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UM freshman Zach Yadegari helps more than 10 million people stay fit

Keira Faddis
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UM freshman Zach Yadegari helps more than 10 million people stay fit

Before even stepping onto UM’s campus, Zach Yadegari was running a multimillion-dollar startup. His app, Cal AI, has been downloaded more than 10 million times and brings in millions of monthly revenue. And he’s just getting started. 

Yadegari was seven years old when he began coding. By high school, he had created his first successful gaming website and sold it for $100,000, so he was no stranger to startups when he co-founded Cal AI. 

Cal AI is a calorie counting app that utilizes artificial intelligence to do the hard work of manually inputting information for you. There are two subscription options, where users can pay either $9.99 per month or pay for a year in advance, averaging to $2.49 per month. With a subscription, users can track their weight, measurements and nutrition goals, as well as track water intake and exercise.

Yadegari went viral earlier this year after posting his college rejection results on X. His post reached more than 28 million people — including the mayor of Miami — for being turned down by every Ivy League school despite his competitive resume: a 4.0 GPA, 34 ACT score and a multimillion dollar company. 

“At that point, I decided if I’m not going to go to the best place academically for startups, then I’m going to the best school socially — and that’s the University of Miami.”

He created Cal AI after trying out other calorie-counting apps during his freshman year of high school. 

“I learned pretty quickly that the best way to actually put on weight isn’t by working out. It’s really in your diet,” Yadegari said.
“So, I started to track my calories with one of the most popular apps at the time, but it sucked.”

That’s when he decided to collaborate with a friend, Henry Yangmack, to build something that helps people reach their fitness goals even if they don’t have time to put every ingredient from their meals into a tracking app. 

“When all of these new AI tools started releasing, I had the idea to make an app where you could just take a picture of your food and it would do all the work for you,” Yadegari said.

He and Yangmack worked on coding the first version of the app for a month before its launch in May of 2024. Family and friends loved the app even before they created the final version.

They knew Cal AI was going to be more successful than anything they’ve made within days of its launch. After its first month, Cal AI brought in $30,000. 

Yadegari said he was cautious of telling everyone he knew about the app’s success, so he kept it a secret. It got harder to hide the $150,000 rolling into his bank account by the second month.

Building off that initial success, Yadegari and Yangmack moved to San Francisco for the summer. They worked tirelessly to keep the app moving by living in their office and hiring their first employees.

“We spent every waking hour of the day in front of our computers, working on this, and just making it great,” Yadegari said. “I think that’s really where the momentum really started to just fly.”

Their work has paid off, literally. 

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“We just kept having steady growth, and it lasted until where we are now, doing more than $3 million dollars in a single month,” Yadegari said “It’s kind of surreal.”

Blake Anderson, another co-founder, worked as a mentor to Yadegari when it came to marketing the app. Anderson had success with two other apps, so the team applied his marketing strategy to get Cal AI off the ground.

Their current strategy involves a few hundred fitness influencers who post monthly about the app. Yadegari said that without social media, the app would likely not be as successful as it is.

Cal AI has found its biggest supporters and critics on social media. On social media, Cal AI fights the flood of comments calling the app fake.

Some users say it’s inaccurate because it cannot see “hidden” ingredients, like oil, a calorie dense ingredient. 

Yadegari said that the app on its own is more than 90% accurate, but for “hidden” ingredients, the app automatically uses the “standard amount.” Users are able to manually enter ingredients and alter recipes. 

Apart from just defending his app, Yadegari has had to defend himself from online misconceptions. 

“Some people think I must have had rich parents that helped me through this or that I had investors just give me millions of dollars to scale this, which is not true,” Yadegari said. “All the money that was put into this company was between the co-founders.”

He now lives off campus with more young founders, working on App Mafia, his latest project. 

Yadegari describes App Mafia as a creator house, similar to the Hype House or Faze House, where entrepreneurs make educational and short-form content all about app development. He hopes to “cause a movement” by showing how anyone can build their own software company. 

As for the future of health and fitness tech, Yadegari believes AI will play an increasingly vital role for Gen Z. 

