Stevie Wonder posts heartfelt video calling for people to unite to support Ukraine

Stevie Wonder posts heartfelt video calling for people to unite to support Ukraine
Stevie Wonder posts heartfelt video calling for people to unite to support Ukraine
ABC/Eric McCandless

Stevie Wonder has posted a video titled “Ukraine, You and I…the World” on his YouTube channel and social media sites in which he delivers a heartfelt plea for the world to come together in support of Ukraine, as Russia continues its brutal assault on its neighboring country.

“Can we survive if Ukraine does not? That is the question that we all should ask,” the Motown legend begins. “Are we surprised that the forces of evil are alive and aggressive in today’s world? I’m not surprised. And you shouldn’t be either.”

Stevie continues, “I write and sing about it because I can feel it. You should know about it because you can see it. Unless you have a blind eye to it and don’t want to do anything about it, you can see it. Those of us who know hate recognize the commonality of inhumanity.”

Wonder adds, “It is good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Tyranny over liberty. This is not just a Ukrainian war. Today, Ukraine is in a battle for the soul of the world. As we speak, they’re fighting forces of evil. We have seen what evil has and can do. It doesn’t matter what country or color.”

The 71-year-old music icon goes on to say, “Now evil threatens the sovereignty of one country and the sanctity of all others. What additional tragedies will it take for us to stop this aggression? Hate has no color. Has no loyalty. Greed has no commitment but to itself. Only you the people can prevent World War 3.”

In conclusion, Stevie declares, “We must stand up to hate and kill hate before it kills us. I believe in the power of the people. All the people. We can stop this. Right now.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Watch video of Deep Purple giving a rocking rehearsal performance of Love’s “7 and 7 Is”

Watch video of Deep Purple giving a rocking rehearsal performance of Love’s “7 and 7 Is”
Watch video of Deep Purple giving a rocking rehearsal performance of Love’s “7 and 7 Is”
Courtesy of earMUSIC

A new video capturing Deep Purple performing Love‘s 1966 garage-rock gem “7 and 7 Is” during a live rehearsal has debuted on the earMUSIC label’s official YouTube channel.

The band shot the clip in a warehouse in Germany in November 2021 during a promotional tour of the country. Deep Purple’s music video for their recent cover of Fleetwood Mac‘s “Oh Well” was shot at the same time.

Deep Purple’s studio versions of “7 and 7 Is” and “Oh Well,” appear on the band’s latest album, Turning to Crime, which was released last November 2021. Turning to Crime, recorded remotely during the COVID-19 lockdown, is the group’s first album made up entirely of songs by other artists.

The 12-track collection, which was produced by the band’s frequent collaborator Bob Ezrin, also includes versions of Bob Dylan‘s “Watching the River Flow,” Little Feat‘s “Dixie Chicken,” The Yardbirds‘ “Shapes of Things,” Cream‘s “White Room” and more.

Deep Purple has launched a website dedicated to the new album, TurningtoCrime.com, and you also can order the record at the site.

Last month, Deep Purple kicked off its 2022 tour itinerary with a pair of concerts in Florida, and the band also took part in the latest edition of the Rock Legends Cruise. Next up for the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will be a May 22 show in Tel Aviv, Israel, that will be followed be a series a European concerts.

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Russell Wilson asks Ciara for more babies, Kendrick Lamar set to headline Glastonbury Festival and more

Russell Wilson asks Ciara for more babies, Kendrick Lamar set to headline Glastonbury Festival and more
Russell Wilson asks Ciara for more babies, Kendrick Lamar set to headline Glastonbury Festival and more
Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images

Ciara guest hosted The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday and her husband Russell Wilson joined, surprising the singer with an unexpected proposal.

The Seahawks quarterback got down on one knee and said, “I have a question for you. Serious question. Can we have more babies?”

The “Level Up” singer threw her head back in laughter while Wilson continued to plead for more children. “We definitely can, but we’ve got a little time before we get there,” Ciara joked.

The couple share three children, 19-month-old son Win Harrison, four-year old daughter Sienna Princess and Ciara’s seven-year-old son Future Zahir, whom she shares with rapper Future.

Glastonbury Festival announced Kendrick Lamar will headline its 2022 festival, which is returning after a two-year hiatus.

The event will take place at the Worthy Farm in Somerset, South West England and will run from June 22-26.

Paul McCartney is set to head up Saturday’s show and Kendrick will close out the festival on Sunday. Among the list of stars set to perform are Diana Ross, TLC and Billie Eilish.

The 25th anniversary of rapper Biggie’s death is March 9. The late NY rapper died in 1997 while in L.A. to promote his second and final album, Life After Death. According to HipHopDX, and in honor of the album’s 25th anniversary, Biggie’s estate announced a limited edition 25th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set, set to drop on June 10.

