After their last exchange which had left them both a little stirred up Santana and Brittany both went quiet. The truth was moments ago Santana had made some pretty valid points, and Brittany had said that those same valid points absolutely applied to Santana as well, but neither of them had the guts to call things out for what they were. Instead the two of them had left it in the air, everything went unsaid.
And so carrying two cardboard cup trays filled with enough beers for everyone in their group Santana and Brittany made their way back to the others who had since commandeered one of dozens upon dozens of wooden picnic tables scattered about the area. They handed out the beverages and then found a seat together on one of the benches and began to poke at their food which had been placed in front of them. They were thankful that the rest of the group were already in the middle of their own conversation.
''I'm just saying!'' Tina shouted to the group. ''Carly Rae Jepsen is actually really good if you give her music a chance!''
With a mouthful of hamburger Dani slapped a hand down on the table in mock anger. ''For that comment alone you should be kicked out of the band, Chang!''
''Says the closet Selena Gomez fan!'' laughed Tina.
''How dare you!'' Dani laughed right back at her.
''How dare me? How dare you!''
Everyone at the table cracked up at the two bickering bandmates, except for Santana and Brittany who were clearly trying to avoid eye contact with each other and everyone else for that matter.
''You seem quiet,'' Mark remarked to Brittany.
''I'm just uh hungry,'' Brittany said lamely. Her lie was obvious as she had barely even touched her food.
''Are you okay?'' Lake, meanwhile, asked Santana. ''You're...different.''
''Yeah, I'm just ready to get these stupid handcuffs off,'' Santana lied with a false smile.
Sensing a certain kind of strangeness going on between the two lead singers Sam spoke up. The outsides of his mouth were covered in chili from his disgusting frito pie. ''So I was thinking maybe later after we hit up some rides and sights we could take everyone back to The Make's tour bus. It's huge so there's plenty of room. We can watch a movie on the huge flat screen I just had installed. I have 'This Is Spinal Tap' on DVD!''
''What's 'This Is Spinal Tap'?'' asked Lake. She turned to Mark who shrugged because he was just as clueless as her.
Dani calmly explained for the model. ''It's a classic 80's comedy mockumentary about a fictional band and all of the ridiculous antics they pull. It's like super iconic and funny.''
''Ohhhh, okay,'' Lake said and sent Dani a grateful smile from across the table which Dani returned with a wink.
''Yeah, Santana and I used to have a tradition, once a week we'd watch it together on the tour bus,'' Sam reminisced.
''Uh no,'' Santana chimed in. ''Our tradition was more like you would force me to watch it with you on the tour bus once a week.''
''Whatever, you watched it,'' Sam laughed and then continued on to address the others. ''So we could all hang and watch a movie or we can just kick back and listen to some music. We have the sickest sound system on the bus.'' Quinn, Dani and Tina mumbled in agreement, checking out The Make's tour bus did sound like it could be fun later on in the evening. Sam looked pleased with that. ''I've been blasting Panic!'s new album on it nonstop this past week. Hands down the best album of the year if you ask me.''
''Yeah no,'' Quinn said, challenging that opinion. ''It's a solid album. But in my not so humble opinion the Broods new stuff is the best album of the year.''
''That's a good one,'' Tina said in agreement.
''But no where near the best,'' Dani contested passionately.
Tina chimed in and did a little jig in her seat. ''Personally I've kinda been obsessed with Adore Delano's dance record this year.''
''I love me some Adore but, I mean what about the deluxe edition of White Noise from PVRIS that came out this year? It kicks all of those other records collective asses.'' Dani placed a hand to her heart as she practically swooned. ''I mean Lynn Gunn, my heart.''
''What about you, Brittany?'' Tina asked, looking over to her leader. ''Best album of the year for you?''
Brittany took a hesitant bite of a corn dog. ''I'm partial to the new Ra Ra Riot album.''
The other musicians at the table hummed at her, murmuring their support of her answer before they all turned their eyes to Santana. Silently they waited as she swallowed a bite of her food.
''Me…'' she started slowly. ''There's been a lot of great releases this year but push comes to shove if I had to pick one it would be Tyler Glenn's Excommunication without a doubt. I was never a huge fan of Neon Trees but Tyler's solo record blew me away. It's beautiful and painful and profound. There's touches of electronica, dance and rock and there's definitely some sleek production there but at the heart of it the whole thing is about his coming out and his frustration with the Mormon church's backward ass stance on homosexuality and him trying to work his head around his faith and who he is. It's also a big fuck you to any group or institution that tries to condemn LGBTQ people. That album is about him losing his faith but ultimately finding himself. That album...that's the kind of album I want to be making in ten years.''
