ReportWire

Tag: Lady Gaga

  • Lady Gaga Reveals Her Reaction to All the ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Hate

    Joker: Folie à Deux was one of the most divisive film releases of 2024—in a bad way. The reaction came in stark contrast to 2019’s Joker, which also polarized audiences but ultimately rode the wave of controversy to box-office glory, as well as Oscar glory, with Joaquin Phoenix winning Best Actor and the film itself scoring other top nominations, including Best Picture. Its unsatisfying musical sequel was met with critical and commercial disdain, though Lady Gaga’s performance was frequently mentioned as a rare bright spot.

    A year later, with a hit album and world tour currently taking up her time, and having put some distance between her and Joker: Folie à Deux, Lady Gaga—who also had a fun cameo in Wednesday‘s second season—looked back at the fiasco in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

    “I wasn’t, like, unfazed,” she said after being asked about all the Joker 2 hate. “It’s funny, I’m almost nervous to share my reaction. But the truth is, when it first started happening, I started laughing. Because it was just getting so unhinged … When it takes a while for something to kind of dissipate, that can be a little bit more painful. Only because I put a lot of myself into it.”

    She told Rolling Stone that she was able to draw on the “ton of negativity around Joker” and repurpose it as creative inspiration, saying she was “feeling artistically rebellious at the time.” The first single, “Disease,” and the resulting music video from her latest release, Mayhem, offered a seemingly cathartic experience.

    “I put so much of that energy into that video,” she explained. “I was in that place, you know, I was like, ‘I’ll show you who I am, and I’ll show you what this fight is like.’”

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Cheryl Eddy

    Source link

  • Grammys 2026 Nominations: The Biggest Snubs and Surprises

    Listen here. The 2026 Grammy nominations were announced Friday morning, marking honors for artists such as Lady Gaga—who surpassed her own nomination record this year by getting seven, including album of the year. Super Bowl 2026 halftime performer Bad Bunny did well, scoring six of his own; so did last year’s headliner, Kendrick Lamar, who scooped up nine. Sabrina Carpenter is standing tall with a half-dozen nods, including for album, record, and song of the year—all three of the night’s biggest awards.

    Sure, it’s an honor just to be nominated. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have strong opinions about those nominations, right?

    Vanity Fair’s staff of cultural experts erupted with opinions while taking in the nods this morning: There was jubilation for Addison Rae’s best new artist nod, and a raised eyebrow at the total exclusion of Lorde from the list. There was also confusion: what exactly is the difference between a contemporary country album and a traditional country album? And while we love Doechii’s “Anxiety,” doesn’t that song feel like it’s been around for tens of years—how is it still eligible for Grammys?

    No, we’re not inviting you into our Slack channel—members only! But below, find the VF staff’s hot (and correct) takes on the biggest snubs and surprises of the 2026 Grammy nominations.

    SNUB: Lorde Gets Shut Out

    Lorde is hardly a Grammy virgin, having won two awards for her debut song “Royals”. Since then, she’s had a complicated relationship with the Recording Academy. Her second album, Melodrama, was nominated for album of the year, but she was not asked to perform solo come Grammy night. Fans noticed, and that decision was swept up in the online discourse about how the Recording Academy treats female artists. Since then, Lorde has struggled to get recognition from the group. Her most recent album, Virgin, was seen as a return to form—and while it didn’t produce major hits like “Royals,” it felt in the same vein as Melodrama, an album with a loyal and dedicated fanbase that went on to become very influential in pop music. Sadly, Grammy voters weren’t feeling it for Lorde. She didn’t receive one nomination this morning, not even in the smaller categories. —John Ross

    SURPRISE: Addison Rae Is in for Best New Artist

    “Fame is a Gun,” and Addison Rae has it pointed at the best new artist category. Rae fell on, and then off, every prediction list for this award—but when the announcement was finally made, she clinched the nomination as pop music fans rejoiced. Though her album, Addison, was widely praised by critics, many thought the Grammy voters wouldn’t understand her brand of pop, and the many nods she makes to artists like Lana Del Rey and Britney Spears. Her origin story as a TikTok star, also didn’t help. But it turns out voters liked what she was doing. During the voting period, Rae happened to be on tour; she delivered solid live performances on The Tonight Show and at the Grammy museum, which could have put her over the top. Now please put your headphones on, and listen to one of the best pop albums of the year if you haven’t already. —JR

    SNUB: Elton John & Brandi Carlile’s “Who Believes in Angels?” in Album of the Year

    An album that was made in a factory for Grammy voters was surprisingly snubbed this morning—proof, perhaps, that as the Recording Academy expands its membership, some of these typical shoo-ins are going by the wayside. Elton John has never won album of the year, despite being nominated for the category three times, and the sentiment that he was owed another chance is why many expected his album with Brandi Carlile to be nominated. But this was a very crowded year in music, and unfortunately for Elton, the album never really took off. —JR

    SNUB: “DAISIES” Was Not “Clocking” to Voters

    Despite originating what Alex Warren deniers would call the song of the summer with “Daisies,” Justin Bieber got little love in the Grammys’ big three categories. His surprise R&B album SWAG came on the heels of Bieber’s infamous “standing on business” paparazzi video, offering prodigious instrumentation and an ode to the Rhode lip-gloss-carrier iPhone case—the makings of a great album. And though it was evidently great enough for album of the year, Bieber was blanked in record and song of the year. Maybe that snub is attributable to the subsequent release of his spotty (and shockingly long) SWAG II—evidence that sequels sometimes make things worse. —Abigail Sylvor Greenberg

    SURPRISE: Harlequin Squeaks into Best Traditional Pop Album

    Though it’s no surprise that Mayhem received its flowers on Grammy nomination day, I was a little worried that Gaga’s other most recent album would be left in the shadows of its highly panned companion film, Joker: Folie á Deux. The vocal performances on Harlequin are truly some of Gaga’s best work—including “Happy Mistake,” which I believe is one of her best songs to date. Now to rewatch her performance of “Happy Mistake” on Jimmy Kimmel to celebrate. —Brandon Leung

    SNUB: Jade in Best New Artist

    As a Mixer, I have been standing by this woman for 13 years—but the lack of recognition from this side of the pond has not gotten any easier to stomach. X Factor and Little Mix alum Jade Thirwall had one of the most impressive debuts I’ve seen in years: “Angel of My Dreams” is ambitious and unique.“Fantasy,” “Plastic Box,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “Self Sabotage,” “Lip Service”—the girl didn’t let us breathe! I have a huge respect for artists who fearlessly surrender themselves to their creativity and vision, and Jade is just that. Too bad the Grammys didn’t agree —BL

    SURPRISE: KATSEYE Gets a “Gnarly” Best New Artist Nod

    Demon hunters aren’t the only rising stars in the K-pop space. KATSEYE, the K-pop girl group whose formation was captured on the Netflix reality competition series Pop Star Academy, scored a surprise nomination for best new artist this year. Last summer, the world watched as Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Yoonchae, Daniela Avanzini, Megan Skiendiel, and Sophia Laforteza survived a rigorous multi-year audition process before being hand-selected to form the world’s first global K-Pop group. Since their debut, KATSEYE has been steadily rising, with a viral dance for their first single “Touch” taking TikTok by storm and Gap shrewdly hiring the diverse girl group to pose for a jean ad shortly after Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle debacle. The momentum was clear when KATSEYE pulled off an unexpected win for Push Performance of the Year (whatever that is) at the VMAs in 2025. Still, a best new artist Grammy nod didn’t seem like a sure bet, given their humble reality television beginnings and the fact that other fresh-faced solo pop acts like Olivia Dean and Addison Rae seemed to dominate the discourse this year. But through a combination of talent, hard work, and certified bops, KATSEYE was able to convince the music industry to take them seriously. That’s “Gnarly.” — Chris Murphy

    SURPRISE: PinkPantheress Breaks Through

    Once, it was just her and her permanently shouldered purse against the world. Now PinkPantheress has finally scored her first-ever Grammy nominations: Illegal is up for best dance pop recording, and her mixtape Fancy That was nominated for best dance/electronic album. It’s a huge day for both her and Stateside addicts—her track, now remixed with Zara Larsson (also a long overdue nomination this round), lands just as both artists are catching a fresh lease on U.S. recognition and TikTok obsession. DJ Joe, The Dare to PinkPanthress’s Charli XCX—or maybe the tartan-clad Ryan Evans to her Sharpay, whatever your prerogative—also deserves credit for the Fancy That era that makes her latest work impossible to ignore. (Somehow, best new artist still passed her by—but we’ll take a win when we get one.) —Wengel Gemu

    SNUB: A Big X for BigXThaPlug

    In a lineage of outlaw country artists that includes Lil Nas X (2020), Jelly Roll (2024), and Shaboozey (2025), the Academy seemed primed to recognize yet another crossover country act this year: BigXThaPlug, the Texas rapper whose 2025 album I Hope You’re Happy won hearts, minds, and a place on the Billboard country charts. Indeed, the newly created best contemporary country album prize (which I’m inclined to nickname the Cowboy Carter Memorial Award) seemed designed with BigX in mind. But perhaps BigX proved a bridge too far for the Nashville voting block, because he didn’t make it onto the list. BigX also appeared on many best new artist prediction lists—but a roster of TikTok hitmakers (Olivia Dean, Lola Young) left no room for music’s favorite hip hop upstart turned Ella Langley collaborator. In fact, there was no room at all for rap or country in best new artist this year, and a total shutout of country in the show’s main prizes The Shaboozification of pop is over, it seems—at least for Grammy voters. —ASG

