Morrissey has spoken more about his ongoing legal case, which sees him targeted by “the very worst case of online identity fraud”.

• READ MORE: The Smiths: every song ranked in order of greatness

The singer and former Smiths frontman shared an update with fans last spring, writing on his website that he was involved in a legal battle after discovering that someone was allegedly impersonating him online.

He said that he had been in touch with an online protection firm called The Web Sheriff, who reached out to him to say that had “discovered an online campaign of fraud, disinformation and defamation” that targeted him.

“The scale of the manipulation is one of the worst and most malicious ever seen by the team, who have worked on similar cases for Beyoncé, Prince, Bob Dylan, Adele and Radiohead,” the update on Morrissey Central read.

“The campaign against Morrissey is characterised by fake websites, impersonation on social media, identity fraud, and sustained harassment on Facebook, X, Twitter, Instagram – all social networks that Morrissey has not ever visited,” it added. “Emerging online data is falsely signed in Morrissey’s name in an attempt to associate the artist with false narratives designed to destroy his career.”

It also added that the posts impersonating him stem back “several years”, and reiterated that the singer has “no personal presence on such networks, and has not ever possessed a smartphone”.

Morrissey says he has suffered what was described as “the very worst case of online identity fraud”

The singer says nine people have been urging fans to join political factions and movements in Morrissey’s name

Full statement: https://t.co/WMJrbMZz0l pic.twitter.com/1k5gVG8PiU

— Morrissey and Wine (@mozandwine) June 11, 2026

Now, Morrissey has shared an update on the case, writing on his website that they now believe nine people are involved in the impersonations.

“Eighteen months ago The Web Sheriff contacted Morrissey’s ex-manager, Merck Mercuriadis,” the new update read. “The Sheriff advised Merck that they had discovered ‘the very worst case of online identity fraud’ – namely, nine individuals masquerading as Morrissey operating on behalf of various political groups.”

The post went on to claim that the people behind the scams were urging fans to “actively join factions and movements advocating various political ideas” – although did not explicitly share which “movements” they referred to.

Of the nine people, the post alleges, one allegedly posted “1,800 online messages”. The update also claims that another of the nine people had “connections to an ex-member of The Smiths” and posted messages that “severely harmed Morrissey’s status and character”.

As for how he is proceeding in the legal battle, the update said that there is a “planned operation to take police action against the nine individuals” and it “requires appointment of two legal firms”. It added that “the financial commitment of extensive and unremitting expenditure is outside of Morrissey’s personal capacity to shoulder.”

Morrissey’s update closed things off by saying that the “next move” in the investigation is currently “under consideration”.

"Morrissey has not ever been active on open forums, and has not ever owned a smart-phone, or contributed to Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, or joined a political party."

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? – MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY – MORRISSEY CENTRAL https://t.co/LRxx9FlECt

— Matthew Jacobson – (@MatthewMozzer) June 11, 2026

In last year’s update, the team representing Morrissey accused an individual of publishing “an enormous amount of material about our client on an almost daily basis”, as well as having “left and/or posted written notes at and to” Morrissey’s home (as per Music Business Worldwide).

Their claim also alleged that the “narrative of [that person’s] posts almost exclusively relates to ‘far right’ politics, and in particular, those politics which are the antithesis of our client and what he has always stood for and represented.”

They also described Morrissey as “a pacifist, apolitical” person who has “never joined a political party or voted”, saying that those behind the fraud were “creating and perpetuating a harmful global narrative that is inaccurate, defamatory and has driven the media to repeat these falsehoods.”

There has been some controversy over Morrissey’s rumoured political stance in recent years – with the singer previously expressing support for far-right political party For Britain, wearing their badge during a 2019 television appearance.

In the past, he has also described the Chinese people as a “subspecies”, referred to Hitler as ‘left wing’, and claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan “can not talk properly”. After being criticised for supporting English Defence League Founder Tommy Robinson, he issued a statement in which he said he “despised racism and fascism” and voiced his support for Muslims.

