Pop

15 Aug 2023

Post Malone Nervously Sings ‘Sunflower,’ ‘Circles’ & More Hits for NPR’s Tiny Desk: Watch

Someone very special was posted up at NPR’s offices this week: Post Malone, making his Tiny Desk Concert debut on the heels of his new album Austin.

Posty’s voice sounded a little rough around the edges during the four-song performance, which he explained was due to the strain of his ongoing If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying Tour. After joking about how nervous he felt to perform on the web series, he noted: “I’m on tour, and my voice is ‘balls’ right now, so I appreciate you guys listening and putting up with that.”

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The rock star kicked off his set with “Sunflower,” his 2019 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash with Swae Lee written for the Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse soundtrack. Next, with the help of a string quartet and backup singers, he transformed his 2017 single “I Fall Apart” into an emotional, folksy ballad.

“You guys f–king rock, thank you for being nice to me,” Post told the crowd halfway through the set.

The 28-year-old artist went on to sing “Circles,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 2019, before closing out with “Enough Is Enough,” a song from his July 28 album Austin. Both songs got the rootsy, full-band acoustic treatment as well, with Post playing acoustic guitar throughout the entire concert.

“I’m sweating my a– off,” he confessed after the performance concluded. “This is like a dream for me.”

Austin debuted last week atop both the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart as well as the Top Alternative Albums chart, and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in its first week. On top of his tour schedule, Post has been hard at work promoting the record, making stops on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1 show and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast.

Watch Post Malone’s Tiny Desk concert above.

15 Aug 2023

Lorde Previews Unreleased Song & Sings ‘Green Light’ With Caroline Polachek in Budapest

Lucky fans at Lorde‘s Sziget Festival show in Budapest Monday night (Aug. 14) were treated to two very special surprises: a performance of one of the indie pop icon’s unreleased songs, as well as a guest appearance from Caroline Polachek.

Lorde has been previewing two unreleased songs at her festival shows over the past week or so, which fans have titled “Silver Moon” and “Invisible Ink,” respectively. At her latest concert, she sang the former track, asking the crowd to “shut your eyes and feel it with me.”

“Allow me to set the scene/ When I met you, I’d never done ecstasy,” she sang, standing in front of a massive sun prop. “Just a girl with a dream, remember?/ Back then I still had wisdom teeth.”

The performance follows a cryptic Instagram post from Lorde last week, in which she seemed to tease that a future project was slowly taking shape. “These times are beautiful and they freak me out and there’s so much to tell you,” she wrote in a post following her Aug. 9 Øya Festival in Oslo. “No this is not the start of anything out there, just want u to know there’s a light on inside me .. show it to you soon.”

Unfortunately for fans of “Silver Moon” and “Invisible Ink,” however, it doesn’t look like the “Mood Ring” singer has any plans to release them anytime soon. According to screenshots, Lorde informed a commenter on Instagram that she’d simply decided to set the tracks “free from my laptop,” as she figured they were “beautiful and fun” for her Solar Power run of festival shows.

On the bright side, fans of both Lorde and Caroline Polachek got to enjoy the ultimate crossover when Polachek joined the “Royals” musician onstage in Budapest, helping to transform Lorde’s 2017 hit “Green Light” into an electric duet. “Caroline Polachek, everybody!” Lorde cheered, hugging Polachek at the end of their performance.

Watch Lorde perform “Silver Moon” in Budapest here.

15 Aug 2023

Drake Goes Off On Male Fan For Wrestling a Woman Over Rapper’s Sweat Towel: ‘Are You Dumb?’

After a male concertgoer wrestled a female fan to the ground in order to forcefully take Drake‘s sweat towel from her — which Drizzy had thrown to her as a gift following his recent L.A. show — the rapper wasn’t about to let her take the L.

In fan videos chronicling the moment, which went down seconds after Drake finished his second of four performances at the Kia Forum, the “Rich Flex” rapper can be seen tossing his towel to a woman watching him exit from the upper level. Immediately after the terry tribute, a male fan instigates a tug-of-war for the rag, pulling the woman to the ground.

Turns out, that’s actually a great way to earn yourself a scolding from the man of the hour. “Are you dumb?” Drake yelled angrily as he watched the scene unfold. “I’mma send someone up there.”

