Category: Music

South Korea-based entertainment giant HYBE, the parent company of BTS’s management team BIGHIT MUSIC, is expanding in the games industry, having acquired a stake in developer Flint, maker of the popular Dragon Blaze game.

The news was picked up by multiple media outlets, including The Korea Times citing a press conference held on the sideline of the G-STAR gaming show at the BEXCO convention center in Busan on Saturday (November 19).

 Financial terms of the transaction, including the size of the stake were not disclosed.

The investment comes as HYBE bets on the gaming business amid its push into the metaverse and visual entertainment. HYBE has a unit called HYBE IM (Interactive Media), which carries out “preemptive technological research” in games, the metaverse, AI and other fields, according to its website.

The Korea Times notes that HYBE acquired a stake in music game development company Superb in 2019.

HYBE says it will add a game development and distribution division in addition to its existing role as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production firm, and music publishing house.

“We will achieve innovation in the game business, just as we have in the music biz.”

Bang Si-hyuk, HYBE

“Gaming is a very attractive form of content which compactly holds all of the factors of entertainment,” HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk was quoted by Korea Herald as saying, adding: “We will achieve innovation in the game business, just as we have in the music biz.”

“Through the game business, HYBE will be able to provide its customers with a newer, more fun and more diverse pass-time,” the executive added.

The games to be developed under HYBE’s new gaming unit will not necessarily use artists’ IP, according to the company’s executives.

“Although Hybe’s artist IPs are important properties (of the company), we will try to showcase games that do not use them,” HYBE IM CEO Jeong Woo-young was quoted by Korea Herald as saying.

Meanwhile, HYBE CEO Park Ji-won also expressed his optimism about the company’s new venture, saying: “The successful servicing of a self-developed game, and the fact that HYBE has forayed into the publishing business, shows that HYBE, as a comprehensive entertainment corporation, is kicking off its gaming business.”

Park hinted that HYBE’s gaming unit will be integrated with the company’s other projects, saying the company is currently developing a new game that is based on artists and music, and reiterated the company’s plan to launch two new games with local game developer Macovill in 2023.

HYBE first revealed its planned launch of two Macovill games in September via a partnership with HYBE IM and the developer. The games include Project OZ (fantasy collectible RPG) and Project B (strategy simulation RPG), which according to MMO Culture, will share a same worldview with a long-term IP goal in mind.

The company has yet to disclose whether it will use blockchain technology in its games, according to Korea Herald.

“We have set up an internal group to discuss such (blockchain) issues, but we are still on the level of tackling more fundamental concerns, as the market situation is unfavorable,” Park said.

The plan marks HYBE’s latest move in the gaming industry after previously launching two games under its HYBE IM unit: “Rhythm HYBE,” and “BTS Island: In the SEOM.”

BTS Island has to date amassed 6.8 million registered users and BTS members reportedly participated in the development of the game.

The news also comes as Park recently reassured investors that the company has other revenue and growth drivers after its biggest earner, BTS, took a break from their career to embark on mandatory military service in their home country. 

HYBE’s plans include expanding in at least four new markets in 2023 including Japan and the US, where it plans to focus on fostering artists the same way that K-pop artists are created, according to an earlier memo to shareholders.

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Todaty’s news marks further collaboration between the K-Pop and games industries.

Com2uS, a South Korean game publisher, recently bought a 4.2% stake in K-pop company SM Entertainment for an undisclosed amount. The investment would support the game publisher’s metaverse efforts as the entertainment agency — which represents SUPER JUNIOR, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, KANGTA, BoA, TVXQ!, NCT and aespa — owns an extensive intellectual property portfolio.Music Business Worldwide

Rezz has gone from rising midtempo producer to legitimate headliner in the time since her first release in 2015. Combining her unique branding, relatively transparent personality on social media, and her hypnotizing live sets, it’s really no surprise.

One of her biggest supporters since the beginning has been deadmau5, and though the two have appeared on stage together before, like at North Coast 2021, there hasn’t yet been an official b2b between the two. That seems like it’s set to change next year, as Rezz revealed that it’s officially going to happen at a festival next year that the two will be headlining.

Beyond going b2b with deadmau5, Rezz hasn’t done a proper b2b at all, and this will be the first. Since Ultra has already begun revealing their lineup and the two probably would have been in the first announcement, might not be there. Maybe EDC? Maybe North Coast as a throwback?

We’ll have to wait and find out as lineups for summer festival season next year begin to trickle in.

