Meanwhile, Lana Del Rey’s manager has confirmed that the singer’s next full-length record is “coming soon”.
Meanwhile, Lana Del Rey’s manager has confirmed that the singer’s next full-length record is “coming soon”.
Watch Mariah Carey join Latto for ‘Big Energy’ collaboration at BET Awards
Mariah Carey made a guest appearance at this year’s BET Awards, where she joined Latto for a performance of ‘Big Energy’.
- READ MORE: Latto – ‘777’ review: “Queen of da Souf” digs deeper with soul-searching second album
The BET Awards, which took place last night (June 26), included a number of performances from the likes of Jack Harlow, Lizzo and Chance The Rapper.
Latto took to the stage to perform her single, which originally came out in September, with Carey appearing on a new remix in March.
For the performance of ‘Big Energy’, Young Dirty Bastard opened, with Carey later belting out a high note hidden behind a screen. The screen eventually lifted to reveal Carey as she performed her verse. At the end, Latto handed her a bouquet of flowers as confetti rained down on the stage.
Latto released her second album ‘777’ in April. In a four-star review, NME said: “Here is proof, once again, that Latto could go toe-to-toe with the best of ‘em.”
Speaking to NME last year, she said: “I’m in my own lane. I literally made history with my song ‘Bitch From The South’ as the first solo female rapper from Atlanta to go gold. Then I was the first solo female rapper from Atlanta to go platinum.
“There’s a lot of artists from Atlanta but there hasn’t really been a female face for Atlanta, so I feel like I’m that Southern laid-back aesthetic: unapologetic, raw, uncut pussy power – that’s me.”
Elsewhere during the BET ceremony, Kanye West made a surprise appearance, honouring Sean “Diddy” Combs as the rapper and producer received the Lifetime Achievement Award. And Janelle Monáe spoke out against the recent overturning of Roe v Wade, flipping off the US Supreme Court in the process.
Jack Harlow also brought Brandy out for a performance of his single ‘First Class’. Proceeding to perform most of the song solo with the help of energetic backup dancers, Harlow surprised the crowd when he brought out Brandy to deliver the playful freestyle diss that she wrote and performed over ‘First Class’ last month.
Cyndi Lauper shares rerecorded version of abortion rights song ‘Sally’s Pigeons’ in wake of Roe v. Wade reversal
Cyndi Lauper has shared a rerecorded version of her 1993 abortion rights anthem ‘Sally’s Pigeons’ in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.
- READ MORE: Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam and more react as Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
In a series of tweets that accompanied the new, more stripped-back and plaintive version of ‘Sally’s Pigeons’ on June 25, Lauper wrote, “In my childhood, women didn’t have reproductive freedom and 50 years later we find ourselves in a time warp where one’s freedom to control their own body has been stripped away.”
She continued, “When I wrote this song with Mary Chapin Carpenter in 1991, we wrote about two little girls who dreamt of stretching their wings like the pigeons they watched that flew above them.
“They dreamt of being free. But freedom then for women and unfortunately now comes at a big price. If we don’t have control over our own bodies then we have no real freedom. We are second class citizens. We need to mobilize. We need to let our voices be heard.”
‘Sally’s Pigeons’ was famously inspired by a childhood friend of Lauper’s who had gotten pregnant in her teens and sought a back-alley abortion. Lauper’s friend died as a result, and Lauper has since made her pro-choice stance clear, even attending a Planned Parenthood Bans Off Our Bodies march in New York City earlier this year in May.
Listen to the ‘Redux 2022’ version of ‘Sally’s Pigeons’ below.
Notable figures in the music industry have expressed their outrage on social media following the announcement of the reversal, including Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, Charli XCX, Phoebe Bridgers and more. “I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are,” Swift wrote, “that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”
Bridgers and Janelle Monáe both addressed the US Supreme Court in their recent respective appearances at Glastonbury Festival and the BET Awards 2022 with short but similar messages of: “Fuck the Supreme Court!”
In May, Halsey aired a video of protest footage and facts about abortion statistics during her ‘Love And Power’ tour opener and joined the likes of Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion and Bridgers in signing a letter denouncing the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that preceded the reversal.
Chung Ha to release second studio album ‘Bare & Rare’ next month
Chung Ha has officially announced the release details for her sophomore studio album, ‘Bare & Rare’, due out in July.
- READ MORE: Chung Ha’s new single ‘Killing Me’ is a powerful ode to the frustration of the times
Today (June 27), the K-pop singer shared on Twitter and Instagram that her second studio album, titled ‘Bare & Rare’, will arrive on July 11 at 6pm KST. The announcement was made alongside a “scheduler” poster, which reveals when the album’s tracklist and teasers will be unveiled leading up to its release.
Led by the title track ‘Sparkling’, the forthcoming record appears only be the first part of Chung Ha’s ‘Bare & Rare’ project. The second half is expected to be released in the latter half of 2022.
