Taylor Swift takes on Hollywood with concert documentary

NEW YORK -- She already rules music, so now it's on to Tinseltown: Taylor Swift's concert documentary is poised to dominate the fall movie season, challenging the hegemony of film studios and consecrating her business empire.

Swift is taking a break from her wildly popular tour that began in March -- performances will resume in November and run late into next year.

But in the meantime, the 33-year-old is hitting the silver screen: "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" is slated for release on October 13, and has already broken the record for pre-sales in the United States in one day, with $37 million in revenue.

The film could exceed $100 million in its opening weekend, said Jeff Bock, an analyst for box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

"I think we could be talking about the biggest film of the fall season, which is pretty incredible," he told AFP -- even if, for now, only screenings in the United States are on the books.

Swift opted for an unconventional release, announcing it less than two months before its premiere and directly working with the theater giant AMC, while bypassing the traditional film studios.

And in a sign that Hollywood -- which is embroiled in prolonged twin strikes by actors and writers -- fears Swift's release, studios have postponed the opening screenings of several films that fall around the same dates, notably that of "The Exorcist: Believer."

According to the specialist news outlet Puck, the budget of Swift's film fell between $10-20 million.

She will share 57 percent of ticket sales with AMC, says Billboard, a similar proportion to what studios would normally receive. The remainder would go to theaters, under the deal.

"I don't know an artist today with that kind of leverage," said Ralph Jaccodine, a professor at the Berklee College of Music.

The Eras Tour currently boasts 146 dates, and some analysts anticipate it will cross the symbolic $1-billion mark, a feat never yet achieved.

According to the industry tracker Pollstar, each concert generates some $13 million in revenue, which would put the total proceeds at $1.9 billion.

'Bold' 

Before her tour and film, Swift garnered significant attention -- and found resounding success -- by re-recording her first six albums in a bid to control their master rights.

The power move came in the wake of public sparring with industry mogul Scooter Braun, her one-time manager whose company had purchased her previous label and thereby gained a majority stake in her early work.

He later sold Swift's master rights to a private equity company.

The situation left Swift publicly incensed: "I just feel that artists should own their work," she said in 2019.

"She's a vocal advocate for artists' rights," Jaccodine said. "She's built her own brand."

Swift is currently worth an estimated $740 million, according to Forbes, but steps closer every day to becoming the first singer worth a billion based on her music alone.

Before her public efforts to regain control of her work, Prince, George Michael, Jay-Z and Kanye West all also fought for control of their masters -- one-of-a-kind source material that dictate how songs are reproduced and sold -- but none had gone so far as to re-record them completely.

"She has been very bold in terms of the strategies that she's been willing to pursue," said Carolyn Mary Sloane, a labor economist at the University of Chicago. "She's been willing to pursue all of these different avenues, a very kind of savvy and smart and strategic economics."

"So you might see some change from other artists."

Pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo, for example, has said she ensured control of her master rights when inking her first contract, inspired by Swift.

Swift has sweetened her re-releases with bonus material and previously unreleased tracks -- like the 10-minute version of "All Too Well" -- to the delight of her ardent fans.

Making an event of each re-release also allowed her to promote her early work to younger fans, who were perhaps less versed in her "Taylor Swift" and "Fearless" periods.

In a similar vein, her "Eras" film will grant "people an entry into her concert" even if they couldn't afford or make it to the live show, Jaccodine said.

Other artists have released concert or tour films in theaters; "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" from 2011 has performed the best at the North American box office thus far, with $73 million in revenue.

But, according to Bock, the industry has never seen "a film like this drop at the height of an artist's popularity, like we're going to see in October with Swift."

"It sets a precedent," he said. "And I think it is something that other artists may consider now."

Bock however added: "There's maybe a handful of artists that could probably pull this off."

Agence France-Presse

'Gran Turismo' barely outraces 'Barbie' in N.America theaters

LOS ANGELES - Sony's sports action film "Gran Turismo" didn't exactly roar to the front of the North American box office, but did make it there on a slow late-August weekend, beating a still-turbo-powered "Barbie."

Based on a popular video game, "Gran Turismo" took in an estimated $17.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

"This is a lukewarm opening for an action film based on a video game," particularly compared to previous game-based films like "Warcraft" ($439 million in worldwide ticket sales) and "Rampage" ($428 million), analyst David A. Gross said.

The movie stars David Harbour and Orlando Bloom in a story about a racing academy that recruits skilled video gamers to train them as real race-car drivers.

Warner Bros.' "Barbie," meantime, has remained a steady seat-filler, with its $17.1 million take in its sixth week out propelling it to a $594 million domestic total.

The Greta Gerwig film recently overtook "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($574 million) as the year's domestic box office champ. Add to that the $745 million "Barbie" has earned overseas.

Analysts said Sony's accounting of ticket sales for "Gran Turismo" was a bit wonky (including millions in pre-sales) and predicted "Barbie" might, in the final tally, be the weekend's Number One -- as she is Ken's.

Last weekend's leader, superhero flick "Blue Beetle" from DC Studios and Warner Bros., dipped to third, at $12.8 million, a nearly 50 percent drop from the previous weekend. Xolo Mariduena, as the Beetle, became the first live-action Latino protagonist.

In fourth was Universal's "Oppenheimer," earning an estimated $9 million. The atom bomb origin story has now surpassed $300 million in domestic earnings, with an additional $477 million overseas.

And in fifth place was Paramount's animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," the latest chapter in the heroes-in-a-half-shell saga, at $6.1 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Meg 2: The Trench" ($5.1 million)

"Strays" ($4.7 million)

"Retribution" ($3.5 million)

"The Hill" ($2.5 million)

"Haunted Mansion" ($2.1 million)

Agence France-Presse

'Total frenzy': Taylor Swift fever grows in Latin America

MEXICO CITY -- Excitement is building among Taylor Swift fans in Latin America who have endured months-long queues, expensive tickets and, in one case, assault to realize their dream of seeing the pop superstar.

