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Tag: Whitney Houston

  • Holographic Las Vegas Shows & Attractions • This Week in Gambling

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    Could holograms remake Las Vegas Shows and entertainment? Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston have performed in Las Vegas posthumously. And someday the biggest stars in Sin City might not even be real.  So This Week in Gambling, we’re looking at past, present, and future holographic shows and projects headed to Sin City!

    What people define as entertainment is changing. These days, artists who no longer perform live or are no longer with us can still fill concert halls. But let’s be clear, these shows are not actually real holograms created with split laser beams, even though that is how they’re being promoted. Instead, they are ghost images, movies projected onto sheer fabric or holographic bands.

     

    Before anyone considered the technology for Las Vegas Shows, this form of entertainment debuted at the 2012 Coachella Music Festival when Tupac appeared on stage 15 years after his death. That same technology called a pepper ghost illusion was much improved by October of 2021 when Harrah’s opened An Evening with Whitney, which used a base hologram method called direct projection with powerful lasers beaming images onto transparent mesh.

    The results were good but not perfect. Some described the show as off while others loved it saying that it made the hair on their arms stand on in. But if you’ve ever seen the Cirque show Michael Jackson ONE, then you know that today the hologram image of Michael Jackson looks much better due to updated CGI and high-powered projections making images sharper and more realistic.

    Aside from these current and past hologram shows, there are plans to bring other performers back to Las Vegas soon, like ABBA and even Elvis. More on those shows in just a moment because holographic images are being used across Las Vegas in other ways right now, specifically at the Sphere where the Wizard of Oz is playing. After the show, holographic bands are used to create a giant interactive floating Wizard head in the atrium.

    At the Rio, another of the Las Vegas Shows using holograms is the the Wow Vegas Spectacular, which uses curtains of falling water and high-powered 3D projections to create holographic effects of mermaids floating in midair. And a new attraction just opened in Las Vegas, the hologram experience, displaying what they call the art of holography, offering a hologram zoo and a hologram room as part of the experience.

    Finally, this week, Elvis may have left the building, but there are plans to bring him back with the Elvis Evolution holographic show, but you might want to temper your excitement. This show opened in London in July of last year to less than enthusiastic reviews. People in the audience were not impressed as the show was more of a documentary than a concert. Some demanded their money back and even the BBC described it as atrocious and misleading, especially when costing over $400 a ticket.

    However, ABBA Voyage received rave reviews for its custom arena and for employing industrial light and magic who worked on Star Wars to create what they call Avatars using motion capture with actual members of the group. While no opening date is set just yet, there are plans to bring ABBA Voyage to Las Vegas hopefully before the end of this year or perhaps in early 2027. With Resorts World being floated as a likely venue.

    So, Elvis Evolution is being planned for one of the new hologram Las Vegas Shows… for what that’s worth. The Abba Show will hopefully arrive this year or early next year. And the MJ1 show that’s still playing at Mandalay Bay. Will holograms take over Las Vegas Entertainment? While impressive, they still have a long way to go. Perhaps in another five, maybe 10 years. But for now, I don’t think real live performers have anything to worry about. And hey, if you enjoyed this show, be sure to drop us a like and subscribe if you want updates whenever we publish new videos.

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    This Week in Gambling

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  • Roland just released a follow-up to its most famous drum machines from the 1980s

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    If you’ve ever listened to music released in the 1980s, you’ve likely heard the iconic TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. Artists like New Order, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston and Beastie Boys all used these machines during that decade and newer artists like Daft Punk, Outkast and Bjork continued the tradition as the years rolled on. Roland understands this legacy and , the TR-1000. It only took 40 years.

    The TR-1000 looks to be an amalgamation of the analog grit of the original machines and modern digital features. It includes true analog voices, along with digital sampling technology. The company says it worked with “creators across scenes and geographies” to ensure the machine meets the “real-world needs and workflows of today’s most innovative producers.”

    It features re-designed engines from the original 808 and 909 machines, along with a new sequencer and over 2,000 pre-installed factory samples. However, users can easily import their own samples. It also comes with 46GB of internal storage, dozens of effects and a full suite of connection ports.

