Charli XCX and The 1975 drummer George Daniel are married
The couple were seen posing in front of London's Hackney Town Hall on Saturday. Daniel wore a suit, and Charli XCX wore a Vivienne Westwood bridal mini dress, Vogue confirmed.
Representatives for Charli XCX did not immediately respond to AP's request for comment.
The "BRAT' pop star posted a video on TikTok while wearing the same bridal minidress. It featured the text "when george isn't crying when he sees me walking down the aisle,' and a caption, "luckily he did.'
The Grammy-winning Charli XCX, born Charlotte Emma Aitchison, is an English singer and songwriter who first made waves in 2012 for writing the synth-pop hit, "I Love It' for the Swedish duo Icona Pop and in 2014, for her collaboration with rapper Iggy Azalea on "Fancy.' In the years since, she's continued to innovate, working with the futuristic hyperpop collective PC Music. Most recently, she released the energetic, hedonistic, summer-defining album, "BRAT.'
Daniel is an English musician, record producer and DJ, best known as the drummer and founding member of the popular pop-rock band The 1975.
Charli XCX and Daniel announced their engagement on Instagram in 2023. The pair have collaborated a number of times in the past. Daniel is a feature co-producer and co-writer on two "BRAT' tracks. (AP)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
33 minutes ago
- Arab Times
Ziad Rahbani, Lebanese composer and son of icon Fayrouz, dies at 69
BEIRUT, July 26, (AP): Ziad Rahbani, a visionary Lebanese composer, playwright, pianist and political provocateur, died on Saturday, at the age of 69, according to the state-run National News Agency. The death was confirmed by a person close to Rahbani who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Born in 1956 in Antelias, near Beirut, Ziad was the eldest son of legendary Lebanese singer Fayrouz and late composer Assi Rahbani, one half of the famed Rahbani Brothers. From a young age, he showed signs of prodigious talent, composing his first musical work at just 17 years old. Raised among artistic royalty, his world was steeped in music, theater, and political consciousness - a combination that would define his life's work. His mother, considered to be the most famous and esteemed performer in the Arab world, performed some of his compositions at her sellout concerts, blending Lebanese folklore with Western syncopation and phrasing. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun mourned Rahbani's death as a national loss, describing him as "not just an artist, but a complete intellectual and cultural phenomenon.' In a statement, Aoun praised Rahbani as "a living conscience, a rebellious voice against injustice, and an honest mirror reflecting the suffering and marginalized.' He highlighted how Rahbani's fusion of classical, jazz, and Oriental music "opened new windows for Lebanese cultural expression' and elevated it to global levels. "Ziad was a natural extension of the Rahbani family, which gave Lebanon much beauty and dignity,' the president added. While his parents helped construct a golden era of Lebanese musical theater steeped in idealism and nostalgia, Rahbani charged onto the scene with irreverent satire, unflinching political critique, and jazz-inflected scores that mirrored the chaos and contradictions of a Lebanon at war with itself. "I admire the music of composers like Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, and Dizzy Gillespie,' he once said. "But my music is not Western, it's Lebanese, with a different way of expression.' Rahbani's music reflected the hybrid heritage of Lebanon, which until the civil war erupted in 1975 was a cultural melting pot where East met West. But it was also deeply rooted in the traumatic events of the sectarian strife, the bloody street battles between rival militias and three years of violent Israeli occupation after the 1982 invasion. His breakout play, Nazl el-Sourour (Happiness Hotel), premiered in 1974 when he was only 17 and portrayed a society disfigured by class inequality and repression. The tragicomic narrative follows a group of workers who hijack a restaurant to demand their rights, only to be dismissed by the political elite. With this bold debut, Rahbani revealed his enduring theme: that Lebanese society was fractured not only by war but by entrenched power. A leftist Greek Orthodox, Rahbani also wrote plays and satirical radio shows centered on his violent environment that mock the sectarian divisions of his country. Rahbani's subsequent plays solidified his reputation as the voice of the disenchanted. In Bennesbeh Labokra Chou? (What About Tomorrow?), He plays a jaded bar pianist in post-civil war Beirut who drifts through a surreal landscape of broken dreams, corruption, and absurdity. The work features some of Rahbani's most poignant music and biting commentary, including the famous line, "They say tomorrow will be better, but what about today?' Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also mourned Rahbani's loss, describing him as "an exceptional and creative artist-a free voice who remained true to the values of justice and dignity.' More than just a playwright, Rahbani was a composer of staggering range. He infused traditional Arabic melodies with jazz, funk, and classical influences, creating a hybrid sound that became instantly recognizable. His live performances were legendary, whether playing piano in smoky clubs in Hamra, one of Beirut's major commercial districts that harbors a multifaceted identity, or orchestrating large-scale productions. His collaborations with Fayrouz, especially during the late 1970s and 1980s, ushered in a darker, more politically charged phase in her career. Songs like Ouverture 83, Bala Wala Chi (Without Anything), and Kifak Inta (How Are You) reflected Ziad's brooding compositions and lyrical introspection. Rahbani came under fire from Arab traditionalists for his pioneering efforts to bridge the gap between Arab and Western culture with music. In recent years, Ziad appeared less in the public eye, yet his influence never waned. Younger generations rediscovered his plays online and sampled his music in protest movements. He continued to compose and write, speaking often of his frustration with Lebanon's political stagnation and decaying public life. Rahbani is survived by his mother, Fayrouz, now 90, his sister Reema, and brother Hali.
