Music

05 Jan 2024

Dom Dolla And Rüfüs Du Sol Share the Stage at Australian Festival: Watch

Festival-goers at Australia’s Beyond The Valley got more than they bargained for when Dom Dolla and Rüfüs Du Sol — two heavyweights of electronic music — shared the stage for the very first time.

During a secret set last Thursday (Dec. 30), Dom worked the wheels of steel while the lads from Rüfüs Du Sol (Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt) joined in the fun and tweaked nobs to a remix of their Surrender cut “Make It Happen.”

Nick Greco, co-founder of independent Melbourne-based festival and live events specialist Untitled Group, organizer of BTV, captured the moment from the sidelines.

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Born in Manila, raised in outback Northern Australia, Dom Dolla (real name Dominic Matheson) is the reigning ARIA Awards champion for best dance/electronic release, winning the category last November with his MK collaboration “Rhyme Dust” (Area 10/Big On Blue/Sony Music UK), one of his six nominations.

Dolla has never missed a BTV, having now played at all eight editions, including the most recent, 2023 show which ran Dec. 28-Jan. 1. The previous year, Dom nabbed international headlines when he brought Nelly Furtado to the stage for a performance of “Say It Right.”

With the release of Surrender in 2021, Rüfüs du Sol (previously known as Rufus) spread their wings as a stadium act. The album went straight to No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, their third leader. In the U.S., the Sydneysiders headlined multiple dates at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles; the LP peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart; and earned the trio a Grammy Award, with “Alive” scooping best dance album and best dance recording.

With a bill featuring RÜFÜS DU SOL, Dom Dolla, Peggy Gou, Central Cee, FERG, Destroy Lonely, Mall Grab, DMA’S, G Flip, Channel Tres, The Jungle Giants, the multi-day BTV was a sellout, shifting 35,000 tickets, reps say.

Untitled Group’s suite of brands includes Pitch Music & Arts, Wildlands, Grapevine Gathering, Ability Fest and more.

05 Jan 2024

Ahead of Australian Tour, Taylor Swift Dominates ARIA Albums Chart

Taylor Swift commands Australia’s albums chart, and hits double figures at the summit as 1989 (Taylor’s Version) knocks-up week 10 at No. 1.

1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via Universal) is by some distance the most successful of Swift’s re-recorded albums in these parts, ARIA notes. Her previous projects, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), each spent one week in 2021, while Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) led for two weeks in 2023.

Closing out the top three is the Weeknd’s 2021 career retrospective The Highlights (Universal), up 6-2, equaling its peak position, while Swift’s 2022 studio release Midnights holds at No. 3. Close behind is Morgan Wallen’s former leader One Thing At A Time (Mercury/Universal), gaining 12-4.

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Swift, who brings her The Eras Tour to Sydney and Melbourne next month for seven stadium shows, produced by Frontier Touring, collects five of the top 10 album titles on the latest Australian tally.

As Christmas recordings shuffle out of the main ARIA charts, published Friday, Jan. 5, Jack Harlow is one of the beneficiaries. The Louisville artist’s latest hit “Lovin On Me” (Atlantic/Warner) enjoys new life in the new year, up 7-1 for its seventh non-consecutive week leading the ARIA Singles Chart.

There are similar rebounds for Tate McRae’s “Greedy” (RCA/Sony), up 15-2, equaling its peak position, and Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” (RCA/Sony), which ruled the national tally for 10 weeks last year and roars up the latest list, 21-3.

Also, Swift’s “Cruel Summer” heats up 24-4; “Prada” by Casso, Raye and D-Block Europe bounces 25-5 (Ministry of Sound/Sony); South African artist Tyla’s international breakthrough hit “Water” (Sony) flows 28-7, its equal best spot; and Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” (Universal) improves 26-6, for a new high.

U.S. country star Zach Bryan is double trouble on the ARIA Singles Chart, with two songs in the top 10 — “I Remember Everything” featuring Kacey Musgraves (Universal/Warner), up 30-8, and “Something In The Orange” (Warner), up 36-10. In a sign of the strength of country music in the land Down Under, Wallen’s “Last Night” pounces 35-9.

Finally, just one new release appears in the ARIA Top 40 this time around, English producer Fred Again and U.S. rapper Baby Keem’s “leavemealone” (Atlantic/Warner), new at No. 34.

05 Jan 2024

Spice Girls Get the Royal Stamp of Approval For 30th Anniversary

You’ve bought the records, concert tickets and merch, seen the film. Now you can spice up your life with commemorative Spice Girls postage stamps, 15 in total.