The 33-year-old singer-songwriter, who holds the women's record for most number one albums, will bring her "Eras" tour to the region from Thursday starting in Mexico, followed by Argentina and Brazil.

In Rio de Janeiro, Renan Rodrigues camped out for several nights to buy tickets for Swift's November 17-19 concerts at the Nilton Santos stadium.

The 24-year-old DJ, who performs at parties for Swifties, as the pop star's devoted fans are known, got tickets to all three performances.

But he paid a high price -- an assailant hit him on the head with a bottle for resisting an attempted robbery while he was waiting.

"They wanted to take my cellphone, and inside the case was my card from the only bank authorized for ticket sales. I just thought: they won't take my card," said Rodrigues, who suffered superficial injuries.

Tickets for Taylor Swift shows in Brazil cost between $35 and $468.

In Mexico, where young people earn an average salary of $366 a month according to official data, fans had to pay between $55 and $614.

Ingrid Cruz, founder of the official Mexican fan club, described the high cost as "abuse" and complained that VIP packages were prioritized over regular tickets.

Fans also reported problems with the platform of US retail giant Ticketmaster.

The vendor operates in Mexico as part of the powerful CIE entertainment and media group, which in turn controls around two-thirds of the local market for live shows.

Pre-sales for the four concerts in Mexico City were based on a previous registration of "verified fans" by email.

But even Joel Aguilar, creator of Taylor Swift MX, a fan site with some 20,000 followers from 20 countries, failed to qualify, he said.

Denisse Castro, 26, who has been unemployed for six months, hoped that building a credit history and obtaining a card from the bank sponsoring the concert would help her to secure good seats.

Unfortunately for her, the bank recently tightened its credit restrictions, so Castro could only afford the cheapest tickets.

In the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, a group set up camp outside the River stadium in June, five months before the concert, to ensure they have places near the stage.

"It's going to be a total frenzy," said Iara Palavencino, one of the fans, who take it in turns to reserve their spots.

Tickets sold out quickly in Argentina, despite the country's serious economic crisis.

In Chile, President Gabriel Boric, a self-proclaimed Swiftie, made an unsuccessful appeal to Swift to include his country on her tour.

And in Mexico, proving that the pop star's popularity transcends age, a 64-year-old Supreme Court judge outed himself as a Swiftie earlier this year.

"There's nothing trivial about Taylor Swift," Arturo Zaldivar wrote in a newspaper in June.

Agence France-Presse

Cinemalaya's 'Maria' puts women at the 'heart' of drug war

MANILA -- Widows and mothers are at the "heart" of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war.

More than 6,000 people were killed in police anti-drug raids during Duterte's six-year term, which ended in June 2022, government data shows.

Rights groups estimate the real figure was in the tens of thousands, mostly poor men living in slums who died at the hands of law enforcers, hitmen and vigilantes.

Many of the victims had wives or partners and mothers, who have had to deal with the heartbreak and hardship of losing a loved one and often the family's main breadwinner.

In her new documentary "Maria," Andes follows two of these women, Mary Ann Domingo and Maria Deparine, as they struggle to survive and find justice.

"We have to register that this thing really happened. And now people need to see what has happened to their families," Andes told AFP in an interview.

Andes said she was inspired to make the film out of fear that Filipinos could forget, or never learn, about the brutal period in their nation's history.

She got a "huge wake-up call" when one of her students in a filmmaking course she teaches at Mapua University in Manila expressed surprise that the drug war was "really happening."

That moment in 2020 -- four years into Duterte's drug war, which made headlines around the world and sparked an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses -- left her aghast.

Three years later, "Maria" is the first full-length documentary to compete in the country's independent film festival Cinemalaya, which opened August 4.

"Maria" -- a common name for women in the Catholic-majority Philippines -- focuses on the harrowing experiences of Domingo and Deparine, which Andes says gives the film "heart and emotion."

The documentary shows the women doing menial jobs to support their families and making tearful visits to the tombs of their loved ones.

"I zoomed in on the details because it should not just be about numbers," said Andes.

"This is a story about women. I don't want this to be remembered as a drug war story."

'It is very difficult' 

Deparine lost two of her sons within days of each other in September 2016. One was with a local drug dealer when they were abducted by unidentified men.

They were both shot in the head and their bodies dumped under a bridge. Six days later, a second son was arrested by police at the home of a drug-dealing couple. He was later found dead under another bridge.

Since their deaths, Deparine, who works in a fish cannery and voted for Duterte in 2016, has moved multiple times with her husband and surviving son as they struggle to make enough money to pay the rent.

In the same month Deparine lost her sons, Domingo's partner and teenage son were killed in a nighttime police raid while the family slept in their shanty home.

Later, she and three of her surviving children had to flee for fear of their safety.

Lawyer Kristina Conti, who is helping Domingo seek justice for their deaths, said the four officers who allegedly shot dead her partner and son had been freed on bail and were back in uniform after serving short suspensions.

That's despite the men facing a homicide trial.

"As a mother who lost her partner, it is very difficult. At times I just wanted to give up, and at times I actually did," Domingo, 49, told AFP in an interview.

"This (film) is our chance to show to the world what happened to us."

'Political stand' 

Catholic priest Flaviano Villanueva, who appears in "Maria," said widows, mothers and grandmothers endured "unimaginable" hardships to keep their remaining family members alive.

Villanueva, who runs a support group for the families of the drug war's dead, said there was a "social stigma" that led to discrimination against those left behind.

Orphans were "bullied" at school and widows excluded from government assistance because "her husband got killed for being a drug addict," he told AFP.

Another woman who features prominently in the film is former Philippines vice president Leni Robredo, a vocal critic of the drug war who is seen consoling Domingo and Deparine.

