#source: carly rae jepsen told me so

[suddenrundown]

crowley would be a carly rae jepsen girl (gender neutral) if the bentley let him be

[inimitablereel]

2023 Fic+Vid recs

A variety of things I liked this year, made this year. Once again, this got long, so fic recs and fandom-specific recs for dmbj are below the cut. But first a few miscellaneous vids

[vid] Cockroach Motherfuckers by eruthros, thingswithwings multifandom Immortal queer characters multi-vid! This is exactly as much fun and hopeful as it sounds. I've seen maybe 2 of the sources so you know, you don't have to have seen them all.

(We) Didn't Just Come Here to Dance [Fanvid] by FairestCat fandom: Newsies I haven't actually seen newsies, but I really liked this vid. Taking the (very dramatic) musical theater dancing and putting it to a Carly Rae Jepsen song works SUPER well, visually very fun time. Also, unions!

[Vid] Oceanographer's Choice by absternr fandom: Heroes (cdrama 2022) Bai Choufei, Su Mengzhen, and Lei Chun's fucked up relationship(s)/falling apart bad times. This vid is deeply upsetting, just a real exploration of sometimes caring a lot about each other makes everything worse. For maximum sad times, this goes well with absternr's other heroes vid, hey, I just met you, which is the meet-cutes that led to this whole mess.

[AMV] The Draw by Lovely Goblin fandom: Revolutionary Girl Utena Black Rose Arc! I've watched this vid so many times really good weird and creepy black rose arc vibes really good parallels between all the different duelists

Also blanket rec that if you've seen Everything Everywhere All at Once, consider looking for vids for it. There's a bunch on ao3 (which can be easier to navigate than youtube, though there are definitely more total vids on youtube) and they're pretty much all spectacular? I was going to include one or two in this rec post and couldn't decide

The wild phonemes of 40 Eridani Keid by astronicht Fandom: Star Trek (aos/tos mashup canon) relationship: Spirk ~10k words rated E You know if you'd told me a year ago I'd be reccing a spirk fic in 2023 I would have been a bit surprised. This is not particularly my fandom wheelhouse. But you know, they're always good, and this fic is really great. This is almost an episode-fic except that nothing really happens plot-wise. But instead of a plot we get a lot of musing about geology and diplomacy and clever references to current events as history in that very trek kind of way and Spock being bitchy just for fun.

fuori dal mondo by bladedweaponsandswishycoats fandom: Qi Ye relationship: Beiyuan/Wu Xi, Beiyuan/Zhou Zishu (more plot than ship focused) ~60k words rated E This is a retelling of Qi Ye except Beiyuan is... some kind of eldritch horror, part-time. It pretty much goes beat for beat through canon (which I appreciate, I loved that book and do not like any of the current tls enough to reread) but with the added layer of whatever is going on with this eldritch thing, which is very cool and tied into canon so don't let me spoil it for you.

We're Leaving Our Shadows Behind Us by lady_ragnell fandom: Tortall - Protector of the Small relationship: Kel/Neal/Yuki ~70k words rated T Canon retelling of Squire and Lady Knight but from Neal's POV. This fic really digs into Neal as a character and the details of the worldbuilding of Tortall, especially the chamber of the ordeal. Also somewhere along the way it sold me on this ship, which I wasn't exactly rooting for when I read the books the first time.

The Untamed/MDZS

a harmony between qin and se by Alaceron relationship: Wangxian ~60k words rated E This is a gender-bent (to make it a het romance) no magic historical drama au where Wei Wuxian is a woman who's arranged to marry Lan Wangji. Honestly this is pretty far from the untamed, especially in terms of themes, though some plot elements will be familiar, but mostly it's just a really great compellingly written historical drama, that happens to have main characters with some familiar characteristics.

Like a Game of Chess by countingcr0ws relationship: Wangxian ~40k words rated T Modern au: influencer Wei Wuxian runs into Lan Wangji on a trip to Taiwan and they travel around together. I love all the little details of their trip - it's like getting to see a new place without going anywhere. Also sometimes I forget that wangxian are very cute? They're a good ship brant

The Epic Highs and Lows of High School Zine Production by el_em_en_oh_pee relationship: Jin Ling & Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling & the mdzs juniors ~7k words rated G Modern au: High schooler Jin Ling has big feelings about a lot of things, including zines, gender, and family. One of those juniors-centric fics that makes me say oh they are Teens huh.

DMBJ

A Little Hole in the Wall by MountainRose gen, Liu Sang centric ~8k words rated G Honestly I would rec this fic even to people who know nothing about tomb shows. One thing that really draws me to a book is descriptions of food (I have read multiple food memoirs this year), and this restaurant au has AMAZING food (and food prep) in it. Not too plotty, mostly just descriptions of delicious things and characterization via cooking.

green with an attitude by ilgaksu relationship: heihua ~8k words rated T If you are in the English language dmbj fandom and you care at all about heihua you probably have already checked out ilgaksu's fic, which has basically defined heihua for the English language fandom. My favorite heihua moments are when other people show up and give you that foil to realize how weird they are, and this fic has that both via Xiuxiu and Wu Xie. Also, a fic about dancing!

making anything last, keeping anything safe by A (mumblemutter) relationship: Wu Xie/Xiao Bai (background pingxie) ~8k words rated M Post canon Xiao Bai takes Wu Xie to explore a tomb that should be perfectly safe... (They set off a sex pollen trap.) I don't particularly ship this, but this fic was extremely well done and kind of sold me on the ship. Fun tomb, really fun characterization for everyone involved.

A World Made Over, Fresh and New by Thimblerig gen, iron triangle, Wu Xie & Li Cu ~1k words rated G If you've ever gotten specific dmbj fic recs from me, it's probably included something by Thimblerig, they're amazing at pulling in very specific canon snippets in under 5k words and I'd generally recommend going through their work by tags if you're looking for fic with underloved side characters or fic set during a part of canon that isn't UN or post-canon, which are generally easier to find. That said, this particular fic is in fact the fandom staple of post-reboot let's go look at a tomb and pulling in a big ensemble cast including some reboot folks. But it's a staple because it's a good vibe, and this is a really well done sliver of friendship and relationship building and perhaps even a tomb trap?

[Vid] Still Into You by absternr iron triangle ot3 This vid is a bop! Multi-tomb show iron triangle being in love, through the years! I've got this bookmark tagged as "joyful"

[vid] When He Died by teyla Wu Sanxing-centric This vid really leans into the weird tomb nonsense and conspiracies and builds to something quite odd, meant in the best possible way. A concentrated version of what tomb shows want to be at their best, from a horror/strange spooky things perspective. Mind the tags.

[Vid] Before I Do by absternr Xiuxiu character study A vid all about Xiuxiu being a badass - she's so clever and cunning and she will figure out and surpass her family history.

[taylizmasterpost]

Jake Gyllenhaal and Jealous Liz (October 2010 - February 2011)

Now, there’s a lot to say about Jake and Taylor. The time they got together was a time when he was promoting his movie, Love and Other Drugs, and she was about to drop Speak Now. So at first glance, it look a lot like a traditional PR stunt. However, they do not have a first public meeting -- something that Taylor has with a lot of her other PR relationships (think Calvin at the Fund Fair or Harry at the KCAs), and seemed generally more camera shy. 

Jake’s costar in Love and Other Drugs, Anne Hathaway, was also single at the time, and arguably a PR relationship between the two of them would’ve drummed up significantly more buzz for the film, so stunting with Taylor seems an odd choice.

Jake also reportedly annoyed Taylor with how much he wanted to hide from the press, which is interesting. I’m not totally certain if they were real or not, but I’ll put all of their stuff in here, because it’s interesting to note Liz’s reaction to all of it, despite her relationship:

23 October 2010 - Emma Stone hosts SNL. Both Taylor and Jake G show up to support her, supposedly they’ve already started dating at this point and this was their first public appearance together.

"They walked around together backstage, but they were careful not to be seen too close. It was hard to tell if they were together, but everyone was shocked that she brought him," a source told People magazine.

Notice the lack of public meeting. Strange that they just showed up together dating. 

24 October 2010 - Liz tweets about listening to Never Grow Up

October 2010 - Taylor writes All Too Well, the first of the three “Nashville songs” -- All Too Well, State of Grace, Stay Stay Stay-- that were written for the Red album before she moved to LA, based on the fact that she said she started writing for Red slightly before Speak Now was released.

We also know All Too Well has to have been written in 2010 because what the copyright record for it says:

Now, it seems to me that this is too soon to be about Jake. It’s obviously a breakup song, and Taylor and Jake have only just started dating (unless they had a secret dating history we don’t know about). It would be weird for her to be writing all this about him while they’re still dating.

All Too Well could be about any of the three women I’ve spoken previously about in this masterpost. However, I’m going to try to make the case that this song is for Liz:

All Too Well is Liz’s favorite song from Red. She has said so on multiple occasions. Years later, when she came to watch Taylor’s Reputation tour in Glendale, Taylor even played it for her as the surprise song. Sure, it could just be that Liz is just a fan, but the song fits where we are in the timeline. Liz has moved on with someone else. Taylor is trying to get over it, but she can’t help but think back to the past she remembers “all too well.”

If the song is about a woman, lines like “back before you lost the one real thing you’ve ever known” reads to me as Taylor making a (possibly unfounded) dig at closeting. All Too Well also carries the bad driving metaphor with “almost ran the red,” which runs throughout a lot of the other Liz songs on Red, and which Liz will later reference herself in her own music. The lines in the bridge about “asking for too much” and “running scared,” remind me of Taylor insisting she was single during Valentine’s Day, despite spending it with Liz, only to turn around and miss her once Liz got a boyfriend. Lines about loss of innocence are also interesting, when we think about that L Chat post about Liz from earlier...

Of course, obviously, you can think this song is about whoever you want. If you wanna claim it for JH or Joe Jonas or Taylor Lautner or maybe even some girl Taylor went to high school with, be my guest. I personally don’t buy it being about Emily in a post-Dear John world, and the timeline doesn’t read as Jake to me, so I’m giving it to Liz!

25 October 2010 - Speak Now is released. In the album’s prologue, she specifies that the song “Long Live” is for her band, which is interesting to me, considering that the bridge of the song sounds like it might be about a relationship, and the secret message of the song is “For you,” which sounds oddly specific:

Will you take a moment? Promise me this That you’ll stand by me forever But, if God forbid, fate should step in And force us into a goodbye If you have children someday When they point to the pictures, Please tell ‘em my name

The secret message for Mine is “Toby,” which is the name of the actor who played her love interest during the song, making it make no sense for the song to be about him (and, in my eyes, making it more likely she was trying to cover up who the song was really for). We’ve already discussed Story of Us having “CMT Awards” and Back to December having “Tay,” so I won’t beat you over the head with those.

Unlike the original handwritten lyrics to Sparks Fly, which featured the lyric “Get me with those brown eyes, baby,” the version that Taylor put on the Speak Now album had the lyric “hit me with those green eyes, baby,” with the eye color presumably being changed because Liz has green eyes:

The secret message for Sparks Fly is “Portland, Oregon,” which is where Taylor and The Agency covered Tom Petty’s song American Girl in May 2009 during the height of early TayLiz. 

26 October 2010 - Taylor and Jake are spotted together in Brooklyn getting lunch with Emma Stone:

Liz does a sound check for Taylor for the Today Show. A video later gets posted on YouTube and someone leaves this comment noting Taylor and Liz’s chemistry:

31 October 2010 - Taylor and Jake are spotted in Big Sur together and stay at California’s Post Inn Ranch. 

Liz spends Halloween with her boyfriend:

1 November 2010 - Taylor’s appearance on Ellen airs. Ellen asks her about Jake. Taylor says “I’m always optimistic about love. Yes, always, sometimes.”

2 November 2010 - Taylor and Jake are spotted in Santa Barbara together. They get ice cream, interact with fans, and Taylor reportedly laughs at everything Jake says.

16 November 2010 -  Jake attends the Love and Other Drugs premiere alone. This is interesting to me, considering if this was a PR relationship you would’ve thought he’d bring Taylor as his date. Still, Paula made some weird decisions in her time as Taylor’s publicist (like putting her with a carousel of 18 year olds), so this could just be Paula thinking that Taylor showing up at the premiere with him would be too obviously read as a stunt. Doesn’t rule it either way. Still, I think Anne would’ve been a better choice for PR for this.

Mid November - Perez Hilton alleges that Jake has picked up Taylor on his private jet to fly her to London because she was “feeling lonely.” Jake was in London promoting Love and Other Drugs so this seems very stunty to me personally.

