Sophie (Chanko) Dare

After the Grammy's on Sunday, no one is in the dark anymore about who Billie Eilish is, an 18-year-old pop music phenom who has just made history. Billie became the youngest and first woman to sweep the Big Four of the Grammy's: best new artist, plus album, record, & song of the year.

How, you may ask, did a girl from California skyrocket to Grammy status at such an early age?

*Billie* and her brother, Finneas O'Connor, were homeschooled throughout their entire childhood, and given the time & resources by their equally creative parents to foster their musical creativity. Finneas has been Billie's co-writer and producer ever since she began putting out songs at age 14. Her debut 2015 single, Ocean Eyes, gained popularity on SoundCloud, and the rest is history.

Billie released an EP in 2017, don't smile at me, and then her full length album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? in March of 2019. The popularity of her LP shot her onto the Billboard charts, and onto Coachella and Lollapalooza stages in front of thousands of people.

Billie's brand of melancholy pop didn't only catch the ears of music listeners all over the globe- it also has noticeably affected new releases within her world of musical artists, which I think is an incredible thing to experience, as a listener myself. Getting to watch popular music become influenced by the newest big thing right before my eyes (or ears) is so fascinating. Here are the main examples I've heard:

To start things off, here's some examples of Billie's work that has gotten her music stuck in everyone's heads: understated, quiet verses accompanied by intense, driving, deep bass lines, and quick delivery of lyrics.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2Fxmhks0bxGSBdJ92vM42m?si=0rDwYe9AR-uF4ZmEGcPHyA

https://open.spotify.com/track/4SSnFejRGlZikf02HLewEF?si=MNeM277QSN-_Wa3gfT2nqA

Then, one of my favorite artists, 5SOS, released their single, Teeth, in August 2019... which opens with a lone, dark bass riff that holds up the quiet, understated verses. 5SOS is venturing farther into their industrial pop-rock sound, but the style of verses and the intense bass riff sound like they could be straight out of Billie's playbook.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1JRK7srBWUtAW7dPabKBwJ?si=Zev301xFQo-RX9_cayWe2w

Next, we have another favorite artist of mine, Charlie Puth, who released this single, Mother, a month later, in September of 2019. This track is even more in the vein of Billie's sound, with higher, breathy vocals throughout, and... you guessed it! a pronounced bass riff and snaps that solely accompany the verses.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6rVNnvyNeibts1uOqdSNIw?si=JLQk8ahXTOCWMxSqqLGw5A

Long story short, Billie Eilish is proof that in this day and age, anyone, no matter how young or wherever they are, can create music in their house on a laptop, post it online, and change the world with it.

Subscribers, you know the drill, keep on scrolling for more!

FOR FANS OF: Owl City, Billie Eilish, Dodie, Kina Grannis

LISTEN HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5fiWptoi1Xs9XA9pew7g0P?si=rCWodDEPRaeXTrY0q5zF3w

Sunny, lo-fi beats meet the vocal stylings of Dodie or Billie Eilish- that’s the best way to describe Mozi as an artist. Morgan Zinn is a Michigan vocalist and pianist who brings a soft sweetness and a vulnerability to her genre of chill pop.

This 2018 release opens with *Honey + Tea*, a bright tune about the excitement of meeting a new lover over a cup of tea. It's soft and light, and as sweet as honey. Dreamy background vocals and a little guitar riff buried among the lo-fi sounds make it a wonderful listen. It's got coffee shop vibes for sure.

*Human* leans farther into more layers of sounds, with pronounced synth leads and countless different drum sounds for the beat. The lyrics tell a story of honesty and admitting vulnerability when life seems to crash and burn all around.

Like when the clouds depart, there’s a gaping hole inside me, I’ve a fragile heart

There’s no way I’d tell you it’s been ripped apart, wide open ripped apart

And though the earth may shake, the ground beneath me begins to quake, there’s no way to tell you that I'd never break

I am gonna break, and I’m only human

Don't Let Me Go takes a sharp left turn into new territory, with a darker synth lead, minor key, and tango-esque groove. This track is the most obviously in the vein of Billie Eilish, especially in the haunting melodies and half-time chorsuses. This song brings the energy up high compared to the rest of the EP, and it's definitely a standout for me.

