Juliana Phan

A&E 11/16/21 11:29pm

Review: ‘Red’ breaks records, hearts

By Juliana Phan

We witnessed “Red’’ begin again on Nov. 12 as Taylor Swift released “Taylor’s Version,” her second re-recorded album. Swift started re-releasing her music with “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” in April of this year in an ongoing effort to reclaim the rights to her music. While Swift has publicly expressed disappointment and frustration with the conflict over the ownership rights of her first six albums as an artist, her re-recordings have opened opportunities for milestones in her career and the music industry as a whole. 

A&E 9/21/21 10:46pm

Rice returns to in-person theater

By Juliana Phan

From canceled shows to Zoom rehearsals and socially distanced performances, theatre students and faculty at Rice have spent the past year adapting to the shifting restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. When COVID-19 forced students back home during Cole Thompson’s freshman year, they had the chance to witness first-hand some of the initial attempts at remote theater at Rice. Thompson, a Martel College junior, said that the student-written show they were involved in got converted into a radio play, and that they continued to participate in remote theater productions the following year. 

NEWS 9/7/21 10:07pm

Guest swipe program donations to return this semester

By Juliana Phan

The Guest Meal Swipe Donation program will return to Rice this semester as a collaborative effort between the Student Association, Student Success Initiatives and Housing and Dining. The program allows undergraduates with a Type A meal plan, required for all on-campus students, to donate some or all of their five meal guest swipes to off-campus students facing food insecurity. 

A&E 4/13/21 11:26pm

Review: Taylor Swift reclaims her artistry with re-recorded album “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”

By Juliana Phan

Fans got their first taste of Taylor Swift’s re-recorded album, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” when a snippet of “Love Story” was used in Ryan Reynolds’ Tinder commercial last December. The full album was released on April 9 and includes remastered versions of every song from the platinum edition of Swift’s 2008 album, “Fearless,” along with six unreleased songs “from the vault” that were cut from the original project. The re-release is largely unchanged from the original in terms of her familiar vocals on fan-favorite singles like “You Belong With Me.” Still, the album epitomizes the singer-songwriter’s artistic growth over the past decade and serves as the first step to Swift regaining ownership of her music, making “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” a worthwhile listen for returning fans and new listeners alike.  

A&E 11/17/20 11:04pm

Chaus brews up new Espresso Yourself events

By Juliana Phan

Rice Coffeehouse will revive its Espresso Yourself programming with a virtual artist spotlight series and an open mic event this Friday, Nov. 20 in front of the Moody Center for the Arts. The spotlight series will feature a Rice student’s artwork for one to two months via the Coffeehouse Instagram account, @eychaus — the first spotlighted artist is Sid Richardson College junior Sumin Hwang. This week’s open mic will also be the first of many which Espresso Yourself, led by Baker College junior Magdah Omer, plans to host once every semester.  

A&E 10/6/20 9:56pm

Rice Theatre to livestream first socially distanced production

By Juliana Phan

Rice Theatre will premiere a livestreamed performance of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” this Friday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. CST. The play, originally published in 1895 with the subtitle, “a trivial comedy for serious people,” narrates the double lives of two men, John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who both pretend to be named “Ernest” and deceive their lovers in doing so. Directed by Christina Keefe, director of the Rice Theatre Program, the production will be available to view online as well as to a select live audience who must abide by Rice’s social distancing protocol. All actors will be wearing masks and remaining at least six feet apart on stage, painting a stark portrait of how the pandemic has changed performance art. 

A&E 9/15/20 9:29pm

Houston’s Third and Fifth Wards designated new cultural districts

By Juliana Phan

The Texas Commission on the Arts designated Houston’s Third and Fifth Wards as cultural districts on Sept. 3. Home to historical landmarks, cultural diversity and notable figures in education, music, politics and art, these neighborhoods have played an influential role both in Houston and the Black community at-large.