A Chris Brown fan shared photographs of her experience at a recent meet & greet online, and they are going viral.

Aisoylina Kelly shared the pictures on Instagram on Sunday, July 5, along with video footage that appears to be from the artist’s ‘R&B’ tour stop in Minneapolis on June 30. Brown’s interaction with Kelly has the internet on fire as folks joke about how much love the “Loyal” singer showed Kelly.

Chris Brown Fan Shares Meet & Greet Pics

Judging from his happy fans, Brown seems to have understood the assignment.

RELATED: Caught Up? Fans Are Popping OFF With Reactions To Chris Brown & Usher’s Opening Tour Night (VIDEOS)

Tom Holland recently earned bragging rights over Lupita Nyong’o after England knocked Mexico out of the World Cup.

The two Hollywood stars had backed opposing sides before the clash, with Holland posing with an England shirt while Nyong’o held up Mexico’s jersey.

The viral moment came during a London photocall for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, “The Odyssey,” where they both star.

Tom Holland appears to have bragging rights over his “The Odyssey” co-star Lupita Nyong’o after England ended Mexico’s World Cup run.

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In the build-up to the clash, the pair delighted fans during a promotional photo call for Nolan’s much-anticipated film, with Nyong’o backing Mexico with a green jersey while Holland proudly held up England’s shirt.

Holland’s English roots are well known, while Nyong’o was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents and has long identified as Kenyan-Mexican.

On the pitch, England backed up Holland’s pick by beating Mexico 3-2 in a dramatic knockout clash at the Azteca Stadium. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham struck twice in quick succession before Mexico pulled one back, and although England were reduced to 10 men after Jarell Quansah’s red card, Harry Kane’s penalty proved decisive as the Three Lions held on to end Mexico’s run.

Lupita Nyong’o’s Mexico Ties Run Deep

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Nyong’o has often spoken about Mexico as a core part of her identity, with Yale noting that she holds dual Kenyan and Mexican citizenship.

The future Academy Award winner was born in Mexico City in 1983 to Kenyan parents, Dorothy and Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, while her family was living outside the East African nation. Her name also reflects that story, as “Lupita” is a Spanish diminutive of Guadalupe.

Although she was raised mainly in Kenya, Nyong’o later returned to Mexico as a teenager to study Spanish, spending several months there and strengthening a cultural link that has followed her throughout her career.

That background has also surfaced on screen, most notably in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” where she spoke Spanish as Nakia and later described the moment as a meaningful gift tied to her Mexican heritage.

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Tom Holland And Lupita Nyong’o Were Attending ‘The Odyssey’ Photocall

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The England-Mexico jersey moment between Holland and Nyong’o unfolded in London, where the actors were attending a photocall for Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” For the event, the cast gathered at Savoy Place on July 5 as part of the film’s promotional rollout.

The event brought out several of the movie’s big names, including Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, Nolan, and producer Emma Thomas.

While the photocall was mainly designed to spotlight the upcoming Homer-inspired epic, it also took on a World Cup twist when two of its most prominent cast members posed in customized football shirts tied to their characters. Holland, who plays Telemachus, was seen with a No. 10 shirt bearing his character’s name, while Nyong’o, who plays Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, held a No. 5 “Helen” jersey.

Elon Musk Mocked Nyong’o’s Casting In ‘The Odyssey’

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Elon Musk was one of the loudest critics of Nyong’o’s casting in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” taking issue with her role as Helen of Troy.

Musk claimed Nolan had “lost his integrity” by casting the Oscar-winning actress. The Independent reported that his comments had sparked accusations of racism after he questioned Nyong’o’s suitability for the role of the mythological beauty.

The tech mogul’s criticism was part of a wider online backlash against Nolan’s diverse casting choices, with many objecting to Nyong’o’s portrayals of Helen and Clytemnestra in the classic Greek epic.

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Lupita Nyong’o Has No Time For Her ‘Odyssey’ Critics

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Nyong’o is not spending her time crafting a defense against critics of her casting in “The Odyssey,” however.

After the criticism that followed the announcement that she would play Helen of Troy and her half-sister, Clytemnestra, the actress appeared to brush off the backlash by reminding the naysayers that “this is a mythological story.”

