#2018 global live top 10

[tomorrowusa]

Anti-vax fanatic RFK Jr. took his war against vaccines to Samoa (population: 208,853) in 2019. Several months later, scores of people were dead and 1,867 people were hospitalized with measles.

The previous year two babies in Samoa had died from an improperly formulated mix of the MMR vaccine. Anti-vax maniacs like RFK Jr. seized on this accident to claim that MMR vaccines were deadly. Vaccination rates in Samoa plummeted and that set the stage for the deadly outbreak.

The roots of the tragedy stretch back to July 2018 and the deaths of two babies due to a medical error in the administration of an MMR vaccine, after the vaccine powder was mixed with expired muscle relaxant anaesthetic instead of water. The government shut down the vaccination programme for 10 months to investigate – allowing thousands of babies to go unvaccinated, against World Health Organization advice, and creating space for rumours to take hold. During the same period, Kennedy, who denies being anti-vaccine, had been hosted in Samoa. He visited four months before the measles outbreak was declared, in October 2019, meeting with government officials and anti-vaccine influencers in what health advocates and Ekeroma claim was a “significant disinformation campaign” stoking distrust in vaccines. Kennedy and his wife, Cheryl Hines, were special guests at Samoa’s 57th independence celebrations in June 2019, as part of a trip that came about after the anti-vaccination non-profit group Kennedy founded, Children’s Health Defense, connected with vocal Samoan vaccine critic and traditional healer Edwin Tamasese.

Because of anti-vax influencers, the MMR vaccination rate was way below that of other countries in the region.

Kennedy and his Children’s Health Defense group walked into this vacuum of mistrust – of western medicine, of the government – said Helen Petousis-Harris, a New Zealand-based vaccinologist and co-director of the Global Vaccine Data Network. When the government did restart its vaccination programme, people were reluctant: when the epidemic was declared on 16 October, the rate had dropped to 31%, down from 84% four years previously, according to WHO data. “The Samoan establishment handled the whole situation really badly and did not take the support and advice that was provided to them at the time, which is what allowed this to unravel and let RFK get in there,” Petousis-Harris said. “When you get people who are wealthy and influential going into a fragile setting, it’s like the top of the food chain visiting and meeting up with those who act as the megaphone. The impact was devastating.” The resurgence of disease when vaccine rates go down is predictable, she said. Kennedy has spread false claims that the MMR vaccines cause autism. According to the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, he is one of the world’s top disinformation super-spreaders. Public health officials in Samoa said anti-vaccination activists had been empowered by Kennedy, which had affected vaccine uptake.

Samoa has since re-instituted compulsory MMR vaccinations for babies. But the resumption came too late for those who were affected by the 2019 outbreak.

MMR vaccination in Samoa is now compulsory for babies over nine months. But in another small village outside Apia, where mother-of-eight Siiae Olilefauaitu sits on the grave of her one-year-old baby, Moana, in the encroaching dark, none of this is of any comfort. Her family lives at the end of this muddy track without power. They use a gas cooker and go to bed at nightfall. They could move in with family elsewhere but Olilefauaitu doesn’t want to leave Moana, who is buried outside the front door. “She is the first thing we see every day,” Olilefauaitu says. “She was a character, she was crawling, she smiled a lot. I can never forget her.”

RFK Jr. is now being entrusted to oversee epidemics in the United States by Donald Trump.

[kanmom51]

Jikook Vlives Masterlist

2013-2015 Vlives

JK log 18 Jul 2013 - Bangtan

JK 2015 Vlive

JK birthday Vlive - the 50 Tshirt gift

RM 2015 birthday Vlive

2016 Vlives

Paris Vlive June 2016

Paris 2016 Vlive twisted by TKK’s

Osaka Vlive - was Jimin there?

Tokyo Vlive

Tokyo Vlive yet again

Yes, again with the Tokyo Vlive

Jikook hickies?

Jin/JM talking JK out of quitting?

2017 vlives

February 2017 Vlive - what JK would do for a girl/boy he liked...

May 2017 BBMA’s ot7 Vlive

BTS Vlive BBMA’s

20 November 2017 post AMA’s performance Vlive

so mangae - Jin eats Vlive

Global Vlive top 10 BTS

2018 Vlives

24 May 2018 comeback show pre-live

BTS live from 10 June 2018

Comeback live May 2018 - Jimin-ssi

JK’s nose boop mission 2018 and the repercussions (?)

The behind mission for the comeback show preview Vlive

2019 Vlives

Tae’s Paris Vlive January 2019

The New Jersey Vlive - “Tae get the f**k out of here already” vibe

New Jersey Vlive

Happy 3 year anniversary to the New Jersey Vlive

Jimin Busan Vlive 2019

Jimin’s Saudi Arabia Vlive

JM flying back for JK’s birthday 2019 - his Saudi Vlive

When JK tried to feed JM

2020 Vlives

Jimin’s Vlive conversation with Jin - did JK interrupt?

Hobi Vlive - JK’s comment he didn’t think he would fall in love with a man...

Was it a kiss?

BTS Seven special party

BTS Seven special party Vlive - dalgona coffee metion

Dynamite Vlive

Carnation Vlive

JM Vlive 20 April 2020

11 May 2020 live log

Oh, Kookie...

RM birthday Vlive 2020

Purple radio live comeback special

Bangtan Bomb Black swan VCR behind

2021 Vlives

BTS OT7 live 19 Feb 2021, so what did we have?

Butter Vlive - JK & JM fasting together?

Just putting it out there

When Jikook are not sat together in lives

Jimin 2021 birthday masterlist

Hobi spilling the beans

No translation needed, but if it is, JK’s not a kangaroo, lol

Another no translation needed, but just in case we shared it, lol

JM when telling us JK is on his way

JM’s phone call to JK

JK recommending JM’s mom’s cooking

I think JM is happy

K-army adding fuel to the Jikook fire (reblog)

Vlive decorations and the use of JM

6 years apart and yet

Jikook on camera in a nutshell (reblog)

Again Jimin is happy

They just have to hold hands, don’t they?

JM is genuine

Jimin is human

Was JM hinting to JK “don’t order food babe we have dinner plans”?

Was JK joining JM for dinner with his parents?

The birthday cake

JM’s birthday Vlive 2021 one more time

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - again with the handshaking

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - if only we knew what they were saying

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - so soft

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - Tae’s “Excuse me...”

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - JK not worrying about noise complaints

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - why Tae switched places with JM

Jimin being affectionate during ot7 lives - nothing new

Vminkook Vlive 28 Nov 2021 Masterlist

3 Vlives

Sit on my lap?

Minkook from now on?

JK was nervous

Who is JM checking out?

Today’s TMI

No words needed line of communication

From now on it’s Minkook or Minkookie

Minkook/Jikook/Kookmin TMI during the Vlive explained

1+1 in Minkookland/Jikookland

“We” was used multiple times

The couple in the room was evident

“we laugh to sleep every night

2022 Vlives

BTS Vlive 19 March 2022 - why does this look so familiar?

BTS Vlive 19 March 2022 - what kind of food are you eating now days JM?

Jungkook Vlive 16 June 2022

Jungkook Vlive 5 April 2022

JK be: I told you you’d be jealous...

JK is talking

JK prey tell us who has complained about your moving and snoring in your sleep

JK being loud - where is it coming from?

Problematic Vlive subtitles

Vlive post Grammy’s 2022

JK dropping honorifics with JM, yet again

They were in each other’s ears

Do we have to address this one more time?

And if we already on it...

JK just hanging there

JK practiced alone in his room during quarantine, and JM is the one to tell us

Jikook and the Itaewon class reference

VminHopekook Vlive after concert day 3

JK joining the live

JK joining the live - a better translation (wrong link)

Looking comfy

JM, what ya doing?

Of course JM knew about JK’s live

Vminhope telling how V, Hobi, JM & JK spend spare time together

Finally JK will have someone to box with

JK knowing JM’s maternal grandmother’s birthday

Spot the couple

JK moving Hobi to take his place by JM - yet again

Spot the difference

Waiting for the JM Traitor edit

We moved on too fast from this Vlive

JM - JK - Hobi - Tae Weverse live post concert

It was too short

JK’s mom made seaweed soup for JM’s birthday

The ramen bowl

JK farts are definitely a subject to be discussed in a live broadcast

JK marry me - JK’s bad decisions, lol

I cannot and will not let this go

I’m back real fast

Just JK thinking JM is so adorable

JK’s mom and the seaweed soup

JM’s lock screen

I get it

Please pretty please

JM’s necklace again

Too spicy Jjyaman?

JikookVhope live summery

Jimin Vlive 27 September 2022

27 September 2022 JM is live

JM Weverse live 18 September 2022

JM’s live and mentioning JK

And again the use of Jungkookie

Yes, he definitely said Jungkookie

2023 lives

The Feb-Mar 2023 Wlives masterlist

April Vlives

Jimin W-live 4 April 2023

JK live 8 April 2023 - initial thoughts

JK live 8 April 2023

JK live 25 April 2023

Karma isn’t a bitch, karma is JK

JK's White day live, JM's Angel pt. 1 and all that's in between...

JK the crowned 👑 spoiler king

May lives

Jakay what you doing - live 25 May 23

JK live 25.5.2023 12:03 am KST

So JVKE has named our boys angelboys?

So JK did this

June lives

JK is live and I’m awake 5 June 2023

Nah, this man he is something special

The connections are connecting

Do I need to say anymore?

JK live 5 June 2023 7:03 am KST

JK live 12 June 2023 7:02 am KST

JM live 15 June 2023 20:46 or 8:46pm KST

JK's live 30 June 2023 12:38 am KST

Does JK live at Brunnen full time?

July lives

JK live 5 July 2023 4:02 am KST

JK live 18 July 2023

Relationships 101: What we can learn from JK's live

JK live 21 July 2023 part 1

JK live 21 July 2023 part 2

JK live 27 July 2023 - JK singing Letter

JK has JM on the brain

JK live 27 July 2023 0:00 KST

JK live 28 July 2023 - reblog

JK live 28 July 2023 post

Just play it on repeat - JK Inkigayo live 30 July 2023

JK live 30 July 2023 - Part 1

JK live 30 July 2023 - Part 2 + live 31 July 2023

August lives

JK live 8/3/2023 10:26 pm or 22:26 KST

JK live 5 August 2023 - I slept through it all

JK live 5 August 2023 1:41 am KST - Part 1

JK live 5 August 2023 1:41 am KST - Part 2

JK live 5 August 2023

September lives

Ahm...happy birthday JK (post includes JK’s 1 Sep live)

JM live 1 September 2023  20:54 or 8:54 pm KST - Part 1

JM live 1 September 2023 20:54 or 8:54 pm KST - Part 2

JK live 23 September 2023 (NYC)

JK live 23 September 2023 (NYC) - full post

October lives

JK live 4 October 2023 summed up in 50 seconds

JK live 4 October 2023

JM Production diary live - Nah I couldn’t wait for my post for you guys to see this

Just me or same vibes?

We just lost him at that point

JM production diary documentary and live 23 October 2023

Muscle memory

Came here for a bitch rant

Spot the differences (again) - JM documentary live versus JM birthday live

[atzupdates]

[230303] ATEEZ are showing the world another side of K-pop by Taylor Glasby of i-D

Going stratospheric despite their small agency beginnings, the arena headliners discuss manifesting success and their secret ambitions.

ATEEZ have just played a raucous show to 20,000 fans at London’s O2 Arena. Backstage, with the adrenalin still pumping, Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yeosang, Mingi, San, Wooyoung, Yunho and Jongho are talking about football. Mingi, deep-voiced, his cropped hair cotton candy pink, is a Chelsea fan. Jongho, the band’s youngest at 22, follows Spurs. “Which is better?” asks Mingi. My tentative, uninformed guess (“Spurs?”) yields triumphant hoots and disappointed groans, as Jongho reaches over for a fist bump and hi-five. This exchange isn’t so much about football, as it is a reflection of ATEEZ wanting to make everyone they encounter feel welcome – a habit unchanged despite their stratospheric rise through the global pop landscape since debuting in late 2018.