The former Smiths frontman released his 14th solo album ‘Make-Up Is A Lie’ in March via Sire Records, and has gone on to announce a European headline tour to take place over the summer.

View this post on Instagram

Last month, he confirmed plans for a UK tour, set to take place in December. Those shows do not include any London stops, and come on the heels of the singer playing what had been previously billed as his only UK concert of the year at The O2 in London in February.

He also cancelled multiple shows in the US earlier this year, citing “artist illness” and an “adverse reaction to a prescription medication”. He then axed a live date in Valencia last month “due to sleep deprivation”.

In other news, Morrissey has claimed responsibility for the initial idea for the iconic photograph of The Smiths taken outside Salford Lads Club, and corrected Johnny Marr about the history of the band signing with Rough Trade.

He has also been announced as one of the headline acts for this year’s CBGB Festival in New York in September, alongside the likes of Patti Smith, Interpol and Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter.

The post Morrissey shares update on his battle with “the very worst case of online identity fraud” appeared first on NME.

Ariana Grande has hit out at the White House for using her music in a recent ICE video online.

• READ MORE: Ariana Grande – ‘Eternal Sunshine’ review: a compelling mood piece

The clip was posted on TikTok earlier this week, and shows agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement putting people in handcuffs, placing them in cars, and detaining the individuals.

It is soundtracked by Grande’s 2024 song ‘Bye’, taken from her seventh studio album ‘Eternal Sunshine’. “Bye-bye President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history,” the caption reads.

At the time of writing, the video has racked up almost 460,000 views on the social media platform, where it’s been ‘liked’ 21,000 times.

Grande soon commented on the post, writing: “Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson has since responded, telling US media (via BBC News): “What’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal ‌aliens ⁠who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.”

Grande’s track has now been removed from the video, too.

@whitehouse

Bye-bye President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history

♬ original sound – The White House

Grande previously called out Trump and the White House last autumn, when she shared a post on Instagram condemning the administration for ICE raids and transphobic language.

White House Deputy Press Secretary, Kush Desai, responded to the criticism at the time by writing: “Save your tears, Ariana. Because President Trump’s actions ended Joe Biden’s inflation crisis and are bringing in trillions in new investment.

“He even signed an executive order just like magic that paved the way for the FTC to crack down on Ticketmaster for ripping off Ariana Grande’s concert-going fans.”

Grande supported Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. Following Trump’s historic victory to become POTUS for the second time, Grande wrote: “Holding the hand of every person who is feeling the immeasurable heaviness of this outcome today.”

In 2022, the pop star urged her fans to “reject him [Trump] with everything you have” after he announced he’d be running for US president again. She had criticised the “straight, white, old” presidential candidates in 2020, saying: “That’s not fair. You know? How! How will we get this right?”

#ArianaGrande slams the White House for using her 2024 song "Bye" in a TikTok that depicted ICE agents arresting and handcuffing people.
"Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense," Grande responded in a comment. pic.twitter.com/yM459mhJ8t

— Lionais (@lionaishl) June 12, 2026

At the end of last year, the White House deleted a video featuring Sabrina Carpenter‘s music after the singer called it “evil and disgusting”. Olivia Rodrigo hit out at ICE for using one of her songs to soundtrack a “racist” self-deportation clip, too. “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,” she wrote.

ICE videos using tracks by MGMT and The Cure were also removed in 2025 due to official takedown requests.

Earlier this year, the likes of Madonna, John Legend and Pedro Pascal signed an open letter calling for the closure of an ICE detention centre in Texas.

Other artists and celebrities who have spoken out against ICE’s actions include Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Green Day, Neil Young, Moby, Zara Larsson, musician and Stranger Things star Joe Keery, Spider-Man actor Yuri Lowenthal, Duran Duran, Dave Matthews and more.

Bruce Springsteen shared a powerful new song, ‘Streets Of Minneapolis’, in tribute to the city, and in protest against Trump and ICE, at the start of this year. Billy Bragg later released the track ‘City Of Heroes’, which he called “a tribute to the bravery of the people of Minneapolis”.

