primusicanalysis

[primusicanalysis]

Do Women Artists have to Sell Sex?

For my piece today I want to talk about the long standing question, of women and the debate of sex selling. But specifically women in music. For most female musicians and just musicians alike, regardless of the gender, they understand within the industry that one must make themselves these 'untouchable Godly figures' but in reality, they are just regular people. Interestingly enough, for artists like Ed Sheeran, he seems to be the perfect example of sex doesn't need to sell nor even an outgoing personality in the music industry, everyone would assume one needs to show an overtly sexual presence in order to be successful. But Ed Sheeran and artists like Billie Eillish, show that one does not need to be anything sexual in order to be popular. They come dressed in baggy clothing and regardless of the fact that one is man or women, does not seem to matter for either of them. What seems to matter is that they are talented and make incredible music. For most people, an artist is the whole package, the look, the persona, the friend group they have, the people they date, their personal story to tie an emotional connection to the viewers and thus, the artist becomes an entire persona. But for artists like Ed Sheeran and Billie, are they not mysterious? We don't really see their body and they're sexuality on stage. There is a message there, that inevitably the sex selling debate, is a myth. Even Taylor Swift for example, she seems like the complete wholesome singer all moms would like for their daughters to listen to, but now her new pop songs, are delving more into her sexuality. Her earlier hits were completely about these wholesome girl feelings alone, but now it seems, she's delved into more of her sexuality, is it to stay relevant? Is it to change the good girl persona and delve into another one? With artists like Nicki Minaj for example, selling sex seems inevitable in the hip hop industry, it almost seems, if the only way to be a successful female artist is to sell sex. In this article, called "Lorde is proof that women don't need to sell sex to sell records" she gives a great example of what artists have and don't need to sell in order to be successful. In the article it states, "Perry, whose Prism is her second record to hit No. 1 on the U.K. Albums charts, told NPR's Simon, "[F]emales in pop — everybody's getting naked. I mean, I've been naked before but I don't feel like I have to always get naked to be noticed .… I'm not talking about anyone in particular. I'm talking about all of them. I mean, it's like everybody's so naked. It's like put it away. We know you've got it. I got it too." It's a somewhat hypocritical statement for Perry, who despite vaguely acknowledging her role in this trend, is arguably most famous for her cheeky and brazen use of sexual innuendos, both lyrically and in her onstage costumes. "I've taken it off for — I've taken it out here and there. And I'm not necessarily judging. I'm just saying sometimes it's nice to play that card but also it's nice to play other cards. And I know I have that sexy card in my deck but I don't always have to use that card." I like that she mentions a lot of it being something fun to experiment and not necessarily feeling like she has to, but simply, just to play around as an artist and have fun. What I love within her songs is the contrast of it, some of her songs are just as she mentioned. With in terms, of what she said another artist that I would compare to playing around and seeming to do it for fun. Is Ariana Grande, she in the beginning of her career had more wholesome and girly songs like, 'Baby I' and songs like, 'The way' more playful, soft and girly. But she is the one funny enough that said, "I feel like those songs weren't really who I was" it seems like she wanted to break out into her sexuality right away and make songs like, 'dangerous women' and songs like, '34 35' which are heavily sexual songs.

And take the contrast of her earlier songs like Baby I and the fun playful beat and even notice the words and rhymes are different. No swear words or any kind of overtly sexual display, proving that it seems for most female artists in genres, selling sex or rather displaying sex seems to be a personal choice of theirs. 

Take the rest of the article where Lorde, really gets into exactly what this means.

 ‘Women are, of course, free to choose whether to use their sexuality as part of their image or brand, but so much of our pop-culture talk focuses on those who do when, in fact, artists like Lorde — and the audiences who listen to her — are asking us to shift our focus. While the women she's vying with for popularity have tended to use their sexuality to sell their music, Lorde is proving fierce competition with her obvious lack of interest in representing herself the same way, and she's resonating with a wide range of demographics for a reason. It's still a nascent fight, but she's challenging the widely-held idea that sex alone sells through her image, songs, and lyrics. She is showing the music industry (and the pop-culture community at large) that taking anything off isn't a requisite for grabbing people's attention.” The last line where it mentions, she is showing the music industry you don’t have to show your sexuality to grab someones attention is perfect. Leading me to mention another artist, I feel has never had to be overtly sexual in order to be successful is Adele, she has never had to show off her body in any kind of way, in fact you notice, she wears Black most times and that is a slimming color for her, she says, but never does she say I don’t think I can be that successful because I don’t show my body. Many female artists show off their body and many don’t, in almost all ways it is completely fine I notice. 

But take another females artists pov for example like Katy Perry who is widely successful. 

Katy Perry: "Everybody's getting naked"

Katy Perry has hit the headlines for wearing skin-tight latex, see-through frocks and cupcake bras on stage in the past - but even the 'Dark Horse' singer seems fed up with the lack of clothes popstars seem to have on today.

Speaking on the radio last year, she lamented: "Everybody's getting naked. I mean, I've been naked before, but I don't feel like I have to always get naked to be noticed.

"I'm not talking about anyone in particular. I'm talking about all of them... It's like, 'Put it away. We know you've got it. I got it too'."

Katy conceded that she had worn revealing stage outfits in the past, but argued that musicians shouldn't feel pressured to play the "sexy card" constantly.

[primusicanalysis]

Artist Profile Muza!

The artist profile I want to cover is my fellow Bengali Brother Muza!!!!!! He is a South-Asian American artist from the city, and he is actually making big movements for the Asian community of artists in the city. His main focus on music is covering pop song covers in international languages like Arabic, Hindi, English, Spanish and Urdu. What I love about his music, is that he wants to cover all cultures, like Bollywood songs, pop songs, rap and different languages. Incorporating different languages, is a great way to build your persona as an artist, what I love about Muza so much is that his story is a rough start, he didn't want to pursue music because his family wanted him to go into medical school and he did just that. He called it his version, of the closest he got to an "arranged marriage" LOL. But, he decided to leave medical school and pursue, his dream of being a singer/songwriter. He wanted to chase it, even though he knew his family would cut him off for his decisions, what I see in a pattern for a lot of great artists, weather that is artists or actors alike, is that they all, had a similar story, like Jlo who had to leave her family in order to make her dreams happen for herself as a dancer and Al Pacino whose family did not support him. Muza is defiantly chasing his dreams, which I think will show in his music as his career grows more and more in the future. His songs like 'Oporadhi' a classic Bengali song, was turned into a pop/rap song with his killer vocals and animated features. He knows exactly, how to appeal to the older generation by including classic songs and mixing it with the younger generation by including the rap part. I really like that he includes these spontaneous twists, which help his songs stand out more. One of his albums include Spanish songs, Arabic songs, that he sings with his very melodic voice. He was gracious enough to answer some questions and get more vulnerable which is something he hopes men in general do more with music instead of trying to be some "hard shit" as he says, his rap content focuses on romance too and not just drugs, or degrading women. It is not normal for artists to do all kinds of languages and genres all at once, they usually have to break out into one thing first but he really did not want to wait the process and simply wanted to immerse himself in the music as soon as he could.

Tanisha: Was it hard to emerge as an artist unknown and coming from a background without starting young? Since you were studying something so different in school?

Muza: It was hard of course, the whole process was hard, imagine your entire life being told and forced to pursue something you didn't like, it was engraved into my brain and our brains, as you know, that success more than happiness comes first. Medical school is stable, its what my entire family did and my parents. Imagine their only son, pursuing his dreams, and becoming something so different than everyone else, it was hard of course, and so many times, I though about going back, because you do think of those adult things, like "Am I going to make this work?" "Where will I be in the future" and "Will it work out" but I really sat down with myself and knew if I didn't pursue music that I would die the unhappiest man ever. My talent and voice, is something all my teachers, friends and family alike told me I have been blessed with. But what's funny is no one thought I would take it seriously, they thought wrong, not only do I have a great amount of views on my songs, but I have performed at universities and schools alike.

Tanisha: Wow, and what about making music and you're songs? Was it intimidating not knowing who would view it or was it just the passion you cared for?

Muza: I knew for a fact, that I would be successful, why....because I would not take no for answer no matter what. Because so many disbelieved in this dream, I didn't care if I had to stand outside of Times Square hanging my album out every.single.day, I told myself I would have a certain amount of views by the end of each week and when you hustle, network and commit, it truly does pay off. Then on top of that, I would get signing coaches to really make my voice better, spend hours and hours in the studio working on my voice, piano, beats and gather my other artist buddies, to network, collaborate and use social media for branding. I have to pay a lot of my success as well to the community of artists of color, who really help each other, there is a whole network and scene of our music genres only that get SO many views by us only, and I am okay with that. I love making music in different languages and cultures. So for me it is the passion and making music that drives me but a lot of it is also calculated and strategic planning.

Tanisha: Talk a little more about how you want male artists to be more vulnerable and include that in their art?

Muza: Haha, it's more of just men in general haha...not even artists, but yea, I think for me chasing my dreams in of itself is vulnerable, it really is something that most men don't do, because at least with how I was raised, I was always taught to not show emotion, make sure stability and success came first, because that is how I will take care of everyone around me and my duty as a man was to provide, protect etc...and of course I still believe it is, but as an artist, I like being in touch with my vulnerable side, most male artists, and people in my industry in general, operate off of ego...a lot of narcissism too, how many followers you have and views all of that matters. But I think the more we become vulnerable we can work better by not trying to be BETTER than anyone but be better together, and that's also better to make more dope content.

Tanisha: So, final advice to artists out there what would it be?

[primusicanalysis]

Interviewing the Hottest Pianist everyone SHOULD know, my friend Sue!!!!

Today, I am interviewing my bestie Sue!!! She is an incredible artist and pianist, just like me, that is also how we met, in our piano class at the age of thirteen, she is such an incredible pianist much better than me, she has played in concerts for Yale University and concerts at Carnegie Hall (a well known classical music area) Sue is currently, a graduate from Rutgers University and studied Communications with a minor in music and wants to pursue a music career in PR. Today I wanted to ask her more about her love of all things music and her love piano, certain songs and what she hopes more people know about piano as well. So let’s start!!!!!!

Tanisha: Why did you want to minor in music at Rutgers and not major in it, because I know how crazy you are about music and going to concerts like every other day haha

Sue: Well, I had to still be practical and consider how I could pay for my health insurance after college haha, can’t really do that just making music all day, I mean yea I can teach it, but I know artists that take is very personally when you say that to them, the whole “its my hobby not my living” because for artists weather that is theater work or music, this is their life and their priority. But for me, I wanted music to still be apart of my life, but wanted to still utilize my great speaking skills too, so PR is apart of communications and mixing it with music, which is my ultimate passion, is what I wanted. So it is the best of both worlds, now that I have graduated I would have liked to major in BOTH music and communications just so I got the full spectrum for music in classes, but I still can always go back to study it if I want.

Tanisha: That’s true, school is flexible for a reason, you can always do grad school and even get a doctorate, just to actually go off of what you mentioned, how artists take it personally when people look at art as a hobby, can you talk more about that? Because as a theater minor, I know all too well how I wish I could make it my major, but going back to the love and passion for something its hard to mix it with wanting a secured future after college. So what is a misconception about artists or jobs that artists have? 

Sue: I feel that, people think artists, are just not going anywhere in life, and it is so not true, of course it is not as secured as being a doctor, but for example, like me I am an artist still but I can also mix that with PR. There are over 1,000 plus jobs an artist can have, you can be a graphic designer and paint for pottery, or make music for movies etc... there is A LOT that artists do for society more than people will ever know or give credit for, I mean who doesn’t watch a show or listen to music at least once a day? Those are artists, so people need to appreciate the art world more and I know it can be hard, when artists are only looked at as entertainment but people need to see how art is so precious and can literally change someones life. 

Tanisha: So what are your favorite things as an artist, to talk about, or what exactly do you do in a day with PR and music?

Sue: Well PR is talking about music, I mean PR is more so branding, advertising basically and networking, so for instance, I meet with producers, call agencies and can vouch for an artist. It is basically a lot of networking to put it simply but it is so fun, I get to brand for live events, shows and call other music agencies, I mean like, just to know that I helping my fellow artists is enough for me, to have a fulfilled life. I just want to help people. 