Our Family's Fine paints a picture of a seemingly idyllic family at home. It contrasts the daily mail delivery, sitting around the table, and the cabinet of heirlooms with the not-so-idyllic, jarring realities of real life outside the house- the stock market crashing and rush hour traffic. This track does a great job of creating a mood of something being “off” through tiny musical details- small amounts of dissonance, long pauses, and an honest delivery of the lyrics.

We Made It is a morning song if I ever heard one, with vivid imagery of sun chasing away the shadows of night. Mozi sings a simple mantra of “we made it another day” that conveys so much hope and joy through just a few words. This song is so peaceful and uplifting, yet powerful in its sweetness.

Move brings back a carefree vibe that I could easily see fitting in on any alternative pop playlist.

Send my regards, my condolences
To who I once was, I send you my best wishes
I'm moving, I'm moving

Give all of my love, no apologies Honey, I’m done
And I don’t need your thoughts to carry me
I’m moving, I’m moving

This track easily switches between talking about “moving” in the fun sense of dancing around in the living room, and “moving” on from the previous mindset of worrying about what others think.

Mozi closes the record with Ah, Sovereign God, a song that sounds just like it could be a hymn from hundreds of years ago. With profound lyrics and a simple verse-chorus-verse structure and melody, this track showcases a beautiful display of faith and emotion.

...

Follow Mozi here!

Coil subscribers, continue scrolling to read more about Mozi!

Coil subscribers: Read til the end for more information!

...

Originally published February 5, 2019

Thrift shopping is no longer perceived as something done out of necessity; rather, it has become a pastime for people from all economic backgrounds, finding fun in discovering great deals on unique clothing pieces.

The appeal of “vintage” fashion has only grown in the past decade, with Champion sweaters, overalls, and oversized jackets all making a comeback from the 80’s and 90’s. These type of throwback pieces can either be purchased new from on-trend retailers like Urban Outfitters, or for a few dollars from a local Goodwill or Salvation Army.

The thrift store appeals especially to young people, whose personal styles and tastes are constantly shifting and don’t want to spend too much on something as trivial as clothing. Modern clothing is still in demand in thrifting, with consignment shops like Plato’s Closet only buying and selling teen fashions that are currently popular.

Thrift stores have recently been flooded with donations from peoples’ closets, basements, and attics. However, January is too early for spring cleaning- this influx of decluttering is being caused by a Netflix sensation, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

Marie Kondo.

The Netflix original series features Marie, a tiny Japanese woman who has made an art out of decluttering a home. Her method goes by category: first by pulling out all the clothes in a bedroom, piling them all together, and getting rid of anything that “does not spark joy.” Books, papers, miscellaneous things, and sentimental items then follow in that order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvyeapVBLWY

As viewers of the series quickly discovered, any items of clothing that hadn’t been worn for over a year obviously did not spark joy anymore, so off to the donation bins they went.

Debra Schnettler, an employee at a Michigan location of the Salvation Army thrift store, has seen the effects firsthand. “Usually, we get lots of donations before the first of the year, for the tax deductions,” Schnettler said. “But they just keep coming lately!”

John McHenry, president and CEO of Goodwill Keystone Area in Pennsylvania, was amazed at the uptick caused by decluttering. “January is usually a slower month for donations, what with the weather conditions,” McHenry said to Lancaster Online. “But this month, we’ve seen a double-digit (percentage) increase in the number of people donating. The volume of stuff is trending upward, as well.”

Racks of clothing at a Salvation Army thrift store.

Even with the boom of brick-and-mortar thrift stores, the new media has shifted the thrifting landscape with popular consignment sites like thredUP and Poshmark, as well as Instagram users running their own pages to sell unwanted clothing.

Many content creators on YouTube and Instagram have begun to produce content sponsored by thredUP, where they receive packages of secondhand clothing in almost new condition and promote the great deals found on the site. This has brought online thrifting to the attention of thousands of viewers, because who doesn’t love a good deal? thredUP mainly features name-brand, higher quality fashion that is difficult to come by on a budget.

A social media influencer promoting thredUP.