In 2024, Beyoncé reportedly threatened Trump‘s campaign with legal action for its unauthorised use of her song ‘Freedom’ in a social media video. That same year, ABBA demanded that he stop using their music at rallies.

Celine Dion’s team stated that Trump used ‘My Heart Will Go On’ without authorisation at a rally, confirming that she “does not endorse this”. Jack White, meanwhile, warned the Trump presidential campaign not to use his music after a White Stripes snippet featured in a video.

In other news, Grande is currently out on her huge ‘Eternal Sunshine’ tour, which kicked off in Oakland, California, last Saturday (June 6). This August/September, the singer will host a 10-night residency at The O2 in London. Find any remaining tickets here.

Ariana Grande recently shared the fan-favourite song ‘Knew Better Part II’ to mark the 10th anniversary of her third album, ‘Dangerous Woman’.

The post Ariana Grande hits out at White House for using her music in “barbaric” and “inhumane” ICE video appeared first on NME.

Matt Damon has revealed he is interested in returning to the Bourne franchise, and is actively looking for ideas.

• READ MORE: ‘The Odyssey’ could be Christopher Nolan’s biggest blockbuster yet

The Oscar winner scored a worldwide hit in 2002 with The Bourne Identity, playing amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne. The film led to him starring in two sequels – The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum – before Jeremy Renner took over in 2012’s The Bourne Legacy. Damon would return in 2016 with a fifth film, titled Jason Bourne, and is looking to add to the franchise.

“We’re always looking to try to get another one of those because we loved it, everyone who worked on them,” he said in an interview with Parade. “So there’s always some attempt going on to write, to come up with a new story. So if you have anything, let us know.”

The last news about a new Bourne movie came it 2023, when it was reported that All Quiet On The Western Front filmmaker Edward Berger was in talks to direct. Damon confirmed the reports the following year, and said that he would “love” to return to the character.

This year, Matt Damon is set to star in one of the biggest movies of the year, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. He plays the lead, Odysseus, a soldier embarking on an epic journey home following a brutal war. The film is set for release on July 17 in UK cinemas.

Recently Lupita Nyong’o, Damon’s co-star in the film, hit back at racist abuse she has received over her casting as Helen Of Troy in the movie. “I’m very supportive of Chris’s intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling,” she told Elle. “Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.”

Elsewhere, The Odyssey revealed an official cinema tie-in popcorn bucket in the shape of the infamous Trojan Horse.

The post Matt Damon wants to make a new Jason Bourne film appeared first on NME.

Pokémon Go creators Niantic have revealed that they’re using player data to train US military drones.

• READ MORE: Woodkid explains how his “dangerous” ‘Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag’ remix came together

Augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go launched in 2016 and encouraged players to explore their real world environments to catch Pokémon. In 2020, the game introduced AR mapping tasks, which offered rewards for scanning buildings using your mobile phone. 

Now Niantic has revealed that it’s been using that data to train AI tools that can be found in US military drones and delivery robots. According to the dedicated Niantic Spatial website,”robots, agents, and autonomous systems need world models grounded in physics and geometry, not imagination,” which is where Pokémon Go players come into it. 

Using more than 30billion captured images, Niantic’s ‘Visual Positioning System’ turns “aerial and ground capture devices into a precise positioning and orientation sensor, delivering accurate localisation almost anywhere”. According to a report, this camera-based navigation model will be used by a US defense contractor in drones and other military robots.

“The pipeline runs from a mobile game to the battlefield in three steps. Players scanned the physical world,” explained Dronexl. “Niantic Spatial turned those scans into a 3D map that lets a machine locate itself by sight when satellite signals fail. And in December 2025, Niantic Spatial announced a partnership with Vantor, the defense and intelligence firm formerly known as Maxar Intelligence, to fuse that ground-level system with Vantor’s aerial navigation software for use in GPS-denied operations.”

“I uninstalled the app the moment it asked me to scan a building to get a reward. There is no reason you’d have to physically scan a building unless they want the 3d/visual/map data of that building, which felt gross and unnatural,” wrote one Reddit user. 

