Category Archives: Evolution

First meeting in elementary school, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing by the time they were in high school in Decatur, Georgia, calling themselves a number of different names before landing on Indigo Girls in 1985. The folk duo released their debut Strange Fire in 1987 and a self-titled follow-up by 1989, which earned them a Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

Now 15 albums in, the Indigo Girls had just released their most recent album, Look Long, when the pandemic hit in 2020, and were forced to cancel their tour. Ray and Saliers regrouped with members of their backing band along with featured guests from around the world to create a career-spanning concert special, Look Long: Together, which was recorded in Atlanta at 800 East Studio and Brighter Shade Studios, owned by Zac Brown Bands John Driskell Hopkins.

On Look Long, Brady Blue laid down drums from his home in Stockholm, Sweden; guitarist Jeff Fielder added electric rhythm guitars, dobro slide guitar, and mandolin from Seattle; keyboardist Carol Isaacs and bassist Clare Kenny sent tracks from London, England; violinist Lyris Hung recorded from New York City. In the film, everyone was streamed in from wherever they were in the world London, Stockholm, and Seattle.

We were so bummed about that summer tour because the band that we had put together our dream band, Ray told American Songwriter earlier this year. Theyre people that were our barometers, our musical parameters in life, and we were just psyched because we hadnt toured with a band in a long time. It was all going to come together, and was a combo of all the people we loved to play with over the years.

Continuing to work on individual solo projects and new Indigo Girls material, Saliers and Ray spoke to American Songwriter about how theyve gotten better at songwriting, remain connected to inspirations and stories surrounding them, and the longevity of Indigo Girls.

American Songwriter: Now 35-plus years into doing this, do you feel like songs come to you in the same way? How has this shifted overthe years?

Amy Ray: Hopefully Im better. I was really faking it till I made it in those days. I was so young and didnt know a lot and was too precious sometimes, and not willing to listen to what other people had to say about writing or production. And Ive learned a lot. Now my writing has changed in that I just am willing to take it apart and really tear it down to its minimal state, to whats working and whats not, and really be willing to give stuff up and not lean on sentiment and try to be objective. I have a few people that I really trust, other songwriters, and producers that I will turn to and say Im having trouble with this, what do yall think? I would have never done that 20 years ago, but my process has changed a bit. Im just more open to criticism and always willing to edit stuff out. I have more curiosity about it, too. I dont look at it as a bad day when I have to lose a chorus or change a bridge. Ijust think of it as a curiosity of what would happen if I did this instead.

Music is supposed to be fun. Have fun with it. Play around with it. Change the chords out. Use a minor instead of a major, and see what happens. Just be curious. It doesnt have to be that heavy. You dont have to be so precious about everything. Its not the end of the world. Youre a songwriter. Youre not like fighting a war in Ukraine. Youre supposed to be providing a haven and some kind of break for people. It doesnt mean you cant talk about the hard stuff. It just means you have to tell the story in a way thats not so hard for people to get.

Emily Saliers: The only difference between now and decades ago is that we both have a sort of regimen where we go into our office, kind of like a day job. When I was very young, I was always writing. The muse was always visiting. Now, its a little bit more of constructing songs with discipline and focus. I think Ive grown as a writer. I think I may have written some songs that are pretty good from way back when. I feel more consistently like the writer I want to be, and Im becoming that writer.

You also keep getting influenced by other artists and art and life and things going on in the world. Theres always something to inspire you. We still both feel very inspired to write.

AS: It sounds like youre both still very influenced by whats happening around you, and within, and can transfer that into lyrics. What else is inspiring you now?

ES: Amy lives in a rural area, and she takes a lot of her inspiration from what she sees around her in the natural world. I do a lot of digging into my past to come up with stuff for songs, but one of the ways I like to grow as a writer is to listen to other peoples stories and write about them as if they were my own. I really love Bonnie Raitts new album [Just Like That]. That song about the guy who shows up with her sons heart [Just Like That]. You wouldnt know that it was someone elses story. I think her new album is her very best. Ive listened to all of her music and love her, but that song is an example of what Id like to do more as a writer, take someone elses story and make it my own.

AS: When do you know a song is resonating with others?

