Crown Me King blends covers and original work, performing songs like “Kilby Girl” by the Backseat Lovers and their own music, including “Girl I Don’t Know.”

The band features Ben Ostrowski (guitar), Chris Martin (keys, vocals), Ed McGillicuddy (bass), Jacob White (drums), Kevin Lankford (guitar) and Zach Russell (lead vocals). Ostrowski is also a WLOY alum who served as Production Manager and hosted The Power Hour during his time at the station.

We’re always excited to highlight our amazing WLOY alumni! Be sure to check Crown Me King this Saturday and support local music.

The post Crown Me King Live at Zen West first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

SOTW: 

Reviewed by: Ciara McKeon ‘28

Release date: May 1st, 2026

Rating: 7/10

RIYL: Olivia Dean, Ravyn Lenae, RAYE

Review:

The post SOTW: “Material Lover” by Sienna Spiro 050626 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

  AOTW:

Reviewed by: Mia Ciccarelle ‘29

Release Date: January 16, 2026

Rating: 7/10

RIYL: Tate McRae, Billie Eilish

Review: 

Madison Beer, is a young American singer-songwriter who has been making music since the age of 13. She was first discovered on Youtube by Justin Bieber, and his recognition led to a large amount of public attention to Madison’s music, and also earned her a contract with Island Records. Madison has had the struggle of having to prove herself in the music industry to be more than just an internet personality. Her career and its virality, have at times overshadowed people’s seriousness towards her. In 2021, she independently released her debut album “Life Support”, followed by “Silence Between Songs” in 2023. Now, after a few years of quiet, she has released “Locket”, an album of moody pop music.

Locket is an album of emotional confessions and storytelling. It tackles stories of both heartbreak and personal growth. The production is very dramatic and intentional, with beautiful harmonies and vocal layering. The album begins with “locket theme”, an introductory instrumental song that sets the reflective tone of the rest of the songs. The lyrics of songs like “you’re still everything”, are very vulnerable and honest. This album is overall a great listen, especially for studying and rainy days.

The post AOTW: “Locket” by Madison Beer 043026 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Review by: Yukesh Aryal (’28)

Loyolapalooza 2026 ended with a total banger this year, and it was all thanks to Ravyn Lenae. She gave her absolute all on that stage, bringing her signature “celestial” presence to our university. As a fan since 2018, this was a peak experience for me, and I honestly don’t think any other concert will ever match. 

The vibe was high from the start. She opened the set with “Sticky,” which was the perfect choice to get everyone’s energy up. From there, she took us on a journey through her whole career, playing everything from her number one hit, “Love Me Not,” all the way back to her 2015 roots with tracks from “Moon Shoes EP.” Seeing the crowd lose it to “Skin Tight” was also a highlight; the atmosphere was so unexpected, and everyone was just vibing and dancing. 

The moment that really got to me, though, was when she started talking about “One Wish.” I’ve always loved that song but hearing her explain the meaning behind it in person about her on-and-off relationship with her dad and how it felt when he missed her 10th birthday made it hit so much harder. You could see the raw emotion on her face, and listening to it live made me so emotional. It felt like she was sharing a real piece of her soul with us. 

She also kept us on our toes by mentioning her new track “Reputation” with Dominic Fike, which I’m already obsessed with. But the real treat was when she performed a completely unreleased song. The beat, the lyrics, the tone; everything about it was perfect. My friends and I were on our feet the entire time, just swaying and soaking it all in. 

Ravyn is such an amazing artist. Her setlist captured everyone’s attention and brought a vibe to the campus that I’ll never forget. If you weren’t there, you truly missed out on something special. 

The post Loyolapalooza Headliner: Ravyn Lenae first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

SOTW: 

Reviewed by:  Marley Lehmann ‘28

Release date: February 20th, 2026

Rating: 8/10

RIYL:  The Japanese House, Clairo, Faye Webster, Gracie Abrams

Review:

The post SOTW: “Nowhere Alone” by Lia Juno 042926 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

This week, we visited HeARTwares, a Hampden storefront created by Art with a Heart, a nonprofit that has been serving Baltimore for over 25 years through visual art. The shop has been open in Hampden for two years and offers a space where the art of students and community members can be showcased and sold. 

Art with a Heart’s mission is to “enhance the lives of people in need through visual art.” The organization works with children, youth and adults across Baltimore, offering classes and creative programming in schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other community spaces. Each year, they provide 16,000 art classes, install around 40 public art pieces and engage more than 3,000 volunteers. 

