PopTake
Hot takes on music, pop culture, and life 🔥🎶🍿
Hosted by Hugo Filipe & Mikael Melo.
PopTake
KATSEYE, Tyla, Charli XCX and the Movies Taking Over The Summer
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This week we're running through KATSEYE's new single "Animal," ADÉLA's upcoming album "Prima," Tyla's latest, and Charli XCX's "Music Fashion Film," then pivoting to quick movie reviews of I Want Your Sex and The Odyssey.
Then we close with a real HotTake: does streaming actually support the artists we love, or is it all about concerts, vinyl, and merch? We get into stan culture, cost of living, and where fan pressure crosses a line.
Subscribe for more, and let us know where you land, is streaming enough or do artists need more from fans?
Welcome Back And New Releases
SPEAKER_00Welcome to Pop Take. Your hot takes on music, pop culture, and life. I'm Hugo Philippe. And I'm Michael Mello. And the thing we love to say when we're back, um, we I think it's has it been more than a couple weeks? I actually don't know. Time is fun by two. It's been a week. That's crazy. We're gone for a music festival. That's crazy. Yeah. It's felt like a month.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, time flies. Time flies when you're flies. There's been a lot of music that we're gonna cover today. The new Charlie XX album is out. We have new Cat Side, Adela, Adela, Tyla, slots, and a lot of good movies. It's the time of the year where like Blockbuster movies are hitting. Um I mean, we have The Odyssey, which I saw, which is crazy. We'll get into Spider-Man's coming up, so that'll also be a heavy hitter. Technically, Toy Stories 5 has already been out for a little bit too, but Blockbuster Summer's here.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, let's jump right into
KATSEYE “Animal” And Label Drama
SPEAKER_00it. Let's talk about okay. I want to start, I want to talk about Cat's Eye new song Animal. Yes. And there's some drama as well.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I just always drama. There's always drama. Well, I Cat's Eyes Animal is a great song, first and foremost. It's written by Ed Sheeran, who just like has a pen for writing songs. Did you know Shape of You was written for Little Mix?
SPEAKER_00I did not know that.
SPEAKER_01I thought it was written, yeah, I knew it was written for someone else, but I didn't. It was written for Little Mix and they passed on it. And so Ed Sheeran was like, I guess I'll just release this myself. And so like he knows how to write stuff for a girl group. But the crazy thing is Manon, who's still on hiatus, even though I which I texted you this St. Sateen, which is the other Hive Global Girl Group, Lexi departed. And they didn't even debut yet. They haven't even put out real music as a four group. Like they found their final member, and Lexi was like, And this is another show, right? It was like they had three girls who were in the previous show in this new band, and then they were like, now we're looking for our final member. Okay. Which I think doesn't work because it's like you have three girls who've like already been friends for years and now you're adding a new girl. Doesn't work. But like there was a show for this new group, or was it just like it was just Japanese because they specifically wanted a Japanese girl. Okay. Uh, anyways, one of the girls left. So clearly Hybe and Geffen have the capacity to announce someone's officially exited the group, but they're holding Manau hostage. We don't know why. Um, but that girl's not coming back. But the T is is Manau has actively said an interview, she loves Ed Sheeran. So for Kat's Eye to release a song written by Ed Shiran, it's actually crazy. Very shady. I but I don't blame the girls, and the song is really good, but I think the problem is, and this is the generic comment, is because it's one of Cats Eye's few not made for TikTok songs, everyone's like, this is fantastic, where it's just a generic pop song.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think that Kat's Eye has a formula, and they did it last time where it's like they released what, like gnarly, whatever, and then Gabriella, right? And now they're doing the same exact thing. And this like this song is the equivalent of Gabriella.
SPEAKER_01Gabriella's older sister, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so I feel like like that's kind of an not annoying, but like the like we can already see the formula, you know what I mean? Yeah. And I like it works because everyone's like, oh my god, like a real pop song, and now people are drawn to it, but it's also like I'm already bored of it. Like, and I the songs that end up being those like TikTokified, you know, things I don't really gravitate towards, like Pinky Up is cute, but then the one after that, that like collaboration with the other iconic mistake. Like, cut, cut. Like, I I am not a fan. So, and I just I they're not surprising me by like doing the same thing, you know what I mean? So I feel like like they have so many resources, like they're such a big for being a band that doesn't even have an album yet, they're such a big band, but they're just not it's messy, it's messy.
