Latest news with #JudahSmith
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The existentialist philosophy of Lana Del Rey
Speaking to Myspace as an upcoming artist in 2013, Lana Dey Rey said that the 'vision of making [her] life a work of art' was what inspired her to create her music video for her breakthrough single, Video Games (2011). The self-made video, featuring old movies clips and webcam footage of Del Rey singing, went viral. It eventually led her to sign with a major record label. For many, the video conveyed a sense of authenticity. However, upon discovering that 'Lana Del Rey' was a pseudonym (her real name is Elizabeth Grant), some fans began to have doubts. Perhaps this self-made video was just another calculated marketing scheme? The question of Del Rey's authenticity has puzzled many throughout her career. Consider, for instance, the controversial Judah Smith Interlude from her latest album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd? (2023). Both fans and critics – including her sizeable LGBTQ+ fanbase – were surprised and troubled by her decision to feature the megachurch pastor Judith Smith, who's been accused of homophobia. However, the meaning of Del Rey's inclusion of Smith's sermon soundclips, layered under a recording of Del Rey giggling, is unclear. Is this meant to mock Smith, or even Christianity itself? Or is it an authentic expression of Del Rey's own spirituality? After all, she repeatedly makes references to her 'pastor' in the same album's opening track The Grants, about her family in real life. Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here. Before she became a singer-songwriter, Del Rey gained her philosophy degree at Fordham University. It was the mid-2000s, when the eminent existentialism scholar Merold Westphal would have been on staff, so she probably studied theories of authenticity by existentialists such as Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80) and Martin Heidegger (1889–1976). Heidegger spoke of human existence as a 'being-towards-death'. Or as Del Rey sings in the title track of her first major-label album, 'you and I, we were born to die'. In Heidegger's view, to pretend that we are not all bound to die is to deny the kind of finite beings which we are: it is to disown ourselves and exist inauthentically. Conversely, to exist authentically is to accept our own mortality and embrace the way we exist as finite beings. In this understanding, to exist authentically does not mean the expression of some underlying 'true self' or 'human nature'. Rather, it is to accept the conditions of life in which we find ourselves. For existentialist philosophers, such conditions include not only mortality but also freedom – a theme particularly emphasised by Sartre. As Sartre says in his 1946 lecture Existentialism Is a Humanism, existentialism holds that 'there is no human nature, because there is no God to have a conception of it … Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself'. With no creator God or pre-established human nature to determine human destiny or purpose, Sartre teaches that human beings are 'condemned to freedom'. We are free beings who are always acting freely – whether we acknowledge that we are free or not. To pretend that we are not free is to be inauthentic. Sartre suggests embracing our freedom means living life in a manner 'comparable to the construction of a work of art'. In his view, in both art and life, we cannot decide in advance what actions ought to be taken: 'No one can tell what the painting of tomorrow will be like; one cannot judge a painting until it is done.' Likewise, we cannot judge whether or not a life is well-lived until it is finished. We must not predetermine how someone should live according to some pre-established criterion of 'human nature'. Instead, we can only assess someone's life by considering whether they accept that they are free, with the freedom and responsibility to create meaning for their existence by living life as a work of art. Both freedom and making life a work of art are recurring themes in Del Rey's discography. They are brought together perhaps most memorably in her much-loved monologue in the music video for Ride (2012): On the open road, we had nothing to lose, nothing to gain, nothing we desired anymore, to make our lives into a work of art: Live fast, die young, be wild, and have fun. I believe in the country America used to be. I believe in the person I want to become. I believe in the freedom of the open road. Del Rey is someone Elizabeth Grant became. As though echoing Sartre's comparison between making art and living life, in her 2012 song Gods & Monsters, she sings of herself 'posing like a real singer – cause life imitates art'. For Del Rey, being a public-facing 'real singer' involves some kind of image-cultivation or even self-cultivation. Not unlike how her music video for Video Games is 'self-made', the very identity of Lana Del Rey is also 'self-made'. The image of Lana is a work of art made by the artist, Del Rey herself. To be an 'authentic' or 'real' singer is to accept that the persona of a public figure is always inevitably curated. To combine Sartre's slogan and Del Rey's lyrics, the real singer is always 'condemned to posing'. To pretend otherwise is to disown what it is to be a 'real singer' and to act inauthentically. If it is true that, as Del Rey sings, 'life imitates art', to render life as a work of art is the most authentic thing that a person can do. Because to live life as a work of art is nothing other than authentically accepting life as it is, something that itself 'imitates art'. As she sings in Get Free (2017), this is Del Rey's commitment, her modern manifesto. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. King-Ho Leung does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Bieber Has Reportedly Been Absent From His Church For 3 Months As Pastor Hints At 'Drama' In Sermon
