Review: Offset At The Fillmore Detroit

Written and pictured by Maitri Patel

Offset did not disappoint his fans on his Detroit stop of the Set It Off Tour. As someone skeptical of how his first tour as a solo artist would go, I can confidently say this show was an amazing experience and was more than just a typical rap concert. 

As the doors opened at The Fillmore, people began to flock to the floor area, hoping to claim a spot at the barricade. While these eager fans waited for Offset and his openers, the DJ played a bunch of hits to hype up the crowd. Before we knew it, Mango Foo, SleazyWorld Go, and Detroit’s very own SkillaBaby took the stage and gave it their all. These openers were extremely interactive with the audience and brought so much energy to the stage. SkillaBaby even came into the pit to perform “FE!N” and, surprisingly, “We Are Young!” These special guests blew everyone away and set the tone for the rest of the night.

The moment Offset stepped onto the stage, people went even crazier and the excitement at The Fillmore reached a completely new level. He truly surprised the crowd when he followed the choreography of his backup dancers by putting on a uniquely captivating performance. A notable moment from the show included Offset following his dancers smoothly and in sync in front of a screen displaying a city burning down as his album cover depicts. The combination of his moves, vocals, and visuals made the experience better than expected. His setlist also did not let fans down as it included songs from his most recent album, hits from his rap trio Migos, and popular songs he was featured on. Offset also sang “Last Memory” as a tribute to late Migos member, Takeoff. The crowd went absolutely feral, jumping up and down, when he sang “ZEZE” and “Taste” back to back. Being just a few feet away from him during this performance, I can attest to the electric feeling surging through the pit. Offset ended the evening by singing “Bad and Boujee” and the volume in the venue reached new heights.

It was evident that he worked incredibly hard to put on an unforgettable show for his fans as he danced and sang the night away. I look forward to seeing him grow as a solo artist and cannot wait to see what he releases in the future!

Replay: Battle of the Bands

A favorite of MUSIC Matters annual events, Battle of the Bands, took place on January 27th at the Blind Pig. The event was a huge success, with tickets being sold out hours before the doors opened. The night brought many people to the Main Street area in hopes of discovering what local bands have to offer while having a great time with their friends. Battle of the Bands featured 4 bands, Tarps Off, VUP, Mahogany, and The Third Degree. With this incredible lineup, the audience happily experienced a wide variety of music genres throughout the night.

Tarps Off, “the most shirtless band in Ann Arbor,” started off the night showcased an amazing high-energy set featuring their original songs, “Psychic” and “Faster”. Tarps Off also covered popular songs, some of which included “Basket Case” by Green Day, “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts, and “I’m a Believer” by Smash Mouth.

The second act of the night, VUP, brought a jazzier atmosphere to the Blind Pig. With songs such as “Cuff It” by Beyoncé and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder, VUP brought a vibe-able set to Battle of the Bands that the audience enjoyed.

Next in the night, Mahogany kept the grooves going. They played an original song alongside titles such as "This Love" by Maroon 5 and "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton, showcasing their range in genres.

Photos by Esther Hur

Finally, The Third Degree, originating from Petoskey, Michigan, known for their performances of their own Rock & Roll originals as well as covers of Classic Rock, rounded out the night. At Battle of the Bands, they showcased a few of their original songs, including “Run the Show,” from their album Reheated. Another favorite from the night was “Barracuda” by Heart.

At the end of the night, audience members got to vote for the winning bands. VUP captured the hearts of the audience and placed first, with Tarps Off being a notable second place. All of the bands brought their passions and hard work to the stage to create an enjoyable night for all who attended.

If you enjoyed attending Battle of Bands and want another night of fun in Ann Arbor, or if you were unable to come and want to experience the magic that local performers can create, MUSIC Matters will soon be hosting its 4th annual Michigan’s Got Talent at the Mendelssohn Theatre. Come see it on February 20th from 7-9 PM, as you might just see some familiar faces!

2023-2024 CoMMunity Partners

We are excited to announce our 2023-2024 CoMMunity Partners! The MUSIC Matters CoMMunity Partnership was launched in fall 2017 and since has been committed to providing grant money and support to various University of Michigan student organizations, chosen every year by MUSIC Matters members at our annual Pitchfest event. After an exciting Pitchfest 2023 where we learned about different student organizations and their missions, we have selected The Lookout Project and SHEI Magazine to receive our $2,500 grants and to collaborate with us throughout the 2023-2024 school year. 

The Lookout Project

The Lookout Project is a non-profit organization that aims to educate college students about overdose deaths, particularly through advocating for criminal justice reform and providing free opioid overdose prevention resources. They aim to break down the stigma around substance use disorders and drug use. With MUSIC Matters, their goal is to use music to minimize substance cravings, improve mood, and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

SHEI Magazine

SHEI Magazine is a student-run fashion, arts, and culture magazine. In all of their issues you will see diverse models and local talent. Members of this organization work to amplify all underrepresented voices on campus. They publish a bi-annual print magazine, along with SHEI Digital, a free monthly digital magazine. In partnership with MUSIC Matters, their goal is to expose underprivileged students to music and fashion.

Thank you to all organizations that applied and everyone who came to Pitchfest. We are so excited to work with both SHEI Magazine and The Lookout Project this year! 

Harvestfest 2023 Recap

On November 10th, MUSIC Matters, Michigan Songwriters Collective, and Empty Mug Records collaborated to host Harvestfest, an open mic event at Misfit Society Coffee Club. Ten local artists had the opportunity to perform: Daniel Radner, Aykom, The North Ingalls Band, Fiona, Loose Pages, Taylor Bullitt, Jaden Levinson, Stairwell Trio, Brooke Arnold, and Kingsley Music Group.

Harvestfest, complete with coffee, raffles, and live music, provided a warm and comfortable environment that contrasted with the chilling Michigan weather. The casual atmosphere allowed both attendants and performers to bond over their shared appreciation for live music, and the coffee club was filled with lively conversations to complement the sound of music filling the air. Thank you to all who performed and came out to support our event!

2022-2023 CoMMunity Partners

MUSIC Matters is excited to announce our CoMMunity Partners for the 2022-2023 school year: Seven Mile and Empty Mug Records! The CoMMunity Partnership program is one of MUSIC Matters’ most impactful Social Ventures each year. There is a competitive application process, including an in-person presentation, during which two student organizations are ultimately chosen by MUSIC Matters members to receive a $2,500 grant and partner with MUSIC Matters. We’re excited to work with these two organizations this year and our collaboration will support our community and beyond!

Seven Mile

Seven Mile is a student organization who believe all children should have outlets for creative expression. Their mission is to bring music, arts, and coding enrichment to students in Detroit. They partner with local communities to provide opportunities for creative expression, including weekly lessons in creative arts, music, and coding as well as an annual summer camp. Seven Mile plans to use part of their grant to fund musicians, teachers, and resources for their summer camp to give participants the best experience possible. MUSIC Matters and Seven Mile are excited to work together because of our shared goal to spread the joy of music to everyone in our communities. 

Empty Mug Records

Empty Mug Records is a student-run record label at U-M who support local talent through all areas of their career. They help artists record, produce, and master their music as well as promotion and marketing.  They have live shows all year spanning a variety of genres, including acoustic sets, punk shows, funk shows, and more! Empty Mug Records plans to use the grant to purchase new music equipment for recording and producing, so they can help their artists release higher quality music. MUSIC Matters and Empty Mug Records are excited to work together and promote their shared love and passion for music and supporting local talent. 

