tournament Golden Hit: Season 2 📀 Congratulations Hug! 🏆

[Jackson]

1 hour ago, XO_Life said:

So Diana wants that summer banger? Done.

Absolutely, her management team is perched

38 minutes ago, Remmy said:

now that I think about it I need more info! tell me who they stan, where they were on january 6th & what they tweeted in the past  oh and previous collaborators in case any of them were in the studio with a certain non-doctor.

Diana is getting her Spotify playlist ready, but she primarily stans ex girl group members, summer bop-makers, and Scandinavian pop stars. She has issued a statement that she "unequivocally condemns Dr Luke and stands with the women affected by his malicious actions", but ATRL News reports that she would probably hop on a voice memo of a fart if it assured her a #1 hit

[fountain]

3 minutes ago, Jackson said:

Diana is getting her Spotify playlist ready, but she primarily stans ex girl group members, summer bop-makers, and Scandinavian pop stars. She has issued a statement that she "unequivocally condemns Dr Luke and stands with the women affected by his malicious actions", but ATRL News reports that she would probably hop on a voice memo of a fart if it assured her a #1 hit

 

the lore! 

[8thPrince]

18 minutes ago, Hug said:

Oh, I'm tanking it.

 

@8thPrince would Shadow by f(x) or Russian Roulette by Rihanna be examples of songs Aria is looking for (in terms of unique metaphors/concepts). Need this for science.

fx is among Aria’s favorite artists and she’d love to do something in that vein ?

[fountain]

Updated the challenge post with Diana’s Spotify playlist!:

 

 

[Achilles.]

I feel like Aria would suit a Natalia Kills or Muna type song, wouldn’t she?

[Legend E]

Quote

ATRL insider WhiteoutZone chimed in

[8thPrince]

7 minutes ago, Achilles. said:

I feel like Aria would suit a Natalia Kills or Muna type song, wouldn’t she?

Her label is telling me this would be intriguing  

[Hug]

Hard at work in the studio preparing a demo for Diana right now

[fountain]

5 minutes ago, Hug said:

Hard at work in the studio preparing a demo for Diana right now

same except reviews 

[JoeAg]

oh stop this next challenge sounds cool as f*ck 

[Hug]

Okay I speedran this song, I have a draft already. However, I want to also write something for Aria and then I'll have to decide which demo I want to send ?

[fountain]

 

Round 1: The Zoology Challenge, Part 2

 

 

@EpicSongFan - Sweet Escape

The story that you told here and the animals that you chose to present it through worked really well in my opinion, I was intrigued to see how you would portray both animals as your inspiration in the song, and I think ultimately you succeeded in doing so and the choice to be inspired by both really paid off I think, because they directly play off each other back and forth in the song. For example, reading the first verse and pre chorus you get introduced to the wolves and the menacing vibe of the song, but then in the chorus this is broken up by the bird inspiration and imagery, and going from the one to the other really helped emphasise these feelings further I believe; which of course is something that continues through the song, going back to the menacing feeling in the second verse and pre chorus again, and then the freedom once more in the second chorus. To me it makes the chorus all the more euphoric, and I think i’d definitely say it’s my favourite part of the song - I specifically love the lines “I’ll seek freedom and the hope that it brings / I’ll soar freely across the sky with these wings” which is just really lovely. Overall I very much enjoyed your entry, I think this is a strong starting point to the season and I’m interested to see where you go next!

Side note: of course the cover art is a serve, as usual, too!

 

@XO_Life - Body Make-Up

I like that you subverted the typical understanding of a snake and instead showed the protagonist of the song in more of an empathetic and victimised role, it’s very easy to go down the obvious route and depict your chosen animal as what they are typically interpreted as but I like that you put a more nuanced spin on the inspiration of a snake. I think choosing to be inspired by such a case for the story of the song was a bold choice, and works well here with the snake concept that you have paired it with, but in the future I would probably be more interested in hearing things that come from a more personal or down to Earth place, since such a notorious source of inspiration can be somewhat distracting. Overall an interesting first submission but I think you can go further in the future. 

