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A Conversation with Composers Tamar-kali & Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa | News

Posted on October 25, 2022

This week, two BMI affiliates are participating in a special collaboration with Beth Morrison Projects and Harlem Stage. Tamar-kali, an accomplished, Brooklyn-born film composer who also writes, plays and sings in both her own hard-edged alternative rock band and as part of an experimental string-&-vocal ensemble, and Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa, a versatile Zimbabwean scholar, composer, and singer, are performing their own works as part of Song Cycles, a program designed to highlight a diversity of musical languages as practiced by women and non-binary composers. We caught up with these dynamic, multi-hyphenate music creators on the eve of their performances to find out more.

BMI: How did this concert come about?

Tamar-kali: We were each commissioned by Beth Morrison Projects to compose a song cycle that would debut in a live performance.

Tanyaradzwa: I admire the company’s work so I felt this would be a great professional collaboration to embark on.

BMI: Tamar-kali, your work ranges from the raw power and emotional catharsis of your rock music to the experimental work with Psychochamber Ensemble, to your symphonic compositions and film scores. As a busy and prolific composer, how do you manage to reconcile these extremes? Do they balance each other out, or do you find yourself compelled towards one versus the others?

Tamar-kali: My work is a continuum that channels the range of my influences. I’m compelled to create first and foremost. I think being a primarily self-taught, independent artist who developed my practice starting at home and then in studios and stages is the key. My artistry is a natural progression borne out of my personal experiences. Music is music. As a listener and practitioner, I enjoy a range of sounds and expressions and my work reflects that.

BMI: Tanyaradzwa, your music is steeped in the culture and traditions of your Zimbabwean heritage. Tell us about this. What associations does this music conjure for you? What do you hope your listeners take away from the experience?

Tanyaradzwa: ChiVanhu (Indigenous Madzimbabwe aesthetics, knowledge systems and ways of being) is a part of my identity. I use our Indigenous modes of music-making as the springboard for my creative practice. This music is me, it is home, is my lineage, it is my voice.

Regarding what I hope listeners will take away, I hope that witnessing me move through my story with radical honesty will encourage them to embark on similar journeys for themselves.

BMI: For this event at the Harlem Stage, what can attendees expect from your song cycle performances?

Tamar-kali: I don’t even know what to expect! This work is completely brand new, and it’s been three years since I’ve performed on any stage—a passionate and heartfelt performance!

My hope is that that work inspires and provokes thoughts and emotions that are expansive and perhaps spark a journey to some new discovery.

Tanyaradzwa: My song cycle is called Marimuka. “Marimuka”means the Wilderness or foreign land in the ChiZezuru language of Madzimbabwe.

We believe that Marimuka is an existential place that manifests in each person’s life. It is a hallowed, mysterious, vast expanse whose depths hold both unspeakable terrors and divine miracles. Every human spirit must travel through Marimuka in order to arrive at a deeper understanding of self, but the journey should only be embarked on when the spirit is ready to do so. The journey is arduous, and the solitary traveler is stretched well beyond the limits of their comfort, and often, their life.

This song cycle is dedicated to the millions of Zimbabweans who have left our motherland to work in the global Diaspora to care for their families back at home while living as economic and spiritual exiles in Marimuka. Living in Marimuka is a sacrifice of Love because Marimuka is intended to be a place of transition, not of stay.

BMI: Can you tell us about the texts you used in your song cycle? How or why you chose them, and what they mean for you?

Tamar-kali: In researching text in the public domain, I was struck by the dark beauty of these poems by Lola Ridge, Gwendolyn Bennet and Jessie Redmon Fauset. I was invigorated and inspired to resurrect their work for those like myself who were unfamiliar.

This has been a practice I’ve engaged in for as long as I can remember; tracing my existence down from my foremothers, seeking out as many free-wheeling, rabble-rousing, trailblazing women whose silhouettes stood out in contrast to the gender roles and expectations of their day.

The African American tradition of alternative kinship structures define a space in the understanding of family that is not blood, but spirit based. In that regard, I’ve sought out my “Other Mother”’; women who have birthed movements and inspired new generations.

Tanyaradzwa: The text of Marimuka is my own, and tells the story of my personal journey to Marimuka – my ongoing rite of passage into womanhood which began when I emigrated to the United States fourteen years ago. In my journey, I have dealt with the excitement of new adventure, loneliness, longing, and the weight of institutional dehumanization (i.e. years of being called a “Resident Alien”). I have learned how to fight, use my voice and deploy my gifts to humanize myself on my own terms for the sake of my survival, empowerment, and joy.

BMI: What’s next for you both?

Tamar-kali: A limited release ten-inch recording of this song cycle, Melancholy Ghosts and Other Mothers, a digital opera short project with NYC-based Catapult Opera, and a three-act musical theater piece helmed by Bill T. Jones that will be part of the Perelman Arts Center’s inaugural season.

Tanyaradzwa: A commission for Carnegie Hall’s Link Up Orchestra program.

BMI: What role has BMI played in each your musical journeys thus far?

