FILM “Prey” defied all odds, becoming a strong entry in the “Predator” franchise. B4 TV “The Sandman” brings the legendary comic book series to life on the small screen. B6 MUSIC NewJeans’ debut album is a decent project hindered by controversy. iconic pop star returned to Washington, D.C., for a magical concert.
HOYA
Lorde, Your Supreme Queen, is Back
Clayton Kincade Senior Guide Editor
September 9, 2022
BY: REINA LAU/THE
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ILLUSTRATION
Opening with “Leader of a New Regime,”
Taking just a quick breath to build audience anticipation, Lorde stepped out of the sundial’s crevice and launched right into “Homemade Dynamite,” an electric single from “Melodra ma”; she followed up with “Buzzcut Season,” a beloved deepcut from “Pure Heroine”. This opening offered a glimpse into the creativity of the tour — an earnest celebration of Lorde as an artist that has championed personal evolu tion over the years, warts and all. The show, split into three acts, closely followed the pattern of the day: sunrise to sundown. As the colored lights of the stage slowly waned from bright colors, so, too, did the theme and content of Lorde’s songs. The audience was watching a play masterminded by its subject. Through this design, Lorde was able to demonstrate the genius of “Solar Power” to its detractors: the serene album shined in live performance, becoming an intimate moment between the creator and listener. “Before we dance, are you ready to cry?” Lorde asked before “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” an ethereal rumina tion on the meaning of work and life.
“You chose me to tell your story,” Lorde said during the show, referring to her rise to adoles cent stardom. “It could have been any of us in this room. I will never forget that.” Take all of this from Lorde herself, instead of me: “Washington, are you ready to go some where with me?” We certainly were, and we are all better for it.
Clayton Kincade Senior Guide Editor
“Now I know why all of you were laughing. I am happy to be a D.C. meme,” she said to fans in a video shared on Twitter. But yes, amid the chatter, all the expected hits made an appearance: the euphoric, youth ful gut punch of “Ribs”; the crowd’s mixture of sweaty, exhausted bodies during “Supercut”; the joyful party anthem “Perfect Places”; and the show-stopping “Green Light.” Nothing encapsulated the show more than the double-punch ending of “Solar Power” and “A World Alone.” Both sides of Lorde came through during these numbers: the new, bub by and carefree Lorde going to the beach on a summer day, and the old, insecure and angsty Lorde shutting out the noise of the world. Fans will be happy to know that her idiosyncratic and poetic dance moves have survived her personal evolution, and they characterized the entire show. But Lorde’s shows, to both her and the audi ence, are not about the specifics. Lorde laid ev erything bare and naked on the stage, leaving the most intimate parts of her life to be dissect ed and analyzed. She asked, pondered, visceral questions of what feelings music gives you, what emotions music exercises from the body.
CONCERT Blink Three Times When You Feel It Kicking In: Lorde Arrives at The Anthem B2 | THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2022
Lorde’s relationship with her fans is sacred and jocular. In a baffling moment, Lorde ad mitted to swimming in the Potomac River, eliciting shock and laughter from the crowd. Lorde took these moments with grace, talking with fans after the show about the moment.
CLAYTON KINCADE After a postponement,five-monthpop sensation Lorde gave a colorful, unforgettable performance at The Anthem to show off her newest album, “Solar Power.”
Ladies and gentlemen, begin your sun salu tations, wear your SPF 3000 for the ultraviolet rays and throw your cellular device in the wa ter: Lorde is back. Months after her April show was postponed due to a case of “horrendous laryngitis,” Lorde (Ella Yelich O’Connor) finally graced The An them on Aug. 29, 2022. Returning to Washing ton, D.C., for the first time since 2018’s Melo drama World Tour, Lorde had tremendous expectations to meet. For the college-aged demographic, Lorde is an iconic cultural figure. After becoming a household name at 15 with her 2013 debut album “Pure Heroine” — namely, from the Grammy Award-winning single “Royals” and radio hit “Team” — Lorde became a teenage pop icon, inspiring current megastars like Ol ivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Conan Gray. This growth accelerated with Lorde’s 2017 sophomore album, “Melodrama”, in which Ella kissed goodbye to adolescence. The criticallyacclaimed project, accompanied by intoxicat ing synth-pop beats, was met with dizzying praise. And then, as quickly as Lorde skyrock eted to stardom, she disappeared.
