Tag: Pop music

Drexler surprises with 6 Latin Grammys; Rosalia best album

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Uruguay’s Jorge Drexler was nominated for seven Latin Grammys and on Thursday he took home six, surprising those who took Bad Bunny’s triumph for granted. The second surprise was Rosalía winning album of the year for “Motomami (Digital Album).”

“You have no idea how unexpected all this is for me,” said Drexler as he received the song of the year award for “Tocarte” (Touch you) from his album “Tinta y tiempo” (Ink and Time) that he performs with Spanish urban musician C. Tangana.

The Uruguayan musician performed “Tocarte” live with British singer Elvis Costello during the ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Drexler dedicated his award “to all those who make urban music in Spanish.”

Bad Bunny, who was not present at the ceremony, was the biggest nominee with 10 mentions.

In the end, he won all the prizes in the urban music section: best fusion/urban performance for “Titi me preguntó” (Titi asked me); best reggaeton performance for “Lo siento BB:/” (I’m sorry BB:/) which he sings with Tainy and Julieta Venegas; best rap/hip hop song for “De museo” (Of museum), best urban song for “Titi me preguntó” (Titi asked me); and best urban music album for “Un verano sin ti” (A summer without you), which was also nominated for a Grammy in the album of the year category, the first album sung in Spanish to achieve this.

Visibly surprised at winning album of the year at the Latin Grammys, Rosalía said ”‘Motomami’ was the album that she had to fight the most to make, but which “has given me the most joy.”

Rosalía thanked Latin America, Spain, her team and “the love of my life,” she said looking at the Puerto Rican urban artist Rauw Alejandro, who was in the front row.

Rosalía, who also won the Latin Grammy for best alternative music album for “Motomami,” performed “Hentai”, “La Fama” and her summer hit “Despechá.”

Drexler also won Latin Grammys for best pop song for “La guerrilla de la concordia” (Guerrilla of harmony), best alternative song for “El día que estrenaste el mundo” (The day you premiered the world), best singer-songwriter album for “Tinta y tiempo” (Ink and Time) and best song in the Portuguese language for “Vento sardo” with Marisa Monte.

“This is insane, this is a wonderful exaggeration,” Drexler said.

For the first in the history of the Latin Grammys a tie was announced in the category of best new artist, with 95-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter Ángela Álvarez sharing the award with 25-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada.

In an emotional moment, the young Mexican singer said the award for best new artist “was already ours” because most of the candidates this year were women and “even more so because I have here this wonderful woman who has brought tears to my eyes ever since I saw her.”

“What exists is to represent for the girls to come for the generations to know that it is worthwhile dreaming, fighting and working,” she said.

Álvarez took the stage accompanied by her grandson Carlos Álvarez, who produced her self-titled debut album.

Christina Aguilera joined Mexico’s Christian Nodal in a powerful interpretation their ranchera song “Cuando me dé la gana” (When I want to) from her album “Aguilera”, which took the award for best traditional pop vocal album.

The American singer of Ecuadorian origins, whose previous album in Spanish was “Mi reflejo” in 2000, said she had longed to make another album in Spanish since then.

After tying Drexler for best pop song, Colombian star Sebastián Yatra won the second Latin Grammy of his career for “Dharma” in the category of best pop vocal album.

“I want to continue inviting composers, young people, all the people who make music to make the music that is always a reflection of their heart,” said Yatra.

Yatra was recognized in the pop song category for his anthem “Tacones rojo” (Red Heels) whose Spanish and English version he performed with John Legend.

Mexican singer Angela Aguilar performed “En realidad” (In Reality) while Chiquis won the Latin Grammy for best band music album for “Abeja Reina” (Queen Bee).

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November 17, 2022
Partial list of nominees for the 65th Grammy Awards

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LOS ANGELES — A partial list of nominees in the top categories at the 65th annual Grammy Awards, announced Tuesday by The Recording Academy.

— Album of the year: “Voyage,” ABBA; “30,” Adele; “Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny; “Renaissance,” Beyoncé; “Good Morning Gorgeous” (Deluxe), Mary J. Blige; “In These Silent Days,” Brandi Carlile; “Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay; “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar; “Special,” Lizzo; “Harry’s House,” Harry Styles.

— Record of the year: “Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA; “Easy on Me,” Adele; “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé; “Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige; “You and Me on the Rock,” Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius; “Woman,” Doja Cat; “Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy; “The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar; “About Damn Time,” Lizzo; “As It Was,” Harry Styles.

Song of the year (songwriter’s award): “abcdefu,” Sara Davis, GAYLE and Dave Pittenger; “About Damn Time,” Melissa “Lizzo” Jefferson, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin and Theron Makiel Thomas; “All Too Well (10 Minute Version – The Short Film),” Liz Rose and Taylor Swift; “As It Was,” Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon and Harry Styles; “Bad Habit,” Matthew Castellanos, Brittany Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Carroll Kirby and Steve Lacy; “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé, S. Carter, Terius “The Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant and Christopher A. Stewart; “Easy on Me,” Adele Adkins and Greg Kurstin; “God Did,” Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts and Nicholas Warwar; “The Heart Part 5,” Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar and Matt Schaeffer; “Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt.

— Best new artist: Best new artist: Anitta; Omar Apollo; DOMi & JD Beck; Muni Long; Samara Joy; Latto; Månekskin; Tobe Nwigwe; Molly Tuttle; Wet Leg.

— Songwriter of the Year: Amy Allen; Nija Charles; Tobia Jesso Jr.; The-Dream; Laura Veltz

— Best pop solo performance: “Easy on Me,” Adele; “Moscow Mule,” Bad Bunny; “Woman,” Doja Cat; “Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy; “About Damn Time,” Lizzo; “As It Was,” Harry Styles.

— Best pop duo/group performance: “Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA; “Bam Bam,” Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran; “My Universe,” Coldplay and BTS; “I Like You (A Happier Song),” Post Malone and Doja Cat; “Unholy,” Sam Smith and Kim Petras.

— Best pop vocal album: “Voyage,” ABBA; “30,” Adele; “Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay; “Special,” Lizzo; “Harry’s House,” Harry Styles.

— Best traditional pop vocal album: “Higher,” Michael Bublé; “When Christmas Comes Around…,” Kelly Clarkson; “I Dream of Christmas” (Extended), Norah Jones; “Evergreen,” Pentatonix; “Thank You,” Diana Ross.

— Best dance/electronic album: “Renaissance,” Beyoncé; “Fragments,” Bonobo; “Diplo,” Diplo; “The Last Goodbye,” ODESZA; “Surrender, Rufus Du Sol.

