Music

Tom Parker, singer for the British band The Wanted, has lost his battle with cancer.  He was 33.

Tom’s wife, Kelsey, confirmed his passing on Wednesday, saying in a statement, “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we confirm Tom passed away peacefully earlier today with all of his family by his side.”

“Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world and we can’t imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence. We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom’s light continues to shine for his beautiful children,” the statement continued. “Thank you to everyone who has supported in his care throughout, he fought until the very end. I’m forever proud of you.”

The Wanted also reacted to Tom’s passing, writing on Instagram, “Max, Jay, Siva, Nathan and the whole Wanted family are devastated by the tragic and premature loss of our bandmate Tom Parker, who passed away peacefully at lunchtime today surrounded by his family and his band mates.”

“He was our brother, words can’t express the loss and sadness we feel. Always and forever in our hearts,” the statement closed.

Parker was diagnosed with an inoperable glioblastoma, a stage 4 brain tumor, in October 2020 after experiencing seizures. “We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way,” he said on Instagram at the time.  

He would periodically share progress updates with fans, his last being in November, where he announced his tumor was “under control” and “stable” following radiation and treatment.

Parker and The Wanted achieved fame in 2012 with their hits “Glad You Came” and “Chasing the Sun.” He leaves behind his wife as well as his two-year-old daughter Aurelia and one-year-old son, Bodhi.

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Latto sampled Mariah Carey‘s 1995 hit “Fantasy” for her bop “Big Energy” and, now, the two ladies have come together for a brand new remix.

The 23-year-old rapper sat down with fans on Twitter to answer some of their burning questions and, obviously, the conversation gravitated toward her hot new collaboration.

When one wanted to know how the remix came to be, Latto revealed she first wanted to approach Mariah “in like November” when the song “first started going up” the charts.  While she “didn’t think I could get her realistically,” Latto said she eventually “said f*** it and reached out. She was down.”

Latto also answered questions about what it was like jumping into the recording studio with the legendary singer and admitted to having a few butterflies in her stomach prior to meeting Mariah.

“I was sooooo nervous,” Latto confessed, adding she had no idea what to say. The “Wheelie” artist explained she had no reason to psych herself out because, “The conversation just floweddd she was so genuine and I definitely was overthinking.”

As for what it was like sitting in the recording booth with Mariah, Latto said, “We was sipping on her liquor Black Irish & just kicking it.”

Latto has high hopes for the remix and previously told fans, “FYI this might be Mariah’s 20th and my 1st #1” on the Billboard Hot 100.  We’ll see if it makes it to the top!

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Garth Brooks is setting his sights on Alabama.

The singer just announced a Stadium Tour stop in Birmingham at the city’s Protective Stadium, a 45,000-capacity venue that opened last October and has never hosted a concert before. The show will take place June 4 at 7 p.m.

The just-announced show comes as part of a lengthy string of 2022 Stadium Tour dates for Garth, who booked new stops this year as well as setting several make-up dates at cities where he had to cancel planned concerts due to COVID-19 in 2021.

He’s got plans for a two-night hometown stand in Nashville this spring, followed by sold-out stops in Fayetteville, Arkansas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Charlotte, Cincinnati and South Bend are also among the cities he’s visiting this summer.

Tickets for Garth’s Birmingham show go on sale April 8 at 10 a.m. CT.

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It appears Doja Cat might be retiring from music after all.  The “Say So” singer rebuked claims that she’s returning to music after making nice with her Paraguayan fans.

Last week, the Grammy nominee said she “quit” music after becoming embroiled in a nasty Twitter row with her South American fans.  They were upset she didn’t interact with those who gathered outside her hotel in the rain and for not consoling disappointed fans that the country’s music festival she was set to perform was cancelled.

She later declared music “is dead to me” and followed up with, “This s*** ain’t for me so I’m out. Y’all take care.”

Doja apologized to her South American fans on Monday and, although she never addressed her previous comments about quitting music, it sparked theories that she wasn’t serious about the threat.

Well, it appears those theories were wrong.  When outlets began reporting she wasn’t retiring, she fired back, “yes the f*** i am.”  Doja didn’t elaborate, which only intensified fans’ reaction to the news.

While some fans begged her to reconsider, others insisted she still had more music to put out before she hangs up the microphone.  Some even told Doja she wasn’t allowed to retire until she collaborated with certain artists, such as Azealia Banks.

Eventually, one follower asked, “genuine question..what are you gonna do when you quit lol,” to which another commented, “prolly interior design.”

Doja has not reacted to anyone else since doubling down on her retirement claims.  

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Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran sang for a cause when performing their new collaboration “Bam Bam” live for the first time.

The duo came together for Tuesday night’s Concert for Ukraine, which aimed to raise money and awareness for ongoing humanitarian efforts in the war torn country.  The stage was flooded with blue light and decorated with sunflowers, which has become a global symbol of solidarity for Ukraine.

“We’re all praying tonight for the peace and the safety of the people in the Ukraine. Thank you guys so much for being part of this super important fundraiser and please continue to give anything you can,” Camila said.

“I’ve got a surprise for you guys tonight,” she announced, which caused the audience to erupt in cheers as she invited Ed onto the stage. “This is me and this person’s first time singing this song together.”  

