Playback the Music Podcast
Join independent artists and songwriters Nina Blu and J. Xander as they talk about what's trending in modern music and how songwriters and producers can use different tools and techniques in their own work. Each week we give a recap of the Billboard charts and what you need to know about the music industry today.
Playback the Music Podcast
Rise of the Disney Girlies - feat. Faith Gara
Join Nina Blu, J. Xander, and Sky Blaze Star as they take on the music news of the week including: Miley Cyrus's and Selena Gomez's new releases, Eminem's cease and desist, what makes a political song stick, and Doja Cat's branding. Plus singer-songwriter and recording artist, Faith Gara, stops by to talk about her brand new single "Still Want It" and what keeps her inspired to create and write.
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Welcome to Playback the podcast about what's hot and trending in music right now. I'm singer songwriter Nina Blu,
J. Xander:and I am J. Xander singer songwriter producer,
Sky:and I am Sky Blaze Star artist and songwriter.
Nina:Alright guys, welcome back and let's get into the news items this week. The Disney girlies are rising. They are back and we are so happy to see them. Both Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez dropped songs this past Friday. Miley Cyrus's alongside of a documentary. It is called Used to be Young and Selena Gomez's is supposed to anticipate more new music and it is called Single Soon. I personally like both of the songs from a writing perspective. I'm not totally sold on production, but what was your first impression, J?
J. Xander:I agree with you. I, so weirdly enough, my favorite part of the songs are Miley and Selena themselves, but I'll just talk about the first one, the Miley song first. The production to me in the background, it just feels like it could be replaced with basically anything. And it would still kind of give me the same vibe. I don't think that it was adding a whole lot to her incredible vocal performance. And I also, I'm not sure about the bridge section. I kind of wish that she would have had a little bit more words there to go into more depth as far as like storytelling goes, because this is such like a story driven song. So I just feel like it needed a little bit more content, a little bit more meat in there if you will. With the Selena song. I love the sentiment behind it, because like, we've all been there where we've made that decision to be like, you know, this is, this is not working, I gotta get the, you know, outta here. But the production to me, it feels incredibly dated. It feels like a song from like, five or six years ago. And doing a little bit more research, I did kind of find out that it is, it was a demo on one of her like, previous albums that was supposed to have come out, so that makes sense. A lot more sense once I found that out.
Nina:Ooh, I did not know that. Sky, what were your impressions of the songs?
Sky:Yeah, I feel like I'm really just gonna be mimicking you, you both at this point, because I, I felt the same way about Selena's single. I definitely felt like, I, I love Selena. I'm a huge Selena Gomez fan. And I, and I love her as like a vocalist and artist, everything like that. But I felt like the production behind it, like, I was like, oh, come on, like, you know, you can, you can do better, but it's, it's also like, everyone. It's their art. Like, I'm not gonna judge. I'm very, like, much of that, sort of, uh, perspective, where I think, you know, I may have an opinion, but it's just my opinion, and how I would release music, but it's their art in the end of the day, so I still support and stan Miley and Selena, the Disney girlies. Uh, I grew up Watching them on Disney Channel. So I was just like, you know what? Y'all queens go off.
Nina:Didn't we all? I mean, I loved both of them so much. I love Selena so much for her performance in Only Murders in the Building, which I'm not caught up, J. So, do not spoil anything.
J. Xander:I won't give you any spoilers. Yeah, that show slaps. It's so good.
Nina:But J, I really agree with you. The production for Selena's song felt super dated. I was like, can you throw in a riser? Like an EDM riser? Can we get like some more out of the production here? So, it was really sparse to me and it felt really narrow. It felt like it could have opened up a lot more. Used to Be Young, I really didn't like the production on this. The chorus to me sounds like it's trying to be Jack Antonoff without being Jack Antonoff. And, I didn't like the vocalizations in the bridge either. They were really repetitive. They didn't really go anywhere. They didn't add anything to the song, I feel. It felt like we've all had experience top lining where you get a beat and you're trying to come up with a melody and, um, And a lyric for a song where you just kind of like hum or you do like da, da, das. over like a melody that you have an idea for while you're kind of waiting for the words to come along. That's what the bridge felt like to me. It felt like a top line fail.
J. Xander:It felt more like an outro. Like after she did it, I was like, so the song's over, right? But she kept going into another chorus.
Nina:I know. I listened to more of the album today, Endless Summer Vacation, and, you know, I think that kind of rings true for the production on a lot of it. It's very random and kind of all over the place, and I think it'll take me a few listens to, like, get on board, but my first impression was mm this was not my favorite...
Sky:Yeah, I think it's really hard too when you're listening to a very large artist who's putting out a large body of work, and you really have to digest it like the first time, second, third, fourth, fifth, I really feel like I even did that with Taylor Swift's album, like Midnights. I was, I, it took me so long to digest that album.
J. Xander:Me too.
Nina:There's so many lyrics in Taylor's albums that it takes. Like, it takes so many listens to fully understand what she's saying in each song. No, I totally feel what you're saying there, yeah. I was thinking about it today. We don't really have any male pop stars lately, do we? We have a lot of country guys on the chart, but it's mostly girlies, the girls and the gays, and the theys, who are carrying pop music on their backs right now.
Sky:I love that.
Nina:I love that too. As much as I would love to have, like, a big male pop star, I feel like we had a moment with Jungkook, um, and I'd like to, I don't know, I just, I'd like to see more of it. I'd like a new boy band.
J. Xander:That'd be interesting. But I feel like once we get one of them, we'll get like five or ten. They always come in waves. It's very interesting.
Nina:do come in waves, but there's always one that's superior, right?
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:Okay, guys, turning more toward business news, the 2024 Grammy's entry submission deadline is August 31st. So that will be the day that this podcast comes out two weeks earlier than usual. This is true even of projects that have release dates for the first two weeks of September. through the usual Grammy deadline, so if you guys have any submissions to make right quick, you better run and do it as soon as we're done with this podcast. Do you guys have any insight on why they changed these dates? I mean, I'm sure people are just scrambling to get stuff in.
J. Xander:I didn't hear anything, but that's crazy that they would change it so suddenly, knowing that, you know, people plan to release things literally in, like, a week or two, so.
Nina:Yeah. It's just odd that you would have to have a deadline before the public has even heard the song. So you don't even have, like, a really good measure of how the song's gonna perform before, like, oop, gotta submit. There are 94 categories this year. including new categories of best African music performance, best pop dance recording, which I'm really excited about, and best alternative jazz album. I'm very curious to hear about those. And I'm happy to see these new categories added. I feel like pop dance recording is going to be a fight between the girlies.
J. Xander:Of course, who else would compete probably maybe the Weeknd, but even then he hasn't done anything that dancey
Nina:pop dance. No,
J. Xander:not in a while. But maybe,
Nina:do you guys have any Grammy predictions thus far in the year?
Sky:I don't know. There's, there's one day left. So so we still have time to make our assumptions. Now. I think you know, Taylor. Eras. Come on. Like, that's going somewhere.
Nina:They're gonna have to do something to honor her. That's a billion dollar tour. Like, that is, it's a moment.
Sky:Yeah, I mean, I definitely think runner ups this year are gonna be like SZA, you know? I mean, that album was just like, awesome, and everywhere. And Kill Bill just killed it, literally. So, you know. I think that's, that's only, only, uh, necessary or only going to happen. I, in my opinion, I would be shocked. And then also I think, Miley Cyrus flowers, come on, that like broke. Frickin the internet.
