Emerging out of Glasgow, the quickly rising star often wears his still bleeding heart on his sleeve, even when the underlying sonics seem to be moving onto greener pastures. It is an exquisite balancing act that comes to life on his 2020 EP, Does It Make You Feel Good?. Blending elements of soft-spoken R&B, jazz, and ethereal pop, Joesef sets himself apart as an artist whose influences and appeal know no bounds.

Serena Isioma

At the top of the year, we named Serena Isioma one of our top artists to watch in the year to come, and for good reason. The self-proclaimed “nonbinary rock star” experienced a breakout moment with “Sensitive,” a track that is difficult to perfectly encapsulate but think along the lines of fusing modern-day R&B and woozy indie-pop with reckless abandon, and you’ll be about halfway there. It was an impressive standout track that was only buoyed by a pair of EPs, Sensitive and The Leo Sun Sets, in 2020, officially cementing Isioma as an artist like no other.

Khai Dreams

Khai Dreams’ music is effortlessly easygoing. With its straightforward guitar lines and understated production, every track from the Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter flows out as naturally as breathing. Maybe it’s that laid-back approach that begins to explains Khai Dreams’ universal appeal and millions of monthly listeners, despite releasing most of his music independently. A hallmark of the DIY generation and its massive homebrewed potential, it would be a crying shame if you didn’t let Khai Dream’s serene meditations transport you somewhere far from here.

Frances Forever

Like much of their Gen Z cohorts, Frances Forever’s exponential rise was not the result of a well-executed marketing plan but by the pure chance of a single song finding a home online. The song in question, “Space Girl,” was originally part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Content before soon blowing up on TikTok, and it’s not hard to see why. Short, sweet, and to the point, “Space Girl” is a saccharine love letter to that bubbly feeling of floating on cloud nine. Now signed to Mom+Pop and with their debut EP, Paranoia Party, due out later this year, this is the perfect time to get familiar with Frances Forever.

Dorian Electra

Unapologetically playing with gender norms and stereotypes while seeing just how far they can push the limits of pop, Dorian Electra has long maintained a cult following in the world of experimental, highly addictive hyperpop. And it’s not hard to see why. Having collaborated with the likes of Charli XCX, 100 gecs, Village People, Pussy Riot, Rebecca Black, and more, Electra’s music ranges from off-the-rails hyperpop to introspective pop slow burns. All of this and more reaches a fever pitch in their 2020 album My Agenda, a devious showcasing of one of pop’s most explosive figures.

MAY-A

Maya Cumming, professionally known as MAY-A, is no stranger to the hustle it takes to make it in the music industry. The Australian artist got her start entering numerous singing competitions in her hometown of Byron Bay and started busking on the streets at the tender age of 11. Now, she has a breakout single under her belt in the form of “Apricots,” an anthemic indie-pop ode to queer love. And since that breakout moment, MAY-A has continued to release impressive single after single—the latest being the collaborative “American Dream.”

[reyeslonestar]

@likesuperwee replied to your post: [x]

Yes I'm SO glad he trusted himself and didn't let his heart be influenced by "procedure." And again I totally agree and I've struggled with this show because acab and while they touch on serious/important conversations re:policing (ie. michael being harassed in 911) it's just not enough??? Like it's still very much a pro-cop show.

I'm interested to see if Carlos has any doubts about being a cop after that situation... but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't write that because this commentary is way more subtle than it could/should be. It's frustrating and confusing though as a fan for sure

I have so many more thoughts and feelings, and I'm sure you do too but I struggle to communicate them eloquently lol

yeah its not straightforward because while I love the show and ultimately I go to it for escapism - it is also a positive depiction of cops and police, so its irresponsible not to engage critically with its depictions of cops and how it heroises them, and it can’t really be escapism when it is valourising cops.

I dont watch the og 911 so im not quite sure what happened with Michael being harassed but with the latest lone star ep - while I am impressed by the fact they framed it the way they did,  ultimately they didnt really push it explicitly - it was more subtext rather than outright criticism. and the thing is, that’s not going to change until there is real world change in the vein of defunding the police and reforming the way domestic policing is handled. they’re both first responder-orientated shows so until there is that kind of reform, cops are going to feature as primary characters who are endeared to the audience. yes they focus on the firehouses mainly but Athena and Carlos are main characters too even if lone star forgets it sometimes and their depictions will therefore be positive.

