It just so happened that I found myself in Palm Desert to see Dylan on June 20th, 2026 – the day that also marks the 60th anniversary of his masterful seventh studio album, Blonde on Blonde, the home to my personal favorite “Just Like a Woman.” So, as you might imagine, I’m holding my breath, praying he’ll play it just for me.
However, I’m no stranger to Dylan’s style. I knew deep down he wouldn’t play a single song off that record, or any of the big cuts for that matter. Would I have loved to lose my entire goddamn mind hearing him mumble his way through “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” “Like A Rolling Stone,” or the entire 10 minutes of “Desolation Row”? Absolutely.
Growing up I knew Dylan’s hits, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I decided to take a deep dive into his discography, and I immediately fell under his spell. At that particular time in my life, I had a bad case of the blues, and my head was rarely quiet. Those were the times when I’d reach for Dylan’s live records and be fully swept off my feet, away from my circumstances and into the crowd at Royal Albert Hall in 1966. Hearing Dylan play the essentials would have been profoundly healing for me to say the least.
But that’s what makes Dylan a very different rock ‘n’ roll legend. This tour, and every tour that came before, is by no means a victory lap or some sort of reach for ‘60s nostalgia. Word on the street (Twitter) is that he’s mostly playing songs from Rough and RowdyWays and cherry-picking deep cuts from the massive catalog. As a big fan myself, I was absolutely honored to see whatever it was Mr. Dylan wanted to do up there. It is his stage after all; we are all just guests.
Dylan’s longstanding “no photography” policy left for a refreshing darkness in a sold-out arena. He had the whole room in the palm of his hand despite being tucked away behind his piano, bundled up in a black zip with the hoodie all the way up. He approached his set with the air of an up-and coming singer/songwriter that nobody’s heard of but delivered classic cuts like “To Be Alone With You” and “All Along The Watchtower” like the Nobel Prize-winning folk legend that he is. Fleeting, simplified, understated, and with the grit everyone came to hear.
I am curious about the band’s re-approach to the electric bluesy shuffle of “Goodbye Jimmy Reed” and “False Prophet” that I was very much dying to hear live. I feel as though the band could be setting up Bob in a more dynamic way, something a little closer to the original pockets to give those songs more live legs. In a way that could maybe even inspire audiences who might be slightly unfamiliar with the deep cuts to leave the show with a new Dylan to dive into.
Much to my dismay, halfway into the show, I started to see attendees in my section walk out of their very expensive seats, shaking their heads, one by one, group by group. Many left long before Dylan had the crowd swooning with one of the show’s few harmonica solos during “Every Grain of Sand”. I suppose they were thinking they’d hear “Mr. Tambourine Man” or “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” and relive their glory days or something. But that’s what makes Dylan so dope. He’s put out 40 studio albums over the course of seven decades and has continued to tour as so much more than just a legacy act. He remains authentic to the artist he’s always been and never stopped. The glory days are not behind him. In his words, they’re “today and tomorrow and yesterday too.”
With over 20,000 people in attendance each on the evenings of June 20th and 21st to see Chris Lake headline LA Historic Park, people outside the EDM (electronic dance music) space keep asking, what is it that brings fans back over and over again? The scene has developed far beyond the underground raves of the 1970s and 80s, where it was once experimental music that brought together a unique community. The culture that prioritized acceptance and self-expression is the backbone of what made EDM so popular. It became a safe space for like-minded concert goers, and although it has been massively popularized, many true fans of the genre feel connected to its original meaning.
Writer Danielle Halley, who attended Chris Lake’s sold-out show Saturday, on why she keeps going back to the EDM scene.
We can then look at how much it’s grown to see why production companies such as Framework are expanding the market, bringing some of the most popular names to festival-sized crowds at different, unique locations. With the elite promotion and production, strong collaboration and attention to detail between all parties involved were clear and intentional. With a unique stage layout, impressive visuals, and crisp sound across all parts of the venue, there was no bad spot in the house. Doors were at 5 pm, with the show running smoothly and having no delays. There were two opening acts, Club De Combat and Hot Since 82, both accomplished musicians in their own right. This made it worth it for several concert goers who wanted to see multiple artists in one evening.
Finally, I can say, when the people asked, Chris Lake absolutely delivered on his headlining slot. With a two-hour set, from 9 – 11 pm, he started off with some of his most popular hits, including one of my personal new favorites, “Ease My Mind,” released in 2025. He held the crowd for the entire time. Even two hours later, while we were heading to the exit to grab our ride home, you could see everyone dancing and singing along to his closing song “Turn off the Lights,” as they walked to their destination. It was a truly unique experience, with so many people enjoying one moment together, you couldn’t help but smile and sing along. This is exactly what keeps people coming back. The euphoric feeling of being present in a period of time, where nothing else matters, but the music and the community around you.
I remember being at parties as a little kid, dancing to “7 Rings,” “Dangerous Woman,” and “One Last Time.” Those were simpler days when you could sing your heart out without a care in the world. I remember everyone in my class tried to recreate Ariana’s signature ponytail, so when it was finally my turn to see her in concert, I knew exactly what hairstyle I wanted to wear.
I already knew Ariana had incredible vocals from years of binge-watching her music videos and having dance parties to her songs, but this concert completely blew me away.
There was no opener, so the entire night was centered around Ariana Grande. The fans were just as devoted. People camped out for the “Eternal Sunshine Tour” pop-up store in hopes to get at least a shirt as a keepsake of this amazing tour.
The love is definitely reciprocated; Ariana cherishes her fans just as much as they cherish her. Through the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, she supports organizations that provide resources for vulnerable communities, with a focus on LGBTQ+ rights, mental health care, and crisis relief. You could feel that sense of togetherness and care throughout the concert. It felt like we were all her friends instead of just strangers. The timing of the concert during Pride Month made the night feel even more meaningful. The sense of acceptance and unity throughout the arena reflected the welcoming environment Ariana has created among her fans. Where fans are encouraged to be who they are without fear of being judged.
Walking to my seat, I felt like I was in first grade again. Everywhere I looked, people were wearing Ariana merch and that signature ponytail. Once I found my seats and sat down, I noticed a countdown clock on the screens. Every time another minute passed, the crowd erupted into cheers. It was a fun way to build anticipation and helped everyone loosen up and forget whatever struggles and stresses they had faced that week.
Cred. Junian Dadouk
Ariana has always been outspoken about mental health, especially after experiencing the trauma of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. She was only 23 years old! In a world where young people are constantly searching for role models, it is inspiring to have someone like Ariana who has endured so much yet continues to choose kindness and positivity. It reminds us that kindness is always the right choice.
The countdown finally reached zero.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
A video appeared on the arena screens. At first, it seemed like a simple introduction showing Ariana in an ordinary setting getting ready, but then the pipes burst, and her house began to flood. It felt strange at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it stood out as a visual metaphor. The flooding represented overwhelming emotions and experiences that could no longer be contained. Her past was rushing back all at once, creating a need for a fresh start.
As Ariana sits in a memory-erasing chair to rid herself of past pain, the video captures a desire to start fresh. When the curtains open, she bursts into “yes, and?”—a defiant and confident performance that hints at the lingering struggles of living in the public eye
I have never heard an arena that loud. And that is saying a lot because I have been to techno concerts. At one point, I actually had to cover my ears. The energy was overwhelming in the best way possible.
It felt like everyone was bringing a little sunshine into themselves—hence the name of the tour (eternal sunshine). Everywhere I looked, people were dancing, smiling, and living in the moment. No one was focused on what happened last week or what might happen next week. Everyone was simply letting their inner child come out.
Cred. @katiatemkin
The stage itself featured a damaged house that began to bloom with flowers, symbolizing growth and healing. Rather than erasing her past, Ariana seemed to be showing how it is possible to live with it and grow from it and with it.
One thing I especially appreciated and couldn’t help but notice was how inclusive the dancers were. Every shape, size, and color was represented. Everyone was welcome at this concert. In a world that constantly feels divided, it was nice to be united together for one night through music
Before performing “eternal sunshine,” Ariana thanked the crowd for their energy and said she has the best fans but asked us to stay quiet for 90 seconds so that she could produce and loop her vocal tracks live onstage in front of the audience. The request transformed the atmosphere. It created a focused and intimate moment. Additionally, it allowed us to catch our breath from screaming lyrics. The lighting for this song was unreal; it looked like a galaxy surrounding the arena.
That was not the only time the crowd fell silent. During “we can’t be friends (wait for your love),” there is a line that says, “Me and my truth, we sit in silence.” Social media has turned that moment into a challenge between the shows to see which one can be the quietest. We did a pretty good job. Save to say, everyone understood the assignment.
The mood shifted right back into celebration when Ariana performed “thank u, next.” Her outfits were incredible throughout the night, with six different costume changes! During “7 Rings,” you could feel the confidence radiating from the crowd as everyone shouted the lyrics.
Cred. @katiatemkin
It was also a reminder of Ariana’s confidence and how she has proven herself over the years. Despite criticism that she could not perform songs like “7 Rings” live, because “she couldn’t rap”. She performed it at her very next tour completely live with zero backing tracks on the rap verses, executing the fast-paced delivery perfectly WHILE dancing.
Then came the moment I had been waiting for all night… “Dangerous Woman.”
I cannot put into words how incredible her vocals were. Her voice kept climbing higher and higher. In that moment, I was immediately transported back to those childhood memories. I realized it was not just me singing along; it was the little girl inside me, too.
I think that is what everyone felt that night.
