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Archives January 2024

Kamala Harris’s Campaign Gets a Beyoncé Boost for 2024 Presidential Bid

Political figures frequently broadcast their preferred tunes across the campaign path—often neglecting to consult the musicians first—this is hardly a novel practice. Nonetheless, the current vice president and candidate for the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris, appears to handle matters differently. On Tuesday, reports indicated that Beyoncé personally granted Harris the right to use her track “Freedom” during her presidential bid. This is not unfamiliar territory for Beyoncé, having supported significant Democratic figures (or at least her music doing so) in the past—she notably performed the national anthem at former president Barack Obama’s 2013 inauguration—but the rapidity with which she seemingly approved Harris’s song selection is truly remarkable, especially given that President Joe Biden withdrew from the race on Sunday and Harris made an appearance to “Freedom” during her initial official visit to her campaign headquarters on Monday.

The song “Freedom,” also featuring Kendrick Lamar, remains one of the standout tracks on Beyoncé’s acclaimed 2016 album Lemonade, making it evident that Harris’s team is adept at staying in tune with current musical trends. (After all, Charli XCX is on board with her!) Beyoncé’s support is not the sole endorsement from her family either. Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles (known to admirers as Ms. Tina), expressed her support for Harris on Sunday by sharing a photo of the two together and penned on Instagram: “New, Youthful, Sharp, energy !!!!…Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President.”

Diehard Kamala enthusiasts familiar with her biography will understand the thematic significance of this song to Harris’s own family narrative: In 2020, she narrated a tale of attending a civil rights demonstration in Oakland, California, with her relatives as a youngster. “I’m fussing,” Harris recounted, “and [my mother’s] like, ‘Baby, what is it you want? What is it you need?’ And I simply gazed at her and uttered, ‘Fweedom.’”

Ideally, further freedom—particularly for those marginalized communities who would endure the harshest under a Donald Trump presidency if the oppressive measures proposed in Project 2025 came to fruition—is precisely what a Harris administration might deliver.

Autumn Awaits: Discover Bon Iver

La semana pasada, Paul Mescal compartió lo que algunos podrían considerar un grito de auxilio en sus Historias de Instagram: una grabación en vivo de la versión de Bon Iver de “I Can’t Make You Love Me” de Bonnie Raitt. Mientras todos sabemos ya que al actor le encanta una canción melancólica, la inclinación de Mescal por los estilos musicales de Bon Iver resulta especialmente relevante en esta época del año. El clima está cambiando, los romances de verano están terminando, y el país parece al borde del caos político. Entra Justin Vernon.

Después de que el Verano Brat pintara el mundo de chartreuse, parecía incierto, por un tiempo, qué sucedería en otoño, cuando la resaca se instalaría. Como resulta ser, Charli XCX tenía la respuesta todo el tiempo: Este mes, la cantante lanzó su última variante brat, brat y es completamente diferente pero también sigue siendo brat, un álbum remix lleno de colaboraciones de alto perfil, incluyendo una de Bon Iver en “I think about it all the time.” (Vernon le comentó a The New Yorker que aceptar hacer el tema fue “una decisión sencilla.”) En su estado original, la canción es una reflexión sobre el reloj biológico de Charli, y el no querer sacrificar su carrera para tener hijos. Pero con un ritmo más lento y cierta modulación vocal, su remix se convierte en un tratado más amplio sobre el amor y la soledad, mientras Vernon canta: “Estás solo y estás / Y te preguntas, ‘¿Cuándo se volvió tan difícil?’” Charli y Vernon también toman muestras de “I Can’t Make You Love Me” de Raitt e incorporan “Nick of Time” de Bon Iver, creando un tema que une hábilmente los universos sonoros de ambos artistas.

Embracing the Unseen Rewards of Working Motherhood

The internet adores a woman who fits seamlessly into a specific category. The traditional wife, glowing under the warmth of freshly made sourdough, her existence a tribute to wistful domesticity. The voluntarily childless woman, savoring Aperol Spritzes on a sun-drenched balcony, her independence honored as freedom.

However, the career-driven mother who lands somewhere in between? She seldom receives such an idealized portrayal. Instead, she’s depicted as the symbol of fatigue: shouting into the void, overwhelmed by challenges both systemic and profoundly individual.

These portrayals are grounded in reality. The career-oriented mother indeed shoulders a significant burden, maneuvering through systems crafted for a bygone reality. She juggles work, family, and self in a world that frequently seems apathetic to her demands. Yet, concentrating solely on her hardships overlooks another essential truth: the happiness arising from harmonizing two worlds, and deriving delight and significance from both.

I adore being a professional mother. I cherish my occupation, which prompts me to think swiftly, introduces me to fascinating individuals, and enables me to collaborate with colleagues who appreciate and esteem me. I adore my son, who is humorous, insightful, and brimming with curiosity, and with whom I share a bond that feels both deep and truly one-of-a-kind. Above all, I adore that I get to embrace both of these roles simultaneously.

