From a smooth nostalgia perspective Bruno Mars’ fourth studio album, “The Romantic,” is a clear, straight to the point 32 minutes, nine-track project that marks a deliberate return to his soulful, retro-inspired sound. Known for blending modern pop with vintage influences, Mars leans even further into his nostalgic aesthetic here, drawing heavily from 1970s and 1980s soul, pop and slow-dance ballads. The result is an album that is polished, emotionally warm and sonically cohe

The mention of a cheerleader probably invokes visuals of the all-American, happy-go-lucky, girl-next-door type who is always happy to support the team under those Friday night lights. Jo Spencer, however, is not quite a picture-perfect part of the cheer squad in Jill McCorkle’s 1984 novel “The Cheer Leader.” This story is about so much more than football games. Rather, this novel is about the maddening nature of what it means to live up to the standards of womanhood in the So

Troy’s popular music band, POPulus, will be releasing a new single this month in a genre the members haven’t previously explored: bluegrass. The band will be releasing a cover of the song “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” this Friday, May 1. Bluegrass is a genre that has inspired students in the band. “I’m a fiddle player, and I’ve grown up on bluegrass and classic country music,” said Chase Dawson, a senior interdisciplinary studies major from Phoenix, Arizona who is playing the fidd

Troy K-EDU Center introduced students to the Korean alphabets through bracelet making at the K-Wave Day last Wednesday. Students focused on greetings and introductions as those are the most basic parts of any language and some of the most useful phrases to someone who isn’t fluent. According to Minsol Kim, the assistant director of the K-Center, the organization’s goal for the event was to give students the tools they needed to communicate with international students and othe

An array of beads was scattered across the lab table in the Math and Science room 212 last Thursday for a bracelet making night. Students from the Troy Beta Beta Beta (Tri Beta) chapter, a biological honor society, made colorful and creative bracelets to sell for a future fundraiser. There was a mix of lettered and colored bead with the students being able to decide how they wanted the bracelets to look. Some were Earth Day themed, some had words and others were just colors.

From live animals to edible insects in a variety of flavors, the annual Earth Day festival brought a fun and unique approach to environmental awareness. Troy’s Naturalist Club, Marine Biology Club and College of Science and Engineering held the event on the quad last Friday afternoon. Those who attended were able to learn about the environment with cyanotype art, live animals, educational zines and artistic activities. While some students explored the exotic, others focused o

The semester has come to an end for Troy’s Symphony Band, after the band’s last concert took place on Tuesday. Conducted mostly by Director of Bands Dr. Mark Walker, the concert also featured three graduate assistant guest conductors, who each got to choose any piece they wanted to conduct. One of the guest conductors said he appreciated the opportunity to create a special moment for both him and the students. “It's incredibly moving to share that opportunity with them,” sa

While we can all agree that the days of the wild west are long gone, this reviewer truly believes that deep down, everyone would like to be a cowboy, at least for a day. Recent media has encouraged this reception of the idealized West primarily through television, film and music. John Grady, the main character of Cormac McCarthy’s “All the Pretty Horses” (1992), follows that yearning for the great frontier, even when circumstances change the landscape he must work with. Yo

Coachella 2026 returned to the desert with a lineup and energy that reinforced its status as one of the most influential music festivals in the world. Held the weekends of Apr. 10 through 12 and Apr. 17 through 19 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, the 25th edition of Coachella sold out within a week of its announcement, showing just how much anticipation surrounded the event. Even for those who could not attend, widespread media coverage, social media clips and a

Troy’s Student Unity and Services Council (SUSC) partnered with the Black Student Union and 101 E.L.I.T.E Men to hold a field day last Wednesday. The event was set up on the band practice field with kickball, tug-of-war, a raffle and an ice cream truck. “It’s a way to get people out of their dorms and get out of that spring semester slump,” said Taniya Traylor, a senior social work major from Anniston, Alabama, who founded SUSC and serves as the organization’s president. “Wh

Aquarius- You have a good balance between studying and getting a study group together. You’ll do fine. Pisces- You will spend no time studying because you got distracted by your cat. You’ll probably end up sleeping through the final. Aries- You’ll study for a brief period, but you have been had the material mastered for a few weeks already. Talk about being extra prepared. Taurus- You keep a calm head while studying. You are able to comfortably work through difficult areas

Disney studios has been lazy for the last few years. It is no secret that they only put out live-action remakes of childhood classics or sequels to already established properties. After slowly remaking classic movies since the 90s, Disney has started to remake any successful movie, specifically the princess movies. In the last 10 years, we have seen “Cinderella,” “Aladdin,” “Mulan,” “Snow White” and “The Little Mermaid,” with planned live action releases of newer movies like