Deadmau5 and I are gonna go b2b headlining a festival in 2023

First time I’ve ever properly b2b. Just letting you know

— RΞZZ (@OfficialRezz) November 21, 2022

As we enter another college football season, it’s time to take a look at some of our favorite team’s biggest supporters — their mascots. While they may be beloved, some of these costumes aren’t as cute and cuddly as the animals or people they represent. In fact, some of them are downright terrifying (or make no sense at all).

From Sparty to Sparky the Sun Devil, here’s a look at the 13 weirdest mascots in college football.

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Related: College Football 2022 – What You Need to Know & How to Listen

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13. Louie the Cardinal, Louisville

First of all, birds don’t have teeth! Louie the Cardinal is the real-life incarnation of Angry Birds, except he’s the one who holds the slingshot, probably firing humans into a bunch of random objects in hopes of breaking his personal high score.

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12. Hairy Dawg, Georgia

Who let the dogs out?! Hairy Dawg, probably. The meanest bulldog in the nation is not to be messed with.

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11. Sparty, Michigan State

Sparty never misses a day at the gym and is the descendant of a Spartan warrior. Remember the movie 300? It was all based on Sparty; from the chiseled abs to the insane fight sequences to yelling, “THIS IS SPARTA!” All of it.

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10. Big Red, Arkansas

You remember the end of The Lion King when Pumba goes apes**t on a pack of hyenas? “They call me MR. PIG!” Yeah, Big Red is like that all the time.

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9. Willie the Wildcat, Kansas State

Obviously a science experiment gone wrong, Willie the Wildcat has the head of a cat and the body of a human. Think about that for a second — all the evil schemes your cat is clearly plotting against you can now come true thanks to opposable thumbs.

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8. Demon Deacon, Wake Forest

Aren’t Deacons supposed to be the good guys? The Demon Deacon has been known to go cruising on his Harley late at night and put hexes on random strangers. This guy is clearly on the dark side and practices voodoo magic.

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7. Pistol Pete, Oklahoma State

First, I’m compelled to point out Pistol Pete’s eerie resemblance to Burt Reynolds. That’s scary enough, but when you look closely at that shiny plastic face, it’s clear that this dude is certifiably weird.

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6. Webstur, Richmond

You don’t need to have arachnophobia to be afraid of this creepy-crawler. Webstur is the type of spider that won’t be squished by a shoe or bug repellent. In fact, he probably inhales Raid when he wakes up in the morning. It’s going to take a team of exterminators to even attempt to get rid of him.

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5. Purdue Pete, Purdue

Those huge, soulless eyes probably turn you into stone if you stare into them for too long. Not sure what Purdue Pete needs that giant hammer for, but it’s obviously not for anything good.

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4. Sparky the Sun Devil, Arizona State

Sparky the Sun Devil carries a trident and is obviously scheming on the low. I mean, he is an actual devil. Devils are bad. These are facts.

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3. Stanford Tree, Stanford

Yeah. Those eyes. That creepy grin. No thanks.

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2. Big Red, Western Kentucky

Seriously, what is Big Red? This red blob bears no resemblance to anything real. And who knows — could it actually be friendly? But right now it looks like Big Red goes around town and swallows people whole.

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1. Mike VII, LSU

Mike VII takes the cake as our weirdest mascot because he’s an actual living, breathing tiger! Not a costume, but a real predator that is at the top of the food chain and rules the jungle. LSU has had real tiger mascots since 1936 (enter Mike I) as part of their School of Veterinary Medicine.

Sullivan King’s next album, Thrones Of Blood, is officially due out March 2023, as announced with his first single, “The Dead March,” with Ray Volpe. Now, he’s back with the next single, teaming up once again with Wooli for “Let Me Go.”

The two have paired up once before, releasing “Don’t Forget Me” on Monstercat. Sullivan King and Wooli seem to have found a formula that works in their releases, pairing Sully’s voice and an anthemic, melodic first section with a heavier drop, leading into another melodic outro.

Speaking of the track, Sullivan King shares, “Adam and I wrote “Let Me Go” about his fear of planes. I’m pretty sick of him always holding on to me when we fly next to each other and there’s a little turbulence. He’s really just not a great flyer tbh and it’s f*****’ annoying, so Adam if you’re reading this….. let me go. Stop grabbing my hand. You squeeze way too much. We’re gonna be fine. Statistically, not a single plane has crashed from turbulence, so just drink your ginger ale, have those little biscoff cookies American Airlines gives out, and watch a Harry Potter movie. We’re gonna be good.”