ADÉLA’s “Prima” Artwork And Singles
SPEAKER_01It's the label because also the fact Adela is about to release an album for Cat's Eye is crazy because they all started on Dream Academy. Adela was the first to get eliminated. Um, which to be fair, in the documentary and in Dream Academy, the judges were like, we just see you as a solo artist, which in Adela's case, it really was true. Not incredible. I would hate to see that girl sing gnarly, you know. I want to see her sing Sex on the Beat and everything else.
SPEAKER_00I feel like she could do it, but like I feel like I feel like like if you compare gnarly and sex on the beat, like they are the same sort of like grimy sound, but like I think Sex on the Beat is a better song. I will go down and and in history and say that. Like, I just feel like she's been able to like hone in on her craft, yeah. So and now she's got her debut album coming out.
SPEAKER_01Prima. Uh I like okay, there's a lot of people who are not loving the album artwork. I kind of like it. I don't love it. I think people just hate fun.
SPEAKER_00Like no, it's kind of giving me smile. Like the the smile in the corner and how it's like distorted, it's giving me like you know the horror movie. Yeah, I'm kinda and I I I think that's why I don't like it. Like it just something about it is giving me that. But like I saw an alternate cover, I think it was for Target. Target that one was.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I like it. I think it's fun. I think we're like it's it's not just a pretty picture, you know? Like there's something creative to it. I think the wink where like that it's the A is fun. I think I don't know, people are like really shitting on it. I'm like, it's not that bad. There's been worse album covers.
SPEAKER_00There has been worse album covers. I also just feel like she hasn't wowed me with an album cover yet. Like even the provocateur, like she's peeing like a man. I know, but it's like cover, but it's uh it's a provocative album cover.
SPEAKER_01I actually had this conversation with Marco and on this long, like Marco, my neighbor. Okay, okay. On this long tangent being like, uh like the EP's album cover is so amazing and Prima doesn't match this, blah blah blah. And I was like, you hate fun, but both are great.
SPEAKER_00I don't I don't hate fun, I don't think is also great. No, but I think the single covers have been better. Like I think the KGB cover is beautiful, I think that like the red bottoms cover is cute, I think that her single covers historically have been better. Um I didn't like the provocateur, like that EP cover matches the project. Like I don't dislike, like it makes sense, but I don't I don't think I just like that's why I'm curious.
SPEAKER_01I think the album cover is gonna tease that the sound is kind of like young adolescents like finding her way. Because like ain't in LA, I feel like it kind of has that like I would be 2000s vibe.
SPEAKER_00Sorry, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but it also is reminding me of uh oh, I was always like I didn't have to come to LA to be this person. I've always been this person, yeah. And I think that's what a lot of the album is gonna be. And I kind of like the picnic stat, like glitter and like the like that, you know, like someone could just done it at home, and I I kind of miss that area. It reminds me of Fifth Harmony's last album where it's just like love a Fifth Harmony throwback. But like, do you know the album I'm talking about where there's like the four of them and it's like red, yellow, or it's just like it's at first I was like, who the fuck made this? But then you sit with it and you're like, you know what, Picasso.
SPEAKER_00I I feel like she just has better artworks, but I don't hate it. I just I'm not it's I'm not in love with it. And I also think it will be a good reflection of this album, um, which like I'm not fully sold on in the same way that I was on the EP. Like, I feel like the provocateur was like such a put together project, and I feel like it had a very specific sound. And I know I've heard her say like she just wants to explore other things, but I'm like, like, what's your favorite song right now from the album? Like of the three that we have. KGB. I guess KGB. I think it's also KGB. But I don't know. I'm excited to see like the she played one live boys, I think it was. Remember that one? That was kind of like Brittany-esque.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I feel like that'll be I feel like the album will be balanced, but I feel like right now we've gotten like a couple of ballads back to back.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, but I kind of want some because I meant I like when she did super scar act like live, like stripes back. Like she is a vocalist. Um, so I think it will be fun.
