#diva stuns in new pictures

[dovesdreaming]

Boutiques and bionics

Summary: Chase’s girlfriend loves to shop and is a bit of a diva but fits right into the davenports with her loving attitude towards them.

Request

Masterlist

Warnings: none

-

Chase Davenport sat in the middle of the sleek Davenport mansion's spacious living room, his eyes glued to the tablet in his hand. The holographic projection flickered, showing a complex blueprint for a new bionic enhancement he'd been working on. The numbers and diagrams danced in his mind, but his concentration was abruptly interrupted by the sound of heels clicking on the marble floor. “Chase! There you are!” a melodic voice chimed, filling the room with an energy that was both captivating and, at times, overwhelming. Chase looked up, his expression softening as he saw his girlfriend, you, walking towards him. You were a vision of glamour, as always, dressed in a perfectly tailored designer outfit that complemented your flawless style. Your dark hair was swept back in a sleek ponytail, and you wore a pair of oversized sunglasses perched on your head like a crown.

“Hey, y/n” Chase greeted her with a smile, setting his tablet down on the coffee table. You, the epitome of fashion and flair, had an aura that could light up any room. Despite your diva like tendencies, your love for shopping, designer brands, and everything luxurious. You were kind-hearted and adored the Davenport family. You had a way of making everyone feel special, even if your enthusiasm for the latest fashion trends sometimes overshadowed the more mundane aspects of life.

You sauntered over to him, your eyes sparkling with excitement. “Guess what I just found at the mall? The most fabulous dress! It’s perfect for that gala you’re dragging me to next week”. Chase chuckled, wrapping an arm around your waist as you showed him a picture of the dress on your phone. It was a stunning piece, all elegance and sophistication, just like you. “I’m not dragging you anywhere. You were the one who said you’d be happy to come”. You smirked, leaning in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “True, true. But we both know you’re the one who’s really excited about this whole sciencey gala thing. I’m just there to look pretty on your arm”. Chase laughed, knowing you were only half joking. He loved how different you were; where he was analytical and logical, you were vibrant and spontaneous. But it worked. Somehow, it just worked.

“And how are my favorite couple doing?” a voice interrupted from the entrance. You both turned to see Donald Davenport, Chase’s adoptive father and the genius behind the bionic technology, walking in with a grin on his face. You instantly brightened, stepping away from Chase to greet Donald with a hug. “Hi, Mr. Davenport! I was just telling Chase about the amazing dress I got today. You’ll love it, it’s absolutely to die for!” You exclaimed, your enthusiasm infectious. Donald chuckled, patting your shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll look fantastic, y/n. And please, call me Donald”. Chase watched the interaction with a warm smile. You had been part of his life for almost a year now, and in that time, you’d become close to his family. You had a unique way of winning people over, even Leo, who was usually skeptical of most people.

“By the way, y/n” Donald said, as they all moved toward the living room, “Tasha wanted me to ask if you could help her pick out an outfit for the gala. She said you have the best fashion sense out of anyone she knows”. Your eyes widened with delight. “I’d love to! Tell Tasha I’ll be over tomorrow to help her out”. Chase’s heart swelled with affection as he watched you chatting animatedly with Donald. Despite your love for all things glamorous, you never hesitated to go out of your way to help those you cared about. You were kind, compassionate, and brought a vibrancy to the Davenport household that Chase hadn’t even realized was missing.

After a few more minutes of chatting, Donald excused himself to go back to his work, leaving Chase and you alone again “So” you began, turning to face him with a mischievous glint in your eyes, “I was thinking we could have a little date night tonight. Maybe dinner at that new rooftop restaurant downtown?”. Chase hesitated, glancing back at his tablet. He had planned to spend the evening working on his latest bionic project, but one look at your hopeful expression and he knew his work could wait.

“Sounds perfect” he said, slipping his hand into yours. “But I’m picking up the tab this time. You always insist on treating me, and I want to return the favour”. You giggled, squeezing his hand. “Deal. But only if you promise to let me drag you into a few shops afterward. I saw some shoes that would look amazing with my new dress”. Chase rolled his eyes playfully but nodded. “Alright, but you’re going to have to explain to me why you need another pair of shoes when you already have a closet full”.

You laughed, pulling him towards the door. “Oh, sweetie, there’s always room for more shoes. Now come on, let’s go. We have a date with the stars and some fabulous cuisine!”. As you left the mansion, hand in hand, Chase couldn’t help but marvel at how lucky he was. He had his family, his work, and you-a girl who brought color into his meticulously ordered world. And for once, he was more than happy to let go of his logical side and just enjoy the adventure. Because with you by his side, life was anything but predictable and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

-

Thank you for reading!

[formulaisa]

hi, could you please do a smau thing where where another driver accidentally hard launches pepe and readers relationship, and just like how the fans react and other drivers who didnt know react. I hope this makes sense :)

Secret's Out | Pepe Marti

Summary: You and Pepe are teammates and had planned to soft launch your relationship to avoid fan criticism. All of that changes when someone slips up...

Warnings: some spanish (with translations)

Author's note: AHHHH! I love this request. I made them teammates so it's more high stakes and their dynamic makes more sense. I added Gaby and Christian because I just love them so much. Also, as a Spaniard, I had to include football references. This is my first ever post on this account and first ever smau. If you have any feedback or suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy! <3 F2/F3 masterlist / homepage / main masterlist

yourusername just posted

liked by pepemartiofficial, camposracing and others

tagged: yourbestfriend

yourusername past few weeks back home in madrid. getting ready for Qatar and Abu Dhabi!!

user1 IT GIRL

yourbestfriend is that who i think it is.....???

yourusername😊😊😊

user2 ummm the flowers?????

→ user3 omg she's soft launching

gabyprentice gorgeous <3

→ yourusername all you ❤️

user4 her life looks like my pinterest board

user5 OMG WHO IS THIS MAN???

user6 she's stunning wow

user7 she really does it all...

→ user8 ikr?? f2 driver, baddie.... → user 7 😭😭😭

user9 i'm so nosy, i need to know who this is

[mi amor = my love]

christian.mansell has added to their story

yourusername has added to their story

f2gossip just posted

liked by f1 gossip, user 1 and others

tagged: yourusername, pepemartiofficial

f2gossip 🚨due to recent posts, fans speculate that y/n l/n is soft launching a new relationship. all we know, he's a Barca fan. who could it be???

user1: it HAS to be Pepe. there's no way it's not. he's literally from Barcelona

→ user2: it couldn't have been Pepe in the Barca jersey. He's was already in London when she posted it → user3: let me be delulu!!!

user4: crazy day to be a Campos fan

user5: i don't care who it is. i'm LIVING for this tea rn

user6: we're so delulu. i love this.

user7: it HAS to be Pepe. The way he looks at her....

user8: everyone is speculating WAY too much about this. who cares?

user9: guys i don't know if it's Pepe. I feel like he's slightly tanner than the hand in the pictures ☹️☹️☹️

user10: i'm going to cry if it's not Pepe. They're my dream couple

user11: team dynamics are going to be MESSY if it is him

user12: agreed, we don't even know if it's him in the pictures and if it is, it's a total PR mess for Campos. people need to stop speculating

gabyprentice_ has added to their story

pepemartiofficial just posted

liked by a14management, yourusername and others

tagged: christian.mansell

pepemartiofficial Mary Poppins who 🪄☔

christian.mansell i'm siingin in the rain, i'm singin' in the raaaiin!

user1: You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ellla, eh, eh, eh!

gabyprentice_ @/yourusername they need help

→yourusername it's bad

user2: WHO ARE THESE DIVAS💜

user3: more like Christian and Pepe Poppins

user4: my fav couple 😍😍😍

user5: okay now post y/n

user6: LIVING for this London content

user7: cutiessss

user8: favorite duooooo 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

user9: photo credits to gaby and y/n NOW!!!!

yourusername just posted

liked by gabyprentice_, christian.mansell and others

tagged: gabyprentice_, christian.mansell, pepemartiofficial

yourusername London with friends + major third wheeling >>>>>>

christian.mansell your just jealous of our love

→ pepemartiofficial fr → gabyprentice_ @/yourusername it's okay bbg, you have me → christian.mansell fuck nvm

pepemarti i'm mary poppins!!!

→ yourusername stick to racing...

gabyprentice_ you're beyond stunning

→ yourusername AHHH LOVE YOU SM → user1: pepe and y/n? no i'm team y/n and gaby!!!!

user2: i'm obsessed with this group dynamic

user2: OMG GUYS ITS PEPE HOLDING THE UMBRELLA

→ user4: i'm actually dying they're so cute → user5: guys give it a rest, there's no real evidence that they're together

user6: PEPE IF YOU DON'T WANT HER I'LL TAKE HER

user7: i'm going to be so upset if they're not actually together bc this is so adorable

user8: BEAUTIFUL

user9: OMG STOP PEPE AND CHRISTIAN

user10: GUYS I NEED CONFIRMATION OF THIS RELATIONSHIP RN

→ user11: they're too cute to not be a real couple

user12: this girl is living my dream

christian.mansell just posted

liked by gabyprentice_, user1 and others

tagged: pepemartiofficial, yourusername

christian.mansell a week of ACTUALLY third wheeling in London

gabyprentice_ i was there too. you weren't third wheeling ☹️☹️☹️

→ user1 justice for my girl gaby!!!

user1 THE LAST PICTURE

user2 OH MY GOD THERE'S NO WAY

user3 NO WAY THEY'RE ACTUALLY TOGETHER

user4 CANNOT BELIEVE THEY USED CHRISTIAN TO HARD LAUNCH

→ user5 omg wait it was probably an accident. like why else would we be finding out through HIS instagram → user6 this is crazy...

user7 MOTHER AND FATHER

user8 THEY'RE DATING THEY'RE DATING THEY'RE DATING

user9 stop this is the cutest thing ever

[cariño = sweetheart, mi amor = my love]

pepemartiofficial has posted

liked by gabyprentice_, christian.mansell and others

tagged: yourusername

pepemartiofficial well, secret’s out now

yourusername te amo mucho ❤️❤️❤️ [i love you so much] → pepemartiofficial te quiero más [i love you more] → yourusername eso no es posible [that's not possible] → user1 IM CRYING THEY'RE TOO CUTE

christian.mansell low key glad i made this mistake

→ pepemartiofficial i'm still not letting that go mate

gabyprentice_ omg favorite couple

user2 i'm so obsessed with them

user3 THEY'RE SO ADORABLE STOP

user4 AHHHHHHHHHHH

user5 i don't even know how to process this

→ user6 ikkkk and the fact that it was CHRISTIAN who hard launched them??? 😭😭😭😭😭

user7 MY Spanish royal family

user8 NOOO MY CHANCES ARE RUINED WITH PEPE

→ user9 girl, what chances

user10 they're meant for each other

user11 mother and father

user12 we all have to admit, he's so much hotter than her

→ user 13 ummm, who's we???

yourusername just posted

liked by gabyprentice_, christian.mansell and others

tagged: pepemartiofficial

yourusername christian cannot keep his mouth shut

christian.mansell oopsies!!!

pepemartiofficial i'm the luckiest man alive

→ yourusername te amo con todo mi corazón [i love you with my whole heart] → user1 ugh i want a love like theirs

gabyprentice_ cuties

→ yourusername not as cute as you 😏😏😏😏 → user2 still team y/n and gaby!!!

user3 so so so insanely obsessed with them

camposracing glad to have contributed to this love story

user 4 I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT!!!!!

user5 it couple

user6 how did she even pull him???

→ pepemartiofficial open your eyes??? → user7 AHHHHH → user8 OMG HE'S DEFENDING HER

user9 god, i'm so lonely

user10 DREAM COUPLE

user11 the cutest ever

user12 PEPE I CAN FIGHT

user13 in LOVE with this

user14 i'm sorry for ever doubting this couple's existence

f2gossip just posted

liked by f1 gossip, user1 and others

tagged: yourusername, pepemartiofficial

f2gossip our new happy couple, pepe marti and y/n l/n, spotted kissing at a restaurant in barcelona

user1 DAMNNNNN OKAYYYY

user2 they really said HARD LAUNCH

user2 guess they're done hiding it 😂😂😂😂

user3 they’re actually perfect together 😩

user4 I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

user5 they're so iconic

user6 the cutest

user7 still can’t believe they’re together 😍😍😍😍

user8 wow, was not expecting them to be making out in public THIS fast

→ user9 to be fair, I would be doing the same thing if I was y/n

a/n: ahhhh!!! I hope you guys liked it!! this is my first ever smau, so i worked really hard. please let me know if you have any suggestions or feedback. send in any requests you have for my next piece!!

✩₊˚.⋆ all work belongs to formulaisa. please don’t modify, translate, or share my writing, and don’t feed it to AI.

