26 minute read
Running for homecoming royalty
Homecoming: my experience running for royalty
by Samia Abdur-Rahim
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As a senior, attending Homecoming was a given - especially seeing as it’s my final year. But running for Homecoming Court? It seemed like just a waste of time. A joke, even.
While Northwood Homecomings are nowhere near exciting as they sound, I still teased the idea of running for royalty. When I told my friends (as a joke) that I wanted to run for Homecoming, they were all for it. One of my friends even claimed that they’d seriously help me campaign.
And so, in the next few weeks we had fully colored posters with my face plastered on them. Each one showed my face and pleaded with passersby to “vote for Samia Abdur-Rahim” while also supplying some non-specific threat. At first, it was extremely embarrassing. My face on badly edited photos for everyone in the school to see? Utterly humiliating.
But of course, I still put them up with the help of friends. In the hallways and in multiple teacher’s classrooms - even on someone’s back. We were determined.
Soon I realized that our advertising efforts weren’t enough. My competitors were advertising more than before, and I soon grew even more determined to win. So we turned to bribery. It’s amazing how many people you can get to agree with you for a lollipop.
When I arrived at the dance that fateful Saturday night, I was pleased to receive a free ticket for snow cones and unlimited Capri Suns. Since I was worried about when the winners of Homecoming royalty were going to be announced, I managed to recruit my friends to arrive earlier than we normally would.
The DJ was… questionable during the first half of homecoming. We danced to the Cupid Shuffle and Electric Slide, which definitely opened up the night to more fun dancing. My friends and I met a ton of cool underclassmen, saw our peers dressed to the nines, and took some nice pictures together. The red carpet (which was taped down with red duct tape) at the entrance to the Homecoming area was definitely a nice touch.
Above: Jeanne Gnahoua (right) and I at Homecoming (Photo: Chariot staff)
Below: Scenes from Northwood’s Homecoming
Dance (via Chariot staff)
All this boiled down to one moment: the announcement of the Homecoming winners. By 7:15pm, the suspense had grown to a climax. We all gathered on the dance floor, our fingers crossed, waiting for that fateful announcement… to find that I didn’t win. Which was okay - I started this campaign on a whim, after all - but still a little bit of a downer.
After the announcement, my friends and I grabbed our free snacks and hightailed it out of the school. There were really only 30 minutes of the dance left, but we got what we wanted and that’s all that mattered. One of my friends who can drive (love you Lizzy) took us to The Silver Diner, where I feasted on a delectable Greek salad. I thought about that salad afterwards (more so than my Homecoming loss), just as my friends thought about the waffles and burgers they got.
I still enjoyed myself - even though I didn’t win - and Homecoming is probably one of those stories I’ll tell my kids when I’m old and wrinkly.
Red and Black Staff
Editors-in-Chief Lizzy Alspach Liya Tadesse
Supervising Editors Samia Abdur-Rahim Jeanne Gnahoua Semira Tekle Kai Treadwell
News Staff Megan Leatherwood Madison Riggs Rebecca Tran
Features Staff Mary Awii Aidan Lewis Michael Marquez Silas Myers Caroline Touhey
Entertainment Staff Enson Cao John McLendon Barcomax Ouedraogo Shyla Rincon Anderson Solano Ruiz
Music Editor Samia Abdur-Rahim
Comics and Games Editor Jeanne Gnahoua
Fashion Editor Malisha Gunawardena
Design and Photography Zainab Coker Andru Orosco
Faculty Advisor Ryan Acosta-Fox
Northwood reopens for in-person learning (cont’d)
their peers and teachers face-toface again in the building.
In-person instructions can be more beneficial to students who prefer a learning environment where they can more easily connect with their teachers.
Freshman Kimberly Mendez said she likes in-person school because it allows her to “interact with teachers and friends and that helps [her] focus.”
Another member of the class 2025, Declan Ritchotte, was excited to socialize in-person with friends he had missed.
“It was good to see friends again,” said Declan.
Although many students are excited to come back to school, some are still anxious about COVID-19 and the safety of the building.
At the beginning of the year, some students were cynical about MCPS staying open.
According to Stella Ponce (‘23), “Starting school in-person was stupid because we are just going to close again.”
While there are significant differences between pre- and post-lockdown schooling, Northwood and other MCPS schools are devoting resources to making school feel as normal as possible.
