Dance-pop duo Krewella, the Pakistani-American sisters, hooks up with Yellow Claw on "Rewind."
Krewella & Yellow Claw - Rewind (Official Music Video)youtu.be
Krewella explains, "We wrote 'Rewind' about the bittersweet feeling of losing yourself in memories. How moments and emotions seem to vanish in the blink of an eye, and suddenly it's a month, a year, sometimes a decade later, and you feel like everything you've experienced is a fictional story." Krewella's voices blend with a swirling rhythm for a vibrant summer earworm.
On this day in 1988, English singer Rick Astley went on to dominate the charts for 2 whole weeks with his #1 hit single "Never Gonna Give You Up." No one knew what it was destined to become.
On this day in 1988, English singer Rick Astley went on to dominate the charts for 2 whole weeks with his #1 hit single "Never Gonna Give You Up."
Astley–a gangly 21-year-old with a vivacious pompadour, crooked teeth, and ill-fitting garments– took the world by storm with a handful of hits including, "Together Forever" and "It Would Take a Strong Strong Man." His musicality and lyrics all revolved around a similar theme: "I love you, do you love me? Hold me. Let's dance." Then the pop star faded out with the times and retired at the age of 27.
"I was a young guy and I was like, I don't want to be doing that every single day of my life," he told Rolling Stone in 2016. "I want to hang out with my friends. I've made a lot of money. I want to spend some of it."
But some time in May of 2007, Astley's career was unconventionally revitalized. An anonymous user, on the infamous message board 4chan, posted what was labeled as a debut trailer for the game Grand Theft Auto IV, but when people clicked the link, it took them to the music video for "Never Gonna Give You Up." The sensation was based on another, lesser-known 4chan prank called "Duckrolling." Christopher Poole, 4chan's founder, made it so that anytime a user wrote the word "egg" on his site, it would be randomly changed to "duck." The correlating theme: Trick users into experiencing the unexpected.
The trend took off like wildfire on YouTube throughout the early aughts and spawned a lot of silly reaction videos in the process, re-exposing unsuspecting patrons to the work of the then-retired Astley. "It's done a lot of good," Astley said of "Rickrolling" in 2016. "[It] reminded another generation [about me]." Thanks to the unexpected trend, Astley unexpectedly went on to win "Best Act Ever" at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008.
In hindsight, the singer admitted that "Never Gonna Give You Up," was undeniably '80s and perfect for the prank it inevitably became. "We made it the week we went to Number One in the U.K," he said of the now legendary music video. "No one sat me down and said, 'We're thinking of you wearing this,' I literally just turned up with my clothes." He admitted that Rickrolling has forever changed his reputation, but he's come to terms with it. "There's no getting away from it now, and I've got to own it because if I don't, it's like being petty."
Check out the music video below, and happy Rick Rolling Day!
In the late 2010s, "Cal" and Rob were one of the most sought-after pop duos, especially within the upper echelons of YouTube.
As Timeflies, their weekly "Timeflies Tuesday" segments raked in over 175 million views total across episodes, with their original content streamed over 261 million times altogether. Their breakout album, After Hours, debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 and went #1 on the iTunes Pop chart. Vanity Fair referred to the duo as "musical masterminds."
Timeflies have since broken up, at least for the time being, but for Cal, whose debut EP TheIdentity Crisis: Side A comes out this Friday, it was for the best. "I was using the last tour that we had to really reflect," he told me. "We've been touring like this for eight years, and I realized I wanted to tell my story, which is harder to do in a band. "I didn't feel as inspired by [Timeflies]."
What has the reception been like so far to your solo career?
"It's been weird. People are about it, but I knew it would be [kinda weird]. When you already have a platform like Timeflies, your brain is kinda built to have certain expectations. So I feel like I'm starting from scratch, and it's most the nerve racking part of it but also the most exciting. I'm just happy to be in a place where I can say and do whatever I want."
What led to wanting to pursue a solo career? Why not just take a break from music in general?
"I love performing, and I just wanted to tell more my story, and explain my experiences. I was ready to explore."
It seems like you're working through a lot too?
"I feel like we all have these bumper rails growing up like with friends and family kinda guiding us along, and when they're gone, you're left feeling like 'where am I?' All my family is in New York, all my friends are too. I'm out here in LA [alone], and I'm kinda left exploring 'what is this now?'"
