Open on a quintessential LA summer night at The Greek Theatre – The absolute perfect backdrop for the Australian duo, Royel Otis, giving us their signature brand of indie-pop rock, with catchy guitar riffs and melodies. They take a look around at the massive sold-out crowd and are in obvious awe of how epic it feels to be on this stage on this Wednesday night.
Just as I had expected, they opened the night with their first song from their sophomore album Hickey, “I Hate This Tune.” The band didn’t spend a lot of time chatting up the crowd but instead let the music and guitars do all of the talking, launching back-to-back songs which kept the momentum going and the crowd on their feet.
The crowd spanned multiple generations – which was intriguing to see. The sheer fact that these musicians connected all of these people with a blend of both old and new influences in their own unique sound. And they delivered for the fans. They gave us all that we were there to see, music and more music. Oh, and some dancing and singing along, naturally.
As each song played, the projection screen in the background was being fed context of their story told in the duo’s songwriting. The song “Shut Up” had the words, “This is a song about not wanting someone” projected on the screen while playing.
Whether it was the text or edited videos playing, it invoked nostalgic feelings of being young, in love, and being young and in and out of love.
Cred. Jamieson Kerr
About halfway through their set, the duo left the stage and started walking up the aisles, Royel with guitar in hand, giving off Kurt Cobain vibes, and they performed two of their more stripped-down songs, one being their infamous hit cover song “Linger,” from the great Irish band The Cranberries. This was just the cherry on top for the fans that are further back in the crowd. A move like this makes me feel like they care deeply about their fan base and want them to have something iconic to remember. We all know where the real fans are usually sitting. Deeper in the back : )
What made the night unforgettable, though, was the sheer chemistry between the band and the crowd. Fans smiling with hands in the air, Otis would come around and high-five fans in the crowd in the pit. The band had no shortage of smiles and feelings of gratitude, being blown away by the size of the sold-out crowd. They would say several times, “This is crazy”
The band announced the show was finished and walked off. And we all know that no show is complete without their iconic “Oysters” song, which the crowd was screaming and clapping, yelling the word “OYSTERS!”
And they gave the people what they wanted; they came back to the stage to leave us with two songs — their latest single “Sweet Hallelujah” and finished the night off with “Oysters in My Pocket”
As a big fan that has spent the last few years singing along to Royel Otis in my car during my work commute in rush hour traffic, seeing them step on the stage at my favorite venue in LA will never not be magic. As we all shuffled out of the venue with our ears ringing and legs heavy from all of the dancing, I look around and can’t help but feel the infectious energy and I smile to the people all around me. We had all shared something so fleeting and electric in a moment in time, all together at The Greek, that will never happen exactly that way again. I felt that for our one night together, we were all connected and fueled by the magic of the music.
In just a few short years, grinding out shows in sweaty basements has turned into sold-out venues twenty times the size, and Minneapolis-based self-described “moss music” quintet she’s greenisn’t planning on slowing down its meteoric rise at all. Having been active since 2022, the band’s ethereal blend of shoegaze, dream pop, and slowcore has drawn in fans drawn to their unique sound, with tracks like “Mandy,” “Smile Again,” and “river” as major catalysts for their success. Cutting their teeth on the road, followed by tours with Slow Pulp, Glixen, Hotline TNT and many more, showed the band and the world one glaring thing: she’s greenis made for the big stage, but their hearts are still in those communal Minneapolis basements where they honed their craft.
“We approach every show the same, playing-wise. When we’re all five on stage, it could be in a basement or a big arena, but we try to bring the same energy to every show, a house show or a big gig,” says drummer Kevin Seebeck, a testament to the earlier days of the band and what makes a she’s green show what it is. Their personal approach to their live show and careers in general is apparent, and that continued hands-on approach to the art they care so deeply about makes them symbiotic with the fans that propelled them there. In regard to what they’re trying to portray through their shows, guitarist Liam Armstrong says, “I think we’re also bringing the sense of intimacy that a basement can give you with the audience, and you’re all on the same level in the same room, getting really sweaty, just that same fun spirit of moving around, and the catharsis of letting everything out.” Everyone needs a community, and everyone needs to let out a bit of steam, and what better concert to do it than a show where the artist cares just as deeply about the art as they do the fans who made their career with their art possible.
Cred. @coffeebreatth
This ethos is quintessential to the shoegaze community, a genre built not just on shimmery guitar effects but equally on the enthusiasm of the crowds. But for them, while they are classed as a shoegaze group by their own supporters, it is not necessarily a label they are consciously aware of on a day-to-day basis, one they play into or otherwise care much about, for lack of a better term. Guitarist Liam Armstrong says enthusiastically, ”I just think genres, or saying an artist is one genre, kind of pigeonholes them, but it also doesn’t speak to how multifaceted artists can be, but we’ve never felt really pigeonholed by being called a shoegaze band, but I just think that we’re just writing songs [laughs].” This feeling is even more obvious to guitarist Raines Lucas regarding their brand-new EP swallowtail, stating that the label of shoegaze didn’t shape their sound in any way, shape or form; rather, it made them stray away even further, bluntly stating “how can we make this not sound like every other shoegaze record?” What emerges from this atmosphere is a project that is genre-bending yet sonically accessible, screamingly loud yet delicate, and, by far, their most cohesive and polished to date.
A lot of firsts for the group made swallowtail different from past projects: one being the ability to take that tube-screaming, drum-wailing, full-band live energy and translate it into the record by recording the album’s instrumentals all at the same time, which was something the group had not been able to do prior to this project. “The songs were live-tracked for the instrumental, and I was in the room too for those, so it felt like we were playing a show, and we have never done that because we haven’t had the proper resources to do it. So it’s really cool to actually go in and play together and have it be recorded, and then hear that in a way where it’s not just audio from a house show,” says lead vocalist Zofia Smith, a testament to the cohesiveness of their sound across all mediums; whether you see them live or listen to their music at home, that infectious energy translates. The new project was also “the first time we worked a lot with a producer [Sonny DiPerri], and it’s also the most time and energy we’ve spent on a project, so I think that hopefully translates to people. This really wasn’t something we just threw together; it was a big effort for us,” says Raines, and that dedication conveys seamlessly after listening. That effort also comes from kicking these songs around in a live setting for a long time before recording. Evolving tracks via their live show fits the group’s mindset to a T, slowly evolving the tracks in various ways until the final version seems, frankly, obvious. The single release ‘Close Your Eyes’ is a perfect instance, because “it literally came from a live jam that we were kicking around, just a couple of chords before practice, and I was just like, ‘Wow, this is really cool, there’s something here, this is a song starter.’ Then, month after month after month, Raines eventually figured out a really cool chorus set of chords. We figured out a rough arrangement, and we started testing it live a little bit. It felt like it needed more, so we kept trying stuff, removing stuff, changing the tempo, and adding a big middle section where there’s a bridge in the middle,” describes bassist Teddy Nordvold.
