There’s no excuse to not see the upcoming biopic about boxer Christy Martin, the “female Rocky,” starring Sydney Sweeney. For one thing, the Euphoria actress got ripped for the role. Are you really going to say no to her months of training? Also, the untitled film holds special significance for Sweeney.
“I don’t usually write a lot in my captions but this movie and experience I feel needs more than just a few words,” she wrote on Instagram. “We have wrapped filming Christy Martin’s story and it has been one of the most emotional, transformative experiences of my life. Christy’s journey is so deeply inspiring, and having her by my side during this process was nothing short of surreal. There were moments on set where I’d glance over at her standing by the monitors, cheering us on, and I’d just become so emotional. Knowing what she’s endured, what she’s pushed through to be there in that moment — it made me want to cry.”
After thanking the crew and her castmates, Sweeney called the film “a testament to resilience, survival, and finding the strength to keep fighting. I can’t wait for you all to see it — not only because I’m proud of the transformation and the work I’ve poured into it, but because Christy’s story deserves to be told.” She’s also excited for people to “see me kick some serious ass (like seriously kicked some ass) ((like I might’ve enjoyed it a little toooooo much while kicking ass haha)).”
As for when you’ll be able to see said ass kicking, unfortunately, there’s no release date yet. But expect it to make the festival circuit in 2025.
It has been fascinating to see how differently Kendrick Lamar’s ostensible rivals Drake and J Cole have reacted to the Compton prophets’ devastating 2024 run. Their disparate approaches have varied wildly; while Drake apparently sought legal recourse for his public embarrassment (to the disappointment and disapproval of fans online), Cole has taken another, seemingly more apologetic tack. In the latest episode of his nostalgic “not-a-podcast” podcast Inevitable, J. Cole shared a pair of previously unreleased collaborations with Kendrick.
“Shock The World” and “Temptation” were recorded in 2010, around that time everyone thought they would release a joint mixtape together. Cole recounted how their meeting at a 2010 U-N-I release party (now, there is a name I haven’t heard in quite some time), which led to Cole giving K. Dot a few beats to mess around with — including the aforementioned titles and the 2011 Section.80 standout “HiiiPower.”
“When I played them for him, I was like, ‘Bro, you can have these if you want,’” Cole recalls. “I remember he said — and it always stuck with me ’cause I had never heard nobody say this to me before — he was looking at me like, ‘N****, are you sure you want to give me these?!’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, go ahead, take them.’ He was like, ‘Bro, you sleeping on yourself.’ It struck me because it was actually the stone-cold truth of my reality at that time. I was so focused on getting this unicorn hit for my album that I was actually sleeping on the shit that I did well.”
It seems inevitable that this will prompt another round of fan requests for that joint tape (which is, perhaps, Cole’s intention after he flubbed his chance to outrap Kendrick earlier this year), but it also seems equally unlikely that the GNX rapper will be taking requests for the foreseeable future.
You can hear the full story on Inevitable, which you can listen to here.
Earlier this month, the evidence suggested Flo Milli was pregnant: In a November 12 video previewing a new song, there was a clip of a man rubbing what seemed to be a baby bump, as Billboard notes.
That put the chatter to rest, but now it looks like Flo is indeed confirming she’s pregnant.
Yesterday (November 25), she took to X (formerly Twitter) to share two photos (here and here), of her showing off what looks like her pregnant stomach. Later, she wrote, “flo mommy sh*t,” adding in another tweet, “i can’t even see my coochie nomore that’s crazy.”
Furthermore, an Instagram video from Lasting Impressions Hair Co., who did Flo’s hair for the photos, includes some behind-the-scenes footage, featuring a clip that briefly has overlaid text reading, “The bump.”
This puts a cap on a major year for Flo. She released her sophomore album, Fine Ho, Stay, which was her first to rank on the Billboard 200 chart. The project spawned Flo’s breakout single, “Never Lose Me,” which peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100 as her first song to appear on the chart. She’s also fresh off the release of a steamy video for “Wet Dreams.”