— Best rock album: “Dropout Boogei,” The Black Keys; “The Boy Named If,” Elvis Costello and the Imposters; “Crawler,” Idles; “Mainstream Sellout,” Machine Gun Kelly; “Patient Number 9,” Ozzy Osbourne; “Lucifer on the Sofa,” Spoon.

— Best alternative music album: “WE,” Arcade Fire; “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe You,” Big Thief; “Fossora,” Björk; “Wet Leg,” Wet Leg; “Cool It Down,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

— Best progressive R&B album: “Operation Funk,” Cory Henry; “Gemini Rights,” Steve Lacy”; “Drones,” Terrace Martin; “Starfruit,” Moonchild; “Red Ballon,” Tank and the Bangas.

— Best R&B album: “Good Morning Gorgeous” (Deluxe, Mary J. Blige; “Breezy” (Deluxe), Chris Brown; “Black Radio III,” Robert Glasper; “Candydrip,” Lucky Daye; “Watch the Sun,” PJ Morton.

— Best rap album: “God Did,” DJ Khaled; “I Never Liked You,” Future; “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” Jack Harlow; “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar; “It’s Almost Dry,” Pusha T.

— Best country album: “Growing Up,” Luke Combs; “Palomino,” Miranda Lambert; “Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville,” Ashley McBryde; “Humble Quest,” Maren Morris; “A Beautiful Time,” Willie Nelson.

— Best jazz vocal album: “The Evening: Live at Apparatus,” The Baylor Project; “Linger Awhile,” Samara Joy; “Fade to Black,” Carmen Lundy; “Fifty,” The Manhattan Transfer with the WDR Funkhausorchester; “Ghost Song,” Cécile McLorin Salvant.

— Best jazz instrumental album: “New Standards Vol. 1,” Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton and Matthew Stevens; “Live in Italy,” Peter Erskine Trio; “LongGone,” Joshua Redman, Brad Mehidau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade; “Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival,” Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese and Esperanza Spalding; “Parallel Motion,” Yellowjackets.

— Best gospel album: “Die to Live,” Maranda Curtis; “Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live),” Ricky Dillard; “Clarity,” DOE; “Kingdom Book One Deluxe,” Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin; “All things New,” Tye Tribbett

— Best contemporary Christian music album: “Lion,” Elevation Worship; “Breathe,” Maverick City Music; “Life After Death,” TobyMac; “Always,” Chris Tomlin; “My Jesus,” Anne Wilson.

— Best Latin pop album: “Aguilera,” Christina Aguilera; “Pasieros,” Rubén Blades and Boca Livre; “De Adentro Pa Afuera,” Camilo; “Viajante,” Fonseca; “Dharma +,” Sebastián Yatra.

— Best Latin urban album: “Trap Cake, Vol. 2,” Rauw Alejandro; “Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny; “Legendaddy,” Daddy Yankee; “La 167,” Farruko; “The Love & Sex Tape,” Maluma.

— Best Latin rock or alternative album: “El Alimento,” Cimafunk; “Tinta y Tiempo,” Jorge Drexler; “1940 Carmen,” Mon Laferte; “Alegoria,” Gaby Moreno; “Los Años Salvajes,” Fito Paez; “MOTOMAMI,” Rosalía.

— Best reggae album: “The Kalling,” Kabaka Pyramid; “Gifted,” Koffee; “Scorcha,” Sean Paul; “Third Time’s the Charm,” Protoje; “Come Fly Wid Mi,” Shaggy.

— Best spoken word poetry album: “Black Men Are Precious,” Ethelbert Miller; “Call Us What We Carry: Poems,” Amanda Gorman; “Hiding in Plain View,” Malcolm-Jamal Warner; “The Poet Who Sat By the Door,” J. Ivy; “You Will be Someone’s Ancestor. Act Accordingly.,” Amir Sulaiman.

— Best comedy album: “The Closer,” Dave Chappelle; “Comedy Monster,” Jim Gaffigan; “A Little Brains, a Little Talent,” Randy Rainbow; “Sorry,” Louis CK; “We All Scream,” Patton Oswalt.

— Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: “Elvis”; “Encanto”; “Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2); “Top Gun: Maverick”; West Side Story.”

— Best song written for visual media: “Be Alive” from “King Richard,” Beyoncé and Darius Scott Dixson; “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Taylor Swift; “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” Bloodpop and Stefani Germanotta; “Keep Rising” from “The Woman King,” Angelique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito and Jessy Wilson; “Nobody Like U” from “Turning Red,” Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell; “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto,” Lin-Manuel Miranda.

— Best score soundtrack for visual media: “The Batman,” Michael Giacchino; “Encanto,” Germaine Franco; “No Time to Die,” Hans Zimmer; “The Power of the Dog,” Jonny Greenwood; “Succession: Season 3,” Nicholas Britell.

— Producer of the year, non-classical: Jack Antonoff; Dan Auerbach; Boi-1da; Dahi; Dernst “D’mile” Emile II.

— Best music video: “Easy on Me,” Adele; “Yet to Come,” BTS; “Woman,” Doja Cat; “The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar; “As It Was,” Harry Styles; “All Too Well: The Short Film,” Taylor Swift.

— Best music film: “Adele One Night Only”; “Our World”; “Billie Eilish Live at the O2”; “Motomami (Rosalía Tiktok Live Performance)”; “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story” “A Band A Brotherhood A Barn.”

— Best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media: “Aliens: Fireteam Elite,” Austin Wintory; “Assasin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok,” Stephanie Economou; “Call of Duty: Vanguard,” Bear McCreary; “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy,” Richard Jacques; “Old World,” Christopher Tin.

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November 15, 2022
R.E.M., Blondie, Snoop Dogg get nods for Songwriters Hall

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NEW YORK — Bryan Adams, R.E.M., Blondie, Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Heart and The Doobie Brothers are among the nominees for the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame, part of a dazzling list of talented acts who left their mark on country, pop, rap, Broadway, post-punk, Latin and New Jack Swing.

The ballot includes the musical theater duo of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, who wrote “Ragtime” and “Anastasia,” as well as soul-jazz vocalist Sade, whose 1980s soft rock hits include “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.”

Two veteran rock stars are also nominees: Patti Smith — whose songs include “Because the Night” and “Dancing Barefoot” — and Steve Winwood, whose hits include “Higher Love” and “Roll With It.” Vince Gill is once again a nominee, having first made the ballot in 2018.

Eligible voting members have until Dec. 28 to turn in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the songwriter category and three from the performing-songwriter category. The Associated Press got an early copy of the list.

