Music News

07 Nov 2022

Selena Gomez Responds to Francia Raisa’s Reaction Over Her Taylor Swift Comment

Selena Gomez made fans go “Aww” last week when she called Taylor Swift her only good friend in the entertainment industry, but there was one person who didn’t seem to think it was as cute as everyone else did. Francia Raisa, the actress who donated her kidney to the “Lose You to Love Me” singer in 2017, appeared to feel a little left out by Gomez’s comment, and reacted in a way many interpreted to be shady, and on Sunday (Nov. 6), Gomez clapped back.

“Sorry I didn’t mention every person I know,” the 30-year-old Only Murders in the Building star commented on a TikTok by a creator who summarized the drama for her followers, pointing out that Raisa was no longer following Gomez on Instagram.

The the bump in their friendship began after Gomez’s Rolling Stone cover story went live Thursday (Nov. 3), one day before the singer-actress’ mental health documentary My Mind & Me premiered on Apple TV+. In the profile, she opened up about feeling like she “never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities.”

“My only friend in the industry really is Taylor [Swift], so I remember feeling like I didn’t belong,” she added.

Raisa then reportedly replied in an Instagram post resharing Gomez’s quote about Taylor. “Interesting,” she wrote in a since-deleted comment.

Onlookers were quick to take Raisa’s comment as a diss at Gomez, with whom the 32-year-old Secret Life of the American Teenager actress had been friends for years. Just last year, Gomez tweeted that she was “forever grateful” to Raisa for donating a kidney to her when complications with lupus resulted in the Wizards of Waverly Place alum needing a transplant.

Meanwhile, Swift had kind words for Gomez following the release of My Mind & Me, which follows Gomez as she faces struggles with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder over the course of six years. “So proud of you @selenagomez,” she wrote about her pal on Instagram stories. “Love you forever.”

See the TikTok Gomez commented about Raisa on below:

07 Nov 2022

Snoop Dogg Corrects Outrageous Joints-Per-Day Claim: ‘Stop Lyin’

If you recently read a headline quoting Snoop Dogg‘s professional joint roller claiming that the 51-year-old rap icon smokes up to 150 joints per day, take that news with a pinch of Sour Diesel. The quote from Snoop’s “professional blunt roller,” Renegade Piranha, had her saying that she rolls up about half a pound of sticky icky per day, which equals around 75-150 joints every 24 hours, or more than 450,000 to date.

Snoop has never been one to play down his love of the flower, but in a video posted on Sunday (No. 6) the “Smoke Weed Every Day” MC corrected the record… and not in the way you might expect. “B—h said I smoke 450,000 [joints on her watch]… B—h, this is all in a day’s work,” he said in an Instagram video entitled “Stop Lyin’” in which he pointed to a pile of a mere nine blunt roaches.

“Stop lyin’. How the f–k am I gonna smoke all that weed in one day?” he said. “What am I a f—in’ machine? B—h this is the roaches. See? Roaches.” He, of course, followed that video up with another one a short time later in which he’s cruising in his car while staring into the camera and puffing on a fat blunt while rocking a Death Row Records jacket and listening to Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly.”

Snoop will need some extra lung capacity next month when he drops the latest from super-stacked California rap supergroup Mount Westmore, which also features such West Coast legends as Ice Cube, E-40 and Too $hort. The long-awaited debut is slated to drop on Dec. 9 and feature the just released bouncy single, “Too Big,” featuring P-Lo. The Bigg Dogg also recently revealed that he’s working on a sequel to his 1993 Dr. Dre-produced solo debut, Doggystyle, which he’s calling Missionary.

Check out Snoop’s smoke-and-tell below.

07 Nov 2022

‘The Masked Singer’ Reveals the Contestants Behind Walrus & Milkshake

The Masked Singer is slowly whittling down its season eight contestants, and with the arrival of a ’90s-themed episode on Sunday night (Nov. 6), there were two contestants whose identities were revealed. Both Milkshake and Walrus were sent packing, but not before sharing who they are and giving a final exit interview before leaving the show.

