Category: 5. Entertainment

Zane Li’s sophomore men’s collection, as the Daily Mail would like to put it, is all about putting on a very leggy display.

The New York-based, FIT-trained Chinese designer said the styling choice is aimed at evoking the status of half-ready.

“Maybe they woke up too late and everything is in the laundry or too wrinkly, so you throw on a nice coat over gym shorts and flip-flops, and you’re at least ready to get a coffee. There is something chic about that,” he said.

The legs might be bare, but Li balanced the looks with eye-catching outerwear, with standouts including sheer trenches in breathable nylon, squared ponchos, and mac coats in aqua, pink and blue.

“For menswear, outerwear is the most important expression of style. You can wear literally anything — a T-shirt, sweat shorts, maybe nothing — and it’s enough if you have a nice trenchcoat or bomber. That’s the ease of menswear that can be quite liberating when you try less to make more out of it,” he added.

Inspiration wise, Li said spring 2026 was about muting the aggression that’s associated with uniforms of all sorts, and giving these different archetypes of menswear a gentle, softer spin.

By changing the texture and proportion, Li was able to reimagine garments as power projections as modern, playful fashion statements.

A Mao suit came with a flare in the front. A cropped Harrington jacket was paired with a sweatshirt with a wide, dropped waistband. Other fun offerings included a leotard-cum-T-shirt, and a two-in-one tank top/T-shirt hybrid.

Did you do your due diligence last week and plant seeds for Cancer season? If not, don’t worry, there’s still time to sow emotional wellness. Pursue your green thumb era in the month of July. 

The Red & Black has compiled horoscopes for each zodiac sign for the week of June 30 through July 6.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

The skeletons in your closet told me they want out. Take a deep breath and open the door. It’s better to invite them into the light than have them barge out uninvited. After all, your past is nothing to be ashamed of and confronting it is essential for your future. 

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

You’re beginning to realize how far you’ve come. You’ve tackled the obstacles in the way and are ready to focus your efforts on self-improvement. Nothing is stopping you now. 

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Your other half is stepping into the light this week. Whether it’s a suppressed interest, talent or a shot in the dark, be open to exploring these parts of yourself. It’s not a weakness to be multifaceted; draw inspiration from a Swiss Army knife. 

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

You may feel an urge to focus your attention inward. Your subconscious mind is trying to communicate with you; this may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It could be as simple as listening to a craving or as complex as setting some long-overdue boundaries. Regardless, listen and place trust in yourself. 

Leo

July 23 – Aug. 22

The way you speak to yourself matters; if you wouldn’t talk to a friend or family member the way you talk to yourself, consider why. At the end of the day, you can’t be anyone else. You deserve the same compassion given to those around you. 

Virgo

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

June was a chaotic month for you but the storm has calmed, leaving behind clearer skies. Take a moment to look up. Do any clouds remain? 

Libra

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

This week, your critical side comes out to play. Fear not, you know how to reign it in when necessary. Instead of going full-mode perfectionist, think, “how can I learn from this.” As one door closes, another opens.  

Scorpio

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Control makes you feel safe; life is easier when you’re only counting on yourself. However, this week, you may have to trade short-term comfort to build long-term trust. Over time, you’ll learn that life is easier this way. 

Sagittarius

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

You may find yourself thinking about the relationships in your life, those that have weakened and those that have remained strong against the test of time. Though painful, it’s natural for people to fade out of the picture. You know who’s in it for the long haul. 

Capricorn

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Surface-level conversations aren’t doing it for you anymore. Whether it’s getting real with yourself or others, go with your gut and chase the depth you desire. How far do you want to go? 

Aquarius

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

This week, inspiration hits. A word of advice, billboard sign or chorus to a song might be calling your name. Be on the lookout for muses. What will you do with them? 

Pisces

Feb. 19 – March 20

Wounds of past relationships have opened and need to be tended to. Platonic or romantic, you’ve been hurt and haven’t fully healed yet. Be kind to yourself during this time and attentive to your needs. 

T
he doors of the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles felt like a vortex last Friday: Fans walked in wearing Hawaiian shirts, leis, and tropical flower clip-ins, ready to be transported into the Elvis Presley Blue Hawaii world of Remy Bond. A burlesque dancer opened the show, and for her set, Bond popped out of a giant cake, backed by a pair of dancers (and her sister Olivia) dressed like Fifties diner waitresses. 

At one point, Bond sang from inside a martini glass; at another, she marries a fan and shares a kiss with him onstage. Her giant blonde hair bounces over her tiny shoulders as she serenades the crowd with her oldies-inspired sound. In the middle of the fever dream, Bond pulls out a bedazzled vape from her dress, offering a puff to each of her dancers before taking one herself. Bond’s music lives in this fuzzy, decade-blending, kitschy utopia. It doesn’t feel real — and it isn’t supposed to. Since her first single in 2023, Bond has built a cult-like audience around this vintage fantasy, and her sound offers nostalgia and a breath of fresh air at the same time.

“It’s a diamond sadness and a washed-up glittery sound that works for me,” she tells me over a greek salad at a diner, where we meet for lunch. We sit in the back corner of the tiny joint called Cindy’s, surrounded mostly by seniors, as Bond goes off on tangents about her adventures making music. Today, there’s no wig, but she’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt-inspired blouse, and a fake Sailor Jerry tattoo is fading off her arm. The workers here are dressed like Bond’s dancers during the show, and Bond can decipher the Sixties songs that are playing in the background. Even as she preps for her first big tour, Bond is already thinking about a new era of music. 