Jeff Lynne of ELO, who penned “Mr. Blue Sky” and “Evil Woman,” faces off against the “Losing My Religion” R.E.M. quartet led by Michael Stipe, as well as sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, who showed women could rock hard with songs like “Barracuda” and “Crazy On You.”

Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke are eligible for the hall as Blondie, who gave us the New Wave hits “Call Me” and “Rapture,” and Snoop Dogg would join such rappers as Missy Elliott and Jay-Z should he make the cut. Estefan is credited for popularizing Latin rhythms with such crossover smashes as “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Let’s Get Loud.”

Two classic rock icons compete as Adams — with radio staples like “Summer of ’69” and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” — contends with The Doobie Brothers and their always-in-rotation “Listen to the Music” and “Long Train Running.”

Nominees who work behind the scenes include Glen Ballard, who helped write Alanis Morissette’s monster 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” and was involved in the recording and writing of Michael Jackson’s albums “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Dangerous.”

Veteran songwriter Tom Snow, who worked with Olivia Newton-John, Barbra Streisand, Cher, The Pointer Sisters and co-wrote “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” from the movie “Footloose,” is also eligible. “Footloose” connects another nominee, Dean Pitchford, who collaborated on the score, which went to No. 1 on the Billboard album charts, knocking off “Thriller” in 1984.

The nominee list includes Teddy Riley, the singer, songwriter, and producer credited with creating New Jack Swing and its top anthems like Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” and Keith Sweat’s “I Want Her,” and Liz Rose, who co-wrote many songs with Taylor Swift, including “You Belong with Me,” “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “White Horse.”

There’s also country songwriter Dean Dillon, who wrote songs with Toby Keith, George Strait and Lee Ann Womack; pop songwriter Franne Golde, behind such hits as Jody Watley’s “Don’t You Want Me” and “Nightshift” by the Commodores; and the duo of Bobby Hart and Tommy Boyce, who penned many of The Monkees’ hits.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those creating the popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.

Some already in the hall include Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond and Phil Collins.

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Online: http://www.songhall.org

———

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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November 14, 2022
Taylor Swift wins big in Germany at the MTV EMAs

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DUSSELDORF, Germany — Taylor Swift won big at Sunday’s MTV EMAs. Swift who led the nominations along with Harry Styles with seven a piece, walked away with four wins for ‘Best Artist,’ ‘Best Video,’ ‘Best Pop’ and ‘Best Longform Video.’

Currently topping the charts with ‘Anti-Hero’ from her record breaking new album ‘Midnights,’ Swift made a surprise appearance at the awards in Dusseldorf to collect her haul, the latest in a long line of accolades for the singer-songwriter. Accepting her first award of the night she said “the fans are the only reason any of this happens for me.”

David Guetta and Bebe Rexha opened the show with their hit collaboration ‘I’m Good (Blue),’ a track that nearly didn’t get released.

Rexha explained on the carpet “we had no idea that it was gonna blow up and be so viral on TikTok. And here we are performing it and nominated for ‘Best Collab.’”

Hot on their toes were Muse who returned to the EMAs for a fiery performance of ‘Will of the People,’ later winning ‘Best Rock’ act. They dedicated their award to the people of Ukraine and the women of Iran.

This year’s show was hosted by newlyweds Rita Ora and Taika Waititi. Ora didn’t disappoint with a host of outfit changes and Waititi joked he was channeling his inner popstar.

An absent Nicki Minaj also came out on top with a trio of prizes for ‘Best Song,’ ‘Super Freaky Girl’ and ‘Best Hip Hop’. Styles, who is currently touring in the US, won ‘Best Live’.

Following their Eurovision win in May, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra gave one of the most powerful and moving performances of the night, turning the auditorium blue and yellow in support of Ukraine. Talking on the red carpet frontman Oleg Psyuk explained that with their new found fame they could support and spread awareness of the plight of the Ukrainian people

“It’s important for us to be a voice of Ukraine, to have opportunity to be all over the world, to perform and to say about Ukraine, to say about war, to say about our culture, culture that fights against war.”

British rapper Stormzy performed ballad ‘Fire Babe,’ released this week from his highly anticipated third album ‘This is What I Mean.’

OneRepublic performed their ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ tune ‘I Ain’t Worried,’ with a special video intro from the man himself, Tom Cruise, which they said wasn’t easy to get.

Other performers on the night included Ava Max who sparkled in a giant diamond singing ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and Tate McRae who performed a medley of her hits, ‘she’s all i wanna be’ and ‘uh oh.’

Voted for by the fans 17 gender-neutral categories were announced during the evening. The show, broadcast from the PSD Bank Dome will be shown in more than 170 countries.

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November 13, 2022
Taylor Swift wins big in Germany at the MTV EMAs

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DUSSELDORF, Germany — Taylor Swift won big at Sunday’s MTV EMAs. Swift who led the nominations along with Harry Styles with seven a piece, walked away with four wins for ‘Best Artist,’ ‘Best Video,’ ‘Best Pop’ and ‘Best Longform Video.’

Currently topping the charts with ‘Anti-Hero’ from her record breaking new album ‘Midnights,’ Swift made a surprise appearance at the awards in Dusseldorf to collect her haul, the latest in a long line of accolades for the singer-songwriter. Accepting her first award of the night she said “the fans are the only reason any of this happens for me.”

David Guetta and Bebe Rexha opened the show with their hit collaboration ‘I’m Good (Blue),’ a track that nearly didn’t get released.

Rexha explained on the carpet “we had no idea that it was gonna blow up and be so viral on TikTok. And here we are performing it and nominated for ‘Best Collab.’”

Hot on their toes were Muse who returned to the EMAs for a fiery performance of ‘Will of the People,’ later winning ‘Best Rock’ act. They dedicated their award to the people of Ukraine and the women of Iran.

This year’s show was hosted by newlyweds Rita Ora and Taika Waititi. Ora didn’t disappoint with a host of outfit changes and Waititi joked he was channeling his inner popstar.

An absent Nicki Minaj also came out on top with a trio of prizes for ‘Best Song,’ ‘Super Freaky Girl’ and ‘Best Hip Hop’. Styles, who is currently touring in the US, won ‘Best Live’.

Following their Eurovision win in May, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra gave one of the most powerful and moving performances of the night, turning the auditorium blue and yellow in support of Ukraine. Talking on the red carpet frontman Oleg Psyuk explained that with their new found fame they could support and spread awareness of the plight of the Ukrainian people

“It’s important for us to be a voice of Ukraine, to have opportunity to be all over the world, to perform and to say about Ukraine, to say about war, to say about our culture, culture that fights against war.”

British rapper Stormzy performed ballad ‘Fire Babe,’ released this week from his highly anticipated third album ‘This is What I Mean.’

