Even though I’ve finally had to accept that summer is over, getting to watch the Sweat tour with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Place Bell transported me back, one final time, to the joys of “BRAT summer.” Prior to the show’s commencement, I made sure to get my “SWEAT[Read More…]
Tag: pop music
‘Short n’ Sweet’ highlights Sabrina Carpenter’s range and confidence as an artist
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5) Following the success of singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” Sabrina Carpenter capped off her summer of pop domination with the release of her sixth studio album Short n’ Sweet on Aug. 23. As a fan of Carpenter’s music since her Singular: Act I (2018)[Read More…]
Cash grab or uninspired choice? Deluxe editions of albums are both
Typically as an artistic or stylistic choice, deluxe editions of albums are released a few months or so following the initial album drop, expanding upon the original record with the inclusion of more songs. With (relatively) recent examples such as Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS (spilled) (2024) and Tyler, the Creator’s CALL[Read More…]
The latest in music: spilling your GUTS and getting Bewitched
Spilling my GUTS on Olivia Rodrigo’s new album Sept. 8th marked the release of GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo’s highly anticipated sophomore album. Her first album, Sour, broke records for the longest-reigning debut album in the Billboard 200 Top 10 and hit the world with a wickedly ensnaring set of songs. Following[Read More…]
‘My 21st Century Blues’ ditches the restraining diktats of music labels
Raye’s debut album, My 21st Century Blues, triumphantly arrives after years of the singer-songwriter battling with an unsupportive record label. With this new project, released on Feb. 3, the British artist charts an independent path with the distribution and artist services company Human Re Sources. Pain, frustration, and the difficult[Read More…]
Justin Bieber: Canada’s wrongfully maligned hero
When we think of famous Canadians named Justin, one particular name comes to mind—and no, it’s not Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Instead, it’s pop sensation and heartthrob Justin Drew Bieber. Though the young man’s initial rise to stardom was met with admiration and praise back in 2009, the musician has[Read More…]
‘The Loneliest Time’ offers up a mixed bag of delights and let-downs
As a long-time Carly Rae Jepsen lover, I have been eagerly awaiting new music since her last project, 2019’s Dedicated and the accompanying Dedicated Side B (2020). While Jepsen’s sixth studio album, The Loneliest Time, certainly doesn’t disappoint, it doesn’t quite knock your socks off either. Released on Oct. 21,[Read More…]
‘Hold The Girl’ explodes with originality, but is lost among the debris
Back in 2020, Rina Sawayama released her debut album, SAWAYAMA, and entered pop consciousness like how one would kick down a door: Fierce and unapologetic. Her sophomore endeavour, Hold The Girl, has Sawayama looking back through the very same doorway, retracing her footsteps down the path of her childhood. Released[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Taylor Swift is her own hot take
As soon as Taylor Swift deleted her Instagram account, her fans (known as “Swifties”) predictably anticipated a new album, which recently was revealed to be entitled Reputation, scheduled for release Nov. 10. Using social media stunts as teasers is commonplace among pop stars and cultural icons, but Swift’s release of[Read More…]