Tell me about the song "Friend."
"At first I didn't wanna put it out. There's this line in the second verse...and I know he's immediately gonna know it's about him. He was just that friend that fell off the map and did some stuff, and I realized that I'd always love the idea of him, but the shit he did was kind of unforgivable. I don't trust you anymore. Breaking it down actually is making me a little emotional."
"No. I'm trying to be so present with [this project], and [I need] to express the way I'm feeling. I'm not selling anyone out or anything, and he should know, but it is something I stress about."
What's next after Side A? Is Side B coming out?
"You're clever to notice that. Yes, there will be a Side B, but I don't wanna speak too much on it yet."
Are you and Rob still friends? Is a Timeflies reunion ever a possibility?
"Honestly, our relationship is better than it's been. I mean we've always been friends, but it was 8 years of spending 340 days together. Every decision had to be a compromise. It wears you down and you lose track, and now we feel like we can help each other. I could see us working on stuff [in the future.]"
Are you nervous at all to embark on this solo career?
"Self doubt is something that no human has a shortage of in the creative space. So I set my expectations at zero. I've really fallen in love with the process, and I love writing songs. I'm mostly just excited."
In EDM music, VASSY is one of the most established vocalists in the genre.
"I had a point there where so many DJs were reaching out to me and asking me to do collabs with them," VASSY said. "I had some cool collabs with DJs like Showtek, Afrojack, KSHMR, and so on." In reality, that's a modest way to describe the singer's impact. Her 2014 tracks "Bad" and "Secrets" both went on to chart globally, the latter of which hit #1 in over 30 countries, while the former clocked in over a billion streams and was certified double platinum in multiple countries. As an artist, VASSY has topped the Billboard Dance charts 7 times. She has 17 platinum certifications and 8 #1 Billboard singles. "[They] were asking me to do collabs with them to create another "Bad" or another "Secrets," she said. "I was really craving to have some me time and create records that were more melodic and had more of traditional pop craftsmanship to it."
VASSY's solo career thus far has been incredibly fruitful. The singer recently hit her 8th solo #1 hit with "Concrete Heart," a charismatic mix of Vassy's smooth vocals and Disco Fries authoritative Electro House sensibilities. VASSY's latest single, "Trouble," which premieres today exclusively on Popdust, is equally as immaculate. The single's production, much like that of "Concrete Heart," was handled by Disco Fries' Danny Boselovic, and has all the makings of another chart-topper.
Tell me about your upbringing. How has that shaped your artistry?
I grew up in a Greek household in a little town up north in Australia. I knew from a young age I wanted to do music despite being kicked out of school choir and told I didn't have what it takes. I also did not have the blessing of my father's presence because we lost him, unfortunately.
How did you navigate that?
I promised him I would finish my degree in Architecture, and only then would I pursue music after I got his blessings, that was before he passed away. I started my career in Australia, got signed to Universal Music, and had a great career as a pop-indie artist but I really wanted to spread my wings so I came to America and started all over again, even though at first no one gave a sh*t about me. My background shaped my artistry in the sense that my father worked hard and his hard work ethic has shaped who I am today and how I approach life.
How have you handled fame?
I'm not caught up in the lifestyle of our business, I live a private, humble, normal life. I just love creating and making records. It's my way of expressing positive energy, to inspire people to feel good and feel motivated in life. I have mentored in detention centers at remote communities and schools to empower kids to believe in themselves despite bullies and rejections, as I too have experienced all this. I want my fans and people to see how rejections can lead to redirections and how you can be anyone from anywhere and can still make it. You don't have to be rich and famous, or perfect, and fit in a box, you just have to be authentically you, work hard, believe in yourself and you will prevail.
You're a highly accomplished and highly decorated artist. Was there a moment where you felt it all change for you?
Less than a year after "BAD" went platinum in several countries, I performed "Secrets" with Tiësto at Ultra in front of 150,000 people. [The song] had only been out for 48 hours and already hit #1 on Beatport. I think in that moment I realized that I had created 2 of the biggest dance music anthems with the biggest DJ legends in the world...in that moment, I thought wow they know all my songs inside out, these thousands of people. Not bad for an Aussie girl like me!
Tell me about the creative process behind "Trouble." It seems more pop oriented than "Concrete Heart."