''I've heard it too,'' Sam said to The Dirty Pinks. ''It's seriously so, so good.''
Tina had her phone out. ''Downloading now.''
''I'll for sure have to check that out,'' Dani agreed. ''It sounds awesomely brave and political.''
''It is,'' Santana said. ''But I don't think The Dirty Pinks or even The Make are any less brave or any less political for that matter when you really think about it. Like in this world, in this political climate our mere existence is an act of revolution.''
''Because we're musicians?'' asked Dani.
''Because I'm a lesbian,'' said Santana and took a tiny sip of her beer as she started to wax on. ''Because you are too, because Brittany's bi. Sometimes I think about the music I make. It's sexy, it's glam, it's part rock, part electronica, it's fun. I used to really wonder if it said anything though but then I had a realization that even if it doesn't say anything it doesn't matter because my existence alone says something.'' She paused briefly when she realized she had the attention of most everyone around the picnic table. Or more specifically, she had Brittany's attention. ''The world needs us out there. The world needs the Lynn Gunns and the Tegan and Saras and the Tyler Glenns and the Adore Delanos, the world needs all of us doing what we do and being visible. Because who knows, maybe there's some sixteen year old girl out there who's figuring out who she is and struggling with that and she sees one of us on TV or reads an interview or whatever and even though she might be a thousand miles away, even though she'll never meet any of us...maybe that's enough. Maybe us just being visible and simply existing is enough to make this hypothetical kid out there feel less alone.''
The Dirty Pinks looked impressed at Santana's heartfelt words. Brittany herself blinked back a couple of tears she hoped no one noticed.
It was the last thing Brittany had ever expected to hear coming out of Santana Lopez's mouth.
The Make's frontwoman could be loud and obnoxious, Brittany knew, but the rockstar also had a quieter, more thoughtful side too. She knew how to keep Brittany on her feet, she knew how to make her laugh. And now with this Brittany realized Santana could also make her think, think about music and visibility in ways that had never occurred to her before.
''I never thought about it like that,'' said Brittany.
''I'm sure we all have those people we listened to growing up that we looked up to, right,'' Santana continued, looking over to each band member. ''When I was a teenager I had people I looked up to, people I wanted to be like. I could be alone in my bedroom but I could always look up at their poster or magazine cover or whatever and somehow just feel like...they had my back. That's...that's what I want to be. That's why I tell myself I can make good music, fun music and it's still just as impactful and meaningful. No matter what kind of artist someone is, whether we're singing pop songs or rock songs or country songs or dance songs, as long we stand up and sing them, not just for ourselves but for all of the kids who are out there who actually need to hear them, that's the only thing that matters.''
From a few seats down Sam reached over to pat on her shoulder once, a silent sign to let her know the impact of her words weren't lost on the table.
Mark however made a strange disruptive noise at that as he tried to subtly get everyone's attention. It was a bit awkward as he put down his food and started to speak and for the first time in the evening began to look obviously miffed. ''Do you think we could all maybe talk about something oh, I don't know, other than music?''
Bewildered by such a request The Dirty Pinks and The Make blinked at him in silence and looked at him as if he were an alien.
''It's just that I get that's who you all are,'' he said, trying to be diplomatic about it. ''But I kind of feel like Lake and I are getting a little lost here in conversation.''
Lake shrugged and appeared to be unbothered. ''I don't mind it actually. I mean I don't understand half of it, but I don't mind it.''
Embarrassed to not have Lake backing him up Mark shifted in his seat, feeling and looking like the odd man out.
Quinn found herself looking over at Brittany who in turn was staring at Santana's profile and completely oblivious to her boyfriend's discomfort.
''You know what, you're right,'' Quinn began and turned to the stuffy banker. ''Why don't you tell us a little something? What kind of music do you enjoy Mark?'' she asked with a bit of bite in her tone. She seemed to want to stir things up.
The man looked slightly relieved to be given a moment to speak. ''I tend to enjoy more serious singer-songwriters,'' he said, very self satisfied about it.
''What like Lou Reed?''
''Carole King?''
''Rufus Wainwright?''
