As an active Tinashe stan, when she first announced her Joyride project, I was met with a feeling of huge excitement. Aquarius, her previous effort, was one of the strongest debut albums by a female artist in R&B, so I expected nothing less than amazing.

Tinashe quickly dropped the lead single 'Party Favors' featuring Young Thug. After listening to it for the first time, I instantly fell in love. Shortly after, to my confusion, it was announced that 'Party Favors' would not be the lead single for Joyride, and that she would be releasing the legitimate lead single as a collaboration with Chris Brown. I, like most people, had mixed feelings about a duet with Brown due to his past behaviour. I decided not to judge a track based on past actions of the featured artist, though, and gave the song a chance. Once again, I was in love. I honestly believed this could be her breakout hit.

But, time passed and Tinashe had no promotion for the single whatsoever. Months passed, and she embarked on the Joyride World Tour with no album released. The concert was phenomenal, and meeting her was an amazing experience. Hearing unreleased music intended for the album was probably the best experience. I was so ready to finally hear Joyride. However, the tour was eventually cancelled and an album never seen.

Two years after the Joyride World Tour, we finally have the album. Preceded by lead single 'No Drama', Tinashe delivered a strong body of work that was well worth the patience of her fans, affectionately called her “SweeTees.”

If I were to say this album would be up to par with Aquarius, or even her Nightride mixtape released in late 2016, I would be lying. However, it was not a disappointing listen. Tinashe delivered excellence through the singles 'No Drama', 'Me So Bad', and 'Faded Love'. Album tracks showcased her ability to stand as a strong figure in R&B music, especially so in songs such as 'Stuck with Me' and 'No Contest'.

My only complaint about the album is that with it only being thirteen tracks, the need for interludes is unnecessary. The album contains an intro and two interludes, leaving the listener with only ten tracks to enjoy. The fact that the songs are all strong pieces slightly makes up for this issue, but compared to Aquarius's eighteen tracks (nineteen if you own Best Buy’s deluxe edition), the album is very short for one that was delayed so many years.

Altogether, though, Tinashe has proven she is here to stay. Even if she hasn’t been given efficient label support through RCA Records, or a chance at radio success, Tinashe is one of the most promising artists of this decade. I look forward to witnessing the future of her career.

Rating: 75/100

What did you think of Joyride? Let us know in the comments section down below!

Blade Runner 2049 is the latest film from Denis Villeneuve, the French Canadian film director extraordinaire who made a splash last year with one of the years best, Arrival. Following on from the events of 1982's Blade Runner, the film stars Ryan Gosling in the lead, with Harrison Ford an supporting role in the third act; and Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoek, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto rounding out the ensemble cast.

Going into this film I had very little idea what it was about, which is probably a good thing. Trying to summarise this two and a half hour spectacular into a by-line doesn't turn out very well, and would probably lead to something like, "Ryan Reynolds questions his humanity while robots play dress up", or "Harrison Ford returns as a maybe robot, this time with a maybe successor". Part of my lack of knowledge definitely has to with the filmmakers decision to not reveal too much of the plot, which is as it should be: the original film's cult status was due to its ambiguity, especially as to whether or not Deckard is a replicant.

For those interested you can check out more full summaries online, but for the purpose of this review all you'll need to know is that 2049 takes place thirty years after the events of the original, with Gosling as K taking on the role of "blade runner" that was previously held by Ford's Deckard. Blade runners are agents solicited by the police to take down "replicants", artificially designed robots that have over time become indistinguishable from real humans and who now pose threat to society. Also of note is the fact that the world's climate is in total disarray, with most of the earth's resources toxic in one way or another; and that because of this, many more humans have escaped to "off world" colonies on other planets since the events of the original film.

Speaking of the original film, it's definitely a must-watch regardless of if you're interested in the sequel or not. Watching the sequel without knowledge of the original will still make total sense, but you'll be missing out on a lot of the visual allusions and easter eggs that you'd find interesting with a knowledge of the original film's plot. I haven't seen it in a while, which means that some of this film's intricacies were lost on me compared to others I saw it with, but I still picked up the meaning of origami unicorns and certain musical cues which I definitely wouldn't have without seeing the original. 

With all that said, it's worth noting that the film's focus definitely isn't on it's plot alone. The main story itself is passably interesting, and features a major twist around halfway through which will alter your perception of its predictability; and there's a lot of fascinating sub-plots that don't do much to progress the storyline but which are interesting enough on their own that it doesn't really matter. The characters are equally fascinating, thanks in large part to their expert cast, many of whom are relative unknowns. Females play a particularly large part, from the villanious Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) whose job it is to track down K, and who at one point launches missiles at her enemies through virtual reality glasses while simultaneously getting a holographic manicure from one of her workers; to Joi (Ana de Armas), K's entirely holographic virtual girlfriend who becomes a surprisingly loveable ally; and Lt. Joshi (Robin Wright), the hardened human detective with questionable morals. Gosling and Ford, for their part, put in performances of the calibre you'd expect from each of them, even if they don't necessarily reinvent the wheel.

But overall, the film is best digested as an "experience", with the plot only making up part of its beauty. The original Blade Runner featured groundbreaking visuals, and this one continues the trend with a brilliantly realised aesthetic that's just as important to focus on as the plot. From a fallen and overgrown Las Vegas shrouded with the remnants of collapsed erotica statues, to the modernist pyramid of a headquarters that Wallace Corporation uses as their base, to the neon lit alleyways that populated the first film, every scene presents a beautifully stylised noir version of the future that could be paused at any frame to reveal an artwork fit for MoMA. The costuming is equally beautiful, especially when it comes to Joi, who flits between wigs and costumes at will depending on her mood; and Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), the cybernetically enhanced leader of the Wallace Corporation who rocks funky eyes and a USB reader on his neck.

The music is equally effective, thanks to the combined efforts of Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch. Zimmer's Inception-style tracks are easily spotted, as well as some soundscapes that evoke Ridley Scott's other masterpiece, Alien. They might not be the kind of song you could listen to outside of the fourth wall, but they do an excellent job at building tension, especially during some of the films more action-oriented scenes. Keep an eye out for J and Deckard facing off against each other to the tune of Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling in Love'.

Overall, the film brings up just as many questions as it answers, some of which may be answered in a sequel. There's definitely allusions to much, much larger incidents occurring in the Blade Runner universe, particularly amongst sex working double agent Mariette (Mackenzie Davis), and the one-eyed rebellion leader Freysa (Hiam Abbass); and Villeneuve has done such a spectacular job at building the world that I would happily spend another three hours inside it any day of the week. The only thing left now is for it to find its audience; at last check, the film was already being called out as a "box office bomb", which is a lot less than the film's talented director and cast deserve. But even if these questions go unanswered, as many in the original film did, Blade Runner 2049 can rest easy knowing that it has excelled not only as a much-anticipated sequel, but as a brilliantly realised standalone film. We can't wait to see what Villeneuve has up his sleeve next.

This Friday, Alexz Johnson dropped her long-awaited third studio album A Stranger Time. I hardly ever review albums, but after listening to this one  I was inspired to express my inner thoughts on the project and encourage you to buy or stream it to experience its perfection on your own. Like always, you need to create a good atmosphere to enjoy it the fullest! I lit three candles while it was dark outside. I put the candles on the windowsill and played the album through in one uninterrupted listen. Firstly, let me review the album track-by-track, and then I will proceed to my thoughts about the project overall.

1. Breathe

I have to admit that there's a cacophony of instrumentation in this song, but after listening to the rest of the album I'd have to think it was done on purpose. What really stands out to me is the climax of this song: it becomes super rocky. What's also noteworthy are the little details in it like the sample of someone breathing. Alexz has posted a short video clip on Instagram of her singing this song with her guitar only, and I have to tell her that I'm gonna need a full acoustic version of 'Breathe' like yesterday. Hopefully, she will post some acoustic videos on her YouTube channel. Overall, 'Breathe' is a fantastic opener.

2. Careless

The first thing that came to my mind was, "I love the beat!" - it is truly eargasmic. The song is also amazing lyrically (although so are all the songs on this album). What is funny is that we went from "potatoes in a bowl" (a line from the song 'Nothin' on Me' from Alexz's EP Heart released in 2014) to "ships and postal slips, little poker chips". She is finally done with her not so well-structured food metaphors! There is also a lot of water vibes on this album. In 'Breathe' she literally sings, "Let the rain wash all this sadness out of me/Should I drown in my sorrow?/Tomorrow, underwater I will learn to breathe/I will learn to breathe"; and the intro to 'Careless' brings the association of waves rocking back and forth. I wonder if that was intentional.

3. Aftermath

This song is probably my favorite from the whole album. It just needs to become the second single! The production, the vocals, and the lyrics are everything. The reverb in the vocals is crafted perfectly. Moreover, the intro of this song is very similar to 'Swallowed' from Alexz's scrapped debut album Weight. When I listen to it, I keep wanting to sing, "Oh my darling, can we find a way out..." To me, it feels like the sequel to 'Swallowed' which brings back so many amazing memories, and which must be the reason why this song is a fan favourite. For me, these lyrics are also comparable to what I experienced after coming out - confusion, self-hatred, insecurity, and vulnerability. 

4. Right Now

This song was the first single promoting A Stranger Time. At first, I was a little bit disappointed with it, as I didn't really enjoy the production and the chorus seemed a little too repetitive. However, now that I've had the opportunity to listen to the full album, I'll admit that 'Right Now' makes more sense in the context of the other tracks. At the same time, it's unlike anything else on the record with the additions of the guitar work, some of my favorite instrumentation on the album, and the cascading sounds during the dissonant chorus. That sound plus Alexz's mesmerizing voice echoing in the background signify, in my opinion, all the people trying to impose their opinions on you. Moreover, the way in which the guitar revs up at the end of the second verse and leads into the chorus though is truly remarkable! I am so hyped to see the music video to this song that Alexz has been teasing on her social media. I'm sure that with the visuals, the song will grow on me even more.

5. Never Love Me Back

As far as I can tell, this song is most people's second favorite from the album (after 'Aftermath'), and I can see why. This song is probably the only one out of the whole album I can see being played on mainstream radio, as it's really catchy. The song is chill, yet the melody indicates happiness at the beginning. However, when Alexz starts singing, the mood shifts to sadness and the song kind of clicks together. Her vocals are notably excellent here, especially at the end where she adds her characteristic shouting in the background. The lyrics are totally relatable to anyone who has ever been in love when the feeling was not reciprocated.

