Music – Page 2825 – 105.7 WDNY

SZA reflects on being bullied as a teenager

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(Note Language) SZA is celebrating her third week atop the Billboard 200 with her sophomore effort, SOS. In an interview with People, she credits part of her success to being bullied in high school.

“I was bullied because I wasn’t quiet and I was awkward at the same time,” she says. “I wasn’t this tiny, sad victim, but I was more so attacked just because it was giving ‘What is wrong with you?’ energy.”

“I always thought, ‘Oh my God. I’ll never have the approval of anyone in life, this must be my defining factor, this must be the bottom line,'” she adds. SZA said over time she realized “that all the things that made me feel so lame were actually what made me into who I am.”

In SZA’s eyes, bad experiences, like not going to prom due to lack of friends or a date, actually worked in her favor.

“If I had such a fulfilling existence and experience in high school, I would’ve felt validated to the point where I didn’t need to do any more,” she explained. “[So] I just had to do more, I had to be more because I was, like, ‘This s***ty experience can’t be the end of it because if it is, I am cooked.'”

Nowadays, when there’s a lot going on and SZA needs to disconnect, she finds solace at the beach, through crying, meditating, going for a walk, eating her favorite food or simply praying and asking for God’s help.

She encourages fellow bullying victims to keep pushing because “it’s going to lead you to something, it has to.” SZA continued, “If you could hold on and just wait until high school is over … I promise you, none of those people will matter.”

Quavo drops ‘Without You,’ an emotional tribute to Takeoff

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Quavo released a touching tribute for Takeoff, his nephew and fellow Migos member, who was shot and killed in Houston on Nov. 1. Migos was 28.

The track, titled “Without You,” dropped late Wednesday night along with a black-and-white music video that shows Quavo in the studio smoking a blunt as he gently rocks to the beat of the song.

“Tears rolling down my eyes / Can’t tell you how many times I cried,” the song begins. “Days ain’t the same without you / I don’t know if I’m the same without you.”

On the track, Quavo also reminisces on various experiences he shared with Takeoff, rapping, “Remember them days we ain’t have our s*** together? / On the Nawfside times was hard, but them days was better.”

“I wish I had a time machine/ Just so you take a ride with me/ I miss just how you smile at me/ Unc & Phew until infinity,” the melancholy track continues, before cutting back to the chorus. “Out in the galaxy, up in the stars / Over the universe, it’s bigger than Mars / See you in heaven, see you heaven / When I see you in heaven, I’ma be with my dog.”

Takeoff, born Kirshnik Khari Ball, was fatally shot at 810 Billiards & Bowling in Houston after an argument at a private party. He was one-third of the rap trio Migos, which also included members Quavo and Offset, his cousin.

Fitz and the Tantrums want to return to “hot, sweaty club messes” for ‘Dream’ 10th anniversary

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Fitz and the Tantrums‘ breakout 2013 album, More Than Just a Dream, which spawned the hits “Out of My League” and “The Walker,” turns 10 in May. Speaking with ABC Audio, vocalist Noelle Scaggs shares that the group has been thinking of ways to mark the milestone.

“We have some ideas [that we] have been throwing at the team that I hope we can pull off,” Scaggs says.

One of those ideas is returning to the smaller venues that Fitz was playing early on their career leading up to the More Than Just a Dream era.

“We came from the era of independent venues like a lot of bands that start their career,” Scaggs explains. “For me, having a moment to revisit that start of our career point, I think, would be a really rad way to create an anniversary thing. It’s still in conversation on what we would actually really do.”

Scaggs also notes that many of those independent venues have had a tough time over the last few years amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It would be really nice to maybe revisit our old school roots and play in those really fun clubs, small venues, just to bring the fans out and have them line up,” she says. “It’s just that kind of reminiscent history of what Fitz and the Tantrums was — hot, sweaty club messes!”

While the 10th anniversary plans remain up in the air, Fitz and the Tantrums will hit the road later this month in support of their new album, Let Yourself Free, which dropped in November. The outing begins January 21 in Portland, Oregon.

