With the proliferation of streaming services, we now live in an age where we can keep up with music trends both domestically and internationally in real time. FASHION HEADLINE is launching a series of music columns by Leila Okuhama, a music and film personality who also hosts festivals and music shows!

Which artists are currently trending on Spotify's top charts (most played songs) and viral charts (popular songs on social media)? As a frequent festival-goer around the world, Leila Okuhama will share her top three must-listen songs this month through her own lens.

Leila Okuhama's Music Recommendations Vol. 1
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Held every May in New York, the Met Gala attracts attention for its guest stars and their outfits. Hosted by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue (who is said to be the model for the fiendish editor-in-chief in The Devil Wears Prada), this extravagant fashion extravaganza raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's fashion department.

In this first installment of our series, we introduce three artists who made waves this year, along with their music!


First, the Met Gala has a different theme each year, and designers consult with guests to create styling that fits that theme.

The 2019 theme is "Camp." This doesn't refer to outdoor camping, but rather to something theatrical, exaggerated, humorous, or ironic. Last year's theme was "Catholic," and many people wore chic outfits, but this year's red carpet (or more accurately, this year's carpet was pink like a flamingo) had a completely different vibe.





Photo by Rob Kim/GC Images

Lady Gaga, who served as co-host, appeared in a voluminous hot pink dress by Brandon Maxwell. She slowly took it off to reveal a long black dress. She continued to strip down, changing from a tight pink dress to lingerie four times! Her exaggerated performance, which was in line with the theme, included lying down on the stairs, and thrilled the audience.


At the end of last year, the film "A Star Is Born," starring Gaga, was released in Japan, and the soundtrack, which she helped write and compose, also became a hot topic. Her song "Shallow," which she sang with Bradley Cooper, won two Grammy Awards and also won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. It is a regular on Spotify's Global Top 50 chart.





Photo by Ray Tamarra/GC Images

Also chosen as a co-host alongside Gaga was Harry Styles, a former member of the now-defunct One Direction band who is now a successful solo artist. He appeared alongside Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci, for whom he models. She wore a gender-neutral outfit consisting of a black see-through blouse with a voluminous ribbon around her neck, teardrop-shaped pearl earrings, and colorful nails, and made a statement despite it being her first time attending the Met Gala.


Be sure to check out her highly acclaimed solo album, which debuted at No. 1 in the UK and US charts and shows her emerging as an artist!





Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Singer and actress Janelle Monáe appeared in a truly "camp" Christian Siriano dress. She's already garnered attention for her unique fashion sense, as seen in her music videos, but this outfit had a surprising twist: a winking eye motif covering her left breast! The artistic design, inspired by the artist Picasso, perfectly matched Monáe's sense of style and became the icon of this year's Met Gala.

Janelle, who is also committed to the #MeToo movement and LGBTQ support, is a leading figure in society. She is openly queer and has songs that address sexuality and racial issues. She's scheduled to visit Japan this summer to perform at Fuji Rock Festival, and anticipation is building for her first performance in the country.


The Met Gala is shrouded in mystery apart from the carpet, with guests being prohibited from taking photos inside. However, it was perfectly recreated as the setting for the film Ocean's 8, which featured an all-female cast including Sandra Bullock, and has also been made into a documentary called The Met Gala: A Museum in Dresses, so you can enjoy the magnificent atmosphere in the film as well!



The Viral Chart, which lets you know the hottest songs on social media around the world, is updated daily! Be sure to check it out.