Charli XCX Reflects on Past Performances Ahead of Reading & Leeds Headline Set

Charli XCX has taken a trip down memory lane, reviewing some of her previous performances at Reading & Leeds while teasing what fans can expect from her upcoming 2026 headline set. The singer is set to make her headline debut at the dual festival later this week, marking her first appearance at the event since 2022. These performances arrive on the heels of her latest album, ‘Music, Fashion, Film’, and precede a highly anticipated North American arena tour with Underscores this September.

In a recent video interview with BBC Radio 1, the ‘360’ artist revisited clips from her past festival sets, offering a candid verdict on her evolution as a performer. Reflecting on a 2017 performance of her single ‘Boys’, she admitted, “It’s cringing me out, if I’m honest.” She noted that she had forgotten she previously performed with a live band, though she acknowledged it felt like a “cool show” at the time.

Her critique continued as she looked back at her 2019 set, specifically her performance of ‘I Love It’. “I remember this because it was so hot. It was when I had short hair and I had a fringe. I hate that hairstyle… When I would get really hot, my fringe would do its own thing in a way that was really unfortunate,” she joked.

Despite the self-deprecation, Charli expressed deep appreciation for the festival atmosphere. Having attended Reading & Leeds as a fan in her youth, she finds the scale of her current success surreal. “I really think of it as the festival that I grew up at. It is a bit surreal. The crowd really goes for it there. They party really hard, so that’s cool and a bit scary.”

Looking ahead to her 2026 headline performance, Charli promised a unique experience. “It’s going to be my first performance in the UK where I’m playing new songs and doing a whole new stage set up, so hopefully people enjoy it,” she shared. “If they don’t, that is totally fine. I will see you there. It’s going to be great.”

View this post on Instagram

Slayyyter’s “brand new chanel$” is “girl who’s going to be okay”-pop

The first image I imagined when I heard Slayyyter’s “brand new chanel$” was the credits rolling in a film about her meteoric summer. This track serves as the literal inverse of her WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA lead single, "BEAT UP CHANEL$," acting as part of a forthcoming sister project that reimagines and flips tracks from her major label breakout debut.

Whereas "BEAT UP CHANEL$" pairs a pounding, punk-ish verse with an electroclash chorus, its sister single is all lights and sparkles, at least sonically. Its lyrics are filled with melancholy as Slayyyter sings about being cheated on with straightforwardness and clarity: "Tell me why'd you ever bring her / In my home while I was so far away." Most notably, the music itself is pure millennial optimism: layers of washed-out synths, live drums, and stacked ethereal chants. There's an absolutely huge and haunting synth line in its chorus that feels almost Hans Zimmer-esque in its emotional severity.

The lyric's image of a lover taking advantage of Slayyyter's absence hits especially hard, given that this story, more or less, actually happened. In an interview with Owen Thiele, she discussed finding out about her partner's infidelity days before her massive Coachella performance.

But beyond the song's personal resonance in Slayyyter's own life, there's a bigger story lurking about the whiplash of fame more broadly. Slayyyter herself is suddenly busier than ever, with a sold out tour, a sister project in the making, and press galore. The overwhelm and isolation of such sudden and extreme fame, after a near-decade in the pop underground, is likely both thrilling and a surefire path to disassociation. The cheating of this song thus feels both literal and broadly emotionally pertinent — it's an example that proves the nagging sense that one's own small life is crumbling as the fireworks of pop stardom grow brighter.

That said, even as the song expresses real pain, it does feel ultimately deeply triumphant. Because even as the heart ache deepens, and the synths blare louder, Slayyyter lands on a line in the song that evokes the ethos of the famous "girl who's going to be okay" meme. She sings: "Know what you do / I see how you move / But I'm here standing still."

We don't know if she's devastated or furious or over it, or if she's simply everything in between. What's most important is the fact of her remaining. It feels like a sob after a stadium show, collapsing onto the bed with gratitude and overwhelm. It's going to be okay, but it's still a lot.

