Tag Archives: music

Music/Concerts

Jill Sobule

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By: Teagan Mack

Singer songwriter Jill Sobule passed away on May 1st, 2025, at the age of 66. She was known for her hit singles “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel” from the ‘Clueless’ soundtrack. Sobule died in a house fire in Woodbury, Minnesota early Thursday morning on May 1st.

Firefighters reported to Pinehurst Road around 5:30 a.m., after receiving a call about a fire. When firefighters arrived at the house it was in flames. The homeowners stated that a woman in her 60s was possibly still inside. Later on Thursday, Woodbury Public Safety stated that there were no immediate signs of foul play, and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office is pending toxicology results which can take up to 6 weeks. Sobule was in town visiting friends and recording an episode of a podcast called “The Brian Oake Show”.

An article from INFORUM News got statements from both her manager John Porter and her booking agent Craig Grossman. John Porter said “I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory, and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.” Craig stated “I was fortunate to know Sobule beyond a professional relationship. No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond.”

In 2008, Sobule was dropped from multiple record labels, and a couple indie labels she worked with went bankrupt. Due to this inconvenience, Sobule became an early pioneer of crowdfunding to support her music. This basically means she raised money from her audience to help her produce her music. Sobule ended up raising close to $89,000 to help fund her album ‘California Years’ which was later released in April of 2009. Sobule was not just a singer, but a human rights activist. She made history with her song “I Kissed A Girl” being the first openly gay-themed song to crack the billboard top 20.

In Sobule’s music, the lyrics are about identity, love, societal norms, and brain surgery. Sobule battled with anorexia and depression, which she likes to mention in her lyrics. Since her 20s she’s had tremors, but always thought it was from excess energy. Her tremors made it hard to focus especially when she was working. Due to this she underwent DBS. DBS is a brain surgery commonly used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, and essential tremors.

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Clubs and Activities

Fiesta Latina!

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By: Chloe Rocha

On April 17th, Union Latina hosted their yearly Fiesta Latina showcase. Fiesta Latina consists of many culturally significant dances performed by the Spanish Immersion classes, grades 10-12. Fiesta Latina does not only have dances however, they also host many other activities such as crowd involvement, singers, and food trucks.

This year there were a total of 8 dances and 4 singers for both the day and night show. All of these performances were done and choreographed by students who attend Highland Park Senior High.

During the day show Jose started off Fiesta Latina with a singing act, but later in the night show he was joined by Sr. Luis. The first 3 dances were performed by Sra. Kellner’s Sophomore classes, and then was followed by a beautiful singing performance done by Amy, who is the secretary of Union Latina.

The next 3 dances were performed by Sra. Nelsons Junior classes. Which was then followed by the president of Union Latina, Kenia, singing a song as well. In between the dances, there was a crowd involvement activity that consisted of trivia questions for students and parents to answer.

After the trivia questions, there were 2 more dances that were performed by Sra. Romero’s senior classes. Each dance that was performed were all different styles of dance.

Being involved with Fiesta Latina is something that is very fun and memorable. In my opinion, Fiesta Latina is always the highlight of the school year for me. I think that it helps bring together the classes and students as one. It is always a lot of fun to learn the dances and dancing with a partner. So far, I have been in 2 of the performances, and hopefully next year we will be able to have another performance as well. The Spanish immersion teachers dedicate a lot of time and effort to help make Fiesta Latina fun and enjoyable for everyone involved. I can’t wait to celebrate another year with my class.

Getting To Know/History, Music/Concerts

The impact of music on mental health

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By: Kate Tabor

Image created using ChatGPT

We all love music, and it turns out that it’s for a good reason. Many studies have shown that music can have a positive impact on your mental health (and even your physical health, if only by a bit). Here’s how.

Music helps distract us from our thoughts and lowers our stress. Listening to music can lower stress hormones, as well as blood sugar and heart rate, both of which are things that spike when you’re stressed. If you want to block out the world and forget about whatever problems you’re dealing with at the moment, listening to songs that share a different story is a good way to do that.

