Every issue of BUST’s print magazine, managing editor Emily Rems shares her 10 pop culture picks for the months ahead. Take a look at the 10 TV series, albums movies, and more we’re most looking forward to in December 2017 and January 2018.
1. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Premiering on Amazon Prime Video November 29, this series, written and directed by Gilmore Girls’ Amy Sherman-Palladino, is generating major buzz. The show stars Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam “Midgey” Maisel, a woman living in 1958 New York City whose whole life changes when she decides to try stand-up comedy.
2. Soul of a Woman
When soul-singer extraordinaire Sharon Jones passed away from cancer a year ago, the world lost a powerful, unique, and uplifting voice. But with her final album, Soul of a Woman—recorded with her band the Dap-Kings and released on November 17—fans get one last chance to revel in her greatness with 11 new tracks that prove why she was so beloved.
3. Proud Mary
Thanks to Empire and Hidden Figures, Taraji P. Henson is now an A-list movie star, and we can’t get enough of her. In her latest big-screen gig, she plays the titular Proud Mary, a hit woman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Brace yourself for big guns and high heels when it premieres January 12.
Fascinating, feminist-y, and infuriating, By the Book is a podcast in which the brave co-hosts, Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer, live by the rules put forth by popular self-help books and then report on the results. Check out the ep from 8/23/17 when yours truly stopped by the studio to help the hosts read Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus to filth.
5. Beyond Suffrage
Now at the Museum of the City of New York, Beyond Suffrage: A Century of New York Women in Politics “traces women’s political activism in N.Y.C. from the struggle to win the vote, through the 20th century, and into our own times through rare artifacts, documents, garments, photographs, and audio-visual materials spanning more than a century.” Find out more at MCNY.org.
6. Janet Jackson State of the World Tour
Catch the original nasty woman, Janet Jackson, live through December 17 as she tours North America with her State of the World show. The new mom doesn’t hit the road too often, so grab a seat to see her while you can by nabbing tix at janetjackson.com/tour.
7. AVANTgarden
British singer/songwriter and trendsetter FKA Twigs has just launched her own Instagram magazine @fkatwigs called AVANTgarden and it is just as cutting edge as she is. Issue One is titled “ROOTS. SHOCK. BEAUTY.” and it is chock full of images of amazing braids that will give you a whole new set of #hairgoals.
8. “Dog” Video by Mona Haydar
Rocking a hijab while she rocks the mic, Syrian-American rapper Mona Haydar slays in her patriarchy-punching video for “Dog,” featuring Jackie Cruz from OITNB. Specifically calling out men who act pious in public, then blow up her DMs at night, Haydar is over hypocrisy and is ready for a new world order. Check it out on YouTube.
9. Pitch Perfect 3
A cappella aficionados already have their calendars marked for December 22, the day Pitch Perfect 3 arrives in theaters. In this latest installment of the musical-comedy film franchise, Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, and the rest of the Bellas reunite for one last singing competition as part of an overseas USO tour. “Last call, pitches!”
10.Every Night is Saturday Night by Wanda Jackson
Known as the “Queen of Rockabilly,” Wanda Jackson hit the road right out of high school with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley—who asked her to be “his girl”—and eventually sang her way into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In her new memoir (released November 14 by BMG), Jackson reveals all the juiciest parts of her 60-plus years in music, proving why the 79-year-old legend has still got it.
by Emily Rems
This article originally appeared in the December/January 2017 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
Top photo: Proud Mary
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