Nicol Ostrc

Japanese Breakfast to make ‘Saturday Night Live’ debut on season finale

Japanese Breakfast is set to make her Saturday Night Live debut next week, appearing as the musical guest on the show’s season 47 finale. READ MORE: Japanese Breakfast: “This year is about enjoying myself – my number one job is to have fun” The singer-songwriter, aka Michelle Zauner, released new album ‘Jubilee’ last year, will appear on the May 21 edition of the long-running show, with Russian Doll and Orange Is The New Black star Natasha Lyonne on board to host. “Help!!!!!!!!” Japanese Breakfast simply wrote on Twitter to announce her performance. Last month in an interview backstage at Coachella, Zauner told NME: “This year is about enjoying myself. I’ve been saying this very nerdy thing, ‘My number one job is to have fun.’ This year is about enjoying these gifts.” Help!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/KCgHTwp8rz — Japanese Breakfast (@Jbrekkie) May 13, 2022 Advertisement On tonight’s (May 14) episode, Post Malone will make his Saturday Night Live debut, with Selena Gomez also be making her debut on the NBC programme as host. It comes as Malone gears up to release his forthcoming album ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’, his first LP since 2019’s ‘Hollywood’s Bleeding’, next month. The May 7 episode of SNL, meanwhile, featured Arcade Fire as musical guests, following the… Read More →

13MAYNews

Gunna’s lawyers speak out about the rapper’s “intensely problematic” RICO indictment

Gunna’s lawyers have spoken out about the rapper’s recent RICO indictment. After being named in a 28-person grand jury indictment that also included Young Thug earlier this week, rapper Gunna was taken into custody on Wednesday (May 11). Gunna – real name Sergio Kitchens – is charged, along with the other 27 people listed in the 56-count indictment, with conspiracy to violate the state of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The indictment centres around the YSL record label and collective, allegedly formed by Thug – real name Jeffery Lamar Williams – in 2012, which authorities claim is a “criminal street gang”. Part of the indictment is based around Williams, Kitchens and other YSL associates’ lyrics and social media posts allegedly being “acts in furtherance of the conspiracy”. Among those lyrics are a line from Williams and Kitchens’ collaboration ‘Slatty’, in which the latter raps: “I killed his man in front of his momma / Like fuck lil bruh, sister and his cousin.” Now, Gunna’s legal team have responded, describing the RICO indictment as “intensely problematic”. Gunna attends the 2022 MET Gala. Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images In a new motion seeking Gunna’s release on bond, the lawyers say he… Read More →

13MAYNews

Mika drops new single ‘Yo Yo’ ahead of Eurovision final

Mika has shared a new single today (May 13) ahead of this week’s Eurovision final. Listen to ‘Yo Yo’ below. READ MORE: Ukrainian Eurovision entry Kalush Orchestra: “This is the highest responsibility possible” The musician will play the new dance-driven alt-pop song for the first time at this week’s Eurovision song contest, where he is also co-hosting the event with Alessandro Cattelan and Italian singer Laura Pausini. “I wanted to write a song that could make you cry and dance at the same time,” Mika said in a statement. Advertisement “It’s a song to make the world, in all its harshness, feel better. Something that will always be there to comfort you. I wrote this for you, as you listen in your room, or in a club: it doesn’t matter it’s just about you.” Listen to the new song here: This year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place at the PalaOlimpico in Turin, Italy tomorrow (May 14) following the country’s victory in last year’s competition, which saw Måneskin take the top prize. The bookies have now had their say on who will win Eurovision 2022. After emerging as the favourites in recent weeks, Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra remain 1/3 favourites with William Hill to… Read More →

13MAYNews

Kendrick Lamar announces ‘The Big Steppers’ 2022 world tour dates

Kendrick Lamar has announced a huge 2022 world tour including a series of UK dates. READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar – ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ review: a cathartic, soul-bearing autobiography The rapper, who released his new album ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ today (May 13), is set to hit the road with Baby Keem and Tanna Leone in support of the record. The jaunt will kick off with a raft of dates in the US on July 19 before reaching European and UK shores in October and November, which include two shows at The O2 in London on November 7-8. Advertisement Tickets go on general sale at 12pm local time in the US on May 20 while pre-sale tickets will go on sale the day before (May 19) at 10am local time through the Cash App. You can purchase tickets for the US dates here and UK dates here. You can view a full list of dates below. The tour will finally wrap up with a series of dates in Australia and New Zealand in December. You can purchase tickets for those shows here. The full list of ‘The Big Steppers Tour’ dates are as follows: JULY 19… Read More →

