Tag: Claudia Fennell ’24
A Review of Miley Cyrus’s New Album Endless Summer Vacation
by Claudia Fennell '24 on April 8, 2023
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
30-year-old singer and pop sensation Miley Cyrus released her eighth studio recorded album titled Endless Summer Vacation on Friday, March 10, 2023. This album follows her 2020 album Plastic Hearts, a hit sensation rock pop album. Since 2020, the singer has finalized her divorce with her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, and many are speculating that he is the center focus of the album since Cyrus released the lead single of her new album on his birthday. The two were dating on and off for 10 years, and Miley is reinventing herself now as a newly single woman by releasing this lively, self-confident album.
The lead single of the album, “Flowers,” was released on Jan. 12, and has become a massive success on the charts. This week the song was at the top of the Billboard Global Charts again for the seventh week in a row, with 97.9 million streams so far. This lead single is a fast-paced, upbeat, anthem for female independence which includes verses like, “Started to cry but then remembered I/I can buy myself flowers/Write my name in the sand/Talk to myself for hours/Say things you don’t understand.” Setting the tone for the album, this lead single is a representation of the new independent woman that Miley has become after her divorce. The first verse of the song references a catastrophic house fire that burned Cyrus and Hermsworth’s home to the ground. In a 2020 Rolling Stones interview, Cyrus explained that this fire was symbolic in her mind of her relationship. Cyrus stated, “the fire did what I couldn’t do myself… It removed me from what no longer served its purpose.” Cyrus writes about this event in ‘Flowers’ with the verse, “Kinda dream that can’t be sold/We were right ‘til we weren’t/Built a home and watched it burn.”
Preceding the release of her new album, Cyrus took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the content behind the album. She started out by explaining that the album is meant to be divided into two parts, ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m’, or morning and night. The first half of the album is meant to represent the morning, in which there is light, energy, and endless possibilities to be had. In the second half of the album, however, the singer describes a nighttime setting, which creates the feelings of “grime but glamor at the same time.” This represents ways in which one can go out and create new experiences in nightlife but also find relaxation at the end of the day.
This album contains a unique blend of emotions, encompassing the feelings that arise during different hours of the day. Created on her path of self-discovery and independence, Cyrus’s Endless Summer Vacation is an empowering, must-listen to album.
The 2023 SAG Awards
by Claudia Fennell '24 on March 5, 2023
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
On Sunday, February 26, 2023, Hollywood’s most famous actors and actresses gathered at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, California, to celebrate the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards and award the best of film and television of 2022. This year, Netflix broadcasted the award show live, drawing in a larger audience. On the red carpet, stars wore luxury designers like Valentino, Carolina Herrera, Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton. The awards ceremony presented nominees from popular shows like The White Lotus, Abbott Elementary, and Wednesday. This star-studded night was filled with glitz, glamor, and celebration of the best film and television entertainment of this past year.
On the red carpet, celebrities like Zendaya, Emily Blunt, and Jenna Ortega stepped out onto the runway wearing showstopping looks. Two of the main fashion trends that can be seen in this year’s red-carpet styles are bold colors and texture. Best actress nominee, Zendaya, wore a custom light pink Valentino strapless gown, embossed with pink roses covering the bottom of the gown’s skirt, making a stunning arrival at the SAG awards. Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix’s Wednesday, decided to do something unique and wear a vintage gown. Designed by Atelier Versace for their Fall/Winter collection in 1994, this one-shoulder black patent leather gown is a bold statement. The leather texture of the gown adds another rare element to this beautiful vintage dress, and this dark gothic themed dress perfectly matches the actress’s mystical style. Showcasing another set of bold colors, actress Emily Blunt wore a red floor length Oscar de la Renta gown from their Fall/Winter 2023 collection. This gown is bandage-style, with dozens of sheer cutouts throughout the length. Purple orchid-like flowers cascade from the bottom all the way up to the shoulder of the dress, with intricate green leaves sewn in as well.
