On Thursday, Oct. 26, WRBB Radio threw the Ghoulish Getdown, a concert featuring Winkler, John Roseboro, and the fantastic headliner Liv.e! Our amazing photographer Curie Cha went down to AfterHours to cover the show. Check them out below!

WRBB's Ghoulish Getdown with Liv.e, John Roseboro, and Winkler

Texas-based artist, Liv.e (pronounced Liv) headlined the Ghoulish Get-Down, alongside Boston acts Winkler and John Rosenboro. She sat down with WRBB’s Grace Sawin to discuss her songwriting process, failing to fit into one genre, and touring over sushi.

Grace Sawin: You’re from Dallas - do you claim that as your hometown? Do you think that it has influenced your music at all, or have the people inside it influenced you?

Liv.e: It’s definitely all of the above. Yes, I guess I do claim it as my hometown; I’m not ashamed. And yeah, I would say my experiences have shaped the way I sound - the way I talk.

My friends and family have definitely played a big role in my music. I feel like I should start lying in interviews. My dad's a musician, my brother’s a musician, so I feel like I tried to avoid doing music because of that.

I was going to college for design objects, which is under architecture, and I remember thinking, “I can’t afford these materials, I can’t afford anything here.” And I was just like, alright I think it's time to stop avoiding what I'm actually good at.

You just released your sophomore album, Girl in the Half Pearl - what did the process of making that look like for you?

Chaos. I would say lots of cognitive dissonance. It was pretty dark, but fun. Just a lot of my shadows. I feel like sometimes I write, sometimes I journal. That or, you know, sometimes I’ll just free write and I’ll grab something from that. But it honestly just depends on if I’m feeling it or not. Writing is so much easier than speaking. Singing - well I don’t even consider myself a singer - but expressing myself in that way helps me alot because words aren’t always enough.

Does that process feel somewhat cathartic?

I was listening to your new album and I really like how you play with sound - there was some cool layering and the production was very unique. Some people have described your sound as “experimental R&B,” would you agree with that label?

Honestly, there are times where I’m like, “oh, I want to make this one specific thing,” but I know I never make one specific thing, it’s always a combination of something. So I don’t really know, I think I just let people say what they want. But to label it, it’s been electronic; that’s one of the themes. That’s what I’ve been on tour around, so it’s kind of been in relation to that.

Do you think your sound has shifted from your older music, even unintentionally? Does your sound reflect different stages in your life?

Oh definitely. It’s funny because there are parts of things I used to do that I kind of miss and vice versa - things I don’t like anymore. It’s always evolving; I’m always learning new things and trying to reach out. I feel like I was more naive when I dropped my first album. I don’t know if I’m naive now, but maybe I am; everyone’s a little naive, but I do think I have a little bit more wisdom now. I think I’m more focused on the process - how do I express this feeling in a way that’s not far out of reach?

You’re closing up your tour right now, can you tell me about that experience?

It’s been awesome, honestly, I’ve been feeling really blessed. I’ve been all around the world - everywhere except Africa and Asia and Russia. Germany maybe. Switzerland.

I feel deserving; I’m glad I’m doing exactly what I wanted to do and seeing things I definitely wanted to see in a way that’s really feasible for me. And I get to share that with people around me - I travel with a trio overseas. We’ve been to so many places over the summer, like Australia, Japan, and we went to Italy a couple of times. It was just fire. I think my favorite so far has been Sydney - we played an EDM venue, which was perfect for the set. I mean the lights, the sound, the crowd; everybody was tripping.

You said you feel deserving on tour - do you have a preference between the process of making music or touring; does one feel more fulfilling?

I think both are pretty fulfilling - the process of research, you know, researching myself and trying to figure out what I’m going to do and putting the puzzle pieces together is as invigorating as going on tour. Tour is more of the physicality - I feel like “oh my god I’m seeing something different every day.” Honestly, being on tour for five months was such a dopamine lift that when you get off of it, it sucks. I feel like I’ve been seeking that thrill since. I don’t know how I feel about touring yet, but if I keep going and going and going, maybe I’ll never get tired.

Another thing I love - a lot of touring is me interpreting the album differently; just bumping heads with people and seeing how we can make it more suited for us.

I wanted to circle back to when you started touring - I know you were featured on Earl Sweatshirt’s album and toured with him, could you tell me a little bit about that?

He heard one of my first little EPs called “Hoop Dreams” and he just hit me in the DM’s and was like “this is so tight, come on tour,” and I was like “oh, ok sure,” and that was that. I love how we met because honestly people around me were really big fans of Earl, but that wasn’t my thing. He’s a great guy, and that was really my introduction to touring, which was crazy. There’s a kind of luxury that comes with it. Although, it wasn’t awesome like Pharrell, like we were on a stainless steel tour bus, but it was so fun and I’m so glad he hit me up. Touring is exhausting - every day you’re moving and doing something new and it gets pretty tiring - but to be able to do it with people makes it fun and frivolous. We didn’t even go overseas but we went to so many places.

Are you working on any new music or projects right now?

The future looks like so many different things. I’m always doing something, even if it’s not an album. See me outside, no worries.

Liv.e highly recommended the food at Symphony Sushi, rating the miso soup a 10 (“obviously”), the yellowtail serrano a solid 8, and the spring rolls only a 4. She definitely wouldn’t recommend the milk tea with boba though, which she spit out almost immediately.

Q&A with Liv.e, WRBB's Ghoulish Get-Down Headliner

On Oct. 29, rising star and Berklee graduate Laufey swung by The Wilbur to deliver a show-stopping performance, with opener Adam Melchor. Our very own Curie Cha photographed the concert — check out the photos below!

Laufey bewitches at The Wilbur

On October 15, our incredibly talented photographer Emily Greenberg went out to cover Chappell Roan's show at House of Blues. Check out her work below!

Chappell Roan kills it at House of Blues

This semester was a big one for the Media Team! We expanded our editorial content, continued our Community Connections series, scored some high-profile concerts, and covered a wide range of new releases. Our team of writers and photographers all produced some great work this semester, but we wanted to give a special shoutout to these five articles for being especially awesome!