''Brian Wilson?''
''Aimee Mann?''
''Leonard Cohen?''
''Joni Mitchell?''
Mark shook his head at each and every suggestion thrown out by the musicians surrounding him. ''Um...I don't know who any of those people are. I listen to more along the lines of James Blunt.''
Collectively the entire table made gagging sounds as if the man had just said something terribly disgusting and offensive to them. Their second hand embarrassment for him was very apparent as they all laughed.
''What? He's good!'' Mark insisted.
''If you say so,'' Tina muttered and wiped away a beer foam mustache.
''I guess,'' Dani said with a disapproving nose scrunch. ''Is he even still a thing?''
''He has an okay song or two but…'' Sam winced.
Quinn picked up the conversation from there, looking all kinds of displeased at Mark's musical taste. ''I've always found Blunt's music to be really pedestrian and paint by numbers. Nothing about his sound is compelling,'' Quinn said between bites of her nachos. ''What is it that you're always saying about that Brittany?''
''What?'' Brittany coughed. She knew of course what Quinn was referring to but didn't want to say it because doing so would in turn be slightly insulting to Mark and his preferred kind of music.
''That spiel that you always give about bands or artists who make paint by numbers music,'' Quinn said, this time snapping her fingers as she herself tried to recall how Brittany always worded it. ''So when we're on the tour bus we rotate who has control of the radio. One day it's Tina's day, the next will be mine and after that Dani's and then Brittany's, right. But sometimes when it's one of our days and we play a song Brittany doesn't like we always have to hear the same music snob speech from her.''
Tina waved her hands about to get everyone's attention as she started her impression of Brittany. '' Oh yeah totally she's always like 'as an artist you should always want to challenge yourself. If I'm a fan of someone and they released mediocre album after mediocre album all that says to me is that they're not interested in stimulating themselves nor their listeners.' ''
Dani came in with her own take on Brittany. '' 'Music is the thing that feeds the soul and if you're not nourishing it with something beautiful or diverse or challenging you'll never grow as a human being. I don't know how people live like that. I don't know how people survive on really stale formulaic things like One Republic or James Blunt or Meghan Trainor' ''
Mark didn't look too thrilled with that assessment and shrunk into himself. He didn't seem to understand why they all seemed to take music so seriously, he certainly didn't understand why Brittany did so. Brittany who was sitting an inch or so away from him but somehow now felt like she was miles away. There was an awkward beat in the conversation where it seemed everyone around the table picked up on just how completely incompatible he was with her. No one said anything though and thankfully Tina broke the stillness as she started to address everyone.
''Hey guys,'' Tina stared down at her phone. ''Would anyone be down for a barn rave?''
This invitation piqued everyone's interest. It seemed Tina had a friend who was working the soundboard at one on the other side of the festival. She had been assured that the music was on and the drinks were flowing. Since their bandmates seemed excited at the prospect of a party Santana and Brittany agreed to check it out. Soon they were gathering their bits of trash and chunking them in the appropriate bins nearby as they all started off in a stroll towards said barn rave with Tina leading the charge.
Mark however said he was going to bow out of this one after he received a brief but urgent sounding phone call. ''Attending a rave wasn't really in my itinerary to begin with but I can't,'' he explained. ''I just got a call. The bolt cutters are here finally. I have to walk out to meet the driver at the front entrance. Anyone care to join me?''
In response he got crickets from the others, except for Lake who raised her hand slightly and went to stand beside him. ''I'll go.''
''Are you sure?'' Santana asked.
''Yeah. I don't think raves are very much my thing,'' the model answered. ''I don't like flashing stage lights or crowds or loud music.'' She listed off the things that pretty much entailed all of Santana's career. ''I'll keep Mark company and then we'll meet up with you after we get the bolt cutters to cut you loose.''
Santana shrugged, unbothered and unconcerned with changing the woman's mind. Dani however stepped over to the model and tried again, ''You should really come, I think you'd have fun. Trust me, I wouldn't let you get lost in the crowd.''
Lake smiled and seemed to consider it but ultimately shook her head. ''Maybe next time.''
With that Lake and Mark started off to procure the bolt cutters from the delivery person at the front gates. The Dirty Pinks and The Make continued on walking the grounds, through the crowds and vendors, enjoying the sights and the atmosphere.
Twenty minutes into their trek they made a pit stop at a porta potty hub which they all decided they were in need of using, except for Santana and Brittany who stood outside the portable stalls and waited in silence.
