‘African Giant’ Burna Boy is returning to South Africa

Jul 17, 2023 | News, Music

Proclaimed ‘African Giant’ Burna Boy is set to return to South Africa, as announced by ticketing provider Ticketpro. Burna Boy will kick off his ‘Burna Boy After Tour’ in Johannesburg on 23rd September at the FNB stadium. Expectations of selling out the 90,000 seater venue are high – considering he was presented with a plaque as the first African artist to sell-out at West Ham’s London Stadium in June. 

Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and performer who has risen to global prominence with his genre-blending music, putting Africa on the map on a level of super stardom previously unknown. His music is a fusion of Afrobeat, dancehall, reggae, and R&B. As a true advocate for Africa and its cultural heritage, Burna Boy’s impact on the music industry has been transformative, showcasing an ability to bring Yoruba, Igbo and pidgin English into his songwriting – opening doors for African artists on the global stage without compromise on culture or language. In 2021, he won a Grammy for his album ‘Twice as Tall’ in the ‘Best Global Music Album’ category.

Images by Kristin Lee Moolman for Dazed.

Purchase Phase 1 tickets HERE

Phase 1:
Level 5 – R 765
Field Golden Circle – R 2020
Field General Admission – R 1510

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Eastern Cape Director Okuhle Dyosopu’s Documents The Last Geisha of Nara City, Japan

Jul 17, 2023 | News, Creatives

By definition femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviours,  and roles generally associated with women and girls. Last year, I was invited to a residency which  facilitated an opportunity to make a film about Nara city life and its people from the lens of an  outsider. Amongst the many amazing people I met in Nara, I was particularly connected  and intrigued by a Geisha named Kikuno Ono, who due to the pandemic was the last Geisha of  Nara city at the time. 

The Japanese word geisha literally means ‘’art person’’ and are traditionally Japanese female entertainers and hostesses. These women are the symbol of femininity in Japan and are very mysterious, incredibly misunderstood and live in complete isolation. All these things I felt  reflected my own life at the time. Kikuno and I became close friends although we didn’t speak the  same language, we connected deeply in spirit. We both understood isolation very well and being  misunderstood by society at large. Through our shared experience of pain we formed a bond and  in this bond led us to deep conversations surrounding the burdens of womanhood and our  shared longing to be free from it.  

“In A Performance on Femininity we are invited to an intimate conversation between two women from different parts of the world. They share their views on what it means being a woman and the  burden that comes along with it. Bare witness to a conversation with conflicting views on the  socially perspective of womanhood. The film is a deconstructed experimental short documentary that creates a personal look into the lives of contemporary women navigating rather ancient existing constructs of womanhood.”

Official Poster, A Performance on Femenity

The film had its world premier at the Nara Film Festival 2022 and national debut at the Encounters International Documentary Film festival 2023 of which it was nominated for the Youth EYE award. The film has been selected for the Lift-Off Filmmaker sessions for Pinewood Studios where it is being screened online on Vimeo Demand alongside other short films from around the world. Five films will be selected to travel to Pinewood studios in Los Angeles to pitch a film idea in development.

Purchase tickets to view the film HERE (under ‘programme 2’ titled A Performance on Femininity) and vote for Okuhle Dyosopu. 

Text by Okuhle Dyosopu

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

‘Innovation & Longevity Personified’ as Lazarusman Unpacks His 15 Year Journey In Music

Jul 17, 2023 | Interviews, Music

In a world where groove culture has evolved and dance environments have shifted, Lazarusman stands as a beacon of artistic innovation. With over 15 years in the music industry, Lazarusman has witnessed the transformation of DJing and has carved out a unique space for himself. With his captivating spoken word and meticulously crafted  sets, Lazarusman’s approach to creating unforgettable experiences lies in the balance between euphoria and tranquillity. 

Lazarus embraces the notion of creating a distinct arc, much like a movie plot, in which the music takes centre stage. By carefully curating a range of tracks that evoke both contemplation and elation, he captivates his audience and delivers a premium sonic experience. 

He explains in our conversation, “The beginnings are always quite low and almost contemplative. The sets are a juxtaposition of euphoria and tranquillity.” This delicate balance ensures the audience remains engaged and energised throughout the performance. He does, however, recognise the importance of considering the ‘fatigue factor’ in a set, saying “People get fatigued…if your set is straight bangers the whole way, at some point people get exhausted.” This insight showcases Lazarusman’s sensitivity to his listeners’ emotional and physical state, allowing him to deliver a more nuanced and fulfilling exploration of music.

Through his recent releases of his EPs, “Mend It/Your Eyes” and “The Hi,” Lazarusman defies expectations and challenges the industry’s norms. With his thought-provoking spoken word and boundary-pushing tracks, he weaves together a tapestry of sound that ignites his determination to stay fresh and diverse is evident as he states, “I’m trying to keep myself fresh and diverse… the experience must be different.”

As we explore this insightful conversation about his musical journey, his latest releases, the art of DJ sets, the decentralisation of record label culture and more, we bask in Lazarusman’s dedication to creating immersive experiences. In this interview, I found us both engaged in a collective confrontation of the challenges in a shifting musical environment, as we both searched to articulate an inclusive and open-minded approach to music. 

Watch “Mend It” Here:

Q: Poetry is often the cathartic road to healing. With ‘Mend It’, you explore the theme of loss and accountability reflected in the chorus ‘mend it because I broke it, mend it because I stole it’. Do you find the concept of accountability and humility in admitting wrongdoing ego-bruising and thus challenging?  

Lazarusman: This came from the perspective of ego-bruising; it’s sometimes hard to admit when you’ve done something wrong, not just to the person, but mostly to yourself. I think that’s where ‘Mend It’ came from. The song also speaks about loss. I had the idea for the song when I started to think about breaking up with someone. A lot of the time, we go and we do these things that we don’t consider, we think for ourselves, but not always how it may impact another person. 

