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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

Ana Cubas

Ana Cubas, Arts Editor

Ana is a Gallatin junior studying Arts and Cultural Criticism with a minor in BEMT (Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology). She’s likely daydreaming about Portillo’s Italian beef or listening to a Grateful Dead live album. One day she may become active on social media and if you’re anxiously awaiting for that moment, follow her on Instagram at @alucubas and on Twitter at @anac017.

All content by Ana Cubas
Amalia Ulman, an Argentine performance artist, makes her directorial debut with the narrative-driven “El Planeta.” The film, shot in black and white, depicts post-recession contemporary culture. (Photo courtesy of Utopia)

‘El Planeta’ Review: A witty, ethically complicated dramedy

Telling the story of a mother and daughter faking their way through the wake of a recession, Amalia Ulman’s sly, offbeat comedy film is a modern classic.
Ana Cubas, Arts Editor September 27, 2021

A middle-aged woman struggles to carry two boxes while sporting a dashing fur coat. The first words spoken in “El Planeta” are “I’m not returning your online purchases...

An illustration of a Black woman in a green shirt and a white woman in a yellow shirt listening to music through wired headphones. The cord of the headphones spells out “Listen to This.”

Listen to this: Singles from August

In case you missed it, here are new tracks by Kacey Musgraves, BTS and more.

August may have slipped away into a moment in time — and sipped away like a bottle of wine — but that doesn’t mean August releases have to! If you feel like refreshing your...

A star-studded lineup of musicians celebrating the return to semi-normalcy drew large and enthusiastic crowds. Unfortunately for the revelers, the event was cut short due to lightning from Hurricane Henri. (Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

Review: ‘WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert’

New York’s anticipated COVID-19 recovery event was an off-key, optimistic celebration, until halted due to Hurricane Henri.
Ana Cubas, Arts Editor August 30, 2021

With a Broadway-like dazzle, “WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert,” was a candy-coated outlook on the city’s resurgence after COVID-19. In the assortment of indulgent performances,...

50 years after its original release, artist George Harrison has re-released his album “All Things Must Pass.” “All Things Must Pass (50th Anniversary)” remixes and remasters the original, while also providing fans with outtakes and additional tracks. (Image via Wikimedia Commons, Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

‘All Things Must Pass (50th Anniversary)’ provides thrilling insight into George Harrison’s artistic process

The remaster of George Harrison’s solo debut demonstrates the benefits of extended albums.
Ana Cubas, Arts Editor August 25, 2021

“All Things Must Pass” finally achieves the emotional impact it initially set out to create. The remastered album is gracefully dense, with oozing, pulsating bass and divine...

An illustration of a Black woman in a green shirt and a white woman in a yellow shirt listening to music through wired headphones. The cord of the headphones spells out “Listen to This.”

Listen to this: Singles from July

In case you missed it, here are new tracks by Bo Burnham, Peggy Gou and more.

WSN’s music desk is no longer on summer hiatus. While the staff took a short break, the music world delivered hundreds of singles to sift through and enjoy. And yet, through...

An illustration of a women with dark purple hair wearing lavender headphones. Her headphone cords form the text "listen to this." She is in front of a blue background.

Listen to This: Singles from April 24-30

Here are the singles we're obsessing over this week!

When artists experiment in a new capacity, whether it be a remix or a recent single, there’s a looming curiosity or hope that their endeavor will be a successful one. A compelling...

An illustration of a Black woman in a green shirt and a white woman in a yellow shirt listening to music through wired headphones. The cord of the headphones spells out “Listen to This.”

Listen to This: Singles from April 17-23

In case you missed it, here are new tracks by Day6, Alanis Morissette and more.

The relationship between an artist and the listener can be a powerful one. Music often formulates or elicits emotions we cannot formulate as eloquently, or universalizes personal...

Paul Simon is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who found solo success after his duo Simon & Garfunkel split in 1970. Paul Simon and Bob Dylan have continually been construed as rivals as they both have similar 1960s folk roots. (Staff Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Paul Simon is no historical footnote

Another catalog sold, another legacy at stake.
Ana Cubas, Music Editor April 21, 2021

What good does it do to pin two influential artists against each other? Jeff Slate’s April 2 piece for NBC Think argued that Paul Simon would end up a ‘historical footnote’...

Imad Khachan presents a chess piece to the camera. Khachan owns Chess Forum in Greenwich Village on Thompson. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

Chess Forum is home to Greenwich Village’s chess-playing community

Owner Imad Khachan shares what chess meant to him growing up in Lebanon, how Chess Forum became a Greenwich Village icon and what the pandemic and “The Queen’s Gambit” mean for contemporary chess culture.
Ana Cubas, Music Editor April 16, 2021

Imad Khachan, the owner of Greenwich Village’s Chess Forum, wants all visitors to feel at home. He joked that the tiny wood-saturated shop has the feel and smell of a grandparent’s...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Weekly Radio Roundup: March 12 – March 19

Read about the most notable singles released this week.
Holden Lay, Ana Cubas, Perry Gregory and Sophia Carr March 19, 2021

As midterms come to a close and our short-lived spring break begins, we are reminded of the healing, enticing nature of music. From the cathartic glitches of Laura Les to the entrancing...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Weekly Radio Roundup: March 5 – March 11

Read about the most notable singles released this week.

This past week’s releases provided a glimpse into the new sounds and influences trending in the music industry.  From soul music to 1970s glam rock, these tracks gave us an...

“Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” released on Apple TV+, is a music documentary about singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. The documentary showcases both the good and bad moments of Billie Eilish's life and stardom.
(Staff Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Billie Eilish’s documentary breaks barriers of pop stardom

This candid-but-unfiltered documentary is as unconventional as Eilish herself.
Ana Cubas, Music Editor March 8, 2021

“Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” directed by R.J. Cutler, whose past documentary films include “The September Issue” and “The War Room,” is the newest...

