Klangforum Wien – a force to improve the world. 24 musicians from ten different countries represent an artistic idea and a personal approach that aims to restore to their art something that seems to have been lost - gradually, almost inadvertently - during the course of the 20th century, which gives their music a place in the present and in the midst of the community for which it was written and for whom it is crying out to be heard. Ever since its first concert, which the ensemble played under its erstwhile name “Societé de l’Art Acoustique” under the baton of its founder Beat Furrer at the Palais Liechtenstein, Klangforum Wien has written musical history. The ensemble has premiered roughly 500 new pieces by composers from three continents, giving a voice to the notes for the first time. It could - if given to introspection - look back on a discography of over 70 CDs, a series of honours and prizes and around 2000 appearances in the premier concert houses and opera venues in Europe, the Americas and Japan, for renowned festivals as well as youthful and idealistic initiatives.

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Foreign Beggars were an English hip hop and dubstep group. Since their formation in 2002, the group's trajectory had seen them evolve from an underground hip hop group to an electronic crossover act.&nbsp;The group consisted of four artists individually known as Orifice Vulgatron (Pavan Mukhi, vocals), Metropolis Graham (Ebow Enyan Graham, vocals), DJ Nonames (James Miller, turntables), and Dag Nabbit (Dag Torgersbraten, producer). Vulgatron and Metropolis combined with Noisia to make the side project and supergroup 'I Am Legion'.They released their collaborative album I Am Legion on 2 September 2013. Foreign Beggars made their start producing several singles and albums on their own Dented Records imprint. In 2011 they teamed up with the Never Say Die label on The Harder They Fall EP.Following a diverse series of singles for mau5trap released in 2012, the group released its new album The Uprising on the deadmau5-helmed label. In celebration of the release of the album, Foreign Beggars went on UK and North American tours to showcase their new material in the live arena.

Hip-Hop/Rap

Foreign Beggars

Bad Bunny is a young urban music singer, rapper and producer originally from Puerto Rico. This talented artist has demonstrated his already overwhelming power, influence and demand with completely sold-out concerts all over Europe, Latin America and the U.S.
 
Some of his most recognized singles include “Soy Peor," "Diles," "Tu No Metes Cabra," "Chambea" and Mia thats out with Drake. Bad Bunny has had a short but stunning career with colossal amounts of success

Bad Bunny

Stou, a self-made artist who grew up in Wardeya Tunisia and made it to become one of the most controversial artist in the Tunisian HipHop known for his unique style as he spits fire and is unfazed by what others think about him.

