Billie Eilish’s new album Hit Me Hard and Soft has been hailed by critics as her best album yet. She describes it as an “album-ass album”, meant to be listened to in its entirety, but it’s also provocative: it takes on fame and body-shaming ("People say I look happy just because I got skinny") and women she wants to please (“I could eat that girl for lunch, she dances on my tongue”). So what do we think? Lilah is joined by two experts, the FT’s music writer Arwa Haider and US media business correspondent Anna Nicolaou, to discuss the role Billie plays in our pop pantheon.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The FT’s four-star review of Hit Me Hard and Soft, by Ludo Hunter-Tilney: https://on.ft.com/4bP4rWH – Arwa’s latest review is of the album A La Sala by Khruangbin, a mash-up of “Iranian rock, Jamaican dub and Thai folk”: https://on.ft.com/4dPdFnN – For more from Anna, listen to our recent episode ‘Why Olivia Rodrigo might be our last pop star’. Search where you get your podcasts or click here– Arwa is on X @arwahaider. Anna is @annaknicolaouMore or less: – Arwa wants more Arabic diaspora voices. She recommends British-Lebanese DJ Salia (here’s Habibi Riddim), Lebanese singer songwriter Yasmine Hamdan and Palestinian-Canadian artist Nemahsis– Lilah wants to see people use more stuff in your home: read your books, eat your food, wear your clothes. The book she picked up, which she recommends, is called Subway Lives: 24 Hours in the Life of the New York City Subway, by Jim Dwyer– Anna wants less social media, especially around oat milk bashing.-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips this week are courtesy of InterscopeRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ludo Hunter-Tilney, FT's pop critic known for his insightful music reviews, and Arwa Haider, a talented music and culture writer, share their expert advice on discovering new music. They discuss the struggle against algorithm-driven uniformity and emphasize personal curation and human connections. The duo showcases emerging artists, sparks conversations between generations, and highlights sustainable initiatives in the music industry. Expect fresh recommendations and tips to enhance your listening journey!

Music writer Arwa Haider and US media correspondent Anna Nicolaou chat about the rise of 'Pop Girl Summer', discussing artists like Chappell Roan and Charli XCX. They explore how female singers are dominating the music scene with rebellious and body-positive themes. The conversation also touches on the evolution of pop stars in the digital age and the influence of artists like Taylor Swift.

This weekend, we meet a British pioneer of sound design. Errol Michael Henry invites us to the Air-Edel studios in London to show us how a song gets made. Errol is one of the few black sound designers in the UK. He’s been producing music through his independent label, Intimate Records, since the 1980s. He breaks down how he creates his distinct sound, layer by layer. Then, we explore what makes the perfect summer track with music critic Arwa Haider. She and Lilah take a tour through the top hits of the season, from Beyoncé to Bad Bunny to Pussy Riot.Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.Links and mentions from the episode:-Yasmin Jones-Henry’s piece in HTSI: ‘My father, the pioneer of sound design’ https://on.ft.com/3JpA2zD-Errol’s music is under the name The Sound Principle-“You Threw Our Love Away”, by The Jones Girls, sound designed by Errol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-vpFCn6Ros-“You Left Me Lonely”, by Lulu (1993), sound designed by Errol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UILaejQFcJA-You also heard Intimate Records tracks “Please Come Back” by Dean Edwards and “Keep It Comin” by Julianne, both written and produced by Errol-Here’s the song Errol says is closest he’s gotten to designing something that matched what he’d imagined: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFPgZv-5zbQ-Errol’s organisation is called Music Justice-Arwa Haider is on Twitter @ArwaHaider. Errol is on Twitter @ErrolMHenry, and on Instagram @thesoundprinciple. Yasmin is on Instagram @yasminrjh-Arwa’s review of Lady Gaga live: https://on.ft.com/3ANGkrV-Arwa’s music recommendations: "Renaissance" by Beyoncé, "Verano Sin Ti" by Bad Bunny, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems, "Hold the Girl" by Rina Sawayama, "Matriarchy Now" by Pussy Riot, and opera singer Julia Bullock.Music clips copyright: Streamline, Interscope, Parkwood, Columbia Records, Rimas and Neon Gold. Julia Bullock clip from NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert (2020)Special offers for FT Weekend listeners can be found here. Join us at the FT Weekend festival in London on September 3rd: ft.com/ftwf. Your special £20 off promo code: FTWFxPodcast22Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk about the longstanding American rock band Sleater-Kinney and their 11th album, Little Rope, which came out this month. The band rose out of the grunge and riot grrrl movements in the late 1990s with a raw, rage-filled sound and feminist lyrics. And they’re one of the few all-women bands to have had a career this long. How has their sound evolved? And where did the angry countercultural music of the 90s go? Lilah is joined by FT's music critic Arwa Haider and FT Weekend Magazine editor Matt Vella.  -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, where she’s posting a photo of Breen and his burn book. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Little Rope by Sleater Kinney is available everywhere–Lilah, Matt and Arwa highly recommend the music video for their song ‘Say It Like You Mean It’: https://youtu.be/Vp2z1cL6qoU – Here are three of Arwa’s recent reviews: Tate McRae's pop album Think Later: https://on.ft.com/3HyfIxG, Dominique Dalcan's electronic album Last Night a Woman Saved My Life https://on.ft.com/3SuiXwi, Maluma's reggaeton album Don Juan: https://on.ft.com/3SvMCoG – Matt Vella is on X @mattvella. Arwa is @ArwaHaider  More or less: – Arwa wants more daytime raves, such as Annie Mac’s Before Midnight Party. The 90s raves she mentioned were Sunny Side Up, Everything But the Girl and Sunday Best– Matt wants to see more bad fakes, something that helps us improve our deepfake literacy. The FT Magazine article he mentioned by Tim Harford is here: https://on.ft.com/499eKDC – Lilah wants to go to more small local music venues. She went to the New York club Blue Note to see jazz singer Samara Joy. Watch out for Lilah’s interview with Samara in HTSI, and an episode with her here, in a few weeks!-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips courtesy of Loma Vista and Kill Rock Stars. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.