The “Havana” singer revealed how singing their song together that night was “a full circle moment for me.”  She reminisced about meeting Ed for the first time and confessed, “I cried the first time I met him, like, I’m such a huge fan of his.”  She added, “Us getting to do a song together is really fun.  I’m so excited. I might forget the lyrics! If I do, sing them for me!”

Prior to singing her new hit, the Grammy nominee covered Coldplay‘s “Fix You.”  

As for Ed, he performed “Perfect” and “Bad Habits” during the benefit concert, using his signature loop station to create his sound. 

If you missed Concert for Ukraine — which also featured performances by Anne Marie, Emeli Sandé and others — ITV has uploaded the concert in full to their YouTube channel and has included a link where you can donate to ongoing humanitarian efforts.

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It’s safe to say that Miranda Lambert is a fan of all the clothes and accessories available through her fashion line, Idyllwind, but even she has a few personal favorites. 

Miranda has called attention to some of her favorite items in the Idyllwind closet that covers many of the fashion bases. One of her top selections is a denim skirt with faux suede lace patchwork, along with a sassy black tank top displaying the phrase “Girl Grit” in gold lettering.

It should come as no surprise that the country queen has selected multiple cowgirl boots among her favorite picks, including a couple pairs of snake skin boots, along with embroidered leather boots ranging from Sanded Sky print to Revenge Tan.

Miranda’s Favorites range in retail price from $34.50 – $229.50.

The multi-award winning country star launched Idyllwind in 2018. “It is a true picture of everything that I am about – built for the everyday girl who is also a bada**! A brand based on loving who you are – being who you are – being comfortable in your skin – and celebrating that at whatever age or size,” she describes in a statement. 

Idyllwind products are available online and at Boot Barn.   

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Ah, the life of a rock star. Studio sessions, parties, tripping in the jungle on sacred hallucinogens…

Appearing Tuesday night on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Machine Gun Kelly shared his perspective on a visit he and fiancée Megan Fox paid to Costa Rica, during which they both tried ayahuasca [ah’-yuh-WAH-skuh], a plant-based hallucinogen used for millennia by indigenous peoples there. 

While Jimmy Kimmel reminded Kelly that Fox, while visiting the show last summer, described the experience as “a trip to hell,” Kelly said his experience was much different — including how much of the drug he took.

Kelly says the shaman leading the ritual looked at him and declared he had a “big shadow of darkness” behind him, adding, “You need more.”  As in four cups of ayahuasca, where everyone else only drank one.  And this apparently went on for three consecutive nights. At one point, Kelly said he saw something that “looked like gray sand, coming from my body,” which the shaman appeared to suck out of him and then spat away.

“All jokes aside, it was one of the most important things that happened to me in my life,” Kelly said, more soberly.

As for Fox, Kelly said her first night was “rainbows and unicorns,” but her second was so intense that she skipped the third. “We were exorcising some things out of ourselves,” Kelly said.

Kelly also talked a bit about how he and Pete Davidson — who appears on MGK’s latest album, Mainstream Sellout — go way back, as well as meeting a very young Zendaya backstage during his first appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2012.

Mainstream Sellout dropped last Friday. Kelly will support the album with a summer tour that kicks off June 8, featuring Travis Barker, Avril Lavigne, Blackbear and others.

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Miranda Lambert is the newest country star signing on for a residency in Las Vegas.

The singer announced her Velvet Rodeo residency on Wednesday. The 24-date string of shows kicks off September 23, and will take place at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood.

By the time the residency begins, Miranda will have added another album to her collection of hits. Palomino, featuring her current single “If I Was a Cowboy,” is due out at the end of April. The singer also has a large variety of past songs to choose from: Her catalog ranges from rough and rowdy classics like “White Liar” and “Gunpowder & Lead” to her more recent, introspective acoustic project, The Marfa Tapes.

There’s also some rock ‘n’ roll in the mix, as Miranda joined forces with Elle King last year for the hit song “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).”

Miranda’s Vegas shows start with dates on September 23, 24, 28 and 30. She’ll return October 1, 5, 7, 8, followed by a set of dates on November 26, 27 and 30 and December 3, 4, 8, 10 and 11.

Tickets go on sale April 7, but members of the singer’s RanFans fan club can access a special pre-sale starting April 1.

Other country acts setting up camp in Vegas this year include Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.

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Two-time Emmy-nominated actor Kel Mitchell‘s new song, “Blessed Mode,” is one that you’ll definitely want to add to your playlist.

The upbeat hip hop anthem, featuring Scootie Wop and nobigdyl., has a booming bass perfect for a workout or whenever you just want to jam out, feel uplifted, invigorated, and victorious. The lyrics echo that same sentiment, as Mitchell raps in the first verse: “Hey now, hey / I’m ’bout to praise in the middle of His house / And I get up, sun-up, devil, all mad ‘Cause I’m done with sinnin’ (Done) / Born again, I changed my endin’.”

“This what it mean to be blessed,” the chorus goes. “I know the way to be blessed / Call me, I get you / Blessed mode, blessed.”

If the phrase “Blessed Mode” sounds familiar, that’s probably because just a few months ago Mitchell released a book with the same name, Blessed Mode: 90 Days to Level Up Your Faith. In fact, the producer, comedian, pastor, author and artist tells ABC Audio that his new track was inspired by the book.

Both the book “Blessed Mode” the song are out now. If you’ve enjoyed them, Mitchell says there is definitely more of both on the way. 

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