Stou

Record-breaking South Korean boy band BTS (aka Bangtan Boys) deliver an energetic blend of dance-pop and hip-hop with deeply introspective lyrics that helped them build a devoted global following while also making them one of the most successful Korean exports in the world. Debuting in the early 2010s with their Skool trilogy, they steadily expanded their audience until breaking into the mainstream consciousness with the Love Yourself series. After the platinum-certified Love Yourself: Tear became their first number one effort outside of their home country, the compilation Love Yourself: Answer found them topping charts in Canada and Japan. By 2020, international fervor reached a peak with their fourth release, Map of the Soul: 7, which topped the charts in over 20 countries. Hitting another milestone that summer, BTS became the first all-South Korean act to top the U.S. singles chart with their retro-disco track "Dynamite" from their chart-topping fifth set, Be. The following year, they notched three more Billboard number ones, including "Butter" and the Coldplay collaboration "My Universe." A sprawling anthology, Proof, which chronicled their first decade, landed in the summer of 2022. Formed by producer Bang Si Hyuk, the septet's lineup includes RM (Kim Namjoon), team leader and rapper; Jin (Kim Seokjin), singer; Suga (Min Yoongi), rapper; J-Hope (Jung Hoseok), rapper and choreographer; Jimin (Jimin Park), singer and choreographer; V (Kim Taehyung), singer; and Jungkook (Jungkook Jeon), singer, rapper, and choreographer. In addition to production and composition, the members of BTS also write their own lyrics, which tackle topics like mental health, self-acceptance, and empowerment. With their youthful blend of club-worthy dance anthems, stirring love ballads, and aggressive rapping, BTS connected with a devoted fan base (dubbed "ARMY") and set themselves apart from the K-pop industrial machine when they debuted in 2013 with the first installment of their "School Trilogy" series, 2 Cool 4 Skool. A few months later, they released the second EP of the saga, O!RUL8,2? The trilogy was completed with Skool Luv Affair, which was released around Valentine's Day in 2014. Later that year, BTS issued their full-length debut album, Dark &amp; Wild, featuring the single "Danger." As their fan base grew and international tours sold out, they released The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 in April 2015 and the follow-up, Pt. 2, some months later in November. They embarked on a massive world tour as The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 topped a record-setting six international music charts, including Billboard's World Albums chart. After four weeks, they set a record as the first K-pop act to achieve such a feat. The group continued to break records with the release of their sophomore LP, Wings. Released in late 2016, Wings not only became the first BTS effort to debut atop both the Korean album and song charts, but they were the third K-pop act to land in the Canadian Hot 100. However, the album's impact was most apparent on the Billboard charts. The best showing to date for a K-pop act, Wings debuted in the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 -- both their highest U.S. chart debut and most sales to date -- making BTS the first K-pop artists with three albums to enter the main album charts. (Wings became their sixth Top Three hit -- and second number one -- on the World Albums chart.) They also became the first K-pop act to spend four weeks on the charts. Wings continued the artistic and creative growth for the septet, featuring seven solo tracks that showcased the personality of each member. Four months later, BTS re-released the album as You Never Walk Alone. The updated version added four new songs to the original Wings track listing, including the singles "Spring Day" and "Not Today." With their presence in the United States continuing to expand, the group went on to win the Top Social Artist Award at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. Their fifth EP, Love Yourself: Her, arrived that September and became the first K-pop album to debut in the Billboard 200's Top Ten, entering the chart at number seven. In early 2018, BTS received their first double-platinum certifications in Japan and became the first Korean act to receive two gold certifications in the U.S. That spring, they issued their third Japanese LP, Face Yourself, which featured Japanese versions of tracks from Wings and Love Yourself: Her. The set -- which included just two previously unreleased songs -- debuted just outside the Top 40 on the Billboard 200. The next month, BTS released their third official full-length, Love Yourself: Tear, which included the single "Fake Love." Days later, they returned to the Billboard Music Awards, performing and winning Top Social Artist for the second year in a row. Their Billboard success continued when Love Yourself: Tear soared to the top of the Billboard 200, becoming the first foreign-language chart-topper on the U.S. chart in over a decade. BTS repeated the feat that summer with the conclusion to the trilogy, Love Yourself: Answer. The compilation featured a handful of new tracks, including lead single "Idol," packaged with previously released songs from Her and Tear, as well as some remixes and a Nicki Minaj-assisted version of "Idol." For their contributions to spreading Korea's cultural influence around the world, each member of BTS was awarded cultural merit medals by government officials, the youngest recipients to ever be granted the honor. Riding