MOONCHILD SANELLY: INTERVIEW

February 5, 2025

by kaleigh gieraltowski

Moonchild Sanelly is an unstoppable force — bold, boundary-pushing, and unapologetically herself. With the release of Full Moon, the powerhouse continues to redefine genre norms, blending afro-punk, edgy pop, kwaito, and hip-hop into her original “future ghetto-funk” sound. She opens up about the inspirations behind her latest album, her electrifying performance on Later… with Jools Holland, and her ever-evolving artistry. From dream collaborations to the inner workings of her creative process, Moonchild Sanelly proves that her music is as limitless as her energy. And with a European tour on the horizon, she’s just getting started.

Congratulations on the release of Full Moon! What inspired the themes and sound of this album?

Moonchild Sanelly: “Thank you! Definitely working with Johan Hugo to make the song sound, I mean, the music sound in unison in this album, and what inspired it, I guess it's the sounds that I heard coming from him, and I just let the stories come to life, whatever emotions are evoked.”

The album blends so many genres — afro-punk, edgy-pop, Kwaito, and hip-hop. How do you approach creating music that transcends traditional genre boundaries?

Moonchild Sanelly: “I think it's just my ability to tell stories. My storytelling is already its own thing because of how I think, but the genres that have been mentioned definitely are the ingredients to my future ghetto-funk which is a sound that I basically created and is free to make hits.”

Your recent performance on Later… with Jools Holland was electrifying! How did it feel to share your music on such an iconic platform?

Moonchild Sanelly: “Oh, my goodness. Jools Holland is the bomb — he’s so cool. It was amazing being on a platform that is so legendary. It just shows you that the world is your oyster and everything is possible.”

Are there any dream collaborators or producers you’d love to work with in the future?

Moonchild Sanelly: “Absolutely, I would love to work with Doechii, Doja, Meg, Lizzo, Nicki, Cardi. I’d love to work with all the artists that represent being a bad bitch.”

What was the creative process like for this album compared to your earlier work? Have there been any new rituals you use when you have creativity spark?

Moonchild Sanelly: “What's different is the fact that I'm working… I guess it’s because I was working with one person. The storytelling also came from a place of having been single, so I didn’t necessarily have relationship scenarios to complain about instead. I still have my anthems to liberate and all that jazz. With this one, it really felt like we just focused on it and had no distractions, and the one thing that I definitely learned is fishing. Because every time you just felt like everything was redundant. Bitches go fishing. This was something that we did in Malawi and that we did in Sweden.”

As your personal style and music career has grown over time, how do you balance the evolution of your artistry while staying true to yourself?

Moonchild Sanelly: “I don't necessarily balance, however, I grow in real life, that’s the diary you’re about to hear about in my music. So it's not necessarily a balance, it's you guys experience me as I grow, and it translates in the music.”

Did you always know you wanted to create art? What else do you think you’d be working towards if not?

Moonchild Sanelly: “Absolutely. I mean, I grew up in front of the camera. I competed in Latin ballroom dancing. I was allowed to be artistically free and express myself and be exposed to these platforms. I feel like that was inevitable. If I came from a strict family, I would’ve probably never written music. But in another world, I’d probably be a psychologist, and I think that’s how I get to use it in my music, just with regards to empowerment.”

Ghetto-funk is such a unique genre. For those unfamiliar with it, how would you describe it, and how did you come to define your sound?

Moonchild Sanelly: “My influences and my upbringing was with the Kwaito music, hip-hop, and jazz — and every other sound that I bumped into in the world, but those were my three main ingredients. So I think the future part comes from what I’ve cooked with those ingredients which don’t sound directly like each genre individually in a song, but they all play a part to make each song each time I make it. So the future is basically me — the dish I serve from the ingredients I’ve been given.”

How has being a role model and someone in the public eye changes your perspective on what it means to perform for others?