CHUNG HA The 2nd Studio Album Pt.1 'Bare&Rare' Scheduler
2022.07.11. 6:00PM (KST)
2022.07.11. 4:00AM (EST)#청하 #CHUNGHA #Bare #Sparkling #2nd #Album #Part1 pic.twitter.com/naxp5x6ygn
— CHUNG HA (@CHUNGHA_MNHent) June 26, 2022
‘Bare & Rare’ is also set to include Chung Ha’s new song ‘California Dreams’, which she performed at the Seoul Waterbomb Festival 2022 over the weekend.
Notably, fans have belatedly realised that the singer had previously revealed the title of the her forthcoming project via fan community app Bubble. Chung Ha had shared a series of selfies featuring a phone case with the words “BARE AND RARE” on it on the app on June 18.
[220618] 07:45PM KST ?
??? pic.twitter.com/pizWqEfhoz
— ?? (@chunghaup) June 18, 2022
‘Bare & Rare’ comes over a year after the arrival of Chung Ha’s debut studio record ‘Querencia’, which dropped last February, and marks her first release of 2022. She had previously dropped a special digital single titled ‘Killing Me’ last November.
Just last week, Chung Ha featured on Korean-Canadian singer Junny’s new single, ‘Color Me’, from his forthcoming studio album. The song had been the follow-up to Junny’s May single ‘Get Ya!’, which featured Korean rapper pH-1. Both tracks are set to appear on his upcoming full-length project.
Watch Phoebe Bridgers join The Jesus and Mary Chain for ‘Just Like Honey’ at Glastonbury
Phoebe Bridgers joined The Jesus and Mary Chain onstage to perform ‘Just Like Honey’ during the band’s Friday (June 24) set at this year’s Glastonbury festival.
- READ MORE: Phoebe Bridgers live at Glastonbury 2022: a triumphant – and powerful – victory lap
Bridgers, who played her own Glasto set right before JAMC at the John Peel Stage, supplied backing vocals for the rock legends, letting singer Jim Reid lead the performance. The appreciative crowd allowed the song to play almost uninterrupted before applauding the band and Bridgers as Reid thanked her at the end of the song.
Watch Bridgers join The Jesus And Mary Chain to perform ‘Just Like Honey’ below.
Bridgers made headlines for her maiden Glastonbury set, where she denounced the recent decision of the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 1973 case that made abortion legal on a federal level. The decision was officially made on June 24, meaning US states can set their own laws regarding the legality of abortions. 23 states are expected to make abortion illegal, Politico reports.
“This is my first time here and, honestly, it’s super surreal and fun, but I’m having the shittiest day,” Bridgers told the Glastonbury audience on June 24, before asking Americans in the crowd to chant, “Fuck the Supreme Court!”
Following the chant, Bridgers continued: “Fuck that shit. Fuck America. Like, fuck you. All these irrelevant, old motherfuckers trying to tell us what to do with our fucking bodies… Ugh. I don’t know, fuck it, whatever.”
- READ MORE: Glastonbury Festival 2022 – review: camping, killer tunes and catharsis on Worthy Farm
Friday at Glastonbury saw a headline set by Billie Eilish at the Pyramid Stage, as well as other noteworthy performances by Sam Fender, IDLES, St. Vincent, Little Simz, Foals and more.
Catch up on everything Glastonbury 2022 here at NME.
Kendrick Lamar closes Glastonbury with “godspeed for women’s rights” chant
Kendrick Lamar has closed his Glastonbury set with an emotional speech thanking fans, followed by a performance of ‘Savior’.
At the end of the ‘Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers’ track, he repeated the chant: “They judge you, they judged Christ. Godspeed for women’s rights”, before promptly leaving the stage as fake blood poured down from his crown of thorns.
- READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar – ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ review: a cathartic, soul-baring autobiography
The chant is significant because of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade (June 24). Multiple musicians have referenced the ruling during their Glastonbury sets, including Billie Eilish, Lorde and Phoebe Bridgers.
Lamar opened his set with an instrumental interlude from ‘Savior’ before launching into ‘United In Grief’. Elsewhere, he played ‘Count Me Out’ and ‘N95’, as well as hits like ‘Humble’ and ‘Alright’.
He was joined by dancers throughout, both men dressed in black trousers and white shirts like Kendrick, and women in flowing red dresses.
After performing ‘Love’, he said: “On behalf of me and my team, I want to thank every individual out here tonight. I consider y’all family, this shit is special, it means a lot to me.”
He continued: “I look out into the crowd and I see different creeds, different colours.
“I wear this crown. They judged Christ. They judge you, they judged Christ. We gonna continue to walk in his image.”
Lamar has spent the week in France, performing in Cannes on Monday night (June 20) as part of a Spotify event. He then moved on to Italy, where he performed at the Milano Summer Festival on Thursday night.
