Just Jaded — Jaded Productions

December Podcast Summary: 2022 Wrap-Up

Written By Taman Khuc

The Jaded Productions team wraps up 2022 with this month’s podcast episode, discussing this year’s achievements and future plans.

A lot has happened in 2022 for the Jaded team as the year was filled with many unexpected surprises and milestones. Jaded University launched for the first time ever and was a huge success. Jaded University is a subsidiary of Jaded Productions that aims to educate and provide free resources and experience to aspiring music industry professionals. Here, students can gain hands-on experience in different parts of the music industry, such as promotion, artist management, music journalism, marketing, and media production. Jaded University had 36 students enrolled, each with their own portfolio, and we hope to be able to reach and help more students next year. Jaded Productions is also now a press partner with 1824, UMG’s creative solutions team that focuses on the connection of artists and brands directly to fans through storytelling and experiences. Through this, we are able to attend press conferences for numerous artists and give those artists a chance to tell their stories and expand their reach.

As we unravel more of what happened at Jaded Productions this year, some of our team members recall the most important lessons learned in 2022. Vivienne Huynh, VP of Creative Operations, states, “You can talk to anybody and become friends with them, and because you’re their friend, they’ll remember who you are and say ‘Hey, come work this show,’” emphasizing how crucial making connections and networking are as a music industry professional. Maddy Kasey, a team member in Jaded’s TikTok team, spoke about how the music industry is a lot bigger than one would expect. “The industry is so much broader than you think,” Maddy discloses, “It’s not just LA and it’s not just New York City. There are so many places for opportunities now, even at local venues.” An overarching theme throughout this discussion was how working in the music industry had seemed so unattainable, so out of reach, yet so many of our team members were able to work their first shows and continue working shows throughout the year, some even getting offered paid positions.

Following the success of 2022, Jaded Productions hopes to continue to grow in 2023, with plans to add and develop the Jaded team. “We want to be producing the next wave of industry professionals,” Jade Zalevsky, the founder of Jaded Productions, states, “So, whatever that might entail, [we want to help] and support the next wave of industry professionals.”

Thanks for tuning in for another Music Industry can listen to the full episode with the Jaded Productions team on Spotify and all other streaming platforms!

SOS by SZA: A Quick Album Review + Analysis

Jessie Strickland

After five years of anticipation and teasing from the artist, SZA has finally released her latest album SOS. For those of us who are fans of her previous album CTRL, there were large expectations facing this release, mainly of having those raw feelings and vulnerabilities expressed in CTRL to be replicated into SZA’s next work, and they were definitely delivered. SOS is a reflection of the healing process; the anger that one experiences in situationships and scenarios alike (“Kill Bill”, “Low”), the need for a deeper and more intricate means of communication (“Love Language”), the resolution of finally reaching a place of letting go and releasing the things that no longer serve us (“Good Days”), to give a few examples. Not only is SOS a story of healing, it is an intimate look into SZA’s inner dialogue as she goes through trials of heartbreak, love, lust, and insecurity- and brings us along with her.

When looking at the artistic direction of the piece, the type of language used throughout the tracks feels casual enough to replicate one’s inner thoughts throughout the day, but are pieced together to flow in a way that is meant to evoke more than that. The way SZA’s lyrics flow in SOS are poetic and hard hitting because of how similar they are to one’s typical thoughts, and prevents the distance one might feel from overly flowery language. If we take a look at the song “Ghost in the Machine '' feat. Phoebe Bridgers as an example, the use of casual vs. poetic syntax is effective because it draws together the thematics of wanting to have your desires heard and the desperation of needing to feel an escape. In the beginning of the track, we have direct language that addresses a specific receiver: “Can you make me happy? Can you keep me happy?”. This motif follows through to the pre- chorus with the lines;

“Can you distract me from all the disaster?

Can you touch on me and not call me after?

Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?

Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?”

The pre- chorus now makes the more direct syntax into one that is more abstract and on a larger scale- we now question; Who exactly is SZA addressing? At the very end of the track, we hear the lines “Those who have forsaken their humanity/ They like to patch their lives with morality”, which ties up the track as it staples together what the song is truly referencing- the desire to find some form of salvation or redemption after chasing something unfulfilling. “Ghost in the Machine” is just one example of the way SOS uses different tones in lyricism to make a point come across in a way that is more personal and authentic, as they are written in a way that reflects the natural inclinations of our thoughts.

SOS is a fantastic album for the very reason that it is able to connect to our inner psyche in a way that is real and authentic to the feelings we may feel are too ugly to tap into. The now viral- on- TikTok track “Kill Bill” is a prime example of this, as it describes feeling petty and vengeful of an ex, a feeling the majority of people have felt at some point in time, but maybe don’t want to admit. It’s this factor that makes SOS a memorable piece of work and why so many of us feel connected to it from the get- go. Tapping into the feelings that can be difficult to process or shameful to admit can oftentimes be the source to unlocking an intricate, artistic outlet- and the potential to create something amazing.

RM’s Solo Debut Album: Indigo

Written by Vivienne Huynh

When you hear the name RM, I’m sure you associate it with the South Korean boy band BTS. You might think “RM? The rapper? The guy that speaks english? The guy with the blue hair?” Throughout the last 10 years in the public eye, he has accumulated a numerous amount of titles and recognition. All of which he identifies with but also tries to let go of. In his first solo album Indigo he tackles the topic of “who I am?” This 10 song album depicts someone in their 20s finding their way in life, and I feel like it’s a comforting message for everyone trying to navigate their way through their early adulthood.

Screen Grab from 140513 Rap Monster Log, BANGTANTV

Kim Namjoon as RM

RM started his career at the age of 16, and was assigned the position as the leader of BTS. With that role came many responsibilities, from being the bridge between the members and management to being the public spokesperson of the group. Starting at such a young age with that much responsibility can take a toll on a person, and RM is no exception. Throughout his career as an idol, he has put most of his focus on the success of his group and as a result put himself to the sidelines. As one of the main songwriters for his band, he wrote many songs touching on the topics of self love, self acceptance, and self discovery. His lyrics might’ve been an outlet for his own emotions but they brought comfort to the fans of BTS. In an interview with HYPEBEAST, Namjoon stated “I was dedicating most of my energy to BTS… This group, of course, is a crucial part of my life. But it does not entirely represent who I am as a person.” Outside of the group BTS, you can see Namjoon’s interest in art, poetry, and reading. Those hobbies have a strong impact on who he is, and many of his influences are shown in the nuances of his work. The journey of self discovery is nothing new to RM, he’s spoken about that topic on many occasions and is well known for sharing his own thoughts in effort to comfort others. As shown in the photo above from 2014, he says “life is just a series of continuous wandering,” and I think Namjoon is still wandering. Now nearing the age of 30, he mentions how even though he has been in the music industry for over 10 years, releasing music on his own feels as if he is starting over. And while he does have previous solo work out, a self titled mixtape from 2015 “RM” and another mixtape from 2018 “Mono”; his new debut album Indigo is something completely different from any of his work before. Indigo is an ode to his 20s, a still life painting that encapsulates everything that he has been through in the last decade and a release allowing him to take the next step forward in his life. Indigo is RM.

Song Analysis:

By Vivienne Huynh & Melanie Martinez

With all that being said about RM, here are our interpretations of the songs from his new album:

