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25 Jul 2024

SEVENTEEN Announce 2024 ‘Right Here’ World Tour Slated to Hit U.S., Asia and Japan

SEVENTEEN are hitting the road for a global tour this year. On Wednesday (July 24) the 13-member K-pop group announced that they are planning to hit the road in the fall for their Right Here world tour, which will feature gigs in the U.S., South Korea, Asia and Japan.

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While the specific dates and venues for the outing were not announced at press time, a 15-second teaser video promised that the shows were slated to kick off sometime “in October.” The tour will be the sequel to the group’s Follow Again Asian tour, which kept them on the road from July 2023 through April 2024. That run ended with a triumphant gig at Seoul’s World Cup Stadium in April, where they teased the release of their two-CD, 33-track best-of album, 17 Is Right Here, which dropped on April 29.

As CARATs await the details on the 2024 world jaunt, they can begin prepping for the cinematic release of the SEVENTEEN TOUR ‘FOLLOW’ AGAIN TO CINEMAS concert film. Tickets are on sale now for the limited engagement run of the movie that chronicles that Seoul show, with screenings around the world slated to kick off on August 21.

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SEVENTEEN singer/producer WOOZI recently responded to a British new feature’s claim that the K-pop group is using AI when recording its music. The singer who also co-writes many of the group’s songs, clarified that “all of SEVENTEEN’s music is written and composed by human creators,” though he said he has experimented with writing and composing lyrics with AI.

See SEVENTEEN’s Right Here world tour teaser video below.

25 Jul 2024

Chris Brown Hit With $50M Lawsuit By Concert Attendees Who Claim They Were Beaten Backstage

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Chris Brown In Concert - Atlanta, GA

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Regardless of how anyone feels about controversial R&B singer Chris Brown, it’s time for people to stop laboring under the delusion that his history of alleged violence against women and violent outbursts, in general, begin and end with Rihanna.Instances and allegations of violent behavior have followed him throughout his career, and now he’s facing yet another lawsuit related to yet another allegation.

This time, the “Under The Influence” singer has been hit with a $50 million suit filed by four plaintiffs who claim they were assaulted by Brown and his team backstage at one of his concerts last Friday.

From Variety:

Larry Parker, Joseph Lewis, Charles Bush and Da Marcus Powell filed the suit in Harris County, Texas today against Brown as well as his tour promoter Live Nation, Sinko Ceej, Hood Boss and Yella Beezy. In addition to the payment, the four plaintiffs are asking for a temporary restraining order against all defendants.

According to the complaint, which was first reported by TMZ and obtained by Variety, Brown and his crew severely beat the plaintiffs following the singer’s performance as part of his 11:11 Tour at Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth, Texas this past Friday. The four men were invited backstage after the set to meet Brown, who showed up 30 minutes later than anticipated.

Before leaving, Bush approached Brown to congratulate him on the show, prompting a member of the singer’s entourage to remind Brown that the two previously had issues. Brown allegedly said, “Oh yeah, we were. What’s up, n—a? I don’t forget shit.” The suit states that Brown and seven to 10 members of his entourage proceeded to assault Bush and punch him in the chest, and claims that Hood Boss picked up a chair and threw it at Bush’s head.

The suit goes on to claim that Brown and his crew turned their attention to Parker, who tried to escape down a staircase that led to a locked door. Upon instruction from Brown, Parker was allegedly punched in the face and chest and kicked in the head for over 10 minutes. The suit also states that Powell was punched in the shoulder, while Lewis was hit in the shoulder and chest. All plaintiffs were injured and are currently undergoing medical treatment.

“No one should have to endure what these clients endured,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a statement. “We will seek the maximum amount of damages allowed by law for this egregious conduct.”

Buzbee elaborated on his opinion of the case in a statement to Dallas Morning News, saying, “This is Texas. The people here don’t care how important or famous you think you are, you have an obligation to follow the laws and conduct yourself in an appropriate way. Unprovoked violence can’t and won’t be tolerated. We intend to seek all damages that the law allows against Brown and his cohorts.”

