State Champ Radio Music News
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J Balvin looked dapper in a salmon-pink vintage suit at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday (May 5). The Colombian superstar stepped out with partner Valentina Ferrer, who looked stunning in a ’70s-inspired structured black and brown polka-dot dress. It’s not the first time that the reggaetón hitmaker has attended the Met Gala. He made […]
Doechii stamped the Louis Vuitton logo on her face for her debut at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday (May 5). She was literally head-to-toe in LV, from the monogram-printed logo blazer and vest to the tailored shorts with the brand’s checkerboard Damier print to the mini speedy bag. She told Vogue livestream co-hosts Teyana […]
Sabrina Carpenter channeled her signature hit “Espresso” on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet, wearing a coffee-brown bodysuit and a matching tuxedo coat with tails. During her interview on the Vogue livestream with La La Anthony, Carpenter revealed that her look was from Louis Vuitton by way of men’s creative director Pharrell Williams — who […]
LISA ditched pants for a dazzling Louis Vuitton bodysuit for her debut at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday (May 5). The “Rockstar” artist turned heads at the blue carpeted steps of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art with her chic updo and sparkly black LV blazer, bodysuit, tights and statement purse with pearl […]
The Brooklyn Mirage remains closed after building inspectors declined to grant the recently renovated facility a permit to open on Friday (May 2) for the first of two back-to-back concerts by Sara Landry.
Sources monitoring the situation say Mirage officials were given a list of fixes that needed to be completed for the club to open following an extensive renovation at the venue complex Avant Garner, which includes the 80,000-square-foot, 6,000-capacity Williamsburg nightclub. Widely recognized as one of the top stops in New York for electronic and dance acts, the Mirage had operated for years with the support of New York Mayor Eric Adams, whose office has intervened on Avant Gardner’s behalf as part of an ongoing legal fight with New York’s State Liquor Authority (SLA). An Avant Gardner representative declined to comment on the proposed fixes.
The SLA threatened to revoke the Brooklyn Mirage’s liquor license several times in the past and convened a meeting that included representatives from the governor’s office to settle the dispute. Such high-placed help has been absent during this latest debacle, which has left the Mirage unable to open and facing the possibility of further cancellations as soon as Friday (May 9), when Loud Luxury is scheduled to perform at the facility.
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“We are doing everything in our power to get back on track — safely and in full compliance — as soon as possible,” reads a statement from Avant Gardener on the Brooklyn Mirage website.
At issue are new design elements at the Mirage, which is said to be one of the largest prefabricated timber structures ever built, at 65 feet high. The venue includes a wraparound LED wall with more than 3,000 LED panels; a fully kinetic shutter system; an L-Acoustics sound system with more than 100 speakers and subwoofers; a 90-foot stage; and 20,000 tons of rigging capacity. Crews have also expanded the space by adding three VIP mezzanines and two general admission dance floors.
“We want to be clear: the venue is show ready and the New Mirage has been built to exacting safety, structural, mechanical and technical specifications,” wrote Mirage officials in an Instagram post. “However, we were not able to meet the final inspection deadline.”
“This isn’t about construction, but compliance,” the post continued. “We’re working closely with city officials and will continue to be transparent throughout this process.”
The Mirage closed months ago with Avant Gardner’s new CEO, Josh Wyatt, promising to reopen the club on Thursday (May 1) after expanding its dance floor from a 5,500-person capacity to 6,250. As the opening date approached, videos and pictures of the renovation project started appearing online, with many fans openly questioning whether the venue would meet its deadline.
Wyatt took over as CEO last fall, and, in an open letter released a few months later, he promised to revive the Brooklyn Mirage as a “world class music and dance experience underpinned by extraordinary design and hospitality.”
Rihanna revealed she’s expecting her third baby with A$AP Rocky at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday (May 5). While she’s yet to hit the blue carpet at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, photographer Miles Diggs shared the good news on his Instagram with the caption “Chance of Showers,” as the “Umbrella” hitmaker […]
Fresh off announcing his massive Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, Bad Bunny stunned at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday (May 5), where he once again honored his Puerto Rican roots. The Grammy-winning superstar stunned in a chocolate brown Prada suit and a matching pava (straw) hat emblematic of the jíbaro (a Puerto Rican […]
Diana Ross brought the 2025 Met Gala red carpet to a halt on Monday night (May 5), wearing an epic jacket with a seemingly endless train that spread almost the entire width of the iconic steps leading into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Ross revealed to Vogue livestream host La La […]
Seems like Drake is making good on his statement that he’s working on new material that will address this past year. A clip has surfaced on social media of OVO artist Smiley speaking on Drake being locked in and concentrating on making new music, saying that the Toronto rapper has been working on new material […]
In light of the controversy surrounding Kehlani‘s recently canceled performance at Cornell University, SummerStage has now pulled the plug on the singer’s scheduled performance in Central Park, under advisement from New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office.
On Monday (May 5), the festival announced that its Pride With Kehlani benefit show — which had been slated for June 26 as part of the city’s annual summer concert series — would no longer be part of this year’s programming. “We have been notified by the Mayor’s Office that they have concerns for security and safety issues,” reads a statement on SummerStage’s Instagram. “Those concerns are due to the controversy surrounding Cornell University’s decision to cancel Kehlani’s concert at the University, as well as security demands in Central Park and throughout the City for other Pride events during that same period.
“We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds,” the post continues. “However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance … While artists may choose to express their opinions, their views may not necessarily be representative of the festival.”
At press time, Pride With Kehlani is still listed on Central Park’s online SummerStage schedule.
The move to cancel comes just over a week after Cornell announced that it had rescinded its invitation for Kehlani to headline this year’s Slope Day, the school’s annual event for students celebrating the last day of classes. In an email from university President Michael I. Kotlikoff obtained by The New York Times, he wrote that the decision had been made after learning that the “Gangsta” singer had “espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos and on social media.”
Shortly afterward, Kehlani posted a video clarifying “for the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew.”
“I am anti-genocide, I am anti- the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti- an extermination of an entire people, I am anti- the bombing of innocent children, men, women — that’s what I’m anti,” they continued at the time.
In response to the SummerStage cancellation, Kehlani reposted the festival’s statement on Instagram Stories and wrote “lol.” The musician also snapped a selfie and revealed, “I just found that one out on instagram by the way.”
“I’m so deeply grounded in my purpose, my mission, my art, my contribution,” the “After Hours” artist added in another post on Stories. “Back to this album. See you this weekend LA!”
Kehlani has been vocal in their pro-Palestine stance throughout Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, which began immediately after the terrorist group killed 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 others at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to CNN, which cites the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
In their 2024 “Next 2 U” visual, Kehlani wore kaffiyehs and featured dancers waving Palestinian flags. Before that, they were one of several musicians who signed the 2023 Artists Against Apartheid letter.
See the SummerStage statement below.
