Vald’s renewal : how does artistic freedom pushes the boundaries of French rap ?
Whether you liked it or not, 2025 was definitely a productive year for Vald. Between ‘Pandemonium’, its hardcore techno reloaded version, and ‘Magnificat’, a mixtape compiling pop, techno and rock tracks, the French rapper never stopped to surprise his fans, for the better or for the worse. Today, we’re going to analyse this project and Read more
Polished and Rough: How Roughness Wins
Hey! Before this article begins, let me ask you a question. Imagine you are scrolling through short videos when suddenly an option appears on the screen. The platform asks you to choose one of two videos to watch. The two videos present the same theme (the game Valorant). Which one would you choose? I asked Read more
Drag Culture in Nantes: From Community Tradition to Contemporary Expression
Nantes continues to assert itself as a vibrant hub for queer arts and performance. In recent weeks, two major drag and ballroom events exemplified the city’s dynamic cultural landscape. On February 14, 2026, the eighth edition of DRAG.MAA took place at the Magmaa Food Hall, bringing together eight performers and a packed crowd for an Read more
The CNC: Backbone of French « Exception Culturelle »
In the media landscape and its financing, the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée) is unique. While Hollywood relies heavily on private equity and the box office, the French system is built on a philosophy of « cultural exception. » This institutional tool of financing movies is what gives independence and diversity to the Read more
Why DJ Sets Fail Music Creators: The Hidden Crisis of Electronic Music Royalties
Introduction : A System That Collects But Does Not Redistribute “Copyright makes a living for those who make us dream.” – “Les droits d’auteur font vivre ceux qui nous font rêver.” This well-known slogan from SACEM is hard to dispute, at least in theory. In electronic music, however, that promise is starting to break down. Read more
LOL and LOL 2.0: Sixteen Years of Teenage Representation
Sixteen years after the release of LOL (Laughing Out Loud), Lisa Azuelos and the small family at the heart of the film return to the big screen with LOL 2.0. From the very first notes of Little Sister by Jean-Philippe Verdin, the cult track that opened the original film and reappears in the sequel, nostalgia Read more
Kanye West’s Cultural Impact: Art, Controversy, and Industry Transformation
Few artists have shaped 21st-century music as profoundly as Kanye West. At once celebrated, criticised, and endlessly debated, he stands as one of the most polarising cultural figures of his generation. His public controversies have complicated his legacy, yet they have not erased the structural changes he brought to music, aesthetics, and the way artists Read more
Meet your Maker : Adapting a mobile genre into PC / console
Behaviour Interactive Inc. released Meet Your Maker on April 4, 2023. The game represented an ambitious attempt to evolve the original concepts the studio is known for perfecting—specifically, a new take on asymmetrical gameplay. However, since its launch, the title has faced a fundamental « device problem. » The Core Concepts The gameplay loop consists of two Read more
From Page to Screen: The Many Lives of Pride and Prejudice
As Emerald Fennell is currently adapting Wuthering Heights for the big screen, it feels like the perfect moment to turn our attention to another major classic of English literature that continues to fascinate readers and filmmakers alike: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. First published in 1813, the novel has never truly left popular culture. More than two centuries Read more
Why Are Western Gen Zers « Turning Chinese »? Unpacking the #BecomingChinese Phenomenon
A British martial arts enthusiast demonstrates Chinese kung fu at the square in front of the Bell and Drum Towers in Beijing on Monday. From China Daily In early 2026, if you open TikTok or Instagram, you’ll witness a peculiar sight: young blonde women boiling apple slices on camera, American youths at the gym swapping Read more