Line-Up Magazine: January/February 2015 Issue by Line-Up Magazine

jan/feb 2015 issue twelve

Fifth harmony Class of 2015

CEO/Editor-In-Chief Evan Candelmo M anagi ng Edito r Mariana Rodriguez Co p y Edito r Carly Meyers M arke ti ng Di re cto r Olivia Remsberg B usi ne ss M an ag e r Zack Shapiro Se ni o r W rite rs Owen Brinker, Jeffrey Cirillo, Ryan Cirillo, Molly Spillman, Megalene Tamara W rite rs Charles Bloomer, Sophie Brenits, Camilo Calvo-Alcaniz, Taylor Connors, Corey Emden, Anna Hovey, Sophia Holland, Ashley Kauffman, Valeria Kaufman, Annika LaVina, Monique Logie, Erin Malloy, Carly Meyers, Emily Murphy, Alexandra Papanicolaou, Olivia Remsberg, Mariana Rodriguez, Iris Vukmanovic Fashi on Edito rs Erin Malloy, Hitomi Mochizuki, Megalene Tamara, Reece Dennison Pho tog raph ers Erin Malloy, Megalene Tamara, Anna Glazer M o de ls Sheetal Dhanapal, Hitomi Mochizuki, Kaylee Palmer, Adinah Price Co nn e ct facebook.com/thelineupmag twitter.com/lineupmag lineup-mag.com B ack Co ve r Photo by Harper Smith

Line-up

Contents

Frankie

Zara Larsson

Alison Wonderland

Playlist: January/February 2015

Marian Hill

Amanda Steele (MakeupByMandy24)

Jacquie Lee

Photo Shoot

Emmie Lichtenberg (Slumber Party @emmieshouse)

Fifth Harmony

PVRIS

Album Reviews

Cobra Starship

Katy Tiz

No doubt, some of the best musicians in today’s industry are emerging out of online music streaming service, SoundCloudnames such as Lorde and Flume come to mine. Next big artist? Frankie. Growing up in Oakland, CA, Frankie got started young in music, singing selections from “Phantom Of The Opera.” Eventually, her love for music led to guitar lessons and writing her own songs. “I grew up in a scene where everyone was really sweet to one another and really down-to-earth. I feel like that influences my music and just my vibe. I’m very like girl next door but a little bit tomboy if you will.” Frankie’s current musical journey started with Petros, her sole producer. “Petros and I met in college. He was in a band that was pretty big in the Bay Area. I had heard of them and him but when we met in college, we just clicked immediately on music.” Petros was actually the reason Frankie moved to LA, to work on music together. For the last six months, she has been working with him on her debut EP featuring “Blackout,” which gained great recognition on SoundCloud. “It was written a year ago. I just had this [aha] moment one night. Funny enough, as I was falling asleep one night, I sang the whole song in my mind. It’s crazy. It’s pretty funny actually.” “Blackout” will be released with the forthcoming EP, which doesn’t necessarily fit into its work. Frankie explained the EP will feature “Blackout” and another pop song entitled “New Obsession” as well as a ballad, a minor bass track, and a couple of more alternative pop songs. “It’s very sonically cohesive but there’s definitely a range [on the EP].” Up next, Frankie will be releasing a Motown-esque ballad from her forthcoming EP and with the release will come more live shows. She’s been planning shows in the Bay Area and SXSW. SoundCloud junkies, look no further. Despite a large gap between her two releases, Frankie is here to stay. Quality over quantity, and Frankie is definitely a quality artist. Story and Interview by Evan Candelmo

frankie

When Zara Larsson first took to the stage in 2008, she was an endearing ten year old and she was participating in Talang, Sweden’s version of “Got Talent,” a program that she later took first place in, the youngest winner to date. Larsson claims she only auditioned for the show for fun. To this day, she claims she had “absolutely no idea” that it would kick-start her singing career before she even graduated elementary school. However, that’s not to say she wasn’t as ready as they come. To Larsson, singing “came as naturally as breathing did.” Although giving stellar performances has always been in Larsson’s comfort zone, during the bulk of her adolescent years she took a hiatus from the industry. Despite the fact that she released music occasionally, Larsson admits that she does not feel like she grew up in the public’s eyes. She would get recognized from time to time in her home country due to the people that were taken by her charisma on Talang, but she hasn’t let the brand that created her own her. “I very much like being considered an independent artist,” Larsson explains. “I’m glad I was on Talang such a long time ago.” In addition to being Sweden’s sweetheart, Zara also studied online to make herself more well-rounded. Currently on her radio tour, the pressures of the music industry as well as being plagued by seemingly pointless academics make Larsson a typical teen in that respect in the aspect of stress levels. However, Larsson has made it a personal goal to educate herself in spite of her rapidly growing popularity in music. “I’m not a straight A student. Far from it, actually. But home-schooling isn’t allowed in Sweden and I’m not going to be ‘that artist’,” Zara promises. Larsson has recently left for the United States to promote an EP that dropped in Sweden last year, which, according to the Swede, is not repetitive at all. Displaying remarkable confidence as an adolescent girl, Larsson proudly proclaims that she isn’t tired of promoting the same album because “it’s just great.” Even though Larsson produces music so great even she doesn’t get tired of it, the artist sees no reason for excessive competition or goalsetting because life is too fluid to set a goal so concrete. “Every artist my age wants to win a Grammy and sell out a huge stadium,” Larsson tells Line-Up, which ironically has writers exactly her age, “but all I really know is that I want people to listen to my my music.” Story by Ryan Cirillo Interview by Evan Candelmo Photo by Harper Smith

