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December 20, 2023

Person of the Year: Taylor Swift 

Elyssa Efici

Taylor Swift has had an incredible impact on the music industry and beyond. Her talent, hard work, and dedication have propelled her to great heights.

In the world of music and pop culture, few names shine as brightly as Taylor Swift. With her captivating voice, heartfelt lyrics, and unwavering dedication, Swift has become a force to be reckoned with. Recently, her remarkable achievements were recognized by Time magazine, naming her their Person of the Year. Let's explore the reasons behind this well-deserved honor.

Taylor Swift's rise to stardom began at a young age when she showcased her songwriting skills and undeniable talent. With her debut album, "Taylor Swift," she captured the hearts of millions with her relatable lyrics and catchy melodies. From there, she continued to evolve as an artist, experimenting with various genres and pushing the boundaries of her sound. Each album release marked a new chapter in her musical journey, earning her critical acclaim and a loyal fanbase.

One of Swift's defining qualities is her fearlessness. She fearlessly expresses her emotions, experiences, and vulnerabilities through her music. This authenticity resonates with her fans, creating a deep connection that transcends boundaries. Swift's ability to capture the essence of human emotions has made her an icon for self-expression and empowerment.

Beyond her musical achievements, Taylor Swift has also made a significant impact through her philanthropic endeavors and activism. She has consistently used her platform to advocate for causes close to her heart, such as education, disaster relief, and the fight against sexual assault. Swift's generosity and dedication to making a positive change in the world have inspired countless others to do the same.

Taylor Swift's journey from a young aspiring musician to a global superstar and Time's Person of the Year is a testament to her talent, resilience, and unwavering dedication. Through her music, philanthropy, and activism, she has touched the lives of millions and continues to inspire others to chase their dreams and make a difference. Taylor Swift's accomplishments are not only a celebration of her success but also a reminder of the power of authenticity, fearlessness, and compassion.

February 7, 2023

Taylor Swift's Ticket Mania

Elyssa Efici

The last time Swift has gone on tour was in 2018, right before the pandemic hit, performing for fans all across the world on her Reputation Stadium Tour. After her 6th album she came out with 4 additional albums including Lover, Folklore, Evermore and just recently, Midnights. During these four albums, she did not tour. But  when tickets were put out in December, fans were raving about her upcoming Eras tour. All across the country, fans were raving about it, posting on social media, and registering as quickly as possible for the presale. There were two given opportunities for fans; one being the PreSale registration where you get to choose your seats and have first dibs over them, and the second being regular sale. Regular sale, pretty much known as the leftovers from presale. 

However, this time, tickets were completely sold out after PreSale and no regular sales took place. Fans claim when registering for presale, they couldn't even make it past the queue and had been waiting in line for hours. Fans posting their experiences with the struggle to get through Presale registration on social media platforms like TikTok. After finding out there were no more tickets left for regular sale, fans became frustrated and crazy over these tickets. Rumors that consisted of bots fleeting the website and purchasing a substantial amount of tickets at once could have caused a glitch in the system, leaving true “Swifities” with nothing. An investigation took place to discover why these tickets sold within the span of less than 5 days. Swifties were hating and bashing Ticketmaster for the horrible inconveniences it gave them when struggling to obtain tickets. 

The day after fans found out they could not go to her concert unless they were part of the PreSale, Swift had posted an Instagram story claiming her own frustrations about this whole thing and how she will make things happen the right way for future events. A few days later, TicketMaster explained their crash in the system. They apologized for the occurrence and stated that they strive to make purchasing Taylor Swift tickets a good experience, as well as apologizing to her fans and sympathizing with the frustrations that came to play.

