Nicol Ostrc

Be Your Own Pet reform after 13 years

Be Your Own Pet have reformed for their first live performances since breaking up in 2008. READ MORE: “There was a sense of optimism” – how ’00s indie sleaze made a massive comeback The influential indie-garage band have reunited for North American support slots on Jack White’s freshly announced ‘The Supply Chain Issue Tour’. In addition to to appearing on the bill for one of White’s shows at Atlanta’s The Tabernacle (April 28), the band will also support the former White Stripes frontman at Ascend Amphitheater in their shared home base of Nashville on April 30. Advertisement Singer Jemina Pearl said of her band’s reformation: “I’ve had a Be Your Own Pet sized hole in my heart for the past 14 years. We shared something life-changing together, so to get to go back and do it again as adults feels like coming home.” “We are here to have fun and enjoy the good times,” added guitarist Jonas Stein. “After enough time goes by, the negativity turns into life experience and the positivity grows and turns into more fun and laughter. Be safe and have fun with it!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jack White (@officialjackwhite) The… Read More →

15MARNews

Fontaines D.C. to play free St Patrick’s Day show and livestream in Dublin

Fontaines D.C. are gearing up to perform a free show in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day. READ MORE: Fontaines D.C. on winning Best Band In The World at the BandLab NME Awards 2022: “About time!” Set to take place at The Complex in Dublin this Thursday (March 17), the show, which will also be live-streamed, will see the five-piece premiere tracks from their upcoming third album ‘Skinty Fia’, which is due to arrive next month. The event, put on in collaboration with whiskey brand Jameson, will also include a short film about the band’s Dublin roots, looking at their formative years. Advertisement “This St. Patricks Day, we’ll be doing a live stream with @jamesonwhiskey from Dublin, to you, wherever you are,” Fontaines D.C. wrote, announcing the show on Twitter. Tickets for the event are free – you can register here. This St. Patricks Day, we'll be doing a live stream with @jamesonwhiskey from Dublin, to you, wherever you are. Register now for a free ticket. ☘️ https://t.co/IWrkqmZOBD pic.twitter.com/qFr9kepHsT — Fontaines D.C. (@fontainesdublin) February 19, 2022 Earlier this month Fontaines D.C. were announced for the Glastonbury 2022 line-up alongside new headliners Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar. They’ll also play Reading & Leeds Festival, Sam… Read More →

15MARNews

Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun and Kim Nam-gil to star in upcoming Netflix original series

Girls’ Generation member Seohyun and Through The Darkness actor Kim Nam-gil will join the cast of Netflix’s upcoming original series Song of the Bandits. READ MORE: Taeyeon talks Girls’ Generation: “It always feels like home when we’re all together” On March 14, Netflix Korea confirmed that Seohyun and Kim will join the cast of its upcoming original period drama. Song of the Bandits is also set to star veteran actor Yoo Jae-myung (Hometown), Lee Hyun-wook (Mine), and rising actress Lee Ho-jung (Nevertheless). The historical drama will be set in the 1920s, a period during which Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. Song of the Bandits will follow a group of Koreans who gather in Northeastern China as they attempt to rebel against Japanese rule and protect their homes. Advertisement According to The Korea Times, Seohyun will star as Nam Hee-shin, an employee at the Choson Railway Bureau. Meanwhile, Kim will play the character of Lee Yoon, a former Japanese soldier who later rebels to protect Koreans against the Japanese military. Song of the Bandits will be helmed by director Hwang Joon-hyuk, who had previously worked on youth drama Black Dog (2019). He is joined by screenwriter Han Jung-hoon, who made… Read More →