Robredo ran in the 2022 presidential election but lost by a huge margin to the son and namesake of the country's late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who has continued the drug war.

Andes, who spent a decade working for a non-government organization before turning her hand to filmmaking, refuses to shy away from difficult subjects.

She said documentaries were a "powerful tool" in retelling history, but she feared that Filipinos preferred "escapism" and were not prepared to face grim reality.

Despite Duterte stepping down more than a year ago and Marcos Jr vowing to take the drug war in a new direction, Andes said the killings "never stopped".

"A documentary takes a political stand," she said. "We are not fiction and we are not here to titillate."

Agence France-Presse

Elton John testifies for defence at Spacey sex assault trial

LONDON, United Kingdom - British rock star Elton John on Monday gave evidence as a witness for the defense at the sexual assault trial of Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey.

The two-time Oscar winner denies 12 charges concerning four men, including indecent assault, which are alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2013.

Giving evidence via video link from Monaco, the musician and his husband David Furnish were questioned about Spacey attending an annual ball at their home in Windsor, west of London.

One of the alleged victims has accused Spacey of sexually assaulting him while he was driving the actor to the fundraising event, claiming he grabbed "so hard" they nearly came off the road.

Spacey, 63, had earlier told the Southwark Crown Court in London that the incident "never happened", adding that he was "not on a suicide mission".

He said there had been a mutual flirtation between them and admitted to having touched the man but not in a "violent, aggressive, painful way".

Responding to questions from the prosecution, John said he recalled Spacey, dressed in "white tie", attending the fundraising event in the early 2000s.

"He was on a flight, he came on a private jet and he came straight to the ball," John told the court, adding that Spacey stayed overnight at their home after the event.

"I can't remember him coming after that," John said.

Asked if he came straight from the private jet, the singer said "I assume so, yes".

Furnish, who was first to give evidence, also said he remembered Spacey's presence at the social event.

"He was an Oscar-winning actor, there was a lot of excitement he was at the ball," the filmmaker told the jury.

"Other than attending the ball I have no memory of Kevin coming to the house ever again," he added.

- 'Like another son' -

John was among the several celebrities that Spacey mentioned in court when he entered the witness box earlier in the trial.

He spoke of giving a ping pong table to actress Judi Dench after they worked on the 2001 film "The Shipping News" together, saying they developed a "lovely friendship".

Spacey grew emotional on Monday, dabbing his eyes as the court heard character statements from friends and family.

"House" and "Dead Poets Society" star Robert Sean Leonard described Spacey as "positive, supportive and respectful", while Chris Lemmon, son of "Some Like It Hot" actor Jack Lemmon, said Spacey was "like another son" to his father.

Spacey is an Academy Award winner for "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty", and was artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre between 2004 and 2015.

At the opening of the trial late last month, the prosecution claimed Spacey was a "sexual bully" who revelled in making others feel uncomfortable, including by aggressively grabbing men's crotches.

The court has heard from the four alleged victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, one of whom, a former aspiring actor, said he woke up to Spacey performing a sex act on him, suggesting the actor "drugged" him.

Last week Spacey in his testimony denied the sexual assault charges and described the prosecution's case against him as "weak".

He has previously told the court his world "exploded" when he was first accused of sexual assault several years ago by US actor Anthony Rapp in the United States, adding that he "lost everything in a matter of days".

Rapp's allegations were found not proven last year.

The trial continues.

Agence France Presse

'Emotional' Elton John closes out Glastonbury festival

PILTON -- Elton John gave the final concert at Britain's legendary Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, bringing down the curtain on the annual spectacular with what could be his final UK performance.

"I never thought I'd ever play Glastonbury," he told the crowd. "It's a very special and emotional night for me –- it might be my very last show in England, in Great Britain, so I'd better play well and entertain you."

The 76-year-old pop superstar is winding down a glittering live career with a global farewell tour, having played his last concerts in the United States in May ahead of a final gig in Stockholm on July 8.

Glastonbury, Britain's best-known music festival, has been hosted on a farm in southwest England for five decades.

Before John took to the main Pyramid Stage on Sunday night, anticipation was high among fans.

"Elton's a legend," PhD student Giles Briscoe, 26, told AFP ahead of the set, wearing a replica of the iconic baseball outfit John wore at his famous 1975 concerts at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.

"The fact that he's going to perform on such a big stage, at such a historic moment of his career, is such a big event."

John did not disappoint, kicking the show off with "Pinball Wizard" -- a role he memorably played in The Who's rock opera "Tommy" -- before reeling through some of his biggest hits, including "Candle in the Wind," "Crocodile Rock" and an intense "I'm Still Standing".

John dedicated "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" to his "friend" and "inspiration" George Michael, who died on Christmas Day in 2016, and who would have turned 60 on Sunday.

'Incredible journey' 

John's husband David Furnish had told Sky News ahead of the concert that John would not stop making music after the farewell tour ends next month, and would start work on a new studio album later this year.

He also teased Sunday's performance, saying it would be "very special," and "not just another day in the office."

Indeed, John was joined on stage by several surprise guests: first off, the London Community Gospel Choir and Jacob Lusk of the soul-pop group Gabriels.

Next up was Stephen Sanchez, with John singing one of the 20-year-old American's songs.

He later shared the stage with Brandon Flowers of The Killers for "Tiny Dancer," and with Rina Sawayama for "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

He closed out the set with a soaring rendition of "Rocket Man," complete with fireworks.

During the concert, John thanked his fans "for 52 years of amazing love and loyalty."

"It's been an incredible journey and I've had the best, best time. I will never forget you -- you are in my head, my heart and my soul."

John's UK swansong caps days of big-name performances in front of more than 200,000 fans at Glastonbury, including veteran US rockers Guns N'Roses, who were making their debut at the long-running festival in the coveted Saturday night headline slot.