OneRepublic performed their ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ tune ‘I Ain’t Worried,’ with a special video intro from the man himself, Tom Cruise, which they said wasn’t easy to get.

Other performers on the night included Ava Max who sparkled in a giant diamond singing ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and Tate McRae who performed a medley of her hits, ‘she’s all i wanna be’ and ‘uh oh.’

Voted for by the fans 17 gender-neutral categories were announced during the evening. The show, broadcast from the PSD Bank Dome will be shown in more than 170 countries.

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November 13, 2022
I Will Always Love You: The power ballad that changed music

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In fact, it could be argued that Houston’s vocal performance was, at times, a little too influential. Vocal coaches Carrie and David Grant, who worked with contestants on the British talent shows Pop Idol and Fame Academy, as well as with artists including Demi Lovato and the Spice Girls, say that Houston’s most famous songs became a gold standard that was rarely attainable. “Just about every singer we taught or auditioned for about five years wanted to master I Will Always Love You or The Greatest Love of All or I Have Nothing,” Carrie Grant tells BBC Culture. “Most of [them] should have tried something a little easier – many a singer has been wiped out in an attempt to do Whitney!”

David Grant believes that Houston’s influence “cannot be underestimated” because “for most female singers, she was the voice of her generation”. Though she became known mainly for singing pop, soul and R&B music, Grant points out that you could always hear her “gospel roots” in her delivery. The daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, a longtime backing vocalist for Aretha Houston as well as a Grammy-winning artist in her own right, Whitney honed her vocal skills in the gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. “Even if they had the [vocal] riffs, many who followed her could not mirror this history,” Grant tells BBC Culture.

Bringing R&B to the mainstream

I Will Always Love You remains Houston’s best-selling single, but she had already enjoyed seven years of globe-conquering success by the time she released it. Between 1985 and 1987, she scored a record seven consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number ones with songs including Saving All My Love for You, I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) and So Emotional. “Whitney was the standard bearer in a line of great R&B singers, from the ’60s with Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, into the ’70s with Gladys Knight and Patti Labelle,” says David Grant. “But what she did was to take R&B to a market bigger than any of them had experienced. Without Whitney, there would arguably have been no mass market for Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé or Jennifer Hudson.”

Houston’s crossover success as an artist who could sing pop, soul, rock, R&B and dance music was unprecedented at the time, but not necessarily popular in all quarters. She was reportedly booed by audience members at the 1989 Soul Train Awards, a ceremony recognising the best in soul, R&B and hip-hop music. Houston addressed this incredibly awkward moment in a 1991 interview on The Arsenio Hall Show, saying: “I think that I’ve got a lot of flak about ‘I sing too white’ or ‘I sing… white’ or something like that.” She added defiantly: “I do sing the way God intended for me to sing and I’m using what he gave me and I’m using it to the best of my ability.”

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November 9, 2022
Singer-rapper Aaron Carter dies in California at age 34

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LOS ANGELES — Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead Saturday at his home in Southern California. He was 34.

Representatives for Carter’s family confirmed the singer’s death. His fiance, Melanie Martin, asked for privacy as the family grieves.

“We are still in the process of accepting this unfortunate reality,” Martin said in a statement Saturday. “Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.”

Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, performed as an opening act for Britney Spears as well as his brother’s boy band, and recorded several hits including “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)” and “I Want Candy.”

Deputies responded around 11 a.m. following reports of a medical emergency at the home in Lancaster, a desert city about 70 miles (112 kilometers) north of downtown Los Angeles, said Deputy Alejandra Parra with the LA County Sheriff’s Department.

Parra said the deputies found a deceased person at the residence, but she could not immediately confirm it was Carter. Authorities later said a house sitter found a man in the bathtub in the home and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Carter opened for the Backstreet Boys tour in 1997 — the same year his gold-selling debut self-titled album released. He reached triple-platinum status with his sophomore album, 2000’s “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” which produced hit singles including the title song and “I Want Candy.” His videos received regular airplay on Disney and Nickelodeon.

The singer earned acting credits through his appearance on television shows including “Lizzie McGuire.” He starred alongside his brother, Nick, and their siblings B.J., Leslie and Angel Carter on the E! unscripted series “House of Carters” in 2006.

Carter made his Broadway debut in 2001 as JoJo in the musical “Seussical.” In 2009, he appeared on the ABC competition show “Dancing with the Stars,” finishing in fifth place with partner Karina Smirnoff. He was featured on the Food Network cooking show “Rachel vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off” in 2012.

In 2017, Carter opened up about his substance abuse on an episode of “The Doctors.” He was in rehab that same year after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and marijuana charges. He checked himself in for treatment on a few occasions in an effort to regain custody of his son Prince.

Carter’s fifth and final studio album, “LOVE,” was released in 2018.

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Rancilio reported from Detroit. Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. contributed to this report.

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November 7, 2022
Nick Carter reacts to the death of his brother Aaron at 34: ‘God, please take care of my baby brother’ | CNN

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CNN
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Aaron Carter’s older brother Nick is heartbroken after the singer’s death at the age of 34, he wrote in a post on Instagram Sunday, saying that despite their “complicated relationship,” his love for Carter “has never ever faded.”

“I have always held onto the hope, that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed,” Nick Carter, a member of the Backstreet Boys, wrote in a caption alongside photos of the brothers through the years. “Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss. But the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here.”

“I will miss my brother more than anyone will ever know,” he added. “I love you Chizz, now you get a chance to finally have some peace you could never find here on earth…. God, please take care of my baby brother.”

Nick Carter’s statement Sunday comes after a source close to the family told CNN on Saturday that Carter, who found stardom as a young boy with songs like “I Want Candy” and “That’s How I Beat Shaq,” was found dead in his bathtub.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told CNN it responded to a call for help at Carter’s Lancaster, California, home on Saturday morning around 11 a.m. local time, where a deceased person was found.

Nick Carter’s tribute followed another by his sister, Aaron’s twin Angel, who wrote on Instagram, “To my twin… I loved you beyond measure.”

“My funny, sweet Aaron, I have so many memories of you and I, and I promise to cherish them. I know you’re at peace now. I will carry you with me until the day I die and get to see you again.”

The singer had been open in the past about his struggles with mental health, but once denied having substance abuse issues in an interview with CNN.

Carter at times had a fraught relationship with his siblings: In 2019, Nick announced he and Angel had filed for a restraining order against their brother, saying in a statement his youngest brother allegedly harbored “intentions of killing my wife and unborn child.” Aaron Carter had denied the allegations, saying he wished harm to no one.