So far, neither Brown, Beezy nor Live Nation have made any public statements regarding the latest lawsuit, and they would have an uphill battle explaining how the “Look at Me Now” artist is, once again, innocent of the kind of allegations he just doesn’t seem to be able to stop getting subjected to.

Last October, a man named Abe Diaw, who claimed to have known Brown for at least seven years, filed a lawsuit against the 35-year-old, claiming he spotted Brown at TAPE nightclub in England and tried to give him a friendly hug, which Diaw said resulted in Brown smashing him over the head with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila and then proceeding to beat on him with “crushing blows” to Diaw’s surprise and confusion.

Look, it should be noted that many of the allegations of violence against Brown have not been proven. Still, it’s hard to believe everybody is telling the same general lie about a perfectly innocent man who does happen to have several proven instances of violence attached to his name.

Just sayin’—it ain’t just about Rihanna.

25 Jul 2024

Who Gets Paid When a Song Is Used In an Olympics Routine?

If U.S. gymnastics superstar Simone Biles were to perform her triple-twisting double backflip to Taylor Swift’s “…Ready For It?” at the Paris Olympics, as she did at the trials in late June, NBC almost certainly won’t need a costly special license to air the track live. NBC pays performing rights organizations ASCAP, BMI and SESAC for blanket public-performance licenses, and the PROs distribute the royalty payments to their hundreds of thousands of members, such as songwriters, publishers and composers, from Paul McCartney to Dua Lipa to Swift herself.

These payments can add up to big money: The 2020 Olympics drew more than 3 billion viewers, a key factor in determining performance-royalty payments. “The larger the audience for the broadcast will generally result in a higher royalty,” says an ASCAP spokesperson.

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For the live TV broadcast, or online live-streaming, the blanket licenses cover all the necessary song rights — foreign PROs pay for the foreign TV broadcast rights and U.S. PROs pay for the U.S. rights. It gets trickier if NBC decides to use the song later, in a delayed broadcast, highlight video or some kind of YouTube-style on-demand streaming. In such cases, says Joy Butler, a Washington, D.C., entertainment and digital-technology attorney and author of The Permission Seeker’s Guide Through the Legal Jungle, NBC might need a separate synch license, negotiated with a publisher.

“But NBC might have reasons to not obtain that sync,” Butler adds. “They’re reporting on the Olympics, which is a newsworthy event. That gives them excellent reasons to rely on fair use.”

Fair use refers to a U.S. copyright doctrine in which a journalist can air snippets of a recorded song in the context of reporting a news story, or quote lyrics while reviewing a record. If an NBC news report on Biles’ Olympic performance picks up a bit of “…Ready For It?,” that may qualify, but NBC would have to tread carefully. “Fair use is very fickle,” Butler says. “The cases kind of go both ways. So you have to do risk assessment if you’ve got music in the background, and you’ve got a taped version which is delayed or on demand.”

TV producers tend to be disinclined to contact rightsholders and negotiate new (and perhaps costly) new licenses when using a song in the background of a recorded video, Butler says: “It absolutely happens that producers will err on the side of caution, and not have the music playing, just have the video run without the audio.” An NBC spokesperson declined to comment for this story. 

This royalty-paying system can be cumbersome, but public venues such as the Bercy Arena in Paris and broadcasters such as NBC are used to it. “This is the same system that is in place for all audio-visual programming, including other sports events,” says the ASCAP rep.

25 Jul 2024

Angela Aguilar and Christian Nodal Are Married

A mere two months after announcing they were a couple, Mexican music stars Angela Aguilar and Christian Nodal tied the knot in a private ceremony at a ranch in Mexico.

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Rumors about the wedding started circulating Saturday night (July 24) online, when magazine Quien published photos of the couple on social media, with Aguilar wearing a long, embroidered dress. In one, she appeared walking holding the arm of her father, fabled ranchera singer Pepe Aguilar, and in the other, she faces Nodal, wearing an off-white suit, at the altar.

While many fans speculated the photos could be from the set of a music video, sources confirmed to Billboard that the couple indeed got married. The wedding took place in a private ranch in Morelos, a couple of hours outside Mexico City. Other photos of the couple have also surfaced on social media.  