[sworeidnevercompromise]

ꨄ︎ pillow talk: a drew starkey smau < part four > series masterlist

divider creds: @adornedwithlight

y/nupdates

liked by youruser and others y/nupdates y/n at the first limited theatrical release of @/pillowtalkmovie at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA. Y/N & the rest of the cast will be at different theaters all throughout the week, and of course will make an appearance at the official release of the movie on November 7th.

View Comments

samanthasnarkington beautiful stunning amazing WOW!

youruser thank you for picking actually good pictures of me because i swear to god i got sniped so bad on that red carpet ・ ♥️ by author

y/nupdates you never look bad diva

y/nsangels Y/N, i really like the way you are, both aesthetically and tempermentally... i'd like to get to know you better, have some chances with you. you are unique to me, nobody makes me feel the way you make me feel. I'm single (and faithful). (I love you so much.)

shaunaarts the face the dress the earrings the hair....she ate down mama

anna.martin16 as a society we deserve to have y/n in a vogue beauty secrets video

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youruser

liked by obx and others youruser thank you @/obx for having me @ poguelandia in santa monica! P4L 💚

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obx P4L!!!

madelyncline WE LOVE YOU

madisonbaileybabe honorary cast member

drewstarkey sick ass shots

hichasestokes WOOO

jonathandavissofficial hell yeah

carlaciagrant MISS YOU ALREADY

drewstakeyfan so ur telling me he's on 2 press tours rn basically? woah he must be exhausted

supercargo @/drewstarkeyfan oh don't worry abt it girl i'm sure y/n is keeping him happy

reputation1389 god why are you everywhere

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drewstarkey

liked by obx and others drewstarkey most pics taken by y/n, all taken on y/n's camera. @/obx

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youruser AWW that pic of me is so cute wait

carlaciagrant @/youruser your dimples are adorable

youruser @/carlaciagrant 😘 drewstarkey @/carlaciagrant @/youruser bro?

obx so glad we invited you, kook king

hichasestokes @/youruser consider a career in photography

madelyncline miss you

dstarkeynews YAHHH

drewy/nthinker slide 6. i can't do this anymore. please let that be y/n.

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pillowtalkmovie and a24

liked by a24 and others pillowtalkmovie our lovely cast tonight at the New Beverly Cinema. PILLOW TALK is currently in select theaters for it's limited theatrical release, opening wide Nov. 7.

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youruser haha @/drewstarkey i'm first

drewstarkey @/youruser 👎 drewy/nthinker @/youruser can you two quit flirting in ig comments and just get married already

madelyncline such a beautiful cast

lucaguadagninoarchive aww they all look so good!

alexanderludwig COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS!

y/nweloveyou my eye is twiching i need this movie so bad

drewstarkey 😁

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youruser

liked by pillowtalkmovie and others youruser new bev cinema i 💚 you!

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drewstarkey radiant ・ ♥️ by author

bestfrienduser okay serve ・ ♥️ by author

carlaciagrant 💚

y/nweloveyou awww third slide is so cute

m8trondhotel she was literally born to be in movies shes so photogenic

y/nscloset wait i know exactly what this dress is referencing omfg her stylist is a genius

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y/nscloset

liked by y/nsangels and others y/nscloset Y/N's dress at the new beverly cinema was a reference to this outfit from the original pillow talk and i feel so smart for figuring it out. please i'm begging you all to follow my twitter bc i'm such a genius and i love y/n

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k4nsas4nymore okay i challenge you a ver who does it better you or me a ver ・ ♥️ by author

dirtylittlesinkrat OKAYYYY

y/nsgirly wait i love ??

allurcoupons no bc i didn't like the gloves at first but now seeing the reference pic i love them & they make sense

y/nscloset @/allurcoupons that's right. NEVER doubt y/n.

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y/nupdates

liked by drewy/nthinker and others y/nupdates BYEEEE. deleted story from y/n's insta. GIRL.

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drewy/nthinker sooo yeah that's def drew i'm dead

reputation1389 @/drewy/nthinker your delusional drewy/nthinker @/reputation1389 *you're

m8trondhotel wait why am i so invested in this

shihtzuationship oh wow so they're like. in love. wow this is big

y/nweloveyou TS GOT ME FUCKED UPPP LMFAO you KNOW this was meant for her cf story.

tfimlikebruh "moved on from the fwb stage" oh so its someone shes friends with then. wonder who that could be... 🤨

reputation1389 that better not be drew she's texting

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drewstarkey 10m

youruser

liked by brooke_starkey and others youruser buncha oldies of this oldie @/drewstarkey. happy birthday sweet boy. 31 huh? you're getting up there.

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drewstarkey how did you have access to these pictures

brooke_starkey @/drewstarkey i may have let her see the family photo album. drewstarkey @/brooke_starkey this means war.

madelyncline AWWW BABY DREW

youruser @/madelyncline fetus drew was such a cutie

hichasestokes Birthday boyyyyy

drewstarkeyfan so i'm gonna need that family photo album

y/nweloveyou "sweet boy" HELLO? CAN Y'ALL JUST FUCKING CONFIRM THE RUMORS ALREADY

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austinnorth55 20m

[deepsthroats]

PUSH2START: rafe cameron gets turned on when reader (THEE brand-new hot young singer), went to outer banks to record her next music video, from her smash summer song.

———————————————————————

NOTES: HEAR ME OUT that idea came into me bc i think tyla and drew would make such a hot couple mdjjdjdj…also english is not my first language, so apologies for any mistake!

WARNINGS: male masturbation,erotic fantasy, rafe and his disturbing troughts about fucking reader.

“Jesus..fuckk” rafe’s dirty words sounded more like a curse while stroking himself to the image of your doll-body, tan sun kissed skin and bambi eyes. God, you were just so fuckable- the way ur hips were movin while dancing to “pushin' on my buttons with no hesitation”, -makin rafe actually wanna push all of your buttons deeply…he remembers your foreigner accent calling him:

“Hay Mr. rafey cameron” you said with a big smile, on your way to hug him. He hated how he loved that hug so much, stayin’ a litte longer with his hand on ur waist, squeezing a lil’ bit.

A big popstar like you coming to a small city like outer banks of course kept the place curious. Everyone were looking foward to meet u ever since the media leaked the place you were going to shoot the music video for PUSH2START. But u def didn’t disapointed. Everyone were stunned not only by your unreal beauty, but about how kind and sweet was your personality. You made sure to take pictures with all the fans, talk to them, and even payed some food for the tired fans.

The Cameron family, as the richest clan livin in outer banks, were the ones taking care of the whole musicvideo. The shoots, the recording, the marketing…everything. So, ofcourse rafe cameron would be present. Sarah and Wheezie were having a blash about meeting the most pretty, talented, funny and successful it girl of the time. Mr Rafe, could not care less..i mean, he did in fact not give a fuck about pop divas, so it was just another boring ass event he would have to attend cuz hes ward’s cameron son.

That changed the minute he saw you. WHATTHEFUCK-the only thing that passed by his head. He could not move or speak, cuz all the blood from his body went straight to his cock. He had too many thoughts- all ending up with you screaming his name while he pounded hard into your tight pussy. was a fucking torture to him watch you all day, seeing you with those small jeans, top cropped, showing your belly piercing he desperately wanted to lick, and your pretty legs that we wanted to grab and squeeze.

In fact, he did tried to flirty with you all day. Calling you princess, beauty, doll, honey…tried to keep eye-contact, laying his hands on your body- but you were just naive and innocent. You had this confident hot woman recording the music video, but you also had a very sweet and kinda dorky girl in the behind the scenes. Rafe wanted to get you all for himself, and beat the hell up of any boy who tries to hit on you. All these patetic losers guys could not workship you the way he would. FUCK you were driving him insane and honry as hell.

So, when he got home, his dick hurting for so much time being hard, he opens his phone, and finds the pic he was taking of you. Rafey’s mouth started to salivate just by looking at your wet skin- he wanted so bad to get you like this-. He zoomed at your perfect face, and lowered his hand at his drooling dick, givin a long squeeze. took his pants n brief almost immediatly, he was high by how honry he was.

Cameron felt at his stomach his pink, big cock, leaking precum on the top of it, and slowly started to move. Stroking himself meanwhile movin hips, imagining he was slamming the hell out of you-pushin all of your buttons-felt so goddamn amazing. It was so hard to keep holdin his phone with ur pic w the free hand, so lost in his imagination and burning desire.

“Oh my princess..fuck” he screams when his orgasm hits like a bomb in his body. Cum were all over ur picture from his phone. And one thing he knew- he needs u badly and it must make HASTE.

[serenaasea]

The perfect date

☆Lewis hamilton x fem!black!reader

____________☆^☆_______________

▪︎▪︎▪︎

🌺Where fans are shocked when their favorite photographer posts photos of her and a man on a romantic date.

________________...☆☆☆...__________________

Yournameaccount__

8.06.2024 New York

Liked by yourbestfriend, yoursister, yourfriend, and 33.5 thousand others

Yournameaccount__ Another day at work 😩T.G.I.F .

Tina26__Mother always working

Liked by creator

Luna111- It doesn't even look like she was at the beach two days ago.

Hater43_This girl never tires of posting pictures that she's not.

Liked by 230

Hater22>I agree, I bet she's the laziest one off camera.

Liked by 100

Yournamefan211__Yourname is such a diva that you have to invent reasons to hate her.

Liked by 157.2k

'Yournameaccount Another day of work'

RespondYourbestfriend Don't even tell me.

Yournameaccount__ I can't take it anymore.

YourbestfriendThanks god is Friday!!!

Liked by creator

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Yournameaccount__

12.06.2024 France

Liked by yourbestfriend ,49.7k others

YournameaccountThe perfect date with the perfect man 💋.

User58☆Girl like what!!????

User15_ She didn't just drop a bomb and went to sleep.

User187 😮😮😮

Hater22 Always looking for attention

Liked by 16.8k

Hater43 I agree, it's even tiring at this point.

Hater29 I bet it's just to get attention

Fan15 Always stunning

Liked by 13.9k

Hater29 I bet it's just to get attention

Fan12 Yn always delivering

Liked by 13.9k

Fan45 So she is dating now??

See more comments

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Author's note:

I apologize if you find any spelling mistakes, English is not my first language and I also apologize if the fanfic is not good, since it is my first time and if you have any feedback or constructive criticism or even questions please tell me. And I also thought of making a part 2.

Part2

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Chelo Alonso (Sign of Rome Morgan the Pirate La ragazza sotto il lenzuolo)— She was an international star, and she was so hot she had to turn down marrying a prince, and became so famous for being hot that Fidel Castro sent Che Guevara to beg her to go back to Cuba. She was also called the Cuban H-Bomb. She makes me light-headed.

Agnes Moorehead (Dark Passage, Mrs. Parkington)—i'm just submitting all the milfs at this point

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Chelo Alonso:

"forgive me sending in more pictures of her but i CANNOT be normal about here asdhgkljhahgjkhgkajshgajghshgjl"

Agnes Moorehead:

“Daughter of a minister, she’s incredibly religious. Would arrive on the bewitched set with “the bible in one hand and the script in the other.” And once during an earthquake, she refused to run to safety and said, “God will protect me.” - Her father prohibited her from attending an acting school until she had a formal education so she got a degree in biology. She taught at english, speech and history a high school while also getting degrees in English and Public Speaking. Entered AADA at 25. - Her film debut was in Citizen Kane when she was about 40 - She had a lovely singing voice. - Despite her religiosity, her privateness and close relationships with female friends fueled rumors even during her lifetime that she liked women. In her rather emotional interview with Boze Hadleigh, she expressed her desire to not have her private life be reduced to a few paragraphs of sensationalism. It is not really possible to know with certainty. - She had a farm with cows and donkeys. Lastly, I am aware that Agnes was not considered a leading lady and I’d like to campaign for her inclusion as we have reason to believe that this might have been due to the prejudices of ageism, her unusual (but stunning) features and a number of other factors: 'To classify her roles so as to discover her closeted lesbianism, although productive in the exploratory sense, runs the risk of imposing another set of stereotypes upon Moorehead. Linking character actresses and lesbians confirms marginalization, and while Moorehead played marginal characters in most of her plays and films, she could have played the leads had she so been cast, and she did play supporting roles brilliantly. That New York and Hollywood directors cast her as the outsider may be as much a statement about ageism and sexism as about sexual identity. It is probable, however, that her sexual identity figured and figured prominently, and if as an overlay to the other issues, we are left to interrogate the entertainment industry that forced her into exaggeration because she could not express whom she really was. Endora and Moorehead, one and the same, finally achieved supporting star status, with all the ambiguous meanings implied by the ''Bewitched'' narrative; however, Moorehead might have achieved diva status within legitimate classical theatre had she sought unambiguous sexual leads. Because she did not, or could not, we can conclude, using the soft evidence of innuendo and intuition, that her sexual identity clearly affected the direction of her career.' From a paper called ‘The Witching of Agnes Moorehead’ by Lynne Greeley”

[spearzreloaded]

spEarz2DaStreetz Takes On Wrestlemania 41 : Cargill d. Naomi

The first night of Wrestlemania in Paradise featured an epic grudge match between Jade Cargill and the newly turned heel Naomi. Cargill won off of performing a trio of Jaded's that would put Beth Phoenix to shame.

