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skarlette1 · 1 year

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Horny New Year!

It had been one hell of a year and even a superheroine couldn’t wait to see the end of it. New Year’s Eve was always a quiet night for crime in Skarlette City, so I didn’t mind stepping out of my Platinum Panther armor for the evening. I put my AI assistant Foxy into a maintainence cycle, donned a backless cocktail dress in red silk, set my holographic face to display the “billionaire socialite” version of Penelope Payes, and headed out to confront something scarier than supervillains: rich people and celebrities.

Every year, Leo Lancing threw the most exclusive party in the city and insisted I attend. I’d never been fond of parties, but Leo was an old friend and I owed him a lot. I only hoped that this year he wouldn’t try to fix me up with someone he thought was “just perfect” for me. Men of a certain age should know better than to play matchmaker.

I was more than fashionably late, and didn’t see Leo when I first arrived. When I finally caught sight of him, he was making his way toward me through the crowd. He was leading someone, but I couldn’t make out more than their gaudy top hat through the throng of people. The density of the crowd made it difficult for me to make a quick exit. Leo was harder to escape than a supervillain when he wanted to set me up with someone. At least the top hat meant he’d found a man to foist upon me. I didn’t know if I had the stamina to try to explain to him for the millionth time that I wasn’t a lesbian!

“Penelope! There’s someone I want you to meet,” Leo said, taking my elbow. “This is ...”

“Allie Kaza’am!” I blurted out, nearly dropping my drink. The supervillainess with the commanding voice hung on Leo’s arm. Her femme-cut tuxedo, top hat, and fishnet stockings made her look more like the evening’s entertainment than a guest.

Ever since our last meeting, where Allie’s super-powered voice had tricked me out of my armor, my clothes, and my self-control, I’d been testing out designs for ear protection that would negate her honeyed tones. I was confident that my current prototype could completely block her powers, the only snag was that they were sitting on a workbench at Libido League Tower. Considering Foxy’s maintenance cycle, the only protection I had against the seductive siren was my natural stubbornness and my holographic face. At least she wouldn’t recognize me as the Platinum Panther.

A smile of genuine pleasure bloomed on Allie’s face. “So nice to be recognized. It’s always delightful to meet a fan, particularly one as lovely as you, Penelope.”

“I’m not a fan, I just know you from … never mind. If you’ll excuse me, I just need to speak to Leo for a—”

“Sorry, sugar, but you won’t be leaving my side for the rest of the year. It’s not that long, so you won’t mind.”

Of course Allie Kaza’am’s vocal powers made her too dangerous for me to leave her side. I had to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t take advantage of any of the other guests. At least after the stroke of midnight, the party would start to break up and I could find a way to bring her to justice for her crimes.

Until then, the least I could do was get Leo out of the siren’s reach. Taking Allie by the arm, I said, “Thanks for the introduction, Leo. I guess Ms. Kaza’am will make sure I don’t have to ring in the New Year by kissing you on the cheek. Why don’t you go have fun?”

Leo smiled like a proud uncle. “As soon as Allie introduced herself to me, I knew the two of you would hit it off! Happy New Year!” He grabbed a drink and slipped away into the crowd.

I leaned closer to Allie’s raven hair so that only she could hear me. “You used your voice to force Leo to introduce us, didn’t you?”

Her laugh was short and sharp, and sexier than it had any right to be. “I was ready to, but there was no need! That man truly wants nothin’ but the best for you, Penelope, bless his heart. He took one look at me and said, ‘Allie, there’s someone here who needs some fun in her life.’ He’s right. You’re so tense! That fancy dress must have looked more lively on the store dummy than on you.”

“Being held by a supervillainess is enough to make anyone tense.”

“Not anyone, sugar. Most girls like the way I hold them. You could, too, if you give me a chance. I’m just here to talk.”

“I know all about your so-called ‘talk’ and what it can do, Kaza’am. You’re not getting a damn thing from me tonight.” I didn’t know what she wanted, but I’d be damned if I was going to give it to her!

“If not now, then maybe next year? Regardless, you have the wrong idea about me, sugar. I don’t know what your bodyguard Platinum Panther told you about our last meeting, but I’m not here to hurt anyone. I’d really just like to see her again, but she’s a tough lady to get in touch with. I’m hoping you could help.”

The last thing I wanted to do was let Allie Kaza’am know that I don’t employ Platinum Panther, but that I am her. “I won’t be helping you with anything, Kaza’am. I’ve poured over every piece of data we have on you. The more I mentally resist your commands, the more you need to strain to make me do something. I’m the most stubborn bitch you’ll ever meet. Get used to nosebleeds if you try force your powers on me.” I only hoped I sounded more confident than I felt. I knew just how seductive Allie’s sweet voice could be.

“You may be just as stubborn as your pet superheroine, Penelope. But there’s no need to be. I told Leo and I’m telling you. I’m only here for some fun. Here, let me prove it to you.” Allie pulled me through the crowd toward the live band. Still holding onto my hand, she stepped onto the stage and grabbed the singer’s microphone. “Good evening. I hope y’all are ready for a night you’ll never forget, because I want y’all to party like there’s no tomorrow and never mind the two of us.”

The party erupted in cheers. The band resumed the dance music at a faster, more frenetic pace. I grabbed the mic from Allie. “You don’t need to listen to her. This woman is a supervillainess. Can someone please summon the Libido League to capture her?”

Allie laughed. “Ain’t no one going to listen to you but me, sugar. There’s nothing like being in a crowd on New Year’s, but I also wanted a private party with just you, Penelope. This is the best of both worlds.”

Spotting Leo at the edge of the stage, I grabbed him by the tie and pulled him over. “Leo! You need to help me. Call the League!”

He didn’t take his eyes off the twenty-something model he was dancing with. “This is some party, Claudette!” It was like he couldn’t even see me.

Or couldn’t pay attention to me, which is what Allie Kaza’am had ordered him to do.

She made her way off the stage, wiping a trickle of blood from her nostril with a white handkerchief. “You see, Penelope? Just one night of fun is all I’m here for. Let’s start off with a little game. It’ll be harmless fun.” She grabbed a flute of champagne from a party-goer’s hand and raised it to me. “Never have I ever … enjoyed sex with a man.”

Allie and her love of games! I should have known she would have twisted something around to get a reaction out of me. Since I have enjoyed sex with men—many, many times, thank you very much—the rules of the game said I needed to take a drink. I snatched a martini from Leo’s grasp just as he was raising it to his lips. I took a sip and said, “Never have I ever—”

“Y’all call that a drink, sugar? Your lipstick didn’t even touch the glass. Empty it.”

I remembered from our last meeting that Allie was insistent we stick to the rules of her games. After all, it was harmless fun. I rolled my eyes, but drained the entire glass until there was nothing left but the olive. The smooth sharpness burned its way down my throat and warmed my belly. “Happy now, Kaza’am?”

“My kind of fun makes us both happy, sugar.” Wrapping an arm around my waist, she pulled me close. Her green eyes filled my vision, beautiful and seductive. I could just fall into those perfect—

I looked away before her emerald irises could swallow up my will to defy her. If I fought her voice, I’d be more susceptible to her eyes. My avenues for escape were shrinking.

Shrinking! Allie’s enthralling green irises would shrink the more her pupils grew! Since alcohol would cause her pupils to dilate, I could turn her stupid drinking game against her. Grabbing another glass from a party-goer, I raised it. “Never have I ever robbed a bank!”

Allie laughed. “You too, sugar? I tried to rob a bank once, but a sexy heroine in an armored body stocking stopped me. No drink for me. Didn’t I read that your company bought a bank in the Cayman Islands for pennies on the dollar after Doctor Conquest had attacked the island? That sounds like high-class bank robbery to me.”

My jaw dropped open. “That’s not the same as— We were trying to save the— It’s not like we wanted him to—” I sputtered as I looked into her amused eyes. She wasn’t buying it. Neither was I. With a sigh, I quaffed whatever rum and cola concoction was in the glass I’d snagged. My head was starting to feel floaty.

“What a good sport you are, Penelope. Here’s an easy one for a proud, straight girl like you.” She raised her still-untouched glass of champagne. “Never have I ever … kissed a beautiful girl … forced my tongue down her throat … got myself all wet while we made out … and then denied how hot it made me.”

My brain was moving two beats slower than it should have. Must have been all the drinks. I closed my eyes trying parse her statement, since I knew that kissing girls was something Allie loved to do. But she didn’t deny it, so I—

Before I could reply, Allie’s hands were in my hair and her lips were on mine. Pillow-soft as I remembered, those lips kissed like an angel. Then her hot, bold tongue snaked into my mouth like a demon from hell. Her fiery kiss ignited all that booze in my belly into a burning lust that melted my resolve and slicked my snatch.

Allie broke the kiss first, my pink lipstick smeared with her crimson on her face. “I thought that was hella fun, sugar. How about you?”

“N-no … I, um, I didn’t ...” I muttered, my head nodding on its own.

Allie smirked. I had walked right into her trap. I muttered, “Fuck!” and knocked back the clear, almost flavorless shot I found in my hand. Staggering, Allie kept me from falling over.

“Easy there, sugar. For ‘the most stubborn bitch I’ll ever meet,’ you can’t really hold your liquor. You’re as much a lightweight with booze as you’re a heavyweight with cash.”

She eased me into a chair. It was thankfully secured in this endlessly spinning room. Shaking my finger at her, I slurred. “That’s sleazy for you to say ...”

“The last thing I want is for you to drink too much, sugar. How about we switch up the game a bit? Strip instead of drink?”

My eyes wouldn’t quite focus on Allie. I guess that kept me safe from those eyes … and I guess she had a point about the booze. “Strip? In front of the whole party?”

“Yes, sugar, but they can’t see us, remember?”

She plucked the drink out of a tall man’s hand just as he was raising it to his lips. He looked around, bewildered at how his glass had vanished. I chuckled, “Ha! Right! Okay. Okay.”

“That’s the spirit, sugar.” Allie raised her glass. “Never have I ever worn a dress worth more than a grand.”

I looked down at my red silk cocktail dress. I couldn’t remember if I had even paid for it, or how much, or if it was a gift. It’s amazing the amount of stuff people give you when you’re already rich! Regardless, I was certain it would fetch at least that much, even second-hand. “A girl’s gotta look good,” I said as I unzipped the side and shimmied out of the silk. The cool air tickled my nipples and—

“Fuck!” I’d forgotten I wasn’t wearing a bra! Crossing my arms over my breasts, I stood before Allie Kaza’am in nothing but my lacy white thong. “Enjoy the show while you can. This next one will get you. Never have I—”

“Not so fast, sugar. I guessed right, so I get an extra turn.”

“Really? That’s not in the rules.”

“It is now,” she said, a tiny droplet of blood staining her upper lip.

Even drunk, I knew that the nosebleed meant she was using her super-powered voice. But I couldn’t figure out why she would waste the effort to enforce the actual rules of the game. Of course she would get an extra turn for guessing right. It’s obvious. “Okay, Kaza’am. What have you never next not ever not done?”

Her smirk was electric. “Never have I ever kept a superheroine on my payroll.”

Did being Platinum Panther count as being on my own payroll? What about all the stipends I gave to the Libido League members that needed money? With the warm, alcoholic buzz cocooning my brain, I was in no shape to debate. “Y’know, for someone who doesn’t do crime for the money, you sure talk about it a lot.” I slid my panties down my legs and kicked them off. (I couldn’t remember losing my shoes, but they were definitely gone.)

“Whatever it takes to see that hot little body of yours, sugar.”

With one arm over my breasts and another covering my crotch, I was completely naked before Allie and the whole party. She licked her lips. “Never have I ever cum in the middle of a crowd.”

“Ha! I never did … wait … do alien invasions count?” When the interstellar sex warrior Queen Klitorya had invaded Skarlette City, her alien sex drones had forced orgasms from half the city, myself included.

“What do you think, sugar?”

“Fuck. I don’t have anything else to strip off.” Allie’s harmless fun game had no end in sight. “Should I drink more?”

“No, we don’t want you passing out, sugar.” Allie stepped close to me. Putting her hands on my shoulders, she looked deeply into my eyes. “Since you’ve already cum in the middle of a crowd once, it’s only fair that you do it again right here … right now.”

She leaned down and kissed me again. Being naked made my whole body alert to sensation, and the kiss that much hotter. As she pulled me close, my arms wrapped around her and I rubbed my tingling flesh against her tuxedo.

Even though I knew that Allie’s game was harmless fun, some tiny part of me knew things were getting out of hand. But I could barely hear that part through the haze of arousal, the buzz of booze, and the impression of her power. I knew I was supposed be stubborn and resist her at some point, I just couldn’t remember when.

As her thigh slid between mine, any chance of remembering anything evaporated in a burst of bliss. Allie pulled me onto a couch, where I found myself humping her thigh. My pussy sparked as it rubbed against the strands of her fishnet stockings. My whole body trembled with swiftly building bliss as I rocked back and forth, Allie Kaza’am kissing my neck and nibbling on my earlobe.

“You look like you want to cum so bad, sugar.”

“I do. I do. Oh fuck, I do!”

Allie’s words hissed in my ear. “Too bad you can’t cum. You’re too drunk.”

“Oh no! Oh fuck! Oh fuck!” Why had I drunk so much? I was supposed to be smart, but I knew that alcohol interfered with sex. My climax was already building within me. So strong. So hot. I needed to ride it. I needed to release it. “Please, Allie. I need it. I need it.”

“I could do it. I could use my power to order you to cum. It would be the biggest fireworks of your life, sugar.”

I humped her leg faster, each movement pushing me closer to a release I couldn’t claim on my own. “Yes. Yes. Do it. Order me. Please, Allie. Make me cum.”

She flashed me that lopsided smirk. “You’ll need to prove to me that you really want it, Penelope. You’ll need to do something special.”

“Anything, Allie. Anything. Please. Please.”

“Tell me how to get in touch with Platinum Panther.”

Even through the lust and booze, her plan was suddenly crystal clear. Allie had waited until I was so desperate for her voice before she sprang her trap. My whole body boiled red-hot, every cell screaming for release. Release I had to beg her for. Release that would would cost me my secret identity.

Somehow, seeing the trap I’d blundered into caused my hips to slow their rocking. “Please, Allie. Anything else. A million dollars. Ten million. Just make me cum. Please.”

“Money’s nothing to a girl like you, Penelope. I want something that matters. Give me Platinum Panther.”

I shook my head, fighting to still my hips. “No … I want to fucking cum, but … I’ll think of some other way ...”

Suddenly, Allie seized me and we rolled. I was on my back on the couch, with her on top of me. “You don’t have time for that, sugar. Once midnight hits, I’m gone and you’re left alone and blue. I’ll use my voice to order you to never cum again.”

As I struggled to understand what she was saying, all the party-goers shouted at once, “Ten!”

Allie gazed deeply into my eyes as her finger delved deeply into my dripping pussy. “What’ll it be, sugar?”

“Nine!”

“Oh fuck!” Her finger felt so much better than her fishnets.

“Eight!”

My body quaked with hot, desperate need as she pumped a second finger inside me. “Fuck!”

“Seven!”

“Well, sugar? You want it?” How did she make cruelty so sexy?