“Every shroom trip, we got a new source of inspiration. We wrote ‘Movie Star’ on shrooms. We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, if we take shrooms, we can write so many bangers.’ So we would just go into album mode every time we would do it,” she says of a recent trip with her go-to producer Jules Apolinaire. 

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“Wait, we should do shrooms together. Why not do shrooms right now?”

Despite being early in her career, Bond is already carving a distinct sonic and visual lane for her music, which pairs her old-school inspiration with a sharply Gen Z perspective. She listens to both Kanye West and the Ronettes, although “Kanye is not the bad bitch he once was,” she says. It’s not the real-life Sixties and Seventies that inspire Bond, but the fantasy worlds imagined by Hollywood — it’s no surprise that Elvis’ campy world is high on the inspo list. “Elvis’ guitar-shaped car is for sale… I should have bought that instead of the  Chelsea Hotel sign,” Bond says, confessing: “I spent all my money on it. I can’t even afford furniture.”

That dreamy, retro longing in Bond’s music? It probably started at home. Bond’s parents often threw dinner parties and played music that she quickly fell in love with: She’d play Cat Stevens, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Mamma Mia! Soundtrack on repeat. The Bond sisters (they also have a younger brother) weren’t allowed phones until eighth grade, so Remy listened to whatever CDs were lying around. (Supertramp’s Breakfast in America comes up more than once in our conversation.)

Her dad, she says, is a cinephile and would play classic movies all the time. She’d also watch shows like Downton Abbey constantly. “I was Lady Branson for Halloween for three years,” she says. “I consumed everything my parents were really into. I guess they had good taste.” Oh, and she grew up next door to Sean Ono Lennon. “My first exposure to nudity was him shooting [something] in the backyard,” says Bond. “Dude, this guy literally never left this house.”

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Before music became her full passion, Remy and her sister Olivia made history as the first sibling duo to compete on MasterChef Junior. Culinary art was like her first love, thanks to her mom. In some adorable YouTube videos from 2018, you can see a tiny Bond strutting around the kitchen in a giant bow, bossing the other kids around. The hair accessories — now it’s usually a tropical flower — are part of the vibe today, too.“I still am into cooking. I make macaroons and shit,” she says. “It was something I was into, but it just didn’t mean anything to me.”

She traded the spatula for a microphone once she hit high school. “I was studying music but wasn’t writing it, until I got an Omnichord — that’s when I started writing songs,” she says. (You can thank David Bowie for the instrument choice.) “I was trained classically in Italian, but when I realized I could write my own songs and create the music I wanted to hear, I became fixated.”

Bond started releasing music in 2023 with “End of the World,” where she posed the paradoxical question, “Why am I so nostalgic for the now?” — a lyric that still defines much of her music. The next summer, she dropped “Summer Song,” which introduced her to many of the fans she has today, thanks in part to its virality on TikTok.

“Summer Song,” her breakthrough hit, was born from an impromptu trip to Paris after watching The Virgin Suicides. She and her sister Olivia had just seen the iconic film for the first time when Liv decided to DM Air — the duo behind the film’s dreamy soundtrack — to ask if they’d want to collaborate. “[Jean-Benoît Dunckel] actually responded. I totally lied. I was like, ‘I’m going to be in Paris next week, let’s get a coffee,’” Bond recounts. “And he was like, ‘Sure.’ So I flew to Paris for a coffee. I didn’t want to seem like a stalker, so I looked at their tour dates… and we made ‘Summer Song’ there.”

Early listeners of Bond were drawn in by the cinematic quality of her music, with some comparing her sound to that of a young Lana Del Rey. Her use of old-Americana nostalgia has sparked conversations about parallels with Del Rey, including with the visual for “Summer Song,” which calls to mind “National Anthem.” But Bond, who first got into Lana during the Covid pandemic, doesn’t mind the comparisons. “People can say what they want. I think it’s a compliment,” she says. (She’s a fan of Del Rey’s unreleased music.)

It’s the whimsical energy of the music that really sets her apart. Bond’s song “San Francisco” takes inspiration from the Summer of Love. “My muse was Jenny from Forrest Gump,” she says. She wrote last year’s “Red, White, and Blue” during what she describes as a time of “a lot of political tension” around the 2024 election, and shortly after cutting ties with a friend who wanted to vote for RFK “because of his views on food,” she explains. “I was worried people would perceive it as an ‘I love America’ song. I think it is a little bit perceived that way, but it’s not.” And “Star-Shaped Baby,” it’s about “a girl who’s shaped by the industry to be a star.” Is that you? “I don’t know,” she says. “I think I’m a star.”

The artwork for February’s “Simple Girl” features a Stepford Wives-like Bond mowing a lawn, mirroring the irony of the song’s opening line: “I’m a simple girl, I like gardening ‘n drugs.” She pulled the lyric from something she overheard at a café in L.A. “I was like, ‘I relate to that.’ I have a garden, and I hide my vape in my garden to avoid hitting it,” she says with a laugh. None of Bond’s lyrics take things too seriously.

Bond’s latest single “Movie Star” trades the Fifties-Sixties fantasies for Seventies Europop. Remy takes a jab at an unworthy lover withthe silly line: “You say you love the music / But you vape, you vape, you vape.” “That line modernizes the song a bit,” Bond explains. “I didn’t want it to be totally a throwback; I wanted it to feel a little kitschy, a little funny.” Then she giggles: “The bridge is just about the guy I lost my virginity to…” She leans in and whispers his name in my ear. “It’s about some spawn of a Spice Girl,” she clarifies on the record, eyeing my phone recording. 