The five-time Grammy winner is halfway through his four-night run at the Forum, with his third show at the venue slated for Tuesday night (Aug. 15). Kim Kardashian was in attendance at his Sunday night (Aug. 13) performance, as were Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny, looking very much in love. At one point, Bunny joined Drake onstage and the two announced to the crowd that they’re teaming up for a collaboration on Drizzy’s next album.

Drake will be on the road with his joint It’s All a Blur Tour with 21 Savage through early October, hitting up arenas in the U.S. and Canada before closing out with a final show in Columbus, OH. The trek marks his first North American tour in five years, following 2018’s Drake & The Three Migos Tour. In 2019, he toured through Europe with support from recently imprisoned rapper Tory Lanez and Radio 1 DJ Tiffany Calver.

Watch Drake intervene in a fan scuffle over his sweat towel below:

15 Aug 2023

Adele Sweetly Stops Las Vegas Show to Help Couple With Baby Gender Reveal: ‘That Was Amazing’

Adele has issued a stern warning to fans who would dare to throw any objects up at her on stage during her Las Vegas residency. But nobody said anything about signs. Though it’s apparently verboten to bring placards into the singer’s Weekends with Adele residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, one sneaky couple secreted one in over the weekend that read “Adele will you do our gender reveal?,” and it was totally worth it.

In a video shared on his TikTok and Instagram, Chris Dare and wife Shantelle Lord managed to stop the show and rope Adele into helping them with their big announcement. The singer — mother to 10-year-old son Angelo with her ex — invited the New York couple up the front of the stage and after getting their names, she told the audience, “Shantelle and Chris are having a baby,” before finding out that Shantelle is 18 weeks along and had waited to find out the baby’s gender until they attended Adele’s show.

“No one’s really allowed signs in here, I’m just obsessed that you got one in,” Adele told the couple. “I’ve never done this,” she added while taking a slip of paper from the pair. “Oh my God, I think it’s [the note] like from a doctor!” Asking if there was anything in particular they wanted her to say and making sure they had someone filming the blessed moment, Shantelle told the singer, “I’m just honored that you’re going to do this for us. We’ve known since 12 weeks and we have been waiting for this moment.”

The latter comment drew an audible “awwww” from the crowd and compelled Adele to take a seat on the stage so she could properly rip open the envelope. “So… Shantelle and Chris are having a baby… BOY!” she said as the couple exploded into excitement, with Chris raising his arms in triumph and both sneaking in a quick hug with the singer.

“That was amazing! I’m so happy for you,” Adele said weeping as the couple kissed. “That’s so emotional. Oh my God! If and when I get pregnant will you do my gender reveal?” In a 2022 Elle interview, Adele said she “definitely” wants more kids some day,” but is currently focused on her residency, which runs through November.

Check out the reveal below.

15 Aug 2023

RM Promises That BTS Will Be ‘Back For Sure’ in 2025: ‘This Is Like a Vacation’

How can you miss them if they don’t go away? That’s essentially what BTS‘ RM said during a Weverse livestream over the weekend, during which the singer promised ARMY that the K-pop supergroup is on target to regroup right on schedule.

After reading a heartfelt letter from an ARMY member expressing how much the group has meant to their fans over the past decade, RM offered some assurance, and hope, that things will be back to normal soon.

“I hope our songs and solo projects could be another reminder to you guys of how important ARMY was, has been and will be in our lives at the same time,” he read, speaking in English after listening to the ARMY-created tribute song “Love Letters” during the chat. “I hope that it is a reminder that spring will come again. Please continue to keep BTS alive in your hearts, in this moment and perhaps throughout your entire life.”

After sharing the ARMY thoughts, RM got personal, noting that band mate Suga talked “a lot” about the feelings he had during his 28-show solo run this year and how much love he felt from ARMY, who are patiently “waiting for the reunion in 2025”; BTS’ seven members announced last year that they were taking a group break to focus on solo projects while the men prepare to take part in South Korean’s mandatory military service requirement.

“Even though we’re doing our solo activities on our own… what I’m thinking these days when I’m doing my solo projects is… this is just like a vacation,” RM said of his solo efforts, which include his recent hot trending songs No. 1 collab with Colde on “Don’t Ever Say Love Me.”

“To get back to where I was, which was BTS and ARMY. All the solo [activities] is just a journey,” he said. “But it is a very important journey for Chapter 2. But it’s a journey to get back home safe.”

And then RM uttered the words all of ARMY have been waiting to hear.

“Eventually, when we get back and reunite together in 2025… [we will] be back for sure. We’ll be joining together again. And that will be in 2025.”

