R&B
The Weeknd Reissuing Debut Mixtape House of Balloons for 10th Anniversary
Although The Weeknd is now a superstar, the Toronto singer’s 2011 debut mixtape, House of Balloons, emerged in a shroud of mystery. To celebrate its 10th anniversary on March 21st, he is bringing the project to all streaming platforms in its original incarnation for the first time. The reissue will coincide with an exclusive merch drop including 1,000 limited-edition vinyl. When House of Balloons was first released, The Weeknd was thought to be a group consisting of Abel Tesfaye and producers Doc McKinney and Illangelo, rather than being Tesfaye’s moniker as a solo artist. The mixtape stood out for its eclectic samples from artists like Beach House, Aaliyah, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Cocteau Twins. Unlike many other mixtape reissues from the same era, The Weeknd was able to ...
Michael Milosh of Rhye Accused of Grooming and Sexual Abuse
Warning: The following article contains potentially triggering material relating to sexual assault and violence. If you are a victim of sexual assault, call RAINN at 1-800-656-4673. Michael Milosh, the Canadian songwriter best known for his R&B project Rhye, has been accused by his ex-wife, actress Alexa Nikolas, of sexual assault. In an open letter on Instagram titled “Groomed by the Groom”, Nikolas also detailed alleged physical abuse and financial manipulation, and accused Milosh of grooming her starting at the age of 16. According to Nikolas, she initiated contact with Milosh in 2008 after taking LSD in an Iowa cornfield while working as a child actress on the TV movie Children of the Corn. “After my acid trip, or actually during it, I looked Milosh up and decided to send him a mes...
Song of the Week: Lucy Dacus Delivers a Wrenching Ballad with “Thumbs”
Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Lucy Dacus delivered a wrenching ballad that left all of us speechless. Some songs end and sit in the pit of your stomach for the rest of the day, so visceral and affecting that they can’t be shaken. Lucy Dacus’ raw, devastating new release, “Thumbs”, is such a song, offering a gothic revenge fantasy that lingers long after the four and a half minutes have passed. Extremely minimal in production, “Thumbs” is also nearly formless, unfolding more like a whispered secret, twilight confession, or piece of local mythos than traditional...
Thundercat Teams with Ace Hashimoto on New Song “VAPORWAVES”: Stream
Chicago-born producer and singer Ace Hashimoto has recruited fellow multi-hyphenate Thundercat for his new song “VAPORWAVES”. Stream it below. The breezy track has a funky bassline and features Hashimoto and Thundercat contemplating the meaning of life. “After the end of the world, when it’s all said and done,” Hashimoto sings. “There’s no sign of life, but somehow life will still carry on / Could it mean our existence not grand as we thought?” Hashimoto originally released “VAPORWAVES” earlier this week as an exclusive on his Patreon page, and warned fans it would only be available on YouTube “for a limited time only.” In a lengthy update, the musician shared his inspiration for the song. “This song is about existential crisis and I believe it was that concept that led me to feeling free ...
The Weeknd to Boycott the Grammys Going Forward Due to 2021 Nominations Snub
The Weeknd outdid himself when he released After Hours last year. Not only was it one of the best albums of 2020, it also included the single “Blinding Lights”, which recently became the first song in history to remain in the Billboard Top 10 for an entire year. Despite such immense success, The Weeknd received zero nominations for the 2021 Grammys. Now, in response to the snub, he’s decided to boycott the awards show moving forward as both a participant and an attendee. In a statement to The New York Times, the Canadian crooner revealed that he will refuse to attend, perform at, or put his work forward for consideration at the Grammys from here on out. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” he explained. When news first ...
Black Pumas to Perform Verizon Up Livestream Concert
Though going to concerts still isn’t a thing, you can take heart that your favorite musicians are finding new ways to bring the live shows to you. Over the last few months, Verizon has brought some of the world’s biggest artists to fans’ homes via their Verizon Up livestream series. Later this month, the program will continue with a members-only performance from Black Pumas. Set to take place on March 13th, Verizon will broadcast a special concert from the Austin psychedelic soul duo exclusively for members of the Verizon Up loyalty program. Verizon Up offers monthly, weekly, and daily reward choices to its loyal customers at no additional cost. While the goodies can range from discounts at your favorite stores and restaurants to tech swag, members can also get access to exclusive livestre...
