Best of 2015
The Vamps
January 2016
K.Flay PHases
STAFF:
Executive Editor Allison Lanza Layout Design & Issue Editor Addie Whelan Director of Content Gabi Talisman Photo Editor: Bailey Flores Contributors:
Beyond The Stage is a digital music magazine based in the United States. You can read Beyond The Stage online for free or visit our website to buy a hard copy. Previous issues are always available to read online or order in print. Read the latest news at: www.beyondthestagemagazine.com
Addie Whelan Allison Lanza Alicia Rangel Alyssa Buzzello Anna Xu Bailey Flores Charlotte Freitag Chelsea Blackman Chelsea Gresh Delaney DeAngelis Emma Donahue Eitan Snyder Gabi Talisman Hannah Jones Lauren DeLapa Lauren Klonowski Samantha Aneed Sam Israel Taylor Cleek Valerie McIntyre
Photographers: Addie Whelan Allison Lanza Alyssa Buzzello Charlotte Freitag Chelsea Gresh Delaney DeAngelis Gabi Talisman
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BTSMag
CONTENTS BEYOND THE STAGE ISSUE 8
06 K.Flay 12 Album Reviews 16 The Vamps 22
iHeart Radio - Jingle Ball Tour 2015 28 Best of 2015 44 Phases 48 Holiday Gift Guide 49 Issue 8 Playlist Beyond The stage magazine | 3
THE 1975 | COLUMBUS, OHIO | DECEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY CHELSEA GRESH
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JAMES BAY | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS | NOVEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY ADDIE WHELAN
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K. FLAY Photos and Words by Allison Lanza
Kristine Flaherty is sitting in her green room inside Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, a beer by her side, when we are first introduced to the musician. Kristine, better known as K.Flay, is preparing to take the stage on the first night of Chicago alternative radio station 101 WKQX’s “Nights We Stole Christmas” event. On the floor below us, fans are flocking to the stage, eagerly awaiting the sold out show’s start. Taking the stage before K.Flay is Grizfolk, and following is Twenty One 6 | Beyond The STage magazine
Pilots. The show boasts an impressive turnout and an intriguing lineup, perhaps as genre-defying as K.Flay’s music tends to be. “I usually categorize it as alternative-indie with a little bit of hip-hop. I think that’s a fair assessment.” K.Flay explains, hesitantly. She says she often struggles to define her music, though she began her career in the hip-hop world. “That was kind of my entry point into music, but
she wanted to gravitate toward. “I didn’t decide I wanted to do it as a career until I was out of school. It’s kind of been a very slow process of music increasingly becoming a part of my life until it kind of eclipsed most other things and became the focal point. I think once I realized that I could tour, support myself and that I enjoyed making music and being creative in that way and enjoyed this kind of strange lifestyle, I thought ‘I could do this’.” And that she can. K.Flay has been out on the road with an impressive list of artists, ranging from Snoop Dogg to Icona Pop, AWOLNATION to most recently, LIGHTS. Her genre-defying sound allows for opportunities to tour with a diverse collection of musicians in genres from rap, electronic, and alternative, to name a few. “I think it’s really good playing for different audiences because it sort of forces you to focus on being the best version of yourself that you can be, because at the end of the day, nobody’s going to like everything. Certain people just aren’t going to like what you do. My goal with every show is, even if people aren’t necessarily going to buy the CD or aren’t huge fans, I hope they leave the show with a sense of like ‘that was a good performance, I kind of respect what this person is doing and I understand it.’ I think a live show is a unique way to do that.” K.Flay describes.
it’s been changing since.” Interestingly enough, K.Flay’s start in music was a bit of a joke, without intentions of making a career out of her talents. She didn’t start making music until she was enrolled at Stanford. “I started making music pretty randomly, when I was in school, as a joke,” she offers. K.Flay graduated from Stanford with a dual degree in psychology and sociology, and it wasn’t until after this that she decided that the music industry was where
“Playing, like, rap shows, or straight up electronic shows, or mega indie shows, the thing that I try to focus on is less trying to fit into a scene, or pandering to an audience, but rather offer that this is authentically what I do, and I hope [crowds] can respect that. I think that took a little bit of time to learn, but once I did, it’s been a great way to play shows.” In an industry full of alteration and manipulation to create an artist’s exact brand, K.Flay stands out as refreshingly unpolished, letting the music speak for itself. When asked what Beyond The STage magazine | 7
separates her from other artists out there doing similar things, K.Flay was quick to speak. “I hope on some level, it’s a sense of honesty and transparency. What you see is what you get. I think that’s reflected in the changes in the music. Like, my inclemation when I write something is just to put it out without much thought of ‘I have to have the right outfit to take the right photo to put out the song.’ Just kind of like, here it is. I think we live and operate in a time where there’s a lot of layers to reality and of course, everyone’s manipulating their own image to some extent, but I try to manipulate it to very few extents.” K.Flay’s list of collaborators include MC Lars and Louis The Child, but a dream collaborator was in the very building, right down the hall-- Twenty One Pilots. “I’m a big Twenty One Pilots fan. I met them maybe two years ago or something, and they’re just super talented, really nice guys. And I think they’re a good
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example of someone who’s also pretty genre-defying. They exist across that spectrum very naturally in a way that’s very cool and I really like it. And there’s an emotionality to their music that appeals to me.” K.Flay grew up in a Chicago suburb, so this show acted as a bit of a homecoming for the artist, though she considers her musical hometown the San Francisco Bay Area. “I grew up [in Chicago], but my musical home is in the Bay Area, so I have this kind of bifurcated origin in a sense so it’s really cool. [Playing in Chicago is] really cool because it feels like a homecoming in a bit of a different way. Even growing up, I mean, I’ve been to shows here, of course, but I wasn’t a music fanatic when I was a teenager. So it’s almost a strange experience, playing shows in the city. It wasn’t like I was a kid going ‘I want to be on that stage,’ but now that I am I’m like ‘wow, this is cool.’”
Bouncing off her dual hometowns, K.Flay mentions that an ultimate goal of hers is to headline and sell out the Fillmore in San Francisco. “For that scene, The Fillmore is a pretty legendary venue. I’ve seen some of my favorite artists there. It’s a great place, it just sounds great, and it has a great history.” After just finishing up a tour with LIGHTS and The Mowglis, K.Flay has nothing but great things to say about the run, and hints at what’s next. “I always really like lineups that are diverse, when people show up and they get like, a bunch of different things. So that’s been great, that finishes up mid December, and then I’m beginning, in a concerted fashion, to work on the next project, which I’ll do for the next two months, and then I’m back on the road!” K.Flay manages to stay busy, and was caught a bit off guard when we asked where she hopes to be in five years. “Five years? Holy shit,” she laughs. “I love making music Beyond The STage magazine | 9
and I love being a part of making music, but there are other creative endeavors I’m interested in as well. Maybe in five years I hope that I’ve explored some of those avenues. Maybe I’m like, a little more settled down, got all the wildness out of me. Not that there’s that much wildness, but you know what I mean. Just like, all the shit that I want to do, I’ve kind of done.” Between excessive tour dates and the development of new musical projects, K.Flay will most certainly stay busy. If this year’s success is any indicator, you’re going to want to keep K.Flay on your radar in 2016.