After a year long wait, Outlander only recently premiered Season 7 Part 2, in which Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser will go home and find that it’s not so sweet. Eighth season filming has been completed, and the Outlander: Blood Of My Blood spin off (in which Diana Gabaldon’s bodice-ripping universe franchise focuses upon Claire and Jamie’s parents getting it on) hasn’t received a Starz premiere date, but it’s coming. What else might be coming?
Once upon a time (back during the fourth season), a spin off about Lord John Grey (David Berry) was in the works at Starz but has since fallen off the radar. Deadline broached the subject with Berry, whose character keeps rocking that wig in upcoming episodes. The actor noted that he had previously “signed a contract to do a series,” and then “ultimately, at the time, it was decided that that wasn’t the right fit, or wasn’t the right thing for them.” Still, he notes, “I was prepared to do it, and I’m still prepared to do it.” Berry doesn’t spill too many of the inner workings of the prior decision, but his followup remarks suggest that Starz stopped being interested in a free-standing Grey story, and Outlander showrunners feel differently:
“Matt [B. Roberts] and Maril [Davis], executive producers on Outlander, have also expressed a lot of interest in doing it. So I guess it really depends on finding a network for it and audience interest in moving forward and doing a spin-off. But definitely, it was something that was on the cards at one point. The fact that it didn’t go ahead was very disappointing at the time. But whether or not it will go ahead again, that’s really in the hands of the audiences, and whether or not there is still an interest in seeing more from this character.”
In the words, no definitive answer exists, but it sounds like Starz hung up that spin off dream, although you never know, Netflix has been known to pick up those heavy-fanbase balls and run with them. The series still (probably) needs to finish up with Grey in a feasible place for a further story, and Starz hasn’t revealed an eighth season release date, which could very well be a year from now. Fingers crossed, and if fans want more Lord John Grey, they’d better make some noise for him.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
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Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
The title for Father John Misty’s sixth album is an anglicization of the Sanskrit word mahāśmaśāna, which translates to “large burial ground.” It’s shorthand for where Josh Tillman has taken his music on this record. He’s back in his existentialist realm, relinquishing the flashy Old Hollywood horns of Chloë And The Next 20th Century and reviving the epic philosophizing of Pure Comedy. If anything, though, Mahashmashana is a clinic in exquisite songwriting.
Hovvdy – Live At Julie’s
Hovvdy’s self-titled double album is one of the best records of 2024, and just before the year comes to an end, the Texas duo have shared an EP that reimagines four of its tracks. Here, Will Taylor and Charlie Martin sit down and play some songs; it’s a simple concept, but it works. Hovvdy’s music has always felt lived-in and inviting, and Live At Julie’s is a compact distillation of those essential traits.
Horsegirl – “2468”
When Horsegirl released their debut album, Versions Of Modern Performance, in 2022, they were fresh out of high school, headed to NYU to start their collegiate careers. But college hasn’t gotten in the way of making music. The Chicago trio — comprising Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece — put their own spin on Sonic Youth-esque alt-rock with the help of Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley themselves. For its follow-up, Phonetics On And On, produced by indie rocker Cate Le Bon, Horsegirl take their music in a wildly different direction. Lead single “2468,” for instance, mines the outré arrangements of The Velvet Underground and the gleeful discord of The Raincoats; its acoustic-led jaunt and chugging train lay the groundwork for something unexpected, but not unwelcome.
Moses Sumney & ANOHNI – “Is It Cold In The Water?”
One of the best songs from SOPHIE’s 2018 album, Oil Of Every Person’s Un-Insides, is the stark, drumless ballad “Is It Cold In The Water?” For TRANƧA, Red Hot’s 46-song project celebrating trans and non-binary artists, Moses Sumney and ANOHNI share their own spin on it. Their two voices, each powerful and majestic in its own way, sound incredible together.
Franz Ferdinand – “Night Or Day”
The last album Franz Ferdinand released, Hits To The Head, compiled some of their most beloved material in a greatest hits collection. While such a compilation all but mints the “legacy” in “legacy act,” the blog-rock staples have kept trucking with The Human Fear. It functions similarly to how Hits To The Head did, like an exhibitionist retrospective through their various eras and sounds. For instance, the latest preview, “Night Or Day,” has the stomp of their 2004 self-titled with the piano stabs of 2013’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. Holding it all together is Alex Kapranos’ opulent voice.
Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
Somehow, Kim Deal has never made a solo album until now. Known for her work in groups like The Breeders, Pixies, and Amps, Deal arrives with the first full-length under her own name on Nobody Loves You More. From the noisy highlight “Big Ben Beat” to the swinging swoon of “Summerland,” the influential alt-rock songwriter confirms something we’ve always known: Kim is a big deal.
Short Fictions – “This Is The Day”
Pittsburgh emo outfit Short Fictions have returned with their first release since last year’s excellent Oblivion Will Own Me And Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler). It’s a cover of The The’s 1983 single “This Is The Day.” As a self-imposed challenge, Sam Treber plays every instrument you hear on the recording. It may be a random one-off single, but new music from Short Fictions is welcome any time.
Good Morning – “Soft Rock Band”
Australian indie rock duo Good Morning are about to say good night. After releasing this year’s aptly titled Good Morning Seven, and on the cusp of their eighth record, The Accident, Stefan Blair and Liam Parsons are putting their band on pause. For what is likely their final record, Blair and Parsons go out on a high note. Lead single and closing track “Soft Rock Band” is an eight-minute Odyssey that chronicles its members’ ups and downs throughout their music careers. “I might have seen it all, but there’s still so much more to go,” goes its refrain. If Good Morning does come to an end, then it’s a bittersweet final act.
The Weather Station – “Window”
Tamara Lindeman is among the most gifted songwriters we have right now. Taken from the forthcoming Weather Station album, Humanhood, “Window” serves as another reminder. The Toronto musician’s vocals are as delicate as they are forceful, as transportive as the escapist tale she sings of. Even from the singles alone, Humanhood is an easy shoo-in for one of 2025’s early highlights.
King Hannah – “Blue Christmas”
Back in May, Liverpool duo King Hannah released their stirring sophomore album, Big Swimmer. Now, however, it’s time to drop all the holiday songs. Their acoustic guitar-and-vocals cover of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” replaces the loneliness of the original with the warmth of cozying up by the fireplace with a loved one. ‘Tis the season.
After much ado, the new Wicked movie has debuted in theaters, and so far, it’s a hit. Among the movie’s fans is Ariana Grande’s grandmother Marjorie Grande, better known as Nonna, as seen in an adorable new video shared by Grande on Instagram.
The video, featuring part of Grande singing “Popular,” shows Nonna smiling wide as she holds Grande’s hand and has her eyes fixed on the screen.
Grande’s mother Joan commented on the post, “Oh my OZ, I was there and I am still crying watching this!!”
Sharing a photo of herself and Nonna on her Instagram Story, Grande also wrote, “flew to boca for a day to watch with Nonna at the movie theater i grew up going to every weekend, Cinemark 20 in Boca.” In another Story, she added, “thrilled to report that when the sugar glider had her drum solo nonna exclaimed loudly ‘oh i LOVE that.’”
Nonna, of course, has long been a favorite figure among Grande fans. She even got a feature credit on the Eternal Sunshine song “Ordinary Things,” as she provided a spoken outro on the track. The tune actually put Nonna in the history books: When it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Nonna, at 98 years of age, became the senior-most artist to ever appear on the chart.
Many of the biggest names in hardcore and indie are playing the UK-based Outbreak Fest next year. The lineup for the 2025 edition of the festival includes headliners Knocked Loose (who released one of the best albums of 2024), Alex G, and Slowdive, as well as Danny Brown, Deafheaven, Drug Church, Foxing, God’s Hate, Gouge Away, Militarie Gun, Speed, Sunny Day Real Estate, They Are Gutting A Body Of Water, and Tigers Jaw.
Outbreak Fest 2025 takes place at BEC Arena in Manchester, England, on June 14 and 15, 2025 (the lineup for a London event on June 13, which is described as “a one-day, multi-stage festival in the city centre,” is coming soon). Tickets go on sale on Friday, but you can sign up for the pre-sale now. Find out more info here.