I will unapologetically admit that Carlos is my favourite character, but I have to acknowledge the system he is part of and the pressures on him to behave in certain ways. it is reassuring to see him shown as resistant to those pressures as he is in 2x08 - but you still see things in the way he responds to emergencies. for me, the mercury poisoning case in s1 had several red flags. first, when a guy was obviously harming himself rather than anyone else, he was treated as a threat to others and Carlos approached him with a hand on his gun. then when the poisoner was called back, Carlos approached the situation with his gun already out - despite there being no evidence of the guy having his own weapon. I dont know what standard procedure is but those were times where to me, lethal weaponry was threatened prematurely and it really stood out to me. idk whether its because I come from a country where we dont have guns - yeah, our police force is still institutionally corrupt but lethal force is not so immediately and easily applied and so it felt really obvious to me.

anyway, yeah I agree - I think that a really interesting and in-character plot line for Carlos would be to advocate for police reform and spearhead a new department that handles cases in a more sympathetic and compassionate way. I dont expect to see it because im not naive but its something that I would like to see. I dont think that he’d want to leave the police entirely, I think for his character theres his family history and also he feels like he can do good with it, and with the validation of the last ep it would reinforce his conviction when it came to resisting ‘procedure’. but I do think that a slightly different direction or approach to being a cop would suit him.

[anthony-kate]

While I generally enjoy 911 Lone Star because of the team (minus Michelle tbh), i also spent half the episode going "really??????" Lol basically all emergencies are ridiculous. My favorite is probably in the 3rd ep... The girl in the bar.... And the water..... Right there... In front of the whole bar.... Yeah. That won a big WTF lol

Haha I totally get what you mean. I gotta say, I don’t even question these cases anymore because yeah... I think my biggest wtf moment was in ep 2 I think? With the mad hatter disease and all and the explanation like... ajhsjahs I mean I get that they can’t rescue a cat every week and have to give us something that’s kinda “exciting” but please... lol

Also same about Michelle. Her House MD syndrome is one thing but overall she feels so excluded and alienated in a way? The sister story that they now kinda forgot was already... yeah well... but Liv also has zero chemistry with Rob. I wished to see more of her with Carlos at least but that’s also a thing that’s not really happening so far.

[fyeah-bangtan7]

The Greatest Showmen: An exclusive look inside the world of BTS

Maybe you saw them piled on the klieg-lit couches of Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Fallon, trading light bilingual banter with their starstruck hosts. Maybe it was when they spoke solemnly on mental health and self-love at the United Nations General Assembly last September, or when a wall of dolphin-like screams greeted them as they rolled into February’s Grammy Awards in trim matching tuxedos, their hair tinted various shades of pastel macaron.

Or maybe the cover of this magazine is the first time you’ve truly noticed BTS. (Stranger things have happened in 2019.) But it seems indisputable to say that sometime over the past two years, the septet have taken over the world: two No. 1 albums on the Billboard chart in the span of three months; more than 5 billion streams combined on Apple Music and Spotify; a string of sold-out concert dates from the Staples Center in Los Angeles to London’s famed Wembley Stadium.

That hardly makes them the first boy band to dominate a cultural moment, but the fact that they are all Korean-born and -raised, singing Korean-language songs only occasionally sprinkled with English, feels like something brand-new. And it speaks to an unprecedented kind of global currency — one where pop music moves without barriers or borders, even as geopolitics seem to retreat further behind hard lines and high walls.

On a blindingly bright March day in Seoul five weeks before the release of their upcoming sixth EP, Map of the Soul: Persona, the band is holed up at their record label Big Hit Entertainment, preparing. Buildings like this are where much of the magic of the phenomenon known as K-pop happens, though Big Hit’s headquarters on a quiet side street in the city’s Gangnam district (yes, the same one Psy sang about in his 2012 smash “Gangnam Style”) look a lot like any other tech office: sleek poured-cement corridors and glass-box conference rooms scattered with well-stocked mini-fridges, plush toys, and the occasional beanbag chair. Only a display case stacked with a truly staggering number of sales plaques and statuettes, and a glossy large-scale photo print of BTS at their sold-out concert at New York’s Citi Field last October, give away the business they do here.

Down a long hallway, all seven members lounge in various states of readiness as they gear up to pretape a thank-you video for an iHeartRadio award they won’t be able to accept in person. Jimin, bleached blond and pillow-lipped, is having his hair carefully flat-ironed in a wardrobe room filled with racks of coordinated denim and neon streetwear. Dozens of pairs of pristine Nikes and Converse are piled in a corner; a lone fun-fur jacket the color of strawberry ice cream slumps on a hanger behind him, like a neglected Fraggle.

Jung Kook, the baby of the band at 21, sits obediently in a folding chair in the dance studio, also having his hair tended to; J-Hope strides by in a white dress shirt emblazoned with an over-size silk-screen of Bart Simpson, then grins and disappears. Suga, V, and Jin huddle together on low sofas next door, scrolling through their phones and occasionally singing fragments of American R&B star Khalid’s “My Bad.” Twenty-four-year-old RM, the group’s de facto leader and lone fluent English speaker, is the last to arrive.

They run through their speech for a camera crew and do maybe four or five takes until the director is satisfied. Then they settle in for a conversation in an airy break room upstairs, accompanied by their longtime translator, a large, amiable bald man in a business suit named John. (Unless noted, the answers of all members other than RM come through him.) Several weeks after returning from their first Grammys, they’re still riding high off the experience: presenting the award to H.E.R. for Best R&B Album; chatting with Shawn Mendes in the men’s room — “I was like, ‘Do I need to tell him who I am?’ ” Jimin remembers, “but then he said hello first, which was really nice” — and being seated only a sequin’s throw from Dolly Parton. (“She was right there in front of us!” marvels Jung Kook. “Amazing.”)

As happily dazzled as they still seem to be by other celebrities, seeing BTS in the flesh triggers the same disorienting but not unpleasant sense of unreality. On screen, the band can look disconcertingly pretty; avatars of a sort of poreless, almost postgender beauty who seem to exist inside their own real-life Snapchat filters. In person they’re still ridiculously good-looking, but in a much more relatable, boyish way: bangs mussed, even the occasional chapped lip or small (okay, minuscule) blemish. Take away their Balenciaga high-tops and the discreet double Cs of Chanel jewelry, and they could almost be the cute college guy next to you at the coffee shop or on the train.

Except riding public transportation or casually dropping into a Starbucks stopped being an option for BTS a long time ago. In Seoul, their faces are plastered across makeup kiosks and street signs and the sides of buses — even on massive digital billboards that are bought and paid for by private citizens to acknowledge a beloved member’s birthday, or just because. In cities like São Paulo and Tokyo and Paris, fans camp out days in advance for concerts and public appearances, obsessively trading trivia and rumored sightings. When the band posted their takethis link opens in a new tab on Drake’s #InMyFeelingsChallenge, it became the most liked tweet of 2018; this summer, Mattel will release an official line of BTS dolls.

In the still center of this bizarre fame hurricane, the boys have managed to find a few pockets of normalcy. Jimin wistfully recalls a time in Chicago when they were able to slip out of their hotel rooms undetected “late at night, just to get some fresh air.” But most places, he admits, “that’s really out of the question” unless they split into smaller groups. “I mean, look at us,” RM adds with a laugh, running a hand through his own silver-nickel bangs. “Seven boys with dyed hair! It’s really too much.”

Instead, they focus on the things they can do, like sneaking out to the movies (“Always the latest or earliest show,” says RM, if they want to stay unseen), shopping online (V loves eBay, especially for clothes), going fishing, playing StarCraft at home. Group housing is actually common for K-pop stars, and BTS seem to appreciate the shared stability: “We’ve been living together for a while now, almost eight, nine years,” says Jimin. “So in the beginning we had a lot of arguments and conflicts. But we’ve reached the point where we can communicate wordlessly, basically just by watching each other and reading the expressions.”

Though they’re unfailingly polite and attentive in interviews, there’s a certain amount of contained chaos when they’re all together — a sort of tumbling-puppy cyclone of playful shoves, back slaps, and complicated handshakes — but also a surprising, endearing sweetness to the way they treat one another in quieter moments. When a question is posed to the group, they work hard to make sure each one of them is heard, and if someone is struggling to find a word, they’ll quickly reach out for a reassuring knee pat or side hug.

Even with the language barrier of speaking to an American reporter, though, their individual personalities quickly start to emerge: Asked to name their earliest pop memories, the answers land all over the map. “I loved Pussycat Dolls’ ‘Stickwitu,’ ’’ says J-Hope, the group’s most accomplished dancer, snapping his fingers and cooing the chorus. For RM, who started out in Seoul’s underground rap scene, it’s Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” (“I think that’s, like, a life pick for so many people around the world,” he admits, “but I can’t forget when I first watched 8 Mile and heard the guitars. That was my turning point.”) For Jung Kook, who has released covers of Justin Bieber and Troye Sivan songs, it was Richard Marx’s deathless lite-FM ballad “Now and Forever.”

The soft-spoken Suga cites John Lennon’s “Imagine” as “the first song I fell in love with,” which feels like a fitting gateway to ask where BTS see themselves in the pantheon of musical heartthrobs that the Fab Four essentially invented. “Sometimes it feels really embarrassing when someone calls us a 21st-century Beatles or something like that,” RM concedes. “But if they want to call us a boy band, then we’re a boy band. If they want to call us a boy group, we’re a boy group. If they want to call us K-pop, then we’re cool with K-pop.”