Zara larsson

Regarded as one of the best Australian DJs by Diplo and Annie Mac, Alison Wonderland, is one of the many emerging female DJs in EDM. Her haunting and brilliant sound has attracted crowds from around the world, from the United States toher home country of Australia. This year, she received a spot in two music festivals, including the Mountain Sounds Festival in Australia and Coachella. In less than two months, she will release her first full-length album Run in May, featuring vocal collaborations with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, indie band Brave, and rapper Johnny Nelson. Since childhood, Wonderland has always had an affinity for music. Before being introduced to EDM, she trained to be a classical cellist. Before she first started DJing, she adopted a vastly different taste in music which inspired her to pursue electronic music. “I love dancehall and I love Crystal Castles. I love all different types of music and artists that I’ve been into especially when I started which stuck with me. I still refer to that because I guess its the reason I started DJing.” Collaborating will multiple producers in refining her album, Wonderland found the experience extremely rewarding. “You learn so much working with other artists in the studio. I’ve taken so much from working with them and alongside them, it’s cool.” Fans can expect her album to be just as gratifying as her EP Calm Down, which sat at the top of the Itunes chart for weeks and received millions of plays on SoundCloud. She advises all aspiring and current musicians to approach and perform their music with genuineness. “When it comes down art, it’s really important to have genuine feelings for it and it keeps you to push yourself to your full potential. If you’re not getting into a song like when you’re up on stage who else will? You see people up there sometimes playing it because they’re playing it, I’ve never wanted to be in robot mode. It’s important to only play songs that really speak to you then because you’ll be able to perform them better. You’ll be able to mix them in an interesting way that will inspire you.” In the future, Wonderland hopes to maintain her job as a DJ. “I want to keep releasing records and touring and performing. Hopefully people get something from what I’m doing. I don’t want to preempt anything because I have no idea where I’m going to be. A year ago I had no idea I was going to be doing this. A year ago I haven’t even written my EP. I wouldn’t have thought I would be on a poster with the words “Coachella” at the top of it.”

Story by Megalene Tamara Interview by Evan Candelmo

Alison wonderland

Imagine Dragons

“Shots”

Alex Winston

“We Got Nothing”

Jess Glynne

“Hold My Hand”

Rae Morris

“Love Again”

BØRNS

“Electric Love”

Tove Stryke

“Ego”

Phoebe Ryan

“Mine”

Tori Kelly

“Nobody Love”

Years & Years

“King”

Who Is Fancy?

“Goodbye”

Charli XCX and Rita Ora

“Doing It”

Marina & The Diamonds

“I’m A Ruin”

Susanne Sundfør

“Delirious”

Meghan Trainor

“Credit”

Karl Kling

“Careful”

Cody Simpson

“Flower”

Broken Back

“Halcyon Birds”

St. Vincent

“Bad Believer”

Little Brutes

“Real Thing”

