Music

24 Aug 2023

Justin Timberlake, Timbaland & Nelly Furtado Reunite for New Single: Here’s When It Arrives

Sixteen years after notching a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit with “Give It to Me,” the trio behind that track is reuniting for a brand new single. On Wednesday (Aug. 23), Timbaland shared a teaser video announcing a new collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado.

“WE BACK,” Timbaland captioned the Instagram post, alongside a barrage of emojis of peeking eyes and exploding heads. “Da king has returned!”

The teaser begins with the phrase “The time has come” emblazoned across the screen before cutting to a clip of an old Timbaland-Furtado performance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Brief video snippets and headline clippings showcasing the evolution of Timbaland’s career and relationships with both Furtado and Timberlake flash across the screen, eventually giving way to the song’s official release date. The new single from Timbaland, Furtado and Timberlake is slated for a Sept. 1 release. The title is still yet to be revealed.

Timbaland also shared the teaser to his Instagram Story, writing, “Watch me work, da king is back. Album [in] Nov.” The as-yet-untitled album will be Timbaland’s first since 2009’s Shock Value II, which peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard 200. Both Timberlake and Furtado also shared the teaser to their respective Instagram Stories with more eye emojis; the “Say It Right” singer added a raising hand emoji as well.

Timbaland’s announcement comes nearly exactly one month after he shared Instagram posts showing him and Timberlake on a FaceTime call with Furtado while the two worked on Timberlake’s forthcoming sixth studio album. “Da dream team,” he captioned the post.

All three artists have released singles this year. In March, Timbaland teamed up with “Whole Lotta Money” rapper BIA for a collaboration titled “I’m That Bitch.” In June, Furtado unleashed her first single as a lead artist in five years with the Dom Dolla-assisted “Eat Your Man,” which peaked at No. 15 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. The following month (July 12), Timberlake guested on the remix to Coco Jones’ “ICU,” which climbed to No. 62 on the Hot 100, albeit without a credit for the “Mirrors” singer.

Check out Timbaland’s announcement:

24 Aug 2023

Dua Lipa Breaks Down the Similarities Between Homophobia, Transphobia & Misogyny

Along with being a hit-making singer, Dua Lipa has made it clear throughout her career that she is an ally to the LGBTQ community. And in a recent interview, she explained why she feels such a strong connection to her queer and trans fans.

Speaking to Vogue France, Lipa shared her intersectional view of the troubles faced by women and the LGBTQ community. “Homophobia and transphobia are close to misogyny,” she said. “A lot of people, deep down, are just afraid of themselves. The freedom of others confronts them with what they do not have the courage to express. The beauty of a free, true and proud being paralyzes them.”

Her proclamation came amid a conversation about modern-day misogyny amid the #MeToo movement, which she points out has shifted the conversation surrounding sexism into a better area. “The guys are more attentive. Maybe they’re just afraid of being accused one day, but I still feel like a lot of people realize that structures of domination have been in place for ages,” she said. “And this observation can change things. So we’re going in the right direction, even if there’s still a lot of work to do.”

The conversation then steered toward backlash Lipa received after she attended a strip-club party with Lizzo following the 2020 Grammys — long before accusations came out about alleged inappropriate behavior on Lizzo’s part during a live sex show. Some claimed that Lipa and Lizzo were defending the “exploitation of women” by going to a strip club.

“Obviously I am against any exploitation. But I also see that we constantly criticize the choices that women make,” Lipa explained. “We get slut-shamed for everything and anything. And before attacking people, who cares about their history? So, for me, it’s super important to respect women’s choices, whatever they are.”

The new interview comes amid a time of highs and lows for the singer. While Lipa’s hit song off the Barbie soundtrack “Dance the Night” is currently enjoying its 12th week on the Billboard Hot 100 with a No. 8 position, the star is also embroiled in yet another lawsuit surrounding her hit single “Levitating.” Music producer Bosco Kante claims that he gave Lipa permission to use a talk box track he created for her in the song’s original version, but not in any subsequent remixes.

24 Aug 2023

Bob Dylan Center, Universal Publishing Open Doors to Songwriter Fellowship

Songwriters now have a new prize to aim for, one that carries the name of arguably the greatest of them all — Bob Dylan.