Cred. @coffeebreatth
The fact that the track has been “kicking around for two and a half years now” (TN) is fully on display; you can hear how tailored every imaginable aspect is, and another example of their live show shaping the record is the sparse, yet hauntingly gorgeous sonic lull in the project titled Empty House’. “The original demo I made was fully dream-poppy and really different.” Liam states, “We had played an acoustic set on the Mississippi, and in the way we translated that song into what it became on that beach, we wanted to convey more than what it was before.” The sonics described above almost make the listener feel encompassed in a lush forest dreamscape, and, not coincidentally, forest imagery is a driving force behind Zofia’s equally lush vocals, while simultaneously Trojan-horsing pertinent themes through the new EP that need discussion today.
“I think [the lyrics] are a lot about being held, and I think because of everything that we have to deal with recently, with all the political bullshit, and the world that we live in right now… that sense of being held, that everything’s okay, everything is going to be fine, was the big thing for me,” says Smith. This feeling meshes flawlessly with the instrumentation, as a sense of yearning, yet delicate reassurance and comfort, can easily be felt even if a listener chooses not to listen to Smith’s wordsmith mastery through the project. Smith explains, “There are themes of hope, and also reminiscing on the past, and figuring out what things you could do differently, or a lot of introspection going on, but it’s definitely themes of reassurance,” all themes that we need to internalize just a little bit more, now more than ever. The pertinent lyrics, ethereal vocal delivery, washed-out guitars, delicate bass work, and hard-hitting drums blend together in a way I have never witnessed before; 5 highly talented musicians, but friends first, fully understand their sound and serve it perfectly to create one of the most cohesive and sonically logical pieces I have heard to date. It makes sense to attribute that to one of the factors of their rapid growth.
she’s greenhas had nothing short of a monumental few years, but that doesn’t mean the values that got them there are outgrowing them in parallel with the sweaty basements and grungy rooms they used to play in back in Minneapolis. Smith says that, by saying, if nothing else, they are adamant about preserving “that connection to the audience. I think a lot of bigger bands probably feel a little bit detached from them, but I perceive our fans differently, like we’re here together experiencing this.” Armstrong adds laughingly by saying, “We’re also in the crowd watching the other bands too. So we kind of do treat every show like it’s a house show.”
Cred. @coffeebreatth
It is evident how ‘at one’ the group feels with the fans who have supported them and provided them with this platform. That sense of community, togetherness, sheer selflessness, and gratitude is etched into their identity with every action. At the beginning of my time talking with them, the question of “what’s one moment that really made all of this success feel real?” came up, with Liam replying with everything that is encompassed above: Playing a sold-out Slide Away Fest in Chicago with Hum, Nothing, and Chapterhouse just a week before the interview.
“I think the moment for me was honestly playing Aragon Ballroom last week, and I think just meeting all these super nice people and all these amazing bands that we looked up to for so long, that was a specific moment very recently that just kind of woke us up, and really made us realize, whoa, we started out covering [random] songs, and looking up to all these bands, and now we’re able to play shows with them and just hang out with them. It’s crazy,” says Armstrong.
With the unrelenting effort, pure passion, and unwavering vision she’s green has put into their craft, the hit songs that stick in your ear like your shirt clings to your body at their shows, and the swallowtail EP bringing more and more to a table you thought was already full, it’s really not that crazy, is it?
It was just bound to happen.
she’s green’s new EP swallowtail is out now on Photo Finish Records.
See she’s green + More in Issue 7 of Hit Parader Magazine
UK-based collective PRESIDENT, known for their intersection of metalcore, electronic elements, atmospheric choruses, and much more, has announced their debut full-length LP ‘Blood Of Your Empire’, set to be released September 4th via Atlantic Records. Regarding the announcement, PRESIDENT states…
“Blood Of Your Empire was born out of my own struggle with existential crisis and trying to make sense of belief, mortality, and humanity’s relationship with faith. Religion has inspired incredible compassion, purpose, and beauty in the world — but it has also been responsible for unimaginable suffering and bloodshed throughout history. This album lives in the tension between those two truths. Writing it became a way for me to confront the fear, confusion, and questions I’ve carried for years, and turn them into something I’m truly proud of.”
PRESIDENT has consistently prioritized intent over image, minimalism over being overly eccentric, and quality over quantity. Blood Of Your Empire seems to be a continuation of this, and PRESIDENT does not seem to be slowing down any time soon.
I remember in the ’80s seeing U2 and The Police share stages on the Amnesty International tour. A couple of years after U2 had their first commercial success with “New Year’s Day,” one could sense U2 was poised for superstardom, and it felt like a passing of the torch. A year later, U2 released The Joshua Tree and became the biggest band in the world.
Three years ago, I was fortunate to interview a really promising new British artist by the name of Olivia Dean, who, of course, won a Grammy for Best New Artist and is now headlining arenas. Dean now gets to carry on this long-standing tradition and pass the torch to the next great R&B superstar, Baby Rose, who is opening for Dean on her current arena run.
I absolutely promise you that you will see Rose at the Grammys next year, guaranteed. Her Yearnalism album is one of those records so true, so honest, and so vulnerable, it seeps slowly into your blood and lives there. The album completely solidifies the fact Rose will be a major force on the scene for decades to come. We spoke about what yearning means to her.
Hit Parader: I love the name of the album, Yearnalism, because yearn is such a strong poetic word. What was the first thing you remember really yearning over?
Cred. Louisa Meng
Baby Rose: That’s a great, great question. As a child, when I first started making music, and I met the piano for the first time, I do remember those first poems and songs being something that was a lot heavier. And so I think the first thing that I’ve ever yearned for was just a sense of being understood. Yeah, just trying to be understood and yearning and longing to understand the world a little bit better.
HP: So, that started at a young age, and as a musician, that’s probably still why you make music today.
Rose: Absolutely, I would say so. Just being a sponge in my environment, taking in a lot of things and not really knowing what to do with all of that. Finding a place in music,it’s always been a safe space for me. But maybe more so than me trying to be understood,it was just me trying to understand what was going on around me. Because I would be writing songsfrom my mom’s perspective of things, just taking in different dramas that were happening and trying to put those emotions into a single song or poem.
HP: Do you remember getting these musical messages from the universe when you were young?
Rose: I don’t remember a lot from childhood, but there are certain core memories. And they still define me in a lot of ways today. I think that I started receiving those strong urges or pushes towards ultimately what my purpose was like five or six years old. And I’ll say my dad and my mom had a lot to do with it, as well as my great-aunt, who was a figure in the household. Because my dad was such a music head. And he would do this thing while we were on the way to school. Where he was like, “I want you to pick out every instrument that’s in the song.” And he would be playing some old school Shalamar or SOS Band and things like that. I’ll be naming each instrument, and he’s like, “Oh, there’s more or whatever.” He would always put in my head, “I don’t want you to just sing; I want you to create the music. I want you to produce.” Before I even knew exactly what that was, and then my mom had producers in the house making beats and things like that. For an artist, these are little glimpses and flashes of memories, and then having an artist that she managed back in the day, it was a hip-hop artist. Then my great-aunt would always hum hymns around the house, and her biggest pride in life was just being in the choir at this massive church in New York. She was from the Deep South, so moving to New York and getting away was a huge deal. So, all of those things, I think, created this core around me. These are just very impactful things.
HP: Isn’t the point of writing and making music to learn things that you don’t know?