Tyla’s New Album A*POP And The “Rihanna” Debate
SPEAKER_01But someone else who dropped an album is Tyla, and it's also getting some flack back.
SPEAKER_00I mean the I mean online flack, Twitter, so like you never You cannot trust Twitter. You cannot trust Twitter. But how do you feel? Okay, I I like it. I am surprised that I actually quite like it because I haven't been the biggest Tyla fan, but my critique is that it does not sound necessarily like a Tyla album, which is might is a good thing, I think. But I think if you're a Tyler fan and you're expecting sort of like more of like the fusion, I feel like there's less of that here than there's been historically. My biggest critique is that I feel like it sounds like Rihanna. And I will like die on that hill because the first, like, the first three songs, you could tell me those are Rihanna demos, and maybe she's gonna fill that void of like us not getting Rihanna music, but I feel like they sound like Rihanna.
SPEAKER_01I don't know if that's if I agree with that statement. I also just feel like because sometimes I at Leanne got the same critique. This album, I think it's fun. I loved um Is It Love? I like Kiss. I like She Did It Again. I I was on this couch defending She Did Again when people didn't like it, and I still think it's a great hit. And I I don't know, I I don't think there's anything wrong. I remember at the Grammys when she won Tyler One for best African pop or something like that. She made a statement to be like this song could have just been a pop.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And I think that this album is just more pop. And I don't like I also don't think she's ever, I've never thought that she sounded like Rihanna. This is the first time. Also, just as like uh she co-wrote most of the album with Bibi Berelli, who did most of Auntie. So I think like I see like Auntie is such a quintessential like Rihanna album. And so when I hear Bibi Barelli on other things, it like I can see the isms from Auntie. Do you know what I mean? Like she has a very specific like writing style, but just something about it, like even the first one, I think it's Is It Love, the first track, like comes in with that like hard guitar, and that's like so like um rated R Rihanna, like a little bit of Auntie. Like, there's just I can like I love it, don't get me wrong, but I don't necessarily feel like it's like the signature tiless sound.
SPEAKER_01See, but I don't like that in the sense of people said the same thing about Camila, where they're like, she's always doing the Latin-inspired music, do something different, do something different. Then she does something different, and then everyone hated on it. So then she's like, Okay, well, guess not. And then years later, now everyone's hyping up CXOXO.
SPEAKER_00I mean, CX is a great, is a great. I think it's time.
SPEAKER_01I think like you need to like let artists experiment. And I don't know, I I I I like the album. I think she's only had one album. So just be like, this isn't even her sound, it's like, well, we haven't really let her marinate, you know. I think maybe for me, the apop is the issue.
SPEAKER_00Does that make sense? Like, I feel like maybe this album isn't the apop, or maybe it's like her trying to make apop a thing. But I think what maybe people perceive as apop isn't necessarily what's in the album.
SPEAKER_01See, I didn't realize A-pop stood for something.
SPEAKER_00That's I like that's what the streets said. So I I mean I could be wrong, but it was like Africa pop. Like it was like her, like it. I don't know if she's specifically been been like it means African pop, the Africa, whatever the actual word is, but I think that that was the style of music that this album sort of encompasses. And maybe I'm wrong. That's what I don't trust Twitter. So but that is what Twitter
Charli XCX’s "Music, Fashion, Film" And B-Sides
SPEAKER_00said. Um, another album that came out though, your girl. My girl Charlie XX. Music fashion film. Um, I had to think about that for a second. I'm like, is it that the right order? But it is music fashion film. Um, I okay, I quite like it. I love Charlie. It does have to marinate, and I have had time because I did go to the screening, so I had had time to like really think about it. I don't think this album is like anywhere near done. Like, I feel like we are getting more from this era. Like, so you um, I mean, obviously you didn't go to the screening, but um the music videos that we got at the screening were so were different than the music videos that we've been getting. So, like at the screening, we got like a different music video for camera, and we got a different music video for Wink Wink. And I think even the rock music music video was different. And I sort of feel like there's another side of this album that like we haven't gotten yet that might be a bit more poppy because I've noticed like everything in this album has been black and white for the most part, but then like some of the music videos are in full color, and even in like the film, some of the music videos were in full color, and we don't even have one of them yet. So I kind of feel like there's another part of this that's gonna be like the traditional sort of Charlie sound. I don't know, I like the album. Do I think it's her best work? It's not for me, but I I'm gonna listen to it. I'm gonna give her the clicks, I'm gonna give her the streams, and I'm gonna support my girl.
