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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Behind Kaytranada’s Unique Sound

February 18, 2023

Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has

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The Creative Act: Rick Rubin’s Knowledge Turned Into A Book

February 17, 2023

What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the

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Behind the Music: The Audio Engineer

February 14, 2023

The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close

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Koji Kondo: Nintendo’s Melody Maestro

February 14, 2023

What do popular video games franchises Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Star Fox all have in common? They were all produced and published by Nintendo, and the iconic music themes that you hear in...

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Taylor Swift on Industry Sexism and Music Rights

February 8, 2023

Being a successful woman in the music industry is no easy feat. Not only do they deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a musician, but there are also gender-specific challenges.

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What’s the Ideal Length for a Single— Are Songs Getting Shorter?

February 8, 2023

“Is it just me, or are songs getting shorter these days?” This is a question I have often pondered, especially in the last few years. It appears that in the era of social media, attention spans are

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Rihanna's Fresh Start with 'R9': A Journey of Rediscovery

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Rihanna's journey towards her ninth studio album, affectionately dubbed ‘R9’, has been a long and winding road. At the launch party for her new Fenty Hair line, she opened up about the delay, humorously noting that while the product line took a long time to create, it pales in comparison to the time taken for her new album. She confessed that she is essentially starting over on the record.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting new material since her last album, ‘Anti’, dropped in 2016. Rihanna shared with Entertainment Tonight that her approach to music has shifted over the years. “Music, for me, is a new discovery,” she said. “I’m rediscovering things. I have been working on the album for so long that I put all that stuff aside, and now I’m prepared to go back in the studio.”

She emphasized that while she is starting fresh, she doesn't intend to disregard the work she has already done. Instead, she plans to revisit her existing songs with a new perspective to see what still resonates with her. This revelation follows a week of speculation after she wore a dress that humorously declared, “I’m retired. This is as dressed up as I can get,” leading some fans to believe she might be stepping away from music.

Rihanna’s foray into haircare with Fenty Hair marks her fifth business venture, aimed at providing products to strengthen and repair all hair types. This launch underscores her expanding empire beyond music, though rumors of a musical comeback have been swirling since December, when reports suggested she had signed a new deal with Live Nation, potentially hinting at a world tour in the near future.

In April, Rihanna shared with Extra that her new music represents an evolution of her sound, and she has a plethora of visual ideas for the album. She also revealed that she and her partner A$AP Rocky have been collaborating, with both artists having to decide who will use their best material.

Rihanna's last musical release was ‘Lift Me Up’, the lead single for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, which she performed at the 2023 Oscars. Her first performance in seven years came when she headlined the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, followed by a private performance at a billionaire’s wedding in India.

Her achievements in music continue to set records. Rihanna recently became the female artist with the most diamond-certified singles, including hits like ‘Umbrella’ and ‘We Found Love’. Last July, she also became the first woman to have ten songs reach one billion streams on Spotify. Reflecting on these milestones, she remarked, “Bad Gal billi’ … wit’ no new album… lemme talk my shit!”

As Rihanna continues to redefine her musical journey, fans remain on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the next chapter in her illustrious career.

Rihanna's Fresh Start with 'R9': A Journey of Rediscoveryrihannas-fresh-start-with-r9-a-journey-of-rediscoveryHla EidJun 20, 2024Rihanna's journey towards her ninth studio album, affectionately dubbed ‘R9’, has been a long and winding road. At the launch party for her new Fenty Hair line, she opened up about the delay...