Cred. Louisa Meng
Rose: Oh, absolutely, it is. I suck at journaling. I have so many unfinished journals because I think it’s important to study yourself and to question yourself. And to ask yourself, “Where are some of these ideas coming from that I believe so strongly in?” I want to question everything that I have a very strong belief in because I think the strongest person is the one that’s the most flexible and the one that’s the most empathetic and understanding. We’re in that day and age where I think people are trying to make it black and white, and we’re realizing in real time how detrimental that is. It’s much better to just be open to the fact that you don’t know anything. You don’t know everything, at least.
HP: So, what did you learn about yourself making this record?
Rose: Man, I learned so much, like little details. I learned how important it is for me, even when I don’t feel good, when I feel sad or whatever, to put something nice on and get out of the house. It makes me feel a lot better when I’m out and I’ve got something a little cute on. Because I would dress up and go to the studio, which was so cool. I was looking at mood board pictures of what Aretha Franklin would show up to in the studio. And it was always like, “Damn, you got that shit on; turtlenecks and the mod fashions and things like that.” I was just putting things on and just embodying the environment and looking like I wanted the music to feel almost. And I learned that. I learned so much about my process, everything that I’ve learned along the way, even from Slow Burn, shout out to Bad Bad Not Good, like the importance of cohesion, because I like a record that you could put on and you don’t stop. You don’t have to skip to your favorite song. It just feels like you’re in a world.
With Slow Burn, we created that in a week; it was a time capsule, and it was easy to have that cohesion throughout with this. I’m pulling records from different producers and different times and everything and so me as an executive producer I had to go to each of the producers and be like, “Listen, with your blessing, I need to take this song into my court and finish it.” and having their blessing and their grace and creating a wrecking crew, like how they did back in the day with the Muscle Shoals sound of some of the producers, Ryan James Carr on drums, Biako on bass and Joe Harrison on ancillary keys, guitar, lap still, flute. He could play everything. And being able to finish those records and run those things through tape and create this journey. They have unique elements, but the foundation of bass and drums, really the heartbeat of it, is done in one place. So, I learned a lot about that cheat code and just the beauty of community in real time. Having those folks all come together from different places and then we would eat dinner together. I would order food to the studio even after the project was done. Everybody became friends after the fact. I just feel like that is so important. It’s so key because we’re not in school anymore. So, we don’t get the privilege of seeing people every day, or if you’re not in a nine-to-five or whatever, you don’t get the opportunity to just see the same cast of characters every day. We have to make a choice. And the cost of community is inconvenience, especially after COVID. I feel like it did a number on people, the whole protect your peace movement and isolation and vibes. But we thrive when we’re together.
Cred. Louisa Meng
HP: What does it mean to you to go on this tour with Olivia Dean?
Rose: I’m about to go on the greatest tour of all time with this music. And her audience is yearners. They love songs. But she’s really one of those classic singer/songwriters. And I’m like, “Damn, I get to go on the bill with your ass, this is crazy.” Yeah, I think right now what pushes me is the desire to expand and just go and stretch. Even when I think I’m all stretched out, I go a little bit more. In the big spaces and even after the show, because we are about to do some little pop-ups and shit like Yearners Anonymous that are very intimate. So, making sure that it’s huge and then also insulated, so I can create domino effects. What I hope to do is see this experience and you recreate it. These tiny rooms are where big things happen, big movements happen. And so just give that encouragement by leading by example on the small and the big scale.
If “music is inherently political,” as he phrases it, then Genesis Owusu’s (real name Kofi Owusu-Ansah) previous concept album about a roach fleeing God was politics drenched in obvious metaphor; on his new project, REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, he rips the mask of metaphor off so there is no misinterpretation, no dilution, and no room to hide. The Ghanaian-born, Canberra, Australia-raised genre contortionist is stepping out of metaphor as simply Kofi, releasing his most pointed, unfiltered, unflinching work to date. His third full-length, released May 15th, arrives after a meteoric rise to fame that has established him as one of the leading visionaries in modern alternative music, with a blend of rap, punk, and pop that feels impossible to label and even harder to blend as seamlessly as he does.
Across this work, it is evident that he’s less interested in building alternate realities, as in past full-length projects like STRUGGLER and Smiling with No Teeth, and more interested in forcing the listener to sit in the one we are in today; bigotry, income inequality, and cycles of violence are all part of it. The stakes feel higher now: there is nowhere for Kofi to hide lyrically, and you can’t hide because you live it. At a moment when many artists are pigeonholed into choosing either to live in comfort or to confront these issues, Genesis Owusu is hellbent on the latter; we had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Kofi to talk REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, the climate that shaped it, and what he hopes translates to the listener.
Hit Parader: Just to start off, you said in a previous interview that your work is defined by being kind of on the cusp of different identities and cultures. How does that in-between space kind of shape the way that you approach themes, not only on this record but also on previous records?
Genesis Owusu: I think, for the most part, it influences the sonics. I grew up in a fusion of cultures that also created the platform for a fusion of sounds. My family immigrated from Ghana to Canberra, Australia, so I was going outside at school in the playground, and it was AC/DC, pub rock, and then I was going inside, and there was Jollof rice cooking on the stove and Ghanaian highlife playing. Because of the fusion of cultures, there was already an innate fusion of sound, but also a fusion of perspective, seeing how the same situations played out in different parts of the world, how they were similar, how they were different, things like that. It’s all one big fusion, and it comes out in the music.
Cred. Jamieson Kerr
HP: I read before that you grew up in a community that was not predominantly Black and/or Ghanaian. How did that experience of growing up Ghanaian in Canberra play into that side of your music as well?
GO: It kind of drew the line from the start. I was a Black man in a predominantly white place. There was no confusion as to the fact that I was an outsider, and a lot of the time it wasn’t in any kind of malicious way. Sometimes it was, but a lot of the time it was just, ‘Whoa, you’re different, you’re the first Black person we’ve ever seen.’ And I had just come from a country full of Black people. I was like, damn, there are a lot of white people, this is crazy. But I think the fact that the distinction was so apparent made it easier for me to be like, okay, I’m already the outsider, so let me just do things differently. Let me not even try to contort myself in any way to try and become something that I’m not. It was like the ground was already laid for me to just do my own thing, because everyone can already tell that I’m different, so let me just be different and lean into it.
HP: You said, in contrast to STRUGGLER and Smiling with No Teeth, REDSTAR WU [& THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE] is very much ‘you discussing the here and now’ versus the world-building that you did in other projects. How did stepping away from metaphor change the emotional weight of making the record for you personally, and the way you approached different themes?
GO: I think it made it so there was nowhere to hide. For both me and for the listener, the world is chaotic and confusing enough, so I can’t be trying to obscure anything any further. I just need to cut through. I need to say what I want to say, and you need to hear it, whether it’s uncomfortable or whatever. Which is very different, because usually I can talk about things, whether they’re uncomfortable or foreign, and dress them up a bit, make them a bit pretty or fantastical. Whereas this time it was kind of like, I just need you to hear this as directly as possible. I don’t need any fantastical interpretations of what I could mean. It’s like, no, this is what I’m saying, and that’s what it is. Whether that comes with backlash or people not liking it, that’s just what it is. I’m going to put it out there, and what happens happens.
