Music

06 May 2023

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2023 Opening Delayed by Weather

A line of strong thunderstorms, with wind gusts of up to 60 mph (about 97 kph), prompted organizers of the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to delay the Saturday (May 6) opening at the Fair Grounds by at least two hours.

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In an announcement on Twitter, the festival told festgoers to “stay tuned” for more information and “See you this afternoon!”

“Due to weather conditions, the opening of today’s Jazz Fest will be delayed by one to two hours. Please stay tuned for more information. See you this afternoon!” organizers wrote.

The festival is in its final weekend for its 2023 two-week run.

Saturday’s scheduled performers include rock band Dead & Company, R&B singer/musician H.E.R, alternative folk band The Lumineers, jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard, featuring The E Collective and Turtle Island Quartet, blues singer Keb’ Mo and gospel artist Anthony Brown and group therAPy.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s final day is Sunday.

06 May 2023

The 1975’s Matty Healy Spotted at Taylor Swift’s Nashville Eras Tour Show Amid Dating Rumors

Matty Healy was seen in attendance at Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour concert in Nashville on Friday (May 5), sparking further speculation that the two music stars are romantically involved.

Earlier in the week, rumors surfaced that the The 1975 frontman and pop superstar are “massively proud and excited about this relationship,” according to a source cited by The Sun. The report, published Wednesday (May 3), follows news of Swift’s split from her longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn in early April.

On Friday night, Healy was photographed watching Swift perform her first of three sold-out concerts at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium as part of her ongoing Eras Tour. During her performance of “Cardigan,” fans were quick to spot Swift mouthing the same words to that Healy was filmed saying before The 1975’s performance of “About You” in Manila on May 3.

“This one is about you. You know who you are. I love you,” the artists mouthed to the crowd on the separate occasions.

Swift and Healy have been longtime friends, with the 12-time Grammy winner surprising fans during The 1975’s concert at the O2 Arena in London in January by covering the band’s “The City” and performing “Anti-Hero” for the first time.

Neither Swift nor Healy have spoken out publicly about the situation.

See fan-captured images of Healy attending Swift’s Nashville concert, and watch the two stars mouthing the same words during their respective shows below.

06 May 2023

Dolly Parton Was ‘Alright,’ And No. 1: Hot Country Songs Chart Rewind to 1978

On May 6, 1978, Dolly Parton’s “It’s All Wrong, But It’s Alright,” began a two-week reign on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It became her eighth of 25 No. 1s, the most among women.

The song was written solely by Parton and produced by Gary Klein. It was released as the second single from Parton’s LP Here You Come Again, which became her second of eight No. 1s on Top Country Albums.

The set’s title track topped Hot Country Songs for five frames. It also became Parton’s first single to cross over to pop formats, reaching No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, marking her first of three top 10s. On Adult Contemporary, it reached No. 2, becoming her first of five top 10s.

In addition to two leaders as a recording artist, Parton has scored her greatest Hot 100 success as a writer: Whitney Houston’s cover of Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” reigned for 14 weeks in 1992-93.

Parton was born in Sevier County, Tenn., on Jan. 19, 1946. The icon is widely known for her infectious personality, unique vocal stylings, songwriting, acting and rousing live performances. Her legendary career led to her induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last November. She has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1969.

On May 11 at 8 p.m. ET, Parton will co-host the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards, to livestream on Amazon Prime Video, at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, with fellow superstar Garth Brooks.

05 May 2023

Taylor Swift Announces ‘Speak Now’ as Next Re-Recorded Album at Nashville Concert

It’s official: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is on the way. Taylor Swift revealed during her first of three shows at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Friday night (May 5) that her 2010 third studio album will be her next re-recorded release, out July 7.

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All of Swift’s fans got to enjoy the announcement too, because the Taylor Nation Instagram account went live from the concert for the onstage moment. She directed fans’ attention to the screens around the stadium, which read: “Speak Now. Taylor’s Version. Available July 7.”

Swifties already noticed that something was up last Sunday, when the light-up wristbands given to the Eras Tour attendees at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium turned purple at the end of the show. Purple is the color that represents Speak Now, which fans have long speculated would be the next re-recording. To celebrate the announcement, Nashville’s John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge also changed its lights to a bright violet hue on Friday night.

