Today, we’re taking on the much-hyped film adaptation of the musical smash Wicked. Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jeff Goldblum, the story is a loose prequel to The Wizard of Oz, following its two star witches before they become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West. Why is this film such a big deal? How does it hold up to the Broadway show? And what makes a musical work well onscreen? Lilah is joined by the FT’s Anna Nicolaou and Eric Platt, who attended the New York premiere together, to discuss.-------The show is ending, and we’re collecting your cultural questions. We have access to critics, reporters, producers and experts. What’s rolling around in your head? Let Lilah know by email at [email protected] or on Instagram @lilahrap. And – thank you.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The FT’s four star review of Wicked is here: https://on.ft.com/3CDHvgW – Anna is listening to The Good Whale, a New York Times podcast about the whale from Free Willy– Eric does not recommend the show House of Villains – available on E! and Hayu – but Lilah and Anna think it sounds pretty good– Anna Nicolaou is on Instagram @annanicolaou. Eric is on Bluesky, Instagram and X @EricGPlatt-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Clips copyright Universal PicturesRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You probably noticed by their clothes: this summer, men just wanted to have fun. Crop tops, short shorts and even kilts and skirts were in. Long sleeves, and long inseams, were out. Today, two FT men’s fashion experts, Robert Armstrong and Eric Platt, join us to discuss how and why this happened, and what the rise of skimpy menswear tells us about masculinity today. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and email at [email protected] (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Rob’s latest style column is here: https://on.ft.com/3xWm8pa– Rob is on X @rbrtrmstrng. Eric is on X @EricGPlatt– Here’s the GQ piece we mentioned, called “Why is everyone on steroids now?” https://www.gq.com/story/why-is-everyone-on-steroids-now -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re talking about Anora, the new critical darling about the whirlwind romance between a Brooklyn sex worker and the hell-raising son of a Russian oligarch. The film follows the couple’s chaotic week together, their impulsive marriage, and what happens when the oligarchs hear the news and demand an annulment. It’s directed by Sean Baker, known for The Florida Project and Tangerine. It won the Cannes prestigious Palme d'Or award and is tipped as an Oscar winner. Who holds the power in the film? And why do people love it? FT film critic Danny Leigh and deputy news editor India Ross join Lilah to discuss. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Danny Leigh’s interview with director Sean Baker is here: https://on.ft.com/3YJXqBF – His five-star review of Anora is here: https://on.ft.com/40PEFzc – Danny recommends Andrea Arnold’s Bird and the documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d'etat. India mentioned the film American Honey– Here’s Lilah’s piece about the Met’s employee art show: https://on.ft.com/4ewTl9R-------FT subscribers can share your suggestions for Woman of the Year 2024 in the comments here, before November 25. Who has had a big year, in your industry and elsewhere? Who has earned accolades, accomplished remarkable things, made huge strides, produced important work or set records? Who has shaped this year? -------Clips copyright Neon and FilmNation EntertainmentRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you are someone who has or wants to have wine at your house, this episode is for you. Whether you’re looking to buy a few bottles you’ll drink in the next few months, or you’d like to start collecting and ageing wine for years to come, we’ve got you covered. FT wine editor Jancis Robinson, author of the Oxford Companion to Wine, talks us through what wines we should be on the lookout for and how to make sure they blossom into something better over time.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Earlier this year, Jancis wrote articles about building a cellar on a budget. These included advice on how to store wine properly and an overview of how to build an affordable cellar. She also wrote regional guides for collecting Italian wines, wines from the Americas, and beyond. – You should also check out Jancis’s site JancisRobinson.com, which has daily updates on the latest wine news, as well as guides for wine novices and seasoned enthusiasts– You can follow Jancis on X @JancisRobinsonRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we explore how to discover new music. Despite having access to more music than ever before, many of us are still falling back on the same old stuff. The algorithms may be pushing us toward uniformity, but how do we break out of the echo chamber? FT pop critic Ludo Hunter-Tilney and music and culture writer Arwa Haider join Lilah to share advice for finding new artists, and recommend new music that they love.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – You can find all of the artists mentioned today in this playlist we made for you here.– Arwa Haider’s playlist is here.– Ludo Hunter-Tilney’s latest review of the electronic music duo Xeno & Oaklander’s new album, Via Negativa, is here. We also love his interview with Irish-language hip-hop band Kneecap.– Here’s Arwa’s interview with Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora. – You can follow Ludo on X @ludohunter. Arwa is on Instagram @arwa.haider and X @ArwaHaider ------Original music by Metaphor Music. Music clips from Asylum, Abu Recordings and Felukah, Speedy Wunderground / PIAS, Defjam Recordings / PolydorRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Critics have been warning about the death of photography as an art form for years. Smartphones were going to lead to its demise by making everyone a photographer. Then came warnings about AI, which can create photographic images without a human actually being present at a given time and place. But, the FT’s US art critic Ariella Budick argues that instead of dying, the medium has evolved. She joins us to discuss how it has changed from its purest form in the 1950s to today.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. Get in touch this week if you have questions for the great wine critic Jancis Robinson, who'll be answering them on our next Monday episode.