Music News

20 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Lyrics Around the World

It’s as if Taylor Swift knew that Swifties wouldn’t be able to wait until Oct. 21 to discover all of the lyrics on Midnights. And thanks to her, they didn’t have to.

In the days leading up to the release of her 10th studio album, the pop star teamed up with Spotify to plant mysterious electronic billboards in five cities around the world, each of them programmed to display a singular line from an unnamed song on Midnights at the stroke of midnight local time. The locations of these special surprises were always teased a few hours beforehand on Spotify’s official social media accounts, meaning Swifties everywhere had the chance to camp out nearby in the hopes of becoming among the first to read a lyric from the “All Too Well” singer’s highly anticipated record.

The first of Swift’s billboards went live the morning of Oct. 17 in — where else? — Times Square, the world’s central destination for light-up signs and advertisements. “I should not be left to my own devices,” the cryptic lyric read.

Next came a simple, sweet fragment of Midnights, unveiled Oct. 18 on a billboard in London. “I polish up real nice,” it spelled out.

The next day marked a new peak. Not one, but two lyrics were revealed that morning at midnight, the first going live in São Paulo, Brazil, and the second in Nashville. “Just like clockwork, the dominoes cascaded in a line,” read the São Paulo billboard. And an hour later, in Swift’s home city: “Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room?”

The finale came Oct. 20, nearly 24 hours before all of the remaining lyrics on Midnights would be revealed once the album hit streaming services at midnight sharp on Oct. 21. “Breathe in, breath through, breathe deep, breathe out,” read a blue and orange graphic erected in Mexico City, which fans were quick to notice matched an exact phrase used by the singer-songwriter in her NYU commencement speech five months prior.

Take a look through photos of each of Taylor Swift’s Spotify lyric reveals in the gallery below:

20 Oct 2022

Matty Mullins Unmasks His Struggles With Panic Disorder and Mental Health

This month’s featured artist in Sound Mind’s Unmasked series is Memphis May Fire’s lead singer, Matty Mullins. Over the years, the four-piece rock band has stayed true to its sound and maintained its vulnerable lyrics. While some artists may lose sight of their identities while on the path to stardom, even after topping Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart, Memphis May Fire continues to be open and honest with their fans. Earlier this year, the band released its seventh studio album, Remade in Misery, which confronts topics like crippling anxiety, polarization, and self-righteousness. The record includes some of the band’s heaviest tracks to date such as “Bleed Me Dry,” “Death Inside,” and “Only Human.”

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On the latest episode of Unmasked, Mullins shares his experience coping with mental health and a panic disorder. He experienced his first panic attack on a short flight to Florida)  and says he has never felt the same since.  It would take Mullins two grueling years of panic attacks, anxiety, and depression, privately, before seeking the necessary professional steps to work on his mental health. 

Mullins told Billboard, “Trauma changes us, changes our bodies, our brains, every cell in our being. And while this can feel disheartening, it’s important to remember that healing changes us too! Healing can become part of us, part of our identity, part of how we view the world and other people, and especially how we view ourselves.”

The singer-songwriter credits therapy and prayer for helping him get through the toughest time of his life. Once he started to do the work to improve his mental health and understand what he was experiencing, his outlook changed. Every person in this world experiences pain and trauma, but it is imperative to not feel ashamed of your pain. Unmasked was created to destigmatize conversations around mental health and foster a safe community for people to comfortably verbalize their experiences and feelings. 

Check out Matty Mullins’ episode of Unmasked, and stay tuned for more to come from Sound Mind. 

This content was created in partnership with Sound Mind. 

20 Oct 2022

John Legend Says He Wasn’t a Great Boyfriend When He First Dated Chrissy Teigen

While John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have shared much of their love story in songs and tweets, respectively, the singer said in a recent interview that he was not always the best partner. In an interview on the latest episode of the On Purpose With Jay Shetty podcast, Legend went back to a time in his mid 20s when he was the kind of a bad boyfriend.

