#which i think is where i peaked in my artistic career

[butimjustaliar]

so weird i like to paint but somehow i always and up writing sth on there. why do i do that

[indiaalphawhiskey]

Just some thoughts.

“There’s only so high you can go. At some point you’re not gonna make that expectation. Going out on a high and now feeling like I’m starting a fresh, came to terms with the fact that, that was so great and if I never get to do that on that level again, that’s okay.”

— Harry Styles, Behind the Album

Ever since Harry’s started saying his goodbyes on stage, this quote as been echoing in my head. All the variations of how he’s been saying thank you, and I’ll miss you, and talking about his break; it’s an unpopular opinion, but none of them ever really strike me as some big, final “goodbye” in the strictest sense. Rather, it feels like he’s thanking this era, giving it it’s time in the sun and reveling in what he has whilst he has it, before giving it a proper send off and putting it to bed.

The Fine Line and Harry’s House eras have meant an unprecedented skyrocket in his profile, and for a person who thought One Direction would be the pinnacle of his time in music, to find out it wasn’t, is a lot. A lot of joy, a lot of pride, but also a lot of pressure.

It’s safe to say this is the most popular and most successful he’s ever been, and I’m sure it’s incredibly reminiscent of where he was and how he felt when the band went on hiatus, which can easily bring about those same anxieties of “Well, what happens next?”

I think the reason he’s using this certain language to say his goodbyes is, in my opinion, not because he’s leaving and never coming back. It reads more like he’s giving himself the room to acknowledge that this chapter of his career (just like the last) was so beautiful, so memorable, such a high, in order to come to terms with the fact that if it’s never like this again — if it turns out he comes back and is met with (much) less success, or popularity, or love — it’ll be okay.

It seems like this is a lesson he’s taken with him from going solo: that natural breaks in your career shouldn’t be spent worrying about what comes next, that the goal of each phase of your career isn’t to “top” the last, because what that leads to is working from a place of fear. (Which he’s said he doesn’t want to do anymore.)

And so, I think, by saying a proper goodbye to this chapter, he’s releasing himself of the pressure to “top” it. He’s honoring this moment, this peak, for what it is, and by doing that, he’s also allowing himself and his art not to be defined entirely by these eras and this level of success. Releasing himself of that pressure, allowing himself to acknowledge that a long career means highs and lows and ebbs and flows, allowing himself to be “less than” who he is now in the future, is what’s going to make making music for his next era fun and personal, and maybe, in turn, end up making him a bigger and better artist than what he’s leaving behind. Or not.

The point is, either way, he’ll be okay, and happy, and healthy. And most importantly, peak of his career or not, everything that comes after will still be entirely Harry. 🩵

[foxes-that-run]

The Lakes

The lakes is about escaping the challenging aspects of Taylor Swift's life with her muse to form an artist community like Wordsworth and Keats had in the Lakes district in the 19th century.

Above, the Lyric video shows wildflowers, LK has referenced this song and Harry also has for a Pleasing campaign. In the vertical video Taylor is on a swing, reminiscent of the swing in Seven, possibly about Harry. Finally a photo with a swan in The Lakes District.

In the Long Pond Session Taylor said (I've shortened it)

'The Lakes is a testament of what I wanted to escape from and where I saw myself escaping to. We'd gone to the Lake District in England a couple years ago. In the 19th century you had a lot of poets like William Wordsworth and John Keats. There was a poet district. They had their own community of other artists, which I've always in my career.' Jack: 'it's not just I've found something worth escaping to it’s a person to escape with.” Taylor agreed "That's a huge sincere statement of hope, everything I'm naming is completely small compared to this love.” “Hoax as the ending song was interesting for a couple weeks but then I wanted the real last song. The Lakes shows you exactly what the overarching theme of the whole album of trying to escape and having something you want to protect, protect your own sanity and saying look they did this hundreds of years ago, I'm not the first person who's felt this way.

Taylor said they had gone to the lakes "a couple of years ago", and she described a poet district with an artist community, meaning fellow songwriters. She had been to the Lakes with a couple of years ago with on her first trip there with Harry Styles on her birthday in 2012. At the time Taylor said it was her best birthday since she was 6. Like Taylor, Harry has a similar experience of fame and is a lyricist. Harry has also sung about being in an artist community with Taylor, in Canyon Moon, which has a very similar idea as The Lakes.

I have seen people refer to the Invisible String Lyric "Our three-year trip / Getting lunch down by the Lakes" to point to Joe. While not photographed, their 3rd anniversary was October 2019, or 6 months before this song was recorded. 'A couple of years ago' rather than 'last year' implies the earlier trip. Joe is also not a lyricist, she spoke about an artist community. He is credited as a producer on Folklore. Taylor described how William Bowery wrote the melody's not lyrics.

Lyrics

Is it romantic how all my elegies eulogize me? I'm not cut out for all these cynical clones These hunters with cell phones

An elegie is the speech at a funeral, her songs, particularly those she is reclaiming are like diary. She lost her eulogie, the story of her life.

The last line refers back to 'I Know Places' "They are the hunters, we are the foxes" where she and Harry ran from paparazzi, now they hide from every person with a cell phone.

Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die I don't belong, and my beloved, neither do you Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry I'm setting off, but not without my muse

Taylor is saying she is not cut out for the music industry life, she lost the rights to her diary, constantly photographed. In the Long Pond she referred to having this plan for years, which she foreshadowed for Lover, and I think Harry's Peace ring. I think they may have shared this plan when they first visited for when she turned 30 and into 2020. Folklore is about communication and how life differs to what a 23 year old planned.

The final line is so lovely, her muse is Harry Styles. No other partner has inspired so much work or so much success, they have inspired and encouraged each other to do their best work. Even when they are with others for years they still write about each other. When they see each other they are prolific. Harry has even sung about how he writes too much about her. I could list what proportion of awards and hits are about this relationship, but let's stay in the Windermere peaks.

Despite their success Taylor does not think they are cut out for this life. Taylor has sung about Harry's anxiety in New Years Day and Now that we don't talk, it's also apparent watching him at award shows in his solo career. This song and many (Mirrorball, I know places, Slut!, You're on your own kid) are about how fame impacted Taylor.

What should be over burrowed under my skin In heart-stopping waves of hurt I've come too far to watch some namedropping sleaze Tell me what are my words worth

The first line I think could have 2 meanings, one that the relationship should be over but it is not and the waves are hurt of not being together. Or, and I think this because of the second half, Taylor cannot let her masters go. The last line is a pun on the worth of her words and the poet William Wordsworth.

I want auroras and sad prose I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet 'Cause I haven't moved in years And I want you right here A red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground With no one around to tweet it While I bathe in cliffside pools With my calamitous love and insurmountable grief

I want auroras and sad prose, refers to Harry Styles. She describes his eyes as “aurora borealis green” in Snow on the Beach. She also describes him as sad boy in Question..?, he does write sad prose.

In the Long Pond Session Taylor said "I could see this you know you you live in a cottage and you've got Wisteria growing up the outside of it and you just why you know of course they escaped like that." William Wordsworths cottage (below) has wisteria growing on the side, which is a slow growing purple plant, almost a lavender haze!

I love the imagery of 'Red rose grew out of rose in frozen ground', because it refers to Rose, which is a Haylor theme. But also because it refers to the track before Hoax: "My winless fight, this has frozen my ground" It also refers to a theme of hiding their love, "I would die for you secret" in Peace, that something beautiful and no one needs to know about it.

