Music

Demi Lovato had quite the surprise for a young fan they met 13 years ago through the Make-A-Wish foundation.  After meeting Austen when she was 10 years old, Demi decided to check in with the now 23-year-old.

Make-A-Wish shared the video where Austen, who was battling end-stage kidney disease when she wished to meet Demi in 2009, recalled the event. 

“Demi was incredible,” Austen said of meeting the star backstage at one of their concerts. “We were talking and they’re like, ‘Oh, I hear that you sing, can you sing for me?'”  Austen admitted she was “a ham” when performing for Demi, choosing to jump into a performance of “This Is Me” from Camp Rock.

“Demi’s like, ‘Oh, you’re really good!’ And I’m, like, freaking out like, ‘One of my idols said I’m a really good singer. That’s so cool!'”  Demi later invited Austen to sing with them on stage, the latter of whom said the meeting “made me… into the person I am today.”.

Of course, that walk through memory lane ended at a happy destination — an overdue reunion. Demi rushed Austen and the two shared a heartfelt embrace, with the singer marveling, “You’re so grown now!”

After shedding some happy tears, Demi added, “I remember your little pigtails” before posing for some updated selfies.   

Make-A-Wish shared a brief clip of an elated and squealing Austen after the meeting, showing that she is still very much a fan of the “Anyone” singer.

“Today, Austen is a student studying to be a speech pathologist – with hopes to give back to others. The wish experience forever changed Austen – giving her the hope needed to persevere,” Make-A-Wish added in a separate tweet. “That’s the power of a wish.”

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Ava Max dropped her brand-new song, “Maybe You’re the Problem,” on Thursday, which doubles as a breakup song and a dance track.

Title track of Ava’s forthcoming album of the same name offers a nostalgic ’80s-style beat and savage lyrics about what really doomed her relationship.

“All the things I heard from your ex/ Now they make a whole lotta sense/ Already feel bad for your next that has to put up with you,” the “Motto” singer declares.  Ava also reveals her friends hated her ex, who had a massive ego and would drink and make everything about him.

Ava also teased a forthcoming music video by sharing a clip to Instagram, which features her seductively eating a snow cone with another man, which she captioned, “tomorrow.”

While she didn’t name any names about who inspired the breakup anthem, Ava previously told Billboard her new album was born out of “the hardest year of my life,” declaring, “I’ve never written anything so personal and it’s probably some of the best music I’ve ever written.”

A release date for Ava’s second studio album has yet to be announced.  Her last record, Heaven & Hell, was released in September 2020.

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People unveiled their 2022 “The Beautiful Issue” on Wednesday, naming Zendaya, Halle Berry and Viola Davis to the magazine’s annual list of “funny, brilliant” women. 

“Everything I’ve experienced is what connects me to the world,” said Davis in the issue, who recently released her personal memoir, Finding Me.

Also featured among the list of more than 120 women is Batman star Zoë Kravitz, who let the magazine in on a piece of advice she’d tell her younger self: “Don’t worry, it gets weirder.”

Tracee Ellis Ross also made the list, revealing her secret to what makes her feel beautiful. “I feel most beautiful at around 5pm when I’m fresh-faced, post-moisture mask, while giggling and reaching for a lovely glass of wine,” the black-ish star said. 

NAACP Image Award-winner Regina Hall is featured as part of the issue’s breakout group of women, dubbed “Not Just a Pretty Face.” She spoke about her belief that beauty starts from within. 

“Beauty’s subjective,” Hall said. “It also fades fast. A beautiful heart — that’s probably the best way to be beautiful. That beauty lasts long.”

The “Cuties to Beauties” segment shines a light on the “group of dazzling ladies started out as supersweet kids,” like Yara Shahidi and Mickey Guyton.

Best friends Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King open up about their 46-year friendship, including the start of it all as news co-workers who were left stranded at their news station due to a thunderstorm. 

“We ended up talking all night long,” Winfrey said. “We’ve literally been friends ever since.”

The Beautiful Issue hits stands this Friday.

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Carly Rae Jepen is back and getting ready to release her new music, promising fans will not have to wait too much longer to hear it.

The “Call Me Maybe” singer announced her song, “Western Wind,” drops March 6 and shared the link where you  can pre-save it before it goes live.  She also showed off several promotional photos, one of which is a black and white image of her dressed in a lace dress and staring contemplatively at the camera.  The other is of her in a flowing, golden gown standing on top of a large tree branch.

Carly Rae teased some of the song lyrics on Instagram, writing, “But could you give me peace of mind if I return to you in time my golden arrow.”  This isn’t the first time she leaked a few verses.  She also tantalized fans on Tuesday with some more lyrics and an additional promotional shot of her in a saffron-colored dress and overlooking what appears to be an orchard.

Carly previewed “Western Wind” when she performed at Coachella, but she remains coy on whether or not this is the first single of a new album or just a standalone.    

The “Good Time” singer’s last album was Dedicated Side B, which she released in May 2020.  “Western Wind” arrives next Friday, May 6, at midnight ET.

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Ozzy Osbourne has tested positive for COVID-19.

The 73-year-old Black Sabbath legend’s wife Sharon Osbourne revealed the news in an interview on the U.K.’s Talk TV Thursday. Sharon, who’s currently in the U.K. while Ozzy is in Los Angeles, said that she spoke to her husband and that he’s “OK,” while adding that she’s “very worried” about him.

