Music Archives - My Modern Met https://mymodernmet.com/category/entertainment/music/ The Big City That Celebrates Creative Ideas Fri, 23 Aug 2024 22:12:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-My-Modern-Met-Favicon-1-32x32.png Music Archives - My Modern Met https://mymodernmet.com/category/entertainment/music/ 32 32 Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz Is the First Afro-Latina on a U.S. Quarter https://mymodernmet.com/celia-cruz-us-mint-quarters/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:35:24 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=690222 Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz Is the First Afro-Latina on a U.S. Quarter

The “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz is the fourth woman to be honored in the 2024 American Women Quarters Program and the first Afro-Latina to grace a U.S. coin. This vivacious vocal powerhouse’s career spanned continents, genres, and decades. That’s a lot of life and musicality to portray on a small metal disc, but U.S. […]

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Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz Is the First Afro-Latina on a U.S. Quarter
Celia Cruz Quarter

Celia Cruz Quarter, U.S. Mint

The “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz is the fourth woman to be honored in the 2024 American Women Quarters Program and the first Afro-Latina to grace a U.S. coin. This vivacious vocal powerhouse’s career spanned continents, genres, and decades. That’s a lot of life and musicality to portray on a small metal disc, but U.S. Mint medallic artist Phebe Hemphill was up to the challenge and created a striking pocket portrait.

“I knew I had to make the design for superstar Celia Cruz as dynamic as she was,” Hemphill said. “I watched her perform in her famous rumba dress and tried to create a design that truly reflected her greatness and vitality.” Hemphill uses a combination of traditional clay relief sculpture and 3D imaging software in her designs.

It would be quite the task to encapsulate the vivacity of Cruz, who is known for her powerful voice, incredible vocal range, improvisational lyrics, on-stage dancing and humor, and infectious flamboyance. The performer's style has also made an impact. Her looks consisted of impressively high heels, colorful wigs, and dazzling gowns featuring sequins, ruffles, and feathers. Several of her favorite outfits, including a Cuban Rumba dress, now belong to the Smithsonian.

Luckily, the quarter captures an exuberant Cruz in characteristically fabulous garb, smiling next to her iconic cry,”¡Azúcar!” (sugar)—a saying that originated in a joke about Cuba’s powerful coffee and became a beloved catchphrase of her performances. (The image of George Washington on the reverse side was designed by Laura Gardin Fraser in 1932.)

Born Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso in 1925 in Barrio Santos Suarez in Havana, Cruz loved music from an early age. Though her father wanted her to be a teacher, she left her training in education and attended Havana’s National Conservatory of Music. Cruz started out performing for local cabarets and radio shows, and one of her first big breaks was singing for a popular orchestra called La Sonora Matancera. The trumpet player, Pedro Knight, later became her husband and manager.

After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, Cruz moved to Mexico and then New Jersey, launching a U.S. career that would include platinum and gold records, films, and Grammys, among other achievements and awards. One cornerstone of her success was joining the Tito Puente Orchestra, one of the groups that developed a popular new genre in the 1960s and 70s: salsa.

“I have fulfilled my father’s wish to be a teacher as, through my music, I teach generations of people about my culture and the happiness that is found in just living life,” Cruz said in 1997, six years before her death. “As a performer, I want people to feel their hearts sing and their spirits soar.”

Cuban-American singer Celia Cruz is now the first Afro-Latina to be featured on a U.S. quarter.

Celia Cruz Quarter

She joins other inspiring women in the 2024 American Women Quarters Program, including Zitkala-Ša, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Dr. Pauli Murray, and Mary Edwards Walker.

American Women Quarters

American Women Quarters, U.S. Mint

Cruz had more than 80 albums and songs, and artists in the music industry continue to feel the impact she has made.

Celia Cruz Album

Ritmo en el Corazón album cover. (Photo: Library of Congress)

The vivacious musician was also no stranger to the Latin Grammys, having won 4 awards herself.