This innovative editorial by Holden LeBlanc highlights some early gems from the indie rock scene of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Despite the disparate origins of the three groups covered (The White Stripes, The Strokes, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), all three shared a common goal of making authentic music when manufactured TRL pop ruled the airwaves and television screens. It's a great complement to the recently released documentary "Meet Me in the Bathroom," which covers this era's NYC indie rock scene in more depth.


SLAYED! This piece caps off a great year of Community Connections, led by WRBB’s Annika Eske. With photos by Jace Arrigali, this edition of the column comes alive with interesting and funny blurbs from our man-on-the-

Shoutout to WRBB star photographer Faith Nguyen for scoring a press pass for this show, which had Boston’s SZA fans shelling out hundreds of dollars. Her immersive descriptions and ethereal photos of both Omar Apollo and SZA are truly stunning!

Q&A: Winkler talk their debut, current inspirations and future projects

Our darling Winkler’s lead songwriter/barefoot dancer/Jonathan Richman impersonator, Justin Schaeffers and backup singer/percussionist/occasional violinist (violist? doesn’t matter!) Maddy Simpson bare it all in our most hotly anticipated Q&A of the semester, featuring daring questions and sultry answers, such as, "What Genre Are You Even?" and "Justin, Tell Us About That Time You Yarfed Up a Burrito!" This interview, expertly facilitated by Rachel Crowell, provides insight into the hilarious, wholesome side of Winkler as well as their technical music production decisions.

“Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” is the collab of the year

If you don’t agree with the title of this piece, you’re a liar. The most inescapable song of the year is also the best, and Bela proves this in only two paragraphs. The rumors are true – we can’t get enough of PinkPantheress and “

Thanks again to all our writers, photographers, and Media Team members, and a huge thanks to Rob Pereira, our copy editor extraordinaire for all his hard work in making sure our content is up to snuff! We're looking forward to the summer and another great semester next fall. Make sure to sign up for the 

 if you’re interested in contributing content in the future!

WRBB's Spring Media Roundup!

Interviews by Annika Eske, Jace Arrigali, Aidan Cocchiara, and Fenner Dreyfuss-Wells.

Photos by Jace Arrigali and Fenner Dreyfuss-Wells.

On April 11th, we embraced the lo-fi aesthetic for this semester’s very last Community Connections. Armed with a very cool Canon point-and-shoot plus some Kermit stickers for the masses, we set up for a tabling session in Curry Student Center. Are this month’s photos erroneously dated “22/01/13”? Yes, yes they are. But was it worth it for the vintage/lo-fi look? Obviously.

This month, we asked people passing by, “What is your favorite music genre?” We’ve compiled genres that received more than one vote in a lovely little bar graph below (many thanks to our statistics professors), and we also made a 

 of all the recommendations we received this month. Finally, we asked a few people to further defend their answer to see if they could convince us that their favorite genre is the best. Read on to hear what they had to say!

*The people spoke, and apparently Taylor Swift gets her own genre.

**Other genres mentioned that only received one vote included indie pop, Midwest emo, grunge, Bollywood, psytrance, country-gaze, new psychedelic rock, and electronic music.

Jacob’s first answer was jazz, but we soon realized his music taste spans just about every genre out there.

Jacob studies world history and cell biology, but he’s quite the music expert as well. His first answer to this month’s question was jazz, as he finds the genre very relaxing. Then, he told us he also listens to “metal blues, lo-fi, bedroom pop, lo-fi punk, regular punk, hip hop, trash metal, speed metal...” As the list went on, we eventually decided the better question to ask in Jacob’s case was, “Is there any genre you 

 like?” Jacob answered that black metal is hard for him to get on board with. “I appreciate what it’s trying to do, but it’s hard to listen to when it’s just screaming,” he reasoned. Still, he was able to point out that he does like the black metal artist Sunbather. Finally, underground sub-genres aside, he also appreciates more mainstream artists like Taylor Swift and Lana del Rey. Jacob has been on a mission to find the music appreciation club here at Northeastern, but they’re apparently a bit hard to get in contact with. If anyone from that club is reading, we can definitely vouch for Jacob’s music-appreciation prowess!

*Upon further investigation, we noticed that most bands with the name Sunbather were dreampop bands. Since that’s pretty far off from black metal, we figure maybe Jacob was thinking of the album 

, by Deafheaven. In any case, we added both the dreampop and the death metal to this month’s playlist: so be prepared for a rollercoaster-style listening experience!

Bobby told us his favorite genre would have to be “80s hair bands.”

In response to our questioning looks, he explained, “They all had the big hair.” When asked why this genre is his favorite, Bobby responded, “It’s the best – no one’s killin’ no one, it’s just feel good [music]...I’m partial to the 80s since I grew up in the 80s.” Out of the big hair bands of the 80s, he would especially recommend Led Zeppelin and Mötley Crüe. As his second choice, Bobby added that he would also say country music is one of his favorites. When asked what he likes about the country genre, Bobby explained, “Well I live in the country up in New Hampshire.” Out of the country artists he listens to, he would recommend Trace Adkins. Yet, Bobby concluded that he really listens to everything – he even listens to a few playlists with music from the 40s and 50s, as well.

Sharmelee and Sakshi talked with us about the psychedelic trance, or psytrance, genre.

Sakshi’s favorite music genre is psytrance, and she first heard this niche music style in Goa, India. When we asked her what the genre sounds like, we found out that Sakshi is something of a music production expert since her boyfriend is a DJ. “The bpm [beats per minute] is around 30-150,” she explained. She then told WRBB, “One of my favorite [psytrance] artists is going to perform in Boston” – the group is called Infected Mushroom. When asked what she likes about the genre, Sakshi answered, “It makes me at peace.” Her friend Sharmelee quickly questioned this. “Really?” she asked incredulously. Sakshi admitted it was a surprising take considering the energizing feel of psytrance, but she stands by her opinion nonetheless. Sharmelee, on the other hand, said that psytrance is not for her, but her listening rotation tends to consist of any recommendations she gets from her friends.

Mathivannan told us that his favorite music style is Indian music.

