Latest news with #Rufus
Edinburgh Reporter
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Speaking to Martha Wainwright
Martha Wainwright is about to return to Edinburgh for a special evening at The Queen's Hall to perform her debut album supporting a 20th anniversary release which includes a first release on vinyl. 'If you heard the record you were special because it was a little niche and emotive and it felt special'. The album was a long time in the making but as Wainwright explained: 'I felt a great relief because I had been working so hard. I was concerned about what was going to happen and to 'make it' or have a career. Finally, after years of effort, I flew over to England and the press showed up, the record came out and I appeared on Jools Holland. It felt all of that was not for nothing and I was going to have an opportunity to have a career in music.' The debut is a confessional singer-songwriter long-player that continues to stir the emotions, what's it like to revisit those tracks twenty years later? She said: 'I wouldn't want to tour an anniversary record for the rest of my life but a lot of the lyrics still apply or have taken on a new meaning. One of the lyrics in Far Away is 'I have no children/I have no husband/I have no reason'. I no longer have a husband and my children are almost teenagers, so in a way, it still applies. It was a period in life, the people and relationships, it was such a very emotional record and not necessarily a pop record or one that everyone knew or listened to. 'If you heard the record you were special because it was a little niche and emotive and it felt special. It was my story in the music business and I was really at a turning point or crossroads. What's a relief is that I can still easily sing the songs, they are in the same key. I'm not wrestling with the material and I'm still enjoying it.' The album contains a beautiful rendition of Whither Must I Wander by composer Ralph Vaughn Williams. He was inspired by the Robert Louis Stevenson poem of the same name and used Stevenson's verse for the lyrics. Martha said: 'My mum (Kate McGarrigle) and brother Rufus (Wainwright) would have suggestions for songs and they picked that one for me. I usually do at least one cover, they are quite important on my records. It's funny Rufus says 'We're the same age now' and I'm like 'Nope; I'm two and a half years younger'. After all the time he spent telling me what to do as the little sister I get to hold on to being younger!' Rufus also joins Martha for Bring Back My Heart on the vinyl release of a track that only appeared on certain editions of the album. She said: 'I've tried to use my brother and his name to my advantage and that includes having his talent on the records.' Being part of a songwriting dynasty does have its advantages. A memorable event was when her mother and aunt, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, were invited to record with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for his No More Shall We Part album back in 2001. 'It was super cool that Nick Cave had them be Bad Seeds and introduce people of our generation to them. I don't know if they knew how cool Nick Cave was and is, they were just into the music and into him and whatever he did. It was so awesome, interesting and intriguing. I think for them it was exciting to be part of an album that mattered and to be invited by Nick Cave who they were both completely in love with.' The sisters, also said to be an influence on Kate Bush, inspired a variety of artists but chose to keep a relatively low profile adding to their mystique. 'My mother pointed it out in a cool McGarrigle way (about Kate Bush), she was happy to tell me about it. I don't know if it was made clear by Kate Bush or in an article. They were so hip in so many ways without trying and that was the nature of their career. It was a little outside of the grind of the music industry and they made decisions as artists that were perhaps unconventional. They toured but didn't tour like many of us do, it was a rare thing. I think she wondered what might have happened had she gone further and dedicated herself more but for whatever reason she didn't.' Martha also starred in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004) performing the great American standard I'll Be Seeing You. It was a definitive experience that included her father Louden Wainwright III and brother Rufus. 'That was really where nepotism came in handy. I was in that movie with Rufus and my father and we all do a scene each at different points.' The song was recorded in New York City and Martha was later invited to shoot her scenes in Montreal. After a long wait in full costume and make-up, she began to wonder if her scene was going to happen, at the end of a long day a sense of deflation set in. 'The next day they finally called me to do my scene, it took about 45 minutes and it was just me and Scorsese and he directed me. It was one of the greatest things that ever happened in my life.' The last time I met Martha for an interview, she had just climbed Arthur's Seat with her band for the first time back in 2005. Is it something she plans to do this time around? 