I'm a little confused as to how fees are low, yet BTC price is going up? Or are they unrelated and, instead, related to something else? Like, has their been an explosion in hashrate?

See your last paragraph for answers.

Fees are also down because no one wants to move their sats for jpegs when it “costs” so much for hard money

Better get those transactions in quick. Fees gonna go up in a couple hours.