Tamar-kali: Through BMI I have come to understand the benefit of having a team in your corner to support your interests and endeavors as a songwriter and composer. It’s been great getting to know the team from Classical to Film/TV and Pop and Rock and engage with them on my various projects.

Tanyaradzwa: As a member of BMI, it is good to know that my work and music rights are protected.

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Babyface Shares Ninth Album, ‘Girls Night Out’

Posted on October 25, 2022

His first album since 2015’s Return of the Tender Lover, living legend Babyface has released his ninth album Girls Night Out. There’s a reason for that title also.

Similar to Lucky Daye’s Table For Two project in early 2021, Babyface collaborates with exclusively women throughout the project. Ari Lennox, Kehlani, Queen Naija, Coco Jones, Tiana Major9, Tink, Baby Tate, Muni Long, Ella Mai, Amaarae, Sevyn Streeter, Tkay Maidza, Doechii, Angie Martinez, and Lala Anthony all make appearances throughout the 13-song release.

The album is led by the singles “Seamless” (with Kehlani), and “Keeps On Fallin’” (with Ella Mai). Excuse me, while I play this project a good chunk of the day.

Stream Girls Night Out below.

Babyface Shares Ninth Album, ‘Girls Night Out’ was last modified: October 25th, 2022 by Meka

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Friday New Releases – October 21, 2022 – 2 Loud 2 Old Music

Posted on October 25, 2022

Friday New Releases – October 21, 2022

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#ListenUp Being’s There is here from Apartment Records

Posted on October 25, 2022

Where has this record been my whole life? I have an immodest fetish for ’90s-era electronic psychedelia and Being is a kind of savant at it (“Being” is the artist’s moniker; There is the title of the album).

From Scotland, Being’s eight track record was “recorded to tape” from 1992 to 1995 and is first released in similar format on cassette by Apartment Records.

“Boxroom” is the music I imagined was played at raves before I went to one, made by musicians in abandoned power stations on gear you couldn’t even identify much less understand: a mainframe of colorful bleeps, structured loops and clairsentient hypnotic chants.

Other tracks like “Block” and “Extra Summer” evoke the meditative sound design of Paul Haslinger. But none of it sounds the same: there’s a unique character here, a musical fingerprint that is quite unlike anything else I’ve heard and which must belong to Being alone.

Being: There is out now, on limited cassette and digital download from Bandcamp.

#ListenUp: New sounds from the underground: new House Music tracks, Techno tracks, Deep House tracks and an eclectic mix of new releases from the electronic music underground. Updated daily, M-F.

Being: There (Apartment Records / August 2022 / Cassette + Digital) Track Listing
1. Being: Boxroom (09:03)
2. Being: Block (07:44)
3. Being: Sonsie (09:52)
4. Being: Extra Summer (06:08)
5. Being: Towels (08:54)
6. Being: Fzzzzz (08:22)
7. Being: Space Again 2 (18:41)
8. Being: Spots (08:23)

Disclosure Statement: This record was submitted as a promo.

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‘They would put white musicians on the cover’ – author spotlights music history’s…

Posted on October 25, 2022

25 October 2022, 16:19

Nina Simone (left), and Odetta (right) were two trailblazing musicians whose early musical trainings were rooted in classical.

Picture:
Getty

We speak to first-time author, harpsichordist Leslie Kwan, for Black History Month to learn more about some of history’s trailblazing Black women musicians – all featured in her new children’s book, ‘A is for Aretha’.

“I wanted to create a primer for teaching children about the Black women that created and shaped various genres of music,” author and harpsichordist Leslie Kwan tells Classic FM about her upcoming children’s book A is for Aretha, which spotlights 26 trailblazing Black women throughout the history of modern music – from Aretha Franklin and Lizzo, to classically trained musicians who faced barriers when entering the industry.

So many of these women, Kwan adds, were also “part and parcel to the shaping of civil rights, which was often commemorated in their songs”.

One of the musicians featured in her book is Odetta Holmes – known as Odetta. Now remembered as an American folk singer who played the guitar, growing up, Odetta and her peers believed she was destined for the stage of New York’s esteemed Metropolitan Opera.

In an interview with The New York Times during her lifetime, Odetta revealed that as a child, “a teacher told my mother that I had a voice, that maybe I should study, but I myself didn’t have anything to measure it by.”

Her mother reportedly wanted Odetta to be the next Marian Anderson, a Black contralto who would become the first African American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in 1955. Odetta had a remarkably impressive vocal range, extending from a baritone to a soprano’s (G2 – B5).

Read more: 11 Black opera singers you should know about

Odetta began operatic training at the age of 13, however admitted later in life that she was always pessimistic about her chances of making it in the world of classical music.

The folk musician told the Albany Union Times towards the end of her life that, “I was a smart kid and I knew that a black girl who was big like I was was never going to be in the Metropolitan Opera.

“Look at Marian Anderson, my hero. It wasn’t until she was almost retired before they invited her to sing at the Met. I had taken the clues.”

Feeling shunned by the world of classical music, Odetta would go on to find her voice in folk music, and became an integral figure in the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s.

