Skyler Graham

Welcome to my portfolio! I'm Skyler, a Carolina-raised, Jersey-based writer and editor specializing in educational consulting and regional travel and culture writing.

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Music, Movies, and Americana

Culture & Entertainment Articles

Skyler uses a nostalgic and reflective tone to examine the intersection of art, place, and heritage. She interviews artists, actors, and directors at both the Hollywood and local levels to explore the role of artwork as commentary on the issues of everyday Americans. 

Local Arts

The Duke Chronicle •

Welcome Tattoo parlor reveals COVID-19’s impact on local businesses

Friday the 13th is consistently anticipated to be an eventful day among horror film fanatics and the subtly superstitious, but it is also a significant day in tattoo shops across the country. Sailors believed that tattooing the traditionally unlucky number 13 on their bodies would deter bad luck from following them, which encouraged others to flaunt the symbol with simple, spooky designs. Dallas tattoo artist Oliver Peck turned this trend into an event in the ‘90s and tattoo shops have been cele...
The Duke Chronicle •

Jessica Ingram’s ‘Road Through Midnight’ uncovers civil rights history

On Thursday, Feb. 20, the Center for Documentary Studies held a book launch for photographer Jessica Ingram’s “Road Through Midnight: A Civil Rights Memorial.”  Despite the numbing February snow, dedicated friends and colleagues kept warm with wine, cheese and camaraderie.

The CDS embodies a supportive home in the middle of a campus seemingly abandoned by empathy; throughout the reception, visitors joked about generational gaps and the death of printers and discussed the meaning of community. I...
The Duke Chronicle •

‘Tobaccoland’ exhibit reveals connections between Duke, Durham, tobacco and vaping

This year, smoking policies are changing on both the federal and campus level. Not only are there now greater nationwide age restrictions when buying tobacco products, but Duke is launching a Smoke-Free Campus initiative this summer. Looking at the history of smoking, its advertisements and its relation to Duke’s campus can help us understand the impact and intentions of these changes.

“Tobaccoland” reveals the complexities of marketing both for and against the tobacco industry. The exhibit’s c...
The Duke Chronicle •

‘Southbound’ exhibit at Power Plant Gallery resists stereotypes about Southern identity

The American South is an ever-changing landscape, its growing communities and dynamic businesses pushing the region away from strict definitions. With a dark history and rich culture, it’s convenient to describe the South as nothing more than a land of sweet tea and bitter discrimination. The New South, however, presents a progressive transformation from 19th-century Dixie. This fall, “Southbound: Photographs of and about the New South” illustrates the heartbreaking stories of the past and plura...

Music

Skyler’s Substack •

Tyler Childers & Moderation

On July 25, country artist Tyler Childers is releasing his seventh studio album, Snipe Hunter. Antsy fans have been breaking down theorized “Easter eggs” on the album cover, many of which may point to the inclusion of Childers’ previously unreleased tracks, like a studio version of “Nose on the Grindstone” on the new album. In revamping these songs, he is also revisiting similar themes of recovery and redemption with a more mature perspective — a reason his fans consistently turn to his music in...
The Duke Chronicle •

Remembering Betty Davis, Durham's own Queen of Funk

When new genres enter the musical canon, they’re often thought of in terms of preexisting genres and artists: hip-hop started by sampling disco tracks, country has its roots in gospel and folk songs and pop-punk and rap-rock are conveniently named after these combinations. Unlike these seemingly arithmetic fusions, though, the musical product is often greater than the sum of their parts. And no artist represents this better than the late Durham-born funk icon Betty Davis.

The music world and Bu...
mxdwn Music •

Rise Against Share New Punk Cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" -

Like many Americans, when I think of political music — particularly that of the Vietnam War era — one band, and one song comes to mind: “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The group provided an unmistakable roots sound and distinctly American songs. Recently, punk rock band Rise Against shared a cover of the song, which aptly debuted on Veteran’s Day.

In their version, the band speeds up the ‘70s anthem and adds a cacophony of drum beats to give it their signature punk flair. This...
mxdwn Music •

Rage Against The Machine React To Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict -

Rage Against The Machine has never stayed silent about their political beliefs. Earlier this year, they signed an open letter that called for musicians to boycott Israel, and earlier this month, Tom Morello from the band signed a letter protesting the use of Amazon palm scanners at music venues. Now, the band is expressing outrage over the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict.

The verdict was released on Friday, Nov. 19: 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of fatally shooting two protestors at a ral...
mxdwn Music •

The Willie Nelson Family Releases Cover of Hank Williams' "I Saw The Light" -

On Nov. 19, the Willie Nelson Family is releasing their self-titled album, which contains a mix of Willie Nelson songs, covers and traditional folk music. At the end of October, the family shared George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass,” another track from the upcoming album. Today, they released one more cover before the album drops, Hank Williams’ “I Saw The Light.”

The cover feels just as authentic as the original, carrying the joy that is only found when being around those that help you see...
mxdwn Music •

Greta Van Fleet Announce ‘Dreams In Gold’ Spring 2022 International Tour Dates Featuring Rival Sons And The Velveteers -

Greta Van Fleet has brought the sound of classic rock to teenage audiences since their first EP Black Smoke Rising was released in 2017. In spring 2022, they will continue to bring their live sound across the country in an international tour.