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The relationship between Aguilar and Nodal, two of the most promising names in Mexican music, came to light two months ago.

According to sources, Aguilar, 20, an Nodal, 25, who had recorded together back in 2020, reunited after Nodal ended his relationship with Argentine trap star Cazzu, with whom he recently had a baby. The Mexican superstar and Cazzu publicly announced their breakup on social media on May 23, stating they still have a respectful and amicable relationship.

At the time, Aguilar and Nodal noted they had been friends for years.

“It is not a new relationship; it’s the continuation of a story that life made us pause so we could grow and miss each other. Because when we let go, we returned even closer,” Aguilar told HOLA! at the time. Since the announcement, the couple has kept a low profile, although sources said they were deeply in love.

Ángela Aguilar was honored with the Musical Dynasty award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Women in Music ceremony, which aired on June 9, where she was also the youngest of the eight honorees.

25 Jul 2024

Billie Eilish Prank Called Tyler, the Creator Pretending She Pooped Her Pants and His Response Was: Been There… Recently

While some people think pranks are the pinnacle of the comedic arts, Billie Eilish just hates them. They make her anxious and uncomfortable, so naturally she agreed to participate in Elle Magazine’s “Phoning It In” segment, where she called up her famous friends and label team just to totally mess with them.

“I am filled to the brim with anxiety right now,” she says at the beginning of the 10-minute segment. After passing on Zoe Kravitz for logistical reasons, first up was Barbie star Margot Robbie, whom Billie called with a pretend ask about using the actress’ home for a video shoot after a previous location fell through. “Please don’t pick up, please don’t pick up,” Eilish whispered to herself anxiously as the phone rang.

Using her pop juggernaut powers to bust through Robbie’s airplane mode while the star had her phone shut down on set and laughing as Margot praised Billie’s Hit Me Hard and Soft album (“dead, dead dying”), an embarrassed Eilish was even more rattled asking the for the fake favor. “I ordinarily would say f–k yeah, but we are packing up our house tomorrow,” Robbie said sweetly as Eilish squirmed in her chair.

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Doubling down while looking for a back-up, Eilish casually mentioned that there would be 200 extras coming along, requiring a lot of inside and outside space. Eilish could not keep up the facade, though, falling apart and admitting the joke as Robbie laughed and said she was seriously “racking my brain” to find a solution. “I hate pranks so much, I don’t even know Margot like that!” she told Robbie, who laughed off the bit with good humor.

Next up on Eilish’s “most embarrassing day” ever, was a call to her Darkroom label CEO Justin Lubliner to casually pretend she’s quitting music, a bit that made her want to “throw up right now” as she noted that “my body is a temperature it’s never been.” Trying her best to play it straight, Billie revealed, “I can’t do this anymore, like I am going to quit music and I’m not doing this anymore.” Lubliner was concerned about her first of all, asking if she was okay, while Eilish had to keep doubling-down on the fake news and saying there was nothing he could do to change her mind.

“Forget business for a second, can you tell me what’s going on?,” Lubliner said as Eilish could not hold it in anymore and revealed the joke. A shook Lubliner said, “that really hit me deep… you sounded really upset. I was about to pull up to wherever you are and give you a hug. That’s where my head went.”

Shaking, she called up pal Tyler, the Creator with a bit she came up with about messing her pants. “Okay Tyler, you’re not gonna believe what just happened to me and I need help so bad,” she told the rapper. “Dude, I’m on a date. I’m in the bathroom and I s–t my f–king pants.” Tyler’s response was, naturally, “Fire. Honestly? Fire. You deserve it!” Eilish said she was close to his house and wondered if she could swing by to change.

“I’m in Atlanta!” Tyler explained, as Eilish asked if she could still swing by his L.A. home for a shower and clothes. Tyler said no problem, but then had questions, like, how did it happen? “I thought it was a fart and then it just kept going,” Billie explained as she giggled at the phone and Tyler tried to figure out how she didn’t know she was passing more than gas.

Once she told him the truth, the singer said the silence from the MC who had his own prank-adjacent show called Loiter Squad was perfect. “That’s the content that they’re doing for journalism now?” he asked. “Nice, look, I sharted like two months ago,” he added.

