my january rewind and news stories you should read this month
survived the longest month of all time and read a lot of good books <3
Hello Tamia Talkers! Happy Sunday! Thank God, it’s February. I truly do not think I could bear more January energy. the past month was soooo beyond exhausting for a multitude of reasons. I desperately needed to enter a new month to refresh and reclaim my peace.
Despite the drag of the past month’s 31 days, I spent a significant bit of my time doing as I do, consuming the culture of the moment. Since I think we all have been inundated with breaking news alerts, I am keeping it kinda light in the news category and saving my biggest batches of reflective prose (lol) for the books and shows of the month.
Hope you enjoy this rewind and please give me some recommendations for February!
It’s Black History Month, so I will prioritizing my people above all other things :)
I look forward to diving into some historical fiction, documentary moments and the like.
Ok, let’s rewind!
in the news
Keke Palmer’s Greatest Role Is Herself: There is not a corner or crevice of the media landscape that KeKe Palmer has not conquered. From film to TV to podcasts to music, the girl is all over the charts entertaining the masses with her unparalleled comedic quips and thoughtful reflections on coming of age as one of the past decade’s most successful multihyphenates. In this cover story for The Cut, Palmer shares insights on her new book “The Master of Me,” her film “One of Them Days,” and the challenges and joys of motherhood. It was a beautiful and super enjoyable read. Give it a glance, if you please. Read here.
Addison Rae took over TikTok. Now she’s coming for pop.: Back in November, I text a friend and said “Where is Addison Rae’s major cover story?” In the aftermath of her Diet Pepsi music video, partnership with Pat McGrath and newfound mentorship from Charli xcx and Interview legend, Dara, I knew she had to have an album cooking. This profile’s arrival brought me the answers I so desperately desired. Rae’s journey from Louisiana college student to TikTok superstar is one that took a while to captivate me, but her musical rebrand has been so fun to watch. I’ve been enjoying the music, so I’m sure there are some solid hits and stunning fashion moments to come. Read here.
You’re being alienated from your own attention.: This piece, an excerpt from Chris Hayes’ new book “The Sirens’ Call,” asks readers to question how their lives have been overwhelmed by the capitalistic fight for their attention. Hayes writes that tech companies, shopping brands, the entertainment industry and the expanding rabbit holes of the social media landscape seek to profit and capture people’s time and attention. He addresses the mechanisms that have fueled a global embrace of digital distraction over intentionally pursuing our desires or intended tasks for each day. Hayes argues that the competition for consumers’ attention has blurred their ability to determine what they want from their lives and marred our collective capacity to assess the value of what appears before us. Read here.
on my screen
Mad Men (2012): When I was in college, one of my favorite journalism professors and I were chatting after my “History of Mass Media” class, and she fervently recommended that I watch “Mad Men.” I’ve never forgotten the recommendation, but had not, until this year, had the time to sit down and commit to a six season television series (other than “Glee,” oops). I am very enthralled by it though. The show is a fascinating examination of the 1960s advertising industry and its ties to capitalism, sexism and the American political experience. All of the men are demons (but flawed and in desperate need of therapy and like a hug or slap or something!?)
Glee, Season Five and two episodes of Season Six (2013): There were so many reasons and opportunities for me to turn off my television and give up on Glee during the nearly two years that I’ve been watching it. Even so, I’ve stuck around to see how it ends. I cannot believe Ryan Murphy blessed me with Samcedes again just to snatch them away. Truly, how dare he? Violence against Mercedes is violence against ME. I just started season six and it’s already making me angry. If I have to watch Rachel Berry and Mercedes Jones do one more Diva Off in which we pretend that Mercedes lost, I’m gonna lose it. Also, Rachel giving up a Broadway leading role for a flop sitcom?!
Girlfriends, Season Four (2004): I don’t know if I’ve spoken extensively about my “Girlfriends” watch experience, but I love this show. It’s fabulous television, and I often don’t tire of the antics of this group of characters. I do find Joan’s love life deeply exhausting, because she self-sabatoges every opportunity at romance that she has, but she’s so real for that I fear. I’m sick of the Brock plotline though, puhleaseee!
One of Them Days (2025): I saw “One of Them Days” on its premiere day with my mom. I was so excited to see the film that gifted us (the collective) with one of the funniest press tours of all time, thank you, SZA, KeKe and Issa. However, I found myself counting down the minutes to the end of the movie, not because it was unenjoyable, but because I was too stressed out. I understand the whole point of the film is that the girls are having “one of them days” that feels completely unsurvivable, because you’ve taken L after L after L, but oh my gosh, how bad can it get?! I was exhausted by the extensive nature of their, at times unnecessary, fumbles and flops. The soundtrack, casting, wardrobe and payoff were delightful though. Janelle James appearing on my screen in any and every role will also always be iconic.