13MAYNews

Glastonbury 2022 reveals Croissant Neuf line-up

Glastonbury has announced the 2022 line-up for its Croissant Neuf stage. The Worthy Farm festival, which this year will be held from June 22-26, has confirmed a host of on-site line-ups recently, including the bills for the Acoustic Stage and the Glade, Common, Left Field and Shangri-La areas. READ MORE: We’re gonna need a bigger farm: why Glastonbury 2022 could be the best in history Today’s Glastonbury announcement (May 13) concerns the Croissant Neuf stage, which is located in the Green Fields. Advertisement The solar-powered stage is set to welcome performances from the likes of Cut Capers, Moulettes, K.O.G, Steve Knightley & Seth Lakeman, Katy J Pearson Band, Sam Lee, TC & The Groove Family and many more. You can see the full line-up poster for Glastonbury’s Croissant Neuf stage below. We're pleased to reveal the 2022 line-up for the solar-powered @CroissantNeuf stage, once again bringing great live music to the Green Fields! pic.twitter.com/S1HRCqjIxH — Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) May 13, 2022 “In 2022, Croissant Neuf continues its legendary mission of subtly delivering the concepts of caring for our planet and ourselves through the medium of environmental displays, eco-friendly chats and workshops and oodles of Solar Powered music in our big top and on our Bandstand,”… Read More →

12MAYNews

Casanova pleads guilty to racketeering conspiracy and drug charges

Brooklyn rapper Casanova has pleaded guilty for his role in a federal racketeering case. Casanova, real name Caswell Senior, was accused of having a leadership role in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang. The rapper pleaded guilty to one count of “conspiring to conduct and participate in the conduct of the affairs of a criminal enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity” and another count of “conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana” (via Pitchfork). According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney, Casanova admitted to shooting at someone “with whom he was having a gambling dispute” at a Florida party in July 2020. He also confessed to possessing and selling marijuana and admitted to a robbery at a diner in 2018. “Like twelve of his co-defendants, Caswell Senior, an accomplished recording artist and performer, now stands convicted of playing a leadership role in Gorilla Stone, a particularly violent Bloods gang that operates throughout New York and across the country,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “In addition to his supervisory role, Senior was an active, hands-on participant in the gang’s senseless violence, including a shooting in Miami and contributing to a robbery at a Manhattan… Read More →

12MAYNews

Renforshort announces debut album ‘Dear Amelia’ and shares Travis Barker-featuring single

Renforshort has announced details of her debut album ‘Dear Amelia’ – you can listen to her new Travis Barker-featuring single ‘We’ll Make This OK’ below. The Canadian artist will release ‘Dear Amelia’ on July 8 via Interscope Records, which will serve as the follow-up to her 2021 EP ‘Off Saint Dominique’. READ MORE: Renforshort: “Yungblud and Mike Shinoda have been like mentors to me” Renforshort worked with her longtime collaborator Jeff Hazin on ‘Dear Amelia’, while the likes of Jake Bugg, David Pramik, Alexander 23, Andy Seltzer, John Ryan, Tia Scola and Nick Long all contributed to the record. Advertisement Described as “an up-close and thrillingly honest journey through the darkest parts of her psyche”, the album features the previously released singles ‘Made For You’ and ‘Moshpit’. ‘Dear Amelia’ has been previewed today (May 12) by the release of ‘We’ll Make This OK’, which sees Renforshort linking up with Blink-182 drummer Barker. You can watch the Nikko LaMere-directed video for ‘We’ll Make This OK’, which was shot in LA, above. You can see the tracklist and artwork for Renforshort’s ‘Dear Amelia’ below. 1. ‘i miss myself’ 2. ‘made for you’ 3. ‘moshpit’ 4. ‘hate the way you love me’ 5…. Read More →

12MAYNews

Here are the stage times for My Chemical Romance in Milton Keynes

The set times for My Chemical Romance‘s run of comeback shows in Milton Keynes next week have been announced. The returning band will play at Stadium MK on May 19, 21 and 22 after kicking off their UK and Ireland tour at the Eden Project in Cornwall on Monday (May 16). READ MORE: Life after death: Why My Chemical Romance still have so much more to give The set times for the Milton Keynes shows have now been confirmed, with MCR set to perform from 20:55-22:25 on all three dates. Chief support acts Placebo will play from 19:20-20:20 across the three gigs. Advertisement May 19 will feature Witch Fever (17:30-17:55) and Lost Alone (18:20-18:50) as support, while the May 21 gig will see performances from Cassyette (17:30-17:55) and Barns Courtney (18:20-18:50). My Chemical Romance set times in Milton Keynes The final MK date on May 22 will see Charlotte Sands (17:30-17:55) and Starcrawler (18:20-18:50) provide support to Placebo and MCR. 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 16 – Eden Sessions, St Austell 19 –… Read More →

