#now that his solo debut is here i’m really excited to see him as a soloist n i hope they let go of this sound they have given him

[pporappippams]

i’m not going to watch ten’s lie with you track video bc i like to wait until the album is out n be surprised but i’m really nervy besties 😭

[laf-outloud]

Padalecki will debut in the fifth episode of Season 3. “I’m so excited for everyone to see this. Camden jumps onto the screen in this really dynamic way,” executive producer Tia Napolitano tells TV Insider. “In real life, Jared and Max are friends and you can feel that chemistry. You could feel it on set, you could feel it once the director calls action, they just shine on screen.”

She describes Camden as “a solo operator. He’s really adventurous. He’s an envelope pusher, and he and Bode are both going to be the first one to jump into a fire when they shouldn’t. And it’s almost a race of which one of them is more heroic and willing to go rogue and willing to do anything to get the save. They’re just brothers in that way. And I think in that way there’s conflict as much as there is similarities and it’s really exciting to watch.”

“Camden’s going to rub a few people the wrong way and not always, but he has very unconventional tactics when it comes to firefighting, when it comes to Bode, when it comes to what rules are meant to be broken,” the EP reveals. “And I think it’ll be fun. He’s not a villain by any means, but it’ll be fun to see our people have this new real alpha guy in their midst.”

“Bode is definitely going to help Camden. I think by the time we say goodbye to Camden this season, at least, all of our people and all of Edgewater will have really left an impression that Camden’s going to bring forward with him when he leaves us for now,” says Napolitano.

The “this season, at least” and “for now” has us thinking about what the future could hold for Camden: Season 4? A spinoff, as has been rumored since his casting? “Nothing’s set in stone yet” beyond what’s already been said, the EP stresses. “But when we say goodbye to Jared this season, it’s definitely not goodbye forever. You get the feeling that it’s a revolving door and he’ll be back again.”

Ooh! Some great stuff in here, about Jared, his character, Camden, and some open-ended phrasing regarding a possible return/spin-off!

We also get confirmation that Jared first appears in the 5th episode, so mark your calendars!

[livslunaticdamiansdisciple18]

Monster- Solo Sikoa #3

Solo Sikoa x Aphrodite Smith

Warnings: Swear words!

Word Count: 1128

A/N: Hi everybody this is Monster (the first fic/request I wrote on my main acc) except it is all individual wrestlers so that way I can write for a different person and this time the person at play is JD McDonagh (aka McFunkopop)

Nyla Gunn is the ring name!!

Aphrodite’s entrance song when she’s a face

Aphrodite's entrance song when she's a heel

Aphrodite’s hair, makeup, and outfit when she’s a face

Aphrodite’s hair, makeup, and outfit when she’s a heel

(The black hair isn’t her hair color it’s just for the makeup, she has white hair, and her outfit is black)

“Michael, Solo Sikoa is awaiting his partner. Who is this mysterious diva” Wade Barrett shouted into the mic an intrigued tone filling his voice. Just when Michael was going to speak music blasted through the arena. Who was partnering with Solo Sikoa?

“It’s the newbie making her debut tonight, it’s Nyla Gunn! Why would they put her with Solo Sikoa?” Michael Cole asked with a tone of confusion in his voice. Aphrodite did her entrance and ran down the ramp toward the ring. She got into the ring and she saw Judgement Day and she saw her boyfriend JD McDonagh. The bell rang and everyone started fighting. Rhea was about to hit Solo with the Riptide when Aphrodite tagged Solo in and started attacking Rhea. Aphrodite caught Rhea off guard by super-kicking her and hitting her with the Riptide.

“OMG! NO FUCKING WAY! NYLA GUNN JUST HIT RHEA RIPLEY WITH HER OWN DAMN MOVE! THE RIPTIDE!!” Michael and Wade shouted into their mics with excitement and joy. Aphrodite went for the pin. 1, 2, 3…. Aphrodite did it. Aphrodite won her debut match against the Women’s World Champion. Aphrodite crouched down to a hurt Rhea Ripley in the ring and she softly whispered “Sorry girl.” Then she hopped out of the ring with a smile on her face. The fans cheered her on her way back to Gorilla. 

“Hello everyone! I’m Kayla Braxton and right now I’m joined by the newbie who killed it in her debut match Nyla Gunn! Welcome, so we just watched you do an incredible job in your debut match and you pinned the Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley! Tell us how you feel! How was it?” Kayla asked. “Well if I’m being honest Kayla, I feel amazing. I loved it. I love feeling the rush of being in the ring, especially with people like the Usos, Solo Sikoa and Rhea Ripley. I’m glad my debut was successful. I love the energy of the fans.” Aphrodite spoke feeling every single emotion ooze throughout her body. “And cut! Great job Kayla and Aphrodite.” Kayla and Aphrodite waved bye and just as she was about to leave to go to her locker room she sees Solo Sikoa and Solo says “Heyyyy…” “Aphrodite. My name is Aphrodite” “Aphrodite, thanks for tagging me in and saving my ass from the eradicator Rhea ‘Bloody’ Ripley. You new here?” Aphrodite said “Yea. I used to be an independent wrestler but I’ve never wrestled for WWE so yea today was my debut match.” Aphrodite explained flashing a smile. Solo stopped listening cause he was looking at Aphrodite’s icy blue eyes as if he was getting lost in them instantly.

“I wanted to know if you wanted to come to dinner with me so we can celebrate our win and congratulate you on your debut match if that’s alright with you?” Solo asked flashing a smile. “To celebrate? No one naturally asks me to celebrate with them 'cause it’s more of a personal thing for them.” Aphrodite whispered softly. “Maybe we could even call our little get-together a date, 'cause you’re really pretty… well that’s if you’re not seeing anyone at the moment!” Solo said as panic rushed across his face like the blood rushes through his veins. Aphrodite lightly punched him in his arms. “Sorry Solo, I’m gonna have to take a rain check. I’m seeing someone but some other time works. I gotta go.” She left and Solo backed off.

~Time skip 3 weeks after her debut where she catches JD cheating~

Aphrodite had woken up in the guest bedroom with all of her stuff packed but she didn’t know why. She got up and took a shower before going to her room to ask JD why her stuff was in the guest bedroom when she walked in on JD and Rhea making love. Angry she packed her clothes and everything she needed and stormed out of the house. She put her bags in the car and drove to the arena cause she needs to talk to Stephanie. Once at the arena she gets out and grabs her wrestling bag and goes into the arena pissed off.

She sees Solo and he says “Oh hey Aphrodite! How are you doing?” Aphrodite doesn’t answer and walks past Solo shoving him and goes to Stephanie’s office. Once out of Stephanie’s office, she goes to a vacant locker room, and when she sees JD she attacks him backstage in Gorilla. She screams at him “You’re a piece of fucking shit. I hope you enjoy Rhea ‘Bloody’ Ripley. Give her this.” She takes off the promise ring and steps on it. Breaking it under her foot. Aphrodite gets pulled off of JD by Rhea. Rhea wants to face her and Aphrodite accepts. Aphrodite goes to her locker room when she hears a knock on her door.

She opens it to see Solo. She motions for him to come in and she gives Solo some ice and says “Sorry for the shove. Why are you here?” Aphrodite asked in a bitchy heel tone. Solo says “I came to check on you. Are you ok?” He asked concerned about her. Aphrodite says “I’ve never been better baby. Now if you don’t mind I have to get ready for a match you ain’t the only one to witness the craziness that’s about to happen. You are staying with me at ringside. Now can you please leave I have to finish getting ready. Oh, you are finally getting your date. I’m single now.” A smile grew on Solo's face as he left. When Aphrodite was done she went to the ring and she unleashed the monster that JD had just created.

Once she won the match. She did her interview and she explained that JD cheated on her and created this monster that was waiting to be unleashed. Solo grew furious finding out the news but Aphrodite told him don’t worry about Judgement Day. Solo took Aphrodite on a date to celebrate and he got to know her a little bit better. She drove to his house in her car and they relaxed watching TV. Aphrodite said “I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. I really enjoyed myself. I want a second date. We should do this all the time!!” Solo smirked and started grinning he said “Yea. Maybe I’ll get showered with kisses on the second date!” which made Aphrodite laugh and she punched him softly in his chest.

-I hope you guys enjoyed this. Feel free to send your requests in my inbox. Love you guys <333.

[louisupdates]

SEVENTEEN

What We Know About Louis Tomlinson's Upcoming All of Those Voices Documentary

We're going to see the artist through a whole new lens.

BY SAMANTHA OLSON PUBLISHED: FEB 9, 2023

In 2022, Louis Tomlinson released his sophomore album Faith in the Future which leaned into an alternative pop-rock sound as a departure from his boy band days. The former One Direction member opened up about solidifying his signature sound in an interview with Alternative Press, saying, "I knew who I was in One Direction, but I'd never thought of who I am on my own as [a] solo [artist]. I was so in love with being in the band that I never really had those thoughts."

The 31-year-old singer also revealed that he had filmed the process of creating Faith in the Future, which would ultimately become a documentary that also serves as a love letter to his fans. "I know every artist says this, but I've got a deep f--king connection with my fans. I think of it as one entity," Louis told Alternative Press. "I was 18 when I was first in the band, and we've grown up together." In moments of doubt, he turned to his fans for words of encouragement and support that inspired him to go after what he truly wanted while making his second solo album.

On February 8, 2023, Louis announced that the documentary, titled All of Those Voices, will be released in March. "This has been something I’ve been working on for years, I’m really excited to finally put it out into the world. I’ve said it a million times but I’m lucky enough to have the greatest fans an artist could wish for, and as you always go above and beyond for me, I wanted to share my story with you in my own words," the former 1D member wrote on Instagram.

Here's everything we know about Louis Tomlinson's All of Those Voices documentary, from its release date, trailer, and more.

When does Louis Tomlinson's documentary come out?

According to his initial announcement, All of Those Voices is set to release on March 22, 2023 in theaters.

How to watch Louis Tomlinson's All of Those Voices documentary

For now, the documentary is releasing exclusively in theaters, which means you'll have to snag tickets to a screening. In his announcement, Louis shared that ticket sales will begin on February 22, a month before the film's release, on AllofThoseVoices.com.

Is there an All of Those Voices trailer?

There isn't an official trailer for the documentary just yet, but you already know we'll drop it here once it's been released.

What is All of Those Voices about?

The Charlie Lightening-directed documentary will show fans an "intimate and unvarnished view" of Louis' journey as he created his second solo album, Faith in the Future. The film's official website includes the following synopsis:

All Of Those Voices takes a refreshingly raw and real look at Louis Tomlinson's musical journey. Ditching the typical glossy sheen of celebrity documentaries, this film gives audiences an intimate and unvarnished view of Louis' life and career. Through never-before-seen home movie footage and behind the scenes access to Louis’ sell-out 2022 World Tour, All Of Those Voices offers a unique perspective on what it's like to be a musician in today's fast-paced world.

From the highs of superstardom to the lows of personal tragedy, Louis' story is one of resilience and determination. The film explores his journey from a member of One Direction to a solo artist, capturing the challenges and triumphs that defined his path. Since the acclaimed release of his debut album ‘Walls’ and documenting the creation of his chart topping 2022 album ‘Faith In The Future’, the film shows a side of Louis that fans have never seen before, as he grapples with the pressures of fame and the weight of his own voice.

Directed by Charlie Lightening, the filmmaker behind the award-winning As It Was, All Of Those Voices is a story about the power of self-discovery and the courage it takes to be true to oneself. With a focus on honesty and vulnerability, this film is a refreshingly down-to-earth take on the life of a musician, capturing the real-life struggles and triumphs of a man who refused to be silenced by anyone else's expectations.

[georgiapeach30513]

Hi Peach! Mrs. Pasta checking in <3

Oh silly silly Justin Timberlake. You know, I grew up with NSYNC and always for some reason did not like JT. All the girls in my grade were obsessed with him but I was actually team JC.

I don't care enough about the man to have any hate for him but I do think...his ego clearly cannot deal and it's finally catching up to him though it should have caught up back when he left Janet Jackson out to dry all those years ago. She was embarrassed and disgraced and he got to go on and be Mr. Sexyback. I'm glad BRITNEY of all people gets to serve him his humble pie. YAS Queen!