Through this, I realised that accountability stems in two ways. It’s all good to have it in plain and open sight, but are you dealing with it internally? Are you questioning if introspection is happening and because of that, are you admitting what actually happened? Or, are you apologising for that? That’s where ‘Mend it’ comes from, to the point of the line that you’ve recited, ‘mend it, because I broke it, mend it because I stole it.’ I did all of those things and I think I’m sorry for that so I am taking accountability.

 

Q: All too well, it also makes us grapple equally with the idea of self-forgiveness post the remorse period that is often riddled with being self-critical when we genuinely account for wrongdoing. In that regard, would you say ‘Mend It’ also serves as a channel for you to be less self-critical and more self-forgiving? 

Lazarusman: Yes and I’ll tell you why. No one is more critical of themselves than me. I’ll leave a set sometimes and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, that was amazing’ and all I can think is ‘You mixed three tracks really badly’. My music is an indirect catharsis to do that whilst at the same time trying and hoping that people can relate to that as well. 

I feel like a lot of these emotions are universal, and when I’m going through them – and I’m sure there are a million other people in the world going through them too – how do I present them in a way that one could listen to the song and not think, ‘Oh, this sounds like Lazarus’s melodrama’, but actually thinks, ‘Oh, okay, I get it. I went through that. I see what his perspective is’.

 

Q: I believe another element of ‘Mend It’ is this alternative gospel element that it has. I noticed how, in the Stimming remix of ‘Mend It’, his sonic interpretation taps into the redemptive tapestry of Lo-Fi.  Was the choice of curating a meditative and healing frequency/BPM intentional or was it one of those godly accidents that took shape in the creative process?

Lazarusman:  It’s intentional from the perspective that I had to think about who I wanted to bring these pieces to life. When I thought about the most emotive people from the artists and the musicians that I listened to that provided me with emotive flair, Martin Stimming and FKA Mash came up. That was the intention for my part, I wanted a resonance that articulates the ‘Mend It’ EP, not as a dance EP,  but being a couch, car, ‘listen to in your lounge and flow’ kind of record, even though it’s still house music. Stimming is a deeply emotional person who plays all his instruments live; he builds the machines to make the sounds he wants. Mash really likes to tap into his style of the glitch dub. He’s an emotional individual. It was intentional for my part based on artists and the results were surprisingly unsurprising.

 

Q: Absolutely, because I get this thematic and cohesive sense of the EP, especially with the complimentary song ‘Your Eyes’, which continues the salvation arc. In it, you searched for this light in your love interest’s eyes. So was that song born from a love-at-first-sight experience from the narrative continuation of ‘Mend It’? Do you believe in love at first sight, and how acting in the name of love can effectively save your life and make you a better person?

Lazarusman: Definitely, I think it can if the love is right; it’ll do amazing things for you. With ‘In Your Eyes’, I wanted to give a yin and yang kind of thing. In the same way that you can experience loss, you can also receive. I thought, ‘Let’s begin with this moment of love, this pause, this beautifulness, me trying to find myself in someone else,’ which almost sounds ridiculous but that’s what love is; we constantly rediscover ourselves and others by loving them.

For me, ‘In Your Eyes’ speaks to how you can see your reflection in people’s eyes; that’s what I’m looking for. So in that sense, I am finding something, but in the same sense, within my eyes, I experience loss. It’s primarily visible through our eyes when we cry, and I felt that was a perfect yin and yang moment and that concept just created a good tension between the two worlds. I wanted you to feel very happy and very sad in two instances, but in ways that uplift you. The intention was layered – I don’t know if that makes sense in any way?

Q: It makes perfect sense, especially when I consider the Yin Yang scope, which also filters into your mixing. When I was experiencing Your Mixmag AfroHouse & Defected Broadcasting House Show Sets, I recognised an undertone balance between the spirit of groove and relaxation. What factors into your preparation for these sets? Do you measure your past performance? Do you get a feel of your crowd? What is your formula for creating a classic house set?

Lazarusman: That’s a very interesting question. When I was taught DJing, it was about a journey; you sounded different the whole way. In the same breath, you also didn’t play one genre. These guys back where I came from, they played disco house, they played techno, they played a little bit of drum and bass, a little bit of acid. I was taught to find things that match between that. It starts with the discovery of the music, how I feel, and how I also want people to feel at a particular time. 

The beginnings are always quite low and almost contemplative. ‘What is he going to sound like? Where is he taking me?’ The bodies of the sets are a juxtaposition of euphoria and tranquillity. That’s the balance I work towards and then I always have a finale, which is always, in my mind, a big moment. It’s how they write movies; you go through the beginning of the plot, the character struggling, and then, in the middle, they begin to recognise themselves, and then you experience a setback. Then you come across as a hero; that’s how I view a set; it plays out almost like a movie in its own way, and the music is the main character. That means the music undulates between different moments of light and shade, similar to emotions”.

 

Q: That’s made me perceptive of how dance culture and groove culture has changed, and we find fewer lounge settings as opposed to sweating it out to the log drum, and maybe the COVID pandemic has affected us in that regard. How do you navigate this current climate of dance music? Do you feel it is welcoming of your style or a hindrance? 

Lazarusman: Right? 100%! With my climate, we’re being boxed. Everyone is being compartmentalised. In the Afro House, Amapiano, Hip-Hop, Techno and Tech House scenes, everyone is going into these little rooms, everyone’s got a bomber, and we don’t cross-pollinate the music, and if you do cross-pollinate, people disagree. DJing has always been about, you know, diversity, and not just diversity of people, but diversity of sound too.

 

Q: Diversity perfectly summarised what I felt in ‘The Hi’ EP. Could you provide more insights into the creative process and the elements you and Hyena brought to the table to create something memorable?