Aside from his siblings, those honoring Carter include Hilary Duff, who played the titular character on Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire,” on which Carter once appeared as a guest star.

“For Aaron – I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in-front of the whole world,” Duff wrote on Instagram.

“You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent… boy did my teenage self love you deeply,” she added. “Sending love to your family at this time.”

Actress Melissa Joan Hart also expressed her condolences, posting a photo of herself with Carter and writing, “Sending love to the family and friends and fans of #AaronCarter. Rest In Peace!”

The band New Kids on the Block similarly shared their sympathies in a statement on Twitter: “We are shocked and saddened about the sudden passing of Aaron Carter. Sending prayers to the Carter family. Rest in peace, Aaron.”

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November 6, 2022
Singer-rapper Aaron Carter dies in California at age 34

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Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead at his home in Southern California

LANCASTER, Calif. — Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead Saturday at his home in Southern California. He was 34.

Representatives for Carter’s family confirmed the singer’s death. They did not provide any immediate further comment.

Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, performed as an opening act for Britney Spears as well as his brother’s boy band, and appeared on the family’s reality series “House of Carters” that aired on E! Entertainment Television.

Deputies responded around 11 a.m. following reports of a medical emergency at the home in Lancaster, said Deputy Alejandra Parra with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Parra said the deputies found a deceased person at the residence, but she could not immediately confirm it was Carter.

Carter’s fiancé, Melanie Martin, asked for privacy as the family grieves.

“We are still in the process of accepting this unfortunate reality,” Martin said in a statement Saturday. “Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.”

Carter’s 2000 album, “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” sold three million copies and produced hit singles including the title song and “I Want Candy. His videos received regular airplay on Disney and Nickelodeon.

In 2009, Carter appeared on the ABC competition show “Dancing with the Stars,” finishing in fifth place with partner Karina Smirnoff.

Carter’s fifth and final studio album, “LOVE,” was released in 2018.

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November 5, 2022
Singer-rapper Aaron Carter found dead at 34 in Southern California home, authorities say

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Singer-rapper Aaron Carter found dead at 34 in Southern California home, authorities say

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November 5, 2022
What are the 500 best albums? Rolling Stone has an answer

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NEW YORK — Is Fleetwood Mac’s landmark album “Rumours” better than “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar? Should “Tapestry” by Carole King be ranked higher or lower than “Thriller” by Michael Jackson?

Rolling Stone magazine has some answers in a new book that’s sure to spark conversations — “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” It’s where you’ll find that Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” fittingly sits just ahead of “Ready to Die” by The Notorious B.I.G., at No. 21 and No. 22, respectively.

“Every record on here is in some ways on for different reasons,” said Jon Dolan, the reviews editor at Rolling Stone who helped create the book. “We are really happy, to be honest, about the whole list.”

But if you disagree with the rankings, don’t blame the folks at Rolling Stone. Blame Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Iggy Pop. Nile Rodgers, Questlove, Billie Eilish, Herbie Hancock, Saweetie, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lin-Manuel Miranda and members of Metallica and U2, among dozens of other artists. They were among the judges.

The book’s editors reached out to about 500 voters from the world of music — artists, journalists, record label figures and Rolling Stone staffers — and asked for their top 50 albums (Stevie Nicks kindly offered 80). They got some 4,000 albums and created a spreadsheet with weighed points.

On every page, the artists make a fascinating musical tapestry. Take a section in the lower Top 100 — at No. 86 is The Doors’ self-titled debut, followed by “Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis, “Hunky Dory” by David Bowie and, at No. 89, is “Baduizm” by Erykah Badu, connecting gems of classic rock, jazz, prog-rock and R&B.

“Is there a person who loves all those things equally? Probably not. But we hope there’s people who could definitely want to try them all out and see what they think,” Dolan said. “That’s the goal: making connections and being introduced to new things.”

Dolan was impressed by some established artists embracing modern music, like John Cale of the Velvet Underground championing FKA Twigs and Nicks ranking Harry Styles’ “Fine Line” quite high.

“It’s sweet when these people who have been around are not just pooh-poohing the younger generation,” he said. “It’s neat when people are voting for things outside of their genre and what you’d expect.”

The book’s origins started in 2003 when the magazine published its first 500 list, putting The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” at No. 1. It was a pretty Beatles-heavy list, with three more Fab Four albums making the top 10.

“It had kind of the perspective of a 45-year-old male rock fan who was open minded, who liked rap a little bit, but kind of patting it on the head, and liked R&B, but was kind of dismissive of the more recent stuff,” he said.

“We really wanted to break away from that perspective and think the list could actually have many perspectives converging.”

Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” shot up on the new list, going from No. 30 in 2003 to the top 10 now, and Prince and the Revolution’s “Purple Rain” went from No. 76 to No. 8. Another big gainer was Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” which zoomed up from the 300s in 2003 to Top 10 now.

“Certain albums become kind of new classics,” said Dolan. “It is something that’s kind of evolving and up for grabs. And we wanted to kind of at least imply that in doing this one.”

The new list is more inclusive of genres other than rock and so pushed some iconic albums down, like AC/DC’s “Back in Black” which went from No. 77 to No. 84, now nestled between “Dusty in Memphis” by Dusty Springfield and John Lennon’s “Plastic Ono Band.” (“I’m pretty sure they would accept that company,” Dolan said.)

Some artists’ catalogues have also shifted. Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” leapfrogged his “Blonde on Blonde” and “Highway 61 Revisited” this time, and the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” became their top album in the book, over “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver.”

“The warmth and the beauty and the sweetness of ‘Abbey Road’ maybe in a way wins out over this sort of landmark sonic inventiveness of ‘Revolver’ because people love to listen to it.”

There’s been some online griping about the list, like that only “The Stranger” from Billy Joel made the list and no entries from non-Western artists, Fans of U2 might be mad that “The Joshua Tree” dropped out of the Top 100 and fans of electronic music might bemoan that there are only eight electronic albums.

But Rolling Stone says the list is a snapshot as music marches onward. While the albums were being tabulated this time, Taylor Swift’s “folklore” and Bob Dylan’s “Rough and Rowdy Ways” came out, and Dolan suspects both might have made the book if they’d only come out earlier.

“Because the list is so stylistically diverse and open-ended, I think we’re kind of implying that it’s always a work in progress,” he said. “In 20 years, Rolling Stone, whatever entity it is, will do this again at some point.”

———

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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November 2, 2022
Police: 3-year-old son of Nigerian singer Davido has died

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ABUJA, Nigeria — The 3-year-old son of Nigerian music star Davido has died at his home in an apparent drowning, police said Tuesday.