Tanisha: And this is the part where I go awwwww

Sue: Lol shut up! But yea, I really feel like the biggest misconception is that is it not a job and as you said, just a hobby for people, it is not at all, it is 100% a job and a lot of work too! I mean a lot of work! Artists, have to brand for themselves, network like crazy, go to school, get a degree, compete with other talented people and constantly hustle in the city. 

Tanisha: Is there any particular genre you think people should check out specially with piano and any other thoughts about piano you want to add? 

Sue: Yea, I think that piano is a great instrument, I mean piano is one of those instruments that everyone knows about so it is popular, but what people do not know is that masters of piano still make mistakes and it is very hard to do, even performing and when you consistently practice your craft that is how to get better not just knowing a hard song makes you a pianist and even being able to read sheet music its all about consistency and of course passion! 

Tanisha: Well thank you so much for today! 

Overall, I think from this interview I took away the importance of loving what you do and never giving up to make it a career not just a job! I hope artists get more of the respect they deserve! 

[primusicanalysis]

Les Miserables The Best Music Scene!

For anyone who knows musical theater or loves movies with music included in general, you have to watch this movie, based on a French historical novel, which led to the making of the incredible Oscar nominated movie, which truly revolves around war between the rich and poor. The reason why one of my favorite music scenes, are in this, is because it truly deals with a heartbreaking story that I believe still goes on even until this present day. Where men and women both, sometimes have to resort to prostitution in order to live and survive, which can also be seen in our modern times. I love this song, ‘I dreamed a dream’ which you may have also heard in the very famous x-factor season with Susan Boyle, I think it is a great song and truly shows, the beauty of what life is like, as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, which is really what the movie focuses on. In this song, there is a beautiful line which goes along as “There was a time when men were kind When their voices were soft And their words inviting There was a time when love was blind And the world was a song And the song was exciting There was a timeThen it all went wrongI dreamed a dream in times gone by When hope was high and life worth living I dreamed, that love would never die I dreamed that God would be forgiving Then I was young and unafraid And dreams were made and used and wasted There was no ransom to be paid No song unsung, no wine untasted” 

What I love about this song is that coincides with what reality can be for the majority of people in the world, how the top 1% live lavishly and the rest of the people are in “ransom” as the song says, which can translate to debt of any kind that one must owe someone, specially in our modern times the government and how they don’t truly let you live your dreams freely, because of corporate greed. The song is really sad and Anne Hathaway after winning an Oscar, for her dedication in losing weight for the film and cutting her hair drastically, said, “she still felt sad...” showing how impactful a character can be to someone. The movie did so well, because of it’s musical theater songs and another incredible song, in the movie, that is widely popular is also ‘Do you hear the people sing’ it is so inspirational and empowering, as it talks about the revolution of the people and how they want a better life, and won’t let the government get in the way of that again. I mean a literal lyric in the song is, ‘do you hear the people sing, singing a song of angry men...a people who will NOT be slaves again...’ perhaps to include my own bias in this. I think in our times, it will always be a class war more than anything, race, religion and color make a distraction for what the people should truly be fighting which is the government’s exploitation of everyone that is not filthy rich, And this movie does a great job of that. Here is the song enjoy! :) 

The actors in this film, went on to do more incredible work thanks to this film, of course the legendary Hugh Jackman is in this as well, and what I love in this film, is that the men are vulnerable and show their emotions, as France takes a revolution as well. But they still show their strength by protecting their loved ones and it shows how men don’t just have to be one-dimensional and stoic or angry all the time. But emotional one day and fearless the next. Take a look at this incredible article about the psychology of one-dimensions and how it affects BOTH men and women equally. That is what I love about music and theater, it shows characters in all dimensions, especially this movie. 

#lesmiserables #music #theater historicmovies #oscarmovies

[primusicanalysis]

Taylor Swift Music Track

During the course of Taylor Swifts Album ‘Fearless’ the songs and the beats in of itself are a lot to follow and listen too, what I love most about it is the fact that these are lyrics that she has part taken in widely and written, I love that she uses all of her creative skills in making music and writing these lyrics. It really is amazing to see a female artist, be so talented in so many facets. For this I really want to disect her incredible lyrics and the power that they have on people and in music in general. From lyrics like, ‘well you stood there in the doorway, my handshake, I’m not usually this way but you pull me in, and I am a little more brave...’ lyrics like that give me hope in songs. Or even in another song, a lyrics that goes, “Someday maybe you’ll miss me, but even then you’ll be Mr. Too Late...” lyrics that every person not just women can relate too. I think to really delve into her music, you have to understand the backstory of her songs and the meaning behind them, and what makes it so powerful and special. She really pours her personal life into the music and does it great job of it, she can make anybody feel like that they went through that issue with her and she hypnotizes them and brings them that special feeling within her music, within just a couple of lyrics. 

I think that Taylor shows, the power of creative lyrics can have on artists and their success in the music business, in a time where modern music, just feels like complete beats, autotune and rap. These creative lyrics really are so special as it brings the beauty of music into reality, where ordinary people can feel like their problems are also expierenced  by celebs like her. She really has a talent for Writng and in another lyric, with the song, “I don’t know why the all the trees change in the fall but I know you’re not scared of nothing at all...” lyrics like this are always so simple yet profound in the message it gives and offers, when I listened to this lyric during the start of college after COVID, I felt sad that my birthday month was in the fall, and felt as if I lost myself in COVID, being so alone and not my usual bubbly, ambitious self, but then, I remembered who I was through this song and how brave I am to have gone through that and landing my dream internship. The music intertwined with that country feel and vibe, is the perfect nostalgic song. I think that a lot of more people other than young women would give Taylor’s music a chance if they realized how special her lyrics are and the power that they can hold over a person. 

What these music scores, include in her songs, as she tells it, is apart of herself, she uses the word “diaristic” as her songs, are always seeming like something out of a journal or diary and is very vulnerable. she says this line herself, in the article by NME, “She continued to explain that this new style of writing made her feel that she would be able to “maintain a place of good mental health and emotional health and all that”. “I saw a lane for my future and that was a real breakthrough moment of excitement and happiness,” she said... (NME) 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-diaristic-songwriting-style-unsustainable-future-folklore-evermore-2837843

As she has evolved so has her music and the taste of her music, it is much more mellow and almost country again. Like Folkfare...