Wooli adds, “‘Let Me Go’ is about the time Keaton kidnapped me. He put me in a cage in the crawl space of his Miami condo and left one night to go get more diapers and Monster Energy baby formula for his new kid. I felt it was the perfect time to escape. I picked the lock with a Capri Sun straw and bolted for the elevator. As soon as the doors opened, Keaton was standing there smiling. “Don’t leave yet, we have more ‘content’ to film!” he said. He began to slip back into character as the Joker from Batman. “You don’t want to see me get Reckless do you?” I’m actually still writing this from the cage. If you are reading this, please call 911 or Excision. They are my only hope.”

The next album from Sully will continue to highlight his cross-genre musicianship with notable features on both sides. Check out “Let Me Go” below!

 

Photo via Rukes.com

This Thanksgiving week, SiriusXM is giving you extra helpings of special programming. We’re serving up handpicked mixes perfect for the holiday, a replay of the iconic Farm Aid festival, all three Thanksgiving Day NFL matchups and more. There’s something for everyone at the table!

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Buckle up for another Road Trip Radio mixtape! Whether you’re traveling across state lines or across the country, this family-friendly playlist will help make the miles fly by. Listen anytime on the SXM App.

Need the perfect seasonally appropriate music to soundtrack your Thanksgiving celebration? Enjoy five hours of songs about this wonderful time of year, home, family, gratitude and food. Listen anytime on the SXM App.

If you’re all about that baste, this selection of party hits from the 2010s is for you. From Meghan Trainor and Miley Cyrus to Ariana Grande and Bruno Mars, you’ll be saying “thank u, next” to every delicious sound bite. Listen anytime on the SXM App.

In honor of the farmers who put food on our tables, Willie’s Roadhouse is airing a special encore of this year’s Farm Aid music festival, hosted by Paula Nelson. Listen on Thanksgiving Day from 12–7pm ET and November 27 from 4–11pm ET.

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Catch all three Thanksgiving Day matchups on SiriusXM NFL Radio. The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions kick things off at 12:30pm ET, followed by the New York Giants at the Dallas Cowboys at 4:30pm ET. Finally, the New England Patriots face off against the Minnesota Vikings at 8:20pm ET.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Dolphins’ undefeated 1972 season — the only perfect season in NFL history — Alex Marvez conducts interviews with several key players from the team including QB Bob Griese, RB Larry Csonka, WR Paul Warfield and Safety Dick Anderson. Hear the special on November 24 at 8am ET; November 25 at 2am, 4am, 6am and 10pm ET; November 26 at 4am, 7am, and 11pm ET; and November 27 at 3am ET.

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Netflix Is A Joke Radio (Ch. 93) is celebrating the comedy legends we are most thankful for with an encore presentation of The Hall podcast. Each of the four episodes of this inaugural season will look at a different comedy titan: George Carlin, Joan Rivers, Richard Pryor, and Robin Williams. Catch each episode throughout the week at 12pm and 7pm ET on Netflix Is A Joke Radio, plus a marathon of each edition on Friday from 12-4pm ET.

Pop music superstar Pink took to the American Music Awards stage last night in Los Angeles to pay tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John.

Newton-John passed away in August from breast cancer at age 73, and Pink covered her most well-known song — “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” from the movie Grease.

Pink told People magazine, “[Newton-John] was a kind person. And she was really supportive of younger artists and she was present and [had] songs for days. She just — she was very unique, but you can’t think of another person like her. I hope I do it justice.”

Throughout Pink’s performance, a montage of photos of Newton-John were displayed on the AMAs stage behind her.

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Related: Remember Olivia Newton-John with John Travolta Clip and More

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOmHZj8n71w

Before the tribute, Pink walked the AMAs red carpet with her husband, Carey Hart, and their two children, Willow and Jameson. She also opened the award show with a performance of her latest single, “Never Gonna Not Dance Again.”

“WHEN YOU GET TO SET THE TONE FOR THE WHOLE EVENING,” Pink tweeted before taking the stage.

Her ninth studio album, Trustfall, drops on February 17, 2023.

Much like America having its Big Four of thrash, so does Germany. The Teutonic Big Four includes Sodom, Destruction, Kreator, and Tankard, though it doesn’t sound like we’ll ever get a tour featuring all four.