The last lines are so poetic and dramatic I love them. Calamitous love refers to a love that’s “built to fall apart (and back together)” in OOTW or "a crooked love in a straight line down” in IWYW. Taylor used a similar word discussing SOTB, calling it cataclysmic love. Taylor describes her dramatic and passionate relationship with Harry rather than staide and safe one described with Joe.

Her insurmountable grief is all she’s lost, her masters, the things she gave up in your own your own kid and things she has to pine about.

Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die I don't belong, and my beloved, neither do you Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry I'm setting off, but not without my muse No, not without you

Love this chorus, such beautiful poetry about poets and love.

[ultimateplaylistmaker]

Honestly boggles my mind a bit how much people like my huge giant Talent Swap, but I did finally assign every character a talent and while I might still do some small changes, so here's the new Trigger Happy Havoc Cast

Himiko: Ultimate Clairvoyant

Himiko while still a magician-type, now specializes in telling fortunes, an act she's very good at. She insists it's all magic, and often has strange somewhat prophetic dreams, though she's kinda bad at figuring out what they're actually prophesying

Angie: Ultimate Gambler

With Atua in her ear, Angie has yet to lose a bet. With a penchant for riskier gambling and more unique kinds of bets that often have no monetary component to them. She's just having a lot of fun.

Shuichi: Ultimate Affluent Prodigy

Born into a family who to decide the heir one of the many children must solve an incredibly complicated scenario. Shuichi half lucking into it by overhearing other competitors and half his deduction skills, solves this scenario despite being too young to actually compete, not fully realizing what it meant to solve it. So now he's very stressed always and feels like he only won out of pure luck and by stealing his sibling's work and doesn't deserve this.

Seiko: Ultimate Biker Gang Leader

I still have no good reason for this one besides gay gay homosexual I'm going to be honest. Biker girl who's kinda anxious and stops fleeing from the cops to get a cat out of a tree, I love her.

Sonosuke: Ultimate Baseball Star

Once again I don't have a good reason for this one besides the fact SOMEONE had to be the baseball star, and I felt his personality and skill with weapons could translate well to a bat.

Chiaki: Ultimate Fanfic Creator

While still a huge gamer Chiaki got noticed for writing novel long fix it fics and strange crossovers that worked perfectly. She is well known for her hurt/comfort, fluff, and sprawling worldbuilding to fill in all the gaps of whatever game got her attention. Sometimes she dabbles in horror or angst, just to experiment, but they aren't her favorite genres to write.

Fuyuhiko: Ultimate Martial Artist

While still a Yakuza member, he got scouted for his immense gift at martial arts that was discovered when he was learning self defense, because Yakuza. Fuyuhiko has always had a rather strict moral code as well, which fits well with a Martial Artist. Likely specializes in using enemies momentum against them.

Ryoma: Ultimate Soldier

Ryoma got dragged into war at a young age, as there was a gang war in his town that he got pulled into after one killed his cat, thinking it was the cat of the other gang. From there, life kept pulling him along into deeper and deeper conflicts, before eventually, he got pulled into a very literal war while on a trip. From there he vanished and went off the grid, and when he was found again, he had become the stoic Ultimate Soldier

Mahiru: Ultimate Lucky Student

I see her as having a generalized bad luck aura, but when she super focuses on something its like her luck goes into bullet time and suddenly gets super precise and rather good

Kotoko: Ultimate Idol

Drama and Idol is pretty similar I feel, Kotoko is planning to use Hope's Peak to escape her idol career that she feels trapped in. Only to find herself trapped within a death game but honestly she's kinda okay with staying here that's certainly one way to destroy her career.

Gundham: The Ultimate Writing Prodigy

With a specialization of writing animal themed fantasy adventure books, Gundham has basically taken over the YA fiction scene. He got his start from roleplaying on some animal forum, where he was encouraged to write a book because he had some very good prose. Thus launching a huge literary career.

Akane: Ultimate Swimmer

A mixture of poverty and a terrible environment pushed Akane to extremes to survive. When she noticed a river known for dangerous currents by her house had fish in it, she taught herself to swim and navigate those currents to catch the fish for her family, gathering a lot of attention.

Celeste: Ultimate Fashionista

Making her own gothic outfits, Celeste burst into the fashion scene and very quickly got a lot of attention, soon being able to launch her own brand and lead the gothic lolita scene. Very demanding and terrible to work with though.

Toko: Ultimate Programmer

When no person would be her friend let alone date her, she turned to the one thing she could make be her friend, a computer program. In her determination to program the perfect boyfriend, she devoted hours and hours to it, accidentally advancing AI research by decades as she tried to figure out why even the programs she made, refused to date her.

Sakura: Ultimate Moral Compass

Sakura always had a very strong well, moral compass, so she quickly found her place helping others with school work, and staying on top of things. Very kind and considerate, and will help you whenever there's a problem

Kirigiri: Ultimate Analyst

Let's be real she kinda already was this in a way. Her eye for detail and cause and effect was legendary and overshadowed her detective career, and now she uses that eye for detail to destroy her father's career and go deep undercover. Kept from getting bored by sheer spite for her father and a deep curiosity about the world around her.

Junko: Ultimate Detective

Junko loves despair, we been knew, and I can't think of anything more despairful then fucked up crime scenes. This girl specializes in the most fucked up cases, you find a toddlers head in a freezer? You call Junko in. She revels in the gore and despair and horror, really enjoying getting to stretch her mental muscles to figure out just how a crime scene came to be. While also taking notes on what gets people caught for her own crimes she's planning.

-BONUS-

Syo: Ultimate Cook

This is a surprise tool that will help us more next game.

[funishment-time]

For the SR ask game: 1, 7, 48!

- goshdangronpa

1. What was your first exposure to Danganronpa?

the Game Grumps, but NOT their first Danganronpa playthrough (~2020). at the time it was High Quarantine and i knew little about DR other than that it seemed Hunger Gamesy, and honestly i didn't know if i could handle that mentally. so i skipped it. eventually when they did DR2 (~2021-2022) i started watching that one, and when they were halfway done with that, i went back and binged the first DR to get context.

it was probably another year, however, before i really got into the fandom, as i found out my Manager really loves it too!

(really hoping they play v3 this year, by the way. they seemed very open to it last summer. i don't think they'll ever play UDG and i wouldn't want them to)

7. You get the chance to reassign five characters new talents. Who do you choose, and which new talents do they get?

i take this question to mean Talent Switching, and if it doesn't i don't care, so here's a few Talent Switch AUs for you:

Sayaka is now the SHSL ASSASSIN who took up the job to pay bills after her idol career began to tank. her cover is still the SHSL IDOL. she freaks out at the start of DR1 because she bungled her last assassination and she thinks the Killing Game is a punishment by some faceless contractor. the first trial is much the same, with Makoto finding out he didn't know much about this childhood friend of his at all, except we also discover her idol career had started to bounce back right before the killing game, and she would have gotten out of her job as an assassin. then, of course, we find out that she would have exited Hope's Peak to nothing at all. same plot, different emotional strings

Junko is now the SHSL CHILD CAREGIVER except she uses horrific Cocomelon-esque to keep kids hypnotically in line. she knows nothing about kids otherwise. there's no WOH because they're too busy watching ADHD Enoshima YTPs

Peko is now the SHSL ANIMAL BREEDER in an alternate universe where she gets to pet all the floofers she wants. she is sweet and quiet and if you threaten her majestic floofers she will disembowel you with a sword

Toko is now the SHSL ANTHROPOLOGIST. her understanding of culture helps her write novels that truly Encapsulate what it means to be a human, but doesn't help her at all in her personal life. (these things never do.) she is still bitter and angry and traumatized and Syo wants to disembowel cute boys to See How They Work. isn't humanity beeeeeeeyutiful? KYAHAHAHAHA.

