Pop Music News
Katy Perry Reveals New Album Smile, Shares Title Track: Stream
Katy Perry has announced her newest album Smile. The follow-up to 2017’s Witness arrives August 14th, and the pop singer is celebrating the announcement by sharing the title track. This will be KP’s fifth studio effort, and so far we’ve heard the singles “Daisies”, “Harleys in Hawaii”, and “Never Really Over”. Already, this time feels different. Over the course of these (now) four singles, Perry hasn’t collaborated at all with ghostwriters like Max Martin or Dr. Luke. That’s unprecedented for Perry, who vaulted onto the scene with a Martin-and-Dr.-Luke ditty, “I Kissed a Girl”. Martin in particular is Perry’s oldest and steadiest collaborator, and together they co-wrote five songs on Teenage Dream, over half of Prism, and three Witness singles including “...
Brie Larson Covers Ariana Grande’s “Be Alright” in Stripped-Down Performance: Watch
Captain Marvel just might be the biggest Ariana Grande stan in Hollywood. Last year, Brie Larson covered “My Everything” and “God Is a Woman”. Now, she’s back with a new spin on another Grande classic: “Be Alright”. The breakout single from Grande’s 2016 album Dangerous Woman is light and catchy, and Larson upholds those qualities while giving it a stripped-down sheen. Armed with her own guitar and the quiet background of her peaceful home, the actress nails each note and vocal scale, proving once again that she’s just as good at singing as she is at acting. Watch her cover below. It’s not just a coincidence that Larson semi-regularly shares cover songs on social media and totally nails them. Back in 2005, before she was an A-list movie star, she dropped an album called Finally Out of...
“I’m a Fucking Grandma!” Sia’s Youngest Son Becomes a Father
Sia’s family is growing at an exponential rate. In May the pop star revealed that she had previously adopted two Black 18-year-old sons. Now both are 19, and one of them recently became a father to two babies of his own. Via Billboard, Sia made the announcement in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, telling him, “I’m a fucking grandma!” The Australian singer revealed that her grandchildren “call me ‘Nana,’” though she’s not content with the nickname. “I’m trying to get them to call me ‘Lovey,’” she said. Sia also went into detail about the adoption process last year, and the profound effect it had on her worldview. “I’m a little bit jaded now after investigating the foster system as much as I have done in the last year, because it’s completely corrupt; it’s failing ...
Maroon 5 Bassist Mickey Madden Arrested for Domestic Violence
Maroon 5 bassist Mickey Madden was arrested in Los Angeles this past Saturday (June 27th) for domestic violence. According to Page Six, the specific felony charge against Madden is California penal code 273.5(a), which is applied to “any person who willfully inflicts corporal injury” on a spouse or cohabitant “resulting in a traumatic condition.” The identity of the alleged victim hasn’t been revealed. After being held for several hours, Madden was released on $50,000 bail, per the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The 41-year-old musician will be due back in court on September 29th. Editors’ Picks In a statement, a spokesperson for Maroon 5 said, “We are deeply devastated by this disappointing news. As we learn more, we are looking at this very seriously. For now, we are allowing al...
Miley Cyrus Covers The Beatles’ “Help!” in Empty Rose Bowl Stadium: Watch
On Saturday, a number of big-name musicians, actors, and other celebrities teamed up for the “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future”, a benefit concert raising money for the coordination and development of COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, and to ensure equitable access to citizens across the globe. Among the participating musicians was Miley Cyrus, who performed a cover of The Beatles’ “Help!” from an empty Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles. Cyrus dedicated her performance to “those who are tirelessly working on testing, treatment, and vaccines so all of us can come together in places like empty stadiums again.” Watch Cyrus’ full performance below. Cyrus, who recently celebrated her sixth month of sobriety, has delivered a number of compelling covers as of late. She sang Pink Floyd...
Justin Bieber Sues Sexual Assault Accusers for $20 Million
Earlier this week, two social media users accused Justin Bieber of sexual assault. Bieber defended himself, claiming that the stories were “factually impossible.” Now, according to TMZ, he’s suing for $20 million in damages — $10 million for each story — claiming defamation. The two alleged victims go by “Danielle” and “Kadi” online. Danielle claims that Bieber raped her on March 9th, 2014, in his room at the Four Seasons Hotel. In response, Bieber has produced a receipt for an Airbnb on that night, where he claims to have stayed with his then-girlfriend Selena Gomez. The pop star says that Danielle invented this story based on public reports that he ate at the Four Seasons restaurant the next day, March 10th. Bieber collected evidence supporting his side of the story in a series of tweets...
