Myers Park Hoofprint

The Myers Park High School Newspaper

Arts & Entertainment

We Want Your Midnights, Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift announced her tenth studio album, Midnights, this past August at the Video Music Awards (VMAs). Swift was nominated for five VMAs, all for the short film she directed and produced for her song “All Too Well: 10 Minute Version (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” released back in November of 2021. She won three of the categories she was nominated for: Best Direction, Best Long Form Video, and Video of the Year. With these wins, Taylor Swift now has 14 total VMAs. However, her wins were overshadowed by an even bigger announcement that night. 

As Swifties know all too well, the VMAs hold extreme significance in Taylor Swift’s life. This began back in 2009 when Swift won Best Video by a Female Artist for her hit song “You Belong With Me” from her Fearless album. When she accepted the award, Kanye West jumped onto the stage, interrupting her and claiming that Beyonce had “one of the best videos of all time.” This was a defining moment in Swift’s career, as the crowd booed West and Swift believed they were negating her win of the award. Following this infamous interruption, Swift and West have had a very delicate relationship. 

Swift addressed this controversy years later in her sixth studio album, Reputation. Swift’s Reputation album came after Taylor Swift had not physically been seen by the public eye for an entire year. #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty was the number one trending hashtag on Twitter after Kanye West’s song “Famous” included a line claiming he made Swift famous. Her first single from Reputation called “Look What You Made Me Do” featured many lyrical digs at West and his then wife Kim Kardashian, symbolizing a comeback album where her reputation was being reinvented. In the iconic “Look What You Made Me Do” music video, Swift wore a silver jeweled dress, which her dress at the 2022 VMAs closely resembled. Many Swifties thought that Taylor was going to announce the re-recording of “Look What You Made Me Do” at the awards, due to the fact that the song recently acquired its eligibility to be re-recorded, 5 years after it was released in August of 2017. Swift is currently in the process of re-recording her first six studio albums owned by Big Machine Record Label and executive Scooter Braun in order to own the masters of her work. 

Swift’s announcement of Midnights, coming on October 21st, was certainly a surprise, but greeted with enthusiasm nonetheless. According to Taylor Swift’s Instagram announcement, Midnights will be “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [Swift’s] life.” It will feature 13 tracks, Swift’s lucky number. In her continued description of the upcoming album, Swift shared that this album was written in the middle of the night, hence the title, Midnights. When Swift won “Video of The Year,” she accepted the award by saying “I had sort of made up my mind that if you were going to be this generous and give us this, I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you that my brand new album comes out October 21st.” This announcement was greeted by an uproar of excitement from the crowd, and Swift posted her formal announcement on Instagram later that night. Many fans have been wondering had Swift not won the award, would Midnights have still been announced when it was? Regardless, Swift making this announcement on the VMA stage in her dress that resembles that of the “Look What You Made Me Do” video and releasing her album on Kim Kardashian’s birthday symbolizes a full circle moment of Taylor Swift’s reinvented reputation. 

Midnights will be out in just a few weeks, and fans are eagerly anticipating the album filled with Swift’s thoughts from the middle of the night. Many Swifties believe that this album will include some of her best lyricism yet, taking listeners through “terrors and sweet dreams.” Swifties can meet Taylor at midnight on October 21st, when her tenth studio album is released for the world to hear.

Sobriety in the Music Industry

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Mac Miller, Taylor Hawkins, Juice World, John Bonham, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse all have two things in common. The first thing is that they were all top-selling musical artists; the second is that each one of them died while being excessively intoxicated. The list does not end here either; it would probably go on for ages if all of those in the music industry who struggled with addiction, of any form , were also accounted for. So what is the problem? Why does the music industry serve as such a substantial breeding ground for addiction and excessive drug use?

