Musical theatre has a way of letting you see and hear the stories that aren’t always brought to attention. Like the songs about being the socially awkward friend at a party and you start to have a panic attack. The music and acting work in tandem to give the audience authentic moments that they can personally connect with.
This soundtrack— written none other than by Lin-Manuel Miranda—is so incredibly unique because it seamlessly juggles rap and multi-lingual phrases in a 2 hour production, while being targetted towards a younger demographic. Somehow it all just seems to work together beautifully, while still keeping crucial topics about poverty and gentrification in the forefront and integrating Latin sounding instrumentals to compliment such.
It’s a melodic monolgue from Nina who is struggling to find the words to tell her parents, and friends that she dropped out of Stanford. She worries they’ll hate her and will be dissappointed because she was the only person to actually “make it out” of the barrio.
The lines in this song are so authentic and really affect anyone who has ever felt an impeeding weight resting on their shoulders placed there by their own parents, because they set the bar so high (myself included). She starts off by singing, “Hey guys it’s me/ the biggest dissappointment you know…” she can’t keep standing on their pedestal and feels guilty about it. The barrio isn’t worried because they know their “star” will get out of this low place eventually. “Ay te adoro, te quiero/ the neighbourhood waved and said Nina, ‘be brave/ and you’re gonna be fine!'”
As hurtful as it is to listen to initially, it’s also comforting and hopeful to hear all of the voices wishing her encouragement and telling her to keep going. Nina realizes that she can always get back up and try again with pacienca y fe (patience and faith). At times when I feel overwhelmed, this is my mantra to help me push through.
So to anyone who needed to hear it today: Pacienca y fe… just breathe, and try again.
With each year that passed bringing me closer to finishing my university degree, I began to feel older and more decrepit than I ever ought to feel. Every year it seemed each generation became less infatuated with the suave, seductive boy bands of my youth, and I became accustomed to the fact that millennial’s would never feel the same kind of love for the music and boy bands as I did when I was a pre-teen girl, freakishly hoarding burned CD’s scrawled on with black sharpie.
Such was true for my copy of NSYNC’s 2000 album No
String’s Attached. I was particularly fond of “Bye Bye Bye,” the lead
single from the album. Everyone knew the scandal of NSYNC’s legal battle with
their manager Lou Pearlman and former record label,
so as much as I was hoping the song meant JT and his then-girlfriend (Brittany
Spears) had split, the song was speculated to be about the bands split from
their former label.
The song features heavy kick and bass, and catchy lyrics which
are impossible to get out of your head. Not to mention NSYNC stomping in unison
to a dance that would become iconic with the ability to get your entire high
school in a flash mob. NSYC’s lyrics spoke to the hearts of many: like
puppets being played with, “(Bye bye) Don’t wanna be a fool for you / Just
another player in your game for two”. “Bye Bye Bye” boasts a theme and beat
that will never get tired.
I used to lament the fact that millennial’s would miss out on the best generations of music: with every year, and every new boy band hair flipping their way onto the music scene with less classy swagger and more haughty grins, I was increasingly aware of the distance between new age music and 90’s classic’s like NSYNC.
But that changed in 2018. Backstreet’sback, baby! With their single “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” it was only time before the other popular 90’s boy bands would reunite and follow suit.
And follow they did!
Just March 1st of 2019, New Kids on the Block released
their first song in 11 years – even paying homage to “Bye Bye Bye,” in their
music video by dangling by strings like marionettes.
NSYNC by today’s standards may not be the most attractive boy band there ever was, but in the 90’s they were every teenage girl’s daydream. And maybe we’ll be seeing more of them soon.
Since 1993, Papa Roach has remained part of the nu-metal scene, combining heavy metal with other musical genres like hip hop, alternative rock, grunge, etc. In their tenth studio album Who Do You Trust, Papa Roach challenges musical genre boundaries, ultimately never settling into a particular sound. Yet, the title track “Who Do You Trust” is much more similar to the sound they’re normally known for with heavy guitar riffs and lots of energy. It’s abrasive and loud, starting off completely in your face and making it impossible to ignore. Then, it quiets down into a low techno feel that is completely unexpected after the energetic opening. The song weaves between these two sounds seamlessly, never feeling out of place. Yet, the genre of the lyrics remain the same despite differing sounds, “People going in and out of focus/ I’ma need to check all ya motives.” Although this song may be more on the pessimistic side, I’m loving it all the same.