K1-B0 as the SHSL ARTIST. still a robot, but now trying to figure out if what he does counts as AI Art and if he can ever understand others through it. Hope's Peak comes under fire for allowing him to attend, but nay-sayers come under fire from Miu, who shoots ping-pong balls at their faces.

48. Do you have any rare pairs?

answered right before ya here! i'm really down for tons of Rare Pairs, as they all take second place to the ones i froth at the mouth about (namely Irumatsu and Sakuraoi)

i did forget to mention one that my Manager randomly came up with and that i know is sinful but that i think is a fun idea: Mondo x Sonia

[nildespirandum]

Hi today is a slow, rainy day here, so I was planning to turn to two of my comfort reads, The Bottom of the Hourglass and Perfection. May I ask you where do Kay and Alice come from? I love them.

What a lovely Ask to get on what is also a rainy, slow day here (my favorite kind of day, as it happens). It gave me a jolt of pure joy to read this.

Oh, where or where did my girls come from...

It is easier for me to answer that question about Kay, because Kay came from two places primarily. One was from at the time newish job at the bookstore I now work at. It was the first time longer than I wanted to think about that I had worked at a store that I truly loved, and in fact the whole idea for The Bottom of the Hourglass came from my not realizing that a coworker had come in and out of a normally locked door into the store and my seeing leaves and rain on the floor. At the same time one of the songs that was used in OLLA - Funnel of Love - played in the store.

I have worked with so many fantastic, brilliant, too smart, too well read, and too plain weird booksellers over my career, many of whom were also deeply invested in their personal styles, so Kay is a little bit of seven or so of the put together.

The other influence for her is I have this headcanon that Wes Anderson's movies and Jim Jarmusch's take place in the same world. Their aesthetics and obsessions are like mirror twins. So I loved the idea of what would happen if a character out of one of Anderson's movies, and one from one of Jarmusch's fell in love? Kay is my Wes Anderson character.

Interestingly, her face claim - and some of her style - is my beloved Alice Quinn from The Magicians, which is the character that Alice from Perfection got her name from.

Alice, where did Alice come from? I know that the first inspiration for her was I wanted her to be a visual artist, a painter, because it felt to me that in Crimson Peak one of the things that made the connection between Sir Thomas and Edith was that they were both creators. The both wanted to put something into the world.

I of course wanted her to be from Chicago both because I love my home city, but also because I have read a LOT of history of the city from the turn of the last century. Additionally, the connection between London and Chicago by way of Harry Selfridge and that Marshall Field who Selfridge became a junior partner to - who Alice's father Oscar is very, very remotely based on - was wildly rich by the standards of the time so I could set her up in style.

As far as the specifics of her character, the first time I pictured her I saw her limping, and I knew that this was someone who despite having all of the advantages a woman of her time could have, was also someone who understood struggling. Struggling to be seen for what she could do rather than what she could buy. Struggling to bring the beauty inside of her mind out into the world in a tangible way. Struggling in a physical way. Struggling and working and never letting herself stop.

All of which would give her the kind of strength you would need to love a man with powerful demons, a man in capable of loving himself.

But in both cases, they both came from themselves, each one revealing herself to me as I wrote them. Telling me about the families that formed them, their backgrounds and tastes, and what they love and what they hate.

If any of that makes sense.

[desertsquiet]

Emmylou Harris - Songs & albums that are in my soul

So for her birthday, since I don’t focus on her solo career as much as it deserves on my blog, I wanted to make a list of my favorite Emmylou albums and share my personal “best of” playlist made for the occasion. I think her talent in creating a cohesive record with its own unique vision as (mostly) an interpreter of songs is severely underrated, but she’s consistently proven to be an album artist first and foremost and all of these are the perfect showcase of that. Do yourself a favor and go check them out now!

5) Roses in the Snow (1980)

Going Bluegrass, baby. This album might have my favorite backstory. Story goes that, despite her quick rise to fame as a country star, some critics had bashed her for not being “traditionally country” enough (ikr, what a surprise), so she just made this spectacular bluegrass infused record which was also a smash hit. If this isn’t iconic behaviour, I don’t know what is.

4) Blue Kentucky Girl (1979)

This was a bit more of a slow burner for whatever reason, but I have grown to love pretty much everything about it and every single track. Perhaps her warmest and prettiest sounding record, without ever going over into cheesy territory. Nothing but tasteful, exquisitely arranged and performed good ol’country music with the usual array of special guests to die for.

3) Pieces of the Sky (1975)

Emmylou once said that learning that Gram had died was “like falling off a mountain” and the only thing she could think of was making a country album almost in his memory. She ended up making two in 1975, but the first one was truly unforgettable. True to her promise, it’s hard not to hear the silent presence all over Pieces of the Sky. He’s the canyon on fire in Boulder to Birmingham, he’s “the one who made a queen of a simple country girl” in Queen of the Silver Dollar. He’s in the duets they once had or the songs he played her (Sleepless Nights, Bottle Let Me Down, Coat of Many Colors). And just like that, a star was born and Gram Parsons’ spirit lived on.

2) Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town (1978)

I love everything about this album. Starting from the cover and title, courtesy of Susanna Clark. It opens with the double punch of Easy From Now On/Two More Bottles of Win which alone would be enough to make it a favorite of mine, but then it goes on and every track just keeps hitting it out of the park. Perfectly balancing more mellow and upbeat songs, her voice glides through each one now with the confidence and control of someone who’s entirely tuned in with their own instrument and at the very peak of their power.

1) Luxury Liner (1977)

Now I have talked about this album time and time again so it’s no secret what I think about it, but I will never get tired of hyping it up. It’s the one that truly catapulted her career into stardom. It’s the moment she completely came into her own and made it very clear to everybody, starting with herself, who she really was. It’s country and it’s rocking. It’s underground music gone mainstream without losing any of its authenticity. It’s outlaw country gone Nashville. It’s playing by her own rules and staying true to what she learned and where she came from. It’s one of the greatest country albums of all time, if you ask me.

Playlist: https://music.apple.com/it/playlist/best-of-emmylou/pl.u-mJy88LDtzmxLDKe

[loveandthepsyche]

Alchemy: Transmuting Depression & Rejection Through the Lens of Claude Monet

This past year, I had to take the opportunity to experience the Monet Immersive being named after my favorite artist, Claude Monet. Standing amidst his masterpieces, I was stunned by a part of his life that I had completely forgotten about. Before the Impressionist movement was born, Monet struggled with debt and poverty. He had been cut off by his family, had just had a son with his lover, Camille, and was devastated when his artwork was rejected by the Salon, the premier art exhibition in Paris that could make or break an artist's career. So he attempted suicide by throwing himself into the Seine River.

Remembering this chapter in his life, I wondered, what would the world be like without the beauty and innovation Monet contributed? Would we visit Giverny and Monet's celebrated gardens had he not lived there and created some of his most famous work? And what would Paris be like without Musee de L’Orangerie (originally inaugurated as Musee Claude Monet as he had enormous input into the architectural design that houses his Water Lilies series) or Musee Marmottan? Would Impressionism even exist as we know it? The Impressionist movement was a co-creation with other artists in response to the stringent rules of the Salon. It is said that Renoir invited Monet around this challenging period to come paint with him. Many believe their artistic explorations together became the breeding ground for the Impressionist movement.