ES: You can tell when a song resonates emotionally with an audience. I feel the utmost gratitude for the people who come to our shows, and who stick with us. There are always people that really want to hear the old stuff, and thats cool. I understand that. Sometimes when I go to see one of my favorite bands, I want to hear the songs that Ive known, that I grew up with, and that shaped my life, but our fans were particularly interested in hearing new stuff as well. They kind of grew up with our music and live with our music, and it allows us to keep playing and they keep coming back to shows, so were really grateful for the longevity.

AS: Now that the songs of Look Long are out, whats next individually and for Indigo Girls?

ES: Im working on two different musicals, so most of my current writing is directed towards that, but Amy and I started talking about when well make our next album. Basically, I set aside a certain amount of time, and then I focus all my efforts into writing my songs for the next Indigo Girls album.

AR: I just finished making a solo record. I have a country band, and I started making solo records in 2000punk and rock stuff, then moved to the country. The stuff I was writing about after Look Long was informed by the dismantling of racism. Some of it was also informed by just trying to write a record that was about comfort, like having camaraderie across divisions because of all the isolation of COVID. Then some of it was informed by things like climate change. Nothing is literal. Its all just images and storytelling because country [music] is different. Its so much about stories, so I wanted to write a record that was about healing, and about people knowing that they werent alone.

I write all the time. During the pandemic, I lived in the woods on 80 acres and had an absolute place of heaven. I was just with my family in a bubble. I built a treehouse and used my dads tools. He passed away [in 2013], but that also made me think about him and want to write about him.

Main Photo: Rounder Records

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Writer's Block: Indigo Girls on Their Evolution of Songwriting - American Songwriter

The research was led by postdoctoral associate and evolutionary biologist Justin Wilcox.

Falcons are an ideal model for studying the process of evolution as there is an ongoing emergence of new falcon species and extreme variation in environments and habitats that falcons occupy, the university said. Additionally, falcons have a unique genomic arrangement relative to other animals, including other birds.

Falcons are important species to the culture, commerce, and conservation efforts in the Middle East and North Africa region, but this studys findings suggest that falcons may also have a special role to play in illuminating how and why genetic material is organised in the way that it is.

In a new paper titled Linked-Read Sequencing of Eight Falcons Reveals a Unique Genomic Architecture in Flux, Wilcox and colleagues presented new genomes for eight falcons, and analysed how the unique genomic structure of falcons has influenced their evolution. The researchers found that falcon genomes are now evolving in a way that is more similar to processes observed in mammals. Specifically, they report falcons as the first birds that demonstrate an evolutionary process known as AT-GC disequilibrium, which is previously only well-documented in mammals.

The team sequenced the genome of the lanner falcon for the first time in the species history, in addition to producing two new genomes for gyrfalcons, three new genomes for peregrine falcons including the first-ever reference genomes for two peregrine subspecies -- and a new genome for the saker falcon and the common kestrel. Together, these species represent all the falcon species most commonly used in falconry.

Falcons are unique in the speed and success with which they have spread across the globe and colonised new environments. Our findings highlight that their evolution is also unique among birds at the molecular level. This research also leads the way for the future study of falcon genomes to improve ancestry tests and hybrid detection, genomic trait mapping, and determination of genomic differences between species, Wilcox said.

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Why NYU Abu Dhabi researchers are studying the evolution of falcons - Gulf News

It is not an entirely new thought, since over the last 20 years films themselves have increasingly sought to establish themselves as incredible, magnificent, unique, and unmissable experiences, in order to make people want to pay for the movie ticket. They have done this with ever more ambitious and expensive productions, stories that are ever more gigantic and technically so complex as to convince audiences that those films deserve the be seen in the movie theatre. Above all, they have done it by relying on powerful marketing, which starts even a year before the films release in the case of the most expensive ones. Only in the theatres can one see Batman, Fast & Furious, or Christopher Nolans latest film before everyone does, and only in the theatres can one fully enjoy their qualities, because these films fully exploit the big screen, great sound, and advanced technologies.

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The future of the cinema lies in the evolution of its architecture - Domus

Ever since she was young, Waldoboro resident Raechale Rae Sage has been involved in a wide variety of ever-changing pursuits in a quest for knowledge and self-improvement.

Sage has always been aggressively curious, she said during an interview on July 19.

Ive always been a person who has to have my hands in multiple things to balance myself, Sage said.

Among her extracurricular activities while in high school at Erskine Academy in South China, Sage was a writing tutor, played soccer, wrestled, founded the photography club, and was in the physics club and National Honor Society, among other things.