Nina:So many records. And it's a good song. You know, like, there's a lot of, story behind it, with the breakup, and then the this and the that, and where the video was shot, and like, there's all kinds of, like, tea. To go, but it's genuinely without knowing any of that, I would have said it's a really great song. It is a great song that deserved to be trending for so long.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:I enjoyed listening to it. We love having a disco moment. We'll probably do a special Grammy themed episode when the nominations drop in November, but any last thoughts, J?
J. Xander:No, not really. I think I'm gonna wait until then to make my like predictions because you never know but I mean I'm thinking similar to Skylar in terms of like it's got to be Taylor or SZA That's gonna you know be the album that like kind of sweeps everything. I think
Nina:it's gonna be interesting to see Moving on to a little local news for me at least Travis Scott, who is number two on the Artist 200 right now, will not be returning to his and my hometown of Houston, Texas on his Utopia Tour. Houston was where his 2021 AstroWorld concert resulted in a crowd crush event that left 10 dead and dozens more injured. Houston police announced recently either like Yesterday or the day before that Travis Scott will not face charges despite multiple sound engineers saying he was warned of what was happening in the crowd and continue performing anyway. As a Houston girlie, I feel like this is, it's, there's no winning in this situation. It was on local news that people were nervous that he's coming back. Are we going to have another incident, which is highly unlikely, but the fact that he's stopping in Dallas and Austin just feels like a slap in the face.
J. Xander:I get that, but also, I don't know, I feel like it would be insulting if he came back to, you know, the place where such horrific things happened. So, I have mixed feelings about that, to be honest.
Nina:do too, and it's my hometown, right? So, it's kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Yeah. He did say that, um, 2 from every ticket sale are going toward his Cactus Jack Foundation, which will donate to toy drives and HBCUs specifically in the Houston area, which is a wonderful thing. And I'm really happy to hear that. Um, but yeah, I feel, I feel a little snubbed as a Houston girly.
Sky:I also think with that, that whole story, I mean, I was following it pretty heavily, especially when it was happening. I think a lot, all of us were, um, and. I feel, I'm, I'm happy that, you know, him and his PR team, I'm sure, are doing things to sort of give back and help, but I, I really feel like that was such a preventable tragedy, and I, it just still rings with me, like, it still hurts because I used to go to so many festivals and things like that when I was younger, and I can only imagine, like, You know, some, some of these, some of these kids were like really young. So it's still, it's still, it's painful for me, even though I'm not from Houston and I have no ties to Texas.
Nina:No ties. You have me.
Sky:Other than, you know what I, you know what I mean. Of course I have you.
Nina:I know. I'm teasing you. I think it's, I think it's Skylar, you're touching on something that's really important. I think we all obsessed over it. I am from Houston, and that's specifically why I obsessed over it. And I was really fascinated by other people who did. But I think we've all been in crowds where we got a little nervous. And we were like, what could happen here? Like, there are a lot of people in one spot. I went to... ACL Fest, Austin City Limits Festival, which is a big deal in Austin every year. Every October. I went the weekend after the shooting in Las Vegas at the Jason Aldean concert, and they were allowing people to return their ticket. They were refunding people full price. And one of my favorite bands of all time are the Killers. I was not gonna miss them. So I went and there was like a big tension in the crowd and people were really quite terrified and I think the bands did a really good job of, all of the people that I watched that day, did a really good job of, of speaking to it and meeting the moment. The Killers did a phenomenal job of it. I was, um, I was really, it was really one of the best performances. I think I've ever seen. They are from Las Vegas. So the tragedy really touched them specifically and that they were performing at such a large event. The next weekend was was a really big deal. It's very brave of them to come on stage. I'll never forget them for that. But I mean, it's hard. It's really difficult. There's so many like Yeah. Awful tragedies that just are surrounding music these days and it's for Music listeners for concert goers and for artists themselves.
J. Xander:I am jealous. You got to see them I love the Killers too.
Nina:J you a killers fan?
J. Xander:Absolutely
Nina:All day long. They have a new single I haven't listened to it yet much to my chagrin. Yeah, um, but Anyway, it's a lose lose situation. I'm sorry for Travis Scott for not getting to perform in his hometown, but maybe this will wind up kind of being the best decision possible. Even though Travis Scott fans will have to go to Dallas. I feel most sorry for them.
Sky:Says the Houstoner.
Nina:Little Dallas humor. Dallas, I love you. I'm just kidding. Okay. So, moving on to our next story, Eminem, the real Slim Shady himself, served Republican Party presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy with a cease and desist asking him to stop rapping Lose Yourself and stop playing it at campaign functions. This is the most millennial cringe thing I think I've ever seen, ever. I did look it up, Vivek is a millennial, like, he was born the year that, that our generation started, or, well. Some of our generation started little miss Gen Z. Um, but it's the most millennial cringe thing that I can possibly picture is a presidential candidate rapping Eminem. Ramaswamy said that he would respect Eminem's wishes. And then turned around and shaded Slim Shady himself so hard. He said"Eminem in his rise used to be a guy who stood up to the establishment and said the things that the establishment didn't want him to say. I think the fact that my political viewpoints may differ from his, I think people will change over the course of their lives. But I have hope for him that he will one day rediscover the renegade that made him great. And I'm rooting for that success in his life."
J. Xander:Uh, what the fuck is he talking about? That like, Eminem has never been like, I mean, he's always been, you know, outspoken and stuff, but it's never been to that degree. Like, I don't think of him as like some politically charged rapper, like some, I don't know, sixties folk singer. Like he's not Bob Dylan, you know, saying crazy things like going out of his way. That's. That's a stretch and a half. Like, he had, he should go see a chiropractor. He had to have pulled something to stretch a comment that far. That's crazy.
Sky:Especially if you're gonna shade the Shady.
Nina:You can't shade the shady. This man's diss tracks are some of the most, like,
J. Xander:Infamous.
Nina:Awful. Like, they're so, I, I wanna say, they're good. They're, they're, they're good diss tracks. But, they will go after you. Like, they will haunt you the rest of your life. And, I, I've seen a few things about Vivek. I don't think he's a talented enough rapper to come back at Slim Shady, should Slim Shady decide to make a diss track about him, which I, I'm actually kind of rooting for.
Sky:I think it will happen.
Nina:I hope so.
Sky:There's never something bad said about Shady that doesn't. Get a response in some sort of musical way. I feel like he's very diligent when it comes to responding to this.
J. Xander:He's not going to let that slide.
Sky:I respect it. I love it.
J. Xander:Absolutely. It's not going to let that slide at all.
Nina:No, he can't. And every single artist has had to do, not every single artist, but there are lots of artists who have had to say, like, send out cease and desist. To political candidates that they don't agree with for a number of reasons. It happens really quite often and like his reaction to me, Vivek's reaction, not Eminem's, Vivek's reaction to me was really extreme to come out like that.
J. Xander:I don't even think Trump reacted that way when REM and Adele told him to stop using their songs during his campaign.
Nina:No, I don't think he did. It's also just such a self serving, like it, that's such a, that statement comes across so smarmy.
J. Xander:Yeah, it does.
Nina:You know? It's just very self important, As of the song, Lose Yourself, I can say I would never have expected any song with a lyric about vomiting up mom's spaghetti to last this long. To have such a reach as it has. I have a love hate relationship because of that lyric. I used to work in a gym and I used to hear that song all the time. And while that first verse is the last thing you want to hear on a treadmill, when that chorus comes in, it does, it does hit. It still hits.
