Doja Cat, more than most people in her shoes, likes to get silly and have fun. Case in point: She recently guested on The Therapy Gecko Podcast, in which a man in a gecko costume (non-therapist comedian Lyle Drescher) fields calls from viewers/listeners (the show is recorded live on Twitch). Doja went full-boar, too, putting on her own gecko costume.
In one clip from the show, Drescher asks Doja if she likes Celsius, the caffeinated energy drink brand. She explained that she “just can’t drink it” and that the beverage nearly got her into a feud. She explained, “I was singing a song and doing a voice of somebody else with the… I filmed myself doing the song in a crazy voice, and it was my really bad impression of that person. And people took it super wrong. They thought that I was trying to cause drama and issues, when really I was just being a f*cking asshole. I was being dumb.”
Doja Cat talks to the Therapy Gecko about the time she almost beefed with another artist after doing an impression of them. pic.twitter.com/StxDIKFzUk
Elsewhere during the chat, Doja also revealed that the title of an upcoming deluxe edition of Scarlet will be titled Scarlet 2: Claude Frollo, named after the character from The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.
In a 2023 interview, Drescher explained the origin of his offbeat show, saying, “I started streaming myself on Reddit as a gecko taking phone calls, and the streams would go on to the front page of Reddit. My expectation was that I would be living here and my mom’s basement doing this forever, but it has gone much better than I thought it would.”
The first reactions are pouring in for Dune: Part Two, and judging by the posts on social media, Denis Villeneuve has delivered a sci-fi masterpiece that builds on the foundation of the first film.
Already working with a stellar cast that features Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Rebecca Ferguson, Villeneuve stacked the deck even further with Austin Butler and Florence Pugh, who are both receiving rave reviews for their performances. (Anya Taylor-Joy is also in the mix, but her surprise role is still being kept under wraps.)
“I was kind of mixed on the first Dune. DUNE: PART TWO is phenomenal,” Mike Ryan tweeted. “Up there with the greatest sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen. I want to ride a sandworm.”
I was kind of mixed on the first Dune. DUNE: PART TWO is phenomenal. Up there with the greatest sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen. I want to ride a sandworm. #DunePartTwo
“DUNE: PART TWO was majestic,” Jeff Ewing wrote. “Extremely immersive, bold, wonderful look into the life of the Fremen, full of beautiful action sequences and high-stakes drama that The Bard would love. Chalamet comes into his own here and Zendaya and Pugh kill it.”
DUNE: PART TWO was majestic. Extremely immersive, bold, wonderful look into the life of the Fremen, full of beautiful action sequences and high-stakes drama that The Bard would love. Chalamet comes into his own here and Zendaya and Pugh kill it. #DunePartTwopic.twitter.com/ZreNg0FDKP
“#DunePartTwo is not only Denis’s magnum opus; it’s the definitive sci-fi epic of a generation,” Griffin Schiller tweeted. “A tragic tale of blind fanaticism & corruption. A spectacular, soulful, awe-inspiring masterclass of aesthetics & mood beautifully echoing Paul’s turbulent journey. Left me speechless!”
#DunePartTwo is not only Denis’s magnum opus; it’s the definitive sci-fi epic of a generation. A tragic tale of blind fanaticism & corruption. A spectacular, soulful, awe-inspiring masterclass of aesthetics & mood beautifully echoing Paul’s turbulent journey. Left me speechless! pic.twitter.com/Vw61IKIGWr
“DUNE: Part Two is a masterpiece. Maybe one of the best space films ever,” Karl Delossantos wrote. “Besides being the most visually impressive movie I’ve seen—an assault on all the senses—it’s an riveting political thriller & character study. The cast is great but Rebecca Ferguson & Austin Butler steal it.”
DUNE: Part Two is a masterpiece. Maybe one of the best space films ever. Besides being the most visually impressive movie I’ve seen—an assault on all the senses—it’s an riveting political thriller & character study. The cast is great but Rebecca Ferguson & Austin Butler steal it. pic.twitter.com/q7AZugQeGK
Denis Villeneuve sticks the landing with #DunePartTwo, a fascinating, terrifying character study told on a gloriously grand sci-fi scale.
