January 2019
Galaxy
★ Taylor Swift ★ Conan Gray ★ Troye Sivan ★ Calpurnia
★ Yungblud ★ Makeout ★ Panic! At The Disco
+ more!
Galaxy Magazine We're all stars that make up the galaxy
Photo By Yising Kao
Welcome to our January issue of Galaxy Magazine and thank you for your support! Galaxy is an art, music, and media magazine. We believe in authenticity and expressing our passions, and we support all types of artists. Everyone shines uniquely in their own way. We hope you enjoy our magazine! Editor: Yising Kao Editor: Outside/Inside Cover Photos By Yising Kao Photographers: Yising Kao, Sean Gardner, Photographers: Alyssa St. Pierre, Claire Doherty, Bailey Gallinger Writers: Yising Kao, Sean Gardner, Kelsey Writers: Minna, Bailey Gallinger, Dulce Naranjo, Rachel Ali
Stay updated with us! www.galaxy-mag.com Twitter: @galaxy_mag Twitter: Instagram: @galaxymag Instagram:
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Photo By Sean Gardner
Table of Contents
3 Star Spotlight: Conan Gray 5 Concert Review: The Front Bottoms 8 Concert Photography: Yungblud 9 Concert Photography: Cherry Pools 10 Concert Photography: William Fitzsimmons
11 Concert Photography: Calpurnia 12 Concert Photography: Riley & Tyler Carter
18 Artist Spotlight: Madi 20 Interview: Gunnar Gehl 25 Concert Photography: Troye Sivan 26 Concert Review: Makeout 28 Concert Review: Panic! At The Disco 31 Concert Review: Taylor Swift 34 Lauren Jauregui releases "More Than That" music video!
13 Concert Photography: Gnash, Guardin,
35 Playlist: galaxy, january. 36 Album Review: Entertainment by
14 Makeup Through Music 16 Artist Spotlight: Natalie Desmarais
38-44 POSTERS: Conan Gray, Yungblud,
& Mallrat
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Waterparks
Troye Sivan, Makeout, Panic! At The Disco, Taylor Swift, Lauren Jauregui
Star Spotlight: Conan Gray
Article & Photos By Yising Kao
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Conan Gray is a 20year-old musician from San Diego, California, whose music can be compared to Troye Sivan's and Billie Eilish's style. He has released original songs through his successful YouTube channel and over the past years, he has gained a large fanbase. I went to a private show in Los Angeles hosted by Ones To Watch and got to see him perform. His music is incredible and unique, and he has awesome energy! In 2018, he released his debut EP called Sunset Season, which includes his hit single “Crush Culture.” If you ever want to listen chill music that you can move to, along with amazing lyrics, check out his music! His voice is soothing and it contrasts perfectly against his synthetic beats. Conan recently announced that he’s opening for Panic! At The Disco on select dates for their Pray For The Wicked Tour, so get your tickets while you can! Anything can happen if you work hard for it.