6. Run For Your Life

The first association that came to my mind when I heard the intro was, "Oh! Alexz is giving us those Joanne vibes!". However, when Alexz's voice burst through, I immediately changed my mind as she sounds nothing like Lady Gaga. She doesn't follow the new country trend in pop music either. Instead, this song is more like the cinematic music she was aiming for with her debut album Voodoo but done much better. It sounds like something straight out of an old western film and I am living for it. I can imagine one of these trademark western scenes where two cowboys are standing in front of each other with their guns out waiting for the other to shoot. This one is my third favorite song on the album.

7. Man Like You

On first listen, I thought that this song's production was a little too rough - it sounds more like a demo than the master. As far as I know, Alexz has done one-take vocal recordings for sever songs of hers previously, and maybe that this song has been recorded that way to give it a more raw, "demo-y" vibe than what we'd normally hear on a studio track. It's so soft and different from most of Alexz's music, but nevertheless a grower. The strongest aspect of this song is its lyrics. Alexz sings about her love for a man. Could it be about her boyfriend Matti? We can only conjecture, but 'Man Like You' has a Jack Daniels reference like the Matti dedicated 'Cologne' from her previous album Let Em Eat Cake.  

8. Dangerous Mind

First of all, I need to highlight the instrumental of this song. It's so beautiful! This song is definitely something you've gotta vibe with on the low. It's not poppy like previous Alexz productions and it's not aimed at as much listening attention as her previous releases did. But it does contain great lyrics, beautiful melodies, and a new musical direction. I can't wait to see her perform it live! But who am I fooling (pun intended ) - I want to hear all of these amazing songs live! Come to Europe, Alexz!  

9. Say Goodbye

This is how you conclude an album. 'Say Goodbye' evokes the end of something but also the beginning of something wonderful. I'm speechless because this song is wonderful and Alexz is definitely changing, evolving into one of the smartest and the most woke artists of our time. 'Say Goodbye' is the song I am most astonished by. Her ability to come up with a completely different type of sound than she's done before is admirable. Shira's voice blends perfectly with Alexz's too. I needed to check the credits of this song just to be sure it wasn't just Alexz using a deeper voice in the background vocals. Can we take a moment to appreciate these harmonies?

A Stranger Time is not something I'd clean my house to. It's more like an album you would listen to while driving. I have a feeling that this album was supposed to sound live off the floor and raw. As a long-time fan of hers, this album was something I had to be kind of prepared for purely because it's so different and low-key compared to her other material. We no longer hear the rocky Jude Harrison, or the screaming-her-heart-out, Let Em Eat Cake Alexz Johnson. A Stranger Time's Alexz uses her voice much wiser than she did on Voodoo or on Cake. Here, her voice sounds saccharine and precious, similiar to the way it used to in 2007, but much more mature.

This is the material we, her fans, have been waiting for since 'Weight'. I think Alexz has finally found her lane as an independent artist. She has come so far, and this is where she should be. I feel the same way I did with her music in the good (g)olden days. She has re-ignited my passion and support for her music and career with this album. Everything about it is exceptional. It's cohesive. It's lyrically mature. The melodies are perfectly crafted. I love the live feel of the production. This album has a lot of beautiful instrumental intros and outros which I have been missing in her music (we're looking at you, 'I Will Fall in Love'). The standouts for me are definitely 'Aftermath', 'Never Love Me Back', 'Run For Your Life', and 'Say Goodbye'. This is an incredible comeback following Let Em Eat Cake, and I consider this album great.

I think the biggest complaint someone can have with this album is, "It's not my style or the genre that I'm into." For me, the album's only major flaw is that it's definitely too short. I have yet to hear the Bob Dylan cover of 'Dreamin' Of You' which is a bonus track on the vinyl version of the album, but I really wish the album had a deluxe edition with at least three bonus tracks. But apart from the fact that the thirty minute long album leaves me longing for more, the record is incredibly cohesive and beautiful.

Rating: 9/10

You can buy a digital copy of this album on iTunes or Google Play, a CD or vinyl at Alexz's official store and stream it on Spotify.

Support this amazing artist!

And we've finally made it! Tonight's episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, 'Grand Finale', is as the name implies - the last in a season which at some points seemed to stretch on for an eternity. The first half of the episode was pretty dull without the typical chats we've had in previous years (those were all covered in last week's reunion episode) so I won't go too deeply into that, although I would like to ask whether anyone else noticed that Katy Perry's contribution to the episode was clearly edited in completely last minute and not even shown to its recipient, Sasha. What was even going on with that?

I quite liked the conceit of the lip sync smackdown and the drama it brought to the competition, although I have to say that the execution was a little messy. Hopefully if the show decides to pull it out of the bag in future years they'll switch things up a bit - it could be so fun to have the lip sync couples determined by a social media vote instead of a wheel of fortune that's used a grand total of once and then discarded.

Trinity made a brave move by choosing to lip sync to Britney's 'Stronger' against Peppermint, and while it didn't quite pay off you have to admire her (perfectly tucked) balls. It was obvious who the winner would be when Trinity ripped off her skirt and Peppermint ripped off her whole outfit (and wig), but Trinity didn't give up and put on a great performance anyway. Trinity was never really my favourite queen, but she grew on me steadily all season I was surprised at how sad I was to see her go.

Trinity's decision to battle Peppermint of course set up Sasha against Shea for Whitney's 'So Emotional', in what might have been a loss for their friendship but in what was definitely a win for reality TV. These two won several challenges together as a unit throughout the series so to pit them against each other was a twist worthy of All Stars. Honestly, I've never quite gotten the hype around Shea. Her drag aesthetic is always polished and she seems passably talented at everything she does, but I've never really seen her bring anything new to the table. She's not the worst of the bunch but she's not the best, and in my opinion her lip sync reflected that. Sasha would have emerged the victor here with or without the roses reveal that kept all eyes on her throughout the whole performance.

And so it was that Peppermint and Sasha, two newly legendary lip syncers, took to the stage to battle it out. I had higher hopes for Peppermint's final lip sync, given how high-energy and hilarious her moves were on the main stage earlier in the season. But Peppermint seemed to have lost some of her freshness, repeating the same moves she had earlier in the night and often seeming to struggle her way through the lyrics Valentina-style. On the other hand, I wasn't sure what to expect from Sasha, who I admit I wrote off as too "serious" to pay too much attention to lip syncing. She definitely was serious, but that didn't make her lip sync any less entertaining, and she brought a whole lot of passion to Whitney's 'It's Not Right, But It's Okay'.

Even with Peppermint's admittedly sub-par lipsync, the crowning really could have gone either way. I've said this all season long so forgive me for sounding like a broken record, but since Valentina left there really hasn't been a clear winner for me and that confusion continued right up until the final two. On the one hand, Peppermint is the first openly trans contestant on the show and I can see the execs wanting to make amends to that community for the whole "she mail" debacle by crowning her the winner. On the other hand, Sasha represents a truly unique form of drag and her branding is incredibly strong and instantly recognisable. I truly would have been happy with either of these girls being crowned the winner, but if we're basing our decisions purely on their performance in the last episode then I definitely think the right girl won.

   So what will a Velourian future of drag look like? According to Sasha, she's planning on continuing her regular art meets drag magazine, and she's planning to take her show on the road to expose her form of artsy drag to the rest of the world. Unlike queens like Adore or Alaska, I can't really see Sasha's form of drag crossing over into the mainstream. But she will definitely do a lot to educate a growing majority of Drag Race fans who are white, female and young and who don't necessarily know about the history of the art form. In that respect, at least, it's a win all around.

I set out writing these 'ruviews' as a challenge to myself, and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't a total struggle trying to make it through some of these episodes and coming up with things to write about when so little happened. But I've had lots of fun working on them and I myself have learnt a lot about drag history and just what I expect in my reality TV. It's been great fun discussing the show with all of you and I can't wait to do it again next season! Until then, let me know what you think in the comments below and don't forget to keep in touch. Have a blessed day, and stay sexy!  

Season nine of Drag Race is coming to a close, and with it so are our recaps. Season nine has been a controversial one, with a move to VH1, an admittedly lacklustre cast and a surprise Wendy Williams appearance all marring the once untouchable show; but it's safe to say that while this season may not have been the absolute best, it was at least better than that messy season seven.

The main challenge this week was split in two, although one half of it was pretty non-existent. Namely, the part of the episode where the queens appear on Ru and Michelle's What's The Tea? podcast was clearly put on for cameras, as no episodes featuring any of the top four queens have been released and we all know that Ru and Michelle's recording studios aren't that lush. The podcast segment was instead there to replace Ru's final interview with the top four girls, and get some promo for one of his side ventures in there on the sly.

The main part of the episode found the girls recording rap verses for an appearance on a remix of Ru's song 'Category Is', and learning a dance routine to it from friend of the show Todrick Hall. At the end of the day, all of the queens did a pretty good job with their verses, although it seems the black girls had a natural advantage - Trinity's rap was a little awkward and Sasha always tries to intellectualise her lyrics a little too much for my taste. When it comes to the choreography section, Sasha and Peppermint are given a losers edit, but actually turn out to do pretty well in the finished performance. It's clear that Shea was being preferenced in this challenge, however - she got by far the best choreography and was even given props which the other girls weren't.

At the end of the episode, Ru primed all four girls for an elimination as she decided who would make it to the top three and the finale, as has been done in every season of Drag Race. But in a shocking twist, it turns out all of the girls efforts to impress in this episode were in vain, as all four of them would make it on to the finale episode. As someone who has never judged a talent show in my life, Ru's decision actually made a lot of sense to me. One of the main criticisms of season nine was that there weren't enough standout queens to keep it interesting, and that situation was only exacerbated after Valentina's elimination. It means that it's made for a somewhat lacklustre season, but it also means that for once it feels like none of the queens deserve to go and all of them have a chance of snatching the top prize.

First up we have Peppermint, who has to be the queen with the most likeable personality out of all four. Peppermint's main criticism is that her looks are unpolished, but her winning personality means that she can sell them anyway and her lip syncs are always entertaining. Peppermint is also the first openly trans contestant on Drag Race, and in the interests of promoting diversity among their winners it would make sense for VH1 to give Peppermint the crown.

Then there's Sasha, who has to be the most unique queen out of all of the top four and who was my immediate favourite in the competition. Sasha would definitely bring something new to the winners circle, as no one else in that bracket has quite the same level of New York intellect she does. More importantly, she knows who she is and would be easy to brand if she went on to be America's Next Drag Superstar.

