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Micki Balder Gets Restless in the Midst of Pandemic with “A Feeling I Once Knew”

Micki Balder’s newest single “A Feeling I Once Knew” (released on October 1st) gives listeners a mix of heartfelt tones and introspective story-driven lyrics set against a dreamy soundscape.

In the midst of the current pandemic, Balder noticed a high number of people experiencing a pandemic-induced life crisis. She took note of the ever-changing lifestyle changes people were making….People were re-evaluating their careers, moving to new cities, and starting new milestones, among other things. Balder found herself experiencing that same crisis and used it as inspiration for her storytelling in her new single “A Feeling I Once Knew”. Detailing the sense of restlessness around her, Balder’s lyrics confront doubt in the face of adversity and the discernment of figuring out if you’re really on the right path. “I started to feel restless, but also stagnant and lacking purpose. I yearned for this pre-pandemic time where everything felt great and busy and exciting and full of life but also felt torn between craving that old life, and needing major change.” Feeling that restlessness within, Balder needed a reminder that she had been happy and content before the pandemic turned everything upside down and that eventually, she would find her way back….. to that feeling she once knew.

Micki Balder is a folksy singer-songwriter writing sad songs for happy people (and ever so occasionally, happy songs for sad people!). Her music is born from a life-long desire to be a character in a musical, unapologetically singing her feelings for the world through simple and poignant lyrics. Though she’s been dabbling with music her whole life, it wasn’t until 2018 when a friendship’s moment of truth unveiled itself in the middle of a Denver coffee shop. She walked home, wrote a song, and has been writing ever since, now a regular at local music venues around her Colorado home. Micki writes from a place of vulnerable storytelling, with people and relationships at the core of her music. She’s been compared to modern folk bands like The Weepies and Mipso, along with classic songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, but she draws inspiration from all over the spectrum — the swing and soul music of her lindy hop days, the earthy folk of Gregory Alan Isakov and Mandolin Orange, the candor and dry humor of John Craigie, or the heartbreak of Sara Bareilles, to name a few.

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Snoop Dogg Wants To Pay Someone $10,000 A Month To Eat Ice Cream

Snoop Dogg in Hollywood, California, 2019
Photo: Glenn Francis / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Snoop Dogg has had a lot of job titles over the years, but “official ice cream taster” wasn’t one of them until now — and he’s hiring someone else to fill it. His company Dr. Bombay just opened applications for the role, and it pays $10,000 a month.

The gig is fully remote and open to anyone on the planet, which Snoop announced himself in a video that’s exactly as laid-back as you’d expect. “I love the paper, but not the paperwork,” he said, explaining that HR firm Deel is handling the logistics while he handles, presumably, the ice cream.

The actual job is less “sit around and eat pints all day” and more part-time cultural scout. Whoever gets it will track flavor and food trends around the world, report back on what people are eating and talking about, and work directly with Dr. Bombay’s in-house flavor lead to help shape what the brand does next. It’s a three-month contractor role, and Snoop’s team says they’re actively looking outside the usual resume pile — creators and non-traditional applicants welcome.

Dr. Bombay itself leans nostalgic, with flavors like Long Beach Fruit Cart, Sticky Caramel Apple Pie, and Peanut Butter Jelly Time already sitting on shelves at Walmart and moving through DoorDash and Instacart. Somewhere out there is one very lucky applicant about to get paid five figures a month to have opinions about ice cream, and honestly, good for them.

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Ronan Furlong finds renewal in the sea with latest release “Splitting The Ash”

Ronan Furlong

“Splitting The Ash” opens with a distinctly Celtic riff before Ronan Furlong moves into an energetic song influenced by ideas of healing, rebirth, and spiritual renewal. The title and subject of the song are based on an ancient Irish ritual in which an ash tree is split open, giving the song a strong link to tradition, while its message is firmly rooted in the present: finding strength, renewal, and inspiration when life puts barriers in your way.

The sea is central to the track’s feeling, a symbol of challenge and regeneration. Furlong links his power to the resilience that can develop from exceeding physical boundaries. The song’s backstory lends that notion further weight, penned during a swim in the Irish Sea in January. The music’s context of creation gives it a particularly direct relationship with endurance and the willingness to push beyond discomfort.

“Splitting The Ash” ultimately feels life-affirming but never loses sight of struggle. The Celtic opening of the song gives an immediate sense of place, while its focus on renewal keeps the message open and universal. Ronan Furlong uses an old image of healing to remind us that difficult experiences can also be a source of strength, inspiration, and a renewed connection to life.

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