She was often referred to as ‘The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement’, for her music which expressed the experiences of racism and injustice faced by Black people. Rosa Parks was reportedly ‘her No. 1 fan’, and in 1961, Martin Luther King Jr. dubbed her the ‘Queen of American folk music’.

Read more: Meet Coretta Scott King, a soprano and violinist who used music in her civil rights campaigning

Then, there was Nina Simone. Simone, who at the time still went by her birth name Eunice Waymon, enrolled in New York’s Juilliard School during the summer of 1950, and later applied for a scholarship to study at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute.

She was denied admission despite a great audition, and throughout her life, Simone recounted that this rejection had been due to her being profiled because of her race.

Simone’s family had moved to Philadelphia due to their expectation that the young pianist would be accepted, which made the rejection extra painful for the aspiring classical musician.

Read more: Nina Simone plays a stunning Bach-style fugue in the middle of one of her classic songs

Nina Simone plays as part of a jazz quartet c.1970.

Picture:
Getty

In the documentary What happened, Miss Simone?, the world-renowned singer and pianist recalls of her audition, “I knew I was good enough, but they turned me down. And it took me about six months to realise it was because I was Black. I never really got over that jolt of racism at the time.”

Discouraged by the failed audition, Simone began taking private lessons with Curtis Institute piano professor, Vladimir Sokoloff. To fund her lessons, she began performing at New Jersey’s Midtown Bar & Grill, where she would play piano and sing under the stage name, Nina Simone.

This career move would change the direction of her life forever, and the events that followed this posting led to her becoming the legendary American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist she is remembered for being today.

Read more: 19 black musicians who have shaped the classical music world

‘They would put white musicians on the cover of Black musicians’ recordings’

As a pianist by training, Kwan was particularly excited to feature Simone in her upcoming book.

“Nina Simone, she spent time in Paris like me, so I felt like I had a particular connection to her. We had similar experiences, especially as pianists, and I understood the story of her conservatoire experience.”

Kwan, who is first generation Guyanese-American, raised in New York City, cites American actress Viola Davis, who recently spoke out about the difficulties getting her new film Woman King made.

“Davis had to fight to get the Woman King made, because the bottom line in Hollywood is money. Because films with a predominately Black female cast haven’t led the global box office, there’s no precedent that it will work.”

Read more: Chi-chi Nwanoku: ‘After a three-decade career in classical music, I was still the only person of colour on stage’

‘A is for Aretha’ by Leslie Kwan, Illustrated by Rochelle Baker is out in January 2023.

Picture:
Kokila/Penguin Random House

“It was the same in the music industry, particularly during the 20th century. Thinking about popular music in the 20th century, labels would hire Black musicians to sing and do recordings, but then would not put those musician’s faces on the recordings.

“Instead they would put white musicians on the cover, as recordings with Black musicians on the cover ‘wouldn’t sell as well’.”

Similarly, history reveals a multitude of examples of white musicians being asked to cover songs that were intended for and originally recorded by Black musicians. ‘Hound Dog’ was a song made famous in mainstream music by Elvis Presley, but it was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton. Thornton’s original track sold almost two million copies in 1953, from which she earned a total of just $500.

Kwan is passionate about platforming these Black women musicians – showcasing who they were, what they did, and why it’s important to know about them.

Through her children’s book, she hopes the musicians featured won’t remain the ‘Hidden Figures’ she worries they have in some instances become. It was an interaction with her niece that ultimately inspired the title.

After singing Franklin’s 1967 hit, ‘Respect’ in front of her young relative, Kwan pondered why there weren’t “any books talking about Black women musicians” specifically aimed at children. This led to her writing A is for Aretha shortly after.

Read more: First Black actor to play Christine in Phantom of the Opera makes Broadway history

I just received the proofs
She has ARRIVED, she is HERE!

My debut children’s book A is for Aretha is REAL, and she’ll be hitting shelves of little everywhere January 2023!!! #aisforaretha pic.twitter.com/YnfuW9NqSj

— Leslie Kwan (@MmeDirectrice) October 7, 2022

“Black women in music have been reduced to Hidden Figures – and I don’t want that,” she says.

A talented musician, Kwan began her piano studies at age 4 and made her debut at Carnegie Recital Hall at age 10. Kwan went on to receive a BA in harpsichord performance from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, and a Master of Music from the Mannes College of Music, New York City where she was a Helena Rubenstein scholar.

Subsequently, the Harpsichordist understandably defines herself as a ‘musician’ above all else. On why she therefore decided to turn her most recent career venture to writing, Kwan quotes American novelist Toni Morrison.

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

‘A is for Aretha’ has received a #1 New Release Banner on the Amazon US store for its popularity in pre-orders. It will be available in bookstores from January 2023.

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Weeks before his death, Leslie Jordan reflected on his career and unexpected turn to country music

Posted on October 25, 2022

A few weeks ago, beloved actor and comedian Leslie Jordan reflected on his life and career in an interview with CBS News, including his recent — and unexpected — pivot to country music.

“So unexpected just to happen in my 60s — I’m a country music singer now,” he told CBS News with a laugh, just weeks before he died Monday after a car crash.