“Traditionally, you’d have to pay for a trainer, but now AI can personalize everything for you,” Yadegari said. “It’s making fitness and becoming healthier easier for everyone.”

Lions & Willows brings sustainable swimwear to UM

Avery Simon
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Lions & Willows brings sustainable swimwear to UM

Jade Abramson, a senior at UM, transformed an idea born in quarantine into a growing business. Her swimwear brand, Lions & Willows, combines sustainability, femininity and strength to reflect her creativity and entrepreneurial drive.

“L&W is a feminist and sustainable brand,” Abramson said. “The willow tree represents feminine energy, so I thought that tied together our two missions nicely.” 

Abramson first envisioned Lions & Willows when she was 16 while quarantining in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. With time on her hands, she began sketching swimsuit designs and researching fabrics, unknowingly laying the foundation for what would become Lions & Willows. By the time she arrived in Miami, that fascination had become a concrete business plan. 

“I came to Miami in order to start the brand,” Abramson explained. “But Miami has definitely impacted how it’s grown over the past two years.”

It is easy to see the city’s influence. The beaches, color and constant warmth of Miami are reflected in the designs. Each collection feels curated for a confident, coastal lifestyle while maintaining a commitment to sustainability and ethics. 

Behind the scenes, the brand runs on values as its aesthetic. Its bikinis are manufactured in Bogota, Colombia, by an all-women team over forty years old. This was a strategic decision Abramson made to support female employment and fair labor. “It was important to us to work with a manufacturer that shares our values,” she said.

The brand also uses recycled fabrics, low-fuel transport methods and an upcycling program to minimize environmental impact. Customers can turn in old bikinis, which are then carefully deconstructed and remade into new designs. The process turns old pieces into fresh creations while offering to receive 10% off their next order from L&W.

The initiative creates a cycle of creativity and accountability, giving customers a chance to participate in the brand’s values. “We want people to feel like they’re part of the brand’s mission, not just buying from it,” Abramson said. 

When asked why she chose to invest in sustainability instead of expanding production, Abramson didn’t hesitate. “I’d rather grow slower and do it right,” she said. She feels that fast fashion moves fast, but that is not the point of her brand. 

Balancing entrepreneurship with academics has been another challenge Abramson said she’s grateful that her major allows her to merge coursework with her company’s goals. Some of her entrepreneurship classes double as project opportunities to test new strategies for Lions & Willows. “It’s hard,” she admitted, “but having that overlap keeps me focused and helps the brand evolve.” 

Still, visibility remains one of her biggest obstacles. She spends countless hours shooting content, managing collaborations, and growing the brand’s online presence. “The hardest part has been getting the brand out there and having people discover us,” she said.

Abramson has leaned on social media to build awareness, with Instagram, TikTok and pop-up markets driving most of her exposure.

Looking into the future, Abramson sees Lions & Willows growing beyond swimwear with hats, claw clips, cover-ups and a men’s swim line. 

Lions & Willows wants to create swimwear for everyone, but is having trouble reaching everyone. Abramson follows her business mantras to push past that doubt and create a one-of-a-kind sustainable swimwear brand.

“Be confident in yourself and your idea,” Abramson said. “You’re the only one who can make your vision come to life.”

Lions & Willows is the result of Abramson’s persistence and purpose. What started as a concept has evolved into a brand with momentum, proving that even small ideas can grow into something lasting when treated with conviction and care.

Nikki Pindor has your attention

Talia Gorelick
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Nikki Pindor has your attention

Everyone who scrolls on TikTok knows Nikki Pindor. At least, everyone thinks they do. She’s a freshman who accidentally killed her dorm fish, cooked for frat boys just to watch the comments explode and posts viral, cringey “Get Ready With Me” videos. 

She calls it trolling and her comment section calls it a train wreck. Either way, her strategy to get famous is working, and it might just be genius.  

In just a month, Pindor went from “irrelevant” to unavoidable, the kind of campus celebrity who can’t leave her dorm room without ending up on YikYak, a social media app where users can make anonymous posts. And the kicker? She’s already making five figures a month while doing it. 