The singer, whose real name is David Adeleke, was not at the home at the time of Ifeanyi’s death Monday night. The child’s mother, Chioma Rowland, was also away, according to Lagos police spokesman Ben Hundeyin.

Authorities are interviewing eight of the pop star’s employees who were at the Lagos residence, he added.

Neither parent has spoken publicly about their son’s death, just two weeks after Ifeanyi’s third birthday.

The global award-winning musician got engaged to Rowland, a popular chef, in 2019. The couple had said recently that they plan to wed next year.

Lagos Gov, Babajide Sanwo-Olu mourned Ifeanyi’s death, tweeting that “death leaves a heartache no words can heal.”

Peter Obi, one of the leading contenders in Nigeria’s presidential election next year said he cannot “begin to imagine the pains” both parents are going through.

“No parents deserve what they are going through right now,” Nigerian pop star Peter Okoye said of Davido and Rowland in an Instagram post.

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November 1, 2022
Perfect 10: Taylor Swift sets Billboard Hot 100 first

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Taylor Swift scored a 10 out of 10 as she became the first artist in history to claim the top 10 slots of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with tracks from her new record “Midnights.”

Billboard reported Monday that Swift surpassed Drake, who had held the previous record with nine of the top 10 songs for a week in September 2021.

“10 out of 10 of the Hot 100??? On my 10th album??? I AM IN SHAMBLES,” the pop star tweeted Monday.

The new album came out Oct. 21 with both a 13-track standard release and a deluxe version with another seven bonus tracks. It has had one of the biggest album launches in nearly seven years. Billboard also reported that Swift now ties with Barbra Streisand for the female artist with the most No. 1 albums.

The No. 1 spot belongs to “Anti-Hero,” whose lyrics “It’s me/hi/I’m the problem/It’s me” have quickly become a TikTok trend. The other top 10 songs include “Lavender Haze,” “Maroon,” “Snow on the Beach,” “Midnight Rain,” “Bejeweled” and ”Question…?”

The numbers are for the week Oct. 21-Oct. 27.

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October 31, 2022
D.H. Peligro, drummer of legendary punk rock band Dead Kennedys, dies at 63 | CNN

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CNN
—

D.H. Peligro, a drummer for punk rock icons the Dead Kennedys and formerly the Red Hot Chili Peppers, died Friday from a head injury, his band announced. He was 63.

“Police on the scene stated that he died from trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall,” a statement from the Dead Kennedys read. “Arrangements are pending and will be announced in the coming days. We ask that you respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Peligro passed away in his home in Los Angeles, according to the statement.

Peligro, whose real name is Darren Henley, had been a pillar in the San Francisco and Los Angeles music scene since 1978, according to his biography on the Dead Kennedys’ website.

He was a drummer for punk rock legends the Dead Kennedys until the band’s breakup in 1986, after which he joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers for some time, CNN affiliate KARE reported.

His passion for punk rock and funky music continued with his new band, Peligro, which featured him as a singer and guitarist.

Fans have flooded Peligro’s Instagram posts with comments honoring and praying for him, and friends have left him heartbreaking goodbyes: “I love you my friend. I am so sad I won’t get to feel you hug me again,” one wrote.

Other fellow bandmates and friends, including Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, have also taken to social media with tributes to Peligro.

“My dear friend, my brother I miss you so much. I’m devastated today, a river of tears, but all my life I will treasure every second. The first time I saw you play with the DK’s in ’81 you blew my mind. The power, the soul, the recklessness,” Flea wrote on Instagram along with a photo of the rocker. “You are the truest rocker, and a crucial part of rhcp history. D H P in the place to be, you live forever in our hearts, you wild man, you bringer of joy, you giant hearted man.”

Alice In Chains’ guitarist William DuVall also shared a tribute, reminiscing on one of Peligro’s memorable performances as a rocker whose passion for the drums pulsed through the crowd whenever he got in front of the set.

“Drum hero. Super cool guy,” DuVall wrote on Twitter. “I’ll never forget the DKs gig I saw at 688 in May ’83 where, after shredding his drums the entire set, he ended the show by diving over his kit straight into the crowd in a single leap. F*****g legend. Rest In Peace.”

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October 30, 2022
Joanna Simon, acclaimed singer, TV correspondent, dies at 85

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NEW YORK — Joanna Simon, an acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Emmy-winning TV correspondent and one of the three singing Simon sisters who include pop star Carly, has died at age 85.

Simon, the eldest of four, died Wednesday, just a day before her sister Lucy died, according to Lucy’s daughter, Julie Simon. Their brother Peter, a photographer, died in 2018 at 71. All three had cancer.

“In the last 2 days, I’ve been by the side of both my mother and my aunt, Joanna, and watched them pass into the next world. I can’t truly comprehend this,” Julie wrote on Facebook.

Joanna Simon, who died of thyroid cancer, rose to fame in the opera world and as a concert performer in the 1960s. She was a frequent guest on TV talk shows. After her retirement from singing, she became an arts correspondent for PBS’s “MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour,” where she won an Emmy in 1991 for a report on mental illness and creativity.

“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting. As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived,” Carly Simon said in a statement Saturday.

She added: “We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another. We were each other’s secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories.”

Joanna Simon was married to novelist and journalist Gerald Walker from 1976 until his death in 2004. She was the companion of Walter Cronkite from 2005 until his death in 2009.

On stage, she made her professional debut in 1962 as Cherubino in Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” at New York City Opera. That year, she won the Marian Anderson Award for promising young singers. Simon took on a range of material. As a concert performer, she leaned into classic and contemporary songs of her time.

The siblings were born to publishing giant Richard Simon and his wife, Andrea. Carly and Lucy once performed as the Simon Sisters, opening for other acts in Greenwich Village folk clubs.

“I have no words to explain the feeling of suddenly being the only remaining direct offspring of Richard and Andrea Simon,” Carly Simon said. “They touched everyone they knew and those of us they’ve left behind will be lucky and honored to carry their memories forward.”

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October 22, 2022
Here’s how much this van lifer has saved since moving into her Taylor Swift-inspired mobile home

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After living in her car during a cross-country road trip in 2019, Tory Delury, 25, decided she loved the journey so much that she wanted to make mobile living a permanent thing.

In 2020, Delury purchased a 2015 van with 24,000 miles for $31,000.

She paid a $10,000 down payment on the van using money she’d saved from selling customized jackets that went viral after the Jonas Brothers shared them on social media.

For the remaining $21,000, Delury is on a payment plan. She pays $300 a month.

The rest of her expenses include: $75 a month for insurance, $10 a month for Planet Fitness, which she uses for showering and going to the bathroom, an average of $150-300 on gas, and about $175 in groceries.