Five years later, in 2021, Lorde returned with her third studio album Solar Power, which was met with tepid reviews; the mostly acoustic sound of the project marked a sharp depar ture from the darker-sounding pop Lorde had previously pioneered. Organizing an entire tour focused on the album was a bold move — and one that risked isolating fans yearning for childhood nostalgia or those who detested her recent project. But from the second Lorde stepped on stage, all was clear. Lorde has nothing to prove.
Lorde continued these tongue-in-cheek con versations throughout the show, breaking the fourth wall of her theatrical performance. “The young people in this room are the smartest people in the world,” she said before “Liability.”
Lorde welcomed us to her personal play ground. The set design was imitative of a life-sized sundial, a reference to the album’s summer aesthetic, complete with a spinning platform. The hollowed-out base of the sundial held Lorde for the opening while her shadow shined through.
In “What Love Will Do To You,” she again describes the sensation of being in love, imagining herself “in a haze” where “the world feels smaller, yet the trees feel taller.”
Laufey’s Debut Makes You Fall BackIn Love With the Simple Joys of Life MUSIC
Laufey first gained prominence through TikTok with her song “Valentine.” The sim plistic guitar ballad gained attention for its enchanting lyricism about life’s sudden changes, exemplified through Laufey’s dis belief of her own love life on Valentine’s Day. Her album promised to emulate the same simplistic yet dreamy sensation, and it ab solutely delivered.
Emily Smith Guide Reviews Desk Editor
“Beautiful Stranger,” the second track on the album, details the feeling of falling in love with a stranger for a few moments be fore going about your day. If you have ever shot fleeting glances at someone across the dining hall or on the metro, you will find yourself wandering back to that heart-flut tering experience with this song’s orchestral music plucked straight from a Disney movie.
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“Everything I Know About Love” by Laufey is a dreamy, orchestral journey through the mundane beauty of life, told through the re flective lens of a perceptive young woman. The Icelandic singer’s debut album fea tures a heavy jazz influence, with her soulful tone guiding the listener through each song. Amid trumpet serenades and light guitar accompaniments, Laufey details the little moments in life through the rose-colored glasses we use to reminisce.
Behind,” reminds the listener of that fact. The song’s swing style presents the perfect opportunity to dance, until Laufey hits you in the lonely heart with “everybody’s falling in love and I’m falling behind.” As you salsa around your kitchen, Laufey makes sure to remind you that you are doing it alone.
In the same fashion, the closing track, “Night Light,” walks the listener through the process of packing up your childhood bedroom and moving away. It is a perfectly relevant song for anyone in college, designed to send you back in time to packing up for school. Listening to the piano accompani ment, you’ll imagine yourself in your empty room at home, staring at the remnants of your childhood. If you’re ever feeling home sick, I would not recommend listening to this song, but in true Laufey fashion, the vo cals are too gorgeous to skip.
What often makes music appealing is its ability to fit perfectly into a certain moment in your life, and Laufey’s album manages to accomplish that feat in each song. If you’ve experienced the romantic love she croons about, you’ll find bits and pieces of your own experience within hers, drawing you into the album and keeping you there until she lets you go. Her ability to create a modern jazz-esque album is extraordinary, as is the meticulous crafting of a track list that allows both the faster and slower tunes to blend together seamlessly. Despite some of her more cliché lines, Laufey makes up for them through the hypnotic, ethereal quality of both her vocals andHerinstrumentation.debutalbumsets up a strong future for the singer, with her upcoming tour selling out across the United States. The universality of Laufey’s themes makes for a highly relatable collection of songs, while the jazz aspects of the otherwise modern album encapsulate the joys and anxieties of life and love.