“I love Nashville and the way that Nashville embraced me, you know, and to be taken kind of serious, and to have made an album with Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile? That’s something.”

Jordan decided to make the career switch after responses on social media. He released his debut southern gospel album, “Company’s Comin’,” last year, which included recreated classic Christian hymns alongside iconic country music artists.

“I had a Sunday Instagram singing hymns and people started tuning in and somehow from that, we decided to make an album,” he said.

But before his jump to music, Jordan appeared in array of roles in shows including “American Horror Story” and “Will & Grace,” for which he won an Emmy for outstanding guest actor.

He said he caught the acting bug while he was a student at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.

“I was not one who did plays in high school,” he recalled. “I was always funny, but that was to keep the bullies at bay and I got up in that Intro to Theater class, and it just hit me like a drug.”

The young actor headed to Hollywood in 1982 where he landed some roles in commercials. Roles in television followed.

And when the pandemic hit, Jordan received yet another wave of fame with his viral videos on social media. He went from 80,000 followers to nearly 6 million.

“I blew up,” Jordan said. “Give me a good pandemic and I flourish.”

We need good vibrations! Happiness is a habit. Happiness is a choice. Happiness is something we have to work toward.

Posted by Leslie Jordan on Sunday, July 17, 2022

“I was just thinking, ‘My gosh who are these people that want to hear what I have to say?'” he said. “It was just the innocence of it I guess.”

He recalled people asking him to “do that Leslie Jordan thing,” which he said is being “just bright and bubbly” — characteristics he said he’s had since a little boy in Chattanooga.

“I was a sissy, you know? I wasn’t good at sports.” he said. “My dad was a lieutenant colonel in the army. He was a man’s man and his, you know, group of guys would come home and I’d be twirling a baton in the front yard.”

Celebrities and politicians like Billy Eichner, RuPaul, Rosie O’Donnell, Tim Kelly and others mourned the loss of Jordan on Monday, remembering him as a “legend and national treasure who brought joy and hope to millions, leaving behind a lasting legacy of love and acceptance.”

Anthony Mason

CBS News senior business and economics correspondent; Co-host, “CBS This Morning: Saturday”

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A Composer’s Diary: Viljo the Rabbit 2009-2022

Posted on October 25, 2022

Viljo the Rabbit 2009-2022

Last Sunday my beloved rabbit and friend Viljo died at the animal hospital surrounded by me and my parents. For some reason people always asked me (while he still was alive) if rabbits “can do anything as pets” so here follows a story about Viljo and how special he was.

When I first got to know Viljo, it wasn’t “love at first sight”. My former flatmate Maija in Tampere had had him a few years earlier, given him away, and the new owner couldn’t anymore have him and said they would put Viljo down if not anyone would take him, so Maija, who loves animals, asked in the autumn of 2012 if we could take him. I was not super enthusiastic in the beginning to have a rabbit in addition to my flatmate’s dog Dexter, but neither did I want a dead rabbit on my conscience, so I agreed. The first dog Dexter and rabbit became good friends (as seen in the photo below).

Viljo and Dexter 2012. Photo © Cecilia Damström

After half a year Maija took a second dog to take care of. The new dog saw Viljo as a tasty meal all of the time, and once when I came home after a weekend away, the whole kitchen looked like a bomb had exploded. Maija told me her second dog had managed to open the unlocked kitchen door and the rabbit cage and apparently had chased the rabbit all through the kitchen. As through a miracle Viljo had not died of the shock and also survived by hiding behind the motor of the deep freezer until Maija came home. This was the first time I felt really sorry for Viljo, as I saw how afraid he was, he was shaking and looking very depressed. When Maija moved out and my new flatmate Jari moved in, I suggested to Maija she would leave the rabbit with me and Jari, because it might not survive with the new dog.

Jari and Viljo 2013. Photo © Cecilia Damström

Jari at once took to Viljo and suggested we should let him roam free in the kitchen to which I agreed and after a while he was allowed to roam free in the hallway. And what a change this territory expansion did to Viljo! He began lying in the hall waiting for me to come home, behaving just like the first dog Dexter. When I came home he would hop around my feet in circles and make a small grunting noise (those who know, they know), to show how happy he was.

Viljo in Jari’s guitar case 2013. Photo © Cecilia Damström

Viljo became a very sociable rabbit. He loved when people would have conversations in the kitchen or hallway (“his” territory) and would jump in eights around both peoples feet, to show his joy. He thought however that it would be best if no-one left the house ever, and clever as he was, he tried to sabotage all means of traveling that he had considered might work: he chewed the wheels of my suitcase, the straps of my backpack and once even the soles of my shoes. In later years he would take to more “passive aggressive” ways to express his annoyance of traveling: by sulking with the back to me (while in-between turning to check if I’m still looking at him).

