Tag: alana

e.l.f. Cosmetics Uplifts Emerging Artists With a New Soundtrack to Your Beauty Routine

October 31, 2024

When it comes to self-expression, music and makeup are powerful tools that often go hand in hand. That’s why Spotify is excited to spotlight a new project from e.l.f. Cosmetics: Get Ready With Music, The Album. The cosmetics brand worked with a diverse group of artists to create 16 original tracks for its very own album, celebrating beauty, belonging, and expression.

A creative twist on the popular “get ready with me” social media trend, the album showcases both up-and-coming talent and more established artists, including Betty Who, Charlotte Rose Benjamin, Mariangela, Meduulla, Alana, Black Gatsby, Jenita, Dianna Lopez, Zoe Ko, Olivia Reyes, Tasty Lopez, and Cakes da Killa.

Infused with the creative energy and spirit of these artists, the songs encourage fans to embrace their individuality. By highlighting these rising stars, Spotify and e.l.f. aim to foster a sense of community and belonging among our listeners, bridging the worlds of music and beauty. And with e.l.f. Cosmetics leveraging our ad platform, the brand not only expands its reach but also connects more authentically with music fans.

To celebrate the launch, For the Record caught up with Patrick O’Keefe, Chief Integrated Marketing Officer at e.l.f. Cosmetics, and pop trailblazer Betty Who, whose track “Wings” is all about self-love. We chatted about the project: how it came to be, what it represents, and the artistry that ties it all together. 

Patrick, what inspired e.l.f. to create this album?

Patrick: We were inspired by the countless “get ready with me” beauty videos that have flooded our social media feeds. Our community loves to listen to music while they get ready, so we wanted to create an album that would be the perfect soundtrack for their beauty routines. Then we did some more digging and found out that 92% of women say listening to music while getting ready boosts their mood, so we knew we were onto something good!

We have a history of merging beauty and music, including our chart-topping single with Manuel Turizo, “ojos. labios. cara.” and our previous holiday album, e.l.f. The Hauls. Our new entertainment arm, e.l.f. made, allows us to fully immerse ourselves in this creative project and take on entertainment with more vigor. The album is a megaphone for emerging artists and gives them a platform to step into their whole selves and share their magic.

How did you land on the featured artists?

Patrick: We wanted to create an album that reflected our unique global community, so we tapped into a group of artists that represents the diversity of our e.l.f. beauty enthusiasts. We included global artists like Betty, as well as local talent like Olivia Reyes, who was a contestant on The Voice and is one of our employees at e.l.f.!

We first heard Olivia sing last year at a company off-site and all the stars aligned. We knew there was so much power in her voice, and we had to share it with our community. By featuring artists from different backgrounds and experiences, we’re continuing to celebrate inclusivity and champion every eye, lip, and face.

Betty, what was it like to work on this project?

Betty: It’s been such a pleasure to work with e.l.f. throughout this process. I love being in the studio and being on set, so this collaboration has given me such a fun opportunity to combine those two passions. I think I have a lot of crossover with e.l.f. in the kind of art I want to make. Their message of inclusivity and accessibility really speaks to me.

Betty Who

Tell us about “Wings,” your song on the album.

Betty: The second I heard “Wings,” I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I think of music as a mantra sometimes—the songs we listen to are spells that we’re casting, if you want to get *witchy* with it. So this is the perfect song to inspire confidence and self-love, even on days when those feelings feel far away.

Music and makeup are forms of self-expression. Why do you think they’re both so special and important to promote?

Patrick: Music and makeup can have a profound impact on how we feel about ourselves. We’re merging these worlds because they can help us connect with others, express our individuality, and feel more confident. Ultimately, we can help our community unlock their full potential and feel empowered to be themselves.

Betty: The possibilities of self-expression through makeup are endless. Makeup is such a beautiful and fun way to try new things and decide who we are on a day-to-day basis. Some days I’m subtle, some days I’m an over-the-top diva! Having the ability to choose who I want to be on any given day is so freeing.

What’s your “get ready with me” anthem?

Betty: Well, we’ve obviously made the perfect playlist for getting ready with this album. And something about my song “Wings” makes me feel like all my best friends are standing in the mirror next to me while I get ready, gassing me up.