Justin Bieber has not attended Churchome services in three months amid accusations that the church is a "cult-like" organization. Bieber's pastor, Judah Smith, narrated a recent experience where several people reached out to him to ask if he was "okay," following the recent press he got about an alleged misunderstanding with the singer's former pal, Ryan Good. Meanwhile, Justin Bieber continues to fuel fan concerns about his well-being with his cryptic posts amid rumors that his marriage to Hailey Bieber is in trouble. According to The U.S. Sun, Bieber has not attended church for the past three months amid drama with his long-time pastor. The "Sorry" singer has been going to Churchome since at least 2010, when he was 16 years old, and has grown close to his pastor Judah Smith over the years. Bieber and Smith came under intense scrutiny after the singer's former best friend, Ryan Good, stopped going to the church due to its supposed "cult-like culture." Since then, Bieber has not spoken to Good, who served as his best man during his wedding to Hailey and helped co-found his former streetwear brand Drew House. On Wednesday evening, Smith, who officiated Bieber's wedding to Hailey in 2018, delivered an emotional sermon in which he narrated how the headlines have seemingly heightened interest in his welfare from friends. "Recently, I've had a lot of people ask me if I'm okay," Smith said. "Which, [at] face value, that is a wonderful thing to do, right? A text, 'Hey, you good?' 'Hey, you okay?'" However, he stated that "the problem is when they add up," he's then forced to admit "maybe this has happened to you," and really check if everything is okay with him. "So Jason and I went to Miami this past weekend. It was a great time. And I ran into so many old friends I hadn't seen in a while," he continued, name-dropping former E! News host Jason Kennedy, who was sitting in the audience. "And I was kind of taken aback because one person said, 'Hey, are you good? You okay?' And I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, no, I'm good.' I'm kind of like, what have you heard?" he said. The 46-year-old clergy rambled on in his sermon, asking his audience if they'd ever been "asked so many times if you're okay, that you started to wonder if you're okay?" "And I'll admit in Miami recently seeing old friends, I started to say, 'no, I'm great'. And then I could hear through my own tone that my response was me also telling them, but also telling me that I'm great," he continued. However, after about an hour, Smith's speech took an emotional turn as he started tearing up and said, "It's [life] always been about people, but we made it about popularity and we made it about appearances." It comes after Bieber sparked concerns after he seemingly cut ties with many of his inner circle members amid accusations his church had a "cult-like culture." However, Smith denied the claims in a recent sermon, saying if they were one, they "are the worst cult in the history of all cults." "We meet once a month, guys. I stopped doing this every Wednesday. We've got to get better at this," he continued, per The U.S. Sun. According to the news outlet, one churchgoer admitted after service on Wednesday that the church has its issues, but isn't a cult. "I've been coming to this church for five years. I've grown so much lot spiritually," the source said. "Things aren't always perfect, but I know pastor Judah comes from a good place. He has a good heart, he's the real deal." Speaking more about Churchome, the insider, who also claims to be a member of the church, admitted that the organization has its issues, but that its leader, Judah, has good intentions. "Haters are gonna hate, but I think he has the right intentions," the insider said. "At the end of the day, pastors are also human; they do make mistakes, but it's up to us to help pray for them and uplift them." They also mentioned that they'd not "had negative experiences with Judah," but had fallen out with the prayer group in the church; however, that didn't "discourage" them from coming. "Every church has its issues, there's mental illness with the people that go there. No church is perfect," the source added. Bieber's spiritual life isn't the only area that seems to be encountering troubles, but also his marital life. The "Peaches" singer's marriage to Hailey has allegedly hit a rocky patch following a series of bizarre social media posts. He has tried to dispel the rumors and recently shared a slew of photos of them and their son, Jack Blues, to his Instagram account, which he just changed from @justinbieber to @lilbieber. "Justin's been a hard person to deal with recently because of what he's going through," a source told Us Weekly earlier this week. "It's been really hard on her." The insider added, "Family issues have clouded her success."
News.com.au
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Justin Bieber cuts ties with church to focus on big music comeback
Justin Bieber is keen to get his music career back on track amid rumours about his wellbeing and ditching his church. Bieber has been absent from Churchome services in Beverly Hills for three months, churchgoers told The U.S. Sun. He has been close to pastor Judah Smith, 46, for years but their relationship has reportedly caused a rift between Bieber and his best friend, Ryan Good. Sources told TMZ that Bieber hasn't spoken to Good for a year after the friend left the church himself and expressed concerns over it being like a cult. Since the rumours of a fallout emerged, the pop star has not been seen at the monthly services. The U.S. Sun reached out to Good, Smith, and Bieber's rep for comment but did not hear back. Now, an insider has claimed Bieber is throwing himself into work. He was spotted with his wife Hailey, 28, at Martin Garrix's concert at L.A. State Historic Park on Sunday night. They seemed in good spirits and affectionate with one another. But it was back to work as soon as the music stopped, according to an insider. 'Justin is now trying desperately to focus on the music,' they said. 'He was with Hailey at the concert but then went to The Bird Streets Club, which is members-only in West Hollywood, without her. 'He played his new album for his homies until 2.30am. 'They then went as a group to Sunset Marquis Hotel and he was in the recording studio there before spending the night at the hotel.' The insider added, 'Justin is trying to juggle everything at the moment, but the new album is being prioritised. 'Hailey is doing her best and is focused on baby Jack and staying healthy, she's been going to the Alo Yoga gym.' Bieber shared photographs of himself and friends from inside the studio with the caption '17' after arriving in his Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. The superstar's last album, Justice, was released in 2021, and his career has taken a back seat in recent years with only a few stage appearances. Meanwhile, Hailey recently sold her skincare brand Rhode to e.l.f. Beauty for a reported $1 billion. Bieber has been open about his mental health struggles in recent months as fans worried about his bizarre behaviour. He posted about arguments with Hailey and was filmed having a public meltdown over the paparazzi while at the beach. His rep has also previously denied allegations of hard drug abuse after fans expressed concern over his dishevelled appearance and weird facial expressions. Followers have also posted their worry over him smoking weed on social media after becoming a new dad. Amid drama at the church, pastor Smith appeared to reference the news reports in a sermon at The Sabon Theater in front of more than 250 people. 'Recently, I've had a lot of people ask me if I'm okay,' Smith admitted. 'Which, [at] face value, that is a wonderful thing to do, right? A text, 'Hey, you good?' 'Hey, you okay?' 'The problem is when they add up, I start to wonder … maybe this has happened to you, wait, am I okay? 'So Jason and I went to Miami this past weekend. It was a great time. And I ran into so many old friends I hadn't seen in a while. 'And I was kind of taken aback because one person said, 'Hey, are you good? You okay?' And I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, no, I'm good.' I'm kind of like, what have you heard?' Bieber has been distancing himself from the church but both he and Hailey still follow Smith on Instagram. In May, the singer chose to get away from Los Angeles and flew to Iceland a remote recording studio. He spent time at Floki Studios at Deplar Farm with a group of collaborators as he missed the Met Gala with Hailey. The likes of Calvin Harris and Pharrell Williams have recorded at the location over the years. It is situated in the remote Fljót Valley on the Troll Peninsula in northern Iceland. According to an online profile, the studios feature 'world-class recording equipment, control, isolation, live and lounge areas in an off-the-grid setting designed to eliminate distractions so artists can focus on their music.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Waco survivor David Thibodeau on Justin Bieber cult rumors