Kendrick kicking off a powerful performance! LS pic.twitter.com/JDUFHLCReL
— Glastonbury Live (@GlastoLive) June 26, 2022
‘Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers’ was released in May 2022. In a five-star review, NME described the album as “a cathartic, soul-baring autobiography”.
In a recent interview, Tyler, the Creator heaped praise on ‘Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers’, following the likes of Eminem, Lorde and Pharrell Williams, who have all shared positive comments about the album.
Lamar will bring his ‘The Big Steppers’ world tour to the UK and Ireland in November for a series of live dates. Baby Keem and Tanna Leone will provide support on all dates of the tour. Find any remaining tickets here.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Lorde brings out Arlo Parks and Clairo for ’Stoned At The Nail Salon’ at Glastonbury 2022
Lorde brought out Arlo Parks and Clairo as special guests during her Glastonbury 2022 headline set. Watch the clip below.
- READ MORE: The story of Glastonbury 2022 in glorious photos
The New Zealand pop-star was performing on the pyramid stage, Sunday (June 26). Clairo and Parks joined Lorde to sing along with her on the track ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’ from her 2021 album ‘Solar Power’.
Clairo notably provided backing vocals for the record, on the songs ‘Solar Power’ and ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’. Both special guests performed their own sets on Worthy Farm this year, with Clairo taking the John Peel Stage earlier today and Parks playing The Park Stage on Friday.
Not only did we receive the gift of blonde @lorde today, but also the gift of @arloparks and @clairo joining her on stage for ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’#Glastonbury2022 pic.twitter.com/WrFA7GQY4J
— Erica Campbell (@ericacxmpbell) June 26, 2022
During the performance, Lorde also took the time to speak out against the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade. The supreme court overturned the landmark case on June 24. The ruling had granted women in the US the right to terminate a pregnancy and was put in place nearly 50 years ago.
Olivia Rodrigo also spoke out against the decision during her set yesterday (June 25). After bringing Lily Allen out to the stage, she told the crowd, “Roe v. Wade, which is a law that ensures a woman’s right to a safe abortion, a basic human right” had been overturned.
“I’m devastated I’m terrified and so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” she continued. “I wanted to dedicate this song to the five members of the supreme court, who showed us that at the end of the day they truly don’t give a shit about freedom.
“This song goes out to the justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barret, and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.” Then, the pair dueted a fiery rendition of Allen’s hit ‘Fuck You’.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Lorde gives impassioned speech about Roe v. Wade at Glastonbury 2022
Lorde gave an impassioned speech about Roe v. Wade being overturned during her Pyramid Stage set at Glastonbury 2022 tonight (June 26).
The New Zealand pop star was performing as the final act before Kendrick Lamar headlines the final day of this year’s festival.
- READ MORE: The story of Glastonbury 2022 in glorious photos
At the end of ‘Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’, Robyn’s pre-recorded closing monologue did not play over the PA. Instead, Lorde spoke to the crowd, referencing the US Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade. The move means abortion will no longer be protected as a federal right in the US for the first time since 1973, and each state will be able to decide individually whether to restrict or ban abortion.
“Welcome to sadness,” she began. “The temperature is unbearable until you face it. You wanna know a secret, girls? Your bodies were destined to be controlled and objectified since before you were born. That horror is your birthright.”
Lorde changed the ending monologue of “Secrets from a Girl” due to recent events regarding women’s rights in the US. pic.twitter.com/VW7iULmhCx
— Lorde Updates ☀️ (@LordeUpdatesBR) June 26, 2022
She continued: “Here’s another secret – you possess ancient strength, ancient wisdom. Wisdom that has propelled every woman who came before you. That wisdom is your birthright. I ask you today, make accessing that wisdom your life’s work, because everything depends on that.” As the song ended, she concluded: “Fuck the Supreme Court.” Watch fan-shot footage of the moment above.
Elsewhere in the set, Lorde brought out Arlo Parks and Clairo for ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’, while she also covered Bananarama’s ‘Cruel Summer’.
Lorde played:
‘The Path’
‘Homemade Dynamite’
‘Buzzcut Season’
‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’
‘California’
‘Ribs’
‘The Louvre’
‘Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’
‘Mood Ring’
‘Cruel Summer’
‘Liability’
‘Sober’
‘Royals’
‘Supercut’
‘Perfect Places’
‘Green Light’
‘Solar Power’
Lorde is the latest musician to speak out about Roe v. Wade being overturned at Glastonbury 2022. Phoebe Bridgers led her audience in chanting “Fuck the Supreme Court” on Friday night (June 24), while Billie Eilish used her headline set on the same night to make reference to the decision.
Yesterday (June 25), Olivia Rodrigo brought out Lily Allen to sing the British star’s ‘Fuck You’ together. Before they began the song, Rodrigo told the Other Stage crowd: “I’m devastated I’m terrified and so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this. I wanted to dedicate this song to the five members of the supreme court, who showed us that at the end of the day they truly don’t give a shit about freedom.” She also dedicated the song to the five justices involved, individually naming each one.
