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17 Jul 2024

Molly Tuttle, Authentic Unlimited, Billy Strings & Sister Sadie Lead IBMA Awards Nominees

The nominees for the 2024 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards were revealed on Wednesday (July 17) from the SiriusXM Studios in Nashville.

Hosted by IBMA Executive director Ken White and Bluegrass Junction’s Joey Black, the final nominees unveiling ceremony also featured performances from Missy Raines and Allegheny, as well as Authentic Unlimited, who proved to be one of this year’s frontrunners, earning nominations spanning several categories.

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Additionally, White revealed three inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame: Alan Munde, Jerry Douglas and Katy Daley. Munde has been a leader in bluegrass music for more than five decades, through work as a banjo player, bandleader and educator. Munde has been part of projects including Poor Richard’s Almanac with Byron Berline, Sam Bush and Wayne Stewart, and has played with Jimmy Martin, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Country Gazette. He was a 2008 recipient of an IBMA distinguished achievement award.

Dobro player Douglas started with the Country Gentlemen in the 1970s and has played as part of J.D. Crowe’s New South and The Whites, before joining Alison Krauss’s Union Station in 1998. In 2014, he launched the Flatt & Scruggs tribute band the Earls of Leister. He’s earned 10 IBMA Awards for dobro player of the year and is a former vice president of the IBMA’s board of directors.

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Daley, a bluegrass music broadcaster, has worked at WAMU and in 1978, collaborated in the 13-part series Bluegrass Anthology. She’s also worked at WMZQ, before joining bluegrasscountry.org, serving as a morning personality. Daley has received two IBMA Awards for bluegrass broadcaster of the year and one for distinguished achievement.

The IBMA distinguished achievement award was given to bluegrass radio presenter Cindy Baucom, fiddler/vocalist/songwriter Laurie Lewis, Bluegrass Omagh music festival leader Richard Hurst, bluegrass music instructional video hub ArtistWorks, and the Dallas/Forth Worth-based Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival.

The 35th annual IBMA Music Awards will be held Sept. 26 during the 2024 IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina. World of Bluegrass runs from Sept. 24-28 at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.

See the full list of nominees below:

Entertainer of the year

Billy Strings

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway

Del McCoury Band

Sister Sadie

The Po Ramblin’ Boys

Male vocalist of the year

Dan Tyminski

Greg Blake

Del McCoury

Danny Paisley

Russell Moore

Female vocalist of the year

Molly Tuttle

Jaelee Roberts

Dale Ann Bradley

AJ Lee

Rhonda Vincent

New artist of the year

East Nash Newgrass

Brownwyn Keith-Hynes

AJ Lee and Blue Summit

Wyatt Ellis

The Kody Norris Show

Vocal group of the year

Authentic Unlimited

Sister Sadie

Blue Highway

Del McCoury Band

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway

Instrumental group of the year

Billy Strings

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper

Travelin McCourys

East Nash Grass

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway

Album of the year

City of Gold, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Last Chance to Win, East Nash Grass

Jubilation, Appalachian Road Show

No Fear, Sister Sadie

So Much For Forever, Authentic Unlimited

Song of the year

“Fall in Tennessee,” Authentic Unlimited

“Willow,” Sister Sadie

“Too Lonely, Way Too Long,” Rick Faris with Del McCoury

“Forever Young,” Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton

“Kentucky Gold,” Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush

Music video of the year

“Alberta Bound,” Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero and Claire Lynch