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Lilah’s profile of the Bronx Documentary Center is here: https://on.ft.com/3NQeAZe–  Ariella’s most recent review is of the exhibition We Are Here at the International Center of Photography: https://on.ft.com/48BeUof– She’s also recently written about Robert Frank at the MoMA: https://on.ft.com/3ArjnNHRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we head to Rutshire, to take a crack at the frothy, riotous TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 1980s romance novel, Rivals. The eight-episode series follows a cluster of posh English country-dwellers – including TV executive Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and local heartthrob Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) — as they bonk and bust their way around the Cotswolds. Shoulder pads, extramarital affairs and messy dinner parties abound. But what is the show really about: Class? Sex? The 80s? Lilah is joined by the FT's Robert Shrimsley and Harriet Fitch Little to discuss. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): –  Rivals is out now on Disney+ in the UK, and Hulu in the US. You can read the FT’s four star review here: https://on.ft.com/40sqQa6 – Robert Shrimsley’s column, ‘Were the 80s as much fun as Jilly Cooper says?’ is here: https://on.ft.com/4f5PcL8 – We also love Jo Ellison’s recent column, ‘Jilly Cooper’s Britain: the bad sex world capital’: https://on.ft.com/3Uvj0Zt – Robert is on X @robertshrimsley. Harriet is on X @HarrietFL and Instagram @huffffle -------Original music by Metaphor Music. Clips copyright Disney.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Sir Simon Schama is one of the most influential public intellectuals of our time. So when he replied to our invitation to come on the show ahead of the US presidential election by saying he wanted to talk about “the unprecedented collapse of truth”, we immediately said yes. It’s been a disorienting presidential campaign. For many Americans, it’s hard to understand how statements which are so clearly untrue – such as the government controls the weather, and sent hurricanes to Republican-leaning states – are working on voters. On today’s show, Simon tells us why the current state of misinformation is unprecedented in American history, and what he thinks can be done to reverse it.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Simon’s latest piece in the FT on the fight over American patriotism, written in September: https://on.ft.com/48iEHSdRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are pulling on our striped demon ghost suits for a special Halloween episode: a deep-dive on Tim Burton’s 1988 classic, Beetlejuice. It persists in our cultural memory, remade as an animated series, a theme park ride, a musical, and as of last month, a legacy sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. We talk about why it’s endured with such ferocity, how the sequel compares, and whether films like it even exist anymore. We also share our own, and listeners’, top Halloween films. Lilah’s joined by FT horror movie superfan Topher Forhecz and political columnist, film buff and Beetlejuice hater Stephen Bush. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Beetlejuice (1988) is on Netflix in the UK and Max in the US. The sequel is still in theatres– HTSI’s recent cover interview with Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton is here: https://on.ft.com/3C3iWcM –  Here’s film critic Danny Leigh’s 2-star review of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the 2024 sequel: https://on.ft.com/3YcfWCx  – Stephen Bush is on X @stephenkb. You can sign up to receive his newsletter Inside Politics here.Spooky film recommendations: – Stephen recommends The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Topher recommends Blades (1989) and Lilah recommends It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966). –  Our listeners recommended: Hocus Pocus, House (1977 Japanese psychedelic), Rosemary’s Baby, Practical Magic, Giallo films (Italian 70s slashers, like Deep Red), Mermaids, Sleepy Hollow, Halloween 3, Young Frankenstein and more. If you have Instagram, here’s the full list of listener film recommendations: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18073242955580424/ -------Clips this week courtesy of Warner Bros-------Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent years, critics and jaded diners have deemed the multi-course tasting menu dead. It’s gotten repetitive, the argument goes, with chefs serving luxury courses like caviar at the expense of any point of view. But recently, our host Lilah Raptopoulos had a meal that felt extremely alive, at Victoria Blamey’s restaurant Blanca, in Brooklyn. Victoria is from Chile and worked at Michelin-starred restaurants around the globe before becoming Blanca’s executive chef. Today, she tells us what she’s doing differently (“We want to slap someone's face, like hey, wake up!”) and why restaurants should take bigger risks. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – For some background on the current state of fine dining, listen to our interview with restaurant critic and chef Tim Hayward, which we called “Why fine dining isn’t fine”: https://www.ft.com/content/4ad8f359-396c-4867-af42-5a11d770f3ef– Victoria is on Instagram at @victoriablamey-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartThe discount code for Banking Summit is BTM20 for a 20% discount (applicable on all ticket types): https://banking.live.ft.com/home?promo=BTM20 -------Original music by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re talking about the HBO finance drama Industry, which follows the lives of London bankers as they navigate frantic careers and make chaotic life choices. The third season is out, and snidely pokes at greenwashing and how the corporate world pretends to do good. What is this show reflecting about how we feel about money? Does it take any sort of moral stance on banking? And how well does it land with actual banking and political Financial Times journalists? Lilah invites financial journalist Alice Ross and chief features writer Henry Mance to talk through it.