Category: Junior Literary

Dear Adele Bryant,

I understand that some of you may be confused, probably thinking, ‘Why is she writing a letter to herself in a blog?’ To answer? Three simple words: Dear Evan Hansen.

Throughout this new series of blogs, I am going to be reviewing Broadway musicals from a teenage point of view. I am going to listen to each musical’s album in a single sitting and then review my favorites of the batch.

I have always immensely enjoyed everything about musicals and the emotion that is conveyed through songs in each scene. I love the pure talent that is needed to be able to communicate the dialogue and feelings through music. The art of Broadway and the lyricists who so devotedly write songs for productions is truly something I admire. I am a firm believer of the notion that you don’t need money to experience musical theater, and I believe that by listening to an album you can experience the story without having to buy tickets to a show.

So, with that being said, here is my purely opinionated review of my top three favorite songs of “Dear Evan Hansen” and a lyrical breakdown of each one.

FIRST INSTALLMENT: DEAR EVAN HANSEN

3. For Forever

To start off, I would just like to acknowledge the pure and overwhelming feeling over nostalgia that comes with every word you hear of this song. The lyrical genius of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul truly and absolutely shine throughout the song. Ben Platt’s voice and musical choices really bring out all of the emotions of the song that you would not feel if it was simply written on paper. His choice of tone when the last verse comes around absolutely is perfect for the lyrics and the change that occurs slightly in the words.

The wording of the lyrics throughout the song gives the listener the feeling of being back in the days of their childhood. Pasek and Paul do an amazing job of giving very descriptive, yet relatable scenarios that entail the simplicity of childhood and friendships. The use of imagery throughout the lyrics helps the listener to make a whole scenario in their mind.

I enjoyed every second of the song, and I am a sucker for songs that really pull emotion from the listener. That being said, one of the only reasons this song was not my choice for number one or two was that it wasn’t the most emotional of the whole album. The song was absolutely amazing which has made these decisions all the harder.

2. Words Fail

“Words Fail” is a tragically truthful song. The song flawlessly portrays the whole process of human denial. Throughout the song, Ben Platt magnificently projects the emotions that Evan Hansen goes through when he ponders if the life he had achieved would all go away if he truthfully showed himself. The song really tugs on the heart strings with the relatability of asking yourself if you are ready to truly be yourself.

As someone who has struggled all my life with my own identity, the wording of the lyrics authentically represents how many people deal with feeling like they don’t deserve the life they have. The feeling of being out of place is something that I would say 95% of teens have experienced, and working through those thoughts is something I still deal with to this day. So seeing this issue being portrayed in such a beautiful way, honestly, made me very emotional.

So, in regards to relatability, “Words Fail” takes the cake. It is a magnificent, sorrowful portrayal of the human experience, more specifically, the hardships of the human experience. It shines a light on the relevance of doubtful thinking in the minds of almost everyone.

1. Requiem

Best. Song. Ever.

I have to preface by saying “Requiem” may not be the happiest song on the album, but it will have you in a million pieces questioning the meaning of life, and most importantly, death. It is such an honest song in every sense.

The whole concept of Zoe Murphy refusing to mourn her brother because she feels as if he doesn’t deserve her grief is intriguing to think about. The intentions of the writers came across beautifully as it changes from Zoe’s point of view to her mother’s. The duality of going from Zoe, who thinks of her brother as selfish, to her mother, who says the same lyric of “I will sing no requiem” but with different intentions, gives the listener a sense of closeness to the characters in the musical.

The mother is singing about how she will not be sorrowful, because she knows her son is still with her, while Zoe is singing about how she feels as if her brother’s decision was selfish and therefore she sings as if she is angry with him. Zoe’s verses in the song are mostly centered around the concept of how she views her brother as the villain in her story. Zoe’s mother also sings about refusing to sing a mournful melody, but for her, the reason is because she still thinks her son is with her. Some would think that with the dueling intentions, the song may be confusing, but the writers do an amazing job of differentiating with slight wording changes.

My favorite lyric of the whole song is “‘Cause when the villains fall, the kingdoms never weep.” The line completely entrances the listener with emotion allowing them to imagine how Zoe feels about her brother. The two sides of how people process tragedy and loss are perfectly depicted in the lyrics created by the writer. The narrative created throughout the whole song pulls such emotion that I would be surprised if someone listened to it and said they didn’t feel a thing.

The authenticity of this whole album is something that really touches the heart of the listener. The songs on the album completely encapsulate the human experience from start to finish. From topics of love and loss, to dealing with the aftermath of both, this musical honestly portrays the conflicting feelings that are a natural accessory to life.