To cover her monthly expenses, Delury takes on odd jobs in the places she’s living at the time.

In Pennsylvania, she learned how to manufacture guitars. And in Vermont, she made ice cream at the original Ben and Jerry’s factory.

Delury told CNBC Make It that according to her calculations she’s saved $10,000 since moving into her van two years ago.

“The way I see it, it’s better than having to pay rent every month because I put that money into myself and into something that I love,” she said.

Tory Delury's #vanlife finances

'I'm going to live by the things that I love and that make me happy'

After purchasing the van, Delury parked it at her parents' house in Pennsylvania and watched hundreds of YouTube videos to learn how to renovate the vehicle herself.

"I would say there were plenty of times when I thought I was never going to be able to do it and wanted to just pay someone instead," she said. "Now I never think I can't do something because I built a house. It's a huge confidence builder."

Delury says she decided to paint the inside of the van pink as a statement against the sexist and negative comments she started receiving after sharing that she was going to DIY the van herself on social media.

"People doubted that I could do it because I'm a girl, so I wanted to do it in the girliest way possible. I wanted to tell them that I'm not a tomboy but can build anyway," she said.

Delury added that she felt personally inspired by Taylor Swift after attending a concert during Swift's "Reputation" tour, which was around the first anniversary of the singer's court case against David Mueller.

The former DJ was ordered to pay Swift a symbolic $1 after the jury ruled in her favor in a lawsuit she brought against him for battery and sexual assault.

Three years ago, Delury was sexually assaulted outside her Florida apartment building.

At Swift's concert, Delury heard the singer talk about her own experience and decided she would report her assault. It changed her outlook on life.

Tory Delury wanted the inside of her van to be as girly as possible, which is why she wanted everything to be pink.

Tory Delury

"I started thinking of myself the way I would want Taylor Swift to think of herself. It was a moment for me when it wasn't just about her music anymore; it was about a woman who genuinely inspired and changed my life," Delury said.

"She taught me that it was ok to allow myself to move on from what happened to me and that the best revenge is just going on being happy and finding things that you love."

In an additional homage to Swift, Delury painted lyrics of the song "Daylight" from Swift's "Lover" album around the van and has several of the singer's albums hanging in a corner too.

"It's a reminder that I'm not going to be defined by the things that people have done to me before; I'm going to live by the things that I love and that make me happy," she said.

In September, Delury's van was featured in a viral YouTube video. At the time, she was living in New York City but has since left the state because of safety concerns after she started receiving death threats in the comments.

Delury listened to Taylor Swift's music nonstop during the year she was renovating her van.

Tory Delury

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October 22, 2022
Taylor Swift drops ‘3am’ edition of ‘Midnights,’ music video

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NEW YORK — Taylor Swift has said “Midnights” was inspired by certain key sleepless nights — something many of her fans undoubtedly experienced as the singer-songwriter dropped seven bonus tracks and a music video just hours after the album’s release Friday.

“Midnights” was released at, well, midnight Eastern time and had become Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day by 6:15 p.m. With a runtime of around 44 minutes, listeners would have had the opportunity to play the album four times before Swift unleashed “Midnights (3am Edition).”

“Surprise! I think of Midnights as a complete concept album, with those 13 songs forming a full picture of the intensities of that mystifying, mad hour,” she wrote on Instagram. “However! There were other songs we wrote on our journey to find that magic 13.”

The bonus tracks fit tonally with the rest of the darkly electric and moody album, beginning with “The Great War,” sweeping across “Paris” and exploring “High Infidelity” before ending with “Dear Reader.” In all, the seven additional songs — added to the end of the original “Midnights” track listing, encompass about 25 additional minutes.

Swift is the sole credited performer on the bonus tracks — the only person to get a featured credit on any “Midnights” track is Lana Del Rey. The extra songs are primarily written by Swift, Jack Antonoff — her “co pilot” on the album — and Aaron Dessner, a founding member of The National and another frequent Swift collaborator who was otherwise absent from “Midnights.”

And five hours after “Midnights (3am Edition),” Swift treated fans to a visual feast with a muted but lush music video for “Anti-Hero.”

Written and directed by Swift herself, reunited with “All Too Well” cinematographer Rina Yang, the video sees the singer be chased by chintzy sheet ghosts and do shots with a glammed-up double who instructs her: “Everyone will betray you.” Dark glitter oozes from the yolks she cuts into at the breakfast table, her wound from an arrow and her mouth after one too many shots.

“Watch my nightmare scenarios and intrusive thoughts play out in real time,” Swift posted on Instagram.

The video includes references to Swift’s eating disorder, which she revealed in a documentary, and pokes fun at herself with a cutscene that breaks in midway. It features Mike Birbiglia, John Early and Mary Elizabeth Ellis playing her heirs (Preston, Chad and Kimber) who discover she’s left them only 13 cents in her will (Swift’s favorite number is famously 13).

“There’s probably a secret encoded message that means something else!” Early exclaims in character, referencing the field of cryptology Swift has created over the years.

“P.S. There is no secret encoded message that means something else. Love, Taylor,” Birbiglia reads seconds later.

The “Anti-Hero” video racked up more than 9,700,000 views in the first 13 hours (apt) of its release and spawned the #TSAntiHeroChallenge. Swift is encouraging people to upload to YouTube Shorts a video of themselves sharing the traits that would make them an antihero. According to a blog post on YouTube, the challenge is “all about acknowledging and celebrating the traits that make each of us truly unique and showcasing one’s true self in a FUN way.”

“An anti-heroic trait could be as simple as always grabbing the last slice of pizza, clapping at the end of movies, always putting your feet on the car dashboard, using the same word to start your daily Wordle, leaving your clean laundry in the basket until the next time you do it, pretending you didn’t already watch the next episode of the series you watch with your pals, or even treating your cat like a human,” the post said. Swift chose that last one for her own submission.

While the challenge adds levity to the release cycle, Swift is clear on the tone she’s going for with the album and its associated projects.

“Midnights is a collage of intensity, highs and lows and ebbs and flows,” Swift posted on Instagram when the original album dropped. “Life can be dark, starry, cloudy, terrifying, electrifying, hot, cold, romantic or lonely. Just like Midnights.”

———

Associated Press journalists Sophia Rosenbaum and Christina Paciolla contributed to this report.

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October 21, 2022
Photos: Pop superstar Taylor Swift | CNN

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Taylor Swift performs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2015.

Christopher Polk/TAS/Getty Images

Updated 4:45 PM EDT, Fri October 21, 2022

Taylor Swift unveiled her 10th studio album, “Midnights,” on Friday, October 21.