Glastonbury 2022 concludes tonight with a headline set on the Pyramid Stage from Kendrick Lamar, while Pet Shop Boys, Charli XCX, Bicep and Courtney Barnett will also top the bill on the other main stages.
Billie Eilish and Paul McCartney headlined the previous two days of the festival, while George Ezra played a secret set on the John Peel Stage earlier today. Jamie T made his return to Glastonbury for only his second show in five years, Megan Thee Stallion made her Glastonbury debut, and Foals headlined the Other Stage on Friday night.
Róisín Murphy tells us about her “slab of gold” new album and acting debut at Glastonbury 2022
Róisín Murphy spoke to NME backstage at Glastonbury 2022, telling us what to expect from her upcoming headline performance, new album and acting debut.
The former Moloko turned solo star headlined the West Holts Stage last night (Saturday June 25), but was taking it easy on site before her performance.
“I stayed in watching Larry David on the tour bus last night,” she told NME. “I’ve watched a good few episodes of Curbed. I’m trying to save my energy for the big one tonight.”
On bringing a touch of David to Worthy Farm, she continued: “I was hoping that they’d have Mick Lynch here, you know – the trade union fellow. You could have him on the Pyramid Stage.”
Murphy was last here to film her dance spectacular as part of last year’s Live At Worthy Farm livestream event. Looking back on how it felt to be at the festival site while audiences were kept at bay due to lockdown restrictions, she said: “It was weird but brilliant. The production was incredible with the filming and the way it was all done, but it was weird because it was wintertime. It was even colder than now!
“We didn’t see anybody else and we shot our bits in isolation, but it was fun and I stayed in a fancy hotel – which I won’t be doing this time!”
Meanwhile, Murphy was also recently confirmed to star in new Netflix series Half Bad – an adaptation of the book trilogy by Sally Green, following 16-year-old Nathan, the illegitimate son of the world’s most feared witch.
“I’m playing a witch, which my mother says isn’t a stretch!” Murphy told NME at Glasto. “That’s her way of being modest. It was interesting. I’ve shot it and it’s coming out in the Autumn. My character is a glamorous witch called Mercury. She’s a real minx.”
After directing her own music videos and visuals, Murphy said that she had taken to acting “out of curiosity”, adding: “Maybe I could make a film one day of my own, or maybe I could do more acting.”
Back to music, Murphy told us that work was “almost finished” on the follow-up to her acclaimed 2020 album ‘Róisín Machine’.
“I’ve worked on and off for the last five years with DJ Koze on my next album,” she said. “It’s in the final stages now, I haven’t played it to anyone and I’m not signed. Now I’m in the process of sending out this slab of gold and seeing how it goes from there.”
She added: “It’s really good! If you put the two things together and add another 22 and a half percent expectation on the top of that, you’re pretty close.”
Focussing on her Glasto set, Murphy promised “a lot of spice”.
“It’s really nice to do a long set of an hour and a half,” she said. “We don’t have to condense the energy too much. We’ve got full breadth to express ourselves.
“This is full of sing-along tracks. ‘Familiar Feeling’, ‘Fun For Me’, ‘Forever More’, ‘Overpowered’, ‘Let Me Know’, plus the new songs that the fans know like ‘Something More’ and ‘Let Me Know’ – it kicks off! It’s supposed to be a very joyful set. I don’t always make it this easy for people; especially if I’ve just done an album.”
She added: “I do feel that I am an artist who tests their audience as much as I can. I take it to what I think is the limit, and sometimes I go over the limit. Now is not the time for that. Regardless as to whether I’m playing Glastonbury or not, coming back to play these shows that have been postponed for two years, I just want to do a joyful set – for me as much as for them.”
And what will Róisín Murphy be getting up to after-hours at Glastonbury once her set is finished? “I’m going out, I’m going to go for it tonight,” she said. “I’m supposed to sleep in a yurt, but I don’t suppose that is going to happen. I’ll find some place to lay my head at about 6am or 7am.
“All the old faces are out tonight so I’ll probably go down the old Block 9. I’ll try to stay cool enough because I’ve got a little pop-up show down NYC Downlow tomorrow.”
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Olivia Rodrigo brings Lily Allen on stage, dedicates ‘Fuck You’ to US Supreme Court
Olivia Rodrigo brought Lily Allen out during her Glastonbury 2022 performance. Check out a clip of the show below.
- READ MORE: The story of Glastonbury 2022 in glorious photos
Yesterday, the landmark ruling, which guaranteed women in the US the right to terminate a pregnancy, was overturned, after 50 years of being in place.
After Allen joined Rodrigo on the Other Stage, she spoke directly to the audience, explaining that “Roe v. Wade, which is a law that ensures a woman’s right to a safe abortion, a basic human right” had been overturned.