15MARNews

Camila Cabello to preview new album ‘Familia’ on “immersive” TikTok live-stream

Camila Cabello has announced an “immersive” TikTok concert to celebrate the release of her new album ‘Familia’. The singer-songwriter is set to play a special set on the video platform on April 7, the eve of her third record’s release. Per an official listing, the show will feature “the first-ever live performances” of tracks from ‘Familia’. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Camila Cabello: “I’m the most emo person ever” Cabello’s forthcoming online performance is described as “a fantastical trip through the artist’s mind, with shifting sets and costumes designed to complement the music”. Advertisement “The performance was created using eye-popping XR, augmenting Camila’s singing and choreography with immersive visual effects bringing Camila’s creativity to her fans like never before,” the description added. @camilacabello Welcome to the family. Join me on @TikTok for a FAMILIA live album concert on April 7 at 4pm PST! ♬ original sound – Camila Cabello “Camila creates an engrossing virtual world for each song she performs, leading the audience on a surreal journey through an ever-shifting reality. Familia: Welcome To The Family is a one-of-a-kind experience you don’t want to miss.” The show will be live-streamed at 4pm PT/7pm ET on April 7. Fans in… Read More →

14MARNews

Stephen Graham played Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ to hype up the ‘Boiling Point’ cast

Boiling Point star Ray Panthaki has revealed that co-star Stephen Graham helped the cast get into the zone by playing Eminem‘s ‘Lose Yourself’ on set. The intense film is set in a restaurant kitchen and is shot in one-take, focusing on Graham’s head chef and the team around him. READ MORE: Here are all the winners from the BAFTAs 2022 Panthaki, who plays chef Freeman, opened up exclusively to NME at last night’s (March 13) BAFTAs about his fond memories on set, recalling how his co-star helped his fellow cast members get hyped up. Advertisement “Stephen Graham [pumped] us all up by playing Eminem[‘s ‘Lose Yourself’] before we did the take… getting us all pumped up, ready to do it,” he revealed. Stephen Graham in ‘Boiling Point’. CREDIT: Alamy Stock Photo / Vertigo Releasing “I just remember that ‘Lose Yourself’ moment – someone’s caught it on video somewhere. It’s really beautiful, we’re all jumping around just before action. I’ll find it, we’ll dig it out.” The star also recalled some other memorable moments, revealing the relief the cast all felt when they finished filming the film’s one take. “I think it was the feeling, the cheer that went up in… Read More →

14MARNews

Lucky Daye’s CandyDrip Has Flavor For All Your Senses

By Rashad D. Grove In today’s R&B landscape, Lucky Daye has emerged as a torchbearer of the genre’s rich history while simultaneously curating music that defies labels. Since his debut Painted was released in 2019, the multiple Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter has been redefining modern R&B through, as he says, “a futuristic sci-fi world shaped by the inspiration of Afrofuturism.” In other words, with his evocative songwriting and penchant for creating mesmerizing melodies, Daye is intent on taking his listeners back to the future. This unique motif is what he believes makes him stand out amongst his peers. “I think I bring individuality to the music industry. I’m not trying to fall into a mode of what everyone thinks an R&B artist should be,” Daye said to MTV News over the phone in March. “I just put my foot down and be like, y’all can have the labels. I’ma just be me, and that’s what I bring to the table. I want people to know that I care about more them hearing my songs. It’s about more than that.” With his second album, CandyDrip, released on March 10, the New Orleans native, who previously penned songs for Keith Sweat, Ne-Yo, Boyz II… Read More →

14MARHit Singles

Khruangbin’s Laura Lee – My Life In Music

From Uncut’s 300th issue, bassist Laura Lee chooses the grooves that helped make Khruangbin cratedigger rock sensations. Read more in Uncut 300 – available now for home delivery from our online store. THE BEATLES REVOLVER PARLOPHONE, 1966 We had all the Beatles cassettes on rotation in the car growing up. I actually taught myself to read from the liner notes – you think about it, “Love Me Do”, they’re all kinda short words! But my Beatles record was Revolver. Still today, every time we record an album I always go back and listen to Revolver because it’s such a study in freedom. “Tomorrow Never Knows” is a pretty wild experimental choice and sometimes people are afraid to make those choices now. I like Revolver for its all-over-the-placeness because you really can hear each band member. My dad used to quiz me in the car on who wrote each song! ORDER NOW: Paul McCartney is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut Advertisement GLORIA ESTEFAN MI TIERRA EPIC, 1993 This was the record where she got back to her Cuban/Miami roots. My mom, who’s Latina, adored Gloria Estefan because she represented this woman who crossed over into the American diva… Read More →

