Tag Archives: WILLOW

FEATURING: 5 Pop-Side Artists (Who Aren’t Billie Eilish) Making Waves with Fantastic New Music

May 29, 2024 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

Billie Eilish continues to dominate the music scene with her unique sound and chart-topping hits. However, there are many other artists making significant strides with their new releases. Here are five mainstream artists you should definitely check out, spanning a range of genres and styles, most of who have recently released fresh tracks.

1. Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter has been steadily rising in the pop music scene, and her recent releases are a testament to her growth as an artist. Her fifth studio album, emails i can’t send, released on July 15, 2022, debuted at number 23 on the Billboard 200, marking her highest entry on the chart to date. The album featured singles like “Vicious” and “Nonsense,” the latter peaking at number 56 on the Hot 100 and achieving Platinum certification. Following this, she embarked on the Emails I Can’t Send tour in September 2022.

In March 2023, Carpenter released a deluxe edition of the album, with the single “Feather” becoming her highest-charting song, reaching number 21 on the Hot 100 and number one on the US Pop Songs chart. She performed at high-profile events like the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2023. Her involvement in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour as the opening act for several international shows further solidified her growing stardom. Recently, she released the single “Espresso” on April 12, 2024, which became her first top-10 hit on the Hot 100, peaking at number four, coinciding with her performance at Coachella 2024.

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2. Renee Rapp

Renee Rapp, known for her Broadway roots in Mean Girls: The Musical, has made significant strides in her music career. She recently reprised her role as Regina George in the musical film adaptation of Mean Girls, released in theaters on January 12, 2024, and on streaming on March 5, 2024. However, Rapp has expressed her intention to focus solely on her music career due to the anxiety she experienced in the acting environment.

Rapp’s debut extended play, Everything to Everyone, released in November 2022, was followed by a deluxe version in February 2023. Her debut studio album, Snow Angel, dropped on August 18, 2023, and a deluxe version with additional tracks, including a remix of “Tummy Hurts” featuring Coco Jones, was released in November 2023. She has been actively touring, with her Snow Hard Feelings tour, supported by Alexander 23 and Towa Bird, showcasing her dynamic stage presence and deep connection with her audience. Rapp’s music blends pop and R&B influences, creating a sound that is both contemporary and timeless.

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3. WILLOW

WILLOW has continued to evolve her sound and artistic persona. In February 2022, she withdrew from Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, The World Tour due to production limitations but quickly bounced back by featuring on Camila Cabello’s track “Psychofreak” in April 2022. Her fifth studio album, COPINGMECHANISM, released on October 7, 2022, features collaborations with Yves Tumor and showcases a bold dive into alternative rock with singles like “Maybe It’s My Fault” and “Hover Like a Goddess.”

WILLOW’s recent releases continue to push boundaries. Her first single since COPINGMECHANISM, “Alone,” came out in November 2023, followed by “Symptom of Life” in March 2024 and “Big Feelings” in April. She announced her sixth studio album, empathogen, which was released on May 4, 2024. With a unique blend of punk, metal, and introspective lyrics, WILLOW’s new work explores themes of identity and self-discovery, solidifying her place as a dynamic force in the music industry.

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4. Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan has been steadily carving out a niche for herself with her vibrant and catchy pop tunes. After moving back to Los Angeles in 2022, Roan worked a series of odd jobs before signing a publishing deal with Sony. Her independent single “Naked in Manhattan,” released in March 2022, was praised as a “queer girl bop” by NPR, highlighting her tender and nostalgic lyrics. Following this, she joined Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour Tour and Fletcher’s Girl of My Dreams Tour, gaining significant exposure.

Roan’s subsequent releases, including “Femininomenon” and “Casual,” showcased her versatility and willingness to experiment with different sounds and themes. Her debut headlining tour, Naked in North America, in early 2023, was a hit, featuring themed stops and drag queen openers. Roan’s first full-length album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, released in September 2023, further established her as a rising star. Following the album’s release, she embarked on the Midwest Princess Tour, which saw her performing across North America and internationally. Her latest single, “Good Luck, Babe!”, released in April 2024, has already garnered significant attention, debuting at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieving 7 million streams in its first week. Roan’s growing popularity on Spotify and high-profile performances, including at Coachella, mark her as an artist on the rise.

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5. Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo burst onto the scene with her debut single “drivers license,” and she hasn’t slowed down since. Her Disney+ documentary, Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U, detailing the making of her debut album Sour, was released on March 25, 2022. Rodrigo received seven nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, winning Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album for Sour, and Best Pop Solo Performance for “drivers license”.

Rodrigo’s second album, GUTS, released on September 8, 2023, debuted atop the Billboard 200 and was acclaimed as the most critically acclaimed album of 2023 by BBC News. The album’s lead single, “Vampire”, became her third single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first artist to debut the lead singles from two career-opening albums at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Following the success of GUTS, Rodrigo announced her GUTS World Tour, which runs from February to October 2024. She also released a deluxe version of the album, GUTS (Spilled), in March 2024. On April 13, 2024, Rodrigo made a special guest appearance at No Doubt’s Coachella show, where she performed the band’s 2000 single “Bathwater” alongside them. Rodrigo’s music continues to capture the angst and emotions of youth, solidifying her place as a pop icon for a new generation.

