Lifestyle

News on consumer habits, trends, and lifestyle spending.

Lifestyle
Volvo EX90 named 2025 World Luxury Car winner
Volvo’s all-electric flagship SUV, the EX90, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 World Luxury Car title at the World Car Awards, held in conjunction with the New York International Auto Show. The EX90 emerged as the winner from an initial entry list of ten vehicles and a final shortlist of three, which included the Porsche Macan and Porsche Panamera. The final results were determined by a jury of 96 esteemed automotive journalists from 30 countries, who extensively tested each vehicle under real-world conditions. The EX90 impressed judges with its “silent yet powerful ride”, and “ergonomic and luxurious interior designed for long-journey comfort”. Its 510-horsepower twin-motor powertrain, combined with seamless electric performance, was also praised. “We’re pleased to see the EX90 get the recognition it truly deserves,” said Håkan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Cars. “It was up against some tough competition, but this award proves that the EX90 appeals to some of the most demanding customers across the world.” Among the standout innovations of the EX90 is its advanced LiDAR system, which enhances safety by detecting vulnerable road users up to 200 metres away, even in total darkness. Volvo explained that integrating
Lifestyle
New funding to revive Australia's live music scene
Money is being injected into the Australian music scene to keep it alive through multiple funding programs. Two of the major funds at the moment are the Contemporary Music Fund by the NSW Government and the Australian Governments Revive Live program. The Contemporary Music Fund has recently allocated a combined A$2.25 million emergency funding to Bluesfest in Byron Bay, Lost Paradise on the Central Coast, Your and Owls in Wollongong, Listen Out and Field Day in Sydney. The fund is in response to a slew of cancelled festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Spilt Milk and Groovin’ the Moo. “The post covid era has been a financial nightmare for music festivals in NSW,” Music and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said. “The government needed to step in to save the furniture, and the feedback is that this fund has helped some of these festivals survive.” The NSW government hopes that injecting $500,000 into each festival will encourage people to buy more tickets, help local regional economies, and keep the Australian music industry alive. “We can’t afford to lose that cultural experience because the festivals can’t afford to pay their rising bills,” Graham said. “The festival circuit is
Lifestyle
More than half of Coachella goers use buy now pay later
As ticket prices continue to soar, festival goers are opting for ‘buy now pay later’ (BNPL) plans to afford Coachella tickets. This year Billboard reported that around 60% of the estimated 80,000 plus Coahcella attendees in 2025 chose BNPL options in comparison to 18% in 2018. The festivals BNPL plans work a little different to popular providers like Klarna. Unlike Klarna who charge interest to those who fail to make payments on time, the festivals system requires an extra US$41 flat fee to use, cancels orders if payments are missed and issues credits that can be used for next year’s edition. This year, it was reported that Coachella tickets have risen to US$649 for the three day general admission pass, in comparison to the US$429 it cost in 2020 and US$375 in 2015. Experts have warned that the BNPL options for festivals may not be entirely safe. “The issue is that more flexibility also gives more opportunities to overspend,” Wesley Yin, a professor of economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Observer. “It really requires a lot of personal awareness of finances and spending, and that’s not always easy for the typical consumer.” BNPL providers don’t always require credit checks and a 2023 su
Lifestyle
Elevated egg expenses: hare-raising costs of Easter 2025
Easter is a time to enjoy a long weekend, and for Australians this can look like a meal or three with family and friends, a trip to Mass or an egg hunt in the backyard. However, this year with money still tight for many individuals and families, what will the Easter budget look like?Time for treats or tightening the belt?New data from Compare the Market found that Easter staples have increased in price at a time when households watch every dollar. The prices of 15 common Easter items were examined, including chocolate, seafood, hot cross buns and soft drinks, with a price increase found across the board. In total shoppers will spend $211.30 on these items, an increase of $18.60 compared to this time last year, with no price reductions at all and only two items remaining the same price; the Darrell Lea Easter Bilby and Woolworths’ Easter Mini Dessert Selection. All the other products had price increases compared with this time last year.Credit: Superbass via WikimediaHowever, new research from Roy Morgan and the Australian Retailers Association has found that despite cost of living concerns persisting and a sharp rise in Easter sweet staples, more than 15 million people still plan to buy food and chocolate this year, ma
Lifestyle
Bad news: Why we're losing a generation of journalists
Shrinking budgets and job insecurity means there are fewer opportunities for young journalists, and that's bad news, especially in regional Australia. Australia risks losing a generation of young journalists, particularly in the regions where they face the closure of news outlets, job insecurity, lower pay and limited career progression. Ironically, it is regional news providers’ audiences who remain among the most engaged and loyal, demanding reliable, trustworthy news. Yet it’s exactly the area where those closures, shrinking newsroom budgets and a reliance on traditional print-centric workflows over digital-first strategies are hitting hardest, making it difficult to attract and retain emerging journalists. And in an industry where women make up a substantial portion of the workforce and of those studying journalism, figures show the number of young females in regional news outlets declined by about a third over 15 years — a much greater decline than experienced by their male colleagues. Without meaningful and collaborative efforts to invest in young professionals and sustain strong local newsrooms, the future of local journalism could be severely compromised. Reversing the trend requires investing in new tale

