Music News

03 Jan 2023

Billie Eilish Recreates ‘The Office’ Party Planning Committee Scene With Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey

Billie Eilish has proved once more that she’s the ultimate The Office fan.

The 21-year-old superstar joined the latest episode of Earwolf’s Office Ladies podcast, in which she recreated “the first-ever party planning committee” scene from season one of the show with the podcast’s co-hosts and Office stars Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer.

“Oh yeah, I know this scene quite well,” Eilish shared in the clip initially shared by People, which is no surprise, as the star has often claimed that she’s watched the entire series numerous times. She then channels the show’s character Phyllis, diving into the scene and floating the idea of streamers for the fictional party. “But that’s dumb, everybody has streamers, never mind,” Eilish says as Phyllis.

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Fischer then revives her role as receptionist Pam Beesley, agreeing that they should have green streamers. Kinsey then jumps in as her character Angela Martin, delivering the iconic deadpan line, “I think green is kind of whorish.”

The trio then cheer for their flawless execution of the scene, and Fischer tells Eilish, “You’re officially in the PPC [party planning committee]!”

Back in 2019, Eilish took part in Billboard‘s “Quizzed” segment with Rainn Wilson, who portrayed Dwight Schrute on the iconic series, and participated in some Office-related trivia. Overall, Eilish did a stellar job, earning herself a special handmade reward that viewers will recognize from the “Office Olympics” episode of the show. “This will go well with your goth bling,” Wilson tells her as he gifts her the yogurt lid medal.

Revisit the moment below.

03 Jan 2023

Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney Shows Off His Impressive Physique in a Shirtless Selfie

New year, new you! Shay Mooney showed off his slimmed-down physique in a new social media post on Monday (Jan. 2).

“Consistency,” the Dan + Shay crooner captioned the shirtless side-by-side on Instagram. “I changed my entire world in 6 months. No gimmicks or fads. Just consistency. If that tired guy on the left can do it so can you.”

The singer got plenty of support from his country music peers in the comments on the post as well. “Hardly even noticed you in the drop off line at school the other day! Congrats brother.. incredible,” Thomas Rhett wrote using a hands-up emoji. Carrie Underwood commented, “You should be proud!” Brian Kelly of Florida Georgia Line also added, “@shaymooney freaking gettin it dude!”

In a December interview on TODAY, Mooney shared the inspiration behind his recent fitness journey, joking that part of it stemmed from comparing himself to bandmate Dan Smyers “all the time.”

“I had this moment where I was just not feeling healthy,” he said. “It wasn’t necessarily for my appearance, but it was to feel healthy. And I’m down about 53 or 54 pounds.”

Dan + Shay recently made an appearance on the red carpet for the 2022 American Music Awards, where they dished to Billboard about their latest Christmas single, “Holiday Party,” and their habit of penning holiday tracks during the summer months. At an earlier November awards show — the 2022 CMA Awards — Brothers Osborne teased the possibility of joining forces with the duo. “Oh my god, that would be amazing!” TJ Osboerne gushed to Billboard. “I mean, obviously I’m, like, a baritone. But, like, Dan can sing the craziest stratosphere stuff … Maybe we’ll be the new Oak Ridge Boys, I dunno.”

See Mooney’s latest fit pic below.

03 Jan 2023

Dionne Warwick Announces Gospel Duet With Dolly Parton: ‘This One Is Going to Be Very Special’

Two legends are coming together for a brand new collaboration.

Dionne Warwick joined Tamron Hall on the latter’s talk show on Tuesday (Jan. 3), where she revealed that she has teamed up with Dolly Parton for a duet. “She sent me a song that she wanted me to record, and I said, ‘Okay, that sounds like a deal,’” Warwick recalled of how the collaboration came to be. “She’s such a sweetheart, I know her. And then she sent me another song, the one that we’re going to be doing as a duet.”

Warwick went on to note that the upcoming song is a gospel song titled “Peace Like a River” that Parton wrote. “I am very excited about this, I really am. I’ve done so many duets over the years, but this one’s gonna be very special,” the singer noted.

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Elsewhere in the interview, Warwick, known among her fans as the unofficial Queen of Twitter, discussed some of her viral tweets. In response to a post from November 2022, in which the “Heartbreaker” singer wrote, “I will be dating Pete Davidson next,” Warwick laughed and said, “Everyone else dating him. Why not me?”

