Melissa Kacar

"Secret Language" is a beautiful portrait of what it means to love before you can even put it into words. It feels so singular to Ryan Beatty 's voice and artistic vision, especially in the way he writes with such specificity for his own partner, but still makes the feeling so much larger than himself in a way that can connect to anyone who has ever tried to capture such a specific form of emotional intensity.  The song's backdrop is rooted in stunning Americana imagery and sweet, poetic lyricism. There is a deep sincerity and openness in the way he expresses himself throughout all of  Sweet Fortune , his fourth album this song is apart of, even though he often writes about how closed off he can be emotionally. "All the ways I say it in a secret language, did you hear what my words couldn't tell? I keep it all to myself," he sings in the beautiful chorus.  "It's an arms-open-wide song," Ryan said in an interview with Vogue alongside its re...

La La Land represents the importance of believing that the city of stars really is shining just for you, and that no dream is too big or too far away to reach. It serves as a reminder that if you pour yourself into the art you make, other people will inevitably feel that passion and connect with it. There is such a specific integrity in the pursuit of creating something long before anyone else notices it, or even with the chance that no one ever will, and this film honors that act beautifully. It also focuses on the importance of the people that come into your life for a brief period of time to inspire and guide you into the next stage of the person you're becoming - even if they aren't meant to stay forever. Their influence still will always linger though, and the mark they leave becomes a formative part of your own journey. La La Land is a love story, but it's also ultimately a portrait of two people chasing their dreams and learning how to build a life alongside one ano...

"oh yeah?" serves as the title track of Steve Lacy 's third album, which is his first record in four years, and a clear showcase of the personal and artistic growth that's shaped him during that time. As the opener, it immediately sets an existential tone, introducing the listener to the journey the album is about to take them on from that point forward. It features a dreamy, synth pop sound that feels reminiscent of some of his earlier work, but elevated in a way that reflects how much he has evolved since his last release. A distinct sense of renewal is embedded in this song, which is largely centered around hope and new beginnings coming through after a particularly rough patch of life.  "Life's a bitch, and then you live again" is the defining lyric of the otherwise simple and sparsely written song. Much of the rest of the song is intentionally minimal, with the repetition of "Come on" as the chorus serving as the mantra meant to pull your...

return of saturn   is a playlist I curated in honor of my 27th birthday today, which marks the beginning of what astrologically is known as my Saturn return, or the moment Saturn reaches its first full cycle and returns to the exact position it was in when you were born. This transition is said to happen between the ages of 27 and 30. I don't know about all of the specifics or the science behind it, but it's a very interesting phenomenon to read about. Also just to feel this shift happening in life, that innate sense of change and reflection that occurs at this stage is especially pertinent lately. These songs I chose are meant to embrace that change and the evolution that comes with entering a new chapter of life. It's a very personal collection of tracks I've connected with and feel represent that theme, but I also hope anyone who listens can find something meaningful within these songs too. Many of these songs also touch upon this phenomenon, and I wanted to highligh...

Greetings from the Upside Down! My first visit to Netflix House Philadelphia was such a fun experience! This is a new attraction at the King of Prussia Mall, located just outside of the city. It opened last year and I have been looking forward to getting a chance to finally visit, but was waiting for them to inevitably have a Stranger Things installation here - and alongside the tenth anniversary of the first season premiering, the time has finally come!  Netflix House is free to enter, but the different attractions are all individually ticketed and paid, timed experiences. Even just stopping in to see the lobby and gift shop is a great time, especially with all of the photo ops throughout the space. Netflix House is in what used to be one of the old department stores that closed a few years ago at the mall and they completely transformed it into a really unique spot. They really nailed all of the theming and design - the way they incorporate their biggest original shows and films...

"Sue me" is an unapologetically fun and carefree pop song that captures the chaotic rush of going back to someone you know you shouldn't. It's endlessly catchy and filled with so much of Audrey Hobert 's personality. She writes and performs from such a self-aware place, one that is also a little bit awkward in the most charming way.  This was Audrey's 2025 breakthrough debut single, coming off the success of her collaborations with her close friend Gracie Abrams , co‑writing some of Gracie's biggest songs to date, including "That's So True" and six other tracks from The Secret of Us . Hearing Audrey's solo music now, it's clear how singular her voice is as a writer, with a distinctiveness comes through in everything she's apart of.  "Broke up with you in November, sorry, I know you remember, are you depressed or are you feeling better? 'Cause you're looking like it's the latter," she sings in the opening ve...

"Camera" by Charli xcx Charli xcx has officially released not one, but two of my very favorite albums of the year - first with the stunning Wuthering Heights concept album / soundtrack, and now with the all‑time career highlight Music Fashion Film . It was also impossible to highlight just one song from this album ("2007" and the closer "No One Lasts Forever" being very close contenders as my monthly favorites too), but "Camera" felt like the most indicative of the entire ethos of what this music represents as a whole. It is such a deeply thought‑provoking examination of what it means to pursue a life of art and stardom in the modern age; while framing the question of legacy and what an artist leaves behind (or doesn't). Closing out the trifecta of singles for music ( "Rock Music" ), fashion ( "SS26" ), and film ("Camera"), it is fully representative of who she is as an artist and what her mission is with this ...