Because you have to keep going

a quick hey hello hi are you there. Dua Lipa + Slayyyyter

Oh hey. It’s been a bit. I’ve opened the Substack publish tab a few times in the last month with the intention of musing on new songs, pontificating about the latest trend of artists selling the publishing rights to their catalogues, expressing my disillusionment with vinyl. I’m sure I’ll get to all that, eventually.

Right now I’m sifting through a bunch of questions.

I majored in journalism in college, because like most young adults my age, you were taught to pursue what you loved - at least by the people who cared about you. I loved writing, especially about music, and thought I’d spend my life sharing that love. It’s kind of adorable when you think about it now. Without the knowledge of the journalism industry and how it would radically change in the face of digital takeovers, without realizing the other things I loved in life would have to take a backseat, without knowing the expectation was you’d work at a small town paper before you could climb the ranks in a large city - it all felt idealistic and romantic.

I made a light go at it. Looking back, maybe I could have pursued it harder. I could have played the freelancing game, could have written more for free to build my portfolio. I quickly learned that all of the Real Life stuff - rent, health insurance, food - it all had to take priority, especially as someone living in an expensive city and with a chronic health condition. The tanning salon job I desperately took was the lowest moment of this time, when my roommates and I could barely afford an air conditioning unit and lived off of cheap Subway sandwiches. Whew.

Even recounting all of this, I know I’m lucky. I consider living in a big city like Chicago an immense privilege. To be surrounded by so much life at all times is a gift. Still, I’ll never not be angry over the way capitalism has swallowed up so many industries, sucking the joy from them, including journalism. Some of the most talented, prolific writers I know are having to find new careers. Publications I respect and swear by have to constantly pivot their work - now under the umbrella term of “content” - in order to keep the lights on for increasingly smaller teams of staff writers. It’s dire.

Simultaneously, the need for music criticism has never been lower. Today, you’ll find fewer features and reviews. It’s rare you discover new music through a piece someone wrote. You’re more likely to receive a recommendation from an algorithmically generated playlist, or a video that autoplays in your social media feed. Rehearsed YouTube reactions generate the most engagement. Thankfully, this means you still receive recommendations from friends who discovered music this way, and know you well enough to know you might like something. That’s the best.

I write all this to loosely explain why it’s been hard for me to write in the last month. It’s not that I’m falling out of love with writing about music. After seeing Slayyyter perform last weekend, it stirred the same energy in me that I get from feeling like I witnessed the start of something. A blossoming artist in our young queer subculture who pulls from art that I came of age with. In 2008, I saw Lady Gaga perform a sold out show at The House of Blues. She did two shows that night, and I saw the later one that started at 10. Seeing everybody buzzing about seeing this new artist who had taken over the minds and ears of so many people across demographics but especially in the gay community, people dressing up - it was magical. The fact that Slayyyter played the same venue with the same pop touchpoints and the same bright eyed queer audience felt connective. It was a reminder that these moments persist, the culture moves on and evolves, and the need to document it remains.

Another moment? The new Dua Lipa single. It will never get old hearing a song for the first time and instantly knowing it’s part of your world forever. “Houdini” is easily one of the best pop singles of the year, and one of Dua’s best yet. She takes the disco strut of her Future Nostalgia sound and puts it through chainsaw synth dust, giving it just the right amount of grit to advance her sound. It woke up my senses.

I’m not making any proclamations here. When I started this place for me to write about music almost a year ago, I set zero expectations for myself or what The Echo Spot should be. I’d write about what I want, when I want, and that remains true. I’m just taking some time to figure out what that looks like. I still want to do a podcast and have a clever idea for it.

I’m also extremely excited about the progress I’m making on my EP. It’s currently being mixed with two songs down, three more to go. It’s incredible hear these songs go from 2D to 3D. I get motivated by progress so when the EP is done and it’s time to create the album art and releasing it into the world, I’ll feel that electricity. I can’t wait to share it with people who’ve taken an interest in my passion for music.

Until then, just wanted to say hi. Hope everyone is doing as well as they can.

Also stream Slayyyter.