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Time Out
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
5 things we learned from the new Yungblud documentary
Say what you want about Dominic Harrison, but you have to admit the guy's not had an easy ride. Performing as Yungblud, he created an alias designed to provoke Gen-Xers with outspoken lyrics on politics, social commentary and LGBTQ+ rights. Sure, the music might not have been to everyone's taste, but the online backlash he received was extreme. When I met Yungblud last year, he explained how it had affected him: 'People think I'm lying all the time, or they just hate me,' he said. 'Being hated is so exhausting when all you want to do is spread love.' At the time, it felt like a shift was happening. The usually bratty, outspoken Doncaster native had mellowed, as if he were ready to start a new chapter. In that same interview, he revealed he was working on a rock opera, describing it as 'very much in the style of The Verve or U2 or Bowie'. Yungblud: Are You Ready, Boy? is the story of how he approached making his fourth album, Idols, told through a full live rendition, interspersed with confessional interviews from the artist and his team. Directed by Grammy-nominated filmmaker Paul Dugdale (Adele: One Night Only), it offers a glimpse into the mind of an artist trying to break free from a persona that's followed him around for better and worse. It's no coincidence that the film was shot at Berlin's Hansa Studios, where Bowie recorded Heroes, a record that also marked a definitive shift in sound for a rock great. Can Yungblud match the greatness of his predecessors? Here are five things we learned watching him try. 1. He's moving like Jagger 'When you watch this film, you are looking at musicians battling against space, time, and the fucking universe,' Harrison says, opening the film in black-and-white, twirling a microphone and arching his back like a power-chord-possessed rock frontman. 'Every time I'm in that room, looking at that microphone in front of my face, I have to look at the universe and say fuck you, let's 'ave it.' This sets the tone for a new Yungblud alter ego. Harrison struts and pouts like he's channelling Freddie Mercury, Steven Tyler or Mick Jagger, and it's quickly apparent that his bratty teenage Dennis the Menace character has been dropped for good. Every time I'm looking at that microphone, I have to look at the universe and say fuck you, let's 'ave it Flitting between gritty 16mm film, black-and-white and vibrant colour, the director Paul Dugdale is clearly leaning into the aesthetic of '70s rock legends. This is matched by his new wardrobe choices. The tartan skinny trousers, mohair knits and bright pink socks have been ditched for fitted suits, silk shirts, leather trousers, and an all-black palette, occasionally broken up by a splash of leopard print. Oh, and his top is off a hell of a lot as well – a common thing now if you've been following him on Instagram. His vibe is a lot more mellow, too. His demeanour is less in-your-face, and he seems more poised. Maybe it's the effect of the space's legacy. Speaking about the making of the film, he said: 'You can feel the history in Hansa; it's in the silence between takes, the ceiling looming over you. You're standing in the shadows of all these legends and asking yourself 'Who the fuck am I? And what am I gonna leave behind?'' 3. He's prone to a meltdown Anyone who's seen his live rendition of ' Changes ' at the Sabbath farewell show will know he can actually sing. But dreaming of sounding like Freddie Mercury and actually pulling it off are two very different things. In the film, we see Harrison pushing his vocals to the limit, breaking down emotionally when his voice cracks or gives out during 'The Greatest Parade'. At one point, it escalates into a full-blown meltdown, where things get thrown and broken behind a closed door, as he yells: 'I'm letting everyone down.' 4. The rock star lifestyle has changed since the '70s Even though Harrison is channelling a '70s rock star (and he's in Berlin, one of the world's most notorious party cities), there's a lot less hedonism than one would hope. No, he's not lobbing TVs out of windows or locking groupies in wardrobes; instead, he's going to the gym and eating takeaways with his band members. There's one 'night out' sequence, but even that seems restrained. Perhaps this is because Yungblud is taking this whole new pivot very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he left his three-year relationship with fellow rocker Jesse Jo Stark for it. 'I just needed to make sure I gave everything to it, and I've sacrificed everything for it,' he confesses. 5. He doesn't give a shit if you don't like him 'The biggest problem for me is that people think I'm fake,' Yungblud told me last year. 'I try and try and try and try and try [to do good]. Then every six weeks or so, I have a breakdown.' That struggle is laid bare in Yungblud: Are You Ready, Boy?, as his manager, Adam Wood, explains how the two would sit together reading the comments on his posts; many accusing him of being inauthentic, questioning his sexuality, his upbringing and his legitimacy as an artist. 'Emotionally, I really did hit rock bottom,' Harrison admits in the film. Now, it feels like he's looking at that era in a rearview mirror. Idols marks a reclamation of his early influences and channels a sound that's more in line with who Harrison really wants to be. There's still an on-stage persona, sure, but the caricature doesn't bleed into who he is offstage anymore. There's a sense of… legitimacy? The film's final moments are shot in what looks like a local tavern, shortly after the live album is finished. He's asked by Dugdale if he feels pressure or freedom. 'The pressure's gone,' he grins. '[It feels] fucking awesome.'