The U.K.’s Royal Mail will issue the stamps later this month as a small way of celebrating the Girl Power pack’s 30th anniversary.

All told, the mail service’s bounty includes stamp sets, posters, postcards and collectables, with each piece available from Jan. 11. The top prize is the “Spice Girls Gold Stamps Set,” presented as a limited-edition (1,000 sets) featuring the issue’s stamps layered in 24-carat gold, and priced at £149.99 ($190).

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For the skint among us following the Christmas break, 30p (38c) will buy a Spice Girls “First Day” envelope.

The campaign, which celebrates the “U.K.’s biggest-ever girl group,” reads a statement, marks the first time the Royal Mail has dedicated an entire stamp issue to a female pop group.

The 10 main stamps feature images from the Brit Awards in 1997, including Ginger Spice in her iconic Union Jack dress, and their performance at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

An additional five stamps are available on a miniature sheet, comprising individual snaps from the photoshoot for the 1998 feature film, Spice World.

The lineup of Baby (Emma Bunton), Posh (Victoria Beckham), Ginger (Geri Halliwell-Horner), Sporty (Melanie Chisholm) and Scary Spice (Melanie Brown) assembled in 1994.

Two years later, with Simon Cowell on board as manager, the girl group dropped “Wannabe,” a debut that would set the tone for a new era of British pop.

“Wannabe” was the first of the Spice Girls’ nine No. 1 songs in the U.K., and, in the U.S., the catchy track logged four weeks at the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1997. It’s still going strong; “Wannabe” passed one billion streams on Spotify over the recent holiday period.

The Spice Girls reunited in 2022 to celebrate Geri’s 50th birthday, an event that doubled-up as the 25th anniversary of their sophomore album Spiceworld, released back in 1997. There’s no talk, however, on the classic lineup hitting the studio or the road anytime soon.

Previously, the Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating the careers of The Beatles (in 2007), Pink Floyd (2016), Queen (2020), Paul McCartney (2021), The Rolling Stones (2022) and Iron Maiden (2023).

Check out the Spice Girls Stamps here.

04 Jan 2024

Paramore Drop Out of iHeartRadio ALTer Ego Concert & Wipe Their Socials Clean

Paramore announced Thursday (Jan. 4) that they are dropping out of this year’s iHeartRadio ALTer EGO show “due to unforeseen circumstances.”

“The band apologizes for any inconvenience,” the group wrote in their statement on Instagram Stories, which you can read here.

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Other than the statement on Stories, Paramore’s Instagram account has been wiped clean, leaving fans to speculate about what the “unforeseen circumstances” could be and how they might affect the future of the band.

In the meantime, Fall Out Boy will step in as a new addition to the lineup for the concert, taking place Jan. 13 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

“We are thrilled to join the 2024 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO lineup and celebrate our most recent album So Much (For) Stardust,” Fall Out Boy wrote in a press statement. “We are looking forward to closing out an incredible night of music in advance of our upcoming ‘So Much For (2our)Dust’ US concert run.”

FOB will join previously announced performers The 1975, The Black Keys, Thirty Seconds to Mars,  Bush, Sum 41, Yellowcard, lovelytheband and The Last Dinner Party. iHeartRadio ALTer EGO will be hosted by Woody of iHeartRadio ALT 98.7’s nationally syndicated The Woody Show.

Paramore released their sixth studio album, This Is Why, in February of last year, scoring their highest-charting album in nearly a decade with a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200. The album was the band’s first since After Laughter was released in May 2017; it debuted and peaked at No. 6. The group’s last album to go higher was its self-titled 2013 release, which debuted at No. 1 on the April 27, 2013-dated list.

04 Jan 2024

Mr. Bungle Founding Member Theo Lengyel Arrested, Suspected of Killing Girlfriend

Theo Lengyel, a founding member of the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his girlfriend after human remains were found at a park near San Francisco, police said.

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Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Herrmann was last seen Dec. 3 in Santa Cruz County, where she lives, and became the subject of a missing person inquiry the following week, according to a statement from California’s Capitola Police Department.

“As the investigation progressed, it became clear that foul play was involved, leading to the identification of Theobald Lengyel as a suspect,” Capitola police wrote in a statement.

Lengyel, 54, was arrested Tuesday after investigators discovered human remains in a wooded area of Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, the statement said. DNA confirmation is still pending but police believe it is Herrmann.

Jail records show Lengyel, of El Cerrito, California, was held without bail on one count of first-degree murder. He’s scheduled to appear in court Jan. 16.

