Latest news with #Royals
West Australian
an hour ago
- Sport
- West Australian
GSFL 2025: Josh Caddy makes welcome return to footy, booting three goals as a deep forward in Royals debut
GSFL 2025: Josh Caddy makes welcome return to footy, booting three goals as a deep forward in Royals debut
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lorde's new album 'Virgin' is messy, emotional, and perfectly suited for the moment
Lorde released her fourth studio album, "Virgin," on Friday. The lyrics are frank and transparent, tackling knotty topics like sex, drugs, and eating disorders. The album's themes reflect a cultural shift away from polish and toward authenticity. For most of us, the first words we heard come out of Lorde's mouth took the shape of a disavowal: "I've never seen a diamond in the flesh." Lorde wrote "Royals" in 30 minutes when she was 15 years old. Growing up in New Zealand, disillusioned with materialism and flex culture — especially in the US — she proudly cast herself as a distant observer. She saw, she understood, but she didn't participate. This posture resonated with millions. "Royals" topped the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for nine weeks. The smash hit was later certified diamond and won two Grammy Awards, including song of the year. Lorde has spent much of her career being portrayed as elusive and infallible by fans and media outlets alike. She tends to release an album every four years, and in between, she retreats from the spotlight. Even her stage name (Lorde's real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor) evokes an office that's separate and superior. But a lot has changed since "Royals" was released as a single in 2013, just a few years after Instagram was launched. At the time, the platform was generally used for sharing one perfectly posed (and heavily filtered) photo at a time. Now, Instagram timelines look much less curated, with the savviest social media enthusiasts sharing unrefined "photo dumps" and spontaneous Instagram Stories instead. Pop culture has tilted dramatically in favor of relatability, transparency, and authenticity, too. Consumers no longer demand polish, poise, or aloof nonchalance from celebrities. "Mess is in," DJ Louie XIV, music critic and host of the Pop Pantheon podcast, recently told me while discussing the state of pop music. Several of last year's biggest hits corroborate his thesis: Taylor Swift embraced chaos and lust in writing "The Tortured Poets Department," and it became the best-selling album of her career. Chappell Roan canceled concerts, shared off-the-cuff videos on TikTok, scolded photographers on red carpets, and then won best new artist at the Grammys. Charli XCX's summer-defining album "Brat" — which the singer described as "my flaws, my fuck ups, my ego all rolled into one" — offers perhaps the clearest example of how this aesthetic has taken over. "Even Charli's outfits are tattered. She can't sing except in autotune. The whole album is about emotional messiness," Louie said. Charli XCX even recruited Lorde for a remix of the track "Girl, So Confusing," to hash out their long-simmering tension in real time. For the new wave of pop stars, he added, fans "seeing the seams is a plus." Lorde has surely noticed this trend because there's plenty of mess in her fourth album, "Virgin," released on Friday. Gone is the detached, enigmatic attitude from Lorde's debut album, when she insisted, "I'm kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there." Now, she won't only throw her hands up, but she'll admit to getting them dirty, just like the rest of us. Lorde has said that "Virgin" represents a sort of rebirth — a newfound willingness to follow her gut and experience the world without a protective veil. The album's 11 tracks tackle an array of knotty topics, from enjoying unprotected sex ("Clearblue") and yearning for her mother's approval ("Favourite Daughter") to dabbling with drugs ("What Was That") and struggling with an eating disorder ("Broken Glass"). Lorde's honest lyricism is punctuated with palpable details: a discarded at-home pregnancy test, a dead uncle whom she resembles, blown-up pupils, and rotting teeth. These images make her life feel real and human. "Mystique is dead," she sings bluntly. This is not to say Lorde has never used personal details in her music. However, her last two albums, "Melodrama" and "Solar Power," offered confessions often cloaked in self-conscious theatrics, metaphor, or irony. When Lorde sang, "I can't feel a thing / I keep looking at my mood ring / Tell me how I'm feeling" in the 2021 single "Mood Ring," she was poking fun at the cult of wellness and the blonde caricature she adopted in the music video. By contrast, when she sings, "Take an aura picture, read it, and tell me who I am" in the new album's opening track, "Hammer," it's clear that she's disclosing a raw moment of self-doubt. (And her habit of taking aura photos in New York City's Chinatown is well-documented.) Lorde's "Virgin" co-producer, Jim-E Stack, told GQ how the duo intentionally added sounds that felt raw or jarring to reflect the author's mindset. With AI and modern technology, he pointed out, it's easy for artists to make perfect-sounding records with no hiccups or texture. And when it comes to art, easy usually translates to boring. "That is what's exciting in music right now, and where innovation is happening: People channeling their imperfections and saying stuff that's a little scary," Stack told the publication. "There [are] definitely songs on Ella's record that are like, 'Whoa, can you say this as a pop star?'" He was right to be concerned; a lesser artist wouldn't be able to pull it off. But Lorde can, she should — and she did. Read the original article on Business Insider