The entire album, however, cannot feel like running through a field of daisies with the love of your life, and the tenth track, “Falling
With a pounding backbeat, the song differs from the lighter tracks and encapsulates the heavenly, nostalgic feeling of the entire al bum, driving her theme of the elusiveness of love straight into the heart.
LAUFEY/TWITTER With an innovative jazz influence and a relatable message on the small joys of life, the Icelandic singer’s debut album makes a strong foundation for future success.
Yet, the film does gather momentum in its middle portion before exploding into a bombastic, blood-soaked duel between Naru and the Preda tor in the final stretch. Every battle depicted in the film is distinct from the rest and brilliantly cho reographed, featuring thrilling twists and clever callbacks to earlier moments in the story. And unlike previous entries in its franchise, “Prey” does not drown its characters and plot in fighting — instead, action is used sparingly, al lowing the film the time to create an immersive historical backdrop for its story.
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Thankfully, those wonky visuals do not apply to the film’s terrifying antagonist, the Predator. The alien monster is frightening and viscerally hid eous with its bulging eyes, insect-like mandibles and spine-tingling clicking noises. The Predator’s arsenal is also cleverly augmented to feature more prototypical shields and spears, reminding audi ences of the film’s status as a prequel.
In fact, “Prey” is currently the only major mo tion picture with a version containing dialogue dubbed entirely in the Comanche language.
Dying
‘Prey’ Revives
The intimidating Predator meets its match in Naru, a mesmerizing heroine brought to life by an energetic performance from Midthunder. As her wide-eyed fear morphs into fierce, jaw-clenching determination and rousing battle cries, the audi ence cannot help but root for Naru to prevail. But what is perhaps most special about this film is its sincere commitment to represent ing Indigenous peoples. The film’s producer, Jhane Myers, a proud member of the Coman che nation, helped the filmmakers pay tribute to Indigenous culture by guiding the authentic representation of every detail of Native Ameri can life, from medicinal practices to weaponry.
FILM Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who made his directorial debut with the 2016 science fiction thriller “10 Cloverfield Lane,” “Prey” depicts the journey of Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young Co manche warrior determined to prove her worth as a hunter to a tribe that doubts her abilities. As Naru prepares to embark on her first ‘kühta amia,’ a Comanche hunter’s rite of passage, she en counters a merciless alien hunter wielding deadly blades and cloaking technology that renders it nearly invisible to the human eye. As the creature threatens her tribe, Naru must use her knowledge of the Northern Great Plains and her prowess as a hunter to outwit and kill the monster. Admittedly, “Prey” does not achieve much suc cess at first. The film’s first act is bogged down by cliché-ridden dialogue that recycles the trope of a young, eager protagonist defying older, more expe rienced characters who feel that the youth is “not ready” to face serious challenges.
This 18th century prequel provides a welcome breath of fresh air to the declining “Predator” franchise thanks to its exciting setting and compelling action.
The setting for Trachtenberg’s film is as unique as it is beautiful to view. The North American Plains of 1719 are brought to life with vibrant camerawork that displays sun-kissed, grass-cov ered vistas and murky, moss-encased forests. The film also enhances its authenticity by showcas ing the wildlife that lived alongside the Coman che tribe, including deer, bears, hawks, mountain lions, rattlesnakes and bison. Unfortunately, the film’s depiction of North American animals is somewhat hampered by poor visual effects that give every creature a strange, artificial appearance. Though this defi ciency does not hugely detract from the overall quality of the movie, it occasionally distracts from the otherwise entertaining hunting scenes.