They rocked through their extensive catalogue during a two-hour-plus set, playing hits including "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "November Rain."

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, whose band played a so-called secret slot Friday, joined them onstage to help play a special rendition of "Paradise City."

Other acts playing this year included UK indie giants Arctic Monkeys, singer Lizzo, rapper Lil Nas X, post-punk icon Blondie and "rickroller" Rick Astley, highlighting Glastonbury's eclectic ethos.

On Saturday, a supportive crowd sang along as Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, who suffers from Tourette's syndrome, struggled to finish his set.

He announced he would take a break, after previously cancelling gigs to recuperate over health concerns.

No mud 

Dairy farmer Michael Eavis first organized the festival in 1970, the day after Jimi Hendrix died, and fans who came to see acts including Marc Bolan and Al Stewart paid £1 each for entry and received free milk from the farm.

It was held intermittently in the 1970s, but it wasn't until the 1990s that it really began to acquire its cult status.

While able to draw the biggest performers from every genre and generation, it is equally known for hosting thousands of small acts and left-field events across the huge Worthy Farm site, as well as for often rainy and muddy conditions.

That has not proved a problem this year, with Britain in the midst of a prolonged dry period leaving much of the country scorched.

More than 100,000 standard tickets for this year's festival sold out in just over an hour, despite the price rising to £335 ($427) this year.

Agence France-Presse

Michael Jackson's moonwalk fedora up for auction in Paris

PARIS, France - The black fedora worn by pop superstar Michael Jackson just before he dazzled the world with his moonwalk dance for the first time will be up for grabs in September during a Paris auction of music memorabilia.

The King of Pop whipped off the hat while breaking into his hit "Billie Jean" during a televised Motown concert in 1983.

A few minutes later Jackson, at the height of his fame, showed off what would become his trademark move -- a seemingly effortless glide backwards while appearing to move forward.

The hat, with an estimated value of 60,000 to 100,000 euros ($65,000-$110,000), will be the star attraction at an auction of rock-and-roll items by Drouot on September 26.

Other items include a guitar owned by the legendary bluesman T-Bone Walker that could fetch up to 150,000 euros; a suit worn by Depeche Mode's Martin Gore; and one of Madonna's gold records.

The sale is being organised by Artpeges and Lemon Auction, which last year made a splash with the 385,500-euros sale of the infamous guitar that broke up Oasis, the British band formed by the brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher.

A full list of the roughly 200 items will be published online by Hotel Drouot on July 4.

Agence France Presse

10 years of K-pop megastars BTS: Five things to know

SEOUL — Seoul this week marks 10 years of megastars BTS, the supergroup credited with bringing K-pop into the global mainstream and generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy.

They've been called "icons of progressive globalism", were once South Korean presidential envoys, and have done everything from Korean Air in-flight safety videos to campaigning for UNICEF.

At heart, however, they're entertainers. Here, AFP breaks down what you need to know about BTS:

WHO ARE BTS? 

After debuting on June 13, 2013, the septet went on to become the first all-South Korean act to dominate the US and UK charts, raking in billions of dollars and building a global fandom, known as ARMY, in the process.

Their embrace of social media meant they barely missed a beat during the pandemic, using direct engagement with fans online to cement their position as the world's biggest and most influential boy band.

Despite earlier breakthrough Korean hits like Psy's "Gangnam Style", BTS are widely credited with bringing K-pop into the mainstream in the US.

"As a South Korean idol group, BTS have smashed so many preconceived notions and industry odds to become chart-topping, Grammy-nominated musicians," Jeff Benjamin, Billboard's K-pop columnist, told AFP.

"Crucially, they did it not by adjusting their viewpoints, perspectives or languages to cater to the larger market but by firmly establishing themselves as the K-pop musicians they are."

WHAT DO THEY DO? 

Aside from music, the band has long championed global progressive causes, from the Black Lives Matter protests to fighting anti-Asian racism in the United States.

They've spoken at the United Nations and appeared at the White House, while still remaining one of the most popular bands in the world on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

Prior to BTS, K-pop "was treated as a niche interest, separate from global culture", Sarah Keith, a senior lecturer in media and music at Australia's Macquarie University, told AFP.

"BTS's global popularity has led to a change in this perspective. BTS has arguably changed how the world perceives South Korea."

HOW ARE THEY CELEBRATING?

Ironically, the band is currently on a hiatus, with two members performing their mandatory South Korean military service.

All able-bodied South Korean men must serve at least 18 months in the military, and after a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, began his service in December. J-Hope started his service in April.

But the septet released a new digital single last week to celebrate the anniversary: "Take Two", purportedly a nod to the band's second chapter after a decade as musicians.

"All seven members participated in 'Take Two'", their agency Hybe said. "The song conveys their appreciation for ARMY, for all the love you shower them with."

A number of important tourist spots across Seoul, including the Namsan Seoul Tower and Dongdaemun Design Plaza, will be lit up in purple -- ARMY's colour -- in celebration of the anniversary.

Band leader RM will attend the main event of the celebration in Seoul at the Han River Park on June 17.

ON A BREAK? 

The band, who are known to be extremely hard-working and have maintained a relentless pace of new releases in their nine years at the top, said last year they were "exhausted" and would take a break.

RM said at the time that the K-pop industry -- known for its cut-throat competition -- was not allowing him to mature as an artist, saying he felt like a "rapping machine".

Since the announcement, BTS members who are still obliged to join the military have focused on their solo careers.

Jimin released his six-track solo album "Face" in March, with the single "Like Crazy" earning him a place in the record books as the first South Korean solo artist to land the number one spot on the top US songs chart.

Band member Suga is currently on his first solo worldwide tour.

WHAT'S NEXT? 

Local media says the ongoing break may last as long as seven years if the septet decides to wait until all members complete their military duties before resuming group activities.

