**February**: Chappell
Roan’s “HOT TO
GO!” dance went
viral on social media
thanks to the song’s
catchy beats and
Roan’s musical riffs.

**April**: Jojo Siwa’s new song
“Karma” blew up on the
internet. Her silly costumes
and dances pushed her
up to number one on the
internet’s hate list.

**April**: A video
of teenage boys
dancing at a party
to “Carnival” by
Kanye West brought
an insane amount of
psychological analysis
 to their friend
group

**May**: The feud
between Drake and
Kendrick Lamar
came to a head,
leading to the
release of multiple
diss tracks such as
Lamar’s “euphoria”
and Drake’s
“Family Matters.”

**June**: The release of
Charli XCX’s album
“Brat” took the world
by storm, giving rise
to new TikTok trends
such as the “Apple”
dance.

**August**: The “very
mindful, very
demure” TikTok
trend quickly went
viral. Was it used in
the wrong context
half the time? Yes,
but it was very catchy
nonetheless.

**August**: The
2024 Olympics
featured a variety
of pop culture
moments: the
cardboard beds,
the gymnastics
“superman”
Stephen
Nedoroscik, and
the Australian
breakdancer.

**September**: Season 33
of “Dancing with the
Stars” had some iconic
moments, from the
controversy over Anna
Delvey’s placement
to the showmance
between Brooks and
Gleb.

Recapping 2024: best pop culture moments of the year

### Jane Sajan '25

**What were you most surprised about your Spotify Wrapped?**

 I was in the top 0.005 percent for my top artist so I felt like it was so cool
that I was part of that. I never thought I would be, so [this is] definitely
[giving me] bragging rights.

**Who were your top artist and song this year?**

 Yeat and “500 lbs."

### Erin Pilicer '26

**How often do you think about your Spotify Wrapped
year-round?**

 A few times a month. I have earbuds, so that keeps me thinking
about it.

**Who was your top artist and song this year?**

 Clairo and “Birds of a Feather."

### Kanishk Mogha ’28

**What is your favorite part about Spotify Wrapped?**

 Probably just the fact that it recaps it and I’m shocked that it is even able
to determine what my top song is because god knows how many times I’ve
listened to some of these songs.

**Do you think your Spotify Wrapped this year was accurate?**

 Yes, very much so. I’m a big fan of psychedelic rock and that was very
accurately reflected.

### Sonya Allee ’27

**What’s your favorite part about Spotify Wrapped?**

 [My favorite part is] seeing my [different] moods each month.

**Who were your top artist and song this year?**

 Florence and the Machine and “Motion Sickness."

### Hayah Mian ’25

**What’s your favorite part about Spotify Wrapped?**

 I have Apple Music replay, [and] my favorite part is being surprised by my
top artist, because every year I try to vary it, and every year at least three of my
artists are the same. It’s always kind of fun to see what accumulated over time.
Harry Styles was my fifth favorite artist, and I didn’t know I listened to him
that much, but [it] turns out in February I got sad and listened to his album
over and over again. It makes you reflect [on] your year.

**What do you use your Spotify Wrapped for?**

 I usually post it on my story so people can know my top artist, because I
really think that gives a good indicator of what I like to listen to and the type
of person I am. [I like] to compare with my family and friends, and also [to
realize] what a year I’ve had.

**Who were your top artist and song this year?**

 Taylor Swift and “Not Strong Enough."

### Iaroslav Baicev '25

**Who were your top artist and song
this year?**

 Oasis and “Don’t Look Back In Anger."

### Eve Kavookjin ’27

**Who were your top artist and song
this year?**

Adrianne Lenker and “Acolyte."

### Christina Metaxas ’25

**Do you think Spotify Wrapped is an
important part of the platform?**

 I think it’s fun, and you get to see
[what you listened to]. But is it going
to change who I listen to next year?
Not really.

Our soundtracks of the year

Fashion trends today are constantly evolving and never
stick around for long. And yet, it seems that the latest
styles often cycle back to old favorites — jorts, chunky
sneakers and bold animal prints, for example— which
keeps history’s styles at the forefront of our minds. While
this endless loop of reinvention makes fashion thrillingly
unpredictable, it also leaves thousands of clothes discarded,
primarily due to fast fashion, as closets adapt to
these changing trends.