laylist

In the era of subjection to an endless array of radio stations of close resemblance to broken records, we often find ourselves in search for a fresh start; to find something new and exciting. As the same artists continue to hold a gripping dominance of the music charts, the novel duo “Marian Hill” is quickly emerging, bringing a big storm to the music industry. Samantha Gongol and Jeremy Lloyd, singer and producer for the two-year old electronic band “Marian Hill”, began sparking their journey to fame back in their middle school years. The two were tremendously interested in music from a young age, and met in middle school, forming a friendship through the school’s plays and choir. As they continued into high school, Samantha and Jeremy began to write songs separately. Fast forward to college, Samantha pursued the study of music business at New York University, and Jeremy at Yale, studying theatre with a focus on music. Their growing passion for music brought them together on college breaks, when “[they] would often like to catch up by writing together”. At the same time, Jeremy had begun playing around with production and incorporating Samantha’s voice into the music, eventually leading them to the inception of Marian Hill’s breathtaking first song, “Whiskey”. What’s surprising, Samantha described, was that “[their] music in college had different trajectories”, they didn’t plan to be in a group together, “it was just something that happened dramatically, which is a lot of fun.” Once “Whiskey” was complete, the duo’s mission was to make their music into magic, sending “Whiskey” off into the internet. Upon emailing “Whisky” to some sixty blogs, three picked up on the song, and “pretty soon after that, things were rolling for [them].” Despite the duo’s undeniable talent, the internet’s positive reaction to the release of “Whiskey” filled the duo with great surprise, gratification, and excitement. Of course, every group has their own formula to success. Following the buzz of Marian Hill’s first release, the duo was prospective of further songwriting and producing. After “Whisky”, Marian Hill began a writing process that’s been “continuously evolving”. In the process of forming Marian Hill’s addictive songs, Jeremy starts with a “very basic skeleton of a beat”. From there, they simply sit together, sharing ideas, writing, and fine-tuning. “If we both don’t love an idea, Jeremy says, “we’re done with it.” The duo’s rule allows them to produce a maximum quality of music, and speed up the amount of time spent between discovering a new beat and the release of the new song. Now that Marian Hill was on its way, the duo commenced spreading their music by performing at concerts, one of which with Photo Finish Records’ Matt Galley in the audience, who connected Marian Hill with the record label, eventually leading to their signing right after the New Year. Marian Hill more recently released “Lips” and “Got It”, which are pointing to another EP that they’re about to release under Photo Finish Records. For the upcoming EP, the duo describes their next releases as a “step forward” or “part two”, taking what they’ve been doing to the “next level”. Speaking for the future, the duo is extremely excited about the release of their new EP, getting “more people [to] hear their music, [and] getting on the road a lot more.” Marian Hill is ready to see their name grow, play bigger shows, and make more songs. We absolutely look forward to seeing Marian Hill enter the big spotlight, and get fantastic recognition once they get their show on the road! Story by Valeria Kaufman Interview by Evan Candelmo Photos by Shervin Lainez

arian hill

Amanda

Not many 15-year-olds can boast 559 thousand Twitter followers, 1.3 million Instagram followers and a whopping 2 million subscribers on YouTube, but Web Celebrity Amanda Steele can say that and more. Steele has been making beauty and fashion related videos on her YouTube channel, MakeupbyMandy24, since she was ten; having a camera practically document the transition of becoming a young adult can be pretty daunting, but she has handled it with ease and always a smile on her face. Steele has been “into makeup and dressing up” for as long as she can remember. Even as a young girl, she found herself looking at the beauty community and wondering what she could contribute to such a tight-knit place online. “I thought it would be cool to be a part of.” Steele says. She goes on to say that people like Ingrid Nilsen, another accomplished beauty guru on YouTube, and Tyler Oakley, a comedic Internet personality, are huge inspirations to her. “She (Nilsen) works hard and makes great content,” Steele adds, “and Tyler sends such a positive message to all his viewers, he has great energy.” Steele over time has transitioned from a reserved preteen to a bubbly young adult who is taking YouTube, and the beauty industry, by storm. “Everything about me has evolved,” she says, “what I notice most is the confidence I have gained.” She recently released an eye shadow palette with BHCosmetics, featuring her favorite eye shadow shades, which is a big step for Steele and her career aspirations. Steele works with some of the biggest names on YouTube, and some of the biggest companies. She stars on AwesomenessTV’s series “Life’s S.O R.A.D.”, which also features a clothing line at the department store, Kohls. This series took off in early September and episodes that include Steele have on average 400,000 views per video. Her success working with AwesomenessTV propelled her further into the limelight and gave her a chance to gain the success she deserves. Steele says, “When I got my first brand deal, I knew it was important to have professionals help me out with it (her YouTube channel) Having a company sponsor and work with Steele has helped her reach new heights with her channel, and has helped her with her transition of becoming a full-time YouTuber at the young age of 15. Currently, she has…. for it…. A whopping 126,283,759 total views on her Wait