the international success of the Love Yourself series, the boys closed the era with a sold-out global stadium tour, which primed them for the start of the next BTS wave: Map of the Soul: Persona. The first single from the 2019 album, "Persona," showcased a solo RM referencing both Carl Jung and BTS' own 2014 track "Intro: Skool Luv Affair," while the follow-up "Boy with Luv" recruited American singer Halsey. While "Boy with Luv" climbed into the Top Ten of the Hot 100, the album topped the Billboard 200, becoming BTS' third number one in a year. Before the next official release, the band found themselves the focus of a mobile game, BTS World. The accompanying companion album, BTS World: Original Soundtrack, included a new track by the crew, as well as a trio of collaborations with guests Charli XCX, Zara Larsson, and Juice WRLD. Not an official BTS album per se, the bulk of the set featured instrumental compositions by Kang Minkook, who wrote one theme song per BTS member, and showcased tracks by Korean indie duo Okdal and Big Hit labelmate Lee Hyun. Despite not being an actual BTS effort, the soundtrack still managed to land at number 72 on the Billboard 200 while simultaneously topping the Korean charts. After a brief hiatus from the spotlight, BTS returned in earnest in 2020. The same week that Love Yourself: Answer became the first South Korean album to be certified platinum in the U.S., they joined Lil Nas X on the Grammy Awards stage to perform RM's "Seoul Town Road" version of the rapper's hit single. The following month, the group released their fourth Korean-language LP and second number one U.S. hit, Map of the Soul: 7. The set merged highlights from Map of the Soul: Persona with over a dozen new tracks, including the single "Black Swan" and collaborations with Troye Sivan and Allie X ("Louder Than Bombs") and Sia (the digital-only "On"). They extended the Map of the Soul era in 2020 with their fourth Japanese-language effort, Map of the Soul: 7 - The Journey, which reimagined tracks from Map of the Soul: 7, Map of the Soul: Persona, and Love Yourself: Answer for their Japanese fans. As for English-speaking fans, the group released their first track sung entirely in that language later in the summer. The disco-funk "Dynamite" broke streaming records within hours of release and debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first all-South Korean act to top the U.S. chart. The same week, the group made their first appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards, performing "Dynamite" for a virtual audience. The track was the first taste of their next album era, which was inaugurated with the November release of Be. Recorded while in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, the effort featured increased input by each member of the septet, which included songwriting, production, and overall design. The same week that Be became their fifth album to debut atop the Billboard 200, BTS also scored their second consecutive number one single with "Life Goes On." To cap off a banner year, South Korea's National Assembly passed a revised law that pushed the age for mandatory military service from 28 to 30, sparing Jin an early hiatus from the group and allowing them to continue contributing to South Korea's GDP, of which almost $5 billion was attributed to BTS in 2019. In February 2021, BTS performed an MTV Unplugged set, which featured stripped-down takes on songs from Be ("Dynamite," "Telepathy," "Blue &amp; Grey," and "Life Goes On") as well as a faithful rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You." Months later, the group returned with the Jungkook-penned single "Film Out" from their Japanese-language compilation BTS, The Best. By the time summer rolled around, the boys were ready with another English-language single, the Grammy-nominated "Butter." Released in May, the track broke a streaming premiere record after amassing over 20 million views in an hour and went on to become the group's fourth chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100. Various remixes were released in "Hotter," "Sweeter," and "Cooler" versions -- as well as a standalone cut featuring a Megan Thee Stallion verse -- which kept the track planted at number one for weeks. Eventually released as a multi-format physical single, it was paired with the Ed Sheeran-penned song "Permission to Dance," which hit number one in the U.S. and across Asia. Their third U.S. chart-topper of 2021 arrived in September when they joined Coldplay for "My Universe" from the English band's Music of the Spheres. Capping yet another banner year, they took home Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Group, and Favorite Pop Song at that November's American Music Awards. That same month, BTS kicked off the U.S. portion of their Permission to Dance on Stage concert series in Los Angeles, concluding months later in April 2022 in Las Vegas. Just days before that Vegas residency, they performed "Butter" at the 64th Grammy Awards. That May, they took home an additional trio of Billboard Music Awards, making them the group with the most awards in the history of the show. Weeks later, BTS visited the White House to speak with President Joe Biden about the surge in Asian American hate crimes. In early June, the group celebrated their first decade together with the three-disc compilation Proof, which featured a handful of new tracks spread over a best-of disc, a disc of curated tracks personally chosen by each member, and a disc of demos and unreleased songs. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