“In India usually songs come with movies. There are not a lot of independent artists,” Mathivannan explained to WRBB. He told us that, out of the Indian music he listens to, he would recommend Thaikkudam Bridge. The band creates songs in both the Malayalam and Tamil languages. Mathivannan told us that he used to listen to this music a lot during his undergraduate years, so the music now carries a nostalgic weight for him. When he first heard the music genre, he “hadn’t heard anything like it before.”

Katie was tabling right next to us, so we figured we’d bug her about her music preferences.

When asked what her favorite music genre is, Katie explained that she loves anything by Taylor Swift. In fact, Katie hosts the Taylor Swift Power Hour show at WRBB (listen live at wrbbradio.org on Thursdays at 8am!). She explained that she loves Taylor Swift because “The lyrics are relatable.” We noted that Taylor Swift’s discography touches on many different genres of music and asked Katie if she has a preference among the styles that Swift has experimented with. Katie immediately responded, “No, I like them all the same!”

Friends Kourtney and Sneha stopped by with a stack of stunning Garden Club posters in hand.

Kourtney told us her favorite genre is alternative RnB like Arlo Parks and Orion Sun. She backed up her answer by describing the genre as “soulful, soft, and soothing.” Sneha then said her favorite genres would have to be country-gaze and new psychedelic rock. Sneha said that she likes being able to hear the music and history that bands are influenced by. “I like it when music is like you can hear a thread of where it's coming from,” she clarified. She agreed that she is the type of person who will easily get sucked down a Wikipedia rabbit hole while researching her favorite music artists. Sneha would recommend the bands Wednesday, Mazzy Star, Slowdive, Hole, Unwound, and Pretty Sick. Sneha excitedly asked us whether she and Kourtney could have their Garden Club poster in the photo. “You have to hold it from the side then, so you don’t block the words!” Kourtney admonished Sneha jokingly.

Dev strolled up to our table eager to talk, and quickly gave Hindi/Bollywood music as his answer to our question. 

For Dev, this music was a big part of growing up – it was always playing on long car rides and during hangouts with friends. He told us that one of the things he likes most about the genre is how there’s always someone new to listen to. Dev’s favorite Bollywood artist is Arijit Singh, who he’s seen once a few years ago and would love to see again.

Jun Woo’s current favorite genre is Korean hip-hop.

Jun Woo told us that, at the moment, he would specifically recommend Korean hip-hop. He recommended the group Epik High and explained that the genre in general is “pretty energizing,” particularly when at the gym. He also told WRBB that he really appreciates the genre in terms of its lyrics. When asked if Korean hip-hop has always been his favorite genre, he replied that his favorite genre changes all the time – “It changes even within the day,” he laughed. When asked if he thinks genre preferences give away anything about a person, Jun Woo considered and then answered that it “reflects 

 about the person, but not necessarily any pinpointed attribute.”

We asked for a fun pose and Holly delivered.

Holly stopped by with arguably the best pose we saw at this month’s tabling session. They answered this month’s question by saying that they particularly like the indie pop and Midwest emo genres. Holly would recommend Origami Angel, American Football, Gus Dapperton, and Peach Pit. When asked what they like about these music styles, Holly told us, “I really just grew up on them.” They added, “I discovered them in high school, and sophomore year was a tough year for me – so I used it as music therapy.”

Community Connections #7: April

Interviews by Annika Eske, Arslan Sheikh, Fenner Dreyfuss-Wells, and Bela Omoeva.

On March 20th, the WRBB media team set up as per usual at Campus Crossroads in Curry Student Center. This month, we asked passerby, “What is your LEAST favorite song by your FAVORITE music artist?” Often, people found that they didn’t resonate with music that deviated from an artist’s signature style (whether it be a shaky first album or an experimental new direction). However, some people couldn’t choose a single ‘bad’ song from their favorite artist’s discography and ended up recommending a song they liked instead. In any case, we’ve compiled a playlist of all the songs discussed this month. Yes, it is technically a playlist of least-favorite songs (for the most part). But keep an open mind – maybe one of these tracks will surprise you! Listen to the playlist 

, and read on for some fun music conversations.

Friends Mei and Ceci stopped by to tell us about their least favorite songs by their favorite artists.

Ceci told us that “DHL” is her least favorite song by her favorite artist, Frank Ocean. Ceci took a good minute to contemplate what it is about DHL that doesn’t quite cut it for her. “I don’t like the instruments in the background,” she explained. After giving it a little more thought she added, “There’s not enough words.” Ceci would agree with the statement that Frank Ocean’s lyrics and singing voice are his biggest strength. In “DHL,” even when there are lyrics, Frank Ocean is not quite singing – “more just talking.” Mei on the other hand, said that “Safe & Sound” by Taylor Swift  would have to be her answer. When asked why, she told WRBB, “I don’t even know, it’s just in the Hunger Games soundtrack.” Mei confessed through laughter that she wasn’t able to muster up enough interest in the song to listen all the way through.

Katie, Sofia, and Ava – three Swifties – held a discussion to decide which Taylor Swift song should have been cut.

Katie approached the table first and told WRBB, “I don’t have my iced coffee anymore, but I 

 a basic bitch and I do like Taylor Swift…” as Katie began scrolling through options to decide on her 

 favorite Taylor Swift song, friends Sofia and Anna joined in on the conversation. The two are also fans of Taylor Swift and wanted to help with the difficult decision-making process. “We need to figure this out,” resolved Sofia. The three Swifties had mixed feelings about the song “Carolina,” written as part of the soundtrack for the film 

. However, they ultimately agreed that “ME!” is the most lacking song in Swift’s discography. “It is 

 a great song,” Katie commented. Sofia agreed, “She can do so much better.” When asked what about the song fell short, Katie and Sofia concluded that the song is “incredibly cheesy.” Nonetheless, all of them admitted that they love the dress Swift wears in the song’s music video.

Henoss and EJ work at the Center for Student Involvement, and gave WRBB some very thoughtful answers.

