Latest news with #AfterHours
Metro
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Billie Eilish, JoJo Siwa, and Fletcher are dating men and the internet hates it
We just lived through a sapphic-pop renaissance – but a dark age is upon us. Last summer was soundtracked by queer femme pop songs, including Chappell Roan's glittery chaos, Billie Eilish's sultry LUNCH, Megan Thee Stallion's Like a Freak, and Kehlani's After Hours. The vibe was bold, defiant, and rooted in joy that didn't centre cishet men – a welcome break from the norm. Now, as summer 2025 looms, barely 10% into Donald Trump's second presidency and amid a global surge in far-right ideology, the queer pop girlies seem to be suddenly dating men, with JoJo Siwa and Billie Eilish as two much-talked-about examples. Then there's Fletcher, a pop artist who built much of her fanbase on overtly sapphic themes and whose dramatic love life has been a consistent source of fascination. She's returned with a new single, Boy, ahead of her album Would You Still Love Me If You Really Knew Me? The song is confessional and oddly sombre, as if heterosexuality is a scandal: 'I kissed a boy, I had no choice,' she sings. Rather than feeling empowered, the track – dropped on the first day of Pride Month, no less – is steeped in guilt. Its release, timed with the news that Fletcher is dating a man, sparked an enormous wave of backlash that, ironically, seemed to prove her fears right. Many fans insist the issue isn't that she's with a man, but how the shift was framed. As @SoberSaturn put it: 'She made her career off of sapphics and developed a fanbase of queer women, just to play the victim with this new album…' Fletcher has never claimed to be a lesbian. In 2021, she stated in an Instagram story: 'I would say I identify as queer. It's about energy. But I am attracted to strong feminine energy, which just so happens to more likely than not be women.' With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! Still, for some, this shift felt like betrayal, not nuance. @itsmeconnor_ summed it up: 'Let's make sure we're dragging Fletcher for the correct thing • she's dating a man ❌ • she released a mid song about being in a heteronormative relationship acting like she's going to be persecuted for it, during Pride Month in Trump's America ✅.' @dykezadi agreed: 'Fletcher had the opportunity to make a really fun uplifting bi/pan anthem for Pride Month but instead she went with 'coming out as being in a socially acceptable heteronormative relationship is so scary.' In response, some fans pushed back, arguing that the criticism was inherently biphobic, regardless of the excuses people offered for their outrage. @sapphic_idiot wrote: 'It's so f****d up that Fletcher who has always only ever identified as queer has had to apologize for being with a guy. Let her live 😭😭😭' @sadlyundrunk added: 'The biphobia Billie and Fletcher are experiencing this Pride Month is vile.' This isn't happening in isolation. JoJo Siwa recently faced similar backlash after appearing on Celebrity Big Brother UK and subsequently dating Chris Hughes. Formerly identifying as a lesbian, JoJo now identifies as queer and attracted to all genders. Her sapphic fans weren't thrilled, reading praise of her 'softer, feminine side' emerging in her relationship with Chris as a rebranding campaign that leaned into palatable heteronormativity. What might be a natural evolution of identity is instantly reinterpreted as marketing, strategy, or betrayal. And frankly, maybe it is a brand pivot. But how can anyone be surprised that JoJo's identity might be for sale when they so enthusiastically bought the old brand? If queerness is treated like a product, then of course the product will evolve to stay sellable. the biphobia directed at fletcher after she just dropped her new song is disgusting especially during pride month?? it's not cute — m☆rie (@iflukecouldtalk) June 5, 2025 fletcher had the opportunity to make a really fun uplifting bi/pan anthem for pride month but instead she went with 'coming out as being in a socially acceptable heteronormative relationship is so scary' — emma (@dykezadi) June 6, 2025 That's where capitalism comes in. In a world where identity is monetized, queerness is no longer simply lived; it's branded. The music, the merch, and the imagery are all sold to LGBTQ+ fans like rainbow water bottles at a corporate Pride booth. And once identity becomes product, any deviation is treated like a brand malfunction. Fletcher dating a man? That doesn't just challenge social norms, it disrupts a profitable narrative and makes fans feel like they aren't getting what they paid for. The same can be said of Billie Eilish, who was recently seen kissing Nat Wolff (a male actor) after coming out as queer last year – a moment that sparked similar discourse about whether queerness can be real if it isn't always visibly subversive. Fans' discomfort with their bi pop queens dating men comes from two sources: ingrained biphobia and capitalism's hatred of ambiguity. about she's bisexual, then absolutely good for her. She made her career off of sapphics and developed a fanbase of queer women, just to play the victim with this new album… a woman has feelings for men, so groundbreakingdo y'all realize how weird is that? — lima 🩻 (@SoberSaturn) June 5, 2025 Queerness refuses tidy packaging while a 'lesbian' brand is legible and profitable because it feels stable. A queer woman who occasionally dates men? That's harder to market, harder to rally around, and much harder to convert into merch. As @seatt1edina put it: 'IDGAF if Fletcher has a BF but making a song where she is so 'scared' of telling people she's dating a MAN????????' accompanied by a meme of a woman cringing. But doesn't the backlash prove Fletcher's fear was valid? If she'd joyfully announced her relationship, would she really have been met with celebration – or just a different flavor of disdain? @poet_department's post – 'Fletcher kissing a boy and releasing the song during Pride Month is homophobic' – might sound absurd, but it captures how deeply brand logic has saturated queer discourse. When