Patrick: One of the things I love about this album is that there are anthems for every mood. Depending on how I’m feeling, I might choose a different song to help set my intentions for my day ahead. It’s hard to choose a favorite because they’re all in heavy rotation as I’m getting ready in the morning, in the car to work, and when I need that extra boost on the weekends.

Describe e.l.f.’s album in three words.

Betty: FULL. OF. BOPS!

Patrick: Inclusive. Magnetic. And e.l.f.ing empowering!

Stream Get Ready With Music, The Album on Spotify.

10 Years Later, HAIM Dishes on the Success of Debut Album ‘Days Are Gone’

September 28, 2023

Ten years ago, L.A. trio HAIM announced its arrival to the world with the album Days Are Gone, an indie rock classic that has continued to resonate with fans around the world in the years since. 

The success of the album thrust sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim into the spotlight, allowing them to tour globally, collaborate with some of music’s biggest names, compose and produce TV and movie soundtracks (including A Small Light), and even star in movies. 

For the Record sat down with the members of Haim and asked them to reflect on what it was like to work on their breakthrough debut, and how their lives have changed over the last decade. 

What is your favorite song from Days Are Gone?

Este Haim: My favorite song on the album is “Days Are Gone.” It’s also the name of the album. And maybe not a coincidence. I’ll leave it at that.

Danielle Haim: I’m going to maybe go with our song “My Song 5.” I feel like it’s a very fun listen.

Alana Haim: I remember when you showed us the demo for that song on your laptop.

Danielle: Yeah, I wrote the demo on my laptop, and most of what was on that original demo made it to the final song. So it’s very nostalgic. I remember when I played that kick drum in the living room, on the floor, with my shitty mic.

Alana: I’m going to go with “Forever.” We were notoriously known as just a live band for a very long time. We could never get a recording right. We would basically save all of our money every year, go into the studio for like two days and record all these songs, and they always sound like shit. 

It was so devastating because we knew exactly what we wanted our music to sound like in our minds. We didn’t have the vocabulary to go into a studio and say what we wanted in the studio setting. 

So all these recordings were so just not what we wanted, and we refused to put out anything unless we were fully in love with it. And when we met Ludwig Göransson, who produced “Forever” and the Forever EP, it was the first time that I was so proud of a song that I would actually listen to it repeatedly and be very excited about it. We found ourselves with that song, and it kind of kicked everything off and changed our lives. 

Was there a particular moment within the last decade where you really kind of stood back and realized that you’d made it?

Alana: Playing Glastonbury for the first time was a huge moment for us.

Este: We met Stevie Nicks in London and that was a pretty big moment for us.

Danielle: That was pretty crazy.

Alana: In general, we really didn’t know what was going to happen. We put this album out. The thing that’s so amazing about it is that even holding the album and listening to it after 10 years, is that we’re so proud of it still. I feel like that’s a kind of rare feeling. We’ve grown a lot as a band over the last 10 years, but listening to Days Are Gone, it still feels like the most “us” album. 

I think it was just so pure and we were so young and so wide-eyed, and it was the first time we got to travel the world together. And the biggest part of our story is the album. We wouldn’t be here without it.

What are some ways you feel you’ve grown or changed as people in the past 10 years?

Alana: I think after 10 years we finally know when we step into a studio, we have the vocabulary to explain what we want in terms of the sound. And I think with each album we get more and more confident in the studio.

Danielle: Yeah, I’m learning. Every record is a learning experience when it comes to knowing how to make things sound the way you hear them in your head.

Este: With each passing year, we care more and more about the music that we make and the songs that we write and our live show. But with everything else, we give less of a fuck.

So you’ve toured with Vampire Weekend, Florence + The Machine, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift twice. What are some lessons you’ve taken from them?

Este: I think it’s just try to have as much fun as you can on tour. Everyone, especially Florence and Taylor, have so much fun on tour. They perform their asses off, but they also know how to cut a rug before and after the show. 

You have to remember that you’re so lucky you get to do this and try to have as much fun as possible. 

Alana: It’s the best.

Revisit all the most thrilling and nostalgic moments from HAIM’s debut album, Days Are Gone (10th Anniversary Edition)