The vape talk suddenly reminds Bond of something. She pauses, checks her phone, and looks at me: “I actually ordered a vape here. Do you mind if I use your ID?” she asks. “I don’t have my fake.” Yeah, I’m down! (I pull out my wallet.) “Fuck. It said the delivery guy was here 20 minutes ago,” she says. “It’s not good for my lungs, anyway. I just like the flavor.”

Mid-interview, a call comes in from “Cheese,” the nickname for Bond’s sister Olivia. “She’s editing the ‘Moviestar’ video as we speak,” Bond tells me, before answering one of her sisters’ questions about the visual over the phone. (A close-up of some bedazzled vapes open the video meant to be set in the Seventies. “No one let us film the vape on set. So we rehired a film crew to just get a shot of us twinkling our vapes,” she says.)

Olivia is an integral part of Remy Bond, The Artist. During the tour, Olivia acts as a co-star. For “Moviestar,” which Olivia wrote on and sings on, she grabs a mic and duets with Remy, frolicking with her onstage. During “San Francisco,” she appears in a peace sign-shaped dress inspired by what Marina Abramović wore at Glastonbury last year. Olivia also directs and stars in most of Bond’s videos — and when Bond’s opener dropped out at a recent show, she filled in, performing some of Remy’s unreleased songs.

“We just keep each other in check,” says Bond. “We are the same person, but also completely opposites. She has a really good perspective on things. I don’t. I’m better with melodies because I’m not as quick at putting things into words. She’s better with words, but not as sonic.”

“Same with our faces,” she adds. “The top half of her eyes are better than mine, and my mouth is better than hers. So if we combined ourselves, we’d be perfect.”

After the Bonds wrap her tour this month, they’ll be going full-throttle on Remy’s debut album. Bond says she’s headed to Austria with Jules Apolinaire, her and Suki Waterhouse’s go-to producer, to make more songs for the album. Expect more ABBA, more Seventies sparkle, more Europop flair. She’s actually deep in “research” mode. On a recent trip to Sweden — which included a shroom-fueled escape from the music of a modern male pop singer she won’t name (“I don’t want to diss anyone, but I was literally in hell,” she says) — she somehow ended up on a date with one of Björn Ulvaeus’ grandkids. “We just went for a walk. He didn’t really speak any English,” she says with a giggle. “In LA, I couldn’t do that. But when I’m in Sweden, I’m free of all social norms, so I can be weird.” Also, she’s single, and into English guys. “I don’t really date LA guys. They’re all gay to me,” she says. 

After finishing her salad, I give Bond a ride to the studio — with a quick vape stop on the way, of course. She comes out holding a pink, strawberry mango-flavored one she’s had before. She takes a few puffs before we get to the studio, where Apolinaire matches Bond’s endearingly chaotic energy, greeting us in fuzzy red-and-pink-heart pajamas at the door.

“Today’s a very special day,” he says in his French accent. “Therefore, Rem-ee close your eyes.” The producer goes into another room to pull out a massive, Dolly Punkton, if you will, wig covered in plastic: “Happy two years of friendship and music.” (Today marks two years since their first session.)

Bond lets out a squeal as she opens her eyes: “Where did you even get this?” asks Bond, plopping the head of hair on her head. “It’s so Agnetha.” The wig fits perfectly.

“That’s the most Abba I’ve ever seen you,” responds Apolinaire. She’s yet to use the wig onstage, but it won’t take long before she does. She later sends me a photo of her gift to Apolinaire: a tin of caviar and a Bluey plushie. 

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Weeks later, Bond sends me a text, with me an amendment for this story: “Can u include in ur article that my wig got checked for drugs at TSA?” she wrote. “#formative moment. Hairspray’s a drug.” 

In Remy Bond’s world, it really is. 

Jon Hamm, Anna OsceolaPhoto: Mikey DeTemple

The skies were grey. Then moody. Then, miraculously, golden. As the clock struck five on Saturday evening, the clouds over Lake Montauk parted and the sun beamed down—just in time for Loro Piana’s chic cocktail gathering at the Crow’s Nest.

Among the first to arrive were Alexandra Daddario and Jon Hamm—two of the evening’s most star-studded guests. Daddario, dressed in a pale seafoam pleated skirt and soft white knit, made herself right at home at the backgammon table, diving into a match with a fellow guest as though it were the most glamorous tournament in town. Hamm, fresh off the news that his Apple TV+ series had been renewed, held court near one of the beachside lounge setups, trading stories and charming absolutely everyone within reach. His wife, Anna Osceola, stood nearby in a minimalist ivory dress and slouchy sweater, a study in coastal polish.

To toast the season (and subtly debut its Resort 2025 and new eyewear collections), Loro Piana transformed the lakefront stretch of sand into an elevated playground. Wicker lounges sat atop woven seagrass carpets, white-upholstered sofas flanked by the brand’s signature Art of Good Living touches—cashmere-lined backgammon sets and leather-trimmed Connect Four games artfully arranged for play.

Naturally, Loro Piana had dressed many of the evening’s guests, turning the crowd into a softly sunlit palette of beige, greige, and perfectly pleated linen. And when the sun made its theatrical entrance, the brand’s new sunglasses—gifted to attendees—ensured no one was left squinting.

As DJ Bec Adams spun a breezy set and spritzes were passed around, guests like Will Arnett, Cynthia Rowley, Carolyn Tate Angel, Iana Godnia, Casey Fremont, and Alejandra Alonso Rojas settled in to enjoy the scene. With the tide gently rolling in and the sky streaked pink and lavender, the evening captured what Loro Piana does best: quiet elegance with a sense of place.

