LADYGUNN
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WE ARE A COOL MAGAZINE SHARING ART + OPINIONS. WE LOVE YOU.
Jesse Roth
(She/Her)
New York
As seen in:
LADYGUNN,
Staged Haze
Covers:
music, comedy & performance
Doesn't Cover:
everything else
bless this mess. she/her/hers
Jesse Roth’s Journalist Portfolio
View as a gridSuper Group Carrie Okay Makes its Debut with "High in a Drugstore"
Staged Haze
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Singer-songwriters LØLØ, salem ilese, and Alna have joined forces as Carrie Okay, a new alternative pop-rock supergroup. The trio introduced the project on August 28 with their debut single, "High in a Drugstore." Each member arrives with an established musical identity of her own. Toronto singer-songwriter LØLØ is known for confessional pop-rock with a sharp...
Squirrel Flower Embraces Life in Motion on 'Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going'
Staged Haze
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My introduction to Squirrel Flower came somewhat by chance. A friend clearing out his record collection gave me a vinyl copy of 2020's I Was Born Swimming, and it became my entry point into the music of Chicago-based songwriter Ella Williams. Six years later, listening to her new album, Say a Prayer to the Gods...
Hovvdy Returns With Sixth Studio Album 'Big World'
Staged Haze
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Hovvdy has been making music for more than a decade, but on its sixth album, Big World, the Nashville-based duo of Will Taylor and Charlie Martin sounds remarkably comfortable with exactly where it is. Originally formed in Austin, Texas, Hovvdy has gradually expanded beyond the understated slowcore of its early work, incorporating twangy indie rock,...
Jungle's New Album 'Sunshine' Is a Soundtrack for the Last Days of Summer
Staged Haze
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If there is one band I instinctively associate with summer, it's Jungle. The British group have spent more than a decade pulling from disco, Motown, soul, funk, and R&B, filtering those influences through their own distinctly modern production. Their 2023 album, Volcano, took that formula to another level, thanks in no small part to the...
Ariana Grande Plays to Her Strengths on 8th Studio Album 'petal'
Staged Haze
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When Ariana Grande releases an album, it rarely arrives in a vacuum. Coming off her lauded performances as Glinda in both Wicked films, petal is her first full-length album since 2024's eternal sunshine. In the time since, conversations around her acting career, appearance, and public relationships have often overshadowed the music itself.
Love Spells' 'LOVE IS THE LAW' Is a Dreamy, Romantic Debut
Staged Haze
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If you listened to Kevin Abstract's most recent album, Blush, then you'll already be familiar with Love Spells, who is featured heavily throughout the record. At just 21-years-old, Sir Taegen Harris went from living on the streets of Houston to creating an entire world on his debut album, LOVE IS THE LAW.
Olivia O'Brien Explores Heartbreak and Healing on Sophomore Album 'PIXIE'
Staged Haze
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Many listeners first discovered Olivia O'Brien through the 2020 hit "Josslyn," her unapologetic callout of ex-boyfriend Logan Paul. Six years later, PIXIE finds the singer-songwriter in a very different place. Her first full-length album since 2019's Was It Even Real?, the 15-track record trades much of the glossy R&B and pop of its predecessor for indie rock, folk,...
Buck Meek and Kisser Make Bowery Ballroom Feel Like Home
Staged Haze
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Buck Meek, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of Grammy-nominated indie folk band Big Thief, brought his solo tour to Bowery Ballroom this past Wednesday, filling the iconic 575-capacity venue for a night that felt both intimate and effortlessly warm. At most concerts, the time between sets is filled with conversations and glowing...
Carly Rae Jepsen Ushers In Her 'Day and Night' Era with "On Wires," New Album out Sept. 18
Staged Haze
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Carly Rae Jepsen has officially kicked off her next era with "On Wires," the lead single from her newly announced double album Day and Night, arriving September 18. The ambitious 24-track record is divided into two distinct sonic worlds, with Day embracing organic instrumentation and '70s-inspired psychedelic pop, while Night explores sleek, synth-driven dance music.
Julia Jacklin Announces New Album, 'The Gem,' Shares Lead Single "Get Away From Me (I Think I'll ...
Staged Haze
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Julia Jacklin has announced her long-awaited fourth album, The Gem, arriving September 25 via 4AD, and shared its lead single, "Get Away From Me (I Think I'll Love You Soon)." It's welcome news for fans of one of indie rock's most emotionally perceptive songwriters. While Jacklin's music often explores heartbreak, uncertainty, and longing, it never feels...
Julia Jacklin Announces New Album, 'The Gem,' Shares Lead Single "Get Away From Me (I Think I'll ...
