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Chase Varnes had a rough start on Tuesday night’s episode of America’s Got Talent, but the 13-year-old singer from Vancouver Island ended up delivering one of the most memorable performances of the season so far — thanks to a little help from Ed Sheeran.
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Varnes began his audition with an original song on acoustic guitar, but was quickly interrupted by judge Simon Cowell. “I hate to do this,” Cowell said. “I didn’t love the song; however, I like you. Have you got another song?”
Without missing a beat, Varnes launched into a cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Life Goes On,” originally featuring Luke Combs, and instantly won over the crowd and most of the judges.
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“You know, you remind me of a young Justin Bieber,” said Howie Mandel, referencing Varnes’ Canadian roots and early busking background. The compliment made the teen visibly light up on stage.
Sofía Vergara also applauded the performance, saying, “I know it’s nerve-racking to be on this stage, but I thought it was better the second song. Simon always knows how to stop it and make it better. I think the girls are gonna go crazy for you.”
Mel B, however, had a more measured response. “You were great. You were a diamond in the rough with so much potential,” she said. “But I can see your nervousness. You’re not quite there yet for me.”
While Mel B gave him a “no,” both Mandel and Vergara offered their yeses. That left Cowell to cast the deciding vote.
“Sometimes we have on people your age, and I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ll be sort of nicer because you’re young,’” Cowell said. “You, I actually do believe, that you have something… You’ve got everything going for you. The audience loved you, which is why you’re gonna get three yeses.”
Varnes’ cover of “Life Goes On” was a breakout moment on the night’s episode, trending online alongside a series of cat-themed novelty acts — including a rapper named Moshow and a group called Loco Pop Familia, who performed dressed entirely as cats.
America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Ozzy Osbourne is officially the Prince of Immortality, or at least, he’s giving fans a shot at it.
In one of the most bizarre and perfectly on-brand collaborations of the year, Liquid Death has announced it will sell a limited run of iced tea cans containing traces of Osbourne’s actual DNA.
The ultra-limited release, dubbed Infinite Ozzy, features 10 cans of Liquid Death Iced Tea that were each consumed by Osbourne before being sealed to preserve his DNA, with each can coming in a lab-quality display container and is hand-signed by the rock legend. The drop will go live Tuesday (June 17) at liquiddeath.com/ozzy, with each DNA can priced at $450.
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The campaign arrives just weeks before Osbourne is set to return to the stage for what’s being billed as the final Black Sabbath show. The metal icon recently revealed that he’s undergoing intense training to prepare for Back to the Beginning, the massive July 5 hometown concert at Villa Park in Birmingham, England — his first full performance since 2018.
“I haven’t done any physical work for the last seven, six and a half, seven years,” Osbourne shared during the latest episode of his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks. “By hook or by crook, I’m gonna make it [to the stage at Villa Park].” The star-studded farewell show is set to feature appearances by Metallica, Mastodon, Pantera, Slayer, Anthrax, Gojira, Alice in Chains, and a supergroup composed of members of Guns N’ Roses, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine and more.
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“I’ve got this trainer guy who helps people get back to normal,” he added. “It’s hard going, but he’s convinced that he can pull it off for me. I’m giving it everything I’ve got.”
As for the Liquid Death collab, the brand says the goal is to preserve Osbourne’s DNA in case fans want to clone him in the future, once technology and law allow. The campaign leans heavily into Liquid Death’s signature over-the-top style, which previously included Tony Hawk skateboards infused with his blood.
A teaser video shared with press ahead of the launch shows Osbourne deadpanning: “My DNA is in this can. You could clone me — but why the f**k would you want to?” Only 10 Infinite Ozzy cans exist.
Osbourne’s most recent studio album, Patient Number 9, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in 2022. Despite major health setbacks, including spinal surgeries and a Parkinson’s diagnosis, he has remained creatively active and continues to embrace his role as heavy metal’s most enduring provocateur.
Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap remain defiant ahead of a court appearance for member Mo Chara this week, launching a billboard takeover in London in response.
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The series of billboards was announced on the group’s social media on Tuesday (June 17) ahead of Mo Chara’s scheduled appearance at Westminster Crown Court over terror charges on Wednesday.
Mo Chara, born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, was last month charged with a terrorism offense by London’s Metropolitan Police after being investigated for allegedly showing support for militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah in historic videos. Both are proscribed as terror groups according to U.K. law, and considered an offense under the Terrorism Act 2000.
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In response, Kneecap claimed that the alleged offense is little more than a “carnival of distraction” designed to shift the spotlight away from more pertinent matters. “We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves,” Kneecap wrote in a statement.
The group’s timely billboard campaign follows in the same vein as their initial response, with a social media post seeing the group note the messages were specifically plastered in the lead-up to the impending court appearance, which they labelled a “witch-hunt.”
“British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with ‘terrorism’ for crimes never committed,” they wrote. “We will fight them. We will win.”