J. Xander:Ugh, yeah. I don't know. I never, I've never seen 8 Mile. But I've only seen the parody of it from Scary Movie 3. So I cannot take that song seriously anymore. Any time I hear it, I just think of Brenda saying, Cindy, the TV is leaking. This bitch is ruining I know exactly what you're talking about. This bitch is ruining my floor, Cindy. Oh, God.
Nina:When he pulls up the hood.
J. Xander:What did she say? She was like, we will go to your thing if you just shut the fuck up or something like that. I love Brenda.
Sky:You're talking about but it sounds super funny.
J. Xander:You gotta watch you gotta watch scary movie, skylar is
Nina:a terrible movie. It's an awful, awful movie rewatch it right now instead of rewatching the Astros game that I missed earlier today. Oh, more Houston love. Sky, do you have any impressions about the song, Lose Yourself, or a presidential hopeful using it during his campaign?
Sky:No comment, dude. I mean.
J. Xander:I think that sums it up.
Sky:There's nothing else to say. Don't do it.
Nina:It's, it's a terrible karaoke song.
Sky:It's, um. Um, no, the song, I, I, I guess I was referring to like the situation itself. But in the, in the, in the campaign stuff, like if an artist doesn't want you to use their song. But the song itself. I've never, I've never hated it. I mean, when it comes on, I, you know, I'm like, lose yourself and, you know, as it comes on, it's, it's just, it's just there. It's like, you know what it's like, it's like umbrella, umbrella with Rihanna and Jay Z. It's just always there somewhere. Occasionally, every six months, you hear it and you're like, oh, there you are again.
Nina:I only ever hear umbrella when it's raining. Only. Even on like national radio. So it might not be raining wherever that person is that's playing it. It will be raining where I am and I hear that song. That's crazy. It's the only time I hear Umbrella.
Sky:It's a great song. It's so fun to sing for karaoke. I love it.
Nina:Ella, Ella. Speaking of a really good hook, oh my god. Was that the beginning of, no, that wasn't the beginning of post choruses, but that was the first big one that I remember really loving.
Sky:I think, um, mine was Lady Gaga's, Rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah.
Nina:Roma, Roma, Roma, Gaga.
Sky:That was like, in my head for like, fall of elementary school.
Nina:Well guys, we did it. We went all the way from Vivek Ramaswamy to Lady Gaga. So we spanned the spectrum.
J. Xander:So we went to a better place is what you're saying.
Nina:We 100% did.
J. Xander:Great. I love it.
Nina:All right. Looking at this week's top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Oliver Anthony Music's Rich Men North of Richmond, remains at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. I have yet to confirm whether he goes by Oliver Anthony or Oliver Anthony Music. I don't know if it's a project name, so that's why I keep saying it that way. So, J and I talked a little bit about it last week. We both said it felt kind of like a first draft, a little bit and a lot of people really get lost around... Verse 2. I think it's a double verse. Technically it's verse 2 and verse 3. J, you and I talked about how we were totally on board with this song until it got there. I was thinking about it this week. It's a really good song to use as an example of subject. A song you have to establish a point of view, who is the speaker. Or the singer, rather, and who or what you're talking about. And I remember one time I sent a song to one of our professors, and she was like, who are you talking to? And I started to stammer because I was nervous. It was a really, like, personal song. She's like, no, name the name. Who are you talking to? Because you've got All of these different pronouns in here. You've got a she, a you, a they, a he. She's like, who the hell are you talking to? And it was the best roast that I ever got in my entire life because it did help me simplify my songs quite a lot. J, you and I have both struggled with, and Skylar too, we've all struggled with third person songs, we've all struggled with POV before. Do you have any insight for songwriters on point of view and subject matter?
J. Xander:So, I would say, and for those of you all that don't know the difference of what third person is, it's basically when you're talking about other people. And it's basically how most novels... Are written or a lot of them anyway, you're not really using I Anywhere, so it's difficult to write that way. I think especially in pop music because most pop music, let's be real, is about love, or like, sex, or something like that. So, the storyteller, or the singer, or whatever you want to call them, is directly involved, usually. So, that's usually just the easier way to go about it. Or, if you want to do something different, the more typical way to go about that is something like Bette Davis Eyes. Where it's like direct address. So you're talking to someone else about like another person, but you yourself are still like not involved and it's tricky, but I would say you want to figure that out as soon as possible. You don't want to wait until like midway through your draft to figure out who you're talking about. Or, you know, if you're going to talk, if you're going to involve yourself in the song itself. So I would say establish that from the beginning, if you can.
Sky:I totally agree. And I feel that. Even, one thing I will say, though, that kind of branches off, uh, is that I've written some songs thinking, oh, I'm gonna write them in, you know, third person, or I'm gonna write them in first person, or whatever, and then I've switched them around, and, like, just the point of view, and, you know, some lyrics, whatnot, and I've, and I've loved them better, so I would also say, you know, as a writer, even if you start off writing, In a certain, you know, address, whether that be a perspective or whatever, I think, you know, it's, it's all about the rewrites and like figuring out what tells your story best and not to like freak out, you know, if you have one line that deviates a little bit, but it feels like it fits right, you know, just, just go with it. I'm a big believer in what feels good and what feels good in the gut.
Nina:Sky, that's such a great idea for a writing exercise for songwriters and independent artists at home is to just switch the point of view from first person, which is often direct address, which often people confused with second person because it uses you, but no, you're addressing someone, you're talking to someone, it's direct address, and switching it maybe to third person, seeing how that works, or taking something out of third person, maybe you did write about two other people that you are not, and maybe inserting yourself into one person's point of view and telling the story from there. I think that's an excellent writing exercise for our listeners at home who might be stuck on a song. That's a great idea.
Sky:I've done it before and it's changed like my, my love for the song. Like, you know, when you have a song, you're kind of like, I don't know, let's put that on the books, but then I rewrote, like, some of my songs with different points of view, um, and it really just skyrocketed. All of a sudden I had that little love and tingle, like, ooh, my song, new song! The warm, fuzzy feeling you get when a new song comes. And then you're cheating on your old, new song because your new, new song has just arrived.
J. Xander:That's funny. I have a question for you two. Do you think that it is possible or quote unquote like correct to switch the perspective during like the middle of a song at any point in time? Because I've seen people have that problem too.
Sky:I think, not to go on about this, but I do think it's okay if it's done tactfully. Like, actually I was just talking to, um, near the end of my mom, about this. But you know that song, um, Oh my gosh, what is it? The guy, Whitechapel album. Oh my gosh, why am I just bugging out right now?
J. Xander:It's alright.
Sky:It's a country song...
J. Xander:It'll come to you. How did you feel about that, Nina
Nina:I feel like a lot of times it's done accidentally. And so if it's done with intent. Then, um, then it's a really good idea. I think the chorus has to stay the chorus. You always have to be able to return to that. So if it's done tactfully in a verse and the chorus applies to both situations, then it would work. I think kind of getting into the weeds about it a little bit, um, it can be done. I can't think of a song off the top of my head, Sky, can you?
Sky:Yes, now, now I have. It's, uh, Need a Favor, the song I'm thinking about, Need a Favor, uh, by Jelly Roll. And it's the country song, it's very popular, I only talk to God when I need a favor. Then he goes, God, I need a favor. So it's like, And he's talking about you and, and like me and like I and all these things and all of a sudden he's like direct addressing God. He's like, God, I need a favor. So it kind of, I feel like for me that switches it up, but it's done tactfully and it doesn't feel out of context or misplaced or confusing to me. It's like a play on words.
