The Indiependent

The Indiependent publishes music, books, film, tv, gaming, theatre, opinion and lifestyle content by early career stage journalists.

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Featured Writers

Jennifer Cartwright

Freelance writer specialising in news and entertainment

Nat Schaefer

Content writer and editor from Bristol, UK. I graduated from Gloucestershire University in 2020 with a BA in Journalism and have since worked at GlobalData and Nisbets.

Sarah Storer

1st Class BA In Media and Journalism at Northumbria University & MA International Multimedia Journalism with Merit at Newcastle University. Opinions Editor at Empoword Journalism. Lover of film, literature and …

Zahra Hanif

Freelance culture journalist. Featured in: CLASH Magazine, Polyester Zine, Karma! Magazine, Music Is To Blame, The Indiependent, and The Courier.

Tabitha Wilson

Elise Barry

Aspiring journalist and writer with a keen interest in arts and culture

Latest Articles

Books of 2025 : The Indiependent

If 2025 had a reading mood, it was one of seeking honesty in the quietest and loudest corners of our lives. This year’s standout novels didn’t just tell stories—they cracked open identities, challenged comfortable narratives and amplified marginalised voices. Our team’s top reads wandered from sapphic astronauts and haunted housewives …

By Libby Jennings
31st December 2025 • The Indiependent

'The Artful Dodger' Season Two Trailer Released : The Indiependent

Disney+ has unveiled a brand-new trailer for the second season of hit historical drama The Artful Dodger ahead of its highly anticipated comeback in 2026. Created by James McNamara, David Maher and David Taylor, the Victorian era comedy drama, loosely inspired by Charles Dickens’ world-famous 1838 novel Oliver Twist, imagines …

By Eve Hutchinson
27th December 2025 • The Indiependent

“Quiet, Piggy!”: What Trump’s Outburst Reveals About His Epstein Narrative

The Epstein files, for Trump, are a topic he has sought to avoid. Yet, with growing public interest, this approach has become unviable. On 14th November, Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey decided to seek answers from the President aboard Air Force One. As expected, Lucey’s questions went down like a lead …

By Thomas Stanier
2nd December 2025 • The Indiependent

Halloween Burlesque At The Courtyard Theatre Is A Tantalising Treat

There is only one appropriately devilish way to end a treat-filled Halloween weekend: at a burlesque show. Thankfully, the finale to The Courtyard Theatre’s first-ever Horror Festival is a night of Halloween Burlesque, led by host duo Dolly Dark and J’ai Me. They take the audience through a series of …

By Lucy Dunnet
8th November 2025 • The Indiependent

Interview: Nell Mescal on The Closest We'll Get EP – "It Couldn't Be More Intimate" : The Indiependent

When I join our Zoom call early, Nell Mescal has already beaten me to it. Camera on, hair half-damp, wrapped in a moss-green jumper and nursing a mug that’s still steaming. It’s a surprisingly domestic image for someone at the tail end of a whirlwind few months recording in New …

By Sophie Jarvis
6th November 2025 • The Indiependent

'Bridgerton' Season Four Release Dates Revealed : The Indiependent

Netflix has announced the release dates of Bridgerton season four ahead of its 2026 launch. Period drama fans can expect the Regency-era romance series to debut in two parts. Part one is due to be released on 29 January and part two is expected to be on the 26 February. …

By Eve Hutchinson
25th October 2025 • The Indiependent

New Images Released from Rare's Cancelled Title 'Everwild'

New images from Rare’s cancelled game Everwild have finally been released, reportedly from an artist who had been working on the project.

By Thomas Stanier
18th October 2025 • The Indiependent

GameStop to keep Xbox Game Pass at Original Lower Price

Microsoft raised Xbox Game Pass Ultimate prices on October 1, though one retailer is determined to keep the old rates.The increase sees prices rise from £14.99 to £22.99 in the UK and $19.99 to $29.99 in the U.S., a 53.33% jump in the UK, adding up to £96 more per …

By Libby Jennings
7th October 2025 • The Indiependent

Controversial ‘Fortnite’ ‘Peacemaker’ Emote Pulled by Epic Games

The Fortnite Peacemaker emote was pulled by Epic Games on 28 September due to new context around the dance revealed in the show’s latest episode.The emote, called “Peaceful Hips,” inspired by John Cena’s character, shows Peacemaker swinging his arms stiffly at right angles while thrusting his hips.In a statement posted …

By Libby Jennings
3rd October 2025 • The Indiependent

The Snowballing Rent Crisis Proves The ‘Snowflake Generation’ Right

According to the Office for National Statistics, the average renter has seen a 5.9% rise in rent in the past year alone, with the average monthly price climbing to £1,343.

By Maxine Brigue
23rd September 2025 • The Indiependent

Book Review-The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden

15 August 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) in the UK. This anniversary commemorated the date in 1945 on which Imperial Japan surrendered to Allied forces and brought World War Two to an end. During this time of reflection, it is important to pay …

By Eve Hutchinson
25th August 2025 • The Indiependent

'Superman' Review: Embracing Hope and Humanity

The Man of Steel soars onto the big screen once more in Superman (2025), a film that triumphantly redefines the iconic hero for a new generation.

By Gemma Nettle
10th July 2025 • The Indiependent

Travelling Alone as a Woman in 2025 America

Solo travel for women has always carried unique challenges but in America in 2025, those challenges are compounded not only by concerns about physical safety but by ideological divides. Yet for all its complexities, the U.S. remains a compelling destination, known for its vast landscapes and iconic cities that many …

By Libby Jennings
4th July 2025 • The Indiependent

5 Things I Learnt From DBT Therapy

As a support worker for those with mental health difficulties, I was always better at managing other people’s problems. After work, the heavy façade would collapse, leaving me alone with horrific thoughts and emotions.

By Thomas Stanier
22nd June 2025 • The Indiependent

What ‘The Muppets’ Tells Us About Saying Goodbye to Muppet*Vision 3D

In the 2011 film The Muppets, Walter, a lifelong Muppets superfan (and Muppet), travels to Los Angeles with his (human) brother Gary, only to find the old Muppet Studios abandoned and on the verge of demolition. With a greedy oil tycoon eager to bulldoze the theatre, the brothers help reunite …

By Libby Jennings
20th June 2025 • The Indiependent

Witch Tourism in Salem: America’s Spookiest Summer Escape

When people think of a witch, they often picture a green-skinned, wart-nosed hag with a black cat for company — a caricature shaped by pop culture. The reality is, victims of witch trials weren’t fairy-tale villains, but real women and men who simply didn’t fit into society’s status quo.Salem, Massachusetts, …

By Libby Jennings
13th June 2025 • The Indiependent

Abi Clarke: Role Model Or Not Is Snort-Inducingly Good

Abi Clarke, TikTokker turned stand-up comedian, finally hits the road with her debut show, Role Model. It is hard to tell who is having more fun: the audience, who have been waiting five years for their “toxic best friend” to make them laugh in person, or Abi, who rolls about …

By Lucy Dunnet
25th May 2025 • The Indiependent

More Than a Fashion Statement: Let’s Move Beyond 'Protect The Dolls' to Actually Support the Trans Community

On April 16th, The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. This develo...

By Thomas Stanier
6th May 2025 • The Indiependent

What To Do When The World Stops Working: Blackout across the Iberian Peninsula : The Indiependent

It began at 12:13 with a flicker. The lights in the staffroom blinked off, then just as politely, back on. Odd.Classroom to ChaosThirty minutes later, mid-class with thirty eight-year-olds, the power cut out again. Lights, the whiteboard, internet. Gone. At first, I assumed it was just our classroom. Maybe the …

By Tara Russell
30th April 2025 • The Indiependent

The Camino: The Walking Adventure You Didn't Know You Needed : The Indiependent

When people talk about the Camino de Santiago, they often imagine a singular path such as the iconic Camino Francés which stretches 800 kilometres over northern Spain. In reality, the Camino is a vast network of pilgrimage routes, represented by the shell symbol, where all roads lead to Santiago de …

By Tara Russell
22nd April 2025 • The Indiependent

Album Review: SABLE, fABLE // Bon Iver

Deep loss flows through Bon Iver’s veins, but they were able to transform it into strength. Strength to move on, strength to reinvent themselves. This album is not comparable to previous works, simply because it doesn’t have the structure for it.