“I’m devastated I’m terrified and so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” she continued. “I wanted to dedicate this song to the five members of the supreme court, who showed us that at the end of the day they truly don’t give a shit about freedom.
“This song goes out to the justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barret, and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.” Then, the pair dueted a fiery rendition of Allen’s hit ‘Fuck You’.
“This song goes out to the justices… we hate you”#LilyAllen joins @oliviarodrigo for ‘Fuck You’ at #glastonberry2022 pic.twitter.com/mj6P7tWlaa
— Erica Campbell (@ericacxmpbell) June 25, 2022
Olivia Rodrigo is one of the most recent Glastonbury performers to speak out against the ruling. Joe Talbot of Idles also spoke out against the overturn of Roe V. Wade yesterday (June 24) during the band’s performance. Right before the band played ‘Mother’ during their festival set, Talbot shared a dedication speaking out on the ruling.
“Of course, this is for every mother and every woman and her right to choose whether she is a mother or not,” Talbot said. “Long live the open-minded long live my mother and long live every single one of you.”
Phoebe Bridgers also addressed the US Supreme Court ruling during her performance yesterday, with a short, but powerful chant: “Fuck the Supreme Court!”
Taking to the John Peel Stage last night – just hours after the ruling was confirmed – Bridgers told her Glastonbury crowd: “This is my first time here and, honestly, it’s super surreal and fun, but I’m having the shittiest day.” An outspoken advocate of abortion rights, the frustrated singer-songwriter asked if any Americans were among her crowd, before instructing them to chant, “Fuck the Supreme Court!”
Over the last day, dozens of artists have spoken out against the official overturning of Roe v. Wade. Lizzo is another who is supporting abortion rights via monetary contributions, partnering with Live Nation – who are presenting her upcoming ‘Special’ tour – to donate $1million (£815,000) in funds to organisations offering safe access to abortions.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Neil Young to immortalise 2019 tour on ‘Noise & Flowers’ live album and film
Neil Young has announced his plans to release ‘Noise & Flowers’, a live album and film compiled from material recorded during his most recent tour of Europe and the UK.
- READ MORE: Neil Young & Crazy Horse – ‘Barn’ review: rugged and rural beauty, with a sense of hope
Young embarked on the nine-date run with Promise Of The Real as his backing band, taking in four shows in Germany – as well as one each in Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, England and Ireland – across July of 2019. The album and film will feature recordings from all of the shows; the CD and two-disc vinyl release will sport 14 tracks, but it’s unclear if the film (which was co-directed by Bernard Shakey and DH Lovelife) contains the same content.
Both iterations of the release will land on August 5 via Warner Records, with pre-orders available here. The first preview of the release – Young and the Real’s performance of ‘From Hank To Hendrix’ – was shared alongside the announcement. Have a look at that below:
The tour that ‘Noise & Flowers’ chronicles took place shortly after the death of Young’s longtime manager, Elliot Roberts. In a new blog post, Young explained that he and his wife were en route to the airport – where they would fly to Europe ahead of the tour’s start – when he learned of Roberts’ passing. They returned home for his funeral, but powered on with the tour nonetheless.
“During the tour,” Young wrote, “we had a poster of Elliot on a road case, right where he always stood during all shows. Everyone who was with us felt that this tour was amazing for its great vibe. The Real and I delivered for Elliot.”
In the liner notes for ‘Noise & Flowers’ (per American Songwriter), Young further expounded: “Playing in his memory [made it] one of the most special tours ever. We hit the road and took his great spirit with us into every song. This music belongs to no one. It’s in the air. Every note was played for music’s great friend, Elliot.”
Check out the cover art and tracklisting for ‘Noise & Flowers’ below:
1. ‘Mr. Soul’
2. ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’
3. ‘Helpless’
4. ‘Field Of Opportunity’
5. ‘Alabama’
6. ‘Throw Your Hatred Down’
7. ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’
8. ‘Comes A Time’
9. ‘From Hank to Hendrix’
10. ‘On The Beach’
11. ‘Are You Ready For The Country’
12. ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You’
13. ‘Winterlong’
14. ‘F***in’ Up’
Before dropping ‘Noise & Flowers’, Young will release ‘Toast’, a previously shelved album he recorded with Crazy Horse back in 2001. Described by Young as “heavy and distressed [and] brimming with electrifying tension”, that album – named for the San Francisco studio in which it was minted – will be released on July 8 via Reprise.
According to Young, ‘Toast’ is “an album that stands on its own in [his] collection”. He cited the record’s melancholic tone as a reason why it never left the studio, explaining in another blog post: “Unlike any other, ‘Toast’ was so sad that I couldn’t put it out. I just skipped it and went on to do another album in its place. I couldn’t handle it at that time. 2001.”