In March, Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of Hybe and the mastermind behind BTS, said industry figures -- including global ratings and album sales -- showed a declining demand for K-pop, blaming the BTS hiatus.

"It remains to be seen how the group can re-integrate as a seven-member group once they have finished their military service, as this is usually a difficult time for male artist groups," Keith said.

But the ongoing break could be "a growth period for BTS overall as members pursue solo interests and add more diversity to BTS's output", she added.

Agence France-Presse 

Simply the best: Rock queen Tina Turner has died at 83

LOS ANGELES — Rock legend Tina Turner, the growling songstress who electrified audiences for decades, died Wednesday at the age of 83 after a long illness.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner," read a statement on the official Instagram page of the eight-time Grammy winner.

"With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow.

"Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family.

"Tina, we will miss you dearly."

Publicist Bernard Doherty confirmed the news, which he said had robbed the world of "a music legend and a role model."

Doherty said Turner died after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.

He gave no details of the illness.

Turner first encountered fame more than six decades ago with husband Ike Turner.

The pair recorded a number of hits together throughout the 1960s and 1970s, in a musical partnership in which she was clearly the more talented.

After their troubled and violent marriage collapsed -- she fled in 1976 mid-tour -- Tina Turner forged a wildly successful solo career.

The following decades gifted the world instantly recognizable hits like "What's Love Got to Do With It?", "Private Dancer" and the anthemic "The Best".

Her "We Don't Need Another Hero" featured on the soundtrack to "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," the 1985 post-apocalyptic thriller starring Mel Gibson.

A decade later she oozed her way through "Goldeneye," joining the select ranks of artists who have sung on the James Bond franchise.

Reaction to her death was swift and came from across the spectrum.

'QUEEN OF ROCK AND SOUL'

Fellow singer Gloria Gaynor took to Instagram to hail Turner's mold-breaking career.

"I am so, so very sad to hear of the passing of Tina Turner, the iconic, legend who paved the way for so many women in rock music, black and white," she wrote.

"She did with great dignity and success what very few would even have dared to do in her time and in that genre of music.

"She will be sorely missed."

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger lamented the loss of "an enormously talented performer and singer.

"She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her."

Bandmate Ronnie Wood called her "the Queen Of Rock And Soul and a dear friend."

Basketball legend Magic Johnson posted a picture with the songstress, whom he said was "one of my favorite artists of all time".

"I've seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I've ever seen. She always gave you your moneys worth," he tweeted.

Singer Ciara tweeted: "Heaven has gained an angel. Rest in paradise Tina Turner. Thank you for the inspiration you gave us all."

Actor Forest Whitaker praise Turner's "voice, her dancing, and her spirit."

But he also hailed her ability to bounce back, in a nod to the difficulty of escaping her troubled marriage to Ike.

"As we honor her, let's also reflect on her resilience, and think about all the greatness that can follow our darkest days. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us, Tina."

English crooner Rick Astley tweeted "What a woman, what a life, what a voice! One of the GREATS!" while NASA declared that Turner's "legacy will forever live among the stars."

Agence France-Presse

Cannes queasy over vomit-eating dieting drama

Cannes, France -- Cannes endured the nauseating sight of someone eating her own vomit on Monday, but the film's star, Mia Wasikowska, said it was a dark satire on the challenges facing teens.

The film festival awarded its top prize last year to a movie involving a 15-minute vomiting sequence, "Triangle of Sadness", and this year got its own gross-out scene in "Club Zero", this time set around a nutrition cult.

In one particularly revolting scene, a girl wanting to save the planet makes herself sick in front of her appalled parents and then eats her own vomit with a fork.

Wasikowska, known from "Alice in Wonderland" and "Crimson Peak", said the film uses eating disorders and cults to explore the anxieties of younger generations faced by climate change and global inequalities.

"I always think that if I was a teenager now I would be so nervous with the world that we are inheriting," Wasikowska told AFP.

"I just found it moving that these kids join this class because they care about the planet, a lot of them want to eat less meat, be more conscious. It's the most beautiful part of young people. And it gets corrupted, influenced."

The new feature from Austrian director Jessica Hausner takes place in a prestigious European college and centres on a group of teenagers who come under the influence of Ms Novak (Wasikowska), who advocates "conscious eating".

Essentially this means eating nothing in a bid to save the planet and opt out of consumer culture.

Speaking to AFP just ahead of the film's premiere in Cannes on Monday, Hausner said her film explored what happens when you follow an extreme idea to its limit.

"It is not to make people uneasy, it is to show how radicalisation works," Hausner said of the stomach-churning vomit scene.

With its satirical tone and touches of absurdist humour, it echoes the themes and style of "Triangle of Sadness", which won the Palme d'Or for Sweden's Ruben Ostlund, who is heading this year's jury.

- True believers -

Hausner and Wasikowska, an Australian actress who has starred in films by Tim Burton, Jim Jarmusch and David Cronenberg, prepared by researching cults and sects.

Key for Hausner was to make the teacher sincere in her beliefs rather than an evil manipulator.

"Jessica was absolutely insistent that she is a true believer and really believes what she is doing is the right thing," Wasikowska said.

The kids and Ms Novak "start to believe in something we would normally say is wrong and crazy, and this is very hard to accept, that people believe in ideas that are devastating or destructive", Hausner said.

Hausner's last feature "Little Joe", about an experiment in plant breeding going too far, was in competition at Cannes in 2019 and won best actress for Britain's Emily Beecham.

Like that film, "Club Zero" uses strong colours and creates an eerie atmosphere with an absurdist touch.

"I don't set the films in a particular time, so I try to create an artificial style with the visuals," Hausner said, adding that she was "bored" with naturalism. 

Agence France-Presse

K-pop megastars BTS to release memoir in July

SEOUL — K-pop megastars BTS will release a memoir in South Korea and the United States in July, its US publisher said, triggering feverish excitement from the supergroup's global fanbase.

