Music News

Sam Smith Teams Up With Koffee & Jessie Reyez For Seductive New Single ‘Gimme’: Stream It Now

When it comes to getting what they want, Sam Smith isn’t relying on euphemisms anymore.

On Wednesday (Jan. 11), Smith unveiled their latest single “Gimme,” featuring Jamaican reggae-rap star Koffee, and Canadian R&B singer Jessie Reyez. Bouncing with a dancehall flair, the track lays the lusty vibes on thick before Smith can even deliver such saucy lines like “Your eyes on my dun, dun-dun-dun/ I need you to come … closer.”

Reyez shines on the already-addictive chorus, and Koffee’s rapid-fire reggae verse gives the song a jolt of extra life, allowing Smith to shoot their otherworldly voice into the stratosphere on the final chorus. “Voyeurs are watching us/ Giving me such a rush,” the star sings alongside Reyez. “When I’m crazy and drunk on love/ Gimme what I want.”

In a statement released alongside the new single, Smith called the new song “filth,” saying that they wanted to be able to represent their sexual perspective on a track. “I’m a sexual person, I like sex. It’s something I’m teaching myself to not be ashamed of,” Smith said. “Me and Jessie were basically drunk, drinking whisky in Jamaica, two in the morning, running around absolutely wasted, like two girlfriends having a laugh.”

“Gimme,” like its chart-topping predecesor “Unholy,” comes on the heels of a push for the song on TikTok, where Smith shared a few snippets of the track. Eventually, fans began to create their own dances to the track, specifically timed to Reyez’s hypnotic “gimme gimme gimme” refrain as they shook their booties on camera.

The new song is latest off of Smith’s forthcoming new album, Gloria. Due out Jan. 27 via Capitol Records, the new album promises to be a new take on Smith’s well-established sound. “It feels like emotional, sexual and spiritual liberation,” Smith said of Gloria in a statement. “It was beautiful, with this album, to sing freely again. Oddly, it feels like my first-ever record. And it feels like a coming of age.”

Check out Sam Smith’s “Gimme,” featuring Koffee & Jessie Reyez below:

Jenna Ortega Brainstorms Possible Lady Gaga Character on ‘Wednesday’: ‘They Would Understand Each Other’

Teen psychics, werewolves, vampires and gorgons make up the student body at Nevermore Academy in Netflix’s Wednesday — so who better to make a cameo than the queen of little monsters herself? While hitting the Golden Globes red carpet Tuesday night (Jan. 10), leading lady Jenna Ortega discussed what a character played by Lady Gaga on the mysterious and spooky hit series would entail.

“I’m sure Netflix would love that,” Ortega said at the awards show, where she was nominated for best actress – television series musical or comedy, which ultimately went to Abbott Elementary‘s Quinta Brunson. “If Lady Gaga were to be a part, [she and Wednesday] would have to be two monsters that understand each other,” she added.

Gaga has been linked to Wednesday ever since a mega-viral trend spontaneously emerged on TikTok following the show’s November release, wherein creators would recreate Ortega’s equally viral season one, episode four dance scene using the 13-time Grammy winner’s Bad Romance album deep cut “Bloody Mary.” Despite never actually being featured in the first season, the song became so synonymous with Wednesday that Netflix went on to use it in a recent teaser video for the show’s second season.

The “Bad Romance” singer herself has even commented on the Wednesday hype in the past, which just recently catapulted “Bloody Mary” into the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time ever (it’s currently No. 68 on the chart dated Jan. 14). In December, she tweeted, “Slay Wednesday! You’re welcome at Haus of Gaga anytime (and bring Thing with you, we love paws around here)” in response to the TikTok trend and later created her own Wednesday-inspired TikTok.

See Jenna Ortega brainstorm Wednesday character ideas for Lady Gaga below.

Marvel Exec Hints at ‘More Stories to Be Told’ with Harry Styles’ Starfox

Expect more Starfox! A Marvel executive teased the future of Harry Styles‘ roguish character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a new podcast interview on Monday (Jan. 9).