I was into everything, Sage said with a laugh.

Nowadays, Sage runs a massage therapy practice, Sirius Somatics, at 49 Main St., Unit 1 in downtown Damariscotta and works at Lost and Found Farm in Dresden.

Since December 2021, the business has grown steadily by word-of-mouth. Sage said she would be comfortable with a few more clients, but doesnt want to become too busy.

I want enough space and energy to give whoever does come to me the best experience and really be as present as possible with them, Sage said.

A reiki class inspired Sage to attend the Downeast School of Massage in Waldoboro last year and incorporate reiki into her practice.

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety through gentle touch, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Sage is also very into swimming in as many different bodies of water as possible and is always looking for new swimming spots to check out.

Ive had so many moments of clarity while swimming, Sage said.

The water is what ultimately brought her back to Maine from South Dakota after six years in the U.S. Air Force.

Sage grew up in Florida on the Gulf Coast, moving around with her family. When she was 13, the family returned to Maine.

I spent a lot of time running around, climbing trees, and eating mulberries, and spending all day by the water, Sage said about her time in Florida.

After one year at the University of Maine in Orono, unsure of how to pay for college and discovering it wasnt a good fit at the time anyway, Sage joined the Air Force in 2014.

She worked in intelligence, analyzing and researching data and alerting others to threats. She was deployed to Afghanistan for a six-month tour, but spent much of the time stationed in South Dakota.

Its a very multifaceted job, Sage said of intelligence.

Sage credits her forged in the fire experience with giving her a concrete sense of what I wanted to do with my life.

Although some of the experience was uncomfortable and unpleasant, Sage said it was ultimately beneficial for developing self-knowledge and learning more about the international community.

Its as important to learn what you dont want to do as it is to learn what you do, Sage said.

After returning to Maine, Sage worked on a few different farms before enrolling in the Downeast School of Massage and eventually buying a house in Waldoboro where she now lives with her partner.

Sage has always been a creative person, she said, and enjoys writing poetry, making short films, and planning parties and perfect Maine days where you swim, then you get some seafood, then theres a music festival, and you spend time with your friends.

Sage is also interested in bringing people together to exchange ideas in person and discuss how people can help each other locally and affect each others lives in a positive way.

For more information on Sirius Somatics, find the business on Instagram.

(Do you have a suggestion for a Characters of the County subject? Emailinfo@lcnme.comwith the subject line Characters of the County.)

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Characters of the County: The Continuous Evolution of Rae Sage - The Lincoln County News

Brad Wills explores some of the pros and cons of using EVs for home energy resiliency

Theres no doubt that demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is skyrocketing. Already over 112,000 plug-in EVs (hybrid and battery) have been sold in 2022. Beyond the benefits this will have on the environment, the trend provides a new opportunity for our energy ecosystem considering that newly developed EVs can be used as a backup power source for the home. However, its critically important to understand what using EVs as alternate energy sources means for the wider grid.

With hurricane season approaching and natural gas prices skyrocketing, home resiliency is already a crucial requirement of homeowners. EVs identified and promoted for their home powering capabilitiesas seen with the recently released Ford F-150 Lightningare swiftly growing in popularity as a potential energy source. Yet, consumers are often purchasing these cars without much thought on the potential safety issues, or what using an EV as a generator means at a granular level. What do these smart solutions mean for our energy ecosystem? What immediate steps must be taken to avoid grid failure?

Although there are high hopes that internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles will be replaced by EVs, their gas-powered generator counterparts still have a role to play in the home resiliency conversation. As many in Texas learned last year, adding a generator to a home electricity plan cannot be an after-thought. Homes must be pre-wired to allow for easy and more importantly safe use of a generator, and roadblocks must be in place to prevent power from streaming back onto the grid.

The truth is that when using renewable energy sources like EVs for power, the installation process is not straightforward. This stems from how homes have traditionally been wired: metaphorically, powering the home was previously a one-way street. As we add more sources of renewable energy (rooftop solar, batteries, and now EVs), that street becomes a highway and more complicated to navigate.

When a home has two or three solutions in play, the system progresses even further and resembles a full-fledged interstate that requires additional (and just as complex) technologies for effective and safe operation. Without these safeguards, theres a heightened risk of sending power back out to the grid, creating a dangerous situation for all. Line workers have been severely injured and killed due to secondary sources of power not being isolated from the utilities electrical grid.

