pop

My Exclusive Interview With Jana Tyrrell
When Jana Tyrrell produces a track, she doesn't just get it ready for radio play. Instead, she blends her vocals, instrumentals and favorite sound effects into an eerie alien landscape that sounds like a recording from centuries into the future. Luckily, you don't have to be a time traveler to enjoy her work. In fact, you can stream her latest album, Was It Real Or Was It Just Me? , after reading this interview to gain a greater appreciation for her talents—and along the way, you'll realize that she's creating musical landscapes that most of us only dream about.
By Kaitlin Shanks2 days ago in Beat
The Hi-Hat That Changed My Mind.
The first time I heard "Freak on a Leash," I turned it off. I had been playing drums for most of my life by then. I grew up on rock and metal, the kind of music where the singer sings, the guitars hit hard, and the song makes sense from the first verse to the last chorus. I knew what I liked, and I thought I knew what good music was supposed to sound like.
By Overdrive Records3 days ago in Beat
Recording The Myth
Introduction Yesterday I bought a vinyl album I had not seen for decades, "Heavy Cream", and one of the songs was "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" penned by Eric Clapton, which got me thinking, "How many songs reference old mythology, and immediately several came to mind.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 7 days ago in Beat
Songs For The Orange One. Content Warning.
Introduction After the thirty-four guilty verdicts for the mendacious misogynist and habitual bankrupt and cheat and thought I put together a short playlist for the occasion, with some notes on the songs and their sources.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 9 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Caroline Chiesa
As a trained opera singer who produces music in her historic New Orleans home, Caroline Chiesa might not seem like your typical electronic artist. However, when you learn about the dualities that appear throughout her work, you realize that she's not trying to be. This interview dives into her education, her influences and her creative process, and as you read along, you'll get a crash course on everything from music production to Italian literature. You'll also be ready to listen to Outwitting the Stars , a complex and multi-layered work that urges you to listen to the whole album in one sitting.
By Kaitlin Shanks10 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Alessandra Levy
In a world of digital music production, Alessandra Levy still takes an old-school approach with her Music Production Center (MPC) that dates back to the 90s. This model has everything you'd expect from a piece of analog technology—large grey buttons, beige colors, a tiny digital screen—but these limitations help Levy produce fun, eclectic beats that earned the artist a large social media following. With nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram alone, Levy's introducing the MPC60II to a whole new audience, and this interview gives you a look at the skills, education and technology that made Levy a rising Internet star.
By Kaitlin Shanks14 days ago in Beat
On The Player V (Again)
Introduction Often, when I play a CD or a record, I take a photograph and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #OnThePlayerNow and a ninety second snippet of one of the songs. Click on the hashtag, and you will see the latest selection.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 16 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Kiki Liu and Vivian Ning Wei
In the music world, producers and recording artists are incomplete without each other. While the artist brings their charisma and performance skills, the producer has the tools and expertise to turn a rough demo into a radio-ready song that's bursting with hooks. Some artists produce their own records, but Kiki Liu (producer) and Vivian Ning Wei (recording artist) realized that they work better as a team, and they linked up once again for this in-depth interview that exposes the minds behind the magic.
By Kaitlin Shanks16 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Kayristin
The party doesn't start until Kayristin walks in. As a DJ, it's her job to keep the energy flowing with electrifying sets and exclusive remixes—and now that she's branching out into original music, you don't have to see her in person to enjoy her heart-stopping beats. Her love for music, passion for adventure, and fun, bombastic personality make Kayristin a natural entertainer, and as you read this in-depth interview, you'll realize how much work goes into these sets that seem like a spur-of-the-moment celebration.
By Kaitlin Shanks18 days ago in Beat
The Dear Departed. Content Warning.
Introduction In the fifties and sixties, there was a remarkable obsession with songs about lovers and friends who died, usually in violent circumstances. These were not like the folk songs and murder ballads that I wrote about here, but romanticized death in these three-minute eulogies.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 20 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Aestrea
Aestrea takes on a lot of personas in her music—a space explorer, a bedroom pop singer, an abandoned bride—but every release has a distinctly ethereal, luminous sound that complements her delicate aesthetic and soft, angelic vocals. With over 10,000 Instagram followers and nearly 60,000 monthly Spotify listeners, the Internet is waiting to see what she'll do next. Luckily, you don't have to wait for a peek behind the scenes: this interview dives into her aesthetic, her early work and her latest track, offering a look at the artist behind the white veil.
By Kaitlin Shanks21 days ago in Beat
The 14-year-old Miami-based dancer and emerging recording artist teams with veteran songwriter and music executive Eric T. Johnson on a personal song about growth, confidence and embracing imperfection.
Fourteen-year-old dancer, content creator and emerging recording artist Alyssa Wong is bringing a message of self-acceptance to her music with her new original single, “Good Enough,” dropping this Friday. Co-written by Wong, veteran songwriter and music executive Eric T. Johnson, and songwriter-producer Daniel Jacobson, professionally known as Danny Jay, the song explores the pressure to meet expectations while learning to recognize one’s own worth.
By Jimmy Stars World21 days ago in Beat