However, Verified Fan, a branch of TicketMaster, states that it's designed to help manage hit demand shows as well as identifying real humans and bots. Keeping out bots helps avoid overcrowding to make the time shorter and sales to go through smoother. Ticketmaster states, “Over 3.5 million people pre-registered for TaylorSwiftTix Presale powered by Verified Fan, which is the largest registration in history.” Based on pre-registration, Ticketmaster knew this was going to be a big selling show, but did not take enough precautions to make this enjoyable for fans. 40% of fans who got into presale purchased an average of 3 tickets each and the remaining 2 million were placed on the waitlist, not knowing that they had a small chance of purchasing tickets, after those who received codes to get into presale (ticketmaster business). Ticketmaster also claims that they've been able to manage large volumes interested in purchasing tickets. A large number of bot attacks caused traffic on the site and even a glitch, resulting in 3.5 billion requests within the system. Ticketmaster states they “estimate about 15% of interactions across the site experienced issues, and that’s 15% too many, including passcode validation errors that caused fans to lose tickets they had carted.” 

February 1, 2022

Charlie Puth: Light Switch 

Elyssa Efici

"Light Switch" is a song by American singer Charlie Puth that was released as the lead single of his upcoming third studio album, Charlie, on January 20, 2022.  Puth, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and Jake Torrey wrote “Light Switch”, which Puth also produced.The song is a groovy, upbeat pop ballad with Puth singing about his desire to be a love interest. The song was hinted on his TikTok account multiple times, prompting the video to go popular on the site, with numerous videos utilizing the music. After replying to a message on Twitter in September 2021, Puth indicated that "a single" will be released in 2022. That same month, he previewed "Light Switch" on TikTok, showcasing him chronicling the song's production. On September 18, 2021, a pre-save for the song was made accessible after the video got viral on the platform. Puth teased the song in different TikTok videos over the rest of 2021. Puth announced the release date and cover art for "Light Switch" on his social networks on January 18, 2022.

Puth's YouTube account launched an official music video for the song a few hours after it was released. Christian Breslauer directed the music video.The song video opens with Puth sitting in his chair, out of shape following an assumed split. He encounters a Tae Bo teacher (Billy Blanks) who urges him to get back into shape by doing various workouts and other chores like painting fences, cleaning, and buying $100 worth of Bitcoin. Later, Puth is shown singing the last chorus to his ex in front of a big sign that reads "SORRY," only to discover that the ex has a new, out-of-shape lover. Puth is led away by the trainer when he arrives. Puth states in the YouTube comments section of the video, "I came up with the concept for this music video based on an idea I had and discussed with Christian Breslauer, a fantastic filmmaker. I wanted to depict all the things we strive to alter about ourselves in order to catch that unrequited love in a lighthearted way, while deep down we should be changing our life just for the benefit of ourselves and no one else."

"Light Switch '' has a dreamy '80s shine to it, as well as a slew of Puth's unique embellishments, such as lip-smacking ad-libs and hooks buried inside bigger hooks, making for a gorgeous pop fantasia and a welcome homecoming. It's Puth's first solo single since 2019, and it follows his sophomore album, Voicenotes, from 2018, which included pop radio hits like "Attention" and "How Long." Charlie, the 30-year-old artist's upcoming album, is now in the works. "Light Switch'' instantly gets a listener up and moving with a dance-floor-ready tempo and an intriguing synth pattern that harkens back to the past. Charlie keeps the song's lyrics light as well, concentrating mostly on ephemeral passion and, well, profiting on it. It's evident that Charlie is referring to some promiscuous action with lines like "Why you callin' at 11:30 / When you only want to do me dirty? (Uh-uh, uh-uh) / But I hit right back / Cause you got that-that, yeah," and that enthusiasm continues throughout the tune. The chorus continues, referring to these occasions, saying, "You turn me on like a light switch / When you're movin' your body around and around / Now, I don't wanna fight this (No) / You know how to just make me want to.

Overall, the song is a bright addition to the legendary singer's catalog, and it might very well be the figurative sonic gateway to a new chapter in his career. According to Rolling Stone, "Light Switch" is the first new song off the star's highly anticipated album, Charlie, which is slated to be published by Atlantic Records in late 2022.

