Music

Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are expected to return to American Idol, reports Deadline.  The ABC series was renewed for another season. Although their return hasn’t formally been announced, ABC Entertainment President Craig Erwich said, “We’re looking forward to having that same chemistry next year.”

Kelly Clarkson opened up about the early days of remote learning and told People, “I was like, ‘Dear God, I hope my nanny doesn’t quit!'” Kelly super appreciates educators, saying teachers have “a crazy hard job.”  She’s since teamed with Norwegian Cruise Line to give 100 teachers a much-needed vacation via its Giving Joy contest. Nominate those who are most deserving on the official website. 

Harry Styles admits fans will see his “bum-bum” in his new film My Policeman — but assured nothing else will be shown on the big screen. He also told Howard Stern he had to “wear a gas mask” while getting tattoos airbrushed all over him, adding that they come into play for his steamier scenes. The movie’s due out this year.

Jennifer Lopez dropped the trailer for her Halftime documentary, which arrives on Netflix June 14. The movie covers the singer’s preparation for her Super Bowl halftime performance and the career wins that led to the moment. The doc will take a deep dive into Jennifer’s life, psyche and dreams for the second half of her career.

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Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebration, which will mark her 70th year on the throne, just got a lot more star-studded.

The lineup for the Platinum Party at the Palace, a massive concert set for June 4 in front of Buckingham Palace, has been revealed. Sir Elton John, Diana Ross and Sir Rod Stewart are among the performers, as are Duran Duran, Alicia Keys and, fittingly, Queen + Adam Lambert. 

Andrea Bocelli and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber will also perform, as will Lin-Manuel Miranda.

British pop and rock artists who are super-famous in the U.K. but somewhat less well known in the U.S. will be on hand as well, including Sam Ryder, Mabel, the band Elbow, George Ezra, Craig David, Sigala & Ella Eyre, Mica Paris, Celeste and Mimi Webb.

There are just 10,000 tickets available, which are being allocated on a first come, first served basis. Visit the BBC’s website for more information. It’s not clear yet if the BBC’s broadcast of the event will air in North America.

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Another Pearl Jam member has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the band to cancel upcoming shows in Sacramento, California, and Las Vegas.

The grunge rockers announced Wednesday that bassist Jeff Ament had contracted the virus, a week after drummer Matt Cameron tested positive. While they had kept the tour going without Cameron by using guest drummers — including original Ten drummer Dave Krusen, and ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist and current PJ touring member Josh Klinghoffer — Ament testing positive means Pearl Jam’s whole rhythm section is now sidelined.

“This is horrible for everybody involved and we are especially sorry to those out there who have made plans to attend these shows,” Pearl Jam writes. “Our attention to staying inside the bubble has been constant. We have truly done all that we could have to remain clear of infection.”

The Sacramento date was scheduled for tonight, May 18, while the Las Vegas show was supposed to happen this Friday, May 20. Refunds will be issued to ticket holders.

“We are so very sorry,” PJ’s statement concludes. “Be safe out there.”

The Vegas concert was also the last stop on the first leg of Pearl Jam’s North American tour, which was already rescheduled from 2020 due to the pandemic. The next leg is set to launch September 1 in Quebec.

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Luke Bryan was among the many performers who turned out at a ceremony on May 12 honoring Lionel Richie, this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. PBS aired the event on Tuesday night.

During his time onstage, Luke performed “Lady,” a classic from Lionel’s catalog with a country connection. The song was recorded by Kenny Rogers in 1980, becoming a massive cross-genre hit for both artists.

Before he sang, Luke briefly spoke about his relationship with the honoree. “You know how we all have bad days? I wake up and have a bad day, and then I tell myself, ‘Somewhere, Lionel Richie ain’t having a bad day, so you better have a good day,’” he told the crowd.

“This guy is everything you believe he is, I promise you,” Luke added.

The country superstar also marked the moment on his social media, posting some snapshots of his performance and video of the hug he shared with Lionel after the song.

“I’ve got nothing but love for you [Lionel Richie]!” Luke wrote in the caption of his post. “It was an incredible experience getting to honor you at the #GershwinPrize concert.”

The country genre was well represented during the ceremony, which featured a massive cast of performers from all genres. Garth Brooks and Chris Stapleton were also on hand to tribute the pop legend.

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Lizzo will star in her very own documentary this fall on HBO Max.

The Untitled Lizzo Documentary will follow the singer, songwriter, rapper, flute player and actress on her “meteoric rise to stardom,” according to a press statement.

“Growing up I never dreamed I’d get to experience all of the things I’ve accomplished in my life, and I’m just getting started. I’m so excited I get to share and relive my journey with my fans and HBO Max,” the “About Damn Time” singer says in a statement.

She adds, “From ‘Cuz I Love You to my dramatic world tour, losing and gaining love, and creating my new album Special, y’all get to see the amount of time, patience, blood, sweat and tears that went into this process. It takes 10 years to become an ‘overnight success,’ and hopefully I can inspire other young creatives to keep going.”

This is Lizzo’s second project with a streaming platform: She also has a deal with Amazon, which resulted in her recent unscripted series, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

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—Nick Cannon could be slowing down on the baby making soon. After recently revealing the news of his eighth child on the way, the 41-year-old TV star says he’s thinking about getting a vasectomy. 