Yun (with Erykah Badu): The first track of the album is easy on the ears with a chill, slow neo soul sound. The soft spoken rap from RM paired with the soulful vocals from the legendary Erykah Badu is like honey. This song is dedicated to RM’s favorite artist Yun Hyong-keun and asks the questions: “How does one create a legacy when they're alive?” “How does one say what they have to so it resonates?” Yun talks about how there is no such thing as accidents, only time and intention. In the song RM mentions how he wants to create a legacy but knows in order to do that he has to give up everything for it. He realizes that to truly want it is to not want it all. The lyric “You be a human '' puts emphasis on the idea that to truly live you have to LIVE, endure the sorrows and savor the joy. Don’t live with the intention of creating something great because sometimes living for the want of something greater only causes more burden. Your only responsibility on this earth is to be a human, and to experience life to the fullest.
Still Life (with Anderson .Paak): This song makes you wanna bop your head, and dance while walking down the street. It has an upbeat soul funk sound with a dash of hip-hop. RM uses the lyrics to cleverly define still life. Still life is an art genre that showcases inanimate objects in a natural manner, but he raps about it like it’s “still living”. That even though the art is unmoving in the frame it is still alive, just like how moments in your life will always be moments, but life goes on and you keep moving and living. My favorite part of the song is when he mentions wanting to escape the frame, and how "life is better than death.” It seems like he is referring to life as an unfinished painting and his current life is an exhibition. From being in the spotlight for the past decade, he will now go from RM to Kim Namjoon to untitled; a work of progress for the future yet will always be the person he was before.
All Day (with Tablo): Following the up beat theme, this song is a mix of pop, funk, and hip hop. It’s the perfect song to start your day with, very much a feel good, anthem-like song. All Day speaks on the struggle to find balance in your life. How sometimes you may feel you have to fight between what you want to do and what you have to do. This song encourages you to find the small things that make you happy. It reminds you to not get so caught up in what the world tells you to do, and to focus on who you are and what you want. “I'm diggin' all-day Okay, okay I'm findin' real me.” This whole album RM talks about searching for the real him, just like how we are searching for who we are.
Forg_tful (with Kim Sawol): We are slowing things down with this song. The soft acoustic guitar and folk sound gives it a nostalgic feeling; as if it’s a rainy day and you are looking back on all your memories. This song talks about how the feeling of being lonely can affect the way you perceive life. “Do you remember the scent of fresh grass from when you were young? If you smelled it now, it’d probably feel different from how you remember. Right, we all just forget and live on.” When you’re a child, you live life in a more carefree manner but as you get older, life can become more difficult and you forget the things that used to bring you joy.
Closer (with Paul Blanco & Mahalia): Closer is a mostly English song, and it has a romantic R&B sound. Listening to the song feels very intimate, and the rap from RM and Paul Blanco paired with Mahalia’s silky voice feels almost seductive. This song can be interpreted many ways, and comes off as sort of a one sided love. The song ends with an outro of lyrics that say “If this all we can do, yeah, ust lookin’ at you, there’s gon’ be no take two, stay where you are.” This could be interpreted as the parasocial relationship between a fan and a celebrity. Expressing the search for a deep connection but coming from a distance. Fans feel connected to the celebrities they support, and vice versa. The love for each other is there, but it’s not personal.
Change pt.2: This song is the second English song on his album. It has quite a jarring mechanical rock sound, but ends with a light piano melody. Listening to it feels as if you are suffocating and then finally getting a breath of air. Which pairs perfectly with the lyrics because the song talks about how suffocating it is to be stuck within the borders of people’s version of you. Rigid definitions and unyielding categories. In the song RM says “f*ck my interviews in years ago, I’m whole different, not that anymore.” He is emphasizing the fact that people can and do change. That the person you were back then is not the person you are now. Humans are malleable, ever growing, ever changing, there still is an essence of you from the past, but as you grow your experiences change you and your perspectives shift.
Lonely: This song has an indie pop sound, with a dash of hip hop. Listening to it feels as if you are screaming at the top of your lungs to release a feeling that you have bottled up. As the title of this song says “Lonely”, he describes the feeling of being all alone, feeling suffocated and angry even though he has so many people around him. Despite being surrounded by so many people he feels like a stranger in the unfamiliar cities he goes to. In his ‘Indigo’ Album Magazine Film, RM describes that he wrote this song while being stuck in a Las Vegas hotel room and all he wanted to do was smash everything in that room. All he wanted to do was to go home where he knew he belonged. He continues to say that this song was his raw emotions that he decided not to have any featuring artist so he can showcase what he was feeling in his time of loneliness.
Hectic (with Colde): This song has a city pop, funk vibe. The beat is fun and repetitive. This song refers to the regrets and complicated feelings that one experiences in their early 20s. It also showcases the chaos of living life in a big city, in this case Seoul. Living life as a young adult, you are stuck in the routine of going to work and coming home, but at the same time you are out and about trying to do things that make you happy. It’s all so repetitive yet hectic. Pdogg, one of the producers of the album describes the song as “you’re out for drinks meeting people and then you come home alone in the middle of the night, you feel empty and you say some things you shouldn’t have.”
Wild Flower (with youjeen): This song is absolutely beautiful, with its soft rock and orchestral sound, it tugs on your heart. With the emotionally charged rapping from RM and the chilling vocals from youjeen, the song is one cathartic explosion. Though this song may sound sad/regretful, it’s far from it. RM is telling us his story, how he chased his dream of being a star but the shackles of fame became too much for him to handle. That blindly chasing your dreams isn’t good for your well being nor is it a sustainable way to live, and coming to that realization is what brought him peace. He no longer wishes to chase fame, but is now choosing to stay true to who he is. “Society's all for the loudest voice. And here I am, still speaking silence” He’s accepting of the feeling of being lost, straying from a path that he thought was meant for him. Which leads to the meaning of wildflower; wildflowers are flowers that grow freely without human intervention. He tells his story and encourages others to grow freely, to be who they are without the shackles of expectations.
No.2 (with parkjiyoon): This song is the perfect closing to the album, and also feels as if RM is saying goodbye to his 20s. The soft and gentle acoustic band sound gives off the feeling of closure and acceptance. It’s a colorful array of lessons RM has learned from his mentors, friends, and experiences. “All those accidents you believed were destined to happen, all those nights that felt like eternity, all you did was just do your best.” RM is accepting his journey for what it is, and what it will be. He emphasizes that as life moves forward we must not look back in regret, but accept things for what they are because the hardships we experience are what teach us the most.