HeARTwares extends that mission into a retail space, giving young artists a platform to share and sell their work while connecting with the Baltimore community. Featured in the shop are crochet pieces, ceramics, postcards, painting and more, each reflecting the uniqueness and creativity of the maker. The space also helps ensure proceeds go back to the artists themselves. 

We spoke with Anna Gallahan, Director of Partnerships, who shared how meaningful it is to work in Hampden. She highlighted the neighborhood’s diversity and the opportunity it provides to meet and connect with new people every day. 

Art with a Heart is always looking for volunteers and also offers internship opportunities for high school and college student interested in getting involved. Learn more at https://www.artwithaheart.net/getinvolved/volunteer/. 

The post Explore Baltimore: HeARTwares by Art with a Heart first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Empathy Project Provides Free Goods & Services to Neighbors in Need!

Date:  Saturday, May 2, 2025

Time:  1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location:  29th Street Community Center, 300 E 29th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218

Cost:  Free and open to the public!

Tables of giveaway items, including food, clothing, toiletries, housewares, etc.  DJ Ryan the lion from Magic 95.9. Information, skill share, and resource tables.

The Baltimore Ethical Society (BES) will sponsor a “Mutual Aid Fair” to provide free essential goods and services to community members on May 2nd. The event, enabled by a grant from the American Humanist Association’s Empathy Project, will be from 1:00 to 4:00. at the 29th Street Community Center (300 East 29th St.). The event promotes the idea that “Mutual aid is an act of love”.

BES is joining humanists nationwide responding to “a crisis of cruelty plaguing the country. ” The project is a response to the current administration’s actions that threaten our neighbors’ safety and diminish our collective humanity.  The goal is to demonstrate the power of embracing empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of others) to aid us in combatting hardships where the system has failed.

At the fair attendees will have access to free food, housewares, toiletries, clothing and community resources.  Popular DJ, Ryan da Lion will be providing music to liven up the day. Many local organizations are participating in the fair, including, 29th Street Community Center, Baltimore Abolition Movement, Baltimore Furniture Bank, LetsBMore, Housing Our Neighbors, PSL (Party for Socialism and Liberation), Joy Baltimore, Cooperative Community Development Inc, We Stand for All, So What Else, Samaritan Kitchen,  Standing Strong Mentoring Program, Acupuncture Detox Specialist Collective Baltimore, the Ujiama People’s Progress Party, ICE Watch and Baltimore DSA.

This Empathy Project is hosted by the Baltimore Ethical Society. (BES). Our main hostess, Raven Lane is our public relations chair. Raven has over ten years experience of organizing giveaways. BES is a humanist congregation that believes in the worth and dignity of each individual and is committed to working together to create a more just, humane, and peaceful world. It’s tenet that we bring out the best in ourselves by bringing out the best in others expresses the power of empathy.  The Society holds regular Sunday morning meetings which feature a variety of speakers and engages in numerous “ethical action” projects in the community. Anyone interested in learning more about BES can visit us at bmorethical.org.

Contact Information:

Raven Lane: Phone Number – (443-297-2676), Email- publicrelations@bmorethical.org

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SOTW: “All Rabbits Die Alone” by hauntingclaire

Reviewed by:  Sylvia J. Gredzinski ‘27

Release date: February 27th, 2026

Rating: 8/10

RIYL:  KidSnorlax, Whatsaheart, 6arelyhuman

Review:

“All Rabbits Die Alone” by hauntingclaire is a track that conveys intimate feelings of self-discovery. Do not let the title throw you off, the song is not as intense or gruesome as the title presents. Instead of leaning into anything overwhelming or harsh, the artist presents a song that is deeply reflective of their trouble in finding purpose in life. Hauntingclaire sings about a constant loop of being stuck in the same routine. The song uses symbolism to depict themes of helplessness and the search for meaning in life. Using the “rabbit” as a metaphor for one’s self, and telling the listener it is laying “flat on its back” to describe the inevitable ending of life. Later singing the line “enjoy all of this while you can, it won’t stay for long” the artist represents a sense of urgency in achieving something. The song describes a self-destructive fate even while hoping for an opposite outcome. The sound of the song is a constant build of electronic components until it reaches the chorus of the song which is pretty upbeat in comparison to what the lyrics suggest. These electronic components are one of my favorite things about hauntingclaire’s music

