Jordan Peele’s (“Get Out,” “Key & Peele”) writing, directing and producing chops are stronger than ever with his new film “Us.” The film’s story revolves around mysterious and murderous doppelgangers who begin to wreak havoc on the Wilson family while on vacation at their summer home.

This film is another great addition to Peele’s filmography which keeps audiences guessing and on the edge of their seat. The budget Peele was given for the film has definitely increased when compared to his previous film “Get Out.” Many new settings add to the grandeur of the story and keep audiences moving from place to place, keeping the film from dragging.

Peele’s writing in this film is fantastic and actually light-hearted at some points. Having such dark and serious situations build tension only to be cut by the realistic and humorous writing made the Wilson family much more relatable and builds a relationship between the audience and the Wilsons.

I also really enjoy the commentary on horror stereotypes, actions such as hesitating to call the police during an emergency, or talking to strangers in a macho way to illicit intimidation came off as realistic instead of unnecessary plot devices. It makes the viewer scared for their own life because they can sympathize with some of the decisions being made while reflecting on what the viewer themselves would do in such a situation.

The directing in this film is fantastic as well. The story keeps its foot on the gas, and with a run time of almost two hours, I was thoroughly entertained throughout. The camera’s positions and movements in this film force the viewer into the perspective of the innocent. Moving at eye level with the children illustrates the looming presence of danger seemingly watching from above. Shots that slowly zoom in or out at such a pace your brain begins to become anxious as to what will be uncovered. Long takes too close for comfort on the protagonists’ and antagonists’ faces illustrate an unrelenting dread.

The accompanying score for the film features plucked orchestral strings which create a sense of haunting beauty and hark back to horror score masterpieces such as “Jaws” (which gets a small shoutout) and “Psycho.”

Peele does a great job leaving clues or puzzle pieces throughout the movie to engage the audience and keep their minds racing as to what is actually going on in the story. With that being said, a second viewing may be necessary since the story itself leaves a lot open for interpretation. I don’t think this will be a problem for the film because the main ideas and points come across as well conceptualized, but I just think it is important to note most audiences will not come out of the movie understanding all of it.

“Get Out” had a similar style of storytelling where clues or phrases were left for audiences to figure out or reflect on. An example from “Get Out” would be not mixing the white milk with the colored cereal. Small instances like that show the depth of thought Peele has put into his films. The main difference in “Us” is that it doesn’t cover topics such as race and oppression in such an overt fashion.

The only large problem I had with the film was the youngest child actor. There were times I could see him break character and it took me right out of the story. The other actors in the film did a great job, but Lupita Nyong’o’s (“Black Panther,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “12 Years a Slave”) performance of the mother was phenomenal. There was not a second I couldn’t feel her pain,  her anger and her determination; it was very inspiring.

I feel so privileged to be alive during this renaissance of high-brow horror. Although I do love my low-budget, tacky and sometimes terrible horror movies, this new era of putting time, effort and care into horror has elevated it to a new and exciting phase. I can’t wait to see what Peele’s brilliant mind delivers next.

Since 1996, Nickelodeon has released around 40 films in theaters, many of them based on pre-existing animated shows like “Rugrats” or “Spongebob.” But Nick’s newest film “Wonder Park” is an original film that the studio plans to turn into its own series sometime in the near future, similar to what they did with “Jimmy Neutron” back in the early 2000s. Will this film create enough hype to make sure that the upcoming series will be a success? Don’t hold your breath.

“Wonder Park” is an animated film directed by “Cow and Chicken” creator David Feiss and includes voice actors Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Garner, Kenan Thompson, Mila Kunis, Ken Jeong and John Oliver. It tells the story of a young girl named June who builds an imaginary theme park with her mother, full of talking animals and amazing rides. But when her mother gets really sick, June decides she doesn’t want to play with the theme park anymore and destroys it. On her way to camp one day, she discovers that the theme park might not be as imaginary as she thought, and now she must help the animals save the park from being absorbed into a black hole. Will she be able to save the park in time?

When I was walking into the press screening, two of the ushers were talking about how the movie was bad, the jokes were unfunny, but you would probably enjoy it if you were 6 years old. This obviously put a bad taste in my mouth, but I told myself that maybe they were wrong, and I would end up enjoying the movie. After 85 minutes, I found out that they were right. This movie is bad. It’s boring and unfunny. The star-studded voice cast is completely wasted since none of them were given anything to work with.

The plot structure is all over the place. The first act of the film sets up multiple storylines that don’t go anywhere, and the following two acts barely have any story at all. You could easily skip the first two scenes of the film, and it wouldn’t feel like you missed anything important. The movie never does anything to fully establish the characters in the park, and you don’t really care about what happens to them. June doesn’t appear to learn any major life lessons besides to never lose her sense of wonder, which is the lesson she would have learned regardless of the film’s ending.

The animation feels so uninspired and generic. I didn’t mind it at first, because in my mind, it looked like a direct-to-DVD movie that somehow got a theatrical release and probably only cost the studio about $10 million. But then I looked up the movie’s budget and found out it cost the studio $100 million! How the heck could a movie this bland cost so much? To put this in perspective, Netflix’s “Next Gen” cost only $30 million, “The Lego Movie” cost $60 million and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” cost $90 million. All three of those films look amazing, but the human characters in “Wonder Park” look like background extras from a DreamWorks movie. For a movie that builds itself on the idea of creativity, it doesn’t feel like the filmmakers did enough to actually capture the imagination of a young girl building her own amusement park.

The park is called (drumroll please) Wonderland. That’s right, the name of the park isn’t the same name as the movie itself. It almost feels like they wrote the script under the name Wonderland, realized that if they called it that people might think the movie would be about Alice in Wonderland, so they crossed out the word “land” on the title page and wrote “park” but forgot that they needed to change the name every time it was in the script.

In other words, don’t see it. Just watch “Alice in Wonderland,” or “The Wizard of Oz,” or “The NeverEnding Story,” or “Pan’s Labyrinth” or “Spirited Away.” All of these films took a similar premise and actually did something creative with it. The only thing this movie will make you wonder is how this movie got greenlit.

Sigrid is an anomaly in modern pop music.

These days, it often seems  like every artist is striving to make a bigger and bigger statement on how unique they are. They aim to be flashier and somehow distinguish themselves with more clout or circustry. Whether it be through their elaborate social media posts, their high-end branded outfits or their bold, sexual and creepy visuals.

Sigrid, however, prefers to be understated. She is most often seen in a pair of pale blue high waisted jeans and a plain white t-shirt with her long locks down or pulled back in a simple ponytail. Understated and, dare I say it, normal. She’s the popstar that could blend in walking down the street.

But don’t let her simplistic look fool you; she’s got the spirit of a rebel and a powerhouse voice to back it up. In 2017, the Norwegian singer started her international career by releasing the single “Don’t Kill My Vibe,” an anthemic track crafted as a venting of frustrations after an unsuccessful session with two older male producers. The result, though, is a song that speaks to a much wider feeling. It can be about a break up, overbearing parents or basically any situation where someone is ruining your mood.

Over the next two years, Sigrid continued to prove herself as an impeccable pop artist, dropping two EPs (“Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Raw”), performing sold-out shows in Europe and New York City and winning the BBC Music Sound of 2018, besting the likes of Billie Eilish and Khalid.

Needless to say, her debut album was highly anticipated, and now we finally have it. Sigrid released her album “Sucker Punch” via Island Records March 8. The album is the perfect extension of what she started with her two EPs, but it also pushes her further with beefier production and showcases her full vocal abilities.

Her songwriting is what Sigrid gets the most credit for. She is able to turn very specific moments and sounds from her life into relatable pop fodder.

Take the song “Sight of You.” She wrote it about a performance at Ireland’s Electric Picnic Festival last year and the drain of touring. But the end result is an ABBA-esque synth-pop ode to friendship and human connection. It’s about those people who keep you going and put a smile on your face when happiness is the last emotion on your mind.

Another example is the kiss off “Business Dinners.” In her words, “Business Dinners” is an homage to the films of Studio Ghibli (“Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro”), but the result is a bubbling anthem about sticking to your guns amidst pressure to please others.

Her ability to flip tiny moments into full pop songs is what has brought her an audience, but her voice cannot be left out of the picture. Throughout “Sucker Punch,” she shows off its many dimensions.