Next is Shea Coulee, who has to be the most gorgeous queen out of all four. Like Naomi Smalls before her, Shea has legs for days, a tiny waist and perfect bone structure and it would be easy to see her on a Paris runway. That said, I'm not quite sure she has the relatable personality or breadth of skills necessary in a winner.

And finally we have Trinity, who we all pinned down as just another pageant girl at first. Trinity was never my favourite, but around halfway through the competition she really started to grow on me with her down-to-earth personality, humour and straight up drag looks. Trinity could be just the girl to bring pageantry into the new millenium.

Next week's episode will be a reunion episode, which is always fun for some drama - and there's sure to be plenty of it, with Valentina, Aja, Trinity and Eureka all back together in the same room. We won't be covering the reunion episode, so make sure to head over to our forums to discuss it, and come back to our recaps two weeks from now for news on who ends up being America's Next Drag Superstar of 2017!

It's the fourth last episode of this season of Drag Race, and only the second last episode which will be set in our beloved work room. With the pressure mounting every week, the producers have clearly decided to give all the girls full on panic attacks by introducing a ball episode to the show. Each of the five remaining girls has to come up with three distinct looks for three different categories, as well as work out choreography for a dance number further down the line.

Sasha won the puppeteering mini-challenge, but this turned out to be a curse in disguise as she was then asked to choreograph the rhythmic gymnastic routine that would constitute part of the main challenge. The end product of Sasha's hard work was actually pretty good for someone who professes to be so bad at dance, but we can only imagine how hard it must be trying to tell Alexis Michelle what to do - she was practically turning green with envy.

The main part of the challenge was the three categories the queens were asked to walk in - Rainbow-She-Betta-Do, Sexy Unicorn and Village People Eleganza Extravaganza. I have to say that all of the queens did an amazing job in these categories, and looked the best they ever have - bar Alexis Michelle. To be fair to Alexis, she was given the native American village people look to work with, which was always going to be the hardest to do while avoiding accusations of cultural appropriation. Seriously, why was the native American idea character in the show when the producers could have just used the G.I. Village People character instead?

But apart from Alexis, the other four queens did an amazing job. Shea's construction worker look was inventive, sexy and high fashion, while Trinity's interpretation of a cop was super sleek. Sasha struggled a little to stick to the brief, but her outfits were consistently gorgeous and completely on brand for her drag persona; while Peppermint had some good ideas even if they were executed a little messily. The unicorn category was pretty bizarre to be honest and I can't say I loved any of the looks there, but kudos to Sasha and Shea for giving it their all anyway.

Ultimately, Shea won largely on the back of her construction worker outfit, which I'm not quite sure was a good enough reason to snatch the trophy for this week. It's hard to believe that Sasha still has yet to have a win on her own, and I would have liked to see her get some recognition for her consistency throughout the competition.

Predictably, Alexis was the one to leave this week and all I have to really say is good riddance. Alexis was really the Roxxxy Andrews of this competition: a big, theatrical queen who clearly thinks she's a lot better than anyone else does and who's kept long past her due by date just for the drama she causes. I won't be sad to see her go, but I'll love watching her walk away.

Given that last week's episode of Drag Race was undeniably the best all season, it might have been hard for this week's entry to keep up the pace; and to be honest, I don't think it quite managed to best the twist which occured in that episode. But this week's episode still put in a good showing, thanks in large part to a particularly fun maxi-challenge which found the queens performing makeovers on the crew of the show, who up until now have been a largely mysterious unseen force save some brief appearances on Untucked.

Part of the reason the crew's appearance worked so well us because of how effectively they played off the queens. For the first time all season, Valentina's elimination means that it the game is really open to be won by any one of the girls, and it seems that they have used this as the wake up call they need to believe that they're all being given an equal shot. A combination of this newfound energy alongside the camaraderie and support of the crew meant that they all, in the words of RuPaul, stepped their pussy up.

Trinity and her drag daughter Glittafa Days had by far the most family resemblance out of all of the queens, even if they didn't really offer anything new when it comes to The Tuck's looks. That said, Trinity was lucky to be working with the youngest and fishiest of all the crew memebrs, so she already had a head start. Meanwhile, Sasha and her drag daughter Donatella Velour had a look that was very on brand for Sasha and yet still somehow cooky and not too overdone. Alexis and Peppermint were both overall slammed by the judges, which is a shame because I didn't personally think either of their looks were that dreadful; Alexis's in particular was actually very polished and fun, if uninspired. Shea and Bae Couleé also both actually looked pretty good, but Bae's walk and fashion mishaps were both admittedly a little cringeworthy, not that all of that can be blamed on Shea.

In my opinion, the only real loser of the night was Nina. She failed to really commit to her bunny rabbit makeup, which was one of the cheapest and messiest she's shown all season; and her outfits were uninspired, giving the same silhouette she has in nearly every runway so far. That combined with a Charlie-esque lipsync proved to be enough to make her leave the competition. Nina's personal narrative was one of the most interesting to watch this season, and I truly hope that she will reform her self-sabotage before any eventual appearance on All Stars that may or may not happen.

Kesha made an appearance as a guest judge, which was a bittersweet moment for longtime fans of the troubled singer. On the one hand, it was great to see her out in public again; but on the other, she seemed to have lost some of the party girl, borderline alcoholic spark that she had when she first debuted. Still, it was great to see that the show didn't edit her out entirely as it sometimes does with guest judges and that she seemed to have a fun time with Peppermint's protege Sarge, aka Winter Green. I am a little disappointed that we didn't get a lip sync to one of her songs ('Sleazy' would have been a great choice, and it's music video even starred Detox and Vicky Vox!) but it's possible that her ongoing legal issues made this impossible, and 'Cool for the Summer' was a more than adequate replacement.

This season got off to quite a slow start, and to be honest I'm still not sure the combination of queens chosen was the most interesting to watch. That said, there's been a few real highlight episodes, including the premier and the past two, so I'm hoping that things will only look up from here on out. And for once, I really have no idea who's going to be eliminated, or who's going to make it all the way. It's exciting stuff!

Since it's premiere back in March, season nine of RuPaul's Drag Race has been one of the most polarising ever. Many fans point to the move to major network VH1 as the root of all evil, alleging that the change of channels has led to the "commercialisation" and "mainstreaming" of the show, and that the new network has stripped back all that was brilliant about the show to begin with, from the Pit Crew to the extended runway scenes. And sadly for her, Wendy Williams has often been the face of this outrage, thanks to a misplaced hosting gig with the show.

We're nine episodes into season nine now, and whether it's luck or some divine intervention, it seems like the show has finally done it. Last night's episode was hands down the best one all season, despite the fact that a mini-challenge was nowhere to be seen. The main challenge for the week found the girls asked to create their own TV pilot to pitch to networks, which in the great Drag Race tradition of course led to a blaxploitation series involving a Russian spy, a sitcom about two Christian mothers dealing with their sons sexuality, and a prison drama involving two hookers. But it was the fun and drama in the episode, rather than the challenge itself, which made it one to remember.

Much of this season has been devoted to the "special moments" the girls have in the workroom - whether it's Peppermint discussing her transgender identity, Sasha slamming Russia or Valentina talking about her eating disorder - and we still got a little of that in this episode with Sasha's crash course on club kids, but it was blessedly short. Instead, the extra time was filled with scenes of the girls gaming each other and playing around, which was a nice change from the serious tone we'd had previously. In the workroom, Alexis continued the trend of trying to dominate every challenge, fighting Peppermint for the voice over in their pilot; while Sasha and Shea forged their friendship even further and Nina and Valentina made the interesting choice not to shoot from a script.

The pilots themselves turned out just okay, although Sasha and Shea took a well-deserved win for their on-brand, simple and effective spy comedy. The runway, on the other hand, was one of the best we've had all season, with each queen debuting their own version of a 'Club Kid' look, and the majority of them succeeding spectacularly.

And what happened after the runway was truly shocking. Valentina, the "beautiful", "gorgeous" "Linda Evangelista" lookalike faced her ally, the forever self-doubting Nina in a surprise lip sync. And, after an altercation with RuPaul about the suitability of a veil in a lip syncing challenge - she later revealed that she didn't know the words to the song which was why she wanted to keep it on - Valentina was the queen to sashay away.

More than a thirteenth queen in the form of Cynthia or a shock elimination in the form of Eureka, Valentina's elimination was for me the biggest twist of this season. Given the "winners edit" the producers were giving her up until this point - from the cute reaction shots, to the candle she prayed to, to the amount of screen time dedicated to telling her how "beautiful" she was - I really thought that Valentina was going to go all the way and snatch the trophy this year, despite my protests that she didn't deserve it. Of course, queens return every season on Drag Race, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if Valentina came back in a future episode - after all, I can't ever remember Ru dismissing a queen with so much malice and I can't see that standing forever. But if Valentina really is gone for good, then I'm not only completely shook but also completely impressed by the ability of the Drag Race editors to know their formula so well and to know exactly how to subvert it. If it stands, Valentina's elimination will almost definitely set her up for an All Stars gig - and let's hope it will set up Sasha for a win this season as well.

This week's episode of Drag Race recalls one of the most liked challenges in recent years - the RuPaul Roast. Debuting in season five with strong comedy queens like Jinkx Monsoon and Alaska Thunderfuck, the roast became a chance for the contestants to let out all their anger at the judges in the name of comedy, and led to some of the best watching that season.

Sadly, this year's roast wasn't quite as exciting, despite the fact that the queens were given the opportunity to roast Michelle Visage, a veritable mine of material. I have to put this one down to the queens this season, who are all perhaps a bit too sunshine and rainbows to succeed in a comedy environment. Shea Couleee and Peppermint both slayed the challenge with their quick wits and expert delivery, while Nina went for somerthing completely different (as is her style) with her charicature of her own great aunt. Sasha, too, took her own spin on things, playing the role of intellegencia turned comedian as she displayed her unique wit to the judges and proving she's more than just an arty queen. All four of the girls did a good job, but it was Peppermint who ended up taking the crown, and deservedly so.

On the other hand, Trinity floundered trying to play her hillbilly-esque character; although given how strong her start was I get the feeling that she was victim to an edit which enhanced her awkward moments. Alexis, on the other hand, tried real hard to deliver her one-liners as the She Hulk but she struggled to land her jokes, despite a quick delivery. Farrahs's set was even worse, although it had me giggling in a "so bad it's good" kinda way. Her endless exasperates6d "ooh"'s, flustered "aah"'s and exasperated coughs reminded me so much of Eeyore that I couldn't stop laughing; although they made a lot more sense when she revealed in Untucked that she'd forgotten some of her queue cards and was just buying for time.