Sidenote: Jessica Biel Timberlake. I used to watch this woman in her prime during 7th Heaven and then her solo movie career days. Ironically I never knew she dated Ramen for that long but she was THEE It girl back then. Wow. And now....damn. She must really love this noodle haired nasal voiced man child that much to be still up his ass after all that's happened. Anyone remember the Alisha Wainwright drama? Ride or die I guess...SMH

Lastly, I'm actually really glad Ramen eventually got famous on his own and without the help from his much more famous gf at the time. GOOD for him! It took him quite some time because my first ideation of him was in 2004 in FF and then I forgot he existed until 2019. And then boom - he was suddenly everywhere. For someone who did not follow the MCU - he never really made it on my radar so even though I was always aware he played Cap I continuously forgot about him. Sorry Ramen! I was actually surprised he appeared to blow up after he stopped being Steve - for the general public. Between 2019-2022 it was something else. That and counting his own (at the time) extremely passionate fanbase, it really felt cool to see someone come up this far. A friend of mine actually mentioned last year "he got so much hotter now, way more than he used to be." I feel like he's a late bloomer in Hollywood terms. Contrary to some naysayers and "tarot readers" I don't think a resurgence is out of the question. And I DO hope he gets more work.

I wish him - and you and your followers - the best! Stay safe y'all!

Hey, Mrs. Pasta! Glad you ventured back here.

I gotta tell you, I’m tired of Mr. JT. I was a huge NSYNC fan and he was my top favorite. That shine faded quickly after his debut album, and with the second album he was still singing about what Britney did. That man has just always wanted attention and he didn’t mind which woman he stepped on as a rung on that ladder.

As far as top Ramen goes, we know he can act and act well and get praise outside of Marvel, Knives Out. But it’s a shame to see him deduced to a meathead action star and a husband that never smiles unless he’s alone. But I digress, that’s neither here nor there. It was refreshing to see him laugh, be goofy, and even walk with his head held high with politicians, even the President. Guess he wasn’t too afraid of meanies to meet with fans.

I’m very happy about Honey Don’t, and I’m excited to see what else is in store for him. I have a feeling he’s going to have a very busy year. And he started off January with a movie announcement and working back with ASP. It’s good to see him in his element and not to see him so stern or miserable.

[rastronomicals]

8:12 AM EST January 28, 2024:

Miles Davis - "In A Silent Way/It’s About That Time" From the album In a Silent Way (July 30, 1969)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

So, the hoped-for reappraisal.

I first bought this when I was 19 or 20, Bitches Brew in the rearview.

And having pretty much liked what it sounded like when Miles Ran the Voodoo Down, In A Silent Way really made no impression on me. I do remember being somewhat surprised by this at the time, but it wasn't happening and the album sat unplayed. Some of the impressionistic shortfall, I think, was that McLaughlin didn't sound like he did on Birds of Fire, and if that was it, I think I may have been listening under unreasonable expectations. Another key component of the music's failure to excite simply may have been the expectations (or fears) created by titles. The way was "silent" and the time was "peaceful." And oh yeah, "Sssh."

I can definitely remember being skeptical about the concept of ambient back then, and if I was adventurous enough to buy the thing, I wasn't enough detoxed from the punk rock and the Iron Maiden to get past the preconceptions.

Maybe. I dunno, maybe it was something else.

But I'm actually kind of happy right now, because, after having a long while ago given away the vinyl I purchased as a young pimply adult, I'm really digging the Columbia Jazz Masterpieces/BMG Music Club CD I bought on Discogs last week. It's mostly electric piano tone clusters and rhythmic vamping underneath some tasteful and restrained sax and trumpet solos, with some nice electric guitar and double bass snippets interspersed, and nothing wrong with that. It ain't rock and it ain't ambient, so let's call it quality jazz, even if Miles really would fly the coop sometime thereafter.

I have of course in the past been disappointed when I find that my mid-50's self and my snivelling potsmoking younger version agree on something. So here I get to dismiss my younger self's taste, which is nice.

But one thing I'm wondering and if you can clarify please do, it's Wayne Shorter and the way he's credited with tenor sax on the 1999 CD I bought, when there are spaces in the music that certainly sound like soprano. Looking around, I see that Lester Bangs in his contemporary review also had Shorter playing tenor, but that Wikipedia, adapting the credits "from the album's 1969 liner notes" has him on soprano. And here's a serious jazz site that says In A Silent Way was Shorter's debut on soprano.

This isn't usually the kind of thing I'd get hung up about, let me be emphatic, but it *is* the kind of thing serious jazz people make a habit of worrying about. And usually end up straightening out as a result. Regardless of my original opinion on the thing, this is considered to be a classic record, right? Yet it appears there's some question about who played what. Which is kind of weird.

File under: Directions in Music

--

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Is It Really That Bad?

So it’s the mid 80s, and you’re tasked with one of the most exciting things imaginable: Turning a Marvel comic into a movie. Now, this is significant because this will be the first feature film based on a Marvel property; there were some TV films before in the 70s and 80s for Hulk, Captain America, and Dr. Strange, but this was going to be on the silver screen! Which famous character should be brought in for Marvel’s big debut? I mean, DC already killed it with West’s Batman and Reeves’ Superman, so Marvel should put their best foot forward! Should we have Spider-Man? The Mighty Thor? Perhaps the Fantastic Four, the first family of Marvel?

Nah, let’s do Howard the fucking Duck.

Adapting a character who was relatively obscure went over about as well as you might imagine with audiences back in 1986. After seven months of production and millions of dollars, the film bombed hard and left a lot of lives in shambles. The director of the movie Willard Huyck and the head of Universal Frank Price both ended up losing in this, as did George Lucas (contrary to what you might believe, he wasn’t the director), who ended up having to sell off Pixar to Steve Jobs to pay off Skywalker Ranch and divorce settlements, things he hoped this movie would have paid for. Frankly, Lucas was a scapegoat for Universal, who pushed his involvement despite his desire to not overshadow his friends working on the movie; Huyck had worked with Lucas on American Graffiti, Temple of Doom, and A New Hope, so he clearly liked the guy, but I guess the suits wanted some of that Star Wars money by slapping the name on. Price also really wanted to make the film similar in tone to Ghostbusters, which didn’t help matters at all.

Pretty much the only person who worked on it and doesn’t hate it is Lea Thompson, who played Howard’s girlfriend Beverly. She has been surprisingly positive about the film and owns her role in it, apparently even offering to to direct a new adaptation for Marvel Studios and lending her likeness to the comics so she could appear as herself beside her one-time fictional boytoy. You go, girl!

Ah, but perhaps the saddest victim of this film’s reception was Howard himself. Between this movie and Disney complaining he looked too similar to Donald, Steve Gerber’s wacky duck man was pushed out of the limelight for a long, long time. It wasn’t until 2009 when Bob Iger ordered the purchase of Marvel that Howard was able to start coming back, a return solidified by his awesome post-credit cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy, which got him a new series and cameos in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Endgame (where he appears for split second in the big portal scene, coming out with the Ravagers and toting a big fucking gun).

But now that we have dozens of other Marvel films under our belt, let’s take a look back at Howard’s sole cinematic solo outing. Was his big break judged too harshly by audiences of the 80s, or is the movie, much like Howard himself, quite fowl? Well, after giving it a rewatch, I’m here to tell you if Howard the Duck is really that bad.

THE GOOD

What this film lacks in… well, just about everything, it makes up for with sheer cheesy 80s charm.

Like, look at Howard himself. The suit is bad, the puppet is bad, the fact they tried using both leading to his appearance changing wildly between shots is even worse… But it’s not so bad that it’s unbearable. Like a crummy practical effect like this undeniably has charm, and it’s helped a lot by Howard’s cute, dorky voice. Would it have been better if Robin Williams had stayed on to voice Howard? Undoubtedly. Were we robbed because a young Jason Alexander was turned away after auditioning? Absolutely, and I cry every night that we lost out on this. But Howard just has a prime 80s everyman corniness to him that makes him a likable duck even if the effects don’t really convey him as well as they could.

Then of course there’s Lea Thompson, and you can see why she’s so unashamed of this film, because she is busting her ass for this film. She will make you believe that she finds a weird alien duck sexually appealing. Like I really don’t have much more to add here, she managed to pull that off, she deserved a better career. End of discussion.

Now, unfortunately, I must praise Jeffery Jones. Here he plays a scientist who gets possessed by the creatively-named Dark Overlord, and he really gets to ham it up in what feels like a prototype of Edgar the Bug. Despite the awful prosthetic work and the Saturday morning cartoon supervillain voice he uses, it ends up being moderately entertaining… and I hate saying that because Jones is an actual, literal sicko in real life. Let’s just say those scenes in Ferris Bueller where he is snooping about a teen boy’s house and leering in the windows hoping to see him is a bit more accurate to his life than you’d hope. It’s a shame, because he’s a solid actor, but it’s hard to praise him too much when he did what he did.

The Dark Overlord itself is also a pretty impressively-designed stop motion monstrosity, and its scenes in the finale are pretty awesome, only hampered by some really bad compositing. You can definitely tell where the budget went.

And then we have the song played at the end, a ridiculously cheesy slice of 80s pop cooked up by Thomas Dolby, the man behind the legendary one-hit wonder “She Blinded Me With Science.” Needless to say, Howard’s little song at the end is every bit as infectiously earwormy as that.

THE BAD

I think what really kills the film is just how weak the third act is. The film was at its best when it was about Howard being put into awkward situations, like being forced to work a shitty job or starting a bar fight. But I guess that doesn’t get asses in seats, so they have a third act where Howard has to save the world from destruction by evil aliens by stopping a gigantic sky laser. Considering how that very plot has become a widely-mocked cliché in the wake of movies trying to copy this very thing from The Avengers, Howard was truly ahead of its time in terms of comic book adaptations.

Even in the good parts of the first two acts there’s some weakness. The conceit of the character is that he’s an alien duck forced into the mundane situations the real world provides, and while we do get some of that, a lot of stuff is abandoned a bit too quickly for my liking. Sure, we didn’t need a montage of Howard applying for a bunch of crummy jobs, and I suppose we didn’t need to see him manage the band excessively or anything, but too much of what makes this movie charming in its weird and awkward way is thrown out for some souped up climax where Howard flies a little plane contraption with Tim Robbins and then fights an alien monster. It feels like a bunch of half baked plots haphazardly slapped together more than a cohesive narrative the writers gave a shit about.

On top of that, the film feels remarkably cheap. The suit and puppet thing is bad, the compositing of the Dark Overlord is bad, it genuinely blows the mind that these effects were this mediocre when the movie was relatively expensive to make. I have to imagine most of the budget went towards getting the crew cocaine to deal with the miserable shooting schedule, because it definitely doesn’t seem like it went to costumes or making the visuals look good.

And speaking of things that don’t look very good… Duck tits.

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?

Nah.

Look, I can’t pretend this movie is amazing or anything. It is incredibly flawed, with rushed production values and more corniness than the fields of Iowa. It has trouble finding its tone, and kind of loses its webbed footing in the third act. But I have watched a metric fuckton of superhero movies in my time, and this film has a sort of corny, earnest charm that genuinely awful ones lack. Like Thor: The Dark World is utterly mediocre and forgettable, and I couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened in it, but this movie? Even with the parts it drags I could still recount some of the wacky plot beats. And maybe it has worse production values than Batman v Superman, but it’s also a lot less miserable and has a cool stop-motion alien monster instead of a shitty gray CGI blob that murders Superman. It’s just not a film that feels quite as awful in terms of comic book movies when filmmakers have gone out of their way to make infinitely worse, infinitely less fun films in the decades since.

It also helps a movie very similar to this came out that did what it was trying to do better, and you’re not gonna believe what it is: Seth MacFarlane’s Ted. It is extremely similar, a fish-out-of-water story about a fantastical being stuck in the mundanity of the real world. Ted even gets a human girlfriend, and the movie has a really weird third act that’s a bit more action packed than the rest of the film! It manages to work a lot better there, though, and that’s despite starring Mark Wahlberg! So yeah, even if the actual Howard didn’t fully live up to its interesting premise, we have something that does just that, which makes this film dropping the ball a little less egregious.

The 4.7 up there is honestly not quite as harsh as you’d think given this film’s reputation, which probably reflects how opinions of this have turned a little bit and given this film a cult following. I might even be so nice as to round it up to a 5; it’s not really a bad movie so much as a weird one, and it is filled with cheesy 80s charm if you can get on board with it. It’s probably not going to change your life, but it’s fun, mostly harmless comic book movie fluff, and if nothing else it’s unique and out there in terms of comic book movies. We wouldn’t get anything quite this weird again until they started letting people like James Gunn and Taika Waititi make comic book movies, so it’s nice to go back and see where it all began. Howard the Duck is a very interesting piece of history, maybe more for the story around it than the film itself, but damn if I don’t get a few chuckles out of watching it and a goofy grin from that cheesy end credits song.

It’s definitely more worth a watch than Wonder Woman 1984, that’s for fucking sure.

