Music News

Oh "Snap!" Rosa Linn is back with new music and new tour dates

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Rosa Linn is going to open for Ed Sheeran this summer, but before that, she's got some new music to share with fans.

The Armenian singer, whose song "Snap" went viral last year, has released a new song and video, "Never Be Mine." The heartbreak ballad shows off Rosa's powerful vocals, which some fans are comparing to Adele's. 

Coincidentally, the video shows her performing the song in a seemingly abandoned house, surrounded by windblown fabric, just like Adele's clip for "Easy on Me."

In between her shows opening for Ed, which run from June 17 in Toronto to July 15 in Detroit, Rosa will do her own headlining shows, performing in Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, Columbus and Minneapolis between June 20 and July 11.

After her stint on Ed's tour, Rosa will go on to open up for alt-rock bands Young the Giant and Milky Chance, starting July 13 in Atlanta.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


From "Sour Candy" to sour grapes: No Lady Gaga/BLACKPINK White House performance after all

ABC

Seems like those reported plans to have Lady Gaga and K-pop stars BLACKPINK perform at the White House during South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's upcoming visit aren't going to happen.

According to The Korean Herald, South Korea's presidential office announced Friday that a performance featuring the artists — who teamed up for the song "Sour Candy" on Gaga's album Chromatica — is not on Yoon's official schedule for his visit. No explanation was given.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the performance was suggested by Dr. Jill Biden as part of a state dinner during Yoon's visit. However, the Korean Herald also reported that there was some kind of protocol blunder and the idea of the concert wasn't "properly communicated" to Yoon. Some of Yoon's staff tendered their resignations over this, the paper reported.

In addition, The Korean Herald cited reports that the U.S. suggested South Korea should pay for the performance, which would cost several million dollars. 

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Arlington, Texas, renames road Taylor Swift Way, will give Taylor key to the city

TAS Rights Management

Not to be outdone by Glendale, Arizona, which temporarily renamed itself Swift City ahead of Taylor Swift's two concerts there, her next tour stop of Arlington, Texas, is upping the ante.

Taylor is set to play Arlington's AT&T Stadium this weekend, and according to a press release, the city is in a "friendly competition" with other U.S. Eras Tour cities to see who can show their loyalty to Taylor in the biggest way. To that end, Arlington has changed one of its streets, Randol Mill Road, to Taylor Swift Way and is inviting fans to pose for photos with the temporary street sign.

In addition, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross plans to present Taylor with a key to the city and proclaim this to be Taylor Swift Weekend, while some large steel sculptures in front of the town's City Hall are being lit up in red.

And taking it to a comical extreme, Arlington Animal Services is running a pet adoption special, which will allow adopters to get a cat or two — just like Taylor — for $40, in honor of Taylor's 40 top-10 hits. There's also a $9 adoption fee in honor of Taylor's nine number-one hits.

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New Music Friday: Bebe Rexha, Charlie Puth, Jisoo and more

Bebe Rexha has released her new single, “Call on Me.” The catchy club anthem is the latest track from her upcoming album, Bebe, which is due out April 28. “God only knows how long I’ve waited for this, it’s been the longest time,” she sings on the song. “If I need a lover, someone to save me, someone to set me free—I call on me.”

Charlieonnafriday teams up with Lil Tjay for the song “Same Friends.” They also released the music video for the track, featuring Charlie and his pre-fame pals from Seattle hanging out in a nice L.A. home, before heading out to Lil Tjay’s house, where they continue the hang session with Tjay's group of friends.

Charlie Puth joins forces with country-pop duo Dan + Shay for a new tune called “That’s Not How This Works.” On Thursday, Charlie debuted a six-minute short film to accompany the song, co-starring Sabrina Carpenter. A shortened version of the music video is also out now.

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo is out with her first solo single album, [ME]. The two-song collection features the lead single "꽃(FLOWER)” — which gets a floral-filled music video — and a track called “All Eyes on Me.”

Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding have dropped the Church Version of their new song "Miracle," featuring echo-y angelic vocals by Ellie set to organ and harp instrumentals. A performance video shot in St. Bartholomew the Great, London's oldest surviving church, also premiered Friday.