November 23, 2021

ABBA New Release of Album Voyage

Maya Tomczyk and Elyssa Efici

ABBA is a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Their unique name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names. ABBA is one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time. TABBA has achieved 48 hit singles. In 1974, ABBA was Sweden’s first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest (50th-anniversary celebration) with the song “Waterloo”, which in 2005 was chosen as the best song in the competition.

They became one of the best-selling music acts in the history of pop music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1983, and now their back again in 2021. 

The band consisted of two married couples during its most active years. Their personal lives worsened as their fame grew, leading to the dissolution of both marriages. The group's music reflected the changes in their relationships, with later works incorporating darker lyrics, eventually causing the group to take a break. After the breakup of ABBA in December 1982, two of the members, Andersson and Ulvaeus continued to write music for musicals, films, and a variety of other television works. While the remaining members of the group, Faltskog and Lyngstad pursued individual careers.

With worldwide record sales estimated to be between 150 million and 385 million the group was ranked third in best-selling singles artists in the United Kingdom. Additionally ABBA is  the best-selling Swedish band of all time as well as the best-selling continental European band. ABBA Gold, a compilation released ten years after the group disbanded, became a worldwide best-seller. 

The songs of ABBA were turned into “Mamma Mia!”, a successful musical that toured the world and is still in the top 10 longest-running musicals on Broadway and the West End as of November 2021. The same-named film, which was released in 2008, was awarded many accolades  in the UK that year. “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”, a sequel, was released in 2018. In 2016, the band reformed and began planning a virtual reality performance tour and in 2018, new recordings were announced. Voyage, their first new album in 40 years, was released on November 5, 2021.

Following the album's announcement on September 2, 2021, the band released two lead singles: "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don't Shut Me Down," both of which were released after the album's announcement. On October 22, 2021, the album's third single, "Just A Notion," was released. Since 2017, when they announced that two songs had been written and produced but would not be released until September, the Swedish band has been hinting at new music.``When You Danced With Me," "Bumblebee," and other popular tunes are among the ten tracks on Voyage. Current band members Benny Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus wrote all of the songs. This was one of ABBA's most commercially successful albums. 

Voyage has become ABBA's most successful record in the United States. On November 20, 2021, just over two weeks after its release, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart,  which surpassed their previous peak of number 14 in 1978. With over 204,000 chart sales, the album was also a great success worldwide, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart and becoming one of the fastest-selling albums of 2021 there. This was ABBA's first number one album in the United Kingdom since ABBA Gold, which charted at number one in 1992, 1999, and 2008. The record debuted at the top of Germany’s album chart as well, with 200,000 sales.  It sold more copies in its first week than the rest of the albums chart put together, and it also temporarily topped the year-end albums chart. The album charted at number six in Italy. 

It sold 82,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, including 78,000 album sales (60,500 of which were physical), making it the week's best-selling album.

November 11, 2021

All Too Well (Short Film) - Taylor Swift 

Elyssa Efici 

Taylor Swift's upcoming short film All Too Well is written, directed, and produced by herself. It stars Sadie Sink, Dylan O'Brien, and Swift in unspecified roles and is based on Swift's 2012 song "All Too Well." On November 12, 2021, the film will be released alongside Swift's second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version).

Taylor Swift has revealed that her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version), will be released on November 12, 2021, and is a re-recording of Swift's fourth studio album Red (2012).  It includes a re-recorded version of the fan-favorite track "All Too Well," as well as a bonus track "from the vault" with the original 10-minute version.  On November 5, 2021, Good Morning America debuted a trailer for Swift's All Too Well, a short film based on the song that she wrote and directed. Along with Red (Taylor's Version), it will be released online on November 12. The trailer featured Swift, American actress Sadie Sink, and American actor Dylan O'Brien in a vintage car travelling down a road surrounded by autumnal trees. 