Naomi Dare, otherwise known as @happynthrifty on Instagram, began her own thrifting page only about a month ago, and has been consistently making sales ever since. “I just have so many clothes that are basically new, and I’m sure other people would love them,” Dare said. “If I didn’t wear something, I’d just give it to Salvation Army, but now I can sell it and get at least some of my money back that I spent on it.”

Dare’s self-made thrifting page.

The larger perspective brought to thrifting by Marie Kondo is the simple concept of getting rid of things that are only collecting dust and taking up room in a living space, and repurposing them or passing them on to someone who will actually use them. A pair of jeans that have never fit someone the right way could be another person’s perfect fit, and someone who wants a fun shopping trip that won’t break the bank can make a date with a friend to dig through racks of outrageous clothing from the 80’s at the Salvation Army down the street.

Decluttering can spark joy, not only for the one who donates and frees up space in their home, but also for the one who finds the donated item to be just what they needed.

You should be sad – Halsey

https://open.spotify.com/track/2usxQITOSDqvkYiI0oIwao?si=FOjrYpZJSpuuHJjAv01nLQ

“Heart-wrenching, exhausted, and a little bit petty”- this track, as described by Halsey herself. She somehow fits right into the mold of angry country songs exposing an ex-boyfriend’s faults, in the style of Carrie Underwood or old Taylor Swift. The energy and venom of it is so infectious, I haven’t been able to stop playing it- and I definitely sing along way too aggressively for someone in a wonderful long-term relationship.

Where I'm From – Colony House

https://open.spotify.com/album/1vEgU4ICqLTasrBhQPZWMF

This sweet homage to Colony House's roots has been stuck in my head all month- you can read my review on it here!

Youuu – COIN

https://open.spotify.com/track/0xORFaXxl07BtES8IAJ7OD?si=MSzHnjaKSlqgX6DP9Rds2Q

This single from COIN relies heavily on synths, rather than their usual alt-pop-rock feel. It also has that thing where at certain points, they use a vocal track that sounds like it was a voice memo recorded on an iPhone in the studio, for which I am a sucker.

Honey + Tea – Mōzi

https://open.spotify.com/track/7t9rZKKU43qcg5oyUEp4XL?si=qT3_6lizSZ2S7fNBsKbeMg

Mōzi is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine, and her lead single from her latest EP sounds like pure, lo-fi sunshine. Cute lyrics about drinking tea together in a library cafe and dreamy instrumentals make this a lovely listen.

Inheritance – Jon Foreman

https://open.spotify.com/track/5wCNSdkXKN3hW4aK8WnS2e?si=KrESpDPITtuBDgicSKomuA

No one, and I mean no one in this world, can write a song quite like Jon Foreman. A ballad from a solo project by the Switchfoot frontman, this track tells a simple love story of having everything you need in the person you have beside you. Gets me choked up every time, like most everything else that Jon writes.

I wanna be rich in memories, not money, our love is our inheritance, honey.”

Surround Me – LEÓN

https://open.spotify.com/track/4aai1PoVGPcspMhmzOzpZN?si=qncwbrwuQgOffp2QUaTjow

LÉON makes some TUNES, y’all. She has a very 60’s groove to her songs, and a distinctive, powerful voice. This song has a classic feel, and the sound is very rich and full.

Me & You Together Song – The 1975

https://open.spotify.com/track/4AQzk2yNWKs6sYhZi6NzVN?si=8Xbs9a-6Q_aKPB8gAh0rjg

This one sounds like someone hired The 1975 to make the theme song for a 90’s TV show, and honestly, I’m here for it. A distinct guitar lead, a bright, happy feel, and a tambourine the whole way through make this a fun listen and a great car song.

Changes – Lauv

https://open.spotify.com/track/3vUc9WQpoca15404jNdzf9?si=srp9v2WrSa-GmlbHs7FhnQ

This honest ballad comes just in time for the new year, with Lauv admitting that “life ain't easy these days”, and that making some needed changes in life, although they may be tough, will help you live life more fully.

Coil subscribers, keep scrolling for the link to my entire January 2020 playlist, and hear anything that I've listened to all month!

