Kosovo: Life in the land of popstars

When people think of Kosovo, they probably remember the war-torn country in the late 1990s. What they probably don't think of is the fact that there is no place in Europe that can boast as many popstars per capita as Kosovo.

Before telling you who those popstars are, let me emphasise that this was not the case when I first visited this country, back in 2004. Everything was different. It was five years after the war, most roads were broken or non-existent, UN-trucks and NATO-vehicles were ubiquitous, and Kosovo wasn't even a state yet.

Which western company would invest in a place like that? Which tourist would be so careless as to enter this area? No one. It didn't help that Serbia – with a large country like Russia having its back – tried to block everything that would bring Kosovo further into the public eye. Serbia was actively lobbying against the participation of Kosovo in UEFA, FIFA, the Olympics, United Nations, and so on. Trying to frame Kosovo as a land full of criminals and Muslim extremists was easy, since no one could really see the real picture.

Well, some could of course. Like me for example. In 2004, I found myself in a fascinating place with long summer nights, extremely safe streets, unbelievably hospitable people, beautiful mountains, beers for just one euro, and many charming and beautiful ladies (I was 20 years old back then, and single!)

Aside from that, I experienced a very moderate religious climate. Although most people are Muslim by faith, everyone cherishes the Catholic nun that received her spiritual calling in Kosovo: Mother Teresa.

To put it simply, I found this country enchanting. After my first trip, I went back several times, and decided to migrate there in 2012, together with my wife who works in healthcare. A lot had happened in this time: Kosovo became a republic, highways were being built, international companies were exploring the country, and NATO and the UN weren't visible anymore in most places. The thing that stayed the same was the hospitable attitude of the people, combined with a pro-Western spirit. No country in the Balkans is as pro-EU as Kosovo, and probably no people in the world is as pro-American as the Kosovars. Realising that this place has the youngest average age in Europe, you can understand a little bit better how unique this country is. And maybe why it produces so many popstars.

Should I dress more smartly for work?

The short answer to "Does it matter?" is yes and no. No one can be on point with their outfit every day. That's why they invented uniforms. I tend to start the week in what I call "cosy clothes", a tracksuit or a jumper. I probably look a "hot mess", too, but it means I can be focused. The beginning of the week is when I do the school run, and don't tend to arrange any meetings. So I'm happy to wear whatever I want.

When it gets to Wednesday and my son goes to his father's for the latter part of the week, I start pulling out the outfits I love, and go to see people I need to make an impression on. It makes me feel good to switch it up and have glam days and chill days. When I like my look, I feel more confident about my meetings.

Advertising, I can imagine, is very image-based and of course you feel a certain pressure to look good. But do you feel a mess because you know you haven't made an effort, or because you feel you ought to look good for your colleagues and clients? Neither is the "right" or "wrong" approach, but it's always good to consider why you feel the way you do.

Only you can know whether your look is so lax that it will hold you back. We live in a selfie- and image-obsessed world: do you want to play that game, or do you want to do your job? Remember, there's a risk that the more presentable you are, the more people want you around merely for decoration (not to mention how relentless the upkeep is).

Would looking smarter enhance your ability to do your job? Do what feels right for you, and what will help you achieve your goals at work. If that means putting in a bit more effort, then let's face it: it's probably worth it.

Spark Animation 2018 celebrates 10 years with 100 films

If you are 30ish or older and spent time in Vancouver you probably remember the polar bear exhibit in the Stanley Park Zoo.

The sight of a constantly weaving Tuk in a concrete pit that looked more like a sad water park in a 1960s Brutalist Soviet Union tower block than an icy coastline of the Arctic Circle is probably one of those childhood memories which when reflected upon is actually quite sad.

Vancouver filmmaker Julia Kwan clearly remembers going to the zoo as a kid and watching Tuk, who was put to sleep in 1997 four years after the zoo actually began to shut down and the other animals were shipped out. Tuk stayed put because at 37 years of age he was too old to be moved.

"I remember making these excursions to Stanley Park as a kid. It was really exotic,” said Kwan. "Of course now I have ambivalent feelings about zoos but as a child it really filled my imagination to be that close to animals. It really gave me a lot more respect for animals.”

That imagination is behind Kwan's new short animated film The Zoo, produced by the National Film Board. Kwan's first animated film will have its world premiere at the Spark Animation 2018 festival. A showcase of animated movies (short and feature), the Vancouver event is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a roster of 100 or so films over its Oct. 25-28 schedule. There is also a strong line up of conference events to choose from.

Kwan — who is best known for her exceptional 2005 feature film Eve and the Fire Horse and the 2014 documentary Everything Will Be — enlisted the help of Jester Animation and animator Jesse Cote to help bring her vision to life. The result is a 10-minute 2D cut-out animation film that is sweet and melancholy.

