The TL;DR on TL;DR

1. “Diet Pepsi” sent us into a spiral

2. “Body Futurism” by Toby Shorin at FEST24

3. Partner with us & SCOPE Art Fair

4. Save the date for Token 2049 & join us for a Singapore Food Crawl.

Dear reader – you are not, in fact, brain dead. “Diet Pepsi” is a banger. There’s a lot to unpack (which might leave you brain dead).

THE CONTEXT

“Diet Pepsi” is Rae’s second release after her debut three years ago. It’s produced and written by a 25-year-old Swedish (woman!) savant who has Taylor Swift and NewJeans in her binders full of women she’s worked with previously. (Someday we’ll address the 🐘 in the room that is Swedish pop producers’ chokehold on the music industry.) 

The video (jfc the video!!!) has surprised and delighted cinephiles with weirdly pointed references to experimental gems like Maya Deren’s “Meshes of the Afternoon” (1943) and Bruce Connor’s “Breakaway” (1966). 

Heady stuff, but let’s address the core tension of “Diet Pepsi”: the missing innocence purported to be lost in the proverbial backseat. Rae is extremely in the driver’s seat from our perspective, even as she claims to be losing it all in the backseat. It’s giving Lana in the best way. 

Rae broke our internet corner earlier this Summer with her editorial campaign for the Petra Collins x SSENSE collection. The “I’m Sorry” edit is a v cute b2b of generational zeitgeists: the millennial Tumblr girl aesthetic grooms a Zoomer performance artist for the quiet luxury e-commerce brand. SSENSE described the collection as “a saccharine and nefarious dimension of kitsch, horror, and sexuality,” which feels all too relatable and wouldn’t be out of place in a review for the “Diet Pepsi” video, either.

Rae’s track lands at the intersection of Brat Summer ending, girl rot-induced diet coke & cigarette-maxxing, and the phenomenon of gendered soda advertising.

Is this well executed product placement or just another notch in the lineage of pop music making mixed metaphors out of alarmingly sugary beverages? Unclear. Either way, we might be experiencing the unfolding of the beverage palimpsest. Like water into wine, if you will.

To say it dumb: are we about to see all the hotties opt for Diet Pepsi?

FEST24 Lecture: “BODY FUTURISM” by Toby Shorin

"Body Futurism" is an original lecture given by Toby Shorin at FWB FEST 2024.

Trauma release, sperm rates, longevity protocols, gene therapies, mystical states—with the shattering of software-based utopias, the body has become the premise for all new cultural developments.

Toby is a writer, researcher, and founder. He is a cofounder of Other Internet, a research organization studying the psychological, political, and economic effects of digital media technologies. He is currently building a new organization focused on Western psychology and the spiritual landscape of America.

CALL FOR PARTNERS AT SCOPE ART FAIR

FWB is partnering with SCOPE Art Show during Miami Art Week. We’re exploring the theme of interdependence and the power of collaboration. SCOPE is not just a venue for art but a dynamic ecosystem where gallerists, artists, collectors, curators, and enthusiasts converge, each playing a vital role in the collective experience. The focus of SCOPE’s large-scale installations will be on artworks that explore the interconnectedness of individuals, communities, and the wider world.

FWB is hosting the web3 hub for us to convene, trade ideas, put our toes in the beach, etc. We know that you probably haven’t sorted your Miami plans so we got you — if you are looking to do something impactful with all your frens, then come work with us and SCOPE. Reach out to us to scheme.

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FWB DOES SINGAPORE

Catch FWB in Singapore at Token2049 with many a friend. Party details coming soon.

SINGAPORE FOOD CRAWL

co-hosted with Story Protocol

​Let's eat insane food in Singapore together. The Hawker Centers are absolute culinary wonders of the world - literally everything looks good and it's amazing. We'll rally the bellies and get that sweet sweet grub.