Lazarusman: There’s sometimes no softness in that genre and ‘The Hi’ was  a way to bring in a level of warmth into a style that is otherwise for me, quite hard, so I wondered: ‘How can I flip this on its head and present this in a way that makes you feel a little bit nice about it and maybe react with a soothing face as opposed to a stank face?’

 

Q: This sparks my interest in the complimentary decision for Milan-based DJ and producer Ivory to spearhead the remix. What about him made him the perfect choice for remix duties? How did his innovative brand of electronic composition complement and enhance the original track? 

Lazarusman: Collaboration is the cornerstone of how I work and it’s something that I’ve been very fortunate to have. Through building a network and endeavours like remixes, it allows me to experience another artist’s thinking, creativity and also their market. It’s a matter of how collaboration brings different people worldwide into a seamless tapestry. ‘The Hi’ is made in South Africa, produced in Germany, remixed in Milan, and released in South America. So you can see how far the journey that music has gone in a global sense. From Milano to Jersey, we have a golden thread and a message that is spreading.

 

Q: As Ab-Soul Once Said, “I would have attended university, but it was silly to me because the whole universe is just a city to me,” Remote work culture in the music industry has created such a palpable conversation regarding structure decentralisation. What factors do you consider when selecting which labels you work within? Especially in a climate where Platoon with their songwriting camps and rival distribution companies like Ditto, Symphonic, Africori, Ingrooves and so on offer label services? 

Lazarusman: The decentralisation of record labels is fascinating. Even though we speak about music on its artistic level, there is a business level of music. As you said, there are music writing camps and there are people that are able to generate listeners through bots finding ways to make your music famous on Spotify, because the numbers matter. Over the years, I’ve tried to get into major record labels and speak to people, and what I love about them is that they’ll always be honest. Label folk will say, “Listen, your music is great, but we don’t think you’re gonna sell 1000 CDs”. I knew very early on that music sales and making a ton of money out of music wasn’t my goal; I wanted to collaborate, make music, and share feelings and emotions with people. It truly is about considering what you want and how you change as an artist.

 

Q: Absolutely, I agree. Having been privy to the multiple arenas of the music business and the scaling of sales, I’ve noted that a lot of your music is also available on the stream-direct purchase platform Bandcamp. In your opinion, for a higher artist ROI, should more artists push for Bandcamp sales, especially if they are independent?

Lazarusman: There is merit in doing both. I don’t think people should focus primarily on one or the other because  sometimes we’ll release work as an exclusive on Bandcamp for the first month of the release so that if people really want it, they can go purchase it on Bandcamp. After that, we’ll release it on the other streaming platforms so that it becomes readily available. Through the streaming platforms, you can get playlisted and put into the whole rigmarole of how the streaming platforms and services are now working. It’s amazing when people buy physically first, but streaming also has a long-term benefit. I think there is space for both, it’s just about navigating it strategically.

 

Q: Looking ahead, what can we expect from your future projects? How do you see your artistry evolving in the coming years?

Lazarusman: I’m evolving, man. I’m trying to challenge the sound a bit more and unbox myself because in the 10-15 years roundabout of Lazarusman and while the penmanship is strong, vocally and musically, I can begin to elevate now. This is a good time to try and put together a body of work. The album process has been interesting because it is the most daunting thing ever if you’ve never made an album before. I’m also going to put myself in very unfamiliar territory. How far can I go? Lyrically, can I put bomb-ass spoken word with downtempo instrumentation? Can I do that on drum and bass? Can I really explore the true extent of it? I will spend a lot of time experimenting with how I can develop a conceptual sound resembling an album.

 

Listen to Lazarusman HERE 

All images by Rob dos Santos

Written by: King Cedric

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Louis Vuitton Release their seasonal ‘Taurillon Monogram’ and ‘Monogram Macassar’ iterations for Summer 2023

Jul 14, 2023 | News, Fashion

Louis Vuitton’s Taurillon Monogram and Monogram Macassar collections welcome bold, seasonal iterations for Summer 2023. Echoing the Maison’s runway presentation, the Taurillon Monogram collection in embossed leather showcases key shapes — including the Christopher backpack, the slim Sac Plat mini, and the Keepall 25 —in fresh, summery shades of electric Racing Blue and sophisticated urbane Mineral Gray, with contrasting hardware in matte black or palladium silver, respectively. 

In addition to a full array of matching must-haves, like pocket organisers and wallets, are travel essentials such as the iconic Horizon rolling luggage and a Dopp Kit bag that are also available in saturated, summery Racing Blue.

Colour also comes to the fore in must-have Monogram Macassar pieces. Trimmed with vibrant Radiant Sun yellow leather that amps up contrast, a playful energy is brought to the Christopher backpack, Keepall and S-Lock messenger bag in the Maison’s signature Monogram canvas. 

New this season is the Soft Polochon bag, a roomy, cylindrical shape that offers versatility of wear thanks to two removable straps, one a woven shoulder strap and the other a handle in yellow leather. The Horizon and other travel favourites as well as a selection of small leather goods are also available in Monogram Macassar with Radiant Sun accents.These colourful variations on the Taurillon Monogram and Monogram Macassar will be available in-store and online in July 2023.

About Louis Vuitton

Since 1854, Louis Vuitton has brought unique designs to the world,combining innovation with style, always aiming for the finest quality and preserving biodiversity. Today, the House remains faithful to the spirit of its founder, Louis Vuitton, who invented a genuine “Art of Travel” through luggage, bags and accessories which were as creative as they were elegant and practical. Since then, audacity has shaped the story of Louis Vuitton. Faithful to its heritage, Louis Vuitton has opened its doors to architects, artists and designers across the years, all the while developing disciplines such as ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches, jewellery, and fragrance. These carefully created products are testament to Louis Vuitton’s commitment to fine craftsmanship.

