Music

When Tyrese and his girlfriend, Zelie Timothy, announced Wednesday on Instagram that they had broken up, some fans suspected a scam. They were right.

The couple admitted they faked the split to promote her YouTube channel. The Fast & Furious star made the admission in a nine-minute Instagram video, with Timothy laughing behind him.

“It was my idea,” Tyrese confessed. “We just want to apologize. We broke up for a good three-and-a-half minutes. We did it for the ‘Gram.'”

On Wednesday, Tyrese posted a video of Zelie naked, covered with soap suds in a bathtub. The singer/actor commented, “We had so much potential. We really did. I wish you well, ending on a good note is a good thing….. I will forever love you @zelietimothy cheers to you!!”

She reposted the video on her page and responded, “You can’t force a man to respect you. But you can refuse to not be disrespected. I wish the very best for you I hope you figure it out.”

On the same day, Zelie posted a 24-minute video of their recent vacation in Cancun with Tyrese. She commented, “I’m FINALLY back on Youtube with my first ever Baecation Vlog. My baby Tyrese really made this 6 Day Baycay special and I want you guys to join us. Enjoy.”

When Gibson encouraged his followers to view the video, using Bible quotes, a few suggested that the breakup announcement was a publicity stunt to promote Timothy’s YouTube channel.

One person commented, “People who see through the smoke signals won’t hit the link because why TF are u lying and faking it to make it. Just a simple follow my girl would be sufficient enough. It’s the corny lies and acting then using scriptures smh come on u better than this.”

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Bullet for My Valentine has premiered the video for “Rainbow Veins,” a track off the band’s upcoming self-titled album.

In keeping with the song’s name, the visual is certainly colorful, although less in a sunshine-and-rainbows way and more in a Requiem for a Dream hallucination sequence way.

“‘Rainbow Veins’ is out now and we couldn’t be happier for you guys to finally hear it,” Bullet says.” It is one of our favorite tracks from the upcoming album and we’re sure it’ll be one of yours too. Turn it up!”    

You can watch the the “Rainbow Veins” video streaming now on YouTube.

Bullet for My Valentine the album is due out November 5. It also includes the previously released songs “Knives,” “Shatter” and “Parasite.”

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Jason Aldean is lashing out against California Governor Gavin Newsom‘s recent vaccine mandate, which requires school children to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before attending in-person learning.

“So let me get this straight! It is no longer our decisions as parents (or free Americans) to make decisions about our kids, Gavin Newsom makes those decisions for us now,” said Aldean in an Instagram post on Sunday. “You gotta be kidding me!”

The 44-year-old “Dirt Road Anthem” singer continued, “People in California should be outraged and people everywhere else better start standing up and speaking out NOW. This is not how America and being free works.”

While Aldean garnered the support of celebrities such as Candace Owens, Jon Pardi, Gavin Degraw and Parker McCollum, others have challenged the singer about schools mandating vaccinations against other highly contagious illnesses, such as polio and chickenpox.

Last Friday, California became the first state in the nation to require children between the ages of 12 and 17 be vaccinated against COVID-19, pending full FDA approval, before they can attend schools for in-person learning.

Americans aged 12 and up are already eligible for the Pfizer vaccine under an emergency use authorization. Full approval, which is a longer process, has been granted by the FDA for those over 16.

Newsom made the announcement as the nation surpassed 700,000 COVID-19-related deaths, which is more than Vermont’s entire population, according to census data.

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Kelly Clarkson‘s upcoming album may be a Christmas release, but it sounds like she’s letting out some kind of feelings in her songs.

The first single, “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You),” is a holiday kiss-off, where Kelly sings, “You ruined all my favorite things/But you won’t take Christmas from me.” Now she’s unveiled a snippet of a song with a similar theme. 

On Sunday, she wrote on Twitter, “Y’all! My Christmas album When Christmas Comes Around… is almost here!! In 12 days to be exact…So I thought I’d give y’all a sneak peek of songs off this record leading up to its release.  Here’s the first one! This one’s called ‘Merry Christmas Baby’ and it kicks off the album.”

But instead of being a cover of the holiday blues classic of the same name, Kelly’s song is a retro-sounding number in which she sings, “I’ll let my absence show you what I got you for Christmas/Is losing me/ Merry Christmas baby.”

When Christmas Comes Around… is Kelly’s first album since her very public divorce from Brandon Blackstock. In a statement announcing the album, she explained that the title refers to the fact that “we are probably all in very different places emotionally ‘when Christmas comes around.’”

She continued, “Some of us consumed with a new love, some of us reminded of loss, some filled with optimism for the coming new year, others elated for some much deserved time away from the chaos our work lives can sometimes bring us.”

When Christmas Comes Around… is out October 15.

So I thought I’d give y’all a sneak peek of songs off this record leading up to its release. 🎶 Here’s the first one! This one’s called “Merry Christmas Baby” and it kicks off the album 🎄 #WhenChristmasComesAround https://t.co/Vz3Y331GgP pic.twitter.com/cBmKiAgcBx

— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 3, 2021

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Thomas Rhett is counting his blessings in the form of a song. 