During their week-long stay, they meet fans (known as ATINY) at a signing event, make late-night TikToks beneath the glow of Big Ben, go live on YouTube from a cosy corner of a hotel room, and watch South Korean forward Son Heungmin score at a Tottenham Hotspur game. The club’s home stadium (soon to host Beyoncé’s five London concerts) leaves a lasting impression on Yeosang: “When I saw how big it was and how loud the people were, I thought about how I want to be an artist that can play there,” he says in his slightly raspy voice. Wooyoung’s thoughts, however, linger Stateside in the wake of their most recent EP, Spin Off: From The Witness, earning them a second Top 10 entry on the Billboard 200 in early January. “I don’t know if it’s a team goal or my own,” he admits, “but I do want a #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hoping for it to happen is the easy part, but what’s necessary is the confidence and bravery in the belief that it will happen.”

ATEEZ’ ambitious nature is an overarching constant to their rapid growth as individuals and artists, useful as both a touchstone of their success and a beacon for their creative output. It was present on their first record, Treasure EP1: All To Zero, which set up a rebellious narrative (now a complex and sprawling alt-world storyline) just as much as it drives their meteoric singles and the exploratory genre-overlaps of their B-sides. As a result, they’ve become a prolific and landmark group. The World EP.1: Movement (their ninth EP, out in July 2022) was ATEEZ’ first platinum-selling release, a major accomplishment for an idol group from a relatively small K-pop agency.

Hongjong, the band’s leader, thinks and talks fast (today, in English) but he pauses to take a moment to muse over their trajectory. “Many people say that I can be proud of being a group from a small company that has made their own way. So if we continually do it like this with ATINY, then in the future people might agree that ATEEZ have made a change in K-pop. I think for now though, we haven’t done enough.”

They hope, notes Seonghwa (the band’s eldest member at 24), that their achievements will eventually be on a broader scale. “We’d love to be the people behind that movement,” he says. Hongjoong nods in agreement: “I want for us to provide people with a better understanding of K-pop worldwide. There are people who continue to say that K-pop is so technical and manufactured but K-pop isn’t just a single genre; each group has a different type of art and I want to show how we express our art to everyone. When I look into the crowd at concerts, I can see so many people of all ages and backgrounds yet stereotypes against the artists and the fans still exist.”

In the early days of ATEEZ, it was evident that Hongjoong and Mingi played a key role alongside their music production team, Edenary, and that a sense of individualism seemed to be encouraged in the group’s performances. These are both now acknowledged as strengths in their arsenal. The Fellowship: Break The Wall, their third world tour, serves to highlight their unified stance while showcasing the members’ idiosyncrasies — from dance style to sense of humour — but also how comfortably they inhabit the stage.

“During our 2019 Expedition tour, we learned a lot about how to perform with every show we did,” says Yunho, an effortlessly impressive dancer. “Then during the pandemic, we studied and developed how to really make the performance; working on the stage configuration and synchronisation of moves amongst ourselves. When we came back to Europe and the US last year for the Fellowship: The Beginning of the End tour, we were able to see how everything we’d worked on and our personal growth came together on that stage.”

For some members, the process has involved looking beyond the stage in order to feel more at home on it. Yeosang’s regimented program of working out put him physically and mentally in a stronger place: “I relieve my stress while exercising, but my breathing got better and my muscles also got better, so overall it connected into a great result on stage.” San and Seonghwa also turned inward, sifting through mental libraries of borrowed or imaginary traits to build and inhabit new characters for their performances.  

“I always have a lot of imaginative thoughts,” says Seonghwa, whose general serenity is replaced by a lightning-strike energy on stage and sparks of playfulness when you least expect it. “Even before sleeping, I tend to think about fantastical things,” he continues. “I use these to decide on how I’m going to be on stage and make sure the atmosphere matches with elements like my outfit.”

“For San, it’s movies and dramas [that inspire his performances], he takes those characters on,” explains Wooyoung. San, widely lauded for having an explosive stage presence, makes his creative choices the day of. “If there’s something I think of that I want to do that day, I share it with everyone to see if it will be okay. Then we create that image together and I simply express myself.”

Wooyoung, who is both mischievous and magnetic, looks to those he admires for guidance. “I mostly look at videos of our seniors – Jimin (BTS), Taeyang (Big Bang), Hoshi (SEVENTEEN), there’s so many – I get inspiration from them and make it my own on stage.” It’s a process also adopted by Yunho. “There are artists that I can pull from, like Rain, learning from them in order to realise my own style,” Yunho says. “On stage, it’s just me, I’m myself, but I have all this in the back of my mind.”

The title of their current tour, The Fellowship: Break The Wall, is derived from last summer’s single, “Guerrilla”, on which the phrase “break the wall” is chanted with increasing ferocity, culminating in a screamo-style vocal outro. It’s one of the show’s many high points, with ATINY putting their everything into screaming along with the band. The atmosphere grows feverish, the stage bathed in red light as the giant screens flash through the dystopian city of their storyline. It’s unbridled to the point of being transcendental. San grins, reflecting on this moment. “It’s difficult to explain,” he says of the experience, while Hongjoong sees in it the removal of cultural barriers through music. “I see ATINY during ‘Guerrilla’ singing along really loud and really tough,” he says. “They come to our show, they memorise our lyrics, they shout. That’s how they’re breaking the wall, by coming together.”

Since last October, ATEEZ have been playing arenas across Asia, the US and Europe, adding extra nights as they go in order to accommodate the demand, and garnering rave reviews — even from broadsheet media, for whom K-pop remains a confusing phenomenon — in the process. But their feet, heart and heads remain earthbound. “Nothing in this world is guaranteed,” says Wooyoung. “We’re always grateful for everything. It’s something we’ve discussed as a group, but it’s all thanks to ATINY’s love and support that we’re where we are now. To become global artists and a good influence on even more people, we have to hold a sense of responsibility to give our all on stage and deliver our truth. Honestly, it’s less about dreaming of an unknown future and more about how we have to work harder so we can go even higher and pave our own path.”

ATEEZ’ success is holistic in form: personality, performance and music. A harmonious but intriguing balance of authenticity and polish. Their impressive discography features recurring motifs (waves, moon, light) and ideologies (power, truth, rebellion, movement), yet Mingi and Hongjoong — who have written lyrics on every ATEEZ track so far — admit they’re still learning how best to combine what’s on their minds with what’s conducive to furthering their storyline. It is, they agree, not always an easy task.

“It’s absolutely hard to focus on so many themes,” says Hongjoong. “Sometimes my brain stops, so I watch movies or our music videos again. I think too much when I write but, after that work, the lyrics have more power for the fans who know our storyline; they get different emotions and a different effect when I’ve done that work well. It’s really hard but it’s important to do.”

Hongjoong had an epiphany when he picked up a camera while touring last year. “There's such fierce competition – not just in music but all industries – so if there’s no purpose, I’ve always found it really hard to create freely. We have continuous deadlines. I do the first album, then the second, and once I complete the second album I have to start on the third. I’ve found my hobby with a film camera. I walk around taking photos and I can see that even if I have no immediate purpose, I can create something.” It’s something that’s changed his approach to songwriting. “These days, when I write lyrics or produce a song, I just start from zero,” he explains. “Before, if we had a pirate theme, for example, I would start with that as a topic. That’s why I found it so hard.” He now works backward, getting down exactly what he wants to say before connecting it to the narrative markers. “It’s quite different but it’s more comfortable for me and the results are better than before.”

Hongjoong and Mingi, the group’s rappers, point to last year’s "Halazia” as the hardest storyline track to pen. “The atmosphere of the song is already quite difficult and complex,” Hongjoong notes, looking over to Mingi, who explains his process of cataloguing his many thoughts to later draw from. “I write down a lot of them as memos on my phone, so I always go back to them to see if they match what we’re going through (as a group); that’s how I write my lyrics,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll think of it as writing a script, to really get into that persona."

Mingi and Hongjoong are not the only collectors and creators in ATEEZ. “In my case,” says Seonghwa, “I always memo whenever I hear a line from a song or a line from a poem that I like, just for me to look back on. I’m the type to jot down my feelings if I experience something special. These help me when I write letters or want to say something to ATINY because I’m able to better word my feelings.” San, meanwhile, cites legendary South Korean poet 나 태주 (Ra Tae-joo) as an influence. “I love poems too — I’ve been writing my own but I keep them to myself,” he says. “They can be about my feelings on a certain day, the weather, objects or characters. I’m able to lay out my feelings like this.”

Now in their fourth year, ATEEZ remain as set on the idea of constantly challenging themselves as they were when they were hungry rookies. Take Jongho for example, whose rich, gut-punching vibrato forms the backbone of many of their songs. When he listened back to The World EP.1: Movement for the first time, he admits that he was “worried because my voice was used in ways that I hadn’t tried before, and I wondered how my vocal colour was going to fit”. He sat down with their producers and worked through “how we could still make it still an ATEEZ song and match my tone, while trying something new. I’ve gained more confidence — it makes me want to do better for all the albums to come.”

Hongjoong laughs. “It means our next albums are, uh, a big thing,” he reveals, knowingly. “There are so many good K-pop and pop stars that if we want to go higher, we have to have more good songs and try other genres, too.” But even as he muses on ATEEZ’ continuing expansion, the idea of one day becoming ‘too big to fail’ doesn’t appeal to him. “No, absolutely not that,” he says, gaze steady. “I want ATINY to be able to tell us if something is bad. I like it when they do this because we don’t want to just give them our popularity. I want to give them good quality, not just a song or a video or a performance.” Does the fact that music is subjective; that no single song can please everybody, bring some comfort? “We try to find the middle ground,” Hongjoong says. “The first thing to note is that if we think it’s really great but someone else says that they think it’s trash, then we don’t really care what they think. But when we’re unsure and questioning and someone says, ‘Yeah, it’s bad’, then ok, we go back to square one.”

The thought of ATEEZ honing their creative output through repeated baptisms of fire might well upset some fans, but the band are not only accustomed to the fame game’s highs and lows but wholly pragmatic in the face of its shadows. So when Wooyoung says he’s aware of “many people” who openly disparage their music, Hongjoong shrugs a little as he responds. “Yeah, there are. We talk about this a lot together, but if there are many more haters than before, it just means we’re more popular than before,” he reasons.

The group finds positive equilibrium via a heartfelt focus on ATINY, and all that comes with being an idol group who are years into a very successful career. “When we look at line-ups now, we’re closing the show,” says Wooyoung. “And as we perform, we see the other artists watching us, and we realise we have more responsibility. Firstly to ATINY, who have been loving us and supporting us from the start, but there’s also a responsibility to spread K-pop and Korean culture because we’re travelling around the world as Korean artists.”

One of ATEEZ many dualities is that while they have big, burning aspirations — Billboard charts, Grammys, performing at the Super Bowl — that make them look at each other starry-eyed, some of their ambitions are precious in a different way: they’re simpler, more immediate. “I’d like to be happier than the day before,” says Mingi. “And I want for us to never change our sincerity toward music and gratitude to our fans,” adds Seonghwa. This is echoed by San, who adds that ultimately, “I’d be satisfied if ATEEZ’ name came up when someone asks who the coolest artist is at the end of the year.”

“I want to make more events with ATINY,” says Hongjoong. “That’s a goal for this year because we always miss them and they always miss us.” Jongho, sitting in the middle of the group, is smiling. He’s been manifesting a more personal ambition. “By next winter I want to be able to snowboard,” he says. “I want to buy my own board, go down the mountain and not fall.”