For further information:
www.louisvuitton.com

Press release courtesy of avenue

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Rainer Trüby releases ‘Glücklich VI’, a compilation of Brazilian and Latin Sounds

Jul 14, 2023 | New Release, Music

After 20 years, Rainer Trüby fishes deep in Brazilian/Latin tinged music and makes us more than glücklich (happy) for a new edition of Glücklich, Compost’s classic and mega-selling series. 

It only took a little over 20 years since the last instalment but a classic and much-loved compilation series is “de volta” in a very big way. And a two-decade break means that when you come back, you’d better come back strong, but of course this is Rainer Truby we’re talking about here and trust me, he’s got a serious bag of Brazilian and Brazilian-flavoured goodies for all good boys and girls! Some of them were buried on obscure CDs ignored by vinyl collectors, several have escaped being compiled until now and all of them (to use one of the most tired clichés always used by reviewers and liner note writers about albums like this) will make your summers very pleasant and happy indeed. “Adericó” is yet another miraculous tune from the pen of the great and somewhat mysterious José Prates, the man responsible for the 1958 Tam…Tam…Brasil LP that set off such a frenzy in the vinyl- collector world a few years ago. Later based in Europe, primarily Germany, Prates continued producing Brazil-themed stage shows filled with incredible songs, and this one from 1979, released on an LP entitled Festa Brasileira and credited to the “Matheus Combo,” is one of the very best. German keyboardist Christian Knobel only released one LP, 1982’s Chakrawakam, but it’s a really good one highlighted by the extended jazz-samba workout “Sambomambo.” 

“Hallo Höppel ” is a funky-scat highlight of Wütrio’s sought-after self-titled second LP from 1987 which sits beautifully here among the rest of this comp. The full album has recently been reissued and is well worth checking out. “Brother Samba” by the Midnight Gigolos seems to magically materialise out of a beachside fever dream, all sexy, sinuous and insinuating. Please pass me a cool and tasty drink! And get one for yourself so we can drink a toast to the memory of the great Marcia Maria, who following a sought-after LP in her native Brasil in 1978 moved to Paris where she became a mainstay on the local scene for decades. “Brasil Nativo ” (by Danilo Caymmi and Paulo César Pinheiro) is the brilliant title track of her third LP and second made as a resident of France.

Debbie Cameron (born in Miami of Bahamian parentage and a Danish resident much of her adult life) and Richard Boone (ex-Basie trombonist and singer who also moved to Copenhagen) made a classic under-the-radar soul-jazz duo album in Denmark in 1978 (Brief Encounter) that was produced by Kenny Drew and Sahib Shihab and from which the cult hit “Stop Fooling’ Yourself” is taken. Sweden’s A Bossa Elétrica belongs to that particularly European tradition of bands formed by local musicians and/or DJs that are steeped in vintage Brazilian MPB but that also belong to the modern dance/club/remix culture, and usually feature a female Brazilian vocalist.

Their percussive, Portuguese-translated 2011 take on the Roy Ayers mega-classic (“Sob A Luz Do Sol”) has made the rounds in the clubs for years and seemed like it had been waiting for a new instalment of Glücklich! Guillermo Reuter’s “Mr. Jenkins’ ‘ is an exclusive to this album provided by Mr. Reuter himself from a 1974 one-man-band home-studio experiment that finds him ably exploring the rhythmic mysteries of samba. The very “vintage” hissiness stems from the fact that he forgot to apply Dolby noise reduction when making the transfer to cassette.

Despite this the recording has weathered the decades shockingly well. Something else that has aged exceptionally well is legendary French bassist and notorious Brazilophile Jean-Marc Jafet’s 1985 Dolores album. For some reason, however, listeners familiar with the original LP who failed to pick up the CD reissue in 1999 missed one of the album’s absolute best tracks, the amazing “Offering,” which was inexplicably left off the original release. Thankfully, this incredible track finally makes its vinyl debut here. 

But the very special treats don’t stop there…not by a long shot! Jon Lucien’s highly sought-after one- off collaboration with the legendary team of Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti, originally only released on a 1983 Brazil-only 7″, is finally now more widely accessible and on an LP for the first time ever. Slinky, soulful and seductive, it genuinely captures everything great about Lucien and the Olivetti/Jorge duo that fans of both acts revere so much, and being able to include it here is a real coup that deserves a round of applause. More applause still is in order for the inclusion of a secret gem heretofore known to…hardly anyone at all, a situation which is now set to change drastically. Grupo Ébano’s self-titled 1997 CD is one of those miracles that make the listener believe in miracles if nothing else. For what we have here is an exquisitely-arranged gospel/Christian album with intricate and extremely sophisticated vocal arrangements and songwriting. These five Afro-Brazilian ladies’ material and arrangements are provided by a talented musician named Gil Miranda and the album is firmly in the musical tradition set forth by the likes of Quarteto Em Cy. If “Pé No Chão” doesn’t make you feel happy to be alive perhaps you should start planning your funeral. First time on vinyl! 

Sonzeira, one of any number of projects Gilles Peterson has been responsible for over the years, has only released one album so far (legendary and younger Brazilian artists tackling international DJ favourites) but the sessions proved so productive and inspiring that a double CD of outtakes and remixes later emerged. Two versions of “The Mystery Of Man” are on that but this fantastic remix by Truccy is not and more than deserves to be included on the embarrassment of riches that is this long- awaited and rather thrilling new instalment of Glücklich. Enjoy! – GREG CAZ – Studio 151 – NYC 

The cover features a car, emblematic of this release – the VW Volkswagen SP2 manufactured in Brazil between 1972 and 1976.

 

Stream and purchase ‘Glücklich VI’ HERE

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

Cee ElAssaad releases two-track EP ‘Cosmic Fusion’

Jul 14, 2023 | New Release, Music

Cacao Records, renowned for its eclectic blend of vibrant and soulful electronic music, presents its latest release, “Cosmic Fusion” by Moroccan artist Cee ElAssaad. This two-track EP showcases Cee ElAssaad’s distinctive production style, fusing the rhythms of afro house with atmospheric elements and melodic textures. 