When I look at Monet, I can’t imagine a world where he did not exist and share his gifts. Like Monet, we all have something beautiful to offer in some unique way. And like Monet, most of us experience a dark night of the soul, if not many, and it’s important to remember when you're in it — it’s a wave that will eventually break. The heavy emotions, depression and unprocessed pain (many times, deep grief) peak and fall off in the same way that each wave in the ocean crests. In these painful moments, remind yourself to ride the wave out... It WILL crest. But you have to feel it FULLY and be present through the wave of emotion for it to peak and break entirely.

Monet suffered depressive episodes throughout his life. He found a kind of healing balm in beauty, nature and artistic expression, which gave him the resilience and presence to transcend his life circumstances.

Like Monet, find the beauty in your surroundings. Beauty in any form is healing, and Mother Nature is medicine. Spending time outdoors, whether it’s taking a 5 minute break to get a breath of fresh air or a walk, soothes the soul. Even the simple act of surrounding yourself with fresh flowers, a potted plant or an inspiring piece of art will enliven your spirit and enhance your environment.

Find expression in whatever medium moves you & brings you pleasure. While it could be an artistic endeavor, it could be something very simple like cooking a beautiful meal, baking something with love, creating a flower arrangement, dancing, organizing something like your closet or refrigerator to bring more simplicity and ease into your day. Think outside the box. The important takeaway is to give your emotions expression in some external way whether that be writing in your journal, screaming into a pillow, slamming a tennis ball across the court or doing a 5 minute breathwork session to your favorite song.

Surround yourself with a support system that wants to see you succeed—Monet was blessed to be surrounded by a group of artists who didn't see him as competition, but as an inspiration that contributed to the whole.

And as Monet's life demonstrates, know there is a reason for your suffering. It is not in vain, although it may certainly feel like it in the moment. Many of life's mysteries will not make sense until much later when you put the pieces of the puzzle together. Look at all the circumstances in Monet's life that led up to the necessity and creation of the Impressionist movement, such as being rejected by the Salon and wanting to end his life only to transcend the limits through beauty, ingenuity and the courage to persist.

Lastly, some perspective:

Rejection is simply ONE point of view.

It is not *THE* only point of view or even the truth.

For much, if not most of Monet's life, critics and the public thought Monet's paintings were “unfinished" and “ugly.” Imagine that. 😂

[mostspecialgirl]

another solo ramble post - relicverse, ocs, flg, and 'succeeding as an artist'

one of the first pieces of digital art i’ve tried to do (not counting back when i was a kid on chickensmoothie) was a '100 OC’s Challenge', which, even at the time, little me thought “what? Just 100? bitch i’ve got this in the BAG” (i did in fact, have it in the bag) and so seeing it again made me want to do a redraw of it. y’know throw in their modern updated designs, maybe try to give them a little more expression, switch the order around and whatnot. but i asked myself “Well in that case, why don’t I just redo the whole thing instead of making it a redraw? Stick in some new series since little me got lazy of drawing from a list at like 75, and it can be something nice to refer to.”

(pictured: old ass disgusting FLG page of the 100 oc’s challenge, as well as the infamous Crusty Backup Of An Old Version of the Ancient FLG Pixel Art Sheet)

then i remembered it’s ONLY 100 slots. by now, i’ve got WAY too much going on and i’ve had another “oh. Well shit. I forgot I’m nuts about this shit” because quite honestly I could probably do 300 without having to think too hard. And maybe that’s a bit of an issue. what is a girl doing with 300+ characters floating around her brain. i’ve got tens of stories where NONE have PROPERLY seen the light of day because i’m scared of comitting to a shitty adaptation that interests no one. or i get too overly ambitious in what’s actually possible and blow out my motivation to wanting it down in consumable form at that time. here i am cooped up in my little shack with the same problem i’ve had my whole life:

i’d love to have one or two eyes on my work who care about it, but i’ve never had any knack for attracting an audience. i spent YEARS on instagram to the tune of Only Making A Single Friend I Fell Out Of Touch With. All of the success I’ve had on twitter over the years is directly tied to “well did Friend 1 or Friend 2 Retweet This?” (With an exception i’ll get to) and only QUITE RECENTLY (in the scope of my artist career) have i made friends who LOOK at my ART and press LIKE. i just feel a little suffered! maybe i’m just scarred from instagram cause’ i was shit at drawing back then. maybe i just have to do fanart with the skills i have now and inevitably i’ll have followers of my own who i don’t see through the lens of “borrowed, not earned”. but i’m scared of failure. i’ve long failed, don’t get me wrong, but i’m afraid of falling deeper, despite how insignificant an Online Existence Like This already is.

(pictured: record of existence)

my one success, being twitter’s “GAYRETARDGF” was the first time in my life i received any attention that made me think “oh shit, maybe i’m actually a little bit funny and not just an insane unfunny person”. i spent years playing Jester for My Personal King that i’ve kind of lost any frame of reference pertaining to how i’m perceived by others. i’ve always been terrible at that. despite getting suspended at another Peak Growth Moment and the fact i’ve failed to reclaim that spark, it’s made me realize “Maybe I can succeed creatively”. after all, GAYRETARDGF’s thing was vulgar quips and drawn out nonsensical scenario posts and WELL. not to name names or kick any other artists under the bus, unlike most Crazy Posters “artist careers”, my art, i find, is every bit as unserious, witty, vulgar, and STUPID as my tweets were. (i think the writing in Puzzling Commission is a testament to that)

even if i failed to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was GAYRETARDGF, knowing people find my stupid bits funny is such a candle in the dark i’ve been in my whole life. i’m always telling my friends “i’m trying to be the new henry darger” and even though i’m joking, I’m afraid that maybe i will be to a few souls who stumble on my work. i’ve found my own 'personal dargers' over the years who i bemuse over, wondering where they are now, and if they still care about art. I don’t want to give up. I want to keep pushing. I’m coming up on the 10th anniversary of FLG and finally at this point in my life i’m seeing the signs that potentially I can make ONE person BECOME A DEDICATED FAN of the relicverse. my art’s almost there, my writing’s there, and all i have to do it wait for the wind to catch these sails. (i will however, have to find the right sails for the job)

i’m far from kidding when i say the relicverse is my life’s work. i think i’d like to make it succeed. i hope in this modern landscape it CAN succeed. so i’m going to bust my fucking ASS OFF drawing fanart on tumblr and see where it goes. I’d honestly be satisfied just being a mildly successful fanartist in a fandom i like.

SURPRISE! THIS POST ISN’T DONE YET!

for the second part here, feel free to stop reading, i want to talk a little more about FLG. FLG is the series younger me put my whole SOUL into. even 'sarah' which i’m going by now (due to a strange set of circumstances which i might talk about in a future ramblepost about Gender and Stuff), is taken from 'sa’ara pyrophyte byblis' who at the time was my favourite character. To repeat what i said earlier with a little more information, FLG is in fact coming up on it’s tenth anniversary and that’s HORRIFYING. i’ve been working on this shit since before UNDERTALE. BEFORE UNDERTALE!!!!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT SHIT?????

flg’s been sent to the backburner while i recontextualize a ton of lore, but in a lot of ways, it’s the reason the relicverse even exists. sure, these days, DEVIL’S MANNER opens up the gate, but the first series i wrote to acknowledge the planes and the presence of a shared greater universe is from FLG. hell, FLG’s story can be read as a parallel to Demiurge’s story (intentional) though… now that i say that, it’s not like anyone would know what i mean by that.

despite not DIRECTLY touching FLG in any significant way in these recent times, i think it’s only become more important to the greater universe. the kailash clan finds their origins in FLG, and by extension, the outer gods. hastur himself is a direct descendant of the outer gods, and despite being seen as an 'imperfect halfling' by the ancients during FLG, at the end of the story and before the events of sundown, hastur gains his proper respects as 'their greatest child', being half ancient and half elder god, essentially the image of purity they’ve been chasing. an ancient whose blood bears the love of their creators. oh. right. i guess now’s a good time to mention Hastur and by extension Ithaqua are both Kailash, though the two aren’t keen on identifying as such after everything Cass did to their friends family and home.

in the current scape of the relicverse, the Kailash are by far the only clan who has political relevance, both the berezaiti and sinai clans divided and mostly irrelevant in terms of modern planeswalker culture. The Kailash are like, kind of really important.

but, technically, the berezaiti are also from FLG. Ounon Thanast, chief of one of the Tindalosian Clans that find their homeworld in FLG’s Earth, is the parent of Yima Berezaiti, who, if for some reason you know my lore, is the whole reason the Berezaiti clan is a CLAN.