Part of that happiness stems from recognizing that this life wasn’t guaranteed—not for me, nor for many women I grew up around. In the lower-middle-class area where I was raised, most mothers remained at home—not due to ideological beliefs, but because they had few alternatives. My own mother, a blue-collar woman who didn’t complete high school, never had the opportunity to pursue her aspirations, or even the space to envision what they might be. I matured with the internalized notion that motherhood necessitated putting your ambitions on hold, at least temporarily.

Contrary to the customs I was raised with, I returned to work merely five weeks after my son arrived, to help add the final touches to a play I’d been producing. I continued working part-time during his infant and toddler stages, partly because I desired to and partly because it was all within my financial reach. My spouse and I considered childcare a shared expense, yet with my income so modest, it was difficult to justify full-time care.

TXT Unveils a Refreshing R&B Vibe in “The Star Chapter: Sanctuary” Album

Hoy, Tomorrow x Together (TXT) lanzó su séptimo mini álbum, The Star Chapter: Sanctuary, compuesto de seis nuevas canciones que llevan a los oyentes a un viaje sonoro celestial.

Los integrantes de TXT—Yeonjun, Hueningkai, Soobin, Taehyun y Beomgyu—han recorrido un largo camino desde 2019, cuando llegaron por primera vez a la escena como adolescentes, atrayendo seguidores con canciones pop como “Crown” y “Blue Orangeade.” Ahora que están en sus veintitantos, no solo su nueva música incluye letras más maduras—algunas de las cuales fueron escritas por los propios miembros—sino que el álbum también se inclina hacia un sonido R&B, perceptible quizás más claramente en la canción “Danger.” De esa manera, The Star Chapter: Sanctuary podría ser comparado con Justified, el primer álbum de Justin Timberlake fuera de NSYNC, que presentaba canciones más picantes como “Rock Your Body”—excepto que, en el caso de TXT, los miembros están explorando quiénes son como adultos juntos.

Como Taehyun le cuenta a Vogue, “La escena musical de los años 2000 estuvo llena de éxitos increíbles y artistas legendarios de R&B. Mientras preparábamos este álbum, exploramos una diversidad de canciones de R&B, lo que nos permitió capturar un ritmo groove en nuestras grabaciones.” Añade Soobin, “The Star Chapter: Sanctuary abre un nuevo capítulo en una narrativa única, profundizando en el lenguaje universal del amor.”

Sin embargo, mientras los miembros del grupo pasaron algún tiempo investigando el pasado para su último disco, también querían ser fieles al sonido moderno contagioso que tanto ha resonado con su base de fans. Como dice Beomgyu, “En lugar de simplemente reinterpretar el sonido [del R&B], quería crear algo nuevo que aún mantuviera un toque de nostalgia para que todos lo disfruten.” Cuando sumas uno más uno, consigues un álbum de TXT que puede ser apreciado a través de generaciones.

Con el nuevo álbum, también podemos esperar que los miembros muestren sus habilidades de baile finamente afinadas, tanto en desafíos de TikTok como a lo largo de sus videos musicales. Para aquellos que se preguntan cuánto tiempo le toma a una banda de chicos profesional aprender su coreografía, Yeonjun y Hueningkai nos dan una idea del proceso: “Típicamente, aprender una coreografía completamente nueva toma unas cinco horas y alrededor de ocho días para que se vea completamente perfecta,” dice Yeonjun. “Este fue el caso al dominar la coreografía para [el sencillo principal] ‘Over the Moon.’” En otros momentos, Hueningkai explica, “Hay veces en que necesitamos aprender coreografía modificada para canciones específicas, si estamos realizando un remix especial para nuestras giras o presentaciones en festivales de música.”

Crafting Connections: A New Chapter at the Museum of Arts and Design

The initial occasion when the artist Eve Biddle showcased her creations alongside her mother’s, she felt somewhat anxious. It was the year 2018, two decades after her mother, Mary Ann Unger, succumbed to breast cancer. Unger crafted her monumental sculptures using substances such as bronze, marble, and steel. “Mom’s work possesses a strong presence,” remarks Biddle, whose own art traverses various fields and tends to be more modest in size. Yet Alexandra Schwartz, who curated the 2018 exhibition, anticipated a compelling combination despite the differing artistic approaches. “She assured me, ‘Both voices are discernible,’” Biddle remembers. Neither overshadowed the other—they complemented each other.

Since that time, sculptures by Biddle and Unger have frequently been featured together in art displays, most recently in “Craft Front & Center: Conversation Pieces,” which debuted in early June at the Museum of Arts and Design in Manhattan. Schwartz also curated this third version of “Craft Front & Center,” which will remain available for viewing until next April and presents over 60 pieces from MAD’s extensive collection in conversation with modern artists. The pieces represent more than eight decades and primarily consist of traditional craft materials like fiber, ceramic, and glass.

Installation glimpse of “Craft Front & Center: Conversation Pieces.” In the front: Kay Sekimachi’s Kunoyuki, around 1968 (center) and Trude Guermonprez’s Banner, 1962 (far right).

Photo: Jenna Bascom; courtesy of the Museum of Arts and Design.