The title track, “Cosmic Fusion,” sets the tone with its driving percussions, skillfully layered to create an irresistible rhythm that demands movement. The pulsating beats intertwine with intricate melodic sequences, transporting the listener to distant realms. The track’s dreamy pads wash over the senses, evoking a sense of euphoria and blissful escape. 

On the B-side, Cee ElAssaad presents an ambient mix of “Cosmic Fusion” that takes the listener on a meditative journey. Stripping away the driving rhythms, the ambient mix emphasises the atmospheric elements, allowing the listener to immerse themselves in a tranquil and introspective sonic landscape. The delicate nuances and intricate sound design create a profound sense of introspection, inviting the audience to lose themselves in the music.

Adding an element of surprise and flair, “Cosmic Fusion” features an enchanting organ solo that effortlessly weaves through the composition, adding depth and soul to the already captivating soundscape. Cee ElAssaad’s masterful arrangement creates a seamless fusion of organic and electronic elements, showcasing his unique artistic vision. 

With “Cosmic Fusion”, Cee ElAssaad proves once again why he is a force to be reckoned with in the realm of afro house. The EP encapsulates the essence of Cacao Records, capturing the label’s commitment to delivering quality electronic music that transcends boundaries and resonates with diverse audiences worldwide.

 

Stream ‘Cosmic Fusion’ HERE

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

2023 Emmy Nominations: Who Slayed and who was Slated?

Jul 13, 2023 | News, Creatives

Television is an ever-expanding medium particularly with the expansion of streaming services. As we become integrated with technology in our own homes, the opportunity for filmmakers, producers and talent to harness diverse revenue streams through TV series continues to accelerate and in some cases, often surpassing box office revenue.  Not to mention the profound capacity for TV series to cultivate story-telling, character arc development and build a dedicated fan base through a longer time frame than the fleetingness of a film, usually condensed to just 1.5 hours of watching time. Previously, TV writing, casting and production was seen as the more informal cousin to making it as a creative in the film industry. Now, it seems to triumph with continued force. 

The Emmy Awards are prestigious awards presented to recognize outstanding achievements in the television industry. As an integral part of television culture, the event garners widespread media coverage and is viewed as a barometer of excellence in the television industry. 

Here are some of the SLAYED and SLATED nominations below.

Emmy award during Press Preview Day for the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, at the Television Academy in Los Angeles. Photo by Richard Shotwell/ Invision/ AP

SLAYED

The final season of ‘Succession’ has come out on top with a staggering 27 nominations across a variety of categories. The show delves into the wealthy and dysfunctional Roy family’s power struggles as they navigate the media empire built by their patriarch, masterfully exploring themes of family dynamics, corporate greed, and the complexities of ambition. Second to this is ‘The Last of Us’, the highly acclaimed post-apocalyptic television series based on the popular video game franchise, which has scored 24 nominations in total. Set in a world devastated by a fungal infection, the show follows the journey of Joel (the internet’s Dzaddy, Pedro Pascal) a hardened survivor, and Ellie (Bella Ramsay) a young girl with a mysterious immunity, as they navigate dangerous landscapes and encounter hostile factions, and form a profound bond while facing moral dilemmas and the constant threat of infected creatures. 

Then, everyone’s favourite dark comedy season two of the ‘White Lotus’ is not far behind, with Mike White’s satirical miniseries garnering 23 nominations. The show follows the vacation experiences of various guests at a luxury resort, uncovering underlying tensions and dark secrets and has relegated Jennifer Coolidge to her rightful status as an acting cult-figure and pop cultural icon.  

Lastly, Christopher’s ‘The Bear’ featuring Jeremy Allen White (another Dzaddy in the making) received a total of 13 nominations. The show is an incredible symphony of cinematic prowess, incredible acting and production chops, depicting an award-winning young chef as he navigates the suicide of his brother and transforms the family restaurant to new heights. Never before has food played such an important role as a storytelling device, showcasing the grit of being a chef, restaurants intermixed with profound commentaries on love, addiction, family and success, set against the transforming backdrop of Chicago. 

 

SLATED 

Yellowstone, the beloved show approaching its series finale, faced disappointment in the 2023 Emmy nominations. Despite being the most-watched television series in 2022, neither Yellowstone nor its spinoff 1923 received any nominations for the upcoming Emmy Awards, leaving fans and viewers surprised and disheartened. Led by the formidable patriarch John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, “Yellowstone” weaves together themes of power, family loyalty, and the clash between tradition and progress set in the picturesque landscape of Montana.

The acclaimed historical drama series that offers a fictionalised portrayal of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, ‘The Crown’ only received six nominations this year, a stark contrast to their sweeping nominations and subsequent wins in 2021. Last year, the show was not eligible for nomination due its airing time-frame and the entire cast of the show did not attend the awards, out of respect to Queen Elizabeth’s passing in 2022. 

You can read the full list of nominations across all categories here.

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Photographer Kitso Kgori on capturing the truth of beauty

Jul 13, 2023 | Interviews, Creatives

Photography is an immortalising artistic technique. It suggests the utmost curiosity in the world around us and for photographer Kitso Kgori, this curiosity is underpinned by her ability to capture a vivid tapestry of emotions and stories, leading her to become one of the most exciting photographers in South Africa. With her 15k followers and counting (although we are not ones to measure IG metrics for success), it’s incredible to imagine that Kitso has only been photographing professionally since COVID. Behind some of the most stunning fashion and beauty photography on the continent, Kitso’s lens becomes a portal into diverse worlds, celebrating the essence and strength of women and exemplifies the kind of elevated vision for African photography by African photographers.