By Silvia Pellegrino
15th April 2025 • The Indiependent

‘Twiggy’ Review: A Starry Docu-Celebration of an Icon

Once again, Sadie Frost steps back into the stylish heart of the 60s, shaping up her ongoing exploration of Swinging London’s most enduring fashion icons. With Quant (2021), she captured the visionary behind the revolutionary mini skirt and mod culture designs and now, Frost moves from designer to muse in …

By Miatta Mbriwa
17th March 2025 • The Indiependent

‘One of Them Days’ Review: Sisterhood Anchors The Absurdity

Lawrence Lamont’s feature debut One of Them Days may be the latest entry into the buddy comedy genre, yet it exudes a classic ‘they don’t make ‘em like this anymore’ feel that’s drawn resemblances to the 1995 cult-comedy classic Friday since its conception. And it’s not exactly an off-base comparison, …

By Miatta Mbriwa
13th March 2025 • The Indiependent

Track Review: safeword // Halsey

With the 2024 release of their critically acclaimed album The Great Impersonator, Halsey cemented themselves as an artist, unafraid to explore various genres and eras. Their newest single, ‘safeword’ continues this journey, revisiting the sounds of the Riot Grrrl era that was integral to the punk-rock feminism of the ’90s. …

By Thomas Stanier
7th March 2025 • The Indiependent

Album Review: People Watching // Sam Fender : The Indiependent

Sam Fender’s People Watching is a blockbuster. The North Shields-born singer-songwriter announced his third studio album last November, igniting excitement among his ever-growing, devoted fanbase. There’s no denying Fender’s meteoric rise since the release of his last album, Seventeen Going Under. Now armed with an upcoming sold-out stadium tour and …

By Zahra Hanif
24th February 2025 • The Indiependent

Live Review: Valley // Scala, London 25.01.25 : The Indiependent

An infectiously joyful energy spread through the crowd as soon as Canadian indie-pop group Valley stepped on Scala’s stage. Their excitement to be back on tour after last year’s release of Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden was clear as the band immediately took control of the auditorium, opening …

By Elise Barry
28th January 2025 • The Indiependent

Seven of Literature’s Greatest First Lines : The Indiependent

Sometimes the most difficult thing about writing is getting started. A writer may have an idea about how they want their story to end but they may not know where, or even how to begin. There is no exact formula to make the perfect opening but it is certainly easy …

By Jennifer Cartwright
1st January 2025 • The Indiependent

Carry-On Review: An Airport Action That Struggles to Take Off : The Indiependent

TSA agent Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) finds himself finally progressing in his career when he is offered the responsibility of supervising hand luggage checks. With a pregnant girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson), this promotion is a step towards the job security he needs. Unfortunately, on Ethan’s first day on the X-ray …

By Jennifer Cartwright
21st December 2024 • The Indiependent

Interview: The Murder Capital

Evolution and change are good, and they certainly solidify The Murder Capital’s career and credibility as artists. When speaking of their path so far, McGovern opens up on what’s really “inside of us”, as he put it: “There’s an equal balance of intensity and emotion [in the new singles] that …

By Silvia Pellegrino
15th December 2024 • The Indiependent

RNIB Launch New Initiative To Make Games More Accessible For People With Sight Loss : The Indiependent

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has launched a new initiative to help video game developers make their games accessible for people with sight loss.The initiative, known as Design for Every Gamer, will include a player testing panel. The panel is made up of gamers with sight loss. …

By Ellen Leslie
6th December 2024 • The Indiependent