Periodically, I like to check up on ex-Idolists to see how they are faring in the real and challenging post-Idol world. I have to admit to being surprised by the success of two of them, given how harshly I evaluated them during their respective seasons. Biggest Hits Adam Lambert: Adam has been getting rave reviews... Continue Reading →
Nikka Costa Dirty Disco Prince made it a habit of pulling talented female musicians into his orbit, and one of those is Nikka Costa. After a six-year hiatus, Nikka is feeling the funk in a way that is not to be messed with. The spirits of Paisley Park are very evident on her new album... Continue Reading →
[Scroll to the bottom if you want to ignore my blather. It's fine. But come back to the blather. It's good stuff.] There are many reasons why I look forward to each year’s Eurovision Song Contest more than the year before, but the simplest one is that it gets better every year. Recently referred to... Continue Reading →
As the calendar page turns to May, people’s thoughts move to May flowers, Star Wars Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, graduations, and Justin Timberlake singing “It’s gonna be May.” Mine turn to the Eurovision Song Contest, my favorite annual musical event. It’s an extravaganza that is part World Cup Finals, Olympics, and Super Bowl,... Continue Reading →
With the most consequential cut behind us, we now have a Top Ten (even if it’s the wrong ten). Now is an excellent time to analyze what we have by taking a subjective and objective look at the ten remaining Idolists. As much as I like my data, I’ll start with my subjective takes first... Continue Reading →
It’s that time for my annual look back on my favorite new music. I think I say this every year, but 2023 was one of my favorite years for music, which is why this year’s list is longer than usual. However, there was one remarkable standout. BEST OF THE BEST Gabriels Angels & Queens Many... Continue Reading →
As we near the end of Paradise, we can expect the relational bliss that all of the couples are currently experiencing to be destroyed by the Evil Genius Producers (EGPs). There will, no doubt, be an exception or two that will leave the Playa Escondida Resort unscathed, which will likely come as a surprise to... Continue Reading →
Ray's Musings 