Category: News

Perched mountainside in the Calheta Village on Madeira is Saccharum Resort–one of seven Savoy Signature properties (a proudly Madeiran-owned hotel group), and our top pick for a romantic escape, whether you’re traveling solo or with a partner to Portugal’s sugarcane island.

Every morning I sat with the Atlantic Ocean through the tall glass doors of my room, still under the covers. I people-watched in the afternoons as boats drifted in and out of Calheta harbor, and no matter where I wandered on the property, Saccharum kept me wrapped in views of the sea and mountains that make Madeira so enigmatic. By the time I found myself at check-out, it was hard to let go of island time.

WHY IT’S AWESOME

Madeira is known for a few things—Cristiano Ronaldo being its most famous native, of course—but the island also once fueled Europe’s sugar trade. Saccharum pays homage to its sugarcane factory roots with industrial-chic interiors: exposed brick walls, natural fiber furniture, golden accents, and stained concrete floors. Large-scale photos of Madeira’s sugarcane past tie it all together, creating a luxurious retreat that blends the island’s natural beauty with its history.

The guest experience during the day is all about relaxation: rejuvenating sugarcane spa treatments, beach time at one of Madeira’s only sandy shores, and rooftop-pool cocktails at sunset. In the evenings, a sophisticated, adults-only vibe takes over, while families enjoy private villas with their own pools—a thoughtful touch that ensures everyone has their space.

But what really sets Saccharum apart is its exceptional service. From the engaging chauffeurs to the attentive waitstaff and skilled spa personnel, I felt completely cared for, Madeiran style. The resort is also perfectly situated, with some of Madeira’s famous levada trails just steps away and natural wonders like the Fanal Forest and the whimsical “natural carwash” nearby. Funchal, the island’s capital, is just a 30-minute shuttle ride away, with departures several times a day for guests.

IN-HOUSE FOOD & DRINK

Before diving into the on-site restaurants, I’ve got to shout out the breakfast experience included in the ‘Premium Experience’ package. The exclusive lounge, The Club, was a peaceful alternative to the bustling buffet downstairs–an essential part of my slow mornings. Plus, the package includes daily bites and drinks in the afternoons, which became a fun daily ritual during my stay.

Alambique Restaurant: My last dinner at Saccharum took the cake. The Madeira in 7 Moments tasting menu with wine pairings kept my palate amazed, with creative twists on traditional Madeiran dishes, like the black scabbard fish with banana, and inventive takes on regional flavors, like skipjack tuna paired with a sugary donut (Madeirans love their donuts). Unconventional, yet it worked beautifully. The ocean views were stunning, and the service was elegant yet unpretentious. For dinner at Alambique, book ahead!

Calhau Beach Club: For laid-back sunset drink and bites with your toes in the sand, head here. The menu offers fresh options like red quinoa salad, ceviche, and shrimp tacos, plus indulgent desserts like apple tart with banana ice cream, brown sugar, and caramelized peanuts.

Trapiche: Tucked behind the pool, Trapiche is the perfect spot for a no-fuss lunch or easy dinner. Pair a cold glass of vinho with a Niçoise salad, and you’re treated to Saccharum’s iconic infinity pool views that just go on and on.

AMENITIES

Rooftop Infinity Pool & Five Total Pools: Exclusive pools for Full-experience guests and an indoor adults-only spa pool for serenity seekers.
Three On-Site Bars: Rhum Bar in the lobby for local poncha and rum cocktails, Fly Lounge for open-air vibes and live music, and Garapa Bar for poolside refreshments.
Spa: Treatments inspired by Madeira’s natural resources, like sugarcane scrubs. My full-body massage was heavenly.
Fitness Center: Small but ocean-facing, with group wellness classes like a fun dance session I caught one morning.
Beach Access: One of Madeira’s few sandy beaches is right below Saccharum.
Shuttle Service to Funchal: Only a 30-minute shuttle ride to the capital.
Specialty Tours & Activities: The concierge can organize levada hikes, workshops, or luxury excursions around the island.
Savoy Premium Experience: Enhanced perks for a truly elevated stay, including acces to the Premium Sundeck, The Club, and in room surprises.

ROOM TYPES

With nine levels and 243 rooms cascading toward the ocean, Saccharum’s design allows for many partial and full ocean-view rooms. If you ask me, seeing seagulls soaring over the horizon from your bed is the kind of experience that justifies the journey to Madeira (which, let’s be honest, isn’t the easiest place to get to or get around).

I stayed in an Ocean Room with SEP (Savoy Premium Experience), but next time, I’d definitely book the Ocean Suite—those spacious balconies are perfect for a morning yoga session!