Not only can it help with stress, it can help you name your emotions, and manage them better. If you’re feeling off, but don’t know why, try listening to classical music. It sounds silly, but hearing a melody without lyrics helps you project your own feelings onto the music, without the music already having a feeling or meaning.

Even without classical music, songs can often help us figure out what we’re feeling as well. I can’t count how many times I turn on one of my favorite songs casually, and even though I’ve heard it a million times before, a lyric sticks out to me and I just think wow, where are the cameras hidden? Music can help you place your feelings, and also feel seen in those feelings.

Music builds community. It brings people together. Music festivals, radio shows, Spotify playlists, etc. A popular app around my age group a bit ago was an app called Airbuds Widget, where you can share what you’re listening to with your friends. I’ve made so many friends based on just recognizing that we both listen to the same artist.

Music can also boost your mood when you’re feeling down, which I find to be especially true. Everyday, I hop in my car after school and turn my favorite playlist on, and I immediately feel better.

Even just half an hour ago, I was unmotivated to start writing this article, but I sat down, put my airpods in, and got to work. Music has a huge impact on me, and I’m sure many others, on how motivated I feel.

Music can be a great tool, even when we don’t realize it.

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Music/Concerts

The Lumineers new album ‘Automatic’ review

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By: Grace Wright

The Lumineers started in New Jersey in 2005 with Wesley Schultz lead singer/guitarist and Jeremiah Fraites a dummer. They struggled with getting their music out so they moved to Denver in 2009. When they moved to Denver they went through many different music genres and evenly settled on folk/indie kind of music.

They started playing in basements and soon put out an ad that caught the attention of Neyla Pekarek. She is a multi-instrumentalist and a singer. They soon later released an EP called ‘Ho Hey’; the call and response title track caused it to be a fan favorite. Once they released ‘Ho Hey’ they signed a contract with Dualtone Records.

They have 7 albums and many singles and EPs. They have collaborated with many artists like Zach Bryan, James Bay, Noah Khan and many more. Their newest album is called ‘Automatic’ and has 11 songs. “Same Old Song”, “A**hole” (title edited), “Strings”, “Automatic”, “You’re all i got”, “Plasticine”, “Ativan”, “Keys on the table”, “Better day”, “Sunflowers”, “So long”.

They released “Same Old Song” and teasers of all the songs on Jan 13, 2025 and the full album came out on Feb 14, 2025: Valentines Day. Much like their other songs and albums, they have catchy beats and deep meanings behind their lyrics.

My favorite songs on the album are “Same Old Song”, ‘”A**hole” (title edited)“, “Automatic” and “Keys On The Table”. These are my favorite songs because I like the meanings behind them but also because I like the way they were musically written.

Overall, I really liked this album because the songs are very thought out and I really liked the different meanings behind them. I also really like the song called “Strings”. I like it because there aren’t any words in it, it’s just violins and it makes me think of growing up and getting older. I also really like how this album is what I consider more calm compared to their other ones. You can find their music on Spotify, iHeart Radio and Apple Music.

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Getting To Know/History, Music/Concerts

History of R&B music

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By: Fletcher Pike

Photo by Nascimento Jr. on Pexels.com

Many might know about the popular music genre of R&B, popularized by several artists such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston. But some might not know of the history of this music genre and how it became so popular today. In this article, I plan to go over the basic history of R&B, and some notable figures who influenced this unique genre of music.

In the 1920s-1930s, a large number of African Americans migrated to urban cities and industrial areas such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, which created a brand new market for music such as jazz or blues music. “Race music” was the term that was used to initially describe music that was made by African Americans, but the term later acquired a racist interpretation.

In 1949, writer Jerry Wexler substituted the label “rhythm and blues” which would later become the title of R&B music, as R&B stands for rhythm and blues.