There is a surplus of money to be found in the music industry. As of 2021, the music industry was worth 26 billion dollars, according to The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Excess amounts of money mean that hedonistic culture can thrive here. Not only are artists able to afford expensive alcohol and the ability to feed their drug habits, but their substances may even be encouraged by the record labels overlooking their addictions to allow the artists to uphold a certain image.​​ This is especially prevalent in rock and hip hop genres. Along with their image that sells, the environments that artists inhabit on a daily basis are home to heavy consumption. Several studies have found that the environment plays a significant role in the likelihood of substance abuse. This explains why artists are more likely to develop substance abuse disorders when they are spending time at parties and concerts because they are surrounded by people getting intoxicated as a means of enhancing the music they are listening to and easing social anxiety. The same studies have also found that environment plays a role in the likelihood of relapse, meaning that artists who are interested in getting sober face a dilemma while maintaining their career and sobriety. The high addiction rates in the music industry may also be attributed to pressure on both up-and-coming and established artists to create new, unique music that sets them apart from others. Many artists claim that the use of psychoactive drugs allows them to be more creative when producing new work, although it is not scientifically proven  that drugs enhance creativity according to the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Top-selling artist Harry Styles discussed in an interview with Apple Music’s Beats 1 his use of psilocybin mushrooms in the process of creating one of his more recent albums, Fine Line. In the interview, the singer gives credit to the mushrooms for allowing him to be “fun and creative.” 

Messages like these that contribute success to substance abuse are extremely damaging.

While being a hotspot for addiction in artists, the music industry is also at fault for encouraging substance abuse among its listeners. Many musical artists boast about their excessive drug use either in lyrics, interviews, or on social media. Many of these artists also have huge fan bases who idolize them and truly internalize these messages about what it means to be cool or successful. Younger listeners are especially susceptible to believing these messages without recognizing the risks and pain associated with substance abuse.

The trend of substance abuse in musicians and the glamourization of drugs in music needs to be curbed. The ability to do this lies in the hands of the record labels that run the music industry. Instead of feeding off of their artist’s addictions or turning a blind eye, labels could provide resources to support their struggling artists. The issues of addiction and substance abuse will never be defeated entirely. They can, however, be decreased with the right actions.

SNL in Charlotte

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Over the last decade, Charlotte has made it onto the big screen with filming for entertainment hits such as The Hunger Games and Homeland taking place in and around the city. Now, Charlotte, as well as other surrounding locations such as South Mountain and Crowders Mountain will be the backdrop for a new movie. This new film is written by and starring the members of the Saturday Night Live comedy group Please Don’t Destroy. The New York-based comedy trio, all of whom write and produce videos for Saturday Night Live, includes Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy. The trio began working together while attending NYU and founded Please Don’t Destroy in 2017. Since then, they have become a breakout success on SNL, with some of their most popular sketches featuring celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Rami Malek, and Lizzo.

According to Variety, the movie, which currently remains untitled, will follow three childhood friends who decide they don’t like their life trajectory and go in search of a rumored gold treasure hidden in a nearby mountain. Additional members of the cast include former SNL cast member Conan O’Brien and current SNL cast member Bowen Yang. Judd Apatow, who has worked on productions with other SNL members, such as Pete Davidson for the 2020 comedy The King of Staten Island, is producing the film, and Paul Briganti, former SNL director, will be directing the movie. According to the Charlotte Observer, the movie is a recipient of the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant and received a $7 million rebate grant. 

Within Charlotte, the movie has been filming in locations around the NoDa area, including the popular restaurant Brooks’ Sandwich House. Josh Church, an executive producer for the project, explained to CharlotteFive that filming the movie in Charlotte allowed for an ideal small town feel for the crew. For filming, the production closed down both Brooks’ Sandwich House and surrounding streets, however, it wasn’t until July that the restaurant learned about the production for the movie. Lauren Brooks, the manager of Brooks’ Sandwich House, said that “they had contacted us through email and at first I thought it was a scam because we get a lot of scam things that happen, but they were interested in doing a Saturday Night Live footage.” 

Brooks voiced her skepticism about the request by explaining how she thought it “really wasn’t going to happen honestly because we’re a little shop all the way in North Carolina and they’re all the way up in New York.” However, when it became apparent that the filming for the movie was legitimate, she said everyone was “really excited about it!”

Brooks’ Sandwich House, currently run by third generation owners Lauren Brooks and her younger brother Teal Brooks, is a local family business that will mark its fiftieth year this January. Brooks detailed how her grandfather established the shop five decades ago, saying “he wasn’t expecting to open up a restaurant but he started experimenting on chili and turns out everybody loved it so much.” The main item the sandwich house is known for, along with their full menu of southern staples, is their cheeseburger all the way, which is a specialty that combines mustard, chili, and onion. 