FLG’s earth, GENESIS EARTH, is pretty significantly important to the RELICVERSE. It’s one of the planes lying upon 'The Rim', with the control for influence over it contested by both The Planeswalker Association and the Hundred Nights Guild. Due to the presence of Azathoth’s Canvas Energy Offgassing, within GENESIS EARTH, everyone’s line of fate is rewritten to have them destined to awaken a Power (as in 'Powers' of 'The Five Elements') by lingering around in this plane for long enough, anyone can gain another unique ability JUST by doing fuck all!!!! which OF COURSE has led to the eternal struggle of planeswalkers upon their world.

Even the Trinity and RELIC EARTH aren’t safe, with Angelo Rust of INSIDERS being a Genesis Earth native and brother of the Sinai Clan’s Patriarch Einrich, Gervase Sinai, was condemned to the plane by the King of the Watchers, Samyaza, who is also one of RELIC EARTH’s Outer Gods. AND, SPOILER ALERT, GERVASE IS THE FATHER OF VIRGIL, THE PROTAGONIST OF FLG: SUNDOWN!!!

gaaaasp

There’s so many more little connections like that and yet somehow i never seemed to consider genesis earth as more than a footnote, until now, of course. but i’m not sure what i want to do with flg. the obvious answer is a COMIC, seeing as it’s about SUPERHEROES, but i can’t help but wonder if there’s another path also worth pursuing. Superhero media is everywhere these days, and with the success of works like Invincible’s adaptation, The Boys’s adaptation, and like, the crazy marvel movie explosion that happened with infinity war and endgame, Superhero stuff is back in the public consciousness. There’s a lot of avenues. That’s getting too far ahead though seeing as I’ve had a Big Inevitable Rewrite for it on the schedule… gruygh,,, there’s too much to ramble about today… what was it i was even trying to talk about…

oh. Yeah. Right. I’d love for FLG to find its success somehow, some way, someday, with beautiful 5 active readers, and 20 Asks in my Tumblr Askbox, but i’m a little fearful i might never have the time or power to get to it. I guess I’ll see. I’ll just keep plugging along.

Now shoo!!! Shoo!!!

[caitlinmia]

The Royal Standard

My trip to The Royal Standard in Liverpool took place on the 25th of January 2024

This was a great trip to explore and learn about The Royal Standard and how local artists in Liverpool create communal spaces to all create their own individual art and crafts. The Royal Standard is Liverpool’s ‘largest community of artists’ as there is studios for artists to rent and a place to exhibit their art. It is found in the Baltic Triangle, it can be a bit tricky to find unless you know the area but the location is great for new and uprising artists as it’s surrounded by a lot of alternative and creative life that is around. But the price around the Baltic Triangle can be pretty expensive so that’s something to keep in mind about the location. As you enter the building there’s a lovely cafe which is very beautiful and has great food and drinks and quickly fills up with the public, but the studio spaces are separated with walls so there’s nothing to worry about your work being stolen or destroyed, however the cafe can get noisy so if you like to work in quiet settings this can get a little tricky unless you come into your studio space not at peak times. A good point of the space is that it offers a exhibition room where artists can show off their work and it can be accessed by the public in the cafe which is great for local artists can create exhibitions for their work.

The Royal Standard is a community that helps artists share their work and ideas as well as having a career in professional art, with the support of The Royal Standard they have a lot of networks that they can gain further support from. Currently the Royal Standard has over 40 members and their ‘mission is to support artists to create sustainable and viable careers in the North West’ and they work hard to provide these artists a chance of achieving their careers and goals. Their website is great for learning more about the history of The Royal Standard and also gives the names of all the artists that they support and even includes biographies of the artists as well to give further information on the artist.

The website is easy to navigate and learn about the organisation. While looking on the website I discovered David Ogle who is a very interesting artist and is definitely one of a kind. From first viewing his work i definitely got the vibe of alternative, sci-fi, and illuminations. Learning from his biography I was able to learn that he is “less interested in ‘objects’ than I am in places” and his work is “focused upon our relationship to landscape and the fundamental visual forms that we find meaningful or resonant in nature”. Some of Ogle’s art features illuminating neon lights in dark underground’s which create a cyberpunk aesthetic the bright neon colours contrast with the dark walls to make the lights stand out even brighter and bolder. I love the vibe he captures in his art it really pulls you in to think about the future of technology and distopyia and the utopia of our world. However David Ogle also has a contrasting aesthetic in some of his work, other than the cyberpunk and neon aesthetic he also has fantastic work of dark landscape and nature and has added a subtle light into it and created an extraordinary atmosphere which creates a dark but unearthly and beautiful aesthetic.

Visiting The Royal Standard was a great way to have a look into artists lives, studios/workspaces and really understanding how organisations such as this really helps pursuing artists achieve their goals.

[hongkongartman-mlee]

CY Leo Is Too Good To Be True: A Good Music Skill, A Good Look, A Good Family, A Good Academic Qualification And A Good Girlfriend: Being The World-renowned Harmonica Artist, What Can Be His Fears Of The Unknown?

In the mystery of music lie the secrets that a talent will spend his whole life to uncover. He likes to feel un-settled and has huge inventories of worries of the unknown. When trials of life, one after another, come to test his faith in art, doubt will be removed one day if he sets his ultimate hope in that he loves—art.

CY Leo (何卓彥) was born in 1994 and has never been tired of harmonica since the age of 6 when he started to learn the tunes from his father who is a well-known harmonica player in Hong Kong. The harmonica, also known as a mouth harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument in many genres, notably in blues, country and classical music. It was adapted from an old Chinese instrument called Sheng (笙) more than 1000 years ago.

We are only the stars and, of course, jealous of the moon: Leo, already possessing the talent of music, has a good look with the similar charm of Timothée Chalamet. He also has a great height, an impressive academic qualification (occupational therapy), an enviable family background in which both parents are medical professionals and his younger brother is a teacher, and finally a sweet girlfriend and they fly in pairs to wherever he performs.

Leo is a beautiful butterfly that is also a busy bee. He practises harmonica more than 3 hours a day. He makes online video lectures to teach people how to play harmonica. He produces harmonica concerts and CDs. He takes part in activities which promote community support for harmonica. The award given by Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2020 is just a diamond Koh-i-Noor which glitters among many crown jewels that are already his other international awards. CY Leo is a supper for many female sharks. This is a figurative speech but you can know the degree of his popularity that I am referring to. Leo was not mad at my joke and responded politely, “I am simply a lucky man!”