'In Edinburgh that first time I got the band up to Arthur's Seat, it's always a big thing and experience to do that walk before a show.' While this tour will feature a full band she is expecting to also take the songs out on another run during an acoustic tour. 'I have to say this band is fantastic. I'll probably have to go out on the road and do this record solo to make some money but it's wonderful to come out with musicians on the first go around and recreate the music. 'We've been on the road with the record for a month in North America so we are getting really comfortable with it and we are opening up the songs and taking more liberties. The Maker has been really fun, there are some songs where you feel connected less but they can return and ring true in that moment.' Martha Wainwright will play The Queen's Hall on Wednesday 4 June Tickets are sold out but there is a waiting list. Credit Gaëlle Leroyer Credit Gaëlle Leroyer Credit Gaëlle Leroyer Like this: Like Related
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Patient Labrador and His 'In Charge' Pomeranian Brother Win Pet of the Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. From a "Romeo and Romeo" love story between two cats to a cat who started limping for a hilarious reason, viral pet videos have made us smile this week. But we also like to feature our readers' pets in the weekly Newsweek Pet of the Week. If you think your pet should be next week's Pet of the Week, follow the instructions at the end of this story to get involved. Winner Gu and Rufus, in the videos where it is clear who is in charge. Gu and Rufus, in the videos where it is clear who is in charge. Laura Wasserman This week's Pet of the Week winners include a returning star. A heartwarming and hilarious video of Gu and Rufus made it clear who rules the roost. Despite his small stature, 4-year-old Pomeranian Gu (short for Grogu) is undeniably the boss of the house. In the video, Gu confidently eats his brother's meal, completely unbothered, while 1-year-old Rufus, the much larger and ever-gentle Labrador, waits patiently by his side. Gu won Newsweek's Pet of the Week back in 2024 when he was dubbed a "personal flycatcher" for his unexpected skill at grabbing flies when out and about. The dynamic between Gu and brother Rufus is a hilarious reminder that small dog can often mean big attitude. "Gu decided he wanted Ru's food so he had to wait," owner Laura Wasserman told Newsweek. "If he tries to get close Gu growls and jumps at him. I wonder who is in charge." Finalists Babbs the dog who is living his best life with new owner. Babbs the dog who is living his best life with new owner. Craig Stechman Our first finalist this week is black and white American bulldog mix Babbs. Rescued by owner Craig Stechman from All 4 Paws in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, the pair instantly fell in love. "I went online and I saw a black-and-white puppy that reminded [me of] the 10-year-old French bulldog mix I had to put down in March," Stechman told Newsweek. It was meant to be, and now the pair are inseparable. "He sits on command at three months old and is getting ready to lift his paw. He's a beautiful pup," Stechman said. "I love him." A picture of Aizawa when she first arrived, left, and now, right. A picture of Aizawa when she first arrived, left, and now, right. Bonnie Cressler Next up this week is Aizawa, a "house panther" with an interesting backstory. In October 2021, a friend of Bonnie Cressler's daughter found a newborn kitten alone under a trailer, with no mother or siblings in sight. Her daughter brought him home, already named Aizawa. Though Bonnie had experience with bottle babies, this kitten's fragile condition made survival uncertain. "I let the girls know that this teeny kitten only has a slim chance of survival because of his very rough start," Cressler told Newsweek. Not even a day after Aizawa arrived, Cressler's mother sadly passed away. In a background of heartbreak, Aizawa went on to thrive and is now living his best life with his family—who say he arrived at just the right time. "He was named after the My Hero Academia character and has a very similar personality. I often ask 'who saved who?'" Cressler said. Lazy but lovable English bulldog Frankie. Lazy but lovable English bulldog Frankie. Rachel Kane Last but not least is Frankie Avocado, a laid-back English bulldog who is infamous in the streets near his home. "[He is] infamous for lying down and not moving in them and an absolute mush. He has perfected laziness and we love him for it," owner Rachel Kane told Newsweek. If you think your pet could be next week's Newsweek "Pet of the Week," send us your funny and heartwarming videos and pictures of your pet, along with a bit about them to life@ and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.