To accompany this song is one of the best music videos of all time. It opens with a mock ad for braces, then each member of Papa Roach becomes part of “New at 6”, highlighting some ridiculous made-up stories and offering some of the best weather commentary I’ve ever heard. As the song continues, the “news anchors” can be seen dancing to the tune. Despite this being hilariously great, it also adds to the seriousness of the song by ultimately underscoring that you really can’t trust anyone as even the news, which is supposed to be strictly factual, is riddled with biases and misinformation. This is definitely a nice touch, and I give the band and director major credit for coming up with this.
So if you haven’t heard this song already, turn your stereo up and enjoy this track as it’ll have people of all musical genres singing along.
Alan Walker’s newly released track “I’m On My Way” starring Sabrina Carpenter and Farruko was released a few days ago alongside with a music video. Although the video doesn’t incorporate any of the artists on this track, it does portray and interesting sci-fi story. The protagonist goes an adventure to find mysterious rocks that ultimately lead her to an archaeological discovery. Now… I’m going to have to keep the “archaeological discovery” a secret until I enlighten you on who exactly Alan Walker is.
Walker is a Norwegian DJ. What makes this DJ different from others, is that he has started out in computer programming and graphic design and from there has learned to compose music through simply watching YouTube videos. Soon enough this 17 year-old European DJ produced a song called “Faded” in 2015 that received platinum certification in more than ten countries. Another attribute to Walker’s unique character is that he always appears to be wearing a hoodie and a mask that covers half of his face.
In an interview with Teenage Magazine, Walker explains that “It became a part of my uniform. I wear it to symbolize that people are all the same and all equal. I like to believe anyone is behind the mask, and anyone can achieve amazing things.”
“I’m On My Way” includes hidden elements of Walker’s unique characteristics in its very own music video and comprises a different type of sound than say Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and other big music composers out there. This track incorporates pop, reggaeton, and EDM. It starts off sounding like a mainstream pop song, but then a when the drop comes around its surprising components include a sub-bass and a clarinet tune —it is super cool and rare!
Now, going back to the big reveal…. like Alan Walker himself, the protagonist in the music video wears a hoodie and mask, and although the protagonist is a girl, she achieves an amazing discovery—Walker’s music. The huge archaeological discovery acts as a metaphor that symbolizes Walker’s music as a hidden “underground” statue and upon its ancient discovery, it literally informs the world, “I’m On My Way.”
Good at Falling is the debut album by The Japanese House which consist of the British singer-songwriter Amber Bain. The song “Maybe you’re the reason” is definitely the most pop sounding track for such a indie album. This song opens up with a catchy guitar riff and blooming echoes coming from the synths, in which reminds me of the Breakfast club theme song. Compared to The Japanese House’s usual moody indie sound this song is very pop. Lyrically the song is very emotional and personal focusing on topics such as depression and feeling insecure.When Bain was asked about the meaning of the song she said, “It’s about being depressed and realizing there’s no meaning in anything. Then in the chorus I thought, I can’t keep this up! I need to make it something nice. I thought about my girlfriend at the time, and how maybe loving someone is the reason you live? It’s the cheesiest chorus ever, but I think it needed it.”
The rest of the song Bain gets deep and personal describing how she she is finding meaning in a meaningless world. The production of the song does a good job at reflecting the meaning sonically. The production of this song is particularly clever where the synthesizers shape up the sound giving it a blend of 80’s influences and modernist feel. The opening guitar riff is bold and confident producing a wave of sound like a pebble dropped in the river. Eventually as the stone skips further the sound creates a faint echo, and some unexpected changes. Much like the song there is some distortion and chores changes almost as if the song is doubting itself. This track in particular is about feeling like there is no meaning in life, but the chorus flips this idea and suggest that loving someone is the reason why you live.
This song feels nostalgic even if the listeners hasn’t experienced this depressing yet loving relationship. We can connect and feel it through lyrics, sound and create meaning. Nothing is lost in translation.
I’m pretty much convinced that Hozier’s voice has the power to make anything sound angelic. The man has pipes—gorgeous, soulful, baritone pipes that send shivers up your spine, and goosebumps to your arms. The Irish singer’s new 2019 album Wasteland, Baby! is no exception; yet again, he’s managed to produce an impressive track list, stunning vocals, and lyrical masterpieces. A song I particularly enjoyed, was To Noise Making (Sing), this bouncy, soul/gospel tune that pulls you in with its catchiness and reminds you of simpler times. It’s a song centered around the nostalgia of singing, and in the first line, Hozier asks you to “[r]emember when you’d sing, just for the fuck of it”.
