Blog: Sonical.ly - Educating Music Creators

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Keri Howard |

5.27.22

Olivia Rodrigo's Journey: One Year Since her First Album Release

It’s been one year since the young pop-star, Olivia Rodrigo, released her first music album “Sour”. Since her debut, Olivia Rodrigo has won 3 Grammy Awards and named Women of the Year in 2022.

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Keri Howard |

6.17.22

BTS: The First K-Pop Band to be Invited to the White House

BTS is the most famous K-Pop band in the world now, and recently, they were invited to the white house to speak about anti-Asian hate crimes and inclusivity. Being the first K-Pop band to be...

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Julianna Soriano |

3.7.22

STAYC’S YOUNG-LUV.COM -- defying genres and taking over the world

It’s been two weeks since STAYC’s third mini album release YOUNG-LUV.COM, and we took this time to soak it all in and live our daydreams vicariously through this album. YOUNG-LUV.COM gives us that...

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Rachel Yin |

10.17.22

Phoebe Bridgers: A Deep Dive into Songwriting

Phoebe Bridgers is an American songwriter, singer, and producer who has, in recent years, gained mainstream recognition with the release of her sophomore album “Punisher” in 2020...

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Patricia Mapeso |

10.18.22

How Steve Lacy Makes the Most with Less

Steve Lacy is a singer, songwriter, record producer, and living proof that you don’t need the most advanced or high-tech studio equipment to create music that listeners will love...

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Julianna Soriano |

4.7.22

Bobby Shmurda Is Finally Out Of His Epic Deal

Bobby Shmurda has finally been released from his deal with Epic Records following his own plea for his release on social media stating, “I did six years in jail trying to get off this label before...

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Srushti Patel |

8.15.22

TikTok Plans to Introduce a New Music Streaming App

Over the past few years, TikTok’s popularity has significantly increased resulting in 1 billion global daily users by early 2022. The app has also become extremely influential in the current music....

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Julianna Soriano |

4.6.22

Ed Sheeran Slams “Damaging” Lawsuits Against Songwriters Amidst Copyright Case Victory

Over the past month, singer Ed Sheeran has been battling a copyright trial, accusing him of plagiarizing his 2017 hit song, “Shape of You” the song’s resemblance to their song, “Oh Why” Sami Chokri...

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Duomi Ding |

8.2.22

Success Through Self-Exploration: Lexie Liu's Rise to Stardom

Whether you know Lexie Liu from her performance as Seraphine in K/DA’s “MORE” or her fourth-place finish on The Rap of China 2018, there’s no denying that the Chinese hip hop star is a global ...

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Julia Reyes |

3.29.22

Shawn Mendez opens up about break up with new song

Newly heartbroken singer Shawn Mendez performs his new song “When you’re gone” at South by Southwest. This is the debut song that came out after his break up with fellow singer Camila Cabello after...

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Srushti Patel |

8.19.22

Snapchat Announces a $100,000 Monthly Grant for Artists

Snapchat has recently announced Snapchat Sounds Creator Fund, a monthly grant program of up to $100,000 awarded to independent artists distributing music on the platform...

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Julianna Soriano |

4.1.22

Here’s What You Need To Know About Queendom 2

Queendom returned for its long awaited second season (hosted by Girls Generation’s Tayeon) and here’s all you need to know: Queendom is a South Korean reality-survival show in which six girl groups...

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Srushti Patel |

8.4.22

Are Charlie Puth’s Music Classes Worth $300?

Charlie Puth has paired with Studio to create a 30-day online course that outlines the entire songwriting and production process for $279 USD. This hands-on learning experience has been marketed....

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Julie Reyes |

4.11.22

With T.O.P.'s Departure from YG due to mental health struggles, is this the End of Big Bang?

After a long 4 year’s K-pop group Big Bang makes a comeback to the music scene with the song “Still Life.” This song has become another banger from the group reminding fans of the music they once...

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Julie Reyes |

3.31.22

Doja Cat Overwhelmed With Fame Took To Twitter To Quit Music Career

After a cancelled performance at the Asuncionico festival in Paraguay Doja cat received backlash from fans claiming the singer neglected them outside of her hotel. After the many complaints from...

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Julianna Soriano |

4.2.22

5 Upcoming K-Pop Debuts To Watch For 2022

Debut: April 2022 After having competed on the reality survival show, “My Teenage Girl”, the seven-member group CLASS:y was formed, signing a seven-year contract with label, M25. The group was...

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Julianna Soriano |

4.6.22

Broadway’s KPOP To Premiere Late 2022

The first theatre production highlighting the global takeover of the K-Pop industry will be making its Broadway debut later this year, with its opening night scheduled for November 20, while...