In an interview with Blabbermouth, Sodom frontman Thomas “Angelripper” Such said he feels Kreator frontman Mille Petrozza isn’t interested in doing a tour. Angelripper added that he, Destruction frontman Marcel “Schmier” Schirmer, and Tankard frontman Andreas “Gerre” Geremia all hung out at the Mexico Metal Fest in September without an appearance from Petrozza, who he said “doesn’t want to spend any time with us.”

“I love Destruction. Schmier is a good friend of mine. They have a different style of music. Destruction is more thrash metal than Sodom; we have more black metal or heavy metal influences. I’m so proud of them. They did it. They created their own style. They have the perfect singer in the band. We always talk about the ‘Big Four’ and touring together, but it’s hard to do. I think Mille is not interested in doing it.

“We played the Mexico Metal Fest last month, the ‘Big Four’, with Hellhammer [performed by Tom G. Warrior‘s Triumph Of Death] and Grave Digger and I talked to Schmier, we had a beer with Gerre, but I didn’t see Mille. He came on stage and went back to the hotel. He doesn’t want to spend any time with us. I don’t know why. Maybe he’s living on a different planet. I don’t think this tour will ever happen.”

Angelripper then added that maybe there should be a Big Three tour featuring Sodom, Destruction, and Tankard instead, or possibly even a one-off show.

“We’re friends, but I’m good friends with Schmier. But Mille…it’s different. He’s not more in the scene. I never see him when we go into any metal bar here in Essen. It’s completely different. We’ll need to talk about the ‘Big Three’ touring. It doesn’t have to be a tour. All the bands have a packed schedule touring, but we can do a big show. This package is good for three, four or five thousand people.”

🎶Hello… It’s me.🎤

November 21 is World Hello Day! This is the only day of the year where it’s perfectly fine to say hello to random strangers as you’re walking down the street. Or better yet, you can sing to random strangers! Here are songs you can use to break the ice and celebrate World Hello Day. Who knows? You might even meet that special someone if you choose the right tune.

“Hello from the other side
I must have called a thousand times.”

Hear Adele on SiriusXM Hits 1 (Ch. 2)

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“You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello.”

Hear The Beatles on The Beatles Channel (Ch. 18)

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“Hello, is it me you’re looking for?”

Hear Lionel Richie on Yacht Rock Radio (Ch. 311)

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“Hello, I love you
Won’t you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you
Let me jump in your game
Hello, I love you
Won’t you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you
Let me jump in your game.”

Hear The Doors on Classic Vinyl (Ch. 26)

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“You had me at hello
Hello
Hello
You had me at hello.”

Hear Beyoncé on The Heat (Ch. 46)

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“And it’s never gonna be the same
‘Til the life I knew comes to my house and says
Hello.”

Hear Oasis on Lithium (Ch. 34)

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“I started this gangsta s**t
And this the motherf****n’ thanks I get? {Hello..}”

Hear Ice Cube on SiriusXM FLY (Ch. 47)

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“Yeah I think you’re cute but really you should know
I just came to say hello
Hello
Hello
Hello.”

Hear Martin Solveig on BPM (Ch. 51)

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“Hello, hello (hola!)
I’m at a place called Vertigo.”

Hear U2 on U2 X-Radio (Ch. 32)

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“Hello Hooray Let the show begin,
I’ve been ready
Hello Hooray Let the lights grow dim,
I’ve been ready.”

Hear Alice Cooper on Ozzy’s Boneyard (Ch. 38)

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“Hello again, hello
Just called to say hello.”

Hear Neil Diamond on The Blend (Ch. 16)

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“Hello, I am your mind giving you someone to talk to
Hello.”

Hear Evanescence on Pop2K (Ch. 10)

Bravo, Qatar Airways.

The Middle East airline helped spark ideas to share from day one of my journey to the World Cup with United Soccer Coaches, Generation Adidas International and SiriusXM FC.

The flight from JFK to Doha was 12 and a half hours. Personally, I’ve never been in the air longer on a direct flight. I downloaded myriad soccer and music videos from Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadina’s “Diego Maradona” to the documentary that showcases the recording factory, “Muscle Shoals.”

Then, a revelation as I maneuvered back to my seat from the lavatory.

One of the passengers was viewing the 2002 World Cup final between Germany and Brazil and I asked him how he accessed it. Turns out, the viewing options on the flight included the full match replays of several WC finals.

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Related: 2022 World Cup on SiriusXM — Don’t Miss a Match

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Since interviewing New York City FC assistant coach Kleberson two months ago, I had been intent to watch Brazil win their record fifth World Cup. Here was my opportunity – eight more hours remained in the flight.