Movies like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro will transport you to new places without leaving the comfort of your bedroom. As the nights get colder and longer, the Washington Square News staff wants to make sure you have great movies to watch. (Staff Illustration by Chandler Littleford)

Staff Recs: Comfort Movies

Sometimes when the outside world becomes too much, a good movie is the best form of escapism.

“Fiddler on the Roof” by Norman Jewison Sasha Cohen, Arts Editor My grandma and I sing “If I Were a Rich Man” a lot. What can I say? We just love practicing our “biddy...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Sept. 15 – Sept. 21

Read about the most notable singles released this week.

This edition of Weekly Radio Roundup exhibits singles released by old and new artists, reminding us that good music remains relevant regardless of its release, and feelings of...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Sept. 7 – Sept. 14

Read about our favorite singles that were released this week.
Isabella Armus, Ana Cubas, Lexi Wolf and Claire Jones September 15, 2020

Welcome to a new semester of our Weekly Radio Roundups. A lot has changed since last May but thankfully, we had some great new music releases to get us through the summer. This...

Pop icon Katy Perry released her sixth studio album last week. “Smile” is a lyrical and stylistic return to the classic sound that shot her to stardom ten years ago. (Staff Illustration by Li-Chun Pan)

Katy Perry Clings To Her Past in ‘Smile’

The “Teenage Dream” artist knows how to craft a perfectly encouraging pop hit, even if it’s getting old.
Ana Cubas, Music Editor September 1, 2020

Being America’s “Teenage Dream” is hard. Katy Perry’s sixth studio album, “Smile,” is proof that it is difficult to continue to thrive in the music world when popular...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Weekly Radio Roundup: April 17 – 24

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

Looking at this week’s releases might transport you to a different era. Chromatics, Florence + the  Machine and Jamie xx — like, seriously, what year is it? Anyways, nostalgia...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Weekly Radio Roundup: April 10 – April 16

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

In the immortal words of ESG: “Dance!” With social distancing measures being extended throughout the world, the need for levity is imperative. As hysteria by way of isolation...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Weekly Radio Roundup: April 3 – April 9

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

Another week in isolation, another opportunity to explore great music. Here at the Music Desk, we’re celebrating the fact that this is the 10th edition of this column that hopes...

Record Store Day is an important day for sales of the vinyl medium. Originally scheduled for April 18, it has been delayed to June 20 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Record Store Day Is Rescheduled. Can It Still Survive?

Record Store Day has been moved to June 20, but the trend of social distancing suggests lower sales.
Ana Cubas, Staff Writer April 9, 2020

April is the most glorious month of the year for vinyl junkies, veterans and rookies alike. Unheard live performances, digital album giants and new singles are released in limited...

J Balvin’s new album “Colores” explores his unique sound through ten tracks named after colors. His reggaeton style shines through different themes in each track, creating an album meant to be experienced as a whole. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

J Balvin’s Vibrant Plea for Positivity Radiates Like A Rainbow

The reggaeton luminary solidifies his signature sound on “Colores” and creates an immersive, visceral experience for listeners.
Ana Cubas, Contributing Writer March 30, 2020

Do you ever think of colors when you listen to music? When you listen to “Colores,” shut your eyes, clear your mind and explore its spectrum of suave emotions and fruity...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: March 7 – March 13

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

It’s National Women’s History Month! But we’re also navigating a global pandemic and the constant presence of hovering parents at a time when we should be enjoying the blessedness...

Bad Bunny recently released his 2020 album “YHLQMDLG." This surprise 20-track album affirms one thing — he does what he wants and he wants to make that known. (Staff photo by Kim Rice)

Bad Bunny Does What He Wants. Are We Really Surprised?

Bad Bunny constructs an anthology of reggaeton history with scopic, global influences proving he can’t be predicted, or tamed.
Ana Cubas, Contributing Writer March 4, 2020

Bad Bunny’s surprise 20-track album affirms one thing — he does what he wants and he wants to make that known. Titled “YHLQMDLG”, an acronym for “Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da...

Moses Sumney explores shades of gray in his newest album. “græ: Part I” features meaningful lyrics and powerful instrumentals.  (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Moses Sumney’s Maximalist Album Radiates With a Spectrum of Meanings

Moses Sumney’s “græ: Part I” disrupts conventionality with complex emotional profundity.
Ana Cubas, Contributing Writer February 28, 2020

Moses Sumney has seductively introduced the first half of “græ,” his potent dissertation on ambiguity, race and gender binaries, in an avant-garde brew of equally poetic lyrics...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 14 – Feb. 21

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

For a week leading up to the releases of the new music from King Krule and Arca, there was also a beautiful bouquet of singles ranging from the likes of Grimes to The Strokes....

Time is a prevailing theme in "The Slow Rush," Tame Impala's newest album. Though many songs feature signature sounds from Kevin Parker, others showcase his diverse skills as a hip hop producer. (Staff photo by Alex Tran, Staff illustration by Chelsea Li)

‘The Slow Rush’ Is Tame Impala’s Most Introspective Album to Date

Tame Impala’s long-awaited album, ‘The Slow Rush,’ is a cosmic trip of understanding time and oneself, and Kevin Parker achieves it perfectly.
Ana Cubas, Contributing Writer February 18, 2020

Tame Impala’s “The Slow Rush” was a full-bodied, mind-bending, psychedelic journey that I never wanted to end. Beginning with “One More Year” and ending with “One More...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 7 – Feb. 12

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

From Sufjan Stevens to Carly Rae Jepsen, this week’s slew of singles mostly consisted of soft-spoken reflections on living in modernity. Whether it’s King Krule shrieking about...