Emily St. Martin
Emily St. Martin connects fast-breaking celebrity and music news with deeper reporting on books, culture and how fame reshapes public life. She is a staff writer and entertainment reporter on the Fast Break Desk and also writes for the books desk at The Los Angeles Times. Her beat spans breaking entertainment news, music stories and literary coverage that sits at the intersection of pop culture and public life.
Fast-breaking entertainment and music stories
St. Martin handles rapid-turn coverage of celebrity and music developments, often anchored in the personal stakes of public scrutiny. She has reported on country artist Ella Langley pausing a concert to call out online bullies as her breakout song dominates the charts, framing the moment as part of the emotional cost of a sudden rise.
Her music coverage includes pieces on pop stars such as Liam Payne, examining estate planning and the financial security of his nine-year-old son as sole beneficiary of his multimillion-dollar estate.
She tracks family tensions and relationships in the spotlight, including Wynonna Judd confirming a break with her sister Ashley Judd and reality TV figures like Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio announcing an engagement to Nikki Hall.
St. Martin also writes obituaries and life retrospectives for figures such as “Saved by the Bell” actor Dennis Haskins and veteran stand-up comedian Tom Dreesen, tying their television and comedy careers to broader cultural memory. Her stories on Fox News host Kat Timpf’s pregnancy after a double mastectomy and similar health narratives foreground resilience and ongoing medical care amid recurring media attention.
Books, authors and fame
Alongside breaking news, St. Martin devotes significant attention to books and authors, often focusing on how storytelling refracts fame, gender and historical memory. She profiles novelists such as John Green on his adult debut about two young actors confronting the cost of fame, drawing out how celebrity culture shapes narrative themes.
Her coverage of Charles Spencer’s book about his sister Diana distills key emotional takeaways from the memoir, emphasizing grief, family dynamics and the pressures of royalty.
St. Martin highlights contemporary fiction like Gabrielle Korn’s buzzy millennial novel steeped in American Apparel-era style and early internet angst, presenting it as a cultural time capsule for a generation. Her literary reporting also resurfaces historical and feminist milestones, including Gloria Steinem’s undercover experience in a bunny suit and Lisa See’s revisiting of the 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles.
In pieces on translator Emily Wilson returning to the “Odyssey” and Emily Ratajkowski’s seven-figure book deal born from a viral essay, she links classical texts and modern personal writing to questions of power, sexuality and public image.
Legal, media and accountability in entertainment
St. Martin frequently approaches entertainment stories through the lenses of law, media ethics and addiction. She has reported on police efforts to trace the source of drugs after the death of Presley Gerber, including an inside look at the ultra-luxury sober living home where he died of a suspected overdose.
Her work on lawyers and crisis management spans profiles of high-powered attorneys such as Marty Singer, hired by Lizzo during legal turmoil, and coverage of complaints alleging that Justin Baldoni’s crisis PR professional was linked to secret smear sites.
She examines how security and public messaging are shaped in high-profile legal disputes, including lawyers seeking extra safety measures for Arnold Schwarzenegger after an opposing attorney posted a “Terminator”-style image online. Her media accountability pieces include coverage of the BBC’s apology for airing unchallenged claims about J.K. Rowling in a segment on transphobia, situating the correction within broader debates over platforming contentious views.
Across these stories she gives close attention to documents, complaints and institutional responses, while foregrounding the human impact of addiction, controversy and reputational risk.
Fast Break Desk, books coverage and background
St. Martin’s current role centers on breaking entertainment news and books coverage at The Los Angeles Times, with many pieces running as fast-turn briefs of a few minutes’ reading time alongside longer interviews and analyses. Her formats range from quick news hits to structured “takeaways” from new books, Q&A-style author conversations and contextual features that unpack the history behind contemporary stories. Before joining The Los Angeles Times she contributed reporting and essays to outlets including The New York Times, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, BBC, Vice, Los Angeles Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter, while also serving as a digital features editor for a regional news group.
Her broader portfolio encompasses coverage of relationships, addiction, mental health, culture, food and style, and she has extended her storytelling into audio and documentary work. She is an award-winning reporter, with honors that include first place for best editorial from the L.A. Press Club and recognition from California journalism competitions. Across entertainment news, music stories and literary coverage, her distinctive through-line is a willingness to treat celebrity and book headlines as entry points into larger questions about how people live, cope and narrate their lives under scrutiny.
4 more music journalists.
Andrea Dresdale
Andrea Dresdale manages entertainment content at ABC Audio and covers music-driven pop culture for news and audio platforms. Her beat centers on chart-friendly pop, new releases, mainstream artists, awards, residencies and industry milestones. She also reports on legacy acts, anniversaries, nostalgia, remixes, live performances and music’s links to film, television, streaming and social media. Her notable coverage includes Taylor Swift, BTS, The Weeknd, Madonna, The Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Patty Smyth and Miley Cyrus. Her work has appeared through syndicated ABC Audio coverage on outlets such as WRMF, KS95 and Hot 96.7. Dresdale writes concise, timely pieces for radio audiences. She frames songs, tours, specials and career moments through cultural impact, fan appeal, commercial momentum and lasting relevance. Her stories connect current hits with music history and show how artists maintain attention through new releases, collaborations and reinterpretations.
Andrew Weber
Andrew Weber uses accountability reporting to examine who benefits from decisions shaping Austin’s music ecosystem. He reports for KUT as a government accountability reporter and works as a freelance reporter and associate editor for KUT News across the public radio network. His music coverage focuses on musicians’ pay at festivals, health care, mental health services, venue relief and working conditions. He treats SXSW as a workplace and economic system, reporting on low fees, sponsorships, boycotts and the political choices behind the festival. He also covers government and institutional issues, including KUT’s relationship with the University of Texas and the firing of general manager Debbie Hiott. His reporting ranges from nonprofit support systems to experimental sound art. He plays music on the side and brings digital storytelling experience, including an Edward R. Murrow award for social media work.
Andy Greene
Andy Greene is a senior writer at Rolling Stone who stands out for long-form interviews and narrative features that follow artists across entire careers. He focuses on music, especially classic rock performers, live shows, tours, and band dynamics. He runs the interview series Unknown Legends and King For a Day, which center on veteran musicians, sidemen, collaborators, and singers who replace legendary frontmen. He also writes cover stories and major features on high-profile figures, including Radiohead, Howard Stern, Bill Withers, Nathan Fielder, Steve Perry, Pete Townshend, and Stephen King. His reporting relies on access, detailed questioning, and a deep command of rock history. He also writes about film and television when they connect to music and culture.
Anna Grace Lee
Anna Grace Lee is a Vogue reporter who covers pop musicians and celebrities through fashion, weddings, and lifestyle culture, focusing on dresses, events, pets, and subcultures rather than industry news. She writes scene-driven features that place entertainers in vivid settings, from villas to underground food markets, and treats music-adjacent stories as fashion and craftsmanship narratives. Her Dua Lipa Sicily wedding coverage shows how she frames a wedding dress as a haute couture moment and a pop-cultural milestone, emphasizing design, making, and handwork. Her Millie Bobby Brown miniature poodle piece reflects a consistent interest in celebrity pets, fandom, and off-stage persona. She also reports lifestyle features like Brooklyn’s buzziest underground cheese sale, embedding in niche food scenes. At Vogue she contributes to weddings, celebrity, living, and Met Gala coverage, and maintains a portfolio of culture and lifestyle work built around entertainment-adjacent storytelling.