Hauntingclaire is a songwriter and producer based in the United States. Their music falls somewhere between the emo/hyperpop and dark wave genres. Hauntingclaire started making music at a very early age on GarageBand, taking inspiration from artists like Teen Suicide, Lil Peep, and osquinn. They started taking their music more seriously after discovering the hyperpop genre which later progressed into releasing a multitude of songs under the names, yoxxie, w6lker, and now hauntingclaire. They have also collaborated with artists like 6arelyhuman and syris. This artist has mentioned that their songs “destroy me”, “inhuman” and “hollow” are a perfect representation of the sound they are wanting to create; which are also great listens if you enjoy this kind of genre of music. Hauntingclaire has been one of my top artists for a few years now, and I am really excited to be able to highlight their music in this week’s SOTW. I highly recommend checking out more of their music. 

The post SOTW: “All Rabbits Die Alone” by hauntingclaire 042126 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

The Last Arrival consists of members: Chris, Sam, Patrick, Michael and Edward. With Chris on guitar and backup vocals, Sam on drums, Patrick on guitar and vocals, Michael on piano and Edward on bass.

We are excited to announce The Last Arrival will open for Ravyn Lenae at Loyolapalooza on Sunday, April 26, 2026!

The post The Last Arrival Performance 041826 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

We started off with The Mid-Morning Morning Show at Maryland Circle, with hosts Daniel Carter ’26 and Thomas Gatto ’26 spinning live vinyl and hosting giveaways with our vinyl prize wheel. We had tons of winners throughout the morning, thank you to everyone who stopped by and joined the fun!

Friday morning, we hosted a staff show from 10-11 a.m. featuring Yukesh Aryal ’28, Daniel Carter ’26 and Sylvia Gredzinski ’27. The celebration continued with tabling outside the station and some amazing giveaways, including merch and vinyl from Celebrated Summer Records in Hampden. Shoutout to our winners Jorge Sacasa, Conner Sciullo and Maddox Jones!

Throughout both days we were especially excited to welcome back several WLOY alumni to the studio. On Friday Mike Vuoto ’11 returned with his Frampton-friendly 2 hour live show, while Eddie Fine ’24 (M.A.) ran his Retro Rocking Road Show all vinyl for 2 hours as well. Saturday saw Ray Infuzzi ’88 and the former hosts of Dayao Bros Knows, Phil ’14 and Michael Dayao ’16, returned to record and reconnect, making this year’s Vinylthon even more special. Also thanks to DJ Craven at Stardust Records on Light Street for creating a banging 1 hour special for Record Store Day.

The post Vinylthon 2026 Recap first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

The post Vinylthon Day 2 Schedule first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Owner Tony previously worked at Reptilian Records, and when it closed, he was inspired to open his own shop and continue to share his love of music. The store is named after the song Celebrated Summer, reflecting that same personal connection to music’s influence. Celebrated Summer Records is meant to be a no-judgement space where customers can explore music freely without feeling pressured or intimidated. The shop has something for everyone, with jazz, indie, local artists and much more.

In recent years, Tony has also noticed a shift in the shop’s customer base, with more younger listeners becoming interested in vinyl. This reflects the broader resurgence of records and the way new generations continue to engage with physical music media.

Beyond its record selection, the shop features walls filled with band posters, a variety of merchandise including a cassette vending machine, and a listening booth where visitors can play records before purchasing. All of this builds the distinct personality and welcoming atmosphere of the shop.

Celebrated Summer Records will also be participating in Record Store Day on April 18, featuring a special collaboration with Snail Mail, who will appear as a guest employee during the day. At 11 a.m., the limited-edition Snail Mail x Celebrated Summer Records vinyl will be available in store!

The post Explore Baltimore: Celebrated Summer Records first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

From 10am – 1pm, Mid-Morning Morning Show will be live at Maryland Hall Circle with prizes and plenty of vinyl spinning!

The post Vinylthon Day 1 Schedule first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Keep an eye out for this weekends Vinylthon activities on campus:

On Friday, April 17, The MidMorning Morning Show will be tabling in Maryland Circle from 10AM – 1PM, spinning live vinyl and hosting giveaways with our prize wheel.

Then on Saturday, April 18, we will be set up outside the station from 12PM-5PM with more giveaways and records. You don’t want to miss it!