That said, it is interesting how editing can completely change the way one of these challenges look. Valentina's set was pretty weak, relying on a bad "ghetto" accent (which Sasha surely cringed at) and a mispronouncation of the word Michelle for humour; and if the audience seemed unsure, Michelle was downright befuddled, saying to Ru, "I'm so confused". Valentina's set was most likely just as poor as Farrah's, but thanks to some clicks of the finger in the editing room, she was made to look like the star the show is clearly trying to tell us she is.

Alexis and Farrah both ended up in the bottom two, and, as we've been predicting for weeks, it was finally Farrah's turn to go. Moan actually grew on me with every episode she was in; her fake whining was kind of cute and endearing by the end, and she seemed like the most genuinely sweet girl on the show. But she had stayed long past her welcome given how poorly she'd performed in almost every single task. Maybe some Ru Girls just aren't meant for the silver screen.

This week's Drag Race featured guest judges Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling returning to coach the queens' acting on a parody of 90210, 9021-HO; a job I'm sure they wish they'd turned down after they saw the daggers Nina was throwing at them with her eyes. With Cynthia Lee Fontaine out of the picture she often hogged, it was interesting to see who stepped up to the plate this week and who let the pressure get to them.

In typical Drag Race style, the show within a show was a campy mess, parodying the format of 9021-HO with a random school lunchlady thrown in for good measure. Trinity Taylor took home a well deserved win for what was basically a recreation of Amy Poehler's "cool mom" from Mean Girls, while Valentina stunned us with just how beautiful she can look as the popular girl in school. While both of them did a great job in the battle, I can't help but hope that neither of them wins the war - Trinity is a super talented drag queen for sure, but there's something I find difficult to relate to in her personality, and Valentina is frankly just an irritant both in and out of drag.

On the other hand we have Aja, who despite being what a certain stunner may call a "messy queen" was immediately more likeable to me. Aja's tantrums are at this point things of legend, with her "Linda Evangelista" meltdown spawning memes, t-shirts, and a whole song in its honour. But far from turning me off her, Aja's point of showing her own vulnerability in such an unguarded and unmanufactured way just makes me like her even more; and it helps that she consistently turns out great runway looks. I truly didn't think that Aja's performance in 9021-HO was bad; but really, none of the queens (apart from possibly Nina) had any major flubs this episode, and someone had to go. It's a shame but it seems as though Aja's workroom drama overshadowed her performance and ultimately led to her dismissal.

At this point, my main question about this series is just how Farrah Moan has managed to keep her claws in the competition for so long. This girl is a ticking timebomb to go and I'm really shocked that shes outlasted someone like the incomporable Charlie Hides considering how many times she's lip synced. My crystal ball is telling me she won't last another week.

And here we are: RuPaul's Drag Race's annual impersonation extraveganza and soiree with the stars, Snatch Game. Since it's initiation in season one, Snatch Game has become an iconic part of the shows DNA and one of the few challenges to be repeated season after season. Typically falling somewhere in the middle of each cycle, the game offers a turning point in each series where producers feel we know enough about the queens themselves to allow them to impersonate others, a feat which can often turn disastrous depending on how theatrically talented each one may be. And with so much anticipation between seasons for the challenge, Snatch Game also brings with it a huge amount of pressure and expectation; something I would argue this week's Snatch Game managed to live up to.

Alexis Michelle must have been smiled on by the gods this week, as she benefited not only from the absence of Eureka O'Hara (which allowed her to step into the role of cunty fat "tell it like it is" queen) but also from having the foresight to choose a character who Ru loves: Liza. Jinx Monsoon has stunned audiences with her spot on impersonation of Liza during live versions of the Snatch Game during the Battle of the Seasons tour, but surprisingly no queen has yet attempted the icon during the televised version of the show; an opening Alexis spotted and jumped at. Like Jinx before her, Alexis nailed Liza's unique blend of camp, slapstick and complete crazy in what was nevertheless an endearing tribute, and went on to snatch the top trophy this week.

Not to be outdone, Shea put forth a stellar impression of true supermodel Naomi Campbell, while Trinity nailed the lesser-known living pop art project Amanda Lepore with her perfectly plastic personality. I've spoken before about my dislike of Valentina, but she proved she was more than just a looks queen here with her hilarious (if admittedly one note) portrayal of Miss Colombia; it was a new side of her I'd like to see more of. Sasha struggled somewhat to make the famously serious Marlene Dietrich funny, but her choice was on brand for the queen and she garnered enough laughs from the judges to keep her safe for another week. Meanwhile, Farrah struggled from a poor character choice (how does one make YouTube sensation Gigi Gorgeous funny without playing her as a dumb blonde?) and Cynthia played it a little too close to home with what should have been a spectacularly accurate portrayal of funny girl Sofia Vergara. Ultimately, it seemed as though Cynthia's inability to play anything other than, well, Cynthia, was her downfall, and she was sent home this week.

While I was sad to see Cynthia leave and will definitely miss her carefree, wise-cracking personality, I rest easy knowing that she's given pretty much everything she has to offer to the show this time around and, as far as we know, hasn't had any illness weighing her down this season. She gave it her all and if she didn't quite get as far as she wanted we at least know there's not any hidden potential in there that's being wasted - which is more than can be said for the likes of Jaymes Mansfield. Meanwhile, it's pretty clear that unless Farrah steps it up big time - and quick - she'll be the eliminated queen next week.

Come on Queen of Highlighter, we're all rooting for you!

RuPaul's Drag Race is back. No, really this time!

The mini-challenges are back. The main challenges are as wacky as they used to be. The runways are extended. Wendy Williams is gone. And I'm shocked and amazed at just how much I missed the Pit Crew. Now all we're missing is "You've got she-mail!".

This week's episode felt like a true return to form for a show that has for it's first few episodes been struggling to get it's footing. There's been ups and downs along the way, but overall this season of Drag Race has felt a little lost; the structure's been fucked with, editing has been messy and confusing, and none of the queens have particularly stood out from the pack. This week, the brave were seperated from the weak, psyches started to shatter and we had our first surprise elimination as the contest really started to heat up.

Following a cute little mini-challenge in which the girls are asked to don "quick drag" and take cute beach selfies with the long-lost Pit Crew, they start working out actors for each role in Kardashian: The Musical, a Hamilton-inspired stage show in which the girls will lip sync, dance and exagerate their way to the top. It's classic b-grade schtick that the show excels at, although why Rob and Caitlyn were excluded from the musical while Britney, Lindsay and Paris took part is completely beyond me.

In the bottom this week were Cynthia Lee Fontaine and Farrah Moan, who played Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner respectively. You would think that given their fame Kim and Kylie would be the easiest characters to play, but when you think about it both of those sisters are known for their vapid lack of personality rather than their over the top personas, making it hard to pick up on any mannerisms or ticks that specifically say them.

Alexis Michelle had the easier job of playing momager Kris Jenner, and she probably would have won the challenge had it not been for a hella basic runway look. Instead, Shea Coulee stepped up to the plate with an impressive (if completely inaccurate) Blac Chyna parody which she ended up winning for. Coulee put a great amount of energy into her performance and unlike Cynthia she lip synced perfectly, but the performance (and song) left me thinking more "I'm a professional dancer auditioning for Chris Brown" than it did "I'm a filthy homewrecker who's trynna ruin Kim K's life".

Luckily, neither Cynthia or Farrah had to go home (although they probably both deserved it after a mediocre lip sync) thanks to the shock elimination of Eureka, who left the challenge thanks to a leg injury she sustained in the second episode. Am I the only one who thinks that Eureka's bowing out is a totally strategic move? Like Willam before her, Eureka has removed talent from the equation by being eliminated from the competition for something completely other than her drag, placing her above the rest of the girls. Eureka probably knew that with the likes of Nina in the competition she would never snatch the top prize, so instead of letting someone eliminate her for not being good enough she's decided to make the first move and leave herself. It's the Drag Race version of "You can't fire me, I quit!". Eureka also probably knew that her inflammatory chats with the likes of Valentina, Sasha Velour and Trinity Taylor were going to earn her a villians edit, and that the best way to avoid that would be to feign sick. After all, nobody can hate a sick person!

In truth, a part of me is a little sad that Eureka had to leave. She was really the only one around causing genuine drama, and without her I'm worried we'll have to rely on a mental breakdown from Nina to give us something fun to watch. That said, if we get to see Farah Moan's perfectly highlighted face in the competition for one more week (and it probably will only be one more week), I'm a happy girl.

We're four weeks into our recaps of this season of RuPaul's Drag Race, and so far I have to say that I'm still not 100% sold on season nine of the show. Last week's episode seemed to be a return to form, offering the kooky, left of center humour that the show is known for; but this week's episode seemed to fall a little flat. This might have to do with the fact that the hype was so strong for this year's competition, which promised to be the biggest one yet - thanks in part to some extra special guest judges like Lady Gaga and Kesha - but I also think that the show as a whole is prioritising the wrong kinds of drama and the wrong queens overall.

This week's challenge started off promisingly enough, with the queens being split into two teams and asked to participate in a morning talk show type gig, covering current affairs, DIYs and a celebrity interview with Naya Rivera to top it all off. Team Not On Today is led by last weeks winner Trinity Taylor, while Team Good Morning Bitches is led by last week's almost loser Aja, and ends up being the most successful out of the two.

Valentina has continued to be as irksome as ever, and at this point I'm really struggling to see what it is that everyone likes about her. She turned out another gorgeous runway look, but the fact that she told Eureka and Sasha off in the workroom for arguing over eating disorders with a "I want you to focus on your work," just managed to get on any nerve I have remaining after my rib removal surgery. Just who does this ten month old queen think she is?

On the other hand, after four weeks of what I saw as nothing but hype, Miss Nina Bonina Banana Fofana Osama Bin Laden Brown is finally starting to grow on me. This is partially thanks to an impressive turnout on the runway, in which she rocked a corset which would make even Violet Chachki wince, balanced out by some crazy padding and a huge breast plate which made it hard for her to even sit up; although in my opinion, the look was somewhat ruined by a makeup look straight out of a grade school Halloween party. But Nina's overly made up face made a lot more sense to me when she showed her vulnerability on the main stage, bursting into tears at the mere mention of her name by RuPaul, and emotionally opening up on Untucked to the other girls. That said, I still think that versatility is what makes a true Drag Superstar, and Nina wasted a chance this week to strip back the crazy makeup and show us full on glamour. Let's hope she does so in the future.