Feelin’ kinda older: Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.’ turns 50

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Thursday marks a huge day in Bruce Springsteen history: the 50th anniversary of the release of his debut studio album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

Named one of the greatest debut albums of all time by Rolling Stone, the album’s two best-known tracks, “Blinded By The Light” and “Spirit in the Night,” were written after The Boss’ record label complained about a lack of singles. The album also features such Springsteen classics as “Growin’ Up,” “It’s Hard to be a Saint in the City” and “For You.”

Although the album only peaked at 60 on the charts and didn’t produce any hits, it’s considered a classic by Springsteen fans and went on to be certified double Platinum. Bruce played the album in its entirety for the first time in 2009 at a Working on a Dream concert in Buffalo, New York.

And to mark the momentous occasion, a daylong symposium on the album will be held by the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University in New Jersey. The event takes place Saturday and features E Street Band bass player Garry Tallent, original E Street keyboardist David Sancious and original E Street drummer Vini Lopez, who all played on the album, as well as Bruce’s former manager Mike Appel.

The event, which is open to the public, will feature panel discussions, interviews, a book signing, a mini documentary on the making of the album with an exclusive interview from Bruce, and performances of the songs by local New Jersey musicians.

In addition, other New Jersey musicians will play the album in its entirety on Thursday at the Langosta Lounge on the boardwalk in Asbury Park.

Nonpoint announces Emerald Cities US tour

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Nonpoint has announced a U.S. tour set to kick off in March.

The headlining outing is dubbed the Emerald Cities tour and apparently will have a Wizard of Oz theme. Blacktop Mojo and Sumo Cyco will also be on the bill.

“Follow the Yellow Brick Road and let the epic sounds of these amazing bands guide you on an unforgettable adventure through this all immersive experience,” Nonpoint declares.

The Emerald Cities tour will run from March 2 in Virginia Beach to March 26 in San Antonio. Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 6, at 10 a.m. local time.

Nonpoint’s most recent album is 2018’s X. The band released an EP, Ruthless, in 2021.

Hail to the Cuomo? Avenged Sevenfold loved Weezer’s ’SZNZ: Autumn’ EP

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Count Avenged Sevenfold as fans of Weezer‘s SZNZ: Autumn EP.

All five members of the “Bat Country” outfit listed Autumn — one of four seasonally themed EPs Rivers Cuomo and company released last year — as one of their top-five albums of 2022. Frontman M. Shadows also included SZNZ: Summer in his list.

A7X’s Weezer love made it back to the “Buddy Holly” rockers, who tweeted, “Looks like @TheOfficialA7X liked SZNZ: Autumn.”

We can only hope that Avenged Sevenfold’s Weezer fandom leads to a collaboration between the two bands. While that may seem unlikely, we do live in a world where someone on Twitter convinced Weezer to cover Toto‘s “Africa,” which became the band’s biggest hit in 10 years.

In addition to making its way into the ears of Avenged Sevenfold, Weezer also played songs from SZNZ during their seasonal residency on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! throughout 2022. Meanwhile, Cuomo recently told Consequence that Weezer is planning a “big tour announcement coming soon.”

Music notes: Harry Styles, BLACKPINK, BTS, Ellie Goulding, Christina Perri and Mariah Carey

January 5, 2023 by WDNY Radio

If Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” wins the Grammy for Record of the Year, it’ll be the shortest song to win in over 50 years. The 5th Dimension‘s “Up, Up and Away” won the award in 1968, which runs 2 minutes and 42 seconds. Harry’s song clocks in at 2:47.

BLACKPINK‘s music video for “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” has amassed over 2 billion views on YouTube. The 2018 effort becomes their first video to cross the threshold, but “Kill This Love” is close behind with 1.7 billion views.

BTS‘ Jimin is teaming up with Taeyang for a new song called “Vibe,” which drops January 13. Billboard reports this song will be the K-pop artist’s first solo release since BTS went on break, making him the last member of the group to come out with solo material since their announcement.