Cred. Jamieson Kerr
HP: With enough noise in this world as it is, there’s a sense that being as direct as possible is really needed. I hate to think that there is backlash to direct messaging in such a hostile time, but is that something you’re aware of?
GO: Yeah, there’s definitely been loss of opportunity, both from people taking opportunities away or me refusing opportunities based on my own morals and deciding to work with certain brands or people. There have been people that are pissed off. There have been death threats. There’s also stuff that I’m sure I haven’t realized, like maybe being secretly crossed off people’s lists. But there has also been a lot of relief from people to hear things being said directly. It’s great to resonate with people, whether they’re like-minded or not, just the fact that the music has sparked a thought or a conversation that maybe they’re not having regularly. The DMs have gone crazy, positively and negatively, but that’s what I came to do. I came to say what I need to say and spark conversation, and it’s happening.
HP: Art is inherently political, no matter how you want to dress it up.
GO: I definitely feel like if you don’t agree with the messaging, it’ll be a hard listen. But at the same time, it would actually be great if there were people who didn’t agree with the messaging and were still open enough to listen. Maybe it sparks something, or even if they don’t agree, as long as it sparks some sort of thought or conversation, I’m happy with that.
HP: I love that. Every era you’ve had with album cycles, you’ve changed your look each time, and this time you said it’s more ‘just Kofi’ rather than a character like the past two records. How did that decision, along with the bluntness of the record, change the way you approached the visual aspect of the rollout, like the documentary, the photos, the styling?
GO: I brought it back to me as a person, and I think going back to Ghana was a really pivotal point in all of that, not only from an artistic standpoint but from a personal standpoint. That was my first time going back to Ghana as an adult, so being able to see my country through a fully formed perspective was really important. It allowed me to see the fullness of my heritage, my family, my lineage, especially if I was going to make an album as myself, not as a character, but as Kofi and what that means. It became the center point of all the visuals. Music videos were shot there, the album cover was shot there. It made it more real and more personal.
Cred. Jamieson Kerr
HP: That’s amazing. And correct me if I’m wrong, but a lot of the film crew and personnel you worked with were locals?
GO: Yeah, the director and creative director we flew from Australia, and then everyone else was from Ghana.
HP: That’s awesome. Tell me more about that experience, and the motive behind that intentional decision.
GO: Definitely. Especially with the ‘Stampede’ music video, it was very much like ‘I’m not going to go to Ghana and impose my will on Ghana’. I’m not going to go there and say I want it to be like this or that. It was more like observing what’s already there. You see bike riders in the video because there’s a huge bike-riding subculture in Ghana, and horse riders on the beach because there’s a huge horse-riding subculture. It was me going back as an adult, serving as the conduit to show my listeners in the West, America, Australia, and the UK, what Ghana is. It was important to have locals around us to show us what Ghana is like, so I could then show the rest of the world.
HP: A form of documentation versus directing, in a sense.
GO: Yeah, exactly.
HP: With REDSTAR WU [& THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE] being a third album, and the first two already stacking awards and critical praise, how did that history shape the pressure or freedom going into this record?
GO: I remember making my second album and feeling a lot of external pressure because of the success of the first. I was thinking, ‘What do I do? Do I try to make hits? Do I try to do this or that?’ And then that second album ended up being about a roach running away from God, and it turned out really well. So when people accepted it and it got critically acclaimed, it showed me that I’ve cultivated a listenership that will go on the journey with me. So, going into the third album, I was comfortable doing what I wanted. Staying true to who I am has always worked for me, so I didn’t feel pressure. I just spoke my truth. I went to Wales to record it with my friend in his church, and it was just the two of us for about two months, throwing sounds at the wall, seeing what stuck, just jamming and playing. This is what came out of it.
HP: That’s insane. I read that your routine was just wake up, breakfast, talk politics, and make music all day for about 60 days straight.
GO: That was pretty much it, yeah [laughs].
Cred. Jamieson Kerr
HP: It’s crazy. How did the ability to fall into that routine, and keep outside variables constant, affect your creativity?
GO: The fact that there was nothing else to do helped. I was in a small town called Barry. Beautiful place, beautiful people, real small-town living, but not very exciting. Everything was happening in the church. If you went outside, there wasn’t much going on, so the routine and lack of distraction made for a really vibrant creative experience.
HP: Fair enough. I read about a conversation you had with your manager, asking if you were willing to ‘die on this hill’ in terms of your stylistic approach. How has that ethos steered you creatively while building something as direct and politically charged as REDSTAR WU?
GO: That ethos is what made the album what it is. Music is really important to me, and the reason I make it is important. It’s how I communicate; it’s my therapy and catharsis. Trying to dilute that for money or fame would be a betrayal of self. I always tell younger artists to define their version of success early, because people will try to impose their version onto you. You might reach what others think is success and still feel empty. My definition of success is expressing myself authentically through my art and living comfortably off it. If I have to distort that to make more money or appeal to more people, I’ll feel terrible because I’ve betrayed myself. I know what I’m here to do: to speak my truth and push boundaries. That’s why I’ll stand on that.
HP: If all the external noise disappeared tomorrow, accolades, touring, everything, what would you be most proud of?
GO: Just the art itself; everything else has always been a bonus. The fact that I’ve been able to create political, abstract, authentic art and put it into the world is something I’ll always be proud of. I would have been proud of it even if no one listened. Yeah, I think, regardless of all the external noise, that’s something that I’ll always be proud of.
HP: Out of curiosity, when you and other people have said your music is a piece that is inherently political, what do you personally hear in that word? Is it a label that you either consciously embrace or feel as if it’s just a natural part of your music and your story leading up to it?
GO: I mean, life is inherently political. Going back to the start of our conversation, growing up as a Black man in a pretty white area taught me almost immediately that my life, in particular, is inherently political. I think my music, from the start, has always been political, but because I dressed it up in more fantastical ways, you could listen to the sound or enjoy the stories without necessarily engaging with that layer if you didn’t want to. Now it’s front and center, and that is by design. As a person, I’m inherently political, so my art is always going to be inherently political, because life is inherently political. That’s just what it is.
Cred. Jamieson Kerr
HP: That’s fair. In the same way that Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is a more digestible medium, but it’s inherently a political album, and then To Pimp a Butterfly is a lot more direct and to the point, where you can’t really dance around what it is about.
GO: Yeah, exactly. That’s exactly it.
HP: Just to wrap up, how do you want this record to function for your listeners? More as education, catharsis, a call to action, a place to feel less alone, or something else entirely?
GO: I want it to be a battery in people’s backs. I want people to hear it where, if you’re aware of what’s going on, you’re aware; if you’re not, you become aware. You get a top-down view of the situation we’re in, but without feeling demoralized or apathetic. I want you to hear this music, understand what’s going on, and feel energized to do something, to go outside, create community, and create change. I want this to be the soundtrack for someone’s rebellion. That’s how I want this album to function.
HP: Like a call to actually do things without being pessimistic about the future.
GO: Exactly.
HP: Life is always going to be cyclical. If you don’t have anything to compare bad times or good times against, you don’t really know what you’re looking for. It gives me hope that there are good times to come if you have something to compare it against.