PREDATOR/TWITTER
James Pocchia Guide Reviews Desk Editor
An invisible extraterrestrial monster and a rich depiction of 18th century North America’s Co manche nation make surprisingly entertaining bedfellows in “Prey,” one of this year’s unexpected highlights in the world of action-driven cinema. Released on Hulu on July 21, “Prey” marks the fifth installment of the “Predator” franchise, a saga that showcases technologically-advanced alien creatures who stalk and hunt humans. After a well-received origin film starring Arnold Schwar zenegger in 1987, the franchise lost its prestige be cause of a slew of messily plotted, action-heavy se quels with poorly written characters. … until now. Sporting unique battle sequences, eye-popping cinematography, and an awe-inspiring central heroine, “Prey” has revitalized the dying “Predator” franchise. The film’s creators also displayed genu ine commitment to Native American cultural representation, evident in the casting of actors of Indigenous descent and the hiring of a producer who drew on her own Comanche heritage to en hance the movie’s authenticity.
“Prey,” though not without its flaws, serves as a reminder that action movies can and should be more than vehicles for action. With important cultural representation, engaging storytelling, and a fearless female protagonist, this refreshingly original film serves as the benchmark to which all mod ern action flicks should aspire and has saved the limping “Predator” franchise from cer tain death. a Franchise
By Nikhil Nelson JID
Produced by Mike Tollin of “The Last Dance” and Spike Lee, and directed by Randy Wilkins, “The Captain” details the historic career of Yankees captain and shortstop Derek Jeter. Jeter’s tenure, performed entirely in the spotlight of the New York media, was a dramatic mix of champion ships and controversy. New Yorkers and baseball fanatics alike are guaranteed to enjoy!
JID ‘THE FOREVER STORY’
Mason Stempel Hoya Staff Writer Ireland is the best place to have craic. Craic (pronounced “crack”) is Irish for “good fun” and is a central tenet of Irish culture. After endless years of struggle, brutality and famine under colonialism, the Irish place a high value on joy and entertainment.Walkingthrough the streets of Galway, the cultural capital of Ireland and a coastal city that dates back to the 13th century, during my semester abroad, it’s difficult to not walk into a pub. Almost every establishment that borders the cobblestone streets of Galway is peddling Guinness and some chips, and more often than not, live music and dancing to go with it. Buskers fill the cool night air with melodies as you walk to grab a pint or step inside one of the charming jewelers selling Galway’s traditional Claddagh rings. Seagulls screech as they glide overhead, floating on the wind toward the sea. If you follow them, they’ll take you through the Latin Quarter, under the centuries-old Spanish Arch and out to the Long Walk, which overlooks the majestic Galway Bay. Being a quaint, walkable, waterside city, Galway did remind me a bit of Georgetown, which helped me adjust to this new setting faster than I expected. But it’s also different in some wonderful ways. Here in Ireland, ice cream is served with a Cadbury Flake, the beach is suitable only for seals and the bravest of souls, lighthouses dot the horizon as fishing boats chug by and the swans are as numerous as the rats in Georgetown. Additionally, the ability to access other destinations from Galway astounds me. I could truly spend every moment of my semester just exploring these small streets, but being about a two-hour train ride from Dublin, where I can catch affordable flights to places like Paris and Madrid, was an unexpected bonus. While I’m excited to tour Europe as much as I can, Ireland itself is truly magical. The mountains and lakes of the Connemara region are charged with ancient history and deep-rooted mysticism, and trips into Belfast show a jarring political and cultural divide that highlights strife that has often struck the peaceful island. I’ve always been entranced by the idea of Ireland, but touching its soft, warm grass and seeing its impossibly blue ocean crash against the 700-foot-tall Cliffs of Moher, I have fallen utterly in love with the Emerald Isle. Not only is the landscape and cultural atmosphere here more freeing and open, but academics are too. Monday, Sept. 5 was my first day of classes, and despite registering for three Monday courses, I only had one class that day. One professor pushed back the start of the class until halfway through the semester for her maternity leave, and another decided to start the course on Tuesday. In most of my classes, I only have one or two major assignments and those are the only elements that determine my grade in the course. Compared to the rigor and stress of Georgetown, the relaxed attitude of Ireland towards academics has been a nice change. The most notable part of my Irish experience, however, is the friendships I’ve made so far. Students, just like me, have left their homes from all parts of the world in search of something new. This journey, the distance from home, binds us together and forms unique relationships. I’ve barely lived here a week and I’ve already traveled to other Irish provinces with my new flatmates, eager to fully immerse ourselves in the Irish experience. So far, Ireland is gas.
