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Joni Mitchell Tells Elton John She ‘Didn’t Have Any’ Rehearsal for Her Surprise Newport Folk Fest Performance
Elton John interviewed Joni Mitchell for his Apple Music 1 show on Saturday (Nov. 12), and the folk legend opened up about her legacy, performing at the Newport Folk Festival and more.
After telling Sir Elton she’s in the process of trying to release a live recording of her surprise performance at the festival this summer, Mitchell also revealed she “didn’t have any” rehearsal for what ended up being her first concert in two decades.
“And you stood up and played guitar,” John pointed out, to which she replied, ” Yeah, that I had to figure out what I did. And I couldn’t sing the key. I’ve become an alto, I’m not a soprano anymore, so I couldn’t sing the song. And I thought people might feel lighted that if I just played the guitar part but I like the guitar part to that song. So anyway, it was very well received, much to my delight.”
Mitchell also reflected on the impact of her early music from the folk movement of the 1960s and ’70s, as well as how she was compared to male singer-songwriters of the time. “At the time, no, I took a lot of flak if anything,” the singer said. “People thought that it was too intimate. It was almost like Dylan going electric.
“I think it upset the male singer/songwriters,” she continued. “They’d go, ‘Oh no. Do we have to bear our souls like this now?’ I think it made people nervous. More nervous than… It took to this generation — they seem to be able to face those emotions more easily than my generation.”
In the wake of her return to the stage, Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” re-entered the LyricFind U.S. and Global charts at No. 1. Next year, she’s set to join Brandi Carlile for their joint “Echoes Through the Canyon” shows at The Gorge in Washington state.
Watch clips from Elton’s interview with Mitchell below.
Blink-182 Funko Pop: Where to Pre-Order the Must-Have Collectible Before It’s Gone
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The sold-out Blink-182 Funko Pop! collector’s set is back in stock and available for pre-order. Funko’s Blink-182 vinyl figurines were initially released in August to celebrate the punk-pop band’s 30th anniversary.
The Funko set, inspired by the “What’s My Age Again?” music video, features Pop! vinyls of Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge rocking out in their birthday suits. Each vinyl figure stands approximately 3.75 to 4.4. inches tall and includes mini instruments.
The Dream Setlist for Blink-182’s Reunion Tour
The one-of-a-kind collectible sold out over the summer, but it’s back in stock in time for the holiday season. The set is priced at $30-$40, depending on the retailer.
Fans can pre-order the Funko set at Amazon (it’ll be released on Dec. 16), as well as Funko.com, GameStop and Entertainment Earth.
“What’s My Age Again?” was the lead single from Blink-182’s third studio album, Enema of the State, released in 1999. The Southern California band, founded in 1992, released their debut LP, Chesire Cat, in 1995, but they didn’t hit it big until Enema of the State. The album spawned two additional hit singles, “All the Small Things” and “Adams Songs” and went on to sell 15 million copies worldwide.
Blink-182’s follow-up album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 and has sold more than 14 million copies globally.
DeLonge eventually left the band but Hoppus and Barker continued touring, replacing him with Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio. In October, Blink-182 reunited with DeLonge, released a new single “Edging” and announced a reunion tour launching next year along with a new album. The world tour kicks off in Tijuana, Mexico, in March and will hit the U.S. in May. Click here to buy tickets.
Pre-order the Funko Pop! Blink-182 3-pack below.
Funko Pop! Rocks: Blink-182, 3 Pack
$38.99
Musical Directors Omar Edwards & Adam Blackstone Talk Working With Rihanna on Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4
The fourth iteration of Rihanna‘s Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4 premiered on Amazon Prime Video on Wednesday (Nov. 9), taking viewers on an ethereal, surreal experience — filming out in nature for the show — as she showed off her latest lingerie collection.
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As is typical for RiRi, she’s not afraid to get creative. This year, she teamed up again with musical directors Omar Edwards and Adam Blackstone to create a lush musical landscape to capture her brand’s essence. “This year, specifically, the location made it different with being outside in nature,” Edwards tells Billboard of what made this year stand out compared to Savage x Fenty shows of the past. “Also, there was animation added so you’re adding all these different worlds into one things. There’s a live element, there’s scoring film to picture and you’re in nature. All of those things combined made it super unique.”
When asked if the combined landscapes and digital elements made the musical process more challenging, Blackstone laughs that working with a mastermind like Rihanna is “never easy,” as she is always trying to go bigger and better with every fashion show. “She has the power to inspire you to do things that are outside the norm,” he explains.
“Look at the brand, we have all shapes and sizes, all colors, people who are handicapped, some with ailments and she empowers women and men to be their authentic self,” he continues. “For me and Omar, she does the same with us musically. She empowers us to be ourselves and push the envelope. She then supports us so strongly that we feel comfortable trying things and making mistakes and knowing that it’s coming from a place of wanting to see her win because she wants to see the whole team win. The inspiration now is, ‘Yo, we can go on the mountain and do whatever.’ She literally made that happen, got us to the mountain top.”
As for where they see Savage x Fenty fashion shows going in the future, Edwards and Blackstone say that the sky is the limit — literally. “We’ll be in space next time, bro,” Edwards jokes to Blackstone, who responds, “It would not surprise me if we had Vol. 7 on the moon. If anyone can do it, it’s our Rihanna.”
“There are no boundaries when it comes to her and her creativity,” Blackstone adds. “The team that she has assembled, it sounds cliché and churchy, but we know all things are possible when it comes to her. If she has an idea, it pushes us to execute it without limits. I don’t know if we can pinpoint and say ‘This is where it can go’ because it has the ability and the power to go anywhere.”
Savage x Fenty Vol. 4 is now streaming on Prime Video.
Calvin Harris & Diplo Lead Lineup for Qatar’s FIFA Fan Festival at 2022 World Cup
As the World Cup gets set to launch in Qatar later this month, FIFA has announced a prestige league of global artists for its 2022 FIFA Fan Festival.
Artists playing on the festival’s mainstage include Calvin Harris and Diplo, along with Canadian/Morroccan singer Nora Fatehi, American singer Trinidad Cardona and Nigerian singer/songwriter Kizz Daniel.
“I’ve been really fortunate to travel all over the world and experience different cultures through music,” says Diplo. “Wherever I am, Jamaica, Spain, England, China, South Africa, etc., football is a social constant. Seeing so many fans from all over the world in one place – the FIFA Fan Festival is just awesome. Really looking forward to it!”
“I’m so excited to be playing for football fans from all over the world at this year’s FIFA Fan Festival,” adds Harris.
These five shows start in Qatar on Nov. 22 with Diplo’s performance and extend through Dec. 10 when Harris closes out the event. The Fan Festival promises music, entertainment, local culture, food and games along with, of course, loads of soccer.
These live performances are just one part of the musical offerings associated with the World Cup, the global soccer event in which 32 teams — representing different countries — participate with one, in the end, being crowned World Cup champion.
As has been tradition for many years, a select number of songs officially soundtrack the tournament, and so far this year several songs associated to the World Cup have been released, with a few including “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” being part of the official FIFA soundtrack. See a list of those 2022 tracks here.