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BTS' Suga to star in Disney+ documentary 'Road to D-Day'

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A solo documentary focusing on Suga is the latest BTS content offering from Disney+.

Not much is known about the doc, called SUGA: Road to D-Day, but we do have a trailer. It shows Suga traveling around the world, flying on a plane, driving through the desert, standing on a mountaintop and walking on the street.

So far, there's no airdate for the doc.

Suga's first solo world tour starts April 26 in New York; he'll perform for multiple nights in Rosemont, Illinois, as well as in LA and Oakland, California. He'll also perform in Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and, finally, South Korea.

Earlier this year, Suga's bandmate J-Hope starred in his own Disney+ solo documentary, j-hope In The Box.

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Flo Rida thanks fans for concern about injured son, asks for "continued prayers"

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Flo Rida is thanking everyone who contacted him after news broke that his 6-year-old son, Zohar, had been seriously injured in a fall from a fifth-floor window.

As previously reported, the boy fell out of the window of the New Jersey apartment where he lives with his mom, Alexis Adams. Adams has since filed a lawsuit accusing the management of the apartment complex, as well as the building maintenance company and the window installer, of negligence. As USA Today reports, the suit alleges they put in the wrong size windows.

Zohar suffered multiple pelvic fractures, liver laceration, internal bleeding and collapsed lungs, according to Adams' complaint.

In his Instagram Story, Flo, born Tramar Dillard, wrote, "Thank you to everyone who reached out with their concerns and prayers for my son."

He noted that Zohar is "getting the best medical care and miraculously survived a tragic fall" and asked for "your continued prayers as he undergoes rehabilitation." 

"But," he added, "I would appreciate that this remain a private matter." 

Two months ago, the "Low" rapper won $86.2 million in a settlement after a jury found that the energy drink Celsius had breached a contract with him.

 

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Christina Aguilera honored at GLAAD Media Awards

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for GLAAD

Christina Aguilera received a special honor at this year's GLAAD Media Awards, held Thursday night in Los Angeles. The awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.

In recognition of her allyship, Christina was given the Advocate for Change Award, presented to her by a survivor of the Club Q shooting, Michael Anderson.

In her acceptance speech, she said, "I have a big problem with injustice, particularly towards the trans community that has faced so much hardship. So I always hoped I could use my music to speak up for others who didn’t have a voice. That’s why I am so grateful to GLAAD for this award and for the work you do to get the LGBTQ community heard.”

Other honorees included Latin superstar Bad Bunny, who was presented with the Vanguard Award by fellow Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin

In his speech, Bunny noted, "Thank you to the whole LGBTQ community for embracing me, for loving me the way that they do and for inspiring me, too. … I believe that when you have a good heart, and you give love, that’s what you receive back, and that’s what I’ve wanted to do all this time with my music."

Other GLAAD Media Award winners included the TV shows A League of Their Own, What We Do In the Shadows and 9-1-1 Lone Star, as well as the movie Bros.

 

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Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter can sue his accuser, judge rules

Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter will be allowed to sue the woman accusing him of sexual assault, a Las Vegas judge ruled on Wednesday.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that earlier this week, District Judge Nancy Allf allowed Nick's counterclaim against Shannon Ruth, who accused Nick late last year of assaulting her when she was 17, to move forward.

Nick's counterclaim alleges that Ruth, now 39, is part of a conspiracy to "defame and extort" him and that she was persuaded to sue him by the family of another woman who's accused Nick of sexual assault. 

According to the paper, Ruth's claim against Nick cost the band more than $2 million, due to the cancellation of promotional events surrounding their Christmas album that followed the news.

Ruth, who is autistic and has cerebral palsy, accuses Nick of assaulting her on a tour bus after a Backstreet performance in Tacoma, Washington. Her lawyers attempted to dismiss Nick's counterclaim, and accused him of "harassing and intimidating" Ruth by filing it.

While the judge found in Nick's favor, she did not grant the singer the attorneys' fees he'd also requested.

If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.

 

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Lizzo announces new gender-affirming shapewear: "You deserve to feel good"

ABC

Lizzo wants everyone to feel their best, which is why her clothing line, Yitty, has announced a new line of gender-affirming shapewear. 

"Introducing… YOUR SKIN by @yitty Gender affirming shapewear for people of all gender identities," the "About Damn Time" singer shared on social media Thursday. "You deserve to feel like you. You deserve to feel good in Your Skin."

The post featured Lizzo, who has been a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights, alongside a diverse group of models, each wearing a piece from the new line. 

"We’ve been working on this for a long time and I’m so excited it’s finally here," she wrote, adding that the new line offers binder tops and tucking thongs. 

Yitty's brand page elaborated on the new line and the mission behind it, sharing the same carousel of photos and explaining, "When we say we support every body, we mean it."

"We believe in radical self-love for people of all gender identities—including the trans, non-binary, gender-fluid and gender non-conforming communities that have been chronically underserved," the post continued. "So, we decided to take our expertise and create styles that serve those very same communities."  

The new styles will be available starting late summer 2023. 

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LFO member Brian "Brizz" Gillis dead at 47, Brad Fischetti confirms

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LFO member Brian "Brizz" Gillis has died at at the age of 47, his former bandmate Brad Fischetti confirmed Thursday.

"Every story is made up of chapters. Some develop naturally. Some you have to cut up in your mind. The first two chapters of the LFO story lost a main character yesterday. Brian ‘Brizz’ Gillis passed away," Fischetti shared in a lengthy Instagram post alongside a throwback photo of the late singer. 

Fischetti went on to share that he did not have details of the death, but admitted that he was "struggling to process this tragic loss." He also reflected on the '90s pop band, of which he is the only remaining living member. Fellow LFO member Devin Lima died in 2018 at age 41 after having surgery to remove a tumor caused by stage-four adrenal cancer. The band's founder, Rich Cronin, died at age 36 from leukemia. 

"My relationship with Brian was complex. It contained moments of great tribulation but also of great joy," Fischetti continued. "I learned a lot from him about the business of music and how to put together and rock a show. And it’s those positive aspects of our relationship that I will lean on now and forever.

"I’ve prayed for Brian every day for many years. And I will continue to pray for him, for his beloved father, for his friends, his family, and those who loved him. Special prayers for Pistol Pete and Terry Edwards; two men who hold a special place in my heart and undoubtedly held a special place in Brian’s heart."

"I know that soon or maybe already, Brizz will be greeted by Rich and Devin. And I hope that together, they will make some sweet sounds. I would really like that," he concluded. "Rest east bro. Rest easy."

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Wanna help Joe Jonas sell sangria? Apply now

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Joe Jonas wants you -- to help him sell his carbonated sangria brand, Ohza.

He put out the call on Instagram, inviting fans to apply to "join the #OhzaCrew!"  While this doesn't appear to be a paid position, Joe explains that the perks of the job include getting "the chance to work closely with me and the amazing team at Ohza on projects that we have coming up this summer" -- including content, events, new merch and much more.

Plus, Joe notes that you'll also get "free Ohza, exclusive merch [and] monthly prizes."

You can apply at drinkohza.com.

Meanwhile, Joe and his brothers Nick and Kevin are gearing up for the release of their new project The Album, due out May 12. On April 7, they'll be releasing another track from the album, titled "Waffle House." On the JoBros' Instagram, they wrote, "Growing up, we would go to Waffle House after shows, and it became our sanctuary."

“'Waffle House' was born from a simple but powerful idea," they continued. "When you sit down with the people that matter most, anything is possible. This song isn’t about a restaurant, it’s about coming together with the people you love and making your dreams come true."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


After changing boyfriends, Avril Lavigne's changing houses

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Looks like her romantic partner isn't the only change Avril Lavigne is making in her life. The Dirt website reports she's putting her ocean-view Malibu mansion up for sale for $12 million.

Avril paid just under $8 million for the three-quarters-of-an-acre spread in October 2020. It features a main house and a detached guest house, as well as a patio, fire pit, sundeck, pool and an infrared sauna.

The main house has three bedrooms and three baths, plus exposed wood-beam ceilings, a fireplace, gym, temperature-controlled wine closet, an open-concept interior, and a master bedroom with a custom walk-in closet and a spa-like bathroom.