[jaydonsjam]

Morbius IV

Adventure Into Fear #20-26

Adventure Into Fear #20-26 - writer(s): Mike Friedrich (#20), Steve Gerber (#21-25), Doug Moench (#25-26) | penciler(s): Paul Gulacy (#20), Gil Kane (#21), Rich Buckler (#22), P. Craig Russell (#23-24), Frank Robbins (#25-26) | inker(s): Jack Abel (#20, 24), Vince Colletta (#21, 23), Luis Dominguez (#22), Frank Giacoia (#25-26)

I’m back with another Morbius post! So I read seven more issues of Adventure Into Fear but now Morbius has taken Man-Thing’s place. For those of you who haven’t read my previous posts about Morbius, I’ve covered his initial debut in Spider-Man through his Vampire Tales appearances and now we’ve arrived at his next solo adventures in Fear! While I didn’t enjoy this arc as much as the stuff in Vampire Tales, this was different enough that I really liked it. What I love about Morbius and his solo stuff is how different it is from Tomb of Dracula. Morbius, besides the whole biting people thing, is an anti-hero which is why I’ve had an issue with his appearances in Spider-Man comics being your run-of-the-mill villain. These solo stories give him more depth and complexity than his mainstream comic appearances. Steve Gerber wrote 5 of the 7 issues (see above creative team info for issue numbers) and I gotta say the man is a great writer. He’s the best writer I’ve read of Man-Thing and while I prefer McGregor’s work for Morbius, he’s great here too. I also really love the distinction between Morbius and the other vampires. He became a vampire through science and he doesn’t seem to have the ability to make other vampires like Dracula and his legion. He also can’t turn into a bat so he flies without transforming. He also is more tormented by feeding on his victims unlike Dracula who does it to create other vampires without remorse. Blade makes an appearance in this arc and he’s spouting off stuff about supernatural vampires and Morbius doesn’t believe it and thinks he’s insane. It’s hilarious. I would love to see Morbius come into contact with Dracula or any supernatural vampires. I’m also begging for more Blade appearances.

So most of this arc deals with the Caretakers and their war against Daemond the demonic sorcerer. Morbius gets caught in the middle of this conflict and goes on an interdimensional adventure and learns that both sides suck. There’s a lot of information and exposition that I didn’t quite get if I’m being honest. I like the idea of Morbius dealing with vampires over this cosmic weirdness that he dealt with. The art was good and done by several different talented artists. I gotta say that it’s hilarious that Marvel’s go-to villains in the 70’s are to make the villain satanic. It just makes me laugh when we’re introduced to another satanic cultist that our hero has to battle. Like I’ve said a bunch of times, the Satanic Panic had this era by the fucking throat. There’s a reveal at the end that the little girl he’s dealt with since the end of issue 1, is actually the key to destroying earth. Why? I didn’t quite understand. I did enjoy her wrecking the Caretakers and Daemond at the end but so much about the reveal didn’t make much sense and seemed like them trying to just throw a curveball at the reader. I do like that Gerber decided to make both factions a different level of evil because often in conflicts, it’s not usually black and white or good vs evil. But anyways, I enjoyed this arc but I definitely prefer the previous Morbius stuff. I am excited to read more Fear though because this was very good. Morbius continues to be a great character full of conflict and inner turmoil that makes him more interesting than a lot of leading Marvel superheroes. Next up is Ghost Rider!

[goldenmusicmoments]

Lets Float In The Vastness Of Luke Hemmings's Extended Play Titled boy:

Luke Hemmings in 2021 made his solo debut with When Facing The Things We Turn Away From. The album was a stunning journey through various emotions. It was the year’s album of the year for sure. However it wasn’t clear as to whether it was a one of or that he’d continue to make solo music. 

He this year discreetly announced the release of more solo music, still keeping us in the dark in regard to what he was teasing. Eventually he let it be known that he was releasing a new song. He then revealed that he was to release an extended play titled boy, which was very exciting news. So I decided to not listen to any of the pre-released singles, in order to experience the body of work all at once. 

boy just dropped and it’s all that’s been on my mind. Thus I felt it necessary that we took a dive into this stunning EP together. Listening to the record you can tell that Luke has found his sound and style. However even then the record feels different to his debut album. Each moment is atmospheric and takes up the space around you. You find yourself fully immersed in this vast feeling body of work. On most part the tracks follow a similar layout with the laid back verses and then the chorus lifts into this grand moment. In terms of what he sings about here, he mainly focuses on the passing of time and how that in turn impacts other aspects of his life. 

He opens with ‘I’m Still Your Boy’ and this starts with these gentle vocals accompanied by the tender strum of guitar strings. There is a short build in the production before calming it down for the pre-chorus. The pre-chorus features these really low volume vocals and then the chorus shifts into this vast feeling moment where he repeats the title. The vocal in the second verse heightens in its emotive nature as he sings about how bad he wants this person of interest. He’s taking a walk through life so far and Luke stated that the song focuses on growing up in the spotlight. A journey from boyhood to adulthood, where you see him wanting to be better than he is. There have been struggles, however he’s hoping for growth. After the second chorus the production lifts another step as he repeats ‘I want it so bad’ with a tender ‘I’m still your boy’ audible behind it. Then things calm down as he closes with the vocal at the back rising in volume and intertwining with the now calmer repetition of ‘I want it so bad’. A start that immediately draws your focus and has you eagerly anticipating what’s to follow. 

‘Shake’ now gets things going with his ‘ah’s’ that keep that vast nature he tends to make a prominent component of his music. The verses feature this moody vocal and then the chorus finds him letting the person of topic know that all he wants is to be theirs and he can’t seem to shake that feeling off. In the bridge the vocals and production all intertwine to give you this feeling of exhilaration. He then lets you catch your breath as he brings the track to a close on a lighter note. He himself stated that although he intended on making this song not be about him and give writing from someone else’s perspective a go, it ended up connecting with how he was feel. 

We then get into ‘Benny’ and the beat comes in lightly with the volume gradually rising. He’s moody in the verses and everything picks up for the chorus. He’s doing everything he can to hold onto this person as the lyric ‘I set myself on fire, to keep you warm’ highlights his will to do anything for those he loves. The track is named after his brother and is fitting as he sings about the guilt he feels about not being able to be close by to the ones he loves. As his life as an artist keeps him on the move. Knowing what its about makes the lyric ‘What if I never knew you, Benny?’ hit you even harder, as it points to the fear you can feel with the thought of someone you love not being in your life.

On ‘Close My Eyes’ he can’t seem to get away from the things he’s trying to letting go of. This track hosts this chaotic feel due to the production having so much going on. Its complimentary to the lyrical content as he’s got all these thoughts running around in his mind and he can’t seem to put a stop to them. It speaks on the inevitable moment of leaving your youth behind as you now have to welcome adulthood. Along with that comes this wave of thoughts in relation to what things you did and what things you wanted to but couldn’t. However as a listener you can apply it to anything or anyone you find yourself saying goodbye to. 

The next track ‘Garden Life’ has this brighter feel thanks to the piano keys threaded throughout the production during the chorus. This one sticks to a steady pace on most part and you find yourself lost in it. The calmer production points to him letting it be known that sometimes the smaller moments end up becoming more beautiful memories than the ones that felt more grand at the time. His vocal delivery is really laid back here. It’s a captivating moment that gives you this dreamy and chill vibe. The outro of him repeating ‘What comes after me?’ leaves you with your thoughts, as you try to decipher what he means by that. However at the same time you think of what that might mean for you as well.

Now Luke really takes us into this dreamy space as soon as ‘Close Enough To Feel You’ begins. The melody is so pretty and the lyric ‘I don’t know what to say, I wanna be the last dream inside your head’, immediately draws you in. There seems to be a feeling of pain linked to being with the person of interest, as even though he wants to be close to them, there is a sense of difficulty there. His wife Sierra Deaton provides some of the harmonies during the chorus. He doesn’t want to let go of what he’s lost and regardless of the pain he feels, he’s decided to keep a hold of that. The bridge pulls from the exploration of his debut as it hosts a sense of familiarity.

The body of work closes out on ‘Promises’ this vast feeling moment that fully encapsulates you in its tender magic. He lightly asks on this track as to whether he can stay with the person of interest. On this track that takes up the space around you, he is finding his way out of his struggles with depression, he’s now fallen in love and that in turn has resulted in him finding happiness return to him. The song ends on this grand outro that makes you feel like you are floating on that beat. Again his wife shows up for the harmonies. A stunning close to this chapter.

What a beautiful record that exceeds any expectations you may have had going in. He’s done it again and continues to prove that he is an artist that knows his craft so well. He is so in tune with his feelings and emotions, which is why there is so much depth to the lyrics he writes. The only downside to this extended play is, is that it is too short. You are left wishing that he’d have delivered a full length album instead. He is an artist that everyone should listen to. If you haven’t checked him out yet then start with his debut album. 

[thepermanentrainpress]

UNDER THE RADAR: FEBRUARY 2023

1) Francis Arevalo - “I Can’t Wait”

A searing passion and power defines Arevalo’s new single. Reworked and refined, it was written about “facing one’s own mortality after a difficult mental health struggle,” and circles around notions of commitment, purpose and community. His cultural, lived experiences and advocacy for mental health and BIPOC artists are reflected in his work; he has agency over decisions made in the present, and chooses to forge ahead while being a rally cry for those around him. It’s a groovy hip hop track with cascading live instruments (drums, guitar, bass, keys, turntables) and fervent delivery—I’m not surprised to read that he has a slam poetry background.   

I am not a big rap/hip hop listener, but I was drawn towards the uplifting wordplay (“we could be brave with the hurt / you’re here / there is reason for birth”) that is not just about oneself, but both blood and chosen family. Manifesting dreams requires clarity, visualization, gratitude and mindfulness, traits that aren’t lacking in this artist. Expect his debut album 0427 Act I: HEATCHECK! this April. 

Written by: Chloe Hoy

2) Ayla Tesler-Mabé - “Give Me A Sign?”

This track has a very funky and upbeat sound. It's a powerful mix of R&B, rock, and even jazz, creating a soulful style. There's a lot of pep and energy in both the music and vocals here. Ayla expresses herself with a tone of voice and emotion mature beyond her years. The lyrics tell a tale of a relationship that isn't all it should be - the singer really wants things to be all they could be, if the other party could just "give me a sign." This is a song with a timeless vibe finely engineered for a very enjoyable listen. 

This is her debut single as a solo artist and it shows a lot of spirit and promise. It's a great introduction that will leave one hooked. If this is just a first taste of her upcoming EP, I'm very excited to see what else is to come.

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk

3) Stay Lunar - “i like it when you’re around”

I just love Stay Lunar—they create all-around winners. A song celebrating friendship and the comfort and love received during times of need, it still has a bright glow. Heavier on the guitars and drums, it comes off as more of a peppier indie rock cut as opposed to their pop-centered, synth-laden past. It can be hard to express our feelings to those around us, much less be honest with ourselves; the ebb and flow is heard in the tone, narrating long-term adversity (“i know it's over but we're living in it / some things they take a while to leave”) and the striking contrast between solitude and company.

It’s so easy to be enveloped in their music. The Bristol band is set to release an EP later this year.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

4) Trina Kae - "Paris in the Fall”

Enamored in a new place of possibility at every corner, the Okanagan’s Trina Kae has fond memories of backpacking around the world post-college. Set in Paris, the song captures wonder and discovery in beauty only found through travel—and maybe some accompanying spirits ("Remember when you were dreaming beside the Seine / Lost again in a cabernet lens”). Her breathy voice cuts deep as it’s almost woeful in tone, nostalgic in the “glow of being immersed in the moment.” I like the alt pop layering; not flashy but achieves the airy and wistful mood it intends with sharp beats entering midway through.

In addition, the use of lyrics in French strengthens the story and reflection. “Paris in the Fall” is appropriately dramatic, but with the magic and intoxicating feeling of an unfamiliar and culturally rich city. Kae’s debut album Narrative is out now.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

5) Flint - “Days & Nights”

Embodying a carefree spirit and a license to party, Tony Rosenberg and Peter Jenner encourage you to leave your troubles at the door. The Brisbane rockers have a controlled punch to their rock n’ roll. It’s anthemic while giving off an air of intrigue, a fast bass line and lyrics that are sang as self-assured statements. The pair has a fun musical style – a matured tone but a refusal to settle (“rearranged my focus and handed in my notice”). “Days & Nights” is a reminder that older and wiser are not always synonymous in life, and good times will triumph if we prioritize them.

Days & Nights by Flint.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

6) Glow Motive - “Show Me You're Here” 

This song does the not-easy task of being soft with a low tempo, but also groovy and complexly crafted. The complicated arrangement is appropriate for the subject matter - a meditation on grief and trying to find their presence in dealing with the loss of a family member. It is layered and clearly recorded with love and sincerity. One can really hear the difficult, sometimes contradictory feelings in the singers’ vocals as they strive to communicate with the departed. Not a second is wasted as the pitch and harmonies evolve, the music bridges, and the time signature switches. It's a wave of emotion that will move the listener, creating a pleasant yet poignant sound.