Somehow, Trinity Taylor managed to land herself in the bottom two, while Peppermint got off with barely a slap on the wrist despite constant fumbles in her acting challenge and a dismal runway look. When Trinity was announced as bottom two, it was obvious that Charlie Hides would be the eliminated queen this week; but really, we all already knew this thanks to the disproportionate amount of airtime she got this week compared to previous weeks (and the fact that she dropped her first single on the day of airing). It's a shame that Charlie was booted so early, as she mentioned that she would have made a brilliant Joan Rivers in Snatch Game and I tend to agree with her; but it's not a total surprise. Charlie is a YouTube Queen who's used to controlling everything about her projects; the lighting, camera angles, makeup, script and improvisation are all ruled over by her with little outside influence. Putting her into a challenge where she needed to work in a team, and so closely with Cynthia, was bound to be her undoing all along. That said, there's still little excuse for that lip sync, which has to go down in history as probably the worst in Drag Race herstory; when else have the other queens at the back been screaming at the performers to do more?

Overall, I can't help but feel as though Drag Race is still struggling to find it's feet this time around. Mini challenges are still M.I.A. and the runway this week was shortened by about one tenth of the usual length (although you can watch the full length version here), but there didn't seem to be much taking it's place other than the typical backstage drama. A lot of people are suggesting that the move to VH1 may have changed management and that the new producers are to blame for the awkward nature of the show, but I've gotta put at least some of the blame on the editing. Drag Race has always had a penchant for manufactured tears and drama, but there was always a bright streak of talent and oddity shining through that made it all worth it. This time around, the odder queens - like Nina and Sasha - aren't getting much screen time at all, with the focus being placed squarely on (the probable winner) Valentina and the love to hate queen of the season Eureka. It's making for a much less kooky season and one with fewer standouts to those who aren't here for the gorgeous or bitchy queens. All we can do is hope that as the queens continue to fall like dominoes, a larger screentime allowance will allow some of the lesser sung heroes of the season to rise to the top.

Another week, another Rupaul's Drag Race recap. And while last week's episode suffered from a sense of total predictability and boredom, this week's brought the show's classic mix of "WTF am I watching" ridiculousness and "OMG this is amazing" talent, as well as an elimination which I don't think anyone expected at this point in the game.

Three episodes in, and the mini-challenge seems to have gone the way of Gia Gunn's penis; and while everyone misses the irreverence and fun of those challenges, I have to say that I think given the huge amount of queens we have to show off during this season it's not a bad idea to put the focus on the personalities over the tasks. Scrapping the mini-challenge allowed the queens to talk about, for instance, their own personal experiences with the shooting spree at Pulse Nightclub which had happened mere months before filming; and it was super emotional to hear that Trinity, who had once been crowned Miss Pulse, had performed at Latin night one week to the day before the mass shooting. Cynthia, who was originally scheduled to perform at Pulse on the evening of the shooting, had rescheduled her appearance at the last minute only to have one of her fans enter Pulse that night, unaware of her cancellation, and never leave again. It was a truly emotional, if clearly set up, moment, and one that made the following frivolities seem somewhat insincere. 

The main challenge this week consisted of designing an outfit fit for a princess, with a backstory and terrifyingly animated Disney-esque sidekick to match. Peppermint took a traumatising experience from her childhood in which she nearly burned her house down as inspiration for her princess, while Sasha Velour had a criminally underrated turn as The Princess of Selfdoubtia, the only character with a fully fleshed out storyline and some semblance of a social message. Trinity took the win thanks to her straight-shooting redneck sidekick, one which the judges thought showed off a new side of her personality; but while she was stunning for sure, there seems to be a wall built up around Trinity which I find hard to break down. 

With her messy, basic mermaid outfit and lack of a coherent storyline, Farrah Moan seemed a surefire choice to go home, despite being overall one of the most polished queens this season. Which is why we were all a little surprised when the bottom two this week consisted of fan favourites Kimora Blac and Aja, both of whom were critiqued for their confused princess backstories despite sickening runway looks from each.

I have to say that when I saw Aja was going up against Kimora I thought it was for sure her time to go; but she proved herself to be one of the show's most formidable lip sync opponents ever, turning every move into an opportunity for a jump and/or a split. Kimora really had no chance against the level of fiest Aja showed tonight. Just look at the difference in their death drops.

With this week's lip sync, Aja proved herself as more than just an Instagram queen: she's a strong player who'll surely go far in the game, and one who seems more instantly likeable than the smug personalities of Trinity or Valentina. Aja's had her chance to shine; all we can hope is that it's Charlie's turn next, because that queen from across the pond was serving major looks tonight and we know she has a whole lot more to offer than what she has so far.

Well, did anyone expect anything different?

Episode two of Drag Race's latest season just finished airing in America, but for all the good it did we might as well have just skipped straight to episode three. Despite a fun main challenge in which the queens cheered against each other in teams, a guest spot from everyone's favourite ditzy blonde Friend Lisa Kudrow and some truly sickening runway looks, there was nothing in this episode that surprised or wowed in the way the season premiere did.

The premier gag was, of course, that a fourteenth queen would be entering the competition: and as we and Reddit predicted back last week, it turned out to be none other than Miss Cynthia Lee Fontaine, the season eight queen who hung her head in shame when she left in tenth place but who has since turned her trash into treasure with a strong online following. Cynthia is kind of like Drag Race's Sofia Vergara: a total Hispanic stereotype, but one who's completely in on the joke and who's warm and funny personality is just too winning to dislike. That said, if she said "cucu" one more time this episode I think I would have let her fall right off that cheer pyramid.

Meanwhile, Valentina continued her streak as the judges favourite by pussystunting her way to the head of the cheer pack and walking the runway in an (admittedly beautiful) wedding gown. Valentina is gorgeous for sure, but there's a certain smugmess in her beret wearing ass that rubs me the wrong way, and I'm surprised that Michelle hasn't read her for showboating like she did Bob last season.

As if anyone was surprised, Jaymes was the queen to leave this week, failing to make an impression with her sleepy, ditzy drag persona. Weirdly enough, she was actually the only queen who really made an impression on viewers, even if it was a largely negative one; and the fact that she seemed to have a lot more to give makes me sad to see her go.

Overall, it was one of the show's more predictable episodes, and not one that really served any purpose other than to reassert Cynthia's dominance over the competition. The girls noted that Cynthia already has a grasp on how the show works, as well as a large fanbase outside of it, and with the workroom overflowing with more wigs than your local Party City it's hard for any of the lesser-known girls to truly leave their mark. Fingers crossed that as the season continues the claws will come out and the queens will get to show their true personalities.

And for god's sake, give us a sewing challenge!

After months and months of build up, RuPaul's Drag Race returned with it's biggest ever season premiere today, promising bigger guest stars, bigger personalities, bigger challenges and bigger wigs than ever before. Since it's announcement, this season of RPDR has promised to be bigger and better than those before it, starting with the shows move from specialty LGBT network Logo to the more mainstream VH1 (which earned the show a cool one million viewers, breaking records for the series) and the announcement of the shows first guest star: one of the biggest popstars in the world and probably the biggest LGBT icon around, Lady Gaga.

In actuality, Gaga's appearance was pretty lowkey compared to the extravaganza the queens put forward. She entered the show through a cute little gimmick where she played the thirteenth drag queen, code name Ronnie, who was Gaga's biggest fan and best impersonator; but the PlantGa plot didn't last for too long and the popstars true identity was revealed pretty quickly. Gaga and her lip fillers ended up taking on more of a mentor role, guiding the queens through their Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent pageant categories of hometown drag and Gaga illusion, and giving them personalised feedback during this week's Untucked episode.

Ru announced at the beginning of the week that no queens would be eliminated during the premiere episode, which was a good choice given how much airtime Gaga took up and how little the queens themselves got the chance to shine. In the pageant, Eureka and Sasha Velour scored high with Nina Bo'nina Brown taking the top prize - a nice twist of fate given Eureka's own prediction that Nina would be eliminated - but as we all know, producer picks and fan favourites rarely coincide, and there were plenty of other queens who audiences loved. Farrah Moan and Kimora Blac stood out thanks to their strikingly fishy looks, while Aja, Charlie Hides, Peppermint and Valentina all scored tens across the board for their winning personalities.

Jaymes Mansfield, on the other hand, sat in the corner like a lost puppy in need of a hug, making her the most loveable queen since Kim Chi last season. It will be interesting to see if she manages to come out of her shell or if her insularity ends up being her downfall.

And now for the question on everyone's lips: who is the elusive fourteenth queen teased in the episodes final moments? If you're a Reddit user, you'll probably agree that the most likely option is Cynthia Lee Fontaine, whose voice was allegedly heard in the background of an NPR interview RuPaul conducted last August. Other prime choices include Laila McQueen and Serena ChaCha, both of whom audiences have observed were absent from social media during filming.

I'm not gonna lie though: I would be totally here for the surprise return of Shangela, the House of Edwards queen who has so far starred in two seasons of Drag Race and cameoed in a further one. Shangela's had more than her fair share of chances to snatch the crown, but I wouldn't mind producers continuing the gag just one more time for longtime viewers of the show.

After just one episode of the show, it's hard to predict a top three, but if we had to put money on it we'd bet that Aja, Kimora Blac and Charlie Hides will go far in the show. Drag Race traditionally features a top three involving a seasoned professional (think Chad Michaels or Bianca Del Rio) alongside some younger ingenues (say Alaska Thunderfuck or Naomi Smalls) and we can't see them changing that formula up anytime soon.

Who are your picks for the top three? Did Gaga live up to the hype? Sound off in the comments below and stay tuned for more of our coverage of RuPaul's Drag Race season nine!

It's a good season for 90s kids.

Just weeks after Meghan Trainor unexpectedly commandeered the 90s music train that started running under pop goddess Kat Graham's watchful eye with last year's underrated Roxbury Drive, your new favourite alt-pop artist Bad W0lfy is here to add her name to the passenger list with debut single 'Used 2 This'.

Granted, 'Used 2 This' may not be the first time you've heard Ro Danishei's voice - she previously released her debut album End of the Rainbow under her real name in 2010, before following up with Wrathschild, a short-lived collaboration with Simon Curtis. But with 'Used 2 This', W0lfy (d)evolves her music beyond what you may have previously heard, updating the 90s sound for a new generation of music listeners.

With a beat that comes straight from the same sessions as Selena Gomez's 'Outta My Hands', a masterfully edited synth that sounds like a sample from Timbaland's 'The Way I Are', and a Kate Moss-esque heroin-chic style (along with the accompanying look of pained disinterest), W0lfy stunts her way through a minimalist beat in the verses before breaking out into all-out catchiness with the stuttered chorus of 'I could get get get get used to this, used to this with you' - a refrain that we're sure will be in our head for the next week. But it's the breakdown, in which the tone abruptly shifts towards atmospheric dubsteppy horror music, that makes up the song's most unique section.