During the 40-minute video chat, RM also commented on his buzz cut (“no reason” he said when someone asked why he’d shorn his locks) and busted out some dance moves, admitting that he’s “scared” he’s going to forget the group’s choreo if he doesn’t keep practicing. He also munched on a candy bar and fessed up that he doesn’t really watch soccer unless it’s the World Cup.

So far, Jin and J-Hope have entered the military and Suga is expected to go next.

Watch RM’s live chat below.

15 Aug 2023

Beyonce Slots Lizzo Back Into ‘Break My Soul’ Remix, Shouts Her Out in Atlanta: ‘I Love You, Lizzo!’

Beyoncé showed some love for Lizzo during her Renaissance gig in Atlanta on Monday night (Aug. 14). After previously appearing to leave the “About Damn Time” singer out of the lyrics to the “Break My Soul (The Queens Remix)” earlier on the tour after Lizzo was hit with a lawsuit from three former dancers accusing her of creating a hostile environment and sexual harassment, Bey slotted Lizzo back in and added a shout out during the last of three gigs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“Lizzo. I love you, Lizzo!” Beyoncé shouted during the performance of the song that finds her ticking off a list of legendary female artists including Bessie Smith, her sister Solange, Erykah Badu, Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill and many others.

Just a week after being hit with the lawsuit from the former dancers — which also included allegations that they were pressured to touch nude dancers during a live sex show — the lawyer representing the three dancers said last week that “we have received at least six inquiries from other people with similar stories since we filed the complaint.”

The original complaint covering alleged harassment that allegedly took place between 2021-2023, was filed on behalf of dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez. It accused Lizzo (born Melissa Jefferson) and her Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. of a wide range of legal wrongdoing, including racial and religious discrimination. They also included allegations that the captain of Lizzo’s dance team, Shirlene Quigley, forced her religious beliefs on the plaintiffs and took repeated actions that made them uncomfortable, including commenting on their virginity and simulating oral sex on a banana in front of them.

Lizzo denied the initial allegations in a statement, in which she wrote that they are “false” and “sensationalized stories,” adding, “I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.”

She said that the allegations that she and her company created a hostile work environment were “unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.” Beyoncé had pointedly left Lizzo’s name out of the live performance of the “Break My Soul” remix during an Aug. 1 show in Massachusetts, repeating Badu’s name four times instead; she reportedly slotted the singer’s call-out back into the song during a show in Maryland on Aug. 7. Bey’s mother, Tina Knowles, said the apparent Lizzo leave out was not done on purpose, pointing out that the singer also left out former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland’s name that night, while fans have noted that not every name in the remix makes it into every performance.

Lizzo has kept a low profile since the lawsuit was filed and one of the only shows she had on her upcoming roster, a headlining slot at this year’s Made in America festival in Philly (Sept. 2-3), was pulled last week when organizers unexpectedly cancelled the event — which was also slated to feature SZA as a headliner — due to “severe circumstances outside of production control.”

Check out the Lizzo moment below.

14 Aug 2023

10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: No Rome, Sufjan Stevens, Trina & More

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

These 10 tracks from artists including No Rome, Sufjan Stevens, Trina, Whitney and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

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No Rome, “Deep Diving”

Alternative artist No Rome is gearing up for the release of his Blueboy Must Die mixtape (Sept. 8) and “Deep Diving” is the latest sampling. Though just one single, it can best be described as a sonic smorgasbord, abandoning structure and prioritizing experimentation — a risk that pays off in the form of fluttering beats, acoustic riffs and thumping, brassy live instrumentation. — Lyndsey Havens 

Jonny Yukon, “Jealous” 

Johnny Yukon’s writing resume — having penned tracks for Lil Wayne, Camila Cabello and more — reflects the range of influences on his own sound, too. With a discography rooted in R&B and hip-hop, Yukon’s interest in left-of-center pop peeks out on singles like “Moment” and “Whispers.” But his latest, “Jealous,” takes a sharper turn toward psych-pop, creating a hazy daydream, much like a Tame Impala song — no jealousy, just flattery here. — L. Havens

Turnstile, BADBADNOTGOOD & Blood Orange, “Alien Love Call” 

Proving just how versatile Turnstile truly is, the Baltimore punk band teamed with Canadian instrumental band BADBADNOTGOOD for a collaborative EP, New Heart Designs, that reimagines three songs off the former’s 2021 album Glow On. And while the reworked “Alien Love Call,” which features Blood Orange on both versions, strays the least from the original, the assist makes it feel even more ethereal — and drives home just how surprising the song was for a punk act to begin with. — L. Havens