Let’s talk about magic. Because music, at its best, is a kind of magic that lifts you up and takes you somewhere else. “I want my music to sound like throwing yourself out of a tree, or off a tall building, or as if you’re being sucked down into the ocean and you can’t breathe,” says Florence Welch. “It’s something overwhelming and all-encompassing that fills you up, and you’re either going to explode with it, or you’re just going to disappear.”

Florence writes her best songs when she’s drunk or has a hangover, because that’s when the freedom, the feral music comes, creating itself wildly from the fragments gathered in her notebooks and in her head. “You’re lucid,” she explains, “but you’re not really there. You’re floating through your own thoughts, and you can pick out what you need. I like those weird connections in the universe. I feel that life’s like a consistent acid trip, those times when things keep coming back.”

Florence herself is a mass of contradictions: she’s tough yet she’s terrified, a bundle of nerves and passion, of darkness and pure joy. “I feel things quite intensely, which is why the music has to be so intense. I’m either really sad or really happy, I’m tired or completely manic. That’s when I’m at my most creative, but it’s also dangerous for me. I feel I could write some good songs, or break some hearts. Or tables. Or glasses.”

As a performer she can seem fearless, but she’s also far too quick to pass judgement on herself. This is the woman, after all who got into Camberwell art college by making a huge floral sign telling herself ‘You are a twat.’ She says she’s a geek, who loses all control when in love. She’s also something increasingly rare and precious in a time of karaoke pop: an artist who has found her own, authentic voice.

Her soaring, epic vocals, quirky melodies and self-contained musical world have already won her the 2009 Critics Choice Award at the Brits. Some compare her to Kate Bush. You’ll also find touches of Tom Waits and Nick Cave in her dark visions, and if you heard a little of Bjork too, she’d find it a compliment. But mainly, Florence is out on her own: an exhilarating place to be, she points out, but also a little scary. 

Her debut album ‘Lungs’ is made of harps, choirs, drums, elevator shafts, bits of metal, love, death, fireworks, string quartets, stamping, sighing, strange electronic wailing, lambs, lions, sick, broken glass, blood, moon, stars, drink, coffins, teeth, water, wedding dresses.. and the silences in between. The songs are full of Gothic imagery, of fairytale flights of fantasy, and although much has been read into her lyrics, Florence says it’s usually simple. “Everything is about boys!” she laughs. “The whole album is about love – and pain. People see my lyrics as crazy, but to me it’s an honest, heartfelt album. I didn’t set out to be wacky. I just want it to be emotive.”

Florence grew up in Camberwell, south London, the oldest of three children. One of her earliest musical memories is standing on top of the trunk where her dad kept his vinyl collection, dancing with him to the Rolling Stones. She started singing along to Nina Simone and Dusty Springfield at home, expanded her vocal range with arias, then became a pre-teen skatepunk before getting lost in the Camberwell art college squat party scene. It’s an eclectic mix, but for her, the common thread is always the emotion. “Anything that has real feeling in it always excites me. Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change is Going To Come’, Eva Cassidy singing ‘Wade In The Water’, even Rhianna’s ‘Umbrella’ – I’m obsessed with music. I’ll play Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Bob Dylan’s ‘Hurricane’, Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Going Down’. 

Florence found her own space by going out to clubs and pubs, by singing onstage and in her bedroom. By the time she left school, she’d already written songs like ‘Kiss With A Fist’, and knew she wanted to make music but not how to go about it. So after a year working behind a bar she went to art school, making tents under the desk to sleep off her hangovers while trying to convince her tutors she was an installation. 

It wasn’t until she wrote the haunting ‘Between Two Lungs’ that it all came together. Instead of percussion, Florence pounded the studio walls with her hands. She built the melody on the piano even though it’s not an instrument she knows how to play, and recorded the backing vocals first, before writing the top line. It’s bonkers and totally unconventional, but of course it is also glorious – a strange but yearning song about losing yourself in love. “I’d found my voice, and I just felt euphoric,” she recalls. “It’s been a real process of me learning that the way I wanted to do it was actually the right way. This whole album has been about having faith in myself.”

As for The Machine, it’s a flexible beast. It can go right down to Florence and a drum kit or a piano, but right now it’s a seven-piece band including long-term collaborators Rob Ackroyd (guitar), Chris Hayden (drums), Isabella Summers (keyboards) and Tom Monger (harp). “I ’ve worked with most of them for a long time and they know my style, know the way I write, they know what I want.”