Despite many complexities and challenges, theres no doubt we need to give homeowners multiple options for backup or alternate power, especially with ongoing questions around power grid resiliency and societys growing desire to become more sustainable. However there remains a large aspiration-action gap for sustainable change to happen, especially at the federal level as the US has just begun to acknowledge the need to invest more in its utility infrastructure, with the recent push to modernise and expand capacity of the power grid.

Despite slow momentum in this space, there are solutions available that allow homeowners to use their EV as a source of powertheyre just not as simple as we wish they could be. To properly use an EV as a backup generator, disconnecting other electric lines and ensuring one-way flow is not only necessary, its crucial. At the consumer level, solutions such as Schneider Electrics Square D Energy Centerare capable of streamlining the required architecture to support bidirectional charging.

While there are immediate actions consumers can take to safely leverage their new EVs power, they are only band-aid solutions for the time being. Driving reliable home energy must involve more than just homeowners; governments and suppliers must also play their part. By working in tandem, governments with the power to fund energy infrastructure transformations, suppliers in charge of developing safe renewable solutions, and consumers interested in such technology have the power to make (safe) home energy resiliency the norm. Through this collective effort, interest in energy resiliency will increase along with the necessary funding to make it accessible. Only then will the outages and failures commonly experienced in recent years become less prevalent, and homeowners will be able to live a more energy resilient future.

The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Automotive World Ltd.

Brad Wills is Director of Strategic Customers & Programs at Schneider Electric

The Automotive World Comment column is open to automotive industry decision makers and influencers. If you would like to contribute a Comment article, please contact editorial@automotiveworld.com

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What does the EV evolution mean for home energy resiliency and the wider power grid? - Automotive World

Business travel changed during the pandemic, but as the industry recovers, many are questioning what changes may be permanent.

While digitalization accelerated as consumers were driven online, expectations of technology and the booking process have increased in parallel.

Creating a leisure travel booking experience for business travel has been the goal for some time, but it remains elusive.

The development of a consumer-grade experience for business travelers was up for discussion by executives from Egencia and TripActions during the Phocuswright Europe 2022 conference.

Chevawn Blum, senior product marketing manager for TripActions, says the industry will know when it has achieved that consumer grade experience through the level of adoption of the technology.

"You need to look at whether your travelers are using the platform. Do I have full visibility? Is everyone booking on the platform? Something that TripActions prides itself on is the adoption of the platform. If youve got a great experience, if youve got a mobile device that works well and if you can book, change, cancel flights, hotels, car - all on the go on your phone, without having to boot up your laptop, you have a really good indication that you have consumer level experience."

Alongside Ronan Bergez, head of worldwide SME sales for Egencia, Blum also discusses how the voice of the consumer, or traveler, is becoming louder in the decision-making process.

Both also see opportunity for the role of travel managers to evolve further with many already seeing themselves as people, experience or wellbeing managers.

Bergez says: "There's a great opportunity for travel manager to now operate as a chief journey officer and at the same time its another opportunity for travel managers to have more impact and connect travel with all of a company's goals - whether sustainability, happiness, sales, retention or innovation - theres now a clear correlation and we believe travel managers who manage to implement a strong travel culture will manage to unlock their companys culture and success."

Watch the full session with Egencia's Ronan Bergez and TripAction's Chevawn Blum, moderated by Phocuswright senior vice president of research and product strategy Charuta Fadnis below:

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Egencia and Tripactions on business travel evolution - PhocusWire

Infillion, an advertising platform built for the connected future, today revealed a new study exploring the evolution of streaming advertising as it relates to more relevant, personalized and interactive experiences.Conducted in partnership with market research providerIpsos, the findings reveal the relationship of ad formats and lengths to attention metrics and explores consumer sentiment around marketers paradox, privacy vs. the clear desire for more personalization.

The study also shows that consumers know their value when it comes to viewing media and that they are willing to share personal data and time in exchange for more relevant advertisements.

Key findings were based on 2,500 U.S. consumer responses and they revealed:

Overwhelming ad frequency is the most widely reported reason consumers avoid ads, while half of consumers see tailored ads as good or helpful if theyre relevant to their interests. The need for outstanding creative has never been more crucial.