Arab Times
2 hours ago
- Arab Times
Blue Ivy steps into the spotlight as Beyoncé's tour draws to a close
LOS ANGELES, July 26, (AP): "Who they came to see?' Beyoncé asks as she performs her 2023 single "My House' during the Cowboy Carter tour. For many, the answer has been Blue Ivy. Blue Ivy Carter, the Grammy-winning artist's 13-year-old daughter, is more present than ever on stage, and fans are impressed by the growth from her first performance years ago to now. Isabella Kerr, 15, has admired Beyoncé for years, but said she attended the Cowboy Carter tour specifically to experience Blue Ivy's moves in person. "People are saying, "Oh, she's a mini Beyoncé,' but no, I think she's the first Blue. Everything about her when she's on stage is electrifying,' said Kerr. The Cowboy Carter tour concludes Saturday in Las Vegas. The tour's 30 previously stops have fans buzzing that Blue Ivy is well on her way to being a next generation powerhouse. Blue first graced the stage at 11 years old during her mother's 2023 Renaissance tour, appearing during the legacy-celebrating anthems "My Power' and "Black Parade.' Supporters anticipated her performance at each stop. She performed again during "Beyoncé Bowl,' the NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show that was just nominated for four Emmy Awards. She danced alongside the icon as she performed songs from the "Cowboy Carter' album for the first time. "Even the difference between the Renaissance Tour and now, you can tell she's really grown in her confidence,' said fan and artist Olivia Ellis. "You can tell she has a different vibe about her.' On the Cowboy Carter tour, she can almost be mistaken for one of Beyoncé's professional dancers. She is on stage for nearly every song and has a solo recreating her mother's choreography from her 2006 "Déjà-vu' music video, a nod to the undeniable similarities between the two. Online videos of Blue display professionalism comparable to her mother's during the Cowboy Carter tour. During a rainy New Jersey stop, she brought out towels to dry her area of the stage before nailing her "America Has a Problem' choreography. In another unexpected moment during a Chicago show, her earring got caught on Beyoncé's hair. Blue remained calm, removed the jewelry and motioned to the singer that it was safe in her hand as they both seamlessly continued. "It's the family business,' said Kinitra D. Brooks, an academic and author of "The Lemonade Reader,' a collection that explores the nuances of Beyoncé's 2016 visual album, "Lemonade.' "She is literally studying under the best person doing it out there today. Why wouldn't she take advantage of that opportunity?' In "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,' fans were given a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making process the first time Blue was allowed to perform. Beyoncé expressed how nervous she was about her child being in front of thousands of people made her, revealing she initially said no. "I did not think it was an appropriate place for an 11-year-old on a stadium stage,' she said in the documentary. "I made a deal with her, and I said, 'If you practice and you show your commitment, I'll let you do one show.'' Blue Ivy fulfilled her end of the deal, and a fan base was formed: the "Ivy League.' Kerr says Blue's accomplishments inspire her to work harder to achieve her own dreams. "She worked to be on stage, and look at her now. If I work to what I want to be, I can be killing it like her.' At last month's Cowboy Carter Paris stop, members of the Beyhive and Ivy League finally got what they had been asking for - Blue Ivy merchandise. Shirts with the teen's face and the phrase "Déjà Blue' plastered on the front were available for purchase. Prior to that, fans were creating their own custom pieces that highlighted Blue and Beyoncé's connection. At the MetLife Stadium show, Ellis wore a custom corset top she painted, showcasing Blue Ivy and her 8-year-old sister, Rumi Carter, on stage with Beyoncé during "Protector,' a track from the "Cowboy Carter' album that Rumi is featured on. "I thought that would just be a really fun moment to highlight on a corset,' she said. "It's just really cool to see her as a mom because we've all grown up with Beyoncé, and now it's like her show is kind of like a family affair.' Blue Ivy's confidence and professionalism are not only a testament to her hard work, but Beyoncé's motherhood. Mother-daughter duos around the globe filled stadium seats, excited to watch Beyoncé and her daughter display their strong bond for the world to see. In many cases, the mothers have been Beyoncé fans for years and are excited for their daughters to grow up with Blue Ivy, a high-flyer for their generation. Tanazha Baylis took her now 11-year-old daughter, Aria Brown, to the Renaissance tour, where she did not miss a beat dancing along to Blue Ivy's "My