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Furiosa: A Mad Max Story tells the action-packed origin story of the iconic character first introduced in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. Anya Taylor-Joy steps in as the titular Furiosa, and the actress is already getting early rave reviews for her portrayal of the rogue warrior.

Director Edgar Wright gave his own mini-review of the film, which hits theaters on May 24th. He posted on Instagram, “Even though I understand what it takes to make a film, I still don’t understand how Dr. George Miller does it. I was lucky enough to see Furiosa a month ago, and I’m still reeling at how films like his exist. It’s so intricate, detailed, and immersive. The planning and love that have gone into the staging, blocking, and design are just unreal. Hats off to George and team for giving us 45 years of imaginative, visceral cinema. The movie is a feast for your eyes and ears, a full circle to the first Max adventure in 1979.”

Not only is Wright a fan of the flick, he also revealed that he had an integral part in Anya Taylor-Joy landing the role. The actress starred in Wright’s Last Night In Soho in 2021, which inspired George Miller to reach out after he had seen the film. He further explained:

Way back in March 2020, literally 48 hours before the pandemic shutdown happened and the country shut down, I had dinner with George Miller in London after he watched an early cut of ‘Last Night In Soho’. He asked me if Anya would be a good choice to play young Furiosa, and I responded, ‘Do it, do it! She’s a star, get her now!’. I texted Anya that night to expect a call from George Miller, and I’m so thrilled to see the results four years later. What a ride, you will enjoy!

So, we would have never gotten Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa if she had never been spiritually stalked by Matt Smith in Last Night In Soho. He always wins! Check out the full post below.

The 2024 Met Gala went down yesterday (May 6), and like always, some creative looks were on display. Doja Cat showed up in a soaking wet white t-shirt dress, and Camila Cabello came through with something similar in terms of wetness.

Cabello’s dress appeared relatively ordinary, although it certainly wasn’t in that it featured over 250,000 Swarovski crystals, weighed 15 pounds, and took over 450 hours to make, as E! notes.

What was actually more attention-grabbing, though, was her purse. It wasn’t a purse at all, really, but rather, just a solid block of ice. As Vogue notes, inside the ice was a single rose, inspired by the one on the Jane Wade-designed invitation to the event. As Cabello walked the red carpet with her ice, it was dripping all over her hands and onto the venue floor.

In an interview with Variety, Cabello explained, “I feel like the theme was very impermanent, things changing, but also my album, Miami, we’re dripping. We’re wet, we’re icy, but we’re melting.”

She also told E!, “My hands are really cold. I can’t feel my hands.”

Yesterday was overall pretty major for Cabello. Aside from making noise at the Met Gala, she also announced the title and release date of her upcoming album: C, XOXO is set to drop on June 28.

Last night’s Met Gala festivities served up some truly classic, head-turning, head-scratching, eyebrow-raising ensembles that will surely be remembered among some of the events most creative. Doja Cat took an interesting angle on the flowers theme, while Usher’s dramatic look inspired comparisons to all kinds of pop culture superheroes. Another star whose outfit generated a ton of buzz on social media was Lizzo, whose form-fitting brown dress and accompanying headdress had many users making arboreal observations, including “I Am Groot.”

The star recently drew plenty of social media attention after posting about being “tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet,” leading some to speculate that she was announcing her departure from the music business. However, she later clarified her statement in another post, “When I say I quit, I mean quit giving any negative energy attention. What I’m not gonna quit is the joy of my life, which is making music.”

Her comments may have been spurred by having to deal with an ongoing lawsuit from some of her former dancers, who alleged that she created a hostile work environment. She has since requested a dismissal from the suit, as many of the complaints lodged within it pertain to Lizzo’s dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley, whom the plaintiffs say made inappropriate sexual comments.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

6lack announced the No More Lonely Nights Tour, PartyNextDoor did the same for his Sorry, I’m Outside Tour, as did Lucky Daye for The Algorithm Tour. Normani reflected on her time in Fifth Harmony, and Mary J. Blige opened up about her future in music. Elsewhere, 4batz dropped his debut project U Made Me A St4r while Coco Jones, Ravyn Lenae, and others returned with new music.

