Hot Take – 2022 Year in Discussion
Presented by Half-Moon Music // Hosted by Ashford York / Cara Zayn / Maliah Hope Aguilar / Kyle Tannehill
Los Angeles, California, USA
JANUARY 2, 2023
Ashford: Alright, here we go guys. It’s been a while since we last did one of these panel discussions. It’s fair to say last time around for the FCA Awards we garnered a lot of discussion online. But this time around, we’re just going to be tackling the major talking points for the year that has just gone rather than making our predictions. Hopefully the internet will remain calm this time around, but we will be giving one prediction each for the new year. We will be trying to do things in some sort of chronological order and we may miss out a few major talking points, but hopefully we can have an interesting discussion.
So first off, just a quick introduction.
My names Ashford and I’m joined by the champion of the weird, wonderful and edgy ‘Cara Zayn’, sat beside her is the eternally positive ‘Maliah Hope Aguilar’ our very own in-house pop and mainstream expert and finally, making his first on air appearance for Half-Moon Music we have the dark humour and wit of ‘Kyle Tannehill’ with his unique take on things. So, lets get things started. It was the first time in quite a few years that we saw labels competing with each other and it was evident from the very beginning of 2022 as we saw a string of singles initially from ‘Ruff Round Records’ stepping up in a big way, ‘La Familia’ weren’t far behind with two very early smashes and it seemed early on to be those two labels leading the way until ‘FivePeskyKids’ entered the chat.
Cara: For sure, I’ve been in that label exec environment at a time when it was really fuckin’ competitive. It gets intense and feels a battlefield at times. I don’t know if it’s like that these days, there seems to be a lot of partnership between most of the labels these days which is a good thing. But it was great to see what felt like a competitive streak with those three labels in particular early on in 2022.
Maliah: Totally, it was great to see. But for me, ‘Ruff Round Records’ really did lead the way early in the year and I think part of that is because we didn’t really see it coming with them. ‘La Familia’ have their methods that really put themselves front and center and that works for them. But ‘Ruff Rounds’ seem to go about their business quietly and respectfully, they seem to give their artists space and time and the environment to work without pressure. Big singles from them early on with BabyCrush, Fresh Miguel Ca$h and Malik Jarvez really set the table for them in a big way. The amount of output they provided for the industry is just insane, I think they’ve got to be responsible for a huge percentage of music in 2022 and the standard is always right up there.
Cara: It’s gotta be respected when you see a label like ‘Ruff Rounds’ really come into their own. For me though, you need to have the balls that Payton has to really push your label into the stratosphere and he takes risks, just look at the launch of the Radio and App service, his label has a very specific identity whether you agree with it or not and that’s why they go head to head with ‘FivePeskyKids’ as the top label in the industry.
Kyle: Payton though, that fuckin’ dude. Like I wanna hate him so much, but I also wanna party with him. It seems like there’s no level ground with him, like if we went out partying, he’s gonna get you bagging a supermodel or he’s gonna get you fuckin’ hospitalised. Dude’s a G.
Ashford: I think they propped things up in the early months of 2022, but when ‘FivePeskyKids’ starts putting stuff out, that’s when the level changes. It’s like a major production in every single way, everything’s so polished from the roll-out to the art direction and the work is always at the highest level. Early releases from Chaelin with her heavier influence “My Strings” and newcomer Fatima Amari with “Busy” showcased the labels range but obviously it all changed when Billy stepped forward with “XXXHIBITION” and “Safe Passage”.
Kyle: Another dude I wanna hang with. Again, same principles although you won’t end up in hospital but potentially in an Eastern European prison. He’s like Payton but with actual danger.
Cara: Billy is my guy, he will be the one to lead the music industry forward for years to come if we have to pinpoint a specific person. He has the music ability, he has the business savvy and he doesn’t take any shit and is unafraid to say and do what he wants. He lives on the edge but if you ask pretty much any artist in the industry of their opinion on him, they will talk about how good he is and how much they respect his work. That’s the bar, right there. And Kyle, if you party with him, he will 100% take you on the most insane evening you’ve ever experienced.
Ashford: Alright, so we’ll switch focus to artists for now, I think. I have a few to run-down, but feel free to shout out a name that you think deserves to be discussed if they haven’t been brought up. I think if we’re looking at chronological stuff then ‘Suzie’ would be the first topic of discussion. She started the year off in a strong position pretty much carrying over from 2021 into 2022. She started off with a strong promo run and an interview with Apple Music.
Kyle: Pffft, Apple Music. Fuck those guys and their lookalikes.
Ashford: Yeah, I hate that guy.
Cara: Suzie, I can speak with some sort of authority here. She’s a friend, we wrote one of her biggest hits together. She’s pretty much a money pit and she’s aware of it too. You’d be surprised at the amount of things she gets offered that she actually turns down too. You put her name on something and you can guarantee financial returns. She couldn’t be more in control of her career and I think only recently she’s started to get the respect that she deserves. She ate up, with Dirty Pop and she will just keep on getting better.
Kyle: You worked with her? Did you go down on her?
Cara: That’s no for me to say, but I believe Maliah and Ashford have worked with her too.