Last month, Avril ended her engagement to rocker Mod Sun. She was seen kissing rapper Tyga not long after that. She starts her European tour April 12 in Paris.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'Monumental: Ellie Goulding at Kew Gardens' premieres: "Performing to plants is kind of like my dream"

Michael Muller / Amazon Freevee

Ellie Goulding's concert special Monumental: Ellie Goulding at Kew Gardens premieres on Amazon Freevee on Friday. It features her performing songs from her new album, Higher Than Heaven, for the first time at London's Kew Gardens, a botanical garden with one of the most diverse plant collections in the world. Ellie says it was great, except for the fact that she was freezing cold.

"The whole experience that was simultaneously beautiful and uncomfortable because I was so cold the entire time, I could not warm up," she tells ABC Audio. "I was wearing a dress that was, like, a wet effect, but it may as well have been just like freezing cold wet ... because I literally was shivering. It's hard to sing when you're shivering."

And that cold lasted quite a while, according to Ellie.

"I remember heading home to make my son's bedtime. And I was like, in the car [shivering], I literally couldn't warm up the whole way back," she recalls. "I had the heated seat on, got the heating turned up — but now [when] I think back, I'll only ever have, like, fond memories of that. Because it's in one of the most nature-friendly, nature-worshipping places in the country."

And as an environmental activist, Ellie says she loved being surrounded by "such a wide variety [and] diversity of plants." She notes, "I just found it all really, just, moving ... y'know, performing to plants is kind of like my dream."

"It's proven that ... it's better for you to be around nature and be around plants," Ellie points out. "You can smell it, you can breathe it, you can feel the air is different. And so, apart from the cold, it was lovely."

Higher Than Heaven arrives April 7.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Music notes: GAYLE, Kelly Clarkson, Lance Bass and more

GAYLE has released the music video for her new song, "everybody hates me." In the home video-style clip for the pop-punk track, the singer hits back at her haters as she and her friends hang out under a bridge, in the back of a truck and in a grocery store.

And speaking of GAYLE, Kelly Clarkson covered her song "abcdefu" on The Kelly Clarkson Show Thursday, changing around some of the lyrics to reference her divorce from Brandon Blackstock. "F you and your dad and the fact that you got half/ and my broken heart/ turn that s*** into art," she sang.

Lance Bass is lending his voice to the new animated kids flick Baby Shark's Big Movie!, People reports. The film will follow Baby Shark and his family as they move to a big city. Bass will be playing himself as a TV announcer. Cardi B and her family — husband Offset, and kids Kulture and Wave — will also be lending their voices to the film. Cardi, Offset and Kulture will reprise their characters from Baby Shark's Big Show!, while 18-month-old Wave will make his debut as Wavey Shark.

The nominations for Australia’s 2023 APRA Awards have been announced. Songs by Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Lil Nas X, Adele and GAYLE are nominated in the most performed international work category. Australian artists The Kid LAROI, Dean Lewis, 5 Seconds of Summer and Flume also scored nods.

The Wanted's Tom Parker died of brain cancer one year ago Thursday, and his wife, Kelsey, paid tribute on Instagram. “One year without you. forever my soul mate,” she wrote.

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'Modern Family' star Julie Bowen thinks she could show Harry Styles "a good time"

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Back in January, actress Julie Bowen rolled up to Harry Styles' concert in Inglewood, California, holding a heart-shaped sign with a bold message: "Harry, I'm old, but I know what I'm doing!" She told the story behind the sign Thursday on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Bowen, 53, explained that she went to see Harry, 29, with several kids, including her son, all of whom had made signs, so she decided to get in on the fun. "I think, like, he could do worse than me,” she told Jennifer. “I mean, I’m not the youngest, but I think I could show him a good time.”

Regarding the concert, the Modern Family star said she was in the pit screaming. "He split his pants, it was so exciting," she raved. She then joked, "Harry, if you'd like to slide into my DMs, just do it." 

Last year, Bowen went on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about her love for Harry, declaring that she'd come out of "[dating] retirement" for him.

"He's got that ... energy ... where they're so gorgeous and sexy, but there's so much joy that you don't feel dirty about what's happening in your pants," Bowen said. "He's just bringing the joy and the light and the Watermelon Sugar. You just feel good about the whole experience."

Based on his dating history, Harry does seem to like older women, but whether or not he's single right now is up in the air; he was recently seen kissing model/actress Emily Ratajkowski in Tokyo.

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