I wish I had something to really critique about this album, but the truth is, I enjoyed every moment of the music and the experience that came with it. The creative lyricism really enhances the whole experience that the listener goes on from beginning to end with this album. Really the only thing I have to say about this album- truly amazing.

Sincerely,

Adele

    Being here at MSA there are lots of different types of students, and I wanted to take the the time to get to know what is inside the minds of some of my fellow peers. Starting off we have a vocal that goes by the name Gilly Grace.

 “Why did you join the vocal discipline here at MSA?”

Gilly’s response: “I like to sing, and there are a lot of opportunities for me to grow, and a big part of it was because we get to do musical theater stuff, and I love musical theater.“

What a pleasant response. Onto my second question. “If you were to choose another discipline to participate in which one would you choose?”

Gilly’s response: “I’d choose theater. I actually auditioned for theater and I ended up getting in, also literary because I like to write.“

One point for the literary’s as it should be. Anyways onto my next question. “Since you’re a vocal, what type of music do you like to sing?”

Gilly’s response: “Musical Theater and Pop. Yeah.“

This leads me into my next question. “What is your favorite musical theater piece?

Gilly’s response: “I have too many of those.“

As expected from a theater loving vocal. And onto my final question.” Who are some artists that you take inspiration from?”

Gilly’s response: “Rihanna, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande inspire me the most.“

That’s all for this week. I’d like to give a special thanks to the wonderful vocal Gilly Grace for allowing me to ask her these questions, and I hope that you all look forwards to the future responses of your fellow MSA peers.

I never really understood why everyone likes the Norse and Greek pantheon so much. The vast majority of the gods are arrogant, and the myths have been retold so many times that practically everyone knows the end to every story. 

May I introduce to you, Irish mythology. And no, I don’t mean Catholic Christianity, although they do play a big part in this religion. You see, when Catholics rolled around in Ireland and started Christianizing anything they deemed pagan, they kind of messed with a lot of the books documenting the Irish mythology, which unfortunately means that many of the things we currently know about the original Irish religion is incredibly tinted with Christian influences. Despite all of that, the things we do know about the Irish mythology are very unique and interesting. 

For example, the Irish “apocalypses” myth. Unlike most of end of the world myths, the Irish end of the world myth doesn’t have a climactic clash between good and evil, and arguably doesn’t even end the world. The world just gets a lot worse. Something causes all the humans everywhere to lose all their morals. Lawlessness, incest, wrath, and all that bad stuff becomes common place. The world doesn’t technically end, and neither does humanity. Its just not a world anyone would want to live in. 

There’s also the Tuatha De Danann, the fairy god pantheon. to give a quick summary of the mythology we know about them, the fairy gods found Ireland and made a truce with the humans who already lived there to share the island in peace. Then the Fomorians (sea fairy’s) invaded, and the Tuatha de Danann and humans kicked them off the island. After that another human kingdom invaded and tricked the Tuatha De Danann into living under Ireland in the hills of Ireland, where they supposedly are to this day.

Of course, there are also the beings depicted in Irish mythology that are fascinating, and could provide some pretty cool plot devices. Sprigans, who steal human children and replace then with one of their own. The hero Cuchulain, who becomes a giant monster by turning himself inside out. Banshees, who are supposedly the souls of women who died in labor. Dulihans who are essentially headless horsemen.  My personal favorite is the Dagda. The patriarch of the Irish pantheon, radiates cool dad energy, and is all around just a genuinely nice guy.

All of this stuff is nice and all, but the main reason I like Irish mythology so much is because of how open ended it is. There are so many unknown bits that we could fill with modern stories of our own. I’ll give a few nice prompts to fill below:

What caused humans to go crazy during the end of the world? What would the fairies do about it?

What happened to the humans who teamed up with the Tuatha De Danann? Did they move underwound with the furies? Do the Tuatha De Danann hold a grudge on them because their humans?

What would happen if a fairy woman died during labor? Would they turn into a banshee? 

What do sprigans do with the human children they steal?

What happened to the remaining Famorians after the Tuatha De Danann defeated them?

This little essay has left out about 99.999% of the mythology, so I suggest you do your own research. I just wanted to make this blog about Irish mythology because I think one of the best stories humans have ever told are told through the apparatus of mythology, and it would be a criminal waist to not tell them through this ancient pagan religion.

Hello blog world! Adele here! I thought to start out my introduction to the blogging space I should start on something that interests me. My interests all seem to revolve around either creating a fictional world or inserting myself into one. Being a writer, it’s not uncommon for me to get lost in the lives of fictional characters, but one thing in particular I find extremely intriguing is “comfort characters.”

‘Comfort Characters’ are fictional characters that you may find comfort in watching, or you may attach emotional significance to their lives and storylines. Personally, I seem to get attached to fictional characters fairly easy. I think viewing my relationship with a fictional character as more of a friendship is something I do often. It’s also a goal of mine to one day create a character with enough commendatory qualities to one day become someone else’s comfort character.