@KFLAY @KFLAY 10 | Beyond The STage magazine
ALL TIME LOW | CLEVELAND, OHIO | NOVEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY CHELSEA GRESH
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Album Reviews Purpose Justin Bieber Def Jam | School Boy Records
25 Adele XL Recordings Following up an album as successful and acclaimed as 21 is a daunting task. In doing so, Adele had two options. The first: to make an album full of the same heartbroken pop anthems and piano ballads that made 21 a success. The second: to throw out that formula and experiment with new sounds and genres. To Adele’s credit, what makes 25 such a success is that she decided to do both. Her list of collaborators has expanded, as has her sonic palette. The intro to “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” almost sounds like an outtake from 19 before the Max Martin-sized chorus kicks in. The Spanish guitar on “Million Years Ago” shows us a more wistful kind of heartache and also gives Adele a chance to use her robust lower register. Despite all of that, she still knows how to kill a power ballad, as evidenced by smash hit single “Hello”, second single “When We Were Young”, and Bruno Mars co-write “All I Ask”, which is arguably the strongest ballad on the album. The genius in this album is not just in how great these two sides of the album are, but how they are weaved together. “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” follows “Hello”. “All I Ask” follows “Million Years Ago”. Adele flexes her stylistic muscles but still gives people what they loved from 21. This album shows a 21st century icon taking her crown and showing the world exactly how much she is capable of. 5/5 - Eitan Snyder Download: Send My Love (To Your New Lover), Million Years Ago, All I Ask
At the two-minute-thirty mark on Travi$ Scott’s atmospheric album cut “Maria I’m Drunk,” the magic begins. An uncharacteristically crass Justin Bieber alternates between singing and rapping with a dark, brooding quality to his voice that the world had yet to hear from him up until that moment. As Young Thug wails behind him, Bieber proves that he has a stronger artistic point of view than his previous work allowed him to showcase. A victim to the strict rules of traditional pop, the Canadian singer had never been afforded the opportunity to take sonic, lyrical, and conceptual risks until now. Having spent the majority of his formative years in the public eye, Justin Bieber has been vulnerable his entire life. This characteristic, however, has consistently been absent from his musical output. Bogged down by the pressure to be as commercially successfully as possible, he used to be frustratingly insincere in his lyricism. His artistic point of view had been tragically buried miles below his highly-manufactured surface. With Purpose, Bieber finally takes control of his voice, image, and persona. With the exception of a couple clear A&R-planted missteps, notably “Children” and “Life is Worth Living,” the cloyingly saccharine lyricism that defined his earlier releases has been replaced by vulnerability and cleverness. Bieber alternates seamlessly between R&B and pop, sounding equally confident in both genres. The album is a snapshot a full-fledged superstar attempting to find the proper balance between approachability and edginess. Bieber opts to take a gradual departure from his previous work rather than a stark one, as to ensure that he does not alienate his core fanbase. Purpose is peppered with “Maria I’m Drunk”-esque moments of innovation and experimentation, but never fully strays from Bieber’s pop core. 4/5 - Charlotte Freitag Download: “No Pressure (feat. Big Sean),” “Company” and “Trust”
Made in the A.M. One Direction Sony Music | Simco
Their first effort without Zayn Malik and the last before their infamous break, One Direction’s highly anticipated fifth album, Made In The AM has proven to be some of their best work since forming back in 2011. This record, much like their past two, hints at different genres, making it hard to label.
is the ballad of the album. With lyrics like “I hope that you listen/’cause I’ve let my guard down/I’m completely defenseless,” it shows a real rawness in their songwriting. Each of the members make an appearance in the track, but most of the vocal work is done by Styles and bandmate Louis Tomlinson.
Opening the album with “Hey Angel” brings an uplifting energy to get things started the right way. The album then moves on to the collection’s first single, “Drag Me Down” which has a lower, darker feel than most of the other tracks. The now infamous second single, “Perfect” which is rumored to be about Harry Style’s ex Taylor Swift, has a dream-like feeling that makes it one of the better songs on the record.
“Olivia” will be a favorite for all the young Olivias of the world, considering the whole song comprises of One Direction singing how much they love and long for a girl by that name. The song is catchy, but the end harmony is truly the highlight. Tomlinson sings, “don’t let me go,” while the other three join in with a long “Olivia,” creating a seamless, beautiful harmony. The record closes with the ever so catchy “History” which makes for a nice full circle ending to a great album. 4/5 - Lauren Klonowski
“End of the Day” is a lighthearted song full of cliché lyrics and is easily looked over, much like “What a FeelDownload: “Hey Angel”, “Perfect”, “Love You Goodbye” ing” and “I Want to Write You a Song.” “If I Could Fly”
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Album Reviews (continued) A Head Full of Dreams Coldplay Parlophone | Atlantic Records Coldplay enters the electric pop and dance community once again with their seventh album A Head Full of Dreams. The album also features a few tracks that take fans back to the old days before the band added the electric pop to their sound. A Head Full of Dreams is a record that both new and old fans will appreciate. In the past, Coldplay was known for their alternative-indie sound. Some fans have hoped the band would go back to their old roots, however since the band entered electric pop world, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of them doing a “throwback” album. Have no fear, though: Coldplay does take us back to their old days with a track. Coldplay’s song “Fun” featuring alternative-pop artist Tove Lo mixes the band’s indie alternative and electric pop sound along with a hint of Tove Lo’s influence as well. We also somewhat get a bit of the band’s old sound with “Amazing Day.” The track again utilizes their newer electric pop sound while also taking you back to the beginning years of the band. Coldplay also had some experimenting of all different sounds on the track “Up & Up.” Adding choir backup vocals, the song also features a nice guitar riff towards the end that makes the track enjoyable and the perfect end to the album. A Head Full of Dreams is much more synth-pop and electric dance than Coldplay’s previous release, Ghost Stories. The album even ventures into some hints of a disco influence, as heard in their first single from the album “Adventure of a Lifetime.” One highlight track that is a must hear is “Everglow.” Lead singer Chris Martin collaborates with ex-wife, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, as she sings background vocals on the song. 3.5/5 - Valerie McIntyre
Life In Real Time Paradise Fears DigSin On December 4th, Paradise Fears released their newest album, Life in Real Time. After growing a large following without having label or management support, Paradise Fears signed to DigSin for the release of this album. Paradise Fears are known for their motivational and introspective lyrics. This album is no different, though with a slightly different twist. There’s an interesting juxtaposition of uplifting and upbeat instrumentals paired with lyrics that bring in a sense of loneliness and distress. Paired together, it brings in a sense of hope, and that everything will be okay in the end. Instrumentally, the band experimented with different styles than their usual pop influenced music. At first, “Where to Begin” feels like a mess of different tempos and rhythms, but it’s something different that makes an interesting opening song. “Guard (Interlude)” serves as an instrumental interlude that transitions to vocals that seem a little robotic. “Sentiment” is one of their most rock-influenced songs to date, and gives the vibe of a mainstream pop-rock band. “Say My Name” is a catchy pop-rock song that would be perfect for radio play or on a movie soundtrack. On various songs, the band experiments with echoes and electronic elements. Regardless of instrumental experimentation, the album still sounds like a Paradise Fears album. There’s still the trademark Paradise Fears lyrics and the raw, passionate voice of Sam Miller that really bring the tone of the lyrics to life. Paradise Fears is an extremely talented band, and Life in Real Time really shows that they should be taken seriously in the music world. 4/5 - Delaney DeAngelis Download: “Talk About It” “Who We Were With” and “Sentiment”
Download: “Adventure of a Lifetime”, “Everglow”, “Fun (Feat. Tove Lo)”, and “Amazing Day”.
Free TC Ty Dolla $ign Atlantic Records
Ty Dolla Sign’s Free TC is a study in well-executed maximalism. Backed by lush, ornate soundscapes and assisted by nearly two-dozen high-profile collaborators, Ty pulls all the stops to create an unforgettable listening experience. Despite all the mayhem surrounding him, he rarely allows his guests to outshine him on his own tracks. The album only includes two solo cuts, yet it still feels undeniably his own. Ty’s coy personality and arresting vocals command all the attention, even when a full orchestra or an inspirational speech from Kanye West threaten to steal the stage. To pigeonhole Free TC as simply a R&B album is downright disrespectful. Doing so undermines the far-reaching range of influences woven thoughtfully into the the album’s structure. Although Ty Dolla Sign’s major label debut is largely centered around R&B, elements of gospel, hip hop, orchestral, and rock are interpolated seamlessly throughout. Free TC is sonically ambitious, drawing upon several discordant sources for inspiration and tying them together into a cohesive package. Although nearly all of the sixteen tracks are credited to a different producer, the songs
flow nicely together in sequence. The album is as wide-ranging in lyrical content as it is in production values, as infectious party cuts are juxtaposed thoughtfully with heavier tracks about gang violence, police brutality, and gratitude. The most touching moment on the album arrives at the halfway mark, as Big TC, Ty’s incarcerated brother and the album’s namesake, croons soulfully about redemption on “Miracle / Wherever.” The eight-minute track begins with minimal instrumentation and later erupts into a gospel-referencing orchestral magnum opus. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability for the effortlessly cool bad-boy. Free TC is a powerful, exquisite body of work that showcases not only Ty Dolla Sign’s musical abilities, but also his innate talent for curation. 4/5 - Charlotte Freitag Download: “Miracle / Wherever (feat. Big TC & D-LOC)”, “Solid (feat. Babyface)” & “LA (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Brandy & James Fauntleroy)”
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NEW POLITICS | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | DECEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY ALYSSA BUZZELLO
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NATE RUESS | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS | OCTOBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY ALLISON LANZA
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THE VAMPS Photos and Words By Gabi Talisman
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We met with The Vamps at Webster Hall, late in the afternoon on the day of the band’s recent record release show for their sophomore album Wake Up. Before getting inside to talk to the band, we made sure to speak to a few of the girls in the line outside the venue, many huddled together due to the very cold temperatures. “I got here at seven am� one fan told us, clearly brimming with excitement to see the band in such an intimate venue, more a rarity then ever with The Vamps these days.
