Music

(NOTE LANGUAGE) It’s the collaboration no one saw coming. Latto and Mariah Carey teamed up for the remix of Latto’s hit single “Big Energy,” and she even called on DJ Khaled to add his flare. 

The hot new track, which opens with Mariah hitting her legendary high note, dropped Monday– just three days after Latto released her second studio album, 777. And, in the midst of the crazy success the album has already seen, the Atlanta rapper was excited to announce the iconic feature. 

“Ima be ya fantasy, you ain’t gone believe this // hol’ up, got Mimi on the remix,” Latto says on the track. 

She’s since blown up Twitter, re-tweeting coverage of the news and answering fans’ questions about working with Mariah Carey. 

“I originally thought Mariah for the remix back in like November when it first started going up but didn’t think I could get her realistically… fast fwd I said f*** it and reached out. She was down.” Latto said. 

Once Mariah was locked in for the feature, Latto says she was “sooooo nervous” to work alongside her. “I was like what do I say y’all lol but the conversation just floweddd she was so genuine and I definitely was overthinking.”

Mariah returned the love in a response tweet to Latto’s Sunday birthday message to the singer, and congratulated the younger star on all of her success. 

“So excited for this moment dahhhhllling!!!!! So happy and proud of you and all you’re accomplishing!!!,” Mariah said. “But I don’t have BIRTHDAYS! ‘It’s my anniversary!!!’ Congratulations Beautiful.”

The best part of working with the “Fantasy” singer, was “HEARING HER HIT THAT HIGH NOTE IN PERSON!!!!,” Latto said. 

“Big Energy Remix” is out now.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Lee Brice has nothing but pride in his upcoming tour. 

The “I Don’t Dance” singer is embarking on the Label Me Proud Tour that begins on June 2 in Hampton Beach, N.H. Michael Ray and Tyler Farr are set to join as special guests, along with newcomer Jackson Dean and songwriter Tim Montana. 

Throughout the summer, Lee and crew will be making stops at 23 arenas and amphitheaters across the country including The Anthem in Washington, D.C., PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati, Ohio, First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, AR and more. The tour wraps on September 24 in Sugar Land, Texas. 

“Can’t wait to be back in all these places I’ve grown to love over the years with fans that are bar none the best ones out there!” Lee shares in a statement, calling it a “blessing” to have Michael, Tyler, Jackson and Tim on the road with him. “See y’all this summer!”

Lee’s current single “Soul,” is in the top 30 on country radio. He and Carly Pearce topped the charts in 2020 with “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” which went on to win Musical Event of the Year at the CMA Awards, as well as Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year at the ACM Awards. 

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time. Visit Lee’s website for a full list of dates. 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Wallows have announced a second U.S. leg of their Tell Me That It’s Over World Tour.

The tour starts September 28 at L.A.’s Greek Theater and is scheduled to wrap up October 13 in Oklahoma City, OK.  Wallows newsletter subscribers can access pre-sale tickets tomorrow at 10 a.m. local time; the general public on-sale date is April 1 at 10 a.m. local time.

Tickets for the previously announced dates are currently on sale. Visit the band’s website for all the details.

Last week, Wallows released their new album Tell Me That It’s Over.  On Wednesday, the band performs on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Olivia Rodrigo was in elementary school when Beyoncé took over the Grammy’s stage in 2010 to belt out her hit “If I Was a Boy.”

12 years later, Olivia will experience a full circle moment when she will not only take the Grammys stage, but vie for seven awards for her debut studio album, SOUR. Olivia explained how transformative Bey’s performance was for her, recalling to People, “I remember watching it like 25 times, being so enamored with her.”

The 19-year-old singer added, “It’s so crazy that, maybe one day, a younger girl’s going to watch my performance many times and think that it’s cool. That’s the dream. That’s all I want.”

Olivia is up for several major awards on Sunday, including Album of the Year.  She said of her studio debut, “The process of making SOUR, and putting it out in the world really challenged me, and I’ve grown so much, and I’ve learned so much more about myself… I definitely feel like I am a more confident person today because of it.”

The “brutal” singer revisited making her breakthrough album in the recently premiered Disney+ doc Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u, and said making it was “super nostalgic” for her.  “It was all kind of about revisiting this past era of my life, and closing that chapter,” she noted. 

In addition to nostalgia, Olivia also looks at the heartbreak that inspired that album in a new light and dives into what she was feeling at the time.  

The documentary also includes a never-before-heard demo that she co-wrote with producer Daniel Nigro.  Olivia recalled feeling “so sad” when making that song.  “And I’m still not over it,” she added, saying she wrote the song when she saw her ex “with someone else, which was devastating to me.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

BTS will soon be making new music with Snoop Dogg.  The “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper confirmed that he is hashing out details with the Grammy-nominated singers.

