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These Tender Dua Lipa Covers of ‘Don’t Start Now’ & ‘Hallucinate’ Will Give You Goosebumps
Dua Lipa already remixed her Future Nostalgia hits for a Club Future Nostalgia compilation with The Blessed Madonna, which debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 this week (dated Sept. 12). But Ingrid Andress and Declan McKenna arrived fashionably late with their own covers. Andress recorded a couplet of Spotify Singles, which she released Wednesday (Sept. 9). In addition to a reimagined version of “Lady Like,” the titular track of her debut album this year, the 28-year-old country singer-songwriter showcased her cover of Lipa’s No. 2 Hot 100 hit “Don’t Start Now.” She transposed the upbeat disco-inspired breakup anthem into a down-tempo piano ballad that’ll have listeners in their feels rather than forgetting them on the dance floor. ...
Ronald ‘Khalis’ Bell, Co-Founder of Kool & the Gang, Dies at 68
Ronald Bell, also known as Khalis Bayyan and the co-founder of Kool & the Gang with his brother Robert “Kool” Bell, died suddenly Wednesday morning (Sept. 9) at his home in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to a statement from his publicist. He was 68. No cause of death has been announced at this time. Ronald Bell and his older brother Robert joined forces with their Jersey City neighborhood friends Dennis “D.T.” Thomas, Robert “Spike” Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown and Ricky West in 1964 to whip up a unique blend of jazz, soul and funk. Their infamous band recycled many monikers — Jazziacs, The New Dimensions, The Soul Town Band, Kool & the Flames – before cementing themselves as Kool & the Gang in 1969. Born on N...
Halsey to Star Alongside Sydney Sweeney in New TV Series
The project marks a reunion for the duo following the singer’s ‘Graveyard’ music video. Halsey and Sydney Sweeney are getting back together. Halsey has been tapped to make her acting debut and star alongside Euphoria‘s Sweeney in TV series The Player’s Table, based on author Jessica Goodman’s novel They Wish They Were Us. Halsey will also produce the series, which does not yet have a network. From Jean-Marc Vallee and Nathan Ross’ Crazyrose, Endeavor Content and Sweeney’s newly launched Fifty-Fifty Films banner, the drama is set at an exclusive Long Island prep school and revolves around high school senior Jill Newman (Sweeney) who works to uncover the truth about her best friend’s death three years ago and the role ...
Selena Gomez on the Challenges of Growing Up on Disney Channel: ‘My Personal Life Was Out Everywhere’
On Wednesday (Sept. 9), Allure unveiled its special Best of Beauty issue with none other than Selena Gomez as its cover star. In the accompanying interview, the pop star-turned-cosmetics maven dished on the inspiration behind creating her new makeup line, Rare Beauty. “I had always wanted the name Rare,” she told the magazine. “[The word] has become the identity of my brand and who I want to be, which is showing people that being diverse and different, whatever was happening, I wanted it to feel like you were included.” Unlike some of her fellow mid-2000s Disney Channel peers, Gomez also about her days on the monolithic children’s network, which began with booking Wizards of Waverly Place when she was just 13. “I was extremely blessed to get picked out o...
Liz Phair Signs With Chrysalis Records for Forthcoming Album
After relaunching as a frontline label in February, U.K.-based Chrysalis Records has signed singer-songwriter Liz Phair for the release of her forthcoming album. The deal was announced Wednesday (Sept. 9). Phair’s signing with Chrysalis follows that of Laura Marling, whose Mercury Prize-nominated album Song For Our Daughter was released in April by the relaunched label in partnership with Partisan Records. A two-time Grammy nominee, Phair scored a breakthrough with her influential 1993 debut album Exile in Guyville, which finished at the top of the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics’ poll that year. She followed it up with five more studio albums, including the Gold-selling Whip-Smart and 2003’s pop-driven Liz Phair. The latter album’s lead single, “Why Can’t I?”, netted Phair ...
Selena Gomez Shares What She Learned From Blackpink While Doing Makeup With NikkieTutorials
Selena Gomez talked all things life and Rare Beauty with YouTube star NikkieTutorials (Nikkie de Jager) through a fun virtual makeup session uploaded to de Jager’s YouTube channel over the weekend. In a split screen from their respective homes, the duo applied the same makeup look using both Gomez’s new makeup line and de Jager’s eyeshadow palette in collaboration with Beauty Bay. And while Gomez was excited to share all her new makeup products, she was also quick to gush over Blackpink, who she recently collaborated with on the summery “Ice Cream.” When de Jar asked Gomez what advice she’d give the K-pop stars as a veteran pop singer, the “Lose You to Love Me” artist admitted, “I think I would learn a lot more from them.” “...
