UNIVERSITY CITY, P.A. – The Universities have announced a new plan to “save” the UC Townhomes by purchasing them and selling them back to residents at “fair” prices in a stunning display of benevolence. Because, well, nothing says “fair” like a price set by a private institution with a vested interest in maintaining high housing prices.

Unsurprisingly, the plan has been met with skepticism by some residents, who see it as nothing more than a ploy to maintain the status quo. “Oh, how thoughtful of Universities to swoop in and save us from the horrors of affordable housing,” quipped one local. “I guess we should just be grateful that they’re willing to take such a bold stance against economic justice.”

Others have expressed concern that the plan will only serve to entrench further the Universities’ control over the housing market in University City. “Let’s be real, the last thing we need is wealthy universities owning even more of the real estate around here,” said one activist. “It’s bad enough that they have a monopoly on higher education in the area.”

But fear not, dear residents, the Universities have assured us that they have our best interests at heart. “We understand the concerns of the community and we want to work together to find a solution that benefits everyone,” said a spokesperson. “That’s why we’ve come up with this brilliant plan to buy up all the townhomes and then sell them back to residents at prices that we get to set. It’s a win-win!”

And as for the recent influx of wealthy out-of-state students driving up housing prices? Well, don’t worry about that either. “We’re confident that our plan will put an end to the housing crisis in University City once and for all,” said the spokesperson. “Because if there’s one thing that’s worked throughout history, it’s leaving the fate of the housing market in the hands of a small group of powerful individuals.”

So there you have it, folks. We can all rest easy knowing that the University City Townhomes will remain unaffordable for the foreseeable future thanks to the Universities’ heroic intervention. Huzzah!

Shockingly, the government has revealed that it intends to place cameras in every house in order to protect residents’ personal information.

To prevent unauthorized disclosure of private information, authorities claim they will only use cameras to keep tabs on online behavior. Assuring people that the film would be kept secret and used exclusively for “national security” reasons, the government says it may collect such data.

A government spokeswoman stated, “We recognize that individuals are worried about the privacy of their data, and we want to assure them that we have their best interests in mind.” This, as the author puts it, “is the only method to be sure that no one’s private information is being shared without their knowledge or agreement.”

While the possibility for misuse of this monitoring system has been highlighted by critics, residents have been reassured by the government that they have nothing to worry provided they have nothing to hide.

“The best way to look at it is as an additional safeguard for your private data. The equivalent of locking your diary, “said the spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, the government has declared that it would be placing microphones in public areas to listen in on discussions for “national security” reasons.

The government has said that its primary goal is to ensure the safety and security of its population. And if it requires giving up some privacy, well, that’s a tiny price to pay.

Some citizens are applauding the government for taking precautions to safeguard personal information, while others are worried about the possibility of misuse stemming from increased monitoring.

Certainly, the government is giving careful consideration to the issue of citizen data privacy, and further “protective” measures are likely in the near future.”

For dummies who take everything seriously: Please be aware that the above is satire; the government is not putting up cameras or microphones in people’s homes or public spaces to protect their personal information.

After eight long years, the USA has finally returned to the FIFA World Cup. Heading into the tournament with a very talented yet also very inexperienced team, there were mixed expectations for the Stars and Stripes. This was made even more complicated when the US was drawn into a tough group alongside England, Iran and Wales. Most pundits within the country were confident enough that this team could make the Round of 16, though they reiterated it would not be easy. On the other hand, many from outside the US predicted a first-round elimination. 

But with the narrow yet deserved 1-0 win over Iran on Tuesday afternoon, the US has officially punched their ticket to the knockout stage, setting up a meeting with the Netherlands in the Round of 16 on Saturday morning. Given the youth and inexperience in this squad, the highest realistic expectation for this team was to make the Round of 16, which they did, meaning they achieved their goal and anything past this point is just an added bonus. However, that does not mean the US will roll over against the Netherlands, as I am sure they will give their all. But in anticipation of that matchup, let’s look back at how the US got this far.

USA 1-1 Wales

The USA’s first game at the 2022 World Cup and the country’s first World Cup match since their 2-1 loss to Belgium in July 2014 was against Wales, who had to fight tooth and nail to qualify for the tournament. While this Welsh team may not be Europe’s most talented, they still have a strong footballing pedigree boasting talented players like Ben Davies, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen and of course, Gareth Bale. They also did well at the last two iterations of the UEFA European Championship. That being said, this was seen as probably the USA’s easiest game to win by comparison. 

The American manager, Gregg Berhalter, decided to switch up the starting XI, starting Josh Sargent up top and Timothy Weah out on the right wing. Both decisions ultimately paid off in the long run. As the game kicked off, the US came out the gate swinging, applying heavy pressure to the Welsh backline and relentlessly creating attack after attack. The US nearly scored in the first 10 minutes when a cross from Weah was accidentally headed by the Welsh center-back, Joe Rodon, at his own goal, only for Wayne Hennessey to save it. In that same run of play, the ball was sent back into the Welsh box and was met by Sargent but his header smacked off the post.