For a few hours, we were all kids again, waving our ponytails, singing at the top of our lungs, and forgetting about everything else.
The final song was “supernatural,” which felt like the perfect ending. The song captures the magical and overwhelming feeling of falling deeply in love, and it brought the night to a beautiful close.
Cred. @katiatemkin
That night felt truly magical.
More than anything, this concert allowed me to reconnect with my inner child, gain confidence, and leave my worries behind. It reminded me that no matter who you are, there is a place where you belong.
What began as thousands of strangers filing into their seats became something closer to a reunion. Not with each other, but with ourselves — the versions of us that danced without thinking, sang without embarrassment, and felt everything without needing a reason. For a few hours, the weight of the week lifted, and in its place was something quieter and more honest. Music does that. It doesn’t drag you back to the past — it proves the past never really left.
KennyHoopla isn’t hesitant to say what motivates him, and it’s clear in his new gritty, catchy single “NEW AMERICA//,” released today, as the catchy indie rock song offers a snapshot of a country that calls itself “new” yet still falls back into the same old cycles of inequality. He criticizes online political discourse, saying, “you and your friends fight the government on the internet,” as part of a broader view of people who know so much yet can do little to change it.
In the chorus, Kenny critiques the mask of real growth in society, saying that in a “New America,” progress is merely “a hit-and-run.” The issues of gentrification are also discussed, with lines such as “The profit’s good / well, there goes the neighborhood” poking fun at profit motives. At the end, the repeated, numbed-out outro mantra of “We had fun” makes it clear that Kenny’s goal was to make it less of a straightforward protest track and more of a portrait of a culture that knows it is stuck and that the only thing it can do is keep moving forward. The track closes by painting the younger generation as self-aware yet selectively blind, “sympathiz[ing] / with two hands covering [their] eyes”.
All of the seemingly pessimistic imagery discussed from start to finish does not take away from the fact that the song is an earworm, filled with tension in both the words and the sonics, with Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes’ guitar work heard throughout the track, which amplifies the anxiety and urgency found in the lyrics. The compressed, disco-esque drums, fuzzed-out bass, and pretty synths combine to create a track that can only be described as a Trojan horse, a highly catchy indie-rock soon-to-be anthem carrying a pointed, uncomfortable message straight to your head.
Listen to “NEW AMERICA//” by KennyHoopla and Albert Hammond Jr., out now.
The past two years of Myles Smith’s career have made him an inescapable, unforgettable presence in music, with all that effort building toward this definitive moment: the release of his debut full-length album. The 27-year-old folk singer-songwriter saw in real time the power of music streaming and social media as his powerful 2024 single “Stargazing” propelled him into global stardom, farther than the Luton-born artist could ever have imagined. It spent close to a full year on the UK charts and reached new heights by landing at #1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay. Following such success, plus another hit single with “Nice To Meet You” and an honorable BRIT Rising Star award, it would make the most sense to feed the algorithm with 15 more “Stargazing”-esque tracks, but Smith had other ideas. Instead, on his debut 15-track album, My Mess, My Heart, My Life, he keeps the inevitable catchiness of his songwriting on full display while expressing feelings he has been meaning to get off his chest for nearly 10 years. He uses his journaled therapy notes from as far back as 2017 as a framework and launchpad of sorts to debut a project that is inherently his and to show the world that the previous hits were just the beginning of something special.
The title My Mess, My Heart, My Life is so much more than branding; it functions as a roadmap, dividing the tracks throughout the project into three distinct categories: the uncertainty of the past, the resulting emotional turmoil, and the way Smith navigates the world as a result of everything before. The powerful opening track, conveniently titled “My Mess,” draws directly from the aforementioned journals, building a vivid world within the track of a “fractured family” where a word could “start a war,” a heavy catharsis that shows his emotions on full display. Smith puts that image of a fractured family on display in “Grandma’s Place,” a hauntingly beautiful ballad about the loss of his only safe space after his parents’ split. By the time the tracklist reaches “Sertraline (Where Am I Now)”, an ode to his “friend sertraline,” Smith is staring down the anxiety and depression he’s faced, but he’s not letting it take control. A message that many men, especially black men, need to hear, as Smith says, “It’s important for me as a Black male songwriter to speak about my experiences of struggling. I don’t have the most confidence. I do break down sometimes. I have been broken. Saying those things out loud is really important, because I don’t want it to ever be confused that showing your emotions is weak.” Other standouts include the closer of the A-side, the intimate track “Lifetime,” a quieter reflection on committing to someone “for a lifetime,” where a lifetime is just not enough time to love someone. On top of that, the love song “Heaven,” derived not from Smith’s own experiences but from close friend and producer Peter Fenn’s marriage, is a beautiful ode to when love can feel like nothing else but “heaven.”