Here’s what the music world had to offer in the past week:

Ravyn Lenae — “Love Is Blind” & “Love Me Not”

Ravyn Lenae fans were hit with good news this week as the singer announced her sophomore album Bird’s Eye. Together with the announcement, she released two singles — “Love Is Blind” and “Love Me Not.” The former reflects on the regrets of a past relationship while aiming to grow for the next one, while the latter captures the relationship of desiring someone without being dependent on them.

Charlotte Day Wilson — Cyan Blue

Toronto singer Charlotte Day Wilson delivers another beautiful body of work with her second album Cyan Blue. The 12-track release includes a sole feature from Snoh Aalegra in what amounts to an elegant showcase of growth and improvement (especially on the songwriting end).

Coco Jones — “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”

Coco Jones finally experienced her breakout moment in 2023 thanks to What I Didn’t Tell You. Now, the singer is gearing up to release her official debut album, beginning with her new single “Here We Go (Uh Oh).” “It’s the impossible mission to move on from this chapter, from this person, from this cycle,” Jones said about the charismatic and confident song in a press release.

4batz — U Made Me A St4r

Following viral moments thanks to the success of “Act II: Date @ 8,” Dallas singer 4batz is here with his debut project U Made Me A St4r. Through 10 songs and a feature from Kanye West, 4batz reflects on a past relationship with a woman who ultimately cheated on him and sparked the fire that made him the star he is today.

Audrey Nuna — “Jokes On Me”

If you needed proof about Audrey Nuna’s versatility, look no further than her new single “Jokes On Me.” The genre-bending record is a breezy and electronic track that Nuna says came about thanks to “being around people that I could feel vulnerable with.” She added, “It’s a song about going through ups and downs with someone to realize in the end that the irony is pointing right back at you.”

Felix Ames — Jena (Deluxe)

Six months after he released his debut project Jena, Milwaukee singer Felix Ames unveils its deluxe edition. Adding to the project’s original 12 songs, Ames gives fans a treat with three additional songs including the excellent “Mr. Weatherman.”

RINI — “Miracle”

Following last year’s UltraViolet EP, RINI is back in action with his new single “Miracle.” The track is a funky effort anchored by an infectious chorus and honest lyrics that make RINI a worthwhile listen.

Kenyon Dixon — “Still”

With The R&B You Love: From The ’99 And The 2000 and The R&B You Love Tour on the way, Kenyon Dixon arrives with a pep in his step thanks to “Still.” The upbeat and groovy record is dedicated to an ex that Dixon just can’t move on from. Attempts to replace her have failed over and over again, leading to Dixon accepting that the woman in question is “the one” for him.

PJ Morton — “Smoke And Mirrors”

Ahead of the release of Cape Town to Cairo next month, PJ Morton drops a third single from the upcoming 9-track project. “Smoke & Mirrors” arrives as a horn-heavy track that blends sounds known to Morton as well as the new ones he discovered during a 30-day trip to Africa, which inspired the entirety of Cape Town To Cairo. “I realized that perceptions usually depend on who is telling the story,” Morton said about the song. “This song is also inspired by my journey through the music industry.”

Fana Hues — “Paper Tigers”

Fans Hues season is now underway! The singer returned with “Paper Tigers,” a soaring track that puts Hues’ pristine and sharp artistry on display. “This song is about the discovery of a fresh love that’s so good, you have to scream about it,” Hues said about the song in a press release.

Eli Derby — “Run It Up”

The independent campaign continues for DMV singer Eli Derby with his new single “Run It Up.” The track follows “Her Type” which he released in February as his first single since leaving LVRN. The bouncy record is led by a thumping bass as Derby sings highly of himself, speaking of his success in music, with money, and with the ladies.

