entertainment blog
Watch Rina Sawayama Cover Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”
Rina Sawayama appeared on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge today (September 27), where she covered Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” and performed the title track to her second album, Hold the Girl. Check out both below. Hold the Girl, the follow-up to her 2020 debut Sawayama, arrived on September 16 after it was first announced in May. Sawayama said that she received ABBA’s blessing to interpolate their song “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight” on the album’s first single, “This Hell.” Between LPs, Sawayama took on Lady Gaga’s “Free Woman” with Clarence Clarity for Dawn of Chromatica, made a guest appearance on “Follow Me” by Brazil’s Pabllo Vittar, and joined Charli XCX for “Beg for You.” Read Pitchfork’s feature “Rina Sawayama, Pop Therapist.” Content This content can also be viewed ...
Spotify Slow to Remove White Supremacist Content, Report Finds
This past February, Spotify was found to be hosting—and in some cases actively playlisting—an array of white supremacist music. Those findings, by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, were not adequately heeded by the platform, according to a follow-up report published last week and picked up by Billboard. In a blog titled “White Supremacist Music Prevalent on Spotify, While Platform Largely Declines to Act,” the ADL found 40 white supremacist artists on the streaming service, many searchable through catch-all genre terms such as “fashwave” and “RAC” (the misleadingly named Rock Against Communism). Many of those artists have verified status, meaning their songs can be corralled in Spotify’s own playlists. As a result, a black metal listener could unwittingly be recommended mus...
Listen to Björk’s New Song “Fossora”
Björk has released Fossora’s title song. The new single, produced by Björk, features Kasimyn. Take a listen below. Björk’s new album, Fossora, is out this Friday, September 30. Before the title song, the musician had released the LP’s “Atopos” (also featuring Kasimyn), “Ovule,” and “Ancestress.” Learn more about Björk and Fossora in Pitchfork’s new interview “Björk: Mother, Daughter, Force of Nature.” Content This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Bizarrap’s 10 Most-Watched Sessions Ranked: Critics’ Picks
The element of surprise is one of the many things that make Bizarrap‘s music and freestyle sessions some of the most watched videos on YouTube. Who will his next guest be? No one really knows, but when the Argentine producer drops a new session, it collects millions of views in a matter of hours. While his latest music session with the Spaniard Quevedo isn’t yet among his most watched, it’s the one that has catapulted him to global success. Their “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52,” is currently No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. Additionally, the track is only the second fully Spanish-language song to top the Global 200 in the chart’s two-year history, following Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez’s “Dákiti” in 2020. “The first ‘session’ back in 2018 wasn...
Crush & J-Hope Offer a Behind-the-Scenes Look at ‘Rush Hour’ Music Video: Watch
Get up! The content surrounding Crush’s new track, “Rush Hour” keeps on coming. Last week, fans were treated to a dance practice video featuring the South Korean rapper alongside BTS‘ J-Hope expertly hitting the funky track’s choreography. On Monday (Sept. 27), the goodies continued with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Rush Hour.” Crush kicked off the video by giving fans an explanation of the visual’s concept. “On a very desolate road, my imagination takes wing, which resolved the complicated and frustrating situation,” the translation reads. Of the track itself, Crush added that “Rush Hour” is a “funky song and it also had elements of hip-hop mixed into it,” before giving a hearty recommendation to the video’s viewers to give the song a spin. J-Hope also gave his perspective o...
Kelly Clarkson Proves She’s a ‘Survivor’ in New Destiny’s Child Cover: Watch
Kelly Clarkson‘s a survivor, she’s not gonna give up, she’s not gonna stop, she’s gonna work harder. For the latest installment of The Kelly Clarkson Show‘s live music series, Kellyoke, the Grammy winning vocalist performed a fierce cover of “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child on Tuesday (Sept. 27). Flanked by a backup singer on either side, Clarkson brought the intensity from the very beginning of the song to the very end. “Now that you’re outta my life, I’m so much better,” she sang, green lights flashing chaotically around her onstage. “You thought that I’d be weak without ya, but I’m stronger.” All the while, the “Stronger” singer’s band Y’all added a rock n’ roll flair to the track with razor-sharp electric guitar and pounding drums. “I’m a survivor, I’m gonna make it,” Clarkson belted. “I ...