Gavin Adcock’s album My Own Worst Enemy is in the top five on Apple Music’s country albums chart, but he’s not too happy that Beyoncé‘s 2024 album Cowboy Carter is currently above his own ranking.

In a video of footage from one of Adcock’s recent concerts, the singer/songwriter gave some harsh, unfiltered opinions about the fact that Cowboy Carter sits at No. 3 on Apple Music’s country albums chart, while his own project follows closely at No. 4. (Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem reigns at No. 1, while Parker McCollum’s self-titled project is at No. 2.)

In the clip, Adcock is discussing the albums that are ahead of his on the chart. “One of them’s Beyoncé — you can tell her we’re coming for her f—in’ a–,” Adcock said, eliciting roaring cheers from his audience.

“That sh– ain’t country music and it ain’t ever been country music, and it ain’t gonna be country music,” he continued, raising his bottle of alcohol in the air and pointing to the crowd.

From there, Adcock said, “We’re about to play y’all some Southern f—in’ rock,” telling his band, “Y’all hit that sh–, boys,” before launching into the next song in his set.

On June 30, Adcock posted a video on his Instagram page, adding context to his comments, but also doubling down on his sentiments.

“I’m gonna go ahead and clear this up,” he said in the video. “When I was a little kid, my mama was blasting some Beyoncé in the car. I’ve heard a ton of Beyonce songs and I actually remember her Super Bowl halftime show being pretty kick-a– back in the day. But I really don’t believe that her album should be labeled as country music. It doesn’t sound country, it doesn’t feel country, and I just don’t think that people that have dedicated their whole lives to this genre and this lifestyle should have to compete or watch that album just stay at the top, just because she’s Beyoncé.”

Billboard has reached out to Beyoncé’s rep for comment.

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter has garnered both praise and criticism since it arrived last year, but also earned several impressive feats. The project won album of the year and best country album at the 2025 Grammy Awards, while the album’s “II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus earned best country duo/group performance. The album also topped the all-genre Billboard 200 for two weeks, marking Beyoncé’s eighth album to top that chart. Cowboy Carter also stayed at the pinnacle of the Top Country Albums chart for four weeks. The album’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” spent 10 weeks atop the Hot Country Songs chart, though the song didn’t fare as well on the radio-based Country Airplay chart, reaching No. 33.

One of Bey’s admirers includes country icon Dolly Parton, whose hit “Jolene” was covered on the album. “I’m a big fan of Beyonce and very excited that she’s done a country album,” Parton wrote on social media after “Texas Hold ‘Em’s” country chart feat. “So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single.”

Cowboy Carter featured an array of artists, including Black country music trailblazer Linda Martell, stars including Parton, Willie Nelson, Cyrus and Post Malone, and rising Black country artists including Brittney Spencer, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hitmaker Shaboozey, Willie Jones, Reyna Roberts, Tiera Kennedy and Tanner Adell.

Meanwhile, Adcock has earned an RIAA-certified platinum single with his track “A Cigarette,” as well as RIAA-certified gold singles with “Four Leaf Clover,” “Run Your Mouth” and “Deep End.” His album My Own Worst Enemy will release in August, bolstered by already-released songs such as “Last One to Know,” “Never Call Again” and “Morning Bail.”

Adcock was arrested on May 21 in Wilson County, Tennessee, and charged with reckless driving, speeding, open container, driver’s license and registration violations. On July 11 and 12, he’ll open two shows on Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem Tour.

Sweet Nothings by Madison Griffiths

Nonfiction, Ultimo, $36.99

Relationships between university professors and their students often aren’t explicitly against the rules – but they aren’t quite right, either. For her second nonfiction book, Madison Griffiths spent a year interviewing four women who’d had relationships with their university teachers to hear how they feel about those romances now (spoiler alert: not good!) and explore the ethics around them.

It’s a personal topic for Griffiths: at age 21 she began dating her former uni tutor, a romance that, now aged 31, she has complicated feelings about. Don’t expect linear narratives; instead Griffiths has produced academic and often poetic meditations on sex, power and desire. – Katie Cunningham

Ruins by Amy Taylor

Fiction, Allen & Unwin, $32.99

A summer in Athens? Check. Millennial malaise? Check. A steamy affair that upends everything? Check. Amy Taylor’s second novel has all the hallmarks of popular contemporary fiction, imbued with her signature tenderness and intelligence. London couple Emma and Julian are at a crossroads, and welcome the younger Lena into their relationship. Her presence teases out some tricky questions, all while the stifling Greek heat reaches feverish, claustrophobic heights.

Taylor mixes literary musings with juicy plot twists and plenty of interpersonal drama – this is a moreish reading experience, the type of book you’ll want to gulp down in one breathless sitting. – Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen

What Kept You by Raaza Jamshed

Fiction, Giramondo, $32.95

Raaza Jamshed’s debut novel is short in length but layered with complex meaning. The narrative opens in death – literal and figurative – captured through the image of eucalyptus trees, which Jahan, the novel’s protagonist, has been told will regenerate. But, despite her pleas, no signs of life emerge from the seeds that she has painstakingly cared for.

This opening holds the promise of the novel as a whole – the deep poetry of the language, the complexity of the setting (under threat from bushfire), and the central themes of loss and regeneration. A powerful, promising new voice. – Bec Kavanagh

Modern Australian Baking by Christopher Thé

Cookbook, Hardie Grant, $60

If you don’t recognise Christopher Thé by name, you may recognise his famous creation: Black Star Pastry’s strawberry watermelon cake, or “Australia’s most Instagrammed cake” as the New York Times called it in 2019. Thé sold Black Star Pastry six years ago, opening Sydney cafe Hearthe with a new focus on baking with native Australian ingredients.