[stormxpadme]

Whumptober 2024

No. 3 – “I warned you.“

07/29/2018

Their call to the building downtown that the Brotherhood had so cynically renamed a communication bridge was failed to answer for so long that Ororo was already busy in mind, coming up with the necessary mission preparations.

It would be messy, lossy and shatter whatever arduous restraint her team had held on to ever since their enemies had taken over one of the USA's most beloved historical metropolis locations, declaring open war on humanity that the latter still had no means to even answer to as of yet. There was a good chance that, if they would enter their jet in a minute to approach the besieged city and counter their foes' latest strike, that they would put their own signature under that blood red document of looming global destruction at last, any attempts and hopeless plans of negotiating for a peaceful solution that simply did not exist vaporized.

Ororo didn’t need to consult with the X-Men's leader first to know what the latter would have had to say to such an impulsive, highly risky move – and yet if she ever wanted the chance for such a just as tiring as beloved tradition of endless lectures from one of her oldest friends again, there was no doubt, she'd be suiting up in probably 10 minutes tops, calling whoever in this house was trained enough to face a whole city of hostiles and an impenetrable shield surrounding it, for a desperate rescue mission part of her knew perfectly well would never have been approved of if by the one person it was necessary to go on it for.

Accordingly big was the relief, fighting a hefty battle with immediately building wrath inside her soul when she'd just gotten her ass off that control room chair, the first order necessary on her lips, and suddenly startled from a flash of lightning stinging in her pupils as the main monitor right before her flashed to life, the sought connection to the New York Brotherhood base finally established, revealing the exceedingly smug expression on a very familiar blue and red scaled face.

"You got something that belongs to us, Darkholme?"

"So do you," Mystique reminded her harshly, confirming the X-Men's worst suspicions about why their leader had been taken into captivity at that damn mutant talent show he'd originally been invited to as a guest in. Well, so much for that. "Care to trade?"

"You really want to turn this into another war?" Ororo asked with numb lips, her hand a helpless, trembling fist by her side, the other - invisibly for the monitor camera - clawing down on the muscular leg of the woman sitting right next to her whom she could see even from the corner of her eyes had turned even another shade paler yet than at the live transmission from that show on TV earlier. Namely, when the abrupt stage exit of one of mutant world's most famous and the sudden silence in the mental link between said woman by her side and the X-Men's leader almost at the same moment had confirmed all mistrust and anxiety beforehand about this so-called peace offer.

"Funny how you always ask that whenever you launch an attack on us." Mystique leaned back in her chair unfazed, reaching for something outside the monitor lens on her side, upon which surveillance material from a certain bloody air strike on the other side of the world this afternoon flickered over another screen right behind the one showing her snarl. "I warned you. Loud and clear. I was even nice enough to give you a chance to delete the data you stole from us and reveal to me whatever you think you've read from it. Instead, you fuck around in our outpost in Egypt and insult my intelligence by thinking we won't even notice. Consider this your second and last ultimatum. Either you people will tell me what I want to know or I have to find out how much it takes to make that stuck up Boy Scout of yours talk."

"And what about Dazzler? You trying to host American Mutant Idol or something?" Ororo's thoughts were racing, that knot in her stomach growing when she realized there was nothing she could change about the dire situation, not right now, and not even only because Scott would never have let her hear the end of it if she started goddamn World War III over a few possible days of imprisonment of one of theirs. Especially when it was him.

"I’m pretty sure you know, one of you can’t answer that. As I said, I am not hot on intruders in my living room." For some reason, Mystique's yellow and brown eyes narrowed towards the visitor chair in the control room that was occupied with someone not even on the permanent team … A young man of whom Ororo suddenly had a pretty good idea why he had stuck around today against his usual habits of vanishing right after action.

Mystique knew damn well who had stolen this very data so important to her back then that she had just pulverized the truce between her people and the X-Men over once more an hour ago. This time, Stu, wouldn’t be able to sneak into the city unseen thanks to his mixed mutant and human genes, at least not if he didn’t want to risk the life of Mystique's two prisoners … one of whom Ororo had suspected for a while now was far closer to Peter Parker's secret son than he'd ever let on.

"Care to let us in, Parker?" she asked with whatever patience she could still come up with once the com connection had been rudely cut by her conversation partner without as much as another threat that wasn’t necessary.

They all knew in how much danger beloved friends and family members were right now, and there was a good chance that very situation could have been avoided if there wasn’t so much goddamn secrecy existing between people who'd actually been friends for decades. Addressing that was obviously her job right now as it was pretty obvious, from the way Logan's claws were only barely not ripping some keyboard to pieces and Katja next to Ororo was still stock still and dead silent, that her team members were worlds from the emotional distance necessary to think about how to free their missing loved ones as quickly as possible.

Ororo had rarely loathed this unloved role of a leading position she'd never seen herself in outside of emergencies more than tonight.

Stu promptly ducked his head and began to tug on the edge of his mask on his neck as if he suddenly had trouble breathing under the tight latex. "Mom didn’t want anyone to know. Peter and her … That was some drunk one-time thing back then. I don’t think either of them is proud of it."

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me." At least Logan finally found his tongue again, stopping in his rude movement to shoo Katja off her ass finally, with his thoughts probably already halfway on the way to the hangar yet before they'd even decided if that was the direction they would turn into in a minute.

Ororo was almost glad that the unexpected news distracted Logan from that ill thought through endeavor for a second, the hint of a grin curling under his thick beard as, with something between amusement and alienation , he eyed the young man next to him from head to toe. Someone who'd long started to be part of his family but had kept a lot of secrets from him, too, obviously. "So sparkly Taylor Swift really is your mother, huh? Your dad has some weird-ass taste, Spiderhead."

"Says the guy who married Phoenix," Stu answered, absent as if his thoughts, too, were in a whole different dimension, apparently trying to digest the news of Alison's kidnapping himself, and to decide how to not make things worse, again. At least this time. Ororo guessed that could be called progress or something.

Far enough gone to not wince when a casual adamantium claw tapped his kneecap, a warning growl from Logan's lips following, Stu wasn’t though.

"You wanna keep dating my daughter, Glitter Webs?"

"Shutting up, shutting up." The boy ducked his head visibly contrite and hurried to the other side of the room to silently wait for instructions.

"Where do you think you're going, Logan?"

Only when her teammate turned toward the door again, patting down his shirt for a cigar or a drink or both in a well-oiled pre mission routine, Ororo had to raise her voice a little, reaching out to her side once again when she saw Katja wince next to her, a firm, warning grip around a slender elbow making sure she wouldn’t have to stop two people at once from doing something immensely stupid.

"Let's just say I kinda stopped caring for taking orders from terrorists, Windrider."

Hardly even taking the warning nuance in her tone seriously, Logan only stopped with an unnerved look back over his shoulder when a strong gust of wind around his fist stopped his zippo from lighting his cigar. "Really?"

"I don't care what you care for. This isn’t about you."

A routine gesture back to the keyboard behind Ororo sufficed to seal the electronic door locks before her impulsive teammate could just storm off with a dismissive snort, an unimpressed brow wandering up her forehead when the well-known snikt sound of Logan's wavering self-restraint sounded through the control center next.

"What, want to try cut your way out? Be my guest. Thinking about it, that electrocution might be a good warm up for whatever you think you'll be doing once you stand outside the Field, trying to get in without anyone noticing, getting the people you're trying to save killed right before the eyes of their loved ones."

"I'll think of something when we get there," Logan growled, not retreating his claws even for an inch …

At least not until one of the people they were talking over here as if they weren’t in the room suddenly rose, and Ororo saw Logan falling silent all voluntarily in a way it hadn’t often happened since she knew him.

"You're not gonna do shit, Claws."

Ororo couldn’t shake a certain shiver creeping down her spine herself, and contrary to her darkest fears, it wasn’t anxiety over having to try to hurt a friend to protect them and their captive husband from her own temper, or a hint of worry about possible destruction from Katja's established and new-found powers raining down on this house in a bout of loss of control as it hadn’t happened for years.

Indeed, thinking about it, Ororo hadn’t even seen up the status signal from one of the conductors on the roof flashing red even once, ever since they'd had to watch on TV as one of their own had once more fallen into the hands of the enemy. Not a hint of a tremor was in Katja's hand when she used her wrist communicator to call her daughter to the IT center, cool and undisputable determination in the few syllables aimed Stu's way that commanded him to call his father on the phone, without Ororo having given Katja as much as temporary control in a crisis she was actually forbidden from taking a crucial part in for being compromised alone.

In fact, Ororo didn’t think she'd ever seen anyone less emotionally compromised who had to fear for their husband's life. Maybe this was a kind of control that years of having your emotions connected to destructive weather phenomenon earned you.

What she'd mistaken for ice-cold shock a minute ago was the crystal clear calculation of someone who'd been robbed off control far too often in her life and was no longer willing to stand and watch as it happened all over … either to her or to the people closest to her.

Ororo had rarely been prouder of her former pupil.

With the same dejected but composed calmness, Katja nodded Saskia close who must have been waiting right behind the door as so often, entering only a second later, and motioned for Stu to mirror the video call with his father to one of the monitors in the wall that they could all see from where they stood.

"It's my family, and Stu's, who has to make the choice of how to save our people. Anyone's got a problem with that, you're welcome to file your complaint with our leader if we happen to get him back alive."

Even the gentle touch on her daughter's hand when a visibly upset Saskia next to her trembled at this sadly very possible reality that this exactly wouldn’t be the case, came without looking, without a second of distraction from a situation that allowed no delay, not even for comfort.

Only the energy that maybe only the rage of heaven could give.

"Until then, I suggest anyone who doesn’t want to get fried by accident get the fuck out of my way."

"You know you're pretty hot when you're pissed, Kitten," Logan grunted after a second of stunned silence in the room, with a lopsided grin and a very appreciative eye-roll his teammate's way, finally lighting his cigar before leaning back against one of the monitor towers, at least no longer looking like he'd just burst through the door by force if necessary.

"Any more cavemen commentary?" a voice from said secure new video com line to New York above their heads asked dryly. "Otherwise, if the weather-witches in the room don’t mind, I have a few specifications from the city defenses for you guys that might help getting through the Field without anyone having to electrocute their balls off in the process."

Ororo signaled a visibly mortified Stu, burying his masked face in his hands with a suffering groan, with a soothing gesture that it was alright, that in a house living with a amnesic feral with the world's worst manners, there was no need to apologize for a slightly rude-leaning parent, and then turned her attention to the latest crisis.

*******************************************************************************

@whumptober | @whumptober-archive

[xtruss]

The World's Tallest Building, The Burj Khalifa, Dubai , UAE. Image: Stéphane Compoint

Inside The Supertall Building Boom

What Skyscrapers Reveal About The Countries That Build Them

— September 20th 2024

A skyscraper is a statement of ambition. No surprise, then, that Saudi Arabia wants to build the world’s tallest. Construction on the Jeddah Tower stopped in 2018 but will restart soon; when completed, it will be the first building ever to rise to a dizzying 1,000 metres. The Jeddah Tower’s nearly 170 storeys will house the usual combination of luxury flats, hotel rooms and offices. On one side visitors will be able to gaze on a new financial district; on another, across the Red Sea.

The building may cost around $1.2bn, but that is a trifling sum given the more than $1trn that Saudi Arabia is spending on developing infrastructure, luring tourists and repositioning itself on the global stage. Leaders see the tower, which resembles a jagged splinter of glass, as a symbol of the kingdom’s power. It “sends a financial and economic message that should not be ignored”, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who is overseeing the project, has said.