NFT Artist Diana Sinclair Signs With UTA Ahead of Christie’s Auction
Diana Sinclair, a leading visual artist in the Web3 space, has signed with UTA and is set to auction off nine of her NFTs at Christie’s beginning this week. Sinclair, 18, was recognized by Fortune as one of the top 50 most influential people in the NFT space alongside artists like Beeple. Her work focuses on themes like self-identity and social justice, and she is the curator behind Digital Diaspora, a Juneteenth exhibition that highlights the work of Black artists and creatives in the NFT community. Last year, Sinclair also collaborated with estate of Whitney Houston to create a digital video that comprised rare archival photos of the late singer that sold for roughly $1 million. And beginning on Wednesday, the artist will debut an NFT col...
Kid Cudi Shares ‘Entergalactic’ Tracklist Featuring Don Toliver, Steve Aoki and More
Less than a week out from the release of Entergalactic, Kid Cudi has released a tracklist for the album. The project is slated to drop this Friday, September 30, doubling as Cudi’s tenth studio album and the soundtrack for his eponymous Entergalactic series on Netflix. The adult animated series, which also premieres on the streamer on Friday, sees Cudi voice Jabari, an artist on the brink of success when he runs into his new neighbor Meadow, a photographer and potential love interest. The Entergalactic LP spans 15 tracks, opening with an “Entergalactic Theme.” Ty Dolla $ign features on “Willing to Trust,” which Cudi debuted last week, followed by 2 Chainz on “Can’t Wait.” Ty Dolla $ign makes a second appearance on “Can’t Shake Her,” while Don Toliver assists in rounding out the album with ...
Brett Favre Has SiriusXM Show Put On Hold Amid Mississippi Welfare Scandal
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Michael Owens / Getty Brett Favre is at the center of a welfare scandal in Mississippi that reportedly diverted millions intended for state welfare recipients into his own pockets. As part of the reaction to this revelation, the former NFL star had his SiriusXM radio show put on hold as the investigation forges ahead. Brett Favre, 52, was mentioned as part of a scathing report from Mississippi Today earlier in the month which revealed that former Gov. Phil Bryant attempted to divert funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program towards the construction of a volleyball stadium for Favre. State prosecutors allege that Bryant’s actions are part of a massive welfare fraud scheme that added up to millions. The scandal stretched far beyo...
Ye Previews New Songs Recorded With James Blake
Ye continues to make splash with his attendance at the Burberry Spring/Summer 2023 in London just last night when he took over the DJ booth at the afterparty. Footage of Ye spinning tunes at the afterparty shows the artist previewing a new track he produced with James Blake. Those in attendance were able to hear a short snippet of the song, which was later confirmed by Blake himself that it was not a “sample” but rather a whole new song. Blake took to Twitter to retweet a video of Ye behind the DJ decks playing their new song, “Always.” He wrote, It’s my birthday and [West] is playing tracks we made I’m good for presents thanks.” In another series of tweets, Blake revealed that he produced the track along with two other songs. This would mark the first time both artists have released music...
Does Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Performance Mean a Tour Is Coming?
The last time Rihanna fans could buy tickets to see her in concert was 2016 when she hadn’t even launched her lingerie brand Savage X Fenty that catapulted her to billionaire status and Travis Scott was still a support act. Now, more than six years later, RiRi’s set to return to the stage on Feb. 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix for the Super Bowl LVII halftime show — and possibly kicking off more performances to follow. With more than 100 million viewers tuning into the halftime show and its reputation for world-class artistry and production, Rihanna’s next gig is easily the biggest platform available for superstar artists looking to announce mega world tours and sell millions of tickets. In 2012, Madonna was the first modern act to use `a Super Bowl performanc...
Sam Smith and Kim Petras Set For ‘Unholy’ Debut on U.K. Chart
Life has been good for David Guetta and Bebe Rexha in recent weeks, though they’re no sure bet to retain the U.K. singles chart crown. Guetta and Rexha’s hit “I’m Good (Blue)” (via Parlophone) faces a stiff challenge from Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (EMI), which powers to No. 2 on the midweek chart. Following the first 48 hours in the chart week, just a “handful of units” separated the two singles, the OCC reports, with “I’m Good (Blue)” still at the top of the leaderboard. Also noteworthy on the Official Chart Update is Luude and Mattafix’s “Big City Life” (Warner Records), which is on track for a 10-7 lift, for what would be a new peak, while homegrown grime star Stormzy should grab his 25th top 40 appearance with “Mel Made Me Do It” (0207/Merky). The seven-minute tune is storming...