Timothée Chalamet & Zendaya are INCREDIBLE in it, the set pieces are jaw-dropping, & the supporting cast elevates all the rest. It’s great. pic.twitter.com/bjJZJYSFvN
DUNE: PART TWO is a magnum opus of a masterpiece, the most lavish quintessential odyssey of sci-fi epics with visuals, sound & acting like you’ve *never* seen before. The greatest movie, film, story, adaptation, piece of entertainment ever made!
#DunePartTwo is an audio/visual triumph on par with (relatively speaking) ‘John Wick 4’ or ‘Avatar 2’. Strong performances, some clever action beats but, like DUNE 1, it’s a 2.5-hour film that mostly runs out of story at the 90-minute mark and jogs in place til the climax. pic.twitter.com/lNBjHDL0l1
Villeneuve has done it again. #DunePartTwo is a sweeping epic at every turn. A grandiose work of brutalist spectacle that’s Wrath of Khan meets Laurence of Arabia. I was unable to see the ending as I was trying to film and goon to the shirtless Timmy bits so they kicked me out pic.twitter.com/tMAnCnzeRY
Think I may love #DunePartTwo more than the first film… the whole middle section in which Austin Butler shows up looking like a marble stature come to life/one half of a Mappelthorpe pictorial is fucking amazing. pic.twitter.com/WhMsL9GcAc
#DunePartTwo is jaw-droppingly good. Gorgeous costumes, scenery, props, direction – it’s science-fiction cinema at its absolute best. Timmy and Zendaya are second to none, but Austin Butler felt like he was trying _very_ hard. I need to see it again because oh boy, is it dense!
#DunePartTwo is a visually-monumental epic that never fails to immerse in its world. The narrative and its characters still beg for greater depth in this expansive mythos, but the action certainly goes much harder than Part One. Bring on Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Messiah! pic.twitter.com/eY5I1tlj03
Arguably Denis Villeneuve’s magnum opus, #DunePartTwo is a masterpiece.
Throwing you right into the action, it is totally immersive, gripping, and ultimately devastating. Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya have never been better.
Melissa Stratton doesn’t sound too upset about her split from Hot Ones host Sean Evans.
On Thursday, the adult film actress shared a news article about their brief relationship and subsequent breakup in an Instagram Story. “Ok, well happy Valentine’s Day to me [eye-rolling emoji],” she wrote. Stratton also posted a video of herself with porn star Johnny Sins and captioned the clip, “It’s ok I’ve got a better bald man to get spicy with @mosttalentedbaldman.” She added the fire and poultry leg emojis, just to make clear who she was referring to.
Stratton posted numerous photos of her and Evans together during Super Bowl weekend, “and in a lot of them… they look awfully cozy… almost couple-y,” TMZ reported. But on Valentine’s Day, Evans called Stratton and told her “he wanted to call it quits because of the media attention they were getting.”
Sean expressed to Melissa he wanted to keep his love life more under wraps. Our sources say Melissa found Sean’s reasoning odd for a few reasons… he knew what she did for a living when they started seeing each other and he invited her to multiple public events in Las Vegas leading up to the Super Bowl, and took photos with her.
You can watch Stratton’s (safe for work) video below.
Steven and Ian open this week’s episode by doing something they promised themselves they wouldn’t do — taking shots at the new Idles album out today, TANGK. (Even the title is annoying.) Of course they then proceed with a quick Sportscast about the Super Bowl in which Steven explains how he can’t bring himself to hate the Kansas City Chiefs in their current “dominant” era. During the Fantasy Draft update, Ian finally gets a chance to draft a replacement for the still-missing-from-Metacritic jazz album he originally picked.
From there the guys review some big new recent album announcements from Vampire Weekend, DIIV, Pearl Jam, and Beyoncé. Steven and Ian have heard some of these albums, and they give praise while trying to not talk in too much detail. They also dip into the discourse about the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nominations and weigh Oasis’ chances of making it in spite of the Rock Hall’s aversion to alt-leaning ’90s bands.
