The R&B star’s music sounds like the work of an artist who’s been sure of where he’s going for a long time Since supplying the sugary “u up?” chorus to Drake’s 2020 track “Chicago Freestyle,” Southern California singer-songwriter Givēon has become a force in modern R&B. Last year, his scorching 2020 ballad “Heartbreak Anniversary” became an unlikely TikTok sensation and a fixture of bummed-out playlists; that March, his cameo on Justin Bieber’s breezy stoner-pop smash “Peaches” gave him his first chart-topping hit.
Givēon had done all that without releasing an album — until now. The 15-track Give or Take doubles down on the contemplative romanticism that has made him such an appealing addition to this decade’s pop landscape. Give or Take is framed as a 45-minute conversation between the 27-year-old singer and his mother, who dispenses wisdom and support for her son’s musical success and romantic ups and downs. That structure helps Give or Take feel grounded — Givēon’s mother knows him too well for him to couch his insecurities in wild boasts or evasive platitudes, and she’s also caring enough to not berate him for any missteps he might make. “People make mistakes. People don’t always agree with each other. Keep that in mind,” she says at the end of the glittery opener “Let Me Go.” The openheartedness Givēon’s mother instilled in her son gives his music a powerful emotional core. Give or Take has a slew of producers and co-writers — OVO Sound guru Boi-1da co-produced the regret-wracked slow-dance “Scarred” and the glassy closing track “Unholy Matrimony,” while “Heartbreak Anniversary” collaborator Sevn Thomas co-penned and co-produced the head-over-heels “Make You Mine” — but it feels like a cohesive whole because of Givēon’s tender baritone, which cuts through atmospherics and rides grooves with equal dexterity. His physical voice has a sweetly rubbery quality that gives its lower register added gravity and makes its higher notes soar. Combine it with his candid yet imagistic lyrics and it’s hard to not get invested in his journey, whether he’s brooding about being betrayed on the echoing “Lie Again” or outlining his wishes for companionship on the gauzy “Get to You.” “Another Heartbreak” is particularly enhanced by Givēon’s all-in approach to love and songwriting. A piano-led ballad, it shows Givēon reckoning with the potential pitfalls of love’s flip side. Its lyrics are straightforward in a way that betrays his deep feelings — “Not saying that we’ll fail, girl/I just know that I’m scared,” he wails on the chorus — and the slowly building backing track, which includes a spectral choir and sweeping strings, adds to the feeling of unrest. Givēon’s ascent to pop’s upper echelons has been rapid even by 21st-century standards, but Give or Take sounds like the work of an artist who’s been sure of where he’s going for a long time. It’s confident yet vulnerable even in its most blissed-out moments, making his songs hit harder and imbuing his voice with even more soul. MAURA JOHNSTON
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THE VOCALIST THANKS ALL THE FANS IN ARMY FOR THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT TO CELEBRATE THE GROUP'S NINTH ANNIVERSARY Summer is very much in the air, and on Monday (June 13), BTS’s Jungkook celebrated by dropping a brand new solo single and a heartfelt tribute for the ARMY titled “My You.”
The song, which has both Korean and English lyrics, was released alongside the ongoing 2022 BTS Festa, which annually celebrates the anniversary of the group’s debut. This year marks BTS’s ninth anniversary, and on the track, Jungkook thanks the fans for all their genuine love and support. “It’s a song only for you, and I hope this song will make me who made this song and all of you who will listen to this song become more hopeful, make each of us shine, and be a strength,” he said in a note on the group’s official website. “ARMY, thank you always and let’s make more good memories together!” To accompany the single, an adorable video was uploaded with lyrics flowing through Android text messages, Instagram stories and posts, and a music-playing user interface. “All these lights are colored in by you / All these times are precious due to you,” Jungkook sings in the chorus. “ Four seasons have passed with you / Four scents were left ‘cause of you.” And get ready for even more feels: “All the reasons why I can laugh out / All the reasons why I sing this song / Thankful to be by your side now / I'll try to shine brighter than now.” BTS recently dropped their first anthology album Proof, along with a brand new single, “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment).” Alongside the release, the group has also launched pop-up stores in New York and Los Angeles for exclusive merch for the album and from past music releases. ATHENA SERRANO WITH THE HELP OF BIG FREEDIA, QUEEN BEY IS FEELING LIBERATED FOR HER UPCOMING SEVENTH ALBUM 'RENAISSANCE' Queen Bey is lookin’ for motivation and a new foundation, and she might just break your soul on the dance floor in the process.
