Aurelia Butler

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    Review: On ‘Virgin,’ Is Lorde Finally Done With the Spotlight?

    Her fourth album, “Virgin,” is her most erratic and least convincing. But the pop skeptic has a new target: herself.“What Was That,” the lead single on Lorde’s fourth album, “Virgin,” found one of the most thoughtful and interrogative pop stars of the last decade futzing around with aftermarket Charli XCX-isms in an up-tempo thumper that indicated that, after years of reluctant anti-hits and even more reluctant hits, she finally might be caving in to eagerness.Thankfully, it’s followed by “Shapeshifter,” the album’s best song, which is far stranger, and far more successful. Over a brittle, skittish post-drum-and-bass beat, Lorde sings about sexual hunger, and what parts of yourself you have to release to embrace it. But in the chorus, the song morphs into a metaphor about fame and untouchability, and how unfulfilling those things ultimately are. “I’ve been up on the pedestal,” she sings icily, smearing out the words. “But tonight I just wanna fall.”Were this the through line of “Virgin,” it would make for a fascinating album. A dozen years after “Royals” turned Lorde from a New Zealand bedroom prodigy into a prophet, she’s angling for something of a restart. Sloughing away her celebrity and her preciousness is a bold choice. But “Virgin” is a far emptier album than that hefty premise would imply. It is neither lean-in gratuitous hitmaking, nor philosophical treatise on the lameness of success.It is, in the main, an album of fits and starts, notions that don’t pan out — her most piecemeal work to date. “Man of the Year” begins with a slow plucked guitar and Lorde singing about ego death, and then limply lingers. The singing on “Clearblue,” about unprotected sex, is so heavily digitized and filtered that it lacks any emotional oomph. “GRWM” revisits the theme of erotic liberty — “Soap, washing him off my chest / Keeping it light, not overthinking it” is her opener — but the lyrics about searching for oneself are at odds with the production, which feels like it’s drowning her. Jim-E Stack is a co-producer (with Lorde) on every track; together they’ve chosen erratic eccentricity, with moods that shift so suddenly there’s little to grab onto.Lorde sings conspiratorially, but often on this album, when you listen closely, there’s no secret wisdom being conveyed. The discussion of sexual awakening is promising, but it’s not explored at much depth. And throughout the album, and also its marketing, there’s muddled messaging about gender identity that scans as surface level.Perhaps Lorde is simply a victim of the tyranny of high expectations. For a decade now, she has stood for resistance within the machine — the machine she’d never quite chosen to be a part of, yet which accepted her anyway.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    8 Key Text Exchanges at the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial

    The words sent between the mogul and his girlfriends have been cited as crucial evidence by both sides in a case that turns on whether sex marathons he directed were coercive.A jury began deliberating on Monday over the fate of Sean Combs, the music mogul facing charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Inside the jury room in Lower Manhattan, the 12 New Yorkers will have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of pages of evidence presented during the seven-week trial, including years worth of text messages that chronicle Mr. Combs’s relationships with the two women at the center of the case.The prosecution has highlighted dozens of those text messages in an effort to prove that Mr. Combs used violence, financial control and threats to manipulate his girlfriends into physically taxing sex sessions with hired men, while he masturbated and filmed.The mogul’s defense lawyers have maintained that these nights of sex — known as “freak-offs” and “hotel nights” — were fully consensual, and they spent hours throughout the trial parsing messages in which the women appeared to convey enthusiasm for the encounters.The trove of texts that jurors have seen provided intimate glimpses into the dynamics of two tumultuous relationships, the first with Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, and the second with a woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane.”Both sides have had to contend with the complexities reflected in the years of communications: expressions of love and anger, lust and reluctance, excitement and anxiety.The total collection of evidence in the case includes 28 days of witness testimony, videos of some of the drug-fueled sex sessions and the surveillance footage of Mr. Combs’s assault on Ms. Ventura in 2016. But the text messages play a crucial role in knitting together a narrative of events. More

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    How ‘Colors of the Wind’ Became a Generational Rallying Cry