your queerness is your market niche, any shift feels like a PR stunt, not a personal truth. Capitalism doesn't know what to do with nuance. It wants stories that are clear, identities that are fixed, and artists who behave like products. When someone does do a brand shift – say, a Taylor Swift 'era' – it's done with PR polish that fans can easily follow. Queerness, by its very nature, resists that polish, so fans read it as a deviation from an unspoken contract. This is why identity politics, when filtered through capitalist incentives, become dangerous, because they stop being about liberation and start being about legibility. More Trending Queer people, particularly bisexual women and nonbinary people, often bear the brunt of this because the moment their desires don't align with the marketable version of their identity, their authenticity is questioned. However, to be clear, Fletcher isn't a passive victim. She capitalised heavily on her queer image, including public drama with exes like Shannon Beveridge. Her fans feel lied to, not because she changed, but because the product did, and products aren't supposed to change. It's what you get when you make something as personal as sexuality your whole brand, and Fletcher should have seen it coming. And yet, underlying all of this fan reaction is a deeper fear that shouldn't be dismissed: With the rise of fascism and the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights, are some queer women gravitating toward hetero-presenting relationships for safety, consciously or not? Is queer visibility shrinking again, right when we were promised liberation? Still, the backlash Fletcher faces reveals more about us than about her. We've been trained to see queerness not as a lived truth, but as something to buy into or opt out of, and in a system where queerness is monetised, fluidity will always be read as betrayal. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: I came out 10 years ago — this is what your teen daughter needs to hear MORE: A year ago Hawk Tuah girl went viral – Metro catches up with Haliey Welch to find out what happened next MORE: Tom Daley partners with Reiss on exclusive Pride Collection – with all profits going to charity
Boston Globe
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
At Gillette, the Weeknd made his case for being the reigning male artist in pop music
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up On Tuesday night at Gillette, Tesfaye continued the heavy lifting, piling platinum songs atop diamond singles during the first of two nights in town for his 'After Hours 'Til Dawn Stadium Tour.' The current slew of shows toasts the artist's last three records: 'After Hours,' 'Dawn FM,' and this year's release, 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' all chapters of a trilogy that Tesfaye has been fleshing out since 2020. Advertisement The Weeknd performs at Gillette Stadium. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff 'I said, 'next time I come back, we're doing this [expletive] twice,'' Tesfaye said, referencing a thought from his one-show visit to Foxborough in 2022. Advertisement If manifesting Such supersized production elements could only be dwarfed by the magnitude of Tesfaye's catalog. While the evening focused largely on material from the aforementioned trilogy of albums, all seven of the artist's No. 1 songs surfaced throughout the night. Most notably, 'The Hills' set the catwalk ablaze with timed pyrotechnics as Tesfaye prowled through the hedonistic hit, and he later transformed the fluttering synths of 'Die For You' into a touching devotional for the crowd. And while era-defining chart-toppers like 'Can't Feel My Face' or 'Blinding Lights' would have been natural choices for an ecstatic finale, Tesfaye offered the two dance songs earlier in the set, and instead chose to stick the landing with a smaller hit, the Swedish House Mafia collab 'Moth To A Flame' ('smaller' here meaning it boasts 'only' one billion Spotify streams). 'Like a moth to a flame, I'll pull you in, I pulled you back to what you need initially,' he sang, harnessing the devotion that earned him two consecutive shows at Gillette – and could very well earn him a third on his next tour. Your move, Sheeran. THE WEEKND Advertisement With Playboi Carti and Mike Dean At Gillette Stadium, Tuesday
Elle
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Kehlani Wore a Shimmery Archival Dior Dress by John Galliano to the BET Awards
When it came to dressing for last night's BET Awards in Los Angeles, Kehlani wanted to channel 'early 2000s effortless attire' on the red carpet, she tells ELLE. 'We wanted something classic, and nothing screams classic like vintage Dior!' Sure enough, she and stylist Anastasia Walker landed on an archival Christian Dior dress by John Galliano, a strapless number featuring gold baroque-inspired beading over light blue fabric. (The pattern juxtaposed with her many tattoos.) There were dangling zipper details on the straps and on the hip-high leg slit. As for accessories, she wore metallic Tom Ford heeled sandals and jewelry by Alexis Bittar. Quran Smith styled her hair into loose, glam waves; makeup artist Troye Batiste gave her a soft-glam look; and Johana Castillo, a.k.a. @masterweenay, handled her intricate manicure. Kehlani was nominated in two categories for this year's ceremony: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and Video of the Year for 'After Hours,' a song which also earned her a Grammy nod. Although the festivities are over, the singer has more to celebrate this week. Tomorrow, she's releasing a new single, titled 'Folded,' an R&B post-breakup ballad that'll have you singing in the rain like you're in a 2000s music video. 'Come pick up your clothes, I have them folded,' she sings in the chorus, following a sweeping string intro. The track is produced by Khris Riddick-Tynes (who collaborated on 'After Hours'), Andre Harris, Donovan Knight, and Don Mills. Before you start adding 'Folded' to your playlists, swipe through the gallery below to see how Kehlani got ready for last night's big event.
