girl in red

It seems like monthly posts have become my thing this year so I couldn’t let November end without something new to talk about. Back in September, I discovered a new artist that I really like. Thanks to watching Tik Tok compilations on Youtube, I heard her song “i wanna be your girlfriend” endless amounts of times and it got stuck in my head. I looked up the song and learned it was by an artist called girl in red. I heard of girl in red a few months beforehand and finally had that “OH! Okay, so that’s who that is!” moment.

girl in red, also known as Marie Ulven Ringheim, is a Norwegian indie pop singer-songwriter who releases her music straight from the comfort of her bedroom. While growing up, her grandfather gave her a guitar on Christmas. She credits him with getting her into music because of it. Her stage name, girl in red, came from describing herself while in a crowd to a friend via text message. She began releasing music to Soundcloud under the name in 2016. Her debut single was “i wanna be your girlfriend”.

girl in red released her first EP, Chapter 1, in 2018. It also included her new singles “summer depression” and “girls”. She began touring in 2018 as well, opening for Clairo during her Dublin and Paris shows. Then she opened for Conan Gray in early 2019 which was her first North American tour. She released her second EP, Chapter 2, in 2019. In late 2019, Ulven went on her first headlining tour which included dates in Europe and America. Her debut album World in Red was slated for an October 2020 arrival, but is still yet to be released. The first single from the album, “rue”, was released in late August.

When I first listened to girl in red, I called her the indie version of Hayley Kiyoko and I still stand by it. Ulven is openly gay and the subject matter of her music is representative of that much like Kiyoko’s. girl in red’s music is just way more indie/indie pop. It has also been described as bedroom pop.

Since discovering girl in red, I’ve been listening to her music here and there, even adding a song or two to my always go-to work out playlist. I really got into the song “bad idea!” and her cover of Maggie Rogers’ “Say It” during the past month and a half. I’m anticipating the release of girl in red’s debut album as I’m sure most of her fans are. It’ll be here before we know it too. Once touring resumes, I’m sure we’ll see girl in red out on the road especially with the fame she’s gained over the last year. She recently dropped the Christmas single “two queens in a king sized bed”. So this holiday season, check out that new single and while you’re at it check out all that girl in red has to offer. If you’re an indie fan, it won’t disappoint.

You’ve Got That Power Over Me

Back at Coachella this year during Weekend 1, I was walking out of the Mojave Tent after listening to Lizzo absolutely crush her set, when I was intrigued by the music I heard coming from the Gobi Tent right next door. I took a slow walk by the stage and really liked what I heard. It sounded like a mixture of pop, folk, and rock music. I looked to see who was on the stage and found out it was an artist by the name of Dermot Kennedy.

During Weekend 2, I went to his set with a friend after again hearing Lizzo perform some of her set. Although I was feeling kind of tired that afternoon and decided to sit on the side listening for a bit, I enjoyed listening to Dermot perform and told myself I was going to start listening to him after Coachella. Sure enough I followed through.

Dermot Joseph Kennedy is an Irish singer/songwriter/musician who hails from Rathcoole, Ireland, which is about 30 minutes from Dublin. He began playing guitar at age 10 and started songwriting by the age of 14, but did not start focusing on music until his late teen years. He played open mic nights, competed in talent competitions, and began busking on the streets of Ireland to get noticed. However, the use of a streaming platform is where his breakthrough came from.

He developed a following through Spotify and self-released music on the platform for the last couple of years. He released his self-titled debut album on January 4th and was signed to major label Interscope Records shortly after. His sophomore album Without Fear is set to be released in late September. Kennedy spent the last two years touring in Europe, Australia, and the U.S. He even played several major U.S. festivals including Bonnaroo in 2017, Lollapalooza, SXSW, and Austin City Limits in 2018, and Coachella in 2019. He will again be embarking on tour this fall in the U.S., Canada, and Europe in support of his newest album.

Kennedy’s style is just as I described it – a mixture of pop, folk, and rock music. He even incorporates a bit of hip-hop on a few of his tracks. His sound at times reminds me of a darker, more Irish version of Ed Sheeran. Yes, you can definitely hear the Irish accent in his music too. It’s actually pretty sick!

As I mentioned I first heard of Dermot Kennedy while attending Coachella this year. That’s why it’s always worth it to walk around and check out some sets by artists you might not know anything about at any music festival. You might just find something that you really like. I always feel like Coachella brings me to listen to different artists or gets me into artists I only knew a little bit about before. It was no different this year with the introduction of Dermot Kennedy. I highly recommend checking him out since he’s still very much on the rise. I may even try to see one of his shows during his tour this fall. He’s super talented and his tunes are pretty good as well. Here’s a few you might want to check out:

1. Power Over Me
2. Outnumbered
3. After Rain
4. A Closeness
5. Glory

Lust For Life: Album Review

It’s been a busy two weeks. I worked two festivals and I have another one coming up this weekend. As a result the blog has taken a back seat. Luckily I have a little time to review the second album that came out July 21st from one of my two favorite artists. I haven’t had much time to listen to it because I decided to listen to Foster the People’s (the other July 21st release) latest first. I saw them at Lollapalooza last weekend and I needed some prep time with their new material. Yesterday though, I began listening to Lust For Life, Lana Del Rey’s fourth full length album.

In late February, Lana released the first single from the album, “Love”, claiming that this album was for her fans and those who have supported her throughout the years. In the months following, Lana released two other singles from the album “Lust for Life” ft. The Weeknd and “Coachella – Woodstock on my Mind”. She also announced that the album would feature collaborations with A$AP Rocky, Stevie Nicks, Sean Lennon, and Playboy Carti.

Lana’s newest album offers music with a brighter feel than her sensual darkness heard in previous works. Her hypnotizing vocals are still a staple in Lust For Life though. The lyrics are what gives each song on the new record a more positive vibe. The music also gives a bit of a hip-hop/electronic feel.

As a fan of almost all of Lana Del Rey’s work, I think this album is a great comeback for the pop starlet. I fell in love with her because of Born to Die. I loved her even more after the Paradise EP. Ultraviolence was my go-to album for weeks after its debut, but then Honeymoon happened. I felt like I wasn’t into as many songs and I thought Lana was letting her music go downhill. So for me, Lust For Life is definitely a comeback with a sound that gives a nod to Born to Die as far as the hip-hop beats go.

Even though I’ve just started getting into this album because my listening binge began yesterday, I’m telling you it’s a good one. Is it at the level of Born to Die? I don’t think so, but it’s a damn good album. The amount of collaborations alone is a selling point. There are songs for everyone on it. My personal favorites are “In My Feelings”, “Coachella – Woodstock on my Mind”, and “Beautiful People, Beautiful Problems” ft. Stevie Nicks. It’s worth listening to. Even if you’re hesitant on buying it based on what I just said, listen to it on Spotify first. I’m sure it’ll convince you. Lana has come back with a vengeance and you don’t want to miss out!