22 November 2010 - Taylor attends the American Music Awards and wins Favorite Female Country Artist.

Liz tweets congratulations at her and seems generally excited.

24 November 2010 - Love and Other Drugs is officially released in theaters.

25 November 2010 - Taylor and Jake spend Thanksgiving in Brooklyn with Jake’s family.

26 November 2010 - Liz seems to have spent Thanksgiving with Jason:

27 November 2010 - Taylor and Jake are spotted in a coffee house in Nashville:

And, maybe in response, Liz makes this weird and vaguely jealous Tweet:

Now, I don’t know what this means. Maybe the “you” refers to Liz and she’s having what Carly Rae Jepsen would call “boy problems” -- feeling torn and overburdened between a best friend and boyfriend:

Or, perhaps, the “you” in this Tweet refers to Taylor, and Liz is trying to say that Jake is “using her up,” maybe meaning taking up her time. Or maybe Liz wasn’t referring to any of this. We can’t really know. Still, it’s interesting.

29 November 2010 - TayLiz hang out and Liz tweets about it. Perhaps to make up for the lack of time spent together since they both got boyfriends.

30 November 2010 - Taylor and Jake have coffee in Nashville:

1 December 2010 - Taylor writes a MySpace post about the CMTs.

Liz tweets about watching Glee, meaning she’s the one who got Taylor hooked on the show and therefore interested in Dianna. Hilarious.

2 December 2010 - Taylor calls Love and Other Drugs a “good movie” when asked about it, and won’t say anything more. She also adamantly refuses to talk about her personal life (This gives me 2018/19 Joe vibes, whatever that means).

3 December 2010 - Liz tweets that her favorite song on Speak Now is Last Kiss. She also tweets at Jason about his cooking:

5 December 2010 - Jake is asked about Taylor and says this:

“One of the greatest parts about being in a relationship is the intimacy you share, but it can be difficult if you’re being watched the whole time.”

This reminds me so much of what Taylor’s currently saying about Joe. Interesting, looking back on it.

7 December 2010 - Jake and Taylor do the “maple latte” pap walk stunt in Brooklyn with Maggie and her daughter. This is the only series of photos of them that I think was a set-up, but that means it’s pretty gross this is the one they chose to bring a child into:

I think the reason this was so obviously a pap walk was to get the “maple latte” in the shot. I’ve already speculated that Taylor had written All Too Well prior to her relationship with Jake, and this stunty pap walk would make sense if she needed to use him to cover for it.

8 December 2010 - Liz makes another weird vague possibly jealous tweet:

Now, in the context of Mine possibly being about Liz and Taylor saying that song is about her “tendency to run from love,” it’s possible Liz is shading Taylor’s pap walk with Jake the previous day. This tweet feels very “back before you lost the one real thing you’ve ever known.”

However, maybe she’s just really happy with Jason. I don’t know. I don’t know these people.

9 December 2010 - Taylor and Jake drive around LA, Jake yells at the paps.

Compare these to those photos with Taylor Lautner earlier in the timeline. These are not nearly as staged. Take away from that whatever you will.

13 December 2010 - Taylor turns 21. Liz and Caitlin bring her a pizza. Liz tweets at Taylor that she’s changed her life. This is supposedly the birthday that Jake didn’t show up to that The Moment I Knew is about. Liz and Caitlin bringing her pizza if she’s sad about it would make sense...

31 December 2010 - Taylor and Liz spotted together in Nashville. They get Pei Wei and JustJared calls Liz a “gal pal.” Taylor seems upset, possibly about her whole Jake birthday thing. Or possibly something else.

Liz tweets about going for a run and listening to Speak Now:

5 January 2011 - Taylor and Jake break up.

19 January 2011 - Taylor and Jake are spotted together by fans in Nashville, first at a coffee shop and then at dinner. Jake did not have any other business in Nashville, so it can be assumed he came there to talk to Taylor:

CONCLUSION: Were Taylor and Jake real? I don’t know. They really only ever did that one pap walk and didn’t seem to publicly promote each other’s work, as far as I could find, despite both releasing projects while together. The one pap walk they did seems to maybe have been to cover for All Too Well, which had possibly already been written (likely about Liz) before Jake and Taylor started dating.

Were those tweets from Liz jealousy? Or am I reading too much into it?

Either way, Taylor’s had her fun, and now it’s time to maybe start thinking about getting back together with Liz. There’s just one problem: her boyfriend.

The Speak Now Tour Begins (February 2011 - May 2011)

[fabianucfphotos-blog]

Artist Presentation: Petra Collins

Biography

- Canadian artist. Photographer, model, curator, editor, director.

- got big during the 2010′s

- Instagram taking down post, she made a article for huff post about it. 

- first solo show “Discharge” series spanning ages 15-21. 2008-2014. more authentic view on girlhood and womanhood.

- Worked with Gucci, Adidas, Calvin Klien etc.  

- Directed music videos for Selena Gomez, Cardi B, Carlie Rae Jepsen, Lil Yachty

Inspiration for her work

- Feminine

- Female gaze approach

- Being able to create images for young women from her own perspective as a young woman herself.  

- There is a comment she made once about how when she was younger seeing images of young women made by old men so she can’t see her stories be told by anyone but herself which is really empowering and relatable.  

- Her series “24 Hour Psycho” is a series of images with women in moments of emotional distress. Influence of this series comes from her own personal struggles with mental health and seeing her mother struggle with it as well. Bipolar and body dysmorphia.

- She also makes it a point in interviews or in anything to remind people how even though she gets to do cool and fun work she still hates herself and struggles and wants to make that point clear.

Interesting facts about herself

- She was good friends with Selena Gomez for a while. Selena was a big fan of her work and eventually reached out to her to work on some of her music videos.  

- She was in 4 episodes of a amazon show called “Transparent” as a supporting role.  

Why I chose artist

- I was initially interested in her because I like her use of color gels in some of her photographs.  

- In her “24 Hour Psycho” series some of the photos were particularly moving and relatable to me.  

- I think that was the biggest selling point for me too is in a nutshell she is super relatable.  

- She talks a lot about her own mental health and struggles with being in front of a camera.

- Learning more about her I found a comment she made about her mother being bi-polar and it never being diagnosed and just pushed it off as “just being a woman” or “just being weak” and how she experienced similar experiences and felt her great pain was just a “dramatization”.  

That story for me really resonated with me and my own mental health issues growing up with depression in a world where it was always expected of me to “toughen up” and “be a man” and just sort of bottling up all of my own emotions and issues and sort of blame myself for being a baby all the time.  

The more I learned about Petra Collins as a person and an artist it made me like her own work more even if her work wasn’t was made for someone like me in mind. It speaks for how vast of audience her art could reach.  

“24 Hour Psycho”

- A series of photos addressing the idea of women being “emotional” and due to that being more “inferior” and something to be managed.  And comes with the approach of appropriating that idea by celebrating the emotion of women with powerful imagery of women in a moment of distress. 

Sources:

- http://sfaq.us/exhibition/petra-collins-april-2nd-may-7th/

- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a19442969/petra-collins-who-is-facts-selena-gomez/

- https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/evq854/the-petra-collins-starter-pack

-  http://www.petracollins.com/

[acsversace-news]

During the second episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, whose nine-episode run ended last night, came a moment so warm and simple that it felt like an embrace. As Versace (played by Édgar Ramírez) sketched at his desk, his boyfriend Antonio D’Amico (Ricky Martin) tussled on their nearby bed with some guy so hot he didn’t even need the camera’s focus for that to be felt. Antonio got out of bed and asked Versace to join them. Versace said would. “Go play,” he told Antonio. He glanced over at them, and as the camera pulled in for a close-up, his eyes softened and his mouth began to spread into a mild grin. There was no tension, no apparent jealousy or irritation; what was palpable is what those in the polyamorous community might call “compersion,” a sort of anti-jealousy or the pleasure derived from your partner’s pleasure, specifically when the source of that pleasure is someone other than you.

At that moment, I realized this show wasn’t so concerned with spending much time explaining its finer points to its heteronormative viewers—if you didn’t get what was going on there, the levels of joy that open relationships yield at their healthiest/most consensual, that scene was likely lost on you.

It was so refreshing to see a show speak to queer people—namely, gay men and the people who understand them—so directly, so boldly. Even though Versace was built to look back (and then, via its reverse-chronological structure, back and then back some more), I can’t imagine this show being possible before right now. It takes years to build up this kind of confidence.

The story that show runner Ryan Murphy and writer Tom Rob Smith chose to tell—about serial killer Andrew Cunanan’s murder spree in 1997 that culminated with the titular assassination—turned out to be a goldmine of issues that have faced gay men in the past 20 years, many of them still relevant today. HIV. Coming out. Being outed. Don’t ask don’t tell. Homophobia. Casual homophobia from fellow gay men. Aggressive homophobia from fellow gay men. Racism (specifically anti-Asian). Religion. Gay panic. Suicide. The way you put your life in someone’s hands when you make yourself so vulnerable as to hook up with a stranger in a private setting.

The Show had a sneering, almost punk attitude toward straights, the oblivious brand of whom were often symbolized by cops.

There were appearances from beloved actors Judith Light and Cathy Moriarty (I hesitate to call them gay “icons” but surely to some, they are). There was the knowing thrill of getting to see Ricky Martin play gay in a fictionalized 1997, back when he himself was in the closet (where he remained there for 13 more years). There were not one but two songs by Laura Branigan (in terms of commercial impact versus ardent gay following, Branigan was approximately the Carly Rae Jepsen of her day) featured: “Gloria” and “Self Control.” Ditto that for Lisa Stansfield (less of a gay touchstone than Branigan but no less great): “All Around the World” and “This Is the Right Time.” In fact, if Versace were nothing but its soundtrack, it would have made me feel more seen that most shows—so many of its songs feature on the all-time best-of playlist on my iPhone, obvious choices (Soul II Soul’s “Back to Life,” Ralph Tresvant’s “Sensitivity”) and deep cuts (Deee-Lite’s “Runaway”), alike.

More than any show I’ve ever seen, Versace had a sneering, almost punk attitude toward straights, the oblivious brand of whom were often symbolized by cops. We saw multiple minds blown, grasps on human interaction go limp, as police investigated Cunanan’s murder spree of four gay men: Versace, David Madson (Cody Fern), Jeff Trail (Finn Wittrock), and Lee Miglin (Mike Farrell). (Cunanan’s fifth victim, William Reese, was believed to be straight, and certainly not targeted for his sexuality.) After D’Amico’s incredulity after a cop inquired as to whether he was paid by Versace for sex or to be his partner, the cop excused himself: “Sorry—this is new to me.” At Trail’s murder scene, one cop spotted a porn DVD left by Cunanan to out him and announced to his partner, “Power Bottoms?”

“The hell is this?” asked the partner, surveying the rest of the toys on the bed, like a bottle of poppers, a ball gag, some duct tape. “It’s a gay thing,” said the first. “So what are we talking about?” “Guy turns up. Maybe they know each other, probably they don’t. They do what they do. All this... extreme stuff. It goes wrong. David ends up in a rug. The other guy runs. Doesn’t steal a thing.”

The show also rather deliberately illustrated that the problem with Versace and D’Amico’s purported open relationship wasn’t in their practice, but judgement from outsiders—symbolized here through Penelope Cruz’s portrayal of Versace’s sister Donatella. She berated D’Amico: “He wasn’t enough for you. This house, this life. You wanted more. More fun, more men.” At least the TV Donatella did—much of the dialogue in the series was speculative, filling in holes where interactions weren’t documented, or perhaps didn’t exist at all.

But Versace’s greatest cultural contribution was the way it contrasted the wide range of interpersonal issues amongst gay men. A masterclass in experiential diversity that could make The Boys in the Band read like one long monologue, Versace contrasted with rigor. It contrasted between Versace’s interview with The Advocate in which he openly and proudly discussed being gay in public, and Trail’s Dateline interview in which he talked about being gay in the military while shrouded in anonymity-preserving shadows. It contrasted between Versace’s sister attempting to dissuade him when he told her about the aforementioned interview, and Trail’s sister encouraging him to come out to his family. It contrasted between the lie Miglin lived as a closeted man married to a woman, and the lies Cunanan lived, which changed at any given moment to suit whoever was listening. It contrasted between the way Versace’s mother instilled in him the value of hard work, and the entitlement Cunanan’s father instilled in him by proclaiming his son innately special.