We were introduced to her battle cry on “Don’t Kill My Vibe,” which is one of only a few songs to make the album from her preceding EPs. But, her voice can also be that of the gentle singer songwriter, like on “Level Up.” She has a controlled falsetto on title track “Sucker Punch” and a contrasting growl and rasp in the chorus of “In Vain.” She breezes through her melismatic hooks on “Don’t Feel Like Crying” and “Strangers.”

From the very beginning, “Sucker Punch” is in your face with belligerent production. The bouncing synths that open the title track are insistent. As the album continues, the production continues to demand attention.

Borrowing largely from the ’80s synth catalogue and recent revivals of the sound like Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Emotion” and Taylor Swift’s “1989,” the album hits similar pure pop highs. But, just when you get comfortable with it, it zigs right when you are sure it’s about to zag.

The most impressive feat is the song “In Vain.” The song sits in the groove of a stripped back mid-tempo ballad until just around two minutes and 30 seconds where it pulls a quick change and briefly becomes a cutesy little sing-along only to immediately backflip out in a totally different direction. In theory, it shouldn’t work at all, but it hits so hard that its perfection is undeniable.

Though she took her time with it, Sigrid has managed to create a debut album that is an even stronger statement that her excellent debut EP. It is a more fleshed out vision of her as an artist and should serve as a blueprint of how to get back to pop music’s roots in a world dominated by hip-hop and rap. Though Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” is likely to be the biggest pop album of the year, Sigrid’s “Sucker Punch” is probably going to be the best work of pure sugar-coated pop in 2019 and a better argument for the genre as its own entity.

The Jonas Brothers are back and here to impress with their newest track, “Sucker.” The unexpected comeback of the iconic boy-band was shocking to listeners, bringing us back to the simpler times of 2007. The Jonas Brothers are embracing their past while showing they are better than ever with this track. It marks their return after a six-year hiatus and the band has achieved an extremely successful comeback.

“Sucker” has earned the title of No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of March 16, bumping Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” from the top spot. The song is very easy to love and will be stuck in your head for hours after listening. It is upbeat, fun and very reminiscent of their past sound while being relevant with the times.

The song is about special moments between the brothers and their respective significant others. A lyric from the song reads, “I follow you through the dark, can’t get enough / You’re the medicine and the pain, the tattoo inside my brain / And, baby, you know it’s obvious.” This is a feel good song that comes just in time for spring and warm weather. It stands out from other recent pop music due to its retro vibe and whistles throughout the song.

The music video for “Sucker” has a dreamy, whimsical “Alice in Wonderland” vibe. It is visually pleasing with beautiful costumes, colors and an unbelievable set location. The Jonas family is shown dressed in elaborate gowns and suits fit only for a fairytale.

The video was shot in a massive countryside estate, Hatfield House, in Hertfordshire, England, which was once the home of royalty. The video is glamorous, sexy, eccentric and, most of all, fun. It has already reached over 69 million views since its release Feb. 28.

The video features Danielle Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sophie Turner, making it more special and personal. It begins with the band holding a private concert for their significant others. Their audience is lounging on chairs, surrounded by dozens of rabbits. The tone of the video is adventurous,  energetic and leaves you wondering what could possibly happen next. It is captivating and holds your attention throughout its entirety. Looking away for just a moment ensures that you will miss an intricate detail.

One of my favorite moments of the video was Danielle Jonas wearing an extravagant, pink gown and a sparkly, sequin glove while walking many dogs. An honorable mention is Turner taking a bite out of the estate’s greenery for reasons unknown to me.

The Jonas family lavishly enjoys their time at the estate by running through the halls, taking bubble baths outdoors, holding a tea party and continuing the festivities into the evening. The video ends with a glimpse into more intimate moments between the three couples. Chopra Jonas stole the show with her charismatic presence.

In addition to their new music and video, the group spent a week with James Corden appearing on the “Late Late Show.” The brothers participated in some of his more famous bits like “Carpool Karaoke” and “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts.” The band also announced that they are releasing a documentary with Amazon. It was the filming of this documentary that inspired the group to get back together and make new music.