The match started off with plenty of hair pulling, something unearthed from Naomi's Diva era, fitting since she probably hasn't got this much jeering since her B.A.D. days. Eye-raking and stepping on toes accompanied Naomi's new clothes, along with some fresh armbar techniques that I had yet to see, such as when early Naomi used one of her knee's to trap Cargill in the lock.

The DDT off the mat to the outside was picture perfect, though it was intended so Cargill would not be able to attend another family photo with her respective ilk.

Selling throughout the open, it was only right the momentum shifted as Naomi ran into a backbreaker - draped over Cargill's knee, a deserved spot for the brat Naomi has been brought out to be at Wrestlemania 41.

Naomi kept trying to fell Cargill with a neckbreaker from the top, but Cargill kept catching Naomi and converting Naomi's signatures into various suplexes of her own. Naomi went for a roundhouse, ended up getting hit with a big pump kick.

Those suplexes gave Cargill ample time to taunt, but that cockiness led her to the top rope only for Naomi to meet her with a bulldog followed by a moonsault good for a two count.

A superkick woke Cargill up to the notion of ending things quickly. Cargill attempted Jaded and Naomi flipped Cargill's finisher into a cradle pin good for another two count. Unsatisfied this pin attempt was then converted into an octopus hold. Jade powered out of Naomi's lock and put Naomi a fireman's carry, Naomi scouted the drop and went for a kick, which Jade in turn scouted and put Naomi over her shoulders for a piggy back ride of sorts, dropping her for two. Undettered, Jade scooped up the stunned Naomi for Jaded and so ended the story of how Jade got her lick back at Wrestlemania.

The big question is now, will that story continue? Though Jade decidedly didn't add any extra malice against Naomi after the match, there is still room for Naomi to harbor resentment an react in the coming weeks with underhanded attacks for vengeance against Jade for now embarrassing her in Paradise.

I would like to see the story extend to Backlash personally. Ending this grudge with a stip match would be great, maybe add in Belair for a triple threat - but I am satisfied with how this played out and with the masterclass that Naomi put on. She flipped from having the crowd cheer for her to jeer at her in less than a season with such a big payoff at wrestling's biggest stage while putting over Cargill, a bonafide star who still has room for improvement despite her list of successes.

An excellent exhibition of what a couple of Florida girls can do in a ring. No wonder why I keep going back to the state of the Gators.

-

V.V. 20th/Apr.2k25

[opera-ghosts]

OPERA COSTUMES NOW SUIT THE ROLE, NOT THE SINGER March 11, 1984, New York Times

Back in 1875 the famous diva Celestine Galli-Marie was about to create the title role in a new opera called ''Carmen.'' In preparation for the premiere, she ordered a suitable costume - one that was supposed to combine authentic Spanish flavor with a romantic sense of the picturesque in a manner befitting a star of the Paris Opera-Comique. Thus first- nighters witnessed Bizet's spitfire emerge from her shabby cigarette factory immaculately attired in a close-fitting frock of canary satin trimmed with black silk ball fringe, a black velvet bolero, and a wide- brimmed hat with ball fringe to match. ''Gypsy chic,'' one might have called it.

Two decades later, when Emma Calvé performed the same role at the Metropolitan, wearing a seedy shawl (her own, of course), the Diamond Horseshoe gasped in disbelief: they couldn't tell Carmen apart from the chorus. Even her tenor, Jean de Reszke, was stunned. Before singing the role of Don Jose, a sergeant of the Dragoons, he had purchased a gleaming pair of boots suitable for a general. Though they weren't aware of it at the time, Calve was helping to usher in a new age.

The concept of stage costume has changed considerably since opera's palmy days. During the 19th century it didn't matter whether the stars played courtiers or courtesans, barons or beggars, so long as they were arrayed in suitable finery. Elegance and opulence were the rule, and every singer of repute owned a personal stage wardrobe from crowns to shoes.

One can only imagine, therefore, the sort of stage picture that resulted when an international cast assembled to sing, say, ''Les Huguenots,'' ''I Puritani'' or ''Der Freisch"utz'' dressed in a blinding assortment of color schemes, styles and decorations. Certainly it was closer to a fancy-dress ball than an integrated production.

''Obviously this practice is discouraged nowadays,'' says Peter Hall, the most recent head of the Metropolitan Opera costume department. ''Productions should be absolutely complete. Moreover, period is often changed by directors wishing to break with tradition, and things become rather heated when somebody comes along dressed 200 years out of date.''

To the Victorians, richness of effect was paramount, hence old-style costume decoration was very fussy, with all manner of contrasting fabrics used in combination with yards of beads, ribbons, plumes, fake gems, and embroidery, not to mention the pleats and tucks that must have been an absolute terror to clean and press.

''Things are very much simpler today than they were at the turn of the century,'' says Mr. Hall. ''While some designers, such as Zeffirelli, look at old portraits and copy those styles exactly, another school will look at authentic styles and re-interpret them somewhat. Last comes the 'self-indulgent' school that says, 'I'm not going to listen to the music anyway - I'll just do what I think is nice. Obviously that is the wrong way to go about it, for in the end the music should be reflected in the look of sets and costumes. I don't think that you can do Monteverdi in space suits. It has been done, in fact, but the result was hardly successful.''

Space suits or not, stage costume has always tended somehow to mirror its own time. Whether Nellie Melba was singing Gilda, Violetta or the Countess in ''The Marriage of Figaro,'' her ''period'' gowns - which were supposed to represent roughly the years 1470, 1850 and 1785 respectively - emphasized the hour- glass figure dictated by fashion at the fin de si ecle. Photographs of Emma Eames as Tosca show her wearing a bosomy costume that is little more than a gored Edwardian morning dress with an appropriate picture hat. Further on in time, Maria Jeritza's Tosca boasted the svelte lines popular during the 1920's and 30's.

Make-up and coiffure also have a lot to do with period feeling, but most singers have tended to wear whatever is popular or flattering. For instance, dark eyelids, kewpie-doll lips and headbands worn low over the brow usually indicate performances of the post-World War I era, whether the role depicted is Tha"is, Lakme or the "Agyptische Helena, and everyone is familiar with the all-purpose hairdo that Dame Joan Sutherland lets down only for mad scenes.

Men have been just as fashion conscious. When large, waxed moustaches were the rage, Caruso, Florencio Constantino, Mattia Battistini and many others sported them even when portraying normally clean-shaven 18th-century characters in powdered wigs.

Renaissance and earlier historical styles gave Victorian and early 20th- century designers the chance to indulge in amazing flights of fancy shackled by considerations of modesty. A copy of Harper's Weekly from 1855 contains engravings of Giulia Grisi and Marietta Alboni as the protagonists of Rossini's ''Semiramide.'' As the exotic Queen of Babylon, Grisi wore a pointed bodice, short puff sleeves, multi-layered skirt over numerous petticoats, floor-length veil and Statue-of-Liberty coronet that were merely outlandish variations on the outfit worn by Queen Victoria to the opening of the Crystal Palace in 1851.

Alboni sang Arsace, a trouser role, in a short flounced skirt worn over voluminous pantaloons tucked into dainty suede-topped boots (to give the impression of pants while hiding her legs) . With her little painted moustache - lest anyone mistake her for a woman - she looked rather like Prince Albert in drag.

Biblical and ancient garb were generally treated more like upholstery than attire on the stage prior to 1920. Old production shots of ''A"ida'' show the singers draped like ottomans in layers of heavy, embroidered fabric that would have caused real-life Egyptians to drop from heat stroke. The traditional get-up for ''Samson and Delilah'' resembled the wares of a Levantine rug merchant.

''Once again, it is the music that governs the look,'' says Mr. Hall who remembered a production of ''Samson'' 20 years ago ''for which I had not paid as much attention to the score as I might have. We designed rough, tweedy things with heavy Sumerian fringes. Then, upon hearing the priestesses' music in Act I, I realized that it calls for silk and flowing drapery.''

Nowadays, some sopranos are sufficiently alluring to make sense of more revealing attire when necessary. Gwyneth Jones, for example, sang the ''Tannh"auser'' Venus at Bayreuth clad in little more than a fishnet. It is still a rare tenor, however, who can portray Radames, Samson or Siegfried bare-chested in the appropriate heroic - or sub-tropical - manner. Indeed, Peter Hoffmann, is the only exception that comes to mind. As Siegmund in the Bayreuth centennial production of the ''Ring,'' he managed to strip to the waist before his battle with Hunding in ''Die Walk"ure'' without looking foolish.

Simplification and a greater striving for comfort and economy have had a marked effect not only on contemporary costumes themselves, but on their accessories. Although Mr. Hall personally favors ''full period costumes using fabrics as close to the original as possible,'' synthetics and substitutes can frequently be more practical and less costly. ''I like wool to be wool and silk to be silk, but obviously things are so expensive nowadays that one can't always do it. Materials that were extravagant at $25 a yard 10 years ago are now $125. It is still more economical to buy leather in skins than the imitations, however. For one thing, imitations can't be cleaned, nor can they be shaped like the real article.''

Stage jewelry and armour tend to be much lighter today than formerly. Old opera crowns used to be made of gilded metal, but the Met usually uses gold kid on a felt or elastic base. ''In Italy,'' says Mr. Hall, ''armour is still often made by property departments using brass and tin. We're inclined to use felt or vacuform (a plastic) with a metalic coating. Jewelry has also been greatly simplified. The old practice was to set false gems and pearls in brass prongs, then to sew the entire setting to the fabric. ''Now we sew on the pearls and gems directly, and apply gold braid afterward to suggest the setting.''

Robert Tuggle, archivist of the the Met, who acts as curator of the historic collection along with restoration consultant Gail Frohlinger, recently commented that, ''Even though luxurious silks and handmade laces have yielded to less opulent fabrics and trimmings, the general level of costumes is higher today than it used to be. The greater attention now being paid by designers to the chorus and smaller roles has fostered productions for which the workmanship on minor costumes is on a par with that given the stars.''

Recalling the violent upheavals that formerly took place when divas and dressmakers disagreed, Mr. Hall observed that there are relatively few donnybrooks in the Met's costume department today because singers are more serious about their work than their forebears used to be. They still have their quirks, however. ''One singer will not permit wool or velvet to cover his chest - only hard satin, because he says his voice bounces off it.'' Another once insisted that his voice was going up inside his helmet and being trapped there - although it didn't cover his face at all. ''So we made small holes on each side - like a rain hat - and he was delighted.'' Some singers avoid certain colors, either due to vanity or superstition, while others take a liking to one color or even to a particular garment. Luciano Pavarotti, it seems, belongs to the second category. ''He has a pronounced tendency to wear his favorite black suede vest in everything,'' said Mr. Hall, ''and you may quote me on that because I'm sure he knows it himself.''

Whether he does know it or not, whether it stems from superstition or from a desire for personal comfort, we can regard the tenor's habit, perhaps, as a holdover from the palmy days, a slender link with those bursting steamer trunks of the opulent past. There have been many changes in the philosophy of the dressing room over the years, but it's nice to know that some customs remain immutable.

[bugeyedfreaks]

Hello there, @bugeyedfreaks,

Yes, this may or may not be related to the Powerpuff Girls cartoon show itself, but, in addition to providing the voice of The Powerpuff Girls' so-called "commander and the leader" Blossom, the voice for whom she is best known in so many circles, Cathy Cavadini once provided the voice of Fievel's older sister Tanya Mousekewitz for An American Tail's 1991 sequel Fievel Goes West as well as the Fievel's American Tails TV show from which it spawned. And here she is in her beautiful, pretty, lovely, gorgeous and very stunning "the Girl You Left Behind" show girl gown dress outfit thing and makeup during Fievel Goes West's saloon scenes:

Speaking of Cathy Cavadini voicing Tanya, I had heard somewhere along the grapevines that during the making of An American Tail: Fievel Goes West itself, Tanya was supposed to be voiced in that movie by someone else filling in for Amy Green and Betsy Cathcart who had respectively spoken and sang as the Tanya character in the original 1986 American Tail movie of Don Bluth, when one day, the late great movie music composer James Horner (who worked with James Cameron on the music for Aliens, Titanic, and Jim Cameron's Avatar movie from 2009) was listening to Cathy Cavadini singing her demo of the beautiful Fievel Goes West song "Dreams to Dream", and in fact, James Horner was so moved by Cavadini's singing demo of the Dreams to Dream song, which touches and sends his heartstrings all the way down to its very core, that James Horner himself successfully persuades presenter and producer Steven Spielberg to let Cavadini voice Tanya for Fievel Goes West in the finished film. And the rest, they say, was history.