Versace devoted much of its time to meditating on an issue rarely examined in the mainstream: gay-on-gay crime. Cunanan (played by Darren Criss), who strove to be someone, exhibited tenants of the best little boy in the world theory, but to a murderous extreme. He was, in fact, the worst best little boy in the world, who apparently internalized his father’s idea of exceptionality to the extent that he coveted Versace’s status as a gay man whose power superseded his sexuality, where public acceptance was concerned.

“I think the pathology of Andrew is that he is, without question, the most homophobic character in this story, even though he’s gay,” Smith told Vulture. Like a closeted politician who votes against his people, Cunanan would, per Versace’s retelling, weaponize the vulnerabilities he detected by talking to gay men and being a gay man himself. Norman Blachford, who was 58 in 1994 when he began seeing and then supporting Cunanan, is depicted on the show as having said, “I’ve been living with this my whole life: We fall sick it’s our fault. We’re murdered it’s our fault.” “You can rob us, you can beat us, you can kill us. You’ll get away with it,” responded the show’s Cunanan, projecting empathy while the darkest of lightbulbs went off in his head.

“I want you to know that when they find your body, you will be wearing ladies’ panties,” he told Miglin before killing him. “Surrounded by gay porn. I want the world to see that the great Lee Miglin is a sissy. Soon the whole world will know that the great Lee Miglin, who built Chicago, built it with a limp wrist. The cops will know, the press will know, your wife will know, your children will know, the neighbors will know. Tell me something, Lee: What terrifies you more, death or being disgraced?” An episode later, a step back in time, had Madson admitting he was scared to get into the car with Cunanan after Trail’s murder. He wondered if he was afraid that Cunanan was going to kill him, which he actually did, “or was I afraid of the disgrace? The shame of it all? Is that what I’m running from?” The show, based mostly on Maureen Orth’s book Vulgar Favors, argued that Cunanan exploited the sort of in-group conversations between gay men that typically foster bonding and relief. The degree of betrayal was astounding.

Last month, an essay on Attitude’s website argued, per its headline, that “Young Queer People Shouldn’t Be Obliged to Care About LBGT History—And That’s the Biggest Sign of Success There Is.” It was so poorly argued and fundamentally myopic that it scanned immediately as trolling, but it was heartening to see enormous response refuting its self-entitled intellectual laziness. Versace was the most graceful counter-argument to this mindset imaginable. In history, there are lessons that we haven’t seemed to learn, patterns yet to be broken. Like a pill hidden in a caramel, it wrapped a bunch of cultural observations in a salacious story. The show linked Cunanan’s ability to hide in plain sight for two months after his initial string of four murders to FBI apathy, if not homophobia, since at the time three out of his four victims were gay men—more recently, the slow response to investigate the deaths of alleged victims of 66-year-old Canadian landscaper Bruce McArthur raised similar concerns of police bigotry.

Cunanan was distorting his persona over a decade before people were curating elements of their lives to present to the world on social media. He was self-absorbed and unabashedly materialistic. He’s an extreme example who went to extreme measures, and like any melodrama worth investing in, Versace used those extremes to comment on a greater truth. Criss’s performance was just swishy enough to stop short of caricature and deranged to the point of ramming its head against the top—the show routinely featured him staring blankly into a space just above the top of the camera, as high-pitched music unraveled to score his mental state.

But Versace was allergic to glamorization, which initially may have seemed counterintuitive for a show that was nominally about fashion. Versace was in the business of breaking facades, of explicating just how toxic those facades could be. Its roughly reverse-chronological structure placed the grand guignol of Versace’s slaying up front, and then worked backward to explain, humanize, salute, and mourn. The Versace family called the show “a work of fiction” prior to its airing, and at the end of every episode ran a disclaimer that read: “This series is inspired by true events and investigative reports. Some events are combined or imagined for dramatic and interpretive purposes. Dialogue is imagined to be consistent with these events.” But the show proved that something need not have happened to be true. Andrew Cunanan’s murders were shocking, but more so was how relevant his story, and those of the lives he destroyed, remains.

[thesinglesjukebox]

CHARLI XCX FT. CARLY RAE JEPSEN - BACKSEAT [6.57] Charli, Carly Rae and PC Music? Nah, that's not really in our wheelhouse.

Ryo Miyauchi: The humming synths and the ghost harmonies of "all alone" resemble the static heard when the radio dial is adjusted perfectly to pick up a feed from two FM channels. Both broadcasts play independent from another, each scene unique to the singer who sings them: Charli's escape from hell via partying turns self-destructive while Carly Rae Jepsen's LA hallucination finds two cold souls together in bed. And just when the two stories see eye to eye, this metallic black hole of a noise swallows them whole. [6]

Austin Brown: It's a never-ending source of fascination for me to watch artists like Charli and Carly navigate the pop industry, invested in the artistic potential of transcendent escapism but resistant (to varying degrees) to its dominant tropes and business practices. Lines on "Backseat" like Charli's "I want it all, even if it's fake" and Carly's "I got a thirst for distraction I can't take back" are declarative to this effect, as is the mushmouth muttered repetition of "all alone" in the chorus. In opening the Pop 2 mixtape, it serves as a mission statement of sorts for Charli. "Backseat" isn't nearly as confrontational as Vroom Vroom, which eschewed melody entirely at points and suffered as a result, but it's not full-on bubblegum either, warping Charli's voice and discovering decay and regret in its more grating corners. One point off for letting Carly show her up in the lyrics department, but it's not like she had a choice in that matter. [7]

Anthony Easton: That this starts and ends with melodic noise, and that the subtle metal grinding throughout the rest of the track keeps asking the questions: how do we make pop, nad what does the form of pop mean now, outside of the populist? It's a lonely, almost toxic song, and that it is written and performed by two great pop performers who (with the exception of one or two singles) do not sell well, makes it a fascinating example of formalist expansion, a kind of pop for pop's sake, which would all seem so academic, if it wasn't so fantastic to listen to. [9]

Alfred Soto: They belong together: figures who inhabit pop, approximate stars, scoring the occasional hit. The haze through which this song emerges has the texture of L.A., its smog and the way pop stars, approximate and otherwise, create cogs in the machinery. Because they hesitate about going for the jugular, "Backseat" takes a back seat to even itself. This is why Carly Rae Jepsen and Charli XCX remain approximate pop stars. [6]

Eleanor Graham: In How To Be A Woman, Caitlin Moran describes "How Soon Is Now" as the sound of The Smiths "speeding past us, light-decked and vast, like the Millennium Falcon." "Backseat" is the daughter and heir of that big, spacey nothing-in-particular. Against the synthy void, light bounces off the industrial clanks and screeches, like a city collapsing in slow motion. The opening lines speak to the cinematic kind of glamour that acknowledges its own hollowness but revels in itself anyway, for a lack of anything else. The parties with strangers won't help you figure it out, but you can look out the window in the backseat and imagine that the neon lights are falling on your face in exactly the way you want them to, imagine yourself as violet-coloured and monumental and extra-planetary as the chorus. [7]

Leah Isobel: Given the overlap in Charli and Carly's audiences and their similar places in the modern pop pantheon, it makes demographic sense that they'd collaborate eventually, though sonically their music isn't all that similar; Charli is all neon-bright pop hook, while Carly is more of a singer-songwriter type. "Backseat" does an admirable job of blending their separate worlds into one as Charli integrates fully into her femmebot act and Carly tugs on the high notes with so much, um, emotion that she runs away with the song, at least until the final third explodes the whole thing in a haze of electronic shrapnel. The secret overlap that makes this all work is that both singers have an intimate knowledge of pop-as-machine, if from different angles. They sing to each other from across an impossible divide, the cyber girl and the real girl, able to comfort each other but not to heal. Pop 2 has bigger and better pop songs, but none sketch out the album's psychodrama quite as thoroughly as this one. [7]

Maxwell Cavaseno: Charli XCX's fans insist that her brand of pop does more than the pop she constantly proves she's incapable of writing consistently -- not because she hasn't tried, but because frankly people who aren't captivated by the thought of Charli XCX don't care. The same could apply to Carly Rae Jepsen, the apparent genius of the straight ahead anthem who can't manage to convince so-called 'stupid normies' she's even made a song since "Call Me Maybe." "Backseat" sounds as uncomfortably unabashed as people who cannot separate their philias from their feelings, as the duo rapturously claw at the neon and chrome slidings like half-magpie half-harpies sounding less like a song and more like jarringly reductive fetish art for so many who've singed their corneas by refreshing their Tumblrs a few too many times, and maybe that's the point. Maybe this is the fitting result for the hyperconnectivity of the 'alt-pop' stars who can't succeed at bridging past the voracious net addicts who enshrine them as stars before they actually soar; their relationship becomes a specific kind of fan-service as tether, and in their desperate symbiosis do their damnedest to ensure that this isn't just fantasy, but that it really matters. [1]

Will Rivitz: A word to the wise: if a song is to arrive at a triumphant moment of climax most of the way through, it needs to merit that high. That is precisely what "Backseat" does, smokily snaking through neon rubble until it soars into the sky with its gorgeous trapdoor bass while the voices of Charli and Carly diffuse into the ether. It's the most gorgeous pop song in a very long while, and it grows and glows so perfectly that every moment feels earned. [9]

Sonia Yang: This is a perfect marriage of my perception of each of their thematic tropes; Jepsen's dreamy pining undercut by Charli's wryness. Even the music seems to echo this: smooth 80s-inspired production characteristic of the former's songs marred just the right amount by darker, more dissonant synths from the latter's work, almost in conjunction with when each vocalist makes her entrance. The true beauty is how distinct their voices sound even under layers of autotune; Jepsen floats and flutters while Charli errs sharp and sardonic. "Backseat" sparkles but isn't saccharine, it's melancholy but not weighty. And like a fever dream, it ends almost as quickly as it began. [8]

Katherine St Asaph: Charli ft. Carly, singing about love and, better yet, the solipsistic swooning of getting lost in songs in cars at night alone -- music-geek fanfic of such a high degree I'm shocked it wasn't previously an Archive Of Our Own category. A. G. Cook still can't quite shake the bratty/saccharine dichotomy through which PC Music tends to cast its singers, but "Backseat" is about as well-executed as it gets. It helps that Charli and Carly push their respective roles into the uncanny -- the former's voice has seldom been so robotically narcotized, the latter approaches Nicola Hitchcock levels of vocal shiver. Extra point for playing their respective accents on "half" off each other; I kinda hope it wasn't planned. [9]

Stephen Eisermann: This is the most compelling I've ever found Carly and it's on a track she's only featured on! The production does wonders for her normally nasally tone and the ethereal production and blend of these two lovely voices is entrancing. The lyrics touch on lost love and a wanting for more, nothing too out of ordinary for either artist, but here it feels especially poignant -- probably due to the production. Plus, the addition of the synths and sparkles towards the end of the song are perfect -- if one could ever turn Carly and Charli's voices into sound effects, it would be that starry/sparkly sound. It's all so... magical. [8]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: PC Music-minded catharsis wherein processed vocals and attention-seeking production turn the humanness of the song into something uncanny, revealing something even more human about our desire to escape a reality that overwhelms us. "Backseat" reaches that blissful headspace in its final chaotic stretch, but it renders the rest of the song a slog in comparison. Even so, Carly's vocals are too clean and (ineffectively) awkward for the track, distracting too much from achieving the same goals that define easyFun and A.G. Cook's other tracks. "I want it all, even if it's fake" sings Charli. I do too, but I'm not convinced they believe it. They're in the back seat... shouldn't they be taking the wheel? [4]

Will Adams: I've made peace with the fact that Charli seemingly has no interest in making an actual album in favor of mixtapes that pour on the feature credits for maximum OMG (hi Carly). But I still can't get past my recent revelation that her current aesthetic is really not far from that of her early mixtapes, only sullied by the PC Music touch: Auto-Tune purée, flat synths and hokey car screeches. [5]

Joshua Copperman: Charli's music leaking (down to her unfinished demos) has become something of an in-joke on Reddit and other sites. If someone told me this was one of the demos, I would believe them. There are some stirring melodies and some nice ear candy moments, but it sounds like AG Cook and co. put so much time into the vocals that they forgot to flesh out the backing track. As a result, not much elevates this above Charli's previous kiss-offs (or Carly's kiss offs.) The biggest letdown is the breakdown at 3:15; there was nothing to actually strip back in the first place, and the synth arpeggio feels like it was obtained from a P.C. Music Synth Presets folder. "Backseat" is still good enough, but frustrating in how close it is to being great. [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[ramajmedia]

Harry Potter: 10 Hysterical Dursley Logic Memes | ScreenRant

The Dursleys are hardly anyone's favorite characters in the Harry Potter universe. Why would they be? They treated Harry terribly throughout his entire childhood and well into his teenage years. Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley have proven time and time again they care little for Harry's wellbeing.