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Concert Review: The Front Bottoms Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY 12/15/18 Review & Photos by Sean Gardner
The Front Bottoms are the archetype of the “Something-for-everyone” type of band; Their unique genre blending style has something that appeals to an incredibly diverse crowd. On the weekend of the 14th and 15th of December, they brought their co-headlining tour with Manchester Orchestra to Brooklyn Steel for not one, but two sold-out shows. And it's no question why because these New Jersey natives really know how to put on a show. They curate an atmosphere for their audience, with a creative stage setup, which featured an on-stage-bar, at which members of the other bands on the bill, as well as crew, enjoyed a drink on stage during their set, as well stunning lights and signs to match their chaotic aesthetic. They opened with “West Virginia” and played an amazing set spanning their whole discography, keeping the fans moving from start to finish. The setlist had older songs like “Lipstick Covered Magnet” and “The Beers” to the newest ones off Ann and Going Gray like “Tie Dye Dragon” and “Vacation Town,” and all the jams from in between. In the middle of their set, the band began taking audience requests from the cheering crowd, some of which included “Rhode Island” and “Au Revoir.” They closed the night out with “Twin Sized Mattress,” 5
and you could hear every fan in that sold-out concert hall singing along. All in all, a Front Bottoms show is a high energy and super enjoyable time, and something I would recommend any music fan to check out. The band’s tour is coming to a close with New Jersey and Massachusetts dates coming up this week. However, they have been busy cranking out new music over the past year since the release of their album Going Grey last October. This year saw the release of a new EP and two new singles for the band, one of which is a collaboration song with their co-headliner for this tour, Manchester Orchestra, called “Allentown.” Their other new song is called “End Of Summer (Now I Know)” and the EP is called Ann, all of which are available on all music platforms. 6
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The Echo in Los Angeles, CA 9/25/18
Yungblud by Yising Kao
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El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA 11/24/18
Cherry Pools by Claire Doherty
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City Winery in New York, NY 1/5/19
William Fitzsimmons by Sean Gardner
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The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA 1/6/19
Calpurnia by Yising Kao
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The Social in Orlando, FL 1/15/19
Riley & Tyler Carter by Alyssa St. Pierre
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The Social in Orlando, FL 1/15/19
Gnash, Guardin, & Mallrat by Alyssa St. Pierre
Makeup Through Music Article & Photos By Kelsey Minna
Music has always been a major passion of mine and has seriously shaped who I am, and how I approach things in life. It has always inspired me to want to do more, so I decided to let it inspire me to create art of my own as my way of expressing that passion! Sometimes I find myself drawing from entire bands or albums, sometimes from music videos or cover art, and sometimes just from individual lyrics within songs.
I Don't Know How But They Found Me is a band that really inspires me to be creative. They're such a unique and interesting group with all these little details embedded in their music, that drive me to find new ways of looking at how I approach my own creative process and interpretations of things. They also just have this super cool aesthetic that I found myself really falling in love with and trying to tap into with this look. 14
"I can't wait to let you go" Chicago by First and Forever
First & Forever are another group that I found myself really falling in love with in 2018. Apart from their music, they have this incredible community on social media-namely Twitter-that I've found to be nothing but a positive influence on my life; not only is everyone there loving and supportive, but so are the guys in the band! It's just such a wonderful thing to get to do something I love and get such an unexpected and amazing reception from the people that inspired me to create in the first place. 15
Artist Spotlight: Natalie Desmarais Interview by Yising Kao
Galaxy's Artist Spotlight is a section where we feature rising artists and their work, whether they're graphic designers, painters, poets, and more. Meet Natalie Desmarais, an amazing artist based in Kentucky! What inspired you to start creating art? Art slightly runs in my family so ever since I was little, I always looked up to my aunt who has been a freelance graphic designer in Phoenix for years. I was very inspired by the work she created and I was always fascinated by art, in every form. As I got a little older, I took art all four years in high school and took two graphic design classes. My graphic design teacher was the epitome of what I want to be when I grow up. I think getting to take design classes really confirmed that this is what I'm interested in and the more design classes I'm taking in college, the more love I gain for it. What do you hope to convey through your artwork? My artwork definitely has two different categories. There's one category that includes all the work I make in my free time which is usually inspired by the music I listen to, the movies I watch, and other pop culture references. I think that for that category I try to convey the fact that art can inspire art. I have been so influenced by the bands I listen to and the actors I love to create works that showcase the emotions and visuals I feel and see when I listen to their music or watch them on screen. The second category is the work I make for my design classes. These works are more editorial and clean-cut. I find myself getting inspired by graphic designers and artists like Milton Glaser, and Piet Mondrian to take the information I've been given and present it in an effective, yet creative way. I hope that these works convey that design and art do not have to be two different worlds. I think there is still so much room for creativity when it comes to design, even though some consider the two to be polar opposites. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists? Do you have any advice for aspiring artists? As clichĂŠ as it sounds, practice does make perfect. I look back at some of the works I created two or three years ago and seeing my growth from then to now is pretty astonishing. I think that the more time and effort you put into creating art, the better you'll be at it. I also think it's very important to step out of your comfort zone and create more than just one type of artwork. If you want to be a painter, I would also look into drawing, photography, even graphic design because it's amazing what you can learn about one field of art and apply it to another. Lastly, I think that one of the most important things you could tell an aspiring artist is to be proud of what they make. I find that it's very evident in this age of social media that many artists put themselves down because they may not receive the validation they were expecting. Even if you're just starting out, you should pat yourself on the back every time you complete an artwork because you put a lot of time and resources into it and deserve to feel proud of it. 16
Peach (Lobotomy) This work is inspired by one of my favorite bands, Waterparks. On their most recent album, Entertainment, there's a song called “Peach (Lobotomy)� and one of the lyrics that really stuck out to me was "let's both talk in circles like infinity signs." That lyric along with the colors and visuals I associate with the band definitely were the backbone of this artwork.
