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      Molchat Doma Is Fun on TikTok. In Belarus, It's Serious.

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Best of 2020Best ComedyBest TV ShowsBest BooksBest MoviesBest AlbumsAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyThis Band Is Fun on TikTok. In Belarus, It’s Serious.Molchat Doma, a synth-pop trio, has become an unlikely social media star. Back home, its music was the soundtrack to a traumatic year.Members of the band Molchat Doma in Minsk, Belarus, on Dec. 5. From left: Pavel Kozlov, Egor Shkutko and Roman Komogortsev.Credit…Yahuen Yerchak for The New York TimesJulia Vauchok, Alex Marshall and Dec. 23, 2020Updated 10:20 a.m. ETMINSK, Belarus — On a recent Saturday night, Hide, a trendy nightclub in Belarus’s capital, was packed. More than 600 clubgoers were jostling for a view of the stage in the tiny venue, hidden in an inner-city courtyard.Social distancing was impossible, but none of the crowd seemed worried about the coronavirus. Instead, they just looked happy to have gotten in to see Molchat Doma, a moody local synth-pop trio that this year became a lightning rod for younger people in Belarus, and an unlikely internet phenomenon abroad.Since August, when President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus, who has been called Europe’s last dictator, claimed an implausible election victory, mass street protests and a brutal police crackdown have put a spotlight on the former Soviet country.But even before that, Molchat Doma was bringing Belarus some international attention. In February, one of the band’s tracks, “Sudno” (“Vessel”), started appearing in clips on TikTok, the social media app. A TikTok spokesman said that he believed the first use was by a man promoting his tattooing business; that video got a few hundred likes. But the gloomy yet danceable song’s popularity grew, and, within a few months, it had been used in more than 150,000 clips.In one, the music plays while a woman dyes her armpit hair blue; in another, someone tries on dozens of outfits. One short video, in which a dog wearing sunglasses runs around to the frenzied tune, has been liked more than 1.4 million times.Most of the app’s users seem unconcerned — or unaware — that the song’s lyrics, in Russian, are about a poet contemplating suicide: “Living is hard and uncomfortable, but it’s comfortable to die” goes one line.Word of Molchat Doma soon spread beyond TikTok, and now more than two million people stream the band’s music each month on Spotify, many of those in the United States. In November, the band released its latest album, “Monument.”At Hide, few were talking about Molchat Doma’s social media success. Instead, fans spoke about how important the band had been to young Belarusians through this turbulent year. Some chanted slogans associated with the protests while they waited for the band to come onstage, such as “Long live Belarus!” and “We believe! We can! We will win!”“If Belarus were music, it would sound like Molchat Doma,” said Polina Besedina, 20, waiting to get a drink at the bar. Another clubgoer, Aleksandra Shepelevich, 20, said, “These guys feel what we live in right now.”Other fans agreed that Molchat Doma’s music had captured the atmosphere in Belarus. It may sound depressing, but it was also upbeat, said Yegor Skuratovich, 32, adding that it reflected young people’s “hope that everything will turn great.”In a Skype interview, the band’s members — the singer Egor Shkutko, 25, and the instrumentalists Roman Komogortsev, 26, and Pavel Kozlov, 27 — said they did not make a conscious effort to address Belarus’s political situation in their music, but, naturally, the circumstances in which they live were reflected.Molchat Doma performing in Warsaw in October 2019. “These guys feel what we live in right now,” one fan in Belarus said.Credit…Michal Najdzik“Monument,” the new album, was finished before the disputed presidential election in August, and the band said that its songs were about failed relationships, rather than current affairs. In fact, they preferred not to talk about the protests at all.“Any hasty word that was said too loud can result in a loss of freedom,” Kozlov said of daily life in Belarus. “In a good situation, that would mean 15, 30 days of arrest; in a worst case, two to three years behind bars,” he added. “So, as a band, we don’t talk about politics and our music doesn’t touch upon it.”“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t concern us,” said Komogortsev. “It does.”The band’s success on TikTok has taken them by surprise, they said: They only found out that “Sudno” had become a hit on the app when friends started sending them clips. It was odd to see people “doing silly things to such existential lyrics,” Kozlov said, but the band quickly saw the upside, given that the pandemic had stopped them playing shows.“I was worried that we could wither away,” Shkutko said, “but this thing kept us afloat.”Kozlov said that he thought an idealized view of the post-Soviet world had contributed to the band’s international appeal. Its album covers and music videos feature some striking examples of communist architecture, including heroic monuments and huge concrete housing blocks.“We make it look romantic,” Kozlov said, adding that the reality was quite different. “Just send an American to live in our apartment,” he said. “They would be shocked.”Not everyone using the band’s music on TikTok seemed interested in Brutalist aesthetics. Kaya Turner, a psychology student at the University of Central Florida, got more than 1.2 million likes for the clip in which she dyed her armpit hair blue to “Sudno.” She said she had used the song because she had heard it in other clips on the app, and “just thought it was cool,” she said in a telephone interview. She hasn’t listened to the band since, she added.Kaya Turner, a psychology student at the University of Central Florida, posted a clip on TikTok in which she dyed her armpit hair blue to the soundtrack of a Molchat Doma song. The video was liked more than 1.2 million times.Credit…via TikTokBut others have been converted into fans. Liana Gareeva, 29, a Russian customer service representative who lives in the Netherlands, said in a telephone interview that she had listened to everything Molchat Doma had released since coming across them on TikTok.“It is really nice poetry,” she said, “and a really nice old vibe, like vintage music.”In August, she decided to use the band’s popularity on the app to raise awareness of the situation in Belarus. She posted a clip of protesters being beaten, with “Sudno” playing as a soundtrack, overlaid with the message “Belarus we are with u!” It got about 4,000 likes.“Young people don’t read the news, so they look at TikTok,” Gareeva said. “I know a lot of people think this app is stupid, but I’ve learned so much from it.”Back at Hide, the crowd clapped and whistled for Molchat Doma to come onstage. When the musicians finally arrived, dressed all in black, everyone surged forward for a better view.For nearly two hours, the band played and the audience danced to songs that might be about heartbreak, or maybe protest.“I don’t give a damn about what will happen to me later,” Shkutko sang toward the end of the show, his voice booming over a bouncy, ’80s-inspired beat. “I dance like a God, because tomorrow will not be the same,” he sang.A few days after the show, Molchat Doma posted a clip from the show on TikTok. The video showed Shkutko bathed in blue light, writhing to the beat, his eyes closed as he sang. The song was “Sudno” and the clip soon amassed 5,600 likes. It was a respectable number — but a lot less than the blue armpit hair got.Julia Vauchok reported from Minsk, Belarus; Alex Marshall from London; and Ivan Nechepurenko from Moscow.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      How Readers Reacted to FKA twigs and Her Allegations of Abuse