 

@beatinglikeadrum - Cock-a-doodle-do

I don’t think you flopped as hard as you said you did. I actually quite enjoyed the first verse, and really was into the tongue in cheek, confident and humorous lyrics that you had there. I think it went a bit downhill from there, the chorus is pretty much filler, and the bridge (minus the Lana part, lol) and second verse don’t really hit like the first one did. But focusing on the positive aspect, I genuinely did enjoy that first verse, and this could just be a case of not connecting with the challenge, since I know you voiced struggling with it. You definitely showed some promise with that first verse though, so I look forward to seeing what you create in the future and hope that the next challenges are ones that you can enjoy more!

 

@camfuckingrockwell - Bluebird

What I think is put across in your song the best is it’s emotion and personal feeling, these are things that are highly relatable for most people and it’s evident when reading your song that it has this vulnerability and softness behind it, which is really brave to explore in writing, both personally, but moreso in sharing it with others, so I definitely commend you in this. I think the others have touched on this but one thing I would echo is that I do think the song could have been expanded on, while the emotion that you’ve included in the song is pretty deep, I know that there is still much deeper that it could have went, and further that the story could have gone. I really don’t mind the simplicity of your lyrics, I actually think it worked well in this instance and fits with what you were going for, but still the narrative of the song could have been explored more.

 

@TruGemini - Whisked Away

The concept that you went for here, with the song purposefully being applicable to both a human situation and an animal one, is a really interesting and unique choice, and I think you pulled it off since reading it through in both contexts it works. In terms of your writing I think it is incredibly smooth and rhythmic as usual, which is somebody I always completely enjoy about your entries and know I can always count on when I see your name appear! I definitely see this song as a continuation of your growth from toward the end of the first season, focusing on emotional aspects in your song, while keeping the narrative interesting and engaging, and this is great to see. Overall I think this is a strong start to the season for you and shows a new, soft side to your writing, which leaves me wondering what we may see from you in the future.

 

 

@Jack! - Teddy Bear

Honestly the idea of combining hook up culture, Frankenstein, and build-a-bear is pretty genius. I mean, I absolutely would never have thought to combine these elements into a song, or how they would work, but they do, and you pulled it off very well! It’s interesting because there are elements of the song which are quite sweet, but then also parts which feel somewhat sinister, and I guess just like the concept behind it, it creates this interesting amalgamation that was really intriguing to read, and certainly very creative. If I had any criticism, I would say that I think the concept and the narrative do the heavy lifting with the song, I don’t think the lyrics themselves specifically standout or are inspiring for the most part, since more than anything they just put across that narrative itself, but with a more conceptual song like this it can typically happen, so I don’t think it says anything about your capability. Overall this was a really creative first entry, which makes me very intrigued to see what you may go for in the future next!

 

@Augmented - Night owl

Despite saying that you struggled with this challenge, I think you’ve written a genuinely lovely song here that you should be proud of. It’s definitely relatable for me on a personal level, being a night owl too, and I think you perfectly captured the essence of why people are night owls, and how freeing and relaxing it can be for us (many times I find that it can be questioned a lot why people would be night owls, and can be a really misunderstood thing; well, if they all got to read this song, I think they might begin to understand it more). You had me sold from the beginning, but what really kept me intrigued was how the narrative shifted towards the end of the song and a new story was introduced to it. I think it can be very difficult to pull something like this off, but you absolutely achieved it, because I didn’t feel a disconnect at all, or any whiplash when the change occurred. It was really beautiful, actually, how the song and the understanding of why this person is a night owl started as one thing, and by the end was something totally different with the new added layers in the latter part of the song. Your skill as a writer continues to be clear, even when you say you struggled with the round. Very well done.

Edited August 28, 2022 by fountain

[8thPrince]

Got like FIVE more reviews but gonna take a break and then try to get back to them with a fresh mind. If not I'll wrap up within 12 hours!

[Aurora]

Final call for @Allday to please unlock your document, otherwise we won't be able to give you a score for this round, I fear.