    SNUB: Best New Artist Nominations Run Out For Role Model

    Over the course of the last year, Role Model has convinced everyone from Charli xcx and Olivia Rodrigo to Natalie Portman and Kate Hudson to join him onstage while performing his viral, joy-infused hit, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out.” But the extremely online singer/songwriter, whose name is actually Tucker Pillsbury, couldn’t charm his way into the highly sought after best new artist category this year. My guess is that the Recording Academy favored new kid on the rock block Sombr in place of Pillsbury’s more folk inspired pop-rock. Which is a huge bummer, considering Pillsbury—who released his first EP in 2017—really came into his own with his heartfelt breakup album Kansas Anymore, after making the risky leap from Soundcloud rapper to the mainstream. Don’t cry for Role Model: He has a role in Lena Dunham‘s upcoming rom-com, and a focus firmly on his next album. As he told Vanity Fair last year on the eve of his album release, “I’m happy with the music I’ve made and where my career is at. I feel like this is my happy ending—finally.” That said, I will be keeping an eye on Pillsbury’s cheeky “enemies list” on Instagram—because the Recording Academy might have just earned itself a spot on it. —Daniela Tijerina

    SNUB: No Flipping Nominations for Benson Boone

    The ubiquity of a pop song does not always translate into a Grammy nomination, much to my surprise, specifically with the case of Benson Boone’s “Mystical Magical.” We, as a people, have been inundated with this record on almost every platform possible, from Midwestern GRWMs and spoofs on TikTok to Spotify’s suspicious habit of repeatedly queuing this song after Radiohead. Because of this virtual inescapability, I had assumed Boone’s song would be nominated for either song or record of the year. I am happy to be wrong, though I fear the era of “moonbeam ice cream” is not yet over: there is still a chance that the Recording Academy could wheel out Benson Boone for a surprise performance at the Grammys, where he backflips continuously to this song. My guess is that I was not the only one for whom this ice cream flavor has run dry. —Wisdom Iheanyichukwu

    SURPRISE: What Does “Traditional” and “Contemporary” Country Even Mean?

    Over the last few years, country music’s long-running war between cowboys and city slickers reached new levels of intensity, as Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan became megastars while Beyoncé and Post Malone entered the genre. This divide led to some upsets during awards ceremonies, and even Beyoncé was memorably surprised when she took home the country trophy last year. For the 2026 Grammys, a new split between “traditional country” and “contemporary country” was meant to address some hurt feelings—but though they may have made sense in theory, the biggest surprise is that these new categories are incredibly arbitrary in practice.

    Wallen and Bryan both declined to submit their most recent albums for Grammy eligibility, and no further pop stars made an entry into the genre. So the divide is mainly one of vibes. Willie Nelson and his son Lukas Nelson are both on the traditional side. So is their friend and acolyte Margo Price. Considering their attitudes towards major-label Nashville, that all makes sense. Kelsea Ballerini and Eric Church wound up in a logical place on the contemporary side, too. But it’s hard to see how Tyler Childers is considered contemporary when similarly twangy artists Zach Top and Charley Crockett are not. And every Miranda Lambert album focuses on blowing up the binary between traditional and pop country, so either outcome wouldn’t feel quite right for her. In the end, there’s not a bad album in this bunch—even Jelly Roll’s occasionally baffling country-rap extravaganza Beautifully Broken is worth a listen—so I suppose I can be satisfied knowing that there will be two big country moments on stage during this February’s show. —Erin Vanderhoof

    SURPRISE: Knocking on EGOT’s Door

    How about that: Timothée Chalamet just earned his first Grammy nomination for the music of A Complete Unknown. The actor’s rise to the Grammys has been fated ever since that viral “Statistics” video where he first showcased his musical prowess. As a big fan of Bob Dylan, I was very excited for the Dylan Disease (no one calls it that) to take over a new generation thanks to Chalamet’s amazing portrayal of him in the film. Now I implore the Recording Academy, on behalf of all fans of Muad’Dib, to do what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has failed to do and make sure Chalamet does not go home empty-handed that night. When Vogue recently asked if Chalamet would ever return to television, he responded with a simple “No.” That said, an EGOT could still be in his future if Emmy voters agree to revisit his 2012 stint in Homeland and reward him with a retroactive award. (They do that, right?) —WI

    Wengel Gemu, Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Brandon Leung, Chris Murphy, John Ross, Abigail Sylvor Greenberg, Daniela Tijerina, Erin Vanderhoof, Kase Wickman

    Source link

  • What’s Trending On TikTok This Week: Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Olivia Dean, & More!

    It’s October 31, 2025 (Happy Halloween!), and this week on TikTok, trending audios are continuing to be led by our favorite showgirl, Taylor Swift, with old 2000s hits following close behind. We’ve been spending this week learning new dances and forcing our besties to film Halloween trends at our local pumpkin patch.

    Here are the viral trending TikTok audios we’ve been obsessed with this week.

    ‘Telephone’ By Lady Gaga

    Sorry, we cannot hear you, we’re kinda busy scrolling on TikTok! Whenever Lady Gaga‘s music comes back around on our FYPs, we can’t help but cheer. Our phone has been getting a little dry lately, and ‘Telephone’ is defintely bringing the excitement that we’ve been needing back. If you love to strut in a cute going-out outfit, this trend is for you. Grab your besties on a Friday night out, pull the best look you’ve got in your closet, and strut down the street to ‘Telephone!’

    ​​TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LADY GAGA:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    ‘Beez In The Trap’ By Nicki Minaj

    2000s female rap never dies! Our favorite moment was when the Jonas Brothers and Khalid linked up this week in Orlando to film this trend. A collaboration we never saw coming! All our favorite duos on the internet are linking up to participate in this fun trend featuring Nicki Minaj’s ‘Beez In The Trap’ and 4 Non Blondes’ ‘What’s Up’—who would have seen this remix coming!?

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NICKI MINAJ:
    FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    ‘Nobody’s Son’ By Sabrina Carpenter

    Sabrina Carpenter on our FYP? What’s new? Ever since Man’s Best Friend was released, our girl Sabrina has been ruling every trend on TikTok. ‘Nobody’s Son’ has been resurfacing again, and we’re totally here for it. With this trend, fans are calling out their exes while looking gorgeous doing it.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SABRINA CARPENTER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | KOMI | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    ‘Mimosa 2000’ By Furacão 2000

    Who thought this Brazilian song would be popular on TikTok? Not us, but we’re definitely here for this new trending sound. We want more of this party sound on our FYP in the future! Find this song in your feed with people dancing and just having a great time overall. Join in on the fun, why don’t you!?

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FURACAO 200:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    ‘This Will Be (Everlasting Love)’ By Natalie Cole

    Every fall season, ‘This Will Be (Everlasting Love)’ comes back around. This song is simply timeless, and we will never grow tired of it. Head to your nearest cafe dressed head to toe in your best fall fit, arm in arm with your lover. Make a cute little video and post to TikTok using this sound. This will certainly be “an everlasting love” this fall season!

    ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’ By Olivia Dean

    We can’t get enough of Olivia Dean. Her new album, The Art of Loving, has been making everyone on the internet fall in love with her and her dreamy sound. We’ve been loving all the support ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’ has been getting on our FYP. Olivia is currently on tour with Sabrina Carpenter—go support our girl and get tickets! While you’re on the barricade, make sure you make a TikTok with this Olivia Dean song.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OLIVIA DEAN:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    That’s a wrap on this week’s trending TikTok audios! Have you participated in any of these trends? If you do, make sure you tag us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

    Find more trending music news here, honeybee!

    Alana

    Source link

  • Mariah Carey Unwraps Annual ‘It’s Time!’ Christmas Announcement

    Instagram

    Queen of Christmas Mariah Carey has made her annual, iconic “it’s tiiiime!” announcement — and this time, she had a little help.

    On Saturday, Carey unwrapped an announcement video in conjunction with Sephora in which Santa Carey is interrupted from spreading Christmas joy by a thieving elf.

    Played by Billy Eichner, the elf has nabbed some of her Sephora, but Mariah isn’t having it. In spite of his complaints, she sings “it’s tiiiime!” and the games begin.

    Carey’s spot makes extensive use of AI to show her in her sleigh over NYC.

    Watch the whole spot here!

    Carey has claimed the moniker Queen of Christmas ever since releasing her first Christmas album in 1994, with its single “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

    Since then, the song has re-entered the Billboard charts seasonally. The first time it hit no. 1 was in 2019, and it has hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 every year since, generating an estimated $100 million in revenues for Carey and the song’s co-writer and co-producer, Walter Afansieff.

    extratv.com

    Source link

  • Lady Gaga Shows Support for Alix Earle on ‘Dancing With the Stars’: ‘I’m Rooting for You’ and ‘I Love You’

    Alix Earle has earned a stamp of approval from Lady Gaga for her performance on “Dancing With the Stars.”

    After Earle posted clips of her Halloween costume — a nod to Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” music video from 2009 — to her TikTok, Gaga showed her love for the 24 year-old influencer and entertainer in the comments.

    “Girl I love you,” Gaga wrote in her response to the TikTok video. “And I’m rooting for you on DWTS! Thank you for this it’s so sweet.”

    Earle also referenced Lady Gaga during her performance alongside partner Val Chmerkovskiy on this week’s “Halloween Night” episode on Oct. 28. The pair danced a tango to Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend,” while the introduction featured the duo rising from a pit of dirt, similar to Gaga’s “skeleton pit” from her “The Mayhem Ball” tour. Gaga utilizes the prop while singing “Perfect Celebrity.”

    Earle has often referred to Gaga as her favorite singer — and it seems Earle is a favorite of Gaga’s on the 34th season of the ABC show. On Friday it was revealed the “Halloween Night” episode averaged 6.74 million total viewers. That’s another season high, the network reports, and the sixth straight week “DWTS” has been up since its season premiere.