    “The TR-1000 feels like the true, classic lineage of the 808 and 909, not a digital remake,” El-P of the rap group Run The Jewels said in a press release. Roland fans are no doubt aware that there have been throughout the years, and none of them quite managed to capture the mojo of the original units.

    A drum machine.

    The drum machine is available right now to order, but there’s a spot of bad news. The Roland TR-1000 costs a whopping $2,700.

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    Lawrence Bonk

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  • Kevin Costner Wanted to Make Princess Diana a Movie Star

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    After her 1996 divorce from King Charles III (then the Prince of Wales), Princess Diana dreamed of a new beginning. Diana famously felt out of place in the Windsor household, and upon her exit, yearned for big changes. According to a newly released book by one of Diana’s former butlers, that desire for change reached all the way to the United States, where she considered the possibility of starring in a Hollywood film alongside none other than Kevin Costner.

    Back in 1992, The Bodyguard, co-starring Costner and Whitney Houston, took over cinemas and seduced millions of romantics. The drama followed the tumultuous love affair between bodyguard Frank Farmer (Costner) and his protectee, Rachel Marron (Houston), an up-and-coming R&B singer. The film proved to be a huge success, grossing over $411 million at the box office worldwide. The film’s soundtrack, featuring international hits such as Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and “I Have Nothing,” was also an instant and sweeping success. Costner, both a star and producer of the film, dreamed of a second home run. In a proposed Bodyguard II, his bodyguard character would be assigned to protect a princess harassed by paparazzi, ideally played by Diana. Costner approached Sarah Ferguson, the aristocrat’s former sister-in-law and friend, about the project, and Fergie then connected him to Diana. Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, recalled this anecdote in his book, The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana, excerpted by the Daily Mail.

    “She was approached to appear in The Bodyguard II alongside Kevin Costner,” the former butler wrote. “I put the call from Mr. Costner through to her in the sitting room and heard fits of giggles with her saying, ‘But I can’t sing! What would I be expected to do? I’m not sure but yes, OK, send it and I promise I will have a look.’” According to Burrell, Diana was flattered by the filmmaker’s interest in her, although she remained perplexed: “He can’t be serious,” she reportedly told him. But the script for Bodyguard II did reach her home, though Burrell had no idea whether she read it. Nevertheless, confirmed that the princess turned down the offer, thinking that this highly challenging project was “entirely impossible.”

    Costner has also spoken about the project in several interviews, including one on The Howard Stern Show in 2024, where his recollections diverged from Burrell’s. In fact, according to Costner, Lady Diana was more than up for the challenge, including an onscreen entanglement with him.

    “She goes, ‘My life’s about to change,’” Costner said. “She said, ‘Is there going to be a kissing scene?’ And I said, ‘Do you want there to be one?’ And she said, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘Then we’ll do that.’”

    The romantic scene never came to fruition, as Princess Diana died car accident under the Pont de l’Alma in Paris on August 31, 1997. Nevertheless, years later, Costner had the opportunity to chat with Diana’s eldest son, Prince William. “He looked at me and said: ‘My mom kind of fancied you,’” the actor recalled last year. Costner called the admission “the sweetest, kindest thing ever.”

    Originally published in Vanity Fair France.

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    Olivia Batoul

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  • An Insider’s Louisville, Kentucky Hotel Guide

    An Insider’s Louisville, Kentucky Hotel Guide

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    Muhammad Ali, perhaps Louisville’s most famous native, proclaimed that “my greatness came and started in Louisville, Kentucky,” and declared that it was “one of the greatest cities in America.” The Greatest had a point. Louisville is the largest city in the Bluegrass State, and alongside its Southern charm and Midwestern heartiness, it offers a rich history, captivating architecture and green spaces galore. Situated on the Ohio River, the city took its name from the French in 1780—Louisville literally means “Louis’ city,” namechecking King Louis XVI in tribute to his support during the Revolutionary War. 