“I’m going to let them tell you about it,” he told The AV Club while walking the red carpet premiere of American Song Contest.  “It’s official like a referee with a whistle. I love that entertainment world. It’s good music. It’s [a] vibe.”

BTS has long admired Snoop and even referenced his music in their 2014 track “Hip Hop Phile.” Admiration is a two-way street and the rapper says he has nothing but respect for the “Butter” singers.

“I love that entertainment world. It’s good music. It’s [a] vibe.  I make good music. They make good music,” he said when talking about why it’s natural for them to collab. “And we end up doing this. This is what it’s always about, bringing our worlds together.”

“I’ve been experiencing the K-pop experience for a long time, connected to the music world [and] scene,” he added, noting his work with 2NE1, PSY and girl pop group Girls Generation. “Come on now, it’s what I do.”

Snoop first hinted something was in the works when appearing on the Mogul Talk podcast in January, when he said BTS is “waiting on me to do a song with them right now.”  He also admitted finding time to make music with the septet was a little dicey given his ultra jammed packed schedule.

As for BTS, Suga said in an interview with the BBC last July that the group is thinking about offering more hip-hop focused tracks in the future.

No word yet on when we can expect the new track.  Stay tuned!

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

That’s Dr. Taylor Swift to you and she’s feeling ’22 — because New York University is awarding her an honorary doctorate of fine arts.

Variety reports that the “Shake It Off” singer will pick up her diploma at Yankee Stadium in May and be recognized as Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa. NYU also announced Monday that Taylor will speak at the “traditional” ceremony on May 18 and address the class of 2022.

NYU is the same university that offered a class on Taylor Swift, where students could study her as a music entrepreneur as well as the various pop and country songwriters that helped shape her music.  The course also looked into how Taylor fit into the history of pop music “prodigies,” and how youth and girlhood are “often exploited” by the media.

As for Taylor, she recently unveiled a brand new line of merchandise aimed directly at college grads with her “I’m Feeling ’22” graduation collection. Items include stickers to decorate one’s mortarboard, tote bags, balloons, cake toppers, sweaters and even paper plates that are purr-fect for a graduation party.

We say purr-fect because Taylor’s cat Meredith is plastered all over the paraphernalia, along with the slogan, “Happy, Free, Confused and Lonely at the Same Time.”

You can stock up on those items now on Taylor’s online store.  No word if she intends to use her merch when she celebrates her new diploma later this summer.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Who showed up to Hollywood’s biggest party night?  Let’s find out!

Taylor Swift and boyfriend Joe Alwyn were a no show on the Oscars’ red carpet, but they danced the night away at CAA’s pre-Oscars party, reports Entertainment Tonight.  A source said they “came together and stayed close the whole night.”  The two also caught up with friends such as Zoë Kravitz and Hailey Bieber, with the insider adding Taylor tore up the dance floor.

Joe Jonas and wife Sophie Turner showed up at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, E! reports.  Reports say the couple posed for a variety of photos but didn’t speak at all about Sophie’s pregnancy.  The couple are expecting their second child. Joe donned in a black suit with a low neckline while Sophie opted for a flowing red gown that covered her pregnant stomach.

Despite some big names showing up at the festivities, some were noticeably absent.

Jennifer Lopez and boyfriend Ben Affleck were both no shows at the Oscars, denying the chance of the couple making a red carpet Oscars debut.  Insiders aren’t surprised considering neither had a project up for an award, added Elle.

Selena Gomez was once rumored to be hosting the Oscars with her Only Murders in the Building co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short, but she was unable to walk the red carpet because of scheduling conflicts, reports the New York Times.  The trio are currently filming the show’s second season and the Oscars shared a teaser of what’s to come during the show.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On Monday, Muse announced two London concerts to benefit three different charities in aid of the people of Ukraine.

The May 9 and 10 shows at the London Eventim Apollo will benefit both War Child, which helps young people impacted by war, and Doctors Without Borders, which provides medical care to those in war and disaster zones worldwide. 

The shows will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Big Issue, a U.K. street newspaper sold by homeless people, providing them a source of income.  The paper was name-checked in the Oasis song “Supersonic.”

“We’re honored to be able to play these shows over two nights for three outstanding organizations,” the band writes. “They’re out there delivering vital services time after time for the most vulnerable people in society, both in the U.K. and abroad.”

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 30 via Ticketmaster.

Muse recently announced that their ninth studio album, Will of the People, will arrive August 26.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.