Ah, K-pop. In South Korea, where the genre has become not just a prime cultural commodity but a multibillion-dollar export, the players, known as “idols,” go through rigorous Fame-style schooling in song and dance and media training that often goes on for years before they’re considered ready for the spotlight. And it’s paid off: Business has been booming since the early ’90s, with stars from Girls’ Generation to G-Dragoncrossing over to various markets across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. But while the sound has remained fairly consistent — a canny mix of club-ready beats, hyper-sweetened choruses, and the more urban inflections of Western hip-hop and R&B — it’s never before landed with the lightning-bolt impact of BTS.

Bang Si-Hyuk, the CEO and founder of Big Hit, began putting the band together in 2010, when all the members were in their tweens or teens: RM and Suga were coming up on the local rap scene; Jimin and J-Hope studied dance at performing-arts schools; V, who focused on singing early on, joined officially in 2013. Jin was an aspiring actor recruited off the street for his striking looks; Jung Kook, now the group’s main vocalist, joined while he was still in junior high.

Though fansites tend to lean on their extracurricular differences (Jung Kook is a Virgo who loves pizza! V collects ties and clenches his teeth in his sleep!), each member genuinely does hold a unique space in the group’s process, whether it’s leaning more toward production, lyrics, or the supersize hooks the songs rest on. “With seven members we have seven different tastes, of course,” says RM. “So when it comes to songwriting, it’s like a big competition.” Occasionally, adds J-Hope, “we’ll write a lyric and decide, ‘This sort of reflects me [more], who I am and my own color,’ so we’ll want to keep that for a solo song.”

Because Big Hit doesn’t restrict their right to funnel some ideas into side projects — and because the appetite for more BTS-sourced material online is seemingly unquenchable — members regularly release solo work through EPs, SoundCloud, and mixtapes. But the primary impact still comes through the official album releases, and the particularly weighty subjects those songs take on — a notable departure from the narrow, often strenuously upbeat topics other K-pop artists typically cover.

“I promised the members from the very beginning that BTS’ music must come from their own stories,” says Bang; their subsequent openness about their own struggles with depression, self-doubt, and the pressure to conform took them all the way to the U.N. last fall, where RM addressed the band’s Love Myself campaign and #ENDviolence youth partnership with UNICEF.

“They stand out,” says Japanese-American DJ and producer Steve Aoki, a top-selling global dance artist who has also collaborated with the band on several tracks. “And I’m not just talking about K-pop. They add so much of their personality to the music and into their stories and how they present themselves. And the world has fallen in love with them because they are showing that vulnerable side that everyone wants to see.”

It helps, too, that the group’s more pointed messages are often slipped into the sticky aural peanut butter of anthems like “No More Dream,” “Dope,” and “Am I Wrong.” But they always appreciate the chance, Suga says, to get “a little more raw, a little more open.” RM elaborates: “I think it’s an endless dilemma for every artist, how much we should be frank and honest. But we try to reveal ourselves as much as we can.”

Honesty has its limits, of course, when you’re the biggest band in the world. Asked to describe the new album, due April 12 (at press time, it had already hit over 2.5 million in preorders), members offer up cryptic but enthusiastic koans like “therapeutic” and “refreshing crispness.” To be fair, they can’t say much in part because the new album’s track list isn’t actually finalized yet — late decisions being a luxury of in-house production — though they do agree to play one song, a propulsive rap-heavy banger called “Intro: Persona.” (It was released as a teaser March 27; you can watch the video herethis link opens in a new tab.)

When it comes to more personal questions about the challenges of dating or the goals they might want to pursue post-BTS, they pivot so gracefully to evasive, nonspecific answers, you almost can’t help but be impressed; it’s like watching a diplomat ice-dance. They want you to know that they are incredibly grateful for the devotion of their fans, and so blessed to be exactly where they are; that they really don’t think in terms of five- or 10-year plans. But they turn reflective when the subject of American pop’s holy grail, the Hot 100 singles chart, is raised. They cracked the top 10 last year with “Fake Love” but have yet to reach a higher spot, largely because mainstream radio airplay—a huge component of Hot 100 domination—still eludes them Stateside.

“It will have to be a great song,” Suga acknowledges, “but also there’s a whole strategy that’s associated with getting all the way up. And then there has to be a measure of luck, obviously. So what’s important for us is just to make good music and good performances and have those elements come together.” Does a Spanish-language smash like 2017’s “Despacito” — which spent a record 16 weeks at No. 1 — make them more optimistic about their own odds? “You know, Latin pop has its own Grammys in America, and it’s quite different,” RM says thoughtfully. “I don’t want to compare, but I think it’s even harder as an Asian group. A Hot 100 and a Grammy nomination, these are our goals. But they’re just goals — we don’t want to change our identity or our genuineness to get the number one. Like if we sing suddenly in full English, and change all these other things, then that’s not BTS. We’ll do everything, we’ll try. But if we couldn’t get number one or number five, that’s okay.”