a steele

channel, which definitely comes with some bragging rights. With these numbers growing by the minute, sometimes the fans and haters can get to be a little bit too much, but not for Steele. When asked how she replies to online criticism, she replies simply with “I don’t, I try to not let it affect me, and instead focus on the positive feedback I receive.” She has even started to do more of a variety of videos on her channel like vlogs and follow me around videos, DIY’s and even challenges and tags. Many other content creators in the beauty community have started branching out even more than Steele, and have made TV appearances and made a name on traditional media; however, she doesn’t think she’ll be following in their footsteps exactly. “I think it’s great if it (branching out onto traditional media) is something they are passionate about, but I think social media is the future” Steele says. Her biggest aspirations lie directly in the beauty industry; as mentioned early she does already have a palette with BHCosmetics but she hopes to have her own clothing line one day. In just a short time, she has made so many connections and pathways to make her dream of becoming big in the beauty industry a reality- Steele is so dedicated that she enrolled in an online school program to allow her the “flexibility to travel and make videos” without the strict schedule public school comes with. Although it’s not all work for Steele, (we’d like to add though that YouTube quite possibly is the best job EVER to have…) she does like to unwind by hanging out with friends “and shopping, of course!” 2014 was a whirlwind year for Mandy, she has done dozens of collabs with some of YouTubes biggest sensations, partnered with Big Frame, which is one of the leading YouTube media companies, and traveled all across the country to expand her career and of course attend meet up’s and conventions to meet dedicated viewers like you! 2015 holds fun experiences and newfound success for one YouTube’s of the fasting rising beauty gurus, Amanda Steele, and she hopes to see you along the way!

Story by Molly Spillman Interview by Evan Candelmo

The 17-year-old is busy, but she’s thriving. “Writing can be super challenging and therapeutic at the same time,” she says. “I really love it. It’s also been amazing to work with such talented people and see [my] writing come to life in the production process. I am addicted! I am looking forward to having a little more time to put songs together for my forthcoming album.” Lee’s debut EP, Broken Ones, was released in late October to much positive reception. She is sure to continue to expand upon her artistry on her hopefully-soon-to-follow full-length album. Her debut video for the titular track off the EP followed closely. In it, Lee moves among several suffering young women in the halls of an empty mansion. “It was actually a lot of fun,” she says of the experience. “I had a great team around me that made everything as easy as possible...The director, Max Nichols, is super talented and worked really hard to help my artistic vision come together.” The success that she has achieved and continues to work toward has been a long time coming. Lee has had a love affair with the industry since the beginning. “Every since I can remember [music has] been my number one passion,” she claims. “ I actually auditioned for The Voice when I was a little younger but they said come back when you have your braces off! After that I was actually performing in a local live music group public performance and someone in the audience who had a relationship with The Voice heard me sing and they asked me to audition again, and you know the rest.” “I really just focused on doing my best for each [Voice] performance and tried not to think about what [would] happen next. I certainly felt lucky to get so far.” And whether it was fortitude or hard work or, more likely, a combination of the two, Lee was able to participate in The Voice’s summer tour. “ It was kind of an adjustment living on a tour bus for 6 weeks,” she admits, “but the other artists and the team were so wonderful and I made a lot of new friends. It was great to visit so many cities across the US and I love performing so that was great too!” By a similar process, Lee was soon jointly signed to Atlantic Records and 300 Entertainment. “After the show [I] recorded a few original songs...Atlantic was [already] considering signing me and then separately Lyor Cohen at 300 heard my music and saw some of my performances and they all got together and signed me,” Lee clarified. So while Lee develops her artistry and moves forward with more a much more personal objective than she had on The Voice, her rapport with the show serves to push her forward rather than hold her back. “I hope to be writing music and performing for fans all over the world,” she says simply. “This is my dream.” Story by Carly Meyers Interview by Evan Candelmo Photos by Vijat Mohindra

Jacquie lee

Although she may be best known for her time on The Voice, rising pop star Jacquie Lee’s career surely won’t be defined by itshe’s just released her first music video and is writing new music everyday.

