- Words Notion Staff
Rated Reads shares our pick of the best content from around the web. This week: the return of shoegaze, the fallout from a viral St. Vincent article, and more.
Emma Madden on the viral fallout from their St. Vincent interview
For her PassTheAux newsletter, The Telegraph’s music editor, Eleanor Halls, speaks with fellow journalist, Emma Madden, about why St. Vincent tried to kill their (now viral) interview and what this means for celebrity journalism.
“Emma’s interview was about the indie artist’s new album Daddy’s Home, which (released next month) deals with her [St. Vincent’s] father’s 2019 release from prison after having been jailed for fraud back in 2010. But St. Vincent took issue with one of Emma’s questions about her views on incarceration, tied to last year’s prison riots in America and her father’s personal experience”, writes Eleanor.
A riveting, honest interview that casts a light on the inside of music journalism. “If an artist has made art about their personal life, and their lyrics reference personal experiences, then I do think an interviewer should be able to ask about those experiences. If an artist doesn’t feel comfortable with that, then I don’t think they should do interviews”, Eleanor argues.
Lock up your puppies: how Cruella de Vil became a fashion icon
“Hollywood’s greatest fashion baddie is back with a new film, while her monochrome glamour is everywhere. Can the Dalmatian-obsessed anti-hero remind us how to dress post-lockdown?” writes Hannah Marriott for The Guardian. As Disney’s new movie, Cruella is set for release this month, it seems that the classic villain’s looks have been inspiring those off the screen too. After a year of sweatpants and comfy shoes, Hannah argues that the fashion industry is “subconsciously turning to style’s ultimate villain for a confidence boost”. See Balmain’s powerful SS21 collection and Beyonce’s Schiaparelli gloves with gold trompe l’oeil fingernails at the Grammy’s. Glamour is back with a vengence.
The Artist Upending Photography’s Brutal Racial Legacy
“Deana Lawson’s regal, loving, unburdened photographs imagine a world in which Black people are free from the distortions of history”, writes Jenna Wortham for The New York Times Magazine. Over the last decade, Deana Lawson has been making stunningly intimate portraits of strangers, gravitating towards “domestic spaces that tend to be cluttered with life”. In this deep dive feature, discover Deana’s artistic practice and see some of her photos.
Goodbye techno: Why it’s time for Georgia’s rappers to take centre stage
When people think of contemporary Georgian music, many would think of techno. For The Calvert Journal, Phillip Lausberg writes that clubs like Bassiani and Khidi may have defined young Georgia, with the electronic music scene shaping Tbilisi alternative culture, however, Gen Z are here, and they’re bringing a fresh sound with them. Make way for a new “homegrown hip-hop scene with a uniquely Georgian flavour”. Rapping in their mother tongue, artists like DRO and KayaKata are taking the mic.
“Like Georgia’s much-hyped streetwear scene, the new wave of Georgian hip-hop is a fusion of cutting-edge global trends, post-Soviet elements and a uniquely Georgian touch. Influences range from US musicians like Travis Scott and Kanye West to Russian rappers like Skriptonit and Husky. The electronic beats are largely home-grown, while the tone and texts of many Georgian rappers exude a sense of the post-Soviet absurd”.