As more Argentines go childless, pampered dogs become part of the family
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Venus gazes in bewilderment at the candles flickering on her mini birthday cake. The partygoers crowd around her in expectant silence, but she doesn't blow them out.
Dogs can't blow candles, after all. So Venus' owner intervened, drawing a breath and extinguishing the flames to a round of applause before serving her black mixed-breed a bite of meat-flavored birthday cake.
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The Verge
18 hours ago
- The Verge
The soul of The Last of Us is in Gustavo Santaolalla's music
When fans nervously tuned in to watch HBO's adaptation of one of their favorite video games, there was one familiar presence that immediately calmed their nerves: the mournful guitar of Gustavo Santaolalla. As certain story beats changed and beloved polygonal faces were replaced with new actors, the beating heart of The Last of Us — its mesmerizing, tension-ridden score — survived the transition to TV intact. '[Series creator] Neil Druckmann has said that my music is part of the DNA of The Last of Us,' Santaolalla says. 'I think the fact that we kept the sonic fabric — that we didn't do an orchestral score for the series — has been instrumental in keeping those fans of the games fans of the series, too.' Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Santaolalla first started releasing music when he was 17. Loving both English rock bands and the traditional Argentine folk music that he was raised on, Santaolalla melded both into his own unique sound, part of a genre called rock nacional. Before he could fully make his mark, Santaolalla's family fled the Argentine junta dictatorship in 1978, moving to Los Angeles, where his unique sound soon caught the attention of filmmakers. Snapped up to score the 2000 film Amores Perros and 2003's 21 Grams, their success led to Santaolalla composing the soundtracks for Brokeback Mountain and Babe l, both of which won him Oscars. Santaolla's sonic secret? Embracing the eloquence of silence. 'I work so much with silence and space, because silences sometimes can be louder than a note that you're playing,' says Santaolalla. 'I remember on Brokeback Mountain when I first sent them the music, the producer said 'I thought you were pulling my leg at first, because you wait so long to play the next note!'' 'Silences sometimes can be louder than a note that you're playing.' After winning two Oscars back to back, Santaolalla carefully considered his next career move. Despite being a self-professed 'terrible gamer' Santaolalla tells me he always loved watching his son play, mesmerized by the on-screen kineticism. 'I always thought that if somebody connects this at an emotional level with a player, it's going to be a revolution.' It turns out, the universe had picked up on Santaolalla's newest interest. Post-Oscars, he was approached by several game companies to do music, but turned them down because 'I'm very picky about the work that I do.' That includes a lucrative gaming project that he is careful not to name. 'Everyone thought I was crazy!' he chuckles. Still, Santaolalla quietly hoped that a more emotionally-resonant project would materialize. 'So, I waited… and then Neil appeared,' Santaolalla says. 'When Neil told his colleagues that he wanted me to do this, [his colleagues ] said, No, Gustavo is not going to be interested — he won two Oscars! But when Neil [told me] the story, and that he wanted to do a game that connects with people on an emotional level… I was sold. What even Neil Druckmann wasn't prepared for, however, was that Gustavo's music would become just as crucial a presence as Ellie and Joel. In a post apocalyptic world where life is scarce and danger lurks around every corner, silence hangs in the air like a threat. Santaolalla's scuffed notes, discordant melodies and screeching fret slides reverberate across the dilapidated city streets, feeling as unpredictable as the world Ellie and Joel inhabit. 'I love the use of imperfections, even errors or mistakes.' 'I love the use of imperfections, even errors or mistakes,' Santaolalla explains. 'Any professional guitar player when they're recording tend to avoid all kinds of noises; when you run your hand on the fretboard or little glitches in your playing. But sometimes, I'll push those in my mix, and I think that humanizes it. That's why many people have said that my music becomes like a character — a presence. It's why I play things myself.' In the second game, Gustavo's music becomes a physical part of the fiction, with Ellie carrying a guitar throughout her quest for vengeance. She takes out the instrument during welcome moments of downtime, offering cathartic respite. And just like Gustavo's score, these beautiful vignettes break up the harrowing silence, which carries through in the second season of the show. 'I love the TV series too,' says Santaolalla. ' For the show, Neil associated himself with another incredible talent, Craig Mazin — the guy that did Chernobyl — who knows that media and that language. I think it was a big, big challenge, because when you go from one media to another one, people say no, I like the original better! So, I think, once again, that the way we have used the music has been instrumental to keep that fan base attached.' He adds that 'I think that when a story is really great, like a theatrical piece — like Shakespeare — it doesn't matter who plays the character. Obviously Pedro Pascal's Joel is different than the Joel from the game, but the substance of the character is so powerful that those things are just superficial. They could have done this as a series, as a feature film, as a puppet theatre piece, or an animation and it will still land regardless — because it's just great writing.' Now as Santaolalla finds himself releasing his very own instrument — the Guitarocko — it feels like the culmination of the musical journey he started as a teen. Melding the traditional Bolivian 10 stringed ronroco with the form factor of a Fender Stratocaster, Gustavo feels a father-like pride for his musical creation: the 73-year-old is invigorated by what The Last Of Us has given him at this stage in his career. 'I've been blessed with the fact that I have connected with an audience since I was very young,' he says. 'But the way I connect with the fans of The Last of Us and the way they connect with the music… here's a special devotion that is really beautiful. I have this new audience which is fantastic, and I love that they didn't know me as an artist or as a film composer! Now they look for my music, and they discover these things. It's been a gift for me, at this point — after everything that I've been through — to be involved with a project like this.'
