Turn It Up: Meet the MUSE(ic) Team
…And a one, two, a one, two, three, four.
Get ready to crank your speakers because the MUSE Music Team is about to make some noise. We are so passionate about music that our hearts probably beat in a 4/4 time signature.
I’m Paisia and I’m MUSE’s Head of Music this year. The team is composed of two Online Music Editors - Paddy and Maddie (yes, their names rhyme), seven Online Music Contributors - Kate, Foster, Aurora, Aaliyah, Felicia, Amy, Ben, and a Radio Show Manager, Jack.
Our squadron of music enthusiasts has over doubled since last year— I can feel us bursting at the seams with niche playlists for your listening pleasure. With an extra dose of brainpower (or earpower?), we’re excited to bring to life a diverse array of content.
Prepare yourself for Muse Minutes, a brand new music radio show hosted on Queen’s-own CFRC 101.9FM. Buckle up for MUSE Tiny Desk Concerts, featuring a talented roster of local artists performing in cozy locations around campus. And of course, check out the team’s New Music Friday series on Tik Tok, where you can stay up to date on our favourite weekly releases. I don’t want to spoil the rest…
If my enthusiasm isn’t radiating through your screen by now, let me assure you that music is my fuel. I remember visiting my grandpa every Sunday morning and being greeted by Pachabel or the Vince Guaraldi Trio radiating between his walls. His love of classical compositions inspired me to begin my own musical journey, so I picked up the violin. Watching my grandpa’s face light up with joy when I played him a squeaky version of “Lucy & Linus” was priceless. The shrill sounds I produced may have led to the end of my violin career, but my relationship with music was far from over.
On roadtrips from Vancouver to Whistler’, I used to flip through my dad’s CD binder to find the perfect albums for the two-hour journey. The Clash’s London Calling and Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot were my go-to’s. In proper mid 2000s fashion, I started downloading my favourite radio hits from Limewire to my iTunes library. This is about the same time I had a breakdancing phase (my b-boy era), so “Me, Myself, and I” by De La Soul and “Let Your Backbone Slide” by Maestro Fresh Wes were on repeat. My music taste in my pre-teen years spiralled into a whole lot of Cage the Elephant and Young the Giant. These tunes from my childhood were a segway into falling in love with music discovery.
Now that I have graduated to avid Spotify playlist-making and record collecting, I am more excited than ever to share my music ferver with MUSE. With a whole team just as ready to talk music, this year has a lot in store.
The playlists below showcase the essence of each member’s music taste. Don’t forget to follow MUSE on Spotify and listen to our curated compilations.
Yours Creatively,
Paisia Warhaft, Head of Music
PAISIA WARHAFT (SHE/HER) - HEAD OF MUSIC
Hey I'm Paisia! I'm in my fourth year of Commerce and I can proudly shred Piano Man on the harmonica. It's not uncommon to find me digging through the local record store bargain bin.
My muse is…Quasimoto (AKA Lord Quas)
Favourite no-skip album: London Calling by The Clash or Telefone by Noname
Best live concert experience: Anderson .Paak in 2019. I can’t forget when he jumped into the crowd to dance in his neon leopard print two-piece.
JACK SELBY (HE/HIM) - RADIO SHOW MANAGER
Hi I'm Jack and I'm going into 5th year POLS as well as doing a minor in history. Alongside writing about music I also have production credits with some artists from Canada and the US
My muse is…My friends
Favourite no-skip album: Either the Bucket List Project by Saba or In Tongues Joji
Best live concert experience: Aries in 2019
MADDIE ST. JOHN (SHE/HER) - ONLINE MUSIC EDITOR
Hello! My name is Maddie and I am a fourth-year art-sci student studying geography and French. My favourite place to listen to music is definitely on a night time drive.
My muse is…Finding great new songs to play on repeat (because I’m very picky).
Favourite no-skip album: Pure Heroine by Lorde
Best live concert experience: It’s a toss up between Peach Pit and The Lumineers.