“Six!”

“Please. Please. I need it.”

“Five!”

“Say it, sugar.”

“Four!”

“I … I am ...”

“Three!”

“Tell me, sugar.”

“Two!”

“I am Platinum Panther!”

“One!”

“Cum now.”

“Happy New Year!”

Fireworks. I climaxed in a blaze of pure, all-consuming, scorching, lust-drenched fireworks.

# # #

I awoke sometime before dawn, snugly curled in a throw blanket on the couch. The room was empty, except for Leo turning off the lights.

“Leo, is the party over?”

He smiled at me. “Yes, Penelope. Everyone’s gone home. I didn’t want to wake you to say your good-byes. Allie said you needed your sleep.”

“What else did Allie say to you?”

“Just that she is looking forward to seeing you again soon.”

My head throbbed at the thought that Allie Kaza’am now knew my secret identity. “That’s definitely not going to happen.”

“Give her a chance, Penelope.” Leo picked up a piece of red silk hanging from a lampshade. It was my dress. “It certainly looks like you two hit it off.”

A warm blush spread from my cheeks down to my chest. “That’s none of your business, Leo.”

He stepped closer and handed me the dress. “All I want for you is what your father would have wanted. The same thing I want for you every New Year, Penelope. Find a way to be happy.” He slowly walked up the stairs toward his bedroom.

I’ve never been good at being happy. But with the memory of my encounter with Allie Kaza’am fresh in my mind, I was certain to have a horny New Year.

---

--Inspired by a delicious coffee from B_B. To make your own requests, maybe buy me a coffee.

--A sequel of sorts to Libido League #3, “Daring Truth.” Available now at Amazon and Smashwords!

All my fiction is on sale at Smashwords from December 15, 2022 through January 1, 2023, including my newest erotic novel, Panther’s Passion!

#skarletteone #mind control #flash fiction #superhero

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krispyweiss · 1 year

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Yasmin Williams and Tarta Relena at Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, Ohio, March 28, 2023

Yasmin Williams is the reason why the term see a concert - rather than hear a concert - remains in use.

For while it’s temping to close one’s eyes and float down the cascading river of Williams’ solo-instrumental music, to do so puts one at peril of missing the fascinating visuals of the 26-year-old musician at work.

Williams made her Columbus, Ohio, debut before some 70 hard-listening fans March 28 at Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts - “It’s weird - why do they call it THE Ohio State?,” she asked - on a double bill with Catalan vocal duo Tarta Relena, whose choral voices washed over a church-mouse audience.

On their first U.S. tour, Helena Ros and Marta Torrella were mesmerizing, filling the small Wexner space with an admixture of Gregorian, new-age and operatic, often a cappella, music accompanied by ambient, computer-generated sounds; a mic’d metal urn; clapping hands and stomping feet; and phasers on their microphones. Their 55-minute set in Catalan, Spanish and English drew from the sixth-century B.C. through to Bjork, eliciting a standing ovation and a sense of wonder among the listeners who were left as intrigued as entertained.

Then came Williams, who spent 65 dizzying minutes hypnotizing the audience with still-untitled songs from her forthcoming third album - including one that will feature the “angelic” Aoife O’Donovan on wordless vocals - plus samplings from 2018’s Unwind and 2021’s Urban Driftwood across a 10-song playlist that found “I Wonder” dedicated to the victims of the March 27 school shooting in Nashville.

Like her predecessors, Williams earned a standing-O and played no encore.

Akin to Leo Kottke and Tommy Emmanuel in that she sounds like several musicians at once, Williams is an entirely singular musician.

Deep in concentration, with her guitar across her lap and a mic pointed at her tap-shoed feet as they clicked and clacked on a piece of wood on her guitar case, Williams employed a capo, a guitar hammer, thumb and finger picks and a kalimba Velcro’d to the top of her axe to create the soundscapes that range from the contemplative “On a Friday Night” to the more rambunctious “Guitka.”

She knocked on the guitar’s body and used her index fingers on its neck to create rhythm and melody inside unorthodox, open tunings.

Engaging and talkative, Williams introduced each song with a story about its origins; explained how her musical path had taken her from “Guitar Hero” to Nirvana (“easy to learn”) to Jimi Hendrix (“not easy to learn”) to where she is now.

And where she is now is a musical space inhabited by one. When a fan asked how Williams manages to do what she does, the musician happily revealed her technique.

“I don’t know,” Williams said as everyone shared a laugh.

Grade card: Yasmin Williams and Tarta Relena at Wexner Center for the Arts - 3/28/23 - A/B+

3/29/23

#yasmin williams #tarta relena #2023 concerts #aoife o’donovan #tommy emmanuel #leo kottke #nirvana #jimi hendrix #bjork

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nctangelz · 2 years

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THE CUTEST ANGEL . . . SOOYOUNG

BASICS !

stage name :: sooyoung

birth name :: park sooyoung

nicknames :: soosoo, soo, bunny, nicest member of nct, dreamie’s favorite, nation’s daughter

birthdate :: july 31st, 2001

zodiac sign :: leo

place of birth :: daegu, south korea

languages :: korean (fluent), english (fluent), japanese (intermediate)

sexuality :: queer

PHYSICAL !

height :: 158cm — 5’2

face claim :: sumin (stayc)

vocal claim :: chuu (loona)

dance claim :: sumin (stayc)

CAREER !

company :: sm entertainment

training :: 2013 – 2016

group :: nct

subunits :: nct dream, nct u, angelz

debut date :: august 24, 2016 (nct dream), march 14, 2018 (nct u), october 13, 2024 (angelz)

position :: vocalist, dancer

BACKGROUND !

tw — torn acl, loosing your passion, harsh trainee days, mistreatment, mental illness mention

park sooyoung was born to two sout korean parents on july 31st, 2001, in daegu, south korea. sooyoung was an only child until 2006 — when her younger brother — soobin was born. her mother was a former musician — she used to play the trumpet at public events and then compose her own music on the side. when soobin was born, she retired and became a music teacher instead — teaching childern how to play instruments and to learn to sing, and her passion for music had been passed down to her childern. soobin grew up on the gutair while sooyoung grew up on the piano — recieving vocal lessons from her mother. sooyoung’s dad had also loved music — but he didnt pursue it as a career. instead — he opened his own record shop near his home, and while it is a small shop — its what he loves. sooyoung and soobin spent the majority of their days in their fathers record shop — helping him organize new records and even he,ping him choose what record to play for background music. music was everywhere in sooyoung and soobin’s lives, and it wasnt long until sooyoung had wanted to know more about the art.

when sooyoung was six, she had wanted to start taking dance lessons — ballet especially — after her parents took her amd her brother to see a ballet that was nearby. sooyoung had fell in love with the elegant and precise movements and posture — and wanted to try it herself. she loved classical music — so it didnt take much for her to fall in love with ballet. after three years of being enrolled in a nearby dance acadamy, she was dancing in daegu’s annual ballet shows — being an extra or having a small role — even landing a supporting role at the age eleven! it seemed that sooyoung had her foot in the door in the ballet industry — but shortly after her last show as a supporting role — she tore her acl and was unable to dance for a year. she had to turn down multiple offers — and by the time she was healed and able to rrturn to dsncing, she lost her passion. she felt like she had already been forgotten — and saw no reason for her to return. she was resdy tongive up on dancing and music entirely — but that was until her mother shown her an email from JYP, who was suggesting for her to audtion at the open audition. after much convincing, sooyoung had agreed, but she didnt pass the audition. when another open audition appeared — this time for SM — her mother tried again, not wanting to watch her daughter give up for her dream. once again, aooyoung attended the auditon with low hopes, but to her suprise, she had been accepted.

she was excited, nervous, and scared all at the same time, but she immediatly accpeted. she was ready to have a fresh start — she was ready to indulge in her passion once more, but it wasnt always easy, even after she debuted.

in 2018, sooyoung had taked a three month hiatus after the promotions of nct 2018, to take care of her mental health — being recently diagnosed with anxiety. fans noticed that during that year, sooyoung was rarely active on social media and was rarely seen in public — something that deeply concerned the fans fue to sooyoung being known as nct’s social butterfly. sooyoung had her phone taken away from her for the whole year, due to her manager thinking she was “slacking off”, when in reality, she had only wanted to be a teenager. sooyoung was only allowed on her phone when a staff was superivising, which wasn’t often. sooyoung had faced the most mistreatment during that year, and it was only because she wanted to be a kid.

after she returned from her hiatus, the company had been even more secertive about her, refusing for her to attend to venues or appear on shows by herself — or even host a vlive by herself. they were afriad that sooyoung was going to expose them for mistreating her — and it wasnt until early 2019 that sooyoung had gotten her privledges back — and that was only because there was a protest held in front of the building — demanding that sm stopped hiding sooyoung from the world. the mistreatment died down after the protest, especially after sooyoung became of age. sooyoung had almost left nct due to the events of 2018 — but she could never truly leqve the people she loves most in the world. nct had helped sooyoung rediscover her passion and herself, and continues to help her become a better snd stronger version of herself. today — sooyoung takes private ballet lessons weekly, and on her days off she returns home — helping her father run the record shop and play piano with her mother — occansinally singing with her brother. she had great difficulty finding balance between passion, work, and life, but she is slowly starting to figure it all out.

#aesocnet #deluxeocnet #nct added member #nct addition #nct extra member #nct female addition #nct female member #nct female oc #nct female subunit #nct female unit #nct dream female addition #nct dream female member #nct dream added member #nct dream addition #nct dream fluff #nct oc #nct dream oc #nct 24th member #nct dream 8th member

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onestowatch · 3 years

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19 LGBTQIA+ Artists You Need to Listen to This PRIDE

PRIDE is all about self-empowerment and self-determination. It’s about not just being comfortable with who you are but showing the world that there is pride to be found in being unapologetically you. And that’s why, this PRIDE, we wanted to shine a light on a small handful of our favorite LGBTQIA+ artists. Ranging from rapturous hyperpop, revelatory bossa nova meditations, romantic rave music, and everywhere in between, these are 19 LGBTQIA+ artists who deserve a spot on your PRIDE playlist and every playlist for that matter.

girl in red

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In her debut single, “i wanna be your girlfriend,” a teenage girl in red unapologetically sings of young queer love over a mesh of lofi production and jangly instrumentation that would come to define much of the bedroom pop genre. It is a standout moment of unrelenting honesty, and a serenely simple three-minute confession that would go on to strike a chord with millions who were afraid of what it meant to be something more than friends. Now, a few years later and following the release of her critically-acclaimed debut album, if i could make it go quiet, Ulven still writes with that same emotional honesty, putting forth every ounce of herself for the world to see.

Meet Me @ The Altar

youtube

“the little lonely black alt girl i was in the 00s is living rn, she never even dared to hope she might see this 💖💖,” reads the top comment on Meet Me @ The Altar’s music video for their single “Garden.” It is a sentiment shared by much of the rising band’s fanbase, who are used to the mainstream alternative scene championing cis white males. Existing in the space between pop-punk and hardcore, Meet Me @ The Altar exists to challenge the notion that queer women of color don’t have a place in punk. And after penning a record deal with Fueled By Ramen, home to the likes of Paramore, Panic! at the Disco, and nearly every pop-punk band that made up your middle school playlist, chances are this is just the beginning for our new favorite punks.

THE BLOSSOM

youtube

For Lily Lizotte, better known as THE BLOSSOM, music exists as the synthesis and subsequent recontextualization of a host of past experiences. From the sound of their dad belting away in his home studio to stumbling upon niche Internet subgenres, THE BLOSSOM transforms all this and more into a sound that is instantly recognizable but impossible to perfectly place. The culmination of this host of influences takes sweeping sonic form on their debut EP, ‘97 BLOSSOM, a perfectly imperfect introduction to one of the most fascinating rising artists of recent memory.

BIMINI

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You may recognize BIMINI as Bimini Bon-Boulash, the runner-up on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. And now you should familiarize yourself with Bimini, brit-pop extraordinaire. Releasing their debut single “God Save This Queen” earlier this June, Bimini deftly channels late ‘90s brit-pop and punk to deliver a single that has us absolutely living for the ensuing chaos. Serving up multiple looks throughout its eye-catching music video, “God Save This Queen” is not just a non-binary anthem but a veritable 2021 lookbook.

Hope Tala

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With a sound that falls somewhere between turn-of-the-century R&B and bossa nova, Hope Tala’s music is expectedly a dream given sonic form. Perhaps that’s why much of the UK singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist’s music is able to so deftly weave imagery of love, heartache, and teenage fistfights into tightknit tracks that feel simultaneously transcendental and deeply personal. And with the release of her 2020 EP, Girl Eats the Sun, Hope Tala poses one all-important question, “Why have a life if you’re not going to do something crazy and make a difference in the world?”

chloe moriondo

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For much of chloe moriondo’s avid fanbase, watching her transform from budding ukulele sensation to pop-punk phenom very much meant watching her grow up. Getting her start on YouTube, moriondo's fanbase witnessed her evolve as both an artist and person. Coming out in the aptly titled “a ramble about self identity, growth, and being a lesbian,” to be a fan of the artist often feels like trading secrets with a close personal friend. It is a sentiment that rings all the more true upon delving into her debut album, Blood Bunny. Grappling with coming-of-age at the axis of empathic pop and euphoric pop-punk, Blood Bunny sees moriondo taking yet another impressive step forward.

Godford

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Little is known about Godford beyond what can be garnered from a handful of interviews online and his succinct Spotify bio, and chances are he’s happier that way. The anonymous DJ and producer aims to make non-binary music that exists outside of the confines of genres, overly-simplified classifications, and even himself. What is important are the emotions his music hold and what his listeners take away. Fusing romanticism and rave in his debut album, Godford: Non Binary Place, the anonymous artist does just that. He provides a space that exists simultaneously everywhere and nowhere, like an ephemeral night spent out on the dancefloor with a stranger or close friend.

Joy Oladokun

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Joy Oladokun is at the core of her music. It may at first glance appear to be a painfully obvious statement, but as her sincere songwriting seeps into every corner of your soul, it is a notion that becomes undeniable. In her major label debut, in defense of my own happiness, Oladokun writes with an unabashed authenticity, never turning a blind eye to the world around her. These shared reflections and recollections of life are often heartbreaking and uplifting in the same breath, but in their candidness, we can begin to piece together what it means to be human, imperfections and all.

Allison Ponthier

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Allison Ponthier may only have a handful of singles to her name, but her unmatched potential is clear as day. Raised in the outskirts of Dallas, Texas, Ponthier’s moving songwriting and emphatic vocal prowess speak to her country roots. Pair that country sensibility with some of the most pristine pop songwriting we have heard in quite some time, and you begin to understand just how exciting Ponthier is as a rising artist. With only two singles to date, there’s not much else we can say beyond do yourself a favor and play “Cowboy” on repeat.

Rina Sawayama

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It feels like no hyperbole to call Rina Sawayama an inevitable pop icon. First garnering critical acclaim with singles like “Cherry” and her 2017 debut EP RINA, the Japanese-British singer-songwriter staked her name on her immaculate ability to capture all the glamour and larger-than-life appeal of early ‘00s pop. Building on what was a nostalgic yet forward-thinking vision, Sawayama returned with her 2020 eponymous full-length debut. From nu-metal, club beats, to veritable pop anthems, SAWAYAMA emerged as a genre-defying showcase of an avant-garde pop star.

