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Tag: Pop music

  • Exclusive Interview: Abigail Barlow Is Mastering The Pop Music World And Crafting The Moana 2 Soundtrack All At Once

    Exclusive Interview: Abigail Barlow Is Mastering The Pop Music World And Crafting The Moana 2 Soundtrack All At Once

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    If you’re having a conversation about the hardest-working and most talented people in the industry, Abigail Barlow simply has to be in that conversation! From making some of our favorite pop music, including her newest track, ‘Strike Out,’ to crafting the soundtrack for Moana 2, there is truly nothing Abigail can’t do! We simply had to pick her brain and get all the details about everything she is up to!

    Stream ‘Strike Out’ here!

    Hi Abigail! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us! To start us off, how would you describe the music you’re making to someone who is tuning in for the first time?
    Absurdly fun, flirty, fierce, and unserious!

    We have not been able to turn off ‘Please Me!’ What was the inspiration behind this song and the visuals behind it displayed in the lyric video?
    Aw, I’m glad you love it! ‘Please Me’ started as a verse and chorus I posted to TikTok in 2020 about nothing and no one in particular. Until this past year, the idea was sitting on a shelf. That is until I met a handsome stranger in NYC… We went on a date in the city, and the next day, I was baking sweets in his kitchen. Classic 50s housewife behavior! I tried to emulate that energy in the visuals for this song, as it’s secretly a fantasy of mine to time travel.

    One thing about ‘Please Me’ that immediately stuck out to us is that it sounded like you had taken all the best parts of tried and true pop music and combined them all into one song. When crafting the track, were you always planning for the track to be fun, upbeat, and reminiscent of the early 2000s pop songs? 
    Honestly, the production of this song started with me using any producer girl trick I had to make the demo sound somewhat fun and listenable. It wasn’t until I collaborated with Michael Dunaief that the production really came to life in that bubblegum 2000s way.

    We know you spend a lot of time creating with a partner as Barlow & Bear, so with that in mind, what do you find is the biggest advantage to working solo on your music, and on the same note, the biggest advantage to working with Emily on Barlow & Bear projects? 
    Being part of a collaboration is so incredibly sacred to my life these days. It grounds me, enlightens me, and fulfills me in ways working alone just doesn’t compare to. In the same breath, it’s so important that both of us have balance with personal endeavors. It keeps our partnership healthy and ever-evolving, together and separately. 

    Moana 2 is officially a go! What is it like jumping in on the soundtrack to a sequel of such a treasured movie? 
    Literally a DREAM. I can’t even put into words how honored I am to be a part of the world of Moana. She is my girl, and I can’t wait for everyone else to experience the masterpiece we’ve been working on for two years!

    Something that we can’t just glide over is that you have a Grammy! As a musician, we know what a huge accomplishment that is. What can you tell us about finding out you’d won? 
    We were at the ceremony, and it was surreal. Walking onstage and actually giving the speech we prepared *just in case* was an out-of-body experience. Best moment of my life so far!

    Songwriting is a huge part of you as an artist. When you’re writing a track, how do you know if it’s something you are going to work on for your catalog or offer to another artist? 
    Honestly, I’m not married to anything I write because I write a LOT of songs. A cut is a cut! If a big pop star wants it, I have no qualms with giving it away. My songs are like my children. I just want them to be heard. And loved. :’)

    We have to ask, with The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical soundtrack and the soon-to-be Moana 2 soundtrack in your back pocket, if you could go back in time and put ‘Please Me’ on any soundtrack, which one would it be? 
    LOL! I think it could be in some 2000s rom-com getting-ready montage for sure. 

    ‘Strike Out’ is the newest track! The song is a full-on pop dream. Where did the inspiration for the track come from? 
    ‘Strike Out’ is my bi-girl anthem. It’s inspired by my yearning for love and how I’m in search of it literally everywhere, from a club in Santa Monica to a bar in Hollywood. 

    ‘Strike Out’ follows ‘Please Me,’ do you think there is an invisible string connecting these two tracks? 
    Definitely! If ‘Please Me‘ is the fantasy of being a wife and mother, ‘Strike Out’ is my reality as a 25-year-old girl just doing her BEST to find love. Either way, I’m just having fun being a songwriter. It’s never too serious. 😉

    The cover art for ‘Strike Out’ dawns on the infamous Barbie font. If you could have had this track play during a scene in the Barbie movie, what scene would that have been? 
    I love this Q! I guess when they start deprogramming all the Barbies from the Kendom. Honestly one of my fav parts of the movie.

    Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! We like to end these interviews by asking what is on the horizon. What can fans look forward to as we venture into the last half of 2024?
    I’m doing my darndest to release *one more pop song* before the release of Moana 2 in theaters on November 27th! After that, who knows? A tour? An album? I guess you’ll have to follow me to find out 😉

    We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite Abigail Barlow release between ‘Please Me’ and ‘Strike Out?’ Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

    Check out more of our exclusive interviews here!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ABIGAIL BARLOW:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER

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    Hailey Hastings

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  • Ticketmaster’s pricing for Oasis tickets is under investigation in the UK

    Ticketmaster’s pricing for Oasis tickets is under investigation in the UK

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    LONDON — The U.K.’s competition watchdog has launched an investigation into the way tickets were sold for next year’s reunion concerts from iconic 1990s Britpop band Oasis.

    In a statement Thursday, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its investigation into Live Nation Entertainment’s unit Ticketmaster will look specifically at “dynamic pricing,” whereby prices can vary rapidly in light of changing market conditions.

    It is a pricing strategy that is used in flight sales and home food deliveries, where demand levels fluctuate.

    Many Oasis fans who queued online at the Ticketmaster site for hours Saturday complained that they ended up paying more than double the face value of the ticket as a result of dynamic pricing, with standard tickets often sold for 355 pounds ($470) as compared to the expected 148 ($195).

    Critics said it was deceptive and inappropriate to use dynamic pricing for the Oasis concerts given that it was known from the start that there would be sky-high demand for the more than 1 million tickets.

    The watchdog said it would scrutinize whether Ticketmaster, the U.K.’s biggest seller of tickets, may have engaged in unfair commercial practices and whether it breached consumer protection law. It said it can implement enforcement if it sees evidence of possible breaches of the law.

    The probe will look at whether consumers were told in a clear and timely way that the tickets could be subject to dynamic pricing, and whether they were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time – at a higher price than they understood they would have to pay.

    “It’s important that fans are treated fairly when they buy tickets, which is why we’ve launched this investigation,” said Sarah Cardell, the watchdog’s chief executive. “It’s clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of their tickets at check-out.”

    The organization wants to hear from fans who encountered issues during ticket sales, as well as gather evidence from Ticketmaster and other sources, which may include the band’s management and event organizers.

    Oasis is led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, who said in a statement Wednesday that they didn’t know that “dynamic pricing” would be used and acknowledged that the execution of the ticketing plan “failed to meet expectations.”

    “It needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management, and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used,” the band said.

    The tickets that went on sale Saturday were for the band’s concerts July 4 and 5 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Heaton Park in Manchester, on July 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20, London’s Wembley Stadium on July 25, 26 and 30 and Aug. 2 and 3, Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Aug. 8, 9 and 12; and Croke Park in Dublin on Aug. 16 and 17.

    On Wednesday, another two dates were announced at Wembley on Sept. 27 and 28, which will be open only to people who were unable to get tickets in the initial Ticketmaster sale.

    Formed in Manchester in 1991, Oasis was one of the dominant British acts of the 1990s, producing hits including “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” Its sound was fueled by singalong rock choruses and the combustible chemistry between guitarist-songwriter Noel Gallagher and his frontman brother Liam.

    Oasis split in 2009, with Noel Gallagher quitting the band after a backstage dustup with his brother at a festival near Paris. While the Gallagher brothers, now aged 57 and 51, haven’t performed together since, both regularly perform Oasis songs at their solo gigs. They’ve also fired off criticisms of each other in the press.

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  • There’s no X in Brazil. Celebrity fandom worldwide is in disarray

    There’s no X in Brazil. Celebrity fandom worldwide is in disarray

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    It was a rapture and a revelation all at the same time.

    En masse, celebrity stan accounts posted tearful farewells over the weekend as X was suspended in Brazil amid a showdown between Elon Musk and a Supreme Court justice. Many of their hundreds of thousands of followers learned only then that their favorite celebrity’s most dedicated English-language fan accounts had actually been run by Brazilians.

    It shouldn’t have necessarily been a surprise — “Come to Brazil” is a stalwart meme. Brazil’s CCXP bills itself as the Americas’ largest comic-con, drawing A-list Hollywood talent. The stars of the long-ended show “Everybody Hates Chris” are beloved. Brazil does fandom like no other, the avalanche of goodbyes unearthing a wide array of accounts for Taylor Swift, C-list celebrities and the long-dead alike.

    “I came to realize how strong our digital power is in this last minute, because we tweet in English so people don’t know that we are Brazilians. But we are a lot, we are everywhere,” said Aianne Amado, a University of Sao Paulo doctoral candidate who studies Brazilian fandoms. “I think that we will be missed and it’s not going to be the same network.”

    Meet the fans

    Paola Strabelli didn’t care much for reading. A few years ago, though, she saw “Vita and Virginia” and became entranced — not with its lead actors, but with Virginia Woolf herself.

    She started to read Woolf voraciously, and created @botvirginia to share Woolf’s quotes, amassing 115,000 followers.

    Strabelli, 26, told The Associated Press that, growing up, she didn’t have many friends. In some ways, she said, her life began with online fandom — first, through Katy Perry and the show “Once Upon A Time,” and then Woolf. Online friendships translated into real life, and, for a year, she dated a girl she met through their shared passion.

