Dallas resident and Denton native Dustin Ballard has 2.7 million TikTok followers who are following him straight into the pits of despair. On his TikTok account "There I Ruined It," he car-crashes two songs that have no business together, and the results have a strange beauty to them. Want to hear Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" sung to the backing instrumentals of Bob Wills' "Cherokee Maiden"? What about Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" to the backing instrumentals of blink-182's "All the Small Things"? Ballard has done all of it, and with the advent of artificial intelligence, he has also recently taken to AI remixes, including one of Frank Sinatra singing Lil Jon's "Get Low." Such antics have earned Ballard the attention of victims such as Lizzo, Ed Sheeran and Snoop Dogg. The words, "Thanks, I hate it" apply here, but with a bit more emphasis on the word "thanks."

After spending a couple of years or so paying dues at clubs like Rubber Gloves and Andy's, Denton band Homewrecker & the Bedwetters played an EP release show in support of their Undressing EP. The all-local show brought a crowd literally in the hundreds, and it had the energy and exuberance that will have attendees reminiscing far into the future. The way Gen-X scenesters in North Texas wax nostalgic about seeing Funland and Baboon play to hundreds at the Fry Street Fair, the attendees at Homewrecker's EP release show will be telling others about how people stage-dived as the band played "You Are Valid and We Love You."

It's cool to buy handmade ceramics, and it's even cooler when your ceramics come from an artist in your very own city. It's eco-friendly, and it's something to brag about to your friends. Make sure to let them know that if you were to mistakenly eat off of any mass-produced IKEA ceramics, you could go into anaphylactic shock. Cue Stephen Salter, who produces some of the most impressive and practical ceramics around, ones that are as beautiful as they are useful. Salter has a tangible passion for ceramics, and he loves to share his process with the world. He has an entire TikTok dedicated to his work and how it's done. You could stare at the mesmerizing rotating clay for hours, and you will, because you're probably addicted to social media. Once you're sufficiently influenced, click over to his Etsy page and bust out your credit card.

Maybe you just broke up with your long-term boyfriend, or maybe you are just one more heinously unfunny prompt on Hinge away from a brain aneurysm. Dating is exhausting, and if you feel the ick toward one more man you thought you might have had feelings for, you may become celibate for life. So, it's not a crime that you just want to hook up with a man who isn't going to hit you up to ask how you think the first date went. What you need is a trip to Barley House, the best bar in Dallas to find current and former frat guys. The guys here won't even ask you what your name is, and that's just fine. Grab a pitcher of beer, do some shots and let loose with Logan, Kyle or ... Todd. He'll take you back to his beige unfurnished apartment, you'll have a good time, and you'll never have to hear him tell you about how he could have been a professional athlete if it wasn't for that one injury in high school.

It can't be easy to come forward with claims of abuse, but doing that in front of the entire world takes some serious guts. That's just what Dallas-based entrepreneur Courtney Vucekovich did in House of Hammer, a Discovery+ docuseries in which she airs gruesome accusations (including flirtations with cannibalism) against her ex-boyfriend, actor Armie Hammer. Vucekovich alleges that her romance with Hammer turned so dark that it left her with PTSD. Several other women detailed similar accounts, which Hammer has denied. Vucekovich's bravery and mental health advocacy will undoubtedly help countless women avoid toxic relationships.

From the Texas House to the U.S. House, Jasmine Crockett's political star continues to rise. Crockett previously earned the Observer's "Best Freshman Lawmaker" during her time representing Texas House District 100, which stretches across parts of Dallas. She's now bringing that same fighting spirit to the nation's capital, where she recently went viral for her verbal takedown of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, the controversial Colorado Republican, after Boebert was rude to a witness at a congressional hearing. Crockett's dedication to voting rights and civil liberties is apparent, and we're excited to see where her political career takes her next.

Since launching several years ago, KUZU 92.9 FM has been disrupting the airwaves in Denton in the best way possible. The nonprofit radio station champions local artists, helping to keep the North Texas music scene alive and well. Its grade-A DJs spin some of the most eclectic selections around, and KUZU's true DIY spirit cements its place as the standard-bearer for community radio. Be sure to roll up a fat doobie and tune into 92.9 FM for an always-excellent mix of killer tunes.

For weeks in early 2023, people were on high alert following a series of break-ins at the Dallas Zoo. Enclosures were tampered with, including the clouded leopard and langur monkey exhibits, and a lappet-faced vulture died from an apparent stab wound. Two emperor tamarin monkeys vanished and were later found at a boarded-up community home in Lancaster. The bizarre string of events captivated Dallasites until police arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the crimes.

For most musicians, the idea of covering Queen Lizzo must feel pretty daunting. Joshua Ray Walker, Dallas' consummate country king, was clearly up to the challenge. In Walker's take on "Cuz I Love You," his majestic vocal range is on full display, sending chills up listeners' spines. Damn, that man can hold a falsetto note like no one's business. The banger's black-and-white music video was directed by Walker, who captivates on screen in a gender-bending outfit complete with a feather boa. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Walker is destined to become country royalty.

We love it when North Texans get to strut their talents on TV, and that's exactly what Anthony "Lanky" Langston did on Secret Chef. The bartender-cum-home chef — who also works at the ever-delectable Ten : One Artisanal Cheese Shop in Denton — recently took home the top prize on the Hulu cooking competition, brought to viewers by executive producer and famed restaurateur David Chang. Langston's smarts and culinary creativity set him apart from the pack, and he ultimately wound up winning the $100,000 grand prize.