Archives 2023

“I can extend the conversation! Apologies for providing such verbose replies,” Nikki Glaser conveys when we reach the 40-minute mark designated for our telephonic discussion. The focus of our dialogue? Not her double Emmy-nominated Max special Someday You’ll Die, nor the track she penned and recorded for it, nor the unforgettable one-liners she fired in Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady, either. (The web widely crowned Glaser the most hilarious—and ruthless—of all the roasters.) “I could discuss Taylor Swift endlessly,” she mentions. And indeed, that’s why we’re talking: to grasp how, amid an incredibly hectic phase in her profession, Glaser has managed to attend 17 of Taylor Swift’s Eras concerts with undiminished enthusiasm. By the tour’s conclusion, the count will reach 22.

Ultimately, the explanation is quite straightforward: “It makes me feel extremely happy. I’ve stopped drinking and try to avoid substances—and truly, this feels like a superb drug,” she explains. “I’m somewhat addicted.” Admirers have frequently noticed her, seated not in the star-studded VIP enclosures but in the general seats, donning glittering outfits and belting out tunes as if nobody is observing. It’s pure delight, with a capital D.

“I feel a bit melancholic at the thought that it will eventually conclude, and I’ll likely need to substitute it with something new,” she muses during the call. “However, it’s not causing harm to anyone, so I embrace it. The more I accept it, the less I feel ashamed by it. At this juncture in my life, I’m not embarrassed by it in the slightest, or I wouldn’t be discussing it with you.”

Without delay, Glaser on Swift:

After numerous weeks of whispers and conjecture about when, or even if, Taylor Swift might lend her endorsement to vice president and 2024 Democratic contender Kamala Harris for presidency, the renowned artist finally made her stance known emphatically on Tuesday night. She broadcasted her backing for the Democratic candidate on social media shortly subsequent to Harris’s debate with ex-president and 2024 Republican contender Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post featuring herself and her feline companion (a subtle nod to J.D. Vance’s viral comment about the stereotype of the “childless cat lady”), Swift expressed: “I will be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m choosing @kamalaharris because she advocates for the rights and issues that, in my opinion, necessitate a champion.”

She elaborated: “I consider her a steady, talented leader, and I’m convinced that we can achieve much more in this nation under leadership that favors calmness over disarray. I was inspired by her choice of running mate @timwalz, who has been advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s autonomy over her body for years.” Besides denouncing Trump’s deceptive use of AI to create the illusion that Swift had supported him, Swift also encouraged her supporters to verify their voter registration for the 2024 election, providing a link to the Vote.gov website in her Instagram stories.

I’m not claiming that Taylor Swift is solely responsible for saving democracy, but…have you noticed the influence of the Swifties for Kamala? With her dedicated fanbase rallying, it seems quite possible that Swift might indeed have an impact on this election. Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, for instance, certainly seems to think so, acknowledging Swift’s statement shortly after she shared it.

“I’m thankful to Taylor Swift, and I speak as a fellow cat enthusiast,” he relayed to Rachel Maddow late on Tuesday. “Her words were articulate and direct, and that’s the bravery America is in need of.”

Certain young women wish to gain recognition, whereas others opt to maintain an aura of mystery. The Scottish-origin artist and producer Sophie resonated with those who chose to stay behind the controls despite weaving their own enchanting creations—and Sophie, her posthumous album, endeavors to balance these contrasting philosophies.