    The law student behind @agron_updates, dedicated to “Glee” actor Dianna Agron, never reckoned on disclosing her nationality. The 32-year-old from Brazil’s center-west region requested anonymity for privacy, as she pursues government jobs. She was drawn to Agron because she thought the actor seemed “so kind.” By 2016, annoyed with how Agron’s fan accounts operated — cropping out boyfriends, for example — she co-founded an X account that grew to more than 7,600 followers.

    All along, she’s been careful to maintain a separation between her own feelings and the account’s.

    “Sometimes I will watch a movie and I think it’s terrible, but I’ll go on the account and say, ‘Guys, it’s amazing,’” she said. “I wasn’t hoping to have to come out as a Brazilian.”

    Then there’s @21metgala, run by two 18-year-old college students, Maria and Tamara. In three years, it’s gained more than 175,000 followers and, unlike many stan accounts, covers general celebrity news (though they have a soft spot for Rihanna). Maria, who cited privacy in not wanting to publish her surname, said via WhatsApp that she was taken aback by the response to their departure.

    “Most of our followers didn’t know we were Brazilian, so it was a huge shock when we announced it,” she wrote. Even Cardi B responded with distraught emojis.

    Amado attributed Brazil’s fervor for foreign entertainment to both its colonial history and the country’s sheer diversity, noting its high consumption of Japanese otaku culture and its large population of Japanese descent.

    Fandom is hard work

    Fandom can often be derided with a condescension that belies the sheer amount of work that goes into maintaining these accounts.

    “At first, I thought that fans were crazy. And, like, psychologically, I don’t know, sick? … And now, I’ve come to see that it’s all about passion and effect and it’s a very human behavior. Everybody’s interested in something,” be it cooking or canines, Amado said. “But for some reason, when you’re interested in something in pop culture, people tend to think that is less than.”

    An academic from Belo Horizonte, Samira Spolidorio has studied fansubbing — where devoted viewers come together to subtitle. She has a simple theory for why Brazilians are such engines of fandom, using a word that came up in interview after interview: Brazilians are just “passionate.” They’re also looking for a sense of belonging, she said.

    Despite being grassroots efforts that drew no profit, fansubbing groups had “very strict rules” requiring volunteers to work overnight, Spolidorio said. A 40-minute episode required at least four people to subtitle and two to review — there were style guides, too.

    That commitment can exact a price. Before X’s suspension, @agron_updates had an expiration date of Dec. 31. Running it was affecting its administrator’s entire life, even leading to a breakup.

    “One of the reasons was I was always on the phone, always checking for content,” she told the AP. “It’s kind of like a drug, it seizes something in your brain. You want to be first to post it.”

    “I’ve been unemployed for the past two years, and I have to study, I have to do something with my life,” she added. “There’s no way I can keep my life revolving around keeping a Twitter account for someone who — I love Dianna, but she doesn’t work.”

    What’s next

    In the past week, X alternative Bluesky has boosted its base by one-third, adding 2 million users, CEO Jay Graber told the AP. Around 90% are Brazilian and most activity is in Portuguese, she said Monday.

    Brazilians using virtual private networks to bypass the suspension face steep fines, but @21metgala has been able to continue posting sporadically.

    “Some Wi-Fi providers haven’t fully blocked access yet, but it’s very unstable,” Maria wrote Monday. While they are on other platforms, @21metgala will certainly be back if X is unsuspended.

    “Twitter was faster for posting photos, and Bluesky doesn’t allow video posts yet, which is a bit of a challenge. We’re not huge fans of Instagram because accounts can be easily taken down due to copyright issues,” she wrote. (Video is coming to Bluesky, Graber says, “definitely sooner than months.”)

    For CCXP, the suspension doesn’t pose much of a threat to the convention’s success. In a statement, vice president for content Beto Fabri said they’d already “focused on valuing and building relationships with the geek community” on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook and their own platforms.

    Not everyone plans to pivot. Despite having nearly 16,000 followers at @GALITZINEFOX, 23-year-old Alana Souza is relatively new to stanning actor Nicholas Galitzine. The advertising student from Recife became devoted after watching “Red, White & Royal Blue” last year. Given the amount of time she’s spent on X, she’s doesn’t want to start over.

    “If X doesn’t get unsuspended in Brazil then that’s gonna be the end of it,” she wrote in an email, later adding that her absence “gives me the feeling of being disconnected from what’s going on in the world.”

    Since Musk bought X, Strabelli has found it less fun. But it still had a cachet that, for her, can’t be replicated. While she appreciates Instagram for letting her start over — she can reuse quotes instead of scouring the internet for lesser-known scraps of Woolf’s writing — she finds it impersonal. There are many things she will miss about X, including her “gringo friends that are tweeting.”

    “I felt famous and wanted,” she said. “And when I saw the replies, I don’t know, I’m not going to lie, this ego bump was really nice.”

    ___

    Sen reported from New York. Associated Press journalist David Biller contributed reporting from Rio de Janeiro.

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  • Summer’s Ending: Here’s Your 2024 Summer Playlist

    Summer’s Ending: Here’s Your 2024 Summer Playlist

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    I hate to say it…I hate to even acknowledge it…but it’s the truth: the summer is ending. Sure, the solstice technically goes until late September, but we know the real summer ends after Labor Day.

    And while we soak up these last few peaceful weeks of Summer Fridays and vacations on the beach, the looming threat of the fall and colder weather is quickly approaching. We avoid the very thought of it like the plague.

    But, I want to make the most of the end of summer 2024. When you look back at it, we’ve had a crazy summer in terms of pop culture:
    the rise of Chappell Roan, the reign of Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poet’s Department, Charli XCX teaching us what it means to have a BRAT Summer, Billie Eilish’s enormous hit, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” and of course, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please” to soundtrack our summer.

    Yes, the pop girlies have ruled the scene this summer…alongside major country vibes with albums from Zach Bryan, hit songs like “The Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey, and even fresh country additions from Lana Del Rey and Quavo with their single “Tough.”

    The Song of Summer 2024 may forever be up for debate, with a few top contenders already mentioned. Former President Barack Obama just released his Summer Playlist, and it got us thinking.

    What I’m looking for are songs that are perfect for closing out the summer. Different from my usual Weekend Playlist, these songs aren’t necessarily new…but they’re still astonishing.

    Some were released this year, and some just perfectly embody the end of the summer. If you’re already feeling a tad nostalgic and blue about summer 2024, here’s a playlist that’ll help you feel better:

    “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter

    Let’s start it off with Sabrina, who is becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world as we speak. Her new album —
    Short ‘n Sweet, out August 15 — and she’s somehow still eligible for Best New Artist at the Grammy’s this year?

    “Espresso” is an awesome start to the playlist because it also kicked our summer off with a bang. With fun little lyrics like “that’s that me espresso,” we can’t help but hit replay each time the song ends.

    Spotify says, “Since June, the song has spent 20 days at #1 on Spotify’s global charts – topping 25 regional charts in countries like Australia, Malaysia, Jordan and Singapore.”

    “HOTTOGO” by Chappell Roan

    It’s the summer of Chappell Roan, we can’t even lie. Her insane rise to superstardom deserves to be marked in history books. Thousands flock to see her perform at festivals before it gets too tough to buy her tickets on Ticketmaster.

    With hit songs like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “HOTTOGO” from her album,
    The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, have certainly soundtracked our summer. She’s one of the most exciting artists we’ve seen in forever, so of course we had to include this banger.

    Spotify data says, “The song saw its biggest spike of the summer on June 10 (globally), the day after her
    Gov Ball set in New York City.”

    “Back On 74” by Jungle

    This song is viral on social media because of its feel-good vibes. I love any Jungle song this summer because they keep it lighthearted, with a bit of a nostalgic, retro feel to their sound.

    It’s an exceptional mix of modern and classic, and “Back On 74” delivered fantastic energy all summer long. If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that Jungle can make a cohesive album throughout.

    “Guess (Remix)” by Charli xcx and Billie Eilish

    We are totally having a BRAT Summer, and when Charli and Billie collabed on this “Guess” remix…the world felt it.

    When two representatives of today’s culture and music industry come together to create a fun, sexy track that combines pop and electronic music in the best way…it just works. This remix is like a shock of energy to the system from the second you turn it on.

    Especially with Eilish and Charli having such huge summer albums, this feels like an acknowledgement that the music industry is going to be okay…and they’re in complete control.

    “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish

    Obviously, we had to mention Billie Eilish’s solo work: her third album,
    HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, is a complete masterpiece. A how-to on production and high-quality vocals, Billie Eilish and her brother, FINNEAS, are up there with the best — and youngest — singer-songwriter-producers in the industry.

    “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is one of the singles on the album. A viral success that constantly tops charts and breaks records, this song is nothing short of sensational. It’s proof that Billie gets better with age, using all of her knowledge so far and channeling it into her latest album.

    According to Spotify, “Billie had a refreshing return to tempo this summer with this breezy summer hit. A leading track from her third studio album, the song reached a fever pitch after a poignant performance at the summer games closing ceremony – quickly rising to #1 on Spotify’s global charts with over 678M streams and counting.”

    “She’s Gone, Dance On” by Disclosure

    Year after year, Disclosure gives us countless dance tracks to highlight our summers. They’re highly regarded in the house industry as juggernauts who know how to get people up and dancing.

    “She’s Gone, Dance On” was previewed at
    Coachella by Dom Dolla, as the American Royal Couple — Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift — danced in the crowd. Shortly after, the song was released to the public and we haven’t stopped listening to it since.