Amazed at how nice everyone was being, Eilish pressed on, calling her friend Dakota Johnson to see if the Madame Web star had any advice on playing a baby in a movie. Wondering if it’s a good script and asking pertinent questions, Johnson sweetly tried to help when Eilish inquired about a good dialect coach for making baby sounds. “That’s the question?” Johnson wondered. “I was gonna ask you if it was a prank!” Johnson added shortly after of the ridiculous query, dispensing with what her actual question was going to be: “don’t you have enough money already?” The segment ended with Johnson threatening to get Eilish back twice as bad.

Eilish is slated to kick off the Hit Me Hard and Soft tour on Sept. 29 in Quebec at the Centre Videotron.

Watch Eilish prank her pals below.

25 Jul 2024

Katy Perry to Perform at 2024 AFL Grand Final

It’s a whole new ballgame for Katy Perry, as the “Roar” singer is confirmed as the headline performer for the AFL Grand Final.

The U.S. pop star will perform this September at the imposing Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue for the ’s showpiece event.

On Thursday, July 25 the league announced her appearance at the grand final, confirming weeks of speculation.

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“The sound of millions of Aussies roaring at the same spectacle, I’d like to hear that,” she says in a promo, a reference to the code’s “I’d Like to See That” campaign in the ‘90s. “100,000 passionate fans roaring at the mighty MCG,” says adds in the clip posted by the AFL, “I can’t wait to hear that.”

The AFL’s big day is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28.

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It won’t be the first time Perry has performed at the MCG for a major sporting event. In March 2020, just days before the pandemic shut borders and venues everywhere, Perry sang at the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, an abbreviated format of cricket.

Whether she wraps her head around Aussies rules’ unique gameplay and terminology remains to be seen.

Perry is, of course, on the musical comeback trail. Earlier this month, she dropped “Woman’s World,” her first new music since 2020’s Smile, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

The song serves as the lead track to her upcoming, long-awaited dance-pop album, 143, which is code for “I love you” and is due to arrive on Sept. 20. “Woman’s World” hasn’t set the charts on fire. The track bowed at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100, one of her 36 appearances on the tally, and No. 47 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.

25 Jul 2024

Mushroom Group Restructures Recording, Publishing and Neighboring Rights, Forms Mushroom Music

MELBOURNE, Australia — In a restructuring that’s touted as one of the most significant changes to Mushroom Group in more than two decades, the independent music powerhouse unveils Mushroom Music — a new division that incorporates its recording, publishing and neighboring rights activities.

Unveiled Thursday, July 25 with a new website and social presence, Mushroom Music is said to be the largest music collective of its kind in the region, representing the likes of Vance Joy, Kylie Minogue, The Teskey Brothers, Jimmy Barnes, Childish Gambino, Kehlani, Julia Jacklin, Archie Roach, Wolf Alice, Amy Shark, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Missy Higgins, Confidence Man and many others.

Mushroom Music has been several years in the making, explains Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski. “This transformation,” he says, “is about harnessing the collective strengths and experience of our individual recording, publishing and neighboring rights companies.

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Leading Mushroom Music as co-CEOs are Chris Maund (formerly COO Mushroom Labels & Publishing) and Linda Bosidis (formerly managing director Mushroom Music Publishing), reporting to Gudinski.

Within the new structure, Bosidis remains primarily focused on the publishing division and Maund on recordings, neighboring rights and new opportunities, while neighboring rights specialist Susan Cotchin continues to lead the Good Neighbour business as managing director.

With the changes, Mushroom’s record labels Liberation Records, Ivy League Records, Bloodlines, Liberator Music, Soothsayer and 100s + 1000s are now part of the Mushroom Music pot, and will not longer “outwardly” exist, Maund explains. “We had expanded to eight separate record labels, which doesn’t make sense strategically or efficiently for a single independent music company.” I OH YOU and Valve Sounds will remain standalone label partners of Mushroom Music.

Mushroom Music’s restructured executive team includes Damian Slevison (managing director, A&R and commercial), Dan Baker (managing director, strategy & audience), Julia Hill (director, media & artist relations), Dean McLachlan (senior director, iconic artists and catalogue), Korda Marshall (managing director, world ex-ANZ), Erol Yurdagul (senior director, A&R and creative), Layne Buckley (manager, A&R), Johann Ponniah (founder, I OH YOU Group), Nick Dunshea (senior director, international & operations) and Madeleine O’Gorman (general manager, UK/Europe).

By consolidating the labels, it’s enabled the new division to bring A&R into a single team led by Slevison; its media, streaming, marketing, and audience functions are merged into a single, fully aligned department led by Baker; and the social media and audience team is expanding with new hires, and a streamlined global marketing team is being created across Mushroom’s Australian, U.K., and U.S. offices. “It’s going to make a big difference,” says Maund.

Adds Bosidis, “the new setup aims to streamline our operations and broaden idea-sharing within the company. As co-CEOs, Chris and I will have distinct roles: I will focus on publishing, Chris on recordings, neighboring rights, and other strategic areas.” And despite their separate responsibilities, “we will collaborate closely on vision, strategy, and company culture for Mushroom Music.”

The launch of Mushroom Music follows the group’s 50th birthday celebrations in 2023, which, along the way, involved a raft of releases, both musical, visual and branded merchandise, and culminated in an all-star concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. Fittingly, a life-size statute of Michael Gudinski, the legendary late entrepreneur who formed Mushroom Group all those years ago, stands facing the arena.

“It’s been a long journey to really get to this point,” Matt Gudinski says of Mushroom Music. “A big part of it was really bringing everyone together, aligning everyone’s priorities and strengths, and also creating a greater pathway for people and a greater set up to attract the best people to be part of Mushroom’s infrastructure.”

This new setup is the “most significant change to how Mushroom supports Australian artists since the sale of Mushroom Records in 1998.”

25 Jul 2024

Kesha Claims New Album Will be Even Better Than ‘Animal’

She may have only released her Joyride EP, but Kesha is now gearing up for what could be the most defining release of her career, hinting at a new album released on Kesha Records that she claims features “the best songs, I think, of my entire career”.

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In a recent interview with Paper Magazine, the singer opened up about the significance of her upcoming album – her first as an independent artist following her legal battle with Kemosabe Records founder Dr. Luke, whom she accused of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in 2014.

The producer has consistently denied Kesha’s allegations and sued her for defamation, but the two settled the case before it went to trial last year.

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Now, fresh off the release of her Joyride EP on July 4, which included her independently released single of the same name, Kesha is reveling in her newfound creative freedom ahead of another album release. “This is the first album I’m making where I’m 100% in control of everything,” she told Paper. “It feels like it’s my first album.”

“It feels divine; it feels like it stands for a lot. It’s really beautiful, and I cannot wait to share it. It’s maybe the most beautiful time of my entire life! I am so excited I got to work with the people I did and capture this moment in time, and put it onto something other people can listen to.”

“It’s been deeply life-changing and profound to make this album, but it’s also the most fun I’ve ever had in my life. If you thought Animal was fun, just fucking wait.”

The “TiK ToK” hitmaker also drew parallels between her current creative state and the mindset that produced Animal, her 2010 debut that stormed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

“This is the first time in my life I’ve felt similarly to how I did in that point in my life, when I was making music from a purely joyful place,” Kesha explained.

“It’s all really 100% me. That feels really good, just to step into my own worth, and my own power and not have anything in my mind or the external world say it’s anything but me. It’s pretty unavoidable that whether people like or hate ‘Joyride,’ it’s all me.”

“Joyride” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs chart and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

25 Jul 2024

Dick Asher, Music Industry Pioneer and Anti-Payola Crusader, Dies at 92

Dick Asher, a titan of the music industry who held presidential roles at both PolyGram and Columbia Records, has passed away at the age of 92, Variety has confirmed.

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His son Jeffrey annoucned via Facebook that Asher passed away peacefully at his home in Boca Raton, Fla. on Tuesday, July 25.

