Plus: 'Roberta Flack’s performances softly burned with the fire of life itself'
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Picks of the week
Gracie Abrams, the year’s biggest pop star: ‘Trump has only been in office a month, and everybody is more at risk’
Interview  
Gracie Abrams, the year’s biggest pop star: ‘Trump has only been in office a month, and everybody is more at risk’
After dodging toxic fans, ‘nepo baby’ jibes and her own projectile vomit, the 25-year-old has just spent eight weeks at UK No 1. She explains why she’s now writing about our dark, uncertain future
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Singer Rokia Traoré on why prison was ‘a privilege’
Interview  
Grace Slick on sex, drugs and Jefferson Airplane: ‘I was sober in the 80s. That was a mistake’
‘Liam Gallagher kissed me on the lips’  
Ocean Colour Scene on making The Riverboat Song and 90s excess
Analysis  
The UK may be waning as a pop superpower – but a new generation is being nurtured
It’s grand theft AI and UK ministers are behind it. Oppose this robbery of people’s creativity
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alastair Webber
Reviews
Alexis Petridis's album of the week  
Panda Bear: Sinister Grift – Animal Collective star’s bad trip through divorce to the dark side
Panda Bear: Sinister Grift – Animal Collective star’s bad trip through divorce to the dark side
Album review  
Hope Tala: Hope Handwritten – even-tempered vocal gorgeousness
Folk album of the month  
Malmin: Med Åshild Vetrhus – deliciously diabolical Norwegian folk spells
Album review  
Ichiko Aoba: Luminescent Creatures – nurturing music for bleak times
Album review  
Bdrmm: Microtonic – Hull shoegazers nod towards the dancefloor
Film review  
Immediate Family – insightful account of the unsung heroes of west coast rock
 
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Spotlight
Roberta Flack’s performances softly burned with the fire of life itself
Roberta Flack  
Roberta Flack’s performances softly burned with the fire of life itself
Stevie Chick
The soul singer was ambitiously diverse in her musicianship, and enthralled at every turn – whether doing desolate folk cover versions or lighter, sophisticated pop
Classical
Classical album of the week  
Abel Selaocoe: Hymns of Bantu – a joyous and indivisible blend of styles
Abel Selaocoe: Hymns of Bantu – a joyous and indivisible blend of styles
‘He was a titan of of the music world – and my teacher’  
Benjamin Appl on Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Benjamin Appl on Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Box set review  
Berliner Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan: 1953–1969 Live in Berlin – risk and adventure
Berliner Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan: 1953–1969 Live in Berlin – risk and adventure
Opera review  
The Capulets and the Montagues – stylish staging sees ETO’s Bellini go gangster
The Capulets and the Montagues – stylish staging sees ETO’s Bellini go gangster
Opera review  
Il Trovatore – let’s face it: these Verdi characters are very dull
Il Trovatore – let’s face it: these Verdi characters are very dull
Album review  
Sibelius and Barber: Violin Concertos – Renaud Capuçon’s golden-toned glamour
Sibelius and Barber: Violin Concertos – Renaud Capuçon’s golden-toned glamour
Add to playlist
Ranked  
Nuthing ta F’ wit: Wu-Tang Clan’s greatest albums – ranked!
Nuthing ta F’ wit: Wu-Tang Clan’s greatest albums – ranked!
One to watch  
Antony Szmierek
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The late Gwen McCrae brought emotion to dance music like no one else
Garth Cartwright
Spanning deep soul, disco and beyond, McCrae – who has died aged 81 – didn’t get the recognition she deserved for a discography charged with pain and wonder
Needle drop!  
The world’s first sewing machine orchestra takes Munich
This weekend, a symphony of Singers (not that kind) will lead an experimental performance that stitches together feminism and fashion – and offers the audience free repairs
‘I hope you enjoy the show. I hope I’m not dead’  
How Feelgood star Wilko never saw the play about his life
The musician lived a wild story of many acts: Jonathan Maitland turned it into a play and read it to him just a year before he died. This is how their encounter went …
10 Chaotic Questions  
Fatboy Slim: ‘I was in the same class as Keir Starmer – he’s one up on me now’
The electronic producer and DJ Norman Cook talks about learning the violin with Keir Starmer, his love for his label maker and crossing swords with Moby
Live music this week
Joy Crookes  
An enthralling, intimate set from this rising London soul star
An enthralling, intimate set from this rising London soul star
Fish  
Euphoric opening to a prog hero’s farewell tour
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