Akzidenz Grotesk Poster This work was an assignment I had in one of my design classes to create a poster that visually captured the characteristics of the typeface Akzidenz Grotesk. I was inspired by the simplicity of Swiss design and wanted to modernize it with colors that wouldn't normally be associated with that movement. I also thought that giving the composition a more dynamic look would make the design solution more successful.
Natalie's Instagram: @ndcreates Natalie's Instagram:
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Artist Spotlight: Madi Interview by Yising Kao
Meet Madi, an incredible artist based in Northern California! Madi on her artwork: "I draw a lot of art for bands that I listen to and pieces of band members because music is something that inspires me to no extent. I'm no good with words (hence, why I draw) and I'm in awe of how artists can put so much emotion into their songs, and articulate them so beautifully with sound." What inspired you to start creating art?
I’ve been doing art since I was a kid because it was just something that I loved to do, but as I got older, I realized that it was one of my true passions. I would look at things like band merch designs and animated movies, and I would be in awe of how people could create such awesome work and come up with such original ideas! It pushed me to try it for myself and improve my skills. How would you describe your style? How would you describe your style? Honestly, I can’t really put a label on my art style! I love trying new styles all the time, everything from realism to cartoons, but I feel like I’m "known for" realistic portraits with different elements that make them stand out, whether that be colors or added details. What's the hardest part of creating a piece and how do you overcome it? What's the hardest part of creating a piece and how do you overcome it? I think the hardest part of creating a piece, for me, is being completely pleased with an idea. Sometimes it’s hard for me to exactly replicate my ideas from my head onto the screen and I’ll attempt 10 different sketches or change different parts of the drawing until I’m (at least) satisfied. Usually I’ll overcome this by consulting some of my artist friends or changing things as I keep drawing. That’s one of my favorite things about digital art; it can be very forgiving because you can always go back and change things.
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Awsten Knight Everyone who has ever met me knows that Waterparks is one of my all-time favorite bands and that Awsten is my number one inspiration when it comes to all things creative. He inspires me every day to keep creating. Entertainment especially helped me get out of a big creative block because everything from the programming to the lyrics, to the music videos just put images into my head that I wanted to bring to life, which is why I draw so many things inspired by the album. With this piece, I put some of the elements I associate with the songs with a gold leafing effect and I absolutely love how it turned out!
Jayden Seeley Jayden Seeley I've been a fan of With Confidence for a little while, and Love and Loathing was one of my favorite albums of last year. One of my favorite tracks off the record is "Pâquerette (Without Me)" because it's such a beautiful and heart-wrenching song. It really comforted me when the album came out, and while listening to it one day, the idea for this drawing came into my head and I knew I had to draw it immediately!