Both the release of ‘Toast’ and ‘Noise & Flowers’ come amid Young’s ongoing series of archival reissues. In April, he released the ‘Official Release Series Volume 4’ box set, comprising three classic albums from the 1980s – one of his own, and two collaborative efforts – as well as a rare EP that was only ever sold in Australia and Japan.
His most recent album was another effort with Crazy Horse, ‘Barn’, which landed last December. NME gave it a four-star review, with Rhys Buchanan writing: “Raw and rugged at every turn, the album captures the telepathic bond that these rock’n’roll renegades have cultivated over the years.”
Phoebe Bridgers chants “fuck the Supreme Court” during Glastonbury set
During her set at this year’s Glastonbury festival, Phoebe Bridgers addressed the US Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade with a short, but powerful chant: “Fuck the Supreme Court!”
- READ MORE: Phoebe Bridgers live at Glastonbury 2022: a triumphant – and powerful – victory lap
In early May, leaked documents showed that the US Supreme Court voted privately to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 1973 case that made abortion legal on a federal level. That decision was officially ruled into place yesterday (June 24), meaning US states will be able to set their own laws regarding the legality of abortions.
As Politico reports, 23 states are expected to make abortion illegal – at the time of writing, five already have, and a further 11 are in the process of finalising anti-abortion laws.
Taking to the John Peel Stage last night – just hours after the ruling was confirmed – Bridgers told her Glastonbury crowd: “This is my first time here and, honestly, it’s super surreal and fun, but I’m having the shittiest day.” An outspoken advocate of abortion rights, the frustrated singer-songwriter asked if any Americans were among her crowd, before instructing them to chant, “Fuck the Supreme Court!”
Following the chant, Bridgers continued: “Fuck that shit. Fuck America. Like, fuck you. All these irrelevant, old motherfuckers trying to tell us what to do with our fucking bodies… Ugh. I don’t know, fuck it, whatever.”
Watch footage of the moment below:
“All these irrelevant old motherfuckers trying to tell us what to do with our fucking bodies”. @phoebe_bridgers calls out the US Supreme Court on stage at Glastonbury. She had an abortion last year. What a moment. pic.twitter.com/cKBNZdhhNr
— Dino Sofos (@dinosofos) June 24, 2022
Bridgers was among a handful of artists addressing the Roe v. Wade overturning at Glastonbury. IDLES’ Joe Talbot, for example, dedicated ‘Mother’ to “every mother and every woman and her right to choose whether she is a mother or not”.
During Billie Eilish‘s set, she pre-empted an acoustic rendition of ‘Your Power’ by explaining that the song is “about the concept of power and how we always need to remember not to abuse it”. She continued: “Today is a really really dark day for women in the US. And I’m just going to say that because I can’t bear to think about it anymore in this moment.”
When the aforementioned documents were leaked in May, Bridgers responded with a candid post discussing her own abortion experience. Revealing that she had an abortion while on tour last October, the singer-songwriter explained: “I went to planned parenthood where they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves that kind of access.”
In a new interview with The Guardian, Bridgers said she was surprised by the public reaction her post received. She told the paper: “I’ve always found comfort in talking to people in passing – when someone’s mom says: ‘I had an abortion when I was a teen.’ It normalised it for me. I was, ‘All right, it’s time to throw my hat into that pool.’ That’s not a phrase, I just made that up. But I didn’t think about it, really, at all.”
Bridgers went on to explain her intention in sharing her experience, being to make it clear that “as a white, upper-middle-class woman from California, even if it were to be overturned, I will always have access”. She continued: “I have a friend who went to medical school – every time I need a doctor, I say, ‘Do you have someone that you recommend?’ So I would just go: ‘Hey, where do I go for the thing? Wink-wink.’
“The people with access will always have access. What pisses me off is that we’re not talking about me. It’s so easy: I played in Texas the same week, and then I went home and was like: oh my God. Made the appointment. It was 12 hours of my life.”
Bridgers also addressed the trend of well-meaning fans mislabelling her experience on her behalf: “[There were] people with good intentions saying: ‘Don’t say it was easy for you to make that decision – it was clearly really emotional.’ And I wasn’t fucking emotional at all. Hormonally crazy! But I don’t think you should assign ‘it tore me up’ to me. No! I don’t think about it as a baby, of course not.”
In addition to her vocal support, Bridgers’ activism for abortion rights includes the donation of $1 from every ticket bought to her current tour, which will go towards an organisation helping undocumented people in the US access safe abortions.
Over the last day, dozens of artists have spoken out against the official overturning of Roe v. Wade. Lizzo is another who is supporting abortion rights via monetary contributions, partnering with Live Nation – who are presenting her upcoming ‘Special’ tour – to donate $1million (£815,000) in funds to organisations offering safe access to abortions.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Lizzo and Live Nation pledge $1million to abortion organisations following overturn of Roe v. Wade
Following the official overturning of Roe v. Wade yesterday (June 24), Lizzo has partnered with Live Nation – who are presenting her upcoming ‘Special’ tour – to donate $1million (£815,000) in funds to organisations offering safe access to abortions.