Watch the “Queen of Salsa” perform with Tito Puente in 2009.

Celia Cruz: Website | Instagram | YouTubeX
h/t: [ABC7]

All images via the United States Mint except where noted.

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READ: Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz Is the First Afro-Latina on a U.S. Quarter

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Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Perform at the Olympics Closing Ceremony https://mymodernmet.com/billie-eilish-red-hot-chili-peppers-snoop-dogg-olympics/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:30:07 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=688264 Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Perform at the Olympics Closing Ceremony

  Ver esta publicación en Instagram   Una publicación compartida por The Olympic Games (@olympics) With all the joy and excitement the Paris 2024 Olympic Games spread around the world, many can't help but look forward to the next Olympics. As is tradition, the closing ceremony featured the passing of the baton to the city […]

READ: Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Perform at the Olympics Closing Ceremony

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Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Perform at the Olympics Closing Ceremony

 

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Una publicación compartida por The Olympic Games (@olympics)

With all the joy and excitement the Paris 2024 Olympic Games spread around the world, many can't help but look forward to the next Olympics. As is tradition, the closing ceremony featured the passing of the baton to the city of Los Angeles, which will host the games in 2028. To get everyone excited, some Californian performers made an appearance. Some like Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and Red Hot Chili Peppers joined in from the other side of the Atlantic on the sunny beaches of SoCal.

After H.E.R. performed the National Anthem and Tom Cruise jumped from the roof of the Stade de France, the broadcast depicted the Olympic flag traveling across the world and around LA before making its way to the Pacific Ocean, where the Red Hot Chili Peppers were performing their electrifying single “Can't Stop” with the blue ocean and a matching LA28 logo in the background.

The camera later panned to reveal a second stage, mounted in one of SoCal's iconic lifeguard towers. There, Billie Eilish, her brother Finneas, and her band, gave a sunny rendition of “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” the second single from her latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft.

Following her performance, Snoop Dogg appeared through a path of intricate sand sculptures and took over the stage to rap to “The Next Episode” alongside Dr. Dre. This wasn't the first time Snoop Dogg was seen around an Olympic event recently. The California rapper was also seen in Paris attending break dancing competitions and supporting Team USA.

In the end, Snoop Dogg waved the Olympic flag before the broadcast returned to Paris for the emotional final moments of the ceremony, as the French capital bid farewell to the games with a rendition of “My Way” by French singer and model Yseult, uniting the host countries present and future in one sweeping performance.

You can watch these performances below.

During the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony, LA-based musicians made an appearance from across the pond to get everyone excited about the next Olympic Games—Los Angeles 2028.

Watch the performances by Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg.

h/t: [Complex]

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READ: Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Perform at the Olympics Closing Ceremony

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Celine Dion Makes Her Grand Return With a Performance at the Eiffel Tower for the 2024 Paris Olympics https://mymodernmet.com/celine-dion-2024-paris-olympic-games/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:30:56 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=685468 Celine Dion Makes Her Grand Return With a Performance at the Eiffel Tower for the 2024 Paris Olympics

  Ver esta publicación en Instagram   Una publicación compartida por The Olympic Games (@olympics) The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are finally here. And while the competitions are well underway, the entire world is still buzzing about the thrilling opening ceremony. One moment in particular seemed to strike a chord with the global audience. Near […]

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Celine Dion Makes Her Grand Return With a Performance at the Eiffel Tower for the 2024 Paris Olympics

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por The Olympic Games (@olympics)

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are finally here. And while the competitions are well underway, the entire world is still buzzing about the thrilling opening ceremony. One moment in particular seemed to strike a chord with the global audience. Near the end of the broadcast, the cameras turned to the Eiffel Tower, where Canadian singer Celine Dion performed Édith Piaf's “Hymne A L'Amour.”

