Pop
Beyoncé Pledges Another $1 Million to Black-Owned Businesses
Beyoncé has been one of the more charitable celebrities helping ease the burden of 2020 through her BeyGOOD foundation. In April, she sent $6 million to essential workers impacted by the coronavirus, then in May supplied 1,000 testing kits and PPE to her native Houston. June saw the beginning of her Black Parade initiative (and companion single) to promote Black-owned businesses, which she backed up by launching the Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund in July with the NAACP Empowerment Programs. Now, the superstar has announced a second round of grants for the fund, bringing another $1 million to Black-owned businesses. According to the fund’s website, the money will go to “assist our small business communities that have been directly impacted by recent events across the country.” Black...
Britney Spears Shows Love For #FreeBritney In Court Filing
Britney Spears is welcoming public scrutiny of the court conservatorship that has controlled her life and money for 12 years as she seeks to push her father out of power, according to a Thursday (Sept. 3) court filing. Spears filed an objection unprecedented in the 12 years of the conservatorship to a motion from her father, James Spears, to seal a recent filing in the case, forcefully arguing that the public ought to know what is happening to her and tacitly voicing her support for the #FreeBritney movement among fans that her father has shown scorn for. “Britney’s conservatorship has attracted an unprecedented level of scrutiny from mainstream media and social media alike,” the filing says. “Far from being a conspiracy theory or a ‘joke’ as James reportedly told the media, in large part ...
Justin Bieber Comes to the Rescue In DJ Khaled’s ‘Popstar’ Featuring Drake: Watch
Biebs is back! And this time, he’s rocking with some heavyweight pals. Justin Bieber is the feature artist on DJ Khaled and Drake‘s “Popstar,” the music video for which dropped at midnight. Helmed by Director X, the hilarious new clip opens with Khaled constantly hassling Drake to appear in his music video. “This guy is off his rocker,” says a frustrated Drizzy. “Every 5 seconds on my phone (he’s) asking me for something.” So he calls in a favor and hits up his compatriot, Bieber. The pop star is happy to help. Bieber’s living the high life in a mansion surrounded by party people. When he’s not wearing funky threads, Bieber is wearing very little — and revealing his impressive set of tattoos. Bieber’s wife&n...
Britney Spears Endorses the #FreeBritney Movement
Last month, Britney Spears asked the courts to prohibit her father from regaining conservatorship of her estate. While a judge has since determined that the current structure will remain in place until at least early 2021, the legal battles continue. According to TMZ, her lawyer’s latest filings included an article about the #FreeBritney movement, along with the note that Spears “welcomes and appreciates the informed support of her many fans.” The pop star’s father, James “Jamie” Spears, has overseen nearly every aspect of her life since 2008, when she was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment. That continued without interruption until late 2019, when her dad temporarily stepped aside to deal with his own health issues. Having seemingly recovered, Jamie is now back to doing what...
Liam Payne Confirms His Engagement to Maya Henry: ‘We’re Just Really Happy’
Liam Payne confirmed the news of his engagement to model Maya Henry during an appearance on Good Morning America on Thursday (Sept. 3). When the GMA crew kicked off the interview with a congratulations on the engagement, Payne responded, “We’re just really happy!” The One Directioner, who performed “Midnight” during his appearance, added: “The last week, I’ve just had a birthday, my son has gone to school for the first time today, so it seems like a lot of firsts for me, really, which is great.” Payne — who turned 27 on Aug. 29 — shares 3-year-old Bear with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole. He and Henry made their romance public in September 2019. The GMA hosts also asked him about One Direction’s 10-year anniversary and a possibil...
What’s Your Favorite Katy Perry Album? Vote!
Last week, Katy Perry not only delivered her first daughter Daisy Dove, but also a whole album. After much anticipation, the star finally unveiled Smile, featuring hits like “Harleys in Hawaii,” “Never Really Over” and the sweetly-titled “Daisies.” But is it your go-to project? Perhaps as a KatyCat you’re more into 2017’s Witness, with the scrumptious Migos collab “Bon appetit,” or 2013’s PRISM, full of bangers like “Roar,” “Birthday” and “Dark Horse?” There’s also the classic Teenage Dream and One Of The Boys, the debut album featuring “I Kissed a Girl,” the song that started it all? Let us know your favorite KP albu...