Moonchild Sanelly: “I think the first reason I'm a role model or seen as one is because I was doing myself. I think that freedom touches people because it's energy and it’s not through just the noise of saying ‘hey everybody, shake your ass.’ Me being on stage, the energy speaks for itself.”

Can you drop any hints for us on what’s to come next? Perhaps a tour?

Moonchild Sanelly: “Definitely, a tour is coming next, it’s starting on the 5th of March, and we are going to be in Europe and the UK and for more details, you can go to moonchildsanelly.com to find out where I am going to be for the rest of the year ‘cause I am definitely going to be touring Full Moon.”

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JAE STEPHENS: INTERVIEW

January 18, 2025

by mariah estran

The internet asked for a “Black Pop Star” and Jae Stephens gave the audience just what they wanted.

She responded to the request on X, attaching her music video for “Body Favors.” The warmly hued visual montage of chic fashion and video-vixen energy is everything pop fans drool over.

“When I started doing what I wanted to do — you know, regardless of what that might look like to other people, I think people received it well,” she says about her current position in her artistry.

After signing to Issa Rae’s label Raedio, in mid-September, Stephens released her third EP, SELLOUT “This EP felt like a new foot forward and a new direction for me — sonically and visually,” she expresses about the milestone. There is now support from a team and a surplus of resources at hand. So, she saw no reason not to go all the way. “I felt like this was the time; I had no more excuses.”

Stephens was ready to reintroduce herself to new listeners and the ones who had been listening for years. SELLOUT marks her third EP, following up her 2022 release, High My Name Is, and the 2019 EP, f**k it i’ll do it myself. Her tenure not stopping there; since the early 2010s she has been releasing music, most notably known as the Tumblr screenname beyoncebeytwice. Posting to the popular blogging site, she would share her covers and still tell a joke or two in between. Something she now refers to as an “online crash course.”

Those initial stages of social media connected her to a large community who would ride or die for her work. “It warmed me up to the idea of how I would want to present myself,” she explains. “Also, how I want to market myself online and what I am comfortable with, even what my audience, my fans, or my followers want to hear.”

With that insight in mind, she tapped into what she envisioned, plus what listeners would resonate with. Stephens understood the assignment, stepping away from the mysterious type of sound she carried through her self-produced years and diving into a much bigger realm.

Two years in the making, she began shedding any reservations, homing in on a vibrant, bubbling pop sound that makes up the entirety of SELLOUT. “I wanted to edge my way into this new sound, let people know where I stood and what I was trying to accomplish here,” she explains, adding that the EP title is even a slight poke at the concept of selling out. “I think it can be tricky, particularly as a Black girl trying a new sound that's bigger, brighter, cleaner, poppier. You are corny, lame, or a sellout, especially if you come from a DIY space like I did.”

Instead, she was one step ahead of the criticism, owning that title in the boldest way possible. In six songs, you are brought into an effervescent blend of production that carries the vibrancy of Y2K with a hint of today's dance cadency.

“WET” sets the tone as the opening track reveals a cheeky beat and lyrics that chant, “Slip and slide / come closer, I don’t mind / If we get a little (wet).” The bouncy beat makes for that ideal, choreographed pop-star video, which she leans right into. In the visual, soap bubbles rise as she moves with a crew of backup dancers in a car wash parking lot.

“‘WET’ was so interesting for me because it was terrifying to watch,” Stephens reveals. “When I first got it back, it was like, ‘I’m dancing on top of a car, it’s dramatic and so pop-star.’ It intimidated me because I thought it was too much.”

In all its grandeur, her vision was coming to life, “Girls Don’t Cheat” expanded on that blend of pop-R&B as she declared what women need — just a little attention. She paid homage to the film Honey, dancing in front of a dance studio mirror in the track's corresponding video.

Stephens was becoming comfortable in this new light as a songstress.