For Kitso, creativity has been a sensory stimuli for her from her youngest years. Reminiscing, Kitso explains that “my mom always had art on the wall while I was growing up. She’d go to Cuba a lot, and she’d bring back art with the most vibrant colours and scenes. I started imitating that with crayons and eventually it became my favourite subject. I got a distinction for fine art in matric. When I left school, I had a choice between fine art and architecture. I did five years of architecture at CPUT, but in the last year, I couldn’t envision myself as a practising architect.” With architecture and photography, the similarity is the interaction between light, shadow and space. While some may be derailed by finding themselves disinterested in their graduating degree in its final year, Kitso explains that her pivot to photography was actually a natural extension of her studies, saying “I had already started taking photographs at that point. I’ve always been interested in looking at and capturing how different materials are composed and how they interact with each other. So, I took the plunge to do photography as a pathway. It’s funny, because I don’t think I would have gotten into photography without studying architecture. The process of studying it really developed my eye for detail and taught me how to really look at something, and understand it.”

Kitso follows in the footsteps of some incredible creatives who studied architecture, only to expand their creative expression across many fields. I think of trained architects like the later Virgil Abloh, or Zaha Hadid. I ask Kitso why she chose photography, “the reality of architecture is not as glamorous as it might seem. Already, it’s a male-dominated field so as a woman, it’s very hard. Then, as a Black woman, it’s even tougher. I remember doing construction site visits as part of my degree and really not being taken seriously at all. When it became apparent that I could photograph professionally and have so much fun, it was obvious that it was my preferred calling. In terms of creative thinking and processes, I think architecture is an amazing thing to study.”

As a Black female photographer, Kitso’s natural inclination to express Black women in many of her works is of incredible importance to the growing visual lore of African fashion and beauty. This focus is a critical one, with photography still being a male-dominated and white centric space. As Kitso says, “I was raised by a single, Black mother. I want to capture women in their most powerful and regal expression. In beauty, I didn’t want to show struggle. I think we have enough portraiture and documentation of struggle and strife especially around Black women. In the way that my mom and I transformed our ‘sad’ story into something really powerful, I aim to do the same in my work by capturing the beauty of Black women. My work is not political at all. My focus is the beauty of the subject at hand.” While her work is not political, Kitso’s commitment to express the beauty of Blackness is both effortless and a response to the world, as she says “growing up, we only ever saw white women being photographed, especially in the beauty space. I love capturing different women, from different countries, cultures and complexions. That is true beauty to me.”

I ask Kitso whether architecture still lingers as in her creative mind’s eye, “I am always trying to place architectural elements into my composition, except with human beings as my subject. I refused to shoot anything building-related after I graduated, but now I can feel myself being drawn to shooting spaces and interiors. I want to fuse fashion and architecture together as my predominant focus. My trauma’s a bit more healed from architecture!” For Kitso, her vision of architectural or interior photography would heed the same energy as her fashion and beauty images. That is, to hold the richness of colour in them, “I don’t want to do anything minimalist or beige. I love bold colours and I think no matter what I shoot, there will always be a focus on that.” Combined with her architectural background, Kitso studied for six months at Orms, saying “it’s such a good school. Even though it was a short course, I think it’s testament to finding your passion and loving it so much that you’re willing to learn in different ways.” 

On a continent with 54 countries and a vast web of cultures and creative expression, I am curious to know what Kitso feels about ‘African expression’ today, in light of the focus on Africa in the world – to which Kitso says “I still feel like we have a lot of constraints. I think we are still experiencing a huge gap regarding western portrayals of Africa. I get the sense that we are seeing a lot of artists and creatives being the outward successes, but that there’s still people running things behind the scenes. We have a long way to go for fair expression that is in full control by African artists.” This is a lucid point and speaks to Kitso’s nuanced approach in her work – the task of expressing the truth of things in her. The truth of beauty, most especially. Lastly, Kitso describes her vision for the future of creativity on the continent, “I want to see more Black women in photography. I want to see more women in general on sets and I’ve been part of a few women-only sets – that’s just so incredible and so much fun. I think we need women in so many more creative roles, succeeding and making beautiful work that stands the test of time.”

Written by:  Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

The why and how of Conspiracy Theories

Jul 12, 2023 | Navigating Reality, Lifestyle

When I reminisce about the  number of “sick” days I spent at home during my teens, I inevitably think about the  countless hours I’d spend just vegetating in front of a television. Back then, television was pretty drab, daytime television even more so. Well, that is, until you flicked to channel 186; The History Channel. Admittedly the idea of getting lectured on the Second World War while having the stomach flu sounds like torture, but unfortunately and for reasons that I still don’t quite understand, there is a severe lack of historical fact to be found on the channel. In exchange, you are greeted by the legendary Giorgio A. Tsoukalos and the fever dream show titled ‘Ancient Aliens’. 

‘Ancient Aliens’ is a conspiratorial TV show that doesn’t shy away from some of its goofiness. It doesn’t pretend that it is some all-knowing work of prophecy. It’s a conspiracy theory at its most harmless and perhaps a fun thought to occupy your mind. Whether you believe it or not would probably have very little effect on other members of society. The basic premise of the show is ‘evidence’ that ancient, extraterrestrial species have been visiting earth since the beginning of our planet’s origin and are potentially our creators through genetic experimenting. It’s kind-of-compelling because it portrays an ‘exciting’ answer to many of the mysteries we see in archeological findings such as the pyramids. Conspiracy theories, however, run far deeper than aliens potentially helping advance ancient civilisations and many of them can have negative societal impacts. 

DTS, Nich Fancher

What exactly is a conspiracy theory? Conspiracy theories are defined as alternative explanations of historical or ongoing events claiming that people or groups with sinister intentions are engaged in conspiratorial plotting. Consider David Icke’s infamous Lizard Elite Illuminati theory, chemtrails, the moon landing being fake, or more recently, that 5G (mobile network) was causing Covid. Honestly, there are simply too many to mention. Some may seem silly, but the stats show that there is far more widespread belief in conspiracy theories than you may initially think. “What we found is that the more conspiracy theories we ask about, the fewer and fewer people there are that don’t believe in any,” says political scientist Joseph Uscinski who has been researching conspiracies for over a decade. 

