Following the success of her pandemic anthem "Overwhelmed," Royal & the Serpent (Ryan Santiago) has pushed herself as an artist. Her macabre style and cinematic aesthetics are a perfect match for her mix of early 2000s rock and caffeinated pop.
This recent success has landed the New Jersey native collaborations with The Knocks and GAYLE. She talks to Jordan Edwards and Demi Ramos about the direction of her new EP, spirituality, and balancing her true self with her stage persona.
With her talent, high energy, and vintage style, Catie Turner quickly became an American Idol favorite. She didn’t win, but her seventh place finish was enough to earn a loyal fanbase.
But what happens after the show is over?
Watch Jordan Edwards and Demi Ramos talk to Turner about forging her own path, signing to a major label, and the success of her single “God Must Hate Me.”
What says Christmas in Brooklyn better than a chorus of, "Light up my Christmas tree like a cigarette / We don't need eggnog / We've got Jameson?"
All I want for Christmas is...a mohawk? In “Brooklyn Christmas Eve” — Brent Butler’s punky/power-pop tribute to the holiday season — a mohawk could actually be on someone’s wish list. Butler and his pals – judging by the lyrics – aren’t expecting much in the line of presents this year, and they’re okay with that:
Unemployed, so we got no shopping bags
But we're happy with the little things we have
Radio says this is the best time of the year
But my wish is for summer to appear.
Influenced by the Pogues and Green Day, Butler brings his own millennial-infused, charmingly off-beat sensibility to this chanson pour Noël.
If Butler got you pogo-ing around the Christmas tree, lend an ear to his 2018 debut EP Lilac. It’s a genre-bending blend of new wave and hip-hop and is available on any number of platforms.
Confess: you’re as sick of Silver Bells and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as I am. Every mall and coffee shop has been cranking out the same old songs since we trashed our Halloween pumpkins – and ate the rest of the candy. A change is needed. It’s wayyyyy past time to reboot the nation’s holiday playlist.
And so, public-spirited citizen that I am, here’s a list of some lesser-known versions of songs for the season, with an original or two thrown in for good measure.
Plug in the tree lights, shake up the eggnog, and – if you have a record player – break out the vinyl. And give these choice cuts a listen.
“Grace,” Lizz Wright
This song is a marvel. Mz. Wright gloriously reminds us that we all can use a little grace in our lives as we head into the new year.
“Santa Claus, Santa Claus,” Charles Brown
They don’t come any smoother than Charles Brown, who’s best known these days for that other holiday song, “Merry Christmas, Baby.” This is cut from the same cloth – smooth vocal, bluesy piano stylings – but doesn’t get played as often. Here’s your chance to remedy the situation:
“Santa Tell Me,” by Ariana Grande
Cheeky, boppy - Ari will get your cheer on and have you dancin’ round the kitchen as you dust those homemade sugar cookies with red, green, and sparkly sprinkles. Don’t forget to check out the hilarious outtakes – ho-ho-ho.
“White Christmas,” the Drifters
This group went through several incarnations, producing classics such as “Money Honey” and “There Goes My Baby.” This version of Irving Berlin’s classic is from 1954 and features the legendary Clyde McPhatter.
“Santa Baby,” Shakira
It’s tough to top Eartha Kitt’s 1953 original, but Shakira manages to heat things up, aided and abetted by a small jazz combo, in Rockefeller Center, 2009:
“Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto,” James Brown
The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, gives that jolly old elf his marching orders. And just so everyone knows what’s what, “Tell ‘em James Brown sent you.” Better listen to the Godfather of Soul, Saint Nick...
“Angels We Have Heard On High,” Annie Lennox
Sweet Christmas dreams are made of this. Lennox brings her trademark powerful sound to bear on this beloved hymn, replete with a gazillion red-gowned chorus members, in a performance from 2010.
“Silent Night,” the Swan Silvertones
One of the greatest gospel groups of all time lend their voices to another version of the 1818 carol. Claude Jeter’s voice, soaring above it all, is a thing of diaphanous beauty.
“Lonely Christmas,” Crayon Pop
5 charming elves will chase away those Holiday blues. This catchy tune is one earworm I actually adore!
“Christmas Wrapping,” the Waitresses
The late Patty Donahue fronted this new wave band best known for “I Know What Boys Like.” She brings an authentic touch of holiday despair to this fast-moving tale of chances missed...and opportunities taken.
There you have it – 10 songs to reboot our Holiday Playlist. This is far from definitive, of course. There are so many singers and Yuletide songs I yearned to include, but there just wasn’t enough space to fit them all in.
And, because it is – after all – better to give than to receive, here’s a bonus track. I heard this in the local deli this morning and it’s been buzzing around my head ever since...
“Here Comes Santa Claus,” Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters.
The Andrews Sisters - Here Comes Santa Claus
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Kate Klein has returned to express what we all are feeling.
After watching the world seemingly crumble around her this past year, Klein has risen from the ashes with a new pop-punk infused track simply titled "Rage," a feeling that we're all too familiar with. On the gritty 2-minute anthem, Klein abandons her pop sensibilities in favor of crunching guitars, driving drums, and unprecedented angst.
