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Bad Bunny, Blackpink, Frank Ocean Headlining Historic Coachella

Puerto Rican rapper-actor Bad Bunny attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Bullet Train" at the Regency Village theater in Westwood, California, August 1, 2022. (AFP)
Puerto Rican rapper-actor Bad Bunny attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Bullet Train" at the Regency Village theater in Westwood, California, August 1, 2022. (AFP)
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Bad Bunny, Blackpink, Frank Ocean Headlining Historic Coachella

Puerto Rican rapper-actor Bad Bunny attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Bullet Train" at the Regency Village theater in Westwood, California, August 1, 2022. (AFP)
Puerto Rican rapper-actor Bad Bunny attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Bullet Train" at the Regency Village theater in Westwood, California, August 1, 2022. (AFP)

Hundreds of thousands of revelers were descending on California's Coachella Valley for the premier desert arts festival that kicks off Friday, which for the first time won't feature a white headliner.

Reggaeton titan Bad Bunny, K-pop superstars Blackpink and the influential but reclusive R&B artist Frank Ocean will top the 2023 edition of Coachella, the mammoth event that takes place over two three-day weekends and traditionally kicks off the year's summer concert circuit.

It's set to be a history-making weekend, with Bad Bunny -- the globe's most-streamed artist -- as the first Spanish-language and first Latin American act to headline.

And K-pop group Blackpink of South Korea is the first Asian act to receive a top billing at the festival.

Both acts debuted at Coachella in 2019 to great fanfare, teeing up an eventual headlining slot.

Ocean was originally booked as a top-billed act for the 2020 edition, which organizers postponed and eventually scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The acclaimed R&B artist, who hasn't released an album since 2016's "Blonde," is anticipated to debut new work at this year's festival.

The headliners -- in particular Puerto Rico's Bad Bunny, who is by most measures the world's biggest contemporary artist -- are some of the buzziest in years, since Beyonce shut down the stage in 2018 with her revered "Homecoming" show.

But despite their undeniable star power there was some surprise among industry-watchers and fans that Bad Bunny or Blackpink nabbed the top slots.

That take is misguided according to Vanessa Diaz, a professor at Loyola Marymount University who teaches the course "Bad Bunny and Resistance in Puerto Rico."

"They're surprised because they don't view this as mainstream American culture," she said.

"People were in disbelief because this seems so not a representation of mainstream American popular music in the way that Coachella has represented that before."

'Public demand'

The weekend is set to host perhaps the most international lineup Coachella has ever booked, including Spanish phenomenon Rosalia, Iceland's Bjork and Nigeria's Burna Boy.

Belgium's Angele is slated to make her Coachella debut, as France's Christine and the Queens, who has been performing under the name Redcar, will also return after wowing audiences in 2019.

And the elusive electronic producer Jai Paul will play his first public performance ever.

Domi and JD Beck, the rising jazz duo comprised of a French keyboardist and American drummer, will also take the stage, months after they made a splash in Los Angeles as Grammy nominees.

Diljit Dosanjh will become the first Punjabi singer to perform at Coachella, as Pakistani singer, songwriter and composer Ali Sethi will also play a set.

For CedarBough Saeji, a professor of Korean and East Asian studies who specializes in K-pop, the festival lineup emphasizing the hottest acts from across the globe is long overdue.

"The American music industry, the American decision-makers, are not necessarily the biggest risk-takers," she told AFP. "They want to follow clear indication of public demand, as opposed to sticking their necks out."

English virtual band Gorillaz will also perform, as will New Wave pioneers Blondie and the American indie rock supergroup boygenius, which includes Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker.

Beyond the supernova that is Bad Bunny, the weekend will once again see a strong showing from Latinos, including but not limited to Los Angeles native Becky G, rapper Eladio Carrion, Argentina's Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and the Grammy-winning Kali Uchis.

Coachella will take place over two three-day weekends, from April 14-16 and 21-23.

And OG rock fans will get a special treat: Blink-182 announced just this week it will play a set Friday, the first time the pop punk group will perform with its original lineup in nearly a decade.