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Billie Eilish’s Latest Release: Yeah…We Couldn’t Ignore This One

You didn’t think we’d skip over Billie Eilish’s new album, did you?

On April 8, 2024, Billie Eilish announced her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which was released on May 17, 2024.

This album marks Eilish’s highest-performing album yet, with 339,000 units earned and over 193 million streams.

This album is incredible.

Despite a close race with Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, Eilish’s album debuted at number two on the albums chart. To support the album, she announced the Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, which will cover North America, Oceania, and Europe from September 2024 to July 2025.

While Eilish and Swift continue to dominate the charts, these five artists are proving that there is plenty of fresh talent in the music industry. Sabrina Carpenter, Renee Rapp, WILLOW, Chappell Roan, and Olivia Rodrigo each bring something unique to the table, offering new music that is well worth a listen. Whether you’re into pop, rock, or something in between, these artists have something for everyone.

Honorable Mentions

For those interested in more emerging artists making waves with their recent releases, here are a few to check out:

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Featured photos (top, from left to right) by Anthony Arquier (WILLOW), Unknown (Sabrina Carpenter, Renee Rapp), Ryan Clemens (Chappell Roan), Nick Walker (Olivia Rodrigo)

Albums, Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: ’empathogen’ – WILLOW’s Artistic Renaissance Transcends Boundaries

May 17, 2024 Katherine Amy Vega 1 Comment

WILLOW’s empathogen, released on May 3, 2024, emerges as a captivating blend of genres, heavily infused with jazz and maintaining an edge with rock, R&B, and dark pop music influences. empathogen is deeply embedded in black culture and musical traditions while exploring human imperfection and mental health struggles. This album solidifies her place as a transformative artist in contemporary music.

The album’s opener, “home” (feat. Jon Batiste), immediately sets the tone with percussive prominence that seems to be channeling African music in combination with jazz. Collaborating with Batiste, WILLOW creates a vibrant and dynamic track that celebrates her cultural roots while pushing musical boundaries. It leaves the listener wondering what to expect with the tracks to follow, and frankly, whatever they assume is most likely incorrect.

Throughout empathogen, WILLOW explores a diverse range of sounds and styles, showcasing her impressive versatility. In an unconventional usage of the term – I want to call the album “chaotic good”. She infuses moments with her signature style, offering intriguing vocal flourishes that fluidly transition between head voice and chest voice. One of the album’s standout features is WILLOW’s impressive vocal range, which she fearlessly exercises throughout each track. Her voice carries a beautiful timbre, and from soulful melodies, powerful belting, to yodeling, she effortlessly navigates wildly diverse vocal techniques with excellent control. When combined, it underscores her undeniable talent, along with masterful honing of skill. In “ancient girl,” she deftly employs vocal flipping techniques while remaining monotonous for the most part, adding an intriguing layer to the track’s sonic tapestry.

There are a tremendously vast array of flavors of influence of a myriad of artists in empathogen, yet WILLOW asserts her distinct voice and identity. The fact that in many cases it is a bit of a challenge to put your finger on where you’ve heard some of these influences, in my opinion emphasizes how much she has taken them and made them her own, and they sound so well-executed and natural to her. The album’s musical atmosphere occasionally shares elements with Billie Eilish and BANKS. However, WILLOW incorporates experimental and ambient musicality that creates a unique sonic landscape.

Fun fact: WILLOW was actually slated to open for Billie Eilish on her “Happier Than Ever World Tour” in 2022, but had to let go of the opportunity due to production limitations. Can you imagine the power of the combination of these two artists in a line-up?!

Interestingly, despite missing out on that collaboration, WILLOW and Eilish are currently on somewhat synchronistic paths. WILLOW released her album this month, and she is gearing up to tour across North America with Childish Gambino starting in August. (WILLOW tour dates & tickets here)

Meanwhile, in the same month – today, in fact – Eilish released her latest album, entitled HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. She will be kicking off her tour in September, and it will journey across North America, Australia, Europe, the UK, and Ireland and span into 2025. (Billie Eilish tour dates &tickets here)

Beyond her celebrity status, WILLOW (Willow Smith) proves herself as a formidable artist, transcending preconceptions of being a “nepo-baby.” Her musical journey spans years, marked by phases of visibility and brilliance. WILLOW has released six studio albums and one album under the moniker THE ANXIETY in collaboration with Tyler Cole, demonstrating her continuous evolution. empathogen solidifies her place in the industry, showcasing her growth and maturity as an artist.

This album is incredibly divergent from the genres of her past work, such as the more heavily rock n’ roll <COPINGMECHANISM> (2022), as is her band’s self-titled album THE ANXIETY. Her debut album ARDIPITHECUS is more classifiable as indie. The difference in her sound throughout each album release was mentioned in a recent interview between WILLOW and Jimmy Fallon. This is a testament to those chaotic good, continuous switches in genre. WILLOW keeps her music fresh-sounding and full of dopamine-triggering, enthralling surprises.