“It’s important for me as a Black male songwriter to speak about my experiences of struggling. I don’t have the most confidence. I do break down sometimes. I have been broken. Saying those things out loud is really important, because I don’t want it to ever be confused that showing your emotions is weak.” – Myles Smith
Despite the heavy theming throughout, the record rarely feels weighed down. Smith’s pop-y yet distinct folk flavor; acoustic-guitar-driven, mandolin ear candy; claps replacing snares; and what feels like an audience full of gang vocals backing him up on certain tracks keep even the heaviest tracks moving and palatable in all listening scenarios. Themes shine through when needed and when listened for, but the record is made for all types of listeners, and those who pay attention to the lyrics just happen to get more. All of the lyrical introspection lands differently when you remember the buzz that has surrounded Smith for years now. With “Stargazing” and “Nice To Meet You” woven into the tracklist, they are presented less as standout hits and more as proof of concept; these songs, sung by full stadiums while touring with Ed Sheeran, were built on the same bones as the most vulnerable tracks on the record. Even with over 4 billion streams across songs as proof, Smith seems just as preoccupied with how much of an impact he can make as a Black artist in a predominantly white-coded music sphere. “When I was growing up, blackness was [about] being cool, wearing Nike Tech and Air Forces,” he says. “Those things are definitely a part of Black culture, but that’s one shade of a beautiful tree. I’m trying to highlight that there’s so many other shades.”
With this debut record, My Mess, My Heart, My Life makes it clear how unbelievably confident Smith is in his art, a confidence that sometimes takes decades to find. Even on tracks clearly meant to be shouted back at him in the stadiums he’s bound to sell out, there is a chilling layer of honesty underneath that is rare among artists of his size. By bringing these notes from therapy all these years ago to light and refusing to sand the edges (regret, family estrangement, the pain of not having enough time, the dissolution of masculine stoicism), Smith offers a beautiful middle ground of vulnerability without excessive self-disdain, and overall shows that it is okay to feel, okay to grow, and okay to share these feelings not only as a man but as a human. Even with “Stargazing” having an undeniable gravitational pull on his career, My Mess,My Heart, My Life makes an incredible argument that the song was merely the starting pistol for a marathon of an inevitable, long, and prosperous career ahead.
Listen to Myles Smith’s debut full-length album, My Mess,My Heart, My Life, out now.
Los Angeles, CA | Calling all women musicians, creatives, and industry pros! Gritty In Pink is teaming up with Book More Women to find women, nonbinary, and trans talent for a chance to play or work with them on their festival activation this July in Long Beach.
From June 8-18, musicians, photographers, videographers, and other industry professionals will have the opportunity to submit an INPINK listing to Gritty In Pink’s marketplace INPINK for a chance to play or work with Gritty for their festival activation this summer! Once the applicants listings are approved, they will also be available for hire on INPINK for future gigs.
The INPINK marketplace is an emerging online destination to hire women and gender-expansive freelancers: like a female-powered Upwork or Fiverr, starting with the music business. INPINK aims to democratize access to a gatekept industry and provide a pipeline of female talent for professionals looking to hire from a diverse community of women. Live Nation is the lead investor in the company.
Cred. Isabella Flynn
Gritty Founder Shira Yevin says, “We are thrilled to team up with Book More Women for this year’s festival talent search. Last year, our talent search with She is the Music helped bring hundreds of new professionals to INPINK, and this year, we are looking forward to really expanding our talent base- on and off stage- in our core market of Southern California.” Book More Women is an arts service organization that works to advance gender equity in the music industry through research, education, industry partnership, and direct support programs.
Shira Yevin aka Shiragirl became known for crashing the Vans Warped Tour in the mid aughts and creating the Shiragirl Stage, which featured Paramore on their first ever tour, and Joan Jett. Gritty In Pink made their return to the Warped scene last year for Warped’s 30th anniversary with their Gritty Garage activation. The Gritty Garage is designed to uplift female artists, fans, and aspiring music industry pros, offering female artists an opportunity to connect with fans. This year, they will return to Warped Tour Long Beach (July 25-26) with the Gritty Garage, plus their signature Gritty In Pink Jam on stage as part of the official Warped lineup! The jam will feature women/nonbinary musicians performing Warped artists and anthems.
How to enter the Festival Talent Search: ● Sign up for free on Gritty In Pink’s INPINK marketplace ● Verify your email ● Create a listing ● Submit the listing for approval ● Fill out the Talent Form
Selected winners will be notified via email. For more information on how to enter, visit Gritty In Pink or Book More Women on Instagram, or head to INPINK to sign up and post your listing!
