Music

13 Jan 2023

Dolly Parton Sends Condolences to Priscilla Presley After Lisa Marie’s Death: ‘I Know How Sad You Must Be’

Dolly Parton has offered her condolences following the sudden death of Lisa Marie Presley on Thursday (Jan. 12) at age 54.

In a social media post, Parton addressed Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie’s mother, directly. “Priscilla, I know how sad you must be. May God comfort you at this time,” she began before turning to the late King of Rock n’ Roll and his daughter. “Elvis, I know how happy you must be to finally have her home and to have her back with you. Lisa Marie, may you rest in peace. We all love all of you.”

The “Lights Out” singer was rushed to the hospital on Thursday (Jan. 12) after going into cardiac arrest at her home in Calabasas, Calif. Priscilla confirmed in a statement on social media that her daughter had been hospitalized.

The Naked Gun actress announced her child’s passing later that evening. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” she said in a statement. “She was the most passionate strong and loving woman I have ever known. We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss.”

Lisa Marie Presley was born Feb. 1, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn., and was the only daughter of Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla. Following her parents’ divorce in 1973, she lived in Los Angeles with her mother, though she also regularly visited her father at Graceland in Memphis until his death on Aug. 16, 1977.

In 2003, Lisa Marie launched her own music career, beginning with her debut album To Whom It May Concern (via Capitol Records), which was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The single “Lights Out” reached the top 20 on Billboard‘s Adult Pop Airplay chart. To Whom It May Concern reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200, as did its 2005 followup album, Now What. Her 2005 single “Dirty Laundry” reached the top 40 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. She would release her third album, the T Bone Burnett-produced project Storm & Grace, in 2012. That same year, she made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry.

Lisa Marie will be buried at Graceland in Memphis, with her final resting place being alongside her son, Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020. Elvis, as well as other members of the Presley family, are also buried at Graceland. Lisa Marie is survived by her mother, Priscilla, as well as three daughters, including Riley Keough.

See Dolly Parton’s message below:

13 Jan 2023

‘Elvis’ Director Baz Luhrmann Mourns Lisa Marie Presley: ‘We Will Miss Your Warmth’

Following the devastating news that Lisa Marie Presley had died at age 54, Baz Luhrmann — who directed the 2022 critically acclaimed biopic about her father Elvis Presley — took to Instagram to honor her.

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“Over the last year, the entire Elvis movie family and I have felt the privilege of Lisa Marie’s kind embrace,” he captioned a photo of Lisa Marie laughing with actor Austin Butler, who portrayed her legendary father in Luhrmann’s Elvis. “Her sudden, shocking loss has devastated people all around the world. I know her fans everywhere join me in sharing prayers of love and support with her mother, Priscilla, and her wonderful daughters Riley, Finley and Harper.”

Luhrmann concluded by writing, “Lisa Marie, we will miss your warmth, your smile, your love.”

“It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Priscilla Presley said in a statement on Thursday (Jan. 12). “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”

The announcement came just hours after Priscilla had confirmed that Lisa Marie was rushed to the hospital earlier Thursday.

Los Angeles County paramedics were dispatched to a Calabasas home at 10:37 a.m. following a report of a woman in full cardiac arrest, according to Craig Little, a spokesperson for the county’s fire department. Property records indicate Presley was a resident at that address. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said paramedics performed CPR and “determined the patient had signs of life” before taking her to the hospital immediately.

Lisa Marie attended the Golden Globes on Tuesday, on hand to celebrate Butler’s award for playing her father in Elvis.

13 Jan 2023

SZA Is Making a ‘Kill’-ing on Pop Radio, Drawing Praise for Her ‘Creativity and Storytelling’

Like her character in “Kill Bill,” the real-life SZA is sizing up the competition on pop radio and taking action.

The singer-songwriter sports two tracks from her new album, SOS, on Billboard’s mainstream top 40-based Pop Airplay chart (dated Jan. 21), led by “Kill Bill,” which soars in at No. 24, up 865% to 2,257 plays on 129 reporting stations (or, an average of 18 plays per panelist) Jan. 6-12, according to Luminate.

