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Sabrina Carpenter’s transition from a Disney child starlet to a fashion “IT Girl” and the Britney esc pop princess of the 2020’s, has definitely been one for the ages. She has successfully shed her child star image and emerged as a talented, versatile and even trendy artist in the music industry, which can be hard to do with the often “cringy” child star background.

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Sabrina Carpenter first rose to fame through her role as Maya Hart in the Disney Channel series “Girl Meets World.” Her impressive acting skills and charming personality made her a total fan favourite among Disney Channel fans, which built her an incredible platform to work off when it came to pursuing the next steps of her career.

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In 2015, Sabrina released her debut album, “Eyes Wide Open,” which showcased her impressive singing abilities and introduced her unique pop sound. Sabrina’s transition was evident in her music, which showcased a more mature and sophisticated side to her. With each album release, Sabrina Carpenter proved her versatility as a pop artist. Her lyrics became more personal and relatable, resonating with a wider audience. 

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She continued to grow in her music career with songs like “Sue Me,” “Why,” and the song which truly grew her success and of her most known songs “Skin”. The hit song was about the tumultuous love triangle between herself and two fellow Disney starlets, Sabrina’s new boyfriend Joshua Bassett, and his “SOUR” ex-girlfriend (pardon the pun), Olivia Rodrigo. 

Due to the situation between the three being heavily discussed on social media, the scandalous release of “Skin”, being a very “he’s touching me now, not you” type of song, got everybody talking and definitely contributed to Carpenters new grown-up image.

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Sabrina Carpenter’s rebranding process expands past just her music, and into her style and image as a whole. She’s adopted a very Bratz doll esc style and has been adorably compared to a Polly Pocket, due to her stunning blonde hair, petite frame and funky style. She has been dropping jaws all year with cute Y2K micro mini dresses and signature Bratz doll platform boots whilst opening for Taylor Swift’s eras tour.

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She has continued to embrace a more edgy and contemporary image and continue her “rebrand” by working with trendy brands and creatives. Recently, she took part in a shoot for Kim Kardashians brand “SKIMS”, this was a genius move and great display of her versatility, further solidifying her status as a fashion icon.

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The shoot for the brand’s Spring collection was shot by none other but the incredibly talented Jack Brigland, best known for that iconicshoot of Robert Pattinson for GQ (you know the one we mean) as well as working with huge names like Kim Kardashian and Travis Scott to name but a few. His work is beautifully identifiable by his entrancing use of colour to create captivating and artistic imagery.

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She’s also recently taken part in a shoot with another incredibly talented and equally trendy fashion photographer, Amber Asaly, a member of Kylie Jenner’s inner circle and her go to photographer. The shoot was done in Asaly’s signature Y2K film style, and further shows the versatility of Sabrina and furthers her position as a fashion IT Girl.

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As she continues to explore new opportunities, push boundaries and surpass peoples pre conceived notions of ex-Disney starlets, it’s clear that Sabrina Carpenter’s impact will extend far beyond her music and acting career.

_{Written By Lauren Dickson}

The post Sabrina Carpenters Rebrand For The Ages: Disney Child To IT Girl/Pop Princess Pipeline appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Drawing inspiration from her Indian culture and influences such as Alice Coltrane and Asha Puthli and blending it with the sound of early 2000s R&B creates the unique and electrifying sound of Raveena. This sound is then married with spiritual story-telling and idiosyncratic lyricism like no other.

Raveena’s upcoming album ‘Asha’s Awakening’ has been in the works for three years – with Raveena making a huge effort to ensure listeners are taken on an earnest journey through Indian culture. With this album, Raveena intends to pay homage to her heritage as a first-generation descendant of genocide survivors and Reiki healers. The album stays true to Raveena’s unique sound we have grown to love, blending influences from Bollywood and celebrated Indian artists like R.D. Burman and Asha Bhosle with Western music—specifically R&B, rock and soul— to create one cohesive body of work.

‘Asha’s Awakening’ takes us on the fascinating story of a space princess from ancient Punjab who journeys across centuries learning about love and loss, healing and destruction. The album’s lead single ‘Rush’ (which we included in our top songs of January), first introduced us to this concept.

As if the album’s announcement wasn’t exciting enough, Raveena also released the record’s second single ‘Secret’ (feat. Vince Staples). The track keeps Raveena’s Bollywood influences alive whilst injecting the infatuating components of noughties pop. Following up from the otherworldly visuals of ‘Rush’, Raveena directed the visuals for ‘Secret’, giving us a further glimpse into the immense world of Asha. Raveena rocks many looks for her video, from gorgeous traditional Indian jewellery to a sheer purple jumpsuit when performing a captivating aerial dance.

Speaking on the meaning of ‘Secret’, Raveena said;

“To me, ‘Secret’ is a song about love that traverses through different dimensions. People on Earth are starting to have sensual dreams ignited in them by a space princess – someone they feel like their body knows, but whom they also do not know and cannot reach in this dimension. What if your lover was enticing you from space and you couldn’t reach them in this realm? What if a spirit from an outer dimension ignited your sacral chakra? This is what ‘Secret’ explores.”