In an interview with ELLE, she also defended Nolan’s broader vision for the film, saying she supports “Chris’s intention” and the version of the story he is telling.

Nyong’o made it clear she is not interested in debating those opposed to her casting, adding that “the criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.” Instead, she described the project as part of “the epic narrative of our time.”

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 20 seconds ago

As a lifelong fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the weirdest thing about Picard was its insistence that the former Enterprise captain and his android subordinate, Data, were just the best of friends. In TNG, Data’s best friend was Geordi LaForge; Picard was somebody he played with on the holodeck when nobody else wanted to watch him play VR Shakespeare. Nonetheless, Picard presented its titular character as best buddies with his former synthetic homie. Maybe Jean-Luc just had dementia; after all, this is the same show where he’s suddenly cool with Starfleet using android slaves, something he helped make illegal decades earlier.

While Picard and Data got a bit closer in the TNG movies (close to a devil’s threesome with a bionic babe, even), they were never in danger of being best friends. Why am I so confident about this? Simple: The Next Generation presents Picard as a man of many hobbies, including literature, archeology, music, and more. Did you know that he tried his hand at art, too? No, you probably didn’t know that, and there’s a specific reason for that. Namely, the one time Picard tried to paint something, Data dunked on it so hard that the captain never picked up a paintbrush again!

Picard The Artist

This story begins with “A Matter of Perspective,” a Season 3 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s classic Rashomon, we get the same story from multiple perspectives. Basically, Riker is accused of some serious crimes, including assaulting a man’s wife before murdering the man. The Enterprise uses the holodeck to recreate very different scenarios as told by very different people. By the end, Riker is exonerated, and it’s revealed that the man he is accused of murdering actually tried to kill Riker, ultimately dying by his own hands due to a freak accident.

Once the episode gets down to business, there isn’t much time for Picard to engage in any of his hobbies. But in the cold open for “A Matter of Perspective,” the captain is doing something deliciously out of character: creating a painting of a woman who is posing nude for all of the artists in the room. Data arrives to deliver a report to Picard; afterward, he offers his artistic opinion on the work done by Lieutenant Wright, whom he claims “has effectively fused the incongruities of the surrealists with the irrationality of Dadaism.” When he looks at Picard’s own painting, his initial comment is just one word: “interesting.” 

Who Arted?

Picard then asks his subordinate the obvious question: “In what way?” With this cue, the android absolutely tears into his superior officer. “While suggesting the free treatment of form usually attributed to Fauvism, this quite inappropriately attempts to juxtapose the disparate cubistic styles of Picasso and Leger,” he said. “In addition, the use of color suggests a haphazard mélange of clashing styles. Furthermore, the unsettling overtones of proto-Vulcan influences–” Picard sarcastically thanks Data, and when the little art critic asks if he can offer any more help, the captain dismisses him.

In the context of “A Matter of Perspective,” this cold open is meant to offer some light humor before we settle into a rather dark and serious episode. But here’s the thing: after Data’s criticism, Picard literally never paints again. Why is that, you think? No need to guess: in a deleted scene, the captain throws red paint at his creation in shame over Data’s criticism. This is a guy who sustained his interest in literature, music, and even archeology for decades, but he gave up his new painting hobby immediately because he never wanted to hear that know-it-all android be rude about his art, ever again.

Data Makes Motel Art

You know the real gutpunch of a punchline? In Picard, one plot point revolves around a painting created by Data, and guess what: as a piece of artwork, it absolutely sucks. There’s no real tension, the symbolism is obvious, and the bland, boring sky takes up over half the image just to serve us warmed-over symbolism. This android destroyed a lifetime of artistic aspirations for Captain Picard only to use his advanced positronic brain to create a badly-lit painting featuring a woman practically floating off the canvas. Maybe I’m being a little too harsh about Data’s creative abilities, though, and I should really acknowledge his limitations.

After all, what were any of us really expecting from AI art?

Blake Lively is reportedly finding it difficult to move on after being absent from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s star-studded wedding.

The actress, once considered one of the pop superstar’s closest friends, was notably missing from the ceremony amid ongoing speculation about a fallout between the pair.