Ocean Views: Most rooms are designed to showcase the stunning ocean views with floor-to-ceiling windows or private balconies.
Premium Bedding: Super comfy beds, often with a pillow menu to cater to personal preferences (soft, firm, etc.).
Bathroom Essentials: Spacious bathrooms with high-end toiletries, a rain shower, and sometimes a bathtub.
Tech: Smart TVs, high-speed internet, and Bluetooth speakers, perfect for streaming or setting the mood.
Mini-Bar: Fully stocked with a range of snacks, drinks, and sometimes local treats.
Climate Control: Air conditioning and heating to keep the room just the right temperature.
In-Room Safe: For valuables or anything you need to store away securely.
Luxury Linens: Soft, high-quality linens for maximum comfort.
Nespresso Machine: For a quick, high-end coffee experience.
Room Service: 24/7 room service to enjoy a meal in the comfort of your room, including local Madeiran delicacies.

BEST THINGS TO DO WITHIN A 15 MIN WALK

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Melanie ✢ Travel Writer + Retreat Host (@livinginflowco)

Dolphin and whale watching at H2O Madeira
Whale watching is one of Madeira’s must-do activities, so I was stoked to find a tour just a five-minute walk from Saccharum! My morning with H2O Madeira was epic—we spotted sperm whales, grey whales, dolphins, and even elusive beaked whales! I wasn’t expecting them all to make an appearance, and I got to ask all the questions since the guides were not only super knowledgeable but also hilarious. This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip!

Levada Walks: These famous walking paths are the best way to see Madeira’s lush beauty up close, and all you have to do is head to the concierge to get pointed in the right direction–there are levada trails right off the property!

Marina: Calheta is a small village, and Saccharum is perfectly situated on its edge, with a beautiful marina to explore. Grab a coffee from Gato Legal and enjoy some people-watching. You’ll see plenty of locals casting their lines into the ocean as the sun sets, it’s very peaceful here.

BEST THINGS TO DO WITHIN A $20 TAXI RIDE

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Melanie ✢ Travel Writer + Retreat Host (@livinginflowco)

Madeira may be a small island, but there’s enough to fill a month’s worth of adventures. We’ll keep it simple, though. Using Saccharum’s shuttle, you can reach Funchal, and from there, a quick $20 taxi will take you to many of Madeira’s must-see spots.

Around the capital, one of the most unique experiences is the Cable Car of Madeira. The views from inside are absolutely breathtaking. Once you reach the top, you’ve got a few options; hop off and explore the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens, pop into little town bars and churches, or take the famous Toboggan ride. Local men in traditional outfits with sliding shoes and wicker hats “drive” you down the steep streets of Funchal—just like they’ve done for over a century!

BED GAME

If there’s one non-negotiable for me when it comes to hotels, it’s the comfort of the beds. And of course, I slept like a baby at Saccharum—or more accurately, like someone who’d just had an epic day of exploring and a few glasses of bubbly.

The real surprise, though, was the pillow menu. Yes, you read that right—a pillow menu. You can call the concierge and choose from a variety of pillows tailored to your comfort, but only with the Premium Experience package. For someone picky about pillows (guilty!), it’s like having the comforts of home in a luxury hotel. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over it!

Rating: 10/10

SEXINESS RATING

Saccharum has all the elements for a swoon-worthy getaway—dim lighting, secluded spaces, adults-only areas, a rooftop hot tub, and over-water sunsets that make it impossible not to feel some type of way.

Honestly, you could even swoon over yourself just being in such a sensual environment. But if I’m being picky, I’ll knock off a point for the artificial grass in the lounge area above the infinity pool. It’s functional and fits the nature theme, but not exactly serving the sexy vibes you’d expect from an otherwise high-end aesthetic.

Rating: 9/10

VIEWS/PICSPOTS

Saccharum is full of picture-perfect spots, especially those with panoramic views of the Atlantic. The rooftop infinity pool is easily the most Instagrammed spot on the island, and for good reason—it’s stunning.

But don’t overlook the Calhau Beach Club for its Mediterranean charm. With striped umbrellas, wicker lanterns, and flowing fabrics, it’s the perfect backdrop for a cute outfit photo op.

For something a bit more private, your ocean-view balcony is where it’s at. Whether you’re going for a risqué shot or just embracing the process of taking 100 tries to get the perfect snap, it’s all good!

Rating: 10/10

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Madeira’s mild, subtropical climate makes it a fantastic year-round destination. The high season runs from April to October, with May, September, and October being particularly ideal for fewer crowds and slightly cooler weather.

For a truly Madeiran experience, my Saccharum chauffeur suggested coming back during the holiday season through NYE, or during the Madeira Flower Festival in May, when the island comes alive with parades and festivities!

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING

Honestly, Saccharum is an incredible place, and the value is hard to beat. The only thing I’d consider tweaking is a couple of room details, like the brown suede couch in my room, which seemed slightly out of step with the sleek, modern vibe of the hotel.

I know there are logistical challenges of renovations on an eco-conscious island like Madeira, but small updates like these could make an already stellar experience feel even more polished.

BOOK HERE

Rates for Saccharum Hotel Resort & Spa start around €200 during the low season (yes, even ocean view rooms!).

Book your stay at Saccharum here.