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Alice’s review of ‘Industry’ season 3 is here: https://on.ft.com/487NcPE – You can read Henry’s 2022 interview with Mickey Down and Konrad Kay here: https://on.ft.com/4eLO1Ab – Here’s our episode from 2022, where Henry talks about playing himself on the show– Alice’s book on climate change is called Investing to Save The Planet: How Your Money Can Make A Difference– Henry is on X @henrymance and Alice is on X @alicemross-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartThe discount code for Banking Summit is BTM20 for a 20% discount (applicable on all ticket types): https://banking.live.ft.com/home?promo=BTM20 -------Original music by Metaphor Music. Clips this week courtesy of HBO & The BBCRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before she was the editor of our luxury magazine HTSI, Jo Ellison was features editor at British Vogue, which means that throughout her career she’s had a front-row view of the fashion industry’s love of thinness. In recent years, fashion began to embrace more diversity in body shapes and sizes. But with the rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, Jo is seeing the industry fear fat again. She worries that as Ozempic becomes more mainstream, fashion will come full circle, back to placing a premium on rail-thin bodies and judging those who don’t conform. Today, she talks about what this could mean for beauty standards, and how it may trickle down to the rest of us. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):– Jo’s column about the silence around weight loss in fashion is here: https://on.ft.com/3ZWoDDq– Check out our colleague Brooke Masters’ recent column on how GLP-1 drugs are changing gym regimens and food industry planning: https://on.ft.com/4050Cdl– Jo is on Instagram @jellison22-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips this week courtesy of Capitol. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re sexy, confident, intelligent, heaven-sent – and taking on Katy Perry’s disastrous new album, 143. Featuring the lead single ‘Woman’s World’, this album has gone viral for all the wrong reasons: a muddled feminist message, a slew of publicity gaffes and even a government investigation. What makes the album so disappointing? And why do people care so much about a Katy Perry flop? Lilah is joined by two excellent guests who bring expertise in celebrity culture and music: Anne Helen Petersen hosts the Culture Study podcast, and Ludovic Hunter-Tilney is our pop critic of almost 25 years.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Ludo’s one-star review of 143 by Katy Perry is here: https://on.ft.com/4gTRSga. Here’s the “Woman’s World” music video, so you can decide what it means for yourself! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVIJUH29pjU – Anne Helen Petersen hosts the Culture Study podcast. Listen to her conversation with Lilah about cooking in the age of infinite recipes here, or by searching “Culture Study” wherever you listen– Anne is on Instagram @annehelenpetersen. Her newsletter is here: https://annehelen.substack.com/ – Ludo is on X @ludohunter-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips this week courtesy of Capitol. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FT’s innovation editor John Thornhill writes a lot about the dangers of artificial intelligence, but when he recently saw a movie about the musician Brian Eno, created with the help of an algorithm, he liked it. Or, better put, he liked the version he saw: the documentary has 52 quintillion variations. A new take on the film comes together each time it is played. Eno gives us a sense of what AI can do for creativity, finding links and patterns where the human mind does not see any. On today’s show, John tells us about the film, and what makes AI appealing for artists. -------Want to stay in touch? Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. We’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – John’s column about watching Eno is here: https://on.ft.com/3TVG0R2– And here is his recent review of several books that warn AI’s ability to provide us with more information than ever does not mean we will be better informed: https://on.ft.com/3zXTsge– John is on X @johnthornhillft-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we are stopping time to discuss Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola's controversial passion project, which took him 40 years to make. The film was entirely self-financed for $120mn and has an all-star cast, including Adam Driver, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, but it has fiercely divided viewers. Is this Coppola’s worst film, or are critics being too harsh? What is it actually about? And are we glad it was made? Lilah is joined by the FT's film critic Danny Leigh and independent film critic Nicolas Rapold to talk about the film's highs and lows.-------Want to stay in touch? Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. We’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Danny’s review of Megalopolis is here: https://on.ft.com/3YcfpSo – Nicolas Rapold is on X @NicolasRapold. Follow him and his podcast The Last Thing I Saw, here: https://rapold.substack.com/– Raph Abraham’s one-star review of Megalopolis, from the Cannes Film Festival, is here: https://on.ft.com/3ZUAulz – Danny wants to see more three-star reviews. Here are his three-star reviews of The Substance and Will & Harper– Nic is reading Once and Forever: The Tales of Kenji Miyazawa-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: https://www.ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Megan Park’s new film ‘My Old Ass,’ a teenager named Elliott (Maisy Stella) meets her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza) on a mushroom trip. The experience gives young Elliott perspective: her “old ass” tells her to wear her retainer, and be nice to her family before leaving for college. But it’s the older Elliott who gets the bigger lesson, on the stories we tell ourselves about the past. Today, Megan joins Lilah to discuss the concept of the film, and what it was like to work with a crew of mostly Gen Z actors.-------We love hearing from you! Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and email at [email protected]. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we discuss the author Sally Rooney. Her new novel Intermezzo was published this week – causing queues outside bookstores, launch parties everywhere and a flurry of praise from critics. Does Intermezzo live up to the hype? Why has Rooney become the voice of the millennial generation? Lilah is joined by the FT’s deputy books editor Laura Battle and Griselda Murray Brown, the FT Magazine commissioning editor and her former co-host of Culture Call. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Intermezzo by Sally Rooney is out now, published by Faber and Faber.  – The FT’s review of Intermezzo is here: https://on.ft.com/3XGoelV – Griselda’s interview with Sally Rooney from 2018 is here, or you can search: ‘Life and Art bonus: Normal People author Sally Rooney’ wherever you listen. – Gris is on X @griseldamb and Laura is on X @battlelaura-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we bring you a special conversation with Jan Dalley, who has just retired as the FT’s arts editor after almost 20 years. When Jan stepped into her job, terrestrial TV ruled, podcasts didn’t exist and the art world wasn’t quite so luxe. And video games? Newspapers didn’t review video games. She joins Lilah in the studio to reflect on how the arts have changed over these two decades (“beyond recognition!”), divulge what the art world is really like (“gruelling”) and share some excellent advice for exploring culture.-------Stay in touch! Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap talking to listeners about culture, and on email at [email protected]. We love hearing from you.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Jan’s Lunch with 83-year-old artist Michael Craig-Martin is here: https://on.ft.com/4d9rQCF  – A recent profile of artist Tracey Emin: https://on.ft.com/3XPBaa6 – And here’s a column of hers that we love, on the immersive Van Gogh exhibit: https://on.ft.com/4ey7eVt Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Apple TV+ show Slow Horses is a critical darling; it has received rave reviews since it first came out in 2022, and with season four in full swing, some critics are begging you to watch. But does this season deserve the hype? Or has the show’s premise run its course? The series, an anti-James Bond drama starring an unkempt Gary Oldman as the head of MI5’s flunky spy department, is based on the Mick Herron spy novel series, Slough House. Lilah is joined by a diehard fan of the novels, FT columnist and executive editor Robert Shrimsley, and the FT’s chief features writer Henry Mance.-------Want to stay in touch? Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, and email at [email protected]. And we’re grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Dan Einav’s review of this season of Slow Horses: https://on.ft.com/4dhrPfM– Henry interviewed one of the show’s stars, Kristin Scott Thomas, for our Lunch with the FT series: https://on.ft.com/4dbTCyj.– Robert is on X @robertshrimsley. Henry is @henrymance, though he’d like you to quit the platform and meet him on BlueSky at @henrymance.bsky.social– Here’s Henry’s round-up of great Lunches: https://on.ft.com/3TAEzXP -------Special FT subscription offers for podcast listeners are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Asma Khan breaks a lot of fine dining’s unspoken rules. She is the chef and owner of London’s beloved Darjeeling Express, an Indian restaurant whose entire kitchen is staffed by women. Her kitchen has no hierarchy, and her chefs were trained as home cooks. Asma’s advocacy for women has won her a spot on Time magazine’s 100 most influential people list, and her kitchen has been widely profiled and acclaimed. Yet she remains extremely candid about her industry’s problems, speaking out about bullying, sexism and racism in the world’s top kitchens. Today, we bring you Lilah’s conversation with Asma, which was recorded live onstage during the recent FT Weekend Festival in London.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Check out Asma’s ode to the dried red chilli in the FT here: https://on.ft.com/3XtemvF– Asma Khan is on X @Asma_KhanLDN and Instagram at @asmakhanlondon– You can learn more about her in Season 6 of Netflix’s Chef’s Table-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 15 years of feuding, the most famous rock band of 1990s Britain recently announced that it will be reuniting for a stadium tour. Fans went wild, and the first day of ticket sales nearly broke Ticketmaster. Why do we still care about Oasis? Do the Gallagher brothers deserve the fanfare? And what can we expect from the reunion? Lilah's joined by the FT's music critic Ludo Hunter-Tilney and London banking editor (and Oasis superfan) Ortenca Aliaj to discuss.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Supersonic, directed by Asif Kapadia, is available to rent on Amazon Prime now.– Ludo’s scathing review of the last time Oasis performed, in 2008, is here: https://on.ft.com/47mEhtt– We loved Jo Ellison’s column on the meaning of the reunion and why Oasis has a unique hold on “the people”: https://on.ft.com/3TpNueF  – More or Less: Ludo wants to see fewer e-bikes. For those who feel similarly, here’s a piece on the latest e-bikes controversy by our colleague Josh Gabert-Doyon. Lilah recommends Shrinking on Apple Plus– Ludo Hunter-Tilney is on X @ludohunter. Ortenca Aliaj is @OrtencaAl-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips courtesy of Creation Records and Red Carpet News TVRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s an Arabic pop music wave that’s about to hit your world. Or maybe it already has! Last year, the Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna became the first artist to do an Arabic-language set at the Coachella music festival, and she’s a sign of the times. Other artists such as Wegz, Marwan Pablo, Saint Levant and Nancy Ajram are also putting out Arabic-language albums intended for global audiences, and touring in Europe and North America while doing so. FT contributor Tom Faber recently saw Elyanna with Coldplay on stage, and he thinks the Arabic pop sound is finally breaking through. He tells Lilah why the phenomenon may be happening now and who we should be listening to.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are ever grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Tom has graciously compiled a playlist for us to go with this episode. You can listen to it on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4oijOIGmUa7tRWgqqdovjb?si=2c4c587f1b854020– Tom’s written piece on Arabic pop is here: https://on.ft.com/47jnR4R. You can also check out his latest column on video games here: https://on.ft.com/3ZeLKsD– Tom is on X @_TomFaber-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips in this episode are from: Universal Arabic Music, Takwene, Felukah.