Gritty In Pink is a platform empowering women in music, building the INPINK marketplace. Founder Shira Yevin has a history of breaking down barriers and carving out a space for women as the creator of the Vans Warped Tour Shiragirl Stage, featuring 300+ female musicians, including Joan Jett and Paramore. Gritty In Pink continues the legacy of providing a community for female voices in a male-dominated industry. The INPINK marketplace features 1,800+ listings of talented artists and pros, with a collective following of over 50 million on IG/TikTok. To browse and book talent, please visit www.inpink.com.
The Warning commanded the stage at Pier 17 in NYC this past Thursday. The three-sister rock band from Monterrey, Mexico, opened their first headline show of 2026 with “MORE” which certainly left the crowd wanting MORE. Each member brought their own unique energy and presence to the stage in a way that perfectly complemented each other. It is very rare, but also so inspiring to see this chemistry they have between them. Itmakes you believe they weren’t put on this planet to do anything but create and share music with the world.
Cred. Ryan Muir
They captivated the crowd throughout the entire set, playing their hits from previous albums ERROR and Keep Me Fed. Their crowd and fan base ranged from young girls, who couldn’t have been much older than 10 years old, all the way to fans in their 60’s. The trio also excitingly performed new pieces which will be on theirupcoming album Everything’s Falling, set to be released on August 28th, 2026. These new songs offer catchy hooks that will be stuck in your head. I haven’t been able to stop singing along to the breakdown/bridge section of “Kerosene” since seeing them play it at this show. They hold a strong identity in the way they express themselves musically and stylistically. There is no mistaking them for anyone else. You KNOW when you’re listening to The Warning.
A beautiful moment during the show was at the end of “MARTIRIO.” The crowd was so immersed in the music, they continued singing the melody (completely unprovoked by the band) after the song ended. The band also honors and celebrates their home country by including songs written in Spanish, “MARTIRIO” and recently released “Ego” being two of them. Since I personally do not speak Spanish, I wasn’t able to understand the song literally, but I could still understand and know what they were feeling while performing these songs. The emotion and energy that were transferred through their performance are something I don’t get to experience very often. As a musician myself, I can confidently say that this is a special gift to have. It also proves that music is not just notes being played or just entertainment, but it is also a universal language that everyone can understand.
Cred. Ryan Muir
They rocked the stage looking as glam as ever. Paulina’s fiery, bright red hair complemented her intensity behind the kit. Dany was giving an ultra–cool-girl look with her long baggy shorts and boxing-style boots. Alejandra styled patchwork jeans and fingerless gloves for a look with a vintage feel. The location of this show just made it that much more special as well. Pier 17 provides an absolutely iconic NYC backdrop. The Brooklyn Bridge glowed right behind the stage, while in the other direction, the Statue of Liberty stood tall.
After the show, I had the opportunity to meet the girls and say hi. Even though they are badass musicians who exude confidence, they were gracious and appreciative of their supportive fan base. They truly deserve all the success that has come their way, and their status as one of the best young bands out there. The headlining spot is where they belong, and hopefully we’llget to see more headlining tours and shows from them as they enter this new album cycle!
Whether you are a dreamer who believes music can change the world or you’ve given in to cynicism and scoff at the notion, there is absolutely no denying few things in things in this world have the power to unite the way music does.
You see it at clubs, arenas, and stadiums every day around the world. People across generations, religions, races, and yes, even political parties, banding together to sing along to “Hey Jude” with Paul McCartney or whatever your favorite song is. Hell, look at the 2007 Led Zeppelin reunion show. People from 50 different countries applied for tickets to the show. I guarantee you not all those countries got along. And the fans dreaming of tickets didn’t care who else was there; they just cared about seeing Led “Fucking” Zeppelin.
It’s that ability of music to transcend all barriers that the organizers of “Gotta Be Us (Be The People),” a call to action and a new single, produced by five-time Grammy nominee Poo Bear, are counting on. Uniting up and coming artists Momo Boyd, Trevor Jackson, Smino, Sadie Rose Van, Luke Borchelt, and the VCU Black Awakening Choir in the worlds of country, rap, R&B, pop and soul, the infectious plea for unity is intended to stir up action and remind people that no matter how dire the times seem on a global and national level, the heart of America is beating strongly in the communities that remain the soul of the country.
The rollout began with the track going to streaming services last Friday (June 12, 2026).
It’s all part of a hugely ambitious plan to inspire Americans to give back on a local level.
If the artists involved, other than Poo Bear, are new names, those involved in the leadership council – such as Goodwill, Jon Batiste, the NBA, Habitat For Humanity, Special Olympics, Martin Luther King III, and more – highlight the drive of the campaign to inspire people to get involved on a local level.
“‘Gotta Be Us (Be The People)’ is a song about how each of us has a role to play in our country today,” said Poo Bear. “If we want a future that’s even better than our past, it’s up to all of us to show up and help solve problems together.”
Hit Parader spoke with rising country star Luke Borchelt, who represents the artist’s side of the song, and Scott Strode, Founder and Executive Director of The Phoenix, about the philanthropic portion of the campaign.
