“What You See Is What You Get”: Kira McCaffery on Growing Up, Going Viral and Staying Real
There’s a certain type of warmth that some people carry with them, a brightness that doesn’t beg for attention, but draws it anyway. Kira McCaffery, content creator and self-described “centre of attention Leo”, is exactly that kind of person. You hear it in the Glaswegian lilt of her laugh, the way she names her childhood teddy “Sharpay” after High School Musical’s finest diva, or how she tells you, quite frankly, that being on telly just felt right.
Ethel Cain: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You - Album Review
Have you ever heard of Cancer Alley?
In Louisiana, there is a stretch of land, about 140km, with a massive concentration of America’s petrol refineries. In this naturally stunning area of the United States that stretches out into the Gulf of Mexico, residents are 95% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer. This image of an area in the marshy south of the United States, radiating with carcinogens is one that I could not escape when listening to Ethel Cain’s new album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You.
Hayden Anhedönia, performing as the character Ethel Cain, has always had this element of tortured southern gothic tone to her music. Her debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, rides a fine line between Bible-Belt nostalgia and post-modern doomerism. Her recent follow up Perverts dives head first into the doom, with an industrial ambient album that was far removed from the almost-pop music of before; the drones of the album would almost be more fitting with the sound of a geiger counter clicking in the background.
The Far-Right’s New Muse: Sydney Sweeney and her “great genes”
Well, so much of Sydney Sweeney’s public image as it existed before was her straddling herself between the two camps. She has had several appearances on the left-wing comedy show SNL, while a surprise party she threw for her mum's 60th birthday drew attention when photos were shared of guests wearing MAGA-style hats and “Blue Lives Matter” shirts. Whenever her public appearances garner attention from the right wing, she never comments on where she stands or condemns the attention.
Love Island 2025: Society on Steroids - Power, Race, and Gender Dynamics
UK Love Island Season 12 is a revealing microcosm of society’s persistent tensions around patriarchy, misogyny, and racial bias. As the contestants navigate love, friendship, and conflict under the relentless spotlight, we witness a condensed performance of social codes and power struggles that shape everyday life. The Majorcan villa becomes a pressure cooker, intensifying the complex intersections of gender, race, and power in ways that are uncomfortable, captivating, and all too familiar.
From Underdogs to Icons: The Lionesses and the Rise of Women’s Football
With another victory under their belt, England’s Lionesses have once again captured the nation’s attention, highlighting the continued rise of women’s football.
What was once a side-lined sport is now firmly in the spotlight, with growing audiences, increased investment, and a new generation of fans. The momentum behind women’s football reflects a wider cultural shift: attitudes are evolving, representation is expanding, and young women are seeing new possibilities, both on and off the pitch. A game long dominated by a male narrative is finally opening up to new voices, and they’re making themselves heard.
Feminism, Food Fights and Ferality in Charli XCX’s ‘brat’ (2024) and Věra Chytilová’s ‘Daisies’ (1966)
In 1966, Czech director Věra Chytilová released Daisies, a radical film about two young women who, upon declaring the world corrupt, decide they may as well be corrupt too. By 1968, it was censored by the Czechoslovak government — ironically proving Chytilová’s point: the world had indeed gone bad, and patriarchy was at the heart of it.
Lana Del Rey’s First UK Stadium Tour: A Glasgow Review
On June 26th, something truly special happened, I saw Lana Del Rey live in my hometown, Glasgow. We dressed up in white dresses and cowboy boots, cracked open a couple of BuzzBallz, and made our way to Hampden Park, fully hoping to catch a glimpse of the soon-to-be-released Lasso album in action.
As a longtime Lizzy Grant fan and full-time Barrie-James (yes, that Barrie) loyalist, seeing Lana perform in the city she once called home just felt completely right. Honestly, what better backdrop than Glasgow; the unofficial spiritual home of so many of her hits?
Pretty Little Liars: Fifteen Years Since “A’s” First Text
Some TV shows are binge-watched and forgotten. Others define your teenage years. Pretty Little Liars premiered fifteen years ago and quickly became a series of unforgettable moments. Set in the fictional town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, the show followed four high school friends through nearly a decade of secrets, lies, mysterious encounters, and reckless choices that shaped their lives. It set the standard for dramatiSed teen angst, edgy fashion, and became a widely discussed pop culture phenomenon.
Addison Rae Sheds Her TikTok Persona, and Her Last Name, with Debut Album
Released to mixed reviews in 2021, Addison Rae’s single ‘Obsessed’ was praised by some but regarded by most as dull and uninspired. As an artist she was viewed as just another influencer exploiting the utilities at their disposal brought on by the privileges of fame. With such an overwhelming outpouring of negativity, it was back to the drawing board for Rae. Leaks of an original scrapped album that was led by ‘Obsessed’ went viral, and were later released- in 2023, leading some to re-evaluate opinions on her music, although some were still left sceptical. Either way, fans and critics alike have been anxiously anticipating an album from Addison Rae for quite some time now.
