Month: September 2023

Categories
Country Daypop

Dan + Shay announce 2024 ‘Heartbreak on the Map’ tour

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Dan + Shay announced their new 2024 North American ‘Heartbreak on the Map’ tour, posting on social media: “So excited to announce THE HEARTBREAK ON THE MAP TOUR with special guests @ben_rector + @haileywhitters! Pre-sale begins Tuesday September 19th at 10 AM local time and official on-sale begins Friday September 22nd. Pre-register at danandshay.com/tour now to get your early ticket access code! 💔🗺”

The Heartbreak on the Map tour kicks off Feb. 29, 2024, in Greenville, S.C., and concludes April 13 in Boston. Ben Rector and Hailey Whitters will join the tour as special guests.

Tickets go on sale Sept. 22, with pre-sales to begin Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. local time.
Pre-register at danandshay.com/tour now for the early ticket access code

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Categories
Country Daypop

Maren Morris reveals she’s leaving the country music industry

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Maren Morris released two new songs – “The Tree” and “Get the Hell Out of Here” — and announced she’s leaving the country music industry. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Morris revealed that she’s leaving the country music genre, and moving forward will release music on Columbia Records, instead of Columbia Nashville. Morris opened up about her decision to “take a step back,” explaining that she’s felt “very, very distanced” from industry and its politics.  When asked if it’s been a good year or a bad year for  country music, Morris said: “I’ve tried to avoid a lot of it at all costs. I feel very, very distanced from it.”

Morris said she didn’t originally think of herself as a “political artist,” but her support for gender-affirming healthcare and addressing the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in country has made waves in recent years. Morris said: “After the Trump years, people’s biases were on full display. It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic. All these things were being celebrated, and it was weirdly dovetailing with this hyper-masculine branch of country music. I call it butt rock.”

She explained she isn’t afraid of criticizing country music and its audience: “Country music is a business, but it gets sold, particularly to young writers and artists who come up within it, as almost a god. It kind of feels like indoctrination.  If you truly love this type of music and you start to see problems arise, it needs to be criticized. Anything this popular should be scrutinized if we want to see progress.”  She says she’s reached a point where she’s “kind of said everything I can say … I always thought I’d have to do middle fingers in the air jumping out of an airplane, but I’m trying to mature here and realize I can just walk away from the parts of this that no longer make me happy … I thought I’d like to burn it to the ground and start over, but it’s burning itself down without my help.”

Listen to ‘The Tree’ – here;
and ‘Get the Hell Out of Here’ – here.

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Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Hugh Jackman & Deborra-Lee Furness separate after 27 years of marriage

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Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness are separating after 27 years of marriage, confirming the news in a statement to People. 

Their statement reads: “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”  The statement concludes: “Signed by “Deb and Hugh Jackman. This is the sole statement either of us will make.”

Jackman, 54, and Furness, 67, met in 1995 when they were cast in the Australian TV miniseries “Corelli”. Furness was already an established star in their native Australia, while Jackman had only recently graduated from drama school. The couple were married in 1996, and share two children, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18.

Earlier this year, the couple celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary, with Jackson sharing on Instagram:  “I love you Deb. Today is our 27th wedding anniversary. 27 YEARS!! I love you so much. Together we have created a beautiful family. And life. Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humor, cheekiness, courage and loyalty is an incredible gift to me. I love you with all my heart.”

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Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Comedian Russell Brand refutes allegations of rape, sexual assault in new report

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Russell Brand is refuting allegations in a new report published by The Sunday Times of London, accusing him of “rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse.”

The joint investigation between The Times of London and Channel 4’s documentary team “Dispatches” was published over the weekend in the U.K.  According to The Sunday Times, the British comedian has been accused of sexual assault by four women between 2006 and 2013.  Brand was married to singer Katy Perry between 2010-2012.

The newspaper reported that one alleged victim said Brand assaulted her when she was 16 (he was then in his 30s) during a three-month “emotionally and sexually abusive” relationship. Another alleged victim told the outlet she was raped by the comedian in his Los Angeles home in 2012 while a third, who was working with him in L.A., said he sexually assaulted her at his West Hollywood home in 2013 and threatened to take legal action if she ever spoke about the incident publicly.

Brand denied the allegations in a YouTube video titled “So, This Is Happening,” saying he “absolutely refutes” the “litany of astonishing, rather baroque, attacks. These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream media, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. And as I’ve written about extensively in my books I was very, very promiscuous. Now during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that then — almost too transparent — and I’m being transparent about it now as well.”

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Justin Bieber joins SZA on acoustic remix of her hit song, “Snooze”

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SZA released the music video for her hit song Snooze a few weeks ago, starring Justin Bieber, actors Woody McClain and Young Mazino, and producer/songwriter Benny Blanco. In the video, each of the men portray a love interest for SZA, mirroring the lyrics of the song that verbalize the feelings that come with intense romance.

Now SZA has released an acoustic version of ‘Snooze’, with vocal help from her video guest star, Bieber himself. And just hours after her new Bieber collab, SZA also made a guest appearance on Drake’s new song “Slime You Out,” the lead single for his upcoming album For All The Dogs.

SZA is set to head back out on the road at the end of September for a second leg of North American shows in support of SOS — and she also just announced a deluxe version of SOS is on the way, entitled Lana.