Wearing an elegant Dior gown, Dion fought back tears as she looked down at the crowd watching her perform from the famous Trocadero gardens, where athletes, politicians, and the media had gathered. The choice of song was a tribute to Piaf's place in French cultural history. “Hymne A L'Amour,” recorded in 1950, is a piercing love song inspired by the untimely passing of Piaf's lover, boxer Marcel Cerdan, in a plane crash.

On top of the powerful imagery, this moment held special significance. The Paris 2024 opening ceremony marked Dion's first performance in over a year following the cancelation of her Courage world tour in May 2023 amid her battle with stiff-person syndrome. This autoimmune and neurological condition causes painful spasms and makes it hard to walk, as depicted in her documentary I Am: Celine Dion. The singer first revealed her diagnosis in December 2022.

“I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities!” Dion wrote on Instagram. “Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance. All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you! You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!”

You can relive Dion's soaring performance by watching the video on YouTube. To stay up to date with the singer, you can follow Dion on Instagram.

Canadian singer Celine Dion performed Édith Piaf's “Hymne A L'Amour” at the Eiffel Tower for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Céline Dion (@celinedion)

You can watch the full performance on YouTube.

Celine Dion: Instagram
h/t: [Harper's Bazaar]

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READ: Celine Dion Makes Her Grand Return With a Performance at the Eiffel Tower for the 2024 Paris Olympics

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From Earth to Venus: NASA Sends Missy Elliott’s Hit Song ‘The Rain’ Into Space https://mymodernmet.com/nasa-missy-elliott-the-rain/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:45:41 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=683907 From Earth to Venus: NASA Sends Missy Elliott’s Hit Song ‘The Rain’ Into Space

On July 12, “The Rain (Super Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliott became the second song to be transmitted into space, following The Beatles' “Across the Universe” transmission in 2008. With the help of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the hip-hop track was beamed across 158 million miles to Elliott's favorite planet, Venus, in 14 minutes. Brittany […]

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From Earth to Venus: NASA Sends Missy Elliott’s Hit Song ‘The Rain’ Into Space
Missy Elliott

Photo: Atlantic Records via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

On July 12, “The Rain (Super Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliott became the second song to be transmitted into space, following The Beatles' “Across the Universe” transmission in 2008. With the help of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the hip-hop track was beamed across 158 million miles to Elliott's favorite planet, Venus, in 14 minutes.

Brittany Brown, the director of digital and technological communication, originally pitched the idea to Elliott's team. In NASA's announcement, she explains that the collaboration was inspired by Missy Elliott's frequent use of space imagery. Elliott's music videos often feature futuristic themes with a cyberpunk-like aesthetic. This style also extends to her latest tour, “Out Of This World,” which has a surrealist spacecraft-inspired atmosphere. She often wears metallic fabrics and bold colors while performing, reflecting a combination of retro and new-world styles.

“The Rain” was transmitted at the speed of light through the Deep Space Network (DSN), giant radio antennas used for missions around Earth and with other planets. From a radio dish near Barstow, California, the DSN used large antennas typically employed to track spacecrafts, send commands, and receive data. Additionally, the DSN is capable of communicating with spacecrafts that range in distance from a few thousand kilometers away to beyond the solar system. This advanced technology made it possible to send Missy Elliott's song to Venus precisely and quickly.

The broadcasted song, which contains a sample of Ann Peebles' 1973 single “I Can't Stand the Rain,” was written and composed by Don Bryant, Bernard Miller, Missy Elliott, and producer Timbaland for her debut album Supa Dupa Fly in 1997. Elliott received two Grammy Award nominations for the album: Best Rap Album and Best Rap Solo Performance for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).”

NASA's choice of Missy Elliott—who recently became the first female hip-hop artist in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame—may have been influenced by more than just her futuristic branding. The artist has produced revolutionary songs addressing topics such as feminism, gender equality, and sex and body positivity, making her a pioneer for a new generation of female artists.

