Brian Eno has spoken about his “powerful” David Bowie collaboration ‘Get Real’ which he is now reworking as part of a new climate change album project.
‘Sounds Right’ also sees Mother Nature becoming recognised as an official artist, with her own profile on major streaming platforms, with tracks posted that include sounds from the natural world, including ocean waves, wind, rainstorms and birdsongs. As the accredited artist, ‘Nature’ will also receive royalties for the tracks as they are played.
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Bowie and Eno’s track ‘Get Real’ is a reworking of a song they recorded together during the ‘1. Outside’ sessions in the mid-’90s, and the new version incorporates recordings of hyenas and wild pigs to ground it in nature.
In a new interview on the Midnight Chats podcast, Eno has spoken about the creation of the track, and the choice to include the animal sounds. Listen below:
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“Well, I’ve got a number of recordings of different animals here,” he explained. “I wanted big, slightly menacing animals in the song. Not birds and wind and things like that. So I tried a Siberian tiger, that was a bit too overwhelming. I tried some rooks. I’ve always loved rooks, but they sounded like ducks in that context, which is not quite the same message. And the two I’ve settled on and I’m working with at the moment – I haven’t finished this piece yet – are hyenas and wild pigs.”
“The wild pigs sound really good. They’re in a kind of frequency range which is quite hard to fit into the music, but I’m working on that. So yes we’ll have David, Bri and some wild pigs!”
Eno went on to say that he thinks Bowie would have “loved it”, adding: “Yeah, he’d say: ‘Sounds good to me, Bri. I think we should go ahead with that’.”
Eno explained that he didn’t have many memories of recording the original track with Bowie, but added: “It’s a powerful song. Very good lyrics. And with this new kind of container that we’re putting it in of being a song about relationship with the Earth, I think it really works.”
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The goal of Sounds Right is to raise money for global conservation projects, and funds will be collected by the Brian Eno-founded charity EarthPercent and directed to threatened ecosystems around the world. It also comes “at a critical time” as Wildlife populations have declined by an average of nearly 70 per cent in the past 50 years and at least 1.2million plant and animal species are estimated to be at threat of extinction.
Cocker spoke to NME about the project, saying: “Having been born in a city [Sheffield], I used to be quite scared of nature in a way,” said Cocker, speaking backstage at GEI. “Not scared like shitting meself scared, but just not sure what to do. I’ve tried to deal with it.
“In this talk I’m trying to look at what’s happened to me as a person. People know there’s a climate emergency, but a lot of people aren’t connected to nature. We are natural beings, and it’s just that we’ve become divorced from that concept.”
In the Midnight Chats podcast, Eno also discussed Jarvis’ contribution. “It’s really a piece of performance art,” he said. “It’s so clever. I think it’s one of the most brilliant things I’ve seen done in this area. It’s a sort of PowerPoint presentation with a difference. The difference being, of course, Jarvis Cocker, who doesn’t do a PowerPoint presentation like anybody else would do it. It’s very powerful, and it’s very moving.”
In the bustling realm of contemporary hip-hop, Power emerges as a dynamic force, infusing his latest release, "Wasabi," with an electrifying energy that pulses through every beat. Hailing from the bustling streets of Los Angeles, Power's music resonates with a raw authenticity that speaks to the soul.
"Wasabi" isn't just a song; it's a vibrant ode to passion and desire. With lyrics that sizzle with intensity and a beat that pulses with infectious energy, Power invites listeners to immerse themselves in a world of fiery romance and unbridled emotion.
In the accompanying music video, Power takes viewers on a visual journey that mirrors the song's explosive energy. From sleek sports cars to neon-lit cityscapes, each frame bursts with color and life, capturing the essence of a love that burns bright and unyielding.
As an artist deeply rooted in the hip-hop tradition, Power draws inspiration from a diverse range of influences, blending elements of rap, R&B, and pop to create a sound that is uniquely his own. With "Wasabi," he showcases his versatility as a songwriter and performer, effortlessly weaving together catchy hooks and memorable verses that linger long after the music fades.
But "Wasabi" isn't just about the music; it's about the message. At its core, the song is a celebration of love in all its forms - passionate, intense, and unapologetically bold. Through his music, Power encourages listeners to embrace their desires and pursue their passions with unwavering determination.
As "Wasabi" makes its way onto streaming platforms and airwaves around the world, Power cements his status as a rising star in the hip-hop scene. With his magnetic charisma and undeniable talent, he continues to captivate audiences with his infectious energy and infectious optimism.
In a world that often feels divided and uncertain, Power's music serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, reminding listeners of the power of love to transcend boundaries and unite us all. With "Wasabi," he invites us to turn up the volume, let go of our inhibitions, and dance to the rhythm of our hearts.
Among the proposed cuts was a key moment in the first episode when elf queen Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), who is journeying across the sea to her people’s ancestral homeland of Valinor from where she may not return. As the Elvish fleet approaches Valinor, golden light breaks through the clouds and the sky opens up to admit them – but Galadriel changes her mind and dives off the side of the ship into the water below. Then she begins to swim back to the mainland of Middle-Earth.
This scene contained some of the show’s most impressive visual effects, but Bayona, who directed the first two episodes of The Rings Of Power season one, said producers “tried to take it out” from the schedule because they “didn’t have the money.”
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Luckily, Bayona was able to persuade them otherwise. “It wasn’t that expensive,” he said. “I actually convinced them that we were going to be able to shoot that scene in the budget.”
The Spanish filmmaker managed to rescue another scene in episode two, involving giant “sea creatures” that try and attack Galadriel as she shelters on a raft from a violent storm. “I did a lot of stuff that the producers didn’t believe we were going to be able to put in those episodes,” he said, “and we did it on budget and on schedule.”
He added: “In general, I had a great experience in doing that [show]. It was a massive challenge. We had only nine months to do two hours of Lord Of The Rings fiction, you know. It had to match the expectations of the fans and the movies, but we only had nine months. You always want to give more than what you have. It’s a lot from a lot of people.”
J. A. Bayona (middle) on the set of ‘Society Of The Snow’. CREDIT: Netflix
Bayona is currently promoting his new Netflix survival thriller Society Of The Snow, which tells the real-life story of a Uruguayan rugby team who crash-landed in the Andes on their way to a tournament in 1972. The few passengers who weren’t killed found themselves stranded on a glacier in extreme conditions with nothing to eat or drink, at one point resorting to cannibalism.
Based on Pablo Vierci’s 2009 book of the same name, Society Of The Snow is a tale of “light and shadow”, said Bayona. This complexity is part of the reason he decided to make it in Spanish, and not in the American system – before bringing it to Netflix to distribute.
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“It’s totally the opposite of the kind of stories I’ve seen in Hollywood about survival,” he said. “It’s complex… In Hollywood films, the person who fights the hardest and keeps going [always wins]. In Society Of The Snow, Numa [a survivor played by Enzo Vogrincic] wants to be the hero, but the mountain forces him to learn a different way of being. He needs to learn how to cry. He needs to learn how to be taken care of by the others, you know, which is a very feminine way of behaving. It’s totally the opposite of this masculine way of behaviour that you find in the Hollywood movies.”
The film has today (December 11) been nominated for a Golden Globe award in the Best Film – Non-English Language category. In recent years, thanks to the Oscars success of movies like South Korea’s Parasite and Germany’s All Quiet On The Western Front, debate has intensified around the usefulness of separating films on the basis of language.
‘Society Of The Snow’, coming soon to Netflix. CREDIT: Netflix
“I was talking to one of the heads of The Academy,” said Bayona, “and she told me that 25 per cent of the vote is now foreign, as in, the membership. So that’s changing the nominations and the awards.”
The Academy has been on an inclusion drive in recent years, partly as a response to controversy on social media and the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag that criticised a lack of diversity among nominees. In 2022, the body hit its target of doubling women members and members of colour.
“It took me 10 years to find the financing for this film because it’s in Spanish,” Bayona added. “If it wasn’t in Spanish I would have done this film 10 years ago… So hopefully there will be a moment when that will not be necessary.”
‘Society Of The Snow’ is in select cinemas from December 22 and on Netflix from January 4
RAYE has opened up about her experience of abuse of power in the music industry, calling the effects “crippling”.
In a snippet of an upcoming interview with Louis Theroux, the singer delved into what it has taken to release her debut album, ‘My 21st Century Blues‘. The interview will be released on November 28.
“When you’re up and coming, when you have a dream and you cross paths with powerful people – some people abuse their power and the effects of that can be crippling,” she said.
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As RAYE initially entered her music career, she said she was “so young and so hungry to make my dreams a reality.”
“It wasn’t at all planned, it was more of a desperate cry to be free,” RAYE said. “It’s so deep, what I’d realised I’d actually been doing to myself as a person, to try and be the somebody that they wanted me to be. It’s so sad.
“At the end of the day it’s a business and I wasn’t selling what [the record label] wanted me to sell.”
RAYE also discussed her song ‘Ice Cream Man’, which she said was about “sexual abuse and rape and sexual violence” in a powerful speech at Glastonbury. The song’s lyrics include lines like: “I was seven, was 21, was 17, and was 11. It took a while to understand what my consent means, if I was ruthless, they’d be in the penitentiary.”
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Speaking to Theroux, she said she’ll “completely break down” singing it, saying the song is “my way to be loud in a way that is safe”.
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The singer spoke to NME back in August about navigating the music industry and her journey to being shortlisted (and eventually nominated) for a Mercury Award.
“To be recognised for a body of work is something that I’ve really wanted for a really long time,” she told NME. “It really feels like it’s happening. It really feels like people have taken the time to dig into this album and I know that this shortlist will bring even more ears to people who have never heard it or heard of me.