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Bradley Will Simpson, James McVey, Tristan Evans and Connor Ball are The Vamps, worldwide pop sensations (we think this term fits a little bit more than the commonly used “boy band”, as all four band members play instruments both on the album, and onstage). Formed in 2012 and quickly gaining wide support among fans who found them through Youtube with both covers and original songs racking up hundreds of thousands of views in a short time, The Vamps quickly found the power of social media support and the fans behind those accounts. The thousands behind the supportive tweets and Youtube comments were quick to show support at live shows as well, with word spreading about their concerts being incredibly impressive for a band that really hasn’t been around very long. Even with still-growing venues and a fan base on the rise, the band does have an ultimate goal. “We said today Madison Square Garden, we drove past it.” Tristan told us, with Brad quickly adding “And South America, we’re going next year. We’ve heard a lot of crazy things about South American shows.” We find those goals achievable because of two things: the band’s live show, and their incredible fans. We, at BTS, have had the pleasure of seeing the band perform twice at two very different shows, though both were very enthusiastic and entertaining. The first, at a bigger venue in Minneapolis a few months ago, teaming with fans as young as seven or eight, all the way up to the moms humming along who, although they might have been “forced” to bring their teenager, knew the words to sing along too. It was a packed set full of originals and covers, and a lot of screams of “I love you!” from the audience, but it was missing one thing: new music. Some of the fans who had seen the band play supporting their debut album Meet The Vamps more than once remarked that they needed new music to play at live shows, and that those new songs needed to be ready for their live show, unlike some of the songs on their first record. When we heard the new album, we knew certainly it was a step up from their debut, and that a lot of that had to do with the way the album was put together this time through. “It’s different every time, song writing, it depends, it happens all around the world for us - when we’re at home, when we’re on tour, so all the time. It pretty much starts with someone in a hotel room or at home with a guitar, they come up with something and after that initial stage of maybe writing like a verse, we share it with the others and it kind of goes from there,” James told us about the bands initial work on a song. He continued saying, “The other three boys have got really into producing, so we’re lucky we’re able to make - well I was going to say demos, but we can actual make the entire song at home or on the road at the same time. It kind of starts maybe with one or two of us and then it expands out to everyone and we all kind of contribute to it.” When asked about recording in a studio versus recording on their own in their home studios, Connor jumped in quickly, saying, “It depends, like two of the 18 | Beyond The stage magazine
songs we recorded ourselves which weren’t in a proper studio, they were in the Pig House Studios which is Tristan’s home studio, and mine, which is yet to be named. It just depends how we want to do it, if we want to do it on our own or with a producer that could take it somewhere else we wouldn’t usually go.” James, takes less of a production perspective and more of a band perspective, said that “There’s no time restraint when we are doing work in our own ones. Sometimes in the studio I feel like there’s a bit of pressure occasionally when you have set hours that you’re in the studio for, when we’re producing on the road you can really take the time to do it exactly how you want it.” The collaboration from each band member on Wake Up definitely shows through, with not only each member’s talent being represented both with behind the scenes production and instrumentals on the album, but their individual music interests as well. “Well, I think the whole music industry has kind of changed in the past couple years. It’s a lot more 80s influence and EDM music has kind of come in.” Brad started, “There’s not a lot of raw bands now in the mainstream pop world. When we play live we try to sound more like, well a lot more raw sound, a lot more organic band just because of the nature of what we play on stage, like our drums and the electric guitars and bass, so we try to take what we sound like live. But for this album, we’ve tried to bring in more electronic and 80s influence stuff but still cater to the band, kind of like MGMT, they do it really well. I think Imagine Dragons did it quite well too. Even The 1975, they get that electronic sound so it caters to the mainstream with a specific sound, but they still sound like them so that’s what we’ve tried to do.” With their sophomore release Wake Up, The Vamps have tried (and succeeded) to integrate electronic sound while still actually sounding like the band they are, and not a boy band with a backing track. Opening with the infectious title track “Wake Up”, the album makes fifteen (!!) songs seem like a breeze in an age of EPs and radio singles. The album clearly caters to the fans who’ve stuck by them since their early days, but moves the band to a more mature place then the first album actually dealt with. “Windmills,” “Cheater” and “Coming Home” are standouts from the album: pop songs unmistakably instrumented by those who wrote them, and very clearly made to be played live. “‘Wake Up’ is fun for our live show, and ‘Rest Your Love’ is really good live just because of the good tempo, we played it recently and that was very upbeat. That was the crowd favorite.” James said when asked about favorites from Wake Up to play live, with Brad adding that “We also liked ‘Wake Up’ because it’s the first song and that really influenced the rest of the album, I also think we all liked different ones, but there’s like four or five that we’re really excited to play live this year.” It certainly felt like there were more then four or five they were excited to play the second time we saw The Vamps, shortly Beyond The stage magazine | 19
after this interview at their release show in New York City: it was like watching a band mature four years in four months. Even more present on stage and clearly proud of the reactions they were getting towards the songs they had worked on for more then a year, it was great to watch fans who had waited patiently for new music be granted exactly what they wished for, and have the band be happy about the music they were putting out as well. In the “age of streaming”, where many fans are no longer paying for music and instead use services to play albums that would have been ten or fifteen dollars a few years ago, the fact that their live show is incredible is by far The Vamp’s greatest asset. The Vamps have always been at the cutting edge of social media, keeping up with fans in any way they can, and have definitely kept up with streaming, with nearly 500,000 Spotify followers. Instead of lamenting about potentially lost album sales to these streaming services, The Vamps are getting fans to their shows, constantly touring with no foreseeable stopping point. Bringing along opening acts
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they believe in like The Tide, the first act they signed to their label, to warm the crowd up keeps the energy going from the moment they step on the stage to the moment they step off, The Vamps fully deserve their headline touring success. Having opened for acts like Selena Gomez, The Wanted, McFly, and Taylor Swift, they’ve clearly picked up a few things. 2015 brought The Vamps a new album and plenty of new touring, and while they had plenty of “new,” their stage presence, live show, and music all stayed true to the band themselves. With so much new in 2015, we had to ask: what about 2016? Brad answered quickly, telling us, “Lots of touring, lots of shows, trying to get out to see as many people as we can. The live shows are the biggest part of it all, so we’re gonna try over Christmas and go into the new year to make the live show as good as it can be especially with the new material we have. Hopefully they can expect a whole new live show and a very sweaty experience.”
NATHAN SYKES | DETROIT, MICHIGAN | DECEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY DELANEY DEANGELIS
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IHEART
RADIO JINGLE BALL TOUR CHICAGO, IL
WORDS BY ALLISON LANZA | PHOTOS BY CHELSEA GRESH
CONRAD SEWELL
BTS: What’s your favorite part about being on the Jingle Ball tour? Conrad Sewell: I mean, it’s just cool, ‘cause you only have to do three songs, so you can like have a beer earlier in the night and then not have to worry about playing a long set. And you just meet like, a bunch of artists that you love and I get to see the country, which is cool for me. BTS: What is your songwriting process like? CS: I mean, I play the piano, so like, I usually just sit down at the piano and come up with some type of melody first and then, yeah, it could come from anywhere. Whether it’s a relationship or just wanting to sort of write about someone else, like I’ve written about my brother before. He’s always dating like, devil women, so if my song’s about cheating, it’s never usually about me, 22 | Beyond The stage magazine
it’s usually about my brother getting cheated on. So it just depends. I think as a songwriter, you just kind of see songs in everything. BTS: Do you have a dream venue that you’d like to play someday? CS: I mean, we played Madison Square Garden last week, that was such a dream venue. I mean, I’d love to play Wembley. That’d be sick. BTS: Do you have a favorite holiday memory that you can share? CS: I think, just, all my family members, all my Christmas memories, just dancing to N’SYNC around the Christmas tree. Like, boy band moves, me and my brothers. Pretty cool kids, we were.
R. CITY
BTS: What’s your favorite part of being on the Jingle Ball Tour? Theron Thomas: Every night, getting on that stage, hearing all of those people recite the lyrics to your song is the greatest feeling ever. Because, you know, with all the success we’ve had with writing songs for other artists, nothing beats hearing fans screaming the words of your own song. So I think that, the response from the fans, is really cool. Tim Thomas: As kids, our father used to make us rehearse. We used to live in the projects. We used to re-
hearse in the living room for our father in this small, little space and perform, and we couldn’t go outside and play until he got up. So we rehearsed for like, two hours a day, everyday. Just growing up and being in this position, and being on these stages and getting the reaction, all the hard work as kids paid off. Our father is a genius. We’re just happy to be here, man, we’re really excited. That’s the best part, you know? Being on that stage and just going back to those moments is very, very special to me and my brother. Beyond The stage magazine | 23
TOVE LO
BTS: What’s your favorite part about being on the Jingle Ball tour? Tove Lo: Umm, well, it’s cool because it’s kind of like, a mini festival, sort of traveling around. It’s been really fun to watch all of the other acts. I know some of them already, ‘cause we’re label mates, and stuff, but to get to see more of the states, and kind of go back to some of my
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favorite cities. I’ve had a lot of fun in Chicago and places, but it’s inspiring to see other artists at different levels and different types of music, you know, and how they do their live show. I always try to take in and get inspired by their shows and see what they do, so it’s been really fun. Also playing, you know, arena stages. I don’t get to do that a lot, so that’s really awesome!