Contumacious

Emmie lichtenberg: professional internet bff Â

story by evan Candelmo photos by kimi selfridge/tan camera

Many Internet personalities hide behind a façade that is incredibly clear to the person watching a lifeless vlogger on their laptops. Emmie Lichtenberg quite literally has invited viewers into her life with her highly successful web series, “Slumber Party @EmmiesHouse,” which almost always features her interviewing a close friend such as Marina & The Diamonds or MS MR. The show successfully combines nostalgia with today’s top indie-pop artists despite Lichtenberg not necessarily knowing where the concept come from. “I think it was something where I always knew I wanted to be telling stories and honing in a certain vibe. Doing stuff on camera was something I always knew I was passionate about. For me, growing up, the slumber party vibe was something I still keep with me everyday.” Lichtenberg studied English at Vassar College and noted that her education was definitely integral to how she thinks about things from a creative perspective. “Its about how you apply things to pop culture and how you think about them that are really important. Having a dissecting mind is really important and I think school gives that to you.” Despite studying English, her love for music continued through her internships and activities outside of school. Don’t mistake Emmie for a drum major, though. Despite her passion for music and of course “Total Request Live,” she told us that it’s definitely about creating an experience around music. “I ingested so much MTV, I think its crazy. Even in middle school, being a VJ was my ultimate goal and creating the vibe using music. Even watching MTV as a kid, I knew I wanted to do something similar to Carson Daly. I knew I wanted to do something more unique than that, though.” If you have ever seen “Slumber Party @EmmiesHouse,” there is such a friendly aesthetic that cannot be mistaken for a hosting situation. Probably because Emmie usually interviews people off of Neon Gold Records, a record label started by her friends Lizzie Plapinger and Derek Davies, and has a genuine connection with all these people. What happens though when an outsider emerges? It’s not common but Lichtenberg definitely receives requests to have people other than Neon Gold artists on the show. “The criteria that I have usually just starts out with having some sort of connection to the music. [Also,] if I invite them to my apartment or I show up to their hotel room with all of my stuff, are they going to be ok with this?” Most usually are considering the facial expressions of the artist. “Slumber Party @EmmiesHouse” is definitely a bonding experience more than an interview. As Lichtenberg continues to grow her brand, artists will start flocking to this incredibly unique platform she is providing. Just be forewarned: Sure, you can plug your album but there will be truth or dare.

You can find the web series on MySpace and on YouTube.

Fifth ha

armony

Can I speak for music lovers when I say, ”Thank you Fifth

Harmony for finally giving us “Reflection”?

Speaking to them a week before release, the girls were C-ON-F-I-D-E-N-T in their work. “I think, at this point, honestly, it’s more exciting to have it out but I think it’s kind of like a nerve-wracking thing. Sometimes you work so hard on something and hope that [the fans] love it as much as you do. But, I think we’re more excited [than nervous]. We’ve been waiting a really long time to put this out.” As noted, the girls had to delay their album a couple of times, which definitely caused some stress among their harmonizers, what they call their fan base. “We just wanted to make sure the record was right for everybody. We didn’t want to rush it but we’re so happy that it’s finally coming out.” “Reflection” is a clear evolution from their debut EP, “Better Together.” Common listeners will find that the two works don’t really have a connection but “Reflection” definitely triumphs over the EP with hip-hop fused into the girl group’s sound. “We’ve grown a lot and you can see that in the album. Lyrically, I think we are more mature. The themes we talk about are more about girl empowerment. From the EP to the album, we wanted to include more harmonies and I feel like we did that.” Harmonizers have been vocal for the group throughout their career. From choosing their name on “The X Factor” to voicing their opinions about what path they should take the group down. One of the most surprising opinions the fans have is somewhat of a negative connotation towards the girls’ record label. Despite that, Fifth Harmony expressed that Epic Records has done nothing but good things for them. “We’re really grateful for the support because they really just want to have us be successful as we can. Our fans, they are freaking amazing. They have their opinions and they see certain things. We’re appreciative of their honesty because, at the end of the day, we want to make them happy. Of course, some things aren’t in our control but I think the fans understand that.” As we heard the news that Fifth Harmony will be embarking on The Reflection Tour, we had to end our conversation with what the tour will be like. Answer? New. “They can expect a lot of new. There’s new songs and choreography. It will be a new era.”

A new era indeed. There’s no doubt that Fifth Harmony is conquering the girl group genre but we’re just excited to see them conquer 2015. Story and Interview by Evan Candelmo

pvris

Lynn Gunn, Alex Babinski, and Brian MacDonald are the masterminds behind Massachusetts's own PVRIS, a new band taking over the alternative scene with their debut album White Noise. The trio has been together for three years now. They all met through their shared local scene, playing shows together while also being in different bands. The three grew up listening to a variety of music but mainly gravitated towards rock and pop music, both of which have influenced their sound. They claim they are “all pretty open and shameless about [their] music taste even if it's something insanely stupid.” It’s rare for a band to tour extensively before releasing an album, but PVRIS broke that stereotype a long time ago. With their crazy tour schedule and tendency to play a new city almost every night, they often find themselves “frantically running around the venue trying to find everyone to get side stage” before performances. PVRIS has toured with bands such as Lower Than Atlantic, Mallory Know, and even Pierce The Veil. We asked them to create their dream tour lineup. It was tough for them to describe. “Probably a crazy insane tour with Thirty Seconds To Mars, Ellie Goulding and Linkin Park. Not quite sure why, it would just be epic,” Gunn finally decided. Artists today are faced with the decision of making music for themselves or making music that will sell. Some bands are lucky enough to make music for themselves that their fan base loves; PVRIS is one of those. They said of their record, “We knew before [it[ was released that we had made a record that we were happy with and we were proud of...we weren't expecting this many people to back it so quickly. We're super grateful for all the positive feedback and support right out of the gate.” Even with their fan base multiplying by the minute, Gunn claims they’re shocked they even have any fans. For fun, we asked the group what they’d be doing if they weren’t in a successful band. “I would probably be doing graphic design,” Lynn says. “[MacDonald] would probably be a fitness instructor or a nutritionist, and [Babinski] claims that he has no idea what he'd be doing.” But for now, their future just includes “lots of touring, writing, scheming, and hustling!”