If that is the case, other places are sending out similar steely messages. There are 236 “supertall” buildings across the world—a label given to anything bigger than 300 metres—and 160 of them have been erected since 2014, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), a research group. Another 96 are under way. These hulking piles reshape skylines and cities. And, as well as reaching skyward, they point towards geopolitical and cultural trends. Which countries are building supertalls, and why?

Midtown Manhattan in 1955, looking downtown towards the Empire State Building, then the tallest building in the world Image: Getty Images

The Middle East is home to 20% of all supertalls. The United Arab Emirates, like Saudi Arabia, is showing off its oil wealth and status as one of the region’s fastest-growing economies. It has 35 supertalls; Dubai alone boasts 31, more than any other city. Its behemoth is the Burj Khalifa, which, at 828 metres, has been the world’s tallest tower since opening in 2010. (Reportedly only 71% of the Burj Khalifa is usable space; the rest is “vanity height���.)

Asia has a great love of heights, too, having built more than two-thirds of all supertalls in the past decade. A recent addition is Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, which was completed last year. At 679 metres tall, it pushed its way into second place. China, which had barely any skyscrapers before 1980, now has five of the ten tallest. The country is home to more skyscrapers per person than America. Some 70% of the supertalls under construction are going up in China. Twenty-five of them, if completed, will rank among the world’s top 100 tallest buildings.

China’s upward trajectory has practical causes. Until recently, the country’s population was surging, rising from 980m in 1980 to 1.4bn today. And those seeking work are still moving from the countryside to the cities, where 66% of people live. Height also helps with urban density, making commuting distances shorter.

But politics provides additional mo­tivation for city planners to think big. “Officials in small cities are particularly prone to build tall,” says Jason Barr, an economist and the author of the book “Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers”. Strivers in the Communist Party see supertalls as a way to put their lower-tier cities on the map—and perhaps gain attention from central-government bigwigs.

Only 10% of supertalls built in the past decade have sprung up in America, the ancestral home of the skyscraper. (The first were built in New York and Chicago in the late 1880s.) New York, a city known for its gigantic buildings, has gained a few, including super-thin towers south of Central Park in a cluster nicknamed “Billionaires’ Row”. There are still many economic incentives to go high, particularly in New York: land is expensive, and its population is among the most concentrated of any American city. But gaining approval for new buildings is a complex process, thanks to 3,300 pages of zoning regulations.

The number of storeys may be soaring, but some countries nevertheless prefer to stay closer to the ground. In the European Union only Poland has a supertall building (Britain, an ex-member, has one too: the Shard). Skyscrapers are often regarded as “gauche” on the continent, says Daniel Safarik of CTBUH. In London and Rome new edifices are not allowed to block views of certain landmarks, making it hard to build upwards. Paris has banned construction of new tall buildings in response to “ugly” skyscrapers. On X one French person called the Montparnasse Tower, a Brutalist building from 1973, the greatest affront to Paris since the Nazi occupation.

When designing a supertall, architects must not have their heads in the clouds. The first serious order of business is to make sure the building does not get buffeted or blown over. “Wind is the governing factor” of supertall design, says Gordon Gill, who co-designed the Jeddah Tower. As buildings go up and up, so do wind forces. Engineers calculated that the Burj Khalifa, for instance, needed to be able to stand tall amid winds of 150mph (240kph), equivalent to a strong tornado.

The proposed Xi’an Greenland Tower in Xi'an, China, draws inspiration from the detailed armour of terracotta soldiers from the Qin dynasty Image: Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill Architecture

To avoid a statement of grandeur becoming a parable of ineptitude, architects have to “confuse” the wind using diff­erent shapes. Thinness, tapering, twisting, round edges and cut-outs at the top of the building all help, and there are interior as well as exterior solutions. At 432 Park Avenue in New York, five double-floors are left empty to let the wind pass through. Taipei 101 in Taiwan features a steel pendulum, weighing some 728 tonnes, that swings to counteract wind-induced movement.

Given the role of skyscrapers as symbols, architects must also pay close attention to what they look like. Note that the Woolworth Building in New York, the tallest in the world from 1913-30, has a copper roof and gargoyles to reflect its status as a “cathedral of commerce”. Today those commissioning supertalls, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, want the building to stand for cultural confidence as well as a specific sense of place.

Top: 432 Park Avenue in New York and Taipei 101, Taiwan (Bottom) Image: Getty Images, Bridgeman, Alamy

Mr Gill says he consults historians to learn about relevant symbolism: for the façade of the proposed Greenland Tower in Xi’an, he evoked the armour of the terracotta soldiers of the ancient Qin dynasty. The spiral shape of Israel’s first supertall, currently under construction in Tel Aviv, recalls a biblical scroll. Merdeka 118 looks rather like a syringe, but its design was supposedly inspired by the shape of Tunku Abdul Rahman’s hand, evoking the statesman who proclaimed Malaysian independence in 1957.

The proposed 1 Park Avenue in the port city of Dubai, UAE (top) was designed to symbolise the motion of water. The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (bottom left), were meant to evoke the Islamic architecture of South Asia like the Qutb Minar, an 800-year-old minaret in Delhi, India (bottom right). Image: Alamy, Getty Images, Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill Architecture

The sky is not the only limit for supertalls. Enterprising countries all want spectacular buildings, at least until they decide they have had enough. China’s officials are clamping down on “weird” buildings. Edifices that look like “giant trousers”—the nickname given to a building in Beijing designed by Rem Koolhaas—are now verboten. In 2021 the government imposed a height cap of 500 metres and banned cities with fewer than 3m residents from building above 250 metres. (It is thought that safety problems, an oversupply of commercial offices and lots of vacant residential buildings motivated this policy.)

More engineering breakthroughs are needed, too, if buildings are to go higher. It was elevator innovations that helped set off skyscrapers in the late 1800s. But Adrian Smith, one of the architects on the Burj Khalifa, says that lift technology has long been a limiting factor. Existing steel cables have a travel distance of around 500 metres, meaning that it is not possible to get a single lift to the top of many supertalls. (Wind also puts extra strain on the cables.) Yet multiple banks of lifts are difficult to fit into tall, thin buildings. The Jeddah Tower will instead use carbon-fibre, a lighter material that can take lifts higher.

If and when it is possible for buildings to rise higher, no doubt some tycoon or tyrant will want to start a mile-high club. Supertall buildings are monuments to human ingenuity and modernity. But most of all, as Mason Cooley, an American humorist, put it, “A skyscraper is a boast in glass and steel.”

The Burj Al Arab in Dubai, UAE, which recalls the sail of a Dhow, a Common Arab Sailing Vessel Image: Getty Images

— This Article Appeared in the Culture Section of the Print Edition Under the Headline “The Edifice Complex".

[apureniallsource]

Ahead of new album, The Show, Niall Horan on how he 'lives' for touring, his desire to connect with fans through his songs, and the challenge of going out for chips in his Irish hometown

It’s almost a cliché to call Niall Horan a “super-nice guy”, but really, there’s no getting away from it. He may have named his new album The Show, but Horan feels no need to put one on for a journalist. In fact, the Irish singer-songwriter is so laid-back and likeable when we meet at a smart London hotel – fresh flowers everywhere, bottled water waiting on the table – that I ask how he’s stayed so well-adjusted. “It’s probably a combination of the upbringing I had and the fact I already had enough character at 16 [to deal with it],” he says. “It might have been a different story if I’d started doing this when I was 10.”

Now 29, he has been scarily famous for almost half his life. After auditioning for The X Factor in 2010 as a solo artist, 16-year-old Horan was eliminated at the boot camp stage, then given a spectacular second chance as one fifth of a hastily assembled group called One Direction. He and his new bandmates – Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson – didn’t win that year’s show, but still used it as a springboard to become a chart-topping global phenomenon. By the time One Direction announced an indefinite hiatus in January 2016, they had sold 70 million records and debuted at number one in the US with their first four albums – something not even The Beatles achieved. When asked what he would say to his pre-1D, 16-year-old self, Horan replies: “Get ready. Your life’s about to change on a level that most of the world can’t even quantify.”

Horan says he still speaks to “the lads” on a regular basis, but like all of them, he has worked hard to carve out an identity as a solo artist. If Horan’s individual achievements still feel slightly underrated, that’s probably only because his flashier bandmate Styles is now a stadium-filling superstar. Released in 2017, Horan’s debut album Flicker was a deft blend of soft rock, folk and country that debuted at number one in the US and Ireland. His 2020 follow-up Heartbreak Weather added a dash of swagger to the mix – particularly on the Brit-poppy single ‘Nice to Meet Ya’ – and became his first UK chart-topper. Because it dropped in March 2020, just as Covid-19 was taking hold, Horan never got to take the album on the road. “I haven’t toured since 2018 – that’s wild,” he says. “I love live music and I love touring – I live for it. So, it’s sad that I haven’t done that.”

Happily, a few weeks after this interview, Horan announced The Show: Live on Tour, a 50-date trek across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand that will keep him busy from February to July of next year. When Horan last toured five years ago, he mainly played large theatres, but now he is aiming to pack out arenas from Birmingham to Brisbane. During our conversation, he hinted that he was ready for the step up. “In my eyes, the bigger the venue, the better, because I fucking love looking out at an ocean of people,” he says. “For me, it feels like the bigger the venue, the better the show is gonna be.”

Horan also makes no bones about wanting The Show to become another UK number one after it drops on 9 June. “There’s nothing better than getting that little statue sent to your house,” he says with an impish grin. At the time of writing, he seems well on course for another express delivery from the Official Charts Company. The album’s breezy lead single ‘Heaven’ cracked the UK Top 20 in February, and its sprightly follow-up ‘Meltdown’ is now climbing the charts. A few hours before this interview, I watch him perform both songs in the Radio 1 Live Lounge. Horan is just as relaxed with his band during rehearsals, but when he spots that his vocals are getting buried in the mix, he quickly and calmly gets it corrected.

Horan began working on ‘The Show’ while holed up at home during the summer of 2020. The album title had come to him earlier in the year, but he “didn’t really know what it meant until the pandemic”. When he sat down at the piano that August, the lyrics that came out seemed to capture the confusion of the Covid era: “If everything was easy, nothing ever broke / If everything was simple, how would we know? / How to fix your tears? How to fake a show?” At this point, Horan says he realised ‘The Show’ was both “a metaphor for life” and an overarching concept he could run with. “When there’s no heartbreak [to write about], you have to come up with a different concept,” he says. “I realised quite quickly that what I wanted to talk about was the ups and downs and good and bad of life. That’s ‘The Show’.”

Having “no heartbreak” is about as much as Horan will say about his personal life. “Keeping that stuff quiet”, he believes, is one reason he remains so grounded. Since 2020, he has been dating Amelia Woolley, a designer shoe buyer who never appears on his work-focused Instagram. But when we discuss ‘You Could Start a Cult’, an idiosyncratic folk ballad from the album, Horan does offer a teasing glimpse into their home life. He says the song’s eye-catching title was inspired by the true-crime series they like watching. “I always try and write weird stuff like that, then see if I can flip it on its head and make the song [itself] not as dark as the title,” he says. In this case, Horan flipped it into a “love song, effectively”, albeit an intense one. “It’s about… not the desperation feeling, but the ‘I think you’re the best fucking thing in the world’ feeling,” he explains. “And if you started a cult, I’d follow you into the fire. You know, that kind of angst, though I don’t know if ‘angst’ is the word I’m looking for!”

Horan spends a lot of time in LA because his record label and producers are based there. His main collaborators on The Show were Joel Little, who he brought in because he liked his work with Taylor Swift, indie artist Noah Kahan, and long-time co-writer John Ryan, a veteran of four One Direction albums. “I think it’s really important first of all to be loyal,” he says of his enduring partnership with Ryan. “And you know, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Still, working with Little felt just as comfortable, partly because they could pick things up at a moment’s notice. “If I get the green light at the top of my street [in LA], I can be at Joel’s house in less than a minute,” Horan says. “It’s a fucking dream!”