Arlo Parks

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Listening to Arlo Parks’ music is akin to sipping on a hot cup of chamomile tea as you watch the world slowly pass by your living room window. It is a testament to the British poet and singer-songwriter’s subtle yet beautiful way with words, the way in which each lyric serves as a glance into a tightly-held memory or passing observation. These poetic musings come to life in her debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams, which layers lyrical revelations over some of the most tender R&B of recent memory. Parks’ is more than a must-listen; she feels like the birth of a new wave.

Claud

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Claud has spent the past few years making a name for themselves in the indie pop world, and the culmination of it all arrives in their debut album, Super Monster. The acclaimed album sees Claud reckoning with coming-of-age and love with an irresistible charm. Pair that with a penchant for grounded, affective songwriting and infectious, dreamlike melodies and you have one of the best debuts of recent memory. In case you somehow need any further convincing that Claud is one to watch, Super Monster marks the debut release from Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records.

UMI

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Equally as inspired by R&B and neo-soul as she is by her generation’s penchant for blurring genre lines, UMI and her music exist as a form of spiritual healing. Half-Black and half-Japanese, her work explores everything from identity to self-introspection, such as on the aptly-titled Introspection. It is a fondness for self-exploration that UMI delves headfirst into on her 2019 EP Love Language, a sublime blend of identity struggles, love, and anime that tackles the issue of always feeling like an other, never Black or Japanese enough.

Joesef

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Sad boy summer. It’s the simplest way to being explaining Joesef’s serene albeit somber sound. Emerging out of Glasgow, the quickly rising star often wears his still bleeding heart on his sleeve, even when the underlying sonics seem to be moving onto greener pastures. It is an exquisite balancing act that comes to life on his 2020 EP, Does It Make You Feel Good?. Blending elements of soft-spoken R&B, jazz, and ethereal pop, Joesef sets himself apart as an artist whose influences and appeal know no bounds.

Serena Isioma

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At the top of the year, we named Serena Isioma one of our top artists to watch in the year to come, and for good reason. The self-proclaimed “nonbinary rock star” experienced a breakout moment with “Sensitive,” a track that is difficult to perfectly encapsulate but think along the lines of fusing modern-day R&B and woozy indie-pop with reckless abandon, and you’ll be about halfway there. It was an impressive standout track that was only buoyed by a pair of EPs, Sensitive and The Leo Sun Sets, in 2020, officially cementing Isioma as an artist like no other.

Khai Dreams

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Khai Dreams’ music is effortlessly easygoing. With its straightforward guitar lines and understated production, every track from the Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter flows out as naturally as breathing. Maybe it’s that laid-back approach that begins to explains Khai Dreams’ universal appeal and millions of monthly listeners, despite releasing most of his music independently. A hallmark of the DIY generation and its massive homebrewed potential, it would be a crying shame if you didn’t let Khai Dream’s serene meditations transport you somewhere far from here.

Frances Forever

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Like much of their Gen Z cohorts, Frances Forever’s exponential rise was not the result of a well-executed marketing plan but by the pure chance of a single song finding a home online. The song in question, “Space Girl,” was originally part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Content before soon blowing up on TikTok, and it’s not hard to see why. Short, sweet, and to the point, “Space Girl” is a saccharine love letter to that bubbly feeling of floating on cloud nine. Now signed to Mom+Pop and with their debut EP, Paranoia Party, due out later this year, this is the perfect time to get familiar with Frances Forever.

Dorian Electra

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Unapologetically playing with gender norms and stereotypes while seeing just how far they can push the limits of pop, Dorian Electra has long maintained a cult following in the world of experimental, highly addictive hyperpop. And it’s not hard to see why. Having collaborated with the likes of Charli XCX, 100 gecs, Village People, Pussy Riot, Rebecca Black, and more, Electra’s music ranges from off-the-rails hyperpop to introspective pop slow burns. All of this and more reaches a fever pitch in their 2020 album My Agenda, a devious showcasing of one of pop’s most explosive figures.

MAY-A

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Maya Cumming, professionally known as MAY-A, is no stranger to the hustle it takes to make it in the music industry. The Australian artist got her start entering numerous singing competitions in her hometown of Byron Bay and started busking on the streets at the tender age of 11. Now, she has a breakout single under her belt in the form of “Apricots,” an anthemic indie-pop ode to queer love. And since that breakout moment, MAY-A has continued to release impressive single after single—the latest being the collaborative “American Dream.”

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abracadavra · 2 years

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✨ 🔮 👻 🧙🏼‍♀️

MUN INFO.

name/alias: azu. age: 21+. pronouns: he / him. timezone: ( mst ) gmt -7:00. discord: available upon request ! little trivia fact about yourself: i’ve been a massive pokémon fan since it came out in the usa... and i don’t see that changing anytime soon, to be honest. oh, and i also do drag and am naturally a huge fan of r*paul’s drag race. if you are, too, tell me all ab your fav queens! i’d looove to hear all about that!

CHARACTER INFO.

character name: ( 황미도 ) hwang mido. stage name: ( 루체 ) luce. age: 24, born 1997.02.21. zodiac sign: ☼ pisces, ☾ leo, ↑ gemini. group/band/position: solo_04.

info links or quick points about your character: bio & profile.

001. when creating hwang mido, i took a lot of inspiration from a girl i once worked with for a winter. though we didn’t know one another for long, i’ve always been really inspired by her, and she’s genuinely one of the coolest people i’ve ever met. aside from that, there’s a dash of luna lovegood personality-wise, and the rest is mostly just me filling in any gaps. she’s a dreamy mystic who loves talking to people, asking weird questions, ignoring boundaries, and living her witchy fantasy. she’s a muse i’m really excited to watch grow during the writing / plotting process!

002. she grew up in gurye county, south korea, but spent a lot of time in namwon, too, so she considers both of them her hometown. her grandparents are pansori performers, and she was constantly in attendance, so that’s where she first began to admire music and the performing arts in general. today, she utilizes the storytelling of pansori but adds a modern twist—focusing more on heartfelt lyrics and simplicity rather than over-the-top production value / technically strong vocals.

* tw, parental dealth, mental illness, suicide.

003. unbeknownst to her at the time, her mother suffered from postpartum psychosis after birth, and only a few months into her newborn’s life, she left this realm and entered the wild, expansive cosmos. her decision obviously devastated family and friends, but it also made them feel shameful due to how she chose to make her exit. mido’s family decided to keep everything a secret for many years.

004. when a classmate’s mother let it slip that that’s what happened to her, kids at school began to alienate her. they called her cursed, a witch, and a demon—literally believing that being her friend would lead to their deaths, too. middle and high school weren’t easy, and she grew to resent her family after finding out about her mother in the hallways at school, of all places. she still deals with that trauma.

005. she “ran away” from gurye when she was nineteen; not bothering to finish high school. she’d made friends online via soundcloud after posting some covers there. they convinced her to move to seoul and steep herself in the indie music scene. she heeded their advice. it was hard at first. she gave tarot readings curbside and busked for a long time before finding a lover ( possible connection ! ) who took her under their wing and truly helped her find her footing in the city.

006. when she’s in love, she dissolves into her partners; often mirroring their interests and changing herself in order to be more desirable to them. she does with friends, too. she likes to consider herself adaptable and interchangeable, but it can definitely read as artificial, or like she’s trying too hard. all the bullying she faced gave her a desperate need to fit in, so she does all she can to do just that.

* tw, infidelity, drug and alcohol use / abuse.

007. remember the lover from two points up ? yeah, she cheated on them a few different times, and also would get really messy at the clubs in hongdae. she was so new to all of it; having been so sheltered in a small town as a kid. she loves feeling good and having a good time, and she hates confrontation / making people upset, so she’d say yes to everything. she really loves the highs that drugs give her, the buzz alcohol creates, and the pleasure sex brings. she’s indulgent in that way.

008. she hasn’t spoken to her lover and their mutual friends in ages, and took time away to sorta reflect on the mess she created / the mess she became, and invested time into herself by making a living at a saju café, improving her music-making capabilities, and remaining as sober as possible. however, after a mixtape of hers created ripples online, she’s started live sets in hongdae and is terrified that she’ll run into her old crowd, but is adamant on trying to make her dreams come true.

plots or any development you’d like to see for your character:

001. the main plot point i’d love to explore is the dynamic between mido and her ex-lover, and if they’re not within this rp, dealing with their mutual friends / people who were aware of the falling out they all had would be dooope ngl. i left the gender of the person flexible as she’s bisexual and loves all people of all identities, so literally anyone can inquire about it! the relationship took shortly after she arrived in seoul and it turned romantic over time, but pretty quickly all things considered. specific years would be ~2016 to ~2018-ish.

002. branching off from number 001, she cheated on this person towards the mid-to-end of their relationship with a few different people, so those connections are open too. any gender and pretty much any age so long as we’re comfy! infidelity is involved, so only inquire if that is something you’re okay with exploring / writing. totally understand if not! note, they didn’t have to have sex. it could’ve been lots of making out / emotional cheating, too.

003. as she’s a mess who needs a little “supervision” despite being a grown ass woman, i would looove to have an individual who’s more of a benevolent / good influence on her. as she’s trying really hard to remain sober now that she’s entered the indie scene again, they’d be a shoulder for her to lean on when times get rough. she’d do her best to be there for them, too. she’s flawed, but a good friend.

004. opposite of above, some bad influences that encourage her to take a shot or smoke some weed or drop some lsd would be pretty cool, too, just to fuck things up a little. it’ll be a lot for her to dip her toes into those waters again, but the temptation’s high and she’s one of those people that’s easily led, so...

005. general connections like friends, enemies, friends-with-benefits, collaborators, etc. are always encouraged, too. i find that these connections are easier to build in plotting so while i have nothing specific to offer, i’m up for any ideas depending on the muses / their chem! i like the idea of collaborator / fwb blend, or even friends from her past who didn’t like her giving her a second chance, or literally whatever else fits. just gimme, gimme, gimme all of it! ♡♡♡

#〈 𝐇𝐌𝐃 / INTRO.#UG.TALK #me: tries to be brief. also me: rambles on and on forever. 🙃#can't wait to dive in with all of you! lmk if you'd like to plot! ✨

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soniasimaginatonforest · 2 years

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Starspark

So...I had some OCs who are an idol group and i decided to place them in the universe of Ensemble Stars... So say hello to Starspark of New Demention Profiles:

Kasumi Tachibana

-Age: 19-20(!!) 18-19(!)

-Circles: ES Lessions, Sweets fan club, BB

-Birthday: August 10th (Leo)

-Likes: playing his guitar and stargazing

-Dislikes: horror films and nosy people

-Favourite food: Takoyaki

-Family: Mother, father and uncle

-Hobbies: Astronomy and science

-Speciality: Singing

-Voice Actor: Atsushi Tamaru

-Appearance: Black shoulder length hair, usually tied in a low ponytail and bangs held aside by star shaped hairpins. Green eyes. Medium height and slim statue.

-Leader and main vocals of StarSpark.

An optimistic and kind heart. He is the soul of StarSpark.

Entered Yumenosaki academy to be like an idol he used to admire.

Although he hasn’t much confidence in his talent and leader abilities, he tries his best and is the glue keeping the group together.

Taichi Yamato

-Age: 20-21(!!), 19-20(!)

-Circles: DRAMATICA, Overnight outdoors party

-Birthday: April 3rd (Taurus)

-Likes: excitement, taking likes on his posts

-Dislikes: arrogance and oppressive people

-Favourite food: burger steak

-Family: Mother, step-father and sister

-Hobbies: Extreme sports and social media

-Speciality: Acting

-Voice Actor: Tasuku Hatanaka

-Appearance: pixie short ginger hair with bangs and brown eyes. Short and board statue

-A big mouth but a heart of gold.

A child actor who joined Yumenosaki academy to take the next step to his career.

A level headed man with a sassy attitude, he won’t hesitate to speak his mind, even if that will get him into trouble. Very defensive of his new friends with whom he graduated.

Haru Toshimoto

-Age: 20-21(!!),19-20(!)

-Circles: Mystery researchers, Biblion

-Birthday: July 12th (Cancer)

-Likes: Mysteries and writing poems

-Dislikes: being restricted

-Favourite food: curry

-Family: Mother, father and brother

-Hobbies: Art and occult

-Speciality: Poetry

-Voice actor: Koudai Sakai

-Appearance: Teal colored messy curly hair and purple eyes. Short and slim statute.

-An eccentric individual with a childlike talking pattern.

Entered Yumenoskai academy because it seemed fun.

An airheaded man who loves to have fun and a good mystery with his friends. Though there’s more skill and depth to him that meets the eye. His dream is to meet an alien. He also writes the lyrics of the group’s songs.

Luca Hiroshe

-Age: 18-19(!!), 17-18(!)

-Circles: SHIN, Tea parties(FLAVOUR)

-Birthday: January 20th (Aquarius)

-Likes: Japanese culture and tea times

-Dislikes: Pessimism

-Favourite food: Muffins

-Family: Mother

-Hobbies: Martial arts and studying Japanese culture

-Specialty: Flexibility

-Voice actor: Shirai Yuuske

-Appearance: Pale blonde bolbcut styled hair and light blue eyes with glasses. Tall and athletic statue.

-A happy-go-lucky foreigner with lots of curiosity.

A half-Japanese man that entered Reimei academy after he was scouted from a small dukedom in Europe.

He really wants to connect with his Japanese roots and is excited to learn about anything and everything Japanese. He also picked an interest in martial arts, especially kento.

#sonia's oc #enstars #ensemble stars #enstars oc #starspark project

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masterthespianduchovny · 3 years

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David and Gillian: The Non-Romance for the Ages

One thing that I can’t shake about the media focus on David and Gillian receives is that it almost exclusively is reserved for actual (former) couples.

Like, why is the media focused on a couple that never was?

It’s not like David and Gillian’s situation was unique: co-stars with great chemistry who the media/people would like to see together. Plenty of shows and movies have co-stars like that. Hell, some co-stars have actually ended up together (and some have not), yet for two people out of their career primes and vocally denied ever being involved and stated it’ll never happen, the media refuses to leave this idea alone.

And if you follow popular culture and celebrity news, this is highly unusual. The media loves actors in their primes or on popular shows/in popular franchises. They love hot, young people. They love established box office sellers. They love a scandal. They love couples they drives gossip and clicks, which IMHO, outside of attractiveness, David and Gillian don’t fit that criteria.

Yet, this question about them (not) being romantically involved always comes up. Maybe not in every interview, every year, but it’s a question that doesn’t die. It’s fascination that hasn’t ended.

Which makes me think of the evergreen appeal Gillovny has for many people, which isn’t common.

What I mean by this is that there are certain couples, whether or not if they stayed together, that the media and society will always be obsessed with. It is something about them that we can’t get enough of. Most celebrities couples do not fit this criteria.

Take for instance, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Yoko Ono and John Lennon. Even now, even when most of them are dead, there is still a fascination about their relationships. A “modern” day example is Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston (which earned this status due to many reasons, but they were a big thing before their divorce).

