We hereby declare our own Paris Olympics. The gold medal for heiress in music? It’s a lock. Nearly 20 years after heating up our eardrums with her debut album, Paris, Hilton has returned with Infinite Icon, a dance-pop confection to remind listeners of her pop-star bona fides. Hilton was encouraged to re-bedazzle her musical identity by Sia, whom she crossed paths with in late 2022 when they appeared together on a Miley Cyrus television special. Hilton has been a successful DJ on the circuit for several years, but it was Sia’s pitch as a studio collaborator that ignited Hilton’s confidence for a second-album go-round. (The stars, ahem, can sometimes be blind.) “She believed in me and made me believe in myself,” says Hilton. “I’m just comfortable with her.” Megan Thee Stallion, Meghan Trainor, and Rina Sawayama also appear on Infinite Icon’s tracks, so try not to overthink things: This is meant to be a fun and hot listen to shake your ass to. Dare we say, you should be sliving with it.

You’ve said that you were encouraged to work on this album because pop music needed saving. Has the genre been underwhelming to you lately?
It was definitely sarcastic. I’ve always loved pop music. I grew up when all of the biggest pop stars were out, and the genre has been a source of so much fun for me. When I was making this album, of course I was inspired by EDM and dance music from being a DJ for so long. But I was also inspired by pop stars. Sia, for sure, was an influence, because she’s the executive producer of the album and my fairy godmother. Britney Spears is the princess of pop and always will be to me. Christina Aguilera, too. I love my girls and it shows.

Does Sia keep the wig on in the recording studio?
She definitely doesn’t keep the wig on in the studio, I’m afraid. We’ve become very close over the past year and a half. She’s a sister to me. When we’re together, we both have no hair looks and no makeup. We’re chilling in sweatsuits and socks. She took my voice to another level that I didn’t know I had in me. She makes me feel safe in the studio, and I want to be my best self with her. On my first album, I was so shy. It was hard for me to even sing in front of two producers. But with her, I encouraged, like, 20 people to come into the room while I was recording. I’ve never felt more confident.

There’s a line in the opening song, “Welcome Back,” where you sing, “You stole my voice like robbery.” I’ve found it fascinating over the years how you adapted to using two distinct voicesThis video of Hilton testifying before Congress on “troubled teen” facilities is a must-watch for Paris 101 studies. that you calibrated for comfort or character.
That voice was all part of the brand. I never used my actual voice fully, because I was holding so much in. That’s why I did the very Marilyn Monroe–type voice. I didn’t realize until recently that it came from a trauma response of what I went through as a teenager. It was building a protective shell around myself and not wanting to let people in. I didn’t want people to know who I truly was. But going through all of that was extremely healing. I’m strong and resilient. I wanted to channel that into the album. I did feel my voice was taken from me in other ways — the media wanting to portray this character that wasn’t even who I truly was. I feel now I can use my voice and tell my story through my music.

So when you compare your singing voice from 2006’s “Stars Are Blind” to “I’m Free” from this album, what are the nuances you hear that listeners may not be able to fully appreciate?
When I was recording Paris, I was in my party-girl era, but I was very timid in the studio. When I listen to “I’m Free,” I can hear a woman who has discovered who she is. That’s why I wanted to make songs that are empowering, because that’s the direct effect they had on me. I’ve been through so much in my life. I wanted to make an album for myself now and then — a lot are anthems to make you feel strong and realize your worth. “BBA”“BBA,” or “Bad Bitch Academy.” is there if you ever forget the bad bitch that you are.

Who was the most important teacher at the Paris Hilton Bad Bitch Academy?
It all leads back to my grandmother, my mom’s mom. When she walked into a room, she lit it up. She made me feel like I could be anything. I lived with her for a year in the ninth grade and we were best friends. She taught me a lot about life, how to handle yourself, and how to want to work hard. She wanted me to become successful and never have to depend on anyone. She was the ultimate, original bad bitch.

The “BBA” music video is insane in the best way possible. How much product placement is too much? There was a lot!Would you be cracking open a Poppi and SmartSweets bag at the club?
I’m the queen of branding and marketing. I invented the whole game. I’m the original influencer. I think it’s fun and camp to do that. And, seriously, they’re all brands that I really love.

Full interview: vulture.com

Taking an extra eight minutes to draft out a text … that’s hot. At least if you ask Paris Hilton.

The socialite who reigned over the 2000s with an iron fist, or rather, a small chihuahua, welcomes back the Y2K resurgence with seemingly open arms. Jeans are low-rise and phones are low-tech, and Hilton thinks it’s a fad that is born out of trying to break out of the mold.