I appreciated that the Jonas Brothers have opted not to change their image or ignore their past, but rather continue where they left off with a more modern sound. It will be exciting to see what more they have in store for fans.

After having a Top 10 hit, it could have been expected that Maren Morris would take this moment to make the full transition into mainstream pop star. Her voice was already in everyone’s head as her collaboration with Zedd, “The Middle,” has basically been inescapable between incessant radio play and Target commercials.

But on her sophomore album, Morris doesn’t make her Taylor Swift transition into pop. Granted, she started farther into the country-pop spectrum than Swift did.

Swift’s eponymous debut album was full on country charm, brimming with banjo and pedal steel. Morris’ major label debut, “Hero,” spoke the country lingo but drew on influences from pop and R&B to really make it shine. Morris was already flirting the line Swift towed on “Red.”

“Hero” took the shine of bro-country’s pop sensibilities and reflected them off the traditions of country music to fill out the soul. And it worked so well, earning Morris five CMA Award nominations in 2016, four Grammy nominations in 2017 and one in 2018, and one win each.

On her sophomore body of work, “Girl,” Morris reassures the country crowd that she is here to stay. But, she continues to flirt with genres that are dominating culture.

On “Girl,” her melting pot has gotten bigger and bolder. The production is amplified and more sure of itself, much like the singer herself. The tracklist is split between themes of empowering womanhood and her recent marriage.

The album is front-loaded with four very different but equally heavy hitters. The title track showcases a sense of liberation Morris has found since breaking it big. It is the most anthemic moment on the album.

“The Feels” has the fun energy that Morris bottled on “80s Mercedes.” You can feel the pure joy radiate off this one. It is sure to be a strong performer this summer.

“All My Favorite People,” which features Brothers Osborne, leans hard into country tropes but bolsters itself into a true hoedown barn burner. It is the strongest true country moment on the record.

“A Song for Everything” is a meta ode to the wide array of songs we have at our disposal to articulate exactly how we feel in any moment. It could easily become a cringe-worthy cheesefest, but Morris’ sincere vocal delivery keeps the track real.

In reality, after these four, the album hits the sophomore slump and gets stuck in filler territory. Honestly, just two or three tracks could have been left off, and the project would seem stronger as a whole.

The problem tracks really falter because of the universality in their lyrics. Songs like “Good Woman” and “Gold Love” rely on conventional metaphors that we have heard over and over.

While on “Hero” Morris establishes her individuality, “Girl” loses this specificity. The opening lyric of “Flavor” proclaims that she “ain’t gonna water down my words,” but that is exactly what she does here.

Two standouts from the latter chunk of the album are “RSVP” and “The Bones.”

“RSVP” has a similar flirtatiousness to “The Feels,” but it brings in the sensuality of R&B to make a decidedly different statement.

“The Bones” is arguably the best song on the whole album. It is a ballad to her husband and the strength of their relationship based around the metaphor of the structural “bones” of a house. The message is that their relationship and love can make it through any storm because “the house don’t fall when the bones are good.”

It is soulful and features an impressive vocal performance. She showcases her subtle runs in the verse and belted adlibs in the final chorus. The combination of the talented songwriting and vocal power behind this track really make it the album’s standout.

While “Girl” stumbles a bit in the middle, it is a strong country album from a star who could have taken this opportunity to abandon the genre. Morris chose to stay connected to her roots and is likely to continue the trajectory of a solid career for it.

Maren Morris will play in Philadelphia April 26 at The Fillmore.

Following the announcement of the production of Marvel’s newest cinematic installment, Captain Marvel, it is unfortunate to say that there was as much hatred for the new star-spangled hero as there was awe and admiration.

As always, arbitrary trolling and unjustifiable dissatisfaction beg the question: Why?

After having discovered arguably one of my favorite comic book characters in the summer of 2015, my dreams finally came true in 2016 when President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige announced the film adaptation of Captain Marvel at San Diego Comic-Con. However, it came as a crushing defeat when the reality of the situation was that seemingly half of humanity already hated the idea of a woman taking the lead of this beloved franchise.

I have spent enough time browsing through social media to identify the three main categories of hatred that Carol Danvers has been receiving: the white male inferiority complex, the “you should smile more” saga and just downright disinterest.

