There was a moment that happened at the beginning of this year that made me want to start Harpsichord: Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
For weeks leading up to the performance, I had been extremely excited about what she was going to bring to the stage. At the time, I was living in my first apartment by myself, the first time in my entire life. I cleared some room in my living room, thinking that I would want to dance. Instead, after the first minute, I ended up sitting down. “Is she pregnant?!” It felt like a shock had rushed through my body. “She’s pregnant, oh my gosh!”
But during that performance I sat in awe. She flew high on the stage, hitting her marks and having fun. It felt so surreal. The woman who has supplied us hit after hit, suddenly decided to take a pause. We hadn’t seen her perform on TV since the 2018 Grammys. And after five years, she was on stage looking like a superhero– as if she were asked to come save the music industry.
I started drawing parallels to my own career. I have not actively written for a publication since 2020. I made that choice because I wasn’t happy with the state of the industry. But as the years passed, I realized how dull the field got without my presence. The continuous signs were there, from peers I admired telling me so in Zoom conversations to the short clickbait articles I read on countless websites. Even down to producers connected to BBC hitting me up for a podcast about Kanye West.
Seeing Rihanna soar high truly inspired me to get back into the field, but this time around I had to do it on my own terms. A roadblock I often faced in my seven years of writing were editors. They would either tell me that the idea was good, but it wouldn’t Work for whatever bullshit excuse they had. And then two weeks or a month later, the internet discussed the very same topic I wanted to write about. Over the years, it started to become clear that I should in fact be an editor-in-chief or a creative director for a publication.
But knowing how the industry works, it would take years for that to happen. And if I had already dropped out, or seemed to have quit the profession in the years where everyone else was coming up, where would that have left me?
So, this is Harpsichord. This is the space where I can be in that role. If bloggers have gone on to be media moguls, why can’t I?
Harpsichord gets its name from being a site full of music tangents. On this website you’re bound to read in-depth hot takes about what’s currently trending in music, as well as historical pieces archiving past influences. There is an active chart section that spoofs the craze behind stats. My favorite section, The Genre Encyclopedia, will allow all the nerds of music to get in their classification bag.
Currently, I am working on three print issues that I am very proud of so far. The first issue is a round up of 64 mainstream songs that I felt were important to the world at large in 2023. The second issue allows me to fan out about Rihanna and her Super Bowl halftime show. The third issue chronicles my experience seeing Nas in NYC two times this year, as well as celebrating the 50th year of hip hop.
As those articles are completed, some will appear on this website.
Over three years, there has been so much happening in mainstream music that I have not been able to discuss in full depth. But fear not, for Harpsichord is here.
And my last anecdote. Over the summer I met Busta Rhymes. I only had 15 seconds to take a picture with him and ask him any question I wanted. Instead of asking a question or telling him, “‘Czar’ changed my life!” I decided to make my business presence known. “I used to write for Diddy’s Revolt TV.” Little did anyone know (except a few family members) that I had been working day and night to design this website and the print magazines. That I had been writing in journals and on Google docs like crazy. That I had been curating an editorial space that speaks to my voice.
He looked at me, and simply said “Keep it going, and keep it growing!”
And that’s exactly what Harpsichord Zine will set out to do.
Thank you for reading. It means a lot to me.
Da’Shan “Nightshawn101” Smith (October, Friday The 13th, 2023)