She advised artists to “keep good people around you” in the music industry, saying: “It is a scary thing, I get it. It’s really important to find people you can trust and people who allow you to be the artist you want to be. That sounds obvious, but it’s actually not.
“When you’re an artist, you’re so vulnerable and susceptible to every opinion. Maybe it will effect how you feel about something you once loved, but you’ve just got to get that noise out and trust your instincts.”
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
Power, the artist who weaved magic with hits like “Hook Up” and “Is It True,” graces the hip-hop scene yet again, this time bringing an anthem of love and enthrallment with his latest single “You’re The One.” Listeners are treated to a soulful narrative of an extraordinary connection. The song captures the heart’s deepest corridors, depicting intense and raw emotions, echoing the silent yet passionate rhythms of the soul.
The lines, “Nah we don’t like to mention, we both get a lot of attention, but all our other lovers, ain’t in the same dimension,” are a testament to the chaotic yet exhilarating journey powerf two souls coming together amidst the madness of a world drowning in fading allure. It’s narrated with arresting clarity, where every beat, every note, and every word portrays a love that rises above the ephemeral, rooting itself in the eternal.
In the music video, audiences get a VIP pass to a universe where sleek style vibes with real, unfiltered feelings. It's all going down in a high-end condo, where heand his partner are caught up in an intricate dance. The combined artistry of Power and Aman Bhatia brings a level of realness that hits deep, capturing emotions that are as pure as they come. Every scene is a mix of the glam and the genuine, keeping it real while living that luxe life.
“You’re The One” captures the deep, unspoken feeling experienced in those quiet, intimate moments of soul recognition. It’s a sensory experience that resonates in the silent spaces of the heart, echoing the profound, wordless connection of encountering one’s other half. In this sublime narrative, Power lays bare an obsession, lighting up a world where love, in its rawest and realest form, resides.
Check out the music video for “You’re The One” here:
Like many great teen dramas, Gen V features a plucky group of friends dealing with the trials and tribulations of college, shitty parents and their blossoming journeys of self-discovery. Similarly, there’s also a killer soundtrack featuring Maggie Rogers, Wolf Alice and Phoebe Bridgers – as well as classic coming-of-age anthems from Hole and Bananarama. But alongside the harmless first kisses and complaints about homework, Gen V also has the exploding penises and ultraviolence we’ve gotten used to from its parent series, grownup superhero drama The Boys.
Set after the explosive conclusion to season three, this youth-focused spin-off starts with orphan Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) as she gets accepted to Godolkin University (God U, for short), a school designed to train superheroes in everything from crimefighting to brand awareness. Marie’s power is blood manipulation, but her classmates have different abilities. There’s Ant-Man-inspired Emma Meyer (Lizzie Broadway), metal-bender Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo) and mind controller Cate Dunlap (Maddie Philips). There’s also Luke Riordan AKA Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger), who’s on a fast track to joining the fully-fledged supes in The Seven, while Jordan Li (Derek Luh and London Thor) can change genders at will. More adult themes such as self-harm and eating disorders are also tackled.
Chance Perdomo plays metal-bender Andre Anderson in ‘Gen V’. CREDIT: Amazon Studios
As you can probably guess from the corruption that’s rife over in the main show, things aren’t exactly what they seem at God U, and the gang of mini-heroes have to team up to uncover the truth Scooby-Doo-style. It’s a dog-eat-dog world however, and a sense of imminent dread stalks every twist and turn. Time is still made for the occasional frat party though.
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There are various nods to events in The Boys across Gen V, with plenty of familiar faces turning up over the course of the eight-episode run. The events of this spin-off could also have huge ramifications for the entire shared universe, depending on how things play out. Rather than feeling like a convoluted introduction to an upcoming plot point like The Walking Dead’s cancelled coming-of-age spin-off World Beyond, Gen V creates its own rich, self-contained franchise that feels worthwhile. It twists expectations with trippy dream sequences, surreal powers and murderous puppets. The focus is on teenagers but Gen V is certainly not a kids show.
Taking advantage of the smaller stakes, the junior supes are allowed to develop naturally and most are immediately more likeable than the jaded character from the main series. Luckily, retired superhero Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas), True Crime presenter Tek Knight (Derek Wilson) and superintendent Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn) are on hand to offer a healthy dose of unpleasantness.
Despite Marvel introducing enough teen superheroes to launch a Young Avengers and the success of Stranger Things, Wednesday and The Umbrella Academy, Gen V is confidently its own thing. It’s comfortable sitting in the shadow of The Boys for the time being and while the gory humour might feel familiar, this smart, sleek spin-off is never less than exciting.
From the pulsating heart of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, Leandro Cury, the captivating Brazilian artist, delivers a soul-stirring single called “Estrela,” a Portuguese word that translates to “Star.” Just as stars shimmer in the night, this track shines with its touching narrative of love and connection. The musician sings about a time when he walked in the shadows, lonely and disheartened, only to find his beacon of hope in the warmth of a cherished bond.
The lyrics delve deep into the realms of romantic relationships, reflecting on how they become sanctuaries, even amid life’s storms. Cury’s poetic lines, “Before I met you/ For a long time, I believed I deserved to be alone/ Today, I want to remind you/ That when everything was a storm, I found my shelter in you/ Your energy harmonizing with mine/ Makes me feel so good, makes me feel so good,” beautifully depict the rejuvenation one experiences in the presence of genuine love.
When two souls come together, the universe itself seems to echo their harmony. It’s the wind whispering secrets, waves merging seamlessly, and clouds dancing in joyous union. This celestial dance of emotions is perfectly encapsulated when Leandro Cury proclaims how his lover’s joy and energy resonates with his own, lighting up his world, “So good that it makes your star shine within me/ Your joy balancing mine/ Makes me feel so good, makes me feel so good/ Tremendous well-being merging your world with mine.”
Drawing inspiration from iconic artists like Legião Urbana, Os Paralamas do Sucesso, Barão Vermelho, and Renato Russo, Cury crafts a song that resonates on a universal scale. With this release, he sends out the message that love is not just about finding someone; it’s about recognizing the light within, revealing a side the audience might’ve never known existed.
“Estrela” is for every heart seeking its twin flame. It reminds listeners that in the vast expanse of the universe, when stars align, they create a brilliance unmatched, much like the beauty of two souls in love. Charting an ever-rising musical career, Leandro Cury is gearing up for more, especially with the forthcoming EP, Counting Constellations.
In a captivating blend of musical styles, Enrose ’s latest single, “Tattoo,” emerges as a testament to self-expression and personal growth. Lead singer Gabi Rose, the creative force behind the band, draws from her unique background as a saxophonist and singer-songwriter to craft a sound that captures both empowerment and vulnerability.
The inception of Enrose was catalyzed by pivotal moments in Gabi’s creative journey. With a desire to transform her solo demos into a collaborative endeavor, she found inspiration in her connection with Anthony Lopardo, owner/producer at Westfall Recording Co. His belief in her talent provided the encouragement she needed to create the group, an outlet that transcended her individual aspirations and embraced the band model’s potential for growth.
“Tattoo” itself is a fusion of influences, ranging from Pop R&B to Chill Pop. Gabi’s songwriting centers around themes of self-expression, bravery, and love, encapsulating the essence of the human experience. The song’s lyrics artfully parallel the act of getting a tattoo with the pursuit of personal transformation. The artist’s own experiences of stepping out of her comfort zone and embracing new challenges served as the impetus for this metaphor.
Central to Enrose‘s sonic identity is the saxophone, an instrument that Gabi has masterfully incorporated into the song. Her early exposure to smooth jazz, coupled with her fascination for its cool aesthetic, led her to infuse her tracks with emotional depth and versatility, enhancing the overall musical experience.
Gabi Rose, along with Jake Navarro and Kit Benz, co-wrote the song, drawing from shared experiences and passions. Their journey to find the perfect sonic expression led them to an alternative pop sound, a fusion of their musical influences. This collaborative effort extended to the production phase, with Anthony Lopardo and Ray Marte contributing to the track’s finalization.
In “Tattoo,” Enrose doesn’t just deliver a catchy tune; it provides a canvas for empowerment, transformation, and a celebration of the artistic spirit. Gabi Rose’s journey from a young saxophonist to a leading force in the music industry showcases boundless possibilities of embracing one’s true self and defying expectations.
Versatile singer-songwriter, recording artist, and rapper Tre’c has just dropped some new sounds under the form of a brand new track titled “Fumble.” Exuding powerful vibes while securing a smooth listening experience for all, the 22-year-old artist has come a long way since his beginnings with music.
In a recent interview with Pop Cultr, Tre’c shared:
““Fumble” came to life when I called Uzo up one day & told him we needed to cook something crazy. He came over some hours later & then he connected to my KRK classic 5 monitors & played one of my favorite beats I’ve ever heard. It’s calm but the bass just grabs you at the same time as I express feelings of a relatable topic of how trusting someone can hurt on any level when the same energy is not reciprocated as you feel that you deserve. So I kept this topic in my head as I wrote the entire song & had a feeling by the end of the final recording process & mix we would have a special piece of work created.”
With a brand new EP and a music video on the horizon set to drop in the coming days, Tre’c is making all the right moves to secure himself a spot amongst the most promising emerging urban artists in 2023, so make sure to keep him on your radar for the latest news and releases.
Cat Power performed a show at the Royal Albert Hall where she covered Bob Dylan‘s legendary 1966 gig in its entirety – watch below.
READ MORE: Cat Power: “The music I’m drawn to is about either healing or abandon – one or the other”
The gig took place on Saturday night (November 5), with Chan Marshall playing Dylan’s exact set from the gig. The first half of Marshall’s show was acoustic before she was joined by an electric band for the remainder.