These 80 intricate recipes reflect his latest creations. There’s saltbush scones with desert lime marmalade, Illawarra plum clafoutis, Geraldton wax cheesecake and “flowering” wattleseed biscuits. Though there are easier projects, such as his 12-year-old daughter’s choc chip biscuits, it’s best suited to a confident baker. Those up to the challenge of making layered paperbark cake, with smoked chocolate ganache and blue gum salted caramel, will be rewarded with MasterChef-worthy desserts proudly rooted in Australian flavours. – Emma Joyce

The Immigrants by Moreno Giovannoni

Fiction, Black Inc, $36.99

Moreno Giovannoni’s The Immigrants is an intensely personal story following members of one Italian family living and working in Australia. After arriving from Tuscany in the mid-1950s, Ugo is determined to make the most of the plentiful work opportunities in agriculture. His wife, Morena, who is supposed to stay in Italy and wait for Ugo to return, sails to “the colony” to be with her husband. The pair move to rural Victoria, grow tobacco and are surrounded by a vibrant community of fellow immigrants.

This book is written with such tenderness and clarity, you’ll be instantly drawn into the suffering and joy of these lives. – Joseph Cummins

Cure by Katherine Brabon

Fiction, Ultimo, $34.99

Katherine Brabons’ Cure explores the social aspects of illness in the family with reflective poise. Vera and her adolescent daughter Thea both experience chronic pain and fatigue. Vera has an ambivalent relationship to traditional medicines, turning to an online community for possible cures and symptom relief, while Thea retreats into the private world of her journal.

In this gentle and unassuming narrative, the pair journey to Italy to seek an obscure man who promises to heal people of their illnesses – a trip Vera has taken before. Capturing the difficult intimacies between a mother and daughter, Cure questions the stories they tell about their bodies, wellness, healing and memory. – Isabella Gullifer-Laurie

The Occupation by Chloe Adams

Fiction, Penguin, $34.99

Chloe Adams’ debut novel draws on a seam of family history stretching back to the second world war and its brutal Pacific front. Twenty-nine-year-old Mary escapes looming spinsterhood and the banality of middle-class female life by enlisting as part of Australia’s postwar operations in Japan.

The novel opens in 1949 with Mary back home in Melbourne, pregnant but unmarried, then cuts to a year earlier as she arrives in Hiroshima prefecture. Adams’ writing is assured and absorbing as she conjures this new world through Mary’s eyes, and her interior life as illusions are eroded. Seventy-five pages in, it’s looking promising. – Dee Jefferson

Your Friend and Mine by Jessica Dettmann

Fiction, Allen & Unwin, $32.99

Your Friend and Mine is a sliding doors story in which Margot, a fortysomething restaurateur, is unexpectedly lifted out from her routine when a letter from a long-dead friend arrives.

The letter from Tess, Margot’s best friend 20 years prior, transports her to a time when their lives had seemed rich and full of potential. As a stipulation (or a provocation, perhaps) of her will, Tess invites Margot on a fully funded trip to the UK to meet her old friend’s family, and to finish Tess’s bucket list. Jessica Dettmann’s third novel balances humour and pathos with ease, as Margot undertakes a journey to reconnect with her old friend, and herself. – BK

It’s been a busy couple of months for Dierks Bentley with the release of his new Broken Branches album, a jam-packed tour schedule, a host of other projects, and making preparations to headline Nashville’s huge July 4^th celebration.

“The last ten years I’ve taken July 4^th off to be with my family out in the mountains,” Bentley explains. “But my kids are getting older and are off at camps and all over the place, so I thought, well, I’ll play a show this year. So, I’m doing the one in Nashville. I’ve always heard it’s a good time, so I’m going to come back here and be part of that.”

The annual Let Freedom Sing! extravaganza features a day full of live music and offers one of the largest fireworks shows in the country.

As he heads into July, Bentley has much to celebrate, including the release of his 11^th studio album earlier this month.

Broken Branches has collaborations with friends and fellow artists like Miranda Lambert, John Anderson, Riley Green, Stephen Wilson Jr, and is chock full of great songs. The list includes “Standing in the Sun,” “For As Long As I Can Remember,” “Never You” (with Lambert),and more.

“I leaned into the Nashville’s songwriting community more than ever,” Bentley says. “And I’m really proud of the writers on this album.”

John Anderson and Riley Green joins Bentley on the title track based on the premise that everyone is just a “little broken branch off the family tree.” Bentley says that’s especially true with Nashville’s close-knit music community.

“Everyone that moves to this town comes here to chase country music. They love the music whether it’s the business side of it or the creative side of it. And I love the idea of being broken branches off the family tree. It’s a collective story, but an individual story, too. I think of my own journey, the doubt, the uncertainty, you’re leaning on whiskey, you’re leaning on faith, and the heartbreak that goes into it.”

One of the more familiar songs on the album, thanks to its climb up the country charts is the quirky, upbeat “She Hates Me.” It’s one of those catchy, fun songs that have become part of Bentley’s signature style through the years.

“I love putting out fun music,” he says. “I have a history of that and it’s great for the live show. I like making people smile.”

The rest of the album, however, offers a much different feel with deeper, thoughtful songs like “Something Worth Fixing,” “Jesus Loves Me,” and “Cold Beer Can,” just to name a few.

“I wrote “Cold Beer Can” with Stephen Wilson Jr and almost wish I’d changed the title to something else,” Bentley says, “because the title makes you think it’s kind of like a bro country part song and it’s not that at all. It’s very Stephen Wilson Jr cerebral. My wife loves that song and just put it on this morning saying she thinks it’ll stand the test of time.”