I wanted to self-indulge and create records that fulfill me. At first, I was scared that the fans may not embrace it, and perhaps think it was too pop leaning to dance to? But after being embraced and supported so well on the radio and from the fans, it lead me to create "Trouble." This is a song I had written a while back with a buddy of mine and I have been looking for the right home for it for a while now. I wanted a pop-leaning dance record where the ledge drives the song through the lyrics, while you still have the dance grooves and progression. I wanted a more vocal chop melodic riff so that its more of a post-chorus drop, I like classic song writing style so from A to Z, the verse to the pre-chorus to the chorus to the bridge and so on. I like the journey it takes the listener on. I like a lot of texture that pop records have, dance records are infectious but tend to be more two-dimensional in the production. So on this record, I wanted to get people up and dancing while delivering a cool attitude and story line through the narrative of this song.
Headlining Las Vegas pride is a huge deal. How are you gonna prepare? Are you excited?
Yes, I'm always excited to perform especially for Prides, they are full of love and positive vibes! It's always so celebratory, coming together as one united through dance and music, to celebrate good vibes.
What can we expect from Vassy later this year?
More trouble! *laughs*. I got cool remixes coming and the music video, and I'm the kind of artist that likes to focus on one record at a time. I really nurture it, give it all my love before moving onto the next...I guess I'm an artist and so that's my creation in a way – like a plant.
Indie-pop rock band Echosmith has had a busy couple of months of collaboration and creativity.
The trio collaborated with DJ and producer Audien for "Favorite Sound" and on the Timbaland remix of "God Only Knows" with two-time Grammy-winning duo For King & Country. The uplifting lyrics in both songs highlight a reassuring message that Echosmith ties into all of their music. The resulting tracks are sure to make fans excited for their new album. Popdust was able to catch up with lead singer, Sydney Sierota, to talk about the creative processes behind the tunesand what to expect next.
What was the creative process like when creating "Favorite Sound," and how did the band end up collaborating with Audien?
"Favorite Sound" was already written by us a long time ago, like at least a year ago. We originally wrote it for ourselves, but when you're writing a record, you end up writing way more than you need. With "Favorite Sound," in particular, we had a whole music track for it and everything, but we didn't feel like it was right yet, musically. Then we heard from our manager that Audien wanted to collab, and we got so excited because he had done great work with Lady Antebellum, so it was a cool crossover. We sent him over a bunch of songs, and he ended up liking "Favorite Sound" the most. We didn't end up meeting until the song was out and we were promoting it in New York! We just gave him all the files, and he just went at it. The first draft of the song didn't need much more work on it. I think there was only one tiny, nit-picky thing that we wanted to change. It was so perfect, and it was done within a couple of weeks!
I can't believe that everything went so well, and you all didn't even meet until promotion!
Overall, it was a fun collab, because it was so easy. We were just already on the same creative page, even though we had never met in person.
Was the creative process behind "God Only Knows" with For King & Country just as easy? Tell me about that journey.
For the For King & Country collab, that song already existed. I loved the message and the lyrics, especially because they just hit home for me, and I think it hits home for so many different people. I've truly been in love with their music for a long time. The funny thing is we didn't get to meet them either until we were shooting the song's music video! So again, this all happened over Facetime and text. Joel [Smalbone] from the band and his wife Mariah had known my dad, and they were hanging out and talking about music stuff, and they brought up this Timberland remix to my dad and said they were looking for a female to sing on it. My dad texted me and said, "Hey, would you maybe be interested in this?" All I could say was, "Oh my gosh, yes! I already love the song, and I'll sing on it tomorrow if they let me." We did all the vocals over two days over Facetime, and it was only a couple days after the idea was even brought up. It just all happened super fast! I don't think I've ever done a collab that was that fast.
These songs both have very powerful messages regarding mental health. What do you hope listeners take away or learn from each of the tracks or the music videos?
I think two different messages reside within these songs that kind of play off of each other. "Favorite Sound" was the most vulnerable I had ever been, in regards to songwriting and lyrics, which was scary. The song has only been out for a few months, but so many people relate to it. I think, at least for me, it's so crowded in your head, and sometimes it feels tough to control. It feels very overwhelming when negative thoughts just love to come in. I think it's very important for us to realize that we can be in control of those thoughts and turn them into something [else.] I want to help people realize that it's okay to deal with mental health issues, and it's okay to feel [bad.] With "God Only Knows," that message is also super powerful, and I think it's important that whoever listens to it and sees the video realizes that everybody goes through stuff. It's really important to have sympathy for other people, as well as yourself.