Dylan played the Manchester Free Trade Hall at the end of his ‘Dylan Goes Electric’ tour in 1966. On a bootlegged version of the show it was mistakenly labelled as a gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London and has unofficially been known as such ever since.
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In 1998 the bootlegged version of the gig was officially released under the title ‘Bob Dylan Live 1966, The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert’.
Marshall’s show was originally announced in July. The musician said: “When I finally got the opportunity to play The RAH, it was a no brainer. I just wanted to sing Dylan songs. And as much as any, this collection of his songs, to me, belong there.”
Speaking to The Guardian ahead of the gig, Power said: “It’s important for me to not do my thing. I’m not being Bob, not at all. I don’t know how to describe it – I’m just recreating it, that’s all. But not making it mine. I had the inkling that I should protect that period of time and him making that crossover. It’s like this precipice of time that changed music for ever.”
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She continued: “My heart is racing, I’m terrified … It’s not like, ‘Oh what will Bob think?’ It’s like, ‘What am I doing? Am I doing something right?’ I’m going to cry.”
Power has been covering a host of artists over recent years and released a new covers album earlier this year featuring versions of tracks by Frank Ocean, The Pogues, Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, Billie Holiday and others.
Reviewing ‘Covers’, NME said: “Often, cover records are dismissed as simply a bit of fun or as an indulgent aside to an artists’ original output, but when Cat Power does it, it’s nothing less than soul-nourishing.”
Reviewing ‘Covers’, NME said: “Often, cover records are dismissed as simply a bit of fun or as an indulgent aside to an artists’ original output, but when Cat Power does it, it’s nothing less than soul-nourishing.”
Kalush Orchestra have shared powerful new single ‘Nasze Domy’.
READ MORE: Kalush Orchestra: “It’s amazing that we can perform our music at Glastonbury”
The Eurovision 2022 winners have teamed up with Polish rapper Szpak for the track which “addresses the pain and struggles felt in Ukraine while conveying a message of hope at its core.” You can listen to the song below.
“The idea for this track arose in my head when I was visualising the war in Ukraine. Although we all now live in fear of what Russia has unleashed, God will not forget about us, and in the end good will definitely win,” Szpaku said in a press release.
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“I believe that this is a very important song, and I hope that it will become another bridge between our two countries – Poland and Ukraine.”
It comes after the band collaborated with The Rasmus on a new version of the latter’s hit single ‘In The Shadows’, which was their first release since their their Eurovision 2022-winning song ‘Stefania’.
Kalush Orchestra embarked on a North American headline tour last month and along the way met up with Arnold Schwarzenegger to discuss the current situation in Ukraine and thanked him for his continued active support for their country.
“You know, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been actively supporting Ukrainians since the early days of the war, for which we are very grateful. We believe that support from abroad will only increase. It was a pleasure to meet such a legend, I can say that I grew up on movies with his participation,” the band wrote on their Instagram account at the time.
On the meeting, Schwarzenegger added: “It was fantastic to meet Kalush Orchestra, the Eurovision champions from Ukraine. You inspire me!”
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Meanwhile, the band are set to perform at this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards in Dusseldorf, Germany on November 13.
Voting is now officially open via the MTV EMAs website and will close on November 9 at 11:59pm CET.
Billie Eilish has shared a new video encouraging fans to vote in next week’s US midterm elections.
Americans will go to the polls on Tuesday (November 8) to decide which seats will go to the two main parties in both houses of Congress.
Back in July, the singer partnered with the non-profit voter registration organisation HeadCount to help to encourage her followers to get involved in the elections, and has now shared a further video message to get the word out.
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Taking to Instagram, she said: “I want to explain why I’m voting this year, and how important I think it is that you vote too.
“I look at what’s on the ballot, and what’s at stake, and it scares me. Our rights, our freedoms and our futures are on the line, and if we don’t show up, there is a good chance we will see a national ban on abortion with no exceptions.”
She added: “They also want to take away the freedom to marry who we love, restrict voting rights and enact laws that threaten the progress that must be made on climate change.
“The only way to be certain of the future is to make it ourselves, which is why we must vote on or before November 8. Please promise me you will make a plan to vote. Let’s show them what our power looks like.”
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Earlier this year, Eilish and Finneas met with President Joe Biden in the White House. The pair were invited, along with their parents Maggie and Patrick, to meet the US President following their support for Biden during the 2020 US election.
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Eilish previously performed in support of Biden at the Democratic National Committee’s virtual 2020 convention, where she delivered her first public performance of her song ‘My Future’.
Another musician to team up with HeadCount ahead of the elections is Harry Styles, whose campaign reportedly saw over 54,000 people register as part of HeadCount’s ‘Good To Vote’ initiative, with nearly 30,000 registrations taking place within its first 24 hours.
With this, Styles has broken HeadCount’s record for the most successful campaign headed up by a musician.
Fiona Apple has shared a new song inspired by a J.R.R. Tolkien poem and released it to mark the season finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
READ MORE: Fiona Apple – ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ review: an intoxicating and excoriating listen that will cut deep
‘Where The Shadows Lie’ arrived yesterday (October 7) to mark the end of the first season of the hit Amazon Prime Video show which, following the release of the first two episodes on September 2, earned 25million viewers in the first 24 hours and became the biggest opening premiere in the streaming service’s history.
Apple’s new song features music from Bear McCreary, and follows a cover of Charlie Rich’s ‘The Most Beautiful Girl’, which she shared on her YouTube channel over the summer.
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Earlier this summer, Apple also appeared on a song with Watkins Family Hour – a cover of the country classic ‘(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You’, originally written and sung by Stuart Hamblen in 1950. In April, she gave her spin on Sharon Van Etten‘s ‘Love More’ for the anniversary reissue of Van Etten’s 2010 album ‘Epic’.
Listen to ‘Where The Shadows Lie’ below.
Last year, Apple confirmed her plan to donate all the royalties received from a sync spot in the new Candyman film, sticking to a promise made the previous year.
The musician’s song ‘Shameika’, a single taken from her 2020 album ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters‘, can be heard playing from a record player inside art critic’s apartment in the Nia DaCosta-directed reboot of the 1992 horror classic.
Last March, Apple pledged to donate all royalties from TV and movie placements of her ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ songs ‘Shameika’ and ‘Heavy Balloon’ to charities. For ‘Shameika’, that would be the Harlem Children’s Zone and for ‘Heavy Balloon’ that would be Seeding Sovereignty.
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Additionally, the singer-songwriter vowed to donate $50,000 (£36,343) to each of the above charities should no syncs materialise.
Bush have released an explosive new single, ‘Heavy Is The Ocean’, the opening track of their forthcoming album, ‘The Art Of Survival’.
READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life: Bush’s Gavin Rossdale
The hard-hitting ‘Heavy Is The Ocean’ dropped yesterday (Friday September 16), serving as the second single from Bush’s forthcoming ninth studio release.
The deep, fuzzed out number dropped with an official visualiser. Listen below:
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In a press release, Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale spoke of his reaction when he first heard the weighty ‘Heavy Is The Ocean’ riff. “It really sets the tone and the gravitas of the album,” he said. “I love the power of the ocean. It’s mesmerising to me. It feeds your soul. The song uses the imagery I love.
“This one definitely represents ‘The Art of Survival’.”
News of ‘The Art Of Survival’ – the follow-up to 2020’s ‘The Kingdom’ – was heralded by the release of its first single, ‘More Than Machines’.
Rossdale called the song “action-packed”, saying it focuses on “three really big topics”. “I don’t understand how anyone has the audacity to get involved or assume responsibility for women’s bodies,” he said. “I wanted to reference that, because it’s important to discuss.
“As much as the song is about the destruction of women’s rights, it’s about the destruction of the planet and the move for A.I. and a world of robots to replace us.
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“I’m not here to teach anything though; my job is medieval like a town crier. I come into town with my elixirs and sing about it, so it hopefully goes out into the universe.”
In a statement at the time of the album’s announcement, it was revealed that ‘The Art Of Survival’ – out October 7 via BMG – was written and recorded across 2022, with ‘Flowers On A Grave’ producer Erik Ron (Panic! At The Disco, Godsmack) working with Bush once again.
On the album, Rossdale said: “Instead of being mournful or self-piteous, this is about the success stories of humanity’s survival against the odds. I think the nature of life is the art of survival. Everyone is being tested all of the time, but we find a way.
“In recent memory, we’ve made major strides and shown great resilience in the face of war, endless instances of racism, gender politics, a pandemic, and a melting pot of what we’ve experienced. For me, ‘The Art of Survival’ encompasses all of this.”
Garbage’s Shirley Manson has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, recalling the impact a photo book from the coronation had on her as a child.
The Queen died yesterday (September 8) at her Balmoral estate in Scotland at the age of 96. She served as the monarch for 70 years.
In a post shared on Garbage’s Instagram page, Manson recalled the first time she saw images from the coronation, which took place in 1953. “My parents insisted I attend Sunday School as a child,” she wrote.
“One day, alongside my favourite mischief maker – Miss Elfrieda Harrison –whilst up to good, no good at all, we discovered a forgotten and discarded book of glossy and glorious photographs inside an old store room at the back of the church. Inside this book was a magnificent collection of photographs of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth ll.”
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The musician explained that she had never been interested in “fairy-tale princesses”, dressing up or dolls when she was a child. “However when I poured over the photographs in this book I was mesmerised,” she said. “It was the first time I sensed an aura of immense power and glamour emanating from a woman besides my own mother.”
