Pop
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Olivia Rodrigo is open to going back to the start. The “Vampire” singer who got her start as a kid and teen actor on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Bizaardvark told Variety magazine at the Academy’s Governors Awards on Tuesday night (Jan. 9) that she’d totally be up for a return to […]
Thirty years after the Spice Girls formed, triggering a wave of Girl Power that spread the globe, the classic lineup will reunite for a project.
Though details remain under lock and key, founding member Mel B let the news slip out during her appearance on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.
When asked about the chances of a Spice Girls reunion, Mel B (real name Melanie Brown) told Hoda Kotb, “I’ve been saying it forever. But now we’re actually going to be releasing some really good news in about a few weeks that involves all five of us.”A reunion isn’t a sinch, she continues. “There’s five of us, five separate diaries, we’re all parents.”
The famous five is, of course, Baby (Emma Bunton), Posh (Victoria Beckham), Ginger (Geri Halliwell-Horner), Sporty (Melanie Chisholm) and Scary Spice (Mel B) – an outfit that landed No. 1s on both sides of the Atlantic during a hot streak in the late 1990s.Will Spicemaniacs be satisfied by what’s to come? Apparently so. “100%,” enthuses Mel B. “And it’s going to be the gift that keeps on giving, without saying too much about it. I’m going to get myself into so much trouble.”
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The Spice Girls assembled in 1994, and had a global phenomenon two years later with their debut single, 1996’s “Wannabe.” The catchy track logged four weeks at the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1997, and is one of the group’s nine U.K. No. 1 singles. “Wannabe” is still powering along, passing one billion streams on Spotify over the recent holiday period. The Brits’ debut LP Spice spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and 15 weeks at the summit of the Official U.K. Albums Chart (followup Spiceworld logged three weeks at No. 1 in the U.K. in 1997).It takes something special to gather the girls. The last time all five performed together was for the London Olympics in 2012, though the pop act hit the road for a tour in 2019, doing so as a four-piece without Victoria Beckham.The Spice Girls did reunite in 2022 for the occasion of Geri’s 50th birthday, an event that doubled-up as the 25th anniversary of their Spiceworld, their sophomore album. Geri had left the group in 1998 to embark on a solo career, but returning to the fold in 2007 for the Return of the Spice Girls Tour.
Reunion talk aside, Mel B used her stint on the Today with Hoda & Jenna couch to discuss her return to the America’s Got Talent judging panel, her MBE, her book, her forthcoming wedding and the Royal Mail’s special collection of Spice Girls stamps. “It is massive,” she says of the new stamp issue. “For the Royal Mail, it’s usually the Queen, and the King” on the stamps. “And now it’s the Spice Girls.”
Watch the interview below.
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Just how high can Sophie Ellis-Bextor dance up the Billboard Hot 100 with her resurgent, Saltburn-powered hit “Murder on the Dancefloor,” 20 years after the song’s initial release? On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are talking about the buzzy early-aughts song, which this week debuts at No. 98 on the Hot […]
Mother Monster is back! Lady Gaga took to Instagram on Monday night (Jan. 8) to share a photo set of herself in a dimly-lit music studio, posing by the microphone in an oversized striped sweater, chunky black heeled boots and sunglasses. She captioned the post with a black heart and music notes emojis, confirming that […]
Madonna swapped a fan favorite into her set list on Monday night (Jan. 8) in Boston during the fifth act of her career-spanning Celebration concert. In the slot where she typically performs an acoustic cover of Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 disco anthem “I Will Survive,” the singer offered the audience at TD Garden a surprise unplugged run through half of her empowering 1989 Like a Prayer single “Express Yourself.”
According to fan video of the moment, Madonna raised a bottle of beer to salute 2024 with “gratitude and appreciation” before picking up an acoustic guitar and momentarily setting aside her gigantic leather cowboy hat, joking, “I have too many props… I feel like I’m in a saloon and everyone is hootin’ and hollerin’.”
She then gave thanks that she gets to perform on stage every night with her four “beautiful, talented, intelligent, opinionated children,” lamenting that her eldest, daughter Lourdes and son Rocco, have “moved on,” but that she has twin daughters Estere and Stella Ciccone on the road with her, along with older sister Mercy James and son David Banda, every night.
“I’m very grateful, because while they may need me as a mother, I must admit that I need them,” she said. “And I need you, and we need each other, cuz family isn’t just what you’re born into. Family is the family that you create. And if you feel like you’re part of my family turn the lights on your phone.”
She then sang an a cappella verse of the 1920s folk song “This Little Light of Mine” with some help from the crowd before saying that while she was telling the audience what she needs, she also wanted to share what she doesn’t need. That cued up the No. 2 Billboard Hot 100 hit about pushing away material riches in lieu of women speaking up, and out for themselves.
“You don’t need diamond rings or eighteen karat gold,” she crooned in the instantly recognizable “Express Yourself” second verse. “Fancy cars that go very fast, you know they never last, no, no/ What you need is a big strong hand/ To lift you to your higher ground/ Make you feel like a queen on a throne,” she sang while strumming her guitar and hitting the iconic chorus and the next verse, pre-chorus and chorus about never going for “second best.”