Late in the first half, the intense US pressure would pay off as a turnover in play saw the star of the team, Christian Pulisic, released into open space with the ball. With a tricky dribble that attracted four Welsh defenders towards him, Pulisic played a deft through ball to Weah who was able to slip a shot past Hennessey, sending the USA up 1-0.

Into the second half, the US continued to press Wales but this strategy eventually took its toll and the American players started to become visibly fatigued. This, coupled with Wales switching up their formation with the substitution of Kieffer Moore, saw the Welsh gain a foothold in the match. Davies had a header that was expertly saved by the American number one, Matt Turner, and Moore had a close header off a corner. Then, just as it looked like the US would ride out the 1-0 lead, Ramsey played a cross to Bale. With a tackle more akin to American football, the defender, Walker Zimmerman took out Bale with a kick from behind and the referee had to call a penalty. Bale stepped up to take the penalty, and without a doubt in his mind, cannoned the ball into the side netting, tying the score 1-1 and further solidifying his status as one of the most clutch players of all time. Despite playing so well in the first half, the US found themselves robbed of a victory as they went into their next game against England.

England 0-0 USA

The next match against England was seen as a match by pundits which the US would almost certainly lose. The question was not “how could the US beat England?” but rather “how could the US minimize their loss to England as much as possible?” This sentiment was not baseless, as England has one of the best teams in the world. Only narrowly losing to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 Final after making the 2018 World Cup Semifinals, this English squad is filled with truly world-class players such as Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish and many more. It also did not help that England just came off a 6-2 smashing victory over Iran in their last match.

Despite the media not giving them a chance, the American players refused to count themselves out and took the game to the English. The best chance of the game for England came in the tenth minute when intricate buildup play between Jude Bellingham and Sterling opened up a clear chance for Kane, the top-scorer of the previous World Cup. But with a heroic block, Zimmerman made up for his mistake against Wales and deflected Kane’s shot wide. And from that moment on, it was complete domination by the US. The American players were first to the 50-50 balls, they were winning headers, blocking off passing lanes and pressuring the English players into mistakes. This aggression seemed to have shocked the English and they reverted to their much-maligned defensive shape. Haji Wright had a header that went wide and Weston McKennie sent a one-touch shot over the bar, but the USA’s best chance came and went as Pulisic received the ball on the left wing and with a quick change of pace, created some space for himself and sent a rocket of a shot flying towards the English goal. Unfortunately for him, the ball struck the crossbar. 

This continued into the second half. Even as the US players started to tire themselves out, England barely had any clear chances with McKennie and the American captain, Tyler Adams, doing a wonderful job of shutting down England’s midfield. In the 90- plus third minute, England had one last opportunity during a freekick when Kane latched onto a looping ball from Luke Shaw. But luckily, Tim Ream was able to just slightly put him off balance and the header flew wide. And with that, the match ended 0-0. Despite England literally creating the sport of football and despite all the criticisms they have of Americans calling the sport “soccer,” this result means that the English have yet to defeat the US at the World Cup after three meetings, dating back to 1950. From an American point of view, this match sent a shockwave of confidence through the nation. Not only did the US not lose, but they were the better team and probably should have won.

Iran 0-1 USA

Even with the USA’s draw against England which almost feels like a victory, the team was still in dire straits heading into their last group stage match against Iran. Because they were unable to hold on to their lead over Wales in the first match, the US was sitting on two points, behind England on four and Iran on three. After Iran’s heavy defeat to England in their opening game, most people had written off the Iranians. But it soon became evident that this loss was most likely due to the political controversy back home, with the whole ordeal possibly distracting the players from their mission here in Qatar. These internal divisions were stamped out by their second match, though, and Iran outplayed Wales professionally, running away with a dramatic 2-0 victory. 

This meant that in order to advance, the US absolutely had to win their last match. A loss or even a draw would not be enough. Meanwhile, all Iran had to do was hold on for a draw. Heading into this match, the players knew that Iran would not be an easy opponent as they are one of the best teams in Asia and even had a respectable finish at the last World Cup. Not to mention Iran have a dangerous player up top in Mehdi Taremi, who is a top striker for the Portuguese club, Porto;  he scored both of Iran’s goals against England. Then, of course, the political tension between the two nations was always going to add a little extra pressure as well.

Playing through the pressure, the US started this match like their previous two –  with relentless attack after attack, putting Iran through the vise grip. Utilizing their talent on the wings, the American frontline bullied the Iranian backline and already in the eleventh minute, Pulisic had a header saved by Iran’s goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand. Only five minutes later, Sergiño Dest had a dangerous cross that had to be palmed away by Beiranvand. The Iranian number one was called into action yet again after Sargent’s shot was deflected and fell right to Weah who tried to head it toward the goal only for Beiranvand to save it yet again. 

