Happy Friday! ☀️
new look, who dis? I migrated Friday’s Five from Tinyletter to Substack for its advanced formatting and better usability. Hope you like it!
What I’m reading 📖
I picked up Andrea Petkovic’ book ‘Zwischen Ruhm und Ehre liegt die Nacht’ after listening to her conversation with my friend Matze. The books reads like a reflection on life of a former top 10 tennis player, daughter of immigrants, and an eternal optimist. It’s a fast and refreshing book about life on and off the court, setbacks and comebacks, her love for literature, and a profound respect for the sport and her rivals. The book ends with two highly amusing chapters “Best Day Ever” and “New York City.” More about the book.
What I’m listening to 🎧
A quirky intro and verse that soon leads into a singalong chorus. Maximo Park’s ‘Apply Some Pressure’ was the hit on every indie dance floor in 2005. 16 years later, they’re back with a new album and for an album person myself, the new record makes me nostalgic about the late nights in smoky dance clubs. It also reminds me that bands can remain loyal companions over several decades and not get boring. Listen to ‘Nature Always Wins’ on Spotify.
What I’m watching 📺
Imagine you’re 13 years old. You write a song, produced by your brother, recorded in the bedroom of a house you grew up in. You upload it to SoundCloud and reach 1 million Instagram followers in no time. You adore Justin Bieber. You stay in your bedroom and record a debut album, again produced by your brother. You struggle with mental health and speak about it openly, as a teenager. You release the album, turn 18, headline Coachella (twice!) where you meet Justin Bieber in the crowd for the first time and cry in his arms for five minutes. You tour the world, win five Grammies, reach almost 80 Instagram million, all while still living in your parents’ house, who love you dearly. You’re Billie Eilish, and a documentary film crew follows you while all of it is happening. What a story. Watch the trailer.
What I’m thinking about 🧠
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John Shedd in ‘Salt from My Attic’
What else?! 💯
Emilia Roig calls herself a product of French colonialism. Her mother is from Martinique and her father was born in Algeria from a Jewish mother. In our Role Models podcast episode, she opens up about racism in her own family (she shares an incredibly moving experience with her own grandfather), about the early loss and grief of her second child, about her work in intersectionality, and so much more. Listen to it (in German) on Spotify.
Thanks for reading, have a great weekend!
David
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