Madi's Instagram: @aureums_ Madi's Instagram:
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Gunnar Gehl Interview & Photos by Yising Kao
Gunnar Gehl pursued his passion for creating music after posting John Mayer covers on social media, gaining a large amount of attention. This inspired him to release his original songs, including his first single "Ocean Blue." His music is a combination of alternative pop/pop rock, with a sprinkle of chill, acoustic vibes. At only age 17, the Orange County based musician opened for PRETTYMUCH’s 2018 Funktion Tour and he’s definitely a rising star who's making waves! Yising: Congrats on finishing your first tour Yising: Congrats on finishing your first tour opening for PRETTYMUCH! What are some important things you’ve learned about touring and what was your favorite part about it? and what was your favorite part about it? Gunnar: My favorite part about touring was Gunnar: performing and meeting fans. The biggest thing I learned is that it’s important to stay healthy ‘cause you meet people who get sick a couple of times. I also learned how to connect with people better on tour and that the fans are everything. Yising: I’ve watched videos of your live Yising: I’ve watched videos of your live performances and you give so much energy that the crowd feeds off of. Is there anything you do specifically to engage with the crowd and convey your music’s emotions? and convey your music’s emotions? Gunnar: One of the engaging parts of my Gunnar: performances is whenever the audience sings, like in “Ocean Blue” when they sing the “Na na na na” part back to me. Yising: And you also hop on the barricade to Yising: get closer to the audience.
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Gunnar: Yeah, it’s the little things that connect you with the audience, like grabbing someone’s Gunnar: hand and looking someone in the eyes. Yising: You released your first single "Ocean Blue" a few months ago and you’ve already gained Yising: You released your first single "Ocean Blue" a few months ago and you’ve already gained a lot of attention through social media and Spotify. How has your experience been like adjusting to this rapid transition and meeting fans on tour? How do you remain grounded? to this rapid transition and meeting fans on tour? How do you remain grounded? Gunnar: I’m really lucky that this kind of happened to me so late. Like, I’ve grown up as a normal Gunnar: kid, but I don’t think much can really change who I am as a person and my moral values. Meeting fans is amazing and having that support, it’s like wow! People actually support me and care for what I’m doing. It’s an amazing feeling and warms my heart all the time. But it’s not something that’s going to make me change and become a different person, you know? That’s what fans really care for the most and what I care for the most; its being who I am all the time for them and for everyone else.
Yising: That’s awesome. It’s really important to stay humble and to be a genuine person. Yising: Gunnar: Absolutely! Gunnar: Yising: Your music has a mix of an overall chill beach vibe and urban rock, and you post a lot Yising: Your music has a mix of an overall chill beach vibe and urban rock, and you post a lot about surfing on your social media. So has your passion for the ocean inspired that theme and metaphors in your songs or did you purposefully want your music to have that type of vibe? metaphors in your songs or did you purposefully want your music to have that type of vibe? Gunnar: It’s kind of funny ‘cause I grew up by the beach but I didn’t sit down and say “Hey I’m Gunnar: 22