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Put on your laurel wreath. Today we’re joining the gods and taking on Kaos, Netflix's new black comedy series that reimagines the Greek myths. The show follows Zeus (played by Jeff Goldblum) as he struggles to rule over Earth and The Underworld from a gaudy mansion on Mount Olympus. You’ll recognize a lot: the Minotaur and Orpheus myths, the fates, the furies, Medusa in middle management and cameos from the likes of Eddie Izzard and Billie Piper. Why are the Greek myths so endlessly popular? What do we want out of our adaptations? And did this one live up? Lilah is joined by the FT's Josh Spero and Claire Bushey, who enthusiastically disagree with her, to discuss.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are ever grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!Register now for the FT Weekend Festival, and claim £24 off your pass using promo code FTPodcast at: ft.com/festival-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Kaos is streaming on Netflix now! – The FT’s review of Kaos, by Dan Einav, is here– Josh wants more by the composer Joseph Anton Bruckner. You can read his review of the Berliner Philharmoniker orchestra performing Bruckner here– Josh Spero is on X @joshspero. Claire Bushey is at @Claire_Bushey -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clip courtesy of Netflix.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re bringing you one of our favourite past episodes. Last year, the FT’s fashion editor Lauren Indvik made a pledge that surprised us. She vowed to buy just five new items of clothing and shoes all year long. The number comes from a study that says in order to stick to the Paris Agreement’s goals, five new items of fashion a year is the optimal goal for those who live in the world’s richest countries. Lauren tells Lilah how the experiment went and whether she stuck to five things. She also shares her tips for buying fewer new clothes. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. You can email the show at [email protected] now for the FT Weekend Festival, and claim £24 off your pass using promo code FTPodcast at: ft.com/festival-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Lauren’s article about the ‘five things pledge’ and how it went: https://on.ft.com/4aO1WV3– Lauren recommends using TheRealReal for second-hand luxury clothes in the US; in the UK she shops the Vestiaire Collective– The report from the Hot or Cool Institute that inspired Lauren: https://hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/– Lauren also mentions the Ellen Macarthur Foundation: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/– Lauren is taking a break from her Fashion Matters newsletter while she is on parental leave, but you can start receiving it when she’s back if you sign up now: https://on.ft.com/48QdvJv-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Lilah’s back and we’re talking about Emily in Paris! The extraordinarily popular Netflix sitcom, which millions of people across the globe love to hate-watch, just dropped half of its fourth season. It’s about an American 20-something who moves to Paris to live out our Francophile fantasies. And while it's been ridiculed since it first came out in 2020, we're all still watching! Why? And what do we want out of comfort television? Lilah is joined by Adrienne Klasa, the FT’s Paris reporter on luxury and media, and Cordelia Jenkins, FT Weekend Magazine’s deputy editor.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!Register now for the FT Weekend Festival, and claim £24 off your pass using promo code FTPodcast at: ft.com/festival-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Episodes one to five of Emily in Paris Season 4 are on Netflix now. The next half of the season will air on September 12– We love this article by Jo Ellison – ‘Emily in Paris is as cheesy as brie’ – from 2020– Cordelia Jenkins is on X @CordeliaJ. Adrienne Klasa is @AdrienneKlasa– Lilah recommends American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. For more on the value of reading old books, here’s a recent column by Janan Ganesh-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Jean-Marc Ek and Sam Giovinco. Clip courtesy of NetflixRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new true crime series on Sky is getting rave reviews — and that’s big news in a genre riddled with criticism. It’s called The Body Next Door, and today we’re talking with its director, Gareth Johnson. After learning about an unidentified body found in a village in Wales, Gareth followed the story to reveal a decades-long family drama that spanned from the UK to New Zealand. Guest host Jo Ellison, editor of FT’s HTSI Magazine, discusses with Gareth how he approached the story and what he did to centre the victims’ stories.-------Register now for the FT Weekend Festival, and claim £24 off your pass using promo code FTPodcast at: ft.com/festival—--We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The Body Next Door is out on Sky now– Jo is on Instagram @jellison22-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we discuss Alien: Romulus, the latest instalment of the space-epic franchise. The film stars Cailee Spaeny, who, along with a group of friends climbs aboard an abandoned spacecraft only to find some very familiar murderous aliens. Is this new entry an evolution of the series or does it simply play the hits? And what do we want out of sci-fi franchise films? Guest host Topher Forhecz is joined by FT Weekend senior editor Horatia Harrod and political columnist Stephen Bush. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Our review of Alien: Romulus by Danny Leigh is here: https://on.ft.com/46VyElE – Stephen recommends the album Bad with Names by corto.alto – Topher recommends Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Here’s an interview with the director from 2018. – Horatia is on X @horatiaharrod, and Stephen is @stephenkb-------Register now for the FT Weekend Festival, and claim £24 off your pass using promo code FTPodcast at: ft.com/festivalOriginal music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derek Guy has become ubiquitous on X as ‘the menswear guy’. With more than a million followers, he is the go-to advice giver for men trying to find their style or figure out what to wear to a wedding. Derek also writes a blog called Die, Workwear! And today, he joins FT men’s style columnist Rob Armstrong to talk fashion history and fashion tips.