Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Go-Go’s had five West Coast concerts scheduled for this week and next, spanning from a December 28 show in San Francisco through a January 3 performance in San Diego, but all of the events have been postponed because a member of the band’s team recently tested positive for COVID-19.
A message from The Go-Go’s announcing the unfortunate news explains, “ALTHOUGH WE ARE, OF COURSE, VERY DISAPPOINTED, we will be following proper protocols and postponing our upcoming west coast dates.”
The band adds, “We will be announcing new dates VERY soon and look forward to getting back to performing and celebrating with everyone. WISHING EVERYONE A WONDERFUL AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR!”
The three other postponed concerts were scheduled for tonight, December 29, in Los Angeles, and on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Las Vegas.
The Go-Go’s were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on October 30 in Cleveland and performed a three-song set at the ceremony. They also played a special club show on December 14 the the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California.
The band’s next scheduled concerts will take place this June, when the group will serve as Billy Idol‘s opening act at a series of U.K. shows.
McLean: Jason Kempin/Getty Images; Taylor: Kevin Mazur/TAS/Getty Images for TAS
When Taylor Swift‘s 10-minute version of “All Too Well” topped the Billboard Hot 100, it set a new record for the longest song ever to hit number one — a record previously held by Don McLean‘s classic 1971 hit, “American Pie.” But no hard feelings: McLean says he’d even be open to a Taylor Swift collaboration.
As previously reported, after “All Too Well” broke the record, Taylor sent a bouquet of flowers to McLean, along with a sweet note. Now, the singer/songwriter, 76, tells People magazine that as far as working with Taylor in the future, “Anything is possible, if it’s done the right way. I’m always interested in doing anything.”
“Taylor takes the whole new form of entertainment to the peak by making these phenomenal videos and records and doing these massive tours that are successful, and so on and so forth,” McLean notes. “It’s really good for young people who want to get into this business.”
“You can make it as a singer with a guitar if you figure out what Ed [Sheeran] did,” he explains. “And you can make it as a major rock and roll force of nature, which is what I call Taylor Swift, if you want to do that.”
McLean is currently scheduled to kick off a tour in January that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his American Pie album and its title track.
Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman is reportedly being sued for failure to pay rent in one of Los Angeles’ richest neighborhoods.
Cycad Management is demanding $147,000 in back rent for a mansion in Bel-Air, California, according to Radaronline.com. Birdman, born Bryan Williams, is being accused of breach of contract. Williams, whose net worth is estimated at over $100 million, launched the careers of Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and many more stars.
The lawsuit claims that the music mogul agreed to rent a property on a month-to-month basis at the rate of $33,000 a month. The mansion has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
Cycad says it reached an oral agreement with Birdman, and claims that he stopped paying his rent in the summer.
“At present, Defendants are very delinquent — nearly 5 months delinquent in rent — and also owe Plaintiff other monies for cleaning services rendered at the Rental Property at Defendant’s request,” the lawsuit reads. Cycad also demands that Birdman vacate the property by December 31.
Ahead of her Las Vegas residency kickoff tonight, Katy Perry has released a new song that’ll be featured in the show: “When I’m Gone,” a collaboration with superstar DJ/producer Alesso.
Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Katy says, “Alesso actually brought me the framework of this song about a year, maybe a year and a half ago. I was like, ‘I’m not ready to go into a new album cycle, where I’m just going bam, bam, bam…[I’m] preparing for Vegas, which is a huge undertaking.'”
But Katy says she realized that her residency, PLAY, would be a perfect showcase for the song. “It’s so big and so wild that we wanted to inject some new blood into it,” she explains. “I was like, ‘I have the perfect timing to put out a dance song that is through and through just so much fun and up, up, up.'”
“Then also with the music video that’s coming, I’m just going for it,” she adds. “I’ve been in the dance studio for weeks. Mama can’t just be pushing the pram. She’s got to push the bam.”
“Pram” is the British word for baby carriage, in case you’re not familiar.
The video for “When I’m Gone,” which Katy has described as “sexy,” will premiere January 10, during halftime of the College Football Playoff National Championship.”
Katy says in a statement, “ESPN and especially College GameDay hold a special place in my heart, so partnering with Alesso to become the first artists to ever debut a global music video within a live event on ESPN made for a perfect and natural pairing.”
In 2021, all those collaborations that Elton John had been doing for the past year or so really paid off, as he returned to the charts for the first time in decades.
In August, Elton teamed up with his new BFF Dua Lipa, who he became friendly with in 2020, to release “Cold Heart.” The mashup of four Elton songs — “Sacrifice,” “Rocket Man,” “Kiss the Bride” and “Where’s the Shoorah?” — was created by Australian dance act Pnau, with whom the music legend had previously collaborated.