Despite never being together or even being rumored together, meaning rumors that consumed the media, they are in a limbo of sorts. As long as these two are alive, these questions will always plague them. People will be curious no matter how much they deny ever being involved. I think, unlike the others, it will fade when they pass away because we can’t follow a relationship that didn’t exist.

But, I just think about that no matter who they were with and no matter how long they were with them, none of their relationships have ever captured peoples attention as much as their non existence romance. And that's crazy as fuck. No relationship can compare to one that never happened--that’s the one many are invested in.

I think about Angelina Jolie in her prime (and before Brad) and how people were so obsessed with her and Billy Bob Thornton. That hardly anyone ever talks about them--this was a huge relationship almost 20 years ago. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn--a huge thing around 15 years ago.

I think about all of the big relationships now that largely have intrigue for clicks and because they're popular right now, but there aren’t many couples that truly enrapture fans.

Yet, this couple that never was does.

I honestly believe that if they had got involved during the height of the X-Files’ popularity (and public), they would’ve been a huge fucking deal. They would’ve been an IT couple (of sorts). The media was begging for that shit--fans were begging for it. If they had stayed together in this hypothetical, they’d be one of those couples, even if they’re very low key, that people would’ve been super obsessed with and salivating for content. And they would've definitely given some bomb ass answers when asked about each other.

Now, in this hypothetical, if they broke up, it would’ve been an equally big deal. The media and fans wouldn’t have ever got over this chaotic couple because they would've been chaotic in the best way possible.

I’m not arguing that no other non couple receives this type of attention, I’m saying it’s actually pretty uncommon, especially for it to have gone on as long as it has.

Compare this to Kate and Leo, who the media and fans actively rooted for. I rarely hear people talk about still wishing that they’d get together. Despite no one believing they’d ever crossed that line sexually or romantically, it was a thing for a time to publicly root for them to get together. And it kinda just died off. Where as the fascination with David and Gillian pre-existed Kate and Leo and still existed well after the media dropped the other two.

#david duchovny #gillian anderson #watch I receive hate anons for this #lol #I didn't say that they dated or were friends #but some anti David anons will be MADT #celebs couples don't have the same appeal as they used to #like you root for them but how many do you buy into

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bananaofswifts · 4 years

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By : Callie Ahlgrim and Courteney Larocca

Taylor Swift released her eighth studio album, "Folklore," on Friday.

Swift surprised fans by announcing its release just one day in advance — and less than one year after the release of her acclaimed seventh album "Lover."

"Most of the things I had planned this summer didn't end up happening, but there is something I had planned that DID happen," she wrote on social media. "And that thing is my 8th studio album, folklore. Surprise!"

She described "Folklore," stylized in all lowercase, as "an entire brand new album of songs I've poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into."

Much of the 16-song tracklist — 17 on the deluxe edition — was cowritten and produced by The National's Aaron Dessner. Smaller pieces were cowritten by Bon Iver, Jack Antonoff, and someone named William Bowery. Antonoff also produced five songs.

Insider's music team (reporter Callie Ahlgrim and celebrity and music editor Courteney Larocca) listened to the new album on our own, jotting down our initial thoughts track by track.

Almost immediately, we were forced to reckon with the fact that "Folklore" might be Swift's best album yet — potentially even better than "Red," which previously seemed like it couldn't be topped. We were stunned with the mature, poetic, stunningly understated collection of new songs.

Here is what we thought of each song on "Folklore" upon first listen. (Skip to the end to see the only songs worth listening to and the album's final score.)

"The 1" is the best album opener Swift has had in years.

Ahlgrim: "I'm doing good, I'm on some new s---" is a wild way to begin a new Taylor Swift album. This is going to be different.

This is easily the best intro song she's released in years. "The 1" far surpasses "I Forgot That You Existed" on "Lover," "...Ready for It?" on "Reputation," and "Welcome to New York" on "1989" in terms of sheer quality.

It's also an engaging scene-setter; I find myself gently rocking back and forth, eyes closed, smiling without realizing. It's only the first song and so far, I am totally grasping the woodsy aesthetic of this album. I'm already ready for more.

Larocca: I would argue that there hasn't been a strong album opener on one of Swift's albums since "State of Grace" on "Red" in 2012. "The 1" breaks that curse.

I was vibing from that very first piano note, but when Swift comes in and warmly delivers the first line of the album — "I'm doing good, I'm on some new s---" — it became evident this project wouldn't be anything like the rest of her discography.

As far as "The 1" goes as a standalone song, it's incredibly solid. Swift has a breezy attention to rhythm as she paints a tale of a the-one-who-got-away romance. I truly, truly love it. This might end up being an all-time favorite track.

"Cardigan" is beautifully influenced by Lana Del Rey.

Ahlgrim: I heard "Cardigan" first because I watched the music video before I listened to the album.

Right off the bat, I was struck by the Lana Del Rey melody in the chorus; I jotted down "folksy 'Blue Jeans.'"

Swift has actually cited Del Rey as an inspiration in the past, so this makes sense — and that particular shade of nostalgic, haunting glamour really works for Swift's voice, so I'm overall very impressed with this direction. I am more than amenable to a "Red" meets "Norman F---ing Rockwell!" album experience. On my second time around listening, sans music video, "Cardigan" already feels richer coming after "The 1."

This time, I'm struck by small lyrical details like "Sequined smile, black lipstick," a clear callback to her past eras, and "Tried to change the ending / Peter losing Wendy," an effective way to evoke young love and innocence lost.

I also think the song's central refrain, "When you are young they assume you know nothing," is clean and sharp and — especially given Swift's public struggles with sexism and years-old contracts — extremely poignant.

Larocca: I had the thought that Swift listens to Lana Del Rey after hearing "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince" on last year's "Lover," but now I know for sure that Del Rey is an influence on Swift.

While "Cardigan" isn't what I thought this album would be like sonically, I'm overjoyed at how clearly singer-songwriter this album already is. I've been waiting years for Swift to make a lyrical marvel set to acoustic, warm, folksy instrumentals and it's here.

(And while I expected something different sonically, I am not mad at all by the backing instrumental choices here.)

"The Last Great American Dynasty" proves Swift is a natural storyteller.

Ahlgrim: Personally, I love Storyteller Taylor, so this is quite literally music to my ears.

There are so many delicious details here to unpack. The first verse, with its subtle sexist whisperings about Rebekah Harkness ("How did a middle-class divorcée do it?" and "It must have been her fault his heart gave out"), is a truly savvy way to set up for the song's eventual reveal.

Rebekah spent her time partying with friends, funding the ballet, playing card games with Salvador Dalí, somehow "ruining everything" — and her Holiday House was "free of women with madness" until Swift herself moved in.

That twist in the bridge is poetic genius. When the final chorus adjusts to the present day, underscoring the parallels between Rebekah and Swift, I'm forcefully reminded of an iconic bridge when Romeo finally proposed and changed everything — but Swift has evolved past daydreams of pure white dresses and fathers giving permission.

Larocca: I'm immediately taken back to 2012's "Starlight" when "The Last Great American Dynasty" starts. Thankfully, this song ends up being a lot better than "Starlight," which always felt more like a filler track on "Red" to me.

I love a lot here: the casual use of "b----," the acute attention to detail ("She stole his dog and dyed it key lime green"), and every version of this line: "There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen."

I had a marvelous time listening to this song.

"Exile," featuring Bon Iver, is one of Swift's most successful duets to date.

Ahlgrim: Swift and Bon Iver, aka Justin Vernon, are two of the best songwriters alive today, so this song was destined to be breathtaking.

Swift has historically had difficulty allowing her voice and vision to coexist with a featured artist; her collaborations often leave me feeling like she should've just delivered the whole song herself.

But Swift and Vernon were able to weave their lyrics together so gracefully, I was left feeling grateful for his presence. His rich, rustic tone and those iconic hummed harmonies lends the regretful song an added coat of sincerity.

The production here is generally fine, but the layered instrumentals in the ending really bring the song together. I love a dramatic exit.

Larocca: When I see a "featuring Bon Iver" on a track, I instantly assume Vernon is going to come in with his high falsetto. So it was almost jarring that the song starts with Vernon sounding like a lumberjack dad who hasn't left the woods in a decade.

That didn't end up being a detriment, though. Swift sounds delicate on her verse, and their vocals contrast nicely later on the track.

This one also brings to mind her collab "The Last Time" with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody. The line "I think I've seen this film before and I didn't like the ending" is also reminiscent of "If This Was a Movie."

I'm obsessed with the clear influences Swift's previous discography had on these tracks, which have also so far felt completely unique to her catalog.

"My Tears Ricochet" is an extraordinary display of Swift's songwriting powers.

Ahlgrim: First of all, "My Tears Ricochet" is an incredible song title. Let's take a moment to appreciate that.

In fact, pretty much every line of this song is arresting.

Much of it feels both familiar and rare, like you know exactly what Swift is singing about, but hadn't thought to put it in those words before — which is, in my opinion, the mark of any good piece of writing but especially a breakup song. You can relate to the emotion, if not the particular details. You can hear the pain. It almost plays like a funeral march.

What a gift it is, what an exhilarating experience, to feel like you're listening to a poem being recited in real-time.

Larocca: Any true Swiftie knows that track five is reserved for the most vulnerable moment on the record, so I went into "My Tears Ricochet" ready to be sad.

I am endlessly impressed with how Swift managed to bake the word "ricochet" into this song so effectively. She also ditched her traditional song structure for this one, and instead built the track from peak to peak, utilizing clever lyrics along the way to tell an epic, devastating story, almost obviously calling back to the most beloved track five of "All Too Well."

I'm calling it now — this one is going to age like a fine wine. As all of Swift's best breakup ballads do.

"Mirrorball" is several strokes of genius.

Ahlgrim: This song gives me intense Clairo vibes, and I mean that as a very high compliment.

It's so fun and refreshing to hear Swift slip into different musical styles, and this shimmery take on alternative-bedroom-pop highlights her soft vocals and nuanced songwriting supremely well.

Also, my Leo sensibilities are fully under attack by this bridge: "I've never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try / I'm still on that trapeze / I'm still trying everything to keep you looking at me." Oof! Just tag me next time.

Larocca: This one is so pretty! Swift's vocals sound better than ever as she spins on her highest heels across a glittery daydream.

"I'm a mirrorball / I'll show you every version of yourself tonight" might be the thesis statement of this entire album. So far, "Folklore" feels both diaristic and vague; detailed and completely anonymous.

Fans will be debating for years whether this album is about Swift's own life, or if it's simply really great storytelling pulled directly from her own mind. In the end, it doesn't really matter.

Because as all of Swift's best songs do, these songs will attach themselves to listeners in completely new ways, showing them elements and stories from their own lives.

"Seven" is pure whimsical magic.

Ahlgrim: This is playing make-believe in the garden when you're too young to feel self-conscious; it's poetic and nostalgic and full of awe in such an unpretentious way.

I wouldn't change one thing about this song. Swift's whispery high register sounds divine, and at this point in the tracklist, her rhythmic delivery in the chorus hits like a shot of espresso.

Right now, I'm wondering if it's possible for Swift to maintain this intrigue and momentum for another nine songs. There hasn't been a misstep to speak of, and I remain wholly beguiled. Can it last?

Larocca: The beginning of "Seven" sounds like Swift listened to Marina's "Orange Trees" on repeat before showing up to her songwriting session. Fortunately, "Orange Trees" is the only song I like on Marina's "Love + Fear" so I will gladly accept this inspiration.

Swift continues to impress with both her vocals and her sense of rhythm on "Seven." I also personally love space imagery so the line "Love you to the moon and to Saturn" is a standout line.

"August" will go down as one of the best songs in Swift's extensive repertoire.

Ahlgrim: I'm immediately catching hints of Phoebe Bridgers and girl in red in Swift's delivery. And I simply adore the idea that Swift has spent the last few months sitting at home, daydreaming about summertime humidity and listening to music by queer indie-pop girls.

In an album full of songwriting expertise, this song has some of Swift's best lines yet: "August sipped away like a bottle of wine / 'Cause you were never mine" actually hurts me.

In my notes, there simply sits this valuable insight (yes, in all-caps): "WANTING WAS ENOUGH. FOR ME IT WAS ENOUGH TO LIVE FOR THE HOPE OF IT ALL." This song has my favorite bridge on the album so far.

In terms of production, "August" is exquisite. It's lush and layered without feeling overwhelming at any point. It builds to the perfect level then recedes, like a wave.

Also worth mentioning: It can now be considered a historical fact that any time Swift mentions a car or driving in one of her songs, it's a perfect song.

Larocca: While listening to "August," I texted Callie and said, "I can't wait to finish the album so I can relisten to 'August.'" It's an instant favorite.

This is also the first track on the album that seems directly inspired by our current state. Not because she's expressing fear or singing about being bored at home, but because she so easily slips into a reflection of a relationship that ended years ago with a newfound wave of wistful nostalgia.

When quarantine started, it seemed like a million lifestyle articles came out explaining why everyone suddenly felt compelled to text their exes and why we're so invested in looking back instead of forward right now.

"August" validates those feelings with zero judgment, letting its listener know that yes, it's totally normal for you to be overanalyzing that quasi-relationship you were in back in college that never made it past graduation. Am I projecting? Maybe, but that's debatably what Swift's music is best utilized for.

I'm also going to be thinking about this song's bridge and outro for the rest of my life.

The National's influence can be felt on the stunning "This Is Me Trying."

Ahlgrim: "This Is Me Trying" quickly strikes a more sinister tone than its predecessors — still nostalgic and wistful, but carrying an edge, like a threatening secret.

Ironically, this one was co-written and co-produced by Jack Antonoff, not Aaron Dessner, though I can really hear The National's influence here. I'm getting strong wafts of songs like "Pink Rabbits" and "Dark Side of the Gym."

Based on Swift's own words, we can speculate that "This Is Me Trying" is a fictional tale, built around the image of "a 17-year-old standing on a porch, learning to apologize." And, as previously stated, I'm a big fan of Storyteller Taylor, so I'm into it.

The song's darker tone mingles really well with Swift's imagery; when you're a teenager, and you make a mistake, it can feel like the end of the world.

Larocca: "This Is Me Trying" is precisely what I imagined this album sounding like when I found out Swift collaborated with the National's Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver.

But I'm glad she was strategic about her use of echo and also finally paid attention to the tracklisting from a sonic standpoint. This haunting soundscape is reminiscent of 2014's "This Love" and comes in right when you need it after the yearning daydream of "August."

I'd also like it to be on the record that the line "I got wasted like all my potential" ruined me and this song is a win for that lyric alone.

"Illicit Affairs" is a glowing example of what sets Swift apart from her peers as a songwriter.

Ahlgrim: The expert songwriting on "Illicit Affairs" reminds me of the as-yet unseated queen in Swift's discography: "All Too Well."

Swift is a master of wielding specific details like weapons: "What started in beautiful rooms / Ends with meetings in parking lots," she sings. "Leave the perfume on the shelf / That you picked out just for him." These are the sorts of images that set Swift apart, and they're especially strong when she punctuates their delivery with a little growl in her voice.

This song has real power. I have chills.