“It is with a heavy heart to inform y’all that my father, one of the legendary executives of the music industry, passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 92!! Here he is in London England presenting Mott the Hoople with awards for sales of their albums,” Jeffrey wrote alongside a photograph of his father alongside the British rockers.

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Born in New York City in 1932, Asher’s career in the music industry spanned over four decades, with his tenure coinciding with the careers of some of music’s biggest names, including Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and Bon Jovi.

He began his professional journey after graduating from Tufts University and Cornell Law School. Following his service in the Marine Corps, he joined CBS Records (now Sony Music) in the mid-1960s as vice president of business affairs.

Perhaps one of the most notable moments in Asher’s early career was his meeting with Bob Dylan during the singer’s recovery from a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 1966.

Asher traveled to Woodstock, New York, to negotiate Dylan’s contract renewal, a task that few others were able to accomplish during that period. Reflecting on the meeting, Asher once recounted asking Dylan about his new music, to which Dylan replied, “It’s a little further on down the road.”

After a brief stint at Capitol Records, Asher returned to CBS in 1971 and worked closely with Clive Davis at Columbia Records.

He was instrumental in revitalizing the company’s struggling U.K. division and was later promoted to head of international operations. In the late 1970s, as the music industry faced a downturn due to the decline of disco, Asher was named deputy president of Columbia Records, playing a crucial role in stabilizing the company’s finances.

Asher’s most significant contribution to the music industry came in the 1980s when he took a stand against the powerful network of independent promoters, known as “The Network.”

These promoters had monopolized radio airplay through payola and other questionable practices.

As detailed in Frederic Dannen’s book Hit Men, Asher attempted to break free from their influence by releasing Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1” without their involvement.

However, the song initially faced significant resistance from major radio stations. Despite this, Asher’s determination ultimately contributed to Congressional hearings that exposed and dismantled the network’s operations in the mid-1980s.

Asher’s tenure at Columbia Records came to an end in 1983 after conflicts with the company’s president, Walter Yetnikoff. He subsequently joined Warner Communications and later became the president and CEO of PolyGram Records in 1985. During his time at PolyGram, the company released several blockbuster albums, including Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” and Def Leppard’s “Hysteria.”

Despite these successes, Asher left PolyGram in 1990 following a contractual dispute.

After departing PolyGram, Asher returned to law practice and provided consultancy services to various artists and companies.

He also became an original director for Electronic Arts, serving in this capacity for 24 years. In the 1990s, he moved to Florida and later joined Florida Atlantic University as an affiliate professor of commercial music, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the school’s recording studio.

Asher is survived by his wife, Sheila, and his son, Jeffrey. He also leaves behind four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

24 Jul 2024

Céline Dion Teaming Up with Lady Gaga for Olympics Duet: Reports

France’s acting sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has set the Olympic rumor mill alight after he cryptically hinted that Céline Dion and Lady Gaga will perform a duet at the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony.

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According to French journalist Thierry Moreau, who posted to X (formerly Twitter), the duo will sing the Édith Piaf classic “La Vie en Rose.” TMZ is also reporting that Dion and Gaga will perform the track.

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It would mark Dion’s first performance since she cancelled the dates on her North American Courage world tour before revealing she is fighting Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

Dion herself added fuel to the fire that she’s set to participate in the event after posting to Instagram from Paris on July 24.

“Every time I return to Paris, I remember there’s so much beauty and joy still to experience in the world.  I love Paris, and I’m so happy to be back! Thank you to our wonderful friends at The Louvre!” she wrote in both English and French.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga has also been spotted in Paris ahead of the Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

On Monday (July 22), pop star was photographed waving and blowing kisses to fans as she stood next to her car. A fan video captures Gaga greeting admirers while peeking out of the vehicle’s sunroof, holding up a hand heart.

The sighting came a few days after the Olympics appeared to tease a special guest at the 2024 Opening Ceremony, by posting a video featuring a person in disguise that many thought to be the 13-time Grammy winner.

In the clip, a hooded figure tightens their metallic belt and wraps a large flag with the ancient sporting event’s logo on it around their shoulders as a cape.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” the video teased. “See you on 26 July.”

The highly anticipated four-hour spectacle is set to unfold on July 26 along the River Seine and at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.