Rolling Stone AU/NZ publisher The Brag Media has announced that groundbreaking Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby will grace the cover of its March-May issue, which will be available on newsstands in Australia and New Zealand from 18 March.
Gadsby, who won Best Comedy Special at the 2024 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTAs), granted Rolling Stone AU/NZ unprecedented access in one of their most revealing interviews to date.
The cover story, written by Rolling Stone contributor Jenny Valentish, chronicles Gadsby’s story as they address the Netflix drama off the back of the viral but polarising 2018 special Nanette. The show was intended as a farewell to the industry that began a transformative and triumphant new era spawning two further specials, a Ted Talk, a Variety cover and a memoir.
The interview sees Gadsby delve into their early life and career, experiences with the damage that gay law reform and same-sex marriage bill would inflict, and ultimately, their strong dislike of gatekeepers in the comedy industry and beyond it.
“To my delight, the Hannah I interviewed was every bit as fiery and nimble a commentator on the fly as they are on stage. They were generous enough to take on any topic, no matter how controversial or – I’m sure, on occasion – deeply personal. A new era of Gadsby is about to begin and it was a pleasure to get an early glimpse behind the curtain,” said Valentish.
“It was never my dream to be on Rolling Stone magazine, certainly not the cover. Because why would you bother dreaming about something that’s highly unlikely,” said Gadsby.
“For the cover we wanted to be playful with the lighting and add an element of mystery and intrigue, using lots of shadow and cool toned colours to exaggerate Hannah’s silhouette and add an almost villainous vibe, using the styling to further exaggerate this concept and make it feel elevated and slick,” said photographer Charlie Ashfield.
“This is our first non-music cover since The Brag Media brought Rolling Stone back to Australia, so it was important that the person we chose truly captured a moment in culture. Hannah has been one of the most impactful Australian comedians of recent years, thrilling audiences with their discordant take on stand-up both here and overseas. We also wanted to show Hannah in a way that hadn’t been seen before, and our photographer and team did incredible work to cast them as the quintessential anti-hero in this amazing shoot,” said Rolling Stone AU/NZ editor-in-chief, Poppy Reid.
The magazine also includes a deep dive into why Aussie musicians are embracing sustainability, feature articles on video game music, AI and the threat it poses to human creativity and the latest in the hunt for Tupac’s killer.
Readers can also enjoy a breakdown of why young female fandom is so divisive, an interview with the star of Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone, as well as reviews of the latest albums by L.A.B., Royel Otis, Kita Alexander, Peter Garrett, Jessica Mauboy and more.
Alongside the March-May magazine cover, Rolling Stone AU/NZ has revealed its new editor, revered music and entertainment journalist James Jennings. Having written for the previous incarnation of Rolling Stone for 10 years, Jennings is a former editor of Empire magazine and has written for titles and clients including NME, The Walt Disney Company, Foxtel, StarWars.com.au, SBS, Jaxsta and many more. He currently writes gig reviews and music artist interviews for The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Rolling Stone is unquestionably the world’s most iconic music title, so to be appointed Print Editor for Rolling Stone AU/NZ is an incredible honour. Under the leadership of editor-in-chief Poppy Reid, the Rolling Stone AU/NZ team have kept the magazine feeling fresh, vibrant and tapped into the pop culture zeitgeist with some truly exceptional journalism and design,” said Jennings.
“To work with a crew of fellow passionate music lovers who are committed to honouring Rolling Stone’s rich history, while still pushing the title forward, is a dream come true and I’m incredibly excited about where we’ll be taking Rolling Stone AU/NZ in the future”.