KATSEYE’s ‘WILDHEARTS’ Documentary Film Arrives August 2026

The global sensation KATSEYE has officially announced their latest project: a documentary film titled WILDHEARTS, arriving in August 2026. The group confirmed the news on July 8, revealing that the film offers an intimate look at the creative process behind their highly anticipated third EP, WILD, which is scheduled for release on August 14.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at KATSEYE

According to the official press release, WILDHEARTS will feature a collection of fan-submitted videos, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and candid interviews with the members of the group. The documentary is produced by the same creative team responsible for the hit Netflix series POP STAR ACADEMY, which chronicled the rigorous training and formation of the group under the partnership of HYBE and Geffen.

Release Details and Production

The film is slated for a limited theatrical engagement beginning August 12, providing fans with a cinematic experience just two days before the arrival of their new EP. Tickets for these screenings will be available for purchase starting Wednesday, July 15.

The production of WILDHEARTS was a collaborative effort between Interscope Films and Boardwalk Pictures, in partnership with HYBE X GEFFEN. The project is directed by Nadia Hallgren, known for her work on POP STAR ACADEMY and the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming.

Addressing the Group’s Future

While the announcement has generated significant excitement, questions remain regarding the participation of member Manon Bannerman. Although the press release did not explicitly detail her role, promotional materials include imagery of Bannerman alongside her bandmates: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung.

Bannerman has been on hiatus from the group since February 2026. In a recent Vanity Fair cover story, the active members of KATSEYE addressed the situation, noting that they remain in contact with Bannerman and clarifying that her absence is unrelated to the ongoing discourse surrounding the treatment of Black artists in the music industry. As the group prepares for this new chapter, fans are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates on the release of WILDHEARTS.

Kim Petras Reflects on Childhood and Identity in ‘Brutalist’

Kim Petras has offered a candid look into her personal history and the inspiration behind her latest track, “Brutalist,” featured on her new album Detour. In a recent conversation, the artist reflected on the challenges of navigating her gender transition in the public eye during her youth in Germany.

“I talked about my transition in the German media when I was 12,” Petras shared. “I kind of regret it because privacy was really blurred, but I was really unashamed because I was a kid and I was like, ‘This is the way it is.'” This early exposure, which saw her documented as one of the youngest individuals to undergo gender treatment, remains a defining, albeit complex, chapter of her life.

The song “Brutalist” serves as a poignant metaphor for these experiences. Petras draws a parallel between her medical journey and a brutalist post office she once admired with her father. “My dad’s an architect, he used to show me it when he would drive me to the psychiatry,” she explained. “We came back to the city every few months for assessments. One day, they knocked it down and built a modern apartment building. We were like, ‘Ugh, they ruined the city.'”

This sense of loss and the subjective nature of what is considered “ruined” informs the track’s lyrics. Petras addresses the criticism she has faced, noting, “I have people saying I ruined my body and I ruined my life. They don’t know me at all. It saved my life, and then there’s people who are like, ‘This saved your life, but you ruined everything.'”

Despite the external noise, Petras remains steadfast in her journey. She views her public presence as a vital message for trans youth. “In this political climate, I’m happy I can stand for the idea that trans kids can transition and then be a grown up and happy and make those choices. I made the right choices that I’m proud of to this day,” she affirmed.

Detour is available now, marking a bold step forward for the artist as she continues to blend personal narrative with her evolving sound.

Willy Chavarria on Music, Fashion, and His Vision for the Future

Willy Chavarria had just six weeks to organize his most ambitious show to date. In January 2026, the designer bypassed the traditional runway format, opting instead for a theatrical musical presentation to debut his fall 2026 menswear collection in Paris. Held at the Dojo de Paris, the event transformed the space into a bustling Manhattan crosswalk, where 2,000 guests witnessed a three-act narrative centered on faith, hope, and wisdom.

The production featured over 100 looks, ranging from sharp tailoring and elaborate gowns to athletic wear from his Adidas collaboration and the utilitarian basics of his Big Willy line. The spectacle was anchored by a powerhouse lineup of musical talent, including Mon Laferte, Lunay, Mahmood, Feid, Latin Mafia, and Santos Bravos, all supported by intricate choreography.

Courtesy of Willy Chavarria

Reflecting on the whirlwind production from his Brooklyn studio, Chavarria admits the scale of the project was daunting. “I don’t even know how I did it,” he says. Yet, the success of the show underscores his growing reputation as a master of spectacle. Since his 2025 debut in Paris, where he famously featured a lowrider to honor Chicano culture, Chavarria has consistently used his platform to challenge industry norms and address social issues, including the plight of immigrants in the United States.

