Today we talk about the life of Nichelle Nichols, Beyoncé faces backlash, The Wonder Years’ tour announcement, and Bad Suns’ new single.
Remembering Nichelle Nichols
Actress Nichelle Nichols passed away Saturday night at the age of 89. Her son announced she had died of natural causes and released a statement saying, “Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration from. Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.”
Nichols was best known for breaking barriers as Lt. Nyota Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series, in a time where Black women were hardly seen in significant roles. She even participated in one of television’s first interracial kisses with William Shatner on Star Trek. In parallel to her most famous role, she worked to make NASA more diverse and even helped to recruit astronauts like Sally Ride. Her legacy paved the path for many in both the worlds of entertainment and science. Nichelle Nichols lived a life that was full and shined light onto everyone around her. No one can sum it up better than her co-star George Takei who paid tribute to her and tweeted, “We lived long and prospered together.”
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Things Get Heated for Beyoncé
Beyoncé is receiving some heat for her latest album, and not the good kind. Renaissance dropped last week after drama over someone leaking it two days before release. The songs themselves have gotten great reviews but one, in particular, has upset people for using what is an ableist slur in some cultures. The song “Heated” uses the lyrics “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass.” The word “spazz” comes from the word spastic which, primarily in the UK and Australia, is derogatory for those with spastic cerebral palsy. However, in Black American slang, the term is used as a verb for going off or going wild. Lizzo used the Black American version in a recent song but changed the lyrics out of love for her international fans. For some, the recent situation is more frustrating because they feel people in the industry aren’t actually listening. For others, it is frustrating because they feel their culture is being erased without any attempt to understand cultural and language differences. For example, “fanny” has two very different meanings in the US and the UK. However, like Lizzo before her, Beyoncé’s representatives released a statement this morning that the lyrics would be changed to respect all her fans.
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The Wonder Years Tour
The UK better get ready because The Wonder Years have announced a tour for this fall. The tour will officially kick off at London’s Electric Ballroom on November 8. However, they will be playing a rescheduled show in Bournemouth, England at The Old Fire Station on November 6th. They will run through November 15th in Leeds. They posted on Instagram, “This year marks 15 years since our first UK tour and the memories we’ve made—from playing literal basements up to Alexandria Palace—have been and continue to be some of our most treasured. So it’s with an immeasurable joy that we get to tell you today that, for the first time since 2019, we’re doing a headlining UK tour this November. We can’t wait to play everything for you—new stuff from THGOF, old favorites, the whole damn thing. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, August 4th.” While you’re waiting for November, don’t forget that they will drop their newest album, The Hum Goes On Forever, on September 23rd.
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Bad Suns on Tour and “Maybe You Saved Me” with Lynn Gunn
Bad Suns have dropped a brand new single “Maybe You Saved Me”. To make things even better, the song features PVRIS‘ Lynn Gunn. When talking about the song frontman Christo Bowman said, “Distancing yourself from a negative or toxic situation can be extremely difficult, as there are so many powerful emotions to get caught up in and confused by. Ultimately, this song is about coming to terms with all the good and the bad and opening yourself up to the notion that difficult times are important in leading you to the place you need to be.” The track will be part of a deluxe version of their album Apocalypse Whenever, which will be released on September 30th.
The band will hit the road this fall on their headlining tour kicking off in Pomona, CA on October 3rd and going through November 12th in Las Vegas. They’ll be supported by Last Dinosaurs and Quarters of Change during the 28-city tour. Make sure to snag tickets tomorrow at 10am local time and check out their single below!