But it was still “Body Favors” that solidified that feeling. The song that she says made it all click. “I finally tapped into that place that made sense for me,” she shares. It is that standout track, the one, as a listener, you keep coming back to. With its energetic charm served on a platter of irresistible lyricism, this is the three minute tune that’s worthy of a queue-up. And again, the internet agrees. Fans on X call it a hit, as others want the song to catapult her into the mainstream in 2025.

The music video has been shared on over 4.1k profiles since its August release date.

“I'm happy it was the one that connected with the people in the beginning because I just had a feeling,” she says. “I just knew.”

When discussing the success of “Body Favors” and SELLOUT overall, she does not overlook the personal steps taken to feel comfortable in this authentic state. She looks back at that girl who started a Tumblr page, “I think there was always something invisible holding me back in fear of being embarrassed,” Stephens reveals. “She would be proud that she got over that, got unhinged, and went for it.”

There was no time like the present. In 2024, pop music was on fire. Billboard noted it was the best it had been in a decade. Not to mention, it was women leading the charge. “I think pop is in such an exciting space right now, there's so many girls killing it,” she says when asked about her being a topic within that genre discourse post-EP release.

“I just know that I would love to see someone like me, who looks like me, be a part of that. We deserve that chance to tap into that side of ourselves, musically, visually, or aesthetically.”

Freshly into 2025, she has teased that new music is in the works, humorously posting on X, “SELLOUT… honey you’re unemployed.” When asked about the future, she mentions going bigger, from sound to the possibility of shows and an album “full of songs that nobody doubts or questions, or I do not get any pushback from.”

There is no doubt that the support is there; she knows so herself. Her audience is waiting for the next step, and it is one that Stephens hopes will not only be an expansion of personal, musical success but one that inspires a movement.

“I want a lot of other Black girls to do the same if they feel anything other than the box that they are being told to fit into,” the singer begins to conclude. “I want them to follow suit and put out the music they want to put out and have fun with it. I want to see more of us.”

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GENEVIEVE STOKES: INTERVIEW

December 5, 2024

by lauren kovolenko

When thinking of Genevieve Stokes, I think “you’ll definitely love this music!” This artist has a way of perfecting a vibe fitting for just about everyone’s tastes. A little bit of pop, a little bit of chill, and everything in between. If you want your morning commute to feel like a movie, check her out! Please enjoy the interview we have had about touring, sound, and more!

Greetings! Tell us about yourself. What's your background like?

Genevieve: “I’m an artist from Maine and I play piano and write most of my music in my parents’ garage.”

Were you always a songwriter? When did you decide to pursue music?

Genevieve: “I’ve been writing songs since I was around eight! I always wanted to be a musician, but I released my first project right after graduating high school.”

What's your songwriting process like? Is there a certain feeling you are trying to portray?

Genevieve: “I usually have a vague idea of the emotion I’m trying to portray, but the idea doesn’t fully form until I’ve found the chords.”

I could see your songs playing in a movie — what scene would you want them to overlay?

Genevieve: “I would love to hear ‘Lost Forever Now’ in the first Twilight movie. Kind of random, but I love that soundtrack and I feel like that song fits the vibe.”

When you write songs, where do you get most of your inspiration from?

Genevieve: “I sometimes write fictional stories based on movies and books I’m inspired by, but most of my songs are about my own experiences.”

Congratulations on the release of With a Lightning Strike! What was your favorite song to create on the album?

Genevieve: “I loved recording ‘Dreamer’ and ‘River.’ My friends Fiona Stocks-Lyons and Peter Caffarella created their own arrangements and it was just a very energetic and fun process.”

How has touring prep been so far? What's your most anticipated city to play in?

Genevieve: “The prep for the tour has been strangely smooth! I’m playing with the band I recorded the album with, so we all know our parts by heart already. I always look forward to playing in Portland, Maine (my hometown), but I’m also very excited to visit Toronto and Vancouver.”

Give a piece of advice to someone starting music — what has helped you gain success?

