A (re)introduction to Sleeper Hit
Nice to see you again
Welcome back, if you’re back—welcome if you’re not.
I half-accidentally took a big hiatus from this Substack (read: this might as well be a new Substack) after starting it trying to stave off a deep and probably inevitable post-grad slump. My life and my creative energy have both shifted pretty profoundly since then, but I’m still interested—I’m always still interested.
Things will be a little different around here, if you’ve been around since late 2023–early 2024 when I was last posting (oops) and remember the vibe from that time.
The focus for now will be more on music—new, old, enduringly popular, mostly forgotten—and what it means to me, and to us, and probably to you, sometimes. If you were in it for the long essays, they’ll show up from time to time—in between more bite-sized looks at what I’m listening to, thinking about, and trying to get anyone who will listen to listen to and think about.
If that all sounds okay, I’m glad to have you here.
And in case you were wondering, here’s a CliffsNotes catch-up on what I’ve been up to for the past year and a half:
I moved to New York! I’m more than happy to participate in the lost-feeling-21-year-old-moves-to-New-York-City-to-soak-in-the-spirit-of-her-idols-and-try-to-make-it—whatever, exactly that means—cliche. I moved last June, and I’m not 21 anymore but I am still in New York. It’s the first lease I’ve ever renewed.
I published a couple of pieces for Fanaticus magazine: I wrote about the evolution of Samia’s inventive, intimate pop last summer (there’s a bit about “Pool” in there if you’re interested); talked about the push-and-pull of the stark, lush bonus tracks on Lizzy McAlpine’s Older in the fall; and conducted a mini-interview with Maya Delilah ahead of her debut album earlier this year. Their team is so lovely and I had a great time stepping back into talking about music. Clearly.
I started working on Songwriter Sundays at the Parkhouse, which is kind of exactly what it sounds like: a Sunday-night residency for local songwriters in McCarren Parkhouse in Brooklyn. These events are one of my favorite things I’ve worked on in the city, and it’s been a blast to get to see so many local artists and people come out to our little shows. I’m taking a break from the Parkhouse shows until later this year, but they’re still running every month with a slate of guest curators until I (and my exceedingly talented co-host, Belle Shea) slot back in. I’ll also still be running that Substack in the meantime if you want to keep up.
I got a new job late last year—my first full-time, non-contract 9-5. I feel like I’m finally getting the hang of scheduling the rest of my life around it.
That’s the gist—I’m excited to be back in action here. More soon.
