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In advance of Britney Spears coming back to the big screen in next month’s re-release of the singer’s movie debut in 2002’s coming-of-age road-trip dramedy Crossroads, a new trailer is getting fans hyped for the special event.
The 30-second trailer for the global fan event on Oct. 23 and 25 opens with Spears’ Lucy enthusiastically singing Madonna’s “Open Your Heart” into a spoon in her teenage bedroom, which just happens to have a poster of Madge’s debut album cover in plain view on the wall.
As Spears bounces around the room lost in music, she suddenly stops and hops under the bed when her dad (Dan Akroyd) yells from the other room. Cut to Lucy hopping in the car with her two estranged high school besties, Mimi (Taryn Manning) and Kit (Zoë Saldaña) for a cross-country road trip, where they’re joined by Mimi’s handsome friend, Ben (Anson Mount).
“So I’m going all the way to California,” Mimi says, as Spears’ Lucy counsels, “you can’t go by yourself with some guy.” We also see Akroyd berating Lucy for sneaking away in the middle of the night and ordering her to return right away. The clip ends with Spears crooning “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,” one of the hits from the singer’s 2001 Britney album.
The two-night event from Trafalgar Releasing, Sony Music Entertainment and RCA Records will support Spears’ upcoming tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me (Oct. 24). The movie written by Shonda Rhimes (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy) and directed by Tamra Davis (CB4, 13) will include bonus features never before seen in theaters — including a sing-along to two of Spears’ songs from the film.
“I recently rewatched Crossroads and was so enthralled with the time capsule of nostalgia that this incredible ensemble cast brings to the screen,” director Davis said in a statement when the re-release was announced last week. “Britney is absolutely breathtaking to watch, and Shonda is showing us her early expertise in writing complicated female characters.”
There will also be a new merch line featuring shirts, sweats, jackets and pieces inspired by the film’s wardrobe, as well as RCA Records’ Crossroads: Special Edition of the soundtrack, with three new Spears remixes: “Overprotected” (Richi Lopez Remix), “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” (Snakehips Remix) and “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” (Frank Walker Remix).
Watch the new Crossroads trailer below.
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Billie Eilish has been teasing new music for a while and in an interview with The Cookout this week, the singer said she has a lot in store for for fans. “There is lots of music coming,” she said. “There is a whole album of music coming. We’re in the final stages of making it, […]
09/27/2023
Here’s everything that has gone down between the Grammy-winning pop star and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.
09/27/2023
It’s officially been 10 years since the release of Lorde‘s debut album Pure Heroine, on which she prophetically sings: “It feels so scary getting old.” Yep, nailed it.
In a candid email to fans, the 26-year-old pop star celebrated the bittersweet 10-year anniversary of her debut album by sharing unseen photos of her then-signature mane of untamed curls, near-black lipsticks and teenage bedroom, recalling memories of how she put together Pure Heroine a whole decade ago. (Plus, she announced that a couple pieces of limited edition Pure Heroine merch are available for purchase here.)
“I started to smoke weed, which gave me a deeper understanding of sensory pleasure, and allowed me to start to see my world as a possible work of art,” Lorde shared in her message, sent out to her subscription list Wednesday (Sept. 27). “I’d go on long walks around the neighbourhood, and began to mythologise the stuff around me (big empty floodlit rugby fields/bus rides/dark streets/boredom/isolation) into the motifs that would become Pure Heroine. I wore a lot of like, navy lipsticks from the 2 dollar shop. God, this aesthetic, It’s just TOO MUCH.”
She also gave a tender shoutout to Joel Little, who co-wrote and produced Pure Heroine with the singer-songwriter when she was just 15 years old. “When you’re a teenager, you’re particularly sensitive to adults being condescending to you, not respecting the specific and finely tuned skills you have because of the ones you don’t,” she said. “From the first day meeting Joel, I knew that he would never give me that feeling. Which I’m sure wasn’t easy — my wallet at the time was the foot of a pair of tights that I cut off and knotted at the top.”
Released Sept. 27, 2013, Pure Heroine complemented the success of Lorde’s smash debut single “Royals” — which had taken pop radio by storm and clocked a nine-week reign atop the Billboard Hot 100 — debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and remaining on the chart for 107 weeks. It earned the New Zealander her first Grammy nominations in 2014, and she took home song of the year for “Royals” that year.
“In this stage, it felt like I pulled everything off by the skin of my teeth,” she remembered in her email. “Every week was the most exciting week of my whole life, I was so tired and still didn’t have a winter coat and took everyone clamouring for a piece of me completely for granted. I had zero cultural context, had no idea if an interview or TV show was huge or small, and so breezed through it all truly not giving a f–k.”