Meanwhile, SZA’s “Nobody Gets Me” pushes 37-30 on Pop Airplay, up 115% to 1,632 plays on 107 reporters (a 15 plays-per-station average) in its third week on the list. The tracks claim the second- and fifth-greatest gains, respectively, among all songs on the survey.

SOS, released on Top Dawg/RCA Records, has held the top spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart in its first four weeks, marking the first R&B album by a woman to achieve such a start since Janet Jackson’s janet. nearly 30 years ago.

Radio ‘Gets’ Two Tracks

RCA originally targeted ballad “Nobody Gets Me” for the pop format, but as streaming has stayed strong for “Kill Bill” – SZA’s not-her-best-idea-turned-murder fantasy (hopefully) – the label decided to formally promote both together. The latter debuted with 36.9 million official U.S. streams Dec. 9-15, followed by frames of 32 million (Dec. 16-22), 26.6 million (Dec. 23-29) and 28 million (Dec. 30-Jan. 5).

“Nobody Gets Me” started with 25.1 million streams Dec. 9-15 and drew 10.4 million Dec. 30-Jan. 5.

“Kill Bill” has so far hit No. 3 on the streaming-, airplay- and sales-driven Billboard Hot 100, debuting at the spot on the Dec. 24 chart and returning to its high on the Jan. 14-dated ranking, and ascends to the top of the Jan. 14 Billboard Global 200. “Nobody Gets Me” debuted at its No. 10 Hot 100 best (Dec. 24).

“When SOS came out this December, we immediately heard from pop programmers saying they wanted to play ‘Nobody Gets Me,’” says RCA head of promotion Keith Rothschild. “Heading into the holidays, most stations went into year-end countdowns [and paused on adding new music]. During that time, ‘Kill Bill’ became a streaming monster. On Jan. 2, I called [the RCA] pop team – [led by] Joe Daddio, Jessie Maldonado [and] Jeff Rizzo – and said, ‘What if we impacted both records at top 40 coming out of the break?’ I also asked a few key programmers, and everyone agreed: ‘Let’s do it.’”

(Fellow SOS track “Shirt,” which helped introduce the album with its release in October, is being worked to R&B/hip-hop and rhythmic radio. It climbs to new highs of Nos. 7 and 8 on the Jan. 21 Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts, respectively.)

Programmers: ‘The Data Speaks Loudly’

“There has been a great deal of interest in SZA from our [pop] programmers,” says Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia president of programming operations/digital music, citing growing support on the chain’s Pop Airplay reporters including WHTZ New York, KIIS Los Angeles, KYLD San Francisco and WHYI Miami.

“Typically, programmers tend to gravitate toward one emphasis single,” Zellner says. “‘Kill Bill’ is way ahead at this point. It’s always tough to determine whether any song will have staying power, but the song has a strong hook and a powerful message.”

“The data speaks loudly,” says Erik Bradley, assistant program director/music director at Audacy-owned Pop Airplay panelist WBBM (B96) Chicago. “Our core loves this album and these two singles feel like they’re strongly leading the way. They’re mainstream radio-friendly. It’s really hard to design a plan to have dual singles, but in this instance, the data demanded it, and that creates a no-brainer decision to have both songs simultaneously in regular rotation. Add to that the launch of SZA’s tour and it just feels like everything is teed up for a major 2023 win for her.”

“In radio and programming, we have rules about artist separation, and sometimes those rules need to be adjusted to mirror what our listeners are showing they want,” shares Molly Cruz, regional brand manager for Audacy’s Milwaukee, Wis., stations, including Pop Airplay reporter WXSS, noting prior success with simultaneous pop radio singles for Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, among others.