13MARNews

Rachel Chinouriri shares dreamy new single ‘All I Ever Asked’

London singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri has unveiled her new single ‘All I Ever Asked’ – watch the video below. READ MORE: Rachel Chinouriri: “In many ways, I carry other people’s sadness and turn it into songs” The track, which is out via Atlas Artists Recordings/Parlophone, premiered as Clara Amfo’s Hottest Record In The World on BBC Radio 1 on March 8. Speaking of the single, Chinouriri said: “‘All I Ever Asked’ was inspired by a breakup my friend was going through and it made me reflect on a similar situation I was going through too. Advertisement “The feeling of asking someone you love to respect you in the simplest form and realising it’s the bare minimum. It’s also about realising your own worth and not settling for someone who cannot be what you need.” The Super 8 style music video, shot in LA, shows Chinouriri out and about in glorious sunshine in various locations, from the front of a colourful motel to a hilltop location. ‘All I Ever Asked’ follows Chinouriri’s 2021 EP ‘Four° In Winter’ and last year’s collaboration with Conducta ‘Right Together’. This came after her appearance on KAM-BU‘s track ‘Stuck’. Chinouriri has supported the likes of Celeste, Sam Fender and Lianne… Read More →

13MARNews

Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang signs new artist Tanna Leone

Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free have signed 23-year-old Los Angeles-based artist Tanna Leone to their pgLang record label. READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar – ‘DAMN.’ review Leone was announced as the latest addition to the pgLang roster in an Instagram video posted on March 9, where the artist introduces himself and answers questions including what drives him and what he’s most excited for. The release of Leone’s double-single was then announced in an Instagram post that followed. ‘With The Villains’ and ‘Lucky’ are out now, along with an official music video for ‘With The Villains’. Advertisement The Neal Farmer-directed video for ‘With The Villains’ has an ominous feel to it, starting off as a black and white affair. It shows Leone moving from block chase to a VR strip show and then a tattoo parlour. Watch the video below. “When pgLang launched, I knew that’s where my home was,” Leone said in a statement. “It’s an honor to join my brothers on this journey of shaping the future of media and entertainment. As an artist I want to represent disrupting the status quo, push people to focus on their growth as a human, and to be a voice for the voiceless through… Read More →

13MARNews

KISS’ Paul Stanley calls Kim Kardashian’s business advice “an insult to millions of women”

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has criticised Kim Kardashian over her recent advice encouraging women in business to work harder. READ MORE: From the archives – KISS’ Gene Simmons: Does Rock’n’Roll Kill Brain Cells? Kardashian and her family were recently profiled by Variety about their upcoming new reality show The Kardashians, which arrives on Hulu on April 14. A clip from the interview, in which Kim offers her advice for women in business, went viral after many mocked her comments for being rude and out of touch. Advertisement “I have the best advice for women in business,” Kardashian said. “Get your fucking ass up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days. “You have to surround yourself with people that want to work,” she continued. “Have a good work environment where everyone loves what they do because you have one life. No toxic work environments and show up and do the work.” Responding to Kardashian’s comments, Paul Stanley shared an article on his Twitter, criticising her for the implication that women just weren’t working hard enough. “The irony here would be funny if it wasn’t such an insult to millions of women who struggle to achieve and put food… Read More →