In recent years, the Disney cartoon Darkwing Duck has been the subject of much nostalgia, especially surrounding its admittedly jammin’ theme song. Well, fans might be looking for a remix from none other than R&B superstar Usher after his uber-dramatic Met Gala 2024 ensemble inspired comparisons to the titular character, along with a plethora of other similarly-garbed characters from across popular culture. Here’s a look at the Alexander McQueen fit, with featured Drake Mallard’s signature broad-brimmed hat and an actual cloak.

Among the comparisons Usher received were also the Phantom Of The Opera:

Tuxedo Mask from the anime Sailor Moon:

And pulp comics hero The Shadow (and the ’90s film quasi-ripoff, Darkman).

Earlier this year, Usher donned some similarly striking looks as he took the stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, somehow finding the time in the 15-minute set for multiple wardrobe changes, custom Air Jordan 4s, and some innocent canoodling with guest star Alicia Keys, who joined him onstage to sing their 2004 collaboration, “My Boo.”

Meanwhile, Usher wasn’t the only star to turn heads with his ensemble. Doja Cat put a whole new spin on the term “wet look” (topping her feline transformation from last year’s gala).

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock have been buds for years, and it’s nice to know that unlike their Lake House counterparts, they actually aren’t separated by time and space. They are just a normal pair of pals!

The two first worked together on the 1994 action flick Speed, which became a surprise hit. While the duo spent 90 percent of the movie looking at the road instead of each other, audiences were rooting for the pair.

“We had an affection,” Reeves said on the 50 MPH podcast this week. “And the characters themselves have an affection. I think Jack and Annie’s is different than Sandra’s and Keanu’s, but I think we played off each other and I think it was just fun. I think, also, we kind of trusted each other, right?” The costars both appeared on the podcast to commemorate the movie’s 30th anniversary.

When asked about teaming up with Bullock again, Reeves was enthusiastic. “I mean, you know — we’d freakin’ knock it out of the park,” he said, correctly.

Considering the infamous sequel, it doesn’t seem likely that Speed 3 (Sp33d?) will get made, but the two hope to work together again in the future. Bullock added, “Before I die, before I leave this planet, I do think that Keanu and I need to do something in front of the camera. Are we, you know, in wheelchairs or with walkers? Maybe. Are we on little scooters at Disneyland?”

Reeves is on board. “It does feel like there is a siren call to it, like there’s something that wasn’t done,” he said, before poetically adding, “I would love to work with you again before our eyes close.” The concept of Keanu Reeves dying is not one that should ever be brought up, but it’s nice that he is realistic about it.

For now, you can stream Speed on Hulu… or The Lake House for free on The Roku Channel.

(Via Variety)

There are varying levels of fame, and sometimes those of us who exist in the sports bubble can forget how many people out there have no idea who most athletes are. Game shows can provide a great glimpse into that world, as both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune can present reminders that there are limits to how famous many athletes are.

On Monday night, we got an example of that during an episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune puzzle that tried to get the three contestants to spell out Travis And Jason Kelce, only for the three celebrity contestants to have absolutely no clue who the football brothers were. The result was spinning until they literally got every letter (guessing a J, C, and K in order was, honestly, impressive) and then having to confusedly read off the name.

Maybe the funniest part is the pronunciation she went with is actually the correct pronunciation of Kelce, it’s just Travis and Jason’s dad never bothered to correct anyone on it for years. As for figuring out who they were, naturally, it clicked for one of them when they realized that was Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, but poor Jason was still not known to the panel beyond Pat Sajak.

Fontaines DC are favorites in their native Ireland, where their last album, 2022’s Skinty Fia, topped the charts. They’ve earned acclaim among North American audiences, too, and they have a treat for those fans later this year: Today (May 7), the group announced they’re going on a North American tour.

The run of shows lasts for a month, between late September and late November. The tour will bring them to some hot spots, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and more. Tickets are on sale now via the band’s website.

The tour is in support of the band’s upcoming album Romance, from which they shared the single “Starburster” last month.