New York Post
09-08-2025
- New York Post
Workplace violence is on the rise in the US, new study reveals
Workplace violence in the US is on the rise this year, a troubling new study found. One in three employees surveyed said they'd witnessed physical altercations in the workplace in the past five years – up from 25% in 2024, according to the HR compliance training company Traliant, which published the June findings on Wednesday. A disturbing 15% of the 1,009 respondents said they'd been targets of workplace violence — up from 12% last year, the survey found. 3 The startling study's findings come less than two weeks after Shane Tamura shot and killed four innocent bystanders inside 345 Park Ave. on July 28, 2025. Obtained by NY Post The overwhelming majority of workers – 90% – said that higher-ups at their companies needed to do more to address their safety concerns. Among the 13% of respondents who said they feel unsafe at work, things like toxic workplace culture, concern of violence and fear of retaliation were the top contributing factors. 'These findings underscore that safety is no longer just a compliance requirement, but a cultural imperative,' Bailey Whitsitt, Traliant's compliance counsel, said about the findings. When asked if they felt comfortable in their own ability to de-escalate a physical threat in the workplace, employees' answers differed across generational lines – with 58% of Baby Boomers and 54% of Gen-Xers saying they felt prepared, compared to just 47% among Millennials and only 41% among Gen-Zers, the survey revealed. 3 NYPD hero Didarul Islam was among the four killed when Tamura opened fire in the office building. NYPD 3 Employees scrambled to safety as Tamura's shots rang out — with some barricading themselves in rooms using couches and other office furniture. On a brighter note, three in every four employees this year said they'd received training on workplace violence from their employer – up from 70% last year. The study didn't distinguish between violence perpetrated between coworkers and an attack such as the one which unfolded on NYC's Park Avenue July 28, when a stranger from Las Vegas, Shane Tamura, stormed an office building and killed four people. Whitsitt told The Post that the workplace shooting in Midtown serves as 'tragic reminder' that such events are part of a 'growing national crisis.' 'Employers have an urgent responsibility to act now with robust plans, training, and a culture that puts safety first.'
Los Angeles Times
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
LA hip-hop Jedi training camp mentors the producers of tomorrow
On a recent Saturday in Inglewood, about a dozen acclaimed music producers including Dahi — who's worked with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Drake — and DJ Khalil — who has collaborated with artists like Dr. Dre, Kanye West and Eminem — gathered with 80 students to geek out on the art of beat making. The free three-day workshop, called the Audio Affect Series, was co-hosted by TEC Leimert, a South L.A.-based nonprofit that aims to bridge the gap between technology and entertainment, Serato (DJ and music production software company) and beloved street wear retailer Undefeated. The purpose of the event, which took place July 25-27, was to bring Black and brown producers of all skill levels together for hands-on instruction designed to help them level up their skills. The idea for the workshop manifested a few years ago when TEC Leimert hosted a music production activation during its annual conference in the Leimert Park Plaza. Hours after the conference was over, attendees were still huddled in a small tent where a few producers were doing live beat making sessions and offering tips. 'It was like 8 p.m. and they were still going,' recalls TEC Leimert Executive Director Paris McCoy. 'It was just so clear that this was the type of space that artists wanted to be in, so I was just like, 'We got to make it happen.' By the time her nonprofit reached out to the Serato team about collaborating on a beat making program, they were eager to get involved because they were already in talks about doing something similar, McCoy says. 'We started to realize that there was a gap between some folks who were trying to get into the music production space but didn't have the [tools] and/or, depending on where they are, access to mentors who can help them kind of walk through things,' adds OP Miller, who is a DJ and head of artist relations for Serato. The first official Audio Affect Series took place in 2023 at Serato's studio in L.A.'s Arts District. It featured four separate workshops that took place over the course of several months. About 35 people participated in each of the intimate sessions, which were beginner-friendly and were led by L.A.