Henoss was intent on giving us his best possible answer. “I really gotta think about it…who is my favorite artist of 

 time? I gotta do someone who’s already passed so they can’t disappoint me!” Henoss stepped aside and took some time to contemplate.

Meanwhile, EJ told us that Drake is his favorite artist, but he isn’t a fan of the song “God’s Plan.” EJ wasn’t sure if he wanted this to be his final answer, but told us that he generally prefers Drake’s older music. “He couldn’t express a lot of his creativity [in the new music]…and in some ways, his new music isn’t as good.” EJ also finds that newer Drake songs like “God’s Plan” are overplayed. Yet, EJ told WRBB that he’ll be going to his first concert in July – and it will be a Drake concert.

Henoss, on the other hand, had just decided to choose Stevie Wonder as his favorite artist. Unfortunately, after one decision comes another. “I don’t know, man, Stevie Wonder never made a bad song…” reasoned Henoss as he reluctantly tried to choose a least favorite peice from Stevie Wonder’s discography. In the end, Henoss concluded that the album 

would be his final answer. “He’s made an incredible, immaculate, illustrious collection,” emphasized Henoss, “but that album is the one that I would not necessarily go to listen to.” He explained that the album was Stevie Wonder’s debut studio album and the legendary artist was still trying to find his musical identity at that time. “This album was his pathway to being great,” Henoss told WRBB.

We bothered Will while he was working at Campus Crossroads to hear what he had to say about this month’s question.

Will told us his favorite artist is producer The Alchemist (coolest artist name ever, confirmed). Will’s least favorite song by the producer is “Peppertree,” a collaboration with Armand Hammer. He explained that “Peppertree” is a very dissonant track. Will conceded, “I see what he’s trying to do, but it didn’t work.” When asked if he thought the rest of The Alchemist’s discography is more accessible, Will agreed that “the rest of his stuff is much easier to listen to. He does have a bit of a weird sound, but usually it works.”

Allie and Akshara stopped by and discussed a few of their least favorite songs by their favorite artists.

Without a second of hesitation, Allie answered with “Closer” by Halsey. “I just spent 10 minutes talking about how Halsey is my Taylor Swift [on her WRBB radio show].” When asked what it is about the song that she doesn’t like, Allie first joked, “It’s easy to pick a bad pop song.” Then, she told us that the song also reminds her of someone she is no longer friends with. Still, Allie cut Halsey some slack, saying “I respect that it brought her to a bigger fan base, but it’s just not Halsey’s style of music.” Akshara agreed, saying that the song has nothing that showcases Halsey’s vocals or typical style. Allie pointed out that even Halsey herself doesn’t like the song and often refuses to play it live.

Akshara had two answers to this month’s question. First, they told us that their favorite music artist is Hozier, but they don't like “The Bones,” a collaboration between Maren Morris and Hozier. Akshara then decided they had a better answer: “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals. They told us “It’s so ‘I’m-not-like-other-girls’ of me, but I just tend to not like the popular artists.” Allie laughed, “You’re gonna be tweeting about this tonight.”

Eshan almost left without giving us an answer, until we gave him some leeway and said he could tell us a favorite song rather than a least favorite.

“This is hard… Why would I have to choose one?” Eshan mused. He quickly explained that his favorite music artist is John Mayer, but he can’t come up with any John Mayer songs he doesn’t like. “I can give you a favorite song,” he offered. Eshan’s recommendations are “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” and “Covered in Rain.” Eshan explained that he used to play guitar and “'Covered in Rain' has a wonderful guitar solo – plus it’s recorded as a live performance.

Community Connections #6: March

I started hearing the chants of “Piano G” outside my window as soon as I conceived of my idea for this article. At that time, they were a faint whisper. Now, as I write these opening sentences, their sound is deafening. The haters have arrived at my doorstep, and my time is limited. Hear me out – and if you aren’t convinced to give Polo G a chance by the end of this article, join the mob at my door.

Polo G, born Taurus Tremani Bartlett, is a rapper from the West Side of Chicago known for his style that combines elements of drill, trap, and melodic rap. He is most famous for his singles “Pop Out” and “Rapstar,” and has released three albums at the time of publication. As he rose in popularity, Polo G was increasingly criticized for his apparent boring beat selection, selecting only beats with piano melodies, hence the mocking nickname: “Piano G.” While I do agree his production could be more interesting, I believe that he has the tools to be great.

I started listening to Bartlett in high school, right around the time of the release of his second album, 

 (a reference to his astrological sign). He hooked me with his catchy melodies and emotionally packed lyrics. Even though I don’t listen to him as much now, my respect and appreciation for his music has not faded. 

One of the strongest elements of Polo G’s music is his lyricism. He is able to put on the facade of a confident, braggadocious, playboy in one song, and then seamlessly remove it to tell a heartbreaking tragedy in the next. One of the best examples of his storytelling prowess is “Bloody Canvas” off of his third album 

, on which he tells a heartbreaking story of revenge and gang violence. The majority of his songs have a dark tone to them which reflects Polo G’s harsh upbringing and the tragedies he has had to endure. Tracks such as “No Matter What” display that Bartlett is grateful for his success and hasn’t forgotten where he came from: “Used to daydream of shinin’ in the hood with these bands / Tryna leave these hard times and run through millis with my friends.” On “Martin and Gina” he shows off his playful,romantic side, playfully teasing the subject of the song with lines like “Even on your worst days, girl, you still kind of cute.” Two of the best examples of his raw lyrical talent are his XXL freshman 

, dropping lines we can all relate to such as: “Damn, a new disease dropped, causin’ mass hysteria / It’s always some bullshit, welcome to America.” Overall, Polo G is an underrated lyricist with the flexibility to create a diverse array of moods with his words, already proving he is more than the one-trick pony his critics claim him to be.

I recently have noticed that I prefer artists who display raw emotion in their lyrics. Many artists that I like such as Kendrick Lamar, Big Thief and Ecco2k wear their heart on their sleeve and aren’t afraid to express their deepest feelings to the world. While Polo G isn’t on that level, he does display flashes of raw, emotional lyricism that I appreciate. His first album 

 provides the best examples of this, as it is his most musically and emotionally raw work. On “Chosen 1” he laments: “I put my life on the line, you wouldn’t take that risk for me / Fucked up my trust, wish I could delete all our memories.” Bartlett’s bars centered around themes of betrayal and regret are not unique to this track; it is clear as you go through his discography that he is haunted by memories of his past. While some artists merely hint at the low points in their lives in their songs, Polo G pushes his pain to the forefront of his music.

