[Artists to Watch] Love at First Listen with Madeline Merlo

Madeline Merlo Interview 2023

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Country songstress Madeline Merlo is striking all the right chords with country listeners. The Canadian Country Music Award–winner is the mastermind behind Lady A’s hit single “Champagne Night,” which the band recorded after Madeline won their episode of NBC’s Songland in 2020. Last summer, she contributed background vocals to Cole Swindell’s smash single, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina.” Now, Madeline is ready to “slide” right to the top of every country fan’s playlist with her recently released EP ‘Slide’ and its catchy title track. It’s no surprise she is one of Amazon Music’s featured Artists to Watch in 2023—and she should be one of yours too.

For this edition of Love at First Listen, Madeline and I caught up to talk about the story behind Sam Hunt’s involvement in “Slide,” her fans’ tattoos, and the song she wrote for her upcoming wedding.

Your newest single “Slide” is bubbly, flirty, and everything pop-country should be. Tell us about its incredible origin story!

I feel like the music industry is just these random strokes of luck and a lot of hard work interweaving with each other. I had met my producer, Zach Crowell, really randomly. One day, he called me and said, “Hey, I have this song that Sam Hunt and I started a while ago, and we feel like it’s really cool but something about the melody feels a little feminine. Would you want to finish it with us?” They sent me the track and there was no real lyric or hook, but there was something about it that was really fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

I don’t know why the word “slide” popped in my head, but I spent four days trying to come up with the coolest way to use that title in the song. Finally, I said to myself, “Let’s watch tonight slide into yesterday.” I suddenly had all these ways you could use “slide” and ran into the writing room saying, “Yo, I feel like I’ve got a cool idea.” They liked it, so we tweaked it together and I’m really proud of the result.

“Slide” is the lead track from your EP of the same name, which is a collection of four incredibly infectious country jams. What vibe were you going for while in the studio?

“Slide” was the first one we finished and the catalyst for everything else. “Girl Where He Grew Up,” for example, was a song I was so proud of as a songwriter, and “YOUNG-ish” felt like it had an old Shania Twain/Keith Urban vibe to it. I was inspired to make this EP really joyful, fun, and high energy and something that made people feel good.

As you wrote on Instagram, the ‘Slide’ EP was your first project in “2 years, 5 months, and 24 days.” Can you reassure your fans they won’t have to wait that long for more music?

I promise! That was a very transitional period for me moving to a mostly American team and making a lot of changes, which was a really scary and hard thing to do. It took time to get my feet back on the ground and figure out what I wanted to do, what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it. So, I took a little hiatus, but I was dying to get music out the entire time. We’re dropping more music in the next couple of months and it’s really energetic and unique.

Speaking of your fans, some of them have tattoos inspired by your songs. When you see those in person for the first time, what goes through your mind, especially being such a deeply passionate music fan yourself?

It means so much. It’s wild knowing that a song can impact somebody and that they would want it on their body. I also think meeting people is my favourite thing about this job. It’s just so cool to hear from a fans’ mouth what songs they like and why they like them. It’s what we’re doing it for, and I’m so grateful people are listening. It’s truly that simple. When I write, I hope people get it or have felt that way. Then, if people go, “I feel that way,” there’s this really sweet connection, and I have friendships with a lot of them.

We can’t talk about your accomplishments without mentioning you were a season two winner of NBC’s Songland and had your song, “Champagne Night,” recorded and released by Lady A. What was your main takeaway from the experience?

It’s still one of those things I look back on and I’m like, did that really happen? It was such a special moment in 2020, which was such a terrible year, and it was the most validating thing as a songwriter. It gave me so much confidence, so whenever I feel down on myself, I remember I have a big gold record for that song and it inspires me to keep going. I feel very grateful and lucky.

You had a jam-packed last few months, signing a deal with Sony Music Publishing Nashville and releasing your first EP under your new U.S. label Broken Bow Records. How do you plan to continue that momentum in 2023?