“We’ve gone two years without him catching COVID,” Sharon said through tears. “It’s just Ozzy’s luck he would get it now.”

She added that she’s returning to L.A. to be with Ozzy so that she can “hold him and kiss him with about three masks on.”

Sharon had just started a new show on Talk TV called The Talk, not to be confused with the CBS show The Talk that she used to co-host before her controversial exit in 2021. In returning home to Ozzy, she says she’ll miss a week before returning to the U.K. The Talk.

“I know my husband,” Sharon said. “We’re gonna get him back on his feet and we’re going to get a negative test by next week.”

Various members of the Osbourne family have contracted COVID-19 over the pandemic, including Sharon and several of her and Ozzy’s grandchildren.

Ozzy received his first COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021.

In an interview with Metal Hammer last October, Ozzy joked that being a “devil worshipper” helped him avoid catching the virus.

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BTS is back and rested from their mini-hiatus.  Right out of the gate, the septet has several big collaborations with Snoop Dogg and PSY coming out soon.

Snoop shared an update with The Buzz about his forthcoming collab, telling the outlet that he’s done with his half.  “You gotta talk to them,” he remarked in response to when the song is coming out, “But my parts are in!”

BTS has long admired Snoop and referenced his music in their 2014 track “Hip Hop Phile.”  They previously expressed they wanted to work with the rapper and those dreams came true when Snoop hinted on the Mogul Talk podcast in January that BTS is “waiting on me to do a song with them right now.”  Not much else is known about the mysterious track.

That’s not the only major collab coming down the pipeline. BTS’ Sugarecently teamed with K-pop sensation PSY for his forthcoming album, PSY 9th.  The two worked together on the song “That That,” which fans will hear on Friday.

Suga said in a promotional video of working with the “Gangnam Style” rapper, “To be honest, I haven’t gotten that close with anyone I collab with, it’s because I’m not usually the type to meet up with collaborators in person… But he wanted to see me in person.”

Suga said he was originally approached to produce PSY’s music, but things turned into a full-blown collaborative track with the BTS singer performing on the track and it’s forthcoming music video.  “I seriously didn’t expect to be dancing with PSY,” he remarked. “I thought I was only writing the song!”

“That That” drops Friday at 6 p.m. Korean time, about 5:00 a.m. Eastern.  The music video features intense choreography and will feature PSY and Suga dressed as cowboys. 

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Iggy Pop and Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe guest on a new song from the metal band ONI.

The track, titled “Secrets,” features the Godfather of Punk giving a spooky, spoken-word rendition of the chorus while Blythe delivers his signature growling vocals.

“Secrets” is available now via digital outlets, and will be included on the upcoming ONI album Loathing Light, due out June 17. Both Pop and Blythe also appear in the “Secrets” video, which is streaming now on YouTube.

Pop, who just celebrated his 75th birthday last week, collaborated with Måneskin last summer on a new version of the buzzy Italian band’s single “I Wanna Be Your Slave.” Blythe and Lamb of God, meanwhile, teamed up with Dave Mustaine earlier this month for a new recording of Megadeth‘s “Wake Up Dead” to promote their Metal Tour of the Year.

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Live Nation’s annual Concert Week returns next month, offering fans a seven-day window where they can pick up tickets to see their favorite artists for just $25.

The special low price applies to more than 3,700 shows across the U.S., including a slate of Las Vegas residencies. That means that $25 tickets will be available to see Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Shania Twain during their upcoming Vegas residency dates.

Concert Week’s ticket offer extends throughout North America, in venues from clubs to stadiums. Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Willie Nelson and Zac Brown Band are just a few of the participating artists.

Of course, all genres are included in Concert Week: It’s your chance to see everyone from the Backstreet Boys to The Who at a low price.

Concert Week starts May 4 at 10 a.m. ET and lasts through May 10, or while tickets last. There’s a special pre-sale for Citi cardholders beginning May 3 at 8 a.m. ET, and another for Rakuten members starting the same day at 12 p.m. ET.

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It’s no secret Justin Bieber adores babies and wants a family of his own, but for now he’s content with cuddling his friends’ newborns.

In a series of sweet snaps, the “Ghost” singer is seen bonding with friend Jason Kennedy‘s baby boy, Ryver Rhodes.  “LOVE YOU RYVER 4 LIFE I WILL PROTECT YOU!,” Justin captioned the photos of the two cuddling on the couch.

Justin then returned with more photos that showed him grinning as he bottle fed the infant. “More pictures of me and mister RYVER RHODES KENNEDY,” he captioned the pic.

Kennedy previously designated Justin as Ryver’s uncle and it appears the “Peaches” singer is taking his new title very seriously.

As for when Justin and wife Hailey Bieber will have kids of their own, the two have refused to provide a timeline.  The couple wed in 2018 and have been open about their desire to have kids, which has caused them to weather pregnancy rumors now and again — most recently following the 2022 Grammy Awards, when Hailey wore a flowing white Saint Laurent dress to the event.  The dress’ loose fit sparked rumors that Hailey was hiding a baby bump, but the model shut down the rumors.

Justin previously said he’s “not in a rush” to start a family and his comments were supported by Hailey’s recent interview with WSJ, in which she remarked, “I think ideally in the next couple of years we would try. But there’s a reason they call it try, right? You don’t know how long that process is ever going to take.”

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