“Song promos go for like $400,” Pindor said, shrugging. “Just for putting it in the background of a video.” Add brand deals, collabs and a manager she casually met at a house party, and suddenly she’s on her way to graduating debt-free. 

How did Pindor troll her way to making $20k a month without losing her GPA or her mind?

Pindor didn’t wait long to test the waters. In her first week on campus, she was like any other freshman. By the second week, she was all over TikTok. 

“I started posting general UMiami content,” Pindor explained. A TikTok about “Pancakes with Pat” got her on people’s Tik Tok For You pages immediately. Then came the infamous fish video. By the third week of classes, people were stopping her in the Mahoney-Pearson dorms for photos. 

“I post controversial stuff once in a while,” Pindor said. “If I want to get an extra boost, I’ll post some ragebait. And those always work.” 

She knows exactly when to stir things up, and it never fails.

“The frat cooking video was pure ragebait,” Pindor said. “I knew people would get mad, and it worked.” The clip showed her cooking alone in a frat house kitchen, sparking mixed reactions online from students who called it cringe and embarrassing. “Yes, I was there alone. Yes, that’s true. But like, I cooked for myself,” she said.

Then came another viral stunt. Pindor made it look like she was flashing her way into a club by lifting her shirt in front of bouncers in a TikTok video. But she really revealed another shirt she had underneath that read, “I heart bouncers.” 

“Honestly, it was kind of a social experiment,” she said. “I wanted to see how bouncers would react — and it worked, I got in.”

But not everyone found it funny. The clip spread fast, earning her a meeting with the dean after someone reported it to the University. 

“I got a bunch of backlash for that one,” Pindor said. “People thought I was actually flashing them.” 

On YikYak, posts debated whether she’d crossed a line. Some posts defended her, others tore her apart. As always, she brushed it off and kept posting.

What makes Nikki so watchable isn’t just the chaos of her videos, it’s her stamina. She posts herself coming home at 5 a.m. on school nights and still making it to her 8 a.m. lectures. It’s not a one off either, she does this multiple times a week, leaving everyone wondering when she studies or sleeps.

Pindor’s schedule itself has become part of the spectacle: nights that stretch until sunrise, mornings in Cox, TikToks dropping every few hours and a flood of brand emails to answer between classes. Even her finances have become a subplot. 

She’s already putting cash into index funds, bonds and bitcoin thanks to some investment advice she got from reddit.

While the money is good now, she isn’t betting her future on it. 

“Obviously, I’m going to stick with school. Because anything on social media comes to an end,” Pindor said. “I need stability, so I’m going to stick with something I know will provide me with a stable career in the long term.” 

That commitment aligns with her 4.85 high school GPA, seven advanced placement courses and top exam scores.

Pindor is chaotic, exhausting and undeniably impressive and maybe that’s why people can’t look away.

Pindor is pulling off what every UM student dreams of: steady paychecks, passing grades and a social life that never leaves South Beach. Of course, the same things that make her viral, also make her vulnerable. 

Most of us can wander into the dining hall for a snack between classes and vanish into the crowd. Pindor can’t. If she steps inside, someone is bound to snap a picture. 

“I literally put on sunglasses and tied my hair back once, just to get a cup of fruit,” Pindor said. “Six minutes later, I was on YikYak with the caption, ‘You can’t hide from us.’”

She’s good at laughing it off, but the attention can still feel suffocating. 

“I feel self-conscious everywhere I go now,” Pindor said. She still appreciates the positive interactions. “I love when people are nice and come up – that’s nice, that’s fun. But sometimes they’re not.” 

At a frat party, two girls shouted at her to get out. On YikYak, strangers speculate about her love life, even posting a blurry zoomed in photo of her walking with her manager and calling it a date. 

“It wasn’t a date,” Pindor said, laughing. “I was literally going to a meeting.” Moments like that are constant reminders that being Nikki means living under a microscope. 

Even wilder was the rumor that she’d been blacklisted from medical school. 