HAILEE
STEINFELD
BTS: Since you’re getting started with your music career, what’s a dream venue that you have to play? Hailee Steinfeld: Oh my God. I played Madison Square Garden, which I never in a million years thought that would ever happen, let alone in the first year that I released music, so that was pretty unbelievable. I can’t wait to play these venues I’m playing on this Jingle Ball Tour on my own tour.
BTS: Can you tell us one of your favorite holiday memories? Charlie Puth: In 2008, I was in a lodge in Vermont. This is kind of lame, but like, my first YouTube video that I ever put up started to blow up on Christmas Eve. I just remember it snowing, and I was by myself on my laptop in this really nice lodge, and it smelled like-- I like smells, so it smelled really nice. So, my “great Christmas” memory was me on a computer.
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SHAWN MENDES
BTS: Do you have a favorite holiday memory that you could share with our readers? Shawn Mendes: When I was younger, I used to go to my grandad’s house and all of my family would stay in the same house. When we’d wake up, there were like, a hundred of us in the morning, on Christmas morning. It’s always really nice to remember.
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5 SECONDS OF SUMMER
DNCE
5 SECONDS OF SUMMER
DNCE
SELENA GOMEZ NICK JONAS
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Compiled by Beyond The Stage Staff 28 | Beyond The stage magazine
POP ALBUMS 25 Adele
Made In The A.M. One Direction
Purpose Justin Bieber
Bursting into popularity in 2011, Adele took the music world by storm. With 21 topping charts worldwide and Rolling in the Deep being featured in several movies and TV shows, Adele quickly became a well-known artist loved by fans of all genres. Her soul and R&B influenced pop appeals to all listeners, and fans were eager for more soon after 21 was released. However, Adele took a four year break between albums before her release of 25, creating even more interest towards its release. 25 has an even more raw sound than 21, Adele’s vocals full of emotion and speaking of the pain and strain of love. 25 is mature and full of the knowledge that comes with four years of life experience. For anyone who really falls in love with an artist, an album or song with a more stripped down sound is like a gift. Hearing the artist’s pure sound with little editing and mixing creates an even stronger connection to the music, and Adele provides exactly this connection with 25. This album, beautiful and painful entwined in a bittersweet flow of pure talent rightfully earned its place on our Top 5 Pop Albums of 2015. If you have not listened yet, a day devoted to listening to this album would be a day well spent. ---Emma Donahue
One Direction has made 2015 their year. Despite former member Zayn Malik leaving the group earlier this year, the band still stayed strong through it all and managed to release one of pop’s best albums this year. One Direction’s album Made in the A.M. is on our Best Pop Albums list because the band had more writing involvement, experimented with some awesome new sounds, and it’s an album that anyone can and should enjoy. You don’t have to be a 1D fan to love this album. Even though they are taking break (which is well deserved), we can’t wait to see them come back and do what they love doing: making music for the fans. ---Valerie McIntyre
Justin Bieber’s newest album, Purpose, has brought back the Bieber Fever. The album’s first single, “What Do You Mean”, was an anthem of the summer, getting us all waiting in anticipation for what seemed to be Bieber’s comeback. Released this past November, the 13 track record sold over 522,000 copies in the first week of release and debuted at number one on Billboard’s 200 chart. Purpose features collaborations with many popular artists such as Halsey, Big Sean, Travi$ Scott, Skrillex, and Diplo. This album has become the soundtrack to the end of 2015, earning a well-deserved place on our top of 2015 list. ---Lauren DeLapa
Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Revival Selena Gomez
Interscope Records Her first album under her new label Interscope, Selena Gomez smashed it out of the park with Revival. The album has spawned two huge singles (so far) with “Good For You” and “Same Old Love,” both getting major Billboard chart love and the former doing incredibly well on mainstream radio. Revival has a lot more spunk than Selena’s other released music, with influences from many other genres woven throughout. If this is what Selena meant by putting more of herself into her music, we’re sure glad she did. With her tour coming mid-next year supporting the album, fans all over will be able to see Revival live, and we’re so excited about it. ---Gabi Talisman
Island Def Jam Records
Badlands Halsey
Capitol Records Just a few short years ago; Ashley Frangipane was just an 18-year-old girl posting covers on YouTube. Now 21, and going by the stage name Halsey, she has taken the world by storm. It is very impressive to grow a massive, yet intimate social media following and having a sold out tour before you even have an album out, but that is exactly what she did. Her loyal fans were rewarded with her debut album, Badlands, in August. Her bio states, “I will never be anything but honest,” and the lyrics she writes testify to that. Ranging from hidden feelings and sexual encounters to her own struggles with mental illness, her songs are raw and personal, yet still relatable. Badlands is an incredible work of art and her listeners can’t wait to see what’s next from this talented young woman. ---Hannah Jones
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Blurryface Twenty One Pilots Fueled By Ramen
That’s The Spirit Bring Me The Horizon Columbia Records
Blurryface is the fourth overall studio album for Ohio pop-rock duo twenty one pilots. Blurryface is their second album with major label Fueled by Ramen, and this album arguable launched the band to major stardom. Their pop-dance-rock fusion seems to attract a wide variety of audiences. The record features fourteen tracks, each with a distinctly unique sound. The highly anticipated follow-up to breakthrough album, Vessel, Blurryface delivers
on all ends of the spectrum; creativity, catchiness, originality, length, and meaning. The reason this album strikes the strings of resounding emotion is because it’s relatable to us, and to everyone. ---Bailey Flores
Hitting #2 on the US Billboard 200 as well as being named Rock Sound’s #1 release of 2015, Bring Me The Horizon’s latest album, That’s The Spirit, was met with acclaim from both fans and critics. Continuing to reinvent themselves, the band shied away from their metalcore past and chose to experiment more with the synth and electronic aspects of their previous album, Sempiternal. The combination of that, with lead singer Oli
Sykes’ chillingly powerful vocals, culminated in an incredibly beautiful rock masterpiece. The songs easily flow from one to the next and will leave the listener wishing for more once it ends. Whether or not someone has ever considered themselves a Bring Me The Horizon fan, this album begs to be listened to. ---Hannah Jones
ROCK ALBUMS Smoke + Mirrors Imagine Dragons Interscope Records
American Beauty/American Psycho Fall Out Boy Island Records
Drones Muse Warner Brothers Records
Following up an incredibly successful first major release, Smoke + Mirrors had a lot to live up to, and it sure did. Matching the big drum rock sound of Night Visions while also providing a slightly more mature sound for the group, the album made its debut at #1 on the Billboard chart with its first week of sales. After an incredible performance at the 2014 Grammy Awards with Ken-
American Beauty/ American Psycho is Fall Out Boy’s sixth studio album and the band’s third #1 album. It was released in early 2015 through Island Records and is a mix of modern rock and pop. Catchy choruses and beats are evident throughout the entire album from track number one to eleven. The tracks are interconnected and flow nicely together when listening to the album, which in turn
Muse threw it back to the basics with Drones, their seventh studio album. From electro-funk to fuzz, Muse pulled out all of the stops for this detail-filled sinister concept album. Part dark and mysterious, part rock opera, Drones was a well executed masterpiece. The hooks are definitely the most important aspect of this album. Just take their hit single “Dead Inside” as an example: if you’ve heard
drick Lamar, many were unsure if the band could bring that level of energy every night on tour (spoiler: they did, see our Best Live Performance list). Selling out arenas across the world, Imagine Dragons’ sophomore tour for Smoke + Mirrors proved that they’re here to stay for a while. ---Gabi Talisman
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makes the album pleasing to the audience. Every track on this album will have you tapping along to the rhythm, singing, and/or dancing along. It is no surprise American Beauty/American Psycho debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and sold about 218,000 equivalent copies in its first week alone. ---Alicia Rangel
that hook once before, chances are you’ll hum along next time. While the music follows a warrior in a futuristic dystopian reality, there are so many glorious moments for riffs and crushing walls of sound that definitely lands this one on our Top Rock Albums list. ---Alyssa Buzzello
HIP-HOP/RAP ALBUMS To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar
At.Long.Last.A$AP A$AP Rocky Sony RCA
If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late Drake
There are two major reasons why To Pimp a Butterfly is one of the best hiphop/rap albums of 2015. The first is the musical and lyrical content. The album combines a variety of influences to create a diverse sonic landscape that is accompanied by Kendrick’s fierce delivery and his evocative lyrics. The second, and arguably more influential, reason is what it represents. In an age of artists driven by singles, Kendrick creates albums. Most of the songs on this album can be appreciated on their own, but the album is most satisfying and most communicative when digested as an entire body of work. To Pimp a Butterfly is one of the best hip-hop/rap albums of the year because it marks an artist with something to say in a landscape of artists who struggle to say anything. ---Eitan Snyder
