Music

(NOTE LANGUAGE) Lil Durk finally dropped his highly anticipated 7220 album on Friday, after postponing the release for nearly three weeks.

When the clock struck midnight, the 17-track album and all of its hard-hitting, fresh, personal, bar-heavy bangers were made available for listening and streaming.

Durk had originally planned to release the project on 2/22, the same day Kanye’s Donda 2 was expected and delayed, but the Chicago rapper instead dropped only a single — one that for sure got the people talking.

In the song “Ahhh Ha,” Durk seemingly responds to NBA YoungBoy’s “Bring the Hook,” which appeared to be a diss track about the late rapper King Von. Durk and King Von were not only lifelong close friends but also members of the Durk-lead record label, Only The Family (OTF).

The release of Von’s posthumous album, What It Means to Be King last Friday could have contributed to Durk’s new 3/11 release date. Durk took to his Instagram to post a photo of Von’s album cover, in support of the rapper who was shot and killed in Atlanta last year.

As part of Durk’s final effort to promote the new album before its Friday release, he shared the visual for the Jerry Production-directed “Golden Child” single on Thursday.

A notable line in the song goes, “I bought my Lamb’ with cash // That boy dead, I’m glad // I don’t speak tongues, period // I don’t f*** with (DJ) Vlad // In New York, I dress like Fab // Too rich to jump in cabs.”

Landing at number five on the track list, “Golden Child” falls in line with the other 16 explicit, yet powerful, poetic songs.

Here’s the full 7220 track list:

“Started From”
“Headtaps”
“Ahhh Ha”
“Shootout @ My Crib”
“Golden Child”
“No Interviews”
“Petty Too” ft. Future
“Barbarian”
“What Happened to Virgil” ft. Gunna
“Grow Up / Keep It on Speaker”
“Smoking & Thinking”
“Blocklist”
“Difference Is” ft. Summer Walker
“Federal Nightmares”
“Love Dior Banks”
“Pissed Me Off”
“Broadway Girls” ft. Morgan Wallen

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Michael Bublé is ramping things up for the release of his new album, Higher, due out March 25.

The Canadian superstar has booked a series of TV appearances for later this month, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on March 16, and both Good Morning America and The View on March 18. On March 29, he’ll appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show. 

Michael then heads to Europe for a series of promotional appearances, and will then return to the U.S. for his previously announced Las Vegas residency at Resorts World, which runs April 27 to May 7.

Meanwhile, he’s just released the Latin-flavored title track of Higher, one of the original tracks on the new album.

As previously reported, Higher also features a duet with country legend Willie Nelson on Nelson’s song “Crazy,” a cover of Paul McCartney‘s song “My Valentine” that was produced by the Beatles legend himself, and Michael’s renditions of standards and pop classics like Bob Dylan‘s “Make You Feel My Love” and “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

After almost a week of teasing, Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion treated fans to their new song “Sweetest Pie.”

The first-time collaborators released the track at midnight Friday, with a seductively, sweet music video to match, directed by Dave Meyers. Dua’s smooth vocals are a nice compliment to Megan’s flow as the two make use of the double entendre that is the song title.

“Uh, this the ride of your life / hold on ’cause, baby, I might / I might just give you a bite of the sweetest pie / Uh, baby, we can go fast / I’ll drive and you just lay back / I got the flavour that lasts / yeah, the sweetest pie,” the English singer-songwriter sings in the chorus.

Megan’s verses are just as suggestive and full of double meanings with lyrics like “I got cake and I know he want a slice.”

Both Dua and Megan first teased “Sweetest Pie” on their Instagrams last weekend. Dua’s post featured a tiny snippet of the song, while the “Savage” rapper showed photos of herself and Dua on a series of cakes.

In addition to the two now having a song together, fans attending Dua’s Future Nostalgia tour will possibly get the chance to see them perform together since Megan will be featured as the opening act starting March 15.

In the meantime, “Sweetest Pie” is available to stream now. 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

So how does Kelly Clarkson feel about her divorce? According to a source, People reports, “Kelly is obviously happy to have the divorce finalized.” The source adds, “The kids have always been her main priority through everything. She truly is able to begin the next chapter of her life with her kids, and she’s also busier than ever with her career. She’s in a great place.” The Grammy winner and her ex, Brandon Blackstock, were married for seven years.

Kristin Chenoweth wept when she found out Ariana Grande would be playing Glinda in the upcoming Wicked movie. “I love her so much; I’ve known her since she was 10,” Kristin, who originated the role on Broadway, told Today. “I think that crown and wand are going to the exact correct person. And I think she’s gonna nail it… I did cry when she got it.”

Kesha is celebrating her recent 35th birthday with brand-new merchandise. She launched the Kesha Birthday Collection online store, which features new clothes, hoodies, sweatpants and socks with new prints. “In honor of my birth and to all my Pisces season emotional open hearted ocean rainbow babies, happy birthday! To all of you with all the zodiac signs, this merch was designed by me to encourage opening that third eye,” Kesha said in a statement.