Then in the thirty-eighth minute, it was utter jubilation for the USA. McKennie sent a long ball over the top to Dest who was able to redirect it into the box with a powerful header. Rushing towards Iran’s goal was none other than Pulisic who was able to contort his body and poke the ball home, sending the US into the lead as the crowd went absolutely crazy. Pulisic even slightly injured himself while scoring the goal, showing the sheer determination that this team possesses. Right before halftime, the US thought they went 2-0 up after another through-ball from McKennie was steered in by Weah but it was unfortunately called back for offside.

Now heading into the second half, all the US had to do was hold on to this lead and they would reach the promised land. But still, the job was not done. The US had a few chances early on but knowing they were facing elimination, the Iranians cranked up the pressure and carved out a few chances of their own. Saman Ghoddos had a header which he sent up over the bar. Not long after, Iran had another dangerous move where Ali Gholizadeh was able to dribble past Jedi Robinson and send a low ball into the box. Taremi was unable to reach the ball but it fell to Ghoddos again who sent a curling shot towards goal which missed the top corner by mere inches. But Iran still could not find their elusive goal as the minutes went by. 

Into injury time, things got chaotic as the US was desperately trying to hold on while Iran kept pushing. With a freekick in the 90-plus third minute, Morteza Pouraliganji sent a diving header towards goal but it was narrowly off-target. With about a minute left in the match, a long ball over the top was met by a header aimed for Taremi who made a dangerous run. Turner came out of goal to intercept the ball but Taremi slipped on the grass and collided with Turner. In the midst of the chaos, the ball bounced past Turner and was rolling painstakingly towards the wide-open US goal only for Zimmerman to come in and clear the ball off the line, saving the day for his country.

Just like that, the referee blew the final whistle and the match ended 1-0. Players from both teams collapsed to the ground after the intense mental and physical pressure as tears rolled down their cheeks. For the US, they accomplished their goal— into the Round of 16 they go. Who knows what the future holds for this talented US team? But whatever happens against the Netherlands, the players can feel incredibly honored for making their country proud.

Drexel University Ski and Snowboard Team (DUST) is grabbing their gear off the shelves and maintaining a clear and confident mindset as they come closer to entering the upcoming competitive season. DUST is part of the Atlantic Highlands Conference (AHC) for the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) and competes against other universities within the conference. Competitions include men’s and women’s ski and snowboard racing as well as men’s and women’s ski and snowboard freestyle.

Jocelyn Conroe, fourth-year Psychology student at Drexel and President of the club, shares how she is cracking down on defining goals she is eager to achieve this season. 

“I would say definitely [getting] to regionals. COVID affected us a lot last year with not being able to afford to go and paperwork. So, I think that a big goal for us is to have our paperwork processed and also support our members in completing their goals of making regionals,” Conroe stated.

Due to the pandemic and dangerous weather conditions, DUST was only able to compete in two out of the five competitions in their conference last year. The team is excited and determined to compete this year, coming back with determination and drive. Conroe shared how they have been practicing in the off-season. 

“I think a big thing we can do is go to Big Snow in New York. It’s at the American [Dream] Mall and it’s really great,” Conroe said. “It can be hard for us to get there because it’s a drive and it costs money but I think it’s a really fun thing for us to do because it’s a great place for freestyle and we have a lot of people on freestyle for our team.”

Conroe also shared how she and other teammates have been getting ready for the season on the dryland. 

“So we do that, and then also we just… We all try to stay in shape, you know we all work out, do things that help us just be ready for the season. I know that Zoha and I are going to be doing a whole leg workout so that’s going to be our thing for ramping up for the season so we’re not dying this year,” Conroe explained.

The president of the club described what her responsibilities look like being in an administrative role, but also acting as the team’s biggest motivator. 

“There’s a lot. I think that the main one is to have your head on your shoulders and have everyone else be the same way because a lot of it is just management and I think that goes for all organizations; we have meetings with Drexel all the time,” Conroe mentioned. “But it’s mostly just tracking paperwork and making sure that’s complete and then also just making sure that the team is really bonding together and getting to know each other and that it is that team environment first and not a paperwork processing role.” 

This is Conroe’s third year on the team as a ski racer and freestyler, so she is familiar with the past culture of the team. She works with the executive board and the coaches to continually facilitate an innovative leadership team that supports the members in every way possible.

During the winter term for Drexel, DUST will be competing against other universities in the AHC, which includes University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Fairfield University and others. Annually, East Coast slopes, including Blue Mountain, Hunter Mountain, Camelback, Belleayre and Mountain Creek, reserve trails to conduct collegiate competitions.

Zoha Ahmad, first-year Drexel graduate student in Business Administration and the team’s snowboard race captain, shared what her mindset was like when she won first place overall in Women’s Snowboard Racing at Camelback last year. 