“It’s honestly scary genius how they did it. Create a viral game to get people to scan every inch of the world around them. Are you missing a specific spot behind a building? Put a rare Pokémon there. Now you got like 50 scans of that area in a few minutes,” added another. “My boss used to play Pokémon Go on his breaks. We worked in the middle of a military base,” said a third.

In other news, The Last Of Us fans are worried about how faithfully the upcoming third season will stick to the hit video game series after it was confirmed that Peter Sarsgaard will be joining the cast as original character Amon.

The post ‘Pokémon Go’ player data used to train US AI military drones appeared first on NME.

Bring Me The Horizon have dropped a ‘2026 Repented’ version of their song ‘Black & Blue’, which will feature in the 20th anniversary edition of their seminal debut album ‘Count Your Blessings’.

• READ MORE: Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes on fatherhood and the future: “I feel like a different human being”

The Sheffield metal icons will be releasing a 20th anniversary “reactivated” re-recording of the LP on July 10, and have described it as “recontextualisation” of the original release. It will see them revisit and rework the original tracklist in a way that makes it “sharper, heavier, and more vital than ever”.

Set to incorporate a new sense of intensity, Oli Sykes and co are looking to both lean into the raw edges seen in the initial release, but also introduce the expansive, modern production seen in more recent material.

While the tracklist is mostly the same as the original, the ‘Liquor & Lost Love’ will now appear under its original working title ‘Dragon Slaying’.

Today (Friday June 12) with less than a month to go until the album release, BMTH have shared their new version of ‘Black & Blue’.

The reimagining of the classic track has been led by Sykes and guitarist Lee Malia, and mixed by Buster Odeholm. As expected, it sees the 2006 song pushed into new, epic horizons – keeping the same grit and intensity as seen on the original, but now with more stadium-friendly, grandiose production.

For the first time ever, Bring Me The Horizon will perform the album in full, alongside material from the same era, as they take to the stage at some UK shows this summer.

Shows will be held as part of Outbreak Festival 2026, and set to take place at Manchester’s BEC Arena on Friday July 10 and Saturday June 11. Both dates will also feature a limited edition run of merchandise, and support comes from Static Dress, Dying Wish, Rolo Tomassi, Heriot, Car Underwater and Still In Love.

Visit here for any remaining tickets.

View this post on Instagram

NME noted in 2019 that ‘Count Your Blessings’ “attracted as much derision as it did celebration” following its release in ’06. Sykes later told us that Bring Me “were a very divisive band at that time”, and remembered the “scary” and “insane” experience of being bottled at Reading 2008.

The new 20th anniversary album and live shows come after Bring Me brought their new L.I.V.E. In São Paulo concert film to cinemas worldwide for two days only earlier this year.

They held a 48-hour digital broadcast, too, ahead of the movie arriving on streaming platforms last Friday (April 10). The film, co-directed by Sykes, is described as an “immersive, multi-angle experience”. In a glowing, five-star review, NME hailed Bring Me’s big screen offering as “a love letter to their fans and statement of greatness”.

In April, Sykes and co. kicked off their ‘Ascension Program 2’ North American tour, and gave ‘Youtopia’ its live debut, as well as dusting off ‘The House Of Wolves’.

Since then, the singer has opened up about why BMTH invite fans to sing with them on stage –  saying that the same experience happened to him when he was a teenager watching Funeral For A Friend – and he has also suffered a mild concussion after a fan threw a phone at his head during a show.

The post Bring Me The Horizon share ‘2026 Repented’ version of ‘Black & Blue’ from re-recorded ‘Count Your Blessings’ appeared first on NME.

Steven Spielberg has confirmed that Harrison Ford turned down the role of Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park.

• READ MORE: ‘Disclosure Day’ review: Spielberg remains the master of sci-fi blockbusters

The iconic film maker is currently promoting his new movie, Disclosure Day, and during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast he discussed the lore surrounding his classic movies, including E.T. and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.

At one point Josh Horowitz asked if it was true that Harrison Ford, who worked with Spielberg on four Indiana Jones movies, turned down the part of Alan Grant, the lead character in his 1993 dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park.