Apart from Trainor's 'NØ', which hit #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week, the 90s throwback revolution has largely failed to catch on in mainstream pop music, with Graham's album failing to chart on the listing at all. As such, it will take something of a miracle for 'Used 2 This', to blow up, especially considering W0lfy's Tumblr-inspired style (her armpit hair probably won't do her any favours when it comes to MTV plays). But given the positive press the single has already received, and the promise of new music to come in the future, we can see her blowing up in certain international markets - at least until Lily Allen makes her European comeback.

What do you think of the track? Is Bad W0lfy destined for pop superstardom, or will she be forever stuck at the bottom of your iPhone, neglected until the Shuffle feature decides to throw her a bone? Check out the song below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

It's been a big couple of years for newcomer Bebe Rexha, who first hit our radars in 2013 as co-writer of the smash hit Eminem and Rihanna collaboration, 'The Monster'. Since then, Rexha has skyrocketed to new heights with features on G-Eazy's 'Me, Myself & I' (which peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100), David Guetta and Nicki Minaj's 'Hey Mama' (which hit #8 in the US) and Cash Cash's 'Take Me Home' (#5 on the UK charts), as well as through a truly stellar EP I Don't Wanna Grow Up, released in May of last year.

Now, Rexha has teamed up with another big name for what is surely expected to be her breakthrough solo single - 'No Broken Hearts', which features go-to rap girl Nicki Minaj. First teased mid-way through last year when Rexha promised that fans could expect a "big female rapper" on her next single and Nicki tweeted a portion of the lyrics, the single has been long expected by fans of the up-and comer.

But does it live up to the expectation? Check it out below and read our thoughts after the jump!

Following the variations of dance-pop she's explored with past tracks like 'I'm Gonna Show You Crazy' and 'Pray', 'Hearts' is definitely intended to be the formal introduction of a new sound for the singer. Bebe first debuted her new R&B stylings a few months ago with the sultry slow banger 'Atmosphere', which was sneakily uploaded and swiftly deleted from her SoundCloud within hours. But 'No Broken Hearts' is a far cry from the slinky, sophisticated space-age stylings of that track, opting instead to play out like a slower version of 'Hey Mama' with it's pseudo-Caribbean snares and synths. In some ways, this is probably a smart move given the prevalence of this sound lately - check out tropical house tracks like Justin Bieber's 'Where Are Ü Now' and R&B jams like Rihanna's 'Work' for more on that - but it also makes the single feel somewhat redundant and definitely seems like a step back from Rexha's previous work.

The lyrics themselves are pretty standard for a top forty song, with Rexha repeating "No broken hearts in the club, more drinks pour it up, cos we gonna get it popping tonight" to an almost annoying extent. She's definitely done better with the bittersweet ode to alcoholism 'I Can't Stop Drinking About You' or vengeful 'Cry Wolf'. Nicki's rap itself is pretty decent and perfectly radio-appropriate, featuring what surely must be a contractually obligated reference to her 'MYX Moscado' range of mixers, but after we've experienced some of her best work on features - namely, the legendary 'Monster' - we can't help but be a little disappointed. There's little to love here apart from a reference to Minaj giving them "MILF teas - they be sweating me head bands and gym tees". Minaj does her job well, but does little to go above and beyond the call of rent-a-rapper duty.

All in all, the track's fairly decent, and we can see it being a hit in certain sections of The Bronx (no tea, no shade). But this is far from Rexha's best work, and definitely not the best way for her to introduce herself to the general public in a big way. To us, it almost seems like a waste of a Nicki Minaj feature which would have been equally as good on previous songs like 'Cry Wolf' or 'Gone'.

What do you think of Bebe's new single? Did it live up to your expectations, or should she have stuck with her previous dance-pop sound? Let us know in the comments section down below!

Laura Bettinson, born in England, coined the stage name FEMME in 2013 after performing in night clubs and small venues; and less than a year later she got picked up by Perez Hilton. In a routine wave to find new, interesting artists for his mixtape albums Perez Hilton Presents Pop Up!, he came across the video for 'Fever Boy' and she took off. Releasing six singles paired with six respective videos in the span of just over a year, FEMME was simultaneously working on her debut album - and thus Debutante was born. Only three of these already released, familiar tracks are seen on her upcoming album, which makes it even more fresh - although devoted fans may have tracked down deleted SoundCloud tracks and live versions of many of the other songs on the project.

The Debutante experience explores a very 80s sound. It's something you'd expect to play in a cheesy remake of some old movie where a lovestruck girl sneaks away with a grimy boy during prom to make out under the bleachers. I say this in the best way possible. It's very back and forth but somehow manages to stay cohesive. FEMME's team describes the album as pop, but it sounds more like experimental punk with pop influences, with features of hard drums, guitars, and shimmering synths throughout many of its tracks.

Following a mostly instrumental fifty second introduction called 'Your Poptarts Are Ready', the record opens with the already released promotional single 'Fever Boy'. With lazy vocals and difficult to follow lyrics, it wasn't the best choice for an album opener, following a fifty second climactic intro. You think you're getting something explosive, but once a familiar kick drum beat comes in, you're kind of let down. It would definitely turn some people off. But by the same token, the song on it's own isn't too bad - just not a highlight track, and not a good (technically) first track, either.

Track six is the first official single 'Light Me Up', which was released on February 4th. This song gives a much better idea of what the album sounds like - a glittery and clean production with distorted vocals, interesting lyrics and a big shimmering chorus. "Tell me it's gonna get easier, don't let me take each step on my own. But if I'm coming home to you, you gotta just light me up,” FEMME sings over an 8-bit esque production. For sure one of the highlight tracks on Debutante, and a great choice for the lead single.

One of the other highlights of the album is 'Double Trouble'. Already released, the song showcases FEMME's ability to produce a catchy melody. It seems like she has mastered the perfect pop recipe. A change from the buzzing drums seen on the previous tracks, and the closest thing you get to a ballad on this record. The strings-based and touching 'Calling All Stars' comes close as well, but due to it's short duration of only a minute and fifteen seconds, we don't really see it as a true album track.

'Dumb Blonde' is one of those rare percussion-based slow-tempos, backed by the contrast of some video game type sound effects and a morbid cello synth. "You treat me like a right dumb blonde, but I'm gonna show you how it's gonna be done," FEMME croons in an experimental spoken-sung style that Goldfrapp or Uffie would no doubt place their stamp of approval on.

My personal favourite is the last track, titled 'Sirens'. It explores a sort of Bollywood Hawaii hip-hop sound. “Sirens sound ‘cuz I think you found me,” she sighs over the track. Based on where we see this in the albums tracklisting, it could hint at the next ones direction. But given how much of a perfectionist FEMME seems to be, I wouldn't get your hopes up for that one too soon.

Debutante is out April 15th.

It's official - Zayn Malik is now a solo artist!

The former fifth member of One Direction, who infamously departed the band at the beginning of last year, has been teasing fans with his new material for quite some time now. But it wasn't until today, when he took to Twitter to post the album artwork for his official debut single, that we finally got to see the results of what he's been brewing. Due to be released this Friday, the 29th of January, 'Pillow Talk' will be our first official listen of Zayn's new album, scheduled for release later this year, and his first official single as a solo artist.

pic.twitter.com/URa9cZXdzr

— zayn (@zaynmalik)

January 24, 2016

Even if you're already heard Malik's last song to be released, the Naughty Boy collaboration 'I Won't Mind', 'Pillow Talk' will undoubtedly come as a surprise. Despite going hand in hand with the vaguely experimental vibes of that track, 'Pillow Talk' is a lot more upbeat; and, in an environment where Adele is the one to beat, a lot more experimental. The song begins quite starkly, backed only by some atmospheric synths and a distorted vocal loop that wouldn't have been out of place in a track from The Weeknd. But there's a breakthrough into euphoric rock and roll during the chorus, during which an electric guitar overtakes the more experimental vibe and backs up Zayn's passionate vocals.

In terms of concept, the title 'Pillow Talk' should be pretty self explanatory: but in case you really need help, here's a snippet from the chorus. "So we'll piss off the neighbours/In the place to visit tears, the place to lose your fears/Back to misbehaviour/The place that is so pure, so dirty/In your bed all day, bed all day, bed all day/Fucking you, and fighting on/It's our paradise/And it's our war zone." At least, we think those are the lyrics - Malik sings the whole chorus in a confusingly catchy and strangely sexy slur not unlike Sia's in 'Chandelier' which makes them pretty hard to distinguish. Either way, the song is about sex - but maybe not the healthiest kind. "Climb on board/We'll go slow in high tempo," he starts the first verse, "Light and dark/Hold me tight, never mellow". The sex oozing from the track isn't exactly unexpected - in fact, it's practically old hat for ex boy band members to mature their image with their first single. But the sultry, somewhat twisted vibe of the lyrics keeps things surprisingly fresh.

Could it be a hit? With the right promo, maybe. Malik already has legions of fangirls following his every move, even after the One Direction split, which he should manage to keep if he avoids any more Twitter beefs with ex-bandmate Louis. The lyrics may be a little risque, but we feel as though the majority of his fans are at that age where it's pretty cool to hear the word "fuck" in a song. And given how catchy that chorus is, we wouldn't be surprised if this made some kind of impact on pop radio.

Are you interested in what Malik has to offer post-1D, or should he never have left the boy band to begin with? Will you be checking out 'Pillow Talk'? Let us know down below!

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's disappointing about All I Need, the sophomore release from English singer and songwriter Foxes (due out February 5th). It's definitely not her voice, whose slight but distinctive rasp shines through every track as a unifying factor between sounds. It would be unfair to criticise the songs, which are all cohesively produced, well polished and perfectly commercial - word on the street is that 'Wicked Love' will be the next single released from the project, but if we're honest pretty much any song from the album could be released to moderate success, from the EDM-tinged 'Shoot Me Down' to the 21st century power ballad 'Scar'. And to blame it on the singer herself seems cruel, given that her utterly gorgeous face seems only to be matched by the sweetness of her personality. What's really missing in this album is - and we hate to use what tends to be a somewhat undefinable word - edge. As a songwriter, Foxes tends to rely on a rather formulaic structure of detail-oriented verse, repetitive and catchy chorus (often with a couple of singable "ooh's" in there for good measure) and breakdown which throws back to the first verse. And the production, as perfectly executed as it is, tends only to flit backwards and forwards between EDM-inspired Europop and inspiring orchestral pieces (with a little bit of R&B thrown in there for good measure). The effect is a lingering sense that despite all the pieces of the puzzle fitting together perfectly, the finished image is somewhat of a let down, forsaking anything interesting or gripping for safety. That said, it would be incorrect to call the album a bad one, and it's easy listening vibes would be perfect as background music for a trip to the beach. Check out our track by track review of the album below to learn more! 