MUSIC Matters will hold events with Seven Mile and Empty Mug Records throughout the year to support their missions. Both organizations will also be attending SpringFest this April, so look forward to that and more!

Remembering Jillian Wiener

On August 3rd, 2022, MUSIC Matters lost a radiant light in this world. Jilly Wiener was a rising senior at the University of Michigan from Potomac, Maryland. She was soulful, spunky, and loved adventure. Jilly was a yoga instructor, hockey player, and aspiring environmentalist. She had just come home from a semester in Turks and Caicos studying ocean conservation and environmental policy. At 21, it’s rare to come across people as self-assured and determined to make an impact on the world as Jilly was. Her commitment to serving the environment was fierce and authentic. Jilly was a live music fanatic and loved going to concerts. Some of her favorite artists included (but were certainly not limited to) Frank Ocean, Still Woozy, Anderson Paak, Steve Lacy, and Billy Joel. Her favorite song was Love Lost by Mac Miller.

Jilly was a dedicated and valued member of the Talent & Concert Committee of MUSIC Matters. She sat in the front and regularly shared thoughtful input in group discussions. She was calm, light-hearted, and well-spoken, able to engage in conversation with anyone. She had an effortless ability to connect with others, making her an asset to any team she was a part of. 

Jilly was a goofball. She was the go-to friend for a lot of things, but especially a good laugh. Jilly was extremely close with her family and had special relationships with each of her siblings, Lindsay and Zach. 

You wanted her on your team because you knew that once you forged a friendship with her, she would stand by you no matter what. That’s the kind of friend she was. The kind that showed up no matter the situation or the cost. 

If there’s one thing we all can learn from this tragedy, it’s to recognize the key people in your life and hold on to them as tight as we can. Your loved ones – realize their worth intertwined with your own, the intangible give-and-take that occurs in these relationships, and what you’ve gained from that in your own life. What Jilly added to my life couldn’t be reduced to a single adjective or identifier. She was a standup friend, sorority sister, late-night study buddy, workout partner, and fellow T&C member. She taught me how to live life with more optimism and nonchalance. She gave me an abundant memory bank of special moments together that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I hope you will join me and our incredible student organization to help honor this incredible human being. 

Links to Jilly’s spotify account below. https://open.spotify.com/user/jilly.rw?si=d2c96b454a724b1b 

She had an awesome taste in music, so I encourage you all to check out some of her playlists :)

Written by Zoe Roskin, Talent and Concert Chair, friend

SpringFest 2022

What was that noise on Saturday? Hundreds of students gathered in the cold to attend MUSIC Matters’ 9th annual music and lifestyle festival, SpringFest, on April 9th from 11:00am-7:00pm on Palmer Field. The full-day event brought together student organizations, local businesses, food trucks, and student performers to provide UMich students with a fun end of year event.

SpringFest kicked off with a performance from FunKtion, UMich’s premier, all male cultural hip-hop dance team. FunKtion was followed by several captivating student-led visual performances from DB3, Element1, Pure Dance, and Photonix, capped off by a wing eating competition on stage at noon sponsored by Side Biscuit. The winner, Max McLaughlin won a Side Biscuit T shirt and gift card. 

“Side Biscuit’s wings are absolutely incredible, and there is no other wing that I would rather eat 23 of,” McLuaghlin said.

Attendees and performers who weren’t able to compete got to enjoy food and coffee from three food trucks: Detroit BBQ Company, BearClaw Coffee, and Kona Ice. 

LSA junior Anna Lehrer, MUSIC Matters SpringFest Chair, was excited to see everybody come together for a successful SpringFest.

“After 3 years of waiting to see an in-person SpringFest, it was so exciting to finally see MUSIC Matters’ hard work pay off,” Lehrer said. “We have so much talent on our campus, and it was really great to be able to showcase it and highlight other student orgs and local businesses as well.”

Performances resumed at 1:30pm, starting with a performance from the School of Music, Theatre and Dance. Then, concert-goers were able to enjoy the music from five local bands composed of UMich students: GravyTrain, Alison Albrecht, Atomic Sauce, Electric Chic, and Cece June. 

When concertgoers weren’t enjoying the performances, they were able to walk around Palmer Field and interact with our sponsors and student organization activations. Attendees were able to take free RedBull from the MUSIC Matters tent, win free concert tickets from Live Nation, free LineLeap credit, or free credit and swag from Snackpass. Students were also able to talk to and learn more about student groups such as Wolverine Support Network and the Michigan Concrete Canoe Team.

LSA sophomore Martha Lewand, who attended her first SpringFest this year, was happy to go to SpringFest as a fun way to take a break from school.

“I really appreciate MUSIC Matters for putting on an event like this because it’s a good way to take a break from studying and to destress as finals begin,” Lewand said. “My favorite part of SpringFest was watching Gravy Train perform — they were really good and engaging.”

Attendees were also able to learn about MUSIC Matters’ 2021-2022 CoMMunity Partners, Do Random Acts of Kindness (DoRAK) and Students for Clean Energy. All of the student organizations were able to further gain recognition on campus and educate attendees about their goals, missions, and how they affect campus.

This year’s SpringFest also furthered our goals to make the festival a zero-waste event. This year’s festival highlighted several campus sustainability initiatives, including the Student Sustainability Coalition, (Friends of the) Campus Farm, Global CO2 Initiative Student Association and more. MDining was set up at SpringFest to give out salad and reusable utensils. SpringFest also featured compost and recycling bins to ensure that attendees were disposing of their garbage in the most sustainable manner. And of course, Rufus the Recycling Mascot was at SpringFest all day.

Information senior Gillian Wasserman, Co-President of MUSIC Matters, was proud of all the hard work done across all five MUSIC Matters committees to make SpringFest successful this year.

“I’m so proud that after months of logistics, collaboration, and teamwork, our efforts paid off at SpringFest! In this year’s unique landscape with covid uncertainty and our first in-person SpringFest in three years, this was no small feat,” Wasserman said. “All five of our committees worked hard to communicate with stakeholders, foster coordination, and push for our vision to make it all possible.”

MUSIC Matters would like to thank all of our sponsors, partners, performers, and of course, concertgoers for making the first in-person SpringFest since 2019 a huge success!

SpringFest Preview

SPRINGFEST IS BACK!!  MUSIC Matters’ full-day lifestyle and music festival will be happening on April 9, beginning at 11:00 am on Palmer Field. SpringFest is run by UMich students, for UMich students and will feature live performances from local bands, free giveaways, food trucks, interactive art installations, and so much more! 

Here’s a sneak peak at some of our performers, supporting organizations and sponsors.

FunKtion

FunKtion is UMich’s premier, all-male, multicultural hip-hop dance team made up of U of M students. “Founded in 1999 on the principles of brotherhood, dance, and entertainment, we promote the joy and welfare of the University’s diverse community.” FunKtion has performed in a variety of settings, from opening for J. Cole in New York to performing at Festifall on campus.

DB3

DB3, also known as Daebak 3, is an all male K-Pop/Hip-Hop dance crew that “seeks to spread awareness of Korean culture while having fun and developing relationships.” They have performed all around campus and create cover videos of popular K-Pop/Hip-Hop songs.

Pure Dance

“Pure Dance is a student-run org at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. We provide dancers with the opportunity to work with individuals who may have a broad spectrum of strengths and backgrounds. Creating and maintaining an open and inclusive environment is extremely important to us. We recognize that the world of dance is often extremely mentally and physically demanding, so we strive to provide a safe place, where dancers can express themselves without the pressure of conforming to the 'ideal dancer' archetype.”

