I'm Still Here!

I keep starting sentences with "I," but it's my fucking newsletter! Who else am I supposed to talk about?

Giliann Karon
June 01, 2025

A lot has happened since my last newsletter, but that’s not why anyone is here. I’ve been running on fumes, hauling to Manhattan for weeknight shows and letting happy hours swallow my entire evening. My new job starts the 16th and I’m eager for it to upend my routines, for both the better and worse.

april/may

Playlist · giliann · 43 items

open.spotify.com/playlist/459xcJ5TvIbM1TY7ux9w3Y?si=9d609f7fa0e8466b

New Music:

Lorde’s clunky rollout, beginning with a permitless Washington Square Park appearance, was a wake-up call to ferociously interrogate the quality of her performance and narratives rather than riding on nostalgia. I made that mistake with Solar Power, which had some gems, but ultimately turned into a competition between fans over who’s the most loyal. As if that’s what any of this is about.

She won back my distrust with “Man of the Year.” In her Unabomber-type letters, she emphasizes rebirth and comfort in her own skin, which includes toying with normative gender expression. Throughout the brief two minutes, she celebrates self-actualization and rebirth — the general thesis of her upcoming album, rather than cowering from the spotlight. Waves of buzzy synths pile upon lush cello (courtesy of Dev Hynes.) until they collapse under their own weight. Just as soon as she reaches her apex, it’s over.

Concerts and Other Thoughts:

Earlier this week, I snuck a shrooms chocolate bar into the Boat Show, an annual concert on a massive boat hosted by Water From Your Eyes and Baby’s All Right. Anticipating the effortlessly cool, fiercely in-the-know demographic, I racked my brain for “safe” outfits the night before and hoped the drugs would quell my intrusive thoughts.

Every show at Baby’s (and their new venue, Night Club 101) is just as much a capital e Event as a concert. Live music has always been my respite. I love shedding my neuroses and feeling invisible, but scene events are a different beast. It’s like the Met Gala for people who know the drummer.

I have to show up as a more composed and successful version of myself to win validation from the well-connected and far better dressed audience. I’ve yet to figure out an answer to the question, “what do you do?” that acknowledges my successes but stops short of calling myself a “real writer,” whatever that means.

Anyway, I peaked during “Barley,” a sharp and monotonous track from 2023’s Everybody’s Crushed. If I didn’t close my eyes, I’d start crying because I felt so good but knew no one else could experience this same euphoria. In that moment, I realized everyone was far too busy nitpicking their own acne scars and falling bra straps to judge mine. I only saw one Hinge match. He was wearing a backpack.

Tickets to Japanese Breakfast at Brooklyn Paramount (the last night of her four-show residency) recently fell into my lap. I’ve been using this app called Loudie, which brands itself as a concert aggregator, but will randomly drop tickets to shows. It’s only available in a few cities, but add me @giliann481 if it’s in yours.

For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) is lush and brooding like Psychopomp, not saccharine and joyful like Jubilee. Michelle Zauner knows this, and carefully arranged a setlist that balanced old fan favorites with new material. Warm lighting mingled with opulent strings. Immersive and ethereal, she emphasized the cinematic qualities of her recent album, which touches on grief and fame.

What I’ve Written:

Admittedly, I’ve been dragging my feet on a few pieces. Falling off keeps me humble, but I’m so stoked to share what I’ve already put out. So much more to come.

Album Review: Model/Actriz, ‘Pirouette’

Artist Interview: Meg Remy of U.S. Girls

Free Range is Still Figuring It Out | Feature Interview

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is finding no shortage of inspirations

Lily Seabird | Feature Interview

Linying - Swim, Swim

Premiere: Retail Drugs – “Person A”

Teether & Kuya Neil - "YEARN IV" | Album Review

The Ophelias - "Spring Grove" | Album Review

Upcoming Concerts:

Tennis: Pier 17, June 1

Wishy: Night Club 101, June 1