''So,'' said Santana.
''Yep,'' replied Brittany.
Santana kicked at a rock. ''Are you mad at me?''
''Huh?''
''Are you upset with me? About what I said earlier?'' Santana closed her eyes and shook her head. ''I know it wasn't my place to make any judgy ass remarks about your relationship and I'm sorry.''
Brittany nodded and took a breath. ''I guess I'm sorry too for saying what I said about you and Lake.''
''But you shouldn't be, because you're right,'' Santana rushed to say. ''She doesn't challenge me, and she doesn't give me passion.''
''No?'' Brittany asked and exhaled slightly in relief at Santana openly admitting that.
''No. She never has...she never will...that's not why I'm with her. To tell you the truth I'm not even really with her.''
''What do you mean?''
Santana looked around them and noticed that a handful of people had begun to stand about the porta potties. Wanting a bit of privacy for what she was about to tell Brittany she took the blonde's hand and began walking them several yards away from the clusters of people until they stood alone in front of a fire pit. With flames illuminating their faces to each other Santana started again.
''I mean me and Lake,'' Santana said. ''I'm not really with her, at least not in the way you think. And what I'm about to tell you, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone else. It's her career and it's my career and - are you cold?'' Santana noticed Brittany doing a funny shivery dance like she was trying to keep warm.
Brittany bobbed her head around. ''Sorta, not really. This skirt isn't the warmest thing since the sun went down but the fire pit feels nice.''
Santana looked down at herself and her jeans and figuring she had it much better than Brittany she began to pull and wiggle her way out of Brittany's jacket which she had been stuck in throughout most of the day. Due to the cuffs however she really couldn't pull it entirely off. What she could do was take it off of her own body and pull it inside out so that she could slide it across the handcuffs for Brittany to wear.
''There,'' said Santana with a smile once Brittany had the inside-out coat around her.
''Thanks.''
''Of course.'' Santana absentmindedly began rubbing up and down Brittany's upper arms as if trying to give her body heat. ''I mean it's your jacket anyway.''
''Yeah but...you do look so much better in it,'' Brittany said with a lick of her lips as she took in the sight of Santana without the bulky coat.
Santana was sporting skin tight jeans with a black tattered top. On anyone else it would've just been a plain set of clothes but there was something about the way all of it hung off of Santana that was just so...rock, so provocative. Santana was probably the kind of person who could look like sex even if she was wearing a burlap sack, Brittany thought.
''What was I saying…'' Santana wondered aloud as she tried to get them back on track.
''Um. Something...something about careers…'' Brittany said slowly as she tried not to study how amazingly beautiful Santana's exposed clavicle was.
''Right. I want to tell you something and I know telling you might not change how you see me or what you feel for me...if you feel for me, but I want you to know.''
''You want me to know what?''
Santana swallowed and blinked and prepared herself to launch into speech, only she was interrupted by girly high pitched squeals as a gaggle of girls suddenly appeared at their side.
''Oh my god, are you Santana Lopez?! You're Santana Lopez! Ahhhh!'' squeaked a fangirl who was hopping and bouncing in place along with a group of her friends. There were probably a dozen college aged young women all of which formed a tight circle around Santana.
''Santana Lopez, oh my god you're so hot!''
''I can't believe it's you!''
''Can we get a picture?!''
''Can we get an autograph?!''
Santana didn't look too keen on doing an impromptu meet and greet but she didn't want to make a scene and she always tried her hardest to be accommodating to fans when she ran into them. She nodded yes to all of them hoping that after she posed for a few selfies and gave a few autographs the girls would be on their way and she could continue her conversation one on one with Brittany who was studying the scene with interest.
''Sure, sure,'' Santana said, politely trying to hurry through each of the girls. Posing for a picture here, autographing a napkin or shirt there, she was trying to be quick without being an asshole about it.
''Can I just tell you that the first time I realized I was gay I was listening to one of your songs,'' said one fan.
''The first time I had an orgasm I was listening to one of your songs,'' said another girl.
''That's, uh, wow,'' Santana tried to keep a straight face.
''I have ALL of your magazine covers framed and hanging up on my bedroom wall.''
''Do you mind if my friend and I take a picture with you at the same time?''
''Um, I guess not.'' Santana smiled weakly at the girls and looked apologetically at Brittany having to wait and be silent through it all.