A$AP Rocky’s purple-tinged At.Long.Last. A$AP is not merely an album, but also a mindset. It is a sonic aesthetic that can be easily translated into fashion, lifestyle choices, and personal branding. While the album is led by the same hazy, choppedand-screwed soundscapes that have become one of the Harlem rapper’s trademarks, it stands out among the rest of his extensive catalog. For the first time in his career, a discernible point of view comes into focus. Gone are the days when Rocky values vibes over substance; At.Long. Last.A$AP is home to some of the most personal and soul-bearing verses the rapper has ever laid. Although one of the album’s greatest successes is its creation of ambience, the smart and often hard-hitting lyricism outshines the sonic content of this release. The strength of both elements in unity is what makes At.Long. Last.A$AP one of 2015’s standout hip-hop albums. ---Charlotte Freitag
2015 was an eventful year for Drake and it all started with February’s release of If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. Originally intended simply to be a mixtape, the new record debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 and placed Drake as the first rapper to lead Billboard’s Artist 100 chart. The album spawned two hit singles (“10 Bands,” “Energy”) as well as every other track finding its own place on the chart and dominating rap radio worldwide. The record still stands as the bestselling digital work this year, having sold 1,120,000 copies as of this month. If You’re Reading This... is a self-told success story that takes great pride in itself without forgetting the bass-y self-reflection Drake’s so well-known for. Despite starting from the bottom, Drake is standing comfortably at the top of the mountain and isn’t afraid to tell you about it. All hail the 6 God. ---Taylor Cleek
Top Dawg/Interscope Records
DS2 Future Epic Records It’s hard to talk about hip hop or rap this year without the name Future coming to mind. With both huge critical and fan reception, DS2 was everywhere in hip hop and rap this year since its release in July. The album is incredibly honest, and while the beats behind the lyrics may bump, the truth behind the songs does show that money isn’t everything, a rare sentiment in his line of work (especially when it comes to more commercial “club” type music). Hitting #1 on the Billboard 200 during its first week out of the gate, this won’t be the last release we see from Future any time soon. ---Gabi Talisman
Cash Money Records
Tetsuo & Youth Lupe Fiasco Atlantic Records
As the political climate of our nation has become more polarized, conscientious rap has become even harder to do. Too often, MCs come down on issues in an overly preachy manner, and this approach can put off listeners. Chicago artist Lupe Fiasco was known for doing this in previous albums, but this time he came back with toned down yet insightful lyrics. With songs like “Blur My Hands” and “Madonna,” Tetsuo and Youth is smooth enough to jam to, yet smart enough to let the listener think. It’s an album like this that reminds us that that subtlety is key and that Chicago is still one of the best grounds of hip-hop talent. ---Sam Israel
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I Love You, Honeybear Father John Misty SubPop Records
Goon Tobias Jesso Jr. True Panther Sounds
His name came across major headlines everywhere this year; you may know Father John Misty from his dreams of Lou Reed, his deleted Taylor Swift covers, or even his storms of social media posts. Marked as one of the best indie records of the year, Father John Misty’s iconic, I Love You, Honeybear opens up with the title track. A lovesick tone to his voice, Father John Misty chronicles his love and the darkness that overshadows the best time in his
life. Father John Misty quickly reverses this attitude and drits back to it throughout the album, most importantly in “Chateau Lobby #4 (In C For Two Virgins),” the track that describes falling in love with his wife. I Love You, Honeybear marked the top of charts everywhere and continues to be added to the top of music lover’s lists everywhere. ----Addie Whelan
Listeners had quite a treat from the singer-songwriter department this year. From mainstream powerhouses like Adele to indie favorites like Father John Misty, some of the best artists of our generation truly stepped up to the plate. But one of the best releases of the year came from newcomer Tobias Jesso Jr. Songs like “Hollywood” and “How Could You Babe” have that special type of teenage melancholy
that would perfectly compliment the soundtrack of the next great coming-of-age film. That may be quite high praise, but even Adele would agree, as she took on the songwriter to write lyrics for her album 25. Tobias Jesso Jr may have sang “I think I’m gonna die in Hollywood” on this LP, but those days are over. Expect this guy to thrive in 2016. ---Sam Israel
INDIE ALBUMS Cry Baby Melanie Martinez Atlantic Records Melanie Martinez’s Cry Baby is a great indie record because it brings a new look to the other records in the genre. It’s a concept record, which are becoming more and more rare these days and has a unique sound that hints at inspiration from the likes of Lorde and Lana Del Rey. On top of this, at first glance at the track listing, it may appear as a completely different record, and adds
an interesting twist. With track names like, “Dollhouse” or “Milk and Cookies” it may seem like a happy, youthful album when in reality, it showcases some darker messages. The storytelling and originality that Cry Baby offers is what makes it one of the best of 2015. ---Lauren Klonowski
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Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit Courtney Barnett Marathon Artists Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit revealed Courtney Barnett’s musical genius to the public. With a heavy stream of consciousness moments that are very relatable, this album is simplistic while achieving the highest quality of indie texture. As a complete album, Barnett achieves the impression of being laid back but then slowly builds into a slam-poetry type feeling. She tops this
all out with flowing and ever-undulating guitar riffs. There is a complete jam session feel, and a feel that this body of work is of a very personal nature for her. This album is self-deprecating, gritty, angsty, and intelligent, which is all that a good indie album should be. ---Alyssa Buzzello
The Chaos and the Calm James Bay Republic Records With four EPs under his belt and his first U.S. headlining tour practically selling out in minutes, singer-songwriter James Bay, hailing from Hitchin, England, can thank the success of his album, Chaos and the Calm. Bay’s debut album has upbeat and ballad tempos, and a combination of storytelling and sheer honest emotion in the lyrics and rock-meetsblues tracks. James Bay’s debut album is one that we will play over and over again.
Bay is also nominated for 3 Grammy Awards, Chaos and The Calm landing a nomination for Best Rock Album. ---Bailey Flores
BEST LIVE PERFORMANCE Twenty One Pilots
5 Seconds of Summer
twenty one pilots are fearless in their live performance. As the only band to regularly climb stage scaffoldings, flip off of pianos, and play drums atop the crowd, twenty one pilots undoubtedly deserve a spot on this list. Even more impressive is that only two people command such a stage presence that even five- or six-piece bands struggle to accomplish. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun never seem to have off days, never seem to get tired; their commitment to their performance quality keeps the two from ever exhibiting fatigue or anything less than maximum energy. twenty one pilots’ music may not be universally adored, but their amazing live performance is absolutely undeniable. ---Anna Xu
5 Seconds of Summer puts on a truly incredible live show. After being thrown into huge performances with One Direction, these boys really learned how to make their stage presence bigger than ever and to make sure every single person in the venue is having a good time. The stage production for a 5 Seconds of Summer show is a bit on the simpler side, but the use of multiple cameras and graphics keeps a tight grip on one’s eye. It definitely helps that their fanbase is willing to participate in their performances, because hearing a whole arena screaming the lyrics to every song is something that is not easily forgotten. ---Chelsea Gresh
One Direction One Direction certainly didn’t hold back for their second stadium tour and final tour before their hiatus. When Zayn Malik announced he was leaving the band early into the tour, it didn’t stop Harry, Liam, Louis and Niall. They quickly distributed Zayn’s solos and kept delivering the same incredible live performances. The setlist consisted of mostly songs from Four, but also included fan favorites from past albums, and they included new songs from Made in the A.M. as they were released. One Direction always gives a high energy performance that feeds off of the high energy from their fans. Even if one isn’t the biggest One Direction fan, it’s impossible to leave without having a great time. The boys put everything into their performance and it really shows how grateful they are to be where they are. The On the Road Again tour was truly an unforgettable performance from an unforgettable band. ---Delaney DeAngelis
Imagine Dragons
State Champs This year was an incredibly successful year for Albany natives, State Champs. Despite the various venue sizes, the stage and the amount of people in the audience, State Champs’ live performance never changed. Every night, they brought electric energy to the stage. Whether the fans were at the show for them or for a different band, everyone left as a State Champs fan. State Champs didn’t need pyrotechnics and dramatic lighting to put on a show worth remembering. Between lead singer Derek DiScanio’s spot on vocals, and the band’s amazing instrumentals, State Champs stole every show. ---Chelsea Blackman
Smoke + Mirrors, the latest release by Imagine Dragons, is an album designed to sound as if it is being played in arena settings. Luckily, on their Smoke + Mirrors tour, the Las Vegas rockers took this sound quite literally, playing arenas all across the world. While some venues did not sell nearly as well as they arguably should have, the band performed an incredible set of eighteen hard-hitting tracks from their debut, Night Visions and the tour’s namesake, alongside an incredible light design and staging that allowed everyone in the arena to get close to the band. Lead singer Dan Reynolds specializes in making even the biggest venue feel intimate, using breaks in songs to speak directly to the audience, making it clear how appreciative of their fans the band really is. Imagine Dragons is potentially one of the best mainstream rock bands at this time, and the Smoke + Mirrors tour only accentuated just how great they truly are. ---Allison Lanza