Asahi Shimbun
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Asahi Shimbun
Ohtani hits 29th homer, adds RBI triple to lead Dodgers over Royals 5-4
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani runs to third after hitting a triple during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals on June 27 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) KANSAS CITY, Mo.--Shohei Ohtani led off the game with his 29th home run and also hit an RBI triple, and Freddie Freeman stretched as he fell over to complete a game-ending double play as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Friday night for their fifth straight win. Ohtani hit his major league-leading eighth leadoff homer this season, a drive off off Noah Cameron (2-4), and Max Muncy hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer for a 3-1 lead in the second. Bobby Witt Jr.'s two-run homer against Dustin May put Kansas City ahead 4-3 in the bottom half and gave the Royals their first lead since Sunday. Ohtani tied the score in the fifth against Cameron (2-4) with his seventh triple of the season and scored on Mookie Betts' single off Steven Cruz. Kansas City loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against Tanner Scott on singles by Mikael Garcia and Salvador Perez around Vinnie Pacquantino's walk. Rookie Jac Caglianone grounded to second Tommy Edman, who made a backhand flip to Betts at second, and Betts bounced his throw to Freeman. The All-Star first baseman snagged the ball as he fell to the field, giving Scott his 18th save in 23 chances. Kansas City has lost six straight overall and 11 home games in a row. Lou Trivino (3-0) got five outs as five Dodgers relievers combined for shutout relief of Dustin May, who gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in four innings. Cameron (2-4) allowed five runs, three hits and three walks in four-plus innings Perez had a run-scoring single in the first. Kyle Isbel lined an RBI double just over the outstretched glove of right fielder Teoscar Hernandez in the three-run second for the Royals, who had scored on run during a three-game series against Tampa Bay. Freeman, who won a Gold Glove in 2018, made the outstanding defensive play that ended the game. Kansas City tied its record for consecutive home losses, set from Sept. 21, 2011, to April 23, 2012, and matched from May 6 to June 4, 2013. Ohtani (0-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his third mound appearance since elbow surgery, facing RHP Seth Lugo (4-5, 2.93 ERA) on Saturday. ___ AP MLB:
Business Insider
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Lorde's new album 'Virgin' is messy, emotional, and perfectly suited for the moment
For most of us, the first words we heard come out of Lorde's mouth took the shape of a disavowal: "I've never seen a diamond in the flesh." Lorde wrote "Royals" in 30 minutes when she was 15 years old. Growing up in New Zealand, disillusioned with materialism and flex culture — especially in the US — she proudly cast herself as a distant observer. She saw, she understood, but she didn't participate. This posture resonated with millions. "Royals" topped the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for nine weeks. The smash hit was later certified diamond and won two Grammy Awards, including song of the year. Lorde has spent much of her career being portrayed as elusive and infallible by fans and media outlets alike. She tends to release an album every four years, and in between, she retreats from the spotlight. Even her stage name (Lorde's real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor) evokes an office that's separate and superior. But a lot has changed since "Royals" was released as a single in 2013, just a few years after Instagram was launched. At the time, the platform was generally used for sharing one perfectly posed (and heavily filtered) photo at a time. Now, Instagram timelines look much less curated, with the savviest social media enthusiasts sharing unrefined "photo dumps" and spontaneous Instagram Stories instead. Pop culture has tilted dramatically in favor of relatability, transparency, and authenticity, too. Consumers no longer demand polish, poise, or aloof nonchalance from celebrities. "Mess is in," DJ Louie XIV, music critic and host of the Pop Pantheon podcast, recently told me while discussing the state of pop music. Several of last year's biggest hits corroborate his thesis: Taylor Swift embraced chaos and lust in writing " The Tortured Poets Department," and it became the best-selling album of her career. Chappell Roan canceled concerts, shared off-the-cuff videos on TikTok, scolded photographers on red carpets, and then won best new artist at the Grammys. Charli XCX's summer-defining album " Brat" — which the singer described as "my flaws, my fuck ups, my ego all rolled into one" — offers perhaps the clearest example of how