So far on the Eras Tour, which kicked off March 17 in Glendale, Ariz., Swift has only been performing one song from Speak Now, “Enchanted,” in her setlist — although “Mean” was performed as a surprise song during her April 15 show in Tampa, Fla. Speak Now spawned two top 10 singles in “Mine” (No. 3 peak on the Billboard Hot 100) and “Back to December” (No. 6), plus four other singles — “Mean” (No. 11), “Ours” (No. 13), “Sparks Fly” (No. 17) and “The Story of Us” (No. 41) — that charted on the Hot 100.

Upon its October 2010 release — following Swift’s mainstream breakthrough with 2008’s Fearless, which won the album of the year Grammy — Speak Now became the first Swift album to cross the 1 million sales mark in its debut week, launching at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 1.047 million copies sold. Swift’s third album has earned a total of 7.8 million equivalent album units in the U.S. through Apr. 27, according to Luminate.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) will follow Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), both of which were released in 2021, as the third re-recorded studio album in her six-album endeavor. Swift announced plans to re-record her first six studio albums in 2019 after being unable to purchase the master recordings of her back catalog. Instead of releasing a re-recorded album last year, Swift issued her 10th studio album, Midnights, which scored the biggest debut week of her career and of any album in 2022.

05 May 2023

MTV Movie & TV Awards Will Still Air, But Not Live

The MTV Movie & TV Awards will still air on Sunday, but the show will not air live as planned from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. Instead, it will be a pre-taped show filled with pre-taped acceptance speeches and comedy bits.

Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming and events at Paramount Global, and an executive producer of the show, released a statement Friday (May 5), saying: “As we carefully navigate how best to deliver the fan-first awards show we envisioned that our team has worked so hard to create, we’re pivoting away from a live event that still enables us to produce a memorable night full of exclusive sneak peaks, irreverent categories our audience has come to expect, and countless moments that will both surprise and delight as we honor the best of film and TV over the past year.”

The show, now in its 31st year, had seemed to be headed for a big night when it booked Drew Barrymore as host and corralled Jennifer Coolidge to receive its Comedic Genius Award. But when members of the Writers Guild of America went on strike on Tuesday, after negotiations with studios and streamers had collapsed the previous night, the show was thrown into chaos.

The first setback came on Thursday, when Barrymore pulled out as host in solidarity with the striking writers, which include the writing staff of her hit daytime talk show. “I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,” Barrymore said in a statement.

While losing a big-name host just three days before a live show is a tough break, there were no hard feelings on MTV’s part. “Drew, without question, she’s been incredible,” Gillmer told Variety. “…She is not surprisingly, standing in solidarity with the writers, which we have full respect for. She has our full support.”

Also on Thursday, MTV called off the red carpet for the event, so celebrities would not have to face questions about the strike. But the plan at that time was still to have a live show. The WGA said on Friday that it was planning to picket the show, which made holding a live show increasingly problematic.

The MTV Movie Awards, the forerunner of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, were once pre-taped, so this is not unprecedented.

The MTV Movie & TV Awards will still air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV, with simulcasts on BET, BET Her, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1.

Executive producers for the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards, who are becoming battle-tested in the challenges of live television, are MTV’s Gillmer, Wendy Plaut and Vanessa Whitewolf, along with Den of Thieves’ Jesse Ignjatovic and Barb Bialkowski. Jackie Barba and Alicia Portugal are executives in charge of production and Lisa Lauricella serves as the music talent executive.

Is it possible for producers to put on a fun, entertaining show with so much working against them? You’ll just have to tune in Sunday night and find out.

05 May 2023

Armani White Shares How Loss & Two Devastating House Fires Inspired Him to Pursue His ‘Fruitful’ Career

Despite his big, bright smile and sweet demeanor, Armani White has been through some of life’s toughest battles. In his 2021 EP, Things We Lost in the Fire, he shares some of the traumatic moments that came from two separate house fires in 2006 and 2020.