Manson continued: “As a child growing up in the early ‘70s , it was still very difficult for women to be accorded the kind of societal respect automatically bestowed upon the male species. At the church I attended for a random example, my father was treated with something close to reverence by all, whilst my mother along with the rest of the women in attendance were expected to rustle up the tea and coffee after church. Serve cake and biscuits, pour the tea and coffee and then of course do all the cleaning up afterwards.”
In contrast, she wrote, she was “bemused why my goddess of a mother was always in the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist, her sweet little face flushed and slightly sweaty from the steam rising from the sink”.
“I tore a picture of the Queen out of that book I found at Sunday School and kept it in the pocket of my Sunday best coat. I regularly sneaked back in to the store room to look at that book and I never forgot the inequities that my own mother endured.
“As I have said over and over before, I am no fan of the monarchy but I never tired of the Queen,” she concluded. “I think because I got all my feelings mixed up.”
The Garbage frontwoman joins a number of figures from across the entertainment world in paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, including Mick Jagger, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney and more.
A 2021 interview in which Paul McCartney recalled meeting the Queen for the first time as a 10-year-old has also resurfaced, while Elton John and Harry Styles both paid tribute to the monarch during their concerts in Toronto and New York, respectively, last night.
Michael Kiwanuka has shared a gripping new video for track ‘Beautiful Life’ – check it out below.
The song was released earlier this year and featured on the Netflix documentary Convergence: Courage In A Crisis, directed by the Oscar winning director Orlando von Einsiedel.
The new video is directed by the American director Phillip Youmans. Speaking of the collaboration, Youmans said: “This story is a cautionary tale about our nation’s easy access to, and fascination with, guns.
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“We follow teenagers playing Russian roulette with a parent’s revolver. As each player holds the gun up to their temple, their lives flash before their eyes. When we die, our bodies release DMT; as the chemical fills our bloodstream, it’s said that a person experiences their life flashing before their eyes. So close to their possible death, I wanted to explore these characters through their memories. With each pull of the trigger, the change of death rises and each player deals with varying levels of fear.
“Overconfidence and recklessness underline the core themes of this film: life is beautiful and precious, and conformity and exhibitionism can be deadly. Though they’re fearful, they pull the trigger anyway, bowing to the pressure of the moment”
You can watch the video here:
Speaking about the track, Kiwanuka said: “In this song I wanted to focus on the feeling that there’s a real strength in the human spirit when you try to look for beauty even in difficult situations. Of course, in some situations that becomes more and more difficult. But I just wanted to ponder on that and wonder what life would be like if I lived it like that.
“Ultimately whatever people feel from hearing the song is ok with me. But what I was trying to emit through the music was a feeling of defiance. A feeling of strength through adversity.”
Lorde has told fans that she has “kept working” since her ‘Solar Power’ tour ended this summer, hinting that she’s making progress on new music.
READ MORE: ‘Melodrama’ at five: how Lorde’s cinematic pop opus inspired a new generation of artists
The singer released her third album last August and has since taken it on North American, UK and European tours, stopping at Glastonbury and beyond. On the one year anniversary of the album’s announcement in June, she thanked fans for their support, and called criticism of the album “confounding and at times painful to sit with”.
To mark the one year anniversary of the album’s release, Lorde released a new video for its closing track, ‘Oceanic Feeling’, and updated them on her movements since the ‘Solar Power’ tour ended.
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“I write to you from summer’s end,” her message began. “I can’t believe it’s almost gone. Normally in these months, my whole life is lived in deference to the season. I wake up and the weather decides what I’ll do. I spend long days outside. Swims come first, and everything else in my calendar arranges itself around them. This year, the summer’s been like a movie playing in the background.”
She went on: “I’ve kept working pretty much since tour ended, spending long days in a dark room, my brain buzzing like a fluorescent tube, eyes watering when I step back into the light.”
Lorde in the ‘Oceanic Feeling’ music video. Credit: Lorde/YouTube
The comments come after Lorde said back in June that she’s “getting nearer” to writing nothing but “bangers” again.
‘Solar Power’ saw the artist move away from the all out euphoria of 2017’s ‘Melodrama’ to create something more introspective and delicate. Speaking at the third and final night of her residency at London’s Roundhouse in early June, Lorde revealed she’d been “thinking about bangers.”
“It’s so interesting to me how writing a big, bright pop song has been the thing that’s defined my life. This thing I started trying to do when I was 14-years-old because I would turn on the radio and love that feeling, what it did to me. It became like an addiction, I just wanted to keep trying to construct the perfect thing that would hit you in the heart emotionally, over three-and-a-half minutes,” she explained.
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NME gave Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’ five stars in a review last year, calling it “a dazzling hat-trick from a master of her craft.”
“This is an album that grows in quiet stature with every listen, new nuggets of wisdom making their way to the surface, peeking through its beautiful instrumentation that weaves a stunning, leafy tapestry,” the review said.
BLACKPINK’s Rosé has shed some light on the exploratory creative process she’s undertaking for her solo material.
READ MORE: Girls’ Generation – ‘Forever 1’ review: K-pop’s most illustrious girl group prove why they’re timeless and boundless
Variety released its annual Power of Young Hollywood Impact Report on August 10, which named the K-pop idol as one of the most influential stars of the past year. Speaking with the outlet upon receiving the honour, Rosé discussed her solo music and her experience being a part of BLACKPINK.
“There are times when it feels like a lot of pressure,” Rosé said of being in BLACKPINK, completed by Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo, who all debuted together in 2016. “But it’s what drives us to create new sounds and push ourselves.”
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The Australian singer also shared that she takes this same approach to her solo material. Rosé debuted as a soloist in March 2021 with her single album ‘R’, which spawned the singles ‘Gone’ and ‘On The Ground’.
“I’m constantly exploring new ideas and sounds,” Rosé shared. “It differs from BLACKPINK’s [music] in the sense that it is still in the process of defining itself. There are so many genres that I’ve always wanted to explore.” She also told Variety that the process of releasing her solo work for the first time was a “very empowering” experience for her.
Although details of Rosé’s next solo endeavour are currently unclear, she will be making a highly awaited return with BLACKPINK through the group’s second full-length album ‘Born Pink’, due on September 16. ‘Born Pink’ comes approximately two years since BLACKPINK’s 2020 debut studio album ‘The Album’, which was also the quartet’s last music together.
The record will be previewed by pre-release single ‘Pink Venom’, dropping next week on August 19. See Rosé appear in a concept teaser for the single here:
#BLACKPINK ‘Pink Venom’ ROSÉ Concept Teaser
Pre-Release Single ‘Pink Venom’ ✅2022.08.19 12AM (EST) & 1PM (KST)
BLACKPINK have also announced the details for their ‘Born Pink’ world tour, which kicks off with two nights in Seoul this October before the group head to North America for a series of concerts. The four-piece are also scheduled to make stops across Asia-Pacific, including Australia, Singapore, Manila and more.
Black Honey have returned with their buzzing, powerful new single ‘Charlie Bronson’, accompanied by a boxing ring-set video.
The track follows the release last year of the Brighton band’s second album ‘Written & Directed’, which landed at Number Seven on the Official UK Albums Chart.
READ MORE: Black Honey live in Kingston: despite the setbacks, the Brightonians are a band unleashed
‘Charlie Bronson’ keeps the four-piece’s momentum going with a raw and unfiltered exploration of singer and guitarist Izzy Phillips’ experiences with the weight of societal expectations. “Gaslighting myself again,” she sings. “Lay me down with Marilyn / Rest in peace and rise again.”
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“There’s a personality in my head that feels like Britain’s most notorious prisoner,” Phillips explained in a press release. “Sometimes I can’t make sense of anything. It’s a bind of frustration from having to constantly present myself in a way that society accepts. My mind works differently. I say all the wrong things. I hate being ‘ladylike’. I was punished so much for what I know to be my good qualities; a strong-minded neurodivergent person who is creative, inquisitive, excitable and in my own universe.
“I was medicated, my shine dimmed and I began to see how the world rewards women who turn invisible. ‘Charlie Bronson’ is my rage.”
Black Honey will celebrate the release of the new single with an intimate gig at London’s Omeara next week (August 16), before taking to the main stage at Reading & Leeds for the first time at the end of the month. The band will play in Reading on August 26 before heading to Leeds on August 27.
Last year, the group shared their gratitude for the NHS as they opened up about guitarist Chris Ostler’s recovery from major spinal surgery. The musician lost mobility in February 2021 due to a herniated disc in his neck compressing his spinal cord. At the time, he was warned the surgery’s worst-case scenario could be permanent paralysis from the neck down.
“Thank you to the NHS,” Black Honey wrote in a message shared on social media. “Because of u Chris went from a hospital bed to the stage in just SIX WEEKS, and to top this off, it was free! We are so fucking thankful and lucky to have this. You are absolute heroes who carried us through a pandemic […] Thanks to the NHS Black Honey is back in action and stronger than ever.”
Mykki Blanco has today (August 10) shared a new song, ‘Steps’ – check it out below.
READ MORE: Mykki Blanco – ‘Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep’ review: a bold and brilliant step forward
The song features MNEK and Saul Williams and is taken from Blanco’s upcoming new album, ‘Stay Close To Music’, which arrives on October 14 via Transgressive records.
Speaking of their new single, Blanco explained, “I think a song like ‘Steps’ is a testament to what can happen when three very unique artists are given time to create a meditation together – to respond to one another when the moment is right – almost like the lines of a haiku – maybe ‘Steps’ is a prayer unique in its ability to transcend and transform and provide peace without necessarily providing an answer.”
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Mykki continued: “In many ways ‘Steps’ symbolises a pointed progression in my songwriting. I think as a songwriter, I was not always willing to be so vulnerable. I finally feel I have lived enough, lived long enough and lived through enough to speak simply, plainly and find in the zen-like simplicity something honest and true and pure. ‘Steps’ is written as a diary entry to myself. It is naked in its delivery and it functions much more as a poem than a pop song.”