“I’m like 99% sure I’m not actually blacklisted,” she said. “It was just a Yik Yak rumor. At first, I totally panicked but then some actual doctors messaged me like, ‘Girl, med schools don’t blacklist college freshmen unless you commit a crime or something.’”

Even so, the idea that real adults might be watching was a wake-up call. 

“It’s kind of scary realizing that people on the medical board might be seeing my videos,” she admitted. 

Pindor takes all of these negative comments in stride. 

“Even if you’re the kindest person out there, you’re still gonna have to deal with rumors and hate. You just have to be mentally strong,” she said. “It comes with the platform.”

That strength is what carried Nikki through the chaos. The 5 a.m. nights, the YikYak rumors and constant eyes on her. It’s what makes her more impossible to scroll past. Whatever comes next, one thing is certain: everyone at UM will be watching. 

Fact and fiction: how often biopics get it wrong

Lazaro Chavez
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Fact and fiction: how often biopics get it wrong

A biopic, a movie about a real person,  is one of the most fascinating genres of film. They are meant to tell real stories and  also be entertaining enough for audiences. But reality will often be bent to tell the story the “Hollywood way.” 

In trying to do things the “Hollywood way”, these films often distort the truth in the stories they tell, moving things around or even completely making things up. The creative minds behind them will do this in order to fit a narrative arc, whether that be getting to a star’s top hit or most important moment from their life, which undermines historical accuracy and can sometimes spoil what fans know of the celebrities they love.

One of the most notable examples of how biopics may alter details  from Dexter Fletcher’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The film takes several liberties with the timeline of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury’s life and the band itself. The film depicted Mercury’s diagnosis of HIV prior to the iconic 1985 Live Aid performance. He was actually diagnosed two years later in 1987. The decision is not only  historically inaccurate but also added drama to  Mercury’s performance, fighting the same disease he is advocating awareness for. 

Some fans also criticized the film for its portrayal of Mercury’s sexuality for focusing on his relationship with Mary Austin. Fans argue T and I would too, that the film doesn’t paint the full picture behind one of rock’s biggest icons. 

A film that was truthful and entertaining is Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.” It took the world by storm and made Austin Butler a household name. The film focuses heavily on the problematic history and dramatizes the role of Colonel Tom Parker, which gave the film the necessary umph it needed to be the critical hit it was. Portraying Parker’s discovery of Presley as ‘destiny’ also gave the relationship and fallout between the two even more weight than the real history. However, the  film glosses over Pressley’s controversial relationship with Priscilla, whom he met when she was 14 and he was 24. 

Fans of this genre say that the films are made to entertain, not inform, which is true. after all, it is all about the business of making money. But when filmmakers alter major events or omit defining struggles, they cross from dramatization to distortion. 

Hollywood biopics are great theater, but they shouldn’t be mistaken for truth. If filmmakers want to tell the “true story,” they owe audiences more honesty than spectacle. If  audiences want to know the real people behind the legends, they’ll have to look beyond the big screen.

From the 305 to the Keys: The ultimate halloween getaway

Balaj Raza
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From the 305 to the Keys: The ultimate halloween getaway

For University of Miami, Halloween weekend isn’t just about costumes and candy. Each year, hundreds of students leave Miami behind for a three-hour drive down to Key West, where the annual Halloweekend has become a college tradition.

Many UM students classify this trip as “The Great Migration.” The trip is more than worth it — it’s a unique experience that combines Fantasy Fest, affordable nightlife and lasting memories with friends. Since my first Key West Halloween trip sophomore year, I’ve returned every year. It’s an experience every UM student should have at least once, as it captures the spirit and excitement of college life.

Most students drive with friends, though carpooling and buses are also common options. Some wealthier students even fly into Key West. Affordable housing for the weekend is available through Airbnbs, hostels or shared hotel spaces, but early planning is key, especially during Fantasy Fest when prices can spike. 

“The hotel rooms do get gouged. That’s the one expensive part,” UM senior Gracie Herberholt said.

“The trip is not a place I would typically consider going to, but it’s a lot more geared toward college students during Halloween,” said Kayla Singer, a senior at UM. “It’s just fun to see everyone you know in a new location.”