While he realizes most people don’t listen to full albums anymore, Bentley still approaches creating one the same way he did in the early stages of his career.

“It’s like making a book. I want an album to have a beginning, middle, and an end, something I can look back on in ten years and remember the journey, of where I was in life, and what I wanted to say.”

One of the new songs that offers a warm, heartfelt look at where he is in life today is “Don’t Cry for Me.” The lyrics look back at so many things he’s grateful for in his own life, both personally and professionally. And while they specifically touch on his experiences, they reflect an overall life-personally that might serve as inspiration to others regarding the choices they make in their own lives.

“I wrote that song with my buddy, Jim Beavers and we wrote it old school Nashville-style, just sitting in my kitchen. Every line is very specific, very personal, and the whole message in general, is very true. I’m still touring and at the top of the game, things are going great, and I’m not done yet. But eventually things will slow down and when they do, I can say I’ve had a great run, loved the journey, and am so grateful to Nashville for all it’s given me.”

Bentley is definitely not slowing down any time soon. He’s currently crisscrossing the country on tour, with rising country star Zach Top as one of his opening acts, and he’s having the time of his life.

“When you’re on stage with your band and playing music and moving people with songs, there is nothing else like it. It’s literally unreplaceable. And this year, in particular, it’s really fun with Zach Top being out there.”

Bentley says Top is the “real deal” as an artist and performer.

“Not to put too much weight on his shoulders but I hope he’s the future of country music. It’d be great for all of us who love that kind of music. Zach is a once-in-a-generation type talent as far as singing and musicianship. I mean, he plays the guitar as well as anybody I’ve ever met.”

The Band Loula is also one of Bentley’s opening acts this tour. He says he consistently chooses groups and artists whose music he enjoys because he ends up watching their shows every night.

“I got turned on to The Band Loula this year and have become a huge fan. Logan and Malachi are from Northern Georgia, and the band is from Muscle Shoals, so they have a cool, swampy, kind of bluesy bluegrass sound. They’re awesome – very energetic, happy, fun people with huge voices.”

As busy as he’s been with the music, Bentley is also promoting his own brand of bourbon just released last year. It’s called ROW 94 and comes with “three ingredients and the truth.” Like all things Bentley, he put a lot of time, thought, and effort into creating it.

“You know, I’m really not trying to be busier than ever. Trust me, I don’t want to be doing all of this stuff. But ever since I’ve had a bar called Whiskey Row, I knew I needed my own whiskey. It’s ridiculous not to have your own whiskey in there.”

The idea of developing his own brand began more than a decade ago, but it wasn’t until COVID that he had the time to begin visiting distilleries and researching the best way to do it. He had some very specific criteria.

“It had to be at least four years old with between four and seven as the sweet spot,” he says. “I wanted to have something I would drink behind closed doors, as well as in public. I wanted it to be higher proof, it had to be under $40, and it had to be from Kentucky. If I had made this on my own it would retail for about $100 a bottle, but I was able to partner with Green River Distilling Company which meant I could get it out the door and onto shelves for under $40. And I feel that’s a fair price for my fans.”

For Bentley, the icing on the cake is Green River Distilling happens to be based in Owensboro, Kentucky, home to the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. His love of bluegrass music runs deep.

“From the very beginning our goal has always been to mix the bluegrass with the kickass,” he says. “We wanted to have the bluegrass instruments: the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, but also have the big electric guitars and drums and sounds. And I still try to chase that sound.”

More than two decades after bursting onto the country music scene with hits like “What Was I Thinkin”, “5-1-5-0,” “I Hole On,” and others, Bentley’s still adding his special blend of bluegrass, country, and sometimes a little rock, to the genre.

And as he works to maintain his own career, he’s determined to serve as a positive influence to up-and-coming artists, as well. Whether it comes from seeking out their talents as songwriters (his new album features two songs written by Stephen Wilson Jr), or their gifts as performers (inviting Zach Top and others joining him on the road), or simply encouraging them from afar.

“I’m really pulling for people like Stephen Wilson Jr,” Bentley says. “He’s a ridiculously strong songwriter and as a singer, he’s got so much pain in his voice. I’m pulling for him and people like Zach Top, Red Clay Strays, Ella Langley, and others. They’re up-and-comers and so good for this genre. I want to see people like that keep moving forward.”

Bentley performs in Nashville this Friday, then resumes his Broken Branches Tour which continues until the end of August.

LONDON — British police launched a criminal investigation Monday into a televised performance at the Glastonbury Festival by rap punk duo Bob Vylan, who drew intense criticism after they led crowds of music fans in chanting “death” to the Israeli military.

Meanwhile. the U.S. State Department said it has revoked the U.S. visas for Bob Vylan, who were set to go on tour in the United States later this year, after their “hateful tirade at Glastonbury.”

Rapper Bobby Vylan — who until the weekend was relatively little known — led crowds in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF” — the Israel Defense Forces — on Saturday at Britain’s biggest summer music festival.

The BBC said it regretted livestreaming the performance.

“The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves,” the broadcaster said, adding that it “respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.K. politicians condemned the chants, saying there was no excuse for such “appalling hate speech.”

Avon and Somerset Police said Bob Vylan’s performance, along with that by Irish-language band Kneecap, were now subject to a criminal investigation and have been “recorded as a public order incident.”

Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has inflamed tensions around the world, triggering pro-Palestinian protests in many capitals and on college campuses. Israel and some supporters have described the protests as antisemitic, while critics say Israel uses such descriptions to silence opponents.