The Bob Dylan Center Songwriter Fellowship will be awarded each year to two songwriters, an initiative that identifies, mentors and develops rising talent, doing so with the resources of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK.

An initiative of Universal Music Publishing Group and BDC, each Fellowship includes a $40,000 project stipend, public engagement and presentation opportunities, dedicated time in the Bob Dylan Archive to study the legendary artist’s creative process, roundtrip airfare to Tulsa and accommodations, mentorship from the music publishing giant’s songwriters and executives, recording time, and more.

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Joining the initial judges panel are Juliette Armanet, Patty Griffin, John Mellencamp, Carla Morrison and Nas.

The Fellowship is “core to our mission of educating, motivating and inspiring visitors to engage their own capacity as creators,” comment BDC director Steven Jenkins, “and we cannot wait to hear the entries from undiscovered talent around the world.”

Eligible creators from around the globe can submit their work from now through Oct. 18, 2023. To meet the Fellowship criteria, entrants must be 18 years or older and unsigned to a publishing agreement of any kind at the time of the Fellowship start date, May, 1, 2024.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity to connect developing talent with the works of one of the greatest songwriters of all time,” comments UMPG COO Marc Cimino, adding, “we look forward to developing a new group of songwriters in this unique environment.”

The Fellowship, which runs from May 2024 through April 2025, is presented 15 months after the grand opening of the BDC, the museum and archive celebrating the Nobel laureate’s work.

Its 100,000-item collection was acquired in 2016 by the George Kaiser Family Foundation for an estimated $20 million. Visitors get a full-picture of Dylan’s career, including handwritten manuscripts, notebooks and correspondence; films, videos, photographs and artwork; unreleased studio and concert recordings; musical instruments and more.

For further details visit bobdylancenter.com/songwriterfellowship.

23 Aug 2023

John Farnham Given ‘All Clear’ Following Cancer Battle: ‘Bring on 2024’

John Farnham is cancer-free and feeling like “the luckiest man alive.”

The legendary Australian singer shared the good news to mark the anniversary of a marathon operation to remove a cancerous growth from his mouth.

“It’s been a year since my first surgery and to be honest I’ve lost count as to how many other procedures there’s been since then. I’m sure someone’s kept track of them all — let’s just say, there’s been a few,” he writes in a statement.

“But, I’m home now and I’m a very grateful and happy man.”

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The 74-year-old artist underwent eight weeks of radiation treatment after that initial surgery, and was given the “all clear” from doctors last month.

“It’s only now that I can start to appreciate and comprehend, for myself, how many messages of love and support have been sent to me over the past year,” he adds. “I don’t know what to say, other than thank you so very much. It honestly means the world to me.”

And how did he mark the anniversary of his surgery? By enjoying a pizza — “because I can,” he remarked. “I can’t wait to see what might be next on the menu. Bring on 2024.”

Farnham is one of Australia’s most successful — and most recognizable — recording artists, with hits across five decades.

The greatest of them all is “You’re the Voice,” which led the Australian chart (then the Kent Music Report) and peaked at No. 6 on the Official U.K. Chart. “You’re The Voice” and Men At Work’s “Down Under” are regarded in these parts as the “unofficial” national anthems.

The hit single appeared on 1986’s Whispering Jack, the first record to sell over a million copies in Australia. To this day, Whispering Jack is recognized as the highest-selling Australian album in ARIA history, with more than 1.6 million copies shifted.

Farnham has been saluted with multiple awards and honors, including the 1987 Australian of the Year, he was made Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996, he’s collected 21 ARIA Awards — the most by a solo artist — and inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2003.

When Farnham was admitted to hospital earlier this year to combat a chest infection, fans feared the worst. But the singer, as he has done throughout his recording career, made a strong comeback.

In May of this year, he was the subject of a feature-length documentary, John Farnham: Finding The Voice, released through Sony Pictures, with a companion soundtrack through Wheatley Records / Sony Music Australia. The doc went on to become Australia’s highest-grossing feature-length music documentary of all time, and the LP debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart, for his 20th top 10 appearance.

23 Aug 2023

No, Morgan Wade Is Not Dating Kyle Richards

Morgan Wade recently opened up about her friendship — emphasis on friendship — with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, and put the ongoing dating rumors to rest.