–“Cold Heart” proved to be an unexpected smash, returning Elton to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 for the firs time since 1999. It also officially gave him a 50-year span of singles on the top 40: the longest for any artist in Billboard history.
–“Cold Heart” was an even bigger hit in the U.K. When it hit the top 10, it made Elton the only act in the history of the singles chart in that country to score a top-10 hit in six different decades. Then in October, “Cold Heart” topped the U.K. chart, becoming Elton’s first number-one in his home country in 16 years.
–“Cold Heart” also became Elton’s first-ever number one on Billboard‘s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, and his first Australian number-one since 1997, making him, at 74, the oldest person ever to top the Australian chart.
–The number-one success of “Cold Heart” in the U.K. was helped along by Elton’s pal Ed Sheeran. After his song “Shivers” had been number one for four weeks, Ed actively encouraged his fans to stop streaming his song and stream Elton’s instead, writing, “Who doesn’t wanna be knocked off [the top] by Elton anyway?”
–After the release of “Cold Heart,” Elton surprised fans by announcing The Lockdown Sessions, an album featuring Elton duetting with everyone from Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X and Nicki Minaj, to Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder and Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder.
–Released in October, The Lockdown Sessions became Elton’s first top-10 album since 2016 in the U.S., and his first number-one album in the U.K. since 2012.
–In November, Prince Charles presented Elton with the Order of the Companions of Honour, which was first established in 1917 to reward “outstanding achievement.”
–In December, Elton and Ed teamed up for the festive holiday song “Merry Christmas,” which debuted at number one on the U.K. chart. The duo then partnered with the British duo LadBaby to create a parody of their song called “Sausage Rolls for Everyone,” a charity single which raised money for British food banks. The parody went on to become the U.K.’s much-coveted Christmas number one for 2021. It gave Elton his third U.K. number one of 2021.
–The one negative thing that happened to Elton in 2021 was that he had to push back his European tour dates because he had to have a hip operation. But his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour is one of the most anticipated of 2022.
Whether it’s showing her American patriotism by singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” or tapping into her Italian ancestry for a movie role, Lady Gaga showed all sides of herself this year. She continued to seamlessly balance her music and acting careers, and has the awards buzz to prove it.
Here’s a roundup of Gaga’s most notable 2021 moments:
— She kicked off 2021 with a powerful performance of the national anthem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration .
— In February, while she was away filming House of Gucci in Italy, her dog walker was shot and her two French bulldogs were stolen in a brazen dog-napping in LA. The dog walker thankfully recovered, and Gaga’s dogs were found and returned safe.
— Gaga and Ariana Grande won the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy in March for their number-one duet, “Rain on Me.”
— Gaga’s Born This Way album turned 10 in May. In celebration of the milestone, she released a special Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary Album, featuring the album’s 14 original songs and six reimagined versions of tracks by LGBTQIA+ artists and allies.
— Gaga released her second duets album with Tony Bennett, Love for Sale, in October. The record, which is Bennett’s final studio recording, features the 95-year-old crooner and Gaga singing songs penned by the iconic composer Cole Porter. The duo also performed two shows at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Love for Sale went on to earn six Grammy nods.
— House of Gucci, Gaga’s acting follow-up to her Oscar-nominated role in 2018’s A Star Is Born, was released in November. She plays Patrizia Reggiani, the woman who was famously convicted of arranging the murder of her ex-husband, Italian fashion heir Maurizio Gucci. The role is already garnering awards buzz, with Gaga snagging the New York Film Critics Circle honor for Best Actress.
Cardi B is inviting her fans to bring in the New Year while wearing her Reebok metallic apparel and sneaker collection.
Following her ‘Let Me Be… In My World’ line, which was released in August, the Invasion of Privacy rapper dropped her second Reebok collection, ‘Let Me Be…In My World Nighttime,’ on Wednesday.
Inspired by by the nightlife of Cardi’s New York City hometown, the new collection features a metallic leather sneaker, crops, tights, cargo pants, and a plush fleece robe with Cardi’s signature logo embroidered on the chest.
“Nighttime in my hometown of New York is such a beautiful, magical experience, and I’m happy to see this magic come to life with my latest Reebok collection,” the Grammy winner said in a statement. “These pieces are easy to wear from the street to the club while still letting you feel comfortable, confident and unique. I promise you’ll be feeling like the best version of yourself when you have these pieces on!”
The 29-year-old entertainer posted several photos with her sneakers and clothing on Instagram. The full collection is now available on Cardi’s Reebok website.
