Look, concerts are great. I would love to see my entire Spotify Wrapped lineup live. And I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Harry Styles' events alone — judge me if you want, I don’t plan on stopping. But my wallet isn’t as enthusiastic.

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Interview and Photos by Jordan Edwards

Softest Hard has been into dance music since she was a kid, and now it's her career. For the last several years, she's built a reputation as a DJ, performing at festivals and clubs around the world.

More recently, she's made the move into production. She teamed with T-Pain last year for "I'm Blue," a take on the classic Eiffel 65 track. In February, Softest Hard reimagined "My Boo" by Ghost Town DJs with Blush on vocals.

We met up with her in LA to talk about her musical background, upcoming projects, and collaborating with her friend Kali Uchis.

Tell me about “My Boo.” How did that track come together?
I would always play the original song "My Boo" by Ghost Town DJs in almost every set of mine. It's just one of those songs that you can drop anywhere and it would instantly light up the room. One day I decided I wanted to flip it, and I got my homegirl Blush to sing on it, and we both fell in love with it.

Why do you think sped up songs have become popular on social media?
I think TikTok brought back and made songs being sped up popular again. I feel like I've always loved the sped up sound, but before it was called nightcore to me. Just like all the other trends, it all comes back around again.

Softest Hard by Jordan Edwards

How did you get into producing? Did you start as a DJ?
My first love was DJing, and I got into that first. Then, as my love for music grew, I wanted to learn more. I then got into producing, allowing myself to bring to life the sounds that I had in my head. There's still so much more to learn, and I'm grateful for all my friends that have taught me as much as they have.

What was the approach with “I’m Blue?” The original is so recognizable, but you want to put your own spin on it.
Growing up my mom and aunties were huge fans of Eurodance, trance, and techno-pop. The likes of La Bouche, ATC, and Eiffel 65. I've always been heavily influenced by that era, so when my manager showed me T-Pain's vocal of him flipping "I'm Blue," I was all over it. It's still one of my favorites, and I'm so appreciative to have worked with a legend like T-Pain.

What producers do you look up to?
I look up to ATB for sure. He's one of my all-time favorite music producers. I'm such a fan of his work. His melodies are insanely beautiful and trancey. I really really love his style. I also really look up to Skrillex. He's one of my really good friends that has believed in me from the start. That man is a genius.

What’s it like to collaborate with Kali Uchis? She's so creative, both musically and visually.
Kali is one of my best friends in real life; she's always been fun to work with. I did the music video with her for the original "La Luz." So when I wanted to remix it, she was down. and that's how "La Luz" reimagined came to life.

Do you have a wish list of people you’d like to work with?
I don't have a list but off the top of my head right now. I would really love to work with Doja Cat and Alice Glass. I love their vocals so much as well as their whole artistry.

You tour a lot. How do you stay healthy on the road?
Yes, touring a lot in and out the country. It's a lot, and it takes a toll on your mental and physical health for sure. But I make sure that I get as much rest as I can in between shows, drink a lot of water, and watch what I eat. My tour manager and I both don't drink alcohol either, so that helps not feeling icky while out and about in these cities.

What’s next?
I'm playing EDC Vegas this year, got a couple shows with Habstrakt, some shows back in Asia, and then festival season. My album is also suppose to drop this year, so there's a lot going on and I'm so grateful for everyone helping me make it happen. I'm super hungry, and I'm ready for whatever the DJ Gods throw at me.

Softest Hard, T-Pain – I'm Blue [Official Music Video]hardrecs.ffm.to/imblue Follow Softest Hard: Twitter: https://twitter.com/softest_hard Instagram: ...


For more from Softest Hard, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Music Features

Larry King's Best Hip-Hop Interviews

Larry King interviewed countless rappers throughout his career, but these few stood above the pack

Mac Miller and Larry King

While Larry King admitted on several occasions that he "didn't appreciate Hip-Hop," the legendary interviewer opened up his show to a plethora of rap stars beginning in 2014.

His lack of appreciation wasn't malicious in the slightest. Raised on the sounds of Frank Sinatra and jazz, Larry King merely didn't understand the genre. But with each interview he strove to educate not only the public about Hip-Hop's cultural power, but himself. He often was hyper-focused on the lack of gay rappers within the industry, as well as the genre's use of the N-word, and asked about it unflinchingly.

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"The Masked Singer" Is Over: What's Next in Mind-Boggling Reality TV?

Imagine a show featuring Miley Cyrus teaching Nicolas Cage and Jenny McCarthy how to be vegan. Sounds like Fox network's next hit!

Miley Cyrus

Photo by Kobby Dagan (Shutterstock)

America's trust in television was broken long before NBC's The Masked Singer held up a mirror to our low standards for "expert judges" and our underlying fear of Teletubbies.

For the past two months, one of the top-rated shows on prime time has featured twelve has-been celebrities dressed as inbred Looney Toons. The singing competition is based on the Korean reality TV show with the same concept. Now that we know The Masked Singer will assault us with a second season next year, let's brace ourselves–the worst is yet to come.

Other hit Korean TV shows spotlight celebrities' moldy leftovers and strained parent-child relationships for the amusement of the masses. We're betting it's only a matter of time before one of these bizarre series debuts in the States.

1. Please Take Care of My Refrigerator

Ever want to see inside your favorite celebrity's refrigerator? Why would you? That's weird. Each episode of Please Take Care of My Refrigerator features eight of the country's best chefs and invites them into the guest star's kitchen, having them compete to create edible dishes using only the ingredients and old leftovers in the celebrity's refrigerators. They have 15 minutes. The celebrity then judges each dish and selects a winner. There is no apparent reward for winning, except for the chance to feed BTS' best boy, Jungkook.