Vilje and Jari’s brother’s cat Lipsu. About 2015

Naturally through me and my guitar playing flatmate Jari, the rabbit Viljo became a true music enthusiast. He listened to everything from classical music to contemporary music (preferring Lutoslawski over Messiaen). Jari’s flamenco guitar playing got a special place in his heart. Jari even brought Viljo to my final recital in the Pyynikki hall, the full rabbit review of my concert can be read here: https://ceciliadamstrom.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-rabbit-review.html

Vilje and I in January 2013. Photo © Cecilia Damström

The summers from 2013 Viljo lived always with my parents at the summer house. We tried building him a big outdoor cage, but he was just very offended and wanted to stay rather inside and listen to Radio Classic, while eating kale and blueberries. The most elitist personality I’ve known. (Viljo must feel honoured that The Queen has joined him last night.)

Viljo looking at the sea 2013. Photo © Cecilia Damström

When I moved to Sweden, Viljo lived first for about 2 years with Jari after which he moved in 2017 to Helsinki, mainly living with my parents. His territory became the living room, with a corner for his toilet and rabbit food. But most of his time he spent under the living room dining table, among people’s feet, his favorite place. When he got older he started making a bit of a mess, but hugely appreciated when we cleaned up, and would show it by hopping around eagerly on his clean carpets. I bought a white robot vacuum cleaner for my parents to help, and Viljo also got acquainted with it, although always making sure to show the vacuum that he (Viljo) was the boss and was not going to move for the vacuum.

They say cats have 9 lives but it seems also Viljo had at least 6. According to Wikipedia, rabbits become between 7-9 years old (and insurance stops at 7 years), but Viljo became over 12 years old (12 years 8 month and 26 days). In addition to the already mentioned near escapes in 2012 and 2013, Viljo fell for the first time seriously ill in the late winter of 2018 and again in the autumn 2019 and in the spring 2021, but thanks to the superb vet Delphine (and quite huge investments on our part in the treatment) he managed all these times as well. I myself went through a very hard breakup in 2019, fell ill in depression after which I in addition fell ill with Covid-19 in early 2020 followed by serious long covid for more than 2 years. Much of this time I lived with my parents and Viljo was with me through all of it, sitting with me on the sofa while I watched TV and sitting at my feet while I composed. He was the first creature to hear my compositions besides me, while they were written. He was never happy when I dated someone, because I think he thought during the last five years that I was his partner. When I became single in 2014 and 2019 he was overjoyed both times. He was the happiest at the summerhouse, in the late evenings and when I didn’t leave the house (like on days when I composed all day).

Viljo by the sea 2013. Photo © Cecilia Damström

Last Saturday Viljo was getting more and more tired and on Sunday my parents brought him for the last time to the vet. Sadly Delphine wasn’t there this time. Viljo was diagnosed with an inflamed appendix. We paid for the extra treatment they had to offer, but it didn’t help, they said we have to come and say goodbye. He had been given relaxants and couldn’t move well anymore, but with his last energy he dragged himself on the table so that he lay with his head against my father for a while, against me for a while and against my mother. He wanted to show how he appreciated all of us. And then he sat up and cleaned himself.

Last hour of Viljo’s life 4th of September 2022

Viljo was such a special rabbit, I doubt I will ever meet such an exquisite rabbit ever again. I am forever thankful to him for being at my side during my most difficult times in life so far. Thank you Viljo for everything.

Viljo’s grave 5th of September 2022

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Aisha Burns looks to continue growing in Western Mass. music scene

Posted on October 25, 2022

SOUTH HADLEY – Aisha Burns has been surrounded by music since she was a child growing up with her parents in San Antonio, TX, and now the singer-songwriter living in South Hadley wants to continue to share her passion in music with others.

Burns said growing up, her parents’ love for music was passed down to her as the family would be listening to music regularly around the house. She added Motown and Jazz music were genres she was introduced to as a child, thanks to her father.

As Burns got older she started to be more involved in playing music, as she signed up for violin lessons in fifth grade after a friend of hers had just started the same lessons.

“I made fun of her so hard for it, ‘this is the nerdiest thing, why are you playing violin?’ Then I was like, let me just see this and see what I can do, and I remember trying to look at her book and teach myself a couple things and then it was kind of clear that I was actually becoming a little obsessed with it,” said Burns.

Burns stayed active with both the violin and singing throughout middle and high school before applying to the University of Texas at Austin with the intention of going to music school. After a few initial auditions in the application process, Burns said she found “very strange” stage fright that she had never had before and has not had since.

Close to the end of the process, Burns decided to withdraw her application and to study journalism instead. She quickly realized she still had an itch to scratch when it came to performing and living in Austin in 2006 gave her opportunities to explore the music scene in an unorthodox way.

While she had opted out of pursuing a career in music via the college route, she found being thrown into the scene became a whole education itself.

“I don’t know that experience [music school], but I think that deciding to just jump in and figure it out with people, there’s a different skill set,” Burns said.

Burns added that when going through music school, there is less opportunity to explore creation as you typically are part of an ensemble and perform music that is already known. She said it was critical to be able to brainstorm and be forced to create from your own personal place.

Playing music with other artists and being able to get direct feedback from one another on potential work was critical according to Burns. She said she began practicing guitar, but it wasn’t until 2010 when she would join a band and begin live shows.

“I had this group of friends that were hosting house shows once a month and they kind of tricked me into playing a song after they threw my name into a hat. So, I played and I was kind of terrified but also loved it.”