In the mailbag, a reader asks Steven and Ian to “yay or nay” Jessica Pratt, who also announced a new album this week. The guys are also asked to weigh in on whether Creed was secretly “innovative.” Their answers (probably) will not shock you!
In Recommendation Corner, Ian goes with the young Chicago band Friko while Steven pays tribute to the late Can singer Damo Suzuki, who passed away on Feb. 9.
New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 176 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.
This is a tale of seven seasons, but also just one night. A story of one person who was meant to start seminary school but happened to tag along to a basketball camp when he was 11, and the 628 people who coordinated with the NBA team he played with for seven seasons to wear his jersey again on one special night.
It was a continuation of theme from a piece Siakam wrote for the Player’s Tribune following his trade. In it, he shared that when he first started hitting the floor for the Raptors he’d spend a few furtive seconds as the national anthems played scanning the crowd, searching for jerseys with his number, 43. Siakam had played a crucial role in winning the Raptors G League arm, Raptors 905, a title in 2017, but his familiarity with fans of the the parent club took a little while. When he did finally spot his jersey for the first time he couldn’t contain himself.
“If you ever wondered, ‘Why’d Pascal look like he’s about to fist pump during the anthem one night as a rookie?’ there you go,” he wrote.
All teams handle homecomings in their own ways. There’s always more on the backend of someone’s return, especially if they’ve had a long tenure. When DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Lowry come back to Toronto, they idle with arena staff and security, stopping to catch up with just about everyone who made up their ecosystem in the city. Most public presentations for first-time returns feature nostalgic video montages played over the jumbotron on a game’s first timeout, and the Raptors have had their fair share of tear-jerkers. Like when Vince Carter, after seasons of returning to a chorus of boos, had the jeers abruptly turn to cheers in 2014, like the fans simultaneously decided it was enough. Carter cried, so did everyone else. Kawhi Leonard got his ring and a slick video treatment of his huge glowing footsteps outlined on the floor to mimic the ones he made to make The Shot, as all the lights in the arena went out. This month, and less than a week apart, the Raptors welcomed back both Fred VanVleet and Siakam.
Siakam’s return aptly came on Valentine’s Day, and the entire Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) organization was involved in a tribute that went beyond the jumbotron for an orchestral pull on the heart strings.
“We saw Pascal’s comment on the idea of coming to our venue and seeing his number, and it slowly going away, and we wanted him to know that he had such an impact on our team, our city, our country, that even though after many years the number might fade, it’s still near and dear in our heart,” Taylor Mansillo, Senior Brand Manager of the Raptors, said on a call the morning after the game.
Mansillo, and what would turn into a small army of departments across MLSE, started to brainstorm on a tribute within the tribute. Something that would be impactful for Siakam and the fans, but executable in the sliver of time available before and just after tip-off. They knew there’d be plenty of fans in the arena that night wearing Siakam jerseys, but it would be impossible to highlight them all. There was also a fairly good chance that with his head down in timeouts, or off the floor at halftime, Siakam wouldn’t be looking up to the video board to see.
“We thought, what if we make it one big space where he notices them all up front?” Mansillo recalls.
Section 119 in Scotiabank Arena is in the lower bowl of seating, smack dab in the middle of one of the long sides. Primo seats, in other words. Also what would prove prime emotional real estate. The Raptors wanted to coordinate it so every person sitting in that section, all 628 of them, would be wearing a Siakam jersey. They also wanted to make sure the selection of jerseys spanned Siakam’s career as a Raptor.
“We did jerseys throughout our years because he’s had impact for many years on this organization, from the G League to now,” Mansillo says. “That was really our intent: how do we make sure he sees it in a loud way, to make sure he know how much he means to us, versus him searching for them in the crowd.”
“It was a little bit of working within the organization to track down the right number of jerseys, the mix of jerseys, and making sure that we could get them into the right hands,” Terri Mattucci, Sr. Director of Strategy & Growth for MLSE, explains.
The MLSE retail team was tapped to find the right inventory and editions of jerseys to create the right visual mix, but once they were secured there was still the step of getting them into individual fans’ hands, and getting those fans into their seats early.