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ALBUM OF THE YEAR Blurryface Twenty One Pilots Fueled By Ramen
25 Adele Columbia Records Adele’s 25 blew every other artist away in 2015, selling nearly 6 million copies in the United States and 2 million in England, so far. The album is a work of utter mastery, and really should be digested as a whole, which we find greater even than the sum of its parts. Opening with heart pounding “Hello”, 25 exceeded extremely high expectations even when only “Hello” was released. Once fan favorites like “Send My Love (To Your New Lover),” “When We Were Young” and “Million Years Ago” hit the ears of music lovers literally everywhere the album hit an entirely new level. Adele even performed songs at Radio City Music Hall for a few thousand lucky fans, which was filmed and became the first concert special for one artist on a major network in a very long time. We’re so happy you’re back, Adele. ---Gabi Talisman
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To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar Interscope Records Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is the antithesis of a commercially-driven rap album. Challenging in subject matter and highly conceptual in musicality, it is not an album built for vapid consumption over the airwaves of pop radio. It is instead an album meant to spark a dialogue about the current state of race relations in America, serving as a bold reminder that there is still a significant amount of progress to be made. To Pimp a Butterfly is an important album not only because of its outspokenness regarding social issues, but also because its sixteen tracks have taken on important lives of their own as the rallying cries of the Black Lives Matter Movement. With To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar provides a voice to millions of Americans who feel at odds with contemporary politics, an infinitely important gesture. ---Charlotte Freitag
Twenty One Pilots dropped their new album, Blurryface, this year with a weird-yet-interesting marketing scheme, greatly experimenting with social media marketing. This album is exactly how they describe it: “this is not rap, this is not hip-hop,” but rather a fantastic mix of rock and alternative sounds. Tyler Joseph has a way with words, with the lyrics of this album hitting hard and the metaphors leaving you thinking for days. The catchy beats and rhythms really show how creative and different this band is. Twenty One Pilots have been on a constant rise since the beginning of their career and they really pushed the limits with Blurryface’s release. ---Chelsea Gresh
Badlands Halsey Astralwerks
Made in the A.M. One Direction Columbia Records One Direction never disappoints us, so when they released their album Made in the A.M., we all knew it would be fantastic. Turns out we were right, and that’s why it landed a spot on our Album of the Year list. It is obvious how much hard work and dedication these four boys put into this album: they made it entirely for the fans and it truly shows. Made in the A.M. is definitely one for the record books. Tracks like “History” show how much love Harry, Niall, Louis and Liam have for their fans. Not only does the album show incredible vocal ability, it showcases the boys’ writing talents as well. We are very proud of how far these four have come as a band and wish them well on their much deserved break! ---Samantha Aneed
From small town New Jersey shows to selling out Madison Square Garden, Halsey suddenly burst onto the music scene in 2015 and she’s not even done yet. Fans flocked to stores to find physical copies of Badlands her debut studio album, which is practically unheard of. The album reveals Halsey’s battles with mental illness, her past, present and future relationships and even her values as she grows into who she is today. Standout tracks like “Colors,” which chronicles a harmful partner (and is said to be written about The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy) vividly describe her feelings. While other tracks like “Control,” have been said to be one of the realist and rawest songs in music. Badlands continues to fly off shelves, maintain a spot on the top 200 charts and stay on playlists everywhere. ---Addie Whelan
TORI KELLY | DETROIT, MICHIGAN | DECEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY DELANEY DEANGELIS
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Justin Bieber
Lupe Fiasco
Back in the day, Justin Bieber was given a ton of flack. Only loved by teenage girls and their sexually deprived mothers, Justin Bieber was a brand that was doomed to self destruct. We saw that at the 2013 Billboard Awards, when Justin Bieber met a chorus of boos when accepting the Milestone Award. Even for someone who wasn’t fond of Bieber, watching the swarm of hatred was troubling. We know the rest of the story, with Bieber getting in trouble with drugs, reckless behavior, and becoming the joke the world hoped he would be.
But Justin made the most of a situation that doomed to fail, and transformed himself from a child star into a true pop singer, a feat only few have accomplished. Collaborating with the likes of Diplo and Skrillex allowed Bieber the chance to re-define himself and bounce back. And it worked, as the Canadian singer shattered Spotify records with the 2015 album Purpose. Truly, Justin Bieber is a person who overcame the shortcomings of his brand. We help but root for the guy. ---Sam Israel
Lupe Fiasco’s decade-long career has been turbulent to say the least. His constant disputes with his record label, Atlantic, have hindered his ability to release music on his own terms. After falling in and out of public favor countless times over the past ten years, the Chicago MC was finally able to reclaim his spot as a hip hop mainstay with the release of his brilliant album Tetsuo & Youth. Gloriously absent from his latest output is the heavy-handed social commentary that tarnished Food & Liquor II and Lasers. Devoid of any detectable A&R-planted
radio singles or questionable guest verses, it is immediately clear that Tetsuo & Youth is the manifested vision of an artist who had been silenced for too long. Passionate, abrasive, and sonically arresting, Tetsuo & Youth marks a return to the aesthetic Fiasco conveyed in his earlier, more acclaimed work. Now that he is free from the record label that threatened to ruin his career, it will be fascinating to watch his next move. ---Charlotte Freitag
THE “COMEBACK” D’Angelo After a staggering fourteen years out of the public eye, D’Angelo made a remarkable return to music in 2015 with his poignant album Black Messiah. Although the R&B legend, now forty years old, does not still have the chiseled physique he was once famous for, his music is just as punchy and vibrant as it was when he was in his twenties. His politically-charged comeback album is characterized by undulating funk and sharp lyricism,
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Adele making it equally as engaging as it is thought-provoking. Black Messiah is not only an enjoyable album, but also an immensely important one. Released right as the Black Lives Matter movement began to gain widespread recognition, D’Angelo’s album captures the oppression, frustration and hope felt by the activists in a neat, sonically-pleasing package. ---Charlotte Freitag
Adele returned this year with a flawless new song. “Hello”, which came out of nowhere and was in typical Adele style. With all this year’s success, it’s only fitting that our girl Adele fits in the “Best Comeback” category. A big, emotionally cutting song about heartbreak, “Hello” launched Adele back into the spotlight. However, that wasn’t enough for Adele. Along with the skyrocketing single, she released
Missy Elliott 25 (see our “Best of Pop” section) which majorly focuses on the passing of time since her last album, 21. Adele broke the record for album sales at a whopping 3.38 million copies in the first week of the release. Adele has been killing it lately, so much that she even got a whole one-night NBC concert special. ---Alyssa Buzzello
When we heard there was a new Missy Elliott song AND it featured Pharrell, we couldn’t get to our phones fast enough: ten years without new Missy Elliott was ten years too long. Diagnosed with Graves’ Disease in 2011, Missy focused on getting better and working on her 7th studio album with long time collaborator Timbaland for release soon, following the stellar single “WTF (Where They From).” We are so excited to have
Missy back in music dropping a single and video with Pharrell out of nowhere, after ten years with no music and making the internet explode?! Only Missy. ---Gabi Talisman
BREAKOUT ARTIST Halsey
Freshly 21, Halsey has experienced a ridiculously quick launch to fame this fall, following the release of her debut album, BADLANDS. Only earlier in 2015, Halsey was indie pop’s best-kept secret, never having toured, with only a handful of Facebook likes and Twitter followers. She was a quirky girl with a light but raspy voice filled with emotion, known for her signature, slightly unkempt blue hair. In 2015, Halsey opened for Imagine Dragons on their stadium tour. Immediately after the tour ended, she went on her first headlining tour, and every show sold out. To round out a successful year, Halsey hit the road on one last huge tour opening for The Weeknd. As if she hadn’t done enough this year, Halsey collaborated with Justin Bieber on his song “The Feeling,” which was released on his new album this fall. Halsey has been so successful because she is simultaneously relatable and polarizing. She forges strong connections with her fans, producing an almost cult-like support system. Occupying intersecting identities in race, sexuality, and mental illness, Halsey fearlessly shows the world exactly who she is, allowing us to love her or hate her. And we love her. ---Anna Xu