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Cyndi Lauper, Patti Smith, Paul Simon and more took part in virtual 2022 Tibet House US Benefit Concert

Cyndi Lauper, Patti Smith, Paul Simon and more took part in virtual 2022 Tibet House US Benefit Concert
Cyndi Lauper, Patti Smith, Paul Simon and more took part in virtual 2022 Tibet House US Benefit Concert
NDZ/Star Max/GC Images

The 35th annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert was held Thursday night as a virtual event that streamed live on Mandolin.com, and among the many highlights were performances by Cyndi Lauper and Patti Smith, as well as appearances by Paul Simon and New Order‘s Bernard Sumner.

Lauper made her debut this year at a Tibet House US benefit show, and performed her classic hit “True Colors.”

Smith kicked off the concert by singing a moving rendition of the Ukrainian National Anthem in tribute to the people of Ukraine, as Russia continues its invasion of the country. Later in the show, Patti performed her song “Peaceable Kingdom” with her daughter Jesse Paris Smith.

Smith, accompanied by her band, also sang “Happy Birthday” to the event’s artistic director, influential composer Philip Glass, who turned 85 in late January.

Meanwhile, Simon and Sumner were among several special guests who were on hand to deliver spoken-word messages. Others included Iggy Pop and Stephen Colbert.

The performance lineup also included Phish‘s Trey Anastasio, Nathaniel Rateliff, Laurie Anderson, Angélique Kidjo and country artists Jason Isbell and Margo Price, as well as actor Keanu Reeves, who recited the Alan Ginsberg poem “Pull My Daisy.”

The concert wrapped up with Patti performing her classic 1988 anthem “People Have the Power,” which has become a tradition at the long-running annual event.

The stream of the 2022 Tibet House US Benefit Concert will be available for viewing at Mandolin.com until this Sunday, March 6, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Money raised by ticket sales benefit Tibet House US, a non-profit organization that works to preserve Tibetan culture.

Additional money is being raised for the charity via a CharityBuzz auction that runs through March 8 and features guitars signed by Simon and Pearl Jam, among other memorabilia.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Music notes: Katy Perry, Joe Jonas and more

Music notes: Katy Perry, Joe Jonas and more
Music notes: Katy Perry, Joe Jonas and more
ABC/Eric McCandless

On Sunday’s upcoming episode of American Idol, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan proclaim their love of…cheese. In a sneak preview clip shared by E! News, the two judges are seen making up a silly song about queso. With Luke on the piano, Katy begins singing and eventually produces chips and queso from underneath the judges’ table. “It’s been under the desk/And it ain’t gone hard/Just in queso you forget/I like snacks, yeah,” she sings.

Is it official? E! News confirms via a source that Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are indeed expecting their second child together. The baby will join big sister Willa, who was born in 2020. Joe and Sophie have yet to confirm the news themselves, but Sophie has been spotted out and about with a noticeable baby bump.

BTS has racked up three new Guinness World Records, all thanks to their impressive social media presence. According to the Guinness website, the group now holds the record for most followers on Instagram for a music group, with 60,151,959 followers as of February. They also have the record for most followers for a music group on TikTok and Twitter. Their TikTok account has 45.7 million followers and their Twitter page has 44,167,059 followers.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

New Music Friday: Latto, DaBaby & YoungBoy, Pusha T and Gucci Mane

New Music Friday: Latto, DaBaby & YoungBoy, Pusha T and Gucci Mane
New Music Friday: Latto, DaBaby & YoungBoy, Pusha T and Gucci Mane
Victor Boyko/Getty Images For Kenzo

(NOTE LANGUAGE) Latto, the self-proclaimed “Queen of da Souf,” hopped on the remix of “Sorry Not Sorry” alongside fellow Atlanta rapper, Omeretta The Great.

Omeretta’s original version of “Sorry Not Sorry,” which dropped last month, shook up both the airwaves and social media because of its catchy yet somewhat controversial lyrics. In the song, the rapper lists names of Georgia towns she says are “not Atlanta,” including Latto’s own Clayton County.

Latto, born Alyssa Stephens, posted a TikTok video in response to the track and fans thought it was the start of a new rap beef. Doesn’t seem like that’s the case, since the two Georgia-born rappers came together for the remix.

DaBaby and NBA YoungBoy also joined forces to release new music on Friday. The duo announced their 12-track joint project Better Than You which features songs like “Hit,” “Neighborhood Superstar” and more.

In honor of its release, the rap stars hosted an Instagram Live listening session with close to 300,000 viewers tuning in.

Friday’s release of collaborations doesn’t stop there. GOOD Music’s Pusha T teamed up with Japanese producer Nigo to deliver a new track called, “Hear Me Clearly.”