That power is magnified in the third verse, similar to how "All Too Well" builds to a crescendo: "Don't call me 'kid,' don't call me 'baby' / Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me."

Certainly, "Illicit Affairs" is more restrained than Swift's iconic arena rock ballad, but goddamn that last verse hits hard.

Larocca: The way that she says "him" in the second verse shook me out of my skin in the very best way. And "Don't call me 'kid,' don't call me 'baby' / Look at this idiotic fool that you made me" will go down as one of her best breakup lines of all time.

It's been a minute since Swift delivered a painstakingly beautiful breakup ballad, and the fact that this album is littered with them is, simply, a gift.

"Illicit Affairs" has growing power and will likely become one of those tracks that fans form a strong emotional attachment to over time.

"Invisible String" is Taylor Swift at her most Taylor Swift.

Ahlgrim: "Invisible String" is a feast of Easter eggs and callbacks.

"Teal was the color of your shirt" reminds me of the line about Joe Alwyn's blue eyes on "Delicate," and her reference to a dive bar is similarly familiar. "Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs" recalls the push-and-pull on "Exile."

"Bad was the blood of the song in the cab" is undoubtedly a reference to Swift's 2015 single "Bad Blood," while "One single thread of gold / Tied me to you" feels like a nod to Swift's description of love's "golden" hue on the "Lover" album closer "Daylight."

This song is sprightly and sparkly and certainly nice to listen to, but its real strength lies in these details.

Swift is weaving many different stories on this album, many connected by a sort of "Invisible String," tying different pieces of her life and your life and other lives together. It ends up feeling like a growing plant with far-reaching roots, or a sentient treasure map.

Larocca: I'd be lying if I said there weren't multiple points throughout this album where I worried that Swift and her boyfriend Joe Alwyn had broken up.

Thankfully, "Invisible String" is a rosy, wide-eyed ode to love. The plucky guitar paired with Swift's soft vocals is a sound I want to live in, which is fitting since this track feels like coming home.

Every small detail, from the nod to Alwyn's time spent working at a frozen yogurt shop in his youth, to the color imagery that paints every inflection of Swift's adoration (especially the single thread of gold) come together to lay the holy ground Swift's relationship walks on.

Also, the image of Swift mailing Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner gifts for their expectant first child brings about an unbridled sense of joy.

"Mad Woman" is yet another highlight.

Ahlgrim: Every time I think I've heard the peak of this album's songwriting potential, Swift manages to surprise me.

Case in point: "Do you see my face in the neighbor's lawn? / Does she smile? / Or does she mouth, 'F--- you forever?'" Whoa.

And another, for good measure: "It's obvious that wanting me dead / Has really brought you two together." I texted Courteney, "Did she really just say that??"

This song is sublime on its own, but the way it ties back into the perception of female freedom and "madness" on "The Last Great American Dynasty" makes it even better. "Mad Woman" is definitely a personal favorite so far on this album, if not in Swift's entire catalog.

Larocca: "Mad Woman" will forever hold the honor of being the first song in which Swift says "f---" and for that, we should all be thankful.

I was also so wrapped up in the storytelling of this album, that it took a minute for this to even register that this is likely about the Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta / Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West ordeals of Swift's past. These callouts used to be so obvious, that I greatly appreciate the subtlety and restraint here.

It almost feels like these feuds were a lifetime ago, but this track does an excellent job at showcasing how anger and pain can leave an indelible mark on you. Swift went mad years ago, and that's just an accepted part of her narrative now.

But for the first time, her rage sounds like freedom.

"Epiphany" doesn't stand out.

Ahlgrim: There are some really interesting vocal moments on "Epiphany," but so far, this is the only song I haven't felt captivated by. It's a bit snoozy, and a bit too long.

This song clearly references war, the loss of a loved one, and the coronavirus pandemic, which makes it lyrically intriguing at best — but distressing at worst. I don't mind letting the overall effect waft over me, but this won't be a song I revisit outside the context of the album.

Larocca: "Epiphany" is the only track on "Folklore" that didn't immediately grab me. It's essentially a war drama in song format, so some people might like it, but I truly couldn't care less about war movies or war songs! So it's not my favorite, but it makes for pretty background music.

"Epiphany" does have another benefit though: Now, whenever some random dude erroneously claims Swift "only writes songs about her exes," fans have a clear song in her discography that they can point to and be like, "That's not true. This one's about war."

That's not to say Swift needed that — anyone who has been paying attention understands she's quite possibly the best songwriter of her generation.

This just happens to be further proof of that fact.

"Betty" is a charming callback to Swift's country roots.

Ahlgrim: "Betty" is like the best, sauciest song from Swift's 2006 debut country album that no one got to hear. It has sonic and lyrical similarities to hits like "Our Song" and "Tim McGraw," plus some name-dropping stuff like 2008's "Hey Stephen," plus a little harmonica thrown in for good measure! I love that for us.

"Betty" also appears to complete a three-song story, recalling details from "Cardigan" and "August" to close the loop on Betty and James, a couple in high school with some infidelity issues.

Looking back, it feels like "Cardigan" was told from Betty's perspective, while "August" was told from the perspective of a sort of "other woman" character. Now, we get James' side of the story. This is high art, folks! This is peak Storytelling Taylor!

"Betty" is also, like, very gay? I know it's easy to assume that James is a male character, but Swift herself was named after James Taylor, so she could be referring to herself. The song also references someone named Inez; James and Inez are the names of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's daughters.

Plus, in retrospect, the idea of whispering "Are you sure? Never have I ever before" during a summer fling seems pretty gay to me.

I'm not saying the story of Betty and James would be better if it was written about sapphic lovers, but I'm not not saying that.

Larocca: This one is gay, and if you try to tell me otherwise, I will simply ignore you.

But Courteney, it's from the perspective of a guy named James. James and the other character, Inez, share the same names as Reynolds and Lively's kids (will leave it up to you to decide if that means their third daughter's name is Betty). James is their daughter. Get out of here with your antiquated ideas about which names connotate which genders.

To me, the James named in this song is a woman and a lesbian and this song is for the gays. I will not be saying anything else or accepting any feedback on this opinion, thank you.

"Peace" is honest and raw.

Ahlgrim: This song's intro sounds like LCD Soundsystem had a baby with "The Archer." The gentle guitar riff is also lovely.

With Dessner's echoey production, Swift's voice sounds like a warm little fire in a cave — fitting, since she sings in the chorus, "I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm."

OK damn, I'm getting really emotional. This songwriting is beautiful and haunting. "Peace" perfectly captures the ambient dread of feeling your partner slip away, of wondering whether love can be enough.

Larocca: If you're a "Call It What You Want" stan, you're going to love its mature older sister "Peace."

I will hereby forever be thinking about the parallels between "But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm" with "He built a fire just to keep me warm" and between "Family that I chose, now that I see your brother as my brother" with "Trust him like a brother."

Also, "Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?" has the same emotional impact as when Swift changes the lyric in "The Archer" to "I see right through me" and that's meant as the highest form of compliment.

Swift's vocals are so crisp, that guitar riff is so stunning, and these lyrics are so gut-wrenchingly vulnerable. A perfect song, through and through.

"Hoax" is unlike any other album closer in Swift's catalog.

Ahlgrim: I don't know if Swift is going through a traumatic breakup, but if she isn't, the woman is one convincing creative writer.

The National makes some of my favorite music to cry to, so when I heard Aaron Dessner had co-written and produced much of this album, I knew I was in for some glossy cheeks. Until now, I think I've felt too captivated by Swift's artistry to really let myself get there.

But finally, "Hoax" is making me cry.

This is heart-wrenching stuff for anyone, but for a fan and student of Swift's work, this is like reading a friend's diary entry.

"Don't want no other shade of blue, but you" must be a reference to "Delicate," in which Swift sings: "Dark jeans and your Nikes, look at you / Oh damn, never seen that color blue." Later, she croons, "You know I left a part of me back in New York," perhaps regretting the move to London that she detailed throughout "Lover."

"You knew it still hurts underneath my scars / From when they pulled me apart," recalling the public shaming she endured and demons she exorcised on "Reputation." "But what you did was just as dark." Like I said before: Whoa.

Personally, I love having a good cry set to moody music, so I appreciate Swift's soul-bearing. "Hoax" is one gut-punch of an album closer.

Larocca: Swift has a habit of ending her albums on an uplifting, hopeful note and I always eat it up. But if "Folklore" hadn't made it clear by now that it should be consumed differently than any of her previous works, "Hoax" brings that message home.

Instead of reveling in all the ways that love has made her stronger, happier, or more whole, "Hoax" deconstructs everything Swift has learned about love and leaves a bleaker picture about how maybe even the best of relationships hurt.

But at its most tragic, this love still isn't something Swift will ever let go of: "Don't want no other shade of blue but you / No other sadness in the world would do."

Finishing a Taylor Swift album has never been so devastating.

Final Grade: 9.7/10

#taylor swift #folklore #review

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Rick and Morty: A Guide to Every Voice Actor

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The world of Rick and Morty has grown to absurd proportions. The show spans multiple planets, galaxies, timelines, and multiverses, meaning there’s always an opportunity to meet strange new people and creatures.

As such, Rick and Morty’s voice cast has grown along with the adventures of its titular pair. While co-creator Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, and Sarah Chalke have reliably voiced the central Smith-Sanchez family this entire time, the show also relies on a large crop of other voice actors. Some actors recur while others pop up only a time or two as very special guests. But all contribute to the rich aural tapestry of Adult Swim’s very ambitious animated series.

Gathered here is a list of (to the best of our knowledge) every voice actor who has popped up on Rick and Morty, who they played, and where you may have heard (or seen) them before.

Justin Roiland

Rick, Morty, Mr. Meseeks, Mr. Poopybutthole, Mr. Always Wants to Be Hunted

Justin Roiland is not just the co-creator of Rick and Morty but also the vocal engine for how much of the show sounds. Roiland portrays Rick, Morty, Mr. Meseeks, Mr. Poopybutthole, and countless other distinctively voiced characters in the show’s weird world. From the pilot on, Roiland’s tic-filled voice patterns have driven a lot of the humor behind the show.

Roiland has been an animator and a voice actor for quite a long time, getting involved with his eventual Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon and his Channel 101 imprint back in 2004. There he made Internet-only cult animated series like House of Cosbys, and 2 Girls One Cup: the Show. His voice was previously well known as Earl of Lemongrab (“Unacceptable!!!”) in Adventure Time.

Chris Parnell

Jerry Smith

Former SNL cast member Chris Parnell has had a prolific career in comedy both as a live-action and voice actor. Parnell is best known for playing Garth Holliday in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Dr. Leo Spaceman in 30 Rock, and many more roles in film and television. In the animation world he’s voiced characters on Archer, Robot Chicken, Gravity Falls, and beyond. His voice is often perfect for the “everyman” role and as such he has only been required to embody the sad form of Jerry Smith on Rick and Morty thus far.

Spencer Grammer

Summer Smith

The daughter of Kelsey Grammar, Spencer Grammar got her start as Casey Carywright on the ABC Family college dramedy Greek. Since then, she has done chiefly live-action work on shows such as CSI, Chicago PD, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Sarah Chalke

Beth Smith

Canadian actress Sarah Chalke brings two enormous roles from TV comedy’s past to her work on Rick and Morty. At first she was best known as the “second Becky” on ABC sitcom Roseanne. She would then go on to portray Dr. Elliot Reid for nine seasons of the classic Scrubs. Chalke is still chiefly a live-action comedic actress today but has done some more voice work in the past, including on Clone High and American Dad.

Kari Wahlgren

Jessica, Cynthia, Samantha, Mother Gaia

Kari Wahlgren works extensively as a voice actress for animated movies, TV shows, and video games. As evidenced by her character list above, she is often Rick and Morty’s go-to voice to portray one of Summer’s teenage peers.

Brandon Johnson

Mr. Goldenfold

Brandon Johnson is a familiar face and voice to Adult Swim audiences. He has previously popped up on NTSF:SD:SUV and American Dad. On Rick and Morty he voices Mr. Goldenfold, who is seemingly the only teacher at Morty and Summer’s school.

Phil Hendrie

Principal Gene Vagina

Philip Hendrie is best known for hosting The Phil Hendrie Show, a proto-Comedy Bang Bang-esque talk radio show in the 1990s where he portrayed both a fictionalized version of himself and many other wacky characters. He broke into animated voice acting in the late ‘90s, voicing dozens of characters on King of the Hill and popping up in Futurama as well. On Rick and Morty he plays the unfortunately named principal of Morty’s school.

Ryan Ridley

Frank Palicky, Lighthouse Keeper, Concerto

Ryan Ridley is a writer and producer on Rick and Morty, and like many of the show’s writers is sometimes called upon to lend his voice to a character or two. His best known creation is the Lighthouse Keeper on the Purge planet obsessed with his terrible screenplay. Ridley has also written for Ghosted, Blue Mountain State, and Community.

Rob Paulsen

Snuffles, Centaur

Rob Paulsen is a legendary voice actor best known for voicing two Ninja Turtles (Raphael and Donatello) and several Animaniacs characters. His filmography is truly impressive and includes the important role of Snuffles the Smith family dog on Rick and Morty.

Jess Harnell

Scary Terry, Ruben

Harnell is another Animaniacs veteran. After voicing Scary Terry and some additional voices in season 1, Harnell has yet to return to Rick and Morty.

Patricia Lentz

Joyce Smith

Patricia Lentz provides the voice of Jerry’s mom. She’s had a long, impressive career of live-action and voice acting with some highlights including Runaways, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Happy Days.

Dana Carvey

Leonard Smith

The voice of Jerry’s dad is provided by one of SNL’s better known alums in Dana Carvey. A master impressionist, Carvey was an important figure on SNL during the ‘80s and would go on to star in Wayne’s World, The Master of Disguise, and Trapped in Paradise. Shortly after his SNL career, he hosted The Dana Carvey Show, which did not last long but is notable in TV history for having an incredible cast of writers including Louis C.K. Charlie Kaufman, Jon Glaser, Robert Carlock, and frequent Dan Harmon collaborator Dino Stamatopoulos.

Echo Kellum

Jacob Philip, Brad, Triple Trunks

“I throw balls far. You want good words? Date a languager.” So sad that we had to leave Brad behind in C-137. Echo Kellum provides the voice of Brad and several other Rick and Morty characters.. Kellum is a UCB grad who has appeared in Key & Peele, Comedy Bang! Bang! and most notably Arrow as Mister Terrific.

John Oliver

Dr. Xenon Bloom

John Oliver now carries on the legacy of The Daily Show in his superb HBO news series Last Week Tonight. Prior to finding his perfect comedy news niche, Oliver had a lengthy comic acting career starting in his native England and extending into his new home in the U.S. Oliver previously played an important recurring role in Harmon’s Community and pops up just once on Rick and Morty.

David Cross

Prince Nebulon

David Cross is one of several sketch comedy legends who lent their voice to Rick and Morty as part of their lengthy careers. Cross created and starred in sketch series Mr. Show with Bob and David alongside co-creator Bob Odenkirk (how has he not popped up on Rick and Morty yet?). Since then he’s had a successful stand up career and been a part of some impressive TV ensembles such as Arrested Development.