Alessia Cara is far removed from the antisocial singer the world met with her 2015 debut single “Here.” The record, now 5-times platinum, propelled the Canadian singer to stardom and earned her a Grammy for Best New Artist. It also pushed her into the spotlight much faster than she ever expected, which forced her to adjust quickly and roll with the punches — as hard as they have hit. Cara’s albums The Pains Of Growing and In The Meantime arrived in the years that followed, but those punches seemingly took a toll on her, and in came a desire to detach from music and experience the world’s natural sound, rather than the one she spent her years creating since her breakout.

A break ensued after the release of In The Meantime in 2021, and at its conclusion, came the creation of Love & Hyperbole. Cara’s fourth album should be considered her best release to date as she masterfully displays her growth over the years and her newfound understanding of the partnership between love and loss, as well as trusting the journey in between. The skepticism and uncertainties of yesterday are gone for Cara, and in comes impenetrable confidence in who she is and the things she wants for herself. Ten years into her career, Love & Hyperbole could very well be her magnum opus, and all it took was for Cara to lean into her dramatic side to capture the highs and lows of love better than she ever has.

Ahead of the Valentine’s Day release of Love & Hyperbole, we caught up with Cara to discuss her new album, the value of loss and love, recording her album live, and how she views her ten years in the music industry.

You spent the last three years working on Love & Hyperbole. Tell me about the journey from the last few moments of In The Meantime to everything that brought you to this new album.

Between In The Meantime and starting to write this album, there were a few months where I wasn’t writing at all. I just felt the need to turn everything off and not write at all. I wasn’t playing guitar, I wasn’t listening to much music. I was just being a person in a different way, experiencing different things and trying to push music to the side a little bit, so I could gather new experiences and nourish parts of my life that felt neglected.

Then, I started thinking about writing again and felt like I was kind of ready, but I had to start a little bit slow because these new experiences in my life were causing me to approach writing in a different way. I usually write from a very melancholic, sad place, and when I need to vent. Because of nourishing all these parts of myself that I hadn’t before, I was feeling better about a few things, but I didn’t know how to write from being in that in-between state.

I had to re-discover my understanding of who I am as an artist and as a writer, find a new voice in a way, and write from a different place, and just re-develop my love for music again. When you spend a bit of time away from it, it’s kind of hard to get back in. It’s sort of like the first steps of riding a bike: You’re kind of wobbly at first, and that’s how it felt for me.

You’ve said this album’s theme is love and loss, so I have to think that the “hyperbole” aspect of the title refers to this loss. Is the hyperbole your way of being more optimistic about the loss you’ve experienced?

Honestly, a little bit. Optimistic and using humor to cope with certain feelings and things like that. There’s another aspect to the hyperbole, too. There’s the optimism and the humor side, but then there’s also this dramatic aspect to it. I think I could speak for a lot of people, at least for myself, but when you’re going through those moments — especially in love, heartbreak, pain, or even falling in love again in a positive way — those things can feel very dramatic. Sometimes in love, everything can feel like the end of the world or the only thing that matters: It feels very, very extreme. That’s where the hyperbole came from as well.

As creatives, sometimes using hyperbole is the only way we can paint and convey even the simplest ideas to be understood. This is why I love “Subside,” specifically the line, “Time’s just pocket change that I’m wasting away, grieving what’s still alive and fighting with a lake that won’t subside.” It’s one of many moments where hyperbole really drives home your point. What was the inspiration behind this line?

I appreciate that so much. I’m glad you said that because that line always felt super personal. That one sort of makes me emotional when I hear it because it’s real for me. That song, and specifically that line, is very much about my fear of impermanence and life ending. I’ve always had that fear, but in the last few years and as I get older, the realization that things go away and that time passes quickly becomes more real and more prominent.

That line is about that realization and this constant ache that I always feel the older I get. I do find that I tend to grieve things while they’re still here, like my parents getting older. If I’m having fun in a moment, instead of enjoying it, my default is being sad about the fact that it’ll be over. I feel like I’m in this constant state of grieving things that are still here, grieving the time that I still have rather than enjoying it. That’s why I say, “Time is just pocket change, and I’m just wasting it away,” by continuing to have this fear of those things going away.

It’s a paradox because I am sad about things going away, but then I’m wasting them even more by not holding on to them. That’s a very real thing in my life. It’s something that I deal with and struggle through every day, honestly, the older I get.

What about experiencing loss do you feel changes the feeling, or maybe the understanding, of feeling true love for you?

I think those two things really go hand in hand. I’ve learned that you honestly can’t understand one without the other. I realize now that through losing things that felt like something I needed, or just losing things I thought were right for me, and grieving that and going through the healing of not having that anymore, those things really helped me understand what I do want in my life. Figuring out what I don’t want to feel again has really helped me understand what I do want to feel.

It’s trial and error. You have this long list of things you might want, and then as you go on and meet new people and experience different levels of pain, those things get crossed off, and you start to shape or understand the things that make you feel good and what you want to go after. If you feel extreme loss, it’s only because you felt extreme love and vice versa. If you feel extreme love, that means you can understand what extreme loss will feel like. Those things help you understand the other, and you can’t fully know one without the other.

What is the message you hoped to convey with the album cover for Love & Hyperbole?