I’ve booked some shows in the States as well as back in Canada, which is really cool, and I’m working on more music. We have some in the chamber and some ready to record, but I always try to put my blinders on and keep being as creative, different, and as inspired as I can to just create music. I feel like it’s why I’m here on this earth, and this Sony deal has been great as a songwriter to feel like I’m stepping into a role where I’m writing for myself, for other people, and for TV and film. I just feel so lucky that I get to do this job.

You’re also getting married this year! Are there any advantages to prepping for a wedding being a musician, in terms of picking the first dance song or writing something to play?

Originally, I didn’t want to sit down and be like, I have to write a wedding song, but one came naturally. I haven’t decided if I’m going to play it at the wedding or make it a gift, but my bass player’s band will be performing at the wedding, so that’s exciting. I feel like the music is the best part. We’re going to Costa Rica for our honeymoon, and I imagine I’ll also have a fresh load of song ideas after that.

We’re always looking to update our playlists with more new artists to watch in 2023. Is there anyone in your country music circle whose songs you always love at first listen?

Oh my gosh, so many! I’m loving Robyn Ottolini. She’s a super honest songwriter. I also love my James Barker Band friends; they’re so great. Definitely check them out if you haven’t already.

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[Artists to Watch] Love at First Listen with Griffen Palmer

Griffen Palmer Interview 2023

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

There’s no “second guessing” that 2023 is about to be Griffen Palmer’s year. The 27-year-old rising country star from Pickering got his start in early 2020, appearing on NBC’s Songland and wowing the likes of judge Ryan Tedder and Florida Georgia Line, who ended up recording and releasing their cut of his song “Second Guessing.” Three years and more than 23 million Spotify streams later, Griffen is giving the song new life and re-releasing it as his debut single on Big Loud Records — the label also home to Lauren Alaina and HARDY. If that wasn’t enough to celebrate, it was also Canadian country radio’s most added song in its first week, and this is all just the beginning.

If you want to hear “Second Guessing” live, you don’t have to wait long. Having just played three Canadian shows with The Reklaws, Griffen is now gearing up to tour the United States with another Big Loud labelmate, Lily Rose, starting Feb. 9 in Massachusetts. But first, he will be appearing on a TV screen near you, performing “Second Guessing” on tonight’s episode of The Bachelor (yes, he’s from *that* Palmer family).

In this edition of Love at First Listen, get the inside scoop from Griffen himself on the song that continues to open new doors, what it’s like being a Keith Urban fan and co-writer, and when you can expect to hear his debut album.

If “Second Guessing” sounds familiar to anybody, that’s because Florida Georgia Line put out their own version after Songland and featured it on their album ‘Life Rolls On.’ What goes through your head whenever you hear their version?

Florida Georgia Line was a band I listened to for years before I ever even conceived that they would cut one of my songs. So, hearing their voices on it still to this day is crazy, and it never really gets old when you hear other artists that you admire singing your songs.

With your ‘songwriter’s version’ out now, “Second Guessing” is having its second coming. As it comes full circle, how has its meaning evolved?

It’s just such a big part of my story. It’s been the one song that, after hundreds of songs I’ve written, has opened all these doors and acted as this launchpad for my career. So, any time I get to share it with someone and it unlocks another door, I’m reminded of how special it is to me.

When you appeared on Songland, did you have “Second Guessing” already written with Florida Georgia Line in mind?

I wrote the song about a year beforehand without even knowing about the show and then submitted it myself and went through all the interviews and steps to get it there. When we remade the song on the show, Shane [McAnally] and I thought, ‘OK, how can we make this better?’ So, it was really legit in terms of taking it from where it was originally—a song I wrote in a room with my friend Geoff [Warburton] and Ben Simonetti—and getting it to the finish line with FGL.

Is there an artist that you would love to have do a third version of “Second Guessing”?

Oh man, I would love for Chris Stapleton to sing it. Even if he could sing a line. His voice is wicked.