(NewsNation) — David Thibodeau, one of the nine surviving members of the 1993 Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas, is offering insight regarding Justin Bieber's membership in a chuch some consider controversial. Churchome is a Beverly Hills-based church that also has a congregation in Washington State and attracts thousands of people online and in person. Bieber reportedly partakes in its services at home via Zoom. According to TMZ, Ryan Good, a former friend of Bieber's and co-founder of his clothing line Drew House, was also a part of Churchome but left the church and had a falling out with Bieber over it because he said it started to feel like a cult. Bieber has also shared a series of posts on social media detailing his struggles in life and religion. Unexplained deaths in New England creating fears of serial killer Judah Smith, the pastor at Churchome, responded to allegations of the church being a cult, saying, 'We would be the worst cult in the history of all cults' because the church only meets once a month. Thibodeau said Bieber should go with his gut feeling regarding warning signs of whether or not Churchome is a cult. 'There's all kinds of times you feel that you're doing something wrong, but everyone around you is telling you it's right,' Thibodeau said. 'Even though you have that feeling and so many people influencing it, it can overcome your own feeling of what's right and wrong.' Thibodeau added Bieber should take opposing viewpoints into consideration and read things other than the Bible. He said the fact that the church only meets once a month could be a good thing because it gives Bieber time to develop his own thoughts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fifth Harmony's Ally Brooke marries longtime partner Will Bracey
Ally Brooke has got married to her longtime partner Will Bracey. The 31-year-old singer, best known for her time with girl group Fifth Harmony, tied the knot with Will, 38, in an intimate ceremony at the Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, on Saturday 3 May, People reported – with the magazine carrying exclusive pictures of the pair's big day. Ally told the publication she considered married life 'the most incredible feeling I've ever felt'. The couple were joined only by their officiant, Judah Smith, 46, as they exchanged vows at sunset. 'I love being a wife, and I love my husband so much,' Ally also told People. The wedding marked a change of plans for the couple, who originally intended to host a larger celebration with friends and family. 'The whole time I had envisioned a big wedding,' Ally said, adding: 'We both would've loved our fam there and some friends, but I'm forever grateful and glad that we did it that way because it could not have been more intimate and more incredible.' Ally wore a gown by Lee Petra Grebenau for the ceremony, which was organised with the help of Kelsey Events, which the couple brought on in August 2024 to organise their nuptials The ceremony included personal touches such as floral arrangements and a live violin performance of Kari Jobe's 'Holy Spirit' as Ally walked down the aisle. The couple selected Judah Smith, who they first met more than a decade ago in Guadalajara, Mexico, as their officiant. 'We met him randomly 10 plus years ago in a hotel lobby with the Fifth Harmony girls,' Will said. Ally added: 'Even before we got even engaged, I dreamed of having him as our pastor to do the ceremony. His words were powerful over us, and it was unforgettable. We were all sobbing.' The pair exchanged both traditional and personalised vows, which Ally said she spent the night before the ceremony writing. 'I basically stayed up the whole night writing my vows,' she said, adding: 'Then, in the morning, I tweaked a word or two.' Weeks ahead of the ceremony, Ally and Will informed their families of their plans to elope. Ally said: 'Everybody was supportive, and they were thrilled for us. 'They were like, 'Look, if you want it to be just you, it should be just you.'' Will added: 'We'll do something soon with them this fall with all the families, but we wanted to do this, and (I'm) so glad we did.' The couple first met when Will was working as the tour manager for Fifth Harmony. They are now planning a honeymoon for the summer and have discussed starting a family. Ally said about the prospect of her and Will having children: 'We both have a timeline, but not immediately.'