Genevieve: “Consistency and just being very passionate about the songs I make! I never put out a song that’s ingenuine or made to please other people.”

Do you have any dream collaborations you'd like to be a part of?

Genevieve: “I would love to work with A.G. Cook! He’s one of my favorite producers and I’d love to make something more experimental with him.”

What's next for you? What are you most excited about to achieve in your career?

Genevieve: “I’m really excited to tour in the UK and just travel in general. I’ve been hibernating for the past year to make this record, so I’m ready to play these songs and get my myself out there.”

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MEDIUM BUILD: INTERVIEW

November 17, 2024

by joann snavely

Georgia-raised, Nashville-based musician Medium Build cultivates the human experience in the most raw and unfiltered way possible, and his new EP Marietta is no different. The EP zooms into his youth from a retrospective point of view effortlessly acknowledging the effervescent reflection on what was, and how it came to be. After spending the past year on tours worldwide, it’s clear Medium Build isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Coming hot off the heels of his 5th studio album Country which was unveiled earlier this year — Nick Carpenter is spending some time reflecting. Unclear Magazine got a chance to catch up with him as he talked about all things Marietta, his past, and where he’s looking out to next.

Your EP Marietta was just released and draws heavily from your experience growing up in Georgia. Is there a specific memory or feeling that inspired any of the tracks on the EP?

Medium Build: “Well, not one specific memory, more just trying to process my childhood and give empathy to me and my parents. I think it’s easy for us to zoom out when we get older and be like, ‘Oh, my parents were the worst and I had it so hard,’ or flip it the other way and think I was such a weak kid, I wish I had the patience or the wisdom I have now, I’d show up so much better for myself. It’s giving context to the situations — like, oh yeah, my parents were trying hard and they messed some stuff up. I was kind of an anxious kid and I latched onto the church and food and socializing and things that I thought would get me out of my anxiety. I’m maybe one of the majority of people who don’t remember a lot of their childhood because a lot was going on, and I’ve blocked a lot of it out. Nothing specific, just the general memory — like a phantom limb.”

Your track “Yoke” with Julien Baker has already generated a lot of interest. Baker is also someone that you’ve known for some time. How did that collaboration come about and what was it like working alongside Baker on the song?

Medium Build: “Julien and I met when we were teenagers — we met at this really gentle part of us becoming adults. We both had just started bands, both were trying to leave our hometowns and were trying to be somebody. We both grew up in the church, and both have different relationships with feeling like we weren’t accepted by all of the God stuff, but also really wanting to be a part of it. I’ve had this song in my head for five years just kind of wondering how to process all of that without being offensive. I truly think that a lot of people need to hear it. After sitting on a demo of it for a while, I finally recorded it properly and I sent it to Julien and was like, ‘Hey do you f*** with this, would you put anything on this?’ And she said yes. Julien and I are like old friends that are busy so we see each other like maybe once a year, and I hadn’t even seen her in a couple of months and sent her this like, ‘I think you’d kill it,’ and she did. She was kind enough to give me her time and her skill. It’s cool, it’s what’s brought us back together in a really lovely way. We got to play a show together last week, and it’s good to go to her house and hang with her dog and we had a lovely chat yesterday about the end of the world. It’s just good, old friends are really important — they remember you before you’ve had all of your fancy toys and all of your hiding techniques. Having her in my life and doing something professionally with her ten years after we were on tour together — I think it’s pretty heartwarming.”

Back to Marietta, the EP dives into themes of family, faith, and identity. How has your relationship with these themes changed over time especially now that you’re delving back into them in the EP?