Photonix

Photonix is UMich’s premier glowstick performance group.  “We use glowsticks as our primary medium to create exciting visual art. We utilize glowsticks along with strings, staffs, and any other implement we can find to manipulate light in a fascinating way. We glowstick in order to express ourselves and to create a sense of wonder in our audiences, and to establish camaraderie with all club members as we pursue our shared goal. Self-discipline, self-reliance, and self-expression applied in a team-oriented setting is what Photonix is all about.”

Wolverine Support Network (WSN)

The Wolverine Support Network is an organization dedicated to empowering UMich students to “create an inclusive community and support each other’s identity, mental well-being, and day-to-day lives through peer-facilitated groups and bi-weekly community events.” Each year, they host an event named “MI-SPIN” which promotes the mental health benefits of exercise. Students are encouraged to create teams and cycle for 6 hours to raise money for WSN so that they can continue to create a positive impact on the community. “WSN seeks to address and promote mental health and well-being through weekly peer-facilitated groups and community-building events”

Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC)

The Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC) “aims to promote a sustainable campus culture at the University of Michigan by bringing people together to achieve social and environmental change.” The SSC works to unify campus through collective action on sustainability efforts at UMich and Ann Arbor. 

We’re so excited to have these organizations and so many more at SpringFest this year and we hope to see you there to check them out!

Local Artist Spotlight: Electric Chic

MUSIC Matters held a Battle of the Bands concert at the Blind Pig on February 10th, 2022. We sat down with Juliet Freedman, the lead singer of Electric Chic, who won the sold out competition. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

MUSIC Matters: Could you tell us a little bit about how the band formed?

Juliet: Tyler Thenstedt is the guitarist. Her and I have been friends for a while and we have always been like, ‘Let's form a band, let’s start a band, it's gonna be so much fun.’ We never did it for like a year. And then over the summer, this past August, we were just hanging out and jamming and I was like, ‘We have to do this for real. We have to start this band.’ I knew Christie the drummer because she’s my friend’s, friend’s, girlfriend. And so we asked Christie if she wanted to be in the band, and she was like, yeah, I know this great bassist, Inés, who we can ask. So then we asked them to join the band and they knew this awesome person who plays keys and then we just started.

MUSIC Matters: Everybody was so excited to see you at the Battle of the Bands. How did you grow your fan base?

Juliet: I have literally no idea. I didn't even know we had those fans until I showed up to the Battle of the Bands. I give all the credit to Tyler because she made (our) social media and I guess started following other local bands. I honestly feel like maybe it kickstarted at our very first gig; we played a house show over the summer and there were so many people there who were literally standing on the table and chairs. Progressively we continued performing at different places like different house shows, we did a show with Empty Mug Records, and there was also (a show at) a co-op. We got connected with all the people who live in the co-op and started working with other bands at other gigs, like the bands that we worked with at the Blind Pig, and word spread.

MUSIC Matters: Were you expecting to sell out Blind Pig?

Juliet: I think a lot of people were there because of Gravy Train. They've been around for a while. Everybody loves Gravy Train and before Gravy Train they used to be Kektus and before Kektus it was Bingo Club. Everyone loves Gravy Train, so I definitely thought it was going to be crowded. We each bring different crowds, but I was not expecting a line down the street. I showed up around like 8:30 after soundcheck had happened and I was like, ‘Is this for us?’ There's also a date party going on (next door) at Circ. So I was like, ‘Is this for the Blind Pig or is this for Circ?’ I was so confused. And then I was like, ‘Oh wow, this is incredible. This is awesome.’ And then the guy in front of us (said), ‘They’re not letting people in anymore.’ I was not expecting that for sure. But it makes sense because (MUSIC Matters) has their own base who they’re connected to, people in all of (the bands) have their own as well.

MUSIC Matters: What were your overall thoughts of the night?

Juliet: I had the best time! We had as a band been taking a little bit of a pause because everybody was crazy busy. So, this was our first time performing in months and I wasn’t sure how it was going to go or how it was going to feel, but it was so fun, and it was incredible to hear the other bands. Everybody was so talented, and it was very nerve wracking for sure just to be surrounded by all the bands, and there were so many people. It was a great night and everyone was so nice and positive. I feel like at these shows usually there's always something that goes awry or that goes wrong, and nothing went wrong. The whole night was so cohesive and just so exciting. And when you guys announced that we won, I peed my pants a little. I freaked so hard and jumped so hard and screamed. It was the most fun I've ever had at a show by far, and I probably will never have again.

MUSIC Matters: Can you describe the energy from the crowd, especially when you won?

Juliet: There was such a different vibe again for each band but the crowd was giving so much to each group. Like for Luna Pier, people were headbanging, and one of my friends tried to start a mosh pit. Really fun, really good energy. When we performed there was this girl in the front row, she took out her phone and went into her notes app and wrote “gay?” and that was right when we started performing too. Iit immediately set an incredible tone for the crowd. And it's so funny because everyone was chanting Electric Chic, but people think we're Electric Sheep. But that's fine because they were enthusiastic about it, and that’s all that matters. Everyone just seemed super into all of the performers all in different ways. Everyone was dancing and having fun. It was just awesome.

MUSIC Matters: If you had to pick a go-to karaoke song, what would it be?

Juliet: I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston. It’s my happy drunk song, so it's just also got to be my karaoke song.

22 Songs for 2022

Welcome to 2022! We’ve created a playlist of 22 songs that will be ins for 2022. Here’s why some of the songs fit this year’s vibe:

Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe — Kendrick Lamar

With a tremendous comeback on the scene on Family Ties, K.Dot reminds us that the crown is meant for the King, and he's coming back this year to reclaim it.

Be Careful — KAYTRANADA

With a late 2021 release, KAYTRANADA drops a couple tracks with the classic groove vibe fans have come to know him for. With Omicron looming out there, take KAYTRANADA's advice and…be careful.

This Is My Time — Lecrae, Boi-1da

As we look forward to new horizons, remember that the current moment is yours with this feel good track Lecrae crafted for the PS5 Miles Morales Spider-Man game. (Who else is excited about the new Spider-Verse announcement?)

Eye of the Tiger — Survivor

Goodbye ox and hello tiger! The Chinese calendar favors a new animal this year and even if you aren't one, why not channel your inner tiger and roar!

22 — Taylor Swift

Need we say more?

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MUSIC Matters is excited to see what new music 2022 brings. Stay tuned for the most up-to-date news about our upcoming events this year and the first in-person SpringFest in two years!

2021-2022 CoMMunity Partners

MUSIC Matters is excited to announce its 2021-2022 CoMMunity Partners: Do Random Acts of Kindness (DoRAK) and Students for Clean Energy. The CoMMunity Partnership is one of MUSIC Matters’ flagship Social Ventures. Every year, MUSIC Matters establishes a competitive application process to select two student organizations to partner with and provide a $2,500 grant. MUSIC Matters hopes to make a positive community impact by partnering with and funding these organizations.

DoRAK

DoRAK is a student-led organization which works to promote genuine acts of kindness. Their goal is to create a ripple effect from positive actions on the University of Michigan campus and throughout Ann Arbor. Every year, DoRAK holds an event called the Kindness Ball--a fundraiser for local Detroit charities to help spread positivity, love, and kindness throughout the greater southeastern Michigan community. DoRAK hopes to use part of their grant to cover the costs of putting on this event so they can have an even greater impact on the community. MUSIC Matters and DoRAK are excited to work together because of both organizations’ shared commitment to social impact in our community.