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Entertainment

Macaulay Culkin, Meryl Streep and More Pay Tribute to Catherine O'Hara, who Died at 71

FILE PHOTO: 24th Critics Choice Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica, California, US, January 13, 2019 - Catherine O'Hara. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: 24th Critics Choice Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica, California, US, January 13, 2019 - Catherine O'Hara. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo
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Macaulay Culkin, Meryl Streep and More Pay Tribute to Catherine O'Hara, who Died at 71

FILE PHOTO: 24th Critics Choice Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica, California, US, January 13, 2019 - Catherine O'Hara. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: 24th Critics Choice Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica, California, US, January 13, 2019 - Catherine O'Hara. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo

The death of Catherine O'Hara at 71 prompted an outpouring from the actor's co-stars and friends over the decades.

O'Hara, whose legendary comic skills were on display in “Home Alone,” “Schitt's Creek,” “Beetlejuice" and much more, died Friday in Los Angeles after a brief illness, The Associated Press reported.

Macaulay Culkin “Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later” — the actor, who played O’Hara’s son in two “Home Alone” movies, on Instagram.

Dan Levy “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years. Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my Dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family. It’s hard to imagine a world without her in it. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.” — “Schitt's Creek” star and co-creator Dan Levy, on Instagram.

Meryl Streep “Catherine O’Hara brought love and light to our world, through whipsmart compassion for the collection of eccentrics she portrayed...such a loss for her family and friends, and the audience she graced as friends.” — the actor, who co-starred with O'Hara in “Heartburn,” in a statement.

Michael Keaton “We go back before the first Beetlejuice. She’s been my pretend wife, my pretend nemesis and my real life, true friend. This one hurts. Man am I gonna miss her.” — the actor, on Instagram.

Seth Rogen “Really don’t know what to say... I told O’Hara when I first met her I thought she was the funniest person I’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen. Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies.

Getting to work with her was a true honor. She was hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous... she made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence in it. This is just devastating. We’re all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it.” — “The Studio” creator and star, on Instagram.

Andrea Martin “Catherine. She is and will always be the greatest. It is an honor to have called her my friend." — the actor, a fellow original “SCTV” cast member, in a statement.

Mark Carney “Over 5 decades of work, Catherine earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy — from SCTV to Schitt’s Creek. Canada has lost a legend. My thoughts are with her family, friends, and all.” — the Canadian prime minister, on social media.

Mike Myers “It is a very sad day for comedy and for Canada. She was one of the greatest comedy artists in history, an inspiration for millions and above all a very elegant lady” — the comedian, in a statement.

Pedro Pascal “Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always. Always” — the actor, who worked with O’Hara on the second season of “The Last of Us,” on Instagram.

Kevin Nealon “Catherine O’Hara changed how so many of us understand comedy and humanity. From the chaos and heart of Home Alone to the unforgettable precision of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, she created characters we’ll rewatch again and again.” — the comedian and actor, on social media.

Craig Mazin “I think she would prefer that we keep laughing somehow, or at the very least not cry. Not possible at the moment. As brutal as this feels for anyone who knew or worked with her, I know it is far more painful for her husband and sons and close family. I’m thinking about them right now too. It all hurts terribly. Goodbye, you legend... you wonderful, brilliant, kind, beautiful human being. We were lucky to have had you at all.” — the “The Last of Us” showrunner, on Instagram.

Christopher Guest “I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age. I send my love to her family.” — the actor and director, who collaborated with O’Hara on four films, in a statement.

Sarah Polley “She was the kindest and the classiest. How could she also have been the funniest person in the world? And she was at the very top of her game. There won't be another like her.” - The Canadian director and actor, on Instagram.

Ron Howard "This is shattering news. What a wonderful person, artist and collaborator. I was lucky enough to direct, produce and act in projects with her and she was simply growing more brilliant with each year. My heart goes out to Bo & family." — the actor and director, on X.