I asked Leo, “Are you too good to be true? I just attended your concert. Your music is totally stylistic! The audience was respectful of your work.” He faltered, “Currently, things for me are too good to be true. But, fears of the unknown have the power to trouble my heart, over and over again.” I was puzzled and raised the question, “What kind of fear?” He replied seriously, “I am a family man. I love to be as closely as possible with my family. After I get married and have kids, I guess my wife and children cannot fly with me to do worldwide performances. The hotel room empty of them will be the saddest place.”

He continued, “What is at a peak is sure to go down. If I lose my popularity one day and earn substantially less, shall I be able to survive and have enough money to be a breadwinner? Where can I get bacon to bring home?” I asked, “So?” He said, “I think I need to be a music teacher at the same time so that I can add another string to my bow.” I remarked, “Always remember: as a top musician, your focus will determine your success. I am a lawyer and writer. I sometimes do think I am neither here nor there.”  

Leo thought about it for a while, “Stable income matters but I shall definitely not treat pop music as my career. I do play pop music from time to time so as to bridge serious music and popular taste. I want to remain a fine art musician. I love harmonica. It is light, easy, handy and affordable. It should be music for everyone especially youngsters. They can talk to the music when they are happy or moody—anywhere, just getting a harmonica out of the pocket. The sound quality of harmonica is close to that of a human voice. When you play harmonica, it seems like someone singing side by side with you! I disagree to the suggestion that harmonica is not a serious music and it is just great for busking only.”

Maurice Lee

Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wai-biao-cai-hua-101156253?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

CY Leo Jazz Quintet at Montreux Jazz Festival China https://youtu.be/o9gj5lVn0BA?si=y3vaxi7ycEiuEqpY Acknowledgement – Cy Leo

CY Leo & The Guardians of Groovin' Underworld《Wolala》Official Live Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfjWssdEdW0 Acknowledgement – COLLAB HK

CY Leo Solo Harmonica https://youtu.be/JjRZI-MUgag?si=ErAlGh_bDIaISbjM Acknowledgement-Cy Leo

Harmonica Talk by CY Leo https://youtu.be/mxZbKmViwks?si=VtmnaP5TX6UJXK4v Acknowledgement – HK Arts Festival

《青春舞曲》Harmonica https://youtu.be/W4YTbaoABhM?si=MU5Yz8UyhtZWnnOp Acknowledgement - 中華口琴會

[legion1227]

Lil Dicky- Penith. (Dave Soundtrack). Album Review.

I don't know what I expected. 

If you're unfamiliar with him, David Burd, also known as Lil Dicky, first received recognition in 2013 after his music video "Ex-Boyfriend" went viral on YouTube. The following year, he would release his first single, "Save Dat Money," Featuring Fetty Wap and Rich Homie Quan, which went double platinum and found even more success in 2015 with his debut album, Professional Rapper. Professional Rapper is an album I've had a soft spot for since I was a teen, as Dicky burst onto the scene with talent and promise. His lyrical prowess showed promise, and he had a knack for decent storytelling, like "Molly," and entertainingly comedic over-the-top premises, see "Pillow Talking." From there, his music career became more complex while he dipped his toes into the television scene. 

He'd join the 2016 XXL Magazine Freshmen line-up, along with the likes of Anderson. Paak, Lil Uzi, 21 Savage, and others, where he'd perform admirably, dropped an EP in 2017 titled "I'm Brain," released his 2018 single "Freaky Friday" featuring Chris Brown, which would find wild success over YouTube, and release another single titled "Earth" which featured numerous other artists and received poorly from critics and fans alike. Any other musical escapades after "Earth" came solely from his ambitious TV project, Dave. 

In Dave, Dicky plays a fictionalized version of himself as he attempts to cement himself as one of the best rappers of all time. Throughout its three seasons, snippets or full tracks sung and rapped by Lil Dicky are heard. On January 19th, 2024, after mixing, remastering, and creating full versions of show tracks that were initially bits and snippets, Penith (The Dave Soundtrack) was finally released. 

To start, it's no Professional Rapper. His debut album was the peak of Dicky's musical career that I'm unsure he will ever top. Looking back on this album, I can recall the episodes where some of these tracks first aired. 

I think the problem is that some of these tracks only work within the show's context.

For example, the tenth track on Penith is titled "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar." In the episode where Dave meets the esteemed NBA legend, you also get to hear the song. It works well within the show because Dicky portrays himself as an arrogant musical artist who believes his own hype so much when his work is aggressively childish. But when you take the show context out and present merely the song as it is...it's nothing. That same principle applies even more dominantly with songs like "Ally's Song" or "I Met a Girl," which fail to capture the emotional aspect of particular love angles pushed if you've either never seen the show or don't recall the episodes, and I barely remember them.

The point is that this soundtrack really doesn't work if you're not a fan of the show, which might be disheartening if you're a Lil Dicky fan but not so much a fan of his TV. I believe his first and third seasons were mid, and the second season was his best. His series shows flashes of compelling and sometimes hilarious programming, a lot like his work on Professional Rapper. And also a lot like his work here. 

On Penith, there are some reminders that he can still spit, like in "Still Freestyling (Outro)," but it's buried underneath a sea of mediocrity. Dicky continues to push tired penis jokes galore across the board, and there's a particular four-track run starting with "No Fruits or vegetables" to "My Dick Sucks," where it's pure ass. Lyrically and instrumentally uninspired and messy throughout its run, but especially during this portion. 

Besides the freestyling track or "Ally's Song," the only other song that really works for me is "Jail (Part 1)," as it embraces a ludicrous premise and tells a story in a typical, silly, Lil Dicky manner. If only there were more memorable tracks like that instead of a one-minute version of the opening song of the TV show. 

Overall, except for a few tracks out of this lofty one-hour run, I won't be revisiting any of the songs on their own. A majority of these tracks were probably fine being nothing more than bits for the show because I can't imagine most people unironically listening to something like "No fruits or Vegetables." I'd like to think one day he'll make something more in line with Professional Rapper, but he seems more focused on television at the moment. 2.5/5.

[heavenboy09]

I wanna let everyone know this Beautiful Lady I am letting you all know about.

Is Someone Very Special In My Life

But Not In The Way You Think.

She is A National Treasure & A Icon In Country Music 🎶 Since The Beginning Of Its Rise through the years since she was born.

Way Up In The Smokey Mountains ⛰ In Tennessee

As My Grandma 👵 Has Told Me The Stories Of Her Beginning Many Times

My Cousin credits her musical abilities to her mother; often in poor health, she still

managed to keep house and entertain her children with Smoky Mountain folklore and ancient ballads.

She began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television programs in the East Tennessee area. By ten, she was appearing on The Cas Walker Show on both WIVK Radio and WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee. At 13, she was recording (the single "Puppy Love") on a small Louisiana label, Goldband Records, and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, where she first met The Legendary Musician, Johnny Cash, who encouraged her to follow her own instincts regarding her career.

After achieving success as a songwriter for others, She made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s (both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner), before her sales and chart peak came during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Her albums in the 1990s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since 2000, including her own label, Dolly Records.

She has influence many great music artist over time in America 🇺🇸 & Has Become A National Icon In Country Music 🎶  & In History Of Music 🎶 Since Legends Of Music Making 🎶

She is a Actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman

& Still Got It Going On In Her Successful Career Of Bringing Entertainment To Everyone.