[Aurora]

Also, thread title and golden links posts updated. #BLɅϽKGO⅃DINYOURNEIGHBORHOOD

[EpicSongFan]

21 hours ago, Aurora said:

 

Hey, Hitmakers! Thank you all for supporting and submitting for Round 1 of Golden Hit: Season 2! It was a pleasure reading all of your songs again.

Due to time constraints on my end, my reviews for R1 are going to be on the shorter side. Fortunately, I should be able to delve in a little deeper for R2!

If there is anything in your review that you do not wish to have public (lyric excerpts, references to your material etc.) I will remove it upon request.

 

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9. @EpicSongFan - “Sweet Escape”
Birds and wolves are definitely solid choices for inspiration, especially in a contrasting manner such as this. The second verse is great, combining the nightclub setting with the animal inspiration in a wonderfully metaphorical manner. At times, I felt as if there were too many contrasting images or ideas that didn’t seem to fit these core themes (nightclub, birds/wolves) such as the crown of thorns, and seeking treasure. Honing in on your main ideas and making everything work together would have elevated this even more.

Thank you so much for the review and perspective on things! I was definitely rushing this round a bit cause I joined late and was so busy so I completed the song in two sittings  Will definitely try to be more streamlined for the next challenge!

 

 

17 hours ago, Jackson said:

 

Wow, what a strong first round! I haven't judged an ATRL songwriting competition in a few years, and I can say definitively that the writing is much stronger now than it was then. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions on your reviews or feedback on my feedback, or if you'd like me to remove any specific references to lines from your lyrics. 

 

 

  Hide contents

 

@EpicSongFan – Sweet Escape
I definitely feel the relationship between your chosen instrumental and lyrics. I could see this as a girl group type song, or a song where the bird and wolf perspectives are represented by different voices. I think that would almost be necessary, because I felt like the bird and wolf sections weren’t as distinct as they could be, which sometimes made the lyrics confusing (I initially thought, why does a bird have bloodshot red eyes hunting for a treasure?). I also felt as though the song couldn’t fully commit to being either metaphorical (“roaming the nightclubs, hiding within the crowd”) or literal. Had you chosen committed more fully to one concept instead of going for two, I think the song would have been a bit stronger. Still, I think you get pop lyric writing, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with next week.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for the review as well! I think what you said is pretty similar to what Aurora so I'll definitely pay more attention to streamline the themes and metaphors a bit better for this upcoming round! 

 

13 hours ago, 8thPrince said:

 

Greetings, Hitmakers! I'm steadily working on getting everyone the full review they deserve, but just so you aren't left hanging, here's my first half of reviews!

If there is anything in your review that you do not wish to have public (lyric excerpts, references to your material etc.) I will remove it upon request.

 

  Hide contents

 

  Hide contents

9. @EpicSongFan - “Sweet Escape”

(Love Dive is a major bop, first things first.)

I’d like to start off by complimenting the structure of your song. I got a sense of dynamism, i.e. each section introduced a new component of the story, and the moments where it’s meant to peak (Such as the chorus) peaked emotionally, etc. It felt like a fully plotted song with narrative, and I got the sense of it being a commercial pop song. (This was before I checked your instrumental link, btw!)

I have two pointers for you: Similar to the advice I gave Kylie Jenner, try to find ways to say plain/common actions and feelings in a fun way. I thought the first verse of the song was creative (A crown of thorns is a neat way to describe a false compliment.), but in contrast, the outro lacked that creativity. Additionally, if you are aiming for a more commercial feel, make sure to commit to conventions such as rhyme scheme: There’s a few points where the rhyme scheme is randomly dropped or completely absent, such as in the very first verse, and it makes for an awkward read. Overall, I liked the pop-y approach you took for this!
 

 

Thank you so much for the review! I definitely agree with you on the first verse now that you've brought it up and I read through the lyrics again  Did feel a bit jarring  I think the lack of time and my busyness really got to me this round, hopefully I can come up with some neat stuff for this round! 