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Horoscopes Today, June 7, 2025
Horoscopes Today, June 7, 2025 Here are the horoscopes for today, Saturday, June 7, 2025. For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience. What is your zodiac sign? A guide to what astrology can tell you about yourself Get to know Geminis: Personality traits and more on this Zodiac sign Gemini (May 21 - June 21) Lost in a fantasy? The moon's clash with Venus bursts your bubble. Duty calls! Don't worry, this interruption is temporary. Read the full Gemini Daily Horoscope Cancer (June 22 - July 22) Did you just get blown off? As the moon and Venus clash, your feelings are hurt! Don't do anything rash. Read the full Cancer Daily Horoscope Leo (July 23 - August 22) Stretched thin? As the moon clashes with Venus, insecurities cause you to overcompensate. Results are mixed. Read the full Leo Daily Horoscope Virgo (August 23 - September 22) Brought down to earth? Idealistic reveries are interrupted as the moon and Venus clash! Take care of urgent business. Read the full Virgo Daily Horoscope Libra (September 23 - October 22) Crisis of confidence? The moon's clash with Venus puts your self-esteem in another's hands. Don't give them that power! Read the full Libra Daily Horoscope Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Struggling to connect with a partner? You're torn between leaning in and withdrawing as the moon and Venus clash. Read the full Scorpio Daily Horoscope Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Feeling indifferent? Your attention drifts as the moon clashes with Venus. Work goes by the wayside. You need direction! Read the full Sagittarius Daily Horoscope Capricorn (December 21 - January 19) Struggling to show you care? As the moon and Venus clash, your mind and your heart are at odds! Read the full Capricorn Daily Horoscope Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Wishing you were 'further ahead'? The moon's clash with Venus triggers career insecurities. Financial concerns play a role. Read the full Aquarius Daily Horoscope Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Feeling misunderstood? As the moon and Venus clash, a communication gaffe prompts you to distance yourself from a friend. Read the full Pisces Daily Horoscope Aries (March 21 - April 19) The more you push, the more they'll pull away! Avoid making jealous ultimatums as the moon and Venus clash. Read the full Aries Daily Horoscope Taurus (April 20 - May 20) What does a partner need from you? And are you capable of providing it? A disconnect is evident today. Read the full Taurus Daily Horoscope
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Rock icon Fito Páez isn't looking at legacy yet: 'I still have many things left to do'
Rock icon Fito Páez isn't looking at legacy yet: 'I still have many things left to do' Don't give Fito Páez his flowers yet. He's still planting new seeds. The Argentina-born singer-songwriter and film director, whose landmark 1992 album "El Amor Después del Amor" celebrated its 33rd anniversary June 1, continues his tradition of avant-Latin rock on his latest album "Novela." Páez, 62, became "The Troubadour of Argentine Rock" by waxing poetic with his heady, romantic lyrics and free-spirit flamboyance. On "Novela," an ambitious 25-track record Páez had been working on since 1988, the Grammy-winning rocker explores the inner workings of true love through the tale of Maldivina and Turbialuz, a pair of young witches tasked with creating the "perfect romance." "I don't compose music for albums. My connection to music, to writing or to film is permanent. I'm not thinking, 'Now I'm going to do this or that,'" Páez tells USA TODAY in Spanish. "It's almost like breathing." Something that comes just as naturally to Páez is writing about the primal magic of human connection. "There's nothing more important than love," he says. Fito Páez preaches the importance of artistic independence For Páez, there's nothing more vital than marching to the beat of your own drum. The acclaimed rocker, who's released nearly 30 albums since his 1984 debut "Del 63," shares his concern about today's music landscape, which he views as valuing conformity over originality. "The world has changed so much," he reflects. "In the last century, to be different (as an artist) was a virtue. Today, virtue is being like everybody else." Despite his lower middle-class upbringing in Rosario, Argentina, Páez was fed a rich musical diet, consisting of the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles. He says these trailblazers informed the experimental rock style he's now known for. So, Páez's advice for younger artists? Embrace the uncertainty of carving out their own path. "Music is like the sea. It's deep and warm and at the same time, full of storms," Páez says. "This is much more fun than repeating a beat and four lyrics for five minutes." Karol G interview: Singer talks vulnerable new documentary, love life and upcoming 'dream' album Fito Páez's proudest achievement may surprise you Over the years, Páez has been lauded for his artistic contributions, including 11 Latin Grammy Awards. In 2021, the Latin Recording Academy recognized Páez with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Páez's music has been equally championed by la gente. His beloved eighth album, "El Amor Después del Amor," is reportedly the best-selling album in the history of Argentine rock. "I don't want a legacy yet. I still have many things left to do," Páez says with a laugh. "In the end, that's the beauty of the spread of music, that it's not the process of one era, of one song, of your vanity or of your brand, but it's a journey through time. And when it happens for real, it's very beautiful." Natalia Lafourcade interview: Mexican singer on alter ego in 'Cancionera,' significance of touring in her 40s The greatest accolade for Páez lies in his continued ability to create. "I really love that 12-year-old boy who listened to music with his parents, and something was awoken there that is still alive, and that boy never said never," Páez says. "So, I'm really proud of that little boy."
