Music

Michael Ray just premiered the music video for his new single, “Holy Water,” and it’s an especially personal clip for a few different reasons.

For one thing, it was filmed nearby his hometown of Eustis, Florida, at the church he and his family went to when he was growing up. The singer got a chance to put the visual spotlight on some of the places that were near and dear to him as a kid, and many of the people featured in the video are family members and friends to the singer.

But that’s not the only story that’s true to life in “Holy Water.” The song — which tells the story of a preacher who’s got a side operation selling moonshine — is a little slice of Michael’s family history, too.

“My family has a little back history of running some moonshine through the state of Florida,” the singer told fans in a livestream Q&A that aired on YouTube before the music video’s premiere. “So I knew I wanted to really show a different side of my town, but also give y’all some history on where I’m from and places that meant a lot to me.”

“Holy Water” follows Michael’s multi-week chart-topper, “Whiskey and Rain.” Both those tracks come off his Higher Education EP, which came out last year.

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Megan The Stallion, who’s currently on tour with her “Sweetest Pie” collaborator Dua Lipa, shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes video of her getting ready for their pit stop in Denver.

Taking to TikTok, the self-proclaimed “biggest Chanel bag owner” said she teamed with Dua, who asked her to “pop on” some of her tour dates. Megan documented herself checking out a nearby museum before the show and noted the trippy, neon-colored decorations.

“I thought I was in Euphoria,” she cracked, referencing the hit HBO show. “I really think that this whole place is for people who do acid but I do not do drugs because dare to be different, b****!”

Meg then shuttled off to the venue and said it was “cute” how Dua prepared her green room for her. She showed off a bunch of cookies the “Levitating” hitmaker made for her arrival, which included some decorated to look like “hottie sauce” bottles and, of course, celebrated their sweet new collaboration.

Megan then shared snippets of her opening the show and later joining Dua on stage to perform “Sweetiest Pie,” as the crowd goes wild. “Dua Lipa and I killed it,” Meg declared.

Meg is set to do it all again when Dua takes her Future Nostalgia tour to Tulsa on March 17, which is tonight, and in Phoenix on March 20.

(Linked video contains uncensored profanity.)

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After a week of teasing, Muse has premiered the new single “Compliance.” Not only that, but the U.K rockers have also announced their new album, Will of the People.

The ninth studio effort from the “Uprising” trio — and their first since 2018’s Simulation Theory — will arrive August 26. Along with “Compliance,” which is streaming now alongside a video on YouTube, Will of the People also includes the previously released single “Won’t Stand Down.”

According to a press release, there is “no bowing to any singular genre” on Will of the People. Indeed, the synth-y “Compliance” certainly stands in contrast with the heavy riffs of “Won’t Stand Down.”

“Will of the People was created in Los Angeles  and London and is influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world,” says Bellamy. “A pandemic, new wars in Europe, massive protests and riots, an attempted insurrection, Western democracy wavering, rising authoritarianism, wildfires and natural disasters and the destabilization of the global order all informed Will of the People.” 

“It has been a worrying and scary time for all of us as the Western empire and the natural world, which have cradled us for so long are genuinely threatened,” he continues. “This album is a personal navigation through those fears and preparation for what comes next.”

Here’s the Will of the People track list:

“Will of the People”
“Compliance”
“Liberation”
“Won’t Stand Down”
“Ghosts (How Can I Move On)”
“You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween”
“Kill or Be Killed”
“Verona”
“Euphoria”
“We Are F***ing F***ed”

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Tasha Cobbs Leonard is celebrating the success of her song “Gotta Believe.” The track has hit number one on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, making it her fifth number-one on the chart overall.

“I wrote ‘Gotta Believe’ as a testament of God’s faithfulness through a difficult time on our fertility journey,” Tasha tells Billboard. “For this song to be the most-played song at gospel radio the same week we finalized adoption of my precious new baby is amazing! I am so grateful.”

Last week, Cobbs Leonard shared the details of her adoption with People, revealing she and husband Kenneth had welcomed a son named Asher.

“Gotta Believe” follows Cobbs Leonard’s “In Spite of Me,” which topped the Gospel Airplay chart last June.

In other news, Cobbs Leonard was tapped by specialty footwear and lifestyle company The Athlete’s Foot as the first female recipient of its StAART program, which stands for Strategic African American Retail Track. As a new franchise owner of The Athlete’s Foot, she’ll help with the program’s mission of increasing African American representation and ownership within the sneaker industry.

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Country upstart Breland knew he’d been having some major success, thanks to songs like “My Truck” and “Cross Country” as well as duets with Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley and Mickey Guyton. But he never expected to be nominated at major country music awards shows — at least, not so soon.

However, when the nominees list for the 2022 CMT Music Awards came out this week, Breland’s name appeared not once but three times. He was overwhelmed by the recognition, the singer admits to People.