So, how have these theories become so deeply entrenched within society when at face value, a lot of them seem factually flimsy or laughably ludicrous? Well, many psychologists, philosophers, political scientists and cognitive researchers have poured countless hours into understanding conspiracies, looking at how they take root, why they are so popular, and why they seem so hard to shake. First and foremost, it’s important to note that certain conspiracy theories turned out to be true. Edward Snowden, for example, outed the National Security Agency of mass surveillance on a practically global scale, proving a longstanding theory that the US government had been spying on civilians in the name of “national security”. While true whistleblowers like Snowden exposed some immense intelligence secrets to the public, leading figures like Alex Jones emerge in the conspiracy space, capitalising on the inherent fear or feeling that we have that we are being lied to by society’s biggest institutions. More on that guy later. 

Simply put, we as individuals are not all-knowing. There are gaps in our knowledge, and when we seek out information to fill these gaps, there is a chance that the information we choose is factually flawed. In a video by The Guardian, they even point out that if we are repeatedly exposed to falsehoods, we become more and more likely to start believing it. So what is the point of humans seeking out this information; why do people create and perpetuate conspiracy theories? David Barron, an Academic Psychologist, explains that “human beings crave logic, human beings crave understanding, they need to know why something has happened.”  Dr Elise Wang and Professor Varon Swamy take this idea of understanding and apply it more directly to why conspiracy theories are so effective in capturing people’s imaginations. “Conspiracy theories fill a need for control. Essentially simple explanations are adopted more easily because they are simple. This gives you a target [i.e. the government]. The concept of an enemy is no longer abstract, it’s physical, and you can take action against it,” says social psychologist Prof. Swamy.

Stock Video Motion Array

Similarly, Dr Wang, a researcher on the internal logic and rhetoric of conspiracy theories at Duke University, explains that, at least to her mind, what conspiracy theories attempt to do is to get a powerful actor behind a powerful event. The more powerful the event, the more powerful the actor and it is often attempted to be focused on one person. These chaotic events are far easier to process when it’s a singular actor rather than the consequence of a complex combination of societal factors. Here you just have to look at how so many people blamed Bill Gates for Covid as if he cooked up the virus-like some billionaire playing ‘Plague Inc’ in real life. 

We’ve heard it all before, phrases that were plastered all over anonymous web-bulletin 4chan.com – conspiratorial catchphrases like “it’s all connected”. 

Some of the most well known  conspiracy theories include ‘The Illuminati’ or ‘cabal’ which suggest the existence of a secretive organisation that controls global events and manipulates governments, economies and media. According to believers, this group consists of elite individuals from various fields who work together to establish a New World Order, said to wield significant power and influence, using symbols and hidden messages to communicate their intentions – particularly through celebrities and pop culture. 

Other crazy theories like the ‘flat Earth theory’ propose that the Earth is not a sphere but a flat disc. It claims that evidence like the visibility of the horizon and the lack of perceived curvature can be explained by alternative explanations rather than the Earth’s actual shape. This theory contradicts extensive scientific evidence and observations that consistently support the Earth’s spherical shape, including satellite imagery, global positioning systems (GPS), and literal centuries of astronomical observations. Yet, ‘flat-earthers’ are some of the most militant, which shows that conspiratorial thinking cannot be met with reason or contrary evidence. 

One of the first conspiracy theories to arise in our century was around 9/11; with many people believing that the terrorist attack of the Twin Trade Towers was an inside job orchestrated by the US government, as a pretext to invade the Middle East for oil extraction and to destabilise their growing economic position in the world. This one isn’t actually much of a stretch of the imagination, considering the USA’s secret history of intervening in Latin America. It also points to the idea that at its core, conspiratorial thinking is part of how we rationalise our confusing and expanding world. 

Psychologists also point to a phenomenon called Illusory pattern perception as a hypothesis for the prevalence of conspiracy theories. As the hypothesis goes: what seems to actually be happening is that as part of our evolutionary journey, we have pattern detection hardwired into our brains. This helped our ancestors forage resources that clumped together and also helped us avoid danger, but we may have gotten a bit too good at it and now find patterns in things where there are none in an attempt to make sense of chaos. 

Humans are, at our core, storytellers, and often conspiracy theories are pretty enticing stories. As Zaria Gorvett writes for the BBC, “Conspiracy theories have all the elements of a good story – terrifying villains, creative plots, and moral lessons. Because of this, a well-constructed conspiracy can have a powerful hold on the public imagination, in a way that a narrative about a ‘virus emerged entirely unpredictably and killed thousands for no reason’ is unlikely to be able to rival. Some psychologists have compared conspiracy theories to religious beliefs, in the way that they help us to feel more in control, by taking unpredictable or random events and making them seem somehow predestined or shaped by human hands.”

We are almost predestined to believe at least some conspiracy at some point, but why, then, is it so hard for people to shake even in the face of empirical evidence? Well, first and foremost, I think this comes down to a level of distrust in anything related to the establishment, not only from conspiracy theorists but around the board. There is also the fact that our brain, incredible as it is, sometimes works in somewhat backwards ways. Nadia Brashier is a cognitive scientist who explains the dilemma faced by the brain when trying to unlearn misinformation. “It’s really hard to correct misconceptions once we accept them. The brain data shows that these myths are never erased, so we’re concurrently storing both the original misinformation and its correction.” Then there is also the fact that, for the most part, how conspiracy arguments are set up, the theory is not necessarily falsifiable. In this world, any evidence that seems to disprove the conspiracy only goes to prove the conspiracy further. It’s a classic case of “That is what they want you to think” and “Of course, they’d say that”. When you are living in the realm of conspiracy theories, everything can be distorted using cognitive bias to ‘prove’ the threads of these beliefs. 