Popular clothing styles from past decades are
slowly making their comeback into the lives
of the new generation. Jorts became a trend
during the 1960s counterculture movement as
younger generations embraced the scandalous
nature of cutting their jeans to above the knees.
The lengths and styles of jorts have changed over
the years: people in the 1970s and 1980s opted for
shorter and tighter-fitting styles, while hip hop
artists in the 1990s pushed for lower waistlines
with longer and baggier pant legs.

Another item of clothing that grew in popularity in the
1990s were chunky sneakers, but they fell out of fashion
later on shoes that were more sleek and minimalist replaced
them. However, by the mid to late 2010s, chunky sneakers
were brought back into the fashion realm after the “dad
shoes” trend arose.

While these aesthetic comebacks are being widely
accepted by the newer generations, rapidly changing
fashion styles pose many issues. For one, what
makes fast fashion “fast” is the poor quality of the
clothing, which often results in garments becoming
unwearable after only a few uses. This creates a cycle
for the wearer: buy cheap clothes, wear them a few
times, throw them out, buy more cheap clothes,
wear them a few times, throw them out, etc. As
trends shift shorter, consumers feel compelled to
constantly replace items, perpetuating the loop
and increasing environmental harm.

Moreover, the concept of “fast fashion” has become
more widespread due to these fashion changes.
Teenagers are often the target audience of fast fashion
companies like Shein and Temu, as they’re drawn to buying
large heaps of clothing at once due to the cheap prices. While
there is a wave of excitement when one receives their Shein
package, most are unaware or overlook the underlying
issue of inadequately treated workers. According to
Humanium, an organization focused on children’s rights,
in Asian countries such as India and Bangladesh, many
child laborers are overworked and underpaid to create
clothing for fast-fashion brands following such trends.
Unfortunately, the production of fast-fashion clothes also
creates environmental problems due to the excessive use of
water and the amount of plastic used within the garments.

The concept of fashion trends being cyclical isn’t
inherently bad; the old is brought back as “new.” However,
issues emerge when society is always looking for the
next new thing to popularize, discarding clothes with
the blink of an eye, as many of fast-fashion’s workers and
the environment are left to shoulder the consequences
of our temporary desires.

What goes around comes around: a fashion commentary

### "Corpse Bride"

“Corpse Bride,” directed by Tim Burton,
draws viewers into a haunting world where
love reaches beyond the grave. On the day
before his wedding, Victor, who is betrothed
to Victoria, runs away into a dark forest
to practice his vows. While practicing, he
places his ring on the root of a tree, only
for it to be revealed as the skeleton
hand of a dead woman named Emily.
By placing the ring on Emily’s finger,
Victor is officially married to this
“corpse bride,” and finds himself
taken away to the land of the dead
as her husband. From there, he
works to escape back to the land of
the living to reunite with Victoria.

While the stop-motion
animation and Burton’s gothic
style give the film a spooky look,
I would not really consider it as
an ideal Halloween movie; at first it seems
like a classic horror movie with villainous
characters and jumpscares, but it ends up
being very sweet and meaningful, pivoting
away from the usual outcome of most horror
tropes. The land of the dead is not dark and
cruel, and the land of the living is not lively
and enjoyable; rather, the stereotypes of
both have been switched. The dead are not
cruel and quiet, but the living are instead.
When the living and the dead meet, it is
not seen as a terrifying interaction, but a
sweet reunion. This refreshing take portrays
death not as something to be feared, but as
a peaceful transition.

I also loved the way the expected villain
was portrayed. While at first the audience
is meant to see the villain as cruel and
unfair, throughout the movie this
perspective shifts; the character turns
out to be incredibly sympathetic,
especially at the end when they
realize they are putting someone
else through the same hardships
they once faced. While the movie
doesn’t follow the trajectory of a classic
Halloween jumpscare film, it ultimately
delivers an unexpectedly engaging storyline
and provides depth to its characters
alongside its gothic charm.

### "Nightmare on Elm Street"

If you’re looking for a Halloween fright,
nothing beats “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
With spooky season just around the corner,
we all need some chilling movies to get us
into the Halloween spirit.

Directed by Wes Craven, this
1980s slasher film follows
teenager Nancy Thompson
and her friends in Spring
County, Ohio. One day,
the lives of these teens
are forever changed
when they become
targets of Freddy Krueger, a
burn victim and serial killer.
Though Nancy soon finds out
the reason for Freddy’s deadly
hauntings, she realizes it may
be too late to save herself and
her friends. The climax of the
movie was tense and grabbed
my full attention because the
main character was in a suspenseful
situation, leaving the watcher on the
edge of their seat.

At the beginning, I thought this was
another cheesy horror movie; however, the
notion of a friend group that sticks together
until the end really enhanced the pain and
fear that I felt for the characters, making me
feel as though I had experienced
that nightmare alongside them.
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
is one of those classic movies
that will for sure stay popular
for years to come. Although
some jumpscares were pretty
predictable, it added a certain
charm to the feel of the movie,
and hearing the iconic song,
“One, Two, Freddy’s Coming
For You” felt very nostalgic
as well.

 Instead of wasting
time searching for the
cinematographically “perfect”
Halloween movie, this
classic film makes for a great
combination of nostalgia and
thrill.

Screen or scream: two Halloween movies, reviewed

As the summer season comes to a close and fall begins,
students often find themselves thrust from the carefree
warm summer days into colder damp fall evenings. To
help transition to these colder quiet days we have created
the perfect moody fall playlist to study with, take a
walk with while admiring the fall foliage, or
snuggle up to with a warm drink and a
good book. Scan the QR code below to
get the full playlist.

“august” by Taylor Swift
The eighth track on Taylor Swift’s
eighth studio album, “folklore,”
“august” has become one of my
favorite fall songs to put on as we
enter the new season. The song sends
me back to the nostalgia of summer:
watching the sunset, driving around,
getting ice cream with friends, or sitting
by the campfire. The song is filled with contrast, as it has
a relatively fast paced rhythm, accompanied by Swift’s
soothing vocals and instrumental track. It is also sequential
to the album’s love triangle trilogy. My favorite line from
the song is, “Remember when I pulled up and said, ‘Get
in the car’ / And then canceled my plans just in case you’d
call? / Back when I was livin’ for the hope of it all, for the
hope of it all,” which contributes to the song’s intended
meaning, as it reflects on a characterized summer fling
that couldn’t be further developed. This sentiment is also
reflected in the other songs in the trilogy, “cardigan” and
“betty,” and further adds to the album’s concept as fictional,
as opposed to Swift’s autobiographical style seen prior.
Whether you’re a “Swiftie” or not, this song will transport
you into a euphoric daydream walk along the shore.

“Open Season” by High Highs
“Open Season” is the title track from Australian indie
rock band High Highs’ album “Open Season,” released
in 2013. When I hear this song, I picture myself winding
down after a long school day, and watching the leaves fall
from my window, due to the acoustic strumming in the
instrumental track. The song is slow and simple, but it
holds a powerful meaning underneath its soft, acoustic, and
composed structure. The song “Open Season” portrays a
person letting go of their resentful feelings that are holding
them back in life. The lyrics “get on your knees in the fire
/ you can leave it all in your mind” advise the audience
to take control of their thoughts and face their fears. I’d
recommend “Open Season” if you want to listen to a laid-
back song this fall.

“Not Strong Enough” by boygenius
“Not Strong Enough” is a song by American
indie folk rock supergroup boygenius,
consisting of artists Phoebe Bridgers,
Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus.
“Not Strong Enough” is the sixth
track on boygenius’s debut studio
album, “the record,” released a
year ago. This song, which layers
a composition of indie and rock
throughout, perfectly encapsulates
traveling and observing the fall
scenery. The song demonstrates the
evolution of finding yourself and your
true identity, which is reflected through
the undertones of vulnerability in the
lyrics. My favorite line would have to be, “Always
an angel, never a god,” because it sums up
the song as a whole, with the message
pertaining to women continuously
feeling like they are not good enough,
by being dehumanized as angels
collated to men as gods. The song
features a beautiful vocal blend
between the three musicians and
is accompanied by a music video
exploring the group’s friendship.

