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UPDATE (Nov. 13): Marc Cohn and Bettye LaVette have been added to the lineup for the 43rd annual John Lennon Tribute on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Town Hall in New York. Rosanne Cash and Judy Collins were already announced as performers at the event, where Graham Nash will become the ninth recipient of the John Lennon Real Love Award.
LaVette will sing a stripped-down version of “Watching the Wheels,” a song from the 1980 Lennon/Yoko Ono album Double Fantasy that became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. She will also perform “It’s So Hard” from Lennon’s 1971 album Imagine. LaVette is making her seventh appearance at the annual tribute event.
Cohn will be making his second tribute appearance and his first in five years.
PREVIOUSLY (July 10): Graham Nash will become the ninth recipient of the John Lennon Real Love Award at the 43rd annual John Lennon Tribute on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Town Hall in New York. Previous recipients include Natalie Merchant, Patti Smith, Ani DiFranco, Donovan and Rosanne Cash.
The event, staged by the nonprofit Theatre Within, will be held days before the 43rd anniversary of Lennon’s murder on Dec. 8, 1980. The award draws its name from The Beatles’ 1996 hit “Real Love,” which Lennon wrote and recorded in the 1970s.
Nash will play some of his favorite Lennon/Beatles classics and will be joined by such artists as Cash, Judy Collins and Rita Coolidge. Drummer/percussionist Rich Pagano, a founding member of the Fab Faux, will serve as music director for the 15th consecutive year.
“This is a very special award,” Nash said in a statement. “I thank Yoko [Ono] and the Theatre Within for thinking of me. Over many years, I watched John and Yoko ‘fight the good fight’ for many whose voices were not being heard, a fight that Yoko continues to this day. I’m proud to be associated with the many fine artists who were previously honored with the John Lennon Real Love Award.”
In a statement, Ono said, “With its joyful annual John Lennon Tribute and John Lennon Real Love Project, Theatre Within is furthering the vision that John and I shared for a better world.”
Nash, 81, won a Grammy in 1970 as part of Crosby, Stills & Nash, which were voted best new artist. He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was inducted as a member of CSN in 1997 and as a member of The Hollies in 2010.
Proceeds from the Tribute support Theatre Within’s ongoing free workshops in creative expression and mindfulness, including the John Lennon Real Love Project songwriting program.
In 2023, for the fourth consecutive year, Theatre Within is providing 200 free workshops for children and adults impacted by cancer through the Red Door Community (formerly Gilda’s Club NYC) and other regional cancer support communities.
Since the John Lennon Real Love Project’s elementary and middle school program launched in the spring of 2021, Theatre Within has brought the program to 17 schools.
Tickets for Theatre Within’s 43rd Annual John Lennon Tribute will go on sale on July 22 at 12 p.m. ET at LennonTribute.org. Fans are invited to join “Friends of the Annual John Lennon Tribute” at LennonTribute.org/join-friends, where VIP packages are available.
The annual tribute is produced in association with Music Without Borders. It remains the only Lennon tribute concert in the world that is sanctioned by Ono.
Afrobeats sensation Teni sits down with Billboard News’ Rania Aniftos to discuss the inspiration behind her new album Tears of the Sun, what it means to be a Nigerian woman in the music industry, the growth of Afrobeats and more!
Teni and Rania Aniftos:Money can’t buy you love, money don’t fill this emptiness, but I want all the money in the world.
Teni:You did well. Good job, good job.
My name is Teni, sugar mommy of the whole world, and this is Billboard News.
Rania Aniftos:Hi everybody, it’s Rania Aniftos with Billboard News, and I’m here with Afrobeats superstar Teni.
Teni:Ta-da.
Rania Aniftos:Afrobeats has been really rising in the U.S and has been really accepted by American culture over the past few years. Why do you think that is?
Teni:We are everywhere, and the sound is spiritual. Afrobeats or Afropop or Afro-everything, you can do anything with Afro.
Rania Aniftos:Yeah.
Teni:The beauty in Afrobeats is the joy, but also the pain. The music suffers. Triumphant. It’s …
Rania Aniftos:Everything.
Teni:It’s everything.
Because everybody goes through pain. Everybody cries sometimes.
Rania Aniftos:And I mean, so pain is something that you touch on a lot, especially with your album Tears of the Sun, you said that it’s a double entendre. Tell us a bit about that and the inspiration behind balancing the pain with the joy with the highs and the lows.
Teni:For anyone who’s ever tasted success, they’ve also tasted pain. Pain is a very big recipe for success. So I don’t run away from it — I embrace it, I turn it into something positive.
Rania Aniftos:What song are you most excited for people to hear on the album?
Teni:One of the songs is definitely a song I wrote from my heart. It’s like, money don’t buy you happiness. Should I sing it?
Rania Aniftos:Yes, please do.