12MAYHit Singles

Kurt Vile, Cat Power and more dig deep into the genius of The Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main St: “It has got everything”

“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,… Read More →

11MAYNews

Liam Gallagher says cancel culture is for “fucking squares”

Liam Gallagher has shared his thoughts on cancel culture, calling those who initiate the cancellation of a person “fucking squares”. READ MORE: Liam Gallagher: “I sound good. I look cool. I talk from the heart” Speaking in a new interview, the former Oasis frontman discussed call-out culture and how he doesn’t believe people can really be ‘cancelled’. “Who the fuck are these people cancelling you, anyway? Like, fuck off,” Gallagher told The 2 Johnnies Podcast. “Unless they come around to your house and say you’re cancelled. You’re still going to do your fucking thing, they don’t speak for everyone, do they?” Advertisement He continued: “The cancelling people just speak for the cancelled world, they don’t fucking speak for everyone. You can still go and do your gig, there are people out there who are going to like what you’ve got to say. Bring it fucking on, you fucking squares!” You can listen to Gallagher’s comments below: Gallagher is gearing up to release his third solo album, ‘C’mon, You Know’, on May 27 via Warner. He’s already previewed the record with the singles ‘Everything’s Electric’, ‘Better Days’ and the album’s title track. Gallagher will showcase ‘C’mon You Know’ during a string of huge headline concerts… Read More →

11MAYNews

Shygirl announces debut album ‘Nymph’, releases single ‘Firefly’

Experimental pop artist Shygirl has announced the release of her debut album, sharing with the news a cut from it in the form of new single ‘Firefly’. READ MORE: Shygirl live in London: a live comeback well worth the wait Announced today (May 11), Shygirl is set to release ‘Nymph’ on September 30 via Because Music. The 12-track effort was created with a wealth of friends and previous collaborators, including Mura Masa, Sega Bodega, Karma Kid, Arca and Cosha. The album also saw the likes of Noah Goldstein, Danny L Harle, BloodPop, Vegyn and Kingdom undertake production duties. To mark the announcement, Shygirl has released the glitchy, club-ready banger ‘Firefly’. Listen below. Advertisement The release of ‘Firefly’ follows Shygirl’s collaboration with FKA Twigs, ‘Papi Bones’, which they released last month. Prior to that, Shygirl teamed up with Mura Masa, Lil Uzi Vert and PinkPantheress for a cover of 3 Of A Kind’s 2004 hit song ‘Babycakes’. Back in 2020, Shygirl released an EP, ‘ALIAS’. In his four-star review, NME‘s Ben Jolley called “a maximalist joyride that sounds like it’s been beamed in from the cyber-rave dancefloors of 2080”. “‘ALIAS’ proves that Shygirl is in full control of her artistic vision no matter… Read More →

10MAYNews

Yard Act collaborate with Mind on poem for Mental Health Awareness Week

Yard Act have collaborated with mental health charity Mind on a new poem for Mental Health Awareness Week. READ MORE: ‘Am I depressed?’ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next Frontman James Smith shared the poem on social media, explaining how he worked with Mel, a young woman who suffered from an eating disorder (bulimia), to create the poem. “When we first met on zoom, I instantly clicked with her,” Smith said of meeting Mel. “Myself and Mel talked for an hour or so about her life and the condition she lives with. We shared similar views on a lot of things and I found her to be an incredibly grounded, intelligent and astute young person, who genuinely gave me hope for the future. “I took great care when writing this [poem] to do justice to Mel’s story. She had a great ‘no holds barred’ approach to talking about bulimia and what she has to go through each day living with her eating disorder. Her belief, in her own words was ‘if you’re going to talk about, talk about it.’” You can watch James recite the poem here and see the full poem below. Smith also… Read More →

10MAYNews

Director Andrew Dominik says new Nick Cave film “shows what he has learned about loss”

Andrew Dominik, director of the new film This Much I Know To Be True, has spoken to NME about how the movie depicts how far Nick Cave has come in his journey of processing grief. READ MORE: This Much I Know To Be True review: an engrossing and intimate portrait of Nick Cave This Much I Know To Be True, which is in cinemas for one night only tomorrow (Wednesday May 11), is a documentary meets performance film that centres around the creative relationship between Cave and his Bad Seeds bandmate and longtime collaborator Warren Ellis, and looks at the creation of their most recent albums ‘Ghosteen‘ and ‘CARNAGE‘. Dominik – known for writing and directing films including Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Killing Them Softly and the upcoming Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde – explained to NME how he first met Cave back in 1986. “It was at a drug dealers’ when I was just an innocent little private schoolboy,” he said. “I walked into the living room and there was the prince of darkness, just sitting on the couch watching a documentary about earth worms. I started going out with his girlfriend three months… Read More →

