Category: articles

• Grief, growing up, and facing monsters with singer-songwriter Phia Moore

  Phia Moore plays a live session at Brandy Melville Studios on July 29. Moore performed her new songs “people pleaser” and “loose ends” as well as “Funeral” by Phoebe Bridgers. (Sofia Hopkins) By Sofia Hopkins “Songwriting has really saved me and made it so I can function in the world.” These are the words of…

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• Lily Allen breaks seven-year hiatus with vulnerable divorce album, “West End Girl”

  The cover art for Lily Allen’s new album, ‘West End Girl’ illustrated by Nieves Gonzalez. By Talia Bumanglag After seven long years, Lily Allen has re-entered the music scene with her latest album, “West End Girl.” With 14 distinctly different tracks and a run time of 45 minutes, Allen tells the story of her relationship…

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• Wim Tapley blends jazz and pop in new single ‘Call It Like You See It’

  Wim Tapley performing live with his band The Cannons. Tapley is from Athens, Georgia and recently released a new single titled “Call It Like You See It.” (Garrett Cardoso) By Lila Williams Wim Tapley, the self-proclaimed ‘space cowboy’ of the East Coast, is rapidly evolving what it means to bend genres along with his band…

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• Eighth Ball nears debut EP, reflects on OC scene

  The members of local band Eighth Ball, Carter McCall, left, Chris Wheeler, middle, and Gabe Pederson, right, stand in front of a car outside of 8-Track Studios in Garden Grove, California. Their debut EP, “Around The Table,” is in its final stages of production. (Jonathan Reyes) By Sofia Hopkins Sitting in a Garden Grove garage…

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• Grassroots festival Lagadelic returns to Laguna Beach

  Dante Madrigal, left, and Jake Caliger, right, talk about the festival their band, Spliffriff, is hosting. Lagadelic will take place on Saturday from 1-10 p.m. in Laguna Beach. (Photos taken on June 9 by Jonathan Reyes) By Sofia Hopkins A Laguna Beach band will host a grassroots festival called Lagadelic on Saturday for the second…

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• American idol to education: student makes music through adversity 

  Marcio Donaldson sits in front of the Long Beach City College Welcome Center on Dec. 3 2024. Donaldson made it to the Top 14 on American Idol season 16 before coming to LBCC to learn business. (Sofia Hopkins) By Sofia Hopkins Once performing on the television series American Idol, Long Beach City College student Marcio…

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