The last line of the aforementioned “Chosen 1” is “I’m way too solid for the gimmicks, fuck the industry,” which is quite ironic considering the stylistic choices he would make a few albums later on 

. Polo’s rapping ability and lyrical depth are seldom criticized, yet, as I alluded to earlier, his production is the most controversial part of his music. I must admit that some of his beats sound generic and uninspired, especially on the latest album. But what his critics fail to see is that he does have some songs with interesting production, as well as the potential to rap over any beat. The first example that comes to mind is the last track off of 

 “Wishing For a Hero,” which samples 2Pac’s iconic hit “Changes.” Both the sample and lyrical content of the song pay homage to the soulful, sobering, yet hopeful original song. My one criticism is that the mix is pretty shaky, especially the hi hats, but that doesn’t have as much to do with Polo G himself. Another Polo G song with more interesting production is “Last Man Standing,” on which Bartlett delivers bar after bar about police brutality over a textbook soul sample and light drums. While not too innovative, the beat is a bit different that what he normally would rap over.

I truly believe that Polo G has the raw talent to rap over most beats. If he decides to rap over more experimental and varied production, I would be all for it. While I doubt he will make that stylistic choice, I will continue to hold out hope – but even if he doesn’t, I will still continue to believe that Polo G is actually good.

Polo G is actually good

On Tuesday, February 21st, members of the WRBB Media Team set up a table at Curry Campus Crossroads. This month, we asked passersby to tell us about the first concert they ever went to, and which music artist is still on their concert bucket list. Although we were tucked away in a corner table this month, some of you managed to find us anyway! Most of the people we chatted with had happy memories associated with their first concert, even if they don’t listen to the same music nowadays. For those who had not yet attended a concert, there was a clear consensus that it was high on their priority list for the future. Read on to hear some first-concert stories and some future-concert dreams, and check out this 

 with all of the music people told us about this month!

Vicky and Kiran happened to walk up to the WRBB table at the same time, and ended up sharing concert stories with each other as well as with the Media Team.

Vicky told us that her first concert was a One Direction concert just after Zayne had left the band. Her sister had ended up with extra tickets, so Vicky was able to tag along. She said of One Direction, “I used to be a hater, not gonna lie – but I was also a teenager,” she added. At the time, Vicky was more excited to see opener Icona Pop than to see One Direction. After seeing One Direction live however, Vicky commends Niall’s guitar chops and is now able to enjoy the band’s album 

. Still, she considers her real first concert to be a Porter Robinson show. She said the show stands out in her memories because its visuals and animations were stunning. The concert was “very sincere even though it was polished.” Vicky recalls that she cried during the show, and concluded, “It was the most emotional I’ve ever been at a concert.”

Much like Vicky, Kiran has had some enjoyable first concert experiences, even if they don’t reflect her music taste today. Technically speaking, Kiran’s first show was an Indian music concert in New Jersey. She remembered with a laugh that she was the only one who dressed up for the concert, but that she had fun nonetheless. However, Kiran also considers a Taylor Swift concert to have been one of the first shows she saw. Kiran told us that she saw the pop star on her 

 tour the day before her eighth grade graduation. Although Kiran has been to three Taylor Swift shows, she doesn’t follow Swift as closely nowadays. Still, Kiran is able to look back and remember how nice it was to get the experience of dancing in a concert crowd.

Friends Harshitha and Pramantha stopped by to chat with us about artists they want to see live.

Harshitha and Pramantha haven’t been to a concert just yet, but they’ve got a few ideas on their concert bucket list. Harshitha would love to go to a Lewis Capaldi concert. She loves his lyrics describing love and finds his songs to be very “wholesome.” Pramatha, on the other hand, told WRBB that she would want to go to a Coldplay concert. If she were to convince a friend to join her, she would simply tell them that they’d enjoy it and show them some of Coldplay’s music videos for evidence. The two friends agreed that whatever the mood they’re in, the music of Lewis Capaldi and Coldplay makes them feel better.

Pranamya asked that we use the art for Ed Sheeran’s single “Visiting Hours.”

Pranamya would love to see Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, and Ed Sheeran live. She thinks seeing these artists would be a lifetime experience. When asked why she chose these artists, Pranamya explained that the music is part of it, “but lyrics actually matter the most to [her].” This is why Pranamya particularly likes Ed Sheeran’s old music. She explained to us that Sheeran’s single, “Visiting Hours,” came out shortly after her grandma passed away. In the song, Sheeran sings about someone he has lost, and Pranamya told us that the song felt soothing to her at the time.

Ro, Taryn, Jonathan, and Archie stepped out of the WRBB station to come chat with us about music.

Jonathan told us his first concert was an Imagine Dragons show on their Night Visions tour — “so it’s the good stuff,” he joked. He then told us that No Vacation is on his concert bucket list. “They’re a west coast band, but if they ever come to the east coast, I’ll see them.”

Archie shared a vague memory of his first concert, which happened to be a “random” show at his town’s community performance center. “I saw the guy who sings ‘bird is the word’…whoever he is out there in the world,” Archie told us. On Archie’s bucket list is the prominent post punk band Black Country, New Road. When asked how he would convince a friend to tag along for the concert, Archie decided he would say to his friend, “If there is any instrument you’ve ever wanted to see live, it will be on that stage.”

Ro told us that her first concert was a Jon Bellion show. “I liked a guy who listened to Jon Bellion, so I got really into him in like 11th grade,” she explained. In fact, this ended up being Ro’s first concert, and she showed up knowing every single song in Jon Bellion’s discography. Gotta love people who do their homework before a concert. Ro then told us that the Lumineers are on her concert bucket list. Asked how she might convince a friend to join, Ro said confidently, “I don’t think they need convincing.”

