Switched on Pop

Bella Kay almost shelved the song "iloveitiloveitiloveit." Instead she posted the song to TikTok and it changed her life. The song became a top 20 hit and launched her music career. Bella Kay joins host Charlie Harding live at NYU Steinhardt to discuss why she decided to drop out of pre-law, how she spins together unexpected rhymes, and what Auto-Tune can do to inspire creativity. CREDITS Reanna Cruz: Producer Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer Dion Lee: Art Director Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer Nick Ripps: Video Editor Nate Sloan: Host Lissa Soep: Editor Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions. Links: ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ Songs discussed: Bella Kay – iloveitiloveitiloveit Bella Kay – The Sick Bella Kay – Steady Bella Kay – karaoke Bella Kay – A Father’s Lament Bella Kay – i deserve better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On her eighth studio album Popstar, the criminally underrated multihyphenate Tinashe finally asserts herself as a Main Pop Girl, crafting a record about what it means to be a celebrity in the modern era. For her, it’s about grinding for years, living in the fantasy, and connecting herself to an artistic lineage – asserting a compelling thesis on stardom. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Reanna and Charlie talk all things Tinashe, and do some serious uplifting in the process. CREDITS Reanna Cruz: Producer Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer Dion Lee: Art Director Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer Nick Ripps: Video Editor Nate Sloan: Host Lissa Soep: Editor Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions. Links: ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ Songs discussed: Tinashe – Sunglasses Tinashe – Nasty Tinashe – 2 On (feat. ScHoolboy Q) Tinashe – Melatonin Tinashe – I’d Rather Be Alone Disco Lines, Tinashe – No Broke Boys Tinashe – Too Easy Tinashe – Popstar Tinashe – The Show Must Go On Britney Spears – Circus Britney Spears – Piece of Me Tinashe – Empty Stadium Janet Jackson – Empty Tinashe – Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore Nine Inch Nails – Closer Nine Inch Nails, Boys Noize – Closer - Nine Inch Noize Miley Cyrus – Gimme What I Want Rihanna – Kiss It Better Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A few months ago, Nate came across a glittering guitar riff unlike anything he had ever heard before; it managed to perfectly balance careful optimism with plaintive melancholy, stirring the spirit. That melody, played by guitarist Yvette Young, was a shining example of the “midwest emo” sound, a genre pioneered by bands like American Football, Gauge, and Braid. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Nate introduces Charlie to all things midwest and emo, speaking with Young and American Football frontman Mike Kinsella in the process. CREDITS Reanna Cruz: Producer Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer Dion Lee: Art Director Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer Nick Ripps: Video Editor Nate Sloan: Host Lissa Soep: Editor Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions. Link to Charlie and Nate's live event with Jensen McRae @ USC! Songs discussed: Gauge – Blunchlox Braid – Never Will Come For Us Joan Of Arc – The Hands American Football – Never Meant American Football – Stay Home Covet, San Holo – shibuya (ft. San Holo) Tiny Moving Parts – Always Focused Oliver Houston – The Dork Ages American Football – Man Overboard American Football – Bad Moons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The music of global girl group KATSEYE might be confusing on first listen. A less-generous read might consider their songs to be rudimentary: the lyrics are mostly nonsense, the instrumentals evoke lesser 2010s pop songs, and the aesthetic can’t decide whether it’s targeted to children or adults. However, maybe the nonsensical nature of KATSEYE is also… the point? And maybe that point is tethered to early surrealist movements of the early twentieth century? On this episode of Switched on Pop, producer Reanna makes the case to Nate that KATSEYE and ADÉLA are indicative of a larger shift in pop music, one that tethers itself to Marcel Duchamp and the dada movement. CREDITS Reanna Cruz: Producer Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer Dion Lee: Art Director Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer Nick Ripps: Video Editor Nate Sloan: Host Lissa Soep: Editor Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions. Link to Charlie and Nate’s live event with Jensen McRae at USC! Songs discussed: The Lonely Island, Emma Stone – Turn Up The Beef KATSEYE – Gnarly KATSEYE – Animal KATSEYE – Hootie Frutti KATSEYE – PINKY UP Fifth Harmony – I’m In Love With a Monster Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still Britney Spears – Toxic Britney Spears – Circus Da Hool – Meet Her at the Loveparade Little Richard – Tutti Frutti ADÉLA – Ain’t In La Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop ADÉLA – Nicole Kidman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the 500th(!) episode of Switched on Pop, Charlie and Nate try to answer the question that has stumped critics and philosophers since the dawn of sound: does bad music exist? Their quest to answer something so nebulous leads them through the annals of taste, and in the process, they recruit several other critics and journalists to give their two cents on the topic. Can things actually be bad, and if so, how do we define them? CREDITS Reanna Cruz: Producer Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer Dion Lee: Art Director Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer Nick Ripps: Video Editor Nate Sloan: Host Lissa Soep: Editor Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions. Links: ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ Songs discussed: Kristin Chenoweth, “Taylor the Latte Boy” Komar and Melamid & Dave Soldier, “The Most Unwanted Song" Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: III. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo" Johann Strauss II, The Blue Danube" Johann Sebastian Bach, "The Well-Tempered Clavier No. 2: Prelude and Fugue in C minor" Pete Rock & CL Smooth, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" Lil Yachty, "1 Night" Sam Laxton, Lonskii, “Adagio For Strings” Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, “Get Lucky” Florence Foster Jenkins, "Queen of the Night’s Aria" BB King, Eric Clapton, “Riding With the King” Paul McCartney, "Temporary Secretary" The Beatles, "Here Comes the Sun" Paul McCartney, "Wonderful Christmastime" Lou Reed, "Who Am I? (Tripitena’s Song)" Insane Clown Posse, "Miracles" Primus, "DMV" Iggy Azalea ft. Charli xcx, "Fancy" The Killers, "Human" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices