In early March, I embarked on a bumper-to-bumper drive from LA to OC and decided to turn on War Child Records’ brand new HELP(2) album, a sequel charity project raising funds for children in war. The project is stacked with my favorites — The Last Dinner Party, beabadoobee, Big Thief, Wet Leg and Olivia Rodrigo…
Photos by Rebecca King Sean Solomon Born and raised in Los Angeles, Solomon has curated his dynamic sound while playing solo with only his voice, his guitar, a TV, a tape, and a projector. Both his music and past animation collaborations with Unknown Mortal Orchestra were unknown to me before this performance. Now on his…
Photos by Dylan Simmons It seems that on the internet, the classic riff from American Football’s “Never Meant” is inescapable. But to alternative rock fans, the riff alone is the anthem for the midwest emo subgenre. In case you’re unfamiliar with their emo impact, American Football is a four-piece rock group that formed in Urbana,…
Purple lights filled the Wiltern as the crowd slowly grew in size and cramped together. As the opener of American Football’s tour, Mei Semones’ role that evening was to warm up the crowd for what was to come, and I can assure you she did just that. Opening with “Itsumo,” released in 2025, the stand-alone…
Photos by Kiara Mack It was just days after my fifteenth birthday when Lorde released “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All),” a sentimental song reminiscing on when she “couldn’t wait to turn fifteen.” I blinked, it’s been five years, and it feels like my entire adolescence has led up to my 19-year-old self…
Photos by Lauren Kim Singer-songwriter Olivia Austin, known onstage as Operelly, makes music for the tenderhearted. Her eclectic lyricism and quirky arrangements have forged a pop sound that feels familiar yet experimental, a delicate balance that music platform Nina Protocol has referred to as “matured nursery rhymes.” Operelly’s sound is not to be siloed. Her…
Photos by Lauren Kim You’d probably drive past Zebulon without thinking twice. Just past a bridge and nestled between two freeways, Zebulon’s plain white facade houses a dimly lit bar. Inside, scattered conversations hum over the muffled sound of music. Enter the back room, and you’ll find a routine gathering spot for music lovers in…
Photos by Georgie Ampudia For years, Panchiko existed more like an internet rumor than an actual band. In 2016, a user on 4chan uploaded a heavily distorted CD they had found in an Oxfam charity shop, asking if anyone recognized it. The album, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, contained almost no identifying information beyond a few first names buried…
Photos Provided by Grandstand Media With over 500 artists, 475 shows, and 45 venues, Netflix is a Joke Festival took over Los Angeles from May 4th to May 10th. UCLA Radio was lucky enough to meet the lovely staff behind it all, who source the talent, publicize the event, and overall bring this historically large…
Photos by Dylan Simmons Snail Mail handles human emotion with care. Hailing from Ellicott City, a suburb of Baltimore, singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan has been performing as Snail Mail since she was fifteen years old. The indie rock band’s third studio album, Ricochet, was released in March, over half a decade since the band’s last LP,…
Photos by Levi French “Music is love, for real” – James K James K was one of many artists who Spotify had recommended to me via Discover Weekly during the pandemic. Having lost access to that Spotify account, James K too became lost in my memory, until just a few months ago when my roommate…
Photos by Nathan Rifkin Nestled in the beautiful green hills of San Luis Obispo lies the Dairy Greek Golf Course. Typically featuring scores of golfers looking for their best shot, today the green was for a different demographic. I walked down the trail leading into the golf course, passing a beautiful duck lake on the…
Photos by Kayalani DeGrave Thirteen years ago, MUNA was formed at the USC Thornton School of Music, and last weekend, the band ushered in their latest era with two shows at the Shrine Expo Hall just across the street. After touring their 2022 self-titled record around the world and back, the group took a break…
Ariella Granados, known by the pseudonym Sparklmami, is a Mexican multidisciplinary artist and musician born and raised in Texas and based in Chicago. Sparklmami’s artistic endeavors and life adventures harmoniously come together in their debut album, in this body, coming out June 5th. This project is an intimate look at Sparklmami’s self-understanding, relationships, and internal…
Cover photo by Amanda Romankiw Alice Phoebe Lou has been the soundtrack of my daydreams for the past few years. Her ethereal, pensive, and mystical sound has paired perfectly with my daily romanticization of normality — allowing me to bask in the in-between moments. Born and raised in South Africa, and having lived most of…
Photos by Dylan Simmons It’s the third Saturday in July, in the middle of my three-week escapade in London. I’m walking through the streets of Hackney with an Australian girl I had met the week before. The weather was sunny and breezy, and the River Lea reflected a perfect image of the sky above us,…
Photos by Dylan Simmons The sea breeze bit our faces as Dylan and I sprinted past parked cars and docked sailboats. My feet, still asleep from spending the afternoon sitting in traffic, throbbed in protest — but the two of us had no time to think about our journey from Los Angeles to San Diego.…
Photos courtesy of Sonderview Fans deep in the world of pop music tend to get a few years of claiming an artist as their little secret before the rest of the world catches on. Discovering the magic of pop singer-songwriter Avery Cochrane has felt like catching the last train before she inevitably soars to stardom.…
Photos by Jordyn Feenberg A warm night out accompanied by live music is something few things can beat, and it’s only better when the music is from a band like Thee Sacred Souls. This past Thursday, Jordyn, our friend Sophia, and I had the pleasure of hitting The Greek, where we sat back to their…
While this wasn’t my first time seeing Maya Hawke live, this show felt especially full-circle. During the first week of my freshman year, I caught her set at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a surreal and unforgettable introduction to both college and her music. Now, in the final stretch of my senior year, I made my…
Photo credit: Tuff Gong Worldwide Last Saturday, I had the treat of witnessing the heir to the Marley name: Ziggy Marley. On April 18th, widely known as Record Store Day, Marley performed his newest album, Brightside, at Licorice Pizza Records to celebrate releasing it on vinyl and CD two weeks prior to its digital release.…
Photos by Rebecca King This Filipina-Latina dream pop duo went from 9-5 jobs to touring sold-out shows to their Coachella debut. The Two Lips are the dream-pop duo you do not want to miss. The Two Lips were born and raised in L.A. County. Growing up in Cerittos, they attended the same schools, unknowing of…