    The “Halloween Night” episode was up 2% from the previous week (6.63 million on Oct. 21) and rose despite airing opposite World Series Game 4 on Fox.

    Thania Garcia

    Source link

  • Pick A Tarot Card & We’ll Give You A Pop Culture Halloween Costume

    Halloween is quickly approaching! We took a look into your future to see which pop culture Halloween costume you should wear for Halloween this year. Spoiler alert: you looked incredible. 

    Start off by picking a tarot card and we’ll read into your future.
    Credit: J.W Donley

    Card #1: Five of Cups

    Scooby-Doo! Gang

    You will keep it classy with the Scooby-Doo gang. Any character from the Scooby-Doo gang is the perfect Halloween costume for a solo party goer, or you can grab up to four of your best friends to make up the whole mystery-solving gang! This one is timeless and will surely be recognizable as you step into the party. Each character can be easily made at home or thrifted, using solid long and short sleeve shirts and a few iconic scarves if you choose to go as Daphne or Fred. In your future, we see you stepping up your costume game even more by bringing a magnifying glass as a prop. This will let it be known that you will find all of the hidden clues by the end of the night! 

    Card #2: Queen Of Pentacles

    Legally Blonde’s Bunny Costume

    We see you becoming the ultimate combination of sexy and smart by borrowing Elle Woods’ costume from the cult classic Legally Blonde. Elle Woods is just that girl; it simply will not be a Halloween party without one in attendance. Lucky for you, we saw in your future that you had everyone’s head turn with how great you looked in this outfit. Bonus points if you DIY this one! What? Like it’s hard? Grab a pair of pink tights, a pink corset, hot glue, feathers, and your favorite pair of pink heels. Don’t have the DIY gene? Here is the perfect premade costume that will still make everyone’s heads turn.

    Card #3: The Lovers

    Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars

    This one is fun, and will show everyone that you have far more superior music taste than everyone else at the party. You will become the chart-topping duo, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, from their iconic ‘Die With A Smile’ music video. Lady Gaga had the entire world gobsmacked with her carefree and iconic dancing in the ‘Die With A Smile’ music video. Now it’s your turn to do the same. Bring your partner or your bff, either way, this 70s-inspired look is perfect for any music-loving fan.

    Card #4: The Fool

    Jersey Shore

    Get crazy, get loud! We see you fist-bumping onto the scene as the whole ‘Jersey Shore’ gang! There’s never anything wrong with going solo; you can also choose to go as your favorite individual partygoer from the bunch. You will surely stand out on the dance floor with this fierce look by channeling your 2010 New Jersey fantasy. Start by teasing your hair big and bringing out your favorite animal print. As for makeup, you can’t forget to put on extra smokey eyeshadow. This is also your chance to finally put that old, bizarrely orange foundation to good use without any judgment. That’s what Halloween is all about! You’re just embracing the 2010s tan look.

    Card #5: Death

    Sabrina Carpenter and Jenna Ortega

    Get a taste of these two ‘Short n’ Sweet’ stars. In your future, we see you bringing out the dramatics of Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Taste’ music video starring Jenna Ortega. You’ll surely make an unforgettable appearance as the stylish yet gruesome duo! For Sabrina, all you’ll need is a gingham square-neck corset, capris, and fake blood. It’s all about the details. Level up your costume with a silver heart necklace, which will bring out the sweetness of this look. As for Jenna, keep it simple with a form-fitting black dress and heels. Bonus points if you find a safe prop chainsaw to bring along with you for the night. You can never take it too far on Halloween!

    Card #6: Three Of Wands

    Mr. Fantasy 

    If you haven’t already stumbled across KJ Appa’s eccentric alter ego on TikTok —Mr. Fantasy, where have you been? We see you becoming the talk of the night by going as this hilarious and unforgettable icon. Grab a pair of these American flag printed flare jeans and a white tank top, and you’re almost done. The beauty of this costume is that cheap wigs are encouraged; that’s all a part of Mr. Fantasy’s appeal. Stop by your local Spirit Halloween and pick up the cheapest black bob wig you can find, along with a pair of fake teeth. That’s all you’ll need!

    Snap pics of your Halloween costume this season and share them with us over on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We know you’ll look fabulous!

    Dive into more of our seasonal favorites here!

    Trinity Dixon

    Source link

  • 4 Halloween Pumpkin Ideas Inspired By 2025 Albums

    October is upon us, thus we can confidently say – it’s officially spooky season! Although we’ve been thinking about Halloween all year long, we’ve especially been pondering our pumpkin carving ideas. Thinking about the best way to incorporate your favorite album into your Halloween celebrations this year, like us? We suggest bringing your favorite artist’s 2025 album to life during your annual pumpkin-carving extravaganza. From our pop prince Justin Bieber to our pop princess Reneé Rapp – we’ve got a full list of ideas, honeybee!

    Justin Bieber’s SWAG

    ‘It’s Not Clocking To You’ would be the funniest, most iconic pumpkin in the neighborhood. If you get it, you get it. You could even take it a step further and paint your pumpkin pink in honor of SWAG II’s album cover. Any Belieber will immediately understand the reference and come to your doorstep first on Halloween night!

    Image Source: Courtesy of DefJam Recordings

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JUSTIN BIEBER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    Jonas Brothers’ Greetings From Your Hometown

    Make your pumpkin a tribute to your hometown! From carving the Statue of Liberty for New York to the English flag for London or a set of angel wings for Los Angeles, the options here are truly endless. Bonus points if you live in Nick, Joe, and Kevin’s home state of New Jersey.

    Pumpkin ideas inspired by Greetings from your Hometown
    Image Source: Courtesy of Umusic

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JONAS BROTHERS:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM

    Lady Gaga needs to be part of your Halloween festivities this year, no questions asked. She’s had an exceptional year of new music, festival headlines, and a sold-out tour. The spookiest time of year has MAYHEM’s name written all over it. You could go for a ‘Zombieboy’ vibe or keep it cute with a reference to ‘Garden of Eden.’ The choice is up to you! Either way, Lady Gaga herself would be proud.

    Image Source: Courtesy of Umusic

    ​​TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LADY GAGA:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | WEBSITE

    Reneé Rapp’s MAD

    Not in the Halloween spirit this year? Don’t want little kids coming up to your front door begging for Kit-Kats and M&Ms? Carve your pumpkin with Reneé Rapp’s “Leave Me Alone!” and it’ll be sure to scare off any suspecting candy-seekers. You can also spend the whole night alone in the comfort of your own kid-free space, watching Mean Girls – duh!

    Image Source: Courtesy of Interscope

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RENEÉ RAPP:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    Which of these four pumpkin designs are you going to carve this year? Did we shout out your favorite album of 2025? Let us know in the comments or let us know by buzzing with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram!

    Want even more Halloween-inspired content? See what we’ve got, honeybees!

    Alana

    Source link

  • Lady Gaga extends Mayhem Ball tour, includes two Phoenix shows in February

    The Mother Monster added new dates to her Mayhem Ball tour, and Phoenix gets not one, but two nights. The iconic pop star is scheduled to appear at Desert Diamond Arena on February 14 and 15, 2026…

    Amy Young

    Source link

  • Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga win big at the VMAs. See highlights from the awards show.

    Ariana Grande took home the night’s top honor, Video of the Year. Lady Gaga won Artist of the Year, beating out Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Meanwhile, Ricky Martin sang a medley of his songs while Sabrina Carpenter performed her newest hit, “Tears.”

    Source link

  • Apart from Sabrina Carpenter, the 2025 VMAs Keeps It Pretty Tame (and Straight)

    Perhaps it was only right that Doja Cat should kick off the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards with a performance of her lead single from Vie, “Jealous Type.” Not just because it throws shade at the notion of how artists get so competitive with one another at these sorts of award shows, but because, with her “new” sound embodying the sonic landscape of the 80s, it’s in keeping with the identity of the erstwhile “cable” network that was born at the dawn of said decade. A channel that changed the entire industry forever in that it made musicians fully grasp that their music was in need of a visual just as memorable (and/or “iconic”) as the song itself.

    To further heighten the overall “80s-ness” of her performance, Doja Cat appeared amidst the kind of set design that can best be described as something out of Patrick Nagel’s wet dreams. And then, of course, there was her decision to tap Kenny G as the person to perform the opening saxophone solo of the track (though, obviously, no saxophone solo will ever hold a candle to the one in “Careless Whisper”). She was also certain to evoke more than slight hints of Janet Jackson in the musical dance break toward the middle of her performance, which was rounded out with a keytar player that looked like a former member of Jem and the Holograms. All of which is to say that there’s definitely a reason the word “nostalgia” was used to describe the ceremony. Since, of late, that’s what MTV has been coasting/banking on in terms of staying afloat. This clearly being part of the reason that, for the first time, the ceremony was also aired on CBS, a network not exactly known for appealing to “youths.”

    In this sense, it’s as though MTV has decided to pander to the Gen Z view of their network as something dated, out of touch and generally “dinosaur-y” (a reality that still seems unfathomable when considering how “edgy” it once used to be). And yet, a great many of the musicians that dominate TikTok were in attendance, including Doja, Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter, Sombr and Conan Gray. However, those considered of the “older” generations now, including Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga also took precedence in terms of their performances.