Students for Clean Energy

Students for Clean Energy is an organization committed to promoting clean energy at the University of Michigan. They fulfill this mission through advocacy, outreach, education, and student activism. Students for Clean Energy plans to use this grant to create a Block ‘M’ solar panel on North Campus to help provide the School of Music, Theater, and Dance with clean energy. MUSIC Matters and Students for Clean Energy are excited to work together because of both organizations’ shared commitment to creating a community for like-minded individuals to apply their passion to large and meaningful projects.

MUSIC Matters will be holding events with both DoRAK and Students for Clean Energy to help promote their goals, and both organizations will be featured at SpringFest this April. Stay tuned for more!

Essential Music for Fall

Fall has arrived with cooler weather and changing leaves as we all begin to tailgate, go apple picking, and eat cider donuts. And every new season needs a good playlist. Some of our members have compiled a list of the best songs and albums to listen to while drinking Pumpkin Spice Lattes to get you in the fall mood, and you can find MUSIC Matters full fall playlist at the bottom of this post.

Ella Liu suggests: Hozier by Hozier

Hozier is the epitome of fall. Despite being released 7 years ago, the songs of this album have a peculiarly tight hold on any and all fall playlists I make. “Cherry Wine” is the perfect song to listen to with pumpkin spice, 50° weather, and gloomy skies . “From Eden”, “Like Real People Do”, “Work Song”, and of course the ever-popular yet radio overplayed “Take me to Church” give me the absolute hankering for a cider donut. The rasp of Hozier’s bluesy folk creates an inner conflict, like “am I sad right now or just relaxed?” which essentially is the exact feeling of fall. (More songs like this: “Dirty Old Town” by Craig Cardiff, “Shovels & Dirt” by The Strumbellas, “Sleep on the Floor” by the Lumineers, and “Michigan” by the Milk Carton Kids.)

Najeeb Baig suggests: Die a Legend by Polo G

Die a Legend, Polo G’s debut studio album, screams fall. Polo G raps about his struggles with a rough upbringing. Songs like “Picture This” and “Through the Storm” show off his true colors, much like autumn leaves showing their different colors. The piano beats give off relaxing and soothing fall vibes. Even though the album was released summer 2019, it’s perfect to listen to while walking through crunching orange and red leaves. 

Hannah Tiller suggests: “Feeling Lonely” by boy pablo

“Feeling Lonely” by boy pablo is a solid fall song. It gives off the odd feeling of levitating on a fall walk while having a main character moment.  “Feeling Lonely” is an upbeat song with a bittersweet message that perfectly encapsulates this season. The catchy guitar melody can get stuck in your head and keep the “winter scaries” away. Spotify knows me too well and plays this song all the time when I shuffle my fall playlist. 

Emma Peterson suggests: “Jackie and Wilson” by Hozier

My quintessential fall song is “Jackie and Wilson” by Hozier. It has the same feeling as walking through the diag while the leaves are just orange enough to not have fallen yet. I have also been very into Kacey Musgraves’s new album recently; I think while Golden Hour sounds like summer, its sequel star-crossed is pure fall.

Catherine Nelson suggests: “Don’t Worry” by Frank Turner

“Don’t Worry” by Frank Turner is a song that I must listen to every fall. It’s slow melody and easy-going acoustic guitar gives the same feel as walking outside into a chilly fall day wrapped up in your comfiest hoodie. The message in the lyrics is calming and comforting, which is especially nice to hear as the academic year starts up and the weather grows colder.

You can find the full MUSIC Matters Fall Playlist here.

Spotify: The Root of Monotonous Music?

Ines Izquierdo

Take a moment, think of your favorite song. Or if you’re like me and can’t choose one, think of one of your favorites. There’s something about it that’s different from other songs, right? Maybe it’s the lyric that put your emotions into words or a particular melody that moved you. For whatever reason, that song stands out to you. Its uniqueness is what makes it meaningful. 

A few years back, I began feeling like uniqueness was getting harder to find; new songs seemed like slight variations on a stale sonic blueprint. I was worried. Could it be that as I got older music could no longer surprise me? Had I heard everything there was to hear? Were artists out of original ideas? 

Determined to identify why music had become lackluster, I immersed myself into the expansive universe that is the music industry by reading criticism and watching artists document their creative processes on YouTube. A couple years later, I found what I was looking for: Popcast. The New York Times’ podcast on music news and criticism confirmed I wasn’t imagining this problem. According to Popcast host and music critic Jon Caramanica, monotonous music is a real issue resulting from an emergent streaming platform turned music industry monolith: Spotify.  

*Cue dramatic gasp from the audience* 

I know, I know. Our beloved Spotify couldn’t be the root of the problem, right? Hear me out. As of Spotify’s founding 14 years ago, we have seen the meteoric rise of streaming platforms and thus artists’ dependency on streaming numbers. The process is cyclical; the more streams a song gets, the more likely it is to make it onto a recommended playlist which leads to even more streams. Consequently, artists often alter certain elements of their music to fit criteria that could facilitate Spotify success.

For a stream to be counted, users must listen to at least 30 seconds before skipping the song. Artists consider this when making music. In their piece “Has 10 Years of Spotify Ruined Music,” critics Ben Beaumont-Thomas and Laura Snapes argue that “singles are tailored to beat the skip-rate… [and] hooks and choruses hit more quickly.” Essentially, many artists add the catchy segments of the song within the first 30 seconds so you won’t skip forward, resulting in most songs having a similar introductory structure. 

The second element is the song’s overall structure. Because only the first 30 seconds are necessary for the stream count, the rest of the song loses importance. According to Dan Kopf in his report “The Economics of Streaming is Making Songs Shorter,” the average song on the Billboard Top 100 decreased by 20 seconds in the past five years alone. Why would artists shorten their songs? It’s not because they’re lazy. By making a song short, they expect people will play it more than once. In five minutes you can listen to a long song once or to a short song twice. Double the streams. 

The last element is the overall sound of a song—the vibe if you will. The emergent genre that critics call “Spotifycore” encompasses the sound that dominates current playlists. In her article “Streambait Pop,” Liz Pelly describes it as the now-popular “chill-pop-sad-vibe.” The idea behind this genre is for all songs on a playlist to blend seamlessly so you never have the urge to press skip. The songs deliberately sound the same.. Not only is the structure and duration of a song being influenced by streaming platforms, but so is the music itself. 

If you’re starting to despair, as I was when I first heard of this, I understand. It feels as though music is becoming intentionally generic and us listeners will suffer as we scramble to find songs that, well, hit different. That said, I promise Spotify is not the root of all evil. It’s not any streaming platform’s intention to homogenize music, and we must acknowledge that these platforms do have countless advantages. They have democratized access to music by making it easier and cheaper, we can discover new artists more easily, and when we’re not sure what to listen to we can throw on a playlist. Besides, would we all go cancel our subscriptions? No. So what do we do? 

I propose we become more cognizant of how we use streaming platforms. It's okay to occasionally click on a Daily Mix playlist, but I believe the solution is for us to explore Spotify’s vast array of music on our own. In the first Popcast episode I listened to, Caramanica says streaming is “an entry point… useful for a person who’s curious.” So let’s be curious. Break out of your playlist ecosystem and go down a Spotify rabbithole or check out what your friends are listening to. Look into what music critics are writing about and give the artist you’ve never heard before a chance. Above all, remind yourself of the reason we listen to music: to spot(ify?) a new song that reflects a part of ourselves. 

