Album

’30’ by Adele

This album is by far one of my favorite Adele albums. It was released in 2021, comprised of 12 songs. Adele wrote this album during her divorce, to explain to her son what happened between his parents. The 12 songs vary in tone and length. “All Night Parking” is 2 minutes and 41 seconds, while closing track “Love Is a Game” is almost 7 minutes long. Songs like “Hold On” and “Easy on Me” are emotional songs, as their lyrics are deep if thoroughly listened to. On the other hand, she also released songs like “Cry Your Heart Out” and “Oh My God” that make you want to dance and sing along. This album is available on all streaming services, on CD and on vinyl records.

Book

‘The Book of Mac: Remembering Mac Miller’ by Donna-Claire Chesman 

The Book of Mac is a recent release commemorating the late Mac Miller’s life and musical career. The book is split up into 11 chapters, 10 labeled with a year, followed by the album he released. So, the first chapter is 2010: K.I.D.S. My personal favorite is 2016: The Divine Feminine. This book is full of first-hand accounts from Miller’s friends. Just about everyone Miller worked with is included in this book. Aside from the stories shared by Miller’s friends, the author works her own story into Miller’s. She explains how Miller saved her life with his music and each page gives a personal experience with particular songs or lyrics. If you’re a Mac Miller fan, definitely check this out. I was lucky enough to pick up my copy in Pittsburgh, Miller’s hometown.

TV Show

‘Inventing Anna’ by Shonda Rhimes 

This limited series is new to Netflix and was created by Shonda Rhimes. Right off the bat, if you’re a fan of any Shondaland TV shows, this hits that mark. It’s about a trust-fund, German heiress named Anna Delvey, born Anna Sorokin, who moved to New York and worked her way into high society. She planned to open her own art foundation but needed help from the most powerful people on Wall Street. Anna worked her way up the food chain of the New York powerhouses to become one herself. But, she is arrested and caught in the middle of a scam. Is Anna scamming people for their money? A journalist named Vivian Kent picked up the story for Manhattan Magazine and worked tirelessly on it. The show is about Kent’s story and the lengths she goes to get it done. The relationship between Delvey and Kent is very interesting and makes you wonder who Delvey really is.

Movie

‘Encanto’ (2021)

This is a must-see movie. If you are a Disney fan, you have probably already seen it, but if not, it’s worth your while. Encanto is a sweet film full of colors and music. The Madrigal family is the focus of the film. Everyone has powers, like Luisa’s super strength and Bruno’s ability to see the future. The main character, Mirabel, is the only one without powers. The journey she has is empowering and creative. Mirabel felt like she had to prove herself, but in reality she didn’t. Even though she was different, she still found her place and fit into the magical family. The film touches on the importance of family as a whole through any conflicts. Encanto is streaming on Disney+.