Nina:Reminded of the song, uh, Ain't No Rest For The Wicked. Where every verse is a different part. There is like a singular narrative, but they do switch voice a little bit and that's done really well because it comes back to the chorus. There ain't no rest for the wicked. Money don't grow on trees. And it's all of these people who have the same problem. And so I think that's what you're talking about, Sky, like all of these people have, the same inclination to, solve their problems in the same way is what you're talking about with the Jelly Roll song. So there is a way to do it really tactfully, I think, returning back to the Oliver Anthony song, had it been done tactfully, it would have been done really well, but he establishes the direct address of the Rich Men North of Richmond, and that's the chorus, and he's punching up and we're like, heck yeah, go after the politicians and the corrupt people and the lobbyists and the wealthy donors, and then all of a sudden he starts talking about welfare recipients, and it's this weird, turn, pivot that a lot of people found very distasteful and including me and I think it could have been a much bigger hit if he had just continued going after these Richmond north of Richmond that he established in the chorus because even if you agree with that sentiment, it's very odd to establish a new person that you're angry at and then immediately turn to the chorus of the original person that you're angry at. It's like you're talking about one ex. And then you're like, Oh, and my ex best friend over here. And they might, maybe, in some world, have something to do with one another. Maybe. Um, but it's, it just felt odd. Like, you're just changing, you're veering all of the sudden.
J. Xander:But it's also like, two completely different situations. Yeah, right, so it's like complaining about one ex that's a completely I think I don't know why I just thought of it but if you were to like do that kind of thing It would be like you're talking about a list of your exes and you're like, oh this one did this to me And this one did that whereas like this song is very much targeting like a specific thing so it's like you It's weird to talk about your problems with rich people and poor people receiving welfare all in one song. It's just, those are two very different narratives, you know?
Nina:It does come off a little holier than thou. Yeah. At one point. Yeah, like, putting down people. Generally, it's not a good idea to criticize people on welfare, or to use its proper term, TANF, during a cost of living crisis. It's just deeply cruel to me. But there's this concept that people talk about in comedy of punching up versus punching down. And it felt like all of a sudden he was punching up and we were rooting for him. And then all of a sudden he punches down at unfortunate people. And I was like, Whoa, I think the only reason we're still talking about this song after two weeks is because politicians have been propping it up and have been talking about it.
J. Xander:That's ironic.
Nina:Yeah, he has come out and said that he is neither right nor left. So that strikes me as like, this song is kind of all over the place. It, it makes the song work less to me that he doesn't come from like one central message, but that's a whole other tangent. Like I said, I think if he had just stuck to one subject, if he had just stuck to rich people. Then we would have been talking about this song for a lot, lot longer, but there are reasons why political songs work and there are reasons why they don't, and we'll all have forgotten about this song in a few months, but we'll continue to jam out to songs like Born in the USA or What's Going On and Fortunate Son for years to come.
J. Xander:That's a very good point. Yeah, you're absolutely right.
Nina:I think he was trying to go for a Fortunate Son feel, and it didn't come off.
J. Xander:That's a shame, because I want to like the song, but I, yeah.
Nina:I do too!
J. Xander:It loses me somewhere. So yeah, you're totally right.
Nina:More about the top 10. Luke Combs's Fast Car, which we love, rose above Morgan Wallen's Last Night, which we also love, making them spot 2 and 3 respectively. Cruel Summer's hanging in there at spot number 4 as this Cruel Summer continues. Doja Cat's Paint the Town Red jumped up from 15 to spot number 5, causing Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomez. Not sure. To drop down one spot to number six. Paint the Town Red, new addition to the top 10. It's built on Dionne Warwick's Walk on By. Skye, you're a big fan of the song.
Sky:I am, but you can tell us why you're not.
Nina:You're gonna throw me? Okay, I just think if you're gonna use a vocal hook, you should either reference it in your lyrics if you're going to build off of a vocal hook off of a sample like she did with Walk On By you should either reference the lyrics or make them mean something new so I thought it would have been better had she been like if you don't like this about me you can walk on by I said what I said I'd rather be famous instead like I think it would have made a really cool pre chorus to like bring in the hook is all I really wanted for all of it to make sense for me I do still find myself singing the hook though you
Sky:It's hooky.It really is. And I feel like I mean, there could have been like legal reasons why she didn't use the lyrics, but aside from that, you know, like lyrics versus just like the, the sample and kind of like, I don't know, who knows, I have no idea how that goes.
J. Xander:Now, for anyone that's curious about that, if you are clearing like a sample, like a direct recording of something, that's different from clearing you using the lyrics. So those, like Skylar was mentioning, those are two completely different copyright things, so, that might have been an issue. That prevented her from doing that, but honestly, I don't think that's what it was, cause, I mean, Doja Cat's, uh, very respectfully, uh, Doja Cat's so rich, she could do whatever she wants, so I think it's just a matter of just, like, she didn't, you know, either she didn't want to, or she didn't think about doing that, but, yeah.
Sky:I mean, also, the, the entire song, and the rollout, is based on, like, Red, like, when you look at her, And, and like, the little Spotify canvases, and all the promo It's all red, so I feel like, you know, maybe, maybe she was feeling red, or, or she had this, or whoever, whatever writer, had this idea of paint the town red, and thought about it in that way, so, I don't know, I really love the song, I think it's fabulous, I think it's hooky, I've listened to it a million times in my car, and the freaking like, sub, or like, the bass, or whatever, always goes overtly loud, and I think whoever the producers were, did that intentionally. Like, I think they wanted people's cars to shake.
Nina:Yeah, it's a sparse production, but I always feel it. Like, I, it's a sparse production, but it's done super well. That's such a good point, Sky.
Sky:I think that's also something I've been really noticing and kind of loving is moving away from sort of the, um, very hectic, full, massive productions and sort of narrowing down your instrument and melodic and vocal choices, making the song a little bit more simple, but a little bit more. Specific and coordinated. I kind of like that.
Nina:I'm a fan of it too, but I'm worried it's because it's becoming too difficult and too expensive to record actual musicians. And I'm worried about what that's doing for session musicians and stuff. Um, although I am a fan of a sparse production if it's done really well. Like, this is done super well. It's built on a really interesting sample. It's one that a lot of people know very well. And you're right, like, that bass shakes.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Sky:It really does.
J. Xander:I don't know. I mean, I do want to like this song because I still like Doja despite some of the things she said, against her own fans, but it's like
Sky:she said what she said.
J. Xander:She said what she said, but I'm allowed to feel, a way about it. That's fine. But at the same time, I just don't like this song as much as I've liked her other songs. Like this song just doesn't like really nothing for me. Like, I don't appreciate it as much as even like Boss Bitch or Streets or even Moo at least Moo had like an interest at least Moo was like a funny song that had like, you know, an interesting weird way to it was like a different spin on Milkshake by Kelis. So at least it was like different.
Nina:That video. I love that video.
J. Xander:I do too. Iconic.
Sky:It is iconic. No, I have to say I love Boss Bitch. I know there was like a lot of people who didn't like it, but I loved it and I don't know why, I think the reason why I love Paint the Town Red so much is because it showcases all of her variety of voices that she does, and I really love it when her songs in one song will showcase, like, the varying types of voice sort of persona she uses. I really like that, whereas in some songs it feels like it just, like, she only uses one voice and I feel like, oh, where's the other part of you though? Um, so I think that's why I like this song.