In spite of all this, Harry still makes a concerted effort to keep them safe when the need arises. But the mutual dislike for the Dursleys in the Harry Potter fandom has created many jokes and memes designed at their expense. Here is a collection of ten hilarious Dursley logic memes to put a smile on your face.

10 Harry Potter walks into a bar

As if you needed further proof of how terrible the Dursley's are, remember when Uncle Vernon fixed bars on Harry's window?

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dobby the house-elf got Harry into a world of trouble. He sent Petunia's famous pudding crashing to the floor and ruined Vernon's business proposition. On top of all that, an owl burst through the window rebuking Harry for using underage magic.

Related: Harry Potter: 10 Slytherin Memes That Prove It's The Sneakiest House

All of this caused Vernon to go off the deep end. He forbid Harry from ever returning to Hogwarts and cemented bars to his window! Luckily for Harry, he had Fred and George Weasley on his side.

9 No post on Sundays

Remember the early days when all the Dursleys had to worry about was keeping a rogue letter away from Harry's hands? Unfortunately for Vernon, Dumbledore is much too clever (and petty) to let the Muggle mail system dupe him. After Vernon refuses to give Harry any of his letters from Hogwarts, Dumbledore simply ups the number of letters sent.

Eventually, the letters begin coming in stuffed inside the milk jugs, egg cartons, underneath door cracks and window crevices, with no end in sight. Vernon starts to lose his mind a little bit. Thankfully, Sunday is a day of refuge because "there's no post on Sundays!" Or so he thinks.

8 Harry Potter and the Time He Had to Stop a Family of Nine Wizards

We can assume that Harry, at one point in time, told Ron and Hermione about some of the many horrors he faced while living at the Dursleys. Perhaps the most inhumane was when they forced him to sleep in a cramped cupboard under the stairs when we know they had at least two extra bedrooms to spare the entire time (Dudley's extra room and the guest room Marge stayed in).

RELATED: Harry Potter: 10 Hysterical Ron Weasley Logic Memes

The scenario suggested by this Tumblr users would certainly have played out. Except, as mollymaukderollo points out, there is no way that the entirety of the Weasley family wouldn't have joined Ron in getting revenge. They are, essentially, Harry's real family.

7 Post Challenge Accepted

We already mentioned above the impressive efforts made by Dumbledore to ensure Harry would get his official acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dursley's only reprieve from the constant onslaught of letters was the fact there is no post on Sundays.

But wizards don't adhere to Muggle customs, as we all know. Dumbledore takes Vernon's suggestion as a challenge and fills the house with the most letters yet through magical dispersal means. Finally, Vernon is forced to uproot his family and Harry to go to an isolated cabin in the middle of the sea. But even there, he is not safe.

6 I'm Not Harry

Going off of the above meme, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the Dursleys and Harry wind up in a run-down shack on a rock in the sea. While there, Dumbledore sends Hagrid, the Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts, to fetch Harry and finally give him his acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

RELATED: Harry Potter: The Worst Teacher From Every Movie

Hagrid hasn't seen Harry since he was an infant, so he initially mistakes Dudley for Harry. Dudley says, nervously, "I'm not Harry." The irony is, Dudley's actor is actually named Harry! Harry Melling played Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films.

5 Who would want to be friends with you?

At one point, Dudley is mocking Harry, as per usual, and he questions "who would want to be friends with you?" Maybe Dudley doesn't see how special Harry is, but plenty of other people do. Aside from the fact he is considered famous in the wizarding world and consistently receiving plenty of attention for the scar on his forehead, he has two genuine best friends.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger waste no time in trying to infiltrate Harry's life from the moment they first meet at the Hogwarts Express. Even Draco Malfoy, who eventually becomes Harry's enemy at school, tries to befriend him on day one.

4 Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy!

Looking back on the Harry Potter series, it's easy to question many of the actions Dumbledore took across all seven books. When he first discovered Harry Potter had been left behind by Voldemort in the wake of his parents' deaths, his first thought was to give him to his Muggle aunt and uncle.

This meme is a hilarious depiction of what might have occurred that night when Dumbledore handed over an infant Harry to Aunt Petunia. Somehow, Carly Rae Jepsen's song, Call Me Maybe, provides the perfect song to meme for this integral moment.

3 Maybe the Dursleys weren't so bad after all

This meme presents a theory that has circulated in the Harry Potter fandom for a while now. We find out in the seventh book that Harry himself is one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. He was never intended to become one, Voldemort did it by mistake. But we know that wearing or being near one of Voldemort's Horcruxes can cause you to become bitter and cruel, as evidenced by what happened to the golden trio while wearing the locket.

Related: Harry Potter: 10 Things About The Relationships That Haven't Aged Well

Could Harry have caused the Dursley's terrible behavior? It seems far-fetched. Remember, in the opening chapter of the first book, Vernon and Petunia are already shown to be judgmental and rude well before Harry comes into the picture. Plus, why wouldn't he have affected Ron, Hermione, the Weasleys or anyone else he stayed with for long periods?

2 The rules about magic in front of Muggles

Someone at Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic needs to sit down and seriously reconsider all the rules about magic in front of Muggles and when you're underage. For starters, when your students are Muggle-born, there is only so much that can be done about accidental magical mishaps.

Secondly, as the person who made this meme points out, how can you warn Harry about using a Patronus in front of Muggles while sending a magical envelope TO MUGGLES? It doesn't make sense. You would think they would have the magical means to ensure the envelope is written normally (which it is in the books) or make sure Harry reads it in private.

1 Dudley asks Harry for help

Out of everyone in the Dursley family, Dudley is the only one to show any growth. By the end of the series, he shows that he doesn't hate Harry, nor does he want him to die. It's a surprising moment from a character who has otherwise always been cruel, but it opens up the possibility of Harry and Dudley staying in touch years later.

Many fans like to think the two could have become friends down the line. They also like to headcanon that Dudley would have a magical child and need to call Harry on occasion for help.

NEXT: Harry Potter: 10 Things About Ron Weasley That Haven't Aged Well

source https://screenrant.com/harry-potter-hysterical-dursley-logic-memes/

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

Carly Rae Jepsen memes come from the internet, and yet they are so pure

It doesn't happen very often, but occasionally, the cretins lurking online get their grubby paws on something pure and the joy only multiplies. 

Carly Rae Jepsen memes occupy that sacred space online where it's always a good time. So what are you waiting for? Run away with me. 

SEE ALSO: 35 killer songs to remind you that females are strong as hell

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy...

Carly Rae Jepsen had an album under her belt and a stint on Canadian Idol behind her before she made a name for herself with a song so ruthlessly infectious it was bound to go viral. 

Billboard just gave "Call Me Maybe" the distinction of "chorus of the century." The way she talks about her breakout single now sounds a bit like how a lot of people feel on social media. 

"That song, for me, has always been a little bit about how you wish you would have the confidence to act in real life," Jepsen told Billboard last month. "It’s the more fantastical side of things, where you go up to a complete stranger and do something wild that makes you feel alive." 

But "Call Me Maybe," even with that hook, didn't catapult into ubiquity until a nearly year after it was released. 

The build began with a cosign from fellow Canadian Justin Bieber, whose manager Scooter Braun went on to sign Jepsen on his star client's advice. 

Call me maybe by Carly Rae Jepson is possibly the catchiest song I've ever heard lol

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) December 30, 2011

Bieber, then girlfriend Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale, and friends escalated things with a lip-synced viral video (with the very 2012 touch of fake mustache sunglasses) did the trick.  

Katy Perry, Olympians, and countless soldiers in serious need of relief joined in the fun with their own lip dubs. 

Once the song was firmly planted in our heads, it was hard not to see Carly Rae everywhere we looked. So the lyrics were dutifully plugged into the macro image generators that dominated the internet in simpler times. 

Image: tumblr

Image: tumblr

Run Away With Meme

On paper, "I Really Like You" really, really, really should have been the successor to "Call Me Maybe." E-MO-TION's bubblegum lead single had it all: a fresh crush, lyrics worth a double take ("who gave you eyes like that/said you could keep them"), and a video with a famous face lip syncing (Tom Hanks this time, though Bieber also made a cameo.)

But "Run Away With Me," a sultry, slow burning pop gem, is the song that took off in large part thanks to the sax solo that launched a thousand Vines. 

It pairs well with just about any footage, bringing a sense of urgency and triumph in six seconds or less. It's also the proper amount of corny. Just like memes, Carly Rae not cool. She has better things to do than worry about, like be a source of shimmering light in a world drooping into darkness. 

Sweetening the deal, Carly Rae herself was in on #RunAwayWithMeme and encouraged fans to participate, because she gets it. 

#RunAwayWithMeme #LionKing 🦁 https://t.co/vHHpFy7iCB

— Carly Rae Jepsen (@carlyraejepsen) April 5, 2016

Everyone has their own favorite, but the actual best one is this twirling seal in a bathtub playing a toy saxophone originally uploaded with the caption, "This is important."

While plenty of memes are designed to burn out quickly, this one is bound to keep popping up because it's a natural fit for whatever may be dominating your feed that week, whether it's a chorus of rubber ducks or just. It was also never quite pervasive enough to wear out its welcome. 

This spring, the meme got new life for some good old fashioned nazi punching. 

Carly Slay Jepsen

In a post E-MO-TION world, there's a fluidity to Carly Rae memes as long as they're hinged on the certainty that Jepsen is pop music's savior. 

damn coachella looks 🔥 this year pic.twitter.com/hORba4Dpq4

— Sam Stryker (@sbstryker) January 5, 2016

Carly Rae Jepsen 👸🏻 |\👐 / \_ ━━━━━┓ ＼＼ ┓┓┓┓┓┃The Beetles ┓┓┓┓┓┃ ヽ🐷ノ ┓┓┓┓┓┃ 　 / ┓┓┓┓┓┃ ノ) ┓┓┓┓┓┃ ┓┓┓┓┓┃

— jake (@HUNTYCHAN) April 6, 2017

me: i don't need to go to the store store by carly rae jepsen: comes on shuffle me: pic.twitter.com/1dpnbEhWz4

— edward salsahands (@enchiladad) April 21, 2017

pic.twitter.com/wuf4WUB0lB

— Michael Foss (@Fossphate) April 16, 2017

Carly Rae Jepsen 👸🏻 |\👐🏻 / \_ ━━━━━┓ ＼＼ ┓┓┓┓┓┃Timberlake ┓┓┓┓┓┃ ヽ🤡ノ ┓┓┓┓┓┃ 　 / ┓┓┓┓┓┃ ノ) ┓┓┓┓┓┃ ┓┓┓┓┓┃ pic.twitter.com/NDa4F0aTx0

— Jen Lewis (@thisjenlewis) May 1, 2017

Jepsen is currently working on her next album, which we expect to have zero skip tracks and fill our timelines with sunshine and rainbows. 

WATCH: Get better, stress-free sleep with this weighted blanket

[gosh-darn]

I’m working on a spoken word piece about the time I planned my own funeral as a child.  It’s something I’ve been trying to make art about for a while now.  I’m gonna try to do it at some open mics maybe, so I’d appreciate some feedback!  Warnings for frank discussion of death, and a brief mention of vomit.  I’ve put the transcript under the cut if you’re interested.

Okay, so, in the grand scheme of things in america, different sects of christianity don't really matter.  It's 2017, no one cares that I was raised methodist in a mostly catholic town.  And as a person who is no longer religious it really has no bearing on my life.  It just means that in 2nd grade all my friends had their first communion, and in 8th grade I planned my own funeral.  

I wasn't dying or anything, it was just a part of the religious confirmation process.  We talked about the church's involvement in big life decisions, so we filled out little worksheets on baptisms for our future children, our future weddings, and our eventual funerals after out inevitable deaths.  And unfortunately I threw out these worksheets at some point in high school, so I can't give you specifics, but I know I had to choose a bible verse to be hypothetically read at my funeral.

One big part of this whole process was the trip to the nearby funeral home.  It wasn't like our mentors at the church made a big deal out of it, but it sort of had a reputation.  People who'd already been confirmed talked about it, and the mentors kept saying "it's not scary" which is the best way to make someone nervous about something.  But at the end of the day it was a very normal experience.  The funeral director didn't have a limp, or an eye patch, or a vaguely eastern european accent, or anything, he was just a regular dude.  And we didn't see any dead bodies.  We just looked at some coffins and talked about colors and thought about urns that was it.  

