Rock band Kiss debuts their new documentary

Going back to live performances is very much on the mind of musicians these days, after months of introspective confinements and home recordings due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Ben Shemie from Suuns tells us more about his band's new album "The Witness", whose instinctive new sound will soon be taken to the stage, first in their native Canada and then on tour in Europe.

NASA's Perseverance rover succeeded on its second try to scoop up rocks on Mars. While the first effort failed, this second attempt has excited Earth-based scientists.

Tucked away in an indoor market in Manchester, northwest England, lies the last shop in Britain dedicated to selling cassettes. Mars Tapes, founded in 2019 by a group of music lovers, is tapping into a nostalgic trend in cultural consumption accentuated by the coronavirus pandemic.

British electronic duo Jungle appeared out of nowhere in late 2013 as a mystery group, but their slick funk-pop singles quickly propelled them to fame. Their 2014 self-titled debut album was certified Gold in the UK and their follow up album "For Ever" confirmed their success around the world. This summer, they released their third studio album "Loving in Stereo", a collection of wall-to-wall bangers bursting with life. Josh Lloyd-Watson sat down with FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot to talk about what inspired this 13-track bundle of love.

A pop-up store dedicated to Queen gets ready to open in London to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary British rock band, which continues to perform despite the death of iconic singer Freddie Mercury in 1991. Called "Queen The Greatest", the store takes visitors back to the beginnings of the band formed in 1971 and whose hits are known the world over.

We start by looking at how the German papers are covering the upcoming coalition talks. We then focus on disgraced US singer R. Kelly’s conviction for sex trafficking. Variety wonders if his music should be banned from streaming sites. We also see how the fight for the right to an abortion continues in France. Finally, we take a look at the non-fairy tale coverage of Japan's upcoming royal wedding.

Quebec-based singer-songwriter Hubert Lenoir shot onto the scene with his debut solo album "Darlène", a glam rock psychedelic postmodern opera that was shortlisted for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize. He’s back with a very personal sophomore album entitled "PICTURA DE IPSE : Musique directe". This musical autobiography is a tribute to the "cinéma direct" movement, which started in Québec at the end of the 1950s.

Heavy fighting claimed at least six lives and left dozens wounded in Lebanon's capital as an escalation of tensions around last year's massive portside explosion turned parts of Beirut into a war-zone. The army deployed tanks and troops to quell street battles that sparked memories of the 1975-1990 civil war for a city already traumatised by last year's blast disaster and Lebanon's worst-ever economic crisis.

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has started hosting its five-day dance music festival after the Dutch government lifted restrictions on the entertainment sector, as well as clubs and bars. The event has been scaled down compared to previous years, while measures are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including on-site testing.

Hailing from the Netherlands, artist Tessa Douwstra performs under the name Luwten, which means "a place without wind" in Dutch. Her music channels traditional indie songwriting through a kaleidoscope of modern pop and experimental R&B. She recently released her second LP entitled "Draft", which features 11 complex and well-crafted tracks. She tells FRANCE 24’s Florence Villeminot about wanting to writing about the transition from introspection to a more outward-focused life.

We take a look at the tributes and the criticism of Colin Powell following his passing on Monday. We also look into why the coronavirus may be surging in Russia. Finally, the press is discussing the upsides and downsides of artifacts: namely a rock that’s managed, as Le Monde puts it, to “piss” off a French town.

This week, we chat to Australian jazz singer, pianist and composer Sarah McKenzie, who is currently touring France with a mini residency at the prestigious Duc des Lombards jazz club. She tells us more about the creative way in which she connected with musicians from around the world at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. We also meet young Parisian artist Yoa, whose bedroom pop-filled debut EP "Attente" has just been released.