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Hot Takes


History Of: Drag

Although drag can be confidently claimed as an important outlet of gender discovery and understanding, it wasn’t always that way. 



Q+A with Axel Flóvent

Singer-songwriter and Folk Iceland musician Axel Flóvent recently went on a journey of self-discovery while traveling in Europe. As a singer-songwriter, Flóvent writes and composes all his material. After growing up in a musical family, Flóvent sought identity and found inspiration from his life experiences and the environment he was living in. Flóvent says nothing else made sense to him except music, because he gave all his attention and care to it. He seeks to write as a conversation between himself and others. From a video call via Facebook Messenger, the artist agreed to discuss his life on tour, motivation, and the upcoming album You Stay by the Sea, which released on Jan. 15.



Five Movies you might've missed in 2020

There’s no need for any explanation as to why 2020 was disastrous for film fans. Despite the few great films that did come out — like Tenet, Wonder Woman 84, Soul, The Devil All the Time, and The Invisible Man — there weren’t many films that caused a lot of excitement. Plenty of indies and streaming services continued to release films, but many of the notable titles didn’t garner a lot of attention. Nonetheless, within this wasteland of a year, there were a few notable titles that didn’t receive the love that they should have. 


Five Lesser-Known Facts about the CD and its Fall from Popularity

1979 was a big year in the entertainment industry. Alien, Mad Max, The Amityville Horror, and more well-known films were released, but a bigger breakthrough was also released to the world: The CD. A thin, reflective disc became the most popular and sought-after avenue for playing the best music had to offer. Before the internet and after the beloved record player, CDs would take over the music industry only to begin their decline decades later. Although at one time CDs could be found anywhere music was sold, the music industry has evolved, leaving a barren wasteland of CDs in its wake.



History Of: AJ Mitchell

Talented at the age of four, AJ Mitchell grew up in Belleville, Illinois, where he learned his piano skills from his father, a pianist. At six years old, Mitchell wrote his first song and, in high school, he was a member of the choir group. He performed at local coffee shops and bars until finding fame in 2016 on social media. His debut single “Used to Be” was released in 2017, which Mitchell claims it’s his favorite song of his to perform.


Top Young Adult Fiction Books of 2020

As 2020 comes to an end, I realized that even though I have spent more time inside this year than just about any other person, I have yet to read a book. I then decided that my mission for the last month of the year was to read the top books of 2020. I originally planned to space out the reads throughout the month, but due to schedule changes I spent most of the week before Christmas completely immersed in books. I struggled to find a list of top books that I found to be both interesting and credible. I finally stumbled upon the Goodreads Choice Awards 2020



Kingdom Hearts Games Ranked (Console Releases)

Kingdom Hearts’ combat system, Disney references, and the overall plot remain unparalleled as one of the finest family-friendly titles and a title everyone should experience at least once in their life. As the series continued, it had its dips and rises but remained unyielding in its replay-ability. These are the titles that performed and underperformed.


Why Stephen King is the Greatest Living Author

Even if you’ve never picked up a book from one of the greatest writers ever, aka Stephen King, chances are you’ve either heard or seen one of the many films inspired by his work. Probably the most recognizable author living today, King has written 63 novels, 120 short stories, 20 novellas, and five non-fiction books. Movies and shows still are being made, with many more in the works, but what makes King’s work memorable and always on the radar of filmmakers? What about his work continues to draw in audiences? There are countless reasons, but here are a few major standouts. 


Coven S7E4: Fake Feminism & Controversies

  Welcome back, witches, to another episode of the Coven! Bubbling in the cauldron this week is fake feminism! Join us as we dive into learning what fake feminism is, and why it's so harmful to the feminist movement. Tune in as we talk about the Mandolorian armor controversy and new updates from Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's messy divorce on this new episode of the Coven! Hosts: Shwetha Sundarrajan & Sam Shipe Edited by: Shwetha Sundarrajan Graphic by: Shwetha Sundarrajan