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Rob’s most recent style column is here: https://on.ft.com/4dGlyLX– Rob also hosts our Unhedged podcast and writes the Unhedged newsletter: https://on.ft.com/3WWgUCm– Derek is on X as @dieworkwear, which is also the name of his blog. Rob is on X @rbrtrmstrng-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we discuss the TV show 'Love is Blind: UK'. It’s one of Netflix’s most popular reality series. The show follows singles as they flirt through a wall and fall in love without seeing each other first. They are only allowed to meet face-to-face once they are engaged. What does the show's popularity say about modern dating, and where reality TV is today? Why do we indulge in 'guilty pleasures'? Guest host Lulu Smyth is joined by HTSI deputy editor Louis Wise and the FT magazine’s food and drink editor Harriet Fitch Little to find out.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Harriet’s guest host podcast about how to make the perfect martini is here.– Harriet’s recommendation is set dinners, and she recommends Quality Wines in Farringdon. – Lulu recommends a random literary pilgrimage. For John Milton fangirls, keep an eye out for Orlando Reade’s book 'What in Me is Dark: The Revolutionary Life of Paradise Lost', out in November 2024.– Harriet Fitch-Little is on Instagram @huffffle and on X @HarrietFL. – Louis Wise is on Instagram @louisquinze and on X @louismwise.-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a kid, FT associate editor Stephen Bush loved seeing ghoulish things: mummies, shrunken heads, supposedly magical severed hands. He credits these items with teaching him curiosity and a love for museums. So when he hears the argument that human remains do not belong on display, his answer is, unequivocally: if they weren’t stolen, they should stay. On today’s episode, Stephen defends his position to guest host Marc Filippino as they dig into questions of consent, ownership, and cultural context.   -------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Stephen’s column about this is here: https://on.ft.com/4dtnTt0– Stephen is on X @stephenkb-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you like our food episodes, you may also like the Dinner SOS podcast from Bon Appétit.  Host Chris Morocco is joined by senior test kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic, and the two share their hot takes on cooking in the heat (AC required, obviously) – plus what produce is overrated and what's under-celebrated. They also answer listener questions about using CSA produce, grilling, jaggery and non-dairy options for tender, juicy chicken marinades. You can find Dinner Sos wherever you get your podcasts. -------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is it about the martini that makes it so intimidating? Even the FT’s food and drink editor Harriet Fitch Little isn’t sure if she’s allowed to order one that has both an olive and a lemon twist. On today’s episode, Harriet speaks with FT contributor Alice Lascelles, whose new book Martini: The Ultimate Guide to a Cocktail Icon is coming out this autumn. What’s better: gin or vodka, shaken or stirred? And how can you make a speakeasy-quality martini at home?-------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): -- Alice’s article on the rise of the 25-pound martini is here: https://on.ft.com/3YwJblm-- Harriet is on X @HarrietFL. Alice is on Instagram @alicelascelles. -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re catching Olympics fever. Paris bureau chief Leila Abboud and US sports business correspondent Sara Germano join us from the Games to talk about atmosphere, politics and sports. Was the opening ceremony truly that controversial? Will the Paris Games change the way the Olympics are produced? What should we watch and whom should we root for? -------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): -Sara’s article about the potential of track and field outside the Paris Olympics: https://on.ft.com/4fqyF55-Leila and Sara cover the French swimming star Léon Marchand here: https://on.ft.com/3WwLXEf-Josh Noble’s feature on breaking, which Sara mentions: https://on.ft.com/3yd9ked– Leila is on X @labboudles. Sara is @germanotes. -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Shahnaz Habib has lived all over the world from Kerala, India to New York City, and being at home and a visitor in so many places made her wonder: what’s the difference between a traveller and a tourist? And where did we get our ideas about the right way to travel, anyway? In her new book, Airplane Mode she asks these questions and delves into the history of travel writing, ultimately looking for a way to jumpstart our imaginations to go beyond rigid itineraries dictated by outdated guidebooks. -------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Airplane Mode: an Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib is available now in the US and comes out on August 7 in the UK– Our columnist Nilanjana Roy wrote about Airplane Mode here: https://on.ft.com/4d0SsGK-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Romance is fiction’s top-selling genre. And ‘romantasy’, where romance meets fantasy, has become a literary phenomenon. That’s thanks to the novel we’re discussing today, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and its writer, Sarah J Maas. Also known as ACOTAR, this is the first novel in Maas’ five-book series. It tells the story of a human girl who is taken captive in a faerie kingdom, and falls in love with one of its aristocratic lords. Maas’s books have sold more than 38mn copies worldwide — spawning memes, tattoos and immersive fan clubs. What is its appeal, and why has ‘romantasy’ exploded in recent years? -------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Madison Darbyshire’s piece, ‘Hot stuff: why readers fall in love with romance novels’ is here: https://on.ft.com/3YiLEQ1 – A profile of Sara J Maas, by Anna Nicolaou: https://on.ft.com/4deUD9h – For more summer reads, check out Laura Battle’s selection of the best summer fiction books here. – Laura is on X @battlelaura. Madison is @MADarbyshire. -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to writing, Anne Lamott’s philosophy is to take things one step at a time, keep moving, and give yourself permission to be who you are. She expressed it most famously 30 years ago in her seminal book on writing and life, Bird by Bird. But it also appears across her many non-fiction books, from parenting, to faith. Anne recently came out with her 20th book, about love, titled Somehow. She tells Lilah how she applies this philosophy to creativity, love, grief, ageing and more.