The country star revealed to People that she had never heard of Richards before the reality TV star posted one of her songs to her Instagram Story in 2021. “The only reality television I watched was 90 Day Fiancé and I had to stop watching because it put me in such a bad mood because I get so irritated at these people,” she told the publication. “But I had never watched the Real Housewives at all.”

She noted that her friends tipped her off the Richards’ post, so Wade sent her a message to thank her, ultimately leading to an unlikely friendship. As for the dating rumors that sparked amid Richards’ separation from husband Mauricio Umansky? “We’re friends,” Wade said. “The Internet’s a dumb place.”

Richards has also been supportive of Wade as she prepares to undergo a double mastectomy as a preventative measure in November, after she had been diagnosed with a mutation in the RAD51D gene. The topi hits close to home for Richards, whose mom died of breast cancer in 2002. “She helped me connect with some really good surgeons,” Wade said. “We were talking about that and then she had the idea of us doing a documentary and following all this stuff, so we’ve been out and about. She’s just really been there for me with all that.”

“It’s just been such a great friendship,” she continued. “I know that if Kyle vouches for you, you’re a good person.”

23 Aug 2023

Bjork Wins Best Live Performance Ahead of 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards (Full List of Nominees)

The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has revealed its nominees in 12 categories for the 2023 AIM Awards.

RAYE and Shygirl each received three nominations. 070 Shake, who collaborated with RAYE on “Escapism,” received two, as did Ezra Collective, Overmono and ENNY. Other notable nominees include: Wet Leg, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yves Tumor, Little Simz and Rina Sawayama.

AIM also revealed the winners of two awards.

Björk won the publicly-voted Best Live Performance award, besting Beabadoobee, MUNA and Japan’s kawaii-metal girl band BABYMETAL.

Dr. Charisse Beaumont, CEO of Black Lives in Music (BLiM), was named Diversity Champion in recognition of her groundbreaking work in creating an inclusive music industry, such as the rollout of BLiM’s voluntary Music Industry Anti-Racism Code.

The AIM Independent Music Awards recognizes the achievements of independent labels, artists and entrepreneurs that make up the U.K.’s independent music sector.

Silvia Montello, CEO of AIM, said in a statement: “The AIM Independent Music Awards are a night to celebrate the best of the UK’s independent music community, and to showcase its triumphs and innovations. We are proud to be able to honour the diversity and talent across the UK ‘s independent labels, artists, entrepreneurs and champions and it’s fantastic to see continued public recognition of Björk’s trailblazing live shows!”

The awards will be presented at London’s Roundhouse on Sept. 26.

The ceremony will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, an anniversary that has been feted at numerous awards shows already this year. The segment, supported by BBC 1Xtra, will recognize hip-hop’s influence and its lasting impact on the emergence of jungle, grime and drum & bass. 

Here’s a complete list of nominees for the 2023 AIM Awards.

Best Live Performance

Björk  (One Little Independent)

Diversity Champion

Charisse Beaumont – Black Lives in Music

PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist

AntsLive (Payday Records, Trademark Records)

John Summit (Off The Grid Records)

Surya Sen (Skint Records)

Vibe Chemistry (DnB Allstars Records)

Wet Leg (Domino Records)

Music Entrepreneur of the Year

Alex Brees – Un:hurd

Caius Pawson – Young / Space

Jess Kangalee – Good Energy PR

Keturah Cummings – Forward Slash

Yasin El Ashrafi – HQ Familia

Best Boutique Label

Chess Club

Glasgow Underground

Houndstooth

Rough Bones

So Young Records

Best Independent Label

Defected Records

Forever Living Originals

Hospital Records

One Little Independent

Transgressive

Best Creative Campaign

Because Music (Shygirl – “Nymph”)

Dirty Hit (Rina Sawayama – “Hold the Girl”)

Human Re Sources (RAYE – “My 21st Century Blues”)

Ninja Tune (Young Fathers – “Heavy Heavy”)

Partisan Records (Ezra Collective – “Where I’m Meant to Be”)

XL Recordings (Yaeji – “With a Hammer”)

UK Independent Breakthrough

Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)

I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)

Overmono (XL Recordings)

Shygirl (Because Music)

Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)

Best Independent Track (Meta)

Connie Constance – “Hurt You” (Play It Again Sam)

ENNY – “Charge It” (FAMM)

Four Tet – “Three Drums” (Text Records)

Makaya McCraven – “Dream Another” (XL Recordings)

Overmono – “Good Lies” (XL Recordings)

RAYE, 070 Shake – “Escapism” (Human Re Sources) 

Shygirl – “Shlut” (Because Music) 

Sudan Archives – “Selfish Soul” (Stones Throw Records)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Spitting Off the Edge of the World” feat. Perfume Genius (Secretly Canadian)

Yves Tumor – “Echolalia” (Warp Records)

Best Independent EP/ Mixtape 

Bellah – Adultsville (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)

ENNY – We Go Again (FAMM)

Jessica Winter – Limerance (Lucky Number)

Saint Joshua – EP2 (Ditto Music)

yunè pinku – BABYLON IX (PLATOON)

Best Independent Album 

Avelino – God Save The Streets (More Music Records/ OddChild Music)

Kelela – Raven (Warp Records)

Little Simz – No Thank You (Forever Living Originals)

Nova Twins – Supernova (Marshall Records)

Obongjayar – Some Nights I Dream of Doors (September Recordings)

Oliver Sim – Hideous Bastard (Young)

RAYE – My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources)

Rina Sawayama – Hold the Girl (Dirty Hit)

Shygirl – Nymph (Because Music)

Wu-Lu – LOGGERHEAD(Warp Records) 

Best Independent Remix 

Sega Bodega Remix (One Little Independent) – Björk – “Ovuke” (feat. Shygirl)

Soulwax Remix (Deewee / Because Music) – Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – “Cliché”

Nu:Tone Remix (Hospital Records) – GLXY – “Butterfly Effect” (feat. Hugh Hardie & Visionobi)

Jamie XX remix (Young) – Oliver Sim – “GMT”

Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Wolf”

One to Watch (BBC Music Introducing)

Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)

Juice Menace (Supernature)

FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)

Laughta (MDLBEAST)

Master Peace (PMR)

Best Independent Video (Vevo)

Ezra Collective – “No Confusion” ft. Kojey Radical (Partisan Records)

Kelela – “Enough for Love” (Warp Records)

Obongjayar – “I Wish It Was Me (Live)” (September Recordings)

RAYE, 070 Shake – “Escapism” (Human Re Sources)

Wesley Joseph – “MONSOON” (EEVILTWINN)

23 Aug 2023

Dua Lipa Takes Fans Inside Birthday Dinner With Boyfriend Romain Gavras

Dua Lipa celebrated her 28th birthday in style. The “Levitating” singer made her latest trip around the sun on Tuesday and had a birthday dinner with friends, family and her boyfriend Romain Gavras, who makes a cameo in photos posted to her Instagram on Wednesday (Aug. 23).

The first images in the photo carousel feature Lipa in a stunning floor-length red dress, which she accessorized with a multitude of oversize Chanel chains, dainty rings and hoop earrings. Lipa’s younger sister Rina makes a cameo in the following pictures, the pair looking like a matching set with her pink-and-red ruffled gown. By nightfall, the festivities included a birthday dinner swimming with high-profile guests, including French fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, friends Bashir Arab-Sanchez and Sarah Lysander Svendby Carter, and, of course, French-Greek film director Gavras.

The 28-year-old followed up the birthday post with more pictures from her dinner, this time, with video of all the guests in attendance forming a conga line and dancing in a backyard with her closest pals, as jazzy bossa nova plays in the background.

Lipa celebrated another major milestone earlier this month — on Aug. 21, she celebrated eight years since the release of her debut single, “New Love,” on Instagram. “8 Years ago I released my first song that I wrote with @wyattish [Andrew Wyatt] and @emilehaynie (and videos!)” Lipa wrote. “19 year old me would be very happy to know we’d get this far.”

See all the photos and videos from Lipa’s birthday celebration here, here and here.

23 Aug 2023

Grupo Frontera to Celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day With Show at the Zócalo

Grupo Frontera will add music to the patriotic celebrations in Mexico. The Mexican-American band will perform at the capital’s Zócalo — the country’s most important public square — on Sept. 15 for the annual Grito de Independencia event, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced Wednesday (Aug. 23).