Two of the girls squeaked in excitement and went to stand so one was on each side of her. One of them pulled out their phone and held it out to take the picture, just as the camera flashed they leaned forward to give Santana playful but innocent kisses on each of her cheeks.
''Me next, me next,'' said another young woman who nudged her way to the front. ''I just want an autograph.''
Santana nodded. ''You want me to sign your shirt or…?''
''No, that's okay, you can just sign here,'' this fangirl said as she tugged down her shirt and leaned forward giving Santana a perfect view of her cleavage. With a single nod it was very clear where she wanted Santana's name.
Santana coughed and although she looked taken back, she didn't decline. She raised her eyebrows and squiggled her name across the top of the fan's breasts. After her it looked like most of the fans were happy and pleased and were beginning to make their way off with fluttering eyelashes and flirtatious goodbye waves to her. Santana was relieved when it looked like they were almost all gone until she saw one last fan standing before her.
''What about me?''
With another sorry glance at Brittany, Santana obliged. ''Of course, what's one more autograph. What do you want me to sign?''
This fan however unbuttoned her snug jeans and shimmied them down a few inches, pushing her panties down just a tad as well. ''Sign here,'' the woman wiggled in place, motioning to just above her...well you know.
''You know what?'' Santana said, because even she had lines she wouldn't cross. ''Why don't I just sign your Coachella t shirt huh? How about that?'' Santana scribbled her name on the shoulder of the girl's t shirt. ''There we go, you're all set. You and your friends should go and enjoy the festival. It was nice meeting you.'' Santana attempted to subtly shoo the fangirl away.
''You don't remember me, do you?'' said fangirl asked as she buttoned her jeans back up.
''Should I?''
The girl just smiled back. ''I was at your show in Chicago a few months ago.''
''You were? Well I hope you had fun.''
''I did actually,'' the girl continued, looking very pleased and smug as she stepped closer to Santana. ''It was especially fun afterwards...remember...when you invited me for a private tour of The Make's bus.''
Santana winced in discomfort. She didn't dare look to see Brittany's expression.
''Yeah a bunch of fans were waiting outside of the venue after the show and out of all of the girls that were there waiting for you, you picked me. You gave me a one on one meet and greet I'll never forget. We had a few drinks and I told you how I'm such a huge fan and that I'd been to at least like a half dozen shows and then we had more drinks and one thing led to another and you bent me over and-''
''I remember!'' Santana exclaimed, trying to shush the girl before she said anything more, before Brittany had to hear anything more.
The girl however didn't take the cue. ''And then afterwards I texted my bestie and then she came on the bus too and then the three of us-''
''Oh my god shut up!''
Santana was surprised to hear Brittany's voice rise like that, dripping with disgust and hurt.
Brittany was scowling at the girl. ''She took selfies with your friends, she signed your shirt and she remembers you, what more do you want.''
The girl then looked between Brittany and Santana, and then the cuffs, and then as if sensing she was in the middle of something deflated. ''Right. Well. I'm gonna go now.''
The fangirl toddled off then and hurried to catch up with her group of friends. Meanwhile with haste Brittany began an almost angry stride, walking away from the fire pit, pulling herself further into her jacket. Santana had no choice but to stagger after her.
''I realize you're trying to do the whole angry storming off from me thing right now, but it doesn't really work because of the handcuffs,'' Santana whimpered as she tried to keep up.
Brittany turned around to address her. ''You know...you're just...I don't...why does…''
''I'm sorry you had to stand by and wait for me to get through the stupid selfies and autographs, okay?''
''I'm not angry about you wanting to be there for your fans, I just don't think it's right for you to do that to Lake.''
''To Lake huh?'' Santana asked with suspicion. ''Yeah right, since when are you so concerned about Lake?''
''Since now maybe, I don't know.''
''No, bull. This has nothing to do with Lake and everything to do with me and you. You're just upset because some fangirl I screwed months ago just wanted me to sign above her dirty pink. You're...you're jealous.''
Brittany laughed inwardly letting out some funny airy sound with her mouth. ''Jealous. Yeah right.''
''You are. Totally and completely jealous. But you have no reason to be.''
''Are you telling me you didn't sleep with that girl?''