In addition, @bugeyedfreaks, I had actually got in touch with Cathy Cavadini herself online, and back in July 23rd, 2021, in fact, I sent her a very sweet message of an email to her requesting for an mp3 shoutout recording and two autograph pictures featuring two of the characters that she voiced, one of Blossom the Powerpuff Girl, and one of Fievel's mouse sister Tanya, and here they are hanging in my bedroom:

And here's the very cute and very beautiful, and aforementioned mp3 shoutout recording that Cathy Cavadini happen to sent me back in July 2021, and featuring Cathy Cavadini herself, as well as Blossom the Powerpuff Girl and Tanya the girl mouse singer of An American Tail fame, complete with part of the beautiful Dreams to Dream song that Tanya sang in A Capella:

Now, I may not know why I got those two autograph pictures and one mp3 shoutout recording from Cathy Cavadini back in July 2021, but as the story goes, Cathy Cavadini really liked my sweet email to her so much that she agrees to send me those three things, but on the condition that I pay eighty dollars for those things.

So I called up my mom, who happened to finish up cleaning out her sister's old house for the night at the time, on the phone to send her some good news about me sending a sweet message to Cathy Cavadini and I told her that she and I will pay 80 bucks for the Blossom and Tanya autograph pictures and one mp3 shoutout recording from Cathy Cavadini, and soon enough, my mother and I paid eighty dollars for it all using something like PayPal or something, and now, I'm still happy with the Cathy Cavadini/Blossom/Tanya mp3 shoutout recording and the two autograph pictures of Blossom and Tanya hanging side by side on my bedroom.

Yes, you, just like everyone else, may always and forever remember Cathy Cavadini best for voicing Blossom, the so-called "commander and the leader" of the Powerpuff Girls who hailed from the City of Townsville, but as a matter of fact, @bugeyedfreaks, Cathy Cavadini is also the voice of An American Tail: Fievel Goes West's Divine Diva Showgirl, Miss Tanya Mousekewitz, elder sister of Fievel Mousekewitz of Don Bluth's An American Tail fame:

So, what do you think?

Yours truly,

@ulyssesbobmac

Nice! Another member of the Cathy Cavadini fan elite! 💪 She's truly the best of the best.

I swear I’ve mentioned it on my blog before, but when I was a little baby Bug (a grub, if you will), I would basically watch two particular VHS tapes on repeat: one was Cinderella, and the other was Fievel Goes West. There’s SO much that I loved about that movie, but I adored Tanya and her story, and along with all the songs from Cinderella, I would absolutely belt out hers whenever I got the chance. Later on, when I ended up becoming the huge Blossom fan that I am today, I looked into Cathy’s old work and was surprised/not surprised to find out she voiced and sang as my fave mouse girl. Crazy! That's also such a cool story about how she got the role, but the lady's got excellent pipes. It was a no-brainer for them to cast her. 😆

And I’m so glad that you got those autographs and that voice recording from her! That's very sweet. I got to meet her and the girls and Tom Kane a couple years back and she was seriously one of the nicest of the bunch, so I definitely hope that in the future you get the opportunity to say hi to her in person! 💖

[leffee]

Day 15: Photographs

"This is the time I was in New York at Times Square last summer." Zoe nodded at the last picture in the photo album, sighing dreamily. "That sure was something. I don't often develop my selfies but this one? I just had to." Penny nodded along with each of her friend's words while admiring the photograph. "It's absolutely stunning, as always." "I know, it's a curse." Zoe chuckled in amusement and closed the photo album. "So, which one should we go over now? Choose whichever one you want, darling." Penny gazed at the multiple memory holders scattered on the table, some already having been skimmed over by them, some the opposite.  "Let's go with this one." She pointed at the photo album with a plain, purple cover. "Oh, this one? I think it's one from my childhood..." Zoe took the item into her hand and opened it in the first picture. She opened her mouth as she moved her hands to put the album on the table, but it didn’t reach it.  Penny observed it all closely and tilted her head. "Is everything okay...?"  "I..." Zoe squeaked out in a high-pitched voice and then burst into tears, ugly crying.  "Zoe, oh, what happened?" Penny shifted closer to her friend and at once hugged her from the side. She attempted to steal a glance inside the photo album, but Zoe was clutching it closely to her chest. "It's-it's," The normally posh diva whimpered, her mascara running down her face, "it's Gail!" Her tears began to flow profusely again. "Gail?" Zoe moved the album, allowing Penny to take a good look at the picture. It was a simple one, a bit blurry too, but the most important elements were still very much visible. In the foreground were Zoe and Gail, unmistakably younger, maybe 5 or 6 years old, posing in their pink swimsuits. Behind the duo was a lake with a few small sailboats swimming across it in the distance. "What about Gail?"  "Sorry." Zoe coughed, her weeping dying down and she wiped her tears away, smudging the dark substance on her cheeks even more. "It's just... that made me realize something." "Yes?" Penny prompted gently. Zoe sighed and sniffled. “Look how happy and close we are in this picture.”

“You sure are.” Penny smiled softly, eyeing the precious memory again. “Is there anything wrong with that?”

“No, with that no, it’s just that we used to spend so much time together in the past but now,” Zoe bit her lip, “we see each other so much less often. Living in different houses, having different jobs, being busy with life. I just realized it will never be the same as it used to be…” Zoe’s voice trailed off as she finished with her gaze stuck on something in the distance but just as Penny opened her mouth Zoe added one last thing, “It would be different if we were those kind of siblings who never got along and always argued, but me and Gail were always so similar while at the same time she was also there to guide me, being the responsible yet cool older sister.”

“Zoe.” Penny hugged her distressed friend tighter. It didn’t take a genius to understand that it was one of the moments when Zoe’s emotions were not exaggerated or artificially dramatized. “I see how that would be painful for you, but you know…” She hesitated but Zoe gestured for her to continue.

“Go ahead, I swear I won’t get upset over well-minded advice. I could really use one right now.” 

“You’re right that things aren’t the same as in the past and will probably never be, but if you ask me, it’s not that you’ve grown apart. It’s more that things changed and sometimes we simply have to adapt to those changes.”

“Adapt to changes, huh?” Zoe hid her face deeper in Penny’s embrace.

“Yeah, I mean, remember the time you wrote your first song?”

“Hm? Yes, of course I do, I have to say that it wasn’t nearly as perfect as I would have liked it to be. But what does it have to do with this situation?”

Penny giggled at Zoe’s little story, but that would only help her prove her point, at least she hoped it would. “You don’t write your songs the same way nowadays compared to the past, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Exactly,” Penny beamed and gently let go of Zoe, changing her hands' positioning to now hold onto her friend’s shoulders firmly. “See? Things change, it’s just natural, so I don’t think you’re ever going to grow apart, you’re just, well, growing, and so is Gail.”

“You think so?” Zoe’s voice was still low but gradually her normal flair began slipping through again.

“Yes! And who knows? Maybe, no, most likely Gail might be feeling the same way, maybe she’s even waiting for your call at the moment, or some other manner of contact from you but thinks you’re too busy too to spend some time with her big sister.”

Zoe was quiet for a minute, her expression changing into a thoughtful one before the vigour returned to her. “You’re right, Penny, I have moped around enough, it’s time to start doing something, yes, I should call her.” Zoe stood up with new-found confidence. “In fact, I’m gonna do it right now.” She retrieved her phone from the couch and began dialing the number. “You don’t mind me doing that, right?” She stopped momentarily to turn to her friend. “I promise we will return to going through those pictures in a second.”

“Of course I don’t mind, this is what this whole conversation was for after all.” Penny reply was filled mock indignation. “Go on, shoo, shoo,” She waved her hand at Zoe playfully, “take as long as you need to, and who knows, we might finish going through those with Gail some other time.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------A story with Gail except that not really...? Maybe I will incorporate her more directly some other time, for now she's just haunting the narrative.

Ellipsis my beloved punctuation mark <3 I sometimes wonder if it shows at all for a reader, because when writing I have such a feeling that I use it waaay too often, but man, this thing is just so useful, especially for showing emotions in sentences and yet without words

[carusolikey]

The Blue Hour

a Max Phillips & Bloodsucking Bastards FanFic

I hope you've got your baskets ready, cause here comes Maxter Vampire-Tail with a bundle of Easter Eggs!

Return to Chapter 4 - Part 1

Continue to Chapter 4 - Part 2

Return to Masterlist!

Chapter 4, Part 1 - Let's Put the Squeeze on These Two, Eh?

Obviously, the theme this week is BEYONCÉ! Beauty, class, grace, strength, intelligence, and not afraid to say - even as one of the most stunning and talented people in the world, "Why don't you love me?"

Given the content of this week's chapter, I think it's important to find and focus on our inner, amazing diva, and understand that they need just as much emotional nourishment and encouragement as even the world's greatest musical royalty.

Beneath everything there is a human at the core. Can we say the same about vampires? Good question! I'd love for you also to notice that in this particular gif, seized from the video for, exactly as stated above, "Why Don't You Love Me?" Queen B is dressed head to toe, as a throwback to Bettie Page. Yes, the very same we discussed in our Easter Eggs from last week! What's she trying to convey? Well, what did Bettie inspire? Embracing our sexuality and not cowering when others try to shame us for being ourselves, to start - surely? But then again, delving into that could be an entirely new set of Easter Eggs.

"I went ahead and sent him a gif of Tom Cardy from the Red Flags music video, saying “Cool!” -- I'm not sure that there's really a great way for me to explain Tom Cardy other than just to say that he's hilarious and share the original video I yoinked the gif from, for context's sake. Enjoy singing this when you least expect to have it pop in your head:

"Laughing, I turned the faucet off. “Ask again - that’s a very Magic 8 Ball response..." -- Magic 8 Ball! Ya know? Magic 8 Ball!

“When I say ‘BAT!’ I turn into a bat and I can fly.”-- I'm basing this bit of my personal vampire lore for this story on what's already established in Dracula, but also What We Do in the Shadows. Allow me to elaborate and elucidate with a little instructional video:

“You making lemonade?” “Kind of - I’m making chia seed lemonade.” Max frowned -- Chia seeds really are a fantastic source of Omega-3s, if you're trying to monitor your intake of mercury from fish. They're also high in protein, fiber, and amino acids. AND if you're vegan, you can use them as an egg substitute when baking! Isn't that wild?? Of course, it should be noted that because of their fibrous nature, if you're not soaking them, you should drink plenty of water with them - and consult your doctor as needed for dietary changes.

"The next part I was hesitant to bring up, because it was always something that fucked with my head. Some days I would tell myself it was nothing and other days I would think, but it did happen."-- I've decided to create a separate, special Easter Egg, just for the people who might need a little extra care for the section that followed the above. It's an optional Egg, but it's here for you if and when you decide to click on it - with a few words from myself and some additional resources that may help get you to a better place.

"The style was a mixture of mid century meets craftsman, no greige here. It was colorful, vibrant, retro, eclectic, lived in, and so much more light than I would’ve expected for a vampire."-- Listen, I can't tell you where I got these pictures from exactly, you're just gonna have to trust that this is, in fact, Max's real apartment - a few changes may have been made since... well, we'll get there. I have my sources, what can I say?

"When I was able to go back to school, I re-enrolled as a business major.” -- Ah, Max. A lot of what follows this falls in line with the movie, in terms of his education - some slight changes, but I did my best to keep a nice, clean narrative. And Max clarified some things that were left out of the movie.

"He said it like he was selling sex and reading off a Yogi Tea bag label."-- Is it the best tea? It's not bad. And I enjoy the honey lavender bedtime tea. But they always have some type of inspirational quote on the actual tea bag tag...label - and sometimes quotes from actual authors and poets, like Emily Dickinson. Here's a smattering of samples provided by someone who wrote an angry blog about the tea bag tags...labels? Always such fun - enjoy!