“Willow,” Sister Sadie

“Fall in Tennessee,” Authentic Unlimited

“The City of New Orleans,” Rhonda Vincent and the Rage

“I Call Her Sunshine,” The Kody Norris Show

Guitar player of the year

Billy Strings

Molly Tuttle

Trey Hensley

Bryan Sutton

Cody Kilby

Mandolin player of the year

Sierra Hull

Sam Bush

Ronnie McCoury

Jesse Brock

Alan Bibey

Banjo player of the year

Kristin Scott Benson

Gena Britt

Alison Brown

Bela Fleck

Rob McCoury

Resophonic guitar player of the year

Justin Moses

Rob Ickes

Jerry Douglas

Andy Hall

Gaven Largent

Fiddle player of the year

Jason Carter

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Michael Cleveland

Stuart Duncan

Deanie Richardson

Bass player of the year

Missy Raines

Mike Bub

Vickie Vaughn

Todd Phillips

Mark Schatz

Gospel recording of the year

“When I Get There,” Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out

“Thank You Lord For Grace,” Authentic Unlimited

“Just Beyond,” Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, and Bradley Walker

“God Already Has,” Dale Ann Bradley

“Memories of Home,” Authentic Unlimited

Instrumental recording of the year

“Rhapsody in Blue(grass),” Bela Fleck

“Knee Deep in Bluegrass,” Ashby Frank

“Panhandle Country,” Missy Raines and Allegheny

“Lloyd’s of Lubbock,” Alan Munde

“Behind the 8 Ball,” Andy Leftwich

Collaborative recording of the year

“Brown’s Ferry Blues,” Tony Trischka feat. Billy Strings

“Fall in Tennessee,” Authentic Unlimited with Jerry Douglas

“Forever Young,” Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton

“Bluegrass Radio,” Alison Brown with Steve Martin

“Too Old to Die Young,” Bobby Osborne with CJ Lewandowski

17 Jul 2024

Maren Morris Addresses Viral Wardrobe Malfunction: ‘Nothing Embarrasses Me Anymore’

Maren Morris accidentally showed a little more skin than planned while performing at Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July picnic in New Jersey, but the 34-year-old singer-songwriter is taking it in stride.

After people online started circulating a video of the onstage wardrobe malfunction — which involved a denim skirt with a severe side slit giving audience members a clear look down there — Morris addressed the situation with her typical humor in a hilarious TikTok posted Tuesday (July 16). “Hey guyz did anything weird happen today?!?!” she wrote across a video of her looking around nonchalantly, which she cheekily paired with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s 2020 smash “WAP.”

“I think I’ll frame the skirt,” she captioned the clip, adding in the comments, “Like, I’ve given birth. Nothing embarrasses me anymore.”

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Morris also used the situation as an opportunity to remind fans about her upcoming five-track EP Intermission, which drops Aug. 2. It’ll feature the previously released singles “Cut!” featuring Julia Michaels and the brand new “I Hope I Never Fall in Love.”

“It’s pretty self-explanatory from the title, having just gone through a giant breakup,” she said of the latter track in a recent Instagram video. “Just not wanting to go down that path again, and wanting to keep things casual, and really just lean into the ‘situationship’ of it all.”

The Evan Blair-produced song came about 10 months after Morris filed for divorce from fellow songwriter Ryan Hurd, with whom she shares 4-year-old son Hayes. In her Oct. 2 filing, Morris’ lawyers stated that the ex-couple was “unable to live together successfully as husband and wife,” and were “experiencing irreconcilable differences in their marriage.”

Watch Morris address her recent wardrobe malfunction below.

17 Jul 2024

Here Are the 2024 Primetime Emmy Nominees in All 7 Music Categories

In the nominations for the 76th annual Emmy Awards, which were announced on Wednesday (July 17), Rickey Minor has two of the five nods for outstanding music direction. Minor is nominated for his work on The Oscars and The 46th Kennedy Center Honors. He has won twice in the category, for his work on Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America (2017) and The Kennedy Center Honors (2020).

The other nominees in the category this year include the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which had three music directors – Adam Blackstone, Don Was and Omar Edwards. Like Minor, Blackstone and Was are past winners in this category.

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Two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer has three nominations across the seven music categories in the Primetime Emmy nods. He’s up for two awards (alongside Kara Talve) for his work on The Tattoist of Auschwitz and for a third for his work on Planet Earth III.

Others with two nods in music categories, besides Minor and Talve, include Marc Shaiman, Saturday Night Live’s Eli Brueggemann and the team of Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross and Nick Chuba.

