Alex West

storyteller // traveler


Pace University '21

New York University '22

Pop Culture

Exclusive reporting, interviews, reviews, and more

The Mirror •

Taylor Swift offered ‘seven’ for Heartstopper soundtrack for lesbian scene

Taylor Swift's song 'seven' was included as the soundtrack for an emotional lesbian scene on TV hit Heartstopper. Heartstopper’s music supervisor, Matt Biffa, confirmed on Twitter that Taylor offered the track. He replied on Twitter to a fan who insinuated that the show offered Taylor a check for the rights. Matt replied: "She just thought the scene was beautiful and we were then able to make it work."
The Mirror •

Ammunition found in Tupac investigation ‘useless’ unless police found gun first

A former Los Angeles Police Department detective who worked on the Tupac Shakur murder investigation told The Mirror that any ammunition found during police search would be "useless" without first finding the murder weapon itself. Detective Greg Kading said: "The only way to prove whether or not ammo at his house would be comparable to the ammunition that was taken from the crime scene is to actually have the gun."
The Mirror •

'I went to Barbie and Oppenheimer and left with severe existential dread'

Two polar opposite movies — Barbie and Oppenheimer — were both slotted to hit cinemas on the same day in a cosmic event dubbed “Barbenheimer”. At first glance, these shouldn’t compete with each other. After all, they’re drastically different genres and seem to target different demographics. However, Barbie girls in frilly pink garb aren’t inherently disinterested in the complexities of nuclear war and politics.
The Mirror •

Insider confirms why Taylor Swift changed lyrics in Better Than Revenge

The wait is over! Taylor Swift has finally released Speak Now (Taylor's Version) as the third in a series of re-recorded albums. One song in particular, though, was flagged immediately by fans. "Better Than Revenge (Taylor's Version)" has different lyrics than the original release. There has been lots of discussion as to why she made the change, but an insider has now revealed all to The Mirror. The original lyrics were: "She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”
Distractify •

Maxine Roby's Ex-Husband Daniel Jordan Just Left 'CSI: Vegas' (EXCLUSIVE)

Spoiler Alert! We'll be telling you about Season 2, Episode 17 of CSI: Vegas. The latest episode of CSI: Vegas was emotional for many different reasons, but fans were especially devastated about one thing. Maxine Roby’s ex-husband Daniel Jordan is leaving. Although Daniel has only been in two episodes of the show, we will miss him dearly. This heartwrenching announcement shocked fans. Fans care so much about Maxine, so seeing her hurt like this surely is painful. Paula Newsome gave us her take
The Aquarian •

Nessa Barrett’s Incredible Performance at Terminal 5 Radiated Confidence, Power, & Raw Emotion

It was clear from the beginning that her music was going to be filled with genuine and deep emotion – not boy problems. She poured herself into the work, opening up about her experiences with mental illness including Borderline Personality Disorder and an eating disorder. Her honest approach to songwriting gave her an edge over her competition. She wasn’t letting the industry decide her next move… instead she was driven by authenticity in her life.
All Punked Up •

Huddy's New Jersey Performance Proves His Place in Pop Punk

Drizzly New Jersey greeted us at the famous Starland Ballroom. For most, rain is a foreboding sign of despair, but huddled under the awning by the fans who call themselves Huddy Gang, I had the sinking feeling this rain represented a new beginning. For Chase Hudson, he had a lot to prove on this tour. He began his rise to fame on TikTok where he was a founder of the viral collective the Hype House. After grappling with who he wanted to be, he decided it was time to embrace his passion — music.
The New Nine •

Emblem 3’s Reunion Tour Showcases Strong Independent Artist Identities in an Awe-Inspiring Way | The New Nine

Since June 2014, Emblem 3's (Keaton Stromberg, Wesley Stromberg, and Drew Chadwick) uncertain future as a band has been unclear and often speculated about by fans. It's been a rocky road of teasers, solo work, and more. While there was no formal "break up" post, the three artists found themselves exploring their own musical sound and projects that all seemed to deviate from the original "Emblem 3 sound" in different ways.
All Punked Up •

MNYS releases new alternative pop single “Backwards” capturing our full attention

MNYS is back with a new single called “Backwards“! In case you’re unfamiliar, MNYS is an artist-on-the-rise that we here are APU are keeping a close eye on. His latest releases have been full of promise and radiating candor. It seems, though, that we aren’t quite the only ones who have caught on, either. “Backwards” is MNYS’s second release with Pure Noise Records; the first being “Night Terrors”.
All Punked Up •

The E-Girl Review: Ryan Caraveo is dropping a new album tomorrow and he’s spilling the inside scoop here

Need another e-boy obsession? We gotchu. The E-Girl Review is the corner where we give you the rundown on everything catching in the alt-modern-Internet era. With a sharp focus on everything alternative pop culture, we’re catching the TikTok trends, new music icons, and more for you. This time, we’re introducing you to your new favorite e-rapper: Ryan Caraveo is about to grace us with a new album — Northend Sweetheart — and to say it’s highly anticipated would be an understatement. Ryan has be
All Punked Up •

The E-Girl Review: Grace Ricci drops “My First Hit” and gets real about songwriting, inspirations, and depression

In case, you’re new: The E-Girl Review takes you through the latest trends in alternative music with an emphasis on what’s young, new, and exciting in a world where music and pop culture news moves faster than we can keep up with. We’re here for all things e-kid and emo. So, let’s dive into the next up-and-coming alt pop icon, Grace Ricci!
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