- READ MORE: The Big Read – Lizzo: “If I feel worthy, then everyone gonna want to eat my pussy”
In early May, leaked documents showed that the US Supreme Court voted privately to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 1973 case that made abortion legal on a federal level. That decision was officially ruled into place yesterday, meaning US states will be able to set their own laws regarding the legality of abortions. As Politico reports, 23 states are expected to make abortion illegal – at the time of writing, five already have, and a further 11 are in the process of finalising anti-abortion laws.
Lizzo is the latest in a growing list of artists speaking out against the ruling. In a series of new posts made on social media, the singer declared she would be pledging $500,000 (£407,500) of proceeds earned from her upcoming North American tour – which is slated to kick off in September – to Planned Parenthood and the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF). Live Nation has agreed to match her donation, making the total pledge $1million.
I’m pledging $500k from my upcoming tour to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Rights. Live Nation agreed to match— to make it 1 MILLION dollars
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) June 24, 2022
Lizzo had initially stated that her full donation would be made to Planned Parenthood, however after receiving feedback from fans, she updated her pledge to include other abortion rights and service organisations (namely the NNAF). “The most important thing is action [and] loud voices,” she wrote in a follow-up Tweet. “[Planned Parenthood, the NNAF and] organizations like them will need funding to continue offering services to people who are most harmed by this ban.”
In addition, Lizzo encouraged fans to make donations of their own, and sign Planned Parenthood’s ‘Bans Off My Body petition’, through her Propellor initiative Lizzo Loves You. It ties in with her third annual Juneteeth Giveback competition, whereby fans can exchange points for entries to “be a Lizzo BIG GRRRL” for a day. Fans will earn 10 points for singing the aforementioned petition, and 10 points for every dollar donated to Planned Parenthood. Find more details here.
Lizzo’s North American ‘Special’ tour will kick off in late September and roll into mid-November. There are 25 dates on the itinerary, all of which taking place in arenas and stadiums, with Latto serving as the main support act. The tour will support Lizzo’s fourth studio album, ‘Special’, which is set to drop on July 15. See all of the details for the tour here.
Over the last day, dozens of artists have spoken out against the official overturning of Roe v. Wade. Several have also used their sets at Glastonbury Festival to share their disdain for the outcome: IDLES’ Joe Talbot, for example, dedicated ‘Mother’ to “every mother and every woman and her right to choose whether she is a mother or not”.
During Billie Eilish‘s set, she pre-empted an acoustic rendition of ‘Your Power’ by explaining that the song is “about the concept of power and how we always need to remember not to abuse it”. She continued: “Today is a really really dark day for women in the US. And I’m just going to say that because I can’t bear to think about it anymore in this moment.”
Billie Eilish speaks out on Roe v. Wade during Glastonbury set
Billie Eilish has spoken out against the overturning of Roe v. Wade during her Glastonbury headline set.
- READ MORE: Billie Eilish on the cover: “I owe it to everyone to put on a good Glastonbury show”
Tonight (June 24), Billie Eilish has made history and become the youngest ever solo headliner of Glastonbury Festival, joining Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar at the top of the bill.
Opening with ‘Bury A Friend’, her set included tracks like ‘NDA’, ‘Oxytocin’ and ‘You Should See Me in a Crown’. “Are you ready to have some fun?” she said, before launching into ‘My Strange Addiction’.
Joined by her brother Finneas, the pair played ‘Your Power’ together on the stage with acoustic guitars.
“It’s about the concept of power and how we always need to remember not to abuse it,” Eilish said. “Today is a really really dark day for women in the US. And I’m just going to say that because I can’t bear to think about it anymore in this moment.”
Eilish joins multiple musicians in sharing her reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade today (June 24), including Taylor Swift who tweeted: “I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”
The overturning of the landmark case means abortion will no longer be protected as a federal right in the US for the first time since 1973, and each state will be able to decide individually whether to restrict or ban abortion.
glastonbury ? billie eilish
watch on @BBCiPlayer | listen on @BBCSounds pic.twitter.com/3mqrMvsqT5
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) June 24, 2022
Speaking to NME for this week’s Big Read cover story ahead of her headlining performance, Eilish delved into her new material, her work with sibling Finneas, and her pursuit of happiness in a transitional period in her life.
“I owe it to everyone to put on a good Glastonbury headline set,” she said. “It’s heart-warming to see how much people care about it and think that this is going to be the best weekend of their lives.”
She added: “I’m really crossing my fingers that it’s a good vibe out there. I’m hoping that the crowd is ready to have as much fun as I am ready to have, and not just be there to watch – I need energy coming back from the crowd to bounce off”.
Elsewhere, she shared that she felt it “was so cool to be a young woman and headline festivals, because it’s so male-dominated,” adding that she had felt “hopeless” for the future of women in music in 2017 and 2018.