13MARNews

Kanye West’s ‘DONDA’ goes platinum

Kanye West‘s album, ‘DONDA‘, has been certified platinum by the RIAA, with over one million equivalent album sales since its release in August 2021. READ MORE: Divorce, Drake disses and problematic features: 10 talking points from Kanye West’s ‘DONDA’ Ye’s album was released last year after multiple delays and several changes to the album itself. The progress of the album was charted through several listening parties, where West would make changes to it following each one. In a three-star review, NME described ‘DONDA’ as “incredibly – and unnecessarily – long”. It is his ninth solo studio album to reach the platinum mark, with only 2019’s ‘Jesus Is King‘ and the recently released ‘DONDA 2‘ not having yet reached one million. Advertisement ‘DONDA 2’ – a direct follow-up to ‘DONDA’ – was available exclusively via his bespoke Stem Player platform and unique to the $200 (£150) device made by the rapper’s Yeezy Tech enterprise. Four songs from the record – ‘Security’, ‘Pablo’, ‘Broken Road’ and ‘We Did It Kid’ – were made available to Stem Player owners on February 23, following a listening party and live performance in Miami the night prior. Four more songs followed the next day, then a further 12 more songs on February 25. Following the release, West said… Read More →

12MARNews

Traci Braxton, singer and sister of Toni, has died aged 50

Singer Traci Braxton died yesterday (March 11) at the age of 50, her family has confirmed in a statement. The star, who is the sister of fellow singers Toni and Tamar Braxton, had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. “Traci passed this morning as the snow was falling, our angel is now a snowflake,” her family wrote in a statement. “We ask that you respect our privacy as we plan to send her home with love, celebrating her life. We are family forever.” Braxton’s husband Kevin Surratt also confirmed the news of her death to TMZ, saying: “We have come to a time where we must inform the public that after a year of privately undergoing a series of treatment for esophageal cancer our beloved Traci Braxton has gone on to glory.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Toni Braxton (@tonibraxton) The singer and reality TV star was born in Maryland in 1971 and began her career with her sisters in the group The Braxtons in 1989. She released on single with them, ‘Good Life’, before embarking on her own solo career many years later in 2014. Under her own name, she released two solo albums –… Read More →

12MARNews

Kanye West was “too impatient” to put Jay Z on ‘City Of Gods’

Kanye West was “too impatient” to put Jay-Z on his recent Fivio Foreign and Alicia Keys team-up ‘City Of Gods’, according to one of his collaborators. The track was released last month and will feature on Fivio Foreign’s upcoming debut album, ‘B.I.B.L.E’. It also appears on the ‘V2.22.22 Miami’ version of ‘Donda 2’ that West shared via his Stem Player last month. READ MORE: ‘Donda 2’: Kanye West’s ego is scuppering these half-baked, dashed-off sounding songs Speaking on Complex Brackets, Fivio Foreign discussed the track and revealed that West wanted Jay-Z to work with them on it. “I had the skeleton of it, I had the beat and Ye was like, ‘Yo, this shit is so fire. We going to get Hov on it and we going to go crazy,’” he explained. Advertisement “He’s like, ‘Yo, I’m going to get Alicia Keys to sing it,’” Fivio said. “But he wanted it out so fast. He’s like, ‘Yo, I’ma just do a verse.’ So he did the verse, got Alicia Keys on it, she ate that shit up, easy. She different.” Credit: press Last week (March 9), West shared a video for his ‘Donda’ track ‘Hurricane’, which saw him leading a jailbreak… Read More →

12MARNews

Watch Greta Van Fleet kick off their 2022 ‘Dreams In Gold’ tour

Greta Van Fleet began the North American leg of their 2022 ‘Dreams In Gold’ tour in Michigan this week – check out the full setlist and watch fan-shot footage below. READ MORE: Five things we learned from our In Conversation video chat with Greta Van Fleet For the first of five dates in their home state, the band took to the stage at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo on Thursday night (March 10) to deliver a 14-track headline performance (via Setlist.FM). The group kicked off with ‘Heat Above’, the opening track from their second album ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’. They also offered up live airings of the 2021 record’s cuts ‘Caravel’, ‘The Weight of Dreams’, ‘Built By Nations’, ‘Age Of Machine’ and more. Advertisement Elsewhere, Greta Van Fleet dusted off ‘Watching Over’, ‘When The Curtain Falls’ and ‘Age Of Man’ from their 2018 debut, ‘Anthem Of The Peaceful Army’, as well as the following cuts from 2017’s ‘From The Fires’ double EP: ‘Safari Song’, ‘Black Smoke Rising’ and ‘Highway Tune’. You can see a selection of videos from the concert below. Advertisement Greta Van Fleet played: ‘Heat Above’ ‘Safari Song’ ‘Black Smoke Rising’ ‘Caravel’ ‘Age Of Machine’ ‘Light My… Read More →

