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Cardi B to help Mayor Zohran Mamdani select finalists for best 2-K initiative jingle

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is launching a 2-K initiative, in which he’ll provide free, universal child care for 2-year-olds in New York City. He’s on a search for the person who can come up with the best jingle for it, and he’s teamed with Cardi B for a contest in which she’ll help select the finalists.

Video of Mamdani asking Cardi for her assistance was posted to the NYC Mayor’s Office social media Friday and later reposted to her Instagram Story.

“Can you believe that?” Cardi says in the clip. “We have a 34-year-old mayor! I feel like I’m a kid, and you’re, like, running New York,” she continues, before Mamdani poses a question about child care.

“Cardi, what do you think of free child care?” he asks. The mother of four responds, “I feel like free child care is very important. Sometimes us women, we can’t really go forward because we don’t have nobody to help us take care of our kids.”

“This fall we’re starting to deliver universal 2-K, which is just like pre-K, just like 3-K, but 2-K for 2-year-olds. Free child care, 2,000 seats in the fall, and there’s gonna be seats in the Bronx starting it up. … Enrollment actually starts in June,” Mamdani says.

He then asks Cardi if she would help judge a competition to find the best jingle, and she replies yes.

“The mayor’s going to help you! And I’m gonna judge, and he’s going to give because he’s the one with the funds,” she clarifies. New Yorkers will vote for the lucky winner.

The deadline for submissions is April 17; rules and guidelines can be found online. The winner’s jingle will be the theme song for Mamdani’s 2-K initiative; it will also play on the radio.

Paul Simon performs ‘Something So Right’ on ‘The Late Show’

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Paul Simon broke out a classic tune for his latest appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer was a guest on the late night talker Thursday night, where he performed “Something So Right” from his 1973 album, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon.

The choice of song was a request of Colbert, who, during the interview segment of the episode, showed a clip of Simon accepting a $20 bribe from an audience member to perform the song “Kodachrome” at a 2025 Los Angeles concert.

“I was just wondering if me and my friend Mr. Jackson here could entice you into doing ‘Something So Right,’” said Colbert, pulling out a $20 bill. Simon replied, “Oh, I’m doing that anyway. You keep it,” joking that since Cobert’s show has been canceled he’ll need the cash.

Colbert also asked Simon to name his “Mount Rushmore” of American lyricists, with Simon noting there’s a “long list.” The first name he mentioned was Chuck Berry, explaining “he taught my whole generation.” He also named Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder, as well as Joni Mitchell, although she is actually Canadian.

Paul Simon is set to launch a European leg of his A Quiet Celebration Tour on April 9 in Prague. He’ll then bring the tour back to the U.S. June 4 in Palo Alto, California. A complete list of dates can be found at PaulSimon.com.

KATSEYE’s Manon gives update while on ‘temporary hiatus’ from group

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

KATSEYE’s Manon Bannerman has given fans an update after she was noticeably absent from the group’s music video teaser for their new song, “Pinky Up.”

Back in February, the group’s record labels announced Manon would be “taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing,” but some fans were still upset to see her missing from the video.

Manon shared a statement on Weverse DMs, writing that she’s been having “positive conversations” with the labels HYBE and Geffen Records.

“Thank you so much for all the love and support you’ve been sending my way,” she wrote, according to Forbes. “I’m really grateful for the patience and kindness everyone has shown during this time. HxG and I are having positive conversations and I feel supported. I’m happy and I’m healthy. I’ll share more soon. Thank you for always being there for me.”

KATSEYE’s new song, “Pinky Up,” and its video drop April 9 at 9 p.m. PT.

Sting drops new EP featuring ‘Desert Rose’ remixes

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Sting has dropped a new EP dedicated to his 2000 single “Desert Rose.”

Desert Rose Reimagined includes three new mixes and three extended mixes of the song, including a reimagined version by Middle Eastern-American duo Tamer Malki and Rami Abousabe, who are also known as Bedouin. There are also remixes from African artist and producer Zakes Bantwini and DJ/producer Darque.

Desert Rose Reimagined is now available via digital outlets.

“Desert Rose” was the second single off Sting’s sixth solo album, Brand New Day. The original version featured Algerian raï singer Cheb Mami and peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100; it was Sting’s last top-40 hit.

Released in September 1999, Brand New Day hit #9 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and sold over 3.5 million copies in the U.S.

Sting will return to the U.S. for a new leg of his Sting 3.0 tour on May 6 in Hollywood, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at Sting.com.

The ‘most important release’ of Dan + Shay’s career is out now: ‘If you need somebody, say so’

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Dan + Shay have dropped the song they call “the most important release of our career so far.”

“Say So” has a theme of suicide prevention, and as per Variety, it was inspired by the death of the duo’s friend Ben Vaughn, a music industry executive who took his own life in 2025. “As we were talking about Ben, we were just like, ‘Man, I wish we would’ve known. I wish we could have reminded him that there’s always somebody on the other line,'” Dan Smyers tells Variety.

While the duo is best known for their love songs, Shay Mooney tells the outlet, “We felt like with [our forthcoming album] project in particular, we needed to come with this song first. We live in a crazy world right now. Obviously in the first verse it touches on Ben’s story, and it is very heavy, but I think that the rest of this song really offers hope to people.”

Adding that both he and Dan have benefited from therapy, Shay notes, “Talking about these things can oftentimes prevent somebody from getting to that point where they do feel hopeless. It isn’t just for people who are already at their wit’s end.”