1. Comment Section

I think we can all agree how great it would be to be able to leave feedback on other creators' posts! Granted, Cinnamon does have this capability for video content, but the real “meat” of Coil is in the written blog posts. Comments would be an effective way to raise engagement on posts, as well as viewing time, which directly correlates to the payment streaming to the creator. I would love to be able to leave my thoughts about the topics of articles, or things within it that stood out to me, in a comment section, so that other people in the community could interact with each other.

2. Direct Messaging

Following in the same vein as comments, a messaging option directly within Coil would be immensely helpful, since the only real way to reach out to other creators that I would like to have conversations with is by using another platform, such as Twitter or Instagram. The inefficiency of having to use multiple platforms to communicate could be eliminated altogether by the ability to private message within Coil.

3. Notifications/lists of who follows you and who upvotes your posts

I constantly come back to the thought that I wish that I could see who is upvoting my new post, or who just followed me! Only being able to watch my numbers slowly climb up is so impersonal compared to other social platforms, where anytime anyone interacts with my content or decides to follow me, I get to see who it is! In addition, knowing who my followers are would further aid me in producing content- I would be able to pay attention to what they enjoy, and take cues from the content they post as well.

I would totally end this post by saying “go ahead and leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below!” but... well, you know. :)

Killer Queen – Queen

Cover by 5SOS

https://open.spotify.com/track/0SA903LGHxe4ExdRY2SqVH?si=inMId8dcQ_ukDdP3QXjzzQ

It's a tall order covering such an iconic band, but the boys of 5 Seconds of Summer pull it off. They keep Queen's same energy with powerful guitars and endless stacks of vocals, but still add some of their own flair with modern drum pads & bass lines.

Coil subscribers only, stay tuned at the end of this article for some behind-the-scenes content ;)

Stay – Post Malone

Cover by Cimorelli

https://open.spotify.com/track/6yPg0klvPMDKzEjWfO7DF9?si=0ENyLBH_Tuu5-ebfhemlBQ

This song is beautiful on its own, regardless of who performs it, but hearing it sung by some of YouTube's most prolific and talented cover artists takes it to a whole new level. The girls' lush, echoing harmonies add so much to the emotion of the song, and I can't even count how many times I've listened to this. The key change at the end?!? And the high ad libs?!? Please, just hear it for yourself.

Heart is Full – Mike Snow

Cover by Jon Bellion

https://open.spotify.com/track/6DvsjPkNcB4QoezDPtxsAB?si=OxSXO6djTiS6J_6ARRkMbA

Full disclosure, I had no idea what this song was before until Jon Bellion covered it for his Spotify Sessions this past year. As always, anything Jon makes is funky, fresh, and shows off his crazy vocal abilities. His flair and style is evident even in a stripped down, acoustic cover.

Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls

Cover by Sleeping with Sirens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOqIKGbYkg

If you were an emo teenager in the early 2010's, as I was myself, you feel this one. I listened to this over and over when I first heard it, and I strongly hold to the belief that this version conveys the emotion and sweet meaning of the lyrics better than the Goo Goo Dolls' performance of it as a rock ballad. It's lovely!

Sign of the Times – Harry Styles

Cover by LANY

https://open.spotify.com/track/0830WmzxBqOp9C93j8m9sN?si=BmABkIEoRUmISNHI9NII3Q

LANY takes the grand, sweeping tune by Harry Styles down to their level of chill, lo-fi pop, and somehow it works. They even switch up the beat for the last bridge; it's an interesting re-imagination of the song.

Million Reasons – Lady Gaga

Cover by Lauren Cimorelli

https://open.spotify.com/track/6sd7i8En3xO76TjQDVdolw?si=ruvTIsq7Tt-S5amJJjTZmg

This homemade cover of Lady Gaga's vulnerable song really shines, with background harmonies, vocal effects, and bedroom-pop beats.

Drops of Jupiter – Train

Cover by Taylor Swift

https://open.spotify.com/track/0BSmbCIY36iw04azzJ3S0S?si=OFjD5IcsT5arimcbPrve7g

I don't know what it is about this one, but it's just got something special about it. We can all agree that Drops of Jupiter is a wonderfully timeless song, and Taylor Swift performed it on her Speak Now tour back in 2011 with only an acoustic guitar. It works perfectly with the change from a male vocalist to a female, and she just sounds great live.