Author: M. J. Alvarado (@m.j.alvarado)

Visual & performing artist also known as tarabyte, nightlife creature, branding expert, and pop culture connoisseur based in Brooklyn, NY

Ride Into the Night with Rebecca Black and Slayyyter’s Dream-Punk Collab, “Read My Mind”

It’s Friday, Friday, and everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend. It’s Friday, Friday, and queen of the internet Rebecca Black is here, she’s queer, and she’s giving us yassified gas station cashier in the music video for “Read my Mind,” her new dream-punk track featuring hyperpop darling Slayyyter. It’s a lot to take in, but you could ride it any way you like. If Trixie and Katya and the Cock Destroyers (rip) had a crack baby, they’d be twins, and it would be these two, doing exactly this.

It’s true, pop punk is once again having a moment, and our girls are seizing it. After a summer full of certified hyperpop bops from Rebecca Black Was Here, Miss Black’s latest drop, “Read my Mind” feels like the inevitable new variant we all saw coming. And if anyone knows how to make something go viral… well, that would be Rebecca Black.

Both Rebecca Black and Slayyyter performed as special surprise guests at Ty Sunderland’s Ty Tea party series at 3 Dollar Bill in Brooklyn this summer, giving us some of the most iconic moments during Pride 2021. It was a whole thing on gay twitter that was fighting for gay rights and people were killed by a demon twink or something like that. And this, this is result of that. Thank you Ty, the gays™, and the internet for working in mysterious ways.

Check out Rebecca Black on tour next year!

Watch: Ezinma, Classical Bae’s Boundary Breaking Eponymous Short Film for BVLGARI x Tribeca Film Festival

The final two original short films in BVLGARI & Tribeca Film Festival’s Female Trailblazers six-part series, produced in partnership by the Roman jewelry label and Tribeca Studios, premiered worldwide this Monday (February 1). Hosted by Emmy, Tony, and Grammy-Award winning actor and two-time Academy-Award nominee Cynthia Erivo, “Lot 448” and “Ezinma” spotlight two “independent female pioneers in the arts who are blazing their own paths in male-dominated fields at a time of great cultural change.”

Ezinma’s eponymous short film, directed by Alison Chernick, chronicles the violinist’s journey forging her own path in one of the toughest industries by fusing classical and contemporary music together. In 2017, Ezinma shared a cover of Future’s “Mask Off” that led to overnight viral fame, and the realization that she had tapped into something people were genuinely interested in. A series of widely popular uploads to her YouTube channel solidified her status as the face of a new crossover genre, and shortly thereafter Ezinma caught the attention of none other than Beyonce herself, granting the Nebraska native an opportunity to perform as part of the singer’s orchestra for Beychella. With newfound determination, Ezinma returned to New York City to work on her own sound. “I’m not a hip hop artist, I’m not a classical artist. I’m working to create this new fusion of music,” says the violinist. “As a person of mixed race, reimagining popular songs with the gloss of high art feels natural to me.”

In her upcoming album, Key of Black Minor, Ezinma showcases her talents as a music producer and violin virtuose. The first two singles “Beethoven Pleads The Fifth” and “Vivaldi Springs Forth” are available now on all digital streaming platforms along with their accompanying music videos. Check out Ezinma’s boundary breaking documentary (14:00 min mark) below:

SOPHIE Has Transcended The Human Experience

Today, the music industry mourns the loss of an incredible human being, Grammy-nominated artist, and genius visionary. Sophie Xeon (34), known by most simply as SOPHIE, passed away in a sudden accident while moon gazing in Athens, Greece, where she’d been living for some time. The impact of this morning’s news sent a palpable shockwave across all corners of the internet, with artists from all niches and genres coming forward to pay their respects. In the span of her career as a solo artist and producer, Sophie transformed the way music was created, consumed, and discussed. Yes, she worked with industry giants like Madonna, Gaga, and Charli XCX. But she also worked with Le1f, LIZ, Arca, Kim Petras, and countless other (mostly LGBTQ) artists, creating a soundscape that single-handedly revolutionized the nightlife/dance scene globally.

It’s hard to even come up with the words to pay tribute and do justice to her legacy. Sophie’s visibility (and simultaneous lack thereof) as a trans artist revitalizing pop music was a game changer for so many trans and queer individuals like myself. Seeing an artist like Sophie succeeding in the upper echelons of the music industry inspired so many of us to embrace our bodies and to be unapologetically ourselves. She made us dance, she inspired us to create, and most importantly, she allowed us to feel alive and connected. That she remained relatively “unknown” to so many others is both perplexing and powerful. Some people will never know that their favorite songs sound the way they do because of her, but the way she approached the process of creation will continue to inspire schools of current and future producers for years to come. And THAT’s on periodt.

https://twitter.com/lezpoprecords/status/1355541869288157187?s=20

SOPHIE’s life and legacy as artist deservers to be celebrated. In a year without nightclubs, grieving and coping with this loss feels like an impossible task. Realizing that we won’t get to dance to new music or see another live set again is heart-wrenching. The only thing bringing me solace today is the outpour of love on my carefully curated, algorithm-fed social media timeline. Trans people, I see you and I love you. Your pain is our pain. To the rest of our queer family, stay safe and keep spreading the love.