J. Xander:It's like when Nikki starts rapping like Roman, or whatever her other personalities are.
Nina:Roman, Barbie, Nikki.
Sky:I mean, in like a, in like a Doja way though, not like a copycat way.
J. Xander:No,
Nina:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
J. Xander:That makes sense.
Nina:Well, Sky, you touched on something that's really important. Um, the branding in all of this has been phenomenal with turning everything red, literally going back onto Spotify and Apple Music and changing all of the, like, albums to be, like, red tinted. I mean, that's pretty genius branding. We haven't gotten into branding a whole lot on this show yet. Um, I think we should in future episodes, but, um, I think it's something that one of our professors would have pointed out as like a really good marketing branding release.
Sky:Totally. Totally.
Nina:It is all on message.
Sky:Yeah. Branding is super important. Visual branding. I love visual branding. It's like one of my favorite things.
J. Xander:It's funny that, you know, we're working mostly in an audio medium, but it's still just as important in my opinion. Nowadays.
Nina:Today I had the realization that I had to do visuals. Because now Spotify has like the videos that play it while you play the song, right, that kind of loop, like the gifs, essentially. And I was like, I just put my head down on the desk. I was like, Oh, this is going to be so frustrating. It will be fun. But I so, this is just one more flipping thing to do.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:Add that to the to do list.
Sky:I know, I remember when the Spotify canvases came out, and I, like, I think they rolled it out for, like, people, and then I remember when I could do it, I think it was, like, a couple years ago, I had, I changed my single, my old single, from, my old artist project, and I did the little videos and stuff, and it was a lot of fun, but I think the formatting on it is, like, kind of weird, it's, it's, They want a specific size, and
Nina:it's not very user friendly,
Sky:it's really not,
Nina:and you can mess it up easily, like,
Sky:Yeah, I had to like re upload it like three times because you know, in the artist's life. Like making mistakes left and right, but it's okay.
Nina:Figuring out, turning around and telling somebody else how to do it a little bit better. That's just, that's what our life is about, right? And doing it better next time.
J. Xander:That's the mood.
Nina:So, spot number seven is Fukumean by Gunna. I still don't know why this is on the top ten.
J. Xander:I laugh every time you say that.
Nina:It is such SoundCloud rapper vibes. It is a vibe, but I still don't know why it's in the top ten. Um, I have seen that he's having some legal trouble. I'm wishing him all the best in that. Number eight is Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo. 9 is Dance the Night, Dua Lipa, and 10 is Barbie World by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice with Aqua. So the girlies, as J says, will inherit the earth. The Barbies will inherit the earth.
J. Xander:They're still up there. Good for them.
Nina:It took them a while to get up there, but now they're hanging on.
J. Xander:I know.
Nina:I had a, I had a feeling it would happen.
Sky:I love the Barbie phenomenon that hit us this summer.
Nina:Oh God, it's been beautiful.
Sky:It's so nice. It feels like a community of people. Pink everywhere. I just started over one movie.
Nina:Oh, it's not just a movie. It's a movement.
Sky:It's not just a movie. It's a movement.
Nina:Okay, have you guys seen on TikTok, like, all these different people are posting about how we should all go as Barbie or Ken this year, but like our version of Barbie? So, like, I would be Nina Blu Barbie. You would be SkyBlaze Star Barbie. J, you would be J. Xander Ken.
J. Xander:I haven't, but that sounds like a really cool idea.
Nina:I had a really good idea for a Halloween costume, but I'm so game for this. I'm really excited about it, actually. And I think it's actually a really good branding exercise is to think of, like, what would your Barbie be? As an artist, like, what accessories would you come with? If you had phrases, what would they say?
J. Xander:Oh, yeah. That's cool.
Nina:It'd be really fun to, like, invent your Barbie or your Ken.
J. Xander:Yeah, so artists out there, there's a great exercise for you.
Nina:There's two good exercises this week. Yeah. Alright, so interestingly enough, Olivia Rodrigo's Bad Idea, Right? Fell 13 places. I personally think the only thing that's propping this song up at all is the TikTok trend. Because... It is one TikTok sound after another. It does every time I hear it make me laugh though.
J. Xander:It is funny, but to me it doesn't really feel like a song. I don't know.
Sky:I did watch a, a, uh, Olivia Rodrigo documentary or some sort of thing that she did sort of like a documentary of, um, of her when she, it was something for the Sour promo or whatnot, but it was, she was talking about how she writes and she was in this um, interview talking about how she does write sometimes, like, thinking about TikTok and, and sort of like cool things that could be fun for TikTok and whatnot. And I think that it wouldn't surprise me if this was one of those songs that she kind of got inspiration for via and like wrote it for like this or, um, sort of social media. Medium, if you will. Um, and so I think that's, that could be the case, you know, just speculating. I also think that it is just a funny song, and I think something after, to follow up Vampire, I do feel like Vampire is very, like, emotional and raw, and sort of intense, so maybe she kind of just wanted, like, a silly, sort of, like, funny song to really contrast it and show people what her album is gonna kind of be like.
Nina:I think that's a really good point, but circling back to something that you said, Sky, what do you think about artists writing to social media, trying to write to trends like this?
Sky:I mean, I think it works sometimes, sometimes it doesn't and then you don't hear about them. But when it does work, it does. Like that, um, oh, I forget what the artist's name is, but it doesn't matter. It's, uh, If We Ever Broke Up, I'd never be sad, blah, blah, blah, blah. I don't know. It was a big, like, sort of, like, social media sort of song. Um, Mae, I think her artist began with an M. Anyways, um, she, she did one
Nina:Mae Stephens
Sky:I was gonna say Mae, I didn't want to mess it up, and I didn't want to do the artist a disservice, so yes, May Stevens, If We Ever Broke Up, and that was really popular, and I think it was, again, one of those kind of simple songs, kind of funny, not like super serious, but everyone loved it, and you know, it had its moment. And yeah, so I think you can write for social media. It just might, you have to do it for yourself and do it because you think it's hilarious and you want to promote it with these sort of fun, interesting parts of your song that can be, uh, fragmented into snippets. But I think if you're doing it just for the sake of like what other people want and you actually don't find it interesting, then. I would probably advise against it because you won't find joy in it. Um, so yeah.
J. Xander:I feel like the reason this one kind of works and is kind of funny is because it is about something that relates to her and like a lot of people connect to. So I think you have a really good point there, Skylar, for sure.
Nina:Yeah, it's, it's unfortunate that I've seen several, like, people on TikTok pop off with one thing and then they can't follow it up with another big success. So I think you have to have something to fall back on. Like, I think you have to have a really good body of work. So I think maybe, like, chasing trends is something to do for fun. Maybe as a writing exercise, but you do have to have like substance behind it, or you're not going to be able to keep fans like what good is a viral moment if it isn't lasting if it doesn't take you to the next level and the next level. I think there's a lot of desire to go viral and then when people do they're like, Well, what now?
Sky:Right. And, and that's a huge thing. I think, um, many, many artists, even artists who have been out there and then they went viral on Tiktok. I think I was listening to a podcast with, um, an artist that I really love on it. Upsol, and she was talking about how one of her songs went viral. That was like from like a year ago. And she had like. You know, what do you do when your song goes viral? How do you monetize that? How do you let people know, Hey, that's my song. So I think there's, there's just a lot, there's so much we, we had, we could basically do a whole episode on just like music and, and social media and writing and whatnot.
Nina:That's actually a really good idea. We probably should just do like just one on TikTok sounds.
