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Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2020 - Michelle An

graphic by Allison Thompson

Chicago-native and Northwestern University alum Michelle An is one of the most influential female figures to ever make a mark in the music industry. This month, we celebrate Asian History Month and honor Michelle An as one of our front-runners in the industry.

Interscope Geffen A&M has recently promoted Michelle An in March of 2020 to the role of the Executive Vice President and Head of Visual Creative M. 

“Michelle represents the spirit and culture of this company in a unique and important way, working closely with our artists on their visuals very early in their development, bringing their visions to life and helping them establish long lasting careers,” Berman, the company’s Vice Chairman, said in an article with Variety. 

Before this promotion, An served as Senior Vice President and Head of Creative Content at Interscope Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. She would oversee the creation of all artist music videos, live shows, documentaries, original content and emerging platforms. In her new role, she will continue to lead a team that is responsible and works with IGA artists on the visual elements of their work, including photography, packaging, video, advertising, as well as their live shows and film and television projects. 

Michelle began her career in 2006 in advertising with the company as a part of its brand partnerships department and then shortly moved to the creative department and became head of the department in 2012. Some brands that she has worked with are Beats By Dre, Chrysler and Anheuser-Busch, incorporating those and other major brands to collide with an artist's creative vision. In addition to her successful career path with Interscope, she is a GRAMMY-nominated producer for her work with TV on the Radio on their long-form album and film titled “Nine Types of Light,” and then produced Whack World by Tierra Whack. An has also commissioned OneRepublic's "Kids" VR music video experience.

In 2017, Michelle was named one of Billboard's Top Women in Music as well as 2019. Looking forward to seeing what comes next in Michelle An's career as she continues to lead the way for females in music.

- article by Tess Dunn

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Featured Artist: Nia Wyn

North Wales based neo-soul singer-songwriter Nia Wyn has released her latest single “Who Asked You." Relative to the likings of Duffy and Amy Winehouse, the Welsh songstress has gravitated towards music since her early beginnings. She collected old soul records found in junk shops, and absorbed her dad’s taste while he played music around the house. 

Produced by Pat McManus, the song launches with an anthemic milieu unveiling the singer-songwriter’s cheeky personality while conversing about managing the poor energy that sometimes comes with unsolicited opinions. 

She sings:

Now I got something to say, who asked you? // You should just retire, cause who asked you? // Did someone here say something? Cause who asked you?  // I got nothing left to say, but who asked you? Who asked you? 

Speaking about the track, Wyn says “For me this track is about being faced with unsolicited opinions from others - whether that’s from judgemental people you knew back home who always doubted you or called you unstable and weird because you didn’t fit in with others. There’s also the message of what goes around comes around in some way and how that negative energy people build up will ultimately hold them back whether that’s now or later on.

Back in February, the singer-songwriter shared her EP Love I Can’t Ruin after a plethora of single releases. This assemblage of truths received acknowledgement from Mystic Sons, GIG GOER, Earmilk, The Most Radicalist and more. She was featured on BBC Radio 2’s Blues Playlist, BBC Radio One and BBC Introducing. The songstress was also named by Huw Stephens as one of BBC Introducing’s “Ones To Watch” in 2019. 

We got to speak with her below!

Can you tell me about your first musical memory? 

Hearing northern soul cuts played by my dad in the house. 

What was the first song you've ever written? What was it called?

Empty Shell - I was an emo.

What is your current songwriting process like? Do you have one?

Sometimes both melody and lyrics come at the same time and I have a quick burst of writing, other times I'll have some lyrics or chord structures/a beat and it'll take time to form. If I'm working with someone else we go back and forth but I usually like writing lyrics privately. 

What's the inspiration behind "Who Asked You”?

Leaving a small town/small town mentality. I was stigmatised for struggling with mental illness, I couldn't see myself staying and thriving there, and I didn't fit in. It's about batting away unsolicited opinions and negative energy from other people. 

What was the writing process behind "Who Asked You”? 

I had actually originally written the track to a sample of an Esther Phillips' track about two years ago in a different form. Then Pat (Producer) and I switched it up and made the groove more wonky, we changed the chords and arrangement. I had a lot of fun writing the BVs. Pat had some mates lay down brass too which was great. 

How excited were you to have released your EP? 

It was an amazing experience I had waited for a long time for. The response to the project made me feel very grateful and spurred me on to write the music I'm making at the moment and set to release this year. 

If you could have written any album, which one would it have been?

Closing Time by Tom Waits or Beautifully Human by Jill Scott.

What's your dream concert lineup?

There are so many combinations I could do but for this one I'll say Soulquarians mash-up, Billie Holiday with Lester Young, Kehlani and Little Simz. Instagram // Twitter // Facebook

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Featured Music Video: “Drunk” by Brooke Alexx

Brooke Alex’s video for "Drunk" tells us you don’t need alcohol to have a good time. 

The video takes places in a party setting, and uses glitter instead of alcohol. This metaphor speaks about how being in love at a party can make you feel more drunk than alcohol.