Swift confirmed via her social media platforms on November 11, 2021 that All Too Well was shot in 35 mm film format, with cinematography by Rina Yang. Sadie Sink, Dylan O'Brien, and Taylor Swift are among the cast members in this film. On November 12, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. EST, the film will be posted on YouTube, 19 hours after Red (Taylor's Version) was released at midnight.

Swift will appear in the short film alongside Sadie Sink from Stranger Things and Dylan O'Brien from Teen Wolf. Sink and O'Brien have both voiced their admiration for Swift's music in the past, so their presence in the short film is a particular gift for Swift fans.

She made a surprise revelation that graphics for the 10-minute version of her hit breakup song would be released. Though she only offered a brief glimpse of what's to come, which included a car travelling down a gorgeous winding road, more information about the short film has begun leaking ahead of its November 12 release date, which coincides with the release of Red (Taylor's Version).Swift confirmed the short film's Easter eggs via a remark on a fan's TikTok video, which stated that the car in the clip was manufactured in 1989 (the year, you may recall, after which she named her Grammy-winning fifth studio album). Swift added alongside four laughing emojis, "Can't stop won't stop being cryptic and weird- that's only the beginning, it's going to be a wonderful week."

November 3, 2021

Latest News on Adele’s Upcoming Album "30"

Elyssa Efici 

It has been a while since fans have all heard from Adele and now it is time to emotionally prepare for the return of the legend herself. After many weeks of hinting to fans the number 30 by obscure projections across the world, Adele has established that the new fourth studio album is coming soon. She released her first single off her fourth studio album on October 15th, 2021. The song “Easy on Me” is the first single Adele has released in more than six years. Fans are patiently and eagerly waiting for this album to drop as the single leaves them with joy and suspense.  

Adele shared a sneak peek of her latest single on Instagram. She gave fans an idea of what “Easy on Me” sounds like during a recent Instagram live stream. She sung a few lyrics during the online session, “There ain’t no gold in this river”, “That I’ve been washing my hands in forever”, “I know there is hope in these waters'', “But I can’t bring myself to swim when I am drowning in this silence”, and “Baby, let me in''. The singer additionally discussed the subject matter of her upcoming album, which was a question asked by a fan on the live session. She replied to the fan on the live stream saying, “Divorce babe, divorce.” She wrote the song about a finalized divorce from her ex-husband back in March.

The singer's album 30 is releasing on November 19th, as her fourth studio album. She confirmed this as a “meaningful project” to her fans, and the date of release on social media. Many fans asked questions about collaborations on the album and Adele confirmed that her new album features no collaborators, maintaining consistency with her past albums. What is to happen five days before the release of Adele’s new album, 30 , is a televised special titled Adele One Night Only, accompanied by CBS. This is set for November 14, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time and will include the singer performing new songs from her upcoming album, as well as some of her greatest hits and oldies but goodies. Additionally, Adele will have an online discussion with Oprah Winfrey, “from her rose garden,” where the two of them will discuss, “her new album, the stories behind her songs, life after divorce, weight loss, and raising her son.”

The “Easy on Me '' music video was officially premiered on YouTube along with the single’s drop at 7 p.m. Eastern time on October 14, 2021. The music video is described to be tear-jerking and moving. The themed video features a vintage outlook of cinematography, and the video shows Adele singing about forgiveness over her past mistakes as she reflects back on a failed relationship; bringing the mood of the song into a dull, nostalgic, and purifying darkness. 

Along with the hints, music video, and single release to her upcoming album, Adele has also released the official track-list to her new album 30. The track-list is as follows: 1. Strangers by Nature 2. Easy on Me 3. My Little Love 4.Cry Your Heart Out 5. Oh My God 6. Can I Get It 7. I Drink Wine 8. All Night Parking 9.Woman Like Me 10. Hold on 11.To Be Loved 12. Love Is a Game. The singer also included a few bonus tracks: 13. Wild Wild West 14.Can’t Be Together, and lastly, 15. Easy on Me (With Chris Stapleton).