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Best of 2020Best MoviesBest TV ShowsBest BooksBest TheaterBest AlbumsAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyHow Readers Reacted to FKA twigs and Her Allegations of AbuseWomen responded on social media with their own stories of violence, and their support for survivors, after the Times reported that FKA twigs had sued Shia LaBeouf, her former boyfriend.FKA twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, in London.Credit…Ana Cuba for The New York TimesDec. 13, 2020, 12:50 p.m. ETAfter a report The New York Times published on Friday detailing a lawsuit the performer FKA twigs filed against the actor Shia LaBeouf, accusing him of sexual battery, assault and inflicting emotional distress, the reaction on social media was enormous and swift. The topic, trending on Twitter, became the subject of conversation among women who said they had also been abused by a partner.The 32-year-old singer and actress, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, spoke to The Times, saying that she had chosen to come forward to explain how someone so well-known, with money and a strong support network, could be caught in a cycle of abuse. Karolyn Pho, another former girlfriend of Mr. LaBeouf, described similar experiences to The Times.In an email, Mr. LaBeouf wrote that many of the allegations that the women raised were not true. He broadly addressed his behavior in an email. “I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years,” he told The Times.Ms. Barnett later posted a thread on Twitter, which has since been liked and retweeted thousands of times, acknowledging the reaction to the suit and her story.“I hope that by sharing my experience I can truly help others feel like they are not alone and shed some light on how those who are worried somebody they care about may be in an abusive relationship can help because I understand it can be confusing and hard to know what to do,” she wrote in the thread.Readers responded to her account by sharing their own stories, as well as expressing support for Ms. Barnett and her decision to speak out. Among those weighing in were Angelica Jade Bastién, a critic at Vulture, who wrote that she had witnessed and experienced abuse, and Karen Attiah, the global opinions editor for The Washington Post, who posted about leaving an abusive relationship.On Saturday night, the Australian singer-songwriter Sia also shared her support for Ms. Barnett, posting on Twitter that she had been “hurt emotionally” by Mr. LaBeouf. A representative for Mr. LaBeouf did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding that accusation.During her relationship with Mr. LaBeouf, Ms. Barnett was finishing her album “Magdalene,” which was ultimately released in November 2019 after several delays. Gary Suarez, a freelance journalist and music critic, wrote that the album “was already such a powerful and emotionally potent listening experience,” before he learned what Ms. Barnett had been through while working on the album.Others also pointed to Ms. Barnett’s descriptions of isolation. “Abusers steal their victims’ freedom through tactics of coercive control,” Myriam Gurba, a writer and artist, posted on Twitter. Ayesha A. Siddiqi, a trends forecaster and writer, noted that isolation occurs outside the relationship, as well.Statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence state that one woman in four is a victim of sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Intimate partner violence occurs at a disproportionately high rate in Black communities where systemic discrimination can create barriers to safety and justice, according to the organization.Domestic violence calls have increased during the pandemic as stay-at-home orders were imposed, according to the Domestic Violence Hotline. Katie Benner More