“I just said absolutely whatever I felt like, all kinds of wild s–t, if someone did something corny I’d say so, I was ruthless in that way that only teens are,” Lorde continued. “Then through that year we went on our first tours, met you guys for the first time, hours and hours of hugs after the show, my favourite part so far and where it started to feel real for me.”
The “Green Light” musician has since released two more LPs — 2017’s Melodrama, her first No. 1 album, and 2021’s Solar Power — but she still has a soft spot for the moody ten-track record that made her a pop music mainstay in 2013. “Ten years goes really fast,” she concluded. “One minute you’re wearing a leather collar with a giant crystal hanging off it to a Chanel party, and the next you’re blonde.”
“A lot of stuff isn’t good after ten years,” Lorde added. “But I am still totally touched by this sweet record. I have deep respect for the vision of the little one making it.”
Stream Pure Heroine below:
Robin Thicke grew up on TV sets. His beloved late father, Alan Thicke, played everyone’s favorite TV dad, Dr. Jason Seaver, on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains, as well as hosting game shows and talk shows and producing and writing the iconic theme songs to a number of sitcoms (Diff’rent Strokes) and game shows (Wheel of Fortune).
But after deciding early on to focus on music and releasing eight studio albums — including 2013’s multi-platinum Blurred Lines, which featured the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping title track — Thicke took what he thought would be a brief detour into prime-time TV when he joined the panel of The Masked Singer.
Fast-forward more than four years, and Thicke is gearing up for Wednesday night’s (Sept. 27) launch of the reality singing competition’s 10th season and marveling at how much joy he takes from the guessing games he gets to play with fellow panelists Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg every week.
Before the season 10 debut, Thicke sat down with Billboard for a chat about this year’s new format; whether he really, seriously has no idea who is under those masks; his opinion on why the show has struck such a chord with viewers during a wild few years; and his plans for the follow-up to his 2021 album On Earth, and in Heaven.
Your dad spent seven years in prime time on Growing Pains and logged hundreds of episodes on game shows. Did you ever imagine you’d follow in his footsteps and put up 10 seasons on a prime-time show?
There was a moment when I never saw myself as a TV guy. I loved and idolized my father — he was my Greek God — but I definitely wanted to pave my own way and be an artist and I didn’t see myself as a TV guy. Then, this opportunity came and when we finished the first season and T-Pain was the winner as Monster… I came home and said, “This could be a hit show!” I looked up at the sky and said, “My dad would love this.” He loved prime-time TV and he loved hosting all kinds of shows and would have been jealous of [Masked Singer host] Nick Cannon. He loved every day of work and always joked that he was the affordable [season 8 Masked contestant and Star Trek star] William Shatner.
This season will really mix it up, taking the best styles from previous seasons, using the Wild Card, Battle Royale and Ding Dong Keep It bell and all kinds of themed nights (Elton John, Harry Potter, Trolls Night). How do you keep things fresh after this many seasons?
Any time a show gets around season 7, it starts to stale out and you have to rejuvenate it. The last few seasons the theme nights have been so fun — Elton John, the disco night we did last season was amazing — and I think what’s great about season 10 bringing back favorite contestants (Jewel, Bret Michaels, Le’Veon Bell) and the fan-favorite elements from previous seasons [will keep it fun].
Do you have any say in the theme nights? This year’s sounds fun: NFL, One Hit Wonders…
It gives us a chance to dress silly like we’re going to a themed birthday party. It’s a blast to dress up. We are so in love with each other from the beginning. I had never met Ken, but I knew Jenny from a couple parties and Nicole and I were both on Interscope at the same time… Nick and I knew each other from the Real Husbands of Hollywood. In fact, Nick was the one who suggested me [for the panel], so I have to thank him for. When we first started I didn’t know if it was my thing, but then I kind of fell in love with it and it was a blessing.
Readers ask all the time, so I have to ask: Do you really have no idea who the singers are?
Absolutely not. We’re not near them and we don’t hear them warming up. Most of the time, up until the last second [I don’t know who they are]. It’s only when I hear a familiar voice that I’ve listened to a million times and know the voice in my head [that I can guess it]. The amount of times when one of us thought we were 100% sure and were wrong…
I am a bit bummed that he’s never tweeted at me about it — since I have consistently referred to him as “Always Wrong Ken Jeong” — but, seriously, how does the good Doctor always get it so wrong?
He’s starting to take it more seriously lately. But he’s the court jester and he loves to have fun and nobody has more fun than Ken. He brings the drama and energizes the crowd.
Have there ever been ones that you figured out right away because they had a tell only you would know?
I used to watch the Ricki Lake show as a teenager in school, and when she was touching her heart when she was speaking [during season 1], I was like, “That’s Ricki Lake!” And when [fellow season 1 contestant and NFL great] Terry Bradshaw laughs, his shoulders pump up and down, so as soon as he started talking I was like, “That’s Terry! I know that laugh!”