While it's unclear why NASA has chosen to transmit a song after over a decade, since the transmission of the Beatles “Across the Universe” to North Star, Polaris, the decision to send Elliott's hit song into space reflects the organization's commitment to blend culture and science. Elliott's innovative and creative work as an artist aligns with NASA's goal of bringing artistic expression into space exploration.

On July 12, NASA transmitted Missy Elliott’s hit song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to Venus, making it the second song to ever be sent into space.

Elliott’s music often features space-themed imagery and a futuristic aesthetic, making her a fitting choice for a collaboration that blends culture with space exploration.

Beyond creating innovative beats, the four-time Grammy Award-winning artist has made an impact with her music by addressing themes such as feminism and gender equality.

Elliott has an influential role in shaping contemporary music by inspiring a new generation of artists and creating cultural milestones, including her recent achievement of having her work reach outer space.

Missy Elliott: Website | Instagram | X
h/t: [IFL Science]

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READ: From Earth to Venus: NASA Sends Missy Elliott’s Hit Song ‘The Rain’ Into Space

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Australian Busker Taken by Surprise When Teddy Swims Joins in as She Sings His Song https://mymodernmet.com/inoxia-teddy-swims/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:50:43 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=682022 Australian Busker Taken by Surprise When Teddy Swims Joins in as She Sings His Song

When Australian singer Inoxia set up to busk on the streets of Brisbane, she never anticipated meeting one of her musical heroes. The talented artist launched into ‘Lose Control,' when the song's original artist, Teddy Swims, unexpectedly walked by. She shared the surreal moment on Instagram, where it’s quickly going viral. When Inoxia noticed Swims […]

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Australian Busker Taken by Surprise When Teddy Swims Joins in as She Sings His Song
Busker Inoxia and Teddy Swims

Photo: Screenshot from Instagram

When Australian singer Inoxia set up to busk on the streets of Brisbane, she never anticipated meeting one of her musical heroes. The talented artist launched into ‘Lose Control,' when the song's original artist, Teddy Swims, unexpectedly walked by. She shared the surreal moment on Instagram, where it’s quickly going viral.

When Inoxia noticed Swims approaching, she did a double-take in complete surprise, saying, “Get outta town!” She kept her cool and quickly offered him a second mic to join her in a duet. Swims warmly greeted Inoxia with a hug, clearly just as delighted by the situation as she was. Then he starts to sing, and the song takes on a whole new level.

Swim’s powerful, soulful voice fills the entire street in an incredible live performance, with Inoxia joining in to create a beautiful duet. At one point, Swims forgets the lyrics to his own song, and Inoxia steps in to help him get back on track. This funny moment just goes to show that even big stars have their down-to-earth moments.

In another Instagram post featuring the two of them together, Inoxia writes, “Feeling so incredibly blessed right now, thank you Teddy Swims for all of your magic.”

Swims is wrapping up the Australian leg of his tour, but he couldn't finish without bringing Inoxia in on the fun. He invited the singer up on stage during one of his Melbourne concerts for an epic duet to the Shania Twain classic, You're Still the One.”

Check out all the heartwarming moments below and follow Inoxia on Instagram and TikTok to keep up with her singing career.

Australian singer Inoxia started singing on the streets when the song's original artist, Teddy Swims, walked by.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Please, I’m just a girl (@inoxia_)

It's apparent from the start that the two musicians had good camaraderie.

@inoxiasounds @Teddy Swims you have my heart #inoxia #teddyswims #losecontrol #australia #brisbane #queenstreetmall #busking #buaker ♬ original sound – INOXIA

After their surprise duet, the pair also sang a cover of Rihanna's ‘Stay Together.'

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Please, I’m just a girl (@inoxia_)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Please, I’m just a girl (@inoxia_)

 

Teddy Swims even invited Inoxia on stage at his Melbourne concert for a powerful duet to Shania Twain's ‘You're Still the One.'