College Across the Pond: Studying in Galway, Ireland
For those who missed the in-theater release of this hit biopic, “Elvis” is on HBO Max as of Friday, Sept. 2. Luhrmann’s film portrays the life of the King of Rock and Roll, from his rise to fame to his end-of-life troubles, brought to life by Austin But ler’s captivating performance. Whether you enjoy his music or not, “Elvis” is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.
As a member of J. Cole’s Dreamville Records and one of hip-hop’s exciting young talents, JID was sure to deliver on his newest album. “The Forever Story” showcases JID’s captivating lyri cism and cleverness and features premier pro ducers Frank Dukes and Childish Major, as well as JID’s labelmate J. Cole.
@ELVISMOVIE/TWITTER ESPN
ALEX PRITZ ‘THE TERRITORY’
BAZ LUHRMANN ‘ELVIS’
RANDY WILKINS ‘THE CAPTAIN’
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NEW RELEASES
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Alex Pritz’s raw documentary about Brazil’s Indige nous Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people exposes a struggle with colonialism and land loss extending well into the 21st century. The film gives viewers a look into a world ravaged by the impacts of colonial forces. Pritz creates an unparalleled level of authenticity in the documentary, including several Uru-Eu-WauWau people in the film production and credits.
SERIES New Netflix Show ‘The Sandman’ Honors Its Legendary Source Material B6 | THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2022
Netflix’s adapation of the classic comicbook series excels by mixing the rich mythological themes of the source material into a contemporary setting.
SANDMAN/TWITTER
Neil Gaiman finally found a palatable partner in Netflix, which gave him substantial creative control as executive producer of the show alongside David S. Goyer and Allen Heinberg. As a reader of the comic, I was worried the show may not live up to the source material, especially considering Netflix’s mixed track re cord for adaptations. But after the show’s Aug. 5 release, my fears dissolved as I immersed my self in a compelling and complex fantasy drama that faithfully adheres to the original comics while deftly adjusting itself for television.
The season’s second half is slightly weaker than the first, and some parts struck me as po tentially confusing for those who have not read the comics, but overall the deficiencies are mi nor. Standout episodes include “The Sound of Her Wings,” which expertly blends together two comic chapters into a poignant medita tion on friendship and the nature of death, and “24/7,” the most disturbing episode, which fea tures the villainous John Dee (David Thewlis) torturing people at a diner using Dream’s sto len magical ruby. While on his quests, Dream interacts with an eclectic cast of characters including es caped nightmare The Corinthian (Boyd Hol brook), demon hunter and exorcist Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman), and the ruler of Hell Lucifer Morningstar (Gwendoline Chris tie), all of whom provide enthusiastic foils to the moody Ultimately,Sandman.thestory is still propelled for ward by Sturridge’s excellent performance of Dream, bringing to life the iconic character that had long lived in my head. Sturridge nails the god’s subdued, almost archaic speech and Goth aesthetic, with pale skin, messy black hair and a stylish black trenchcoat. He makes the character sound menacing one moment and vulnerable the next, creating a complex portrait of a being that can often seem distant from mortal feelings. Another noteworthy performance comes from Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Dream’s old er sister, Death of the Endless. Despite her changed appearance from the comics, How ell-Baptiste strongly captures the character’s ironically joyful and comforting personal ity. In addition, Thewlis as John Dee creates a compelling villain, whose motivations and background garner sympathy from the viewer despite his crimes. Finally, the show’s visual style largely does justice to the iconic comic art by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringen berg and others. The fantastical elements from ar eas like Hell blend seamlessly with Earth locations to create the sense of an all-encompassing epic. Dream’s powers are also faithfully depicted, includ ing his use of literal sand to put people to sleep and his ability to travel through people’s dreams. Overall, the quality of “The Sandman” is a relief to the comic’s fans, and a treat for newcomers to the franchise. It is clear that Gaiman’s direct involvement in the show helped keep the adaptation on course, and if the next season is anything like the first, I will eagerly await more adventures of Dream and his immortal brethren.
