Latest news with #ChappellRoan
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Spotify: Why I'm giving the service a rest to go back to basics with music listening
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I might have all the music in the world at my fingertips - but do I need it all at once? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spotify has faced criticism in recent months over its CEO's investment in an AI military defence company. But that isn't the only issue - the choice on the platform has also become overwhelming for some. Benjamin Jackson writes about why he's giving up Spotify in favour of going back to basics. The idea of having millions of tracks at my fingertips became a reality when Spotify first launched in 2008. No longer did I have to contend with how much space I would need on my Zune (ask your parents), as the catalogue the Swedish-based streaming service offered meant that I could retain hard drive space for… well… did I need hard drive space from there on in? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But 17 years later, Spotify has grown from that weird app on your phone that not too many people were familiar with, to part of everyday language. 'Did you listen to that new Chappell Roan song?' 'No, it's on Spotify - I'll Spotify.' But a lot has changed over those years; the company has been hit with numerous complaints, from hosting Joe Rogan's podcast to how much artists actually earn from royalties through the service. That's not mentioning the most recent problem; Daniel Ek investing money into Helsing, a European defence technology company focused on developing AI systems for military applications, including those for drones and battlefield targeting. That's led to artists, such as Deerhoof, to decide that the money they help Spotify make is something they cannot do in good conscience. I've also had a few bands, from back in the days I used to release music, ask if I can remove their stuff from Spotify - despite the ubiquity of the service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the reason I am forgoing Spotify is far simpler. Although I am also not a fan of paying for a subscription that may help fund a war machine (for lack of a better term), it isn't merely that. For the life of me, I don't think I need that amount of music at my disposal - and therein lies two operative words here: disposal and disposable. Choice overload and the problem with Spotify While Spotify has become the 'king' of music streaming services, is too much choice and never-ending algorithms making music 'disposable'? | Canva You might be familiar with the concept of choice overload, as we've written about it before. For me, it is a real problem. It's why when at the end of the working day I put on Netflix or Prime Video, I'm met with numerous options, and I instead spend most of my time thinking about what I want to watch, rather than going in committed to what I do want to watch. It's very much the same when it comes to music; maybe I'm getting old and my patience with technology is changing, but I find myself more often than not sitting in silence during the day rather than putting Spotify on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It never used to be that way, and as someone who has previously belittled the importance of radio for artists owing to the way we all access music this century, I actually am a hypocrite – I have been enjoying the radio again. Why? Because the choice has been taken away from me and instead 'curated' by music programmers. It still all boils down to what artists are considered 'du jour' this week, but to have hours of music with conversations between moments is the respite I think I require these days. I don't get that same feeling from Spotify, and before people sound out 'that sounds like a you problem,' I am happy to admit it is. My patience for some reason is getting thinner the greyer I get. I've been called a boomer for my attitude sometimes. Great. But for all the recommended, customised, curated playlists created for me based on what I have been listening to, my Spotify Wrapped will demonstrate there's only a handful of acts I still use Spotify for. Is it worth £16.99 per month when that money could be used towards a CD or a vinyl from a local act? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a reason I've been extolling the virtues of compact discs since the beginning of the year: unlike Spotify, an album on CD, vinyl, or cassette tape has a definitive start and a definitive end. The wall of noise that is Spotify's algorithm To put it into some perspective, let's say I end up listening to Nirvana's Nevermind; I'll enjoy the album, but then, when the album is finished and it segues into the 'recommendations' based on Spotify's algorithm, it all just becomes a wall of noise. It's akin to just having non-descript sound on at times, and hence why the operative word is 'disposable.' Am I enjoying the fact that I can listen to whatever I want free from commercial interruptions or discussion about upcoming releases, or is it just a disposable form of entertainment that is just put on for the sake of 'having something on in the background'? It used to be, and still is in many respects, an event when an album finally dropped, and those of us of a certain age can remember lining up outside of HMV or Fopp to pick up the latest album we've coveted since reading about it in magazines and following their music videos on television. It was a full package. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now? I can pre-save an album to Spotify, and it'll just appear in my library; there is no pomp and pageantry anymore. Instead, it just feels like I've ordered my meal on a flight and, low and behold, there it is… not quite nourishing but just doing the job to keep me sustained. That's why I think people are turning back to having tangible items with music on them, be it vinyl, cassette, CD, or Minidisc. Whatever takes your fancy. Maybe part of that is the realisation that royalty rates for physical items still command more than streaming services, or maybe this post-internet movement of removing ourselves more from the digital world has led us back to a halcyon era where we could hold the album we've been waiting for. For me, it's that combination of still enjoying the 'ritual' of pulling a CD sleeve out, reading the inlay, and allowing myself the time to digest an album once it has finished. Rather, as it were, not allowing myself that moment and instead gorging myself, without reason, on more music. Okay, there might be a reason – that Spotify Wrapped can't have Bush as a top-rated artist for another year in a row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Interestingly, when I posited the notion on Facebook of cancelling Spotify in favour of buying CDs, an overwhelming number of people agreed with it. Some asking why that opinion was so popular, others offering advice such as supporting artists directly using Bandcamp might be more of a viable way to support people. But for me, as I pop on Charli XCX's remix version of 'brat', on CD, it's that content moment after an album has finished that has led me to eschew Spotify for now. It might sound like I have a lack of self-control regarding the use of the streaming service, but as it stands, I've been enjoying music way more this way in recent months than the 'onslaught' of options Spotify has. As my father used to say – you can only listen to one thing once. He's right – so maybe it's time to give up the subscription permanently and instead go back to basics, discovering music through word of mouth instead of what an algorithm is pushing, and adorning my shelves with CDs once again. Something you can't do with streaming tracks. Are you still a fan of Spotify or are you too finding yourself looking at other services and other ways to listen to music? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Spotify: Why I'm giving the service a rest to go back to basics with music listening
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I might have all the music in the world at my fingertips - but do I need it all at once? Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spotify has faced criticism in recent months over its CEO's investment in an AI military defence company. But that isn't the only issue - the choice on the platform has also become overwhelming for some. Benjamin Jackson writes about why he's giving up Spotify in favour of going back to basics. The idea of having millions of tracks at my fingertips became a reality when Spotify first launched in 2008. No longer did I have to contend with how much space I would need on my Zune (ask your parents), as the catalogue the Swedish-based streaming service offered meant that I could retain hard drive space for… well… did I need hard drive space from there on in? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But 17 years later, Spotify has grown from that weird app on your phone that not too many people were familiar with, to part of everyday language. 'Did you listen to that new Chappell Roan song?' 'No, it's on Spotify - I'll Spotify.' But a lot has changed over those years; the company has been hit with numerous complaints, from hosting Joe Rogan's podcast to how much artists actually earn from royalties through the service. That's not mentioning the most recent problem; Daniel Ek investing money into Helsing, a European defence technology company focused on developing AI systems for military applications, including those for drones and battlefield targeting. That's led to artists, such as Deerhoof, to decide that the money they help Spotify make is something they cannot do in good conscience. I've also had a few bands, from back in the days I used to release music, ask if I can remove their stuff from Spotify - despite the ubiquity of the service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the reason I am forgoing Spotify is far simpler. Although I am also not a fan of paying for a subscription that may help fund a war machine (for lack of a better term), it isn't merely that. For the life of me, I don't think I need that amount of music at my disposal - and therein lies two operative words here: disposal and disposable. Choice overload and the problem with Spotify While Spotify has become the 'king' of music streaming services, is too much choice and never-ending