Publishing date: Apr, 21, 2023
If you’re anything like us, we see an interesting headline during our daily scroll—pause to read it—but then keep scrolling without reading the actual story. So at the end of each week, we’re rounding up all the buzziest, news-worthy headlines you might have missed. Think of it like the “saved” feature on Instagram but for news instead of aesthetically pleasing photos. Skrillex, Fred Again.., and Four Tet are closing out Coachella, Mac DeMarco announces new concert dates and gives fans 199 unreleased songs, and Florence + The Machine dropped new single “Mermaids”—this is what you missed.
#1
Skrillex, Fred Again.., and Four Tet Are Closing Out Coachella Weekend Two
The electronic-music dream team was so good at Madison Square Garden that they’re running it back on Coachella weekend two. Skrillex, Four Tet & Fred again.. recently played a well-received 5-hour set at the New York venue, and now they will unite again at the main stage of Coachella to close out the second weekend of the festival, following Blink-182, who was tapped to fill the spot of Frank Ocean after he had to pull out after sustaining a leg injury. The tag-team set will likely carry the same energy and zing from their previous collab set. Fred again.. teased his upcoming performance on Instagram with two cryptic stories, one which read, “okay I can’t believe I’m saying this again, but does anyone know where Sonny [Skrillex] is” and another of him and Four Tet in a car with the caption “Unexpected journevsssssss [sic].” Skrillex, Fred again.. and Four Tet represent three generations of dance music, with this show marking another pinnacle moment for each artist. This weekend at Coachella is not one to miss.
#2
Mac DeMarco Announces ‘Five Easy Hot Dogs’ Concerts
Get in, loser; we’re going on a road trip. Per Mac DeMarco, hitting the road and not returning to Los Angeles was the only way he conjured his latest instrumental album, Five Easy Hot Dogs. And what kind of die-hard fans would we be if we didn’t follow the exact footstep of the king of indie himself? Granted, we don’t have the talent or the lyrical expertise to produce a Billboard-charting album, but we can still kick it on the road and enjoy his soothing beats and woozy arrangements. “Hello, Mac D here,” DeMarco said in a statement. “In July, we are bringing Five Easy Hot Dogs to the stage. Should be nice, should be different, and hopefully, it will be special. Hope to see you there.” The Canadian singer is set to perform in LA, New York, Paris, and London starting July 14. For the fans outside of his concert city stops, not to worry because DeMarco dropped a 199-song album, One Wayne G, for all of us to enjoy. You read that right. The album spans about 9 hours and 30 minutes, and the song titles are simple dates (such as “20180512”), seemingly corresponding to when the track was made. If you have plans to hop on a road trip this summer, Mac DeMarco’s got your playlist covered.
#3
The Weeknd Teams Up With Future on “Double Fantasy”
Playtime is over, ladies and gents, because just as we were bracing for impact on the show’s even further postponement, The Idol series’ newest trailer just dropped along with a firm premiere date of June 4. We get a sneak peek into Troye Sivan’s character, who appears with brunette locks before a flash montage, cutting to instrumentals of Britney Spears’ 2007 hit, “Gimme More.” Other appearances in the trailer include Dan Levy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, BLACKPINK Jennie, Rachel Sennott, and more, revealing the glitz and glamour, as well as the seemingly darker side of the entertainment industry. If the seductive visuals and star-studded cast aren’t enough the entice you, The Weeknd surprised fans with the release of “Double Fantasy” featuring Future, a sexy single that arrived with a music video featuring clips from The Idol. The song starts with the ominous synth we’re all familiar with coming from The Weeknd, accompanied by a blue saxophone riff. We’re then serenaded by the singing of The Weeknd before Future joins to add another layer of allure to the sleazy track. “Double Fantasy” shares the same title with a John Lennon and Yoko Ono album from 1980. The Canadian singer first hinted at the song title through his posts of the duo’s album cover on his Instagram. He confirms in his recent Interview story that he has produced a full album to accompany the series with influences from classic Pink Floyd and Prince. Things are looking up for The Idol, and we, for one, cannot wait for a summer jamming to The Idol soundtrack.
#4
Post Malone Interviews NASA Astronauts in Space for Earth Day
Post Malone: rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and environmental investigative journalist? Posty steps out of his comfort zone this week and surprises NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station to celebrate Earth Day to add to your repertoire of feel-good news this week. He made contact with Steve Bowen and Woody Hoburg of Crew-6, introducing himself by his govy name, Austin, and said, “I’d imagine you guys, up there, have the most baller view of the universe,” making an astute observation, before asking what the space travelers can see of the planet’s weather patterns. Bowen tells Posty, “That’s actually my favorite thing to do in looking out the window. I spend a lot of time at sea, we’ve got a lot of ocean to look at. So I look at the cloud patterns and one of the most amazing things you get to watch…I was doing a workout and I started noticing flashes, that lightning storms, thunderstorms at night are absolutely incredible. And the size of them can be absolutely amazing; they can stretch over large portions of any land mass. It’s just amazing to watch the weather that way.” Proving himself to be a successful correspondent, Post Malone asks, “Any reflections on our big blue plant and Earth Day?” The young astronaut concludes, “Earth is such a special place…Being up here, the vantage point is just incredible. Every day, looking out and seeing that incredible horizon and our big blue marble, it’s such a special place and I’m so privileged and honored to get to be up here and have this experience.” Carry this bit of wholesome news with you today as you move through our world with Post Malone’s The Diamond Collection, out today, blaring in your headphones.
#5
Florence + the Machine Share New Song “Mermaids” on ‘Dance Fever (Complete Edition)’
After leaving cryptical messages left and right, Florence + the Machine returns with her newest single, “Mermaids,” a fitting addition to her fifth number 1 album, to let us know her true oceanic identity. “Mermaids,” along with spoken word versions of “Kind”, “My Love,” and “Cassandra,” have been added to the original album to create the newly released Dance Fever (Complete Edition). The new single was written and produced by Florence and Dave Bayley, with its genesis taking place in a session for the original album Dance Fever, which layers dark dance-inspired melodies and instrumentals with the airy, ethereal vocals of the iconic front-woman. The immersive songwriting transports you into the depths of a cautionary tale of the mythical siren sea creatures morphing into English girls roaming with reckless abandon, ready to embrace their night out on the shore, putting their two new limbs to good use. Long-time Florence fans will agree that her ability to craft an entire world in one song is tantalizing and, quite frankly, unmatched.