[primusicanalysis]

Biggest Haters

There isn’t any other singular occupation that lends itself to a tumultuous life better than being a musician. The alignment of an almost nomadic lifestyle of hopping from gig to gig, each a vibrant part of the nightlife scene where patrons go to let loose and the cult of personality surrounding celebrities lends to the turbulent personal relationships that are presented in their art. This playlist is a short cherry-picked playlist dedicated to artists who prioritized their selfish feelings over others in these songs, almost indifferent to whether they are right or wrong. All taken from a time when a man could support his secret second family that he kept in the next town over on one regular job.

Heres the link.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0xtj14ORTgavMceJ0scpvG?si=c57a14bc3c39455c

I Wish He Didnt Trust Me So Much – Bobby Womack

I had to start this off with something blunt.

This is mainly going to focus on a time in music where an artist had to put their face on the album cover or you had to go to a show to know the man singing was ugly. Back then labels only picked musicians based on how their voice and music sounded, there just wasn’t as much media surrounding artists like there is today so they couldn’t just rely on an attractive front. If theres anyone who looks like he shouldn’t be singing about the things he does its Bobby Womack, one of if not the biggest piece of shit on this playlist. If you were confused as to what the themes being represented in this list are take some time to listen to this song, if you relate to it please go to therapy. Many artists get away with putting questionable lyrics onto good tracks because there are a lot of listeners who wont pay attention to the content of the song itself; however beautifully instrumentals and vocals soulfully play with each other on “I Wish He Didnt Trust Me So Much” the words themselves will grab and turn your head violently and make you question how the Womacks wanted to get their start singing gospel. It makes it worse that this song was written about the wife of Sam Cooke the man that mentored Bobby and who he played guitar for when he was just starting out.

when Cooke was shot and killed by a motel manager in December 1964. Less than three months later, Bobby married Cooke’s widow Barbara. After that, Bobby’s music career foundered for a few years while he got by as a songwriter and session musician; Bobby and Barbara divorced after Barbara discovered him in bed [sexually assaulting] Linda Womack, her daughter with Cooke, and shot him (he survived)

http://www.mtv.com/news/2696322/bobby-womack-sam-cooke/

If anyone made this song about me I would be liable to commit a felony, Bobby Womack knew that he couldnt get away with publishing this song when Sam was alive so he waited twenty one years after Sam Cookes death and fifteen years after divorcing Barbara Cooke before releasing this.

Running Out Of Lies - Johnnie Taylor

I knew nothing about this artist before finding this song but I did go out specifically searching for two timing soul singers. For Johnnie I had to do a little bit of digging but it turns out he wasnt just a two-timer but had had children with at least four different mothers.

His highly complex personal life was revealed after his death. Having six accepted children and three others with confirmed paternity born to three different mothers,[10] the difficulties associated with executing his will were presented in an episode of the TV program The Will: Family Secrets Revealed called “The Estate of Johnnie Taylor”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie_Taylor

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2518022/

Love TKO – Teddy Pendergrass

Arguably the only attractive singer on this list.

None of the songs here are being questioned because they sound bad, on the contrary the legendary Teddy Pendergrass has a lovely smooth singing voice that rides and compliments the tracks instrumental so perfectly it truly exemplifies what it means to use voice as an instrument. A pinnacle in which only a few talented and determined singers can reach. Funnily enough this was written by Bobby Womacks brother Cecil Womack bringing 3/6 songs on this playlist to be direct consequences of the Womack family. Cecil would later marry Sam Cookes daughter down the line after what his brother did.

The last song portrays a man tired of running out of the lies he tells his partner all the while his conscious bothering him to treat his woman right and cut off his mistress. This song depicts a man knowingly having to accept to begin to move on from his relationship because of his infidelity.

If You Think You’re Lonely Now – Bobby Womack

Referenced by Mariah Carey in her song “We Belong Together”

I can’t sleep at night, when you are on my mind Bobby Womack’s on the radio Singing to me, “If you think you’re lonely now” Wait a minute, this is too deep (Too deep) I gotta change the station

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mariahcarey/webelongtogether.html

“If You Think Your Lonely Now” serves more as a rant with an instrumental backing in where its clear he went into the studio and told the backup to keep playing while he vented. This song is more manipulative than some of the others; directed at a lover who probably was trying to communicate in a healthy manner that there could be improvements in the relationship Bobby Womack decided to be vindictive and walk away leaving them with only the feeling of solitude.

Walk Away From Love - David Ruffin

This ones kinda cruel, its about walking away from someone who loves the artist but because they are experiencing this unfamiliar feeling of love and are so afraid of being dissapointed later theyd rather walk away now. This is all despite the genuine affection thats being given to them that could be maintained if they actually honestly tried in a relationship.

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep – The Temptations

I reached the video limit for this post so this next link will take you to the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PU1PEA8S6M

I believe beauty is not only skin deep and while being attractive is a part of it, its ultimately the way people carry themselves in their everyday life and personal relationships that defines someone as truly beautiful. This song is disrespectful just for the fact that while it acknowledges that being compatible with your partner is important it directly says that the last person they were with was more attractive than the subject being sung about and that they only have a better personality.

A pretty face you may not possess But what I like about you is your tenderness. A pretty face maybe some guys taste But I’ll take lovin’ in it’s place.

…

My friends ask, what do I see in you But it goes deeper than the eye can view. You have a pleasin’ personality And that’s an ever lovin’ rare quality. Now show me a girl, a girl that’s fine And I’ll choose the one with true lovin’ every time.

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/temptations/beautyisonlyskindeep.html

There’s a special place in hell for a quintet that will sing about how youre ugly.