“I think I was more selfish then,” Legend, 43, said of the first blush of romance with Teigen, 36, who he married in 2013 after first meeting in 2006 on the set of the video for his “Stereo” single. “I wasn’t a great partner at the beginning of our relationship, even though I was very into her and very excited to be with her. I was still selfish. I was in my mid 20s, still not ready to fully be the committed partner that I am now.”

That obviously changed in the ensuing years, with Legend famously dedicating the Billboard Hot 100-topping 2013 true love anthem “All of Me” to his wife, with whom he shares two children, with a fourth on the way after suffering a pregnancy loss with baby Jack in September 2020. And Legend is still writing about the couple’s endless love on tracks such as this year’s “I Don’t Love You Like I Used To,” which he said was about the evolution of a relationship.

“When we first met, we were like, very attracted to each other, our chemistry was great, but that level of attraction is more like infatuation at the beginning of a relationship,” he said. “And love when it is able to stand the test of time, it has to be deeper and more real than that. We’ve been through enough together where it’s really fortified us and made us stronger.” All those tests have helped the couple grow and made them stronger, Legend said, as they’ve discovered all the things they didn’t know about each other. “And going through all of that, to be able to write and sing a song called ‘I Don’t Love You Like I Used To.’ It’s different now but it’s better.”

Legend said he can write that song now because once you “really figure out that you love someone” and you really want to make it work with that person you have to decide, “‘I’m going to do the things that I need to do to be a good partner in this relationship,’” he told Shetty. “And I’ve just grown as a person because of that too. When you stop being so selfish when you think about not only the joy you get from a situation and the pleasure you get from it, but you also think about your responsibly and your commitment in that situation. I think you just grow, and you mature. I think part of it is it’s just a matter of time. You need time to become that person you want to be.”

And while Teigen is not that interested in getting “in the weeds” of Legend’s music-making, he said she always has thoughts on his live show, his setlist and how he should look, and he’s always happy when she’s proud of his accomplishments. Legend also acknowledged, however, that there are plenty of tough times, including the loss of Jack, which Teigen shared with the world in a cathartic series of posts.

“Like I said with Chrissy, I’ve seen so much growth through our grief and through our tragedy,” he said. “It’s always going to be a part of who we are and I’m fine with that. It’s part of who we are. We carry it with us and it’s OK.” He said you have to commit to the hard work necessary to get through the pain, something the couple are both ready to do.

“Like doing the work that we needed to do to get through it. And I think having, already had two kids together was definitely helpful because they just bring so much joy into our lives and laughter and fun and they’re great focus for our energy,” he said of daughter Luna, 6 and son Miles, 4. “And even when you’re going through deep grief on losing a pregnancy you still have these two beautiful babies that you love, and I think that was certainly helpful.” 

Listen to Legend’s interview in the podcast below.

20 Oct 2022

David Dawson Says He & Harry Styles ‘Had a Laugh’ While Shooting ‘My Policeman’ Sex Scenes

After starring as Jack in Don’t Worry Darling, Harry Styles is gearing up for his next gig as the titular role in Prime Video’s upcoming film, My Policeman.

Styles portrays Tom, an English policeman in the 1950s who lives with his loving wife Marion (Emma Corrin), and forms a close friendship with museum curator Patrick (David Dawson). And then, that friendship gets a little bit more than personal, as Styles’ character questions his sexuality and falls in love with his friend.

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In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dawson opened up about getting intimate with the pop superstar onscreen. “That was one of the most special things I took away from this project,” he said of making sure they were both comfortable during sex scenes. “Because initially, when you read the script and you know that there are these intimate scenes, you hope that the person you’re going to be going through this process with is someone you can wholly put your trust in and will communicate with you and is void of ego. And I got all of that and more in Harry.”

He added, “There were only about four other people that needed to be with us in that room, and suddenly when ‘cut’ is called you notice that, you know, the DP is there. But we all just had a laugh, because that’s the best way to deal with it.”

Dawson also shared his reaction to when he found out Styles had been cast alongside him in the film. “I think it was after my second audition. But I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of high-profile people over the years,” he explained. “But you do think: how strange is life? Because you’ve seen this person as a musician since they were 16, basically. But they made it incredibly easy to put that to one side, within one Zoom call. He’s incredibly down to Earth, and a good Northern lad. You can’t go wrong. We communicated throughout the whole process – it was very collaborative.”

