The Pope Isn’t As LGBTQ Friendly as People Think
(11/28/20 2:54pm)
Throughout history, religion has been locked in an ongoing battle with LGBTQ+ rights.
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Does the Music Industry Actually Care if You Voted?
(11/15/20 5:02am)
On November 4, I kept hearing some odd noise that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. It turns out I’d just forgotten what it sounded like to not be bombarded by celebrities, large companies, textbankers, and Instagram stories demanding that I vote.
Why Are We Still Talking About Kamala Harris's Outfits?
(11/15/20 5:00am)
It’s hard to imagine a headline from any major news outlet that reads: Is Mike Pence’s Fashion His Secret Weapon? After all, why would readers care that the Vice President tends to rotate between three standard gray, navy, and black suits? And yet, this exact article was recently published in the Wall Street Journal—the only difference being that Mike Pence was swapped for Kamala Harris.
Biden Won—Now What?
(11/15/20 5:00am)
Many people see election day as an “end to the horror” of the last four years. Specifically, many Biden voters supported him because they want normalcy again—or a return to Obama–era politics. However, as Trump never failed to point out, many of the policies that people laud him for were also implemented under Obama. And in general, what many see as “normal” was just as bad—but the bad was hidden under better rhetoric.
‘Star Trek,’ Syncopes, and the Hypothetical Fall of America
(11/15/20 5:02am)
“The United Federation of Planets” is an organization within the Star Trek franchise that bound together over 150 planets and their species by the year 2373. Its title is rightfully filled with grandeur—throughout the various television series within the franchise, the Federation is shown to lead with diplomacy, morality, and in the nature of the preservation of life throughout the galaxy.
Dear Penn: Your “Messages” to the Penn Community Aren’t Enough
(10/29/20 1:45am)
Philadelphia police recently shot and killed Walter Wallace Jr., a 27 year old Black father and aspiring rapper who suffered from bipolar disorder. This event inspired a statement from University President Amy Gutmann, Provost Wendell Pritchett, and Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli. Unfortunately, statements like these have become a common response to the unjustified—and often violent—deaths of Black people at the hands of police, and most of them are just performative.
Why are we so obsessed with celebrities' bodies?
(11/08/20 12:01am)
Recent paparazzi pictures depicting Billie Eilish in clothes that are significantly more “form–fitting” than any of her stage ensembles have reinvigorated the conversation surrounding celebrity body positivity. However, with a number of celebrities opening up about their weight fluctuation and more “plus–sized” musicians achieving mainstream success, it's as if the internet community has shifted the narrative from shaming non–perfect bodies to praising them. Now, singers, actors, and public figures are brave, confident and inspirational — for simply looking like the rest of us.
Meet Jonah Jurick, the Artist Also Known as Hei$t
(10/28/20 10:50pm)
Holding his phone to the laptop microphone so I could hear, Jonah Jurick (W '22) plays excerpts from his hand–picked playlist over Zoom, fully immersed in each second and moving his head slightly to the beat. Comfortable playing the drums, guitar, and piano, he spends his free time listening to and creating music as Hei$t, with over 250,000 Spotify streams on his track “Romeo.”
Even Virtually, The Philadelphia Orchestra is a Must–See
(10/28/20 1:38am)
As an introverted homebody who enjoys sitting in bed while listening to music, I confess that quarantine hasn’t changed my life too much. Although I do feel restricted at times, I’ve adapted quite well. But even I, the laziest person I know, have my limits. I’ve had moments when I despised quarantine, and they became more common when school started and even more when upperclassmen talked about fun things they did at Penn.
Behind the Hidden Politics of the Nobel Prize
(10/27/20 3:11pm)
On October 8th, the Swedish Academy awarded Louise Glück the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Unpacking Kashmir, the Hidden Genocide
(11/11/20 10:13pm)
Up until a couple of years ago, I described myself as Indian for almost my entire life.
The Immortal Life of ABBA
(10/26/20 11:08pm)
Back in June, TikTok was swept with clips of people crawling up beaches reenacting Amanda Seyfried’s Mamma Mia! beach scene to the tune of “Lay All Your Love on Me.” Then in July, Netflix’s Will Ferrell–led blockbuster Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga featured prominently ABBA’s 1974 rise to stardom with “Waterloo” through the Eurovision Song Contest. These days, it feels like ABBA is everywhere — or maybe it’s always been that way.