This album truly takes you on a journey of self exploration and we cannot wait to see what else he has to come. We hope you enjoyed this song analysis, and let us know what your thoughts are about RM’s debut album Indigo! You can listen now on all streaming platforms.

Mariah Carey delivers the best present of all: Christmas nostalgia

Written By Zaylee Bell

Imagine you are walking into a store during the holiday season. It has a certain look, smell, feel, and noise. There's a distinct and happy musical noise in the background that sounds like childhood.

Christmas music holds a special meaning during the holiday season. It brings forth the memories of childhood naivety and happiness. Personally, a few of my favorite classic Christmas songs include “A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, “Here Comes Santa Claus” by Gene Autry, and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee.

All three of these songs bring up such happy memories that I will forever cherish. Those are my personal favorites, but the one song that offers the biggest feeling of nostalgia is “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” by the woman who is referred to as the "Christmas Queen," herself, Mariah Carey.

There’s no denying it; this song is the soundtrack to the holiday season. Released in 1994, it reached its first number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019. Ever since then, it has reached the same number one spot every December.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey cover, released in October 1994.

The time-less song has broken many records already, and every season it continues to break even more. Last year, it was even diamond certified by the Recording Industry Association of America. At first, Mariah didn't even want to record the song, so it’s no surprise that she did not expect it to become the hit that it is today.

Maybe it’s the bells, the catchy lyrics, or Mariah’s voice. No matter what, though, the song feels like holiday magic. Even for people like me who do not favor the song over other Christmas classics, it still evokes the feelings and the joy of Christmas. The song made its debut in the 90s, and maybe that is why it has the power to feel nostalgic and remind us of childhood Christmases.

For the music business, the genre of holiday music is pretty much a cash cow. According to Billboard, holiday music brings in more than $117 billion a year in the United States alone. Billboard also reported that the biggest royalty checks are saved for the classics, such as “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” In streaming alone, it’s estimated that the song brings in millions of dollars for the industry each season.

Music acts as a great memory cue, and holiday music I consider to be my biggest musical cue. Even without music, the holiday season has a strong culture, but when you add in the music, it becomes something special. When you first hear “All I Want for Christmas'' blaring out of speakers somewhere, you know it’s officially the holiday season. No matter if you love the song or not, it is the ultimate holiday anthem.