Medium Build: “I think when I left home, I lost my faith and everything all at once. When I turned 18 all these doubts came into me and I wrestled with religion first. I left home at 18, my parents didn’t have any money, I didn’t have money, so I thought, cool, I’m gonna go get a job and figure it out. I started working in restaurants, I got an apartment, and the faith started to crumble. I spent a lot of my twenties just really bitter towards religion, towards my parents, towards how I grew up, and as I’ve aged — I’m 33 now — time is a great teacher and healer. I never used to want to have kids, but now it’s like, well, maybe. I never really ever wanted to think about spiritual or faith stuff again, but now I’m like, well, maybe. It’s not the people who hurt me, it’s okay to have hope in something. I think mainly it's as I go back and look at it, I had such a lovely foundation sometimes. I don’t want to wash the pain or bulls*** I had, but I don't want to say that I grew up hard knocks and didn’t have a really nice life. It’s that intersection between working-class people who loved God and tried that thing. The American Christian Evangelical program is a beast. I can now look back at it and I learned how to play music, and I learned to be alone, like intentionally and spiritually alone. I learned to meditate and learned to pray, I learned to engage in community and seek honest communication, and I learned a lot of tools that I was maybe throwing away while I was abandoning my foundation. Now that I’m reconnecting with my childhood I’m picking up the good ones, picking up the tools that were really nice and helpful, and I’m trying to use those in a new context.”

How does Marietta feel different from your last album Country? Were there any creative processes or creative shifts that occurred?

Medium Build: “I think getting Country out of my system was really helpful. Doing the big major label record, trying to be artsy and intentional. I was thinking a lot, but now I’m not really interested in thinking as much. I’m really interested in doing more. I think this EP is maybe a bit sonically different, there are four different producers, but all through whatever I was on that week. It’s a lot of me trying stuff and it still feels very much a part of the Country theme because it’s a lot of me processing my childhood and where I came from. This maybe just looks like a zooming-in. Going from Country, which is this album about the South and my parents, and now literally zooming in on my hometown like, what is Marietta? Who is Nick? Who is twelve-year-old Nick? There are a couple of rock songs and pop tunes, there’s a folky tune, two love songs, two songs about my childhood, there’s stuff for everybody which I think is really fun. It’s a nice end to the era, so I can move on. I’m starting the next record already, looking at different influences. I feel like I’m tired of looking inward right now. I feel like I’ve done a good job at showing up for that guy, and now I’m curious to move on to new stuff and look at the world and tell some stories that I haven’t told before.”

Your music always feels so intimate and raw. Do you ever find it challenging to be so vulnerable with your music, especially regarding the more personal themes?

Medium Build: “You get good at doing what you did last time. When I was first starting out I figured I was going to say the cringey thing — I’m gonna say the hard lyric. And people were like, ‘Woah, you’re so brave, you said that thing that people don’t say,’ and then I get used to that and have to find new ways to risk. So I’d say that the greatest fear or hurdle is me finding out what is the new scary thing. Like the new scary thing for me honestly is probably making a song where I don’t yell, and maybe I don’t say the crazy journal entry — what if I just said something really subtly? What if I was more nuanced? What if I engaged in something a bit more not from my own crowd — what if I reached across the aisle? I just want to stay risky, or connected. I still want to be connected to my own heart, but I’ve run the play a couple of times with like, ‘Yeah, Medium Build, that guy is going to yell his journal entry,’ and I’m always going to do that — it’s never going to stop. I think there are new risks I want to take.”

What’s the most unexpected lesson or piece of wisdom that’s emerged since you began creating music?

Medium Build: “I thought that it was just going to happen. I don’t know if it’s anything I’ve ever fully learned, but I think I thought that if I did this thing enough that something would blow up or there would be this a-ha moment — that arrival. There’s no arrival, you never really make it, even when you do you don’t. Look at Chappell Roan, Noah Kahan, or Shaboozey, Zach Bryan — people who’ve just blown up so fast. Now they have to protect their mental and protect their families. Then I look at my life and it’s so chill — like I’m bummed that my show tonight only sold 250 tickets instead of 450 — like whatever, I’m living. I’m trying to be present. I think that’s the wisdom I’m holding onto right now is that there’s no ‘I won the game,’ there’s no sold-out everything, even if you do that — then what, where do you go? Everything will crumble and fall back into the sea, the moss will grow on us and we will decompose, so I’m just trying to enjoy it rather than fight. Some people run their band or their music career like it’s Tesla, you don’t have to compete. I don’t have to compete, there’s no competition. I’m just competing with myself, trying to be more honest, more afraid, trying to feel better. I’m getting old and boring and trying to be more comforting to myself.”

