what was that party 4 u?
the buzz #4 - on (young) nostalgia, (the need for) rules, and (fighting for) freedoms
hello beautiful humans, what a beautiful week it has been! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, my flowers are rooting, and I am loving it. Welcome back to buzzing, your Sunday newsletter that covers the tries and tribulations in new music, celebrity gossip, media moments and more. Time to unpack it all →
Inspiration for 04/14/25 - 04/20/25:
The Buzz #4:
What Was That party 4 u?
Lorde is officially back. After teasing a snippet of What Was That on Tik Tok (34.5 million views and counting), she finally dropped the full track on April 25, and people are ready. It feels like Melodrama’s older sister: a little wiser, a little more bruised, but still dancing though the heartbreak, regret, and confusion.
In a parallel but totally different timeline, Charli XCX’s 2020 track party 4 u is having a major moment. Four years after its release, it’s breaking into the Spotify Top 100, thanks to a Tik Tok trend where fans dissect the emotional chaos of its bridge using movie scenes (if you’ve seen this edit, you’ve cried too). Charli, ever in tune with her fans, responded by breaking down the song’s meaning on Tik Tok. party 4 u is an aching love letter to someone she threw a party for, who never came. It’s romantic, a little delusional, and completely devastating. Think The Great Gatsby with a house beat.
What’s striking is how both artists are blurring the line between fan and star. Lorde threw an impromptu show in Washington Square Park (where she filmed the initial teaser video), dancing on a bench with fans before the cops shut it down. Lorde’s collaborator then wheeled a speaker through the streets playing the song, and that spontaneous chaos became the official music video. Brilliant. Meanwhile, Charli embraced the Tik Tok theories by reposting fan edits. Both artists aren’t afraid to be seen on the same level as their fans and that’s what makes these songs feel so special. They’re sharing the moment with them, turning it from a spectacle to a shared experience.
At their core, both songs ache with an early-20s nostalgia: that slippery feeling of being in love with a memory, or maybe just the idea of someone. What Was That unpacks whether those sweet moments were love or delusion, while party 4 u chases a moment that might never happen. Both songs feel like pages in the artist’s diary, sharing feelings that are raw and real.
The best part? These women support each other, with Charli shouting ‘Lorde Summer 2025’ during both her Coachella sets. Pop music needs them.
Call Me When… a New Jelena Edit Drops
After one too many Tik Tok edits pairing old Jelena clips to Selena’s new music (which she’s said aren’t about him… allegedly), I’ve had enough. Why the hell are we still talking about Selena and Justin?! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve devoured the gossip too, but it’s been nearly a decade since they broke up… I think it’s time to move on.
Sure, they were young, famous, and wildly adored. For a while, they were celebrity royalty - on-again, off-again lovers growing up under the harshest spotlight. But fast forward to now: Justin is married to Hailey (despite the messy timeline) with a new baby boy, and Selena is happily engaged to Benny Blanco. So, why are we still editing their old moments like it’s 2013? I don’t have answers, but I do have questions and I must say, they say a lot about us.
Are we obsessed with ‘high school sweethearts’? Was Jelena one of the first recipients of ‘the edit’, thanks to the rise of social media during their relationship? Do we gravitate toward celebrity love triangles (real or not) because they give us something to obsess over? Why do we treat celebrity relationships like public property? Is this tied to our feelings that we own the stories of young stars who grow up in front of us? Why is Hailey always cast as the villain? Is she the villain? And most of all… do we want Justin and Selena back together? Why?
Again, no answers here. But maybe next time we scroll past another Jelena edit, it’s worth asking what our obsession really says about them, and us.
Why is Coachella…Casual?!
Okay, I promise this is my last Coachella rant… maybe. But after reflecting on the aesthetic of this year (or lack thereof) and surfing Tik Tok, I think I finally figured it out: celebrities just don’t “dress up” for Coachella anymore.
The outfit disparity was wild this year. Kylie Jenner & Emma Chamberlain kept it simple in white shirts and black pants, while James Charles & Madeline White were fully glammed out in uncomfortable shoes and heavy makeup. It felt like two different worlds.