10MAYNews

Harry Styles opens up on therapy: “I wanted to be the one who could say I didn’t need it”

Harry Styles has spoken about the benefits of receiving therapy for his mental health after initially being hesitant to engage with it. READ MORE: Harry Styles’ new song ‘As It Was’ is a reflective ode to the bittersweet nature of change The pop star said in a new interview that speaking to a professional had allowed him to “open up rooms” in himself that he was unaware existed. He said that he started therapy reluctantly about five years ago. “I thought it meant that you were broken,” he told Better Homes & Gardens, adding that he felt it was a music industry cliche to seek help. “I wanted to be the one who could say I didn’t need it.” Advertisement But therapy trained him out of his tendency to “emotionally coast”. Harry Styles. Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images “I think that accepting living, being happy, hurting in the extremes, that is the most alive you can be. Losing it crying, losing it laughing – there’s no way, I don’t think, to feel more alive than that,” he said. Elsewhere in the interview Styles said that over the course of the COVID pandemic he finally reflected properly on the split of his former… Read More →

09MAYNews

Nick Cave’s son Jethro Lazenby has died, aged 31

Nick Cave’s son Jethro Lazenby has died, aged 31. The news was confirmed in a statement to NME from the Bad Seeds frontman that read: “With much sadness, I can confirm that my son, Jethro, has passed away. “We would be grateful for family privacy at this time.” Cave lost another son, Arthur, in 2015 after he fell to death from a cliff in Brighton. He was 15-years-old. Jethro was born in Melbourne in 1991 and only learned that Cave was his father aged eight. He became a model after being scouted out while in the city, but had also tried his hand at acting, with roles in 2007’s Corroboree and 2011’s My Little Princess. He’d also worked more recently as a photographer. Jethro Lazenby – CREDIT: Getty Last month, Jethro was jailed following an assault on his mother, Beau Lazenby, in Melbourne, Australia. According to reports in local media, Beau found Jethro at her front door before convincing her to let him stay over at the house. Reports add that the following morning, the pair had an argument, during which Jethro attacked his mother. Representatives for Jethro at the trial argued that he had recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia and that… Read More →

09MAYNews

Travis Barker praises Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Jxdn for breaking the rules of pop-punk

Travis Barker has credited artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Jxdn for changing what it means to be a pop-punk artist. READ MORE: jxdn – “Working with Travis Barker is like winning the lottery” The Blink-182 drummer spoke to Billboard about his love of the genre and his respect for a number of rising stars in the music industry. “I like Olivia’s album, I love everything Billie’s done. I won’t say, ‘This is pop-punk.’ I’ll say, this music that came out, let’s say like Avril’s ‘Love Sux’, let’s say Jxdn’s ‘Tell Me About Tomorrow’, and ‘Tickets To My Downfall’ [Machine Gun Kelly], were all inspired by pop-punk. Advertisement “It doesn’t mean that it’s just pop-punk or has to be categorised like that. Olivia Rodrigo is probably going to make an album that has a little bit of pop-punk influence and some other influences too. Billie’s going to make whatever magical music she’s going to make and she’s going to be inspired by so much. You don’t have to follow the rules or keep it as sterile as the record label or whatever the rollout plan may be.” He also noted that he would never “outgrow” punk rock music and spoke about helping… Read More →

08MAYNews

Winston Marshall says he “got his soul back” after leaving Mumford & Sons

Winston Marshall has spoken about his decision to leave Mumford & Sons, claiming he “got his soul back”. Marshall helped form the folk-rock band in 2007 but faced backlash after tweeting praise for a book by controversial US journalist Andy Ngo, titled Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan To Destroy Democracy. In a since-deleted tweet, Marshall said the book was “important” and hailed Ngo as a “brave man”. He intially took a break from the group but three months later, he quit Mumford & Sons. Advertisement “What a blessing it was to be so close to such talent as those three lads. I will look back at it all with immense pride and love. However, after much reflection and consideration, I have decided it is time to move on. This is a difficult decision first brought about by an unintentional Twitter storm,” he said in a statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mumford & Sons (@mumfordandsons) In a new interview with The Times, Marshall has said “I really didn’t think Antifa would end up being the hill I died on. It’s not even a topic I actually care that much about.” Elsewhere he admitted that “I love the… Read More →