The Great Fashion Reset
It’s fair to say that 2025 marked the year of an unprecedented shake-up in luxury fashion.
While changes in creative leadership are nothing new, an almost unbelievable fourteen creative director appointments across some of the biggest luxury fashion houses is far from business as usual. Fourteen houses. Fourteen new appointments. In 2025, luxury fashion didn’t just evolve, it reset.
Taylor’s Triumph: Swift Reclaims Her Original Masters
On the 30th May, Taylor Swift took to Instagram to announce she now owns the master recordings (Masters) of her first six albums. She shared three photos of her, surrounded by vinyl’s of her original albums: Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation. “All of the music I’ve ever made…now belongs…to me”, she wrote in a lengthy letter uploaded onto her website. For the very first time, Swift now owns the music, the artwork, the concert films, and the unreleased songs for her albums made between 2006 and 2017.
Achingly Nostalgic; Peter Capaldi’s Sweet Illusions
People may be surprised to learn that before he was known for fighting Daleks as Doctor Who or threatening civil servants with self-professed “violent sexual imagery” as Malcolm Tucker, actor Peter Capaldi was the lead singer of a Glasgow punk-rock band - though the latter’s penchant for profanity certainly lines up.
Doctor Who (2005-2023); Highs and Lows, Ups and Down, Timeys and Wimeys
Doctor Who has long enjoyed a certain prestige as the longest-running science fiction television series. In 2010, Guinness World Records recognised it as 'the most successful science fiction television show in the world,' based on metrics such as DVD sales and online viewership.
The show has been running for so long that even its revival, relaunched in 2005 after being shelved in 1989 for declining quality, is now 20 years old. Heck, it survives into the modern day through a third revival tailored specifically for streaming, backed these days by big daddy Disney money (not to mention the works of Big Finish, which have secretly been keeping the lights on for decades and will presumably continue on long after humanity is extinct and the world has been consumed by flames - eta: next Tuesday).
A Travel Guide to Firenze Schiacciata
A recent trip to Florence offered all the beauty of art and architecture that we were hoping for, but I’m sure it has been spoken about at length by far too many people to warrant another person waxing lyrical on Botticelli’s Venus or Michaelangelo’s David. Instead, I have decided to wax lyrical on Tuscany’s famous sandwich, the schiacciata, a focaccia bread that has been squashed, and then sliced for sandwich bread. I thought that since it was such a large part of our trip, being the most reliable and easily accessible lunch food, that surely it deserves just as much attention, if not more, as the art. After all, although art does feed the soul, sandwiches feed the heart and the body, which is perhaps a more useful purpose.
Haim are back…and celebrating singlehood!!
Pop/Rock trio sister band Haim have re-entered the music-sphere once again with their new single “Relationships” – a fresh, bold song celebrating a new era of singlehood. It is the lead single from their forthcoming album I Quit.
Met Gala 2025: Diljit Dosanjh Proudly Represents Punjabi Roots with His Regal 'Maharaja Look'
Girls.Speak.French: Glasgow’s Next Big Sound
Glasgow has long been a launchpad for some of the biggest names in music, and Girls.Speak.French are the latest band making serious waves from the heart of Scotland’s music capital. With their unique blend of indie and rock, emotionally sharp song writing, and an unmistakable style, the four-piece are quickly carving out their own space in the city’s rich musical landscape.
Kids in America: How Motherhood Became Political Under Trump
Let's Get the Girls Behind the Decks Please!
There’s a pandemic of straight, cis, white male DJs flooding club and festival line-ups.
In 2019, research from the University of Portsmouth estimated that in the UK, only ten percent of DJs were female. Even within the music industry itself, only 18% of women stated that they worked in dance music, according to the 2023 music census. Logically, it makes sense; as a woman it’s of course difficult to break into a male dominated field, but how do we invigorate more women into trying DJing?
"Past, Present, Presence, and Pretend” at LFW: Simone Rocha AW25
Simone Rocha is swiftly cementing her place as a key fixture in the London Fashion Week line-up. Now, 15 years since the inception of her eponymous brand, her collections are imbued with a growing sense of personal connection and emotional resonance, often offering glimpses into different chapters of her life. A standout moment from past seasons was her captivating nod to Lughnasadh, the Irish harvest festival, which she wove into the Autumn/Winter '23 collection, drawing us into the rich folklore of Ireland. This season, Rocha revisits her teenage years, with the Autumn/Winter 2025 collection taking inspiration from her Dublin school days and the timeless fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare."