Los Angeles, live music, lively commentary
Grammy-award winner Charli XCX – a statement that anyone in the industry could appreciate and yet was always hard to imagine. Last night, she made that statement true, picking up three awards for the year-defining brat. In honor of her status as a nominee across the big categories, the academy gave her the closing act …
Last month, a friend invited me to a songwriters panel featuring a few heavy-hitters of today (and regarding two of them, for some time now): Dan Nigro, Blake Slatkin, Theron Thomas, and Amy Allen. We arrived early on account of my broken heel, and our preparation paid off in the form of front row seats, …
To provide an idea of the immensity of Kumi Koda’s videography, it took me 6+ hours just to get through her 2000s output; it took nearly double that to watch it in its entirety. That, coupled with the time it’s taken me to write each of these installments, is the most time I’ve perhaps spent …
In the book she released a decade after her debut, Kumi Koda revealed the immense pressure she faced from both her label and herself during the first few years of her career. Avex made constant comments about her weight, threatening to pull the plug any minute simply over her appearance. For her part, Koda seemed …
When you think of the phrase “music video,” which artist comes to mind? Pioneers like Michael Jackson and Missy Elliott? Icons and disruptors in the vein of Britney and Gaga? Kylie Minogue or FKA twigs? Regardless of whom you consider the best, who is the most prolific? Most would likely settle between Madonna or Beyoncé. …
Not to be bratty, but I’ve seen Charli 10 times now – this was one of her best performances.