“I got the news and I was immediately sobbing. I was just a wreck,” the singer recounts, adding, “I don’t take it for granted at all.”

The first people he celebrated with were his parents, who are musicians themselves, Breland went on to say. “They have always been such a big support of what I’m doing. And now that we’re starting to see some of the dividends that that hard work is paying, I just feel I owe it to them to make sure they’re the first ones to know,” he says.

Breland’s celebration plans also include his March Madness bracket and a “glass of wine,” he continues, saying “It’ll be good to relax and pop one with my homies.”

Breland recounts his path to stardom — and contemplates the road not taken — in the new music video for his song, “Cross Country.”

The 2022 CMT Awards are set for Monday, April 11. Voting is open now.

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Tones and I has released a new song called “Eyes Don’t Lie.”

“‘Eyes Don’t Lie’ is written about a large loss of someone/something,” the “Dance Monkey” artist says. “Resenting the person/feeling you get and realizing it was a toxic person/feeling all along. Someone taking advantage of you and you taking advantage of yourself. Feeling better off and putting that last bit of bitterness behind you.”

You can listen to “Eyes Don’t Lie” now via digital outlets. Its accompanying video, co-directed by Tones herself, is streaming now on YouTube.

“Eyes Don’t Lie” is the first song from Tones and I to follow her 2021 debut album, Welcome to the Madhouse. She launches a U.S. tour in support of the record in July.

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“You broke me first” singer Tate McRae hopes her music teaches young people it’s okay to have an emotional outlet to express themselves.  

Tate acknowledges she isn’t the only artist who turns her turbulent emotions into songs, telling ET Canada she views music as “a very universal thing.”

The Canadian singer shouted out Olivia Rodrigo, who transformed her heartbreak into the Grammy-nominated album SOUR.  Tate called Olivia “incredible” and said she is “very lucky to be around” her and have her as a friend.  “I think we’re all very ambitious people and I feel like, if you surround yourself by ambitious people, it’s obviously going to inspire you,” she explained.

Also touching upon her friendship with Conan Gray, Tate continued, “I feel like you always wanna put yourself in rooms full of people who are better than you — or people who are gonna push you — because, otherwise, you’re just gonna be settling for less with yourself, which no one wants to do.”

Tate recently released her single “She’s All I Wanna Be” and said the song came from “a very genuine place” even though she says it’s a “bizarre concept for a really upbeat pop song.”  She revealed the song “started as a ballad,” but she emailed the song’s producer and asked if it could be turned “into a punk song, just for fun.”  

“And then it turned out to be a really crazy track,” Tate exclaimed.

Tate’s followup single, “Chaotic,” drops March 25.

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Lady Gaga was thought to be a shoo-in at the Oscars for her work on House of Gucci, but her name was noticeably absent when the Academy announced the nominees for Best Actress.  It wasn’t just fans of the “Million Reasons” singer who were stunned by the snub — her famous friends were, as well.

“It was a shock and a surprise,” Jared Leto told Variety of his House of Gucci co-star.  In addition to his disbelief, he says the Academy owes Gaga more credit.  

“She should get an invite to every Oscars, just to have her there,” he argued. “She’s an amazing artist [who does] such brave work. She should be celebrated for everything, in my book.”

The Morbius star is just one of the many voices who have spoken out in defense of Lady Gaga, who was widely predicted to collect her second Best Actress Oscar nod.  Perhaps one of the most notable is Jane Campion, who directed the 12-time Oscar nominated The Power of the Dog and is the only woman ever to be nominated for Best Director twice.

“One of the actors that I thought — in the lead female actress category — who I missed being there was Lady Gaga,” Campion told The Hollywood Reporter. “I thought she was extraordinary.”

Gaga’s work in House of Gucci earned her a BAFTA nomination, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics’ Choice Award and a Golden Globe Award for her showy role as Patrizia Reggiani.  

Gaga was first Oscar-nominated in 2019 for A Star Is Born, for Best Actress and Best Original Song, for “Shallow,” the latter of which she won.

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Come on down to South Park and meet some friends of mine. And by friends, we mean Primus and Ween.

The two bands are set to perform at an upcoming concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of South Park, which first introduced its foul-mouthed self to the world in August 1997. The performance, which will also feature series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, takes place August 10 at Colorado’s Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre.

“We’re so excited to go home and play at Red Rocks, a place that’s been known for hosting the most legendary artists and musicians,” Parker and Stone say. “Until now.”

Both Primus and Ween have long been part of the South Park universe. Primus, of course, performs the show’s theme song, while Ween guested on the season two episode “Chef Aid.”

Throughout the years, South Park has featured and lampooned many a musical artist. Who could forget when Korn led a “Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery” in season three, or when The Cure‘s Robert Smith helped defeat Mecha-Barbra Streisand in season one?

For more info on the 25th anniversary South Park concert, visit SouthParkatRedRocks.com.

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