“We certainly didn’t cast Harry for a tag,” Nate Moore said with a laugh on Deadline‘s Crew Call podcast when questioned by host Anthony D’Alessandro about whether the pop star’s surprise cameo at the end of 2021’s Eternals was “just a stunt.”

The producer when on to describe Starfox as “a character maybe I have too much affection for” and revealed Eternals director Chloé Zhao almost singlehandedly gave Styles the role. “Chloé is a giant Harry Styles fan,” Moore said. “I’d always pitch, like, ‘Eros, he’s really cool.’ And she’s like, ‘It’s Harry Styles’ and I was like, ‘Are you sure?’ And she was obsessed and chased him down and got him into the movie.

“But there are more stories to be told with that character,” the exec added. “He’s fascinating. He has a really interesting connection with Thanos — they’re half-brothers, they share the same father. He has an interesting power set, like, he’s a complicated character but a really fun character…Having met Harry Styles, he is as charming as you think you want him to be. And I think there’s no limit to how popular that character’s gonna be once we get to bring him back.”

Since his appearance in Eternals, Styles has continued to flex his burgeoning acting chops in both sci-fi thriller Don’t Worry Darling directed by his now-ex-girlfriend Olivia Wilde and gay romance My Policeman.

Listen to Moore dish on his love of Styles and Starfox below.

Watch Jennifer Coolidge Do Her Happy Dance to ‘Promiscuous’ and ‘Taki Taki’ After Winning a Golden Globe

Sure, nobody could take their eyes off Brad Pitt sitting in the front row at Tuesday night’s (Jan. 10) 2023 Golden Globe Awards. But once the hardware was handed out and the (after)party began, it was White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge’s turn to grab the spotlight. The veteran comedic actress who won a Globe for supporting actress in a limited series for her legendary portrayal of easy mark Tanya McQuoid in the HBO series earlier in the night, was ready to dance ,dance, dance at Billboard‘s official afterparty

Coolidge was all smiles as she made a fun entrance to the party, shimmying her way down the red carpet to the strains of DJ Snake’s 2018 smash “Taki Taki” while shaking her hips to whoops of approval from the assembled crowd. The fun continued on TikTok, where her smooth moves were synched to Candy Moore’s EMD remix of Tanya’s iconic claim, “these gays… they’re trying to murder me.”

Later that night, Coolidge used her Globe as a golden dance prop while pumping her fist to Nelly Furtado’s 2006 Timbaland-produced hit “Promiscuous” at the Billboard soiree. Speaking to BB’s Rania Aniftos on the carpet, Coolidge also marveled at the “very cool night,” praising the moving speeches from fellow winners Steven Spielberg, Ryan Murphy and Michelle Yeoh. “Incredible, incredible, I will never forget this night,” the actress said when asked what it feels like to have so much love lavished on Lotus, which also took home the award for best limited series.

All in all it was a pretty major night for Coolidge, who has risen from the role of “stupid girl” in 1995’s A Bucket of Blood to memorable turns in a series of American Pie movies and Christopher Guest mockumentaries all the way to her current white hot streak playing Tanya in Mike White’s exploration of toxic white privilege in paradise.

Check out Coolidge’s moves below.

Cordae Is Expecting a Baby With Naomi Osaka

Cordae and Naomi Osaka are going to be parents. In a surprise Wednesday (Jan. 11) announcement on social media, the 25-year-old pro tennis player revealed that she is expecting a baby with the 25-year-old rapper, whom she’s been dating since 2019.

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“The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that it’s the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun,” Osaka wrote in a note posted to Twitter, also sharing a photo of an ultrasound. “These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to.”

“I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure,” she continued. “I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘that’s my mom,’ haha.”

The athlete did not mention Cordae in her post. However, the “RNP” musician’s rep confirmed to Billboard that he is indeed the father.

Osaka concluded her note — of which she also shared a Japanese-language version — by writing that even though she doesn’t think there’s a “perfectly correct path to take in life,” she feels that “if you move forward with good intentions you’ll find your way eventually.”