A phone listing for Lengyel could not be found Thursday and it wasn’t known if he has a lawyer. The Santa Cruz County Public Defender’s Office didn’t immediately respond to an email asking if one of its attorneys was representing him.

Lengyel left Mr. Bungle in 1996 after playing saxophone, clarinet and keyboards on several recordings, including the band’s self-titled 1991 debut album and Disco Volante in 1995. He did not participate in any of the band’s recent reunion tours, which began in 2020.

Mr. Bungle was formed in Northern California’s Humboldt County in 1985 by high school friends including guitarist Trey Spruance, bassist Trevor Dunn and vocalist Mike Patton, who went on to perform with Faith No More. Mr. Bungle experimented with funk, heavy metal, electronic, jazz and other musical styles, gaining popularity during the alternative rock boom of the 1990s.

In a 2005 Q&A, Dunn said Lengyel left the band on bad terms, SF Gate reported.

“We unanimously decided to go on without him because he wasn’t growing with the rest of the band and we were running out of things for him to do. He got pissed off and I haven’t heard from him since,” Dunn wrote in response to a fan question.

Herrmann is a software engineer who was educated at the California Institute of Technology and worked at several San Francisco Bay Area companies over the years, according to her brother, Eric Herrmann. She is also an avid athlete who competed internationally in outrigger canoeing, he said.

“She’s very talented, loves music, very active outdoors,” Eric Herrmann told SF Gate on Dec. 19.

04 Jan 2024

Luck Ra & BM’s ‘La Morocha’ Back At No. 1 on Billboard Argentina Hot 100

Luck Ra and BM’s “La Morocha” rebounds to No. 1, from No. 2, on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart (dated Jan. 6). The collab adds an eighth week at the apex, after it led the tally for seven weeks, a tie for the longest-leading song, along with four other titles, in 2023. 

As “La Morocha” takes the lead, it sends Emilia and TINI’s “La_Original.Mp3” to No. 2.

Continuing with Luck Ra, the Argentinian urban artist also makes progress as “Que Me Falte Todo”, with Abel Pintos, ascends 5-3, for a new peak. 

Los Angeles Azules and Maria Becerra’s “El Amor De Mi Vida” climbs 6-4, after its No. 2 high last October. 

The week’s Greatest Gainer goes to Fer Vazquez and Flor Alvarez as “Sin Querer,” their first team-up, surges from No. 85 to No. 45. 

Meanwhile, the Hot Shot Debut of the week goes to The La Planta and El Negro Tecla, who each add a new chart entry with “Auto al Piso” at No. 84. 

04 Jan 2024

Nicki Minaj Reflects on How Father’s Death Inspired ‘Pink Friday 2’ & What Led to Drake’s Feature on ‘Needle’

Nicki Minaj‘s latest album, Pink Friday 2, became a certified hit on the Billboard 200 following its release in December, spawning several fan-favorite tracks like “Everybody (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)” and “Needle (feat. Drake).” The album, however, opened up with the emotive track “Are You Gone Already,” which Minaj explained in her Thursday (Jan. 4) interview with Apple Music was inspired by the sudden loss of her father in 2021.

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“My father had just passed. So right after I had the baby, and it was during Corona [the pandemic], and nobody knew what was going on, so, one day, I was rocking the baby and I don’t normally have the phone on me when I’m rocking him,” she told Ebro.

Minaj continued, “But that day, as I’m rocking him, the phone rings, and I see it’s my father. … I picked up, he was very happy, and he was like, ‘Baby, I could come on Monday.’ Because he had been waiting to be able to come to Cali to help me. I kept on saying, ‘Come on out.’ He wasn’t really happy, but I knew that when he came to be with us, we were going to be happy.”

Later that night, the rapper explained, she woke to a phone call from her mother stating that her father had been killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Paralyzed by the news, Minaj fainted — “After I had my baby was the first time in my life that I ever fainted; I never knew what it felt like to faint” — and recalled that she had multiple dreams in the past about someone she loved getting into an accident, with one occurring just two days before her father died.

The grief Minaj experienced inspired the track, down to its title. She explained that while on the phone with him hours before the incident that claimed he life, she uttered the name of the track to him. “He was the happiest that I had heard him in a long time. … What was interesting, why I said, ‘Are you gone already?’ is because I knew he was gone already,” she said.

Elsewhere in the interview, Minaj spoke about working with Drake on “Needle” and noted that the track was initially meant to appear on For All the Dogs, but there was a change of plans.