In it the bear, known as Kut, is captured after his mother is shot by Inuit hunters and brought to Vancouver. He is put on display and watched by thousands of people, one of those being a local Chinese boy. The boy grows old along with the bear and sadly shares feelings of isolation.

Through this parallel Kwan poses the question how much do we value the aged and our own history?

"I was thinking about abandonment and the things that are left behind. It is that sense of abandonment and loss and what we value,” said Kwan, when asked about her film's heart.

Kwan said she felt like she was paying back the bear Tuk for all the hours he gave her as a kid and an "unemployable,” film school graduate who hung out in the park.

The Zoo is Kwan's first animated film. A genre she said was a bit bewildering for her.


"The whole process was very challenging for me. It was a learning experience for sure. Ultimately I am very proud of it. It is the bear I saw in my head.”

Kwan is thrilled her animated short got the nod to join the Spark lineup. A veteran of other festivals, she says the festival experience can be really encouraging for a filmmaker.

"It is a celebration of the art of animation. I'm really looking forward to meeting other animators, filmmakers and talking about the process,” said Kwan. "It is like any niche festival.

"It's the sense of community that is so important. The connecting with other people that have the same passions, it's really important,” added Kwan, who is developing a couple of features and a TV show. "I have continuing friendships with people I have met on the Asian film festival circuit, for years. It's the icing on the cake. The opportunity to connect with the audiences is also great. People come up to you afterwards and express whatever they need to express to you.”

Retail Glory for Aging Pop Stars

J.C. Penney , the legendary middle American department store mired in a long, long slump, has just introduced the Lionel Richie Home collection of sheets, pillowcases and comforters. Mr. Richie, a multi-platinum pop star ("All Night Long," "Hello," "Three Times a Lady") whose heyday is three decades past, will now market reasonably priced bedding to consumers whose heyday is also a few decades past—and to a smattering of irony-minded hipsters.

Why has it taken so long for pop stars to invade the home goods universe? The symbiotic relationship between aging musicians and aging anchor stores is so obvious. Mr. Richie's studiously harmless, middle-of-the-road music harks back to a simpler, more innocent time when people shopped at cheerful, middle-of-the-road stores like J.C. Penney. Mr. Richie's music is sturdy, sweet, life-affirming, reliable. So is J.C. Penney. Mr. Richie evokes a less stressful time when it was still possible to get a decent night's sleep. So does J.C. Penney. Nothing says "stress-free" like the words "J.C. Penney." Not even "Orville T. Redenbacher."

Surely other aging pop stars with long-ago hits will follow Mr. Richie's route to potential retail glory. Early MTV stars like Rick Astley and Edie Brickell are obvious candidates. Less mainstream musicians might also join the fray. A take-no-prisoners, heavy-metal outfit like Metallica might bring out a line of jet-black comforters. Activist folk artists like Ani DiFranco or the Indigo Girls might introduce a line of alternative pillows and bath towels—with a portion of the proceeds going to progressive causes.

And there is no reason pop stars need to limit themselves to sheets, comforters and pillow cases. Actors certainly haven't. Back in the sixties, television fixture Jimmy Dean became much more famous by selling country sausages. Paul Newman's line of upscale foods are still a staple in the American supermarket. Blazing a trail for musicians, Linda McCartney introduced a line of vegetarian meals sold in supermarkets all over the U.K.

So it's not hard to imagine ZZ Top lending its name to a line of pickup trucks, or stubbly Phil Collins putting out a line of disposable razors. Come to think of it, the famously bearded ZZ Top crew could probably get more attention by selling razors—they reportedly turned down a million-dollar offer from Gillette in their prime, but times and finances change.

Heiskanen ready to make impact with Stars

With such lofty expectations before ever playing an NHL game, it would not be unexpected for Heiskanen to feel some pressure to live up to them immediately. But he said he has never been one to let pressure get to him.

"I don't think about that too much," Heiskanen said. "I just try to make sure I'm doing my thing and am playing as good as I can. I try not to think about things like that too much."

That included last winter when Heiskanen had one goal in five games with Finland at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. He also played with Finland at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship and 2018 IIHF World Championship.

"I didn't have any pressure. I just did my thing and didn't think about it too much, like it being the Olympic Games," Heiskanen said. "I just try to think of it like another game. I've always been like that, don't be nervous and just try to have fun and don't think about it too much. It's a game, and I just try to play as good as I can. It was a real nice experience. I liked it very much. It was one of my dreams to play in the Olympic games. It was a big tournament for me."

While Heiskanen considers himself to be a two-way defenseman who can advance the puck effectively from the defensive zone, he said an improvement in his skating has helped him become a more productive offensive player.