Sports, practices, and extracurriculars now operate under much the same rules and regulations as pre-lockdown, and students are not required to wear masks while doing outdoor activities.
In a year of uncertainties, perhaps only one thing is sure to be true: This will prove to be an eventful year. More scenes from reopening: Northwood Cheer greets incoming freshmen, and students celebrate at the Homecoming Dance.
Seniors Say Seniors answer questions from freshmen about how to live their lives
Tatyanna Murphy
by Madison Riggs and Megan Leatherwood
Calvin Wood Brandon Appleton
General advice to freshmen?
“Don’t procrastinate. And take more challenging classes like AP and Honors, don’t be scared. It helps. I didn’t start taking them until later. . . don’t wait to take them because you’re scared.”
“Are there things you feel like you missed out on?” (Marisa Davenport)
“I missed out on sports and clubs and putting myself out there. Don’t be afraid to do that and go for it.”
“Do you care about freshmen talking to you?” (Miles Riggs)
“I try to reach out to them to comfort them, because you know, like ‘scary seniors’ and stuff like that, so I try to reach out and show them [that’s not the case]. I’m on the cheerleading team, so we have a lot of freshmen and I try to help them out on there, too.”
General advice to freshmen?
“I would recommend FINDING ANY FRIENDS WHO PLAY MUSIC AND TELLING THEM TO JOIN JAZZ BAND. . . WE NEED PEOPLE! Also, don’t get sassy with your teachers. It will make for a very hard four years if all your teachers hate you.”
“Are there any things you feel like you missed out on?”
“I missed out on my whole freshman experience because I was homeschooled, before the pandemic. I should have taken advantage of a real school while I had it.”
“Are there any places on campus you should avoid?” (Eva Caron)
“The whole campus is pretty cool but I would avoid the G hallway. . . Grimiest hallway in Northwood.”
General advice to freshmen?
“WALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HALLWAY!!! No one likes it when you walk on the wrong side.”
“Are there any things you feel like you missed out on?”
“Being open to meeting new people. You might just make someone’s day.”
“Do you care about freshmen talking to you?” “I’m fine with being friends with a freshman.”
“Are there any places on campus you should avoid?”
“Any of the area behind the stairwells. People will become suspicious of you no matter what.”
Queerbaiting: all you need to know
by Jeanne Gnahoua and Lizzy Alspach
Queerbaiting: a term you’ve probably heard tossed around before, but you might not know the significance. Queerbaiting is a term used for media that makes promises of LGBTQ+ representation but in reality doesn’t provide any representation, good representation, or it provides problematic representation.
Queerbaiting happens most often in shows. In television media, oftentimes two characters are hinted at being romantically involved, but the showrunners never actually follow through. “Riverdale” is a prime example of this: Betty and Veronica are hinted at becoming a couple; they kiss each other at the beginning of the series. Fans were elated at first, thinking that “Riverdale” was going to provide some much needed queer rep… but that quickly proved to be wishful thinking as a sapphic relationship was abandoned, and Betty and Veronica end up in heterosexual relationships.
Two different characters in “Riverdale,” Joaquin and Archie, also end up kissing in the series. Archie Andrews is an established heterosexual character who is in a romantic relationship with Veronica Lodge, while Joaquin is a known gay character who seems to kiss Archie to establish an ulterior motive in the show. Though this isn’t inherently problematic, it became misleading when executives decided to use the kiss to advertise “Riverdale” as an appeal to the LGBTQ+ community.
While it might seem like it’s not that important, these examples are actually harmful to the queer community. Betty and Veronica’s kiss was also used as a promotion of “Riverdale,” but since the relationship wasn’t developed any further, it was put in the series to attract a broader - queer - audience. Another instance comes from “Voltron: Legendary Defender,” where Shiro, one of the main characters, was said to be married to a man named Adam. The entire cast and crew published this, which got fans excited, but in the final season, Shiro and Adam have nothing to do with each other. This is how queerbaiting is used as a promotional tactic: get more viewers by appealing to a queer audience without actually delievering, without scaring away those in the audience who might dislike explicit queerness.