It’s her first original album in two years. The 11-time Grammy Award winner is currently in the midst of revisiting her early albums in a bid to regain ownership of the work she released under her former label Big Machine Records.

Born in 1989, Swift launched her country music career at age 16. Her debut self-titled album was released in 2006. She went on to become one of the most successful recording artists of all time — earning legions of loyal fans known as “Swifties.”

Her 2014 album, “1989,” was her first purely pop album. Known for her songwriting, she took on a folk-rock sound on her 2020 albums, “Folklore” and “Evermore.”

Swift has broken a number of records throughout her career. In 2021, she became the first woman to win the Grammy for album of the year three times. She was also the first woman to ever score three new number one albums in less than a year.

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October 21, 2022
Review: Taylor Swift plays dark, electric on ‘Midnights’

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Taylor Swift “Midnights,” (Republic Records)

“All of me changed like midnight,” Taylor Swift confesses halfway through her latest album, the aptly named and moody “Midnights.” It’s a moment on the electric “Midnight Rain” that finds lyricist Swift at her best, reminding you of her unparalleled ability to make any emotion feel universal.

The song’s chorus begins: “He was sunshine, I was midnight rain.” And continues: “He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain. He wanted a bride, I was making my own name. Chasing that fame. He stayed the same.” Then, that lyric: “All of me changed like midnight.” The sound feels experimental for Swift, opening with her own vocals artificially pitched down to an almost-unrecognizable tone. It’s among the album’s most sonically interesting, an indie-pop beat that feels reminiscent of her producer Jack Antonoff’s work on Lorde’s “Melodrama,” but also fresh and captivating.

The song’s words, by Swift and Antonoff, are steady and detailed, but not distracting — allowing you to sink into the rhythm, flowing and feeling it with her.

On the 13 tracks of “Midnights,” a self-aware Swift shows off her ability to evolve again. For her 10th original album, the 32-year-old pop star approaches the themes she’s grown up writing about — love, loss, childhood, fame — with a maturity that comes through in sharpened vocals and lyrics focused more on her inner-life than external persona.

“Midnight Rain” could be a thesis statement for the project she’s described as “songs written during 13 sleepless nights,” an appropriate approach to the concept album for someone who has long had a lyrical appreciation for late nights (think “Style”: “midnight, you come and pick me up, no headlights…”). Of course, she’s centered her work around themes before — on “Red,” an ode to the color and the emotions it stands for, “reputation,” a vindictive reconfiguring of her own, and most recently on “folklore” and “evermore,” quarantine albums that expressed vulnerability in ways only isolation could.

But Swift presents “Midnights” as something different: a collection of songs that don’t necessarily have to go together, but fit together because she has declared them products of late night inspiration. Positioning listeners situationally — in the quiet but thoughtful darkness of night — instead of thematically, feels like a natural creative experiment for a songwriter so prolific that her albums have become synonymous with the pop culture zeitgeist.

And with that, comes a tone that is just a little darker, a little more experimental, and always electric.

Track one, “Lavender Haze,” pairs a muffled club beat and high-pitched backing vocals from Antonoff with stand-out, beckoning melody from Swift. “Maroon” is a grown-up and weathered version of “Red,” a dive into lost love with rich descriptions of rust, spilled wine, red lipstick — images Swift is reconjuring with more bite.

“Labyrinth” makes clear she’s carried the best of her previous pop experiments with her — the synth of “1989” and the softer alternative sounds of “folklore” — as she admits as only a songwriter can that a heartbreak “only feels this raw right now, lost in the labyrinth of my mind,” on top of a track featuring Bon Iver-esque electronic trills.

Swift shines when she is able to marry her signature lyrical musings with this new arena of electronic beats. And while this isn’t another album of acoustic indie sounds like “folklore,” it is clear that Swift has taken a step forward in the indie-pop genre — even if it’s a step in a different direction.

The album’s weaker moments are the ones where that balance feels off. “Bejeweled” is a bit too candy sweet, with lyrics that feel like an updated, glittery take on “Me!” The much anticipated “Snow On The Beach,” featuring Lana Del Rey, is poetic, pretty, and at times cheeky, but not as emotionally deep as the lyricists’ combined power suggests it could be.

Even in those moments, “Midnights” finds Swift comfortable in her musical skin, revealing the strengths of a sharp and ever-evolving artist who can wink through always-cryptic allusions to her very public life or subtle self-owns dispersed amidst lyrical confessions (see: “Anti-Hero” and “Mastermind”) and hook even the casual listener with an alluring, and maybe surprising, beat.

But like the love-soaked “Lover,” and intimate “folklore” and “evermore,” “Midnights” feels like both a confessional and a playground, crafted by all the versions of Taylor Swift we’ve gotten to know so far for a new Taylor Swift to shine. And like always, we’re just along for the thrilling late-night ride.

——

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

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October 20, 2022
BTS reunite for free concert to support South Korea’s World Expo bid | CNN

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K-pop boy band BTS reunited on Saturday for a concert in Busan in support of South Korea’s bid to host the World Expo 2030 in the southern port city.

The free concert – titled “BTS Yet To Come in Busan” – drew an audience of about 52,000 people to a stadium, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

A total of 100,000 were expected to visit the stadium and other areas, according to Busan Metropolitan City authorities, with some fans watching the event live on large screens set up at several places around Busan.

The concert followed the seven-member band’s announcement of a break in June from group musical activities to pursue solo projects, raising questions about the band’s future.

With BTS’ oldest member, Jin, who is turning 30 next year, facing South Korea’s mandatory military service, the country’s defense minister said in August that BTS might still be able to perform overseas while serving in the military.

Under a 2019 revision of the law, globally recognized K-pop stars were allowed to put off their service until 30. Military service is hugely controversial in South Korea where all able-bodied men aged between 18 and 28 must fulfill their duties as part of efforts to defend against nuclear-armed North Korea.

“If the seven BTS members feel the same way and if you guys have faith in us, we will overcome whatever happens to us in the future and we will perform with you guys and make music. Please have faith in us,” BTS leader RM told fans during the concert, without elaborating further.

Four countries – South Korea, Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia – have submitted competing candidatures to organize World Expo 2030, according to the expo organizing body Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). The host country of the World Expo 2030 is expected to be elected next year.

In July, BTS were made official ambassadors for the World Expo 2030 in Busan, over 300 km (190 miles) southeast of capital Seoul.

BTS made their debut in June 2013 and became a worldwide sensation with its upbeat hits and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people.

Last year, BTS became the first Asian band to win artist of the year at the American Music Awards. The group met US President Joe Biden at the White House in May to discuss hate crimes targeting Asians.

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October 15, 2022