The first category is actually as hilarious as it is irritating. The slew of comments on Marvel’s instagram trailers for the movie such as, “I’m a white male. Guess I can’t see this movie.” are ridiculous. To put it simply: We are females and we loved Iron Man, Batman, The Hulk, Men In Black, etc. Unless the Motion Picture Association of America has suddenly introduced the WO rating, “Women Only,” there is no need for vacuous assumptions like these.

The second category is one that women are incredibly fed up with, and even more frustrated that it is now being translated onto the big screen. Marvel is a franchise that could literally patent a trademark for its iconic humor; to think for a second that some people believed it was going to exempt this movie from that pattern blows my mind. Carol Danvers is a rather serious character with a witty and somewhat dark sense of humor. Going into this movie, I neither expected things like Mantis-type behavior nor like Natasha Romanoff’s no-nonsense attitude, but rather a mix of them.

The third and final category is contingent upon collective behaviorism. The way I see it, the people commenting “Where’s the Avengers 4 Trailer? I don’t care about this movie!” are really just trying to discourage people from wanting to see Captain Marvel in hopes that their efforts will keep the film from succeeding at the box office for some odd reason. Hate to rain on their parade, but our Captain is projected to crush a $150 billion domestic opening, according to Forbes. Try as you will, but I guarantee your efforts are in vain.

Needless to say, this glowing, red, blue and gold-clad hero radiates power and promise, and she is unlike anyone you have ever seen before. She is going higher, further and faster than any other hero, and more importantly, she is finally here. The wait is over; space has a new boss, and the skies of Earth-64 have a new protector. Her name is Captain Marvel.

An audience of “One Tree Hill” fans gathered at World Cafe Live Feb. 26 to see Tyler Hilton perform. The show had a great energy aided by two solid opening acts, Emma Charles and Kicking Sunrise.

Emma Charles kicked off the show with a set of originals and covers from acts like Tori Kelly and Joni Mitchell. Charles is a student of Berklee College of Music, now pursuing her folk pop music career. Her voice was soulful and her songs had easy sing-along choruses. With just a guitar as an accompaniment, she held her own in the room full of people busy eating and drinking.

The second opener was Kicking Sunrise. They are a four-piece band from New Jersey that released their debut album, “Here’s to the Sunrise,” in 2015. The band had great stage presence and really engaged the audience.

In addition to their original songs, they performed really tight mashups. Their set started with one of these mashups, weaving from “Come On Get Higher” by Matt Nathanson to “So Sick” by Ne-Yo and ending with “Closer” by The Chainsmokers. The band was very entertaining and I ended up adding their track “Right One, Wrong Time” to my library while at the show.

Then, it was time for the headliner Tyler Hilton. Hilton rose to fame when his appearance on the hit TV show “One Tree Hill” as Chris Keller in 2004 spun into a recurring role on the show. He had already released his debut album in 2000, but the show gave him a bigger platform to share his musical talents. He also appeared in the music video of Taylor Swift’s “Teardrops on my Guitar.”

The singer-songwriter and actor released his newest album, “City on Fire,” in January. The songs on the album a influenced by country, blues, folk and traditional rock music. Though he’s a California native, his music captures the spirit of Nashville.

Hilton’s live performance was wonderful. His voice was full and smooth despite a rasp to his speaking voice. He explained to the audience that being on tour has started to affect his voice, but it was unnoticeable while he sang. He performed most of the set with two bandmates, one on drums and one on keyboard. They stepped away for him to go acoustic in the middle portion of the show, much like the set he played in October opening for Amy Shark.

He performed a good amount of songs from the new album, but was also taking requests from the crowd. He was open to suggestions and had strong banter with the crowd. He closed the show with a fan request “When The Stars Go Blue,” which he performed on “One Tree Hill” with Bethany Joy Lenz.

Netflix’s first original comedy has come to an end. “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which stars Ellie Kemper as the titular character, dropped its final six episodes Jan. 25. The first half of the series’ final season premiered May 30, 2018.

Season 4 started out really strong with Kimmy landing her first real job as the head of human resources at Giztoob, a mysterious tech company started by a young man she met at Harvard University. Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) is starting to get her talent agency up and running. Titus (Tituss Burgess) is trying to build his celebrity profile to impress Mikey (Mike Carlsen), while Lillian (Carol Kane) is up to her usual antics.

The last six episodes of the show are equally as strong as the first set. It remains a full throttle chuckle-fest. The show introduces some new characters, including a recurring guest role from Zachary Quinto.

The first episode explores the most successful mole woman, Donna Maria Nunez, and her relationship with Kimmy. The episode shines a light on unintentional racism and how deeply trauma can affect people. This sounds dramatic and depressing, but this show is written and filmed with such an oddball tone that it remains hilarious.

That has always been this show’s strongest asset. Throughout the series, Kimmy and her friends have faced hard situations that cover timely themes in a boisterously comedic setting. In these last six episodes, the characters are faced with situations on gender equality, internet privacy, sexual harassment and gentrification.

The writers keep the situations so outlandish and bizarre; while the message still carries through, the characters remain in a comical atmosphere. The writers also pay very close attention to their work by adding lots of details that either serve a small comedic purpose or are deep callbacks to the show’s past seasons. Literally every line in the show seems to have a joke hiding in it.

The one misstep in the final season is the episode “Sliding Van Doors.” An ambitious “what would have happened if…” episode is clever, but overstays its welcome by nearly doubling an episode’s normal run time.

The season ends in a place that politely wraps up the story in a way that will assuage fans. It doesn’t go too far and it doesn’t leave you wondering too much about where the characters will end up in the future. The only issue is that the ending doesn’t feel very momentus due to the half season being so short. You feel like you’ve barely begun by the time the show has ended for good.

As “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” wraps, it seems necessary to applaud the impeccable performances from the main cast over the course of this series. Kemper gave her all as Kimmy Schmidt from the very beginning; she saw the quirky character through to the end. She played her deeply traumatized character with a lightness and heartiness that made the sugar coating of her situation somewhat believable. Burgess brought an energy and charisma to his character, Titus Andromedon. Not only did he allow the character to live up to that name, Titus remained likeable despite his deeply self-centered tendencies.

Carol Kane breathed a heartwarming glow into her curmudgeon landlord character Lillian Kaushtupper. Jane Krakowski played Native American turned caucasian gold digger turned divorcee turned talent agent, Jacqueline Voorhees (later Jacqueline White) with a biting confidence that rooted her character, even when she was falling apart.

Overall, the cast did an amazing job of running with the insanity of the script. They had to be fully committed to making this show work at all, and it seems they never hesitated a beat. The main cast, along with all the iconic guest stars (Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, Kenan Thompson, Daveed Diggs, Anna Camp, among others), made this wacky show function as a touching sitcom with non-stop laughs. Kimmy Schmidt will indeed be missed.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama visited Philadelphia Nov. 27 as part of her national book tour. The tour, billed as a series of “intimate conversations,” is hitting 10 cities around the country to support her new memoir “Becoming.”

The event took place in the Wells Fargo Center, an obvious venue for an intimate conversation. The event had sold out weeks in advance, and the crowd was thoroughly excited to see Obama. There was also the opportunity for those unable to afford tickets to attend, as 10 percent of ticket inventory to each event are being donated for free to community groups in each of the cities she is visiting.

Throughout the tour, Michelle Obama has celebrity moderators to converse with including Oprah Winfrey, Tracee Ellis Ross and Sarah Jessica Parker. Philadelphia’s conversation was moderated by Phoebe Robinson. Phoebe Robinson is the co-host of the “2 Dope Queens” podcast that was adapted into a series for HBO. She also wrote the New York Times Bestseller “You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have To Explain” and starred in the Netflix original film “Ibiza” alongside Gillian Jacobs and Vanessa Bayer.

The conversation covered a variety of subjects inspired by the book. Robinson guided the conversation throughout the night with questions she wanted to ask the former first lady after reading. They talked about lighter subjects like sweet potato pie and the pronunciation of Now and Laters, but also discussed deeper topics like the importance of diverse stories being told and being the first black family in the White House.