Raising money for a good cause – that is what Miss Troy University did Friday afternoon in the Trojan Center. Anna Grace Tucker, a junior business administration major from Huntsville, Alabama, invited students to donate and “Go Red” for the American Heart Association. Tucker was able to teach students about heart health and how students can improve their own. While she was talking, attendees were able to donate to the American Heart Association either with cash or through

Troy University Police Department (TUPD) officers brought students relief through citation forgiveness. Students walking through the Trojan Center Food Court on Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. may have noticed a strong presence from the TUPD, but officers were not there to issue citations. Instead, they were helping students eliminate them. Throughout a student’s time at Troy, receiving a parking ticket is a common experience. For many students juggling busy schedules and tas

I have been a dedicated Ethel Cain listener for several years now. I have seen her in person twice, the first time in Nashville at Ryman Auditorium and the second time at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. I chose to review “Golden Age” because it is one of Ethel’s most underrated projects in my opinion. “Golden Age” is Ethel’s second EP, following her first, titled “Carpet Bed.” What many may not know is that Ethel Cain is a conceptual alter ego of Hayden

Over the course of the last few months, we have watched and reviewed some of the most critically successful movies of all time. Whether it be newer movies like “Sinners,” “Bugonia” and “One Battle After Another,” or older films like “The Green Mile” and “Good Will Hunting,” we have watched some of the best Hollywood has to offer. However, after watching so many fantastic, well-made movies, the brain needs a break. It is hard to watch so many great movies back-to-back because

Historical fiction is a genre readers tend to love or hate. I struggle to be fully immersed in these books because I find that authors often go too heavy or too light with the research. Too much emphasis on the facts often leads to underdeveloped characters and plot lines. Too little historical background can be equally detrimental if readers can spot obvious flaws. All of these thoughts established, my most recent encounter with a historical fiction piece completely took m

Glue, scissors and markers were in full use last Thursday as students created artwork at Troy’s International Art Center. As the final days wind down for the exhibitions by Douglas Pierre Baulos and Jennifer McCohnell, the gallery was transformed into a creative field for students to engage in a hands-on craft activity using materials made by Baulos himself. “I enjoy looking at art,” said Carla Garcia, a sophomore elementary education major from Laredo, Texas. “I like seei

Troy Delight Ministries held a “Tea Party and Presentations” event for ladies looking to make friends and have a church-based community. The ladies gathered in their spring dresses in Hawkins 107, where blankets scattered the floor picnic style, and a table was set up with home-baked goods, and an allotment of teacups and teas. There were egg salad sandwiches, vanilla chai coffee cakes, raspberry cinnamon rolls as well as earl grey tea, ginger teas and more. After some teat

Aries: Spring hits and you burst outside like you’ve been released from prison, shouting “Who wants to do something dangerous but in short sleeves?” You then plan a hike, race and engage in a minor argument with a stranger all before lunch. Taurus: You step outside, feel one gentle spring breeze and decide productivity has been canceled until October, all in the name of Mother Nature. “Nature demands us to rest.” Gemini: Spring is the debut of your identity crisis. You wil

Some albums capture a moment in time, but others feel timeless. “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” released in 2003 by Alicia Keys, is one of those albums. Blending R&B, soul and hip-hop influences, the record shows Keys’ growth as both a singer, pianist and songwriter. Through emotional storytelling and vocals, the album explores themes of love, trust and self-reflection while maintaining a classic sound that still resonates with listeners today. Following the success of her deb

Whether a student plays the snare, tenor, bass drum or even cymbals, the Sound of the South (SOTS) drumline has a place for them. Prospective drumline members were given an opportunity Saturday morning to learn some of the music they would have to learn for SOTS and get a head start on upcoming summer band camps, including the percussion camp in June. Drumline Interest Day was the first event of its kind. “For June Camp, we have essentially two and a half days to put our e

Troy’s Department of Theatre and Dance put on its production of “Something Rotten!,” but the experience of watching was quite the opposite. “Something Rotten!” is a 2015 play set in Renaissance 1595, following the story of the brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom as they invent a new, musical form of theatre to compete with William Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies. If you can’t tell by the trope of a musical about a musical, this production is extremely meta and self-referen

Troy’s Jazz Ensemble performed classical tunes on Tuesday, presenting a high-energy concert featuring a variety of jazz styles while highlighting student musicians and their musical growth. Guests in attendance experienced a high-energy, stylistically diverse program that moved from classic swing to contemporary big band writing. The concert featured a wide range of musical selections, including lush ballads and fast-paced charts that showcase both technical skill and musica