Filming at this restaurant concluded in late August of this year, and it is predicted that the movie will be released in 2023. It will be exciting to recognize all of the familiar locations in the Charlotte areas featured in the film, as well as anticipate what future productions might come to town next.

Joe Rogan vs. Spotify

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Joe Rogan is a well known comedian, actor and popular podcaster who jump started his career on Youtube. According to newrepublic.com, in May of 2020 Spotify signed Rogan to a 100 million dollar deal to let Spotify distribute his podcast. The podcast is called “The Joe Rogan Experience” and is basically a long form conversation with Joe and his friends.

On “The Joe Rogan Experience” Joe interviews all kinds of people from comedians to  politicians and journalists. In one of Rogan’s recent podcasts he interviewed US cardiologist, Peter McCullough and vaccine scientist, Dr. Robert Malone. The guests shared their opinions on how the pandemic started and talked about vaccines and other treatments for Covid-19. After this episode was aired, Joe Rogan’s podcast was accused of disclosing misinformation about Covid-19. According to cnet.com there was also a compilation video of Joe Rogan using racial slurs in multiple episodes. Viewers were offended by his use of racial slurs and in response, Spotify ended up removing a couple of episodes that contained derogatory terms. According to The New York Times, the situation grew more tense and civil rights groups started to begin a boycott. Advertisers began pulling their campaign and creators threatened to leave. Creators like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and Brene Brown have pulled their work off Spotify or are not releasing additional episodes until further notice. Spotify’s chief executive, Daniel Ek responded to this situation and said ”it is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being a content censor.” Spotify refused to stop the deal with Rogan although they did agree to put a warning on episodes that bring up Covid-19 and have a link to health information. According to news.com, Joe Rogan also had a response to the feedback. Rogan responded with a nine-minute video saying that “Both of these people are very highly credentialed, highly accomplished people who have opinions who differ from the mainstream narrative. I wanted to hear what their opinion is.”

There have been similar situations that have happened in the media. For instance Netflix released a show called “The Closer” in 2021 with the comedian Dave Chappelle. The show was accused of using comedy to conceal bigotry. According to Time, the show evoked a backlash because of the jokes about gay people and transgender people. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s Co Chief Executive, responded to his employees with an email saying the show did not cross the line of hate or violence. Sarandosinsisted on keeping the show on Netflix despite the controversy because it did not stop the viewership from going up. Soon after Ted’s response transgender people and alies that worked for Netflix organized a walkout to reflect their anger with the situation.

Situations like these can make a little or large impact on platforms. According to the New York Times, it is hard to tell what is going to happen with Spotify, but it is possible for Mr. Young and Ms. Mitchell to make an impact on other big artists and convince them to leave. Spotify also makes most of their money off subscriptions, so it is not likely for the platform to struggle financially unless there is a large number of cancellations. Why did Spotify choose Joe Rogan over Neil Young? According to the Washington Post, the decision was not really about Neil or Rogan, it was about Spotify looking to maximize their profits. Since 2019, Spotify has been planning to put 500 million dollars into the podcast industry. So far Spotify’s plan has worked. Spotify has taken over Apple podcasts to be the largest podcast provider in the United States. 

Wordle Takeover

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When it comes to modern technology, it’s not every day that a website leaves people glued to their devices, coming back for more. Designed to challenge the individual, Wordle is similar to most crossword puzzles, except that it can only be played once a day. With a new worldle available every 24 hours, players are tasked with demystifying it each day. 

In recent months, Wordle has consumed peoples’ attention spans, taken over social media, and found its way into household conversations. The engineering and unique structure behind the website makes users question what sets it aside from most crossword games. 

With over 300,000 users returning daily, Wordle offers details and components of the game itself that leave people addicted and hungry for more. Wordle is constructed in a way where every user is offered the same information and are given the same task. According to Mark Serrals and Daniel Van Boom of Cnet.com, “You only get one shot at the Wordle. If you mess up, you will have to wait until tomorrow to get a brand new puzzle.” Offering users one shot at the game, Wordle’s addictive nature becomes even more compelling, making users feel as though they are obligated to crack the word of the day faster than others. 