Queerbaiting is not a new development; celebrities have also engaged in queerbaiting. One example is one of Katy Perry’s biggest hits: “I Kissed a Girl.” This fan-favorite song became extremely popular in the 2000’s, but some of its lyrics are questionable. Perry sings lines like, “You’re my experimental game,” and “I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it.” The latter line seems innocent enough but carries a homophobic connotation. We understand that Katy Perry isn’t really talking about a romance with a girlfriend, but instead a purely sexual secret she feels she has to hide. Queer relationships - especially sapphic ones - are sexualized and delegitimized, presented to the public as purely sexual experiences.
Other musical artists, such as Cardi B, have denounced the term queerbaiting. On Twitter, she said, “I feel like [queerbaiting] pressures artists to talk about their sexuality or experiences that they don’t feel comfortable speaking about.” It’s important to note that queerbaiting isn’t about forcing artists to come out about their identity if they’re not ready; it’s about non-queer people using the promise of queer content to lure fans.
Today, as society moves toward normalizing queerness, some shows have provided great LGBTQ+ representation, such as “Euphoria,” “The Owl House,” “Sex Education,” and “Pose.”
As Bea Mitchell, a journalist for Pink News, put it, queerbaiting offers “just enough to keep LGBT people interested, without having to really represent us.”
FX’s Pose (above) is the rare show that delivers LGBTQ+ representation.
Activision Blizzard’s “frat boy” culture
by Kai Treadwell
Activision, creators of big video game titles like “Call of Duty,” “Overwatch,” and “Skylanders,” is currently being investigated about their response to “numerous complaints about unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.”
Over the summer, PC Gamer reported on employees who spoke with federal investigators citing the “frat boy” culture of Activision Blizzard, calling it a “breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women.” In July, more than 3,000 employees of the company signed an open letter that called for “official statements recogniz[ing] the seriousness of the allegations and demonstrate compassion for victims of harassment and assault.” Labor actions including strikes and protests followed.
In their letter, employees also demanded Activision modify their employment practices and publish data of salary ranges and promotion rates for employees of all “genders and ethnicities at the company.” Not only that, but employees also demanded that Activi- sion ditch all mandatory arbitration clauses from all current and future employee contracts, meaning that employees will no longer have to waive their rights to bring the company to court. Since this happened, Activision has responded in numerous ways. They renamed Overwatch’s “McCree” since he shares the name of Jesse McCree; McCree is a longterm developer for Activision who was outed for sexual misconduct in the workplace. The company also removed references to other devel-
opers of games like World of Warcraft, who have been accused of serial sexual harassment. Many have mixed feelings about these changes. Writer Kris Holt said that the changes will “rinse the stink of the scandal from the game,” but they won’t “fix the systemic problems at Activision Blizzard.” ActiVision is still being called insensitive in their responses to sexual harassment accusations on top of their responses to ensuring the safety of diverse populations within their company.
Above and left: Activision employees protest a culture of harassment (Photos: LA Times).
Racism and MCPS inaction (cont’d)
But are students at fault for feeling this way? Absolutely not.
It isn’t DCC students’ fault for not telling administrators what happened; it’s administrators’ fault for facilitating an environment where students feel as if they can’t share these details in the first place.
What students need is proper action - amends for all the cases in which administration didn’t act and students were left to suffer in silence, their voices unheard.
There are questions that administrators across the county should be asking themselves every time they wake up and go to work.
Do our students feel safe walking into school buildings every morning? Every minute they’re in the halls? Every afternoon when they walk out the doors?
If racist events happen at our school, can we confidently say that there will be actions taken to discourage them from happening again?
Is there anything that we can do to stop something like this from taking place at all?
There have been other recent incidents featuring indifference on behalf of people in charge toward attitudes and actions of bigotry toward marginalized students.
Well-documented incidents happened at athletic events between Sherwood High School and Albert Einstein High School this year.
The first incident occurred during the varsity girls soccer match on September 30, when the Sherwood students’ section allegedly made several racist and transphobic comments against the Einstein team.
According to the Washington Post, one Einstein student who participated in the game said in a social media post that she was referred to as “Asian trash” and “Asian man.”
Later, a student from Einstein who played in a girls’ volleyball game on October 4 recounted part of a different incident on Instagram.
“Two boys walked past me and one of them said [a racist slur directed toward people of Chinese descent] directly to me.”
Another Instagram story made by a different account reported that at the end of the same game, the Einstein volleyball team had to leave from a separate door, guided by Sherwood’s athletic director, in order to avoid the Sherwood student section.