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      TikTok ‘Ratatouille’ Musical to Be Presented as Benefit Performance

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Best of 2020Best MoviesBest TV ShowsBest BooksBest TheaterBest AlbumsAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyTikTok ‘Ratatouille’ Musical to Be Presented as Benefit PerformanceCobbled together from songs and scenes inspired by the Disney-Pixar movie, the online performance will benefit the Actors Fund.The story of Remy, a rat with culinary ambitions in the capital of haute cuisine, has proved to have staying power far beyond the 2007 release of “Ratatouille.”Credit…Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation StudiosDec. 9, 2020, 4:31 p.m. ETWith Broadway houses and performance venues across the country closed because of the pandemic, musical theater lovers burned off pent-up creative energy on TikTok this year, creating songs, dances and even set designs for a hypothetical musical version of the 2007 Disney-Pixar movie “Ratatouille.”Now, the crowdsourced hodgepodge of a show is coming to virtual life in a one-time-only benefit performance.Seaview, a theatrical production company, announced on Wednesday that it would present an online performance of the show on Jan. 1 to raise money for the Actors Fund. The performance will be available for streaming for three days, the company said.“The love for the performing arts shines through in the ‘Ratatouille’-inspired TikToks from theater lovers around the world,” Joseph P. Benincasa, the Actors Fund chief executive, said in a statement.In thousands of TikTok videos, creators have paid homage to the movie, an animated film about a rat who dreams of becoming a French chef. Creators, some of whom can boast of honest-to-goodness Broadway credits, created their own songs, dances, makeup looks, set designs, puppets and Playbill programs.Without a director, choreographer or stage crew, the performance will be unlike any show on Broadway. It came together organically on TikTok, where users have only a minute to catch people’s attention.“In a year where we saw Broadway close, the TikTok community brought musical fans together virtually with one of the most unique trends we have ever seen on platform,” said Lizzy Hale, senior manager for content at TikTok.Lawyers for Disney have a history of zealously guarding the conglomerate’s intellectual property. As social media has become a global force over the last decade, Disney has become more tolerant of fan appropriation, weighing the public relations risk of shutting down endeavors like this against a loss of control over its characters.“Although we do not have development plans for the title, we love when our fans engage with Disney stories,” Disney said in a statement. “We applaud and thank all of the online theater makers for helping to benefit the Actors Fund in this unprecedented time of need.”Daniel Mertzlufft, 27, a composer, orchestrator and arranger in New York, used a computer program to create his own song for a Disney-style finale scene he imagined.Mr. Mertzlufft, who is involved with the performance, said there was coordination with Disney for the one-night-only benefit concert.“I’m really excited about it and how the TikTok community manifested this,” he said.Brooks Barnes contributed reporting.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 113 Shares189 Views