When it comes to viewing media, consumers know their value.Consumers want marketers to reward them for their time with more personalized content that speaks to more premium experiences.

Consumers are open to the collection of data for advertising purposes, and as a result, expect more personalized content and offers in exchange for their time and attention.

The research underscores that in a new, more advanced media world, advertisers have an opportunity to capture more, not less, consumer time, attention and data. This is an especially powerful call to arms for marketers who have been focused on shorter, fewer ads and asking for less relevant data. The research clearly suggests that relevancy and innovation are central to engagement in the future, according to Jamie Auslander, SVP, Research & Analytics, Infillion.

In response to the study, Infillion is launchingXtendedViewlater this year, a long-form video ad unit, up to two minutes in length, that consumers opt-in to watch allowing brands to deepen storytelling and education for targeted audiences. Viewers exposed to an XtendedView ad will receive less ads throughout their content viewing experience, focusing their attention on a singular brand message rather than the jarring experience of several ads stacked against each other. XtendedView is purpose-built to address opportunities for entertainment companies to share full-length trailers; for healthcare companies to engage with more personalized stories; for candidates to share their platforms in political ads and for other expressive storytelling.

To download a copy of the full report, visithere.

Methodology: From December 13-December 21, 2021, 2,500 consumers in the United States were contacted via email and asked to respond to a survey about their media consumption and shopping behaviors. Commissioning of the study was completely blind and confidential as the survey was entirely administered and hosted by the market research provider, Ipsos, and Observer team. Respondents were screened to ensure audience sampling was representative of the U.S. streaming video viewer population and additionally balanced for key census-based demographics.

Tune in to Martech Cube Podcast for visionary Martech Trends, Martech News, and quick updates by business experts and leaders!

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Evolution of Media in a Streaming Dominated World - Martechcube

From palm frond to ground-breaking WindFree technology a sustainability leader and technology innovator

Modern air conditioning relies on the process of evaporation to cool and humidify the air at the same time. While this concept is constantly being improved upon, its roots extend back to ancient *Egypt, where reeds were hung in windows and moistened with trickling water. When wind blew through the window, the water evaporated and helped to bring down the searing Saharan heat. Later, in ancient Rome, water from aqueducts were circulated through the walls of some homes to cool3 them. In medieval Persia cisterns and wind towers were used to cool buildings during the hot season.

The first air conditioner resembling the system we know today was installed in a home in the United States of America in 1914. Inventors understanding of scientific principles had grown in leaps and bounds between ancient Egypt and early 20th century US. The principle of evaporation remained intact, but the process was now achieved by driving air through water-cooled coils.

A little over a century after this invention, air conditioners are now widely in use across the globe, in homes, businesses and cars. Most of the air conditioning systems that are used today still rely on these methods. Because Samsung has always understood the importance of being agile in this fast paced and ever-changing evolution of technology the company has designed innovative digital air solutions that connect with the changing values and needs of modern-day life. Also, Samsung has over the years committed itself to offering a meaningful experience that both meets the various demands of customers and improve the quality of consumers lives.

The move from centuries of palm frond to ground breaking WindFree technology showcases Samsungs passion of continuously evolving its products to offer the latest digital innovation to its customers. This new WindFree technology with a 10-year warranty is evidence of Samsungs significant amount of experience in the air-conditioning market. Over the years, Samsung has been recognised and won a few technology innovation awards. The company believes that it is because innovation and people-centred excellence are not just buzz words, but the core values within Samsung. It also believes that innovation is key as well as the people who will be using the products.

Samsung has over the years ensured that its digital air solutions are catering to the demanding and varied climate changes of the African continent. As a socially-responsible organisation that knows the importance of producing environmentally friendly products Samsung has managed to create some of the most energy efficient air-conditioning products available. Its WindFree air-condition product range is designed to reduce energy consumption and assist in cutting back on the carbon footprint.

Samsungs efforts in reducing the impact of humans on the planet were recently recognised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when it received two awards in recognition of the companys accomplishments as a sustainability2 leader and innovator. Some of the other Sustainability awards2 include:

These awards are highlighting Samsungs heritage of achievements in developing ground-breaking innovations that propel the industry forward.