-based artists like Lyric Jones, Georgia Ann Muldrow and Dahi. This year's event, which was held at Volume Studios in Inglewood, was even larger. Roughly 80 out of 200 applicants were selected for the program. Undefeated provided merchandise for the workshop, including a hoodie that many attendees wore throughout the weekend. The participants, who ranged from teens to Gen-Xers, were dispersed in various studios inside the massive multi-production studio. With their headphones on, they bobbed their heads to the beats they were cooking up and watched intently as sound waves danced across their laptop screens. The workshop, which was designed for intermediate to advanced skill levels, covered topics such as how to discover your personal sound as a producer, how to sample and clear tracks and how to create a strong online presence. Throughout the weekend, participants watched live demos from speakers and they were given time to cook up beats of their own. On the final day, each student was given the aux to play their beat for the entire group. Among the speakers were pioneering funk artist and TEC Leimert board member Dām-Funk; Watts-born rapper and producer Dibiase; Inglewood-born musician and event curator Thurz; and multi-instrumentalist and singer Amber Navran. Erika Jasper, a longtime DJ and self-proclaimed 'novice producer,' attended the first Audio Affect Series in 2023 and decided to come back because she wanted to build her confidence as a female producer. 'I figured it would be nice to learn from some of the best producers in the game,' says Jasper, who goes by the artist name 'Plus, Serato always does a phenomenal job at providing the best instruction, step by step.' After making beats for roughly 25 years, Thomas Phillips says he wanted to participate in the program because he's trying to take his music more seriously now. 'I'm a software engineer, but I want to switch over to audio [engineering],' says Phillips, who brought along his 7-year-old son, who was making beats of his own. 'So I'm just putting a lot more attention to my craft and being more intentional instead of just doing it in my spare time as a hobby.' Linafornia, a producer and DJ from Leimert Park, says being able to participate in an event like the Audio Affect Series would've been helpful for her when she started making beats after high school. 'This is a necessary program to have for people who are interested in making music and they get to hear perspectives from people who look like them, who are around their age,' says Linafornia, who led a talk on the history of L.A.'s sound, ranging from jazz to G funk and hip-hop. 'I didn't have that growing up. I wish they had programs like this when I was a teenager.' Dahi, an Inglewood-born producer who won a Grammy for his production on J. Cole and 21 Savage's song 'A Lot,' spoke at the first Audio Affect Series and was eager to return. 'Showing people the tools to make better music is something that I'm always championing and I think that is something that we need to do more of,' says Dahi, who walked students through his creative process when it comes to making beats. 'I think a lot of times, people complain about what they don't like now and that it's not good, and I'm just like 'Help the youth. Help people who want to get better.' Many attendees said they could relate to Navran's presentation about finding her own sound after years of singing and playing woodwind instruments, then finally taking the deep dive into music production years later. 'I didn't produce for a long time because I thought I couldn't,' says Navran, who is also a member of the L.A.-based band Moonchild. But after 'receiving encouragement from friends, seeing other people do it and getting a starter kit of how different people approach stuff was such a nice way to jump into it.' Like Linafornia, Navran wishes that a program like the Audio Affect Series existed at the start of her journey. 'To be surrounded by producers, people you can meet, collaborate with and be inspired by is so powerful,' she adds. To wrap up the workshop, each of the participants will be given about two months to complete and submit a beat to be considered for the Audio Affect Series' compilation project. Legendary producer and DJ Battlecat will be curating the project, which will be released on vinyl next year. After receiving positive feedback for the program, McCoy says she and her team want to make it an annual event so more people can experience it. She says, 'There is a real hunger and need for this kind of space.'
Mint
06-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Want to know where the economy is heading? It's all about earnings.
Lies, damned lies, and government statistics, Mark Twain might have been moved to say if he were around to read June's employment report. For a clearer view of the job market—and the overall economy—look to earnings season, which begins in two weeks, instead. There was nothing wrong with the jobs report, at least not on the surface. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 147,000 nonfarm jobs were added in June, well above the consensus guess of 106,000 from economists surveyed by Bloomberg, which had been pared by the time of the report's release on Friday. Revisions didn't mar the report, either. The two preceding months' payrolls tally were revised up by 16,000, a trivial change but positive in direction. Still, the big beat should have a big asterisk affixed to it. Private businesses increased their payrolls by only 74,000 in June, well short of the 100,000 forecast, with less than half of industries adding jobs. The big boost came from state and local education jobs, which jumped by 63,000. That, however, was after a seasonal adjustment, which presumes that many teachers would be off for the summer by the time of the BLS survey week—seven days that incorporate the 12th of the month. Unfortunately, for youngsters and the data, schools were still in session in most places this year, inflating the total. Step back, and the overall trend in private payrolls has slowed since early 2024, settling to a 12-month average around 120,000. Other factors also paint a dim view of the job market. The average workweek, for instance, dipped by 0.1 hours in June, to 34.2 hours, which effectively offsets some of the month's payroll rise. Aggregate hours worked slipped by 0.3%, the weakest since last July, according to TLRanalytics. Average hourly earnings also rose by a smaller-than-expected 0.2% in June, compared with 0.4% in May. 'When you tack on the decline in hours worked, average weekly earnings—the proxy for work-based personal income—slipped 0.1%," David Rosenberg, founder of Rosenberg Research, wrote in a client note. The unemployment picture also deserves its own asterisk. In the latest month, the headline jobless rate, which is derived from a separate survey of households, ticked down 0.1 percentage point to 4.1%, the low end of the range between that level and the 4.2% that has been in place over the past year. The workforce, however, contracted by 130,000 people, lowering the labor-force participation rate to 62.3% of the adult population, well under the 12-month average, and below the 63% average of the 2020 period before the Covid-19 pandemic. Blame the boomers—and older Gen-Xers—for that. The over-55 participation rate has fallen to a 19-year low of 38%. Meanwhile, the 'prime-age" (25-54) participation rate ticked up to 83.5%, surpassing its pre-Covid level and near its late-1990s peak. Immigration, or lack thereof, has also affected labor supply in recent months. Since March, the foreign-born civilian labor force has declined by 1,147,000, to 32,572,000, offsetting much of the 1,836,000 increase in the native-born labor force over that span. It's a muddled picture, one that suggests that demographics and policies have slowed U.S. labor supply while uncertainty over future tariffs may have curbed labor demand. Clues for how this stasis plays out should emerge in the earnings reporting season set to kick off later this month, says Torsten Sløk, chief economist at Apollo Global Management. One question that needs to be resolved: the case of the missing tariffs. The levies currently are raising about $30 billion a month, or almost $400 billion at an annual rate, Sløk points out in an interview. The mystery is that these big numbers aren't showing up in the inflation data—the consumer price index rose a smaller-than-expected 0.1% in May, the month after April 2 Liberation Day—or in profits numbers. The $400 billion in annualized tariffs, meanwhile, make up about 20% of the $2 trillion in aggregate profits made by S&P 500 companies, Sløk says. Yet, analysts have been lifting their earnings estimates for the S&P 500 in the past two months. Earnings conference calls should shed light on who's paying the tariffs, Sløk says, and how much they are being passed along. (More clarity also may come after 90-day tariff suspension ends on July 9.) The Federal Reserve, too, is waiting for clarity. At a European Central Bank conference this past week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank 'went on hold when we saw the size of the tariffs and essentially all inflation forecasts for the United States went up materially as a consequence of the tariffs." Those concerns are reflected in the latest Summary of Economic Projections issued in June, which looked for the personal consumption expenditure gauge of inflation to run at 3% and the unemployment rate to rise to 4.5% by year-end. Odds still strongly favor a quarter-point cut, from the current range of 4.25% to 4.5%, in September, with another such move in December, according to the CME FedWatch site and the Fed's own projections. But the already slim expectations of a cut in the central bank's federal-funds target at its next policy meeting, concluding on July 30, faded on Friday following the jobs report, despite President Donald Trump's increasingly strident criticisms of Powell. For those interested in how the economy and the job market evolve from here, skip over the government data and watch the earnings. That goes for Powell too. Write to Randall W. Forsyth at
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India's rising middle class joins the $15 trillion global travel opportunity