Most students spend Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday night in three different, over-the-top costumes for the trip. UM students often begin planning their costumes months in advance, going all out to make each outfit memorable. In the past, I have had three costume changes. From Ken in the ‘Barbie’ movie to Cupid, a vampire or even a TY bear, Halloween is my Coachella and I go all out every year with my costumes.

Key West’s Fantasy Fest brings the island to life with elaborate costumes and street parades. Students are drawn to the festival’s wild energy and the fun. While students may not participate fully in all of Fantasy Fest’s adult-oriented events, the parade and street festivities provide a uniquely immersive Halloween experience. 

Meghan Schorr, a UM senior, said “the unpredictability is part of the appeal. From seeing naked old people to even running into fellow classmates, the surprises are endless.” 

Compared to Miami, Key West offers a more compact but affordable nightlife experience. Drinks cost on average $6 to $10 which is insanely cheaper in comparison to Miami’s outrageous prices. The bars on Duval Street cater to college students, allowing for bar-hopping without long walks or expensive cover charges. 

“It’s literally just all bars, kind of giving a bigger version of Coconut Grove, because it’s all upperclassmen, UM kids are basically just drinking and barhopping,” Herberholt said.

Singer added that prices for drinks are significantly lower than in Miami. “As opposed to Miami’s big clubbing scene, Key West nightlife concentrates on one street of bars. I like that because we can check out different places on the same night. It’s a lot more casual, and you never know what you’ll see.”

For many students, the trip also serves as a mini-vacation from campus life. Leaving behind Miami traffic and crowded clubs, the island offers a laid-back vibe where students can explore a new environment.The journey is also about social bonding. Halloweekend gives students a chance to create memories outside of the university bubble. 

For University of Miami students, making the trip down to Key West for Halloweekend is more than just a weekend escape from the city. It’s a chance to experience Fantasy Fest, enjoy affordable nightlife and create lasting memories with friends. The long journey south proves that, for many, the trip is a Halloween tradition that’s impossible to miss and definitely worth it.

Characters we love to hate, but are the actors to blame?

Damian de la Guardia Dominguez
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Characters we love to hate, but are the actors to blame?

We’ve all seen movies and TV shows where the antagonist is just plain evil. Those are the characters we love to hate, but are the actors to blame? Definitely not. 

An article by Variety says that the official ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ TikTok account published a warning in relation to offensive comments and public death threats made to Gavin Casalengo, the actor who plays Jeremiah Fisher, everyone’s favorite Manchild. Situations like this have been happening for many years now. 

Another infamous case that comes to mind was during the time of ‘Game of Thrones.’ Jack Gleason’s performance as King Joffrey was so impactful that the actor also started to receive death threats related to his iconic performance. This affected the life of the actor for a while. It is scary how hatred toward someone or something unites people. They don’t take into consideration how their reactions and opinions can change someone’s life from one day to the other.  He stopped acting all together for around six years. He returned to acting in a small role in the TV series Out of Her Mind. Now, he is starring in Bryon Hedges’ newest show called House of Guiness.

Anna Gunn published an article in the New York Times talking about her character Skylar White on ‘Breaking Bad.’ She mentions how surprised she felt at the major hatred people were sharing on different social media pages. 

People went to the extreme of creating a Facebook page called “I hate Skylar White.” She mentions that as an actor, she understands that viewers can have different feelings about the way she portrays the characters. Regardless, she is shocked as a person to see how toxic and opinionated people can be towards her character. She went on and won an Emmy for her performance as Skylar White. 

In reality, that’s the life of an actor; to play someone. If you were the antagonist of the story and your character is not liked by the public, you’re probably doing your job correctly. Yet, that doesn’t mean viewers have to get out of their ways and cross the line by publishing backlash and affecting the private lives of those who have the courage to bring these characters to life. 

If it weren’t for these characters, we wouldn’t be clinging to the edge of our seats.