Power' choreography. Brown was so determined to attend the Cowboy Carter Tour that she started selling popular toys, such as slime and Squishmallows, and saving her money. "She literally was like, 'Mom, I don't know what you're going to do, but I have to go to this concert,'' said Baylis. "I just had to make it happen after that.' Brown became a Beyoncé fan after participating in a dance recital with a theme centered around the superstar's career throughout the years. Baylis, who says she has always been a big fan, is happy to share these experiences with her daughter. "It just showed her a cool mom and daughter, and it's just something that she can do as well. Beyoncé is a little older but, with seeing Blue there, it made it tangible for her.' Although there is no solid answer for what the future holds for Blue Ivy, it is widely recognized that the possibilities are limitless. "We couldn't imagine that Beyoncé would do all of these things that she could do. All we saw were people trying to put limitations on her,' said Brooks. "I think one of the things that Beyoncé wants us to do and what she wants for Blue is for us to not put those limitations on Blue.'
Arab Times
2 hours ago
- Arab Times
No sword fights, just fear: Kurosawa reinvents the samurai genre
TOKYO, July 26, (AP): Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, known as a master of horror films set within the neurotic realism of the modern day, will bring his signature edge-of-your-seat storytelling to a genre he has never tackled before: the samurai movie. "I do want to do it once, and it looks like it might be really happening, although things are still uncertain. I may finally be able to make my samurai film,' he told The Associated Press, noting he couldn't give much detail just yet. His upcoming samurai film will not have sword-fight scenes or action-packed outdoor shots that characterize the genre, known as "jidaigeki.' Instead, it will be the same creepy quiet narrative of Kurosawa movies, where the action takes place almost claustrophobically, in this case, in a castle that just happens to be set in the samurai era. That concept alone is enough to pique a movie lover's interest. The horror master was just honored at this year's Japan Cuts film festival in New York. The festival presented him the Cut Above award, international recognition that follows the Silver Lion at the 2020 Venice Film Festival for "Wife of a Spy,' centered around a troubled married couple during World War II. Kurosawa, who is not related to "Seven Samurai' and "Rashomon,' director Akira Kurosawa, said period pieces are difficult to make due to the extraordinary costs of sets, props and costuming. He also made it clear he isn't interested in directing science fiction, but rather pursues realism. However, he readily acknowledged that his films are all made up, in fact, "a lie.' "Maybe this is my weakness, or my characteristic; I want to tell my stories in a setting of a very real modern-day society, yet I want to entertain," he said. "And so it's a contradiction that I aim for every time," "You create a lie, like a horrific character (in a realistic framework),' he said. Kurosawa, who has managed to produce a film a year over his 40-year career, invests a lot of time researching the setting and backdrop of his films, including much reading, to make it as realistic as possible. In his most recent thriller, "Cloud,' a man who is down on his luck, portrayed by Masaki Suda, makes dubious profits by reselling items he finds online at far higher prices. It starts harmless enough, except, as the plot thickens, the protagonist is confronted by victims out for revenge. Kurosawa is not one to hold back on violence, often gory and extreme but beautifully shot, sometimes almost comical in its bizarreness. "Cure,' a 1997 film about a police detective investigating a series of gruesome murders, starring Koji Yakusho, uses continuous shots purposely without cuts to bring out the varied emotions, and the coldness of the characters, sometimes changing viscerally within the same scene, to explore madness. Despite his insistence on realism, Kurosawa, who counts Alfred Hitchcock among his influences, doesn't rule out the addition of tiny unreal elements for that perfectly subtle and eerie effect. But his movies are never happy-go-lucky, he said. "Everything being happy is not possible if you start with the realism of modern-day Japan,' said Kurosawa. Kurosawa believes that while filmmaking is usually a giant confusing project where multiple players must work together, producers worrying about the box office and actors concerned about their roles, it is ultimately about dealing with what feels right to your deepest self. "In the end, it all boils down to: I understand there are many opinions, but we must choose what is right. What does being right mean? To figure that out is the creator's job,' he said.