Meanwhile, the singer’s new documentary, Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, debuted on CNN on Sunday (Jan. 1), and unveiled the story of her life and career from the days of working with Burt Bacharach and Hal David to the present. Quincy Jones, Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, Olivia Newton-John and former president Bill Clinton are among the talking heads who offer their perspectives on Warwick’s legacy throughout the film.

03 Jan 2023

Shakira Pens Hopeful New Year’s Message: ‘Time Has a Surgeon’s Hands’

Shakira began 2023 with a heartfelt message of hope after a difficult year due to her separation from Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué, the father of her children.

“Even if our wounds are still open in this new year, time has a surgeon’s hands. Even if someone’s betrayed us, we must continue to trust others,” wrote the Colombian singer on Sunday (Jan. 1). “When faced with contempt, continue to know your worth. Because there are more good people than indecent ones. More people with empathy than indifference.”

She continued: “The ones who leave are fewer than the many who stay by our side. Our tears are not in vain, they water the soil our future will spring from and make us more human, so that even while suffering heartache we can continue to love.”

Shakira’s message, which she published both in Spanish and English and does not name her ex, comes months after her very public split from Pique after a 12-year relationship. The singer has spoken openly about the breakup since it was confirmed in June, and has posted material alluding to her pain.

In October, the Colombian superstar released the heartbreak song “Monotonía” alongside Ozuna, in which she lyrically displays her sadness against a gripping bachata backdrop. “Suddenly you were no longer the same/ You left me because of your narcissism/ You forgot what we once were,” she sings in Spanish.

Although bachata has been embraced in recent times by non-Dominican artists such as Rosalía, The Weeknd, C. Tangana and Nathy Peluso, Shakira’s choice of genre is likely not a coincidence. Bachata was known as “amargue” (meaning “bitter” or, roughly, “lovesick”) when it was created about a century ago because of its lovelorn lyrics, so it seems fitting for the emotion at hand.

In the music video, Shakira looks distraught as her ex shoots her straight in the chest in a supermarket, where her heart is ejected from her body, leaving a large hole.

A month before releasing “Monotonía,” Shakira told Elle that the separation from Piqué has been one of the “most difficult” and “darkest” moments of her life. “I’ve remained quiet and just tried to process it all,” she shared. “It’s hard to talk about it, especially because I’m still going through it, and because I’m in the public eye and because our separation is not like a regular separation. And so it’s been tough not only for me, but also for my kids. Incredibly difficult.”

See her new year’s post below:

03 Jan 2023

Skrillex’s First Solo Album in 9 Years Is Dropping in 2023

2023 is in launching in major way in the dance world, with Skrillex announcing that he’s dropping a double album this year.

On New Year’s Day (Jan. 1), the producer born Sonny Moore posted an announcement to social media reading “QFF/DGTC 23,” with the acronyms widely understood to stand for the names of a pair of albums coming in 2023. Then on Jan. 2, he posted a snippet of the project’s first single, “Rumble,” a sinewy, foreboding collaboration with Fred again.. and UK grime MC Flowdan.

In response to the album news, the electronic producer community responded in what is most accurately described as rejoice. “2023 looking great already,” wrote Tchami, with bass artists from Subtronics to Ray Volpe to Peekaboo to tk sprinkling in such responses as “HYPERVENTILATING,” “H O L Y S H I T B A L L S” and “i’m f—ing WEEPING.” Even Missy Elliot, with whom Skrillex collaborated on the unreleased 2018 track “ID,” chimed in, effectively summing up the excitement with a series of alien head, flame and chef’s kiss emojis.

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The albums will mark Skrillex’s first studio albums since his 2014 debut, Recess, which album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in April of 2014 in the apex of the EDM boom.

Skrillex has of course been mega-prolific in the interim, winning a pair of 2016 Grammys alongside Diplo in their duo Jack Ü — “Skrillex, he’s probably the best producer of electronic music I’ve ever met him my life. He can turn anything into anything on his own terms, the guy is the master,” Diplo told Billboard in 2022.

Hear the 15 second preview of “Rumble” in the above video.

03 Jan 2023

TWICE Reveals Details for New English-Language Single ‘Moonlight Sunrise’: Here’s When It Arrives

New year, new TWICE! Just three days into 2023, the K-pop group is already gearing up to release its first single of the year in the upcoming weeks.