Nickel Boys (2024): The film version of Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel “Nickel Boys” follows two teenagers, Elwood and Turner, who have been sentenced to attend Nickel Academy, a boys reformatory school. The harrowing and gruesome story is inspired by the true story of boys who attended the famous Florida reform school, Dozier School, where Black boys were harassed, sexually abused and murdered by staff members. Watching the film felt like getting my heart torn out of my chest, but I am so glad that this film is getting the recognition that it deserves with an Oscars Best Picture nomination. I know that in Milwaukee it had a fairly short run in theatres, but I cannot express enough how critical it is that you find a way to watch this film. In addition to telling an important story in United States history, it also has stunning cinematography and a chilling score. A must watch. Whitehead discusses the book in this fascinating episode of NPR’s Fresh Air, and the director RaMell Ross has a great director’s commentary with The New Yorker here.
Traitors, Season Three (2025): Last year, I became intensely addicted to sliding in front of my television every Thursday night to watch “Traitors.” It is one of the only shows on television that drives me to launch into guttural screams and shouts at the pure foolishness and insanely poor detective skills of my darling faithfuls. For those who have not watched, “Traitors” is kind of like a massive game of “Clue” with some fun challenges slipped between time spent solving murders. The contestants are separated into two groups, “the traitors” and “the faithfuls.” Each night, the traitors kill off a faithful and try to avoid being found out. The faithfuls try to win challenges to increase the money in their winner’s pot that they can successfully acquire by catching all of the traitors. You must watch if you haven’t. Once you do, hopefully you agree that someone needs to get Boston Rob (of “Survivor” fame) out of that castle immediately. I’m begging.
Abbott Elementary (2025): Respectfully, in love with Jacob’s brother.
in my ears
music
Superwoman, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle (1991): This was the original diva convention.
Witchy (feat. Childish Gambino), Kaytanada (2024): Need more of this.
Primadonna, Marina and the Diamonds (2012)
This Girl’s In Love With You, Aretha Franklin (1970)
sex money feelings die, Lykke Li (2018): I first started listening to this song on repeat during my freshman year of college. It always makes its way back into my playlists, but I feel like it has an undeniably January/February energy. “so sad so sexy,” as an album, means so much to me though, a gift!
Let Go, Frou Frou (2008)
NUEVAYoL, Bad Bunny (2025)
Sports car, Tate McRae (2025): The music video makes this song 10,000,000 times more enjoyable to listen to. I think I am certifiably a Tate McRae stan. That is my sister!
Ready To Love, JoJo (2025): As I believe I have previously expressed, I love JoJo. I hadn’t listened to this song until she posted a clip of her singing a snippet live for the music video and have since become a “Ready To Love” appreciator.
Hello, Hi, Little Simz (2024): This flow ✨magic✨
You’ll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart), Dionne Warwick (1964): I’ve been listening to soooooooo much Dionne Warwick this month. That’s my queen legend and she really hit in January. Song after song, she couldn’t be stopped. In my eyes, she continues to shine in 2025. I’d like to meet her. Anyway, when I listen to this, all I am moved to say is: “Exactly.”
podcast
“The Optimism in Taking An “L” with Prentice Penny” and “Preparing for Life’s Lemons with Courtney B. Vance”, The Optimist Project: Over the past few months, I’ve become a huge fan of Yara Shahidi’s new podcast, “The Optimist Project.” It’s great to get a weekly reminder of the importance of embracing optimism and hope, especially during these past few weeks which, globally, have felt so heavy and dark. I recommend it so strongly to anyone who is undergoing any variety of challenges from familial loss to work challenges to the occasionally discouraging and gut-punch experience of becoming an adult and simply existing. It’s given me a lot of gems of wisdom and goodness to hold onto.
TikTok, Traitors and Scary Island, Lemme Say This: I was immensely grateful for this episode of “Lemme Say This,” because, of all my pop culture podcasts that I tune into each week,
and Peyton Dix offered the most scathing and entertaining review of that week’s episode of “Traitors.” As I have always said, I’m a lover first and hate is so challenging for me, but this podcast is always the silliest and most delightful listen.Matt and Bow take the Substance, Las Culuristas: If it wasn’t clear, I’m obviously just obsessed with Las Cultch, so it’s on the monthly list pretty much always.
on my shelf
This month was a fabulous #literacy month for me. I finished six books, if you count the very short We Should All Be Feminists in the book category. (If not, let’s say five). Each of them were incredibly enriching, emotional and educational guides in crafting a compelling narrative and I would wholeheartedly recommend them all for your reading pleasure.