Maya Rudolph, who is nominated for outstanding music and lyrics for co-writing “Maya Rudolph Mother’s Day Monologue” for her hosting turn on Saturday Night Live, has three other nominations this year in non-music categories. She is nominated in performance categories for SNL and Loot and character voiceover for Big Mouth.

Final-round online voting begins Aug. 15. The 76th Emmy Awards will broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/5 to 8 p.m. PT, from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live, and stream the next day on Hulu. The 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards take place at the Peacock Theater over two nights on Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8, with an edited presentation to air on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FXX.

Emmy Award winners Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon along with Emmy-nominated Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment are set to return as executive producers of the 76th Emmy Awards.

Outstanding music direction

The 46th Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • Done + Dusted in association with ROK Productions; Rickey Minor, Music Director

Late Night With Seth Meyers • Episode 1488 • NBC • Universal Television and Broadway Video; Fred Armisen, Eli Janney, Music Directors

The Oscars • ABC • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Rickey Minor, Music Director

2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony • ABC • Tenth Planet Productions; Adam Blackstone, Don Was, Omar Edwards, Music Directors

Saturday Night Live • Host: Ryan Gosling • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Eli Brueggemann, Music Directors

Outstanding original music and lyrics

Girls5eva • “New York” / Song Title: “The Medium Time” • Netflix • Universal Television for Netflix; Sara Bareilles, Music & Lyrics

Only Murders In The Building • “Sitzprobe” / Song Title: “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” • Hulu • 20th Television; Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Music & Lyrics

Saturday Night Live • “Host: Maya Rudolph” / Song Title: “Maya Rudolph Mother’s Day Monologue” • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Eli Brueggemann, Music; Maya Rudolph, Auguste White, Mike DiCenzo, Jake Nordwind, Lyrics

The Tattooist of Auschwitz • “Episode 6” / Song Title: “Love Will Survive” • Peacock • Synchronicity Films, Peacock, SKY Studios; Kara Talve, Hans Zimmer, Walter Afanasieff, Music; Charlie Midnight, Lyrics

True Detective: Night Country • “Part 5” / Song Title: “No Use” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Peligrosa, Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger; John Hawkes, Music & Lyrics

Outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score)

The Crown • “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” • Netflix • Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television for Netflix; Martin Phipps, Composer

Mr. & Mrs. Smith • “First Date” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios, Big Indie Pictures; David Fleming, Composer

Only Murders in the Building • “Sitzprobe” • Hulu • 20th Television; Siddhartha Khosla, Composer

Palm Royale • “Maxine Saves a Cat” • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Jeff Toyne, Composer

Shōgun • “Servants of Two Masters” • FX • FX Productions; Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Nick Chuba, Composers

Silo • “Freedom Day” • Apple TV+ • AMC Studios in association with Apple; Atli Örvarsson, Composer

Slow Horses • “Strange Games” • Apple TV+ • See-Saw Films in association with Apple; Daniel Pemberton, Toydrum, Composers

Outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score)

All The Light We Cannot See • “Episode 4” • Netflix • 21 Laps Entertainment for Netflix; James Newton Howard, Composer

Fargo • “Blanket” • FX • FX Presents an MGM/FXP Production; Jeff Russo, Composer

Lawmen: Bass Reeves • “Part I” • Paramount+ • MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, Bosque Ranch Productions and Yoruba Saxon; Chanda Dancy, Composer

Lessons in Chemistry • “Book of Calvin” • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Carlos Rafael Rivera, Composer

The Tattooist of Auschwitz • “Episode 1” • Peacock • Synchronicity Films, Peacock, SKY Studios; Kara Talve, Hans Zimmer, Composers

Outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score)

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life • HBO | Max • HBO Documentary Films and Castle Rock Entertainment; Marc Shaiman, Composer

Beckham • “Seeing Red” • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary Series / A Studio 99 Production in association with Ventureland; Anže Rozman, Camilo Forero, Composers

