Mikayla's Media Corner #3

We’re back! This week we have so many great media recs. I’ve been back on my sitcom and rom-com bullshit so here we are.

• Young Rock will make you laugh, sigh, and fall a little bit more in love with the Rock. In the show, the Rock is being interviewed by Randall Park about his life as he runs for president in 2032. It is primarily told through stories about his childhood in Hawaii, his teen years in Philadelphia, and college at the University of Miami. We learn about his father’s career as a wrestler and get a glimpse into his tight bond with his mom. The show has a lot of heart and is exactly what the dwindling world of sitcoms needs. (Link to image)

• Tierra Whack’s Whack World was released in 2018 meaning I am late to the party. The album is a compilation of 15 tracks that feel like mini poems fit together to create a cohesive album full of creative language and cheeky humor. I loved Whack’s unique way of timing and annunciating words. My favorite track is #12 Pretty Ugly. In addition to the album, Whack released a 15 minute long music video that takes you through a different scene for each track. (Link to image)

• Last week I read Shirley Jackson’s final novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I also watched the Netflix adaptation, however the book was infinitely better. I’m not against movie adaptations, but in this case the novel’s gothic elements are better when read and its eeriness largely comes from what is not explicitly seen or written. The novel follows two sisters Mary Katherine and Constance who live with their Uncle Julian in their secluded home isolated from the village. The novel is excellent, well planned, and dark in unsuspecting ways. (Link to image)

• Revelación by Selena Gomez is tremendously enjoyable to listen to. It’s sensual and sultry with a relaxed quality that I love. The songs suit Gomez’s voice really well and lean into what she does well, making people feel her emotions through music. Even though I can’t understand the lyrics, I still felt what she was trying to convey. While recording the EP, Gomez met with a Spanish coach every day. This is her first Spanish language EP and it introduces a new side of Gomez. Revelación is a beautiful exploration of her Mexican-American identity, now excuse me as I go dance around my room to it. (Link to image)