“There are certain people I have waited to collaborate with my entire career and Saul Williams is one of those people,” Blanco said. “In many ways, there is a musical lineage that Saul is a part of, that he himself spearheaded, that I feel a very close connection with.
“I remember sitting in his beautiful home in Laurel Canyon California having lunch with him and his wife and thinking about how blessed their place felt, so much history on that land. I kept thinking about how the music of David Crosby was such a huge inspiration for so much of my own songwriting and sonic sensibilities on ‘Stay Close To Music’ and here I was with someone I looked up to having a wonderful conversation, learning about everything Saul had going on, his new film, his first time working as a director, concerts he was doing with the LA philharmonic, just a creative polymath and he was so charming, and excited and at peace.”
The rapper added: “MNEK is a musical powerhouse, composing some of the best dance music of the last decade not only for himself but a slew of other pop stars. The voice, the talent, the songwriting, MNEK is truly a force to be reckoned with and is such a stand out artist I was truly nervous when I reached out to him to collaborate.
“We met in his home in London. I think this was key to understanding if there was a vibe, if we felt the energy between us could coalesce in a natural way. So much of what has made ‘Stay Close To Music’ so important is the time involved, the time that was natural and not forced and allowed for such peace and such organic collaborations. It is so rare that artists are allowed this time, it is so rare that artists are given this much space.”
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Blanco announced their upcoming album with ‘Stay Close To The Music’ with ‘French Lessons. Priot to that, they shared two additional songs from the LP – ‘Your Love Was a Gift’ featuring Diana Gordon and ‘Family Ties’ which featured Michael Stipe.
This is their first new project since mini-album ‘Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep’.
In a four-star review of the album, NME wrote: “Some of Blanco’s rhymes could be tighter but this ferocious performer commands attention whether they’re chastising a partner for drinking their soya milk on ‘Fuck Your Choices’ or baring their soul on ‘Love Me’. The result: a bold and brilliant step forward.”
Suede have today (August 3) shared a powerful new single called ’15 Again’ – listen to it below.
READ MORE: It’s time we recognised the genius of Suede
The single is taken from their upcoming studio album, ‘Autofiction‘, and it’s described as “a song about falling in love with life for the first time” by Brett Anderson.
The song follows on from the previously released ‘She Still Leads Me On’, which was the first taster of Suede’s ninth studio album. It’s due for release on September 16 via BMG and can be pre-ordered here.
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Check out the new song here.
Suede – CREDIT: Dean Chalkley
Suede, made up of Anderson, Mat Osman, Simon Gilbert, Richard Oakes and Neil Codling, went “back to basics” for this new record according to a press statement.
They hired “a rehearsal studio in deserted Kings Cross to collect a key, hump their own gear, set up and start playing,” before recording at London’s Konk studios.
Speaking about ‘Autofiction’, frontman Brett Anderson said: “‘Autofiction’ is our punk record. No whistles and bells. Just the five of us in a room with all the glitches and fuck-ups revealed; the band themselves exposed in all their primal mess… ‘Autofiction‘ has a natural freshness, it’s where we want to be.”
Bass player Mat Osman added: “When we were rehearsing and writing this record it was this sheer, physical rush. That thing where you’re hanging on for dear life.”
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Following the release of their next album, Suede will perform a series of shows this autumn, including two special intimate gigs at London’s Electric Ballroom in October.
Tickets for the events are on sale here and you can check out the dates below.
OCTOBER 2022 5 – London, Electric Ballroom 6 – London, Electric Ballroom 8 – Amsterdam, Melkweg 10 – Paris, La Maroquinerie 11 – Cologne, Gloria-Theatre 12 – Hamburg, Gruenspan
Solange Knowles was nearly set to appear in Austin Powers film Goldmember alongside sister Beyoncé.
The latter famously starred as Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2003 comedy film opposite Mike Myers, though a new oral history from Vulture claims that her younger sister was lined-up as a backup singer.
“I put her sister, Solange, in it as Foxxy’s backup singer,” choreographer Marguerite Derricks said. “I remember Beyoncé and I giggling because she was young and everything in Austin Powers is so suggestive. ‘He’s got the Midas touch, but he touched it too much’ — that was a lyric that we were freaking out about for her sister.”
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However, their mother Tina was reportedly not pleased with the idea of 15-year-old Solange singing the lyrics.
Beyonce in ‘Austin Powers Goldmember’. CREDIT: Maximum Film / Alamy Stock Photo
“What happened, the way I understood it, was when Tina heard the song and realized what that really meant, she felt it wasn’t appropriate for Solange,” said costume designer Deena Appel. “I want to say the costume had already been built, so it was a mad scramble to find somebody to replace her.”
Sybil Azur eventually filled in the role, though Solange was given a credit for the film.
Goldmember is the third and, to date, last Austin Powers film, though Myers hinted back in May that a fourth film could happen.
Austin Powers. CREDIT: Melinda Sue Gordon/Alamy
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“I can neither confirm nor deny the existence or non-existence of such a project, should it exist or not exist,” Myers told Sirius XM‘s Jess Cagle (per EW).
Meanwhile, Beyoncé is readying the release of her new album ‘RENAISSANCE’, which is due to come out on July 29.
“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” Beyoncé said last month. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving.
“My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”
Bring Me The Horizon have shared a music video for their new single ‘Strangers’, inspired by the mental health experiences of the band and their fans.
READ MORE: Bring Me The Horizon on stepping up for the scene: “Things are better when you’re not the only one”
The track was first revealed during a DJ set the band performed on the first night of their own Malta Weekender festival. Now the band have shared ‘Strangers’ as their new single, accompanied by a surreal music video.
“The song came out of a long writing trip in LA,” singer Oli Sykes explained, “and as soon as the lyric ‘we’re just a room full of strangers’ came it took on such a deeper double meaning – how it would feel to be performing it live as that’s what it is.. all strangers connecting on this mad level.. and that it was like rehab.
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“Coming out of lockdown and the pandemic, everyone is recovering from something and I’m so aware that so many people struggle daily with differing traumas, and just wanted to stress that they’re not in this alone… and we’re a community here to help each other”
After asking fans if they would like to anonymously contribute to the project, the various responses shaped the narrative behind the new video and some very unique short form clips, which have been shared across the band’s social media accounts this past week.
Watch the video for ‘Strangers’ below.
Bring Me The Horizon’s last non-collaborative single was ‘DiE4u’, which landed last September. Like ‘Strangers’, that song is expected to appear on the next instalment of the band’s ‘Post Human’ EP series, which is slated for release sometime this year. The first instalment, ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’, was released in October 2020.
In an 2021 interview with NME, Sykes said the band was “working on parts two, three and four” of the series, assuring fans that they would “get songs out as soon as [they] can”. A more recent tease for ‘Post Human 2’ came in May, when Sykes revealed that they’d been working on the record “for about a year now”.
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“We’ve got lots of music, we’re just being quite picky about what we want to release,” he said. “We must have about 45 songs.”
Last month (June 30), Sykes and Alice Longyu Gao dropped a new collaborative track, ‘Believe The Hype’, along with a futuristic music video of its own.
Band Spectra and The Anchoress have teamed up for a new collaborative song and video, ‘Human Reciprocator’ – see it first on NME below.
Described as being “politically charged”, the track was inspired by West Germany’s Krautrock movement in the 1970s as well as the “vocal expressiveness” of David Bowie‘s 1977 album ‘Low’.
READ MORE: The Anchoress shares ‘The Art Of Losing’ video and tells us about her Manics-featuring new album
‘Human Reciprocator’ serves as the first preview of Band Spectra’s (aka Robert Manning) debut studio record, details of which are yet to be announced. It arrives with an official video directed by Callum Henderson.
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The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies) co-produced the single alongside Manning, with the pair delving into the “discontent, disillusionment, and anger over the current political landscape in the UK”.
Davies explained: “Human Reciprocator was heavily inspired by an overdose on the toxic news cycle, ruminating on privilege and abuse of power in politics, deception, hypocrisy and the slow slide into a Britain steeped in poverty and a cost of living crisis while a political elite bluster and lie their way through a decade in power.
“Growing up with periods of my childhood relying on free school meals I am increasingly horrified at the proliferation of reliance on food banks while those in power become ever more detached from the realities of the working classes. Human Reciprocator is a reflection on the current state of affairs.”
Manning added: “Band Spectra began as a therapeutic endeavour following a passing recommendation by a neuropsychologist to use music as an aid to try to combat a decline in my health as a result of Multiple Sclerosis.
“Recognising the frustrating lack of visibility and significant barriers faced by disabled musicians within the music industry and with the help of Arts Council funding, I made an album of remote collaborations during a challenging period of shielding, with the intention of celebrating and raising awareness of disability and diversity.”
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He went on: “‘Human Reciprocator’, the first song written for the album, started as a primitive idea: a 909 motorik beat; a driving Moog bassline and Leo Abraham’s cacophonous experimental guitar saw the tentative beginnings of what (18 months later) translated into the perfect hostile foundation for Catherine’s powerful and veracious political lyrics.”
The Anchoress released her acclaimed second album ‘The Art Of Losing’ in March 2021. In a four-star review, NME hailed the project as “both painful and familiar – it captures the unpredictable, spinning chaos of grief with a searing precision that’s hard to turn away from.”
Metronomy’s Joe Mount spoke to NME backstage at Glastonbury 2022 and told us how the festival stalwarts have distilled seven albums into the perfect “hour of power” for fans. Watch our interview above.