Normani: Soaring with Confidence and Creativity in Her Debut Album ‘Dopamine’

In “Big Boy”—the introductory song from her inaugural album, Dopamine—Normani asserts she’s stepped into the spotlight. “Only ever see this type of stuff in the cinema,” she declares amid resounding horns and rattling drums. “Only ever witness this kind of event once in your existence.” Coupled with the eye-catching album cover, which shows Normani attached to a glistening black missile, it conveys a clear message: Normani is at last prepared for takeoff.

“Finally” because, as any Normani fan is aware, it has been a lengthy journey to takeoff. Initially gaining recognition as part of Fifth Harmony—the female group that turned out to be The X Factor’s biggest triumph, by selling close to 15 million records in the U.S. alone—Normani appeared to be the member most suited for solo stardom, thanks to her impeccable taste and astonishing talents as a dancer and entertainer. And, with a series of joint singles that reached the top 10, along with the Max Martin-produced track “Motivation,” which was lauded for its energetic pop vibe and Y2K retro video, she commenced her solo career with impact.

However, as time moved forward, the gap between Normani’s start as a solo artist—she initially declared an album was forthcoming six years prior—and the launch of that album has been a topic of intense conversation. (Indeed, the URL for the site announcing Dopamine cheekily states wheresthedamnalbum.com.) Lately, it became known that the postponements were partly due to both of her parents being diagnosed with cancer, leading to a period when Normani’s focus was, naturally, on her family rather than her profession. (They have both since recuperated.) Nevertheless, her fan’s eagerness about the project has remained unwavering—a truth she is appreciative of. “It’s been a journey of perseverance, so I’m most thrilled about completing what I began, finally,” she shares with Vogue about releasing the album.

Completing it she has, and impressively so. Dopamine is filled to the brim with genre-crossing tracks that pay homage to some of Normani’s most significant influences: the booming beats of Timbaland, the effortlessly daring lyrics of Missy Elliott, the velvety-smooth harmonies of Brandy. (The latter even features on the standout song “Insomnia,” her airy ad-libs woven through the backdrop.) But it also highlights Normani’s more tender aspect, especially on the ambient James Blake collaboration “Tantrums,” which narrates the breakdown of a relationship over echo-drenched synths and fragmented rhythms. As it turns out, Dopamine was entirely worth the wait—and with its whirlwind exploration through the chronicles of R&B, it fully meets the exhilarating promise of its name.

The Best Documentaries of 2024
Unleashing the Diva: My Glamorous Journey with Rachel Antonoff and Susan Alexandra

Se cree que somos daltónicos. Esto no es correcto. Los caninos pueden, de hecho, percibir colores; tenemos dos conos en nuestros ojos que detectan amarillo y azul. (Se llama visión dicromática, aquellos con pulgares pueden buscarlo en google.) Ustedes, humanos, tienen tres conos, el tercero les permite diferenciar rojo y verde. Personalmente, la ausencia de tonos navideños no me afecta mucho. No me importa el tono del césped donde me alivio; no me importa si el prosciutto pierde su brillo rosado, mientras esté finamente rebanado y haya suficiente. Como dijo Shakespeare, una rosa con otro nombre seguiría siendo igual de dulce. (Dicho esto, si soy honesto no me encanta Shakespeare. Solo aparece un perro en toda su obra y es un cachorro llamado Crab en Dos caballeros de Verona que no tiene mucho tiempo en escena y pertenece a un sirviente en lugar de a cualquiera de los caballeros titulares… pero me desvío).

Volviendo a mis remordimientos de color: me sentí excluido en el espectáculo “Best in Show” 2024 de Rachel Antonoff y Susan Alexandra cuando no pude diferenciar el tono nítido de manzana de caramelo en el conjunto de falda y cárdigan con ribete de concha de Jacqueline Novak del color de manzana verde fluorescente de las cuentas en la correa de un colega. Últimamente he escuchado mucho cotilleo humano describiendo este tono como “brat,” y cada vez que lo escucho mis orejas se alzan, ya que suena mucho como “rat” y mis ancestros fueron ratoneros.

Hablando de mis ancestros, mi nombre es Magnolia y soy una mezcla de Chihuahua que está disponible para adopción en Animal Haven. Obtuve el segundo lugar en el concurso “Best in Show” de Rachel Antonoff y Susan Alexandra. Pero no fui el mejor del show, ¿verdad? Porque el segundo mejor no es número uno, y no estoy del todo lista para seguir adelante. Usé una impresionante chaqueta inflada de toile que combinaba con la de mi entusiasta humano, Larry Owens. Ambos teníamos carisma y encanto de sobra, sin embargo, perdí ante Elmer, como decidió una mujer que la gente parece conocer llamada Bridget Everett, quien tenía golosinas en su bolso cruzado Fifi con cuentas. El tercer lugar fue para el apuesto Alfie, cuyo humano estaba confusamente vestido como un dálmata, pero era, de hecho, un actor llamado Sandra Bernhard que hablaba en un tono bajo y grave en lugar del registro chillón que los humanos tienden a preferir para los perros y los bebés, aunque saben que nuestro oído es mucho más delicado. Sandra Dálmata tenía una energía fuerte, y pensé, Aquí está una mujer a la que podría ser difícil silenciar. Y también, ¿está vacunada?