Virtual Concerts to Watch This Month

At MUSIC Matters, we miss going to see live music and organizing our own concerts. We put together this list of virtual events in the month of March—hopefully some of them can fulfill your live music craving!

Starting off on March 3rd is MUSIC Matters’ very own Michigan’s Got Talent: A Talent Show Celebrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Arts. We hope this list helps you find livestreams from your favorite artists. If not, we hope it helps you find a new favorite artist!

Michigan’s Got Talent

March 3rd - 8pm EST

Free

MUSIC Matters presents Michigan’s Got Talent: A Talent Show Celebrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Arts! Tune in to watch U-M students show off their unique talents. Afterwards, YOU will have a chance to vote for your favorite acts!

Click here to watch.

Ben Folds

March 4th - 8pm EST

$20

Ben Folds will perform live from Australia followed by a Q&A session. The 2013 SpringFest performer’s event is presented on the Jorgensen Digital Stage with support from the Jorgensen CoStars and Circle of Friends.

Click here for tickets.

3 Doors Down

March 5th - 9pm EST

$20

Performing live from Nashville, TN, 3 Doors Down is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of their debut album. The band will perform some of their greatest hits in a livestream powered by Mandolin.

Click here for tickets.

Grouplove

March 11th - 9pm EST

$9 / month

Grouplove is starting a monthly concert series on Moment House! On the second Thursday of each month, the group will perform unique set lists and host Q&As.

Click here to subscribe.

Charli XCX

March 19th - 9pm EST

$9.99 or free with Bandsintown PLUS free trial

Bandsintown PLUS presents Charli XCX. To attend this live performance and Q&A session (and others!), subscribe to Bandsintown PLUS for $9.99 a month.

Click here to subscribe.

Liz Phair

March 3rd - 10pm EST

$20

Watch Liz Phair’s first livestream event on March 3rd! Liz will perform some new songs as well as old classics alongside her first producer, Brad Wood. For an additional $35 you can say for a post-show VIP Q&A session! This livestream is powered by Mandolin.

Click here for tickets.

PRETTYMUCH

March 4th - 9pm EST

$5

Join PRETTYMUCH for their SMACKABLES EP Release Party. The group will perform some of their new songs for North and South America on March 4th. This event is presented by Moment House, a platform featuring lots of live events.

Click here for tickets.

Rock n Relief Live Stream

March 5th and 6th

Free

This two-day benefit concert presented by Linda Perry will feature virtual performances from Foo Fighters, Sheryl Crow, Miguel, Carly Simon, and more. Funds raised will benefit CORE’s Covid-19 vaccination program.

Click here to learn more.

Bars & Melody

March 14th - 9pm EST

$10

The UK based duo (rapper Leo and singer Charlie) will perform for North and South America on March 14th. Join Bars & Melody for a stripped down, acoustic performance on Moment House!

Click here for tickets.

Oates SongFest 7980

March 20th - 8pm EST

Free

John and Aimee Oates have organized a benefit concert with all proceeds going to Feeding America. The lineup includes John Oates, Daryl Hall, Dave Grohl, Dan+Shay, Darius Rucker, Sara Bareilles, Gavin DeGraw, and more!

Click here to watch.

Arlo Parks

March 4th - 7pm EST

$9.99 or free with Bandsintown PLUS free trial

Bandsintown PLUS presents Arlo Parks. She will perform an exclusive set and have a live Q&A session! To watch, a Bandsintown PLUS subscription is $9.99 a month and offers 25+ shows each month.

Click here to subscribe.

Kygo

March 4th - 9pm EST

$15

Kygo will perform live from the Sunnmore Alps in Norway! The DJ will be joined by special guests to perform his latest album, Golden Hour, as well as some of his classic hits. Tune in to this event presented by Moment House.

Click here for tickets.

Zara Larsson

March 8th - 6pm EST

Free

Zara Larsson is teaming up with Ikea on International Women’s Day to perform songs from her upcoming album Poster Girl which comes out on March 5th. The livestream will air on the singer’s YouTube channel.

Click here to watch.

Bryson Tiller

March 18th - 9pm EST

$17

Join Bryson Tiller on Moment House for his 3rd annual “Trapsoul World Series.” He will perform songs from his new album, Anniversary, as well as some of his well known hits!

Click here for tickets.

Peach Pit

March 25th - 9pm EST

$9.99 or free with Bandsintown PLUS free trial

Finish off a month of live music with Peach Pit for a live performance and Q&A session! Subscribe to Bandsintown PLUS to watch this event and others.

Click here to subscribe.

The Soundtrack of SHEI

Photo by Ryan Little, Print Photo Editor of SHEI

SHEI Magazine is  a student-run fashion, arts, and culture publication at the University of Michigan. Their magazine offers audiences visually compelling artwork along with thoughtful commentary in each of their projects. With a business team and an editorial team, SHEI has over 150 members that contribute to their monthly digital issues and semesterly print issues. 

MUSIC Matters had the opportunity to chat with Editor in Chief, Natalie Guisinger, and Digital Features Editor, Melina Schaefer, about their personal experiences in the organization, where they find inspiration for their shoots and features, specific artists that influence their projects, and more.

SHEI as a Music Genre

Through our conversation with key SHEI members, we were able to learn about the  clear correlation between SHEI’s style and members’ personal tastes in music. As a virtual bonding activity earlier this year, Guisinger requested that every SHEI editor send her their favorite song--without telling them what the song would be used for. The editor in chief compiled a playlist from the responses and revealed to us the common themes represented in the music.

“We’ll sometimes listen to it in car rides when we’re all together for print shoots,” Guisinger said, “A lot of it does happen to be pop and indie...If the artists were on our campus, SHEI would definitely cover them. They would match and align with SHEI’s values.”

Schaefer agreed that the indie-pop genre was a good representation of the publication, “It’s very introspective and artistic.” She added that a common theme between the artists SHEI listens to and their own work is the focus on current issues, “A lot of the print shoots we do are based on a theme that’s very timely.”

In contrast, the playlist of favorites also features songs released years  before members were born. The Cure and Fleetwood Mac are bands Guisinger lists as being a couple of many classic artists on the playlist. “Sometimes people refer back to different generations that we didn’t even exist in. I think that’s kind of fascinating because a lot of times for inspiration we do look back on the past,” Guisinger explained.

Inspiration from Artists

As a fashion and arts publication, SHEI often draws inspiration from music artists and their styles. The two cited Joji’s laid back fashion, Phoebe Bridgers’ whimsical cottage-core vibe, and Ezra Koenig’s 90s aesthetic as having influenced not only their work in SHEI but also their personal style choices. 

In addition to artists’ clothing, SHEI often produces content inspired by specific albums and songs. In their most recent digital edition, writer Hannah Triester wrote a creative piece about the feelings invoked by the song “Ribs” by Lorde. 

In another recent issue, Lucy Carpenter wrote a piece about local artist and fellow University of Michigan student, Evan Starr. “We do a lot of things to uplift artists that maybe you might not have heard of,”  Schaefer said about their features.

We also discussed artists’ ability to translate their sound into album covers as being a source of inspiration for SHEI, specifically in digital art and photography. Schaefer talked about Dua Lipa’s album, Future Nostalgia, mentioning that “the vibe is so cohesive across the music and the album art.” Guisinger agreed that the way albums combine sound with art has been influential for SHEI “I think that album art can be very telling about an artist’s identity.”

Looking Forward

SHEI plans to continue intertwining pop culture into both the publication and their personal lives, and a key inspiration in doing so are artists in the music industry they hope to emulate.