@inoxiasounds This has been the best week of my life. To my inspiration, my mentor. @Teddy Swims thank you for changing my life. What an incredible experience! #inoxia #teddyswims #melbourne #busker #viralbusker #australia #teddy #inoxiasounds #blessed ♬ original sound – INOXIA

Inoxia: TikTokFacebook | Instagram | YouTube | Patreon
Teddy Swims: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube | TikTok
h/t: [Reddit]

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READ: Australian Busker Taken by Surprise When Teddy Swims Joins in as She Sings His Song

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9-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy Soulfully Plays the Blues Better Than Many Adults https://mymodernmet.com/maituo-nine-years-old-guitar-prodigy/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Mon, 15 Jul 2024 16:35:30 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=682137 9-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy Soulfully Plays the Blues Better Than Many Adults

In many ways, Junxi Lu is an average 9-year-old boy. He enjoys playing with his friends and dressing up in colorful clothes and wigs. But he also has a passion for music that far exceeds his age, as he is incredibly skilled at playing both the classical and electric guitar. The young guitar prodigy, better […]

READ: 9-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy Soulfully Plays the Blues Better Than Many Adults

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9-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy Soulfully Plays the Blues Better Than Many Adults

In many ways, Junxi Lu is an average 9-year-old boy. He enjoys playing with his friends and dressing up in colorful clothes and wigs. But he also has a passion for music that far exceeds his age, as he is incredibly skilled at playing both the classical and electric guitar.

The young guitar prodigy, better known as Maituo, began learning the classical guitar in 2020 and picked up the electrical guitar in 2021. Being that he was born on March 8, 2015, it means that he was only 5 years old when he started his musical journey in mastering these instruments. While this isn't necessarily unusual, Maituo's skill with the guitar is what is truly extraordinary and sets him apart from his peers. At only 9 years old, he's able to play songs with the musical prowess of people far older than him.

Maituo's musical portfolio is as expansive as it is impressive. He soulfully plays blues songs, almost seeming like a mini B.B. King as he closes his eyes, feeling each string being plucked like a tugging of his own heartstrings. He can also shred along to hard rock and metal songs, recently coming up on stage during a performance in Thailand to play the iconic guitar solo in Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns ‘N Roses. Even more impressively, he plays all of these songs on a full-size adult guitar. Even when the track requires him to stretch his arms all the way out to hit certain notes along the fingerboard, Maituo never misses a note. His lightning-quick fingerpicking is also a wonder to marvel at.

So how did this child become so good at playing the guitar? It seems that Maituo's skill is a mix of practice and perhaps genetics, as the young boy isn't the only talented musician in his family. His father is also a guitarist and many of the guitars that Maituo plays on are from his father's personal collection. It goes without saying but the child's father is also his tutor. Maituo also has a 7-year-old sister who is extremely gifted on the drums. She's able to play an impressive number of songs with her eyes closed. The brother-sister duo often rock out together at their in-home studio. Maituo's father records and then uploads their performances to their social media pages.

To keep up to date with the young guitarist, you can follow Maituo on Instagram and YouTube.

Maituo is a gifted 9-year-old guitar prodigy.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Junxi Lu (@maituoguitarlujunxi)

He started learning classical guitar at the age of 5 and began learning the electric guitar just a year later.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Junxi Lu (@maituoguitarlujunxi)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Junxi Lu (@maituoguitarlujunxi)

Maituo has an extensive musical repertoire, and plays everything from soothing blues to fast-paced metal and hard rock.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Junxi Lu (@maituoguitarlujunxi)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Junxi Lu (@maituoguitarlujunxi)

His 7-year-old sister is also incredibly talented with the drums, and the two often rock out together at their in-home studio.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Junxi Lu (@maituoguitarlujunxi)

Maituo: Instagram | YouTube

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READ: 9-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy Soulfully Plays the Blues Better Than Many Adults