Live, Florence and The Machine become an entirely different beast. No two performances are ever alike, and clad in clothes often culled from local second-hand shops that day, Florence goes at it like a woman possessed. “It’s just this sense of total freedom,” she says. “It sounds so cheesy, but I want to touch people. Not in a weird way. I just want to help them feel what I’m feeling.”

Florence Welch

MAD TRIBE is a collaboration between SPACE TRIBE &amp; MAD MAXX (Olli Wisdom &amp; Max Peterson).&nbsp;They started making music together in 2005 clicking immediately with a shared vision for a full power psychedelic sound with twisted sense of humor. MAD TRIBE received fantastic response to their first album ”SPACED OUT”&nbsp;on TIP records 2015, bringing a juicy psychedelic experience, guaranteed to spark all 6 senses. Since then, Mad Tribe has released one more album, followed by many tracks featured on their innovative cutting edge designed vinyl picture discs, and complete with lenticular cover on their hit release “Fake Guru”. Mad Tribe have been rocking festivals and clubs all over the world, presenting to you their new “Mad Tribe Experience” visual show! Mad Tribe are visiting this planet somewhere near you, so prepare for abduction! Mad Tribe... You don’t have to be Mad, But.…

Electronic

Mad Tribe

Luis Maurette, better known by his stage name UJI, is an acclaimed music artist known for his mesmerizing fusion of electronic beats and traditional world music. Born with a natural inclination for rhythm and melody, UJI has embarked on a musical journey that transcends borders and genres.

UJI's music is a testament to his multicultural background and his insatiable curiosity for exploring diverse sonic landscapes. Drawing inspiration from his Argentinian roots, as well as his extensive travels across the globe, UJI effortlessly blends elements of Latin American folklore, Afrobeat, Middle Eastern melodies, and electronic textures into a captivating sonic tapestry.

With a keen ear for detail and a meticulous approach to production, UJI's music is characterized by intricate layers of instrumentation, pulsating rhythms, and ethereal vocals. His compositions evoke a sense of otherworldly enchantment, inviting listeners on a sonic expedition to uncharted territories of sound.

UJI's discography showcases his artistic versatility and collaborative spirit. He has collaborated with numerous musicians from different corners of the world, fusing their unique styles with his own to create transcendent musical experiences. Through his collaborations, UJI strives to break down cultural barriers and celebrate the universal language of music.

UJI's live performances are immersive and transformative experiences, where he skillfully weaves together his intricate productions with live instrumentation, captivating visuals, and an infectious energy that ignites dance floors around the world. His performances transport audiences to a realm where tradition meets innovation, where ancient rhythms intertwine with modern beats.

As a visionary artist, UJI's music is not just about entertainment; it is a vehicle for cultural exchange and a celebration of diversity. Through his art, he seeks to bridge gaps and foster understanding between cultures, spreading a message of unity, love, and harmony.

UJI's unique musical vision has garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated global following. His music transcends language and resonates with listeners from all walks of life, touching the depths of their souls and inspiring them to embrace the richness and beauty of the world.

With his boundless creativity and unwavering passion for music, UJI continues to push boundaries, redefine genres, and create a musical legacy that will leave an indelible mark on the global music scene.

Devendra Banhart and Noah Georgeson set out to make a record like nothing they’ve made before — an ambient album that would be both a haven from a suddenly terrified world and a heartfelt musical dialogue between two artists who have been friends and collaborators for over two decades. Refuge is an album of profound meditative beauty which offers the listener a much-needed sense of peace and renewal. While it was recorded in 2020, its roots go back to the shared sounds and ethics of their childhoods. Devendra grew up in Venezuela while Noah is a native of Nevada City, California. As they got to know each other, they realized they had a similar history in the New Age subculture of the 80s: a world of meditation, Eastern music, the Bhagavad Gita and The Whole Earth Catalog. Childhood memories were colored by the aromas of health food stores and the sound of labels like Windham Hill Records. Noah, whose credits include Joanna Newsom and the Strokes, also co-produced Devendra’s 2005 album Cripple Crow. 2020 created an emotional craving for music with this contemplative, therapeutic quality. Inspired by both memories of the past and the needs of the present, Refuge is an act of companionship and generosity which gives the listener room to breathe. “We’re hoping to create a sense of comfort and coming back to the moment,” Devendra says. “It’s really important to have a little bit of space between us and our anxieties and impulses. What you do with that space is up to you.”

