New Year Ahead!

By: Kalila Eckstein

With the new year in full steam ahead comes a fruitful season of new music released by many different artists! Only within the first few weeks of 2024, there have been so many different types of artists that vary in many different genres that have come out with new music. Exemplifying their different stories, rhythms, and innovations, have allowed us all as listeners to be overjoyed with excitement when hearing our favorite artists’ newest hits. Being a fan of listening to newly released music myself, I found that the use of sampling became very apparent in many pop and rap songs. 21 Savage, Kid Cudi, Kali Uchis, and along with many other artists incorporate different songs originating in older eras of music into either the beginning or ending of their songs; creating a melodic flow into their own beat which ultimately carries the body of the song. For instance, 21 Savage’s newest album, “American Dream”, features many different rnb songs that were released in the 90s, coinciding with the overarching theme of his album. Savage’s song “prove it” includes a sample of a song by Faith Evans called “You Are My Joy (Interlude)”. The repeating lyric that sings “…you are the love of my life…” is sped up into a faster tempo and is transposed to a higher key. This allows for artists that are using samples to avoid copyright claims and monetary issues. While some people may argue that the common use of sampling promotes a lack of creativity, others may see it as a way to bounce off of and get inspired by many different types of music, making the song writing experience a blend of different cultural and melodic symbolism. Additionally, Kali Uchis released her new album titled, “Orquídeas”, which celebrates her Colombian roots and embraces all the aspects of what orchids represent to her. The fun and alluring energy of her album was not only a culmination of culture, art, and nature, but also other pieces of music that she was able to blend into her own

songs so seamlessly. Her very last song on the album called, “Dame Beso // Muévete” incorporates a sample of Aventurero by La Grupo Rana de Guatemala. The vibrant Merengue track includes an upbeat tempo which allows for fast paced dancing and catchy loops. The art of editing, chopping up, manipulating, and looping different parts of older songs can also intersect different generations together and promote a wider pool of listeners. Lastly, Kid Cudi also came out with an album on the same day that Kali Uchis did called, “Insano”, where he experiments with different sounds and artists to capture an electric feeling of edge and anticipation. While his artistic passions shined through within his album, his song titled “FRESHIE” contains a sample of a monologue used during a fight that broke out between two opposing rap groups, Bone Thugs and Three 6 Mafia. While this itself is not a song, it showcases the intersectionality of art and how the implications of different samples can set the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics within Kid Cudi’s rap later on in the song did tie into what the monologue expressed which was to ultimately have self love. The power of sampling music and art enables musicians to communicate a message of some sort whether that be political, social, economical, and many more. This ever-evolving music tapestry gives artists the chance to learn from other musicians and to make a song personal to everyone. With the digital age that we are in, there are so many opportunities for current and emerging artists to experiment with different sounds and create art that is multi-dimensional. Some may feel as though sampling is negative to the music industry, but I believe that when used correctly, it can be used to our creative advantage, and taken as a way to build a love for the art that we have around us.