“One of the things we leveraged was actually the ‘Know Before You Go’ emails,” Mattucci says, referencing an email blast that goes out to Raptors ticket holders before games. The organization has information on every section and seat, who sits in them and when, so was able to target everyone who would be spending their Valentine’s Day in 119. The ticketing department was also involved in making individual calls to reiterate the message, which was: ‘Are you coming to the game? You probably should. You should also get to your seat early.’
“They walked into the night knowing we were going to do something fun for Pascal, knowing that they were going to be involved and had a big part of contributing to the tribute for him,” Mattucci says.
To actually get all those jerseys onto fans, a card was left with instructions on each seat in the section (which also took coordination from the pre-game Game Ops team, who tuck cards into seats and special occasion giveaway shirts over them well before warmups). The instructions let fans know which section of the concourse to visit to get their jersey, and when to put it on. We’re not even at national anthems yet.
“The biggest part that we had to figure out was our anthems,” Anton Wright, Creative Director & Executive Producer of Game Presentation, chimes in.
This seems obvious, but just in case: because the Raptors play in Canada, two national anthems are played before every game. For that reason, anthems typically start earlier than in other markets. For a 7:30pm game, anthems are performed at 7:23pm, outside of the broadcast window. For this game, the Raptors needed permission from the NBA, their broadcast partners, basketball operations, and the Pacers to bump the anthems ahead.
The reason was because the first sequence in Siakam’s tribute was going to start then, with the “anthem buddies,” kids from local Toronto groups that accompany players onto the floor during the anthems, all wearing his jersey. MLSE wanted to make sure the arena was full and fans would see that first nod to their 2x All-Star, and that the broadcast captured it along with Siakam’s reaction.
At tip-off, Wright’s in-game crew crept in and around Section 119, signaling fans to don their jerseys. First timeouts, especially in a game like this one, tend to happen quick.
The montage itself was great. It traced Siakam’s career from lanky G Leaguer, to All-Star, to NBA Champion, with off-court footage of him singing, laughing, and goofing around. As it played, photos and quotes were also superimposed all over the hardwood to compliment the tribute. When the lights were supposed to go up, with Siakam stepping out on the floor to wave to massive applause, they didn’t. Not over the entire arena, anyway.
“For the moment, we really wanted to showcase that area,” Wright says excitedly. “We don’t usually spotlight certain areas, we keep the crowd pretty dark and the focus is on the court and our flags, but we wanted to spotlight that area to hopefully have Pascal see it, [and] also all of our fans in the venue to be able to see.”
Along with the arena’s lighting and sound operators, the in-arena camera crew took special shots to showcase Section 119 and the Championship banner, with cuts back to Siakam to capture his reaction.
“To see that whole section with my jerseys, that almost got me right there,” Siakam said later, smiling in his postgame press conference. “I could never really have dreamed of that. To have that, it means a lot, so I appreciate everyone, just for everything.”
“It was a sprint,” Mansillo says, when asked about the execution of the tribute from start to finish. “From the moment we found out he was traded to reading the [Player’s Tribune] quote, and trying to think of unique and different ideas that we can show and honor him. Ways that leagues or other teams haven’t done in the past.”
“Definitely a sprint,” Wright echoes. “But like the Kawhi moment and all those great moments throughout Raptors history, it’s something you’re always going to remember. The look on Pascal’s face during the anthem or watching the video, the fans faces when they received the Pascal jersey, those are things you’re never gonna forget.”
Still, what’s it like to have jam-packed days and long nights of planning and executing a brief moment like that, and then have the moment be, probably too briefly, over?
“On our end, it’s a moment in history,” Mansillo says, smiling. “I think everything we do in sports is a second or a moment in time. So we cherish those moments. We know it’s going to be fast and we know the after that moment he becomes a Pacer for us officially, so seeing that moment, to me, is a frozen moment in time.”
All in all, Mansillo confirms it took “almost every organization within MLSE” coming together to pull off the tribute. From partnerships to ticketing, memberships, the entire marketing arm from creative to content, game presentation and brand; the Raptors own PR staff and players. A reflection not of how many people it needed to take, but how many wanted to be part of something for someone who meant so much to the organization.