Insiders claim the omission was a reminder of how much their relationship has changed, with reports suggesting tensions stemming from Blake Lively’s recent legal drama permanently damaged their friendship.

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Lively is said to be struggling to come to terms with being absent from Swift’s MSG wedding, with sources claiming the snub has left her reflecting on how much her life and friendships have changed in recent months.

While Swift and Kelce celebrated their wedding surrounded by family, friends, and a host of celebrity guests, Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds spent the holiday weekend supporting their daughter Betty at an equestrian event in Lake Placid, New York.

According to a Star Magazine insider, “Blake did her best to hold her head high through this and act as though it was just any other weekend, but it’s been absolutely devastating for her because it’s forced her to accept that this chapter of her life really is over.”

The reported strain between Lively and Swift has remained a topic of speculation since the singer became linked to the legal dispute involving Lively and her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Reports last year suggested the longtime friends had become increasingly distant, fueling questions about the future of their relationship.

Blake Lively Reportedly Hoped To Rebuild Friendship With Taylor Swift Before Wedding Snub

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Sources claim Lively had quietly hoped there might still be an opportunity to repair the friendship, making her absence from the wedding especially disappointing.

According to one insider, even if “Taylor had invited her, it would have been so awkward because everyone in her world has turned their backs on Blake too.”

The wedding itself reportedly attracted a long list of famous guests, including longtime Swift friends and several celebrities who had once been part of Lively’s wider social circle.

“Seeing Gigi, Cara and all the people she used to be so close to celebrating together without her was a brutal reminder of how much has changed,” the insider said.

Despite the disappointment, Reynolds is reportedly doing his best to support his wife through the situation. Still, sources claim Lively remains concerned about the long-term impact of the fallout “because there’s this underlying fear that this is going to haunt her forever.”

The Actress Was ‘P-ssed’ About Being Snubbed From The Star-Studded Wedding

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Lively’s absence from the wedding has only intensified speculation about the state of her friendship with Swift.

Given the reported scale of the celebration, some observers argued it would be difficult to attribute the omission to space constraints.

One source told the Daily Mail that a venue the size of Madison Square Garden could accommodate “more than 20,000 people,” adding, “If Blake isn’t there, nobody can blame a lack of space.”

They noted that Swift’s decision not to invite Lively left the actress feeling “sad” and “p-ssed” over the end of their friendship.

Taylor Swift And Blake Lively’s ‘Friendship Is Done’

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Recent reports suggest Swift’s guest list reflected a broader shift in her personal priorities.

According to insiders, the singer is in a “different place now” and wants to surround herself with people she “trusts” and who bring positivity into her life.

While sources acknowledge that Swift and Lively once shared a close bond, some now believe the relationship has reached a point where reconciliation is unlikely, especially for the popstar who is said to have intentionally excluded her former pal from her wedding.

“As far as Taylor’s concerned, their friendship is done,” one insider alleged, per Page Six.

Sources Claim Wedding Decisions Marked A Turning Point In Swift-Lively Rift

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The controversy surrounding the Baldoni dispute appears to have played a significant role in the fallout. Court filings drew additional attention when text messages surfaced in which Lively referred to Swift and Reynolds as “my dragons,” a remark that reportedly caused discomfort among some members of the pop star’s circle.

Although Swift reportedly believed at one point that the tension would eventually pass, insiders claim that a series of issues gradually changed her perspective.

“It wasn’t one big thing, it was everything adding up,” a source said, per Page Six. “By the time Taylor was making decisions about the wedding and who she wanted there, she realized she just didn’t want that kind of energy around something so important, and it really was a turning point for her.”

The reported fallout marks a significant change from what was once one of Hollywood’s most celebrated friendships. For more than a decade, Swift and Lively publicly supported one another’s careers, attended major milestones together, and frequently appeared in each other’s social circles.

Now, all that seems to have come to a sad end.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly shared a request for the public as school officials release statements following the death of Nolan Xavier Wells.

RELATED: UPDATE: Autopsy On Body Of Nolan Xavier Wells Reportedly Scheduled As Internet Users Send Support To His Mom & Family

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Reportedly Shares Request For The Public

According to CBS News, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has informed the press that, as the investigation into the death of Nolan Xavier Wells unfolds, his friends have been cooperating with authorities.