SPEAKER_01I want to know if you can guess my favorite off the album. It's the last song. It's not interesting. I did like that one though.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Was that one nothing lasts forever?
SPEAKER_01The last one uh is No One Lasts Forever. That one's a good one, but it's not the one.
SPEAKER_00Um interesting.
SPEAKER_01Uh this is your girl, so I just I I I I thought you uh outside of the singles, because I do like Wink Wink. Wink Wink. Uh maybe Card Declined. So I actually did want to talk about that, but that's not the one I'm thinking of. But I'll give you one one more.
SPEAKER_00Uh it there's I forget the name right now, but there's one towards the end. It's uh it's either Magic Meadow Montana or Persona.
SPEAKER_01It's Persona. Yeah. I like Persona a lot. I think it's well written. Um, but I do like card decline, but I was listening to it as I was like cleaning this morning, and the end of that song sounds like the start of a new song. Yeah, it's just like 15 seconds that like doesn't really fit, but then I'm like, oh, this is so good. So that's not 15 minutes, 15 seconds.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I'm surprised she kept that in there. So that was in the in the film, right? And I thought that was just a film bit, but that's the B side to I think rock music. Okay. So that is one of the songs that's like on the vinyl. Yeah, yeah. So that was such a good song. It is a good I was like, damn. The three B sides have all been like more of like the pop that people expect from Charlie. And so I do think that there's still gonna be something there. Like, I mean, we got a two-part album for Brat. Like, I think there's gonna be something with the B sides. Right. I there's more coming. We know Charlie. It's never just like one and done.
Short Albums Versus Long Albums
SPEAKER_01So um Yeah, I will say my one thing I also want to touch on, because last week we missed a bunch of albums, but like an album I really loved was Olivia O'Brien's, and then there was um really great album. I think it's actually her best work. Uh, a couple songs I really liked from that was Quarter Century Blues, The Masochist, um then uh Gracie Abrams, but my two critiques with those two albums were like they were long. Like I I like that Charlie's is short. And I like Ariana's next week is also gonna be like a 32-minute. Like, I think and I we talked about this when Torture Poets came out. It's just really hard when as people with busy lives to sit with 15 songs and be able to like differentiate which song is which, which obviously makes me sound so ungrateful. Like, oh, what a first-well problem to get more songs, da da da. But I do think there is something nice about here's 10 songs or 12 songs, these are the ones I've chosen, and you can instinctively like tell between each song.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think I I I prefer longer albums, I think, for the most part, because I I want music, I'm greedy, but I think that it is definitely easier to palette when like the album has more of like ups and downs, you know what I mean? Like a lot of like slow songs, like high energy, mid-tempos, like that mixture when it's sort of like a one-tone album. Like, I think Tortured Poets is a perfect example of that, where like Torture Poets is one tone, like every song is a similar vibe, and like that is a very hard album to like really go through and like stay in it, you know? But I think with the Charlie one, like it is also kind of a very similar note for the most part. So I feel like a shorter album is what made sense, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I just yeah, I think sometimes it's it's hard to consume. I'm I'm thinking about Gracie's uh and Olivia's that were just like Olivia O'Brien's that were so long, but then Olivia Rodrigo kind of kept it like had the story arc of like falling in love, falling out of log, the anger, and I think that makes it easier to digest.