 

 

5 hours ago, fountain said:

 

Round 1: The Zoology Challenge, Part 2

 

 

@EpicSongFan - Sweet Escape

The story that you told here and the animals that you chose to present it through worked really well in my opinion, I was intrigued to see how you would portray both animals as your inspiration in the song, and I think ultimately you succeeded in doing so and the choice to be inspired by both really paid off I think, because they directly play off each other back and forth in the song. For example, reading the first verse and pre chorus you get introduced to the wolves and the menacing vibe of the song, but then in the chorus this is broken up by the bird inspiration and imagery, and going from the one to the other really helped emphasise these feelings further I believe; which of course is something that continues through the song, going back to the menacing feeling in the second verse and pre chorus again, and then the freedom once more in the second chorus. To me it makes the chorus all the more euphoric, and I think i’d definitely say it’s my favourite part of the song - I specifically love the lines “I’ll seek freedom and the hope that it brings / I’ll soar freely across the sky with these wings” which is just really lovely. Overall I very much enjoyed your entry, I think this is a strong starting point to the season and I’m interested to see where you go next!

Side note: of course the cover art is a serve, as usual, too!

 

Thank you so much for the review! Before I get into the review itself, I have to say thanks to the game bc I honestly haven't been designing in a while so it was nice getting back to everything again

I'm glad you enjoyed the back and forth in the lyrics! That was my brief idea behind it but I think you actually explained it much better 

[Alldeezy]

1 hour ago, Aurora said:

Final call for @Allday to please unlock your document, otherwise we won't be able to give you a score for this round, I fear.

how do I unlock documents :( 

[Alldeezy]

wait I think I did it! let me know or I can copy & paste it somewhere else @Aurora

sorry for late reply I just got back today

[Aurora]

23 minutes ago, Allday said:

how do I unlock documents :( 

21 minutes ago, Allday said:

wait I think I did it! let me know or I can copy & paste it somewhere else @Aurora

sorry for late reply I just got back today

You're good now, thanks!

[Aurora]

Added my review for you here @Allday:

 

[XO_Life]

@Aurora thank you for the feedback. I agree that I only based it loosely on the animal. And yeah, an emotional punch was missing because it's not my own experience. I tried to come up with something based on my personal experience but I somehow failed.

 

@fountain thanks for the criticism. yeah it was kinda a little bit cringe to base the whole concept on that trail. The next submission is more in my wheelhouse and based on my time when I was still clubbing and having fun. It may not seem like it at first but the next one is a personal song to me. 

 

I kinda want to sing a little bit of it so you guys can get a feeling for the rhythm I am going for. Please keep in mind that I don't sing and that my voice is really bad. 

[Temporal]

I think Diana Diamond would be easiest for me but I'm leaning towards Audrey Onyx rn  

[fountain]

 

Hey everybody, results for Round 1 will be taking place at 8PM eastern today!

 

We'll be revealing the average score that each song received, and ultimately where each song ranked this round. This should last for about an hour.

 

Definitely need to say a reminder beforehand that where you place doesn't determine your value as a writer, but rather the subjective opinion of what only 4 people thought about your song in the context of the challenge at hand. It's much more important to put value in your reviews instead of your ranking, and to remember that this is only one song, and one round, and who knows what could happen in the next one!

 

Hopefully you can be here to celebrate the first round and the great songs that were created.

 

The top 3 writers will be receiving gold, silver and bronze token avatars created by @Aurora, like the ones that we have.

 

Here is a countdown to when the results will begin, so you can see when it will be in your time zone:

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/valentines?iso=20220828T20&p0=179&msg=GH2+Round+1+results&font=cursive

 

Looking forward to it!

 

@Kylie Jenner @Julia Fox @DatChickDoe @Hug @worldwide angel @Allday @Better Mistakes @hurricane326 @EpicSongFan @XO_Life @beatinglikeadrum @camfuckingrockwell @TruGemini @Jack! @Augmented @Gavin. @Legend E @Achilles. @Euterpe @Temporal @Remmy @JoeAg 

 

ps. i'm working on my last few reviews now for anybody still waiting

[Julia Fox]

Wrote the perfect song for Audrey I think  @Aurora very tumblr-ish but not cringe-y and also with it’s own personality  I can see Sky recording it tbh 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Julia Fox

[Gavin.]

Hmmmm I’m not too confident about this round but I’ll do my best! Lemme read the descriptions of them all again