Devendra Banhart

With 5x platinum UK records, 5x BRIT nominations and over a decade of club shows all over the world under his belt, Joel Corry is one of the most revered names in contemporary dance music. 

He made his breakthrough with 2019’s UK Top 10 single, ‘Sorry’, which also broke the all-time 24-hour Shazam record in the UK with over 41,000 recorded tags, paving the way for collaborations with the likes of David Guetta, Jax Jones, Charli XCX, Tom Grennan and Mabel, as well as a further four Top 10 records – including 2020’s anthemic UK #1 single and global smash, ‘Head & Heart’ ft. MNEK. 

Over the last three years, Joel also played sold-out headline tours in the UK, US and Australia, performed at both the MTV EMAs and The Pride Of Britain Awards and secured coveted DJ residences in both Las Vegas and New York, as well as holding down two consecutive flagship weekly residencies at Ibiza Rocks.

Joel Corry

Robbie Williams is a British singer-songwriter and entertainer born on February 13, 1974, in Stoke-on-Trent, England. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as a member of the boy band Take That, but later embarked on a successful solo career.

Robbie's solo career began in 1996 with the release of his debut album "Life Thru a Lens", which spawned hits such as "Angels" and "Let Me Entertain You". He followed this up with several more successful albums, including "I've Been Expecting You" and "Sing When You're Winning", which cemented his status as one of the biggest pop stars in the world.

Known for his flamboyant personality and energetic live performances, Williams has won numerous awards throughout his career, including several Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello Award. He has also sold over 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

In addition to his music career, Robbie has also dabbled in acting, appearing in films such as "Bridget Jones's Diary" and "The Double". He has also been a judge on the UK version of "The X Factor" and has hosted his own radio show on BBC Radio 2.

Robbie Williams has been married to actress Ayda Field since 2010, and the couple have four children together. He continues to record and perform music, and his most recent album, "The Christmas Present", was released in 2019.


Robbie Williams

Taylor Swift is that rarest of pop phenomena: a superstar who managed to completely cross over from country to the mainstream. Others have performed similar moves -- notably, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson both became enduring pop culture icons based on their 1970s work -- but Swift shed her country roots like they were a second skin; it was a necessary molting to reveal she was perhaps the sharpest, savviest populist singer/songwriter of her generation, one who could harness the zeitgeist, make it personal and, just as impressively, perform the reverse. These skills were evident on her earliest hits, especially the neo-tribute "Tim McGraw," but her second album, 2008's Fearless, showcased a songwriter discovering who she was and, in the process, finding a mass audience. Fearless wound up having considerable legs not only in the U.S., where it racked up six platinum singles on the strength of the Top Ten hits "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me," but throughout the world, performing particularly well in the U.K., Canada, and Australia. Speak Now, delivered almost two years later, consolidated that success and moved Swift into the stratosphere of superstardom. Her popularity only increased over her next three albums -- Red (2012), 1989 (2014), Reputation (2017) -- and found her moving assuredly into a pop realm where she already belonged. Even when she scaled back her approach with 2020's stripped-down sibling releases folklore and Evermore, she remained atop the pop world, a position she maintained with re-recordings of her back catalog along with Midnights, a moody album released in 2022.