The fact that it’s such an incredibly upbeat, bubbly song
makes you want to sing along, and it’s
like Hozier is mischievously luring you in. He makes it clear that it doesn’t
matter if you have a good voice or not—regardless of your vocal abilities,
Hozier wants you to sing along. The lyrics feature the word “sing” a whopping
seventy-three times, so if that doesn’t show how determined he is to convince you,
I don’t know what else would.
The chorus is especially catchy, with a simple drum beat, a rattling tambourine, and Hozier’s clear, crisp vocals guiding you through. Like any good sing-along song, it’s not too intimidating; Hozier makes sure to keep the vocals fairly simple, with minimal runs and clear pronunciation. Of course it still sounds stunning, because he has one of those distinct voices that can’t be replicated, but the slight simplification of his usually more extensive display of vocal range is charming and warm, as he invites you to sing along. The accompaniment of a gospel choir backing his vocals further adds to the warmth, urging you to let go of your worries and simply get lost in the music. And maybe I’m biased due to my obsession with the richness of Hozier’s vocals, but I had no problem listening to the singer’s advice—it’s a song you want to sing along to, regardless of the lyrics.
Johnny Balik, his voice a heavenly mix between Justin Timberlake’s charm and Bruno Mars’ suave, who grabbed people’s attention over the past couple of years with his keyboard and a Soundcloud account.
There’s a small bio on Balik’s website that explains his overall style, “…MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST THAT FUSES ORGANIC AND POP SOUNDS WITH TRUTHFUL AND INSPIRING LYRICS.” and while it emulates Balik’s music perfectly, it doesn’t fully show just how many toes he has dipped into various pools of genre and experimentation with different instruments and beats.
Balik is unafraid to play with his sound, ranging from falsetto ballads (“Honey”) to R&B slow-jams (“I Need It”). His latest track “Frequency” does exactly that- the instant you press play you are welcomed by Balik’s pop falsetto vocals, and prepare yourself for another bop that just barely makes it onto the charts. But then about 20 seconds in you hear the workings of…a saxophone?! The vibe of the song is pretty two-dimensional, but the sax-tease goes and adds a bit of extra flavour to the production.
Following that, the lyrics don’t veer far off from what every other pop artist on the radio is singing about, “do you feel the frequency/ do you feel alive/ do you wanna ride the wave with me tonight?” typical “boy meets girl and falls hopelessly in love”. We’re talking the stuff rom-com films thrive off of. Still despite the cliche pop lyrics, Balik still manages to intoxicate the listeners to his music with his delicate vocals and jazzy beats.
Anyone who’s brave enough to incorporate a brass instrument into their pop song, automatically deserves a pat on the back. I for one, was taken aback at first listen because it’s not something that’s conventionally heard in pop music today. Balik’s producers are trying to push boundaries and test different ways to put out a unique sound while still trying to be, well, unique and play a different chart-topper that makes it stand out from the cookie-cutter mould.
So when you give it a listen, turn it up, kick back and feel the vibe.
“Love Me” is Lights’ first new release of 2019. With some help from Felix Cartal supplying EDM sounds to the track, “Love Me” is a song that grabs you by the hand and drags you onto the dance floor. Twisting you around until you don’t know which way is up or down, “Love Me” leaves you dizzy.
Starting with the lines “you know I give”, Lights immediately sets the tone for the song: frustration and longing. The straight dance sound of the track acts as a front that the singer puts on for the listener, much like she does for her love interest.
“You’re leaving me hanging
So I’ma play cool when you think I wouldn’t
Liquor by the pool and I know you’re looking
While I dissect conversations
Maybe there’s something there for once?
I’m trying not to let these mind games play me
I’m down to be your casual lady
As long as I got you loving on me”
Lights shoots the lyrics at the audience in rapid-fire succession, taking a slower pace during the chorus to allow herself and the listener a chance to breathe. She’s breathless with obsession, chasing after a love interest that doesn’t seem to have the share her feelings.
The sound of the track and story the lyrics are perfectly paired. The singer is giddy and playful with the listener while her words express her dissatisfaction with her romantic situation, expressing a carefree attitude while dealing with a one-sided crush that she can’t get off her mind.