Gunnar: It’s kind of funny ‘cause I grew up by the beach but I didn’t sit down and say “Hey I’m Gunnar: going to write this song thinking about the water and stuff.” But I think it just happens organically. When I first got into songwriting and “Ocean Blue” was the first songwriting session I had, that’s when I used it a little bit more. But now I’m breaking into my new self of writing and diving into deeper things with a lot of meaningful topics. Yising: I admire how you write your own songs and have genuine lyrics. Do your personal Yising: I admire how you write your own songs and have genuine lyrics. Do your personal experiences inspire your songwriting or do you also pull from other people’s experiences? What’s the process like? the process like? Gunnar: Both. Most of my songs are about me, like relationships and stuff like that. But there’s Gunnar: also a bunch of songs are about other people’s experiences. ‘Cause I am only seventeen, so I’ve never had a full blown heartbreak; I’ve only had like heart cracks. But I know the feelings and I know you can watch movies to pick it all up. I kind of write stuff that people can relate to but can interpret differently at the same time. Yising: You’ve cited John Mayer and Shawn Mendes as some of your musical influences. What’s Yising: You’ve cited John Mayer and Shawn Mendes as some of your musical influences. What’s one aspect of your music that differentiates you from them and that you think would make people want to check out your music? want to check out your music? Gunnar: Shawn has a lot of energetic music so I think I lean more towards that than John Mayer. Gunnar: For a lot of his live shows, he’s at the mic a lot of the time with his guitar, and I play guitar as well but during my performances, I’m always moving around and I have a lot of energy and stuff like that. When it comes to music, my melodies are a little bit less singer-songwriting pop. They’re almost a little bit more urban in some senses. Just because I think it’s so fun to bridge genres. Yising: What would you like to say to your fans and what projects can we look forward to? Yising: What would you like to say to your fans and what projects can we look forward to? Gunnar: My fans are my everything and I love you guys. I’m going to be constantly putting out Gunnar: content. Yising: Like an EP or album? Yising: Gunnar: Yeah, probably more towards the summertime but for now I’ll be releasing some singles. Gunnar: Rapid Fire Questions Rapid Fire Questions
Favorite surfing spot? Favorite surfing spot? 28th street. Last album you streamed? Benny Blanco’s new album. Last album you streamed? Last show you went to that wasn’t your own? Jingle Ball. Last show you went to that wasn’t your own? Person you'd be starstruck to meet or have already met? Dua Lipa. She's my life. Person you'd be starstruck to meet or have already met? Dream venue to perform at? Staples Center. Dream venue to perform at? A place you’d love to travel to? Switzerland. I want to go skiing in the snow up there. A place you’d love to travel to?
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Bloom Tour: Anaheim House of Blues in Anaheim, CA 10/27/18
Troye Sivan by Yising Kao
Concert Review: Makeout
The 20/20 Winter Tour at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec 1/17/19 Review & Photos by Sean Gardner
On January 17th, Makeout brought their 20/20 winter tour with a lineup that spelled out "Pure Pop Punk." The bands they brought on this tour with them were Story Untold and Handguns. The guys in Makeout really know how to put on a show, because these three bands together, along with a local band opening up, made for a super fun time. With chaotic stage antics and a crowd who was so into it, it was nothing but mosh pits and sing-alongs from start to finish. They opened with “Childish” and continued to play their debut album in its entirety, on shuffle, and considering they played their whole discography, it was a perfect setlist for any fan of the band. Towards the end of the set, Sam, front man and singer/guitarist of the group, pulled out an acoustic guitar and teased the crowd by asking “Is anyone here a fan of country music?” as he tuned up, and prepared to play “Secrets.” Following that, the band was joined by Handguns’ guitarist, Jake Langley, for a cover of the pop punk classic, “Boys and Girls” by Good Charlotte. They then closed the set with “Crazy,” during which Sam rode around on Jake’s shoulders in the crowd as he screamed the super catchy chorus along with everyone in the room. 26
They’ve only got a few dates left on this tour, but when they come around again, it’s a show you're definitely not going to want to miss, whether it's your first time hearing them or if you’ve been a fan since 2017, when it all started for them.