Dan Harmon

Birdperson, Kevin, Mr. Marklovitz, Davin, Ice-T, Dr. Glip-Glop, Nimbus

Dan Harmon is the co-creator of Rick and Morty alongside Roiland. The two share a long history going back to the Channel 101 days. While both Roiland and Harmon are skilled storytellers, Harmon has truly delved into the science of story throughout his career. Harmon is best known for creating and showrunning Community, which became an onscreen sensation for fans and an offscreen nuisance for NBC due to Harmon’s at times difficult behavior. On Rick and Morty, Roiland and Harmon deploy Harmon’s deadpan delivery to good use, with him often playing monotone characters like the beloved Birdperson.

Tom Kenny

King Jellybean, Squanchy, Conroy, Million Ants, Etc.

Tom Kenny is an incredibly successful voice artist who you likely best know as none other than SpongeBob SquarePants. On Rick and Morty, Kenny’s roles are decidedly less wholesome than the sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. Kenny was a big factor in season 1 playing King Jellybean and Sqaunchy. He’s popped up sparingly in seasons 2, 3, and 4 as well, most notably as Million Ants of the Vindicators.

Cassie Steele

Tammy Gueterman, Tricia Lange

Somebody’s gotta play Tammy Gueterman, that traitorous monster. And that “honor” goes to Cassie Steele. Steele’s name is recognizable to Canadian (and some American) audiences due to her role as Manny Santos on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Rick and Morty was her first voice acting role. She will continue her voice acting career as the lead in Disney’s upcoming Raya and the Last Dragon.

Claudia Black

Mar-Sha/Ventriloquiver

Claudia Black has turned up on Rick and Morty twice, once in season 1 and once in season 4. It’s a surprise she hasn’t done so more often as she’s built up quite the voice acting career. After becoming well known in sci-fi series like Farscape and Stargate SG-1, Black continued on into a successful gaming career, providing her voice to Uncharted, Gears of War, and Dragon Age.

Maurice LaMarche

Morty Jr. Brad Anderson, Abradolf Lincler, Crocubot

Maurice LaMarche’s smooth baritone is quite familiar to many animation fans. LaMarche has voice acted in everything from Animaniacs to Futurama. He’s got a killer Orson Welles impression and that seems to be the starting point for many of his Rick and Morty characters.

Alfred Molina

Mr. Needful

Many of us know Alfred Molina from his incredibly successful film career in projects like Boogie Nights, Spider-Man 2, and The Da Vinci Code. But Molina has also had quite the career as a voice actor as well. In the past couple decades, Molina has lent his sturdy voice to Rango, Monsters University, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen II, and more. He was clearly a shrewd choice for the Lucifer-like Mr. Needful. It’s a wonder why he hasn’t turned up on Rick and Morty more.

Richard Fulcher

King Flippy Nips

Richard Fulcher is best known as the unofficial third member of British comedy troupe The Mighty Boosh, though he himself is American. Fulcher wrote and acted in every incarnation of The Mighty Boosh. He has also had a prolific career in comedy acting outside the troupe. As of late, Fulcher has leaned into his voice acting abilities including this sadly one-off role on Rick and Morty as King Flippy Nips, ruler of Pluto.

Nolan North

Scroopy Noopers, Multiple Others

Nolan North has done extensive videogame work in franchises such as Uncharted, Assassin’s Creed, and the Arkham series. That’s right: the voice of shrimpy Plutonian Scroopy Noopers on Rick and Morty is both Nathan Drake and Desmond Miles. North also voices many other characters in positions of authority for the show.

Aislinn Paul

Nancy

Aislinn Paul is another Degrassi: The Next Generation alum who has broken into the voice acting world. On Rick and Morty, Paul plays only Nancy, Summer’s nerdy classmate who everyone is always mean to. Hopefully one day there will be justice for Nancy.

Alejandra Gollas

Lucy

Alejandra Gollas is a bilingual Mexican actress who has acted in films, TV shows, and stage productions for decades. Her only Rick and Morty role was that of creepy Titanic enthusiast Lucy.

Scott Chernoff

Revolio Clockberg Jr.

Originally referred to as “Gearhead,” Revolio Clockberg Jr. is one of Rick and Morty’s most recognizable recurring characters. Embodying this important role is veteran voice actor and TV writer Scott Chernoff. Chernoff has lent his voice to dozens of animated properties and has even written for many successful comedies including BoJack Horseman, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, and School of Rock. He is one of many Channel 101 veterans involved in Rick and Morty and pitches in with some other background voices on the show here and there.

Keegan-Michael Key

Schleemypants

Keegan-Michael Key is likely best known as half of the ultra successful sketch comedy duo Key & Peele. (Wonder whatever happened to the other guy!) Key has had an enormously successful career as a comedic actor on television. On Rick and Morty he plays testicle-looking time cop Schleemypants.

Jordan Peele

Second Fourth-Dimensional Being

Oh, here’s Peele! Schleemypants’ unnamed partner is the only character Peele has played on Rick and Morty.

Jemaine Clement

Fart

New Zealand comedic actor Jemaine Clement is best known for being half of the Grammy award-winning comedic musical act Flight of the Conchords alongside Bret McKenzie. Clement has also worked extensively with fellow Kiwi Taika Waititi to produce recent classics like What We Do in the Shadows. His deadpan delivery was a perfect choice monotone gaseous being “Fart.”

Andy Daly

Krombopulos Michael

Krombopulos Michael is Rick and Morty’s Boba Fett: he looks cool but ultimately does nothing. Playing K.M. was one of the most sought-of “character voice actors” in the industry. Daly’s cheerful everyman delivery has proven useful on dozens of comedy shows across the entertainment landscape. Perhaps best known for his starring vehicle Review with Forest MacNeil, Daly has also lent his voice to series such as Harley Quinn, Bob’s Burgers, and Big Mouth. He can also be heard as a crucial role on Roiland’s Solar Opposites.

Christina Hendricks

Unity

Christina Hendricks is best known for her role as Joan Holloway on Mad Men. In addition to that, however, she’s appeared in quite a few genre films and shows like Firefly, Life, and The Neon Demon. Hendricks has done some voice work here and there and her only role on Rick and Morty to date is assimilation expert and one-time Rick Sanchez paramour Unity.

Patton Oswalt

Beta-Seven

Patton Oswalt is basically the dark matter of the comedy universe. He and his voice turn up just about everywhere. Perhaps his best known voice acting role is that of lead character Remy in Ratatouille. On Rick and Morty he has played only Beta-Seven thus far and is surely due for some more appearances.

Keith David

The President

Even if you’ve never heard of Keith David, you have surely heard his voice. An unmistakable baritone with gravitas, David has leant that voice to projects such as Gargoyles, Halo, and Spawn. David has worked with Harmon before on the final season of Community. Surely, there is no better voice for Rick and Morty’s unnamed President…or its Reverse Giraffe.

Kurtwood Smith

General Nathan

Not sure if you recognize Kurtwood Smith’s voice? You would if he called you a dumbass. Yes, Smith is best known to TV audiences as Eric Forman’s ornery dad Red on That ‘70s Show. He provides that same ornery spirit to the role of General Nathan on Rick and Morty in “Get Schwifty.”

Stephen Colbert

Zeep Xanflorp

Stephen Colbert is of course a longtime comedic actor, host of The Colbert Report, and now host of The Late Show on CBS. The Late Show understandably takes up most of his time nowadays but he was nice enough to portray the intelligent alien living inside Rick’s flying saucer’s Miniverse battery.

Nathan Fielder

Kyle

“The Ricks Must Be Crazy” has quite the star power among its voice cast. In addition to Colbert’s Zeep, the episode also introduces another Microverse populated by Kyle. Kyle is played by Nathan For You’s cringe comedy maestro Nathan Fielder.

Jim Rash

Glaxo Slimslom

Jim Rash is another frequent Dan Harmon collaborator, best known for his role as Dean Pelton on Community. Rash is an accomplished comedic actor and an Oscar award-winning screenwriter. He’s the perfect choice to play alien couples counselor Glaxo.

Matt Besser

Fungo

Matt Besser is an improv comedy specialist who is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe. Over his long career, he’s appeared in just about everything. On Rick and Morty he portrays alien diplomat Fungo, who tries to convince Jerry to donate his penis to Shrimply Pibbles.

Werner Herzog

Shrimply Pibbles

Werner Herzog might be the strangest inclusion in the Rick and Morty voice canon. Herzog is a towering figure in the cinema world as a director, screenwriter, documentarian, and occasional actor. His German accent and generally serious and pessimistic disposition has made him a natural target for comedies looking to inject a bit of weird humor into the proceedings.

Chelsea Kane

Arthricia

Chelsea Kane has appeared in several TV series targeted to tween audiences like Disney Channel’s Jonas and Freeform’s Baby Daddy. Her brief role as the Purge planet’s Arthricia was a jumping off point to try more voice actor roles on shows like Hot Streets, Regular Show, and DC Super Hero Girls.

James Callis and Tricia Helfer

Pat and Donna Gueterman

James Callis and Tricia Helfer portray the parents of double-agent Tammy Gueterman for a very specific reason. Callis and Helfer are best known for their roles on Syfy’s classic series Battlestar Galactica, with Callis playing brilliant scientist (and traitor to humanity) Gaius Baltar and Helfer playing Cylon model Number 6. Pat and Donna Gueterman on Rick and Morty look just like the actors playing them, which should have been our first clue that something is amiss.

Nathan Fillion

Cornvelious Daniel

Who is Nathan Fillion if not nerd culture’s best friend? Fillion came into prominence by playing Captain Mal Reynolds on Joss Whedon’s beloved Firefly. Since then Fillion has had a solid career on shows like Castle and The Rookie. In his spare time, however, he provides his voice to animated series like Rick and Morty and Big Mouth, often playing a thinly-veiled version of himself. Cornvelious Daniel is notable for being the first character onscreen in Rick and Morty to enjoy that sweet, sweet McDonald’s Szechuan sauce.

Tony Hale

Eli

Tony Hale won two Emmys for playing the Vice President’s bagman Gary Walsh on Veep. Before that he was the youngest Bluth child, Buster, on Arrested Development. As of late, however, he’s getting more into the voice acting scene. You (or your kids) may best know him as the beloved Forky in Toy Story 4. But prior to that, he popped up as a cheery Mad Max-style biker named Eli on Rick and Morty.

Joel McHale

Hemorrhage

Joel McHale is, of course, another Community alum. He played lead character Jeff Winger on Harmon’s old NBC series. In addition to that, McHale has had a lengthy career in comedy, having hosted The Soup and Netflix’s recent Tiger King special. He was also a tight end of the University of Washington football team but that’s neither here nor there. He voices bucket-wearing post-apocalyptic warlord Hemorrhage on Rick and Morty.

Susan Sarandon

Dr. Wong

Perhaps no character on Rick and Morty has delved deeper into Rick’s psyche than Smith-family psychologist Dr. Wong. Lending her voice to Dr. Wong in the infamous “Pickle Rick” episode is legendary actress Susan Sarandon a.k.a the Louise in Thelma and Louise.

Peter Serafinowicz

Agency Director

Peter Serafinowicz is a British comedian and actor who used his role voicing Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace as a launching pad to befriend some truly talented creators and get some truly fascinating roles. Serafinowicz has popped up in Shaun of the Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy, Parks and Recreation, and more. He also portrayed the titular Tick in Amazon’s The Tick. His role in Rick and Morty is briefly that of a Russian villain agency director who tries to take down the ever-elusive Pickle Rick.

Danny Trejo

Jaguar

“Pickle Rick” really has quite the impressive guest voice cast. Danny Trejo joins Peter Serafinowicz and Susan Sarandon in lending his voice to this episode. Trejo plays Rick’s loose canon action hero ally, Jaguar. Outside of Rick and Morty, Danny Trejo may be one of the most recognizable faces in entertainment. A frequent collaborator of Robert Rodriguez, Trejo has leveraged his fascinating upbringing and tough guy appearance into countless roles.

Gillian Jacobs

Supernova

Another Community alum! Superhero team The Vindicators requires a lot of guest voice talent and clearly Dan Harmon knew one place to turn. Jacobs played Britta on Community (she’s the worst). The Pittsburgh-born actress has also appeared in Girls, Don’t Think Twice, and Ibiza.

Christian Slater

Vance Maximus

Christian Slater is a big get for Vindicators leader Vance Maximus. While he’s best known to modern audiences as the titular Mr. Robot in Mr. Robot, Slater got his start as an actor with popular roles in movies like Heathers, Interview with the Vampire, and Broken Arrow. Slater has had a fruitful voice acting career as well, having previously played “Slater” in Archer.

Lance Reddick

Alan Rails

Alan Rails is another one of the hallowed Vindicators crime-fighting team. Playing the ghost train-summoner is Lance Reddick. Reddick has been a mainstay on television for decades, turning up in Oz, Fringe, Lost, and more. Most notably he played Cedric Daniels for the entirety of The Wire’s run.

Logic

Logic is one of the few Rick and Morty guest stars who gets to be an animated version of himself. This Maryland-based rapper has released five successful albums and enlisted Rick and Morty to help promote his sixth mixtape Bobby Tarantino II.

Clancy Brown

Risotto Groupon, Story Train passenger

Talk about a guy with a commanding voice. Clancy Brown has been a successful actor for a long time, going back to his roles in Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption, and Lost. He’s undoubtedly best known to animation fans, however, as the voice of stingy Krusty Krab owner Mr. Krabs in SpongeBob SquarePants. On Rick and Morty, he’s played alien restaurant manager Risotto Groupon and a Story Train passenger in season 4’s “Never Ricking Morty.”

Thomas Middleditch

Tommy Lipnip

Thomas Middleditch is likely best known to television audiences as overmatched tech tycoon Richard Hendrix on HBO’s Silicon Valley. That’s just the tip of the iceberg for Middleditch’s comedy career. The prolific improviser played Tommy Lipnip in Rick and Morty and must have impressed Justin Roiland enough to give him a lead role on his Hulu comedy Solar Opposites.

John DiMaggio

Multiple Minor Roles (Death Stalker, Leader, Knight, etc.)

John DiMaggio is an incredibly busy voice actor. If you’ve ever enjoyed an animated comedy, there’s a good chance DiMaggio contributed his voice to it. His best known roles include Bender on Futurama, Jake the Dog on Adventure Time, and Scotsman on Samurai Jack.

Sherri Shepherd

Judge

Sherri Shepherd is an actress, comedian, and TV personality best known for being a co-host on The View for seven years. Since then she’s turned up as an actress or talking head on many shows and lent her voice to portray a judge that deals with Morty in the season 4 premiere.

Sam Neill

Monogatron Leader

In addition to having one of the best Twitter accounts in the world, Sam Neill is also an actor best known for playing Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. The New Zealander has continued to work quite a bit in recent years, turning up in Thor: Ragnarok and Peaky Blinders. On Rick and Morty he plays the leader of the Monogatron alien race in “The Old Man and the Seat.”

Taika Waititi

Glootie

Playing another Monogatron, this one named Glootie, is New Zealand actor/director Taika Waititi. Waititi got his start in the New Zealand comedy scene alongside other Rick and Morty guest star Jermaine Clement. Since then he has only gone on to become one of the most in-demand filmmakers on the planet. Waititi is behind Thor: Ragnarok, JoJo Rabbit, and an upcoming Star Wars film.