Chavarria’s creative identity is deeply rooted in his upbringing in Huron, California, and his formative years in the San Francisco house music scene. “My entire creative journey has been guided by music,” he explains. This influence is evident in his collaborative approach, where he works closely with production teams and musicians to ensure the fashion and the soundtrack tell a cohesive story. He is selective about his partners, prioritizing artists who share his commitment to human rights and social empowerment.

My entire creative journey has been guided by music.

Looking ahead, Chavarria is focused on expanding his brand into a creative collective that encompasses music, film, and philanthropy. He envisions a future where his influence extends far beyond the runway, potentially hosting benefit concerts and continuing to elevate Latin culture on the global stage. “I want to blow the big brands out of the water and make a statement,” he says. “I want to go big. I want to be the Mexican Ralph Lauren.”

Stormzy’s #Merky Films to Produce Official Ian Wright Biopic

Stormzy will be executive producing the official biopic of Arsenal and England legend Ian Wright under his own #Merky Films company. The film and television production company was launched by the rapper last year as an expansion of his #Merky brand, and aims to champion British storytelling and create a platform for underrepresented voices.

Today (Tuesday May 12), an Ian Wright biopic has been confirmed, which will tell the story of how the footballer overcame hardships to eventually become Arsenal’s second-top goal scorer and Crystal Palace’s Player of the Century. It will explore his story as a Black British boy born to first-generation Caribbean immigrants, against a backdrop of a working-class South London community.

“Ian’s journey begins on the Honor Oak Estate in Brockley, south London, where football is the young boy’s only escape from his tough home life,” an official synopsis reads. “Schoolteacher Sydney Pigden recognises Ian’s struggles and dares him to believe in who he could be. Despite this spark of hope, by his teens, Ian’s dreams of becoming a footballer are falling apart as rejection, oppression, and his own internal rage take their toll.”

An official biopic on Ian Wright is currently in development 🎬

Stormzy’s #Merky Films will co-produce, with Stormzy also serving as Executive Producer 👏 pic.twitter.com/DRNub8Atun

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 12, 2026

After being rejected by numerous clubs for years as a teen, Wright went on to become a huge name in football – earning 33 caps for England, playing against the likes of Beckham and Zidane, and facing injury setbacks that he battled to overcome. He retired from football in 2000, and has since become one of the sport’s most revered broadcasters.

“Telling my story in full for the first time feels surreal and, in some ways, a long time coming. There are parts of my life that will be familiar because they’ve been talked about over the years, but this film is the first time we’re bringing it all together,” Wright said of the new #Merky biopic.

“My story is one that truly shows how the company you keep can break you down and build you up. There are hard-hitting moments but in the end I want it to give people hope and joy.”

Stormzy and Akua Agyemfra for #Merky Films are on board as executive producers, and other members of the production team include Academy Award nominated producer, Sara McFarlane (A Love Letter to M) and Stephen Tottingham.

“I’ve worked with Ian for more than 10 years and it’s an honour to be producing his life story,” said Tottingham. “I feel a sense of responsibility to do Wrighty’s life story justice – he’s one of Britain’s most-loved personalities and I can’t think of anyone else with the depth and breadth of his experiences.”

Stormzy added: “It’s a real honour for #Merky Films to be co-producing Ian Wright’s story. Wrighty’s journey goes far beyond football – it’s about resilience, family and believing in yourself against the odds. He’s inspired generations on and off the pitch and we’re so proud to help bring such an important and powerful story to the screen.”

Layla Rey: Rooted in Honesty, Delivered Like a Statement

Layla Rey doesn't pick a lane; she builds her own road between them. The artist carries the rawness of the underground into spaces that are cinematic, polished, and emotionally precise. Her music toggles between house floor energy and R&B vulnerability without losing either. What holds it together is a creative instinct that asks one question before anything else: does this need to move, or does it need to sit? That question shapes her sound, her visuals, and — as this interview makes clear — the way she thinks about everything.

You’ve talked about carrying both the streets and the spotlight. What does it actually look like when those two worlds pull you in different directions creatively?

It looks like me saying something a little too real, then sitting back like, okay, how do I make this sound expensive?

The instinct is always honest. The spotlight just teaches you how to deliver it so it lingers a little longer.