Sky:We should, but, but to get back to Olivia Rodrigo, I totally agree with your point, Nina. I like it. Someone has to have a, a background or a solid piece of work. But I think honestly at this point, Olivia, Rodrigo has enough. Like she has Sour. The album was like fabulous.
Nina:She does, and she's promoting a new album that we have yet to hear, but like we, she's proven her bona fides to us. We know she can sing through the roof. Like we know she can write really well. We know she's a great songwriter. Exactly. We know all of these things. So like why not have a funny TikTok sound song? Why not throw that out there? Why not have fun with it? Like, we know we're going to get something really good from her. We already have.
Sky:We already have. I mean, Driver's License, like, all those ones. I feel like the Sour album, it just kind of proved Rodrigo's You know, ability to relate to many people because although it's like a super personal felt like album Even for people that are older or not teenagers, whatever It felt almost like a cathartic release for us people who never sort of you know Have or are still working through that so I'm
Nina:Happy relationships were joking with like their significant other like hey Can you break up with me for an hour so that I can listen to this album get the full experience? One of my friends did that shout out to Taylor Ashe music.
Sky:That is hilarious, honestly, and it just goes to show you how, how relatable the album itself was. So, you know, Olivia Rodrigo, I'm excited to hear what she puts out in her next album. It's going to be
Nina:great. Olivia, we all love you. All right, guys, coming up next, we have our interview with independent artist and songwriter Faith Guerra, and we will be right back after this break. All right, y'all. Welcome back to Playback, the music podcast. This week, we have our very own guest. She's a bit of a guinea pig, and we love her for it. She's just released a brand new, amazing single. We cannot wait for you all to go stream it. It is Miss Faith Gara. How you doing, girl?
Faith:Hi. Thank you so much for having me. I'm doing good, and I'm just so happy to be here.
Nina:Okay, Faith, why don't you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself and your journey as an artist?
Faith:Yeah, so I am from New York, um, born and raised, born in a little town in upstate. Um, that's really where my love for music started. I was singing more than I was talking, and any way I could be involved in music, I was. And when I was 16, I moved to New York City, and... After school, I'd be singing on the subway. That was my after school job. Self proclaimed, just show up and strum. Um, and then I moved to California not too long ago and I'm still chasing the dream.
Nina:That is amazing. So, to dig a little bit in, what would you say, there, was there a moment in your life where you thought you could pursue music professionally? Was there a specific, like, moment in time in life that you thought, like, this is it for me?
Faith:Tough, tough to pinpoint it down to like one moment. But like I said, growing up, like I always did music. I always sang. I never really got off that path. I couldn't catch a ball to save my life. Um, so it was always a clear path for me, but I think when I was 11, I watched like a Taylor Swift documentary, um, and it was all about her writing music and all that good stuff. And I was like, I can do this. So I literally dusted off my mom's old guitar that night and taught myself guitar and started writing songs. And from there on out, I just haven't stopped. And I just, I knew that that's what I was going to do.
Nina:That's incredible. I, I love that kind of self starter attitude of I'm going to teach myself this and I'm going to do it. But I'm sure it was challenging along the way. What specific challenges have you had to face so far in your career as an independent artist?
Faith:I think, um, most challenging is just that I can't write songs all day. Like that's really where my heart is. It's my passion as I'm sure you guys feel this way too. But being an indie artist, you have to wear so many hats. And sometimes it can be a little bit exhausting because you'll be networking at open mics or running up on social media or doing like a million things, juggling different tasks and feeling like you don't have as much time as you'd like to dedicate to your craft. So I think, for me, that's just kind of been hard and I hope one day I can really just... Nail it down and just do songwriting full time.
Nina:J and I have an ongoing joke about that. About how we just want to hand over all of the business aspects to someone one day. Like, that's goals in career.
J. Xander:Yeah, listen, I know people talk about how it's bad to, like, sell your soul to the devil and be an industry planner or whatever. But if it stops me from having to market or mix my own stuff... I'd consider it. I'm not gonna lie.
Nina:If I never have to Wikipedia a legal principal again, I swear to God. Especially because my brother is a lawyer and doesn't get back to me fast enough. So, YouTube University, here I come!
Faith:Yeah. I feel like it's given us all, like, really good skills, you know, and we're so self sufficient, we can do so much, but at the same time, it'd be so nice to just kind of load off some of that work every now and then.
Nina:Oh, yeah,
J. Xander:For sure. And Faith, I have a question for you. Since you said that you have, like, you know, that's kind of what you want to focus on. Do you have, like, a specific process that you follow for songwriting itself? Because I know, like, Everyone of us here are songwriters and we all have like our different weird things that we might like to do so like what inspires your lyrics or melodies or just ideas for songs?
Faith:Yeah, I like to describe myself as like an organized mess when it comes to songwriting. Like my, my journey has changed so much and especially since being at Berklee, but um, my goal is always to tell the story. So I'll open up a note. And I'll just kind of throw things at the paper, um, and then I'll kind of get my verse, my chorus, my pre, my bridge, and I'll try to just throw different ideas to each section to make sure that the storyline is really clear. Um, so that's always been kind of like my map for writing songs, but as far as like lyrics go, I swear like I'm, I'm always listening. My ears are always open and ringing for new lyric ideas, whether it's like in the grocery store or talking with my neighbor or something like I'm constantly like writing it down or like writing in my, in my, um, notes app or my voice memos and, um, Melodies. I always try to like, keep my, my ears fresh, listen to Spotify, hot 100, all that good stuff. Um, and then like the little Berklee tools that we've learned, like tonic keep away or, um, starting on a different note than I usually start on. Just like. Just stuff like that. So it's constantly changing, but I just, I try to keep it fresh.
J. Xander:Yeah, that's very cool. And with like, Still Want It, what is it that kind of made you see the potential in that? Like, what was the idea that's kind of sparked that and made you want to, like, make that into a single and finish it up? Because I know finishing is the hardest part for us sometimes.
Faith:Yeah, it was actually really organic to be honest. So once the song was finished, I guess for me, that was really when I knew like, okay, there's something here. And I played it back for the first time because it was an assignment. And so I ran it back and I cried, which I have not cried like with my own music and in so long. And so I knew like there was something like emotionally there for me and something that was just like super authentic and important to me. And I just I knew that I wanted to share it now because that's how I feel right in this moment. And sometimes I hold on to my songs for too long and I no longer resonate with it. So I think it was super important for me to just kind of slap it out there, get it out while it was still like fresh in how I was feeling.
J. Xander:Very cool. So you mentioned a little bit of the writing process already and like the assignment that it was an assignment. What was the actual like criteria for it? I'm just curious.
Faith:Yeah. Um, okay. So as you guys all know, um, At Berklee and in our program there's a collab class and, um mm-hmm. for those of you who don't know in, in this class for one week, you are the artist. So, um, I was the artist that week and I had to pick a collaborator. So I picked a good friend of mine and Sky's actually, Jessica Lindsay, who is an incredible songwriter, producer, human, you name it, they're incredible. And we hadn't talked in a while. So we just kind of caught up as friends do got on a zoom and we're just kind of catching up. And I was just telling them how I was feeling and just in the thick of being homesick and missing New York and everything. And I had actually written the, what I thought was the chorus, but it was the verse. So I played, I played it for Jess and Jess was like. Uh, no babe, that's actually your verse. That's not a chorus. I was like, you're right. It like sets the whole song up. So we like adjusted the melody so it was a little further down. And um, we just continued on from there. And we were talking about like, How I was feeling and, um, seasonal depression because I, I moved to California thinking I'm going to get so much sunshine. And that was just not the case. So we're like, where's that goddamn sun you promised? And I swear it just wrote itself from there. It just, it poured out, which is not something that usually happens for me and co writes. Sometimes it gets a little bit stumped. Um, and this one just. It was so organic and it was just such a healing experience. And I'm just so grateful to Jess and all the magic that they helped make it, make it happen.