    Thirty years after Disney released “Pocahontas,” the film’s Oscar-winning song has taken on a life of its own with millennial and Gen-Z fans.In January, Lanie Pritchett expressed her displeasure with the second inauguration of President Trump by passionately lip-syncing a 30-year-old Disney song.“I had this rage in me,” the 22-year-old theater major at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas said in an interview. “It was a rough day for a lot of people. I thought, I can’t do much, but I can share my thoughts.”Her thoughts were encapsulated in a few lines from “Colors of the Wind,” the power ballad from Disney’s 1995 animated film, “Pocahontas.” Specifically, “You think the only people who are people are the people who look and think like you / But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.”She uploaded a TikTok video with the overlay, “me arguing with magas for the next four years” — and a caption explaining that her progressive views partly stem from “Pocahontas” being her “favorite princess movie growing up.” It quickly racked up more than half a million views.Pritchett, who is a lesbian, was raised in a conservative household in East Texas, where she and her sister would give living-room performances of “Colors of the Wind” while the “Pocahontas” DVD played in the background. She now views the song as an important commentary on queer inclusivity, cross-cultural understanding and environmentalism.“Obviously, that movie has its problems,” Pritchett said, “but the music was really good.”In fact, 30 years after Disney released “Pocahontas” in theaters in June 1995, the film’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning track has broken out as a beloved entity with millennial and Gen Z fans.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    At the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial, Jurors Are Ready to Deliberate

    The panel of 12 will be asked to decide whether the music mogul is guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.A jury in the federal trial of the music mogul Sean Combs will begin deliberating on Monday after receiving legal instructions from the judge in the complex sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy case.The panel, made up of eight men and four women, heard closing arguments from the government prosecutors on Thursday, followed by a presentation by the defense and a final rebuttal from the government on Friday.Judge Arun Subramanian, who is overseeing the trial, then opted to send the jurors home for the weekend so they could “come back fresh on Monday morning” to receive his directions. The judge estimated it would take him a few hours to go over the fine points of the laws at the core of the government’s case, a process known as “charging the jury,” before the jurors could start deliberations.The anonymous group was not sequestered throughout the trial and spent the weekend at home following the passionate final pleas from both sides last week.“You’ve heard the closing arguments, but I will ask you to continue to keep an open mind about the case,” Judge Subramanian told jurors on Friday, before adding the standard instructions he has given throughout the trial: “Do not speak with each other about the case. Do not speak with anyone else about the case. Do not read or research or look up anything about the case.”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Beyoncé Pauses Houston Concert After Car Prop Malfunction Left Her Dangling Over Crowds

    She was singing “16 Carriages,” as she sat in the back of a red convertible prop high above the crowds on Saturday, when it suddenly slanted in the air.The superstar singer Beyoncé gave thousands of fans a scare during a concert in Houston on Saturday, as a car prop in which she sang high above the crowds suddenly tilted sharply to one side in an apparent malfunction.The moment, which was caught on video, showed Beyoncé wearing a white cowboy hat with an American flag by her side performing her song “16 Carriages” from the back of a red convertible when it slanted in the air over the crowds.“Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop. Stop,” the singer calmly announced as she paused the performance over the roaring crowd, which called for her to be brought down.The car and Beyoncé were harnessed to cables and she could be seen gripping one as the vehicle continued to dangle over concertgoers, who held up their illuminated smartphones like candles.In April in Los Angeles, Beyoncé appeared in a car similar to the one that malfunctioned on Saturday in Houston.The New York TimesThe singer, 43, was slowly lowered to safety, much to the joy and relief of her fans who cheered her.“OMG she scared me,” one fan shared in a video.In another clip when she was back onstage, Beyoncé told the crowd, “If ever I fall, I know y’all would catch me.”It was not clear what led to the mishap. Parkwood Entertainment, the singer’s management company, said in an Instagram post that “a technical mishap caused the flying car, a prop Beyoncé uses to circle the stadium, and see her fans up close, to tilt.” The company said, “She was quickly lowered and no one was injured.” A representative for the stadium did not give further details.In a compilation of images from the show, the company also included one of Beyoncé performing from the dangling prop.The concert was held at the NRG Stadium in Houston, her hometown, and was the first of two shows there this weekend.The concerts are part of her international Cowboy Carter Tour, which opened in April in Los Angeles, to support her 2024 album “Cowboy Carter,” which won album of the year at the Grammys this year. More

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    What to Stream After You’ve Seen ‘F1’