Ruth Brown (Jan. 12, 1928- Nov. 17, 2006), also known as “Miss Rhythm”, was a popular R&B singer who released music throughout the 1950s. After the release of her first recording, “So Long”, she became one of the most notable female R&B singers of the 1950s. She brought many pop genre elements to the R&B genres, which influenced many artists in the future.

In the 1960s, African American made music shifted from its primary theme of blues music and shifted to more gospel styled music. “Soul” was the title that many African Americans called this style of music in 1964, which captured the emotional value of this genre.

Since then, R&B has evolved to adapt more modern elements, especially in the 90s and 2000s, with artists such as Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys bringing modern-pop elements to the R&B genre.

The genre itself can be usually characterized by its combination of many different genres, such as blues, jazz, pop, and gospel, with slow rhythms and emotional lyrics. 

I hope that this article taught you about some of the history of the R&B genre as well as some of the different artists that popularized this genre. 

If you want to learn more about the history of R&B music, check out this link: https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-and-blues

Music/Concerts

Recap of the 2025 Grammy Awards

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By: Hermekay Dehaney

Image created with Meta AI

The Grammys, held on February 2, is an annual award show created by The Recording Academy and is held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The Grammys highlight singers, songwriters, and producers who have had major success in the past year.

The night had some important messages, big wins, and amazing performances, so here are some of the highlights of the ‘25 Grammys.

This year’s Grammys not only highlighted musical talents but also served as a fundraiser where they raised about 9 million dollars for the victims of the recent Los Angeles wildfires that took place just weeks prior.

Trevor Noah, who has been the host for the fifth consecutive time, kicked off the program with a message saying, “Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes. Entire neighborhoods have been erased. Schools, local businesses, and entire communities have burned to the ground. Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained.”           

The segment opened with a tribute song performed by John Legend, Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith, Cheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brittney Howard, and St. Vincent to a performance of Randy Newman’s ballad to the City of Angels ‘I Love L.A,’ honoring the victims as well as the survivors.             

During the ceremony, they had the Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony C. Marrone and other members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department speak onstage during the Grammys.                                                                            

The Grammys had some Historic wins.

Beyonce had a very big night; she led the nominees with 11 nominations and secured 3 wins, finally winning Album of the Year, Country Album of the Year, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Cowboy Carter.’

Beyoncé had words of encouragement when accepting her Country Album of the Year by saying, “I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists,” she then continued, “And I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and stay persistent.”

This would come a year after Jay Z got on stage at last year’s Grammys and said, “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year,” he continued, ”So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The Most Grammys never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.” She had been nominated for this award 4 times before.

Someone who also had a big night was Kendrick Lamar who led the night with 5 wins for “Not Like Us”. He won Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video.

Doechii won Best Rap Album for ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal.’ Making her the 3rd woman to ever achieve this award, following Lauryn Hill in ‘97, and Cardi B in 2019.

Chappell Roan won Best New Artist. In her acceptance speech, she called out music labels for not providing new artists with livable wages and healthcare, she added: “It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and so dehumanized to not have help.”

The ceremony also had very diverse performances.

The nominees for Best New Artist had a chance to perform, which is a perfect opportunity for the artists to showcase their talent, and to connect with a wider audience. The performances included: Benson Boone, Doechii, Shaboozey, Sabrina Carpenter, Rayé, Teddy Swims, and Chappell Roan. They all had very versatile and unique performances.

Tributes

The ceremony featured many tributes including a homage to Quincy Jones, a famous producer who died on November 3rd, 2024 due to pancreatic cancer. Artists such as Janelle Monae, Cynthia Erivo, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, and Lainey Wilson all did various performances, including “Fly Me to the Moon”, “Bluesette”, and “We Are the World”.

In the ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the ceremony, they also paid a tribute to the former One Direction member Liam Payne, who passed away unexpectedly last October. They showcased a video montage as well as a tribute song with Chris Martin singing “All My Love” which honored other artists who tragically died including Kris Kristofferson and Toby Keith.

Overall, this year’s Grammys was one my favorite and the most notable.