Walrus was the first contestant to leave The Masked Singer after failing to secure enough votes to stay on the singing competition. The unmasking revealed that the Walrus was none other than Joey Lawrence, star of ’90s sitcom Blossom and of “Can’t Fix My Love” fame. The track appeared on the actor’s self-titled debut album that was released in 1993, and it later peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Speaking of his experience on the show, Lawrence said, “It’s not about winning. I thought it would be fun for my girls to see at some point. I have two beautiful daughters, and being anonymous and having to look like Daft Punk walking around the set is always fun.”

The actor and singer also shared that being on The Masked Singer is making him consider coming back to music. “I haven’t released a full record in about 20 years, but music brings back this memory of why this whole journey began for me,” he added. “I am seriously thinking about dedicating a lot more of my time to music. Gotta use the stuff god gave you, so maybe I’ll get back into it.”

Milkshake was the second contestant to leave The Masked Singer night after a sing-off against the Lambs to “What Is Love,” by Haddaway. Le’Veon Bell, an NFL running back and free agent, was revealed to be behind the mask. Though Bell is an athlete, in 2017 he dabbled in music with songs uploaded to SoundCloud and later released an album in 2019 titled Life’s a Gamble.

“I did The Masked Singer because I watch it a lot and my friends were on it, and it’s a good opportunity to showcase my talent musically. A lot of people look at me on the field or boxing. I think this was a good opportunity on the show, I could entertain and people didn’t even know it was me. I think that kinda opened up people’s eyes a little bit,” he said in his exit interview. “Watching them try to guess who I was, that was entertaining too. It was ranging from all types of artists and athletes: T.I. got brought up, LL Cool J, Ice Cube. The praise from the judges, I appreciate it and I’m glad I went up there performing what I did.”

Watch Walrus and Milkshake’s unmaskings and exit interviews below.

07 Nov 2022

‘Fancy Like,’ Songwriter Josh Jenkins, Publisher SMACK Lead SESAC 2022 Nashville Music Awards Winners

It was a fancy evening in more ways than one on Sunday (Nov. 6) as performing rights organization SESAC celebrated the writers and music publishers that contributed to the year’s most performed country and Americana songs in a ceremony held at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

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More than 400 songwriters, publishers and music industry executives attended the festivities, which were led by SESAC’s vp, creative services Shannan Hatch.

“It is so great being here in person to celebrate our writers and affiliates,” Hatch said.

Indeed, given that the evening marked the first time the SESAC Nashville Music Awards have been held in person in three years, the celebration had the hallmarks of an intimate homecoming, as writers, artists and industry members mingled throughout the cocktail hour and ceremony itself.

Proven hitmakers and newcomers alike offered a sterling string of new music. SESAC affiliates Lee Brice and Blanco Brown launched the evening by partnering for a rendition of Brice’s Gold-certified release “Soul.”

“Fancy Like,” the juggernaut hit recorded by Walker Hayes that reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs rankings over the past year (not to mention being the song that brought the Oreo shake back to the Applebee’s menu) was named song of the year.

“Fancy Like” co-writer Josh Jenkins was named SESAC’s country songwriter of the year; Jenkins is also a writer on the chart-topper “Buy Dirt,” recorded by Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan. “Buy Dirt” recently picked up NSAI song of the year honors, and is in the running for the song of the year and single of the year honors at the CMA Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 9).

“Some call it providence, I call it God’s grace — put someone like me around so many amazing people,” Jenkins said. “No man is an island and I get to be around so many people that are incredible. I get to come up here and say something but I feel like this award is [for] so many people that believe … songs can impact people,” he added, thanking everyone at SMACK for their support.

Hayes also sent in a video message honoring Jenkins and revealing “Fancy Like” as the SESAC country song of the year.

“I couldn’t be prouder of you. I love you so much. Thank you, first of all, for being my brother in Christ, but man, you’re a great writer. God’s given you a gift,” Hayes said told Jenkins via video.

