Photo by Stephen Yang Greg Mendez is a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, who has been making music for over 20 years. In 2023, he signed with indie label Dead Oceans to release his debut self-titled EP, garnering him widespread attention. Just this past May, he released his album Beauty Land, an incredibly well-written 14-track project, and…
This past Thursday, I found myself among a small crowd awaiting the drop of Steve Lacy’s first album since Gemini Rights, a well-known project released four summers ago showcasing his artistry and talent as both a writer and producer. He grew up as part of the collective/band the Internet and has since worked on projects…
Photos courtesy of Swurve (@swurv3) Co-founder of the band The Internet, member of the collective Odd Future, and Grammy-winning artist Syd released her third solo project, Beard, last Friday. Beard is a 12-track album that features a variety of artists, including Big Sean, Blu June, Jordan Ward, and more. This album is about coming to…
All media provided by Alex Lucke Alex Lucke, @alexlucke (pronounced Lucky), is a freelance web designer and developer, as well as the founder and creative director of AM LUCKE, a boutique digital studio that brings clients’ and brands’ personalities to life. Specializing in creating Squarespace sites that look like they’re not Squarespace sites, Lucke is…
Photo provided by Andrew Joseph Woomer Summer sunsets in Santa Monica are one of the best things about Los Angeles. But a summer sunset on the rooftop of The Proper Hotel, listening to Leon Bridges and Jungle, might top that. I found myself there on Saturday evening, July 11th. The elevator doors opened to a…
Cover Photo by Camryn Kim Criterion Mobile Closet by Dylan Simmons Paired with the Hollywood Bowl’s three-day celebration of all things Wes Anderson was a series of activities hosted by The Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a curated selection of movies approaching two thousand titles, highlighting classics from cinema history as well as contemporary…
Since its inception in 2007, HARD Summer transforms Hollywood Park into Southern California’s largest dance floor. Each August, the festival has built a reputation on curating a lineup that spotlights EDM all-stars, underground techno DJs, and boundary-pushing pop stars in the same night. Over the weekend, more than 70 artists are set to take over…
Photos provided by Alive Photography If you were to pass unsuspectingly by the Wiltern on June 23rd or 24th, you would have had no idea that the crowd wrapped around the venue was there to see an artist whose debut album isn’t even a year old. The colorful tights, feather boas, and tiaras made the…
Photos by Dylan Simmons of Chapterhouse at Slide Away Los Angeles (5/29/26). Chapterhouse is Stephen Patman (vocals, guitar), Andrew (“Andy”) Sherriff (vocals, guitar), and Ashley Bates (drums). The English band formed in 1987, and their debut album, Whirlpool (1991), fundamentally shaped the origins of the shoegaze subgenre. Despite the group disbanding in 1994, their discography…
Photos by Dylan Simmons of Brennan Wedl at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (5/6/26). UCLA Radio’s Rising Artist Spotlight aims to highlight upcoming artists who have demonstrated unique creativity and talent through their music. Through interviews and features, we delve into their journey, influences, and aspirations, giving listeners a glimpse into the future of music.…
Photos courtesy of Richie Valdez Seattle-born Johnny Whitney is widely known as a lead vocalist of The Blood Brothers. Before their initial disbandment in 2007, the band left a remarkable footprint on the post-hardcore scene of the late ‘90s and 2000s as a result of their eclectic instrumentation and Whitney’s distinct vocal style. That same…
Photos courtesy of Matine Kazemi (@queenmatine / @tripletakecreativeco on Instagram ; @queen.matine on Tik Tok) Last month, I had the pleasure of virtually meeting with Jasmine Rodgers, lead singer of the alternative rock group, bôa. While I was in sunny Los Angeles, she was on the other side of the pond in London. Despite this…
Photos provided by Ashley Osborn/Kia Forum There’s nothing quite like watching an artist embark on their first arena tour. They don’t always sell the best and they require tons of trial and error to nail, but the glint in an artist’s eye as they finally bring to life their creative fantasies at the level of…
In honor of Pride Month, our team of writers set out to highlight the queer artists who have defined modern culture as we know it. For decades, these iconic figures have challenged societal norms to embrace unfiltered identity, unbridled love, and radiant joy. Through music, art, and film, queer artists have reshaped social boundaries and…
Photos by Sofia Cardenas On a warm June evening, indie bands Broken Social Scene and Metric, supported by Stars, stopped at Los Angeles’ iconic Greek Theatre en route to their co-headlining All the Feelings summer tour. Throughout the show, there was a repeated message highlighting the significance of closeness between the three bands. Hailing from…
Photos by Dylan Simmons. Words by Sylvia Ansley & Dylan Simmons. Founded in 2024 by Nicky Palermo of Nothing, annual shoegaze festival Slide Away continues its reputation of bringing back bands from the dead. This year, English shoegaze pioneers Chapterhouse headlined alongside American ‘90s alt legends Hum, both of which reunited in honor of Slide…
Cover Photo Courtesy of Olivia Ezechukwu — Last Wednesday, Atlantic Records showcased their exciting new signee, Charlotte MacInnes, to celebrate the upcoming release of her debut EP, HIGHWATER, which comes out June 26. The five-track EP reflects themes of nature, transformation, and self-discovery. Blending mythical elements with vulnerable lyrics, HIGHWATER embodies MacInnes’ raw talent and…
Photos by Lauren Kim Singer-songwriter Riya Mahesh, known onstage as Quiet Light, has an ear for sentimentality. The classically trained pianist’s sound shines in her careful arrangements, balancing electronica with eclectic samples and acoustic folk instruments. Mahesh’s soundscapes are constructed like a dream sequence. Pitchfork has described her sonic world as one with a “loose logic…
Photos courtesy of Rob Blackman While growing up just outside of London, Jasmine Rodgers fell in love with creating music. As the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band bôa, also composed of Lee Sullivan and Alex Caird, Rodgers has performed across the world, connecting global audiences with heartfelt lyrics and a hypnotic sound. On…
Cover photo by Kimberly Ruiz Alvarez (SCA) On a cold Thursday evening, hundreds of students formed a line spanning the surface area between Royce Hall and Powell Library in anticipation of watching the next musical act to grace the UCLA campus –the trip pop duo After. Since finding recent fame kudos to their uniquely accurate…
Photos by Lauren Kim No two projects from Water From Your Eyes sound the same. The only throughline in the two-piece band’s discography is their funky spirit and dedication to experimentation. The dance-pop/art rock band was formed by vocalist Rachel Brown and producer Nate Amos. The pair met in Chicago, were once lovers but are…
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…