After seeing Harry Styles’ recent Vogue cover depicting the male star in a dress (and the backlash he received from it), Schaefer explained that she too would love to branch out from assigned gender norms in SHEI.“Exploring what it is about the music world that empowers some men to explore gender-bending concepts is definitely something that I would love to see explored through writing in SHEI,” the digital features editor said. She listed men wearing makeup and experimenting more with patterns and colors as ways for the magazine to incorporate this nontraditional concept.

Guisinger mentioned a few personal goals she hopes to explore. Unsure of her plans after graduating, she drew inspiration from the Grateful Dead for a business idea of screenprinting her designs on second-hand clothing. Guisinger credited the popular 60s band with the rise of ‘bootleg merch,’ “with their tie-dye t-shirts and bears...you can be very scrappy and DIY with it. I think that’s very relevant now because there’s this huge interest in having sustainable clothing.”

The editor in chief also mentioned Blu DeTiger, a bassist from New York City, as someone whose style she hopes to incorporate into her own. “It’s kind of spunky, creative, and experimenting with different ways of representing yourself. Even just with hair and makeup...it’s kind of fun that during [the pandemic] you have the opportunity to experiment with self-expression.”

Click here to watch our video collaboration with SHEI and hear more members discuss the intersection of music and fashion!

UrMusic at UMich: Violin Monster

Sydney Braun

Photos by Rita Vega

If you’ve spent time in Ann Arbor, chances are you’re familiar with the one and only Violin Monster. Whether at the Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning or outside of Joe’s Pizza at 2 AM, it is impossible to miss the violin-playing werewolf that never ceases to entertain the streets of our city.

MUSIC Matters was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview the infamous musician, and after video chatting with Violin Monster, we have a deeper insight into both their music taste and their motivations behind what they do. It is no surprise that Violin Monster remained in their mask throughout the interview to preserve an air of mystery surrounding their identity!

When asked about their favorite music, Violin Monster mentioned loving several genres and artists for different reasons, including pop music, specifically Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. Violin Monster had a Hamilton phase for a while, finding the soundtrack motivational. Now, they are into light electronic music by groups like Air and Zero 7, and especially love the mysterious stage presence of the groups. One of their favorite albums is Oczy Mlody by The Flaming Lips, and they specifically enjoy the fantasy-related concepts of the album such as the song entitled “One Night While Hunting for Faeries and Witches and Wizards to Kill.” 

As for playing violin in public while dressed as a werewolf, Violin Monster says their main goal is to get a reaction from people, regardless of what that reaction is. 

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has given Violin Monster moments when they questioned their desire to perform. However, they realize that everyone is going through this shared tough time and they have a way to give people moments of happiness through their performances. Violin Monster believes that it is important to use their talent and passion to help bring joy into the lives of others and now it is more necessary than ever.

Ironically, Violin Monster’s favorite reactions come from dogs. They said that snow dogs like huskies will be very comfortable with them and will even jump up and lick their face! Some dogs are more cautious while others will even howl along to Violin Monster’s violin playing.

Through their public presence, Violin Monster hopes to normalize putting yourself out there and doing something different. They say to pursue your passion regardless of what it is because it will make you happy and others might even think it is cool!

Undoubtedly, Ann Arbor would not be the same without its very own beloved Violin Monster. Next time you see the violin-playing werewolf, don’t hesitate to tell them you appreciate them—Violin Monster has feelings, too! 

To quote Violin Monster’s favorite farewell, “AWOOOOOOOO!”

If you are a member of the University of Michigan community and would like to be interviewed about your taste in music, click here to fill out a short survey!

Duckwrth Wants Everyone to Feel SuperGood

Claudia Stoops, Head of Local Talent

Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Duckwrth has been reimagining the world of alternative R&B and hip-hop since 2015 with his projects Nowhere (2015), I’M UUGLY (2016), an XTRA UUGLY Mixtape (2017), THE FALLING MAN (2019), and finally, his most recent album, SuperGood (2020). His progressive sound, highlighted on this latest album, incorporates a strong 70s influence with elements of funk, R&B, hip-hop, and even gospel. 

On September 21, 2020, I attended a Zoom press conference hosted by the internal creative agency at Universal Music Group, called 1824. We had the opportunity to talk with Duckwrth and discuss his vision for SuperGood, his artistic methods, and how his musical journey has brought him to this point.

SuperGood was released on August 21, 2020, and Duckwrth described dropping the album as a weight off his shoulders. 

D: “For an album called SuperGood, it’s already its own affirmation. Like when you press play, it’s supposed to make you feel super good, and I feel like it came right on time.” 

Given that he had finished writing the album in January, he said he was in a very different headspace about 2020 by the time the album was dropping. He further described the tone of the album saying,

D: “A lot of it has to do with me taking this girl out on a date…it’s more of a story as if you were watching a Netflix show or something like that. It’s like you may not be living in that story but it’s a story to take you away from your current situation. But further than that, it’s more so the tone and some of the messages of the album is to, once again, make you feel good. It’s like audio medicine pretty much.”

Supergood is a 16-track journey and heavily influenced by the sounds of the 70s. And like many of the notable songs of the 70s, it’s meant to make people stand up and move. 

D: “It’s a rhythm project, so I want people to dance, to groove, to bop, to move. It’s very much an album that you play when you’re in the car, or an album that you play when you’re taking a shower, an album that you play when you’re making love. I want it to be very much a lifestyle project.”

Another aspect of Duckwrth’s life that played a large role in forming his music taste was growing up in South Central Los Angeles. This city shaped him both as a person and as an artist. He explained,

D: “Growing up in LA, especially in the 90s and 2000s, it was beautiful. It was always sunny. The beaches are always cracking. You know what I'm saying like that. Poolside is a common thing out here. It’s kind of like its own little weird utopia but in the same flipside. It's a lot of trauma. There was a lot of gang activity that was happening in the 90s, so a lot of my youth was learning how to survive…I would say that rose grew from the concrete. The diamonds come from the roughest type of situations. I think by being raised specifically in South Central LA, it gave me a backbone…” 

A central characteristic of Duckwrth’s creative endeavors have been striking cover art. He explains that his albums should feel almost fantastical, and SuperGood is no exception.

D: “I feel like my covers have always been a bit of fantasy in certain ways. From an XTRA UUGLY Mixtape to THE FALLING MAN where I was playing the character of this king who falls to demise because he doesn’t know love. So the cover is a little bit darker. For this one, it’s mainly about love; what happens when the character does fall in love. It’s like the yin and the yang to THE FALLING MAN, and I feel like they all reflect each other. Really it’s just showing the growth in the artist. For this one, I just wanted to explore. I really feel like the 70s, especially for black people, was a time of celebration. Like we just came out of civil rights and black people were starting to gain certain freedoms and, you know, it was a celebration. And within that, when black people start going back into who they are, into their original essence, a bit of magic happens. Say it straightforward, a bit of magic happens. So I think the 70s, that’s why you see such eclectic styles and their sound. The music was so colorful, and the album covers were so beautiful. So I kinda wanted to tap into that because I feel like we are coming into that same energy in the 2000s, 2010-2020, you know. I really wanted to tap into that magic if you will.”

When talking about his creative process on the album, he admitted that out of the whole album, the song that was most difficult to finalize was “New Love Song,” a song which pays homage to the gospel music of his childhood.