“Fancy Like” publisher SMACK (helmed by Grammy-winning writers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne) was named publisher of the year, having previously taken this honor in 2020. SMACK is also a publisher on other SESAC-honored songs this year including “Buy Dirt,” “7500 OBO” and “Like I Love Country Music.”

Jordan Davis joined his brother Jacob Davis and their co-writers and brother duo Josh and Matt Jenkins to perform “Buy Dirt,” while indie artist Megan Moroney performed her viral hit “Tennessee Orange,” which currently sits at No. 24 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Moroney wrote the song with David Fanning, Ben Williams and Paul Jenkins, and with production helmed by Kristian Bush.

“Go dawgs,” Moroney said simply, after concluding an understated, acoustic rendition of the track.

Derek Wells was honored with the Spirit of SESAC Award, recognizing his musical contributions to playing on numerous chart-topping songs. One of those hits, “Like I Love Country Music” (recorded by Kane Brown and co-written by SESAC affiliate Matt McGinn) was also honored with a performance activity award during the celebration. Singer-songwriters Brinley Addington, Joey Hyde, Mike Walker, Aaron Eshuis, Phil Lawson and Allison Veltz Cruz teamed for a medley of songs Wells has contributed to including “Homesick,” “Love You Like I Used To,” and “What If I Never Get Over You.”

“This is shocking to me,” Wells said of the honor, and quickly shifting the spotlight to songwriting. “Anything I’ve contributed to a record was inspired by the song that is put in front of you. Without songwriters, people like me wouldn’t have a job or a platform.” He also thanked SESAC “for being a champion of songs and creators.”

The evening concluded as attendees continued to celebrate this year’s winners, as servers passed around Oreo milkshakes to guests.

The full list of the 2022 SESAC Nashville Music Awards award-winning songs and SESAC honorees is below:

  • “FANCY LIKE”
    Written by: Josh Jenkins
    Published by: Follow Me Where I Go, SMACK Songs, Kobalt Group Publishing
    Recorded by: Walker Hayes
  • “BUY DIRT”
    Written by: Josh Jenkins
    Published by:  Follow Me Where I Go, SMACK Songs, Kobalt Group Publishing
    Recorded by: Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
  • “SAME BOAT”
    Written by: Zac Brown, Ben Simonetti
    Published by: Day For The Dead Publishing, Kobalt Group Publishing
    Recorded by: Zac Brown Band
  • “FREEDOM WAS A HIGHWAY”
    Written by: Jimmie Allen
    Published by: Endurance Juliet, Sony Music Publishing
    Recorded by: Jimmie Allen and Brad Paisley
  • “WILD HEARTS”
    Written by: Jennifer Wayne
    Published by: Wild Wild Wild West Songs, BMG Silver Songs
    Recorded by: Keith Urban
  • “7500 OBO”
    Written by: Matt McGinn
    Published by: McGinndependence Day, SMACK Songs, Kobalt Group Publishing
    Recorded by: Tim McGraw
  • “LAST NIGHT LONELY”
    Written by: Joe Fox
    Published by: Liz Rose Music, Warner Chappell Music
    Recorded by: Jon Pardi
  • “TRUTH ABOUT YOU”
    Written by: Matt Alderman
    Published by: Good Vibes Good Times Music, Curb Congregation Songs
    Recorded by: Mitchell Tenpenny
  • “LIKE I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC”
    Written by: Matt McGinn
    Published by: McGinndependence Day, SMACK Songs, Kobalt Group Publishing
    Recorded by: Kane Brown
  • “UP”
    Written by: Jeremy Bussey
    Published by: Hit By The Buss Music, Songs of Fluid, Spirit Music Nashville
    Recorded by: Luke Bryan
  • “HOME SWEET”
    Written by: Casey Brown
    Published by: Blue Corolla Oklahoma, Feel Your Creative Pulse Music
    Recorded by: Russell Dickerson
  • “23”
    Written by: Chris LaCorte
    Published by: Card Tables Music, Concord Tunes, Hang Your Hat Hits
    Recorded by: Sam Hunt
  • “HELLBENT FOR LEATHER”
    Written by: Ray Wylie Hubbard
    Published by: Snake Farm Publishing, BMG Silver Songs
    Recorded by: Ray Wylie Hubbard
  • “NICE THINGS”
    Written by: Hayes Carll
    Published by: Highway 87 Publishing, BMG Silver Songs
    Recorded by: Hayes Carll
  • “MODERN WOMAN”
    Written by: Erin Rae
    Published by: Good Memory, Confidentially Canadian Publishing
    Recorded by: Erin Rae
  • “IN DREAMS”
    Written by: Sierra Ferrell
    Published by: Abel Elba, Pulse Music Publishing
    Recorded by: Sierra Ferrell
  • “THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SOMEBODY THROUGH IT”
    Written by: Jim Lauderdale
    Published by: Wudang Mountain Songs, BMG Silver Songs
    Recorded by: Jim Lauderdale

