charli xcx is so funny!!!!
and all the think-pieces are BORING :((((
pov of the week
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve trudged up to the ledge of a boring article or video essay only to find the person on the other side of the screen slinging an onslaught of sludgey, rhetorical, ChatGPT-ass questions, I’d be able to bankroll the next season of Heated Rivalry.
There’s no gentle way to say it, but I’m bored. I’m bored of the literacy crisis, the over-explanation of art, the lack of interest in unpicking something on your own, the replies in every thread begging for context, starting every TikTok with “guys, what do we think…” – enough! We’ve absolutely lost the fkn plot. We’re so busy criticising every damn thing that we’ve forgotten how to just feel. When was the last time you evoked?
I was driving home late one night, only a couple of minutes from my house, and ‘Rock Music’ came on in the car. For a minute and a bit (which is how long songs should be), I smiled. It’s the same smile that creeps into my mouth when I watch LOL (2012).
In the opening monologue, Miley Cyrus introduces herself as Lola, says that everybody calls her “Lol” and then nobody calls her “Lol” for the entire movie. You spend the next hour and a bit (which is how long movies should be) watching Miley get mad at her boyfriends, rage quit conversations and then storm back to kiss them. It’s camp. Charli XCX is camp. She is laced up tight in a custom couture corset of irony and sarcasm. She is often dry and appears apathetic but make no mistake, she is switched on. She’s smart. And she’s fucking funny.
The think-pieces on a post-brat reality are missing these crucial points. They aren’t taking into consideration that while yes, of course, Charli has a complex relationship with fame, she’s been here for some time now. She’s seen what it’s like to be received by subculture and revered by the mainstream – sometimes, all at once. She’s no stranger to making art, being misunderstood and taken out of context. And as serious as she is about being well-informed, and having a broad scope of literary references to inform her art, she kinda thinks the whole thing is a bit hilarious and ridiculous. In fact, I reckon she knew this was gonna happen.
I bet she’s sitting on the other side of the world right now, her own smirk creeping across her face, watching the lemmings of the internet begging for a shred of context. Asking why the songs are so short. Why ‘Rock Music’ uses synths. Why she’s not on her album cover. You can keep asking (if you must) but you’re not gonna get a straight answer from her, sorry. What Charli’s doing with Music, Fashion, Film is not “fake deep”, “performative” or “the anti-brat”. It’s all of it, and it’s none of it. It’s Charli. — Talecia
Hi, Lia checking in!! A lot of us, myself included, turn to the internet for help when going through a tough time. So, when life doesn’t go as planned, having access to a safe, anonymous place to chat and get support is not only important, but necessary. With a wide range of options, ReachOut’s free, anonymous support is the first step you can take towards feeling better! You can hear about the valuable resources that ReachOut provides here for the next few weeks. And we can check in with each other by asking have you “been feeling like this?”
Finding the motivation to study or work, whether you’re already doing it or trying to figure it out, is an ongoing journey that never really ends, but it does get easier to handle. There are so many options and paths you can take; sometimes you know exactly where you’re going and sometimes you don’t even know where to start…
When I feel overwhelmed, I tend to withdraw into my favourite comfort media. Video games have been my go-to lately, because I get to feel in control and know what I’m meant to do, while also being fun and immersive. It feels silly sometimes to draw so much meaning out of a fun lil game, but on top of giving me that boost of motivation from achieving little milestones in my game, call me delusional but I feel like I also learn implementable skills from my favourite games, like gathering information, prioritising goals, and adapting to new challenges.
When even my most immersive, favourite game can’t pull me out of a funk, I know I need some extra support. Services like ReachOut allow you to engage at your own pace, which helps me feel a little more in control. The extensive range and variety of resources mean there are multiple ways to engage, too, because sometimes I need support in different ways. Most importantly, it builds skills for how to manage these challenges in the future so that whenever you engage with services like ReachOut, you’re leveling up your ability to navigate whatever comes your way.