“Maine” by Noah Kahan
“Maine” is a song by indie rock artist
Noah Kahan on his EP “Cape Elizabeth.”
The song has recently been rerecorded on Kahan’s
new “Live from Fenway Park” album with new
instruments and vocals that bring the song to a new level.
“Maine” is a song about looking back on simple times in
life and reflecting on one’s personal growth through time.
Kahan perfectly depicts the feeling of being in love with
places and people, and how it feels to miss them as one
grows up and moves away, leaving their memories behind.
In the lyrics, “used to sing along to church bells on Sundays,
can you even hear them from the subway now,” he recalls
how everything in his life — including the sounds — has
changed. The song has such a beautiful melody that reminds
me of the music that plays at the end of a rom-com. This
is the perfect song to save for one of the last warm days of
summer when you’re sitting by the water and just enjoying
the scenery.

“Second Chances” by Gregory Alan Isakov
“Second Chances” is a song by Gregory Alan Isakov on
his album “The Weatherman.” “Second Chances” brings
me such nostalgia of childhood memories and happiness.
The song is relaxed and smooth but with powerful vocals
and lyrics. The best part of the song is the chorus, where
Isakov sings, “If it weren’t for second chances we’d all be
alone.” I feel that this line so powerfully portrays the ups
and downs of a relationship, and really prompts a moment
of reflection for how far we’ve come as individuals. This is
a feel good song that makes me feel so calm and centered.
Anytime I listen to it, I feel like I’m the main character in
a Greta Gerwig movie because the style is very similar to
the outros of her films.

“For Emma” by Bon Iver
“For Emma” by Bon Iver is an upbeat song that captures
the vibe of warmer fall days when the trees
are fully orange. The song is on Bon Iver’s
EP “For Emma, Forever Ago” and centers
around a failed relationship with a past
partner; while the relationship had gone
well in the beginning, it was time for it to
end and for the former partner to “go find
another lover.” The song is classic Bon Iver
with beautiful vocals and instrumentals
that create a sense of peaceful solitude.
If you want to listen to calm background
music while studying or reading a book,
this is the perfect song for you.

Fall into autumn with this playlist

Since Jojo Siwa’s release of her song “Karma,” she has exclaimed how she has invented a new genre called gay pop. However, this is simply not the case as thousands of gay pop artists have come before her, such as Elton John and George Michael. But there have also been plenty of new emerging LGBTQ+ pop artists to listen to this month besides Jojo Siwa. Here are three great options.

<strong>Chappell Roan</strong>
If you have TikTok you have definitely heard of the “HOTTOGO” dance, a series of hand movements spelling out “hot to go” at Chappell Roan’s concerts, which has taken the platform by storm and quickly become the YMCA of Gen Z. With her 1980s synth style and dark pop vibe, her songs with scandalous and raw lyrics allow her audience to see all of her flaws and perfections. Her songs show a side of her that is earnestly human to her audience, such as “Casual” and “Love Me Anyway.”

Growing up in a strict Christian household, Roan describes her childhood as being “really depressing” and music was a way to escape her harsh realities. After years of posting small singing videos on TikTok, Roan was signed to Atlantic records at just 17 years old, causing her to move from her home in Missouri to Hollywood where she released her first EP which she “hated,” as reported by Variety. She then went on to produce music with Dan Nigro, who is well known for his work on Olivia Rodrigo’s album “Sour.” With Nigro’s help, she then released her song “Pink Pony Club,” in which Roan describes her experiences as a queer woman in Hollywood.

She was then dropped by her label and moved back to Missouri where she worked a variety of different jobs in order to save enough to move back to Hollywood and continue her career, which she successfully did after a year and a half. On her return back to Hollywood, Roan produced her second EP “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” which included a variety of songs that she had produced over the years as well as some new ones, such as “Femininomenon,” “Red Wine Supernova,” and “After Midnight.” All of her songs have a consistent balance of both raw emotion and playful fun that makes you want to dance around, solidifying her as one of the most creative pop artists of her generation.

Roan is currently touring with Olivia Rodrigo as her opener but is also set to go on her own fully sold out tour this summer. Considering how each of her performances warrants different dress-up themes, features local drag queens as openers, and donates a percentage of the sales to For The Growls, a Black, trans-led charity, it’s clear that Roan has a lot of excitement in store this summer.