In addition to the wonderful fashion looks that were seen on the red carpet, there were many monumental monuments to be noted from the awards ceremony as well. The film, Everything Everywhere All at Once, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, won five awards, including: “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture” and “Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role” for Jamie Lee Curtis’s role. The film follows the ventures of Michelle Yeoh as she works as a heroine, using her powers to fight interdimensional dangers. The other television program that won many awards was The White Lotus. Jennifer Coolidge was named the best actress in a drama series for her performance in the show, and the cast won the “Best Ensemble in a Drama Series.” The White Lotus follows the vacation lives of various guests at the White Lotus resort, with a star-studded cast including Aubrey Plaza and Theo James.
The actors and actresses of 2022 did not disappoint in their fashion choices for the SAG awards this year. Bold colors and texture were seen across many dresses, forecasting trends for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. The film Everything Everywhere All at Once took home five awards, and The White Lotus was celebrated abundantly as well.
The Best Museums to Visit for Valentine’s Day
by Claudia Fennell '24 on February 22, 2023
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is time to start planning what you are going to do with your boo this year! While many people might dread Valentine’s Day and the pressure that comes along with it, here are three low-budget and low-stress ideas to have fun with your partner this Valentine’s Day. Whether you would like to stay close to our wonderful Providence College or venture further from campus, here are three Valentine’s Day museum date ideas for you.
1. RISD Museum, Providence, RI
An excellent choice only a ten-minute drive from PC’s campus, the RISD Museum is a wonderful museum that works with the Rhode Island School of Design. While relatively small, the RISD Museum collection boasts over 100,000 works of art spanning from the ancient world to the modern art of today’s world, with 2,177 pieces currently on display. In addition to their 18th and 19th Century American, Ancient Egyptian, European, Asian, and Ancient Greek and Roman galleries constantly on display, the museum is showcasing some interesting exhibitions that are additionally on display right now. The exhibition entitled Being and Believing in the Natural World showcases perspectives from the Ancient Mediterranean, Asia, and Indigenous North America and explores the human relationship with the natural world. Tickets are free for PC students, so this option is budget-friendly, interesting, and sure to please.
2. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA
Located in Boston, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is the perfect destination for Valentine’s Day. In addition to their wonderful collection of European, American, and Asian art, what makes the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum special is the courtyard filled with greenery, making the viewer feel as if they are almost outside. The airy and naturally-lit space also makes for the perfect spot to take photographs. Ringing up at only $13 per ticket for students, this is another great option for a Valentine’s Day date.
3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Since its founding in 1870, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has become one of the most famous and prestigious museums in the world, showcasing over 5,000 years of art from all corners of the world. What is unique about The Met are its size and status, which allow it to house some of the most famous pieces of art in the world. Famous pieces sure to impress include Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies by Claude Monet, Self Portrait With Straw Hat by Vincent van Gogh, and Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) by Jackson Pollock. With its massive size and impressive works, one could spend all day in The Met and only see a small percentage of what it has to offer. While farther away from campus, visiting The Met is a special experience that will be remembered for years to come, and only costs $17 per ticket as a student.
Make your partner feel special this year and bring them to one of these beautiful museums to celebrate Valentine’s Day!
Not the Oscars, but Close
by Claudia Fennell '24 on December 4, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
Throughout this year, hundreds of new movies crossed our screens. Two years after the start of the pandemic, audiences were ready for new films to occupy their minds. These five movies were released in 2022 and were standouts in their genres and in the film world. If you have not had a chance to see them yet, make sure they are on your must-watch list before the new year comes.
Don’t Worry Darling, Thriller/Mystery, Directed by Olivia Wilde
This movie features a star-studded cast including Harry Styles, Florence Pugh, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pine, and Nick Kroll. The movie is centered around a married couple, Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles), who live on an idealistic cul-de-sac with Jack’s coworkers and the couples’ friends. Each day, the husbands go to work while their wives stay at home. However, Alice begins to notice odd things happening in her community, and when she starts asking questions, she faces backlash from the community leader guru, Frank (Chris Pine). This fast-paced and beautifully shot movie features twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Nope, Horror/Sci-Fi, Directed by Jordan Peele
This popular horror movie features Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Barbie Ferreira, Michael Wincott, and Brandon Perea. Nope makes itself unique from other horror movies in that it incorporates both comedy and science fiction. It follows two siblings that live on a ranch in California and notice a UFO in the sky, which turns their world upside down. This foreign object causes turmoil in their lives, creating a unique and fascinating storyline for all viewers to enjoy.