J. Xander:Very cool. That's awesome.
Sky:Yeah. I was going to say, when you were talking about like the notes app, I was totally like, yeah, I use the Notes app all the time for my, my music. Like I used to start off with like regular notebooks and stuff, but once I learned about the Notes app and you can like create all those folders and stuff. I don't know about you, but I'm like...
Faith:Thank God for the folders! Because before the folders, like, it was just like chaos. So at least now you can have it like...
Nina:Oh, mine still is. Folders, who?
Faith:Nina, once you finally have a second, do it. And you'll be like, what, what is living in here? Like, it's amazing what you will find in there.
Nina:Sky did it for me, I still don't use it.
J. Xander:Wow.
Sky:Yep. Um, but, thinking of, um, like, the writing process and stuff, I mean, it kind of also makes me wonder, like, how you thought about the recording process, and how, when you were, like, working with Jess, and how, what was that like for you?
Faith:Yeah, so we were remote, so we weren't together in the same, um, studio or for me it was my home studio. But when we first made the assignment I recorded what I thought were the demo vocals. I didn't really put too much thought into it. It was emotional for me because of the song and how I was feeling. And then once we talked a little bit further, we're like, okay, this is something that we might want to release. I revisited them and I was like, okay, yeah, I'm going to recut them. And I spent like two days recutting vocals. I finished them, made my comp and I went back to the demo vocals and thought, I like these better. So the final vocal was a demo vocal, which is really funny. But as far as like, recording goes, it was just a little home studio, my Shure, my desk and cozy little set up.
Sky:Yeah. I mean, honestly, once you get that home recording capability, it's so nice. Like you don't have to go to the studio for the studio time. And like, we know as independent artists that those studio, like in studio time recording costs can really rack up. And so. I'm curious if you have, like, any advice for other independent artists, like, that you either learned in the writing process, or the recording process, or even, like, just the release process.
Faith:Yeah, I would say go with your gut, you know what is authentic to you and I think as somebody who's a songwriter and an artist. I think it's hard to find songs that Um, we're sure about are for us as an artist and this is one that was just my story I knew no one else was gonna cut it. So I think be authentic to yourself, follow your gut, and also remember, like, no one knows what they're doing. You can go to school for as long as you want, but literally, no one has any clue. And so just believe in yourself and go for it. I feel like this industry as we know it is... relationships and luck. So we're all just trying to figure it out and be a good person and something good will, will come your way.
Sky:Oh, totally. It's like, it's kind of scary, but at the same time, you're like, really glad once you do it, you know, once you put yourself out there and just sort of dip your toes in and then fully dive, you're kind of like, Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, you know, um, so
Faith:Exactly. It's taking that jump. That's the nerve wracking part.
Sky:Taking the jump. Okay, you just gotta do it. You just gotta jump.
Faith:Gotta jump right in there.
Sky:So, uh, any upcoming releases? Like any, any new projects? Any fun stuff after, after now? Or are you just like really focused on this single and that solely as a single and nothing yet?
Faith:So for now, as I'm still finishing up my master's at Berklee, that's like my first goal. Like, get out of there. So I just gotta finish school, really hone in on my songwriting craft, which I love doing. So that's like my main focus right now. And then, come the new year, we'll see what, what happens. See if anyone, any, one of my tunes that I write this semester makes a debut or not. But as of right now, I don't have anything planned. Just really in songwriter mode.
J. Xander:Very cool.
Nina:Songwriter mode is a great place to be.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Faith:Yeah.
Sky:no, we love getting the education coming, finishing it, you know,
Nina:finishing the best part.
Sky:Yeah, the best part.
J. Xander:But you know what?
Faith:I know!
J. Xander:Yeah. But you know, sometimes, It can be a little bit too much of a good thing in that, in like a program setting like that I found anyway, so like do you have any hobbies or like interests that kind of keep you going or even maybe contribute to your songwriting process?
Faith:This is such a, it's a good question but it's funny when I get this question because I feel like people have like hobbies like pickleball or like something like that and I say like animals, that's like my hobby. Um, I love my dog.
Nina:Animals or, or your specific animal because I feel like my poodle has taken over my life.
Faith:Yeah, I mean, my dog is my personality for sure. Um, but animals in general. I volunteer at a kitten nursery at a local shelter. And so that has been like, amazing. And that's been really good too to just step away from the computer, step away from music just for a second and have a break because growing up, I didn't really do that. I just was like relentless in my youth with music. So I think it's really important for me to just Just take a second, um, to compress a little bit and... If it's not going to a shelter or with my, doing something with my dog, it'll be like hiking or just getting outside. So, nature, nature in general is kind of like my jam.
Sky:That's so, so cool. I'm, I'm like literally obsessed with cats. As you know, I'm a cat. You all know I'm a cat person. So, the fact that you go out there and help those little kittens dreams come true.
Faith:Oh, I want to bring them home almost every time.
Sky:I would not do well. I would have a whole house full of cats.
Nina:Yeah, this is why I can't go to shelters or like, I just want to bring them all home.
J. Xander:I can't either. Yeah.
Faith:It's so dangerous. It's, it's really tough, but. I think about, like, how many more I get to help versus just taking, like, one home, so.
Sky:Well. Um, I guess back on to, to music, you know, I'd love to talk about kittens all day. Um, do you have any like specific artists or musicians or writers or producers or whoever that you like want to collaborate with or dream about collaborating with?
Faith:I feel like you know this, Sky.
Sky:I do. Let me, let me just say that Faith said she would donate her kidneys to this woman since I've met Faith which was like, I think our anniversary of friendship is coming up like 6 or 7 years now? The first thing she told me, she was like, I will donate my kidneys to this woman. Um, why don't you tell us, even though I asked you the question,
Faith:The woman is SZA. Um, I love her, her, her Control album just changed my life. Um, made me feel so heard and just her writing style and the way that her thoughts come out into lyrics is just so relatable. And ah, I just, I love that woman. So she's definitely up there for a dream collab, um, Also, somebody, that Sky also introduced me to Alec Benjamin, king of songwriting, just incredible. And to write a song with him, like, I don't even know what I would do. I would just freak out.
J. Xander:I, too, would donate my kidney, whatever organs you can think of to SZA, because I fully relate to that. I had Control on repeat, for sure.
Faith:I thought about getting a tattoo, like a Control tattoo, but like, too far. A little bit too far. Might still happen. Not sure.
Sky:Aw,
Faith:She's too good.
Nina:All right. So rounding out the interview what are your future goals and aspirations as a musician? As much as we like to joke about it, what, what are truly like the next big steps for you? What, what's on, what's on the agenda?
Faith:Yeah, I think like big picture, um, songwriting full time. So ways to make that happen would probably be like a publishing deal that could be in my future. Let's manifest that um and I also would love to just once i'm finally like set in songwriting and achieving what I want to do and paying my bills solely through songwriting definitely would love to mentor young musicians young songwriters and be like a big sister in the industry because I feel like I just didn't have that especially I did not have many women mentors growing up so I would love to be that or other girls. And guys, whoever.