Music/Concerts

Songs meanings of ‘0.1 flaws and all.’ album by wave to earth

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By: Christine Yang

Wave to earth is a three-member band, Daniel Kim (singer-songwriter), Dong Kyu Shin (drummer), and John Cha (bassist) based in Seoul, South Korea. They want their band’s aspiration to “become the new wave” and expand their universe across the world. The band’s songs consist of indie pop with a lo-fi sound rooted in jazz drumming. The album ‘0.1 flaws and all.’ was released on April 20, 2023, with 14 songs (12 lyrical songs and 2 instrumental) on the album.

Lyrical Songs:

“bad”:

The song “bad” is about being with someone you love, and how the days will never be bad when you see/be with them. Which basically means their presence lightens your day or mood, and how in love you are towards them. 

“sunny days”:

“sunny days” is an expression of appreciating the joy and warmth that love can bring into someone’s life.

“peach eyes”:

“peach eyes” is an expression of the sweet bond between two people, showing how love brings light, comfort, and motivation. The song also symbolizes the partner’s “peach-colored eyes”, which are also the representations of beauty and warmth of the person/love.

“evening glow”:

The song “evening glow” is about a person’s flaws and how they feel “broken” or “unloveable”, and trying to find healing and acceptance while struggling.

“pink”:

“pink” is a poetic way of exploring the short lasting nature of life and love. Also, seeing the person you love in nature sceneries.

“calla”:

“calla” is about spending time with someone you love no matter the conditions, and hoping it’s not just you daydreaming about it. It’s also about how strong love and hope are, and staying strong while facing difficulties/misfortune.

“love.”:

The song “love.” is about the human connection, emphasizing the individual desires that are wanted to be brought into relationships, friendship, community, etc.

But Daniel Kim’s definition of the song “love.” is about his band members, expressing the emotions that the whole band felt during times they spent together. But also memorializing the growth that each individual member went through, and how far they came in life.

“homesick”:

“homesick” is about the feeling of an unfamiliar place and wanting to be at home due to the familiar comfort.

“dried flower”:

The song “dried flower” is about the person you used to love that doesn’t hold a special place or meaning to you anymore, and how you don’t want to get back with them because it won’t be the same.

“sunburn”:

“sunburn” is about dealing with “pain” (struggles), no matter if you try to get “rid” of them the pain won’t go away, and trying to seek freedom from it.

“nouvelle vague”:

“nouvelle vague” talks about the struggle of growth, and wanting to stay/memorize the past instead of moving forward in life. This is due to the desire of not wanting to move forward in life is because of unfamiliarities or just fearing you’ll lose yourself as you go further.

“so real”:

“so real” is about emotional imprisonment and deep isolation, while yearning for freedom, understandment, and connections. Also, having to know the challenges that will be faced in achieving those goals. 

Instrumentals:

“pink horizon”

“akira”

Local, Music/Concerts

Local bands: Rock Melon

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By: Persephone Pond

Rock Melon is a local band based in Highland Park, Saint Paul. This surf-pop-indie band consists of six talented students from around the Highland Park area. This article will go over a few need-to-know facts about the band before listening to their music.

Before going over the music the band has released as of late, it’s important to know the talent behind music. Here’s a quick introduction to the band.

Zack Nelson (he/him) is a senior at HPSH and the founder of the band. He plays both the guitar and bass. Elzie Bieganek (she/her) is one of the two talented vocalists of Rock Melon, currently attending SPA as a junior. Erin Moore (she/her) is a junior at HPSH, and the second vocalist of Rock Melon. Ryan Mitchell (he/him) and Izzy Montgomery (she/her) both play guitar, and Syan Blackwood (they/them) plays the drums for the band.

Now, the music itself this small band produces showcases a wide range of talent in terms of instrumentals, vocals, and production. All music is recorded by the band, and released on all streaming platforms.