“He told the fans at his tour that I was going to be on his album. And actually, the song he was talking about was ‘Needle,’” she explained. “But he ended up feeling like sonically it didn’t match For All the Dogs. And I, from day one, felt like it matched Pink Friday 2.”

While some fans were upset at the lack of Minaj on Drake’s record, she said the change “worked out for the best.”

Watch Nicki’s full interview with Ebro for Apple Music in the video above.

04 Jan 2024

5 Things to Know About 2024 Golden Globes Host Jo Koy

The 2024 Golden Globe Awards are just around the corner, and stand-up comedian, actor and author Jo Koy is set to host the star-studded ceremony on Sunday (Jan. 7).

Koy will host the three-hour broadcast for the first time, following fellow comedian Jerrod Carmichael, who hosted the show last year.

“We are thrilled to have Jo host the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards and bring his infectious energy and relatable humor to kick off Hollywood’s award season,” Helen Hoehne, Golden Globes president, said in a statement at the time of the announcement. “We can’t wait to see what he has in store for the stars in the room and a global audience.” 

“I’ve stepped onto a lot of stages around the world in my career, but this one is going to be extra special,” added Koy. “I’m so excited to be hosting the Golden Globes this year. This is that moment where I get to make my Filipino family proud.”

The 2024 Golden Globes will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday (Jan. 7) starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Before the big event, see below for five things to know about this year’s host, Jo Koy.

04 Jan 2024

Christina Aguilera Postpones 2 Las Vegas Residency Dates After Catching Flu: ‘Cannot Wait to be Back on That Stage’

Christina Aguilera is temporarily hitting the brakes on her new Las Vegas residency until she recovers from the flu. On Thursday (Jan. 4), the pop star revealed that her upcoming concerts for this weekend at The Venetian’s Voltaire Belle de Nuit have been postponed as she recovers.

“After welcoming all of you to the new year from the stage in Las Vegas, I’ve been welcomed with a new flu!!!” she shared via her Instagram Story in a text post.

She continued, “I am sorry to share that my two shows this weekend will be rescheduled while I rest — and I cannot wait to be back on that stage in a few weeks. I’m incredibly proud of this show and grateful for all the support and love after opening weekend. See you soon. Ticket info available at original point of purchase.”

The five-time Grammy winner’s new residency kicked off with a pair of dates on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, during which she performed some of her biggest hits and fan-favorite tracks on the intimate stage. Following opening weekend, Aguilera’s New Year’s Day post expressed gratitude for her fans coming out to support the show.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to bid farewell to this incredible year than to spend this night in LAS VEGAS with all of you, surrounded by your energy and enthusiasm,” she posted to Instagram on Monday. “Cheers to the magical moments we’ll create, the music that will fill our hearts, and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.”

See Aguilera’s Instagram Story here before it disappears.

04 Jan 2024

Nick Carter Mourns Sister Bobbie Jean’s Death: ‘I Am Completely Heartbroken’

It’s been nearly three weeks since Bobbie Jean Carter, the sister of Nick and Aaron Carter, died at age 41, and Nick took to Instagram to mourn the loss of his family member.

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“It may take a lifetime to fully process the loss my family has endured over the years – most recently, with the sudden passing of our sister Bobbie Jean,” the 43-year-old Backstreet Boys member wrote alongside a throwback photo of the two siblings holding hands in swimsuits. “I am completely heartbroken. Thank you for all your love and kind words. We are reminded again that life is precious, fleeting and to cherish the time we have with the ones we love. I know she is finally at peace with God. I love you BJ.”

Bobbie Jean’s sister, Angel Carter, confirmed her sibling’s passing through Instagram on Sunday (Dec. 24).

“To my older sister Bobbie. You had a great sense of humor, and a lively spirit. Growing up, I was your baby, and you were my best friend,” she captioned a montage of childhood photos. “Life wasn’t fair to you, that I know. Sometimes, it feels like you didn’t have a shot, no matter what.”

Angel’s remembrance also referenced the substance abuse-related deaths of her sister Leslie, who died in January 2012 at age 25, and her twin brother, Aaron, who passed away in November 2022 at 34 years old. “Experiencing innocence instead of being burdened by trauma, pain, and suffering is incredibly important for children, particularly at such a young age,” she continued. “I know why Leslie, Aaron, and now you ended up in the circumstances that you did. I share that pain we experienced during our childhood and I’m sorry you didn’t have an opportunity for a better life.”

The cause of Bobbie Jean’s death had not been provided at press time. See Nick’s post below.