“I’ve learned that sometimes it’s not about going fast, because there were so many instances where people would just fall and miss their gate and then would be disqualified…” Ahmad said. “I guess I learned that sometimes going steady and slow wins the race but also now that I have won, I want to do it again and if anything, it’s made me more competitive.” 

But, it wasn’t all about the technique. Ahmad explains that the environment surrounding her also contributed to her success. 

“We did have a really good group of people who were on the mountain with us waiting and cheering for us as the snowboarders raced and that to me just made me feel way more excited and way more motivated to do well. I’d want that for other people, too,” Ahmad stated.

Ahmad has been a DUST snowboard racer for three seasons and understands the mindset and attitude a competitor needs to have while out on the slopes. 

“I mean if you don’t have the right attitude or if you’re not excited or motivated then yeah, obviously you’re not going to want to take first place. That was a goal that was recently established for me,” the snowboard race captain stated. 

Ahmad also talked about the conditions of racing on the East Coast where slopes are often icy and vicious. 

“If you’re too timid, then you might go too slow, catch an edge, fall over,” Ahmad said. “But if you’re over-confident about yourself, then you might go too fast, hit a patch of ice, and slide right off…”

Both Conroe and Ahmad have high expectations for all of the coaches’ presence this year as they plan to attend all five competitions. The president and race captain have to guide their team’s energy toward being optimistic and confident. The coaches also play a big role in being a foundation and providing mentorship for the rest of the team. 

“I think our expectations for the coaches this year is to really just support each member…all of our coaches are alumni, so they have that experience of being on the team and have competed,” Conroe said. “I know that our one [coach], Tim Averianov, who is actually a graduate student here, he was actually on the e-board, so it’s one of those things where he can also be a mentor for us on the e-board this year, but also for those thinking about it next year which is a really amazing thing.” 

All of the coaches have experience with racing or freestyling and can encourage first-time competitors to seek training, practice and guidance. 

Ahmad shared her expectations for what the coaches can help provide for the team this year. 

“I want [our] coaches to make sure that people who have never raced before and who are new to our team feel comfortable…I’d want them to also be there to maybe help teach other people how to properly carve around gates, know where to carve, and the proper procedure of what it means to like board GS— that’s what I want. And I want them to facilitate an exciting environment for people who want to have their races be completed in a really fun way,” Ahmad mentioned.

With the fall term coming to an end and winter break around the corner, the team is excited to keep their high energy and drive throughout the winter break. Undoubtedly, they will be using that time to move from indoor to outdoor slope and practice before their first competition during the winter term on Jan. 14 in New Jersey’s Mountain Creek slope against the rest of the AHC. The executive board and coaches’ efforts to cultivate this mindset create the belief for not only the team, but also their supporters, that there will be a success this upcoming season. To follow the team’s journey this season, follow them on Instagram @drexelskiteam.

Although Ooblets was released as a beta game on other platforms in 2020, the official release on all platforms (including the Nintendo Switch) was on Sept. 1. I had never played the beta version, but I did pick up the full game on launch day and I’m glad I did. 

Ooblets is one of the cutest and coziest games I’ve played, which says a lot considering my self-proclaimed title—cozy gamer. It feels as if everything in Ooblets was designed to be comfortable, cutesy and relaxing. It really has everything you could want in a cozy game. The characters are adorable, the materials you gather have silly names and precious designs and the other characters have a lot of personality. What sets Ooblets aside from other cozy games is the Ooblet creatures. 

Ooblets are tiny little creatures that love to dance. You can interact with them and eventually grow your own. They follow you around everywhere and can even complete simple tasks for you. The biggest personality trait of the Ooblet creatures is that they absolutely love to dance. The way to acquire new Ooblets is to compete in dance battles. However, before you can ask for a dance battle you need certain materials that are prompted before the start. If you win the battle, you are given an Ooblet seed, which you then water and tend to for a few days. The battles are formatted in a turn based card game. You win by reaching a certain number of points first (the points needed to win range depending on how many Ooblets you have with you in the battle at the time). 

Ooblets is easy to get lost in as you are quite literally creating a new life in a different world. Your character has moved from their hometown of Ahroh Island, a place where Ooblets are banned. Your character has decided to leave everything they know to start a new life, a life full of Ooblets. Once your character arrives, you are greeted by Mayor Tinstle. Tinstle allows you to stay in an abandoned farm house in exchange for work. 

There are many different things you can do and although you are given tasks to complete, you can really just do whatever you want. Some of the tasks include gathering materials, fishing, talking to citizens and adding to your farm house. There are a handful of different stores to shop at and you are in charge of your own farm. Eventually you are given the task of cleaning up a woodland area that will one day be an Ooblet sanctuary. 