this aesthetic has taken over. "Even Charli's outfits are tattered. She can't sing except in autotune. The whole album is about emotional messiness," Louie said. Charli XCX even recruited Lorde for a remix of the track "Girl, So Confusing," to hash out their long-simmering tension in real time. For the new wave of pop stars, he added, fans "seeing the seams is a plus." Lorde's journey from 'Royals' to 'Virgin' reflects a cultural shift Lorde has surely noticed this trend because there's plenty of mess in her fourth album, "Virgin," released on Friday. Gone is the detached, enigmatic attitude from Lorde's debut album, when she insisted, "I'm kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there." Now, she won't only throw her hands up, but she'll admit to getting them dirty, just like the rest of us. Lorde has said that "Virgin" represents a sort of rebirth — a newfound willingness to follow her gut and experience the world without a protective veil. The album's 11 tracks tackle an array of knotty topics, from enjoying unprotected sex ("Clearblue") and yearning for her mother's approval ("Favourite Daughter") to dabbling with drugs ("What Was That") and struggling with an eating disorder ("Broken Glass"). Lorde's honest lyricism is punctuated with palpable details: a discarded at-home pregnancy test, a dead uncle whom she resembles, blown-up pupils, and rotting teeth. These images make her life feel real and human. "Mystique is dead," she sings bluntly. This is not to say Lorde has never used personal details in her music. However, her last two albums, " Melodrama" and " Solar Power," offered confessions often cloaked in self-conscious theatrics, metaphor, or irony. When Lorde sang, "I can't feel a thing / I keep looking at my mood ring / Tell me how I'm feeling" in the 2021 single "Mood Ring," she was poking fun at the cult of wellness and the blonde caricature she adopted in the music video. By contrast, when she sings, "Take an aura picture, read it, and tell me who I am" in the new album's opening track, "Hammer," it's clear that she's disclosing a raw moment of self-doubt. (And her habit of taking aura photos in New York City's Chinatown is well-documented.) Lorde's "Virgin" co-producer, Jim-E Stack, told GQ how the duo intentionally added sounds that felt raw or jarring to reflect the author's mindset. With AI and modern technology, he pointed out, it's easy for artists to make perfect-sounding records with no hiccups or texture. And when it comes to art, easy usually translates to boring. "That is what's exciting in music right now, and where innovation is happening: People channeling their imperfections and saying stuff that's a little scary," Stack told the publication. "There [are] definitely songs on Ella's record that are like, 'Whoa, can you say this as a pop star?'" He was right to be concerned; a lesser artist wouldn't be able to pull it off. But Lorde can, she should — and she did.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dodgers bring 5-game road win streak into game against the Royals
Los Angeles Dodgers (52-31, first in the NL West) vs. Kansas City Royals (38-44, fourth in the AL Central) Kansas City, Missouri; Saturday, 4:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, two strikeouts); Royals: Seth Lugo (4-5, 2.93 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 68 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Dodgers -165, Royals +138; over/under is 9 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Dodgers hit the road against the Kansas City Royals trying to prolong a five-game road winning streak. Kansas City is 38-44 overall and 19-23 at home. The Royals have a 27-10 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents. Los Angeles is 52-31 overall and 22-17 on the road. The Dodgers have a 15-9 record in games decided by one run. The teams match up Saturday for the second time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Royals with 41 extra base hits (27 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs). Salvador Perez is 9 for 36 with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs over the past 10 games. Ohtani leads the Dodgers with 48 extra base hits (12 doubles, seven triples and 29 home runs). Max Muncy is 10 for 30 with a triple, four home runs and 18 RBIs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 4-6, .203 batting average, 3.37 ERA, outscored by five runs Dodgers: 8-2, .255 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored opponents by 16 runs INJURIES: Royals: Cole Ragans: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL (ankle), Hunter Harvey: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow) Dodgers: Roki Sasaki: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tony Gonsolin: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tyler Glasnow: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Evan Phillips: 60-Day IL (forearm), Blake Snell: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Blake Treinen: 60-Day IL (forearm), Edgardo Henriquez: 60-Day IL (foot), Kyle Hurt: 60-Day IL (elbow), Michael Grove: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brusdar Graterol: 60-Day IL (shoulder), River Ryan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gavin Stone: 60-Day IL (shoulder) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