Kleberson started in the midfield for the Seleção and was instrumental in the 2-0 triumph over the Germans – assisting on Ronaldo’s second goal of the match and eighth of the tournament.

A familiar figure marshalled that match from the middle – the current Chairman of FIFA Referees, Pierluigi Collina – arguably the top referee of his era and maybe in the history of the game.

Ahead of the 22^nd edition of the World Cup in Qatar, Collina had a message for all 32 teams – fouls endangering an opponent may well have a harsh outcome.

“Whenever there is something that may endanger the safety of players, coaches should expect the strongest disciplinary sanction, which is a red card,” Collina said at a pre-tournament press conference. “It would be a shame if some of these players wouldn’t be able to play due to an injury caused by an opponent. So, the first message to our referees is to protect the players safety.”

A mere four red cards were brandished four years ago in Russia – the fewest in the finals since 1978.

The figure was 10 reds in Brazil’s 2014 event and 17 at South Africa in the 2019 World Cup. There were 28 ejections at the 2006 finals in Germany.

Meanwhile, VAR makes just its second World Cup appearance in Qatar and Collina has elevated the match-day VAR squads. There will be four video officials for each game: a VAR, an assistant VAR, an assistant VAR who helps adjudicate offside infractions, plus a VAR who will focus on effective communication and the time added from reviews.

And those offside calls will be aided by a new semi-automated system – a three-dimensional approach, which I observed with AYSO’s Dave Thomas from our United Soccer Coaches group during the Qatar-Ecuador match.

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Related: Berhalter’s Former High School Coach – Steffen’s Exclusion Was a ‘Good Call’

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We both looked at each other and just nodded our heads in approval and declared in unison: “no more lines.”

These are some of the items we can scrutinize during the Qatar World Cup, but a vital thing that stood out rewatching that ’02 final with Collina in the middle – he had complete control of the match with proper positioning and communication with players to help prevent elevated tempers and studs-up sort of tackles.

Beyond pre-tournament points of emphasis and technology, it’s the man or woman in the middle who is in ultimate control to nullify issues.

So, in Qatar, let’s see whether there’s more control in some of the tackles or simply a decided increase from the quartet of disqualifications four years ago.

Glenn Crooks is a host on the SiriusXM FC channel and the former head coach of the Rutgers University women’s soccer team.

 

Additionally, don’t miss special coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on SiriusXM. English-language broadcasts of all matches from the highly anticipated tournament will be provided by FOX Sports with broadcasts airing primarily on FOX Sports on SiriusXM (Ch. 83). When two matches are occurring simultaneously, one match will air on SiriusXM FC (Ch. 157).

Farm Aid — the annual music festival with a mission to support family farmers — returned to Raleigh, NC, on September 24, and SiriusXM is broadcasting special encores during Thanksgiving weekend, hosted by Paula Nelson. See the broadcast schedule below.

Tune in to Willie’s Roadhouse (Ch. 59) to hear Farm Aid 2022 performances from Willie Nelson & Family, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Chris Stapleton, Sheryl Crow, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Allison Russell, Charley Crockett, Brittney Spencer and Particle Kid.

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Broadcast Schedule (all times ET)

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November 24 (Thanksgiving Day) from 12–7pm

November 27 from 4–11pm

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Each year, Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price bring together artists, farmers and fans for the annual festival. Incredible music, good food and hands-on activities get folks in touch with the Farm Aid mission: keeping family farmers on the land. Since 1985, Farm Aid has raised more than $64 million to help family farmers. For more information, visit https://www.farmaid.org/.

Learn more about Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM.

Music might be one of the most important things in your life, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to pursue it in earnest easily. From fighting through seasons where inspiration seems impossible with having to balance non-musical priorities during your week, working on music consistently can feel impossible to do sometimes. But the truth is that your ability to make music creation, performance, and promotion a regular part of your life could be the single factor that determines whether you reach your goals or not. If you want to earn a living through music or simply create work that deeply resonates with a wide audience, you won’t get there without hard, consistent work. No matter what kind of music you make or what your goals are, you’ll thrive and grow much more as a musician if you can prioritize music in your weekly schedule. Here are three tips for helping you do just that:

Create an action plan to tackle short-term goals

If you’re a songwriter, free and unstructured time to work on music should absolutely be a part of your weekly schedule. But to make those times more productive, start first by creating a list of short-term goals to accomplish each week. If you’re in the middle of recording an album, it could be finishing specific songs or working on a promotion plan. If you are unclear on how to spend your time, thinking about what you want out of music and how to get there is a great way to make progress. Serious musicians will get the most out of splitting their time between creating and rehearsing but also some of the less sexy things that need to be done like answering emails, pitching music, and planning. By prioritizing what’s important and carving out enough time to address each item on your list, you’ll ensure that you’ll have time to create and handle everything that needs to happen in your music career each week.

