Love at First Listen with Drake Milligan

Drake Milligan Interview Love at First Listen 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.

Giddy up, country music fans — there’s a fresh face on the scene ready to take over your playlist and your heart. Drake Milligan first caught the attention of the A-list judges on America’s Got Talent last year as the ever tough-to-crack Simon Cowell praised his “real charisma.” Quickly becoming an AGT fan favourite, his debut, critically acclaimed album ‘Dallas/Fort Worth’ grew his audience to more than 3.4 million Spotify listeners locally and internationally, including here in Canada. Did we mention he also scored his first Canadian country radio #1 with The Reklaws on their joint hit single, “Honky Tonkin’ About”?

Drake is days away from kicking off his first Canadian headlining tour with stops in Regina (Dec. 5), Saskatoon (Dec. 6), Edmonton (Dec. 7), and Calgary (Dec. 8) supported by Canadian country songstress Kalsey Kulyk (our next Love at First Listen feature!). He’s set to wrap up his whirlwind year at home with a performance at one of the world’s largest New Year’s Honky Tonks in Fort Worth, TX, before he opens for Cody Johnson on tour across the U.S. next spring.

Ahead of his final shows of the year, Love at First Listen caught up with Drake Milligan to chat all things AGT, #1 songs, and why, even if you’ve seen him live before, his next shows will be a whole new experience.

Welcome to Love at First Listen! You’ve had an absolutely stacked year and you continue to add to a seemingly never-ending string of milestones, having just landed your first-ever Canadian country radio #1 and kicking off a new tour. Is it even possible to take a moment and absorb all that action?

Not at all. It’s all happening so fast. I got a week off back home before gearing up for tour, so that was my one opportunity to sit back and kind of take it all in. With these Canadian shows coming up, this is my first time visiting some of these cities, so it’ll be a lot of fun.

Fans watched your America’s Got Talent journey play out on TV, but how was it for you? What was the biggest lesson you took from your time on the show and how did it help accelerate your career?

As a new artist that had been on the road, I had material recorded but not released yet, so that show was a perfect opportunity for me to showcase it to the world. After the show, I really learned that I can perform on a high level. Those live shows are no joke — it’s truly live. And you’re in front of not only a big theater of a few thousand fans, but you’re in front of millions of people who are watching live at home. So, it’s pretty daunting, but if you can get on the other side of it and pull it off, you feel like, okay, there’s really nothing I could be fazed by.

You were raised in Texas and moved to Nashville at the age of 19. What was going through your mind as you made that big leap and invested in yourself and your career at a young age? Take us through your first couple of months in Music City.

I think I was too naive to really know what I was doing. I really jumped in and started writing songs. My sole focus was finding great songwriters. People that had written some of my favorite songs and some of these ‘90s country songs that I love are still around Nashville writing great music. So, that was my first objective — finding them, seeking them out, and trying to learn from them. I was lucky enough to do that and learn a lot about songwriting and still am learning a lot.

What advice would you give someone who has watched your journey and wants to follow in your footsteps?

Go for it and stay true to yourself, and make sure you go in there knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Coming back to that impressive and exciting Canadian country radio #1 for “Honky Tonkin’ About,” how did you initially connect with The Reklaws (our favourite Canadian country duo!) and how was it playing the song live for the first time to open the 2023 CCMA Awards?

It’s been incredible! My label first reached out and said there was a great Canadian group that wanted to do a song with me. I had heard a little bit about them before then, but as soon as I met them, we became fast friends. They’re amazing and I was really honoured that they wanted me to be a part of the song.

Who is on your bucket list of collaborators for 2024? How can we help you manifest them?!

There’s a few I’d love to work with. On my first record, ‘Dallas/Fort Worth,’ I got Vince Gill to come sing a song with me. He’s one of my heroes and we’re gearing up to hopefully cut another record. I would love to get another country music legend in there. Obviously for a Texan, George Strait is at the top of the list, but you know, any legend will do!

The end of the year always seems to inspire a lot of self-reflection and thanksgiving. When you think back on 2023, what was your career high—if it’s possible to pinpoint one—and what are you most looking forward to in 2024?

I feel like this whole summer has been on a high. We played so many shows this year; I know it’s over 100 shows all over the States. We played in London, across the UK, and we played in Glasgow, Scotland, which was definitely a highlight. But I just feel like being on the road was all one big highlight for me — playing so many shows, watching the shows get bigger, and watching as our show got better. The more we play, the better we are, so it’s been a really great year for just keeping the train rolling.

Are you working on anything else that fans can look forward to as you wrap up this jam-packed year and prep for the next one?

With all of the shows we played this year, I feel like mostly everybody’s got to see a little bit of it. So, we’re going to change things up and totally revamp the live show. We have some new songs recorded and I’m hopefully going back in again and cutting some more songs soon. So, there’ll be new music coming out and lots to look forward to in the new year. I want to be doing this for a long time, and this year felt like the first one of a long career.