But during the pandemic, Horan was grounded at his main base in southwest London. “I’ve never been fitter in my life because I was cycling 80 or 90 miles around Richmond Park every week – it’s gorgeous out there,” he recalls. Like many of us, Horan has conflicting feelings about the way Covid placed our lives on hold. “I don’t want to say I enjoyed it because I didn’t – it was such a horrible time,” he says. “But I got to a point about two or three months in, where I was like: ‘This is the longest I’ve ever had off.’ He particularly appreciated having to stay in one place for a sustained period of time. “Normally, I’m packing a suitcase every three or four days,” he says. “At Heathrow Airport, the guards at the [security] desk just laugh when they see me coming. They’re like, ‘How do you do this?’”

Having lived in London since he was 16, Horan says “it’s definitely the best city on the planet”. But at the same time, he still regards Mullingar, the Irish market town where he was born and raised, as home. His debut solo single ‘This Town’, a UK top 10 hit in 2016, was incredibly charming because it harnessed his ineffable longing for the place. Horan reckons he returns to Mullingar “seven or eight times a year”, although walking down the high street is pretty tricky. “I can’t just pull up outside the chip shop, run in and get the chips, then run back to the car,” he says. “Everything has to be thought through. Like, where am I going to park? How many streets am I going to have to cross? What am I going to wear?” Horan says all this with no hint of frustration: by now, he knows what is expected of a homecoming hero.

Horan knew he wanted to be a musician from a young age and says he “tried to make this as clear as possible” to his parents. They were “supportive up to a point”, but because the family didn’t have much money and Mullingar wasn’t a creative hub like Dublin, his mother urged him to “get some sort of qualification”. “I still don’t have any,” Horan says with a laugh, “I didn’t do GCSEs or anything like that because I didn’t finish school.” At 16, Horan made the 50-mile journey to Dublin to audition for The X Factor and grabbed hold of the One Direction rocket with both hands.

Did his parents come up with any ideas for a Plan B? “We didn’t get that far. Honestly, I just packed my bag and never came back – that’s the way they look at it,” says Horan. “My father worked in Tesco for 35 years and my mother worked at a pewter genesis company making little bits and pieces – clocks and things like that. They both had very regular jobs.” Horan notes astutely that some kids from a working-class background “like to spread their wings and leave the nest” – as he did, quite spectacularly – whereas others “like to stay in their hometown, or maybe can’t get out”. Horan pauses for a second, perhaps to ponder what might have been. “I don’t know what they would have wanted me to do, but I’m sure it would have been a good life,” he continues. “Like, my parents are having a good time.”

Thirteen years after he left to become a pop star, Horan’s own ambition remains undimmed. “I’ve achieved a lot in my young life, but I’m still fired up to do as much as I can,” he says. “My career has felt so good because it reminds me of everything I thought the music industry would be when I was a kid. I got the good end of the stick [in terms of] travelling the world and playing to millions. And I still want more of that.”

For this reason, the audience is always at the forefront of his mind. “When I’m writing, I ask myself, ‘Have I gone too specific to the point where it only makes sense to me?’” he says. “And then I try and broaden the thought to make it as relatable as possible.” ‘Never Grow Up’ from Horan’s new album was partly inspired by his girlfriend’s parents, who are “still madly in love”, but its lyrics will chime with One Direction fans who, like him, are close to turning 30. “Hope we still drink like we’re back in the pub,” Horan sings. “Hope we grow old, but we never grow up.”

In Horan’s eyes, the songs that fully stand the test of time – from Simon and Garfunkel to Whitney Houston and Adele – are “the ones that really mean a lot to the people”. It’s this kind of universal connection that he is always striving for. “These are the things that go on in my head when I’m writing,” he says. “I don’t want to alienate anyone, and I don’t want to be introspective to the point where I ruin it for everyone. So, if they can connect to it too, then we all get what we want out of this.”

[happyzyx]

zhang yixing for basic stardom magazine, 21st issue 2023 – interview transcription

THE DREAMER FROM CHANGSHA: An Interview with Chinese Rapper and Performer Lay Zhang

Tagged the “King of China” by his fans in Asia, the highly-praised musician, dancer, actor, and author, Lay Zhang, is rising to glory as he continues to hone his craft and inspire the world with infinite ambition. Headlining MetaMoon last year, the inaugural New York-based music festival, as part of his first-ever solo global tour “Grand Line 2: Infinite Lands” and releasing into 2023 with a remarkable agenda.

While getting his start from the well known K-Pop boy group EXO, Zhang furthered his growth as an individual artist, accumulating over 70 million followers across all social media platforms and magnifying his career through evocative performances and stellar roles in both television and film. His captivating journey has not only forged him into an international superstar, but has also led him to become the highest-ranked Mando-pop star on the Billboard 200 chart in 2018, and the first Chinese artist to enter the iTunes Top 60 in the U.S. with his third solo album Namanana.

Q. You dove headfirst into the music industry after enrolling in the Star Academy talent show in 2005, where you unexpectedly became a finalist in the series. While you never thought you’d ever become an artist, what changed for you during this time in your life?

ZYX. While Star Academy, I was critiqued a few times on stage for not being professional enough. Hearing that gave me the motivation to prove them wrong and become better in all aspects. I like proving people wrong. It’s a good challenge. At the time, I wanted to prove to the judges and fans that I could be better. Becoming the artist I am today wasn’t what I originally had in mind. Looking back, I think I became an artist as I started to improve on my weaknesses. It was not a conscious choice, but rather the desire to prove that I could be better and show everyone that I could be professional.

Q. In 2008, you trained as a performer in South Korea, eventually debuting as a part of the K-pop group EXO. Talk to us about your journey and how you ended up here and now.

ZYX. Going to Korea and leaving both my hometown Changsha and my mother was scary. There were hours and hours of training in a completely foreign environment. Sometimes, after training, I would go downstairs to the practice room and learn how to produce music. It was unusual for a trainee to be that interested in producing music and I was not very good at it. Becoming a dancer for SHINee was a huge milestone for me. It showed me that I was on the right path. Then, when I made it into EXO, I was overjoyed. In the early days, we traveled a lot between China, Japan, and South Korea. There were a lot of happy memories going into the studio and practicing new songs with my members, but nothing could compare to performing with them live. I felt, and still feel, so proud to be an EXO member and to see everything that we accomplished together. When I started doing more solo activities, I found it challenging. All of a sudden I had to do things alone and without my members by my side. It was hard, but it made me grow and helped me to become the person I am today. Now, my schedule is always filled with commercial shoots, television shows, variety shows, recording music, and trying to be an entrepreneur.

Q. After 10 years with EXO, you finally decided to focus on your solo career. How did your experiences with EXO and in South Korea influence the artist, dancer, and businessman you are today?

ZYX. My brothers in EXO gave me so much strength and motivation to become the best artist and person I could be. I did a lot of training in Korea. While it was tough, it gave me the skills I needed to become an artist and dancer that I am today. I reflect on those days often when I help train my trainees. I want to make sure I give them everything I had and more. I met a lot of talented people who took the time to explain things and trained me. I have deep gratitude for that time in my life.

Q. How did you discover your individual sound and personal brand since venturing out on your own? Who and/or what have been some of your most prominent influences?

ZYX. I’m not sure that I have found my sound yet. I like making music and performing. I would love to spend all of my time on stage and in the studio, but I think it’s the same with my brand, where I’m still experimenting and in the process of discovering it. Now that I’m over 30, I have to figure out who I want to be in the next decade. In the past, I’ve taken inspiration from people who have been able to dance, sing, and perform. I also appreciate people who are kind and hardworking.

Q. Sharing your culture with the world is incredibly important to you. Talk to us about the process of merging languages, as well as Eastern and Western influences into your music.

ZYX. I am blessed to have many talented musician friends around the world. Normally, I’ll work with a producer and songwriter in Los Angeles. I’ll have about a week of song camp sessions where we are locked in the studio from noon to midnight. We’ll spend time making music, vibing and dancing nonstop. I also learn a lot of English and we eat a lot of cookies during these sessions. Once we’re done, I’ll take the recording back to China and talk to my team and other creative friends about how we can incorporate Chinese instruments and stories into the music.

Q. How does it feel to be named the “King of China” by your fans and community?

ZYX. I don’t know if I’m the “King of China”. That’s a strong statement. I am just Lay Zhang from Changsha, China. I am a man who loves the people of his country and making music. For me, music is my arena where I get to challenge myself and others. I want to experiment and make better music. Sometimes, I’m down to “battle” people when it comes to music, but it’s always in good spirits and fun.

Q. You are in the process of making new music to be released this year. Talk to us about your creative process. Is there something you do to get into a creative state of mind?

ZYX. Music gets me excited and making music gets me even more excited. I’m always looking for a reason to get into the studio. I don’t really need to put myself in a creative state of mind. I wait all day, sometimes weeks, to get into the studio and explore my ideas. and if I can’t wait any longer, I’ll just pull out my laptop and start making beats whenever I am. I always enjoy testing out my ideas and making music feels like the most natural medium for me to express them right now.

Q. How do you think your music is being experienced by others?

ZYX. I hope people are happy when they listen to my music. When they play songs like “Veil”, I hope they are dancing in a room with their friends and having a good time. I live seeing people so covers and reacting to my music in different ways.

Q. What kind of impact do you hope to achieve through your artistry and career as a whole?

ZYX. I hope that I can inspire to not only go after their dreams, but to also give it their all as they pursue them. Dreams are precious and beautiful. I want people to treat their dreams with the most respect. Respecting your own dreams will make them come true.

Q. In what ways do you ensure you are continuously evolving, both as an artist and the person you are away from the public eye?

ZYX. I have many teachers, mentors, and staff who give me a lot of advice. They’ll tell me the ways in which they think I should work on my vocals or how to handle certain meetings. I always want the people around me to be honest—all facts, no cap. If I’m not good, let me know so that I can get better.

Q. What message would you like to send to the world about who you are and what you stand for?

ZYX. Hi, it’s Lay. I’m a dreamer who hopes that everyone can achieve their dreams in this lifetime.

Q. Can you tell us about a project or piece of work that you’re particularly proud of?

ZYX. I live all my projects like they are my children. No child is better than the other and they all came at important stages of my life. My most recent project was West, and this was fun to release because “Veil”, the title song of the EP, was made almost five years ago, back in 2018. I normally make my records at least a year in advance, so it was great to hear “Veil” again. When I discussed it with my team, we all knew it needed to finally come out. With West, I even made “3 Wishes” on Zoom. We were in little boxes waving to each other and just hoping the internet was good enough so that we could hear all the sounds being made. Then, we’d go offline, do our own parts, and send them. There were times when someone would get knocked offline and then we’d have to wait even longer. The making of West was very fun and different project.

Q. How do you handle creative blocks or moments of self-doubt?

ZYX. To be honest, I don’t have many creative blocks, but that is probably because I’m constantly learning and doing something different. Self-doubt is tough, but I’m always reminded of all the people I have around me who depend on me. I also think about my fans who have supported me this entire time. It gives me the power to know I can’t let them down.

Q&A

Q. Who is your favorite designer?

ZYX. Pier Paolo Piccioli. He has been just a dear friend to me.

Q. What are the last three songs you played?

ZYX. “3 Wishes” by LAY, an unreleased demo I’ve been working on, and “God’s Plan” by Drake.

Q. How would you describe yourself in five words or less?

ZYX. Artistic, determined, passionate, a dreamer, and serious.

Q. What is the most challenging aspects of being and artist of your stature?

ZYX. There is a lot to do. My schedule has always been packed and full of activities. It’s a good thing because it means people still like me and want to see me. As I get older, I know I’ll get less popular, and fewer people will care about my music and career. It’s a big scary to be totally honest. It’s something that I will have to learn to deal with.