There are a couple of different meanings there for me. The most obvious would be the love and the hyperbole and the love and the loss and how those two things are necessary to feel the other. It’s these two things that feel so opposite, working in tandem with each other. Also, there’s this other element to it that I wanted to convey that’s just about self-trust and having your own back. Ultimately, it’s not as important to maybe trust that things are gonna work out with this other person, but rather, trust that you will be okay if things don’t work out.

I think sometimes, having trust in someone else and having trust in love is just having trust in yourself to understand that you will be able to pull yourself out of things if things don’t work — in any scenario, whether it’s a romantic thing or just in life. It’s just that self-trust and stopping yourself from falling. I felt that position was a really vulnerable one because if one person lets go, you’ll easily fall over, right? It’s just like having that trust, that you won’t let yourself fall over.

You decided to record this album live to capture the raw and personal lyrics around the songs on this album, and it made for really fun moments like on “Outside,” “Run,” and “Feels Right.” What did you find most beneficial, or even the most fun, about recording like this and having that real energy around you?

It was so much fun to actually work with real musicians playing real instruments, oftentimes, in the room together. A lot of my favorite music is music that feels like a big jam session, music from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’90s, even where there’s either a band or just artists who recorded things totally live, and you can really hear that in their music. I wanted to convey that in a contemporary way and have my music feel like a big jam session. We really did that when we were recording: A lot of it was live with a bunch of people in the room, or even if it was individual people in the room, they were still playing it live. I was there and we were able to feed off of each other’s energy, which was really fun for me. It just feels freer and less tethered when you’re able to be intuitive in the room.

Speaking of “Run,” that song depicts you as a bit of a self-saboteur, but I think on a deeper level, there’s something to be said about the dynamic and how you view yourself in it. Is it that you think you’re this chaos that wreaks havoc, or is it more dealing with fragile people that made you wrongly think you were this chaos?

That’s a great point. I never actually thought about it like that. Yeah, I do think past relationships or relationships around you definitely inform your own view of yourself. This song is not how I like to feel about myself now. It’s definitely how I felt about myself in the past, and I do think, to some degree, I was kind of made to feel that way about myself. I think that it’s a common thing. Sometimes, when you have a lot of emotions, people will make you feel like you’re too much or instill these views that you put on yourself that aren’t actually true. So, yeah, that’s definitely what that song is about.

In one of the lines, I talk about carrying a “briefcase of old sh*t,” and I also say that I have a bunch of “ghosts on my back” that have all become my friends. I do think that the briefcase with all the old stuff and those ghosts are things I’ve carried from other relationships into this one. I think one of those things is that view I have of myself that I had to fake in order to not sabotage something that was potentially really beautiful, even just for my own sake.

In learning to accept true love, there’s also being able to trust that you’ll know good love from bad love and not trying to ruin a good thing because of the possibility of a bad thing happening, which is what “Feels Right” is all about. How has your trust in knowing what’s good for yourself improved as you’ve learned how to accept the best love that life has to offer you?

It just goes back to trusting yourself. There’s a reason I put that song near the end of the album, because I wanted it to feel as chronological as possible. The first half of the album, that’s about feeling stuck and not really knowing what to do with all these feelings. As the album goes on, you see the growth, hopefully. That song is about learning to trust yourself and have that “nothing matters” approach in a good way. It’s not so much about trusting that the other person isn’t going to hurt you: It’s about trusting that you’ll be fine if they do and understanding that even if you’re not okay, and they hurt you, you’ll still be fine at the end of the day. You’ll figure it out, and who cares? It’s way better to love and lose in the end than to not go for something that could be potentially great. Jump in and then figure it out after. Obviously, think a little bit, but have some trust in yourself.

Ending the album with “Clearly,” a song seemingly about reconnecting with someone from your past, is not how I thought an album like this would conclude. I figured after finding and feeling true love, the past would be the last place you’d go. How do we end up here and what made this such a fitting ending to the album?

It’s not so much reconnecting with someone. It’s about looking at past situations, past people, even past versions of yourself, and looking at them with the forgiveness and understanding of knowing why what happened, happened. There’s no anger there and I’m able to move on. It’s not so much about reconnecting with any old flames or anything like that, because that would be a moving backward approach to put at the end of the album.

I’ve been in situations where I’ve seen people I’ve been in relationships with years later, looked at them, and had no anger. Just this look of understanding with one another, this unspoken sentiment of, “We’re good, it’s good, I get it.” I feel like when you’re first out of certain things and emotions are so high, there can just be this level of anger, pain, and resentment there. I do think time is a saving grace. It can just allow you to see why certain things happened and where you might have gone wrong. It’s just in life, sometimes there’s no villain. It’s just like life is life and you get it.

With this album and this year as well, you’ve officially crossed the ten-year mark in the music industry. When you think of where you are now compared to the girl with big dreams singing songs and playing the guitar on YouTube? What thoughts come to mind? What do you hope the next ten years look like?

Oh, man, that’s so hard. First off, it’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years. It’s hard to believe that this has been my life. I can’t even wrap my head around all the things that I’ve done and all the things that I’ve been lucky enough to experience, especially when I go back home. I’m back home in Toronto. I’m in my parents’ house right now, actually, in my childhood room, and it’s just crazy because I still feel like that same person, but when I look back to all the things that I’ve done, it’s like I’ve taken a huge trip around the sun, it’s so strange.