You can fully immerse yourself in Asha’s journey on the 11th of February, when ‘Asha’s Awakening’ will be available to buy and stream across all platforms.

Words By Nadia Clasper

_{Photo Credit: Raveena_Aurora Instagram}

The post Raveena Takes Us On A Journey Through Indian Culture With New Album ‘Asha’s Awakening’ appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Tune into BBCRadio1 today at 6pm UK / 10 AM LA / 1PM NY and listen to it’s premiere with Clara Amfo.

This comes as the first collaboration between the two artists, but, it has been months since the song was first teased to fans. Following the tease, both Charli and Rina featured on Lady Gaga’s ‘Dawn Of Chromatica’ album released in September 2021, creating even more of a buzz in the lead up to the release of ‘Beg For You’.

Listening to this song brought back a familiar euphoric feeling, in a similar way to how 2000s club classics had us feeling back in the day. This is due to the sampling of the 2008 hit ‘Cry For You (You’ll Never See Me Again)’ by September, which we think is just genius. Charli and Rina have slightly amended the lyrics of the main hook to fit their song’s agenda, bringing a lustful yet fierce attitude to this club classic. 

The track is accompanied with a sensual video that sees both Rina and Charli rocking silk ivory dresses reminiscent of night gowns. The pair embrace each other whilst the wind floats through their tousled hair and the moon highlights their dewy, glossy makeup.

‘Beg For You’ is set to appear on Charli XCX’s upcoming album ‘Crash’, which is to be released on 18 March via Asylum / Atlantic. 

Words By Nadia Clasper

_{Photo Credit Rina Sawayama Instagram}

The post Charli XCX And Rina Sawayama Unite To Reinvent A Club Classic appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Fresh, powerful, and lyrically beautiful, Alex Porat is evolving pop music into a genre of her own. Her impeccable vocals have taken her from uploading covers on Youtube to creating original songs and accompanying music videos. Achieving over 60 million Spotify streams, 150 million Youtube views, and worldwide media recognition, Alex is a leading light in the music industry.  

Her songs are dreamy, relatable, and mesmerising – from break-ups, whirlwind crushes and daydreaming about ‘what ifs’, you can find yourself in Porat’s lyrics about love. Born in Malaysia to a Chinese mother and a Polish father, the Canadian singer-songwriter offers a beautiful blend of influences across her music and visuals. From her covers of top-charting music, a childhood of watching Studio Ghibli movies, and growing up in a musical household, Porat’s music is an amalgamation of sounds from her childhood to today. Porat’s confidence and honesty in her music produces intimate relationships with her fans, who can recognise themselves in her lyrics and heritage.  

Her dream-like, pop sound is present from her ep, Bad At Breakups, to her recent single ‘bubblegum’, and upcoming release, ‘taxi’. Coming out August 25th, taxi explores thoughts of romantic ‘what ifs’ through her lyrics, with a music video to match the hypothetical couple – Porat’s upcoming release is something you certainly do not want to miss! Voir sat down with Alex to talk about her inspiration, musical process, and of course, her upcoming single.

You have a single coming out very soon, called ‘Taxi’. Can you tell us about the track and what we can expect from it?

“Taxi” is my version of a daydream. I wanted it to feel like a story from beginning to end and reflect what it feels like to have a crush.

You began your singing career with Youtube covers, was there any fear surrounding the jump to creating your own original songs?

It was a combination of fear and excitement but the biggest barrier was really myself. I feel like many artists suffer from holding back art until it feels “ready”. I realized that art will never feel “ready” to me and that I just had to put it out there.

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How did you first discover your passion for creating music, is there a specific memory in which you realised?

I have felt passionate about creating music for as long as I can remember. I was singing constantly and always wanting to perform. When I was four years old I got up on a stage on a street in Beijing and sang two songs acapella. The feeling that I got on that stage stuck with me throughout the following years.

You are able to convey a lot with the honesty and relatability of your lyrics. Was songwriting something that has always interested you?

Thank you! Yes, I’ve always loved songwriting and sharing my feelings through music. It all feels so surreal when someone tells me they really relate to the song or feel understood.

How has your music evolved from your first EP and early singles?

The first EP feels like a bridge for my next project. Everything lives in my world but the cut gets deeper with every release. I also feel like the music is sonically evolving to a more emotional space.

You have worked with Iris Kim (@kimsauce) previously for music videos. What is the process like and how do you find visuals and aesthetics to match with your songs?

Yes, I love Iris so much. She first hears the song and then we talk about where her mind goes to first. We have worked together so much now that she really understands where I’m coming from artistically and emotionally. It always translates beautifully into the videos.

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How would you describe your current music style?

Indie Alt Pop I think!

Do you have any go to sources of inspiration and how do you deal with creative blocks?

