Single Review: Jay Moussa-Mann - ‘What Makes You Think’

by Autumn Jones

“Got your last email

The words were quite short

I guess you didn’t like what I wrote you

Or what you heard"

These are the opening lines to Jay Moussa-Mann’s 2021 single “What makes you think”. Moussa-Mann, a folk-tinged singer-songwriter tinged with electro-pop influences, grabs the attention of the listener with a gut-wrenching anecdote about not quite connecting with someone who was once deemed important. Moussa-Mann unpacks the experience of two people drifting apart in a relationship, painting a picture of heartbreak and loss. The main attraction of this song is the lyrics. Framed with a woefully catchy melody, Moussa-Mann writes each word with intention.

At no point was I, the listener, left with the feeling that there were excess words in the verses or the chorus that felt out of place. Each element of this production was well thought out and elegantly executed. From the glimmery piano in the introduction to the evocative climax in the last chorus, every element was concise and thought through. The build from beginning to end remains subtle but efficient. Every second built to the next, showing the listening personal growth first hand. In that way, this track felt not only a song, but an experience. I think that a huge part of what makes this track is so remarkable is the fact that it doesn't contain the bells and whistles of a flashy production; and with lyrics so stripped bare, any more musical layers would mess with the balance of instrumental, lyrical content, and melody that Moussa-Mann so artfully pieced together. Why mess with perfection?

What makes you think is Jay Moussa-Man’s second single off of her album the breakup album that is expected to arrive later in 2021, and I for one think she is someone to look out for.

Fashion For a Cause: Brands That Stand with Palestine and the history of fashion as a form of Activism

by Oana-Maria Moldovan For over two months, there has been an ongoing genocide war in Gaza. To simplify a long and horrific issue, the situation that started, on a larger scale, around one hundred years ago, and has only become amplified since October 7th 2023. Taking place around the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel–Lebanon border, the armed conflict is between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups. The problem is about “stolen” land. Said land is seen as an important holy part of both religions involved. But really, how holy can we consider a land to be, if people kill other people for it? It’s important to remember that this genocide is about three things: forced occupation, zionism, and religion. It’s also important to remember what ethnic erasure is. This terrible expresion, also known as cultural or ethnic assimilation, refers to the process by which the distinct cultural or ethnic identity of a particular group is gradually diminished or erased, often due to...

Now What? The Aftermath of the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'

by Susan Moore Here is a bit about me: I am an open, excitable, creative AFAB who is also moderately attractive. I have a unique sense of personal style and a personality that on the surface can only be described as “bubbly” and “quirky”. For this reason, dating is a nightmare. To be sure, I do not have a hard time finding dates or potential suitors. The problems arise when said dates spend some time with me and decide that I am a rare specimen, and the connection they feel with me is “unlike anything they have felt before”. Then, things go one of two ways. Either a) they decide I am too high maintenance and no longer palatable, or b) they choose to never look further than the surface and are content to date the idea of me rather than the real me. There is something rather interesting, perhaps funny, about my situation. It is in no way unique. I have met so many people who constantly dealt with the same problem. Even funnier still, is the fact that there is a trope that simu...

Victoria’s Secret's Downfall: Lack of Diversity and the Reimagined Fashion Show That Aims to Save the Brand

by Ally McLaren For 23 years, Victoria's Secret dazzled the world with its extravagant annual Fashion Show, but in 2019, the event was abruptly canceled. This decision, however, wasn't entirely surprising. The brand had faced mounting criticism for its lack of diversity, which contributed to declining ratings and scandals behind the scenes. Now, Victoria's Secret is attempting to reinvent itself with a new fashion show concept. Will this be enough to save the brand from its troubled past? The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was once renowned for its bejeweled bras, angel wings, and A-list performances. Despite thus, its popularity waned due to the brand's refusal to embrace diversity. Public outcry intensified in 2018 when the show's organizer, Edward Razek, made controversial remarks about not featuring plus-size or transgender models, suggesting it didn't align with the brand's fantasy image. Moreover, revelations about the brand's former CEO...

Darling Magazine

Search This Blog