<strong>Troye Sivan</strong>
When talking about queer artists, Troye Sivan goes down as one of the most popular LGBTQ+ artists of his generation. Sivan has been in many films, television shows, and plays throughout the years, such as “The Idol,” “X-MEN Wolverine,” and “Waiting for Godot.”

He started out his career running a popular Youtube channel featuring song covers and collaborations with popular artists. In 2013, Sivan signed onto the label EMI Music Australia, but not before coming out to his gathered audience due to fear that the label company would try to control when or how he came out after he signed with them. Luckily for Sivan, both his audience and label were incredibly supportive of him and his sexuality, which has not been the case for so many other artists.

They released his first EP “TRXYE” in 2014; the EP, with its mature and personal lyrics, a far cry from his normal electronic pop music, quickly became a hit among his audience. He then went onto release a second EP “Bloom’’ in 2018 and his third EP “Something to Give Each Other” in 2023. Both albums were immensely successful and displayed Sivan’s struggles and triumphs in exploring his sexuality and personality. This resulted in his well deserved Grammy for his hit song “Rush,” which celebrates queerness and his openness with his sexuality.

Another of his songs, “One of Your Girls,” also was a breakthrough in Sivan’s career not only for it’s portrayal of his experience in understanding and accepting his sexuality, but also for it’s music video where Sivan is portrayed as a woman, representing his struggle with molding himself for someone else’s views, not his own.

Surprise surprise, JoJo Siwa didn't invent gay pop - here's three LGBTQ+ pop artists to listen to instead

 Mohamed Makhzangi is an Arab writer and doctor known in the literary world for his novels and short stories; his experiences in the two fields of study allow him to blend both scientific research and storytelling into his writing style. In 2006, Makhzangi published his first novel, called “Memories of a Meltdown,” which focused on his time as a doctor in Ukraine. After the novel's popularity, Makhzangi moved on to write for Al-Arabi, a culture magazine revolving around important aspects of the Arab world. He continued writing for these magazines for 12 years, while also writing many short stories, his most popular being “Rhythmic Exercise.” 
   “Rhythmic Exercise” is about a family living through a war in the Middle East. While the family is safe and content in their apartment, they eventually fall into depression due to their confinement and develop a sense of guilt due to the fact that they are safe while others are dying in the war; after a few months they also become overweight due to their lack of movement, which incentivizes the daughter—who remains unnamed throughout the story—to propose using at-home workouts in order to stay fit and attain a sense of happiness; they soon find themselves incorporating these workouts as a routine in their everyday lives. The physical exercises allow the family to cope through the war and momentarily ignore the fact that they live in a warzone, which allows them to regain some semblance of normalcy. This works for the time being and the family finds themselves more at peace as they forget about the real world outside and narrow their viewpoint to their exercises and life inside; however, their peace is interrupted when a stray bullet flies through their window, which brings them back to reality and causes them to realize that they are in danger.  
   I really enjoyed reading this short story as it was structured in a way that I had never read before. While the story begins with the war at its peak and the family having to go into a quarantine, the way the story was told had me forgetting that detail as I was swept up into the family's small world perspective which allowed me to feel their emotions changing throughout the story. This made the ending where the bullet flies through the window all the more shocking because it brought me as a reader back to the central yet forgotten plot point of the story—the war—and allowed me to feel the same emotions the family was feeling, as they realized that they are still in imminent risk in this active warzone. Overall, I really enjoyed this piece and felt it to be so emotionally shocking. It caught me off guard at times, making it a story worth revisiting two or three times to fully appreciate the writing. 