The thing that's so interesting about this experience isn't the fact that it's bizarre, it's that it was so normal.  I didn't even really think about the absurdity of having preteens plans their own funerals until I was in college.  One of those things you think everyone's done until you say it out loud and people sort of look at you.  And that happens all the time for childhood experiences, not just for me.  Lots of times weird things seem extremely normal when you're a kid because no one is questioning it.  It's funny, cause I think I was a pretty normal kid?  Like, I watched a lot of anime or whatever, but I was never one of those edgy kids who wrote depressing poetry and posted it on their deviantart or anything.  I was in the knitting club. And even now, while I'm making art about drowning and writing plays about giving up, I would still say i'm a pretty cheerful person.  I own multiple cat themed articles of clothing, I love Carly Rae Jepsen, and at this point if the art doesn't work out my backup plan is to go to mortuary school.  And I can't help but wonder if my relaxed feelings toward death are because of this early pivotal moment in my life.  Like, maybe if we just told kids they were gonna die constantly we wouldn't have all this fear and anxiety about it.

So, to avoid looking like a hypocrite, I've planned my funeral again almost ten years later.  I'd like to donate my organs to science, and donate my teeth to art.  Because as someone who makes grotesque puppets you would be amazed at how hard it is to find ethically sourced human teeth.  And at the service, I would like the host to tell the story of the time I shit myself while puking, to sort of lighten up the mood.  And If people are still sad, I give them permission to tell the story of how I did that in reverse.  At this point I definitely don't remember any bible verses, so we'll have to skip that part.  Maybe I'll get them to read the elaborate description of the painting of the shipwreck at the beginning of Moby Dick.  It's a good one.  Or maybe i'll get my body taxidermied and if anyone has something to say to me they'll have to say it to my face.  It really depends on whether I have kids.  So that's the story of the time I planned my own funeral, I recommend doing it.  It helps.  Thank you.

[mattmarlinwrites]

Album Review: Blood Orange’s Freetown Sound

Hi there, readers! I wrote this extended analysis/writeup of Blood Orange’s Freetown Sound for a collection of online essays about notable indie albums in 2016, but never shared it here! Hope you enjoy it!

Background

Blood Orange is the current solo project of Devonte “Dev” Hynes, whose music primarily falls into contemporary/alternative R&B, but also incorporates elements of indie rock, pop, jazz, funk, and soul. Hynes was previously a member of the dance-punk band Test Icicles and recorded other solo albums under the name Lightspeed Champion before beginning to perform and record as Blood Orange in 2009. His previous album, Cupid Deluxe, was released in 2013 with a large number of guest musicians ranging from Clams Casino to David Longstreth (of Dirty Projectors) and received mostly positive reviews, including accolades on Pitchfork’s year-end list as well as their list for best albums of the decade so far.

In November 2015, Hynes sold a cassette recording of the previously-unreleased Nelly Furtado-featuring song “Hadron Collider” at his shows, sparking speculation about a new album. He announced Freetown Sound – named after the capital city in Sierra Leone where his father was born – in April 2016 and later revealed the album’s artwork in June, hinting at some of the release’s guest features in a promotional video that accompanied the album art reveal. (On an interesting side note, Hynes’s album announcement did not contain any track names, just the fact that the album would have 17 songs.) Hynes’s press release that accompanied this announcement detailed that the album would be about “my life, my upbringing, being black in England, being black in America...my movement to this country at the age of 21.” On June 28, Hynes made the album available to hear three days earlier than his previously announced release date of July 1, simultaneously sharing a video for the lead single “Augustine” (which features cameo appearances from Julian Casablancas and Porches’ Aaron Maine).

Review

2016 was a garbage year. There’s no way of ignoring that. On top of the dumpster fire of US politics and the seemingly nonstop high profile deaths, racial tensions and murders of people of color continued just frequently as they had in the past few years. Even worse, the strides the LGBT movement made just last year with the Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality hit a lot of pushback between North Carolina’s HB2 and the Pulse shooting. Not to mention all the ways these struggles were amplified for those who had intersecting marginalized identities, such as of women of color.

For me, no album this year encompassed all the experiences of these various identities in 2016 quite as extensively and vividly as Freetown Sound. In retrospect, this strikes me as odd considering this album only came out midway through the year. And yet, it seems even more relevant now than it did upon its release, almost as if it presaged that the year would only grow worse. But what kept bringing me back to Freetown Sound was its role as a conscious source of relief, a release I knew I could always turn back towards to assure myself that there’s some hope in spite of all the negativity. Hynes certainly made these songs with this aim in mind, publishing an Instagram post upon album’s release that said, “This album is for everyone told they’re not black enough, too black, too queer, not queer the right way, the underappreciated. It’s a clapback.”

The opening moments of the album set this tone immediately, providing the framework for what’s to come. “By Ourselves” begins somewhat theatrically in its approach, almost like the overture to the themes and sound of the album in the 16 songs that follow. A warped piano recording – the grainy quality to the audio’s texture reflective of the less-than-pristine conditions those in Hynes’s songs face – leads into a group vocal reminiscent of Greek chorus, before the song gives the spotlight to poet Ashlee Haze reciting her piece “For Colored Girls” over a fiery saxophone solo, ending with the foundation-laying words about the album’s aims for representation:

I will tell you that, right now There are a million black girls just waiting To see someone who looks like them

The album then immediately propels itself into its other main mode: downright groovy R&B tunes. “Augustine” walks a delicate balancing act with Hynes providing three different vocal modes – a whispered low-register that details the parallels between his life and his parents, a falsetto reflection on the murders of black youth like Trayvon Martin, and the closest he comes to belting it out on the album during the chorus – all while a punchy drum machine keeps the song to a steady beat. This track, too, is an overture of sorts, compiling the themes of connectivity, race, and sexuality – the chorus providing a queer reinterpretation of the titular African saint as Hynes’s means of grappling with the hypocrisy of Christian homophobia – that are at the heart of the album. It all culminates in a passionate address to Nontetha Nkwenkwe, a major South African figure known for being imprisoned (and eventually killed) trying to bring peace and unity to her divided nation.

From here, the album moves into something of a more free-flowing state, with tracks like “Chance” and “With Him” veering from typical song formats in pseudo-interludes meant to connect to the next substantial centerpiece of a song. These moments also introduce hooks and melodies that seem incomplete on a first appearance, only to be expanded upon in later tracks, making the record sound more like a film soundtrack to city life and all the recurring leitmotifs that come with it.

In fact, much of what would be dead space in other albums feels bustling and alive here instead. The gaps between songs are occasionally filled in with ambient noise from city streets – the shuffling of feet, protest chants from activists, interview clips from the likes of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Vince Staples encapsulating the lyrics that preceded them. Hynes implemented this specific production choice to allow listeners to hear the album how he hears it: as “music… to listen to on headphones to soundtrack… walking around.”Hynes even referred to the album as “like my version of Paul’s Boutique... kinda like a long mixtape.” Each of these interludes and soundbites, then, is vital to the album’s overall flow, transitioning from one mood to the next to simulate what Hynes experiences emotionally just walking around New York City.

But whenever the album reaches a centerpiece song, they always feel cathartic, their explosions of passion earned by the buildup of themes and reflections Hynes has been accumulating in previous tracks. “Best to You” is probably the clearest example of this, the liveliest song on the album with its multiple overlapping percussion tracks and Empress Of’s evocative vocals. Yet, this all comes even as its lyrics center around someone desperately pleading to be loved by another who clearly doesn’t love them back. “E.V.P.” falls into this category as well with Debbie Harry of Blondie joining Hynes on vocals among a memorably distorted synth line and a bombastic chorus. Later in the album, Carly Rae Jepsen fills a similar role on “Better Than Me,” a personal favorite track of mine that adds a winding keyboard melody and a pulsating percussion track into the fray. Each of these tracks brings the personal angle that Hynes mentioned in his press release, dealing with everything from finding self-worth to relationship troubles.

But, for me, the strongest moments of the album come when Hynes intertwines the personal with the bigger concepts. “Better Than Me” resounds exceedingly well in this field, implying that the song’s romantic prospect rejects Hynes because his blackness and/or queerness makes him inadequate by comparison. “But You” and “Hands Up” are perhaps the most powerful songs on the album in this regard, both of them direct addresses to the listener as forms of personal reassurance in the face of larger social pressures. The former fuses a commandingly patient bass line with stirring piano in the chorus, building to a simple statement about one’s personal value, but earns such a moment with the lines that come directly before it:

If you don’t know what that means Don’t tell me that it’s true Teach yourself about your brother ‘Cause there’s no one else but you

This track in particular evokes one of Hynes’s interviews about his intent in making the album, in which he said, “I think of this record as [being] fully aware of, ‘Yeah, my life is in danger on a daily basis,’ but using that as strength to rise up and stand tall and be proud of who you are and accept who you are.” On “Hands Up,” Hynes takes a similar approach through a devastating chorus where he fears about a friend’s safety in the wake of the country’s many racist murders, tying a variation on the titular protest chant into the refrain. Likewise, “Desiree” tells a narrative about Hynes’s transgender friend that he calls “an ode to her strength,” especially uplifting with the widespread hate the transgender community faces, accompanied with audio from the drag ball documentary Paris is Burning and a skittering drum beat.

But all of this would fall flat if the album didn’t deliver emotionally and back up its message with palatable sincerity, which Freetown Sound deftly manages to pull off. “Hands Up” is especially poignant in the context of the overwhelming amount of news about black murders, Hynes’s falsetto on the chorus aching with the pain of how close these losses hit. Towards the end of the album, “Juicy 1-4” wrings its emotion through one of the record’s most memorable bass lines and Hynes building up to a musing on how crucial sources of comfort are, but how difficult they can be to find when society views you as othered. “Hadron Collider” is an exceptional track in this regard too, with the song’s comparatively slower tempo spotlighting Nelly Furtado’s vocals. The bridge on this track offers a powerfully melancholic hypothetical that sums up one of the album’s core sentiments: “Oh, to be brave” when so much of the world is pitted against you.

When it comes to albums that I find vital and want to revisit most each year, I consider a few things. I consider how much the album reflects the world and its major enduring struggles. I consider how effectively an album makes its statements as a unified collection of music. And, perhaps most importantly, I consider how much the album resonates with me and my personal struggles. As a queer person trying to navigate one of the most devastating years of my life and wondering, fearfully, how my friends and I will endure in the face of the imminent danger we know is coming our way, I found myself returning to this album more and more frequently as the year went on. And each time, Freetown Sound proved to be uniquely therapeutic for me, providing the same comfort and reconciliation that I found in talking with friends about the issues that envelop the album, grateful just to know that I had people on my side, ready to stick by me. Even though Freetown Sound doesn’t provide any concrete answers to the issues it covers (and, if 2016 is any indication, any potential answers are easier said than done), Dev’s album helps in at least one way: opening up a dialogue. As he noted in an interview with Pitchfork earlier in the year, “Well, there really isn’t a takeaway, especially on this album. You’re just kind of listening to me thinking for 58 minutes. There’s no real solution or answer.” Reading back those words, listening to the album once more, hearing the soft, slightly warped guitar of “Better Numb” trickle through my headphones as Dev cries out the refrain, a reprisal of the one on “E.V.P.,” the one that never fails to incite chills or start tears welling, I feel like I am finding that comfort, that support, in the music.

Favorite Lyrics

Choosing what you live for It's never what you make your life How could you know If you're squandering your passion for another?

“E.V.P.”

It's real as gold Chains and all All the things that make us bold Make us bold Black is gold Rightly so

”Juicy 1-4”

Oh, they took and skinned my name Try to raise the feeling I saw right through, tried to love them They threw it in your face Tell you what you're feeling How could they know?

“By Ourselves”

Looking at the girl with the thick, blonde braids And you're tryin' to make out what her t-shirt says No one really ever cares what 'thug life' means They wanna be surrounded but they hate to breathe The air is thick as I plan my escape

“Chance”

The door was open I could've stepped inside Oh to be brave, want to be brave To be brave In this battle of the ages

“Hadron Collider”

Talking Points

What do you see as the primary overarching themes of the album? What resonated with you?

How do you think this album compares to similar continuously flowing and/or socially conscious 2016 releases like A Seat at the Table and Blonde?

What are your thoughts on the various soundbites and interviews spliced into the album? Thoughts on the guest features?