Teni:They say money don’t buy you happiness. Money can’t buy you love. Money don’t fill this emptiness. But I want all the money in the world.
Rania Aniftos:Yes.
Teni:Can you sing that?
Rania Aniftos:Now I go?
Teni:Yes, you go.
Rania Aniftos:I can’t sing.
Teni:Don’t worry! You can do it, you can do it. I will hold your hand. I will hold your hand.
Teni and Rania Aniftos:Money don’t fill this emptiness, but I want all the money in the world.
Teni:Just keep interviewing people, OK?
Rania Aniftos:I will.
Teni:Don’t sing.
Rania Aniftos:Trust me.
Since your debut album, you’ve grown quite a bit — both spiritually, emotionally, musically. Who are you introducing to the world with your upcoming album Tears of the Sun?
Teni:I’m introducing a girl that just don’t care. That’s who I’m introducing. You know, growing up in Nigeria where I grew up, we grew up with so much culture, tradition, you know, you must respect your elders, you must do this, you must do that. And you know, some of it is right, some of it is wrong. You know, some times have changed. And, you know, I’ve learned as a woman coming from where I’m coming from, to be able to express myself, to be able to say how I feel, to nobody telling me you’re a woman and this is where you belong, or this is what you can do, this is how you should dress. I do what I want, how I want it because the calling is on me. If I can’t be myself, how am I going to deliver the message?
Rania Aniftos:Wow.
Teni:How am I going to be happy? You know, so, I, on this album just said, could I use the F word?
Rania Aniftos:Yeah.
Teni:And I said, “F–k this.” I’m gonna do me even if it’s one person that gets what I’m saying that’s a win for me.
It’s all love, all love, brother, yeah, it’s all love.
Rania Aniftos:You were so wonderful. I had the best time speaking with you today. Thank you so much.
Teni:Thank you. I like to do it. Hi. I’ll just do a presenter. Hi, my name is Teni.
Rania Aniftos:Oh, you’re about to do that.
Teni:Sitting on the couch with Billboard. We are wrapping it up. Expect the album Tears of the Sun coming soon. Thank you very much. How did I do as a journalist? As a presenter?
Rania Aniftos:Very good.Watch the full interview above!
Billboard breaks down the 2024 Grammy nominations: the biggest nominees, surprises, and snubs. Tetris KellyThe Grammy nominations are here and we got some regulars killing it and some newcomers slaying. Tetris KellyBillboard’s here to run down this year’s nominations, snubs and surprises leading the Grammy nominations this year is SZA with nine nominations including Record […]
Billboard takes you through what our staff went to this week in this episode of All Access. Jung Kook performed on the ‘Today’ show, Stormi joins her dad Travis Scott at SoFi Stadium, our host Tetris Kelly interviews Meghan Trainor and talks to her about the success of her hit “All About That Bass,” Lauryn […]
It’s Friday, November 10th, and we’re breaking down all the new music releases this week! Dua Lipa’s single “Houdini” ushers in her new era of music, up-and-coming rapper Lola Brooke releases her new single “Midnight,” Bella Poarch debuts her “Bad Boy” single as her ode to body acceptance and self-love, Stray Kids release the track […]
Billboard takes a look back at when the Left Shark from Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl performance went viral and turned into a huge internet meme. Evan BurkeWe heard her “Roar” and fireworks lit the sky. But we’ll give you one guess at which part cemented Katy Perry’s Super Bowl halftime show into our minds […]
Beyoncé released a fierce 90-second sneak peek of her upcoming film ‘RENAISSANCE’ on Thursday morning. Beyoncé You are the visual, baby. Tetris Kelly We knew exactly what she meant. We’re talking about Beyoncé’s new trailer and merch that may be heading our way. Beyoncé Come to the Renaissance. Tetris Kelly It’s time to go back. […]
Lil Mabu and Chrisean Rock’s “Mr. Take Ya B-tch” leads the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for a second straight week, while holiday music infuses the Nov. 11-dated survey, both for Halloween and Christmas. Tetris KellyLil Mabu and Chrisean Rock lead for a second week while everyone gets into the holiday spirit. Tetris KellyLil Mabu and […]
K-pop idol Jung Kook thanked his fans for showing up early in the morning after they packed the streets for the ‘Today’ show performance of his top solo hits. Tetris Kelly:Jung Kook has arrived, and he hit the ‘Today’ show to perform not one, not two, but three songs off his brand-new album ‘GOLDEN.’ We’re […]
Timbaland apologized after facing backlash for saying Justin Timberlake should’ve put a “muzzle” on Britney Spears over her memoir. Tetris Kelly:Missy Elliott and the internet told Timbaland to keep Britney Spears’ name out his mouth, and it looks like he’s listening. Let us break it down. In a viral video, Timbaland — longtime collaborator of […]