READ MORE: Indie survivors Metronomy: “I like the idea that we stealthily succeeded in our own way”
After a two-year hiatus, Glastonbury has returned to Worthy Farm this weekend (June 23 – 26). Mount, whose band has played multiple stages of the fest over the years, said he was looking forward to taking the Other Stage today (June 25), and playing new songs for fans.
“It feels really brilliant,” he said. “Everyone is saying how nice it is to be playing in front of crowds again but I think there’s [also another] difference I see now. People who come to see us, they really want to. Everyone’s been starved of going to see gigs. Now, if someone comes to see your gig they really want to be there and that feels quite special.”
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Metronomy CREDIT: Burak Cingi
Now that the band are seven albums in, having released their most recent record ‘Small World’ in February, Mount told us how the band fits their expansive discography into a tight festival set.
“We just play what we think people want to hear,” he said. “We don’t worry about hammering the new stuff too much. We only have an hour as well, which for us is not a very long set.” Mount added: “It’s a good exercise in trimming the fat, getting the perfect hour of power.”
The festival veteran also shared his advice for first-time Glastonbury performers.
“The first time we played here it almost felt like a different festival,” he said. “Back then, the stages all had different names. I think if you’re playing here, and it’s your first time, imagine it’s your last time and suck it up and enjoy it and make the most of it.”
He added: “Every time we come here that’s what we try to do. Even now, we arrived yesterday, we’re not playing until tomorrow but it’s quite fun to hang out. Just enjoy it.”
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Yesterday saw the first main day of music at Glasto, with a Pyramid Stage headline set from Billie Eilish, Foals closing The Other Stage, an opening set from The Libertines, and performances from the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Little Simz, Sugababes, Wet Leg, St Vincent, IDLES, Sam Fender, Yard Act, Sleaford Mods and many more.
After an intimate warm-up gig in Frome, Paul McCartney will close the Pyramid Stage tonight after a day that will see performances from Noel Gallagher, HAIM, Megan Thee Stallion, Roisin Murphy, Jamie T, Yungblud, The Avalanches, Burna Boy, Jessie Ware, Beabadoobee and many more.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Lorde has reflected on the reaction to her third album ‘Solar Power’ on the one-year anniversary of the record being announced.
The album, which arrived last August, was met with a mixed response from critics and fans upon its release.
READ MORE: ‘Melodrama’ at five: how Lorde’s cinematic pop opus inspired a new generation of artists
Writing in her latest email newsletter to fans, Lorde shared her feelings on the reaction to ‘Solar Power’. “I can honestly say [this] has been the year with the highest highs and the lowest lows I think I’ve ever experienced,” she wrote. “It took people a while to get the album – I still get emails every day from people who are just coming around to it now! – and that response was really confounding and at times painful to sit with at first.
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“I learnt a ton about myself and how I’m perceived by making and releasing this album, and I feel significantly more connected and alive in my art practice and life than pretty much ever before. Sounds dry but true!!!”
She continued to share a conversation she had recently with a friend who is also an artist. “She said it’s clearly one of those works that gets made between peaks, the kind that’s necessary for makers sometimes, no less precious, in fact, there can’t be peaks at all without such works,” the pop star said. “I think this is true of the record. I needed to go low, to roll a neon ball through the tall grass and see what happened.”
Lorde added that playing songs from the album in her current tour (“undoubtedly my best live show ever”) had helped them make sense both to herself and her audiences “in a new and vivid way”. The album, too, has helped her personally, she noted, writing: “I’ve been able to work through some big personal stuff that was making it pretty difficult for me to do stuff like travel or play shows without getting completely overwhelmed.
“I used to sit alone in my hotel room on show days, binge-watching Bake Off, Ambien and vitamin D on the bedside, my skin pale, my stomach knotted in fear. These days, I’m out the door in every city, walking for miles, eating gelato after dark, finding tiny wine bars, trying on vintage clothes down secret streets, laughing with friends, and playing better and better shows for you as a result. So yeah. Thank you for all of it.”
The star also shared a new video for the ‘Solar Power’ track ‘The Path’. She described it as “the first chapter in the mystical ‘Solar Power’ story, a prequel to the title video”. In it, Lorde’s character first arrives on the island where the other videos from the record were set and ends up surrounded by people who engage in a group dance.
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Lorde. Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Speaking at her recent intimate London gigs earlier this month, the musician reflected on her return to writing “nothing but big pop songs”. “It’s so interesting to me how writing a big, bright pop song has been the thing that’s defined my life,” she said.
“We’ve had a really difficult, painful, lonely few years and artists take that, and they process it and they make something that’s maybe quieter, or more private. But the banger will always be on the horizon.”
Festival Republic – the music promotor behind Reading & Leeds, Latitude and more – has teamed up with Music Declares Emergency in an effort to bring renewable power to UK festival sites.
READ MORE: Download bosses talk festival improvements and tease 2023 headliners
The project aims to drive grid connections to festivals nationwide and begin the transition of the UK outdoor live sector to grid power, per a press release. It will ultimately reduce carbon emissions for the sector in relation to temporary power generation.
Funded by Festival Republic, the collaboration falls under the ongoing No Music On A Dead Planet climate campaign which has previously won support from the likes of Billie Eilish, Foals and Brian Eno.
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Festival Republic will support the project closely with the aim of presenting fully renewably powered, grid-connected stages at three of its events for the 2023 festival season. It will also help create a pathway for other promoters and event organisers to follow suit.
The grant marks a key moment in the transformation of the UK outdoor live music portfolio and reinforces the commitment of Festival Republic to playing a leading role in creating a greener and more sustainable future for live music in the UK and beyond.
For the first time, Reading & Leeds this year will be powered by 100 per cent HVO biofuel – a renewable form of fuel that has 90 per cent less carbon equivalent emissions than regular diesel.
A priority car park for Reading car sharers with GoCarShare will also be launched, as will a paper cup and rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) bottle deposit return scheme and a ‘Take Your Tent Home’ campaign. Additionally, no virgin single-use plastic will be sold at the festival (all bottles are rPET).
Wireless Festival. Credit: Jordan Curtis Hughes
The Youth Climate Justice Coalition – made up of Climate Live, Fridays For Future, Teach The Future and XR Youth – is due to bring its campaign bus to Reading & Leeds. They’ll host a series of speeches and workshops from the vehicle, and the Youth Climate Justice Coalition will also perform on the Alternative Stage (find more info here).
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Across the Festival Republic outdoor portfolio for summer 2022, there’ll be a continuation of sustainability initiatives including £1 from every Reading parking pass being donated to Trees For Cities.
Festival Republic MD, Melvin Benn, said in a statement: “This project will be a game-changer for outdoor live events. Generating our own temporary power is the highest contributor of on-site Greenhouse Gas emissions at a festival, and by plugging into the grid we will reduce this significantly.
“By doing this, and sharing our knowledge with others, festival-goers can have an amazing time at festivals safe in the knowledge that we are doing everything we can as event organisers to create events that have positive rather than negative impacts.”
Music Declares Emergency Co-Founder, Lewis Jamieson, added: “Festival Republic and Melvin personally have been at the forefront of action on climate and environmental issues within the music industry for years.
“In partnering with MDE to make renewable event power a reality, they are not just continuing FR’s transition towards a greener future but offering the entire live sector an invaluable pathway that will benefit the whole live music community.”
The stage for Yungblud at Reading 2021. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Jamieson continued: “We are delighted to be working with Festival Republic on such a visible example of the difference positive music businesses can make in relation to the climate crisis.”
Speaking to NME back in April, Melvin Benn said that environmental matters were “a big issue for every festival” as Download outlined a range of green-focused changes for its 2022 site.
“It’s probably the most urgent thing that the planet is facing,” Benn explained. “We had the pandemic which took people’s attention from it, as has the terrible invasion of Ukraine, but it doesn’t take away the need to focus on the environment. At Download, as with all Festival Republic events, we’re very much focused on it.”
He continued: “That’s an improvement in bio-fuels, getting rid of single-use plastic, having much more of a focus on upcycling, recycling and re-energising. We’ve much more focus on people taking their waste away. We just have to get it right. We have no choice. As festival organisers, we need to promote the need to do well.
“Of course some festival fans will always leave rubbish behind, but that’s something that we continually have to push hard against. We need to encourage people to act responsibly, because there is no planet for the future otherwise.”
Last month Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis said that single-use plastic drinks bottles will not be sold on-site at the Worthy Farm festival this year.
“Let’s keep the standard up, as we did so well in 2019, saving 1.7million bottles from landfill! Reuse. Reduce. Respect,” Eavis wrote.
Reading & Leeds 2022 is scheduled to take place between August 26-28. This year’s headliners include Arctic Monkeys, Rage Against The Machine and Dave. Any remaining tickets are available from here (Reading) and here (Leeds).
Cat Power has shared a cover of The Rolling Stones’ classic hit, ‘You Got The Silver’ – listen to it below.
READ MORE: Cat Power: “The music I’m drawn to is about either healing or abandon – one or the other”
The song featured on The Stones’ 1969 album ‘Let It Bleed’ and was the band’s first song to feature Keith Richards on lead vocals. A Mick Jagger version was also recorded, but the band released Richards’ version on the album.
Cat Power shared a new covers album earlier this year, but the Stones’ cover did not feature on that.
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Check out the song here:
‘Covers’ was released on January 14 via Domino, and featured renditions of songs by the likes of Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, Billie Holiday and more.
Power released a version of Frank Ocean’s 2012 track ‘Bad Religion’ to announce the album, which she also performed on The Late Late Show with James Corden last year.
In a statement, the singer revealed that the ‘Bad Religion’ cover originated when she started pulling lyrics out from the track to incorporate into her own song ‘In Your Face’ while performing live, in order to distance herself from the pain of the track.