The post Vinylthon 2026 – April 17-18, 2026 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

AOTW: “campthehills” by campthehills

Reviewed by: Ciara McKeon ’28

Release Date: February 27, 2026

Rating: 10/10

RIYL: The Hellp, BETWEEN FRIENDS, Bassvictim

Review: 

This self-titled, 8-track album by campthehills is honestly such an incredible release. The artist has only really surfaced within the past year and has already been putting out so much great music. A lot of newer artists take time to find their sound, but campthehills already feels like they’ve built a real identity and style for themselves.

The music itself has this really immersive, late-night feel that pulls you in right away. Tracks like “armed & ready,” “lighters,” “broke,” and “scorn” help create this reflective, slightly restless atmosphere that carries through the whole project. I especially like how the album flows so naturally from track to track and keeps a consistent vibe without making everything sound the same.

Overall, this feels like such a strong project from a newer artist who’s really starting to make a name for themselves, and it makes me excited to keep following what they do next.

Definitely give campthehills a listen if you haven’t yet.

The post AOTW: “campthehills” by campthehills 041626 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Known for its punk, jazz and local artist collections, this spot is a Baltimore staple. Owner Tony loves collecting vinyl and sharing his love for music with the Baltimore community.

The post Celebrated Summer Records first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

 SOTW:

Reviewed by:  Mia Ciccarelle ‘29

Release date: February 20th, 2026

Rating: 7/10

RIYL: Doechii, SZA

Review:

Rahema Shifa Alameda is an emerging alternative rock artist, born 1999 in Ethiopia. She was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, to strict parents who were very stern about the music she listened to. So, she began writing music behind her parents’ back, and released her first song, “Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows” in 2020. Her music is mainly discovered through her promotion on TikTok, and earned her a deal with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2024. In February of 2026, she released “Broken Record,” after many teasers on TikTok.

Alemeda’s song is a very “weird” punk rock song that is expressive of her vibes and personality. She leans into her signature edgy and weird vibes of her songs, which is what sets her apart from other artists. The song begins with her doing a vocal warm up of meows, which some listeners criticize in the comment section of her promotions. Although, it is a part of her staple of doing odd things, and does a great job grabbing listeners attention. The rest of the song is a very high energy alternative rock/punk anthem, with vulnerable lyrics. It is an interesting contrast in her music to have such emotional lyrics with such a high energy beat behind it. This song is a great listen if you like funky yet emotional rock music!

The post SOTW: “Broken Record” by Alemeda 041426 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

When: Thursday, April 30, 2026

Time: 5-7 PM

Where: 421 Fallsway, Baltimore, MD 21202

This gallery-style exhibition will feature artwork created by clients of Health Care for the Homeless, offering a meaningful opportunity to connect with artists and hear the stories behind their work.

The event is free and open to all, with refreshments provided. Select pieces will also be available for purchase.

WLOY Loyola Radio will be there providing live music throughout the evening, and we hope to see you there!

The post Health Care for the Homeless 2026 Art Show first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Acoustic Category

Winner: Matteo Puglisi

Runner-Up: Hazel Osborne

Electric Category

Winner: The Aliens

Runner-Up: Psychedelia

Songwriter Skirmish took over McGuire Hall on April 9th, bringing together 12 solo and duo acts for a night of live music! Performing in two categories, acoustic and electric, each performer brought their unique talents and style to the stage.

Thank you to everyone who performed and came out to support! We’re so grateful for an amazing night of music and support.

The post Songwriter Skirmish 2026 Winners first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

This week, we visited Milagro, a Hampden boutique that has been part of the community for 22 years. The shop is a global boutique, carrying goods inspired by pieces all around the world. Milagro focuses on supporting small artist collectives and women creators. 

The inspiration behind Milagro came from the owner’s travels, especially places like Mexico and Japan. That influence is reflected throughout the store today. From screen-printed clothing to jewelry, and even the furniture, nearly everything in the shop is made by hand. 

We spoke with Nikki, a Loyola alum and key member of the Milagro team, whose energy immediately stood out. She shared that working in Hampden feels especially meaningful to her, since her family has roots in the neighborhood. Being part of the shop allows her to stay connected to that history while also watching how the area has grown over time and become more diverse. 

Nikki loves all the unique products carried by Milagro and pointed out several of her favorites. The dresses are her absolute favorite for one simple reason, they all have pockets! Small details like that reflect the intentionality behind each piece and what makes Milagro so unique. 

The post Explore Baltimore: Milagro first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.