"It wasn't that good about two years ago," Heiskanen said. "But I've been getting it all the time better and better. I'm a little bit stronger now which helps to get more power in my legs. It's helped me have a little bit more time by being able to get to pucks more quickly."

Heiskanen has spent time studying Marc Methot and Stephen Johns after Montgomery said earlier in the offseason that he intends to pair him with one of the veteran defensemen early in the season.

"Yeah a little bit I have watched them. They're very good defensive players," Heiskanen said. "I think it's really good if I had one of those guys with me. It makes it easier to help me out playing with someone like them."

Why our rising stars must be handled with kid gloves

The good times keep rolling. But for how long? That's the key question now for Irish athletics.

Our success at the European Under-18 Championships, the silver medals collected at the World Under-20 Championships and some super performances by the seniors at this week's Cork City Sports and Morton Games have made this an incredible few weeks.

We don't get many opportunities to celebrate success and over the past week I found myself jumping up and down in my living room as the Irish women's Under-20 team won the 4x100m silver in Finland, a first for Ireland at a major global outdoor championships.

I'd love to see more of that, especially at senior level, but research suggests it's going to be a major uphill struggle.

Earlier this week I spoke to Dr Áine MacNamara and UL's Phil Kearney, who have both done extensive research into what makes a champion and, on the flip side, what results in so many teenage stars burning out or fading away.

In the paper, the authors interviewed athletes and gauged their reaction to challenges and the various external factors that influenced their development. There was a clear trend established between the factors that made a 'super-champion' and the ones identified in those who didn't quite make it.

At underage level, the super-champion progressed slowly – they often had a bumpy passage to senior level, whereas many of the 'almosts' enjoyed a smooth path of consistent success in their teenage years.

The super-champions had parents who were supportive and encouraging, but were also separate to the sport. They had strong and challenging coaches who would test them, whether that was pitting them against older people at times or putting them on the sideline to see how they reacted to it.

Their coaches would also collaborate with other groups to challenge their athlete.

The super-champion, individually, often has a very high personal drive that would have caused bumps along the way, holding themselves to high standards and often questioning themselves, always adapting to what came their way.

They also had a positive reaction to setbacks – problems like injuries only stimulated them to strive for better next time.

The almosts, however, were people who were very talented underage performers and then didn't really kick on. They usually committed early to their chosen sport so they specialised, trying to chase success in a single discipline at the cost of overall, all-round development.

Michael Jackson returns posthumously on Drake album

Michael Jackson returned posthumously Friday with new music as the late King of Pop starred on the new album by Drake.

The Canadian Jewish hip-hop star, one of the top-selling artists in recent years, had kept fans in suspense for weeks as he prepared the release of his fifth full-fledged studio album, entitled "Scorpion."

As he put out the 25-track album, one of the most striking features was the appearance of a special guest — Jackson, who is credited as the co-artist on the song "Don't Matter To Me."

A dreamy mid-tempo R&B track driven by a synthesized bass, "Don't Matter To Me" is in line with the late output of Jackson whose distinct voice is heard on the chorus.
In this October 8, 2016 photo, Drake performs onstage in Toronto.
"All of a sudden you say you don't want me no more / All of a sudden you say that I closed the door / It don't matter to me," Jackson sings.

Drake revealed nothing about the song's genesis.

But Jackson is known to have left a series of unfinished tracks when he died in 2009. A previous posthumous duet, "Love Never Felt So Good," came out in 2014 between Jackson and pop star Justin Timberlake.

Like "Don't Matter To Me," the Timberlake collaboration was credited in part to the legendary crooner Paul Anka.

Jackson had been working on an album of duet with Anka, the voice behind such classic pop hits as "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," in 1983.

But the project fell by the wayside with the former child star's release of "Thriller," which went on to become the top-selling album of all time.

Drake has voiced admiration for Jackson. In a rare interview last year, he described Jackson as a longtime model and voiced dismay at being pigeon-holed as a rapper.

"Don't Matter To Me" shows Drake clearly in pop mode, singing the verses with his voice reaching toward Jacksonesque highs.

Drake (real name Aubrey Drake Graham) was raised by his Jewish mother, Sandi Graham (née Sher) after she split from his father, Dennis Graham.

The song coincidentally comes out a little more than a day after the death of Joe Jackson, the King of Pop's father and manager who guided his children's careers but was so ruthless in his discipline that his children were left traumatized.

From Kurt Cobain to Adele: early demos from the biggest names in music

A pre-fame recording from Amy Winehouse was recently unearthed, defying her estate, and it’s one of many resurfaced demos giving early insight into the talents of major stars
                                                     

Most musicians hate fans to hear their nascent demos, those early trial balloons punctured by bum notes and bad decisions. Unfortunately, the biggest stars often don’t have a choice in the matter – especially if they happen to be dead. Such a fate befell Amy Winehouse when, last week, one of her producers took it upon himself to release an early demo he had of the singer, defying the artist’s estate, which had destroyed the initial, inferior work they possessed.