Their latest releases include three singles from their upcoming album. The three tracks are “First Love’s Name”, “Eucalyptus”, and “The Architect”. All of these songs were written by the band members, and feature riveting vocals and soothing instrumentals.

The band plays live music around the Saint Paul/Minneapolis area, so keep an eye out for their next gig. Small venues around the metro area often support other small local bands as well. Attending live concerts is an easy, low commitment way to support these young artists.

To support this growing band, give them a follow on Instagram @rockmelonband. Stream their music on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube music, and more!

Music/Concerts

Song meanings of the EP ‘Superclean, Vol.II’ by The Marías

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By: Christine Yang

The Marías is a psychedelic-soul lovechild of Puerto Rican-bred band with María Zardoya, Josh Conway, Jesse Perlman, and Edward James. The EP ‘Superclean, Vol II’ was released on September 28, 2018, with six songs on it. The EP is a blend between alternative and indie (Latin indie).

“Ruthless”:

“Ruthless” can be about someone who’s in love with somebody that they haven’t seen in awhile, but still have affections towards them and want to have a relationship with them. 

“Cariño”:

“Cariño” can be interpreted as a song to appreciate a romantic lover, and how you find peace just being with them. Or it can be about someone you love and how you’re telling them they’re special in many different ways.

“ABQ”:

The song “ABQ” can be interpreted as about anxiety, how you feel this constant feeling that you’re never alone and crave that loneliness or time with yourself.

On a personal level, it’s about María Zardoya’s struggle with anxiety of not wanting to let anyone down, and having so much pressure to get things done (songs related) to please the audience, but also be on track with her band members too.     

“Loverboy”:

“Loverboy” is about a partner being unfaithful towards you, and how you can’t really process or accept that fact, but also can’t bear to hear a word from their mouth.

“Over the Moon”:

“Over the Moon” is an idiomatic expression that means a state of extreme happiness. It’s also viewed as a bittersweet love song about the struggles of an uncertain but passionate relationship.

“Clueless”:

“Clueless” is about a relationship that failed due to not being able to handle it anymore (due to lack of emotional awareness, miscommunication, and growing apart). Also, being confused about their words/actions, and having moments of being able to feel free, but being reminded of them.   

Overall, I would give ‘Superclean, Vol II’ a 10/10.

Music/Concerts

‘Internet Hometown Hero’ music review

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By: Persephone Pond

‘Internet Hometown Hero’ is an EP (extended play) written and produced by a small indie-pop artist MICO. Released on October 25th, the album includes 8 tracks, 3 of which were singles that were released on earlier dates. This article will tell you what you need to know about this album and artist.

MICO is an indie artist based in Toronto, Canada. He started making music early in his life, but blew up after releasing his debut single, “Who Do You Love” in the summer of 2019. He released his debut EP, ‘21st Century Heartbreak’ in 2020, and has released 4 EPs since, including ‘Internet Hometown Hero’.

With around 1.8 million streams since its release, ‘Internet Hometown Hero’ is MICO’s most successful EP yet. The tracks (in order) are: “TV”, “The one to fall”, “Idontwannaknowyou!”, “glhf<3”, “HOMESICK”, “Senses”, “Tears in your eyes”, and “What you’re not”.

3 tracks were released as singles before the full EP release. “glhf<3”, “HOMESICK”, and “Senses” were released in the order listed, having their releases staggered through September and early October to gain traction for the full EP . “Senses” is currently the top streamed song from the EP.

Though MICO tends to write songs about his own heartbreak, this EP is slightly different. The songs reflect on unrequited love from both perspectives in a relationship, giving a deep understanding of how empathy is important and how to look at a situation through someone else’s eyes. This message is consistent though many of the tracks.

Personally, I can’t pick my favorite track from the EP. Every song is a perfect mix of slow, emotional lyricism and faster, upbeat components. No matter what pace of music you’re looking for, this EP has it.

Overall, this EP showcases MICO’s incredible songwriting talent, singing range, and emotional power. I would highly recommend giving MICO a listen on any streaming platform.