BTS has become a global cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums and dominating charts around the world while raking in billions for South Korea's economy.

Titled "Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS," the book was co-written by South Korean journalist Kang Myeong-seok and members of the band, according to the publisher.

"Who is excited?... #BTSbook," US publisher Flatiron Books said Thursday on its Instagram account, sharing a news article about the launch.

Online forums and social media sites had been awash with speculation about a potential celebrity book release in July, with some commenters saying that it may be authored by Taylor Swift.

The mystery book shot to the top of Amazon and Barnes and Noble bestseller lists after pre-orders by fans.

The K-pop group's 544-page memoir will be released on July 9, according to the book's Amazon page.

It is a tribute to a significant date in the septet's history: the megastars' loyal international fan base known as ARMY came into being that day, 10 years ago.

"I'm so looking forward to the book... It's so cool to be able to look back on the last 10 years with BTS," one fan wrote on Twitter in Korean.

"Will I be able to buy it since the competition is so global?" another feared.

The US edition of the book was translated by Anton Hur with Clare Richards and Slin Jung, Hur said in a tweet.

BTS is currently on a "hiatus," with members pursuing solo projects while two of the group have enlisted for mandatory South Korean military service.

All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military and, after a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year.

BTS star J-Hope started his mandatory South Korean military service last month, South Korean media reported at the time, becoming the K-pop juggernaut's second member to enlist.

Before the pause, BTS bagged six No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 and all seven members of the boyband have reached the top songs chart with solo tracks, Billboard said.

For more news and features on K-pop, K-drama, and K-stars, visit the Hallyu Corner microsite.  

Agence France-Presse

Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian folk legend, dead at 84

Canadian singer and performer Gordon Lightfoot, who rose to international fame as a folk music star in the 1960s and '70s, died on Monday. He was 84.

"Gordon Lightfoot passed away this evening in a Toronto hospital at 7:30 pm (2330 GMT)," a post on his official Facebook page read, as obituaries started pouring in from the Canadian press.

The immediate cause of death was not made public. "More info to come," read the post.

Lightfoot, born in Ontario, made his performing debut in 1943, at the age of five, singing "I'm A Little Teapot" at a local church Sunday school, according to his website.

He later found himself immersed in the Canadian and American folk scene, amid contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.

While he is known as a folk and folk-pop star of the late 20th century, Lightfoot's popularity -- and continued songwriting -- meant he was touring internationally until just last month.

In April, the singer canceled his 2023 tour dates, citing unspecified health issues.

Lightfoot's songs -- dealing with everything from a failed marriage to the beauty of the Canadian countryside -- were covered by artists including Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead.

The singer, known for hits such as "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," "Early Morning Rain," and "If You Could Read My Mind," was often hailed as a modern-day poet in his native Canada.

Dylan once called Lightfoot one of his favorite artists, saying "I can't think of any (songs) I don't like."

Lightfoot, on the other hand, was more reserved about his talents, once telling Canadian paper The Globe and Mail: "Sometimes I wonder why I'm being called an icon, because I really don't think of myself that way."

But his modesty was to no avail.

"He is our poet laureate. He is our iconic singer-songwriter," Geddy Lee, the lead singer of Rock band Rush, told a 2019 documentary about Lightfoot.

Lightfoot "was hailed as Canada's folk troubadour for his soulful music and stirring lyrics," broadcaster CBC wrote in its obituary.

Lightfoot is survived by his third wife, Kim Hasse, according to music publication Billboard.

Agence France-Presse

'Super Mario' is year's first film to pass $1 billion globally

LOS ANGELES - "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" easily held its first-place position on North American movie screens this weekend while its accumulated global total pushed past the $1 billion mark, analysts said Sunday.

The video game-based film earned an estimated $40 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period in the United States and Canada for a domestic total so far of $490 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

With overseas earnings now at $532 million, its accumulated global total has hit $1.02 billion.

That makes "Super Mario" -- a joint project of Universal, Nintendo and Illumination studios -- the year's first film to pass the billion-dollar mark and only the 10th animation ever to do so, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Second place, for the second straight weekend, went to bloody horror film "Evil Dead Rise" from Warner Bros., at $12.2 million. Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland play sisters battling a demonic crew known as the Deadites.

In third was "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," a new comedy-drama from Gracie Films and Lionsgate Films, at $6.8 million. Analyst David A. Gross called that only "a fair opening" for a coming-of-age film, while adding that "reviews and audience scores are sensational."

Based on the beloved Judy Blume novel of the same name, it stars Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, a sixth-grader navigating the challenges of that awkward age. Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates also star.

Still strong in its sixth weekend out, Lionsgate's neo-noir "John Wick: Chapter 4" placed fourth at $5 million. Keanu Reeves plays the titular hitman.

And showing the enduring lure of the "Star Wars" franchise, Disney's re-release of "Return of the Jedi" placed fifth, taking in $4.8 million.

The film starring icons Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher marks its 40th anniversary in late May. It sold more than 80 million tickets in its initial run.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" ($4.1 million)

"Air" ($4 million)

"Ponniyin Selvan: II" ($3.7 million)

"The Covenant" ($3.6 million)

"Sisu" ($3.3 million)

Agence France-Presse

Netflix to invest $2.5 billion in South Korean content

SEOUL — Netflix will invest $2.5 billion in South Korean content over the next four years, the streaming giant's CEO Ted Sarandos announced after meeting with the country's President Yoon Suk Yeol in Washington.

South Korea has cemented its status as a global cultural powerhouse in recent years, thanks in part to the explosive success of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" and the hit Netflix series "Squid Game".

"Netflix is delighted to confirm that we will invest USD 2.5 billion in Korea including the creation of Korean series, films, and unscripted shows over the next four years," Sarandos said in a statement given to AFP Tuesday.

"This investment plan is twice the total amount Netflix has invested in the Korean market since we started our service in Korea in 2016."