Where the Crawdads Sing, Mystery/Drama, Directed by Olivia Newman
This highly anticipated movie is based on the best-selling beloved novel by Delia Owens. The movie focuses on the main character, Kya Clark, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones. Kya was abandoned as a young girl and raised herself in the marshlands of North Carolina. Surviving alone, Kya grew up into a strong young woman. After a man in town is discovered dead, Kya immediately becomes one of the main suspects. This drama is fast-paced and keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. Additionally, this movie appeals to many Taylor Swift lovers as it features some of her music.
The Batman, Action/Adventure, Directed by Matt Reeves
With another incredibly star-studded cast, The Batman features celebrities such as Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, and Andy Serkis. Following the basic plotline of most Batman movies, Batman (Robert Pattinson) attempts to save Gotham City from the villains of the world. Batman works hard throughout the course of the movie to bring justice back to the city of Gotham and protect its citizens.
The Woman King, Action/Drama, Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
In this movie showcasing Viola Davis, a group of all-female warriors protect their kingdom. This powerful group of women has their own unique set of skills that allows them to ferociously protect the African kingdom of Dahomey. The general warrior amongst all the women is General Nanisca, who trains a new group of recruits to fight against the latest threat posed to their kingdom. This movie is action-packed and guaranteed to keep the viewer’s attention the whole time.
What to Watch This Thanksgiving
by Claudia Fennell '24 on November 17, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
The Best Thanksgiving TV Episodes of All Time
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us will make the long venture back home to stay with our families for the long weekend. While spending quality time with family can be fun, there will inevitably be lulls in each of our breaks. To fill uncomfortable silence with extended family, here are some fantastic episodes from iconic television shows beloved by many. Thanksgiving brings forth feelings of togetherness, love, and family—feelings these shows beautifully and comedically exemplify.
- Gilmore Girls,“A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” (Season 3, Episode 9): Available on Netflix
With the backdrop of picturesque Stars Hollow, Connecticut, the mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore are the best of friends. Lorelai runs a local inn and Rory spends almost all of her time studying and reading. This Thanksgiving, the girls are expected to appear at four different Thanksgiving dinners. Lorelai’s parents, their friend Luke, their friend Suki, and Rory’s friend Lane are each hosting their own Thanksgiving celebration and expect Lorelai and Rory to be in attendance. With a packed schedule, the girls attempt to make appearances at each of the events, lighting up the room in every place they go.
- New Girl,“Parents” (Season 2, Episode 8): Available on Netflix
The comedy hit New Girl follows the life of Jessica Day, a teacher who broke up with her boyfriend and moved into an apartment with three single guys she met on the internet. The four of them end up spending all of their time together and become best friends. In this holiday episode, Jess attempts to get her divorced parents back together over Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment. Despite her best efforts, her plan ultimately fails, but it still makes for a lighthearted and fun episode.
- Friends, “The One with All the Thanksgivings” (Season 5, Episode 8): Available on Netflix
The classic sitcom from the 90s, Friends, portrays the life of six friends in their twenties living in Manhattan, New York City. One of the friends, Monica, hosts Thanksgiving in her apartment, where her brother, Ross, complains about how he is having the worst Thanksgiving of his life. Subsequently, the friends recall the most horrific Thanksgivings that they have each suffered through, and amusing flashbacks are shared.
- Modern Family, “Three Turkeys” (Season 6, Episode 8): Available on Hulu
Modern Family tells the story of Jay, wife to Gloria and stepfather to her son Manny, and father to Mitchell and Claire, who each have their own families. The comedy series offers a sincere depiction of family dynamics, while always ending each episode on a happy note. This Thanksgiving, Claire prepares a secret Turkey (Turkey #2) after predicting her husband will fail at his task of preparing the family turkey (Turkey #1). After turmoil ensues, a third turkey gets thrown into the mix and fingers are pointed.