“Flip phones are making a comeback right now because people wanna flip the script, do something different,’ the famous former carrier of an iconic pink Razr told Fortune at an event hosted by Motorola. Of course, Hilton’s sign off happened at Motorola’s event as the phone company unveiled a new model of flip phone.

Trend cycles come in the blink of an eye these days, as fueled by fast-fashion and an extremely online era. But the year 2000 has been a point of fascination for a couple years now (which feels equal to a decade these days), finding a captive audience with Gen Zers in particular. Both our low and high points have come back to bite, including leg warmers, trucker hats, and even dresses over pants. And now phones have caught the new millennium bug.

Over the past couple of years, a cohort of young adults appear to have increasingly turned to flip phones as a result of a feeling of longing for the past and a need to make a digital detox— notes Lecturer Omah H. Fares for The Conversation. Unplugging can perhaps cause some ease, as early studies show internet addiction has been linked to feelings of depression and anxiety.

Even Gen Z pop-star Dove Cameron announced last year that she was switching to a flip phone for a bit, after saying being online “was joyless for me at this point.” Of course, it’s still a niche group and the pervasiveness of logging off might be overblown, but interest is not waning yet. Growing up on the internet, Gen Zers have started to look for guardrails as anecdotes of many young adults using the Do Not Disturb function as a way of detaching from their phone.

“It’s not a small trend,” Lars Silberbauer, chief marketing officer Nokia Mobile & HMD Global told the Wall Street Journal in 2023. In November of said year, Arite Beaty wrote for ZDNet that internet searches for flip phones increased by “15,369% over the past year among Gen Z and younger Millennials.” And adults of all ages are using flip phones when they feel like they’re too online, citing feelings of boredom or fatigue. Perhaps people are reacting to the ubiquitousness of the tech world as the new wave of AI is hurried in, creating their own back-to-the-future phenomenon as they search for something familiar.

“It’s nostalgic,” Hilton says of the phone, bringing up an emotion that is especially prevalent during times of socio-economic turmoil as people long for something comfortable and familiar. Especially vulnerable to the current turndown and especially online, younger generations are therefore prone to experience nostalgia—Stephanie Harlow writes in a blog post for consumer insights company GWI. Companies have taken note, as customers are more likely to pay more when nostalgia is triggered —per a 2014 study published by the Journal of Consumer Research.

Some of these young adults are finding comfort in a time before they were born—a time before the world wide web. And Harlow adds that even people born after the 1990s long for the era, 37% are nostalgic for said time. The allure is simple in Hilton’s eyes. “Gen Z loves flip phones because they love things that are iconic,” she quips.

Source: fortune.com

Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media has signed a global distribution deal with ADA in anticipation of her upcoming sophomore album “Infinite Icon,” releasing on September 6.

Hilton, who put out her debut “Paris” back in 2006 along with its resonant single “Stars Are Blind,” is kicking off her new era with today’s release of the project’s lead single “I’m Free” featuring Rina Sawayama, which interpolates Ultra Naté’s “Free” from 1997.

“I’m thrilled to be working with my Warner Music family again,” says Hilton in a statement. “ADA gives me the ability to share my music with the world while maintaining ownership of it — which is so important to me, as an artist and entrepreneur. I can’t wait for everyone to hear this album! I’m so proud of this work and so grateful to my good friend and executive producer, Sia, Jesse Shatkin, Alex Frankel, the whole ADA team, and every single person who contributed to creating and distributing this album.”

“Infinite Icon” will be executive produced by Sia who recently featured Hilton on “Fame Won’t Love You,” a song included on her latest album “Reasonable Woman.” In addition to Sawayama, “Infinite Icon” will feature a guest appearance from Meghan Trainor, plus involvement from producer Benny Blanco.

“Paris is a global icon whose influence on culture is undeniable,” says Cat Kreidich, president of ADA. “Tapping into our expertise and global resources, we’re excited to support Paris’ creative vision and make her return to music unforgettable for the fans.”

“From the first conversation with Cat and the ADA team, we knew it was a match,” adds Rachel Webber, 11:11 Media’ chief brand and commercial officer. “ADA’s independent distribution model aligns perfectly with our mission at 11:11 Media to own our IP and allows us to take full advantage of the strength of our operation in brand partnerships and commerce. Huge thank you to Cat and every member of the ADA team for their dedication and partnership.”

Hilton first released “Paris” on Warner back in 2006, debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single “Stars Are Blind” peaked at No. 18 on the Hot 100. The entrepreneur has released a string of songs over the years, including last year’s “Hot One” and “Lighter” with Steve Aoki.

Source: variety.com