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Cat Burns has announced a short film, âearly twentiesâ, to accompany her debut album release on 12 Jul. Directed by Libby Burke Wilde, the film stars emerging British actors including India Amarteifio and BAFTA-nominated Samuel Bottomley. Set for release on 17 Jul, the film explores themes of acceptance, anxiety, friendship and identity. Burns, who also serves as executive producer, stated: âI think I just wanted to convey to anyone who watches it that you arenât alone in your experiences, and that weâre all in this togetherâ. The multi-BRIT-nominated artist will embark on a UK and European headline tour in October, with several dates already sold out.
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Dutch DJ Hardwell abruptly cancelled his set at Romania's SAGA Festival last weekend, citing equipment failures and payment issues. Addressing the crowd, Hardwell stated: âThey didn't pay me any fucking money to be here tonight... Nothing is workingâ. Festival organisers swiftly responded in an Instagram post, saying, âThe equipment traveled all the way from the Netherlands, just like you. The same set seems to be working perfectly fine for Will Sparks right nowâ, and insisting âall requests including agreed payments had been metâ, before going on to express regret to his fans who âwould have loved to finally watch you perform in Bucharestâ.
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Hypersoft, a Berlin-based queer collective, is launching their label with âSoft Power Vol. 1 - Protect Trans Youthâ, a fifteen track compilation benefiting trans youth organisations. Set for release on 12 Jun, with a launch party at OHM club on 13 Jul, all profits will go to TGEU/Transgender Europe and Mermaids. The collective emphasised the urgency of supporting trans youth, saying that âthe situation for young trans people is particularly heartbreaking. The psychological effects of the current climate are devastating livesâ. Hypersoft is keeping the party line-up secret to focus attention on the cause, with all artists donating their work and performances.
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Nicki Minaj cancelled her performance at Romaniaâs SAGA Festival just hours before she was due on stage, citing safety concerns over local protests. This follows a controversial Dublin show where fans demanded refunds after Minaj performed for less than an hour, arriving 90 minutes late. Speaking about her decision to cancel the Romanian show, Minaj said, "As a mom, I have to make sure Iâm making sound decisions for me to make it home to my son and for my team to make it home to their familiesâ. The back-to-back incidents have sparked fan outrage, with some questioning the legitimacy of the safety concerns in Romania.
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Hackers have taken over Doja Catâs X account, attempting to promote a cryptocurrency scam and fabricate a feud with Iggy Azalea. The hackers posted about a â$DOJAâ token and made disparaging comments about Azalea, who recently launched her own â$MOTHERâ cryptocurrency. Azalea quickly dispelled the fake beef, saying âDonât buy this yâall. Sheâs hacked. Save your money, the marketâs down as it isâŠâ Doja Cat confirmed the hack via Instagram, stating: âMy Twitterâs been hacked, these messages are not from meâ. The incident follows similar crypto scams targeting other artists, including Metallica in June.
PODCASTS
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Sam Parker, Matt Thomas and Chula Goonewardene have launched âEmpathy For The Devilâ, a new podcast series exploring the lives and legacies of legendary musicians whilst addressing ongoing mental health and addiction issues in the music industry. Produced by Message Heard, the weekly series premieres 11 Jul on major platforms, featuring six episodes in its first season. Matt Thomas, co-founder of Attune, stated: âThe issues we discuss remain all too present, and some have even gotten worse due to things like social media and the ability to travel further, quicker, and fasterâ.
RELEASES
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Michael Kiwanuka has released his new single âFloating Paradeâ.
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Toro y Moi has released his new single âHeavenâ featuring Kevin Abstract and Lev. His new album âHole Erthâ is out 6 Sep.
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Bashy has released his new single âBlessedâ featuring Skrapz & Haile. His new album âBeing Poor Is Expensiveâ is out tonight.
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MaxĂŻmo Park have released their new single âThe End Can Be As Good As The Startâ. Their new album âStream Of Lifeâ is out 27 Sep.
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Or:la has released her new EP âTrusting Thetaâ. Her debut album is out 20 Sep.
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Field Music have released their new single âSix Weeks, Nine Wellsâ. Their new album âLimits of Languageâ is out 11 Oct.