Burns began playing with different folk-rock bands more regularly either as a singer or guitarist. Seeking more of an independent music-making process, Burns started writing songs around 2011-2012 and recorded her work. She sent it to a label called Western Vinyl, that ended up being excited to work with Burns on creating an album.

In 2013 Burns released her debut album, “Life in the Midwater.” The album was called “twisting” and “ethereal” by Dazed magazine and praised for its “delicate intimacy” by NPR. The album explored mortality and relationships.

Having more of an interest in music beyond classical orchestra settings, the decision to throw herself into the scene was paying off as she had been able to create a whole album just a couple years after she had begun writing and signing in private.

“Meeting a bunch of other songwriters, it kind of opened up a different world than I knew about when I was 18 and trying to apply to music school,” Burns said. “I fell into something that really resonated and I was able to make the work I’d like to make.”

Burns said her songwriting process involves brainstorming and creating from scratch, starting with discovering the right melody and chords before finding the words to fill the song. She added she feels when in this process, the thoughts for lyrics come from “a real place” and she begins to examine and figure out what story she wants to tell.

Learning how to express feeling through her songs came through more than ever after suffering the loss of her mother due to cancer. Burns released her second album titled, “Argonauta” in 2018, which was a collection of songs about her struggle with the grief of losing her mother while also navigating a new relationship, ultimately trying to discern what the new normal is for her life.

“[Argonauta] was being honest about depression and having those struggles. The complicated times in your life while you’re also experiencing joy in other areas and how things exist at the same time,” Burns said.

Burns said it was rewarding to be able to release music that people connected to and could relate to what she was putting out there.

Her skill of playing the violin came in handy as she eventually had opportunities to contribute her violin work to a range of projects across genres, including artists and bands like Adam Torres, Thor & Friends, and Dreamtigers, among others.

Eventually Burns would move from Texas to Massachusetts as her spouse was originally from the central part of the state. First living on the North Shore, Burns and her spouse would find themselves driving through Western Massachusetts and being in awe of some of its beauty when driving on road trips from Texas to Massachusetts.

Burns said while trying to join the music scene on the North Shore and in Boston, things didn’t really fall into place, but once they decided to move to the western part of the state, she discovered the growing music scene.

“Just in Western Mass, there’s a lot happening, and I feel like there’s an audience that’s open to sharing this sort of unorthodox interpretation of folk music,” Burns said. “There’s so many spaces to play just within 30 minutes range of each other. A lot of people putting on shows here are energized about getting people to come out and participate, seeing live music again and supporting artists in the area.”

Burns recently performed at the newly opened Drake Theater in Amherst earlier in the month and has performed in multiple other venues across Western Mass. since moving, including Gateway City Arts in Holyoke. The artist, who has over 4 million plays on her top 10 songs on Spotify, hopes to continue to perform on the scene and create music that people can relate to.

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20 Tracks That Shaped 21st-Century Pop

Posted on October 25, 2022

Pop’s rollercoaster ride has been kind to Katy Perry. In the 11 years since her international breakthrough, two reliable constants have been central to her success: she has a magician’s touch when it comes to edging her winning formula on with each release, and a slick ability to conjure up a parade of memorable pop tunes. Her personal, warm charisma and obvious dedication to empowering themes of self-determination and collective responsibility have created an army of supporters that have remained committed fans through each new creative change. Such is Katy’s familiarity on pop’s central podium this past decade, it’s hard to believe that she has just four major studio albums to her name. As a master of the perfect pop single, however, the best Katy Perry songs have charted the evolution of pop music in the early 21st Century.

Listen to the best of Katy Perry on Apple Music and Spotify.

20: The One That Got Away

If typical pop convention is to be followed, the sixth single from an album simply shouldn’t be this strong. Like Michael Jackson’s Thriller – and we don’t make that comparison lightly – Teenage Dream just seemed to be stuffed with potential smashes jostling for their place among the best Katy Perry songs. Mining it this deep and emerging with a gem like ‘The One That Got Away’ is a testament to the magic that Katy, Dr Luke and Max Martin were making at this early stage of her career. The poignant, midtempo ballad – supported with one of her typically strong videos – peaked again inside the US Top 3 and did well internationally. Inspired by a romantic relationship with Josh Groban that didn’t quite take flight, Katy had championed the cut and said she was pleased it revealed a rawer edge to her songwriting.

19: Waking Up In Vegas

Rock royalty Desmond Child and Swedish pop maestro Andreas Carlsson created this choppy return to form that gave her One Of The Boys album another boost. Hitting radio in April 2009, the Greg Wise production drew out the song’s central guitar riff with a rounded pop chorus that proved genuinely memorable. Another strong video, which was shot with Avatar’s Joel David Moore, helped place Katy back in the Billboard Top 10.

18: Con Calma (Remix) (Daddy Yankee and Katy Perry, featuring Snow)

The reggeaton smash, remixed with a guest appearance from Katy, hit radio in April 2019 and took its inspiration from one-hit wonder Snow’s 1992 global hit ‘Informer’. The Puerto Rican rapper says the Snow original is one of his favourite songs, and Katy’s contribution helped this hot homage gain airplay across mainstream pop stations around the world.