Last but not least, Taryn told us that her first concert happened to be a show that Jonathan also attended. She told us that it was a show at Tanglewood featuring Carole King and James Taylor. “Maybe 2010 or 2008?” she and Jonathan recalled. When asked what music artist is on her concert bucket list, Taryn fell silent for a moment. “I can’t remember a single artist I’ve ever listened to,” she joked. But eventually, Taryn told us she’d like to hear the band FUR live.

Sairam chatted with us about a particularly fun first concert memory.

Sairam’s first concert was about three years ago, just before COVID-19, at a festival in Goa, India. Specifically, he saw the electronic music artist SNBRN perform on a beach at night – hard to beat when it comes to the best concert settings! Sairam explained that the show was part of a carnival concert series and that he had gone with some friends. The concert had a lively atmosphere, with everyone dancing to the music. Now, Sairam is hoping to one day see The Weeknd perform live.

Sriyanka’s arrived in the U.S. only recently and is interested in electronic music, Indian music, and music that finds a unique blend of both.

Sriyanka arrived in the U.S. from India about two months ago. When we asked her what she thinks about the U.S. so far, she responded with a laugh, “It’s good…it’s cold!” Sriyanka told WRBB that her first concert was an A.R. Rahman concert – Indian music. However, she would love to see either Marshmello or Kahani in the future. Marshmello and Kahani are both on Sriyanka’s bucket list because she’s a fan of electronic music. However, Kahani is special because this New York-based music artist creates tracks that combine electronic influences with more traditional Indian music. Even though Sriyanka only arrived in the U.S. recently, her boyfriend lives in NYC, and he was the one who introduced her to Kahani’s distinctive music.

Friends Helen, Jules, and Ally stopped by to share some concert memories and future-concert wishes.

Helen’s first real concert was a Clairo concert. She told us that the experience was particularly exciting because she was in London at the time for NUin. At the top of Helen’s concert bucket list is the artist beabadoobee.

Jules told us that her first concert was probably a Train concert at Tanglewood. “When I was little I used to go with my parents every year,” Jules recalled. Her grandma used to volunteer at Tanglewood, and Jules thinks, “It’s a nice place to go if you have time on the weekend.” However, Jules clarified that the first concert she paid for herself was probably a Tyler, the Creator show. “It was in Worcester, but he thought he was in Boston the whole time, and then he was freestyling about the fact that he didn’t know that he was in Worcester,” laughed Jules. During the show, she told us, everyone in the audience was screaming at Tyler the Creator that he was not in Boston. Jules remarked, “…and he didn’t know how to say Worcester either.” For her next concert, Jules said she would love to see The Strokes – and her friends agreed vehemently.

Finally, Ally couldn’t remember the first concert she ever went to, but Chappell Roan is one artist on her concert bucket list. Ally would describe the indie pop artist Chappell Roan as, “Good fun, fun to dance too.” However, Ally commented that Chappell Roan recently got a place on a popular Spotify playlist, causing tickets to become “crazy expensive.”

Lazaree and Prathamesh came by and told us about their first concert experience seeing artist Arijit Singh, pictured.

Lazaree and Prathamesh came up to the WRBB table together and shared that their first concert experience was Indian artist, Arijit Singh. Though they shared fairly little about the concert itself (apart from their sheer enjoyment), they let us know that Singh is definitely an artist for us to check out. Arijit Singh is one of the biggest artists in India and is a regular feature in the most prominent Bollywood films. According to Lazaree and Prathamesh, he is also adept at almost every type of genre and his music can definitely elevate someone’s mood. Feeling down or perhaps looking for an artist to headline 

 next Bollywood motion picture? Arijit Singh is the guy for you!

Anushka told WRBB her first concert experience was seeing Sunidhi Chauhan (pictured) live.

Anushka first heard Sunidhi Chauhan live at a concert in Mumbai, India when she was fifteen years old. Anushka loves the music artist’s voice and says she was her favorite singer at the time. She told us the concert venue was huge: fitting about 5,000 people. Anushka added that the lighting visuals helped to make the concert feel like a truly grand experience. Someday, she would love to see Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez live.

Community Connections #5: February

Love is in the air! Today is that special day when everyone is either happily in love or sad that they aren’t. Sometimes a little love song is just what you need, so here are five songs that we think perfectly capture the range of Valentine’s Day emotions (plus five more for good measure).

This 2012 classic is as fresh as ever. Just over 10 years after its release, it still evokes that middle school summer night feeling, riding home from a date at the movie theater in the backseat of your mom’s Chevy Suburban. “Call Me Maybe” might have gotten some hate in its day, but we’ve come back around to loving it, and you should too.

“G.O.Y.D” (Girl Of Your Dreams) is a true love lullaby, perfectly combining spacey lyrics with a glittery pop beat. This is one for the Gen Z lovers who, as Lava La Rue makes sure to mention, feel the love “even when [they] talk on FaceTime.” The track sparkles with a fresh excitement, lifting you up into that dreamy late-night feeling that we all need every once in a while.

“Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service

A Valentine’s Day playlist wouldn’t be complete without a song for the long-distance lovers, and this one pairs the yearning wistfulness of a love out of reach with a groovy dance beat that somehow makes it feel not quite so sad. To top it off, it’s impossible not to sing along to these lyrics – picture you and your faraway boo crooning a duet into the wind like Kermit and Miss Piggy.

We can’t believe we’re saying this about an Elliott Smith song, but the love he describes on “Say Yes” feels healthy. Smith’s tender lyrics perfectly capture that feeling of meeting someone you’re crazy about for the first time. One can’t help but picture its accompanying scene of early love in Good Will Hunting, when everything is uncomplicated and the butterflies are still fluttering.

“The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra

On this track, Frank Sinatra bellows his way through a timeless love story from yesteryear. This is an indisputable Valentine’s Day classic with cross-generational appeal – it brings to mind the image of warm embraces by the fireplace, February walks through the park while snowflakes sprinkle through the air, or a slow ballroom dance in the kitchen.

