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It will be nearly nine months before fans can hold space on their calendars to see the anticipated Wicked sequel, Wicked: For Good. But in Las Vegas this week, director Jon M. Chu wowed the crowds of movie exhibitors in town for the annual CinemaCon convention when he gave them a sneak peek at the second part of the big screen adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical.
Stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were, of course, on hand to help out, taking the stage alongside Chu and movie producer Marc Platt at the Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace on Wednesday (April 2), according to The Hollywood Reporter. “We took a shot, and we divided Wicked into two parts,” Platt told the thousands of theater owners about splitting the film in two, with the second part due in theaters on Nov. 21. “Now we have the privilege of doing it all again with Wicked: For Good in November.”
Platt added that in For Good the stars “go deeper to find more depth and more complexity and more profundity in those characters. What’s in store is going to astonish people.” Director Chu also noted that one of the most anticipated moments in the upcoming sequel will definitely include “where the girl from Kansas drops in.”
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THR reported that the first trailer for the follow-up to the nearly $750 million-grossing first part did not disappoint, describing a “rousing response” from the gathered theater bosses to footage including the first look at Dorothy — though her face was not shown — as well as “golden bricks, a wedding and flying monkeys galore.”
“This is between the Wizard and I,” Erivo’s green witch says in the trailer in a nod to the abiding friendship between Grande’s pink witch Glinda and Erivo’s green-skinned Elphaba, with Grande’s Glinda later warning, “Elphaba, they’re coming for you.” The trailer also features Glinda stepping out from her emerald castle and putting on her oversized tiara, a well as Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) racing through the forest with his men on the hunt for Elphaba, as well as a shot of the latter writing “OUR WIZARD LIES” in the sky.
According to Deadline, exhibitors also saw Glinda walking down a wedding aisle toward the Prince and Jeff Goldblum’s wizard at the control boards, ordering Dorothy, the Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow to “bring me the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West!” The final image reportedly featured Elphaba reaching out for her hat as it flies into her hand, with her broom in the other as she exclaims, “I’m off to see the wizard!”
In a nod to the pair’s endless, tear-streaked, hand (and space) holding press tour for the first film, the Associated Press reported that Oscar nominee Grande told the crowd, “we already have our tissues packed,” with Erivo promising “less waterworks this time.”
Save this storySaveSave this storySaveWith so much good music being released all the time, it can be hard to determine what to listen to first. Every week, Pitchfork offers a run-down of significant new releases available on streaming services. This week’s batch includes new albums from Skrillex, Black Country, New Road, DJ Koze, Jane Remover, Florist, duendita, the Waterboys, Barker, Craig Finn, and Chy Cartier. Subscribe to Pitchfork’s New Music Friday newsletter to get our recommendations in your inbox every week. (All releases featured here are independently selected by our editors. When you buy something through our affiliate links, however, Pitchfork earns an affiliate commission.)Skrillex: F*ck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!!
Rock, pop, country? You name it, Kelly Clarkson can nail it. On her daytime talker on Thursday (April 3) Clarkson did it again with a soaring cover of the Foo Fighters’ 1999 anthem “Learn to Fly” during the daily Kellyoke segment. With her My Band Y’all band providing muscular backing, Clarkson gave the rock classic a melancholy makeover, injecting an extra layer of longing into Dave Grohl’s lyrics, as well as, of course, busting out one of signature paint-peeling high notes.
“I just had, like, a lot of caffeine and I’m running hot is what’s happening right now!,” a revved up Clarkson told her studio audience after the performance. The singer noted that she had the Foos on her show a few years ago and she talked to singer/guitarist Grohl about “Learn to Fly,” and how she thought the lyrics had so much deep meaning. “He was like, ‘no, I really just wanted to become a pilot,’” she said Grohl told her.
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“I’m still callin’ b.s.,” Clarkson said with a finger wave. “You’re trying to be funny man, but it’s such a deep song! It’s such a cool song! He’s poetic, just lean into it Dave! You could be a pilot and a poet.”
In addition to rocking, out, Clarkson also made some dreams come true for her old friend Tanner Smith from the Netflix dating show Love on the Spectrum, which chronicles the dating lives of autistic adults. She played a clip from the last time Smith was on the show and invited him back to catch up on what he’s been up to and talk about his dating life. She also recalled that last time Smith was on he got a special video greeting from his favorite actor, A Minecraft Movie star Jack Black, after which he set a goal of meeting the energetic star in real life before turning 31.
Clarkson asked Black to make another video for Smith, in which he lamented that he once again could not be there in person because he’s out promoting the big screen video game adaptation. But then, summoning his “insane ninja kung fu powers,” Black burst through the studio doors and ran out on stage into a surprised Smith’s arms.
Smith jumped up, yelling “Jack is here! I’m so happy to meet you! I’m your biggest fan!” bear hugging the actor and introducing him to his younger sister and family in the audience. The sweet moment got even sweeter when the two men bonded over their love of working out, with Smith suggesting he could get Black’s number so they can set up a time to work out together. Black burst out in laughter at the suggesting and high-fived Smith, promising, “this is happening!”
“I love you on the show and I can’t wait for the next season and I’m so happy for you having all this success and time in your life and to meet yo in person is really amazing for me too,” Black said as the two sat arm-in-arm during the lovefest. “Thank you Miss Kelly, thank you so much! This is the best day of my life,” Smith said as Clarkson melted down in happy tears.
Black will host Saturday Night Live this weekend with musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlile.
Watch Clarkson’s Foos cover and Black’s sweet surprise below.
Ariana Grande is back on top of the ARIA Albums Chart — and in spectacular fashion.