You mentioned earlier that "Favorite Sound" was one of the most vulnerable songs you've ever written. Which lyric from that song speaks to you the most?
I could probably pick out a lot of different ones, but the first one that came to my mind was, "And, I tend to be my own worst enemy." I think we should be our own cheerleader and support ourselves, but it's really hard to do that. That was a hard line to put out there in the world, because it's very vulnerable. That's not every day, but there are days [when] I do feel like my own worst enemy. I think that's my favorite line, because even saying it out loud makes it easier to deal with and turn my perspective upside down in whatever ways I can.
How did you all come up with the music video concepts for "Favorite Sound" and "God Only Knows," and what made you want to express the messages and stories of these songs in that way?
We were pretty lucky and were able to work with some pretty great directors for this. For "Favorite Sound," we worked with this director named Drew Kirsch, and he had a bunch of ideas for the visuals. There's a lot of elements in the video that can be translated in a lot of different ways, but we thought it would be fun to do a more [lighthearted] video to touch on the heavy themes of the song. It's like you have to clean your life out and clean your dirty laundry and deal with that, but also to let go and have fun and realize that "your dirty laundry" isn't forever. If you're dealing with something, it's important to let it go and enjoy life. We loved the idea of performing in a laundromat and having me walk through it, feeling everything, being down, and then showing the opposite of that.
Was the experience with "God Only Knows" different?
"God Only Knows" was a very collaborative effort. Joel was super involved with directing the video. We bounced ideas back and forth as to how we should portray the life of this artist before going on stage. [it's about] putting on your best face no matter what you're doing or what your job is, while trying to balance [negative] feelings. It was cool to have Joel yelling behind the camera and saying things like, "Yeah! Now throw things off the table! Really show us that you're angry!" I'd never done this with another artist before where they were that involved with the video. Joel and Luke were so helpful in helping portray the emotions I needed to portray. It was a fun process.
What kind of goals does Echosmith have in the near and far future? Do you have more collabs planned for this year? Is the album going to be the main focus? What's in the cards for you guys?
Our main, number one goal is to make sure this album that we're working on is as perfect as it can be and that we're as proud of it as we can be and to finish it as soon as possible. It's gonna be done very soon. We want to make sure that it's fully finished before getting into the creative side of things and visually get it to where it's supposed to be. We want to link the music to the visual art of it all. So that's our immediate goal. I definitely want to collaborate more with people in the future, but for now, we're really focusing on Echosmith's music and getting that out there. I'm so excited about all of it!
The New York native pop singer/songwriter Kat Capone continues to shows off her dynamic and candid personality in her latest music video for her song "Choke."
Drawing from her musical influences like Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Missy Elliot, Capone skillful combines honest and direct songwriting mixed with fun, impactful pop beats to create music that can be enjoyed by the masses.
The video begins with fast cut scenes of a decadent living room, panning over luxurious decor and glittering gold furniture. The camera then cuts to Capone, dressed stylishly in all black and wearing matching berets with two other women. The trio begins to sip their tea when Capone launches into the song's opening lyric, "I heard what you said/ And you seem a little obsessed/ We coulda been friends/ This song coulda been a duet" with her sensual and raspy voice.
According to Capone, "Choke" is a high energy rhythmic jam full of attitude and confidence inspired by gossipers who secretly follow everything you do. This theme and Capone deep cutting swagger is especially obvious in the track's infectious chorus. With lines like, "You ain't gotta like me I got enough friends/ You ain't gotta lie to me or pretend/ No time for the he said she said/ We could smell the hate on your breath," and "Been hearing that my name's in your mouth/ When you see me you don't even make a sound/ Guess the cat got your tongue tied now/ Don't choke on my name spit it out," the singer makes a stance that she isn't here to waste time and energy on people who are less than authentic.
The quirky track is produced by MultiPlatinum producer KQuick (Alessia Cara, J Cole, Queen Naija) and its infectious flute melody is supported by deep 808s and clocklike percussion. The chorus serves elementary school playground taunting vibes paired with a classic reggae sample from Major Cat.
Check out Kat Capone's music video for "Choke" below!