1. Rise Up (Intro)
   Judging from some Tweets she made while recording the album, Foxes was pretty jazzed about using a live orchestra for instrumentation on some tracks, a choice that clearly paid off on choice cut 'If You Leave Me Now'. But on 'Rise Up', the album's opener, the orchestra overwhelms the singer entirely for a fifty second long instrumental introduction, followed by some baby talk from what we'll presume is a young Foxes. Even though there's a nice build up here and the melody itself is quite pretty, the track seems redundant given the lack of transition into 'Better Love', which we'll be considering the real album opener. It probably would have made more sense to just incorporate this performance into an extended version of it's reprise.
    
2. Better Love
   
   With a co-writing credit and some backing vocals from Bastille's Dan Smith, the album's second single 'Better Love' was widely anticipated before it's release last September, and the track didn't fail to impress. Foxes is in her element here, rewriting the majority of her first album Glorious with one of her famously repetitive inspirational choruses, backed by some dancable drums and pushed forward by her ever-impressive vocals. 
    
3. Body Talk
   
   The album's first single promised a new direction for Foxes. With a supremely laidback 80s synth-pop vibe and an unexpectedly grungy image, Foxes seemed to be moving away from the uber-pop wholesomeness that permeated her debut - and even if that's a promise that isn't kept on the rest of the album, the track itself is still a jam and a nice step away from the usual on an otherwise somewhat formulaic album.
    
4. Cruel
   'Cruel' is situated right next to 'Body Talk' on the album, and for good reason - they're both outliers. With an electronically fused vocal sample and a Caribbean-inspired beat that wouldn't sound strange on a Gwen Stefani track, the track leaves behind the epicness of other songs like 'Amazing' for a chilled out refrain of "Baby you're so cool, you're so cruel/Cos you got me bound to you/This love I can't undo". 'Cruel' actually makes for a pretty nice listen, even if it's placement on the album seems somewhat random - it has that kind of mid-tempo, underproduced vibe that seems to dictate it should be pushed to the end of the album alongside 'Brown Eyes', 'Why Should I Be Sad' or 'California King Bed'.
    
5. If You Leave Me Now
   
   One of the more raw, acoustic songs on the album, 'If You Leave Me Now' was always kind of a weird choice for a promo single given the big pop songs that Foxes is known for. Backed by a live orchestra, the song avoids total power ballad territory by implementing some vaguely Indian sounding chants, but that doesn't make it a whole lot more interesting. It's admittedly catchy, but the track still sounds like an unfinished reject from The Notebook, and the absolutely nonsensical lyrics in the chorus ("Oh no/Please don't go/If you leave me now/But you stay") still sound like a drunk girl's failed attempts at texting her ex on a Saturday night.
    
6. Amazing
   
   'Amazing' is classic Foxes, fusing the key ingredients of a fun piano riff, some thumping tribal drums and a stupidly catchy post-chorus of "Do what you wanna" to make one of the most easily danceable and fun tracks of the last year. If Foxes isn't offering anything new on 'Amazing', it can be forgiven due to the sheer joy that comes from experiencing the song and its accompanying video for the first time.
    
7. Devil Side
   
   "It's almost like slow motion suicide/Watching your devil side come between you and me" sings Foxes - a charming line, if having a "devil side" was actually a thing. If this track had been sped up a little and produced with more of a rock edge, it could have made a great mimicry of Kelly Clarkson, but as it is the song labours under the weight of it's overly slow grand piano and somewhat rather annoying premise.
    
8. Feet Don’t Fail Me Now
   
   'Feet Don't Fail Me Now' is one of the slightly more soul and R&B based songs on the album, which immediately makes it a standout compared to the formulaity of the dance-pop tracks. Foxes makes Duffy proud with a 'Rain On Your Parade'-esque throwback, which was produced by One Direction collaborator Jesse Shatkin. We would have been happy with the stomping rhythm of the build-up even if it never took off anywhere, but the song's explosion into even higher levels of passion towards it's end seals the deal for this one. 
    
9. Wicked Love
   'Wicked Love' is touted as the fourth single from the album - a somewhat surprising choice given the presence of more radio-friendly songs like 'Shoot Me Down', but it will undoubtedly still achieve some success. The track shows hints of some Childish Gambino-inspired drum and bass beats during the chorus, which we wish had been played up a little more, because as it is the refrain is a pretty dull repetition of the phrase "wicked love" four times over. Seriously, she sings that phrase thirty six times in the song, and each time it becomes more and more grating. There's a surprise harp riff which comes in towards the end of the song to keep things interesting, but again it's not really highlighted enough to make the track particularly interesting.
    
10. Scar
    "We were banging on the doors of heaven but we didn't have a chance in hell" begins 'Scar', one of the slower tempo tracks on the album. We're not sure if this track was written exclusively for a pitch, but if not then someone needs to call Shonda Rhimes immediately, because with it's Emeli Sandé inspired combo of heartfelt lyrics and rousing strings, this track is perfect for a closing song in Grey's Anatomy. Foxes vocals are on full display here, but despite their impressiveness they don't quite live up to the levels of Mariah Carey ad-libs we need from this song, which climaxes a little too briefly in it's last chorus. Despite this, we can definitely see commercial success along the lines of 'Say Something' down the road for this song.
     
11. Money
    We were quite excited for 'Money', which promised a disregard of Foxes default songwriting settings of 'irritated ex' and 'inspired party animal' for something a little more interesting. It turns out the song doesn't quite live up to this promise, still relying on the jilted lover trope established by the rest of the album, but at least the metaphor here is somewhat fresher. "She's got you good, got you spending your time/Dancing round all the signs" croons Foxes in the second verse, before launching into a full on attack with "Money can't love you/Money can't hold you/Money can't love you back" for the chorus. The somewhat questionable choice of a children's choir distracts a little from the bridge, but it still makes for one of the more interesting tracks on the album.
     
12. On My Way
    The only true ballad on the album, 'On My Way' is one of those sweetly inoffensive tracks which are perfect for closing out an album - which it succeeds at doing for the standard edition. The piano-driven track shows signs of breaking out into one of her classic Europop tracks, but some vocal and musical restraint keeps the tension built up for the majority of the piece. Sadly, the song is let down by the chorus, which is again the weakest part of Foxes' songwriting, consisting this time of just the words "Baby I was on my way/I was on my way/I was on my way" repeated again and again. 
     
13. Shoot Me Down
    "The silence is so deafening/Feel my body dancing within/When it's violent my heart wants to sing". One of the most EDM tinged tracks on the album, 'Shoot Me Down' is backed by a pulsing line of synths and a heavy beat that wouldn't sound totally out of place on a David Guetta album. It's trancey production could have been accentuated a little more for maximum effect, and Foxes' vocals could have been roughened up a little to keep the darkness level turned up, but this is still one of the more interesting tracks on the album, not least because she seems to be shaking up the good girl image she's cultivated.
     
14. Lose My Cool
    Reading like a homebrand version of 'Amazing', 'Lose My Cool' nevertheless has a few good points to it. The falsetto note Foxes hits every time she sings "lose my cool" is pretty fun, and you already know that any title ending in an 'o' sound will have endless opportunities for a fun post-chorus. "I'm caught on this dangerous ride/What are we gonna do?/Am I alone this time?" Foxes muses during the second verse. Ultimately though, this is another track on the album that's pretty unremarkable.
     
15. All I Need
    The choruses have gotten progressively worse throughout the album, to the extent that title track 'All I Need' just repeats the line "You're all I need" six times over. With the addition of ad-libs and the outro, that brings the total count by the end of the track to thirty repetitions. Sigh. Other than that, this track is somewhat decent, drawing on the same drum and bass inspirations as 'Wicked Love', and featuring a pretty line of strings behind the beat. If it didn't share it's name with the album title, however, we would have recommended cutting this track.
     
16. Rise Up (Reprise)
    Remember 'Rise Up', that instrumental track that opened the entire album? That melody makes a return to round the album out - but this time, the song implements some classic Foxes piano riffs and vocals from the songstress herself. With an inspirational refrain of "rise up right now, rise up right now, rise up", the song is basically the orchestral equivalent of 'Amazing'. The only shame about this track is it's length - clocking in at just a little over two and a half minutes, the song forsakes a second verse for a shorter running time, which is a real shame given how strong the build up is. An orchestral, or even Europoppy, second verse could have made this one of the greatest songs on the album.

Don't forget to check back here on February 5th for the full album! Let us know your thoughts of the already released songs below.

Every year for the past three years, the University of Sydney in Australia has played host to Zedtown, the country’s biggest real-world zombie apocalypse simulation game. For one day, classes are forgotten, the entire university is transformed into a broken down wasteland, and over six hundred students and outsiders from all walks of life become heroes in their own mission to outlast the infection and be evacuated to safety at the end of a whole six hours of playing. The following is a transcript from one of their recorders - but be warned that imagery can be graphic, and not every story in this game has a happy ending.

1300 Hours:

Our day in Zedtown officially began at 1:00pm, with a mass exodus stemming outwards from the registration point and into the rest of the play area. Within minutes alliances had been formed, guns had been fired and rumours of the fabled “Original Zombie” - the human-looking infected whose touch will leave you zombified - had begun to spread like wildfire. For the first time in Zedtown history, factions were at play, with three different teams battling not only the zombies but each other for survival: the Golden Sands, the Red Earth Raiders and the Water Eaters. Our group of five came prepared for the fight with eight guns used to stun both zombies and humans and a whole bunch of rolled-up socks which, when they weren’t falling out of our pockets, were pretty handy grenades. Walkie talkies were also on the menu: apart from wasting away a fair chunk of our day as we made up callsigns and said “Over? Over!” again and again, they also turned out to be pretty useful later on when the group became divided. We began our day with a quick run around campus and an establishment of rendezvous points - spots we could all meet at if we lost contact with each other. Other groups approached us, some asking for directions, other for alliances: but with talk of the Original Zombie all around us, talking to strangers seemed like one of the worst ideas we could have.

