NEWS
David Byrne traded in his iconic oversized suit for a bright orange tracksuit when he appeared on The Tonight Show this week, performing at Rough Trade NYC in Rockefeller Plaza in a set that felt personal and stripped down.
On Wednesday’s episode, the former Talking Heads frontman delivered his latest single, “What Is the Reason for It?” from his forthcoming record, Who Is the Sky?. As he reached the chorus, “What is the reason for it? Why is it there? Is it my body or my brain?” Byrne moved across the stage with his backup singers and band, all dressed in coordinated outfits.
The track is the fifth cut from Who Is the Sky?, arriving this Friday, and features a guest spot from Paramore’s Hayley Williams. Produced by Kid Harpoon, the project follows Byrne’s 2018 release American Utopia. It includes collaborations with St. Vincent, who previously teamed with Byrne on 2012’s Love This Giant, as well as the Smile’s Tom Skinner and others.
Byrne has described the album as “a chance to be the mythical creature we all harbor inside. A chance to step into another reality. A chance to transcend and escape from the prison of our ‘selves.’”
During his chat with host Jimmy Fallon, Byrne recalled that he warned Kid Harpoon, whose credits include Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, and Maggie Rogers, that his music leaned “a little bit left field” compared to the producer’s usual projects. Still, Kid Harpoon welcomed the challenge and leaned fully into Byrne’s vision.
Recently, Byrne also shared some personal news. Just weeks after revealing his engagement to Mala Gaonkar, he announced that, along with the new album release, he will be getting married this week. To mark the celebration, Byrne created a playlist of instrumental music for his wedding dinner, featuring 42 songs with an emphasis on Latin sounds, including “Pa Japón” by El Alfa, “Perfidia” by Café Tacvba, and “Luz de Luna” by the marimba-punk band Son Rompe Pera.
Zara Larsson has indicated that she may have cancelled her December 3 appearance at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The singer initially confirmed that she would not attend, before removing the comment and sharing a more detailed explanation of why the performance no longer feels right for her.
The Swedish star was scheduled to take the stage at Etihad Live on Yas Island during the Yasalam After-Race Concerts. Zara and Lewis Capaldi were due to launch the weekend’s entertainment. However, supporters encouraged her to reconsider the booking because of concerns surrounding the United Arab Emirates’ reported connections to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary organisation accused of committing atrocities during the nation’s civil conflict.
A fan commented: “Please read about what UAE is doing to Sudan then cancel your Abu Dhabi show!” Zara responded: “I will not be going to Abu Dhabi.” Fans later realised that both comments had been removed.
She then shared that she had been considering what it means for her, as an artist, to perform in particular countries.
The Midnight Sun singer explained: “I think about that a lot in my life as an artist… I wanna perform and spread joy and music for people in every country, because no single person is their government.
“I’ve met so many wonderful people from every corner of the world and I know this to be true in my heart. I love people, and I love my fans soooo much.”
Zara acknowledged that her original comment “maybe came off as an impulsive response,” but explained that she had given the booking serious thought. She now believes withdrawing is the decision that “aligns with me the most right now, for many different personal reasons beyond politics.”
She continued: “Maybe I’ll delete both comments and do a better statement soon. I hope to sing with you in the beautiful future!”