Jorja Smith Releases New Single “Addicted”: Stream
Jorja Smith is back with an irresistible new track called “Addicted”. The song comes with a music video filmed entirely in isolation, which you can watch ahead. Following last year’s “Come Over” with Popcaan, “By Any Means” of Roc Nation’s Reprise compilation, and The Eddy contribution “Kiss Me in the Morning”, “Addicted” marks Smith’s first single of 2021. Musing in the atmosphere of a hazy beat punctuated with live guitars, the song is as alluring as a siren. Which is fitting, since the lyrics call for a lover to recognize how good they have it and “be addicted to me.” In a press statement explaining the track, Smith noted it’s about “focusing on wanting the full attention of someone who’s not giving enough (or any) when they should be.” “Addicted” comes with a self-directed video (...
CHIKA Covers Billie Eilish’s “my future”, Reimagines “U SHOULD”: Stream
All this week, the Spotify Singles series is highlighting the nominees for the 2021 Best New Artist Grammy. But the contribution from CHIKA comes as a double celebration, as today happens to be the Alabama MC’s 24th birthday. As a gift for your ears, she’s delivered a new rendition of her single “U SHOULD” as well as a cover of Billie Eiilish’s “my future”. Plenty of artists have put their own spin on Eilish’s single from last summer, including Artist of the Month Arlo Parks and Miley Cyrus. CHIKA takes it into a new realm, however, taking ownership of the luscious, jazzy ode to self worth with a whole new verse of her own. “Ain’t no stopping shooting stars/ They got their own mind, and that’s the gold mine,” she raps. “The whole grind is nuts, so hold mine/ I promise you I’m set for go ti...
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Silk Sonic to Make Live Debut at Grammys
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are not only some of the smoothest guys making funk-based music these days, but they’re also two of the most entertaining artists of this era. A few weeks ago, they revealed they’re joining forces under the new moniker Silk Sonic, and now they’re already gearing up to make their live debut as such at the 2021 Grammy Awards. This all started when Mars and .Paak decided to write music together while stuck in quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic. The two artists originally bonded when .Paak opened for Mars on his 24K Magic world tour years ago, and they collaborated on record for the first time when they contributed to Chic’s 2018 album It’s About Time. But for them, Silk Sonic is a chance to explore other creative corners of the funk world that they’ve not...
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” Becomes First Song in History to Remain in Billboard Top 10 for a Whole Year
The Weeknd just made chart history. The Canadian superstar’s smash hit, “Blinding Lights”, is now the first song to ever spend an entire year in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Ever since the iconic singles chart was first established on August 4th, 1958, there’s never been a song that’s remained in the Top 10 for a full 52 weeks, until now. Sure, the artist born Abel Tesfaye didn’t get the Grammy nomination he was hoping for, but the enduring success of “Blinding Lights” is arguably a more historic feat. Interestingly, the After Hours single didn’t look like a runaway success when it was first unveiled. The Weeknd released the tune on November 29th, 2019 as the second single for his album rollout. However, it only debuted at No. 11 on the Hot 100 during its first week, and then it pl...
Brittany Howard Covers Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher”: Stream
One of the biggest voices of this century is following one of the biggest voices of the last, as Brittany Howard has shared a new cover of “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson. Released in 1967, “Higher and Higher” is not for the faint-hearted or pitch-challenged. “Mr Excitement” Wilson had a four-octave range, and on this, his signature song, he kept his voice moving. That’s no problem for Howard, whose picture you can find in the dictionary under “Powerhouse.” If anything, the rendition by the leader of Alabama Shakes has a little extra ferocity. Howard’s “Higher and Higher” skips over the original’s hand drums and prominent bass riff, preferring a drum kit and guitar-forward sound. She also uses a heavenly choir to a put a little extra height on those “Highe...
SZA Shares “Good Days” Video with “Shirt” Teaser: Watch
SZA scored her first Top 10 hit as a solo artist with “Good Days”, and now the Top Dawg Entertainment singer has released the song’s self-directed music video. The five-minute clip features a preview of her next single, “Shirt”, at the end. In the fairytale-inspired clip, the New Jersey native alternates between performing the song in a field surrounded by mushrooms, a la Alice in Wonderland, and twirling around a stripper pole in a library reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. Released on Christmas Day 2020, “Good Days” features additional vocals from Jacob Collier. It is expected to appear on SZA’s long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s Ctrl alongside her Ty Dolla $ign collaboration, “Hit Different”. Watch the “Good Days” music video below. Editors’ Picks [embedded content] Rel...