You’ve recently toured alongside some really big names including your own tour. How has being on such large-scale tours shaped the way you perform live?

Medium Build: “I’ve watched some bada** shows, even just doing all the festivals this summer, I’ve seen the Chappell Roan show like three times, I’ve seen Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, The Creator, Lana Del Ray, and you start taking notes, like, wow, there’s a way you can do this pro. It’s made me want to be better as a singer and musician, I want to try harder to play better. But mainly again it goes back to being more present. I’d say the shows that have melted me more than anything have been the ones where either the artist was really present or the crowd was really present or involved. How do you find that middle ground, how do you write songs that people connect with? How do you get people passionate about what you’re doing and how do YOU stay passionate about what you’re doing? Even at Austin City Limits, Sturgill Simpson was playing at the same time as Tyler, The Creator and I watched half of each of their shows and they were both so present in different ways, Tyler’s running around doing flips and goofing, and a lot of talking to the crowd-getting to know them. Sturgill doesn’t say a word, his eyes are closed and he’s listening, and he’s so in touch with his guitar and his voice and they both were so moving and so different. It doesn’t look one way, I just want to be that level, I want to be that in touch.”

You’ve also seen a pretty rapid rise in popularity. How has that affected you and what do you take away from that?

Medium Build: “It’s funny, I was talking to a friend today about how nice it is to tour Europe because we’re not as popular and the fans are a bit chiller. Then I zoom out and it's like okay, well, again, I’m not Chappell Roan, I’m not Reneé Rapp, I don’t have to deal with people standing outside my van for hours or following me to the grocery store. I just enjoy it, I enjoy what I do. I don’t enjoy the social aspect of it, I love meeting people and I’m super social, but it’s not my favorite thing — like posting on Instagram and doing the ‘hey, don’t forget me’ routine. It means a lot to me to have my privacy now. It’s felt fast, but I’ve been playing music since I was 19, and I’ve been chasing this for over a decade. Sometimes I can't believe I’m still doing this, like shouldn’t I give up by now? But now it’s like, well, whatever, now I’m doing it. I’m trying to keep my head normal and remember that I’m not that much of a big deal, even though people are buying tickets and knowing the songs. It’s crazy, I’m very lucky, I’ve had a lot of good luck this year, and I’m trying to remember that it can all go away, and I’ll get old and people will forget about it. I’ll be back at the open mic one day I’m sure.”

If there’s one message you want your music to give fans, what would it be?

Medium Build: “You’re not alone, we’re not alone. Community is real and available. Life is lonely and weird and long and scary but also incredibly short, and the people we love die or change. So much of life makes us feel alone, but we’re really not. That’s truly the thing that I’m always wrestling with in tunes is like human connection and worth and how we love on each other.”

What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self when starting music?

Medium Build: “I would tell him to buy a tuner, I would tell him don’t listen to the people who tell you they’re an expert. You’re good enough, make your own beats, buy a microphone, and learn how to make your own stuff. Keep it in-house, you don’t need anyone. I had such imposter syndrome and thought I needed someone to tell me what to do. I had that a lot of my life, this doubt that I couldn’t do it alone. I’ve found a lot of my strength in the past ten years in figuring out there were things I could do by myself. I would tell 19-year-old me to just go to Guitar Center, buy a drum machine, buy a little recording thing, and lean in, don’t look back.”

