Music

Raising children while also managing a busy country music career is no joke.

Fortunately, Mickey Guyton’s got a strong support system that “absolutely” includes fellow moms like Carrie Underwood and Maren Morris, the “Black Like Me” star tells People.

“I talk to my friend Maren about it, Carrie Underwood about it,” Mickey explains. “It’s just interesting. Once you become a mom, the moms find you. Moms really rally around you because they get it.”

Having that support system is crucial. “You need that support because none of this is easy. It’s the greatest, hardest thing you’ll ever do,” Mickey adds.

Mickey and her husband, Grant Savoy, are parents to 14-month-old Grayson, and the birth of her son has shifted her perspective entirely.

“I saw kids [and thought], ‘Oh, they’re cute. Move on.’ Now, I’m like, ‘That’s somebody’s child.’ There’s a mom on the other end of that, or dad or two moms on the other end that are important…I just have a whole different respect for mothers.”

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When you heard the new Red Hot Chili Peppers single “Black Summer,” your first thought might’ve been, “Yay, new Red Hot Chili Peppers music!” Your second thought might’ve been, “Wait, why is Anthony Kiedis singing like that?”

Fans were quick to point out Kiedis’ unusual annunciation on certain words throughout the song, which made it sound like he was singing with an accent somewhere between Irish and trying out to play The Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Now, Kiedis has offered an explanation behind his unusual vocal styling.

During an online listening party for the new RHCP album Unlimited Love, which features “Black Summer” as the lead single, Kiedis wrote, “My adopted accent on this one is a tribute to Cate Le Bon,” referring to the Welsh musician.

Whatever you may think about Kiedis’ “Black Summer” accent, the song is doing just fine. “Black Summer” currently sits at number one on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart and number two on the Mainstream Rock Airplay tally, while Unlimited Love debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with the biggest week for a rock album in over a year.

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As previously reported, Lizzo dropped her new track “About Damn Time” on Thursday night, along with news of her upcoming new album, Special. But she’s not the only one with new music out this week. Here are some of the other releases out Friday:

— Trina feat. Latto, “CLAP” –  The veteran rapper and the rising star team up on this confident new track, a follow-up to Trina’s 2021 “Receipts.”

— Kay Flock feat. Cardi B, Dougie B and Bory3000, “Shake It” –  The collaborative new track samples Akon’s “Bananza (Belly Dancer)” and features Cardi using a drill beat for her explicit verse, which her fans are eating up on social media.  The rappers also released the track’s music video.

— Gucci Mane, “Serial Killers” — The rapper also released the music video for the new track, which has him once again teaming with Omar the Director. In the clip, Gucci sports two different hoodies — one calling for the release of Foogiano and the other for the release of Pooh Shiesty. Both artists are part of Gucci’s 1017 Records.

— Fredo Bang, Two-Face Bang 2 — The 24-year-old Louisiana dropped his new mixtape, featuring an 18-song track list that includes his latest single “No Love,” which posted the biggest first week at Spotify of his career.

(Videos contain uncensored profanity.)

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Fifteen years after starting their career, Swedish House Mafia finally released their debut studio album, Paradise Again, which features impressive collaborations with Sting and The Weeknd.

The “Don’t You Worry Child” hitmakers admit to Variety that they didn’t expect to work with the Police frontman, adding they only asked Sting for permission to sample his song “Roxanne” for “Redlight” — and the British singer jumped on board.

“We had this crazy combination of melody and arrangement. We knew there was no way we’d be able to clear the sample, so we tried contacting him,” recalled Sebastian Ingrosso. “We assumed he’d be quite protective.”

He continued,”When we did, he loved our track, which was amazing as it’s quite a massacre of the original song… He offered to come to the studio to re-record it, so that it felt even more out.”

The Swedish group also spoke about teaming again with their “Moth to a Flame” collaborator, The Weeknd, with whom they worked on the songs “Sacrifice” and “How Do I Make You Love Me?” on his new album, Dawn FM.

