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 Jax Fleming From the heart of Henderson, KY arises a new…
Ghanaian-Australian artist Kofi Owusu-Ansah—better known by the moniker Genesis Owusu—is anything but a conformist. With a genre-defying discography that communicates deeply personal, critical narratives, Owusu is constantly pushing the boundaries of his medium; Owusu touches on themes of racism, depression, and Absurdism, utilizing soundscapes that veer from R&B to EDM to Hip-Hop.
[Photos by Jeslyn Wang] Mac DeMarco’s music has a way of making you fall for it all over again—so much so, that when your first vinyl of his gets scratched, you replace it without hesitation. And if you catch him live one night, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll want to be there the next night, too.…
Their hit song may be called “Hater’s Anthem,” but don’t be fooled – Infinity Song is a band defined by love: for their craft, each other, and their audience. Never was this more true than at their performance at The Troubadour, taking place on the second night of their North American tour. The soft rock…
Photo by Matty Vogel Rising punk rock band Destroy Boys has announced a new album, Funeral Soundtrack #4, releasing August 9 via independent label Hopeless Records. The album will consist of 11 tracks and feature punk bands Mannequin Pussy and Scowl. Destroy Boys is high school friends Alexia Roditis (lead vocals, guitar) and Violet Mayugba…
~~~ Photos by Lily Stockton ~~~ TV Girl isn’t a fan of whole numbers. On a fateful summer night in June, this fact was proven to be true. I had the privilege of catching this so-cal based trio on the first of their three-night residency at Downtown LA’s Wiltern. The occasion? To celebrate “3 ½…
[Photos by Jeslyn Wang] What initially drew me to the indie pop band Winnetka Bowling League was their ironically intriguing name. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Winnetka Bowl was a go-to spot for me and my friends. It turns out, lead singer Matthew Koma drew inspiration from this bowling league when he founded…
Fusing the 70’s with South Asian music, Annika has found her unique sound. Pioneering a new type of music, she sings of being satisfied with her life and brings in her heritage to help convey her certainties. Her visuals, filled with bold colors and beautiful embroidery, draw you into her music as well. We got…
Images provided by interviewees with permission for use by UCLA Radio. From Amsterdam to Tokyo to our home in Los Angeles, a global movement this Spring saw students occupy university grounds to express their solidarity with the people of Palestine. In the U.S., this movement followed in the footsteps of Columbia University, but encampments and…
You heard it here first folks. Even as another sunny June comes to a close, it is and will always be… a pride summer. From vacuums as a metaphor for coming out to wistful homages to our past loves, our writers powerfully shared what their identities mean to them — to us. We take this…
Released on 21 June 2024, the singer-songwriter’s sophomore album leaves much to be desired. “The Secret of Us” comes at a moment of peak visibility for Gracie Abrams, who seems to be standing on top of the pop world. With nearly 20 million Spotify monthly listeners and a nomination for Best New Artist at the…
In honor of The Talking Heads’ reunion and the 40th anniversary of Jonathan Demme’s seminal concert documentary film, Stop Making Sense, A24 has assembled a powerhouse array of artists to take on the album’s 16 tracks. The album’s inspiration, Stop Making Sense, is a 1984 concert film featuring The Talking Heads’ live performance. The film,…
Written by Kayalani DeGrave After recently reviewing the new album, Bright Future, by indie-folk artist Adrianne Lenker, I got the opportunity to experience her music and so much more in its purest form at The United Theater on Broadway. Located in downtown Los Angeles on a street lined with old theaters and venues, the United…
Cover photo by Alden Bonecutter Los Angeles County made punk history on June 8th with the inauguration of No Values Fest, a 40-year celebration of punk music that welcomed fans of all ages. The festival reunited iconic bands like the original Misfits, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and The Adicts, bringing in more than 40,000 attendees,…
Immediately upon walking into the Greek Theatre, there was so much tie dye you would have thought it was a Dead show. But no: on June 7th, the 12-person blues rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage of the Greek, backdropped by a hazy sunset. As I got my bearings of the amphitheater, I…
UCLA’s Administration has put forth every effort to divide and suppress the voices of its students and workers. In order to rebuild our community, we must ground ourselves in the tens of thousands of martyrs of Palestine, and recenter the liberation movement around honoring their memories. This is how we can reclaim our campus and continue the fight for a free Palestine in our lifetimes.
Written by Lily Stockton It is easy to feel overwhelmed with grief when internalizing the recent events on our campus. Witnessing peers and colleagues be beaten, bloodied, and (literally) ripped from one another is frustrating, terrifying, and discouraging. Since the first encampment was erected in Dickson Court on April 25th, the demonstrations on campus have…
Written by Clementine Daniel and Julia Steinhouse Photos by Julia Steinhouse The night started off with a bizarre series of events, as we entered the Hollywood Forever Cemetery at 9:15PM and drove right past the venue. In our defense, we saw a few cars heading in the same direction and decided that we trusted them. …
Written by Kayalani DeGrave With the U.S. tour of Bright Future beginning on June 9th, 2024, it seems only fitting to discuss Adrianne Lenker’s newest solo studio record, an album rooted in emotional intimacy, storytelling, and carefully crafted poetic lyrics. You may know the 32-year-old indie-folk artist as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the…
By Natalie Chen On May 10, 2024, Billie Jean King addressed the graduating class of The Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. On this day, valedictorian Asna Tabassum would have delivered a speech to her peers at the commencement ceremony which would have occurred, if not for the cited…
By: Winnie Xu and Lexi Tabacu My dear friend recently shared with me that she is always humming a song in her head; at all times, there is a melody. The song changes with the seasons and her surroundings, but it is always there; a commemoration as solidifying as it is devotional. When Lexi and…
The BottleRock Napa Valley music festival was held on the weekend of Friday, May 24th to Sunday, May 26th at the Napa Valley Expo fairgrounds. With the arrival of the festival, the grounds were transformed into a multi-stage spot for music and food lovers. Listeners young and old joined together for artists including Pearl Jam,…