While the event at the Wells Fargo Center was the main attraction, it was not her only appearance in Philadelphia. Earlier in the day Obama had an event at The African American Museum in Philadelphia. There she surprised 12 young women from beGirl.world, a global education and travel organization started in 2014 to empower young girls to become citizens of the world.

The 12 students participated in workshops on creativity, self-expression, travel, entertainment and entrepreneurship. They also heard from Eric Waldo, the executive director of Reach Higher, Obama’s college access and success campaign initiative. The girls also participated in a roundtable event with the former FLOTUS, Phoebe Robinson and beGirl.world Co-Founder and Executive Director Deesha Dyer. Dyer served as White House social secretary in the Obama Administration. During the roundtable they discussed key excerpts from the book and her experience traveling the world as first lady.

Michelle Obama’s book has been highly anticipated since it was announced in February. “Becoming” was simultaneously published in 24 languages around the world and the audiobook is read by Obama herself.

The memoir is a reflection on growing up on the South Side of Chicago, balancing the demands of motherhood and work and her time as first lady. She takes an unflinching look at her life, the highs and lows, public and private, her own words on her own terms. The book has been an overwhelming success, selling 2 million copies in two weeks. It has also already made it to the top of the list of best selling books in 2018, beating “Fear: Trump in the White House” by Bob Woodward and “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas.

Click to view slideshow.

As the year comes to a close, the music industry gives their last push of major releases before the holiday season. November has been stacked with some great releases, with a couple more to come. Here’s a round-up of some of the great pop albums that dropped in November.

“Singular: Act I” by Sabrina Carpenter

The former Disney star begins a new chapter with the first part of her new album “Singular.” In Act I, Carpenter explores a more mature and experimental sound. Unlike her predecessors (Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens etc.,) she doesn’t attempt an explicit statement piece. She implies her growth in nuanced lyrics and sultry production.

From top to bottom, “Singular: Act I” is full of bops. The production pulls inspiration from house and hip-hop in exciting ways that mainstream artists should take a look at. At the same time, Carpenter’s voice is one of the strongest and most impressive among young pop stars. “Singular: Act I” is a great listen, and I wait with bated breath for Act II.

“Glory Sound Prep” by Jon Bellion

Jon Bellion recently dropped his sophomore major label album. Throughout the body of work, he battles with the success of his debut and the pressures to deliver more of himself to the public. He stays true to himself and to the sound that attracted so many devoted fans.

The 10-song record is more relaxed than “The Human Condition,” but the lyrics pack just as much punch. Bellion always puts honesty at the forefront of his lyrics. While many artists attempt to write a takedown of fame culture, Bellion’s is one of the best because of his vulnerability and honesty. “Glory Sound Prep” is probably not the follow-up that many expected, but it is a genius and endearing body of work.

“LM5” by Little Mix

Many Americans have heard little about Little Mix since their single “Wings” took over U.S. radios back in 2012. Since then, the British girl group has dominated in the U.K. and consistently released strong pop records. Their newest album, “LM5,” establishes their continued dominance among girl groups.

“LM5” is more coherent than 2016’s “Glory Days,” but still pulls influences from various genres. The record is really all about female empowerment and supporting others. These songs have some of the slickest production among pop albums released this year and wonderfully arranged harmonies.

“Caution” by Mariah Carey

The ’90s diva has found her place in 2018. After two rough New Year’s Eve performances, a reality show on E! and a residency in Vegas, I thought we had officially reached the decline of Mariah Carey. But with her 15th studio album, the elusive chanteuse proves me wrong.

In “Caution,” Carey has found a team of producers who can highlight her current strengths and don’t push her to reach for what she used to be. The album is a modern pop/R&B spitfire of sass and nostalgia. It is quite short, only 38 minutes, but is strong from beginning to end.

“Phoenix” by Rita Ora

Rita Ora’s new album has had many false starts, but after seven years it has finally arrived in one piece. The album is her debut here in the U.S., but her second full body of work. It clocks in at just under an hour, and is full of uplifting songs about making it through struggles.

For the avid pop fan, you can almost travel back in time over the past couple of years through production trends that pop up throughout. Ora’s voice keeps it from feeling dated though, projecting confidence through the vulnerability. It might not be the best album of the year, but it’s a solid pop record.