Fashion United
a day ago
- Business
- Fashion United
AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys
Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in "agents" specializing in specific tasks and given autonomy to complete them independently. "This is basically the next evolution of shopping experiences," said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino. Google last week unveiled shopping features built into a new "AI Mode". It can take a person's own photo and meld it with that of a skirt, shirt or other piece of clothing spotted online, showing how it will look on them. The AI adjusts the clothing size to fit, accounting for how fabrics drape, according to Google head of advertising and commerce Vidhya Srinivasan. Shoppers can then set the price they would pay and leave the AI to relentlessly browse the internet for a deal -- alerting the shopper when it finds one, and asking if it should buy using Google's payment platform. "They're taking on Amazon a little bit," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said of Google. The tool is also a way to make money from AI by increasing online traffic and opportunities to show ads, Greengart added. The Silicon Valley tech titan did not respond to a query regarding whether it is sharing in revenue from shopping transactions. Bartering bots? OpenAI added a shopping feature to ChatGPT earlier this year, enabling the chatbot to respond to requests with product suggestions, consumer reviews and links to merchant websites. Perplexity AI late last year began letting subscribers pay for online purchases without leaving its app. Amazon in April added a "Buy for Me" mode to its Rufus digital assistant, allowing users to command it to make purchases at retailer websites off Amazon's platform. Walmart head of technology Hari Vasudev recently spoke about adding an AI agent to the retail behemoth's online shopping portal, while also working with partners to make sure their digital agents keep Walmart products in mind. Global payment networks Visa and Mastercard in April each said their technical systems were modernized to allow payment transactions by digital agents. "As AI agents start to take over the bulk of product discovery and the decision-making process, retailers must consider how to optimize for this new layer of AI shoppers," said Elise Watson of Clarkston Consulting. Retailers are likely to be left groping in the dark when it comes to what makes a product attractive to AI agents, according to Watson. Knowing the customer Analyst Zino does not expect AI shoppers to cause an e-commerce industry upheaval, but he does see the technology benenfitting Google and Meta. Not only do the Internet rivals have massive amounts of data about their users, but they are also among frontrunners in the AI race. "They probably have more information on the consumer than anyone else out there," Zino said of Google and Meta. Tech company access to data about users hits the hot-button issue of online privacy and who should control personal information. Google plans to refine consumer profiles based on what people search for and promises that shoppers will need to authorize access to additional information such as email or app use. Trusting a chatbot with one's buying decisions may spook some people, and while the technology might be in place the legal and ethical framework for it is not. "The agent economy is here," said PSE Consulting managing director Chris Jones. "The next phase of e-commerce will depend on whether we can trust machines to buy on our behalf."(AFP)
eNCA
2 days ago
- Business
- eNCA
AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys
SAN FRANCISCO - Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in "agents" specialising in specific tasks and given autonomy to complete them independently. "This is basically the next evolution of shopping experiences," said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino. Google last week unveiled shopping features built into a new "AI Mode". It can take a person's own photo and meld it with that of a skirt, shirt or other piece of clothing spotted online, showing how it will look on them. The AI adjusts the clothing size to fit, accounting for how fabrics drape, according to Google head of advertising and commerce Vidhya Srinivasan. Shoppers can then set the price they would pay and leave the AI to relentlessly browse the internet for a deal -- alerting the shopper when it finds one, and asking if it should buy using Google's payment platform. "They're taking on Amazon a little bit," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said of Google. The tool is also a way to make money from AI by increasing online traffic and opportunities to show ads, Greengart added. The Silicon Valley tech titan did not respond to a query regarding whether it is sharing in revenue from shopping transactions. - Bartering bots? - OpenAI added a shopping feature to ChatGPT earlier this year, enabling the chatbot to respond to requests with product suggestions, consumer reviews and links to merchant websites. Perplexity AI late last year began letting subscribers pay for online purchases without leaving its app. Amazon in April added a "Buy for Me" mode to its Rufus digital assistant, allowing users to command it to make purchases at retailer websites