I’m thankful to say I haven’t really felt creatively blocked with music yet because I’m constantly consuming life and media. I like experiencing new things in real life but also seeing life through different lenses like movies and art. If I ever feel uninspired, I just go outside or cuddle my dog or get my heart broken, whatever’s easiest.

You recently were selected as one of ELLE’s 10 Asian artists to add to your summer playlist, have you noticed a difference in the representation of the music industry now, compared to when you were growing up?

There is a difference. There was zero and now there are some. I feel like the music industry is super reactive so new artists fit the casting call that previous artists have set the precedent for. And since North America has struggled with Asian representation in music it’s up to Asian artists to lead the way and artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Conan Gray are here doing just that. It’s such a harsh reality that I’ve had to come to terms with, but I’m hopeful for even more progress in the future.

You are going on the Gradience Tour with Ralph soon, are you excited to be performing live after such a strange year due to Covid?  

So excited and it still doesn’t feel real. It’ll be my first tour and I’m happy it’s with Ralph because she’s an amazing performer and will help ease me into my first time on the road.

What can we expect from you in the future? Are collaborations or more touring on the radar? 

I would love to go to Asia! Also…a project coming soon called “Miss Sick World.” Stay tuned!!

Listen to Alex’s songs here:

Words By Caitlin Sahin

The post An Interview With Alex Porat: Making Pop Music Her Own appeared first on Voir Fashion.

If you were having any problems dancing on your own, no worries Dua Lipa’s new album is here and we can’t help but bop to this hypnotic beat. The new album ‘Future Nostalgia’ has secured Dua Lipa’s title as Britain’s most successful female pop star. Get ready for this female alpha to sing and dance with you through this quarantine. One of the few albums of new music out there. ‘Future Nostalgia’ has managed to generate a lot of hype especially after being leaked earlier this month and forced into an early release. Dua Lipa has proven with ‘Future Nostalgia’ that she is deserving of the excitement surrounding her artistry by producing a truly invigorating, and gripping record from start to finish and we couldn’t be more grateful. Without saying much more, let’s take a dive into our top tracks from this album. Track 2 – Don’t Start Now 9/10 The lead single, and possibly the biggest hit, from ‘Future Nostalgia’, is definitely worthy of its success. The song opens with a softer vocal enticing the listener in, before hurling them into the seductive bass of the track, once again. The stirring orchestra in the pre-chorus, rousing simplicity of the chorus and use of a broken word bridge and outro make the song exhilarating and alluring, giving the listener little choice but to at least somewhat dance along. Track 3 – Cool 8/10Opting for a more electronic opening, ‘Cool’ offers a soft, sultry summery sound. The bass in the chorus is more abrupt than in previous tracks yet still invites the listener to dance. Dua’s softer voice and playful lyrics compliment the track perfectly. “I guess I’m ready for the summer” sings Dua, and yes after listening to this song so are we. Track 4 – Physical 10/10 Physical is by far one of the best songs on this record. The heavy, futuristic yet 80s infused beat immediately electrifies the listener and the synth-heavy chorus is both thrilling and refreshing. Dua’s vocals are extremely strong on this track, possibly the best on the album, with the slightest nod to Xtina’s iconic growls and yelps. Dua is dancing the night away with the listener on the most unapologetically pop song on the album, and singing flawlessly whilst doing so.

Track 7 – Hallucinate 9/10‘Hallucinate’ offers a faster, dancier and much more disco relief to the previous slower tracks. Much like the title of the track, Dua manages to guide the listener through a gripping hallucination. During the pre-chorus, Dua’s soft vocals gradually begin to fade, beguiling the listener into the track before throwing you into an invigorating sonic whirlwind, consisting of the familiar intoxicating bassline, electric guitar and Dua’s euphoric vocals help to make the track as enthralling as it is enchanting.

Track 9 – Break My Heart 10/10 Just when you begin to think it can’t get any better, you are graced with ‘Break My Heart’. The song manages to encompass the alluring disco of ‘Don’t Start Now’ and adds to it with both a more enthralling bassline and more playful vocals creating a cohesive sound throughout the track. A truly 21st century reinvigorated disco sound, one that is both timeless and current. Effortlessly captivating and definitely a highlight of the album. Track 11 – Boys Will Be Boys 8/10 This song, an interesting closer to such a carefree and dance-heavy record, sees Dua explore the hardships of femininity in the 21st century. Challenging society’s norms and expectations and calling on us all to do better to combat inequality. The lyrics are moving and, at some times, uncomfortably true for many listeners. This song acts as a reminder to the listener that after the part, this is the reality that many women face. It’s a dark yet perceptive direction for Dua, but one that should be applauded for its bravery.

The Verdict The album has showcased an accomplished, sassy pop artist hungry to show the world that she is more from her first album One that I can only see success for in the future. ‘Future Nostalgia’ sound is certainly more mature and developed from her previous album and offers an insight into her growth as an artist, whilst also offering a new refreshing and thrilling sound that has managed to influence music trends since the release of ‘Don’t Start Now’. Keep us dancing Dua.

Words by Joe Gardner

Graphics by Katie Janes

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