Music

Crowds protesting the government’s mask and vaccine mandates in Wellington, New Zealand have had to deal with something more unusual than police hassling them.  Lawmakers are playing hits by Barry Manilow, James Blunt and Celine Dion on a loop in an attempt to get them to disperse.

Trevor Mallard, the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, has been blasting Barry Manilow‘s greatest hits — as well as the 1990s Los del Rio hit “Macarena” — through the speakers inside Parliament buildings in an attempt to break up the crowds of protestors, who have refused to budge for the past week.  COVID-19 vaccine PSAs are also being played.

After James Blunt spotted the story, he tweeted, “Give me a shout if this doesn’t work” — and his hit “You’re Beautiful” was promptly added to the rotation, as well as an out-of-tune recorder rendition of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.”

The tactic has made headlines around the world, and elicited mixed reactions.

Mallard told the New Zealand website Stuff over the weekend that surrounding residents had been consulted on the plan and were supportive. “And one of them is a Barry Manilow fan,” Mallard added.

So far, the protestors appear to be unbothered: They’ve been dancing along to the “Macarena,” singing along to “You’re Beautiful” and playing their own songs, like Twisted Sister‘s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Love was in the air on Valentine’s Day, which was apparently perfect timing for Gunna and Chloe to drop the visuals for their song “you & me.”

The song, which samples, Jon B.‘s ballad “They Don’t Know,” was featured on Gunna’s third studio album, DS4Ever, which was released last month.

The music video came Monday night, just two hours before the official end of the romantic holiday, and begins with the 28-year-old rapper at a pay phone — much like Jon B.’s video — before cutting between scenes of the two artists cuddled up on a couch and flirting and laughing as they shop around a store.

Prior to the “you & me” video release, speculation swirled that Gunna, 28, and Chloe, 23, were dating and although they’ve downplayed those rumors, the video’s lovey-dovey vibe is bound to get people talking again.

The “you & me” video is available to stream now on YouTube.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

It’s blue skies ahead for Dustin Lynch. 

The title of his new album, Blue in the Sky, reflects the optimistic state he’s at in life right now, but the singer says he was initially unsure of what to call the album until he heard the opening line of “Tequila on a Boat,” his duet with Chris Lane.

“There’s not really a song title that wraps its arms around how I’m feeling or this group of songs. So we were kicking around ideas, we’re talking months on end here, and ‘blue in the sky’ is the first line of ‘Tequila on a Boat.’ I’m like, ‘well is there a lyric that we can name the album after,'” he explains. “That was the one that raised its hand because of where I am, and I think where this album points, and that’s just very optimistic.” 

But the Tullahoma, TN native had to walk through darkness before he could get to the light, going through a breakup only to discover who he truly is. The positive spirit on the other side helped inspire the album. 

“Going through a relationship, break up, coming out on the other side of it and finding myself more than I ever have before and being comfortable in my own skin and what I want out of life,” he describes of his journey. “I’m in a very happy place, an optimistic place with my life personally, but also with what’s going on with my music career. It’s just awesome. It’s all good news and I truly believe we all have a choice every day to notice the blue in the sky, and that’s really what that lyric in that title reminds me to think of.” 

Dustin is bringing “Party Mode” to country radio as his next single. He launches a tour of the same name on March 17. 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Badflower has announced a North American headlining tour.

The U.S. leg, which will feature support from the bands ’68 and BRKN Love, will launch April 6 in New Haven, Connecticut, and will wrap up May 1 in Louisville, Kentucky. That’ll be followed by a two-week run through Canada in May.

Tickets to on sale this Friday, February 18. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit BadflowerMusic.com.

Badflower will be touring behind their sophomore album This Is How the World Ends, which dropped last September.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Selena Gomez showed what happened behind-the-scenes when filming her “Let Somebody Go” music video with Coldplay.  The four-minute clip shows Selena and Chris Martin getting used to the complicated rigging system to make it appear that the two were floating through the air.  It also includes interviews from the video’s director, Dave Meyes, and those who were behind the camera about the work that went into bringing the melancholy video to life.

Lizzo says she is “redefining love.”  Taking to Instagram on Valentine’s Day, the Grammy winner defined love as “compassion for others, talking on the phone w friends and laughing all night, looking in the mirror & dancing for myself.”  She also called love “a precious element” and encouraged her followers to “[h]elp a stranger, call a friend, hype yourself up” to learn her definition of what love truly means.

JoJo has found her next project and is joining the All American series in a recurring role that takes a page from her own life story.  Per Deadline, JoJo will play “Sabine, a world famous recording artist who’s been making music since she was 10 years old,” and who searches out Greta Onieogou‘s Layla to help her complete her upcoming album.  JoJo’s first appearance coincides with the season four premiere of All American, which airs this Monday, February 21, at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Whoopi Goldberg returned to The View on Monday following her two-week suspension and promised that the show would keep having “tough conversations.” Whoopi faced criticism after saying on the show that she did not believe the Holocaust was about race, but instead about “man’s inhumanity to man.” She later apologized but was removed temporarily from her duties as co-host.

Trevor Noah has been announced as the entertainer at the next White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Deadline reports. The event will return April 30 after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a new interview with Elle magazine, Zoë Kravitz opens up about her divorce, talks internet trolls and laments the too-soon cancellation of her Hulu show High Fidelity. On her divorce from Karl Glusman, The Batman actress says, “It really is less about him and more about me learning how to ask myself questions about who I am and still learning who I am, and that being okay. That’s the journey I’m on right now.” Kravitz is currently dating Channing Tatum.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bring Me the Horizon‘s collaboration with Ed Sheeran isn’t over yet.

The two acts are planning to release a studio version of their collaborative version of Sheeran’s hit “Bad Habits,” which they performed together during the U.K.’s BRIT Awards last week.

The news was announced in a video of a FaceTime call between Horizon frontman Oli Sykes and Sheeran, during which they reminisced about the fun they had onstage together.

“It’s just a joy to be able to play electric guitar and actually rock out properly,” Sheeran said. “So thank you for agreeing to do it.”

At the end of the call, Sykes and Sheeran agree they need to release a studio version.

“We have to get one out,” Sheeran says.

They’ll do just that when the recording drops this Friday, February 18.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Is Harry Styles gearing up for his next music era?  The “Adore You” singer certainly has something up his sleeve after fans spotted him being filmed on a giant bed in front of Buckingham Palace.

British publication Daily Mail obtained photos of the bizarre session, during which Harry was seen lounging on an ornate and oversized metal bed while covered in blankets and surrounded by fluffy pillows.  Harry also was wearing a pink and green scarf that matched his painted nails, as well as brown and blue polka dot pajamas.

Observers also said Harry’s guitarist and drummer hopped onto the bed for a bit.

It’s unknown exactly what Harry was doing, but the Daily Mail notes he briefly clogged traffic as the bed was on was towed down the street and toward the palace, while the cameras rolled.

It remains to be seen whether all of this means new music’s on the way. Harry’s last album, Fine Line, came out in 2019.

Harry just wrapped the U.S. leg of his Love On Tour and will pick up the European and South American halves starting in June, following his appearance at Coachella.  The last tour date is set for December 10 in Brazil.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.