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“I lost a lot in those fires. I lost some friends, I lost my best friend Melinda, my three cousins and my aunt in the house fire growing up,” he tells Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly at SXSW, three years after the most recent fire. “Then, we had a house fire in 2020 and that house fire was the moment — the first one, I was nervous to talk about it for the majority of my life and then second became something like, maybe this is a calling to say, ‘Get this out. Go through this.’ It might be something fruitful for you, so that’s what we did.”

During his SXSW performance, White also mentioned the death of his father. “My dad definitely inspired me,” White tells Billboard. “He taught me to be resilient, be fearless and go for what you want. That’s the mentality he always had. He had good intentions, he didn’t necessarily have the best execution with those intentions, but that also inspired me because it taught me to be human.”

But the tough moments haven’t stopped him. Following the viral success of his 2022 track, “Billie Eilish,” White is looking forward to another Hot 100 hit with his freshly dropped debut EP under Def Jam, Road to Casablanco. “It’s very much focused on all the wins, all the trophies and all the success we’ve been getting,” he shares. “Me being from Philly and an artist on the happy side […] it gives you a peek inside the hood side that shows you why I feel like I deserve to be this happy and why I feel like I’ve been through so much that I’ve merited the right to walk in the building with a smile on my face.”

Watch Billboard‘s full interview with Armani White above.

05 May 2023

Zendaya & Tom Holland Cheer on Golden State Warriors During NBA Playoffs Date Night

Zendaya and Tom Holland took their romance to the NBA Playoffs on Thursday night to root for the Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA shared multiple looks of the couple inside San Francisco’s Chase Center on social media. Sitting on Celeb Row, the Euphoria star proudly repped her hometown team (she was, after all, born in Oakland, Calif.) in an all-black Warriors cap while her boyfriend donned a ’90s-style sweater emblazoned with the Land Rover logo.

The couple also interacted with some other famous folks taking in game 2 of the playoff series — namely 49ers players George Kittle, Sam Darnold and Christian McCaffrey, who playfully pretended to shoot Spidey webs out of their wrists toward Holland.

The Warriors eventually beat the Lakers by a score of 127-100, bringing the playoffs to a 1-1 tie. Meanwhile, the two Spider-Man: No Way Home costars also recently hit up Usher’s Las Vegas residency at the Dolby Live Theater inside the Park MGM for another high-profile date night just days after Zendaya made a surprise appearance on the second weekend of Coachella to perform her two collaborations with Labrinth.

The special occasion, which sent fans into an absolute tizzy across social media, marked the one-time Disney Channel star’s first public musical performance in at least seven years. (Her self-titled debut solo album was released back in 2013 under Hollywood Records and peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 at the time.)

Check out Zendaya and Tom taking in the NBA Playoffs together below.

05 May 2023

Cardi B Takes on the ‘Spicy Bowl’ Challenge With Offset

Cardi B was spicing things up in the kitchen with Offset (literally), and took to TikTok to share the process.

“My man been asking me to do this spicy bowl, this trendy spicy bowl s—, so I’m going to do it for him,” the rapper shared in a video posted on Thursday (May 4), before delving into the ingredients of her mouth-burning concoction, which included sausages and “lots and lots of hot sauce.” The camera then panned to Offset, who looked apprehensive about his decision to take part in the challenge as Cardi continued to dump hot sauce over the sausages.

But Cardi didn’t stop there. The “I Like It” superstar added crushed red pepper, pickles, pickle juice, jalapeños, jalapeño juice, Pepperoncinis, banana peppers, smoked paprika “for color and flavor,” blackened seasoning, Old Bay seasoning and hard boiled eggs before mixing it all together and presenting the stew to the Migos rapper to try.

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“Wait! Let me get him water!” the couple’s four-year-old daughter Kulture sweetly shouted before the taste test, anticipating that the meal might be a little too spicy. However, Offset didn’t need the water, and actually ended up liking the spicy bowl. “It’s good, I would put this in a soup,” he shared.

Kulture felt differently. She tried a tiny taste for herself, before hilariously immediately making a grossed-out face, screaming and running off.

Watch it all go down below.