The billboards – in the Irish flag colors of green, white and orange – feature the phrase “More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara,” referencing the “No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs” slogan which gained traction in the 20th century to discriminate against the aforementioned groups.
Currently, Kneecap are also scheduled to perform at the Glastonbury Festival in England later this month, despite politicians throughout the U.K. writing to organizers of festivals which have booked the band to request their removal.
Though the group remain on the final lineup for Glastonbury, they were however recently removed from Scotland’s TRNSMT festival in July following safety concerns from law enforcement.
Hatebreed guitarist Wayne Lozinak has announced a temporary departure from the group following the discovery of a non cancerous brain tumor.
News of Lozinak’s health update was shared by the band on social media on Tuesday (June 17), explaining that the guitarist had first experienced “mild symptoms that raised concerns of a possible stroke” during their visit to England’s Download Festival on Saturday (June 14).
“Out of an abundance of caution, he sought medical attention the following day upon arriving in Lille, France,” the post explained. After undergoing a CT scan at the ER, doctors discovered a brain tumor, leading to his immediate admission for further testing.
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“Following a thorough 24-hour evaluation, including an MRI, it was determined that the tumor is a benign meningioma—a slow-growing mass that has likely been present for years. We are immensely relieved that Wayne’s diagnosis is the best possible outcome given the circumstances.”
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Currently, Lozinak is in the process of returning to the U.S. so that he can “prepare for surgery and focus on rest and recovery.” Noting his determination to return to the band “as soon as he is able,” the group added that in his absence, Lozinak’s role will be filled by Shadows Fall’s Matt Bachand.
Notably, Bachand has performed in Hatebreed since November 2024, having taken over from bassist Chris Beattie following his departure from the band. In a statement shared in February, Beattie clarified that “the decision to leave the band was not mine,” citing “misleading and wrongful statements” as leading to his exit.
Hatebreed also added that First Blood’s Carl Schwartz has now taken on the role of bassist following Bachand’s move to guitar.
Hatebreed first formed in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1994 and released their debut album three years later. They found widespread fame with 2002’s Perseverance, which reached No. 50 on the Billboard 200, while the group later received a Grammy nomination for best metal performance in 2004.
Further albums improved on their initial chart showing, with 2013’s The Divinity of Purpose becoming their most commercially-successful when it peaked at No. 20 and additionally topped the Top Hard Rock Albums chart. Their most recent album, 2020’s Weight of the False Self, became their first not to impact the Billboard 200 since their debut, but peaked at No. 12 on the Hard Rock Albums.
Hatebreed’s current Wight of the False Self Tour is making its way through Europe presently, with dates scheduled across the U.K. and North America until October.
Brazilian sertanejo artist Gustavo Mioto signed with WME, which will focus on expanding his reach in Latin and North American markets. Over his career, the singer-songwriter has released nine albums and collaborated with Anitta, Jorge & Mateus, Fabio Jr. and more.
Tuscaloosa, Ala., band Gideon signed with Sumerian Records, which released the group’s latest single, “Til the Wheels Fall Off.” Gideon has several festival dates coming up, including at Vans Warped Tour, Louder Than Life and the New England Metal & Hardcore Fest.
Ty Herndon signed a three-album deal with Club44 Records. He just released a new version of his 1995 hit “What Mattered Most” as a duet with LeAnn Rimes. Herndon is also set to release the upcoming album Thirty, which will celebrate his three decades in country music. — Jessica Nicholson
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Country singer-songwriter Jenna Davis signed with UTA for touring. She will be repped at the agency by Jeffrey Hasson and Lauren Holland. Davis is set to release her debut album, Where Did That Girl Go?, via SMACKRecords on June 27.
Los Angeles-based artist management company MLennial signed American DJ and producer GorillaT. This year, the rising artist is set to play Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Los Lands and more.
Chinese rapper jackzebra signed to SURF GANG Records, the evilgiane-led artist collective and record label based in New York. Jackzebra recently released Above & Beyond, a 34-track tape written during a visit to the U.S. SURF GANG recently released his new single, “Givenchy,” with evilgiane.
Big Machine Records signed country singer-songwriter Cole Goodwin. His first song for the label, “Girlfriend’s Got a Boyfriend,” was released on Friday (June 13). He’s slated to open select dates on Luke Bryan’s summer tour.
Indianapolis, Ind., “fake emo” band Summerbruise signed to SideOneDummy Records, which released the group’s new single, “Never Bothered.” The band will play a short U.S. tour this summer.
Booking agency Main Attraction Management added bluegrass artist Caroline Owens to its roster. Owens’s most recent single, “You’ve Still Got It,” has gained traction on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, while Owens has garnered nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA). She’s signed with Billy Blue Records and Billy Blue Publishing, and is repped by Jules Wortman of Wortman Works Media & Marketing, who serves as both manager and head of public relations. — Jessica Nicholson
Oasis has announced a series of pop-up stores for fans to purchase merchandise for its hotly anticipated reunion tour, which kicks off on July 4 in Cardiff, Wales.