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Listen to the Song Hieronymus Bosch Painted Onto a Man’s Butt in “The Garden of Earthly Delights” https://mymodernmet.com/garden-of-earthly-delights-sheet-music/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Thu, 04 Jul 2024 17:30:52 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=674865 Listen to the Song Hieronymus Bosch Painted Onto a Man’s Butt in “The Garden of Earthly Delights”

Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights is one of the world's most recognizable paintings, thanks to the artist's incorporation of unique aesthetics, uncanny characters, and remarkable depth. The piece is a triptych oil painting that shows the Garden of Eden, Paradise, and Hell. The detailed artwork is full of little elements that are often […]

READ: Listen to the Song Hieronymus Bosch Painted Onto a Man’s Butt in “The Garden of Earthly Delights”

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Listen to the Song Hieronymus Bosch Painted Onto a Man’s Butt in “The Garden of Earthly Delights”
The Garden Of Earthly Delights By Hieronymus Bosch

Detail of “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymous Bosch. Between 1490 and 1510. (Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights is one of the world's most recognizable paintings, thanks to the artist's incorporation of unique aesthetics, uncanny characters, and remarkable depth. The piece is a triptych oil painting that shows the Garden of Eden, Paradise, and Hell. The detailed artwork is full of little elements that are often overlooked at first glance, and a certain YouTube video delves into one of these hidden details—a musical score carefully printed on the buttocks of an agonized man.

The sheet music can be found in the bottom left of the third panel of the painting, which depicts sinners in Hell. The focus of this scene is a man lying flat on the ground as he is crushed by a giant lute. A large toad-like demon extends its barbed tongue towards the region where the notes are etched—a unique eternal punishment that makes one wonder what exactly he did in life to earn it.

The music was initially transcribed and recorded by a blogger named Amelia in 2014, who was kind enough to provide a piano recording of her playing it. Despite the dark subject matter of the painting, the song doesn't sound too haunting. This may be due to the fact that the song is written in C, which was a common key for chants of the 14th and 15th centuries when Bosch was painting the piece. Instead, the musical score sounds almost comforting at certain points, which makes Bosch's inclusion of it all the more surprising.

Ready to listen to this unusual backside music? Click here to fire up the video.

h/t: [Open Culture]

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READ: Listen to the Song Hieronymus Bosch Painted Onto a Man’s Butt in “The Garden of Earthly Delights”

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Pianist Who Grew in Foster Care Wins Competition With Original Composition Dedicated to His Foster Parents https://mymodernmet.com/brad-kella-foster-care-the-piano/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Fri, 14 Jun 2024 14:45:41 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=677857 Pianist Who Grew in Foster Care Wins Competition With Original Composition Dedicated to His Foster Parents

  Ver esta publicación en Instagram   Una publicación compartida por Brad Kella Liverpool Based Pianist (@bradkella) Over the last couple of years, a British TV show called The Piano has set its sights on finding the next greatest musician by placing pianos in public spaces for anyone to play. Last year, they shared the […]

READ: Pianist Who Grew in Foster Care Wins Competition With Original Composition Dedicated to His Foster Parents

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Pianist Who Grew in Foster Care Wins Competition With Original Composition Dedicated to His Foster Parents

Over the last couple of years, a British TV show called The Piano has set its sights on finding the next greatest musician by placing pianos in public spaces for anyone to play. Last year, they shared the story of Lucy, a blind and neurodivergent teen who was a proficient player despite her severe autism. Now, they've crowned a new promising pianist. Twenty-two-year-old Brad Kella won the 2024 competition by displaying his extraordinary skills, using the opportunity to also honor those who made it all possible for him.

Kella, who is from a suburb of north Liverpool, was placed in foster care at the age of 7. “I was so confused, I remember hanging on to the railings outside my foster parents, and just didn’t want to go in,” the young musician explained during his first audition performance at Liverpool Lime Street station. He expected to spend only a night with Ev and Frank, but they went on to become his foster parents for over 12 years.