“From the people we’ve talked to, it sounds like he chose to stay on the island with the assumption that he was going to ride back to the mainland with someone else,” Ledbetter explained.

In addition to the help from Wells’ apparent friends, the office is reportedly asking members of the public to reach out if they saw the 18-year-old while he was on Horn Island. Or if they had any direct interaction with him while they were on the island themselves. Per the outlet, the office is requesting “original, unedited photos and videos taken on the northwest tip of Horn Island.”

Specifically, the office would like photos or videos that show “alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells.”

Furthermore, the office is also looking for individuals who “observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island that day” to come forward.

“What we have to go on in an investigation is original documentation and firsthand knowledge. One barrier we have is social media. We are in the process of documenting, verifying, and corroborating all that information. We have to authenticate everything,” Ledbetter reportedly stated in regard to previous tips stemming from floating social media posts, per the SunHerald.

Witnesses are encouraged to call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department at 228-769-3065.

School Officials Release Statements Following Death Of Nolan Xavier Wells

According to WLOX, Nolan Xavier Wells was a “2025 graduate and multi-sport athlete” at Ocean Springs High School. In 2025, he had reportedly spoken to the outlet about continuing his football career at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

“It’s truly a blessing being here with some of my best friends and teammates, and most of us are all going to college together. It’s just truly a blessing,” Wells had said at the time.

Now, Jake Bramlett, the Ocean Springs Head Football Coach, shared a statement about his passing.

“We are devastated by Nolan’s passing. He was the kind of son, teammate, friend, and student that every coach hopes to have in a program. Nolan was so much more than an outstanding football player. He carried himself with humility, treated others with respect, worked hard, and led by example. His character spoke louder than his accomplishments, and he was loved deeply by his teammates and coaches. Our football family is grieving alongside Nolan’s parents, family, friends, classmates, teammates, and all who loved him.”

Additionally, Dr. Jacob Dykes, the Ocean Springs High School Principal, shared a statement:

“Nolan was a remarkable student, teammate, and brother. He will be remembered as an extremely kind and hardworking young man who left a lasting impression on his teachers, coaches, teammates, and community. Our thoughts are with his family and the many people he made a lasting impact on around him.”

Furthermore, Southwest Mississippi Community College also issued a statement following the discovery of Wells’ body. The college noted Wells as an “exemplary student, athlete, friend, and teammate.” Additionally, it noted that “professional counselors” and “local ministers” will be available as Wells’ teammates and friends return to campus.

More On The Discovery & Investigation Into Death Of Nolan Xavier Wells

As The Shade Room previously reported, news of Nolan Xavier Wells’ disappearance after visiting Horn Island on July 4 surfaced earlier this week. At the time, photos showed that he had reportedly traveled to the island with white friends. This, as the only Black teen.

By Monday, July 6, Wells’ body was discovered as conversation ensued about Black safety in white spaces. Since then, friends of the 18-year-old have spoken out as an autopsy was reportedly conducted on his body on Tuesday, July 7.

RELATED: What To Know About Horn Island, Where Nolan Xavier Wells Was Reportedly Last Seen Alive (PHOTOS + VIDEO)

More recently, Christine Wonsley, Nolan Wells’ mother, has been active on social media, mourning her son and sharing family photos. This, as she and her relatives reportedly retain civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump as the investigation into her son’s death unfolds.

RELATED: Family Of Nolan Xavier Wells Retains Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump As Investigation Into His Death Continues (UPDATE)

Was the 1970s the best decade for music? Maybe. It’s not actually something that has to be answered here, necessarily, but it is relevant in the sense that it makes picking any selection of great songs from the decade in question potentially harder than it might be for other decades. There was a lot of rock, pop, soul, and yes, even some disco music, plus some other genres, and many of them arguably peaked in the 1970s.