The singer never does bridge that distance between her and her love interest, the tension between them going unresolved. The song ends in a similar fashion, suddenly ending while you’re hoping for more.
“Love Me” is a fantastic dance track from Lights and Felix Cartal that’ll keep you dancing until daybreak.
Carly Rae Jepsen is a name which has recently resurfaced, and it immediately triggers flashbacks of sweaty, sticky high school dances and nervous smiles shared across a dance floor. With her previous album released in 2015, the “Call Me Maybe” singer recently released her newest single, “Now That I Found You” for her forthcoming album due in 2019.
The Canadian singer/songwriter has created a lovely story in her song, “Now that I Found you”. If you watch the music video released with the song, the lyrics, “now that I’ve found you” take on a whole new level of meaning. A sweet story of an adopted kitten and the love between a pet-mom and pet – it’s the love story we never knew we wanted, but that we definitely needed. The song tells a story that anyone can relate to – about finding a new love yes, but also if you’ve adopted a pet before, you surely know the feeling. Jepsen said in an interview with Pitchfork:
“‘Now That I Found
You’ is about the high you get when a new love starts to change your life. It’s
like the rush, rush, rush is better than any drug.’”
The theme is clear from the lyrics of the song, “Thought it was impossible / It’s just like a miracle,” a universal emotion, a thought everyone has had once in their life – that you would never find love again, but lo and behold! The next love suddenly appears, and with the cutest marmalade kitten in his arms, no less. The lyrics and instrumentation of the song make it a pure radio-pop hit. Jepsen’s sound is a mix of Taylor Swift (Reputation era) and Katy Perry (“Last Friday Night”). The song holds themes of love, but in an up-beat pop ballad begging to get your head boppin’.
Carly Rae Jepsen’s newest single, “Now That I Found You,” part of her 2019 album which is set to be released in 2019.
Sitting in a small Leddy Library study room at the University of Windsor, our little trio of interviewers waited anxiously for Tara Watts to arrive. In the hopes of making a good impression, we set up our audio equipment and laid out an offering of cookies and coffee, appealing to that innate love for Tim Hortons that all Canadians share. After pumping ourselves up with a little caffeine, we finally received a message that Watts had arrived at the building. It was time to begin.
Leading her up to our little rented room, we showed Watts in and sat for a few minutes, getting comfortable with each other. Warm and friendly, Watts quickly entered conversation with familiar ease, like we were friends catching up after being apart for months. It was no surprise that a seasoned musician like her was so comfortable speaking with us about herself and her art.
To start, we wanted to cover the basics when interviewing Ms. Watts. But when we asked her why she decided to become a musician, the answer we received was unexpected, yet honest. The Windsor-grown, folk-rock artist astounded our interviewers when she matter-of-factly responded: “Boys.”
“I can’t believe I’m admitting this; I’ve never admitted this before”, she said with a laugh, before disclosing her more serious answer: having been raised on music. Like many musicians and artists who grow to have a passion for sound, Watts explained how she grew up in a musical environment, whether it was with her parents constantly playing music in the background, or singing hymns at church and youth group. She cites her mother as a big musical inspiration — introducing her to the symphony orchestra, her Celtic roots, and always having music on in the house when she was growing up. Music was a significant aspect of her life from a young age, so the seed was planted early on.
But it didn’t stop there; a teenage Watts learned to combine her journaling with a newfound love of guitar. Living across the street from a guitarist proved good exposure for her, as her neighbour encouraged Watts to sing and play simultaneously. Singing in her own made-up language as she learned to strum chords, Watts wrote her first song this way. Suddenly, things seemed to click into place as she realized her talent and passion for songwriting. Inspired by topics such as nature and the questioning of her faith — which she refers to as “some of this religious B.S.” in our interview—Watts began to speak her mind and put her thoughts and feelings out into the world.
And for over fifteen years, she has done exactly that.
Photo courtesy of Charlie O’Brien.
Taking the Windsor music scene by storm, she’s managed to make her mark with gorgeous song lyrics and a voice both haunting and angelic. She’s performed all across Windsor as a solo artist, and with bands like The Locusts Have No King, Years of Ernest, and a trio with Kelly Hoppe and Ron Leary. She’s won the award for “Best Female Original Artist” by Windsor Independent Magazine four years in a row, which is huge for the Windsor music scene. Windsor hosts some of the most talented musicians in a variety of genres, yet not all are recognized for their talent. Many local artists agree that the Windsor music scene can be difficult to get into, but once you’re welcomed in, you are embraced by the most loving crowd. Watts described the Windsor music scene as gritty, but with an unmistakable charm that always leaves you wanting more.