“That song was bringing me down,” she said, “so I started pulling out lyrics from ‘Bad Religion’ and singing those instead of getting super depressed.
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“Performing covers is a very enjoyable way to do something that feels natural to me when it comes to making music.”
In recent years, Cat Power has also covered Rihanna’s ‘Stay’, released a cover of Cassius‘ 2006 single ‘Toop Toop’ as a tribute to member Philippe Zdar on the first anniversary of his passing, and collaborated with Lana Del Rey.
Reviewing ‘Covers’, NME said: “Often, cover records are dismissed as simply a bit of fun or as an indulgent aside to an artists’ original output, but when Cat Power does it, it’s nothing less than soul-nourishing.”
At their Milton Keynes show last night (May 21), My Chemical Romance‘s Gerard Way paid tribute to late Power Trip frontman Riley Gale.
READ MORE: My Chemical Romance live in Cornwall: giddy rock’n’roll from returning emo heroes
Gale, a giant of the US hardcore scene, passed away in August of 2020. His family then asked fans to donate to Dallas Hope Charities, a local organisation Riley was passionate about. The huge amount of donations led to the opening of a new transitional home for LGBTQ youth, which was named after Gale. The Riley Gale Memorial Library was also opened a month earlier, housed in the organisation’s Dallas Hope Center.
Last summer, a charitable foundation was then set up in Gale’s name. The Riley Gale Foundation will support LGBTQ+ organisations, animal rescues and mental health initiatives, and will be administered by Gale’s family, with all net proceeds raised by the foundation dispersed to those in need.
Speaking to fans at the Milton Keynes show, Gerard Way spoke of the hat he was wearing at the show, and how in production rehearsals for the tour, a friend of his said the hat reminded him of Gale.
“I was so inspired by that fucking dude,” Way then said of Gale. “They were gonna be one of the bands that were gonna open for us… or I was gonna ask at least. They could have said, ‘Fuck no’, which I would have been totally respectful of, but I have a feeling they might have said yes.”
Way added: “They were a great fucking band… rest in peace Riley motherfucker!”
Gerard takes a moment to pay respect to Riley Gale of Power Trip. Rest in Peace. #MCRMK #MCRUK pic.twitter.com/DiV3Rq0Huw
— altpress (@AltPress) May 21, 2022
On the band’s second night at Stadium MK (May 20), Way paid tribute to MCR fans who have passed away over the last two years since the band were originally set to play the venue.
The frontman held aloft a flag with the names of deceased MCR followers at Stadium MK after a fan passed it on to him.
“So this is kind of crazy, this is our third show, we’ve played two shows and I think it was the first night where were fucking around having a good time and I was talking about how its been two and a half years and how does it feel and things like that” Way told the crowd.
“And it occurred to me later after the second show, that there was a bunch of people that were probably gonna be at these shows that aren’t here with us anymore. And I think it was yesterday, a friend of mine told me that there were some people on the internet that had gotten a list as best they could of names of people that were gonna come to the shows.”
The MCR frontman then lifted the flag up for the crowd to see the names of those that have passed away.
My Chemical Romance Eden perform at Cornwall’s Eden Project. Credit: Frances Beach for NME
Across their reunion dates so far, the band have played a mix of hits, fan favourites and deep cuts, also performing two songs for the first time ever.
My Chemical Romance kicked off their run of live dates on Monday night (May 16) at the Eden Project in Cornwall, marking their first UK show in 11 years.
In a five-star review, NME said: “They’re now safely one of the biggest rock groups to emerge in the last 20 years but if the band are worried about their new found status, they don’t show it. Tonight’s show is fearless, loose and raw. It genuinely feels like anything could happen, as My Chemical Romance channel punk rebellion and playful ambition. ‘This has been special and amazing,’ says Way, taking the words right out of our mouths.”
Any remaining tickets for MCR’s MK gigs, as well as their other UK and Ireland dates this month, remain on sale here. You can see the band’s upcoming tour dates below.
MAY 2022 22 – Stadium MK, Milton Keynes 24 – Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 25 – Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 27 – Victoria Park, Warrington 28 – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff 30 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra have shared a powerful video for ‘Stefania’, the song that won them last night’s (May 14) Eurovision Song Contest.
READ MORE: Ukrainian Eurovision entry Kalush Orchestra: “This is the highest responsibility possible”
The band triumphed over the UK’s Sam Ryder at the Turin ceremony, receiving a massive portion of the public vote.
Following the performance, they have shared an official video for ‘Stefania’, which was shot in the cities of Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka and Hostomel, all of which were bombed during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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At the end of the video, a message from the band reads:
“This video was filmed in Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel, cities near Kyiv that suffered the horrors of Russian occupation.
“Dedicated to the brave Ukrainian people, to the mothers protecting their children, to all those who gave their lives for our freedom.
“Every man, every woman, every innocent child.
“The war in Ukraine has multiple faces, but it is our mother’s face that keeps our hearts alive in the darkest times.
“Stand with Ukraine!”
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Watch the ‘Stefania’ video below:
Speaking to NME this week, frontman Oleh Psiuk explained how their taking part was a “huge responsibility”, given the ongoing war with Russia.
“To represent Ukraine in the international arena is always a responsibility, but to represent it during the war is just the highest responsibility possible,” he said.
“The song [‘Stefania’] was composed and dedicated to my mother, but after the war the song has acquired lots of nuances because a lot of people are perceiving it as if Ukraine is my mother,” said Psiuk. “That’s why the song has become so close to the Ukrainian people, and it is in the Ukrainian hearts.”
Watch NME‘s full video interview with Kalush Orchestra’s Oleh Psiuk above.
“Exile On Main St stands apart from other Stones albums, even other Stones albums from that period,” says The War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel. “It’s not just that it’s a double album. It’s not just the circumstances in which it was recorded. There’s something about it – a vibe, a feeling. It has such a sound. The horns, the R&B, the blues. I listen to Exile all the time and still get blown away by it.”
ORDER NOW: Miles Davis is on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut
Released 50 years ago in May, Exile On Main St(working title: Tropical Disease) brought into focus the Stones’ gifts for music, myth-making and self-publicity in one fairly explosive package. On the run from the taxman, in April 1971 the Stones decamped to Villa Nellcôte – Keith Richards’ rented waterfront residence at Villefranche-sur-Mer on the Côte D’Azur – where, as a beautiful entourage socialised upstairs, the band alchemised their masterpiece in the mansion’s spacious basement.
“You can dive into the mythology of Exile, look at photos and imagine what it might have been like to have been there for a weekend,” says Kurt Vile. “What the days would have been like, and the nights, down in that murky basement, making music, hanging out with Gram Parsons. It’s pretty amazing.”
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While the sessions at Nellcôte provided Exile with its source material and muggy atmosphere, the album was the result of several years’ worth of work, beginning at Olympic Studios in London during June 1969 and finishing with the overdubbing-and-mixing sessions at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, in March 1972. Despite the dark mythology of their problematic tax situation, the nocturnal lifestyles, break-ins and drug busts at Nellcôte, Exileproved to be a testament to the band’s iron will. “It was about proving that it doesn’t matter what you throw at The Rolling Stones, we can come up with the goods,” Richards later told Uncut.
“Exile is like a punk rock record,” says Royal Trux’s Jennifer Herrema. “It was a one-take situation for most all of the songs. I think that was important. Nothing had to be perfect – even though Exile is perfect! – and then they took it from France to LA to make it sparkle. The album artwork by Robert Frank features photos from his book The Americans… it all sums up ‘exile’ for the Stones. Like, where do we belong? Nowhere, but everywhere.”
MUNA have shared a brand new video for their latest single, ‘Kind Of Girl’ – watch it below.
READ MORE: Muna – ‘Saves the World’ review
The Los Angeles-based trio – comprising Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson and Josette Maskin – are gearing up to release their third studio album on June 24 via Saddest Factory Records. You can pre-order it here.
The self-titled follow-up to 2019’s ‘Saves The World’ has already been previewed by the singles ‘Anything But Me’ and ‘Silk Chiffon’ featuring Phoebe Bridgers.
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“This song is the album’s country moment, and in some ways we feel it is the heart of the record,” Gavin said of the band’s new track. “This song explores the power of language and the words we use to describe who we are and who we want to be.”
She continued: “Even though it is a happy, hopeful song, I shed the most tears of the record in the vocal booth recording this chorus. I think there’s something very vulnerable about plainly expressing my desire to be kinder to myself and comfortable receiving love (and my desire to garden even though I kill everything I plant).”
‘Kind Of Girl’ comes alongside a video directed by Taylor James. In the Western-inspired clip, the trio “play with the gendered nature” of the song, donning cowboy hats, fake moustaches and denim jackets, before later changing into matching black outfits.
Check out the video below:
“The video for this song highlights another layer of meaning that we feel the song holds, which is that we as queer people are particularly vulnerable when we are sharing how we identify and how we would like to be perceived,” Gavin explained.
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“We wanted to play with the gendered nature of this song because we all three have different relationships to girlhood (and Naomi is non-binary, so not a girl at all!). It was a gift to be able to king for this video in a way that felt earnest and comfortable and hot.”
She continued: “The experience brought home the fact that it’s not enough for queer and trans people to be clear about who we are – we also need a community around us that hears us, believes us, honours us, and supports us. We’re very proud of what we made and grateful to everyone who was a part of it. We hope the bigots absolutely hate it.”
MUNA have also announced a special Rough Trade East in-store performance on May 11, which will sit in between their sold-out London show at The Garage (May 10) and their performance at this year’s Great Escape Festival (May 12), where they will join the likes of Alfie Templeman, Willow Kayne and Stella Donnelly. Tickets for the Rough Trade show are now on sale here.