The “unfilmable” comic book has finally made it to the small screen, and to the surprise of many, it soars.
First released in 1989, “The Sandman” is wide ly considered one of the greatest comic book se ries of all time. Yet the series has also long been considered near-impossible to adapt, leading to multiple failed Hollywood productions over the past three Nonetheless,decades.writer
Ishaan Rai Senior Guide Editor
Blending mythological themes into a con temporary setting, “The Sandman” follows the godlike figure known as Dream (Tom Sturridge), who controls all dreams, literal and metaphori cal. He is one of the seven Endless, beings that each personify a fundamental idea like destiny, death or desire.
In adapting the first two volumes, “Preludes and Nocturnes” and “The Doll’s House,” this first season remains largely faithful to the plot of the comic. Since DC Comics published the original, Dream technically exists alongside Superman and Batman, but such superhero ref erences are stripped out from this adaptation, which for all intents and purposes takes place in our own world.
The story begins in 1916 when, after an oc cult ritual goes wrong, Dream is imprisoned in the basement of a British mansion for over a century. When he finally breaks free in the present day, Dream finds that his realm, The Dreaming, is in decay, and that his treasured items have been stolen. In the first half of the season, he sets off on a quest to find his tools that takes him to such varied locations as Lon don, New York and Hell itself. The second half, meanwhile, sees Dream try to track down a girl named Rose Walker (Vanesu Samunyai), whose mysterious powers of dreaming may pose a grave threat to all of humanity.
More sexually explicit when compared to “Attention” and “Hype Boy,” the EP’s title track, “Cookie,” depicts wanting to share “cookies” with a lover. “Cookie” provoked a scandal within the K-Pop community, as minors as young as Hyein sang lyrics ridden with sexual innuendos.
For example, Haerin and Danielle sing, “Looking at my cookie / Yeah, the scent alone will make you see (Taste it) / You can’t stop at one bite with me.” Later in the chorus, Minji and Hanni sing, “No dinner, dinner, you’re hungry though / No water, water, you’re thirsty though / That’s how you like it, ain’t that right?” Further, in the outro, Danielle sings, “Made a little cookie / Come and take a lookie / Only at my house, come over and play.” The fact that minors sing this song is inher ently sexually exploitative, even if ADOR denies any such undertones. The song, then, forces minors to sing lyrics that will inevitably be in terpreted by audiences. The song can’t escape its controversy that, consequently, muddles any enjoyment of “Cookie” and the entire EP.
In the EP’s closer, “Hurt,” the members sing about leaving a relationship before getting hurt.
Nonetheless, the “Cookie” lyrics and subse quent controversy sour NewJeans’ debut EP. It’s hard to deny that NewJeans brings something genuine and fresh to the K-Pop industry, but their future is unclear after this messy project.
While other K-Pop companies often fail at adopting Gen-Z trends with their groups (JYP Entertainment’s new girl group NMIXX is a notable example), ADOR’s artistic vision for NewJeans feels like a genuine homage to Gen-Z’s creativity. NewJeans’ EP has a cohesive, bright, Y2K-inspired theme — largely thanks to the fact that the same lyricist, Gigi, and producers, 250 and Ylva Dimberg, engineered all of the tracks.