[primusicanalysis]

The Progression of Failed Love - A STARSET Playlist

Y’all ever make a playlist before? That shit is so much fun. Using the music by your favorite artists and ordering them in such a way that portrays your own idea or story… I love it, and I’ve only just started doing it. It’s a very unique way to creatively express yourself. Now that I’ve hyped my audience up, it’s time to break all of your hearts by sharing my playlist of STARSET songs called “The Progression of Failed Love” which follows the story of a typical young couple who just couldn’t make it work. Yes I know, this is a dumb movie trope told a million times and blah blah blah, but this is my blog so deal with it ya fuckin’ dorks… of course I’m kidding, and in all seriousness, this was the most genuine playlist I was able to make. I have my own personal connection to it, and if you’ve had a relationship before, you’ll most likely find a way to connect to it. I enjoy it, and I hope you do as well.

The playlist’s first three songs in order are “Satellite”, “DIE FOR YOU”, and “Starlight”, and they encompass the honeymoon stage of a budding relationship. Let’s call these songs Act I of this story. “Satellite” to me really embodies the feeling one gets when they first fall for someone. The energy is high and all you can think about is what you would do for this individual, with lyrics that support this idea greatly:

“Satellite! Shine on me tonight!

I will be your gravity, I will stay and never leave…

My satellite! Are you here tonight?

Shine your light and set me free.

Take the darkness out of me.

Shine on me!”

The relationship hasn’t started yet, but the interest is growing like crazy. These lyrics hit hard, check out the rest of them here:

STARSET – Satellite Lyrics 

“DIE FOR YOU” is just a more intense version of “Satellite” within the context of this story, but it makes sense because this song represents when the relationship is now official. Both parties have fallen for each other, and the love is starting to run deep. The whole vibe of the song is much more intimate, with a calmer kit part (hot damn Adam Gilbert you are smart with writing your kit parts), but yet the same exact key and even a similar tempo. The songs are so similar, yet so different, and it’s really smart. Kudos to STARSET for this, and as a personal benefit, it makes the story of this playlist flow really well.

Starset - Die For You (Official Audio) 

“Starlight” is a very specific moment in time, and marks the end of the honeymoon phase. The couple is stargazing, and the sky is just beautiful. I see many colors and galaxies in the night sky when listening to this song. The only thing is, they aren’t physically together. Their lives have picked up, and while they can’t be with each other at the moment, they still love each other very much, so they stargazed on a phone call. They are sad that they have to spend less time together, but they reassure each other that they love the other person very much, and that they are inseparable. This song has a very special place in my heart, as it’s just a beautiful song that makes me think a lot. I get a little heartsick listening to it, as it makes me think about memories that are dear to me, but it fits this spot perfectly in my playlist story.

Starset - Starlight (Official Lyric Video)

The honeymoon period has now concluded and we are moving into Act II of this story, where problems arise. This act starts with the song “Telepathic”, which has a frustrating feel to me. The song is from the perspective of only one of the characters, as they feel their significant other expects them to be a mind reader and won’t share emotions by just talking about them. As I’m sure a lot of people understand, this is infuriating to deal with, as it just makes people typically want to slam their head through a fuckin’ brick wall. At the same time, this character is very easily read by their significant other, as they wear their heart on their sleeve, making it seem like their lover is… well… “Telepathic”. This brings up insecurity, and arguments ensue. The lyrics support this idea well, for example:

“But you can read my mind

I feel it all the time.

Felt it all around you…

You had me under spell right from the start

I don’t have a telepathic heart.”

STARSET – Telepathic Lyrics 

The arguments get worse as we progress into the song “FAULTLINE”. This song has a lot to do with pointing fingers and blaming, as now both lovers in this story are outright arguing with each other a lot, and over stupid shit too. They aren’t handling being apart from each other well and are having a hard time with communication due to insecurity and distance. The vibe of this song fits this mood, as it’s got a sparse but tense groove, and the accompanying guitar/synth parts are rough and a bit grungy. Out of all the songs in this playlist, this one takes 3nd place for the lyrics fitting well into the story, with such snippets as:

“First you gotta know, how to play the victim

Hate to tell ya so, but you repeat the symptoms like an aftershock

And I only wanna make it stop…”

And also:

“Caught me shaking at the site, oh

Caught me quaking in my mind, oh

You’re tripping over every fault of mine

You’re breaking open every single time

It’s never black and white, no

Going seismic out of spite, oh

I never know if it’s your fault or mine

You’re breaking open every single time

Faultline.”

STARSET - FAULTLINE (Official Audio)

Like damn, that entire second snippet is the whole ass chorus. This song fits super well here.

The last song in Act II has some intense, even lustful feelings tied to it, this song being “PERFECT MACHINE”. The couple is desperate to make things work, as they still love each other very much but are really struggling. When they see each other, they engage constantly in what people called “hate-fucking” which ultimately solves nothing, and then fighting after they are done. Yes I know this was a WILD turn out of left field, but this is the story I envision with this playlist, very intense and potentially very real. The song I feel is the entire progression of one… erm… let’s call it a “session” of what was described above. It starts with the lustful feelings I mentioned before, then about one third of the way through the song, the entire feeling changes, becoming very angry and desperate. This song takes 2nd place for lyrics best fitting the story, with the lyrics changing from this:

“Show me your insides, show me your secrets

Show me what you desire… I can fake it”

To this:

“Even you know… even you know, this was all for nothing…”

STARSET - PERFECT MACHINE (Official Audio)

STARSET – PERFECT MACHINE Lyrics 

Again, damn bro. I relate to this part of the story the least, as I’ve never experienced something like this, but holy shit that still cuts deep.

Finally, we reach Act III of this story, the end and the aftermath. This act opens up with “Let It Die”, which is the song that marks the inevitable end of this relationship. This song talks a lot about “breathing back life” into something and I feel that marks the end of a relationship very well. The feelings have been lost and it’s very possible that at least one party has moved on, so it needs to end. There’s not much to say about this song, except the one lyric that really made this song claim its spot on this playlist:

“But you told me, if you loved me, let it die”

Starset - Let It Die (Official Audio)

The relationship is now over, and one of the characters has left the narrative. We now enter the mind of the one who was still holding on to feelings. With this, the penultimate song to this playlist is the iconic “My Demons”. This song paints the image of inner demons attacking someone, and how they once had a significant other that would save them from these demons. The song references sickness, demons, needing help, and other color words that really paint the picture of someone mourning the death of love they once had. It is one of STARSET’s most emotionally impactful songs, and every single OG STARSET fan knows this song. This part of the story is the perfect spot for this song, and though I don’t want to copy another batch of lyrics for the purpose of finishing this story, I strongly encourage you to just listen to the song and pay attention to these lyrics. They’re very audible and very emotionally charged.