In addition to writing for Florida Georgia Line through Songland, you have writing credits for artists like fellow Canuck MacKenzie Porter and Keith Urban (no big deal!). Who’s left on your bucket list of artists to write for?

As many people as I have worked with, there’s 100 times more I haven’t. I just want to keep meeting all these awesome creatives and help them with their work. I admire so many artists. Someone like Sam Hunt would be amazing. Maren Morris and other amazing female artists would be super cool to get in touch with. But who knows what’s going to happen. I never expected to be working with Keith, FGL, or anyone like that.

For fans who will be seeing you on tour soon, how would you describe your set?

I’m coming out of this newfound artistry as a songwriter first. So, I feel like I’m playing all these songs for people like it sounded when I wrote them — just me and a guitar without the big band and lights. I’m really trying to get across the stories and messages of the songs and keep it super intimate.

In fact, I remember seeing Keith Urban three different times at Budweiser Stage [in Toronto], and I thought he was like the master. Between the instrumental guitar playing and the stripped-down songs, I’ve always imagined what my set would be like based off Keith and his energy.

A little birdie told me that you’re working on an album due out later this year. Can you tease anything about that for your fans and when they will be able to hear it?

We first have another song coming out in a couple of weeks called “25 to Life.” Then, we’ll try to get this whole eight-song project out in the spring, start touring, and try to meet everyone that wants to hear this music.

Any collaborations in the mix there?

Nothing on this project, but I’ve been collaborating a lot with other writers in town and have more songs written for other artists coming out soon. There’s always some collaborating going on in Nashville; that’s the whole experience of the Music City.

With so many amazing announcements happening at once, is it even possible to sum up how you’re feeling?

It’s just really exciting to finally be in the process of sharing all this music with everyone because we’ve put a lot of hard work in the past couple of years to get everything ready. It’s a cool moment that it’s all finally getting out in the world.

Country artist Griffen Palmer in Toronto
Griffen Palmer photographed January 27, 2023 at Harriet’s Rooftop at 1 Hotel in Toronto.

This series is called Love at First Listen, so I would love to know if there’s any fellow Canadian country artists that you’ve had on your playlist recently!

I know Brett Kissel just put out his new record as an independent artist, so I’ve heard a couple of those songs. He’s doing this Compass Project combining multiple albums, and it’s cool to see all the thought that goes into a release where the artist is thinking beyond just putting out a song but also the bigger picture. I think that’s inspiring.

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[Artists to Watch] Love at First Listen with Ashley Cooke

Ashley Cooke Interview 2023

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Ask country artist Ashley Cooke how the last 12 months have been and she’ll tell you “it’s been a year.” Not only is that the title of her latest smash single, it’s also an accurate reflection of a non-stop year filled with a whole career’s worth of music milestones. Playing more than 100 shows across venues like Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry, signing a record deal, amassing more than 20 million streams of her hit song “Never Til Now” with Brett Young (not to mention performing it on The Bachelorette!), and joining CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2023, it’s no wonder Ashley has built such a fast-growing and fiercely loyal following.

Ashley has joined her friends The Reklaws and Griffen Palmer for a string of Canadian tour stops, including a show at Toronto’s HISTORY. Backstage just hours before her set, I sat down with the rising country star to break down her whirlwind year, preview what’s ahead (including a just-announced tour with Luke Bryan this summer) and steal her self-care secrets while on the road.

Last year marked a return to touring for a lot of artists, yourself included. How has it felt being back on the road with Cole Swindell, The Reklaws, and soon Brett Young and Luke Bryan?

It’s so much fun. I’m working on my debut album and we’re teasing some songs for the first time, so it’s been fun to see people’s reactions. These are my first shows ever outside of the States and I thought there was no way anyone would know who I am, but people are singing along to every single word. It’s great to get to see a whole new fan base, and I’m excited for what’s to come.

Do you have any tour bus must-haves that help you protect your peace—and your voice—while on the road?