- Bob’s Burgers, “Turkey’s in a Can” (Season 4, Episode 5): Available on Hulu
Bob’s Burgers follows the life of Bob Belcher, the owner of Bob’s Burgers, which he runs with his wife Linda and their three children, Louise, Tina, and Gene. Bob has decided to take the preparation of the Thanksgiving turkey very seriously this year and starts the brine three days before the holiday. Somehow, the turkey ends up in the toilet. Over the next three days, Bob buys several turkeys that all meet deplorable ends. In an attempt to solve the crime of who is ruining each turkey, Louise tries her best to be a detective. Filled with a family-made Thanksgiving song, this funny episode is quick and a perfect option for the family.
All of these episodes are family-friendly and are available on either Netflix or Hulu.
Most Popular Halloween Costumes
by Claudia Fennell '24 on October 21, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
What to Wear to Impress Your “Boo” This Year
With Halloween just around the corner, time is running out to choose an amazing costume for the spookiest time of the year. There are many factors that go into selecting the perfect Halloween costume, such as character relevance, current style fads, and the setting of where said costume will be worn. This year, popular television shows and fashion trends will be on center stage among Halloween costumes. Among the most popular fashion items this year were corset tops and leather boots. These staple pieces can be featured in any costume and worn again for the rest of the fall season as well.
Fairy costumes have been around for just about as long as Halloween has existed, and rightfully so, as they are some of the most timeless. Adjustable to weather conditions and easy to create with clothing items that are readily available, it is easy to throw together a simple but fun fairy costume at the drop of a hat. Pair a mini skirt with boots or heels, and a combination of both a corset and flowy top for the base of the look. Add a flower crown and a pair of wings from Amazon to finish off this ethereal costume. For an added fun accessory, buy pointy elf ears to go above and beyond.
Another timeless Halloween costume is the pirate. This costume is also easy to put together and can be dressed up through fun accessories that are available online. For the base of the look, wear black pants or shorts with a large white blouse and black boots. To accessorize this costume, wear plenty of gold jewelry and add a hat or sword for fun if desired.
One of the most popular duo Halloween costumes that will most definitely be making an appearance this year is the angel and devil costume. This costume idea is perfect because all that is required is that one person dresses in white while the other dresses in red. The simplicity of this outfit allows for unique personalization that makes it extra exciting. White and red corset tops can be worn with halos atop the head of the angel, and horns atop the head of the devil. Wings are always a fun addition to this iconic costume idea and are a perfect way to spice up this look.
Euphoria was one of the most popular television shows of the year and is sure to make an appearance in Halloween costumes this October. What makes a Euphoria-themed costume so wonderful is that the characters in the show wear trendy clothes that are commonly owned by college students. Sparkly matching sets, mini dresses with cutouts, or miniskirts with corset tops and glittery eye makeup are great ways to recreate the outfits worn on the infamous HBO hit show. Large hoop earrings and tiny sunglasses can be added as fun accessories for this costume idea.
For more Halloween inspiration, scroll on Pinterest or check out TikTok for some more relevant ideas!
Highlights of the September 2022 New York Fashion Week
by Claudia Fennell '24 on October 9, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
An Inside Look to New York City’s Hottest Style Week of the Year
Each fall, celebrities, models, and influencers from across the world all make the journey to New York City, where the streets are filled with hundreds of people dressed their very best for New York Fashion Week. This five-day event is packed tight with fashion shows, presentations, and parties, making for a busy week of style. Each September, designers show off their collections for the upcoming spring, and audience members wear their very best as well, attempting to become the new trendsetters for the upcoming seasons. Two of the most popular shows this September were the Tommy Hilfiger and the Tom Ford shows. Both designers have held spots at New York Fashion Week for decades, yet still bring enough show-stopping designs each season to keep the audience coming back for more.