algorithms making music 'disposable'? | Canva You might be familiar with the concept of choice overload, as we've written about it before. For me, it is a real problem. It's why when at the end of the working day I put on Netflix or Prime Video, I'm met with numerous options, and I instead spend most of my time thinking about what I want to watch, rather than going in committed to what I do want to watch. It's very much the same when it comes to music; maybe I'm getting old and my patience with technology is changing, but I find myself more often than not sitting in silence during the day rather than putting Spotify on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It never used to be that way, and as someone who has previously belittled the importance of radio for artists owing to the way we all access music this century, I actually am a hypocrite – I have been enjoying the radio again. Why? Because the choice has been taken away from me and instead 'curated' by music programmers. It still all boils down to what artists are considered 'du jour' this week, but to have hours of music with conversations between moments is the respite I think I require these days. I don't get that same feeling from Spotify, and before people sound out 'that sounds like a you problem,' I am happy to admit it is. My patience for some reason is getting thinner the greyer I get. I've been called a boomer for my attitude sometimes. Great. But for all the recommended, customised, curated playlists created for me based on what I have been listening to, my Spotify Wrapped will demonstrate there's only a handful of acts I still use Spotify for. Is it worth £16.99 per month when that money could be used towards a CD or a vinyl from a local act? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a reason I've been extolling the virtues of compact discs since the beginning of the year: unlike Spotify, an album on CD, vinyl, or cassette tape has a definitive start and a definitive end. The wall of noise that is Spotify's algorithm To put it into some perspective, let's say I end up listening to Nirvana's Nevermind; I'll enjoy the album, but then, when the album is finished and it segues into the 'recommendations' based on Spotify's algorithm, it all just becomes a wall of noise. It's akin to just having non-descript sound on at times, and hence why the operative word is 'disposable.' Am I enjoying the fact that I can listen to whatever I want free from commercial interruptions or discussion about upcoming releases, or is it just a disposable form of entertainment that is just put on for the sake of 'having something on in the background'? It used to be, and still is in many respects, an event when an album finally dropped, and those of us of a certain age can remember lining up outside of HMV or Fopp to pick up the latest album we've coveted since reading about it in magazines and following their music videos on television. It was a full package. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now? I can pre-save an album to Spotify, and it'll just appear in my library; there is no pomp and pageantry anymore. Instead, it just feels like I've ordered my meal on a flight and, low and behold, there it is… not quite nourishing but just doing the job to keep me sustained. That's why I think people are turning back to having tangible items with music on them, be it vinyl, cassette, CD, or Minidisc. Whatever takes your fancy. Maybe part of that is the realisation that royalty rates for physical items still command more than streaming services, or maybe this post-internet movement of removing ourselves more from the digital world has led us back to a halcyon era where we could hold the album we've been waiting for. For me, it's that combination of still enjoying the 'ritual' of pulling a CD sleeve out, reading the inlay, and allowing myself the time to digest an album once it has finished. Rather, as it were, not allowing myself that moment and instead gorging myself, without reason, on more music. Okay, there might be a reason – that Spotify Wrapped can't have Bush as a top-rated artist for another year in a row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Interestingly, when I posited the notion on Facebook of cancelling Spotify in favour of buying CDs, an overwhelming number of people agreed with it. Some asking why that opinion was so popular, others offering advice such as supporting artists directly using Bandcamp might be more of a viable way to support people. But for me, as I pop on Charli XCX's remix version of 'brat', on CD, it's that content moment after an album has finished that has led me to eschew Spotify for now. It might sound like I have a lack of self-control regarding the use of the streaming service, but as it stands, I've been enjoying music way more this way in recent months than the 'onslaught' of options Spotify has. As my father used to say – you can only listen to one thing once. He's right – so maybe it's time to give up the subscription permanently and instead go back to basics, discovering music through word of mouth instead of what an algorithm is pushing, and adorning my shelves with CDs once again. Something you can't do with streaming tracks.