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Concert Review: Panic! At The Disco
Pray for the Wicked Tour at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec 1/12/19 Review & Photos by Bailey Gallinger
Leg 2 of Panic! At The Disco's Pray for the Wicked Tour began on January 10th, 2019, in Buffalo, New York. I was fortunate enough to attend the second date of the tour on January 12th in Laval, Quebec. As a fan of P!ATD for many years, I was in disbelief for the entire day knowing I would be just a few feet away from Brendon Urie himself. The show began with Betty Who, an Australian singer who is most well known for being associated with singer Troye Sivan, who put on an energetic performance which hyped the crowd up with her catchy songs and fun, slightly risquĂŠ choreography. Next up was Two Feet, who I can only describe as house music mixed with TONS of bass and even some guitar. The crowd seemed to thoroughly enjoy their performance. Personally, I thought the bass was a little too much, but other than that, they were great! 28
After about a 30-minute wait, the countdown for Panic! appeared on the screen. 10 minutes turned to 3 minutes and before we knew it, the time had come. The crowd jumped to their feet. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,1! Brendon jumped out from beneath the stage and went right into “(Fuck a) Silver Lining,” with confetti pouring down on the crowd. With Brendon's past Broadway experience in "Kinky Boots," he sure did know how to work that stage. The production of the show was like no other. Confetti, lasers, pyro, animations! I felt as if I was in a whole other world. With crowd favorites such as "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," "This is Gospel," "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," "Nine In The Afternoon," and many others, you could hear the cheers of joy from the crowd as they got to sing along to their favorite songs. Brendon's famous “Death Walk” happened in which he walks through the crowd during "Death of a Bachelor" to get to his B-Stage/Flying Piano. As he made the walk through the crowd, everyone was being very respectful. Brendon hugged some lucky fans and I was actually on the side he did the Death Walk, which if you ever get a chance to go to a Panic! show, try to get an aisle seat as you have an easier chance of getting close to him. After the walk, Urie gets on his flying piano where he performs "Dying In LA" which was one of the most beautiful vocal performances I think I've ever heard. As the piano flies over the crowd, Brendon peers over the edge looking out into the crowd. He even became a bit emotional and teared up a bit. After the little emotional moment everybody including the band experienced, we got back into a fast-paced, happier tone. As the
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show came to a close, one more shot of confetti was poured down over us. I have never been to a show where I have danced and screamed so much in my life. A Panic! At The Disco show really is like no other and I encourage you to attend one at least once in your life. You won't regret it. This will be a night I will remember forever.
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Concert Review: Taylor Swift
Reputation Tour at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA 5/11/18 Review & Photos by Yising Kao
Taylor’s concert was PHENOMENAL and honestly, one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. I couldn’t make it to her Los Angeles show anymore, so I flew up for the show, and yes, it was worth it. Camila Cabello and Charli XCX opened the show and were incredible! I admire how this tour is all about embracing and inspiring girl power. I’ve supported Camila since she was in Fifth Harmony and she inspires me because she used to be a huge fan of Taylor, and now she opened for her, which is a huge achievement. After they performed, Taylor’s set started with a bang as she performed “…Ready For It?” which was the perfect opening song. Smoke rose from the stage and there were fireworks and flames that captured the aesthetic. During “Look What You Made Me Do,” a giant snake rose to the stage and it looked amazing. I admire how Taylor embraced the snake symbol and owned it, showing that she rose above her haters and is thriving! Taylor and her dancers were dressed in strikingly gold outfits that matched the snakes on the screen, and the gold platform they were on. My heart was pounding with excitement as I was surprised by the production during every song, and I sang at the top of my lungs. “Delicate” was my favorite performance. Taylor performed on the main stage, then she hopped onto a lit-up, golden platform that reminded me of Cinderella’s carriage, which is 31