I’m just really grateful and I’m so lucky that there are people who still care, who are still waiting around for new music, and people like you who are still interested in talking to me and listening to my new stuff; It means the world. What will the next ten years look like? I don’t even know. I hope to maybe start a little family, grow some roots. That’s always been a nice little goal of mine outside of music, but I’d love to explore new avenues, too. I’d love to act, or write a movie, or write for TV, expand my writing to other fields other than music, and maybe go back to my theater kid roots and try to act a little bit, because I’ve always loved movies and TV.

Love & Hyperbole is out 2/14 via Def Jam. Find more information here.

Halsey is a few months removed from the release of her latest album, The Great Impersonator. Now, fans will soon have the chance to hear some of those new songs live: Today (February 13), Halsey has announced a new tour dubbed Halsey: For My Last Trick.

The shows run from May to July and features a lineup of special guests that includes Magdalena Bay, Alvvays, Evanescence, Del Water Gap, The Warning, Hope Tala, Sir Chloe, Royel Otis, Flowerovlove, and Alemeda.

Tickets go on sale starting with an artist pre-sale on February 19 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Sign-ups for that are open now, here. Then, the general on-sale starts February 21 at 10 a.m. local time, here.

Check out the list of tour dates below.

Halsey’s 2024 Tour Dates: Halsey: For My Last Trick

05/10 — Concord, CA @ Toyota Pavilion at Concord =~
05/12 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre =~
05/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl +~
05/17 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion =~
05/18 — Durant, OK @ Choctaw Grand Theater ~
05/19 — Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP ~
05/21 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater ~
05/22 — Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre ^~
05/24 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre ^~
05/25 — Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live ^~
05/28 — Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion ^$
05/29 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park ^$
05/31 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live ^$
06/01 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater ^$
06/03 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center ^<
06/04 — Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheater <$
06/06 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center ^<
06/07 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion ^$
06/08 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Arena <$
06/10 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage ><
06/11 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre ><
06/13 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center ><
06/14 — Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake <#
06/17 — Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island <#
06/18 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre %#
06/20 — Somerset, WI @ Somerset Amphitheater %#
06/22 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre %#
06/24 — West Valley City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre %#
06/26 — Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater %#
06/28 — Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre %#
07/05 — Lincoln, CA @ The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort !
07/06 — Highland, CA @ Yaamava’ Theater!

= with Del Water Gap
~ with The Warning
+ with Evanescence
^ with Alvvays
$ with Hope Tala
> with Royel Otis
< with Sir Chloe
# with flowerovlove
% with Magdalena Bay
! with Alemeda

Each week our staff of film and television experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

15. Severance (Apple TV Plus)

After a long, long break, one of the best shows on TV is back. Severance picks up where season 1 left off, with Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Helly Riggs), Dylan (Dylan), and Irving (Irving Bailiff) trifling with the severance barrier, “leading them further down a path of woe,” according to the cryptic Apple TV Plus synopsis. There are so many mysteries left to answer: what’s the deal with Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman)? What’s the deal with Seth Milchick (series MVP Tramell Tillman)? And seriously, what’s the deal with the freaking goats?

Watch it on Apple TV Plus

14. The Wild Robot (Peacock)

Best Animated Feature at the 2025 Oscars is unusually stacked. Inside Out 2 is the frontrunner considering how much money it made, but honestly, it’s probably the weakest of the nominees. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a delight, obviously, while the beautiful and heartbreaking Flow is my personal favorite. But don’t sleep on The Wild Robot, a charming critical and commercial hit from Lilo & Stitch co-director Chris Sanders about a robot learning to adapt to their surroundings in the great outdoors. It’s very good.

Watch it on Peacock

13. Common Side Effects (Max)

Mike Judge and Greg Daniels have been attached to some of the best TV comedies of the last 30 years, including Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons, and The Office for Daniels and Beavis and Butt-Head and Silicon Valley for Judge. They also co-created King of the Hill. Their latest collaboration is producing Common Side Effects, a surreal Adult Swim animated series about the “world’s greatest medicine” from creators Joseph Bennett (Scavengers Reign) and Steve Hely (30 Rock). Episodes will stream the next day on Max.

Watch it on Max

12. Mo (Netflix)

Mo is a special series. The Netflix comedy-drama follows Mo Najjar (played by creator Mo Amer), a Palestinian refugee living in Houston, Texas, as he attempts to secure asylum. Season 2 begins with Mo stranded across the border in Mexico, and he’ll need “all the hustle and charm he can muster” to return to the States. Mo is timely, hilarious, and heartbreaking.

Watch it on Netflix

11. Mythic Quest (Apple TV Plus)

A new season of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is coming later this year, but don’t forget about Rob McElhenney’s other excellent comedy series. Mythic Quest season 4 (also the show’s final season) brings everyone — including McElhenney’s Ian, Charlotte Nicdao’s Poppy, and Danny Pudi’s Brad — back together at Mythic Quest HQ, where they’ll confront “new challenges amongst a changing video game landscape as stars rise, egos clash, relationships bloom and everyone tries to have a little more work life balance.” I’ll miss Ian and Poppy’s Don and Peggy-like fraught yet platonic relationship the most.

Watch it on Apple TV Plus

10. Piece By Piece (Peacock)

Pharrell Williams probably isn’t the first musician you would think of to have his life story be turned into a movie, let alone a movie that tells his life story through Lego. That is, until you remember, oh yeah, he wrote and/or produced “Happy,” “Get Lucky,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “Hollaback Girl,” “Rock Your Body,” “Milkshake.” So, yeah, now it makes more sense. Piece By Piece also features interviews with some of Pharrell’s famous collaborators, including Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, and Jay Z.

Watch it on Peacock

9. Clean Slate (Prime Video)

Clean Slate is one of the final projects from the late Norman Lear, the creator and/or producer of All In The Family, The Jeffersons, Sanford And Son, Good Times, and Maude. The comedy follows Alabama car wash owner Harry (played by George Wallace) who learns that his child, who he thought was his son, is actually a trans woman named Desiree (Laverne Cox). As per Prime Video: “Her homecoming brings together a hilarious cast of friends, coworkers, and love interests, as Desiree and Harry try to get it right the second time around

Watch it on Prime Video

8. Invincible (Prime Video)

Prime Video has two very popular depraved superhero shows: the one that’s animated, and the one that it isn’t. Invincible is the animated one, and it’s back for another season of a shockingly effective “pairing [of] consistent bone-squishing action with a slow-burning plot.” In season 3, Mark (voiced by Steven Yeun) is forced to face his past and his future, while discovering how much further he’ll need to go to protect the people he loves.

Watch it on Prime Video

7. Apple Cider Vinegar (Netflix)

Ahead of playing season 2’s most polarizing character on The Last Of Us, the great Kaitlyn Dever stars in Apple Cider Vinegar. The limited series tells the “true-ish story” of Belle Gibson (Dever), an Australian wellness influencer who claims to have cured her terminal brain cancer through health and wellness. As you might imagine, Belle is full of crap. Apple Cider Vinegar is about the rise of a wellness empire, and the inevitable downfall.

Watch it on Netflix

6. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (Peacock)

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is the fourth Bridget Jones movie, but the first to feature a character being killed off-screen while doing humanitarian work in Sudan. No spoilers! Otherwise, the rom-com follows Bridget (played by Renée Zellweger) as she raises her young kids with help from her friends and former lover, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant).

Watch it on Peacock

5. Omni Loop (Hulu)

Despite starring Ayo Edebiri and Mary-Louise Parker, Omni Loop came and went with little notice during its theatrical run. But give the time-travel film a chance now that it’s on Hulu. Omni Loop is about quantum physicist Zoya (Parker) who finds herself in a time loop with a black hole growing in her chest and only a week to live. Hate it when that happens! But what others aren’t aware of is that “she has already lived this week before; so many times, in fact, that she doesn’t even know how long it’s been.” That changes when she meets a student named Paula (Edebiri), and together they team up to save Zoya’s life.

Watch it on Hulu

4. Cobra Kai (Netflix)

The sixth and final season of Cobra Kai was split into three parts. This is the third part. In the five remaining episodes, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must “reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat,” according to the Netflix synopsis. “Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.”

Watch it on Netflix

3. SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (Peacock)

SNL has put together quite the lineup of musicians to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary. The SNL50: The Homecoming Concert special will feature “live from New York” (specifically, Radio City Music Hall) performances from Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Bonnie Raitt, Jack White, Backstreet Boys, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, The B-52s, The Roots, Bad Bunny, and a ton more. It streams Friday, February 14, at 8 p.m. ET.

Watch it on Peacock

2. The Gorge (Apple TV Plus)

Apple TV+’s sci-fi empire expands with The Gorge. Directed by Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone), the series is about two elite snipers, played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, who are tasked with guarding a giant, mysterious hole (the titular gorge!) and protecting the world from the evil that’s within. An intriguing premise that gets even more exciting when you learn Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provided the score for the show.

Watch it on Apple TV Plus

1. The White Lotus (Max)

The White Lotus returns with a new location (Thailand) and a new group of talented actors playing emotionally- and spiritually-empty rich folks. The cast includes Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Blackpink’s Lisa, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Aimee Lou Wood. “I do feel like the other seasons were a rehearsal for this one,” creator Mike White teased.

Watch it on Max

One of the interesting subplots to the 2024-25 NBA season is the fact that two new networks are basically having to build NBA broadcast and studio teams from scratch ahead of next season. NBC has a few people already in place, namely play-by-play commentators Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle and (potentially) studio host Maria Taylor, but don’t have any analysts in place. Amazon, meanwhile, has had to completely start from scratch, and as such has been pretty aggressive over the last two months.