You have four kids, and contestants often tell me they do the show because their kids love it or they love watching with their kids. How do yours feel about it?
They love it. Because of COVID restrictions, I finally just brought the three young ones to their first full shoot during season 10, and they had the time of their lives. Their eyes were glued to the stage and they asked all kinds of questions later. I think it’s kind of a surreal, magic land experience with crazy characters and beautiful scenery and amazing music and dancing.
I know Nicole is still around this season [before sitting out season 11 during her current run as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in London], but how do you feel about Rita Ora stepping in for the next one?
Nicole is part of the OG four, so she’s on Mount Rushmore. We’re so lucky to have Rita, who is just a pro and so lovable and funny. … She blended in perfectly and is also a ham like the rest of us. We blend in like a nice smoothie.
Why do you think this show has struck such a chord with viewers? Is there something about this crazy time we’re living in that has made it so popular?
You can do everything by yourself now with streaming [and phones]. The warmth of community and brotherhood and sisterhood is dwindling, so I think it’s important any opportunities we have to go to a ball game or go with a bunch of friends to a concert where everyone puts their phone down to watch the show. That’s rare in these days and the bond we bring is meaningful.
This show has kept you busy for years, do you have any music you’re working on to give you a break from your day job?
My home burned down in the [2018] Malibu fires, so I’ve been on the road for four years and having children, so I have a big vault of unreleased music. Since we moved back to the Malibu house, the past eight or nine months have been the most productive I’ve been for years. I’m excited for new music at the top of 2024… I have 75% of the album done.
Get ready, BTS ARMY! Jung Kook‘s newest single, “3D” featuring Jack Harlow, is slated to arrive this Friday (Sept. 29). To drum up anticipation for the song’s release, the K-pop star shared a teaser for the song’s music video on Wednesday (Sept. 27), which provides both a snippet of the song and an idea of […]
Travis Kelce knows exactly how this works. After 100% more people cared about football this weekend thanks to Taylor Swift showing up to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs (and, of course, Kelce) on Sunday, the KC star teased that he might spill the beans on whether, as rumored, he’s the man in Tay’s life the on this week’s episode of his New Heights podcast with brother and fellow NFL player Jason Kelce.
Or not. Because as of Wednesday morning (Sept. 27) there were only 21 seconds of the pod to pore over like the Zapruder film until the full episode drops later in the day. “We’ve been avoiding this subject out of respect for your personal life – now we’ve got to talk about it,” older brother Jason teased.
“My personal life that is not so personal,” Travis joked about the intense scrutiny he’s been under since Swift donned the red and white and whooped it up in a skybox next to the Kelce’s mom, Donna. “I did this to myself Jason, I know this,” he added.
And though two-time Super Bowl winner and eight-time Pro Bowler Travis has plenty to brag about on the field, Jason knew exactly how to ding his little bro where it hurts. “Well Trav, how does it feel that Taylor Swift has finally put you on the map?” he asked.
Though neither Kelce nor Swift have publicly commented on rumors that they are dating, the singer’s presence at Sunday’s game has revved up a titanic hype machine, with breathless coverage from the sports press, mainstream media and even typically taciturn New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick to crack a joke about the reported romance.
“Travis Kelce has had a lot of big catches in his career — this would be the biggest,” he joked on The Greg Hill Show when asked about the new NFL “power couple.” In addition to getting her LFG on at the game, Swift was later seen leaving Arrowhead Stadium with Kelce, driving off in his convertible.
Kelce revealed in July that he went to Swift’s Eras Tour date at Arrowhead earlier this summer and tried unsuccessfully to slip her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it. Not long afterwards, rumors emerged that the two were seeing each other, with brother Philadelphia Eagles center Jason jokingly last week in an interview that the dating rumors were “one hundred percent true.”
Watch the New Heights teaser below; the full episode is slated to drop at 9:30 a.m. ET
When Usher was announced as the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show headliner over the weekend, the conversation on social media was a mixture of excitement and surprise — with some questioning whether it’s been too long since the R&B/pop superstar had a hit. While his last Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit was more than […]
P!nk suffers no fools, especially when they’re in the audience at her live shows. During her Summer Carnival tour stop in San Antonio on Monday (Sept. 25), the “Trustfall” singer proved yet again that she won’t hold back from clowning on concertgoers. In a fan-filmed TikTok clip, P!nk can be seen interacting with an attendee […]
As the internet continues to collectively squeal over Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s rumored courtship, one NFL team is making sure to celebrate their favorite Kelce-Swift couple. On Monday night (Sept. 25), the Philadelphia Eagles posted a video clip to their X (formerly known as Twitter) account, celebrating their “favorite Kelce x Swift duo” — […]