My Policeman will be released in select theaters on Oct. 21, before becoming available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on Nov. 4. Check out the full trailer below:

20 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift‘s Fifth Inspiration for ‘Midnights’ Is a Dark One

To put together her new record, Taylor Swift had to consider falling apart. That’s what the pop star revealed in the final video of her recent Spotify series, in which she’s been sharing the five concepts that fueled the sleepless nights songwriting sessions that eventually led to her fast-approaching 10th studio album Midnights.

“The fifth thing that kept me up at night?” Swift says in the new video, uploaded as usual to the exclusive Spotify pre-save page for Midnights. “Falling apart.”

When the 11-time Grammy winner first announced Midnights at the end of August, she revealed that its 13 tracks were individually inspired by “stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.” “This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.

Nearly two months later, Swift has spent the week leading up to Midnights‘ Friday (Oct. 21) release sharing via Spotify which exact thoughts caused her insomnia those nights she was writing the album. In the first video, posted earlier this week, she revealed that “self-loathing” was one of them, followed by the second — “fantasizing about revenge.”

“Wondering what might have been” and “falling in love” marked the subjects of Swift’s third and fourth Spotify revelations, respectively.

The five core inspirations behind Midnights aren’t the only album secrets Swift has teased in partnership with the music streaming service. She’s also spent the past week staging Spotify billboards in different cities — New York City, London, São Paulo, Nashville and Mexico City, so far — that light up at 12 a.m. local time with lyrics from her new songs.

Watch Taylor Swift reveal the five main inspirations behind Midnights on Spotify mobile here.

20 Oct 2022

Chris Colfer Says There’s More to His ‘Glee’ Story Than Lea Michele Drama

Chris Colfer has plenty to say about Glee that doesn’t involve drama with Lea Michele.

“I think there is a lot about my time on Glee that I would love to discuss in detail,” the actor said during a Tuesday (Oct. 18) appearance on the KTLA 5 Morning News. “Not just about the drama everyone knows about, but also my time on the show and what it was like to be an out teenager in this industry, back then.”

However, Colfer was quick to point out that he’s not exactly in a hurry to take a trip down memory lane for some kind of New Directions tell-all. “I’ve had many opportunities to do it and I just feel like my books are doing so well and I’m making so many families happy right now,” he went on. “So, why go back and relive some painful memories?” (His 18 published children’s books include the best-selling The Land of Stories series and its prequel trilogy.)

Part of keeping the past in the past also involves Colfer choosing not to see Michele in Funny Girl on Broadway. When asked by SiriusXM host Michelle Collins earlier this month if he wanted to attend his former’s co-star’s show with her, he deadpanned, “Oh … My day suddenly just got so full” before telling her, “No, I can be triggered at home.”

Other former Glee stars who’ve thrown shade at Michele’s turn on Broadway include Samantha Ware, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz, while Darren Criss, Becca Tobin and Jonathan Groff have all supported their pal in her leading role as Fanny Brice.

20 Oct 2022

Chelsea Handler to Host the 2023 Critics Choice Awards

Chelsea Handler will host the 2023 Critics Choice Awards, the Critics Choice Association said Thursday (Oct. 20).

The 28th annual awards show will take place Jan. 15, airing live on The CW from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Handler had a seven-year run as the host of E!’s Chelsea Lately, during which she was the only female late-night talk show host on-air, and then she launched her documentary series Chelsea Does followed by her talk show Chelsea on Netflix in 2016. She has written six New York Times best-selling books, including 2019’s Life Will Be the Death of Me, which is being adapted into a TV series for Peacock. Handler is set to executive produce and star in the show.

In 2020, Handler released her first stand-up special in more than six years, called Chelsea Handler: Evolution, on HBO Max, for which she received a Grammy nomination for best comedy album. She also recently launched her iHeartRadio advice podcast, Dear Chelsea, and went on the Vaccinated and Horny Tour, which won her the Comedy Act of 2021 award at the People’s Choice Awards.