“Rhythmic Exercise” by Mohamed Makhzangi

  The indie folk pop genre has been gaining popularity  since the release of Taylor Swift’s back-to-back albums “Folklore” and “Evermore’’ in 2020, and has been influenced by bands such as Mumford and Sons and The Illumineers. Incorporating many styles in his songs, such as pop  and folk, Noah Kahan has emerged from the scene with his breakout album “Stick Season,” released in 2022, with songs featuring intricate storytelling and raw, uncut singing. Many of his songs — which were  an outlet for his struggles with depression, anxiety, depersonalization, and seeking help — have inspired thousands and led him to start The Busyhead Project, named after his 2019 debut album “Busyhead,” a charity with the goal of raising $1 million to donate to mental health organizations. 
   Since the release of “Stick Season” in 2022, Kahan has released two other variations of his album: “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” with six new songs, and an extension of his previous song “A View Between Villages;” and “Stick Season (Forever),” released this past February, featuring his hit “Forever” and six new collaborations with other well-known artists. These collaborations not only introduce many of his fans to artists they hadn’t previously listened to, but also benefit his career, because they allow him to grow his platform, as some of these singers have been trailblazers for their respective genres of music. 
  Kahan’s new album also features re-recordings of his songs from the original “Stick Season” album. Although there is nothing inherently different about the re-records, newer listeners should listen to the re-records before progressing to “Forever” and the collaborations. These new additions display a continuation of Kahan’s journey, representing him trying to move on from the places and people that shape him, as he reflects on the past and allows his listeners to experience a diverse range of emotions.

"Forever":
Forever is the only new song on the album. It is about a person’s perspective on time and how this perspective can change from something feared and dreaded to something  anticipated. The song started out slow and quiet, which initially suprised me, as the snippets that were previously released had given me the impression that it would be more intense. However, in the last minute and a half, the tempo completely shifted into a heartfelt, boot-stomping vibe.    The listener can really feel Kahan’s emotions emanating through the song;  it reminded me of “Vagabond” by Caamp and “White Ferrari” by Frank Ocean. I really enjoyed this song because the tempo change was something that Kahan had never tried in his music. I will absolutely be adding this song to at least ten of my playlists, and will be belting it in my car for quite a while. Therefore, I give this song a 10/10.

"She Calls Me Back” with Kacey Musgraves:
Kacey Musgraves is a country artist, best known for her songs “Merry Go ‘Round” and “Slow Burn”. Her career was an instant hit starting in 2013, when her debut album “Same Trailer Different Park” won a Grammy for Best Country Album of the year. I was really looking forward to this collaboration as I have enjoyed Musgraves’ songs in the past, but I was rather disappointed with the song. As the song progressed, it felt as though Musgraves was struggling to keep up with the pace during the faster bursts, and her voice sounded like she couldn’t fully sing and enunciate the lyrics. I also didn’t like how autotuned her voice sounded towards the end. While I think the song was good at the start, by the end I was disappointed and would give this song a 5/10.

“Northern Attitude” with Hozier:
     Hozier is an Irish singer known for his alternate indie songs such as “Unknown/Nth,” “Would That I,” and his breakout song “Take Me To Church.” As a huge fan of Hozier, this was my most anticipated collaboration, and, needless to say, this song did not disappoint. Hozier’s baritone vocals in the background harmonizing with Kahan’s voice was nothing short of magnificent, and I thought Hozier’s voice was perfect for the slower parts that he sang in “Northern Attitude.” My one issue with the song was that I wish Hozier’s vocals were slightly louder; I felt they were a little too distant and I had to strain to hear them. Regardless, I would love to see these two artists work together again. Overall, I would give this song a 9/10.

“Everywhere, Everything” with Gracie Abrams:
Gracie Abrams is a pop artist bestknown for her two albums “Minor” and “This Is What It Feels Like.” Although I had never heard of Abrams before, I was pleasantly surprised with how well her voice paired with Kahan’s. While she wasn’t someone I would have picked to sing this particular song because of how soft her voice is, I believe Abrams did a great job and her voice brought on a new meaning to the song. I would give it a 7/10.

 Based on his growing popularity and continuous hit songs, it’s clear Noah Kahan is going to go far. He beautifully connects people with his music and simply moves the audience to recollect experiences and moments we can all relate to. His strengths lie in his ability to remind us of themes of family, self-discovery, change, and love. “Stick Season (Forever)” seems to mark the end of an era — just last month Kahan told Rolling Stone that he is unsure of what comes next for his music, but declared “[he is] glad [he] get[s] forever to find it.” I would absolutely encourage readers to give  Kahan a listen. If you need any recommendations, my top five must-listen songs are “All My Love,” “Your Needs My Needs,” “Forever,” “Orange Juice,” and “Paul Revere.”

The Tower

Gabby Kaputa's Work

The Tower