Dear Las Vegas Weekly:

The purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention an incident of plagiarism that did not go unnoticed by the Astr0mag team. While the incident is relatively minor, it’s no less urgent to us. We write in the hopes of avoiding situations like this one in the future.

On April 13, 2023 the Las Vegas Weekly published Amber Sampson’s article titled “Local Spin: Fresh Singles from Desert Island Boys, Post NC and other Las Vegas Artists.” This article includes three singles from local bands/artists that ASTR0MAG had previously covered both on our blog and in our debut print issue officially released on April 1st, 2023.

All three singles were released nearly two months prior to the Las Vegas Weekly article being published. ASTR0MAG reviewed them as early as February and March on our online blog when the singles were released. We find the timing of your article to be strange. Even more concerning is the very similar language used in the article compared to ASTR0MAG’s in describing the singles. Below, we have included one example of three:

LAS VEGAS WEEKLY (Published April 13, 2023)

Fans of Liz Phair and Soccer Mommy will love the woozily nostalgic ’90s feel of “Stars,” which singer-songwriter Rhaina Yasmin penned and then produced with outside musicians. An alternative-rock gem at its core, “Stars” best encapsulates the stormy nights we’ve spent alone, contemplating our lives. But as quickly as that introspection sets in, the track jars you awake with a blaring trumpet finale that both surprises and delights.

ASTR0MAG (Published March 10, 2023)

Las Vegas-based indie artist, Rhaina Yasmin, released her latest single “Stars” in late February. The heavily nostalgic and dreamy tune is straight out of an early 2000s rom-com.

You know, the part where the main character is in their cute New York City apartment reflecting on their questionable life decisions thus far? It’s raining outside of course. Their world is crumbling around them, but it’s okay because Rhaina Yasmin’s single, “Stars,” is playing in the background. Right on the breakdown, they’re suddenly running outside, twirling around in the rain, drenching themselves in a liquid epiphany. “Stars” will make you feel like the main character.

Reminiscent of Michelle Branch, Liz Phair, or more contemporary artists like Soccer Mommy and Snail Mail, Rhaina Yasmin delicately reflects on her fleeting youth through yearning vocals and expressive lyricism.

We plan on sharing information regarding this incident with our readers and followers on Friday, April 28th. Your decision to publish this content runs contrary to the journalistic ethic one would expect from a large publication like the Las Vegas Weekly. We are a very small team of incredibly driven people who are passionate about uplifting the local music scene of Las Vegas. We do not take this situation lightly, as our team not only covers what’s happening within the Las Vegas music scene, but we are deeply and personally involved in it. Should you wish to discuss this, we can be reached at astr0magmusic@gmail.com.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Astr0mag Team