April 27, 2024

About the author  ⁄ Brenna Ehrlich

FKA Twigs Dances A Man To Death In ‘Video Girl’: Watch

by 27 mins ago

FKA twigs has one lethal voice — literally. In her new video for “Video Girl,” off of her debut record, LP1, twigs performs the jam to an audience of one: a man on death row slowly dying via lethal injection. Yikes.

The song was based on a pretty simple premise: FKA twigs (born Tahliah Barnett) previously found fame as a dancer in music videos, but after separating herself from that world she used to lie when people asked if she was “the girl from the video.”

The video — directed by Kahlil Joseph — however, has a much darker premise. A lot more complex. Who is the man twigs is haunting? Did he murder her? Is she a ghost? Is that why he’s on death row? And who is the other man — the one with blood pouring from his mouth?

Oh, to see the world through twigs’ Google Glass! Judging by this video, we imagine it to be a lot like that movie “Insidious.”

Check out “Video Girl” below:

Brenna Ehrlich is a reporter for MTV News as well as the senior writer/editor for the O Music Awards. In the past, she served as associate editor at Mashable, penned a netiquette column for CNN and co-authored the blog and book "Stuff Hipsters Hate." She likes trying not to die in moshpits and listening to songs on repeat. Follow her on Twitter for news on cats and punk bands.

@BrennaEhrlich
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This Millennial Horror Story Will Chill Your Bones

by 1 min ago

Phones are pretty much a constant in horror movies — whether you’ve got the killer calling from inside the house or some creepy breathing on the other side of the receiver. However, in a video short titled “What Terrifies 20-Somethings On Halloween,” it’s the absence of phones that’s really scary.

A finalist in Guillermo del Toro/YouTube’s House Of Horrors contest, this little video — created, in part, by Paul Gale (who made that amazing video about why Starbucks gets your name wrong) — features comedians like Sunita Mani (Lil Jon’s “Turn Down For What”) and was directed by T.J. Misny.

Check it out below. And maybe, just maybe, leave your phone at home this Halloween… Trust us, this vid will scare you straight when it comes to cell obsession.

Brenna Ehrlich is a reporter for MTV News as well as the senior writer/editor for the O Music Awards. In the past, she served as associate editor at Mashable, penned a netiquette column for CNN and co-authored the blog and book "Stuff Hipsters Hate." She likes trying not to die in moshpits and listening to songs on repeat. Follow her on Twitter for news on cats and punk bands.

@BrennaEhrlich
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‘About A Girl’s Same-Sex Kiss Cover Should Be The Norm

by 35 mins ago

A lot of YA books feature a (white) boy and a (white) girl on the cover, looking longingly into each other’s eyes, just on the verge of a kiss. That’s a pretty iconic image by now. That’s the norm.

A lot of book covers decidedly do not feature two (non-white) girls locked in a passionate liplock. Sarah McCarry‘s “About A Girl” is not a lot of YA books, however. It’s not the norm. It’s special.

McCarry shared the cover of her upcoming book exclusively today with MTV News, a gorgeous image reminiscent of the photo on the cover of David Levithan’s much-lauded novel, “Two Boys Kissing.”

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Let’s just take a minute to look at the above cover. This is why #WeNeedDiverseBooks, people: Images like this need to become the norm as well. Cover images of girls standing wistfully in fields have seriously had their day.

Now on to the book itself, because McCarry is a gorgeous writer and we can hardly wait to get out mitts on it.

“About A Girl” is the third book in McCarry’s “Metamorphoses” trilogy — a series of YA novels that meld Greek mythology, punk rock and copious bad decisions. It’s a play on the myth of “Medea” (you know, the play by Euripides where that woman kills her kids) and sees two teen girls falling in love while one, Tally, tries to find the key to unlocking her past.

“It was hugely important to me that the cover accurately reflect ...

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It’s Intersex Awareness Day — Celebrate By Educating Yourself

by 19 mins ago

A lot of you may have been confused when Lauren from “Faking It” revealed to her friends that she’s intersex on the MTV show of the same name. “What does that mean?” you may have wondered. Well, today is the day to find out. It’s Intersex Awareness Day, and there are tons of resources out there that can help you understand Lauren — as well as real-life people like her.