Dev Hynes’s voice: fitting for the type of music he’s making or undercooked? If you find his voice lacking, what kind of vocal style would work for you on an album that sounds like this?

I know Dev only toured the album at a few festivals and cities, but did you get the chance to see him perform the album live? What did you think? Did it improve or weaken your thoughts of the album?

[biofunmy]

What Rappers Wore to the Genius Barbecue Concert in Brooklyn

Genius, the media company that is the online repository of annotated song lyrics, held a barbecue concert at its Brooklyn headquarters earlier this fall, featuring some of the buzziest names in hip-hop.

While Doja Cat performed, other acts, including Lil Tjay and Young Baby Tate, hung out at the loftlike offices near the Gowanus Canal, mingling with the company’s young founders. Here’s what they wore.

Doja Cat

Age: 24

Occupation: rapper and music producer

Your outfit has a lot of checks and yellow.

This is a Fashion Nova piece. I thought, for Genius, why not? Because it’s yellow and black.

The earrings are not small.

I wish I wore the bigger ones. These are Tanaya Henry. She does beautiful jeweled pieces like this, and bodysuits out of chain mail.

What does it say around your neck?

It says “Nasty.”

And are you?

I kind of am.

Ilan Zechory

Age: 35

Occupation: co-founder and president, Genius

You’re wandering around in flip-flops and socks.

I just found slides a couple years ago. I always want to wear them the most, and I just rolled in.

This looks like a very comfy flannel shirt.

Iro. It’s really soft.

Tell me about your pants.

These are joggers from a discontinued brand called Jack Threads. I knew the guy who owned it, and he sent me a gift certificate and I had to buy something. And I bought these pants and proceeded to wear them six million times. I make fun of these pants, and I get made fun of for wearing these pants. I’m wearing them. I’m not proud of it.

Is this what you wear to work?

I have a variety of things I wear: T-shirt and jeans, Nikes and Reeboks.

Jacques Morel

Age: 30

Occupation: senior correspondent for “Genius News”

You’re an on-air star.

I’m a reporter, just like you.

You seem a lot cooler than me. You literally have a razor blade hanging from your ear.

Fair. Shout out to Johnny Nelson Jewelry. He makes black-inspired jewelry: Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela.

What’s black-inspired about the razor blade?

This is just fire.

You’re wearing a Carly Rae Jepsen T-shirt.

I love Carly Rae Jepsen. I saw her show back in July — that’s where I got this — and it felt like group catharsis.

What’s on your feet.

These are Rick Owens Ramones. Rap carries fashion trends like a bee carries pollen. A lot of these things weren’t thought of with us in mind. To see what artists like Pyer Moss are doing, reclaiming the space for black faces and black bodies … me wearing stuff like this makes me feel like, Yeah, I’m here: I’m a young black man and I wear Rick Owens.

Tom Lehman

Age: 35

Occupation: co-founder and chief executive, Genius

The colorful sweater and your big hair — you look like a delightful clown.

The hair is a bit of an issue. I’ve been told it’s a distraction. These jeans are just very classic Levi’s. On top I’m wearing a recycled cashmere sweater from a company, Tricot, I started with my friend Rémi. It means “sweater” in French.

What does the tongue on your sneakers say?

It says, “Have a Nike day.”

Why did you pick them?

I love Air Maxes. I like to say, “The only thing missing in an Air Max is a good insert.” In this particular case I was really taken with the color scheme.

Tell me about your large camera.

This is a Pentax 6-by-7 medium-format camera. I have it for my hipster cred. It has this nice wood grain handle, and it’s totally manual.

If your company goes bankrupt, it’s stuff like this that they’re going to point to.

Personal expense.

Young Baby Tate

Age: 23

Occupation: rapper and music producer

Oh my, is that a stuffed-animal backpack?

Yes it is. It’s like a rainbow cheetah.

Is that your spirit animal?

Honestly, yes. This is me. I just love anything rainbow, and this reminded me of Lisa Frank. I love her. Sometimes I call myself Lisa Frank Lauryn Hill.

Those earrings are something else.

This was actually custom made for me by a woman in New York, J. Papa.

Tell me about your boots.

I love a little bobo boot. I don’t like to wear heels when I perform because I’d probably fall and break my neck.

Would you call your top a bustier?

A bustier or a corset. I’m not sure what the difference is. I found this at a little store in Little Five Points in Atlanta. It’s sexy but it’s still cute.

Tia Hill

Age: 23

Occupation: producer and correspondent on “Genius News”

Nice jump pants.

I got them from Asos or something. I love a good baggy pant, tight top combo.

What is it about that silhouette?

I love Aaliyah.

I was going to say the Fresh Prince.

I love Fresh Prince. But I like being comfortable at work and, aah, relaxed from the waist down. And then I have a ton of crop tops and tube tops. And then jewelry to accentuate my clavicle area.

Very specific. And hoops.

I always wear hoops. I feel like I always have big hair, up in an Afro puff or an Afro. Big hoop, big hair.

Everybody here has such styling shoes.

These Adidas are not too chunky, like the Filas everyone has. And I’ve never seen anyone with this colorway.

Lil Tjay

Age: 18

Occupation: rapper

Let’s start with your chain.

My chain comes from Izzy the jeweler. I’m happy with his work. I love my chain. Two-toned Cuban-linked. White gold. Yellow gold. Prone set. With nice diamonds.

It has a dollar sign with a “B” in the middle.

SB. That’s my team.

What kind of jeans do you like?

The kind I have on now are called Kasubi. I like Amiri jeans. Off-White — I like them too.

And you’ve got the big Dolce & Gabbana sneakers.

It’s just for today. I’m not even saying I’m like a big fan. Not one of my favorites.

What’s one of your favorites?

I love Jordans. It’s not a step-out fashion designer shoe, but that’s my comfortable shoe.

Briana Mendez

Age: 25

Occupation: sales assistant, Genius

Tell me about your furry hat.

I got it at Urban Outfitters. I threw it on and I was like, “Damn, I look cute.”

Your hoops are ovular.

I got these at a beauty supply store in Chinatown. I was drawn to the shape. It’s like a little raindrop.

You mentioned that you are proud of your shirt.

It’s by a designer, Barragán, and he is a Mexican designer based in Brooklyn. I’m so proud to rep for my community, always. The chain comes with the shirt.

Destiny Rogers just stopped her entire entourage to compliment your shoes.

These are retro Jordans, limited-edition women’s. Women are taking up more space in street wear. They’re fuzzy. I don’t think this is real fur.

Something tells me it’s not.

And I wouldn’t want to wear an animal. I reminds me of a cute little panda.

Sahred From Source link Fashion and Style

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[cynthiajayusa]

Hear Me Out: Nine Albums to Hear in 2019

There’s something for every color of the rainbow included in this year’s music-release roster. The list is long, but here’s a taste: debuts from Pitch Perfect star Ben Platt and hair-toss kween Lizzo, songwriter showcases from Patty Griffin and Lana Del Rey, a gay icon (Madonna), emerging gay icons (Ariana Grande, Carly Rae Jepsen), and much more. Look for this diverse pack in the coming months:

Ben Platt, Sing to Me Instead (March 29)

You know Ben Platt as a Pitch Perfect acca-nerd – he played Benji Applebaum, the acapella-obsessed outcast crazy for magic – and as the eponymous lead in Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen. But the magic of his first solo album, where he’ll peel back the layers of the gay man under the wizard’s cape, is purely Ben Platt being Ben Platt. Already, he’s captured the greatest love of all – the saving grace of self-love – on “Bad Habit,” a tender, aching piano number with gorgeous vocal riffs on gorgeous vocal riffs. Surely Platt has a few more tricks up his sleeve.

Madonna (TBA)

Will Madonna reel it in? Drain the pool of zeitgeist, hotshot producers she’s been known to enlist for recent projects? Ditch trends? Blaze trails? Much remains to be seen (and heard), but because women are ardently reclaiming their rightful power – and because Madonna is Madonna – she’s bound to come down hard on the patriarchy on her 14th studio album. Suitably, she had a session with an all-female Portuguese orchestra for the release, which she told Women’s Wear Daily was being made “in between rose mist spray and serums.” So just maybe this one’ll be sweet and fresh and like a Sephora after all.

Carly Rae Jepsen (TBA)

In October 2018, Carly Rae Jepsen announced her pop career’s next chapter by Instagramming a snap of a (her?) cat nipping at a Twizzler she held in one hand, a droopy slice of pizza dangling from her other. Full pizza at her feet, the pic – hilarious, empowering – captured the buoyant breakup anthem that would follow, “Party For One,” a bop that makes a strong argument for singlehood and self-pleasure. E*MO*TION* was fire. The best pop album of 2015. Maybe not a Hot-N-Ready, but whatever Jepsen delivers, piece by piece, we’ll eat it right up.

Patty Griffin, Patty Griffin (March 8)

A first-ever self-titled album after nearly 25 years in the music business has to mean something. For Patty Griffin, one of the best character songwriters this world has to offer (just ask gay power-songwriter Justin Tranter, who stands PG), it means deep, pensive dives into her own life. Battling cancer, as Griffin did, will tend to beget self-reflection, and so her 10th studio album, “Patty Griffin,” traces her steps, from memories with her late mom to growing up in Maine, when she thought “maybe who I am wasn’t right.” “Luminous Places” – a could-be swan song – is otherworldly, casting a mystic dreaminess amid a delicate dance of strings, guitar and pillowy piano; it’s as if the song was composed in the clouds, then fell from the sky and floated to us on a single moon-lit snowflake.

Ariana Grande, Thank U, Next (Out now)

Ariana Grande moves on fast – from donut controversy, from exes, from albums. Sweetener descended upon us just half a year ago, in August 2018, but Grande had more to say, dammit, and so she’s gone and said it with an army of 12 bad-bitch-and-beyond songs conceived for this new project led by the power-asserting “thank u, next” and the “My Favorite Things”-sampled “7 rings,” a piercing, winking satire of millennial entitlement. A confessional chronicling a trying year in the spotlight, it’s her best, boldest album yet.

Ryan Adams, Big Colors (April 19, plus two more albums TBA)

It seems Ryan Adams may be playing against his brooding type on Big Colors, one of three albums he’s releasing this year because Adams, you should know, is wildly prolific and mercifully insane. On the sweet title track, Mandy Moore’s ex-husband takes delight in life’s natural radiance, buzzing about “flowers for brains, permanent sunshine” with an uncharacteristically joyful disposition that’s refreshing and infectious.

Dido, Still on My Mind (March 8)

Dido seems to not mind being forgotten, only to be remembered every four to six years, when she floats back to earth like the mystic fairy she is, reminding us that her dainty voice may be that of an actual pixie. Her first album since 2013’s Girl Who Got Away, Still on My Mind was recorded with her brother, Rollo, at home, on a couch. It’s that chill living room sound both you and your mom can agree on; the real thrill, though, is hearing the English performer infuse electro and hip-hop life into her delicate sofa songs. A remix album can’t be far off.

Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell (March 29)

Lana Del Rey’s persona is the subject of much debate and confusion: how much is truly authentic, and how much is the record label’s doing to produce a pop icon for These Sad, Dark Times. Del Rey seems to have leaned into the conversation, and she’s responded accordingly – and very, very personally – with her forthcoming album’s maximalist-titled first single, called “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman to have – but I have it.” Produced and co-written with Taylor Swift and Lorde producer Jack Antonoff, the song is a songwriter’s song, hauntingly simple, intimate. Her authenticity is her defiance.