07MAYNews

Willow Kayne releases ‘Human Traffic’ inspired video for ‘Final Notice’

Willow Kayne has released new single ‘Final Notice’ alongside a Human Traffic-inspired video – check it out below. READ MORE: Willow Kayne: “This record was me hitting back to the doubters – it’s absolute revenge” ‘Final Notice’ is the first new material Kayne has released since she dropped debut EP ‘Playground Antics’ earlier this year. The track is, according to a press release, “a love letter to the junglist stylings of her hometown of Bristol” and sees Kayne hitting back at those trying to control her art. “I won’t be a clone of your other projects,” she sings during the track before rolling her eyes at the suggestion she “post more, wear less and most importantly, don’t be yourself.” Advertisement Elsewhere the video, which can be seen below, takes influence from 1999 coming-of-age drama Human Traffic and sees Kayne and her mates throwing a rave in a record shop. ‘Final Notice’ is apparently the start of a new chapter for Kayne with more music on the way. Earlier this year, she released debut EP ‘Playground Antics’. In a four-star review, NME wrote: “’Playground Antics’ is as joyous and cheeky as its name suggests, paying tribute to her Bristol origins by… Read More →

06MAYNews

Meek Mill asks “big homie” Elon Musk to let him invest in Twitter

Meek Mill has asked “big homie” Elon Musk to let him get in on his recent Twitter investment. The Tesla founder and entrepreneur successfully acquired the social media platform last month (April 25) for approximately $44billion (£34.5b). His offer was initially turned down by Twitter, which put a “poison pill” measure in place to stop a takeover attempt by Musk. However, the two parties later entered talks before the deal entered its final stages of negotiations. Advertisement Mill has now publicly tweeted Musk and asked him directly if there’s any room for him to get in on the deal. “Elon musk let us invest in Twitter with you ‘big homie,’” Mill wrote, as you can see below. Musk has yet to reply. Elon musk let us invest in Twitter with you “big homie” — MeekMill.nft (@MeekMill) May 5, 2022 Musk shared a glimpse into his new policy for the platform last month: “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter because that is what free speech means,” he tweeted. Upon the deal being finalised, Musk also posted a quote on the platform in which he claimed that “free speech is the bedrock to a functioning democracy, and Twitter… Read More →

06MAYNews

Watch Drake and Future go back to medieval times in ‘Wait For U’ video

Future and Drake have shared the medieval-inspired new video for their collaboration ‘Wait For U’ – you can watch the clip below. The track, which also samples Tems, is taken from Future’s new album ‘I Never Liked You’, which was released last week (April 29). READ MORE: Future – ‘I Never Liked You’ review: Atlanta’s trap overlord proves he’s still on top The video for ‘Wait For U’, which has been directed by Director X and produced by Taj Critchlow, was released last night (May 5) and stars Future, Drake, singer-songwriter Moxie Raia, model Cece Rose, producer ATL Jacob, rapper Strick and the comedian Trey Richards. Advertisement Set in the medieval period, the clip tells “The Tale of the Toxic King” and follows Future as he goes through relationship issues with his queen. Drake, meanwhile, is seen at one point in the video riding a horse and saving a woman’s life. You can watch the video for Future and Drake’s ‘Wait For U’ above, and see behind-the-scenes shots from the video shoot on Drake’s Instagram below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) Future’s ‘I Never Liked You’ also features guest appearances from Gunna, Young Thug,… Read More →

05MAYNews

SZA deletes TikTok for Mental Health Awareness Month

SZA has deleted her TikTok account for Mental Health Awareness Month after posting a series of tweets highlighting the horrible treatment she’s received at the hands of internet trolls. READ MORE: SZA – ‘Ctrl’ review: TDE protégé makes a huge statement with her debut Last weekend, the TDE singer was one of the many artists in attendance at this year’s Met Gala at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, a number of fans have since taken to social media to call SZA out for attending the charity event, recalling a tweet she posted last month: “Not going to any more award shows or events til my album out.” Advertisement The follow-up to SZA’s 2017 debut album ‘CTRL’ is still yet to arrive, although she did tell Vogue (via Hypebeast) on the red carpet at the Met Gala that her new LP is “ready to go, more than I’ve ever felt before”, adding that “this summer, it’ll be like a… it’ll be a SZA Summer.” This wasn’t enough for fans, though, who gave the singer-songwriter a hard time about her decision to go to the Met Gala given that her new album hasn’t been released. “I swear to God if I… Read More →