What’s a guilty pleasure song or artist that would surprise your fans?

Medium Build: “It is funny how people get siloed into hipster belief systems, I just love pop music, and I love country music too. Probably pop country stuff like Sam Hunt, it’s not guilty to like Sabrina Carpenter. I still will go back and listen to some of the emo stuff I grew up on like Panic! At the Disco. I think that’s probably cringey as hell, but that first record was so important to me when I was a kid. I’ve listened to F-1 Trillion a bunch, that’s probably embarrassing. I love a good pop song — any wayyou shake it up. That new Bruno Mars and ROSÉ tune “APT.” — I can’t stop listening to that tune. Give me something catchy, I’m literally so down.”

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'PERSONA' / HALF•ALIVE: REVIEW

November 15, 2024

by olivia powell

While it may seem evident from the title, half•alive’s new album Persona embodies a core element of music — humanity. The humans behind the band include lead singer Josh Taylor, drummer Brett Kramer, and bassist J. Tyler Johnson, whose combined artistry proves to be enduringly genuine. The opening title track itself hints at the sonic stability and measured chaos to follow. With frenetic synths, the kind of chaos that exists in humanity is something half•alive manages to convey in subsequent songs like “Automatic.” After the thirty-two second title track (it’s short, but certainly not a skip), “Sophie’s House” follows after with a steady beat. It could easily be taken for granted, the kind of groovy foundation of drums and guitar that half•alive builds with each song. It quickly became clear to me that their dynamic range is a part of the sound; the contrast between verses and choruses is often sonically drastic, but doesn’t feel jarring either. It’s an album sure to captivate crowds, and casual listeners who simply can’t resist a good beat. To say the least, hearing this piece of art live would certainly be incredible.

In listening to Persona all the way through, the song I was most excited to replay was “Bleed It Out.” Not only did I get chills on the first listen, but the thoughtful lyrics and production may just be my favorite on the album. It’s a sound that feels somewhat reminiscent of 2010’s electronic pop, while still reinventing itself with distorted guitar and shouted refrains of “bleed it out!” Choruses like this one soar. It’s a kind of freeing appeal to listen to your heart, while still lyrically maintaining an ambiguity left up to the interpretation of the listener. “People” contemplates the idea of sonder (the realization that every human has their own lives and personal experiences), while synthesizers and vocal layers create a lush soundscape leading into the second chorus. It’s artfully crafted, and so clearly full of intentional lyrics and sound dynamics. I know it's a song I’ll be analyzing for some time to come.

It’s a delicate balance to be able to write impactful “bangers,” as well as down-tempo songs. A perfect example of this kind of balance is on “Long Drive” with Kacy Hill, where her vocals are a match that just seems to make sense. The song’s ending picks up a bit, with the addition of horns (possibly my favorite part) and more drums, easing back into the upbeat “Lie, Lie.” Other slower songs like the Jordana-featured single “Songs,” and closer track “Thank You,” don’t feel out of place on this album. It’s not an album that could be described with one genre, in the same way that humanity can’t be described by one emotion. Persona holds room for the complexity of the human experience, while providing consistently solid music.

The chorus of “All My Love (Imperative)” feels meaningfully repetitive, with a shimmering choir echoing the phrase each time. The song doesn’t just tell you “I’ll give you all my love,” but also sounds light, airy, and infectious. Elements like jazzy horns, and pluck-aided drum breaks like the one in “The Point” really make Persona stand out. The more I listen to Persona, the more I catch. Every song is a playground of sound, with little riffs between phrases or subtle basslines, without ever feeling unnecessarily crowded. It’s an accomplished culmination of eleven songs, each one different in a unique way. The album concludes with a grateful “Thank You,” which ends with a singular guitar strum. I love simple moments like this almost as much as the high-energy ones, because it’s a mark of the feat half•alive has accomplished. That final strum feels like a simple closer after wowing an audience with everything they’ve got.