Lizzo, CUZ I LOVE YOU (April 19)  

On “Juice,” rapper-singer-flutist and “America’s Next Bop Star” Lizzo does not, will not, even let that mirror, mirror on the wall chime in on the fairest one of all. Because, honey, she is. And you are. And we all are. There for you and all the blighted characters in Blockers and A Bad Moms Christmas and I Feel Pretty, the Detroit-born, Minneapolis-raised performer’s breakthrough single, “Good as Hell,” similarly empowered you to write your own damn fairy tale and parade that princess crown around and let it shine. All signs for this one, Lizzo’s much-anticipated major-label debut, point to more hair-toss, “you go geeeerl” swagger.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/02/28/hear-me-out-nine-albums-to-hear-in-2019/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2019/02/hear-me-out-nine-albums-to-hear-in-2019.html

[fictioncareercreativity]

Various Creative Fiction Afterlife Freestyle Short Stories part two by Stella CarrierJuly 09, 2018

Various Creative Fiction Afterlife Freestyle Short Stories part two by Stella CarrierJuly 09, 2018Various Creative Fiction Afterlife Freestyle Short Stories part two by Stella Carrier I Stella Carrier Humbly Call Upon What I Imagine To Be The Influence of Benevolent Spirits From the Heavenly Realms, my higher self, and my celestial spirit ally team for creativity in both my writings and all other areas of my life both present and future. I also welcome any and all forms of spiritual assistance and divine intervention in all areas of my life both present and future.Affirmations I am creating heaven on earth. I am learning to be in the right place at the right time at all times. I am learning to live all areas of my life in alignment with my divine life purpose for both the present and future My psychic/intuitive abilities, creativity/imaginative abilities, and my ability to tap into my wisdom are expanding each and every day. I am in the process of manifesting and ensuring a bright future for myself I see through various situations with great wisdom and clarity with discernment as to what information to go by I am in the process of simultaneously sharpening both my logic decision making and the imagination helpful to think outside the box for solutions in various areas of my life. https://www.orindaben.com/pages/rooms/affirmations_room/I love and honor everything I create. My life is full of miracles. I am free to do those things that bring me joy. My soul guides me on my path.I ask for and receive a seed of inspiration to bring me answers and solutions. I now know what to do.Once I make a decision, all the forces in the universe are mobilized to bring about my highest good. I ask my higher self and soul to show me answers and solutions.My sixth chakra is awakening. I see through the eyes of my soul.My mind is tuned to the higher planes of reality.I have wonderful, supportive friends. I know that I have posted this before. However, my creative intuition is influencing me to post this again-(source from my Stella Carrier Law of Attraction Script 30 section from August 2017) I preface by making it clear that I am definitely not telling anybody how to live, Rather I am doing this for my own writing passions and spiritual creativity/spiritual evolution, as a healthy and constructive spiritual and creative art therapy outlet for the various dreams and desires that I discovered can be channeled into artistic writing therapy. Additionally, I am following both my intuition and logic in doing what I consider this activity to be fun/exciting as I have a strong instinctive feeling that this activity ties into my destiny andor life purpose in various ways that I may only fully understand after my current lifetime. Additionally, my social life is such to where my heavenly husband actually is happy for me and rejoices when I go out with a friend because I admit to needing to encourage myself to go out more. Yes, I married young (age 23 in 2004) after meeting my amazing husband in the navy and fortunately we are still happily married over 14 years later. Additionally, I have had plenty of opportunities and time to have fun both in my younger years and now.  Additionally, I have been fortunate in both my marriage and career front. You can say that for me this creative fiction writing is one of my types of healthy outlet fun as I continue to nurture my marriage with my sweet husband and balance my goals in other areas of my life as well. It is the year 2134 and My name is Roosevelt Powell and I am a spirit guide and guardian angel assistant to over 700 earth based male and female spirits living in various parts of the world. My most recent earth lifetime was spent mostly in Geneva Switzerland. However, I have been privileged to travel around various parts of the world during my most recent earth based lifetime. I Roosevelt Powell transitioned here to the celestial realms less than 20 weeks ago. Tonight I Roosevelt Powell am about to meet up with over 830 various spirit guides, guardian angels, muses who have benevolent intent to set up campground settings for over 9000 male and female spirits who have just passed over from the earth realms within 4 days ago andor less. This camp is going to feature a celestial assistant to spirit guides who help oversee various sleeptime dreams of multiple male and female earth based spirits who are in the process of mastering career, money, andor ideal body goals. The background currently being set up by over 130 spirits as I speak is almost similar to the background of  the campground area in the Good Time music video by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. Already over 1100 tents of various bright and beautiful colors are being erected for the celestial camptime visitors ranging in ages from 28 to 152. Tomorrow there is going to be something organized for male and female spirits who are younger. However, the reason why the 830 male and female spirit guides agreed to have the recent arrivals from earth range in ages from 28 to 152 stems from the fact that over 8000 additional spirits who are still residing on the earth realms and are also working on their weight loss, career, andor money goals have been approved to visit an hour long event in this campground that is going to be a law of attraction how to class on manifesting your ideal body andor certain career andor money objectives. Because running and walking are going to be discussed we are also going to feature speakers who were either walking andor running aficionados in their most recent earth lifetime. There is also power in being a copycat for benevolent reasons when it comes to gleaning inspiration from various weight loss, career, andor money success stories.  One of the tools that are going to be shared in the workshop is incorporating certain success stories from a creative fiction show related to this that is going to be shown on a 98 feet high viewing screen that is colorful. The earth based spirits visiting this place in their sleeptime dreams are going to view a different screen in a different celestial mansion compared to new arrivals from earth for reasons I have been asked to avoid explaining. However, what I can share for everyone involved is that there is going to be a celestial fair afterwards of over 140 celestial spirits who are going to feature career advice, mentorship from multiple celestial psychics, and meet multiple men and women both who have already passed and those still living on earth who have achieved either a career andor money success story/victory andor weight loss success. Last yet far from least, on this celestial campground are going to be over 45 events featuring shows themed after halloween andor christmas andor with music for those who choose to see this shows-both earth based spirits visiting in their sleeptime in their earth lifetimes and for the celestial spirits who are new arrivals from earth. These shows also give ideas to both celestial and earth based writers for their story ideas. Many friendships and a sense of belonging andor inclusion is also forged here as during this campground event there are mixer events for male and females who are simply looking for platonic friends. Many of these connections are often made between earth based spirits in these sleeptime dreams at times weeks, months, andor sometimes years before they finally meet on the earth planes. For instance, 62 female spirits who all connected together in a platonic social group finally met each other on the earth plane over 68 months after they first met each other in their sleeptime dreams though for good reasons I am being told to avoid explaining why  at least for now. In the celestial realms that I now reside each male or female spirit manifests at least 8 to 9 platonic friendships and they even go various places together socially in the celestial spirit realms-fly around to different worlds together in the celestial airports and other forms of transportation, attend writing andor music events together hosted by countless spirits across various celestial countries, sometimes they meet up together to organize writing andor other types of celestial events including ones that include sleeptime dreamers during their sleeptime on earth and much more. Resources; songs for me to keep in mind;Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, Burnin For You by Blue Oyster Cult,Beautiful Day by U2,Lollipop by Aqua, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor,Dangerous by Big Data feat. Joywave, Secrets of Love by DJ Bobo and Sandra, Heathens by Twenty One Pilots, One Foot in Front of the Other by Walk the Moon, Stars by Paris Hilton, Come on Over by Samantha Mumba, More Human Than Human by White Zombie, Revolver by Madonna feat. Lil Wayne, Rock N Roll by Bob Seger. Blue Jeans by Lana Del Rey, You Can Do Magic by America, Wolves by Selena Gomez, Breathe by Faith Hill https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/20th-century-english-names.php Afterlife Knowledge Guidebook by Bruce Moen Hiring the Heavens by Jean SlatterAngel Protection Magick book by https://www.laughingplace.com/w/page/halloween-time-at-the-disneyland-resort/ Halloween Time at Disneyland Resorthttps://www.laughingplace.com/w/page/halloween-time-at-the-disneyland-resort/ Pop up libraries sounds likes a fascinating concept. https://pilotonline.com/entertainment/books/article_0748ff56-82de-11e8-8958-dbe00b71b67d.htmlSlover Library Pop Up Libraries by Amy Poulterhttps://pilotonline.com/entertainment/books/article_0748ff56-82de-11e8-8958-dbe00b71b67d.html https://www.extension.harvard.edu/professional-development/programsHarvard University Harvard Extension Programshttps://www.extension.harvard.edu/professional-development/programs https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/so-month?utm_source=US_DisplayAds&utm_medium=DisplayManagedMisc&utm_campaign=162758&mkwid=c_dc&pcrid=274182242566&pkw=&pmt=&c3apimn=274182242566&intent=&gclid=CjwKCAjwj4zaBRABEiwA0xwsP3qSrKa9c_bn6InZf6QWKDZMj3YuZfgRkcnSqpxTZguPCFiUa4l-qRoC200QAvD_BwEhttps://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/so-month?utm_source=US_DisplayAds&utm_medium=DisplayManagedMisc&utm_campaign=162758&mkwid=c_dc&pcrid=274182242566&pkw=&pmt=&c3apimn=274182242566&intent=&gclid=CjwKCAjwj4zaBRABEiwA0xwsP3qSrKa9c_bn6InZf6QWKDZMj3YuZfgRkcnSqpxTZguPCFiUa4l-qRoC200QAvD_BwE https://buschgardens.com/williamsburg/shows/halloween/Busch Gardens Williamsburg Virginia Halloween Showshttps://buschgardens.com/williamsburg/shows/halloween/ I have served many friendly customers handling vegan food this year as part of my employment with the company I am currently affiliated with. This influences why I can easily understand why the company of Costco is being more inclusive in keeping their vegan customers in mind for business. However, as someone who has enjoyed the Costco Food court hot dog since becoming a Costco customer in 2013, I wonder if there is a way to at least still make the hot dogs available in the food court at least a few times a week while still also keeping the vegan customers in mind with the expanded vegan menu.https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/m/e764a3ab-2b12-3b17-9752-21f731513e7d/ss_costco-is-slashing-one-of.htmlCostco Is Slashing One of Customers Favorite Items From Its Food Court Menu and People Are Furious by Kate Taylor of Business Insiderhttps://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/m/e764a3ab-2b12-3b17-9752-21f731513e7d/ss_costco-is-slashing-one-of.html http://www.businessinsider.com/costco-polish-hot-dog-removal-sparks-backlash-2018-7?yptr=yahoo&r=UK&IR=T Costco Is Slashing One of Customers Favorite Items From Its Food Court Menu and People Are Furious by Kate Taylor of Business Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com/costco-polish-hot-dog-removal-sparks-backlash-2018-7?yptr=yahoo&r=UK&IR=T The brie, apple slice, and kielbasa with onions hot dog looks tasty along with the hot dogs pictured in the Business Insider article of the International House of Hot Dogs. https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/f2c294c1-4c27-3dfc-a189-ee7d6f8596b2/ss_the-10-best-hot-dogs-joints.html The 10 Best Hot Dog Joints In the US According To Yelp by Allana Akhtar Moneyhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/m/f2c294c1-4c27-3dfc-a189-ee7d6f8596b2/ss_the-10-best-hot-dogs-joints.html http://www.businessinsider.com/the-10-best-hot-dogs-joints-in-the-us-according-to-yelp-2018-7?r=UK&IR=T#7-holydog-7The 10 Best Hot Dog Joints In the US According To Yelp by Allana Akhtar Moneyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-10-best-hot-dogs-joints-in-the-us-according-to-yelp-2018-7?r=UK&IR=T#7-holydog-7 washington post cookiesI just baked some cookies less than 28 hours ago, one batch was chocolate chip betty crocker brand from the family dollar store with andes mints and some vanilla and chocolate pudding. The second batch of baked chocolate chip cookie mix had mashed up cinnamon toast crunch pieces and banana. My husband liked the banana cinnamon toast crunch mashup more. This Washington Post article of the top 8 cookie recipes of the holiday season by kara elder makes me curious to try the lemon ricotta buttercream sandwich cookies. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/12/21/the-top-8-cookie-recipes-of-the-holiday-season/?utm_term=.40fe22421b12 The top 8 Cookie Recipes of the Holiday Season by Kara Elder December 21, 2017 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/12/21/the-top-8-cookie-recipes-of-the-holiday-season/?utm_term=.40fe22421b12 popular grocery yahooIn all fairness, this article does list a wide variety of grocery stores such as Food Lion, Target, Giant Food Stores, Whole Foods Market, Costco, and more.https://finance.yahoo.com/photos/every-grocery-store-america-ranked-222116427/Every Grocery Store in America Ranked by Popularity by Eat This Not That June 18, 2018https://finance.yahoo.com/photos/every-grocery-store-america-ranked-222116427/ The popular listed recipe for Maryland it is the crab dip, for the district of Columbia it is the crab cake, and for Virginia it is the salmon cake. https://food52.com/blog/22673-the-most-popular-summer-recipes-by-state-according-to-googlethe most popular recipe in every state according to google by Valerio Farishttps://food52.com/blog/22673-the-most-popular-summer-recipes-by-state-according-to-google https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/the-most-popular-recipe-in-every-state-according-to-google/ar-AAzGtZ9the most popular recipe in every state according to google Valerio Farishttps://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/the-most-popular-recipe-in-every-state-according-to-google/ar-AAzGtZ9 This health benefits article is a motivational reminder for some of my walking and eventual running goals. I intuitively understand it is important to avoid comparing my progress to others. However, I am keeping this article as a helpful resource to copy from to further my knowledge for both fitness and spiritual/wisdom evolution.https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/health-benefits-of-walking/ The Many Health Benefits of Walkinghttps://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/health-benefits-of-walking/

