Month: July 2022

Machine Gun Kelly performed “more than life” with rapper glaive on Vevo live series. The song was released from the vinyl edition of MGK’s sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout” and is co-written by MGK (Colson Baker), Travis Barker, glaive, Corey Sanders, Steve Manovski and Ichika Fukui, and is produced by Ichika Fukui, Ichika Fukui and Steve Manovski.

Machine Gun Kelly recently told Audacy’s Kevan Kenney that he plans to revert back to rap on his next album, saying, “I’m going to make a Rap album for myself. For no other reason, no point to prove, no chip on my shoulder. If I keep doing things to prove things to people, I’m going to one, drive myself crazy and two, not make a good product. I made [2020’s] Tickets to My Downfall and [2022’s] Mainstream Sellout because I wanted to make them. I need to now also make people miss that sound.  I’m going to do this tour and I’m gonna step into where I left Hotel Diablo and expand on my storytelling as a rapper and find a new innovative sound for the Hip Hop Machine Gun Kelly. That’s where my excitement is and where me as a music archaeologist wants to explore.”

Take a look at MGK and glaive’s “more than life” performance – here.

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The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards nominations have been announced, with Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X and Kendrick Lamar leading with seven nominations each. Doja Cat and Harry Styles follow with 6 nominations each, and Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd each earned 5 nominations.

Harlow and Lil Nas X earned multiple nominations for their collaboration “INDUSTRY BABY,” including for video of the year, best collaboration, best direction, best art direction, best visual effects and best choreography. Harlow and Lil Nas X are also among the artist of the year nominees.

Lamar, nominated for the first time since 2018, is up for best hip-hop for “N95”, video for good and best visual effects for “The Heart Part 5” and best cinematography for “family ties” (also nominated for best editing) and “N95.”

Madonna, who holds the title for the most awarded artists in MTV history with 20 wins, is now the only artist to be nominated in each of the VMAs five decades after she earned her 69th nomination this year for “MADAME X.”

The 2022 ceremony will take place on Sunday, August 28th at 8 p.m. ET/PT live from the Prudential Center in New Jersey. The VMAs will simulcast on The CW Network, in addition to BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TVLand and VH1.  Fans are able to vote across the 22 gender-neutral categories now through Friday, Aug. 19. Nominations for social categories including group of the year and song of summer will be announced at a later date.

For a complete list of the 2022 MTV VMA nominations, head to MTV.com.

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Halsey — real name Ashley Frangipane — has revealed they will be releasing a second beauty brand, af94, exclusively through Walmart.  The 67 piece line has been co-developed with its exclusive partner Walmart, and Halsey is hoping to tap into a new consumer base with products to be sold in around 2,900 stores as well as online.  Along with cosmetic products for eyes, lips, cheeks and body, the brand will also feature cosmetic accessories such as custom-designed body stickers.

af94 is the second – and more affordable — beauty brand launched by Halsey, who launched their first gender fluid line About Face in January 2021.  Halsey said in a statement: “After listening to feedback received from fans and friends, I wanted to create another self-expressive line that was lower-priced with a wide reach, which is why we are so excited to be launching this new collection with Walmart.”  The release also noted that all af94 products are ‘100 percent vegan and cruelty-free, with a shade range intentionally created to complement all skin tones.’

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Adele announced rescheduled dates for her Weekends with Adele show at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace after postponing due to COVID-19.  In addition to the 24 rescheduled shows, eight new shows have also been announced. The residency will now run from November 18, 2022 through March 25, 2023 with a show also on Christmas Eve.

The 34-year-old singer said in a statement:  “Words can’t explain how ecstatic I am to finally be able to announce these rescheduled shows. I truly was heartbroken to have to cancel them. But after what feels like an eternity or figuring out logistics for the show that I really want to deliver, and knowing it can happen, I’m more excited than ever!  To be with you in such an intimate space every week has been what I’ve most been looking forward to and I’m going to give you the absolute best of me. Thank you for your patience, I love you.”

Adele was scheduled to kick off her Weekends With Adele Vegas residency in January, but indefinitely postponed the entire 24 run engagement the day before it was to begin, citing cases of COVID-19 among her team.  She said at the time: “We’ve been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays, and half my crew, half my team have come down with COVID. It’s been impossible to finish the show, and I can’t give you what I can right now.”

A select number of tickets will be available across all 32 performances. There will be two opportunities to purchase tickets for these shows. Access will be limited with priority given to fans who held tickets for the original show dates or had previously registered and been waitlisted for the WEEKENDS WITH ADELE Verified Fan Presale. Eligible fans will receive an email invitation from Ticketmaster on Wednesday, August 3. To learn more visit: https://blog.ticketmaster.com/adele-vegas.

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Billie Eilish teased on Instagram last week that she was working with her brother and longtime collaborator FINNEAS on new music, and now she has unveiled two new acoustic songs on an EP titled Guitar Songs: “TV,” which was performed several times on Eilish’s recent European tour, and “The 30th,” which has never been heard.

Eilish said in a statement:  “FINNEAS and I really wanted these to be yours as soon as possible. So here they are!! Performing ‘TV’ on tour was such a highlight for us too, so we took the audio from the first night we played it in Manchester and put it in the song. I get shivers every time I hear it. Hope you love the songs and thank you for letting us share our music with you.”

Eilish released her second album, Happier Than Ever, last year. She’s been on tour in support of that album since the spring, and will take her tour to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, starting Aug. 13 in Manila.

Check out the lyric video for “TV” – here; and the lyric video for “The 30th” – here.

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Shortly after Beyoncé unveiled the track list for her upcoming album Renaissance last week, Apple Music has published the album credits, which reveal a star-studded list of collaborators including Drake, Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams.

Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z is credited on the songs “Alien Superstar,” “America Has a Problem” and first single “Break My Soul,” while Drake is among the collaborators on “Heated.” Williams and his longtime producing partner Chad Hugo appear to have worked on the song “Energy,” while Raphael Saadiq lent a hand on “Cuff It” and “Pure Energy.”

In addition, several songs appear to include samples from James Brown (“Church Girl”), Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer (album closer “Summer Renaissance”) and the late singer Teena Marie’s 1981 classic “Square Biz” (“Cuff It,” “Energy”).

Renaissance will officially drop on July 29.

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