PADDY GREENE (HE/THEY) - ONLINE MUSIC EDITOR
Hey! I’m Paddy, a third year student in Biomedical Computing and one of the music editors this year. In my spare time I love to write and make music, most of which is done under the alias Clovehitch.
My muse is…The incredible community that very easily organically forms around creative expression and art.
Favourite no-skip album: Vespertine by Bjork
Best live concert you've been to: LCD Soundsystem @ Bluesfest 2017 - An incredibly fond concert memory of mine was the line "But if you're worried about the weather, then you picked the wrong place to stay”, being sung by the crowd just after it had started pouring rain.
AALIYAH MANSURI (SHE/HER) - ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hello MUSE! My name is Aaliyah, I'm a third year Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) major, and I'm a music contributor this year. I have a serious obsession with making playlists for virtually any occasion, ever.
My muse is… Playing with some cool effects on my amp, and playing some fun stuff for my friends, like a mini listening party.
Favourite no-skip album: Room on Fire by the Strokes
Best live concert you've been to: Lorde's Solar Power Tour, she was my coming of age artist, and to see her while I am '19 and on fire' is such a gift.
AURORA ANDERSON (SHE/HER) - ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hey I'm Aurora! I'm going into my second year of biology and I am one of the music contributors. I love making long playlists for every emotion and scenario that I experience and then blasting them in the car with friends.
My muse is…My youngest brother and his ability to always be listening to something new. Stealing songs from his playlists is my favourite hobby.
Favourite no-skip album: Soft Sounds from Another Planet by Japanese Breakfast
Best live concert you've been to: Nothing has topped seeing Tyler, The Creator's IGOR and CMIYGL tours for me yet but Gorillaz in October might.
FOSTER MCAFFEE (HE/HIM) - ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hi, my name’s Foster, I’m going into fifth year linguistics, and I am the worst guitarist in my band.
My muse is...All of the interesting people in my life.
Favourite no-skip album: Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. OK Computer is a more boring answer but also honest.
Best live concert you've been to: Seeing my friends’ band Nothing Special play their first post-pandemic show in Oshawa last year. Extremely cathartic.
FELICIA HOLMES (SHE/HER) - ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hi everyone! My name is Felicia. I am in my 5th year for an honours in Drama although I just graduated from the Music Theatre program. A fun fact about me is that I’ve spent my summer in a Young Theatre People’s troupe with Queen’s performing a musical I wrote with my friends/co-workers.
My muse is...Florence Pugh!!
Favourite no-skip album: WHO CARES? by Rex Orange County
Best live concert you've been to: The Beaches
KATE MCCONNELL (SHE/HER) - ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hi, I’m Kate! I’m a third year environmental science/urban planning student at Queen’s and I am a music contributor this year. I love making extremely specific playlists and listening to CDs.
My muse is...Sharing music. Nothing says “I appreciate you” quite like a playlist and some song/artist recommendations.
Favourite no-skip album: Jassbusters by Connan Mockasin
Best live concert you've been to: The Drain Gang concert was unreal.
AMY BERNIER (SHE/HER) - ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hi! My name is Amy, I’m a third year Life Sciences student happily here at Queens! Fun fact I love to cook and bake. When I was 11, I made a beef wellington (flex).
My muse is...Amy Winehouse
Favourite no-skip album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
Best live concert you've been to: Childish Gambino at OSHEAGA 2019
BEN KERESTECI (HE/HIM)- ONLINE MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR
Hullo! My name is Ben Keresteci and I’m a fourth-year Kinesiology student. My hobbies include the outdoors, writing, and finding mugs with a lot of volume.
My muse is…old things that still work.
Favourite no-skip album: Swimming by Mac Miller
Best live concert you’ve been to: Tame Impala (it was nuts)
ADAM BEN DAVID (HE/HIM)- ONLINE MUSIC EDITOR
Hi, I’m Adam, a 4th year Life Science major and Music minor. I don’t really know where I’m headed but I’ve come to cherish that.
My muse is…the pursuit of cathartic sound design and soundscape curation.
Favourite no-skip album: Subluxe by Healy
Best live concert you’ve been to: Childish Gambino at OSHEAGA 2019