    “360” by Charli xcx

    Again, we can’t mention a Charli remix without an original
    BRAT song. “360” is an introduction to what it really means to have a BRAT Summer. It’s carefree, fun-loving, and club-ready.

    It makes us want to let loose and forget about our problems for a while. Charli XCX has started a movement, and solidified herself as our fearless BRAT leader.

    “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey

    There seriously hasn’t been a time this summer when I’ve been out at a bar and this hasn’t played. I would be biased if I didn’t include Shaboozey’s song in this playlist, because it truly has been everywhere. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is his follow-up after a massive feature on Beyonce’s
    COWBOY CARTER.

    Spotify data suggests that since June, the song has hit #1 on Spotify’s Charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the US and has been #1 on Billboard for six weeks so far. It reached #1 on Spotify’s US Chart for the first time on July 4th, proving it to be the perfect summer holiday anthem.”

    What the song does well is capturing everyone’s attention early on and opening up into a full-out stomp-and-holler country song that we all love. It’s a
    summer of country for a reason, and this is great for country fans and non-fans alike.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Exclusive Interview: Amy Shark Is Here To Indulge Your Sunday Sadness

    Exclusive Interview: Amy Shark Is Here To Indulge Your Sunday Sadness

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    The rumors are true, we haven’t stopped listening to Amy Shark’s new album Sunday Sadness since our first listen-through. From songs like ‘Can I Shower At Yours,’ to ‘I’m Sorry,’ we are simply hooked. We were lucky enough to chat with Amy Shark about the in’s and out’s of this record, as well as her time coaching The Voice, her past work, and more! Let’s jump in!

    Listen to Sunday Sadness here!

    Hi Amy! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us! To start us off, if someone was diving into your music for the first time, how would you describe your sound? 
    I think I would describe it as honest, gritty, indie pop.

    ‘My Only Friend’ has just come out! What can you tell us about working with Tom DeLonge and how that partnership came about?
    The whole blink collaboration was never a part of the plan. They just happen to be my favourite band but I never in a million years did I think that I would be able to do a song with even one of them let alone all of them. Tom was the hardest to lockdown just because he’s so busy with other commitments, movies, aliens, etc but after I sent him the song he made it very easy. He loved the verse I wrote and he tracked his vocals in San Diego and sent them over to me. I worked on it with my producer and the rest is history. It’s one of the coolest songs I have in my entire catalog.

    Upon listening to ‘My Only Friend’ we thought back to a track you released last month ‘Two Friends,’ to us, it seemed like ‘My Only Friend’ was ‘Two Friends’ softer counterpart, is there an intentional string between the two? 
    I feel like I have unintentionally written an album about two friends haha. Every song can kinda hold hands with the next. It’s kinda cool.

    As we are writing these questions Sunday Sadness comes out in twenty days, how are you feeling? What are the emotions leading up to your first album release since 2021?
    I’m quietly confident, but I’m still a little nervous. I really want people to love it as much as I do. But then again, it is my third album so by this time I really know what my fans love. They’re going to love this album and hopefully, it’s good enough to grab more Amy Shark fans along the way.

    When talking about Sunday Sadness you said that this record was specifically written on Sundays, what do you think it is about Sundays that allows you to create so freely? And when did you realize that a creative pattern was forming? 
    There was one specific Sunday where I was finishing a song, it was the last song on the album ‘Our Time Together.’ It’s a pretty emotional song full of memories. I think that’s when I realized that Sundays have always been the emotional day that I can’t escape. Even when I try and work on a Sunday by finishing songs the songs end up emotional. 

    We were lucky enough to be able to listen to Sunday Sadness a bit early to prep for this interview, and it’s incredible. What really struck us is the range of emotions that the listener is taken through with these tracks, it really feels like getting an inside look at your diary. With that range in mind, are there two lyrics on the record that you think perfectly represent two opposite ends of the emotional spectrum? 
    Yeah, totally! I’m so glad you picked that up. I love the very opening line to the record in ‘Slide Down The Wall’,“ doesn’t matter what I do. I always get emotional with you”. But then you hear the line “tell everyone you’re dead to me” in the song ‘Gone’ and I love how this album feels like a series of mini-movies! So many ups and downs but a lot of love throughout.

    For us, eleven tracks is such a sweet spot for an album, but we know that the number of songs that could have been on the record was probably a much higher number, was there a song that you wrote during the process of making Sunday Sadness, but that didn’t make the album that you hope still sees the light of day in some capacity? 
    Yes, this always happens to me. It’s very sad. But it’s like sport. Only the strongest get picked for the team, unfortunately. But it doesn’t mean I don’t care about those on the bench.

    We know that crafting an album takes a village, and there are so many thank you’s that could be said to the people involved, but something that is often hard for people to do is to pat themselves on the back. What is something that you accomplished during the process of crafting Sunday Sadness that you are proud of yourself for? 
    I explored every single avenue for every single song on this record. I wasn’t lazy. I worked really hard to make sure every song could stand strong on its own. Even if I had to heavily compromise or lose a guitar riff that I was attached to. I did everything I could to make this album as strong as I believe it is. I’m proud of that.

    We have to take a minute to ask about Australian Idol, was there a piece of advice that you were able to give a constant on that show that you wish someone would have given you when you were starting out? 
    Music isn’t a sport, no one can tap you on the shoulder and tell you to retire because you’re not strong enough or fast enough. You can keep making art all day every day for the rest of your life! There’s no age to making music. So just because it’s a ‘no’ today. Just get up and get after it again tomorrow.

    Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! Before we let you go, what is the rest of 2024 shaping up to look like for you once the record is out? 
    I plan on promoting this album to every part of the world!

    Check out more of our exclusive interviews here!

    We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite song off of the new Amy Shark album Sunday Sadness? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AMY SHARK:
    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

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    Hailey Hastings

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  • From the opening ceremony to DiscOlympics, Cerrone still reigns nearly 50 years on

    From the opening ceremony to DiscOlympics, Cerrone still reigns nearly 50 years on

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    PARIS (AP) — As the Eiffel Tower shimmered with laser lights, a tune from the man known as the French Disco King set the stage for the final leg of the Olympics opening ceremony.

    As Cerrone’s “Supernature” pulsed through Paris, sports legends like Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal glided down the Seine, with deaf choreographer Shaheem Sanchez grooving to the beat through American Sign Language dance. This 1977 classic proved that disco’s glittering charm still reigns supreme on one of the world’s grandest stages.

    For Cerrone, 72, this moment once again proved his cross-generational music has staying power.

    “The sounds changed every decade, but for my part I never lose the movement,” the music producer told The Associated Press on Sunday night before he hit the stage as the headliner at DiscOlympics, which brought out more than 3,000 energic concertgoers to a riverfront nightclub.

    The event paid homage to the roots of dance music and Cerrone, who shaped the disco genre in France in the mid-1970s with jams such as “Supernature,” “Give Me Love” and “Je Suis Music.”

    Cerrone performs at Wanderlust during the DiscOlympics (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

    Cerrone said he still has indescribable emotions after watching the opening ceremony segment featuring his song, released nearly a half-century ago. He was surprised when the ceremony’s composer and music director, Victor le Masne, approached him nine months ago. Le Masne proposed updating it with a more symphonic sound, featuring orchestral arrangements.

    Cerrone said the creative process was like witnessing a woman enduring months of pregnancy before giving birth.

    “I think it’s my best work of my career,” said the producer, who has released 23 albums and sold more than 30 million records worldwide.

    Along with Cerrone, the 12-hour DiscOlympics had several performers such as Agoria, He.She.They., and Kartell. The diverse lineup showcased disco’s evolution into a foundation for subgenres such as hip-hop, house music and electronic dance music.

    Disco initially made a splash in the early 1970s in New York City with various musical influences from funk, soul and Latin music. Cerrone, along with other French artists including Dalida and Amanda Lear, were a part of the Euro disco movement in the mid-1970s.

    European artists with disco influences, like Daft Punk and Giorgio Moroder, have found success in the U.S.

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    The crowd dances as Cerrone performs (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

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    Apolline Wolak dances (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

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    A bar at the DiscOlympics (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

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    People dance as Cerrone performs (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

    “Everybody knows the real disco has never left,” Cerrone said. “It never stopped. Sometimes it was bigger then lower. … With the young people, it’s funny. I performed at a big festival. I see 60,000 people in front of me. I stop the music and (they’re singing) ‘Supernature.’ It’s never changed. Sometimes, it’s like that.”

    Waël Mechri-Yver, a French-Tunisian musician, said Cerrone is deserving of high recognition, calling him a disco musical savant. After he first heard about the legendary producer’s involvement with the opening ceremony a few months ago, he reached out to Cerrone’s manager about being a headliner at DiscOlympics.

    “He’s the father of disco. He’s the king of disco music,” said Mechri-Yver, who performs under the stage name WAÏ. His culture collective company BABËL and Silencio hosted the DiscOlympics.

    When Mechri-Yver heard Cerrone’s song during opening ceremony, he knew it was perfect timing for his event.

    “Disco is coming back really strong and we really want to be the champion of that music,” said Mechri-Yver. Along with Kosmo Kint and Cerrone’s son Greg Cerrone, Mechri-Yver recorded the song “Are You Ready,” which was performed for the first time publicly Sunday and received a favorable response from the crowd.

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    Cerrone (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

    “It’s very joyful, celebratory, inclusive, grateful music that is about giving praise to the Lord, giving praise to nature. That’s why ‘Supernature’ was such an incredible performance. The Eiffel Tower lit up. The whole world started to sing. It was absolutely beautiful,” Mechri-Yver said.