Q. What would be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

ZYX. If I wasn’t an artist today, I would probably be a music teacher. I would definitely still be doing something related to music.

Q. Who would you most like to collaborate with?

ZYX. I want to work with people who are innovating and pushing themselves creatively. I feel so inspired by people who are able to produce, write and sing. I really aspire to work with open-minded people.

Words by KIMBERLY HADDAD

©小羊扛起霸王龙就跑

[udo0stories]

Introduction Meet Kacey Musgraves, a country music sensation who has captivated audiences worldwide with her authentic lyrics and bold style. Her unique blend of country, folk, and pop has set her apart in the music industry, earning her a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. A Historic Grammy Triumph Kacey’s journey to stardom reached a significant milestone with her historic Grammy win. This achievement wasn’t just a personal victory for Kacey; it was a testament to her musical prowess and innovative approach to country music. The Grammy win catapulted Kacey into the global spotlight, cementing her status as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. The Birth of ‘Deeper Well’ ‘Deeper Well’ is Kacey’s sixth studio album, a project that reflects her personal growth and evolution as an artist. The album was born out of Kacey’s experiences and introspections, resulting in a collection of songs that resonate with listeners on a deep, emotional level. Each track on ‘Deeper Well’ is a testament to Kacey’s songwriting skills, showcasing her ability to craft lyrics that are both personal and universal. The Power of ‘Deeper Well’ ‘Deeper Well’ has made a significant impact on listeners worldwide, thanks to its relatable themes and powerful messages. The album explores a range of emotions and experiences, from love and loss to self-discovery and personal growth. Standout songs like the title track ‘Deeper Well’ and ‘Too Good to Be True’ have struck a chord with listeners, further solidifying Kacey’s status as a leading voice in country music. Kacey’s Evolution From her early days in Nashville to her current success as a Grammy-winning artist, Kacey’s career trajectory is a story of perseverance, creativity, and passion. Her evolution as an artist is as inspiring as it is impressive, marked by a constant drive to push boundaries and redefine the country music genre. The Deeper Well World Tour To bring ‘Deeper Well’ to fans worldwide, Kacey embarked on the Deeper Well World Tour. The tour was a celebration of music, connection, and storytelling, offering fans a chance to experience ‘Deeper Well’ live. From intimate venues to large arenas, the Deeper Well World Tour was a testament to Kacey’s ability to captivate audiences with her music and stage presence. Kacey Musgraves Top 10 Music Kacey Musgraves has released a number of popular songs throughout her career. Here are some of her most well-known tracks: “Follow Your Arrow”: An upbeat country song that encourages listeners to take risks and live life on their own terms. “Rainbow”: An uplifting ballad from her 2018 album, Golden Hour, that speaks to the power of hope and resilience. “Butterflies”: An upbeat, country-pop anthem that focuses on the idea of finding strength and resilience in the face of life’s challenges. “Merry Go ‘Round”: A mid-tempo country-folk ballad featuring acoustic guitar, piano, and a string section. “Good Ol’ Boys Club”: A song with a great deal of mystery in its implications. “Dandelion”: A traditionally-minded number that compared her crying reaction to the wildflower as the same emotion that happens when she thinks about her lost love. “Cup of Tea”: A song about how your life and your actions are not always going to be well-received by everybody. “Biscuits”: A song very similar to “Follow Your Arrow”, it’s about charting your own course in life. “This Town”: A song about the cyclical nature of life’s ups and downs. “High Horse”: A country meets disco song from her album, Golden Hour. Conclusion: The Future of Kacey Musgraves As Kacey Musgraves continues to make her mark on the music industry, fans eagerly anticipate what’s next for this talented artist. With her unique voice, authentic lyrics, and innovative approach to country music, the future looks bright for Kacey Musgraves. As we look forward to her next chapter, one thing is certain: Kacey Musgraves will continue to captivate audiences with her music for years to come.

LEARN MORE ABOUT IObit [web_stories_embed url="https://stories.udo0.com/web-stories/kacey-musgraves-deeper-well/" title="Kacey Musgraves: The Captivating Story Behind Her Historic Grammy Triumph and ‘Deeper Well’" poster="https://stories.udo0.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cropped-cole-schafer-and-kacey-musgraves-attend-the-2022-met-gala-news-photo-1673207494.jpg" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

[pwrestlingxpress]

My Take on the official reunion of AXIZ and the rumored reunion of the Golden Lovers

Back in 2018 I wrote two-three opinion articles on the Reunion of the Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi). Before anyone reads the rest of this new opinion article I'm typing please click here to read the previous opinion article titled " Six Months Later...Golden Lovers Merge While The Shield Reunites".

Now...this new opinion article will talk about the rumored reunion of the Golden Lovers and the official reunion of AXIZ.

Some of you may now be thinking "AXIZ, who are they and what do they have to do with the Golden Lovers?" The answer to this question is not much but here I want to talk about their history and that's what my plan is.

In December 2018, the Golden Lovers abruptly went on hiatus after winning their final match against Hiroshi Tanahashi and Will Ospreay in Korakuen Hall. A few weeks before that in the same arena, Katsuhiko Nakajima was a finalist for the 2018 Global League Tournament (now N1 Victory) facing Kaito Kiyomiya in which Nakajima lost to the then-22 upstart athlete from Saitama. What happened afterwards was so in the dark that not many knew until they saw it though various photos. After the match between Kiyomiya and Nakajima, Go Shiozaki comes out seemingly to congratulate the winner (both were tag partners through most of 2018) but instead went to console the person that was pinned. Right after that, Shiozaki and Nakajima teamed up to win the GHC Tag Team Championships but lost the belts almost a week later in controversial fashion.

We now fast forward ourselves to February 2019 where by then the Golden Lovers have quietly split up with Kenny Omega gone to AEW and Kota Ibushi staying in NJPW where over in Pro Wrestling NOAH, Katsuhiko Nakajima and Go Shiozaki were given a second chance at regaining the GHC Tag Team Championships and on February 24th, that's what they did. Backstage after winning the titles for a second time, they decided to call themselves "AXIZ".

From that date on until August 2020; AXIZ was seen by many as one of the best tag teams in pro wrestling. According to Cagematch, both AXIZ and the Golden Lovers were ranked in the top 10 tag teams of all time (as of May 7, 2023 at 9:30 PM Eastern) with AXIZ ranked at No. 4; Golden Lovers at No. 9. With that ranking, one can say AXIZ surpassed the Golden Lovers but there's always a debate on which team is better no matter what the ranking is.

AXIZ's second reign as champions ended on June 13th but immediately were given a rematch in which they manage to win back the belts a third time and hold on to the belts until January 5, 2020. The day before that, Go Shiozaki became a 4-time GHC Heavyweight Champion by defeating Kaito Kiyomiya and in the process have one of the longest reigns in its title history. Despite Go now being a singles champion, both him and Nakajima were hoping for another tag title shot after losing them but COVID hit and much changed. On the same night Go Shiozaki was to have his first title defense in his fourth reign as GHC Heavyweight Champion, Katsuhiko Nakajima approached GHC National Champion Takashi Sugiura with the intentions to challenge and win the title. On May 9, 2020 in the main event; Nakajima would pin Sugiura to become the second GHC National Champion.

By the time pro wrestling was back doing live events in some capacity, AXIZ was on top not just in tag team but in singles as well with Go as the GHC Heavyweight Champion and Katsuhiko as the GHC National Champion. Everything seemed to be rolling for the two when wrestling live events resumed but the rolling would stop when the month of August 2020 hit.

August 4, 2020; Katushiko Nakajima would lose the GHC National Championship to Kenoh. 26 days later, after losing a chance to become 4-time GHC Tag Team Champions with Go Shizoaki, Nakajima breaks up AXIZ to join Kongoh. Though AXIZ was done in Nakajima's eyes, as I learned it was not the case for Go. Despite the betrayal, Go still believed himself to be a part of AXIZ and awaited the day Nakajima would return to reform the tag team.

While they waited, Nakajima and Shiozaki would wrestle 3 times in singles competition. First time was November 22, 2020 for the GHC Heavyweight Championship with Nakajima as the challenger (which he earned by winning N1 Victory 2020) and the champion being Shiozaki. Most times I compare this match to the one at "Wrestle Kingdom 15" between Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada because of the brutality and the fact the way they fought, it would most times scare me. Despite me saying that, in a match that went nearly 43 minutes, Go retains the title while sustaining an injury in the later minutes of the match itself. The second time they would meet would be on January 1, 2022 where by then it was Katsuhiko Nakajima who was the champion with the now-returning Go Shiozaki being the challenger. On that date, both wrestled what many considered to be a 2022 MOTY contender. Nakajima would emerge victorious from that match with a new finishing move that has not been seen since. The third time they met was on March 23, 2022 in which by then, there was no title, only pride. Go Shiozaki was starting a new streak while Katushiko Nakajima was looking for answers after losing the GHC Heavyweight Championship 35 days after defending it against Shiozaki. The third match went a lot faster than their previous two. Go would emerge victorious in a match that was nearly 20 minutes long. Their previous two matches went over 30 minutes.

Go would go on to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship for a record fifth time but would become the first of three straight V0 Champions when he lost the championship on his first defense to Satoshi Kojima at CyberFight Festival 2022. After losing the title, Go struggled to find himself and ended up eventually being out of action after N1 Victory 2022. Meanwhile, Katsuhiko Nakajima was trying his best to stay on track but in most tag matches, he ended up becoming the guy to eat the pin. At the N1 Victory 2022 block finals, both were in line to win their block but needed help. Neither of them made the finals in which Nakajima's backstage comments could be what I consider the first clue to a AXIZ reunion.

By the time 2023 hits, rumors started to spread on a Golden Lovers reunion that was even seen in various episodes of the YouTube web series "Being The Elite" in which in some scenes (haven't watched the series since 2019 so I'm going based only on photos) Kenny can be seen texting someone. Many believe that to be Kota Ibushi but as of right now, nothing is official yet.

Surprisingly, there were little to no rumors of AXIZ reuniting but seeds were being planted for the possibility. Those seeds in my opinion started on January 4, 2023 when Kongoh went to the Tokyo Dome to confront Los Ingobernables de Japon with the intention to "settle the score".

If you look at the video below, you'll notice that Nakajima does not have the same expression as the rest of Kongoh does which can tell you that it was starting. More than that, while the rest of Kongoh left in an orderly fashion, Nakajima left with the look that said "Sorry about that" as a way of apologizing for the abrupt appearance. He did the same thing at the official "Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena" press conference which involved 5 of the 6 (at the time) LIJ members and 5 of the 8 (at the time) Kongoh members.

Seeds were planted a lot more when (according to all I was able to read) during the Road to NOAH's Tokyo Dome event on February 21st, Kenoh decided to dig into a history that I think Nakajima didn't want to talk about, that of him and AJPW's Kento Miyahara. The match (which was a 6-man tag) went on with apparently no issues. Kongoh managed to come out victorious, but Nakajima's backstage comments would leave many including Kenoh puzzled.

The possibilities increased a lot more when Go Shiozaki made a surprise appearance in Sendai on April 16th to announce his in-ring return.

Later on that same night, Katsuhiko Nakajima walked in as the challenger for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, this time held by newcomer Jake Lee. Something I didn't notice live but eventually did was the gear that Nakajima was wearing. He was wearing the same ring attire he wore on January 1, 2022. On the build back then, a stipulation was suggested that if Nakajima was to lose the title to Go Shiozaki, he would have to leave Kongoh and reform AXIZ. Since Nakajima won that night, the stipulation never came to fruition. But on that April 16th date, Nakajima walked into the title match against Jake Lee apparently with that stipulation in his mind. He ended up losing the title match in over 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, as rumors continue to spread of the Golden Lovers reuniting, Kenny Omega is reunited with a rival by the name Konosuke Takeshita in which he (as of this typing) has joined Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson to be part of "The Elite". Despite joining though, Kenny remained suspicious of Takeshita's intentions. Those intentions may be the key to the Golden Lovers reuniting again but only time will tell what the intentions may be or already are.

