Sunday special (or Monday mutterings, depending on the timezone).

I’m gonna play around with my publishing scheduling for a few more weeks. If you’re an older subscriber, you’d know I do Friday Fives (in honor of the fic format I encountered when I was younger), so I’m bringing that alliteration and the concept to these posts. Have a fun rest of the weekend/happy Monday!

🗞️ An article about fandom

I have to admit, for most of this article, I did have my hackles raised. Alan Moore’s column in The Guardian had me feeling a bit defensive for the first few paragraphs, even though I have seen and continue to see examples of toxicity in my day-to-day life. He does spare a sentence or two acknowledging that healthy fandoms and subcultures do exist, but he pays his attention to the louder toxic behaviors for good reason, because they have bled into aspects of our life beyond entertainment. This piece made me reflect on my own level of involvement in the different fandoms I’m in and how toxic behaviors in fandom do impact the level of risk-taking that creators (whether established creators in media and entertainment or fan creators creating transformative works) can pursue (and how creative they truly can be).

🎶 One thing I’ve been getting into

If you’re following me on Twitter, you’ll know that I’ve been into Philippine pop and newer original Pilipino music (OPM) lately. I grew up listening to OPM, of course, but I have not been able to catch up on newer songs, albums, and artists until I fell in love with BINI and their music. I thought I’d put together a small selection of music that I’ve been enjoying from BINI and other Filipino artists, just to give folks a taste of what we’ve been enjoying over on this side of the world.

Euphoria (The Ridleys). Their fans love to say ‘live, laugh, love The Ridleys,’ and you’ll get why, because no one writes a love song the way The Ridleys do. Euphoria captures that feeling of being struck like lightning after realizing you’re starting to fall for someone. The way I would describe it to someone who’s been in fandom for a while is that it’s the perfect song for that ‘Oh. Oh.’ moment you read when one of your faves finally realizes they’re in love.

Salamin, Salamin (BINI). I LOVE BINI. I think that needs to be said upfront. They’re a girl group making great bubblegum pop that has captured the hearts of Filipinos by storm, and I’m so glad I discovered them in 2024. (This song is in Filipino and the music video should have the English translation.) This song has a wicked bass line, fun choreography, great vocals, and a lighthearted, fun take on the ambiguity and confusion that seems so common in today’s dating scene.

Boomerang (G22). This song has a mix of English and Filipino lyrics, FYI. G22’s another girl group that I’ve been enjoying, and I love them for their punk sensibilities. Boomerang shows off the power in their voice and I think it’s a good intro to their vibe and to their brand of music.

Kiliti (ALYSON). I read about ALYSON in a copy of Billboard Philippines. (We should bring back magazine culture, I forget how fun it is to find new things without the help of an algorithm.) This city pop quintet came out with their album DEFINITELY LOVE! last year and I’ve been enjoying listening to its opener because of how brass-forward it is. There’s not enough brass instruments in Filipino music, and I’m glad they’re trying to change that. Kiliti has that foot-tapping melody paired with lyrics that call to mind an impish, smirking lover asking for a little bit of your time.

Triumph (Ben & Ben). Ben & Ben has been popular in the Philippines thanks to well-written songs that have made a mark on popular culture, and this nine-person folk-pop (sometimes pop-rock) band is a must-listen if we’re talking about today’s OPM. Triumph is their latest single, and it has this atmospheric quality that I really enjoy. This is a fight song you’d want to add to your playlist, ASAP. Also, it has a kickass music video that made me cry, so please go watch that too.

📺 A series I’ve been following

I’ve come across Julian Sewell’s content, starting with his ‘Paloma Diamond at an awards show’ videos (Paloma Diamond is a fictional actress, a character that Sewell has created) and his current 80s-set series has been so fun to watch (start with this video to catch up). It’s funny to see that soap operas were apparently a staple for a lot of us growing up and that some tropes that just cross borders and time zones.

I’m also thrilled that this homage to soap operas has also inspired people to create videos theorizing about characters and the plot. Engaging deeply with media is alive in 2024, it just takes the right material to suck us in.

(My money’s on Rhonda being an undercover agent.)

I think what I appreciate it about it is the level of detail that Sewell brings into it—we can easily place the time the series is in thanks to the clothes, makeup, and music. At a time when people are nudging us towards unnecessary shortcuts, it feels nice that people appreciate and want a level of craft and a level of love from their creators.

I’d love to hear from you! Do you have prompts, fic recs, articles, or even music that you’d like to share? Things happening in your fandom worth a deep dive? Send me an email by replying to this newsletter, and I’ll make sure to check it out.

Thanks for reading!