It is a Honor to Wish her ❤ A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To This Iconic American Legend

You Know Her Music 🎶  & You Know You Love Her 💘

Please Give your Round Of Applause To

The 1

& The Only

My Cousin

MS. DOLLY REBECCA PARTON ❤ 💕 😍 🤍👩🏼 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 COUSIN #DollyParton #QueenOfTheCountry

[sophieebdaily]

Forbes: Sophie Ellis-Bextor Talks ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ Success In ‘Saltburn’

.

She is the music artist getting plenty of attention right now, as her hit 2001 single “Murder On The Dancefloor” has found new life these more than 20 years later, with its catchy dance beat during a much-talked about scene in the recently released Saltburn film. With the pop tune making its way onto the Billboard Hot 100 this week for the first time and receiving 1.5 million Spotify streams globally back on December 31, a 340% increase compared to New Year's Eve 2022, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is experiencing a whole new level of stardom within her ongoing music career.

I sat down with the English singer-songwriter, who has also returned to her peak spot at #2 on the UK charts exactly 22 years later, to see how she is handling the added fame coming her way lately.

Ellis-Bextor, 44, said, “Well, it’s really exciting and there was a bit over Christmas where I was seeing the numbers picking up and I said to my manager like, ‘This is all amazing but what does it really mean?’ But I think now, I feel like it’s kind of starting to turn into something where it might mean I go places I haven’t been for a while, or maybe new people are introduced to what I am up to. Mainly, I think it’s just a really good example of what I’ve always loved about what I do, which is that you have to be open to the unexpected.”

She went on to say that she loves that fact that at any point, she can get a phone call or an email and it “changes the course of the path I’m on. I’ve always really enjoyed that feeling, and I’ve had a few moments like it before but I think this is going to take a little bit of processing, really, because for me, talking about singing ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ is not a new thing. I’ve been singing that song for a long time - people are always associating it with me, but the fact that it’s having this kind of wild global adventure is something that’s really hard to process.”

To truly grasp the significance of this moment in Ellis-Bextor’s career, it is best to understand how her journey began. Born in the West London suburb of Hounslow, her music career started at the ripe age of 16, when she joined the indie rock brand Theaudience, which she recalls the group receiving “a lot of hype” but by the time she turned 20, the band was dropped by their label, they split up and she was left “high-and-dry.”

When speaking about that more difficult time in her life, Ellis-Bextor said, “I got to learn a lot about the music industry. I got to learn a lot about myself and my relationship with music. I really felt like I was never going to be lucky enough to ever do that again, but then I also thought there’s nothing else I want to do, other than sing. So, everything that’s happened since then, I’ve really appreciated because having everything go away when you’re 20 is just crap. I felt like I was a complete failure, so I think that’s given me such an appreciation but also a drive with what I’m up to.”

She found her groove again (literally and figuratively) when she was invited to sing on the popular dance track “Groovejet” at the age of 21, an opportunity that introduced her to dance music, “which was a total genre spin for me as an indie kid.” Soon after that, “Murder On The Dancefloor” presented itself.

A song co-written by Ellis-Bextor, she said, “The tone is very much set by a demo that Gregg Alexander had written. He told me that he had basically written this song when he frustrated and he wanted to go out clubbing and he couldn’t. He had an acoustic guitar and he was singing this tune, and it was very loose but I could really hear that chorus - and obviously, he had the lyrics “Murder On The Dancefloor” and I was like, ‘I really like that!’ Very generously, he let me get involved with finishing off the song - and actually, when he and I got together to work on recording the track, we got on really well and we now feel like proud parents a little bit.”

Ellis-Bextor calls her sound “disco pop” and over the past two decades, she has released several notable songs, including “Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer),” “Bittersweet” and “Crying At The Discotheque.” But how exactly did the opportunity to come about for “Murder On The Dancefloor” to be featured in the Amazon MGM Studios film, Saltburn?

“Whenever anyone wants to use one of my songs, you get like a little written synopsis, asking for approval, so I didn’t know very much, to be honest with you. I knew the film’s title, I knew it was Emerald [Fennell], and I already knew she was very talented and a brilliant writer & director. I knew that it was going to be the whole of the song and someone with no clothes on. I was like, ‘Yep! Count me in.’”

Starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Rosamund Pike, Saltburn, which is now streaming on Prime Video, centers around a young outcast named Oliver (Keoghan), who befriends his university’s popular pretty boy Felix (Elordi) and gets invited to join him and his eccentric family at their lush English estate for the summer. A series of bizarre and rather horrific events ensue, with Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder On The Dancefloor” song playing at the very end of the film, as Keoghan’s character dances from room-to-room, completely naked.

After approving the song for the film, Ellis-Bextor says she did not think much about it for quite a while. “I hadn’t heard any more about it. So, when things started building and there was like a little bit of a buzz, I think I hadn’t even told my manager or my husband [that I had approved the song for the film].”

She added, “It’s quite funny, really. I went to a screening with my husband and my mom and my eldest boy and my brother - it’s like a real family outing to watch Saltburn. Obviously, if you’ve seen it, there are a few challenging moments for a family viewing, but we all really loved it. I just thought, ‘God, what a great film to be a part of’ and music has been given such a brilliant space in that film as a way [of] nostalgia but also attitude. I thought it was really funny and dark.”

Since the film’s theatrical release late last year and thanks to a popular TikTok trend of people dancing around their home to “Murder On The Dancefloor” in true (yet clothed) Saltburn style, Ellis-Bextor said she began noticing her song catching on again around this past Christmas, just after she finished her latest UK tour and had returned home to her family to hibernate for the winter.

After dedicating much of her music focus lately creating primarily Eastern European-inspired folk songs, I wondered if Ellis-Bextor’s music priorities moving forward are at all changing, with the growing success of her dance sounds from yesteryear.

“No, I really haven’t. That’s not really how I work, but happily and maybe in a slightly serendipitous fashion, I was already planning an album that was kind of like the albums I used to make. It suits me better to just go with my gut, rather than what I think people think I should be doing. I am ready to return to the dancefloor anyway, to be honest.”

Ellis-Bextor says that a new album is in the works under her music label Polydor Records, but she is not completely certain it will be ready to be released this year. “I’ve always been with the belief that it has to be the right album, not the quickest album.”

She is also scheduled to start her latest European live tour in March, and when I asked her if she would be open to expanding that upcoming tour into the U.S., following her elevated stardom there, Ellis-Bextor said, “I will go anywhere I am invited. What a pleasure and that is what a singer is all about. If people want to see me, I’ll be there!”

As for other celebrated music artists that Ellis-Bextor would be enjoy collaborating with in the near future, she said, “I do think it’s such a moment for women - working with a young female artist could be really exciting. I love Sigrid and Lorde and Olivia Rodrigo - there are just so many! There are so many awesome women having such ownership of what they are up to, and I just love it. Especially in the pop field - when you start out, you’re so pitted against each other and it’s all like - well, it sounds very British of me - it’s all like such bollocks. There’s room for everybody, and I think supporting each other is what it’s all about.”

As I concluded my conversation with Ellis-Bextor, I left her with one last question: What message would you like to say to not only your loyal fans over the past 20+ years, but also the new fans that have caught on to your music recently, people who continue to support and champion your ongoing career?

Ellis-Bextor said, “Golly! Well, I’m grateful to all of the above, really. I mean, obviously, the people that have been with me for the long haul - that relationship is super special and I cannot do what I do and avoid that conversation. That’s like literally the fuel on the fire - that’s so special, but I’m also not snobby and I think you got to just put the stuff out, try and keep on keeping on and loving what you do. If people like one of my songs - two albums, the first thing I ever did, the last thing I did - like come one, come all! Take whatever you fancy and make it your own.”