See Naomi Osaka’s pregnancy announcement below:

Marco Carola, Camelphat, Francesca Lombardo & Gordo Lead Lineup for Saint Martin’s SXM Festival 2023

As festival season — or at least the season of festival lineups dropping — moves into high gear, the Caribbean destination fest SXM Festival has announced its 2023 artist roster.

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Touching down on the island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten this March 8-12 will be a high-caliber posse of house and techno stars including Marco Carola, DJ Tennis and Carlita performing together as Astra Club, a set from Francesca Lombardo, Dubfire Yokoo, Camelphat Mochaak and Gordo, the artist formerly known as Carnage. (The latter three were also included on Tuesday’s 2023 Coachella lineup.)

Since launching in 2016, SXM has drawn fans from more than 35 countries. The five-day festival happens at locations throughout the island, a territory of both France and The Netherlands, in venues including a private jungle and beach area, a villa and a beach club. Additionally, limited capacity “satellite” events will take place on the peak of Sint Maarten’s highest mountain at sunset, along with a boat party cruising through the Caribbean’s largest lagoon and a catamaran cruise.

In 2017, after the island was devastated by Hurricane Irma — which left an estimated 95% of the French side of the island destroyed — SXM organizers collected more than $38,000 for the relief effort. The event was one of the few festivals to happen in 2020 before the pandemic shut down the live events space, and after a postponed 2021 event also due to the pandemic, returned to Saint Martin/Sint Maarten in 2022.

The love for its island home continue through SXM’s focus on leaving a smaller footprint and helping replenish the area’s natural environments via initiatives that include going paperless, saving energy with LED and solar lights, and eliminating plastic waste throughout the festival.

Tickets for SXM Festival 2023 are on sale now.

SXM Festival

Taylor Swift Was Kinda Sorta at the 2023 Golden Globes

She’s a mastermind! Taylor Swift may not have been in the room at the 2023 Golden Globes held at the Beverly Hilton on Tuesday (Jan. 10), but her presence was still felt in the awards show’s choice of music.

Ryan Murphy was the evening’s recipient of the prestigious Carol Burnett Award, which the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gives to honor “outstanding and lasting contributions to television on or off the screen,” and as he walked to the podium to accept the trophy, Swift’s Midnights closer “Mastermind” could be heard playing over the cheers of Hollywood’s best-dressed glitterati.

“Once upon a time the planets and the fates/ And all the stars aligned/ You and I ended up in the same room/ At the same time/ And the touch of a hand lit the fuse,” the superstar’s voice can be heard before the American Horror Story and Pose creator began his acceptance speech.

After accepting the award from frequent collaborator Billy Porter, Murphy offered a nearly 10-minute speech shouting out LGBTQ+ trailblazers he’s worked with over the years, including Porter, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Niecy Nash, Matt Bomer and Jeremy Pope.

“When I was a young person at home in the ’70s, watching The Carol Burnett Show, I never, ever saw a person like me getting an award or even being a character on a TV show,” he said. “It’s hard being an LGBTQ kid in America. In fact, all over the world then and now. And I have one word for you: Florida. You are often told you will never become anything, you have to hide your light to survive. But for those kids watching tonight, I offer up MJ and Billy and Niecy and Matt and Jeremy as examples of possibility.”

Swift was nominated in the best original song, motion picture category for her track “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing alongside fellow nominees Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Tems. However, all the superstars were ultimately beat out by Chandrabose and M.M. Keeravaani’s “Naatu Naatu” from RRR.

Watch Swift’s “Mastermind” help soundtrack Murphy’s big Golden Globes moment below.

Austin Butler Responds to Comments He Talks Like Elvis at Golden Globes: ‘I Don’t Think I Sound Like Him Still’

People are talking about how Austin Butler is talking. At the Golden Globes Tuesday (Jan. 10), however, the 31-year-old actor responded to comments regarding how his voice has changed since playing The King in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, specifically addressing those who have been poking fun at him in recent months for supposedly keeping up the deep Southern drawl he learned for the movie long after it wrapped.

“I don’t think I sound like him still,” he said in the awards show’s press room after winning best actor, drama motion picture for his performance in Elvis. “But I guess I must because I hear it a lot. I often liken it to when somebody lives in another country for a long time.”

