HITS:

Zayn’s New Release “PILLOWTALK” (Darya)

Breaking away from One Direction didn’t stop Zayn Malik from being on top of all the charts, even beating One Direction’s most popular release, “Best Song Ever” in the process. “PILLOWTALK” had over six million views on just the first day of its release. The song’s hypnotizing tune is a completely different feel to the upbeat One Direction style. Just after hearing the song once, it is impossible to get the chorus out of your head. The catchy melody is so “sticky” that you end up humming it all day. Zayn fans, prepare to hear more of his amazing songs from his upcoming album, “Mind of Mine” releasing on March 25.

Super Bowl Anthem/Halftime Show (Haruka)

This year, the Super Bowl halftime show was dominated by musical legends. The set list included mellow and upbeat songs that brought the audience together, especially the mash-up between Bruno Mars’s hit single “Uptown Funk” and Beyonce’s new single “Formation”. However, Beyonce received a lot of criticism because her costume, song lyrics, and choreography alluded to African American human rights movements. But politics aside, the performance itself was great. After the collaboration between the three amazing artists, Coldplay took the stage to sing “Fix You” accompanied by a video portraying the many legendary artists who performed during previous halftime shows. The  show ended with “Up&Up” from Coldplay’s new album, “A Head Full of Dreams”. Who will be creating another memorable halftime show next year?

Lady Gaga’s Rendition of America’s National Anthem and David Bowie Tribute (Reshma)

It appears like the footballers were more motivated to play after hearing Lady Gaga singing “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl 50. Although she is acknowledged for her self-empowering messages and political fashion statements, she should also be applauded for her dynamic elegance in live performances. Not overdoing the lyrics with excessive screaming, “scooping”, or stretched vibratos, her version of the anthem added the right amount of flavor to the meaning of American pride and liberty. On the other hand, there was no shortage of glamour and sass in her tribute to David Bowie on the night of the Grammy Awards. Commemorating one of the most powerful pop voices in history was no easy task, but she did not fail to deliver versatility through her melodic twists and her upbeat energy. The overwhelming technical effects of the Grammy Awards performance were a little hard to swallow, but nevertheless, both of Lady Gaga’s live performances this month were stunning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyqkN3zezso

Gravitational Waves (Sarah)

On February 11th, just a few days before the day of lovey dovey chocolates, an even more fascinating finding struck the globe. Researchers at LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) detected gravitational waves caused by the fusion of two black holes. Gravity is a “dent” in space — the more massive the object, the bigger the dent. We have discovered that cosmic events, such as supernovas create a wave (similar to the effect of jumping up and down on the trampoline, the movement causes waves along the surface). Proving Einstein’s general theory of relativity required the proof that gravity bends space time, and LIGO was able to obtain the proof. The fact that we can hear and see gravitational waves means that we can now track universe’s cosmic events and swim deep into the ocean of space. Romantic, isn’t it?

Taylor Swift’s “1989” Wins “Album of the Year” (Mia)

The 2016 Grammy Awards awarded one of its most prestigious awards, the “Album of the Year” to Taylor Swift’s “1989” album. Swift is the first ever female singer in Grammy history to win this respected award twice. “As the first woman to win album of the year twice, I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame,” Swift said in her acceptance speech, “but if you just focus on the work, and you don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you are going, you will look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you that put you there and that will be the greatest feeling in the world.”

MISSES:

McFry Potato Chocolate Sauce (Mizuki)

After what seemed like hours in line, I finally got my hands on the “McFry Potato Chocolate Sauce”, the delicious snack that had been featured in so many of my friends’ Snapchats. Although it is universally known that Japan is the land of many strange foods, the chocolate-covered french fries were one of the strangest things I’ve eaten by far. Even I, lover of all foods, was perplexed by the awkward combination of salt, grease, and chocolate. By the time you finish consuming the 572 kilocalories of guilt and weirdness, you’ll be asking yourself why you ever believed that fries and chocolate would be a match made in heaven.