HIVEMIND: A Pop Culture Podcast

*REUPLOAD* Sorry if you've already heard this! It got removed for some reason. The 3rd Annual Hivemind Awards are coming later this week.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team was announced ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. I unpack how Simone Biles and her peers have pushed boundaries in the sport that have rippled outward.

Miley Cyrus started touring in middle school. Just last month, she won her first Grammy. Let's do a career deep-dive on one of the most interesting artists of our generation.

I explore why middle school girls have become obsessed with high-end skincare and yell at people my age for being annoying about it. IG: @hivemindpopculture X: @hivemindthepod

I celebrate the best and brightest pop music of 2023 in this end-of-year episode. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Last night, Olivia Rodrigo released her sophomore album, GUTS. I share some of my favorite tracks and dissect why it works. IG: @hivemindpopculture X: @hivemindthepod

Model Bella Hadid and Actress Riley Keough are the latest celebrities to publicly speak about the treatment they undergo for Chronic Lyme Disease. The weird part? Chronic Lyme is not recognized as an actual illness by the CDC and most doctors believe it's part of a pseudoscience scam. I go down the rabbit hole so you don't have to. Let's talk about pain, privilege, and having a body. IG: @hivemindpopculture X: @hivemindthepod

I go to bat for the HBO's The Idol, a series I believe is getting unwarranted criticism. Lily Rose Depp and The Weeknd star. instagram: @hivemindpopculture twitter: @hivemindthepod

Exploring the roots of this zany, super inclusive, internet-driven music genre. @hivemindpopculture

Inspired by a recent wave of "sped up remixes" going viral on TikTok, I look into the genre recently dubbed Hyperpop - from its early roots in 90s European dance music to its current iteration, where trans performers make all the rules. instagram: @hivemindpopculture twitter: @hivemindthepod

Ticketmaster is jacking up prices. Teens are camping out all day in the freezing cold. Everyone is fainting. Artists pause mid-show to take BeReals on their fans' phones. What's going on?!? Let's take a look at the changing face of big-budget pop concerts as a new generation attends them for the first time.

Love songs are part of the skeleton of pop music. Why do some resonate more than others? Together, let's take a look behind the curtain. instagram: @hivemindpopculture twitter: @hivemindthepod

I tour through Rihanna's prolific career, which lacks musical identity but boasts hits, vibes, and reinvention. After being on hiatus for the past 7 years, does she have what it takes to headline the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show? Debatable! Instagram: @hivemindpopculture Twitter: @hivemindthepod

As 2022 comes to a close, I celebrate the year's best music by awarding songs in the following five categories: "Best Songwriting," "Most Creative," "Pop Perfection," "Bound to Blow Up," and "Blast From The Past." Also - Hivemind's first listener mailbag :)

Join me in a track-by-track analysis of Taylor Swift's Midnights, a spotty record with both high and low points. I discuss its themes of self-loathing and manipulation, Swift's downfall of being a corny millennial, and wonder about the effectiveness of its sparkly, synth-driven production.

I discuss ironic Catholicism, tacky Americana, and fetishwear -- fashion/style trends emerging as we enter into the Fall 2022 season.

On its one-year anniversary, I revisit Lorde's third studio album, Solar Power, which is regarded as a flop and blemish on her discography. I make the argument that Solar Power is not only poignant and spacious, but gels conceptually with the rest of her work.

Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian call it quits after a whirlwind 9 month romance. I look at the messy web their relationship existed in -- Kanye, Ariana, Mac Miller -- and wonder what to make of it all.

I do a track-by-track close reading of Beyoncé's 7th studio album Renaissance, a tantalizing bait-and-switch that forces listeners to confront their most carnal desires and become high off the feminine, however it may look: ugly, dominant, trans, "glitchy." IG: @hivemindpopculture Twitter: @hivemindthepod

After coming across an interesting Twitter thread (s/o: @punished_cait), I felt compelled to contemplate the experiences of kids online. I recall virtual hangout spaces I frequented as a child (Club Penguin, Neopets, Webkinz, etc.), survey the current landscape, and wonder what's changed. How can we help children curtail digital traumas? What do idyllic online playgrounds look like and feel like?

I criticize Lizzo's sophomore album "Special," a record I found vacant and delusional. Its hypocritical messaging about empowerment, body positivity, wellness, and healing bring to mind "self care" scams like Gwenyth Paltrow's Goop and the lifeless corporate advertising of 2022 Victoria's Secret. IG: @hivemindpopculture Twitter: @hivemindthepod

This morning, the 2022 Emmy Nominations were announced, recognizing the best on television and streaming. I discuss some of the year's most-nominated shows, including The White Lotus, Hacks, Euphoria, and Yellowjackets. Unfortunately, I also wrestle with some pretty disappointing snubs. ig: @hivemindpopculture twitter: @hivemindthepod

The latest installment in the Despicable Me franchise has a record-breaking weekend at the box office. What's behind the craze? Teen boys dressing up in formal attire (suits, bow ties) to attend screenings of the film as part of a TikTok challenge. Join me in exploring "Minions: Rise of Gru," a fascinating microcosm of irony culture, meme marketing, and nostalgia entertainment.

Several musicians at last weekend's Glastonbury Festival used the stage to comment on the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Is performance activism the new standard? Instagram: @hivemindpopculture Twitter: @hivemindthepod

I dive into the musical lineages of Beyoncé's new single "Break My Soul" (late 80s house, NOLA bounce) and try to pinpoint what exactly she's trying to say about work, capitalism, and freedom.

I survey the state of fashion heading into the new year. In segments separated by stylish music, I talk tech, sustainability, gen z it-girls, and our growing obsession with comfort.

Pop icon Britney Spears has finally been able to speak out about her conservatorship in court. I look closely at her statement to determine how we, as fans, can support her more ethically. Then, I analyze larger connections between Spears' case and the Disability Justice Movement.

I compile a "best-of" list, featuring music, films, tv, and more, to recap this unique, eventful year in media. I also introduce some up-and-coming stars--ones to watch--that should be on your radar going into 2021. Happy New Year!

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion score a number 1 hit with their raunchy collaboration, “WAP.” I break down the storied history of sexual expression, empowerment, feminism, and moral panic in the female rap game.

TikTok, a generation-defining social media app that's recently gained the attention of the Trump administration, is home to a melting-pot of stars, styles, and trends. While TikTok is littered with the remnants of now-defunct Internet gathering places (Musical.ly, Vine, Tumblr, Jenna Marbles-era YouTube), the app's design uniquely caters to today's youth.

I do a track-by-track reading of Taylor Swift's 8th studio album, Folklore, in which the artist uses an indie-rock playground to explore her anxious attachments to attention, memoir, and permanence.

Remember "California Gurls" and "Party Rock Anthem?" Each summer, Billboard awards the track that's most inescapable at beaches, amusement parks, and BBQs with its prestigious "Song of The Summer" title. Amidst our global health crisis, this year's "Song of The Summer" race feels different. Which songs are shaking out on top?

In the wake of actress Naya Rivera's passing, I look back at her groundbreaking character on the 2009 comedy series, Glee. How did Santana Lopez create language, levity, and a lifeline for a generation of LGBTQ+ teens? Why is representation so meaningful?

Kanye West has announced he will be running in the 2020 Presidential Election. What can we learn about fame, wealth, mental illness, and genius from this polarizing, controversial artist? More importantly: who is Kanye's futurism leaving behind?