Be realistic when carving out time for music

We’d all love to spend eight hours a day working on music, and some of us are lucky enough to do it. But for the rest of us––those with non-music careers, families, and other obligations––working on music each week is a balancing act. You might not be able to accommodate a 40-hour musical week, but you could potentially swing a 15-hour one, and you can get a lot done in that timeframe if you focus. Being realistic about the amount of time you can commit to music each week means approaching things in a sustainable way. As you develop your music, it could become a bigger and bigger part of your life that eventually helps to financially support you. But the truth is that it could be years before that happens. If you think of the long game rather than what things look like now, you’ll see that consistently writing great music over a period of years is what earns artists dedicated fans. You can absolutely make that happen, but your chances of getting there will be much better if you can be realistic about your music commitment with something like two to three hours a day of work with more on the weekends. 

Choose and stick to consistent times when you do nothing but focus on music

If you’re being realistic about the times you can commit to music during your week and can shape how you spend your time by tackling short-term goals, you need to make absolutely sure to focus on music without distractions. This means that when you set aside time to write music during the week, all you do is write music––close your laptop, turn off your smartphone, kick your roommate/kids out of the room, and do nothing but focus on creating. Doing this is actually a lot harder than it sounds, but it will pay off. Think about whether you’ll be able to focus only on music during the week when you schedule time to write. 

When we hear amazing music, it’s natural to think there are massive and unseen forces out of an artist’s control at work, and to a degree this is true. We can’t control when or how great ideas in music come to us, but we can show up to the writing process as often as possible. Doing this increases our chances of wrestling something great considerably. 

Patrick McGuire is a writer, musician, and human man. He lives nowhere in particular, creates music under the name Straight White Teeth, and has a great affinity for dogs and putting his hands in his pockets.

Music in the digital age has been dominated by streaming services, making it easier
than ever to listen to new music. But for all its convenience, the platform lacks
musicians with the talent and charisma to make them memorable. Jovian, a fast-rising
recording artist, signed to Sha Money XL (former manager of G Unit Records), is
changing that. In case you missed it, this guy is hot right now. Having your single
backed by Sha Money XL, the driving force behind Travis Scott’s “Owl Pharaoh”, is a
significant coup for any up-and-coming musician. Jovian has that and more.
No matter how many times you play it, Jovian’s music feels like an endless playlist of
jams that sound both new and refreshing at the same time. But don’t let the sounds fool
you: there are profound messages woven throughout his lyrics. It seems this artist has
been through some tough stuff in life, but he’s done it all without losing himself or giving
up on what he loves most: making music.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Jovian discovered his talent at a young age
before finding his voice as he got older. However, he didn’t jump into music
immediately. His journey in the entertainment space began with 11 years of acting
school, which prepared him for life in the limelight. However, the path was not always as
straightforward as Jovian would have liked.

Growing up, the artist experienced several mental health challenges that made it difficult
to focus on the path ahead. Jovian has been vocal about battling depression, anxiety,
and body dysmorphia, and how music helped him find his healing. Jovian’s healing
began when he downloaded T-Pain’s auto-tune app and channeled his feelings into
melodies. Gradually, most of the noise disappeared and left him with one clear thought:
he needed to use his voice to give healing to others experiencing similar pain.
Jovian’s music has sensations of not only just hope but definitive healing and progress.
The best way to describe him as a musician is that he’s a mix of every good artist out
right now. He brings together the rapping skills, clever wordplay, punchlines, and
rhythms of Kendrick Lamar, and creates melodies in the same vein as Frank Ocean.
Jovian attributes his uniqueness to a rare condition called synesthesia, which allows
him to not just experience color with his eyes, but with all five senses. In other words, he
creates music you can touch, smell, hear, taste, and see.

Mental health and healing are major themes in Jovian’s art. His songs, including his
latest, “Nebraska”, are instruments of hope and empowerment, reminding the listener
that life does get better. In the official teaser for “Nebraska”, Jovian explains that the
song is about the trials of a relationship with toxic traits that weren’t fixed at the
inception and questioning if it’s too late to fix deep habits and deep sensations of
resentment, but still being hopeful because genuine love is there.
He explained why he wrote it and others, “I am living proof that not only do things get
better when you actively work to make them better, but I am how it looks when you get
to the other side!” His goal is to make more music that anyone can absorb, be
entertained, and ultimately become a better person after engaging with it. As he
observes, that is very rare nowadays.

Getting your music to reach a wider audience and go viral is not easy in the highly-
competitive music scene. While the modern social media-driven industry has made it
easy for artists to release their music, this doesn’t create an opportunity for any song to
dominate the airwaves. Musicians still need to creatively tap into their authenticity to
release not only a classic hit but also a timeless tune that people can easily relate to.
This is the art executed by some musical legends, including Michael Jackson and
Whitney Houston, to mention a few.

Following the same path to musical glory is DJ 5 Day Forecast, a sensational producer,
songwriter, and DJ. Born and raised in Philadelphia, DJ 5 Day Forecast has grown to
become one of the top musical talents to watch out for in the industry. Music has been
part of DJ 5 Day Forecast’s life from childhood, and his dream is to rule the musical
waves. Learning from the best of the local and global scene, such as Cosmo Baker,
Royale, Sat One, and Rich Medina, the multi-genre producer has mastered his craft,
thrilling fans with his releases.

DJ 5 Day Forecast has become every partygoer’s favorite, thanks to his irresistible
charisma and undying love for the craft. Proving to be a cut above the rest, all his
releases have been hit after hit, and he is showing no signs of slowing down. His latest
sophomore single, “Baby I’m Good,” is a uniquely-crafted work of art and a clear
example of his capability. “Baby I’m Good” is a high-energy single with uptempo beats
that pumps up listeners with its danceable rhythm, not to forget the catchy hooks and
masterfully crafted layers.
DJ 5 Day Forecast’s debut track hit 50K streams across various platforms, and there is
no reason to think “Baby I’m Good” wouldn’t amass the same, if not more. The fantastic
summer vibes and infectious energy are a joy to listen to, helping DJ 5 Day Forecast
expand his brand of music while also alluring fans worldwide. According to DJ 5 Day

Forecast, the goal is to make all his releases streamed globally and for sure spread the
good vibes.
The versatile and ambitious producer is already hinting at plans to release a follow-up
project that will cement his position in the musical game. The producer is also working
on his debut EP, which he intends to drop in the coming months. He is also working on
a new track that samples Mya’s 2000 hit song “Case of the Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do).”
This is a unique and exciting project for DJ 5 Day Forecast as he aspires to work and
collaborate with other top musical talents.
To other young musicians, DJ 5 Day Forecast understands that the journey to success
isn’t easy, but there is always a way around every obstacle. He encourages everyone to
work hard and invest in their creativity and authenticity. Remember, the music scene is
crowded, and your originality will set you apart from the rest.

The Elon Musk takeover of Twitter has certainly been interesting so far. Recent highlights include a mass exodus of employees, the return of Donald Trump causing waves (and Kanye West too), and the copyright strike system failing so hard that people are just uploading entire movies. Amidst all this is of course high-profile names (and even entire companies) pulling out of the platform or pausing their usage.

One such user is Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor, who said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he’d be leaving soon. Reznor said he has an issue with the billionaire class coming and in thinking they can solve everything, though he clarifies his urge to leave predates Musk‘s reign.

“I’m about to depart. We don’t need the arrogance of the billionaire class to feel like they can just come in and solve everything. Even without him involved, I just find that it has become such a toxic environment. For my mental health, I need to tune out. I don’t feel good being there anymore.”

As a 30-something year old, it’s interesting to see the rise and fall of social media. Obviously there was the small wave of MySpace, but then we had the giants like Facebook and Twitter coming in and really taking things over. And now in 2022, with Twitter facing an uncertain future and Facebook having recently cut 13% of its staff, it definitely feels like we’re all in for a major shift sometime in the next few years.

On the flip side of all that, everyone seems to be lamenting Twitter as if it was dead… and it’s still there, still functioning. So we’ll see what happens, right?

Eric Anders and Mark O’Bitz are a prolific indie folk/Americana duo who have produced some of the most interesting and beautiful work the genre has seen in the last four years. With the harmoizing aptitude of Fleet Foxes and the like but the post-punk grit of Tom Waits, these two artists are well-known by those of us at YEDM who follow such circles, but we never thought they’d end up featured on YEDM. We should never underestimate the innovation of a good artist, and the newly remixed versions of their haunting 2020 album American Bardo show Anders and O’Bitz as the latest artists to prove that point.