"Still I Rise" goes full underground house. "You Changed the Way I Love" is slow-burn R&B. What tells you which sonic world a story belongs in?

I ask myself one question—do I need to move through this, or sit with it?

If I need to move, it’s house. If I need to overthink it just a little—R&B every time.

There’s a difference between being hurt and being altered. "You Changed the Way I Love" sits in the second space. Do you think that kind of change is permanent?

It’s permanent the way taste is permanent.

Like once you’ve had something a certain way, you don’t forget it—you just become more selective after. Which isn’t a bad thing… depending on who you ask.

The music video for “If I…” places longing in quiet, everyday moments.  What was the creative decision behind framing that desire inside the mundane rather than something more visually dramatic?

Because longing isn’t dramatic most of the time—it’s inconvenient. It’s you smiling at the wrong text, or dancing with the wrong person. That kind of quiet tension? Way more interesting to me.

Your visuals pull from Hype Williams' cinematic playbook but stay grounded in real narrative. How do you balance spectacle with authenticity when you're building a music video concept?

I let the story lead, then I let it dress up a little. You can have all the colors in the world, but if there’s nothing underneath it, it’s just decoration. I like my visuals to feel like they mean something, even when they’re being a little extra.

"If I..." lives in hope. "You Changed the Way I Love" lives in the aftermath. Is this the same relationship across two songs?

Same mindset, different timing. One is me believing what I want to believe. The other is me realizing I probably shouldn’t have.

"Miss You Bad" features a rapper on an R&B track — something that can either elevate a song or split it in half. How did you and Brownchild make sure his verse deepened the record instead of redirecting it?

I told him, “Don’t interrupt the feeling—join it.” And he understood that. His verse feels like the other side of a thought, not a whole new conversation.

You've shown you can carry a song alone. Now you've shown you can share space without losing presence. What does this collaboration reveal about your artistic direction going forward?

That I’m comfortable.

Once you’re comfortable, you stop needing to prove you’re the main character—you just are.

Vulnerability runs through your music, but it shows up differently depending on the track — sometimes exposed, sometimes guarded. Which version is harder to write?

Guarded, for sure.

Being open is just… telling the truth. Being guarded is like telling the truth in a way that only certain people will catch. It’s a little more… curated. And a little more fun, honestly.

Sam WOLFE Dropped ‘My Instinct,’ The Techno World Took Notice

There’s a version of Sam WOLFE that almost never made it to the dancefloor. Like a lot of people, he followed the expected path — the responsible one, the one that made sense on paper — until music pulled him back in a way that couldn’t be ignored. That tension between obligation and instinct didn’t disappear. It became the foundation of everything he makes.

Which makes “My Instinct,” his newest single via Set About, feel less like a product release and more like a personal statement.

From the opening seconds, the track locks in and doesn’t let go. Relentless drums and a pulsing sub-bass backbone create a surge of forward momentum that feels physically immediate. Cutting through the mix is an echoing vocal phrase — “my instinct” — repeating like an internal command. The message underneath it is direct: stop second-guessing, surrender to the energy, and move.

As the tension builds and the track shifts gears, the production conjures something cinematic — the feeling of speeding through city streets at night, momentum compounding with every bar. It’s a duality that has come to define Sam WOLFE’s output: underground discipline applied at festival scale.

That range didn’t develop overnight. Since emerging from Atlanta’s electronic underground in 2020, Sam WOLFE has built a catalog across some of the scene’s most respected imprints — 1605, Filth On Acid, Tronic, Revealed, and Experts Only among them — while accumulating multiple Beatport Top 10 placements and sharing credits with artists including UMEK, Teenage Mutants, Cosmic Boys, and T78.

But behind the chart positions and the global headline slots is something simpler. As Sam WOLFE himself put it in a personal statement: “Stay close to what feels real. The rest will follow.”

“My Instinct” is exactly that — instinct, applied at full volume.

“My Instinct” by Sam WOLFE is out now via Set About.

XTINE: New Alt-Pop Artist the Music World Has Been Waiting For

There’s a quality to XTINE‘s work that’s difficult to name and impossible to ignore. It feels like thin glass — delicate enough that you instinctively slow down around it, knowing that if you’re not careful, it will break and make you bleed. Her songs are personal in the way that a beautifully written diary is personal: specific enough to belong to one person, universal enough to feel like your own memories staring back at you. XTINE writes confessions. And she produces them with the precision of someone who understands that the wrong note in the wrong place can destroy the entire emotional architecture of a song.