“I had three years where that was my only focus in life, so I’m sure there’s just pieces of my DNA that will always be linked to him,” he added.

It’s not the first time Butler has addressed comments on his post-Elvis speech patterns. In December, he joked about his voice change during his opening monologue while hosting Saturday Night Live, and in June, he spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the matter. “At this point, I keep asking people, ‘Is this my voice?’ Because this feels like my real … it’s one of those things where certain things trigger it, and other times as well it’s, I don’t know,” he said.

One night prior to the Globes, the Carrie Diaries star appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and shed some light on the intensive process he underwent to prepare for his portrayal of the late rock n’ roll legend, which included reconstructing the way he spoke. He even spent hours learning to chuckle exactly like Elvis did by listening to audio compilations of the “Hound Dog” singer’s laughter.

“I’d walk down the beach for hours with a headphone in, laughing as Elvis,” he recalled. “So it looked like [I was] this man, just absolutely out of his mind.”

Watch Austin Butler address comments about his Elvis voice at the Golden Globes below:

Selena Gomez Takes Little Sister Gracie as Her Date to the 2023 Golden Globes

Selena Gomez walked the Golden Globes red carpet Tuesday (Jan. 10) with a very special date on her arm — her 9-year-old sister, Gracie Elliott Teefey. The little girl is her youngest sibling, whom she shares through mother Mandy Teefey and stepfather Brian Teefey.

Gomez appeared on the carpet in a stunning black Valentino Haute Couture gown with purple puff sleeves. The singer-actress embraced and hugged Gracie, who wore a sparkling pale yellow gown carried an equally glittering purse, as they made their way into The Beverly Hilton, where the ceremony was held.

The sisters’ night at the Globes is just the latest in several outings they’ve had in recent weeks. The Only Murders in the Building actress shared photos of her celebrating Nicola Peltz Beckham’s birthday with a dinner on Jan. 8, in which Teefey was in attendance. And on Jan. 6, Gomez shared on Instagram that the sister duo had a girls night — just the two of them — when they wore matching all-black outfits.

The Rare Beauty founder nabbed her very first Golden Globe best actress in a TV series comedy or musical nomination for her portrayal of Mabel Mora in the hit Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building opposite Steve Martin and Martin Short. She previously shared a throwback video of an old interview to celebrate, in which she claimed that she saw herself as “more of a Golden Globe or Oscar girl” than having her heart set on winning a Grammy.

Gomez lost out on the Golden Globe to Abbott Elementary‘s Quinta Brunson.

Gunna Posts First Pic Since Pleading Guilty in YSL Case, Says ‘Only One Side’ to Story

Gunna celebrated being home on Tuesday (Jan. 10) in his first pic since being released from jail after pleading guilty on Dec. 14 in the closely-watched criminal case against Young Thug and the other alleged members of an Atlanta gang.

The “Too Easy” rapper born Sergio Kitchens posted a snap in which he sits alone in a high-ceilinged living room on a white couch alongside a pointed message about the case. “N—as acting like they switching to a side But it’s only one side,” he wrote, while shouting out the YSL label and adding a plea to #FreeThug&Yak while proclaiming “GUNNA BACC!!!!!”

After spending most of the year in jail, Gunna stressed upon his release that he was not cooperating with prosecutors, with his lawyer noting that the 29-year-old MC had taken an Alford plea, which allows a defendant to enter a formal admission of guilt while still maintaining their innocence. In technical terms, Gunna pleaded guilty to a single charge against him and was sentenced to five years in prison, but was released because he was credited with one year of time served and the rest of the sentence was suspended.

“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” the rapper said at the time of his release.

Gunna and Young Thug were indicted in May 2022, along with dozens of others, on accusations that their group YSL was not really a record label called “Young Stoner Life,” but a violent Atlanta street gang called “Young Slime Life”; both men were arrested and locked up in May 2022. The charges include allegations of murder, carjacking, armed robbery, drug dealing and illegal firearm possession over the past decade.

Young Thug and many others are set to stand trial on those charges in January.

See Gunna’s post below.