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Love at First Listen with Eli Smart

Eli Smart Interview Love at First Listen 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.

Calling all music fans: It would be “smart” to get to know London-based, Kauaʻi-born artist Eli Smart. Currently on tour with Declan McKenna and set to open for The 1975 in Waikiki, HI later this summer, Eli is destined for big things—but don’t just take it from me. He was recently tapped as one of BBC’s Future Artists and has masterfully melded his surf-rock and Northern Soul influences into his own growing brand of Aloha Soul. Your next chance to hear that sound come to life is on Eli’s forthcoming summer single, “Fiesta 99.9FM,” out this Thursday (July 20), with more singles to follow ahead of his debut album in 2024.

SHOW REVIEW | Declan McKenna with Eli Smart, The Danforth Music Hall [July 11, 2023]

For English alt-indie singer-songwriter Declan McKenna, The Big Return Tour doesn’t just represent a long-awaited return to live music coming out of the pandemic, but also his first major North American tour since 2017. Performing songs from his 2020 album ‘Zeros’ and new singles “My House” and “Sympathy” for the first time, the latest run of dates kicked off with a sold-out show at The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto.

Declan’s loyal, high-energy fans are music fans before anything else, and they showed up in droves to fill the room as Eli Smart, the opener for the second leg of the tour, hit the stage early in the night. With Eli’s band unable to make it to the sole Canadian date on the tour, fans were treated to a captivating one-man show. “We’ll try some sh!t,” he joked, setting the tone for an intimate set that felt like the most polished dress rehearsal you had ever witnessed.

Eli performed songs from across his already-extensive repertoire, including his debut release “Come On, Come On, Come On” and his biggest single “Highschool Steady.” But no moment resonated more with the crowd than his final song—a cover of “Queen Bee” by Taj Mahal—when he invited his grandma, a former touring musician herself, to join him on stage playing harmonica. Together, they won over everyone’s hearts and left hundreds of new fans looking forward to a future headlining show in the city. 

Eli Smart (right) performs in Toronto with his grandma, Denise Kaufman (left). The crowd and Denise hold up their hands held in the shape of hearts.
Eli Smart with his grandma, Denise Kaufman, on stage in Toronto on July 11, 2023. (Photo by Angela McLean)

In Conversation with Eli Smart 

Learn more about Eli through our chat about paying homage to your roots, touring with your grandma, and living life “AM to PM” on the road.

Eli, welcome to Love at First Listen! How excited are you for a summer filled with shows?

It’s a really cool and new experience for me. Night one of Declan’s tour in Toronto was a total blast. It was definitely slightly out of my comfort zone to play solo because I haven’t done that much. I usually play with a band, which it’s going to be for the rest of the shows, but in that respect performing solo is a good challenge for me to feel like I’m getting this tour started on a strong personal level. And it was really wonderful for me to wrap up the set by playing a tune with my grandma. It created a lovely tone for the tour moving forward.

You first connected with Declan when he visited you in Kauaʻi to jam and collaborate on music. Has any of that music been released or should fans still be on the lookout?

Nothing’s come out yet, and I would love to get a chance to revisit what we’ve done and do more. When we met, we started a couple of tracks in a very casual way. We were doing what felt right and breaking the ice of knowing each other. So, I would love to approach music again now that we know each other more — especially after this tour!

How did growing up in Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi influence your artistry?

Hawaiʻi’s passion for music is so intertwined with community, which was a big theme in my own upbringing with my family. Calling my music Aloha Soul is me paying respect to and referencing that environment and those tones and sounds I admired growing up and then trying to synthesize them in my own way through my music.

Now based in London, I’m back and forth as much as I can. This all revolves around live music opportunities and just trying to do it in a manageable way. There are a bunch of new artists totally doing their thing in London and it’s an inspiring ecosystem to be around and observe.

You have your grandma on the road with you, not just for support but as part of your band. What does it mean to share an experience as monumental for an artist as touring America is with her?

It means everything to me. It also really worked out by chance that this happened and that she was available. I was looking for a bass player and it hit us that we should totally do this together. It’s total comfort, like you said, to be with family on the road, especially because this is the first time I’ve done a tour of this magnitude and feeling supported is huge. But in addition to that, getting the chance to spend this time together is the most important thing. It’s easy to lose track of what you have, so this is an act of grounding myself in what matters the most to me, which is family and community. I’m just so excited.

What’s your grandma’s favourite part of all this? Seeing new cities, meeting your fans (and her newest fans!), watching you from on stage…?

My grandma has been playing music her whole life. I think that as much as it’s a dream of mine to be able to play with her, she feels a similar way about getting this chance for us to play together. In addition to my grandma, we have really close friends of mine joining us for this tour, so we all go way back and it’s a communal, beautiful thing.