Ike Barinholtz “I never in a million years thought I would get to work with Catherine O’Hara let alone become friends with her. So profoundly sad she’s somewhere else now, So incredibly grateful I got to spend the time I did with her. Thank you Catherine I love you.” — the actor, a co-star in “The Studio,” on Instagram.

Rita Wilson "Catherine O’Hara — a woman who was authentic and truthful in all she did. You saw it in her work, if you knew her you saw it in her life, and you saw it in her family. Bo, Luke and Matthew, our deepest sympathies. May Catherine rest in peace. May her memory be eternal. — the actor, director and producer, on Instagram.

Alec Baldwin “Catherine O’Hara was one of the greatest comic talents in the movie business. She had a quality that was all her own and my sympathy goes out to Bo and their family.” — the actor, her “Beetlejuice” co-star, in a statement.

Entertainment

Montreal Studio Rises from Dark Basement Office to 'Stranger Things'

Visual effects artists work at their stations at Rodeo FX offices in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, January 29, 2026. (Photo by Sebastien ST-JEAN / AFP)
Visual effects artists work at their stations at Rodeo FX offices in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, January 29, 2026. (Photo by Sebastien ST-JEAN / AFP)
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Montreal Studio Rises from Dark Basement Office to 'Stranger Things'

Visual effects artists work at their stations at Rodeo FX offices in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, January 29, 2026. (Photo by Sebastien ST-JEAN / AFP)
Visual effects artists work at their stations at Rodeo FX offices in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, January 29, 2026. (Photo by Sebastien ST-JEAN / AFP)

The visual effects studio that worked on the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things" was born 20 years ago in a dim basement in Old Montreal.

"Over time, it grew. We've seen really strong growth through the years," Ara Khanikian, who supervises visual effects at Rodeo FX, told AFP at the studio's current home, a modern office with elegant wood paneling.

But it all "really started in the basement of the building next door," he said with a grin.

Though still headquartered in the Canadian city far from the action in Hollywood, Rodeo FX now has offices in Los Angeles, Paris and Toronto -- establishing itself as a force in an industry dominated by studios tied to behemoths like Disney and Warner Bros.

The studio's list of past projects includes major hits, including titles from Tom Cruise's "Mission Impossible" franchise.

But "Stranger Things," the science fiction and horror series that has shattered streaming records since it debuted in 2016, is a highlight.

Rodeo FX worked on seasons four and five of the Netflix show that follows a group of teenagers in small town America as they take on supernatural creatures and a parallel universe.

Philip Harris-Genois, a 3D modeler at Rodeo FX, worked tirelessly for a year to perfect Demogorgon, the monster whose petaled face opens to reveal rows of menacing teeth.

Harris-Genois said part of his job was to make the beast "even more imposing."

Demonstrating the work, he added a scar to its chest with a deft mouse click.
Shaping Demogorgon, detail by detail, was like "making a clay sculpture," he said.

Harris-Genois said he took inspiration from a lion when creating Demogorgon's threatening posture -- toes perched, ready to pounce.

- 'A lot of love' -

For Julien Hery, a supervisor on projects including "Stranger Things," extraordinary visual effects "often draw inspiration from nature."

For the first season of "Dune: Prophecy," the HBO Max series released in 2024, the imperial palace was inspired by the Mediterranean coastline.

"We researched the vegetation. We looked for what kinds of trees grow along the Mediterranean coast, what kinds of rock," so viewers will be convinced by the visual effects, he said.

Turning a concept into a finished product is time consuming work that involves animation, simulation, lighting and integrating the effects in a sequence filmed with live actors.

The fight sequence between Demogorgon and Jim Hopper (played by David Harbour) in a Soviet prison in Season 4 of Stranger Things -- a scene of less than seven minutes -- took up to a year of work, from conceptualization to final cut, Hery said.

"We obviously spend a lot of time on our projects," he said.

"Season 4 was more than two years of work...It becomes very personal. We put a lot of love into it."

- Critical acclaim -

That process appears to be paying off.

Among the studio's major achievements is its work on the 2014 Best Picture "Birdman," where visual effects created the impression of the film being shot in a single take.

It also contributed to the dream-like world in "Dune: Part 2," which won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects last year.