Whitney, “Kansas” 

“Kansas” arrives as a surprise gift for fans of Whitney, as the band has been performing the track live to positive reactions for some time. The duo (Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich) has said “Kansas” is what ultimately morphed into “FTA” (off its 2019 album Forever Turned Around), and only recently did they decide to finish it as originally imagined. The result is a return to the raw and folky sound crucial to Whitney’s core, making it the perfect release after the act’s poppier third album Spark. — L. Havens

Mette, “Van Gogh” 

Rising R&B-pop artist Mette may be best known for starring in N.E.R.D. and Rihanna’s “Lemon” music video, but as she continues to release singles at a steady clip, that soon could change. Her latest, the groovy and playful “Van Gogh” — on which she asserts, “I could be Van Gogh if you’d be my muse” — arrives with news of her signing to RCA, signaling that this is just the beginning. — L. Havens

Daisy World, “ur soggy” 

As the lead single off a forthcoming debut album from newcomer Daisy World, “ur soggy” highlights the best of what she has to offer: confident sass delivered via gorgeous vocal runs and harmonies. And while the R&B-pop artist calls it a “silly little diss track” about rejection, when she sounds this smooth, it’s hard to imagine anyone turning her away. — L. Havens

Sufjan Stevens, “So You Are Tired”

For over two decades, Sufjan Stevens has been able to conjure magic when he picks up an acoustic guitar. “So You Are Tired,” the delicately heartbreaking lead single from upcoming album Javelin, begins with some somber piano, after which Stevens quickly transitions into strumming through his confusion and sadness. “Tired” recalls the intimacy of 2015’s Carrie & Lowell — Javelin is billed as his first true singer-songwriter album since then — but the tapestry of voices that enter the song harks back to early-career triumphs like Seven Swans and Illinois. – Jason Lipshutz

Yeule, “Ghosts”

Last year, Yeule’s Glitch Princess prodded at human identity with technical prowess and emotional curiosity; ahead of forthcoming album Softscars, they continue to explore those themes, as “Ghosts” adopts the perspective of a spirit looking in on our shared state of being (“If only I could be / Real enough to love,” they lament). Whereas the electro-pop of Glitch Princess was often adamantly experimental, the singer-songwriter sway of “Ghosts” is effective in its simplicity, making complex ideas accessible for a wider audience. – J. Lipshutz

Trina, DreamDoll and Supa Cindy, “Big Mood (Freestyle)“

The same day Trina hit the stage at Yankee Stadium to celebrate #HipHop50 as part of the show’s Queens of Hip-Hop segment, the Southern rap legend dropped “Big Mood (Freestyle)” to demonstrate she’s still one of Da Baddest B-tches around. A collab with Bronx rapper DreamDoll and media personality Supa Cindy, the track’s subdued piano melody and laid-back beat allows the trio’s effortless yet hard-hitting flows to command your attention on this two-minute rush. – Joe Lynch

Sedona, “Domino”

Indie pop darling Sedona traded in the upbeat tempo of June single “Domino” and reinterpreted the meaning of the song for its acoustic version. The track’s biting lyrics cut even deeper with its drums stripped, with the singer openly discussing the painful dissolution of a relationship and its aftermath. “Taking sides it hurts so bad/ Solid footing just another scam/ Torn open again,” she softly croons on the track’s second verse, before setting up a solid chorus for the rest of the track to float on. – Starr Bowenbank

14 Aug 2023

Here’s Why Fans Think Ed Sheeran Is Teasing New Music With Cryptic ‘Autumn Is Coming’ Messages

Ed Sheeran can’t stop reminding fans: “autumn is coming.” And while it’s certainly possible that the pop superstar is just really, really passionate about the fall season, Sheerios are pretty sure that he’s actually teasing the arrival of a new project.

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Let’s back up. Sheeran has been cryptically dropping the phrase “autumn is coming” for a couple weeks now, using it to caption a number of Instagram photos and videos. Funnily enough, one of the pictures was a meme of the musician standing in front of a fall landscape, with all of the leaves replaced with hundreds of pictures of him and his ginger hair.

Then, on Sunday (Aug. 13), the “Bad Habits” singer shared a montage of clips from his time in Minneapolis, where he recently broke U.S. Bank Stadium’s attendance record with his Mathematics Tour. In the caption, he wrote: “Had an absolute blast. Left some clues around the stadium about autumn coming. Did you know autumn is coming?”