Sarandos said that Netflix had "great confidence" that South Korea's creative industry would continue to tell great stories, pointing to the recent success of global hits such as "The Glory" and the reality show "Physical 100".

"It is incredible that the love towards Korean shows has led to a wider interest in Korea, thanks to the Korean creators' compelling stories. Their stories are now at the heart of the global cultural zeitgeist," he added.

Over the last few years, South Korean content has taken the world by storm, with over 60 percent of Netflix viewers watching a show from the East Asian country in 2022, company data showed.

Netflix, which spent more than 1 trillion won ($750 million) developing Korean content from 2015 to 2021, had previously said it would be expanding its South Korean show output, without giving details of spending plans.

Yoon, who arrived in Washington Monday for a six-day state visit, hailed what he described as a "very meaningful" meeting with Sarandos, according to a transcript shared with AFP by the president's office.

Yoon said the new investment "will be a great opportunity for the Korean content industry, creators, and Netflix. We sincerely welcome Netflix's exceptional investment decision."

Yoon's is set to meet US President Joe Biden Wednesday, with his visit coming as the allies move to bulk up military cooperation over North Korea's expanding nuclear threats.

Pyongyang has conducted another record-breaking string of sanctions-defying launches this year, including test-firing North Korea's first solid-fuel ballistic missile this month -- a key technical breakthrough for its military.

In response, Yoon has pulled South Korea closer to long-standing ally Washington, and the trip has a packed schedule including the summit with Biden, where the pair will celebrate 70 years of ties.

Yoon was also accompanied by more than 120 South Korean business leaders, including Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong, and the visit could address their concerns over Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.

Analysts have said that the trip going well is particularly important for Yoon, who is eager to boost his low domestic approval ratings especially in the realm of foreign policy.

Agence France-Presse

‘Air’ hero Sonny Vaccaro coaxed Nike into believing in Michael Jordan

NEW YORK, United States - The hero of the new movie "Air," released this week in the United States, is Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike employee who saw in a young Michael Jordan what "no one else had seen" and convinced the shoe brand to forge a revolutionary partnership.

During a 1984 meeting at Nike headquarters, Vaccaro proposed devoting all the money that Nike had earmarked to recruit future NBA players to one man -- rising sports star Jordan.

"Air," directed by Ben Affleck, traces the chaotic journey that brought about the singing of the barely-out-of-college player, even though Jordan had eyes on Nike's competitors, Converse and Adidas.

Nearly 40 years later, the Nike partnership with Jordan has grown into an empire, with $5.1 billion in sales last year from the Beaverton, Oregon-based company's Jordan Brand alone.

"I saw (in Jordan) something that maybe nobody else saw... and I bet my job that he would be the person," says Vaccaro, now 83, whose position at Nike was, at the time, under threat.

"Michael had something different. He had a killer instinct," Vaccaro says. "He was always competitive. And I don't know of another player that ever came along (like that)."

"The only one that I could put close to Michael and what he did... was Kobe Bryant," says Vaccaro, a multifaceted entrepreneur, businessman and talent scout. "Kobe had the same instincts... the same 'I don't give a damn about anything, I'm going to be the best.'"

In 1996, Vaccaro, who is played by actor Matt Damon in "Air," signed Kobe Bryant to Adidas, his employer at the time. He also came close to recruiting LeBron James to the brand in 2003.

'Paved the way'

Michael Jordan's arrival at Nike transformed the sports industry, revolutionizing both marketing and mass consumption, with billions of dollars at stake.

"That has really paved the way for corporations... to bet big on individual athletes and trend away from the team," says Thilo Kunkel, director of Temple University's Sport Industry Research Center.

Before Jordan, tennis players Stan Smith and Ivan Lendl, as well as basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, had already had their own Adidas models, as had NBA star Walt "Clyde" Frazier at Puma.

"Jordan probably got lucky and benefited from the trends that were happening already but I think he also contributed quite a bit to that trend," Kunkel says. "He accelerated it."

Until then, promotional campaigns were limited to full-page magazine ads and a few radio shows, recalls Vaccaro, who sees the marketing push promoting Jordan as groundbreaking.

"We did national television ads, and Nike made the best ads in the world. They invented it and it all worked out perfect," he says.

The imagery of Air Jordan, the brand created around the player, celebrated a charismatic athlete who was both cool yet fiercely competitive.

The ads were permeated with urban culture, the precursor of the "athleisure" phenomenon, which turned the sports shoe into a fashion accessory to be worn at all times and in all circumstances.

Although he was the linchpin of what remains, without doubt, the largest partnership in the sports industry, generating tens of billions of dollars in revenue, Vaccaro did not benefit financially.

"That's true," he concedes, "but I did okay, we made a good living, whatever. I'm happy with my life."

 Agence France Presse

US rapper Coolio died from fentanyl overdose: coroner

Coolio, the US rapper best known for the 1995 hit "Gangsta's Paradise," died last year from an accidental fentanyl overdose, the Los Angeles County Coroner said on Thursday.

The Grammy-winning musician, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died in September 2022 at a friend's house in Los Angeles.

At the time of his death at the age of 59, the rapper was suffering from heart disease and asthma, and had recently taken phencyclidine, or PCP -- a psychedelic drug that can cause severe mental or emotional disorders, the Los Angeles County Coroner said in a report.

Coolio's friend and long-time manager Jarez Posey told celebrity news website TMZ at the time that Coolio had been found unresponsive in a friend's bathroom and pronounced dead at the scene.

The rapper began his career in California in the late 1980s, but rose to global prominence in 1995 when he released "Gangsta's Paradise" for the soundtrack of the film "Dangerous Minds."

He was awarded Best Rap Solo Performance for the track at the following year's Grammy Awards ceremony.

The song sold millions of copies worldwide, topping pop charts in 16 countries and becoming Billboard's top song for 1995.