The best thing to do would be not to undertake something like this in the first place. But there are bills to pay, and food to buy. The undertaking is happening. So, the second-best thing to do is pick songs that are largely well-regarded, but perhaps also personally favored by the person picking them. Being objective here is harder than usual, as there is an unfathomable number of songs that could be picked here. But these ones are all great. They’re among the best songs of the 1970s, and to keep things varied, there’s a limit of one song per artist.

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“Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)

Simon & Garfunkel

“Bridge over Troubled Water” was the title track for what ended up being the final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel. It’s the duo’s only one of the 1970s, though in the case of “Bridge over Troubled Water,” the song, it was recorded in 1969, and then released within the first few weeks of the new decade. It’s a grand ballad, and has an incredible crescendo that builds over almost five minutes.

It’s Simon & Garfunkel’s peak, which is saying a lot, considering how many memorable songs the duo recorded throughout their relatively short partnership. “Bridge over Troubled Water” is simple with what it goes for lyrically, but it’s all in the execution that makes it genuinely work. And, credit to Art Garfunkel, whose post-Simon & Garfunkel work does sometimes get overshadowed by Paul Simon’s, but Garfunkel’s lead vocals in this song are incredible.

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“Ambulance Blues” (1974)

Neil Young

This is going to be the closest to an out there pick, in this whole ranking, but “Ambulance Blues” really does feel like it might be Neil Young’s single best song, and he had an especially great run throughout the 1970s, so he’s worthy of inclusion here. This track concludes the heavy-going album On the Beach, and spans almost nine minutes, doing for this album what Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row” did for Highway 61 Revisited.

Or, for another Dylan comparison, it’s to On the Beach what “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” is to Blonde on Blonde. Having a downbeat epic at the close of a folk rock album just feels right. The melancholy, musically and lyrically, in “Ambulance Blues” is hard to put into words, but you know it when you hear and feel it. It’s the ideal showcase for Young’s abilities as a singer-songwriter.

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“Stairway to Heaven” (1971)

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin’s fourth album is the band’s best, and part of that comes down to it being the album with “Stairway to Heaven” on it. If you’ve only ever heard a single Led Zeppelin song, it was probably this one. And it is another long song, so at least if you’re in that camp, you’ve maybe heard the equivalent of two or three Led Zeppelin songs through the act of listening to “Stairway to Heaven.”

It’s another slow build of a song, a bit like “Bridge over Troubled Water,” and that’s a big factor in no one really minding the fact that it goes on for about eight minutes. It’s also a great marriage of all the sounds and styles Led Zeppelin had explored throughout their first few albums, since you get the slower, almost folkier sound of the band on display in the first half of the song, and then things sound more and more like hard rock as the second half of the song progresses.

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“Dreams” (1977)

Fleetwood Mac

There are no misses to be found on Rumours, and so it’s understandably an album with an enduring legacy that showcases Fleetwood Mac at its best. Picking a highlight from an album packed with highlights is hard, but why not “Dreams?” This is one of the mellower songs on the album, and it’s also got lyrics that most impactfully summarize what the band members were (somewhat notoriously) going through at the time.

“Dreams” is easy to listen to, and kind of relaxing, if you’re not listening too much to the lyrics, but then that relative calmness gets a whole lot sadder, once you do. Other Fleetwood Mac songs might feel a bit more high-energy or rock-oriented, sure, but “Dreams” is still one of the band’s very best tracks because of how much it nails what it’s going for, and because what it’s going for is quite distinct, even for a bittersweet album like Rumours.

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“Move On Up” (1970)

Curtis Mayfield

One of the most energetic songs of not just the 1970s, but maybe all time, “Move On Up” is also as good as feel-good songs get. It’s also best experienced in its original/extended form, on Curtis Mayfield’s debut album, called Curtis, because while the single version still has a good deal of what makes the song so great, the version that goes for nearly nine minutes is more special.

The lyrics and uplifting message of the song are retained, when it gets shortened, but the lengthy instrumental outro is energizing and uplifting in a different sort of way. Also, an honorable mention should go out to another 1971 soul song that almost made the cut: Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” It moved on out, to make way for “Move On Up.” And “Move On Up” might not be as famous, but it’s arguably even better.