Throat coat tea is my saviour, but a weird thing I love is essential oils. My voice coach gave me this blend that I describe as Icy Hot for your throat. You rub some in your palm, breathe it deep into your chest, and it really opens your throat. I can’t play a show without it because it makes me feel so awake mentally but also really makes my throat feel relaxed and ready to sing.

At what point did Brett hop on “Never Til Now” and what unique vibe do you think he brings to the single?

I wrote the song as a manifestation for the kind of love that I want to have at some point down the road. I put it out as a solo version still independent, posted it on social media, and it went viral. My producer and I were then talking about how to bring some new life to it. I’ve always heard this song as a potential duet because it tells a story so deeply and of course there’s two people in a relationship. So, my producer called Brett and he said, I love this song, please let me do it. I think he was the perfect voice for the song, and he has been the best mentor too having been in the industry for so long.

Like many creatives, you grew your audience over the pandemic with incredible covers and original music on TikTok. What advice would you give to aspiring artists in this age of social media?

I’ll find myself sitting after I make a video and overthinking it like, oh, that one note sounds weird, or my face looks weird. I have to remind myself nobody gives a sh-t. For example, with that first “Never Til Now” video that went viral, I had no expectations. It was a random Monday in my kitchen and I decided to do a “maintenance video” as I call it—like just post a video to post a video kind of thing. Two-point-something million views later, you just never know what can happen. I think I had to get rid of the word “maintenance” in my head. Every video is important, and every video is cool. Don’t think too much about it; just post it.

My manager actually found me and reached out to me on TikTok. The two videos she watched were two cover songs that I debated even posting, and they got sent to her because it was artists that she worked with. So, because of that, my entire team is now my team.

For fans who will be seeing you for the first time this year, how would you describe your live show?

In 25 minutes, I hope people can really get to know me and the full scope of what I do and my sounds and influences without me having to blatantly say it. I’ve been told a lot of times that people who watch my show feel like they know me or like they’re my friend, and I just hope people can continue to feel that way regardless of what happens and where I go in my career.

Country artist Ashley Cooke in Toronto
Ashley Cooke photographed January 27, 2023 at HISTORY in Toronto.

Do you have a favourite song to bring to life on stage?

We just added “it’s been a year” into the set. I put it out right before New Year’s and it was one of the top 10 most used songs on Instagram, which is wild. I’m used to running around the stage and this is the first time that I’m on a mic stand without a guitar, so it’s a really empowering, cool moment.

This series is called Love at First Listen, so please shout out any of your country peers who you’ve loved at first listen!

One of my labelmates and friends, MacKenzie Porter, is unreal. Josh Ross is another one of my best friends. He has some really good songs. “First Taste of Gone” — big fan of that one. So many great people come to mind… The Reklaws (obviously) and Shania Twain were the first Canadian artists I was obsessed with!

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Love at First Listen with Royal Wood

Royal Wood Interview

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Canadian singer Royal Wood may not know what tomorrow brings, but he’s perfectly happy living in the moment—especially after two years of not being able to release music or perform for his dedicated fans. Out today, his eighth studio album, ‘What Tomorrow Brings,’ is an open book that touches on themes relatable to every listener, from navigating the chaos of uncertainty to leaning on your loved ones and finding the fortune in misfortune.

If that wasn’t enough to celebrate, Royal Wood just wrapped a brief Canadian tour that concluded with a hometown show at Toronto’s iconic Massey Hall and released a mini documentary, What Tomorrow Brings: Behind The Album, that goes behind the scenes of one of his proudest projects to date. It seems like everything’s worked its way up to this point, yet it’s truly just the beginning.

For this edition of Love at First Listen, I sat down with Royal Wood hours before he stepped on stage at Massey Hall to talk about today’s album release, documenting the stories behind the songs, and what tomorrow really brings.

Between headlining Massey Hall and releasing ‘What Tomorrow Brings,’ how does it feel to have all these major milestones happening at once?

