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Meet NewJeans: The K-Pop Group Taking the World by Storm

March 22, 2023

Even if you haven't heard of NewJeans yet, there's a good chance you'll soon be humming along to their infectious tunes. The Korean pop group is quickly gaining international attention and breaking..

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Max Martin: Why a Pop-Hit Songwriter and Producer Created a Musical

March 31, 2023

Even if you don’t know who Max Martin is, you’ve definitely heard his songs. Hit-pop songs are kind of his thing after all. Martin first stepped into the music world in 1985 as a frontman for....

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MANILA GREY: Vancouver's Rising R&B Duo

March 18, 2023

The Filipino-Canadian duo from Vancouver has been releasing new tracks left and right, and they are known for their most streamed songs on Spotify, “Timezones,” and “Silver Skies.” Previously .......

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How did Miley Cyrus’ Heartbreak Song “Flowers” Break the Spotify Record?

March 17, 2023

The singer, songwriter, and actress Miley Cyrus has recently released a record-breaking song called “Flowers” in January 2023. This song recites her 10-year long relationship with her ex-husband....

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Men I Trust: Canada’s DIY Indie Band That Could Be Your New Favourite

March 4, 2023

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie pop band known for their dreamy and mellow sound. Their music is laid back, incorporating elements of funk, disco, and R&B to create a smooth and groovy vibe that is

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Basics For Building an At-Home Recording Studio

March 3, 2023

Artists like Kaytranada have proved that you don’t need access to a professional recording studio to create well-produced music. As technology and social media have advanced, it is now easier than eve

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Facing the Music: Legal Challenges With AI and Copyright Laws

February 25, 2023

People draw inspiration from others when forming their ideas, it’s a fact of life. Sampling in music is no exception - and artists do it for a variety of reasons. Traditionally, copyright laws and

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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 - What Does This Mean for Her Next Album?

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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Weeekly Makes 2022 Return With “Play Game: Awake”

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Photo: @_Weeekly on Twitter

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 comeback since their 2020 debut and makes dramatic shift from the group’s colourful lighthearted music that fans are typically used to seeing. It’s an undeniably fierce and powerful comeback that’s refreshing but has still left many listeners conflicted, missing their former cutesy sound.

“Ven Para” is a fiery song with a chant-like feel, an even more fiery music video, and a strong energetic beat. There’s also an angelic breakdown backed by sweet harmonies that is arguably the best part of the song.

Photo: 1theK (원더케이), Weeekly(위클리) _ Ven para

“Solar” definitely follows the same edgy formula but gives off a more confident, cool-girl feel, like the Weeekly girls have found their new sound. The beat during the verses shares both trap and EDM elements that elevate the verse and bring in more depth, coupled with the drama of the anti-drop, “Do you hear that?”, makes for a fierce powerful track.

“Where Is My Love?” brings us back to the dreamy soft sound we’ve been missing from the group. It’s sweet and full of harmonies that perfectly back the light bubbly vibe of the song and is definitely my favourite from the mini-album.

If there’s one thing we can take away from Weeekly’s, “Play Game: Awake”, it’s that these girls definitely have the range to perform both fierce, fiery music, and soft bubbly dream pop, and we’re ready to see how they balance these in the future.