Back in 2015, Coachella was the ultimate playground for celebrities (shout out Vanessa Hudgens, the Coachella queen). Every star was boho-chic, rocking flower crowns, crochet tops, round sunglasses, and body jewelry. This was the birth of the iconic festival look we know and love today.
Now with social media turning everyone into a “celebrity”, it feels like the actual celebrities are distancing themselves from influencers. It’s almost like they want to signal that they’re “too cool” to go all out, and for Coachella, they seem to be saying this is just another weekend for me, no need for costumes. It’s all part of the cycle of what’s considered cool, but honestly, it’s getting so boring.
I’m not saying we should all suffer in uncomfortable outfits for the sake of fashion, but why not lean into the fun of a festival look? After all, festivals are supposed to be about expression and letting loose, not just blending in.
Oscar Voters Just Got Assigned Homework
I love award shows. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been obsessed with the fashion, the speeches, and the chaos. Give me a surprise winner or an awkward teleprompter moment, and I’m living. But now, as a fully disillusioned adult (and proud pop culture obsessive), I’ve started to realize just how rigged the whole thing can feel.
So when the Academy announced a new rule for the 2026 Oscars - voters must watch all nominated films in a category before casting their final vote - I had one reaction: wait… they didn’t already have to?!
Until now, it was merely encouraged for Academy members to watch the nominees, not required. That’s like a teacher saying it’s encouraged to study for an exam; sure, it’s technically optional, but wildly irresponsible if you’re aiming for success.
This might explain a lot: token nominations, head-scratching sweeps, and wins that seem more about popularity than performance. If you’re voting on ‘Best Anything’, shouldn’t you actually know what you’re voting on? Maybe this new rule will help steer the Oscars back toward credibility, and remind voters this isn’t a popularity contest in your high school yearbook.
If we get another undeserved win in 2026, I’m starting a petition: let me vote!
Houston, We Have a Katy Problem
Oh Katy. This isn’t the Teenage Dream! Last Friday Night, Katy Perry kicked off her Lifetimes Tour in Mexico City, and let’s just say, it was less a ‘tour of a lifetime’ and more a ‘choose-your-own-disaster’. From the get-go, it was a chaotic blend of half-baked ideas and full-volume confusion.
There was a battle with a giant air duct (yes, really), awkward light-saber choreographer, a mic that was barely audible and depended on a backing track, and visuals that looked like AI. It felt more like an attempt at a comeback, rather than a true revival.
Fans and witnesses online are pointing to Katy’s deeper issue: the lack of authenticity. One comment summed it up best by noting, “you can hear it in the music, see it in her expression… this is forced and not from her heart.” Another brutally observed that Katy’s just “reheating everyone’s nachos” and after seeing this edit, harsh but accurate..?!
The one redeeming moment was her ‘choose your own adventure’ segment where the audience could vote for an acoustic throwback via a QR code, showing that there’s still the playful Katy we know and love. But overall, this launch felt like a pop star dying to be the ‘it girl’ again, and it didn’t land.
As one cut throat comment said online, “Maybe Katy should’ve spent more time rehearsing… and less time in space.”
Fashion that Protects the Dolls
Ending on a high note, one t-shirt is making serious waves in Hollywood, and for all the right reasons.
First debuted by designer Connor Ives in February, the now-iconic white tee reads ‘Protect the Dolls’ in bold block letters. Since then, it’s become a viral fashion statement, worn by celebrities like Pedro Pascal, Addison Rae, and Troye Sivan (at Coachella!).
But this isn’t just another trendy $99 tee. It’s also a powerful show of solidarity with transgender women and a fundraising effort for Trans Lifeline - a trans-led nonprofit offering both emotional and financial support to the trans community through its hotline.
So far, this shirt has helped raise over $70,000 and counting. It’s fashion with purpose, and a poignant way to advocate, support and raise funds for a community that deserves every ounce of it. Say it louder: Protect! The! Dolls!
3 things that made me happy this week:
fruit smoothies
gardening with pink & purple & yellow flowers
Scheiße by Lady Gaga - seriously, give it a listen
stay sunny, chlo ☼
Lorde coming back in full glory was not in my bingo cards for 2025 but I am PUMPED ✨
This was so fun to read! Needless to say i am SAT for next weeks <3