1 Terms & conditions apply

21 ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) defines Still Air as air currents moving at speeds below 0.15 m/s, with no cold drafts. Samsung Wind-Free Air Conditioner

3 Tested on the AR07T9170HA3 model, based on the power consumption of Fast Cooling mode vs. WindFree Cooling mode.

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Samsung pioneering the evolution of digital air solutions - Boksburg Advertiser

Building confidence and bringing out peoples personality comes naturally to make-up artist Lizantia Mngadi. A friend to all her clients, Lizantia says you leave her chair not only looking different, but feeling different too.

A life-long creative, she wanted to pursue a career on that path, but enrolled at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine in efforts to build a sustainable career.

ALSO READ: Buthelezi supports early learning

I had good marks, but just because you are good at something, doesnt mean you are passionate or that its your life path, she said.

During her second year, Lizantia fell pregnant, and knew she had to take responsibility and control of the situation.

She opened her first business selling breyani for students who lived at the institutes residence. Starting with a capital of just R300, by the end of the first week I had already made R1 000, she said.

Towards the end of her pregnancy, she decided to enrol in a make-up artistry course, and in 2017 started her business in that field when she moved to Zululand.

I started networking and making friends to create a community. And since I was new in the area, I pushed my work through social media and sold my personality.

People buy who they know, not what they know. Im an extrovert and how I marketed myself was so different and so fresh that it made my clients feel liberated to step out of their shell, she said.

Lizantia encourages women to feel free in celebrating their femininity and evolution as she has been on the same path of constantly changing throughout the years of her life.

When Covid-19 hit, I went through an evolution and spiritual journey that made me who I am today.

I believe everyone went through a phase of transformation and I think that journey is beautiful if you allow it.

This spring, Lizantia plans to share her story and inspire women in Zululand to embrace the beauty of their evolution at Tea on the Terrace. The event is set to be held at the Umfolozi Resort on 17 September.

When I was asked to be a guest speaker, I insisted I was referred to as the entertainment because I feel we women need the opportunity to feel liberated and celebrated.

I want to have a space where we could just laugh, de-stress and create a community.

Tea on the Terrace This event is the annual fundraiser in support of cancer patients and Dice (Do I Care Enough?), and is set to take place between 10am and 12.30pm.

The cost is R1 000 per table of 10 and payment confirms the table. For more information and reservations, email [emailprotected]

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Embracing the evolution of beauty - Zululand Observer

Hany Mukhtar couldn't believe it, nor did he agree at the time.

At the team hotelin Bradenton, Florida, in January 2020, before the team's first preseason training session, Nashville SC first assistant coach Steve Guppy told its best player not only had he misused one of his better qualities, he wasn't using it enough.

Guppy showed Mukhtar video clips from his stint atBrondby IF in Denmark.Mukhtar made a stepover dribble just six times in three years. Four of which were in midfield.That was normal for him previously at Hertha Berlin, Austria's Red Bull Salzburg and Benfica in Portugalhe was a central midfielder, known for his give-and-go's and link-up passing with teammates in the middle channel.

But Mukhtar's new chapter with Nashville would be different. He'd be molded into an attacking player, starting with upgrading his dribbling tricksunder Guppy, knownfor his wing play in the late 1990s and early 2000s with Leicester City and Celtic, among others.

"'He was like, 'If we can bring you to doing that, you will reach your next level,' " Mukhtar recalled Guppy saying. "As a player you try toI wouldn't say go against the coach but youtry to explain to them, 'Hey, I've come so far without doing that. Like, why now should I change mygame?' "

The past 12 months haveprovided an undisputable reason. The 26-year-old Mukhtar of todayisn't the German designated player Nashville signed in August 2019 for just under $3 million. From a midfield playmaker on an expansion team to one of the league's best 11 players, Mukhtar has evolved from a connector and creator to a creator and goal-scorer.

"I'm honest with you,I was expecting a lot of things, but to becomea second striker, I wasn't seeing that," Mukhtar said. "I practiced my whole life for being a midfield player, and in the peak of my career, there is a change. You have to adapt. You have to take it and do the best with it."

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Thatadjustment was a season-long process in 2020 and Mukhtar wasn't yet convinced Guppy's vision fit his strengths. Mukhtar's first-year impression inMajor League Soccer waspromising, albeit fragmented.

In his central attacking midfield role, Mukhtar posted five goals and four assists in all competitionsa stat line weighted by the start-stopCOVID-19 pandemic season and Nashville's virus outbreak in July 2020, which prevented it from playinginthe bubble at the MLS Is Back Tournament.

