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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Arts

An illustration of a human-form collage of arboreal textures and human-figure illustrations.

NYU’s ‘Here Lies Love’ syllabus dives deep into the controversial musical

Two NYC-based professors, one from NYU, collaborated to compile a selection of resources that contextualize David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s musical.
Ella Sabrina Malabanan, Contributing Writer September 28, 2023

An NYU professor contributed to a public syllabus analyzing David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s “Here Lies Love,” a controversial disco-pop musical about former First Lady of the...

Singer-songwriter and N.Y.U. student Val Olson, or Deadbeat Girl, sings on a concert stage lit up in blue alongside a bass player. Under the stage, audience members record her performance on their phones.

Deadbeat Girl speaks on artistic collaboration and current tour

Singer-songwriter and NYU student Val Olson has turned their background in music production and passion for lyricism into a budding career.
Eleanor Jacobs, Contributing Writer September 27, 2023

Val Olson may be 20, but Deadbeat Girl has just celebrated their first birthday. In the whirlwind year since releasing their kickoff single, “Another Day,” the indie-rock artist...

An illustration of a person standing behind a podium and reading a book to two other people.

NYU’s creative writing department kicks off its fall 2023 reading series

A premiere night of passion-filled poetry by Dean Rader and Nicole Sealey took place at the NYU Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House on Sept. 14.
Olivia Olson, Contributing Writer September 26, 2023

NYU’s Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, a vessel for artistry and imagination tucked into the West Village, houses the creative writing program’s fall 2023 reading series....

Artist TisaKorean rapping on stage.

Program Board’s mystery concert brings new levels of fun to NYU

Performers TisaKorean, Diz and Safa put on electrifying sets at a concert hosted by NYU’s Program Board last week.
Olivia Olson, Contributing Writer September 26, 2023

NYU students had Bleecker Street’s Le Poisson Rouge bursting with infectious energy on Thursday, Sept. 21, for the Program Board’s annual Mystery Concert. This year’s show,...

Actor Paul Dano wearing a blue shirt and red headband sits in a brown desk chair. He is speaking into a red microphone while looking at two computer monitors. The image is from the film “Dumb Money.”

Review: ‘Dumb Money’ wages war on the wealthy through sensory overload

Craig Gillespie’s energetic new film begins by telling the story of the 2021 GameStop short squeeze, but ends with overconfident optimism.
Liv Steinhardt, Contributing Writer September 25, 2023

Gabe Plotkin, the millionaire hedge fund founder and chief information officer played by Seth Rogen, sits in his oceanfront mansion, preparing for a TV interview about his sinking...

Actresses Natalie Portman, on the left, and Julianne Moore, on the right, look into the camera as if it is a mirror. Natalie Portman holds a notepad and pen while Julianne Moore holds a makeup sponge and lipstick. The image is from the film “May December.”

WSN’s guide to the 61st New York Film Festival

In anticipation of this year’s New York Film Festival, WSN has put together a list of must-see movie premieres you will want to secure tickets for before they sell out.
Mick Gaw, Film & TV Editor September 25, 2023

From Sept. 29 to Oct. 15, the New York Film Festival celebrates its 61st anniversary, marking a long tradition of highlighting cinematic excellence from all corners of the world....

Singer-songwriter Mitski with dark, shoulder-length hair windswept across her face stares into the camera in front of many tree branches. The photo is black and white.

Review: ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’ is Mitski’s steady, Americana experiment

With lush, earthy instrumentation and engaging lyrical quandaries, the indie-rock artist takes a new direction in her newest album.
Ethan Beck, Staff Writer September 25, 2023

There was a brief period when it seemed like Mitski might never release music again. Following her 2018 album “Be The Cowboy,” the indie-pop songwriter was catapulted into...

Rowan Drake poses with his left arm lifted to the side and his head tilted down. He is wearing a black cap and a green, short-sleeved button-down shirt.

Q&A: Rowan Drake talks growing up into fame

Known for his TikTok song snippets and YouTube videos, the up-and-coming artist reveals his backstory, first loves and the meaning behind it all.
Tess McLafferty, Contributing Writer September 25, 2023

Scrolling through your TikTok For You page, it’s easy to be unfazed by yet another young singer serenading the screen with what they claim to be the next big hit. After a brief...

An illustration of a laptop whose screen shows a person wearing a tracksuit leaning over a luggage on a bench. The laptop sits on purple blankets and a cup of tea is also on the blanket.

Off the Radar: ‘Alice in the Cities,’ a guide for lost souls

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “Alice in the Cities” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Amalia Rizos, Contributing Writer September 22, 2023

When one is on the road, displaced from the warmth of home, an emptiness takes over. Sometimes, the only remedy for this vacuum is to reach out and share moments with the most...

A crowd gathering at the Governors Ball music festival. There is a modified Statue of Liberty behind the crowd wearing a pair of sunglasses.

Summer music festivals aren’t what they used to be

Despite the recent rise in popularity of music festivals, repeated disasters and mishaps may be a sign they’re in decline.
Julia Diorio, Music Editor September 22, 2023

Usually, you know what you’re getting into with a music festival. You go. You spend $20 on a tiny hot dog and another twenty on water. You walk around aimlessly between three...

A still image from the film “Stop Making Sense” with lead vocalist David Byrne singing on stage and pointing a microphone to the camera.

Review: ‘Stop Making Sense’ immortalizes a band in its prime

A24's restoration of the concert film featuring Talking Heads cements the legendary band's legacy as a pioneer of New Wave music.
Stephanie Wong, Arts Editor September 22, 2023

In 1984, director Jonathan Demme first released his concert film “Stop Making Sense” featuring the seminal ’80s New Wave band Talking Heads. In 2023, many still consider...

Icelandic-Chinese artist Laufey wearing a light blue dress, sits in front of a piano while turning her head back to look at the camera.

Review: Laufey’s latest album ‘Bewitched’ is an ode to the dreamers

The Icelandic-Chinese artist introduced young audiences to classical jazz with her new album.
Diana C. Sánchez González, Contributing Writer September 21, 2023

Laufey, the rising 24-year-old jazz star, invites young people to escape into a dreamlike, misty world in her sophomore album “Bewitched,” released Friday, Sept. 8.  This...