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/lady-gaga-postpones-tour-blac-chyna-ready-rap/

Lady Gaga postpones tour and Blac Chyna ready to rap

Just days after canceling her scheduled performance at Rock in Rio, singer Lady Gaga announced that she will be postponing the European leg of her Joanne World Tour. On Sunday night, Gaga wrote a lengthy post on her Instagram page, in which she told fans that she would be unable to fulfill her European tour commitments at this time. The “Perfect Illusion” songstress explained, “I have always been honest about my physical and mental health struggles. Searching for years to get to the bottom of them. It is complicated and difficult to explain, and we are trying to figure it out. As I get stronger and when I feel ready, I will tell my story in more depth and plan to take this on strongly so I can not only raise awareness, but also expand research for others who suffer as I do, so I can help make a difference. I use the word "suffer" not for pity, or attention, and have been disappointed to see people online suggest that I'm being dramatic, making this up, or playing the victim to get out of touring. If you knew me, you would know this couldn't be further from the truth. I'm a fighter. I use the word suffer not only because trauma and chronic pain have changed my life, but because they are keeping me from living a normal life. They are also keeping me from what I love the most in the world: performing for my fans. I am looking forward to touring again soon, but I have to be with my doctors right now so I can be strong and perform for you all for the next 60 years or more. I love you so much.” Lady Gaga, Instagram post: In her recent documentary special for Netflix (Gaga: Give Foot Two), Gaga opened up about her struggle with severe, chronic pain. It was revealed that the beauty has been dealing with fibromyalgia, which involves the increase of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain. Feel better Gaga! Rob Kardashian has agreed to pay $20,000 a month in child support, ending a vicious custody battle with his former fiancée, Blac Chyna. As part of the agreement, Chyna dropped her domestic violence allegations against the reality TV star. The pair had announced their engagement and pregnancy in May 2016, then split a month later. A month after the baby was born in November, Kardashian wrote in an Instagram post that Chyna had taken the baby and left his home. The subsequent battle over custody included Kardashian posting “revenge porn” on social media of Chyna, posts that have since been deleted. She accused him of cyberbullying, and was granted a temporary restraining order against him. According to the agreement, the two will share custody of Dream and Kardashian will pay $20,000 a month for child support. Blac Chyna is putting her relationship with Rob Kardashian behind her and focusing on a rap career, sources tell us. “She’s met with four labels . . . [is] collaborating with very big artists, and there’s going to be big news coming soon,” an insider confirmed. “Yes, she is trying to rap and no, [it’s] horrible,” the cynical music source sniffed. “All the majors are listening, and, sadly, she will likely get a deal. If she lands it, somebody will be stupid enough to give her a seven-figure advance.” We’re told the former exotic dancer has already turned down a deal with a major label. “She wants the music to be right,” a source close to her told media outlets. In an all-new exclusive interview with Allure magazine, reality star Kim Kardashian talked candidly about the aftermath of when she was held at gunpoint while being robbed by a group of thieves in her Paris hotel room. Although Kim recounted what happened on her family’s reality show last season, the star went on to spill even more details to Allure about how she reacted and recovered from the scary situation. Kim told the publication that post-robbery, her daughter North West gave her a special present to keep her “safe” for if, and when, she returned to Paris. The star revealed, “[North] gave me a little plastic treasure box, and she put her little jewels in it – like fake little plastic jewels – and she was like, ‘Mommy, this will keep you safe when you go to Paris.’ To have something really sweet like that is more important to me than all the jewelry.” Later on in the interview, Kim explained that she and her husband Kanye West have decided to abstain from extravagant gifting. The makeup mogul said, "We don't do gifts. [Kanye and I] talk about it all the time, about not getting too much and trying to be as grounded and well-rounded as possible. I don't like presents anymore. We just did absolutely nothing [for our anniversary]. We spent two days in Santa Barbara, and we slept. You know what? I think we went to IHOP. That's what we did." You can read more of Kim’s interview in the October issue of Allure magazine. While Kevin Hart’s private life is spinning out of control due to a $10 million extortion scandal, his ex-wife, Torrei Hart, has plenty to say about the demise of their marriage. When Inside Edition asked what caused their eight-year union to end, Torrei, 39, flat-out said, “Lies and infidelity.” There’s always been a timeline issue. Torrei and Kevin married in 2003 and divorced in 2011, but Kevin’s new wife, Eniko Parrish, who is also pregnant with his third child, claims they have been together for eight years, which puts the start of their relationship in the middle of his first marriage. Kevin, 38, has openly admitted, in his stand-up routines, to cheating on Torrei. “Yes, people, I cheated. Am I ashamed of it? No, no I’m not,” he infamously said during “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain.” “Do I wish I could take it back? No, no I don’t.” Kevin’s behavior has caused current drama in his life. A woman threatened to leak sexually suggestive video of Hart with a stripper named Montia Sabbag in exchange for $10 million. On Sunday, the unidentified woman said she wanted to “expose” the star as a cheating liar. Sabbag denies having anything to do with the video. Hart jumped to Instagram to apologize for his behavior. “I made a bad error in judgment … Sending so many apologies to my wife and kids,” he said. “I gotta do better and I will. I’m not perfect, and I never claimed to be … I love you all.” When asked if she thinks Kevin would cheat again, Torrei said, “I don’t know. I can’t say yes, I can’t say no. All I can say is if it happened to me, it could happen to anyone.” One-time pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne has beaten superstar Beyonce at something, but she may not be totally happy with her victory - she's been named the most dangerous celebrity on the internet. Cybersecurity firm McAfee said Tuesday that Lavigne, whose last album came out in 2013, was the most likely celebrity to land users on websites that carry viruses or malware. Searches for Lavigne have a 14.5 percent chance of landing on a web page with the potential for online threats, a number that increases to 22 percent if users type her name and search for free MP3s. Bruno Mars was second in his debut on the list, followed closely behind by Carly Rae Jepsen. Zayn Malik (No. 4), Celine Dion (No. 5), Calvin Harris (No. 6), Justin Bieber (No. 7), Sean "Diddy" Combs (No. 8), Katy Perry (No. 9) and Beyonce (No. 10) rounded out the top 10 list. It's a dubious step up for Lavigne, who was ranked No. 2 in 2013. Lavigne, whose hits include "Sk8er Boi," ''Complicated" and "I'm With You," has been out of the spotlight for several years as she battles Lyme disease. McAfee had a few suggestions for why Lavigne scored so high on the 11th annual list: Interest after the artist said she's working on a new album, a feature story on her by E! Online and an internet conspiracy that she has been replaced by an impostor. Lavigne is the first female musician to take the No. 1 spot and replaced Amy Schumer, named the most dangerous celebrity on the internet in 2016. In 2015, it was Dutch trance DJ van Buuren. The survey is meant to highlight the danger of clicking on suspicious links. McAfee urges internet users to consider risks associated with searching for downloadable content. The company used its own site ratings to compile the celebrity list and used searches on Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Conservative commentator Jedediah Bila has announced her departure from ABC's "The View." Bila made the announcement on Monday's program, saying she was leaving to work on a new book and had "a lot of opportunities" to consider. Bila served as the chat panel's resident conservative. Co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Joy Behar both sent Bila off with kind remarks even though they noted that their opinions are often on the other side of the political spectrum. ABC has not announced a replacement for Bila, who joined the show last year. Bila was a contributor to Fox News before joining "The View." Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire that heavily damaged Neko Case's 225-year-old Vermont home. Barnet firefighters were called to the indie musician's home at about 9:30 p.m. Monday. The Caledonian Record reported the fire could be seen from miles away. Case wasn't at the home when the fire happened. The caretaker helped get three dogs out of the house. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. The musician has been nominated for three Grammy awards as a solo artist, and she's also a member of the indie rock band The New Pornographers. The home was featured in a 2012 article in Country Living. Actor and artist Donald Glover has a lot to be proud of these days. Not only has he received notable praise for his music, in which he performs under the stage name Childish Gambino, he has also been commended for his work on the small screen. On Sunday, the 33-year-old former Community star attended the 2017 Emmy Awards, which were hosted at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Donald showed up to the event with his brother Stephen, as well as his Atlanta co-stars Lakeith Stanfield and Brian Tyree Henry. As you may know, Donald’s current TV show Atlanta has proven to be a huge hit amongst audience members and critics alike. This adoration translated to a slew of Emmy nominations this year, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Donald Glover), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Donald Glover), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Atlanta), and Outstanding Comedy Series (Atlanta). Donald ended up winning for both Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, which makes him the first black director to ever win an Emmy in this particular category. Atlanta is set to return for season 2 sometime in 2018. Nick Jonas is showing support for his former Disney pal, Selena Gomez. As we recently reported, Selena Gomez revealed that she got a kidney transplant a couple of months ago. The young starlet bravely took to her social media page to share the very personal story of her operation with her fans and followers. On Sunday (September 17th), Nick did an interview with the hosts over at SiriusXM’s Hits 1 radio show. During this, the “Find You” singer addressed Selena’s recent announcement. The star gushed, “I didn’t [know]. I was just as surprised as everyone else when I woke up and saw her Instagram, but wow. That’s just incredible, and the strength she’s shown through all of that is inspiring.” Nick went on to add, “I’m pumped for her. I’m happy to see she’s doing well, it seems, and she was able to get the surgery and her friend helping her is a beautiful thing. So it’s all amazing.” As you may or may not remember, Nick and Selena had a short fling back in their Disney days. In fact, Selena starred in Nick’s former band’s (Jonas Brothers) music video for their 2008 hit song “Burning Up.” However, their relationship did not last long, as they were reportedly only together for a few short months around the time that the song and music video were released. In addition to launching her cosmetics line and her latest collaboration with Puma, singer Rihanna has been busy raising some serious funds for a good cause. Over the weekend, Rihanna, along with countless other celebrities, who were in attendance, came together for the 5th annual Diamond Ball. The Diamond Ball is an event founded by Rihanna that raises money for the Clara Lionel Foundation, which aims to provide money for global education, health, and emergency response programs. The guest list was star-studded. In addition, there were several big-name performers, including DJ Calvin Harris and rapper Kendrick Lamar. Comedian Dave Chappelle hosted the event, which took place at Cipriani in New York City. During the night, Rihanna got on stage to thank her guests for coming and helping her fundraise for such a worthy cause. The star told the crowd, “Together, we are funding groundbreaking and effective global education, health, and emergency response programs. We are investing in the future and helping to improve the quality of life for young people and their families around the globe.” According to numerous media outlets, Rihanna raised over $5 million at this year’s Diamond Ball. Last week, singer Selena Gomez revealed that she underwent a kidney transplant at the beginning of this past summer. In addition to receiving ample support from her fan base, Selena’s celebrity peers have also been reaching out to the young star and offering their support. While talking with tabloid publication US Weekly at a private event this week, Selena’s former Disney co-star Demi Lovato praised Selena and her decision to share such a personal story. Demi gushed, “I think that [Selena] is a very strong woman. I’m very happy and proud of her.” Almost immediately after Selena shared the story of her operation, fellow singer Lady Gaga also offered words of encouragement to the young star. On Friday (September 15th), Gaga posted a loving tweet addressed to Selena, which read, “Prayers [and] love to [Selena Gomez]. You are a warrior princess. What an inspiration.” Lady Gaga, Twitter post: https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/908831020446883841 Unfortunately, Gaga is facing some health problems of her own. On Thursday (September 14th), the “Born this Way” singer announced that she had to cancel her scheduled performance at Rock in Rio due to “severe pain.” On Instagram she posted a picture of an IV in her arm, with a caption that explained, “Brazil, I’m devastated that I’m not well enough to come to Rock in Rio. I would do anything [for you] but I have to take care of my body right now. I ask for your grace and understanding, and I promise that I will come back and perform for you soon. I’m so sorry, and I love you so much.” Lady Gaga, Instagram post: Shortly after posting to her Instagram, Gaga further elaborated on her health situation. On Twitter, she posted, “I was taken to the hospital – it’s not simply hip pain or wear [and] tear from sour. I’m in severe pain. I’m in good hands [with] the very best doctors.” Lady Gaga, Twitter post: https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/908405525452345350 Well wishes to both Selena and Gaga!

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