Story and Interview by Erin Malloy

Album

reviews M eghan Trainor- Title Although critics analyzing the sway of society’s beliefs have long postulated upon which musical epoch we find ourselves in, there is no denying that a period of musical history has ended and a new one has begun. Meghan Trainor holds aloft her ample arms and welcomes us into this new era. She spreads her gospel through the radio waves in simple, charming rhythms. Trainor has no more need to push an agenda. Therefore the rest of the album is a parody on itself, a reversion back to the bubblegum pop image Trainor projects. It closes the album, welcoming you to a world where you aren’t listening to Trainor’s music. By the end of the album, one has a sense that Meghan Trainor needed nothing more than to fill the time between her first and last tracks. But why should one criticize her – like Gorbachev, she has torn down the walls in our psyche, opening our nation to a standard of beauty it has never before enjoyed. Trainor cast aside traditional notions of albums “needing good content to be successful” or “requiring musical variety” or “originality”. She approached the album as an activist, hoping to change the world and usher in a new period of booty and bass. In this endeavor, she has succeeded, and intentionally or unintentionally she has changed the lives of millions with her music. –CCA (4/5) Fall Ou t B oy- A merican B eauty/A merican P sycho After accomplishing the unthinkable, coming back to mainstream success, I wouldn’t put it past Fall Out Boy to release an album like American Beauty/American Psycho with ambitious, arena-filling anthems. The band’s sixth studio album is a fantastic addition to any of today’s modern rock fan’s collection. The tracks that sample the likes of Suzanne Vega and up and coming musician Son Lux is what makes the album most intriguing. While some may consider Fall Out Boy’s comeback album as a turning point in the band’s sound, this album seems the true turning point as there is more balance between pop-punk and electronic – based music, more popular today than when the band was at their peak. Fall Out Boy is seamlessly working their way back into the rock scene and with American Beauty/American Psycho, they are proving their place. -EC (4.5/5)

Fifth H arm ony- Reflection Fifth Harmony’s new album, Reflection can only be described as a roller coaster of music and rhythms filled with feminism and girl empowerment. This new debut album is racing to be part of Top Ten Debut Albums of the year, only released on th January 30 of 2015. The contrast between “Brave, Honest, Beautiful” ft. Meghan Trainor, an upbeat song, and “Reflection”, a slower ballad, is the pure essence of what the album is about. Fun but also emotional, this album is perfect for jamming and dancing to “Body Rock” or “Like Mariah”, but also feeling nostalgic with “We know”. The choruses, however, tend to be a little repetitive and gravitate towards the same beat. Nonetheless, Fifth Harmony fans, also known as Harmonizers, don’t seem to mind and have contributed greatly to the album’s success. Confident and fearless, the growth of each of the singers musically sets the bar even higher for their next album. (4.5/5) -MR

M ark Ronson- U ptown Special Featured opening and closing pieces by Stevie Wonder on the harmonica, an 80’s style ode to funk featuring Bruno Mars, and a revival of James Brown’s style with just a touch of modernity in “Feel Right” combine to bring the 80’s back in Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Special”. The album speaks for itself, charting top 10 around the world, and topping out at #1 in Ronson’s own UK. Keeping the funk alive and spanning different genre’s, all in 80’s style, from light rock to rap, this album includes it all. –OB (4/5)

El la H enderson- Chapter On e As she only placed sixth in season nine of UK’s The X Factor, nineteen-year old Ella Henderson is surely shocking the music industry. Her career is off to a charging start with Chapter One’s lead single “Ghost” outselling big names such as Five Seconds of Summer in Britain and the United States. Beyond “Ghost,” Chapter One seamlessly blends soul and pop to create eleven hauntingly beautiful tracks drenched with raw passion. I would argue that Chapter One is one of the most mature, well-rounded, and not-at-all-vapid fulllengths I’ve heard from an artist of her age, with Lorde’s Pure Heroine being another strong contender. Captivated by the soulful instrumentals in “Mirror Man,” the drama of high notes of “Glow,” and the dreamlike sound of “Hard Work,” I’m left hoping that this excellent album is just the first chapter of many in Henderson’s career. -RC (5/5)