This sense of confidence had been apparent in Taylor Swift since the beginning. The daughter of two bankers -- her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, worked at Merrill Lynch; her mother, Andrea, spent time as a mutual fund marketing executive -- Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and raised in suburban Wyomissing. She began to show interest in music at the age of nine, and Shania Twain wound up as her biggest formative influence. Swift started to work regularly at local talent contests, eventually winning a chance to open for Charlie Daniels. Soon, she learned how to play guitar and began writing songs, signing a music management deal with Dan Dymtrow; her family relocated to Nashville with the intent of furthering her music career. She was just 14 years old but on the radar of the music industry, signing a development deal with RCA Records in 2004. Swift sharpened her skills with a variety of professional songwriters, forming the strongest connections with Liz Rose. Taylor's original songs earned her a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but not long after that 2004 deal she parted ways with Dymtrow and RCA, all with the intent of launching her recording career now, not later. 

Things started moving swiftly once Swift came to the attention of Scott Borchetta, a former DreamWorks Records exec about to launch Big Machine Records. Borchetta saw Swift perform at a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe and he signed her to Big Machine in 2005; shortly afterward, she started work on her debut with producer Nathan Chapman, who'd previously helmed demos for Taylor. Boasting original song credits on every one of the record's 11 songs (she penned three on her own), Taylor Swift appeared in October 2006 to strong reviews and Swift made sure to work the album hard, appearing at every radio or television event offered and marshaling a burgeoning fan base through the use of MySpace. "Tim McGraw," the first song from the album, did well, but "Teardrops on My Guitar" and "Our Song" did better on both the pop and country charts, where she racked up five consecutive Top Ten singles. Other successes followed in the wake of the debut -- a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist (she lost to Amy Winehouse), stopgap EPs of Christmas songs -- but Swift concentrated on delivering her sophomore set, Fearless.

Appearing in November 2008, Fearless was certified gold by the RIAA in its first week of release, and the record gained momentum throughout 2009, earning several platinum certifications as "Love Story," "White Horse," "You Belong with Me," "Fifteen," and "Fearless" all scaled the upper reaches of the country charts while "You Belong with Me" nearly topped Billboard's Hot 100. Along with the success came some headlines, first in the form of an infamous appearance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards where her acceptance speech was interrupted by Kanye West, who burst on-stage to declare that Swift's rival Beyoncé deserved the award more, but her romances also started gaining attention, notably a liaison with Twilight star Taylor Lautner, who appeared with the singer in the 2009 film Valentine's Day. 

Her flirtation with the silver screen proved brief, as she then poured herself into her third album, Speak Now. Released in October 2010, Speak Now was another massive first-week smash that refused to lose momentum. Hit singles like "Mine" and "Mean," which won two Grammy Awards, played a big factor in its success not just on the country charts but on pop radio as well. Following a 2011 live album called World Tour Live: Speak Now, Swift turned toward following a pop path on her fourth album, hiring such mainstream musicians as Dan Wilson, Butch Walker, and Britney Spears producer Max Martin. This mainstream pulse was evident on "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," the first single from Red. Upon its October 2012 release, Red shattered expectations by selling over a million copies in its first week, a notable achievement that was doubly impressive in an era of declining sales. Once again, Swift's album had legs: it was certified platinum four times in the U.S. and its international sales outstripped those of Speak Now. She supported Red with an international tour in 2013 and more hits came, including "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "22."

As Swift geared up for the release of her fifth album in 2014, she made it clear that 1989 was designed as her first "documented, official" pop album and that there would be no country marketing push for the record. "Shake It Off," an ebullient dance-pop throwback, hit number one upon its August 2014 release. When 1989 appeared in late October 2014, it once again shot to number one and became her third straight album to sell one million copies in its first week (a new record for any artist).

Swift gathered many awards during the subsequent year, including Billboard's Woman of the Year, the Award for Excellence at the American Music Awards, and a special 50th Anniversary Milestone Award from the CMAs. Her 1989 World Tour crossed Asia, North America, and Europe during the last half of 2015, and she won three Grammy Awards at the 2016 ceremonies, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video for "Bad Blood." At the end of 2016, she released "I Don't Wanna Live Forever," a duet with ZAYN from the soundtrack for Fifty Shades Darker. The single reached the Top Five across the world. Swift returned with her sixth album, Reputation, in November 2017. Preceded by the number one hit single "Look What You Made Me Do," Reputation debuted at number one, and while it didn't replicate the success of 1989, the album did help underscore her popularity while also pushing her toward mature musicality.

Reputation was Swift's final record for Big Machine. In November 2018, she signed with Universal Music Group, which distributed her new albums under its Republic Records banner. The first album in this contract was Lover. Released in August 2019, Lover was preceded by two singles, "Me!" and "You Need to Calm Down," which both reached number two on the Hot 100 and helped push the album to number one. The acclaimed LP and two of its singles received a total of three nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards.

Swift's plans to support Lover with a tour in 2020 were scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With some unexpected time on her hands, she wrote and recorded a new set of songs, many in collaboration with Aaron Dessner of the National; Bon Iver and longtime Swift associate Jack Antonoff also contributed. The resulting album, folklore, was released on July 24, 2020, and went straight to the top of the Billboard 200. Less than five months later, Swift released a companion album to folklore called Evermore. Featuring many of the same collaborators as its predecessor, the Grammy-nominated Evermore debuted at number one upon its December 11, 2020 release. Altogether, the sibling LPs planted Swift atop the U.S. charts for a combined 11 weeks, and folklore became the best-selling album of 2020.

In 2021, she began the process of re-recording her back catalog after her Big Machine masters were sold off in 2019, starting with 2008's Fearless. The first of these tracks -- "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" -- arrived that February, with Fearless [Taylor's Version] arriving in April. The new version of Fearless contained cameos from Colbie Caillat, Keith Urban, and Maren Morris, along with several previously unheard tunes originally written during the same time period; it debuted at number one on Billboard upon its release. Swift next revisited Red, releasing Red [Taylor's Version] in November 2021. This revamp of the 2012 album featured new duets with Phoebe Bridgers, Chris Stapleton, and Ed Sheeran, along with a ten-minute version of the ballad "All Too Well." Another re-recording, "This Love (Taylor's Version)" (originally off 1989), arrived in May 2022 and was included in the soundtrack to the coming-of-age drama The Summer I Turned Pretty. 

Swift opened up another chapter in her career with the October 2022 release of Midnights, an album co-produced by Jack Antonoff and featuring a duet with Lana Del Rey on "Snow on the Beach." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Taylor Swift

Arca is a Venezuelan electronic music artist, DJ, and record producer, born in 1989 in Caracas, Venezuela, with the full name Alejandra Ghersi. She is widely known for her experimental music style, which blends genres such as glitch, avant-pop, and ambient. Her music is a fusion of various sounds, both organic and electronic, creating a unique and mesmerizing audio experience for her fans.Arca's musical journey began when she moved to the United States to study at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University. She initially started producing music for other artists, including Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Björk, with whom she has collaborated on several albums, including Vulnicura and Utopia.In 2014, Arca released her debut album, Xen, which received critical acclaim for its unique sound and dark, experimental nature. She followed up with three more albums, Mutant, Arca, and KiCk i, which continued to showcase her experimental style and cemented her status as one of the most innovative musicians of her generation.Arca's music has earned her numerous accolades, including a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package in 2020. Her third album, Arca, was named one of the best albums of 2017 by several publications, including Pitchfork, The Guardian, and Rolling Stone.In addition to her music career, Arca is also known for her fashion and visual art. She has worked with fashion houses such as Hood by Air and Balenciaga, and her artwork has been featured in several exhibitions around the world.In summary, Arca is a talented and innovative artist whose unique sound and style have earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase. Her work as a musician, fashion designer, and visual artist continues to push boundaries and inspire creativity in those who follow her.

Arca

Deploying the radar to find good music. I 🤍 videoclips

This NFT provides access to an exclusive saxophone recording performed by Gerald Preinfalk, in the framework of collaboration between Klangforum Wien, KLOOV and CultTech Accelerator. Hope you enjoy it!

Klangforum Wien - Saxophone

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