On Tuesday (Jan. 3), the girl group — which consists of members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu — tweeted to share the release details and title for a brand new song recorded in English. “TWICE Pre-Release English Single ‘MOONLIGHT SUNRISE,’” the idols revealed. “Worldwide Release on 2023.01.20 FRI 2PM KST/0AM (12 a.m.) EST.”

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“Moonlight Sunrise” will be the first single to arrive from TWICE’s forthcoming 12th mini album, Our Youth. The K-pop stars shared the news in an announcement on Dec. 20, stating that the single release and mini album — which is slated to arrive some time in March — are “first, 1/4 of 2023.” No further details regarding the album’s release or additional contents were provided at the time.

“Moonlight Sunrise” will serve as the follow-up to TWICE’s first-ever English single, “The Feels.” Released in October of 2021, the track gave the girl group its debut on the Billboard Hot 100; the song landed at No. 83 and spending a week on the chart. Elsewhere, the track peaked at Nos. 10 and 12 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and Billboard Global 200 charts, respectively. “The Feels” additionally earned chart placements on the Billboard K-Pop 100, Digital Song Sales and more.

See TWICE’s tweet for “Moonlight Sunrise” and the formal announcement for Our Youth below.

03 Jan 2023

Kelly Clarkson Mourns ‘The One That Got Away’ in Emotional Katy Perry Cover: Watch

It’s officially 2023, and you know what that means: Another year of Kellyoke covers. On the Tuesday (Jan. 3) episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show — her second since New Year’s — Kelly Clarkson treated fans to a stunning, stripped back performance of Katy Perry‘s 2010 hit “The One That Got Away,” featuring guitarist Jaco Caraco.

Though the “Stronger” singer is usually accompanied by her full backup band Y’all, Caraco was the only musician to join her onstage for this performance. He strummed delicate patterns on an acoustic guitar as Clarkson, lit by the soft yellow glow of her stage lights, sang Perry’s emotional lyrics with a specific blend of softness and power only she can deliver.

“In another life, I would be your girl / We keep all our promises, be us against the world,” belted the three-time Grammy winner. “In another life, I would make you stay / So I don’t have to say you were the one that got away.”

The track was originally released on Perry’s critically-acclaimed third studio record Teenage Dream, which effectively served as a blueprint for 2010s pop music and became the second album in history to offer five No. 1 singles: “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “Firework,” “E.T.” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).” “The One That Got Away,” meanwhile, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Clarkson’s cover marks the second Kellyoke of the new year, following Monday’s (Jan. 2) performance of Scandal’s “The Warrior.” Before the Dec. 31 ball drop, she filled the daily live performance time slots leading up to Christmas with holiday covers of songs like “Sisters” from the film White Christmas and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” along with a solo rendition of her own festive duet with Ariana Grande, “Santa Can’t You Hear Me?”

Watch Kelly Clarkson perform Katy Perry’s “The One That Got Away” on The Kelly Clarkson Show below.

03 Jan 2023

Snoop Dogg Recalls How Dionne Warwick Confronted Him About Misogynistic Lyrics

If you thought that Snoop Dogg was the top dogg in the 1990s, think again. The 51-year-old rapper recently opened up about a time when none other than Dionne Warwick — legendary vocalist and unofficial queen of Twitter — once put him in his place. Or as he puts it, “out-gangstered” him.

In the new CNN film Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, the “Heartbreaker” singer and Snoop recalled a time when she set up a meeting with a group of prominent ’90s rappers after deciding she’d had enough of the misogynistic lyrics notoriously present in the decade’s rap canon. The “Drop It Like It’s Hot” artist, Suge Knight and more were invited to arrive at her home no later than 7 in the morning — a prospect so intimidating, Snoop says he and his peers were all in her driveway by 6:52 a.m.

“We were kind of, like, scared and shook up,” Snoop said. “We’re powerful right now, but she’s been powerful forever. Thirty-some years in the game, in the big home with a lot of money and success.”

Once they arrived, the rappers were confronted by Warwick, who demanded they call her a “b—h” to her face. After all, that was the term many of them had been using to describe women in their lyrics.

