BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition - October 2019

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BRCOVERSTORY k CONTINUED FROM PG. 19 BRYYZ to her gigs. “I was very much alone in my musical journey when I was younger. All my friends were at school while I was going to raves—with my parents, which wasn’t very cool but whatever,” she laughs. Fast forward to present day and Charli XCX is firmly positioned as a multidisciplinary artist on the cutting edge of pop music, regularly creating some of the most exciting, danceable music today. She’s penned hits for Iggy Azalea, will.i.am, Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello. She’s made The F Word and Me, a documentary about women in the music industry; has released two experimental pop mixtapes; and has launched her own label, Vroom Vroom Recordings, to support the sound she’s become known for. Despite her extensive—and ever-evolving—résumé, Aitchison is refreshingly modest when it comes to her achievements, and has never lost the quiet determination that has taken her from Start Hill all the way to the top of the pops. “I love proving people wrong. It’s one of my favourite hobbies,” she says. “I think I’ve always been considered an underdog in music and I think that’s probably been emphasized more because I’m a woman. But I think the way that I make music, and how it sounds, has cast me as different.” After she began to carve out her place in the music industry in the early 2010s, signing to Asylum Records and clocking credits with such established acts at Icona Pop, Aitchison eventually found the kind of artistic community she always sought—her own Ed Banger-esque crew to create with. Even as she matured into a solo musician, her forward-thinking sound has been fueled by her relationships with other artists who shared her vision. “Collaboration is exciting for me,” she says. “I have an ego—of course, as artists, we all do—but I also don’t need to be front and centre in every single thing I do.” A staunch feminist, Aitchison says she loves being able to support and learn from other women, and her musical output is proof of that. Her most recent album, CHARLI XCX Saturday, Oct. 5 The Commodore Ballroom (Vancouver) Monday, Oct. 14 Rebel (Toronto) Tix: $35, ticketmaster.ca Charli (released on September 13), boasts an impressive roster of female powerhouses: Lizzo, Sky Ferreira, and HAIM are just some of the guest contributors. Her most memorable working experience, however, was creating the the song “Gone” with Héloïse Letissier of Christine and the Queens. “It was an Collaboration is exciting for me. I have an ego—of course, as artists, we all do—but I also don’t need to be front and centre in every single thing I do.” amazing process from start to finish,” she remembers. “Working with Chris was so fluid and easy. She makes me feel so good about myself, not only as an artist but also as a person.” In the video for the track, Aitchison is a self-determined, leather-clad siren dancing on top of a car. She’s an image of power, control, and an unmistakable cool—a swagger she says was inspired by her collaborator. “People think I’m extremely confident—and I am, in some ways—but I’m also insecure,” she says. “I generally hate doing photo shoots and music videos, but I had so much fun shooting the ‘Gone’ video with Chris. She’s so uniquely her and confident in what she does that it kind of rubs off on you.” While she’s at the top of her game delivering dancefloor-ready beats and pushing the envelope of pop, experience and maturity has also allowed Aitchison to get in touch with a more vulnerable side. Like everyone else, she battles against imposter syndrome. “The life and the world I live in is such a roller coaster, and my emotional state is constantly up and down,” she describes. “Sometimes I feel like I’m on top of the world and I absolutely love myself, and other times I wake up in the morning and I hate myself—I feel alone and isolated and not good enough.” The delicate dance between these two extremes of emotion might just be Aitchison’s special sauce, and she’s laying it on thick as she moves to the next stage of her already-accomplished career. While many artists choose to self-title their first album, naming her third album after herself is an intentional choice: Charli is both a coming-out party and a rebirth; the product of a settled and seasoned artist, who is reframing what it means to be a pop star. “I’m aware that every artist in the history of artists has said that one album in their career is the most personal they’ve ever made. But I sincerely feel that this is the case for me,” she finishes. “I’m not afraid to talk about my emotions anymore. It’s incredibly liberating.” , QUEEN OF COLLAB Charli XCX is pop’s reigning Queen of the Collab. Here are four artists featured on her latest album who are all musical trailblazers in their own right. TROYE SIVAN Australian Troye Sivan belongs to the Internet generation, having come of age behind a camera as a popular YouTuber. Since then, the LGBTQ+ spokesperson has grown into a fully-fledged popstar with newfound poise. His sophomore album, Bloom, is a record that celebrates love, sex, and being comfortable in one’s skin. YAEJI Known for her celestial take on electronic music, Yaeji has quickly cemented herself as one of the most prominent DJs of the underground scene. Her signature track, “Raingurl,” is a baseheavy bop that combines languages, cultures, and genres to convey her unique experience as a Korean-American woman. BIG FREEDIA Big Freedia, the undisputed “Queen of Bounce,” single-handedly brought New Orleans’ bounce music to an international platform. Her influence in the mainstream is far-reaching, having collaborated with the likes of Beyoncé and Drake. In spite of these associations, Freedia continues to shake, twerk, and bounce on her own, all the way to the top. LIZZO In an industry that almost demands a meticulously crafted image, Lizzo has never been afraid to be anyone but herself. The singer-rapper-flautist made waves last April with her major label release, Cuz I Love You, a genre-blending work that eschews pop clichés while promoting the importance of self-love. 20 BEATROUTE OCTOBER <strong>2019</strong>