Euronews
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Meet the fashion designers cooking up unique biomaterial recipes
At her kitchen stove, fashion designer Caroline Zimbalist looks like an alchemist at work as she stirs a pot full of corn starch and a thickener made from seaweed. The peppermint-scented mixture glitters as she carefully pours it into silicone moulds of hearts and leaves. When the material hardens, Zimbalist will stitch it into unique, made-to-order dresses that she sells on her website. She hopes her designs, which have been worn by celebrities including Chappell Roan, will put a spotlight on materials that aren't sourced from planet-polluting fossil fuels, such as oil. 'It's almost like a vessel to show the world,' she said. Other small-scale designers are testing out tapioca, gelatin and other kitchen-shelf ingredients. Meanwhile, big names such as Adidas and Hermes have experimented with mushroom leather, while the Lycra brand is incorporating a new largely corn-based material into stretch fabric. Some experts are skeptical that these textiles - commonly referred to as biomaterials - will go mainstream, but designers such as Zimbalist hope their experiments will set an example for larger brands to follow. Over 60 per cent of clothing comes from petroleum-based synthetics like polyester, according to Textile Exchange, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable fashion. Manufacturing those materials creates emissions. Synthetic garments can also shed microplastics during washing. And as fast-fashion brands pump out new clothes for customers who expect new designs every few weeks, many garments end up in landfills. Zimbalist's designs gained attention in 2024 when Roan wore one on 'The Tonight Show.' A post shared by ･ﾟ: *✧ Chappell Roan ✧*:･ﾟ (@chappellroan) The New York-based designer has since dressed stars such as comedian Atsuko Okatsuka and actors Anna Lore and Reneé Rapp. She takes commissions for custom clothing pieces, which cost between $150 and $1,200 (€128 and €1,028), via her website, which notes her 'unique recipe of biodegradable and natural materials." As to whether her approach could be reproduced at a larger scale, Zimbalist says her materials could most practically be used to replace plastic hardware such as buttons and zippers. She acknowledges they can be sticky if not dried correctly, stinky if not treated and melty if exposed to extreme heat. 'Even incorporating it in small ways to start would be really strong,' she said. Why biomaterials are hard to find Fossil-fuel derived fabrics are ubiquitous because they're cheap and made from plentiful raw materials, said Dale Rogers, an Arizona State University professor who studies supply chains. Many clothes are also made of materials that come from plants or animals such as cotton, silk, wool and cashmere. But some have environmental impacts. Cotton uses a lot of water. Sheep and goats burp out methane. Some biomaterials have gotten closer to widespread use. Mycelium leather, made from mushrooms, has been used to create luxury shoes, accessories and handbags by brands such as Stella McCartney, Lululemon, Adidas and Hermes. Still, Rogers said he's not convinced there's enough demand for alternative materials to overcome companies' aversion to the higher costs of producing them at a large scale. 'Honestly, in the end, cost drives almost all decisions,' he said. Wrinkles in aiming for sustainability Getting larger companies to use alternative materials depends on whether they will pay more for a fabric that matches their values, said Jon Veldhouse, the CEO of Qore LLC. His company makes a product called Qira that replaces about 70 per cent of the fossil-derived components of elastic synthetic fabrics with a corn-based material. The Lycra Company, which sells its stretchy material to major brands, initially expects to incorporate Qira in around 25 percent of its Spandex business, said Lycra chief brand and innovation officer Steve Stewart. But that option will be more expensive, and they haven't yet announced any takers. It can also be hard to measure the sustainability of farming practices that go into producing raw materials for new fabrics. Cargill is Qore's partner and corn supplier, and it gets its grain from farmers in the vicinity of their processing plant. Veldhouse said many already plant cover crops or reduce tilling to lower environmental impact, but he couldn't provide data on how many use those approaches. Sarah Needham, a senior director at Textile Exchange, said it's great to see a large organisation such as Lycra making its production systems more sustainable. But she also stressed the industry needs to reduce its overreliance on virgin materials, perhaps considering agricultural waste as a source of fabric. The role of experimental designers Needham said experimental designers are often the ones coming up with those alternatives to virgin materials and building appetite for new approaches. But small designers might not have the resources to test the biodegradability of their materials, which often do involve processing, even if it's by hand, said Ramani Narayan, an engineering professor at Michigan State University. 'If I take something - like seaweed or whatever it is - and I apply a process to it, then I can no longer call it natural," he said. Zimbalist, the New York designer, acknowledges that her materials aren't ready to replace conventional fabrics and that her work is more of 'a piece that leads to larger conversations.' Rogers, of Arizona State, thinks the fashion industry is a long way from meaningful change, but that 'it's incredibly valuable" for artists and specialty manufacturers to try new materials. 'What they're doing is likely to have long-term benefit, maybe even after their lifetimes,' he added.
