Music

Here’s a roundup of new hip-hop and R&B music from Eric Bellinger, BJ The Chicago Kid, Leela James and more. 

Eric Bellinger caters to the ladies on his new single, “Only Fan,” inspired by the popular subscription service, OnlyFans. “Just let me be your only fan,” he sings on the track while discussing women who desire validation from social apps.

BJ The Chicago Kid links up with New Orleans vocalist Lucky Daye for “Make You Feel Good.” The romantic ballad was produced by Bongo ByTheWay and will arrive on BJ EP 4AM, which drops July 23. 

The following week, soul singer Leela James will release her highly-anticipated album, See Me, on July 30. It will feature James’ 2021 songs “Complicated,” “Put It on Me,” and her new single, “You’re the One,” which is out today. 

Meanwhile, Jennifer Hudson takes us back with a cover of Aretha Franklin‘s 1967 hit “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” to accompany her starring role in the Franklin biopic, RESPECT. The film and its soundtrack will be released on August 13. 

West Coast natives Blxst and Bino Rideaux return with their collaborative project, Sixtape 2, featuring double the tracks of their six-song EP, Sixtape. The second installment blends both artists’ stylistic lyricism over hip-hop and R&B tracks with catchy hooks. 

And in case you missed it, rising singer Muni Long dropped her new EP, Nobody Knows, along with a music video for her single, “Just the Beginning.” Long also recently contributed to Big Femme Energy, Vol. 1, the debut album from female-led music and entertainment company, Femme It Forward.

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Dustin Lynch puts a modern spin on the story of the American cowboy in two new songs, “Not Every Cowboy” and “Pasadena,” which arrived as a two-pack this week.

“Not Every Cowboy” is a sweeping, string-filled love ballad that promises a new lover he’ll never slip out the door in the middle of the night, no matter what she’s heard about cowboys having an independent streak.

Meanwhile, “Pasadena” is a dreamy look back at a fling that took place during a California vacation, between two people who found they have a surprising number of things in common, even though they both were in an unfamiliar place.

“‘Not Every Cowboy’ and ‘Pasadena’ are just about that timeless, authentic, American cowboy love story,” reflects Dustin. “I’m very proud of how these songs captured that emotion in such a classic way. They felt special the day we created them and I’m so excited that they’re out now where everyone can enjoy.”

It’s been a busy summer so far for Dustin, who headed to Vegas last month for his sold-out pool party, the Dustin Lynch Pool Situation. He’s keeping the warm-weather good times rolling with a new duet with Chris Lane, “Tequila on a Boat.”

Meanwhile, Dustin’s current duet single with Mackenzie Porter, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” is climbing the country charts. 

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WILLOW’s new pop-punk album lately I feel EVERYTHING is out today, and you can celebrate it by watching a new concert experience that just went live on Facebook Watch.

During the video, Willow performs songs from the new album, and discusses her musical evolution with her friends and family, including mom Jada Pinkett Smith. Joining her for the video, which runs just under an hour, are Travis Barker, her collaborator on the current hit “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l,” and one of her heroes, Avril Lavigne, who joins her on the song “Grow.”

“This is such a special moment for me…Thank you for coming on this journey with me,” Willow writes of the video.

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about her new music — which is a long way from “Whip My Hair,” the debut single she released at age 10 — Willow says, “I followed my joy and I followed my heart, and I feel like it took us to a really beautiful spot. I’m in a place of disbelief right now.”

“I honestly feel like I’ve been waiting to make this album since I was literally 12,” Willow adds of lately I feel EVERYTHING. “This has been brewing inside of me for a long time.”

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In 2021 so far, Weezer has released two albums — OK Human and Van Weezer — and Rivers Cuomo says he’s got a bunch more coming.

Appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday to promote the upcoming Hella Mega tour with Green Day and Fall Out Boy, Cuomo said, “I’ve guess I’ve had a lot of time on my hands so I wrote four albums that we’ll put out next year. It’s called Seasons, and each album comes out on the first year of the season.”

Cuomo described the “spring” album as “happy chill,” the “fall” album as “dance-rock, Strokes-style,” followed by the “sad, acoustic, Elliot Smith-style” music for winter. He didn’t mention what summer will sound like.

Billie Joe Armstrong appeared on GMA with Cuomo, but when asked about plans for new Green Day music to follow their most recent single, “Pollyanna,” he said, “Not in the immediate future but you never know. We always get a wild hair and end up doing something. But right now, we’re just looking forward to the tour.”