Jim Henson Idea Man • Disney+ • Imagine Documentaries Productions, Disney Branded Television; David Fleming, Composer

Planet Earth III • “Extremes” • BBC America • A BBC Studios Natural History Unit Production co-produced with BBC America, ZDF and France Télévisions for BBC; Jacob Shea, Sara Barone, Hans Zimmer, Composers

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed • HBO | Max • HBO Documentary Films presents an Altitude Film Entertainment; Production in association with Berlanti/Schechter Films and Dog Star Films; Laura Karpman, Composer

Outstanding original main title theme music

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans • FX • FX Productions, 20th Television; Thomas Newman, Composer

Lessons in Chemistry • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Carlos Rafael Rivera, Composer

Masters of the Air • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios with Amblin Television / Playtone; Blake Neely, Composer

Palm Royale • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Jeff Toyne, Composer

Shōgun • FX • FX Productions; Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Nick Chuba, Composers

Outstanding music supervision

Baby Reindeer • “Episode 4” • Netflix • A Netflix Series / A Clerkenwell Films Production; Catherine Grieves, Music Supervisor

Fallout • “The End” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks; Trygge Toven, Music Supervisor

Fargo • “The Tragedy of the Commons” • FX • FX Presents an MGM/FXP Production; Maggie Phillips, Music Supervisor

Mr. & Mrs. Smith • “A Breakup” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios, Big Indie Pictures; Jen Malone, Music Supervisor

Only Murders in the Building • “Grab Your Hankies” • Hulu • 20th Television; Bruce Gilbert, Lauren Marie Mikus, Music Supervisors

True Detective: Night Country • “Part 4” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Peligrosa, Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger; Susan Jacobs, Music Supervisor

17 Jul 2024

Drake’s Shares Video of His Mansion Suffering Flooding , Of Course X Flood Him Kendrick Lamar Jokes

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Drake Posts Video of Mansion Flooding, X Blames Kendrick Lamar

Source: Carmen Mandato / Getty / Drake

Drake can’t catch a break.

Drizzy’s city of Toronto is experiencing torrential rain, which is causing severe flooding and power outages.

Drake took to Instagram to reveal that his luxurious crib isn’t safe from the flood waters. He shared a video via his IG Stories showing dirty, yellowish water flooding into it, with the caption, “This better be Espresso Martini.”

Drake didn’t follow up with any updates, but his post did open the floodgates for folks on X, formerly Twitter, to use the moment to add salt to Drake’s still-fresh wound following his rap battle and defeat at the hands of Kendrick Lamar.

Many people joked that it was Lamar who was the cause of Drake’s weather-related issues he was enduring.

“Kendrick brought the biblical flood to Drake,” one post read.

Another user on X wrote, “First it was the diss records, the concert and the video. Now it’s a flood… Next, Kendrick is about to send the locusts to The Embassy…”

Wh” Is DrakeDrake’sA** Crib Not On A Hill?

Others wondered why DrakeDrake’s was not elevated in the first place, with one person writing, “I’m still shocked that Drake’s house isn’t on top of the highest hill in Toronto. That man has no sense.”

No matter what Drake does, he can’t escape Kung-Fu Kenny’s wrath.

Just recently, Richard Branson, a Black video game developer, dropped a free web video game based on Lama’s scathing-smash hit diss record “Not Like Us.”

In the game, control a pixel sprite version of K.Dot and literally wop wop wop as many owls as they can with a bat.

Damn, Drake.

You can see more reactions to Drake’s mansion flooding and K.Dot using his biblical powers to make it happen in the gallery below.

3. Howling

4. Good question

7. Ha ha ha ha ha

8. Nobody is safe

17 Jul 2024

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s ‘Lilac’ Reaches No. 1 After 14 Weeks on Japan Hot 100

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” hits the top spot on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, moving 4-1 on the chart dated July 17 after spending 14 weeks on the tally.