Alessia Cara Nothing But Thieves Nothing But Thieves have been a band since 2012, though they experienced a stand-out year in 2015. The band has an amazing, large sound that you can imagine hearing in a soldout arena with thousands of people screaming. They made their way across Europe this year with some large-name acts including AWOLNATION, Young Guns and Twin Atlantic, which really helped the band breakout in 2015. They also opened for Muse at Rock In Roma to over 30,000 people with a flawless performance. Nothing But Thieves dropped five incredible singles this year and their album came out in Europe in mid-October. The self-titled album is set to release in 2016 in America and is sure to be a hit. ---Chelsea Gresh
At just 19 years old, Alessia Cara has achieved a lot for her young age. Alessia is a Canadian popR&B singer-songwriter who made waves with her smash single “Here,” the debut single from her debut album Know-It-All. She began her musical career by uploading acoustic song covers to YouTube before signing with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings. A large part of Cara’s gift is her relatable songwriting; she manages to perfectly dive into those teenage years and has written songs that everyone can relate to. She’s co-signed with Drake and made a fan out of Taylor Swift – who she joined as a special guest on the 1989 World Tour. 2015 was a great year for Alessia, and without a doubt 2016 will be even bigger. ---Bailey Flores
BØRNS
Tori Kelly Tori Kelly is prime proof that anyone can do anything they set their minds to. With a fantastic voice and killer songs, it only makes sense that Tori is featured in our Breakout Artist list. We weren’t the only ones who thought Tori made a splash in 2015: The Grammys also recognized Tori and her hard work and nominated her for “Best New Artist.” At twenty-three, Tori has made her mark on the music industry and continues to heat up the charts. With songs like “Hollow” and “Should’ve Been Us,” she displays her talent and her incredible songwriting skills. There is no doubt in our minds that Tori will be the next big thing and we hope that, come 2016, Tori will be headlining her own massive tour. ---Samantha Aneed
Newcomer, BØRNS, has taken over the alternative airways. The 23-year-old indie artist starting performing under his full name, Garrett Borns, in just 2013. In the past two years, BØRNS has released a chart-topping album, multiple hit singles, and has performed all across the United States and the UK. BØRNS is bringing psychedelic-pop back to the mainstream with his new album, featuring the hit singles “10,000 Emerald Pools” and “Electric Love”. The album, Dopamine, was released this past October, landing at number two for Billboard’s top alternative albums. We loved what BØRNS brought us in 2015, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for this breakout artist. ---Lauren DeLapa
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BEST COLLABORATION Where R U Now Justin Bieber, Skrillex, Diplo Island Records
See You Again Charlie Puth, Wiz Khalifa Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber has been a name known in households everywhere since his release of My World in 2009. After a drastic image change in 2015, we doubted Bieber just a bit. But with his release of “Where R U Now” and Purpose, we love Bieber possibly more than ever. “Where R U Now” is a perfect medley of Bieber’s ringing vocals and the irresistible beats of Diplo and Skrillex. The combination was surprising, but inarguably well done. With the build-up over Instagram counting down to the release of the song, fans were greatly anticipating the collaboration, and we were not disappointed by the outcome. ---Emma Donahue
When two talented artists get together, magic is usually made. That was proven true when Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa got together to create the beautiful song “See You Again.” The song was dedicated to the late Paul Walker and The Fast and The Furious cast. The song describes how anyone, blood or not, can be family, and that no matter what is going on, you can count on your family to be there. When we first heard the song we were all very moved by it. Wiz and Charlie on the same song made for a beautiful collaboration. This song reaches lengths that no other collaboration dares to reach. ---Samantha Aneed
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FourFive Seconds Kanye West, Rhianna, Paul McCartney ROC Nation
When we first heard Kanye West, Rihanna and Paul McCartney had collaborated on a song, we were incredibly nervous about how it would sound. Clearly those nerves were without merit: FourFive Seconds was easily one of the biggest songs of the year. With minimalist production not usually seen with Rihanna or Kanye, the song took listeners to a different place than any of the three artists on the track normally take you, and music lovers everywhere loved it. Sealing its status as one of the best songs of the year was the performance at this year’s Grammy Awards, which collectively took the viewer’s breath away with it’s simplicity: we weren’t there for theatrics, we were there for the voices. ---Gabi Talisman
Magnets Disclosure, Lorde PMR + Island Records
The Feeling Justin Bieber, Halsey Island Records
Justin Bieber gained hype for his new album, Purpose, by having various musicians and celebrities posting photos saying the number of days until it’s release. Many were surprised to see Halsey chosen, not knowing that the two even knew each other. It was soon discovered that not only do they know each other, but she would be featured on Purpose. Their song, “The Feeling” was an instant hit with fans of both artists. The two first performed their duet live on The Today Show and their obvious chemistry gave a whole new level to the song. With a light and airy feel, listeners are serenaded by two beautiful voices resulting in a pop anthem that makes everyone question if they’re in love or in love with the feeling. ---Hannah Jones
From the duo that brought us the chart topping dance track “Latch” and the incredible New Zealand singer that created tracks like “Royals” and “Team,” both Disclosure and Lorde are back at it. This time, they teamed up together to create one of the most popular collaborations of the year, “Magnets.” Walk into any bar, club or music venue and the probability of “Magnets” playing over the speakers is high. With Lorde’s soulful voice backed by Disclosure’s electronic track, the song is clearly built for dancing. Producers and songwriters called “Magnets” one of the best songs of the year and there is no argument why. Not only is “Magnets” filled with an incredible vocal feature singing catchy lyrics, but it also contains a clever beat and melody, making this collaboration one for the books. ---Addie Whelan
Writings on the Wall Sam Smith Spectre Universal Music Group
Immortals Fall Out Boy Big Hero 6 Walt Disney Records “Immortals” by Fall Out Boy is a song that was written for the Disney movie Big Hero 6, and was also featured on their album American Beauty/American Psycho. The song fits perfectly for the scene it’s featured in-when the team first transforms into their superhero selves. The song is all about coming together and becoming a better version of oneself, just like the scene it is featured in. The opening lyrics “They say we are what we are,
but we don’t have to be” really encapsulate this message for the song and the movie. “Immortals” for the Big Hero 6 soundtrack differs slightly from “Immortals” on American Beauty/American Psycho, with much more percussion that gives it much more energy that fits well with the movie scene. ---Delaney DeAngelis
There are many staples to a James Bond movie: intense action, fancy cars, expensive suits, and dry martinis (shaken, not stirred) just to name a few. There’s also the signature opening titles, typically full of symbolic imagery giving clever hints at the story that’s about to unfold. The titles of this year’s Spectre were accompanied by Sam Smith’s slow burning “Writing on the Wall.” The song, written specially for the film, tells the story of somebody running from a
traumatic past into an uncertain future. Set to a haunting piano piece and a beautiful orchestral score, “Writing on the Wall” was a pitch perfect set-up for the newest James Bond adventure. Sam Smith hits every note and proves himself more than worthy of the privilege. Whether you’re a secret agent or simply a fan of great music, “Writing on the Wall” will not disappoint. ---Taylor Cleek
SOUNDTRACK SONGS Holding Out For A Hero Nothing But Thieves Vikings (Trailer) Sony UK
Love Me Like You Do Ellie Goulding Fifty Shades of Grey Republic Records
Earned It The Weeknd Fifty Shades of Grey Republic Records
“Holding Out For A Hero,” made famous by Bonnie Tyler and the movie Footloose, takes on a whole new persona when covered by UK alternative rock band Nothing But Thieves. The notoriously intense pop song crosses the line to alternative as singer Conor Mason’s unique whisper-falsetto rips through every word through the first verse and chorus, the song eagerly gaining momentum
Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do” was one of the biggest hit singles of this year. Featured in the film, Fifty Shades of Grey, this soundtrack song spent four weeks at number one in the UK and climbed its way up onto Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. “Love Me Like You Do” was the ultimate pop-anthem to kick off 2015 with its release in January. After the song became such a huge success
There is no doubt that 2015 was The Weeknd’s breakout year. The release of his second studio album, Beauty Behind The Madness, stayed at the top of the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks. All of his singles received immense radio play and landed him spots at various festivals, as well as his own American headlining tour. It was also no surprise that his sultry sound was chosen to be the lead single on the Fifty Shades of
and erupting at the beginning of the second chorus. Mason’s voice is a hard-hitting blend of Jeff Buckley and Matt Bellamy of Muse that packs a punch. The darkness and grit in Nothing But Thieves’ take on this classic song makes the song well-suited for use in the background of the trailer for the History Channel’s “Vikings” Series 2. ---Allison Lanza
on pop radio all across the world, the track found a place on Goulding’s most recent album, Delirium, which was just released this past November. ---Lauren DeLapa
Grey soundtrack. Because he was involved in production early on, the slow ballad “Earned It” was written for the film and fits perfectly with its mysterious and sexy vibes. ---Hannah Jones