perfectly fitting since she looked like an actual princess. She floated through the crowd in the caged platform, landing on one of the smaller B-stages as her fans screamed her name, getting a close-up glimpse of her. I was right in front of the B-stage and it was unreal getting to see her so close. The stage had a huge inflatable snake, which was an incredible prop. Her “Delicate” performance created a truly magical atmosphere and I felt like I was in a fairytale. Camila and Charli XCX joined her on the stage to sing and dance to “Shake It Off,” and confetti exploded everywhere at the end. Her confetti wasn’t regular confetti; it had pieces of mini Taylor newspapers which was very unique. Another performance I really enjoyed was “Bad Blood.” Taylor surprised everyone by mashing the song up with “Should’ve Said No” from her debut album. I was so happy because I remember listening her first album during my childhood, so it was really special. Expect the unexpected for her tours! Before Taylor’s “Long Live” and “New Year’s Day” mashup, she gave a speech that will stick with me forever. She spoke about how sometimes she wonders what she’ll think of her life when she’s 80 years old, and how she will not regret becoming an artist and getting to perform for millions of people every night. Another thing she said was that she loves how her fans relate to her music because it means they shared the same feelings at certain times. Taylor is one of the most genuine artists and people, and she really cares about her fans. She’s humble and always expresses her gratitude for anyone who supports her. I started crying during her speeches because her words were beautiful and her music means a lot to me. It was an enchanting performance with the audience waving their phone lights, lighting up the entire stadium, and it 32
looked even more amazing with the lit-up bracelets. The screen played a visual of stars, and I loved that because I’m obsessed with stars and lights, and it fit flawlessly with her songs. During a video interlude, Taylor spoke a voiceover of amazing poetry while a gorgeous visual of her with colorful smoke bombs played on the screen; it was a perfect transition. Taylor speaks very elegantly, and I always look forward to her speeches during her shows. Taylor’s show ended with her mashup of “We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.” She wore a sparkly blue dress and there was a fountain with water spewing out. Fireworks of bright colors exploded around the stage and it was so spectacular. I love how she creates mashups to perform; the songs match extremely well and it’s always a fun surprise! Overall, the Reputation era is one of Taylor’s best eras, and I hope that more people give her a chance and ignore all the drama that the media cooks up. From Taylor’s outfits down to her different microphones, the concert production was so amazing, and I can tell that Taylor and her team put a lot of thought into each performance to express every song’s aesthetics and meanings. Taylor didn’t just perform a concert; she performed a SHOW and told a story through music and visuals. I was entranced during the whole show and entered another world where I didn’t want to escape. Her dancers were incredible and are extremely talented-they even did acrobatics! Taylor and her dancers looked like they were having so much fun on stage and the crowd was incredibly energetic. Also, I love how Taylor had three stages so everyone had a chance to see her from a closer view, no matter where their seats were. I grew up listening to Taylor’s music and she will always be one of my favorite artists. This show was extraordinary and I would definitely go again if I could!
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Lauren Jauregui releases "More Than That" music video! Article by Dulce Naranjo
Photo By Yising Kao
On January 18th, the lovely, beautiful, and talented Lauren Jauregui uploaded the official music video to her latest single “More Than That.” This artist is an openly known bisexual icon and feminist. In her music video, she presents only girls, with the exception of one man as a waiter, but his only purpose is to serve women, who are being pleased by the dancing performances of other women. The song itself talks about a woman, or in this case, Lauren herself being sensual and comfortable with her body, comfortable enough to show it off. The best part in this is that she made it clear that even when a girl wants to show off her body, no one has a right over it but herself. “If I gave you a taste of what I do, just remember that I don’t belong to you.” This is something that to this day, many people still don’t understand. What a woman wears or how she acts does not give you permission to touch her or harass her. Lauren also talks about diamonds not buying her and needing “more than that” to convince her and take her home. In conclusion, we all need “more than that” because all women have great value, no matter what you do or who you are. Lauren, the queen herself, says it. Stream the single on iTunes and Spotify now and don’t forget to check out her inspiring and ethereal video! 34
Playlist: galaxy, january.