Part of the reason why some students feel so comfortable making racist comments is because students have too rarely faced repercussions for past infractions. The atmosphere gives them leeway to make such comments without fear of punishment.
Thankfully, the two incidents involving Sherwood and Einstein students sparked helpful controversy. Einstein students’ social media campaign helped spread awareness. Einstein students who were most affected shared their experiences on social media and asked other students to help spread word and seek justice. Students across Montgomery County answered their call and elevated the voices of the Einstein students who were harmed.
MCPS, after noticing the events that transpired on social media, quickly responded. MCPS implemented restorative circles, both at Sherwood and at Einstein, to both give students a safe space to talk about what occurred and to identify the beliefs that caused this incident in the first place.
In a statement, Einstein principal Mark Brown said, “While restorative circles help, the students and spectators who engage in this offensive behavior need to be addressed directly and specifically. Being part of an athletic team and attending athletic events are privileges that can be taken away.”
Northwood players (right) square off against Sherwood players (left) (Photo: NAA).
Einstein planned for Sherwood students to be under parental supervision at the next game they attended. Meanwhile, Sherwood’s principal, Tim Britton, wrote in a letter directed to the Einstein community that his school will be investigating the incidents and that there would be “serious consequences” for those responsible.
It feels like change is finally happening. But what about events that don’t receive so much attention?
An entire social media campaign should not be necessary every time something like this happens. It should be enough for a student to report an incident to administration and have appropriate consequences take place.
Though MCPS administrators finally took action in this case, it is clear there is still work to be done - as the Northwood-Sherwood football game indicates.
The repercussions happening in the wake of the Einstein coverage at Sherwood must not be ignored. The change that Sherwood implements must be lasting and far-reaching. This should be the precedent, not the sole example.
We believe that MCPS administrators should: - permanently suspend any athletes that use racial slurs; - ban any students found using a slur against other students from all extracurricular activities; - require parental supervision at following games if derogatory remarks are heard but perpetrators cannot be found; and - remove the increased police presence on school grounds for extracurriculars.
Increasing police presence at schools where students of color frequent is not the answer to solving or preventing racist incidents when they have historically aided in the disenfranchisement of black and brown and queer bodies.
The football players we spoke to want a sincere apology from Sherwood, as well as action to take place. Many encouraged the permanent suspension of any athletes who used the inappropriate language toward the Northwood team.
As a football player puts it, “I just don’t think it was right how some of the players on the team [were] saying some racial slurs.”
Though some of these proposals may be challenging to facilitate immediately, they should serve as a guideline for the next time a type of incident occurs on MCPS grounds. Any step from MCPS that would make students feel more comfortable sharing their stories would be a step in the right direction for MCPS.
It is the job of administration to crack down on the culture of racism that is present in MCPS schools, the culture that enables students to say such vile things. The fact that such things are even happening - often without proper repercussions - calls into question the ability of administration to do the job of antiracism.
To represent the lack of sportsmanship shown to Northwood players during the game, one Northwood player decided against giving a final handshake to a player from the Sherwood team. Though this appears to be a small act of protest, the player hopes it’s something small that could ignite a larger fire.
It’s the little things that add up, after all.
by Michael Marquez and Red and Black staff
Now that schools have reopened, it’s time to prepare for the worst: not only did you survive quarantine, but now you must survive the Northwood hallways!
Fortunately, with the help of seasoned Red and Black staff, I have made a set of rules to guide you.
Stay strong.
Rule 1
Give up all hope.
Rule 2
Use brute force only if absolutely necessary. Moving is key. This can sometimes be the only effective way to get through.
Rule 3
Say “excuse me.” No one seems to realize you are all going to the same place. When saying “excuse me,” people might not notice. It’s possible they even let you pass.
Rule 4
Blend in; they can smell fear.
Rule 5
“Don’t stop in the middle of the hallway. People will push you.” (Lizzy A., ‘22)
Rule 6
“Avoid eye contact. It will just make things more awkward than it already is.” (Samia, ‘22)
Rule 7
“Use all your opportunities. When there’s a gap of people, take it.” (Lizzy A., ‘22)
Rule 8
“Trust no one. In the hallways, nobody’s a friend.” (Silas M., ‘25)
Rule 9
“There is no prize for first place. Don’t martyr yourself; stay vigilant.” (Mr. Acosta-Fox, ‘02)
Rule 10
“Stick to both walls of the hallways so people can get through.” (I forgot who said this but it makes good sense.)