''No...I slept with her, her and her best friend, but that's all it was, sex. Stupid meaningless sex. And as for me and Lake-''
''Know what, I don't want to hear it because it doesn't matter,'' Brittany sighed and sniffed overcome with sadness for reasons even she didn't quite understand. ''What you and Lake have is your business and what me and Mark have is our business and any minute now they're going to come back with bolt cutters and me and you can forget about whatever this thing is.''
''What thing?''
''This thing, between me and you.''
Santana looked down at their connected wrists. ''You and I both know...we're connected by more than just handcuffs.''
''Maybe, but it doesn't matter. Even if I wanted...even if you wanted...even if neither of us had partners...it wouldn't make a difference because like you said, me and you are from two different genres.''
''Yeah well screw genres.''
X
Elsewhere Lake and Mark were shuffling along a trail in a strange kind of silence as they made their way to the front entrance to retrieve the bolt cutters.
''So what's it like?'' he asked, trying to pass the time with conversation.
''What's what like?''
''Dating Santana Lopez.''
Lake tilted her head and thought for a bit. ''It's...fine.''
''Just fine?''
''It's interesting. I don't know, what do you want me to say?'' the woman laughed. ''Santana is focused and consumed with her music, she has a really specific idea of what she wants and sees for The Make and she doesn't like slowing down to explain it to people who don't get it. She's tough, she's smart...I don't understand what she feels for music but I respect it. She's brilliant. And the girls...girls really love her.''
''Is that hard?'' he asked. ''Dating a rockstar heartthrob?''
''It's definitely taken me some getting used to. I'm still learning how to handle that side of what she does but at the same time...Santana and I aren't like other couples, we have an understanding.''
''An understanding?''
''It's complicated,'' Lake said with a dismissive wave of her hand. ''Let's just say she and I have an agreement on certain matters and I don't expect her to be perfect in that regard. What happens when she's out on the road...stays on the road.''
''How can you be okay with that? How are you not jealous?''
''Like I said, we have an understanding, an agreement.''
''You make it sound like you have a contract or something?''
''In a way we do…'' she started and then as if thinking better of it and not wanting to reveal to much to this stranger, she changed course. ''Is it always easy? Of course not, but it's what I signed up for.'' Lake spoke in a very somber disconnected way, as if she were talking about some kind of business transaction.
Mark had trouble wrapping his head around it. ''You sound so disinterested.''
''It's not that I'm disinterested, more like I'm resigned. Why are you so curious about my girlfriend?''
''Because she's handcuffed to my girlfriend.''
''Well if you're passionate about her and she's passionate about you, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Santana might be a lot of things but she doesn't purposely go around screwing other people's girlfriends.''
''So she wouldn't sleep with someone in a relationship?''
''No I mean she probably totally has but like, not purposely.''
''Great...thank you,'' he said mirthlessly.
After a few minutes they eventually reached the front gates where a cab and driver were waiting with a package. Mark shuffled ahead of Lake and eagerly took a folded up brown paper bag from the driver and carelessly tossed the man a handful of large bills to send him off. Mark hurriedly then tore into the paper, littering the bits and pieces onto the ground until he finally had the item in hand.
''Gardening shears?!'' Mark shouted and then looked to the cab driver who was already slipping in behind the wheel and buckling up. ''These were supposed to be bolt cutters!''
''Hey man, I'm just the driver, blame whoever you paid to put them in the backseat of my car,'' the cabbie hollered through laughter.
''What the hell am I supposed to do with gardening shears? Huh?'' Mark continued huffing and puffing. ''I need to cut a rockstar off of my girlfriend not prune roses!''
He then threw the shears into a nearby bush and began walking back to Lake who could only feign a forced smile. ''I take it we're not getting the handcuffs off of them any time soon then.''
X
Thank you to all the reviewers! You dudes really keep me going. The best feeling in the world is knowing someone is out there reading and enjoying. Each time I see a review notification I get all heart-clutchy.
And just a note that while a lot of my friends have called me a music snob I don't think I am. I own everything from Radiohead to Carly Rae Jepsen to Tim McGraw to U2 to Joni Mitchell to Madonna to the Flaming Lips to of course Glee songs. So I'm one of those people who take music very, very seriously but at the same time I completely believe that amazing songs can come from anywhere, from any genre, from any artist. That said if ever a character trash talks a band or artist that doesn't necessarily mean I feel the same way, sometimes I'm just trying to make a point or have a character be silly. So like apologies to any imaginary James Blunt fans out there...but yeah I don't like him lol.