Nilda Rosario Makes SBS History as First Female Radio Host for ‘El Jukeo de NY’
After working as a TV anchor for over 15 years, Nilda Rosario returns to her first passion, radio, as the new on-air talent for the Spanish Broadcasting System’s “El Jukeo de Nueva York” show on Mega 97.9 FM, Billboard can exclusively reveal today (Sept. 8). Rosario will co-host with longtime TV personality Janeiro Matos. The Puerto Rican Emmy-winning journalist and presenter, who’s been living in New York for 25 years, assures that the radio show has the “winning formula.” “I’m bringing the point of view of a woman and my experience in the news with a fresh tone,” she tells Billboard. The announcement also marks the first time SBS named a female host on an evening radio show in New York. Rosario joined the team after Frederick Martínez “El Pachá” left the air. “I feel very pro...
Soul Legends Gladys Knight & Patti LaBelle Set for Next ‘Verzuz’ Battle
It’s the Godmother of Soul versus the Empress of Soul. Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight‘s pipes will take the roof off The Fillmore on Sunday, Sept. 13 for the next Verzuz battle. VerzuzTV announced the latest superstar pairing on Instagram Tuesday (Sept. 8). “The Master Class we’ve ALL been waiting for! @MsGladysKnight vs. @MsPattiLaBelle,” the caption read. “Leave ya church clothes on all Sunday and pull up to the affair of all affairs. Y’all gotta get dressed up in ya Sunday’s best for this one.” In addition to fans donning their Sunday or even Easter best, the soul sisters will show out at an official venue, The Fillmore in Philadelphia, at 8 p.m. EST for what the post described as “the ultimate Verzuz.” Maybe the two superw...
What Is Your Song of the Summer 2020? Vote! (Final Week)
DaBaby‘s “Rockstar,” featuring Roddy Ricch, is officially Billboard‘s Song of the Summer after finishing at No. 1 for the last 13 weeks out of this year’s 15 tracking weeks for the summery summary. The Weeknd‘s “Blinding Lights,” which wrapped at No. 2, was the most-heard song on the radio with 1.2 billion audience impressions. Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion slipped in another one of her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 collabs last week, as “WAP” by Cardi B, featuring Megan, debuted at No. 17 (chart dated Sept. 5) and joined her “Savage” remix, featuring Beyoncé, which finished at No. 3. “Savage” formerly led the list in its second week, while Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande‘s “Rain...
What’s Your Favorite Avicii Song of All Time? Vote!
Tuesday, Sept. 8, would have been Avicii’s 31st birthday. As dance stars such as David Guetta and Armin van Buuren commemorate the late dance music superstar, and SiriusXM’s BPM channel launches a week of Avicii programming, we consider the musical legacy that the producer born Tim Bergling left behind. While the Avicii catalog is packed with era-defining hits and beloved B-sides, everyone has a favorite track. Let us know yours by voting below. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Bruce Williamson, Former Singer of The Temptations, Dies at 49
Bruce Williamson, the former lead singer of The Temptations, has died. He was 49. The singer passed away Sunday night (Sept. 6) at his home in Las Vegas after a battle with COVID-19, according to TMZ. Further details about his death were not available at press time. “There’s no words in the world that can express how I feel right now,” Williamson’s son, Bruce, wrote on Facebook. “I love you Daddy thank you for being awesome thank you for being loving thank you for being Who You Are I pray to God and we will meet again,”I love you Daddy R.I.H KING WILLIAMSON.” A native of Compton, Calif., Williamson joined The Temptations in 2006 and continued singing with the iconic Motown group until 2015. In addition to appearing with the act for concert and tele...
Justin Bieber Vows to Be a ‘Good Husband and Future Dad’ in Heartfelt Note
Justin Bieber took a moment to reflect on his past, present and future — and expressed his hope to someday be a father — this weekend. “I came from a small town in Stratford Ontario Canada. I didn’t have material things and was never motivated by money or fame I just loved music. But as I became a teenager I let my insecurities and frustrations dictate what I put my value in,” Bieber wrote in a note posted on Instagram Sunday night (Sept. 6). He continued: “My values slowly started to change. Ego and power started to takeover and my relationships suffered because of it.” “I truly desire healthy relationships,” Bieber said. “I want to be motivated by truth and love. I want to be aware of my blind spots and learn from them! I want to...