    DiscOlympics attendee Alexia Charles was extremely pumped up about the event. The Parisian, who’s in her mid-30s, rarely frequents the nightclub scene but felt compelled to see Cerrone perform — especially after the opening ceremony.

    “It’s amazing to see,” she said. “You can hear the people screaming for him. That’s a good representation of electro music in France.”

    Cerrone said seeing people cheer him on in his 70s fuels him.

    “That’s the best deal to live a long time,” he said. “It makes me happy to sing about that.”

    ___

    For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.

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  • Review: The Beach Boys still going strong 60 years after monumental 1964

    Review: The Beach Boys still going strong 60 years after monumental 1964

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    The Beach Boys had arguably the most important year of their career in 1964.

    Some would understandably counter with 1963 or 1966, which respectively saw the releases of “Surfer Girl” and “Pet Sounds.”

    Yet, 1964 was really the year when the band first secured its future place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — as well as among the greatest acts in all of pop music history — with the release of the twin masterpieces “Shut Down Volume 2” and “All Summer Long.”

    The latter saw the band up its game to a whole new level by releasing what is considered to be one of rock’s first concept albums, which really set the groundwork for the mind-blowing artistry that would come two years later with “Pet Sounds.”

    It was also the year when the band would score its first ever No 1 hit, as “I Got Around” spent two consecutive weeks at the peak that summer.

    Sixty years later, the group is still going strong and delighting fans in concert with a number of those songs that first came out in 1964.

    The latest example came when the Beach Boys performed on Sunday at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose.

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    Jim Harrington

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  • Exclusive Interview: Andrew McMahon Talks All Things Something Corporate Comeback And More!

    Exclusive Interview: Andrew McMahon Talks All Things Something Corporate Comeback And More!

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    If you’re anything like us, then the name Andrew McMahon is a staple when you think of the music that has soundtracked your life. From Something Corporate to Jack’s Mannequin to Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Andrew has quite the discography in his back pocket. We were lucky enough to get to chat with Andrew all about Something Corporate reuniting, releasing ‘Death Grip,’ and now ‘Happy,’ as well as going on tour!

    Stream ‘Happy’ now!

    Hi Andrew! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today! To start us off, how would you sum up who you are as an artist to anyone who is going to dive into your music for the first time?
    First and foremost, I’m a lyric-focused songwriter. I’m trying to tell stories with my songs and to tackle the conflicts and questions that arise in my daily life. I get a lot of joy from experimenting with sounds in a studio setting. While there is a pretty clear, pop-minded approach to my writing, you’ll hopefully identify a diverse palate of sounds and arrangements throughout my recordings.

    You’ve been a part of so many projects over the course of your career (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness). How has your creative process changed as you move between projects?
    I think my process has become a lot more collaborative. The more time you spend making things, the easier it is to articulate what you want and the more fun it is to translate everyone’s ideas into the work.  I’m far less obsessed with the outcome these days and so much more interested in digging deep with collaborators and going on an adventure in the studio and on the stage. 

    Something Corporate is officially back! What made you want to reach out to your old bandmates and get the ball rolling working together again?
    I had the band out for a surprise set during my birthday show a couple of years back, and the vibe was so good we decided to get back together properly for the When We Were Young fest. There was such a beautiful energy at those shows and, for the five of us, there was palpable joy being back in practice and hanging out in dressing rooms and laughing together. The shows were such a pure connection between us as band members and the audiences we were playing for that we decided to book more and keep the party rolling.

    Working with Something Corporate this time around comes about a bit differently, as you’re working as Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. What has coming from the mindset of the art you’ve been making brought to working with the band again?
    Working with other projects has made me a better collaborator and it’s given me a real appreciation of the unique chemistry of Something Corporate. There is something magical about the bond we share, having grown up learning to play music together as kids. I am able to fully appreciate and celebrate the rarity of that connection now and it’s made this reunion a really peaceful and joyful moment in my life and I think the other guys’ as well.

    ‘Death Grip’ is the first single back! Were there other songs that were completed that you chose between to get to this track? What was it about this track that made you guys want it to be your comeback?
    ‘Death Grip‘ happened really organically. I wrote it in Nashville a month or two before we left for tour. I loved the song and wanted it out into the world. The decision wasn’t made through the lens of this is your comeback track. It was made out of love for the song and the band being excited to be back in the studio together. The song itself is about letting go, receiving life as it comes, and giving back what the universe gives to you. It gave us this song, and we gave it back. 

    Upon crafting ‘Death Grip’ could you automatically tell what you wanted the live performance of that song to look like?
    Not necessarily. I think the biggest shift for me post-Something Corporate has been letting the music evolve in the studio first and then crafting the show separately. ‘Death Grip‘ was very much created through that process. Hence, the Wilderness/SoCo Collab. The production of the next single that’s coming out was approached a little more like a traditional Something Corporate song, and on that one, we will flip the collaboration order to SoCo/Wilderness to reflect that. 

    You guys just kicked off the Out Of Office Tour. What can fans expect from these shows? Are we going to be getting unreleased music played?
    The show itself has a beautiful production incorporating video that weaves in moments from the early days and I think does a beautiful job of connecting fans to the band’s history while creating beautiful new memories to hang on to once you leave. The nearly two-hour set manages to cover the majority of our catalog with some deep cuts from night to night. We also have two new songs that will be out by the time we get to the second leg of the tour, and we will be throwing one of those in per night going forward. We’re really proud of both of them. 

    The Out Of Office Tour isn’t a typical tour since you’ve said that you’re all having to work around your current jobs. What’s been the hardest and most rewarding parts of touring now compared to back when you only had to focus on SoCo?
    Honestly, I’ve been hoping to reimagine the way I live, work, and tour for some time now. The way we structured these dates has afforded me and the band the opportunity to play for lots of fans and have incredible weekends together while still making it home to take care of our families and the careers we’ve built since moving on from Something Corporate in ‘05. The other guys would be able to speak more to the challenges, I’m sure, as some of them are definitely juggling work fields outside of music.

    Let’s talk about your partnership with Big Loud Rock! How did that come about? And how has that unfolded for you thus far?
    The truth is I’m pretty cagey when it comes to record deals these days. After Tilt came out, I was pretty hell-bent on stepping back from music for a bit and seeing where the wind blew. The day I wrote ‘Death Grip’ I was so excited by it. I started sending music around, and the Big Loud guys were so genuinely stoked about the song and the potential of releasing more that they made me a really fair deal based on mutual trust, and the rest is history. It’s early still but working with them has been a breath of fresh air. So many labels these days simply obsess over data and TikTok and make all their decisions based on fear. These guys love music and building artful campaigns around their releases. It has really been a joy to work with them.

    The Holiday From Real cruise kicks off this fall! Obviously, we and all the other fans are so excited. But what aspects are you most excited about?
    Playing shows with all of my favorite musicians and friends on a single weekend is going to be incredible. I know people look at these projects as separate entities, and, in many ways, they are, but for me, it’s my life and my music. Bringing that all together in one place, especially a vacation setting, just feels right to me. 

    Now that the single is out and the tour is underway, what does the rest of 2024 look like for you? What can fans expect?
    We’ll be dropping our next single, ‘Happy,’ on July 26, and I have high hopes for that song. It’s about to get busy with more regular shows and lots of travel, but I’m ready for it. We built this show to celebrate the magic that found me and my bandmates in my parent’s garage back in 1998 and the beautiful years of music that followed. I just want people to feel alive at these shows, to use this music as a time machine and make contact with the moments in their lives when this music was the soundtrack. Most importantly, I want fans to walk away with a new formative memory of all of us doing what we love most. Giving ourselves over completely to music for a couple of hours and singing these songs together. I want it to be visceral. 

    Check out more of our exclusive interview coverage here!

    We would love to hear from you! What do you think about this interview we got to do with Andrew McMahon? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREW MCMAHON:
    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOMETHING CORPORATE:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

     

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    Hailey Hastings

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  • ‘Best guitar player in the world’ with strong Bay Area ties dies at 81

    ‘Best guitar player in the world’ with strong Bay Area ties dies at 81

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    Jerry Miller, a founding member of the pioneering ’60s San Francisco psychedelic rock band Moby Grape, died July 20 in Tacoma, Washington.

    Miller had just turned 81 earlier this month. The cause of death was not immediately available.

    News of his passing was posted on social media channels — including on a Moby Grape Facebook fan page — and circulated via multiple news outlets.

    “Sadly, I have to relate that legendary Moby Grape guitarist Jerry Miller passed away last night,” a post from July 21 reads on the Moby Grape fan page. “(Miller’s wife) Jo and the family are asking for everyone to please give them some privacy and respect, and Jo asked that people cease phone calls for the time being. Thank you. R.I.P., JERRY.”

    Miller will be remembered as a guitarist’s guitarist, boosting a fan base that includes some of the finest fret men in popular music history. Many of these admirers are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, including Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead and Eric Clapton.

    It’s the latter who reportedly once referred to Miller as the “best guitar player in the world.” That’s incredibly high praise coming from the only-three-time inductee to the Rock Hall as well as man who himself is routinely rated among the best guitarists of all time.

    Miller would showcase that guitar work with such aplomb and impact on Moby Grape’s 1967 debut, which reached as high as No. 24 on the album charts and positioned the group as one of the key acts in the burgeoning “San Francisco Sound” movement of the era. In comparison, the debut album from the Grateful Dead — one of Moby Grape’s key contemporaries on the ’60s Bay Area scene — only climbed to No. 73 upon being released that same year.