17: Birthday

It was time to pull on a pair of flares for ‘Birthday’, the melodic shuffle of which effortlessly transported you back to the glory days of 70s disco. Katy is famous for her outstanding videos, and this comedic standout is certainly among her best – even if its clever skits almost threaten to overwhelm the song itself. Drawn from the eclectic Prism, the song’s uncomplicated feel-good vibe demonstrates the impact of her lighter songwriting.

16: Rise

The aching charisma of this darker electronica cut was picked as one of the themes for US TV’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and scored strongly across the summer. Written with Savan Kotecha, Katy filmed performed the song for the US Democrats ahead of a bitter Presidential campaign.

15: Bon Appetit (featuring Migos)

This pop-trap hybrid, recorded with US hip-hop act Migos, was picked as the second single from Witness. Its knowing, sophisticated sexual satire was brilliantly brought to life in the accompanying video.

14: Unconditionally

Reported to be Katy’s favourite song from Prism, ‘Unconditionally’ takes some inspiration from Nashville, but is an accomplished power ballad that began to form after Katy had helped with a project for UNICEF. As one of the best Katy Perry songs of the 2010s, its themes are universal; the song cut through on radio and also boasted a striking costume-drama court-inspired promotional video.

13: Wide Awake

Widespread speculation focused on whether this 2012 song was Katy’s comment on the closing chapter of her relationship with Russell Brand; its message of how one must move on – however challenging the circumstances – certainly spoke to that. Longtime collaborator Bonnie McKee co-wrote the track with Katy (and Max Martin, Cirkut and Dr Luke) in support of the fly-on-the-wall/concert movie Katy Perry: Part Of Me. It was released as a single in May 2012 and peaked at No.2 in the US and No.9 in the UK.

12: 365 (Zedd and Katy Perry)

Supporting Katy on segments of her Witness: The Tour sparked a working partnership between Zedd and the singer that saw this standalone track issued as a single in February 2019. The Russian-born DJ-producer-songwriter has built an impressive CV of collaborations including Ariana Grande, Foxes and Selena Gomez, but there’s plenty to suggest this project with Katy could be the start of something very interesting. Katy seems keen to delve deeper into dance and electronica, while he proved a master at working with her compelling pop hooks.

11: Last Friday Night (TGIF)

A hangover following those parties we’d perhaps rather hadn’t been quite so much fun is comically brought to life in a standout video. Shaped as a floor-filling pop-dance anthem, ‘Last Friday Night (TGIF)’ earned its place among the best Katy Perry songs after it rewarded the singer with a place in the history books as the first woman to lift five US chart-toppers from a single album. Cameos from Glee’s Darren Criss, Hanson and 80s icons Debbie Gibson and Kenny G complete this video, inspired by the classic John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles, making it a clip that deserved repeat viewings. It was named Favourite Music Video at 2012’s People’s Choice Awards.

10: Hot N Cold

The track that proved Katy was no one-hit wonder, ‘Hot N Cold’ followed ‘I Kissed A Girl’ into the charts just a few months after the latter’s release, and has become a firm fan favourite. Benny Blanco joined Dr Luke and Max Martin on the creation of this track, his trademark synth-pop treatment undoubtedly glossing up a more naturally rockier core. ‘Hot N Cold’ advanced steadily up the Billboard Hot 100 to secure Katy a second consecutive US Top 3 success.

9: Dark Horse (featuring Juicy J)

Trailed as a promotional track for Prism, this strong cut was later picked as the album’s official third single in December 2013 and made it all the way to the top of the US charts. It was Katy’s most experimental single to date and the contribution with rapper Juicy J further developed the deeper urban direction her work was beginning to take. Sarah Hudson, the singer-songwriter behind UltraViolet Sound, co-wrote the song, which was the world’s second best-selling track of 2014.

8: Teenage Dream

At the start of Katy’s career, there was a tendency a to label her a talented but essentially kitsch artist reliant on kooky, charismatic performances. ‘Teenage Dream’ changed all that. Its insistent, romantic drive wrapped around a subtle nostalgic tone and euphoric melody simply let the music do the shouting, and the approach paid off handsomely. A regular on concert setlists to date, ‘Teenage Dream’ made the critics finally sit up and start to take notice, and will forever sit among the best Katy Perry songs of all time.

7: Swish Swish (featuring Nicki Minaj)

The third single lifted from Witness, ‘Swish Swish’ is the most ambitious dance track she has released to date and was almost completely overshadowed by her performance of it on Saturday Night Live, which saw Russell Horning (aka “The Backpack Kid”) showcase the floss dance to universal fascination. There are worse things for a song to be associated with, and the buzz helped the track, featuring Nicki Minaj, top the US dance charts.

6: ET (featuring Kanye West)

Kanye West’s contribution to the single release of this song from Teenage Dream (he didn’t feature on the original album cut) adds layers of drama to a song that’s already drenched in it. After the all-out pop of the album’s previous singles, this release marked a bold experimental manoeuvre that could so easily have backfired if urban radio programmers hadn’t embraced it. Crucially, the electro/hip-hop ballad, which again topped the charts, sounded great and earns its place among the best Katy Perry songs thanks to its crucial part in establishing Katy’s wider credibility beyond the core Top 40 market.