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Rachel Yin |

10.4.22

YouTube Announces New “Creator Music” Platform

In the wake of Tiktok’s rapid expansion and growing dominance in the short-form video market, YouTube has felt the pressure to adapt to keep up with the shifting demands of its audience...

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Julianna Soriano |

4.5.22

Jack Harlow Samples Fergie’s “Glamorous” in Viral TikTok Snippet

Last week, Louisville heartthrob Jack Harlow dropped a 13 second snippet of a new song he’d been working on that samples Fergie’s hit, “Glamorous” and it immediately went viral on TikTok within...

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Patricia Mapeso |

10.5.22

Deep Dive: How Conan Gray Writes His Songs

Conan Gray is an American YouTuber turned singer-songwriter, most well-known for his songs about heartbreak and unrequited love. Throughout his career, Conan has written songs like “Crush Culture”...

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Keri Howard |

6.3.22

What Makes a Harry Styles Hook So Infectious

On May 20, Harry Styles released his new album Harry’s House, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. This is his third studio album in which all thirteen songs are in the top 30...

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Duomi Ding |

8.19.22

Like the Early Days of Hip-Hop: The Future of Blockchain in the Music Industry

One of the biggest questions many spaces face today is how blockchain technology may overhaul industry norms, and the music industry is no exception. In particular...

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Keri Howard |

5.26.22

TikTok is "Hooked" on The Song House

The Song House is a songwriter house in Nashville, Tennessee where all levels of writers and artists come together to develop music. Every week, 12-15 songwriters are challenged to write a hook in...

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Julianna Soriano |

4.5.22

Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open” Wins Record of The Year at the 2022 Grammys

If you’ve been on social media for the past few months, odds are you’ve probably heard of the iconic viral hit, “Leave The Door Open” by Silk Sonic on just about every corner of the internet.

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Keri Howard |

6.6.22

SEVENTEEN is Going "HOT" This Summer

SEVENTEEN (세븐틴) is a 13 member Korean boy band under Pledis Entertainment. They are split into 3 teams, the Hip Hop unit (S.coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, Vernon), the Vocal unit (Jeonghan, Joshua, Woozi...

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Julie Reyes |

3.18.22

J-Pop group XGalX debut’s breaking social norms with song “Tippy Toes”

After month’s of anticipation Japanese Girl group XGalX debute with new single “Tippy Toes”. The group consists of 7 young empowered women named Jurin, Harvey, Hinata, Chisa, Maya, Juria and Co...

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Duomi Ding |

8.31.22

Has the Pandemic Changed the World of Live Music?

For the last two years, there has been something missing in the lives of music lovers around the world—live music. The advent of a global pandemic meant the absence of concerts, festivals........

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Julianna Soriano |

4.5.22

BIGBANG Make History With “Still Life” Comeback After 4-Year Hiatus

Alas, BIGBANG have finally made their long-awaited return to the spotlight with their new single, “Still Life” – a heartfelt ballad about the perils of growing up and learning from your past. As...

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Julianna Soriano |

3.10.22

Stray Kids Make 2022 Comeback With Mini Album – ODDINARY

Dare I say its, EXTRAODDINARY?‍Stray Kids have returned with the release of their new mini-album, ODDINARY – a collection of seven songs that proclaim the message of embracing all of the things...

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Juilianna Soriana |

3.10.22

Weeekly Makes 2022 Return With “Play Game: Awake”

Weeekly pivots away from their bubbly and upbeat sound and makes a major transformation in their edgy and ambitious first mini album, “Play Game: Awake”.‍“Play Game: Awake” marks Weeekly’s fourth...

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Julianna Soriano |

3.16.22

Chaka Khan on Kanye West’s Through the Wire – “I hated it; it was an insult!”

Whether you’ve been a fan of Kanye West from the start, or you’ve recently watched his Netflix trilogy “Jeen-Yuhs”, you’ve probably heard his of first breakout single into the rap industry “Through...

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Stevan Oostenbrug |

12.7.22

Rina Sawyama -- The Voice of a Genre-Spanning Pop Star

Rina Sawayama has burst into the consciousness of queer music listeners in recent years. My first time listening to her work was Cherry, a track that is bubbly ...

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Stevan Oostenbrug |

12.28.22

Timbaland’s Beatmaking Masterclass Review: A Class on Feeling the Flow

Many artists are using their personal brand and influence to educate artists, from beginners to fellow professionals. Timbaland has partnered with Masterclass to teach musicians how to make unique...

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Nate Moore |

1.6.22

Quentin Miller only got paid $30,000 for writing 6 Drake songs.