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“Born to Run” (1975)

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen called his autobiography Born to Run, which does help support the idea that it’s his defining song. Well, Born to Run is also the name of his third studio album, and that album overall does a great job at encapsulating Springsteen, as an artist, and the same can be said of its title track, albeit more directly. It summarizes the youthful energy Bruce Springsteen had early on in just four and a half minutes.

In that sense, it’s a good song to name the album after, and then a good title to also use for an autobiography. Everything’s here, and sure, Springsteen would explore different sounds later on in his career, as he matured and experimented a bit more, but the Springsteen of the 1970s – and maybe into the early 1980s – is the one you hear at his Springsteen-iest on “Born to Run,” his (potentially) forever definitive song.

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“Heart of Glass” (1978)

Blondie

With “Heart of Glass,” Blondie just dove right into disco, instead of, like, merely flirting with it or something. It has a bit of a pop/rock sound, too, or maybe it’s new wave, but whatever it is, it sounds amazing. You’d think it would sound a bit dated alongside being kind of amazing, but this really isn’t a guilty pleasure or anything. Instead, it’s just a pleasure (to listen to).

It’s the highlight of Parallel Lines which, as an album, is the highlight of Blondie’s entire discography. Musically, it’s unreal how well “Heart of Glass” works, and then it’s got some very sharp lyrics, too. It’s the full package, and it almost makes you wish Blondie had done an entire album with this sort of disco sound, since the band just got it that right. But, then again, Parallel Lines wouldn’t be quite as special as it is if it hadn’t been so wonderfully eclectic.

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“Layla” (1970)

Derek and the Dominos

Bands don’t get much more short-lived than Derek and the Dominos, since there was a grand total of one Derek and the Dominos album: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. And, yes, “Layla” was the highlight of that album. The other assorted love songs are worthy of attention, because it is a pretty great album, but “Layla” is next-level, and is also more about desperation – and maybe obsession – than it is love.

Like “Move on Up,” “Layla” would still work as a passionate pop song if you just listened to the first half, but the instrumental second half is just as important, emotionally speaking, even if the “narrative” as far as the lyrics go is contained within the first half. At the risk of sounding corny, though, the guitar and piano part in the second half does continue telling a story, just without words. You do really feel it, though (again, sorry about the potential corniness). Be a good fella and listen to this one, why don’t you?

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“Dancing Queen” (1976)

ABBA

Oh no, a second disco song has intruded onto this ranking. But it’s “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, and, like, come on. You can’t really hate “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. This is one of those precious few pop songs that’s so good, even if you hear it hundreds of times without necessarily going out of your way to listen to it, it’s unlikely to ever get old. Plenty of other great songs can eventually get tiresome, but not “Dancing Queen.”

It’s another instance of a band’s best song appearing on what’s probably their best album: in this case, Arrival. The only times “Dancing Queen” might be kind of annoying is if you’re exposed to too many of the covers. There are so many covers. They’re all inferior, and they’re all likely to make you wish you were just listening to the ABBA version instead. And that ABBA version really is flawless. Dread it. Run from it. Try to resist it. “Dancing Queen” arrives all the same.

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“Heroes” (1977)

David Bowie

There was an argument to be made that “Born to Run” summed up a good deal of Bruce Springsteen’s career and appeal in one song, but it’s harder to say that about “Heroes” and David Bowie, even if it is probably the legendary artist’s very best song. It comes down to Bowie having too many eras, styles, sounds, and personas. “Heroes” can, at most, be cited as the pinnacle of his Berlin Trilogy (Low, Heroes, and then Lodger, all released in the late 1970s).

Maybe the better comparison is that it’s Bowie’s “Stairway to Heaven,” but even then, that song captures and summarizes a lot of Led Zeppelin. “Heroes” is just a very small piece of Bowie’s discography, and maybe even just a small piece of what he was capable of. Still, what a piece. And what a song. What else needs to – or can – be said? “Heroes” is “Heroes.”