As empathogen unfolds, listeners are treated to an auditory journey that defies expectations. Tracks like “symptom of life” highlight WILLOW’s ability to seamlessly blend genres, at the same time delivering introspective lyrics that resonate deeply with listeners. It never sounds out of place or inauthentic when WILLOW changes things up. When the upbeat, summary chorus hits, this particular track also makes you want to put on yellow heart-shaped sunglasses and enjoy a particularly cheerful-toned view while cruising down the road. Unlike her previous electric instrumentation-heavy work, empathogen initially relies on a lot of acoustic instrumentation, adding a raw and organic quality to her musical repertoire. The piano work in “symptom of life” is simply lovely.

Similarly, the introspective track “the fear is not real” captivates with its ethereal soundscape and emotive vocals – at times breathy, and others, executed in a way that gives the song a tone that tells a story of tension. The lyrics indicate the inner battle experienced when left alone with one’s thoughts – the intensity of aversion to allowing oneself to do so, while making an effort to accept it is an important process:

In the silence, I can hear inside my mind
In the silence, I can’t wear my disguise
In the silence, in the silence,

In the silence, I can hear inside my mind
In the silence, I don’t know what I’ll find
In the silence, in the silence,

Don’t really wanna feel the freedom
‘Cause the parts of me I can’t see, they
Wanna come out and fuel the fire, I don’t wonder why
Never want to let me fall to pieces
But it’s funny ’cause I think I need it

With another dive deep into herself, “False self” emerges as a standout on empathogen. Here, WILLOW bares her soul, with vocals that outcry with raw emotion, and a chorus that rips. The musicality of the track resonates with angsty dark pop elements, further adding to its depth and intensity. It features lyrics like, “My false self must die, it’s no surprise” and “Feel the answer change, I don’t wanna change, but I need to change.”

A guest appearance from St. Vincent in “pain for fun” adds an exciting dimension to the song, showcasing WILLOW’s ability to collaborate with other talented artists. St. Vincent, a stalwart in the music industry since 2003, brings her distinctive blend of indie rock and avant-garde pop to the track, enhancing its richness. Known for her innovative sound and acclaimed tracks like “Los Ageless,” St. Vincent’s collaboration with WILLOW adds a layer of depth and sophistication to empathogen. In parts, WILLOW utilizes her head voice, lending the track a softer, more effeminate quality. Honestly, an entire article could be written on all of the nuances of this 1 track alone.

This wasn’t WILLOW’s first time coacting with a widely-acclaimed artist in her music. Another instance was in her lately I feel EVERYTHING (2021) album tracks “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l” and “Gaslight” featuring Travis Barker of Blink-182. “Gaslight” is very pop-rock and made me think about Avril Lavigne. Momentarily, I questioned whether my musical ear was serving me well, until I scrolled down the track list and saw the track “G R O W” featuring Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker. It simply cannot be overstated that WILLOW’s discography is delightfully unpredictable, but all of it is incredibly appealing. It’s ear candy, and I am confident that many existing fans will continue to enjoy her, despite the significant diversity in her sounds.

I apologize for the digression. Let us return to the review of empathogen…

“Down,” a brief down-tempo track, serves as a transitional piece leading to the solidly contrasting sound of “run!” – a single from the album that starts with a high chest voice like a yell, “I CAN’T GET OUT!” “Down”’s melancholic tone and Beyoncé-esque vocal quality provide a moment of introspection before the album’s energy shifts. And then, “i know that face.” is a very jazzy track.

One thing that has pervaded throughout all of her albums is apparent emotional maturity that continues to crescendo with each release, along with wisdom beyond her years, and high overall intelligence. She was just 15 when she released ARDIPITHECUS, and sometimes she sounds her age – such as when shouting with a higher pitch, yet in many other instances, she sounds grown up due her deep voice and her solid abilities. I cannot deny that is another way I draw a connection between Eilish and Smith – that “old soul” vibe.

“Acceptance is the key, acceptance gives me wings” – from the track “b i g f e e l i n g s”

That is not to say WILLOW has never released less mature music, or that a 10-year-old child should be required to. Her musical debut was in 2010 with the Billboard-charting “Whip My Hair” – you’ve probably heard it. I had, not knowing who the artist was. And while her father’s music was enjoyable in its own right, and it’s like comparing apples to oranges, his daughter’s music truly makes his songs sound like child’s play in comparison.

WILLOW’s clout may ebb and flow with public reception and industry dynamics, seeming to evade consistent well-deserved attention to her work and character. Yet, empathogen stands as a testament to her artistic vision, evolution as a musician, and unwavering commitment to her craft. With this album, she invites audiences to join her on a transcendent musical experience, where vulnerability meets strength and authenticity reigns supreme. WILLOW is poised to leave an indelible mark on the music industry for years to come.

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