For a US adaptation, we predict the E! network would milk this reality show for all its worth. Hosted by: Gordon Ramsay.

[ENG] Please Take Care of my Fridge BTS Cut_3rd Dish (Hot Braised Short Ribs)youtu.be

2. Dad! Where Are We Going?

Riffing off the common assumption that celebrities must be terrible parents, each episode features five celebrity fathers traveling or camping with their children. Sometimes they try to "cook" and other times they pull their hair out. We predict CBS would be the first to adopt this on account of its eagerness to exploit any celebrity for prime-time ratings (yes, we're talking about The World's Best).

[ENG SUB] Dad!Where are you going?-Hoo's 9th b-day party 후9살생일축하 20141221youtu.be

3. Human Condition

Six A-list actors are deprived of their phones, television, and the Internet as they live in a dorm for one week. But rather than being a simple Big Brother setup, each episode features a challenge imposing new restrictions, like not creating any trash or living on minimum wage. For a US version, we see this show on ABC. With moralizing shows like The Good Doctor and Grey's Anatomy but reality TV trash like The Bachelor, ABC would jump on the chance to teach celebrities about social issues like climate change while benefiting from their potential moral failures. Hosted by: Miley Cyrus

The Human Condition | 인간의 조건: Living on a Shoestring Budget – The First Episode (2014.12.03)youtu.be


4. The Return of Superman

It's another show banking on male celebrities being incapable of caring for their children. This time, celebrity fathers are left alone with their kids for 48 hours without any help from wives, family members, or the legion of celebrity nannies who keep Hollywood afloat. American actors like Steven Yeun have also guest-starred as "Uncles" left to take care of other's children on their own. NBC, America's publicist for family values, would love this shit.

[The Return of Superman] Steven Yeun's special way to feed a babyyoutu.be

5. Unpretty Rapstar

It's worse than it sounds. This music competition features aspiring female rappers competing against each other American Idol-style. Hosted by any mildly successful rapper, the show features challenges like diss battles and filming a one-take music video for an original song they've written and arranged themselves while on the show. Considering Fox's love of reality shows that sound wrong, the network probably has its eye on adapting this bad boy already. Hosted by: Iggy Azalea.

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Photo by Simon Noh on Unsplash

Everything is cyclical, and that includes the relevance of our favorite rappers.

While headlines as of late have been centered on the legal drama of Tekashi 6ix9ine, the budding rap beef between Tory Lanez and everybody, and the birth of XXXTENTACION's son, it's important to remember that those who used to steal our hearts in the early 2000s are still very much alive. Even more so, a handful of these artists are all gaining traction right now, hinting at a possible future where Millennial and Gen Z rappers can co-exist in harmony. Here are few rappers that you forgot existed but are still hanging around.

"Spendin'" by ILoveMakonnen featuring Gucci Mane

"I'm winning, I'm winning," Canada's ILoveMakonnen sings on the track's opening hook. Sure, the awkward singer/mumble rapper has released multiple projects since his breakout single "Tuesday" took over radio in 2014, but to say he's been "winning" feels like a stretch. I mean, does anyone even remember anything about that song besides Drake's verse? "Spendin' is a fun song you can play anywhere," the former ILoveMakonnen said of the new track. "It's about spending money on things you love and spending time with people who hate you. People always like to hate when you're spending." Alrighty, then.

ILoveMakonnen - "Spendin" ft. Gucci Mane (Official Lyric Video)www.youtube.com

"Cut Dat Check" by Soulja Boy

Somehow, the "Crank Dat" MC has skyrocketed back into the mainstream. After his insanely quotable Breakfast Club interview a few weeks ago, Young Draco capitalized on his newfound relevance, pushing out his latest single "Cut Dat Check." The track itself is stale and dispassionate, but it's refreshing to see a celebrity make headlines for goofy antics rather than drama. While he may be forever known to the younger generation as a walking meme, it's safe to say Soulja Boy's return has provoked nostalgia in Millennials everywhere.

Cut Dat Checkwww.youtube.com

"Getcha Roll On" by T-Pain featuring Tory Lanez

While the King of Autotune has released plenty of projects in the last few years, the Tallahassee MC's latest club-ready track is the catchiest single we've seen from him since his iconic "Buy U A Drank" days. Tory Lanez's tight guest feature is sure to help solidify a radio feature for the track; but regardless, it's nice to just see Faheem back in circulation after being overshadowed by other autotuned rappers for so many years.

T-Pain - Getcha Roll On ft. Tory Lanez (Official Music Video)www.youtube.com

"Fix Your Face" by The Ying Yang Twins

Between the monumental success of "Get Low" and the residual pop culture relevance of "Hey Mama (The Whisper Song)," the Ying Yang Twins remain one of the most prolific rap duos of the early 2000s. The duo's latest outing, "Fix Your Face," is more of a hard-hitting Trap record than what the group is known for; but as 2019 kicks off. it's exciting to see Kaine and D-Roc back at it again.

Ying Yang Twins x Odd Squad Family - Fix Your Face (Prod. by AKT Aktion)www.youtube.com


Mackenzie Cummings-Grady is a creative writer who resides in the Brooklyn area. Mackenzie's work has previously appeared in The Boston Globe, Billboard, and Metropolis Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @mjcummingsgrady.


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