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“We are thrilled to have Chelsea Handler joining us at the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards,” CCA CEO Joey Berlin said. “We all know and love her work as a stand-up comedian, a best-selling author, a podcast host, and actress — and now as host of the Critics Choice Awards! I know this will be the best year yet and can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

20 Oct 2022

Ellie Goulding Talks Collaborating With Big Sean & Upcoming Album ‘Higher Than Heaven’: Watch

The arrival of Ellie Goulding‘s next project is imminent. The British singer is gearing up for the release of her forthcoming fifth album, Higher Than Heaven, and to drum up anticipation for the release, discussed the LP’s first single, “Easy Lover” featuring Big Sean, and what fans can expect from the project in an interview with Billboard News.

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Though fans of the Grammy-nominated singer got to hear “Easy Lover” following its July release, the track was actually several years in the making.

“I wrote ‘Easy Lover’ about five years ago in Los Angeles. I was with Greg Kurstin, one of my favorite producers of all time, and Julia Michaels, who’s an amazing songwriter,” Goulding explained. “I think one of us was dealing with a known f–kboy at the time, but we ended up with a song about going back to the same person who’s hurt you and you think you can change them. We always say we can change someone, and we can’t.”

Speaking of the track’s relatable nature, the 35-year-old added, “I can’t help but write about situations we all go through. I love the idea that someone can listen to my songs and feel like they’re getting some kind of advice or some help. I like to help people. At the same time, I grew up on house music and dance music and pop music, so if I can do both somehow, I often do.”

“Easy Lover” features Big Sean rapping a verse on the track, a collaboration that has been in the making ever since he sampled Goulding’s 2009 track “Fighter Plane” on his 2011 single “High” featuring Wiz Khalifa and Chiddy Bang. Goulding and Sean have maintained contact ever since, which resulted in them joining forces for “Easy Lover.”

“We’ve stayed in touch for years because he sampled me a couple of times,” the singer shared. “I always feel like there’s something pretty special in someone who appreciates me that early on as an an artist, so I’ve stayed in touch with everyone from that era, in particular him because I think’s he’s consistently been a brilliant artist. At some point we were going to do a collab, and it just happened to be this song.”

Goulding also provided an update regarding Higher Than Heaven‘s release and teased the next single from the project. “The album’s done, although I’m sure it will get to the release date of the beginning of next year and I’ll be like ‘No! There’s more songs to write!’” she said. “But I have a couple more songs coming out this year. The next one I’m really excited about. It’s one of those songs that isn’t a radio song, but something I think people will enjoy.”

Higher Than Heaven is scheduled to arrive on Feb. 3, 2023. Watch Goulding’s interview with Billboard News above, and check out the video for “Easy Lover” below.

20 Oct 2022

Berry Gordy & Smokey Robinson Named 2023 MusiCares Persons of the Year

Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson will be honored as the 2023 MusiCares persons of the year, the Recording Academy’s philanthropic partner announced on Thursday (Oct. 20). The longtime friends and music legends will receive the honor at the annual gala on Feb. 3, 2023.

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The event, which takes place two nights before the 65th annual Grammy Awards, will mark the first time the gala will honor two individuals together, as it’s typically reserved for a single person or a musical group. With Berry Gordy as the creator of the Motown Sound and Smokey Robinson as his first writer and artist, the duo transformed popular music and fostered a legendary friendship — one that has spanned more than six decades and produced countless classic songs.

“Wow! How honored I am to be named the MusiCares Persons of the Year, and together with my best friend of over 65 years, the great Smokey Robinson. How special is that!” Gordy says in a press statement. “I am grateful to be included in MusiCares’ remarkable history of music icons. The work they do is so critical to the well-being of our music community, and I look forward to a most exciting evening.” 

Robinson adds: “I have supported MusiCares for many years, and know what great work they do for our creative community who need our help. Recently, when no one could tour, they were a lifeline to those in the touring industry for monetary help and mental health services. I am honored that they have chosen me and my best friend and Motown founder Berry Gordy to share this beautiful honor and celebrate with you all together.”