Kyle: The fuck, guys?
Ashford: Yeah, we flew out to London to interview her for my show. Maliah photographed her for that session. What struck me, was how much more intelligent she was than from what you imagine from the outside. She struck me as someone very smart and in control of her career. She had a very strong end to 2021 and that just carried forward into 2022. She dropped her single “Femme Fatale” later in the year and proved that she doesn’t need to constantly be in the limelight. But everybody pays attention when she resurfaces. She seems to have stepped away from the spotlight for a few months but no doubt she’ll be back when she’s got something new to give us.
Cara: I feel like I should throw out the name ‘Japanese Cartoon’ and get two of my closest friends Suzie and Chris out of the way, so the bias is over with. This fuckin’ dude. Surprised everybody when he started making music with Sarah. They’ve singlehandedly propped up the alternative rock scene for the last 12 months, it’s a dying scene. Let’s face it. We need it back. But they dropped their E.P “Crash Pilots” and gave us something that felt different which is what was needed. A couple of big singles “Young Again” and “Pray for Me”. Music video for “Young Again” was insane. Just talk about two people doing things the right way, no bullshit surrounding them. Just good fuckin’ music. It’s gotta be respected.
Kyle: I’d agree with that. They definitely get overlooked because they’re low-key about everything they do. But they’ve produced some great stuff this year. Plus, Chris and Sarah stepped away from Pop Culture Catch Up which is a huge risk and they’ve just gone from strength to strength. I’d say they’re the underdogs of the industry right now and they’re the surprise package of 2022 for me. 100%
Ashford: I agree with those sentiments. We’ll move over to ‘Orion’ which compared to the two years prior, felt a little like a less productive year. Which is crazy to say since they dropped their debut album and their NFL E.P as well as a couple of singles and a tour run in support of Rum and Coke. I think the amount of hype built up ahead of the album gave them the space to just put their work out and let it marinate a little. Insanely consistent group, despite the recent rumours of issues within the group. Any thoughts?
Maliah: I like them, but I don’t love them. I don’t think they’ve missed a shot yet. I think you have to respect how quickly they’ve established themselves. But I just feel like I have a slight disconnect with them, where as I said, I enjoy their work but I don’t get massively hyped over it. I know they have a lot of love in the industry, so obviously they’ve got a bright future ahead if they work out their issues.
Kyle: I’d like to throw out two names that put a song out together, one built on that and the other faded. Madison put out a track “Eternal Sunshine” with Alexis Brooke. It was a strong release, number one I think. Clever lyrics and imagery, felt a pretty unique which got me hyped at the thought of Madison going on a major roll-out for a new album, but she seems to have just dropped off again. Super inconsistent. Alexis seemed to build on that collab and start to forge her own identity as a solo artist. She got this hit under her belt and starred in that high school movie with Tika Mays which was a big hit. Returned a little later with “Bad Intentions” which was a jam. I think she’s set up to be a real player in 2023.
Maliah: Honestly, we’re overlooking someone that really stepped into their own in 2022. Malik Jarvez for me needs to be spoken about more. He got himself top of the charts, he put out like four or five very strong singles and released an album that really pushed him forward as one of the top male artists in the industry at a time when it was probably really needed. Let’s face it, the females dominated in 2022 but he showcased himself in a great way. If you want to talk about surprise packages then he’s gotta be in that discussion, I don’t think anybody would have predicted him to be as productive and as consistently good as he was in 2022. It’s always tough after the release of an album to keep that momentum going, but I’m intrigued to see what he does in 2023.
Ashford: Breakout artist for me, for sure. I think his label need to get a little more behind him in terms of promo work and really packaging him as this star because he can back up that faith with his ability. I think what’s lacking for me, is that I enjoy his work but I don’t really know anything about him. Maybe get him on social media more or maybe get him more mainstream promo in terms of interviews. But he’s set himself up perfectly for consistent success.
Speaking of Malik, he appeared in ‘How to Humiliate Brittany Nelson’. This was a big deal in terms of the casting involving a lot of upcoming artists, if we look at the cast list. Headlined by Tika Mays and Alexis Brooke and supported by Ava Tuffin, Malik, BitchWat, Jordan Stockholm, Thickmouse, Chris Walker, Reuben Rodriguez, Slim Money, Keshia Love and Fatima Amari. I think you could look at each of those names in around three years and they could all be some of the biggest names in the industry. Ava Tuffin for me seems a generational talent. Anyone out of that list that you’d like to highlight?
Kyle: BitchWat first of all, straight up hustler. She’s fire, she’s talented, she makes shit happen. She’s a whole personality. Thickmouse is another social media personality that is on the come up. I’ve seen some of the shit that she’s done online and she’s fire. She even hopped on a track later in the year, she’s sexy as fuck too. We should smash.
Maliah: Holy fuck, Kyle! You’re putting all your cards on the table there. Manifest that shit, boy. I like Reuben, Slim Money and Keshia Love. I think they’ve already showcased what they can do. I think with a lot of these artists, it’s just a case of how much of the machine they can get behind them. You can establish yourself to a certain level, but eventually you need the labels to really push you into that stratosphere. They all have big futures in the industry.