This Is How You Lose The Time War, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (2023): This masterpiece of a book was my first read of 2025. This Is How You Lose The Time War follows two warriors on opposing sides of “The Time War,” a battle for the best possible future on a dying planet. The leading characters form a relationship through letters left for each other at the sites of each battle they’ve fought. It is a thrilling and beautiful love story delivered in such a captivating form. I adoredddd this book. Shoutout to my friend, Sophia, for recommending!
We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013): A classic worth revisiting every couple years. I think I read this for the first time during my freshman year of high school and have always enjoyed picking it up off of my shelf to reevaluate as I grow older.
The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison (1970): I knew that I wanted to take some time to read a few Toni Morrison books this year, so I figured I’d start with “The Bluest Eye,” a remarkable and heartbreaking story of a young Black girl cast aside by her community and desperate to appear differently so that she can be accepted. This novel explores a variety of challenging topics including abuse, colorism, allyship and abandonment, but some its most resonant and impactful paragraphs are delivered on its final pages. Another heart breaker for sure.
I Who Have Never Known Men, Jacqueline Harpman (1995): This book was a remarkable read with such an interesting POV. The French novel follows “The Child,” a young girl who is stored away in an underground bunker with 39 other women in a post-Modern civilization ruled by men. When one day, the group miraculously escapes, she and her counterparts are tasked with plotting their future in an unknown and uncharted new world. It was, again, probably not good for my spirit, almost everything I engaged with this month was so depressing with tinges of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll embrace more fun in February.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna: I read TVSSIW (I can’t type the whole name again) for book club this month. I dove in with no idea what I was getting into because I did not read the book description before opening and missed the meeting where the novel was selected. Even so, I enjoyed it quite a bit. The story centers around 31-year-old witch Mika Moon, a TikTok witch plucked out of obscurity to train three young witches struggling to contain their growing power. For the most part, I found this plot endearing. The book would have been perfect to me if it omitted the somewhat irrelevant romantic plot (sorry, not sorry). Every time we revisited the two characters falling in love, I asked, “But what about the children?! How will they overcome?” I simply could not care less about the man. Plus, the whole story was so wholesome and sweet except for exactly ONE unprompted moment of spice that had me laughing, screaming, and covering my eyes in shock. Anyway, this is a fun one.
Pure Innocent Fun, Ira Madison III (2025): Pure Innocent Fun was my final read of the month. I started and finished it on January 30th, and what a treat it was. The memoir blends memories of author Ira Madison III’s upbringing in Milwaukee, WI with the films, music, television and other cultural touchstones that shaped his coming of age. During my freshman year of college at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, two upperclassmen (and future friends, hi ellen!) who served on our college’s Society and Politics Committee invited me to an event featuring a former co-host of Ira’s pop culture podcast “Keep It.” I wrote about it for a student publication, and it was the first piece I had published in college (wholesome!!). Since then, I’ve been a huge fan of Ira’s work and have gleefully indulged in any mentions of Milwaukee or Marquette University High School (my high school’s brother school) in his various creative projects. Read this book, it’s a hoot!
to be read in february
Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead (2016)
All This Could Be Different, Sarah Thankam Mathews (2022)
Master of Me, KeKe Palmer (2024)
on stage
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra: A dear friend and I attended the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performance of Pyotr Ilyic Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet this month. In addition to the R+J “Overture-Fantasy,” the show featured songs by composers Anna Clyne, Jean Sibelius, and Carl Nielsen. I put “Go to the Symphony” on my 2025 Bingo Card, so at bare minimum, I will walk away from this year having achieved one thing: watching a magnificent and beautiful performance of this orchestral classic. It was so beautiful to hear these pieces performed live. There were so many that I had heard time and time again over the years, but was never able to name or revisit. Now, I can! What a thrill!
That’s all for my rewind! In retrospect, I had so much fun engaging with the art, music, and literature in January. Provided me with some good vibes for sure. Until next time!
i really enjoyed yara’s podcast episode with janelle monae! this reminded me to go back to it
Cannot wait to hear your thoughts on All This Could Be Different!