The Prime Video crew has already built a studio show of Taylor Rooks, Dirk Nowitzki, and Blake Griffin, while adding Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan, and Cassidy Hubbarth to their game coverage crew. NBC, meanwhile, has added Reggie Miller as their lead game analyst to join Tirico, with Jamal Crawford also signing on as a lead game analyst (potentially in a three-man booth with Miller at times).

On Thursday, we learned the first studio hire by NBC, as they made a splash by bringing in Carmelo Anthony for their studio show, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Marchand also reports NBC had talks with Charles Barkley but ended those, indicating there will not be a sudden change of the current plan for Inside the NBA to continue as constructed in a licensing deal with ESPN.

As for Anthony, he’s shown his skills on the microphone with his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, and seems well-suited for studio work. We’ll see who else NBC targets for their studio show, as Dwyane Wade has already worked with the network in the past doing Olympic game coverage with Noah Eagle this past summer. With Miller and Crawford already on board, it’s not clear if there’s still room on the top game broadcast team for Wade (who I’m assuming wouldn’t be signing up to be on the No. 2 team). That said, Wade is good friends with Anthony and if they were looking to build quick chemistry on their studio desk, it would make sense to bring in analysts that already have a great rapport off camera — and Wade spent time on TNT’s Tuesday night studio show in the past.

There’s over 350 episodes of Hot Ones, so unless you’re Conan, it’s tough for guests to do something that hasn’t been done before. But congrats to Lady Gaga for becoming the first participant to eat spicy wings while wearing what appears to be a flower bouquet on her dress.

As part of the promotion for her upcoming album Mayhem, Gaga appeared on the latest episode of Hot Ones. Among other topics, the “Abracadabra” singer shared the closest she’s come to walking away from her career.

“I missed the community that I had in New York and that was really hard,” she told host Sean Evans while in “panic mode” after trying the hottest of the hot sauces. “So, there were definitely times where I felt like maybe I should walk away but I know for sure that I never would. Because I would definitely say that I was tested and I always didn’t give up. And I’m still doing it so it must mean I want to do it.” Stefani Germanotta, you will always be famous!

You can watch Lady Gaga’s interview on Hot Ones above. Meanwhile, Mayhem, her first non-Joker or Tony Bennett collaborative album since 2020’s Chromatica, is out 3/7 via Streamline/Interscope.

Through the first half of the season, Dalton Knecht looked like one of the steals of the 2024 Draft, as the 17th overall pick was averaging 9.4 points per game in 48 appearances prior to the trade deadline. A solid rookie campaign (especially from this Draft class) didn’t figure to be something that would get him traded, but with Luka Doncic’s arrival and Anthony Davis’ departure, the Lakers were suddenly scrambling to find a center.

They opted to trade Knecht and their 2031 first round pick to Charlotte for Mark Williams, who was reportedly “handpicked” by Doncic as his preferred trade target. However, a few days later, after being introduced in Charlotte, Knecht found himself returning to the Lakers in one of the most awkward situations in pro sports, as Williams got failed by Lakers doctors in his physical and the trade was rescinded.

Wednesday in Utah was the first game Knecht played back in L.A., as the Lakers had their hot streak snapped by the Jazz in a rather stunning lopsided loss. After the game, Knecht met with reporters and detailed his “crazy” week, but also noted that he “just wanted to hoop.”

“Yeah, it was a crazy time. Not too many people done that and come back, but at the end of the day I just wanted to hoop,” Knecht said. “I told that to JJ and Rob when I got back is, that was the main thing, I want to go hoop, I want to play. I got in late and at the end of the day they said Wednesday was my return so I was excited to come back here and play with my guys.

“It felt like a movie,” Knecht said of the last week. “After that game, came back the next day, went to get some shots up in the gym. 20 free throws in, I usually shoot 25 right before I shoot, and Rob called me up there and told me the news. It was hard, I got drafted here so L.A. means a lot to me, so hearing that then going to Charlotte in the morning with one of my guys. Then get introduced, start meeting all those people. Fly out to Detroit for what was called my debut game, to then now I’m flying back to L.A. Rob called me and said you’re coming back and I was just excited to go out there and hoop wherever I was going. … I get it’s a business, so at the end of the day, I told ‘em let’s just go play basketball.”

Knecht is certainly saying all the right things and there’s not really much else for him to say. He’s a rookie so he’s not going go scorched earth on the Lakers or anything, and beyond that I tend to believe him when he says he just wants to play ball. There’s also the fact that he was getting shipped to a Hornets team at the bottom of the East and now returns to a hopeful contender in L.A., which he can look at as a silver-lining to the whole thing. Still, there will be work to do on the Lakers front to repair relationships not just with Knecht but his agents, who probably are more upset than he is about the entire situation. On top of that, Knecht is probably very aware that a similar package including him will be on the table again this summer to address the center issue that has still not been resolved long-term, so I doubt he’s going to be quite as fully invested in trying to put roots down in L.A. unless he manages to stay on the roster through the 2026 deadline.

There’s a Drake solo album coming at some point in the near future, but for now, the focus is on Some Sexy Songs, his joint project with PartyNextDoor that drops in a matter of hours on February 14.