D: “In the sample, the song is The Clark Sisters’ ‘Jesus Is A Love Song.’ I remember one time I was on IG Live and it was in the background and I was just freestyling to it and I was like ‘Damn, I should turn that into a song!’ And I wanted to kind of give a nod to gospel music because that is some of the earlier music that I remember from my childhood…I didn’t know how to finish it. I wanted to do ‘Jesus Is A Love Song’ but I didn’t want to say ‘Jesus’ because I didn’t want to be particular to religion, but I wanted to still do the whole love song so I needed to find a group of girls who can give respect to The Clark Sisters, but then find different phrasing. And so the theme of the album is this relationship I have with this girl and how I want to ask her on this first date so, you know how in the movie when its foreshadow of what’s to come at the end, I wanted ‘New Love Song’ to be the foreshadow that these characters are gonna fall in love by the end of the album.”

SuperGood seamlessly melds several different genres and influences. He says that because he listens to so much music, he is able to act as a “segway” for all those different genres. He proclaims, “I feel like I’m a smoothie in the best sense.” Additionally, he gains creativity in creating music and performing music from two different spaces.

D: “The music that inspires me the most is two sides. The music that inspires me most in the studio is soul, jazz, gospel. Certain chord progressions really resonate in my soul and you can find them in jazz and soul and gospel. And then the genre that inspires me when I perform is strictly punk. Thrasher. Hardcore. That’s my shit. That’s the shit that I wanna tap into you know. They just perform with such conviction and it riles people up. It gets the fire started. One of my favorite bands is Bad Brains, and the lead singer, his name is HR…the way he performs, he’s a beast. He channels into straight fire and savagery and that’s the place I choose to be at when I perform.”

When asked about the artists which have shaped him, he considers Outkast to be the musical group which has influenced him the most.

D: “My biggest influence musically would be Outkast, at least on the hip-hop side just because as a young person that was in South Central, they showed me that there’s a different type of being a black creator. They made it so that I could be comfortable in my skin because I was different growing up. There was a space held for different black kids. So for me, they’ve always inspired me not just musically but as a person who’s different, I would say. I wanna do that for this generation as much as I possibly can.”

SuperGood features stunning collaborations with Jean Deaux, KIAN, Julia Romana, G.L.A.M., EARTHGANG, Kyle Dion, Alex Mali, Radio Ahlee, and BAYLI. When discussing this with Duckwrth, it’s clear that he felt both lucky and excited to be working with these talented artists. Aside from these features, Duckwrth discussed some of his dream collaborations.

D: “Dream collaboration would be The Neptunes or Rosalía or Stevie Wonder. There’s a bunch of different people. But those people stick out to me. Definitely The Neptunes just because they’re the GOATS, they’re the full on GOATS, and I've always wanted to be in The Neptunes when I was younger. It’s more so the childhood. The inner Duckwrth in me would be so stoked to have a song with Neptunes and even see them do their recent song with SZA. They’re not dated…” 

He also said that if he could sample any song from the 70s, it would be Minnie Riperton’s “Les Fleur.”

While examining what he’s learned throughout the creation of the album, he said that the main thing he learned is that “I am only as strong as the people around me. This album was very much a village, it was a collective creation.” After learning so much about Duckwrth, I have overwhelming confidence that Duckwrth will continue to blow everyone away with his unique sound and overwhelming optimism. 

Lastly, we talked about his plans for the future.

D: “It’s really just expanding SuperGood because the intention of the album is the positive affirmation of feeling super good. So how do you take that outside an album? How do you make that tangible in the physical world? How do I make people feel super good in the real world? So we are looking into expanding it within community efforts. More visuals, definitely way more music videos, takeaways for people to take with them. I think I’m most excited about the community effort we’re gonna be doing, especially starting off with South Central. They can feel super good. Then, from there, using that model for like all of America, and then shit, maybe the world.”

Wes: A Wessside Story

Ines Izquierdo and Emma Warshofsky

You may know Wes as an up and coming rapper based in Ann Arbor who used to run track for the University of Michigan—we got to see him as much more than that. Earlier this week, we sat down with Wes to discuss his new album. We were interested in figuring out how his life led to this monumental release and we got to see a visionary; someone with drive who is prepared to take on the rap music scene by storm, and not just for personal gain. Wes’ ultimate goal is to positively impact people—all 7 billion on this planet. This Friday he embarks on this journey with the debut of his 12-track album, A Wessside Story.

The Decision to Pursue Music

Wes’ music career began relatively recently. Living homeless during high school in the Portland area, he did not have many options to pursue his passion in music. However, he saw an opportunity through track and field. “Sprinting wasn’t something I loved,” he divulged, “it was something that I was good at…and felt driven to do because of what it could help me accomplish in the future.” Wes’ legs carried him to the University of Michigan on a track and field scholarship, where he got the stability he needed to explore music. He would mess around with friends making beats and writing verses, and he soon realized that he wanted to pursue music in a more serious, dedicated manner. Not only did he want to create novel beats, but also to take rap lyrics in a new direction: one distant from the objectification of women and pitting people against each other. When he returned home the summer after freshman year, Wes explained to his father this fascination with rap music and the direction he wished he could pursue. His father asked, “it sounds like you’re really passionate about this, so what the fuck you going to do?” That was the catalyst. 

Invigorated by his father’s motivating words, Wes bought a beat off his friend Kaniel, who produced “Go Crazy” by Chris Brown and Young Thug, and got in touch with sound engineer B MAJA who helped him put together a song. In one take, Wes laid down “Dreams,” his single that came out in the Fall of 2018. He explained that upon experiencing the release of his first song, there was a “hunger that [he] had, to…get more music out and really share with people.” Music was starting to become a driving force in his life. 

The second event which pushed him to chase a career in music occurred when he went back home after that Fall semester. Wes was struck by the conversation he had with his younger sister Paloma (Palomita, as he affectionately called her), where she confessed that every time he went back to Michigan, she hated not knowing when she would see him again. Upon hearing this, Wes realized something: to justify being away from his family, he had to make the most of every day and channel everything he had into his aspirations. Those aspirations, the ones that made him feel “that fire in [his] chest,” were music and education. Wes explained his situation to his coach; that in order to dedicate himself to the most meaningful aspects of his life, he had to stop running track. Wes left the team, and with this change of course he fully launched his music career.

Influences

We asked Wes about artists that have influenced him, and the list was long. “Each artist that has influenced me throughout my life, and believe me it’s been a lot, has each done so in their own individual way,” Wes emphasized the wide array of musicians that he has learned from. Outside of rap, he mentioned both Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra as having inspired him through their performances and outstanding stage presences. Wes gushed about Michael Jackson’s moonwalk as well as Frank Sinatra’s ability to work the crowd with his gentlemanly demeanor.

When it comes to rap, Wes credits Drake as one of his biggest influences. Wes has learned from the popular Canadian rapper not only how to be authentic with his emotions, but how to bring these emotions to his music as a rapper and producer. “Learning to have that vulnerable side of yourself...that can really reach people when they’re in dark times, when they’re depressed, when they’re having regrets,” Wes explained, “and then the other times when he can just flip the switch and go crazy...that’s definitely something that has rubbed off on me too.” Drake’s success in having multiple sides and feelings come across in his music is something that Wes emulates with his upcoming album, and is something that sets Wes apart from the cliches he has noticed in the music industry, “There’s a Drake song for fucking everything. I want there to be a Wes song for everything.”

While discussing his dream collaborations, Wes told us he’s excited to keep moving forward as an artist so he can work with people that are “better” than him. “They’ve got more projects than me, they’ve been in the game longer than me, they know how shit works. Those are the people I’m trying to get in the studio with. Those are the people that I’m trying to learn from and become better than one day.” Wes’ long list of dream collaborations included Drake, J.Cole, Nav, Future, Young Thug, among others. He emphasized his desire to learn from those that came before him whether it’s about their music, stage presence, or work ethic.