Starset - My Demons (Official Music Video)

We have finally reached the end, and the song that ends this whole story is “Ricochet”, another one of STARSET’s best songs. I know what I said about not copying another batch of lyrics to this post, but this song wins 1st place for lyrics relating to the story on this playlist, because this song is literally about reflection on a failed relationship and just wanting to see the other person:

“We were one in the same,

Running like moths to the flames,

You’d hang on every word I’d say 

But now they only ricochet…

We were falling away,

You left me with a bittersweet taste,

But when I send my heart your way,

It bounces off the walls you made,

Ricochet”

COME. ON. You CANNOT tell me this isn’t the best way to conclude this really sad story. This isn’t the only set of lyrics in the song that paints this picture well, THE WHOLE SONG DOES. Back to the story, time has passed and the remaining character still misses their ex-lover. They’ve tried really hard to rebuild some sort of relationship with them, but it just didn’t work. This song is the final stage of their mourning, and while they know very deep down that it will get better, they need this time to grieve.

Starset - Ricochet (Official Music Video)

STARSET – Ricochet Lyrics

I don’t relate to this entire story, but it was sure as hell fun to write. I apologize for any emotional pain that I have caused during the telling of this story, but this is what came to mind when I was creating the playlist. You’re a real one if you made it to the end, this being my longest post yet. I really hope you enjoyed.

Links Used (In Order):

https://genius.com/Starset-satellite-lyrics 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJxSNbAer9M 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tiCEp3K3Rs 

https://genius.com/Starset-telepathic-lyrics 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfqVlwetWfY 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keMBtyjYUPQ 

https://genius.com/Starset-perfect-machine-lyrics 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJtBYAKBByk 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkll0StZJLA 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaC0YVaIMno

https://genius.com/Starset-ricochet-lyrics

[primusicanalysis]

The Ultimate Girly Playlist lol!

I feel that this playlist, is very “girly” whatever that means to you (LOL) But, I guess this is the part where everyone says, “you’re such a girrrrllll” and the answer is I am surely am! (teehee) but these songs, are soooo good trust me guys! This playlist, really is for everyone, any gender, taste of music or anything you identify with, maybe if you just want some sweet mellow songs to jam out too in the long car ride, or need a heartbreak playlist, or even a relatable playlist in general for any kind of mood, in which you need a relaxing vibe for a hectic day. The first song is, Taylor Swift ‘Tim Mcgraw’, I am not a country fan like that at all, but she is the exception, it is so funny, because this song of hers, is perhaps, the most country one she wrote out of all of them, but it is such a soothing song, and the guitar in the background, is so well done with this song. Not like a typical, cheesy, country song at all, it is for sure poetic, heartwarming, and leaves you with that haunted feeling. I think like most people I discovered her through her many famous boyfriends in the beginning and her performing at awards shows, but now she is a legit artist in her own right. 

The next song, on “the girly playlist” we shall call it, is by Jorja Smith, called ‘Teenage Fantasy’ she is an underrated British artist, and did a song with a super popular rapper, over there as well, named Stormzy, she made this widely popular song, about the struggles of just being alive in a time, where people take things and love for granted. I discovered, her through the rapper stormzy and realized her songs, feed my soul. <3 It’s really chill vibes, but has that weird Lana-Del-Rey spunk to it. It’s so funny, that most British artists lose their accent when they sing, but with Jorja, she remains her British accent very well, and it’s so cool to listen to it.  Here it is, hope you listen and enjoy ;) 

I also this literal, unknown artist, who is also a Brit (haha) her name is Lucy Rose, she made this song called, ‘Shiver’ and I first heard the song through randomly surfing through YouTube playlists, and just stumbled on it, literally did not have a lot of views, but I gave it shot, and it was so worth it. When I find songs that sound so good and that not a lot of people have listened to, it makes me happy, that I am helping these artists, through listening and clicking their songs, she actually wrote the song herself and produced/stars in the video, which btw, before you listen to it...WARNING! It is so heartbreaking :( when you see the story. But boy, is it worth understanding the message, of always living in the now. The song, is basically about how, a man still remembers his late wife, and watches back their old videos, of them young and flying a kite. Which his wife loved, he visits the exact same spot at old age, and hugs the kite, remembering the warmth she brought him (UGH SO FUCKING SAD...brb gonna go cry) :( anyways, here it is! xo 

The next song is popular (obvi!) it is by Ariana Grande, called ‘POV’, her songs are so widely known, it almost you have to live under a rock to know them, since they are played everywhere, but this specific song, I came to know when I texted my friend, during COVID, and felt really lost, that I didn’t have an internship yet, and I think in our modern times, we define ourselves through our resumes and jobs. And this song, Ari is talking about how, it’s better to look at ourselves through the lenses of people that love us, rather than our own at times, because we are indeed....so hard on ourselves, it is a shame, we do this, but she herself wrote this song, during the aftermath of what was her ‘worst year personally and best year for her career’ in her own words, she said, that this song, ‘is how deeply I feel about the person that loves me...’ and if you read this article it is very much about him. 

The next song is actually one of my favorites on the playlist, the singer (Queen Naija) and backstory is SO interesting. She was in-fact a YouTuber first, she then rose to fame, through her breakup with a man she made YouTube videos with, regarding their relationship and she lived an ordinary life with him. But through her YouTube, she still always sang songs, during American-Idol, which she competed in at 14, she was told, she was pitchy, but after her breakup, which she said was, ‘embarrassing’ she wrote Medicine and it has over a million views on Youtube, it’s basically, her addressing her breakup, in a hidden way, about how she can do the exact same in the situation as her ex-partner did to her. The reason why it resonates with so many people, is for the fact, that Queen Naija, said she wants to show, how we all are capable of doing equal, things to each other, and so it’s best just to treat each other equally as well, because we are capable of treating each other equally as bad. 