May 4, 2023; Ryogoku Kokukigan; Go Shiozaki returns in 6-man tag action by teaming with Kaito Kiyomiya and Yoshiki Inamura to face the Konogh members of Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh, and Manabu Soya. In the match, Nakajima wore the same gear he wore back on January 1, 2022 and April 16, 2023. Meanwhile, Go Shiozaki comes out in the gear he wore when he won his fourth GHC Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2020. The 6-man tag turned into somewhat of a blowout as though there were times of shine for Shiozaki and his team, it was not enough to defeat Kongoh. Nakajima would end up getting the winning pin by pinning Shiozaki. It was after the match though that the rumors became reality.

AXIZ officially reunited and on May 14th will have their first match together since August 28, 2020.

My take on this is that....Katsuhiko Nakajima was betrayed by Kenoh. To me, Kenoh betrayed him by abruptly deciding to go to the Tokyo Dome not understanding everyone may have different plans. Then by the time he dug into a history he shouldn't have, that was the end. So on May 4, 2023 in Ryogoku, Nakajima came into Ryogoku with the intention to officially reunite AXIZ. How it happened is in the video above. I've been waiting years to see AXIZ live in action and now on May 14, 2023; me and many will be to get the chance to do just that.

Meanwhile, as we await the reunion of the Golden Lovers, down below is a picture of them reuniting back in January 2018, ten months before AXIZ was formed.

Should the Golden Lovers reunite this could increase the chance of a possible dream match: Golden Lovers vs. AXIZ at either a future NOAH event or at "The Forbidden Door" in late June. The reason I'm saying this is there's not just rumors of a Golden Lovers reunion, there's also rumors about Kota Ibushi joining Pro Wrestling NOAH. It would be something if all these rumors come true. Right now, only one has come to light. AXIZ is back as we await the date the Golden Lovers reunite once again.

[aunti-christ-ine]

Sineád O’Connor, the troubled Irish singer and activist who scored a global smash with Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” in 1990 and was banned from Saturday Night Live for tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II during her performance two years later, has died at 56, according to a statement from her family provided to Irish TV and radio broadcaster RTÉ. No details on the cause, date or place of her death were given.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad,” the statement reads. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

O’Connor was hospitalized in January 2022 after posting a series of disturbing, soon-deleted tweets in the wake of the suicide of her teenage son, Shane, that month. Her tweets hinted at suicidal thoughts. Shane O’Connor, 17, was found dead two days after he went missing from a treatment facility in Dublin.

She posted this tweet on July 17:

Sineád O’Connor, who changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat after converting to Islam in 2018 and was known for her closely cropped hair, was one of Ireland’s rising stars by age 20. She shot to fame with her haunting cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which Prince wrote and recorded for his side project The Family. Her single hit No. 1 more than 20 countries — becoming the No. 1 single worldwide that year — and spent four weeks atop the Billboard 200 in 1990. The song’s was nominated for three Grammys including Record of the Year, and its stark video won three MTV VMAs including Video of the Year.

“Nothing Compares 2 U” was culled from her second album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, which was No. 1 in the U.S. for six weeks and has gone double platinum. It won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.

Despite the commercial juggernauts that were the single and album, O’Connor struggled to follow their success. She had only one minor hit in the U.S. after “Nothing Compares 2 U” and only a spotty chart history around the world despite releasing eight more studio albums. Her 1992 follow-up, Am I Not Your Girl?, reached the U.S. Top 10, and 1994’s Universal Mother hit No. 19, but neither would spawn a hit single. Her most recent was I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss in 2014.

Born on December 8, 1966, in Dublin, O’Connor courted controversy throughout her career. As the musical guest on Saturday Night Live in 1992, she sang a cover of Bob Marley’s “War” that shifted its lyrical focus to child abuse by the Catholic Church. When the song ended, O’Connor produced a photo of the popular Pope John Paul II and ripped it in half.

Reaction was swift in the pre-social media world, and the singer was banned from SNL permanently.

O’Connor is the subject of Nothing Compares, a feature documentary that had its world premiere at Sundance in 2022 and later aired on Showtime. Here is the logline of director Kathryn Ferguson’s film: The story of O’Connor’s phenomenal rise to worldwide fame and subsequent exile from the pop mainstream. Focusing on her prophetic words and deeds from 1987-93, the film reflects on the legacy of this fearless trailblazer through a contemporary feminist lens.

In an interview in the documentary, O’Connor revealed the abusive upbringing that left her feeling betrayed by both church and community and ultimately led her to find the therapeutic power of music.

She received the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album for I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got at the RTÉ Choice Music Awards in March.

O’Connor’s autobiography, Rememberings, was published in 2021 by Dey Street Books.

— Source

[kanmom51]

Jikook and the members

Do Jikook share their fights with the rest of the members?

Members mixing JK & JM up

Tae refocusing JK

Hobi is Jikook’s no. 1 fan and supporter

The members don’t resent Jikook

Hobi the protector

Moments when the members just don’t know what to do with Jikook

Yoongi and Jikook

Jikook and the rest of BTS

Taeyang and Suga interview - the ease JM and JK are mentioned in one breath

Hobi spilling the beans

RM being hypersensitive with his reactions to JK

MAMA 2018 Hobi being a gatekeeper

Tae policing or trolling Jikook

RM being hypersensitive with his reactions to JK

BTS interview with People TV 18 May 2018

You are me I am you Seoul LY last concert

Season greetings 2020

JM’s puppy

Run BTS episode 77

Run BTS episode 89 Jikookery

It’s just a NJ thing

And another angle - NJ’s reaction priceless

Yes, I’m posting this moment again with a wider angle, or RM having enough

The NamJikook scene

AMA 2021 Link 3 - NJ the protector

Link 10 NJ the protector another angle

How this looks so familiar

It’s always those two ;

Tokyo Vlive

Tokyo Vlive yet again

May 2017 BBMA’s ot7 Vlive

BTS Vlive BBMA’s

BTS live from 10 June 2018

We moved on too fast from this Vlive

I’m back real fast

Again Hobi

When JM is obvious

JK’s “I love you” handsign on red carpet once again

Jhope in the box- Hobi once again the president of Jikook fan club

Tae’s IG story 18 Feb 2023 - Hobi’s birthday

Talking about Tae’s story for Hobi’s birthday

It’s always Hobi

Hobi is Jikook’s no. 1 supporter

Jin tapping JK out of his JM love daze

Carpool karaoke - Tae & JK…

Vminkook are great friends

Global Vlive top 10 BTS

Tokyo Vlive  

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - Tae’s “Excuse me…”

BTS Vlive 20 October 2021 - why Tae switched places with JM  

What is it you are telling us Tae?

There is no mentioning one without the other

Tae and Jikook

RM’s IG story - was he working out with Jikook?

Do I need to say anymore?

Did RM just show us he's working out with Jikook?

[chillingcinemachronicles]

Top 5 Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Films on Netflix

Embark on an interstellar journey with the Top 5 Sci-Fi Movies that transport you to otherworldly realms. From mind-bending concepts to futuristic landscapes, these films redefine the boundaries of imagination. Explore the wonders of advanced technology, encounter extraterrestrial beings, and unravel the mysteries of the cosmos. Each cinematic gem in this list captivates with its unique blend of science, fiction, and awe-inspiring visuals, leaving an indelible mark on the sci-fi genre. Get ready for an escape into the unknown with these stellar adventures that push the boundaries of what’s possible.

5. Dune (2021)

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

4. Okja (2017)

For 10 idyllic years, young Mija (An Seo Hyun) has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja-a massive animal and an even bigger friend-at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when a family-owned multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where image obsessed and self-promoting CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) has big plans for Mija’s dearest friend. With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission, but her already daunting journey quickly becomes more complicated when she crosses paths with disparate groups of capitalists, demonstrators and consumers, each battling to control the fate of Okja…while all Mija wants to do is bring her friend home. Deftly blending genres, humor, poignancy and drama, Bong Joon Ho (Snowpiercer, The Host) begins with the gentlest of premises-the bond between man and animal-and ultimately creates a distinct and layered vision of the world that addresses the animal inside us all.

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

3. Elysium (2013)

Neill Blomkamp’s second film, Elysium, envisions a future where the Earth is dying and the rich and powerful live in luxury on the orbital space station Elysium. Matt Damon stars as Max Da Costa, an ex-criminal-turned-day laborer on Earth who is exposed to a fatal level of radiation. Since the cure for his condition can only be found on Elysium, Max accepts a risky job to attack Armadyne Corp CRO John Carlyle (William Fichtner).

What Max doesn’t know is that the info he stole from Carlyle’s head is proof that Defense Secretary Jessica Delacourt (Jodie Foster) is attempting to pull off a coup and assume control of Elysium. That’s why she sent a psychotic killer, Agent M. Kruger (Sharlto Copley), to retrieve the info at any cost.

2. The One (2001)]

Jet Li’s Gabe Law is the title character of The One … or is it Gabriel Yulaw? As a member of the Multiverse Authority, Gabriel had the bright idea of killing all of his other counterparts in the multiverse in the hope that this would give him god-like powers. Gabriel betrayed two of his colleagues, Evan Funsch (JasonStatham) and Harry Rodecker (Delroy Lindo), in pursuit of his mad plan. Now, Gabriel’s ambitions are close to being realized.

As the last living variant of Gabriel, Gabe is also gifted with extraordinary powers. And when Gabriel arrives in his universe to kill him, Gabe is the only one who can stand up to him.

1. Bird Box (2018)

t’s understandable if you get some Quiet Place vibes from Bird Box. Both are sci-fi horror movies that deal with monsters that directly connect with human senses. In this flick, the creatures can make anyone who sees them become insane with suicidal urges. Hence the constant blindfolds to keep the entities out. Sandra Bullock plays Malorie Hayes, a woman struggling to survive in this horrific new world, while flashbacks explore how she dealt with the end of life as she knew it. Not all of the moments land, but Bird Box has its share of real scares.

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

[myfrenzi]

Middle Eastern Film Treasures

Middle Eastern Film Treasures: What to Watch on OTT

In the realm of cinema, the Middle East has woven tales that are as diverse as its landscapes and cultures. From gripping dramas to heartwarming stories of family and friendship, Middle Eastern cinema has a treasure trove of cinematic gems. With the advent of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms, these films have found a global audience. In this blog, we’ll take you on a journey through some of the best Middle Eastern movies available on OTT, showcasing the emotional richness and cultural tapestry of the region.

1. “Theeb” (2014)

This Jordanian coming-of-age drama is set against the backdrop of the Arabian Desert during World War I. It follows the young Bedouin boy Theeb, who embarks on a perilous journey with a British soldier. The film beautifully captures the vastness and harsh beauty of the desert while exploring themes of survival and brotherhood.

2. “Caramel” (2007)

From Lebanon comes this heartwarming and bittersweet tale of five women who work in a beauty salon in Beirut. Each woman has her unique struggles and dreams, and the film delicately weaves together their stories. “Caramel” offers a glimpse into the lives of these women, their friendships, and the challenges they face in a rapidly changing city.

3. “A Separation” (2011)

This Iranian masterpiece directed by Asghar Farhadi delves into the complexities of a deteriorating marriage. When a husband and wife seek a divorce, a series of events unfolds that not only tests their relationship but also explores themes of truth, ethics, and societal pressures. “A Separation” is a deeply moving and thought-provoking drama.