Gordy and Robinson join a prestigious list of recent MusiCares honorees, including 2022 person of the year Joni Mitchell, preceded by Fleetwood Mac, Dolly Parton, Aerosmith and many more.

Robinson was honored by the Recording Academy with a Grammy Legend Awards in 1990 and later received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. Four songs by his group The Miracles have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, including “The Tracks of My Tears.” He’s been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Gordy received the Grammy Salute to Industry Icons’ President’s Merit Award in 2008 and the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama with a “Salute to Motown” evening at the White House in 2011.

In 2019, the Recording Academy paid tribute to Motown Records’ 60th anniversary with a special celebration hosted by Robinson along with Cedric the Entertainer and included performances from Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Boyz II Men, Chloe x Halle, Tori Kelly, John Legend, Ne-Yo and more.

“MusiCares is thrilled to be honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at the 2023 Persons of the Year gala, which will be the first time we are honoring two legends together,” says Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares. “With Mr. Gordy as the creator of the Motown Sound, and Mr. Robinson as his first writer and artist, their music, along with the many others who joined Motown, reached out across a racially divided country to transform popular music, creating a musical legacy like no other.”

The person of the year gala is one of the most prestigious events held during Grammy Week. It includes a reception and silent auction, followed by a dinner and concert featuring other artists paying tribute to the honoree — and, often, a night-capping performance by the person of the year. Money raised from the gala goes toward MusiCares programs and services that assist the music community through physical and mental health resources, addiction recovery, preventative clinics, personal emergencies and disaster relief. 

Tables for the 2023 MusicCares Person of the Year gala are available to purchase here.

20 Oct 2022

Jeezy Talks Unaired Kanye West ‘The Shop’ Episode: ‘I Can’t Say I Understood Why They Took It Off’

Jeezy was asked on Wednesday morning (Oct. 19) about the unaired episode of the YouTube talk show Uninterrupted The Shop that he taped alongside Kanye West and shoe designer Salehe Bembury that was shelved last week in the wake of what producers said was “more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes” reportedly perpetuated by Ye on the show.

Asked on Ebro in the Morning if he could recall anything said during the episode that made him understand why it was not aired or if he thought producers just wanted to stay away from the unfolding backlash against West, Jeezy said he wasn’t sure what the answer was. “I couldn’t tell you that, I could just tell you that… whatever was said, um, whatever reason… I was just there to do my thing,” he said haltingly.

“But again, it’s not my business or place to speak on another man, you know what I mean? That’s just how I’m rockin’. I’m quite sure when one of them come up here they can kind of break it down to you,” he added. “I was a little, like, ‘Damn. They canceled me, I gotta go see Ebro now. I got a project coming out.’ Shoutout to Snowfall right now.”

Pressed by the radio host to say whether he understood why the Shop team shelved the episode, Jeezy again skirted around the controversy. “I can’t say I understood why they took it off, I just know that I came there, we did it, and I got a call and they said, ‘It’s was wrap.’ I didn’t take it personally,” he said, noting that he’s already been invited back to The Shop to appear with filmmaker/producer Tyler Perry.

The producers behind The Shop — which is executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter — decided against airing the episode or revealing what West said. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter last week, Carter said, “Yesterday we taped an episode of The Shop with Kanye West. Kanye was booked weeks ago and, after talking to Kanye directly the day before we taped, I believed he was capable of a respectful discussion and he was ready to address all his recent comments. Unfortunately, he used The Shop to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes.”

West has been widely condemned over the past week for his repeated use of hateful antisemitic stereotypes — which got him temporarily restricted from Twitter and Instagram — including during an interview on Chris Cuomo’s new show on Monday in which he referred to the “Jewish underground media mafia” and said Black artists signed to “Jewish record labels… [is] like a modern day slavery.”

Ye continued leaning into his hate-filled rhetoric on English talker Piers Morgan’s show on Wednesday, when he steadfastly refused to show remorse for his antisemitic comments. Asked if he was “sorry” that he said he was going to go “death con 3” on Jewish people, Ye simply replied, “Absolutely not.”

Watch Jeezy on Ebro below (Kanye talk starts around 17:44 mark).