    As for Mariah, who received the Video Vanguard Award this year (marking her first Moonman ever), her medley touched on “Sugar Sweet,” “Fantasy,” “Honey,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed,” “It’s Like That” (interpolated with “Dangerous Type”) and “We Belong Together” (complete with a violin-playing ensemble behind her). And even her alter ego, “Bianca,” made a little cameo onstage. Her first appearance being in the “Heartbreaker” video as “the other woman” that Mariah catches Jerry O’Connell with at the movie theater. Alas, the homage to her greatest hits was more than slightly flaccid, especially since, after Carey’s appearance, she was quickly outshined by the greater dynamism of a live broadcast of Lady Gaga’s performance of “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance” from her Mayhem Ball show at Madison Square Garden. This (the fact that Gaga didn’t actually perform at the VMAs venue), however, further proving, in some sense, that the awards show was mostly phoning it in.

    What’s more, Gaga didn’t have a very queer performance, at least not in a “hit you over the head” kind of way. Nor did she have a very sexual one. Even so, there were errant moments of “spiciness.” Namely, when it came to Tate McRae dancing to her hits, “Revolving Door” and “Sportscar,” with her coterie of muscular male backup dancers starting out as “statues” on platforms before jumping in to join her for “Sportscar” and, then, to quite literally play in the same sandbox as her.

    Then, of course, there was Sabrina Carpenter, who, in the absence of both Madonna and Chappell Roan, appeared to take up the mantle for showcasing queerness onstage thanks to her rendition of “Tears.” That queer and trans advocacy being on-brand for the accompanying The Rocky Horror Picture Show-themed video. Throwing it back to late 70s-era New York vibes (since, again, most of the musicians at the VMAs are relying on already overdone sound tropes of the past for their “current” selection of music), Carpenter emerges from a sewer next to a trash bag as drag queens gather ‘round to have a kiki. Toward the end of the performance, there’s a bit of an “It’s Raining Men”-meets-Flashdance-meets Britney singing “…Baby One More Time” during the Dream Within a Dream Tour (and Carpenter is no stranger to imitating her at the VMAs either) moment when water begins raining down on Carpenter and the stripper-looking cops dancing next to her. The queer folk parading around the stage with protest signs that offer such insights as, “If you hate you’ll never get laid,” “Protect Trans Rights” and “Dolls Dolls Dolls” reminded the audience that, with the current administration in office, these are messages well worth reiterating. Particularly before the boot comes down completely, and all such forms of free speech are suppressed.

    Swinging the pendulum back toward straightness, Sombr, who comes off like a mash-up of Benson Boone (sonically and visually) and Austin Butler (just visually), also did his quote unquote best to “sex it up,” albeit with a very straight male perspective as requisite “hot girls” danced around him while he sang “12 to 12.” This after commencing the performance with “Back to Friends.” His only other “male competition” (in the same age bracket, that is) was Conan Gray, who served as this year’s dose of Kate Bush-meets-Chappell Roan with his romantic performance of “Vodka Cranberry.”

    As for the big winners of the night, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, all three played up their gratitude and appreciation for the fans (this being the go-to for the VMAs, whereas “God” is usually for the Grammys). And yet, one wonders anymore who MTV thinks that demographic includes. For, the older the network gets, it doesn’t appear to matter if they have the “newest” (ergo, youngest) acts onstage. Because, more and more, MTV is playing it as safe as possible—this extending to a kind of “sexlessness” and general lack of controversy compared to years past.

    It’s also saying something that the tameness of the show comes at a time when Paramount (a.k.a. MTV’s “parent” company) is accused of cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ultimately, because of an Orange One-related vendetta. Perhaps prompting MTV to keep its content less “offensive” to certain (political) parties, while also trying to keep appealing to the generations it started out with: X and millennial. In other words, the generations that can even still remember what a marvel it was to have cable.

    Genna Rivieccio

    Source link

  • Living (Dead) Doll: Lady Gaga’s “The Dead Dance” Video

    Lady Gaga’s relationship to Wednesday has, by now, been well-established, with “Bloody Mary” being far more associated with Wednesday Addams’ (Jenna Ortega) signature dance scene than the actual song that was chosen for it, The Cramps’ “Goo Goo Muck.” The dance in question happened toward the end of the fourth episode in the first season, “Woe What a Night” (which might as well now be called “Marry the Night”). And as Wednesday pays homage to Lisa Loring’s disjointed moves in the OG The Addams Family series (specifically, in the episode titled “Lurch’s Grand Romance”), the song that now automatically enters people’s minds (thanks to the scourge that is TikTok) is the “sped-up” version of “Bloody Mary.”

    So it was that Gaga’s association with the Universe Addams became sealed—which is exactly why she was asked about using one of her songs for a certain scene in the second season (namely, when Enid Sinclair [Emma Myers] is performing her “solo” at the gala in “Woe Me the Money”). However, Gaga did Tim Burton one better by deciding to tailor an original composition for the show. As she told Tudum (Netflix’s website for further deep dives into its original series and films),

    “I immediately had a song in mind called ‘The Dead Dance,’ and I had started working on it. But once I knew it was going to be for Wednesday, I decided that I was going to work on it even more and I made it extra special for the show. To me, when you know that music and pop culture and Tim Burton all come together with this cast, that’s a very special recipe. So that’s why I’m here. After that happened, they asked me if I wanted to be on the show, and I said, ‘Absolutely.’”

    That role she secured being Rosaline Rotwood, a now-dead former teacher at Nevermore who ends up being responsible for the Freaky Friday plotline between Wednesday and Enid in episode six of season two, “Woe Thyself.” And so, there you have it: TikTok made all this happen with the viral use of “Bloody Mary.” Indeed, in an alternate universe, wherein “Bloody Mary” actually had a music video made for it, it would probably look a lot like the aesthetic presented in “The Dead Dance,” directed (in black and white, Ed Wood-style) by none other than Tim Burton himself. As such, it’s got all the hallmarks of a Burton movie, complete with creepy dolls—and Gaga playing the “lead doll,” if you will (perhaps, in her own subtle way, playing into the current trans-protective mantra, “Protect the Dolls”). Naturally, there’s no better location for all of this than the infamous La Isla de las Muñecas (The Island of the Dolls) in Mexico City.

    With opening notes that recall the tune of “Dance in the Dark,” Gaga the living (dead) doll slowly comes to life, exhibiting the sort of bodily movements that recall Ian Curtis having an epilepsy attack. Her erratic movements cease as she begins to sing the opening verse, “Like the words of a song, I hear you call.” Her shaking then persists (something in the hand movements reminding one of Edward Scissorhands) as she adds, “Like a thief in my head, you criminal/You stole my thoughts before I dreamed them/And you killed my queen with just one pawn.” With these lines, it’s as though Gaga tailoring the single to Wednesday is already apparent in the ostensible allusion to how Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), who turned out to be a Hyde controlled by Nevermore teacher Ms. Thornhill (Christina Ricci, whose appearance is another meta nod to a previous iteration of Wednesday Addams), did Wednesday wrong. “Making” her fall in love with him despite knowing full well he is a hideous monster inside. Though, to be fair, the Wednesday that most people know and hate would never deign to fall in love (so saccharine and cliché as it is).

    In any event, as Gaga’s range of motion starts to escalate in the video, she begins to prance around in other parts of the wooded area she’s in—a graveyard, as it were (or so they say…though there seems to be no sign of a gravestone anywhere). The other dolls, too, appear to reveal errant signs of life, usually through an arbitrary eyelid flutter or, more eerily still, a slight smile. The lyrics then continue to speak to the unique form of heartbreak Wednesday experienced as Gaga takes it to the chorus, “Yeah, I’ll keep on dancin’ until I’m dead/I’ll dance until I’m dead/‘Cause when you killed me inside, that’s when I came alive/Yeah, the music’s gonna bring mе back from death/I’m dancin’ until I’m dead/I’ll dancе until I’m dead.”

    In Wednesday’s case, the only music that’s bringing her back from death is the distinctive picks she plays on her cello. All while ruing the day she ever let Tyler/a Hyde’s tongue into her mouth. Indeed, right after being the one to kiss him (also very un-Wednesday-like behavior), she has the premonition that leads her to finally understand that he’s been the one who’s been behind the murders all along (not, as she originally thought, Xavier Thorpe [Percy Hynes White]). So it is that she runs away from him and comments to herself, “Of course the first boy I kiss would turn out to be a psychotic, serial killing monster.”

    As for Gaga, the only place she keeps running is to the makeshift dance floor she’s created in the woodsy “island,” with four live people—not dolls—suddenly serving as her backup dancers while she performs some choreo that is decidedly “Vogue”-inspired (but then, Gaga is no stranger to grafting elements of Madonna’s oeuvre, whether intentional or not). Even her hair and ensemble, for as “staid Victorian” as it’s meant to be, has echoes of Madonna’s eighteenth-century look at the 1990 VMAs (while performing, what else, “Vogue”). Though, naturally, most will see only the “nod” to Michael Jackson in the “Thriller” video (on a side note: it’s also very Madonna to freely pay homage to Jackson without thinking about what that means in terms of continuing to deify someone who was a probable pedo).

    Around the three-minute-twenty-second mark, the video gets a suffusion of color, almost as if Enid Sinclair decided to weigh in during the edit, insisting that it was all too dreary (and also, why not add in some more shots of the moon?). Though, of course, any dreariness in visuals is belied by the danceable backing music, co-produced by Gaga, Cirkut and Watt (both of whom co-produced much of Mayhem). The sort of music, in short, that Wednesday would detest, billing it as the kind of thing that only “a trend-chasing, rainbow-loving social media addict whose tastes in clothes and music are a heinous assault on culture” would enjoy.

    That said, it wouldn’t surprise anyone at this point to see Wednesday “vibing” to it at yet another Nevermore school dance. For this is a different kind of Wednesday—a more maudlin kind under Burton’s, and now Gaga’s, influence.

