FASHION Magazine

See the Coachella 2014 style gallery »

For the past two years, the ultra-successful Coachella has expanded its festival over two weekends, promising an equally epic time for both batches of 225,000+ festivalgoers. And while it may have been hard to top last weekend’s epic Alexander Wang x H&M announcement, this weekend held strong with a surprise performance by Jay-Z, Daft Punk (or very convincing lookalikes) and even Alessanda Ambrosio’s 5-year-old daughter Anja.

As the Internet, every friend or your internal Queen Bey clock have already alerted you to, Beyoncé released her fifth album exclusively on iTunes just before midnight last night. Quietly, elegantly and with the regal control we’ve come accustomed to with the superstar, she one-upped the leakers by being the first to release the self-titled album to the grovelling masses. “I didn’t want to release my music the way I’ve done it. I am bored with that,” she says via video press release. “There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. I felt like I didn’t want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans.”

Beyoncé is 14 tracks, 17 videos and features a never-ending contributor roster ranging from Frank Ocean and Drake to Terry Richardson and Jonas Åkerlund. Blue Ivy’s in there too, as is her pops Jay-Z. According to the press release, Beyoncé has been recording the songs and filming the videos for over a year while on her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour which is a feat cause a) how the eff does one even function on so high a frequency and b) how the eff did not one of the zillion contribs and/or innocent bystanders (like any of these people) say a thing? Likely to be revealed later: Scarlet letter Bs imprinted on the bodies of 100 music moguls.

See the MMVA 2013 photos »

Toronto’s ultimate summer music party took place last night outside the streets of MuchMusic’s Queen Street headquarters. As the A-listers made their way down the red carpet, hundreds of fans greeted and snapped pictures of their favourite actors, artists and South Korean sensation Psy, who made his first Canadian appearance as MMVA co-host.

In her first MMVA appearance, Taylor Swift played the bombshell in a form fitting white mini-dress with black striped details by Herve Leger and Christian Louboutin black gladiator sandals as she picked up the award for favourite international artist. T-Swift accessorized with Lorraine Schwartz and Ofira jewellery as well as her signature red pout, smoky eyes and effortlessly tousled beach waves.

Also sporting smoky eyes was MMVA co-host, Demi Lovato, who took home international video of the year for “Heart Attack.” Trying out an uncharacteristically edgy look (and quite well, we might add!), the singer wore a little black dress with zipper detail and black pumps both by Saint Laurent.

See all the pictures from the Toronto Life Most Influential party »

Last night Toronto Life celebrated the reveal of their Most Influential list by toasting Toronto’s 50 most influential people at The Ritz-Carlton. The lucky heavyweights—ranging from politicians to bankers to TV personalities—were profiled in the magazine’s December issue and, as the evening’s emcee Amanda Lang was eager to point out, also given a definitive rank. (Her 41st place spot obviously not affecting said eagerness.) Upon our arrival it was clear how those on the list have become so successful: they’re certainly not the familiar faces of Toronto’s late-night party circuit. The mood was much more about networking than clamouring for a cocktail, despite the impressive array of Ketel One and Tanqueray creations. Tailored suits and black dresses dominated—though oxblood items and fur accessories proved to be just as popular, including many a lush stole and a pair of furry booties on Leesa Butler.

Grimes’ epic self-directed video for “Genesis,” the latest single off her critically lauded album Visions, was exactly what you’d expect from the Montreal-based pop star simply because it’s so unexpected. Like the inimitable mélange that goes into her music (Mariah Carey, Drake and Nine Inch Nails are all top influences), this McGill-student-turned-underground-DJ threw everything but the kitchen sink into the five and a half minute long clip. Whether it’s Xena: Princess Warrior nods or echoes of The Spice Girls dancing in the desert for “Say You’ll Be There,” the sheer randomness of the whole video is what makes it work.

Read on to see the top 10 moments from the video! »

A wise woman from Michigan once said, “Music makes the people come together.” Those six words have never rung truer than this weekend, when thousands from across the land will assemble in parks for a tradition as old as time: the music festival. And for those more into crowd-dodging than crowd-surfing, there’s summer fireworks by the ocean and a cuter-than-cute rom-com at the movies. Take your pick.

Find out what to do this weekend »

Because summer is the ultimate time for tunage, we’ve picked out a few of our favourite ladies to listen to while you’re busy sitting on the dock of the bay.

METRIC | GOSSIP | GRIMES | EMELI SANDÉ | MELANIE FIONA

Word: Coda

Meaning: The concluding passage of a piece of (classical) music; the conclusion of a book or film, often summarizing what happens to characters in the end, after the climax.

Usage: “The decade-long Potter franchise gets the finale it deserves, leaving rubble in its wake and providing fitting final bows for many of the beloved secondary characters, on its way to a brief coda that feels perfectly paced and entirely satisfying. Magical.” — from Chris Knight’s top-films-of-2011 listicle in the National Post.

Word: Emo-hop

Meaning: If you guessed that it’s “hip-hop with emo(tional) lyrics,” you don’t get a prize.

Usage: “Drake has raised his game significantly, cornering the market in emo-hop. There’s few ‘hands in the air’ moments, but instead there’s depth and intelligence here that makes him stand out from the crowd.” — NME.com

Word: Swag

Meaning: Swag has two main contemporary definitions: 1) Valuable stuff you got for free, or stole; and 2) appearance and self-presentation, usually in a rap subculture we could call “swagster rap.”

Usage: “Flow colder than February with extraordinary swag.” ― T.I., “Swagger Like Us.”

Check out images from last night’s show! »
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Year after year, music’s most passionate fans tune in to the MuchMusic Video Awards, the most intimate and out-of-control awards show around where anything and everything goes. The 2011 MMVAs exceeded all expectations, with not one but two performances by priestess of pop Lady Gaga, five outfit changes by co-host Selena Gomez, a surprise tag-team appearance by Canada’s sweethearts Drake and Justin Bieber, and a slew of super-high-energy performances.

Backstage the performers, presenters and VIPs mingled. Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev told us that the first thing she does when she returns to Toronto, her hometown, is eat street meat, with “lots of ketchup.” Presenter Cassie Scerbo of Make It or Break It found herself star struck, but luckily, she had her mom in tow to keep her focused. Performers and Pop Video of the Year winners Down With Webster wandered the lounge in matching mechanics’ jumpsuits embellished with strips of LED lights, crediting the Beastie Boys as their sartorial inspiration.

When attending [FAT], Toronto’s alternative arts and fashion week—with its norm-subverting, boundary-busting mandate—it’s impossible to predict what’s in store for the (equally eclectic) audience. Runway presentations over the first two nights have featured ballerinas, acrobats and a puzzling—albeit comical (though maybe not intentionally)—light-saber dual. But beyond the showmanship, we were delighted to discover some true talent. Here are our favourites from the first two nights: