Rising Indie-Rock artist Meg Elsier delivered an unforgettable performance at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, a milestone in her journey, marking her first solo show since relocating from Nashville. As the opening act for UK artist and producer Martin Luke Brown, Meg set the tone with an opener that surely left the audience eager to learn what’s next for NYC’s newest rockstar. Meg captivated the audience with her tender vocals, authentic lyrics, and unbeatable charm as she performed a variety of unreleased tracks.
Meg's introduction into her set was composed of soothing and painstakingly written lyrics, bringing a sense of melancholy into the crowd. From the start, she had everyone in awe as the dreamy vocals of “Dog” rang out. Her voice–so delicate, it could sit on a single flower petal.
She then transitions into a group of songs that really unveil her mission as an artist: providing a collective and connected experience through music. This mission manifests as Meg lets the audience in on her innermost feelings and most vulnerable thoughts. In fact, Meg introduces her song “Mean,” and with a smirk, she jokes, “I’ve figured out the meaning of life, and if you listen closely, you’ll figure it out too.” The song itself wrestled with themes of solitude and existential reflection. Her delivery was raw and angry, with the repeated lyric “no reason to it” highlighting a yearning for clarity in a world that often lacks it.
As the final chords of “Mean” faded, a quiet vulnerability lingered in the room, one that Meg seamlessly carried into her next track and fan favorite, “Sportscar.” Where “Mean” drowned in hopelessness, “Sportscar” gently searched for meaning in memory. The song explores the complex transition between adolescence and adulthood. With the repetition of lyrics like 'How'd I'd get older,' “Sportscar” serves as a coming-of-age anthem for anyone reminiscent of a time without worries or responsibilities.
Meg has perfected the art of missing something that has never missed her. Wrapped up in nostalgia, Meg played another unreleased track, “New England,” a song that now has a permanent place in my heart. The song serves as a bittersweet goodbye to her hometown in Boston. With lyrics such as “the lawns too green,” this song is full of relatable imagery such as perfectly manicured lawns, 9-to-5 routines, and a town that feels both too familiar and too small. The track captured both the claustrophobia and comfort of growing up in a place that’s shaped the person you’ve become.
After leaving the audience deep in self-reflection and existentialism, Meg closed with another breakout track, “ifshitfuq.” The slow-burning buildup of the song got the crowd moving, as upbeat rock and emotionally charged lyrics rang out. Meg sings with raw conviction, as lines such as, “I never thought I was special / But I thought I’d do more,” echoed through the crowd, striking a chord that felt both personal yet targeted.
Meg Elsier’s show at Baby’s All Right proved she’s not just being noticed; she's being remembered. With a blend of dreamy, shoegaze-inflected vocals and down-to-earth lyricism, Meg serves as a reminder to accept the tender, lonely, growing parts of ourselves.
Catch more of Meg here and continue to stream her music!
Seeing an artist live that you know will make it big one day is truly something special. On August 16th, at the Sultan Rooftop in Brooklyn, I had the pleasure of experiencing Pearl live. A hot sunny day led to a perfect evening rooftop show filled with excitement and great music.
Pearl, also known as Hope Waidley, originally from Michigan, moved to LA at 20 to dedicate herself to her career in music. Traveling with her sister, Clara Waidley, throughout the country, trying to find a sense of stability amidst the craziness of performing and moving around. She is a singer-songwriter who’s passionate about writing songs full of vulnerability from her experiences, accompanied by breathtaking vocals. Listening to her music, you hear her stories sonically, told through bold lyricism and intriguing instrumentals that draw influences from older alternative rock.
My own discovery of Pearl was through TikTok, her user @unaestheticsurferpearls, where she posts candid videos, promotes her music, or famously, surfs in platform heels. The promo for her single “No Man” caught my attention, a song about the importance of wanting to be independent and separate from a man. Not relying on them to feel good or valuable, but rather finding that value within yourself. Once the song was released, I knew Pearl was an artist I would continue to love. Her raspy vocals, emotional delivery, a very 70s rock-inspired sound, and vivid lyrics captivated me.
Arriving at the venue and seeing fans all dressed in the same style as Pearl was heartwarming. Micro shorts, cheetah print, eclectic jewelry, and heels surged on the rooftop. Not only does this show the love and appreciation for Pearl, but it also shows the community that is brought together. This has become one of my favorite things about going to concerts recently. There is a certain aesthetic to an artist that fans see, then show up and show out for them!
As her band began playing, Pearl danced with fans before getting on stage to sing “I Like You But.” A small gesture connecting her to the audience. The energy at just the first song foreshadowed the rest of the show's liveliness. She jumped around the stage, whipping her hair, then introducing the crowd to her vocals. While mesmerized, we all jumped and sang along with her. Onto the second song, “Hungry,” which showed her range in style and stage presence. More of a groovier track, Pearl’s yearning vocals blended beautifully with the instrumentals.
“Fuck It Up,” released earlier this year, further proved how much she loves engaging with the audience while performing. Letting the crowd sing the chorus and dancing along with us. Pearl’s band went nuts, showcasing their individual talents. Drummer Devin Robinson keeps a steady beat as the lyrics speak for themself, and guitarist Kyle Blackman and his guitar solo command the stage.
Photo Credit: Adriana Rivera
An unreleased track, “Groupies,” continued with that 70’s rock vibe, with Marley Striem showing off deep bass lines blending along Blackman’s riff-driven guitar, creating a harmonious blend of grooves. Robinson thundered behind Pearl, sonically emphasizing her eccentric dancing and headbanging.
The fifth track, “Wonder,” truly displayed Pearl’s ease in switching from a more upbeat, exciting song to a slower, more vulnerable side of her discography. With raw lyricism, her vocals shone during this performance. Emotion was palpable with every line she sang. So much soul in her delivery, with just an outright beautiful melody. Then, a bass solo that soothes the crowd as enticing drums continue.
Another popular single released last year, “Methamphetamines,” sent the audience into an uproar. A song depicting an unhealthy, strenuous relationship, where the storytelling in the lyricism alone keeps you hooked—and even more so when you hear it live. Pearl’s level of emotion in singing the track was like she had just written it. Feeding off the high energy from the crowd, Pearl and her band only grew more enthusiastic in their performance. The well-known guitar riff in the song left a lingering sense of needing to hear more, along with the unapologetically truthful and stimulating performance.
Pearl covered the one and only Lana Del Ray’s “Radio,” which naturally made every girl in the audience melt while singing along. A version with a grungier electric guitar added, the instrumentals were strong. While admiring the show, I think to myself, “Many aspire to have the stage presence she and her band have.” Effortlessness in captivating the audience, dancing full out for each track, and all around, a performance you get lost in watching.
Photo Credit: Adriana Rivera
“Passenger Princess” is a newly released, slower ballad including Pearl's raspy, yearning vocals. An emotional chorus depicts the want for a healthy relationship, but it falls short: “All I want to be is your girl / But here I am being more of a man than you.” Her sister, Clara Waidley, on backup vocals, harmonized beautifully as Pearl put all of her energy into singing the bridge.
As a short interlude, in each show Pearl chooses a ‘princess’ from the crowd to come on stage, wear a tiara, and deliver a speech. Such a fun, exciting way she connects to her fans and allows them to be a bigger part of the show. An instrumental plays in the back as the chosen princess spins on stage and embraces Pearl. She emphasizes the importance of showing up for yourself and never changing for anyone. As the crowd cheers her on, the energy in the room shifts from eager excitement of the show to a moment of connecting to the music and the community created.
Photo Credit: Adriana Rivera
During an unreleased track, Blackman on the guitar shreds a sick solo while in the background, you can see Pearl pouring red wine into her bandmate's mouth. Chaotic energy that only continues as the princess of the night returns to the stage. They were just having fun. Hot girls having fun. That’s rock and roll.
Photo Credit: Adriana Rivera
Nearing the end of the show, everyone on stage was sweating from how humid it was on the roof, but they played through it. A cover of “That Smell” by Lynyrd Skynyrd left me feeling sonically elevated. The drums powerfully lingered after each hit, having us all jump and dance around. Pearl’s vocals blended with the guitar riffs, creating a conversation within itself, something beyond verbal communication. Music can communicate in unique ways, especially when performed authentically.
To end the night on a high note, Pearl finished with “No Man,” her most-streamed track released at the start of 2024. This song resonates for many, calling out the girls with so much love, strength, and fire in their hearts to recognize they are more than staying with a man who dims their light. The famous chorus goes, “I don’t want to worry ‘bout no man / No man, no man, no man.” This is part of the show where she calls girls to come on stage to sing the song. “First come, first serve!” she yells. Naturally, everyone swarmed onto the stage, blending in with the band. On an elevated surface higher up than the stage, Pearl began her song, and everyone on that roof and stage screamed along with her. Yet again, a beautiful way she connects to her audience, her people. That last song tied the whole night together for me. So much passion and energy exuded from her even after an hour set in the heat.
The Let Girls Be Hot Tour was engaging, impressive, and so fun. It was an honor to watch Pearl in person and deliver such a raw and exciting show for Brooklyn. There are artists who are on stage for the hell of it, but with this show, anyone would be able to tell she truly loves to perform and connect with people. To me, that is what music is about. Connection. In every capacity.
Keep up with Pearl’s latest song releases and follow her socials. You wanna be able to say you were here from the start!
Earlier this year, the famed country singer/musician Morgan Wallen tweeted “Take Me Back to God's Country” after appearing on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest, an often desired and coveted privilege that not all artists experience, in protest of the “woke” atmosphere of New York City. In addition to this trend of metaphorically “going back to God's country,” the general public and youth of America have started to increasingly use and support generative AI like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. But why is this branding strategy working so well, on, theoretically, the most politically and socially conscious generations thus far? And why are we resisting the desire to be uniquely ourselves once again? My hypothesis is that the fall of individualism is slowly being readmitted to the mainstream by the coinciding factors of a consumer capitalist society that encourages conformity and docility.
When men like Morgan Wallen, openly hateful and slur-using men, are not only given the spotlight but showered in it, it’s hard not to be concerned about the future of media. Wallen and others like him contribute to the idea of cisgendered, white, Christian, and heternormative values that our current administration is already heavily in support of. This standard is not only being reinforced in the top 40 hits, though. A musician who was once held in high esteem by the indie music community is now married to an alligator tour guide from Florida and displaying a liking for more “traditional” values. Lana Del Rey has shifted her aesthetic from a Lolita-esque indie babygirl aesthetic into a tradwife blue collar energy that fans and critics alike are having mixed feelings about. Why Lana made the choice to shift to these ideals, or if she’s always felt that way, is not known, but the general consensus is that this shift, though disappointing, is not surprising. Read more about our team's thoughts here.
When Generative-AI has bled into not only the mainstream but the education systems and corporate world as well, it’s hard to pretend that I am not deeply concerned for the future of my friends, family, employers, and overall population. The more individuals I talk to or videos I see online, the more my concern grows. Millions of people are constantly feeding generative AI bots that have been proven to disrupt and harm the climate. That’s a lot more disappointing than letting Morgan Wallen take over the Billboard Hot 100 for a while. If you are unfamiliar with the mass usage of gen AI - bless your soul, you lucky bastard - just know that people are using it to write emails, Emails! For their jobs that are 90% emails. It is infuriating to say the least, and if we really get into it is blatantly harmful. What is the point of human communication if we disrupt the basis of communication itself: thought?
We, dare I say it, as a nation, are continuing to get dumber. Not just because we listen to okay music made by racists, or spend our money on useless figurines, or even because we use AI to spell check our work, but because we allow these generative machines and people, and leaders to think for us. We as a people cannot improve upon our society or the climate crisis if we are allowing ourselves to get this lazy and sloppy. If we do not actively feed our passions and our motor skills, we will not grow into decent people. We will stay stuck in our selfish bubble of ease and quantity over thoughtfulness and quality.
So, encourage your people and yourself to use your mind. YOUR mind. YOUR passion. YOUR words. YOUR brain. Do not allow the muscle of your mind to disappear or wither; your brain is the thing that makes us the most ourselves. Do not attempt to douse it in the name of conformity or the tradwife aesthetic.
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