This is the first single released by Glow Motive, a collaboration between emerging artists Anjalica Solomon and Oceaan Pendharkar. This collective has highlighted and enhanced their identities within the brown, queer local musician community. I'm sure this is just the beginning of beautiful art as represented by them, with a bright future ahead.

Show Me You're Here by Glow Motive

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk

[hazzoranstories]

Harry Styles x Interviewer!Reader | The Real Questions

________________________________________________________________

Includes: Angst?, emotional questions, and foul language

________________________________________________________________

“Good morning, everybody! It’s Friday morning, the 12th of May, and it’s just turned 7 am, and our guest is here. Good morning, Harry Styles,” I said into the microphone pressed closely to my lips. I faded out the blaring music as I looked at Harry across the table.

“Good morning,” he replied firmly, adjusting a few minor details on his desk.

“How are ya?”

“I’m....I’m not too bad actually,” he hesitated with a slight chuckle.

“Now, as all of you can see or hear, I am not Nick Grimshaw. Nick is sadly out today, and I offered to fill his spot, but for Harry’s sake, he misses the show deeply,” Harry laughed from his seat, and I smiled. “But today is a big day for Harry. Today his debut self-entitled album comes out. How do you feel about that?”

“I’m feelin’ good. More excited, if anything.”

“That’s good. Since Nick left at such short notice, I had him write down all his questions. Otherwise, I’d be traveling blind. So don’t mind me reading them off,” a ghost of a laugh echoed through the room as I grabbed my card of questions Nick had given me. I read the first one as quickly as I could and soon the one after that. How did your first stage dive go? What song is written about Taylor Swift (Two Ghosts)? What are the other songs about? What girl is Caroline about? What is your relationship with One Direction like now? Any drama with them about your new album?

I couldn’t hold back the slight grimace at the questions. Very slowly, I set them back down in front of me, and Harry sent me a questioning look, but he masked it with a chuckle. I tried my best to think of a better question than any of the ones on the cards. “So in this album, you have ten songs in total. Is there any you considered removing? Or that you questioned whether or not it was your best work? Did you want a certain vibe, let’s call it, for this album?”

The whole room tensed at my words, even Harry knew that wasn’t the original question, and he hadn’t even seen the cards. But thankfully, he played along. “Erm, I think all the songs on the album are there for a reason. They all have a sort of purpose. So I wouldn’t remove any of them and probably wouldn’t add any unreleased ones as well. I think right now; the songs are all my best solo work. I bet once I look back on this, I’ll be like, ‘oh, what was I thinking doing this and that’” I hummed as a way to tell him I was listening, which I truly was. “But I think right now I love all the songs on this album, and I wouldn’t change it. Not that I really can anymore.”

We laughed while a few others stifled one out. “What about the aesthetic of the album? Did you have an initial thought going in what you wanted to portray or even what you wanted people to imagine when you listened to it?”

“Erm, well, a lot of people that have listened to it first think it’s almost a country or folk-based album because there is a lot of acoustics and slower melodies, but then around halfway through, Only Angel comes. On, and they’re like, whoa!” I giggled as Harry widened his eyes.

“Well, I know that when I listened to it, I was getting into kind of a flow. The songs molded perfectly together, but they also didn't get lost in one another, and you remembered each one. And I think that’s a very well crafted thing on your part, intentional or not.”

“Thank you.”

“But then I heard Only Angel and Kiwi, which I considered more rock-based,” he nodded. “And I literally had that reaction and was like holy crap.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I really had a goal of like this is what I want when people listen to it. But I think, if anything, it’s separated per song what I want to showcase. Like Kiwi will have a different message than Sweet Creature or Carolina,” he explained.

“And I showed your album to a friend of mine, and I had her listen to it, and the first few songs she stopped to ask me if you turned into a country singer —”

I was interrupted by his burst of laughter. It sounded so genuine and giddy that I felt proud to make that noise of joy come out of him. “Sorry, I’m not trying to be offensive or anything,” he muttered as he tried to contain his laughter.

“Well, I told her after the next song ended, I was like just wait. Wait till you hear him go off!”

“I’m a huge rock fan; you probably don’t know. But was there any artists, past or present, that inspired you to change the mood of your album so abruptly?” I asked, and he thought for a bit.

“I would have to say for the rockier tracks; it would have to be The Rolling Stones and Elton John. The Rolling Stones more for the instrumental factors, while Elton John I kinda tried to incorporate how he delivers his music. He adds a little drawl and raspiness, and I tried to get some of that in the tracks,” I couldn’t hold back the small smile which he copied.

“Do you have a favorite? On the album, I mean?”

“Oh, I thought you were making me choose between Elton Johan and The Rolling Stones,” he joked, and we laughed.

“No on your album.”

“Erm … it’ll probably have to be From The Dining Table. I find it the most personal out of all the songs, and I think that’s why I like it the most. Also, it was very relieving to kind of let all the emotions about it get put into a song.”

“And a beautiful one at that.”

“Thank you.”

“Here is Harry Styles’ song From The Dining Table from his new debut album Harry Styles,” I pressed a button and From The Dining Table came on, and we were able to take a short break. I stood from my chair and got some water when one of the producers stopped me. He directed me out of the room with his hand resting on my arm.

When the door closed, he huffed. “What the hell was that? You were supposed to stick to the questions.”

“Questions with no value and no sentiment. I wanted to ask him genuine questions, not stupid ones like Nick had written,” I snapped.

“Oh, he’ll love to hear that. Of course, after I tell him, you ruined the show by making it boring.”

“How was that boring? I was very interested in what he had to say.”

“He was going on about the instrumentals and feel of the songs. No one cares about the making of a song. They just want a good one. Our listeners dropped dramatically because of you.”

“So what? He got to express his true self for once instead of being asked about all the love and tacky bullshit,” I was cut off by the door opening and us stepping away. Who I thought would be another producer was Harry.

“Sorry if I interrupted, but there’s 30 seconds left,” he said timidly.

“No, you aren’t interrupting anything,” I said before the producer could even open his mouth. I shooed Harry back inside and followed him.

“Matt,” the producer called, and the backup host looked up from his phone. He nodded over to my chair, which I was sitting in, ready to continue the interview. Matt rushed over as the song got to the last 15 seconds.

“Get up, Y/N,” he whispered, and I shook my head, passing him the question cards.

“I won’t be needing these,” he snatched them up and psychically dragged me out of the chair.

“Oi lay off her. What’d she do?” Harry spoke up.

“We’re so sorry, Harry. It seems Y/N had the wrong questions, and Matt has the right ones, so he’ll be interviewing you now,” a producer said.

“Why can’t she?” Harry pointed to me as the song ended, and Matt sat down.

He faded the music and welcomed the listeners back, covering the disruption with an excuse that I had to leave abruptly. He made a joke about the show falling apart and continued the interview with Harry. But unlike me, he read off the cards word for word.

“So there’s a theory out there that one of the songs is about Taylor Swift, is that true?”

“I mean, it’s true that there are theories, yeah,” Harry said, and I didn’t notice then, but his voice had grown duller, and he already dreaded the rest of the interview.

***

“Thank you for having me,” Harry wrapped up the conversation as Matt agreed and ended it with playing Kiwi. They disconnected their microphones as Harry stood and greeted the producers goodbye. I left a little before anyone else as I had no reason to stay; I had no more shows today.

As I walked down the hallway to the parking lot, I heard thundering footsteps behind me. I turned around and saw Harry rushing towards me. “You left early. I didn’t get to say a goodbye and thanks,” he grinned, and I furrowed my eyebrows, sending him an awkward smile back.

“Okay, well bye then. It was nice having you here. Maybe we’ll talk another time,” I said distantly.

“Yeah, and maybe they’ll let you finish the entire interview,” he laughed.

“Well, I don’t think I’ll be at BBC too much longer after today.”

“I thought it was really rude how they stopped you. Was it really because you had the wrong questions?” He asked.

“I thought I was the interviewer,” he chuckled.

“Was it?”

I stared at him as I waited to answer. “No. I didn’t want to ask you the questions.”

“Well, I appreciate it. That’s the first time someone’s asked me stuff like that,” we smiled at each other, not really knowing what to do.

“Well, I’m glad I could .... help you?”

He laughed. “Thank you.”

I didn’t lose my job the next day or any day after that. I left the job to my own choice, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Harry Styles had anything to do with the persuasion to let me stay at BBC.

[hldailyupdate]

Louis Tomlinson on 'sonically ambitious' new album Faith In The Future and a new-found 'creative freedom' as he releases lead single Bigger Than Me

As he readies the release of second solo album Faith In The Future and its lead single Bigger Than Me, Louis Tomlinson talks us through his most 'authentic' work to date

By Carl Smith

Waiting for the host to let us into a Zoom interview with Louis Tomlinson, we're extremely conscious you're about to speak to one of the world's most accomplished musicians. It's quite nerve-racking, really. Even having interviewed Louis many times across his career, from the early One Direction days, we can't help but wonder if the fame's somehow changed him.

We needn't have worried.

At 30 years old, Louis has achieved feats few would deem possible. Seen corners of the world many will never visit. Experienced pandemonium only The Beatles or the Spice Girls could ever truly comprehend. But, while it'd be all too easy for him to sit back, consider his ambitions fulfilled and live off some sizeable royalties, Louis is looking ahead.

On November 11, Louis will release his second solo studio album Faith In The Future. The follow-up to his 2020 debut Walls, it sees him collaborate with such unlikely influences as Australian trio DMA's, Courteeners' bassist Joe Cross and Hurts' Theo Hutchcraft.

As he readies the release of lead single Bigger Than Me, we speak to Louis about his most 'sonically ambitious' work yet, and why he's 'immensely proud' of his new-found artistic 'freedom.'

We firstly congratulate Louis on becoming a first-time uncle to sister Lottie Tomlinson's baby son Lucky ("I'm dead excited," he beams) and his mammoth world tour; a series of shows that've seen him play 80 shows to over 500,000 fans across five continents.

"I’ve been so lucky with this whole tour," he says. "I spent two years over lockdown being excited for these moments. I wasn’t even prepared for how I feel in this moment, right now. I feel so fulfilled with everything that’s happened this year.

"I’ve been so, so blessed. I mean this – everywhere I f**king go the crowd bring the energy. I feel incredibly lucky, and it’s taken quite a bit of work to get here. Looking back and reflecting, I’m really proud to be here and of the year I’ve had."

We tell Louis we were blown away by his performance at London's OVO Arena Wembley earlier this year. "Even in the sling?" he laughs. "There’s such a raucous energy out in the crowd, so it really warrants that feeling back from me."

On the topic of resuming his tour post-COVID lockdown, we question how Louis mentally coped with such a drastic lifestyle change; from 100mph living throughout 1D and his solo career to a complete standstill. How did he navigate such a shift?

"I’ve had most days filled for the last ten years," he acknowledges. "What I liked about that period? My life, by definition, comes with a lot of pressure in this job. I felt like the world had gone on pause. That was the first time I’d really had a moment where I didn’t have to worry what was to come. I felt a lot of freedom in that. I feel like it gave me room to declutter my brain and, hopefully, I got a better album out of that.

"I knew, in that time, I needed to make a record, but it just felt like I could take my foot off the gas a little bit. I really needed that. It revitalised me. It also made me dead excited about what’s to come.

"We live in a world now where we get everything we want quite quickly, and I think the fans would agree it was nice to wait for those moments. It meant that, when they did come around, it felt even more special."

The title of Louis' second record, Faith In The Future, immediately sparks a certain hope in things to come.

"I had the title before anything else," he explains. "I was 99 per cent sure I wanted to call it Faith In The Future, then lockdown happened and it just felt like an appropriate statement.

"I actually tweeted it for the first time, without any context, last year. I felt this magnetism to the phrase. With that statement, I’m not saying we can predict the future or that it’ll necessarily look any brighter, but it inspires hope. Have faith in that idea and you won’t be any worse off."

Taking some of the album's somewhat unlikely collaborators, from DMA's to Courteeners' Joe Cross, we ask if Louis allowed himself to be more open to experimentation on this record.

"This whole album’s been a learning process for me," he says. "With the first record, there was an element of me finding my feet and working out what it is I could do. Deep down I always knew what I wanted to do, but there was definitely a time when I asked myself the question ‘can I pull this off?’"

It's during moments like this it becomes apparent that superstardom hasn't actually changed Louis. Much as he was throughout The X Factor and One Direction's infancy, he remains somewhat self-critical, aware and refreshingly humble.

He continues: "I felt much more freedom in this record to express myself in the way I wanted to. I didn’t put as much restraint on myself as I did on the first record.

