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SG Lewis: Who Is He - and What’s Next For This Rising Star?

February 6, 2023

SG Lewis (Samuel George Lewis) is a rising star in the dance/electronic music realm. He is a DJ/producer turned singer-songwriter, and is known for his disco-inspired, transcendent sound. He routinely

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Lessons to Learn From the Launch Of Sam Smith’s “Unholy”

February 4, 2023

Sam Smith just released their new album “Gloria” on the 27th of January. As described by Pitchfork, “Gloria flips between hyperpop, country, dancehall, disco, 2-step, and intimate, Kehlani-esque R&B”.

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Are Virtual Idols the Future of Music?

February 5, 2023

Virtual reality and the metaverse have become popular topics in the music industry where more and more technology and music have been combined, creating something that could revolutionize the entire

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Grammy Awards Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical: The Category Songwriters Deserve

February 5, 2023

The 65th annual GRAMMY Awards are here, and there's a long-awaited addition to the awards. This year marks the introduction of a new category: the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Award. For all

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How Zach Bryan’s Authenticity Makes His Music So Appealing, Even to Non-Country Fans

January 31, 2023

Zach Bryan released his first album in 2019, and in the short time since he has become one of the biggest names in country. His biggest album, “American Heartbreak”, broke single-day album streaming

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Miley Cyrus is Going to Take Over Pop in 2023

January 31, 2023

Miley Cyrus was born into the music industry, and has spent her career channelling her Nashville and Hollywood roots into a diverse discography stacked with hits. Add to that countless covers that are

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Why This Pop-Rock Band Got Hate For Starting On YouTube

January 31, 2023

Before the invention of TikTok, many music artists gained popularity through YouTube. However, similar to the TikTok stars of today, people in the music industry saw ‘YouTube bands’ as lesser because

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Will Google End Work for Music Creators with their New Music AI?

February 1, 2023

Google has done it. They have created an AI that can generate music from text descriptions. The announcement of this is timely because recently Chat GPT, (a language learning model created by OpenAI

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The Road to Success: What qualities can we learn from Kpop Idols?

January 28, 2023

What does it take to be a professional singer in South Korea? On stage, these Kpop idols capture our attention with catchy songs and amazing choreographies, but what about off-stage? Behind the ...

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Songwriter's Block: Inspiration Tuning in From Around the World

January 26, 2023

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?

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

January 26, 2023

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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How Black Pink Should Negotiate Their New Contract with YG Entertainment

January 23, 2023

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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Chance the Rapper Returns: Star Line Album + “And We Back Tour” Breaks His Silence

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After a six-year silence, Chance the Rapper is officially back. On August 15, 2025, he will drop his sophomore album, Star Line, marking a new chapter filled with growth, travel, and creative evolution.

Chance collaborated with longtime producer DexLvL to shape the album, incorporating his vision and sound from his trips to Ghana, Jamaica, and international art fairs. Lyrical themes of identity, resiliency, and cultural legacy will be paired with a blend of hip-hop, soul, and experimental textures.

Chance the Rapper teamed up again with Brandon Breaux, the artist who designed the covers for Chance’s earlier mixtapes: 10 Day (his first project in 2012, inspired by being suspended from high school), Acid Rap (a 2013 breakout mixtape that made him famous for mixing rap with trippy sounds), and Coloring Book (a 2016 Grammy-winning mixtape full of gospel and uplifting themes). 

For his new single “Tree,” Chance features Lil Wayne and Smino. The track also pays tribute to India Arie, an R&B/soul singer famous for her empowering songs about self-love and Black identity. Alongside the music, Chance directed a short film that flips stereotypes about marijuana businesses; he centers the story on a Black women-owned dispensary, showing it not as something negative, but as a space of joy, independence, and cultural pride.

He’s Touring and We Are Back Too

Right as the album drops, Chance will embark on the “And We Back Tour”, a 15-city North American journey starting September 26 in Houston. Stops include stops in New Orleans, Toronto, NYC, Los Angeles, and a homecoming in Chicago, concluding mid-October. Fans are ecstatic for the new tracks and fresh performances.

The Significance of This Moment

Departure and Return: Many questioned whether Chance had permanently regressed. On the contrary he is building on legacy; and this record tells a tale of Black spiritual advancement, artistic diaspora, and mobility. However, Chance is forceful and optimistic, reclaiming storytelling agency in both the album art and the video's setting.

Lessons for Creators

  • Whether it’s visuals or setting the tone, being original with your aesthetic can define your narrative.
  • Chunked releases like singles, listening events, and tactile merch can build anticipation while staying authentic.
  • Chance ingeniously blends sound, story and spiritual depth, which highlights how modern music careers often go beyond just streaming.

Chance the Rapper Returns: Star Line Album + “And We Back Tour” Breaks His Silencechance-the-rapper-returns-star-line-album-and-we-back-tour-breaks-his-silenceLienor KatasAug 19, 2025After a six-year silence, Chance the Rapper is officially back. On August 15, 2025, he will drop his sophomore album, Star Line, marking a new chapter filled with growth, travel, and creative...