Doja Cat had an interesting way of promoting her new partnership with Taco Bell, for which she previously starred in a Super Bowl commercial. She shared a video on TikTok begging fans to forgive her for her upcoming Taco Bell “jingle” — a word she “banned” because she hates the word so much. “They want me to rap about Mexican pizza,” she explained. “Just know, it’s contractual. I know it’s bad.” Then, with fake enthusiasm, she dropped her jingle, in which she jokes the Mexican pizza “ain’t even Mexican food.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sure, you can’t see Adele in Las Vegas yet, but you can see her perform on your TV later this month.

An Audience with Adele, a concert she taped last year at the London Palladium, will air March 20 on NBC at 9 p.m. ET/PT.  You can catch it streaming the next day on Peacock.

The show was Adele’s first in London since 2017, and the star-studded audience included Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Emma Watson, Boy George, Dua Lipa, Samuel L. Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Graham Norton, Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, Doctor Who/Broadchurch star David Tennant and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber.

In addition to performing songs from her latest album, 30, Adele also performed some of her past hits, answered questions posed by celebrities and, in a tearful moment, was reunited with her old English teacher.

This special follows Adele’s CBS concert special last year, which also featured a sit-down with Oprah Winfrey.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

You’ve probably heard about “the metaverse” — a virtual reality online environment in which you can interact with things almost as if they were real.  And one of those things you can interact with is Harry Connick Jr., who will teach you how to play the piano.

The singer, songwriter and actor has launched a “socially-immersive experience” called The Neutral Ground, described as a metaverse “community” where people can “connect, engage and interact around some of [Harry’s] passions, including music, food, and family.”

The first experience in The Neutral Ground is called Piano Party, and it’s an online course designed for all ages and abilities.  Season one of Piano Party launches March 29, and features nine on-demand lessons, two live interactive sessions with Harry, and access to “an exclusive, private learning community.”  Those who sign up can get priority access to The Neutral Ground.  The experience costs $70, which is a lot cheaper than having a piano teacher come to your house every week.

You can sign up directly for Piano Party, and also for The Neutral Ground in general, via Harry’s website.

“The Neutral Ground is a place for all of us to hang out and have a good time. Music, food, shows, hangouts… it’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Harry says in a statement. “I can’t wait to go on this adventure with everyone. There’s still a lot to figure out in this new world, and I’m excited about all of the possibilities.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Stevie Wonder and Elton John released a music video on Thursday for their 2021 collaboration, “Finish Line.”

Taken from Elton John’s album The Lockdown Sessions, the heartwarming visual features a montage of video footage and images through the decades depicting pivotal moments of life, including the pandemic. Images of the two musicians, both of the present and the past, are sprinkled throughout the video, showcasing the long-running friendship and companionship they share. 

The new video marks the latest for the legendary duo and arrives over 35 years since featured together on the hit charity song, “That’s What Friends Are For.”

Alicia Keys says she remembers the moment she realized her single, “Girl on Fire,” would be more than just a hit song.

“I called my husband (Swizz Beatz) and I said, ‘Babe, I think something special is happening right now,'” she said in an interview with USA Today.   

In honor of the track’s 10-year anniversary, the 15-time Grammy-winning musician released the Girl on Fire graphic novel. The book’s purpose is to continue the story first presented in the 2012 song. Keys said, “You definitely get to imagine who this girl on fire is.”

Congratulations are in order for grown-ish star Yara Shahidi, who took to her Instagram to post the exciting new that she recently submitted her undergraduate degree thesis.

The actress has been studying at Harvard University and after completing the 136 pages of writing, she commemorated the event by flexing her stats in the middle of a snowy street.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

After releasing a new remix of her 1998 hit “Frozen,” created with producer Sickick and Nigerian singer Fireboy DML, Madonna has now dropped a video for the track.

The clip incorporates elements of Madonna’s original video for “Frozen” — specifically, shots of a huge black dog and an effect that showed Madonna hitting the ground and turning into a flock of black birds.  The rest of the track has her performing in a black leather bustier, gloves and boots, plus fishnet stockings, against a flashing, multi-colored background.

Fireboy DML, with whom Ed Sheeran collaborates on the current single “Peru,” shows up and sings alone, and then to Madonna; they stand together and then appear to go their separate ways.

As previously reported, this version of “Frozen” was created by Sickick and blew up on TikTok in 2021, where it soundtracked more than 100,000 different videos. Fireboy jumped on the track and added his own verse.

2022 marks the 40th anniversary of Madonna’s recording debut: Her first single, “Everybody,” came out in October of 1982.  A partnership deal she signed last year with Warner Music Group will include a “career-spanning multi-year series of releases that will revisit her whole catalog.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.