Impact Magazine

Boyband icon turned solo Coachella headliner, Harry Styles, has been praised since 2010 for his effortless easing into the ‘rockstar’ lifestyle of fame, with comparisons to the likes of Mick Jagger consistently drawn. 2022 saw Styles return with his third solo album, titled ‘Harry’s House’, and, akin to the name, it can definitely be defined as a more personable and mature look into the inner workings of the singer’s thoughts, particularly when compared to his previous projects. Amrit Virdi revi

Alex Duke caught up with singer and TikTok sensation Michael Aldag to discuss how he got into the music industry and the platform TikTok has given him and his music. It was a quiet, overcast Friday morning when Michael Aldag, a singer and TikTok personality, joined me for a chat over Zoom. Having been a fan of both his music and his social media content, it was initially strange seeing the face that appeared so often on my for you page speaking directly to me. Yet, the witty and energetic chara

Carlton Operatic Society’s production of Shrek The Musical is an all-singing, all-dancing comedy adaptation from Dreamwork’s Shrek. Nottingham Theatre Royal was buzzing with excitement before the spectacular show, and it certainly did not disappoint. Izzy Hunter reviews. Having seen the West End production nearly 10 years ago, I entered the theatre with some expectations about how the night would pan out, but I was blown away by the professionalism of Carlton Operatic Society. The similarities

Amrit Virdi shares her thoughts on Wise Children’s clever adaptation of Wuthering Heights as it comes to Nottingham’s Theatre Royal from 26th – 30th April. With Wuthering Heights being a well-known classic from Romantic author Emily Brontë, and one of my favourite novels, I had to take the opportunity to see Wise Children’s take on the story at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal. With it being quite an intense plot, complicated at times, I was intrigued as to how this would be translated onstage, parti

Channel 4’s documentary Jeremy Kyle Show: Death on Daytime analysed the consequences of one of the UK’s most popular reality TV shows – most recently, the suicide of Steve Dymond in May 2019. When a guest takes their life just a week after filming, for a show that repeatedly faced criticism over its unethical nature, we should be urged to investigate the roots of the issue, as clearly changes need to be made. There has long been controversy surrounding famous reality TV shows. Urmi Pandit explor

With millions of innocent Ukrainian civilians displaced from their homes and normal lives, it is vital that the rest of the world do whatever they can to show support for those families who are suffering, and provide as much care as possible. As a student, you may often feel helpless as you are limited in finances and power, or perhaps you just don’t know where to start. So, Urmi Pandit has compiled a list of ways in which students, in particular, can do their bit to help the situation in Ukrain

Contemporary, female-led R&B music promotes empowerment, confidence and femininity. This is achieved through the messages of self-love and self-worth championed by certain talented women who dominate the genre. There have been many influential female R&B artists over the years who have created recognisable, popular anthems that I’m sure you’ll have heard. So, ranging from the late ‘90s, to the 2000s, and finally to the modern music scene, here are my top ten picks of some of the best songs withi

Burnley bred five-piece, The Goa Express, approach the industry with an air of assurance as their friendship and love for music seamlessly unites them. Amrit Virdi chatted with vocalist James Clarke as the band prepare to head out on tour. ‘’We were all into music and decided it got a bit boring just listening to it, so we started to do it ourselves,’’ Clarke reveals in relation to the band’s origins. Clarke and his brother Joe who became the keyboardist for the band met the other members, Joey

A play about a group of school kids taking their A Levels in Stockport turns dark when mixed with raging hormones and exam stress. Nottingham New Theatre’s performance of Simon Stephens Punk Rock had the audience on the edge of their seats throughout. Isabelle Hunter reviews. ”You have to see this play,” is what I told my housemates after seeing Punk Rock at the NNT. I came away gasping for air whilst laughing and crying; an undeniably incredible production that left every audience member shaki

With March being International Women’s History Month, the Impact Features team reflects on the women who inspire us. From musical icons to best friends to political figures, these women have inspired for their resilience, their humanity and their intellect. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bernadine Evaristo’s work, I recommend that you pick up a copy of her book Girl, Woman, Other today. She is the first black women to win the Booker prize with that novel, and I enjoyed reading it so

Following the surreal success of their debut album reaching Number 2 in the UK charts after the intense graft the band have put in playing shows all over the world to put their name on the map, Yard Act are well and truly making their, very British, mark on the industry. As they embark on tour following the announcement of their 2022 Coachella set, Amrit Virdi caught up with the band for Impact. “I love the backdrop,” guitarist Sam Shjipstone muses as I tune into the Zoom call with my fairy-lig