Aoki, for one, has faith they’ll get there. “I think it’s 100 percent possible that a song sung entirely in Korean could crack the top of the Hot 100. I firmly believe that, and I really firmly believe that BTS can be the group that can do that. It’s going to pave the way for a lot of other groups, which they’ve already been doing—and when that happens, we’re all gonna celebrate.”

Back at Big Hit, though, the band has more immediate work to do. RM offers a quick tour of his production room (each member has his own dedicated space on site). The door outside is guarded by a quirky assemblage of figurines by the renowned street artist Kaws, but inside feels, incongruously, like stepping into a tiny, luxurious Sundance lodge that also just happens to have a soundboard: There’s a beautiful coffee table made from a single piece of black walnut; Navajo-style rugs; tasteful art on the walls. RM talks easily about his admiration for producers like Zedd and the Neptunes (“Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were my true idols in 2006, 2007. Pharrell’s voice! It’s so sexy, how he sings”), and plays down his own skills (“As a beatmaker, Suga is way better than me. I don’t even know how to play the piano — I just do the chords like this,” he insists, miming keyboard Muppet hands).

Then it’s back to the dance studio, where they’ve changed into track pants and T-shirts to run through new steps with a choreographer. It starts with a rough triangle formation, and an elaborate hip-swivel-into-pelvic-thrust/crotch-grab combo that actually plays much more innocently than it sounds, mostly because they keep stopping to crack each other up. Soon, though, they drill down — repeating the moves until they seem crisp but easy, almost an afterthought. It feels like time to leave them; the boys wave happily, shouting out a rowdy chorus of goodbyes. Then they turn back to the mirror, and keep dancing.

[siwonhq]

Pitchfork: In his sophomore album, ₩ON walks the line between rebelling against and reveling in the trappings of power, luxury, and excess of contemporary EDM.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: @lilyissms, @killianlaw, @charoenkul, @gcncziz, @pixiieisms, @hqrcse, @rccio

It’s hard to separate the current trajectory of ₩ON’s career from his past---before his revolutionary breakthrough work with Skrillex and Art on “Where Are Ü Now” and his collaboration with the legendary Lily Caine on his current album, a 19-year-old Siwon “Simon” Lee dropped out of the prestigious music production and engineering track at UCLA to take a risk and self-release a seven-track remix EP titled One, under a new homophonic moniker ₩ON. 

One was a record humble in its production, but it became one of the most compelling and talked about EPs of the year, notable for its innovative approach and multi-genre fluency. After One’s success, ₩ON became one of the most sought-after EDM artists in the industry overnight---first as a remix artist and then as a producer---quickly befriending similar up-and-comers in the industry like Killian Law, who is featured on this album, and receiving invitations to DJ at some of the most star-studded events in LA and New York. In interviews, he was the perfect combination of humble, funny, and endearingly charming, and off the set of radio and television shows, he was frequently spotted looking absolutely besotted with with high-school-sweetheart and peer 2015 breakout pop artist Genesis.

Then, only a year after his launch into superstardom, his reputation was dealt a blow when incriminating photos of emerged of Pixie leaving his hotel room in the early AM hours. It circulated in multiple media outlets for several news cycles, especially with the contrasting accounts given by both Pixie and ₩ON’s PR teams. It was a textbook case of “he said, she said,” but in the end, Pixie came out on top when ₩ON’s long-time girlfriend Genesis broke up with him only weeks later.

The ₩ON of today is a perfect black hole. It’s no longer as easy for photographers to snap a pic of him wandering around Sunset Boulevard---let alone get a clear photo of his face with how often he hides it away with sunglasses, hats, masks, or in some cases, a combination of all three. However, it’s not that ₩ON is a recluse. He is spotted frequently attending many events hosted by his peers, and has been linked in more than a few romantic and recreational drug-use related scandals. But apart from a few more A-list collaborations, ₩ON held off on releasing his own album of “original” content until last week. 

In many ways, SI ON is a paradox, much like ₩ON’s own identity. In the most literal sense, the album’s name is derived from ₩ON’s given birth name, Siwon, the name that he nows go by today, Simon, and the role that his names played in the struggle to find his identity as a Korean-American in his formative years. SI ON can then be seen as a concept album, only---it isn’t. It can just as easily be said that the album is just a collection of the work that ₩ON didn’t get around to posting to his Soundcloud---in his true, signature fashion, ₩ON made sure that his sophomore EP is a motley of different music genres that again demonstrates his literacy in a wide scope of music. Moreover, though SI ON is technically ₩ON‘s sophomore EP, there are aspects of it that reads like a debut, where it seems as though ₩ON is just testing the waters and dipping his toes into the music industry for the very first time. However, in others, most notably the penultimate track “Blame,” starring Lily Caine, the listener can almost viscerally sense how fame changed the now almost 22-year-old producer. 

However, the overall message is clear: the ₩ON of today gives very few fucks.  In tracks like “Friends,” a collaboration with ROSE, ₩ON seems to adopt the identity of a friend-zoned boy-next door and seems to revel in his former, more innocuous image from his early days of fame. In the very next track, “Know No Better,” featuring Travis Scott, Quavo, and Rocio, ₩ON buries that image in the ground with a harder-edged Latin-inspired track dripping in brash confidence.

In some ways, SI ON represents a disillusionment with fame and the industry, where ₩ON has already achieved his dreams within two decades of his lifetime and is now already bored. The album art seems to reference a stagnant summer day experienced from a bedroom in Los Angeles, and the album almost feels like what would happen if you wait for rain in a Californian drought for too damn long. It’s the atmosphere created by the second track “Summer’s Gonna Hurt You” that most contributes to this feeling. The track trades in debauchery for melancholy, and casts a long shadow---nearly nine minutes long---into the rest of the album. Though “Where Are Ü Now,” originally released in 2016, is technically the first track of the album, “Summer” is the one that actually sets the tone and sets the album into motion, and the rest of the album adopts the downcast gaze from this track. But in the final track “Cold Water”---which was originally unlisted on album’s tracklist---a hint of hope and idealism reemerges. 

Overall, ₩ON’s music is quietly wise to a particular modern irony: beneath every #DGAF there’s a person who secretly gives a fuck about something, and behind every anti-pop song there’s a musician who—just like everybody else—knows what it’s like to feel happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time.

[shypuppytraveler]

MBC every1’s — Lonely Enough to Love! Episode 8 [ENG.SUB] New’ Show

MBC every1’s — Lonely Enough to Love! Episode 8 [ENG.SUB] New' Show

Lonely Enough to Love! Ep 8 | Season 1 Episode 8 | Eng Sub | Watch Online | Full Episode | Dailymotion Streaming Watch on ►► www.watchstreamonline.tvseriesnew.com/tv/106697-1-8/lonely-enough-to-love.html