12MARNews

Megan Thee Stallion says there are “crazy double standards” for women in rap

Megan Thee Stallion has spoken out about the “crazy double standards” that women face in rap culture. The ‘Good News’ rapper was speaking to Dua Lipa on the latest episode of the latter’s new podcast At Your Service after the pair teamed up for a new joint single, ‘Sweetest Pie’, which came out yesterday (March 11). READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Megan Thee Stallion: “I’m really working on my dynasty right now” At one point in the conversation, Lipa brought up Megan’s previous comments in regards to “rap being a male-dominated ecosystem”, agreeing: “I feel like that about the music industry in general.” Advertisement Lipa referenced Megan’s 2020 op-ed in The New York Times in which she wrote that the music industry “can handle only one female rapper at a time”, recalling the “countless times” she’d been “pitted against” the likes of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. The ‘Future Nostalgia’ pop star continued: “There’s this beautiful moment coming into music – as a whole – where female musicians are seen to lift each other up. And I think that’s really beautiful and important.” Lipa then asked Megan whether she thinks this “reflects the different standards men and women are… Read More →

12MARNews

Judge Rob Rinder responds to Right Said Fred’s criticism over trip to Ukraine

Judge Rob Rinder has responded to criticism from Right Said Fred, who took issue with the TV personality’s upcoming trip to the Ukrainian border. Rinder is heading to the area to help the grandparents of his former Strictly Come Dancing partner Oksana Platero find safety. READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change” According to the UN, more than one million civilians have fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion. Advertisement Earlier this week Rinder, a criminal barrister, shared his plans to fly to Poland, which borders Ukraine. “Right now (Platero’s) grandparents are a week into their struggle to find sanctuary in a safe country,” said Rinder on Twitter. “I’ll be trying to meet them on the border next week. They’re just a few of the millions who need us.” While he’s there, he’ll also be reporting on the situation, with talkRadio sharing a photo of Rinder in a press jacket. However Right Said Fred took issue with this. “I don’t remember him going to Yemen, Syria, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Congo, Libya, Somalia, Sth Sudan or Iraq. Apologies if I’m wrong,” they tweeted. I don’t remember him going to Yemen, Syria, Sierra… Read More →

12MARNews

Listen to Greentea Peng’s swaggering new single ‘Your Mind’

Greentea Peng has released her first new track since sharing debut album ‘MAN MADE’ last June – check out the swaggering ‘Your Mind’ below. READ MORE: Greentea Peng: hallucinogenic blend of soul, dub and the vibes of the natural world Announcing the track on Instagram, Greentea Peng wrote: “It’s been a while Pengheadz. I’m not on this rushing ting. This one is dedicated to all those who struggle with a loud, negative mind. Those who tell themselves they can’t do things. Those in constant chatter (with a) 2 sometimes 3 way convo inside.” She added: “This song as always is for anyone who needs it. I needed it. I get (cooped) up in here, trust me.” Advertisement Listen to ‘Your Mind’ here: Alongside the new track, Greentea Peng has also released “Be Kind To Your Mind” t-shirts and posters, with all proceeds going to mental health charity Young Minds. You can find out more about their work here. Earlier this year, Greentea Peng cancelled her March UK headline tour due to the uncertainty caused by COVID-19. “If it was just me on the mic over a track it would be different but maneuvering a 6 piece band plus team is a… Read More →

12MARNews

Listen to three Billie Eilish and Finneas penned tracks from Disney’s ‘Turning Red’