GO: Yeah, and there are good times to come if you fight for it, if you do something about it.
HP: Exactly. Out of curiosity, what kind of messages or reactions or DMs to the record have hit you the hardest so far?
GO: I think the ones where people see the album as the articulation they couldn’t do themselves. I get a lot of messages saying, “I have felt exactly this way but have never been able to put it into words,” and it’s nice to be the mouthpiece for those people. That’s been really meaningful.
Listen to REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, out now.
See Genesis Owusu + More in Issue 7 of Hit Parader Magazine
If you were between the ages of seven and ten years old in 2003, you had one true god, and her name was Hilary Duff. Your bible? Her post Lizzie McGuire debut album, Metamorphosis. Anyone whose chosen diva was this particular blondie who happened to be anywhere near Southern California was likely one of the 17,500 fans packed into L. A.’s Forum on July 9, 2026, night two of her two-night sold-out triumph in her adopted home.
Songs off Metamorphosis were so different from what we hear on the airwaves in 2026. Those records aren’t about being the baddest in the game or even really about boys. Her songs were about blossoming into a young woman and not knowing what any of that shit means, leaving yesterday behind, and doing “a crazy dance.”
Duff’s impact with the 2001 hit TV show Lizzie McGuire was a game changer. Those days, a lot of the television shows centered around young girls were about their secret magical talents of wizardry, psychic abilities, or fighting crime after school. But Duff wasn’t playing the popular girl, nor was she the big scary nerd weirdo. She wasn’t “It Girl” status. She also wasn’t “MOTHER”. Lizzie was your friend. That’s what made her special. She was someone who sat at lunch with you, lent you a jacket to tie around your waist on a rainy day, and studied with you for an exam you were both going to bomb. For a generation of girls who fought for their lives through the age of low-rise jeans and heroin chic, Lizzie was a very comfortable and cool place to be. Returning to that era once again, 20 actual years later, felt like finally coming up for air, even just for the night.
Cred. Michael Drummond – @michaeldrummnd
Back in 2005, my best friend Lisa’s lovely mother took the two of us to a Hilary Duff concert at the Dodge (now Payne) Arena in our hometown of Hidalgo County, TX. Bestie & I were sporting our new tour t-shirts while her mom wore earplugs. I still remember needing to stand on the chair to be able to see the very top of Duff’s head while she danced around the stage in the same arena my brother had hockey practice.
But now, it’s 2026. Lisa & I are all grown up, living in L.A., fresh off work, hopping in an Uber, one White Claw deep, to see the “Mature” singer perform again, this time at The Forum. We were both a little choked up talking about how special it is to see her again and all the dreams Hilary inspired us to chase. Back at that ’05 concert, we were a part of the swarm of nine-year-olds that used to dominate her demographic. But on this Thursday night, the only handful of little ones we saw were the children of people who grew up with Duff just like we did, which tugged on our girlhood-coated heartstrings pretty hard.
The Forum was dripping in Duff everywhere you looked – from just plain sparkles to ultra niche homages to Lizzie lore. Her stage had this modern popstar approach to a 70s disco/psychedelic aesthetic in the key of neon pink that really fits her latest work.
Cred. Michael Drummond – @michaeldrummnd
Her show opened with a badass overture of her song “Wake Up,” which is also what she opened with back in ’05, so I was instantly covered in girlypop goosebumps. The first thing I noticed was how tight her band is and how strong the musical direction is overall. They hit every mark when it came to the recognizable hooks and track elements that made everyone scream in the name of nostalgia. It was honestly stunning to hear thousands of people collectively remember the iconic and hittable note changes in the final choruses of the hits. They also brought this very cool indie rock approach to the transitions that updated the big ones and meshed in the latest project beautifully.
In her newest album, Luck…or Something, Duff gives her OG fans this intimate eye-level look inside her inner monologue that navigates arguably complex and introspective ideas.
The singer tells these sexually confessional tales you’d expect from maybe a friend in confidence, much less a grown woman who’s lived most of her life in the limelight. The whole album feels like reading-intensive therapy notes covered in glitter glue that, for some reason, we’re lucky enough to read.
She still manages to meet us in the middle like she used to with songs like “Mature,” which roasts an ex who’s still dating way too young, and other cuts like “Holiday Party,” which examines the female experience of wondering whether the guy you’re seeing is screwing around at a work party—and then feeling guilty for even thinking it.
Lyrics like “at the dive bar giving you head” and “touching myself by the front door” miraculously fit between her squeaky-clean pop catalog throughout this 21-song set list. Mostly I’d say because the sonic choices made on her new project gracefully complement her previous album’s aesthetics.
It felt like the crowd got to celebrate the actual Metamorphosis of those early records about innocence, first loves, and adventure into the exciting, brutally honest, and deeply candid stories she’s now so confidently performing in shiny tops and blue jeans. It was honestly healing to finally hear about all the places that butterfly we once knew flew to, where she chose to land, and everything she discovered along the way.
I’m not really a nostalgia seeker myself, but Hilary Duff is a different story. By the second song, I had already cried off all the colorful gems Lisa helped me stick on the corners of my eyes before we left. I was emotional because the show felt like catching up with an old friend that you haven’t seen since the third grade, and you didn’t realize how much you needed to.
Cred. Michael Drummond – @michaeldrummnd
The moment that did push me over the edge was after she sang “So Yesterday”. Hilary went fully nonverbal for like two minutes, gazing out into the screaming abyss of a sold-out crowd with THE most authentically humble expression I’ve ever witnessed a live performer wear on their face. She was so clearly moving through different shades of gratitude to the point where I felt like I could hear the thoughts she was having. “After all this time? In the age where the algorithm that runs our lives buries even the greatest alive? In a city where something ‘cooler’ is happening every single second of the day? All these people are here tonight to see me and sing along? On a Thursday?” Yes, and we missed you, girl. I think we need you now more than ever.
By the end of the show, a lyric I didn’t understand a week ago from a song she played third to last off the new record suddenly made sense. “How did I get here, was it luck or something?”
Like punk, which is an attitude as much as a style of music, yacht rock is not just a genre, it is a lifestyle. It is a state of mind, an escape from reality, a retreat to a simpler time.
So, Michael Scoenith and Scott Kusmirek know that the home of yacht rock can be any physical location as long as the vibes are right. To that end, the two promoters/yacht rock devotees, who are both based in Michigan, are making Detroit the home of yacht rock the weekend of July 17, 2026, with a two-day celebration, Yacht Rock Detroit, on the river.
Featuring a mix of original yacht rock artists such as Pablo Cruise, Three Dog Night, Ambrosia and John Ford Cloey, and Yacht Rock Revue and Seven Wonders, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, the two-day concert/party is the second annual event. We spoke to Schoenith and Kusmirek about all things yacht rock.
Hit Parader: Where did the idea to celebrate yacht rock first come in?
Michael Schoenith: You’ve got to remember that this is something that’s slowly sweeping the nation. As much as LA takes credit for the music, you look at Michigan and you look at how many boating licenses we have. We get one summer and yacht rock is a part of life now. And LA has always been ahead on things when it comes to cappuccino or sushi, right? But this is really taking over the whole nation. You start seeing it happening everywhere, from New Orleans to every major city.