J. Xander:Would you teach at Berklee as well? Kind of like a full circle moment?
Faith:Oh my god, yeah. I totally would. Oh my god, I'd love to just like nerd out for a whole lesson. Oh, I'd love that. Guys, we should all teach there.
J. Xander:That's on my list too. Let's all manifest it.
Nina:Instead of like Star Trek Next Gen we're Berklee Next Gen right like we're season two.
Faith:Yes manifesting that!
Nina:I'm manifesting the retreats that we would come up with Oh, my God. That would be epic.
Faith:That would be so fun.
Nina:No students allowed.
Faith:Yeah, just a quick little faculty retreat. Thailand or something.
Nina:Singing my song girl. All right. Speaking of singing my song, where can everyone find you and your music and your new single? We're going to repeat the title Still Want It.
Faith:Yes, um, any platform you can find it. It's on there. Under my artist name, songwriter name, real name Faith Gara, and yeah, stream it up, give a follow or subscribe if you can, and I hope everyone enjoys it.
Sky:I know we all have, so... We all have, yes. It's all for the listeners.
Nina:We've all texted separately and together about how good this song is.
Faith:Oh, thank you guys. It's, it's so good to hear that because... It's such a personal song to me. Um, obviously there's like a bigger message that people could relate to, but it just, it means the world that you guys love it. So, thank you.
Nina:Oftentimes those are the best songs. And speaking of, this is a question that we plan on asking everyone, but you are the inaugural, the first. What is a song that changed your life?
Faith:There's so many. But one in particular, I must have been 14 listening to You Ought to Know by Alanis Morissette for the first time.
J. Xander:That's great.
Faith:Was insane. I was like, you said what? You said what? I'm so interested. Like, it was just like, her audacity and her honesty. I think that just was a huge inspiration for me in my writing at a young age, so. Definitely. If I could replay that moment, I would
Nina:It's an incredible song. You're an incredible songwriter, Faith. We cannot wait to hear more of Still Want It. We can't wait to hear more of Faith Gara. Thank you so much for joining us here on Playback the podcast listeners stay tuned after this message. We'll be right back. Thank you again, Faith. And hopefully we'll have you back on soon.
Faith:Thank you so much! So good to be here!
Nina:Now for our final segment, our Playback Picks of the Week. Miss SkyBlazeStar, what is your playback pick?
Sky:My playback pick this week is Bad Bitch by Tessa Violet. And I just really love this song because this artist really has all the sass. She brings the spunk, brings the attitude, and I love a good... Fresh, new song that brings spunk and attitude in a fun and interesting and new way, and Tessa Violet really does that, so please listen to the song because you can enjoy the spunk and sass with me as she talks about how she has gone from being a shy, sort of, dainty person to being a bad bitch.
Nina:What a relatable journey, I love that. Is it like, um, like a morning sass spunk? Like you can, you can put it in your coffee? Or is it like a getting ready to go out sass spunk? Like those are two different ones.
Sky:I, it's, it's definitely like you're driving to work and you just want to feel like affirmations, affirmations, you know, you know, or you're getting home from work or something it's that, it's that kind of like hype yourself up, but you're solo, um, and enjoying the lyrics and stuff. And I also like in the song, how she kind of talks just a little bit about her career and she's kind of like, yeah, like I'm actually doing well and I'm still independent artists. Like, so through you, it's really interesting. I love it. I really resonated.
Nina:It's, it's a good message for all of us, especially our listeners who are also hopefully aspiring independent artists. Alright, J, moving on to you, what is your Playback Pick of the Week?
J. Xander:So, I was gonna wait until closer to the release of the game Mortal Kombat 12, AKA Mortal Kombat 1, that's coming out in September in a couple weeks. But they dropped a trailer yesterday with Dave Bautista that features the original theme song. And it's, it's basically just a bunch of extras yelling Mortal Kombat over and over again, with like an orchestral score of the original theme. And I'm not gonna lie, I got chills. I almost cried during this shit. It was so good. And this, this, like, it sounds like I'm kidding, but like this song and just that The series in general really meant a lot to me because it was like kind of when I think about it It was like my introduction to EDM music in general like I had never really understood or heard anything like that before and this movie kicks so much ass that it Literally starts on this this song instead of doing like the regular title sequence So it's one of the best intros to a movie ever. I think um And it, I like the song a lot because it's proof that a hook can literally be anything. From somebody yelling Mortal Kombat to using a bunch of different sounds from the original game itself, which is how it was made. They basically just gave the creators like a bunch of stems and said, Here you go. Have fun with this. And to me, as like somebody that makes EDM now, that's like giving a kid like some crayons and saying, here, go draw some stick figures. And then they come back with like this fucking Sistine Chapel. Like I cannot believe how they made this song. So good like it honestly goes way harder than it should and an interesting fact is that the the soundtrack from the original Mortal Kombat movie is the first ever EDM record to go platinum and I'm a hundred percent certain that it's because of this song because it's It's the most iconic song from it, except maybe the song at the end of it, which is also the same song that ends the movie Mean Girls. So there's that as well. But it's definitely those two songs that I think propelled that to EDM legendary status.
Nina:This is a song that I can identify so quickly. Like almost immediate, and it, you're right, like, a hook can be anything, as we keep saying, it's, a hook is about attitude. And this just had great placement, like it's just, it's really well done.
J. Xander:It's timeless too, it's like, they keep trying to replace it during like every new release of it. And the fans get upset every time, they're like, Ed Boon, what the fuck are you doing? You already have like the perfect theme song for this series, you don't need to reinvent the wheel.
Nina:If you're emotionally attached to this series, you're emotionally attached to this song.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:Like, period. The end.
J. Xander:Pretty much.
Nina:Alright guys, my Playback Pick of the Week is the album Snow Angel by Renee Rapp. Uh, some notable songs are Talk Too Much, Pretty Girls, and I Wish. I don't suggest listening to I Wish while in the car like I did because I burst into tears. It is a beautiful and gorgeous song about grief. Um, Talk Too Much is the opening song on the album and we talk about hooks in terms of songs but we never talk about hooks in terms of albums. This is like a really strong opening song to me. And it's also just a great pop song. So is Pretty Girls. Um, I think a lot of queer women will find both very relatable, which I love, but just on every level, the melody, the lyric, it's a solid, solid pop with like a rock feel to it. It feels like, if it had come out, it feels like it could have come out 20 years ago, maybe even in like the late 90s, but it still feels very modern, very fresh. It draws upon like those things that we really love about past pop. And I love it. I've been listening to that and Hozier nonstop, so it's been kind of this weird back and forth. It's just about vibes. It's Hozier in the morning, Renee Rapp in the afternoon, and it's been great.
J. Xander:The duality of man. That's amazing.
Nina:You know me, all about duality. Alright guys, do you have any final thoughts of the week?
Sky:Uh, only that I love you both.
Nina:This has been Skylar's first episode and we've loved having her. Always a wonderful contribution.
Sky:Oh, thank you. I have loved being here and starting off the podcast strong Love you both.
Nina:Love you. Jay, any final thoughts?
J. Xander:No, I'm just excited. We finally have done our first interview for this episode and I hope that's the first of many more. So I'm just excited to see where this podcast takes us in the future.
Nina:Absolutely. Me too. Another additional big thank you to FateGara for being our guinea pig. We love you, girl. We're so excited for your single and your success. Everybody, please go stream on Spotify, Apple Music, whatever your preferred platform is. And we will see you next week. Go create some good in this world. Bye, y'all.
J. Xander:Bye.
Sky:Bye!