1400 Hours:

After thoroughly scouting out our location, we headed towards our faction base, where we met the leader of the Red Earth Raiders for the first time. An imposing man with a streak of grey through his hair, doubtlessly due to some near-death experience or another, he asked for volunteers to steal fuel from the Golden Sands camp, a mission many were happy to accept.  It was here that we came across our first real danger - humans. Zombies could be terrifying - deadly even - but nothing came close to the aggressive ruckus expressed by our team members when driven into an uproar by their majestic leader. We made it our mission to avoid the crowd heading towards the Sands base as we set out on our own into the wilderness.

1500 Hours:

Gossip spread like herpes in the Zedtown world, and before long it became known that outsiders who weren’t playing the game could be used as human shields - unable to be shot according to the rules of the game and yet useful for blocking bullets in a hurry. While we were wary of strangers, we couldn’t turn down the chance to let a civilian join our team when offered the chance. Carly was at the university doing an assignment, but she was happy to stay as our safeguard against zombie attacks as we continued to explore the wasteland. Upon turning a lonely corner at one point, we were surprised to find a hub of activity not five metres away from where zombies were openly roaming. We had stumbled upon Wombats: a lively bar with music, refreshments and blessedly human company, as well as a shooting mini-game which offered the promise of a zombie cure. Our respite was blessed but brief, with Carly soon departing to continue her work and the group of five continuing back out into the dangers of the outside world; minus our protective companion.

1600 Hours:

While we made it a habit to avoid the groups of hundreds that congregated at the faction bases, a brief check in to our camp showed no sign of human habitation or companionship. Our camp had been overrun by zombies, but to where it had moved we had no idea. Finding a small band of like-minded friends of around two dozen at the remnants of our safeground, we moved to a relatively secure and abandoned spot of the university: the tennis courts, where we were happy to stay until a news transmission disrupted our rest. The official Zedtown web app, free to players of the game, featured not only regular updates of how many survivors were left and a list of personal player achievements, but also a radio which kept tabs on new strains of the virus and gave regular updates of happenings within the individual factions. It was through this radio station that we learnt of the presence of witches: advanced zombies with piercing shrieks that could not be stunned by regular methods. Over the course of the next hour, members of our team told us a variety of ways to avoid their wrath: socks was one alleged option, complete silence in the face of their wrath another, and screaming back at them was posed as a legitimate choice. But it wasn’t until one invaded our tranquil idyll that we discovered firsthand the best way to dodge them: run as fast as you can.

1700 Hours:

Four hours into the day, the app was showing an alarming statistic. Of the six hundred players in the game, almost four hundred of them had been infected - and the number was rising by the minute. Through refugees from other factions, we heard that the Golden Sands and Water Eater bases had been completely destroyed, and a brief visit to our own base proved it a precarious stronghold of resistance against the zombies that patrolled around it on a regular basis. Effectively, we were trapped within about a fifth of the university, stuck in a small circle of safety that was rapidly diminishing with every passing second. We left the Red Earth Eaters base to find safety among (and inside) an assortment of dumpsters - but with more and more zombies passing us by the minute, we were certain that we needed a better hiding spot - and fast.

1800 Hours:

With just two hours to go in the game, we were among the last one hundred players in the game at 6:00pm when we finally found what we’d been searching for. One of the greatest things about the day was how it exposed a variety of locations I’d never even been to after three years of university - and nothing was better than our hiding spot. Behind a carpark, through an air conditioning maintenance area and down a dingy, dodgy hallway was a set of broken chairs surrounded by pipes and rubble, but blessedly secure and free from any zombie presence. We set up base here, with two of us standing as guards and the remaining three patrolling the hallway until a message on our radio told us the news: an evacuation team was arriving to airlift survivors out of the wasteland, and the meeting place was Wombats bar. We immediately sprang into action, planning our escape from our hideaway and through the hoards of undead into the comfort of the Wombats bar. Running united out of our hallway, we sprinted down endless roads, narrowly avoiding the grasps of several hoards before it happened: we were attacked. As the last person in our lineup, I was hit first, grabbed by a silently stealthy zombie from behind. I called out to my teammates, but to no avail; the zombie worked his way up the line, tagging each of us in turn. There was nowhere to run, and nothing to do that could reverse the infection. As my pouring blood began to chill within my bones and my eyes saw stars, I could think of only one thing: there’s always next year...

The next Zedtown event is scheduled to take place in December - the first not to take place at the University of Sydney. For more information on the event, visit www.zedtown.com.

Selena Gomez’s new single ‘Same Old Love’ has premiered online - and it may not be what you’d expect from the 23 year old ex-Disney starlet.

Taking another high-heeled step away from her Wizards of Waverley Place past with the sultry, steamy ‘Good For You’, Selena initially primed us for a minimalist, down-tempo record full of R&B jams - a far cry from what we’re hearing with sophomore single ‘Same Old Love’.

Backed by a total bop of a piano riff and some jazzy finger snapping, Selena chants an anthemic chorus of, “I’m so sick of that same old love/My body’s had enough/Oooh/That same old love/Oooh/That same old love”.

What’s missing in the track is a solid sense of artistic direction and identity. ‘Same Old Love’ was released from Gomez’s upcoming album Revival, which features a title presumably alluding to her physical and musical rebirth after the release of hit album Stars Dance under Disney-owned Hollywood Records back in 2013. But our second taste of the album sounds more like a song we’d hear from co-writer Charli XCX, who dominates the track with some heavy background vocals during the chorus and her signature ‘1960s jazz production meets Kelly Clarkson kiss off lyrics” style.

What’s worse is that the song, which Selena recently said “represents a different kind of identity with love”, wasn’t even originally written by or for the singer. Just days after XCX confirmed that she had penned several songs for Rihanna’s long-delayed upcoming eighth studio album, fans spotted a tweet from the Barbadian singer dating from over a year ago in July 2014, quoting a line from the song.

While it’s not uncommon for songs to be shopped around to several artists before finding a home - after all, Rihanna’s own ‘Umbrella’ was once recorded by Britney Spears - the fact that the track was originally meant for R&B singer RiRi poses a problem for Selena. After borrowing a Lana Del Rey style sound for ‘Good For You’ and appropriating Rih’s Carribean influenced style for ‘Same Old Love’, we have absolutely no idea what Revival will ultimately sound like - or if Selena has any actual plans whatsoever for her upcoming second solo album.

What do you think? Are you a fan of Gomez’s genre bouncing, or does the real Selena Gomez need to please stand up? Let us know in the comments down below!

Quick!

Run to your bathroom, lock the door, put on your headphones and prepare for some major headbanging - rockstar Kira Longeuay's long-awaited debut single is here!

Billed as Avril Lavigne's cooler, harder and less embarrassing older sister, Kira's been making waves recently as one of Canada's most promising rock exports - and 'Do Or Die' definitely proves why! Backed by the traditional cacophony of drums, guitar and bass, Kira still makes her voice heard in the energetic anthem, which acts as the perfect manifesto for the upcoming success she's bound to have.

"I feel alive/It's now or never/Let's steal the night/These days won't last forever" Kira explodes during the song's chorus, before a catchy exclaim of "It's do or die!" which is bound to have crowds screaming. Sick of waiting on the sidelines, Kira's taking her career into her own hands with this release - and her creative control is expressed no better than in the impressively grungy, non-Autotuned, authentic vocals she's laid down for the track, as well as the fact that she wrote and co-produced the song herself.

Following a string of amazingly well received gigs earlier this year, Kira's released 'Do or Die' as our first taste of her upcoming debut album, which is listed for release sometime in 2015. We may not have heard all that much from the promising songstress so far - despite a couple of perfect original songs over on her Soundcloud alongside an original take on Eminem and Rihanna's smash hit 'The Monster' - but if 'Do or Die' proves one thing, it's that Kira has not only the talent, but also the drive to make it big in a competitive industry. Here at PHF, we can't wait for it to happen.

Pros:

• The song's lyrics are the type of thing you might listen to as an insecure 14 year old in need of some self-confidence. In fact, the whole song is a total trip down nostalgia street, and we're absolutely loving that Kira is bringing this sound back!

Cons:

• Kira's vocals do sound a little underproduced and shaky at times, but this is totally understandable for an indie artist.

Buy: Kira Longeuay - Do or Die

It's been six years since the release of Estelle's iconic breakthrough single, 'American Boy', a song whose unabashed cool factor ensures that it continues to get played on late-night MTV rotation to this day. And while a lot has changed in the music scene since 2008 (thank god that endless beef between Christina and Gaga was put to rest), one thing that remains a constant is Estelle's ability to impress with not only awe-inspiring R&B vocals, but also with fresh complexities of sound which put most modern day rappers to shame.

True Romance, the follow-up to 2012's All Of Me, proves this once again, and features the singer exploring the four main phases of love - courage, passion, true romance, and bullshit - over an eclectic, exciting mix of genres which nevertheless comes together to make a cohesive, unique album. Take the opening track, 'Time After Time', which over the course of four minutes evolves from a jolting sample into a nearly acapella-style ballad, then into a super-percussive reggae-inspired track, before concluding with some throwback disco synths and strings. It may sound exhausting, but like Kanye's masterpiece My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy before her, Estelle is able to act as master curator for all the sounds featured and use her voice to bring them together in unison.

As a result of this, the album never lulls you into relaxation - it's active listening which will always keep you on your toes. Estelle switches from a high-tempo, urban banger bound to make your mother blush in 'Make Her Say (Beat It Up)' (whose refrain consists only of "Beat the pussy up") to an experimental track based on the ticking of clocks in 'Time Share' without batting an eyelash. 'Not Sure', the kind of track which David Guetta wishes he could produce, and a bonus track on the album, features lyrics such as "No I'm not sure/What I'm doing/I got my hands all over you"; but it wouldn't be nearly as effective if it hadn't been for 'All That Matters', probably the most straightforward track on the album, which acts as a welcome reprieve from the relentless pace of Estelle's brain with sweeter, softer lyrics such as "If the sun should go away from here/It don't matter/Cos with you I shine/And if these clouds keep you from coming near/It don't matter/You're already mine".

If anything, the only disappointing thing about this album is the lack of promotion it seems to have received. Initially intended to be released today (November 4th), the album now seems to have been pushed back to February 17th of next year, and, bizarrely, has received barely any buzz around it - all this despite the killer video released for 'Make Her Say (Beat It Up)' which features real couples getting together in the bedroom. With such an amazing product on their hands, it seems a shame that Estelle's label (New London Records, which she launched, and which is a subsidiary of BMG) has stinged on the advertising budget. Estelle's already got the talent, in bucketloads in fact - now she just needs the industry support to match.

Buy: Estelle - True Romance