“One thing I’d say is moments like this are really special for our city,” Mattucci notes. “Pascal’s interview with the Tribune, talking about what the city meant to him — this is our way of showing what he means to our city, and what he means to our country. Raptors are really Canada’s team, and the players that come here leave imprints on us not just for the years they’re here, but to become a part of our history and a part of our story.
That’s really something that we want to elevate and the beauty of being in our positions — to enable that for him and let others be a part of it.”
The game itself was also something of an official launching point for its next iteration; the last before the All-Star break, with Scottie Barnes headed to Indianapolis for his first All-Star Game and its most impactful former players now settled into their new teams. Siakam reflected on that feeling in his postgame, noting Toronto “was known” as the place he wanted to be despite all the trade talk of the last season, “For me, coming back, it was hard. But also I was just happy, happy to be there,” he said.
Despite that swirl of emotion, Siakam admitted with a laugh that “when everyone was telling me, Oh man, so happy to see you, in my head it was just like, I gotta get a win. I can’t lose this game.”
The Pacers did, taking the win in a close match. Asked whether the MLSE team considered the impacts of the night on the outcome of the game, Mattucci jokes, “We almost got him!”
They don’t anymore, but the genuine teamwork of so many proves that the team and the city, in their own moments of reflection and no matter how brief, always will.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. This week brings the NBA All-Star Weekend to Indianapolis and to kick off the hype we’re getting some re-ups and remixes of some classic and legendary sneaker colorways. Relive the wonders of Kevin Durant’s KD 4 Galaxy, the ahead-of-its-time minimalism of the Devin Booker Book 1 Mirage, or celebrate the NBA’s most legendary colorway on the best Jordan silhouette with the AJ 4 BRED Reimagined. It’s a great week for fans of classic NBA sneakers.
If that’s not your thing and you’re looking for a pair of sneakers with less historical baggage, we’ve got you. Adidas and Bad Bunny have linked up for a new take on the CL Response silhouette and in the New Balance camp we’ve got a new collaboration between NB and JJJJound as well as a brand-new running sneaker. We’ve got a lot to cover so let’s stop talking about it and just jump into this week’s best kicks.
JJJJound x New Balance 2002r Gore-Tex Charcoal/Pine
You can always count on JJJJound to drop something minimal and elegant, which is why New Balance is the perfect brand for the label to collaborate with. Case in point the new 2002r Gore-Tex. This sneaker features suede overlays, a mesh tongue, and NB’s N-ERGY midsole all lined in waterproof Gore-Tex material.
The sneaker drops in two muted colorways, including a charcoal variation and a forest green pine makeup.
The JJJJound x New Balance 2002r Gore-Tex Charcoal and Pine are out now for a retail price of $190. Pick up a pair via the JJJJound webstore.
Released in celebration of All-Star Weekend, the KD 4 Galaxy returns! Inspired by astronaut suits, the KD 4 Galaxy sports a shimmering metallic silver upper with orange accents and a speckled midsole meant to resemble a starry sky.
The original colorway dropped in 2012 and was worn by KD on-court during the 2012 NBA All-Star game in Orlando Florida. 12 years later and this sneaker still looks out of this world.
The Nike KD 4 Galaxy is set out now for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Another sneaker dropped in celebration of All-Star Weekend, Allen Iverson’s Reebok signature is back in a classic red and white colorway. The sneaker features a tumbled leather build, a pearlized toe and an icy rubber outsole.
It’s a classic and maybe one of Reebok’s best sneaker silhouettes ever.
The Reebok Question Mid FTW White/Vector Red is set to drop tonight at 9:00 PM PST for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Reebok webstore.
If the KD 4 Galaxy represents space travel, the KD 16 Easy represents what you’ll find when you land on that alien planet. The KD 16 Easy’s primary influence is global currency, with details that are meant to resemble the security strips you find in $100 dollar bills, but look at this thing! It looks straight-up alien and psychedelic.
The sneaker combines shades of violet, green, pink, orange, and metallic silver over an Air Zoom unit with a multi-fabric upper.