"Rage is a hymn to rebellion, self-expression, a straight no to emotional repression," the singer said of her new track, which premieres exclusively today exclusively on Popdust. "I wanted to write a song that would let people express their anger, that we often repress: society tells you to behave, be a good boy, don't make anyone upset, go to school, get good grades, and become a good worker. Like this, buy that, don't do that...don't think."
As the track grinds along, Klein touches on the dangerous thrill of self-medication and the power that comes with doing whatever the fuck you want. "It's an anthem for the underclass hero," she said. "The system told us to be always nice, don't be upset, shut up, line up like a barcode and you'll be happy. I didn't want that. I think my generation is waking up. We know that life is more than that and we want to change it. I have always felt different like I don't belong anywhere, I wanted more."
Klein wears the influences for "Rage" right on her sleeve. Blink-182, The Ramones, Sum 41, Nirvana, all of these bands inspired Klein growing up in a powerful way. "Rock was my safety pin," she said. These influences really started to show themselves when she was locked down this past year. "My music started to sound different," she said. "I realized I have changed so much since the beginning of the pandemic. I didn't relate to my old material anymore. The world and the pandemic had changed me. I was angry, and I wanted to speak out my mind and talk about what's going on."
It's true: Elton John is postponing his farewell tour.
The legendary pop star said after he sustained a fall that he was in a considerable amount of pain. In a statement, he wrote that he unfortunately will have to undergo major hip surgery and reschedule his Farewell tour.
"Despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving," he wrote. "I have been advised to have an operation as soon as possible to get me back to full fitness and make sure there are no long-term complications."
While we send Elton John the best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery, he is far from the first artist to have to cancel a tour due to health issues or an injury. Here are just six other massive artists that were also forced to cancel their tours over the years.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
In July of 2017, Bieber announced after performing a handful of dates on his Purpose world tour that he would be unexpectedly canceling the remaining dates. In a vague statement, the pop star wrote that he was "grateful and honored to have shared that experience with his cast and crew for over 150 successful shows across six continents during this run." He added that "after careful consideration" that he simply "decided he will not be performing any further dates."
A month later, Bieber clarified the reason behind his decision, citing mental health issues that he felt needed addressing. "I let my broken relationships dictate the way I acted toward people and the way I treated them," he wrote on Instagram. "I let bitterness, jealously and fear run my life...Me taking this time right now is me saying I want to be SUSTAINABLE. I want my career to be sustainable, but I also want my mind heart and soul to be sustainable. So that I can be the man I want to be, the husband I eventually want to be and the father I want to be."
Selena Gomez
selena gomez
Bieber's former flame even once had to cancel her tour due to mental health issues. Selena Gomez was in the middle of her 2016 Revival Tour when she decided to cancel half her dates and take a year off from music. She told fans in a statement published by PEOPLE that she had been diagnosed with Lupus and that the disease resulted in a mix "anxiety, panic attacks and depression."
"I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off," she said. "Thank you to all my fans for your support. You know how special you are to me, but I need to face this head on to ensure I am doing everything possible to be my best. I know I am not alone by sharing this, I hope others will be encouraged to address their own issues."
Kanye West
Kanye West
After a handful of bizarre rants and celebrity feuds placed a dark cloud over 2016's Saint Pablo Tour, Kanye West abruptly canceled what was left of the tour after he was hospitalized in Los Angeles for sleep deprivation and exhaustion. Little information emerged regarding his condition as his weeks-long stay dragged on, with mental health experts at one point weighing in on what exactly was going on with Mr. West. After his release, he came out and said that he had been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and that he experienced manic episodes that led to debilitating paranoia. He confirmed that he is not medicated for the condition.
Adele
adele
In 2011, Adele was forced to cancel her U.S. and U.K. tour dates after her vocal chord hemorrhaged and resulted in her having to get surgery. "She is to undergo surgery to alleviate the current issues with her throat and a full recovery is expected," read a statement per Billboard. "As a result, doctors have ordered her to rest her voice and completely recuperate before looking to schedule any work commitments."
The hemorrhage was due to laryngitis, and she continued to battle the disease throughout the year. On her blog, Adele spoke on two moments in particular when her voice "suddenly switched off like a light! it was literally as if someone pulled a curtain over my throat."
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga
Another artist forced to sideline their tour due to hip surgery, Lady Gaga was forced to make a similar cancellation to Elton John in 2013 when her Born This Way Ball tour was abruptly cut short after she suffered an intense hip injury that required surgery. Gaga later reaffirmed that the injury was indeed severe, as she said the injury resulted in "a hole in my hip the size of a quarter."
She added in an interview with Women's Wear Daily that her injury was "actually a lot worse than just a labral tear. I had broken my hip...The surgeon told me that if I had done another show I might have needed a full hip replacement. I would have been out at least a year, maybe longer."
Lorde
In 2014, Lorde decided to cancel the entire Australian segment of our Pure Heroine Tour. The decision came after the singer developed a "really nasty chest infection" that left her ill and in desperate need of R&R. She returned home and wrote on Twitter that she was "so, so gutted" for disappointing her fans. "My parents and my team stepped in telling me I needed a break after being non-stop since the Grammys in January," she wrote. "We will 100% be back for this tour (most likely in November) so don't worry about that."