L upe Fiasco- Tetsuo & You th Chicago-born rapper Lupe Fiasco, pioneer of the conscious hip-hop movement, is known to his fans for his thoughtful approach to rap music. For those who can appreciate the social-activist that he brings to the art form, his latest album, Tetsuo & Youth, is sure to be a highlight of 2015. The highly anticipated album contains a broad mix of sounds, from electronic to violin to banjo (yes, banjo), while still beautifully incorporating Lupe's signature themes: social inequality and opposition to the establishment. The pinnacle of this is undoubtedly "Prisoner 1 & 2," a powerful 8-minute track featuring Lupe's sister, Ayesha Jaco. More casual listeners will enjoy the slightly mellower collab with Guy Sebastian, "Blur My Hands." While the album may not be suited to first-time rap listeners, it's an absolute must for rap and Fiasco fans alike. -JC (4/5)

Joey B ada$ $- B4.DA.$$ Fresh out of Brooklyn is Joey Bada$$. Despite already having a name for himself, B4.DA.$$ definitely feels like the proper introduction to the rapper. While it sounds similar to mixtapes Bada$$ has previously released, his rhymes still sound as fresh as ever despite the multitude of collaborations and samples featured on the debut album. The production may be the only downfall, most of it being very on par. The highlight of this album is definitely Joey’s genius wordplay incorporated in his lyrics. -EC (4/5)

M isterW ives- O ur O wn Hou se

Probably the most anticipated debut album in indie-pop, MisterWives’ Our Own House does not disappoint but their new material may throw you for a loop, as it does not contain the bubbly pop seen on the band’s EP that released early last year. That being said, lead singer Mandy Lee packs a punch in every note on this album. In music, we have not seen a female lead singer as strong and impactful as Lee since Paramore’s Hayley Williams. The title track “Our Own House” opens the album with a band and is a true earworm for all pop-rock fans. Despite most of the standouts on this album being the previously released songs such as “Reflections” and “Coffins,” the album is still very enjoyable and worth a listen. No doubt, MisterWives is the next pop act to break through. –EC (3/5)

Georg e Ezra- Wan ted On V oy age English bred singer-songwriter George Ezra brings an old soul to his young heart. 21 year-old Ezra, who already boasts a top single, “Budapest”, channels a folksy yet catchy vibe to his melodic album, Wanted on Voyage, which is comfortable at tenth in the USA. Sparked with versatility and uniqueness, the up-and-coming Brit makes his authenticity apparent in his bass-baritone voice and heartfelt lyrics. Ezra’s deep vocals, accompanied by his acoustic guitar, resemble Hozier’s emotion with a twist of Mumford and Sons’ playfulness. Filled with upbeat and feel-good songs, Ezra’s album is a staple to people of all ages; young and old alike. Although some songs may sound similar, the beat is both easy to dance to and easy to drive to. After the third song, “Cassy O’”, listeners might find themselves humming his happy tunes under their breaths- myself included. -AL (4.5/5)

M ikky Ekk o- Time Mikky Ekko first caught his big break preforming a duet with Rihanna in her song “Stay.” Now, Ekko released an album of his own and I’m pleased to say it was well worth the wait. Ekko’s vocals are exceptional and so is the music he creates. Time opens with the track “Watch Me Rise.” It entails highspirited lyrics that would lift anyone’s spirits. In “Comatose” Ekko’s singing voice matches up with the music perfectly. The song expresses how we deal temptations in everyday life by convincing ourselves they’re something different. “Love You Crazy” features a beautiful duet, a cute and fun song to listen to. Ekko’s style of music isn’t for everyone. Even the songs that are faster or are more upbeat are somewhat slow. It takes a certain time and place to appreciate this album and you have to be in the right mood. That said, releasing an album like Time as his first was not a mistake. I look forward to seeing where Ekko’s talent will take him in the future. -AK (3/5) Rae S rem m urd- SremmLife At first, Rae Sremmund’s, a fresh hip hop duo from Mississippi, debut album SremmLife, sounded disastrous and I thought my laptop was gonna explode. I contemplated shutting it down and going to bed. But, as the album progressed, the more I found their loud and unapologetic rants about bad bitches and money, their banging beats, and their slow-paced lyrics actually enjoyable. The fact that they are so impenitent about their views of society is admirable, and the collaborations near the end of the album (Big Sean and Nicki Minaj) come in to save the record from a zero or one star rating. This album somewhat rebounded from its rocky start, and almost redeemed itself in the process, but not enough for me to highly recommend this album even to hip-hop fans. Hopefully, their next album, if they make one, will be better. –CB (2/5)