When asked how she would describe her current sound and what makes her latest music stand out in today’s pop landscape, XTINE said:

“My current sound lives somewhere between cinematic pop and emotional electronic—very atmospheric, very intimate, but still structured enough to feel like a pop record. I’m really drawn to blending organic elements like piano, strings, and breathy vocals with more modern textures—subtle synths, layered production, and dynamic builds that feel almost film-like.

What makes my latest music stand out is how honest and unfiltered it is. I’m not trying to smooth over emotions or make them more “palatable”—I lean into the intensity. A lot of my work explores themes like abandonment, mental health, and love that feels all-consuming, and I try to translate those feelings into sound, not just lyrics. So the production swells when things feel overwhelming, or strips back when things feel fragile.

I think in today’s pop scene, where a lot of songs aim for quick impact, my music takes a more immersive approach—it’s meant to be felt all the way through, like a story unfolding rather than just a moment.”

That answer, whatever form it takes, will be consistent with what her catalog already proves.

XTINE is a singer, songwriter, and producer, and that matters, because every decision in her music is intentional. The space between instruments, the moment a vocal softens, the point where an arrangement pulls back instead of building — those are choices made by someone who knows exactly what she’s trying to say and refuses to let production get in the way of saying it. Her influences, Sia, Sleeping at Last, Björk, point toward artists who treat music as emotional language first and everything else second. XTINE operates inside that same tradition, but the voice she has built is entirely her own.

She began producing music at 11, after discovering GarageBand during a difficult school transition. By 12, she was writing and producing her own songs — not as a hobby, but as a necessity. Music was the language that worked when every other one failed her. XTINE has since collaborated with producers Yoad Nevo and Megan Wilde, performed at events centered on healing and awareness, and continued building without compromising the core of what makes her work distinct.

That work has arrived in a sequence that rewards close attention.

One of her recent works, “Held Me Right,” arrived February 27 with the kind of serenity that takes confidence to commit to. Built around delicate guitar lines and percussion that never once threatened to overwhelm the mood, the track gave XTINE’s vocals room to carry the full emotional weight of the song.

“Open Water,” released March 13, pushed the emotional register further and in a different direction entirely. Where “Held Me Right” sat with memory — reverent, still, looking back — “Open Water” stands inside the moment of fracture itself, present and unguarded, watching something break without turning away. The production remains characteristically spacious, but the tension underneath it is sharper, the vulnerability more exposed.

With “I Remember” due March 27 and her upcoming album on the horizon, what’s taking shape is a complete emotional portrait built single by single, each track a layer that makes the one before it richer in retrospect.

“PieceZz” by ShedNo TearZzz Is Now Streaming Everywhere

Providence, Rhode Island has never been the first city anyone mentions when mapping the geography of American hip-hop. That's precisely what makes ShedNo TearZzz interesting.

Born Daniel Martinez, the emerging emo-rap and melodic hip-hop artist released his latest single "PieceZz," now available across all major streaming platforms. The track lands like a declaration — raw, emotionally precise, and built with the kind of quiet confidence that doesn't need to announce itself twice.

What "PieceZz" establishes immediately is range. The production sits comfortably inside R&B-influenced melodic hip-hop territory while the lyricism pulls in a different, darker direction — heartbreak, internal conflict, the slow work of becoming someone more resilient than the version of yourself that got hurt. It's a combination that feels genuinely inhabited rather than assembled from trending reference points.

ShedNo TearZzz began freestyling informally with friends and family long before a studio was ever part of the equation. By nineteen, that changed. What followed was the deliberate, unglamorous process of learning how to translate real feeling into recorded sound.

His influences read like a precise emotional map: XXXTentacion, Juice WRLD, Trippie Redd, and Iann Dior on one side, early 2000s alternative rock and Bruno Mars on the other. Together they explain the melodic instinct, the genre-blurring production choices, and the confessional lyrical core that runs through everything ShedNo TearZzz makes. None of it feels like imitation. It feels like synthesis.

Importantly, "PieceZz" isn't a standalone release. It's the first move in a deliberate sequence, setting the stage for his forthcoming single "?WHY!." This rollout strategy signals an artist thinking in chapters rather than moments.