“You get an update! You get an update! You get an update!” is what the Oprah voice in my head kept saying as I put together our year in review while searching the internet and social media for updates about our featured stories. Looking back, we’ve had lots of great interviews with artists across genres—jazz, pop-punk, indie rock—and as cliché as the term “rising artist” is, it definitely rings true this year. We started off this year with Arlo Parks on the cover, a young artist with many accolades but as the year went on her notoriety continued to grow. We interviewed Jon Batiste about his new album We Are which months later smashed the Grammy nominations for 2022. Without giving too much away, we’ve had some great conversations with artists on the rise, talked fashion with Machine Gun Kelly’s stylist, shamelessly chronicled A$AP Rocky and Rihanna’s relationship, and got the expert breakdown on magic mushrooms.

Arlo Parks Is The Poet Laureate Of A New Generation 
Our first cover of the year was Arlo Parks, the songwriter, and poet from Hammersmith, London. We caught up with her before the release of her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams and chatted about her whirlwind journey from writing poetry in her room at age eight to starring in Gucci’s first Film Festival, and collaborating with artists like Glass Animals and Phoebe Bridgers who she now calls friends. She opened up about how her indie-pop melodies are really made to make someone she doesn’t know feel moved by her music and her hopes for the future of collaboration and touring. Fast forward to the end of the year, she not only toured to sold-out crowds and won a Brit Award for Best Breakthrough Artists but her album Collapsed In Sunbeams won the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize and was nominated for the 2022 Grammy Awards.

Shame Harness The Calming Powers Of Drunk Tank Pink
We caught up with UK band Shame at the beginning of 2021 soon after the release of their album Drunk Tank Pink. Frontman Charlie Steen told us how he painted an entire room in the Drunk Tank Pink color—yes everything from the ceiling to the lampshade—and it inspired the album. Steen also shared what life was like during the lockdown and how their pre-recorded live show to celebrate the album came together. Since then, the band has released a documentary, gone on a North American tour, performed at Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, released a Christmas song called “Baldur’s Gate” and they just headlined the Jäger Music Awards in Moscow.

6 New York Drill Artists Following In The Footsteps Of Pop Smoke
Drill music, a subgenre of hip-hop, in which the beats and flows used can vary by location but is characterized by heavy bass and hard-hitting beats accompanied by lyrics about violent street life. It took off in Chicago and spread around the world, the UK has a notable drill scene but the rise of the late rapper Pop Smoke put the spotlight on the New York drill variant. We highlighted 6 New York drill artists making a name for themselves in the subgenre: Fivio Foreign, Rowdy Rebel, Bizzy Banks, CJ, Maliibu Miitch, and Sleepy Hallow. The genre is still alive and well, Bizzy Banks was featured on Pop Smoke’s 2nd post-humous album Faith. Rowdy Rebel has steadily been releasing singles and collaborating with other hip-hop artists like 42 Dugg and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. Sleepy Hallow released his album Still Sleep? and Fivio Foreign hopped on the “Body (Remix)” for a UK and New York drill link up.

Jon Batiste On Writing Music From His Dressing Room 
Before this year, Jon Batiste was best known for his role as the charismatic music producer of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and already had a Golden Globe under his belt. He released his album We Are earlier this year and chatted with us about how it came together—he would write from his dressing room and sing with Zadie Smith over Zoom. He also discussed how he had to adapt his role as music director during the pandemic and what his relationship with Stephen Colbert is like. We didn’t know it at the time but We Are would put Batiste in headlines everywhere as he dominated the 2022 Grammy nominations with a total of 11 nominations. He was also a musical guest on Sesame Street, composed the closing credit song for the FIRST WAVE documentary, and performed at the 2021 Emmy Awards.

If NFTs Confuse You, This Is The Breakdown To Read
NFTs were no doubt the main characters of the tech world this year and they’ve shown no sign of slowing down. We broke down what exactly is an NFT (non-fungible token), the digital certificate, the blockchain technology that makes them rare compared to a JPEG of the exact same thing, and a roundup of all the artists that quickly hopped on board. Recently, we even did an update of our NFT wishlist inspired by the likes of Jay-Z and Lil Baby (Bored Ape Yacht Club is at the top of the list). Migos’ Takeoff is the latest artist to partake, launching his Apes In Space NFT collection that has online and offline space perks.