‘I Might (blank) My Ex’

Hedging against any potential concerns about the lyrics in “Kill Bill”– “I might kill my ex … his new girlfriend’s next …,” later the more damning “I just killed” – RCA has serviced two edits to radio, one in which “kill”/“killed” is simply omitted and one in which the words are replaced by the sound of a slicing knife. (So that’s how she did it! The song’s Christian Breslauer-directed official video, released Jan. 10, as well as its title, an ode to the 2004 film of the same name directed by Quentin Tarantino, with its focus on samurai swords, should’ve also given clues.)

RCA chuckles that while the edit for the song – which SZA wrote with Rob Bisel and Carter Lang – is being promoted, some programmers prefer the original version with the “kill” lyric to the “I might/just (blank) my ex” mix, as the latter could invite listeners’ minds to wander toward tawdry territory.

Historically, songs with similar sinister plots have become hits, however rare, often with the same tongue-in-cheek vibe as SZA’s. Johnny Cash famously boasted that he “killed a man … just to watch him die” in “Folsom Prison Blues,” a No. 32 Hot 100 hit that also topped the Hot Country Songs chart for four weeks in 1968; Eric Clapton confessed “I Shot the Sheriff” in his Bob Marley-penned Hot 100 leader in 1974; and The Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” reached No. 13 on Hot Country Songs in 2000 – notably, ending a streak of seven consecutive career-opening top 10 singles for the trio (even with the video’s serious portions offset by “Earl,” aka, Dennis Franz, dancing with the trio from the afterlife).

“I applaud her creativity and storytelling,” Bradley praises SZA.

“‘Kill Bill’ is my personal favorite,” Cruz says of SOS’ tracks. “It’s always fun when your favorite song is doing well and you have solid metrics to increase rotation. I think the songwriting on ‘Kill Bill’ is relatable to so many because it’s about the pain of seeing an ex move on and appear happier with their new partner.”

Muses Zellner about “Kill Bill,” “While violent, [it] certainly is creating a buzz. Are there really people who would rather go to jail or hell than be alone?”

13 Jan 2023

Nick Carter to Perform at Benefit Concert Inspired by Aaron Carter

Nick Carter will be performing his new tribute song to his late brother Aaron Carter, “Hurts to Love You,” for the first time at a special benefit concert in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Jan. 18).

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The Songs for Tomorrow benefit concert, hosted by Angel Conrad and Lance Bass, will raise awareness for mental health and was inspired by the life of Aaron, who died in November at age 34. All money from ticket sales will go toward On Our Sleeves, the national movement supporting children’s mental health. 

In addition to Nick, the concert will also feature performances from various early 2000’s superstars including O-Town, LFO, Ryan Cabrera, B. Howard, and David Archuleta. Other performers include *NSYNC members Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirpatrick, and BackSync — consisting of Nick Carter and AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys. The night will conclude with a special surprise finale performance.

Tickets for the Songs for Tomorrow benefit concert can be purchased here, and a livestream link is also available for purchase here.

Aaron Carter’s manager confirmed the singer’s death to Billboard on Nov. 5 without a cause of death immediately given. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department also told The Hollywood Reporter that a suspicious death took place at his address, but did not confirm the identity.

Nick took to social media to mourn his younger brother a day after the devastating news. “My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo gallery of childhood photos with his brother. “I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed. Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss, but the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here.”

13 Jan 2023

First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From M83, SG Lewis, Whyte Fang, The Chainsmokers & More

This week in dance music: Everything But the Girl announced their first album in 24 years is coming this April; Calvin Harris, The Chemical Brothers, Eric Prydz’s renowned HOLO show and a strong crew of other dance acts were included on the 2023 Coachella lineup, Marco Carola, Camelphat, Gordo and more were announced for March’s SXM Festival in Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, The Chainsmokers shared some personal news, Iranian producers Dubfire, Lady Faith and Starfari reflected on the ongoing protests in Iran, the aforementioned Harris shared a selfie of he and longtime collaborator Ellie Goulding in the studio together, Richie Hawtin announced an education-focused techno tour happening this March, Skrillex, Fred again.. and Flowdan’s “Rumble” debuted on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and Insomniac Events announced a rave cruise called, naturally, EDSea.