By the same token, when true fans hear those early tests, they often appreciate the rare peek into the artist’s evolution. More, they usually know how to contextualize it within the body of their idol’s better-honed works. That’s good considering the number of demos that have slipped out over the years, including many that document music which pre-dates a major artist’s stardom.

Before she found a buoyant dance-pop sound for her 1983 major label debut, Madonna experimented with a host of other styles, captured on scores of demos that surfaced later. One of most fascinating contains a turbo-charged punk outburst titled Safe Neighborhood. The whipping guitars and wiry bass that fire the song fit snugly with the dominant sound of downtown New York at the time Madge moved there in 1978. Fuzzy facts surround the origin of the recording. Allegedly, it dates from 1980, around the time the singer played in a band named Emmy with then boyfriend Stephen Bray. But it isn’t included on an album Bray released in 1997 titled Pre-Madonna, nor on the other Emmy-identified demos that have since leaked. The Bray disc includes early demos of two songs from Madonna’s official debut, Everybody and Burnin’ Up. Safe easily outdoes Burnin’ as her most rock-charged performance ever. It’s a blast to hear Madonna give Lydia Lunch a run for her money with her shrieks. Another fun demo, for Love Express, captures Madonna performing solo, with just voice and acoustic guitar. It’s a fleet rockabilly romp, in the mode of prime Everly Brothers.

Katy Perry Surprises Survivors and First Responders of Deadly Montecito Mudslides

Pop superstar Katy Perry gave a surprise concert for survivors of and first responders to the deadly mudslides in Montecito, California that happened in January of this year.
                                                 

The Santa Barbara County native performed her hits, including “Roar” and “Firework,” at a charity event One 805 Kick Ash Bash, which raised $2 million for survivors and first responders according to a statement the organizers gave to TIME.

Perry also stuck around to dole out hugs for fans, CNN reported.

“Santa Barbara will always be my home,” Perry said in a statement. “I am blessed to be part of One805 in honoring our first responders and survivors. After the storm comes light. Everyone here today is a testament to that. This is the light…the community coming together towards healing, recovery, and strength. I am proud to be from Santa Barbara (Goleta).”

Perry was just one of several performers to appear at the event, including singer Katharine McPhee, who will appear on Broadway in Waitress, singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, and mudslide survivor Lauren Cantin, who sang “God Bless America.”

The 14-year-old Cantin was miraculously rescued by first responders from a collapsed house. Her father, David Cantin, was among the more than 20 people killed by the Jan. 9 mudslides, and her teenage Jack brother is still missing.

The mudslides, which were triggered after heavy rain sent mud and rocks tumbling down hills that lacked vegetation due to devastating wildfires, destroyed over 100 homes, according to ABC7.

Ellen DeGeneres, who has a home in Montecito, also addressed the crowd, saying, “the news has moved, on but we have not moved on.”

Demi Lovato's Upcoming Tour Will Include Free Therapy Sessions for Fans

Demi Lovato is putting her fans first for her upcoming Tell Me You Love Me tour by providing free therapy sessions and wellness workshops through CAST Centers – a wellness, addiction and mental health program based in Los Angeles – the singer announced Wednesday.
                                                 

Fans will have the chance to sign up for the intimate chats, led by CAST founder and CEO Mike Bayer, as well as listen to special guest speakers talk about their own personal journeys with mental health and wellness. Speakers from Lovato's 2016 tour included Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Phil McIntyre, Bea Miller and Metta World Peace, among others.

Additionally, Bayer and Lovato will be partnering up with one mental health/wellness charity in each city, encouraging fans to donate via text message during the show itself.

"I want to do this because one, it was such an incredible experience the last time we did this on tour," Lovato said during an appearance on Good Morning America Wednesday. "I've actually met people that go to CAST because they went to CAST on Tours and realized they needed to get sober or they needed to better themselves in some other way and it’s changed lives and I want to be able to do that again. It's a part of my whole … life, about giving back and I think it's really important that I continue to do this while I'm on tour."

Lovato first worked with Bayer when she was undergoing treatment for substance addiction and her bipolar diagnosis. She is now a part owner of CAST Centers.

On Good Morning America Wednesday, Lovato emphasized her aim to use her public platform for good.

"It make it my life goal to inspire other people," she said. "I think that it's important for me to use my voice for more than just singing. I just know how important it is to use my platform to help others and to share my story in hopes that it inspires people to either get into recovery or better themselves. Whatever it is, I just want people to know they're not alone and I'm here for them."