Music – Page 248 – 105.7 WDNY

Jermelle Simon says role in ‘The Upshaws’ gave him the courage to come out

January 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Jermelle Simon says playing a closeted character on The Upshaws helped to shape his career and ultimately changed his life.

Jermelle, who stars as Bernard in the Netflix show, said he was drawn to character because Bernard was closeted and struggling with his sexuality, something he was experiencing at the time.

“They just told me that he was closeted, he was fighting his sexuality, and so was I at the time. I felt very connected to it, but very afraid of it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I cried in my car because I [knew] this was going to be a thing that pushes me.”

He said the first three years of portraying Bernard forced him to face some of his real-life fears, including saying things like “I’m gay” or “I like a man.”

As Bernard’s storyline expanded and he eventually came out, Jermelle told THR it challenged him to grow.

“Year after year, Bernard just kept growing,” he explained. “It felt like in the beginning we were on the same playing field. We were both struggling. And then he came out, and I’m like, ‘Bro, whoa, whoa, I’m not [ready], hold on,’ and he just kept going.”

“Parts of me felt like I had to catch up with Bernard’s expansion because Bernard is also me,” he continued. “I can’t do him justice if I’m not free myself because he deserves to be able to express himself.”

Jermelle came out on National Coming Out Day in 2024 — a moment he described as liberating.

He said, “That was the first moment where I realized, this is really freeing, and there’s no limit to how far I can go.”

Jermelle married content creator Obio Jones in October.

The Upshaws’ final season is available on Netflix.

Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens reveals secret to Idol’s lasting appeal

January 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Billy Idol‘s longtime guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens has worked with him since the early ’80s and has a good idea as to why Idol’s popularity has lasted as long as it has.

“I think it’s always been cool to like Billy Idol, and our records were never something you could pigeonhole,” he says in a new interview with Guitar World.

“I came from the rock side with guitar heroes like Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix, a little prog, some new wave and New York punk,” he says. “Then you have Billy with the punk-rock/Elvis thing, and our early producer Keith Forsey came from working with [Italian composer] Giorgio Moroder on dance records like Donna Summer. So, because we’ve always had this gumbo of different styles, we were never pigeonholed when it came to writing music.”

Stevens notes that while Idol’s biggest hits, like “Rebel Yell,” “White Wedding” and “Eyes Without a Face,” came in the ’80s, “Billy’s roots go back to 1977 London.”

“I think that’s served us really well. He’s got a timeless image and people appreciate that,” Stevens adds. “He’s a real-deal rock ’n’ roll star. Honestly, we sound better now than we did back then.”

Idol released his last album, Dream Into It, in 2025. A documentary on his life, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, was recently acquired by Evan Saxon Productions and is expected to have a theatrical release in early 2026.

Rock out with rowdy moms on Jonah Kagen’s tour

January 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Jonah Kagen will launch a U.S. tour Tuesday in Indianapolis in support of his new album, Sunflowers and Leather. The record follows Kagen’s breakout single, “God Needs the Devil,” which hit #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in 2025.

As “God Needs the Devil” was making its chart ascent, Kagen tells ABC Audio he started to notice people getting more and more into the song in real time as he was playing shows.

“It’s been so, so weird,” Kagen says. “And it keeps happening, too, ’cause it’s still going.”

Kagen recalls being particularly struck while playing a show in Australia and seeing some 2,000 people all sing along to “God Needs the Devil.”

“It was like, ‘When did that happen? What are we talking about?'” Kagen says. “It feels like every show that I do there’s a new chunk of people that know it.”

Kagen’s also noticed a demographic change in his crowds since “God Needs the Devil” took off, particularly an increase in families coming to his shows.

“I was getting a lot of moms at the shows,” Kagen says. “Which, honestly, great. They’ve been very rowdy and wonderful.”

“Now they’re getting their kids into my music, and then their kids are like, ‘I already knew about him, god!'” he adds. “You know, they’re doing that whole thing.”