Scroll.in
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Start the week with a film: In ‘Night Courier', a seriocomic battle for survival
It's not often that we get to watch films from Saudi Arabia. It's rarer still to watch a movie that explores the underbelly of Saudi cities. Night Courier is one such film. Ali Kalthami's Arabic-language directorial debut from 2023 is set in Riyadh. The original title, Mandoob, refers both to a person who delivers a package as well as a victim of misfortune. Indeed, long is the night and extended the misery of Fahad, who loses his job in a telecommunications company because he hangs up a bit too soon on a customer. Fahad (Mohamad Aldokhei) puts up a spirited fight, but there is the unmistakeable sense that his bosses are happy to get rid of him. In order to support his ailing father and divorced sister, Fahad becomes a courier of illicit goods, which puts him – and viewers – on a path of discovery of Riyadh's lesser-known aspects. Underneath a veneer of morality, there's a lot of activity that borders on the blasphemous, not to mention criminal, Fahad finds. His desperate measures to earn money challenge his survival skills, not to mention his mental balance. Night Courier is available on JioHotstar and Prime Video. The slickly filmed, neon-lit Arab noir is both a cruel comedy as well as a cautionary tale about overreach. Ali Kalthami's film is like Martin Scorsese's After Hours in its exploration of the pleasures and anxieties that come into view after sundown. Night Courier also resembles Jafar Panahi's Crimson Gold in its exploration of the despair felt by a man who struggles to live up to expectations or provide for his family. Fahad isn't the only one who's striving – his sister too dreams of starting a business that will give her the financial independence she craves. The lugubrious-faced Mohamad Aldokhei's performance careens between the comic and the tragic. Through his curious eyes, Night Courier dives into netherworlds where a word or a step out a line can be risky for the economically disadvantaged. The film was a domestic hit in Saudi Arabia, proving the viability of local stories that mine lived realities. Play
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Weeknd Might Not Be Retiring His Music Persona After All
The Weeknd has teased that Hurry Up Tomorrow— his sixth album and upcoming film of the same name— also marks the end of the artist fans have grown to love for over 15 years. However, that may not necessarily be the case. While promoting the film at CinemaCon 2025, Abel Tesfaye told EW that this moment feels like both a death and resurrection. 'It feels like it [the end of the Weeknd]. I mean, I've kind of toyed with the idea in the past with albums,' he noted. 'But it could also just be a rebirth. Who knows?' Back in January, the 35-year-old announced plans to retire his alter ego. 'It's a headspace I've gotta get into that I just don't have any more desire for,' he explained to Variety. 'You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it.' Hurry Up Tomorrow marks the conclusion in the trilogy that began with 2020's After Hours, which was followed by 2022's Dawn FM. The film follows a fictionalized version of himself, also named Abel, who gets taken on an insane ride by a seductive stranger, Anima (Jenna Ortega). Director Trey Edward Shults, shared with EW in February that he 'tried to make the movie in a way where, for his fans and people who want to approach it at that level, I hope it's very satisfying and you get a good meal out of it.' Shults confirmed that it was an 'absolute possibility' that the movie would be The Weeknd's last hurrah chapter, adding 'For people that aren't his fans and don't know anything about him or even care about the final capping of the Weeknd, I think you still have a great movie to go through.' The Weeknd considers the film to be 'really introspective and cathartic.' It hits theaters this Friday. More from The Weeknd's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Film Trailer Hints At A Mind-Bending Experience The Weeknd Earns Fifth No. 1 Album With 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Debut The Weeknd Releases Star-Studded 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Movie Trailer