Some smaller details that I enjoyed were the customization. Considering you could put a lot of time into Ooblets I enjoyed getting to name and design my character the way I wanted. There aren’t too many clothing or hairstyle choices at the start, but more options can be unlocked and bought later on as you progress.

Another detail I enjoyed was the menu dialogue options. The responses on menus are perfectly on brand for the content. For instance, instead of a typical response like “finished” or “quit” the option is always “Dunnit.” There are cute little quirks similar to this sprinkled throughout the game. It is easy to tell that the game was created with attention to detail and it really does enhance the experience when playing. 

Although Ooblets is simple, it is really easy to get lost in. There are so many little things to love about it and I would be listing things for quite some time if I were to try. Cozy gamers everywhere are sure to love this game and grow attached to their cute little Ooblet lives.

On Aug. 16, local Philadelphia artist, Saleka, opened along Fana Hues for the Giveon Tour. The show sold out The Metropolitan Opera House. This was the first show of the tour and I had the chance to talk to Saleka about her experience. 

*This interview has been edited for clarity. 

IR: I’m very excited to talk to you. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Your artist name and everything? Just like a little introduction.

Saleka: My name is Seleka. I am a musician. I grew up playing classical piano. I have an album coming out this fall. Right now I’m opening on tour with Giveon, which is really exciting. 

IR: I saw that your first show was in Philly. Right? Like the opener.

Saleka: Yes.

IR: Are you originally from Philly? 

Saleka: Yeah, I grew up here.

IR: How was it to open on this tour, right around where you grew up? 

Saleka: It was kind of a just by chance that the first date of his tour ends up being in my hometown. But it was really nice because my family and friends came home, which was really cool. My band is also from Philly, and a lot of Giveon’s band is actually from Philly, so it was really nice to kind of kick it off, with everybody there feeling the love. 

IR: I’ve never been there to the Met before. The energy was absolutely insane. I really liked the venue. I want to ask you about your music and what you do. What made you go from playing classical piano to who you are now as an artist? How would you describe your music? 

Saleka: I grew up playing classical piano. When I was about 16 or 17, I kind of felt like I wanted to start writing my own music. So I kind of transitioned out of classical piano into like a singer-songwriter type of space. But it definitely really came from all the training and knowledge that I had from classical piano. It transferred into how I write and how I understand music. All the training that I have kind of still applies to the music that I make now. I categorize my music as R&B, or alternative R&B with influences from jazz, hip hop, blues and World Music, although I don’t like that term, a little mixture of a bunch of things.

IR: I was looking into your discography on Spotify, and I saw that your earliest work on there is from 2020. Is that when you started doing music as the artist name that you go by now? 

Saleka: 2020 – that was what I started first putting out music. 

IR: That is amazing. Congratulations for going on tour with such cool artists after two years of being in music.

Saleka: It’s been crazy because 2020 was during the pandemic and so we started releasing music in the beginning of a pandemic. There were no shows at all that whole first year of releasing music so it was kind of just very strange to not have the live aspect. Now it’s coming back and it’s really exciting to be on tour and finally get to play in front of people and sing the songs that have been out. It’s nice.

IR: I’ve heard a lot of artists say this, but I was curious, what your opinion is about it? Do you feel like the isolation and the pandemic played a huge role in who you are as an artist now, the music that you released? Do you feel like that impacted your career as an artist at all?

Saleka: It definitely impacted it. I think it impacted the whole industry and everyone was affected by it, for sure. It definitely gave me time. It slowed down a lot of things. But at the same time, it did give me a lot of time to work on other things. I think especially the music videos that we made, a lot of them I made with my sister actually, kind of developed from that period of time where me and my family were all just quarantined together. We were like talking about things and working on things and wanting to collaborate. A lot of the music videos came out of that time period. Also, I’ve been writing songs for a TV show called “Servant.” I also wrote a song for this movie called “Old.” A lot of that kind of familiar collaborations developed from that period of time, because we were all in the house together and involved in each other’s art and kind of collaborating in this really cool, fun space that we had. We’re all very close and would be supportive of each other. That really forced us to even work together and to depend on each other for work things because you can’t really go to outside people for a lot of stuff. It really kind of developed this cool collaborative space within my family, which has developed now.

IR:  That sounds like you’re a house full of creatives. Can you tell me a little bit more about your projects as well? And how your music fits into the projects and everything.

Saleka: For the movie, I wrote a song that’s kind of part of the plot, and then is played during the end credits. It’s part of a character’s evolution. It marks the passing of time for this character, but also how everything stays the same because it’s kind of the beginning and the end. It’s a very meaningful spot. The family in the movie is very close to my heart because it’s largely based on my family. The lyrics were very much about the relationships in the movie, love and how love transcends time, which is a big theme in the movie. With the TV show, I am basically writing an album that kind of spans over the course of a few seasons. It is also very much attached to one particular character and her development from a girl becoming a woman, as she’s discovering her power, and her sensuality, and the things that she wants, and the things she’s afraid of, and she kind of turns to music in these very vulnerable moments that are kind of transformative for her. Each song has a particular place in this journey. Sometimes there’s dancing and movement. Sometimes it’s about her relationship with a person she loves or the things that she wants. It’s been really fun to write for this TV show because it’s been like three years and I’m writing the last couple songs right now, which I’m kind of sad about. It’s all ending. It’s been really fun to write for a show like this. Every song has its own special spot in the storyline, which is really cool. It’s like a really fun challenge, I think.