Meet Michael Pearson, a Leader in the Penn Music Community
(10/30/20 6:53pm)
I’ve had a great admiration for Slowsie ever since I first heard them, and recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with the heart and soul of the group, Michael Pearson (C'21). As singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist, he's the main voice in one of Penn’s most creative bands.
A Playlist for If You are Desperately Missing Philly
(10/25/20 10:54pm)
I am—like many of other remote Penn students—dying to be in Philly right now. As I usually channel my disappointments and hopes into oddly named Spotify playlists and am already spending a ridiculous amount of time on my computer, I decided to bring Philly to me. Quasi–mixtapes inspired by Philly have been made before, even by Street back when the Eagles won in 2018, but I’d like to highlight these acclaimed artists’ ties to Philly and what led them to croon about our city. Give my playlist a little brotherly love and I hope to be rocking out together next semester!
Presidential Debates Have Lost Their Worth
(10/26/20 9:15pm)
Today, televised presidential debates have become a staple during election season. The accessibility and availability of technological platforms allow candidates to pitch their ideas and policies to the American people, allowing the country’s citizens to stay informed and updated on which candidate best represents their interests. However, since the first nationally televised presidential debate between Nixon and Kennedy in 1960, the structure, purpose, and administration of debates have dramatically changed. However, as the 2020 election is fast approaching, presidential debates have become less valuable.
What Do Kylie Jenner and Belle Delphine Have in Common?
(11/10/20 12:23am)
For a long time, film, literature, and celebrities have constructed a European beauty standard centered around white men and women. Thick eyebrows, curly hair, big lips, aquiline noses, different body shapes, and of course darker skin tones were considered unattractive as recently as the early 2000s, forcing many people of color to alter their appearance to be deemed beautiful. But today, with prominent white internet personalities like Kylie Jenner and Belle Delphine, we're witnessing the abandonment of the ethnocentric beauty standards. Now women—regardless of ethnicity— are mimicking specific ethnic features and appropriating culture to increase their sex appeal and marketability. Non–Black women copy and profit off of Black features, and likewise, non–Asian women exploit Asian traditional dress and culture.
The Politics of 'Papers, Please': Border Control and Biological Essentialism
(10/21/20 11:04pm)
The entire premise of Lucas Pope's video game Papers, Please is simple, if somewhat bizarre: a border officer, selected through a job lottery in a fictional communist country called Arstotzka, shuffles through entrants’ paperwork to determine whether or not they can pass.a
Róisín Murphy reclaims the Dance Floor on 'Róisín Machine'
(10/26/20 8:51pm)
Róisín Murphy occupies a peculiar space that's distinctly her own in the pop culture lexicon. With a unique flair for absurdist fashion and alternative pop, Murphy made a name for herself as an auteur of 21st Century disco ever since the release of her 2007 hit "Overpowered." After the middling success of 2016's Take Her up to Monto, she returns with the instant classic Róisín Machine. To both her benefit and her detriment, disco is en vogue again. Doja Cat's viral hit "Say So" bleeds of 70's nostalgia. Dua Lipa, similarly, updated the classic sound for the mainstream pop consumer with Future Nostalgia and its remix album. Even Jessie Ware made a splash with What's Your Pleasure? Given the prominence of her fellow disco adjacent peers, comparisons are inevitable. Speaking to NME, Murphy boasted "I'm back to snatch Dua Lipa's and Jessie Ware's wigs!" And she's right. She should say it.
I See "Nowhere Man" Everywhere
(10/19/20 10:30pm)
On October 9, as I scrolled through social media liking post after post remembering and celebrating John Lennon, I found myself wondering how he would feel about our world today. How would he use song to guide us? What words of advice would he give? Not only was Lennon a rock 'n' roll revolutionary, but he was also an iconic figure in the world of social and political change. He left behind a tremendous legacy that lives on through his music (both as founder of The Beatles and as a successful solo artist), his activism, and his philosophy on life.
Our Bodies are just Bodies
(10/26/20 9:33pm)
Glass skin and perfectly–toned bodies have become the standard for beauty on social media. Either you are beautiful and hot because you look like an Instagram influencer or you’re unattractive because you don’t. No doubt influencers and celebrities are incredibly beautiful and handsome, but edited photos and plastic surgery can set unrealistic standards for young people with insecurities about their own bodies and appearance. The #bodypositivity movement has attempted to resolve these issues—but it isn’t enough.
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