The opener for the anime series Oblivion Battery was released back in April and debuted at No. 11 on the Japan Hot 100, then climbed to the top 5 where it coasted along powered by streams. The last episode of the anime aired on July 3, and the track saw an increase in all metrics this week with downloads at 106%, streaming at 107%, radio airplay at 194%, video views at 123%, and karaoke at 120% week-over-week.

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Debuting at No. 2 is SixTONES’s “GONG,” the lead track off the boy band’s 13th single “GONG/Koko ni kaettekite.” The CD launched with 438,438 copies to hit No. 1 for sales, while the song also comes at No. 35 for radio and No. 33 for video.

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Creepy Nuts’ long-running hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” holds at No. 3, followed by BOYNEXTDOOR’s “One and Only” at No. 4. “One and Only” is the lead track from BOYNEXTDOOR’s first single called “And,” which sold 238,859 copies in its first week to come in at No. 2 for sales.

“Fatal” by GEMN, the duo consisting of Kento Nakajima and Tatsuya Kitani, rises 21-8 to break into the top 10. “Fatal” is being featured as the opener for the anime series Oshi no Ko Season 2, which began airing July 3. The track jumps 42-11 for streaming, 20-4 for video, and bows at No. 65 for radio. 

Other notable chart moves this week include ONE OK ROCK’s “Delusion:All,” the theme song for the movie Kingdom 4, debuting at No. 21, and Ado’s “RuLe,” the theme song for the drama series Billion x School, bowing at No. 40.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from July 8 to 14, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account. 

17 Jul 2024

Eminem Reunites With Steve Berman in a Skit to Reveal New Edition of ‘The Death of Slim Shady’

Eminem released another limited-edition digital album of his The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) on Wednesday (July 17). The rapper takes it back to his roots when reconnecting with a frustrated Steve Berman, who appears on another skit, which has been added to this latest version of the album.

The Interscope Records vice chairman originally joined Slim Shady for a skit named after him on 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP, and made another appearance on D-12’s Devil’s Night. He pops up again on an Eminem Show skit in 2002, where Em actually shoots Steve. After some time off, Berman returns on 2009’s Relapse after losing feeling in his right arm following the figurative gun shots.

It’s been well over a decade, and they’re back — back again — and still bickering as usual. Em had some fun with the digital album announcement, which finds Berman nagging the Detroit legend about his LP and finally convincing him to make another guest appearance.

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“Aren’t you supposed to be dead?” Berman quips. “How the f–k are you gonna put out another album without me on it?”

Em ultimately obliges: “All right, man, I’ll fix it.”

“Ok, @steveberman.. I fixed it,” Em added on social media. “Get the new #TheDeathOfSlimShady digital album- STEVE BERMAN Edition! Includes BOTH bonus tracks #1 and #2 + an exclusive skit w/ Steve. Avail only on shop.eminem.com until THURS. at midnight ET!”

The latest digital album comes with both bonus tracks — “Like My S–t” and “Kyrie & Luka” featuring 2 Chainz. Fans will have the chance to purchase the limited-edition LP until Thursday night (July 18).

The Death of Slim Shady served as Em’s 12th LP and first since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By. The rapper is headed toward earning his 10th consecutive Billboard 200-topper if he can unseat Taylor Swift for the No. 1 slot.

17 Jul 2024

Lorde Says She Felt ‘Misunderstood’ by Charli XCX Before They Teamed Up on ‘Girl, So Confusing’

Lorde and Charli XCX both found clarity after working things out on the “Girl, So Confusing” remix. But before she hopped on the fan-favorite Brat track, the New Zealand singer-songwriter says she felt quite misconstrued by her friend.

Chatting for Charli’s new Billboard cover story, Lorde opened up about her perspective on the cathartic experience of recording the remix. The English alt-pop star had originally sent her counterpart the track as a simple heads-up that it was about the strain she felt in their friendship, a move the “Solar Power” musician said inspired “both deep empathy for my friend and this feeling of, ‘Man, I’ve been misunderstood, and I really want to make it right.’”

In response, Lorde almost immediately suggested teaming up for a joint remix. “I don’t know if you like me/ Sometimes I think you might hate me/ Sometimes I think I might hate you,” Charli sings on the track before her duet partner chimes in with, “You’d always say, ‘Let’s go out’/ But then I’d cancel last minute/ I was so lost in my head/ And scared to be in your pictures.”

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“When I was writing this verse, I was saying these things to her for the first time,” Lorde told Billboard. “There was such a rawness and an immediacy to what I was saying. I love that we truly did work it out on the remix. There’s something very brat about that, something very meta and modern.”

“Only Charli could make that happen,” she continued. “She had opened up a channel between us, and it made me say things that I had never said.”

The cover story comes a little more than a month after the “Von Dutch” singer dropped her critically acclaimed album Brat, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — her highest peak on the chart to date — as well as inspired a wave of new internet trends. Many fans see it as a long-overdue commercial triumph for the tastemaker — as does Lorde, who stressed, “Charli’s been doing this.”

“Michelangelo apparently once said, ‘I’m just going to carve away all that is not David,’” the “Green Light” artist added to Billboard. “And I feel that that’s what we are getting to witness in real time: Charli saying to herself, ‘I’m going to carve away all that is not Charli.’”

17 Jul 2024

GARNiDELiA Demonstrates Its Worldwide Presence at Opening Night of World Tour 2024 -TEN- [MAKUAKE]

On Dec. 23, 2023, fans were fortunate to see “Thanks,” a final, additional performance by GARNiDELiA at Tokyo’s EX THEATER ROPPONGI as part of their GARNiDELiA stellacage 2023 -stella ship- Re:CoNNeCT world tour. Six months later, on June 30, 2024, GARNiDELiA premier stellacage ‘TOKYO’ World Tour 2024 -TEN- [MAKUAKE] was held. This was the opening show of their world tour and their first time performing in Tokyo’s Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. The mood of the show was dramatically different from the previous show, and you could immediately see and feel the support GARNiDELiA enjoyed from its passionate Chinese fanbase. The first thing one saw upon stepping into the outdoor theater was the huge number of Chinese-speaking fans.

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The popularity of GARNiDELiA’s songs exploded throughout China with member MARiA’s performance of “Gokuraku Jodo” on the Chinese audition show Cheng Feng 2023, launching the band into stardom. MARiA now enjoys overwhelming popularity in China, even serving as the advertising face of various brands.

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Unfortunately, it was rainy on the day of the outdoor show. In the midst of the drizzle, sound effects with a distinctly Asian feel began playing and toku and the band’s supporting members took to the stage. Then MARiA appeared, wearing a dress evocative of the Middle East and a long veil covering her face. The show began with “-TEN-,” a song from their latest album, TEN, which represents GARNiDELiA’s resolve to reach the pinnacle of all they survey. The sound production featured deep bass, the product of the band’s experience in China. This combined with MARiA’s singing voice, whose emotional strength had reached new heights, to produce a chemical reaction that resulted in a simply overwhelming performance. During the band’s performance of “Diamond,” she removed her veil and was joined by a team of dancers. For the rest of the show, they put on intricate dances as MARiA commanded the stage. The crowd shouted along and banged their heads to “COLOR,” bringing the audience even closer together, and then the band launched into “True High.”

After toku and MARiA’s self-introductions, MARiA loosened up the audience with her cheery personality, saying “What a wonderful, sunny day, huh! (laughs) We’re really fortunate to have such great weather! Okay, everybody, I want you just as soaked as me by the time you leave today!” She mentioned that they had added music with a “sky” theme to the set list because of the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall location.

Her soft voice as she sang the line “a blue sky, free of clouds” in their performance of “ONE,” accompanied by the gorgeous, melodious synth line played by toku, was so powerful it felt like it could even part the rainclouds. MARiA’s piercing eyes glittered, showing the sincerity and honesty she always brings to her songs, as she performed “Soten.” This was followed by “Akatsuki Zakura” and “Oka Ramman,” whose Japanese tones took the splendor of the music to a new level.