-------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Sunny’, a new robot-comedy series, came out on Apple TV+ last week. It stars Rashida Jones as an American expat in Japan, who enlists the help of a cute robot to find out what happened to her late husband. What questions does the show raise about our relationship with tech? And what do we want to see in shows that ponder AI? Lilah's joined by FT columnist and crypto sceptic Jemima Kelly and FT money editor Nathan Brooker to figure it out. -------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The FT”s review of Sunny by Dan Einav: https://on.ft.com/4d3914j – Madhu Murgia’s piece Lilah referenced on how different cultures, including Japan, have depicted AI: https://on.ft.com/4d1nOgt– Nathan Brooker is on X @ncbrooker. Jemima is @jemimajoanna-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips this week courtesy of A24. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You have probably noticed by their clothes: this summer, men just want to have fun. Crop tops, short shorts and even kilts and skirts are in. Long sleeves, and long inseams, are out. Today, two of the FT’s men’s fashion experts, Robert Armstrong and Eric Platt, join us to discuss how and why this happened, and what the rise of skimpy menswear tells us about masculinity today. -------Will you take our survey, for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and email at [email protected] (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Rob’s latest style column is here: https://on.ft.com/3xWm8pa– Rob is on X @rbrtrmstrng. Eric is on X @EricGPlatt– Here’s the GQ piece we mentioned, called “Why is everyone on steroids now?” https://www.gq.com/story/why-is-everyone-on-steroids-now -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re talking about the “femininomenon” that is pop girl summer. This season's music scene has been dominated by unfiltered female sensations, including Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter. How did these artists become so popular? How does this scene compare with that of the pop girls of the early 2000s? And what is a ‘brat’ summer? Lilah is joined by music writer Arwa Haider and US media correspondent Anna Nicolaou to chat through it.-------Want to take our survey for a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones? Here’s the link, and here are the terms and conditions.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and email at [email protected] (all FT links get you past the paywall): – You can listen to our curation of pop girl summer hits in this Spotify playlist, or by searching “Pop Girl Summer 2024: Life and Art”. You can thank our producer Lulu Smyth– The FT’s 4 star review of Brat is here: https://on.ft.com/4cvSTIQ – Arwa Haider is on X @ArwaHaider. Anna Nicolaou is @annaknicolaou – Lilah recommends Miranda July’s novel All Fours-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re bringing you an episode from our archives: Molly Roden Winter was a frustrated mom of two in Brooklyn when she and her husband decided that they should open up their marriage. What followed was a 10-year journey of self-exploration that took her not only into some seedy hotel rooms but also to therapy, back to work, and into other activities that added up to a more fulfilling life. Today Molly is on the show to talk about her memoir More in which she details her journey. She also tells Lilah what polyamory could teach monogamous couples.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify, etc.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): –  Molly’s book More is out now – The FT’s review of More, by Rana Foroohar, is here: https://on.ft.com/3UmsdUF– Molly is on X @mollyrwinter-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season three of FX’s “The Bear” is here, and today we discuss it with our top food writers! The Financial Times’s food and drink editor Harriet Fitch Little and restaurant critic Tim Hayward, who also owns a cafe in Cambridge, join Lilah to share their takes. How well does the show reflect the restaurant world? What itch is it scratching? And how does this season hold up?  -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The FT’S 5 star review of “The Bear” season 3 is here: https://on.ft.com/4eQixtq – A recent column by Tim Hayward: ‘Why the best seat in any restaurant is out by the back of the bins’. He is the author of Steak: The Whole Story, available now in all good bookshops– Our episode on ‘The Taste of Things’ featuring Tim and Harriet is here. Tim has also spoken with us about gluttony, and Harriet about throwing dinner parties. You can search wherever you listen– Tim is on X @timhayward. Harriet is @HarrietFL-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should you read on the beach this summer? What about if you’re stuck indoors, or if you need a break from kids? Each June, our literary editor Fred Studemann and deputy books editor Laura Battle put together the FT’s summer books special, and today they give us their recommendations, each with a different summer activity in mind. Their overall top picks are James by Percival Everett and Knife by Salman Rushdie.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – A few categories Fred and Laura drew on from the best books special: Best fiction: https://on.ft.com/3VH3WrnBest literary non-fiction: https://on.ft.com/3VI1kt9Best audio book: https://on.ft.com/3VM1W0U– Here are the other recommendations mentioned: More by Molly Roden Winter, Long Island by Colm Tóibín, Come and Get It by Kiley Reid, Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst, Beirut Station by Paul Vidich, You Are Here by David Nicholls, Memoir of My Former Self by Hilary Mantel, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen, and Glowrushes by Roberto Piumini. Fred and Laura also recommend This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud on audiobook, narrated by Cassandra Campbell.