    Unlike the Grateful Dead, however, Moby Grape only managed to stay together for a relatively short time during its initial go-around. They formed in 1966 — bringing together such experienced players as Skip Spence from Jefferson Airplane and Peter Lewis of the Cornells — and originally called it quits by 1969. During that time span, however, the group released four studio albums — 1967’s “Moby Grape and 1968’s “Wow/Grape Jam” as well “Moby Grape ’69” and “Truly Fine Citizen,” both from 1969.

    The first album was a stone cold classic, one that is still cherished to this day by fans of heavy duty psychedelic/blues/acid rock. Indeed, the record — which featured a group shot on the cover by legendary Bay Area rock photographer Jim Marshall — came in at No. 121 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list in 2003, more than 35 years after “Moby Grape” was released.

    Miller’s guitar work was a huge factor in what made that first album so special, taking the captain’s chair — alongside Skip Spence and Peter Lewis — in a three-guitar attack that still sounds so powerful to this day.

    “Wow/Grape Jam” was another success for the band, reaching as high as No. 20, but the two discs that followed were commercial disappointments and failed to even crack the top 100. As the gas tank began to run dry on the ’60s — and a legal battle with their former manager heated up — the storyline had changed from high hopes to “what could’ve been” for Moby Grape. The band folded in 1969, but would regroup several times over the decades.

    “The Grape’s saga is one of squandered potential, absurdly misguided decisions, bad luck, blunders and excruciating heartbreak, all set to the tune of some of the greatest rock and roll ever to emerge from San Francisco,” music historian Jeff Tamarkin wrote. “Moby Grape could have had it all, but they ended up with nothing, and less.”

    Born in Tacoma, Washington on July 10, 1943, Miller began playing in bands in the ’50s and would find some success as a member of The Frantics. In 1966, the Pacific Northwest rock outfit headed south to San Francisco — where a music revolution was blooming — and its nucleus went on to help form Moby Grape.

    Besides playing with Moby Grape, the acclaimed guitarist — who also sang — performed with the Santa Cruz act known as the Rhythm Dukes and well as his own Jerry Miller Band.

    There has been no word yet on any possible public memorial services at this point.

    Originally Published:

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    Jim Harrington

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  • Exclusive Interview: Greyson Chance Talks All Things ‘Haymaker,’ and What’s Next!

    Exclusive Interview: Greyson Chance Talks All Things ‘Haymaker,’ and What’s Next!

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    It’s no secret at this point, we are huge Greysons Chance fans, and have been for years, so this is a pretty huge moment for us! We got to pick Greyson’s brain about his latest releases, and about what’s next, as well as about his relationship with his fans and about displaying vulnerability in his music. We are still processing getting to have this conversation! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

    Stream ‘Haymaker’ here!

    Hi Greyson! Thank so you much for taking the time to talk with us today! To start us off, how would you describe who you are as an artist to someone who is just tuning in for the first time? 

    Oh that’s rather hard isn’t it? Ever so often I have to tell my story in full, starting from the YouTube video to where I am now; and the whole thing really does read out like a movie. It’s a bizarre story. But if someone is truly tuning in for the first time, I would say my career started with me singing at the piano. And now 14-years-later, I’m still singing at the piano. 

    ‘Rearview Mirror’ marked the start of this next musical journey you’re on, what was it about ‘Rearview Mirror’ that made you want it to be the first introduction to this new era? 

    There was something very classic about ‘Rearview Mirror’ that made me want to make it the lead. I am always chasing that feeling of nostalgia everyday I go into the studio, to make things that feel bigger than me and to make things that will stand the test of time. From the jump, ‘Rearview Mirror’ felt that way, and I didn’t second-guess it. 

    ‘Haymaker’ is the track following ‘Rearview Mirror’ and you’ve said the track was born out of a place of conflict within your family, what was it like to be able to work that out through music? Was writing the healing process, or had that already come and writing was the result of the healing?

    I’ve gone through a lot in my life, but nothing quite stings like the emotions of family conflict, and for three years, I watched my family crumble before my own eyes. It was awful. Writing was certainly the healing process for me, and it’s been that way since I started writing songs. I told my cowriter Sam Harris the day we wrote ‘Haymaker’ that a thousand pounds were lifted off of my shoulders once those words hit the page. 

    You’ve always been very personal with your music, with your songs chaptering parts of your life. Can you pinpoint something that you were hesitant to put to music, but ended up in a song that you released and got to see it resonate with people?

    I was very hesitant to release ‘Haymaker,’ because it is my real life. I haven’t really spoken to my brother in a few years, so ‘Haymaker’ is this an encapsulation of everything I would say to him if I had the chance. So for these lyrics to be the first words he hears from me? Yeah, that shit’s raw, it’s ugly, it’s nuanced, but it’s necessary. Good art comes from vulnerability, I’ve always believed that. 

    Palladium was the last record, what is something that you learned during that album rollout/creative process that you’ve taken with you into creating the next project?

    I learned through Palladium that I am an album artist, and I always will be. I want to world build, I want my music and my visuals to paint a scene for the listener, to bring them to a place that feels disconnected from their own reality. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that the world needs to be complex, it just needs to be purposeful. 

    You’ve been in the industry for a long time, and because of that, you’ve had fans that have been around for a decade+ going to shows and supporting the music, what has having the support that’s allowed for breaks (like going to college and stepping away from music) while aways sticking around meant? 

    When I tell you I am the luckiest artist, you have no idea. My fans know my life, they know what I’ve been through, they know that I’ve suffered a lot, both mentally and physically since I was kid … they keep me upright. Think of someone you’ve known for 14-years of your life? That’s the type of relationship I have with my fans. I don’t feel a pressure to make music for them, if anything I feel a pressure to be healthy and happy for them, because I know that is what they want for me more than anything. My relationship with them is the coolest thing I get to experience in my life. 

    We know that crafting any form of art takes a village and it is often easier to thank the other people involved and harder to pat yourself on the back, but what is something you’ve been really proud of yourself for during the process of crafting ’Rearview Mirror’/’Haymaker?’ 

    I am proud of myself for pushing forward and continuing on no matter the adversity I’ve gone through. Music is a cutthroat industry, and it’s full of rejection. But the older I get, the more I realize the power in just surviving, waking up everyday and focusing in on the silver lining. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, and that feels like a huge accomplishment. 

    When you look back at your discography is there a song for you that you have recently felt reconnected to? Maybe a track that you hadn’t revisited in a while and realized it still hits as hard as when you made it? 

    Boots, a song I released as a stand alone single around four years ago. “I’ve been western before all of these punks,” hits way hard in 2024. Don’t get me started on these fake cowboys out here right now. 

    Once again thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! Before we let you go, what can fans expect as we finish out 2024? What’s on the horizon? 

    I’ve been working on this record for the past year and a half, and ‘Rearview Mirror’ and ‘Haymaker’ are just the first two songs; I’m ready to show everyone the full world. So I guess to answer your question … more music, and a lot of shows. That’s what is on my horizon. 

    Check out more of our exclusive interviews here!

    We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite track out of the two recent tracks Greyson Chance has released? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GREYSON CHANCE:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER

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    Hailey Hastings

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  • The best concerts of 2024 so far: AP’s picks include Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, George Strait, SZA

    The best concerts of 2024 so far: AP’s picks include Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, George Strait, SZA

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    As The Associated Press’ music writer, Maria Sherman has seen more than 40 concerts during the first half of 2024. Here are some picks for the best shows … so far, excluding any one-off performances that cannot be repeated, and where you too can catch these artists.

    Bad Bunny, “The Most Wanted Tour”

    March 14, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena

    Bad Bunny’s show begins with a symphony, transitioning into the unmistakable strings of his monster hit, “Monaco.” “The Most Wanted Tour” highlights El Conejo Malo’s fifth solo album “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana” (“Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow”) and his past reggaetón hits, too.

    HIGHLIGHT: There is one moment that can only be described as equine.

    OPENER: When you’re one of the biggest artists on the planet, do you really need an opener? Bad Bunny didn’t.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: This particular run of shows has come to an end, but here’s a reminder to catch him next time he’s in town.

    Bad Bunny performs during “The Most Wanted Tour” at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on May 15, 2024. (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP, File)

    Olivia Rodrigo, “GUTS World Tour”

    April 5, New York’s Madison Square Garden

    Rodrigo’s spirited punky-pop warms an arena, as does her irreverent charms and Disney-informed dancing. If women performing their rage has fallen out of vogue, Rodrigo has brought it back, full force.

    HIGHLIGHT: For the fans of her big-hearted ballads — in one moment, she’s lifted into the air and circles the arena in a purple crescent moon to slow things down.

    OPENER: The Breeders — fronted by the Pixies’ Kim Deal — legends of ’90s college radio and indie rock. There’s something completist about hearing an arena discover “Cannonball” for the first time, a song that no doubt inspired Rodrigo’s music.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Rodrigo heads back to the U.S. this month with a new opener, the U.K. hyperpop producer PinkPantheress, before the Breeders return for two final nights in Los Angeles.

    Brutalismus 3000, “AMERIKATRÄUME”

    April 11, New York’s Knockdown Center

    Every generation gets the Crystal Castles it deserves. Or in less niche language: This Berlin duo brings humor to their music, which veers from hyperactive techno to German Neue Deutsche Welle in their acquired-taste electronica. The shows are sweaty, and no matter your age, you will be the oldest person in attendance.

    HIGHLIGHT: The duo samples Dido’s soft-pop hit “White Flag,” while waving a white flag. It works.

    OPENER: The techno-punk LustSickPuppy, whose abrasive rave music is presented as a kind of nightmarish clown show.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Brutalismus will be hitting a few festivals in Europe this summer and fall.

    Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday 2 World Tour”

    May 1, New York’s Barclays Center

    She will run on club time, and she will not disappoint. Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday 2” is almost a retrospective of her chart-toppers, shifting alter-egos with incredible ease.

    HIGHLIGHT: At this particular show, Minaj brought out Cyndi Lauper to duet “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” after 1 a.m.

    OPENER: Monica has joined Minaj for this tour, and in Brooklyn, Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa opened the show.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Minaj is hitting the European festival circuit this summer, then heading back to the U.S. in September.

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    Nicki Minaj performs during the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

    Sum 41, “Tour of the Setting Sum”

    May 6, New York’s Brooklyn Paramount

    Canadian pop-punk band Sum 41 has called it quits — and they’re going out in a blaze of glory, a farewell tour that has the immediacy of their youth.

    HIGHLIGHT: Sum 41 does not want to exit quietly — they prove their endurance with an explosive set, fireworks and mosh pits and all. There’s also a giant, blow-up skull.

    OPENER: The Interrupters, a ska-punk band that revitalized the genre, are worth arriving early for. At future dates, Sum 41 will be joined by Gob, Pup, Neck Deep and the Bronx.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Sum 41 is zigzagging across Europe and North America through early 2025.

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    Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 performs during Sonic Temple Art and Music Festival on Friday, May 17, 2024, at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

    Megan Thee Stallion, “Hot Girl Summer Tour”

    May 21, Madison Square Garden

    Not every artist can sell out Madison Square Garden on her first tour, but Megan Thee Stallion is not every artist. On her stage, Megan is an athlete and a dancer who delivers her fierce bars with an incredible crispness.

    HIGHLIGHT: “WAP” is a can’t miss moment, of course — particularly if Cardi B makes a surprise appearance, like she did at MSG.

    OPENER: Tennessee rapper GloRilla, who was most recently featured on the great, braggy “Accent” from the headliner’s third album, “Megan.”

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Europe will get to catch her in July, before she heads back home for a few festivals.

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    Megan Thee Stallion performs during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Manchester, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

    The Rolling Stones, “Stones Tour ’24 Hackney Diamonds”

    May 23, East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium

    The Rolling Stones ran through 60 years of hits across two hours, including cuts from their first album of new material in nearly two decades, “Hackney Diamonds.”

    HIGHLIGHT: When it comes to The Rolling Stones, the entire show is the highlight — but for this audience, it was likely the rollicking rendition of “Wild Horses.”

    OPENER: The soulful Jon Batiste, an award-show staple for a reason.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: The Stones’ North American tour continues through July.

    Image

    Ronnie Wood, from left, Mick Jagger, Steve Jordan, and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones perform during the “Hackney Diamonds” tour at Soldier Field on Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP, File)

    George Strait

    June 8, MetLife Stadium

    They call him the King of Country for a reason. Live, George Strait can transform his one-off stadium shows into a honky-tonk; he performs with a big band and a lot of heart.

    HIGHLIGHT: The closest a person can get to levitation is singing along to “Amarillo by Morning” in a stadium of tens of thousands.

    OPENER: Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, with Stapleton joining Strait for a new song called “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame.”

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Strait has a two more stadium dates in July — in Detroit and Chicago — and another in December, in Las Vegas.

    Image

    George Strait performs at the iHeartCountry Festival on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

    Governors Ball: Chappell Roan, Sexyy Red, SZA, Peso Pluma

    June 7-9, New York’s Flushing Meadows Corona Park

    Summer festivals across the United States tend to have similar lineups. Governors Ball, arriving early in the season, sets the tone.

    HIGHLIGHT: Now is the time to run, don’t walk, to see Chappell Roan. And learn the “Hot to Go” dance.

    OPENER: Sexyy Red’s frisky rap is hard to deny.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: Many of these artists will be hitting festivals in North American and Europe this summer. In fact, if you want to catch SZA, Sexyy Red and Chappell Roan in one go, consider Lollapalooza in August. Pluma is currently on his “Éxodo Tour” across North America, running through October.

    Image

    Chappell Roan performs during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Manchester, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

    Image

    Sexyy Red performs during the Governors Ball Music Festival on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)

    CLAMM

    Feb. 18, Melbourne, Australia’s Northcote Social Club

    In the search for thrilling, cathartic underground music — particularly of the indie variety — look no further than the rich scene of Melbourne, Australia. CLAMM, the punk trio, brings a controlled aggression to their live show. It is ferocious noise punk that hits like inhaling hand sanitizer — stinging alert their audience with clever agitation.

    HIGHLIGHT: Later this month, CLAMM will release a new record, “Disembodiment.” Live, they’ve begun performing the chant-along opening cut, “Change Enough.”

    OPENER: At this particular show, the Aussie indie band Scott and Charlene’s Wedding and the rapper Mulalo. A genre-diverse club show is a life-affirming club show.

    SEE IT YOURSELF: CLAMM are headed to Europe for a series of dates this July, and back to Australia in August.

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  • Music Review: Glass Animals weave heartstring-tugging vignettes on new album

    Music Review: Glass Animals weave heartstring-tugging vignettes on new album

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    Love songs have existed for millennia but leave it to Glass Animals to give them a refreshing spin, where love isn’t always a honeymoon phase or heartbreak — it’s much, much more.

    The British indie-pop band, known for hits like 2014’s “Gooey” or 2020’s viral “Heat Waves,” has won listeners over with its unique, often dream-like sound. Singer-songwriter Dave Bayley’s moody lyrics and simple harmonies meld with experimental instrumentals from guitarist Drew MacFarlane and bassist Edmund Irwin-Singer, who also play keys, and drummer Joe Seaward.

    On Glass Animals’ fourth full album, “I Love You So (Expletive) Much,” Bayley’s up-and-down vocals reach the occasional falsetto and weave a different depiction of love in each song. Over the course of the 10-track album, love is beautiful, terrifying, painful, complicated, and, ultimately, what connects as all.

    It’s also a tricky word for rhyming, as Bayley twists vowels to somehow match “love” with words like “apartment” and “chasm.”

    The album starts strong with “Show Pony,” a catchy vignette of a complex, roller coaster relationship that Bayley grew up seeing. The summery pop-rock song tells the story of a love that burns bright off the start and then fades out until all that’s left is the memory of the good times. “When’s it going to end?/Maybe when you’re dead?” he sings. “Maybe you’re a fool/But he loved you.”

    “Wonderful Nothing” introduces orchestral strings and spacey synths as Bayley sings of when hate and love collide. The track has bite to it with lyrics like “I’d say burn in hell/But they’d hate you, too,” but, nonetheless, the last line admits, “I’m trying to stop/But I still love you.”

    Vast imagery of oceans and outer space are used throughout the album, signifying the lost-in-the-universe feeling Bayley says inspired the album.

    In the not-as-catchy waltz “Lost in the Ocean,” Bayley questions himself and how he could be “so loved and so lonesome.” He throws up his hands at a lack of an answer: “I want to scream at the top of my lungs!”

    While a simple rise-and-fall melody pattern repeats throughout the album to the point of redundancy, it gets better with every listen as the concepts in the lyrics come into focus.

    See “I Can’t Make You Fall in Love Again” for an example. At first blush, it’s an awkwardly syncopated track that flips between dull and lively. But listen again and it’s a layered, emotional ballad that pulls close and pushes away a loved one from the past. The chorus is pretty catchy, too.

    “I Love You So (Expletive) Much” is ultimately an emotional exploration of love, where it’s so complicated and yet so simple. At the end of the day, it’s all we’ve got.

    ___

    For more reviews of recent music releases, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/music-reviews

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  • The son of Asia’s richest man is set to marry in the year’s most extravagant wedding

    The son of Asia’s richest man is set to marry in the year’s most extravagant wedding

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    MUMBAI, India — Global celebrities, business tycoons and politicians began arriving in India’s financial capital on Friday to attend the wedding of the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, highlighting the billionaire’s staggering wealth and rising clout.

    Anant Ambani, 29, is marrying his longtime girlfriend, Radhika Merchant, in what many have dubbed the wedding of the year. The celebrations are taking place at the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai and their family home and are the culmination of months of wedding events that featured performances by pop stars including Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

    The four-day wedding celebrations begin with a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on Friday, followed by a grand reception that will run through the weekend. The guest list includes former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser, Adele, Lana Del Rey, Drake and David Beckham, according to local media. The Ambani family has not confirmed the guest list.

    Television news channels showed celebrities like Kim Kardashian and professional wrestler and Hollywood actor John Cena arriving.

    Police have imposed traffic diversions around the wedding venue from Friday to Monday to handle the influx of guests who will be flying into Mumbai, where heavy monsoon rains have caused flooding and flight disruptions for the past week.

    The extravaganza and the display of opulence that comes with this wedding has, however, led many to raise questions about rising inequality in India, where the gap between the rich and poor is growing. The event has also sparked anger among some Mumbai residents who say they were struggling with snarled traffic.

    “It affects our earnings. I don’t care much about the wedding,” said Vikram, a taxi driver who only uses his first name.

    The father of the groom, Mukesh Ambani, 66, is the world’s ninth richest man with a net worth of $116 billion, according to Forbes. He is also the richest person in Asia. His Reliance Industries is a massive conglomerate, reporting over $100 billion in annual revenue, with interests ranging from petrochemicals, and oil and gas to telecoms and retail.

    The Ambani family owns, among other assets, a 27-story family compound in Mumbai worth $1 billion. The building contains three helipads, a 160-car garage and a private movie theater.