MARiA, wearing a cat’s ear headband, and toku, donning a cat’s ear cap, then performed “CAT PLANET” (with a quick detour to perform a cover of Anri’s “CAT’S EYE”). The choreography, featuring cat paw gestures, was a stand-out, and the audience sang along to the “nya nya nya” (“meow meow meow”) part. Still wearing their cat’s ears, GARNiDELiA then played “PiNK CAT,” “Gen Ai Yugi,” and “QUEEN(S) GAME,” all accompanied by their dancers. The active back-and-forth with the audience is one of the hallmarks of the band’s live performances, marked by its global sensibilities.

The rain, however, showed no signs of stopping, instead growing fiercer and fiercer. MARiA, having changed into a black costume with gold decorations, sang a lush rendition of “Fiction,” a song of heartbreak with a piano refrain that lingers even after the song ends. Then the band performed “Hoshi No Uta” and “Suzuran.” The ‘80s flavor created a soundscape that felt both nostalgic and new, drawing out both the wistfulness and beauty of MARiA’s voice. The rain, now pouring down, was perfectly matched to MARiA’s emotional performance. The struggles and hard work beneath her artistry were highlighted even more sharply than in the band’s usual concerts, creating an overwhelming sense of authenticity.

“Sometimes your voices and your love feel like my wings. When I’m with you, nothing can stop me,” said MARiA before diving into the song “Future Wing.” This was followed by the hard-edged rock songs “SPEED STAR,” “ambiguous,” and “BLAZING.” The show’s finale was a special version of “FRONTiER,” which also felt like a beginning. In the encore, which began with “Gokuraku Jodo,” MARiA talked to the Chinese-speaking fans, who cheered in response. It was a truly international moment. “I want my fans in Japan to feel the Chinese vibe,” said MARiA, and the band covered Ikimonogakari’s “Blue Bird,” a song that enjoys a lot of popularity overseas. Many of the Chinese-speaking fans sang along with the chorus in Japanese. Seeing the success GARNiDELiA is achieving around the world, such as the growing range of reactions from the audience, with my own eyes, I was sure that GARNiDELiA’s music was poised on the edge of a dramatic transformation.

“No matter how hard things were, no matter how I struggled, no matter how dark the future looked, I kept pushing forward. I kept fighting. I knew that if I kept doing that, a miracle would happen. Our life, and the love you have all given us, is a testament to that,” said MARiA.

The Hibiya show was the opening of a five-month tour starting in summer that would see GARNiDELiA playing roughly 50 shows, mostly in China and nearby areas. The duo shows true strength, taking change head-on, unflinchingly, in the midst of our rapidly changing environment. This strength was demonstrated again by their performance in the middle of a merciless rainstorm.

The show came to a close with toku, a keytar over his shoulder, leaping to the front of the stage to perform “G.R.N.D.” MARiA and toku’s paths crisscrossed as they listened to each other’s music. Enveloped in generous applause and cheering voices, the duo left the stage.

This article by Mio Komachi first appeared on Billboard Japan.

17 Jul 2024

Replacement Judge In Young Thug’s RICO Trial Also Recuses Herself, Citing Ex-Deputy’s Arrest

Young Thug’s sprawling Atlanta gang trial is once again in need of a new judge.

Just two days after Judge Ural Glanville was ordered removed from the Young Slime Life RICO case, his replacement on the trial bench – Judge Shakura L. Ingram – said Wednesday that she would also recuse herself.

In doing so, Ingram cited her connection with Akeiba Stanley, a Fulton County courthouse deputy who was arrested last year for allegedly attempting to smuggle in contraband to another YSL defendant with whom prosecutors claim Stanley was having an “inappropriate relationship.”

Wednesday’s recusal order said that Stanley had previously a deputy assigned to Ingram’s courtroom.

“Because this court’s former assigned deputy could be called as a witness in any future proceedings in this case, the court may be called upon to assess this deputy’s credibility, or rule on matters related to her criminal prosecution,” Ingram wrote. “This may undermine the public’s confidence in the impartiality of the proceedings.”