-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk about the very disturbing new film ‘Kinds of Kindness’. It is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, known for surreal movies such as ‘Poor Things’, ‘The Favourite’, and ‘The Lobster’. This film marks a return to dark, inaccessible weirdness for the Greek New Wave director. Is it grotesque in a bad or a good way? And do we like the ‘Lanthimos vibe’? Lilah is joined by film critic Nicolas Rapold and the FT’s Topher Forhecz to discuss. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Here’s the FT’s review of Kinds of Kindness, by Raphael Abraham: https://on.ft.com/3xBo4De – An interview with Yorgos Lanthimos (2015), about ‘The Lobster’: https://on.ft.com/3VG7J8g – Nicolas Rapold is on X @NicolasRapold. Follow him and his podcast ‘The Last Thing I Saw’, here: https://rapold.substack.com/ – Our episode ‘Is Poor Things A Feminist Film?’ is available here or wherever you listen. -------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a big year for voting! There are national elections in 64 countries, affecting more than half the world. And many of us are anxious about an uncertain future. FT Weekend columnist Nilanjana Roy had a good idea in the midst of her own election fever: to find perspective, she turned to literature. Today, Nila shares what she came away with, and recommends books that can help reframe how we think about elections, no matter where we live. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Nilanjana’s column on literature and elections: https://on.ft.com/3z9whiy– The books that she recommends in this episode:• Raag Darbari by Shrilal Sukla• A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth• Modi’s India by Christophe Jaffrelot• Quarterlife by Devika Rege• Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor• The Age of the Strongman by our own Gideon Rachman• Another England by Caroline Lucas• Infomocracy by Malka Older– Nilanjana is on Instagram @nilanjanasroy and on X @nilanjanaroy-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roger Federer is one of the world’s greatest tennis players – but is he dramatic enough for a full film? Today we discuss the new Federer documentary, just released on Amazon Prime. It’s called Federer: Twelve Final Days, and follows the tennis star in the run-up to his retirement. Does the film fully reflect his legacy well? Is Federer boring? And how do we feel about the next batch of tennis stars? Chief features writer Henry Mance and deputy arts editor Raphael Abraham join Lilah to discuss. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Raph’s interview with 22-year-old Italian Grand Slam winner Jannik Sinner: https://on.ft.com/4etUAro – Henry’s interview with tennis star Boris Becker on his money, marriages and what he learned in prison: https://on.ft.com/3VPUMKy – Henry is on X @henrymance. More or less: – Raph recommends the Julio Torres film Problemista. You can check out his stand-up comedy here– Henry recommends Creation Lake, the upcoming novel by Rachel Kushner publishing in September-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine a world in which the typical life arc isn’t one of studying for 20 years, working for 40 years, then sitting retired and lonely for 35. As people live longer than ever, our chief economics columnist Martin Wolf worries that this approach to old age is unsustainable and unaffordable. He thinks we can and should do better. Martin is one of the world’s most respected writers on economics and politics, and at 77, he’s a prime example of staying active later in life. Today, he joins Lilah to discuss what we can do to age better, individually and as societies.-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Martin’s column, ‘Increased longevity will bring profound social change’: https://on.ft.com/4aX6FTg – His column on falling fertility rates, ‘From the baby boom to the baby bust’: https://on.ft.com/4ejtxip – Our earlier episode, ‘Martin Wolf on how to change one’s mind’.– Martin’s podcast series ‘Democracy in Peril’ is available now via the FT News Briefing feed. Click here for the latest episode, or search ‘Martin Wolf series’ wherever you listen– Lilah and Martin refer to Andrew Scott’s book The Longevity Imperative-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shakespeare turns 460 this year, and this week we’re talking about why he’s still as important as ever. FT Weekend Magazine editor Matt Vella and deputy editor Cordelia Jenkins join Lilah to share what they learned while putting together their recent special, which features Shakespeare mysteries, lore, and some of the UK’s best known theatre actors. We also talk about the experience of watching his plays live. It’s summer, after all, and the outdoor Shakespeare festivals are on, and as the Magazine’s tagline suggests: Shakespeare Lives!-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and email at [email protected]. -------Shakespeare links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Cordelia’s interview with the four actors who played King Lear is here. – Explore 28 great Shakespeare mysteries here: https://on.ft.com/4ccEz7p – Unravelling the secret history of the red book of Hamlet: https://on.ft.com/3x5ZFFP– Who was Shakespeare? What do we really know about his life? https://on.ft.com/4cgvfzm– Here’s Cordelia’s column on Love Island being like the Elizabethan court: https://on.ft.com/3x6CkDT– Lilah recommends the new Bat for Lashes album, The Dream of Delphi. Here’s Arwa’s profile of her: https://on.ft.com/4ely8Rc– Cordelia Jenkins is on X @CordeliaJ. Matt Vella is @mattvella-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is it like to build an Oscar-winning film set on one of the most meticulously-designed action movies of all time? Jacinta Leong did just that on Mad Max: Fury Road, and she’s back again as an art director on Furiosa, which is out now in theatres. Director George Miller’s prequel to Fury Road, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, is set in the same desert wasteland as the previous Mad Max movies. It also repurposes many of the same machines in Fury Road. Jacinta brings us behind the scenes, and tells us how the creative team built them. -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. We’re on X @lifeandartpod and on email at [email protected]. We are grateful for reviews on Apple and Spotify. And please share this episode with your friends!-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The FT’s review of Furiosa is here: https://on.ft.com/4bRJue4-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandartRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.