Now that we hear them, the remixes of American Bardo, retitled for the occasion as Bardo Hauntings and split into two parts, sound like they were made to be electronic all along. So much so, in fact, that the original songs almost sound a bit minimal now. Quite often with folk and Americana work that’s been re-written or remixed into electronica or pop, there’s a moment of, “hmm, that’s weird,” in one’s head, followed by either a yay or nay vote. Ths is very much not the case with Bardo Hauntings, and the reason for these remixes gelling so well is definitely the remixers, Mike Butler and Steven Jess Borth II (CHLLNGR).

Bardo Hauntings I, the Butler Hauntings, contains remixes from half of American Bardo done by engineer and producer Mike Butler. Aside from his engineering creds with Phoebe Bridgers, Norah Jones, The Shins and The Predenders (among countless others), Butler has been working with Anders and O’Bitz for a long time. Intimate knowledge of an artist’s body of work obviously helps with a project like this, and Butler probably has the most intimate knowledge of these artist aside from the artists themselves. He produced and mixed American Bardo itself, along with every Anders/O’Bitz release since, save for 2021’s True September Songs, including the Bardo Hauntings EPs.

For those EDM fans who are also aware of the jazz, folk and ska worlds, Steve Borth may already be a familiar name. Part of a musical dynasty began by his father Steven Jess Borth I, Borth II had an early aptitude for music and was already recognized as a saxopohone prodigy by age 10. Borth has been all over the world utsilizing his multi-instrumental talents in ensembles and ska bands, but EDMers may know him better by his ska/reggae/soul/electronica crossover project, CHLLNGR. Fusing all those genres with breaks, future bass, dubstep, house and techno, Borth’s CHLLNGR project garnered him quite a bit of attention from the EDM world in in the early 2010s. His aptitude for such fusion also made him a perfect choice for Bardo Hauntings.

The 12 remixes on American Bardo are split evenly between Butler and Borth to make the two Bardo Hauntings, but it seems the two artists picked which ones they wanted, as the track order doesn’t follow the original LP. In this way, each producer was able to tell his own story with the tracks they chose. It seems Anders and O’Bitz gave them carte blanche.

The title, ‘Bardo Hauntings,’ is based on the idea that remixes haunt the original songs.  In this case, the original songs are those of American Bardo, so these remixes are “bardo hauntings.”  As with ghosts, the original is present and absent at the same time

Butler flexed some composition muscles few other than his laundry list of famous clients have heard before. Ranging from the startling yet emotive industrial/ambient blend of the “Won’t Live It Down” remix to the heady, theatrical and largely analog remix of “Matterbloomlight” (this is now a third version of this achingly beautiful song, by the way) to the minimal hour mix of “Holding Will,” Butler incorporates a range of styles and genres without overdoing it. This is key with such a delicate sound pallette as is in Anders and O’Bitz’s original discography.

Borth’s remixes are both more grassroots and more ravey than Butler’s approach. In most of the tracks he remixes, Borth keeps almost all of the original stems, including the instrumentals and general pop/rock structure, as more and more electronica creeps in progressively to the tunes as both they and the EP roll on.  The first track “Haunting Abraham,” for example, starts off almost completely acoustic and then grows in production complexity ad Borth adds in a house beat subtly masked as analog. By the end, the track has a full compliment of strings and can no be easily recognizable as a pop or folk EDM track. Talk about delicate treatment; it’s almost like we’re duped into rave tracks on Borth’s EP, and each track is a surprise as to how it will unveil itself.

Butler and Borth had very different approaches to this remixing project, but they both brought out the best of Anders and O’Bitz’s work, and hopefully exposed it to a whole new range of fans. The idea that these are electronic “hauntings” of American Bardo is a brilliant one, as it ties in the Bardo Hauntings not only to the original album but to the 2017 Pulitzer-winning book by George Saunders, Lincoln In the Bardo upon which American Bardo was based. It’s an illustration of how great art begets great art begets great art and it can spread across media, generations and genres. Now the only thing left to do is go full on Bardo inception and have Butler and Borth remix each other’s remixes. In the meantime, a beautiful body of work is now here for folk, literature and EDM fans alike to enjoy the “hauntings.”

Bardo Hauntings I and II are both out now and can be streamed on Spotify or purchased on Bandcamp. Check the links in this article to learn more about Mike Butler and Stebe Borth II (CHLLNGR).