#playlist #girlvibes #girlyvibes #girlyplaylist #arianagrandevibes #queennaidja #taylorswift #lucyrose

[primusicanalysis]

Hurricane, More Like HurriCANT

       Kanye West’s anticipated album, Donda, came out August 29 after multiple delays. This album includes twenty-seven songs, such as “Hurricane”, where Kanye simply just raps about his baggage, including his divorce from Kim Kardashian and his dalliances while married to her. His tenth album is named after his deceased mother to honor her and his upbringing, but the messages from this album lack consistency and tend to clash with one another.

         Kanye’s tenth studio album came to be after three listening events were held at two stadiums in the USA, where individuals in person and online watched Kanye perform samples from his album. Kanye’s attempt to make art and wow his audience just ended in a crash and burn. These listening sessions were just an attempt on his end to promote his barely-finished album that consequently was streamed without his approval.

           The themes Kanye raps about are quite obviously about his upbringing and faith, as well as the impact his disastrous marriage had on him and his decision making. Kanye has been rapping about his faith and its impact on him for years, but it seems now that it’s all he ever raps about, especially since the release of his previous gospel album.  Kanye, however, attempts to be more thoughtful and apologetic when singing about his relationship with God. For example, he ends “Off the Grid” with the statement: “I ain’t delivering heavenly messages just for the hell of it/Don’t try to test me; I keep it clean, but it can get messy.” It is clear that Kanye’s lighthearted bars do not seem to go well with what he is preaching.

              Kanye’s idea of sampling his music to the crowd may have seemed like a good one, but all that does is allow for everyone’s critiques to get in your head and ruin your thoughts and ideas. Some critiques include the fact that Donda herself is not mentioned as much as she should be. Like, who raps about cheating on your wife in an album dedicated to your mother and how she raised you? In fact, Kanye does not even feature any women on his tracks, instead featuring men who have had scandals such as DaBaby, Chris Brown, and Marilyn Manson to name a few. Attaching your name to scandals of abuse and homophobia could be career-ending, so one does not understand why Kanye would do something of that nature when the the #MeToo movement is a huge presence nowadays.

               Kanye’s past albums such as Graduation and Yeezus have been huge hits with great advertising, which leaves fans confused as to why he cannot utilize the same energy with his most recent albums. Even Drake manages to stay on top after so many years, with his new album Certified Lover Boy coming out on top in comparison to Donda. Don’t get me wrong, Donda has its moments that work, but overall it just sounds like an incomplete mess that comes up short in comparison to previous works. 

Sources: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kanye-west-donda/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/kanye-wests-donda-review-1219244/

https://www.complex.com/music/kanye-west-albums-ranked-best-to-worst/yeezus

[primusicanalysis]

Live Shows and Pageants

I competed in a pageant in the summer of August 2021, last month, and witnessed numerous live action talents from Irish Step dance, Violin, broadway song covers and to performing my very own talent opera song, by Puccini called 'Nessun Dorma'. It was a wonderful experience to have competed for Miss New Jersey, and be able to show my artistic talent and abilities, especially during the pandemic. With everything else on stage, we had to wear masks, but for talent, it really is impossible as breathing with anything artistic is required, for moral support and well...common sense (haha) I can't sing with a face cover. The event itself had to have limited guests, spaced out seating and everyone had to show vaccination documentation. For me, to be able to still have my love art shine on stage, meant everything to me, especially because I know all too well, how the pandemic took away theater, which is my minor, so many actors and artists are out of work, therefore, to be able to have this chance, to perform and be on stage, felt surreal after so long.

What I love about art, and in this case the pageant world, is that so many girls gave out all kinds of performances, some even did rap! Which for a traditional setting (as pageants are known to be traditional) was very bold and everyone in the audience loved it. It almost reminded me why I love doing this so much, it is especially for the chance to perform on stage, with the people I love watching. One of my favorite performances, was a spoken word piece, about a girl fighting cancer, as we all listened, again in the midst of a global pandemic, it reminded us others have it worse, and so we should be grateful for the little things, that truly is the power of art, and what art can do to people and how it can make them feel.

All the live concerts I was planning on attending over the summer got canceled or were on zoom, which I hated! I refuse to diminish anyone's artistic abilities, and watch something online, true performance, is live and where you see people mess up, or slip up, how you see them so raw, authentic and vulnerable. That is what the live show did for me during the pageant. For me to sing, a really hard opera, with the help of my incredible music teachers, really made have the hope I was looking for again, when school was cancelled and anyone who has ever performed on stage in front of people, knowns there is nothing stronger one can do, than to put yourself out there, not knowing whether you will fail or succeed. Or whether, the audience will hate or love it, but just to simply be present and authentically you in the moment, enjoying yourself and praying whatever message you want to send to the world, through your art piece and hope it comes true. That is what live performance is for me, in my bias. That is why theater, artists and our actors are so important, they renew their faith again in hard times, so to everyone reading, I encourage you to see as many plays, bands, performances live, as you can. Nothing beats live art. If you all have time, that is reading, please read this article, to show just how live performances affected theater. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/12/arts/television/covid-broadway-TV-actors.html

[primusicanalysis]

Hurricane, More Like HurriCANT

       Kanye West’s anticipated album, Donda, came out August 29 after multiple delays. This album includes twenty-seven songs, such as “Hurricane”, where Kanye simply just raps about his baggage, including his divorce from Kim Kardashian and his dalliances while married to her. His tenth album is named after his deceased mother to honor her and his upbringing, but the messages from this album lack consistency and tend to clash with one another.

         Kanye’s tenth studio album came to be after three listening events were held at two stadiums in the USA, where individuals in person and online watched Kanye perform samples from his album. Kanye’s attempt to make art and wow his audience just ended in a crash and burn. These listening sessions were just an attempt on his end to promote his barely-finished album that consequently was streamed without his approval.

           The themes Kanye raps about are quite obviously about his upbringing and faith, as well as the impact his disastrous marriage had on him and his decision making. Kanye has been rapping about his faith and its impact on him for years, but it seems now that it’s all he ever raps about, especially since the release of his previous gospel album.  Kanye, however, attempts to be more thoughtful and apologetic when singing about his relationship with God. For example, he ends “Off the Grid” with the statement: “I ain’t delivering heavenly messages just for the hell of it/Don’t try to test me; I keep it clean, but it can get messy.” It is clear that Kanye’s lighthearted bars do not seem to go well with what he is preaching.