Cara: We talk about female dominance, I’m gonna rattle off a couple of names. Kara Romero, Naomi, Tika Mays. They are three artists that I think have stepped up in stature over the last year. Kara has finally found her lane and she’s been on a roll since the summer. Naomi will eat everybody alive if she get the consistent roll-out that she deserves. She can do it both with her music and with the music videos. She’s hit it out of the park every time, but the gap between releases frustrates me. It may be part of the plan to leave us wanting more because it works, but I need her to get on a run of regular releases. Tika Mays has come into her own in such a big way.
Maliah: Tika Mays is one of the most hard working artists around right now, she established herself quickly when she debuted but it felt like she had a ceiling that she wasn’t going to break through any further. But for me, in 2022 she’s up there as one of the biggest artists around. It started with her being announced as part of the panel on Star Factory. But what she’s done on her Unfinished Business Tour is what’s pushed into that next level. She handles her business so well too, she’s super professional and super respectful. If you look at the support acts throughout her world tour, you can see that she’s opening it up to real future talents and she’s helping them find their own way. I think she’s a born leader and will be a huge name in the industry for her entire career now. I can’t say enough good things about her.
Cara: If we’re talking tours, Rum and Coke. They came back in a very big way, together and on their own. First off, their tour is just fuckin’ insane. If you’ve seen them perform live, the energy is off the chain. If you look at their support acts, you can see how they are the biggest act in the industry right now because they’re being supported by the some of the biggest acts in the industry. That’s the level they’re at. “I Just Wanna Party”, Coke dropping her “DNR” album and a couple of huge singles. Their tour is gonna go into 2023 too so no signs of slowing down. When they’re active, they’re at the top of the industry alongside Billy from my point of view.
Ashford: Alright, we’re going a little long with this one guys. I think we’ve covered the big hitters in 2022. I know we’re missing a lot of artists, so we get three quick fire names each to add to the mix. We’ll have to make this one quick, I’ll start off with Lotus, Ryan Ross Hernandez and VANDALS. I think Lotus and Hernandez have names that carry weight, they’ve done some great things this year. RRH with launching his interview show and album announcement but in terms of release output, it feels like an in-between year for him. And Lotus with two huge singles towards the end of the year. With Lotus though, we’ve been anticipating this record for too long. It’s time to #freemudpie. And VANDALS are an act that I think have potential, just the one single that set up the table for them in 2023.
Cara: Dae Ho Park dropped one track, “Don’t Ask” with Drew. He doesn’t have to do very much to make a big impact and that was clear from that release alone. I enjoyed The Harlots and Mariko team up, as you’d expect it was different, it’s always hot as fuck hearing Mariko but that may be a personal bias. Barbie Doll gave us “Magnolia” which has her trademark style, we go way back so it was nice hearing a new release from her and rumours of a Netflix documentary in the works which is something I can get on board with. Her talent blows me away.
Kyle: Kidd Amaze, Aikya Balan and the Drew and Younghood drama. Kidd is above the music industry, facts. He dropped 30 freestyles online that could have probably covered two albums worth of material, it shows that he doesn’t give a fuck about playing the game and I respect him for that. Aikya scares the living fuck outta me, but I still wanna smash. That album was weird as fuck and I rate it. I don’t have a third specific name, but the drama between Drew and Younghood earlier in the year provided me with the drama that I needed in my life.
Maliah: JasmineCharm did a lot of good this year, debut single “Sidechick” certified banger, “Girl Like Me” and the remix got me getting down and dirty and I love them for it. They put out their debut E.P too and got me hyped for what they’ll do in 2023. Tisha Jackson popping up at the end of the year with an album out of nowhere was a vibe and I’mma be bringing the attitude from that album into 2023. If we’re going on drama’s too, I’m gonna say Nevaeh v Payton was one that I couldn’t look away from when that was going down. Sorry Payton, I have lots of love for you but Nevaeh is a whole queen and I will forever support her boss bitch ass wherever she goes.
Ashford: Alright, we’ve all had our say. 2022 was a busy year, hopefully 2023 will continue in the same way. We get one prediction for 2023. I’m gonna go first and play it safe. I think we’re gonna see a major comeback from an artist from the past, we’re talking an iconic return. I know it’s vague, but I think there’s gonna be one return that is just crazy big.
Cara: This is more hopeful than anything, but I think we’re gonna see new foundations of alternative rock or rock music in general make a return. It’s a missed genre, I yearn for the greatness of the early twenty-tens when rock was the dominant genre.
Kyle: Somebody dying. Can I predict who will die? Fuck it, I think that DannyK guy is gonna get hit. I’m open to hearing your conspiracy theories, my DM’s are always open.
Maliah: Wow, lets hope not. He’s hot. I think we will see a continuation of rap and hip-hop dominating the industry. I think we’ll see more of a balance of the guys competing with the girls this year since 2022 was female dominated. And yeah, I hope Ashford is right with a big name returning. I think we will see someone like Glamazon returning.
Ashford: Alright, that brings us to the end of the discussion. Let us know your predictions for 2023 below and let us know if we’ve missed anything major talking points from 2022. I’m sure we have.