    Genna Rivieccio

    Source link

  • Lady Gaga will perform during the MTV Video Music Awards. Here’s everything to know about the show

    Lady Gaga is extending her dominance of this year’s MTV Video Music Awards and has been added as a performer, show organizers announced Saturday.Related video above: A flight delay, a jazz band and a viral momentThe Grammy-award winning musician leads this year’s VMA nominations with 12 nods, including artist of the year and best album for “Mayhem,” which was released earlier this year.Gaga has a long-standing history with the VMAs, with 57 total nominations throughout her career. Mother Monster, as she’s known, last took the stage in 2020, singing various hits from her album, “Chromatica,” including a performance of “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande.She joins a slate of other seasoned VMAs performers confirmed for this year’s roster, including Doja Cat, who will give the first ever televised performance of her new single “Jealous Type.” Jelly Roll will also perform and is competing for the first time in four categories. Post Malone, a six-time VMA winner, is also set to take the stage.Pop singers Conan Gray and Tate McRae will each make their performance debut on the VMAs stage next month.Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s MTV VMAs.New awards honor Latin and Rap artistsThis year’s MTV Video Music Awards is shaking things up, handing out two new awards to decorated artists in the rap and Latin music genres.Rapper Busta Rhymes will receive the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin will be honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award.The Rock the Bells Visionary Award celebrates the hip-hop star’s “boundary-breaking cultural impact and an indomitable musical career,” the announcement read. Rhymes, who has taken the VMAs stage various times since his first performance in 1997, will also perform during the ceremony.Martin, whose long VMAs history began with his first performance in 1999, will also perform and be honored for a “four-decade career that launched Latin music and culture into the mainstream,” according to the announcement.Who is performing at the VMAs?Gaga joins a growing list of confirmed performers for this year’s VMAs, including Gray, McRae, Jelly Roll, Doja Cat, Post Malone and more.Rhymes and Martin will both perform, as well as a slew of other artists, including Alex Warren, J Balvin, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr.Warren, who’s nominated for best new artist, best pop and song of the year, will take the VMA stage for the first time, performing his breakout hit, “Ordinary.” Newcomer sombr, a singer-songwriter and producer, will also be making his award show debut.Balvin will perform “Zun Zun” with Latin singers Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, and “Noventa” with producer DJ Snake.Carpenter, who offered a debut performance at the VMAs last year, taking home song of the year, will return to perform “Manchild.”McRae is also up for four first-time nominations, including song of the year and best pop artist.When are the MTV Video Music Awards?The 2025 VMAs will air on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern, live from the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.Who will host the VMAs?LL Cool J has snagged wins, co-hosted and performed atop the MTV Video Music Awards stage. Now, the Grammy-winning rapper-actor-author is going solo to host the 2025 awards ceremony.He’s retaking the stage, this time without Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow, with whom he co-hosted in 2022.He’s also up for the best hip-hop award for his single “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem. The single is part of his most recent album, “THE FORCE,” which released in September and was his first album in 11 years.LL Cool J is a longtime champion of the VMAs, having won his first Moon Person in 1991. He became the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award, in 1997. He also performed in an all-star tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023 and a celebration for Def Jam Records’ 40th anniversary last year.Can I stream the VMAs?Yes, the show will be broadcast by CBS for the first time, and also simulcast on MTV and available for streaming on Paramount+ in the United States.Who’s nominated for the VMAs?Gaga is leading this year’s awards with 12 nominations, including artist of the year. The “Mayhem” singer was nearly tied with Bruno Mars, who has 11 nods. The pair’s duet, “Die with a Smile,” is up for four awards, including song of the year.Gaga’s plethora of nominations dethrones Taylor Swift, who held the top spot for two years. This time around, Swift received one artist of the year nomination. The two are accompanied by Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd in that category.Gaga and Mars are followed by Lamar with 10 nominations, ROSÉ and Carpenter with eight each, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd with seven each and Billie Eilish with six.Charli XCX also received love with five nominations for her “Brat” Summer success “Guess,” featuring Eilish.Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus and McRae have four nominations each.How can I vote for the VMAs?Fan voting across the 19 categories is live now on the VMAs website. Voting closes on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Eastern, except for the best new artist category, which will accept votes into the live show. The public can vote up to 10 times a day until voting closes.Who will receive the Video Vanguard Award?Mariah Carey will receive this year’s Video Vanguard Award.The award was given to Katy Perry last year. Previous recipients include Shakira, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Madonna.

    LOS ANGELES (AP) —

    Lady Gaga is extending her dominance of this year’s MTV Video Music Awards and has been added as a performer, show organizers announced Saturday.

    Related video above: A flight delay, a jazz band and a viral moment

    The Grammy-award winning musician leads this year’s VMA nominations with 12 nods, including artist of the year and best album for “Mayhem,” which was released earlier this year.

    Gaga has a long-standing history with the VMAs, with 57 total nominations throughout her career. Mother Monster, as she’s known, last took the stage in 2020, singing various hits from her album, “Chromatica,” including a performance of “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande.

    She joins a slate of other seasoned VMAs performers confirmed for this year’s roster, including Doja Cat, who will give the first ever televised performance of her new single “Jealous Type.” Jelly Roll will also perform and is competing for the first time in four categories. Post Malone, a six-time VMA winner, is also set to take the stage.

    Pop singers Conan Gray and Tate McRae will each make their performance debut on the VMAs stage next month.

    Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s MTV VMAs.

    New awards honor Latin and Rap artists

    This year’s MTV Video Music Awards is shaking things up, handing out two new awards to decorated artists in the rap and Latin music genres.

    Rapper Busta Rhymes will receive the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin will be honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award.

    The Rock the Bells Visionary Award celebrates the hip-hop star’s “boundary-breaking cultural impact and an indomitable musical career,” the announcement read. Rhymes, who has taken the VMAs stage various times since his first performance in 1997, will also perform during the ceremony.

    Martin, whose long VMAs history began with his first performance in 1999, will also perform and be honored for a “four-decade career that launched Latin music and culture into the mainstream,” according to the announcement.

    Who is performing at the VMAs?

    Gaga joins a growing list of confirmed performers for this year’s VMAs, including Gray, McRae, Jelly Roll, Doja Cat, Post Malone and more.

    Rhymes and Martin will both perform, as well as a slew of other artists, including Alex Warren, J Balvin, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr.

    Warren, who’s nominated for best new artist, best pop and song of the year, will take the VMA stage for the first time, performing his breakout hit, “Ordinary.” Newcomer sombr, a singer-songwriter and producer, will also be making his award show debut.

    Balvin will perform “Zun Zun” with Latin singers Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, and “Noventa” with producer DJ Snake.

    Carpenter, who offered a debut performance at the VMAs last year, taking home song of the year, will return to perform “Manchild.”

    McRae is also up for four first-time nominations, including song of the year and best pop artist.

    When are the MTV Video Music Awards?

    The 2025 VMAs will air on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern, live from the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.

    Who will host the VMAs?

    LL Cool J has snagged wins, co-hosted and performed atop the MTV Video Music Awards stage. Now, the Grammy-winning rapper-actor-author is going solo to host the 2025 awards ceremony.

    He’s retaking the stage, this time without Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow, with whom he co-hosted in 2022.

    He’s also up for the best hip-hop award for his single “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem. The single is part of his most recent album, “THE FORCE,” which released in September and was his first album in 11 years.

    LL Cool J is a longtime champion of the VMAs, having won his first Moon Person in 1991. He became the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award, in 1997. He also performed in an all-star tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023 and a celebration for Def Jam Records’ 40th anniversary last year.

    Can I stream the VMAs?

    Yes, the show will be broadcast by CBS for the first time, and also simulcast on MTV and available for streaming on Paramount+ in the United States.

    Who’s nominated for the VMAs?

    Gaga is leading this year’s awards with 12 nominations, including artist of the year. The “Mayhem” singer was nearly tied with Bruno Mars, who has 11 nods. The pair’s duet, “Die with a Smile,” is up for four awards, including song of the year.

    Gaga’s plethora of nominations dethrones Taylor Swift, who held the top spot for two years. This time around, Swift received one artist of the year nomination. The two are accompanied by Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd in that category.

    Gaga and Mars are followed by Lamar with 10 nominations, ROSÉ and Carpenter with eight each, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd with seven each and Billie Eilish with six.

    Charli XCX also received love with five nominations for her “Brat” Summer success “Guess,” featuring Eilish.

    Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus and McRae have four nominations each.

    How can I vote for the VMAs?

    Fan voting across the 19 categories is live now on the VMAs website. Voting closes on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Eastern, except for the best new artist category, which will accept votes into the live show. The public can vote up to 10 times a day until voting closes.

    Who will receive the Video Vanguard Award?

    Mariah Carey will receive this year’s Video Vanguard Award.

    The award was given to Katy Perry last year. Previous recipients include Shakira, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Madonna.

    Source link

  • BioShock creator Ken Levine’s Judas game still exists, now has key art

    Remember Judas? No, not the biblical figure and not the Lady Gaga bop, this Judas is a project from Ghost Story Games. If you don’t remember, it’s the game that was reportedly in “” before it was even . The team, led by BioShock creator Ken Levine, had gone pretty quiet for a few years after releasing the debut trailer, but today teased a look at some key art and mechanics for the game.

    The BioShock lineage is clear from the handful of visuals we’ve seen so far, but instead of a linear binary of which NPCs and actions are good versus bad, Judas aims to place the moral compass more firmly in the player’s hands. There are a trio of major characters, dubbed the Big 3 in today’s , who will be drawn to the player based on what you do in-game. If one of the main NPCs gets ignored for too long, they’ll become the game’s villain. This unlocks new sets of powers and abilities for them that could also influence your gameplay options.

    For instance, there are Rent-A-Deputy stations where the player can temporarily access a weirdly wiggly ally to help them in fights. However, if you’ve alienated Tom, the old-school sheriff character, Rent-A-Deputies will attack you instead.