India's rising middle class and younger population eager to travel are helping place the country among the most important contributors to the next wave of global leisure travel growth, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The study estimates that annual global consumer spending on leisure travel will triple from $5 trillion in 2024 to $15 trillion in 2040, making it larger than the pharmaceutical and fashion industries. BCG's global review of leisure travel is based on a survey of nearly 5,000 travellers. It finds that the increase in travel spending is being driven by multiple factors, including a growing emphasis on experiences over material goods, and the emergence of a large middle class in several developing countries. 'Emerging markets are really going to drive significant growth, countries like China, India and Saudi Arabia,' said Lara Koslow, senior partner at BCG and one of the authors of the report. In an interview with Bloomberg, Koslow said the expansion of the middle class in these regions is giving rise to a new group of leisure travellers, similar to how middle-class growth in the United States once led to the development of a resort culture there. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally According to BCG, China is on track to become the country with the highest spending on leisure travel, with expenditure expected to rise by more than 10% a year. Other countries contributing to this trend include India, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria and Cambodia, as their residents increasingly travel for leisure. Travel demand is also becoming younger and more digitally engaged. Companies across the travel value chain are being advised to understand and welcome new travellers, even as they continue serving traditional ones. Live Events India's travel growth patterns The report says that India experienced moderate to strong growth in leisure travel spending between 2019 and 2024, suggesting a fast recovery from COVID-19 impacts. BCG expects this momentum to continue. According to the projections, domestic, regional and international overnights for Indian travellers will grow annually by 3%, 4%, and 6% respectively. In terms of expenditure, domestic spending is forecast to increase by 12% per year, regional by 8%, and international by 10%. Younger Indian generations are particularly interested in travelling more and spending more. Globally, Millennials and Gen-Zers are the most influential travellers, with their share of planned trip increases outpacing older generations by 4 to 26 percentage points. These cohorts are described as mobile-savvy, socially conscious, and highly engaged online. In India and China, Gen-Xers also remain an important market segment, especially when compared to their diminishing role in developed economies. The report also identifies religious travel as a niche category that is more prominent among travellers from India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Global growth projections From 2024 to 2029, leisure travel measured in overnights is expected to grow by about 4% annually, slowing to 3% a year between 2029 and 2040. The bulk of these overnights will be domestic, followed by regional travel. Spending, too, will rise. Leisure travel expenditure is projected to grow by 8% per year through 2029, then by 7% annually through 2040. Domestic leisure travel in 2024 is valued at $4.1 trillion, driven by nearly 13 billion overnights. This is expected to reach $11.7 trillion and about 18 billion overnights by 2040. Regional travel is expected to grow from $710 billion (over 3 billion overnights) in 2024 to just over $2 trillion (7 billion overnights) by 2040. International leisure travel is projected to more than triple, from $425 billion (almost 2 billion overnights) in 2024 to approximately $1.4 trillion (5 billion overnights) in 2040. Koslow said, 'We all know that leisure travel is on the rise and that trend has been going on for a while.' But she added that she was surprised to find that 70% of emerging market travellers add a leisure component to their work trips, a practice far less common in the US. Destinations and motivators Leisure travellers continue to seek out traditional favourites—beaches, nature, and cities. These remain the top three destination types, especially for high-spending travellers and solo travellers, the latter showing a slight preference for cities. However, newer preferences are emerging. Travellers are now also drawn to curated, purpose-driven experiences, such as wellness retreats, spiritual travel, and holistic health resorts. The report includes examples like destination marketing in Qatar and Qiddiya. The motivations for travel are broadening. While relaxation, escape, exploration, outdoor activity, and visiting friends and relatives remain dominant, people are increasingly seeking experiences that align with their lifestyles. The report says, 'Travelers today seek meaning, convenience, and experiences that align with their lifestyles.' But traditional leisure staples like 'beach chairs, cabanas, snorkeling, [and] golf courses' are not going away. Across all markets, the most common reasons to travel remain relaxing and spending quality time with loved ones. One specific trend is the rise of food tourism, particularly in Asia. Travellers from China, Vietnam and Indonesia now often rank food as a top reason for travel. They plan entire itineraries around food, including Michelin-starred restaurants and street food tours. In Western markets, food travel exists too, but tends to be secondary to traditional motivations like relaxation. External risks and long-term outlook Quantifying the travel industry is complex. Like the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), BCG includes a wide range of spending—from restaurant bills to the indirect effects of hospitality employment. WTTC estimated in April that the travel sector would reach $11.7 trillion, or 10.3% of global GDP, by the end of 2024. However, BCG's estimates do not account for potential impacts from trade wars, geopolitical conflicts, or immigration restrictions, particularly in relation to travel to and from the United States. Some forecasts from other organisations have adjusted expectations downward due to these concerns, but BCG has not altered its projections. Koslow described such developments as 'very unclear' and said their mid- to long-term implications for leisure travel remain to be seen. Despite global uncertainty, Koslow said the travel industry has shown resilience. The WTTC shares that view. Many consumers, the report says, are continuing to travel—and even book last-minute trips—in spite of economic volatility. BCG said that wanderlust remains a global motivator. 'It's baked into our DNA,' the report says. As more consumers across emerging markets find themselves able to explore, the desire to experience new geographies and cultures is only expected to grow.