Kesha Delivers Roaring Cover of T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution”: Stream
T. Rex’s Marc Bolan (photo via Ian Dickson/Wikipedia) and Kesha Later this summer, Marc Bolan and T. Rex will be celebrated with a massive tribute album called AngelHeaded Hipster. Produced by the beloved Hal Willner prior to his death, it features Bolan classics covered by prominent acts like U2, Father John Misty, Elton John, and Joan Jett, among others. Following Nick Cave’s rendition of “Cosmc Dancer” comes a second preview of the release, 1972’s “Children of the Revolution” as reimagined by Kesha. While known for her catchy pop hits, the High Road star also possesses incredibly powerful pipes, which she showcases on today’s cover. Whether the note’s high or low, the singer punches each one with fierce passion — the kind that would make Bolan proud. Check out the c...
Arca and Rosalía Join Forces on New Song “KLK”: Stream
Two of the music world’s biggest international names, Arca and Rosalía have teamed up for the new single “KLK”. The joint track serves as the latest single from Arca’s forthcoming album, KiCk i. Featuring co-production from the Venezuelan artist’s long-time collaborator Cardopusher, “KLK” is described in a press release as a “cyberpunk reggaetón song.” It’s a joyous and jittery electronic banger that finds Rosalía singing (loosely translated from Spanish) “Here with me, we are blessed!” Check out how Arca and Roslía’s vocals intertwine throughout “KLK” by taking a listen below. “KLK” marks the fourth song released from KiCk i following “Mequetrefe”, “Nonbinary”, and “Time”, The album is set for a June 26th release via XL Recordings. Besides Rosalía, other guests include SOPHIE and Arc...
Justin Bieber Denies Sexual Assault Allegations
Justin Bieber has denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman in 2014. The alleged victim, identified as “Danielle”, posted about her assault on Twitter over the weekend. In a since-deleted tweet, she said she met the pop singer, who was then 20, at SXSW in March 2014. She recounted how Bieber invited her and her friends back to his hotel room at the Four Seasons, before allegedly taking her to another room where they had sex. Danielle said she became uncomfortable and asked Bieber to stop, but he ignored her. Explaining why she decided to come forward now, Danielle said she was motivated after reading about a similar assault alleged against actor Ansel Elgort by a girl named Gabby. In response, Bieber has emphatically denied the allegations and provided evi...
Beyoncé Drops New Song “Black Parade” to Honor Juneteenth: Stream
Beyoncé went big to honor this year’s Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On Friday, the pop icon not only launched “Black Parade Route”, an initiative that supports Black-owned small businesses, but she also dropped a brand new song called “Black Parade”. Of course, it’s as timely and moving as expected from Queen Bey. Musically, “Black Parade” is a celebratory blend of pop, trap, hip-hop, and electronica-verging on Detroit techno. Over cascading horns and a chipper flute melody, Beyoncé sings about the unique joys of being Black, touching on everything from womanhood to her heritage and the ways in which Blackness proudly permeates throughout it all. Stream “Black Parade” below. [embedded content] It’s been a while since Beyoncé dropped new music ...
Beyoncé Demands Justice for Breonna Taylor in Open Letter to Kentucky’s Attorney General
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined a growing chorus of outraged citizens calling for justice for Breonna Taylor. In an open letter to Kentucky’s Attorney General, the pop icon demanded that the police officers responsible “be held accountable for their actions.” In the early hours of March 13th, sergeant Jonathan Mattingly and officers Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison used a battering ram to force their way into Breonna Taylor’s Louisville home. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was asleep with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker. After the police broke down the door, Walker grabbed his gun and attempted to defend himself from the intruders. In the ensuing gunfire, the trio of Mattingly, Cosgrove, and Hankison shot Taylor at least eight times, killing her. The Louisville Metro Poli...
Taylor Swift Calls for Permanent Removal of “Racist” Confederate Statues
The Black Lives Matter protests spurred by George Floyd’s murder aren’t stopping anytime soon — unless, of course, racial equity magically appears overnight. While marching for racial justice and calling for the police to be defunded, protestors have begun taking it upon themselves to dismantle, if not destroy, statues honoring white supremacists from history like Robert E. Lee and John B. Castleman. As it turns out, they have a huge celebrity supporting that cause: Taylor Swift. On Friday, the Grammy-winning pop star released a statement calling for the permanent removal of all Confederate statues in Tennessee. “As a Tennessean, it makes me sick that there are monuments standing in our state that celebrate racist historical figures who did evil things,” Swift wrote on Twitter. “Edward Car...