              Kanye’s idea of sampling his music to the crowd may have seemed like a good one, but all that does is allow for everyone’s critiques to get in your head and ruin your thoughts and ideas. Some critiques include the fact that Donda herself is not mentioned as much as she should be. Like, who raps about cheating on your wife in an album dedicated to your mother and how she raised you? In fact, Kanye does not even feature any women on his tracks, instead featuring men who have had scandals such as DaBaby, Chris Brown, and Marilyn Manson to name a few. Attaching your name to scandals of abuse and homophobia could be career-ending, so one does not understand why Kanye would do something of that nature when the the #MeToo movement is a huge presence nowadays.

               Kanye’s past albums such as Graduation and Yeezus have been huge hits with great advertising, which leaves fans confused as to why he cannot utilize the same energy with his most recent albums. Even Drake manages to stay on top after so many years, with his new album Certified Lover Boy coming out on top in comparison to Donda. Don’t get me wrong, Donda has its moments that work, but overall it just sounds like an incomplete mess that comes up short in comparison to previous works. 

Sources: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kanye-west-donda/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/kanye-wests-donda-review-1219244/

https://www.complex.com/music/kanye-west-albums-ranked-best-to-worst/yeezus

[primusicanalysis]

Nora Jones is the most underrated singer!

Firstly, singer Nora Jones, is an incredible singer, and I would like to dedicate this review to her and the way her songs make my days better. Her album ‘Come Away With Me’ is incredibly soothing, her voice is that of Lana-Del-Rey’s but not as, sappy and wailing (sorry Lana-del-rey fans lols!). It is very mellow and chill vibes. If you listen to the lyrics, she combines the creativity of Taylor Swift songs, with those extremely witty lyrics and still includes that Ed Sheeran romantic vibe. Her music combines all these artists and their attributes, yet my theory of why she is not that popular, as mainstream artists, is for the fact, she has a distinct voice and a hippy aura to her. She is defiantly true to her-self and yet her style, is that of a 1950's vintage housewife, with beautiful dresses and curls in her hair. One of the many reasons I love her album 'Come Away With Me' is the song, itself, "come away with me" because it combines really soft melodies and yet still has such a heart-aching, feel to it, that makes you think of it after it's done. 

The music video itself, is weird and confusing, with the running joggers and a random guy she picks up, but the song has over 37 million plus views, so it clearly has touched a lot of people, the same way it did for me. But her other songs on the album, haven't done as well, a specific song on the album, called 'feeling the same way' is not one of my favorites, it sounds lazily written and produced honestly, if you here it, the lyrics are so repetitive to the point it sounds she wrote the song within two seconds and called it-a-day just to finish her album, but other songs like, 'nightingale' are so good, it has a deeper message in it, the message I got in it, was about persevering on a long journey to achieve your dreams, as she talks about the far journey took, the song starts slow first and then it takes people by surprise, as the tempo is picked up and she goes faster. A song not on this album, but that did extremely well, like her one hit single, 'Come Away With Me', the song 'Don't Know Why' is popular, with 65 million plus views, the audience seems to love that mellow, chill vibe again and that soothing voice, rather than some songs on the album, including a different sound of her voice. 

#norajones #music #musicreview #edsheeranvibes #mellowvibes #underrated #femalesinger

[primusicanalysis]

Punjabi Music, The Power of the Warrior Class

During the course of my childhood and up until now, Punjabi music has always impacted my life, being first-generation South-Asian American, having balanced two cultures, continents and countries my entire life, music is what truly brings me back to connect again with my ancestral roots. India is a vast, big country, and the northern region is extremely different from the Southern region, to the point where people may not even understand each other, if they don't speak that region's language even if they identify as Indian. For the Punjab region in North India, the Punjabi people were the warrior class of 'Hindustan' (India in English) and protected the country for centuries from empires and enemies alike. Wherever the Punjab sword went, order followed. Punjabi music specifically, has a lot of drums, dancing and folk in it. The original name of it is "Shahmukhi '' which translates to Punjabi Folk in English. The music transcends borders and walls, as everyone easily enjoys its loud and upbeat style. In fact, the university I attend; Rutgers University has its own Bhangra Dance Troupe, which is basically the style of dance found in the Punjab region, and they dance to Punjabi music. The specific song, called 'Sadi Gali' in the Bollywood movie 'Tanu Weds Manu' is a modern look to the Punjabi style of music, or songs like 'Kadar' by Mankirt Aulakh, which isn't part of the Bollywood scene, but very relevant to modern Punjabi music, is what young South Asians and anyone for that matter, enjoy and dance too. If you look up 'Bhangra' on YouTube you will find thousands of videos, from people of all races and backgrounds, enjoying Punjabi music. But to deepen its meaning, we must look into artists like, Gurdas Maan, which our grandparents and parents have grown up listening to. In the Punjabi community, his work is both modern and traditional, focusing on the politics happening in the country of India and just music to dance to altogether. His one song, dedicated to 'Bhagat Singh' the legendary freedom fighter, who took on the power of the British and started the Indian Revolution against the British Empire, combines that traditional Punjabi taste of music with modern rap verses in the language Hindi, but in the 'Punjab dialect'. The song focuses on Bhagat Singh's sacrifice and service to the people of India when the colonization took over the country, and completely had Indians fighting against each other, because of the instigation of the British empire, to steal India's natural resource and the country altogether. This song means so much to me and anyone Indian, as it reminds us of what those before us fought for, so that the next generation would have their rights and freedom again. That is why music is so important on all levels for all people, races, colors, genders and orientation. It can be a political impact, a march against evil, a chance to have your voice heard both literally and figuratively. I believe that it is important to learn about the hidden messages in music and the meanings behind the lyrics, as it gives you a chance to broaden one's cultural awareness, intellectual abilities and knowledge of history around the world. Take a look at this article, and please give it a read, it truly talks about the way the British did not appreciate India’s music and vastness of culture, and yet we see happening in our modern times, many White English people in Britain, appropriating the culture and punjabi music. https://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/indian-music-during-british-period/6057 This article gives a clear understanding of just that.

#punjabi #british #colonization #politics #music #indian_songs #history