In Praise of the Extra Mile

Do you watch the Olympics? We found a new appreciation for the games and watch competitions whenever we can. I miss a bit of the serendipity of earlier times, when you watched whatever came on TV instead of selecting coverage from a menu. On the other hand, the footage from drones chasing after the athletes is spectacular.

And the drama! We freed our schedule and managed to watch Ilia Malinin’s free skate live as his much-anticipated quadruple axel became a single. We felt for him in his disappointment, but there was also beauty in the failure: he showed that even at this level, athletes are still human.

A couple of weeks ago, we discovered these relaxing daytime DJ mixes on YouTube. As it often happens on the internet, there is an entire subculture around these videos and a seemingly endless supply of them.

Last Monday, we watched Ana Hagen DJing in a gallery in Buenos Aires. We were reminded of our own visits to the city: cool-looking people (predominantly male) hanging out in a fancy place and chilling to the music.

Remarkably, Ana DJ’d with two turntables rather than the now-ubiquitous digital Pioneer rig, which made the performance slower and more deliberate.

I don’t know much about DJing or how much vinyl versus digital affects the audience experience. It sure does for the DJ: instead of slipping a thumb drive into her pocket, Ana needed to fill a crate and then somehow carry it to the venue (boxes of records get heavy quickly, as we know from moving apartments). She flipped through the records, knew where the desired track was, and dropped the needle at the right spot rather than just scrolling through a playlist.

Eschewing the convenience that technology provides for the love of the process is becoming increasingly important to enjoy creativity. We are reaching the point where any result can be achieved with just a prompt. Someone who, like Ana Hagen, goes the extra mile for a performance is much appreciated.

Cover Song of the Week: Jessie’s Girl

Rick Springfield’s classic 80s jealousy tale has little drama: probably, Rick is over his nameless crush in a day or so; after all, who would risk a good friendship over a girl? Manchester-via-New Jersey Robin Koob, aka Run Remedy, adds intensity by stripping away all that 80s pop-rock swagger. In her version, conflict and heartbreak loom.

Five Songs

Listen to glamglare five songs on Spotify, or Apple Music.

These aren’t the songs you’d typically expect from us. But sometimes it’s good to step slightly outside your own lane, especially when Italy is calling. With the Olympics in full swing in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Sanremo Music Festival heading toward its February 28 finale, the country feels impossible to ignore right now.

Last year, when Oliver and I were invited to a special Sanremo youth event in New York, we saw firsthand how a new generation of artists is stepping into Italy’s rich melodic tradition — not by copying it, but by reshaping it.

These five songs capture that same spirit.

• Settembre’s “Andoti” — loosely, “you left” — moves with quiet intensity, proving less can say more.
• Alex Wyse gives “Notte Stupida” a polished, late-night glow.
• Maria Tomba’s “Goodbye (voglio good vibes)” chooses joy without losing edge.
• Vale LP and Lil Jolie make “Dimmi Tu Quando Sei Pronto Per Fare L’Amore” — “Tell Me When You’re Ready to Make Love” — feel fearless and intimate.
• CLARA’s “Uragani,” Hurricanes, build like a storm you don’t mind standing in.

These young Sanremo voices carry Italy’s gift for melody into the present, balancing tradition with a fresh, emotionally open pop sensibility.

Song Pick of the Day

Listen to all seven songs on YouTube, or follow our daily updated Song Pick playlists on YouTube, Apple Music2, or Spotify3.

• cruush - “Great Dane”
• HAPPY LANDING - “Radiate”
• Emika - “Download Into You”
• Quarters - “Radio Silence”
• Art School Girlfriend - “Doing Laps”
• Opal Mag - “World End”
• Moniah - “Love You Twice”

We publish one Song Pick of the Day every day. You can subscribe to receive them by email.

Winter Light on Broadway

Downtown Manhattan felt almost cinematic on Monday. After too long a stretch of freezing cold, with sun only sporadically, it finally showed up again — brushing the old, tall buildings along Broadway in that particular winter light that makes everything look sharper and softer at the same time.

We were heading to Wagner Park to relax by the waterfront, with a bit of sunset, a bit of pause.

Nine photos. Just buildings, light, and the simple joy of being out there again.

Enjoy!