HP: Why do you think that is?
Schoenith: The world is very loud right now, and this allows you to turn it down a notch. We’re not going after the nostalgia of a particular decade. You think of Yacht Rock as 70s, I might think of it more as early 80s. But we’re just trying to take you back. Yacht Rock just takes you back to simpler times, where you get to unplug a little bit and enjoy life in the moment. You don’t need to scroll. You don’t need to be on your phone. You don’t need to worry, worry, worry. It just takes you back to a simpler time in everyone’s youth, whether you were 16 or 25.
Cred. Yacht Rock Detroit
HP: I’m sure you find this at the festival, there is nostalgia for people who weren’t even alive then, they are wistful for a time that they didn’t get to see. So, I imagine with the festival, you have fans there who were not even born during yacht rock.
Schoenith: Correct, people romanticize it. Obviously, I’m going to plug the Rooster Tail here, but my grandfather built the Rooster Tail in 1958 where the festival is being held, and we brought in all sorts of major artists back then, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin. My dad in his early 20s hated that music, it was just old person’s music, so he brought in Motown. That was all before I was born, so I romanticize myself about the Motown Mondays that used to happen here, what that must have been like to see the [Four] Tops and Temptations and Diana Ross being shy, not a diva but being a little girl who would work so hard she’d sweat and her fake eyelashes would fall off. None of them knew they were making history at the time, but I grew up working here at the Rooster Tail and just romanticizing about these times where Bobby Darren was doing that and he’d go fishing every day on the water here. It’s just these stories I’d hear and that I still hear from people. and you’re 100 percent right about the kids not being born. I’ve got adult children all in their 20s. And honestly, it started as a joke. I was wearing a sweater like this and one of my sons said, “You look like one of those yacht rock guys.” And my other son’s like, “Yeah, Dad, have you ever heard of this band called Chicago?” I didn’t know if they were kidding me or not. They’re trying to turn me on to this old music that I already know. And, and next thing you know, I said, “Let’s throw a party.” And that was last year. Then with Scott being a musician and being a true yacht rock devotee, he knows everything. It brings you back to when music was a little simpler, when you could hear the chords and you knew what instruments were being played and it was manually done. It’s a cool sound; it’s dance in your chair kind of music.
Cred. Yacht Rock Detroit
Scott Kusmirek: To talk about my grandfather a little bit too, my grandfather was the president of Seabird Jukebox Company out of New York. I’m from New York, Long Island. So, I was in the music business, through the record business all through the 70s growing up, and my father ran a lot of locations across the country. We were working with all the major labels because we were putting out these hit songs and all that old vinyl I grew up with. My father’s first eight track was Pablo Cruise, so I was in the thick of it. Then when I got older, I ended up playing for the Gin Blossoms for 10 years. And when I was living in L.A. at the time, I saw these guys on YouTube making fun of Yacht Rock, and it was hilarious. I moved back to Michigan and started throwing yacht rock parties on Marquette Island over by Mackinac Island back in 2014. No one ever heard what it was. I happened to meet Michael and put this thing together that we’re doing this year. There is a time period back then in the 70s and 80s where it was just analog. I think these festivals take people back to that 70s and 80s time period and these kids that are seeing that are going, “Wow, life isn’t like that today.” That’s why they’re getting involved in these yacht rock shows, plus the music is timeless.
Schoenith: It’s like an adult family thing, too. Being in my 50s with 20 some year-old children, I can go to the same festival with them, and we both get something different out of it. And this year, we’re mixing the Instagram TikTok famous DJs. I don’t want to say it’s all ages, but all ages 21 and up. So, there could be a 25-year-old and a 55-year-old having equally as good of a time. It’s not like, “Oh, my parents dragged me to this.” Sometimes it’s the kids dragging their parents.
HP: I remember those videos, they were hilarious. But you could tell they were done affectionately.
Kusmirek: Yeah, the skit they did with Michael McDonald where he’s going from studio to studio, it was like that for him. He was singing on everybody’s record, so it was crazy.
Cred. Yacht Rock Detroit
Schoenith: And, yeah, it started out as a joke, it was a punchline. But in the end, the music won.
Kusmirek: It started out with AM Gold. Remember when they were pushing those AM Gold CDs and albums and stuff? And it never really stuck. But when they labeled it yacht rock, now it’s here for a while.
HP: What were you looking for in putting this together?
Schoenith: We put it on last year and we had one big national act that wasn’t really Yacht Rock. We called it Yacht Rock adjacent. It was Lou Gramm from Foreigner. But we started real late in the game, and we had a lot of cover bands. Last year the vibe was incredible. And we didn’t know what direction to go. Do we go with just all cover bands or do we double down? And we were about to go with all cover bands. Then Scott came to the door and he’s like, “Michael, I know these guys. I can get you these bands.” Scott and his team put together a huge lineup. I’m looking online and I feel we have the greatest weekend lineup in the country for a yacht rock festival when you look at the names and the people that are playing over 20 hours right in a in a two-day period. I think Scott put together the greatest and then the cherry on top is the two DJs, Mr. Wired Up and Party Pupils. They’re blowing up huge right now because the genre is taking off and they’re mixing yacht rock songs with like Duran Duran and Kendrick Lamar and New Hit. So, I think the lineup is out of control.
Dive into fresh music news, interviews, and editorials in the newest issue of Hit Parader Magazine.
Over the last few years, SIDEPIECE has become impossible to ignore in EDM, leaving a lasting mark on the genre while turning small-club sets into full-production spectacles and becoming a can’t-miss act at some of the world’s biggest festivals. The DJ and production duo of Dylan Ragland and Ricky Mears keep pushing out music they love, always finding new ways to make their world, and the world their music fills, just a bit louder and a bit more fun. If co-productions with Diplo and Disco Lines, along with official house remixes for the likes of Lil Wayne and Bobby Shmurda, do not already make the case, these guys mean business, and they are not slowing down anytime soon. Hit Parader caught up with them to talk about the busy yet exciting year ahead, the moments that keep them grounded, what led to their new single “Can I Ride,” out today, and what their Lip Service Compilation album, released on their own label, means to them. Their love for the craft is infectious, and this interview makes it clear: SIDEPIECE is here to stay, grateful to be here, and ready to have a good time.
Hit Parader: Just to start off, tell me about your favorite moment from live shows, track releases, or anything else this year!
Dylan Ragland: We created something called the Disco Lips. For anyone who doesn’t know, our logo has always been lips; that’s kind of our theme, so we built these 10-foot-wide, giant lips. It was a whole process. They were super expensive, super detailed, and completely worth it. When we finally saw them finished, they were amazing, hand-pieced mirrors and everything. The first show we used them, seeing the crowd’s reaction when we lit them up for the first time was pretty epic. We always have big shows, but for me, that felt like our whole team coming together to create something special, and now it’s something people talk about.
Ricky Mears: Yeah, one that stands out, we played Brooklyn Storehouse, and it felt like the perfect venue for the lips.
Photo Cred. SIDEPIECE
DR: Yeah.
RM: But Orlando and a few other places looked incredible too.
HP: And that was your biggest show to date, right? Or the biggest headline?
