Music

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness has premiered a new single called “Skywriting.”

“Creating for a living, you want every song to be your biggest, every lyric to be your best, but in the end, it takes time to know whether or not what you’ve made will outlast you or at least the moment of its creation,” McMahon says. “When I think about the act of skywriting it really is a perfect metaphor, not just for creating but for living. It’s a big gesture to own a place in the clouds even if it’s just for a moment.”

You can listen to “Skywriting,” which was co-written by K.Flay, now via digital outlets.

“Skywriting” follows the single “Stars,” which was released in August. The most recent Wilderness album is 2018’s Upside Down Flowers.

In addition to working on new Wilderness material, McMahon got back together with his band Something Corporate for a surprise show in September. The Something Corporate reunion will continue with a set at the 2023 When We Were Young festival.

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Five Finger Death Punch has premiered the videos for two songs off the band’s new album, AfterLife.

The clips accompany the tracks “Times Like These” and “Welcome to the Circus,” and introduce a continuing story set in a dystopian future. The concept will also relate to an upcoming Five Finger Death Punch graphic novel.

You can watch both videos streaming now on YouTube.

AfterLife, the ninth Five Finger Death Punch album, was released in August. The metal outfit is currently on tour in support of the record alongside Megadeth, The Hu and Fire from the Gods; the tour concludes this weekend.

Five Finger Death Punch will return to the road in November for a tour with country star Brantley Gilbert.

(“Welcome to the Circus” video contains uncensored profanity) 

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The inaugural LA3C music festival will be held in Los Angeles at the end of this year with two days full of music, food and art. 

Kicking off at the Los Angeles State Historic Park on December 10, the event is designed to celebrate diverse and creative communities. 

Megan Thee Stallion is set to headline Saturday’s show, along with a performance by Snoop Dogg and DJing duties by DJ Mustard. Also in attendance will be California-based R&B group Free Nationals, singer/transgender rights activist Shea Diamond and more. 

Sunday’s show will see performances by Colombian singer Maluma.

Fans will have a chance to see surprise breakthrough artists who will appear during the Billboard After Dark party Saturday night. 

For more information, including the full two-day lineup and how to purchase tickets, visit LA3C.com.

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Luke Bryan is paying his respects to Willie Spence, the singer whose signature soulful voice brought him all the way to the finale of American Idol’s season 19.

Spence died from injuries sustained in a car accident on Tuesday, according to a local Tennessee news report, as well as a Tennessee Highway Patrol report obtained by ABC News. He was 23 years old.

In his reflection on Spence’s passing, Bryan — a country superstar and one of the American Idol judges — remembered Spence’s magnetism during his time on the show.

“Willie really did light up every room he walked into,” the singer wrote on social media. “He could change the mood instantly when he started singing. He will truly be missed.”

Spence first went viral as a teen with his 2017 cover performance of Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” a song he also used to audition for Idol in 2021. His performances wowed judges and fans throughout the season, and he ultimately came in second place to winner Chayce Beckham.

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Volunteering for Habitat For Humanity is a labor of love for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

The couple has been volunteering for the organization since 2005 when they helped build homes along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Trisha reveals that she loves doing the physical labor of building a home, especially tasks on the job site that involve using a hammering or a nail gun.

“I like the jobs that require tools that are kind of aggressive. They call me the ‘Nail Gun Diva,’” she says. “I’ll do anything, but I like a job that requires hammering or nailing. And I do like that nail gun. It is so fast.”

Trisha says that building in Haiti after the devastating magnitude seven earthquake in 2010 was a sobering experience, so much so it inspired her and Garth to return the following year to see the impact of of their work.

“Habitat is a great reminder to me of how grateful I need to be on a daily basis. I believe the adage, ‘To whom much is given, from him much is expected,’” Trisha shares. “Part of my job in life is to give back, and this is a wonderful way for me to give back.”

Over the years, the country couple has become close friends with former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter, who have been working with Habitat For Humanity since 1984. Garth and Trisha are leading a build in Charlotte, N.C. in October 2023 in collaboration with The Carter Work Project.

“At some point you have to stop and just listen. The hammering of these hundreds and hundreds of hammers and you know what they’re doing, they’re building love, man,” Garth says. “And it’s the greatest feeling on the planet.”

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Thomas Rhett has a big anniversary to celebrate: He and his wife, Lauren Akins, got married 10 years ago on Wednesday. 

TR celebrated the big day on social media with a video and photo montage of their years together, including favorite family snaps, throwback shots from their wedding day and clips of their four daughters.

“10 years with my best friend,” he wrote in the caption of his post. “I legit don’t know sometimes if you are a real person or an Angel. I could not have dreamed up a better life if I tried. 10 years and four kids later, I love you more every single day.”

Thomas was just 22, and still in the early stages of forming his country music career, when he married Lauren in 2012. “Everybody was telling us not to … but we just fell in love at such a young age,” TR told People in 2016 about their decision to tie the knot.

Since then, the singer’s marriage and family life have been major components of his career. He’s put out several songs about Lauren, the first and perhaps most famous of which is “Die a Happy Man.”

Lauren’s become a star in her own right, too: In 2020, she put out a memoir called Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes, which details their relationship from her perspective.

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Brandy has reportedly been hospitalized following a possible seizure. 

According to TMZ, which cites law enforcement sources, Brandy, 43, is recovering at a Los Angeles hospital Wednesday after suffering what is believed to have been a seizure. 

According to the report, EMS responded to a call from Brandy’s home at noon on October 11. As of Wednesday afternoon, there is no further information on Brandy’s health status or what may have caused the medical incident. Her parents have been by her side in the hospital.

It is believed that Brandy will recover.

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