    Ambani’s son, Anant, oversees the conglomerate’s renewable and green energy expansion. He also runs a 3,000-acre (about 1,200-hectare) animal rescue center in Gujarat state’s Jamnagar, the family’s hometown.

    The bride, Radhika Merchant, 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren Merchant and is the marketing director for his company, Encore Healthcare, according to Vogue.

    Ambani’s critics say his company has relied on political connections during Congress party-led governments in the 1970s and ’80s and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule after 2014.

    The Ambani family’s pre-wedding celebrations have been lavish and star-studded.

    In March, they threw a three-day prenuptial bash for his son with 1,200 guests including former world leaders, tech tycoons and Bollywood megastars, and performances by Rihanna, Akon and Diljit Dosanjh, a Punjabi singer who shot to international fame when he performed at Coachella. The event was also attended by tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

    It was the start of lavish monthslong pre-wedding celebrations that have grabbed headlines and set off a social media frenzy.

    In May, the family took guests on a three-day cruise from Italy to France which included Katy Perry singing her hit song “Firework” and a performance by Pitbull, according to media reports.

    The family also organized a mass wedding for more than 50 underprivileged couples on July 2 as part of the celebrations.

    Last week, Justin Bieber performed for hundreds of guests at a pre-wedding concert which included performances by Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and Salman Khan.

    Ambani also made headlines in 2018 when Beyoncé performed at pre-wedding festivities for his daughter. Former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry were among those who rubbed shoulders with Indian celebrities and Bollywood stars in the western Indian city of Udaipur.

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  • Sincerely Amirror Drops New Single ‘Run It’ Produced by Akon

    Sincerely Amirror Drops New Single ‘Run It’ Produced by Akon

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    ATLANTA, June 21, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The music world is about to be set ablaze with the release of “Run It,” the highly anticipated new single from Sincerely Amirror, an Atlanta-based powerhouse signed to Akon’s Konvict Kulture label. “Run It” will be available for streaming and download on June 21, 2024, providing a thrilling preview of her debut EP Reflxns, which will follow on June 28, 2024.

    Born in West Virginia, Amirror discovered her love for music at a young age, inspired by her family’s rich culture of karaoke and soulful gatherings. Her journey began with talent shows and festivals, leading to an Artist Development program that honed her skills and set the stage for her future success.

    Amirror’s life took a pivotal turn when she met global sensation Akon, who was captivated by her unique sound and undeniable talent. Signing her to his Konvict Kulture label, Akon opened doors to a new world of musical opportunities, including a transformative visit to Senegal that deeply influenced her artistic vision.

    Produced by Akon and co-produced by Spotless and Konvict Kulture’s newest producer Nektunez, “Run It” showcases Amirror’s dynamic fusion of Afro beats and Afro pop. Her music resonates with a deep connection to her roots and the influential artists she admires.

    “Amirror’s journey and dedication to her craft are truly inspiring,” said Akon. “Her new single ‘Run It’ is a powerful introduction to the world of Reflxns and a testament to her unique talent and voice.”

    “Run It” is more than just a single; it’s a reflection of Amirror’s life experiences and her evolution as an artist. Her fans, known as “Reflections,” connect deeply with her music, finding pieces of themselves in her lyrics and beats.

    “I’ve poured my heart and soul into ‘Run It’ and the entire Reflxns EP,” said Amirror. “I want my fans to feel the energy, the passion, and the connection to our shared heritage in every track.”

    With a career that has already seen international tours and collaborations with artists like Mase, Teni, and Rotimi, Amirror continues to break boundaries and redefine the music landscape. Her upcoming EP promises to be a deep, rhythmic exploration of Afro beats, offering both up-tempo and soulful tracks that speak to the heart.

    Don’t miss the release of “Run It” on June 21, 2024. 

    For more information and to download “Run It,” visit https://vydia.lnk.to/AmirrorRunIt.

    Source: Sincerely Amirror

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  • Your Weekend Playlist: New Music To Listen To This Friday

    Your Weekend Playlist: New Music To Listen To This Friday

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    We’re all in the same spot: working all week, wondering if the weekend will ever present itself, and dreaming of the possibilities of a day or two without work. You spend all week making plans with friends and family, and now that Summer Fridays have begun…the world is your oyster.

    Summer is the best time not only because the weather’s finally warm enough that you can tolerate the outdoors…but it’s one of the hottest times for new music. Live performances are abundant, your favorite artists are all in contention for Song of the Summer.

    With Gov Ball happening this weekend, I couldn’t be more excited to listen to some new tracks…especially since I’ll be hearing some of them being performed live for the first time. Whether you’re preparing for a weekend filled with fun with your friends, or live in the NYC area and are one of the thousands attending Gov Ball, you need a good playlist to get you ready.

    And that’s where I come in. If you’re new here, I make a Weekend Playlist filled with fresh releases hot off the press. It’s the best-of-the-best, so you don’t have to comb through every New Music playlist and search excessively for actual good music released this week.

    Since I have you all excited now, there’s no more time to waste. Let’s get listening!

    Sabrina Carpenter- “Please, Please, Please” 

    Oh, Sabrina Carpenter, how you amaze me. With the announcement of her new album, Short ‘N Sweet, coming August 23 and hot off the success of viral hit “Espresso”…you’d think she’d rest. But no, we’re here with another certified banger: “Please, Please, Please.”

    In the song, Carpenter begs for her lover not to make her cry when her makeup looks so nice. It’s a struggle we’ve all experienced…but of course, Sabrina conveys another message with the song: she’s the next Big Thing in pop music, ushering in the new era of popstars that we so desperately needed.

    Dom Dolla- girl$


    Dom Dolla is one of the hottest DJ’s in house music right now. He’s fresh off a few massive Coachella performances, where he played for the likes of Ice Spice, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelce. His breakout year – 2023 – gave us singles like “Saving Up” and “Eat Your Man (with Nelly Furtado).” And he’s not slowing down any time soon.

    No, Dom Dolla is not even close to reaching the height of his illustrious career…but “girl$” is just another stepping stone to becoming one of the top DJ’s in the world. Fun, sexy, and just enough bass, this house track will be a staple for any pregame playlist of yours.

    ASHRR- “Different Kind Of Life” 

    Supergroup ASHRR delivers a groovy, vibe-heavy song questioning why we’re all searching for some different sort of life…when we’re living the one we’ve got? It’s a message for us to stop looking to others for happiness when we have all the tools on our own.

    “DKOL is about the expression of samsara, the cycle of never being pleased with what you have, but always wanting more or something else. When we went to write this song which started out with the bass line and polyrhythmic drums, we eventually mixed up our love of Afrobeat rhythms from the late 70’s with the post -punk soul dance floor anthems that Frankie Knuckles would be playing at Paradise Garage on a Saturday night.” -ASHRR

    Glass Animals- “A Tear In Space (Airlock)”

    An exploration into the mind and soul lead band member, Dave Bayley, Glass Animals’ newest single is both introspective and otherworldly. Certainly a risk, “A Tear In Space (Airlock)” is unlike your usual Glass Animals sound…however, it works because that’s completely the point.

    Writing and producing their next album after having a breakdown over their newfound success following “Heat Waves”, “A Tear In Space (Airlock)” shows an ethereal side to their music we’ve never seen before.

    SALEKA- “RELEASE”

    SALEKA is quite literally a triple threat. She’s starring in the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan’s newest film, TRAP, a concert thriller following a girl and her father’s nightmare concert experience. Not only that, but she’s releasing a song, “RELEASE”, that’s being featured in the film as well.

    The song is brooding and powerful, a piano-driven ballad that builds with suspense and crescendos into SALEKA’s powerful vibrato.

    ROSIE- “Rock Bottom”

    ROSIE’s music is always empowering in some way- whether that be through lyrics emphasizing self love or moving vocals that make you want to replay her songs over and over. Now, with “Rock Bottom”, she shares a point in her life where she felt like she wasn’t going to make it through…but this song is a reminder that there’s light. She says,

    “‘Rock Bottom,’ explains why I am the person I am today. I’ve overcome many hardships over the years, from grieving the loss of a dear friend, to battling anxiety and depression, and this record recounts it all. More than anything, this song is about finding light within the darkness or as I say in the song, realizing that ‘nothing looks bad when you’ve seen rock bottom.’”

    Listen To Our Playlist On Spotify!

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    Jai Phillips

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  • We Can’t Get Enough of Magdalena Bay, Here’s Why.

    We Can’t Get Enough of Magdalena Bay, Here’s Why.

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    Electronic pop just got a whole lot more interesting. A new duo has emerged on the scene, slowly but surely taking over our playlists. Magdalena Bay is the love child of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin who create music for those of us wanting to escape reality. If you’re a fan of Blu DeTiger (which we definitely are), then you probably already know Magdalena Bay’s sound as they are featured on Blu’s hit track, ‘Disappearing.’ Picture what music would sound like on Mars or Jupiter, produced by bug-eyed aliens floating on zero gravity. That’s exactly what this duo is giving you. 👽

    Image Source: Lissyelle Laricchia

    So now that we’ve introduced them, we have to rant about their new song, ‘Death & Romance.’ The title of the song immediately caught our eye, so we had to hit play. Right off the bat, we’re transported to another dimension. It’s giving funk-wave-pop dance music, and we are here for every moment!

    “Imagine rain pouring, streetlights glowing,” the band says. “You sit at home and wait for your alien boyfriend to pick you up in his UFO…but this time, he’s not coming.”