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That’s a lot! But is there more? You know there’s more. Let’s dig in.

M83, “Oceans Niagara”

Prepare thyself. M83 is back, and we’re going “beyond adventure” into epic territories where synths shine like neon diamonds and the horizon glows in massive walls of sound. “Oceans Niagara” is a cinematic overture of a lead single, the first taste of things to come from the project’s forthcoming album Fantasy, due out March 17. The album is the first from M83 since 2019’s DSVII.

“I wanted this record to be very impactful live,” says M83’s Anthony Gonzalez, the man behind the music. “The idea was to come back with something closer to the energy of Before the Dawn Heals Us. The combination of guitars and synths is always in my music, but it’s maybe more present on this new record than on the previous ones.”

“Oceans Niagara” is bold, explosive and mostly instrumental. It’s got a cool, colorful music video that feels warm and fuzzy with ‘80s nostalgia. It’s definitely got us hyped for this new era.

“It’s the very first collaboration between my brother Yann Gonzalez and myself on a music video,” Gonzalez continues. “I wanted to create this sense of friendship. Listening to that song, I imagine people running, driving fast or riding spaceships together. It’s this sense of going forward, like a magic potion that you take to discover new worlds. Beyond Adventure!” – KAT BEIN

SG Lewis feat. Charlotte Day Wilson & Channel Tres, “Fever Dreamer”

With two weeks to go until SG Lewis releases his latest album, AudioLust & HigherLove, the U.K. producer has shared another preview in the form of new single “Fever Dreamer.” The song features friends old and new: Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson and Compton’s Channel Tres, who previously guested on Lewis’ “Impact” in 2020. Together, they turn “Fever Dreamer” into a sultry disco daydream, a romantic fantasy which Lewis says is about “all-consuming admiration for someone.” Wilson’s smoky, rich vocals melt into the flirty bassline and swirling synths, while Channel lets flow his lyrics with his signature suave nonchalance. With a chorus that approaches transcendence, “Fever Dreamer” is near-delirious delight. — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ

Whyte Fang, “Transport God”

Alison Wonderland isn’t messing around with her Whyte Fang project, which showcases the Australian producer’s harder, indeed sharper-toothed side. The latest is “Transport God,” a hard, doomy, heady head-banger that delivers the first drop within its first five seconds. And we like that.

The track, like all forthcoming Whyte Fang material, is out via FMU Records, launched by Wonderland last month to service her Whyte Fang releases and music by other rising producers. Whyte Fang will also make its Coachella debut, with the project included on the lineup that dropped earlier this week. — KATIE BAIN

Amtrac, “Heard Me Right”

Time is money, especially when paying for parking in the big city. Thank goodness Amtrac is here to be the change.

The Kentucky-bred, Los Angeles-based artist is gearing up for the release of his forthcoming third album Extra Time, and to celebrate the release of his fourth LP single “Heard Me Right,” he danced through the streets of L.A., walkman and change purse in hand, doling out quarters to unsuspecting parkers throughout the urban sprawl. “It was a fun passion project between me and (director) Greg Sheppard,” he says. “A man takes it upon himself to provide the people of greater Los Angeles with little ‘Extra Time.’ He can dance, he is strong and he has plenty of coins.”

“Heard Me Right” was actually the first song Amtrac finished for the album. It came together during the peak of COVID-19 lockdown in mid 2020, and he says it stood as a “sort of light at the end of the tunnel.” The hazy synth hook does sound hopeful, if a bit trepidatious in its optimism, as Amtrac sings of pieces falling into place and something to hold on to. Let this moving mix of rhythmic bass lines and atmospheric melodies help you to lose yourself in a better tomorrow, and pay it forward if you can! – K. Bein

Ruth Royall, “Walk Through Fire”

Ruth Royall throws her sorrows to the flames on her new single, “Walk Through Fire.” The Bristol-hailing artist, a longtime vocalist for drum & bass producers like Makoto, Pola & Bryson and Mollie Collins, last year stepped into her own solo career. On “Walk Through Fire,” her soulful singing of lost love smolders and swells alongside the raging production, whose increasing percussive energy erupts with the force of a gas explosion — grief and fury, each fueled by the other. “When did we get so lost?” she cries. “I always had my heart on my sleeve / I loved you carelessly.”