It feels like the right time—and about time. My wife and I had two children during the pandemic and we now live in the country, so our whole lives had this massive paradigm shift. Recently, there’s been a subtle voice in the back of my brain saying something’s missing. As much as I have everything, it’s not everything. To be back playing shows with the band, putting out new music, and scratching that itch, I’ve got all the pieces back!

What inspired you to have cameras document the stories behind the songs with What Tomorrow Brings: Behind The Album?

I wish I’d done that kind of stuff earlier. I’m very fortunate and blessed with the producers, musicians, and studios I’ve worked with over the years and, other than a couple of Polaroids and a few snapshots on a phone, we haven’t captured things because we were too busy doing them. I don’t know how many albums I have in me­—no one ever does—but I love this part of my life. So, even just to show our sons one day and say, “This is what daddy did when you guys were babies,” it felt like it was the right time.

In the documentary, you reveal the album was almost ready to go before the pandemic, but you waited to be able to tour and properly celebrate its release. How did that end goal impact the way you revisited the songs you wrote pre-pandemic?

I was in the UK finishing up the last couple songs as the pandemic was happening. My wife was texting me photos showing no groceries and no toilet paper in our grocery store, so I got on a plane, came home, and then all the chaos started. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have any shows coming up and I didn’t want to put out this record without a chance to perform it and celebrate all the pieces that come with it—even just sitting here with somebody to talk about it. I started listening back in a Leonard Cohen kind of way, examining every lyric, line, and melody. I emerged with an album I think is one of my best. There’s one song I completely dropped because I realized I’d done it so many times before, and then I ended up writing a new song called “Because of You.” So, I really got to wrap this album up in a perfect little bow.

Royal Wood Artist Toronto
Royal Wood photographed October 29, 2022 at Massey Hall in Toronto.

You also specifically call out the Massey Hall show in the documentary. What does this venue mean to you?

I remember my first show here at Massey Hall, my drummer, who was also my English teacher in high school (shout out Mr. Milner), took me to see Lou Reed. I’d been to little theatres and shows before with my dad, but I’d never seen a venue like this. At that moment, I said to myself, “I’m going to headline here.” I did it for the first time in 2018, and then I also recorded a live record, ‘Royal Wood (Live at Massey Hall).’ To be back, knowing that I got to be one of the last artists to perform here before the renovations and say goodbye to the old Massey, feels amazing. 

As the album title suggests, you may not know what tomorrow brings, but can you tease anything you have in the works for 2023?

I’m working on an instrumental record, a collection of B-Sides, and an alternate acoustic version of ‘What Tomorrow Brings.’ I’m also finally going to start chipping away at a Christmas record. So, there’s a lot of recording and then the doors are open to tour again. I have Western Canada, Eastern Canada, and a bunch of stuff in the States coming up, so it will be busy. But for anyone coming to the shows, I hope they come away having seen five musicians playing music together that not only love the music but love each other. We missed the camaraderie and the laughs and hanging backstage and offstage again is just as good as being onstage.

Do you want to shout out any of your Canadian peers whose music you’ve loved at first listen?

My current one to watch is Tim Baker. I’ve known him for years since we broke together and followed each other’s careers, but his new record is so stunning. Also, Mathew V, who just toured with us, is amazing. He so deserved his JUNO nomination and I’ve never had an opener before get standing ovations every night like he does. Him and his band members helped us set up and tear down each night and that shows he’s just a good Canadian kid.

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Love at First Listen with Olivia Lunny

Olivia Lunny Interview

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

On her new track “Wonderland,” Canadian pop songstress Olivia Lunny sings about chasing a moment and falling in love with your dreams—a philosophy that seems to have brought her to exactly where she’s meant to be today. After capturing the judges’ (and Canada’s) hearts on CTV’s music competition show The Launch in 2019, she’s continued her upward trajectory with a 2021 debut album and electrifying singles that boast expertly crafted lyrics and repeat-worthy beats.

For our latest Love at First Listen feature, I caught up with Olivia to get the inside scoop on “Wonderland” and her upcoming live shows with fellow Canuck Tyler Shaw during her whirlwind single release week, which took her to New York and LA after a headlining showcase at UMUSIC’s Toronto headquarters.

Olivia Lunny Toronto
Olivia Lunny photographed October 6, 2022 at her UMUSIC showcase in Toronto.

Welcome to Love at First Listen! Let’s talk about the song I most recently fell in love at first listen with—your new single, “Wonderland.” How has release week been?

It’s been busy and crazy, but so fun. I was just in New York shooting the “Wonderland” music video, which will be coming very soon. I actually just got the first draft and it was very whimsical and very much a wonderland. We shot in one big, white, blank studio space and created three different environments within it. It’s the most polished video I’ve done and I’m really excited for fans to see the different outfits and hair.

How long had you been sitting on “Wonderland” before it came out?

I wrote this song last winter, and it’s funny how things work. I feel like subconsciously, I write music and then by the time it comes out, somehow it resonates strongly in my life. So many amazing things have happened recently and I feel like I’m in my Wonderland era, so I’m happy that this song and this part of my life are coming together.

What does “wonderland” mean to you?

To me, “wonderland” is a state of being. It’s that feeling of you not being fully in touch with reality. You’re in a flow state because you’re just so happy, so many amazing things are happening, and you can’t even really dream of it. That’s why there are lyrics that say, “If you can imagine, you can really have it.” That’s the overarching theme for what “Wonderland” is.

So many people came to know and love you after you appeared on, and won, The Launch. What was your main takeaway from that experience?

I think it really did essentially launch—no pun intended—my career in the Canadian music scene. Being from Winnipeg, I had slowly started to build something there, but I think The Launch really got me to a point where I knew exactly what kind of music I wanted to make. From there, I connected with so many amazing people and gained great momentum. It really pushed me to a new level of where I wanted to go but wasn’t always sure how I would.

You released your debut album in July 2021. Are “Wonderland” and your summer collab with Bhad Bhabie, “VIBE CHECK,” a taste of your sophomore album or standalone tracks?

I’m in an interesting spot where I’m not necessarily heartbroken or sad, so I’ve been writing music that resembles that—and that’s new for me. Usually, it’s more break up bangers. So, it depends how we want to paint the picture. Right now, these songs are just little individual prints, but I might do a full thing. We’ll see!

You’ll be touring across western Canada with Tyler Shaw next month. What goes through your mind as you’re putting together the perfect live setlist?

My strategy is going on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all these platforms, seeing what people enjoy and incorporating those into the set, and then obviously throwing “I Got You” (her single from The Launch) in there. I want to tell a story that shows where I’ve been, the kind of music I can make right now, and where I’m going. And I think it’s really important to have one or two songs in the middle that are a bit slower where I grab my guitar and show how this started.

Who are some of the live performers that have inspired you?

Early on, Ed Sheeran was a really big inspiration for me. Beyond our red hair, I love how he takes these ballads and can turn them into massive pop songs. I resonate with that because most of my songs start on the guitar or piano, and then with production it’s really fun to make them poppy. Post Malone puts on an amazing show too. He has a moment where it’s just him and then he picks up the guitar for two songs. His voice is incredible and he’s so likable and down to earth, and people love that.

Besides the tour, what do you have planned musically for the rest of the year?

I just came to Los Angeles, so I’ll probably be writing some tunes and seeing where this all takes me one step at a time. Right now, I’m really excited for the Tyler tour and meeting fans. I’ve never played Vancouver or anywhere in Alberta, so it’ll be really fun to keep connecting with people and seeing new places.

Since this series is called Love at First Listen, I’d love to know if there are any songs you’ve recently loved at first listen.

One is “The Dress” by an artist named Dijon, and then I would say Bob Moses and Kasblanca’s song “Afterglow.” Those two songs have definitely been on heavy rotation because when I like a song, I just play it over and over and over.

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