Talk - "Run Away to Mars"

This song and performer are new to me but, wow...
This song caught me off guard driving in to work early on a cold, unusually quiet Sunday morning.
With things going on in my personal life that've put me in more of a melancholy state than I usually am this time of year?
I just replayed it for the entire 20 minute drive (I currently have it in my ears as I write this).
If you swim in a lot of feelings of being alone or just need to be or want to escape and wonder who'd miss you enough to find you and join you, without question or a word, on whatever pivotal journey your about to step toward?
This song might just take you where you need to be.



Talk's Socials:
Stream/Download "Run Away to Mars" TikTok Facebook Instagram Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music YouTube
Also...from Talk's YouTube channel...
In his "About" section...
Something I couldn't agree with more...
"Show love to everyone you meet, because you don't know what they're going through or where they've come from."
"Run Away to Mars" is a song for all the people he's talking about.
It's perfect.

Jake Wesley Rogers - "Hindsight"

I'm WAY late to this amazing talent and apparently just incredible human being (I've read so many kind comments on his YouTube videos...even those who don't care for his appearance and sexuality have the kindest things to say about his performance, music and talent).
The first song I heard just two days ago was "Hindsight".
Being old and knowing that hindsight IS 20/20?
I IMMEDIATELY looked to see if he was performing anywhere near me and, while bopping/swayging/being carried away by this fantastic songwriter and performer, I grabbed tickets despite the concert being three months away.
There was NO way I was going to look back knowing I passed on the opportunity to witness one of his performances live. Like...I would ABSOLUTELY kick myself for NOT seeing him perform (also...I'm not sure of Rogers' pronouns of choice so I'm defaulting to he/him until I'm aware otherwise at which time I'll absolutely edit this post).
Rogers is so unapologetically himself that you can't help but be attracted to someone the charisma that comes with being incredibly confident in knowing oneself that well. That unabashed honesty smothers his music in a honey that all of us, no matter who you are, can relate to as many of hide behind social conditioning that prevents us from attaining, and constantly wishing for or searching for, being undeniably truthful to our inner selves.
I haven't seen the movie "Bros" but the track in the video above was apparently part of the soundtrack as it was referenced constantly in the comments of the video.
I'll stop my gushing over an artist that I believe is, fortunately for all of us, going to be around for a very, very long time and will become a much bigger part of pop culture moving forward.

Jake Wesley Rogers' Socials: Official Site Spotify Apple Music Instagram Twitter YouTube Facebook Wikipedia

Nilufer Yanya - "stabilise"

At the time of this post, the video for Nilufer Yanya's "stabilise" has been out for a year now.
I'm late to her appearance on Jimmy Fallon and hadn't heard of her until just this morning...
And I'm glad that I did.
Featured on her latest album, Painless, this song really sort of captured my attention and wouldn't let go.
I tend to look at music extremely visually and my over-active brain. I'm also old and from the era of montages in 80s movies.
One of my favorite moments in 80s John Huges films is the back and forth in Pretty in Pink as all the characters prep for the prom.
All of their stories are heading toward the finale and they're all looking in their respective mirros and readying themselves for whatever that night will bring.
None of them say anything but you can see the uncertainty in their faces as they head out the door and for whatever awaits them on what is one of the biggest nights of their teen lives.
If I were to direct a teen film right now with that sort of finale?
Yanya's "stabilise" would be the song I'd use without thinking twice.
Close your eyes and imagine the characters in your own film getting ready for a night out that will could change the direction of their young lives forever.
Seeing them getting ready, having moments of internal thoughts displayed without words, checking themselves and then heading out the door to whatever that night brings knowing that things won't be the same after.
In fact, a LOT of what's on Yanya's newest album Painless has this sort of amazing vibe of a moody, realistic, darker, oversaturated-in-colors teen film set in a city somewhere and I absolutely dig it.
Painless is one of those albums you can sort of just put on repeat a few times, lay back on the floor or couch or bed, stare at ceiling and tell yourself that being in thought right now is perfectly fine (the song "shameless" is the perfect song for this).
"trouble" is one of the songs that hit me hard as this past year has been about being alone and how much the ending of things, particularly after a very long time, can hurt deeper than you ever anticipated.
Give the album a listen and let Nilufer Yanya's voice just sort of both comfort you and take you away from whatever you've got going on.
Because, at this point?
I'm pretty sure we're all shouldering some hefty baggage right now.
Take care of yourselves, okay? Keep letting music move you forward.

Here's all of Lulifer Yanya's socials: Official Site (links to everything there as well as merch) Facebook Instagram BandsinTown Twitter TikTok Wikipedia Merch