As the video continues, everyone in the party is clearly having a good time while drinking the “glitter." As everyone gets more and more drunk from the glitter, people start hooking up with one another. This goes back to the lyrics, ”drunk, I think I’m in love.” 

The video connects with the lyrics very well. Nowadays,  music videos only show one connection (or zero connection) to the song. "Drunk," however, has plenty of connections; and mostly, it shows the connection of not needing alcohol to be intoxicated when you can fall in love. 

- article by Tess Dunn

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Single Premiere: “Cigarettes” by Wyn Doran

Girls Behind the Rock Show is excited to premiere Wyn Doran's latest single, "Cigarettes."

In 2018, Doran was selected as one of thirteen songwriters internationally to work with Ben Folds at a songwriting retreat in California. Her soul-tinged songs dig into personal stories of living with chronic illness and heartbreak, and she's listed Adele and Amy Winehouse as just a few of her influences.

"Cigarettes" is the follow-up single of her first album, "Thick of It." The song was produced and mixed by Alexander Glover. "I was looking for a specific vibe for it that he really nailed," Doran says. "It was an honor to work with him."

Doran's dark and haunting vocals shine through on the  track, as she laments the end of a relationship. "Did you mean it when you left?" Doran asks her lover in the brooding chorus. "Could you feel me when you left?" It's these questions we ask ourselves as we face the collapse of a love.

Doran explained what the song was inspired by, saying, "I wrote this song out of devastation in a relationship on the brink of dissolving.  Ugly things were said, and fresh out of the fight I was doing some deep reflection on how I could have handled things better."

The song ends up with the line "for our love, we do our best" over a quiet electric guitar, with Doran's vocals finishing on a minor note, hinting at the negativity that has been building.

We love this single, and we can't wait to hear more from Doran!

https://soundcloud.com/wyndoran/cigarettes-unreleased

- article by Tess Dunn

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Featured Artist - Salt Ashes

Salt Ashes is taking her songwriting to the next level with her recently released EP, "counting crosses." The synth-pop musician meshed disco with club sounds and dark atmospheres, and the combination results in songs that will put you in a trance. We're excited to interview Salt Ashes and have her describe each song on the album.

COUNTING CROSSES

“counting crosses” embodies that moment when you discover things aren’t quite working out in the way you’d hoped with a lover, and you’ve come to realise that in fact, you're not good for them.

I wrote this song at 3 am with my friend Roseanne, after a heavy night out. We laid down a messy demo in my bedroom with makeup running down our faces, tequila flowing in and out of our glasses, and I recorded the quietest vocal ever as to not wake up my housemates. The demo had this raw charm to it and it was the first track I played to Louis Souyave (EP Producer) when I met him to see if he wanted to work with me.

SOLO

I like to say that this song is my declaration that I love being single. That’s not to say I won’t ever be in a relationship but that I’m happy being single and not longing for anything other than that. I feel that there’s a continued assumption that being single is undesired and that most people seek or long for a partner in search for happiness or something, but screw that. I feel strong as a single woman.

RARA

“rara” is about living life hard and doing what you want to do completely unapologetically. I think as long as you’re honest and kind, people should respect your choices. I always want adventure and wildness in a relationship, so I tell them openly and honestly. It’s this wildness that we tried to express within the production. Louis and I made a pact that we wouldn’t do the obvious and instead try something new and unusual.

*CHAOS TONIGHT

This all started off with us messing around on some chords that we said sounded like a Bruno Mars song. It started as a joke but when we listened back to the mess around that we luckily had been recording we actually loved it. I wanted this to be a contrast to the rest of the EP; a light in the darkness and also a moment of reflection. Most of the EP is about me being independent and knowing what I want but, like every human being I have moments of insecurities & doubts so I wanted this little piece to reflect that side of me.

- article by Tess Dunn

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Celebrating Women’s History Month 2020 - Hayley Williams

graphic by Allison Thompson

For Women's History Month, the Girls Behind the Rock Show team members are writing about women in the industry who inspire them.

I have always wanted to be Hayley Williams.

Yes, that’s how I’m starting this piece off.

I became a fan of Paramore in 2008. I remember listening to the CD my friend burned for me of both Riot! (it had come out the year before, when Williams was only 18) and their debut album, All We Know is Falling. All We Know immediately became a favorite album of mine - and it still is to this day.

I loved Williams’ lyrical style, her hair color, her voice, how unapologetically herself she was. Everything was perfect in my eyes. As a young singer-songwriter myself, her lyrics heavily influenced my own. From ages 16-19, I rocked red hair and played pop rock music. While it was because I DID enjoy these things, it was also because I wanted to be the strong, loud, carefree woman that she was. Succeeding at such a young age because of her talent was inspirational for younger Tess.

When Brand New Eyes came out in 2009, I fell in love with the song “All I Wanted.” Williams herself said she couldn’t perform the vocals live, so I went ahead and did it myself. Did it sound great? Hell no. But did I have fun? YES! That was another lesson I picked up from her - always enjoy yourself, and don’t do anything you hate. If you’re not dancing, something is wrong. That’s why I wasn’t frustrated when they shifted from pop punk to pop for their self-titled album. Something had to give to enjoy music again. So, that’s what she did.