I don’t know about you all, but I was pretty surprised when Lauren — Amy’s prissy, closed-minded stepsister — made such a deep proclamation on the show, talking about how being born intersex has affected her life. Bailey De Young, who plays Lauren, teamed up with Emily Quinn, who is intersex, to create a PSA that ran later that night, explaining more about the condition. Quinn is consulting on the show and Lauren’s character, and also wrote an amazing story for MTV Act about what it’s like to be intersex.

Related: I’m Emily Quinn, And I’m Intersex

According to intersex leadership group, Inter/Act, being intersex means that you were born with differences in your sexual characteristics — these differences can affect genes, chromosomes, genitalia, reproductive organs, hormones and also things like body hair and how much you sweat. Quinn has a condition called Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS), which means she has XY chromosomes and internal testes, but has developed as a woman. Like Lauren on “Faking It,” she doesn’t have a uterus or ovaries, however, and ...

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8 Things We Learned About Taylor Swift From A Handwriting Expert

by 21 mins ago

Taylor Swift isn’t really afraid to lay it all bare via the singable diary entries that are her songs. Yup, when it comes to her business, she’s as open as, well, a business on a weekday.

Still, we Swifties will not be sated until we understand every facet of her bubbly kitten-crammed personality. We want to breathe ourselves into her beautiful soul, basically, and we will not rest until we do.

Related: Here’s What Waiting For Taylor Swift’s ’1989′ Album Feels Like

So MTV News hit up forensic document examiner and handwriting expert Dianne Peterson who took a look at all those handwritten 1989 lyrics Tay has been posting (assuming she penned them herself), and asked her to tell us what she could glean from all that ink.

I don’t know about you, but I feel closer to Taylor already, guys. But maybe that’s because I’m wearing a vintage nightgown, drinking a Diet Coke and squeezing a kitten while writing this.

But I digress… Read on:

1. She’s Honest

“Taylor has open O’s — this means she is an honest person.”

2. She’s A Good Listener

“The eyelets of her lower case ‘e’s and ‘a’s are open, which means she is a good listener.”

3. She’s Sassy

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“The cross bar of her ‘t’s are pointed on one end, which means she can be sarcastic and may have a sharp tongue at times.”

Related: Taylor Swift Is Basically Pinterest In The Form Of A Person: Here’s Proof

4. She’s ...

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Ah, Shucks: ‘Adorkable’ Is In The Dictionary Now

by 33 mins ago

Put on your glasses and perfect that charmingly awkward grin, because “adorkable” is officially in the dictionary — along with “meme,” “vape” and “twerking.” Anything can be a word now, you guys!

The BBC reports that the Collins English Dictionary has added 50,000 words to its next print edition — which include “selfie, “onesie” and “photobomb,” as well. “Adorkable” was added at the behest of Twitter users, who voted for its inclusion. Its definition? “Socially inept or unfashionable in a charming or endearing way.” Awwwwwww!

Somewhere, Zooey Deschanel is snort-laughing with glee.

adorkable

Other newly minted “real words” include:

al desko – (a meal, esp lunch) at one’s desk at one’s place of work

Bitcoin – a system of open source peer-to-peer software for the creation and exchange of (payment in) a certain type of cryptocurrency.

kawaii – a Japanese artistic and cultural style that emphasizes the quality of cuteness, using bright colours and characters with a childlike appearance

meme – an idea or element of social behaviour passed on through generations in a culture, esp by imitation

photobomb – to intrude into the background of a photograph without the subject’s knowledge

preload – to consume alcoholic drinks at home before going to a social gathering

textonym – one of two or more words that can be generated by pressing the same key combinations on a mobile phone: ‘kiss’ and ‘lips’ are textonyms

twerking – a provocative dance performed by moving the hips rapidly back and forth while standing with the feet apart and raising and ...

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This Fox News Host Thinks Single Women Should Stick To Tinder — Not Voting

by 26 mins ago

Hey, fellow young single ladies: Did you guys know that just because you have Tinder on your phones and a spring in your step you’re completely unfit to serve on a jury or vote? Neither did I. Must have been too busy swiping left to get the memo.

The gleefully incendiary Fox News was the source of this totally novel information — specifically, a female co-host of “The Five,” Kimberly Guilfoyle. During the course of a conversation about how women’s rights will factor into the 2014 U.S. Midterm election, Guilfoyle spoke about young, unmarried women’s predilection for voting Democratic and seemed less than optimistic about the outcome.