Mukhtardidn't score his first MLS goal until Sept. 12 against Atlanta United. But days before, a word from coach Gary Smith would become"a game-changer," he said.

"I wasn't really playing good andI wasn't scoring that much," Mukhtar said. "Gary told me, 'We brought you here so that youmake something special. We don't want you to play from A to B. We want you to make something out of it."

Mukhtar scored three goals and an assist in the final two matches of 2020. Butthe turning point came in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs against No. 2 seed Toronto FC, in the 108th minute of extra time,convincingMukhtar that Guppy's vision for him would elevate him to the next level.

Toronto center back Chris Mavinga turned the ball over in Toronto's half.Daniel Rios collected and made a lead pass to Mukhtar. Three Toronto defenders surrounded him as he dribbled toward the penalty box. Two stepovers froze the defense. Mukhtar took the shot. Goalkeeper Quentin Westberg deflected it before Rios scored the game-winner.

"From that moment, he was like a changed man. I've never seen anything quite like it," Guppy said. "And then thenext preseason,he was a different animal altogether. In training, his1v1 work, there was like a spring in his step."

Mukhtar had daily 1v1 sessions with Guppy, cutting inside and breaking wide. Off-the-ball movements and runs behind the opposing back line. Free kicks and wide free kicks. In the film room, Guppy put together game tapes featuring Mukhtar's isolation sequences with defenders.

But it was a July 3 meeting with the Philadelphia Union thatunlocked Mukhtar as a goal threat. Smith changedformationsfrom his default 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3, which pushed Mukhtar from the midfield trio to a part of a three-man weave with CJ Sapong and Randall Leal.

In the next two months, Mukhtar went on a tear, netting seven goals and seven assists, including the league's fastest hat trick scored from the start of a game (16 minutes) in the second-fastest elapsed time (six minutes) on July 18 against Chicago Fire FC.

Seattle Sounders and U.S. men's national team midfielder Cristian Roldan said Mukhtar's threat comes down to his positioning. One of Mukhtar's most dangerous areas with the ball isin the pocket, the areas just behind the opposing midfield, tucked in from the sidelines.

In the pocket, he's so comfortable and it's very difficult to get the ball off him," Roldan said."His first touch is sublime, gets him out of pressure, gets him out of trouble a lot of times and he's so direct. I think thats what the difference is between him and a lot of players is, yeah, he can play in the pocket, he can turn and play that penetrating pass, but he also dribbles at the backline and that's what makes him really tough to defend.

Midway through last season, when it came time for the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, Mukhtar felt his production was overlooked.

Despite totaling seven goals and three assists when voting ended July 21, Mukhtar fell short in the voting.

However, when Los Angeles FC's Carlos Vela and LA Galaxy's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez were replaced due to injury, MLS added the Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget and Miami's Rodolfo Pizarro who, although U.S. and Mexico internationals, combined for two goals and four assists at the voting cutoff.

Mukhtar would miss out again on accolades in December, finishing second in the league MVP voting (11.8%) to New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil. With four goals and 18 assists, Gil was the conductor of best team and the best offense.

I feel like I needed to do more than a lot of other players to be recognized in the All-Star Game or in the MVP talk," Mukhtar said. "… Even though I had a great season the whole year, they started (mentioning me) towards the end of the season. You know what I mean? Then players like, I don't want to say names, but they were in the talks from the beginning. I'm already in a more difficult position because for people, they just saw me in talks later.

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Mukhtar said he's chalked up 2021 all-star and MVP campaigns to motivation. He's a 2022 all-star and after 21matches played, he's on pace to surpass his 16-goal tally from last year. He's scored 12 goals in MLS and 15 overall.

After becoming the club's first designated player, Mukhtar doubled down on Nashville in May, signing a contract extension through the 2025 season.

This year for me personally is to show myselfthat I can do that again. That it wasnt luck," Mukhtar said."I have that quality to do it again. But you have to stay humble because Ive had bad years and was on the bench at Benfica and Salzburg, really I was in and out of the team. Now (in Nashville), Im starting and thats what you train for your whole life. Enjoy the moment. Thats what Im doing right now.

For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee,contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccerand on Facebook.

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'Enjoy the moment': The evolution of Nashville SC star Hany Mukhtar - Tennessean