    Once you’ve spent some time on the track with Brad Pitt, steer your way toward these other suspenseful racing movies and shows.For racing fans, Brad Pitt fans and those in between, the drama “F1” has made its way to theaters. Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, an aging driver enlisted to save a failing team fronted by a young hot shot (Damson Idris). The fast-paced movie aims for authenticity with help from a notable pro: Lewis Hamilton — the face of Formula One and a seven-time world champion — advised on technical details and has a producer credit. For those who have seen “F1,” and are looking to get their next full-throttle fix, these movies and shows, all available to stream, are worth a spin.‘Grand Prix’ (1966)James Garner in “Grand Prix.”MGMStream it on Watch TCM. Rent or buy it on major platforms.Heralded as the lead car to which all racing films follow, John Frankenheimer’s movie broke ground with its innovative use of vehicle-mounted cameras, jarring real-life footage and quick-jump editing (now a staple in the genre). “Grand Prix” throws viewers into the action with first-person driver perspective; the camera cars reached nearly 200 miles per hour during shoots. The film’s star, James Garner, drove in every race and even caught fire during a filmed crash. Viewers would be forgiven for fast-forwarding through the sleepy love stories to skip right to the action, which earned “Grand Prix” three Oscars in technical categories. This racing-movie primer checks many boxes: speed, glamour, drama and a slick opening sequence in Monaco, F1’s undisputed Valhalla.‘Senna: No Fear. No Limits. No Equal.’ (2011)Ayrton Senna in the documentary “Senna.”Universal PicturesStream it on Netflix.No documentary captures the heart of F1 better than “Senna,” which won two BAFTAs and masterfully weaves the story of Ayrton Senna da Silva, the Brazilian racer who figures prominently on F1’s Mt. Rushmore. Including never-before-seen footage from the Formula One archive, along with personal footage, the doc follows young Ayrton, seemingly born to race, as he relocates to Europe, battles discrimination and later, battles Formula One itself for driver safety. The model-handsome Senna typified the daring nature of F1 as he quickly became unstoppable in the rain, which can debilitate drivers. His three world championship wins made him a one-word brand and put Brazil on the racing map. Sadly, Senna’s determination to keep drivers safe was marked by his own tragic death in a 1994 crash. Poignant and powerful, “Senna” transcends racing as it documents a worldwide icon gone too soon.‘Rush’ (2013)Chris Hemsworth, center, as James Hunt in “Rush.”Jaap Buitendijk/Universal PicturesRent or buy it on major platforms.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Kneecap Brings Pro-Palestinian Politics Back Onstage at Glastonbury

    The band landed in trouble over anti-Israel statements, and a member faces a terrorism charge. But at Britain’s biggest music festival, tens of thousands cheered it.About 20 minutes into Kneecap’s set at the Glastonbury music festival on Saturday, the Irish-language rap group stopped the show to discuss a topic that has made it one of Britain’s most talked about — and infamous — pop acts.“I don’t have to lecture you people,” Mo Chara, one of the band’s rappers, told tens of thousands of onlookers at the festival. “Israel are war criminals,” he said.He then led the crowd in a chant of “Free, free, Palestine.”Kneecap’s set at Britain’s largest music festival on Saturday was so popular that organizers had to shut access to the arena to stop overcrowding. But it came after two head-spinning months for the group.In April, Kneecap lost its U.S. visa sponsor after making anti-Israel statements at Coachella. The police in Britain then charged Mo Chara with a terrorism offense for displaying the flag of Hezbollah, the militant group based in Lebanon, onstage at a London show. Several festivals and venues dropped the band from their lineups.The Board of Deputies of British Jews wrote to Glastonbury urging it not to give Kneecap a platform that could make the band’s views appear acceptable, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last week that it was “not appropriate” for Kneecap to play at the festival, or for the BBC to broadcast the performance. (The BBC, which provides live coverage from Glastonbury, did not broadcast Kneecap’s set, and the festival press office did not respond to a request for comment.)Yet unlike lawmakers, Jewish groups and prosecutors, few in the crowd on Saturday appeared to have concerns about the band or its politics. Amy Pepper, 46, a health worker from Northern Ireland, said the band was “really inspirational, particularly for my kids.” She had seen Kneecap live several times before, she said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    ‘Rust’ Crew Members Settle Civil Suit With Producers, Court Papers Show

    The lawsuit accused the producers of negligence in the fatal shooting of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie’s set in 2021.Three crew members who worked on the Western movie “Rust” reached a settlement this week in a lawsuit arising from the 2021 fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the film’s set, according to court documents and lawyers.They were seeking compensation from the producers of the movie, including Alec Baldwin as the lead actor and co-producer. The suit accused the film’s producers of negligence and failing to follow industry safety rules, allegations that the producers denied.The full terms of the settlement were not immediately available. Lawyers for the producers did not comment or were not immediately available on Saturday.The three crew members were independent contractors in New Mexico, where “Rust,” which was released last month, was filmed on a set outside Santa Fe. One was a dolly operator responsible for building and operating the apparatus for camera movement; another was the costumer; the third managed all the nonelectric support gear.All three were on the set when Mr. Baldwin positioned an antique-style revolver for the camera on Oct. 21, 2021. Mr. Baldwin had been told that the gun was “cold,” meaning it had no live ammunition.But as he practiced drawing the gun — in a scene in which his character was cornered by the authorities in a small church when he decides to shoot his way out — the revolver went off, discharging a live bullet, which killed Halyna Hutchins, the movie’s cinematographer, and wounded the director Joel Souza.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More