“When I told them about wanting a piano, they were immediately like, ‘yes,’” Kella recalled. “There was a budget for kids in the care system, and Ev put some money in and got me a piano–and from that moment, my whole life changed.” While Kella couldn't read music, and still can't to this day, he taught himself to play the piano. “I used to just sit there for hours and hours, and figured out how different chords made me feel. I don’t read music at all, but each individual piano key just takes me somewhere.”

On top of becoming an extraordinary pianist, he learned a lot about himself and the places he could go through the instrument. “Once I started playing piano, I started feeling this unique feeling about myself,” Kella said. “That I was my own person. I owe it to my foster parents because prior to them, I had no one there who believed I would be capable of doing such a thing as playing piano.”

For the climactic final concert of the talent competition, Kella had to perform an original composition. Aiming to make a tribute to his parents, he wrote a vibrant, poignant piece titled “Ev and Frank.” The foster parents were taken aback when the young pianist revealed the title of his work, and could be seen wiping away tears in the audience during the moving performance.

“I had the best foster parents in the whole world. And they gave me the capability to dream, to believe that anything was actually possible and there’s a stigma with kids in foster care and we genuinely get seen as just a number. I want to show people what a number can do,” Kella said. “Kids in care are literally just treated as a number. We are down in the system as a number. I feel like I could be a voice to kids like that, and I hope I just give them more of a reason to keep trying—trying to achieve their dreams.”

You can watch Kella's moving performance below.

22-year old Brad Kella won the 2024 edition of The Piano by displaying his extraordinary skills, using the opportunity to also honor those who made it all possible for him.

Kella, who is from a suburb of north Liverpool, was placed in foster care at age seven. Curious about a piano, his foster parents got him one, which he learned to play on his own.

For the climactic final concert of the talent competition, Kella had to perform an original composition. Aiming to make a tribute to his parents, he wrote a vibrant, poignant piece titled “Ev and Frank.” Watch the performance below:

Brad Kella: Instagram
The Piano: YouTube | Instagram
h/t: [Classic FM]

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READ: Pianist Who Grew in Foster Care Wins Competition With Original Composition Dedicated to His Foster Parents

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Composer Turns Pet Portraits Into Beautiful Music That Reflects Your Furry Friend’s Personality https://mymodernmet.com/noam-oxman-sympawnies/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:50:06 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=675417 Composer Turns Pet Portraits Into Beautiful Music That Reflects Your Furry Friend’s Personality

Visual artists have long been inspired by their pets. There's a seemingly endless supply of pet photography and even quirky crafts paying homage to our animal companions. But it turns out, our furry friends can also prompt creatives to write beautiful music—and not just the silly songs you sing to your dog or cat about […]

READ: Composer Turns Pet Portraits Into Beautiful Music That Reflects Your Furry Friend’s Personality

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Composer Turns Pet Portraits Into Beautiful Music That Reflects Your Furry Friend’s Personality

Visual artists have long been inspired by their pets. There's a seemingly endless supply of pet photography and even quirky crafts paying homage to our animal companions. But it turns out, our furry friends can also prompt creatives to write beautiful music—and not just the silly songs you sing to your dog or cat about how much you love them. Noam Oxman is an artist and composer who captures animal personalities in his Sympawnies series, meaning every pet gets a “symphony” of their own.

Oxman draws from a pup's playfulness or a kitty's demeanor and translates it to music. The composer also takes the pet's likeness and makes it part of the sheet music. And so, the sympawnies are both a tribute to their charming appearances and their unique ways of being. To make it even more compelling, Oxman creates arrangements for different instruments, offering a touching, deep sound, and a one-of-a-kind portrait.

The composer's creativity also extends to the titles of his creations. Oxman toys around with classical music concepts and gives them a pet twist. For example, a dog named Lola, inspired a piano “quartail,” while a pooch known as Bashka prompted the composer to write a “Viennese Wolftz.”

