This is SOUND ADVICE, a weekly destination for playlists curated by Interview’s friends, enemies, and lovers. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gathered playlists from KenTheMan, Shygirl, and serpentwithfeet. This edition is brought to you by viral bedroom pop sensation Julie Ragbeer, who was shot to mother status overnight with the help of some potentially paid promo from the popular news aggregator account @ThePopTingz. On her debut album, Perplex, the singer-songwriter, Jersey native, and avowed Swiftie sings about breaking free from “fleshy lusts” over heavy reverb, and in her YouTube videos she can be seen channeling teen angst in a bedroom strewn about with posters of her favorite pop stars. Ragbeer is wasting no time, and her stans already have a name: the “ragdolls.” Naturally, we invited Ragbeer to make us a playlist for this week’s Sound Advice of the songs that got her in her feels when she was 19.
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Where do you dance? I enjoy dancing, but I like to keep my dance moves a secret! I’m usually dancing around the house or in my room at home.
Headphones of choice? I’ve been using Beats Solo3 since 2022. I also like Samson SR850 — I don’t own a pair but my brother has let me wear them before.
What was your first concert? My first concert was Taylor Swift’s Red Tour. Since then, I’ve gone to quite a few different concerts but I’ll never forget when I first saw her come on stage.
Who inspires you? My mom is my biggest inspiration. Like most great parents, she does so much for me that doesn’t get recognized. She is one of my favorite people.
What song do you have on repeat? The Weeknd, JENNIE, Lily Rose Depp – “One of The Girls.” It was my most streamed song of 2023.
Dream collaborator, dead or alive? I have so many, but I would say my dream is to play piano with Amy Lee and sing “My Immortal” and “Lithium.”
Favorite song about rejection, besides yours? Celine Dion – “All By Myself.” Who didn’t go through a Celine Dion phase!?
Name an album that reminds you of your childhood: Fearless by Taylor Swift. She captured what love was like when you’re in high school and how unrequited crushes affect you.
Do you play an instrument? I’ve dabbled in guitar and piano, but I am by no means a pro in either of them. Once I finish school I would love to add a few instruments to my repertoire.
Describe your production process in 3 words: Holy, fun and catchy.
Name your favorite artist no one knows about: My bestie Emilio Rodriguez, you should check out his stuff.
Who’s the queen of pop? I think the first queen of pop is Madonna. I think Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift are also queens of pop. What I love the most about pop music is that the space is so vast that we can have many different women and don’t need just one queen of pop.
Perplex is about your 19-year-old experiences. What’s in store for year 20? Year 20 has passed! Now that I am 24 I plan to write more about my experiences in my early 20s.