While in Minneapolis, Sheeran also worked a shift at the Lego store in Mall of America, where he sang a surprise performance of his 2013 hit “Lego House.” He also passed out his own custom Lego figurine, which wears a shirt reading — you guessed it — “Autumn is coming.”

But that’s not all. Fans also noticed that at his Aug. 5 Kansas City show, Sheeran sported a jersey emblazoned with the number 9 and, in place of his last name, “Autumn.” Then, one week later, at his Minneapolis show, he wore a jersey with the number 29, this time printed with the word “Variations.”

With the potential clues in place, fans online are trying to connect the dots. “Autumn Variations?” theorized one fan on Twitter. “Autumn is coming! 9/29, 29/9 aka September 29?”

“I’m throwing this out there now that Autumn Variations is coming on September 29 based on the clues given by Ed this weekend in Minneapolis,” tweeted another fan.

If fans are correct and Ed’s unconfirmed next album does come out this fall, it’ll be his second LP to drop this year. In May, he released Subtract (stylized “–“), which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

See what Sheerios are making of Ed Sheeran’s “autumn is coming” mantra below:

14 Aug 2023

Britney Spears Sensually Pole Dances to Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Closer’: Watch

Britney Spears is putting her dance skills to the test with a brand new apparatus. On Sunday (Aug. 13), the “…Baby One More Time” hitmaker revealed that she recently purchased a hot pink dancer pole, and put it to work in a video posted to her Instagram.

The clip finds the 41-year old donning a two-piece, leopard print bikini with matching gloves and black-heeled boots, dancing to Nine Inch Nails’ grinding 1994 industrial rock single, “Closer.” Spears sensually dips and dances around the pole, occasionally using the apparatus to nail a spin or straddle as Trent Rezor’s urgent voice provides the soundtrack for her pole-formance.

“I wanna f–k you like an animal/ I wanna feel you from the inside/ I wanna f–k you like an animal/ My whole existence is flawed/ You get me closer to God,” Reznor sings, as Spears dances with reckless abandon. “Got this pole two days ago and last night was my first time on it !!!” she captioned her post.

The pole dancing video is the latest in Spears’ dance series — last week, she posted a clip of her dancing to Janet Jackson’s 1993 track, “If,” noting that she “was a little pissed” on the day she filmed the video. The week prior, she posted a video of her performing a contemporary dance to Indila’s “S.O.S.” in her living room.

The singer also recently released her latest collaboration with the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, “Mind Your Business,” her second piece of new music since the end of her 13-year conservatorship and the follow-up to last year’s “Hold Me Closer” duet with Elton John.

Watch Spears’ new pole dance below.

14 Aug 2023

BTS’ V Stars Alongside His Adorable Pomeranian Yeontan in Concept Photos Previewing ‘Layover’ Solo Debut

V may be about to embark on his solo career, but that doesn’t mean he can’t bring a buddy with him. In a couple dozen new concept photos previewing his upcoming debut album Layover, the BTS band member costars alongside his pet dog, Yeontan.

In some of the snaps, V — real name Kim Tae-hyung — poses with Yeontan in his arms, looking adorable in front of the camera. In one, the Pomeranian looks on as his owner strikes a pose with an electric guitar; in another, Yeontan tries on Tae-hyung’s red baseball cap.

“Yeontan is the most happiness dog ?” commented one ARMY member.

And while Yeontan definitely steals the show, Tae-hyung does appear without his sidekick in many of the images. The moody photoshoot alternates between black and white and color pics and shows the 27-year-old singer modeling a variety of looks, from a plaid short suit to a “Funk” sweatshirt.

The concept images arrive as V gears up to release Layover in September, his first full album apart from the K-Pop boy band that made him internationally famous, BTS. Last week, he gave fans a taste of the six-track record by releasing two new singles and music videos: “Love Me Again” and “Rainy Days.”

The first song showed off V’s smooth R&B skills, while the second leaned more relaxed pop. Also on the upcoming album: “Blue,” “Love Me Again,” “Slow Dancing,” “For Us” and a bonus track piano version of “Slow Dancing.” 

V’s solo debut follows individual releases from fellow BTS members, including Jung Kook’s “Seven” featuring Latto — which topped the Billboard Hot 100 — Suga’s April album D-Day and Jimin’s March EP FACE.

See V’s Layover concept images below: