Whitney Houston's new No. 1s album, first-ever Barbie, Clive Davis and more: A Q&A with Pat Houston
NEW YORK (AP) — Whitney Houston's legacy continues to shine with a new album, “WH1TNEY,” released Friday. It compiles her 11 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles. This release is part of ongoing birthday celebrations for Houston. Pat Houston, her sister-in-law and estate executor, shares insights into the collection and the first Whitney Houston Barbie, debuting Sunday. Pat Houston reflects on Whitney's relationship with Clive Davis, who passed away in June, and hints at future projects. She emphasizes the importance of preserving Whitney's unmatched voice and artistry for future generations.
Why celebrities from Zendaya to Kylie Jenner are wearing Fecal Matter
Zendaya, Kylie Jenner and Demi Moore have all walked the red carpet in Fecal Matter. That's the English translation of Matières Fécales, the fashion brand that has had a pivotal year. Their avant-garde designs and theatrical runway shows have made them the talk of the fashion world with a dark and edgy take on ball gowns. Take Zendaya's angelic look at the New York premiere of “The Odyssey” or model Gabbriette Bechtel's wedding dress. The design duo Steven Raj Bhaskaran and Hannah Rose Dalton are set to unveil their latest collection at Paris Fashion Week in September.
Amanda Knox defends her comedy show at Edinburgh festival as honoring her murdered former roommate
LONDON (AP) — Amanda Knox is defending a show she is performing at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in Scotland over the coming days. The American student convicted and later acquitted of the murder and sexual assault of her British roommate Meredith Kercher 19 years ago in Italy was a 20-year-old student in Perugia when Kercher was found stabbed to death in her bedroom in the apartment they shared with two Italian women. Knox was convicted and then acquitted over the murder. Knox said Thursday in an Instagram post that her comedy show “honors Meredith Kercher’s memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me.”
John Carpenter turns a hell-elevator dream into 'Cathedral' graphic novel and album
LOS ANGELES (AP) — John Carpenter has teamed up with his family for a new project, “Cathedral,” a graphic novel with an original album. The famed director of horror classics like “The Thing” and “Halloween” says the movie industry is too corporate now, so he prefers more creative, less costly outlets. After dreaming about a church with an elevator to hell, Carpenter collaborated with his godson, Daniel Davies, and son, Cody, on the album. His wife, Sandy King, helped with the graphic novel. Carpenter, who is also a composer, says music is the greatest art form and believes it should remain a human endeavor.
Plaintiff Trump gets reprieve from an order to disclose his finances in BBC case — but only for now
President Donald Trump has gotten a reprieve in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC. But at least for now, it's a temporary one. A federal judge in Florida has paused an order requiring Trump to disclose financial details of his business empire, pending an amended complaint that focuses solely on reputational damage. Trump filed the lawsuit over a BBC documentary that edited a speech he gave on January 6, 2021. The BBC apologized for the edit but denies defamation. The trial is set for February — one of many actions Trump has taken in his second term to combat media coverage that angers him.
Movie Review: Jane Schoenbrun’s ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ turns slasher tropes inward
Gillian Anderson plays the reclusive final girl of a 1980s slasher franchise in “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.” Written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, Hannah Einbinder plays an up-and-coming filmmaker obsessed with recruiting Anderson's Billy Presley for a reboot. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that “it’s a thoughtfully constructed fever dream that wears its high and low brow references on its sleeve — a bold and worthy vision that continues Schoenbrun’s exploration of transitioning using the cinematic and pop cultural tools at their disposal and reinventing them in their image.” Rated R, it's in theaters Friday.
What to Stream: 'Ted Lasso,' Billie Eilish, Stray Kids, 'You Me & Tuscany' and 'The Shards'
This week, streaming platforms offer a variety of new entertainment options. “Ted Lasso” returns for its fourth season on Apple TV, while Billie Eilish's concert film, co-directed with James Cameron, debuts on Paramount+. The romantic comedy “You, Me & Tuscany” streams on Peacock, and the sci-fi thriller “The Last House” is available on Netflix. Stray Kids release their new mini-album “This & That” on Friday. Meanwhile, the series adaptation of “The Shards” premieres on FX on Hulu. For gamers, “Beast of Reincarnation” and “Big Walk” launch on various platforms, promising unique adventures.
Q&A: Ms. Lauryn Hill on the Diaspora Calling! festival in the UK, the Fugees' legacy and D'Angelo
Ms. Lauryn Hill is bringing her Diaspora Calling! festival to the U.K. for the first time. That is 10 years after its inaugural edition in Brooklyn. The event will be hosted by Dave Chappelle and feature performances by Erykah Badu, YG Marley, Fireboy DML and others. It will be held at The National Bowl in Milton Keynes, England. Hill and Wyclef Jean, two-third of Fugees, will perform their landmark album “The Score” in its entirety. In a rare interview with The Associated Press, Hill says the idea behind the event is to bring the community she and Jean have built all over the diaspora together. She also talked about the late R&B singer D'Angelo.
Music Review: ‘Lost Weekend’ is Phoebe Bridgers' evocative sonic collage
On her third studio album, “Lost Weekend,” Phoebe Bridgers pairs unique sonic arrangements with her signature complex lyrical verses to create a collage of the years since we last heard from her as a solo artist. It's her first alone since 2020's “Punisher,” and since the return of her supergroup Boygenius and their 2023 album “The Record.” Listeners are brought on a sort of road trip, writes The Associated Press' Elise Ryan. What's most stark throughout is the intentionality Bridgers and her collaborators display. There is space between verses and instrumental arrangements — but none of it is wasted.
Ariana Grande’s new video sets off talk about body and beauty standards — again
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s a hallmark of our increasingly connected world — there’s seemingly always something to say, an opinion or feeling or critique to express. But just because we can say anything, does that mean we should? It’s come up most recently in the wake of a new music video from singer Ariana Grande and the release last week of her new album, “Petal.” The video spurred rampant commentary — and not primarily about the images of a blood-spattered Grande holding a chainsaw, but about her overall extremely thin appearance. That, in turn, spurred even more commentary.