Drake's ghostwriter controversy has been a topic of conversation since the rapper's feud with Meek Mill in 2015. Quentin Miller, a lesser-known rapper from Atlanta, was named as the ghostwriter....

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Stevan Oostenbrug |

1.16.23

Ryan Tedder’s Studio Review: Writing Three Songs From Scratch

Ryan Tedder is a highly accomplished and sought-after music producer and songwriter. He is known for his work with a wide range of artists including: Adele, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and OneRepublic...

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Nate Moore |

1.19.23

Hania Rani: A Virtuoso in the World of Classical and Electronic Music

Hania Rani is a Polish pianist and composer whose music has been described as "hauntingly beautiful" and "evocative." She is known for her unique blend of classical and electronic music, which she...

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Nate Moore |

1.19.23

Writer's Block is Real, Even for J.Cole: Here are 8 Tips to Overcome

Rapper J. Cole has recently announced that he had been struggling with writer's block, but found a way to break free from it by using a type beat from Youtube music producer BVTMAN's YouTube...

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Mark Singleton |

1.23.23

How Black Pink Should Negotiate Their New Contract with YG Entertainment

As the contract between Blackpink and YG Entertainment nears its end, fans of the popular South Korean girl group are wondering if the group will renew their contract with the agency...

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Kaitlyn Meyers |

1.26.23

Arcane: How A Video Game Adaptation Ended Up With A Banger Soundtrack

What does a TV show based on a video game and the music industry have in common? Near the end of 2021, Arcane took the world by storm after debuting on Netflix. Not only did it dazzle us with its...

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Julia Zhu |

1.26.23

Songwriter's Block: Inspiration Tuning in From Around the World (Billie Eilish, Lay Zhang, and Edgar Barrera)

Writer’s block is real, and it’s not just authors, but also songwriters and composers. Thinking of top hit songs can be difficult, so how do the pros do it? Where do they get their inspiration from?

SONICAL.LY BLOG

Olivia Rodrigo's Journey: One Year Since her First Album Release

BTS: The First K-Pop Band to be Invited to the White House

STAYC’S YOUNG-LUV.COM -- defying genres and taking over the world

Phoebe Bridgers: A Deep Dive into Songwriting

How Steve Lacy Makes the Most with Less

Bobby Shmurda Is Finally Out Of His Epic Deal

TikTok Plans to Introduce a New Music Streaming App

Ed Sheeran Slams “Damaging” Lawsuits Against Songwriters Amidst Copyright Case Victory

Success Through Self-Exploration: Lexie Liu's Rise to Stardom

Shawn Mendez opens up about break up with new song

Snapchat Announces a $100,000 Monthly Grant for Artists

Here’s What You Need To Know About Queendom 2

Are Charlie Puth’s Music Classes Worth $300?

With T.O.P.'s Departure from YG due to mental health struggles, is this the End of Big Bang?

Doja Cat Overwhelmed With Fame Took To Twitter To Quit Music Career

5 Upcoming K-Pop Debuts To Watch For 2022

Broadway’s KPOP To Premiere Late 2022

YouTube Announces New “Creator Music” Platform

Jack Harlow Samples Fergie’s “Glamorous” in Viral TikTok Snippet

Deep Dive: How Conan Gray Writes His Songs

What Makes a Harry Styles Hook So Infectious

Like the Early Days of Hip-Hop: The Future of Blockchain in the Music Industry

TikTok is "Hooked" on The Song House

Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open” Wins Record of The Year at the 2022 Grammys

SEVENTEEN is Going "HOT" This Summer

J-Pop group XGalX debut’s breaking social norms with song “Tippy Toes”

Has the Pandemic Changed the World of Live Music?

BIGBANG Make History With “Still Life” Comeback After 4-Year Hiatus

Stray Kids Make 2022 Comeback With Mini Album – ODDINARY

Weeekly Makes 2022 Return With “Play Game: Awake”

Chaka Khan on Kanye West’s Through the Wire – “I hated it; it was an insult!”

Rina Sawyama -- The Voice of a Genre-Spanning Pop Star

Timbaland’s Beatmaking Masterclass Review: A Class on Feeling the Flow

Quentin Miller only got paid $30,000 for writing 6 Drake songs.

Ryan Tedder’s Studio Review: Writing Three Songs From Scratch

Hania Rani: A Virtuoso in the World of Classical and Electronic Music

Writer's Block is Real, Even for J.Cole: Here are 8 Tips to Overcome

How Black Pink Should Negotiate Their New Contract with YG Entertainment

Arcane: How A Video Game Adaptation Ended Up With A Banger Soundtrack

Songwriter's Block: Inspiration Tuning in From Around the World (Billie Eilish, Lay Zhang, and Edgar Barrera)