“I Couldn’t Love You More” by Sade
“Oh My God You Are Fine” by Blue Rain Boots
“Crush on You” by Soul Fro and Dum Di Dum
“Venus as a Boy” by Bjork
“LOVESTORY” by Bladee and Ecco2k

WRBB’s Valentine’s Day Top Five

The Beaches, a Canadian alt-rock group, brought a vibrant and infectious energy to the Green Stage on Friday. Fresh off the release of their new single “Blame Brett,” a new take on the traditional break-up song, they played an electric set of funky and emotion-fueled songs. On the day of their performance, they released a new remix of the aforementioned song featuring The Aces, who played on the Red Stage the following day. The Beaches are preparing for the release of their third album Blame My Ex, set to be released on September 15th. The band, comprised of Eliza Enman-McDaniel on drums, Leandra Earl on keys and guitar, and sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller on lead vocals plus bass and guitar respectively, all sat down with me on Saturday to talk about their performance the day prior.

Henry: I caught your set yesterday, you absolutely killed it.

Henry: Coming from Toronto and being raised in the Canadian music scene, what would you say the biggest difference is to touring in the US?

The Beaches: So the Canadian music scene is a little different than in the States because we have a lot of we have a lot more funding in Canada. And again, it's a smaller market, right? The population of Canada is as big as the population of California. So you're dealing with the larger market in the States and one that's a little bit more separated, whereas Canada, although it's a big country like it, is very insular and there's a lot more funding. In Canada, radio stations also have to play 50% Canadian music, so it is a lot easier for artists of Canadian descent to achieve success because of all that support.

The Beaches: So yeah, for us personally, it's like we spent so long in Canada and working all the markets, and now and coming down here we're like, “Well, we have to be the same here, we can't expect the same results right away.” But we are excited and willing to work on it, and do fun stuff like this along the way.

Henry: Have you enjoyed touring the festival scene?

The Beaches: Oh my God, this is our first one of the summer? Second one? It has been incredible. We had the absolute best day at the show, it went so much than any of us had kind of expected for us.

Henry: What would you say the biggest difference is for you playing a show as a headliner at a venue versus playing at a festival?

The Beaches: Well, it's a lot of fun because it's kind of a year-in and year-out kind of thing, but you also get to experience all these other bands and connect with all these people. It just feels like a two-day party. And then you get to this place and it's exposure that you wouldn't have at your own headlining show, because everyone is there to see you, whereas at a festival you play for like 20,000 or 30,000 people who had never heard of us. So it's great exposure for sure.

Henry: If you all could carry one message through your music to fans who might see you at a festival for the first time, what would it be?

The Beaches: I mean, we kind of want to be everyone's best friends; we want everyone to feel welcome and like they’re a pal. I think you can hear that through our music; some of it is goofy, and some are playful, organic, earnest, and heartful.

Henry: And it certainly shines through on stage! Thank you so much for meeting with me.

The Beaches: Thank you for your questions!

The Beaches rock the Green Stage with their energetic alt-rock tunes

English singer-songwriter Declan McKenna is an up-and-coming indie artist drawing praise for his diverse musical stylings and socially charged lyrics. His latest album, Zeros, received critical acclaim, with many reviews comparing the glam rock sound on the album to David Bowie. Declan is in the midst of The Big Return Tour, playing cities throughout North America this summer and fall. He sat down with WRBB 104.9 FM prior to his set at Boston Calling to talk about having to wait to play Zeros in front of live audiences, keeping up the energy on tour, and the contradictory actions of FIFA.

Arslan Sheikh: Declan, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with us. We’re so excited to see your set I wanted to start this interview off with a little bit of a personal anecdote. So I first heard your song “Isombard” on the FIFA 17 soundtrack.

AS: Yes, I loved it when I heard, it was great! Knowing now that your first breakout hit, “Brazil” was a song that was protesting FIFA's corruption with regards to the 2014 World Cup, did you enjoy that sweet irony when that same organization that you protested asked, “We love your song, can we put it in our product?”

DM: [Laughs] Yes, some might call it a contradiction. Yeah, I took some joy out of it. I kind of grew up with FIFA and am obviously a big football fan. I mean, FIFA hasn't really stopped being a total sort of shitshow the whole time. So I don't know, you got to say your piece, but yeah, it was a bit of a childhood dream at the same time to me for us to do the game. It's like a mixture of emotions, but particularly at the time, being 18 or whatever and being asked to be on the soundtrack, I was just like “I’m not gonna say no.” Yeah, it's pretty funny.

AS: You released [Zeros] in 2020, but last year and this year you've been touring it. What's it like going on tour with such a long interval between the release and being able to play it live? Have your feelings on some songs changed in that period?

DM: I mean, really, when we were doing the proper Zeros tour stuff, I was playing everything from the album because I just really wanted to do it. It just felt really good in a way, because we'd made the album with the live stuff in mind and then recorded it with the band in a relatively traditional way. So yeah, going out and playing it live was great. And to be honest, it just changed the whole thing for me, you know, it had been dampened and just a little bit unfortunately overshadowed by the circumstances. But then going out and seeing what it means to people, it just brings it all back and it gives a sort of new excitement with it. Up until recently, we were playing the full album every night and really enjoying it. So, you know, it was a tough period, but it was cool to be able to do that eventually.

Henry Shifrin: I saw you in 2021 night two at the O2 Brixton, and then I also saw you at The Sinclair this past October. Two very different venues, and today you’re playing a third, very different place. Every time I leave the show, I’m like “He has the most energy, the crowd is so into it!” How do you keep up that vibe when you’re performing for large crowds?

DM: I don't know, “eat your vegetables” sort of vibe? I'm trying to stay healthy, because you’ve got to keep it up. I always have the most energy. Sometimes when you've been out on tour for a while, you start to get run down. You have a cold going on and you're just like, “I don’t know if I can give this all tonight?” But I always find a way to do something kind of weird and I just get people on board. You just get used to it and always just got to read the room. I think it helps when people turn up with the energy as well. You know, when people are ready the minute you come on stage. I started the tour in Montreal the other night and it felt like we had a really good show on the band's side. But if we didn't have people just sort of singing along and going for it to start, it's much harder to keep up. It's a bit of a reciprocal thing with the crowd. And the heat today will be a factor, you know. It’s going to be slightly different, like there might completely be our crowd. We don't know exactly what we're going to get. So you’ve just got to roll with the punches and read the room and just hope it works out. But yeah, I've had a bit of practice with it now, so we’ll see.

