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Breaking The Silence: A Look At Mental Health In The K-pop Industry

April 23, 2023

In the past few years, the K-pop culture has experienced a number of suicides, which has devastated the Korean entertainment industry. Sulli from f(x), Jonghyun from SHINee, Goo Hara from KARA, and

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Breaking Down The Genius of SZA’s Album ‘SOS’

April 20, 2023

Since SZA has released her latest album ‘SOS’, it has made a lot of buzz in the music industry. The album has received positive reviews for its combination of R&B, pop, and hip-hop and featured.....

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Korean Indie/Pop Rock Bands You Need To Know: Day6, The Rose, & HYUKOH

April 20, 2023

With K-pop bands like BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, and SEVENTEEN, Korean music has been on the rise over the past ten years. But Korea’s music culture doesn’t stop there....

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Show Me The Money: South Korea’s No. 1 Rap Competition

April 10, 2023

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WONHO: Rising Success After Departure From Monsta X

April 8, 2023

In October 2019, member of the K-pop group Monsta X, WONHO, faced allegations of drug usage, resulting in his departure from the group. Fans were disheartened by the news of him leaving and wondered..

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BMI’s Court Case Win Helps Songwriters in the Live Music Industry

April 1, 2023

Songwriters, composers, and publishers have long been underpaid when it comes to the live concert industry. However, a successful court case may be the first step to changing that.....

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How Has Social Media and Music Platforms Influenced and Evolved Music Creators?

March 28, 2023

Society has always placed a high value on music. As technology starts to become more part of our lives, social media and music platforms have become more and more prominent in the music business....

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The 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards Put The Spotlight On Songwriters

March 28, 2023

The Latin GRAMMY Awards are changing it up this year for songwriters! On March 21, 2023, The Latin Recording Academy released a press release announcing various additions and changes to the awards...

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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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Lava La Rue Announces Debut Album ‘STARFACE’

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Lava La Rue, former Dork cover star and acclaimed London-based artist, has announced the release of their debut album, STARFACE, set to drop on June 21st, 2024, via Dirty Hit. This announcement is accompanied by the release of a new single, “Push N Shuv,” offering a tantalizing glimpse into the much-anticipated album.

A Five-Year Journey Culminates in 'Push N Shuv'

The lead single, “Push N Shuv,” is a track that Lava La Rue wrote five years ago, pre-COVID, at the age of 21. Reflecting on the song's journey, Lava shares, “I wrote ‘Push N Shuv’ 5 years ago before COVID (the vocals you hear on the song are still my 21-year-old voice) and I knew when I wrote it in 2019 that if I made an album, that’s what I wanted it to sound like. It’s literally been years in the making and honing in on that sound and it only feels fitting that this is the song that I announce the album with.”

The single, produced by Karma Kid (known for his work with Dua Lipa, Aminé, and Shygirl), pays affectionate homage to iconic ‘80s new-wavers Tom Tom Club. It features a bubbly funk groove reminiscent of “Genius of Love,” with colorful instrumentals including flute loops, old-school synths, subtle horns, and an active bass line anchoring the track’s tumultuous romance.

Visual and Sonic Extravaganza

Accompanying the single is a vibrant music video co-directed by Lava La Rue and Claryn Chong, produced by MrMr Films. The video embraces a ‘70s/‘80s aesthetic, evoking infomercials and late-night talk shows through a retro-grainy lens. It culminates with Lava’s STARFACE alter ego donning a helmet and reaching out towards a spaceship, hinting at a continuing story with a “TO BE CONTINUED” message.

The Concept Behind STARFACE

STARFACE is a conceptual psychedelic sci-fi romance album that follows the journey of a gender-fluid musical space alien sent to Earth to study human self-destructiveness. This thematic exploration adds depth to the album, promising an immersive experience beyond conventional music storytelling.

Lava La Rue describes STARFACE as their most personal and ambitious project to date, bridging their past and future musical identities. The album is expected to resonate with fans of alternative indie and psychedelic rock, featuring collaborations with artists such as Cuco, Audrey Nuna, and tendai.

Lava La Rue's Artistic Evolution

Lava La Rue's artistic vision extends beyond music; they have directed creative projects for the Tate Modern, headed talks at the BFI, and creatively directed a live TV performance for the 2023 Brit Awards.

With STARFACE, Lava La Rue is set to embark on an epic sci-fi-inspired adventure, exploring what it means to be human through a diverse range of genres, from funk and dance to alt-rock. This debut album marks a significant milestone in their career, signaling their arrival as a major force in the music industry.