Renowned for her gritty, glitch-infused production style in her forceful music, Sophie nurtured a markedly private public persona, staying largely enigmatic outside her artistic moniker until her announcement as a transgender woman in 2017. She was both composer and curator of her own visual and musical identity; however, she exuded more than anything an ethereal alien uniqueness. During her time, Sophie produced one studio album—the highly regarded, Grammy-nominated Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides (2018)—and a mixtape, and both were heavily instrumental, with several tracks anchored by a singular phrase reiterated endlessly, stretched near linguistic breaking point until robotic chaos and distortion took the helm. Her initial releases, such as 2015’s “BIPP” and “Lemonade,” lingered in the air without clarity on their context or creator. (In 2021, Vince Staples recollected that numerous people conjectured Sophie was simply another venture by A.G. Cook.) The 2017 video for “It’s Okay to Cry”—introducing Sophie’s visage to most admirers for the first time—situated her against a dynamically changing environment of clouds, rainbows, and a star-speckled night sky, embracing a state of in-betweenness, while the exuberantly avant-garde video for “Faceshopping” from 2018 delighted in vivid transformations of her image. Harron Walker has earlier commented on the “dissociative” nature in Sophie’s compositions, illustrating how it encapsulates the experience of being concurrently present and absent, within the same physical form. Sophie tapped into a more celestial dimension, where forms weave in and out of perception amid the pulsating lights of the club.

Liam Payne, the vocalist and composer who gained global acclaim as part of the British pop ensemble One Direction, passed away on Wednesday aged 31 following a fall from the third storey of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although specifics surrounding Payne’s descent remain unconfirmed, a wave of sorrow from both celebrities and admirers has swiftly emerged across social media in response to the announcement of his demise.

At times, when Remi Wolf discusses her brand-new album, Big Ideas, she seems to enter autopilot mode, her form functioning without any commands from her mind. During a recent chat, while she elaborates on studio arrangements in her smooth alto (“We recorded at Electric Lady in New York, also at Conway in LA…”), she casually reaches over and swipes a french fry from my plate.

“Would you like some ketchup?” I offer her.

Instantly, the trance is shattered, leaving Wolf in a state of sheer surprise. She bursts into laughter. “Oh my gosh, I’m just, like, chit-chatting and eating your fries!” she exclaims. “I was just…zoned out.”

There exists a humorous disconnect between 28-year-old Wolf’s angelic visage, framed by a halo of dark curls, and her inclination to sprinkle her dialogue with “fucking” and “dude.” (She also possesses a wonderfully unique fashion sense: for our meal, she sports a long-sleeve tie-dye shirt, a pearl choker with a sizable silver pendant, and mini platform Uggs.) It’s thoroughly endearing: Entering the Hollywood diner where we’re seated, she’s met with a broad smile and a heartfelt “Welcome back!” from the waitress. Wolf has transformed this modest eatery into her workspace as of late, holding discussions with different label representatives leading up to her album’s debut on July 12. “I wish she was present for this conversation,” she states regarding one waitress who, without prompting, shared with Wolf—and a table of execs—details about her handmade “Lorena Bobbitt Rules!” T-shirt. “She said, ‘Do you folks need more coffee? Also, I crafted this shirt. She severed her boyfriend’s penis.’ And we just responded with, ‘Neat.’”

Big Ideas amplifies Wolf’s impressive repertoire of crystal-clear vocals, funky sounds, and colorful wordplay. While her initial LP, Juno, was crafted entirely in a bedroom amidst the COVID pandemic’s peak, Wolf eagerly seized the chance to record Big Ideas in revered studios like Electric Lady, whose esteemed legacy she hoped would infuse the tracks. In this new album, she portrays vibrant narratives of spewing frogs and sharing a love-struck Halloween in Chicago amidst quirky guitar riffs and synths. The album also features strong jazz and disco influences, enhanced to complement its lively essence.

A recurring motif in Wolf’s music is her fluid approach to sexuality. Since her debut EP, You’re a Dog! (2019), she has articulated interest in both men and women as subjects of her yearning (and often, exasperation). “Upon entering the music sector, it was a battle to be acknowledged,” she remarks. In the nascent stage of her profession, she confesses a hesitancy to be labeled as an LGBTQ+ artist. “I’m striving to remain authentic. Much of my writing reflects my real-life experiences,” she explains. She feared that a label would constrain her identity and compel her to represent more than just herself. “I possess no expertise on anything, genuinely—neither on gender politics nor on queer politics. My only message is you do you, and I’ll do me.” In the five years following You’re a Dog!, she observes that the perception of sexuality—and queerness in general—has evolved “to a point where it’s like, who cares?” she shares. “There’s no need to make it a significant issue—which I thoroughly enjoy.”