The Playlist: BEATROUTE BEATROUTE BEAT ROUTE BR BRLIVE BRYYZ 1 2 10 songs in heavy rotation at the BR offices right now 5 7 9 4 1 FKA Twigs holy terrain (Ft. Future) The experimental alt-pop songstress links up with some unusually big names in Future, Skrillex and Jack Antonoff for a more structured, trap-influenced track. Twigs’ baroque, operatic vocals are still as beautiful as ever as she wishes for a man who is ready to enter her god-like aura. 2 Rex Orange County 10/10 Rex predicts the review scores of his upcoming album with a lead single that sees him optimistically looking towards a future of self-improvement. Packed with vibrant and uplifting synths, this will immediately put a smile on your face (and maybe motivate you to clean your house or something). 3 Halsey Graveyard After releasing a couple of standalone tracks, Halsey’s official lead single from her upcoming album starts with quiet acoustic strumming before steadily building to an explosive chorus featuring some pretty heavy percussion. With producer-of-the-moment Louis Bell behind the boards, another massive hit is all but guaranteed. Sean Leon 4 SORRY Don’t let the title fool you—this track is all about just how sorry the Toronto rapper isn’t. A bombastic flex track of the highest calibre, Sean Leon is on top of the world as he emphasizes just how fantastic every single aspect of his life is. Walk down the street listening to this one and pretend you’re this cool. 5 Charlotte Day Wilson Mountains This mesmerizing track opens to the sound of trickling water and a gospel choir that ultimately settles into a groove as a call-andresponse to Wilson’s rich alto tone. Daniel Caesar takes up a role on the backing vocals as Wilson delivers emotional lyrics, comparing loneliness to being lost in the wilderness. 3 6 Alicia Keys & Miguel Show Me Love Two of the most soulful and boundless voices in the game team up for a collaboration that is unexpected and yet completely perfect. A sensual slow jam over R&B legend Raphael Saadiq’s acoustic noodling, these two are just as effective in an intense lower register than their usual vocal acrobatics. 7 Wilco Everyone Hides Eleven albums in and Wilco is still going strong. Jeff Tweedy’s breezy falsetto complements an upbeat and cheery folk instrumental interspersed with the odd crunchy guitar work. The music video, where the band takes the title literally and plays a massive game of hide-andseek around Chicago, is just as charming. 8 Alessia Cara Rooting For You Inspired by Tyra Banks’ legendary Top Model tirade, Alessia Cara steps out of her calmer alt-R&B comfort zone into a bouncy synthpop soundscape. She still has ample space to flex some of those impressive vocal runs as she recounts a summer romance gone wrong. Spoiler alert: She was really rooting for him. 9 Slowthai & Denzel Curry Psycho Could horror-movie rap be the new wave? One of the UK’s most rapidly ascendant artists drops the politics for a second and links up with one of the only people who can legitimately match his screaming, distorted vocal presence on the mic. The two lay down some punishing verses over high-pitched violins straight from a slasher film. 10 JPEGMAFIA Beta Male Strategies The provocative and boundary-pushing rapper for the Internet age unleashes his official manifesto against people who come at him through the anonymity of Twitter, but won’t say it to his face. Issuing threats over a couple of disorienting beat switches and a roaring guitar, Peggy ultimately predicts his own cancellation. OCTOBER <strong>2019</strong> BEATROUTE 21
Page 1 and 2: OCTOBER 2019 • FREE CHARLI XCX PO
Page 3 and 4: Contents BEATROUTE BEATROUTE BEAT R
Page 6 and 7: Upcoming Shows CORNELIUS OCTOBER 2
Page 8 and 9: MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS MUSiC CONCERT PREV
Page 10 and 11: MUSiC CONCERT PREVIEW LEVI MANCHAK
Page 12 and 13: JABARI FLEMINGS MUSiC CONCERT PREVI
Page 14 and 15: MEGAN-MAGDALENA DEAD SOFT 14 BEATRO
Page 16 and 17: hen celebrated UK art-rockers Wild
Page 18 and 19: 18 BEATROUTE OCTOBER 2019 BR BR BR
Page 22 and 23: UPCOMING SHOWS REWIND FRIDAY OCTOBE
Page 24 and 25: MUSiC ALBUM REVIEWS Interview DANNY
Page 26 and 27: MUSiC ALBUM REVIEWS FKA TWIGS MAGDA
Page 28 and 29: Live MUSiC Toronto LIZZO September
Page 30 and 31: Screen Time THE BEAUTIFUL MADNESS O
Page 32 and 33: 32 BEATROUTE OCTOBER 2019
Page 34 and 35: Made. By. Distillers.
Page 36 and 37: TRAVEL ICELAND AIRWAVES Exploring R
Page 38 and 39: Style Sweater: model's own Hat: arc
Page 40 and 41: Style Top: stylist's own Shoes: Mar
Page 42 and 43: Happy Hour 3 - 6pm everyday $3.50 G
Page 44 and 45: 10.19YVRAGENDA Bowie: the Tribute G
Page 46 and 47: 10.19YVRMUSIC The Cheat Sheet BR PI

BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition - October 2019

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