    The emphasis here seems to be on building relationships with the Big 3, and the gist seems to be that at some point, you’ll have to decide which one will be your real enemy. Unsurprisingly, the team has no release date to share yet. Maybe in another couple of years…

    Anna Washenko

    Source link

  • 17 Outfit Ideas For Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” Tour — Starting at Just $8

    While each product featured is independently selected by our editors, we may include paid promotion. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. Read more about our Product Review Guidelines here.

    If there’s any celebrity you can count on to nail any and every aesthetic, trend, or fad, it’s Lady Gaga. The Grammy-winning singer is completely unabashed when it comes to taking risks in her artistry as a whole, but her style, perhaps most of all, knows no bounds. Of course, we all remember her iconic outfit for the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards — a dress, hat, boots, and purse made entirely out of raw beef, designed by Franc Fernandez. The look garnered so much attention that it was listed by Time as the top fashion statement of that year (and it has its own Wikipedia page!). Fast-forward to present day, and the artist born Stefani Germanotta is still crafting her own lane of style as she promotes her latest album, “Mayhem,” which she’ll be taking on the road starting in July.

    Apart from the otherworldly visuals, surrealist dance routines, and captivating vocals, you can expect Lady Gaga’s tour outfits to deliver just as much drama for us to be inspired by for years to come. In true Gaga fashion, she’s created mind-blowing visuals to accompany the album’s most major hits, like “Abracadabra.” In the video, we see the singer’s limitless sartorial abilities even more, namely a custom Samuel Lewis x Suman Gurung x Ilona lace ensemble accompanied by a stiffened, dramatic collar and tiered train — giving us firsthand inspiration for the tour.

    In case Elizabethan-inspired clothing isn’t exactly your style, you can take notes from Gaga’s previous eras while planning your concert look. Think exaggerated denim and embellished accessories inspired by her “Marry the Night” video, or loud, leopard looks like the jumpsuit she wore in her and Beyoncé’s boundary-pushing anthem “Telephone.” And if you can’t make a strict decision on which Gaga-approved aesthetic to channel, we’ve done the legwork and rounded up the best concert outfit ideas for you to shop. From gaudy jewelry to dramatic denim from favorites like Nordstrom and Revolve, these are the best Lady Gaga-inspired fashion finds to get for The “Mayhem” Ball.

    Naomi Parris

    Source link

  • The Voss Water Repetition in Smile 2 and What It Says About Film Product Placement Today

    The Voss Water Repetition in Smile 2 and What It Says About Film Product Placement Today

    Perhaps even more than the various terrifying scenes of Smile 2, what audiences are seeming to remember most after seeing Parker Finn’s sequel is the rampant product placement for Voss water. Woven so “naturally” into the script as a kind of “character quirk” that Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) feels the need to grab a bottle of Voss every time she feels “out of control.” And yes, this is explained in fairly elaborate detail to her best friend, Gemma (Dylan Gelula, who will forever be Xan in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). A best friend who, for the last year, was an ex best friend due to Skye’s Britney Spears-in-2007-level breakdown after getting in a car accident with her boyfriend, Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson). Both were, it should go without saying, intoxicated and, no, her boyfriend did not survive the crash.

    In the aftermath of the accident, Skye only began to use drugs and alcohol all the more (coping mechanisms and all that rot), acting out erratically toward those in her life who were closest to her…Gemma included. But now that she’s being essentially forced to make a comeback (again, sort of like Britney after her 2007-early 2008 turmoil), Skye has never felt more alone or more mistrustful of the numerous sycophants around her. This extends to her “momager,” Elizabeth (Rosemarie Dewitt), and their joint assistant, Joshua (Miles Guitierrez-Riley). Hence, her desire to reach out to a no-bullshitter like Gemma again.

    Right after she gathers the courage (not to mention summoning the total loss of pride and dignity) to call Gemma and admit that 1) she misses her and 2) she wants her to come over for some emotional support, Skye makes a beeline for the Voss water, chugging it as though she’s just come off the field in the wake of scoring the winning goal for some nail-biting soccer game. The audience doesn’t yet know why Voss water is such a “thing,” perhaps initially assuming that there won’t be any explanation at all about it—that it’s just one of the more glaring examples of unapologetic product placement in recent years. In fact, maybe not since Pizza Hut in Back to the Future II has product placement been so unabashed. Except, in that case, the product and its distinctive logo were used to underscore a point about all the so-called advancements that would happen in the future. Conversely, in Smile 2, the brand is less about “progress” (unless referring to the emotional kind) and more about convenience. And, obviously, Finn thought that having Skye actually say the brand name might be the one way to go “too far” with product placement.

    However, just because “Voss” isn’t said aloud at any point doesn’t mean that Finn doesn’t end up calling plenty more attention (than is really necessary) to the brand via her character quirk. One that is explained when Gemma obligingly materializes at her apartment despite all the bullshit Skye put her through during her atomic meltdown. Unfortunately fro Gemma, she shows up just as The Smiler (which has, by now, possessed Skye for about twenty minutes’ worth of the movie) has done a hallucinatory number on the pop star, prompting her to act more skittish and erratic than usual. And also sending her straight for the bottle…of Voss water.

    That’s right, she doesn’t even acknowledge the fact that the two haven’t spoken or seen one another in a year before she goes for the Voss as a source of comfort. Watching her drink an entire bottle, all Gemma can say is, “Thirsty?” It’s then that Finn gives Voss its real moment to shine by interweaving it (albeit using a generic name: water) into the dialogue as Skye explains, “This therapist from my recovery program, she suggested that anytime I feel overwhelmed by the urge to use or get drunk, that I should stop whatever I’m doing and drink a full glass of water. It’s supposed to be some form of acknowledgement for what I can and can’t control.” (Never mind that Voss bottles aren’t exactly “a glass” of water.)

    Though that doesn’t really seem to apply to what brand of water she has available to her. Granted, Voss is supposed to be “renowned” for being reserved solely for the bougie set (it even seems to appear—or at least a bottle that has the exact same size and style—in Anora, when Vanya [Mark Eydelshteyn], rich son of a Russian oligarch, hands “Ani” [Mikey Madison] the water she asked for while over at his mansion). Even though it was once rumored to be bottled at the same source where tap water comes from in Iveland, Norway. But one supposes that rich people are willing to shell out high amounts (let’s call a bottle of Voss five dollars) so long as they’re told the product is of the “finest” quality. For, as is the theme in Smile 2, it’s all about what you think anyway, not reality.

    As for what the elaborate and heavy-handed use of product placement in Smile 2 reflects in the movie-going audiences of today is that, more than ever, people need not just repetition to remember a brand, but to have the product become a part of the storyline in a way that ends up being “integral” to either the character or the plot. And, in this case, both—though the viewer won’t know just why it’s so central to the more hallucinatory aspects of the plot until much later in the movie.

    Genna Rivieccio

    Source link

  • Smile 2: Stars—They’re Just Like Us!, Or: Even Pop Stars Get Demonically Possessed

    Smile 2: Stars—They’re Just Like Us!, Or: Even Pop Stars Get Demonically Possessed

    With such pressure to outperform the success of 2022’s Smile, writer-director Parker Finn wanted to approach the movie’s sequel from an entirely new angle. And what could be more divergent from the setting of the first movie than the (theoretically) high-glamor world of pop stardom? In Smile 2, the pop star in the eye of the proverbial storm is Skye Riley (Naomi Scott)—think of her as an Ashley O (Miley Cyrus) from Black Mirror type, or even a Celeste from Vox Lux sort. Or, if one wants to make real-life comparisons, there are a few similar options to choose from, including Halsey and Lady Gaga. It is the latter that Naomi Scott specifically calls out as a source of inspiration, particularly her early 2010s aesthetic and musical vibe.

    But then, of course, there is the Britney Spears element of it all—not just in terms of Skye being scrutinized for her “bad,” drug-addled behavior, but also because of the nature of her relationship with her mother, Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt). It is she who embodies the entire Spears family by acting as her “momager” and, therefore, usually being most concerned with how much money Skye can make for “them” (but really, for Elizabeth). During her “off the rails” period, Elizabeth was clearly more concerned with “getting her back on track” for financial reasons as opposed to reasons related to concern for her well-being. Which, yes, smacks of the way Britney was given essentially no time to recover after her 2007 through early 2008 breakdown before she was cajoled into putting out new music and going on a tour. In many regards, too, Skye’s substance abuse and mental breakdown that caused her to cancel her last tour bears a similarity to Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) backstory in The Idol (and yes, Spears was also the blueprint for creating the Jocelyn character, as was the abovementioned Ashley O).

    In order to do some “damage control” for that breakdown, which came to the fore after she got in a car accident with her boyfriend, Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson—that’s right, the son of Jack), while both were intoxicated, Skye agrees to make her first promotional appearance in a year on, of all things, The Drew Barrymore Show. Which makes plenty of sense when one takes into account the meta nature of Drew Barrymore being an essential to the opening of any horror movie.

    What’s more, there’s even another new pop star in the game that exhibits occasional similarities to Skye—at least in terms of her emotional fragility. That pop star being, of course, Chappell Roan. Particularly in terms of how creeped out Skye starts to get by her obsessive fans—even if that’s due, in part, to “The Smiler” (as the demonic essence/antagonist of the movie is called) making them seem creepier than they actually are…to an extent. Because everyone knows fandoms really can come across that way. In any event, the “creep factor” doesn’t just include The Smiler’s ability to make fans at a meet-and-greet smile at her in that eerie, plastered-on way, but also its ability to make them seemingly appear anytime, anywhere. Most chillingly of all, inside of her massive NYC apartment, where one especially notable scene (the one where a gaggle of them are leering/diabolically smiling at her from within her closet, before chasing after her throughout the abode) comes off as a re-creation of how Roan must more than occasionally feel about her own obsessive fans: like they’re going to fucking murder her and wear her skin.