The Windsor music scene isn’t the only thing that’s impacted Watts’ unique sound. Despite being a Windsor-grown city gal, her love of nature has influenced her music tremendously. In our interview, she explains how despite growing up in the highly automotive-based city, her parents taught her to appreciate nature—even if it was a small flower sprouting from the cracks in a sidewalk. The first song she ever wrote was actually composed during a trip North as a young girl, and her spiritual-like connection to the serenity and beauty of nature has since continued to inspire both the tone and lyrics of her music. “I love the earth. […] For me, I feel like nature is my church—like, I don’t do church anymore, […] but I feel like nature speaks to me. I find [it] healing.”
Her love of travelling has brought her all over the world, and she recounted her favourite performance moment for us. Travelling with a church group in her early 20’s, Watts performed for over 2,000 people at a concert in Thailand. Her and her church group travelled all over Thailand before returning back to Canada. More recently, she travelled to the Northwest Territories in 2017, following a boy again, using the time there to write and create new music.
Her many venture around the world have influenced some of the songs on her 2014 album “Pale Blue Moon”, which is brimming with gorgeous natural imagery. Lyrically, the album takes you away from the city’s sirens and harsh lights, whether it be on a mountainside like in her song “Hello Sun” or to the edge of a cliff overlooking trees and a river in “Barren Trees”. Her spiritual connection to the natural world is mirrored through the stunning simplicity of her folk sound, and she pairs the lyrical landscapes she creates with the simple yet enchanting layering of acoustic instruments to transport you to the places she’s travelled. The genuine pain and sincerity you can hear in her vocals makes you realize how important nature is to her—important as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the Windsor city, and at times, an important way to heal. And in 2016, healing was a necessity for the singer.
Watts’ life stopped completely after a tragic biking accident in 2016. Her perspective on music and life changed completely. In a CBC interview, Watts states that she now has a “new appreciation on life and [on her] days and time.” She was no longer rushing to create music, but now she slowly takes her time in the writing process. Her bike accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury where she suffered a concussion. In our interview, Watts made the point that her poor condition restricted even her ability to produce music. She had trouble keeping tempo and physically struggled to play the guitar, and it pained her to even listen to music. As horrible as it was, it can be seen as a “blessing in disguise”, since it allowed her to be reflective on her life, and see things from a different perspective. Her condition forced her to take care of herself as she could no longer work crazy hours with little to no sleep. It also affected her as a musician since she was more selective on where and when she will play music. Her new appreciation for life also pervaded her writing style. Watts suggested that her songwriting has only become stronger since her accident because it forced her to pace herself and carefully design each song with a more careful eye. In interviews previously, Watts would say that she used music as therapy and would write “in the depths of (her) despair” while now her music focuses on reflecting on all the beauty in life and being able to cherish it.
We were taken away by Watts’ perspective and asked how she kept positive. “You know what,” she remarked, “it’s the Windsor [music] scene that reminded me that I’m loved and supported. It was really overwhelming how much love I experienced. It is a hard scene, but when stuff gets real that’s where you see the heart of the city.”
And that’s exactly what happened. Summer 2016 saw the true love and charm of Windsor locals, musicians or not, as they band together to raise funds for Watts’ recovery, hosting a successful collaborative concert at Windsor Beer Exchange, and creating a GoFundMe page that surpassed its $5000 goal within 24 hours. The closeness of the tight-knit Windsor music community was shown in this moment, as was the love that locals had for Watts and her music.
No matter what you listen to, you can find traces of it in her. Whether it’s acoustic guitar in hand, or electric hollowbody, she blends in like a musical chameleon. From old-time country to folk, or pop-genre film soundtracks to Celtic roots, Watts has something for everyone. Speaking of which—friends and fans alike can expect something new from her in the coming future.
In an industrial city like Windsor, and the little brother of Detroit’s automotive industry, it is easy to forget that naturesque beauty is only a stone’s throw away. In the local scene, Watts is a constant reminder of this. She is many things; a flower blooming from the cracks of a sidewalk, or the first buds sprouting after a cold winter. But perhaps most of all:
Notes on Notes 