Follow these rules like the 10 Commandments, and not only will you be prepared to survive the Northwood hallways, but a none-too-dissimilar zombie apocalypse as well.
You got this!
What’s your favorite scary movie?
I asked 33 students at Northwood what their favorite movie is. Here’s what I learned.
Jaidyn M. (‘22)
by Andru Orosco
Alex L. (‘22) Northwood Consensus
Favorite Scary Movie: Scream 2nd Place: Halloween (tie) 3rd Place: Nightmare on Elm Street (tie)
“Candyman” (1992) vs. “Candyman” (2021): an analysis (with spoilers)
by Andru Orosco
“Candyman” (1992) tells a haunting story that traumatizes a whole neighborhood, a curse that the Cabrini-Green housing complex couldn’t break.
Directed by Bernard Rose and starred Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle, the 1992 version tells the story of a student at a university writing a thesis, and Kasi Lemmons as her friend Bernadette. A creature called the Candyman suddenly appears when you say his name five times in the mirror. Helen and Bernadette decide to investigate.
At the Cabrini-Green housing ocmplex, residents tell Helen about the Candyman. One woman speaks of her murdered next door neighbor. After this, Helen gets a closer encounter than she anticipated.
When Helen and the police believe they have apprehended the Candyman, he blames her for ruining his name. That’s what keeps his spirit alive, we learn: the fear of Cabrini-Green.
That’s why he’s doing this to Helen. Till she gives into Candyman, and becomes his protege.
The 2021 adaptation is directed by Nia DaCosta, with a screenplay by the legendary Jordan Peele. It features Yahya Abdul Mateen II playing the artist Anthony Mcoy and Teynoah Parris playing his wife in the lead roles. Some actors reprise their roles from the original.
The main premise of this version differs from 1992: Anthony and his wife decide to follow a story that drives them insane - with horrifying consequences.
Both movies were box office successes, and the original has become a cult classic over the years. To be considered a resounding success, a movie should make double its production budget. According to Box Office Mojo, “Candyman” (1992) had a budget of $6 million and grossed $26 million. On the other hand, “Candyman” (2021) had a $25 million budget and grossed $60 million dollars.
Personally, I think “Candyman” (1992) is better: it has better performances, visuals that are great for its time, a script that’s so enriching, and a plot that’s simple but takes it into new platforms to explore.
It is clear that cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond knew where, what, and how to shoot for the theme and mood of the original movie. Richmond deftly filmed in perfect locations to show the grittiness and horrible conditions of Cabrini-Green.
Cabrini-Green is a gang-controlled neighborhood that Chicago really doesn’t care about. The set design is very well accomplished. Cabrini-Green hallways are filled with graffiti, everything looks abandoned and feels dark, with mold and dust in all public spaces.
Then you have Helen who lives in the city of Chicago with her husband, a professor. The scale of everything feels so right, from the compact apartments, to the wide college classes and campus, to the huge bonfire at the end.
I don’t want downplay the cinematography from 2021. They did some things better. But looking at the bigger picture. “Candyman” (2021) had a much bigger budget from Universal Studios, unlike the $6 million the 1992 feature used.
Acting performances from both movies are amazing, but Virginia Madsen so perfectly portrayed her character losing their grip on reality and becoming frustrated with her world. The acting becomes unnoticeable at times. “Candyman” (2021) captures this as well, with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II performing an equally great performance.
But Virginia Madsen had more challenging and disturbing scenes she had to shoot. In one, she is framed for kidnapping. Helen gets arrested and goes to the police station to be processed. She is covered in blood and has to take all of her clothes off. She’s traumatized by everything that has happened to her so fast: her friend’s baby is with the Candyman, and no one is willing to listen to her.
She sits there, sobbing, trembling, and embarrassed, as the female cop watches her. She begs the cop for a phone call, to get the detective, for her to be able even to clean herself.
This was the scene where I real ly wanted to help Helen; I felt like she was a real person who really needed help. Virginia Madsen’s acting in “Candyman” is a perfect example for what horror movie acting should be.
On the script-writing: well, “Candyman” (1992) definitely takes this. This is not to say the 2021 version had atrocious writing, but it was a bit basic, and just okay overall. On the other hand, Bernard Rose did great for “Candyman” (1992). When the title character speaks in this movie, it truly did feels like a spirit who has been living for hundreds of years haunting Cabrini-Green. Helen accurately sounds like a college student reporter. The director Bernard Rose really does well contrasting the different tones and the way characters from different places speak, between Helen, her friend and the citizens of Cabrini-Green.