2 mins ago-Lets Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Online Free Trial Access. Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 | Episode 8 | MBC every1 | 55 Min | Drama, Comedy Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Online For Free and Download Full HD without Registration | HDFlix via megalium. Watch Here : www.watchstreamonline.tvseriesnew.com/tv/106697-1-8/lonely-enough-to-love.html Watch Here : www.watchstreamonline.tvseriesnew.com/tv/106697-1-8/lonely-enough-to-love.html Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Online Free Streaming, Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Online Full Streaming In HD Quality, Let’s go to watch the latest episodes of your favorite series, Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8. come on join us!! What happened in this episode? I have a summary for you. Sheidheda makes his move. A Disciple goes rogue. All About The Series Lonely Enough to Love! (pronounced The Hundred) is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction drama television series that premiered on March 19, 2014, on The CW. The series, developed by Jason Rothenberg, is loosely based on the novel series of the same name by Kass Morgan. 123Movies Watch Online Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8: Complete Episodes Free Online Strengthens Crusaders and mountan Moorish commanders rebelled against the corrupt British crown. How long have you fallen asleep during Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Episode? The music, the story, and the message are phenomenal in The 100 Season 1 Episode 12. I have never been able to see another episode five times like I did this. Come back and look for the second time and pay attention. Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 WEB-DL Episodes This is losing less lame files from streaming The 100 Season 1 Episode 12, like Netflix, Amazon Video. Hulu, Crunchy roll, DiscoveryGO, BBC iPlayer, etc. These are also episodes or TV shows that are downloaded through online distribution sites, such as iTunes. The quality is quite good because it is not re-encoded. Video streams (H.284 or H.285) and audio (AC3 / The 100 Season 1 Episode 12) are usually extracted from iTunes or Amazon Video and then reinstalled into the MKV container without sacrificing quality. Download Euphoria Episode Season 1 Episode 5 One of the streaming episodes. Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Miles Morales conjures his life between being a middle school student and becoming The 100 Season 1 Episode 12. However, when Wilson “Kingpin” Fiskuses as a super collider, another Captive State from another dimension, Peter Parker, accidentally ended up in the Miles dimension. When Peter trained the Miles to get better, Spider-Man, they soon joined four other Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 from across the “Spider-Verse”. Because all these conflicting dimensions begin to destroy Brooklyn, Miles must help others stop Fisk and return everyone to their own dimensions. the industry’s biggest impact is on the DVD industry, which effectively met its destruction by mass popularizing online content. The emergence of streaming media has caused the fall of many DVD rental companies such as Blockbuster. In July 2019, an article from the New York Times published an article about Netflix DVD, No Manches Frida 2s. It was stated that Netflix was continuing their DVD No. No Frida 2s with 5.3 million customers, which was a significant decrease from the previous year. On the other hand, their streaming, No Manches Frida 2s, has 85 million members. In a March 2019 study that assessed “The Impact of Episodes of Streaming on Traditional DVD Episode Rentals” it was found that respondents did not buy DVD episodes nearly as much, if ever, because streaming had taken over the market. So we get more space adventures, more original story material and more about what will make this 21st MCU movie different from the previous 20 MCU films. Watch The 100 Season 1 Episode 12, viewers don’t consider the quality of Episodes to differ significantly between DVDs and online streaming. Problems that according to respondents need to be improved by streaming Episodes including fast forwarding or rewinding functions, and search functions. This article highlights that streaming quality Episodes as an industry will only increase in time, because advertising revenues continue to soar on an annual basis across industries, providing incentives for the production of quality content. He is someone we don’t see happening. Still, Brie Larson’s resume is impressive. The actress has been playing on TV and film sets since she was 11 years old. One of those confused with Swedish player Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider) won an Oscar in 2018. She was the first Marvel movie star with a female leader. . And soon, he will play a CIA agent in a series commissioned by Apple for his future platform. The series he produced together. Unknown to the general public in 2018, this “neigMBC every1r girl” won an Academy Award for best actress for her poignant appearance in the “Room”, the true story of a woman who was exiled with her child by predators. He had overtaken Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Lawrence, both of them had run out of statues, but also Charlotte Rampling and Saoirse Ronan. Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Online Blu-rayor Bluray rips directly from Blu-ray discs to 1080p or 720p (depending on source), and uses the x284 codec. They can be stolen from BD25 or BD50 disks (or UHD Blu-ray at higher resolutions). BDRips comes from Blu-ray discs and are encoded to lower resolution sources (ie 1080p to720p / 578p / 480p). BRRip is a video that has been encoded at HD resolution (usually 1080p) which is then transcribed to SD resolution. Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 The BD / BRRip episode in DVDRip resolution looks better, however, because the encoding is from a higher quality source. BRRips only from HD resolution to SD resolution while BDRips can switch from 2180p to 1080p, etc., as long as they drop in the source disc resolution. Watch Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 Episode Full BDRip is not transcode and can move down for encryption, but BRRip can only go down to SD resolution because they are transcribed. At the age of 28, on the night of this Oscar, where he appeared in a steamy blue gauze dress, the reddish-haired actress gained access to Hollywood’s hottest actress club. BD / BRRips in DVDRip resolution can vary between XviD orx284codecs (generally measuring 700MB and 1.5GB and the size of DVD5 or DVD9: 4.5GB or 8.4GB) which is larger, the size fluctuates depending on the length and quality of release, but increasingly the higher the size, the more likely they are to use the x284 codec. With its classic and secret beauty, this Californian from Sacramento has won the Summit. He was seen on “21 Jump Street” with Channing Tatum, and “Crazy Amy” by Judd Apatow. And against more prominent actresses like Jennifer Lawrence, Gal Gadot or Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson signed a seven-contract deal with Marvel. There is nothing like that with Watch The Curse of La Llorona Free Online, which is signed mainly by women. And it feels. When he’s not in a combination of full-featured superheroes, Carol Danvers runs Nirvana as greedy anti-erotic as possible and proves to be very independent. This is even the key to his strength: if the super hero is so unique, we are told, it is thanks to his ability since childhood, despite being ridiculed masculine, to stand alone. Too bad it’s not enough to make a film that stands up completely … Errors in scenarios and realization are complicated and impossible to be inspired. There is no sequence of actions that are truly shocking and actress Brie Larson failed to make her character charming. Spending his time displaying scorn and ridicule, his courageous attitude continually weakens empathy and prevents the audience from shuddering at the danger and changes facing the hero. Too bad, because the tape offers very good things to the person including the red cat and young Nick Fury and both eyes (the film took place in the 1990s). In this case, if Samuel Jackson’s rejuvenation by digital technology is impressive, the illusion is only for his face. Once the actor moves or starts the sequence of actions, the stiffness of his movements is clear and reminds of his true age. Details but it shows that digital is fortunately still at a limit. As for Goose, the cat, we will not say more about his role not to “express”. Already the 21st film for stable Marvel Cinema was launched 10 years ago, and while waiting for the sequel to Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8 war infinity (Lonely Enough to Love! Season 1 Episode 8, released September home), this new work is a suitable drink but struggles to hold back for the body and to be really refreshing. Let’s hope that following the adventures of the strongest heroes, Marvel managed to increase levels and prove better.