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Moonage Daydream

Release Date

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September 15, 2022

Runtime

134 minutes

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Director

Brett Morgen

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Reincarnation is a tale as old as time. In a fantasy romance context, it’s the gift that keeps on giving, especially where the “destined soulmate” trope is concerned. Individuals who find one another across time, sometimes even defying fate to do so — what’s not to love? There’s one condition: if the emotional investment doesn’t match the stakes, and the female lead’s personality gets subsumed by her past life. (So, that’s two conditions.) Even though the journey matters more than the destination in K-Drama romances, a fact underscored by reincarnation’s very nature, audiences still need to care. Part of that care necessitates a leading lady strong enough to retain her present individuality rather than having it replaced by the memories of her past incarnations, a move that can invalidate all that came before.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed, a 2020 Netflix-distributed K-Drama by writer Han Woo-ri, offers an empowered, ferocious, competent female lead who’s rarely a damsel in distress. When she is, she isn’t happy about it. Contemporary K-Drama women have richly complex interior lives, yet Tale of the Nine-Tailed takes it to a refreshingly modern place with Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah, also the co-lead on Netflix’s Destined With You) without sacrificing the desired trifecta: a tender love story, high production value, and nimbly plotted escapism. Plus, there’s an ageless god falling in love with a woman while his nefarious arch-nemesis stirs up trouble.

What Is ‘Tale of the Nine-Tailed’ About?

Set in modern-day Korea, Tale of the Nine-Tailed‘s Ji-ah immediately sets herself apart. For one, she’s a television producer/journalist investigating urban myths. Through her work, she encounters Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook), an ancient nine-tailed fox spirit roaming through the human world in the guise of an unfairly handsome guy. This chance meeting isn’t the first time the two have crossed paths. Ji-ah has spent two decades looking for Lee Yeon, believing he kidnapped her parents and tried to murder her when she was nine years old. Instead, Lee Yeon protected her from certain death and wasn’t able to wipe the incident and his face from her memory — unusual, since he could do that in his sleep.

Lee Yeon is only part of the puzzle for Ji-ah, though, a necessary obstacle to overcome. Rescuing her parents is her true objective. She’s devoted her life in pursuit of that goal. Although she takes pride in her professional capability, hunting down supernatural creatures is no niche whim. After Lee Yeon fails to evade Ji-ah’s single-minded pursuit, she outfoxes the fox, manipulating Lee Yeon into revealing his powers. In other words, Ji-ah pulls a classic Lois Lane move, and she flings herself off a building. Lee Yeon has no choice except to fly down and rescue her (a task he does with a thoroughly exasperated, eye-rolling sigh). There’s triumphant awe in Ji-ah’s eyes; she’s got her man. Then, she stabs Lee Yeon with a hypodermic needle. Cue Episode 1’s end credits and a standing ovation for this proactive heroine!

Naturally, Lee Yeon isn’t Ji-ah’s man — well, he’s her man, but not her story’s villain. Neither is Lee Yeon a bastion of flawless heroism, as time reveals. He certainly takes the crown when it comes to sheer yearning. A 1,000-year-old god who guards the Baekdudaegan mountain range, he devotes his existence to protecting humanity from mystical threats. Working at the Afterlife Immigration Office is his 9-to-5 job. The real reason Lee Yeon bothers to operate in the modern human world — and perhaps the one reason he’s still bothering with existence — is because he’s tirelessly searching for the reincarnated soul of his first and only love: Ah-eum, a Joseon-era princess, died tragically, as is prone to happen in backstories. Lee Yeon blatantly broke the rules to guarantee her reincarnation. While many women have resembled Ah-eum across the centuries, none carried her soul. Lee Yeon’s haunted by her loss, a piece of his own soul cleaved away. He quickly dismissed Ji-ah after a cursory analysis; she doesn’t possess the tell-tale signs. Yet nothing about Tale of the Nine-Tailed is as it seems.

The K-Drama ‘Tale of the Nine-Tailed’ Subverts Expectations

Unsurprisingly, Ji-ah is absolutely Ah-eum’s only reincarnation. It’s not the reveal of her identity but the surprising story avenues and character journeys the series pursues along the way. In a refreshing subversion, Ji-ah remains her own person. Ji-ah witnesses her past life in bits and pieces. She untangles a web of messy half-truths, secrets, and context, grappling with her new reality. She recognizes some of Ah-eum’s traits and habits in herself and lets them inform her future without losing sight of what makes her Ji-ah. Nor does she stay at home to pine over Lee Yeon and fret for his safety. She’s stubborn, she’s determined, she’s a journalist, and she’s dedicated 21 years of her life to rescuing her parents. Ji-ah makes active plans, collaborates with Lee Yeon, and achieves her goals with ruthless conviction. When Ji-ah learns that Imugi, the mythical reptile responsible for Ah-eum’s death, might be her parents’ captor, Imugi becomes the subject of her unwavering vengeance.