Miley Cyrus Says Vocal Surgery Got Her Sober
Silence might be golden. For Miley Cyrus, silence was a gift. The “Wrecking Ball” singer underwent surgery on her throat late last year, and emerged from the experience clean, sober and emboldened with a fresh outlook. Those silent post-operative days created a window of self-reflection. “I kind of learned a lot about the voice and how our experiences affect our voice,” Miley told Seth Rogan during a candid chat for the Joe Rogan Experience, which clocked-in at two hours. Following a Reinke’s edema diagnosis — that is, swelling of the vocal cords due to the presence of fluid — Miley underwent surgery in November 2019. “Over the last year I noticed a really big change to my voice, kind of a heaviness to it,” she explains. “And I experienced some heavy things. I...
BTS on Gaining Respect in the U.S.: ‘We Definitely Feel That’
Loud and happy screams erupt in unison from the seven-member pop stars BTS when they hear they have notched their first No. 1 hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. “DREAM,” yells band member RM. “It still doesn’t feel real,” adds SUGA, speaking in Korean through a translator. “We’re really happy.” “Dynamite,” the group’s first all-English song, debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. music charts this week, making BTS the first Korean pop act to top the chart. The upbeat song even supplanted “WAP,” the raunchy smash hit by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, to claim the No. 1 position. “Never expected it,” RM tells The Associated Press of beating “WAP” for the top spot. “Never! It’s like the song of the year.” But getting their first chart-topping track seemed inevitable for the K-pop boy band,...
Blackpink & Selena Gomez’s ‘Ice Cream’ vs. BTS’ ‘IONIQ: I’m On It’: Which Video Is Your Favorite? Vote!
The biggest K-pop stars rid this week’s hump day of its usual pressure when BTS and Blackpink dropped two brand new videos Wednesday (Sept. 2). BTS kicked things into high gear, thanks to the boy band’s partnership with South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai, with their “IONIQ: I’m On It” music video. The boys head out in their own lanes and even defy gravity in the sleek scenic visual that feels like anything but a car commercial shoot, according to them. “We had a lot of fun filming this video,” BTS said in a statement. “It’s been a while since a music video style ad has come out like this. It didn’t feel like a commercial shoot. It felt like an actual music video shoot.” Likewise, Blackpink and Selena Gomez‘s latest vis...
FINNEAS Shares New Song “What They’ll Say About Us”: Stream
FINNEAS has returned with a new song and his first major solo release of the year, “What They”ll Say About Us”. Even after wining five Grammys, the 23-year-old ghostwriter is still best known as the brother of Billie Eilish. But although he continues to be a producer in demand, recently FINNEAS has put more work into his solo career. Just last month, his 2019 Blood Harmony EP got a second life with a digital reissue that included a new version of “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night (1964)”. “What They’ll Say About Us” is his first all-new single of 2020, as well as a heartfelt reaction to a world in chaos. The track is a searching piano ballad, written in reaction to Black Lives Matter protests and the saga of Broadway actor Nick Cordero, who died in July of complications caused by...
BLACKPINK & Selena Gomez Are ‘Ice Cream’ Chilling in a Waffle Cone for Animated Dance Performance Video
BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez served up another scoop of their sweet “Ice Cream” collaboration with an animated dance performance video out Wednesday (Sept. 2). But since the ladies couldn’t get together in person amid the coronavirus pandemic, they went virtual with Zepeto, an app from the South Korean online platform Naver that allows users to create 3-D avatars and interact with each other. The dance performance clip bears a lot of resemblance to the official music video, from the outfit changes down to the inflatable pink waffle cone. And since each member of Selpink had both hands full with their full choreography on display, the animated visual suspends ice cream cones around as delicious decor for a finale that’ll have viewers licking their lips for more. W...
24kGoldn’s ‘Mood’ Ascends to Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart Throne
The Iann Dior-featuring song jumps 3-1. 24kGoldn scores his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts as “Mood,” featuring Iann Dior, jumps 3-1 on the lists dated Sept. 5. “Mood” rises as the greatest gainer in all three chart metrics: streaming, airplay and sales. In the streaming and sales tracking week ending Aug. 27, the song scored 20.8 million U.S. streams (up 37%) and sold 7,000 downloads (up 63%), according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. In the radio tracking week ending Aug. 30, it earned 7.8 million all-format audience impressions (up 251%). 24kGoldn has charted one other entry so far on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs: “City of Angels” reached No. 7 on each list in...