“You Make Me Feel…” Recognize that tune? Across the nation, thousands of teens still turn up that 2011 hit when it’s played on the radio. “You Make Me Feel…” made Cobra Starship, an American pop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist, Gabe Saporta, in 2003, a popular name. A long time ago, Gabe Saporta fled into the deserts of Arizona to find the meaning of life apart from his rock band. While pondering countless questions and mysteries, a snake bit Saporta’s neck to awaken and invoke his apparent purpose in life. This duty was to ensure that humankind would go out in style. And so Cobra Starship was formed. Now it’s been three years since the release of Night Shades, the album that produced their number one hit, and Cobra Starship has calmed down a bit. Saporta described the success of Night Shades as a “paradox,” for after its success the buzz surrounding Cobra Starship simmered down for a while. After touring extensively for two years, Saporta wanted to take a break. During this time, he was engaged to Erin Fetherston, a “nice change for [him].” Eventually, talks of Saporta’s going solo began to spread, and Saporta himself concludes that it was a “complicated” time. Luckily, the band is still together and stronger than ever with the addition of two new members, Eric Halvorsen and Andy Barr. After the summer hit, “Never Been in Love,” featuring Icona Pop, made its way to the billboard charts, Saporta states he saw the outcome as “much better than he thought” it would be. While the single features a different style from the Cobra Starship standard complete with hand-clapping, Saporta is confident in the track, claiming he was “experimenting with many different things and wanted a change.” Cobra Starship has begun writing again and is currently working on their fourth album. “Hopefully in the next six months we will have something put together,” Saporta says. The band is “writing it now,” and it will be different since there are new members in the band, but will still hold fast to what Cobra Starship is all about. “It’s been awesome, I feel really lucky,” Saporta says, speaking about his relationship with the new band members. “It’s really hard to find the right person who you can connect with while maintaining a friendship and touring together as a band. I think we got really lucky.” He later compared the mixing of old and new members to an arranged wedding where you don’t really know each other until long after you get together. As far as inspirations go, Saporta likes to think back to why the band was started in the first place. “It’s very tricky when working for something you love while maintaining a job,” he muses. “Staying together as a band while producing music in the pop culture” is evident as one of his main goals. Story by Emily Murphy Interview by Evan Candelmo

Cobra starship

Katy tiz

Great news for the unassuming few that only sing passionately behind closed doors: Katy Tiz, the freshest face in the music industry, “didn’t sing a single note” until the age of 18. She then began singing in her closet with her hairbrush and somewhere along the way ended up performing her sensation single “The Big Bang” at this year’s AMA’s. Like many artists do, Tiz started small. She began giving intimate shows with her and her acoustic guitar until she was discovered by an independent record label called Lava/Republic that only indirectly fostered Tiz’s growth as a musician. After splitting with Lava/Republic Records, Tiz was picked up by Rock Mafia, a duo of producers, and together her hit single “The Big Bang” was born. Immediately met with an overwhelming response, Katy Tiz was essentially dragged into the world of music with no forewarning. Although gratified, Katy Tiz is no less stunned about her sudden stardom than she was directly after “The Big Bang” was launched. “I still get overly excited when I see someone singing along to my songs! It's blows my mind!” enthuses Tiz. “ I do this weird dance thing when I [see it happen]... It's embarrassing.” Further enhancing her charming new-girl reputation, Tiz admits to frequently fawning over other celebrities when she sees them at awards shows and other events. Although the unfamiliarity of the music business is challenging the rising star’s budding career, Tiz forges onward. The Brit is currently gearing up to release her new single “Whistle While You Work It,” the first single off of her upcoming LP. In order to keep her close-knit fan group’s relationship with her positive, Katy is keeping her songs about her life. “[My writing style is] different every time. For me, writing comes from the heart so it depends on how I feel when I wake up that morning.” Going forward, Tiz cites her ideal collaborator as Justin Timberlake because of his talent and also because Tiz would “very much like to stare at him awkwardly in person.” In the future, after she “takes over the world,” Tiz would like to take her cat Schmitten around the world with her. Unfortunately, Schmitten will have to wait until the launch date of her next single, which is slated to be later this year. Story by Ryan Cirillo Interview by Evan Candelmo Photo by Jimmy Fontaine

Jan/Feb 2015 issue twelve

Zara Larsson Class of 2015