Lorde has been forced to postpone some dates on her new ‘Solar Power’ tour due to illness.
READ MORE: Lorde – “I feel like I can see my world and myself a lot clearer now”
Lorde was due to play Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday (April 15) but was forced to cancel due to laryngitis. Her show last night (April 16), which was due to take place at the Anthem in Washington DC, has now also been cancelled.
In a statement to fans via email, Lorde wrote: “These past couple days I’ve been pushing through some horrendous laryngitis, and I regret to inform you that my voice hasn’t sufficiently recovered to be able to play the show for you.”
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The statement continued: “I’m so, so sorry. I don’t take postponing a show lightly. I’ve tried everything, and unfortunately it’s physically impossible for me to sing much of the set. Please accept my sincere apologies. All well besides that, and absolutely frothing to party with you when I am able. Rescheduling info to come.”
The two dates have now been moved to August, with Connecticut’s show taking place on August 25 and Washington’s show a few days later on August 29. Tickets for the original shows will be valid for the new dates.
You can purchase tickets for her remaining dates in the US here.
Lorde will also play shows in the UK, Europe and beyond – check out the full list of dates below and purchase your tickets here.
Lorde performs onstage during opening night of her ‘Lorde World Tour’. CREDIT: John Shearer/Getty Images
APRIL 2022 3 – Opry House, Nashville, US 5 – Masonic Temple Theatre, Detroit, US 7 – Salle Willfrid Pelletier, Montreal, CANADA 8 – Meridian Hall, Toronto, CANADA 12 – Boch Center – Wang Theatre, Boston, US 15 – Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, US – POSTPONED 16 – The Anthem, Washington DC, US – POSTPONED 18 – Radio City Music Hall, New York, US 20 – The Met, Philadelphia, US 22 – The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, US 25 – The Armory, Minneapolis, US 27 – Mission Ballroom, Denver, US 30 – WaMu Theatre, Seattle, US
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MAY 2022 1 – Theater Of The Clouds, Portland, US 3 – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, US 5 – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, US 7 – Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, US 25 – O2 Academy, Leeds, UK 26 – Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK 28 – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, UK 30 -O2 Academy, Birmingham
JUNE 2022 1 – Roundhouse, London, UK 2 – Roundhouse, London, UK 3 – Roundhouse, London, UK 7 – Casino De Paris, Paris, FR 8 – AFAS Live, Amsterdam, NL 10 – Primavera Sound, Barcelona, ES 13 – Halle 622, Zurich, CH 14 – Zenith, Munich, DE 16 – Cavea – Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Rome, IT 17 – Castello Di Villafranca, Villafranca Di Verona, IT 18 – Saint Mihovil Fortress, Sibenik, HR 21 – Open Air Am Tanzbrunnen, Cologne, DE 23 – Verti Music Hall, Berlin, DE 28 – Alexandra Palace, London, UK
AUGUST 2022
25 – Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, US – RESCHEDULED DATE
29 – The Anthem, Washington DC, US – RESCHEDULED DATE
Lorde showcased several songs from her new album ‘Solar Power’ as she kicked off her 2022 world tour in Nashville earlier this month.
The New Zealand singer-songwriter premiered a number of tracks from her third studio LP at the Grand Ole Opry House including opener ‘The Path’, ‘Mood Ring’, ‘Hold No Grudge’ and ‘Oceanic Feeling’.
Lorde also performed the album’s title track as well as ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’, ‘Fallen Fruit’, ‘California’, ‘Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’ and a piano driven version of ‘Dominoes’.
NME gave ‘Solar Power’ five stars upon its release in August 2021, writing that the follow-up to 2017’s ‘Melodrama’ “continues her winning streak, as she blazes a trail through the pop landscape with a beautiful paean to nature”.
Elsewhere, Lorde won Best Song In The World at the recent BandLab NME Awards 2022 for ‘Solar Power’.
Lorde has showcased several songs from her new album ‘Solar Power’ as she kicked off her 2022 world tour in Nashville.
READ MORE: Lorde – “I feel like I can see my world and myself a lot clearer now”
The New Zealand singer-songwriter premiered a number of tracks from her third studio LP at the Grand Ole Opry House including opener ‘The Path’, ‘Mood Ring’, ‘Hold No Grudge’ and ‘Oceanic Feeling’. You can view footage and pictures below.
Lorde also performed the album’s title track as well as ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’, ‘Fallen Fruit’, ‘California’, ‘Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’ and a piano driven version of ‘Dominoes’.
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The gig kickstarted her world tour in North America which will wrap up at the Santa Barbara Bowl on May 7. You can purchase tickets for her remaining dates here.
Lorde on opening night of her world tour in Nashville, Tennessee CREDIT: John Shearer/Getty Images for Lorde
MOOD RING – LORDE in nashville!! pic.twitter.com/Y4uNdpWWER
— maybe: david (@davidxaIan) April 4, 2022
Lorde playing "Oceanic Feeling" in Nashville. That's my favorite ending track to all of her albums since the first listen. #solarpowerworldtour pic.twitter.com/i9fsEZ0n0q
— Solar Power Tour ☀️ | LBR (@MidiaLordeBR) April 4, 2022
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Lorde at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville CREDIT: John Shearer/Getty Images for Lorde
She will also play shows in the UK, Europe and beyond – head here for the full list of dates and purchase your tickets here.
Lorde played:
‘Leader Of A New Regime’ ‘Homemade Dynamite’ ‘Buzzcut Season’ ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’ ‘Fallen Fruit’ ‘The Path’ ‘California’ ‘Ribs’ ‘Hard Feelings’ ‘Dominoes’ ‘Loveless’ ‘Liability’ ‘Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’ ‘Mood Ring’ ‘Sober’ ‘Supercut’ ‘Perfect Places’ ‘Solar Power’ ‘Green Light’ ‘Oceanic Feeling’ ‘Royals’ ‘Hold No Grudge’
NME gave ‘Solar Power’ five stars upon its release in August 2021, writing that the follow-up to 2017’s ‘Melodrama’ “continues her winning streak, as she blazes a trail through the pop landscape with a beautiful paean to nature”.
Elsewhere, Lorde won Best Song In The World at the recent BandLab NME Awards 2022 for ‘Solar Power’.
You can view Lorde’s full list of tour dates below:
APRIL 2022 3 – Opry House, Nashville, US 5 – Masonic Temple Theatre, Detroit, US 7 – Salle Willfrid Pelletier, Montreal, CANADA 8 – Meridian Hall, Toronto, CANADA 12 – Boch Center – Wang Theatre, Boston, US 15 – Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, US 16 – The Anthem, Washington DC, US 18 – Radio City Music Hall, New York, US 20 – The Met, Philadelphia, US 22 – The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, US 25 – The Armory, Minneapolis, US 27 – Mission Ballroom, Denver, US 30 – WaMu Theatre, Seattle, US
MAY 2022 1 – Theater Of The Clouds, Portland, US 3 – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, US 5 – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, US 7 – Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, US 25 – O2 Academy, Leeds, UK 26 – Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK 28 – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, UK 30 -O2 Academy, Birmingham
JUNE 2022 1 – Roundhouse, London, UK 2 – Roundhouse, London, UK 3 – Roundhouse, London, UK 7 – Casino De Paris, Paris, FR 8 – AFAS Live, Amsterdam, NL 10 – Primavera Sound, Barcelona, ES 13 – Halle 622, Zurich, CH 14 – Zenith, Munich, DE 16 – Cavea – Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Rome, IT 17 – Castello Di Villafranca, Villafranca Di Verona, IT 18 – Saint Mihovil Fortress, Sibenik, HR 21 – Open Air Am Tanzbrunnen, Cologne, DE 23 – Verti Music Hall, Berlin, DE 28 – Alexandra Palace, London, UK
Glass Animals have shared their cover of Lorde‘s single ‘Solar Power’ – you can listen to the band’s rendition of the 2021 track below.
The cover is the latest to be recorded for an ongoing special edition of the Spotify Singles series, which is celebrating the Best New Artist category at this Sunday’s Grammys (April 3).
READ MORE: Glass Animals on the success of ‘Heat Waves’ and their “Celtic opera” new album
Following on from recent covers in the series by Arlo Parks and Finneas, Glass Animals have now shared their take on Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’, which was the title track from the New Zealand artist’s third studio album.
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“I chose ‘Solar Power’ because in a time when we were all stuck indoors a bit, this song made me feel like I was on a beach…. we all needed a bit of that!” Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley said in a statement about their choice of track.
“It’s a stunning song, and then I just had a version of it in my head where it was faster with a gospel choir behind it…. so…. we made it!”
You can listen to Glass Animals’ take on Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’, as well as a new version of their recent single ‘I Don’t Want to Talk (I Just Want to Dance)’, above.
Glass Animals previously performed a cover of ‘Solar Power’ during an appearance in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge last December.
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Earlier this week, Glass Animals matched the Spice Girls’ best performance on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in the US after their single ‘Heat Waves’ topped the chart for a fourth week.
Mabel released a new single, ‘Good Luck’, yesterday (March 18) – check it out below.
READ MORE: Under The Radar: Mabel on her meteoric rise, the changing face of UK music and her famous family
The hedonistic song, which also features Jax Jones and Galantis, is said to be influenced by “house, heartbreak, and female solidarity”.
Mabel described the new track as “the empowering song you need when getting ready to go out: when you’re feeling low about someone, and your friends will take you out to get that person off your mind.”
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Watch the video for ‘Good Luck’ here:
Mabel released her debut album ‘High Expectations’ in 2019 and shared a new track from album two, ‘Let Them Know’ last June.