By Rachel Ali
★Numb Without You by The Maine ★She by dodie ★TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME by The 1975 ★Valentine (Live) by 5 Seconds of Summer ★Loner by YUNGBLUD ★pity party by lovelytheband ★better friends by BETWEEN FRIENDS ★7 rings by Ariana Grande ★Kiss and Make Up by Dua Lipa, BLACKPINK ★If Walls Could Talk (Live) by 5 Seconds of Summer ★In The Middle by dodie ★Anaheim by Quiet, Please ★Monster by dodie
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Album Review: Entertainment by Waterparks Review & Photos By Yising Kao
Waterparks’ second album, Entertainment, came out on January 16th, 2018. It’s AMAZING!! Waterparks consists of lead singer Awsten Knight, guitarist Geoff Wigington, and drummer Otto Wood. Their music is so unique and playful, and it automatically puts me in a good mood. The album tells a story from Awsten’s experiences, and opens up with an upbeat track, “11:11,” so listen to the album in order with no distractions! My favorite song from the album is “Not Warriors,” which is one of the singles (I listen to it at least 126 times a day). The verses are produced with Awsten’s low, robotic-sounding voice and heavy undertones, and the chorus is so catchy. The song just puts me in a happy mood, and the lyrics are so clever-“There’s nothing in my system so I’m feeling what I feel for you/ I’m sweating out potential but I’m nervous at my central for you.” Awsten is just a lyrical genius. When I listen to Waterparks’ music, I always wonder how Awsten comes up with such incredible lyrics and metaphors. My second favorite track is “Rare,” which is about admiring someone and wanting them to know that you think they’re rare. It’s an upbeat song that I can’t help but head-bang to and sing along. “Peach (Lobotomy)” is another one of my favorites. It features a cheerful guitar strumming beat and Awsten’s expertise whistling. But the subject of lobotomies contrasts against the happy tone, and it’s such an amazing 36
metaphor to how someone feels about someone they love. I interpret it as a person loving someone and thinking about them so much that they’re losing their mind and it feels like a lobotomy, a feeling that I can relate to. I love the lyric “You're why I'm sitting here, hating myself for needing someone so bad and feeling dumb.” Another track on the album is “We Need to Talk,” which has a chill beat, and it’s about being hurt by someone you used to love. It features the lyrics “I really thought you were my four-leaf clover/I really thought that I was lucky,” expressing the theme and symbol of the four-leaf clover of Entertainment. “Crybaby” is one of the more slower songs with eerie electronic sounds played throughout it; it has a melancholy tone, creating a haunting mood and atmosphere. One lyric is “I thought I told you it’s that gloom boy season,” which refers to their song Gloom Boys from their first album, Double Dare. Awsten is a master at referencing their other songs into albums. For those who enjoy more hardcore music, there’s “Tantrum,” where Awsten calls out certain people, and it’s such a great song to release all your anger and start a mosh pit. “Blonde” was the first single from the album, and it’s still a bop with its fast-paced and fun beat. “Lucky People” was the second single from Entertainment. It has beautiful guitar strumming and as Awsten describes it, it’s the saddest love song. I recommend you watch the music video filmed by Jawn Rocha, which is beautiful and features Awsten in covered with lights. “Sleep Alone” is another track that will make you dance and my favorite lyric is “my heavy set of cares evaporates all around you.” But the best part is that Awsten coughs before the second chorus. I don’t think any artist has done that beforewhat a trendsetter! He puts a lot of thought and effort into music production with unique sounds, which makes their music so much more amazing. As a huge fan of them, I may be biased, but there isn’t one song of theirs that I don’t like. And no matter what type of music you listen to, it doesn’t hurt to listen to one of their songs! Now, I can give you a complete run-down for each song, but I’ll leave that up to you to listen to the entire album and interpret the songs in your own way. It’s truly a creative and unique work of art, and I’ll never get tired of listening to it. As Awsten says, Waterparks is God’s favorite boyband, so give them a chance!
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HEY, YOU!
Check out my Waterparks Entertainment Tour Recap video on www.youtube.com/yisingkao! Shoutout to Waterparks, iDKHOW, Super Whatevr, De'Wayne Jackson, Nick Gray, and all of their lovely fans for being a part of it. I've always loved hearing other people's stories and getting to learn about how music has impacted these individuals was so wonderful. It's truly amazing and special how music brings people together. Hope you enjoy watching it! -Yising Kao