RM: The biggest headline we’ve ever done as SIDEPIECE, yeah.
HP: That’s insane. And you brought out Bobby Shmurda?
DR: Yeah, perfect timing, his hometown.
HP: That’s awesome. We’ve been asking every artist we’ve interviewed today the same question: what’s one song or album that has changed your life, for better or worse?
RM: Mine’s probably not dance music. It’s hard because they’re so different, but I’ll give two. Deja Entendu by Brand New, kind of post-hardcore rock. That record is just ingrained in my head; I love it. And honestly, I love Slipknot. Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) is another one, I can basically recite both of those albums front to back. I just get obsessed with them.
DR: This is tough for me. I’d say The Battle of Los Angeles by Rage Against the Machine, mostly because of the time in my life when it came out. You form a lot of core music memories when you’re young, and I was already a big Rage fan. I’d also say Untouchables by Korn. That one stands out because I had to sneak into a record store to get it, I was underage, and the parental advisory sticker actually mattered then. So it’s not just the album, but the memory around it.
HP: Out of curiosity, what’s a recent moment, within the past year or so, that reminded you why you do this?
RM: We were just talking about this. We played a show in South Korea, a small, sweaty club with maybe 500 or 600 people, and they were going crazy the whole time. Singing along, fully engaged, not a bunch of phones out. When we walked offstage, we were like, “That’s what house music is about.” It wasn’t a huge festival, it was just a packed club in a place where we don’t even speak the language, and they were completely with us.
DR: Yeah, music is a universal language, especially dance music. For me, it’s when people come up and say things like, “This song changed my life,” or “I met my wife at your show,” or “Your music helped me through something.” That’s always wild, because we all have those experiences with music, but to realize you’re part of someone else’s story in a positive way is powerful. Even when we think of our music as just fun, simple dance tracks, you never know how it’s connecting with someone.
Photo Cred. SIDEPIECE
HP: That’s fair. You’ve got a huge summer coming up, Europe, festivals, all over. Best market you’ve played, most surprising market, and where you’re most excited to go this summer?
DR: Aside from Bonnaroo? [laughs]
RM: Bonnaroos sick! A surprising one, we played Pensacola, Florida, near Panama City. You wouldn’t expect it, but it was one of the rowdiest crowds we’ve ever had. For two hours, people were going absolutely crazy.
DR: Yeah, consistently we’ve had some of our biggest crowds in LA, Denver, and the Pacific Northwest. This year we had one of our biggest shows in Chicago, and obviously Brooklyn. It’s hard to pick just one place.
HP: I caught a moment in the Brooklyn set where you sampled a 95 South track, that was really cool.
RM: Good catch!
HP: I’d love for you to tell me about that track, and your process for finding unique or niche samples.
Photo Cred. SIDEPIECE
DR: You’re the king of segues; that’s actually our next release, and we’ve been opening our set with it. I was digging through 95 South’s catalog on YouTube. Some of their bigger tracks have been over-sampled, so I went deep, listening to every album, every song, just looking for a line. I was on a plane when I heard the one we used and thought, “That’s it.” It had this female vocal hook, which actually isn’t even the main group, it’s a feature.
RM: Yeah, when we reached out, they didn’t even fully remember it. They were like, “We’ve got the contracts, you’re good.” When Dylan made the first version, we all immediately felt like, “This is SIDEPIECE.” It didn’t feel like a remix; it felt like something we had to properly sample and release.
DR: A cool full-circle moment is that we got members of 95 South to record lines for the intro, so they’re actually featured on the track.
HP: So it’s not just a sample, it’s a collaboration.
DR: Exactly.
HP: That is so cool. And I heard that the Lip Service compilation album is dropping this summer, congrats! How do you choose artists for that, and what’s it like being on the other side of the industry supporting new talent?
RM: Lip Service came from the same mindset as digging for samples. Even before we had a label, we were finding tracks on SoundCloud and playing them in our sets. As SIDEPIECE grew, we realized we could build something around that, finding artists who are excited to send us music and get it out there. We’ve discovered a lot of talented people who genuinely care about what they’re making.
DR: For us, it’s two things: we have to love the song and want to play it, but the artist also has to believe in it and push it. It’s not just about social media; it’s about caring enough to want people to hear your music. If you love your track, you’ll naturally want to share it.
RM: We’re going to post your song because we believe in it; we want you to do the same.
DR: It’s also meaningful for us because we benefited from people taking a chance on us early on. We wouldn’t be here without that, so it feels good to be able to do the same for others.
RM: And the compilation is going to be great.
DR: Yeah, the music is awesome. First of many.
HP:That’s amazing. I’m stoked for you all.
DR: Appreciate you having us.
RM: Thanks, man, it means a lot.
Photo Cred. SIDEPIECE
Listen to “Can I Ride” by SIDEPIECE feat. 95 South, out now.
Rosalía’s “Lux Tour” cannot be described in words but only felt. The cultural expression “Duende,” rooted in flamenco tradition, is the closest thing to being able to depict Rosalía’s work of art or do it any justice. The term “Duende” references the spirit of creativity and the intangible magical force that evokes the divine in both the artist and the audience. It’s the elusive magic that seems to only arrive when artists least expect it. Magic that can only appear when the artist is expressing an undeniable level of raw honesty, humility and surrender that simply cannot be faked, imitated or rehearsed.
Reverent fans filled the L.A. Forum, paying homage to Rosalía’s Lux album in white veils, all-white outfits and an array of head scarves. My personal favorite was a man in a yellow silk robe with a perfectly bedazzled neck brace as a nod to Rosalía’s character “Magick” from her recent acting debut in Euphoria. Traditional flamenco music played as everyone found their seats. The energy of the arena felt more like entering a theatre as the Heritage Orchestra filed into the center of the room. It was clear this tour was going to be different than anything we’ve ever seen or felt.
Photo Cred. @baeth
Jimi Hendrix’s “Angel” played just before a delicately placed Rosalía in a white tutu was revealed from the opening of a giant box for “Sexo, Violencia y Llantas” and “Reliquia.” The initiation began with the beat of “Porcelana,” which grew into a dance any professional dancer, choreographer and rebellious bun head like myself would’ve lost their minds to be a part of. Even so, with grace and grit, Rosalía continues to be one of the few music artists who can keep the eyes of a trained dancer on her while surrounded by seasoned backup dancers. Whether it be dancing on pointé, rolling her flamenco wrists, or riding a pillow across the stage Motomami style, all eyes are on Rosalía.
The Spanish singer-songwriter’s attention to detail in every note, every visual, every frame, every look, served a purpose and cracked open a new level of emotion. The heavy-hitting team of choreographers Charm La’Donna, (LA)HORDE, Dimitris Papaioannou and traditional flamenco artist Jose Maya managed to give us the essence of Rosalía through their movement. From contemporary ballet and hip-hop, to floating hand choreography and a full-blown rave with “Berghain.” In collaboration, her creative team found humility and freedom in the movement that seamlessly serves the story and leaves the ego at the door. By the time Rosalía sang “Saoko,” reminding us that we didn’t just come to cry, we came to shake some ass, everyone was on their feet. Even conductor Yudania Gómez Heredia and the Heritage Orchestra got down and gave the dancers and head-banging audience members a run for their money.