Both movies have a lot of similarities, but a few differences make “Candyman” (1992) better overall. I would give “Candyman” (1992) an 8/10 and “Candyman” (2021) a 7/10.
Virginia Madsen (above) shines as Helen in “Candyman” (1992); Nia DaCosta (below) skillfully directs Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the 2021 version (Photos: IMDB.)
Kanye West “Donda” performance (Photo: Getty).
“Donda” vs. “Ceritfied Lover Boy”: a review
by Enson Cao
This hip-hop heavyweight battle has reared its ugly head again, as Kanye and Drake released their much anticipated 2021 albums almost simultaneously. However, before a single bit of music was released, beef was cooking up.
After a diss from Drake on Trippie Redd’s “Betrayal,” Kanye took his anger to a group chat and followed that with a now-deleted Instagram post of Drake’s home address.
It’s not like this is the first time these two musical pioneers have beefed; their fued has been going on for at least 12 years. They’ve dissed each other on countless tracks.
Enough of the beef. What about the music?
“Donda” has been highly anticipated for months. Consistent with the title, “Donda” is an album that acts as a memoriam to his now-deceased mother, Donda West. It deals with heavy subjects like the loss of a loved one, religion, and spreading the gospel. Overall, the messages on the tracks are clear to understand, and Kanye does this while also giving a beautiful production matched with a sonically great album.
Overall, the pros of “Donda” are production, quality, lyricism, and theme. Cons are definitely overhype, lack of anthemic songs, time of release, and memorability.
Some standout tracks are “Moon,” “Jail,” “Pure Souls,” “Ok Ok,” and “New Again.” I feel like the hype of “Donda” was more memorable than the actual release due to its suddenness and dimmed down hype at the time.
I tried my best to like “Certified Lover Boy”; I really did. However, the record failed to meet many of my expectations. I feel as if Drake’s attempt to challenge “Donda” by releasing so close to the record date and continuing the narrative of him and Kanye’s beef was extremely lackluster, and not much came out of it.
Sonically and production-wise, “CLB” doesn’t come close to “Donda.” Lyricism also falls short as you could call many of the lyrics “corny” or “uninspired”.
This doesn’t compare with the clear narrative in Kanye’s album. “Certified Lover Boy” feels like a jumble of songs put together with no cohesion and with little to no intent behind them. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed two tracks: “Champagne Poetry” and “The Remorse.” I feel like the pros to this album are its anthemic value, its time of release, and its sales, but the cons are production, lyricism, theme and quality. “Certified Lover Boy” was disappointment for me and many others. It’s safe to say that both “Donda” and “CLB” were letdowns compared to the hype that built them up. However I feel like “Donda” has the edge over “CLB” due to its overall enjoyability, themes and production.
Drake performing on Coachella stage (Photo: Getty).
“Passion” Pink Pantheress
“GlitchGang” Dropout Kings
“Accordion” MF DOOM
“Dorian” Men I Trust
“Broken Clocks” SZA
“Daydreams/Wetdream/Nightmare” Saint Motel
“Kiss Kiss” Machine Gun Kelly
“Pain” PinkPantheress
“Love It If We Made It” The 1975
“Love Affair” UMI
Red & Black Playlist
Fall 2021
International music and its influence on us
by Shyla Rincon
Everybody has their own music taste. Some listen to pop, others to rap, and others RnB. But there is music all around the world - from Latin music to Kpop, Bossa Nova, even Afro-beats, and all have influenced American music.
Latin artists like Selena, Gloria Estefan and Celia Cruz have impacted Latin music since the 1980s. Other artists like Daddy Yankee, Pitbull and Shakira made it huge in the Latin music industry following their predecessors.
Kpop, which originated in South Korea, has groups like SHINEE and Girls’ Generation who made their debut in the early 2000s. Today, BTS, ENHYPEN and TWICE stand as big contenders in the industry, earning millions of fans around the world.
Music as a whole has influenced people everywhere and can also help people get in touch with their cultures.
People can listen to different types of music and artists from all over the world with streaming services like Spotify. Exploring music from around the globe will let you see new horizons.