Effortless “not so effortless” style

Damian de la Guardia Dominguez
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Effortless “not so effortless” style

How great would it feel to wake up, throw on the first outfit you see, and look incredible? There are many celebrities, models, friends or family who, no matter what they’re wearing, look so great that it appears effortless. But, is there really such a thing as “effortless” style?

This is a tale as old as time. It has been a topic in the fashion world where people have tried to determine whether it is a real thing or not. The effortless style is more about finding what you are comfortable with and trying out from there, bringing confidence and the “wow” factor to your already great base.

You will never know what suits your vibe until you try it out. Sure, not all the things you are going to try will work, but rest assured that with some time and dedication, you will figure it out. 

A recent article by Vogue’s Daisy Maldonado talks about the myth of effortless style. In the article, fashion writer and analyst Mandy Lee mentions that “the biggest thing you can invest into your personal style is actually time”.  

The “effort” will always be present, mentions Maldonado. Effortless style goes along with how comfortable the clothes suit you.

Effortless style resonates with simplicity. Cathy Kasterin mentions how Pamela Anderson’s style is “pared-back, simple, cool and effortless”. Pamela goes even more on the “simple” and “effortless” look by not wearing any makeup to red carpets or events since 2023. She mentions in a USA Today article that “She is not trying to be the prettiest girl in the room”. By keeping it simple, and feeling free, she embodies the effortless look.


The WSJ’s guide on how men can master the breezy, effortless style tells readers to “Know the difference between effortless and sloppy”. Personally, I think that men’s fashion has evolved a lot through the years. I feel that we want to make it as simple and as easy as possible, yet keeping it cool or unique. Making a white t-shirt and jeans look good has a lot to do with how you wear them; another advice from the WSJ is playing with accessories. Accessorizing with rings and bracelets, tucked in with a belt, glasses and caps or even eye-catching shoes! Those are elements that help the effortless fit. It comes down to cleanliness, respect, and common sense. 

Overall, the idea of effortless style is finding what you feel suits you the best and always incorporating something different. Taking time and trying different styles will help meet that “effortless” version of you. So, what are you waiting for; go out there and don’t be afraid to bring 15 items of clothing to the fitting room! The worst that could happen is that you don’t like it.

Could there be more languages taught at UM?

AveryRose Ames-Karvounis
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Could there be more languages taught at UM?

If UM really wants to be a global university, it shouldn’t just encourage language learning, it should expand it, deepen it and actually teach more of the languages students care about.

Right now, UM’s Department of Modern Languages and Literature offers a diverse array of language courses: you’ve got Spanish and French majors, minors in Arabic and Portuguese and classes in Japanese, German and Haitian Creole. But after that, it seemingly drops off. There are other languages such as Chinese or Italian that come and go, and if you’re interested in something outside of those, you’re essentially on your own. 

That’s where the Directed Independent Language study program comes in. It’s one of UM’s coolest programs, allowing students to study any language that isn’t already offered as a class. The best part is it is completely free of charge and accessible to all with interest. The fact that it even exists shows that students want to learn all kinds of languages: Swahili, Hindi, Persian, you name it. And they are learning them. But why are these only available through independent study? If there’s a demand (and there clearly is as DILS is so popular), why not turn the most popular ones into actual classes? 

I think about Eastern European languages a lot when it comes to this. There’s no class for Serbian, Croatian or Bosnian (even though those are all essentially the same language, just with cultural differences.) It would make so much sense to group them together into one class and build a program that teaches on Slavic culture more broadly. There’s so much history, literature and politics tied to those regions, and it’s barely touched in current coursework. The same goes for languages like Ukrainian, Bulgarian or even Polish. If UM wants to boost global literacy, this could be considered a huge blind spot.

And it isn’t just about adding random electives here and there. language opens up access to culture, politics, and careers. An example would be if you’re a Latin American Studies major, wouldn’t it be cool to study an indigenous language too, not just Spanish? Or if you’re doing Caribbean studies, why not offer electives in local languages like Patois or even French Creole beyond just Haiti? These pairings would make the cultural studies much more immersive and meaningful to the students and their well-roundedness.