My absolute all-time favorite comfort character in my repertoire of emotionally soothing fictional beings is Lorelai Gilmore from the show ‘Gilmore Girls.’ Throughout the show, you are shown the lives of Lorelai and her daughter, Rory, as the they navigate life together in the small town Stars Hollow. Lorelai and Rory portray a mother-daughter relationship that many young girls long for. Their witty banter and sense of connection portray a true friendship that others envy.

I think the reason I became so captivated with Lorelai is because she reminds me of my own mother. She’s not perfect, but she is always there for her daughter in all senses. Lorelai is perfectly imperfect in her parenting and the comedy of her relationship with Rory is similar to the relationship I share with my own mother. They don’t always see eye to eye, but they truly are bestfriends. Lorelai always tries to see life from Rory’s point of view; A trait that I often mentally applaud my own mom for.

When thinking of Lorelai Gilmore, I think of comfort. Even in the first week of residential life at MSA, I relied on watching Gilmore Girls when I was homesick and missed my mom. The adjustment of leaving home definitely threw me for a loop, and just watching the banter between the mother and daughter on the show comforted me. Watching the screen and drawing similarities between my own mother and Lorelai brought me joy in some of the toughest times. I would watch the small town in the show and think of my own small, nosey town.

So anytime I am in need of motherly consoling, (when my mother isn’t available of course) I turn to the comedic comforts of Gilmore Girls. I look to Lorelai to get me through the ups and downs of life. She basically acts as an interim fictional mother that never gets tired of me complaining. Her familiarity acts as a weighted blanket against all of life’s anxieties. Of course watching a TV show won’t fix all of your problems, but it can act as a band-aid for some of the metaphorical wounds of life.

The Gilmore Girls is not only a show in which I find comfort, it is also a show I wish to pass down to the next generation of my family. I hope to share the show I love so much with my own son or daughter one day so that they can look back on times we shared and find comfort in it too. I want to create a bond with my own child like the one my own mother had created with me throughout watching the adventures of Stars Hollow.

So, if you are ever in the need of a consoling, fictional shoulder to cry on, I highly suggest watching your own favorite show. Maybe you have a character in mind when reading this, or maybe you have yet to find your comfort character. Whatever it is, I encourage you to find that someone who can comfort you when the non-fictional characters of your own life’s story cannot.

One of my favorite past times is finding new music. I was never one to stick to a certain genre and was experimental with my taste. I would like to show you some of my new favorite songs that I’ve discovered in the past few days. I’m always late to certain things so these songs might be old, but I would like to give you my interpretation of these songs and what they’ve meant to me since being added to my playlists.

PinkPantheress

PinkPantheress is new to the world of music, and she blew up on Tiktok with songs like Pain and Break It Off. Her smooth angelic voice complements the soft beats behind her songs. If I had to put them in a genre I would say bedroom pop is the closest to her work. She recently dropped a minuet long single called “Attracted to You” and it once again blew up on Tiktok. The one song that stood out to me most was her song “Passion” because it has a nice pace and soft beats to it. This aesthetic goes against the message of the song. It talks about loosing her passion for music and heartbreak of it all. The lines “The teachers always called it a shame” and “They say I don’t have passion the same” are something I resonate with because I struggled to find my passion in writing. I love the song so much because it really grasps the feeling of losing passion for something you love because of the environment that you’re in. I recommend listening to her whole discography because I’m sure you can find something that relates to you as well!

Yugyeom

Yugyeom is a Korean R&B artist who was recently sign to AMOG, a label owned by Korean Hip-Hop artist Jay Park,  last year after the disbandment of his hit K-pop group GOT7. His first solo album Point Of View: U was released June 17, 2021. This album is really filled with golden R&B hits. When the album first dropped, I listened to it straight through with no skips. Yes, it was just that good! Yugyeom has a really smooth and velvety voice that is perfect for the beats on this album. The album features amazing Korean R&B and Hip-Hop artists such as, DeVita, Jay Park, Gray, and punchnello. I couldn’t pick a favorite song from the album, but an honorable mention would be I Want U Around ft. DeVita.