Kathleen Turner

Monogatron Queen

Kathleen Turner is what you would call a “get” for Rick and Morty. Turner has won two Golden Globe awards and been nominated for an Oscar and several Tony awards. She is best known for her roles in ‘80s movies Romancing the Stone, Prizzi’s Honor, and The War of the Roses. Turner has also been working as a voice actress since the ‘80s, voicing Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit and going on to act in The Simpsons and King of the Hill as well.

Jeffrey Wright

Tony

Jeffrey Wright is no stranger to sci-fi, having toiled away as sad robot Bernard on Westworld for three seasons. Wright got three-quarters of a way to an EGOT in one role by playing Belize in Angels in America. Since then he’s acted in several Daniel Craig Bond films, Boardwalk Empire, and The Hunger Games. On Rick and Morty he plays the role of an alien who vexes Rick into an existential crisis by continuing to use his private toilet.

Elon Musk

Elon Tusk

Elon Musk is a South African/Canadian/American engineer and industrialist who serves as the founder and CEO of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla, along with numerous other ventures. Presumably he did not call anyone behind the scenes of Rick and Morty a pedophile but you never know.

Justin Theroux

Miles Knightley

Justin Theroux has had quite the career in Hollywood. He first came to prominence acting in the David Lynch films Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire. He then continued to appear in major films while also writing some for good measure like Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2, and Rock of Ages. On television he played Kevin Garvey in HBO’s The Leftovers. For Rick and Morty, he played the role of “heist artist” Miles Knightly in “One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty.” You son of a bitch, I’m in.

Pamela Adlon

Angie Flint

Pamela Adlon is the rare case of an actor who was first best-known for voice work breaking into the live-action arena in a big way. Adlon is best known for giving voice to Bobby Hill on King of the Hill, while also voice acting in other animated projects like Recess, and 101 Dalmatians: The Series. A longtime collaborator of Louis C.K. (though not so much anymore), Adlon appeared on FX’s Louie and got a well-received FX show of her own, Better Things. On Rick and Morty, Adlon portrays Angie Flint – a lock-picker who Rick recruits to his heist team.

Matthew Broderick

Talking Cat

Matthew Broderick is a longtime stage, film, and television actor best known for his roles on Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, WarGames, The Producers, and much more. Most recently he turned up on Netflix’s sadly-departed post-apocalyptic comedy Daybreak. On Rick and Morty, Broderick plays a Talking Cat with a secret so heinous it will drive anyone to near insanity.

Liam Cunningham

Balthromaw

To portray the voice of a wizened dragon, Rick and Morty turned to an actor best known for a series filled with them. The Irish actor Liam Cunningham is known to most people as Ser Davos Seaworth from Game of Thrones. Though not usually a voice actor he must have enjoyed his role on Rick and Morty as he turns up again briefly in Roiland’s Solar Opposites.

Phil LaMarr

Multiple Minor Roles

The first two things most people (and by most people I mean me) think of when they think of Phil Lamarr are his time on Mad TV and the moment his head explodes on Pulp Fiction. But aside from sketch comedy and head explosions, LaMarr has had a remarkable voice acting career. He portrayed the title character in Samurai Jack while also providing his voice to Justice League, Static Shock, and countless video games. It’s surprisingly hard to figure out what voices Phil LaMarr plays on Rick and Morty but given his talents it’s certain to be quite a few.

Christopher Meloni

Jesus

When Rick and Morty briefly presented the savior of mankind in season 4’s sixth episode, surely there was only one choice to play him. Christopher Meloni has had one of the more fascinating careers in entertainment. After playing the deadly serious role of Elliot Stabler on Law and Order: SVU for years, Meloni has re-embraced his comedic side in projects like Happy!, Harley Quinn, while reprising his role in the Wet Hot American Summer franchise.

Paul Giamatti

Story Lord

Paul Giamatti once joked in a late night talk show interview that his role in any given heist or action movie would be the guy wearing a headset in a van, typing on a computer, and telling the hero to “get out of there, man!” He has since parlayed that character actor sensibility into a remarkable, multi-award-winning career. Giamatti is best known recently for portraying Chuck Rhoades on Billions and producing AMC’s Lodge 49. Prior to that he played lead roles in American Splendor, HBO’s John Adams, and much more. The guy has a good handle on stories and therefore makes perfect sense as Rick and Morty’s Story Lord.

Alan Tudyk

Chris, Observant Glorzo, Multiple Minor Roles

Alan Tudyk is a nerd culture mainstay. Very few comic-cons come and go without Tudyk involved in at least one project presenting within them. Tudyk has played Hoban “Wash” Washburne on Firefly and its spinoff movie Serenity, Mr. Nobody on Doom Patrol, and many more beloved characters. His live-action appearances are just the tip of the nerd iceberg, however, with Tudyk providing his voice to everything from Solo: A Star Wars Story (K-2SO) to Harley Quinn (Clayface/The Joker). On Rick and Morty, Tudyk plays several unnamed characters.

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Rob Schrab

God

Rob Schrab is a Channel 101 veteran and longtime Harmon collaborator. Schrab is best known for his work as a director of projects like Monster House, Community, Parks and Recreation, and more. On Rick and Morty he plays none other than God…or at least the Zeus-like god of a remote planet.

Jim Gaffigan

Hoovy

Jim Gaffigan is a wildly successful standup comedian who co-created and starred in a TV show about his life for TV Land called The Jim Gaffigan Show. While he’s appeared sparingly in films, of late he’s dabbled in voice acting, lending his voice to Hotel Transylvania 3, Playmobil: The Movie, and Luca. His kindly Midwestern accent lends itself nicely to the helpful but doomed Hoovy on Rick and Morty.

Planetina

Alison Brie

Five seasons in and Rick and Morty is still finding old friends from Community to make their debut. Alison Brie played Annie Edison on Dan Harmon’s classic series. Since then she’s become quite the star, serving as a lead on GLOW and voice acting in BoJack Horseman and The Lego Movie 2. She even provided the voice of Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow in the video game Marvel Avengers Academy.

Steve Buscemi

Eddie

Steve Buscemi is a prolific and talented character actor known for his classic roles in Fargo, Reservoir Dogs, The Sopranos, and more. That he plays such a relatively minor role on Rick and Morty suggests that he might be a fan of the show and just wanted to stop by and say hey. Buscemi is also notable for being a New York firefighter prior to his acting life.

Christina Ricci

Princess Ponietta

Once known as a talented child actor, Christina Ricci has continued her creative work into adulthood. The actress has starred in films like Speed Racer, Black Snake Moan, and the upcoming fourth Matrix movie. Bless her for dropping by Rick and Morty only to play an CHUD horse-person princess pregnant with Rick’s heir.

Kyle Mooney

Blazen

Kyle Mooney is an SNL cast member and writer who specializes in offbeat characters and sketches. He also wrote and starred in 2017’s Brigsby Bear. His role hasn’t been officially confirmed on Rick and Morty yet but it seems as though he voices the Mortal Kombat-esque faux badass Blazen.

The post Rick and Morty: A Guide to Every Voice Actor appeared first on Den of Geek.

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kitchmbrs · 4 years

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hello , babies ! my names peach & this is my baby kit. i’m super excited for this group bc i love lil oc celeb things so i’m happy to be here ! below you can read a little about kit & give this a like for me to come bother you for some plots !

oh my god ! @kitchmbrs just liked my tweet ! you know , they’re the singer with 7.5m followers ? i can’t believe they noticed me . seriously ? you’ve never heard of them ? what … are you living under a rock ? they’re christopher ‘kit’ chambers , and they’re twenty-three . i’ve never met them , but the tabloids all say that they’re charming and outspoken . it’s kind of sad , though . ever since they moved to downtown los angeles from australia , they’ve become really devious and crass . some say that lust has become them . i’m not sure if i believe that . there’s more than what meets the eye , right ? they’re more than just leaving the club with a new person every weekend , late nights writing songs , & flashy instagram posts , i know it !

𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨.

full name : christopher joseph chambers

nicknames : kit , cj ( family )

age : twenty - three

birthday : august 9th ( leo )

orientation : band member - lead singer / rhythm guitarist.

hometown : sydney , australia

orientation : bisexual , biromatic

vice : lust

𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.

height : 6′4″

hair color : blonde

eye color : blue

tattoos : left sleeve rose piece ( reference )

piercings : previous snakebites , removed

𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙. triggers include : death / car accident , drug use , divorce , abandonment.

solely goes by kit chambers. is one of those celebs that you don’t realize go by a nickname. but definitely will not answer to christopher & doesn’t introduce himself as such. really only ones that can call him christopher are his band mates. also occasionally gets called cj but isn’t a big fan of the name. so. just kit !

hails from sydney , australia. born to a small family that didn’t have a lot. dad worked during the day and mom worked at night so kit never really saw much of either of them until the weekend. spent most of his time with his older sister. she was 100% his best friend. was a relatively well behaved child. got along with most people. didn’t get into too much trouble , though there were a few detentions here and there.

trigger /// high school is when things got a little rough for kit. his parents were going through a hard time & when he was a freshman , they filed for divorce. he leaned a lot on his older sister who had just started college. his family wasn’t exactly the closest knit system , but as he began to go between mom & dads house it got a little difficult for him.

trigger heavy /// when he felt like he finally had a good system , he got a phone call one night that his sister had been in a car accident & within the next 24 hours she had passed away. sixteen year old kit had his word rocked because his sister was his biggest support system. he had a super hard time coping & relied heavily on the support of his three childhood best friends.

within the next two years , they formed a band because music was the one thing that made kit feel better. his sister had taught him guitar , keyboard , and they would always sing together & diving into music made him feel closer to her again. together , the band decided that they actually wanted to try to do this professionally. started off making little youtube videos on their own & eventually decided that they needed to make a big decision if they were going to get big.

together , the four boys moved out to la. it was definitely on a whim , but with the traction that they already had , they quickly made a name for themselves. they’re definitely still growing , especially with the recent release of their new album.

with fame came a lot of changes in kits personality. it happened pretty fast for him & he definitely is enjoying the luxuries that he has with being famous. his band mates are really the only ones that know the real him , not that he’s changed that horrifically , but he’s definitely letting fame get to him without really knowing.

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮. triggers include : none.

comes off as an asshole initially. isn’t one , is just blunt and isn’t afraid to speak up. managers try to keep his image clean so he usually lets his bandmates speak up before he does to avoid painting himself as a jerk.

a bit of a trouble maker ! loves to get into things he shouldn’t be into. loves to make messes. loves to get into any kind of trouble that he can without being caught by cameras. has definitely had to pay off some people to cover up things like bar fights and so forth.

has a pretty decent sense of humor and loves anyone he can laugh with. isn’t exactly the class clown of the group , but will always slip in a little joke here or there if it comes to his head.

a cuddly boy ! but only once you get to know him. takes a while for him to open up but once he does , you’ll have this entire 6′4 body sprawled over top of you and he will just sleep there. loves body contact and feels more comfortable sleeping next to someone than he does alone.

doesn’t not trust easily. takes a lot of digging to really get to the real him. is pretty trustworthy himself , but doesn’t consider himself to be the confidant type because he doesn’t hold a lot of people very highly in his life. if it doesn’t benefit him to speak up about your business , he won’t. not much of a gossip but he’s not one to shit to about anyone he cares about.

definitely sleeps around a bit. tries to keep it hushed but it’s definitely hard to hush something that’s so obvious. takes pleasure in getting what he wants , not just related to sleeping around , and isn’t one to hide that part of him.

loves posting on social media and interacts with his fans a lot. sometimes he’ll get his account taken away for a bit at a time because he’s sometimes a little too vocal about things he probably shouldn’t be.

𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖.

wanted connections.

pinterest.

you can ask me for my discord if you’d rather plot there !

#7sins:intro #this is ................ long #dont look at me

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maddie-grove · 4 years

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The Top Twenty Books I Read in 2019

My main takeaways from the past year’s reading:

Sometimes you think something is happening because of magic, but then it turns out to have a non-magical explanation so weird that you find yourself saying, “You know what? I wish faeries or God were responsible for this. I’d honestly feel less disturbed.”

Stop bathing and changing your clothes and shaving for three years, three months, and three days. You’ll find out who your real friends are. I promise you that.

I want more books about bisexual ladies!!! Give them to me!!!

Anyway...

20. The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain (2017)

Childhood sweethearts Poppy Hayworth and Leo Billingsley were separated when his older brother, a duke, sent him away to make his fortune. Years later, the duke is dead, a financially successful Leo has come back to England to take his place, and Poppy has become a rope dancer at Vauxhall Gardens after a life-shattering event. New sparks are flying between them, but is love possible when so much else has changed? Leo and Poppy are believable and charming as old friends, Romain makes great use of obscure historical details from the oft-depicted Regency period, and I loved Leo’s difficult but caring elderly uncle.

19. Simple Jess by Pamela Morsi (1996)

Althea Winsloe, a young widow in 1900s Arkansas, has no interest in remarrying, but almost everyone in her small Ozarks community is pressuring her to remarry, and she still needs someone to help farm her land. Enter Jesse Best, a strong young man with cognitive disabilities who’s happy to take on the work. As he makes improvements to her farm and bonds with her three-year-old son, Althea gets to know him better and starts to see him in a new light. This earthy romance could’ve been a disaster, but instead it illustrates how people with disabilities are often...uh...simplified and de-sexualized in a way that denies them autonomy. Morsi has a similarly nuanced take on Althea and Jesse’s community, which is claustrophobic and supportive all at once.

18. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli (2018)

Outspoken and insecure, bisexual high school senior Leah Burke is having a tough year. Her friend group is in turmoil, her single mom is seriously dating someone, and she’s caught between a sweet boy she’s not sure about and a pretty, perfect straight girl who couldn’t possibly be into her...right??? The sequel to the very cute Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Leah on the Offbeat pulls a The Godfather: Part II with its messy protagonist, sweetly surprising romance, and masterful comic set piece involving the Atlanta American Girl Doll restaurant.

17. Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper (2006)

Kidnapped from her home in eighteenth-century Ghana, fifteen-year-old Amari is sold into slavery and winds up on a South Carolina plantation, where she faces terrible cruelty but finds friends in an enslaved cook, her little son, and eventually a sulky white indentured servant around her age. When their master escalates his already-atrocious behavior, the three young people flee south to the Spanish Fort Mose in search of freedom. Draper’s complicated characters, vivid descriptions, and deft handling of heavy subjects makes for top-notch historical YA fiction.

16. A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole (2019)

After her controlling politician father was jailed for poisoning a bunch of people in their small, prosperous African country, Nya Jerami gained unprecedented freedom but also became the subject of vicious gossip. Johan von Braustein, the hard-partying stepson of a European monarch, wants to help her, partly because he sympathizes and partly because he has a crush, but she thinks he’s too frivolous and horny (if wildly attractive). After an embarrassing misunderstanding compels them to enter a fake engagement, though, she begins to wonder if there’s more to him. I’m not a huge fan of contemporary romance, but this novel has the perfect combination of heartfelt emotion, delicious melodrama, and adorable fluff.