If you love SOPHIE as much as I do, or if you’re new to her and curious about her music, here’s a playlist with almost every song she touched over the years:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4jujzM4Ea9yCgNvynO96Jh?si=XHVcwwLyQaKhxKk0aNdD8A

Amanda Bynes: Actress, Fashion Designer, Rapper

Amanda, PLEASE!

It is no secret Miss Bynes has lived many lives and played many roles: an unscrupulous child judge (The Amanda Show), a drag king (She’s the Man), and a prototypical Becky (Easy A). Miss Thing done had the range, ok? After a noticeable absence from the screen, the public learned that Amanda would be focusing her energy on studying fashion design at FIDM in Los Angeles instead of acting. She graduated in 2019. One full Instagram cleanse later, on the 20th day of January of the year of the lord 2021, Miss Bynes finally delivered on her once tweeted-and-deleted promise to get into the rap game.

Last Wednesday, the multihyphenate shared a snippet of “Diamonds,” her upcoming debut single featuring her manseses under the moniker Precise.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKRrIgSDfsZ/

We only get about 12 seconds of Amanda Bynes rapping, but game recognize game and in just a few days the clip caught the attention of one Mr. Lil Uzi Vert, who says:

IDK about you bro but I’m ready for some bars from Miss Bynes, the inevitable accompanying merch drop, and a smorgasbord of tik tok memes and challenges

Slayyyter’s “Troubled Paradise” is a Wet ‘n Wild Fever Dream

Catsuits and Choreo and Rain (Oh Me), Oh My!

Pink power ranger and rising celebrity pop artist Slayyyter storms back into the scene with “Troubled Paradise,” the title track from her forthcoming debut album. It’s cathartic, it’s 80’s synthwave, and it’s dance-pop perfection. On release day (Friday 1/22), Paper Magazine revealed that Miss Slayyyter’s Troubled Paradise (the album) will feature deeper and more emotional content thematically. This new single reflects just that. After all, poetess SZA once tweeted, you “can be a sad bitch and a bad bitch at the same time! It’s called multitasking.”

And in proper pop star fashion, the single comes with an accompanying Munachi Osegbu-directed music video, which is a bfd because he’s already worked with icons like Megan Thee Stallion. Personally, I’m getting Lisa Frank on acid at the Rainforest Cafe (in like a really good way). What I expect would happen if I kissed a poisonous toad and it didn’t turn out to be a cursed but handsome prince, which I feel like is pretty much the vibes Slayyyter is going for lyrically. Oh, and did I mention the choreo? And the rain? Get into it babes.

Troubled Paradise the album is slated to drop on Friday, June 11. But in the meantime, you can continue microdosing on the 2020 releases that foreshadowed Slayyyter’s incoming troubled era, “Self Destruct (ft. Wuki)” and “Throatzillaaa“.

Sashay Into 2021 with Kylie Minogue and Dua Lipa’s “Real Groove” Studio 2054 Remix

Miss Kylie and La Lipa are clearly on some queen shit right now. Dula’s bold decision to release Future Nostalgia during the early stages of quar set the tone for the rest of the pop girls, gracing us with the gift of dance music in a year without nightclubs. Seven-ish months later, Aussie pop extraordinaire Kylie Minogue gave us Disco, her fifteenth studio album inspired by the bygone era of New York’s iconic discotheque Studio 54. And on the eleventh hour, as we bid adieu to 2020, these two pop titans have come together to give us all one last gift, an official remix of Kylie’s “Real Groove” as seen on Dua Lipa’s virtual concert Studio 2054 in late November. In case you missed it, Queen Kylie made an iconic appearance that had our girls vibing and getting their real groove on side by side.

Listening to this song is equal to a 10,000 mg dose of Biotin. So yes, it has the power to cleanse your skin and make your hair shinier. Other sources claim their credit scores immediately went up by tens of points. So, if you know what’s good for you, this song will be part of your New Year’s playlist.

In a perfect world, Dua would have her own verse and the track would have an accompanying music video dropping in tandem. But who knows? Perhaps they are saving it for the rumored Disco (Extended) project. After all, these two worlds colliding represent a new generation of younger fans for Kylie, and it solidifies Dua’s status as a pop icon.