07 Nov 2022

Rihanna Talks ‘Happy’ Baby Boy, Playing Super Bowl Halftime: ‘It’s An Entertainer’s Dream’

Rihanna is already drawing artistic inspiration from her newborn son with A$AP Rocky as she gears up to headline February’s Super Bowl halftime show. After dropping the moving ballad “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack last week, RihRih chatted up ET on the red carpet of her fourth Savage X Fenty Show, where she talked about motherhood and her new priorities; the Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Weds. (Nov. 9).

“Oh my God, the mornings, like, seeing his morning face! Seeing a baby with, like, little bags and waking up and they’re just, like, startled,” she said of the baby boy she and Rocky welcomed in May. “They’re trying to figure out where they’re at. It’s the cutest, it’s my favorite part of the day.”

And while she’s trying to make the most of every moment with her “amazing… happy” son, Rihanna said he’s already inspiring her to “freestyle” song when she sings to him. He’s also given her some new ideas for her Fenty brand during their early-morning bonding sessions.

“You know, I always thought doing kid stuff would be cliché and the obvious thing to do when you have a baby. It’s, like, the obvious next step,” she said of a possible Fenty line for kids. “But when I went shopping, that’s when I realized like, OK, maybe I need to start making the stuff that I want my kids to wear because it’s hard! I got my own ideas.”

While she’s enjoying her time at home, Rih is also hard at work gearing up for her 2023 Apple Music Super Bowl LVII halftime show. “I can’t believe I even said yes. It was one of those things that even when I announced it, I was like, ‘OK, I can’t take it back. Now, it’s like final,’” she told ET on the carpet.

“The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, it’s an entertainer’s dream to be on a stage like that,” she added. “But it’s nerve-racking. You want to get it right. You know, everybody’s watching. And they’re rooting for you. And I want to get it right.” At press time it was still unknown what the 34-year-old singer’s halftime performance will look like, but it sounds like she’s gearing up to blow out the “now or never” opportunity.

“Nothing would have gotten me out of the house if it wasn’t a challenge like that,” she said. “You could get real comfortable being at home as a mom, [so this is] challenging myself to do something that I’ve never done before in my career. I have to live up to that challenge.” She’s not giving up any details, but the Barbados-bred star did say she plan to “incorporate a lot of culture” into the Feb. 12 blowout.

“I want to incorporate different aspects of entertainment and things that I just enjoy and bring it to the stage,” she said. “I want to celebrate the music that I’ve made.” 

07 Nov 2022

Britney Spears Describes Permanent Nerve Damage to Her Body: ‘It Stings and It’s Scary’

Britney Spears revealed on Sunday (Nov. 6) that despite the slick moves in her fan-favorite dance videos she is suffering from a physical pain on an almost daily basis due to nerve damage. “I’m dancing in time now Victoria … yes … nerve damage on the right side of my body … there’s no cure except God I guess … nerve damage is caused sometimes when you don’t get enough oxygen to your brain,” she wrote alongside a clip in which she’s dancing to Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” while rocking a red crop top and black shorts.

