The Brunch round-up: The week and how it made us feel

Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista has a fresh take on staying single. She isn’t interested in dating or sleeping with anyone anymore, she says, because “I don’t want to hear somebody breathing”. Well, of all the reasons, that one has our hearts. From where we stand, the “I don’t want to hear…” could be a series. …chewing, sighing, complaining about work. Love is love, but oh the joys of a table, bathtub or mattress for one.

Westlife didn’t just race through their India tour, racking up the miles. They brought the 1990s gently back to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and had a blast doing it. They seemed to revel in the corny steps we remember so well, lit up the stage with frames from the music videos we once loved, stayed back to joke with fans, and invited some on stage for a little hug. We want it that way. Here’s to nostalgia done right.

It’s been 15 years since the first Twilight movie, with its moping lovers, twinkling vampires, and palette of grey and snow. And now there’s talk of a reboot? No! Director Catherine Hardwicke would do well to move on (as Bella ought to have done). If Hardwicke must return to the sun-deprived town of Forks, she admittedly couldn’t do better than the two new leads she has in mind: Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi. Maybe a bit of Wednesday Addams, some Kissing Booth and Euphoria, are what the whole franchise needs.

You’ll soon be able to go to Tiffany, pick a blue box, swipe a card… and leave with a Pokémon. The jewellery brand has partnered with Arsham Studio to launch nine new designs for pendants and necklaces, built around six of the mythical creatures: Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, Cubone and Mew. Who is the target? What’s the occasion? We say shoot them down now.

Spotify is streaming in the wrong direction. The music platform has revamped its royalty rules and artists must now hit 1,000 streams before they can get any royalties. Every 12 months, the counter resets. Meanwhile, the app pays about $3 (about ₹250) per 1,000 streams, and interrupts listeners with ads every three tracks. Turn it up, up, all the way up, Spotify.