One of your songs (and my personal favourites) is called “AM to PM.” Can you run us through a typical morning to night schedule for an artist on the road?

I’ll have a much better answer after this tour! I start with getting as much sleep as possible. Then, starting the morning fresh, I try to get some breakfast to charge me for the day. Sometimes all you have around is a gas station, so a banana or croissant will do, but caffeine of some sort is a must. We’re going to be doing a lot of driving, so getting the proper soundtrack either for yourself in your headphones or on the stereo for everybody will be the vibe. I think AM to PM on tour will realistically be a combination of mealtime, alone time, group time, times of high adrenaline during the show, and then the logistical part of packing up, getting back to a motel on time, and setting an alarm for the next one.

Since this series is called Love at First Listen, please share some of the artists, albums, or songs you’ve recently loved at first listen!

I’m going to take a quick scan of my Spotify to give you an accurate answer — don’t mind me. So, I love Brazilian music from the ‘60s to ‘70s. David Byrne from the band Talking Heads did a compilation record of Brazilian music called ‘Beleza Tropicale.’ My family had the ‘Brazil Classics 1‘ record growing up, and I always go back to it as it helped introduce me to the whole world of Brazilian music. They’re the most timeless, beautiful songs.

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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 Alex Porat

Alex Porat 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.

News flash: it’s Alex Porat’s world, we’re just living in it. With a fresh pop sound and highly-relatable (not to mention viral!) songs about love, life, and exploring your identity, it’s no surprise this 23-year-old, Toronto-based singer-songwriter has quickly attracted over 708,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alongside global critical acclaim.

Last month, Alex gave us exactly what we needed with her repeat-worthy debut album ‘MISS SICK WORLD.’ Songs like “dimension” perfectly capture the feeling of irresistible lust over someone you can’t have, while the sassy “never say ily again” serves as a final farewell to an ex you have no idea why you liked in the first place. 

With a new album comes a new tour and, luckily, fans don’t have to wait long — Alex is days away from heading out on the road with management-mate Ralph for a cross-Canada tour sure to be stopping in a city near you.

Get a behind the scenes look at Alex’s journey as we chat ‘MISS SICK WORLD,’ what you can expect from her live show, and her favourite music releases from 2021.

How does it feel to have ‘MISS SICK WORLD’ out for everyone to hear, and how did you know this was the right time to release your first full body of work?

It feels so great. I’m just about to head on tour with Ralph and I really wanted to perform a project that felt like it represented me as an artist first stepping into the world of live shows. I’m kind of treating it like a first impression or introduction to me as a musician.

What inspired the album title? Does it correlate with any overall narrative or themes the album explores?

The album title came from the track “miss sick world.” I left it last to release because I wanted it to set the overall tone of where I’m at now. The whole project is centred around my life and the story behind “miss sick world” is a commentary on how I’ve grown up navigating my identity. I’ve really struggled with my identity growing up, and it felt right to give such a heavy song it’s own moment on the project.

This era of your career has led to multiple milestones — booking a cross-country tour, landing a billboard in Yonge-Dundas Square, and, most recently, reaching one million subscribers on YouTube. What would young Alex Porat, who wrote music and recorded covers in her bedroom, say to the now 23-year-old Alex Porat?

I’m always in disbelief. It still never feels real to me and I always wonder if that feeling is going to stay. I can’t explain how appreciative I am to everyone. I think young Alex would probably ask me how this even all happened. When I was younger, I used to be able to picture myself on stage, singing, and recording music, but I could never picture what it took to get there. It really was just perseverance. Now, I’m realizing there’s still so much more left to accomplish and do. It makes me feel hopeful for the future because I feel like I can do so much more still.

One of your earliest endorsements was from Shawn Mendes, who loved your cover of his song “In My Blood.” Considering Shawn also rose to fame posting covers online, what does it mean to you to be part of the next wave of GTA artists making it big?

It’s an honour to be considered that, so thank you! I’m super proud to be from here and to be a part of the music community here has been so special. Despite there being so much talent, it’s a really tight community and very supportive. It was definitely a special moment for me getting that recognition from Shawn Mendes because it made me feel like a career in music was possible.

You recently said performing live was one of your biggest goals. Now that you’re about to go on tour and bring your songs to life for the first time on stage, which tracks are you most excited to perform?

I’m so excited! I’m definitely still in the process of adding more elements to my performances. I’m really excited for “dimension” because there’s a lot of choreography from the music video that I want to incorporate in some way at some point. I also really love singing “miss sick world,” even though it makes me want to cry.

It’s wild to think that we’re already approaching the end of 2021. Can you share some of the albums that you loved at first listen this year?

‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish and ‘MONTERO’ by Lil Nas X. I’m also obsessed with everything Lisa from BLACKPINK does!

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