In other news, NME have announced a limited edition print magazine to celebrate our Big Read cover story with Eilish.
In honour of her historic Glastonbury set, 1000 copies of a special limited edition magazine with Billie’s cover feature will be available. Stay tuned to NME.com and socials to find out how to get your hands on a copy very soon.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.
Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam and more react as Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
Multiple musicians have shared their reactions to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade today (June 24).
In May, a draft opinion penned by Justice Samuel Alito argued that the 1973 landmark ruling was “egregiously wrong from the start”, adding that “it is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
Though the draft was verified as authentic, it was noted at the time that draft opinions can be subject to multiple drafts and vote-trading so the court’s decision was not final.
But now, it has been confirmed that the landmark case has been overturned, meaning abortion will no longer be protected as a federal right in the US for the first time since 1973, and each state will be able to decide individually whether to restrict or ban abortion.
Notable figures in the music industry have expressed their outrage on social media, including Taylor Swift, who shared a letter that Michelle Obama had written about the decision.
“I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are,” she wrote, “that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”
I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that. https://t.co/mwK561oxxl
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 24, 2022
Pearl Jam, meanwhile, shared a video on Instagram, alongside the caption: “No one, not the government, not politicians, not the Supreme Court should prevent access to abortion, birth control, and contraceptives. People should have the FREEDOM to choose.
“Today’s decision impacts everyone and it will particularly affect poor women who can’t afford to travel to access health care. We will stay active, we will not back down and we will never give up.”
During their Glastonbury 2022 performance, Joe Talbot of Idles also spoke out against the decision.
“Of course, this is for every mother and every woman and her right to choose whether she is a mother or not,” Talbot said. “Long live the open-minded long live my mother and long live every single one of you.”
See more reactions below.
View this post on InstagramView this post on Instagramabortion is healthcare.
bodily autonomy is a human right.— Maggie Rogers (@maggierogers) June 24, 2022
just because you’re not an American citizen does not mean the overturning of Roe V Wade is none of your business. if you support womens rights and human rights you NEED to be vocal about how drastic and appalling the overturning of the constitutional right to an abortion is.
— Charli (@charli_xcx) June 24, 2022
MAKING ABORTIONS ILLEGAL WONT STOP PEOPLE FROM HAVING THEM, IT STOPS THEM FROM HAVING SAFE ONES
— Zara Larsson (@zaralarsson) June 24, 2022
I don’t even know what to say other than absolutely fuck this
— FINNEAS☮️ (@finneas) June 24, 2022
The three #Trump #SCOTUS appointees all lied to Congress and to the American people during their confirmation hearings, when they all stated that #ROEVWADE was settled law. They are all radical traditionalist Catholics and are shoving America ever further to the right.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2022
fucking evil.
— traitor joe (@phoebe_bridgers) June 24, 2022
the Supreme Court just ended a constitutional right to obtain an abortion, saying it should be left to each state to decide, this is horrible! they just took the right to decide about someone’s own body away! we need to speak out. your body, your choice! #AbortionIsHealthcare
— YUNGBLUD (@yungblud) June 24, 2022
Vote these medieval old turds out.
— Garbage (@garbage) June 24, 2022
Fuckin bullshit!!
This decision is about more than abortion, it’s about who has power over you, who has authority to make decisions for you, and who is going to control how your future turns out~ @nwlc @PPFA @ACLU @SisterSong_WOC pic.twitter.com/52Pj6j36Z1
— Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) June 24, 2022
In May, Halsey aired a video of protest footage and facts about abortion statistics during her ‘Love And Power’ tour opener and joined the likes of Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion and Phoebe Bridgers in signing a letter denouncing the draft opinion.
Harry Styles also spoke out about the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion at the time.
Speaking to Howard Stern in an interview [per Teen Vogue], Styles said of the potential of Roe v. Wade being overturned: “I think it’s quite scary to see how far backwards we’re going in a lot of ways. There should be backlash and uproar for these things. There’s a lot of people who are taking…the right steps to try to make positive things [happen].”
He added that, in his opinion, no one “should be able to make decisions about anyone else’s body – it doesn’t really make any sense to me”. “It’s just so backwards,” he said.
Bop Shop: Songs From Allison Ponthier, Kidd Kenn, Fletcher, And More
The search for the ever-elusive "bop" is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new?
Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This week, in honor of Pride Month, we've been celebrating Queer Music Week by highlighting how TikTok has become a key platform for emerging LGBTQ+ musicians and the ways pop artists have gotten bolder and more explicit in singing about queer sex. That's all in addition to conversations with forward-thinking LGBTQ+ artists Blue Rojo, Muna, and Trixie Mattel.
Now, for this week's music round-up, we shine the spotlight on LGBTQ+ musicians making art that feels vital to this moment. Get ready: The Queer Music Week Bop Shop is open for business.
