I won’t lie—I almost forgot to write this.
That basically explains how March has felt, a whirlwind, ups and downs, that still somehow ended in a blink of an eye, despite it all. A distant memory already, the highs and the low lows with it.
A lot of my thinking this month has apparently happened while riding the subway, which I usually find solace in. Wishing everyone a happy spring renewal and Aries season (from your local Aries rising). Here’s what I’ve enjoyed this month.
Music
“on the street (with J. Cole)” by j-hope
I listened to this song for the first time when I was taking a morning walk in my neighborhood, the promise of spring around the corner, slowly emerging in the sun rays peeking between buildings and a more languid setting and rising of the sun.
I really love this song. The whistle, heard from beginning to end, makes it for me.
Released as a goodbye track before j-hope embarks on his mandatory military enlistment service in South Korea, the whistle, a habit that’s often done so casually, adds a sense of familiarity to the song. It feels nostalgic, to reassure the listener that things may be changing, but we continue, holding our memories of the past with renewal on the horizon.
With J. Cole being one of j-hope’s biggest inspirations, their sounds and styles work well together in this collab. Both artists touch on this sentiment of acknowledging the past, having gratitude in the present, and bringing both things forward with you to the future.
My favorite lyric of the song is in j-hope’s verse, which translates to: “In this street, where someone’s breath dwells / I store my soul and my eternity.” It’s a testament to connectedness. As we move forward, we move with everything we’ve learned from the past with us. We move with love, hope, and the people we love close to us.
“Child” by Mark
Released in February 2022, I revisited this song when I was on a late night train ride home and felt like crying. Nothing hits more than a public cry!
In this age of social media, I think a lot about how much we put ourselves on display. “Child,” written by Mark, grapples with this, touching on the dissonance between the public self and the private self when you’re in the limelight all the time. The lyrics of the song are startlingly honest, the chorus going, “I’m a child / I can’t be the person you want … It’s my question, many questions / Who am I in others' eyes? / Who am I? Who I'll be? / Different nights, same nightmare.” When your job is to sell an image of yourself, what happens when you don’t resonate with what you’re selling?
It’s an emotional, candid song, and my favorite part of it is the bridge. The song has a steady beat throughout, but right before the bridge, it falls. There’s a moment of silence. Then, it builds again, Mark lamenting, “Oh, why? / Would there be anyone who can relate? / Can someone understand me just for now?” before the drum beat comes back in for the outro.
One of the last lyrics is “I’m saying what’s on my mind,” and with that directness, the song leaves me thinking and questioning. I listen to this song on repeat sometimes, searching for an answer.
“Cupid” by FIFTY FIFTY
Fifty Fifty, a new K-pop girl group who debuted in November 2022, recently charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 with this song, making them one of only five K-pop girl groups to do so. Crazy to think about!
With a retro sound and lyrics about how young love doesn’t work out, this song is just so fun. The lyric, “Cupid is so dumb,” repeats throughout the song. So true!
The Cheetah Girls 2 by The Cheetah Girls
I’ve been listening to this on the train a lot (also because the first one is not on Spotify…justice for Cinderella), and these songs hit! The album takes you on an emotional rollercoaster—happiness (Strut), flirtation (Why Wait), betrayal (It’s Over), vengeance (Step Up), and renewed friendship (Amigas Cheetahs). Great nostalgic listen!
TV & Film
The Hunger Games Franchise
If you’ve noticed a random increase in The Hunger Games content floating around, you are not the only one. There’s been a bit of a Hunger Games resurgence happening lately, possibly tied to all four movies being on Netflix (until March 31st that is, which…sorry to break the news). And with this, I fell back into my roots as a Hunger Games stan this month (my old stan username back in the day was a Hunger Games reference, may she rip).
From rewatching the movies, I think this franchise is impeccable, along with the soundtracks (Charli XCX famously didn’t watch the movies before sending a song to Lorde, the curator of the Mockingjay Part 1 soundtrack). I don’t think Mockingjay should’ve been split into two parts, but we move on.
I also think the books hold up (though, again, Mockingjay is the weakest link), and it’s still one of my favorite series to date. Suzanne really delivered! Team Peeta 4ever!
(Sidebar: This resurgence inspired me to finally read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which I originally had no intentions of reading because a prequel about President Snow was something I did not care for. And after finishing, I still do not care, but what I did enjoy were the insights about Panem and the history of the Games, ten years removed from the war instead of 74 years removed, as it was in the first Hunger Games book. Do I recommend the read? Debatable, it’s too long. Did I still read it in two days? Yes. Will I be watching the movie? Of course.)
Eats
Pizza
I’ve had a pizza craving lately, and only New York pizza is valid in my eyes. I usually get a margherita slice.
There is a time and place for looking up the best pizza places in the city, scouring five star reviews, wanting to eat only the best. But in my neighborhood, at the local pizza place I’ve been going to since I was a kid, regardless of the others, it’s my favorite. These little spots are my favorite part about living in New York—it’s not about what’s the “best” or most hyped, but where I’m most connected to.
Experiences
SZA’s SOS Tour
My first concert of this year! And SZA was…so good.
SZA tells you a story, taking that image from the cover of her SOS album and diving into it—literally, as she jumps off the ledge into the unknown at the beginning of the show. From there, the rest of the set and staging involves an abandoned ship, a lifeboat floating across the audience, and a lighthouse, before the show ends with her on a ledge amongst the stars, this time in a bright, yellow dress, singing “Good Days.”
Also, we had surprise appearances by Cardi B and Phoebe Bridgers. Could not ask for more!!
My favorite songs live were: Broken Clocks, F2F, Nobody Gets Me, and Gone Girl.
Some recs:
“on the street (with J.Cole)” by j-hope
“Child” by Mark
“Cupid” by FIFTY FIFTY
“Step Up” by The Cheetah Girls
“F2F” & “Nobody Gets Me” by SZA
Thank you for reading! Here’s a link to my previous post about fangirl culture: A Cupsleeve Retrospective.
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