By Thania Garcia, Variety | Sheryl Crow has released a song about the current political climate under the guidance of President Donald J. Trump, referring to him as the “leader of the free world,” and comparing reality to George Orwell’s dystopian “1984” novel.
The acclaimed singer-songwriter debuted the single – performed alongside her touring band the Real Lowdown – on Friday. In an Instagram caption, Crow wrote, “What’s happening all around us is so unbelievably bizarre, that my fear is we will truly begin to feel like this is normal. And that’s what terrifies me.”
The upbeat pop-rock track has Crow questioning: “Is it science fiction or prediction wrapped in George Orwell? / If the news is fake and fear is hate and nothing’s immoral / To the leader of the free world, then welcome to the new normal.”
In “The New Normal,” Crow also comments on artificial intelligence, singing, “You’re gonna wake up someday / To a robot that’s in your place / Like all the predictions say.”
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/sheryl-crow-protests-the-new-normal-in-song-about-trump-robots-and-algorithms/
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K-pop Band 1VERSE Debuts With 2 North Korean Defector Members
By Juwon Park, Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — With two out of five of its members North Korean defectors, the K-pop group 1VERSE is breaking new ground as it debuts its single album Friday.
The band represents an unusual convergence of backgrounds: North Korea-born rapper Hyuk and singer Seok join Nathan from Arkansas, Kenny from Los Angeles, and Aito from Japan.
While not the first K-pop act to include North Korean defectors — BE BOYS’ Hak Seong debuted earlier this year — the diversity of the group’s members add a rare dimension to the genre’s growing global diversity.
The group debuts Friday with their single album “The 1st Verse” under Seoul-based label Singing Beetle.
Their title track “Shattered” features lyrics co-written by Hyuk and Kenny.
From the soccer field and a factory to stardom
“With members from different countries all coming together as 1VERSE, I just thought ‘we can do this regardless of background’ going forward,” said Aito, the group’s youngest member from Chiba, Japan.
Hyuk, who lived in North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province until age 12, defected to the South in 2013. His journey to K-pop stardom began while working in a factory in South Korea, where a chance encounter with the CEO of a music label eventually led to weekend rap lessons in Seoul.
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Read more of this heart-warming story here:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/k-pop-band-1verse-debuts-with-2-north-korean-defector-members/