Source: Forbes / Jeff Conway

[nexthitjcink]

senior spotlight: HWA

We will be starting off our spotlight series with the unofficial queen of NH: HWA. She has been with NH since the beginning and was the focus of much of their early history, so let's get to know her. This was originally going to be...much longer--but to save all some time I've cut it down to just some key highlight moments of Hwa's career. For a look at all of the title tracks the queen has released so far: check out this playlist! They are in chronological order and unless stated otherwise in this post, you can assume they were released at the same time as the IRL release date. Also, I've just listed title tracks, you can freely assume that any b-sides released with title track are included in Hwa's release!

EARLY LIFE & WATERFALL

Yoo EunHwa was born January 12th, 1991 in Seoul, South Korea. Her mother was a popular news anchor, which gave her an introduction to the entertainment industry and living as a public figure. She began singing and writing music early on in her childhood as her father was a notable classical pianist. She has gone on record saying that he "inspired me to take music seriously and wholeheartedly, to commit myself to writing and learning." Her uncle worked as a Senior Director of Marketing at Waterfall Entertainment, where she would become a trainee at the age of 15. She trained for 2 years before releasing her debut EP Lost and Found, and the title track "Lost Child (미아)" on June 23rd, 2008 under the pseudonym Hwa. The song had a dark tone that would seem foreign to future fans of Hwa, but showed her vocal talent and genre versatility. This would be her only release under Waterfall Entertainment as the company would dissolve by the end of the year.

GOOD DAY

After the dissolvement of Waterfall, Hwa was personally offered a contract with the brand new company Next Hit Entertainment by founder and CEO, Nam Dohyun. The two knew each other from Waterfall and had similar mindsets on the creative direction of her music, which had been a main point of contention between her and Waterfall. REAL: her second EP, released October of the same year. It peaked at #2 in Korea, and title track "Good Day" became a national phenomena, debut at #1. On the surprise success of the song Hwa has said in later interviews "everyone at NH, including me, was shocked. In the studio, we tend to focus on making the best songs we can and if people like them, all the better. At the time, I was focusing on my own performance. I think my mom was the one to tell me it was #1. I was never really focused on that part of it." In the same interview, Hwa also revealed that the success of the track allowed for NH to upgrade their headquarters from the one story office space they had been renting, into their own fully-fledge building. "We all (SAGA) owe our success to 'Good Day'" said SAGA's Gigi in a 2020 video marking the song's 10th anniversary.

NATION'S LITTLE SISTER

After cementing herself as a wholesome and girl-next-door idol star with her early work, Hwa was dubbed the "Nation's Little Sister" early on in her career. Her cute concepts and down to earth personality on and off stage has capture the heart not just of her loyal fans, but the Korean general public. She is one of the best selling and most awarded soloists in South Korean history. She often fought against the title, starting with her 2014 album Chat-Shire and the song "twenty three" which detailed the anxieties and pressures of aging into an adult. Two years later in 2016, in her collaboration with G-Dragon, "Palette", she speaks of being much more secure in herself as an adult woman singing "I like it, I'm 25" and "I got this, I'm truly fine." While the public may see her as "the little sister" she has shown herself as a mature and sophisticated artist.

SONGWRITING

Starting with "Alone in the Room" from her 2011 EP Real+ Hwa has been credited written over seventy songs so far in her musical career. With her second album, Last Fantasy in 2011, she took much more creative control over her music. Since Last Fantasy, nearly all of her albums have been mostly written by Hwa herself. In 2018, she won Lyricist of the Year at the Gaon Chart Music Awards. On songwriting she has said that: "its important to me, as an artist that I write my own music. People can say what they want about my singing, performances, or concepts. Those are joys to do and I'm proud of all that I've done in my career. I appreciate all of the hard work that my team does to make sure I look good. But, criticism about my writing I take very seriously. Even almost 15 years since my debut, I'm still learning and growing when it comes writing and producing, and I will continue to grow that muscle.

COLLABORATIONS

After making a name for herself early in her career, Hwa has become a frequent collaborator with a variety of artists. One of her most notable was the title track of her 2015 album, "Palette" and featured G-Dragon. In 2021, she released the track "31", with artist CHEESE. Both songs touch on aging, transitioning from girlhood to womanhood. Other popular collaborations include: SoulMate (ZICO, featuring Crush, 2018), Sing in the Green (with Yerin, 2022)

DATING SCANDAL

Hwa's career remained mainly safe and non-scandalous, until (one day after of the release of her collaboration with Jay Park "Ganadara") Dispatch claimed that her and the rap artist were dating and had been for years. NH immediately denied the claims, but Dispatch released secret photos of the star seemingly with Jay Park at a resort. Two days after the photos were released to the public, Hwa came out with a personal statement denying having ever been a relationship with Park, but confirming that she was in a relationship and that she was engaged. She did not release the name of her fiancé, as he is a private citizen, and asked for fans and "media outlets" to respect their privacy. No other information on when the two plan on getting married has been released. Fans theorize that the lack of music as of recent may be due to her focusing on her family and personal life.

[septembersghost]

She did so much great promo and good interviews for Lover, I hope someday she wants to do that again! Plus Cruel Summer is so close to #1, it needs the willow 89 remixes treatment now Taylor please!!!

lover promo was fantastic, some of those interviews are my favorites ever, her growth and the openness in what she shared was beautiful, and we got so many performances! her tiny desk!!! the live lounge (where she played holy ground on piano and that was very significant to me 🥺)! live from paris (we didn't actually get that until we were into the pandemic, but my memory still holds it as a part of lover's release, maybe from watching the low quality shaky videos first and screaming crying about atw/red/daylight). the AOTD AMA which was magical! that whole time is just crystalline in my head. i once believed love would be burning red but it's golden!!! 😭💖

of course, the whole world was upside down and things shifted (it's...insane to think about her plans with loverfest now, even though i still would've liked to see how she did that ;__;), her career and her life have changed dramatically, and folklore/evermore were intentionally crafted with very little promo and the albums themselves were her way of reaching out to us then, the re-recordings are new territory unto themselves (promo for Red TV understandably being built around ATW10), and by the time midnights came around, it didn't even require her to do a big rollout because she has such a spotlight and people are very tuned into her art. which is awesome! and i feel very strategic (midnights not having interviews...was for a reason, even a few reasons imo) and smart, she's releasing a lot of things and has multiple records garnering attention at once, eras was in the works, she's letting all of that music speak for itself.

all that said, i hope someday she feels ready to do more comprehensive interviews again too! and i think she will, if not with 1989 TV, she may hold off until TS11, but eventually when she's ready and has things she wants to talk about and share, i think she will. the stratosphere she's hit is so tremendous that i do wonder sometimes if she's still processing that herself. miss americana captures a moment in time that isn't even true for her anymore - imagine telling that taylor, who discussed how lover might be, "probably one of my last opportunities as an artist to grasp on to that kind of success, so I don't know. As I'm reaching 30, I want to work really hard while society is still tolerating me being successful," where she is now. the past few years have been such a journey.

regarding cruel summer, ahhhhh i want it to reach #1 so BADLY! lover deserves her number one hit! justice for lover, people dared to call her a flop because the singles peaked at #2 but the circumstances with OTR's hot streak were unusual, and after four years of us joking, pleading, hoping, "here's how cruel summer can be a single!," it actually happened?!?! dancing witch cruel summer remix or something, it barely needs a push to make it. the history, the victory, the pop perfection, we need to see it! I LOVE YOU AIN'T THAT THE WORST THING YOU EVER HEARD