DPR Live

I’ve been listening to DPR Live for years now and every time he releases music its like listening to a new person. He recently dropped a new EP called IITE COOL. It features some big names in Korean Hip-Hop such as Hwa Sa, Beenzino, and another artist under Dream Perfect Regime, DPR IAN. This new EP really catches the essence of the summertime. He talks about the highs and lows of this hot season creating some perfect summer hits. My favorite song from the album has to be “Yellow Cab”. It’s just a fun song about his current success and how crazy his fans could be. In the song, he goes into detail about the pressure of being a celebrity and having to be this perfect person for his public image. My favorite line from the song has to be “Can’t understand Korea sometimes, Why is it that foreign fans are quicker to realize that…” As a non-Korean person I can’t say too much about this issue, but I’ve been listening and following Korean Hip-Hop and Pop culture for a while, and one thing that is constant is the fact that Korean artists often are over worked and it causes a mental strain on them. I really love that he brings up this issue and it is disguised by an up-beat background. The message contrasts from the song giving the song more texture. Here’s some honorable mentions from this artist: Martini Blue, Jasmine, and Summer Tights.

Mac Ayres

Mac Ayres is a R&B artist I recently discovered on Spotify. After he dropped out of Berklee, he soon released his first EP Drive Slow in 2017. When first I heard his latest EP, Magic 8Ball, I sat and listened to it straight through. I was surprised when I heard the first song from the EP, Sunny & 62, because his music didn’t match his looks. His voice is so soulful and earthy. He makes the kind of music you can sit and vibe to on a sunny afternoon. My favorite song from Magic 8Ball would be Every Time because the bass is so heavy on the slow, smooth beat. His voice is like honey on the track making it all the more enjoyable. The song talks about losing trust in someone he loves and how everyone is telling him to be weary of this person. He feels uncertain about this relationship and you can really tell that from his voice. The entire EP is something everyone can enjoy because it witches from more up-beat songs to something more sad. His versatility really shows with this EP.

To Get You Started

This is just a glimpse of the type of music I find on a weekly basis. I really like being able to enjoy new sounds and experience cultures through music.  I find that not limiting yourself to one genre can be enlightening. I heavily recommend that you explore music out of your comfort zone. It opens your mind to a lot of different things you don’t know about the world. I never let a language barrier get in the way of music because music is a language of it self. Here’s some artist to get you started on your musical journey: Kali Uchis, JHope, August D, Xaiver Omar, Baby Rose, Kaytranada, and Serena Isioma.

     To an average person the idea of leaving their home, and actually living on a school campus prior to college might seem out of the ordinary, but as we all know the students here at MSA are anything but ordinary. A school dedicated towards allowing students to have artistic freedom, and allowing them to focus on the art that captivates them seems to good to be true. Though in the bland state of Mississippi I have been introduced to a place where I have seen the most interesting and creative people.

  You all know me as Simone Smith, and despite how shy I might come across as, there is an entire side of laughter and energy that is kept hidden. Never feel afraid to speak to me as I am always in the mood to have a  nice conversation. 

  As a Junior, I feel honored to be able to be apart of the Literary Department this year. Having an entire class dedicated to working and creating works of writing is beyond wonderful, and I’m so excited to start working on everything that this department has to offer. I look forward to getting to know everyone, and having a great 2021-2022 school year; despite the setbacks that the corona has upbrought.     

Hello everyone! You likely know me by the name Hunter Nix, but now I answer to Elliot and, if you haven’t met me around campus or couldn’t already tell, I am a Junior Literary. Which means these lovely little blogs are a part of my life now. And, truthfully, I’m not entirely sure how to feel about that. Of course, there’s the part of me that, as the inner author, leaps at any writing opportunity. I am sure my fellow Literary students will agree with me on this. As expected, there is also the inner critic who is worried my blogs will not go over well with the audience, given that publicly sharing my work is something I’m relatively new to. 

However, there is also a discernable third option I was not quite prepared for. An as of yet unnamed inner party who wants nothing more than the simple goal of writing something that is worthy. Not something I can be proud of, or that people enjoy, like every other piece. But rather, the idea that, in five years time when I randomly remember that MSA blogs exist and revisit this site, I will still find satisfaction deeper than “that is written well enough to please” in my writing. I want these blogs to mean something.

Not necessarily some unfathomably deep meaning or complex message. Truthfully, my head is already so full of ideas that are so varied I’m sure these blogs will wind up ranging everywhere from Midnight “meaning of life” contemplations to breakdowns of my weekend trip home. 

Rather, I want these blogs to convey something that is special to me. Even if they’re written about some seemingly trivial topic or an everyday discussion. I want them to hold meaning. To be personal. 

I’m thinking that I’ll try my hand at a bit of everything. Series, reviews, excerpts of my work or the work of my peers, mentions over friends I’ve made on campus that have done something “blog worthy”, etcetera etcetera. 

So, I hope that you, my lovely little audience, will stick with me as I explore what it is that I’m searching for and how I can find it. I promise, one way or another, it will be worth it. 

After all, the one thing we can all agree on is that I am never boring, right?

Sincerely, an overly anxious Junior. 

Hunter Nix <3