“The song is about loving someone so much that you would literally walk through fire for them, but realizing that they don’t love you in the same way,” Royall says. “Feeling like you wasted your youth loving someone who doesn’t feel the same. Giving your whole self to someone and even when you are completely honest they give you nothing back.” — K.R.

The Chainsmokers feat. Cheyenne Giles, “Make Me Feel”

Okay yes, The Chainsmokers made headlines earlier this week by disclosing some of the extracurricular activities of their early tour days. (And really, no one deserves to be shamed for sexual choices made among consenting adults!) The pair also dropped a new track, and, much like the news that preceded it, it’s something of a surprise, with the pair — who as of late have been found in a more pop-forward/experimental mode — going full dancefloor, synthesizing ’90s house, tech-house, a lift of the immortal sax hook to The Lafayette Afro Rock Band’s “Darkest Light” (previously borrowed by everyone from Wreckx-n-Effect to Jay-Z) and a funky, big-ass drop. Made in collaboration with San Diego producer and friend of Les ‘Smokers Cheyenne Giles, and — surprise again! — out now via Tiësto’s Musical Freedom label. — K. Bain

13 Jan 2023

Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Sam Smith & More: What’s Your Favorite New Music of the Week? Vote!

New music is blooming this week, and among the artists with offerings are Miley Cyrus, who is growing some self-love, and Shakira, who is taking jabs at an ex.

After two weeks of teasing, the former Disney Channel darling presented fans with “Flowers,” a midtempo disco-inspired tracked that sees Cyrus not so much reinventing herself, but falling into a natural progression of her multifaceted sound throughout the years. The song, which preaches of self-fulfillment after a breakup, serves as the first look at upcoming album Endless Summer Vacation, which is scheduled to arrive on March 10.

Shakira also returned with new music, hopping on volume 53 of Bizarrap’s Music Sessions, and using the opportunity to aim several shots at ex-partner soccer star Gerard Piqué. While the track features several scathing one liners — “This is for you to be mortified, to chew and swallow, swallow and chew,” she declares — Shakira shows that she continues to evolve with the times, and that her pen is mightier than the sword.

Following the hype of “Unholy,” Sam Smith delivered “Gimme,” another sultry track that sees them further embracing their sexuality and laying their desires on the line. Koffee and Jessie Reyez provide assists on the track, injecting it with a laid-back, dancehall-infused vibe.

Moneybagg Yo x Glorilla, PartyNextDoor and Margot Price round out this new music Friday. Of all the new music released this week, what are you putting on repeat? Vote in our poll below.

13 Jan 2023

ATEEZ Scores Third Top 10 on Album Sales Chart With ‘Spin Off: From the Witness’

ATEEZ captures its third top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated Jan. 14) as Spin Off: From the Witness debuts at No. 2. The set sold 40,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Jan. 5, according to Luminate. The eight-member South Korean group previously visited the top 10 with The World EP.1: Movement (No. 2 in 2022) and Zero: Fever Part.3 (No. 6 in 2021).

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CDs comprise a little over 39,000 of Spin Off’s sales for the week, while digital album purchases comprise 1,000. Like many K-pop releases, the CD configuration of Spin Off was issued in collectible deluxe packages (six), each with a standard set of items and randomized elements (photocards and posters).