Unsplash

What is the harm? So what if the Facebook tannies think chemtrails are being used to control the country? Well, here’s where it gets dicey. Statistics overwhelmingly show that very rarely do people believe in only one conspiracy. Yes, they may not think birds are real, but as the ridiculously anti-semitic comment section of Sex in Afrikaans shows, too many people believe the whole world is being controlled by a handful of Jewish overlords. And herein lies the problem. Political extremism leads to people having a ridiculously rigid perspective, and societal systems outside that perspective work in an us versus them kind of manner to these people. We end up in social media echo-chambers that reinforce or introduce us to extremist and potentially dangerous ideologies and dogma. Within these eco-chambers, massive conspiracy movements like QAnon thrive and, with the help of social media, disseminate at an almost unfathomable rate. In groups of like-minded anger, disdain and disillusionment, we see the rise of some absolutely terrible behaviours. As Prof Swamy states,”[conspiracies] are typically associated with negative outcomes. Whether it’s greater racism, denial of science, denial of medical consensus or the lack of engagement with mainstream politics, the danger is that actions driven by conspiracy theories can be dangerous because they are disconnected from our shared reality.” 

This brings me back to  Alex Jones. He is a raging conspiracy nut known for his erratic, emotionally driven show ‘InfoWars’ that covered all manner of conspiracies, packaging them as ‘truth’ for his viewers. I have always found it perplexing that the man had such a massive platform while preaching the most off the wall shit that has ever been uttered, just to cut in with an ad about his supplements and ask for funding all “to keep the lights on for truth” while raking in millions. Well, simply to illustrate the radical impact one person with baseless theories can have. Jones’ rhetoric played a large part in the January 6 Capitol Riots in which QAnon Trump supporters occupied the Capitol Building in an event I still can’t believe happened. Most disgustingly was a staunch denier of the Sandy Hook Massacre where a 20-year old shot and killed 20 kids and six staff members. Practically since the horrific incident, Jones has spewed rhetoric that it was a government coverup and that the grieving parents were all actors. Imagine how fucked up and detached from reality you have to be? Fortunately, Jones has been ordered to pay 1 billion dollars in damages, but I don’t think any amount of money can make up for the years of physiological damage, death threats, and intimidation tactics suffered by the parents at the hands of Jones and his supporters.

It seems that conspiracies will always lead to the extreme. It serves to other already marginalised groups to justify racist sentiments and to reaffirm notions of dangerous extremism. Conspiracy theories are powerful because often they are far easier to digest than the nihilistic realisation that we are, in fact, not nearly as in control as we would like and that crazy, unexplainable things can happen to us at any time. What gets lost in the murkiness of conspiracy theories is the real accountability that we should be seeking from institutions; such socio-economic and political equality for all people around the world. 

We live on a planet and in a universe in which we are not even really sure how or why we got here. Questions like, ‘are we alone in the universe?’ are reasonable existential questions, and people spend lifetimes developing through science and spirituality  various ideas and answers. It’s not a conspiracy that we exist, but it will be a long road to ever knowing why we exist; I promise that MilfHunter777 on Reddit or 8chan doesn’t have any information that is accurate, reliable or remotely relevant to these queries.

Written by: Casey Delport

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Threads App Reaches 100 million users in five days

Jul 11, 2023 | News, Community

With Twitter undergoing significant product degeneration at the hands of Elon Musk, people have been desperate for a replacement. As we reported last week, Twitter had started to limit the amount of tweets users could view in a day. In the strange saga that is the rise of tech billionaires, there is a very limited monopoly for companies behind the most used social media platforms in the world. Mark Zuckerberg sits at the pinnacle of this; his ‘Meta’ conglomerate boasts apps like Facebook (his initial conception in 2004), Instagram and Whatsapp. If anyone were to challenge Elon Musk’s flagrant mismanagement of Twitter, it was going to have to be Zuck – the original ‘connect billions around the world’ social media magnate. 

Threads was launched last week amidst the news of Twitter’s cap limit for users. While the project was top secret, and supposed to be launched later this month, it seems Meta had decided to strike while the going was going and Elon’s ship was sinking. 

Launched as part of Instagram’s suite of functions, it appears to be a relative copy of the format of Twitter, though with a very different energy. In a kind of ‘social media canon event’, signing up populated the minimal app with celebrities, influencers, brands and laypeople on what seems to be a ‘fresh’ playing field.

threads logo

Sourcde via Digital Trends

Threads shares similarities with Twitter, albeit with a few distinctions. It allows users to create concise posts of up to 500 characters, encompassing links, photos, and short videos lasting up to five minutes. The Threads feed operates on an algorithmic basis, combining posts from both people you follow and suggested content, similar to the current approach employed by Instagram. In contrast, Twitter provides the choice to switch between an algorithmic feed and a chronological feed that exclusively showcases posts from the accounts you follow. This kind of integrated functionality is part of Meta’s long term vision to bring ‘decentralised’ exporting and importing of one’s social media presence across all of its platforms.

The response to Threads has been mostly positive. With Instagrams (supposed) stricter guidelines, there will be more monitoring on hate speech, sexual content and so on. We will see if this lasts, as Twitter has amassed a polarising reputation for being a chaotic realm to say and do almost anything. Part of Musk’s manifesto for Twitter was ‘free speech’, which for he and conservative-right wingers alike usually just means allowing folks like Donald Trump and Neo-Nazi figures, as detailed by Hunger Magazine here. The general mood on Threads when I signed up was the overwhelming sense that we could truly connect in a space with less expectation and baggage.

Threads has been downloaded 100 million times and counting since its launch. Twitter has around 250 million active users daily; so it seems Musk and Zuck are headlocked in a battle that far surpasses their cage fight debacle, possibly set to occur at the colosseum. This world just seems to get stranger and stranger and we will clearly have to choose between one Tech overlord over the other. For now? I’m threadin’.

Written by: Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za