Magic Mushrooms and Psilocybin: An Expert Weighs In 
Now that cannabis is legal, magic mushrooms have become the next illegal drug championed for their positive effects on addiction and mental health issues. We talked to Dr. Lindsay Mackay, an expert in psilocybin to get all the facts on shrooms and possible benefits. She gave us a scientific breakdown of what psilocybin is, how it affects your brain, and the ideal set and setting for its use. The scientific research done shows improvement in depression and anxiety and Mackay explained why the stigma surrounding its use has limited research thus far leaving many possibilities for the future. Psilocybin remains illegal but as Mackay predicted research continues to find benefits from its medically-assisted use. A new study suggests that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may help to reduce attachment anxiety and three Canadians struggling with mental health conditions just received approval to undergo psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.

Tate McRae Is All In
Tate McRae had what you call a meteoric rise to fame starting with YouTube videos of her dance choreography and quickly turning into videos of her singing. When we caught up with Tate in our April Cover story, she’d just released her second EP Too Young To Be Sad, she’d collaborated with Billie Eilish and Finneas, landed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and gone viral on TikTok. She explained how weird it was to have all this success but not leave the confines of her bedroom because of a global pandemic. The vulnerability in her music by making teenagehood and all its messiness relatable is why her fans love her and she expressed how eager she was to go on tour, meet other artists in person and play at Governor’s ball. As predicted Tate got to experience everything she wanted and more this year—Jingle Ball, Governor’s Ball, AMAs, VMAs, Lollapalooza—along with turning 18.

A Chronology of A$AP Rocky & Rihanna 
We couldn’t get enough of A$AP Rocky & Rihana (along with the rest of the internet) as street-style pics and NYC sightings of the couple were plentiful this summer after finally confirming their relationship. Naturally, we did a chronology of their entire relationship from their first public appearance performing at the VMAs in 2012 to present-day relationship status. We are happy to report that not much has changed, Rih$AP are still happily dating and spotted in paparazzi pics, and neither of them have released new music. Rumors started circulating on Twitter that Rihanna might be pregnant with A$AP’s child following a public appearance at Barbados’ presidential inauguration but nothing has been confirmed and it’s unlikely true.. A$AP aside, will 2022 be the year we FINALLY get the album?

Meet Machine Gun Kelly’s Image Architect 
When it comes to red carpets this year, the couple that undoubtedly turned heads was Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox. They touch tongues! Their nails are chained together! And their outfits are always on point. We talked to the man behind MGK’s style, Adam Ballheim, who styles everything from red carpets and events to music videos and tour outfits. He’s really an image architect and Ballheim let us in on his creative process, how his relationship with MGK started, and how he coordinates with Megan Fox’s stylist for the red carpet looks like the BBMAs. Ballheim has not stopped since we last chatted, creating a coordinated punk look for MGK’s appearance at the AMAs with his daughter and a red suit moment with Fox at the VMAs to remind everyone of their combined hotness.

Nessa Barrett Is Not Who You Think
Nessa Barrett is part of a new generation of artists and stars who rose to fame through virality on social media. Like millions of other Gen Z teenagers, she started posting on TikTok and quickly amassed a large following dedicated to watching everything she does online. In our September Cover story, Barrett candidly opens up and shows us a side of her that’s not in the headlines. She always had dreams of pursuing a career in music and she explained how everything she’d experienced in life was leading up to the creation of her debut EP Pretty Poison. The title is symbolic of fame and the public perception of her life, fame is not all it’s cracked up to be, and her music along with her boyfriend Jaden Hossler (who’s also an artist) has been her saving grace throughout the madness. Since September, she’s performed at her first festival (Corona Capital) and Jingle Ball, attended the VMAs with Hossler, and had Zeds Dead remix one of her songs. She continues to be open about her personal struggles which we will likely hear more about in future music because as she said in our cover story, songwriting is when she’s most vulnerable.

Inside The Weird & Beautiful World Of Kim Petras
Kim Petras made a splash this year with her performances at the VMAs and Lollapalooza and attending the Met Gala in one of the most talked-about looks of the night. We caught up with the pop star right after the release of her single “Future Starts Now” and signing with Republic Records. It’s clear through her music videos, social media, and red carpet style that she’s as artistic visually as she is behind a microphone. She told us how she achieved her dream of being on a sinking Eiffel Tower in the music video for “Future Starts Now,” how her horse chic Met Gala look came together, and why bubble gum pop is a form of art. She’s since released another single “Coconuts” that spawned a TikTok dance challenge, took part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and performed at the MTV EMAs. We look forward to more weird and beautiful fashion moments and new music from her next year.

Like what you saw? Here’s more:

The 22 Artists On Our Radar For 2022
Unpacking 2021: The Best Moments In Music
Hold Up, Pose: Memorable Style Moments Of 2021