The album, Mahal from Chez Bear aka Toro y Moi is the latest project where fans get to know him better at a personal level. So what can fans expect from Mahal? Chez brings it back to the retro sounds of the 1960s and ’70s psychedelic rock influences, alongside touches of ’90s indie rock.
The South Carolina native turned Bay Area resident has been dropping hints of what to expect in this new album. He's released four singles leading up to the album release which includes, "Déjà Vu," "The Loop," "Goes By Fast," and more. The 2-sided album has a total of 13 tracks with deep Filipino representation on its cover with a multi-colored Jeepney settled right in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Toro y Moi tells The Chronicle that he never really shared his Filipino side and took this project as an opportunity to connect with his heritage. “I’ve never shared my Filipino side... Where I am in my life, I haven’t given myself the opportunities to rep this before. I wanted to do it right, but I wanted to do it in a fresh way.”
To help spread the word about the April 29th album drop, Toro hosted a Jeepney Soundsystem Pop Up in Oakland fans could drop in and have a listen to the music. Down in the Los Angeles area, he hosted a screening for the Goes By Fast: A Mahal Film with Eric André that takes fans in the BTS of making the album and filming around the Bay Area.
The listening party on April 27th let fans take in the album from start to finish before its debut. A highlight was the release of a full record video.
Chez and the crew will be taking Mahal on the road with the Toro y Moi Live Tour along with appearances at other summer and fall music festivals. For full details on where you can catch him live, check out ToroyMoi.com
Cover Photo Credit: Toro y Moi Instagram
Olivia Rodrigo brings a four-song concert set to the Department of Motor Vehicles for this special Tiny Desk (HOME) Concert. What a perfect setting for the now GRAMMY Nominated Singer and Songwriter. Olivia hits us with a stripped-down set of good 4 u, traitor, drivers license, and deja vu.
If you're in the US and UK, Olivia is hitting the stage for her 2022 Sour Tour. Get all the details here. But for now, let's enjoy this virtual concert, thanks to NPR from the comfort of our own homes.
Olivia Rodrigo's debut album SOUR has only been out for one week, but three singles already made Top 10 in the charts. With the phenomenon of Drivers License basically taking over this year, the follow up with Deja Vu being just as catchy, and good 4 u taking us all back to the pop/rock era Olivia Rodrigo is nailing this music thing.
"...every song is so personal and close to my heart. Getting to share them with people is the most special thing I’ve ever done in my life."
OLIVIA RODRIGO ON HER DEBUT ALBUM, SOUR
According to Forbes, with Drivers License and good 4 u taking the top spot on the charts, "Olivia is now the first artist to ever start a career with her first three singles in the top 10 on the Hot 100 chart." The album, SOUR is also making history as it's "the first debut album to ever have two No. 1 singles released before the album appears on the charts itself."
SOUR takes inspiration from Rodrigo's musical role models like her most talked about friendship with Taylor Swift. There's also hints of Lorde and Florence and the Machine in her sound. According to Vulture, the "album takes its sound from "a smart juxtaposition of a decade of developments in and adjacent to popular music." For non-Gen Z listeners, it's nostalgic. It brings listeners back to their younger days of the pop/rock and 90s sound. Of course as a whole, the album is essential a breakup album, but who says you can't have fun while being sad. Olivia Rodrigo's debut album leaves listeners wanting more and excited to hear what's next for the talented artist.
Cover Photo Credit: Olivia Rodrigo Facebook
It's been a busy week for Olivia Rodrigo. Her third single good 4 u comes out a week before her debut album SOUR. She'll be singing her newest single on the Saturday Night Live appearance happening this Saturday, May 15th! We catch a glimpse of her preparing for her musical guest segment on her Instagram stories as she captions a bouquet of welcome flowers with "I'm gonna cry."
Also this week, she sang Driver's License at her first huge awards show performance for the Brit Awards in the UK. At the Brit's she also finally met her musical inspiration, Taylor Swift. They caught up after the awards and it couldn't be anymore perfect.
And if you live under a rock, season 2 of High School Musical The Musical The Series is now out on Disney+. The much anticipated new season is bringing the drama not only between Nini and Ricky's long distance relationship, but also a rival school's drama department. Not to mention, the next musical is Beauty and the Beast, so expect to see and hear great numbers by the talented cast.
Cover Photo Credit: Olivia Rodrigo Facebook
Mark your calendars! Driver's License and Deja Vu singer, Olivia Rodrigo announced she'll be on the long-time running NBC comedy sketch show, Saturday Night Live (SNL). She made the announcement that she's the musical guest on an upcoming episode on May 15th with guest host, Keegan Michael Key. This will be Olivia's first time on the SNL and we can't wait to see if she'll make a cameo on a sketch.
This comes after SNL did a sketch about the song, Driver's License with Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page. Basically a group of guys are at a bar shooting some pool. Regé turns plays the song and at first the guys aren't into it. As it plays on, the guys sing along and poke fun of references to the song and their own exes. Now we get to see her perform the song live on the SNL stage!
Seems like nothing's stopping Olivia's rise to stardom. She recently sat down with MTV to talk about both her chart topping hits. You have to see her perform the songs stripped down and with a new flare. Olivia gets personal and even answers questions about how the songs came to be.
Cover Photo Credit: Olivia Rodrigo Facebook
We're not half way through 2021, but we can all agree that Driver's License is the biggest songs this year. Olivia Rodrigo covers Elle Magazine for their latest issue and takes charge of the narrative. She talks about all of it from the SNL spoof, to the speculation behind the song, and becoming a songwriter.
The interview took place while Olivia was filming in Salt Lake City, Utah for Season 2 of High School Musical The Musical The Series. During the interview she was asked, "What’s it like to have millions of people dissecting your love life in social media comment threads?" Olivia responded that it's every songwriter's dream.
“There’s something so powerful in being vulnerable and open...that’s what makes songwriting so special."
OLIVIA RODRIGO on becoming a songwriter
She goes on to talk about musical influences and how her parents allowed her to become herself. Her father is a marriage and family therapist and her mother is a teacher. Olivia found her appreciation for rock music through her mom. "My mom would be like, ‘Screaming and yelling and all that grotesque stuff, it’s emotion. It moves me. That’s the point of music.’" She expanded her taste to punk and alternative rock like Clash, Smashing Pumpkins, No Doubt, and the White Stripes. Check out her singing some of those songs in Elle's latest Song Association.
Olivia looks to also do the same with her music. She wants to move people with her music. We know she's a natural performer, but she definitely had her fair share of auditions. After taking her shot in acting and going to auditions, she also took up piano. That's where a transformational happened.
She started writing songs of her own, using the piano first, and then the guitar. Calling songwriting a craft, her first song was called Superman. It was about a girl who doesn’t need a superhero to save her. Olivia continued to sharpen her songwriting skills and here we are with Driver's License and Deja Vu.
“I realized that songwriting was something that people do, and it’s a craft.”
olivia rodrigo
Check out the full article on Elle.com and catch her performing at the 2021 Brit Awards.
When Olivia Rodrigo released her second single Deja Vu earlier this month, it climbed to the top of the charts. Before the release, she held a livestream where she shared that her debut album is almost ready. Now, Olivia Rodrigo is ready to take the music industry by storm with her debut album SOUR, releasing May 21st.
In her latest Instagram post she shares possibly the album cover or theme along with the track listing. The album consists of 11 tracks included are the smash CARaoke song Driver's License and Deja Vu. Just looking at the listing, her music tells a story. As a singer-songwriter, we can expect a diverse sound from pop to acoustic with of course a Taylor Swift/Lorde influence.
The release of her album comes one week after the premier of Season 2 of "High School Musical The Musical The Series" on Disney+. This season takes off as the East High Wildcats puts on a spring musical production of Beauty and the Beast. New friendships, relationships, and rivalries form with a competitive North High. With Olivia's character Nini off to a performing arts conservatory school, it leaves the Wildcats to adjust to a new dynamic.
Cover Photo Credit: Olivia Rodrigo Facebook
All week, Olivia Rodrigo has been teasing her newest single, Déjà Vu in a series of Instagram posts. Her debut single, Driver's License continues to be a certified hit. It's been on the Billboard Charts for 11 weeks and counting since its release in January. The excitement for this next single is real. It has everyone wondering, what's it going to be sound like or be about? She's feeding us cheeky posts and snippets of the upcoming music video.
“I think people are gonna get to see another aspect of my music and my songwriting. I’m super stoked and also really nervous”.
She also teased an Instagram Live happening before the single releases to talk all things Déjà Vu. In an interview with MTV's Kevan Kenney, Olivia says the single isn't like Driver's License.
“I can’t give away too many details, but it’s definitely not like ‘drivers license’ at all, which I’m really excited about."
Olivia Rodrigo on Déjà Vu
We'll get to see more of Olivia's personality in her music. She is a multifaceted artist and excited for people to get to know her. Déjà Vu is now available to stream everywhere. Be ready to head to the beach with Olivia's newest track and another song for your playlist.
Cover Photo Credit: Olivia Rodrigo Facebook