The Nike KD 16 Easy is set to drop on February 16th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
No other release could eclipse all of All-Star Weekend like the Jordan 4 Bred Reimagined. This sneaker takes the legendary BRED colorway and slaps it on a full-grain leather Jordan 4 with hints of Fire Red accents and classic Nike Cement Grey at the midsole and collar.
There isn’t much to say about this sneaker, it’s a classic Jordan silhouette in a classic colorway. It’s the sort of thing you just stare and marvel at.
The Nike Air Jordan 4 BRED Reimagined is set to drop on February 17th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $215. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
I’ve always loved the name of Devin Booker’s signature sneaker, the “Book 1.” There is a sort of weight and importance that goes along with that name. It has a sort of legendary air about it. The Book 1 features a Zoom Air unit, a foam midsole for extra bounce, and a durable canvas and twill upper with suede details and leather overlays.
It’s a fine piece of minimalist footwear and aside from the BRED, our favorite All-Star Weekend release.
The Nike Book 1 Mirage is set to drop on February 17th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Adidas Bad Bunny Response CL Wonder White
Adidas
Price: $160
If you’re not feeling the All-Star Weekend sneakers and want something more contemporary and modern, here is Bad Bunny’s latest from Adidas. Never mind that the Response CL is a sneaker that was first introduced nearly 20 years ago, we think that Benito has inspired enough changes to the silhouette to make it something new and distinctly 2024.
The sneaker features a textile upper and lining with hairy suede details over a rubber outsole with a monochromatic off-white colorway. The wavy panels and eyeball heel branding give this simple running sneaker a swirling psychedelic character that reflects Benito’s artistry.
The Adidas Bad Bunny Wonder White is set to drop on February 17th at 6:00 AM PST for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app.
If you’re looking for something truly futuristic and not just a sneaker that looks futuristic, the New Balance WRPD Runner is for you. This new silhouette rides on a full-length FuelCell midsole with wavy accents, and embroidered ’N’ logo, a wavy tread pattern outsole, and a knit upper with synthetic and wool details.
The sneaker has a chunky silhouette in keeping with the modern aesthetics of the day. For its debut release, the sneaker drops in two colorways, a light gray makeup and a charcoal-toned rendition.
The New Balance WRPD Runner is set to drop on February 16th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.
This morning (February 16), Taylor Swift took the stage in Melbourne for the first of her Eras Tour concerts in Australia this weekend. Swift shared some big news, too: Available for pre-order right now is a new version of her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, that features the bonus track “The Bolter.” Immediately, Swifties started theorizing about the meaning behind the song.
What Is Taylor Swift’s “The Bolter” About?
Some have speculated the song title refers to Frances Osborne’s 2008 book The Bolter: The Story Of Idina Sackville, Who Ran Away To Become The Chief Seductress Of Kenya’s Scandalous “Happy Valley Set”. A publisher’s summary of the book reads:
“In an age of bolters — women who broke the rules and fled their marriages — Idina Sackville was the most celebrated of them all. Her relentless affairs, wild sex parties, and brazen flaunting of convention shocked high society and inspired countless writers and artists, from Nancy Mitford to Greta Garbo. But Idina’s compelling charm masked the pain of betrayal and heartbreak.
Now Frances Osborne explores the life of Idina, her enigmatic great-grandmother, using letters, diaries, and family legend, following her from Edwardian London to the hills of Kenya, where she reigned over the scandalous antics of the ‘Happy Valley Set.’ Dazzlingly chic yet warmly intimate, The Bolter is a fascinating look at a woman whose energy still burns bright almost a century later.”
For others, one of the first things that came to mind is a video of Swift and Joe Alwyn running (bolting, if you will) towards a car to avoid paparazzi.
The Tortured Poets Department is out 4/19 via Republic. Find more information here.
This morning (February 16), Taylor Swift started her run of Eras Tour concerts in Melbourne, Australia. She made opening night one to remember: During the show, Swift announced a new version of her upcoming album The Tortured Poets Department, which features a bonus track called “The Bolter.”
Swift then announced it on social media, sharing a poetic snippet that reads, “You don’t get to tell me about sad.”
