Music

Carly Pearce has crossed a major career threshold with her two nominations at the 2021 CMA Awards. 

Carly is nominated for the first time for Female Vocalist of the Year, alongside Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Gabby Barrett and Ashley McBryde.

She’s also a first-time nominee for the coveted Album of the Year award for her critically acclaimed 29. Carly’s the only woman in nominated the category, a point she acknowledged in a celebratory post after the nominations were unveiled.

“ALBUM OF THE YEAR NOMINEE. To see 29 recognized like this, it blows me away,” she writes on Twitter. “To be the only woman in the category, well, that speaks to the hunger people have for real life… even when it’s the tough stuff.” 

“To be included this year with so many incredible peers and vocalists makes me feel like people can hear the truth I try to carry in my voice. I am so honored,” she adds of her Female Vocalist of the Year nod. 

Carly took home her first CMA win in 2020 for Musical Event of the Year for “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” featuring Lee Brice. 

The CMA Awards air on November 10 on ABC.

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Kanye West has found himself in charge of two other Billboard charts, thanks to his new album, Donda.

For the first time in his career, the “Stronger” rapper simultaneously leads the Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts.  Ye is both a co-producer and co-songwriter on the album’s 27 tracks.  

This makes Kanye 12th artist to accomplish the feat and one of four acts to achieve the feat this year, including Dan Nigro, Finneas and J. Cole.

West also leads a third chart, the Billboard 200.  As previously reported, Donda is the biggest release of 2021 after moving a jaw-dropping 309,000 units in its first week.  Yeezy’s album was streamed 357.39 million times, the largest number of any album this year, and sold 37,000 physical copies.

He also could be making his way atop the Hot 100, with his track “Hurricane” blowing into the top ten, currently resting in sixth place.   Another Donda track, “Jail,” is hovering at number 10.

“Off the Grid” and “Ok Ok” follow behind at number 11 and 12, respectively, while “Junya” and “Moon” debut at number 16 and 17, respectively.

Ye has one other track in the top 20, with “Praise God” in the 20th spot.

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The worldwide 24-hour Global Citizen Live concert, taking place September 25 in various cities, has announced its lineups for shows in Los Angeles and London.

The L.A. concert will be headlined by Stevie Wonder and will take place at the Greek Theatre. The event also will feature Queen collaborator Adam Lambert, Demi Lovato, OneRepublic, H.E.R., The Lumineers and more. Tickets are available now at GlobalCitizenLive.la.

In a statement, Wonder says, “It is again my pleasure and honor to join with all of the artists who are using their gift of song to celebrate the Global Citizens’ event by doing our part in working against global warming, starvation and singing for equality around the world…We Are The Village!!!”

The London show’s lineup includes Duran Duran, disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC and dance diva Kylie Minogue.

In addition, Elton John has been confirmed to perform in Paris, joining previously announced artists Ed Sheeran, Black Eyed Peas, Charlie Puth and Doja Cat.

Also as previously announced, the lineup for the New York part of the show includes Cyndi Lauper, Jennifer Lopez, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Alessia Cara and more.

Performances by Green Day, Metallica, Ricky Martin, Usher, Lorde and BTS will take place at as-yet-unannounced locations.

The other cities hosting Global Citizen shows are Sydney, Australia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Lagos, Nigeria.

ABC News Live will broadcast the full event starting at 12:30 p.m. ET on September 25, with a highlights show scheduled to air on ABC on September 26 at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets for Paris, New York City, and Los Angeles can be earned by taking action at GlobalCitizenLive.org.

The goal of Global Citizen Live is to encourage people to call upon world leaders, philanthropists and politicians to prioritize vaccine equality, climate change and famine.

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Sabrina Carpenter is out with new single, “Skinny Dipping.”

Co-written by Sabrina, Julia Michaels and JP Saxe, the song finds Sabrina imagining an encounter with an ex who tries to rekindle the flame, and her reaction to that possibility.

“We’ve been swimming on the edge of a cliff/I’m resistant, but going down with the ship,” she sings. “It’d be so nice, right? Right?/If we could take it all off and just exist/And skinny dip in water under the bridge.”

In a statement, Sabrina says, “One day we’ll be older and see our past experiences with such fresh eyes that maybe the bad things won’t feel so bad, and trust that life will lead us exactly where we’re meant to be.”

There’s also a “Skinny Dipping” video, in which Sabrina puts pages from her journal into a box, carries it downtown and flings the pages into the air as she lies down in the street.  Then a woman on a motorcycle — who removes her helmet to reveal that it’s Sabrina, also — pulls up and gives Sabrina in the street a “let’s go” look.