Want to learn more about ReachOut? Head here for more resources <3
some things on our radar this week:
We just got the first look at Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo prequel and guys… we’re getting a real dog. Back in March last year, Netflix announced Scooby Doo: Origins, an eight episode series that will follow the Mystery Inc. team as they solve the case of a lost puppy (in comes lil Scooby). And there have been some mixed reactions to the first look. One person commented “Oh my god this is so wholesome” and within the same thread, another said “It’s unfortunately a no from me.” And before we jump to conclusions, I fear we don’t have enough info to make a decision yet. At this point, all we can say is: that is definitely a dog. Without a doubt, that is for sure a dog. When it comes to the rest of the storyline, genre, and overall tone, that’s all still in play. How will the cartoon expressions work? Will the jokes still translate with a real dog? And can we picture this bloke saying “ruh roh”? I guess all will be revealed next year. — Abbey
Our pals at Bank Australia have recently inked a partnership with Sweltering Cities, Australia’s national advocacy organisation working at the intersection of climate justice, housing, and extreme heat. Rentals in particular, thanks to older housing, no insulation, and a lack of cooling, can be scorching during the warmer months, often exceeding 35 degrees. Aiming to gather 1k submissions from the community, including renters such as ourselves, the org will present the findings to the NSW govt., creating the kind of evidence base that makes it harder for policymakers to ignore the problem of the effects of extreme heat in NSW rentals. Head to Sweltering Cities for more info; submissions are open for another couple of weeks. — Soph
Over the long weekend, I got to see iconic duo Balu Brigada having sm fun onstage and I’m STILL suffering from PCD. The last time I was in such an intimate venue for a gig like this was 5SOS wayyyy back in 2016 at Hordern Pavillion (I cried) and I fear I had forgotten just how magical it is. Seeing artists you fw heavyyy live when their fanbase is still considered niche (at least in Aus, imo) is such a “pinch-me” moment. Aaand I do believe this was their first performance in Syd post-dropping their first-ever studio album, Portal — you should check it out btw, it’s reallyyyyy cool. Anyways, the energy was electric and they were being lil goofballs onstage (my shaylas fr), plus I heard ALL of my fave songs live, wtf? Screaming, crying, throwing up!! Take this as my love letter to intimate gigs (ily Metro Theatre) for niche-er artists — and now, I will NEVER shut up about this — Nish
Lots of good gear floating around the junkeeverse rn, hook in below:
For fans of small town spooky scary stuff (and juicy chats like this Stranger Things one!) keep the junkee yt channel tab UP for Lia’s Leviticus (2026) int dropping this week
Ruel stopped by, was greeted by a cushion w his face on it, yapped about Off Campus, and spilled his guts about his album. Abbey’s int and Ruel’s album are out on Friday.
Nish queened out with Mika Abdalla about the lore of being a fangirl. Read the convo <3
songs to add to your playlist rn:
Sydney’s impending superstar FRIDAY* shares his second EP rituals, an indie-pop and self-produced offering that’ll have you go from dancing to crying at break neck speed (it’s worth it I promise). The Full Circle artist had his hand in some of my favourite songs last year from Dylan Atlantis and Emjaysoul, and I know I’m not alone in saying this 22-minute solo endeavour has been high on my wish list of releases (see: sold-out show).
You Only Die 1nce (Deluxe) — Freddie Gibbs
Two years later, Freddie Gibbs finally shares the deluxe edition of You Only Die 1nce. It comes equipped with seven new songs, two interludes, and a remix of ‘Ruthless’ featuring R&B artist Leon Thomas. Yes, he’s always rapping his ass off but one of the standout tracks is ‘Rabbit Mode’ (purely because of Gibbs’ flow).
The Perth-raised artist has been steadily grinding these past few years with two albums under his belt, an early Young Thug co-sign, a recent On The Radar appearance, and my new vocal stim: “SHOOOooOoOoOoOoooooOoOoT.” FFO: Lithe, cloud rap, and dubistgutgenug.
(Save this playlist btw, updating every week!!)
Leviticus (2026) | almost shocking that this concept hasn’t been explored before because it fits so perfectly
Huge innings for horror lately and Leviticus is no exception. Australian director and writer Adrian Chiarella delivers an eerie, powerful queer narrative with a supernatural premise that doesn’t sugarcoat its social commentary on homophobia and fear. Haunted by some kind of demonic presence that takes on the form of who you love most, Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) wrestle with their feelings for each other while also trying to survive each other’s demonic forms. As if navigating your first love isn’t perilous enough.
Toy Story (1995) | the early glory days of Pixar truly were something
Rewatched the GOAT in preparation for its fifth instalment in cinemas later this month and it absolutely holds up. The first fully computer-generated movie and Pixar’s first ever feature film is a crazy legacy to uphold and luckily, it’s basically the perfect movie. Seriously, the whole premise of sentient toys is just kooky enough to create the right amount of whimsy, Woody’s menty b after the arrival of Buzz, “falling with style” making it a full circle moment — the story just comes together so satisfyingly. Truly an incredible franchise that keeps delivering wonderfully heartfelt messages about friendship, identity, and purpose.
Dispatch (2025) | turns out I don’t have superhero fatigue because this was so fun
After finishing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice after much blood, sweat and tears, I wanted to play something slightly less frustrating. Turns out, I’m even worse at dispatching superheroes than I am at fighting bosses, but luckily for me, Dispatch is more about the experience than the gameplay. I still somehow managed to mess up some important lil missions, but more importantly, I did manage to get the girl in the end. And save the city, sure, whatever. Me + Visi 4eva <3
Junkee Media acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where this newsletter was produced, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.