The new edition of the album is currently available for pre-order on Swift’s website (on vinyl, cassette, and CD), but given the excitement around the release, who knows how long supplies will last.
Some fans have made a connection between the song title and the 2008 Frances Osborne book The Bolter: The Story Of Idina Sackville, Who Ran Away To Become The Chief Seductress Of Kenya’s Scandalous “Happy Valley Set”. A publisher’s summary of the book reads:
“In an age of bolters — women who broke the rules and fled their marriages — Idina Sackville was the most celebrated of them all. Her relentless affairs, wild sex parties, and brazen flaunting of convention shocked high society and inspired countless writers and artists, from Nancy Mitford to Greta Garbo. But Idina’s compelling charm masked the pain of betrayal and heartbreak.
Now Frances Osborne explores the life of Idina, her enigmatic great-grandmother, using letters, diaries, and family legend, following her from Edwardian London to the hills of Kenya, where she reigned over the scandalous antics of the ‘Happy Valley Set.’ Dazzlingly chic yet warmly intimate, The Bolter is a fascinating look at a woman whose energy still burns bright almost a century later.”
Beyond that, there’s also just a lot of general elation among the Swifties. Check out some reactions to the news below.
YALL KNOW DAMN WELL THIS IS THE BOLTER SHES REFERRING TO! OH ITS BAD FOR HIM YALL. IM KINDA SCARED! #TSTTPDpic.twitter.com/TncW33UEMl
Taylor announced Bolter and said “you don’t get to tell me about sad” and then played YOU’RE LOSING ME to let us know exactly what sad feels like pic.twitter.com/PtutUxM9sW
Something about saying The bolter(which yield results the fall of this flapper who ran away) and not just saying bolter(an outsider) signifies that she may focus on the flapper but could also focus on her being an outsider to her own seclusion that she created with a relationship https://t.co/tpMLqCnUW3pic.twitter.com/6XOPnT847d
We are just a few weeks away from Ariana Grande‘s much-anticipated seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. The album’s lead single, the confident and dance-ready “Yes And?” has proven to be a hit among the Arianators. Since its release, Grande has shared that this will be the only single from Eternal Sunshine released until the album drops, however, she did say that she has some surprises in store. Tonight (February 16), Grande shared a remix of the song, featuring one of her biggest inspirations — Mariah Carey.
Carey delivers a special verse of her own, as she’s acquired so much wisdom with over three decades in the game.
“Now I’m so done with sharing / This hypocrisy with you / Baby, you have been rejected / Go back, no more pretending,” she sings.
Grande and Carey previously collaborated on a remix of Carey’s holiday single “Oh Santa!” back in 2020. Grande has long been vocal about her admiration for Carey. In an Instagram post announcing the “Yes, And?” remix, Grande called Carey her “lifelong inspiration.”
“thank you from the bottom of my heart for this dream come true and for sprinkling your brilliance and magic on my little song,” said Grande in the post’s caption. “it means more to me than i could ever possibly articulate.”
You can listen to the “Yes, And?” remix above.
Eternal Sunshine is out 3/8 via Republic. Find more information here.
Tierra Whack never shies away from raw emotion. Ahead of her upcoming debut album, World Wide Whack, Whack has shared “27 Club,” her poignant, heartbreaking new single.
On “27 Club,” Whack details the dark thoughts that occasionally come to her mind. The song’s title itself refers to a group of musicians — which includes Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse — who died at 27 years old.
“When the world seems like it’s against you / When your friends and family forget you / It ain’t really hard to convince you /Looking for something to commit to?,” she sings on one of the song’s verses.
The song’s music video is expected to arrive later today (February 16). In a teaser clip for the video, Whack is seen in costume, with a stoic look on her face. She is carrying a mask made in the likeness of her face, however, the mask is smiling.
Last year, Whack spoke with Lil Yachty in a conversation for Rolling Stone. During their chat, Whack noted that she is not fazed by any sort of competition.
“If I’m just being myself and following my own path, I can’t see anything else,” said Whack. “I’m just focused on me and having fun and being myself.”
You can listen to “27 Club” above.
Whack World is out 3/15 via Interscope. Find more information here.
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