Scotsman
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
'Brat,' 'Eusexua' and 6 more terms used by pop stars now used in everyday life
Pop culture has an unusual way of becoming part of everyday life – there's, of course, the style and substance aspect, how fashion dictates what we sometimes wear, or the way words from huge musical hits creep into our conversations. In the '90s, we would use words like 'word up' to acknowledge agreement (thank you Cameo), tell someone to 'talk to the hand' when we weren't listening, or describe something cool as 'phat' (as in, pretty hot and tempting). The '00s then brought us phrases like 'crunk' to describe getting wild, or declaring something 'bling-bling' to highlight its flashy extravagance. And just like today's 'cap' (a reference to lying, pulled directly from hip-hop), these terms crossed over from the airwaves into our daily conversations, showing just how much music shapes the way we speak. It continues to this day, with a number of pop music's present-day champions throwing out words that have managed to enter almost everyone's vernacular, and if not, at least many of us can spot the reference. But sometimes, however, without truly understanding its meaning. To make sense of these made-up or unorthodox terms, Preply, a platform focused on efficient progress in language learning, has broken down their meanings, where they came from, and how they've caught on with fans. Here are eight such terms that you'll no doubt hear in conversations at your next concert or music festival. 1 . Tropicoqueta - Karol G A blend of trópico (tropic) and coqueta (flirt), Tropicoqueta describes a fun, confident, and laid-back aesthetic. It reflects the album's celebration of femininity, joy, and Latin culture through tropical rhythms, bright visuals, and a strong sense of identity. Whether you're soaking up the sunshine at the beach, sipping colourful cocktails by the pool, or heading to your favourite rooftop spot in a sundress, you're living the Tropicoqueta lifestyle. |Photo Sales 2 . Abracadabra - Lady Gaga Abracadabra used to be something only magicians said. Now, you'll hear it shouted at pride parades, in nightclubs, and in communities everywhere. It's gone from a magician's catchphrase to a meaningful part of the language shared by Lady Gaga fans and the LGBTQ+ community. |for Spotify Photo Sales 3 . Feminominon - Chappell Roan We've heard of feminine, and we've heard of a phenomenon, but we hadn't heard the two together until Chappell Roan merged them to create Feminominon, the title of her breakout hit. The word describes a feminine phenomenon, referring to someone who is expressing their femininity with confidence. Its reach has extended far beyond the song, having a massive impact on pop culture, inspiring merchandise, and influencing art. |for The Met Museum/Vogue Photo Sales 4 . Brat - Charli XCX While brat existed long before Charli XCX's world domination, its meaning has completely flipped on its head. Once used to describe someone spoiled or misbehaved, the word has now been ameliorated, meaning reclaimed as something aspirational. In Charli's world, a brat is someone who's confident, fierce, unapologetic, and never afraid to push boundaries. Charli's culture-shifting, record-breaking album was so influential that brat was named Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2024. |Photo Sales Related topics: BoostMusicCultureArtistsAlbums
Local Norway
15-07-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
Early voting, electronic tags and bigamy: What changes in Norway in August 2025
Although most people will be back at work by the start of August, not everyone will be, so expect the first few weeks to still be slower than usual with the country only hitting its normal pace once children are back in school on the 18th. Election campaign kicks off The final spurt of the campaign will begin in earnest when politicians from all parties descend on the city of Arendal for the Arendalsuke political festival on Monday August 11th. The big event of the festival will be the party leader debate hosted by Norwegian broadcaster NRK on the first day. There will also be a speech by Norway's finance minister Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday August 13th. Early voting begins From August 11th, those who are eligible to take part in Norway's general election can vote ahead of time at polling stations in every municipality in the country. You can find your nearest polling station and when it is open on the election authority's website here . All you need to bring is identification, which can be a passport, national