Below, you can check out the full lineup and poster for Outbreak Fest 2025.
Outbreak 2025 Fest Lineup
Knocked Loose
Alex G
Slowdive
Danny Brown
Denzel Curry
Deafheaven
Drug Church
Feeble Little Horse
Fleshwater
Foxing
God’s Hate
Gouge Away
Have A Nice Life
Impunity
Ikhras
Jesus Piece
Julie
Kumo 99
Long Goodbye
Maruja
Militarie Gun
Model/Actriz
Momma
Pain Of Truth
Rocket
Speed
Splitknuckle
Spy
Sunami
Sunny Day Real Estate
Superheaven
They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
Tigers Jaw
A new animated holiday movie, That Christmas starring Brian Cox, is set to hit Netflix on December 4 (find the trailer below, in case you missed it). This summer, it was announced that Ed Sheeran would contribute a new song, called “Under The Tree,” to the film, and that song is out now.
“I find since having kids, there’s a real lack of great animated children’s Christmas movies, so I thought this was such an amazing thing to make and put into the world. The scene that we wrote this song for is so heartbreaking, but so real for many people at Christmas spending it without the ones they love, for so many reasons. I got to work with my older brother on this which is such a rarity and a gift to work so closely with my only sibling, it felt so good to create something my children would watch, with their uncle, based in the country they live in. I find it mad that there isn’t more animated Christmas films for kids, but this is going to become a holiday staple, at least in our household.”
This isn’t Sheeran’s first holiday tune: In 2021, he and Elton John teamed up for “Merry Christmas.” Sheeran couldn’t believe that seemingly obvious title wasn’t already taken by another song, as he explained, “We write it and I title it ‘Merry Christmas,’ and I’m like, ‘We’re going to have to change that title because there’s probably loads of songs called ‘Merry Christmas.’ I went on Spotify and I typed in ‘Merry Christmas’: nothing. There’s ‘Merry Christmas, Everyone,’ there’s ‘Happy Xmas,’ there’s ‘Merry Xmas,’ there’s ‘War Is Over.’ There was not a song called ‘Merry Christmas.’ And then I went on YouTube and checked it out and it baffled me.”
It’s something everyone from Wiz Khalifa to Bebe Rexha to Adele to Sexyy Red has unfortunately had to deal with: fans throwing objects at them during concerts. The latest victim was Zach Bryan, who reprimanded someone in the audience at a recent show in Tacoma, Washington.
In a video posted to Country Central, Bryan stopped mid-song when an unidentified object was hurled in his direction. “Who threw this? Who was it? Does anyone know?” he asked the Tacoma Dome audience. “Don’t throw sh*t at concerts, huh? And if you guys do know who threw it, you need to get ’em outta here, if we ever find out who did it.”
Bryan, who was nominated for 21 awards at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, recently hinted that he might quit touring for good. “After not being home for a year and a half I drove out to my mother’s gravestone in the dead of night a few days back on familiar Oklahoma roads and I came to realize just like in the past, that she never would call me again,” he wrote on Instagram. “Told her I quit touring because I got accepted to get my masters in Paris next year.”
Wicked is on its way to becoming a major hit, if early box office numbers are any indication. Given the Broadway origins of Wicked, there’s strong source material at play here, but that doesn’t mean the folks behind the movie were against considering significant changes. Among the ideas was a more hip-hop-leaning version of “Popular,” which Ariana Grande was firmly against.
“In the spirit of being open to new things for the movie, my music team and I thought, let’s refresh the rhythm. Let’s, maybe, I don’t know, hip-hop it up a little bit. Ariana said, ‘Absolutely not, don’t do it. I want to be Glinda, not Ariana Grande playing Glinda.’”
Grande wasn’t closed-minded about any sort of change, though, as Schwartz also said, “I had this idea for a new vocal ending. Ariana was a little hesitant about it, but I told her that if I had thought of it for the original show, this is how it would have been. Once she was reassured that this new bit of music was coming out of character, she was on board.”
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