The official Oasis Live ‘25 Fan Stores will launch nationwide throughout the U.K. and Ireland, giving fans the opportunity to purchase merchandise ahead of the shows. The first space will open in Manchester on June 20 until July 27, with stores in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Birmingham set to be announced in due course. Locations for each are to be confirmed in the coming days; there is currently no confirmation if the band will open similar pop-up stores for their other dates later this summer.
Fans will be able to access a range of official tour merchandise, including exclusive brand collaborations, limited-edition products and items exclusive to the Live ‘25 Fan Stores. The band’s web store will also begin stocking official tour merchandise later this week, with details set to be confirmed imminently.
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In November 2024, it was announced that Oasis had selected Warner Music Group’s merchandise and fan-experience division WMX as the official partner for their Live ‘25 reunion tour. In May, Amazon also launched its own exclusive range of Oasis merch, including a reproduction of a T-shirt from the band’s Knebworth shows in 1996.
They’re not the first to announce pop-up shops to meet fans’ demand for merchandise. Last week, Dua Lipa announced an pop-up in London ahead of her sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium (June 20, 21), and Tyler, the Creator, Harry Styles and more have all tapped into the lucrative merchandise market with dedicated stores for fans on tour stops in recent years.
In August 2024, it was announced that Noel and Liam Gallagher would reunite as Oasis to play a series of concerts, their first since 2009. The band is set to play a run of 41 shows across the U.K. and Ireland, North America, Latin America, Asia and Australia throughout 2025.
While details on the shows remain under wraps, Liam has used his social media profiles to tease fans with insider info. When he joined rehearsals in early June, Liam said the band sound “F–king FILTHY,” and that new drummer Joey Waronker was a “special” addition to the lineup.
It is thought that Waronker will join former Oasis members Andy Bell (bass), Gem Archer (guitar), Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs (guitar) alongside Noel and Liam at the shows.
Suge Knight has continuously shared his opinions about Diddy‘s ongoing trial and recently spoke in more detail about why so many of Puff’s supporters are going silent. On Monday, Suge Knight called in for a lengthy phone call with host Aubrey O’Day, who has been covering the ongoing trial as part of Amy Robach and […]
Justin Baldoni is continuing to push for access to Blake Lively’s text messages with Taylor Swift in litigation over the movie It Ends With Us, saying the communications could reveal whether the actress is owed damages for emotional distress from alleged sexual harassment and retaliation.
Swift became a figure in the messy legal dispute last month, when Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, subpoenaed the pop superstar for her communications with Lively. Baldoni later dropped the Swift subpoenas but is now seeking the text messages directly from Lively — a move that Lively’s lawyers criticized in a court filing last week as designed to seize on Swift’s star power and “prop up a public relations narrative.”
In a response filing on Tuesday (June 17), Baldoni’s lawyers say these texts are indeed relevant to disproving Lively’s allegations that Baldoni sexually harassed her on the set of It Ends With Us and then orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign when she complained.
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Team Baldoni claims Lively’s own discovery disclosures identify Swift, her longtime friend, as someone with knowledge about what she went through. The actor-director’s lawyers also say Swift would know whether Lively actually suffered emotional distress because they socialized amid the debacle, including by stepping out for a double date a few months after the release of It Ends With Us this past fall.
The latter point is key because if Lively shows that Baldoni’s conduct harmed her emotionally, she could be entitled to a higher monetary award in the case.
“Although we appreciate the positive influence Ms. Swift’s music has had on her worldwide audience, it was Ms. Lively and not the Wayfarer Parties that contemporaneously inserted Ms. Swift into this dispute, and Ms. Lively cannot use Ms. Swift’s stardom to withhold evidence,” write Baldoni’s lawyers.
Spokespeople for Lively declined to comment on Baldoni’s latest court filing. Last week, they said that the continued attempt to drag Swift into the dispute “reflects a public unraveling of epic proportions” and “serves only to distract” from the recent dismissal of Baldoni’s counter-lawsuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and others of defamation.
Swift’s reps have not commented on the matter since Baldoni first subpoenaed her. In a statement in May, they said the singer had no involvement in It Ends With Us and that the move was “designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
Meanwhile, Lively served a subpoena of her own last week on music mogul Scooter Braun, a longtime public opponent of Swift’s. Lively is seeking information from Braun about the alleged public relations takedown orchestrated by The Agency Group PR, a controlling stake of which is reportedly owned by Braun’s company, HYBE America.
Cardi B is back “Outside” and she’s ready to supply the soundtrack to your summer block party. The Grammy-winning rapper announced her first solo single of 2025, with “Outside” slated to arrive on Friday (June 20). “We OUTSIDE this Friday,” she wrote on Instagram. The cover art encapsulates a summer turn-up in NYC, featuring a […]
At this point, we should be conditioned to expect pop stars to behave in a controversial manner. And yet, when Sabrina Carpenter released the cover for her upcoming Man’s Best Friend album, social media was up in arms about the provocative artwork, which features the singer/songwriter on all fours with her hair being grabbed by […]