ID card, driver's licenses (including digital ones), or a bank card with a photo. Advertisement Fellesferie 'industrial' holiday comes to an end Norway's official industrial holiday, the so-called fellesferie or "joint holiday" takes place this year between July 7th and July 25th. From the start of August, the emails will once again start to pile up in your inbox, and you'll find more and more meetings scheduled each week. This will also mean that the big cities will once again feel a bit busier as people return to their daily commutes. Back to school Children return to school in most municipalities in Norway, including Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim, on Monday, August 18th. There will then be a short short autumn break between September 29th and October 3rd, with Christmas holidays starting on December 22nd. Interest rate decision Norway's public bank is expected to make a new interest decision on August 14th, following the surprise cut in the interest rate it announced in June. The current consensus is that the bank will keep its interest rate steady at 4.25 percent with only one out of 24 analysts polled by Reuters expecting a further cut to 4.0 percent at the bank's August meeting. Øyafestivalen (Oslo) Øyafestivalen is Oslo's biggest musical festival, celebrating its 25th anniversary last year. This year's festival, held from August 6th to August 9th, is headlined by some of the hottest artists today, such as Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Queens of the Stone Age, girl in red, and Kneecap. There are several available ticket options. The weekly pass, which gives you access to the festival in Tøyen Park from Wednesday to Sunday, are already sold out at the time of publication, as are day passes for Wednesday and Thursday. Weekend passes and day passes for Friday and Saturday were still available. Will Norway escape Trump tariffs? US President Donald Trump on July 7th sent letters to EU countries warning them that a blanket tariff of 30 percent would be applied to their exports to the US, starting on August 1st. Norway received no such letter. "There will be no further increase in tariff rates before this deadline," Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth said. She admitted, however, that the situation was unclear, so it remains to be seen whether Norway will stay out of the firing line. Advertisement Majorstuen and Nationaltheatret stations remain closed The Majorstuen and Nationaltheatret stations on the Oslo Metro will remain completely shut down until August 10th at the earliest, as the system undergoes its biggest upgrade since the 1970s. Throughout the summer, Line 2 will only be running between Østerås and Borgen and between the Stortinget and Ellingsrudåsen, while Line 3 will only run between Kolsås and Borgen and between the Stortinget and Mortensrud. There will be a replacement bus, 2B, shuttling passengers between Borgen and Majorstuen every three minutes throughout this period. Read our guide to the disruption here . Teachers given new powers to stop bullying New rules come into force in August empowering school staff to intervene physically to prevent students from psychologically abusing others, or significantly disrupting the education of other students. This abuse could include, for example, threatening behavior, swearing, derogatory comments or filming. Changed sick leave rules for upper secondary students The rules on sick leave for children at upper secondary school will also be brought in line with the rules on sick leave in the work place. Students will be allowed report themselves sick for up to ten percent of the hours in each subject, after which they will need a sick note from a health professional. New rules allowing criminals to be sentenced to 'ankle bracelets' From August 1st, new laws come into force giving courts the power to order criminals to serve their sentences outside prison while being monitored electronically with electronic tags or ankle bracelets. Advertisement Bigamy restrictions on family reunification Parents and siblings will have their right to family reunification with children who have been granted asylum or collective protection in Norway limited if immigration officials judge that issuing a residence permit would lead to the practice of bigamy in Norway. The new rules, which come into force on August 1st, will also mean that the applicant cannot be either married or planning to live with the child's other parent if the latter already has a residence permit in Norway. In such cases, the applicant must apply for family reunification as a spouse or cohabitant.