Ellie Goulding shut down a nearly decade-old rumor she cheated on Ed Sheeran with Niall Horan. Ellie shared a TikTok of her dancing to Styles’ “As It Was” and someone commented, “can’t believe u cheated on ed with niall but slay.” Ellie responded, “False!!!! But also slay.” The comment has since been deleted. Ed’s 2014 song “Don’t” sparked the rumor, which Ed has denied.

Christina Perri showed off how much her daughter Pixie has grown. She shared a TikTok captioned, “What 10 weeks of breastfeeding did to my baby.” The video starts with a tiny, newborn Pixie swaddled in a pink blanket before jumping to a much bigger baby, complete with chubby cheeks.

Mariah Carey is thrilled “All I Want for Christmas Is You” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one more week and celebrated in her Instagram Story. “Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Happy New Year!!!!!” she wrote and unleashed an emoji spam of red hearts, lambs, champagne glasses and other fitting images.

Dee Snider says Robert Plant & Ronnie James Dio are “great singers” but not “great frontmen”

January 4, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Dee Snider has angered some folks on Twitter with his opinions on what makes a great frontman.

The debate started after the Twisted Sister frontman shared his admiration for drummer Cozy Powell, who was bandmates with Ronnie James Dio in Rainbow and also played on Robert Plant’s debut solo album, Pictures at Eleven. Snider’s post prompted a fan to praise Dio as the “2nd best frontman in the history of rock, just barely behind Freddie (Mercury),” an opinion Snider did not agree with.

“You are confusing singing with performing. There is a huge difference between a great frontman & a great singer,” Snider replied. “Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman, he pretty much just stood on stage & sang. Freddie was an amazing singer AND frontman.”

When another chimed in that Plant was the “quintessential rock frontman,” Snider also had thoughts, noting, “I’m a HUGE Plant fan vocally…but he showed me nothing as a performer. Looked amazing, great hair…stood on stage with one hand raised and sang his a** off. Not a frontman in my opinion.”

As for who Snider thinks are great frontmen, he wrote, “My frontmen are all over the stage and interact with the crowd. Showmen. Think David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury, Axl Rose…the list goes on.”

Finally he explained, “I knew this would upset people. I am NOT saying that Dio, Plant etc, don’t have stage presence. They have it in SPADES! But they are not performers.”

Kelly Osbourne shares statement on baby news: “I am not ready to share him with the world”

January 4, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Kelly Osbourne has shared a statement after news of her baby with Slipknot‘s Sid Wilson was revealed by her mother, Sharon Osbourne.

During the U.K. show The Talk this week, Sharon shared that Kelly had given birth while also announcing the child’s name, Sidney. Sharon added that mother and baby are doing “so, so great” and noted that Kelly “won’t let a picture go out of him.”

In her Instagram Story Wednesday, Kelly writes, “I am not ready to share him with the world.”

“It is no one’s place but mine to share any information on my baby,” she adds.

Kelly announced that she was pregnant last May, a few months after she confirmed her relationship with Wilson.

Annie Lennox marks 40th anniversary of Eurythmics’ breakthrough album: “Almost impossible to believe”

January 4, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Forty years ago — January 4, 1983 — Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), the second album by Eurythmics, was released. It turned the duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart into global stars, thanks to its hit title track and its unforgettable video. Annie took to Instagram Wednesday to celebrate the milestone.

“It’s almost impossible to believe that ‘Sweet Dreams are Made of This’ was released forty years ago!” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer wrote. Then, quoting a lyric from the title track, Annie added, “It has continued to travel the world and the seven seas ever since, which is a wonderful and miraculous story all to itself!”

She noted, “Songs are like ships…They have their own particular voyages and destinations … Once they’ve been launched, there’s no turning back. You just have to follow the journey.”

Annie paired her reflections with a slowed-down, backward version of the track and a series of stills from the video, in which she — sporting an orange crewcut and a suit — takes charge of a boardroom while Dave taps on a computer. The two also stand around in a field of cows … because, um … it was the ’80s?

“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1983. The album, which also featured the hit “Love Is a Stranger,” peaked at number 15.

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