-
Nigeria date removed from South African pop star Tyla’s world tour after boycott petition
Nigeria has been removed from South African singer Tyla’s forthcoming world tour itinerary, days after Lagos was included in the initial announcement. No official reason was given, but the decision follows a Nigerian petition and online calls for a boycott over anti-migrant sentiment and alleged xenophobic violence in South Africa, highlighting how strained relations are…
-
On This Day in 1971, James Taylor Went No. 1 With a Song His Friend Wrote in Response To “Fire and Rain”
On 31 July 1971, James Taylor reached number one with “You’ve Got a Friend”, a song written by his friend and collaborator Carole King. The hit became one of Taylor’s best-known recordings and highlighted the close creative relationship between two leading singer-songwriters of the era. King wrote the song in response to Taylor’s “Fire and…
-
Carly Simon Gets Poetic on New Song ‘Peaches’
Carly Simon has released ‘Peaches’, a new single from her forthcoming album Comes in Waves, shortly after publicly disclosing that she has Parkinson’s disease. The song’s themes of bodily and emotional limitations give added resonance to her health update, while marking a return to new music from the veteran singer-songwriter. ‘Peaches’ follows the lead single…
-
Smallest.ai raises $13M to build ultra-fast voice AI that sounds genuinely human
Smallest.ai has raised $13 million in Series A funding to develop voice AI that responds quickly enough to sound more like a human conversation. The startup argues that conventional large language models can introduce noticeable pauses in spoken exchanges, so it is building smaller, specialised models that listen, process and respond simultaneously; this could make…
-
3 Country Deep Cuts From the 1980s That Belong in the Honky-Tonk Hall of Fame
Three underappreciated 1980s country songs are highlighted as deserving recognition in a notional “Honky-Tonk Hall of Fame”. – K. T. Oslin’s “I’ll Always Come Back” topped both US and Canadian country charts in 1988, but is now rarely heard on country radio. – Merle Haggard’s “Back To The Barrooms Again”, the 1980 album’s title track,…
-
‘Spider-Man’: THR’s 1977 Review
The Hollywood Reporter republishes its favourable 1977 review of CBS’s Spider-Man television film, which introduced Nicholas Hammond as Peter Parker before a 14-episode series. The reviewer judged it a faithful, straight-faced adaptation that successfully preserved the character’s spirit while bringing a comic-book superhero into real-world settings. The 90-minute programme aired on 14 September 1977 and…
-
Arca Unleashes New Album XXXXX: Stream
Arca has released her new album, XXXXX, her first full-length record since the five-part KiCk series in 2021. The release continues the artist’s pattern of five-character album titles and marks another significant project from the experimental musician and producer. The album was previewed on 23 July through a two-hour “Diva.Experimental” livestream, directed by Daniel Sannwald…
-
SWFC ticket allocation confirmed for Leyton Orient – many to miss out – thestar.co.uk
Sheffield Wednesday’s ticket allocation for their away match at Leyton Orient has been confirmed, with demand expected to exceed supply. This matters because a significant number of supporters are likely to be unable to attend the fixture. The available article text does not provide the allocation figure, sale arrangements or match date. It indicates that…
-
Hold the front page! Marilyn Monroe is Dakota Johnson’s ninth cousin three times removed
A genealogy press release says Dakota Johnson and Marilyn Monroe are ninth cousins three times removed, sharing ancestors who were 17th-century English settlers in Maryland. The claim has been highlighted ahead of Johnson portraying Monroe in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s short film Flesh Impact, due to premiere at the Venice film festival for Monroe’s centenary. The article…