Cred. Press Provided
Hit Parader: How did you get involved in the song?
Luke Borchelt: This all came about in the last month. I come from a non-profit background, so I was eager to do something that gets people together and is trying to celebrate the community.
HP: What kind of nonprofit background?
Borchelt: I started in the humanitarian aid space. My last career before full-time music was nonprofit impact work in disaster relief for an organization called Mercy Chefs, based in Virginia. So, I was so excited to get back into that space. I worked on the volunteer and distribution side. I would assist the chefs.
HP: Did you all record together, or was it done individually?
Borchelt: I was in New York with Poo Bear and the rest of the creative team. We’re all going to get together for these shows coming up. That’s what I’m most excited about, I’m about to hang with everyone today. Most of the time nowadays in music, honestly, you wouldn’t even expect to get in a room at all. It would be more like send it in. But I thought it was cool that Be The People wanted us to come in to record the song with Poo Bear, have it be a collaborative in-person effort. I’ve gotten to know the team a lot at Be The People. I’ve been hanging with and communicating with them since this whole process started. We were just in Birmingham two days ago shooting my part of the music video. So, I feel really close with the team, and I’m excited to get close with the singers as well.
HP: How gratifying has it been being involved in this project?
Borchelt: It’s really cleansing to work on something that is not just my art, it’s all of us, and it’s someone else’s vision. I love to be a part of this. It’s the highest level of music I’ve been involved in. Poo Bear is someone that I would not be in the room with normally. So, to be at working at the highest level and around such storied professionals — even Trevor, Sadie Momo and Shmino — that part feels cool too because it’s a higher level of talent and professionalism. A lot is in the country space, but to be around people in R&B, hip hop and pop, the talent is another level.
HP: The world feels more divided than it’s been in so long. And music feels so unifying, for lack of a better term.
Borchelt: I think music and community are the things we all have in common. And I’m excited for the open call portion of this project because it’s going to let people in their own communities interpret the song in their own way. I think making a point to bring that out to the community is going to be cool. And I find that that will help the music continue to heal and bring us together.
HP: What does this project mean to you?
Scott Strode: For me, the Be the People initiative lands at just a really important time for our country. The song really embodies this idea that…I love the line in there that says, “The dream isn’t dead. It’s just waiting on us”. We, the people, can be the people that our country needs right now.
HP: Talk about the narrative of what community means to you and why a song like this is important now.
Strode: Because individually, things are not nearly as desolate as they seem. In my everyday work, I don’t actually see the hatred and division and all the stuff that we see in our algorithms and 24-hour news. What I see in my work with people coming out of addiction and struggling with mental health and social isolation is I see people coming together every day and lifting each other up. I’m in our gym now in Boston, and we have folks that come from reentry programs out of the criminal legal system. We have folks that are coming out of halfway houses and treatment programs or out of homelessness. They’re actively on the street. And we also have firefighters and first responders, and the police cadets do their physical fitness here, so we’re seeing people come together and lift each other up. That might just be in a workout, we’re pushing through a hard workout together, and we’re fist-bumping at the end of that. But it doesn’t matter if you’re in the fire department or you have an ankle monitor on because you’re coming out of the criminal legal system. We’re lifting each other up in that workout. And the volunteer who’s leading the class is sharing a gift and passion they have for whatever activity it is. What I see is really the spirit of this song every day, where we come together. When you go from the me to the we, that’s the magic. And by doing so, you too are lifted. When you help somebody else out in a time of need, it also lifts you. I actually don’t think we’re as divided as people might think. It’s sometimes the loudest voices on the fringe end up being the only thing we hear. That’s what America is: we’re there for each other when we need each other.
HP: How does music help deliver this message?
Strode: I think this approach of doing it through music is so powerful because music’s been driving culture in our country since our country was founded. And it’s been present and a leader in the biggest transition moments of our nation. So, to have music come together now in this time and lift up this issue and idea that we are one and we can lift each other up, and we can spread hope and opportunity and empowerment to each other is going to drive culture again in this moment. I think now is the time for all of us to find the place where we can be the people. For some, that might mean volunteering for the Phoenix and helping those coming out of addiction or helping those struggling with mental health stuff. For others, it might be using your gift as an artist to tell this story and help this story reach more people.
Yoko Ono is 93 years old, but for many, her image is stuck in a timewarp. Her proximity to the Beatles in their late 60’s heyday has overshadowed her work as a thinker and creator for decades and for some fans, it’s even negated it. Indeed, her relationship with John Lennon made her one of the most polarizing figures in pop culture to this day.
But her role as an artist, honed for over six years prior to even meeting the musician, was striking, eclectic and undeniably impactful on the New York art scene. Ironically, it’s what attracted John in the first place– her dark, wild mane, boho style and makeup-free beauty was captivating, but it was her unbridled mind that made her special.
Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind at the Broad Museum, the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in Southern California, seeks to redefine her legacy for the casual observer and serious fans alike.
Devoting multiple rooms to Ono’s career and life, from her early conceptual ideas in Japanese academia circles to her experiential pieces in Manhattan galleries and experimental spaces, this chronological, multi-room walk-through explores a lot, and the Beatles are the least of it. Her activist works with her husband are, of course, featured. But before we get there, it’s all about the depth of ideas and the audacious ways that she executed them in the name of artistic expression.
What would Ono’s significance as an artist and activist be today if she had not found her soul mate in the prolific music icon? Moveover, what would her legacy be if she had not been continually blamed for “breaking up the Beatles?”
From her early intention-driven concepts to lauded video and sound explorations and later-era interactive works, the show serves to bring retrospective –and feminist– dimension to a misunderstood figure who’s had a lot to say about life, before and after, with and without her husband.
The oversimplified view of Ono as a group-wrecking opportunist is obviously seeped in misogyny and maybe racism as well. It diminishes her accomplishments and her ideas. This show provides a compelling, much-needed counter-narrative.
The best parts of the exhibit, in collaboration with Tate Modern, London, invite visitors to participate in holistic and mindful ways, from “Wish Trees” on the Broad’s outdoor East West Bank Plaza to playing chess on all-white gaming tables (“Play It By Trust”) which eliminates colored pieces to make it impossible for players keep track of “which side they’re on,” a conceptual statement against war that’s both practical and powerful.
There’s also “Painting to Hammer a Nail in,” which empowers others to channel their emotions into her art, and “Put Your Shadows Together Until They Become One,” which asks visitors to trace their shadows on a whiteboard and observe how they meld to make one piece (the message is obvious).
Themes of unity are a big part of the exhibit overall. “Helmets (Piece of Sky)” features WW2 headgear hanging from the ceiling. They’re filled with jigsaw pieces that form an image of the sky. “Take a piece of sky. Know that we are all part of each other,” it directs. I grabbed a few –printed with the words “Los Angeles 2026”– as a souvenir.
The color blue is clearly symbolic for Ono, representing humanity and uplifting energy. Blue markers are provided inside an all-white room where guests can draw or write words with whatever statements they want to make near the end of the exhibition.
While some of the pieces are a bit on the nose and obvious, presented all together, the collection is provocative and immersive, accomplishing the goal of bringing the viewer in and inspiring thought. A lot of it offers hope for a world that needs it now more than ever, especially the images of peace.
At the VIP preview bash last week, there was also a nod to Ono’s music, which is arguably her most controversial output of all. A stage was set up at the entryway to the exhibit, where Yuka Honda (co-founder of Cibo Matto) served as musical director. Honda played electric piano and sung new ethereal-feeling arrangements of Ono tracks with guest vocals by New York-bred, Los Angeles-based duo Lucius and Emi Helfrich (Ono’s grandchild via her once long-lost daughter Kyoko Ono Cox, whom she reunited with in the 90’s). They were accompanied by Maggie Parkins on cello and Max Jaffe on drums.
Ono’s music might be respected today, especially by punks and experimentalists, but her contribution to Lennon’s music is still hotly debated. The couple’s appearance on the Dick Cavett show, when a jam with Chuck Berry turned into a freaky shrieky free-for-all thanks to Yoko, remains a most memorable sit-in– and not in a good way.
As a Stones fan, I think that her raucous screeches as seen in The Rolling Stones’ Rock & Roll Circus during the iconic Dirty Mac set actually worked, especially on the layered instrumental jam called “Whole Lotta Yoko” which featured violinist Ivry Gitlis along with Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Regardless, she’s released 14 solo studio albums and eight collaborative albums with Lennon (including their Grammy Award-winning album, Double Fantasy, in 1980), which is nothing to slouch at.
More live music is planned in conjunction with the Broad exhibit, including a celebration of her music, called “Yoko Only” (featuring Yo La Tengo, Nels Cline, Yuka Honda, Sleater-Kinney, Rufus Wainwright, and more) in August. Whether you fancy Ono’s music or not, one thing is for sure, it’s never boring and always boundary-pushing. And it’s just one component of her boldly contemplative and frequently beautiful schemes and scenes, which, like everything she does, are all about opening minds. Bring yours to enjoy this retrospective as fully intended.
For those of us who remember the ‘80s, the idea of a love child between heartland rock, like Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, and hair metal, ala Cinderella and Poison, sounds like a cheesy horror/disaster movie. Some things just don’t go together.
Yet, 40 years later, the offspring of those two completely disparate styles is here. And it turns out to not only be a horror movie, but Toronto’s Jessica Sevier brings it together as appealingly as chocolate and peanut butter or Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell.
