the monday roundup
featuring Maren Morris, I'm With Her, Alex Lahey, and more!
Hi, happy Monday! Last week, I completed my pilgrimage to see Rilo Kiley at Red Rocks. It was wonderful! I only got emotional during the opening song then grinned ear to ear the entire rest of the show! My inner fifteen year old is very, very happy!
In non-personal, non-American music news, the Eurovision Song Contest wrapped up over this past weekend. If you are unfamiliar, Eurovision is a wonderfully over-the-top music competition in which representatives from various European countries go head to head. You’re definitely familiar with its most notable past winners: ABBA and Celine Dion both used Eurovision as career launching pads.
A few years ago, a friend (hi, Mattos!) and I got deep (or as deep as Americans without all the cultural/historical context of the contest can get) into that year’s competition. I’ve never committed to Eurovision as hard as I did then, but I do love to check in on the winners, drama, etc. Much of the chatter this year centered on Israel’s participation (and near win) in the contest. In the end however, Austria emerged victorious with singer JJ clinching the country’s first win in eleven years.
Eurovision is so unlike anything we have in the United States both in terms of style and importance. Have we ever had anything like it? Early seasons of American Idol are about the only thing I can think to compare it to- and that’s a huge stretch. Either way, maybe 2026 is the year I’ll dive back into true Eurovision fandom. Stay tuned!
Apart from watching Eurovision clips (and this Bad Bunny performance and this Katie Gavin Tiny Desk), I’ve been listening to new music from Maren Morris [I have a lot of thoughts about Maren’s decision to pivot from country to pop and whether or not I think it works, but I do like some of this new album!], Alex Lahey, I’m With Her, Coco Jones, and more!