While it did rain during the entirety of the Hilfiger show, that did not stop top celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Lisa Rinna from watching the entire show. Even the runway was star-studded with models Julia Fox, Lila Moss, and Ashley Graham. To present his collection, Hilfiger designed a runway and set inspired by artist Andy Warhol, complete with screen-printing stations. His collection featured classic pieces that were slightly altered—Puffer jackets were made even larger, cardigans were oversized, and shirts were made longer. The most eye-catching pieces in the collection, however, were the bold monogrammed prints that were seen on jackets, jumpsuits, sweaters, dresses, tights, and more.
Tom Ford’s show was held downtown on Vesey Street in the city. Ford closed out the fashion week with his glitz-covered collection, which included ’80s inspired pieces decked out in sparkles. His grand finale featured the most studded piece of them all, however. Unlike most shows in which there is a final walk showcasing all the pieces one final time, Ford’s finale just featured one model. She wore a floor-length gold and silver glitter turtleneck gown, with her dark hair braided up into what resembled a crown.
Many designers stated that this September’s New York Fashion Week was an incredibly special one, as they feel it was not disturbed by COVID-19 like the past two years of shows have been. February’s New York Fashion week was disrupted by the Omicron strain of the coronavirus, but this September’s COVID numbers have been stable, allowing for larger audiences to be present during shows.
Fearless Art
by Claudia Fennell '24 on September 18, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Art
Wolfgang Tillmans’ Exhibition at the MoMA
The newest exhibition to be featured at The Museum of Modern Art will showcase the artwork of Wolfgang Tillmans. The exhibition is titled “To look without fear,” and will be on display from September 12 to January 1, 2023. The exhibition will contain mostly photographs, along with some short videos taken over various periods of the photographer’s lengthy career.
The showcase of Tillmans’s work will be presented to viewers in the same way that Tillmans always displays his art. The artist makes fresh prints of his work before viewing and sticks them on the wall using tape or binder clips. Additionally, in typical Tillmans style, the pieces will be placed on the wall in a nonchalant way, as if they were randomly thrown up on the wall anywhere they fit. While the photographs appear to be placed randomly, the pieces on the walls of the MoMA were strategically placed, down to the exact inch.
As Tillmans’s career has progressed throughout the past few years, he has chosen to adopt more of a political viewpoint in his work. At the beginning of his career, the artist was more carefree about the significance behind each of his photographs, while now he takes great care to tie in some politics around each piece. Following the Orlando nightclub shooting at Pulse, a gay bar, in 2016, one of Tillmans’s photographs showcased two men kissing at a London nightclub. The message behind his exhibition at the MoMA is “democracy in action” and will showcase the world around Tillmans.
One of the artist’s most famous pieces is featured on the cover of rapper Frank Ocean’s album “Blonde.” The photo features Frank Ocean covering his face with a bandaged hand, hair green and wet from the shower in the background. Tillmans took this photo of the rapper and will be displaying it at his exhibition.
One of Tillmans’s installations at MoMA is massive, taking up most of the largest room. It is titled “Truth Study Center” and features 18 tables covered in hundreds of photographs. Mixed in with the photographs are stickers, newspapers, and notes the author had written to himself, marking important moments in history. The New York Times wrote about one of his messages included in the installation, which reads, “Martin Luther King’s ‘I Had a Dream’ speech was 27 years prior to 1990. 27 years past 1990, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as President of the United States.” The artist explained that these messages helped him visualize the timeline of the country around himself.
A New Day for Swifties
by Claudia Fennell '24 on September 8, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
Taylor Swift Reveals Release of Yet Another Album
After a busy two years, Taylor Swift is soon to release her fifth album. This will be her 10th studio album, titled Midnights, and will be released on Oct. 21. The album will be composed of 13 songs representing a sleepless night in the artist’s life. Swift teased the content of the album, saying that each song was written throughout her life, always in the dark of night.
Swift announced that she is planning on releasing a new album at the MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 28. The announcement was made after the artist won video of the year for her 10-minute version of the song “All Too Well,” which she recorded as a short film. The short film is a few seconds short of 15 minutes long, with over 74 million views on YouTube, making it one of the most famous music videos from 2021. The film stars actors Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink who act out the relationship that Taylor Swift had with her ex-boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal. The song gained so much popularity that it beat the Guinness World Record for the longest song to ever reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
After thanking her fans for supporting her throughout her music career, Swift announced that she plans to release a brand-new album this fall. She stated that all the constant encouragement from her fans has motivated her to continue to release new music. The artist stated at the MTV’s, “I had sort of made up my mind that if you were going to be this generous and give us this, I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you that my brand-new album comes out Oct. 21.” After winning the video of the year award for her short film, the artist was delighted to speak on the release of a new album.