Disney has shared the complete soundtrack to their new film Turning Red, which features three songs written by Billie Eilish and Finneas – listen below. READ MORE: Finneas: “I don’t know anything as strong as mine and Billie’s creative bond” The duo, alongside the film’s composer Ludwig Göransson, wrote all the music performed by fictional boyband 4*Town in the film. Finneas also provided vocals on the tracks and voiced a member of the group, Jesse. With Turning Red set in 2002, the likes of ‘1 True Love’ and ‘U Know What’s Up’ pull heavily from the likes of *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. Advertisement Sharing previously released track ‘Nobody But U’, Finneas took to Twitter to write: “Have fun watching Turning Red today!! Couldn’t love this movie more, so thankful to have been a part of it!” Check out ‘1 True Love’, ‘U Know What’s Up’ and ‘Nobody But U’ below. Released yesterday (March 11) on Disney+, Turning Red features 13-year-old Meilin “Mei” Lee, who has the unfortunate quirk of turning into a giant red panda whenever she feels a strong emotion. It stars Sandra Oh, Orion Lee and newcomer Rosalie Chiang, and is directed by Domee Shi (who previously helmed… Read More →

12MARNews

Arcade Fire continue to tease comeback with clip of new music

Arcade Fire have posted a brief snippet of new music on their official website as anticipation builds around the band’s return. Earlier this month, fans of the Canadian group began sharing images of mysterious postcards that they’d received in the mail. They displayed the message words “we missed you” above a stave filled with musical notes. READ MORE: Arcade Fire’s ‘Generation A’ is a rallying cry for a nation in turmoil The cards also featured a hand-drawn illustration of an eye that currently appears as Arcade Fire’s profile picture on their social media accounts and has also been spotted on posters in cities such as London and Toronto. Advertisement After sending further postcards to members of their fanbase this week, Arcade Fire have sparked fresh excitement over their comeback by hiding a short clip of a new track on their website. Upon visiting the contact page of the site, users are met with the same ‘AF’ logo and eye drawing that were teased previously (see the image below). Fans are able to click on the latter animation, which triggers a synth and orchestral loop. Arcade Fire’s website is hiding a brief clip of new music. CREDIT: Arcade Fire This time, the eye character is seen holding… Read More →

11MARNews

Warner and Sony Music groups suspend operations in Russia

Warner and Sony Music have become the latest music groups to suspend their operations in Russia as the ongoing war with Ukraine continues. READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change” Ukraine officially severed diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation on February 24. In a statement yesterday (March 10), Warner Music Group said: “Warner Music Group is suspending operations in Russia, including investments in and development of projects, promotional and marketing activities, and manufacturing of all physical products. “We will continue to fulfill our agreed upon obligations to our people, artists, and songwriters as best we can as the situation unfolds. We remain committed to supporting the humanitarian relief efforts in the region.” Sony followed, writing a statement on their website that said: “Sony Music Group calls for peace in Ukraine and an end to the violence. We have suspended operations in Russia and will continue our support of global humanitarian relief efforts to aid victims in need.” Universal Music Group corporate offices in Santa Monica, California. Credit: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Earlier this week (March 9), Universal Music Group also announced they were cutting… Read More →

11MARNews

Rex Orange County: “Tyler, The Creator taught me by giving me a mirror to look at what I did on my own”

Rex Orange County has opened up about working with Tyler, The Creator, and how it was transformative for his career. READ MORE: Rex Orange County: “I want the music to sound and feel free – because I feel free” Speaking to NME for our latest Big Read, Alex O’Connor told us about his experience providing vocals for Tyler’s 2017 album, ‘Flower Boy’ and how it opened his eyes to “a different world” he “couldn’t possibly understand from a bedroom in the countryside in the UK.” He added: “I remember that The Game rolled up to the studio in a Red Rolls Royce! It just felt like a different world.” Advertisement The duo’s collaborative relationship started when Tyler emailed O’Connor praising his work and inviting him to his studio in Los Angeles. “I had 500 followers on SoundCloud at the time when I headed out to LA and nobody really knew who I was,” he said. “It made me realise that if I have to believe in myself, then someone like Tyler will believe in me too.” The singer-songwriter also talked about how the rapper and producer’s seal of approval increased his confidence in his work. “He’s taught me a lot, but also… Read More →