In 2012, the song took over the internet, and it helped pave the way for the global success of Korean pop. But Psy, the artist behind it, spent years trying and failing to replicate the phenomenon.
Tag: Music
For Ghana’s Only Openly Transgender Musician, ‘Every Day Is Dangerous’
Maxine Angel Opoku has found a new audience for her music with songs opposing a proposed law that would make it illegal to identify as gay, transgender or queer.
Power Outages Leave Kyiv, Ukraine, Draped in Darkness
The streets of Ukraine’s capital, illuminated with nightlife only weeks ago, are shrouded in darkness and shadows now because of restrictions on the use of electricity. The lack of light creates moments of apprehension, but also of beauty.
Nyege Nyege, a Cutting-Edge Music Festival in Uganda, Keeps the Beat
Despite being called “immoral” by some politicians, this year’s Nyege Nyege festival celebrated diversity and innovation in contemporary African music.
Liverpool Will Host 2023 Eurovision Song Contest
The popular competition would have been held in Ukraine, which won this year’s event, but safety concerns sent it to Britain instead.
Abel Selaocoe Finds a Home in Improvisation
The classically trained South African cellist draws on musical traditions from across the globe for his debut album, “Where is Home (Hae Ke Kae).”
Mexico Has Tequila. Peru, Pisco. In Colombia, a Push for Viche, Now Legal.
Invented by formerly enslaved people, viche, a cane sugar liquor, was long banned, a sort of Colombian moonshine. Now, it’s a symbol of the country’s often ignored Afro-Colombian culture.
‘Parentese’ Is Truly a Lingua Franca, Global Study Finds
In an ambitious cross-cultural study, researchers found that adults around the world speak and sing to babies in similar ways.
Below an Israeli City, a Musical Harmony Belies the Tensions Above Ground
In an underground reservoir built 1,233 years ago in a city that saw sectarian riots last year, visitors hear a beguiling musical composition that combines Arab love songs with Hebrew poetry.
The War in Ukraine Is the True Culture War
With Russia trying to erase Ukraine’s national identity, the fight to preserve, and build upon, Ukraine’s artistic heritage has taken on new urgency.