Check out the group’s upcoming tour dates below.

Fontaines DC 2024 Tour Dates

09/20 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
09/21 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
09/22 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
09/24 — San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
09/26 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
09/27 — San Diego, CA @ SOMA
09/28 — Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
09/30 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
10/02 — Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
10/04 — Lawrence, KS @ The Granada
10/05 — Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
10/06 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
10/08 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
10/09 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
10/11 — Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
10/12 — Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
10/13 — Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
10/15 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
10/18 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/20 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore

Romance is out 8/23 via XL Recordings. Find more information here.

Are you watching Hacks? You should really be watching Hacks. The HBO comedy starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder just returned for a third season, and it’s as funny and sexy as ever. You know who is watching Hacks? Harry Styles. He’s such a fan that he apparently checks into hotels using the name of Smart’s showbiz legend character, Deborah Vance.

On Tuesday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Smart explained to host Drew Barrymore how she “found out that [Styles] was using Deborah Vance’s name to check into hotels as his alias.” The actress “saw there was a picture of him sitting next to his bodyguard and his bodyguard had the envelope with his keys and everything in it and it said, ‘D Vance,’ and he was on the 13th floor, and we found out indeed, he did use ‘D Vance’ to check into hotels.”

To be fair, “D. Vance” could be Dan Vance or Dalton Vance or Direction Vance (probably not that one). But Harry Styles has good taste in TV shows, so his appreciation for Hacks checks out. Also, “D. Vance” is a better fake name than “Oliver Sudden.” If I owned a hotel and someone tried to check in using the name Oliver Sudden, I would tell them to hit the road and try the Motel 6 down the street. I didn’t say I would be a good hotel owner.

You can watch a clip from the episode below.

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.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week, we got new music from Jessica Pratt, Rui Gabriel, Caroline Polachek, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Rui Gabriel – “Summertime Tiger”

In many cases, when you hear about a debut solo album from a beloved artist, it’s a key member of a legacy band wanting to “explore new sounds” or “find their own voice.” As one half of underground NOLA indie rockers Lawn, however, Rui Gabriel doesn’t succumb to such a hackneyed origin story. Much of Compassion, Gabriel’s solo debut out June 21, reckons with the volatility of youth and finding a place in the world. On “Summertime Tiger,” his recombinant, talky delivery evokes the matter-of-factness of Courtney Barnett and the narrative prowess of Kevin Morby. “Summertime Tiger” is an empathetic exploration of coming into one’s own during a time of financial strife.

L’Impératrice – “Love From The Other Side”

L’Impératrice’s strain of breezy indie-pop coincides with the large-scale Italo disco revival that has tinged the 2020s thus far, from Jessie Ware’s pivot to the dance floor to Sabrina Carpenter’s reign on the masses with “Espresso.” Cast in a hazy, fluorescent glow, the Parisian band’s nu-disco sounds wonderfully in (French) touch on the understatedly groovy “Love From The Other Side,” their first song in English. They’re in conversation with pop’s current milieu, but L’Impératrice sound like they’ve fortuitously struck gold rather than tirelessly sought it out.

Jessica Pratt – Here In The Pitch

Previous records from Jessica Pratt, like 2019’s Quiet Signs and 2015’s On Your Own Love Again, highlighted the Los Angeles musician’s gift for folk songs that are grounded and gauzy in equal measure. Here In The Pitch, her first album since Quiet Signs, doesn’t completely reinvent Pratt’s signature sound so much as expand it into new shapes. Here, she pulls from ‘60s girl groups and Brian Wilson-indebted studio wizardry, similar to what Cindy Lee achieved on the instant-classic Diamond Jubilee in late March. Here In The Pitch finds Pratt at her apotheosis, conjuring magic like an adept sorcerer.