15. One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney (1997)

Stephen, the Duke of Ashburton, has always done the proper and responsible thing, but that all changes when he learns that he’s terminally ill. Wandering the countryside in the guise of an ordinary gentleman, he ends up joining an acting troupe and falling in love with Rosalind, the sensible adopted daughter of the two lead actors. Like another Regency romance on this list, this novel celebrates love in many forms: there’s the love story between Stephen and Rosalind, yes, but there’s also Rosalind’s loving relationship with her adopted family, the new bonds she forms with her long-lost blood relatives, the way her two families embrace the increasingly frightened Stephen, and the healing rifts between Stephen and his well-meaning but distant siblings. Stephen’s reconciliation with his mortality is also moving.

14. My One and Only Duke by Grace Burrowes (2018)

Facing a death sentence in Newgate, footman-turned-prosperous banker Quinton Wentworth decides to do one last good thing: marry Jane McGowan, a poor pregnant widow, so she and the baby will be financially set. Then he receives a pardon and a dukedom at the literal last minute, meaning that he and Jane have a more permanent arrangement than either intended. I fell in love with the kind-but-difficult protagonists almost at once, and with Burrowes’s gorgeous prose even faster.

13. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (2013)

It’s 1986, and comics-loving, post-punk-listening, half-Korean Park and bright, weird, constantly bullied Eleanor are just trying to get through high school in their rough Omaha neighborhood. He’s only grudgingly willing to let her share his bus seat at first, but this barely civil acquaintance slowly thaws into friendship and blossoms into love. Far from being the whimsical eighties-nostalgia-fest I expected, this is a bittersweet love story about two isolated young people who find love, belonging, and a chance for self-expression with each other in an often-hostile environment (a small miracle pre-Internet).

12. Shrill by Lindy West (2016)

In this memoir, Lindy West talks about the difficulties of being a fat woman, the thankless task of being vocally less-than-enthused about rape jokes, the joys of moving past self-doubt, and the very real possibility that Little John from Disney’s Robin Hood was played by “bear actor” Baloo, among other subjects. I was having a hard time during my last semester of law school this past spring, and this book’s giddy humor and inspiring messages really helped me in my hour of need.

11. Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood by Karina Longworth (2018)

In 1925, very young businessman Howard Hughes breezed into Hollywood with nothing but tons of family wealth, a soon-to-be-divorced wife, and a simple dream: make movies about fast planes and big bosoms. He got increasingly weird and reactionary over the next thirty years, then retired from public life. More a history of 1920s-1950s Hollywood than a biography, this book has the same sharp writing and in-depth film analysis that makes me love Longworth’s podcast You Must Remember This.

10. The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan (1966)

In Civil-War-era Virginia, iron-willed Martha Farnsworth and her nervous younger sister try to run their nearly empty girls’ boarding school within earshot of a battlefield. When one girl finds Union soldier John McBurney injured in the woods, she brings him back to the house, where he exploits every conflict and secret among the eight girls and women (five students, two sisters, and one enslaved cook). Charming and manipulative, he nevertheless finds himself in over his head. Cullinan makes great use of the eight POVs and the deliciously claustrophobic setting; it’s fascinating to watch the power dynamics and allegiances shift from scene to scene.

9. A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian (2018)

Reserved tavern keeper Sam Fox wants to help out his brother’s sweetheart by finding and destroying a nude portrait she once sat for; disgraced gentleman Hartley Sedgwick isn’t sure what he wants after having his life ruined twice over, but he happened to inherit his house from the man who commissioned the painting...plus he’s not exactly reluctant to assist kind, handsome Sam in his quest. I wrote about this heart-melting romance two times last year; suffice it to say that it’s not only one of the best Regencies I’ve ever read, but also possibly the best romance I’ve ever read about the creation of a found family.

8. Frog Music by Emma Donoghue (2014)

Blanche Beunon, a French-born burlesque dancer in 1876 San Francisco, has a lot going on: her mooching boyfriend has turned on her, her sick baby is missing, and her cross-dressing, frog-hunting friend Jenny Bonnet was just shot dead right next to her. In the middle of a heat wave, a smallpox epidemic, and a little bit of mob violence, she must locate her son and solve Jenny’s murder. This is a glorious work of historical fiction; you can see, hear, smell, and feel the chaotic world of 1870s San Francisco, plus Blanche’s character arc is amazing.

7. The Patrick Melrose novels (Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope, Mother’s Milk, and At Last) by Edward St. Aubyn (1992, 1992, 1994, 2005, and 2012, respectively)

Born to an embittered English aristocrat and an idealistic American heiress, Patrick Melrose lives through his father’s sadistic abuse and his mother’s willful blindness (Never Mind), does a truly staggering amount of drugs in early adulthood (Bad News), and makes a good-faith effort at leading a normal life (Some Hope). Years later, the life he’s built with his wife and two sons is threatened by his alcoholism and reemerging resentment of his mother (Mother’s Milk), but there may be a chance to salvage something (At Last). Despite the suffering and cruelty on display, these novels were the farthest thing from a dismaying experience, thanks to the sharp characterization, grim humor, and great sense of setting. Also, I love little Robert Melrose, an anxious eldest child after my own heart.

6. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope (1974)

In 1550s England, no-nonsense Kate Sutton is exiled to the Perilous Gard, a remote castle occupied by suspicious characters, including the lord’s guilt-ridden younger brother Christopher. Troubled by the holes she sees in the story of the tragedy that haunts him, she does some problem-solving and ends up in a world of weird shit. Cleverly plotted, deliciously spooky, and featuring an all-time-great heroine, this book was an absolute treat. The beautiful Richard Cuffari illustrations in my edition didn’t hurt, either.

5. An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole (2019)

Daniel Cumberland, a free black man from New England traumatized from being sold into slavery, and Janeta Sanchez, a mixed-race Cuban-Floridian lady from a white Confederate family, have been sent on a mission to the Deep South by the Loyal League, a pro-Union spy organization. Initially hostile to everyone (but particularly to somewhat naive Janeta), Daniel warms to his colleague, but will her secrets, his shattered faith in justice, and the various dangers they face prevent them from falling in love? Nah. Alyssa Cole’s historical romances deliver both on the history and the romance, and this is one of her strongest entries.

4. The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite (2019)

Heartbroken by the death of her father and the marriage of her ex-girlfriend, Lucy Muchelney decides she needs a change of scenery and takes a live-in position translating a French astronomy text for Catherine St. Day, the recently widowed Countess of Moth. Catherine, used to putting her interests on hold for an uncaring spouse, is intrigued by this awkward, independent lady. I’ve read f/f romances before, but this sparkling Regency was the first to really blow me away with its fun banter, neat historical details, and perfect sexual tension.

3. The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli (2010)

After losing his entire fortune to a tidal wave, Sicilian nineteen-year-old Don Giovanni de la Fortuna sinks into poverty and near-starvation. Then Devil makes him an offer: all the money he wants for as long as he lives if he doesn’t bathe, cut his hair, shave, or change his clothes for three years, three months, and three days. This fairy-tale retelling is an extraordinarily moving fable about someone who learns to acknowledge his own suffering, recognize it in others, and extend compassion to all.

2. Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell (2013)

In this collection, Russell weaves strange tales of silkworm-women hybrids in Japan, seagulls who collect objects from the past and future, and, yes, vampires in the lemon grove. She also posits the very important question: “What if most (but not all) U.S. presidents were reincarnated as horses in the same stable and had a lot of drama going on?” My favorite stories were “Proving Up” (about a nineteenth-century Nebraska boy who encounters death and horror on the prairie), “The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis” (about a disadvantaged high school student who discovers an effigy of the even more hapless boy he tormented), and “The Barn at the End of the Term” (the horse-president story).

1. The Wonder by Emma Donoghue (2016)

Lib Wright, an Englishwoman who has floundered since her days working for Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War, is hired to observe Anna O’Donnell, an eleven-year-old Irish girl famous for not eating for four straight months. With a jaundiced attitude towards the Irish and Catholicism, Lib is confident that she’ll quickly expose Anna as a fraud, but she finds herself liking the girl and getting increasingly drawn into the disturbing mystery of her fast. Like The Perilous Gard, this novel masterfully plays with the possibility of the supernatural, then introduces a technically mundane explanation that’s somehow much more eerie. Donoghue balances the horror and waste that surrounds Anna, though, with the clear, bright prose and the moving relationship that develops between her and Lib, who grows beyond her narrow-mindedness and emotional numbness. I stayed up half the night to finish this novel, which cemented Emma Donoghue’s status as my new favorite author.

#books #reading #top twenty

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acciosoogyu · 5 years

Text

if big hit debuts a girl group;; idol!au

a/n; actually i'm boring and this came out of nowere, i'm sorry if there're spelling mistakes ir nonsense bc english it's not my first language

Anyways hope u enjoy ^^

[...]

L.I.T (girls)

NAME: L.I.T (lit girls), the abbreviation of Lux In Tenebris (light on dark). They want to share music to those who feel alone in this world.

MEMBERS: 8 (one japanese, one australian, one argentinian and five koreans)

DEBUT: 9th of January

Okay, about the group

one day big hit uploaded a logo, not about bts or txt or lee hyun

It was about a survival show

like stray kids but... yes with girls

girls from other companies (most of them from small agencies)

but there are two trainees from big hit (yeah i like produce fvck me)

in total there are like 20 trainees but only 9 of them are going to debut

the different thing it's that only the trainers can disqualified the trainees (and the audience only votes for concepts and music)

and there are special judges

HWASA, RM AND HOSHI

kdkskdjsila that was unexpected ajkskska

and of course, HITMAN BANG (what)

OKAYY TO THE IMPORTANT PART

it was going to be 9 members but the last place had a problem with her actitude like idk she was not really working with the group and was so rude???

So they end up being 9 crackheads in big hit about to debut

their concept was cute at the begining but big hit say no way these girls need more things, they are so vErSaTilE

and it was a mix of bts and txt debut concepts, a total mess but it matched well

About the members;

kang eun gi

was a trainee from DPS media

98' liner

from busan

a rapper and dancer

'suga-sunbaenim'

SHE REALLY LOVES HIM

thats why she joined bc he is her role model

a shy little girl

tomboy style or something like that

has a cute little cat named nemo

and in every v live shows him off like a proud mum

doesn't know about english but it's actually good in japanese bc anime

and thats why naoki loves her unnie so MUCH

cares a lot about the others and it's the pefect noona for txt kids

like she has a soft spot for her dongsaengs

has an older brother and always wanted to be a noona

so yeah, txt has the best noona ever

and lit girls has a great unnie who can relay on all the worries

She is Scorpio

OKAY NEXT

choi seo joo

from PLEDIS

99' liner

looks soft in the outside

but inside she may have killed you more times that u could think???

yeah it's not what she looks

it's a rapper (surprise)

and a dancer but it's kinda slow when it comes to learn new moves

it's a carat and monbebe

her fav it's jooheon

has every photo of him

and blushes so much when she talks about him like giiiiirl u so CUUUUTEEEEEE

has a love-hate relation with maknae line

bc they are so loud and dumb

but she loves them bc it wouldnt be the same without them

doesn't like animals

actually she can't stand them

only child and very spoiled by her only unnie and her oppas (vocal line from bts)

it's a good friend with changbin (from stray kids) they went to school together

and chan from seventeen it's her bestie

IT'S A LEO

our lovely leader

choi chae rin

no, she is not soobins sister

only have the same brain

like lost soulmates

kidding

from big hit (trainee since 2013)

99' liner

and bts little sister

it's a producer, rapper, vocal and dancer

the perfect girl

and an idiot

in a good way

tries so hard to be there for her members

she don't want them to have a bad moment bc of haters and stuff

so always tries her best

it's beomgyu fav noona

he could not stop talking about her when the show was happening

it's REALLY close with the boys

and pd nim daughter (like chan and jyp way)

didnt want to be the leader

but ruby (aka her bestie for life) bagged

without her lit girls could be a total mess

loves ice cream and butterflies

a virgo

OKAY THIS ONE

wang ruby

chinese-argentinian living in korea

under big hit since she was 14

a 00 liner

her stamina last forever

LIKE SHE IS SO HYPE

and kinda dumb she's actually a genius but it's shy and doesn't belive in herself that much

their fans think more of her like an unnie than a maknae

she is mature and serius when it comes the time

so she is like 'ruby-unnie' to her 00 friends (hyeyeon and nao)

a rapper, vocalist and dancer

sometimes a producer and song writer

loves mamamoo and wheein

her dream it's a collab with her

and also a collab with 3racha

bc seojoo show her some music and now it's a fan

it's friends with everyone

a fake sunshine bc when she mad

oh boy

she is M A D

may kill u or just make u suffer for a long time

so don't mess up w/ her

REALLY close with Heejin and HyunJin from loona (went to same school)

and shuhua (g-idle) just bc she know chinese (multilingual queen)

AQUARIUS

jung hye yeon

main vocal

center

and a cutie

looks like an angel

and it's one

like she is so good to every single one

00 liner

under source music

usted to be friends w umji

knows little english

and it's really good at maths

her dance skills glow up in such a short time

and also her vocals

voice of an goddess

high notes own her

and the best facial expressions

it's shy around boys but

girls?

confident gay comes out

lot of winks and joke

and giggles

nothing can make her mad

she is just so sweet :(

and caring

a cute little piscis

not like the other one

mirasae naoki

00 liner

under blockberry creative

best friend of gowon

and a crackhead

a big one

but she has a lot of talents

knows about beatbox and football

and a rapper

but a vocalist

has big eyes that could melt your heart

and a voice that sends you to heaven

but she is evil

loves mesing around

and it's so easy going with everyone

no matter nationality or age

she is going to be your friend after all

okay but seriously

she is an amazin dancer

her moves are perfect and learns fast every choreo

it's the tallest

and tease all her members w that

it's so different from hyeyeon

but share birthday

yeah she is a pisces

okay this one

park zuri (eunwon in korean)

short and cute

02' liner

from source music

a rapper

from australia

she was kinda shy when meet the others

but now?

has no shame to drag her members down

she roast them why free style

her korean it's perfect

bc her dad it's a korean teacher and her mum a famous writer

her dream was to be like CL

now she wants to be herself and make music

knows how to play the piano

and sings pretty good

but still it's better in rap

small bean

yeonjun and jungkook want to protect her

but she really doesn't need that

it's a strong and brave girl

but cannot sleep without her tata plushie

witch makes taehyungs heart melt bc SHE IS ADORABLE

Scorpio

and finally

park hye jin

maknae

03' liner

the baby of big hit

the princess

and perfect girl

from rainbow bridge world

so she is one of the main vocalist

her voice it's so sweet and soft

like her

and when she is singing and smiles like :>

OMG AKSIWJWJISJD CUTE CUTE

she is the favorite

everyone loves her

bc she is perfect

calls taehyun oppa bc they are good friends and the rest shipps them in secret (bc they're still kids)

anyways

has three older brothers that go to every event just to look at her and say hi

the fandom thinks of her like a baby koala

and thats her nickname

koajinnie

a whole cutie

for being a capricorn

finally

Sorry if there're mistakes, i tried my best :<

byebye~~

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