MUSIC
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Sofia Wills Guide Reviews Desk Editor Rookie K-Pop group NewJeans adds a des perately needed creative flair to the genre in their self-titled debut EP “New Jeans,” but due to the exploitative nature of the title track “Cookie,” all bets are off. The five-member girl group consists of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein. The group’s line-up has turned heads among K-pop fans: for example, Hanni is the first Vietnamese idol at HYBE Entertainment. Furthermore, except for Minji, all the members are minors — with the youngest, Hyein, being 14. The group’s average age has caused controversy among fans, as it re flects a worrying trend of debuting younger and younger artists within an exploitative industry. Nevertheless, NewJeans has continued to rise in popularity, especially after their debut single. Unlike most K-pop debuts, which slowly introduce members via social media, ADOR decided to simply drop the group’s first digital single “Attention” on YouTube on July 21. With the group’s first song, NewJeans highlighted their trendy aesthetic, sporting R&B-inspired beats and a Y2K fashion aesthetic. In “Attention,” the members sing about wanting the attention of a crush. Immediately evocative of 2000s R&B, “Attention” opens the EP with a 30-second chanting intro, fol lowed by smooth piano chords and twinkling wind chimes. The members’ angelic harmo nies emerge during the chorus, as the previous chanting intro acts as a baseline to keep the song’s groove intact. Watching the “Attention” music video also adds to the song’s bright ambiance. From dance scenes on a soccer field to pillow fights at a sleepover, “At tention” evokes the freshness of youth with bright hues of orange, green, purple and white. Further adding to NewJeans’s authenticity, one of the members, Danielle, has writing credits on “Attention.” Such a credit is an impressive feat for a rookie idol, as most companies outsource lyrics and song production to renowned produc ers such as The Stereotypes or Adam McKinnon. Idols, on the other hand, don’t typically get a seat at the writer’s table until they have five to ten years of experience in the industry.
ADOR denied any sexual undertone to the song’s lyrics, stating that they collaborated with English-speaking lyricists and were unaware of a double-meaning to the word “cookie.” Howev er, by claiming fans simply misinterpreted the word “cookie” on their own, ADOR conveniently ignores the context in which their own lyricists frame the phrase “cookie” in the song.
Innovating beyond the typical ballad, “Hurt” features an a cappella base. The member’s vo cals remain relatively one-note, however, mak ing the track sound listless. While it’s a far cry from the intensity of other slow ballads such as “Hear the Sea” by Red Velvet or “YOUNG LUV” by STAYC, the song’s smooth synths are still co hesive with the rest of the EP.
ADOR’s CEO, Min Hee-jin, was the previous cre ative director at SM Entertainment. Through lead ing projects such as f(x)’s second album “Pink Tape” and Red Velvet’s first album “The Red,” Min actively shaped SM’s brand as new-age, modern and trend setting. Min, now the sole creative force at ADOR, brings the same ingenuity with NewJeans.
Rookie K-Pop Group NewJeans FacesControversy Around Debut EP
NEWJEANS/TWITTER
Similar to the themes in “Attention,” the EP’s second track, “Hype Boy,” describes the refresh ing feeling of being around a crush. Percussionfilled verses and an anti-drop pre-chorus give the song a darker theme compared to “Atten tion.” While the chorus picks up the tempo with bursting synths and light vocals, it’s rather hollow compared to the verses and has trouble melodically meshing with the body of the song.
Despite catchy tunes, fresh K-Pop group NewJeans’ first EP is weighed down by shockingly suggestive lyrics for an all-underage troupe, a worrying sign for the future of the genre.
NewJeans is the first group under ADOR, the newest subsidiary label within HYBE Corporation.