Ofcom, the U.K.’s broadcasting regulator, said it was “very concerned” about the BBC livestream and said the broadcaster “clearly has questions to answer.”

The BBC said earlier in its defense that it had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language” during its livestream of Bob Vylan’s act.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the visas for Bob Vylan’s two members — who both use stage names for privacy reasons — have been revoked.

“Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” Landau said in a social media post Monday.

Starmer said the BBC must explain “how these scenes came to be broadcast.”

Bob Vylan, which formed in 2017, have released four albums mixing punk, grime and other styles with lyrics that often address issues including racism, masculinity and politics.

In a statement posted on social media, singer Bobby Vylan said he was inundated with messages of both support and hatred.

“Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” he wrote.

Bob Vylan performed on Saturday afternoon just before Kneecap, another band that has drawn controversy over its pro-Palestinian stance.

Kneecap led a huge crowd in chants of “Free Palestine” at the festival. They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury after one of its members was charged under the Terrorism Act.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London last year.

On Saturday a member of the group suggested fans “start a riot” outside his bandmate’s upcoming court appearance — though he then said “No riots, just love and support, and support for Palestine.”

The BBC had already taken a decision not to broadcast Kneecap’s Glastonbury performance live, though it did make available an unedited version of the set to its festival highlights page on BBC iPlayer service.

The Israeli Embassy to the U.K. said over the weekend it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival.”

The acts were among among 4,000 that performed in front of some 200,000 music fans this year at the festival in southwest England.

Israel has faced heavy international criticism for its war conduct in Gaza. In May, the U.K., France and Canada issued a sharply worded statement calling for Israel to stop its “egregious” military actions in Gaza and criticizing Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.

More than 6,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 injured in Gaza since Israel ended a ceasefire in March.

Since the war began in October 2023 with a Hamas attack on Israel, Israeli attacks have killed more than 56,000 people and injured 132,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, but has said that women and children make up more than half the dead.

Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing the militants of hiding among civilians, because they operate in populated areas.

NEW YORK — Before his precipitous downfall, Sean “Diddy” Combs was a pop-culture supernova with innumerable stars in his orbit.

Like it or not, that’s part of the reason we’ve all been so glued to his criminal trial, as the once-untouchable music mogul awaits a verdict on five charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.

It’s why journalists dashed breathlessly through the halls of Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse on June 13, in an attempt to catch a glimpse of rapper Ye as he made a fleeting appearance to show his solidarity with Combs. It’s also why dozens of social media influencers waited for nearly four hours in the pouring rain in the early morning hours of May 22, hoping to land a spot in the main courtroom as musician Kid Cudi testified about an alleged arson attack by Combs.

Throughout nearly two months of testimony, attorneys and witnesses alike have name-checked several celebrities as they’ve excavated nearly two decades of Combs’ apparent criminal past.

They’ve recounted nights of partying with Prince, Stevie Wonder, Muhammad Ali and Rita Ora, some of which ended in Combs allegedly assaulting his girlfriends or forcing them into “freak offs” with escorts. Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross were referenced in court, as defense tried to highlight the powerful connections that Combs helped afford to his ex-lover, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine. Michael B. Jordan, 50 Cent and Suge Knight were all subjects of Combs’ ire, while Usher and Danity Kane’s Dawn Richard were both on the sidelines of allegedly violent incidents.

Lawyers for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs give closing arguments to jury

Sean “Diddy” Combs and his legal team were back in Manhattan court to plead his case to jurors in the sweeping federal sex-crimes probe.

Diddy trial bombshells: What his inner circle said about baby oil, ‘freak offs’

There were name drops that sparked dry amusement from reporters, too, like the revelation that Combs once had ecstasy pills shaped like the face of former President Barack Obama. Or that the rapper gave his staff an annual paid holiday on the Notorious B.I.G.’s birthday. (Checking into hotels, Combs often used the alias Frank Black ‒ a nod to Biggie Smalls’ nickname, Frank White.)

Combs’ lawyer also mentioned Beyoncé in his closing statement. “I don’t expect we’re going to see Beyoncé in CVS,” lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said as he argued Combs’ employees were not part of a criminal enterprise and that they instead were just doing their jobs.

Here are just a few of the most notable A-listers to find their way into the Diddy trial:

R. Kelly

“Mia,” a former assistant of Combs who testified under a pseudonym, told jurors that she had been abused and assaulted by the rapper throughout her employment. In a series of texts read aloud in court, she invoked the name of disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly, who is in prison following his own sex-crimes trial. 

Jurors saw an exchange from 2019, in which Mia wrote to Combs: “I had a nightmare. I was trapped in an elevator with R. Kelly and you came to rescue me.”

Leonardo DiCaprio

In a lengthy text that she sent Combs around 2020, Mia described some of their most “magical, hilarious” and “hysterical” memories together. One was of a night in Paris when Mick Jagger tried to take her home; another was of a night when Jennifer Lopez wouldn’t stay out.

Mia also referenced a high-stakes poker game between the hip-hop mogul and DiCaprio. She wrote that Combs said, while cursing: “That ‘Titanic’ (guy) doesn’t know (anything). He won $10,000, I won $650,000.”

What to expect: Diddy trial is ending, jury deliberation underway

Chadwick Boseman

In a message from August 2020, Mia texted Combs, “Thinking of you with Chadwick Boseman,” following the actor’s death. Mia said on the stand that Combs was “auditioning for the role” of James Brown in the “Get On Up” biopic that Boseman ended up playing. In a text exchange shown to jurors, Mia told Combs that she had his audition tape and would send it to him.