“Yes he did,” the director replied, adding: “He may not remember that, but I sure do!” Disclosure Day star Emily Blunt then asked “Were you cross with him?”, to which Spielberg replied “I wasn’t cross, I was crushed!”

It all worked out for the best, however, as he explained: “But then Sam Neill became available and he’s Alan Grant! It now belongs to him.”

View this post on Instagram

Jurassic Park became the most successful film of all time upon its release, pioneering special effects in movies and creating a franchise that spans seven movies and numerous spin-offs. The role of Dr. Alan Grant would launch Sam Neill to international stardom, with the actor returning to the role in 2001’s Jurassic Park III as well as Jurassic World: Dominion in 2022.

Ford and Spielberg have only ever worked together on Indiana Jones movies, aside from a deleted cameo the actor made in the 1982 movie E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial.

NME’s four-star review of Disclosure Day concluded: “Some will balk at moments in the conclusion which veer too sentimental, while others will wish for a shorter running time. Ultimately, even not-quite-top-tier Spielberg is well worth seeing. It’s big, smart and very satisfying cinema.”

The post Harrison Ford turned down Sam Neill’s character in original ‘Jurassic Park’ appeared first on NME.

The Last Of Us fans are worried about how faithfully the upcoming third season will stick to the hit video game series.

• READ MORE: Björk and ‘Arrival’ inspired the menacing space bangers of ‘Marathon’

So far, the first two seasons of The Last Of Us have largely stayed true to the hit video game series. However last night (June 11) Deadline announced that Peter Sarsgaard will be joining the cast of The Last Of Us season three as original character Amon, who’ll play one of the leaders of the antagonistic cult the Seraphites.

Following the conclusion to The Last Of Us season two, the game’s co-creator Neil Druckmann announced he would be stepping away as co-showrunner on the HBO adaptation to focus on making more games. His fellow Naughty Dog employee Halley Gross (who worked as a writer and producer on the TV show) also confirmed she’d be leaving the project. Co-showrunner Craig Mazin now has total creative control over the future of The Last Of Us.

Mazin has already faced backlash for casting a cis actor to play trans character Lev in season three, and was forced to recast the role of Manny after Danny Ramirez stepped away from the project. Now with the addition of Sarsgaard’s original character, many fans are worried about the future of The Last Of Us.

“Shit like this is why I refuse to watch the show. Zero need for any added characters,” wrote one fan. “Genuinely what a falloff in quality and writing compared to season one and two, this is coming from a fan of both games,” said another. “If Craig keeps changing shit from the games and adding shit that wasn’t there originally, I’m going to lose my mind,” added a third.

“Season 2 was so bad that I honestly don’t care if the show gets canned. The pivot they needed to make the games fresh doesn’t translate well to TV. ‘Care about this new person that hates the person you grew to like’ has to be done very well for audiences to stick around,” wrote one Reddit user.

Mazin previously said that four seasons “seemed like a good number” for The Last Of Us. After the end of season two, he claimed there was “no way to complete this narrative” with just one more season but HBO bosses have suggested that the story will need to be wrapped up with a third and final season.

In other news, Stranger Than Heaven boss Masayoshi Yokoyama has defended using Tupac’s likeness in the upcoming action game.

The post ‘The Last Of Us’ fans worried season three won’t be faithful to video game appeared first on NME.

My Chemical Romance have shared their cover of classic Pulp track ‘Common People’, taken from their huge reissue of ‘Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’.

• READ MORE: My Chemical Romance’s ‘The Foundations of Decay’ is a fierce, fearless return

The iconic pop-punk band announced that they would be revisiting their 2010 album last month – revealing that it will drop on July 10 via Reprise/Warner Records and feature both reimagined artwork and nine bonus tracks.

‘Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’ nabbed MCR two big wins at the 2011 NME Awards for Best International Band and Best Video, along with three other nominations. To celebrate the 2026 reissue last month, Gerard Way and co shared the first bonus track, ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) (Recorded For BBC Radio 1)’.

Now, they have shared a second teaser of the bonus tracks, releasing their 2010 cover of the ‘90s classic track from Pulp: ‘Common People’. Like the previous bonus track, the song was recorded for BBC Radio 1, and it also comes with a music video. Tune in below.

The cover of Pulp is fitting for MCR, as the band have revealed previously that they are big fans of the Sheffield band, and they covered ‘Common People’ regularly on their 2011 European tour dates.

“[It] is a song that, growing up in New Jersey, it was very important to me and Mikey [Way],” Gerard said at the time. “It was very relevant to us, feeling like you were in a place you could never get out of, that you were never going to escape.”

He added: “I remember pushing carts at a supermarket listening to this song on headphones on a cassette player and wondering whether the hell I was ever going to get out of New Jersey. [‘Common People’] speaks to regular people and that’s why it’s so great. And they’re an amazing band.”

In 2023, Pulp drummer Nick Banks spoke about the cover during an interview with NME, saying that while he “heard about” the MCR cover, “I don’t think I ever heard it”.

The Deluxe Edition of ‘Danger Days’ will be available digitally and also in various vinyl formats Those attending select dates of the band’s ‘Black Parade’ tour between July 10 and October 31 will also be able to buy a special BL/ind tour edition vinyl. Pre-order it here.

My Chemical Romance will soon kick off their huge 2026 ‘Black Parade Tour’, in celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary.

Dates begin at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium on June 30, before making their way to Glasgow, London’s Wembley Stadium, Florence and Madrid.

View this post on Instagram

From there, the band will play a series of huge dates in the US, with support from the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Pierce The Veil, Modest Mouse, Iggy Pop, Sleater-Kinney, The Breeders, Babymetal, Jimmy Eat World and The Mars Volta, before heading to South America.

Festival appearances include stops at Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple and Louder Than Life. Get UK tickets here and US tickets here.

Elsewhere, My Chemical Romance are reportedly working on a secret theatre project.

The post My Chemical Romance share classic Pulp ‘Common People’ cover ahead of ‘Danger Days’ reissue appeared first on NME.

Apple TV hit Widow’s Bay has been officially renewed for a second season, with its creator Kate Dippold also reportedly signing to a new multi-year development deal with the streamer.

• READ MORE: Every song on the ‘Widow’s Bay’ soundtrack

The comedy series stars Matthew Rhys as the mayor of the titular town, an island community afflicted with a curse that causes supernatural events to occur. The show has a 97 per cent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been warmly received by audiences who have rated it 93 per cent on the same site. Ahead of the first season’s finale on June 17, Apple announced that the show would be returning for a second season with an announcement video.

Deadline is also reporting that Kate Dippold, who created the show and serves as showrunner, has been signed to a multi-year deal that “encompasses series as well as a first-look on features.”

In an official announcement, Matt Cherniss, Apple TV’s head of programming, said: “From the moment audiences arrived in Widow’s Bay, they’ve been hooked on every eerie mystery, unexpected laughs, and cursed secret that Katie, Hiro [Murai, director], Matthew, and the entire team have created. It’s become one of those shows everyone’s talking about, and we’re thrilled to see audiences continue to embrace it. We can’t wait to return for another season.”

It’s another TV hit for Welsh actor Rhys, who is best known for his performances in spy series The Americans as well as family drama Brothers & Sisters. His film appearances include 2017’s The Post and 2018’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood, both co-starring Tom Hanks.

He also took on the prestigious role of Perry Mason, in a reboot of the classic legal series produced by Robert Downey Jr. The series was cancelled after two seasons, prompting a wave of upset from fans of the show.

The post ‘Widow’s Bay’ picked up for season two on Apple TV appeared first on NME.

Chloe Slater has announced her debut album ‘Riot Youth’ with new single ‘Southern Youth’ and news of a UK tour. Check it out below as the rising indie star tells NME about the political messages on the record and backing up her music with tangible action.