"On Walls, I was so overanalytical about every sound. Every lyric. Every moment. I went into this process with a lot more freedom and, naturally, I’ve created something that’s more true to who I am as a musician and as a music fan; what I like listening to.

"All my experience from being in a band like One Direction, the experience was incredible but doesn’t feel that relevant to what I’m doing now.

"The restraints, and they weren’t put in place by anyone specifically, I’m sure all the lads in the band will have felt their own version of this, you leave the band with this idea of who you are. Ironically, who I was was a member of a band. I wasn’t an individual artist. It took a bit of working out of exactly who I was. I had to work out if I was willing to be brave and say ‘it’s on my head, so be it.’ On this record, that’s what I did."

Asked what might surprise listeners most with Faith In The Future, Louis explains: "The fans won’t be surprised that the guitars are the most prevalent instrument across this record. That won’t surprise my fans, but it might surprise other people.

"There are a couple of more dance-leaning tunes on this record. I was so particular on the first record that I wanted to be seen in a certain light and it had to be organic and credible. Of course, those things are still vitally important to me, but I’ve given myself more freedom.

"I loved DMA’s last album THE GLOW, which Stuart Price produced. That has dance elements in it but was done in a really authentic way. It doesn’t feel remotely contrived or like a f**king made-for-radio pop-dance hybrid. That was really food for thought for me throughout the process.

"Those moments across this record felt brave for me, because I dipped my toe in with the Steve Aoki track. That’s a song I’m immensely proud of, but if I’m being completely honest it was me playing for radio. It was something I felt I had to do. These songs come from a different place. Yes, I’m using dance elements, but I hope it’s done in an authentic way."

We tell Louis we're DMA's fans, too.

"They’re amazing, aren’t they? I’ve been lucky enough to meet them a few times. Johnny [Took] came to one of my shows in Australia. They’re just really f**king lovely lads, great blokes. They’re an amazing live band.

"What I did on this album, more than I did on the first, and this is meant with no discredit to professional songwriters, I tried to work less with ‘professional’ songwriters and more with artists. I found that idea so fulfilling across the record. It comes with a different intent when you work with artists.

"They understand that it’s not all about commercial success and radio. In my experience, there’s much more heart and soul in the music."

This leads us seamlessly into Louis' work with Hurts singer-songwriter Theo Hutchcraft. How did that come all about?

"Me, Theo, Joe Cross and David Sneddon did a writing camp together, and what was great about that was that – from the off – we were all on the same page. Theo is vastly intelligent and an incredible writer. Even just being around these people, getting into their brains and taking on their different ideas; I’ve learnt so much more making on this record than I did the first. That’s purely from being around the right kind of people.

"I'm a massive fan of both Hurts and The Courteeners. Even the fact they were willing to work with me, I was buzzing about that. We’ve got some really great songs out of it.

"The songs with them – She Is Beauty We Are World Class, Silver Tongues and Saturdays – two of those songs are my favourites on the record. There was something amazing about that writing camp. I got there on the first day, we went to the pub together and just spoke about music. It meant that, the next day, we were already on the same page. We’d already had those conversations. The whole thing felt so easy and so free.

"When you go into a studio, turn up at midday and know you’ve got to be out by 6pm, that brings with it its own pressure and actually influences what you create. What was great working with these guys, over two or three days at a house, was we had the freedom to create whatever we wanted. That freedom shows in the music."

Louis' passion in this project is clear. He beams with pride as he discusses the intricacies of the record and his reasoning behind certain artistic decisions.

"One song in particular, Silver Tongues, I’m immensely proud of," he tells us.

"It’s one of the first times that I’ve written a song that I could definitely imagine myself listening to, had I not written it.

"That track’s very much in line with what I listen to and love musically anyway. Writing that made me feel really confident that I was writing the album I wanted to write. I feel really confident in what’s to come."

It's a confidence that's in no way tinged with cockiness. Louis reflects on his growth, acknowledging how far he's come as an artist and how much further he hopes to go.

"I feel like I’ve come such a long way, since the start of my solo career," he explains. "Specifically with how I’m performing on stage.

"One of my fans actually made a video of a show I played pre-COVID, from the end of my set when I sing Kill My Mind. They compared that show to the same song from the most recent show I did, and it was a really literal example of how far I’ve come.

"That makes me feel amazing. There are times when I’m looking at myself in the mirror thinking ‘are you sure you can do this?’ But then I think ‘course you can f**king do it, man – and you do it well!’"

Louis Tomlinson's new album Faith In The Future is released November 11 via BMG. Lead single Bigger Than Me is released September 1.

[dat-town]

not gonna miss this chance

Characters: Han Seojun & soloist!female reader

Genre: fluff

Setting: true beauty au, set a year after the tv show’s ending timeline

Summary: Your career is on the verge of ending, hence your management puts you up to do a duet with the infamous Han Seojun. You have heard too many rumours about him to keep track of and yet, none of them could have prepared you for the feelings that came with meeting him.

Words: 4.1k

Self indulgent little snippet because he deserves happiness too.

You had heard of Han Seojun before meeting him, of course you had. Everybody who was in the industry had heard of the hot trend of a Newstagram star-turned idol and his band's shining debut from a year ago. They were told to have snatched teenage girls hearts all over Korea with their good looks and soulful music. You had heard their title track and you had to admit it was nice but nice wasn't enough in a cut-throat industry like entertainment.

Look at you, starting training at twelve, debuting at fifteen and now barely twenty-one you were on the verge of becoming a thrown away doll. Once you had been called cute and the it girl of your generation and now? People were saying you got boring just because your music had matured. Gosh, you couldn't keep singing about first love like your hit song had been for the rest of your life for god's sake. Your last album had been a flop, your company had been losing money and you were still afraid that even with a year left of your contract, they would cut you. But your manager had begged them for a chance and here it was: a collaboration with the newest love of Korea.

But the thing was, Han Seojun had quite a reputation and you didn't know who to believe. Some said he was well-mannered and hard-working. Others gossiped that he was always flirting with his makeup artists and Chen claimed he had been rude to her even when he had just been a ‘nobody’. Not that you were particularly fond of Chen either but as a fellow solo female singer you were a tad bit worried how the infamous singer would treat you.

Well, standing in front of Move Entertainment, you were just about to find out. Taking a shallow breath you followed your manager's lead, bowing to the receptionist and getting into the elevator after taking your visitor's badge. You had heard the company has gone through many changes after the executives were replaced due to the revealed Seyeon scandal but everything looked expensive, shiny and new, unlike in your small agency.

“Hey, I’m Lim Heekyung, nice to meet you. Seojun will be in a minute, too,” a woman in a pantsuit walked up to you on the right floor with a confident smile as she introduced herself. She led you to a meeting room which was apparently customized for a few people only and started preparing papers. She looked excited which was a relief and nice to see, at least someone from Move Entertainment was happy for this project apparently. You were a bit afraid they would see you like a leech, trying to cling onto their new star’s popularity.

“Shall we start? Seojun is a fan of dramatic entrances anyways,” Miss Lim laughed joyfully as if it wasn’t new to her that the idol didn’t make it on time. Ah yeah, you had heard rumours saying that he had something on the company and that was why they were so lenient with him.

You sat in silence, let your manager do the talk about the collaboration project. Seojun could play the guitar, you could play the piano, apparently it was perfect for a ballad duet, though if you used instruments yourself it added to the preparations time. But luckily, there was a songwriter named Leo at the company who had already sent in a few samples specifically for Seojun, so you didn’t have to start from zero.

“Ah, I see you started without me. What did I miss?” A tall boy opened the door wide and flipped down onto the chair across you casually. He had grown into his lanky limbs and with those wide shoulders hugged by the leather jacket, helix earrings in one ear and soft brown hair brushed to one side, it wasn’t a surprise how many female fans swooned over him. But there were a lot of handsome boys in the business, just his looks – no matter how confident he was in them based on the way he carried himself – wouldn’t make a difference.

Miss Lim patiently let Seojun know about the advances and only when she mentioned your name, did the boy glance at you. His dark brown eyes had a sharp form, just as piercing as his gaze, but the cunning smile spreading over his lips softened it a bit. He looked at you as if he wanted to see through you, to figure out how he should have approached you. You expected a snarky or arrogant comment, but in the end, he just flashed a blinding smile at you, one you could see on his posters, before turning back to Miss Lim.

“What’s the schedule?” he asked simply and you both were notified about the deadline of deciding and finalizing the song, the dates of planned recording sessions and the photoshoot. Since there would be no promotion period, it all would be done within a month and half from start to finish. You were a bit relieved hearing that and leave Move Entertainment without any confrontation.

You thought you were good at masking your wary feelings since the further meetings went well and the first recording session went okay-ish. Although both of you had been a bit scolded by the producer for not putting enough feelings into your singing. He claimed that the demo sent by Leo was much more emotional which made Seojun scoff and mumble under his nose. The PD called it for a day, making you promise to practice for next time and one by one they all left. Your manager told you that he would bring the car while you refresh yourself in the bathroom, so you really didn’t expect anyone to wait for you when you stepped out of the restroom, much less Han Seojun.

"Spit it out," he bit out barely glancing your way as he leaned against the corridor’s wall.

"What?" you spluttered as you were really taken aback by his out of blue appearance and question. The guy let out a tired sigh at your obliviousness and pushed himself away from the wall just to walk up to you, towering over your height with his.

"You look at me as if I killed your hamster or something. Which rumour about me bothers you? I fucking can't keep walking on eggshells around you, especially when it's just the two of us," he tsked and you gulped at the sudden called out. You didn’t think it bothered him, or that he was considerate enough to ‘walk on eggshells around you’, you merely thought he was so distant from everybody. It was still better than what Chen had told you.

"Oh, I… nothing. It's stupid. Sorry," you mumbled, feeling embarrassed for your your actions but Seojun apparently wasn’t satisfied without a real answer as he carried on:

"I didn't bully kids in high school but I threatened ones that deserved it, I didn't only get a pity chance from the entertainment, one of our makeup artists is actually one of my best friends, I'm not…"

"Chen told me you are rude and arrogant and have no respect for girls," you blurted out to stop him from speaking because you felt like you didn’t deserve to hear all that. He didn’t owe you any explanation for the way he was. You were just co-workers for a project after all, you had no place in his life, nor he had in yours, so he shouldn’t have been that bothered by your opinion but you understood that he felt uncomfortable due to your silent accusations.

Hearing your hasty interruption, the singer scoffed, a laugh-like sound leaving his mouth.

"Well, I have no respect for girls like Chen who harass my friends and turn their lives into hell just to go on a date with me," he said and it made you blink slowly.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. Check your facts before you go around believing such crap," Seojun stepped back with a roll of his eyes.

The whole situation made you feel made about how you acted, so you wished to apologise but it fell from your lips all too carelessly: "Sorry, I was just worried. This is my last chance, so–"

"Last chance?" the guy quirked a brow at you, curious but you quickly waved his question away.

"Nevermind, I just need this song to do well."

"Of course, it will. I'm Han Seojun, it will turn to gold under my hands," he grinned and made eccentric gestures as if he was about to do magic. You couldn't help a smile. “Or well, vocal chords.”

And turn it to gold, he did.

The rest of your recording sessions went smoother, even the previously grumpy PD complimented your for the development in your chemistry. Funny, you wouldn’t have thought that the wall pulled up between the two of you mattered that much, but at least you didn’t have a knot in your stomach, nor did you worry about every small thing you did around Han Seojun. He also acted more casual, more playful, joking around when both of you had a bit of time to take a breather. He snapped silly pictures, showed off with his height, smirked when he got too close but despite all his bravado and lowkey flirting, you believed even he wouldn’t have jeopardised his career over something like this.

Maybe that's why wrapping up the recording felt a tad bit weird: you got used to his presence, his jokes, his beautiful, deep voice that you could have fallen asleep to. Sure, sometimes he was cocky, a bit rough around the edges but he was a great singer and a fun guy. The project seemed to work out well and you loved it a lot, so you hoped the listeners would appreciate it as well.

But before all that you had one photo shoot together for the promotional pictures and the single's cover. You were grateful for the simple pastel colour background and elegant setting. The warm light latte colour and the clock in the background really fit the song's vibe. Luckily, your dress was decent and pretty as well, you didn't have to feel uncomfortable in it at least.  However, you didn’t expect that happy yelp coming from one of the makeup artists stepping into the dressing room. You turned to face the girl, wondering whether she was your fan judged by her excitement.

"Oh my! I'm so happy to finally meet you! Seojun told us about you so much!" she beamed at you which obviously took you back. Well, that you didn’t expect at all. He spoke of you to others? Ah. Apparently to the makeup artist who was most probably that certain one of his best friends he had told you about?

"Don't exaggerate, Imju, I mentioned her like what… once?" Seojun walked in on cue. He rolled his eyes and cleared his throat, trying to avert the topic. "How's Suho?"

You had know idea who that said guy was but after a moment or two you could breathe properly once again while listening to their chatting.

“Just the usual. He’s excited about your duet.”

“Of course, he is,” Seojun grinned, a bit snarky but you could hear the proud undertones of it. When he looked at you, you were surprised by him leaning close though as he quieted down until only you could hear it. “Don’t worry, Jugyeong is really good and just stop her if she gets too gossip-y.”

“Are you talking about me behind my back, hah, Han Seojun?” The pretty girl called Jugyeong raised her fist as if she was about to hit the idol but he just laughed it off and left you two alone when he was hurried onto the set to start with his individual shoots.

“Have you known each other for a long time?” you couldn’t help but wonder as you were seated to get your makeup from her.

“Ah, almost 4 years, I think. We went to high school together. Plus, he’s best friends with my boyfriend. Though, they are always bickering like a married couple,” Jugyeong chuckled joyfully as she started with the cushion. You closed your eyes, listening as she kept going on about the time when Seojun had been obsessed with his motorbike, getting into trouble with his mother. It was strange hearing about a whole other side of him, mama's boy but the image tugged on your mouth, making you smile even though you weren't sure you had the right to know all that. You also learned that Seojun's sister was dating Jugyeong's brother and you felt so involved with the girl's trust albeit it was your last meeting, you were sure Seojun must have only told good things about you.

Hence, you felt shy under his knowing gaze when you walked out of the dressing room. He must have known that Jugyeong couldn't shut up for the life of her, so he looked a bit uncertain, too, stretching the back of his neck, forcing a cunning smile onto his smile when you took your place next to him.

To fit the ballad's theme, the setting was a piano decorated with flowers and you were instructed to sit beside him as if you were about to play a four hands piece. As you did what you had been told, you were very much aware of the way your arms brushed, his long fingers over the keys close to yours, his smile small but genuine.

"Great, great, guys! Someone help her onto the piano and Seojun, stand in front of her," the photographer directed the next scene but before any staff members would have rushed up to you, the singer next to you shushed them.

"I can do it," he insisted as he stood up and looked you in the eyes, silently asking for permission. You nodded while holding your breath back before Seojun put his hands on your waist above the fluffy tulle skirt part and counting on three, he lifted you onto the lid of the beautiful instrument.

You crossed your legs, watching in awe as your pink skirt fell down on waves  but your breath hitched for an entirely different reason when you looked up, gaze meeting Seojun's feline eyes trained on you. You had never seen him look at you like that, lacking playfulness or suspicion or curiosity. He looked open, vulnerable, outright starstruck. Your lips parted meaning to ask something but your brain shut off when you heard the shutter of the camera go down and the director yelling compliments at you. It made you snap out of it and later, you blamed the evident blush on your cheeks on the makeup. Seojun blinked too, his guarded expression back in no time, finishing the photo shoot professionally, always lingering close to you, but never touching you. Even though you wouldn’t have minded.

"Hey," Seojun peeked into your dressing room just as you were about to leave, packing up, with a smile on his mouth and sparkles in his deep brown eyes. But unlike half an hour ago when he wore a fancy suit and looked at you like a prince would have looked at his princess, he acted just as casual as he looked in his denim jacket over dark tee. "Wanna grab something with me if you finished for today?"

His question took you back but first thing first you glanced towards your manager, eyes begging for permission which you had gotten with a sigh.

"Just be discreet and call me if you need me to pick you up," your manager shrugged, leaving you two alone with a knowing look that told you to be careful. You didn't need to be told though, you knew how much depended on the current public response to your image.

"Seems like a green light. Have you thought of anything specific?" you turned back to the boy with a subtle smile.

"Not really but I know a few less frequent, secluded places to avoid much talk about us," he said and you nodded, following his lead. Masks, caps and hoodies on, you barely talk on your way to the tent with the lovely ahjumma who welcomed Seojun (two heads taller than her) with a pinch of his cheeks and told you to get seated.

"Are you a regular here?" you inquire, carefully pulling down your mask since not many people are around.

"You could say that," the boy hummed letting you adjust to the place at your own pace, not pressuring you with extra reassessments about how safe it is there. Yet, he is so casual as if he wasn't afraid of a getting mobbed by Dispatch out of the blue. Not that it happened to you a lot of times but you heard stories and at such a crucial time in your career, you feared something like that more than anything.

"Do you want to come up to mine instead?" Seojun blurted out suddenly which made you wide eyed in a span of a moment as you splattered out a surprised yelp. "Come on, I don't mean anything by it. You just look really nervous being in the public," the singer said, his deep voice softening, soothing by the end and you needed to take a breather before answering. You didn't think it was so obvious but apparently you had never been a good liar with him.

In the end, you decided on going over to Seojun's place, so he asked the ahjumma to pack your food to go and you headed towards his flat a few blocks from the company. It was a small but cozy place, much softer and brighter than you expected, lots of pastels and photos of friends and family. While the boy busied himself in the kitchen, getting you plates, chopsticks and beer, you were encouraged to look around and you couldn't help but smile at his photos with not only his band members but high school friends, too. You had seen photos of his graduation with Jugyeong, then another one of his debut with her and another guy.  He was a recurring person on a lot of pictures, so you assumed that he was the so-called Suho.

"He's Jugyeong's boyfriend," Seojun affirmed as he walked up to you which you acknowledged with a hum and smiled at his photos with his sister and mother. The makeup artist was right when she said he was only tough on the outside.

"You knew Seyeon?" you whispered as your gaze shifted of a picture of three boys smiling widely into the camera. The middle one was the talented boy you had known  from the news of his committed suicide. Such a tragedy.

"Uhum. We were best friends. Him, Suho and me," Seojun nodded and without having to ask, he told you how they had gotten to know each other, what were their favourite past time activities and how they fell apart when he died. You could see he was hurting even now as he was talking about it, so you grazed your fingers against his knuckles as though to say you were there for him to listen, or whatever he needed.

Talking about his best friends and how a group of guys including someone named Chorong stuck by his side over the years warmed your heart. It was nice to know that not everyone had it as lonely as you who basically missed out on high school and memories from that time to be able to turn your dreams into reality. Your only friends were also in the industry but it made things both easier and harder.

"What about you? What did you mean by this being your last chance?" Seojun asked like a loaded gun but after everything he had just told you, you knew you could trust him with this and being in the industry for a while now, he must have understood, too.

You told him about the rising expectations, about your image and your company's ultimatum. It actually felt nice to talk about with someone other than your manager. Especially since Seojun seemed to understand exactly why you felt conflicted over the matter. You have given your youth to this dream of yours, so giving up on it would have felt like betraying yourself and everyone who believed in you but you weren't sure you could give it another 10 years of your life no matter how much you liked music. You had decent CSATs result, maybe you could have applied for a university program. Seojun even offered to arrange a meeting between you and Suho who was studying to become a proper songwriter.

You talked for hours and ate the tteokbokki even though it had gotten cold long ago and you couldn't remember when was the last time you had felt so light. You felt giddy even with just the tiny bit of alcohol in your system by the time you knew it was time for you to go.

Once you had felt relieved knowing that promoting your duet would be only one performance but recently, you started dreading the moment because that meant that you wouldn't have any more excuse to see Seojun. In the backstage, this time around you greeted Jugyeong like an old friend and teased to give Seojun a funny makeup before walking up to your  own assigned staff members. Your look was full of sparkles and glow fitting the silver colour of your dress, completing the ethereal vibe off the stage you were going to do and the beautiful song you had grown to love so much you held it close to your heart. The last rehearsals went smoothly and if you noticed Seojun's gaze lingering a bit too long, you didn't comment on it.

"Are you nervous?" he asked before the final recording and you knew it would have been unreasonable to deny it, so you replied with a small smile.

"A bit."

"Don't be. You're pretty and you'll do amazing," he reassured you and the way he said those words oh so easy. As if they were natural. As if he believed in you and maybe this was all the reassurance you needed because when you walked up onto the stage, not taking your eyes off his, it felt like it was just the two of you there. All the stress about not being good enough, about being judged for who you were and what you wanted to do with your life was subsided as you focused on the moment, just to sing this one song with one while trying to fight your heart's crazy beating.

You didn't really have the luxury to have crushes. You had always been concentrated on your work, you couldn't let yourself have distractions, especially since love scandals always affected girl worse than guy. At least that was what you told yourself for always putting up a wall around you and guarding your heart all too well. But during the past few weeks, between playful or flirty remarks, between smiles and ruffling hair, Seojun took apart your wall brick by brick even if he wasn't aware.

So it might have been only a few days since you had last seen him but in that rare moment of boredom, alone in your room, you realized that you missed him. Hell, you liked him and the feeling made me want to scream into your pillow as if you were a silly teenager. As if on cue, your phone buzzed with a new message and seeing the KakaoTalk ID made you shy.

duet partner, han seo jun

so...

i've been thinking

you

sounds dangerous but ok

duet partner, han seo jun

don't get sassy with me, miss

you

what have you been thinking about?

duet partner, han seo jun

that i don't want to miss my chance

there's this girl i like

i thought of asking her out

do you think she would say yes?

you

oh. well... why wouldn't she?

i mean, you are talented, handsome, funny and reliable

duet partner, han seo jun

and what about my job? it's busy and a bit crazy

don't you think it would be unfair of me to ask?

you

I think you should let her decide that

duet partner, han seo jun

okay

are you free on friday?

you

um, sure?

duet partner, han seo jun

cool, then go on a date with me?

[loveothislife]

Timothée Chalamet Is Still Learning How To Be A Leading Man

At 22, Chalamet has perfected the art of teenage ennui in films like 'Call Me By Your Name' and 'Lady Bird.' Now, he's looking for his next challenge.                  

Crystal Bell, 02/27/2018 (on Twitter) (Article)

Timothée Chalamet says he's bracing himself for the moment this all stops being fun — the press, the promotion, the cameras, the constant peach talk — but it's hard to believe him when he says it so endearingly. After all, Chalamet's youthful exuberance has become his trademark in recent months. That, and the hair. And the rapping. To imagine him as just another self-serious actor seems unnatural.

Though it's not like the ambitious young actor hasn't earned the right to take himself somewhat seriously. His mesmerizing performance as a precocious 17-year-old in the throes of first love in Luca Guadagnino's sumptuous queer drama, Call Me By Your Name, scored him rave reviews, a passionate internet following, and his first Oscar nomination. In fact, at 22, he's the youngest actor to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in 80 years. Then, that same year, he showed up in Greta Gerwig's confident solo directing debut, Lady Bird, as an arrogant teen heartbreaker with long hair and an affinity for Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. With that, a star was born.

But Chalamet isn't just any star, the likes of which can be fleeting. Watching him agonize through the motions of love and self-discovery in Call Me By Your Name is like watching a young actor come into his own, each vulnerability laid bare for the audience to witness. By the end, their emotions are spent, but the excitement of witnessing the birth of something greater lingers long after Elio's tears have dried.

"I'm part of the anxious, cynical generation," Chalamet told MTV News during a press day for the film. "I have my fair-share of cynicism, that's hard to leave me, but I'm having so much fun talking about this movie. I keep waiting to be not feeling this, but I'm loving every second of it."

You can blame the natural cynicism on his New York upbringing. Born and raised in Hell's Kitchen, Chalamet seemed destined for a life in the arts thanks to his Jewish mother's passion for dance and his French father's insistence on piano lessons from a young age. (One of his father's biggest regrets, Chalamet said, was refusing piano lessons as a boy. "That's why I had piano lessons from eight to 12 even though I hated it.") Though, those skills later came in handy while filming Call Me By Your Name in northern Italy, as would his fluent French, perfected by summers spent with his family outside Lyon.

"The French part of my upbringing was always very much the anti-outgoing, 'the adults are having le café in the living room so go play outside' kind of thing, so to see it pay its dividends in a performative space is really confusing but gratifying to me," he said.

       Learning the craft        

Despite some early commercial work — as well as an appearance as a corpse in every New York actor's rite of passage, Law & Order — Chalamet wasn't all that passionate about acting until he got to LaGuardia High School. It was there, within the hallowed halls of the city's famed performing arts school, that Chalamet learned the craft, while trying out for school productions of Cabaret and Sweet Charity alongside classmate Ansel Elgort. It was here too, that rapping Lil Timmy Tim made his debut in the annual Rising Stars talent show.

"When I got to LaGuardia, I saw how seriously it could be taken, not for the sake of self-seriousness but rather out of respect and the lineage of who's been doing this," he said. (Famous LaGuardia alums include Robert De Niro, Sarah Paulson, Jennifer Aniston, and Nicki Minaj.) "Then there's this idea that, 'The harder I work at this thing, the better I get at it.' That was really satisfying on the set of Call Me By Your Name because we all worked so hard. To see people react to it viscerally, these are really important totems for young artists because it's so encouraging, and it makes you feel like these things aren't random."

