Troye Sivan

Gone is the melancholic, oneiric Blue Neighborhood that defined Sivan’s past — in his relocation to a new landscape of unabashed revelry and excess, the artist has packed up his electro-pop sensibilities and packed away his poignance.

Nonetheless, the single doesn’t wholly disappoint. It’s lavish, anti-minimalist pop — slight repetition is almost a prerequisite. Both in the lyrics and in the music video, Sivan accomplishes his mission, with “Got Me Started” bringing queer love to the limelight in lustrous fashion.

“The Idol” exists because it's powered by the widespread neuroses of digital media. At what point do we put our foot down?

Making a student film is a lot like making sushi — without the rice, seaweed, fish or knowledge of how to make sushi. But you know good sushi when you eat it, right? 

February is not short of hidden gems, and film beat reporters Joy Diamond and Emma Murphree are here to give input on which new releases shouldn’t — or maybe should — go under your radar.

Music beat reporters Vincent Tran and Taila Lee are here to recommend a few highlights you might’ve missed in the music world this past month.

Exploring heartache and self-awareness with candor, the dynamic EP creates a mystic, dreamlike scene that showcases Sivan’s maturity as an artist.

After the 10-monthlong break, Map of the Soul: 7 is an earnest effort at reconnecting with the old BTS — the BTS unrestrained from listeners’ expectations. 

As Troye Sivan slipped out of his silver suit jacket and swept his wavy blonde hair from his eyes, he couldn’t have looked sexier. Then again, I was feeling pretty sexy myself.

Kuchar is a musician, an educator, a performer and a member of the Jewish community — a background shared with Troye Sivan. “He’s another Jewish kid from Australia, and he has a lot of ties particularly to the Jewish community that I grew up in,” Kuchar says.