“Skinny Dipping” is the follow-up to Sabrina’s previous single, “Skin.”  Her full-length debut album for Island Records is coming “soon,” according to a press release.

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Lorde has surprise released a new EP called Te Ao Mārama.

The set features new renditions of songs from the “Royals” artist’s new Solar Power album, sung in te reo Māori, the language of the Indigenous New Zealand Māori people. Selections include the Solar Power lead single and title track, as well as “The Path,” “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” “Fallen Fruit” and “Oceanic Feeling.”

Te Ao Mārama is available now for digital download. Proceeds will benefit the New Zealand charities Forest and Bird and Te Hua Kawariki Charitable Trust.

Solar Power, Lorde’s third album, was released in August. She’ll launch a U.S. tour in support of the record in April 2022.

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Sam Hunt remains “23” in his new single. 

The sweet song finds Sam observing “real love” and “real life” as he reflects on a relationship when he was 23 years old, a moment frozen in time. Throughout the song, the singer reflects on the former couple’s first trip to New Orleans and a visit to Folly Beach while looking ahead to the future, imagining his past love working at an office job and longing for their past adventures.

Though the singer tells his lover that she’s free to move on in life, the two will always have the memories made together when they were 23. 

“No matter where I go/No matter what I do/I’ll never be 23 with anyone but you/You can marry who you want/Go back to Tennessee/But you’ll never be 23/With anyone but me,” Sam professes over a summery guitar melody. 

“23” is Sam’s first single since “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90s” topped the country charts earlier this year. He also released an acoustic version of “23,” recorded at Ocean Way studio in Nashville.

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How nervous was Camila Cabello before her first date with Shawn Mendes? So nervous that she had to get drunk and sing a special song to build up her courage.

Camila appeared in the “Carpool Karaoke” segment of The Late Late Show with James Corden Wednesday night with her Cinderella co-stars Idina Menzel and Billy Porter, and revealed that “in preparation for dates” and “for life,” she would sing “Defying Gravity,” Idina’s big number from the Broadway show Wicked.

“I swear, before Shawn and I’s first date, I was so nervous, I took two tequila shots and sang ‘Defying Gravity’ over and over,” Camila admitted.  Explaining that while she and Shawn were friends at the time, they weren’t “together,” and there were a lot of “stakes” — including when they’d have their first kiss.

“So he’s about to come over and I’m, like, so nervous I just can’t take it,” Camila continued. “My dad is there and I’m like, ‘Pour me two tequila shots — just do it!’ and I sang ‘Defying Gravity!'”

Of course, James, Billy, Idina and Camila then burst into a rendition of the song, as the audience cheered wildly. 

“Oh my God, if Shawn Mendes knew the second he walked in the door that that was happening….” James began.

“…He’d be terrified!” replied Camila.

Things seem to have worked out O.K. for the couple, though: They’ve been together for more than two years.

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Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood shine in spite of heartbreak in the video for “If I Didn’t Love You.”

The visual follows Jason as he sits alone in an empty house, the remaining items covered in white sheets to hide the memories of a past love. Meanwhile, his duet partner finds him singing inside the lavish Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, where the two belt out the song onstage between clips of Jason bringing some music back into the house again, letting out his emotions as he plays the piano. 

“Carrie was made for this song, but also for this video,” Jason says in a statement. “I’m glad that she was down to get together to make it. It’s something that turned out a little outside of what I’d normally do, which is always cool.”

“If I Didn’t Love You” is racing up the charts, currently inside the top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and the top 15 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

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Wednesday marked the 15th anniversary of Justin Timberlake‘s landmark sophomore album FutureSex/LoveSounds, which turned him from a rising solo artist into a global superstar.  It’s no wonder he took to Instagram to pay special tribute to the multi-platinum project.

“15 years ago today, I released my 2nd album… FutureSex/LoveSounds. This album changed my life,” Justin wrote, posting snippets of the videos for the album’s many hits. “Every album is a different chapter and special to me but, this one??? I don’t even know if I have the words.”

“I’m often asked what my favorite song on the album is but they’re all my babies so I can’t pick,” Justin continued. “But I do know this: album STILL HITS.”

Released September 8, 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds featured production by Timbaland.  Justin also shared a snippet of an interview where the two men talk about their collaboration. Among the album’s hits: “My Love,” “What Goes Around…Comes Around,” “LoveStoned/I Think She Knows” and of course, “SexyBack.”

FutureSex/LoveSounds hit number one and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2007 Grammys.  While it didn’t win in that category, all the singles from the album won Grammys in their respective categories.

Echoing the feelings of many fans who posted that they suddenly felt very old, actress/director Olivia Wilde commented, “I’m sorry 15 YEARS?”

 

 

 

 

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