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“The members of Grupo Frontera will be there on September 15 at night in the Zócalo,” said the Mexican president at the end of his usual morning conference, where he played Frontera’s cover of “No Se Va,” originally by Colombian group Morat.

López Obrador reiterated his taste for the music of the regional Mexican group, which he has included in his playlist to challenge corridos tumbados, a musical genre that although he has said he will not prohibit, he considers to glorify drug traffickers.

Grupo Frontera joins a long list of national and international artists who have set foot in the second-largest public square in the world, only behind Tiananmen in Beijing. Musicians such as Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber, Manu Chao, Shakira, Café Tacvba and the late icon of regional Mexican music Vicente Fernández, among many others, have performed at the Zócalo.

The attendance record for free concerts held in the so-called Primer Cuadro in the Mexican capital is held by the Argentine rock band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, which achieved the milestone of gathering 300,000 people on the night of June 3, beating Grupo Firme, who held the record after summoning 280,000 people in September 2022, according to figures from the government of Mexico City.

This week, the sextet scored their first top 10 hit on a Billboard album chart with El Comienzo, which jumped 39-4 on the Top Latin Albums chart on Aug. 19 after its first full week of activity. El Comienzo also jumped 12-2 on Regional Mexican Albums and debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart.

Grupo Frontera is set to be part of the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week, taking place Oct. 2-6 in Miami. Purchase tickets to Latin Music Week here.

23 Aug 2023

Britney Spears Introduces Fans to Her Adorable New Puppy

Britney Spears is living her best life with a furry friend by her side.

The pop superstar took to Instagram on Wednesday (Aug. 23) to share a video of her adorable new puppy. In the clip, it’s unclear what breed the tiny pup is, but the white fluffy dog is seen wagging its tail as it runs around Spears’ feet. “Introducing Snow … the new [addition] to the family … it’s her world and we just live in it,” the “Circus” singer captioned the post.

The cute new family member arrives amid news that Spears’ husband Sam Asghari filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 16, citing irreconcilable differences. The next day, he posted a statement confirming the breakup. “After six years of love and commitment to each other, my wife and I have decided to end our journey together,” he wrote on Instagram. “We will hold onto the love and respect we have for each other and I wish her the best always. S–t happens. Asking for privacy seems ridiculous so I will just ask for everyone including media to be kind and thoughtful.”

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Spears broke her silence on the matter on Aug. 18. “As everyone knows, Hesam and I are no longer together … 6 years is a long time to be with someone so, I’m a little shocked but … I’m not here to explain why because its honestly nobody’s business !!!” she wrote on Instagram. “I couldn’t take the pain anymore honestly !!!”

The two first met in 2016 on the set of Spears’ “Slumber Party” music video, and tied the knot. inJune 2022.

23 Aug 2023

John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Have a Date Night at Drake’s LA Concert: ‘Young Love!!’

Drake‘s concerts have hosted several celebrities so far, and John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are the latest A-listers to attend. On Monday night, the “All of Me” singer and his Cravings founder wife had a special date night at Drizzy’s Los Angeles show at Crypto.com Arena.

Teigen took to Instagram to share photos from their special night out, in which she posed alongside her EGOT-winning husband in a black leather column gown with a sheer, lace bust. Legend kept his look more casual, wearing a white T-shirt and ripped blue jeans, white sneakers and a decorated varsity jacket. “Young love !!” she captioned the post, which also featured a video from the show and her posing backstage with a flying prop.

She followed up the post with a video of her posing for solo pictures, and wrote, “Drake! I met the flying spermatozoa backstage! much smaller than I imagined but still very impactful.”

Teigen and Legend are far from the first celebrity guests who have attended the It’s All a Blur Tour. Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner had a date night of their own and packed on the PDA during the Aug. 13 concert of the tour, which caused them to make the rounds on social media. And Drake used Bunny’s attendance to make an announcement.

“I wanna tell y’all something, because y’all are L.A. and we love you,” Drake told the crowd during a brief break between songs. “It’s been like six years since me and Benito did a song, so we got a song coming for y’all on my album and it’s real.” 

See photos from Teigen and Legend’s night out below.