• READ MORE: Chloe Slater: the firebrand songwriter that’s about to be everywhere

The Bournemouth-born, Manchester-raised musician is set to release her first full-length album on October 9 via Stolen Juice (AWAL). It follows a string of singles, last year’s ‘Love Me Please’ EP, and her 2024 debut EP ‘You Can’t Put A Price On Fun’.

Produced by long-term collaborator Jack Shuter, alongside Ash Workman (Metronomy, Stealing Sheep), ‘Riot Youth’ continues Slater’s politically charged writing, tackling topics ranging from the climate crisis to late-stage capitalism and the billionaire class. Its title, she explained to NME, refers to “a spirit or feeling found not exclusively, but most often, in young minds and young hearts due to the absence of learned helplessness. Symptoms include a lack of apathy and an abundance of passion and belief that things can and will change”.

“I really think young people who have only lived through a couple of election cycles and haven’t been bogged down or disappointed by a major loss in the past are more likely to have that fire and that passion to keep fighting for what they want to see,” Slater said of the community the album title refers to.

“Whereas if you’ve been through 10 election cycles and every time the government gets worse and becomes more right-wing and more fascist, then you’re eventually going to think, ‘What’s the point? Nothing ever changes.’

She continued: “There’s just a certain lovely aspect to being young and not being knocked down in the way the world can knock people down that means you’re more likely to go out and fight for change. I wanted this album to encapsulate that feeling of when you’re younger, and it feels like anything could change.”

While ‘Riot Youth’ dissects societal and political issues and touches on our fear of the future (and tendency to escape into nostalgia as a response), the 23-year-old sees some reasons to stay hopeful in her generation. “While there are some negatives to the extreme nostalgia epidemic that we’re in at the moment, I think some nice parts of it are that people are switching off of their screens and trying to live more in the moment, and we’re becoming more aware of what our phones and technology are doing to us,” she shared.

“There’s a lot of things to be scared of, but there are so many people who are so passionate about making a change, and I do believe that change can be made. I think Zack Polanski and the Green Party are a great example of a party that wants real change, so I find them inspiring.”

Slater’s songwriting has always approached the subjects she writes about from the perspective of someone navigating the complexities and pitfalls of growing up in modern society, rather than pointing a finger at others as they try to figure things out. She continues that approach on ‘Riot Youth’, like on recent single ‘Ugly’, where she admits: “I’m a sucker for the capitalist machine / I wanna buy the next fad every other week”.

“I’ve never wanted to feel like a preacher, and I’m not a politician or a mega activist,” she said. “I am a normal person in my early twenties who has grown up in a system and will find it very difficult not to fall for some of its traps. I don’t think it’s working people’s fault that the world is the way it is, so I don’t think it should be put on them to change it all the time.

“At the end of the day, it’s the one per cent of billionaires in this world that are causing everyone else to have a shit time and the planet to die, so I wanted to make sure that, if the song is pointing a finger at anyone, it’s those billionaires and corporations.”

An anthem about overconsumption and the trap of modern consumerism, ’Ugly’ details being constantly bombarded with messages to buy products we don’t need, and the pressure to snap up the items at the centre of viral trends as a way to distract ourselves from the real issues we’re facing. “Buy now, now / We’re all gonna die / But you don’t wanna look too close at it,” Slater sings in the chorus. “So don’t miss out, out / Save your life with a click in a next-day delivery”.

“My TikTok [algorithm], every other video is an ad for something that, you know what, I kind of do want!” she said. “Growing up in this world, we’re programmed from such a young age to want things. It’s almost like religion has been replaced with consumerism and capitalism. If you get all of the best stuff, then you’ve done the best – like [reaching] heaven. The commandments you live by are ‘Buy now’ and all these catchy slogans that companies are marketing to you.”

Slater’s new single ‘Southern Youth’ highlights another side of her lyricism, delving into her personal story. The fizzing, longing song narrates her homesickness for her hometown of Bournemouth and how her perspective on the seaside town has changed since leaving home. “I’ve been quite a hyper-independent person my whole life, but I always wanted to move away and live in a city and make my own life, but even people with that mindset sometimes miss their mum,” she laughed.