4. “The Insult” (2017)

From Lebanon, “The Insult” is a courtroom drama that explores the consequences of a minor dispute that escalates into a nationwide controversy. The film tackles issues of identity, prejudice, and the power of words. It’s a gripping narrative that reflects the tensions and divisions within Lebanese society.

5. “Wadjda” (2012)

Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, “Wadjda” is a groundbreaking film from Saudi Arabia. It tells the story of a young girl named Wadjda who dreams of owning a bicycle, even though it’s considered taboo for girls in her culture. The film offers a charming and poignant look at gender norms and the determination of a spirited young girl.

6. “The Salesman” (2016)

Another gem from Asghar Farhadi, this Iranian drama revolves around a couple whose life takes an unexpected turn when they move into a new apartment. The film masterfully explores themes of trauma, revenge, and forgiveness while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

7. “Omar” (2013)

From Palestine, “Omar” is a gripping thriller that follows the life of a young baker who becomes embroiled in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film skillfully navigates the moral dilemmas faced by its characters, making it a powerful commentary on the enduring conflict.

8. “Barakah Meets Barakah” (2016)

This Saudi romantic comedy offers a delightful exploration of love in a society bound by tradition and protocol. It follows the budding romance between a young couple from different social backgrounds, offering a humorous take on the challenges they face.

9. “Capernaum” (2018)

This Lebanese drama tells the story of Zain, a young boy who sues his parents for giving him life in a world of poverty and hardship. “Capernaum” is a raw and emotionally charged film that sheds light on the plight of marginalized children in Lebanon.

10. “The Nile Hilton Incident” (2017)

Set in Cairo, Egypt, this crime thriller follows a detective as he investigates the murder of a singer in a luxury hotel. The film provides a gritty portrayal of corruption and political turmoil in Egypt while delivering a suspenseful narrative.

Conclusion

The Middle East has gifted the world with a rich tapestry of films that offer diverse perspectives and emotional depth. These Middle Eastern movie treasures, available on various OTT platforms, provide viewers with a window into the culture, history, and human experiences of the region. So, the next time you’re wondering “what to watch on OTT,” consider exploring these cinematic gems from the Middle East for a truly enriching experience.

5 Unique FAQs After The Conclusion

Can I watch these Middle Eastern films with subtitles? Yes, many OTT platforms offer subtitles, making these films accessible to a global audience.

Are there other notable Middle Eastern films not mentioned in the blog? Absolutely! The Middle East has a vast cinematic landscape with many more exceptional films to discover.

Do Middle Eastern films only focus on serious topics? No, Middle Eastern cinema covers a wide range of genres, from drama to comedy and romance.

What cultural insights can I gain from watching these films? These films offer insights into Middle Eastern culture, traditions, and societal issues.

Are Middle Eastern films suitable for family viewing? Some films are family-friendly, while others may contain mature themes. It’s advisable to check the film’s rating and content before viewing with family.

[everyoneswoo]

[180205] Seventeen Twitter Update:

[17’S] 세븐틴의 스페~셜했던 2018 GLOBAL V LIVE TOP 10! 그리고 스페~셜한 ‘DIRECTOR’S CUT’ 앨범으로 돌아왔습니다! 앞으로도 세븐틴을 향한 많은 사랑과 응원 부탁드려요! 세븐틴은 언제나 캐럿들에게 #고맙다 언제나 #캐럿뿐이다 💎😍

trans: seventeen’s special 2018 global v live top 10! and we are back with a spe~cial ‘director’s cut’ album! please continue to show lots of love and support for seventeen! seventeen is always #thankful to carats. it's always #onlycarats for us 💎😍

[bangtanpurplearchive]

August 2023 part 6

24th August - 31st August 2023

Jin -  317 days (10 months  12 days - 45 weeks 2 days ) until discharge from military (221213 - 240612)

JHope -  444 days (1 year  2 months 17 days - 14  months  17 days - 63 weeks 3 days ) until discharge from military (230418 - 241017)

August

23 August

230823 | Japan Fanclub BTS CORNER  Wallpaper #26 Tae (1)

24 August

 Instagram:  RM  (1), (2).Tae (1), (2). (3). (4). (5) 

230824 | Tae x Seoul Tourism (1).

230824 | Tae x W Korea  (1). 

230824 |  NPOP x Tae (1).

230824 | V earns his first win for "Love Me Again" on M Countdown! #LoveMeAgain1stWin (1).

230824 |Ask Anything V x W korea (1)

230824 | BTS ranked #7 (surveyed by both experts and general public) in Sisa Journal's "Who Moves Korea 2023" Survey. #BTS is the highest ranking Artist in the List at #4! This is #BTS 5th entry in the Top 10 (2018 - (#16), 2019 - (#8), 2020 - (#9), 2021 - (#5), 2022 - (#4), 2023 - (#7) (1). (2) (3).

25 August Blue teaser trailer 2

 Instagram: Big Hit (1), RM (1)Tae (1), (2). (3) 

230825  Blue Teaser trailer 2 (1)

230825 JK SEVEN (ft Latto) - Alesso remix visualiser (1) (2)

230825 | Tae x Spur magazine (1). (2). Tae x Arena Homme+ Korea  (1). Eyes magazine (2). L’Officiel Thailand (3). Elle Japan (4)

230825 | MelOn Music Ig post Seve and Love me again Weekly Top artist Love Me Again (1). Melon (2).

230825 | Yoongi x NBA (1). Eyes Magazine (2). WWD Korea (3).

230825 | [슈취타] EP.17 SUGA with 이강인  (1). (2). (3).

230825 |[BANGTAN BOMB] Jimin and SUGA Video Call - BTS (방탄소년단).

26 August

 Instagram:RM (1).

230826 |  Tae will be on PIXd on 230902 at 6pm KST (1). Tae Geffen  (2).

230826 | Congratulations Jungkook! It's Seven 10th win on MBC Music Core today! #Seven10thwin   (1). 

27 August

 Instagram: RM (1), (2). (3). (4)

230827 |  Tae will be on dingostory (1). 

28 August 'Scenery',' 'Winter Bear', 'Snow Flower (feat. Peakboy)' Official Release

 Instagram: Big Hit (1),  RM (1).

'Scenery',' 'Winter Bear', 'Snow Flower (feat. Peakboy)' Official Release (1) (2)

230828 |  Tae  weverse (1). 

29 August Layover photos - 3

 Instagram: Big Hit (1),  RM (1).  Jimin(1)  (2).  Tae (1), (2).(3)

230829 |  Park Bogum instagram  (1). Peakboy  (2). Eyes magazine(3).

230829 | BTS x Billboard  (1).

230829 |  SEVEN Billboard (1) Global 200 #1 (1). Billboard 200 excl US #1 (2).

230829 |JHOPE “Jack In the Box” returns to #1 on this week's Billboard World Albums chart (1) This week's top-selling albums: #2 (2)

230829 | Layover photos - 3  (1).

30 August

Twitter: Big Hit (1)  Instagram:  RM (1), (2). (3). (4). (5) Tae (1), (2).  Tik Tok : (1).  

230830 | RM weverse live  (1).  Tae weverse live (1). (2). 

230830 | SEVEN # 1 MelOn daily chart  (1).

230830 | Tae will be on You Quiz on the block  (1). 

230830 |  What happened to Chimmy  (1). 

230830 | Japan Fanclub BTS CORNER Wallpaper #26 JK  (1).

31 August

Twitter: Big Hit (1),  Instagram: RM (1), (2).  Tae (1), (2). 

230831 | Tae x Elle Singapore x Celine (1). 

230831 | V earns his 2nd win for "Love Me Again" on M Countdown!#LoveMeAgain2ndWin  (1). 

230831 |Tae on dingo story (1). (2)

[creativemorningsvancouver]

We are honoured to be able to present playwright, performer, and CBC radio host, Tetsuro Shigematsu who will share his story of creativity through the lens of this month’s global theme ‘acceptance’.

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A former writer for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Tetsuro’s theatrical solo-work Empire of the Son was named the best show of 2015 by the Vancouver Sun, and was described by theatre critic Colin Thomas describes it as, “one of the best shows ever to come out of Vancouver. Ever.” His other solo-work, 1 Hour Photo was named as a finalist for the 2019Governor General’s Award for Drama, and was the co-winner of the Holden Street Theatres’ Edinburgh Fringe Award, 2021. The Vancouver’s Georgia Straight declared him to be, “one of the city’s best artists.” In 2018, he earned his PhD in Arts-Based Research from the University of British Columbia, and now serves as Creative Director of the Research-based Theatre Lab.

As usual, we asked Tetsuro a handful of probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into her life and relationship with creativity:

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career? What iridescent feathers are to peacocks, creativity is to humans, a reliable indicator of genetic fitness. It’s a costly signal to fake. In other words, I think talent is sexy. For me, something that I’ve begun to realize is that autobiographical solo theatre works can function as metaphysical pageant shows. Creativity is the ability to create work that is smarter than yourself. There’s two ways of doing this. Plumb the depths of your subconscious and work intuitively. Secondly, work with people who are smarter and more talented than you, and listen closely to what they have to say. The best work is often the result of collaboration. Thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy? In the bathroom, either while getting clean or getting dirty.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person? If I had a chance to meet my younger self, I wouldn’t say anything, because it’s been a pretty meaningful journey so far. I’d like to listen though. I’d ask, “So? What do you think? Are you excited to become me? Or are you disappointed?”

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings? I once read that Shakira and Gabriel Garcia Marquez used to hang out while he was still alive. Even if they spoke of banal minutiae of everyday life, I’m sure it would have been fascinating.

What did you learn from your most memorable creative failure? When my marriage of 25 years came to an abrupt end, I realized that the health of my relationships is directly correlated to my willingness to have uncomfortable conversations.

What’s your one guilty creative indulgence? Scrolling endlessly through the FaceBook group Midjourney, a forum for AI-generated art work.

What fact about you would surprise people? I was a child preacher. Also, I fly a great deal. Whenever I experience severe turbulence on a flight, I never get nervous because I often think, “I’ve lived a good life. Things have never been better. So maybe it’s not a bad time to die.”

How does your life and career compare to what you envisioned for your future when you were a sixth grader? When I was in grade school, I saw myself wearing a top hat and tails, dancing like Fred Astaire. Picture an Asian boy with a bowl cut doing that. You would never know it to look at me today, but what I do is not far off.

How would you describe what you do in a single sentence to a stranger? I travel the world telling stories about my life.

If you could open a door and go anywhere, where would that be? I believe humankind will be around far longer than most people think. I would like to visit the final epoch of human existence, say the final 10 years.

What keeps you awake at night? Nothing keeps me awake at night. I am preternaturally worry-free. I asked my therapist friend if my condition could be pathologized. She said no. No state of mind that enables equanimity and independence could be considered a condition.

What myths about creativity would you like to set straight? To be a “real” artist, you need to be doing it full time. You can’t have a day job. My favourite example is the poet Wallace Stevens who sold insurance.

If you could do anything now, what would you do? Become an astronaut.

Where is your favourite place to escape? Going fast on my e-bike.

What was the best advice you were ever given? “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

What books made a difference in your life and why? Something Like an Autobiography by Akira Kurosawa. He recommends to study all the art forms that make up a medium, rather than just the medium itself.

What practises, rituals, or habits contribute to your creative work? I have a walking treadmill beneath my standing desk. Nietzsche said there are no great thoughts that happen outside of walks. On a good day, I’ll walk over half a marathon.

If you had fifteen extra minutes each day, what would you do with them? Have sex, meditate, and workout all at once, but I’m not sure if that form of yoga exists?

What object would you put in a time capsule that best represents who you are today? My standing desk with my walking treadmill, multiple monitors, and multiple keyboards, and multiple computers is such an ugly monstrosity, it’s beautiful.

What is the one movie or book every creative must see/read? Impro by Keith Jonstone.

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