The FADER

SKAIWATER IS POST-EVERYTHING. Four years ago, @azothism broke big with their 2022 single “#miles,” which catapulted the Nottingham native to viral highs and major label deals. To another rapper, this might have been a happy ending — for The FADER’s latest cover star, it’s been a turbulent prologue to their current era as an independent artist, fighting against rap purists, gender norms, and industry standards to push hip-hop forward. “Bro, it's a group of kids changing how we listen to this type of music. People just gotta get with it or get left.” skaiwater opened up about their childhood, being friends with Lil Nas X, their nonbinary identity, and leaving the major label system in a new interview with @perlucidum for the cover of The FADER. Read skai's full FADER cover story here: thefader.com/2026/05/05/ska…

Steve Lacy has tapped SZA for his new single "is it cool?" out tonight.

GloRilla and Pooh Shiesty link up for new single “Mane.”

Photo credit: Kamal Shaquille

kwn on her love for R&B: "I think R&B as a genre has the most amount of feeling in it and the most amount of passion put into it. Everything's so intentional. You have to be so clever with your lyric choices, even down to like your chord choices [...] A good R&B record takes time." Read more: thefader.com/2026/06/25/kwn…

Photo credit: Michelle Helena Janssen

kwn is in love with R&B’s intentionality. The London heartthrob talks stepping back from production on their forthcoming project 'and all pride aside', navigating internet narratives, and falling in love with R&B. thefader.com/2026/06/25/kwn…

Photo credit: Michelle Helena Janssen

kwn on hitting mainstream success: "On the come up, I had reached out to so many artists, so many producers, so many people that I wanted to work with. They aired me, didn't want to give me no time of day. Now, I see them in person, it's like, 'Yo family.' And the thing about me, I'm remembering all of that. You can't fool me, and I'm not going to just bend down on one knee and bow to your feet." Read more: thefader.com/2026/06/25/kwn…

JAŸ-Z will star in an 8-part documentary series in conversation with Rick Rubin. The docuseries will premiere this fall on HBO Max.

kwn on working with Kehlani for the first time: "She followed me on Instagram, and then I met her in LA at her 'Crash' release party. In London, she was like, 'I'm working on this new mixtape, I want you to come and help me out.' We did 'Border' and 'First Life.' Then she was like, 'I'm missing a sexy song,' and I was like, 'I got the sexy songs.' I had made 'Clothes Off' a few weeks before that, and I was like, 'I've got this song, you can have it, but you got to keep me on there.' Read more: thefader.com/2026/06/25/kwn…

beabdoobee's dropped the music video for "Sun Has Set." Her new album 'Pylon' is out September 18.

Our newest FADER Mix is with Baalti and @lapganMusic who have composed an hour-long mix that is global in scope and hypnotic in effect. Read our interview with Baalti and Lapgan, check out their FADER mix track list, and listen to the Mix here thefader.com/2026/06/25/fad…

Wet Leg has released a horsegiirL remixed version of "CPR."

when i take rihanna to panorama bar

i want to take Lorde to Nowadays

HorsegiirL on attending classical music schools in Germany: “It was incredibly racist. It really destroyed my love for [classical music] instruments because I associate them with the slurs I was called. My mom still has my euphonium in the attic. I haven’t touched it in years.” Read more: thefader.com/2026/06/24/hor…

HorsegiirL on taking Billie Eilish to Berghain: “I think she ended up staying until 7 a.m., just dancing, you know? Just having a cute time, because it's a space where no one takes photos, and no one is bothering you. It’s not like a VIP club, where it’s about being seen. And that was very beautiful to see and to witness. She probably hasn’t had lots of these experiences without waking up to lots of videos online.” Read more: thefader.com/2026/06/24/hor…

HorsegiirL wants to challenge human superiority: “Everything is so human centered. In such a technocratic, transhumanist, billionaire-driven world, it's important to challenge that, and to question that kind of human superiority.” Read more: thefader.com/2026/06/24/hor…