England players call out media treatment of Black footballers
The continued scapegoating of Black players has drawn backlash from sporting giants, and set a worrying precedent for a summer of football. Hopeful Brits will be firing up BBQs and filling pubs over the next few weeks, as the Euros kicks off another summer of football. Despite the general camaraderie that...
Current in Media
Is popular music really getting worse with every new decade?
While art is highly subjective, a new study suggests that popular music has gotten simpler and more repetitive over the past few decades. One sure-fire way to tell someone is getting ‘old’ is if they utter the all-too-familiar sentence: ‘Music these days is garbage.’ While this may seem like a matter...
Diddy faces new sexual assault allegation by sixth accuser
Music mogul and personality Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has faced continual accusations of sexual assault over the last six months, including a recent leaked CCTV video. Now, a sixth accuser has come forward. TW: This article includes references and descriptions of sexual violence and assault. Reader discretion is advised. Rapper...
Yungblud launches music festival to shake up the ‘too expensive’ industry
Fighting for a new world that ‘represents love, unity, and equality for all,’ the acclaimed singer has announced Bludfest, which offers cheap, and even free, entry to people from all backgrounds. The aim is to set a precedent that music is for everybody, not just the few who can...
Baby Reindeer anonymity debacle to spark industry reckoning
After internet sleuths quickly discovered the alleged inspiration behind Baby Reindeer’s ‘Martha’, the British government announced stricter anonymity measures are to be implemented for Netflix. Could Baby Reindeer spell the beginning of the end for ‘true story’ dramas? If you’ve yet to see the hit Netflix show, you’ll no doubt have...
Coldplay cut carbon emissions by 59 per cent on world tour
Three years ago, the band pledged to put on one of the greenest tours in history. In light of updates that they’ve exceeded their climate change target by almost 10 per cent, they’re being praised as ‘setting a new standard’ for eco-conscious approaches to live music. In 2019, world-famous...
Opinion – Drake and Kendrick’s feud is a lose-lose for women
Both rappers have weaponized feminism and demonised women in an effort to one-up each other. It was the feud heard around the world. By now, you’ll know that Drake and Kendrick Lamar are far from friendly. After years of alleged hostility, both singers have released searing diss tracks that seem to have united a divided world; we can’t help but micro-analyse every lyric. But it’s not all popcorn and streams. Watching...
‘Women-only’ exhibit challenges gender discrimination charges
‘Ladies Lounge’ has taken a creative approach to deterring unwanted male visitors. Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) raised eyebrows when it launched an exhibition open only to women. Titled ‘Ladies Lounge’, the exhibit features works by American artist Kirsh Kaechele, and is designed as a commentary on misogynistic borders in the art world and beyond. However, the show was abruptly closed in April last year, when Sydney resident...
Opinion – FKA Twigs proves AI can empower artists
The singer has proposed an AI version of herself to balance her workload. The response has been mixed, but Twigs nods to an empowering future. FKA Twigs has been known to blur creativity with technology. Her ethereal music, films, and dance routines – alongside art and fashion ventures – have always pushed the boundaries and cemented her position within popular culture. Despite reaching global levels of fame, Twigs has never relinquished her...
Netflix’s undisclosed AI use sparks debate on media manipulation
Netflix has come under fire for including undisclosed AI imagery in a new true crime documentary. The backlash has sparked important conversations around media manipulation. Like it, fear it, or loathe it, AI is now a part of our everyday lives. From education to entertainment, artificial intelligence is only set to keep growing, shaping nearly every aspect of our interaction with the media. But these changes call for boundaries. Both AI’s...