Concept artwork credit: @physicaljudas on Twitter

You can catch Kylie Minogue performing the original mix of “Real Groove” tonight at the Infinite Disco New Year’s Eve spectacular, which is making a much awaited comeback after a limited run following the release of Disco back in November. “So come on, let the music play – We gon’ take it all the way – I love it, I love it, I love it (woo-hoo).”

Get Into the HoliSlay Spirit With Ezinma’s Hip-Hop Infused Instant Classic “Drummer Bae”

Violin sensation Ezinma, also referred to as Classical Bae by those of us in the know, graced the world with new holiday single “Dummer Bae,” an imaginative medley of cherished Christmas melodies. Produced by Brandon Korn (Travis Scott) and Steven Epstein (Wynton Marsalis), the track showcases Ezinma’s incredible talent of fusing classical music with modern hard-hitting beats. In her own unique way, Ezinma expertly weaves together all-time classics such as “Little Drummer Boy,” “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” and “Joy To The World,” making “Dummer Bae” instantly recognizable and fresh. Seriously, we can hear this playing at one of Saks Fifth Avenue’s lighting ceremonies, or perhaps in the background of a Lexus holiday commercial.

Watch the Music video for Ezinma’s “Dummer Bae” below:

“Dummer Bae” is the third track in a string of recent releases by Ezinma, who is set to release her debut EP Classical Bae in February 2021. In it, Ezinma reimagines classical works by Beethoven, Bach, and Vivaldi with her own hip-hop infused style.

Follow her on social media [ instagram | facebook | youtube ] and stay tuned!

Happy Birthday to the Legendary Miss Britney Jean Spears

“She is … the mother I never had. She is … the sister everybody would want. She is the friend that everybody deserves. I don’t know a better person. I don’t know a better person,” said Miss Oprah Winfrey (about Gayle King) back in 2010, but that’s exactly how we feel, today and every day, about the only one b*tch, the Original Doll, our Princess of Pop™

And because Britney Spears is nothing but an actual angel, she has gifted us, the Britney Army, with a brand new track from the Glory archives, “Swimming in the Stars.”

We know, we know… Urban Outfitters released an exclusive vinyl pressing of the track a few weeks ago. However, the track remained widely unavailable from all digital and streaming platforms until today, Dec 2nd, known by the real ones as Britmas. A deluxe version of Glory with a scraped spanking new cover by David LaChapelle (updated online earlier during quar) includes this song, “Mood Ring” and all its remixes, and a mysterious new track, and is now officially available for pre-order on her site.

Check out “Swimming in the Stars” on this (also new?) Spotify playlist. It also features her 2000 hit holiday classic, “My Only Wish (This Year)”.

Séssi’s Debut Single “Deja Que Te Lleve” is Taking Us To Another Place

Séssi bursts into the Latin music scene with her debut single “Deja Que Te Lleve.” Produced by Grammy-nominated producer Gavriel “Vein” Rafael, the sultry reggaeton/r&b track takes us to a place where we can forget about all that shit that did us wrong. Sessi’s deep-rooted lyrics tell us a story about desire, passion, and letting yourself get carried away, and the accompanying music video, directed by Sarah Akiba, gives us our first glimpse into Sessi’s visual world. She’s serving looks. She’s serving moves. She’s serving stunning imagery. She didn’t have to go this hard, but honey we’re glad she did.

Watch the music video below and stream “Deja Que Te Lleve” on all major platforms.

Uffie’s New Single “Mine” is Straight Up Hypnotizing

2019 is ufficially the year Uffie reclaimed her time and returnt to the music scene full force. After an almost decade-long hiatus and a surprise cameo on a (kinda) recent Charli XCX song, the French-American electro-pop sweetheart released a series of tracks (“Drugs” and “Papercuts”) that culminated in a 7-track EP titled Tokyo Love Hotel, released earlier this year. The cool blogs ate that shit up and so did we honey.

And now, Uffie continues her return to the scene with a spanking new summer track titled “Mine,” and it slaps. The melodic electronic perfection that is “Mine” is somewhat of a return to form for the artist, who graced us with all-time favorite party hits like “Pop the Glock,” yet it manages to sound current, fresh, and innovative. It has a gritty playfulness to it that makes you feel like a sexy bad b*tch ready to steal yo man, which is the ideal summer mood. Uffie herself describes it as a song about “all the possibilities and promises of adventure and mystery” that this magical time of year brings along.

Don’t drag me, but I’m pretty sure Uffie invented underground pop. Just ask any MySpace kid from the mid 2000’s era. And if you’re a z gen and this means nothing to you then get learnt!

Thank you for this gift, mother. We missed you!