Since kicking off his Center Point Road Tour in May, Thomas has been soaking in each moment of his fourth headlining trek, especially after being off the road for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It feels so good, it’s just been a blast. When you’re forced out of it, it makes you sit back and you go ‘I was born to do this,'” he tells Entertainment Tonight, adding “every single song that we get to sing is a blessing this year.” 

This marks TR’s 11th year out on the road as a touring act. He says the time away from the stage during the pandemic gave him a new appreciation for the impact its had on his life.

“This year, we’ve gotten back out, me and the band just have a different appreciation for each other, a different appreciation for our musicality, the way that we’re singing, the way that we’re performing, really trying to just bring as much energy as we ever have this year,” he says. “And we walk off stage every night with giant smiles on our faces, wishing that it wasn’t over.”

The Center Point Road Tour wraps up on Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan has announced a new album called Imposter, due out November 12.

Recorded in collaboration with the production duo Soulsavers, Imposter includes covers of songs originally recorded by artists including Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Cat Power and Mark Lanegan, among others.

“[Gahan and Soulsavers] didn’t write these songs, but listened to them, studied them, and gave them new life,” reads a description of the album. “It is a reflection of Dave’s life, a story told by others, but in his own distinct voice.”

Imposter is the third collaboration between Gahan and Soulsavers, following 2012’s The Light the Dead See and 2015’s Angels & Ghosts. Depeche Mode’s most recent album is 2017’s Spirit.

Meanwhile, Gahan just released a cover of Metallica‘s “Nothing Else Matters” for the metal legends’ Blacklist tribute album, which dropped last month.

Here’s the Imposter track list:

“The Dark End of the Street”
“Strange Religion”
“Lilac Wine”
“I Held My Baby Last Night”
“A Man Needs a Maid”
“Metal Heart”
“Shut Me Down”
“Where My Love Lies Asleep”
“Smile”
“The Desperate Kingdom of Love”
“Not Dark Yet”
“Always on My Mind”

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TLC’s long awaited CrazySexyCool Tour had to be put on ice to allow T-Boz time to recover following an unexpected allergic reaction.

Taking to Twitter over the weekend, the Grammy-winning duo, comprised of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, announced that they had to reschedule their Saturday evening show in Houston.

“TLC has rescheduled the Saturday, October 2nd show at the Smart Financial Center in Houston, TX to Monday, October 4th,” the announcement declared. “Due to extreme cigarette and recreational smoke being present backstage at a previous show, T-Boz suffered an allergic reaction.”

The statement continued, “The group has always enforced a strict no smoking policy at their shows in an effort to prevent any health related issues for the group and/or crew.”

It was then announced that TLC also had to move their Sunday concert in Irving, Texas, to Tuesday, October 5.

“We are so excited to see all our TLC fans there!” the duo tweeted.

The CrazySexyCool tour, which kicked off September 3 in Alabama, is a celebration of the ladies’ 1994 album CrazySexyCool and will pay homage to the ’90s by featuring themes and fashion from the decade.

To date, CrazySexyCool has sold more than 14 million copies since its November 1994 release, making it the best-selling album by an American girl group. The album features the hits “Red Light Special,” “Creep,” “Diggin’ on You” and the group’s number-one classic, “Waterfalls.”

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New Kids on the Block are still hangin’ tough — and not only that, they’re never gonna let you down, they’re gonna free your mind, and they’re gonna push it.

NKOTB just announced the lineup for their MixTape 2022 tour, and joining them for the trek are Rick Astley, En Vogue, and Salt-N-Pepa.  The outing kicks off May 10 in Cincinnati and is currently scheduled to wrap July 23 in Washington, D.C. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 8 via Ticketmaster.  Visit NKOTB.com for full details.

New Kids will take over The Kelly Clarkson Show today for “Kelly’s New Kids on the Block Party,” where they’ll give fans a preview of what they can expect from the tour.

In a statement, Donnie Wahlberg says, “Just like a mixtape, these shows are going to take audiences through all the emotions. To be able to have Salt-N-Pepa come back and now also have the iconic and legendary Rick Astley & En Vogue join the tour… we could not be more excited. Let’s GO!”

NKOTB’s 2019 MixTape tour, featuring Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Salt-N-Pepa and Naughty By Nature, grossed more than $53 million.

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Kacey Musgraves bared all in her Saturday Night Live performance.

In the episode hosted by Owen Wilson, the Grammy winning singer shared star-crossed with the world, opening her two-song set with a body- and soul-baring moment poised as she performed “justified” on a stool with a guitar, wearing boots and seemingly nothing else.

The moment was similar to the famous scene in Forrest Gump when Jenny, played by Robin Wright, performs nude with only her guitar covering her.

For “camera roll,” Kacey changed into jeans and a flannel shirt. Sitting at a table alone with rotating images of strangers sitting across from her as she performed, she made her way to the center of the stage barefoot, singing of the “torture” of scrolling through old photos of a past relationship.

This marks the singer’s second SNL appearance following her 2018 debut appearance after the release of Golden Hour.

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