Brad Pitt

Mia alleged that in 2012 she witnessed a discussion between Combs and Ventura Fine escalate at the premiere of the Brad Pitt film “Killing Them Softly,” during the Cannes Film Festival in France.She claimed she saw Combs grit his teeth while digging his nails into Ventura Fine’s arm, and eventually insisted that Ventura Fine leave, which she did.

Chelsea Handler

On the stand, Mia said that over the years, she saw Combs take molly, MDMA, ketamine and prescription drugs. Although she said it was “mostly in party situations,” she once claimed to see him high at a board meeting. On another occasion, she alleged that he was so high at a Chelsea Handler show that she pulled him aside. “You look a little crazy right now,” Mia told Combs.

More: All the witnesses who took the stand in the Diddy trial, including Cassie and Kid Cudi

Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston

On the stand, Combs’ ex-personal assistant Capricorn Clark was asked whether she thought Ventura Fine was “very talented.” Clark responded “no,” adding that she thought the rising R&B star merely had “talent.”

“Very talented to me is Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey,” Clark told jurors. “Very talented is that level of performer, entertainer. Cassie was more of a studio artist.”

Bruce Willis and Eddie Murphy

During Ventura Fine’s lengthy testimony, jurors saw a text that she sent to Combs in July 2013. At the time, she had been dating Combs for roughly seven years, and expressed frustration that she wasn’t integrated more into his family life with his children.

“As much as you think you’re Bruce Willis, you aren’t,” Ventura Fine texted Combs. “He’s married, and before he was married, the family as a whole went on trips together or just him and his woman.”

“Eddie Murphy and Paige (Butcher) took his kids away on their own,” the message continued. “I don’t think you sympathize with my feelings. I understand you feeling like you need to protect your children. But after a while, it’s like, for what?”

Surviving abuse: Cassie Ventura Fine and the unlikely bond with her mother-in-law

Keke Palmer

Kerry Morgan, a model and former friend of Ventura Fine, testified that Combs once attacked her in Cassie’s California home, choking her and hitting her in the head with a wooden hanger. She also told the court she saw Combs assault Ventura Fine several times, and she pleaded with her friend to leave the rapper.

During cross-examination, the defense showed a number of photos of Morgan and Ventura Fine hanging out with groups of people. One snapshot included Morgan, stylist Deonte Nash, producer Rob Holiday, and “Nope” actress Keke Palmer. Defense asked whether they all had fun together: “We had a lot of fun,” Morgan said. “We look like a loving bunch,” although “I didn’t love all these people.”

Shaq, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan

On the stand, Combs’ ex “Jane,” who also testified under a pseudonym, said that she, Combs and one of the escorts they allegedly hired used the nickname “trifecta” when they had sex. Jane claimed she was Kobe Bryant; Paul, the entertainer, was Shaquille O’Neal; and Combs was Michael Jordan. 

Jurors were also read a series of flirty text messages between Jane and Combs, where she likens their relationship to the NBA legends. In the exchange, Jane thanks Combs for making “me very happy” and giving “me so much love.”

“You’re my Michael Jordan and I’m your Kobe Bryant,” Jane texted Combs. “We’re the greatest.”

More: Diddy’s defense claims he was just ‘swinging.’ These swingers are appalled.

Pamela Anderson

In another frisky text exchange read aloud to jurors during testimony, Jane compared herself to former Playboy models.

“It’s giving Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra,” Jane texted Combs, adding two melon emojis.

Jane frequently referenced famous figures in her text messages to Combs. Some of their other nicknames for each other: Bert and Ernie from “Sesame Street.”

Chris Brown

In court, Combs’ attorneys pressed Ventura Fine about a time when the hip-hop heavyweight suspected she was cheating on him.

“He found out you were dancing with another person in the entertainment industry? Do you remember the incident where he suspected you of dancing with Chris Brown?” defense asked, referencing an unspecified occasion in 2013. Ventura Fine said she did not remember the incident, but she “was not dancing” with the singer.

Defense showed an exhibit to help jog Ventura Fine’s memory of a time when Combs allegedly took the “Me & U” singer’s phone after he suspected her of dancing with Brown. After looking at the evidence, Ventura Fine said, “It says that in the message, but I don’t really remember it.”

Ventura Fine is close friends with Karrueche Tran, the actress and model who won a five-year restraining order against ex-boyfriend Brown in 2017.

Diddy lawyer Marc Agnifilo compares ‘freak offs’ to couples drinking lemonade

Every celebrity mentioned in Diddy trial

• Cassie
• Beyoncé
• Rihanna
• Michael B. Jordan
• Barack Obama
• Georgina Chapman
• Mike Myers
• Will Smith
• DJ Whoo Kid
• Dallas Austin
• 50 Cent
• Suge Knight
• Prince
• Usher
• Britney Spears
• Common
• Madonna
• Jimmy Iovine
• Dawn Richard
• Kalenna Harper
• Kid Cudi
• French Montana
• Too Short
• Chris Brown
• Biggie Smalls
• Ryan Leslie
• Brad Pitt
• Keke Palmer
• Pamela Anderson
• Carmen Electra
• Whitney Houston
• Mariah Carey
• Chris Gethard
• Jay-Z
• Michael Jordan
• Kobe Bryant
• Shaquille O’Neal
• Bruce Willis
• Eddie Murphy
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Mick Jagger
• Jennifer Lopez
• Chelsea Handler
• R. Kelly
• Chadwick Boseman
• Rita Ora
• Nicki Minaj
• Lil Wayne
• Yung Miami

Contributing: USA TODAY staff