      in Movies

      On TikTok, Fans Are Making Their Own ‘Ratatouille’ Musical

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      With Broadway and theaters across the country idle because of the coronavirus, some actors, producers and prop designers have found an unlikely outlet for their talents: a musical version of the animated film “Ratatouille” that is playing out in exuberant 60-second increments on TikTok.Starting last month, thousands of TikTok users, including many with Broadway credits, have paid homage to the 2007 Disney Pixar film, about a rat who dreams of becoming a French chef, by creating their own songs, dances, makeup looks, set designs, puppets and Playbill programs.The result is a virtual show unlike any on Broadway. There is no director, no choreographer, no stage crew. It has come together organically on TikTok, where users have only a minute to catch people’s attention.In the film, Remy the rat follows the example of a famous chef who says that “anyone can cook.” It is in that spirt that professionals and amateurs alike have taken up the “Ratatouille” musical challenge, said Brandon Hardy, a puppet designer whose Broadway credits include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “The Pee-Wee Herman Show.”“He never limited himself on his vision,” Mr. Hardy, 30, said of Remy. He added, “We just fell in love with this, and we don’t want anyone to stop us.”The project began in August, when Emily Jacobsen, 26, a schoolteacher, Disney fanatic and theater lover from Westchester County, N.Y., read about a “Ratatouille” ride that is scheduled to open next year at Walt Disney World in Florida.As she was cleaning her apartment, she started singing a song about Remy. Adopting a high pitch, she recorded what she described as “a love ballad” for the rat — “Remy, the ratatouille / The rat of all my dreams / I praise you, my ratatouille / May the world remember your name” — and posted a video of the tune on TikTok.
      @e_jaccs A love ballad ##remy ##rat ##ratatoille ##disney ##wdw ##disneyworld ##ratlove ##ratlife ##rats ##Alphets ##StanleyCup ##CanYouWorkIt ♬ Ode to Remy – Em Jaccs Daniel Mertzlufft, 27, a New York-based composer, orchestrator and arranger, was tagged in Ms. Jacobsen’s video. Last month, he used a computer program to enhance her original ode to Remy, adding a French horn, trumpets, vocals and strings to create a big Disney-style finale for a “Ratatouille” musical.Mr. Mertzlufft said he had been inspired by the music Alan Menken composed for “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and other classic animated Disney films.
      @danieljmertzlufft Remy: The Musical OG Song @e_jaccs add. Vocals @cjaskier #remy #ratatouille #musicaltheatre #broadway #singer #musical #disney #fyp #disneymusicals ♬ original sound – danieljmertzlufft Since Mr. Mertzlufft posted his video in mid-October, thousands of others have shared their own contributions to what has become something of a virtual “Ratatouille” musical. In the last few days, Disney signaled that it had been paying attention, quoting Ms. Jacobsen’s lyrics on Instagram and Twitter. It even made its own TikTok rap at Epcot, where the “Ratatouille” ride is being built.“We love when our fans engage with our stories,” Disney said in a statement, “and we look forward to seeing these super fans experience the attraction when it opens at Walt Disney World next year.”Kevin Chamberlin, whose Broadway acting credits include “The Addams Family” and “Seussical,” revisited the “Ratatouille” movie before recording his own contribution to the musical. It was the Chef Gusteau character, and his observation that “anyone can cook,” that spoke to him, he said.A theme of the movie, Mr. Chamberlin said, is that even the clumsiest among us can find talent deep inside ourselves. Inspired, Mr. Chamberlain sat down to write while his husband rushed out to get him a chef’s hat.Once in costume, he sat at his piano and sang: “Anyone can cook / All you have to do is look inside yourself.”Only the coronavirus pandemic could have brought out a virtual show like this, Mr. Chamberlin said. “What’s really interesting about all this is that, during this pandemic, art is pushing through because we can’t get on stages and in front of audiences.”Other contributors echoed that sentiment, adding that the “Ratatouille” musical project had given them reason to hope during a dark time.“If it can bring joy to people, and it seems like it has, then that’s the best feeling in the world,” said Tristan McIntyre, 22, a Los Angeles actor who helped choreograph a rat dance for the show.
      @tristanmichaelmcintyre cookin’ up some choreo for #ratatouillemusical ���� @rawalton4 @ratatouillemusical #foryoupage #fyp ♬ original sound – danieljmertzlufft RJ Christian, 21, a vocal performance student at New York University, said he had been inspired by the movie’s acerbic food critic, Anton Ego, for the solo he contributed. He said he wanted embody Mr. Ego with “weird chords, spicy harmony and creepy-crawly kind of music.”
      @rjthecomposer Anton Ego’s chilling solo, when he is served the title dish ##ratatouille ##ratatouillemusical ♬ original sound – RJ Christian For Blake Rouse, 17, of Fort Collins, Colo., the “Ratatouille” project gave him an outlet after the pandemic forced the cancellation of his high school’s production of “Newsies.”He contributed several songs based on scenes from the movie, including a tango between two chefs and a duet between Remy and his brother.“This is no longer a niche TikTok theater joke,” he said. “This is kind of a thing that people care about and are starting to keep up with.”
      @mikeyjosemusic Full version on my insta @mikeyjosemusic ##remi ##ratatouille ##musical ##singer ##disney ##theatrekid ##disneymusicals ##fyp ##foryou ♬ original sound – Mikey Jose Music The contributions go beyond performances. Mr. Hardy, the puppeteer, made some masks and small puppets for the virtual show, even using garbage to create some of the elements.“We’ve created something that’s engaging to people at every level,” he said. “People of every age group are fascinated by this and want to contribute to this. As far as I’ve seen, there really hasn’t been a show or musical in history that’s sort of operated that way.”And Christopher Routh, 30, of Chatham, N.J., used boxes to create elaborate miniature set designs for the show, complete with lighting and a Lego robotics set to move the pieces around.“It’s such an incredible trend on how our community can come together like this and create a musical out of nowhere,” he said. “And it all started with one girl.” More