Meanwhile, at No. 1 on Top Album Sales, Taylor Swift’s Midnights spends an 11th consecutive, and total, week atop the list (58,000 sold; up 7%). Midnights has the most weeks at No. 1 since Adele’s 25 collected 11 total nonconsecutive weeks in late 2015 and early 2016. Midnights has the most consecutive weeks atop the list since the Titanic soundtrack scored 16 weeks in a row at No. 1 (the entirety of its No. 1-run) in 1998. Midnights also ties Fearless as Swift’s albums with the most weeks at No. 1 on Top Album Sales.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

RM’s Indigo falls 2-3 on Top Album Sales (9,000; down 41%), Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours rises 5-4 (9,000; down 26%), Harry Styles’ former No. 1 Harry’s House dips 4-5 (8,000; down 38%) and Michael Jackson’s Thriller descends 3-6 (nearly 8,000; down 45%). Tyler, the Creator’s chart-topping Igor is a non-mover at No. 7 (7,000; down 39%), Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city falls 6-8 (nearly 7,000; down 44%), Arctic Monkeys’ AM climbs 15-9 (6,000; down 28%) and SZA’s Ctrl jumps 21-10 (5,000; down 27%).

In the week ending Jan. 5, there were 2.123 million albums sold in the U.S. (down 22.4% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.772 million (down 24.6%) and digital albums comprised 351,000 (up 8.3%).

There were 681,000 CD albums sold in the week ending Jan. 5 (down 11.4% week-over-week) and 1.081 vinyl albums sold (down 31.1%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 681,000 (up 9% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 1.081 million (up 36.8%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 2.123 million (up 16.4% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 1.772 million (up 24.5%) and digital album sales total 351,000 (down 12.4%).

13 Jan 2023

Lisa Marie Presley Will Be Buried at Graceland Next to Her Son

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Lisa Marie Presley will be buried at Graceland, her father Elvis’ mansion that on Friday (Jan. 13) was a gathering place for fans who were distraught over the singer-songwriter’s death a day earlier.

Presley’s final resting place will be next to her son, Benjamin, who died in 2020, said a representative of actor Riley Keough, who is Presley’s daughter.

Fans paid their respects at Graceland’s gates on Friday, writing messages on the stone wall, leaving flowers and sharing memories of Elvis Presley’s only child, who was one of the last remaining touchstones to the icon whose influence and significance still resonates more than 45 years after his sudden death.

Lisa Marie Presley, 54, died Thursday, hours after being hospitalized for a medical emergency.

A singer-songwriter herself, Lisa Marie did not live in Memphis, where she was born. But she made trips to the city for celebrations of her father’s birth anniversary and commemorations of his death, which stunned the world when he was found dead in his Graceland home at age 42 on Aug. 16, 1977. She was in Memphis just this past Sunday, on what would have been her father’s 88th birthday.

Angela Ferraro was among those on Thursday night who stopped by Graceland, where the trees in the front lawn were adorned by green and red lights. Fans took photos and left flowers at the front gate on the chilly and windy evening.

Ferraro and her fiance drove 25 minutes from Olive Branch, Mississippi, to pay their respects. Ferraro said she was a fan of Elvis’ music and of Lisa Marie’s — the couple listened to Lisa Marie’s song “Lights Out” on the drive north to Graceland.

“Elvis died young, and so did she. And her son, his passing was very tragic as well,” said Ferraro, 32. “It’s hard and it’s devastating.”

Lisa Marie became the sole heir of the Elvis Presley Trust, which — along with Elvis Presley Enterprises — managed Graceland and other assets until she sold her majority interest in 2005. She retained ownership of the mansion itself, the 13 acres around it and items inside the home. Her son is buried there, along with her father and other members of the Presley family.

A representative from Elvis Presley Enterprises told The Associated Press that the mansion is in a trust that will go to the benefit of her children — she’s survived by three daughters, including Riley Keough. The representative did not have details on timing of a funeral or burial.

Lisa Marie was 9 when her father died. She was staying at Graceland at the time and would recall him kissing her goodnight hours before he died. When she next saw him, the following day, he was lying face down in the bathroom.

“I just had a feeling,” she told Rolling Stone in 2003. “He wasn’t doing well. All I know is I had it (a feeling), and it happened. I was obsessed with death at a very early age.”