    Magdalena Bay stated in a press release

    Check out the visualizer and hear the song for yourself below 👇

    Did you enjoy ‘Death & Romance?’ What was your favorite lyric? Let us know in the comments or by hitting us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram 🐝

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MAGDALENA BAY:
    TIKTOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC

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    ableimann

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  • J.Lo cancels the rest of her United States tour, including Orlando show in June

    J.Lo cancels the rest of her United States tour, including Orlando show in June

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    click to enlarge

    Courtesy photo

    Jennifer Lopez cancels U.S. tour, including summer Orlando show

    Jennifer Lopez has canceled the entirety of her North American tour, including an Orlando show set for late June.

    Lopez announced on Friday that she has put the kibosh on her U.S. tour, which was set to kick off here in Orlando with a show at the Kia Center on June 26.

    Live Nation first broke the news, saying that J.Lo was putting the tour on hold to “spend time with family and friends.” Lopez herself posted on her official site: “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary.”

    Back in March, Lopez struck six dates from her initial summer tour itinerary — including a Tampa show — amidst rumblings of sluggish ticket sales, according to Variety.

    Refunds will be dispensed at point of purchase.


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    Matthew Moyer

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  • Pop-music outlier Melanie Martinez headlines Orlando’s Kia Center

    Pop-music outlier Melanie Martinez headlines Orlando’s Kia Center

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    Photo courtesy Melanie Martinez/Facebook

    Melanie Martinez plays the Kia Center in Orlando

    While Melanie Martinez’s whims and presentation sometimes make me burst into laughter, you gotta give big credit to anyone trying to tilt the pop landscape to the left. The fact that Martinez is both mainstream-huge and fucking weird as shit makes her a special kind of cool. Her sound is modern and accessible, but everything behind it is arty to the point of absurdity.

    This bill is loaded with opening acts worth seeing on their own. With a melodic instinct that rivals Alvvays, Chicago’s Beach Bunny are seriously one of today’s best indie-rock bands. Rounding out the lineup are buzzing Montreal indie-pop band Men I Trust and new L.A. alt-pop artist Sofia Isella.

    6 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, Kia Center, $75-$125.


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    Bao Le-Huu

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  • Swiss fans get ready to welcome Eurovision winner Nemo back home

    Swiss fans get ready to welcome Eurovision winner Nemo back home

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    BERLIN — Swiss Eurovision fans were getting ready Sunday to give a hero’s welcome to singer Nemo, who won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing a nongender identity.

    The singer, who is Swiss but currently lives in Berlin, was to land in Zurich on Sunday night, national broadcaster SRF said.

    Switzerland’s contestant beat Croatian rocker Baby Lasagna to the title by winning the most points from a combination of national juries and viewers around the world.

    Nemo, 24, is the first nonbinary winner of the contest that has long been embraced as a safe haven by the LGBTQ community. Nemo is also the first Swiss winner since 1988, when Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion competed under the Swiss flag.

    At a post-victory news conference, Nemo expressed pride in accepting the trophy for “people that are daring to be themselves and people that need to be heard and need to be understood. We need more compassion, we need more empathy.”

    Nemo’s hometown of Biel congratulated the newly-crowned star online and said the residents were ready to celebrate them.

    “Congratulations! The city of Biel is extremely proud and says: Bravo and Merci Nemo for the fantastic song and performance and also for carrying the colors of Biel out into the world!,” the town said on its website. “Your city will celebrate and welcome you.”

    Biel, with a population of around 60,000, is located around 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Basel on Lake Biel. The town is bilingual, German and French, and is considered the watchmaking capital of Switzerland.

    “Nemo creates and moves freely between classical, alternative and popular culture,” the town’s culture official, Glenda Gonzalez Bassi, said. “A wonderful example of the dynamic and inclusive culture that we are proud of in Biel.”

    Nemo — full name Nemo Mettler — bested finalists from 24 other countries, who all performed in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers around the world. Each contestant had three minutes to meld catchy tunes and eye-popping spectacle into performances capable of winning the hearts of viewers. Musical styles ranged across rock, disco, techno and rap — sometimes a mashup of more than one.

    Across Switzerland, people were already starting to think ahead to next year, when the country will host the next Eurovision contest. Traditionally the county of the winner hosts the music competition the following year.

    The cities of Geneva, Basel and St. Gallen have already positioned themselves to compete as hosts for the next contest, SRF reported.

    “It is a great artistic and touristic opportunity to show the world what Switzerland is all about, and it is now up to us to take up this challenge together,” Gilles Marchand, Director General of the SRG media company, an association of many different Swiss media organizations.

    As for Berlin — their adopted, second hometown — Nemo told German news agency dpa before the Eurovision contest that “I love Berlin so much because it’s such a creative city that is constantly changing. It’s a fun city.”

    In the Croatian capital of Zagreb, thousands gathered at the main square to welcome second-placed Baby Lasagna on his return home. Chanting “We love you,” the crowd cheered as the singer performed his “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” rollicking rock number that tackles the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.

    Croats had hoped for a victory and Baby Lasagna burst into tears when he came on stage, saying he didn’t expect such a big reception. “We did our best, I hope you are happy,” he said.

    Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was also in the crowd, saying, “We are proud to have had such a result, which is the best since Croatia became independent” from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

    —-

    Associated Press writer Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia contributed to this report.

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  • Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final

    Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final

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    MALMO, Sweden — The Netherlands’ contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday’s final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.

    Competition organizer the European Broadcasting Union said Swedish police were investigating “a complaint made by a female member of the production crew” against Dutch performer Joost Klein. The organizer said it wouldn’t be appropriate for Klein to participate at the event in Malmo while the legal process was underway.

    Though Eurovision’s motto is “united by music,” this year’s event has proven exceptionally divisive. Israel’s participation has attracted large pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with protesters saying the country should be excluded because of its conduct in the war in the Gaza Strip.

    Klein, a 26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper, had been a favorite of both bookmakers and fans with his song “Europapa.”

    He failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday, and the EBU had said it was investigating an “incident.” Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, one of dozens of public broadcasters that collectively fund and broadcast the contest, said that as Klein came offstage after Thursday’s semifinal he was filmed without his consent and in turn made a “threatening movement” toward the camera.

    The broadcaster said Klein didn’t touch the camera or the female camera operator, and called his expulsion “very heavy and disproportionate” punishment.

    Some music lovers in Malmo’s Eurovision fan park expressed dismay at the Dutch expulsion. Sven Sherman from Sweden said that it was a “pity that a song which is absolutely made for Europe is now disqualified.”

    “I mean, honestly, which country has done so much, many good things for Europe, like the Netherlands? So it’s really a pity and I hope next year they will be back again,” he said.

    It all makes for a messy climax to an event that draws both adoration and derision with its campy, kitschy ethos and passion for pop.

    Tensions and nerves were palpable in the hours before the final, where 25 acts — narrowed from 37 entrants by two semifinal runoffs — are due to perform three-minute songs in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers around the world.

    Several artists were absent from the Olympics-style artists’ entrance at the start of the final dress rehearsal, though all but Ireland’s Bambie Thug went on to perform.

    The Irish performer issued a statement saying the absence was due to a situation “which I felt needed urgent attention from the EBU” and telling fans: “I hope to see you on the stage later.”

    French singer Slimane cut short his song “Mon Amour” at the dress rehearsal to give a speech urging people to be “united by music, yes — but with love, for peace.”

    The offstage drama is overshadowing a competition whose entries range from emotional to eccentric. They include the goofy 1990s nostalgia of Finland’s Windows95man, who emerges from a giant onstage egg wearing very little clothing. Bambie Thug summons witchy spirits onstage and has brought a scream coach to Malmo, while Spain’s Nebulossa boldly reclaims a term used as a slur on women in “Zorra.”

    The favorites include Swiss singer Nemo — who would be the first nonbinary Eurovision winner if their operatic song “The Code” tops the voting — and Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. His song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is a rollicking rock number that tackles the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.

    Dean Vuletic, an expert on the history of the contest, said that despite the contest’s reputation for disposable bubblegum pop, Eurovision often tackles “political and social issues such as feminism, European integration, gender identity.”

    Sometimes, though, songs run afoul of the contest’s ban on openly “political” statements. Eurovision organizers told Israel to change the original title of its song, “October Rain” — an apparent reference to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the war in Gaza.

    Israeli singer Eden Golan has shot up the odds since performing the power ballad, now titled “Hurricane,” in Thursday’s semifinal. Golan faced some booing at dress rehearsals, but was voted into the final by viewers around the world.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised 20-year-old Golan for performing despite “contending with an ugly wave of antisemitism.”

    Pro-Palestinian protesters argue that Israel shouldn’t be allowed to take part amid a war that has killed almost 35,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

    Thousands of people marched for the second time this week on Saturday through Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to demand a boycott of Israel and a cease-fire in the seven-month war.

    A few Palestinian flags were waved in the auditorium during Saturday’s Eurovision dress rehearsal, in defiance of a ban on flags other than those of competing nations.

    The competing musicians are feeling the pressure, inundated with messages and abuse on social media and unable to speak out because of the contest rules. Italy’s contestant, Angelina Mango, made a statement by walking into the Eurovision media center on Friday and performing John Lennon’s “Imagine” as dozens of journalists gathered around her.

    Swedish singer Loreen, last year’s Eurovision champion — and one of only two performers to win the contest twice — said world events were “traumatizing” but urged people not to shut down the “community of love” that is Eurovision.

    “What heals trauma … Does trauma heal trauma? Does negativity heal negativity? It doesn’t work like that,” she told The Associated Press. “The only thing that heals trauma for real — this is science — is love.”

    ___

    Hilary Fox in Malmo, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.

    ___

    A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the spelling of the Dutch broadcaster is AVROTROS, not AVROTOS.

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