While Wordle’s unique gaming model and simple approach may be what propelled it to success, it’s how the game is affecting conversation among users that provides the website with this boundless attraction. 

Not surprisingly, Wordle has generated quite the competitive user community, as players compete over who reached the daily word faster. With reference to the same source, it states, “If you get it easily, maybe in the second or third try, there’s a gloating element whereby you must show your followers how smart you are and share.” As if social media hasn’t already made itself a fierce space for flaunting unnecessary means of success, Wordle’s growth is mainly due to users’ interest in showing off how quickly they could determine the word. 

The website’s ability to present a straightforward task only further complements the competitive nature it delivers to its users, especially when it comes to knowledge of words and grammar. Human psychology attempts to justify this outbreak and bring it to light in a greater context. 

Taking a deeper look at why individuals’ brains strive for success with Wordle and hold it against themselves to crack the word faster, it’s possible that there might be an explanation for all of this. Identified as a game of challenge, connection, and dopamine, Wordle can be viewed socially and mentally. According to Krystal Jagoo of Mental Health News offered by VeryWellMind, it states, “Wordle challenges your brain, fosters community, and even provides a daily hit of dopamine triggered by a sense of personal achievement.”

Moving past the unmatched gaming complex and atmosphere that Wordle offers its users, the website’s origin may have more to do with its success than people realize. With Wordle coming out at a very confusing and stressful time in society, many suggest that the benefits of Wordle to the individual are just what the doctor ordered. 

Identified as becoming the pandemic survivor’s addiction, it’s the sleek nature of the website that keeps more and more people arriving at the game. With the pandemic affecting so many for so long, Wordle has offered an easy, simple, and addictive task for those interested. According to the same source, it states, “And it’s those little moments of being proud of our accomplishments…that are essential to our mental health during yet again another grim covid winter.”

While the popularity of Wordle in the United States becomes more visible by the day, the website itself has reached far beyond the nation, making a name for itself in numerous other countries. From meaningful connections to captivating debates, Wordle will continue to take over the world.

Unearthing Hozier’s New Album

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Irish singer and songwriter Hozier became an overnight sensation in America with the release of his 2013 E.P. Take Me to Church. Since then, Hozier has continued to captivate fans worldwide through an admittedly small number of musical offerings. Now, Hozier has promised a new album. Unreal Unearth is rumored to debut before the end of 2022. 

Aidan Gardner, a Myers Park student, is cautiously enthused about the release. “He said he’d be releasing something in the summer of 2021. That didn’t happen. I do expect the album to actually drop this time since he’s given it a name.” The mythical release of 2021 may have simply been delayed to midwinter, when Hozier released his hit single, Tell it to My Heart, in collaboration with German EDM group Meduza. “I really loved seeing- or hearing- him branch out into the new genre,” says Gardner, “I hope he continues to explore new paths with his music, even though I still love his original sound.” 

Gardner is ecstatic to be attending a concert headlined by Hozier taking place on March 10-12. While Gardner has plenty of theories, she hopes to scout for clues on the direction the new album will take. For now, Gardner has plenty of theories. 

Hozier has released several sets of lyrics that may be included in Unreal Unearth. The title and lyrics of “De Selby” are a clear homage to Irish storytelling. The original De Selby was a fictional Irish philosopher who appears in the works of Flann O’Brien. O’Brien describes De Selby as a “physicist, ballistician, philosopher and psychologist” (The Third Policeman). He was known for his non-scientific beliefs, which were common humorous elements in O’Brien’s works. In these stories, De Selby attempted to dilute water, to prove that night was “the accumulation of ‘dark air,’” and to see into the past using a complex array of mirrors. His absurd theories are believed to have a basis in the works of philosophers Le Fournier, du Garbandier, Kraus, and the Le Clerque. Fans hope for paradoxical lyrics that combine De Selby’s ideologies and Hozier’s famous naturalist metaphors.