None of these characteristics forbid Ji-ah from retaining her (and Ah-eum’s) characteristic generosity. Neither does needing a dramatic rescue now and again invalidate her carefully cultivated independence. She falls in love with Lee Yeon because he’s Ji-ah’s perfect match, not Ah-eum’s lost love. Ji-ah ah is so accustomed to having nightmares that they barely register; waking up to a dark and empty room, however, takes its toll. After meeting Lee Yeon, Ji-ah looks for him during her moments of distress. He gets past her tough shell, which is a trope commonly reserved for the male half of a heterosexual couple. Tale of the Nine-Tailed granting Ji-ah emotional range and narrative autonomy, makes her a well-defined heroine and provides a more engaging watch than K-Dramas loaded with dated gender politics.

It’s worth noting Ah-eum died with her agency intact. She made the call to protect Lee Yeon because this couple saves each other. She was also a precocious, adorable child who decided to become besties — then lovers — with the lonely mountain god. Neither woman is an innocent, either. Ah-eum’s the king’s daughter, whereas Ji-ah is a modern professional woman, but each is world-wise, heroic, in their 30s, and a sexual being. Contrasting with K-Drama heroines of the past, Ji-ah initiates kisses and actively participates, and reciprocates, during her and Lee Yeon’s atmospheric sex scene. She’s an independent woman who doesn’t need a man, but she wants one and gets one. That’s queen behavior.

Netflix’s ‘Tale of the Nine-Tailed’ Is a Perfect K-Drama Binge

Image via Studio Dragon

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Intrinsic to Ji-ah and Tale of the Nine-Tailed‘s success is Jo Bo-ah, an effortlessly engaging performer who nearly steals the spotlight from Lee Dong-wook — who just happens to be an industry icon. Lee established himself in 2005, struck hit after hit series, and became a certified legend after co-leading Guardian: The Great and Lonely God. Lee Yeon is a new brand of leading role for the actor, one as fitting as a bespoke suit. Lee Yeon’s perfectly pure longing understood the assignment for an epic fantasy-romance drama, a facet emphasized by his mop of floppy — and fetching — red hair. Lee Dong-wook balances the romantic fantasy demands with a light, winking wit and a graceful physicality that lends him credibility as an ancient god, and, frankly, as a badass, despite the action scenes leaning toward silly.

All his longing aside, Lee Yeon deserves his flowers for falling in love with Ji-ah because of the woman she is instead of unfairly superimposing his Au-eum angst and expectations onto her. It’s another fantastic upending of conventions, demonstrating how Tale of the Nine-Tailed prizes Ji-ah as an equal lead. The mountain god never forgets Ah-eum, but he equally loves Ji-ah. The pair are an elite power couple with frankly ridiculous chemistry. Whether they’re bickering about Lee Yeon eating human livers (he doesn’t), sharing a tub of ice cream, having platonic sleepovers with a hangover cure breakfast, or Lee Yeon literally enduring actual hell for her twice over, Jo Bo-ah and Lee Dong-wook spark and sparkle off one another’s energy. It’s impossible not to smile-cry when a smitten Lee Yeon daydreams about a future where his hair goes gray. He wants to become human, take long walks with Ji-ah, share good ramyeon, and die by her side. He wants the impossible.

Ultimately, Tale of the Nine-Tailed is about treasuring love’s precious fragility. Lee Yeon muses that “living as a human being is dealing with unpredictable pain,” but it’s also about cherishing your firsts and your lasts. Tale of the Nine-Tailed is a twisty, perfectly satisfying binge that’s still a must-watch six years later. And even in a series anchored by Lee Dong-wook, the stereotype-shattering Ji-ah is this K-Drama’s peak: the independent heroine of our dreams.