In the song, the duo sings, “I’ll be there every time you call/ Pick you up every time you fall/ If you’re going through hell, you’re not alone/ If you need somebody, say so.”

On Instagram, the duo writes, “We are beyond proud of this song and hope it becomes a hit (manifesting), but someday when we look back, we will define its ‘success’ not by the amount of sales + streams, but by the amount of people it helped.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health challenge or thoughts of suicide – free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988.

Shinedown shares new ’EI8HT’ song, ‘Outlaw’

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Shinedown has premiered a new song called “Outlaw,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, EI8HT.

In the chorus, frontman Brent Smith sings, “What will you do/ now that I’m gunning for you?/ Where is the outlaw in you?”

You can watch the “Outlaw” lyric video streaming now on YouTube.

EI8HT, the follow-up to 2022’s Planet Zero, drops May 29. It also includes the singles “Three Six Five,” “Dance, Kid, Dance,” “Searchlight,” “Killing Fields” and “Safe and Sound.”

Shinedown will launch a U.S. tour in support of EI8HT in May.

In other Shinedown news, the band’s celebrating its annual 4:03 Day with exclusive merch. 4:03 Day takes place April 3 and is named after the lyric, “It’s 4:03 and I can’t sleep” from the 2009 Shinedown single “If You Only Knew.”

Listen to two new Jack White songs, ‘G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs’ & ‘Derecho Demonico’

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Jack White has premiered two new singles, “G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs” and “Derecho Demonico.”

The bluesy rockers follow White’s 2024 solo album, No Name. The tracks are available now via digital outlets, and will be released on limited-edition vinyl Saturday via ThirdManRecords.com and the Third Man Records shops in Detroit, Nashville and London.

Also on Saturday, White will be performing on Saturday Night Live, marking his sixth overall appearance as a musical guest on the show. In a promo for the episode, White and host Jack Black remark that the show will coincide with both Easter and Passover, which the Tenacious D frontman declares to be “the two most metal holidays of all time.”

White will launch a European tour in May. He’ll be back onstage in the U.S. for the Borderland Festival in East Aurora, New York, in September.

Egg hunts, ‘hideous’ pastel outfits and more: Jordan Davis remembers Easter in Louisiana

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Easter coming up on Sunday brings back a flood of memories for Jordan Davis — though he admits he doesn’t treasure every single one.

“We would always have the Easter egg hunt before church,” he recalls. “My mom, she would dress us in these ridiculous, pastel-colored — good Lord, I’m sorry for saying this, but the worst part about Easter for me is some of the photos that I have of what my mom dressed us in. It was hideous.”

Hideous outfits aside, Jordan remembers childhood Easters in Louisiana fondly.

“For me early on, and probably like with a lot of kids, Easter was just another Sunday where it was just a very mini, mini Christmas,” he says. “You know, we would get some candy. Every once in a while, we’d get a present, something we wanted.”

“You know, we’d go to church, and everybody looked great, [they’d] wear the new dress or the guys had these crazy ties on or something like that. And it really wasn’t until my high school years I realized how special that holiday was,” he adds.

With four kids of his own now, ranging in age from 10 months to 6 years, it’s likely to be an eventful Easter at the Davis household.

Jordan does seem to have a bit of time off, since his next show isn’t until April 11 at Boots in the Park in San Diego.

Elton John Record Store Day remix album getting digital release

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Dance remixes of Elton John songs make up the upcoming Record Store Day release Positiva Presents: Elton John – The Remixes, and now fans who don’t snag a copy will still have a chance to enjoy the music.

While glow-in-the-dark vinyl pressings will be released for Record Store Day on April 18, Positiva Presents just announced that the album is also getting a digital release on April 19.

The album, curated by Elton, features remixes of “Cold Heart,” his hit with Dua Lipa, and “Hold Me Closer,” his collaboration with Britney Spears.

There are also remixes of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” “Rocket Man,” “Philadelphia Freedom” and “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That.” Some of the remixes on the album have previously been unavailable on streaming platforms.

“Record Store Day is incredibly important to me, and with this package I really think we’ve made something special for dance music fans,” Elton says.

The digital release is available for preorder now. Vinyl copies will be available at participating independent record stores.

Olivia Dean dumps social media, prefers to live in ‘sweet ignorance’

April 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

If you have a hot take on Olivia Dean, she doesn’t want to hear it — even if it’s positive.

Speaking to ELLE, the singer says after she won the Grammy for best new artist, she deleted all the social media apps from her phone. “I’ve been thinking about doing it for a while,” she says. “Even though the love has been overwhelming, even that is not healthy sometimes.”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to know everyone’s opinion about you,” she notes. “And I’ve decided I want to live in sweet ignorance.”

But one app she won’t delete is The New York Times’ Games: Wordle & Crossword. Olivia loves the mini crossword puzzle on the app, and tells ELLE she was thrilled when she was a clue: a word that describes the music both she and Daniel Caesar make. Unfortunately, she got the answer wrong. She laughs, “I bet it was ‘R&B.’ I wouldn’t really say that, guys, but okay, sure.”

Olivia will bring her sold-out tour to the U.S. in July and August, and hints to ELLE that she’ll have a custom look for every city. She took a stand against ticket resellers who were overcharging fans on the secondary market, and forced Ticketmaster to refund fans who overpaid on the platform.

“There is no way that I’m going to get up on that stage and sing my heart out while somebody sits at home and makes $500 or $600 off of me and you,” she tells ELLE. “I want people to be able to afford to come to the show. I don’t think you need to be someone who’s got loads of money to enjoy your favorite album. Full stop.”

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