Talking about how she married what should have been a Frankenstein’s Monster of music into an award-winning singer/songwriter, the utterly engaging Sevier explains. “I grew up on a lot of hair metal and a lot of Springsteen, a lot of John Mellencamp. So, it’s kind of an amalgamation of all of those random things. So, a combination of Springsteen music and listening to Poison around the dinner table, like ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn,’” she says.
Going further into the way those elements seamlessly come together in her songs, she says, “I listened to [Springsteen] for hours and hours and hours every day, studying the way he wrote music and lyrics. Then I think the musicality and sound really came from Cinderella. The Heartbreak Station record really inspired me to make music. I heard it, and I was like, ‘That’s what I want to do,’ the bluesy country rock thing. It really stuck with me after I heard that record, and I have never forgotten it. I was 14 or 15, like 10 years ago, when I first heard it, and I think about it every day. “
Cred. Marteen Sevier
Sevier, who was born in the 2000s, credits her parents with giving her the necessary ingredients for her very unique musical cocktail.
“When I was in high school, I’d really gotten into hair metal, and I’ve always been a lover of vintage things. So, when I saw that my dad had this old record player, I was like, ‘Oh, I want one of those.’ So, we took his old Sears dual cassette and record player out of storage, and the speakers are about as tall as me,” she says laughing. “Then my dad gave me his mixtape collection and his record collection, and all of it was hair metal basically. So, that’s all I had. When I was in high school, I was really into analog media. I avoided digital media at that point because I wanted to live like it was the ‘80s. All I did was listen to cassettes and records, and the only ones I had were hair metal, Springsteen, and Mellencamp. So that was the soundtrack to my life, and I just fell in love with it. I still love it. It’s still my favorite. I still have that record player in my room. It’s the best.”
I found Sevier, who won Songwriter of the Year, as well as Breakthrough Artist of the Year, at the CMA Ontario Awards last week, through her moving and poignant song, “Springsteen,” in which she sings, “If there was one thing that got me through fifteen, it was Springsteen.”
Springsteen is my favorite artist ever, so I identified immediately and reached out to Sevier to set up an interview. However, the mark of a truly great song is universality, a feeling anyone can relate to. Again, Sevier just won Songwriter of the Year, with good reason. Even the most MAGA-identifying Springsteen hater can identify with the feeling of a song or artist that saved your life. For Sevier, it happened to be Springsteen. If, in your case, it was Prince, The Stones, Eminem, Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Erykah Badu or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the sentiment still holds true.
Since it was Springsteen, specifically “The River,” that Sevier says got her through “one of the toughest eras of my life,” when she finally got to experience one of the legendary E Street Band shows in her hometown of Toronto, it was a truly profound moment for her.
“In October of 2024, I believe I went to see him here in Toronto. I sat in the nosebleeds because it was sold out instantly, of course. [But] I finally got my hands on a ticket in the nosebleeds; my mom and I went together, and I sat there and cried the whole time. It was so beautiful and wonderful,” she says. “I was probably the youngest person there, and I just sang every word, and it was just so healing because Springsteen saved my life. His words really pulled me through this darkness, and to get to see it in real life was like soul healing. In a way, it was very full circle, like, ‘Oh my God, he’s actually a real person. This is really cool.’ It was such a great show, every note was dead on. No notes, there was nothing anyone could poke a hole in in that show. It was just straight talent and beautiful music. It was life-changing for sure. I think that was probably the best concert that I’ve ever been to.”
Cred. Marteen Sevier
As mentioned, so much of what makes Sevier such a compelling new voice is that dual nature. Yes, she can cry happy tears at a Springsteen show but also hang with Mötley Crüe.
“I met Vince Neil, which was really cool, here in Ontario. A buddy of mine was opening for Motley Crue and Motley Crue invited me into their trailer. I got to meet and hang out with all of them. I was like, ‘Oh my God, why am I here?’ But it was so cool. And it’s really interesting now that I’m in the music scene that I get to meet these people because of what I’m doing. It’s like a full circle moment from me in my bedroom at 15 listening to hair metal to now being part of it,” she says.
Fans have obviously heard the Springsteen side of her influences. They’ll get to hear the hair metal side this summer on songs such as “Wild Wild Woman,” she promises.
“It’s very much an empowerment song, like, ‘How dare you do this to me? How dare you push the wild wild woman this far? I’m gonna come back 10 times harder.’ Whenever something bad happens in my life, I listen to that. I listen to my own song to hype me up a little bit,” she says. “When life doesn’t feel like it’s going my way, I put on ‘Wild Wild Woman’ and I go, ‘That’s fucking right. You are a wild, wild woman. You are a badass, you can do this.’ It’s actually gotten me through a lot of really hard times in my life. This record was super healing.”
Listen to Springsteen by Jessica Sevier, out on all platforms.