05 May 2023

Taylor Swift, Drake & More: Which Starlight Award Recipient Most Deserves a Spot in the Songwriters Hall of Fame? Vote!

The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced on Thursday (May 4) that Post Malone will receive the Hal David Starlight Award at its 2023 Induction and Awards Dinner, which is slated for Thursday, June 15, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.

According to the SHOF, Hal David Starlight Award recipients are “gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs.” The award, named after the lyricist who is best known for the many classic hits he co-wrote with Burt Bacharach, was introduced in 2004. Rob Thomas was the first recipient.

None of the Starlight honorees have yet been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, but many are expected to be as they become eligible. Songwriters become eligible 20 years after their first song gained wide exposure. Five early recipients of the Starlight Award – Thomas, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, John Rzeznik and Jason Mraz – are already eligible. (Mraz’s breakthrough hit first made the Billboard Hot 100 20 years ago this week.)

Most of the Starlight Award honorees are best known for their solo work, but a handful are also known for their work with groups – Thomas (Matchbox Twenty), Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls), Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons), Nate Ruess (Fun.) and Nick Jonas (Jonas Brothers).

One Starlight recipient, Benny Blanco, is best-known for songs he has written for other artists. Blanco didn’t hit the Hot 100 as an artist until 2018, when he scored with “Eastside,” a collab with Halsey (another Starlight recipient) and Khalid.

Three of the Starlight Award recipients — Keys, John Legend and Ruess (as a member of Fun.) won the Grammy Award for best new artist, which is a similar vote of confidence in a promising young talent.

The SHOF’s inner circle selects the nominees for each year’s induction class. The final choices are made by the Hall’s voting members. But you could give the SHOF a little guidance on which recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award you would most like to see voted in. Are you pulling for Keys, who was the first woman to receive the honor? Legend, who went on to become an EGOT? Drake, the first hip-hop artist/writer to be honored? Ed Sheeran, the only Brit to receive the honor? Taylor Swift, who was mostly known as a country artist when she got the honor in 2010, but has since made a spectacular transition to pop?

Here’s a complete list of winners of the Hal David Starlight Award (with the year they received the honor). Who do you think is most deserving of a spot in the Songwriters Hall of Fame? Vote!

05 May 2023

Andrea Bocelli, Andrew Lloyd Webber & More to Feature on Official Coronation Album

The British royal family is set to have its first coronation in 70 years on Saturday (May 6), as King Charles III is set to become the 40th Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey alongside his wife, Camilla, on Saturday (May 6).

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To celebrate, the service and pre-service music will be recorded and released by Decca Records on the same day. The Official Album of the Coronation is set to be more than four hours long and will feature all music and spoken word from the global event, including Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s coronation anthem called “Make a Joyful Noise,” plus pieces from artists like Andrea Bocelli, José Carreras, Elina Garanča, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, the Sistine Chapel Choir, Lorin Maazel, Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE and many more. 

“This will be a truly historic recording, capturing a glorious range of music from across centuries and continents, reflecting the world-wide interest in our traditions, covering multiple locations in the wonderful acoustic of Westminster Abbey, and involving an unprecedented technical plan to present the entire experience to the world on the day itself. Balance engineer Mike Hatch, I and the team are honoured and excited to be a part of this,” the album’s producer, Anna Barry, said in a press statement.

The Official Album of the Coronation will be available digitally on May 6, before the physical version of the album will be available for purchase in stores starting on May 15.

Members of the British royal family, including Prince William and Prince Harry, will be in attendance at the coronation ceremony, along with friends and family of their majesties. International representatives from 203 countries will also be in attendance, including approximately 100 heads of state. Additionally, 400 young people representing charities chosen by King Charles, Queen Camila and the U.K. Government, “will have the opportunity to watch the Coronation Service and Processions from inside St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey,” according to a news release from Buckingham Palace.   

On May 7, a coronation concert at Windsor Castle will feature performances by American Idol judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, as well as Bocelli, Nicole Scherzinger, Tiwa Savage, Paloma Faith, Frey Riding and Sir Bryn Terfel. For more info on how to tune into the King Charles’ coronation, see here.