The launch of the ‘Let Me Be… In My World’ line follows Cardi’s recent announcement of her initial project as Playboy’s first Creative Director in Residence. She introduced the Playboy Centerfold website, described as “a platform for creative freedom, artistic expression, & sex positivity. The home for the world’s top creators to interact with their fans.”
As he heads towards the finish line of a banner year, Walker Hayes says that 2022 is looking up.
“Next year, we’ve got a lot in store,” the singer says. A viral hitmaker who cruised into the country mainstream with the success of his massive 2021 hit, “Fancy Like,” he’s now got plans to keep the momentum going in just about every way.
“We’re going on tour, and we’re taking MacKenzie Porter. She’s incredible. I’m jacked about bringing her,” Walker continues. “And we got an album coming out. Honestly, can’t pick a favorite song. It’s just whichever one I listened to last, and that’s good for an artist. That’s a great feeling.”
That new project is Country Stuff the Album, a 13-song collection that’ll flesh out his 2021 EP of the same title. When the full-length version comes out in January, it’ll arrive to a fan base that’s grown exponentially over the past year.
Walker — who spent years enjoying moderate country success before finding his breakout hit with “Fancy Like” — will continue to soak up every moment of stardom once the new year hits.
“Yeah, maybe [I’ll] be out on some big tours this summer,” he hints. “Just feeding off ‘Fancy Like,’ you know? Riding that roller coaster, and [my next single] ‘AA’ following in its shoes. Let’s go. Come on. It’s gonna be a great year.”
Before he gets to 2022, though, Walker’s closing this year out with a bang. He’s headed to LA to perform on ABC’s annual special, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest, which airs on December 31 beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Dr. Dre has reportedly agreed to pay his ex-wife, Nicole Young, $100 million in their divorce settlement.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, whose net worth is estimated at $820 million, will keep his seven properties: a Malibu home, two homes in Calabasas, and four properties in the Los Angeles area, including a $100 million Brentwood estate, according to TMZ. Dre also maintains ownership of his Apple stocks, six vehicles, the rights to his master recordings, and his various partnerships, including Beats By Dre.
Nicole will get four vehicles, her jewelry, as well as money she has in her bank accounts. She is required to pay her own legal fees, which have been estimated to be millions of dollars.
Earlier this month, Dre posed for an Instagram photo with a string of balloons that read “divorced AF,” suggesting that the divorce had been finalized.
Young filed for divorce in July 2020 after 24 years of marriage, and the former couple has been involved in bitter divorce proceedings over the past year. As previously reported, Young had papers served to the six-time Grammy winner at a cemetery in Los Angeles, where he was burying his grandmother.
Dre and Nicole share a son, Truice, 24, and a daughter, Truly, 20.
On December 15, The Chronic rapper released six songs, his first new music in six years, for the Grand Theft Auto video game, GTA Online: The Contract. The tracks feature Eminem, Snoop Dogg with Anderson .Paak, Ty Dolla $ign with Nipsey Hussle, plus Paak and Rick Ross, as well as two solo songs.
In January, the former N.W.A. member will begin rehearsals with Eminem, Snoop, Kendrick Lamar and MaryJ.Blige for their halftime performance at Super Bowl LVI, February 13 in Inglewood, CA.
Maren Morris just celebrated her second Christmas with her son, Hayes, who’s old enough to enjoy gifts this year — but not necessarily the gifts his mom thought he’d like.
“Went to Texas for Christmas and my son got so many gifts I thought he’d love,” she wrote on Twitter this week. “[H]is preference?” Climbing in and out of a dog crate for 2 hours. I give up.”
The singer didn’t share any photos or video of Hayes enjoying his “toy.” Since early on in his life, she’s put a pretty strict limit on photos she posts of her son, after facing negativity from mommy-shamers who picked out criticisms of her parenting style whenever she shared snapshots of her family life.
But Maren does share little snippets of life with Hayes now and again: Back in October, the singer’s Twitter followers got to see a glimpse of Hayes yelling “moo” at a procession of horses.
“ATTN: My son thinks horses say ‘moo’ and it’s here to brighten up your doom scrolling,” the singer wrote in the caption of the post.
In recent weeks, Maren also teased exciting musical news on the horizon, hinting that she’s got big plans for new releases in 2022. She’s also nominated at January’s Grammy Awards ceremony, thanks to “Chasing After You,” her duet with her singer-songwriter husband, Ryan Hurd.
Went to Texas for Christmas and my son got so many gifts I thought he’d love… his preference?
Climbing in and out of a dog crate for 2 hours. I give up.