On Tuesday (June 21), Beyoncé dropped her newest resonating single “Break My Soul” from Act I of her upcoming seventh studio album, Renaissance. The track is a throwback to ‘90s house music melded with call-and-repeat vocals sampled from bounce legend Big Freedia’s song “Explode” and instrumentals from “Show Me Love” by Robin S. The song first dropped on Tidal three hours ahead of its scheduled midnight release before becoming available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. “You won’t break my soul,” the resilient queen vocalizes repeatedly in the pulsating introduction and chorus. “I’m tellin’ everybody.” Heralded as an anthem for both the “Great Resignation” and the “post-pandemic era” the song's lyrics channel many of our complicated collective feelings about the rocky last two years, as well as the cautious excitement that comes with reentering society. “I just quit my job / I'm gonna find new drive, damn, they work me so damn hard,” she sings, before breaking free from the stress with a bold, energetic rap. “I'mma let down my hair 'cause I lost my mind,” she continues. “Bey is back and I'm sleepin' real good at night / The queens in the front and the Doms in the back / Ain't takin' no flicks but the whole clique snapped.” Big Freedia comes through on the liberated post-chorus and in the outro. “Release ya anger, release ya mind / Release ya job, release the time,” her distant vocals rap. “Release ya trade, release the stress / Release the love, forget the rest.” And on Instagram, the New Orleans-based rapper gave an excited and joyful shout-out to her collaborator. “It feels surreal to be on the track with the Queen Beyonce once again,” she wrote. “I’m so honored to be a part of this special moment, I’m forever grateful lord.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CfDRmggDTgS/Big Freedia previously collaborated with Beyoncé in sampling lyrics for the song “Formation” off the pop icon’s universally acclaimed 2016 album Lemonade. “I did not come to play with you hoes, haha,” she says on the song. “I came to slay, bitch.” Beyoncé announced on June 16 that Renaissance: Act I will drop on July 29. In a recent interview with British Vogue, for which she also posed regally and magnificently for the cover, she stated that the new album will have “soaring vocals and fierce beats” and “music that makes you rise, that turns your mind to cultures and subcultures, to our people past and present, music that will unite so many on the dance floor, music that touches your soul.” Fittingly, she also described the album as if “a split second, I’m transported back to the clubs of my youth.” According to Variety, Renaissance will not just dance tracks but also country-leaning tracks. Songwriter Ryan Tedder, who co-wrote her 2008 hit “Halo” for the album I Am… Sasha Fierce, is reported to have contributed to writing for the album. Since the tea-spilling of Lemonade in 2016, Beyoncé has worked on numerous projects. She starred as Nala in the 2019 musical remake of The Lion King and curated its soundtrack album called The Lion King: The Gift. On Juneteenth 2020, she released the surprise charity single “Black Parade,” and an online directory called "Black Parade Route" was launched alongside the song’s release to promote Black-owned small businesses. Recently, Beyonce produced the original song “Be Alive” for the 2021 film King Richard, which in 2022 won a Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Original Song and received several award nominations, including Best Original Song at the Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. ATHENA SERRANO ATHENA SERRANO Kendrick Lamar made sure Glastonbury closed with a bang, and was covered in blood for powerful message (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage) Kendrick Lamar’s debut performance at Glastonbury was delivered in electrifying style as the rapper brought the festival to a close wearing a custom crown of thorns, covered in 8,000 diamonds.
The US rapper, 35, who leaned heavily on theatrics with a group of backing dancers throughout, brought performance art to Worthy Farm with his blistering set. Without the usual special guests, Kendrick whipped through his songs without too much pause for thought until near the end. In a performance that was met with cheers from the crowd throughout, perhaps the biggest reaction of all came right at its climax when the headliner seemingly condemned the US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade with his final words. The votes of five US Supreme Court Justices on Friday ended America’s constitutional right to abortion by overturning the landmark ruling. At the end of his 90-minute set, and with blood pouring down his face, Kendrick declared: ‘They judge me; they judge Christ. Godspeed for women’s rights’, repeating the phrase several times in a powerful moment before suddenly cutting short and leaving the stage. Tori Brazier Diana Ross drew an absolutely jaw-dropping crowd at Glastonbury Festival, as she took on the legends slot at the grand age of 78 – and brought the party. The I’m Coming Out hitmaker gave us hit after hit as she took to the Pyramid Stage on Sunday. Belting out iconic hits, Diana gave us a rendition of Chain Reaction and Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, as well as songs from her new album, Thank You. Of course, she dressed for the occasion, swanning about the stage in an angelic white gown. Diana was absolutely thrilled to take on the festival, delightedly telling the huge crowd: ‘Can you see me? I can see you!’ and getting fans to sing along. Fans couldn’t resist dancing and singing along for the epic performance. While some viewers weren’t too impressed at the singer’s vocals, others pointed out that she’s certainly earned the right to drop a note or two – and she still smashed her performance. Fans turned out in force (Picture: BBC) |
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