AS: I wanted to ask you a question about your song, “British Bombs,” because I really appreciated the themes that you brought up and talked about, Western imperialism and these Western powers intervening in these conflicts around the world. You specifically mentioned the Yemeni conflict that hasn’t gotten a lot of mainstream coverage. What inspired you to write this protest song in the spirit of other London groups like The Clash?

DM: It was kind of an immediate reaction because, what I hadn't realized about the Yemeni conflict was that, at the time when I wrote it, which must be almost five years ago now, was how Britain was still selling arms to Saudi Arabia in that period of time. I just think that whole industry is immoral. So I don't know, it was one of those ones that came out at that time in the heat of the moment of learning about all of this. It's standard procedure for me, sometimes, when we get that flash moment of inspiration, this little ball of fire just comes out and you just say your piece about it. I love it. But yeah, it was a really important thing for me to talk about because it's easy to overlook when it's like, “Oh, we’re not at war.” Part of what inspired it really was a conversation with a friend of mine who was like, “Britain has never not been at war in our whole lifetime.” And we just don't see enough about it. But we’ve always got our fingers in some kind of pie and involved in war. There are times where you forget it. And so “British Bombs” is a reminder of that.

AS: Recently with your album Zeros, you've got a lot of professional reviews comparing you to David Bowie, and some have even dubbed you “this generation's David Bowie.” So how do you handle the expectations that come with getting compared to such an iconic artist? And is there a specific era or aspect of Bowie's long career that you feel like you’ve gravitated towards?

DM: My general way of dealing with these things is just by making fun of them, really. I grew up in a lot of ways listening to Bowie. He’s a big influence and the last record had this glammy influence there that was definitely like a retro futurism to it. It is very Bowie. But I just try and I think with the next release people maybe will probably keep comparing me to Bowie but it's not going to sound like that. I think that's part of the spirit of Bowie, you know, keeping things moving. And that's why I was always into that stuff. The new record sounds a lot more modern, I think. And the production is something that, maybe people start comparing me to some other guy?

AS: I love that. We're definitely looking forward to your next release, whenever that may come.

Q&A with Declan McKenna at Boston Calling 

Zolita, 28-year-old alternative pop artist, welcomed the Boston Calling crowd at the Blue Stage on May 26 with a heartwarming, yet energetic set. She recently released a single called “Grave” on May 31st in the midst of a tour opening for Bebe Rexha.

Bella Gedeon: What a show! It was truly magnificent.

Bella: How does it feel to be back in Boston?

Zolita: So good. I love Boston so much. Every time I come here, I’m like, “Oh my God, why don't I spend more time in Boston?” It's so nice and I've been blessed with really good weather. Last time it was snowing, but this time it's so warm.

Bella: It has been really impressive to see the level of compelling stories within your music, especially about queer love. And also I noticed the creative directions that you've been taking in your music videos. 

Bella: And I saw that you recently released a music video for “Crazy Ex” as well as “Ashley” from [your album] Falling In / Falling Out. Do you have any favorite memories from when you were on set?

Zolita: I mean that whole entire series was so exciting to shoot because we shot it where my dad lives up north where there’s this town called Santa Inès. It feels like I’ve been visiting him there for so long, so I've made a lot of connections with the different people in the town. And so it was like such a family affair. We went and shot there because we got to shoot in all these local places and they were so kind to us and shooting crazy acts and like getting to dance, like doing peyote down at the bar was definitely an incredible memory.

Bella: That's awesome. And obviously you'll be touring again with Bebe Rexha. How do you like to spend your time before going on stage? Do you have any pre-show rituals or any post-show rituals that you like to do?

Zolita: I take a shot of tequila, for sure. I definitely feel like I take a little bit of a long time, like 20 minutes for a quiet period to go through the set in my head. And that’s kind of it and then I'll just kind of jump around to get my nerves out.

Bella: Great. Yeah, that’s cool that you get to decompress before shows because you know it’s good to have that space.

Zolita: You know there can be people around you all the time, so it’s good to ask for a bit of alone time sometimes.

Bella: Right! So, a new single is coming out called “Grave.” Later, this month on May 31st. Will you be performing it on tour?

Bella: Had there been anything that inspired you when going into the songwriting process?

Zolita: I feel like I’m always inspired by stuff going on in my life, but also I'm inspired by like video ideas that I come up with or through the storylines and characters that I dream up. I'm inspired by their situations as well.

Bella: Yeah, you can definitely see the level of artistry you take with directing and editing. It’s really awesome. Lastly, it seems like your lyrical themes connect well with your fans. Is there anything that they can expect moving forward?

Zolita: Well, a new EP is going to be coming out in the fall. Yeah, so it's going to be a lot of fun new songs. In the last EP, I feel like I explored a lot about falling in love with my girlfriend. In this next EP, there are themes of being in the relationship and the stuff that comes out in that relationship too. It's not really talked about a lot. We hear about falling in love and we hear about breaking up, but we don’t hear about actually being in a queer relationship and the things that come up with that as well.

Bella: It was great seeing your set and I'm glad you had fun today!

Q&A with Zolita post-performance at Boston Calling

Last Wednesday, AfterHours was hit with two stunning performances from Mei Semones, a jazz-influenced Green Line Records artist, and Kate Bollinger, indie pop singer-songwriter with a captivating voice. The L.A.-based Virginia native's latest EP 

 dropped a year ago. Kate's currently working on her music and touring, most recently with renowned indie duo Tennis. Onstage, Kate performed solo, holding our attention with only a mic and a guitar. WRBB’s Bela Omoeva managed to nab a quick interview with her before the show!


This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Bela Omoeva: So I guess I’m just gonna start out simple — have you ever been to Boston before?

Kate Bollinger: No, I'd never been to Boston.