The second set of lyrics, “Rob the Goddess,” follows Hozier’s common theme of offering praise to a powerful feminine figure. Fans have noted its thematic similarity to a 2014 release, “Foreigner’s God,” which explores the increasing distance between people and their cultures, or imposter’s syndrome in religion and ethnicity. In both, Hozier uses a female subject to explore the complexities of faith. Gardner concludes by saying, “His lyricism- off the charts. His hair- it’s seen better days.” Gardner may be a Hozier fan for life, but she’s not a fan of his bob cut. 

Hozier certainly has plenty of subject material for the new works. Previously, his music has detailed social issues and historic inequalities. Many of his lyrics intentionally invoke the strength and influence of marginalized figures, including Nina Simone and Mavis Staples in “Nina Cried Power.” Gardner is one of many fans drawn to this pattern. “He’s incredible at generating real activism through his music. How he lifts women is a rarity in music, and I appreciate how much credit he gives to folk singers and activists before him.” In today’s increasingly polarized world, Hozier continues to use entertainment to bring awareness to social, political, and religious issues. However, his music steers clear of didactic messages and stays danceable. 

Gardner and millions of others are hanging on to the edges of their seats for the new album. She doesn’t care what genre Hozier pursues in this new music, “as long as he stays true to his roots and continues to produce amazing things.”

Book Recommendations

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In this edition, we recommended five new books, including a progressive story of race, gender politics, and white wokeness in America, an empowering novel on discovering your true identity, the murder mystery that ranked at number one of The New York Times Fiction Best Sellers for 30 weeks, a will-they-or-won’t-they romance novel, and a powerful read about the choice between conformity and community. 

Such A Fun Age – Kiley Reid

Such A Fun Age focuses on topics relevant today, such as institutional racism, performative activism, and privilege. The novel follows two characters, mother and businesswoman, Alix Chamberlain, and her black 25-year-old babysitter Emira Tucker. During a visit to the grocery store, Emira is confronted by the store’s security guard while watching the Chamberlains’ daughter and accused of kidnapping the child. As Alix resolves to make everything right again, Emira is determined to find a “real job” with health-insurance and holidays, and start her adult life.

Red, White, and Royal Blue – Casey McQuiston

Red, White, and Royal Blue is an LGBTQ+ romance centered around sworn enemies Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States, and British royalty, Prince Henry. After an altercation at a royal wedding, Alex and Henry are forced into a fake friendship to appease the press. What began as an Instagrammable form of damage-control leads to a secret romance between the two that could lead to controversy and scandal in British and American politics. 

Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens

What seems to be the story of a lonely girl coming-of-age in the marshlands of North Carolina, becomes a thrilling murder mystery that topped the charts of The New York Times Fiction Best Sellers. The novel jumps back and forth between Kya Clark as she grows up alone in a shack in the marshlands, and the murder of the town’s beloved Chase Andrews. Navigating life alone after her mother, siblings, and drunken father left her, Kya turns to study the ways of nature to avoid complete solitude. She is self-sufficient and lives off the land, which earns her the title of “marsh girl” from the town. Despite her isolation, Kya gains the attention of two young men from town and wanting to be accepted and loved, Kya opens herself up to a new world away from the marsh.

Normal People – Sally Rooney

Adapted into a Hulu miniseries, Sally Rooney’s Normal People was a vulnerable look at a relationship between two Irish teens. Marianne Sheridan is a private, lonely, and independent woman who is an outcast in her high school, while Connell Waldron is a popular straight-A student, as well as the star of the high school soccer team. An intense relationship, complicated by secrecy, mental health, and miscommunication, forms between the two when Connell picks up his mother from a job at Marianne’s house. The novel tracks four years of their lives, and the ups and downs of their on-again, off-again relationship. 

Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere is an entertaining novel that explores race, privilege, parenting, and the consequences of defying the status quo. Set in the suburbs of Cleveland, Elena Richardson’s picture-perfect life is flipped on its head when unconventional Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl rent a house from the Richardson’s. When lines are drawn between creative, non-conformist Mia and the moms of Shaker Heights, Elena decides to uncover Mia’s sketchy past. When the subplot regarding the custody battle between Elena’s family friends and the adopted child’s biological mother erupts, the town becomes even more divided.