While Spears, 40, did not specify what caused the nerve damage or what she described as a brain oxygenation issue, she did try to explain to her followers how it manifest. “Your brain literally shuts down,” she wrote of the dire consequences of not getting enough oxygen to your brain. “In that place I didn’t breathe when I was there … nerve damage causes parts of your body to go numb. I wake up like 3 times a week in bed and my hands are completely numb … nerves are tiny and it feels like pins and needles from the right side of my body it shoots up to my neck and the part that hurts the worst is my temple on my head … it stings and it’s scary … the last 3 years since I got out of that place I’ve been in a mild unconscious state … I couldn’t face it.”

The good news, Spears said, is that when she dances she doesn’t feel the pain, which might explain why she posts so many dance videos. “It’s like my mind literally goes to a place of my inner child. And although I don’t move like I use to … I truly believe my faith in it gave me strength,” she wrote. “By the grace of God I finally found a medication where I actually feel oxygen going to my brain and through my neck … my eyes are more open now and I can hold my head up correctly.”

Spears — who is one week away from the one-year anniversary of the end of her restrictive 13-year conservatorship — said hopefully that she is getting “a lot better, I can breathe … I feel smarter because well, Jesus I can breathe now … either way, I’m breathing now and I can dance in time.”

Spears and Elton John recently released a video for the Joel Corry remix of their hit collaborative single, “Hold Me Closer.”

Check out Britney’s video below.

07 Nov 2022

Nandi Bushell Honors New Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Eminem With Ripping ‘Rap God’ Cover

Nandi Bushell picked the perfect time to pay tribute to a rap god. In fact, on the eve of Eminem getting formally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the 12-year-old British drummer phenom tipped her hat the only way she knows how: by ripping through a killer cover of Slim Shady’s 2013 anthem “Rap God” just hours before Marshall Mathers joined the ranks of rock royalty.

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“Guess who’s back? My first new cover in almost 6 months! #rapgod by @eminem!,” Bushell tweeted, noting that her stick-spinning, booming version was inspired by HAL, the drummer for Japanese rockers CVLTE. But there was even better news. After years of expertly covering other people’s songs — and picking up new pals like Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl in the process — Nandi said she’s got big things in store.

“I am still working on my original songs. Coming soon!,” she added. “I can’t wait for you to hear them. Working on my speed and consistency.”

In the video, a smiling Bushell bounces her sticks off the floor, hits a pummeling double-kick drum and blasts out double-time beats to go along with the track of Em’s verbal blitzkrieg.

Longtime friend and collaborator Dr. Dre inducted Eminem on Saturday night, recalling how just about nearly everyone tried to discourage him from working with the then-unknown rapper, saying no one believed or saw the vision. “I knew that his gifts were undeniable,” Dre said during his speech. “Each of us was what the other one needed — and I was willing to bet my entire career on it.”

Em took his place this weekend alongside a 2022 Hall of Fame class that also included Dolly Parton, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon.

In September, Spin spoke to Bushell about her upcoming debut EP, Into the Abyss, which will feature her first collection of original songs after years of posting viral cover videos and jamming with the Foos on “Learning to Fly” at the London Taylor Hawkins tribute concert earlier in the month. She’s already released the first single from the five-song effort, “The Shadows,” as well as “Forsaken,” which was inspired by a song she was invited to sing on by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello to help Afghan girls and young women at a school learn to play guitar under the repressive Taliban government.

Bushell said her originals are inspired by everyone from Billie Eilish to Slipknot and Twenty One Pilots. “I also wrote everything and I played everything,” she said.

Check out Bushell’s cover below.

07 Nov 2022

Backstreet Boys Pay Tribute to Aaron Carter at London Show: ‘He’s a Part of Our Family’

The show went on for the Backstreet Boys at London’s O2 arena Sunday (Nov. 6), but it was an emotional set for Nick Carter after the passing of his little brother Aaron Carter the day before.

