Monday Roundup Mix
I know you get déjà vu!
Happy Monday! As your resident Taylor Swift correspondent, I need to make sure you’re aware that last night at the VMAs, she announced her new album, Midnights, is coming out October 21st. I turned on the VMAs because I’d seen a rumor she’d be making an appearance- and she did! I thought maybe this meant we’d finally get the announcement she’s been hinting at for months- and it did! So, yay! Now for this week’s mix:
Over the last few years, I made several road trips between various parts of New England and South Carolina. Anytime I made this drive with my mom, we listened to a “Best of Billy Joel” compilation as we neared New York so as to be blessed by the Patron Saint of the City (it usually helped, so I do recommend). We talked regularly about going to see him at Madison Square Garden, where he has played a monthly residency show since 2014. Covid stopped our plans in their tracks, but one day!!!
At his monthly show this past week, he was joined onstage by pop star (and Billy Joel fan) Olivia Rodrigo. Olivia brought Billy Joel into the Gen Z conversation when she name checked him and his song, “Uptown Girl,” in her own song, “deja vu.”
I'll bet that she knows Billy Joel
'Cause you played her "Uptown Girl"
You're singing it together
Now I bet you even tell her
How you love her
In between the chorus and the verse
Olivia performed “deja vu” for the crowd, pointing to Billy Joel when referenced, before the two sang “Uptown Girl” together. You can watch their performance here.
There have been a lot of great surprise live music guests lately (I wrote about some of them earlier this month), but this may be the most unexpected pair. Some questions I would love to have answered:
Who’s brilliant idea was this?
What is Billy Joel’s favorite Olivia Rodrigo song (if he actually listens like he claims he does)?
Did Olivia ask Billy Joel to join her for her New York show at Radio City Music Hall? [On her recent tour, she brought out guests including Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, and Natalie Imbruglia.] Did he say, “absolutely not, but you can come to the Garden where I am contractually obligated to appear and where I will be the one the audience knows and not just some random old man”?
This whole incident inspired me to listen to some Billy Joel, so I’ve included one of my faves on this week’s mix. This week’s lineup also includes the new Blackpink song (which has grown on me after watching their VMAs performance), Rilo Kiley and Ben Folds Five (I have been listening to a lot of comfort music lately), some RENAISSANCE (because that’s still in rotation), Britney’s first song as a free woman, a fun cover I was reminded of recently, and more. This is a very sporadic mix- hope that’s ok!
deja vu, Olivia Rodrigo
My Life, Billy Joel
sucks to see you doing better, Valley
VIRGO’S GROOVE, Beyoncé
Make You Say, Zedd, Maren Morris, BEAUZ
Hold Me Closer, Elton John, Britney Spears
Capturing Moods, Rilo Kiley
Philosophy, Ben Folds Five
Shake It Off, Kate Rusby
Pink Venom, BLACKPINK
Thank you as always for reading and listening- this newsletter recently hit a subscriber milestone I never really imagined, and I’m so grateful for that! If you liked this week’s mix, please share with a friend/say hi in the comments/let me know what you’ve been listening to lately!