Check out the acoustic version of ‘Snooze’ featuring Justin Bieber – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Doja Cat shares tracklist for ‘Scarlet’ with no features

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Doja Cat will release her fourth studio album, Scarlet, on September 22, and she recently shared on Instagram the album tracklist in its entirety.

The 15-track album, which includes Doja’s current single ‘Paint The Town Red’, has “no features” on the tracklist (as confirmed in the social media caption). ‘Paint The Town Red,’ the second single from Scarlet, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after first debuting at No. 15. In addition to Paint The Town Red, Doja’s singles “Attention” and “Demons” are available to stream everywhere now.

Just days before Doja posted the track list for her impending LP, she uploaded photos to Instagram of her hanging out with fellow female rap stars Ice Spice and Doechii. The three women will be hitting the road together for a 24-date nationwide tour, which kicks off on Halloween in San Fransisco, California.

Scarlet will officially drop on Friday, September 22. To preorder/pre-save, head here.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Staind release video for new song ‘Here and Now’

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Staind have shared the video for the new track, “Here and Now” ahead of the release of the band’s first studio album in 12 years, Confessions of the Fallen.  Directed by Bradley Golowin, the video gives fans an intimate glimpse at the band.

Confessions of the Fallen is set for release on Sept. 22, and features 10 original songs, including the previously released “Lowest In Me,” “Cycle of Hurting” and “In This Condition.” The new collection of songs marks the first album with drummer Sal Giancarelli, who joined the band for their live shows beginning in 2011 after original drummer Jon Wysocki left.  To pre-order the new album, head here.

Staind currently have four tour dates on the calendar this year: Sept. 14 in Deadwood, S.D., Sept. 15 in Saint Michael, N.D., Sept. 16 in Danbury, Wis., and Oct. 22 in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, head to Staind’s official website.

Check out the video for “Here and Now” – here.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

The Rolling Stones’ ‘Hackney Diamonds’ LP will feature Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga

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The Rolling Stones announced details of their forthcoming 24th studio record ‘Hackney Diamonds’ at a globally live-streamed event from Hackney Empire in East London on September 6.  Band members Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood shared details on the upcoming release, and shared its lead single ‘Angry’, which debuted along with a music video starring Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney.

Now the iconic rock band have shared the full tracklist for the 12-song album, and confirmed that it will feature an array of guest stars, including appearances from Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Elton John and Stevie Wonder.  The band also shared that the LP will feature the late drummer Charlie Watts on two of the songs in the tracklist – ‘Mess It Up’ and ‘Live By The Sword’; the latter also features former Stones bassist Bill Wyman. Sir Elton John also performs on the latter track, playing piano for the song, and will appear on ‘Get Close’ – the second song on the tracklist.

‘Hackney Diamonds’ was recorded in various locations including Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, London’s Metropolis Studios, Sanctuary Studios in the Bahamas, Electric Lady Studios and The Hit Factory/Germano Studios in New York.  The album is set for release on October 20; to pre-save/pre-order, head here.

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Categories
News Daypop

Hunter Biden indicted by special counsel on felony gun charges

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President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden has been indicted by special counsel David Weiss on felony gun charges. The four-page indictment returned by the grand jury convened in Delaware charges Hunter Biden with three felony counts stemming from his possession of a Colt Cobra 38 special revolver in October 2018.

The first count of the indictment alleges that Hunter Biden “knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement” on a form used for firearms purchases. According to the charging document, the president’s son certified on the form that he was not an unlawful user of any narcotic drugs, a statement that was “false and fictitious.” As detailed in the second count of the indictment, Hunter Biden allegedly knowingly made a false statement and representation to an unnamed, Wilmington-based firearms dealer. In the third count of the document, he is accused of knowingly possessing a firearm, despite knowing that he was a drug user, in violation of federal law.

Originally the president’s son had been charged with two separate criminal informations with misdemeanor tax offenses and a felony firearm offense. The two sides seemed to agree to a plea deal struck in June, which would have allowed Biden to plead guilty to a pair of misdemeanor tax offenses and enter into a pretrial diversion program to avoid prosecution on a felony gun charge. However, that deal fell apart during a court hearing in July after U.S. Judge Maryellen Noreika expressed concern over the structure of the agreement and questioned the breadth of an immunity deal. Hunter Biden ultimately pleaded not guilty to the three charges.

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Categories
News Daypop

Suspect in shooting of Iowa police officer is captured in Minnesota after manhunt

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A northern Iowa police officer was shot Wednesday night, prompting a manhunt that ended with an arrest in Minnesota.

Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, said that police officer Kevin Cram was on patrol in Algona, a town of about 5,300 residents, when he learned of an active arrest warrant for 43-year-old Kyle Ricke on a charge of harassment. Just before 8 p.m,, Mortvedt said the officer saw Ricke and told him he would be arrested, who then shot him. Cram, a 33-year-old husband and father who had been an officer in Algona since 2015, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The shooting prompted a Blue Alert to let the public know a suspect who posed a potential threat to law enforcement was on the loose. Ricke was captured without incident just before midnight and taken into custody in Brown County, Minnesota, about 100 miles north of Algona. Ricke was charged with first-degree murder, Mortvedt said, and was being held in Minnesota pending extradition.

Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens said at a news conference: “Tragic, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching pain and agony, but we will bow our backs, we will be strong, and we will continue to do our jobs.” 

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