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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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Switzerland Wins Eurovision song Contest After Controversial Grand Final

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Switzerland emerged victorious in the 68th Eurovision song contest, amidst controversies over Israel's participation and the disqualification of the Dutch contestant just before the grand final. Nemo, a non-binary Swiss singer, clinched the title with their energetic performance of "The Code," beating out top contenders Croatia and Israel. Their operatic and drum'n'bass-infused song dominated the jury vote, comprising half of the total score. However, the event was marred by the disqualification of the Dutch contestant, Joost Klein, due to an incident involving a female member of the production crew, threatening to overshadow the musical performances at the world's largest live music event.

The Dutch broadcaster expressed shock at the disqualification of Joost Klein and refused to allocate points from its jury. The controversy intensified due to Klein's apparent disagreement with Israel's participation, voiced during a press conference. Meanwhile, Israel's clearance to compete after modifying song lyrics about a Hamas massacre stirred political debates. Pro-Palestine activists urged a boycott, leading to protests during the event in Malmö, where some were detained by police. Despite the controversy, cheers overshadowed boos as Israel's contestant took the stage.

Eurovision's organizers dismissed rumors linking Joost Klein's suspension to other performers or the Israeli delegation. Swedish police investigated a complaint from a crew member, leading to Klein's disqualification due to alleged inappropriate behavior. The Dutch broadcaster Avrotros expressed shock, stating Klein made a threatening gesture toward a camerawoman. Despite offering solutions, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) upheld the disqualification. Eurovision's executive director faced audience backlash, and rumors circulated about Ireland's entry, Bambie Thug, potentially withdrawing after missing the final dress rehearsal.

Olly Alexander's entry for Britain, "Dizzy," placed 18th in the Eurovision contest with zero points from the audience vote. Joost Klein, a former YouTuber from Friesland, was expected to leave an impression with his multilingual song "Europapa," featuring imagery of a burning "European house." Despite the controversy, he did not compete. At a pro-Palestine rally, a participant waved a placard supporting Klein, highlighting the entanglement of politics and pop at Eurovision.

Switzerland Wins Eurovision song Contest After Controversial Grand Finalswitzerland-wins-eurovision-song-contest-after-controversial-grand-finalMuhammad SiddiquiMay 14, 2024Switzerland emerged victorious in the 68th Eurovision song contest, amidst controversies over Israel's participation and the disqualification of the Dutch contestant just before the grand...