After their acoustic gig at Rough Trade in Nottingham to celebrate the release of their debut album ‘Better With You,’ Isabelle Hunter sat down with Daniel McCarthy from KAWALA to discuss their current record store tour, musical inspirations, and favourite tracks from the album. Buzzing from just finishing their acoustic gig at Rough Trade, McCarthy started by telling me their schedule for the record store tour, explaining they’ve performed at two or three different venues per day. Despite bein

On March 9th, Alfie Templeman took to the stage at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms, and brought the energy of indie-pop to life. Despite his young age, and being open about his struggles with anxiety, his stage presence was unmatchable as he seamlessly worked with his band to give a new lease of life to his feel-good discography. He transferred his infectious energy to the eager audience, which Amrit Virdi was a part of, as she shares her thoughts on the show. Arriving at Rescue Rooms early, I was luc

KAWALA are a British indie-folk band, formed in 2017 when Jim Higson (vocals) and Daniel McCarthy (vocals and guitar) met as students in Leeds. From then on, the band expanded with Reeve Coulson on bass, Dan Lee on electric guitar and Ben Batten on drums. On March 7th, the group performed an acoustic set in Nottingham’s Rough Trade to celebrate the release of their debut album ‘Better With You.’ Isabelle Hunter Reviews. Upon entering the venue, I knew this would be a show to remember. From firs

Tensions in Eastern Europe have heightened rapidly over the past few months, with the Russian military conducting self-prescribed drills within areas close to the Ukrainian border. Outlining recent developments, Ben explains troop movements and some history.

For one weekend only, Musicality’s production of the dystopian Urinetown: The Musical is live at the glamourous Nottingham Arts Theatre. This production is sure to raise a few hairs on the back of your neck, but is it Musicality’s powerhouse performance, or just the nippy theatre interior bringing audiences out in a shiver? Big-coat-owner Tim Ovenden wagers his thoughts. Despite a frankly off-putting title, Urinetown: The Musical rarely stains its audience with toilet humour (for better or wors

The Millennium Garden is on-track to lose a long-time resident after a tree sustained damage following poor weather conditions. Reporting on the future of this inconspicuous tree, Ben explains what is being planned by the University.

Time and time again, we see women’s achievements in the music industry belittled and undermined. Amrit Virdi delves into the most recent example of Damon Albarn (inaccurately) criticising Taylor Swift’s songwriting approach. Lead singer of Blur and Gorillaz, Damon Albarn has made a name for himself in the industry, winning 5 Brit Awards with Blur and being nominated twice as a solo artist. That is why his controversial comments about songwriting in a recent interview with the LA Times were so s

Whether you’re singular or a mingler this Valentine’s Day, Tim Ovenden propounds you read on. A question will be asked: sex scenes – yay or no way? One thing’s clear, this could get racy. Picture the scene. You’re sat around the box with the fam tucking into a hot, new drama. It’s an engaging watch and good fun is being had by all, when suddenly two characters start kissing. ‘Get your kegs off,’ someone might say. Then off the onscreen kegs fly, so you all hastily avert your eyes and wait for t

Although some music fans have long been keen to disregard indie as an individual music genre and instead see it, in its plainest sense, as a classification for music produced independently, indie has largely held a position distinct from the popular. Arguably, indie music was most prominent in the public eye in the nineties with the likes of industry giants Oasis and Blur, but it seems we might have been witnessing its mainstream revival in recent times. Rhianna Greensmith explores this topic fo

Upon the upcoming release of Liverpool-based SPINN’s second studio album, ‘Outside Of The Blue’, Amrit Virdi chatted to frontman Johnny Quinn about the band’s beginnings and future, musical influences and introspective songwriting. To start with, how did you meet and what brought you together as a band? Honestly, I met Sean in Urban Outfitters so maybe an interest in somewhat overpriced vintage wear is what brought us two together. Louis and Luke on the other hand I met through music; Louis at

We begin our rewind on January 4th 2021, when Johnson announced a third national lockdown – something that everyone had seen coming over the last weeks of 2020 with both the covid infection and death rates soaring. A stunning way to start off the new year. Perhaps I am remiss in saying that everyone saw the lockdown coming, as it seemed like the entirety of the government was in the dark, with Johnson announcing on the 3rd of January that children should be sent to school as usual on the follow

Amrit Virdi ranks and reviews the discography of Ariana Grande. From her roots as a Nickelodeon star to becoming one of the most famous names in pop, I have been a fan of Ariana Grande since her ‘Victorious’ days, and her music has defined my teenage years. As her discography evolves, with her experimenting in R&B on her latest records, I thought now was an apt moment to reflect on her releases so far. Grande’s debut album, ‘Yours Truly’ is quintessential pop at its finest – and I simply only