Lisa Marie visited Graceland in 2012 to attend the opening of a new exhibit, “Elvis Through His Daughter’s Eyes,” a personal look that included her baby shoes — her birth, nine months exactly after Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s wedding, was international news — as well as her first record player and a small white fur coat.

During an interview with the AP during that stop, she smiled when recalling the time spent with her dad. She said one of her favorite items was the key used to operate a golf cart because it helped her recall when she was alone with her father, riding around the neighborhood.

“That was my life,” she said. “I carried it everywhere. It was never far from me or not on my person when I was a child. I hadn’t seen it in 35 years.”

Kristen Sainato and her husband were visiting Memphis from Cleveland when she heard the news of Lisa Marie’s death on Thursday. She wore a black jacket with the well-known TCB lightning bolt (shorthand for taking care of business in a flash, a motto Elvis lived by) on the back as she described meeting Lisa Marie at a celebration of her father’s birthday. Sainato set down a bouquet of flowers at the front gate of Graceland, where one of two planes is named for Lisa Marie.

“Those are for Lisa,” she said.

She said Lisa Marie Presley was one of the last connections to her famous father.

“Everyone is shocked over this. Why? Why did this have to happen?” Sainato said, wiping tears from her eyes as she stood in front of the stone wall that borders the home-turned museum. “She deserved a long, happy life.”

13 Jan 2023

Apple TV+ Prepping ‘My Kind of Country’ Music Competition Series

Apple TV+ will boot scoot into the reality music competition space on March 24 with the launch of My Kind of Country. The series will feature country stars Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and masked crooner Orville Peck as scouts who will search the world to find the next big country star. In addition, executive producers actress Reese Witherspoon and singer Kacey Musgraves will be featured in the series.

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The show was described in Friday’s (Jan. 13) release as, “a fresh take on a competition series, breaking down barriers in country music by providing an extraordinary opportunity to diverse and innovative artists from around the world.” The three A-list scouts will choose a roster of up-and-coming artists, who they will invite to Nashville to showcase their sounds for the panel in a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime shot at stardom.

The winner of the eight-episode series will receive what is described as a “life-changing prize” from Apple Music that will include “unprecedented support and exposure on the platform.”

In addition to Witherspoon and Musgraves, the show’s other executive producers include Hello Sunshine’s Sara Rea and Lauren Neustadter; Sandbox Entertainment’s Jason Owen; Emmy-nominated showrunner Izzie Pick Ibarra (The Masked Singer, Dancing With the Stars); and Done + Dusted’s Katy Mullan (The Disney Family Singalong, The Little Mermaid Live!). Emmy-winner Adam Blackstone (Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Faith Hill) is the series’ music director.

13 Jan 2023

Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, Dead & Company to Headline New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2023

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival unfurled its 2023 lineup on Friday (Jan. 13) with Lizzo, Ed Sheeran and Dead & Company among the headliners.

Other big names at the top of the event’s roster include Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Santana, Jon Batiste, Jill Scott, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, Kane Brown, H.E.R., Steve Miller Band and more.

The Louisiana-based fest will take place across two weekends from April 28 to May 7 at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Tickets packages come in either a three-day option for $240 on weekend one or a four-day option for $290 on weekend two, with additional early bird and VIP ticketing available while supplies last. Prospective attendees can buy tickets on the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s official website.

The seven-day festival will also feature the Congo Square African Marketplace, where concertgoers will find an array of original goods and crafting techniques presented by artisans ranging from the local to the international, as well as the Contemporary Crafts tents in Heritage Square and the Louisiana Marketplace highlighting the state’s vibrant culture.

Sheeran will take the stage in New Orleans in between dates on the upcoming North American leg of his Mathematics Tour, which sold more concert tickets in 2022 than any other act. At the end of May, Lizzo will also headline BottleRock Napa Valley alongside Post Malone and Lil Nas X.

Meanwhile, Dead & Co. will kick off their final tour just weeks after playing Jazz Fest with John Mayer and company starting the nationwide trek at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on May 19 and 20.

Check out the full lineup for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2023 below.