Ahead of that, the artists have revealed the project’s tracklist. There are 21 tracks and the post also notes the album is 74 minutes long.

This comes shortly after the pair shared the album cover on February 11, and it features two people (presumably them or meant to be them) wearing furry outfits and shielding themselves from wind and snow as they pose in front of the Absolute World skyscraper condominiums in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto.

Drake recently teased the vibe of the album, saying on stage at an Australian concert, “It’s called Some Sexy Songs 4 U, but it’s some turned-up songs for you on there, too, and there’s some personal feelings on there for you.”

Check out the Some Sexy Songs 4 U cover art and tracklist below.

Drake And PartyNextDoor’s Some Sexy Songs 4 U Album Cover Artwork

Drake And PartyNextDoor’s Some Sexy Songs 4 U Tracklist

1. “CN Tower”
2. “Moth Balls”
3. “Something About You”
4. “Crying In Chanel”
5. “Spider-Man Superman”
6. “Deeper”
7. “Small Town Fame”
8. “Pimmie’s Dilemma”
9. “Brian Steele”
10. “Gimme A Hug”
11. “Raining In Houston”
12. “Lasers”
13. “Meet Your Padre”
14. “Nokia”
15. “Die Trying”
16. “Somebody Loves Me”
17. “Celibacy”
18. “OMW”
19. “Glorious”
20. “When He’s Gone”
21. “Greedy”

Some Sexy Songs 4 U is out 2/14 via OVO/Republic. Find more information here.

We’re still a month away from Japanese Breakfast‘s new album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), but today (February 13), Michelle Zauner & Co. have shared a new single.

“Mega Circuit” was “one of the first songs I wrote, intent on making a creepier, more guitar driven record,” Zauner explained in a statement. “The song is sort of an examination of contemporary masculinity, and explores a conflicted desire to embrace a generation that in the absence of positive role models has found refuge in violence and bigotry. We had the legendary Jim Keltner — who’s played on everything from ‘These Days’ to ‘Here You Come Again’ to ‘Dream Weaver’ — come in and play the fiercest shuffle you’ve ever heard.”

You can watch the “Mega Circuit” video, which includes footage of Zauner riding a four-wheeler and bashing a creepy plastic head with a stick, above. Also, check out the dates for Japanese Breakfast’s expanded For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) tour below.

Japanese Breakfast’s 2025 Tour Dates: The Melancholy Tour

04/12 & 19 — Indio, CA @ Coachella Music and Arts Festival
04/23 — Austin, TX @ Moody Theater (ACL Live) *
04/24 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom *
04/26 — Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle *
04/27 — Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore *
04/28 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium *
05/01 — Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed *
05/02 — Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed *
05/03 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore *
05/05 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
05/06 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
05/07 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway *
05/09 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount *
05/10 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount *
05/11 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount *
05/12 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount *
05/15 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia Presented by Highmark *
05/16 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia Presented by Highmark *
06/21 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
06/24 — Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
06/25 — Stockholm, SE @ Filadelfia
06/26 — Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA
06/29 — Manchester, UK @ Academy 1
06/30 — Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland
07/01 — Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy Bristol
07/03 — London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
07/04-06 — Ewijk, NL @ Down The Rabbit Hole 2025
07/05 — Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg
07/08 — Paris, FR @ Le Trianon
07/10-12 — Bilbao, ES @ Bilbao BBK Live
08/23 — Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl *
08/27 — San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic *
08/28 — San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic *
08/30 — Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater *
09/01 — Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theater *
09/02 — Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo *
09/03 — Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo *
09/06 — Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom
09/09 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Palace Theater *
09/10 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee *

* with Ginger Root

For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) is out 3/21 via Dead Ocean Records. Find more information here.

Over the past year or so, Macklemore has become a big protest song guy. He dropped “Hind’s Hall” in May 2024, which was critical of then-president Joe Biden’s handling of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. He later shared a sequel to the track, and now, he has shared “F*cked Up.”

The song sees Macklemore directly addressing Donald Trump (“New era ushered, but white supremacy is still in charge / Talkin’ colonizing Gaza from the White House lawn,” “How you think Israel gets money for the best tanks? / And Netanyahu loves Trump, he’s like, ‘Yup, thanks,’” “The next four years, it’s time to ride / F*ck ICE, free Congo, Sudan, and Palestine”) and Elon Musk (“They got me f*cked up / And Elon, we know exactly what that was, bruh”).

In September 2024, Macklemore said “F*ck America” while performing a benefit concert, and he later explained, “My thoughts and feelings are not always expressed perfectly or politely. Sometimes, I slip up and get caught in the moment. Saturday night was one of those times. […] I have been disillusioned and disheartened as our government has continued to unequivocally fund and support Israel’s ongoing violence against the people of Palestine. […] Do not misconstrue the word ‘f*ck’ for the word ‘hate.’ It’s different to be angry than to disown. My ‘f*ck’ — my anger — is rooted not in disdain for where I was born but in anguish for how we can collectively allow this to continue. It is not directed at the people that make up our country, but towards our government who refuse to listen to us.”

Listen to “F*cked Up” here.