    For history and architecture buffs, downtown’s West Main Historical District has the largest collection of cast iron facades anywhere outside of Soho, New York. One of Louisville’s many monikers is Park City, so-called for the 18 parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who was also the visionary behind Manhattan’s Central Park.  

    Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, and the spirit’s aficionados can honor that heritage by following  the Urban Bourbon trail, which includes bars, restaurants and distilleries serving the tipple across downtown’s Whiskey Row and beyond. Most famously, it is home to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, “the most exciting two minutes in sport,” which celebrates its 150th anniversary in May 2024. 

    For a long time, Louisville struggled to attract tourists outside of the Kentucky Derby. But over the last several years, an influx of young creatives, often fleeing high rents in bigger cities, have debuted a dizzying array of buzzy restaurants, trendy bars, locally curated concept stores and craft distilleries that have drawn a steady flow of travelers to the locale known as the Gateway to the South. 

    The city’s growing popularity has increased demand for stylish hotels. What Louisville lacks in corporate 5-star hotels, it makes up for in swanky properties that embrace the city’s charming quirks. If you’re ready to pack your bags, there are old-world grande dames, Parisian-inspired contemporary stays, an art museum-cum-inn and a hotel built in a former disco factory that’s keeping night fever alive and well. Below, see the best accommodations to book for your next trip to Bourbon City. 

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    Sahar Khan

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  • Getting To Know Caroline Jones

    Getting To Know Caroline Jones

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    Caroline Jones has already had a career that any music-lover would be envious of- a mentee of music titans Zac Brown Band and the late, great Jimmy Buffett…she has toured with mega-names in the industry like The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, and Carrie Underwood, and now performs alongside Zac Brown Band as a member.

    Her music spans genres, seamlessly blending one another together into a melting pot of downright good music. Her voice is sweet, hard-hitting, and fine-tuned, add that together with her songwriting ability that has only gotten better from working with the best in the business, and her prowess in playing multiple instruments. All together, Caroline Jones is the whole package- creating a pop-country fusion with notes of bluegrass at just the right time.

    When I sat down to talk to Caroline who sat outside her home in Nashville, she was humble- constantly talking about seeking ways to better her music, showing gratitude to those who have helped her get here (especially manager, producer, business partner Ric Wake, and smiling when thinking of her newest album: Homesite. You can listen to the album here:

    Nashville is a big part of Jones’ story, the place where she felt the most connected to her newfound country music roots. It helped her grow, and gave her the support to pursue her career. On paper, it seems like Caroline Jones has accomplished just about everything…but there’s so much more potential to unlock for Jones, and she will tell you that.

    Homesite is a thrilling addition to Jones’ already impressive repertoire, exhibiting her true vocal abilities to their finest. Check out our interview with Caroline below!

    PD: Let’s start at the very beginning…you were trained classically in opera, how did you want to switch to country?

    CJ: I grew up listening to a variety of genres when I was a kid. My father loved classic rock and R&B, my mother loved the divas of the 90’s- Whitney, Mariah, Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion…and like you said, I was trained classically in opera and jazz so it wasn’t until I was around 17 and went to the Nashville for the first time and I had started writing songs and making demos of them. My manager at the time in my teen years said, “You know, your music has a bit of a country flare to it, you’d really love Nashville.”

    At his urging, I went down here and went to a show at Bluebird Cafe and I was hooked…like I’d found the missing piece to my artistry. I felt like I found my people and my community. There’s such a writer and musician-centered community, which is very unique in a commercial genre of music in this day-and-age where there’s so many other factors and distractions. That’s still the core of Nashville. Delved all the way back starting with Hank Williams as the outset of what we think of as the outset of country music and went from there and found love.

    PD: You were touring schools across New England before Jimmy Buffett recognized you. Can you talk about how that all started?

    CJ: I’ve just had a DIY spirit since I was young, you know? This was the early 2010’s when Ed Sheeran and Mumford & Sons and acoustic music was making a comeback over the very produced pop commerciality of the early 2000s. I just wanted to be part of that wave of singer-songwriters, that’s what really inspired me…so I knew I wanted to build a fanbase organically and get good at playing shows live.