UM’s Virtual Immersion Program is a great example of what’s possible in this scenario. It started with Spanish and Portuguese, and now it’s said to expand to include languages like French, Arabic, and Japanese. What’s so amazing about this program is that you get to speak with native speakers over video, and it feels more real than just memorizing vocab and grammar rules. It gives students a space to actively recall and use the information they are learning. This kind of thing should be happening across the board, especially if UM expands the language offerings and wants students to actually use what they’re being taught.

When it comes down to it UM already has the tools, it already has the student interest, and it already has the flexibility to grow. The university just needs to go for it. Adding more in-class language options, especially for underrepresented areas like Eastern Europe, South Asia, or parts of Africa, would make the university feel more connected to the actual global world we live in. Right now, too much of the language learning is happening outside the classroom, and that’s a missed opportunity.

So while UM is doing a decent job, if it wants to be taken seriously as a global university, it’s time to take language learning in classrooms seriously too.

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ misses the mark

Ava Liber
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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ misses the mark

I’ve never been a die-hard Taylor Swift fan, but I’ve always respected her as an artist and a business woman. She’s built a career most musicians can only dream of. 

Even if you don’t love her songs, it’s hard to not admire her talent, drive and influence. That’s why her latest release,  “Life Of A Showgirl” feels a little disappointing. It just doesn’t live up to the creative standard she’s set for herself. 

Taylor’s new album definitely carries the weight of her reputation but falls short of the emotional depth and ambition of her earlier work. While it’s fun in parts, it feels more like background music than something that really sticks with you.

The most glaring issue with the album is the lyrics. Once praised for sharp storytelling and emotional honesty, Swift’s writing here often feels flat and overly self-aware. Songs like “The Fate of Ophelia” and “Ruin the Friendship” try to sound deep but end up feeling dramatic instead of emotional. 

“Wi$h Li$t” has a fun beat, but the lyrics don’t say much. It all feels too polished, like she’s trying too hard to sound perfect instead of honest. 

Beyond the lyrics, the album lacks a clear vision. Swift has previously released projects with bold concepts and meaningful rhythms. 

This time, the record leans into a light, fun mood without pursuing anything deeper. That choice results in an album that entertains at moments but rarely challenges or inspires. 

The inconsistency only adds to the frustration. A few tracks stand out, like “Father Figure,” which features an interpolation of George Micheal’s 1987 hit “Father Figure” and tries to blend pop with self reflection, which is an interesting combo.

 But then you hit songs like “Wood” which leans heavily into synth pop and flirtation. The momentum fizzles out from tack to track. The unevenness makes listening feel jarring. 

For longtime fans, the disappointment hits harder. 

“I’ve been listening to Taylor for years, but this just didn’t land for me,” Gaby Shaw, a UM freshman sports broadcasting major, said. “The lyrics felt lazy and some songs were honestly hard to listen to.”

In the end, the album feels like Swift playing it safe. There are glimpses of what she does best, but not enough to make the album feel special.  For those hoping for another era-defining release, this one may fall short.

Alivia Clark brings her acting charm to Patio Jams

Miguel Escobar
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Alivia Clark brings her acting charm to Patio Jams

Alivia Clark took on the Patio Jams stage with an electric performance full of charisma on Oct. 2. Clark, who grew up in New Jersey has been involved in the entertainment business for as long as she can remember. 

Alivia always had a natural instinct to perform. She first asked her parents as a toddler to sign her up for voice and acting lessons and shortly after she started singing and acting professionally. 

As a child actress, she appeared in shows such as “Saturday Night Live,” “Law and Order,” “Buttons: A Christmas Tale,” and John Oliver’s late night show. 

When it was time to apply to college, Clark had to make a tough choice: should she be an actor or a singer?

“I was faced with this question of having two passions that I loved deeply,” Clark said. “I had no idea how to handle it.”

Clark ultimately decided to attend Chapman University in California and pursue acting route. She quickly realized that the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music was the place where she was meant to be. 

She transferred to the University in her sophomore year for her music career. Clark, now a senior, says it was the best decision she could’ve made.