"I wouldn't be acting without that school," he added. "I really believe that."

In his senior year, Chalamet landed a prominent role in Homeland's second season as Finn Walden, the vice president's annoying adolescent son who dated Sgt. Nick Brody's daughter, Dana. The decision to join the Emmy-winning Showtime series was a no-brainer for the young actor, even if it meant missing half of his senior year. "There's a little bit of trepidation when I think about it now because it wasn't necessarily beneficial to the conclusion of my education," he said. Still, he graduated LaGuardia on time in 2013.

       Learning to lead        

Chalamet spent that summer filming Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic Interstellar, in which he starred as Matthew McConaughey's son, before enrolling at Columbia University in the fall. But Chalamet quickly realized that balancing academics with a burgeoning acting career was easier said than done, and after a quick stint at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, he quit school to pursue acting full-time. After a few indies and a dazzling performance in the off-Broadway production of Prodigal Son — his turn in the titular role caught the eye of both Guadagnino and Gerwig — Chalamet spent an idyllic spring in northern Italy. There, he learned Italian and took guitar and piano lessons, in order to prepare for the role of Elio Perlman in Call Me By Your Name, based on André Aciman's intimate coming-of-age novel of the same name.

"The book was such a window into a young person's experience in a way that those reads rarely are," Chalamet said, adding how it reminded him of one of his favorite books, Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower. "Anytime that you can play a non-surface young person, you have to leap at that opportunity."

And so he leapt at the chance to play a disaffected youth in Lady Bird. "You can tell it was someone contemporaneous who was telling the story and the fact that it was Greta, who made everything so specific to the degree that I could be playing a character who has to be antagonistic to some degree and yet has lines and a characterization that's so specific that you feel like he's a real human and not just a two-bit villain," he said. In describing Chalamet, Gerwig told GQ: "Imagine a young Christian Bale crossed with a young Daniel Day-Lewis, with a sprinkle of young Leonardo DiCaprio. Then raise them speaking French in Manhattan and give them a Mensa-level IQ and a love of hip-hop." ("I don't have a Mensa-level IQ," Chalamet smiled.)

Lady Bird also gave him the opportunity to work with his friend, and "neighbor of sorts," Lucas Hedges, a fellow actor known for playing complex, earnest young men. Having watched Hedges go through his own breakout year in 2016 with the release of Manchester By the Sea — in which the younger Hedges scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for a role that Chalamet also auditioned for — Chalamet's crazy year has only brought them closer.

"Lucas and I have a very specific and loving friendship ... We spent about five to six years walking into casting offices together, giving each other dirty looks," he said. "I was in the library at NYU last fall and I'd be YouTubing all of this stuff of his, all of the press interviews, and I guess he was already my friend at that point but nonetheless you kind of yearn for the opportunity yourself. And now it's not like I'm just watching my buddy do it anymore, so he's been someone that I've been reaching out to and leaning on."

But don't call them the next generation of Hollywood stars — yet. "It feels a little premature because Trump's the president, and who knows if any of us will be around."

       Learning to take control        

In talking to Chalamet, one thing becomes clear: He's still learning. Every role presents a new challenge, a new opportunity for growth. Chalamet's next film, Felix Van Groeningen's Beautiful Boy, finds the actor battling drug addiction opposite Steve Carell, who plays his father in the family drama. "The Broken Circle Breakdown is just so heartbreaking and perfect," he said of Van Groeningen's previous film, "that the idea of not working with him when the opportunity presents itself is crazy." Later this year he'll start filming The King, helmed by David Michôd for Netflix, in which he'll play a young Henry V.

While his approach to director readings has changed since the release of Call Me By Your Name — "I used to have meetings with directors where I'd embarrassingly pitch myself the entire time," he said — what  he's looking for in projects remains the same: "It's director first, story second, role third."

"As you get to 25 or 26 and you age up and age out as a guy, I have three or four years left to play these younger — whatever that means — roles, and yet I really don't feel any pressure now to rush," he said. "There's a world where maybe I don't do anything for a while."

He's also still learning to navigate the heavy feeling that sets in after you say goodbye to a character. For Chalamet, letting go of Elio and his emotional turmoil, as well as the brotherly rapport he built with co-star Armie Hammer during those three months they spent bicycling around Crema and listening to Frank Ocean off set, left him feeling a bit empty.

"I don't like that period where it's over. You get good at being honest on camera on the days you don't even want to," he said. "And then you've got to face yourself when the movie ends and put yourself back together as a human being. There's something especially weird, too, because I'm forming myself as a human still."

It's this level of vulnerability and depth that could easily make Chalamet the DiCaprio of his generation. Not that he's thinking like that. To Timmy and his friends, he's just a kid from New York who loves rap music and watching movies and has approximately zero chill at all times.

"This movie's getting a certain type of acclaim that I feel like at a young age is rare and that leaves me with a sense of pressure in my head that I have to come off with a British accent or be very serious or thespian-like," he said. "I went to LaGuardia. I'm passionate about The Master the way I'm passionate about The Night of the Hunter the way I'm passionate about Army of Shadows the way I'm passionate about Y Tu Mamá También.

"But that [kid who raps] is me, the way falling out of a chair at New York Film Festival is me, too."

Maybe he's not such a cynic after all.

(Article by MTVNews on February 27, 2018)

[anabsolutetrainwreck]

oh, honey || h. styles

warnings: mentions of sex, kissing

word count: 2.3k

summary: when harry is struck with writer’s block, you come to the rescue and inspire him to write a song, which later becomes known as ‘adore you’...

You’d be lying if you said you weren’t harbouring a crush on a man you’d known for about five years. And for four and half years of that, you found he was the only thing that seemed to occupy your mind. With any crush, it was fun at first. The thrill of being around him brought a new spark to your life. But then, gradually, it became tiresome; the constant butterflies and the overthinking every tiny action began to aggravate you.

You’d had a boyfriend since you met Harry. He loved you and you tried to love him. You knew it wasn’t fair on him, and you felt an ounce of extra guilt every day that relationship went on. You knew it was selfish to paint yourself a mirage of a perfect life with a man you knew you couldn’t love.

The relationship lasted eight months. It had never meant to last that long. At first, it was all fun and games - neither of you took things too seriously. A bit of harmless sex and late nights with red wine and David Attenborough documentaries. But then things took a turn, and he began talking of moving in together and meeting each other’s parents. Your parents would have loved him, you knew that. But what good was that when you didn’t love him?

Eventually, the two of you sat down and decided that maybe it was best if you went your separate ways. It was a mutual decision. And you both agreed that it was fun whilst it lasted. So, this relationship you’d gotten yourself into to get your mind off Harry had ended because you could never love this man the way he wanted you to.

It had been a rough eight months for you. Harry had been in somewhat of a mood with, well, everybody. Mitch concluded that he was probably just stressed with writing for the album and making sure everything was perfect for his debut solo album. But, though nobody necessarily picked up on it at the time, when you announced that you’d broken up with your boyfriend, Harry seemed to be in a much better mood ever since.

So, now, as you walked into the studio, you ran your hands along your jean-clad thighs. It was a desperate attempt to rid your palms of the sweat your nervousness had caused. Sarah had called you and asked if you were free to swing by the studio. She said something about needing a new mind to help Harry. Instantly, you agreed. You would always be there for Harry.

Sat on one of the couches was Harry Styles himself, his hand over his eyes. He was alone, his guitar beside him. A notebook of his lyrics was tossed aside, clearly neglected in tiredness or frustration. “Harry?” you called out, closing the door behind you.

He looked up quickly, startled by the sudden disturbance. “Y/N,” he smiled slightly, sitting up properly. “What are you doing here?”

“Thought you could use some help,” you shrugged, slipping out of your black puffer jacket. “And clearly you need it. Where is everyone?”

“Oh, they went to get some lunch at some place down the road,” he replied.

“And what about you? Aren’t you hungry? You need to eat, Harry.”

“I know. I will, I will. I’m just trying to finish this song, is all.”

You nodded slightly, sitting down in front of him on the coffee table. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were resting on top of dark bags. “Let me see,” you said, extending your hand.

Slowly, he placed the notebook into your hands. You stared down at the scribbled lyrics. Things were crossed out; things were circled; things were accompanied by little doodles. On the very top of the page, though, was the rushed title (above a few others, which had been crossed out): ADORE YOU. “I’m just gonna put it aside and come back to it,” he sighed. “Wanna get high? It always helps me write music.”

“No, Harry. I don’t want to get high with you. If you leave it, then you’ll never come back to it and nobody will ever get to hear it,” you replied.

“Except you. I want you to hear it,” he said quietly, so quiet, in fact, that you barely heard it.

He wasn’t looking at you, thankfully. At least he wouldn’t see the mix of nerves and excitement at what he’d just muttered. You shifted slightly, placing the notebook down beside you, “Well, then you’ll have to finish it, won’t you?”

Finally, he looked up at you. You felt tiny as his eyes explored your face, drinking in every last inch of your features. A small smile worked its way up onto his face, “I suppose I will.”

So, Harry began projecting his ideas onto you. He explained what the song was about and the kind of things he wanted to write. He sang the chorus to you, and you swore you melted right there and then. Hearing his voice fill the otherwise silent room you were in, with no other intent than to please you, filled your head with all sorts of fantasies. “It’s good, Harry. It’s really good,” you nodded, smiling sweetly at him.

“Obviously not good enough if I can’t think of anything other than the first verse and the chorus,” he groaned, raking his long fingers through his unruly hair.

In a moment of fleeting confidence, you reached out and squeezed Harry’s hand. He looked up at you, his green lagoons of eyes staring directly into your own. “Harry, stop. You’re doing yourself no good thinking like that. No songs start out as the greatest thing ever written; you have to put time and care and effort into them,” you said gently. “Let me help, Harry. I don’t want you to go through this alone.”

He nodded, squeezing your hand in return. He pulled out a pen and stared expectantly at you. You smiled - you were happy he was willing to let you help. “What did you have in mind?” he asked, eager to hear a new outlook on these lyrics he had grown sick of reading over and over again.

“Well,” you began, “it obviously has a sort of ethereal vibe to it. So, summer skies? Like, maybe something about ‘you under summer skies’?”

He nodded slowly, absorbing your suggestion. Until, suddenly, his eyes lit up. You knew the look. You’d seen it many a time before. It was the look he adopted whenever he’d been struck by the perfect slice of inspiration he needed to write an incredible piece of music. “You, Y/N, are a bloody genius! ‘Your wonder under summer skies’,” he grinned.

He scribbled the lyric down desperately. You couldn’t help but admire him as ideas escaped his brain and fell onto the paper before him. He finally looked back up at you, the page now littered with prompts and snippets of lyrics. “Thanks, Y/N. You’re a lifesaver,” he said.

You chuckled, “I didn’t do anything.”

“Well, you didn’t do anything for my other songs but they exist because of you,” he rushed out, clearly not comprehending his words. “Shit. Sorry, that- that didn’t mean to come out.”

You smirked. You had the power now, after four and a half years of falling in love with Harry Styles and making a massive fool of yourself in front of him. He’d slipped up and now you were in control. “Yeah? What songs did I unknowingly contribute to?” your confidence was rare, especially when it came to things like this, and yet here it was.

Unfortunately for you, Harry’s natural confidence matched your own. A playful grin swept up his features as he said, “Wouldn’t it be more fun for you to listen to the album and figure it out for yourself?”

“Or you could just tell me the titles?” you asked, your tone hopeful.

He hesitated for a moment, his confident smirk faltering for a split second. But, before you had time to say anything else, he said, “There’s this song called Sunflower, Vol. 6. I wrote that because your favourite flowers are sunflowers. And I wrote Cherry because I know you love cherries. And then there’s Golden, because that’s what you are, Y/N. And then there’s Watermelon Sugar because I know that In Watermelon Sugar is your favourite book. And now Adore You, because, I swear to God, Y/N, that’s all I want to do.”

He was rambling and you couldn’t help but smile. Whilst you’d spent your days rambling to your friends about how you were convinced you’d remain single forever if he didn’t happen to fall hopelessly in love with you, it appeared that he’d been writing down all the tiny details about you in his songs. Because it was true: sunflowers were your favourite flowers and cherries were your favourite fruit and In Watermelon Sugar was your favourite book.

He was staring at you now, his eyes searching your face for some sort of a hint on how you were feeling. When you said nothing, your lips parted slightly, he went on, “Hell, I wrote Cherry years ago. I wrote it when you were dating that guy... what was his name?”

“Ollie,” you replied quietly.