Lifestyle
Kim Kardashian to appear in court over 2016 robbery
Kim Kardashian will be testifying in a trial in France over a 2016 burglary where she was robbed at gunpoint. Ten suspects are accused of armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal charges in a trial that will take place from 28 April to 23 May, with Kardashian expected to appear on 13 May. “We can confirm that Ms. Kardashian will be testifying in person at the upcoming French criminal trial involving the 2016 incident in which she was bound and robbed at gunpoint by a number of masked assailants,” lawyer Michael Rhodes said in a statement provided to the Associated Press. The robbery took place in October 2016 when Kardashian was staying in a Paris apartment for Paris Fashion Week. At the time, Kardashian was found “badly shaken but physically unharmed”, according to her representative. The men who were dressed as police officers managed to grab jewellery worth millions, including a US$4 million diamond ring from the SKIMS owner’s ex-husband, Kanye West. The reality star said she ″wishes for the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case,” Rhodes said.
Lifestyle
Lexus is named Best of the Best in customer satisfaction
Lexus has beaten out Aussie Broadband and Dan Murphy as Roy Morgan’s ‘Best of the Best’ Customer Satisfaction Award with a record satisfaction rating of 98.2%. “Lexus has returned to the top spot of Australian brands in 2024 by winning Roy Morgan’s sought after ‘Best of the Best Award’ for a third time – after previous wins in 2017 and 2019,” Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine said. “The outstanding year for Lexus is highlighted by the average customer satisfaction for the luxury car brand hitting a new record high for the award at an exceptional 98.2% Lexus also won 11 monthly satisfaction awards during 2024 and won its sixth Roy Morgan Car Manufacturer of the Year Award, ahead of last year’s winner Skoda, after previous wins in 2014-2017 and 2019. The car manufacturer just edged out Mobile Service Provider of the Year, Aussie Broadband and Liquor Store of the Year, Dan Murphy’s, who had satisfaction ratings of 96.1% and 96%, respectively. Other category winners include Mobile Handset Provider of the Year, Samsung, International Airline of the Year, Singapore Airlines, Clothing Store of the Year, Suzanne Grae, Online Retailer of the Year, Adore Beauty, Major Car Manufacturer of the Year, Subaru, Quick Service Restauran
Lifestyle
Give it away now: why musicians sell their catalogues
Catalogue sales may be the music industry’s new #1 hit, as artists now offer the rights to their songs for hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the world’s most well-known musicians have sold their catalogues in recent years, including Bob Dylan, Justin Timberlake, and Katy Perry. But while a wide variety of artists are now moving to sell, these deals are often more complex than they appear, and buyers are still working to rebound from a rocky 2024.What’s going on?The current boom in major catalogue acquisitions started in 2018. In July of that year, music investment company Hipgnosis purchased a 75% share in the rights to songwriter The-Dream’s portfolio for US$23 million, which includes songs from artists like Beyoncé and Rihanna. Hipgnosis had raised US$260 million for catalogue acquisitions at that time, and had just launched on the London Stock Exchange. Primary Wave, a music publishing company, acquired Bob Marley's catalogue rights for $50 million shortly afterwards. More recently, HarbourView Equity Partners purchased T-Pain’s publishing catalogue and partial master rights for an undisclosed amount in February. The most lucrative catalogue so far is Queen's, acquired by Sony Music Publishing last June for U
Lifestyle
Power play: Prada to buy Versace; luxury brands unite
Prada will buy Versace for EU€1.25 billion (A$2.254 billion), uniting two of the largest Italian fashion houses. Versace is currently owned by Capri Holdings, which also owns Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors. The company has posted significant losses in revenue in recent months. “We aim to continue Versace’s legacy celebrating and re-interpreting its bold and timeless aesthetic; at the same time, we will provide it with a strong platform, reinforced by years of ongoing investments and rooted in longstanding relationships,” said Prada Group chair Patrizio Bertelli. “Over the last six years, we have made tremendous progress in repositioning the brand [Versace] to place greater emphasis on its luxury heritage and exceptional craftsmanship,” said Capri Holdings CEO John Idol. “Through elevated product, marketing and store enhancements, the brand is now well positioned for sustainable long-term growth.” The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025, and will be funded by EU€1.5 billion in new debt. While Versace’s purchase price was previously set at EU€1.43 billion, Prada reportedly negotiated a discount following the United States’ introduction of sweeping tariffs last week. Capri had initially requested EU€3