    Needless to say, The Smiler is tapping into Skye’s dormant anxieties about her fans and their potential for “going totally psycho” on her at the drop of a fedora hat (that’s a 2003 Britney reference). To be sure, The Smiler is having an even easier time toying with and preying upon the headspace of a pop star, though that’s not why Finn opted to make Smile 2 come from this perspective.

    Instead, Finn’s decision to render the Smile 2 universe from the view of a pop star was largely due to his desire to challenge himself with the difficulties that setting and lifestyle would present. As Finn recounted to The Wrap, “I really wanted to step back from what I had done in the first film, and try to be like, ‘What is the least likely path forward for a sequel?’ I really wanted to challenge myself and drill down. Any idea that I could come up with that first week or two, I was like, ‘This is too obvious.’ I really held it to task.” The result is a breed of horror that’s right at home with pop music and celebrity, for as many a famous pop star keeps emphasizing more and more: there’s nothing fucking scarier/more potentially life-threatening than being known on an international level. Making the pressures of an already demanding job become further compounded by all the scrutiny. Add a “cosmic evil beam that no one else can see” into the mix and the pressure becomes insurmountable (which, in Skye’s case, results in severe bouts of trichotillomania).

    Indeed, this turns out to be one of the most surprising statements of Smile 2: that it’s almost a kind of defense/“let’s have more empathy” for famous people manifesto. As The Wrap phrased it, “This isn’t someone who can suffer in isolation. Everyone will see her disintegrate.” And that makes everything feel so much more heightened—not just for Skye, but for the audience watching, often suffering from second-hand embarrassment as they watch her “biff it” in very public scenarios. For example, while acting as a presenter at a music industry charity event, Skye not only goes out onstage nwith smeared lipstick (after swatting away a bug from her face backstage), but also proceeds to act increasingly unhinged once the teleprompter ceases to show her what she’s supposed to say next.

    Of course, no matter what she says or does next, in the end, just as it was in Smile, Skye 1) can’t even be sure what is and is not reality and 2) it won’t matter if it is or not anyway since The Smiler is bound to have his “committing suicide” way with her. Granted, the manner in which the “entity” does it this time around has far graver consequences for the witness(es) of her death. But at least those taking in Skye’s demise can relish that certain “Stars—They’re Just Like Us!” quality. Even if nothing could be further from the truth.

    Genna Rivieccio

    Source link

  • Harley Quinn Behavior Takes Hold in Suburbia: Lady Gaga’s “Disease” Video

    Harley Quinn Behavior Takes Hold in Suburbia: Lady Gaga’s “Disease” Video

    While Lady Gaga’s current focus might be to shake the disease of Lee Quinzel after her foray into the DC Universe with Joker: Folie à Deux, she’s actually embodying her version (and even a dash of Margot Robbie’s) of the character more than ever in the video for “Disease.” Directed by Tanu Muino (always expanding her “directing stars” repertoire, from Cardi B to Lil Nas X to Doja Cat), the setting for the video takes place in an “Anywhere, USA” type of suburbia (Gaga is clearly cosplaying in and with this backdrop, what with being a “big city girl” her entire life)—granted, is there any other type? In fact, the first frame almost recalls the look of the neighborhood in Edward Scissorhands, except without the pastel color palette.

    Indeed, this particular neighborhood is decidedly drab, complete with the beige cars that pass Lady Gaga by while she’s bowled over on the hood of a car, blood coming out of her nostrils. The driver responsible for hitting her? Why, herself, of course. Or at least the version of herself that looks like she’s wearing an updated edition of the plague doctor costume (you know, the one with the beaked mask) with some Freddy Krueger-esque gloves. Part of that update is showing only one extremely bloodshot eye through her leather gimp mask. In fact, this entire “aesthetic” and scene seems straight out of a Ryan Murphy series (and, yes, Gaga has been “under his tutelage” before, so it doesn’t surprise).

    Unfortunately, just as the two appear to get somewhat comfortable with one each other’s presence, yet another hostile version of Gaga in a sandy blonde wig shows up behind the black-haired Gaga to attack. This all speaks to Gaga’s statement about the music video, which she distilled via her Instagram account by saying, “I think a lot about the relationship I have with my own inner demons. It’s never been easy for me to face how I get seduced by chaos and turmoil. It makes me feel claustrophobic. ‘Disease’ is about facing that fear, facing myself and my inner darkness, and realizing that sometimes I can’t win or escape the parts of myself that scare me. That I can try and run from them but they are still part of me and I can run and run but eventually I’ll meet that part of myself again, even if only for a moment.” To be sure, there is a lot of running in “Disease,” mainly by the black-haired “matrix” Gaga (to use a term from The Substance).

    It is this “real,” “core” self that is perpetually attacked by other, more hostile iterations of her personality. In this sense, too, Gaga doesn’t seem to have fully shed her “Lee Quinzel skin.” Which is perhaps why the next “milieu shift” out of the suburban exterior is in a dark indoor setting that looks like an “office-ified” version of Arkham (and also kind of like that office Billie Eilish is in for the “Birds of a Feather” video). Chained to a metal bar that runs across the room at almost ceiling length, the only thing that keeps Gaga from total wrist and arm torture is being able to step on another Gaga below her while Plague Gaga looks on from behind a glass window. As for the pair of Gagas she’s observing, the two are in the same “skivvies” getup and wig (one with blonde roots and black hair) as they get into a tussle with one another. Nothing Madonna didn’t already do in the 2002 video for “Die Another Day.”

    In the next scene, Plague Gaga is in the car again in hot pursuit of Matrix Gaga, who realizes this bitch is trying to run her over (talking of Madonna, the A Functioning Gay Instagram account made a series of memes with various pop stars in cars during one of their music videos, cut in such a way so that it looked like they were the ones about to mow her down—obviously, Madonna in the “What It Feels Like For A Girl” video was the first slide among the many). Determined to “hit her mark,” Matrix Gaga is equally as determined to outrun this hostile version of herself. Alas, as Gaga also added to the above statement, “Dancing, morphing, running, purging. Again and again, back with myself. This integration is ultimately beautiful to me because it’s mine and I’ve learned to handle it.” In short, to “embrace her inner darkness.”

    That much is effectively done with a scene of Plague Gaga in the middle of the suburban street dancing erratically (which has been her way in the past—namely, the circa The Fame and Born This Way eras that her “Little Monsters” idealize so much) as many fall leaves blow violently around her. Which, of course, is in keeping with the suburban aesthetic, what with gardeners and their leaf blowers being a staple of that environment. Her “willingness to look ugly” (even if in a still-manicured way) is also in keeping with the Harley Quinn school. Because the motto remains: “Cute but psycho, psycho but cute” (even if the cuteness isn’t always “coiffed”). And that Plague Gaga sort of is as she vomits black bile onto Matrix Gaga while the latter lies prostrate on the pavement in front of her.

    Apparently, this grotesque gesture is all it takes for Matrix Gaga to fathom that Plague Gaga is not the enemy—she’s just the “slightly kooky” side of herself that she can’t suppress. Therefore, it’s better to treat that aspect of herself with kindness if they’re to inhabit the same headspace (even though that trick wouldn’t work at all if this were set in the Smile universe—and, speaking of, Gaga was the model for the Skye Riley [Naomi Scott] character in Smile 2).

    The peace between the two is ephemeral, however, with Matrix Gaga suddenly running away from Plague Gaga again, only to end up trapped in the space between two houses that start closing in on her (relating to the claustrophobic feeling Gaga mentioned above). And as Matrix Gaga appears to accept being “stuck,” the final scene cuts to Plague Gaga strutting down the suburban street, her back to the camera—off to the next destination where she might torment someone from the inside. Harley Quinn, a former psychologist (before becoming more “patient material”), also knows the power of such mental warfare.

    Genna Rivieccio

    Source link

  • Dana Carvey Explains Why His ‘SNL’ Lady Gaga Joke “Didn’t Land”

    Dana Carvey Explains Why His ‘SNL’ Lady Gaga Joke “Didn’t Land”

    Much like Joker: Folie à Deux, Dana Carvey‘s latest joke fell a little flat.

    As the Saturday Night Live alum continues his Season 50 run as President Joe Biden, Carvey reflected on the latest episode and a joke that “didn’t land” about Lady Gaga‘s performance in the received musical DC sequel.

    “So I do the little Biden piece as part of the Brett Baier interrogating Maya-Kamala. And he’s kind of confused. He starts talking about the Joker movie, but they don’t know it,” said Carvey on his Fly on the Wall podcast. “I went, who’s the lady gagaga? You know, whatever. I did that. Didn’t land.”

    In the cold open, Maya Rudolph and Alec Baldwin spoofed Kamala Harris‘ Fox News interview with Baier, during which he kept taking quotes out of context, including one of Carvey’s Biden speaking passionately about the sequel at a press conference.

    “Folks, we have other problems on our hands. I’m being serious, come on,” he tells the camera. “Four years ago, it was amazing. It was the guy you wanted. But now they got this girl, and people are going, ‘What’s she doing here?’”

    After Rudolph’s Harris points out that Biden wasn’t talking about her, but the musical Joker sequel, Baier played the rest of the clip. “And why’s she singin’? What’s a Folie à Deux? What’s a ga ga ga ga goo ga? What is it? Come on! No Joker. No joke,” mused Carvey as the POTUS.

    Carvey came up with another line after the fact: “I thought later, I should have said, ‘And who’s Whackin Phoenix? Who the hell is he? Whackin Phoenix would have got a big laugh.’”

    Following his 1986-’93 run on SNL, which earned him five Emmy nominations, Carvey has returned this season to portray Biden amid the 2024 presidential election, along with fellow alums Rudolph as Harris and Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff. Jim Gaffigan has also joined the guest lineup as Gov. Tim Walz.

    Glenn Garner

    Source link

  • Lady Gaga Focuses on Shaking the “Disease” of “Lee Quinzel”

    Lady Gaga Focuses on Shaking the “Disease” of “Lee Quinzel”

    It doesn’t seem coincidental that Lady Gaga would opt to release a new single soon after the critical and commercial failure of Joker: Folie à Deux. Even if it was by no means as remotely affronting as House of Gucci. In fact, Joker: Folie a Deux seems grossly misunderstood…and this is coming from someone who generally loathes Lady Gaga performances in film (and possibly in general). Regardless, it’s easy to discount one’s own internal voice when the negativity of others is so loud. Thus, it would appear that, despite how she might have originally felt about the role—being so effusive in interviews promoting both the film and the accompanying record she made for it—Gaga’s confidence has given way to all-out embarrassment. An embarrassment that has called for the immediate signaling of yet another new “era,” with some “insiders” positing that the failure of Joker’s second installment made Gaga see the light in terms of realizing she’s better suited to focusing on the pop star avenue.

    Another “assist” in terms of coming to that realization was her fiancé, Michael Polansky, who Gaga cites as the person that convinced her to pivot back more fully to pop. Per Gaga, “Michael is the person who told me to make a new pop record. He was like, ‘Babe. I love you. You need to make pop music.’” Perhaps that’s part of the reason Gaga entrusted him to help her co-write “Disease,” the first single from what will be LG7 (for those who count Harlequin as LG6.5). And yes, apparently enough time has passed since the pandemic for such a track to come out. However, ostensibly not wanting to take any chances on whether or not she had a hit, Gaga tapped Cirkut and Watt to co-produce the moody, “Judas”-like music. And, speaking of that 2011 single, the “ah-ahhhs” she repeats are pointedly similar to the ones in “Judas.” Again, no coincidence, for she’s well-aware that everyone has been clamoring for her to return to, at the bare minimum, “Born This Way-era Gaga”—though many would prefer that she returned all the way back to The Fame.

    And that she has, with the “dark pop” sound also recalling a single like 2010’s “Dance in the Dark.” But this song in particular bears lyrical traces of Depeche Mode and sonic ones that sound more like an Atticus Finch/Trent Reznor production. The Depeche Mode correlation isn’t difficult to find seeing as how they have a song called “Shake the Disease.” Released in 1985, it felt like a pointed time to wield such a title when taking into account the AIDS epidemic. Even if Depeche Mode was merely creating a “love metaphor” with the chorus, “Here is a plea from my heart to you/Nobody knows me as well as you do/You know how hard it is for me to shake the disease/That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these.”

    Just as Lady Gaga is creating her own love metaphor with the “Disease” chorus, “I could play the doctor, I can cure your disease/If you were a sinner, I could make you believe/Lay you down like one, two, three/Eyes roll back in ecstasy/I can smell your sickness, I can cure ya/Cure your disease.” And cure it with what else but love, of course. A metaphor she already made use of on 2017’s “The Cure” (alas, not an homage to the band). Complete with lyrics like, “If I can’t find the cure, I’ll/I’ll fix you with my love/No matter what you know, I’ll/I’ll fix you with my love.” Things get decidedly non-consensual when she also adds, “And if you say you’re okay/I’m gonna heal you anyway.” With “Disease,” too, Gaga paints herself as something of an everyday superhero and her love a superpower—or at least a panacea.

    So it is that she sings, “Screamin’ for me, baby (ah-ah)/Like you’re gonna die (ah-ah)/Poison on the inside/I could be your antidote tonight.” At least this time she uses the language “could be your antidote” instead of essentially foisting a potentially unwanted “cure” on the object of her affection. At the outset of the song, she assures, in a somewhat Ariana Grande fashion (read: “Ain’t got no tears left to cry”), “There are no more tears to cry/I heard you beggin’ for life/Runnin’ out of medicine/You’re worse than you’ve ever been.” But if the “medicine” has been Gaga all along, then how could he have ever run out considering her enthusiasm for administering the antidote?

    As for medicine as metaphor, Jennifer Lopez also made use of it in her 2019 song, “Medicine” (obviously). But instead of presenting it as a “love injection” analogy, Lopez warns, “Think you need some medicine/I could be your medicine, yeah/Think you need some medicine/Give you a taste of what you give out.” Gaga, instead, prefers the romantic use of the allegory, continuing to insist, “I can cure your disease” (something Isabella “He put his disease in me” Rossellini would have been grateful for in Blue Velvet). One wonders, of course, which lyrics might be attributable to Polansky. Perhaps he was the one who thought to paint a picture of “Stefani” sleeping at night with the lines, “You’re so tortured when you sleep [sounds like Billie Eilish]/Plagued with all your memories/You reach out, and no one’s there/Like a god without a prayer.” Unsurprisingly, there had to be just a touch of Madonna in the lyricism (#likeaprayer).

    But what is decidedly not Madonna-like in terms of Lady G’s music is the fact that her albums, for quite some time, have left most people disappointed when comparing them to her first two releases. With Madonna, it took arguably until her fifth studio album, Erotica, for people to be truly disappointed by her musical output (and that was largely due to the puritanism of the early 90s in America). With Gaga, by album three (Artpop), things were taking a dive.

    And while “Disease” is being universally praised (a.k.a. most are just grateful Gaga isn’t putting out still more show tunes), it’s never a good sign when people say the phrase “return to form” in that it entails one has been out of step for a while in terms of “giving the people what they want.” Incidentally, something Lee tells Joker they should do. And it seems Gaga has taken Lee’s advice, even while in the process of shaking the “disease” that role turned out to be for her.

    Genna Rivieccio

    Source link

  • 7 charged with cyberbullying after Paris Olympics artistic director’s opening ceremony backlash

    7 charged with cyberbullying after Paris Olympics artistic director’s opening ceremony backlash

    PARIS (AP) — Seven people have been charged in connection with cyberbullying targeting Thomas Jolly, the artistic mastermind behind the Paris Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies, French authorities announced Friday.

    The online attacks erupted after Jolly’s acclaimed but controversial opening July spectacle on the Seine — a queer-inclusive, high-energy fusion of tradition and modernity that, for some, was too bold to ignore.

    The abuse quickly escalated, laced with homophobic and antisemitic slurs, and reportedly aimed to silence the artistic intent behind the show. Jolly responded by filing a formal complaint with the Paris prosecutor’s office on July 31, prompting an investigation that led to the “first wave” of arrests, with more expected as the probe unfolds.

    The seven people charged, ranging in age from 22 to 79, face counts of death threats, aggravated insults, and cyberbullying — serious allegations carrying the weight of potential prison time and heavy fines.

    Jolly, a theatrical maverick known for blending bold cultural themes with LGBTQ+ celebration, had intended his production that lit up the City of Light as a vibrant, inclusive portrayal of French diversity. Jolly’s star-studded opening ceremony, featuring queer community luminaries like Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. However, drag performers, high-energy runway walks, and — in particular — a scene some interpreted as the “Last Supper” drew ire from far-right politicians and religious figures across the world.

    Hungary’s ambassador to the Vatican, Eduard Habsburg, denounced the scene as disrespectful, noting wryly that “decapitating Habsburgs and ridiculizing central Christian events are really the FIRST two things that spring to mind when you think of #OlympicGames.” U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump went even further, calling the scene “a disgrace.”

    Though Jolly clarified afterward that any resemblance to the “Last Supper” was unintentional, the backlash continued to ripple, drawing both criticism and support for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ elements.

    Amid the uproar, Jolly told French lawmakers last month that there was a distinction between constructive criticism and the discriminatory attacks he received.

    “Critique, that’s my life… but when it involves discrimination, it becomes criminal,” he said.

    Stressing that the show’s intent was neither offensive nor religious, he defended his vision, expressing disbelief that anyone could interpret his work as disrespectful.

    “I didn’t set out to mock any religion,” he emphasized, reflecting that he incorporated references to Notre Dame cathedral as a homage to France’s cultural heritage, not as a religious statement.

    Support for Jolly has come from within the artistic community, including fellow performers who were also subjected to online abuse. Barbara Butch, an LGBTQ+ advocate and DJ, and Drag Race France host Nicky Doll, who both performed in the Olympic ceremony, were among those harassed. Although only Jolly was named in the prosecutor’s official statement, the wave of hostility extended to others involved in the production.

    Among the performers, Hugo Bardin, known as drag queen Paloma, expressed pride in the event’s bold message of inclusion and called it “a really important moment for the French people and the representation of France around the world.”

    Drag Race France winner Le Filip echoed this sentiment, describing the ceremony as a “crowning moment” for the LGBTQ+ community and a “postcard for France” that showcased a modern, inclusive nation. He also expressed shock at the backlash against Jolly’s event.

    The prosecutor’s office Friday emphasized the seriousness of the charges and arrests, noting that the case reflects a troubling pattern of cyberbullying and hate speech directed at prominent figures.

    It said the suspects sought to “intimidate and silence expressions of inclusivity” and diversity in a highly public and symbolic event.

    The arrests are seen as a first step in France’s fight against cyberbullying, which authorities note has become increasingly sophisticated. In Jolly’s case, prosecutors pointed to the disturbing “pack behavior” of attackers acting independently to escalate the harassment, a pattern seen in other online hate campaigns.

    The seven accused are set to appear in court on March 5.

    Source link