IR: Do you think there’s a difference between the creative process you go through during the writing moments for these shows and your own personal music? Do you think you look at it from a different perspective?

Saleka: Oh, it’s definitely different. Yeah, it’s a completely different process. You’re reading a script, and I’m writing a song for a script. That’s just a completely different mentality than when I’m writing my own personal music. I’m going to have to fulfill the ideas, hopes and wishes of the producers, music supervisors, directors and writers that all put that script together and had a vision for what they wanted the songs’ role to be. I really enjoyed it and I think the feeling of Servant is stark and edgy, but also fun space is a musical genre that I really love. It has led me into more of the Jazz and Blues space. 

IR: You’re going to launch an album in the fall and I saw you have a single out right now called “Red Eyes.” Regarding your music, who are your biggest inspirations?

Saleka: Oh, there’s so many. We talked about classical piano –  huge influence for me. I would say I listened to a lot of Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill growing up, a lot of hip hop music as well. I’m a big Bob Marley fan. I’m a big Nina Simone fan, Sarah Vaughan. I feel like she’s one of my favorite vocalists of all time. I’m super inspired by each artist and they made me idolize music and what it means to be an artist. 

IR: Do you still plan to stay in Philly and be part of like the Philly scene? Do you consider yourself part of the Philly music scene? 

Saleka: I definitely want to be. My family is from here, you know it’s kind of my home base. I definitely like plan to stay here. Because of the nature of the work, I travel so much. I go to L.A. a lot for work, we go to New York a lot for work, but I think it’s really nice to have a home base in Philly. I also think the music scene in Philly is really incredible. The musicians that I work with, engineers that I work with, actually even a lot of Giveon’s band. You look at a lot of the bands from big artists too, a lot of times their band members are from Philly. I don’t know why that is. I think there’s just this really great, humble, but disciplined, talented musicians that come from Philly. Something about the city just fosters that energy. I really love it. I love you know, all the musicians that I’ve met from Philly are so sweet, so down to earth and can just kill it. They’re sick. I really love being here. I want to keep going and working with music. The good thing about the pandemic is it allowed for all of us to figure out ways to work virtually and so that’s been really fun to kind of connect with people that I might not necessarily be near and still work with them and then maybe go visit. I love Philly – that’s our city and so I feel very connected to it and I always want to stay connected to it. 

IR: Yes, I love talking to people from here. Everybody talks with so much love about each other. The music scene is growing and everybody’s all love with each other. 

Saleka: I feel like every city has its own kind of energy when you go into like the music space. A city like New York, there’s there’s so many people. I just feel like there’s this really nice love that you feel in the Philly space. On this tour also, my band and then a bunch of Giveon’s band are also from Philly. We’re in Philly sweatshirts backstage. We have this connection with each other.

IR: How has it been on tour?

Saleka: It is my first full tour. It’s very intense and exhausting, but also super fun. Giveon’s audiences are just the best. They’re so excited. They’re music lovers. It’s a very unique experience to just be in front of an audience that has no idea who you are and is waiting for somebody else. I’m just grateful every day.

IR: I wanted to ask you as well about future plans. I saw something about you performing at Philly music fest. Do you have any other upcoming plans and what like what do you have going on after the tour is over? 

Saleka: Philly Fest is in October. My album will be coming out. It’s called “Seance.” I am going to be writing a lot of music when I get back. Then hopefully planning a small kind of headlining tour for the album.

“Never Have I Ever” season three, while one of the cringiest things I have witnessed in a while, is worth the watch. The show’s latest season, released on Friday, Aug. 12, features 10 episodes of 30 minutes each. Since following the show since the first season was released back in 2020, I have developed a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. I love the storyline, the complex characters and the South Asian actor representation within the industry, but hate the secondhand embarrassment it gives me approximately every 10 seconds. It’s your typical awkward high school drama with that one character who looks like he should be a father with two kids playing a teen. Let’s dive in. 

There were many different relationship developments this season. I wish there could have been an adequate amount of screentime for each of them, but unfortunately due to the season’s short nature that was not possible. One of the relationships that really stood out to me was that of Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and her mother Nalini (Pooma Jagannathan). These two have had a rocky bond, or lack thereof, from the start of the show. But in this season we finally see them come to a mutual understanding that they both need each other more than they know and that they should be holding onto each other, instead of pulling away. 