The “Dreams in Gold” tour celebrates their latest album, The Battle at Garden’s Gate, which Liam Thropp described as “the creation of something timeless.” The tour starts in the band’s hometown in Michigan on March 10 — and four other Michigan cities after...
mxdwn Music •

Marissa Nadler Unveils New Peaceful Video For “Lemon Queen” -

When constantly surrounded by laptops, smartphones and social media, it’s only natural to crave the peace of nature. Marissa Nadler’s recent video for “Lemon Queen” perfectly captures this desire with its glitches and grain of a home video and interspersed clips of weeping willows and sunflowers moving in the wind. Nadler sits in a house void of modern technology — with the exception of a lit chandelier — and grasps at her reflection in a dirty mirror. Her flowy white-blonde hair and red gingham...
mxdwn Music •

Lana Del Rey Embraces Farm Life in New Video For "Blue Banisters" -

Since her 2012 album Born to Die, Lana Del Rey has assumed her role as the pop star of Americana. From her romantic “Blue Jeans” to her 2019 album named after the quintessential artist of the fifties, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, Del Rey has consistently embodied the picturesque image of suburbia and pleasant domesticity. In her latest video for “Blue Banisters,” she brings the midcentury American life from the coast to a rural landscape.

In the tranquil video, Del Rey reminisces over “a man that’...
mxdwn Music •

Jeff Tweedy Announces New Deluxe Live Album Live Is The King For December 2021 Release, Covers Neil Young's "The Old Country Waltz" -

In Nov. 2020, Wilco musician Jeff Tweedy released his fourth solo album Love Is The King. On Dec. 10 of this year, though, the artist is releasing a deluxe edition of the album with live versions of its tracks and a new cover of “The Old Country Waltz” by Neil Young. The collection of live songs is aptly called Live Is The King.

According to an article in Consequence, on this album, Tweedy is joined by a band of his sons, Sammy and Spencer Tweedy, and Liam Kazar, James Elkington and Sima Cunnin...
The Duke Chronicle •

Americana duo Drew and Ellie Holcomb on the power of personal and artistic collaboration

Last semester, I learned about the importance of collaboration in music. Lennon and McCartney, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn and even Billie Eilish and brother Finneas O’Connell exemplify how cooperation is necessary for a prosperous music career. But how does marriage impact collaboration, and how does working together impact a relationship? Married Americana duo Drew and Ellie Holcomb demonstrate that the art of give-and-take is crucial to strengthening all relationships — personal and pr...

Movies & Theater

The Duke Chronicle •

Broadway's 'Jagged Little Pill' makes you fall in love with Alanis Morissette's album all over again

When COVID first hit almost two years ago, Stephen Atkinson and I compiled a list of albums that gave us comfort throughout quarantine. One of the albums that instantly came to mind was Alanis Morissette’s 1995 hit "Jagged Little Pill," which I then appreciated for how the artist “unapologetically confronts issues that make us uncomfortable, including our fear of silence and the constant need to be distracted. This fearlessness, though — her attempt to understand herself without trying to please...
The Duke Chronicle •

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ cast discusses mental health in the social media generation

When I think about high school, I often think about the anxiety that came with it: the feeling of mindlessly roaming around a crowded hallway at seven in the morning, the discomfort of eating in front of classmates and the dependence on schoolwork to distract myself from loneliness. It’s hard to realize that you’re not the only person experiencing this without feeling as if you’re burdening others with your thoughts. For high school senior Evan Hansen, this anxiety consumes his teenage years.

“...
The Duke Chronicle •

Bo Burnham's 'Inside' and the funny feeling of growing up online

On May 30, comedian Bo Burnham released his Netflix special “Inside,” a one-man performance written, filmed and edited entirely by himself. Created throughout the pandemic, Burnham addressed the boredom and loneliness of quarantine routines, such as facetiming your mom every day or feeling as if you spent the whole day in a cycle of standing and sitting and crying.

The artist has long made self-aware comments regarding the privilege of being a straight white man, or the inability of comedy to c...
The Duke Chronicle •

Bob Odenkirk reveals his action journey in 'Nobody'

Wake up. Shower. Make coffee. Go to work. Take out the trash moments before the garbage truck arrives. It’s a monotony we know all too well, and one that often calls for an escape. In his recent film “Nobody,” Bob Odenkirk shows how breaking free from a routine life may involve violence, bus fights and a break-in.

Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk) lives an extraordinarily normal life in a normal suburb: he lives with his smart, successful wife Becca (Connie Nielson), teenage son and young daughter. He g...
The Duke Chronicle •

'9 to 5' and women supporting women since 1980

I have always enjoyed films about women doing and taking what is rightfully theirs. Be it work, a title or respect, it is empowering to see female characters unafraid to take a stand. Many of these films, however, are dependent on the expectation that women need to put other women down: “Mean Girls,” for example, villianizes typically feminine traits, and even Sharpay of “High School Musical” felt like she couldn’t succeed in her theatre career without sabotaging Gabriella. Yet, in Colin Higgins...
The Duke Chronicle •

'Freaky' teaches teens to be themselves (and try not to kill each other along the way)

Meet 17-year-old Millie, Blissfield High’s school mascot and, consequently, a victim of bullying. Her soft blond curls insinuate a kind introversion, further underscored by her floral wallpaper and Panic! At the Disco poster. Her best friends, flamboyant Josh and artsy Nyla, have always encouraged her to be herself.

Even more so, though, when she’s not in her own body.

Providing a fresh and edgier take on the 2003 movie “Freaky Friday,” starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, “Freaky” dir...
The Duke Chronicle •

The harsh reality of adolescent self-discovery in 'The King of Staten Island'

In his latest film, “The King of Staten Island,” director Judd Apatow collaborates with Pete Davidson to deliver a brutally honest portrayal of every burnout’s most dreaded question: “What are you going to do with your life?”

The movie tells the story of Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson), a 24-year-old aspiring tattoo artist living with his single mother, Margie (Marisa Tomei) and college-bound sister Claire (Maude Apatow). He spends most of his days smoking weed with his friends and using them as c...

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