“It’s a match made in heaven,” band mate Steve Angello asserted. “To be an electronic artist and have an idea become complete with a voice such as his…. that’s incredible. He brings so much emotion and energy to the table.”

SHM also revealed how they’re able to net such talent for their songs.  “We came from a culture where you create a song and then just fish around for a voice to do it. We have very specific voices in our heads,” said Angello. “We custom-make music.”

SHM and The Weeknd will co-headline Coachella this weekend and next.

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Fresh off his five Grammy wins, Jon Batiste has lined up his acting debut.

Rolling Stone reports the musician has joined the cast of the upcoming film adaptation of The Color Purple. He’ll play Grady, the “marijuana-loving womanizer” husband married to Shug Avery, who’s being portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the film.

The cast also includes Fantasia Barrino, Aunjanue Ellis, Ciara, H.E.R. and Corey Hawkins. Production is underway in Georgia, with the musical set for a December 2023 release.

Batiste previously won an Oscar in 2020 for the musical score of Pixar’s Soul.

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Katy Perry is known to turn heads whenever she attends the Met Gala, and it appears this year will be no different.

The American Idol judge has previously embraced a more outlandish vibe at the high fashion event — most notably as a chandelier with fully functioning lights, as well as a cheeseburger costume — but she assures Page Six that she’s switching things up for this year’s theme, which is “gilded glamour.”

“You know, it would be pretty obvious for me to go play the kooky, crazy, wild, big, fun, colorful card,” she admitted. “This time, I’m going to play a whole different card.”

The “Roar” singer joked, “Maybe I’ll just come in a suit of armor or something… Maybe I’m not even going, because I’m going to send someone the armor and they’re just going to pretend to be me!”

Katy, 37, also hinted she’s embracing a more “sophisticated and streamlined and sexy” wardrobe when hitting the red carpets and scheduled press appearances.  

While she has yet to fully divulge what kind of head-turning look she’ll wear for this year’s Met Gala, set for May 2, Katy promised, “I know what the people want, and I know where I came from. I always want to put a good show on.”

“I take fashion risks all the time, but I never have any regrets,” she added.

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It’s Friday! Let’s see who’s out with new tunes.

G-Eazy honors his late mother on her birthday with the new song, “Angel,” out now.  The song was written for his mom, Suzanne Olmsted, who passed away last fall.  “There will never be enough words to describe the feeling of losing your best friend, or the desire to see them again… I tried to capture that feeling of longing in the lyrics of the song,” G-Eazy said in a statement. “‘Angel’ is so much more than a song or a tribute. My mom was more than just my mom, she was everyone’s mom.”  He has since launched The Dandelion Scholarship in honor of Suzanne, which will award $15,000 to a high school senior pursuing an arts degree.

Cardi B is back on social media and teamed with rappers Kay Flock, Dougie B and Bory300 on the new song “Shake It,” which samples Akon’s “Bananza (Belly Dancer).”  Cardi went back to her roots and used a drill beat for her explicit verse, which her fans are eating up on social media.  The rappers also released the track’s music video.

Just in time for Coachella, Swedish House Mafia dropped their debut studio album, Paradise Again, and also the new dance-crazed track “Heaven Takes You Home,” which features vocals from Connie Constance.   The EDM duo will co-headline Coachella with their “Moth to a Flame” collaborator, The Weeknd.  

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Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor guests on a new version of Hyro the Hero‘s song “Kids Against the Monsters.”

“Working with Corey Taylor was absolutely incredible,” Hyro says of the collaboration. “When I first heard him sing the words of the chorus we created, I got chills.”

“It’s always nice to collaborate with up-and-coming talent, especially when you’re a genuine fan,” Taylor adds. “I was stoked to hop on this song with Hyro the Hero. He embodies what a true artist is meant to do: make you feel something. This song is a great reminder that we’re stronger together when facing our demons.”

The joint track appears on Hyro’s new Kids Against the Monsters EP, which is out now via digital outlets. The four-song collection also includes Hyro’s previously released collaborations with Disturbed‘s David Draiman, HELLYEAH‘s Chad Gray and Fire from the Gods‘ AJ Channer.

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