As usual, Swift’s fans are looking for clues about the upcoming album throughout the singer’s social media and her public appearances, attempting to find hints about the new album. The singer has not confirmed any of the clues so far. Swift released two albums two years ago in 2020, Folklore and Evermore before she began rerecording her old albums after issues with her old record label. In 2021, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) were released, her first re-recorded albums now under her name and authority. Taylor was inspired to re-record after her old record label made a $300 million dollar deal to sell the pieces. This sparked Swift’s interest to re-record her work, stating on “Good Morning America” that she thinks, “artists deserve to own their work. I just feel very passionately about that.”
Fans across the world are waiting in anticipation for Oct. 21, when listeners can “meet [her] at midnight” as Swift posted on her Instagram.
“Tell the Driver, Make the Radio Play”
by John Downey '23 on April 22, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
“Tell the Driver, Make the Radio Play”
Ed Sheeran Wins “Shape of You” Lawsuit
By Claudia Fennell ’24
In 2017, the now 31-year-old artist Ed Sheeran released one of his most famous songs to date: “Shape of You.” The track, a single off of his album Divide, was an instant hit on the charts. Indeed, “Shape of You” was the overall best-selling song in 2017 as well as the second-best selling song digitally worldwide that year. Additionally, the song was number one in the United States for 12 non-consecutive weeks, the fourth-most weeks a song has stayed on top of the charts in history.
Now, five years later, the remarkable song is making headlines for a more negative reason: musical artist Sam Chokri and his producer Ross O’Donoghue recently brought Sheeran to court, claiming the chorus of “Shape of You” is stolen from their song, “Oh Why.”
Chokri, who is more commonly known as Sami Switch, his stage name, is a popular Grime artist. Grime is a music genre that developed in London in the early 2000s that combines British rap and electronic music to create a style similar to hip hop. In 2015, two years before Sheeran’s “Shape of You” hit the airwaves, the artist released “Oh Why.” The chorus of the song repeats the phrase, “Oh why, oh why,” and the chorus of “Shape of You” repeats the phrase, “Oh I, Oh I” with a somewhat similar pronunciation. This commonality led Chokri to allege that Sheeran stole the phrase and file a suit against the famous singer-songwriter. Sheeran and his associates immediately denied the claims Chokri and his team put forth against them.
Chokri originally made these allegations of plagiarism against Sheeran in 2018, but the copyright lawsuit did not commence until last month on March 4. The trial took place at London’s high court and lasted eleven days. It consisted of testimony from both sides as well as outside testimony from professional forensic musicologists who analyzed “Oh Why” and “Shape of You” for similarities. Although the forensic musicologists at times disagreed on some small details, they agreed that the purported similarities between the two songs were “overstated.”
After taking all of the testimony and evidence presented into account, Justice Antony Zacaroli declared that Sheeran “neither deliberately nor subconsciously” copied Chokri’s 2015 song.
While Sheeran and his team were certainly pleased with the verdict in the trial, the artist soon took to Twitter to share his concerns about the implications of the case. In a video, he explained that while he felt vindicated post-trial, he remained concerned for the future of the songwriting industry. Sheeran emphasized that in his mind, today’s artists are far too eager to sue one another. He went on to elaborate that he sees a pattern of artists hoping to save or even make money by reaching a settlement rather than fighting against a perceived injustice by going to trial. Sheeran expressed, “I feel like claims like this are way too common now and [there has] become a culture where a claim is made with the idea that a settlement will be cheaper than taking it to court, even if there is no basis for the claim.”
Although Sheeran will likely not be the last musician to face allegations of plagiarism, the artist’s dedication to using his platform to speak out against such allegations and their bearings on the music industry suggest that the artists of the future will be well-supported should they find themselves facing such allegations.