He knew what his name was. He never forgot. It had been two years but he’d never forgotten the eight months of hell where he had to watch you cuddle up to him and take him home after your group of friends had gone out for drinks. He didn’t know why he wanted to hear you say his name again. Some sadistic form of self-torture maybe, hearing another boy’s name on your lips. “Yeah, Ollie,” he played it off as if he really had forgotten your ex boyfriend’s name. “I wrote it when you were dating him. And I’ve been sitting on it for two years because I thought if I released it then you would know I’ve been in love with you for four years. But then I just thought ‘you know what, fuck it’, so I’m putting it on the album. And Anna, that was about you. But I’ll never officially release that one. Because I wrote it one night when I was alone and I couldn’t get you out of my head and I needed to tell somebody how I felt about you. Even if that was just a bit of paper. But then I played it to you, do you remember? And you loved it, so I swore to never release it because it felt like I’d confessed to you how I felt.”

As you listened to him ramble away about all of these songs he’d written about you and how much you clearly meant to him, you couldn’t help but smile. You’d dreamed of Harry confessing how much he, well, adored you. And you’d only ever thought it would be an occurrence in your fantastical dreams, and yet here he was, staring back at you, rambling on about how much he loved you. “Wait, Harry,” you spoke up, “isn’t ‘watermelon sugar’ something to do with oral sex?”

You chuckled as he flushed, “That’s besides the point.”

“And what is the point?”

“That I’m in love with you and, I pray to God, you’re in love with me back.”

Overwhelmed with joy, you couldn’t help but throw yourself at Harry. The feeling of his hands around your waist in a way that wasn’t just a slightly prolonged hug goodbye after a night out or a slightly overly flirtatious gesture of Harry’s felt electric. Harry’s hands on you in a way that was meant to be a moment of appreciation shared between two lovers was how it was always supposed to be.

After so long of knowing one another, falling for each other and sharing life changing moments, everything was finally slipping into place. You’d been there when One Direction first began their hiatus. You’d been there when he cut his hair off. You’d been there when he went to Jamaica to write his first solo album. You’d been there, albeit your eyes were shut most of the time, when he was dangling a thousand feet in the air for the Sign of the Times music video shoot. He’d been there when you finished university. He’d been there when you lost your mum. He’d been there when your sister had her first child. He’d been your date to your brother’s wedding. All of these things, and you couldn’t help but feel they mounted to this very moment.

You pulled your head back, admiring his face for a moment. Your arms were around his neck and everything just felt... right. His smile was bright and his eyes were full of nothing but loving joy. Without another moment’s hesitation, your lips were on his. You weren’t sure who leaned forward, but all you knew was that this was what you’d been waiting for for almost five years. And, now you were here, showing Harry how much you loved him, the wait seemed worth it. “We’ve got so much time to make up for,” he whispered.

“Good thing we’ve got all the time in the world then, isn’t it?”

He grinned, embracing your body. All he’d wanted to do for four years was to praise it. And now he finally had the chance to. That was until the two of you heard a voice behind you, “We only left for lunch!”

[taminoarticles]

— Tamino for De Standaard, 17 & 18 September 2022 (x) (Original Dutch Text)

“Fame is dangerous if you’re going to look for your self-worth in it”

When Tamino's second album Sahar comes out on Friday, he will be on tour in the United States. Ticket sales are going well, and also in Europe many venues are gradually becoming too small for the Antwerper. "I briefly enjoyed the illusion that I was living a normal life."

By Inge Schelstraete Photos Aleksei Benuchi Saturday September 17, 2022 at 3.25 am

Sahar is the moment just before dawn, but we meet in a sunny café garden. Birds are chirping on the interview tape; the moment carries as much promise as the dawn, and Tamino (25) is zen. “The weather is nice, I've had a good summer, I'm looking forward to the album that’s coming out and I’m standing with a more assured heart in the buzz that’s about to come in comparison with last time."

More assured than before your debut? You were the pinnacle of self confidence back then. "It just seemed that way. I never cared much about what others expected of me. In elementary school I had super long hair for which I was laughed at every day. It did hurt, probably, but not enough to cut it. In that way, I wasn't worried about the first record, but the buzz around it did overwhelm me."

Wasn't Pukkelpop a boost? The Marquee was in ecstasy, you on the other hand looked more surprised than triumphant. "It had been three years since we performed in Belgium. The response from the public was overwhelming. Partially it was also the collective gratitude that it was possible again; listening to music, together, with a lot of people. We had played one concert before that, in Istanbul. It didn't go as smoothly as it did a few years ago, but we knew that beforehand. But it was a fantastic audience and it was nice to feel that connection with them."

When the record comes out, Tamino will be back in North America, with fifteen solo performances in Canada and in the US. "It’s lovely! I'm happy to be able to celebrate the release by performing. I'm going to embrace that. It's very exciting: it's a dream to go there. I wasn't the kind of kid who dreamed of America, although a lot of things I thought were pretty or cool came from there. And the shows are going great as well, some are already sold out."

"Also, in Europe we notice that in some cities we have to start thinking about larger venues. The European shows sold out really fast; it’s time to start thinking bigger."

Belgians tend to think too small rather than too big. We don't go further than our wallet allows us to but we often miss the momentum because of that. "It's funny, I'm surrounded by Western Flemish: PJ (Maertens), one of our producers, Ruben (Vanhoutte) the drummer and Floris our monitor man. I notice that, with them, this is often not the case. They’re really hard workers and not easily satisfied. I already noticed that with Filip Tanghe, Balthazar's sound engineer. He helped us a lot at the beginning of our career. It could always be better."

You also see that with Stromae: don't settle for 'good enough'. "The Belgian music scene is doing very well for that matter. Everyone appreciates quality and also invests in that. This should be self-evident, but even big international bands sometimes come here without a sound or light engineer. They even tour without a sound table. Can you believe that? In my opinion, you notice that quality difference on festivals where Belgian bands perform between international bands. They’re just… better. Bands that play a lot at festivals, like Oscar and the Wolf or Bazart, definitely have that mentality of 'it's allowed to be a bit extra.'"

Angèle His biggest fan was on stage at Pukkelpop: Colin Greenwood, also Radiohead's bassist, encouraged the audience to applaud longer. The two have mutual friends in Antwerp; when they came, in group, to his performance at the Rivierenhof, Tamino and Greenwood became acquainted. Shortly after, the bassist started performing with him. Is he a permanent member of Tamino's band now?

"We've never had another bass player, so I'd say he is. He played on the first record, on seven out of ten songs on Sahar and has toured with us a lot. I don't know if he will be able to tour with us this fall though: Nick Cave has asked him for his own tour. It’s not a sure thing yet but Cave's bassist is ill. It will depend on his health whether Colin will tour with us, but we’ve already arranged a replacement for the fall."

That must have been difficult? "(laughs) To be honest, I thought it was really cool. Our bassist, who is already the bassist from Radiohead, will play with Nick Cave; it’s an okay reference. I'm already very honored by everything we've been able to do together."

Angèle sings with you on 'Sunflower', how did that collaboration come about? "She invited me a year ago to get to know each other and to write something together. I went home with a very good feeling back then. "Sunflower" is inspired by a Greek myth about a nymph who falls in love with the sun God Helios and turns into a sunflower by constantly looking up at him longingly. I made up an extra character: an ordinary boy who is in love with her and starts taking care of her. I thought there was something tragicomic about that: they both want something that they can't reach and the better he takes care of her, the more she grows away from him. Someone had to embody that flower and I thought of her because I knew our voices sounded beautiful together. I'm also comfortable with her, which is important when you place another voice on your song."

"I'm an overthinker. That even worsens on tour: it is one chain of plain days with extreme peaks in the evening. You create a certain pattern that you feel in your body and of which I don't know if it's very healthy"

But in your first group you were a 'little dictator' who even wrote down the drum and bass lines. How much do you direct someone who has to sing? "That wasn't necessary at all with her. She has an immensely crazy lyrics-empathy. As soon as she puts on her headphones, she's totally in the zone. For me, it takes longer. Especially in a clinical setting, like a studio. She also works hard: she came back from New York, where she had performed on Madison Square Garden with Dua Lipa. She was jet lagged, but she immediately made time to get to the studio. In a few hours, she tinned it and went to sleep. People underestimate pop stars sometimes because they have the feeling that pop hits are being forced on them and that they haven't discovered those themselves. But there's a reason why Angèle is where she is."

Grieving an idol In 2018 and 2019, Tamino was omnipresent, but with the lockdowns, he disappeared from sight. His last performance was in the Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles: a fake-Egyptian temple on Hollywood Forever; the graveyard where Fay Wray, the gangster Bugsy Siegel as well as surf-guitarist Dick Dale are buried. “A very nice place. We had two sold out shows there. We were able to do the first one, but the venue was half empty because so many people were scared. That's the moment we knew; it's over."

He returned to Antwerp. "At first, I relaxed. I enjoyed being at home and enjoyed the illusion that I was living a normal life. I've read a lot: it keeps me healthy, especially on tour. I can really escape in a book. What else… certainly not cooking, but I can make a top 10 of the best takeaway restaurants in Antwerp. And I got my driver's license. Passed on the first try!"

And you learned to play the oud, the eleven-stringed Arabic lute. Did that mean playing until your fingers bled?" "An oud has nylon strings and they are a little nicer for your fingers than guitar strings. But several hours a day. I took lessons, because an oud requires a lot of technique. I felt respect and the need to learn it the right way. It is a hierarchical world; oud masters are highly regarded. But it's never been my ambition to become a virtuoso on any instrument."

Would you have found the time for it without the pandemic? "I think I would’ve enforced that time. I was very happy that I was allowed to go home. (laughs) It was time to gain other impressions. It was a really bizarre switch: from performing every day, to sitting at home and doing absolutely nothing at all. But the drive came back naturally. After two or three weeks, I started to feel like making things again and songs came. A lot of songs."

Was a rediscovery of the ordinary life also a part of that? In 'Fascination' you say to someone: 'I always needed bigger words.' Do you think you live too much inside your head? "Definitely. I’m an overthinker, and a little too indifferent towards the little things in life. This worsens if you are in an extreme situation, like a tour: it's one chain of plain days with extreme peaks in the evening. You create a certain pattern that you feel in your body. I don't know if that pattern is very healthy."

You don't like that people think that all songs are about yourself. "When you write a song, you hope that people can place something in it that’s important in their lives. I too like having some background info on songs though. For example: I read Leonard Cohen's biography last year. But you can't dissect songs from needle to thread. Sometimes that background information is also disappointing. Kahlil Gibran, the author of The Prophet, has always been a great inspiration. He was an idol of mine in my teenage years. But as I get older, I find it more difficult to have idols. You realize that everyone has their flaws. About Gibran; I now know that he felt a constant battle: people saw him as the prophet from his book and he didn't want that, but he did have divatraits and a messiah complex. He also had a drinking problem and didn't treat people all too well."

MeToo has also made it clear that there are no heroes: when an idol falls from their pedestal, there are often feelings of grief because the illusion is shattered. "I'm totally following that. I still admire Gibran's work just as much as I used to. Maybe even more, because I now know that he couldn't be the person he described either. In my opinion, you have to distinguish the artist from the human, to a certain level. Dehumanizing people who have done wrong doesn't solve anything. Forgiveness is also one of our most beautiful traits as human beings, in my opinion. Which we’re collectively abhorring."

Is 'The First Disciple' also about Gibran? "It's about fame, amongst other things, yes. We used a picture of myself as a kid for the song, a lot of people think that it's about me because of that, but I'm just as much looking at my idols from back in the day, because I now know more about fame. Fame is dangerous if you're going to look for your self-worth in it, and I think a lot of famous people do that at some point. It's also about the scission when you realize that how people see you is very different from how you see yourself."

The record talks a few times about believing and trusting, not in a religious sense. As most beautiful sentence: “There's common sense in being a heathen” in 'Only our love'. "(laughs) A 'heathen' on there is indeed not a non-believer in a religious sense, and if I say 'god', I don't see an anthropomorphic god. I think that's a very outdated idea. But you can believe in the good of humanity. Bringing a child into the world is an act of faith to me. It's a huge act of trusting the people around you; an act of faith. And as beautiful as I think that faith is, I struggle with it. I tend to be more distrustful. That's that anecdote from "A drop of blood" where kids bully me. If the first contact with people outside of your family is disappointing, it puts a dent in your confidence."

“That thought often returns, because I really want to believe in people. The "you" in that song is my optimistic self I'm singing to: "Show yourself again." I liked that about ‘Human Kind: A Hopeful Story’ by Rutger Bregman (‘De Meeste Mensen Deugen’ in Dutch, almost literally translates to ‘Most People Are Good’). You can probably find scientific arguments that contradict Bregman, but you notice from the success of his book that a lot of people want to believe that. That alone makes you look at life differently already."

Sahar appears on Friday 23/9. You can read the review in the Wednesday newspaper.