The pop star’s Eternal Sunshine rebounds from No. 79 to No. 1 following the release of a new deluxe version titled Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead. The 78-spot leap marks the biggest jump to No. 1 from within the top 100 since September 2020, when Music From The Home Front soared from No. 83 to the top.
Grande’s original version of Eternal Sunshine spent three weeks at No. 1 in March and April 2024, and this latest return secures her fifth career chart-topper in Australia. She previously hit No. 1 with My Everything (2014), Dangerous Woman (2016), Sweetener (2018), and Thank U, Next (2019).
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Sydney-based singer-songwriter Grentperez celebrates a major career milestone this week, as his debut album Backflips in a Restaurant enters the chart at No. 3. While Grentperez has released four EPs since 2021 and notched three top 40 hits in New Zealand, this marks his first Top 10 debut in his home country.
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Mumford & Sons return with Rushmere, their first new album in nearly seven years and their first without founding member Winston Marshall. The British folk-rock outfit enters at No. 7, adding to a solid run on the ARIA Albums Chart that includes previous peaks with Sigh No More (No. 1 in 2009), Babel (No. 2 in 2012), Wilder Mind (No. 1 in 2015), and Delta (No. 5 in 2018).
Elsewhere, The Darkness land at No. 45 with their eighth studio album, Dreams on Toast. The glam rockers previously charted three albums in the ARIA Top 20, including Permission to Land (No. 17 in 2003), Hot Cakes (No. 15 in 2012), and Pinewood Smile (No. 17 in 2017).
On the ARIA Singles Chart, Alex Warren holds steady at No. 1 for a second week with “Ordinary,” while Chappell Roan climbs to a new high at No. 4 with “Pink Pony Club” — matching the peak of her breakthrough hit “Good Luck, Babe!” from last year.
Grande’s rebound ties into a historical trend: while the 52-week gap between stints at No. 1 is notable, it falls short of the record held by Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell, which returned to No. 1 in January 2022 — more than 2,200 weeks after first topping the chart in 1978.
Flavor Flav is opening up about a recent relapse on his sobriety journey — offering a heartfelt message to fans about struggle, accountability, and healing.
The Public Enemy co-founder and longtime reality TV personality shared the news on Instagram Stories on Friday (April 4), revealing that he briefly relapsed after maintaining over four years of sobriety.
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“I remain authentic to who I am and a large part of the past 4.5 years for me has been my sobriety journey. I think I’ve been an inspiration to many that if I could get sober, anyone can do it,” Flav wrote.
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He continued, “But just when you think it’s easy, it ain’t. I briefly relapsed. I say this to admit my mistake and publicly hold myself accountable. I am a human being who makes mistakes and it doesn’t make me a bad person. I hope those who are around me support my choice to be sober.
He added, “I went back to Day 1, again. Time didn’t stop, my journey continues.”
Flav, born William Jonathan Drayton Jr., has received widespread praise for his honesty around addiction and recovery. His openness has resonated with fans and peers alike, especially in a genre and industry where such transparency can still feel rare.
As the iconic hype man of Public Enemy, Flavor Flav played a pivotal role in shaping the sound and attitude of politically charged hip-hop during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, cementing their place in music history.
In 2020, Public Enemy were honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing their decades-long impact on music, activism, and culture. The group’s work, including groundbreaking albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet, continues to influence generations of artists.
Beyond music, Flav became a pop culture icon in the 2000s through reality TV hits like The Surreal Life, Strange Love, and Flavor of Love, where his chaotic charisma drew in a new wave of fans.
Longtime friends Elton John and Brandi Carlile have teamed up for a new collaborative album, Who Believes in Angels?, which the duo recorded over 20 days starting in October 2023. The set arrived via Interscope Records on Friday (April 4). The pair wrote and created the album with John’s long-time co-writer Bernie Taupin and producer Andrew Watt. Who Believes in Angels? features previously released […]
Miley Cyrus is in the swing of her upcoming Something Beautiful album era, and the superstar unveiled her next single from the project, “End of the World,” on Friday (April 4). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Per Cyrus’ Instagram, the 80s-style track reinforces “the project’s immersive, […]
Ed Sheeran has officially pressed play on his next era, dropping new single “Azizam” Friday (April 4). On the breezy midtempo dance track, the British pop star sings, “And if love’s just a game, come and play/Azizam / Meet me on the floor tonight/ Show me how to move like the water/ In between the […]
Save this storySaveSave this storySaveJane Remover has officially shared their new album Revengeseekerz. Having never received an official release date, the singer-producer’s 12-track follow-up to 2023’s Census Designated includes the singles “JRJRJR” and “Dancing With Your Eyes Closed,” and features Detroit rapper Danny Brown on the track “Psychoboost.” The record is accompanied by a music video for new song “Angels in Camo,” which was directed by Jane Remover and Noah Sellers. Scroll down to watch it.Jane Remover wrote, performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered Revengeseekerz themself. They put out a steady stream of one-off singles throughout 2024—including “Dream Sequence,” “Flash in the Pan,” “How to Teleport,” and “Magic I Want U”—and, in February, shared the album Ghostholding under their new venturing moniker. Later this month, Jane Remover will hit the road for their Turn Up or Die Tour alongside deadAir labelmate Dazegxd. Listen to Revengeseekerz below.Revisit Sam Goldner’s review of “JRJRJR,” which we named Best New Track, and read about Jane Remover’s 2021 album Frailty at No. 33 on “The 100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far.”
Mötley Crüe have been forced to cancel an upcoming festival appearance as frontman Vince Neil continues to recover from an undisclosed medical procedure. The Hollywood rock veterans announced on Thursday (April 3) that they would no longer be performing at the Boardwalk Rock festival in Ocean City, MD on May 17 as previously planned. The […]