“When you’re young like that, you think — same reason why young women on juries are not a good idea, they don’t get it,” the Fox reporter said. “They’re not in that same life experience of paying the bills, doing the mortgage, kids, community, crime, education, healthcare. They’re like healthy and hot and running around without a care in the world.”

Related: Voter’s Self-Defense Guide 2014

Hmm, I wasn’t aware that being not-old and single meant that I didn’t have to pay bills or worry about my health. Someone call my landlord and tell him he’s cut off! Forget that gyno visit — I’m not seeing the lady doctor until I’m locked down and married! Carefree days for everyone! I know not the cold and icy hand of inevitable death!

Guilfoyle went on to amend her statement about women serving on juries, however, saying, ...

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Because Of Gwen Stefani, ‘Artpop’ Is A Word Now

by 11 mins ago

Some may wait for Merriam-Webster and Oxford to introduce new words into the lexicon. We over here at MTV News, however, are happy enough to adopt new terms whenever Gwen Stefani deems them acceptable. At least in the case of “artpop,” which she recently used as an adjective.

Lady Gaga tweeted a Vine of Stefani during a recent appearance on HSN. The No Doubt frontwoman was there to support her new collection of “POP ELECTRIC” fragrances, and she described the perfumes’ shiny packaging as “artpop,” which is both the title and concept of Mother Monster’s 2013 record.

Well, if Gwen co-signs, it must be so. She did cause us all to wear fashion braces back in the day, so I do not doubt her powers of cultural persuasion.

Get on this, Oxford.

Brenna Ehrlich is a reporter for MTV News as well as the senior writer/editor for the O Music Awards. In the past, she served as associate editor at Mashable, penned a netiquette column for CNN and co-authored the blog and book "Stuff Hipsters Hate." She likes trying not to die in moshpits and listening to songs on repeat. Follow her on Twitter @BrennaEhrlich for news on cats and punk bands.
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Miley Cyrus Recasts ‘Hocus Pocus’

by 10 mins ago

Your favorite ’90s Halloween flick, “Hocus Pocus,” is getting a hypothetical reboot — via Miley Cyrus. The “Wrecking Ball” singer has gone ahead and dreamt up a new cast for the flick with a little help from her fwends.

Cyrus shared the below snap to Instagram this week, switching out the faces of The Sanderson sisters with her own mug (as Winifred), Wayne Coyne (as Sarah) and her assistant, Cheyne Thomas (as Mary).

We’re not exactly sure what a Miley-fied “Hocus Pocus” would look like, but we’d definitely be down to hear Miley and Wayne cover Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You,” like Bette Midler does in the flick.

Get on that, dudes. Your Beatles remake could be just the beginning. We’ll just be over here watching this “Hocus Pocus” supercut while you make that manifest…

Brenna Ehrlich is a reporter for MTV News as well as the senior writer/editor for the O Music Awards. In the past, she served as associate editor at Mashable, penned a netiquette column for CNN and co-authored the blog and book "Stuff Hipsters Hate." She likes trying not to die in moshpits and listening to songs on repeat. Follow her on Twitter @BrennaEhrlich for news on cats and punk bands.
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What Is Mercury Retrograde And Why Does It Hate Me?

by 5 mins ago

If we had to pick an official scapegoat for 2014 and all of its many mundane annoyances, we would undoubtedly choose Mercury in Retrograde. Didn’t get into the college of your choice? Blame MIR. Didn’t get a date to prom? Damn that MIR. Tripped and fell in a kiddie pool full of Jell-O? Uhh, we don’t want to know, but it’s probably partly MIR’s fault.

Oh, and guess what — we’re currently smack in the middle of another MIR suck-fest, one that doesn’t end until October 25. Cue a giant scream to the heavens right about here.

So what is this mysterious planetary phenom that seems to be messing up our lives seemingly every single month? Well, we hit up our trusty resident astrologer Licorice Root and asked her to break it down for us.

Read on and remember: Saturday is just mere days away — and then we’re done with this mess until 2015.

What exactly is Mercury in Retrograde? How often does it happen?

Quickmeme

Three, sometimes four, times per year Mercury, from our perspective here on Earth, appears to move backward through the Zodiac. This is just an optical illusion! Mercury is not really moving backward. But, the planet does retrace the movement it’s made through the Zodiac during this time.

Is there anything I should avoid doing during this time?

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The big No-Nos we hear during Mercury Retrograde are: 1). Don’t sign contracts 2). Don’t buy electronics. Mercury rules communication, transportation ...

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