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The judge stressed that she was not actually biased toward Stanley, but that she must avoid any “appearance of impropriety” in the proceedings: “The clerk of this court is directed to reassign this criminal action to another judge.”

It was not immediately clear who would replace Ingram, or how her recusal would impact the YSL case, which has already been pending for more than two years. The trial, which started in January 2023 but has faced numerous delays and disruptions, was already expected to run well into 2025. All the while, Young Thug has sat in jail, repeatedly denied bond over concerns that he might intimidate witnesses.

Thug (Jeffery Williams) and dozens of others were indicted in May 2022 over allegations that his “YSL” was not really a record label called “Young Stoner Life” but rather a violent Atlanta gang called “Young Slime Life.” Citing Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, prosecutors claim the group operated a criminal enterprise that committed murders, carjackings, armed robberies, drug dealing and other crimes over the course of a decade.

Glanville, the chief judge of Fulton County Superior Court, had been presiding over the massive case from the start. But a month ago, it was revealed that the judge had taken part in a secret “ex parte” meeting with prosecutors and a key witness. Attorneys for Thug and other defendants alleged that Glanville had aided prosecutors in coercing the witness to testify and that the meeting had violated their constitutional rights to a fair trial.

On Monday, Judge Rachel Krause ruled that Glanville should be removed from the case over those complaints. Though Krause defended her fellow jurist’s conduct and said she had “no doubt” that Glanville could still fairly handle the case, Krause ordered him to step aside for the sake of “preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system.”

The ruling is likely to further delay the YSL trial, which already saw an unprecedented 10-month jury selection process. Prosecutors have been presenting witness testimony for months, but have listed hundreds of potential witnesses that they might call.

When a permanent new judge is put into place, he or she will likely face demands for a mistrial by defense attorneys over Glanville’s conduct, as well as renewed requests for Thug and the other defendants to be released on bond until a verdict is reached.

17 Jul 2024

Lego Sets Are Marked Down for Amazon Prime Day With Some of the Lowest Prices We’ve Ever Seen

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It’s Prime Day! It’s one of the best times to shop Amazon for some of the deepest discounts of the year. So far, we’ve seen amazing deals on fashion, headphones, workout gear, kitchen appliances and more, but now we’re seeing markdowns on toys — namely, Lego sets.

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From Star Wars to Marvel, we rounded up the best deals on all sorts of Lego sets with savings up to 35% off list prices on Amazon. If you’re looking for a new challenge, an addition to your growing collection or just a new toy, then now is a great time to pick one up for yourself (or the Lego fanatic in your life).

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However, most of these deals are active only for Amazon Prime members, so you have to be part of the retail giant’s rewards program to save.

Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video and Prime Gaming; fast free shipping in less than two days; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day and Black Friday — and more.

But act fast and shop now — these deals on Lego sets expire at the end of Prime Day on Wednesday, July 17.

Scroll down and shop the best Lego sets deals during Prime Day below:

Prime Day Lego Set Deals: How to Buy Online, Pricing, Availability

Lego

Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing Fighter

$34.99

$49.99

30% off

Prime Day Lego Set Deals: How to Buy Online, Pricing, Availability

Lego

Lowest Price ever

Lego Marvel Iron Man Nano Gauntlet

$48.99

$68.99

29% off

Prime Day Lego Set Deals: How to Buy Online, Pricing, Availability

Lego

Lowest Price ever

Lego Disney The Madrigal House

$34.99

$49.99

30% off

Prime Day Lego Set Deals: How to Buy Online, Pricing, Availability

Lego

Lego Ideas Tree House

$228.99

$249

8% off

Prime Day Lego Set Deals: How to Buy Online, Pricing, Availability

Lego

Lowest Price ever

Lego Friends Sports Center

$62.99

$94.99

34% off

In the meantime, if you’re looking for more deals, Billboard’s coverage of Prime Day features the best of the best from Amazon’s massive shopping event. Click here for more deals.

Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.