Goals

Wes has observed a lot of artists in the music industry lacking a deeper purpose. He notices repetition—people rapping to similar beats and rapping about the same things. “I know I have so much more to offer people,” Wes says, expressing how much he truly cares for the people he makes music for. He paints the picture of a hypothetical teenage boy that is procrastinating doing his homework, depressed, and cannot seem to find an escape from his problems. “He’s listening to music and one of my songs comes on shuffle, and he gets motivated because he starts visualizing himself succeeding and doing better because that’s the effect my music has on him. Maybe that makes him a little less depressed,” Wes imagines, “That’s the biggest thing I want to accomplish. Something deeper. Something real. Something Once in a generation.”

Speaking further about his industry goals, Wes expressed his big dreams. “I’m a very ambitious person and I don’t sugarcoat things...I want to be at a point where I’m being considered as the artist of the decade...as somebody having timeless music...and having a legacy and having music that goes past just three minutes and thirty seconds on that song.” In other words, Wes wants to be famous, but not just for the feeling of being famous. 

“My biggest goal is having the money, resources, and platform to be able to positively impact others,” Wes says. He expressed his wishes to connect with his listeners and help them, building a legacy beyond music.

Reflecting on his growth as an artist since his first single, “Dreams,” Wes told us about how one dimensional that song seems now compared to Wessside Story. “It was good. I wouldn’t have put it out if it wasn’t good,” Wes said of his early song, “but it’s only one song. I can’t tell my story through one song.” Now, in his debut album, we get to hear all sides of Wes: “the lovey dovey sides, the savage sides, the sides that say fuck the police, the sides that miss an ex girlfriend, the sides that appreciate the woman that I love more than anything...all of it.”

Being an Artist in Ann Arbor

Naman Gupta, 2020-2021 Co-President

Hi, I’m Naman Gupta. I’m one of two co-presidents for the 2020-2021 school year. In the second semester of my freshman year, I joined the MUSIC Matters Talent & Concert Committee. I served as treasurer and co-chair of the Talent & Concert Committee (T&C) over the next two years. A huge part of my college experience has revolved around music in many different capacities, ranging from my membership in music-focused extracurriculars to my professional involvement in music business to my own artist project—Namix.

I learned to play several instruments throughout elementary, middle, and high school, and I got into DJing and original music production near the tail end of high school. I released my first EP during my senior year, and soon after I started DJing private gigs in my hometown. Naturally, when I moved to Ann Arbor to start college, I was really eager to get my name out there and play at local music venues. I cold-emailed bars and nightclubs hoping to get some gigs, and fortunately, I was able to land a couple before the end of my first semester in Ann Arbor.

In addition to making my own music, I was interested in learning more about the Ann Arbor music scene, and I was quickly introduced to MUSIC Matters. At the time, MM was partnering on a promotional event at a local restaurant/bar. Knowing my background as an artist, the Local Talent team in T&C went out of their way to refer me as a DJ for that event. Over the next few years, the people I met through MM were instrumental in connecting me with gigs all over campus, both within and outside of the scope of MM’s own events. These gigs also gave me some really cool opportunities to get my original music out in front of more people. I had the opportunity to open for A$AP Ferg during SpringFest 2019 and for Lost Kings during one of MM’s shows at Necto Nightclub last year.

Around the time that I joined MUSIC Matters, I also joined a variety of other music-related clubs. Each club had their own niche, all of which were of interest to me. I joined Maize Collective because of its community of passionate, creative-minded individuals who want to be creative together. I also joined Empty Mug Records to learn more about the promotion of music in a record label setting. Over the next few years, I became involved in other music organizations on and off campus, such as Michigan Music Business Club, The CoOp, APG Presents, MEMCO, Necto Nightclub, and others to learn about all aspects of the music world. My involvement in these organizations have yielded some unique professional opportunities, and many of my music collaborations have stemmed from these organizations too.

Being involved in music in different ways has helped me gain a better understanding of both the business and artist side, and I’ve been fortunate to learn a lot and to have many opportunities arise from my involvement. The Ann Arbor, and more specifically UM, music scene is full of super talented people who are constantly looking for ways to push their creativity forward, and for me, music organizations on campus were critical in introducing me to the amazing community.

A Wild Wyoming Summer Amidst Pandemic Chaos

Katie Lorenz, 2020-2021 Head of Brand Partnerships

My name is Katie Lorenz, and I’m Head of Brand Partnerships for the 2020-2021 school year. This summer, I spent two months living and working in Jackson Hole, Wyoming - quite a different environment from my hometown just north of Chicago. Luckily, I had already begun planning my summer adventure when COVID-19 hit in March, so I quickly began looking forward to escaping the chaos that ensued around the country.

My time in Jackson was split between spending time hiking and working two jobs - an internship at the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board and a part-time job at my favorite local bakery. I was the only intern for the organization, so I had the unique opportunity to work closely with the Executive Director as my mentor. My main project was to gather data and photos for the annual report while the rest of my work mostly revolved around marketing efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 within Jackson. The massive influx of short-term visitors looking to escape big cities perpetuated fear among locals that the virus would come with them, and in some cases, it did. 

In the middle of July, Teton County’s active cases peaked at a total of 81. In most other cities, this would be a victory, but for a small mountain town, this was a disaster. I listened, learned, and assisted as the marketing committee took actionable steps to clarify visitor expectations before they arrived. Around that time, an article was published in National Geographic to shed light on the events transpiring in the town of Jackson which helped make our case. The Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board continues to work towards striking a healthy balance between meeting the expectations of incoming visitors and locals.

This was not my first time in Jackson. I’ve been visiting my grandparents since they moved there part-time in 2002, and I attended ranch camp just outside of Jackson in Dubois, Wyoming for five summers. My camp experience truly changed my perspective and made me appreciate places like Jackson for its natural beauty and the inherent sense of freedom it promotes among its residents and visitors. Due to the extensive time I’ve spent in Jackson, this summer felt like the perfect opportunity for me to give back to the town that had given me so much. 

Throughout the summer I worked with many local businesses which gave me the opportunity to practice my strategy for my position in MUSIC Matters. I often thought about how MUSIC Matters might be most beneficial to the businesses I was working with - a process I will need to complete many times in the year ahead as I strategize partnerships with a variety of local and national brands. This experience prepared me for the year and even gave me a few ideas for potential corporate sponsors!

Many of the local businesses I worked with were those who I’d silently appreciated throughout the past eighteen years, but this was my opportunity to tell the people behind the scenes how deeply grateful I was for their contribution to the community. In fact, the bakery where I worked has been my family’s favorite since they opened in 2011, so I felt very lucky to be part of the crew and give my time back to the bakery I’d admired for so long! During my employment there this summer, I was lucky enough to get to know the owner and her husband very well. We eventually discovered we’d both gone to the same high school and worked our first jobs at restaurants right next to each other in our hometown - what a small world!

Overall, this summer was a restart button for me. A time to step back from the chaos of regular life and re-ground myself. Spending time in the mountains gives me the same feeling as listening to a good song. It fills my soul with an indescribable feeling, getting rid of any stress or negative emotions. In an effort to bring that feeling into the rest of my life, I know that remaining exposed to all things music through my work with MUSIC Matters will be a key player to supply that necessary energy for me this year, and I look forward to every minute of it!