Sunflowers and Leather is out now.

Jimmy Eat World announces 25th anniversary ‘Bleed American’ show in Toronto

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Jimmy Eat World has announced a show in Toronto celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 2001 album, Bleed American.

The concert will take place at the RBC Amphitheatre on Aug. 23, and will feature a performance of Bleed American in full.

The bill also includes the Toronto punk band PUP, who will be playing their 2016 album The Dream Is Over in full in honor of its 10th anniversary.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. ET. For all ticket info, visit JimmyEatWorld.com.

Jimmy Eat World will also be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Bleed American, which features the band’s signature song, “The Middle,” on a run of U.K. dates in August. As for if they’ll be playing any Bleed American shows in America, no U.S. dates have been announced yet, though they did recently tease possible future plans.

Jimmy Eat World will be back stateside in September to play a show opening for My Chemical Romance.

Music notes: Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and more

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Is Ricky Martin invited to the cottage? The singer posted a photo with Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams at a dinner in Milan ahead of the Giorgio Armani fashion show. “Good food, better conversations, excellent seat neighbor: @hudsonwilliamsofficial,” he captioned it. Ricky’s ex-husband Jwan Yosef commented, “I’d watch this show,” with a popcorn emoji.

Glambot creator Cole Walliser is setting the record straight after fans accused Jennifer Lopez of being rude to him on the Golden Globes red carpet. In a video posted to Instagram, he said he didn’t feel she was rude to him, she was just getting down to business because the carpet was about to close. “I didn’t take it personally,” he said.

Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards is now a mom of two. Perrie announced Saturday that she and her partner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, welcomed a baby girl named Alanis Valentine. They also share 4-year-old son, Axel.

Phil Collins interviewed for new podcast on his life and career

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Phil Collins has sat down for an interview that will be part of a new podcast for the BBC.

BBC Eras: Phil Collins, hosted by Zoe Ball, is a five-part podcast on the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. It features new interviews with such stars as Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant, Sir Bob Geldof and more, along with interviews from the BBC Archive.

The first four episodes are out now, with the fifth and final installment debuting Jan. 26. The final episode features a brand-new interview with the Genesis frontman, which, according to a post on Instagram, has him “reflecting on his iconic career through its era-defining chapters covering the past 6 decades.”

“Phil Collins’ music is woven into all our lives, those songs are time machines, full of heart, drama and joy,” says Ball. “I’ve been lucky enough to chat with Phil a few times over the years, but to dive into his extraordinary story for  Eras and sit down with him again for such a special, intimate conversation about music, family and everything in between is an absolute dream.”

She adds, “I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

Twenty One Pilots cover ‘Seven Nation Army’ again with Jack White’s ‘permission’

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

A seven nation army couldn’t hold Twenty One Pilots from covering “Seven Nation Army” again. Theoretically, Jack White could hold them back, but instead gave them his blessing.

After rocking the White Stripes classic during November’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in honor of Jack and Meg White, the “Stressed Out” duo broke out “Seven Nation Army” once more during a show in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Before Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun launched into the song, a message from Jack popped on the video screen.

“Hi, I’m Jack White, and I give Tyler and Josh permission to do this song,” Jack said in the video, as seen in fan-shot footage.

Perhaps Jack will also be buying a ticket to see Twenty One Pilots’ More Than We Ever Imagined concert film, premiering in IMAX and movie theaters worldwide on Feb. 26. Exclusive IMAX previews will take place Feb. 25.

Ray J reflects on 2025 in birthday post, says ‘something’s gonna change this year’

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Ray J celebrated his 45th birthday Saturday, reflecting on a “crash out” year and sharing his intention to make some positive changes in his life.

In a video posted to Instagram, he thanked supporters for their prayers and encouragement during the challenges he faced in 2025.