If you'd like your furry companion to have its own sympawny composed for them, you can commission your own pet’s musical portrait on Oxman’s website. Not only will you be immortalizing your beloved companion but you would also be supporting animals in need, as the composer has pledged to donate at least 20% of all proceeds to helping feed and give medical treatment to stray cats.

To stay up to date with the artist’s pet-inspired melodies, you can subscribe to Oxman's YouTube channel.

Noam Oxman is an artist and composer who captures animal personalities in his Sympawnies series—meaning every pet gets a “symphony” of their own.

The composer takes the pet's likeness and makes it part of the sheet music.

And so, the sympawnies are both a tribute to their charming appearances and their unique ways of being.

To make it even more compelling, Oxman creates arrangements for different instruments, offering a touching, deep sound, and a one-of-a-kind portrait.

Oxman toys around with classical music concepts and gives them a pet twist.

Sympawnies by Noam Oxman: Website | YouTube | Instagram
h/t: [Colossal]

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READ: Composer Turns Pet Portraits Into Beautiful Music That Reflects Your Furry Friend’s Personality

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Extremely Rare Wu-Tang Clan Album Will Play at Australian Museum Later This Year https://mymodernmet.com/wu-tang-clan-once-upon-a-time-in-shaolin-album/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Fri, 07 Jun 2024 16:35:28 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=675740 Extremely Rare Wu-Tang Clan Album Will Play at Australian Museum Later This Year

The hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan has the unique honor of having the most expensive album ever sold. There is only one CD of their studio album titled Once Upon a Time in Shaolin in existence, making it one of the rarest records in the world. But luckily for music connoisseurs and Wu-Tang Clan fans alike, Tasmania’s […]

READ: Extremely Rare Wu-Tang Clan Album Will Play at Australian Museum Later This Year

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Extremely Rare Wu-Tang Clan Album Will Play at Australian Museum Later This Year
Wu Tang Clan Performing In 2019

Photo: benhoudijk/Depositphotos

The hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan has the unique honor of having the most expensive album ever sold. There is only one CD of their studio album titled Once Upon a Time in Shaolin in existence, making it one of the rarest records in the world. But luckily for music connoisseurs and Wu-Tang Clan fans alike, Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) is set to show the album as part of an exhibit later this year, providing a once-in-a-lifetime listening opportunity.

The coveted album was recorded in Staten Island, New York, and was produced between 2006 and 2013. It features all nine surviving members of the group, as well as vocals from Cher and Game of Thrones actress, Carice van Houten. Once Upon a Time in Shaolin has 31 recorded tracks and comes in an ornate nickel box along with a certificate of authenticity and a leather-bound manuscript with lyrics. Until now, only a handful of people have heard some of the songs, as the album has a legal condition that states it cannot be released for 88 years.

Wu-Tang Clan, which consisted of ten members and started in Staten Island in the 1990s, is a revolutionary group known for their gritty New York City sound that helped shape east coast hip-hop. Their 1993 debut album, titled Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and helped inspire many rappers and artists who came after them.

In addition to its musical value, the physical copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin itself also has an interesting history. The sole copy of the album was originally bought by former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli for $2 million in 2015, who streamed snippets of the songs online following the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It was then seized by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2021 following Shkreli's conviction for securities fraud, after which it was sold to a group of NFT buyers for $4 million. This group, known as PleasrDAO, are the ones lending the album to Mona.

The museum will offer 30 minute listening sessions to a handful of lucky guests from June 15-24 as part of their Namedropping exhibit. The waitlist has already filled up, but it is worth checking back to see if there are any openings. To read more about the exhibit, check out Mona's website.

Wu-Tang Clan: Website | Instagram | Spotify
Mona: Website

h/t: [ARTnews]

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READ: Extremely Rare Wu-Tang Clan Album Will Play at Australian Museum Later This Year

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