“I moved to the city and made this new, more confident and outgoing version of myself, but the true version of myself was that person in Bournemouth who was maybe a little bit shy, but a nice and good person.”

Earlier this year, the musician returned home as part of a run of dates visiting some of the UK’s lesser-toured towns, performing in the Southbourne suburb of Bournemouth that she’d grown up in. “It was cool selling out a show on the high street I walked down as a kid hundreds of times, and to have a queue of people outside a venue. It was a really full-circle moment for me.”

In November, Slater will head back out on another headline tour of the UK, Ireland and Europe, kicking off at Southampton’s Papillon on November 3. The new string of shows includes her biggest headline gig to date, at London’s Scala on November 10.

“I’m so excited [for Scala],” Slater said. “My last London headline, which is my biggest one so far, was at the Garage, and that was an amazing experience. It just blew me away. I just get this feeling of, ‘I can’t believe that everyone is there for me’… I don’t know if I’ll ever believe it. I’m so excited to play these new songs live – I think we’re really going to take it up a notch, and I’m really excited to start planning the shows.”

Asked what she plans to take from recent support slots with the likes of Role Model and Alessi Rose into her new headline gigs, Slater replied: “When I was touring with Role Model, just watching his fans sing every single word back to him every night, and seeing him give it his all, was just really inspiring. I think that kind of connection with the fans [is something] I definitely want to bring.”

The ‘Riot Youth’ tour will partner with Music Declares Emergency’s Plus 1 initiative, which will see £1 from every ticket sold being donated in support of the campaign’s climate action measures. The move follows Slater hosting a beach sweep with fans before a recent Brighton gig – both evidence of the artist backing up the messages in her music with tangible, meaningful collective action.

“I want everything to be about the music, but the message of the music is pretty political,” she reasoned. “I don’t feel obligated to do these things, but I think it’s nice that I’m in the position to have the opportunity to do them – to do a beach clean before I do a beach gig and have loads of people come, and it is such a nice way to build community, which is needed now more than ever. To have a positive impact on the environment is great – it’s a cause that I really care about and I think is one of the most important things to care about. Everything is impacted by the environment and if we don’t work towards limiting climate change, then the impact on all humans and animals and ecosystems is awful.”

Chloe Slater’s ‘Riot Youth’ will be released on October 9 via Stolen Juice (AWAL). Check out the full tracklist below and visit here to pre-order.

‘Mother Nature’s Killing Spree’
‘Can I Finish Please’
‘The Underground’
‘I’ve Never Felt So Hated’
‘Southern Youth’
‘Go Outside’
‘Get Me Out’
‘Helpless’
‘Ugly’
‘Let It Happen’

Tickets for the ‘Riot Youth’ headline tour go on pre-sale at 10am BST on June 17, with a general sale to follow at 10am BST on June 19. Visit here for tickets and more information.

NOVEMBER
3 – Southampton, Papillon
4 – Portsmouth, KOLA
5 – Cambridge, The Portland Arms
7 – Norwich, The Waterfront Studio
9 – Bristol, The Lanes
10 – London, Scala
11 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
12 – Birmingham, O2 Institute 3
14 – Manchester, Club Academy
15 – Leeds, The Wardrobe
17 – Newcastle, Cluny 2
18 – Glasgow, King Tut’s
19 – Dublin, Academy Green Room
20 – Belfast, Voodoo
23 – Paris, Badaboum
24 – Amsterdam, Bitterzoet
25 – Brussels, Botanique (Museum)
27 – Cologne, Yard Club at Kantine
28 – Hamburg, Hebebühne
29 – Copenhagen, Ideal Bar

DECEMBER

1 – Berlin, Maschinenhaus
2 – Prague, Café v Lese
3 – Vienna, B72
5 – Munich, Rote Sonne
6 – Zurich, Exil
7 – Milan, Circolo Arci Bellezza

The post Chloe Slater tells us about her debut album ‘Riot Youth’ and “encapsulating that feeling where it feels like anything could change” appeared first on NME.