    I started playing in the Northeast, where I grew up, and then a few years later I met my manager and business partner, Ric Wake, and we made our first record, Barefeet. I got a couple of amazing opportunities to open up, starting with Zac Brown and Jimmy Buffett. I really owe the career that I have to those two taking me under their wing and taking me on tour.

    PD: Let’s talk about your new album, Homesite, which you had complete creative control over. How did that change making an album for you?

    CJ: I’ve been really lucky, I’ve been an independent artist for my whole career and owned all my masters…I’ve really been in the creative driver’s seat and I owe that all to my manager and producer Ric Wake. He believed in me from the beginning and respected what I did, he honored my vision and brought it to life, and brought a team in who felt the same way. That is not most artist’s experience, so I am very grateful to him…and moreso as time goes on because you see how rare it is.

    This album is the next step in my creative evolution and, if anything, I opened up more on this album because we brought in a new creative producer, Brandon Hood. I co-wrote about 3-4 songs on the record, which is pretty rare for me…in my previous record I solo wrote most of the album with the exception of one song.

    For me, that’s creative maturity. Now that I have a few years of experience and more of a platform, I still have a long way to go but now I get to work with the musicians, singers, and songwriters I respect.

    PD: Can you give me your favorite tracks from the album?

    CJ: Yeah! At the moment, they’re probably the title track, “Homesite”,I love the song “Serendipity” because I love blending country and pop, and I love “Lawless.” I’m a production nerd so those are probably my favorites…and I also love “By Way Of Sorrow”, it’s the only song I didn’t write on the record and it’s a cover and has Vince Gill on it, one of my all-time heroes. I think that song should be a bluegrass classic.

    PD: Final question- what is the best piece of advice you’ve learned since touring with ZBB, Jimmy Buffett, The Rolling Stones, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, The Eagles, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney…I could go on?

    CJ:

    Oh my gosh, so hard to distill down to one because you learn so much by osmosis…by the repetition by being around folks who are the most excellent in the world at their craft.

    If I could share one thing I’ve learned and seen over and over, it’s important to remember when you’re performing in stadiums or you see people’s shining social feeds, or you go and perform to tens of thousands of people and see them living your dream…they still have their own mountains to climb.

    The more I’ve been around really successful people, the more I see they still have this passion and drive and still have a need to create, and push themselves and evolve. That’s not something that ever goes away just because you’re rich and famous. It’s not that you’re at the top of the mountain and now you’re just plateauing. You’re still the same hungry artist with the same hungry soul with the drive that got you there.

    I want people to know that, because I feel like they don’t. You see rich and famous and successful musicians and you think they’re rockstars who have it all figured out…but the truth is we’re all artists, we’re all seeking, we’re all trying to creatively challenge ourselves. In that way, we’re all on an equal playing field.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Clive Davis Still Watches The Bodyguard When He Misses Whitney Houston

    Clive Davis Still Watches The Bodyguard When He Misses Whitney Houston

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    At 90 years old, Clive Davis is still checking items off of his creative to-do list. The latest goal for the legendary record producer? Shepherding a big-budget biopic about the life and legacy of Whitney Houston to the big screen. This Friday, Davis is finally seeing that through with I Wanna Dance with Somebody. 

    The biopic, directed by Kasi Lemmons and starring Naomi Ackie as the late superstar, tells the entirety of Houston’s story, from its humble, gospel-inflected beginning, to its hopeful, but ultimately tragic end. There’s an undercurrent of warmth through it all, which Davis coproduced, cradling Houston’s legacy and portraying her toughest moments with as much dignity as possible. 

    “The film is bold and honest—and really soars musically,” Davis tells Vanity Fair.  “It really celebrates the once-in-a-lifetime artist that Whitney was.”

    Davis is portrayed in the film by Stanley Tucci, who accurately captures the producer’s calm persona and clipped manner of speech. Davis, for his part, adored Tucci’s performance, as well as Ackie’s. “I think she gives, clearly, an Oscar-worthy performance,” he says of the British star, who adopted Houston’s mannerisms and airy New Jersey accent. For Davis, getting I Wanna Dance into the world is something of a relief, especially after his personal distaste for a past “unsatisfying” documentary about Houston that he felt didn’t accurately tell her story. Davis, who discovered Houston at 19 years old and helped turn her into a musical icon, wanted to get her story out there in his own way.

    “It did not capture the Whitney Houston that needed to be captured,” he says, “which is the mission we had in making this film.”

    Vanity Fair: How was premiere night for you? 

    Clive Davis: The premiere was so gratifying. Seeing it with an audience and feedback really was wonderful. Our hopes as to the quality of the film were really wonderfully fulfilled. 

    You Zoomed twice with Stanley Tucci, who plays you in the movie, before making the film. What questions did he ask you about your life? What did he want to know, as an actor? 

    We just conversed normally. I never got the feeling that he was interviewing me. He had seen my documentary twice and had read my autobiography, so it was just a normal exchange of conversation. 

    He wasn’t peppering you with actorly questions. 

    He wasn’t peppering me, no.  

    The film recreates so many of Whitney’s key performances, from her audition for you, to her debut on the Merv Griffin Show, to the Oprah comeback. Do you have a personal favorite live performance of Whitney’s?

    Her first audition [for me] when she unexpectedly sang “The Greatest Love of All.” I had commissioned that song eight years earlier for The Greatest, about the life of Muhammad Ali. It was a real good record. When Whitney started singing that song, I got chills. She was finding more meaning in that song than I ever knew was there, on her own. And she sang “Home” from The Wiz. I was so impressed. That probably was the one [performance] that I was most affected by. 

    Was there a moment when you realized she was going to be one of the defining artists of your career? 

    I think you see it reflected in the film, after the feat of achieving seven number-one consecutive records, breaking the all-time record. I never knew that she, being as young as she was, would appreciate the historic significance of it, so I did sit with her one day and I said, “I know you know the rarity of a number one record, but I don’t know if you know the rarity of seven consecutive number one records. An all-time record. What I want to know, Whitney, is are you pinching yourself?” That phrase—“Are you pinching yourself?”—became byplay with us. At the most unexpected time, she’d lean over whisper, “I’m pinching myself.” I wanted to make sure that she understood how memorable all of this was that was taking place.

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    Yohana Desta

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  • Hey, Quick Question: Why do Cosmetics Brands Keep Collaborating With Late Artists?

    Hey, Quick Question: Why do Cosmetics Brands Keep Collaborating With Late Artists?

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    Welcome to our column, “Hey, Quick Question,” where we investigate seemingly random happenings in the fashion and beauty industries.

    MAC Cosmetics’ Whitney Houston collection is here, and it’s chock-full of the hyper-glam, 1980s-perfect staples with which the late vocalist remains associated to this day. Marked by bold smokey eyes and bold red and metallic-brown lips, Houston’s beauty regimen was as iconic as she herself was, throughout all her decades of fame. And now that it’s shoppable in luxe gold packaging, fans can get a small piece of her cult of personality, created alongside and approved by the Whitney Houston Estate itself.

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    Maura Brannigan

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  • MAC Reveals Whitney Houston Makeup Collection

    MAC Reveals Whitney Houston Makeup Collection

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    Throughout her career, Whitney Houston was known for embracing glamour when it came to her personal style, and especially her makeup. Now, to honor the late singer’s legacy, MAC Cosmetics is launching a makeup collection inspired by some of her most iconic looks. Created in collaboration with her estate, the 12-piece collection launches Dec. 6, just in time for the holiday season and ahead of the upcoming biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” which hits theaters mid-December.

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    Andrea Bossi

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  • Babyface doesn’t rest on his laurels with ‘Girls Night Out’

    Babyface doesn’t rest on his laurels with ‘Girls Night Out’

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    New York — Art can be inspired by even the most mundane experiences, and for iconic singer-songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, the idea for his latest creation, “Girls Night Out,” was sparked while running an errand at the drugstore.

