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The Melody Project – Podcast Ep. 1 (Running Time 21:30)

Welcome to the first-ever podcast for The Melody Project. In the premiere episode, I introduce myself along with my vocally-talented guest, Andrea Sargento. Andrea is currently a fourth-year criminology student at York University. She is also a member of Canada’s longest-running collegiate A Cappella group, WIBI A Cappella. Fun fact – Andrea and I are sisters and share a similar vocal timbre. 

In this week’s episode, we discuss the evolution in pop music over the years and reminisce how our musical tastes have evolved consequently. Artists such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles have truly, paved the way for fan culture and the entrance to the western pop music scene overall. We then go on to discuss how Filipino culture has influenced our love for singing and sharing music with others (i.e. Karaoke). Notable artists of Filipino descent were mentioned, including Bruno Mars and James Reid. 

Growing up, we loved watching Disney channel movies and TV series. This content introduced us to artists such as Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and the Jonas Brothers. The Jonas Brothers reignited the general public’s excitement for boy bands with the rise of other groups such as Big Time Rush and One Direction. Andrea and I started listening to boy bands from other countries, particularly from South Korea. Girl groups and boy bands in South Korea belong to a genre called, K-Pop, which is short for Korean Pop. 

K-Pop has taken the world by storm with the rise of groups such as BLACKPINK and BTS. By fostering a strong connection with fans (the BTS ARMY) through social media, and creating hard-hitting music with genuine, heart-felt lyrics, BTS was able to propel themselves to superstardom. This was a significant feat in the K-Pop industry as BTS’ label Big Hit Entertainment was not a part of The Big 3, which are the largest and most influential record companies in the country.

On the contrary, BLACKPINK is under YG Entertainment, a member of the big 3, which automatically gives them more exposure and familiarity among the K-Pop community. Despite being from a small label, BTS was able to sweep award shows and become the first K-Pop group to be nominated and win a Billboard Music Award. 

K-Pop is primarily in Korean, yet these idol groups were able to foster a fanbase that includes many non-Korean speakers, which speaks to the evolution of pop music. Indeed, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what language you speak, you can still enjoy the genre. Pop music isn’t restricted to western music, but rather it’s a cultivation of everyone’s interests. 

Special thank you to this episode’s guest, Andrea Sargento! Please follow WIBI A Cappella on their Instagram page to learn more about upcoming music releases!

Songs Mentioned:

• Twist and Shout – The Beatles
• Yesterday Once More – The Carpenters
• Sometimes – Britney Spears
• Turning Up – James Reid
• Play My Music – Jonas Brothers
• A-G-L-E-T – Phineas and Ferb
• Cake by the Ocean – DNCE
• Ddu-du ddu-du – BLACKPINK
• Boy With Luv – BTS
• Love Myself – BTS

Enjoyed this podcast? Let us know in the comments and tell us what you want us to react to or discuss next!

-LaarniJane♡