Staged Haze
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Julia Jacklin has announced her long-awaited fourth album, The Gem, arriving September 25 via 4AD, and shared its lead single, "Get Away From Me (I Think I'll Love You Soon)." It's welcome news for fans of one of indie rock's most emotionally perceptive songwriters. While Jacklin's music often explores heartbreak, uncertainty, and longing, it never feels...
Staged Haze Takes GovBall 2026: Our Recap
Staged Haze
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Nearly ten years after my first Governors Ball, I found myself once again spending a weekend chasing sets, walking until my feet practically fell off, and trying to fit as much music as possible into three days. This year's lineup offered a little bit of everything, from pop stars at the height of their powers...
'Be Sweet To Me' Introduces Violet Grohl as Alternative Rock's Newest Voice
Staged Haze
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There's no getting around the fact that Violet Grohl enters the music world with expectations already attached to her name. As the daughter of Nirvana and The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, listeners may instinctively search for traces of the grunge legend in her debut album, Be Sweet to Me.
Maisie Peters Expands Her World on Third Album 'Florescence'
Staged Haze
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Maisie Peters has always felt like the kind of artist destined to build an intensely loyal fanbase. Opening for Taylor Swift back in 2024 certainly did not hurt, introducing her to an audience that loves confessional songwriting, hyper-specific storytelling, and lyrics that immediately become Instagram captions.
Lia Pappas-Kemps Talks Debut Album 'Winged,' Toronto, and the Beauty of Growing Up
Staged Haze
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Toronto-based singer-songwriter Lia Pappas-Kemps has quietly been building a world of her own, one rooted in intimate songwriting, luminous guitar-driven arrangements, and the kind of emotional honesty that makes a listener stop in their tracks. Her debut album Winged, released in March via Coalition Music, is a sweeping and emotionally vivid body of work that...
The Jungle Giants Deliver the Perfect Summer Dance Album with 'Experiencing Feelings of Joy'
Staged Haze
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There are some albums that make you want to sit quietly with headphones on and really study them. Then there are albums that make you want to text your friends, get yourselves to the nearest rooftop, and dance until 2 a.m. The Jungle Giants' newest album Experiencing Feelings of Joy is exactly that kind of...
Ray Bull's New Album 'Please Stop Laughing' is Indie Rock with Personality
Staged Haze
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There's something especially satisfying about watching an artist evolve in real time. Ray Bull has been quietly building one of the most interesting indie rock catalogs of the last few years, blending sharp songwriting with a restless willingness to experiment. Their music pulls from garage rock, folk, country, dream pop, and classic rock, but never...
On 'Middle of Nowhere,' Kacey Musgraves is Her Most Grounded
Staged Haze
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Kacey Musgraves has always had a gift for making country music feel both timeless and sharply personal, and at this point, I'm fully on board no matter where she takes the sound. Whether it was the shimmering perfection of Golden Hour (which resulted in four Grammy wins), the heartbreak and healing of her divorce album...
Pop Is a Religion on 'Mother Mary: Greatest Hits'
Staged Haze
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I love a movie musical. But when music is written specifically for a film, it can really go one of two ways. Either the songs feel secondary to the story and end up half baked, forgettable, or they completely transcend the movie and take on a life of their own.
Slayyyter Perfects Pop Chaos on 'Wor$t Girl in America'
Staged Haze
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My favorite kind of pop star is the one who wears their influences on their sleeve so boldly that it becomes the point. Not in a way that feels lazy, but in a way that feels like a perfectly curate...
Rising Pop Artist Eli Sells Out Le Poisson Rouge and Brings 'Stage Girl' to Life
Staged Haze
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All week, whenever I told people I was seeing Eli at Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday night, it felt like I was telling them I was going to see a friend perform. And in a way, it did feel like that. B...
Koko Love Talks Physical Media, Real Fans, and His Debut Album 'The Cost of Freedom'
Staged Haze
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Koko Love's debut album, The Cost of Freedom, has spent the past year living in the physical world. Released first on vinyl and Bandcamp, the alt-rock artist took the unconventional route of letting the record exist off streaming platforms while touring across the U.S. and Canada, selling copies by hand and building a fanbase the...
Joey Valence & Brae Are The Life of the Party on the "HYPERYOUTH" Tour
Staged Haze
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Sponsored by Monster Energy, because of course. Joey Valence & Brae didn't just play a show on Tuesday night at Brooklyn Steel, they threw a full-on rager. It was easily one of the wildest concerts I've been to in a long time, and the mostly Gen Z crowd, with a few parents and older fans...