ACROSS 1. Energy and vigor 4. A type of duty, or Honda car model 6. McDonough’s less glorious and wellknown property 7. Sought for academic troubles 8. To leave, go out (present, je) in French You’ve seen the New York Times Crossword — but you haven’t seen The Guide’s crossword! Each week, turn to the back of our print edition (here!) for a new, weekly, themed mini-crossword. Answers to the current cross word will be posted in the following week’s edition. If you have any feedback for our crosswords or would like to contribute, email guide@thehoya.com.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
One aspect of our conversation worth noting, though, was the impressionable age-gap of the con ference attendees. It seemed that the demographic spanning from high school to late-twenties was nonexistent at the festival. Since the event was on a Saturday, it was hard to tell if this was because other college students were preparing for weekend parties or simply did not have interest in this im mersive literary experience. Nonetheless, the signatures that I received — the aforementioned Brooks for “Horse,” Gal Beckerman for “The Quiet Before” and Will Bunch for “After The Ivory Tower Falls” — all consisted of productive and DOWN 1. COVID-19, Monkeypox, Polio… 2. “___ gotta go __ the White House someday!” 3. Little, or a secondary area of study 4. In general, eats Georgetown’s rodents 5. Rare property of on-campus undergraduates
By Clayton Kincade
During the event, a child in the audience — sounding professional, curious and slightly hesitant — asked the author on stage her advice for young authors. The author, clearly enamored and flattered by the question, was almost too joyful to speak. The National Book Festival is an event for all readers, of all backgrounds and ages, to connect with writers and participate in an inspirational circle of feedback. Though, if one did not want to sit in on any of the miscellaneous lectures, one — like myself — would have found themselves in the book sale and signing section. The book sale section, sponsored by the Wash ington, D.C. bookstore Politics and Prose, con tained a hefty collection of titles being spotlighted at the conference. Above each book was a card detailing when you could get the novel signed by the author, an incredibly useful way to create a schedule for an otherwise hectic day. Once I got my selections, the waiting began. The most popular author of the bunch was argu ably Nick Offerman. I enlisted my friend Alexa to at tend the festival with me, and we waited over three hours in his line for a signature. However, the experi ence was a doozy: Offerman is a naturally deadpan speaker, so trying to decipher whether he offered his personal comments to us with adoration or sarcasm was a tough challenge. Regardless, seeing someone as famous as Offerman in an intimate setting was a privilege, and it is one that I am grateful to the Library of Congress for offering for free. Thankfully, the line waiting did not merely con sist of sitting in silence for hours. While waiting for a signature from Geraldine Brooks for her book “Horse,” I made acquaintances with two people in line. We had a wonderful chat about Brooks, brands of coffee, journalism, college, Georgetown and pop ular culture; the sense of camaraderie stemming from the love of books was palpable.
This Week’s Theme: Welcome Back, Hoyas!
A Look Inside Washington D.C.’s National Book Festival ART IN THE DISTRICT B8 | THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2022
Clayton Kincade Senior Guide Editor Bibliophiles, hear ye, hear ye! Your time to venture out from your bedroom and into the world is finally here. Headlined by several eye-catching stars — in cluding actors-turned-authors Nick Offerman, Janelle Monáe and Nyle DiMarco, along with Pu litzer-Prize winning Geraldine Brooks and internet sensation Sabaa Tahir — the National Book Festi val took place Sept. 3, 2022 at the Walter E. Wash ington Convention Center. Hosted by the Library of Congress, the free event brought together a multi tude of authors from various literary backgrounds and genres for the public to enjoy. “Books Bring Us Together,” the tagline of the fes tival, was an obvious nod to a world overwhelmed with issues of racial inequality, political division, and miscellaneous viruses. If music is considered the universal language of the world, then books should be all the same; with the advent of accessible book translations, stories are what draw us together. In essence, the festival was a celebration of the hu man experience. Roundtable discussions relating to authors’ work or advice they wished to impart occu pied the bulk of the festival. These talks were catered towards specific audiences, ranging from Spanish lit erature to nature conservation to mystery in media. One talk, in particular, was about writing children’s literature. While I only passed by the event space, the interaction I heard brought a smile to my face.
The Library of Congress hosted the festival on Sept. 3. wonderful conversations. Meeting these authors was more than worth the time spent. Though book sales are rapidly declining, there is still magic in the written word, and book festivals are just one way of keeping that experience alive.
CROSSWORD
LIBRARYCONGRESS/TWITTER