A photo of Aaron was shown on the big screen in his memory, reading: Aaron Carter 1987-2022. Nick’s bandmates shared hugs and pats on the back with him as they spoke of Aaron on his behalf.

“We all grew up together. We’ve been through highs and lows, up and downs. You guys have been through it with us, we’ve been through it with you,” Kevin Richardson said to the audience.

He continued, “Tonight, we’ve got a little bit of heavy hearts because we lost one of our family members yesterday. We just wanted to find a moment in our show to recognize him. Nick’s little brother Aaron Carter passed away yesterday.”

“He’s a part of our family,” Richardson said. “We thank you guys for all your love, all your well wishes and all your support.”

“We’d like to dedicate this next song to our little brother Aaron Carter,” Howie Dorough then said.

The group launched into an a capella performance of “Breathe” in Aaron’s honor.

Aaron Carter died at the age of 34 on Saturday, his manager confirmed to Billboard. The singer’s career began in the ’90s when, at the age of nine, he opened for the Backstreet Boys. He went on to record Billboard Hot 100 hits like “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)” and “That’s How I Beat Shaq,” both on 2000’s Aaron’s Party (Come and Get It) album which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart. Over the years, he released five studio albums, worked in television and appeared on Broadway.

Earlier on Sunday, Nick shared a post on Instagram in memory of his brother.

“My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded,” he wrote. “I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed. Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss, but the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here. I will miss my brother more than anyone will ever know. I love you Chizz. Now you can finally have the peace you could never find here on earth….I love you baby brother.”

See the emotional moment from Backstreet Boys’ London concert in the clips below.

06 Nov 2022

Fans Choose Selena Gomez’s ‘My Mind & Me‘ as This Week’s Favorite New Music

Selena Gomez‘s new song “My Mind & Me” has topped this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Nov. 4) on Billboard, choosing Gomez’s new track as their favorite new music release of the past week.

Gomez’s latest release brought in more than 60% of the vote, beating out new music by Drake and 21 Savage, P!nk and more.

Just ahead of the release of her Apple TV+ documentary My Mind & Me, Gomez shared an emotional new song of the same name. “My Mind & Me,” the pop star’s first solo release since 2021’s Revelación, has her addressing the mental health struggles that she opens up about in the new doc: “My mind and me, we don’t get along sometimes / And it gets hard to breathe,” she says in the ballad.

“But I wouldn’t change my life / And all of the crashing and burning and breaking, I know now / If somеbody sees me like this, then thеy won’t feel alone now,” Gomez sings in the chorus.

Last week she revealed that she’s written about 24 potential songs for her next album and teased that new music is coming “hopefully next year,”

Trailing behind Gomez’s “My Mind & Me” on the fan-voted poll is Drake and 21 Savage’s joint Her Loss album, with 11% of the vote, and P!nk’s new song “Never Gonna Not Dance Again,” with 5% of the vote.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.

06 Nov 2022

Drake & 21 Savage Deliver Fake ‘SNL’ Performance of ‘On BS’: Watch

As Steve Lacy took the real SNL stage, Drake shared a performance with 21 Savage on what looked to be a replica of an SNL stage via Instagram Saturday night (Nov. 5).

Drake and 21 Savage, who just dropped the joint project Her Loss, were introduced by actor Michael B. Jordan in the clip.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Jordan said, “presenting your musical guest for the evening: Drake and 21 Savage performing a song off of one of the most relatable albums of all time, Her Loss.”

Their performance ended with an outro sounding like a live television studio audience cheering for the duo.

The SNL spoof is the latest stunt in a series of phoney but fascinating Her Loss promo spots. It follows a rollout that’s included a fake Vogue magazine, a Tiny Desk Concert teaser that won’t be on NPR anytime soon and a sham interview with Howard Stern.

The 16-track Her Loss arrived Friday (Nov. 4) after being delayed for a week due to producer and engineer Noah “40” Shebib contracting COVID-19 shortly before the original release date.

Watch Drake and 21 Savae perform “On BS” a la SNL in the video below.