5: California Gurls (featuring Snoop Dogg)

Marketed at the start of the summer, ‘California Gurls’ was one of those records you just couldn’t escape in 2010. Following up a hit debut album is tricky, and Katy needed something special to make another strong impact. Teenage Dream was nearly complete, but Katy wasn’t convinced she had that final killer track until she developed the idea of creating a West Coast answer to ‘Empire State Of Mind’. ‘California Gurls’’ hooky energy was infectious; the guest billing for Snoop Dogg raised eyebrows and broadened the track; and the video pitched Katy’s larger-than-life persona into overdrive. It proved a highly effective mix, pushing all those rival summer anthems into the shade.

4: Roar

The plan for Prism was to create a darker record than anything that had come before. Echoes of that ambition remained in the eclectic nature of the album, but to launch Katy’s third major release, the boundless positivity of ‘Roar’ seemed compelling. It contains an anthemic chorus; is steeped in the positivity so central to Katy’s belief system; and, yes, that video treatment nicely delivered a cartoon narrative that had become something of an occasional trademark. ‘Roar’ was a huge success – a transatlantic chart-topper – and received scores of awards nominations acknowledging its place among the best Katy Perry songs.

3: I Kissed A Girl

The novelty of this track might have positioned Katy as an amusing one-hit wonder from the get-go. It had something interesting to say, but there wasn’t much space for subtlety. Sometimes that’s what you need to do to get a new artist noticed, and this Cathy Dennis co-composition established Katy as a worldwide sensation. Its seven-week run at the top of the US charts helped this new-wave power-pop gem become something of a challenge: how do you follow that? Katy’s response was simple: no panic or need to revisit it; just unleash strong songs built around broader themes. ‘I Kissed A Girl’ trod a fine line between knowing humour and crass controversy in a less-enlightened 2008, but it certainly did the trick.

2: Chained To The Rhythm (featuring Skip Marley)

Drawing on the uncertainty of the world in 2017, Katy’s first single from Witness showcases her craft at its melodic height. Sia had a hand in this song’s composition, helping to create a finely balanced blend of electro balladry and all-out pop. It worked well in the clubs, but absolutely soars on radio and remains in regular rotation today. Production support from the reliable Max Martin and Ali Payami shaped the song into a sizeable hit, while it was performed at the 2017 Brits and Grammy Awards and got perhaps the best video treatment in Katy’s impressive collection to date.

1: Firework

Now perhaps forever associated with its enduring role as the back-theme to myriad talent shows and triumph-over-tragedy true-life stories, this anthem of self-empowerment has sold more than 10 million copies in Katy’s homeland since its release in October 2010. Created with acclaimed songwriter Ester Dean and producers Stargate and Sandy Vee, ‘Firework’ was the third single from the staggeringly successful Teenage Dream album, and its place among the best Katy Perry songs is forever assured. It has already been covered by scores of other artists and remains perhaps Katy’s most established standard to date. The song was nominated for Record Of The Year at the Grammys, but its legacy is far from complete: this is a melody so strong it may yet re-emerge in a worldwide hit many years from now, from an artist maybe not yet even born. ‘Firework’ remains Katy’s first true classic.

Do our best Katy Perry songs match yours? Let us know in the comments section.

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YouTube rolling out black dark theme, Ambient Mode, and more

Posted on October 25, 2022

After testing for the past few months, YouTube today officially announced several design updates, including Ambient Mode, to the video player across Android, iOS, the web, and smart TVs.

In response to user feedback, YouTube has updated its dark theme to be “even darker so the colors truly pop on your screen” on the web, mobile, and smart TVs. It’s currently gray and will soon be closer to YouTube Music’s black background.

When that theme is on, you can enable a “subtle effect so the app background color adapts to match the video.” YouTube’s Ambient Mode tints your phone’s status bar and the strip that contains the video’s title just below the player. “Dynamic color sampling” is leveraged with Google “inspired by the light that screens cast out in a darkened room and wanted to recreate the effect so viewers were drawn right into the content and the video takes an even greater focus on our watch page.”

Color was a key theme for us during the development phase. We wanted to add vibrancy to our apps without detracting from viewers’ habits, whether that’s enjoying their recommended videos or browsing for new content.

Ambient Mode is available on web and mobile when dark theme is enabled, while Google is also using that theming in playlists as part of a card that shows “more details about each playlist so viewers can easily jump right in.”

The video player is picking up features like pinch-to-zoom, which is rolling out starting today on Android and iOS, in landscape. Additionally, precise seeking on desktop and mobile will “drag or swipe up while seeking to display a row of thumbnails in the video player.”

Below the video player, YouTube has placed several buttons within compact pills: thumbs up/down, Share, Download, Save, and Subscribe. The latter will also have higher contrast, and the company thinks “easier to find and way more accessible” even if it’s no longer red. Additionally, “YouTube links in video descriptions will change to buttons.”

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