Cue Hulu sound “Okay, guys. We’re back. Did you miss us? ‘Cause we missed you.”

I’ve returned from my one-week hiatus to focus on all things Frieze. The art fair swang in with a slew of new happenings so let's start digging in.

Reflecting: ‘SUNSET BLACK’

Bren Joy’s highly anticipated debut album “SUNSET BLACK” released on Friday, and it is already one of my favorites of the year. His R&B/pop sound is uniquely influenced by touches of gospel, jazz and country aesthetics. Admittedly, it’s difficult to describe his sound in words, but that is simply a testament to his journey to nail down his artistic voice. In his debut album, it has finally formed into a malleable tool that he can wield with ease. His target: a man he is uncontrollably infatuated with.

The first two tracks are a slightly jarring contrast. The Nashville artist delivers a predominantly acoustic track, “Bluejay,” that slowly swells with guitars and vocal runs. It’s very country in structure and blues in tone. The album then turns to “Cherry,” which introduces a nostalgic mood. Then there’s a switch. A vocal saying, “Like” is chopped into the rhythm and the song starts to employ more R&B and hip-hop production elements, including hard-panned tracks that quickly switch from left to right and distorted beats. It heightens the album’s energy and opens the listener up to a journey through its expansive and genre-melding approach that bridges the hip-hop loops (like in “Bloodonthetimbs”) with country crooning (best shown in “El Dorado”).  

His EP “Twenties” leaned more pop and gospel. The tracks consistently layered 808s atop a big gospel vocal that often duplicated as songs went on, replicating the feeling of a choir. “SUNSET BLACK” is a different story. His style matured and he is unafraid to strip back the layers. Songs “Wandering” and “Shiver” are raw. Both contain his haunting vocals with a singular instrument. His approach in “Wandering” takes influence from jazz standards. There’s a richness in his delivery that places the voice higher up the head, allowing the vibrato to flow out of him. The piano echoes and his delivery sends a chill up the spine. In “Shiver,” he introduces more grit to his voice. As he sings through runs with incredible control, you sense the raw vocal comes from somewhere deeper in his chest. Here, he digs into the bluesy side of R&B. As the penultimate track on the album, “Shiver” completes the circle of genres for the listener. He has provided a guide to each extremity of his artistic voice, and by this point, you understand his vision.

The album concludes with a profound statement in “Fangs.” It begins upbeat as he sings, “I’m caught in your fangs.” There’s a strong drum guiding the song forward. It’s as if you should dance ot this. It’s somewhat sultry and worth swaying your hip to. Halfway through the track, there is silence. The hip sways end. Synths start to play and his vocal aesthetic switches. He’s no longer seducing. He’s yearning. The sound feels synonymous with a track off Frank Ocean’s “Blonde.” “You’re my simple obsession,” Joy sings. “SUNSET BLACK” is an embodiment of his adoration for a man who may never feel the way he does. He copes in different ways. He reflects this in his music. He switches from genre to genre, altering the tone of his desires. The album is a modern-day act of queer devotion. You witness him switch from sound to sound in his effort to get this mysterious man’s long-term attention. “Fangs” is his white flag of surrender, but he’s not just surrendering to the man, but the feelings he’s tried to wield. For this final track, he lets the emotions use him as a conduit. A new chapter starts.

Take a listen for yourself, and if you like what you hear, be sure to get tickets to his upcoming show at The Roxy on March 18.

This Week’s Top Spots

‘Topdog/Underdog’ @ Pasadena Playhouse

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Tony Award-winning play “Topdog/Underdog” is making its way to Pasadena Playhouse. The play follows two brothers — Lincoln and Booth — coping with poverty, racism and work. Lincoln started living with Booth after his wife kicked him out. Although the change was meant to be temporary, he is the household's sole income source (he’s working as an Abraham Lincoln impersonator). When Booth asks Lincoln to return to the hustle of three-card monte, their desire to make ends meet alters into a desperate fight for upward mobility that aims to close the gap between the top dogs and the underdogs. 

LOCATION: 39 S El Molino Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101
DATES: February 26 - March 23
PRICE: $44 - $122
LINK: https://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/event/topdog-underdog/

‘Hugo Crosthwaite: Ex-Voto’ @ Luis De Jesus Los Angeles

Tijuana native Hugo Crosthwaite presents a new solo exhibition at Luis De Jesus that transforms everyday life in his hometown into Mexican ex-votos. The folk art genre is a religious offering in the form of a painting or object that shows gratitude or fulfills a vow. For the exhibition, Crosthwaite paints true stories and vows of Tijuana residents, depicting them as icons of resistance and perseverance. This exhibition is particularly exciting because Crosthwaite departs from his black-and-white works and introduces color to transform his community into modern-day saints and heroines. 

