Latest news with #SoftPower
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Fazerdaze takes out Album of the Year at Aotearoa Music Awards
Christchurch-based musician Amelia Murray, better known as Fazerdaze, was named Best Solo Artist and also took out the coveted Album of the Year award for her third release, Soft Power. Murray spoke to Paddy Gower. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Fazerdaze steals the show at 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards: Full winners list
The 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards celebrated its 60th anniversary with Fazerdaze's triumphant return, securing Album of the Year and Best Solo Artist. Lorde claimed Single of the Year, while Stan Walker dominated the Māori music categories. The event honored diverse genres and emerging talents, highlighting the vibrancy of New Zealand's music scene. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Major Category Winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards: Album of the Year: Fazerdaze – Soft Power Single of the Year: Lorde – Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde (Charli XCX, Lorde) Best Solo Artist: Fazerdaze – Soft Power Best Group: Earth Tongue – Great Haunting Te Manu Mātārae (Impact Award): L.A.B and 9Lives Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo (Best Te Reo Māori Song): Stan Walker – Māori Ki Te Ao Best Māori Artist: Stan Walker Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Hori Shaw Best Alternative Artist: Jim Nothing – Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn Best Classical Artist: Jian Liu – Where Fairburn Walked Best Country Music Artist: Barry Saunders & Delaney Davidson – Happiness Is Near Best Electronic Artist: CHAII – Safar Best Folk Artist: Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams Best Hip Hop Artist: David Dallas – Vita Best Jazz Artist: Lucien Johnson – Ancient Relics The 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards lit up Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre with a vibrant celebration of Kiwi music, marking the event's 60th anniversary in style. The night belonged to Fazerdaze (Amelia Murray), who made a powerful comeback after years away from the spotlight, taking home both Album of the Year for her introspective third record, Soft Power, and Best Solo Artist Accepting her awards, Fazerdaze told RNZ, 'This album was about crafting my own version of womanhood and adulthood, away from people's expectations. To be welcomed back like this is deeply humbling.' The musician's emotional speech resonated with fans and peers alike, capping off her triumphant event wasn't short on star power. Grammy award-winning singer Lorde , fresh off a string of surprise performances, picked up Single of the Year for her chart-topping collaboration with Charli XCX, 'Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde.' Stan Walker continued his dominance in the Māori music categories, winning both Best Māori Artist and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo award for his te reo anthem 'Māori Ki Te Ao.'Berlin-based duo Earth Tongue claimed Best Group for their psychedelic album Great Haunting, while rising star Hori Shaw was named Breakthrough Artist of the ceremony also honored L.A.B and producer 9Lives with the Te Manu Mātārae award for their significant impact on the local music scene, and celebrated a diverse array of genres—from alternative and classical to electronic and the curtain fell, the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards proved once again that New Zealand's music scene is as bold, diverse, and inspiring as ever—with Fazerdaze's comeback providing the night's most memorable moment.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
This Word Means: Soft power
WHY NOW? American political scientist Joseph Nye, who coined the term 'soft power', died on Tuesday (May 6) at 88. Nye was predominantly known for introducing a new concept in the field of international relations. He described soft power as a nation's ability to get what it wants 'through attraction, rather than coercion or payment'. He distinguished this from hard power, typically understood as referring to militaristic and economic strength. The Harvard professor also served in government roles, notably in the State Department during Jimmy Carter's presidency (1977 to 1981) and in the Defence Department during Bill Clinton's terms (1993 to 2001). Nye is also credited with conceptualising 'complex interdependence'. He said that the functioning of states was a result of interlinking factors and relationships, rather than jousting for power and security alone, something propounded by the prevalent theory of 'realism' in the 1970s. He authored 14 books and over 200 journal articles, but soft power would be his best-known contribution. 'Soft power – getting others to want the outcomes that you want – co-opts people rather than coerces them,' Nye wrote in the 2004 book Soft Power. When he introduced the concept, he was trying to understand the influence of the US at a time when many believed its decline was inevitable, amidst the rise of Asian challengers. 'I looked at our military power and our economic power, and I said, there's still something missing, which is the power to get what you want through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or payment,' Nye told the Harvard Gazette in 2017. For instance, consider Hollywood films. For non-Americans, they offer an attractive window into life in another country, and show a unique set of values and culture. Watching them could influence positive attitudes towards the United States and its policies. The recent rise of South Korean pop culture exports, from art to food, is also a case in point. It has helped a tiny Asian nation occupy significant real estate in the minds of many young people across the world. He believed that the idea of soft power built on complex interdependence. According to him, complex interdependence helped to enmesh countries economically so the role of their military might would be diminished, which soft power could carry forward. However, some have also criticised the concept, saying hard power was the foremost route to solidifying a country's position in global affairs, and that soft power paled in comparison to the sheer might of weaponry and capital. Nye expressed concern in recent years that the US was losing its grip on soft power, especially after Donald Trump was elected President in 2016. Trump's return to the White House 'gave him a truncated view of power limited to coercion and transactions,' Nye wrote in a March essay for The Financial Times. Nye called him an 'extreme narcissist' who neglected liberal values and presented a polarised view of the world, even threatening democracy. 'How else can one explain his bullying of Denmark over Greenland, his threats to Panama, which outrage Latin America, or his siding with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, which weakens seven decades of the Nato alliance — not to mention his dismantlement of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that John F Kennedy created? All undercut American soft power,' he added.
Epoch Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Don't Tax Bluey': Australian Ambassador Pleads Against Trump Film Tariff
Australia's ambassador to the United States has raised concerns about Donald Trump's proposed 100 percent tariff on foreign-produced films. Speaking at a Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles, Kevin Rudd warned that such a measure could damage cultural exchange internationally. 'I don't think we want to see a tax on Bluey,' he said, referring to the Australian children's program created in Brisbane, which is now one of the most-watched programs in the United States. 'What happens if we all lock down our countries with competitive, punitive arrangements against each other's movies? Movies are the way in which we kind of understand each other more. So I'd be all for opening this up.' Bluey and Soft Power Rudd cited Bluey as a standout example of how entertainment can strengthen global ties. The cartoon has achieved significant international success and is widely praised for its storytelling and emotional depth. In 2024, Bluey recorded 35 billion minutes of watch time in the United States alone, dominating national viewership charts. Related Stories 1/30/2025 12/17/2024 A year earlier, it was the second most-streamed show across all U.S. platforms, according to Nielsen data. Its popularity prompted a light-hearted message from the U.S. Embassy in Australia: 'A huge congratulations to Team Bluey—you're responsible for lots of little Aussie accents and kids saying 'dunny' all across the U.S.' Current Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd, who is also the former Australian prime minister at the Jack Morton Auditorium of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., on May 26, Power and Global Recognition The cartoon's success has also caught the attention of Australian leaders. Treasurer Jim Chalmers described it as a rare cultural export that has become a source of national pride. 'For a country best known for low-grade soap operas, which relies on exports of commodities like iron ore, red meat, and coal for its economic resilience, the global success of the cartoon is a source of national pride,' he said. In 2023, Bluey's cultural impact even rivalled that of the Australian cricket team, which normally draws a substantial audience from the Indian subcontinent. When the national men's team won the World Test Championship in June, their achievement was outshone by the episode 'Cricket,' which drew 563,000 viewers—more than the match itself. Tariff Details in the Works The tariff idea appears to have been influenced by actor Jon Voight, who recently argued that 'something has to be done' to protect American cultural industries. Trump's sudden announcement has sparked alarm in the film industry. He said his proposal to impose 100 percent tariffs on movies made outside the United States aims to revive Hollywood which is 'dying a very fast death.' Trump directed the Commerce Department to begin work on the tariffs. However, he later appeared to ease his position, saying he plans to consult with industry leaders to ensure they are 'happy' with the plan. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later told media his team was acting on the order, though specific details remain vague. The administration has not clarified whether the tariffs would apply to U.S. companies filming abroad or include streaming services like Netflix. While details of Trump's proposal remain unclear and has not been formally adopted by the U.S. government, it reflects a growing undercurrent of economic nationalism in conservative circles. Tariffs on foreign films would likely involve placing a duty on international content distributed in the United States, either through theatrical releases or streaming platforms. This would make it more expensive for studios to license or screen non-American productions locally, while potentially limiting access to the U.S. market for overseas producers.