The hardcore rap track will be featured on the upcoming album, I Know Nigo, marking the first album from the producer in nearly 20 years.

“These drug dealer Rollies is my TikTok and Triller/Insecure b****** get lip fillers/Covered in white like bridezilla and never been caught/So what’s the Shiggy dance for a brick n****?” Pusha raps.

As of now, there is no release date for I Know Nigo.

Meanwhile, Gucci Mane dropped his new single, “Publicity Stunt” and fans speculate the record is a response to NBA YoungBoys’ “I Hate YoungBoy.”

Take a listen to each of the tracks to see for yourself.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ explores one of sports’ most revered and dominant franchises

‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ explores one of sports’ most revered and dominant franchises
‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ explores one of sports’ most revered and dominant franchises
HBO/Warrick Page

It’s time to go back to the 1980s with Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

The HBO series stars John C. Reilly as Dr. Jerry Buss, the real estate mogul who bought the flailing NBA team and made them the brand they are today. Reilly tells ABC Audio he was “honored” to play Buss, whom he calls “an incredible American story of success.”

Adds Reilly, “It’s impressive enough to buy a team [and] in the first year you buy them, win the championship. But if you know all the behind the scenes, everything he was going through, it makes it all the more impressive.”

The early 80s may not seem so long ago to some, but Reilly says the series shows that culturally it was a completely different era.

“You gotta love the swagger that those guys had, to have a cocktail bar in the conference room, in the middle of a meeting,” he notes. “It just seems like, man, they got away with a lot of fun stuff.”

The HBO series also stars newcomer Quincy Isaiah as a young Earvin “Magic” Johnson, just before he enters the NBA.  Isaiah says it was a lot of fun to play Magic at that point in his career.

“He’s…trying to, you know, just figure out who he is and grow up and become an adult and see how he fits in this new world that he’s been thrust into,” Isaiah explains, “And we get to see him and meet him as he grows into the icon that we know, that’s Magic Johnson today.”

Winning Time debuts Sunday on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

(Trailer contains uncensored profanity.)

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Is Britney Spears married to Sam Asghari?

Is Britney Spears married to Sam Asghari?
Is Britney Spears married to Sam Asghari?
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Is Britney Spears about to share some happy news? 

In two separate posts on Instagram, the singer refers to her longtime love Sam Asghari as her “husband,” leading many to speculate that the two might already be hitched.

Britney posted a black-and-white photo of Sam Friday in honor of his 28th birthday, captioning it, “Such an amazing pic of my husband @samasghari !!!! He’s such a hard worker and he amazes me each day with his passion for life !!!! I’m so lucky to be able to share my life with him …. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.”

In a previous post from hours earlier, she shared a video of baby turtles and wrote that her “husband” Sam had sent it to her.

On Thursday, Britney was still referring to Sam as her fiancé in another happy birthday post, where she gushed, “Happy Birthday to my Fiancé … I love you so much. I want a family with you. I want it all with you!”

The two announced their engagement in September of last year.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Hollywood Undead premieres video for new single, “Chaos”

Hollywood Undead premieres video for new single, “Chaos”
Hollywood Undead premieres video for new single, “Chaos”
Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images

Hollywood Undead has premiered the video for “Chaos,” the band’s latest single.

The clip finds the rap-rock outfit surrounded by an army of masked dancers, reflecting the energy of the song.

“For the ‘Chaos’ video, we considered a more streamlined visual that represents the chaos that exists all around us,” says vocalist Johnny 3 Tears. “Both in the present and our subconscious.”

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

“Chaos” is the first single off the next Hollywood Undead album. The currently untitled effort will be the follow-up to 2020’s two-part New Empire.

Hollywood Undead is currently on tour with Papa Roach and Bad Wolves.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.) 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Listen to new Wallows song, “At the End of the Day”

Listen to new Wallows song, “At the End of the Day”
Listen to new Wallows song, “At the End of the Day”
David Wolff – Patrick/Redferns

Wallows has premiered a new song called “At the End of the Day,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, Tell Me That It’s Over.

“‘At the End of the Day’ is about being very invested in a relationship with someone and fearing it may ultimately be doomed but you just want that person to be happy no matter what,” says frontman Dylan Minnette.

You can listen to “At the End of the Day” now via digital outlets. Its accompanying video, which chronicles a Las Vegas road trip, is streaming now on YouTube.

Tell Me That It’s Over, which also features the previously released songs “Especially You” and “I Don’t Want to Talk,” will be released March 25. It follows Wallows’ 2019 debut, Nothing Happens, which spawned the hit Clairo collaboration “Are You Bored Yet?”

Wallows will launch a U.S. headlining tour in support of Tell Me That It’s Over in April.

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