I also wish we got to see more of Devi and her cousin Kamala’s (Richa Moorjani) relationship. While they butted heads at first when Kamala moved in with Devi’s family, in this season they had an already-established good relationship. Kamala was sort of the older sister Devi never had when it came to advise about life and boys. We all know Devi could use all the help she can get in those areas if her decision-making track record is anything to go by. 

Aside from familial relationships, season three definitely does not lack in romantic ones. Devi has found herself in a love square this season, as new love interest Des (Anirudh Pisharody) entered the picture. Between soft-at-heart jock Paxon Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet), academic rival Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison) and the nerdy but easy on the eyes Des, Devi really has her hands full. You would think becoming Paxton’s official girlfriend would solve all of Devi’s problems, but like her therapist has told her many times before, a relationship cannot fix everything. 

I’m on Team Paxton, but I can see the argument for Team Ben as well. However, I will not support Team Des (if it even exists) for reasons I cannot disclose without spoiling a big plotline in the season. I will say one of my favorite things about this show is how realistically Devi’s character is written. She is not the perfect high school girl who always knows when to say the right thing and always gets the guy. She is the complete opposite of that, which is kind of how she got in this love square, ironically. Her awkwardness allows for her to be more relatable to viewers. Still, some of her actions are just outright wrong, so I have definitely been thrown for a bit of a loop sometimes when it comes to her. But I still do like her character (I think?).

As for other characters I like, Fabiola Torres (Lee Rodriguez) is one of them. Fabiola deserves better. I said it once and I will say it again. Every love interest she has either gets written off, broken up with, or just not enough screen time. At first she was with Eve (Christina Kartchner) but she ended up moving to South Korea. Then we got the unexpected pairing of Fabiola and Aneesa (Megan Suri). I thought they were cute together, but they did not last long due to “lack of chemistry.” I feel that if they were given a bit more of a storyline, things would have gone differently. Lastly we have Fabiola’s current partner Addison (Terry Hu). This couple has so much potential and seems to be pretty steady, but we have barely seen them together. The only information we receive about their relationship is what Fabiola tells us. We need better content. Hopefully we will see all of these loose ends tie up in the show’s fourth and final season.

I could talk about season three all day and barely scratch the surface of what I want to say. The only way you can truly experience the depth of this season is to watch it yourself. Grab a snack, get cozy, and get ready to laugh. Stream season three of “Never Have I Ever” today.

The highly anticipated Adult Swim Festival took place earlier this month, spanning over the weekend of Aug. 5-7. This festival was highly advertised all over Philly, especially targeting the community with endless ads on social media leading up to the festival. For this reason, it seemed everyone was buzzing about the festival, extremely excited for the stellar lineup which included several Philly locals, including Tierra Whack and SPIRITOFTHEBEEHIVE.

The event was spread out between Brooklyn Bowl, The Foundry, The Fillmore and a sectioned-off outdoor area which was in front and snaked around to the side of the buildings. Traveling between these areas was not an easy task, as there was confusion from both festival goers and security as to exactly which events your specific ticket had access to. For this very reason, we were unable to see Hannibal Buress perform upstairs at the Brooklyn Bowl. 

There were also discrepancies between “ins and outs,” meaning if a festival goer walked into the Fillmore, they were not allowed to go back into the outdoor section. This rule was later overturned after much confusion and upset. The discrepancy created an odd atmosphere at first, but the vibe was redeemed by the array of food, drinks and activities onsite. Specialty beer was served as well as free Wendy’s items from a food truck, including a “Pickle Rick” Frosty which was mint-flavored, topped with pickle potato chips. There were also delicious tacos, dumplings and more to munch on between sets.  

The Foundry, a small club above The Fillmore, served as an air-conditioned safe haven from the blazing sun in the late afternoon. The space had a full-service bar and was screening unreleased and special adult swim animated episodes. 

At 7 p.m. on Saturday, local Philadelphia DJ Jewelssea came to the stage.  Her name was projected in giant marquee-esque letters behind the stage, illuminating them behind the DJ booth. A DJ mostly known for performing in the underground rave scene, this particular event was a breakthrough moment for Jewelssea. They were outfitted with an elven-style vest, designed by local clothing brand A Life Among Ruins. 

Jewelssea’s style was only the beginning of her captivating stage presence and performance. Opening a festival is by no means an easy task- setting the ‘vibes’ for the night is imperative for any set first on the roster. Jewlessea did just that and set an electric tone which energized the crowd who enjoyed themselves thoroughly while they eagerly waited for Tierra Whack to perform. 

The second performer of the night was DJ Diamond Kuts. She is a Philly legend – the first woman to a have a slot on Power 99, mixed for the BET Awards, official DJ for the Philadelphia Eagles and many more. Her set had it all— the perfect mix of songs to dance to and tons of people on stage to make everyone as hype as possible. She brought out all the Philly talent to create the perfect energy—two little kids dancing in classic Philly fashion accompanied by a lot of dancers that made the audience not stop for a single minute. They were waving flags, doing flips and getting everybody ready for the main act of the night—Tierra Whack.