“My abuela was a huge fan of Enrique Granados, and I used to play his Spanish Playera, Op. 5, No. 5 for her every time she asked.”-- So, both the Granados and the Debussy are pieces that I've performed. My personal attachment to them is deeply based on the music theory, technical proficiency, and musical interpretation of each piece. In other words, I have very specifically selected Rico Saccani and Lang Lang as the artists, after reviewing several different performances. My hope is that what I love so much about these pieces translates and is thoroughly enjoyed by whomever is reading this story, these jumble of words floating in the ether of the net. Moving on to Granados - the tragedy of this composer's life being cut short because he missed his first boat? It hurts, he was so young, and so talented. (And it may not feel that way to you sneaky buggers who ignored my 18+ warnings, but 48 is young.) Honestly, wikipedia wins for best summary of information about Enrique Granados:

I also mention that this piano piece sounds like a guitar, and that is Granados' intent - to make the piano sound like another instrument. It's kind of a cool idea! This was also the beginning of a period of time when composers started experimenting a lot more with sound, chords, tonality, polyrhythms, and so much more. Less than 10 years later, Henry Cowell had his New Music Society of peers enmeshed in avant-garde styles. Cowell even wrote a piece called The Banshee for piano, where it's primarily played on the strings of the piano and is pretty scary, honestly. Google it, I dare you. However, I digress - and I refuse to slide further down this shoot and ladder. Here is an excellent example of Granados' Spanish Playera Op. 5, No. 5 transcribed for guitar, performed in 1929 (not sure if this was recorded before or after the stock market crash), 13 years after Granados and his wife tragically perished.

“This piece is by Debussy, it’s called Rêverie..."-- Debussy was such a character. When he was studying music at the Villa Medici, French Academy in Rome, "the Academy chided him for writing music that was "bizarre, incomprehensible and unperformable'." That's what you get called when you choose your own path and go your own way, c'est la vie! This wikipedia article reads like a Telenovela, and it's a wonder that a movie or even a series about Debussy hasn't been made yet. The man was cocksure and full of himself, charming, yet made enemies simply because he couldn't be bothered with focusing on loving anything more than he loved music.

CW: Self-harm threats / attempts mentioned under the "1894–1902: Pelléas et Mélisande" section, third paragraph, and "1903–1918" section, first paragraph.

“I could’ve grown up to be what I wanted to be in the seventh grade.” His eyes widened, and so did his grin, “A hype man for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.”- Did you say you don't remember The Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Did you say you wanted me to post a video of them? Okay! You asked for it! (Get a load of that hype man, tho - stealing every scene.)

"He danced. It was dancing. Definitely of the 80’s and 90’s, some hype-man in there, a little bit of Jack Black." -- Alright, who's dancing? We got Peña, Peña, Peña, Peña! Then Jack Black - I'll get back to this. Followed by Pedro doing an underwear + sock ad, which, ya know, who's gonna argue with that? And of course, a big finale of Jason Sudeikis hype-manning during the "What's Up With That?" SNL Skit with Kenan Thompson. Classic! Back to Jack Black! This is from the movie version of a fantastic book by Nick Hornby, called High Fidelity. The movie version is peak late 90's, and stars John Cusack as the main character, a guy who owns a record shop, going through a break-up. He spends his time working at the shop, and reviewing his love life leading up to this massive break-up, all the way from his grade school years, and living life through the lens of a ~mix-tape~. Does that seem familiar at all to you? :D

“I was super bored in my math class, so I started drawing Kermit the Frog, and my friends had me draw him doing different things, being different celebrities - Tommy Boy, Pamela Anderson, Jerry Garcia."-- If you don't get these references, they're not that important, you just had to have been there - but I bet you know Kermit. I'm definitely posting a Chris Farley gif, though. <3

"He burst out laughing, immediately covering his mouth, “No, no. It’s not that – okay, it’s not Ryan Gosling."-- Do you remember, "Hey, Girl"? I know I do.

"....I don’t care for Papyrus, though.”-- Boom. Another Ryan Gosling reference! (TikTok for our international friends because SNL is judgy?)

“What about Wingdings?” Max asked, focusing his eyes on me." -- Oh, honey. I hope you know your Wingdings.

Wikipedia says don't you fucking dare confuse these for "Webdings". IT'S NOT THE SAME.

And those are all of the Easter Eggs for Part 1 of Chapter 4!

Return to the Masterlist Here or, while you're waiting for chapter 4, be sure to check out my other fanfics: • Javi G. from The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Paddington 3: Lost in Mallorca. • A cheeky little one-off about Young Joel from The Last of Us in High Heat, Heavy Load.

Return to Chapter 4, Part 1

Continue on to Chapter 4, Part 2

[mildiva]

Against Talking, For Sharing Bathrooms

alright despite three paragraphs of my first draft getting deleted i will Bravely begin again

(Prescript: tumblr has marked this as “mature.” is it because of the word bathrooms? do they think I’m advocating for gay sex? scholars remain divided.)

scene: beautiful, not-quite-lazy not-quite-spring saturday. what else is a girl to do but go out dancing? i’d already missed a great party, perverse, the night before. frankly i expected it to be kinkier than a bunch of gay guys in jockstraps, but who else would pay $40-50 for a night out? or who else could? instead I’d spent the night trying to fit a very nice and hairy boy’s monster cock inside my designer pussy.

what was i talking about? right, dancing. the first thing i saw on RA looked good: A/S/L? at Neptune Room, hosted by Associate. A bar and a DJ I wanted to check out what could be better? I rotated a thousand outfits in my mind, landing on a slutty White Lotus guest look.

Whenever I go to a new bar or venue, I go straight to the bathroom so I can assess the pee situation and begin a preliminary vibe analysis. All gender bathroom? good sign. matrix on the TV? Also a good sign but points towards a nerdy clientele. as I started looking at everybody else in the bar I noticed one mean trans girl I know from around everybody else seemed… can I say this without sounding rude? Very 30- Somethings-bisexual-practicing-ethical-non-monogamy-coded. There’s nothing wrong with being that; I have a wonderful coworker who fits the description. However, not necessarily the group I most want to get down with or that I think will be the most fun to dance with. Unfortunately, my prejudices were right. 

I pee, I down a gin and tonic, and I shuffle my way to the teeny tiny dancefloor. Like, illegal basement Bushwick apartment bedroom. On a dancefloor that cramped, real dancers need every inch of real estate they can get it. So why was it filled with people standing there talking? As an empath, I get that not everybody wants to dance — however, the dance floor has a purpose, and if you don’t wanna dance, make space for the real dancing divas. Especially with music that’s supposed to be groovy as the party was billed! House, six different flavors of disco. hat is things and then switch to groove to die. Even punks need room to skank, and techno bros need room to move like those musical cactuses from animal crossing. Just putting it simply: if you don’t wanna dance, get off the dance floor, you can stand to the side or sit somewhere. Or fuck off! I’m not your mother.

Obviously, the crowding annoyed me to no end. So I get on Twitter and start complaining. This turns my night around. Ms. Gabberbitch69 told me come to Suns, a small theater frequented by film bros and film hoes where DJ Michelle Harvey was throwing For Your Pleasure, an Italo disco party. I chew on this, go to the bathroom again to take pictures (because I looked fucking good!). Aside from that, the only thing that’s really been a plus for me was a house cover (?) of a Björk song (Leash Called Love by the Sugarcubes) which frankly was the only reason I stayed as long as I did. When I came back to the dance floor people were at least two-stepping, so I thought I might stay for a while, but then simultaneously three different heterosexual looking couples started making out. When I saw that, I closed my tab and got my white ass out of there.  

A 10 minute drive and 30 minute parking adventure later, I roll up at Suns. I knew it would be good when I walked in and felt the temperature rise 30 degrees. Both floors were absolutely packed, so I put in my time waiting at the bar, one eye on the bartender wearing a top surgery scar tank. After my G&T is drained, I squeeze into a spot on the dancefloor and groove in my allotted half-square-foot of space. Some Japanese movie about… magical cats?… is being projected on the wall behind the DJ. It’s stunning. I don’t think I’ve intentionally gone dancing with a crowd that straight since the last time I went to Fl@sh (censored as to not invoke its demonic energy), but it was still a good crowd! I felt slightly out of place as one of five people dressed slutty but I made it work. The music was exactly as described: so 80s people should be doing coke off the tables.

(Okay coming back to this a month later I’ve dragged on far too long, lemme finish this)

I spent the rest of the night partying as I know how: dancing until I neared heat exhaustion, running outside to chat with friends of friends and friends to cool off, debating getting one more drink, sharing a bathroom and a bump with a man i was flirting with whose mouth unfortunately tasted too foul to continue anything with. The last DJ of the night closed with “Waking The Witch” by Kate Bush, a song I hadn’t listened to since starting SSRIS. So unexpected and dreamy.

Was I going somewhere with any of this? Not sure. Looking forward to the next For Your Pleasure though!

[twnenglish]

Top Hottest Models In India 2023

India has some of the most gorgeous and talented models who have taken the fashion industry by storm with their stunning looks, versatility, and talent. In this article, we will introduce you to the top hottest models in India in 2023 who have made a mark in the industry with their charm and elegance.

Top Hottest Models In India 2023

1. Gauri Mehta:

Gauri Mehta is a 23-year-old model from Mumbai, who has gained a massive fan following on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. She has worked with various fashion brands and designers, and her charming personality has earned her many brand endorsements.

Age: 23 years old (as of 2023)

Career: Gauri Mehta started her career as a model at a young age and quickly rose to fame due to her stunning looks and charming personality. She has worked with many renowned fashion designers and brands, such as Lakme Fashion Week, FBB, and Max Fashion. Gauri has also been featured in numerous editorial shoots for magazines and online platforms.

Brand endorsements: Gauri Mehta has a significant following on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which has led to several brand endorsements. She has worked with brands such as Nykaa, Daniel Wellington, and L'Oreal, among others.

Achievements: Despite being relatively new to the industry, Gauri Mehta has already achieved a lot of success. She was recently listed as one of the top 10 models to watch out for by Vogue India. Additionally, Gauri has won several awards for her work, including the Best Model of the Year Award at the Indian Model Awards in 2022.

Instagram followers: Gauri Mehta has over 1 million followers on Instagram, where she regularly posts pictures of her modeling work, as well as her personal life. She is known for her effortless style and natural beauty, which has helped her gain a large following on the platform.

2. Neha Malik:

Neha Malik is a well-known Indian model who has worked with many brands, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Sabyasachi. She has a huge fan following on Instagram, where she regularly posts stunning pictures of herself. Neha is known for her bold and edgy fashion choices and has won several hearts with her impressive ramp walk.

Age: Neha Malik was born on October 31, 1989. She is currently 32 years old.

Career: Neha started her career as a model and has walked the ramp for several fashion shows. She has also appeared in many music videos and web series. Neha made her acting debut in the film Bhanwarey in 2017.

Brand Endorsements: Neha Malik has been associated with many brands, including Amazon, Flipkart, Sabyasachi, and Daniel Wellington.Gandii Baat 2,entertainment industry,

Achievements: Neha Malik was a finalist in the Miss Diva competition in 2012. She was also crowned Miss Femina Style Diva in 2016.

Social Media: Neha Malik has a massive following on Instagram, with over 1.3 million followers. She is also active on Twitter and Facebook.

3. Anveshi Jain:

Anveshi Jain is not just a model but also an actress and a motivational speaker. She has worked in several popular web series like Gandii Baat and has also been a part of many music videos. Anveshi has a massive fan following on social media platforms like Instagram, where she often shares her thoughts on life and inspires her followers.

Age and Early Life: Anveshi Jain was born on 25 June 1991 in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. She pursued her education in electrical and electronic engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal.

Career: After completing her education, Anveshi moved to Mumbai to try her luck in the entertainment industry. She started her career as a model and soon made her way into the world of acting. She made her debut with the web series 'Gandii Baat 2' in 2019, and since then, there has been no looking back for her. She has also appeared in other web series like 'Who's Your Daddy', 'BOSS: Baap of Special Services', and 'Gandii Baat 6'.

Apart from acting, Anveshi is also a motivational speaker and has given several talks on various topics. She has also hosted many events and shows.

Brand Endorsements and Achievements:

Anveshi Jain is a popular face on social media and has a massive fan following. She has endorsed many brands, including Uber Eats, Pepsi, and Nykaa. She was also featured in the list of 'Top 30 Most Desirable Women on TV' by The Times of India in 2020.

Social Media Presence:

Anveshi Jain is quite active on social media platforms and has a huge following on Instagram. She regularly shares her thoughts and pictures with her fans and currently has over 3 million followers on the platform. She is also active on Twitter and has over 110k followers.