SPEAKER_00But anyways, I liked that Charlie Charlie's was short and I think it's also more difficult for like not saying us, but like when we're also trying to listen to so many things to talk about and go through it, like that makes it a bit more difficult. Um, because I feel like sometimes I don't really like listen to music to like fully enjoy it. Sometimes I'm like listening to it for work.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know what I mean? But and also like some half the time I'm at the gym, so it's like maybe I'll get through like an like an album and a half, and then I'm like half the time you're at the gym, you're always spending your time in the gym. Wow, that's where I listen to music. That's true.
SPEAKER_00Um, yeah, I mean moving on from film, from music,
I Want Your Sex & The Odyssey
SPEAKER_00fashion, film.
SPEAKER_01Mm-hmm. Let's talk about film. I just saw uh I Want Your Sex, which Charlie XX is actually in it. It's a really good film. I thought I was really impressed with that. It's funny, but it also makes you think about kink and sex and just like our culture and hierarchies and stuff like that. But it was really I gave it like four and a half stars. Interesting. It's like really funny. I think it's my funniest film of the year so far, but I haven't seen The Invite, and everyone who's was with me when I saw it. Right? Yeah, yeah. I want your sex says you need to see the invite. Yeah, I've heard it's great. Yeah, but then I saw The Odyssey and I was also very impressed by it. Um, I don't know a lot about Greek mythology outside of Percy Jackson, quite frankly. Um, so sometimes I wish there were like some title cards to be like this is this god of whatever.
SPEAKER_00I've heard they like expect you to kind of understand a little bit. Yeah, and like all I know is from God of War, so if any of that isn't incorrect, then I'm gonna be very confused.
SPEAKER_01I don't know, but all I can tell you is Matt Damon can still get it. He can still get it. I'm actually very excited to see this film. Like it was everything I've heard. But there's also like one scene. I mean, obviously it's it's a fable, but there's certain things where I was like, no way could I be in that situation. Like, there's one scene where they're like they they put themselves in like this statue to hide in it.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01And they're there for like 10 days. So he's like describing, like, yeah, we had to like shit and pee on each other, and like you have to smell that for 10 days. I'm like, bitch, no one would survive that. Yeah, I'd be there for five hours, it'd be like, just take me. And then technically, based on like based on how it goes, like, someone would have to drown if you had 10 days of like urine in there, anyways.
SPEAKER_00Great. I actually literally just saw this morning on TikTok like a parody of that.
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, because the scene is a little like that. Don't make sense. Yeah, like if they had just understanding if they were just like we were there for like five hours, sure, but 10 days, I'm like, get real. Got it. Okay, that that makes the video I saw this morning a lot more understandable. Okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So um, but yeah, shall we get into the hot take of the week?
HotTake On Supporting Artists
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, listen, I know this is gonna be a hot take, obviously. That's that's the point, but I believe like if you don't go to concerts or buy vinyl or merch from your favorite artists, you're not supporting them. Like, that's like just streaming albums is not support for an artist.
SPEAKER_01I thousand percent disagree.
SPEAKER_00Really?
SPEAKER_01That's yes, because I think you have to understand like a lot of young people don't have funds. Like, I think I think like you don't understand how hard it was for me as like a Fifth Army stan at like 14, 15 to try to convince my parents to take me out of my small town to get down Toronto.
SPEAKER_00I think when you're a younger person who doesn't have your own money, that's the exception to this.
SPEAKER_01But even as an adult, there's so many things like people have to pay rent. There's like I think streaming is still like I don't love the conversation of you're only a fan if you if you're spending money. Like you can still be a huge fan of someone's music without having financially like you could be best friends with someone and have never bought them a coffee.
SPEAKER_00I get it, but I just feel like sometimes people are like take this so for granted, like, oh, it's my favorite artist, I love them so much, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But like, I've never actually given them. Like, I think people also assume that artists, like, because they're big artists, have like are making millions of dollars and all this stuff, right? And I think there's like lots of levels to that, and it can be very nuanced, but like streaming doesn't pay the bills. And so I just I think it's crazy when people are like, This is my biggest art, like artists, I love them so much. I like they've gotten me through so much. Like, this album saved my life, and it's like, well, I've given them three dollars. You know what I mean? And like that's I don't feel like it's like money is like such a tricky subject. I don't know. I just I feel like people need to support artists more, yeah, period. And I just I think that those people who don't do that, and it's a blanket statement. Like, yeah, there's uh definitely times where I haven't been able to support artists that I've loved, 100%. But I think that you know, maybe there are people out there who can support and choose not to, you know?