Having come straight from Australia, Tierra Whack was ready to be back in her home city. She was wearing a bright floral dress with a pair of high white boots while rocking her bright red hair. At this point, the venue was completely packed. Tierra wanted everybody to sing along. She wanted her home city to match her energy and that is exactly what happened. Everybody was singing along, dancing and having the best time. You could feel the Philly love in the air. Everything was really magical. There is nothing like an artist coming back home and seeing them perform for the crowd that has always been there supporting them. 

The second night of the Adult Swim festival was an interesting success. What started out with some weird energy ended up being saved by the amazing performances. The Philly-themed night of the festival made people go home very satisfied. 

Harry Styles’ latest album “Harry’s House,” released on May 20, does not disappoint. It is the perfect summer album to blast in your car with the windows down — until certain tracks hit a little too hard, possibly causing you to sob (I know I did, at least).

The album starts off with “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” which is sonically insane. The song has a bouncy feel with such smooth harmonies that will have you questioning your entire existence. Styles truly transports us to another dimension with the sweet blend of trumpets, drums, bass and of course his award-winning vocals. 

The next track, “Late Night Talking,” is a personal favorite. It has a gentler feel than the first track, scratching your brain in just the right way. The lyrics “We’ve been doing all this late night talking / About anything you want to till the morning” from the chorus are especially catchy, making you want to sing along and bust out those dance moves you’ve been practicing in your room. They also remind you of that special someone that you just can’t get off your mind. 

In my opinion, the next track “Grapejuice” takes a few full listens to fully appreciate. Styles’ vocals feel a bit far away, making it the perfect song for zoning out and thinking about life. “As It Was” follows suit with its upbeat and poppy feel to boost your mood once again. Although this single was released earlier this year, the bridge is still an absolute masterpiece no matter how many times you hear it. 

“Daylight” helps you come down from your jam session with its more chill vibe. The instrumentals surround you in the best way possible. You can truly feel the electric guitar in your soul. 

“Little Freak” deceived me with its title. I thought this would be a song similar to “Kiwi” or “Only Angel” (songs from Styles’ self-titled album “Harry Styles”). I was not ready for a whole crying session, though the track itself is extremely comforting. There is a certain calming factor to it. It helps lessen any anxiety I have while listening. Styles sings about a failed relationship that may have you reminiscing over all your past loves. Definitely a song for that 3 a.m. playlist. 

As if Styles did not torture us enough with “Little Freak,” the next track, “Matilda,” will absolutely rip you into shreds. This song is for everyone who is stuck in a toxic environment or who has had to leave one in order to foster self-growth. It’s as if Styles is giving every person who hears this song a warm hug. I have seen people claiming on various media outlets that eldest daughters relate so deeply to “Matilda.” As the eldest daughter myself, I have to agree. I cannot fully express in words how much this song means to me. It is easily in my top three favorites from this album. 

Styles brings groovy energy in his next track, “Cinema,” acting like he did not just totally stomp on your heart. The bridge has many fans confused with lyrics that are rearranged several times. It has become a TikTok challenge to use the audio and turn your volume down to see if you can get it right without hearing it. 

“Daydreaming” immediately gets your blood pumping again with its upbeat intro and gritty background vocals that make you want to scream along with Styles. This is another track that took a couple of listens for me to get into, but I love it now. 

The next track, “Keep Driving,” is another favorite of mine. It sounds straight out of the ’80s, which earns it a very high ranking in my book. It is a quintessential late summer afternoon driving song. 

The lyrics to the next track “Satellite” are quite sad if you listen closely, but the song itself gets your head nodding. The lyrics “You got a new life / Am I bothering you? / Do you wanna talk?” are extremely relatable. The song is about that one person in your life who you feel disconnected from, even though you want to be there for them. Towards the end of the song, the instrumentals pick up, with the drum beat getting faster and Styles calling out the person this song is about. For me, “Satellite” represents what overthinking feels like. 

Get your tissues ready for this next one. I mean it. The whole box. “Boyfriends” made me tear up the first time that I heard it. It is my favorite track on the entire album. Styles softly sings the story of a broken relationship that you still always come back to no matter how toxic it is. The repeated lyric “You’re back at it again” cuts deep. 

The album is capped off with “Love Of My Life,” which I absolutely adore. Styles sings about a love that he thought was the one for him, but it did not quite work out. He captures the experience of being unable to let go of that one person your heart holds on to, no matter what. The gentle piano keys at the end were actually a teaser that Styles put out on his social media before the album was even released. I recognized the clip immediately. Nicely played. 

Styles has outdone himself once again with this album. Go give it a listen!