Features
I (Dis)Agree: Poppy's Transformation to Power and Artistic Freedom
How a single record unexpectedly changed my mind about a whole genre
The Soundtrack to My Los Angeles Summer
How Tori Kelly’s "TORI." became the album that defined two solo trips and the best month of my life.
A Softer Kind of Spotlight: Inside Leigh-Anne’s “Sunrise”
On the understated power of songs that don’t ask for attention, but quietly shape how we listen.
The Artist Who Keeps Meeting Me Where I Am
What makes an artist impossible to outgrow? Exploring how Mitski’s music evolves with you over time.
High Schooler by Day, Aspiring Candyman by Night
Do good things really come for boys who wait? Exploring how Christina Aguilera's "Back to Basics" made retro swing feel cool again.
What’s a song that instantly takes you back to high school?
These days when Candyman comes on, I sometimes still picture myself donning the military costumes and breaking into a dance. Even though two decades have passed, it continues to bring me back to that very moment.
–– Justin Agdipa on Christina Aguilera’s Back to Basics
Give us your most criminally underrated song right now.
“Sunrise” isn’t trying to be pop perfection, nor is it chasing chart success. But it doesn’t need to. It’s a feel-good song in the purest sense — and sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. Give it a listen, sit back, and let it slow your day down.
–– Gabriel Abel Quek on Leigh-Anne’s Sunrise
Which artist do you always come back to?
The evolution of her discography is proof that facing difficulties in life doesn’t make your existence flawed. Instead, it shows that pain isn’t permanent, that it moves and shifts, and that things can (and will) get better.
–– Jaden on Mitski
Which album would you take on a solo trip?
Just a few days ago, I got a tattoo to honor this amazing trip. I got a postage stamp featuring LA’s iconic palm trees, and next to it, the title of the album’s lead single “Missin U.” It was the least I could do for an album that has meant so much during my time there.
–– Thomas Klerks on Tori Kelly’s TORI.