Rodeo FX has also earned four nominations at the VES Awards, which honor the visual effects industry in a ceremony set for February 25.

And 2026 should include more high-profile work, said Hery.

"There are plenty of projects we can't really reveal," he told AFP, but confirmed the studio will be working on the Marvel blockbuster "Avengers: Doomsday" and the second season of "Monarch."

Entertainment

Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar or Lady Gaga Could Make Grammys History

Lady Gaga. (AFP)
Lady Gaga. (AFP)
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Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar or Lady Gaga Could Make Grammys History

Lady Gaga. (AFP)
Lady Gaga. (AFP)

The music industry will hand out its highest honors on Sunday at the Grammy Awards, where Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga will battle for the most coveted album of the year prize and a chance to make history.

Trevor Noah is returning to host for a sixth time, which he says will be his last Grammys gig. The show will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at 5 p.m. Los Angeles time (0100 GMT on Monday).

Any of the three artists could take home the album accolade during the ceremony in Los Angeles, awards experts say. None of the musicians has ever won the honor, which last year went to Beyonce for "Cowboy Carter."

A 'SUPER TIGHT' THREE-WAY RACE

"It's going to be super tight," Paul Grein, awards editor at Billboard, said of the album category.

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican rapper who is scheduled to headline next month's Super Bowl ‌halftime show, is ‌in the running for "Debi Tirar Más Fotos." It would be the first Spanish-language ‌album ⁠to win in ‌the category since the Grammys began 68 years ago.

If Lamar wins for "GNX," he would be the first solo male rapper to win the award, Reuters said.

Only two hip-hop musicians have been honored in the category - female artist Lauryn Hill and the duo Outkast.

For pop singer Lady Gaga, the album prize would be the first of her celebrated career. She has never won any of the top four Grammy prizes despite more than two decades in the music business. This year, she is competing with the album "Mayhem."

Grein predicted the trophy would go to Lamar, who won five Grammys a year ago for the single "Not Like Us."

Current events ⁠may boost support for Bad Bunny, Grein said.

BAD BUNNY SKIPPED US SHOWS FOR FEAR OF FEDERAL RAIDS

The singer skipped the continental United States on ‌his recent concert tour, saying he feared federal agents carrying out US President Donald ‍Trump's immigration crackdown would show up to arrest his ‍fans.

His selection for the coming Super Bowl halftime show on February 8 also drew objections from critics who argued ‍the National Football League championship game's entertainment should be performed in English.

"I think the culture wars work in his favor," Grein said. "There are people who will vote for him in part - not only for this reason, but in part - as a rebuke to President Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric."

Lamar and Gaga are represented by Universal Music Group . Bad Bunny is signed by Puerto Rican label Rimas Entertainment.

Grammy winners will be chosen by the roughly 15,000 voting members of the Recording Academy — industry peers including artists, songwriters, producers and engineers — whose ranks have been revamped over the past seven years to increase ⁠diversity. About 1,000 Latin Grammys voters became eligible to vote this year, and 73% of members have joined since 2019.

Recording Academy Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. said the changes reflect the growing popularity of different types of music such as KPop and Afrobeats that now have fans around the world.

"For us, the academy, we had to keep up with that," he said. "We have to make sure we are responsible and we're honoring music regardless of where it comes from."

KPop will be represented in the song of the year category, an honor for songwriters. "Golden," from Netflix movie "KPop Demon Hunters," will face off with "APT.," a duet between KPop singer Rosé and Bruno Mars.

"APT." also will vie for record of the year, given to the performers and producers, against Lamar's "luther" collaboration with SZA and Gaga's "Abracadabra."

In the best new artist category, R&B and soul musician Leon Thomas is considered a frontrunner. He received six Grammy nominations in total including an album of the year nod for "Mutt." His competitors include ‌British soul-pop singer Olivia Dean and pop musician Alex Warren.

Scheduled performers include Sabrina Carpenter, Addison Rae and all eight best new artist nominees. Producers promised some surprise appearances among performers and presenters who have not been announced.