    “I went to Walgreens and as I was in there, this younger girl says, ‘Are you Babyface?” recalled the 11-time Grammy winner. She went on to tell him, “I didn’t listen to you before, but I watched Verzuz and I really liked a lot of the things. And so, I’m a fan now.’”

    That 2020 Verzuz event with New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley — with much of the country in pandemic lockdown — introduced him to a younger generation of R&B lovers not familiar with his legendary catalog. The interest from younger fans spurred him to begin conceptualizing what would become “Girls Night Out,” released last week. It’s his first project since 2015’s “Return of the Tender Lover.”

    “I kind of had slowed down in … putting things out,” revealed the crooner. “I wasn’t feeling inspired.”

    The 13-track album features collaborations with some of R&B’s hottest female talent, including Ella Mai, Kehlani and Ari Lennox, as well as rising stars like Muni Long and Queen Naija. Face weaves his musical expertise into today’s sonic climate, far from his hit songs that now play on late-night Quiet Storm formats — and that’s not a bad thing.

    The structure of “Girls Night Out” is reminiscent of the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack, widely regarded as one of the most popular film compilations of all-time. That 1995 soundtrack was written and produced entirely by Babyface, as he crafted songs for superstars like Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Toni Braxton and Aretha Franklin. But this time around, “Girls Night Out” was intentionally collaborative.

    “On ‘Exhale,’ I just wrote all the music and said, ‘Here, you sing this,’” explained the 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. “I love co-writing because there’s so much to learn from it. We get stuck in our ways as a writer or even just what you’re used to: the age difference, the words that I’m not used to saying…I didn’t want to do an album that sounded like yesterday. I wanted one to sound fresh and sound like today.”

    “Girls Night Out” began to take form after working with Ella Mai on “Keeps on Fallin’,” a flip of Tevin Campbell’s beloved “Can We Talk” record written by Face. “Keeps on Fallin’” hit No. 2 on Billboard’s adult R&B airplay chart.

    “Once we finished that, we felt like, ‘All right, I think we might have something special here,’” said Babyface, who has writing credits on every song and production credits on all but one.

    Standout tracks include “The Recipe” with “Muni Long which features a sample of Babyface’s 1989 classic, “Soon as I Get Home,” as well as “Whatever” with Tink which samples his hit “Whip Appeal.” There’s also “Liquor,” in which Ari Lennox sultrily sings of desiring her man in his authentic, raw form: “No rocks, no blend, straight up, just you/…I need one hundred from my man, he can’t be eighty proof.”

    “They’re far more invested in their voice in terms of what they say and how they say it, and even in the writing aspect of it…that wasn’t so much of the late ’80s and ‘90s. All the artists weren’t necessarily into that,” said Babyface of this new generation of female talent. “They got to make sure it’s an honest thing from them.”

    Possessing a credit list far too lengthy to print, Babyface began making his mark in music in the late ’80s before finding massive success in the ’90s through early 2000s writing and producing for megastars like Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Madonna, Boyz II Men, Usher, Celine Dion and frequent musical collaborator Toni Braxton, who refers to herself as Babyface’s “muse.” He also built a very successful solo career with major hits like, “And Our Feelings,” “Never Keeping Secrets,” “When Can I See You” and “Every Time I Close My Eyes.”

    While his legendary status has long been solidified during his three-decade career, the “What If” artist hesitates to accept the acknowledgement. Fortunately, his music made the case long ago.

    “I’ve always looked at myself as a producer and songwriter first — not necessarily as a celebrity or a singer,” explained Babyface. “It’s not to downplay what I’ve done, but I just know that the things that I have done at this particular point, I’m very happy and I’m very blessed to have done it.…if I get labeled ‘G.O.A.T.’ or legend in the process, well, that’s wonderful but that’s not why I do it. I do it because I love doing this job.”

    ——

    Gary Gerard Hamilton is an entertainment journalist for The Associated Press. His favorite Babyface songs are “What If” and “Reason for Breathing.” He loves the Babyface-written “Sittin’ Up in My Room” by Brandy and prefers “I’m Ready” by Tevin Campbell over “Can We Talk.” Follow Gary at: @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.

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