LOCATION: 1110 Mateo St., Los Angeles, CA 90021
DATES: March 1 - April 5
TIME: On view 10 am - 6 pm, Tues. thru Sat. 
PRICE: Free 
LINK: https://www.luisdejesus.com/exhibitions/hugo-crosthwaite6

‘Cambodian Rock Band’ @ The David Henry Hwang Theatre

Tune your guitars and warm up those pipes. The Los Angeles premiere of Lauren Yee’s “Cambodian Rock Band” is here! The part-play, part-rock concert features music by Dengue Fever and tells the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to Cambodia for the first time in 30 years just in time to witness his daughter prosecute one of the country’s notorious war criminals. By jumping back in time, the father reveals family secrets and music's enduring power. 

LOCATION: 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
DATES: February 13 - March 23 (EXTENDED!) 
PRICE: $15 - $84
LINK: https://www.eastwestplayers.org/crb

‘To the Fullest: The Music of Julius Eastman and Arthur Russell’ @ Walt Disney Concert Hall

Legendary musicians Julius Eastman and Arthur Russell have created quintessentially queer pieces that demand the performers who play them to be unabashedly and unapologetically themselves. The choices are bold and the rhythms demand musicians to immerse themselves in the music. To honor the artistic collaboration and their contributions to the genre, LA Phil Insight, REDCAT and Wild Up are coming together for a series of performances that will run until May 3. It begins this weekend with “To the Fullest,” but to learn more about what’s ahead, check out REDCAT’s description page. Lastly, I’ll leave you with a quote from Eastman that perfectly encapsulates what to expect: “What I am trying to achieve is to be what I am to the fullest—Black to the fullest, a musician to the fullest, and a homosexual to the fullest.” 

LOCATION: 111 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012
DATE: March 4
TIME: 8 pm 
PRICE: $40 - $50
LINK: https://www.laphil.com/events/performances/3505/2025-03-04/to-the-fullest-the-music-of-julius-eastman-and-arthur-russell

‘Mahlerthon: Part One & Two’ @ Walt Disney Concert Hall

Beginning in the 1960s, the Gustav Mahler Society of California brought together SoCal’s leading composers to honor the career and composition of Mahler. To bring back the same love and adoration for the Romantic composer, the LA Phil will host its own daylong listening festival: Mahler Grooves Festival. The Mahlerthon at Walt Disney Concert Hall will unify LA’s prominent organizations and learning institutions, including YOLA, Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Santa Monica High School, UCLA Philharmonia, USC, Colburn Orchestra and Los Angeles Master Chorale. 

LOCATION: 111 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012
DATE: March 2
TIME: 12 - 9:30 pm
PRICE: $10 per show
LINK: https://www.laphil.com/events/festivals-highlights/93

Things: Beginnings & Endings

While I was out for a week, Frieze rang in some new gallery spaces for Los Angeles. However, the switch to Frieze programming also marks some exhibitions coming to a close. Here’s the low-down on what to get excited for in the coming months and what to bid farewell to before it's too late. 

• ‘Exhibitionism’ @ Rajiv Menon Contemporary: Rajiv Menon Contemporary launched its first permanent gallery space and solidified itself as one of the few U.S. galleries to specialize in contemporary South Asian art. It opens with “Exhibitionism,” a show with over 20 artworks by 19 leading contemporary South Asian artists. DATE: February 17 - March 30 / PRICE: Free / LINK: https://www.rmcontemporary.com/ 

• ‘Free Labor’ & ‘Begun in the Dazzling Sunshine’ @ Parker Gallery: Sam Parker’s gallery moves to Melrose Ave with two new exhibitions. DATE: February 19 - March 29 / PRICE: Free / LINK: https://parkergallery.com/ 

• PST ART Open House: A Day-to-Night Exploration of Art & Science: If you’ve been procrastinating on PST ART shows, now is the time to check those exhibitions off your list. The expansive SoCal initiative winds down with a free open house across the city. DATE: March 1 / PRICE: Free w/ RSVP / LINK: https://pst.art/en/events/pst-art-open-house 

• L.A. Zine Fest @ The Broad: I love a fuck-ass zine and so does the Broad. Before the exhibition “In Defense of Nature” closes at the end of the month, the DTLA museum will host a two-day zine festival where you can learn more about the DIY ethos and get your hands on your next favorite zine. DATE: March 1 - 2 / PRICE: Free w/ RSVP / LINK: https://www.thebroad.org/events/la-zine-fest

Keep Reading

If you haven’t already, check out my latest stories here: 

• Didier William | That Bodily Space Definition, That Communing of Worlds (FLAUNT)

• The essential guide to Frieze, Felix Art Fair, the L.A. Art Show and more (Los Angeles Times)

• This Artist Is Building a Swap Meet at Frieze (Alta Journal)

• Shamel Pitts’ ‘BLACKHOLE – Trilogy and Triathlon’ transports the stage into an otherworldly heartbeat (LA Dance Chronicle)

• The dance within Geffen Playhouse’s “Noises Off” (LA Dance Chronicle)

Meme of the Week