Sharing the story with E! News on Tuesday, Cannon said he’s already made a visit to the doctor. “I already went and got my vasectomy consultation,” he confirmed. “I ain’t looking to populate the Earth completely, but I’m definitely looking forward to taking care and loving all the children that I currently have.”

The Masked Singer host shares twins Monroe and Moroccan with his ex-wife, Mariah Carey; Golden and Powerful with Brittany Bell; another set of twins, Zion and Zillion, with Abby De La Rosa; son Zen — who died at five months — with Alyssa Scott; and he’s expecting a baby boy with Bre Tiesi this year.

Nick says despite his many children, they all provide peace, solace and purpose in his life.

–A new Lizzo documentary is in the works at HBO Max, the singer announced to the world on Wednesday. 

The untitled project will follow the Grammy winner through her music career, from her “humble beginnings” to her rise to fame. 

Speaking of the upcoming feature, Lizzo said, “Growing up I never dreamed I’d get to experience all of the things I’ve accomplished in my life, and I’m just getting started. I’m so excited I get to share and relive my journey with my fans and HBO Max.”

—Unbothered, Refinery29’s sub-brand for Black people, recently announced the lineup for The Glow Up, an event that’ll bring together leading Black voices on Juneteenth weekend for live entertainment and programming. 

Joining the group of stars in Atlanta next month is Coco Jones, Lala Milan, Pap Chanel, Yung BBQ and more.

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Naomi Judd’s public memorial, Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration, aired on CMT Sunday, and it’s become the network’s highest rated special in two years. In under 48 hours, the televised event racked up over 16 million cumulative views across all channels. Two encore presentations of the special will take place: this Thursday at 9 p.m. ET and Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.

Priscilla Block is taking her Welcome to the Block Party tour overseas for five dates this August. Head to her website for more information about the shows.

LoCash is sharing the stage with The Beach Boys at the Grand Ole Opry later this month. Set for May 27, the shows will mark the Beach Boys’ Grand Ole Opry debut. The two acts recently teamed up for LoCash’s new single “Beach Boys.”

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Fivio Foreign delivered the official music video for his single “Hello,” which lands at #7 on his 17-track debut album, B.I.B.L.E, which dropped last month. 

The Bronx rapper toned down his usual hype drill flow and look for a more subtle romantic visual featuring a love interest to whom he wants to say ‘hello.’

The track is laced with vocals by rising singer KayCyy and Grammy nominee Chloe Bailey, the latter of whom stuns in the visual, wearing a yellow and black motorbike-looking bodysuit and black thigh-high boots. 

After singing the chorus with KayCyy, Chloe breaks out into her verse, which reads in part, “Talk to me nice / I just might make you go viral / Raising your price / Being with me is so vital / Oh, it look good, don’t it? / The whole damn world want it / So show me how you gon’ own it.”

To watch the full video for “Hello,” visit Fivio Foreign’s YouTube page. 

(Video includes uncensored profanity.)

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If it’s good enough for The Beatles, it’s good enough for Elton John.

What’s being described as the “official feature” on Elton John is heading to Disney+. Called Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and The Years That Made His Legend, the documentary features unseen concert footage from the past 50 years, modern-day footage of Elton and his family, and a look at his hand-written journals.

Ahead of its arrival on Disney+, the doc will have a limited theatrical run and will also screen at festivals.

Capturing Elton’s last months on the road on his farewell tour, with performance clips from Madison Square Garden, London and more, the film will culminate with the star’s final North American show at L.A.’s Dodger Stadium this November. It’ll also feature a special look at the first five years of Elton’s career, during which he scored seven #1 albums and became a global superstar.

Elton’s husband and manager, David Furnish, is a producer on the project. It’s directed by R.J. Cutler, who brought you the music doc Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, as well as BELUSHI, The War Room, A Perfect Candidate and The World According to Dick Cheney.

In a statement, Furnish says, “Elton and I could not think of a better collaborator than R.J. Cutler for a film that represents more than just Elton’s career — it’s his life. From the Troubadour to Dodger Stadium, we knew that R.J. would help guide Elton’s story and its many layers in a way that feels authentic and evocative.”

Elton has been part of the Disney family since 1994, when his music for The Lion King became a massive hit.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News. 

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Dolly Parton fans may remember that she asked her goddaughter, pop star Miley Cyrus, to duet with her on her 2020 Christmas album over fax.

Two years later, faxing is still Dolly’s preferred method of contact, Miley revealed during a recent interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers. This is the case despite the fact that Dolly and Miley co-starred in a jokey “Do it For the Phones” PSA-style ad for T-Mobile in a 2022 Super Bowl commercial.

“She was doing it for the phones, yet every time I coordinate and communicate with Dolly, it’s still through fax,” Miley deadpanned. “So I don’t know what she’s talking about. She’s rarely on the phone. Next time we’ll have to do it for the fax machine.”

Miley also clarified exactly what she means when she says that Dolly communicates via fax.

“She does a fax, and then someone scans the fax, and then they put it into a text message and then that gets sent to me,” the singer explained.

Still, just because texting isn’t Dolly’s preferred means of communication doesn’t mean she hasn’t got the gear.

“She has a phone, she just doesn’t use it, I don’t think,” Miley added. “I think someone uses it for her.”

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