SPEAKER_01I guess I still feel like in this economy, people are trying to like pay groceries and things like that. Like, I don't and I also just remember being like a young person, being like, I can't go to every show. I can't buy everything. Like, I or you know what I mean? I don't think it's a val uh uh a measure if someone's a fan or not how much money they put towards something.
SPEAKER_00It's just like your friends can just like like and comment on something if they've ever purchased or you know, yeah, but I think it's different because I also don't expect my friends to like support me financially, you know what I mean? Yeah, but the same thing with an artist.
SPEAKER_01Like I still think I still think you can be like a big fan without having spent money.
SPEAKER_00I still think you can be a big fan without spending money, but I think people that choose not to spend money, so I I'm adding the choice in there, right? Then I feel like you are not being a big fan. If you have the choice and you choose not to. That's that's right.
SPEAKER_01Because I think about like how many moms like have probably bought like a Taylor Swift shirt off Sheen because it's more affordable to buy for their daughters than getting the like $60 band t-shirt or the $80 band t-shirt. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00Taylor Swift doesn't need any more money, so I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Well, put your money where your mouth is, because you were just saying a couple minutes ago.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but that's a whole different story because why is it different? Because that's predatory. She doesn't need she literally like So all of a sudden it doesn't matter. No, yeah. I mean, Taylor Swift, like spend your money, buy one vinyl, buy one shirt, sure, but you don't need to buy 30. Like there's there's a there's a line. You don't need to buy and go into everything an artist tells you. Like, I think stan culture is so toxic, and I think when like people are like, I'm a stan, I'm sometimes like, okay, that to me means you're willing to go to any lengths to do whatever this artist tells you. And you will like take out reason to like back up your artist. Like, stan culture to me is like low-key toxic, personally. But if you want to spend all your money, do it. I mean, it maybe sometimes you're being brainwashed to do it. That's on you to figure out. But I guess it seems like you gotta really decide.
SPEAKER_01Like, no, I don't know a minute ago. You were saying you gotta spend money to support your artists, and then the next one is an exception. You're there's a lot of people. There's this billionaire.
SPEAKER_00No, she like no.
SPEAKER_01I anyway, to my point to disagree with your point, I think streaming music is enough. I think like supporting the art form is enough. Obviously, money is is helpful if you support them and go to their shows and stuff, but I just removing us and like I my friends in my hometowns and things like that who love music as well, don't get to put their money on those things because they have kids, they have groceries to pay and things like that. So I think you have like that's my take on it is you still can be a stan without putting money towards the artists.
SPEAKER_00I the last thing I'll say to this is like I think so much about like I think you and I have been in the same same position when we're like 16 at home, we don't have our own money, but we're like on forums and we're like posting on now, it'd be like on you know, TikTok, Instagram, using the sound, and like supporting artists in other ways that we can because we love those artists. And I don't necessarily think my comment applies to those people because they are doing what they can, but I just still think there are so many people out there who like claim that they love artists and like they love this thing and this song changed their life or this album changed their life, and then it's like, but I have never once actually supported the artist that has supported me, you know what I mean? And that's that's my take on it. I think it's a it's a hot take for a reason.
SPEAKER_01How about this? Like, how many people are like, I'm a big fan of the Beatles, and then they all but all they do is like they've learned this to play the good the song on the guitar, you know what I mean? Like I think there's different ways the artist you like support them even if it's not financially.
SPEAKER_00Yes. That's my hot take. Yes, that's it. We could I could literally go in circles about this. Agree to disagree. Yes. And we're gonna just end
Osheaga Plans And Sign-Off
SPEAKER_00it here.
SPEAKER_01But yeah, we are gonna be at Oceaga next week, so we have a lot of fun content on the way. We are on a mission. Yep. Um, but until next time, I'm Michael Mello. I'm Hugo Philippe. Listen to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Bye. Bonsoir.
SPEAKER_00Practicing your French. Yep.