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COUNTRY ALBUM Pagent Material Kacey Musgraves Universal Music Group
Mr. Misunderstood Eric Church
On her debut album Same Trailer Different Park, Kacey Musgraves earned almost universal acclaim for her clever songwriting voice. Pageant Material comes from a significant period of time on the road, with Musgraves having much more experience performing her own songs for audiences. This is part of what makes Pageant Material stand out. On her previous album, Musgraves’ performance can feel like she is singing to herself like a pure songwriter would do. This time, Musgraves stares her audience right in the eye and speaks to them like an entertainer. Thankfully, this has not negatively impacted her songwriting. Songs like “Biscuits” and “Family Is Family” show that her tongue and her edge have only gotten sharper with experience. Pageant Material is the work of a maverick singer/songwriter coming into her own and making sure everyone knows exactly who she is. ---Eitan Snyder
Eric Church is a big name in Country, writing hits that go straight to the Billboard Top charts and into fans’ hearts. Church has been on the music scene since 1995, but only recently has his popularity really begun to climb. Mr. Misunderstood has a more progressive sound comparative to Church’s previous works, but without any transitional issues. The album has a pop undertoned country sound that leaves the listener feeling happy and carefree. The 10 track album has an even mix of upbeat tracks and slower, crooning tracks. With Church’s growing popularity and recognition, Mr. Misunderstood earned a spot on our Top 5 Country Albums of 2015 and especially because it is an album that appeals to all music lovers. ---Emma Donahue
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Storyteller Carrie Underwood Arista Nashville
Capitol Records, Nashville
Traveller Chris Stapleton Universal Music Group As Billboard magazine put it, Chris Stapleton is “an ‘overnight’ sensation decades in the making”. After working for years as the lead singer of the SteelDrivers and writing for artists like Luke Bryan and Adele (who covered a SteelDrivers song in concert), it seems like Stapleton was the industry’s biggest secret. This year, he put out his solo album, Traveller, and is finally getting the acclaim he deserves. Traveller is, at its heart, a collection of songs by a world-class songwriter who also happens to sing with a raw passion that cuts deep, even on record. The album is one of 2015’s best albums because, to put it simply, it is nice to see a songwriter who has been hitting the pavement for years finally get his due with great songs, a guitar, and a great voice. ---Eitan Snyder
Kill The Lights Luke Bryan
Capitol Records, Nashville
CMA’s 2015 Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan, released his newest album this past August. The album, Kill the Lights, was one to remember for this year in country music, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. With 13 twangy tracks, Kill the Lights was a crowd-favorite, just like the artist himself. Kill the Lights has brought us great tracks like “Strip it Down”, “Home Alone Tonight”, and the album’s leading single, “Kick the Dust Up”, which reached number one on country charts right after it’s release. Luke Bryan’s musical journey has been beyond successful this year, and we’re happy to tag along for the ride. ---Lauren DeLapa
The most recent release from country singer, Carrie Underwood, has been a record-breaker. This October, Underwood’s album, Storyteller, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, making Underwood the first country artist to have all five of her studio albums take the title of either number one or number two on Billboard’s top charts. This highly-anticipated album was awaited by fans after delays held back the album’s release, but didn’t fail to live up to the hype. Storyteller’s leading single, “Smoke Break” and “Heartbeat”, have taken over country airways. Needless to say, we’re happy to end our 2015 with new music from the queen of country, Carrie Underwood. ---Lauren DeLapa
BEST OF 2015 ARTIST + FAN RESPONSES We asked your favorite musicians what about their Best of 2015...so what did they say? Conrad Sewell: I think The Weeknd’s record was probably the best pop record, and I think James Bay’s Chaos and the Calm was the best soul, acoustic album.
R.City Tim Thomas: To be honest, Justin Bieber’s new album. The Biebs, man. I won’t lie, our album “What Dreams Are Made Of,” not a selfish plug, I mean, I think we made one of the best albums of the year. And I hope people will listen to it. But the Biebs, man, the Biebs. Theron Thomas: We kinda have slightly different taste in music, so for me, my favorite album probably J Cole’s album. That’s probably my favorite album that dropped this year.
Breakout Star?
Reader Answer: Shawn Mendes
Album of the Year
Reader Answer: The Fool - Ryn Weaver
Hailee Steinfeld: Favorite album, probably would be “Beauty Behind the Madness,” Favorite song would probably be “Hotline Bling”
Shawn Mendes: Nick’s album came out in 2015, right? Nick Jonas.
Music Video?
Reader Answer: Home Alone Tonight Luke Bryan
Song of the Year
Reader Answer: Passing Time Heffron Drive feat. Logan Henderson
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MARIANAS TRENCH | CLEVELAND, OHIO | NOVEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY CHELSEA GRESH
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VINCE STAPLES | NEW YORK, NEW YORK | DECEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE FREITAG
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A CONVERSATION WITH: PHASES Photos and Words By Gabi Talisman
PHASES consists of Jason Boesel, Alex Greenwald, Michael Runion, and Z Berg, four long time best friends who started a band, made an album, decided they didn’t really like either of those things, changed their name and entirely reinvented their sound. Why is this worth noting? Because their new sound is incredible. With their major label debut For Life, PHASES has done something remarkable: they’ve made an album that sounds like those who influence their work, while also sounding like something truly new musically-- something that is getting harder and harder to find. We love lead off single “I’m In Love With My Life,” and both “Silhouette” and “Cooler” will be on our playlists for a long, long time. We spoke to lead singer Z Berg about touring with Maroon 5 next year, the process for the album and what she’s currently listening to, plus more. Read on, and then go listen to For Life, you won’t regret it.
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Beyond The Stage: How did you get together as a band? Z Berg of PHASES: We met years and years ago, and became fast friends. It was only after years of late nights and early mornings that we realized we should probably join our creative forces and make music together. That’s how the first incarnation of the band JJAMZ came about. After releasing one record under that moniker, we kicked out a member, explored a new sound, and became Phases in the process. BTS: Who would say are the band’s musical influences? PHASES: Chic, early Madonna, early Prince, Evelyn Champagne King, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Nu Shooz, and Kool & the Gang. BTS: How would you describe your sound? PHASES: Funky fresh Ameri-pop.
BTS: If you guys weren’t musicians, what would you be? PHASES: Jason would be a Health and Wellness lecturer. Alex would be a hacker. Michael would pursue film making. Z doesn’t know. BTS: You released your album “For Life” in September, tell us about the album process? PHASES: We wrote the songs that appear on For Life over a one to two year period. After demoing most of the songs in Alex’s living room, we went into the studio with Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Eminem, Carrie Underwood, Boomkat) to bring them new life and apply finishing touches. He’s a mastermind, and really brought the songs to a whole new level. We love him. He’s the best. BTS: What bands/artists are you currently listening to? PHASES: BORNS, Amason, podcasts, and Devotchka.
BTS: You’re touring with Maroon 5 next year, how excited are you for that!? PHASES: Beyond words. We’ve known those guys for a decade plus, so it’s a dream to finally being able to share the stage.
BTS: If you could collaborate with any artist, and we mean any artist, who would it be? PHASES: David Copperfield. Or Criss Angel.
BTS: What do you love about touring? PHASES: Turning strangers into fans, eating new burgers in new towns, and getting out of our LA bubble.
BTS: Finally, what are your goals for 2016? PHASES: To tour the world, make new fans, eat good food, write more music, sleep, workout as a family, and be kind and generous to all! Beyond The STage magazine | 45
FALL OUT BOY
98.7 KRINGLE JINGLE | DETROIT, MICHIGAN | DECEMBER 2015 | PHOTOS BY DELANEY DEANGELIS
NATHAN SYKES
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KYGO
KYGO
FALL OUT BOY
TORI KELLY
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A read that is sure to be at the top of any music lover’s list. It features the best albums from 1955 until 2013. $25.00, amazon.com
A must-have for the ultimate music lover, Apple Music gives users access to more than 30 million songs, a connection from artists to fans, and 24/7 global radio. $9.99, apple.com/music
Holiday Gift Guide By Lauren Klonowski
A new spin on the portable speaker. This water resistance speaker pouch will be sure to keep the music playing for the adventurer in your life. $18.00, urbanoutfitters.com
These super comfortable, noise cancelling headphones are perfect for the musician or music enthusiast on your list. $110.00, sweetwater.com 48 | Beyond The stage magazine
For the music obsessed friend who has every album you could ever name, give them the gift of storage! This pretty vinyl storage unit will be perfect for all of their LP’s. $49.00, urbanoutfitters.com
Jingle Ball 2015
Photos By Chelsea Gresh
Playlist 1. Levels
Nick Jonas 2. Can’t Kick Up The Roots Neck Deep 3. You’re Such A Hailee Steinfeld 4. Itch Nothing But Thieves 5. Pay My Rent DNCE 6. All You Are Is History State Champs 7. UGH! The 1975 8. Spray On Pants Kisschasy 9. Heart and Soul Twin Atlantic 10. Waste The Night 5 Seconds of Summer 11. Single The Neighborhood 12. Hands To Myself Selena Gomez 13. Emperor’s New Clothes Panic! At The Disco 14. Melt Heyrocco 15. Wake Up The Vamps beyond The STage magazine | 49
TWENTY ONE PILOTS | PHOTO BY ALLISON LANZA