A quick confessional moment as the hilariously candid actress and musician Odessa A’zion took the stage to confess inside the booth. Naturally, this led to flirty banter discussing Rosalía’s tongue exercises, because why not? “La Perla” followed with what can only be described as art on art on art and Rosalía in true goddess form as she floated through the air.
Photo Cred. @baeth
Heritage proceeded to hit us with a freight train of emotions that perfectly complemented Rosalía’s flawless and soulful vocal runs that would stop flamenco legends in their tracks. The transfixed audience tried to hold back tears with lumps in their throats for “Divinize” and “Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti.” Rosalía then let her hair down and proceeded to show us that she could easily decide to be a full-time rock star if she felt like it. Heavy beats evoked the feeling of a modern-day drum circle of sorts and shook the arena for “CUUUuuuuuute.” All while a giant fog machine reminiscent of a spaceship swung through the air in slow motion, changing tempos with the music and taking on a life of its own.
Watching a clip of this tour on your phone would be the equivalent of seeing a photo of a glass of fine sauvignon blanc but never truly tasting it. An untethered emotional rollercoaster ride that every person undoubtedly went home feeling moved and forever changed by, whether they meant to or not. “Lux” left me stunned with tears in my eyes, a smile on my face and a tiny white feather from the end of Rosalía’s set that seemed to magically float up into the palm of my hand. Duende that can only be felt from inside the arena if you’re lucky enough to be Divinized by the angel herself.
A year ago, when I first wrote about New York-based Izzy Escobar, I promised she would be “The pop princess of 2026.” Not to toot my own horn, but, boom, right on schedule.
So far in this year she has played multiple fests, been a star of synchs with a track on the soundtrack to The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the final season of the acclaimed HBO show Hacks (with a song written with the legendary Diane Warren), a s well a s a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Here You Come Again,” for the hit Amazon series Every Year After, and now her first sports anthem, “Hotshot (Extra Time)” written as part of a campaign with Extra gum for The World Cup.
As we both agreed upon reconnecting almost a year later, it has been a surreal, whirlwind year for Escobar, with many, many more “How did I get here?” moments to come in the ever-exploding career of the soon-to-be superstar.
Hit Parader: I interviewed Ibrahim Malouf the other day. And we were talking about the fact that he had a song on the World Cup as well. I asked him, “Did you ever think that as a trumpet player from the jazz world, born in Lebanon, that you would ever have a song in the World Cup?” And he laughed. So, did you ever think, as someone who grew up in classical, that you would have a sports anthem?
Izzy Escobar: Honestly, no. It was a bit of a curveball. I think that the cool thing was this was my first time working on something that was so strategically placed for sports. So, I got to put myself into a position where I was like, “Okay, what would it be like to be in extra time, to be an athlete, to be on the field?” and try to merge the two worlds, like my classical sound, my jazz roots, but also not delineate too far from extra time and what Extra is doing. It was a cool task. It was a fun test and a cool moment for me to try something new.
HP: Do you have any sports background?
Escobar: I did play soccer as a young girl. So, there is that.
HP: When you get to the highest level, you watch how each other gets and stays there, and there are so many similarities. You must have the same discipline, the same ambition, the same drive, all of that is the same to make it in both sports and music.
Escobar: Totally. I’ve been thinking about that more and more lately, especially because we just obviously had the Knicks winning in New York, and now, we’re going into soccer season. And I think because of this campaign and because I’ve recently been surrounded by the sports world, I’m starting to realize that maybe there are more similarities than I thought between the mindset of a musician and the mindset of an athlete. and when I was watching the Taylor Swift docuseries on Disney Plus of her “Eras” tour she was like, “You have to train like you’re an athlete.” It’s so true. It’s not only the work ethic, but I think a lot of it comes down to, honestly, exactly what the Extra campaign was talking about with just being in the present and being in the moment. It’s a physical game but it’s also a mental game. It’s probably more of a mental game than it even is physical. So, I have noticed a lot of similarities between the two.
HP: Obvious question. If there’s one athlete that you can interact with that you would love to sit down with and just pick their brain, who would it be?
Escobar: I feel like at the moment, just because we’re in soccer season, I’m going to go with Lamine Yamal, who’s playing for Spain.
HP: All right, who’s your prediction now that you’re becoming a soccer expert?
Escobar: You know what I’m going to say. I’m going to say I’m rooting for either Spain or England because England is ‘Sunny in London.” I went to London to record the EP, so I have roots there. Let’s go with England.
HP: How has being in this world influenced you?
Escobar: It’s so inspiring to see all of these stories of the most amazing athletes and musicians. You go into their stories, and you realize that it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows, per se. It’s about really learning how to be in the moment during these, like, chaotic times and just persevere during difficult moments. For example, I had to learn about extra time within this campaign when a game goes into extra time. And the amount of pressure that you’re under, I’m like, “Oh my gosh, this is exactly how I feel when I’m about to release an album. And I only have one shot at this. Here we go.” I think going back to the idea of being present, being in the moment, it’s incredibly important regarding athletes and musicians.
HP: Being in New York, how’d you celebrate the Knicks’ win?
Escobar: I went out. I was running in the streets with everybody. I was cheering. I was celebrating. I walked towards MSG with a bunch of friends. It was awesome, it was an amazing night that I’m never going to forget.
HP: Watching a championship and being part of the celebration, how does that compare in terms of energy to a sold-out show or playing a festival like BottleRock?
Escobar: If I had to compare the two, the thing that would be similar is the adrenaline aspect. Before we go on stage for a show, you’re hit with so much adrenaline. If you’re going to extra time for a game, you’re hit with adrenaline. If you’re even watching a game and your team is at the end, the Knicks game is a great example because it was so close, and so I think it made me even more excited. About the song,I’m excited to have made a song that’s like, “Okay, I’m locked in, anything can happen, any team can win at this moment.” And to have a songthat surrounds that idea is very exciting to me now that I’ve thrown myself into the sportsworld a bit.
HP: It hasn’t even been a year since we did that Forbes interview. What have been the strangest moments for you?
Escobar: This, right now. I sat in this exact location last time I talked to you for the first time, and you’re the first person to really champion me and do that interview. And I think to just take a moment of reflection to think about how much has happened in between the last time that we talked, whether it be The Devil Wears Prada or whether it be the momentum from the EP, or then especially I’m sitting here with you right now talking about being immersed in a world that I couldn’t have told you I was going to be immersed in a year ago, which is getting to experience a fandom of something that’s not even just music. It’s the merge of a fandom of music and a fandom of sports. One thing that I am really proud of with this song is yes, it was a task that I had to try to figure out how to blend the world of sports. I incorporated crowd sounds and goal kicks and things in the song in the anthem, but then also like, “Okay, this needs to sound like Izzy, this still needs to sound like my voice, and I still need to use the same effects. I still need to embed myself in my own world and make it my own while also assimilating to the world of soccer and sports.” And I think the cool thing is these opportunities come up and it is about staying true to yourself still, regardless of what it is that you’re sharing.
Listen to “Hotshot (Extra Time)” by Izzy Escobar, out now.