The mini performance ended with an a cappella sing-along with the crowd to the line “express what he’s got, oh baby ready or not.”
The career-spanning tour plays TD Garden again on Tuesday night (Jan. 9) before moving on to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday (Jan. 11).
This summer’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival will feature headlining sets from Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fred Again.. and Pretty Lights. The annual blowout event camping fest on the ‘Roo Farm in Manchester, TN will take place on June 13-16 will also host Megan Thee Stallion, Cage the Elephant, Maggie Rogers, Melanie Martinez, Carly Rae Jepsen, Diplo, T-Pain, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Diplo and Jon Batiste, among many others.
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The acts will take to 10 stages for the four-day event featuring sets running into the early morning, as well as sunrise performances. Other artists on this year’s poster include: Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp, Cigarettes After Sex, Fisher, Dominic Fike, Parcels, Idles, Joey Bada$$, Lizzy McAlpine, Interpol, Taking Back Sunday, Gary Clark Jr., Sean Paul, Gwar, BigXthaPlug, Michigander, The Mars Volta, Key Glock, Grouplove, Teezo Touchdown, Thundercat and Brittany Howard.
In an announcement on Tuesday morning (Jan. 9), organizers revealed that for the first time in the event’s history the main What Stage will be fired up for a special headlining set on Thursday night by Pretty Lights, who will also return for a second sunrise set on The Other Stage on the final night; Sunday’s lineup will also mark the only 2024 U.S. festival appearance by Fred again..
This year’s SuperJam (June 15) in the That Tent, “One More With Feeling(s) — The Dashboard Confessional Emo Superjam,” will feature a performance from the Chris Carrabba-fronted band with to-be-announced (as well as unannounced) guests.
Pre-sale tickets will be available starting Thursday (Jan. 11) at 11 a.m ET, with fans encouraged to sign up now for a pre-sale code here; a public on-sale will follow if any tickets remain. Ticket package options include a 4-day general admission, 4-day GA+, 4-day VIP, 4-day platinum and a variety of other camping and parking options starting at $25 down with a payment plan.
Bonnaroo 2024 will feature more than 150 performances across the campground, 150 food vendors (including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options) and free water stations.
Check out the 2024 poster below.
London’s Southwark Coroners Court announced on Tuesday (Jan. 9) that beloved “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer Sinéad O’Connor died of natural causes. The Hollywood Reporter reported that the coroner’s office revealed in a statement, “This is to confirm that Ms. O’Connor died of natural causes. The coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death. […]
Taylor Swift has earned herself a spot in the penthouse of Dita Von Teese’s heart. The famed burlesque performer shared in a new chat on the Allison Interviews podcast that the “Anti-Hero” singer was delightful to work with on the martini glass routine in the pop superstar’s “Bejeweled” music video. “The best experience was Taylor,” […]
Happy new year, MIDZY! ITZY kicked off 2024 with the release of its brand new mini-album, Born to Be, on Monday (Jan. 8). The set, which makes the group’s eighth mini-album overall, is now available to listen to on streaming platforms.
The set features 10 tracks: “Born to Be,” “Untouchable,” “Mr. Vampire,” “Dynamite” and “Escalator” performed by Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna, and for the first time, five solo tracks by each member — “Crown on my Head (Yeji),” “Blossom (Lia),” “Run Away (Ryujin),” “Mine (Chaeryeong)” and “Yet, But (Yuna).”
Born to Be was released alongside the official music video for “Untouchable,” which features the K-pop group facing off against a series of soldiers planning to take them down, as well as deteriorating buildings and pinpoint lasers. “I’m untouchable, it’s already begun/ With this flow, just (Just) going (Going) on and on/ Go on mess it up now, easily knockout/ Whatever it is, I don’t care about/ I’m untouchable, everlasting form,” the girls sing on the chorus of the energetic track.
Lia is notably absent from the music video, as well as promotional materials for Born to Be. She is currently on hiatus from the group while she recovers from a series of personal health issues.
“Lia underwent consultation and examination as she is experiencing extreme tension and anxiety about carrying out her scheduled activities and received medical advice that she needs rest and treatment,” the group’s label, JYP Entertainment shared in a September announcement. “With the artist’s health as our top priority, after careful discussion with the members, we decided that Lia will not participate in scheduled activities starting from today and will take a break for the time being to focus on her treatment.”
Lia followed up the statement with a letter of her own, telling fans, “I felt like I needed to take some time off to love and fill myself first. As I always say, I sincerely hope that MIDZY will be happy. I will work to return in good health.”
Stream Born to Be below and watch the music video for “Untouchable” above.
The Weeknd compiled his first three mixtapes into one Trilogy compilation album back in 2012, and 12 years later, he’s preparing to close out the current chapter in his career with yet another trilogy. On Sunday (Jan. 7), he posted the album covers from his 2020 album After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM — the […]