Agence France-Presse

Actor Sam Neill reveals blood cancer diagnosis

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Actor Sam Neill has revealed he is being treated for stage-three blood cancer, writing in a memoir that he was "possibly dying" from the illness diagnosed a year ago.

The New Zealander, who burst to fame after starring as Dr Alan Grant in the 1993 blockbuster "Jurassic Park", said he began treatment last March for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Neill, 75, makes the revelation in his book "Did I Ever Tell You This?", which is being released next week.

In the opening chapter, written while undergoing chemotherapy, Neill said: "The thing is, I'm crook. Possibly dying. I may have to speed this up." 

The actor told The Guardian he is now in remission but will continue to undergo chemotherapy for the remainder of his life.

"I can't pretend that the last year hasn't had its dark moments," he said.

"But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends. Just pleased to be alive."

Neill's vast acting career began in the 1970s and has spanned dozens of roles in TV and film, including "Peaky Blinders", "The Hunt for Red October", and "The Piano". 

He is currently preparing for a role in a television adaptation of Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel "Apples Never Fall", which will be filmed in Australia.

When he's not acting, Neill also runs vineyards in the picturesque Central Otago region of New Zealand's South Island.

Agence France Presse

Jeremy Renner suffered '30 plus broken bones' in snow plow accident

LOS ANGELES — Actor Jeremy Renner — perhaps best known as Hawkeye in the Marvel Universe films — said Saturday he broke more than 30 bones when he was run over by his own snow plow at his Nevada home on New Year's Day.

The "Avengers" star spent more than two weeks in the hospital after the giant 14,000-lb (six-ton) vehicle rolled onto him as he was clearing a driveway.

"These 30 plus broken bones will mend, grow stronger, just like the love and bond with family and friends deepens," the 52-year-old two-time Oscar nominee wrote on Instagram, thanking fans for their messages of support.

He posted a photo of himself lying on a medical bed, hands clenched at the chest, while a man is holding up his leg, bent at the knee.

"Morning workouts, resolutions all changed this particular new years," Renner wrote. "Spawned from tragedy for my entire family, and quickly focused into uniting actionable love."

Renner sustained the injuries while attempting to climb into the snow plow to stop it. He was evacuated by helicopter and later posted a selfie from his hospital bed, showing heavy bruising on his face.

Officials said shortly after the accident there was no indication that alcohol or drugs were involved.

The PistenBully, or snowcat, operated by Renner is a large specialized snow plowing vehicle with giant, raised caterpillar tracks on each side of an enclosed cab.

Renner has been nominated for two Oscars for his roles in "The Hurt Locker" and "The Town." He also stars in the Paramount+ series "Mayor of Kingstown."

Agence France-Presse

Iconic rock guitarist Jeff Beck dead at 78

NEW YORK - Jeff Beck, the influential guitarist who rose to rock and roll stardom with 1960s supergroup the Yardbirds and later had a prolific solo career, has died, his official website said Wednesday. He was 78.

The eight-time Grammy award-winner, a guitar virtuoso and innovator who was also one of the world's great rhythm and blues interpreters, died "peacefully" after a sudden bout of bacterial meningitis.

"On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck's passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday," a statement on the English-born musician's website said.

"His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss."

Beck's death quickly reverberated around the music world, with tributes pouring in from rock icons like Ozzy Osborne, with whom Beck once collaborated, and Kiss lead singer Gene Simmons, who called Beck's passing "heartbreaking."

"No one played guitar like Jeff," Simmons posted on Twitter. "Please get ahold of the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and behold greatness. RIP."

Musician Paul Young said he was "devastated" to hear the news.

"He was loved by everyone in the know," Young tweeted, calling Beck "the guitarists' guitarist."

Beck had already done pioneering rock recordings by the time he was hired by the Yardbirds in 1965 immediately after the departure of one of the band's star guitarists, Eric Clapton.

Beck helped propel the British avant-garde rock sound with multiple groundbreaking recordings, including the fuzz-filled guitar licks on "Heart Full of Soul."

By 1966 he was paired in the Yardbirds with fellow guitar wizard Jimmy Page, who went on to found the British blues rock sensation Led Zeppelin.

A year later Beck formed his own band, the Jeff Beck Group, which swiftly drew widespread praise. 

In 2015 Rolling Stone magazine placed Beck at number five in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

Agence France-Presse

Angelo Badalamenti, composer of 'Twin Peaks' theme, dead at 85: US media

WASHINGTON, United States - Angelo Badalamenti, the Grammy-winning composer who wrote the haunting theme music for David Lynch's TV series "Twin Peaks," has died aged 85, US media reported.

Badalamenti died at his family home in New Jersey, according to the New York Times, which cited his niece. 

The Hollywood Reporter also carried the news, saying his niece had told the publication he died of natural causes. 

Born on March 22, 1937 in New York City, Badalamenti grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, according to movie database IMDB. 

The classically trained musician first worked with Lynch on the 1986 mystery-noir "Blue Velvet," starting a partnership that would see them collaborate on "Wild at Heart," "Lost Highway" and "The Straight Story."

Badalamenti also made forays in front of the camera, including playing an espresso-obsessed gangster in Lynch's "Mulholland Drive."

But he was perhaps best known for writing the theme to Lynch's mesmerising, groundbreaking TV series "Twin Peaks."

Badalamenti later won a Grammy for his score. 

He also found fame as a songwriter, working with Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, David Bowie and Paul McCartney.

He described how he and Lynch came up with the opening music to "Twin Peaks" in an interview with Spirit and Flesh magazine.

"The notes just came out," he said.

"David was stunned, as was I. The hair on his arms was up and he had tears in his eyes: 'I see Twin Peaks. I got it.' I said, 'I'll go home and work on it.' 'Work on it?! Don’t change a note.' And of course I never did."

Agence France Presse