off Amazon's platform. Walmart head of technology Hari Vasudev recently spoke about adding an AI agent to the retail behemoth's online shopping portal, while also working with partners to make sure their digital agents keep Walmart products in mind. Global payment networks Visa and Mastercard in April each said their technical systems were modernised to allow payment transactions by digital agents. "As AI agents start to take over the bulk of product discovery and the decision-making process, retailers must consider how to optimise for this new layer of AI shoppers," said Elise Watson of Clarkston Consulting. Retailers are likely to be left groping in the dark when it comes to what makes a product attractive to AI agents, according to Watson. - Knowing the customer - Analyst Zino does not expect AI shoppers to cause an e-commerce industry upheaval, but he does see the technology benefiting Google and Meta. Not only do the Internet rivals have massive amounts of data about their users, but they are also among frontrunners in the AI race. "They probably have more information on the consumer than anyone else out there," Zino said of Google and Meta. Tech company access to data about users hits the hot-button issue of online privacy and who should control personal information. Google plans to refine consumer profiles based on what people search for and promises that shoppers will need to authorise access to additional information such as email or app use. Trusting a chatbot with one's buying decisions may spook some people, and while the technology might be in place the legal and ethical framework for it is not. "The agent economy is here," said PSE Consulting managing director Chris Jones. "The next phase of e-commerce will depend on whether we can trust machines to buy on our behalf." by Thomas Urbain
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys
Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in "agents" specializing in specific tasks and given autonomy to complete them independently. "This is basically the next evolution of shopping experiences," said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino. Google last week unveiled shopping features built into a new "AI Mode". It can take a person's own photo and meld it with that of a skirt, shirt or other piece of clothing spotted online, showing how it will look on them. The AI adjusts the clothing size to fit, accounting for how fabrics drape, according to Google head of advertising and commerce Vidhya Srinivasan. Shoppers can then set the price they would pay and leave the AI to relentlessly browse the internet for a deal -- alerting the shopper when it finds one, and asking if it should buy using Google's payment platform. "They're taking on Amazon a little bit," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said of Google. The tool is also a way to make money from AI by increasing online traffic and opportunities to show ads, Greengart added. The Silicon Valley tech titan did not respond to a query regarding whether it is sharing in revenue from shopping transactions. Bartering bots? OpenAI added a shopping feature to ChatGPT earlier this year, enabling the chatbot to respond to requests with product suggestions, consumer reviews and links to merchant websites. Perplexity AI late last year began letting subscribers pay for online purchases without leaving its app. Amazon in April added a "Buy for Me" mode to its Rufus digital assistant, allowing users to command it to make purchases at retailer websites off Amazon's platform. Walmart head of technology Hari Vasudev recently spoke about adding an AI agent to the retail behemoth's online shopping portal, while also working with partners to make sure their digital agents keep Walmart products in mind. Global payment networks Visa and Mastercard in April each said their technical systems were modernized to allow payment transactions by digital agents. "As AI agents start to take over the bulk of product discovery and the decision-making process, retailers must consider how to optimize for this new layer of AI shoppers," said Elise Watson of Clarkston Consulting. Retailers are likely to be left groping in the dark when it comes to what makes a product attractive to AI agents, according to Watson. Knowing the customer Analyst Zino does not expect AI shoppers to cause an e-commerce industry upheaval, but he does see the technology benefitting Google and Meta. Not only do the Internet rivals have massive amounts of data about their users, but they are also among frontrunners in the AI race. "They probably have more information on the consumer than anyone else out there," Zino said of Google and Meta. Tech company access to data about users hits the hot-button issue of online privacy and who should control personal information. Google plans to refine consumer profiles based on what people search for and promises that shoppers will need to authorize access to additional information such as email or app use. Trusting a chatbot with one's buying decisions may spook some people, and while the technology might be in place the legal and ethical framework for it is not. "The agent economy is here," said PSE Consulting managing director Chris Jones. "The next phase of e-commerce will depend on whether we can trust machines to buy on our behalf."