“Thank y’all for the love today, man. God is good. Something’s new, something’s gonna change this year,” Ray J said. “Sincerely, thank you for all your prayers. Thank you for all the love, all the criticism.”

“Last year was a crazy year, it was a ‘crash out campaign,'” he continued. “It was intense but God made it through and put us in the right position.”

In the caption, Ray said he takes “full accountability for my mistakes,” adding, “God still spared my life when I didn’t deserve it. That alone humbles me.”

“My family covered me. Your prayers carried me. My health forced me to put the bottle down and face myself,” he went on, specifically thanking his mother, father and sister, Brandy.

“To the ones who love me and the ones who counted me out, thank you. I love you – ON GOD – I miss my kids so much,” Ray added. “I will be with you soon.”

Ray’s 2025 included an arrest following an alleged domestic dispute with wife, Princess Love. The incident unfolded during a livestream in which she accused him of pointing a gun at her. He was released after posting a $50,000 bond, ABC News reported, but was not able to spend the holidays with his children.

“A lonely Christmas. No kids, no presents, no little feet running around,” he wrote on Instagram.

Ray also made headlines for alleging Jay-Z and Beyonce didn’t visit Brandy’s dressing room during her Boy is Mine tour with Monica.

Poison band member says 40th anniversary tour thwarted by Bret Michaels’ money demands

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

A planned Poison tour celebrating the band’s 40th anniversary isn’t happening, reportedly because frontman Bret Michaels was asking for too much money.

Talk of the tour began over the summer after guitarist C.C. DeVille wrote on social media, “Poison tour 2026. Are you ready?” But now drummer Rikki Rockett tells the New York Post’s Page Six it’s not happening because Michaels demanded to be paid six times what Rockett, DeVille and bassist Bobby Dall were getting.

“We had a great offer, I thought. But we left the table,” Rockett says. “It didn’t work.”

“Really what it came to was C.C., Bobby and I were all in, and I thought Bret was, but he wanted the lion’s share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it,” says Rockett. “It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way.”

“I don’t do this just for the money. I do have a love for this, absolutely,” he adds. “But at the same time, you don’t want to go out and work really hard just to make somebody else a bunch of money.”

Rockett hasn’t ruled out a tour in the future, joking that it would be “a perfect Poison folly to do a 41st anniversary tour.” He notes that while replacing Michaels is “not out of the question,” it is “the last resort.”

“I don’t want to do that. I’m not quarreling with Bret[.] … We just didn’t come to agreement,” he says. “I don’t like it, and I’ll say that, but it’s not like, ‘Let’s put up our dukes.’ I don’t think there’s a better frontman for Poison.”

Why Megan Moroney & Jamey Johnson took their MOJO to Birmingham

January 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Megan Moroney and Jamey Johnson used their MOJO to raise money for charity on Jan. 15.

The two teamed up to host an event they called MOJO — which comes from their last names — at The Social at the Fennec in Birmingham, Alabama.

About 260 people turned out for the capacity event, which included food, an auction and, of course, music.

In addition to their respective sets, Megan and Jamey came together to perform Don Williams‘ “Till the Rivers All Run Dry” and John Prine‘s “Angel from Montgomery.”

Jamey and Megan’s work together goes back to 2022, when he took her on tour.

“She blew us off the stage every night,” he recalled.

“Jamey really took a chance on me when he took me out on the road,” Megan reflects. “It was my band’s and my first tour. We were driving around in a church van and U-Haul. I told Jamey that I really felt like I had made it when the U-Haul tire blew, and instead of waiting on AAA, I said, ‘Put it on the card.’”

The two also have an interesting connection to Birmingham. Of course, Jamey’s an Alabama native, while Megan’s father retired from the town’s O’Neal Steal in 2025.

It turns out Jamey also worked there prior to his music career, something the men discovered when they were hanging out at the Opry.

In all, MOJO raised $315,000 for Megan and Jamey’s foundations.

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