LA wildfires
Harbor Studios in Malibu, where stars including Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat have recorded blockbuster albums, has burned down in the Palisades wildfire, founder Zach Brandon revealed in a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday (Jan. 8).
“I am profoundly sad to announce that Harbor Studios has been lost to the Palisades Fire,” Brandon wrote alongside a photo showing the studio’s charred remains. “Harbor has been a staple in the music community since the 1990s — first, it was the recording studio for Joe Zawinul and his world famous Jazz Fusion group, ‘The Weather Report.’ Finally, in 2021, it became Harbor Studios. Named after one of the most important memories from my childhood, Harbor Studios quickly grew from a big, dreamy concept to a beloved staple in the recording industry.”
Plenty of star power walked through the Harbor Studios doors including Minaj, who recorded Pink Friday 2 in its entirety at the studio, while Doja Cat worked on her Scarlet album there.
Brandon continued: “I cried this morning, but not because Harbor burned down. I cried because it settled in with me that Harbor was taken from so many artists who cared so deeply about Harbor. It was a place of musical freedom… a sanctuary in the most literal sense of the word. I loved it.”
Brandon promised this isn’t the last of Harbor, stating that he and the studio builder have already begun taking steps toward reviving it in another iteration.
“This is not the end of Harbor. We are restarting from scratch (again)… nothing we haven’t done before,” Brandon wrote. “Not only that, but I have gained so much knowledge and experience from Harbor 1 that I will be implementing into the rebuild. I’ve taken the initial steps forward — the original studio builder and I have already begun planning what the new Harbor Studios is going to look like. Thankfully, the magic that has been bestowed upon us by our clients is something that can never leave. It’s in the soil, it’s in the air, and it’s in our souls. We will come back stronger from this.”
Thousands have been left devastated by the widespread wildfires across Los Angeles County this week, with three major blazes — also including the Eaton and Hurst fires — destroying homes and businesses and leading to mass evacuations. The fires have killed at least five people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures, with the Palisades Fire alone leaidng to the evacuations of more than 70,000 people, according to the Associated Press.
For health alerts, evacuation updates and shelter information, check out L.A. County’s emergency website here.
As a trio of devastating wildfires continues to spread through the greater Los Angeles region, music and music-related events — including several tied to the current film awards season in the city — are being canceled or postponed out of both safety concerns and respect for the unfolding situation.
As postponement and cancellation announcements continue to come through, we’re keeping track with the updated list below. (These are listed in descending order of announcement, so you can find the latest cancellations at the top.)
Better Man premiere
Paramount Pictures canceled the L.A. premiere of its forthcoming Robbie Williams biopic Better Man on Wednesday (Jan. 8), with a studio spokesperson stating, “Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are canceling tomorrow’s premiere of ‘Better Man.’ Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies.”
Critics Choice Awards
The annual film and TV awards ceremony — which boasted nominees including Miley Cyrs, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Selena Gomez and Maren Morris in the Best Song category — was postponed from Sunday (Jan. 12) to Jan. 26 at the Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community. All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin in a statement.
Unstoppable premiere
A red-carpet screening of the wrestling drama starring Jennifer Lopez set for the DGA in West Hollywood on Tuesday night (Jan. 7) was also canceled due to the fires. “In light of today’s safety concerns around heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks in Los Angeles, we regret to inform you that we are canceling tonight’s premiere of ‘Unstoppable,’” said the studio in a statement. “As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority. We encourage everyone to watch ‘Unstoppable’ on Prime Video, which will be available globally on January 16. Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe.”
Emilia Perez music event
An event in Hollywood to celebrate the music of the Netflix film starring Selena Gomez that was set to be attended by songwriters/composers Camille & Clément and star Karla Sofía Gascón was canceled by the streamer.
A Complete Unknown screening and dinner
A screening and dinner for the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalamet set to take place at the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood on Thursday (Jan. 9) was postponed.
American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts
The ceremony, which celebrates individuals in 14 filmmaking categories from the past year, including music, was postponed from Thursday (Jan. 9) at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, with a new date to be announced later. “We have made the decision to postpone tomorrow’s (January 9th) Tribute to the Crafts at the Egyptian due to the dangerous ongoing fires and wind conditions. We will update you on a new date as soon as we know,” said a statement released by the organization.
Selena Gomez’s Rare Pop Up
A pop-up event slated from Friday to Sunday (Jan. 10-12) at Complex LA to celebrate five years of Gomez’s Rare album was postponed.
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