Also on the show, Weezer performed “Hero” and Fall Out Boy did “Uma Thurman” to get fans hyped for the Hella Mega tour, which kicks off July 24.

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As artists fire up their concert tours after being put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wiz Khalifareports he’s contracted the virus, reminding us we’re not completely out of the woods yet. 

Wiz delivered the bad news to his fans, tweeting on Wednesday, “Okay loved ones….sooo…..Ya boy got covid.”

He assured he is experiencing “no symptoms” and asked fans to “just stay away from me for a lil while.” 

The rapper, in a follow-up tweet, insisted that, despite being stuck in the house, he still plans to deliver new content and is readying his next project.

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Newlyweds Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are back to work. The two delighted fans on Thursday by throwing a free concert at an Oklahoma bar, which Shelton owns.

The couple, who wed July 3, took over the Ole Red in Tishomingo, Oklahoma to whip themselves back into singing shape.

“I’ve got some shows coming up soon so I’m gonna be rehearsing today around 4 CT at @OleRed’s The Doghouse,” Shelton tweeted out to his fans, keeping mum on the fact that he’d be bringing a plus one. “Come on out and get yourself a drink if you’re bored.”

The “Minimum Wage” crooner further enticed prospective patrons to show up by joking, “I repeat it’s only a rehearsal… It may not be good but at least it’s free!”

In the hours leading up to the free performance, the bar shared a video of a line full of smiling fans forming outside of their establishment.

Of course, the smiles on their faces grew even wider when Blake told them his bride would be joining him for the free show — marking their first public appearance since the two tied the knot.

The surprise joint-concert was well documented by attendees, with fan Danny Hilton sharing a video of Gwen belting out her No Doubt hit “Don’t Speak” as Blake backed her up on guitar. 

The two also performed their country duets “Happy Anywhere” and “Nobody But You.”

Shelton is set to kick off his Friends and Heroes Tour alongside Martina McBride, Tracy Byrd and Trace Adkins on August 18.  Their first stop is at Nebraska’s CHI Health Center Omaha convention center.

As for Stefani, she’s set to resume her Vegas residency at Zappos Theater in October.

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Get ready to Sob Rock with John Mayer.

The singer has announced North American dates for his Sob Rock Tour 2022, kicking off February 17 in Albany, NY and running through April 28 in Chicago, IL. The trek will feature stops at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, as well as two shows at The Forum in Inglewood, CA.

Tickets go on sale starting Friday, July 23, at 11 a.m. at JohnMayer.com.

John’s Sob Rock album, including its first single, “Last Train Home,” is out today. The ‘80s-inspired music video for another album track, “Shot in the Dark,” was also unveiled today.

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HAIM has released a new song called “Cherry Flavored Stomache Ache,” which is featured in the upcoming Netflix movie The Last Letter from Your Lover, which debuts on the streaming service on July 23.

The movie, based on the novel by JoJo Moyes, is about a journalist, played by Felicity Jones, who discovers a bunch of secret love letters from 1965 and begins researching what prompted them: An affair between the wife of a wealthy industrialist, played by Shailene Woodley, and the financial journalist who’s been assigned to write about her husband. 

HAIM got involved because the movie’s director, Augustine Frizzell, told the producers the band was her first choice to create a track for the film, because their music is “both modern and retro.”  The group wrote the song with Ariel Rechtshaid, with whom they collaborated on their most recent album, Women in Music Pt. III.

HAIM’s song plays in a scene in which Jones’ character takes a cab across London after a one-night stand. In a statement, the group says, “The scene we were making the song for was all about movement, so we felt like we needed a traveling beat, which spurred the initial idea. Augustine said she wanted something playful, so it was really a collaborative effort.”

HAIM will return to live performances September 17 with a headlining show at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

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Lil Durk was the victim of an attempted home invasion on Thursday, with TMZ reporting the “Backdoor” rapper exchanged gunfire with the suspects.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation told the outlet that Durk, 28, and his girlfriend, India Cox, were awakened around 5 a.m. by the armed intruders who were trying to break into their Braselton, Georgia, home.  The two were able to defend themselves.

Investigators say both Durk and Cox both had access to firearms at the time and fired at the intruders, with the confrontation escalating into a shootout.  Neither the two-time Grammy nominee nor his girlfriend were injured.

Police were unable to determine how many people attempted to break into Durk’s home and are investigating the incident as an alleged home invasion and aggravated assault.

TMZ says they attempted to speak with the rapper’s attorney, Nicole Moorman, who declined to comment on the matter.

Anyone with information pertaining to the incident is encouraged to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

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