To Read This Full ARTICLE, Click Here

[cleverhottubmiracle]

When you’re a globe-trotting pop diva, ridiculous rumors about yourself are par for the course. There’s one in particular that makes South African superstar Tyla giggle. “I’m apparently a CIA agent,” she says with dry amusement. “I’m an undercover agent in the Illuminati trying to divert people’s minds from the New World Order. That’s my favorite rumor. I’m not even mad about that one.” But even deep-state governments couldn’t engineer a breakout as fast and as bright as the 23-year-old singer’s. With its shout-along chorus, woozy beat, and steamy music video, Tyla’s 2023 smash “Water” took over TikTok feeds around the world upon its release. Suddenly people from all walks of life were pouring H₂O on their asses while attempting the Bacardi dance, a rhythmic style from Tyla’s home country. The following year, she kept the party going with her self-titled debut album, an intoxicating mix of pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and amapiano — a subgenre of house music that originated in South African townships — perfect for pregames or lounging by the pool. Tyla’s success was as historic as it was explosive. With “Water,” she became the first African female solo artist to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. “Water” is also the most-streamed song by an African soloist in Spotify history, and it earned Tyla the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance. Crossover status, however, was the last thing on her mind. “I never thought this was going to transcend,” Tyla says. “I feel like you can never go wrong if you’re just being true to what you feel and what you want to make. I don’t think I’m trying to force anything in or keep anything. Maybe one day I’ll make a straight pop song. You never know.” Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoesThese days, Tyla is showing up in all the right places: Sitting courtside at a Knicks game in a tank top emblazoned with the word “WET.” Stunning at the Met Gala in a sculptural Balmain gown made of sand. Slinking down the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with a pair of the brand’s iconic angel wings. She criss-crosses the globe so often, you start to understand the spy rumor. We were originally supposed to meet up in Los Angeles, but a top-secret project upended her schedule, so we eventually connect over Zoom while Tyla is in Paris for Fashion Week. When she’s sitting front-row next to Anna Wintour at the Chanel show — in an orchid-colored remix of the brand’s classic tweed skirt suit — Tyla looks like she’s been doing this all her life. In conversation, she radiates the same magnetic cool that infuses her music — a poised confidence that feels hard-won rather than merely put-on. But on the eve of her Coachella debut, the “pretty girl from Joburg,” as she put it in another of her viral hits, is still getting used to this whole global pop-star thing. She sounds euphoric, yet exhausted. Optimistic, but slightly terrified. Gucci top, pants, gloves, Maison Close bra, R13 underwear, Pandora jewelry“I’m so happy and proud,” Tyla says of her breakout year. “But at the same time, it is a lot of pressure because people are now looking at you like, ‘So, what next? What else are you going to do?’” Luckily for us, as Tyla explains, she’s got plenty more to show the world.You made a deal with your parents that if you didn’t make a music career happen within a year, you would finish college. At what point did you go, “See…” I would have to say it was the rise of “Water,” just seeing how that song crossed over not only in South Africa but the world. That song traveled so far, my parents found it really weird. They were in shock. Them watching me win a Grammy was also a moment where I feel like it really sunk in for not only myself but them too. Can they feel your success back home? I got this one DM from this person who was like, “I’m such a big fan. Your music is so inspiring. I’m so happy — by the way, I met your mom.” And then there’s a whole picture of my mother with this fan! I was like, “Ma, when did you do this?” And she’s like, “They ask me for pictures, too, Tyla.” I feel like my mom loves it. That was a little bit strange, but I thought it was cool. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryWas there a particular vision of pop stardom that spoke to you growing up? I never really studied specific artists. Whatever songs, performances, music videos I liked, I just obsessed over those individual things. It was very broad. Pop stars, rappers, R&B singers. It started with the sound of music I wanted to make, because I knew that I wanted to do something completely different from what I’ve heard before. I was making anything and everything. I have full-on rap songs. Full-on R&B. Full-on amapiano. I played a lot and found a mixture that felt like me. Wait, what does a Tyla rap song sound like? I’m not going to lie, it’s hot. I’m excited to show people that I’m more diverse than they think. I want to take my time with my artistry and give whatever feels right for that moment. So one day, you’re going to get that Tyla rap song. Are you in the studio right now? Every day I can be in the studio, I’m there. I’m working on the new project currently. I’m super excited because even though I love my debut album, I feel like a totally different person. Everything that has happened forced me to grow very fast. I’m also the type of person that gets bored very easily. So I’m excited to see this new version of me and hear what it sounds like and just have fun with it — just bring back fun in music. Chloé clothing, Hugo Kreit earrings, Parts of Four bracelet, Les Belles stay-upsWhat feels the most different about you now? I used to feel like I needed to control every little thing, like I needed to make sure that I wasn’t giving too many emotions away. Even when it came down to my back injury [that led to the cancellation of my 2024 world tour], I didn’t want people to know. I just wanted to keep my private life private and share my music and [have that be] enough. But I realized that it’s not. What changed? Outside of all of this, I don’t speak about my business. Like, don’t ask me — I’m dealing with it by myself! I’m that type of person. But I started loosening up a little bit making this first album. I feel like with “To Last” [a song about the sting of first heartbreak], I convinced myself to release it because I was like, “Oh, my sister, my friend were going through this.” I made it like it was about them. But it’s something that is really deep for me — I literally sang that in the shower. At the end of the day, [my fans] the Tygers, they care about me and really want to know what’s going on. And you have to be vulnerable in order to give the best art. “I took on a lot of that pressure, and it made me very dissociated, like I’m just watching these amazing things happen to me.”Your rise coincides with a shift in attention toward music from across the African continent. Beyond your own success, what greater cultural change are you hoping to contribute to? I’ve always wanted to see somebody from where I’m from do what I’m doing: being on a Grammy stage, performing at these big award shows, coming to the Met Gala and all these dramatic things that we used to watch people in Hollywood doing. I just want more of us there. And for it to be easier — for all of us to have the same fair chance. Because I remember how hard it was just to be seen. Like, I was DMing everybody. I was doing the most. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryWhat would true representation look like in your mind? Honestly, I would love to see an African artist — even if the artist isn’t born and raised on the continent — make African music without pop influences, just true African music. I would love to see that be as global as pop music is one day. Even if it isn’t me [doing it], I think it would be a really exciting thing. But for me as an artist, I just want to make whatever feels good. And I don’t want to feel like if one day it changes, then I’m leaving behind my heritage or I’m disregarding my influences and inspirations. Because ultimately I’m an African girl, and I’m always going to be. So regardless of what I do, it’s going to be a representation of that. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re the first person to do something. How have you dealt with that? Last year I took on a lot of that pressure, and it made me very dissociated a lot of the time. I would feel like I’m just watching these amazing things happen to me. I worried that one day all I worked for might be taken away. But as the year went by, I got to a place where I felt like that’s not in my control. I’m just moving the way I want to move and whatever happens, happens. I want to take risks and not be afraid. If it doesn’t work? Whatever. If it does work? Even better. I just want to know that I lived this life doing whatever I wanted to do, without [worrying about] what people thought I should be doing. Gucci top, pants, gloves, Maison Close bra, R13 underwear, Pandora jewelryYou had a winking reference to South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis in one of your first late-night performances. There’s someone reading this who has no idea about “load shedding” — rolling blackouts where the country’s state-owned power utility shuts off service to ease electrical capacity. Can you tell me about growing up with that? We South Africans are so unserious. We have memes and jokes for days about load shedding. Obviously, it has a big impact. Studying was so hard. We had to find random lights, use our phone flashes to study. When we would explain it to people, they’d be like, “What?! The lights just switch off?” And it’s like, “Yeah...” We even have an app that tells us what time it’s going to switch off and everything. Even though it was difficult, people had it way worse than us. Do you hear from folks back home after doing something like that? Yes! I love hiding little Easter eggs from my culture. I love incorporating that into my performances and my visuals. Like the load shedding thing — it was obviously a joke at first, but then we were like, “No, actually, that’ll be nice to add in because the South Africans will watch it and be like, ‘My girl, she’s really taking us with her.’” It’s a good feeling to show the world little pieces of where I’m from. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryIf you could take fans to one place in Johannesburg to help them understand you and your music, where would it be? I would take you guys to CBD [the central business district]. When I was younger, my mom used to take three, five taxis in order to get there, and she would take me all the time. We would go shopping because the clothes and stuff there were way cheaper. I just remember always being excited to go there and seeing how busy the streets are. You can hear our music playing loud. You can hear our accents, people shouting, taxis driving crazy. I would take people there because that feels like how my dance music feels, I think. The first time you left your home country was after you signed your record deal in 2021.I remember landing in Dubai and being like, “This is fake. Somebody drew this land and made it up. How is this real?” It’s insane. What has been the biggest discovery you’ve come across in your travels? I used to think that people wouldn’t get my humor or I wouldn’t be able to have proper conversations with people. They might not get me — the accent, the slang, the jokes. I really enjoy American people, their humor. Americans are so funny. And I feel like my friends that I’ve made in America, I didn’t know that I would be able to have such a bond because I thought, culturewise, there would be that disconnect. What’s surprised you the most about American culture? Americans are more blunt, which I like, because people need to be blunt. It’s refreshing. Like if I say something wrong, if I do something wrong, people are going to check me, and that’s fine, and I can do the same thing. We can just talk, we can swear, we can do whatever, and it’s just normal. In Africa, as a woman, you have to be very demure and polite and soft-spoken — the men are the priority and all these things. It’s cool and all, but when I came to America, I was like, “Yeah, this is nice.” “Your 20s are a time when you let loose and go out and get friends and go through drama. I don’t want to let that pass me by and not have that.”You’re in Paris now. What would be your perfect day off? Shopping, definitely. Shopping in the streets, going to boutique stores. Chloé clothing, Hugo Kreit earrings, Parts of Four bracelet, Les Belles stay-upsAre you still able to be anonymous, or do you get stopped everywhere? Yeah, no. [Laughs.] I can’t be anonymous anywhere, low-key.Have you had a favorite fashion moment of your own this past year? Obviously the Met Gala is always going to be insane. Like, what?! But I really enjoyed my VMA after-party look [a ripped-denim design by fashion student Ishan You] because it felt like me and nothing I really saw before. What else do you like to do in your downtime? I play this chess app whenever I can. I’m addicted. Just regular chess? Yes. It’s not that interesting! [Laughs.] One day someone taught me how to play, and I was hooked. Whenever there’s extra time, I’m on that app.Balenciaga jacket, SAME bikini bottoms, Paris Texas shoesFrom Instagram, it seems like you have a sweet friendship with your fellow fashionista Lisa, from Blackpink — you collaborated on her new album. What have you learned from industry peers like her? This world is definitely not easy to navigate, especially if you don’t have somebody that relates. It’s very hard to explain [your life] and get advice from people that aren’t in this world because people really don’t understand how things are. Even though a lot of people may love you and care for you, you can’t always go to them because they may give you great advice in their context, but they never fully get the picture. What’s the best advice you’ve received about navigating your 20s in the spotlight? Someone told me that everybody gets a chance to love their 20s. Your 20s are a time when you just have fun. You let loose and go out and get friends and go through drama. You’re more reckless with life — obviously in a safe way. I don’t want to let that pass me by and not have that. Even though I’m this pop star, I don’t care. I don’t want to look back and be like, “Oh, I spent my 20s worried about @Susan12345 saying I’m mad.” Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoesWhat did the @Susan12345s of the world have to say? Oh my gosh. Where do I even start? Even though I know the people around me know that it’s rubbish, I feel like with how closed off I was, I can understand how things could come off a way. So I don’t get really mad about it anymore because I’m like, “Tyla, you can’t be mad if you didn’t want to show people the real you.” I was really afraid because I just felt so different. Like maybe I would say something wrong or do something wrong because there’s a big culture difference. I was kind of walking on eggshells a bit. But now, man, I don’t know. If people think I’m a diva [or think] I’m this, they must think that based on the real me, rather than the version of me that I was trying to be. What do you wish more people asked you? Because I’m the first to do a lot of things out of Africa, I feel like a lot of the questions people ask me are centered around that. And I want to be asked more about me. I want to be asked more about Tyla. What does Tyla want to do? What’s Tyla’s vision? I don’t want to always be asked, like, “What are you going to do for Africa?” Just ask me about me. Where do you hope to be one year from now? I really want to be the best artist that I can be. When you have a lot of pressure, it makes you feel like you need to live up to what people expect. A year from now, I want to be making whatever I want to make, doing whatever I want to do — regardless of the pressures. That’s where I want to see myself next year.Top image credits: Michael Kors blazer, Stylist’s own hat and stay-ups, FEMME LA shoesPhotographs by Morgan MaherStyling by Jordan KelseySet Designer: Maxime GraffHair: YusefMakeup: Jimmy StamManicure: Mélanie GraciaProduction: Danielle Smit, Sara ZionTalent Bookings: Special ProjectsVideo: Alexandre AugstDirector, Photo & Bookings: Jackie LadnerEditor in Chief: Lauren McCarthySVP Creative: Karen Hibbert Source link

[norajworld]

When you’re a globe-trotting pop diva, ridiculous rumors about yourself are par for the course. There’s one in particular that makes South African superstar Tyla giggle. “I’m apparently a CIA agent,” she says with dry amusement. “I’m an undercover agent in the Illuminati trying to divert people’s minds from the New World Order. That’s my favorite rumor. I’m not even mad about that one.” But even deep-state governments couldn’t engineer a breakout as fast and as bright as the 23-year-old singer’s. With its shout-along chorus, woozy beat, and steamy music video, Tyla’s 2023 smash “Water” took over TikTok feeds around the world upon its release. Suddenly people from all walks of life were pouring H₂O on their asses while attempting the Bacardi dance, a rhythmic style from Tyla’s home country. The following year, she kept the party going with her self-titled debut album, an intoxicating mix of pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and amapiano — a subgenre of house music that originated in South African townships — perfect for pregames or lounging by the pool. Tyla’s success was as historic as it was explosive. With “Water,” she became the first African female solo artist to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. “Water” is also the most-streamed song by an African soloist in Spotify history, and it earned Tyla the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance. Crossover status, however, was the last thing on her mind. “I never thought this was going to transcend,” Tyla says. “I feel like you can never go wrong if you’re just being true to what you feel and what you want to make. I don’t think I’m trying to force anything in or keep anything. Maybe one day I’ll make a straight pop song. You never know.” Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoesThese days, Tyla is showing up in all the right places: Sitting courtside at a Knicks game in a tank top emblazoned with the word “WET.” Stunning at the Met Gala in a sculptural Balmain gown made of sand. Slinking down the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with a pair of the brand’s iconic angel wings. She criss-crosses the globe so often, you start to understand the spy rumor. We were originally supposed to meet up in Los Angeles, but a top-secret project upended her schedule, so we eventually connect over Zoom while Tyla is in Paris for Fashion Week. When she’s sitting front-row next to Anna Wintour at the Chanel show — in an orchid-colored remix of the brand’s classic tweed skirt suit — Tyla looks like she’s been doing this all her life. In conversation, she radiates the same magnetic cool that infuses her music — a poised confidence that feels hard-won rather than merely put-on. But on the eve of her Coachella debut, the “pretty girl from Joburg,” as she put it in another of her viral hits, is still getting used to this whole global pop-star thing. She sounds euphoric, yet exhausted. Optimistic, but slightly terrified. Gucci top, pants, gloves, Maison Close bra, R13 underwear, Pandora jewelry“I’m so happy and proud,” Tyla says of her breakout year. “But at the same time, it is a lot of pressure because people are now looking at you like, ‘So, what next? What else are you going to do?’” Luckily for us, as Tyla explains, she’s got plenty more to show the world.You made a deal with your parents that if you didn’t make a music career happen within a year, you would finish college. At what point did you go, “See…” I would have to say it was the rise of “Water,” just seeing how that song crossed over not only in South Africa but the world. That song traveled so far, my parents found it really weird. They were in shock. Them watching me win a Grammy was also a moment where I feel like it really sunk in for not only myself but them too. Can they feel your success back home? I got this one DM from this person who was like, “I’m such a big fan. Your music is so inspiring. I’m so happy — by the way, I met your mom.” And then there’s a whole picture of my mother with this fan! I was like, “Ma, when did you do this?” And she’s like, “They ask me for pictures, too, Tyla.” I feel like my mom loves it. That was a little bit strange, but I thought it was cool. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryWas there a particular vision of pop stardom that spoke to you growing up? I never really studied specific artists. Whatever songs, performances, music videos I liked, I just obsessed over those individual things. It was very broad. Pop stars, rappers, R&B singers. It started with the sound of music I wanted to make, because I knew that I wanted to do something completely different from what I’ve heard before. I was making anything and everything. I have full-on rap songs. Full-on R&B. Full-on amapiano. I played a lot and found a mixture that felt like me. Wait, what does a Tyla rap song sound like? I’m not going to lie, it’s hot. I’m excited to show people that I’m more diverse than they think. I want to take my time with my artistry and give whatever feels right for that moment. So one day, you’re going to get that Tyla rap song. Are you in the studio right now? Every day I can be in the studio, I’m there. I’m working on the new project currently. I’m super excited because even though I love my debut album, I feel like a totally different person. Everything that has happened forced me to grow very fast. I’m also the type of person that gets bored very easily. So I’m excited to see this new version of me and hear what it sounds like and just have fun with it — just bring back fun in music. Chloé clothing, Hugo Kreit earrings, Parts of Four bracelet, Les Belles stay-upsWhat feels the most different about you now? I used to feel like I needed to control every little thing, like I needed to make sure that I wasn’t giving too many emotions away. Even when it came down to my back injury [that led to the cancellation of my 2024 world tour], I didn’t want people to know. I just wanted to keep my private life private and share my music and [have that be] enough. But I realized that it’s not. What changed? Outside of all of this, I don’t speak about my business. Like, don’t ask me — I’m dealing with it by myself! I’m that type of person. But I started loosening up a little bit making this first album. I feel like with “To Last” [a song about the sting of first heartbreak], I convinced myself to release it because I was like, “Oh, my sister, my friend were going through this.” I made it like it was about them. But it’s something that is really deep for me — I literally sang that in the shower. At the end of the day, [my fans] the Tygers, they care about me and really want to know what’s going on. And you have to be vulnerable in order to give the best art. “I took on a lot of that pressure, and it made me very dissociated, like I’m just watching these amazing things happen to me.”Your rise coincides with a shift in attention toward music from across the African continent. Beyond your own success, what greater cultural change are you hoping to contribute to? I’ve always wanted to see somebody from where I’m from do what I’m doing: being on a Grammy stage, performing at these big award shows, coming to the Met Gala and all these dramatic things that we used to watch people in Hollywood doing. I just want more of us there. And for it to be easier — for all of us to have the same fair chance. Because I remember how hard it was just to be seen. Like, I was DMing everybody. I was doing the most. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryWhat would true representation look like in your mind? Honestly, I would love to see an African artist — even if the artist isn’t born and raised on the continent — make African music without pop influences, just true African music. I would love to see that be as global as pop music is one day. Even if it isn’t me [doing it], I think it would be a really exciting thing. But for me as an artist, I just want to make whatever feels good. And I don’t want to feel like if one day it changes, then I’m leaving behind my heritage or I’m disregarding my influences and inspirations. Because ultimately I’m an African girl, and I’m always going to be. So regardless of what I do, it’s going to be a representation of that. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re the first person to do something. How have you dealt with that? Last year I took on a lot of that pressure, and it made me very dissociated a lot of the time. I would feel like I’m just watching these amazing things happen to me. I worried that one day all I worked for might be taken away. But as the year went by, I got to a place where I felt like that’s not in my control. I’m just moving the way I want to move and whatever happens, happens. I want to take risks and not be afraid. If it doesn’t work? Whatever. If it does work? Even better. I just want to know that I lived this life doing whatever I wanted to do, without [worrying about] what people thought I should be doing. Gucci top, pants, gloves, Maison Close bra, R13 underwear, Pandora jewelryYou had a winking reference to South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis in one of your first late-night performances. There’s someone reading this who has no idea about “load shedding” — rolling blackouts where the country’s state-owned power utility shuts off service to ease electrical capacity. Can you tell me about growing up with that? We South Africans are so unserious. We have memes and jokes for days about load shedding. Obviously, it has a big impact. Studying was so hard. We had to find random lights, use our phone flashes to study. When we would explain it to people, they’d be like, “What?! The lights just switch off?” And it’s like, “Yeah...” We even have an app that tells us what time it’s going to switch off and everything. Even though it was difficult, people had it way worse than us. Do you hear from folks back home after doing something like that? Yes! I love hiding little Easter eggs from my culture. I love incorporating that into my performances and my visuals. Like the load shedding thing — it was obviously a joke at first, but then we were like, “No, actually, that’ll be nice to add in because the South Africans will watch it and be like, ‘My girl, she’s really taking us with her.’” It’s a good feeling to show the world little pieces of where I’m from. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryIf you could take fans to one place in Johannesburg to help them understand you and your music, where would it be? I would take you guys to CBD [the central business district]. When I was younger, my mom used to take three, five taxis in order to get there, and she would take me all the time. We would go shopping because the clothes and stuff there were way cheaper. I just remember always being excited to go there and seeing how busy the streets are. You can hear our music playing loud. You can hear our accents, people shouting, taxis driving crazy. I would take people there because that feels like how my dance music feels, I think. The first time you left your home country was after you signed your record deal in 2021.I remember landing in Dubai and being like, “This is fake. Somebody drew this land and made it up. How is this real?” It’s insane. What has been the biggest discovery you’ve come across in your travels? I used to think that people wouldn’t get my humor or I wouldn’t be able to have proper conversations with people. They might not get me — the accent, the slang, the jokes. I really enjoy American people, their humor. Americans are so funny. And I feel like my friends that I’ve made in America, I didn’t know that I would be able to have such a bond because I thought, culturewise, there would be that disconnect. What’s surprised you the most about American culture? Americans are more blunt, which I like, because people need to be blunt. It’s refreshing. Like if I say something wrong, if I do something wrong, people are going to check me, and that’s fine, and I can do the same thing. We can just talk, we can swear, we can do whatever, and it’s just normal. In Africa, as a woman, you have to be very demure and polite and soft-spoken — the men are the priority and all these things. It’s cool and all, but when I came to America, I was like, “Yeah, this is nice.” “Your 20s are a time when you let loose and go out and get friends and go through drama. I don’t want to let that pass me by and not have that.”You’re in Paris now. What would be your perfect day off? Shopping, definitely. Shopping in the streets, going to boutique stores. Chloé clothing, Hugo Kreit earrings, Parts of Four bracelet, Les Belles stay-upsAre you still able to be anonymous, or do you get stopped everywhere? Yeah, no. [Laughs.] I can’t be anonymous anywhere, low-key.Have you had a favorite fashion moment of your own this past year? Obviously the Met Gala is always going to be insane. Like, what?! But I really enjoyed my VMA after-party look [a ripped-denim design by fashion student Ishan You] because it felt like me and nothing I really saw before. What else do you like to do in your downtime? I play this chess app whenever I can. I’m addicted. Just regular chess? Yes. It’s not that interesting! [Laughs.] One day someone taught me how to play, and I was hooked. Whenever there’s extra time, I’m on that app.Balenciaga jacket, SAME bikini bottoms, Paris Texas shoesFrom Instagram, it seems like you have a sweet friendship with your fellow fashionista Lisa, from Blackpink — you collaborated on her new album. What have you learned from industry peers like her? This world is definitely not easy to navigate, especially if you don’t have somebody that relates. It’s very hard to explain [your life] and get advice from people that aren’t in this world because people really don’t understand how things are. Even though a lot of people may love you and care for you, you can’t always go to them because they may give you great advice in their context, but they never fully get the picture. What’s the best advice you’ve received about navigating your 20s in the spotlight? Someone told me that everybody gets a chance to love their 20s. Your 20s are a time when you just have fun. You let loose and go out and get friends and go through drama. You’re more reckless with life — obviously in a safe way. I don’t want to let that pass me by and not have that. Even though I’m this pop star, I don’t care. I don’t want to look back and be like, “Oh, I spent my 20s worried about @Susan12345 saying I’m mad.” Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoesWhat did the @Susan12345s of the world have to say? Oh my gosh. Where do I even start? Even though I know the people around me know that it’s rubbish, I feel like with how closed off I was, I can understand how things could come off a way. So I don’t get really mad about it anymore because I’m like, “Tyla, you can’t be mad if you didn’t want to show people the real you.” I was really afraid because I just felt so different. Like maybe I would say something wrong or do something wrong because there’s a big culture difference. I was kind of walking on eggshells a bit. But now, man, I don’t know. If people think I’m a diva [or think] I’m this, they must think that based on the real me, rather than the version of me that I was trying to be. What do you wish more people asked you? Because I’m the first to do a lot of things out of Africa, I feel like a lot of the questions people ask me are centered around that. And I want to be asked more about me. I want to be asked more about Tyla. What does Tyla want to do? What’s Tyla’s vision? I don’t want to always be asked, like, “What are you going to do for Africa?” Just ask me about me. Where do you hope to be one year from now? I really want to be the best artist that I can be. When you have a lot of pressure, it makes you feel like you need to live up to what people expect. A year from now, I want to be making whatever I want to make, doing whatever I want to do — regardless of the pressures. That’s where I want to see myself next year.Top image credits: Michael Kors blazer, Stylist’s own hat and stay-ups, FEMME LA shoesPhotographs by Morgan MaherStyling by Jordan KelseySet Designer: Maxime GraffHair: YusefMakeup: Jimmy StamManicure: Mélanie GraciaProduction: Danielle Smit, Sara ZionTalent Bookings: Special ProjectsVideo: Alexandre AugstDirector, Photo & Bookings: Jackie LadnerEditor in Chief: Lauren McCarthySVP Creative: Karen Hibbert Source link

[chilimili212]

When you’re a globe-trotting pop diva, ridiculous rumors about yourself are par for the course. There’s one in particular that makes South African superstar Tyla giggle. “I’m apparently a CIA agent,” she says with dry amusement. “I’m an undercover agent in the Illuminati trying to divert people’s minds from the New World Order. That’s my favorite rumor. I’m not even mad about that one.” But even deep-state governments couldn’t engineer a breakout as fast and as bright as the 23-year-old singer’s. With its shout-along chorus, woozy beat, and steamy music video, Tyla’s 2023 smash “Water” took over TikTok feeds around the world upon its release. Suddenly people from all walks of life were pouring H₂O on their asses while attempting the Bacardi dance, a rhythmic style from Tyla’s home country. The following year, she kept the party going with her self-titled debut album, an intoxicating mix of pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and amapiano — a subgenre of house music that originated in South African townships — perfect for pregames or lounging by the pool. Tyla’s success was as historic as it was explosive. With “Water,” she became the first African female solo artist to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. “Water” is also the most-streamed song by an African soloist in Spotify history, and it earned Tyla the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance. Crossover status, however, was the last thing on her mind. “I never thought this was going to transcend,” Tyla says. “I feel like you can never go wrong if you’re just being true to what you feel and what you want to make. I don’t think I’m trying to force anything in or keep anything. Maybe one day I’ll make a straight pop song. You never know.” Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoesThese days, Tyla is showing up in all the right places: Sitting courtside at a Knicks game in a tank top emblazoned with the word “WET.” Stunning at the Met Gala in a sculptural Balmain gown made of sand. Slinking down the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with a pair of the brand’s iconic angel wings. She criss-crosses the globe so often, you start to understand the spy rumor. We were originally supposed to meet up in Los Angeles, but a top-secret project upended her schedule, so we eventually connect over Zoom while Tyla is in Paris for Fashion Week. When she’s sitting front-row next to Anna Wintour at the Chanel show — in an orchid-colored remix of the brand’s classic tweed skirt suit — Tyla looks like she’s been doing this all her life. In conversation, she radiates the same magnetic cool that infuses her music — a poised confidence that feels hard-won rather than merely put-on. But on the eve of her Coachella debut, the “pretty girl from Joburg,” as she put it in another of her viral hits, is still getting used to this whole global pop-star thing. She sounds euphoric, yet exhausted. Optimistic, but slightly terrified. Gucci top, pants, gloves, Maison Close bra, R13 underwear, Pandora jewelry“I’m so happy and proud,” Tyla says of her breakout year. “But at the same time, it is a lot of pressure because people are now looking at you like, ‘So, what next? What else are you going to do?’” Luckily for us, as Tyla explains, she’s got plenty more to show the world.You made a deal with your parents that if you didn’t make a music career happen within a year, you would finish college. At what point did you go, “See…” I would have to say it was the rise of “Water,” just seeing how that song crossed over not only in South Africa but the world. That song traveled so far, my parents found it really weird. They were in shock. Them watching me win a Grammy was also a moment where I feel like it really sunk in for not only myself but them too. Can they feel your success back home? I got this one DM from this person who was like, “I’m such a big fan. Your music is so inspiring. I’m so happy — by the way, I met your mom.” And then there’s a whole picture of my mother with this fan! I was like, “Ma, when did you do this?” And she’s like, “They ask me for pictures, too, Tyla.” I feel like my mom loves it. That was a little bit strange, but I thought it was cool. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryWas there a particular vision of pop stardom that spoke to you growing up? I never really studied specific artists. Whatever songs, performances, music videos I liked, I just obsessed over those individual things. It was very broad. Pop stars, rappers, R&B singers. It started with the sound of music I wanted to make, because I knew that I wanted to do something completely different from what I’ve heard before. I was making anything and everything. I have full-on rap songs. Full-on R&B. Full-on amapiano. I played a lot and found a mixture that felt like me. Wait, what does a Tyla rap song sound like? I’m not going to lie, it’s hot. I’m excited to show people that I’m more diverse than they think. I want to take my time with my artistry and give whatever feels right for that moment. So one day, you’re going to get that Tyla rap song. Are you in the studio right now? Every day I can be in the studio, I’m there. I’m working on the new project currently. I’m super excited because even though I love my debut album, I feel like a totally different person. Everything that has happened forced me to grow very fast. I’m also the type of person that gets bored very easily. So I’m excited to see this new version of me and hear what it sounds like and just have fun with it — just bring back fun in music. Chloé clothing, Hugo Kreit earrings, Parts of Four bracelet, Les Belles stay-upsWhat feels the most different about you now? I used to feel like I needed to control every little thing, like I needed to make sure that I wasn’t giving too many emotions away. Even when it came down to my back injury [that led to the cancellation of my 2024 world tour], I didn’t want people to know. I just wanted to keep my private life private and share my music and [have that be] enough. But I realized that it’s not. What changed? Outside of all of this, I don’t speak about my business. Like, don’t ask me — I’m dealing with it by myself! I’m that type of person. But I started loosening up a little bit making this first album. I feel like with “To Last” [a song about the sting of first heartbreak], I convinced myself to release it because I was like, “Oh, my sister, my friend were going through this.” I made it like it was about them. But it’s something that is really deep for me — I literally sang that in the shower. At the end of the day, [my fans] the Tygers, they care about me and really want to know what’s going on. And you have to be vulnerable in order to give the best art. “I took on a lot of that pressure, and it made me very dissociated, like I’m just watching these amazing things happen to me.”Your rise coincides with a shift in attention toward music from across the African continent. Beyond your own success, what greater cultural change are you hoping to contribute to? I’ve always wanted to see somebody from where I’m from do what I’m doing: being on a Grammy stage, performing at these big award shows, coming to the Met Gala and all these dramatic things that we used to watch people in Hollywood doing. I just want more of us there. And for it to be easier — for all of us to have the same fair chance. Because I remember how hard it was just to be seen. Like, I was DMing everybody. I was doing the most. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryWhat would true representation look like in your mind? Honestly, I would love to see an African artist — even if the artist isn’t born and raised on the continent — make African music without pop influences, just true African music. I would love to see that be as global as pop music is one day. Even if it isn’t me [doing it], I think it would be a really exciting thing. But for me as an artist, I just want to make whatever feels good. And I don’t want to feel like if one day it changes, then I’m leaving behind my heritage or I’m disregarding my influences and inspirations. Because ultimately I’m an African girl, and I’m always going to be. So regardless of what I do, it’s going to be a representation of that. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re the first person to do something. How have you dealt with that? Last year I took on a lot of that pressure, and it made me very dissociated a lot of the time. I would feel like I’m just watching these amazing things happen to me. I worried that one day all I worked for might be taken away. But as the year went by, I got to a place where I felt like that’s not in my control. I’m just moving the way I want to move and whatever happens, happens. I want to take risks and not be afraid. If it doesn’t work? Whatever. If it does work? Even better. I just want to know that I lived this life doing whatever I wanted to do, without [worrying about] what people thought I should be doing. Gucci top, pants, gloves, Maison Close bra, R13 underwear, Pandora jewelryYou had a winking reference to South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis in one of your first late-night performances. There’s someone reading this who has no idea about “load shedding” — rolling blackouts where the country’s state-owned power utility shuts off service to ease electrical capacity. Can you tell me about growing up with that? We South Africans are so unserious. We have memes and jokes for days about load shedding. Obviously, it has a big impact. Studying was so hard. We had to find random lights, use our phone flashes to study. When we would explain it to people, they’d be like, “What?! The lights just switch off?” And it’s like, “Yeah...” We even have an app that tells us what time it’s going to switch off and everything. Even though it was difficult, people had it way worse than us. Do you hear from folks back home after doing something like that? Yes! I love hiding little Easter eggs from my culture. I love incorporating that into my performances and my visuals. Like the load shedding thing — it was obviously a joke at first, but then we were like, “No, actually, that’ll be nice to add in because the South Africans will watch it and be like, ‘My girl, she’s really taking us with her.’” It’s a good feeling to show the world little pieces of where I’m from. Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelryIf you could take fans to one place in Johannesburg to help them understand you and your music, where would it be? I would take you guys to CBD [the central business district]. When I was younger, my mom used to take three, five taxis in order to get there, and she would take me all the time. We would go shopping because the clothes and stuff there were way cheaper. I just remember always being excited to go there and seeing how busy the streets are. You can hear our music playing loud. You can hear our accents, people shouting, taxis driving crazy. I would take people there because that feels like how my dance music feels, I think. The first time you left your home country was after you signed your record deal in 2021.I remember landing in Dubai and being like, “This is fake. Somebody drew this land and made it up. How is this real?” It’s insane. What has been the biggest discovery you’ve come across in your travels? I used to think that people wouldn’t get my humor or I wouldn’t be able to have proper conversations with people. They might not get me — the accent, the slang, the jokes. I really enjoy American people, their humor. Americans are so funny. And I feel like my friends that I’ve made in America, I didn’t know that I would be able to have such a bond because I thought, culturewise, there would be that disconnect. What’s surprised you the most about American culture? Americans are more blunt, which I like, because people need to be blunt. It’s refreshing. Like if I say something wrong, if I do something wrong, people are going to check me, and that’s fine, and I can do the same thing. We can just talk, we can swear, we can do whatever, and it’s just normal. In Africa, as a woman, you have to be very demure and polite and soft-spoken — the men are the priority and all these things. It’s cool and all, but when I came to America, I was like, “Yeah, this is nice.” “Your 20s are a time when you let loose and go out and get friends and go through drama. I don’t want to let that pass me by and not have that.”You’re in Paris now. What would be your perfect day off? Shopping, definitely. Shopping in the streets, going to boutique stores. Chloé clothing, Hugo Kreit earrings, Parts of Four bracelet, Les Belles stay-upsAre you still able to be anonymous, or do you get stopped everywhere? Yeah, no. [Laughs.] I can’t be anonymous anywhere, low-key.Have you had a favorite fashion moment of your own this past year? Obviously the Met Gala is always going to be insane. Like, what?! But I really enjoyed my VMA after-party look [a ripped-denim design by fashion student Ishan You] because it felt like me and nothing I really saw before. What else do you like to do in your downtime? I play this chess app whenever I can. I’m addicted. Just regular chess? Yes. It’s not that interesting! [Laughs.] One day someone taught me how to play, and I was hooked. Whenever there’s extra time, I’m on that app.Balenciaga jacket, SAME bikini bottoms, Paris Texas shoesFrom Instagram, it seems like you have a sweet friendship with your fellow fashionista Lisa, from Blackpink — you collaborated on her new album. What have you learned from industry peers like her? This world is definitely not easy to navigate, especially if you don’t have somebody that relates. It’s very hard to explain [your life] and get advice from people that aren’t in this world because people really don’t understand how things are. Even though a lot of people may love you and care for you, you can’t always go to them because they may give you great advice in their context, but they never fully get the picture. What’s the best advice you’ve received about navigating your 20s in the spotlight? Someone told me that everybody gets a chance to love their 20s. Your 20s are a time when you just have fun. You let loose and go out and get friends and go through drama. You’re more reckless with life — obviously in a safe way. I don’t want to let that pass me by and not have that. Even though I’m this pop star, I don’t care. I don’t want to look back and be like, “Oh, I spent my 20s worried about @Susan12345 saying I’m mad.” Dsquared2 jacket, LaQuan Smith bodysuit, Pandora jewelry, Jimmy Choo shoesWhat did the @Susan12345s of the world have to say? Oh my gosh. Where do I even start? Even though I know the people around me know that it’s rubbish, I feel like with how closed off I was, I can understand how things could come off a way. So I don’t get really mad about it anymore because I’m like, “Tyla, you can’t be mad if you didn’t want to show people the real you.” I was really afraid because I just felt so different. Like maybe I would say something wrong or do something wrong because there’s a big culture difference. I was kind of walking on eggshells a bit. But now, man, I don’t know. If people think I’m a diva [or think] I’m this, they must think that based on the real me, rather than the version of me that I was trying to be. What do you wish more people asked you? Because I’m the first to do a lot of things out of Africa, I feel like a lot of the questions people ask me are centered around that. And I want to be asked more about me. I want to be asked more about Tyla. What does Tyla want to do? What’s Tyla’s vision? I don’t want to always be asked, like, “What are you going to do for Africa?” Just ask me about me. Where do you hope to be one year from now? I really want to be the best artist that I can be. When you have a lot of pressure, it makes you feel like you need to live up to what people expect. A year from now, I want to be making whatever I want to make, doing whatever I want to do — regardless of the pressures. That’s where I want to see myself next year.Top image credits: Michael Kors blazer, Stylist’s own hat and stay-ups, FEMME LA shoesPhotographs by Morgan MaherStyling by Jordan KelseySet Designer: Maxime GraffHair: YusefMakeup: Jimmy StamManicure: Mélanie GraciaProduction: Danielle Smit, Sara ZionTalent Bookings: Special ProjectsVideo: Alexandre AugstDirector, Photo & Bookings: Jackie LadnerEditor in Chief: Lauren McCarthySVP Creative: Karen Hibbert Source link