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Hayley Kiyoko has been called “Lesbian Jesus.” The former Disney actress and current rising pop star’s success has gained much attention from the press, in part because of her identity. She’s a queer woman of color in an industry that lacks diversity. And, her new album, “Expectations,” is coming out on March 30th—you can’t miss it.
When I was little, I would reread the Harry Potter series over and over again, its words conjuring images of the epic battles between Harry and Voldemort. But ever since the film adaptations appeared on HBO, I found myself curling up with my favorite characters in a different medium. Maybe it’s because watching it on TV is more passive. There’s no flipping of pages or scanning the lines; my eyes would fix on the same screen over the two hours. Or maybe it’s because having Harry on screen meant that I didn’t have to lug the heavy book–boxed set around in my backpack. Regardless, the outcome has been that I’ve read and seen the Sorcerer’s Stone countless times, leaving me looking for other ways to revisit my favorite characters. This semester, my screenwriting class provided an answer: read the screenplays.
I want to see more college–aged people at jazz and blues shows, but I didn’t know I wanted that until I saw Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers perform at The World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Listening to the music and feeling the energy the band was radiating from the stage, all I wanted to do was let loose and dance. However, because most of Abair’s audience is older, much of the crowd was at the bar, at the tables, and on the balcony. The dance floor was dead.
From Jay–Z to TDE, summer 2018 is shaping up to be a great season for hip–hop fans. Although tickets for many of the big name artists going on tour aren’t exactly cheap, many fans think it’s worth it to get to see their favorite artists perform live at least once. Here's what you have to look forward to:
Every once in a while, you need some music that puts you in a classic good mood—music you roll down your car windows for, music you can bump your head to while studying, music you can rock to with some friends. Specifically, you need some iconic rock music that dominated the 1970s and 1980s. Here's a playlist full of that:
Helena Deland is the kind of artist that makes you want to smile. Her ability to convey raw emotion through her heartbreaking lyrics is a talent only found in the truest of songwriters. Hailing from Montreal, Ontario, Helena has been making waves in music through her experimental use of synthesizers coupled with folk tunes. Currently on a US–tour, with a stop in Philly on April 4th, I got the chance to chat with the singer–songwriter about her shift in musical processes, new solo performances, and even got some details about potential collaborations she has in the works.
A photo today is hardly reflective of our world, but rather a display of our ideals. Profile pictures are the best photos of us, not what we look like on a day–to–day basis. Snap stories (or now Instagram stories because of the terrible new update) tell the stories of our best days, not the days we spend hours pouring over missed readings within the confines of Van Pelt. There’s a missing ingenuity in these captured images, an ingenuity that Isabel Zapata (C ’19) reclaims through her photography.
If I were to ask you to name an album that has been sampled multiple times by A Tribe Called Quest, The Notorious B.I.G., and Ghostface Killah, covered by John Legend and The Roots, and produced by the legendary Curtis Mayfield, your instinct might be to name musical titans such as the likes of James Brown or The Isley Brothers. The record in question, however, is The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend and is the only record that James “Baby Huey” Ramey ever released, albeit posthumously—one of the first records of its kind.
In a word, MGMT’s concert was a trip.
When Zoolander 2 was released in 2016, I did everything in my power to pretend it didn’t exist. I immediately dismissed every trailer and subway station ad that inevitably found a way to sneak into my life, as though they were figments of my imagination. There was no way, I assumed, that the buffoonery that made the 2001 film Zoolander so outlandishly funny could be replicated without feeling completely worn out. I was also concerned that revisiting some of the original gags would force me to accept how juvenile they always were. Thankfully, I was able to avoid Zoolander 2 until it completely fell off the cultural radar.
Hang in there, Quakers. While it might not feel like it judging by the weather outside, summer vacation is only a couple of weeks away. As you begin to struggle through projects and finals, you might already feel like you need a respite from school. Consider putting off your work to watch one of these movies that could provide you with some much–needed escape.
Far too often, overviews of art history focus on male artists. This is not to say that those artists aren’t deserving; they are. But despite having the same level of influence, why are the female artists of these same time periods so often left overlooked?
In higher education, potential visual arts and graphic design majors have three choices: 1) Attend an art school, 2) Attend a large university with a visual arts department, or 3) Attend a university with an art school. It’s a Goldilocks situation: soft, medium, or hard art. The decision comes down to choosing between one of pure art or one that mixes the fine and liberal arts. But what distinguishes studying art in a college setting from pursuing an art degree at an art institute? Why do we even fathom taking art classes somewhere where art is eclipsed?
Jazz plays over the Kelly Writers House stereo system, while a small crowd gathers waiting for slam poet Gabriel Ramirez. A group of students imitate popular slam poses. One girl stands with her palms upturned, “summoning the poem."
Mindi Abair, a two–time Grammy nominated saxophonist, came to the World Cafe Live Thursday March 22nd. She and her band The Boneshakers performed their 2017 album The EastWest Sessions, a diverse collection of songs with standout track Pretty Good for a Girl featuring Joe Bonamassa. Before forming Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers, Abair toured with artists such as Aerosmith, The Backstreet Boys, and the Ides of March. Besides being known for her skill on the sax, Abair is also known for her book “How to Play Madison Square Garden - A Guide to Stage Performance” and for her contributions to feminism. I got the chance to talk with Mindi before the show about her experiences and advice for both powerful women and aspiring artists.
If the Royal Shakespeare Company is the Top 40 of Spotify playlists, then the African American Arts Alliance, also known as "4A," at Penn is the indie alternative playlist. Maybe that's not the best analogy—or even a good one at that—but I make this comparison to show what 4A is all about: showcasing voices outside the mainstream.
When news first surfaced last May that Kanye West was working on new music on a mountain in Wyoming, one thing came to mind—the artist’s self–imposed Hawaiian exile in 2009 that led to the creation of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. During that time, West spent a bulk of his daily existence in the studio, churning out content that eventually became the critically acclaimed masterpiece widely considered to be his magnum opus. Are we about to see a repeat?
Being a musician today is a different beast. With record companies becoming less and less important, artists need to figure out a way to sell themselves to the public. The easiest route seems to be marketing yourself as the next big star, but some take the path less traveled. DummyFresh, formerly known as Penn’s own Andrew Ellis (C' 18), isn't trying to fit into a mold.
Winter Storm Toby certainly doesn’t feel like the official start of spring, that’s for sure. But as Fling approaches and as the number of T–shirt worthy days increases, it’s clear that however snowy this week has been, spring is on the way. What better way to embrace the (soon–to–be) warm weather than with an upbeat, carefree playlist? So while you may be layering yourself with just about every coat you own in preparation for the hike to DRL, put on this playlist and mentally prepare yourself to bask in the sun for the next few months.
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