As an artist, Clark is determined to stay true and authentic to herself through her music. She hopes to be able to create music that makes people feel liberated.

“At the end of the day, what matters to me is just connecting with people through my music,” Clark said. “Whenever I’ve been through a tough time, I’ve always leaned on music.” These moments make Clark fall in love with music again.

Clark’s sound is a mixture of pop, R&B and singer/songwriter. However, she feels that she isn’t limited to a single sound and loves to genre bend and explore different styles based on her mood. She is an innovator who doesn’t put herself in a box. 

Clark said the audiences were in for a real show when she was getting ready for Patio Jams. That is exactly what she delivered. 

The Patio Jams stage felt transformed into the Kaseya Center as Clark sang cult classics such as Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood. Originals such as “Slow” and “Imagine That” also captivated the audience. 
Learn more about Clark and her music by following her social media or listening to her songs out on Spotify. Don’t miss out on starting to follow Alivia Clark.

Banned Books Week at the University of Miami

Ana Sofia Rodriguez-Garcia
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Banned Books Week at the University of Miami

As Banned Books Week returns in full swing at the University of Miami, it’s important to remember its importance in reflecting our freedom of speech. 

Being an avid reader myself, I find that exploring diverse perspectives through literature gives us a unique understanding of our world, while also challenging us to uncomfortable truths. Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that we need to advocate for our rights to read freely. 

UM partnered up with the American Library Association (ALA) to educate people on different books that have been banned. The theme for this year  was “1984,” a book notoriously known for its controversy.

Throughout the week, people had the opportunity to participate in a variety of events hosted by the ALA. These events included panel discussions, readings and workshops that help highlight but also challenge why certain books can provoke emotions of fear and resistance. 

By engaging in discussions like these, readers can better understand the forces that seek to limit our understanding of diverse narratives.

Hollywood’s next actress was just rendered

Alyssa Brown
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Hollywood’s next actress was just rendered

She looks like a movie star, doesn’t age and doesn’t need a lunch break: Hollywood’s ideal girl has officially gone digital.

Tilly Norwood is not a real person. She is created entirely from artificial intelligence (AI) by Dutch comedian and actress Eline Van der Velden. A blend of Ana de Armas, Madison Beer and Emilia Clarke, the social media account Impact described her as the entertainment industry’s “dream actress: ageless, can’t give consent and has no agency.” Van der Velden’s company, Xicoia, presented her at the Zurich Film Festival on Sept. 28.

The announcement that Tilly was about to be signed by a talent agency caused strong online pushback from Hollywood actors like Lucy Hale, Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Abigail Breslin. Many shared the concern that Tilly is sculpted by eurocentric ideals of women to be young, flawless and passive in the face of objectification. One TikTok user, @smartfella, called it a “Black Mirror episode in real life.”

Mara Wilson, star of Matilda, asked in an instagram comment, “What about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn’t hire any of them?”  

Van der Velden has not backed down from her stance that Tilly is a work of art. She posted a statement on Instagram saying, “Creating Tilly has been, for me, an act of imagination and craftsmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role or shaping a performance.”

Tilly Norwood is part of a growing trend of AI-generated influencers and models. Amid the controversy, Van der Velden shared that she intends to create at least 40 AI actors with her company, Xicoia.

“We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman — that’s the aim of what we’re doing,” she stated in an interview.

SAG-AFTRA, an American labor union that represents around 160,000 television and film actors, released this statement: “The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics. To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor- it’s a character generated by a computer program trained on the work of countless professional performers, without permission or compensation.”

In 2023, SAG-AFTRA went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The main cause was studios seeking to scan the images and voices of extras to create digital replicas, which could then be used in future projects without consent or fair compensation. 

It was the longest actors strike against the film and TV studios in Hollywood history, taking place from July 14 to Nov. 9. 

Emily Colyer, freshman at the University of Miami, said, “I thought the entire point of acting is to portray the human experience… It’s bad media and it doesn’t even look good.”

Emily Blunt, British actress, told Variety, “Good Lord, we’re screwed.”

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