[whatsupsac]

What’s Up With Your Weekend, 3/31/17-4/2/17:

Friday: 

Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular: A tribute to Pink Floyd complete with a laser spectacular show. Ace of Spades. 6PM. $22-24.

The Big Leboskwi: A lighthearted, absurd piece of film noir, this movie is considered by most experts to be the funniest bowling detective movie ever made. Memorable moments and insane characterizations abound, as "The Dude" stumbles through L.A. on the verge of solving the case of his life. A costume contest will be held for those who wish to come dressed as their favorite character from the film. The Crest Theatre. 7:30-9:30PM. $8-10.

TOMMY’s EP “Beauty is Everywhere” Release Show: Electro Pop-rock artist Tommy will be playing every song from his new EP “Beauty is Everywhere”; sharing the stories, inspiration, and what went into writing them. Guild Theater. 8-9:30PM. $15 at the Door, $12 General Admission in advance, $10 for Students.

Jem&Scout *This Friday!!* OMG!: Jem&Scout perform live with opening acts Simpl3jack and West of Leo. Old Ironsides. 9PM-12AM. $8.

Saturday: 

River City Marketplace: A makers' market designed to showcase over 100 artists, designers, crafters, and small businesses who are sending the message loud and clear: Sacramento is a hub of talent and creativity. Includes live music and local bites. Fremont Park. 11AM-5PM. 

Succulent Wreath Workshop: Create a living wreath! These beautiful wreaths are perfect to decorate your house inside or out. All materials, including succulents, are included in admission. Everyone will create their own 12" wreath. Space is limited so sign up early. Verge Center for the Arts. 2-4PM. $75 for members, $90 for non-members. 

Ana Castillo Reading & Book Signing: Ana Castillo is a celebrated Chicana poet, essayist, editor, activist, novelist, and translator. Castillo’s work in poetry and prose is at once highly innovative and based on established oral and literary traditions. Sol Collective. 6PM. $6.12.

Sacramento Food Festival Premiere: The Sacramento Food Film Festival celebrates food and drink paired with films about our food system. This year's festival kicks off with an all-star cast of chefs pairing bites with short food films from America's Farm-to-Fork Capital and beyond. Sacramento Turn Verein. 6-10PM. $50-75.

Comedy Exchange w/Like Soin and Lendy West: Comedy Exchange invites favorite stand-up comedians to perform 7-minute sets and then our cast of improvisers performs comedy scenes inspired by the comedians’ jokes. This show will feature stand-up comedy by Luke Soin and Lendy West. Sacramento Comedy Spot. 10:30-11:30PM. $8.

Sunday:

43rd Annial Xipe/Colores: Maquilli Tonatiuh and the Sacramento Community invite you to the 43rd Annual Xipe/Colores ceremonia that will honor our children and spring time new life that leaves the old behind so the blessings continue to arrive. Southside Park. 10AM-2PM.

Inter-Association Spring Saunter on R St: Join the Sacramento Inter-Association of Emerging Professionals for an afternoon spring saunter along historic R Street and hear about individual projects such as the Warehouse Artist Lofts and Ice Blocks from developers and architects, as well as the vision for revitalizing this vibrant area of downtown Sacramento. The tour will end at Dos Coyotes with a taco bar and mingling with fellow emerging professionals. Reserve your spot now - space is limited. Meet at WAL Picnic Tables. 1-4PM. $5.

Community Sit Returns: Life can be overwhelming to our bodies and minds, causing stress that affects our lives, families, and community. Meditation is an ancient tool for being happier and healthier. Let’s learn and practie together at Community Sit, a weekly drop-in meditation group. All meditation traditions are welcome, as are first-time mediators. Oak Park Healing Center. 5:30-6:30PM. $10 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Beatles ‘67 - Sgt Pepper and other magical mysteries: Celebrate the Beatles' landmark year with music from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band + Magical Mystery Tour + a few select singles featuring performances from Adrian Bourgeois, Bellygunner, Casey Sims, City Of Trees Brass Band, David, Houston, Jacob Golden, Lauren Wakefield, Sealegs and Larry Carr. Harlow’s Nightclub. 6:30-10PM. All Ages. $10 in Advance, $12 at the Door.