“These kids are expressing themselves, which they’re entitled to do,” Warwick recalled thinking at the time. “However, there’s a way to do it.”

“You guys are all going to grow up,” she told the group. “You’re going have families. You’re going to have children. You’re going to have little girls and one day that little girl is going to look at you and say, ‘Daddy, did you really say that? Is that really you?’ What are you going to say?”

“She was checking me at a time when I thought we couldn’t be checked,” added Snoop, who actually did go on to welcome a daughter in addition to three sons. “We were the most gangsta as you could be, but that day at Dionne Warwick’s house, I believe we got out-gangstered that day.”

The Death Row Records owner says he was then inspired to change his musical approach, starting with his 1996 record Tha Doggfather. “I made it a point to put records of joy – me uplifting everybody and nobody dying and everybody living,” he continued. “Dionne, I hope I became the jewel that you saw when I was the little, dirty rock that was in your house. I hope I’m making you proud.”

03 Jan 2023

TLC’s Chilli Is Dating Matthew Lawrence: ‘Never Seen Her This In Love’

Don’t go chasing waterfalls, they say, but what if your new man once starred in Jumping Ship? That’s right, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Matthew Lawrence are officially a couple, the TLC singer’s rep confirmed on Tuesday (Jan. 3).

The two stars were first photographed together vacationing in Hawaii last summer, but reportedly didn’t get together romantically until just before the holiday season.

“I’ve been with Chilli since 2005 and I’ve never seen her this in love,” Christal Jordan, the singer’s publicist, tells Billboard. “She is glowing. They are really cute together.”

Chilli and the middle Lawrence brother — whose divorce from ex-wife Cheryl Burke was finalized last September — even spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas together according to Jordan, and the actor met the “Unpretty” singer’s family in Atlanta.

On New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31), Chilli and Lawrence fueled speculation about their romance by posting a sweet Instagram video together lip-syncing a-ha‘s 1985 classic “Take On Me,” complete with matching onesies and a filter recreating the look of the song’s animated music video. “#newyearsshenanigans #onesiegang #wecute,” the duo captioned the video. The ’90s heartthrob’s former Boy Meets World co-star Danielle Fishel commented, “This makes me very happy!!” with two red heart emojis.

In October, Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West paid adorable tribute to Chilli with a spot-on Halloween costume and lip sync performance with two of her gal pals to “No Scrubs.” Kardashian also got in on the fun by dancing with her oldest child to “Waterfalls.”

Check out Chilli and Lawrence’s New Year’s Eve pajama party for two below.

03 Jan 2023

Watch HARDY Get in Music City Street Fight on ‘Monday Night RAW,’ Smash Silo Sikoa With Guitar

With numerous chart-topping Country Airplay songs under his belt as an artist and songwriter, HARDY has proven his acumen at using a guitar to craft hits — but it turns out he’s also adept at wielding a guitar in a fight, too.

WWE’s Monday Night RAW on Jan. 2 was held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and HARDY was there as a special guest, as the Music City Street Fight featured a brawl between wrestler-musician Elias and Solo Sikoa. During the fight, HARDY worked his way up from the audience and into the ring in an attempt to aid Elias, who is known for using musical instruments during his fights. HARDY grabbed an acoustic guitar from the edge of the ring and smashed the instrument across Sikoa’s back.

Anger flashed across Sikoa’s face as he turned toward HARDY. The announcers advised the singer-songwriter to exit the ring, saying, “Run as fast as your little legs will take you. Go to Memphis! Maybe try Texas. You’re not safe here.” HARDY quickly (and safely) exited the ring.

The WWE tweeted a video of the incident, sharing, “HARDY gets in on the action at #WWERaw! @HardyMusic just blasted @WWESoloSikoa with a guitar and, well…take a look!”

HARDY later said during a WWE interview, “It had to be done. Elias, I have a soft spot for musicians. My fellow musician needed some help up there and I felt the need to take it into my own hands.”

HARDY, the 2022 ACM songwriter of the year, is set to release his upcoming album, The Mockingbird and the Crow, on Jan. 20. The album will feature 17 songs traversing country and rock, and will include duets with Lainey Wilson (their current collaboration “Wait in the Truck”), as well as collaborations with Morgan Wallen and A Day to Remember’s Jeremy McKinnon.

Check out the full video of HARDY’s WWE moment above.