And then, of course, there’s After Laughter. I have cried to this album, danced to it, screamed along to the lyrics, blasted it during road trips—it’s been with me every step of the way for the past few years. Despite it not having the “Paramore sound” (whatever that means), it’s easily my favorite of theirs. Williams truly brought lyrics back to the basics—you don’t have to write metaphor after metaphor in flowery prose to achieve brutal honesty and catharsis. 

Her new EP, Petals for Armor, is incredible. And fans agree. In fact, my friend recently debuted a tattoo with lyrics from “Simmer,” despite the song only being out for a few weeks. It’s clear that she has a strong impact on her fans, who have followed her from Paramore to her own project. And the best part: no one is crying out that she’s gone solo, like they would have years ago. Instead, there’s nothing but encouragement from the fans. I think it’s because these fans (like myself) have grown with her, and they no longer fear the end of Paramore—they simply support the members in their own endeavors. That’s growth.

Then, of course, there’s her openness about mental health. While society is slowly becoming more accepting and sympathetic and open about it, it’s still considered a ~big deal~ when a prominent figure comes forward and speaks about it. Williams’ bravery encouraged me to speak openly about my own bipolar disorder. And her encouragement of therapy means the world to me—there’s still a stigma attached to it, and it’s time we cut that stigma off. Her grace, strength, and eloquence is to be admired.

I never considered myself a stan. I didn’t understand it. But writing this piece, I am proud to admit: I am a Hayley Williams stan. Always have been, always will be.

- article by Tess Dunn

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Celebrating Black History Month 2020 - Normani

Everybody, get ready - Queen Normani has arrived, and she’s bringing positivity and smashes with her.

Normani first found fame when she auditioned for The X factor. Though she was cut as a solo artist, she was placed into a group with four other girls - which would become Fifth Harmony. They released one EP and three albums, but went on an indefinite hiatus so the girls could focus on their own solo careers.

Following Fifth Harmony’s hiatus, Normani went on to release covers of songs, while also releasing two dance videos to Future and Teyana Taylor. This steady flow of songs led to a stint on Dancing With the Stars, where she finished in third place.

Normani also partnered with many musicians following her signing with Keep Cool/RCA Record in 2018, including Calvin Harris, Kehlani, and 6lack. Eventually, she collaborated with Sam Smith on the hit “Dancing With a Stranger,” which peaked at number seven in the US. The hit propelled her into fame, and also won her a spot as Ariana Grande’s opener for the first part of her Sweetener World Tour.

Now, Normani is taking the world by storm. She announced that her debut album would be coming out in 2020, and her song “Motivation” and its accompanying video have received rave reviews—Motivation was even nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Best Dance Performance.

It’s clear that Normani is going places. We cannot wait for her album. And until then, we’ll be blasting “Motivation.”

- article by Tess Dunn

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Opinion: Chronic Illnesses are Not Weaknesses

Recently, I had to step away from Girls Behind the Rock Show.

It was not because I was unhappy with my work, or because I just didn’t feel like it.

It was because of a new medication for my chronic illness, a lung disease called cystic fibrosis (CF). While it is literally life-saving, it changes every cell in your body. And while I haven’t coughed in weeks, I have been incredibly fatigued. And I know I’m not the only one who has faced this.

Chronic illnesses are not talked about much. There is a certain stigma against them - be quiet and act normal, or you’re not useful to society. You’re lazy. You’re over-exaggerating. It’s dangerously ableist, even if it’s subconscious. We are taught that in order to have worth, we must be high-functioning. Proud of our lack of sleep, our stress, our full schedules. And, yes, these can be accomplishments. But assigning value to these qualities degrades those who cannot live up to these standards.

There are also plenty of misunderstandings. I am a singer-songwriter on top of being the editorial director for GBTRS, and a statement that I regularly receive is “that must be hard, with your lung disease.” It’s a harmless statement, but it goes to show that people have the idea of struggle engrained in their brains. 

But my chronic illness does not define me. I am a sister, a daughter, a friend, a singer, a writer. My cystic fibrosis doesn’t change that. Chronic illness does not define ANYBODY.

People can educate you on their chronic illness. There are so many out there - it’s impossible to learn about all of them. But should you need an education, come from a place of empathy rather than accusation. It’s easy to assume what someone is going through in a general sense, but every illness has its own unique features. Ask questions. We’re happy to help you understand.

It’s been two weeks since I started this medication, and I haven’t coughed since my second dose. I can breathe like a normal human. I know what it’s like to laugh until my stomach hurts, to sing until I’m at the very end of my breath. I am grateful every day.

Cystic fibrosis does not define me. And everyone with a chronic illness can agree - we are our personalities, our likes, our pet peeves, our favorite colors, our least favorite foods. We are not defined by how our bodies misbehave.

We define ourselves. And we are proud of that.

- article by Tess Dunn