Hana Vu – Romanticism

“All dark times, they have their end,” Hana Vu sings toward the end of “Dreams.” Coming slightly after the halfway mark of her second album, Romanticism, the Los Angeles indie rocker emits a spark of hope. That is, before she pivots back to darkness on “Find Me Under Wilted Trees,” where she invokes Tears for Fears’ famous opening couplet before turning it on its head: “Welcome to your life / It’s a big defeat.” Thus is the sentiment presiding over Romanticism. Much like the 18th-century artistic movement it derives its name from, Vu prizes introspection, seeking an understanding of the world around her through an investigation of the self.

Snarls – With Love,

Combining sugary pop-punk, ’90s indie rock, and heart-on-sleeve emo, the Columbus trio Snarls creates soaring paeans to love in its sundry forms. On their sophomore album, With Love,, they capture the central truths of romance on songs like the closing diptych “Ur Song / Lovers Of Valdaro” and the infectiously hooky “Heavy Drinker.” Recorded alongside former Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla at his secluded Norwegian studio, Snarls unearth the intricacies of human relationships, laying bare a foundation in all its messy, thrilling glory.

Mdou Moctar – Funeral For Justice

No one pulls off a guitar solo quite like Mdou Moctar. Real name Mahamadou Souleymane, the Tuareg guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader’s songs bemoan the cruelties of French and American colonialism with a fury as searing as the desert regions in his home country of Niger. His white-hot guitar solos convey this anger against geopolitical malfeasance as much as his words do, and backed by his bandmates, that emotion reaches a fever pitch. From his miasmic vocals that open “Tchinta” to drummer Souleymane Ibrahim’s intuitively flowing tempo that guides “Imouhar,” Mdou Moctar doesn’t program a funeral for justice so much as demand justice itself.

Blushing – Sugarcoat

Shoegaze these days can sound interchangeable. There’s such an abundance of it that, somehow, a subgenre built on enveloping soundscapes and noisy guitar effects has led to a lot of staid, uninspired music. Blushing doesn’t do that. Sugarcoat revives the sheer volume and rich textures that forebears like Ride and Drop Nineteens pioneered in the ’90s. The Austin four-piece, composed of couples Michelle and Jacob Soto and Christina and Noe Carmona, taps Ride’s very own Mark Gardener and Ringo Deathstarr’s Elliott Frazier for mixing, engineering, and mastering, and the end result is a contemporary shoegaze record that stands out among a trove of them. With the title track’s dirty, chorus-soaked bass riff and the kinetic drive of “Fizz,” Blushing doesn’t sugarcoat it: they’re one of the best bands leading the shoegaze renaissance.

City Of Caterpillar – “In The Tall Grass”

Screamo music owes a lot to the Richmond outfit City Of Caterpillar, whose eponymous 2002 debut gave rise to a then-underground scene. While the group remained firmly DIY and eventually disappeared entirely before resurfacing in 2022 with Mystic Sisters, their imprint is as significant as ever. They’re back with the one-off single, “In The Tall Grass,” which morphs from quiet, eerie arpeggiated guitars to a full-on, boisterous post-hardcore track.

Caroline Polachek – “Starburned And Unkissed”

I Saw The TV Glow, Jane Schoenbrun’s new film, is easily one of the best movies in recent memory. Its ensemble soundtrack deserves its own spotlight, as well. Caroline Polachek’s “Starburned And Unkissed,” co-produced with PC Music figurehead A.G. Cook, showcases Polachek’s indie-pop flair in a new light. She’s backed by a suite of shoegaze guitars, and its heaviness complements Polachek’s elastic vocals.

Illuminati Hotties – “Can’t Be Still”

Sarah Tudzin does not stop. From making her own, self-coined “tender punk” as Illuminati Hotties to mixing and engineering countless records, Tudzin refuses to be still. It’s only fitting then that she would name her latest single after her inability to stop and relax for a while. “Oh, got places I wanna go,” she sings in the anthemic chorus of “Can’t Be Still.” While she definitely needs to take a rest for her own sake, you can’t help but be excited for whatever it is that Illuminati Hotties may have on the horizon.