Music

Last year, Mariah Carey launched Mariah’s Cookies, a virtual bakery concept that allows fans to order the sweet treats from third-party delivery apps like Grubhub, Postmates and UberEats.  The cookies are now making their return for the 2021 holiday season.

The Mariah’s Cookies Holiday Hits Trio, a special-edition box filled with holiday flavors, is now available for a limited time.  “We forgot to leave cookies out for Santa last year and were terrified we’d wind up on the naughty list,” jokes Mariah in a statement. “So we FaceTimed him over the summer to ensure we got his top 3 flavors.”

Those flavors, according to the Queen of Christmas, are Gingerbread, Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Raspberry Truffle.  In addition to the special-edition boxes of those cookies, the entire line of flavors is available, from Chocolate Chunk and Heath Bar to Spiced Oatmeal Raisin and White Chocolate Cranberry.

You can order at MariahCareyCookies.com, or via the Mariah’s Cookies app or your favorite food delivery service.

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Like all his holiday specials in years past, Michael Bublé’s Christmas in the City, airing next Monday night, will feature a lineup of special guest stars.

Billboard reports that Camila Cabello, Jimmy Fallon and R&B singer Leon Bridges will all join Michael for the show. Billboard points out that Michael’s toddler daughter, Vida, is evidently a fan of Camila’s: Last year, she joined her dad in singing Camila’s hit “Señorita” during a livestream.

There will also be two unexpected guests: Kermit the Frog and Hannah Waddingham, the Emmy-winning actress who plays Rebecca on the AppleTV+ show Ted Lasso.  Fans of the show know that in addition to being a great actress, Waddingham is also a talented singer.

A 48-piece orchestra will also be accompanying Michael as he celebrates the 10th anniversary of his hit 2011 album, Christmas.

“I’m especially excited about this year’s show and our phenomenal guests,” Michael said in a statement, according to Billboard. “It will be a night to remember and I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone.”

Christmas in the City premieres Monday, December 6 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

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Hamilton stars Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones won’t be getting their storybook ending, because their relationship has reportedly come to an end. 

The former couple, who met in 2015 and became engaged in 2018, reportedly “previously ended” their engagement prior to the official split, sources tell Page Six. A specific timeline was not given. 

Neither Ramos, 30, nor Cephas Jones, 32, have publicly commented on their relationship and reps have declined to comment. 

The pair reportedly met six years ago while on set of Hamilton when it was still off-Broadway and began dating shortly after.

Ramos nor Cephas Jones have posted about each other recently on social media. In June, Cephas Jones raved about her partner’s role in In The Heights, writing, “@anthonyramosofficial… Can’t even describe how proud I am of you. You continue to shock the world with your enormous talent and big kind heart. You deserve it all and more. Happy in the heights day!!! #fortheculture.”

And, In July, Ramos celebrated his then-fiancée in an Instagram post dedicated to her birthday.

“Every year seems to bring you closer to the things you love most, with the people you love most, with a heart filled with more love than before,” he wrote. “Keep touching this earth Queen. HBD.”

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Rob Thomas‘ latest single “Small Town Christmas” was inspired by his own small town, located in the New York City suburbs in Westchester County.  And when it came to depicting that small town in the song’s video, he knew he needed something that reflected his family’s real-life holiday experiences.

“We had shot all the live footage of me playing the song and that just didn’t make a video,” Rob tells ABC Audio. “And then, they wanted to use B-stock footage of, like, families having nice Christmases in small towns. And that just didn’t feel personal enough.”

So Rob and his wife, Marisol, decided to give fans a peek into their actual lives in their small town.

“Mari and I got together one night and just compiled together all the video that we had…that we have taken of ourselves, just from our phones and Instagram and stuff like that,” he says.

“We pooled together everything that we had of celebrating Christmas over the last few years up here,” he says of his town. “And then we put that in there and edited it together into the video.”

The video features shots of Rob and Mari and their dogs celebrating in front of the Christmas tree and playing in the snow, as well as scenes of them shopping for decorations, sledding, buying wine and other holiday activities.

Tonight on NBC, Rob will celebrate another Christmas tradition by singing on NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center, along with Alessia Cara, Harry Connick Jr., Norah Jones, Pentatonix, Carrie Underwood and more.  The show airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT and will stream simultaneously on Peacock.

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Last month, Of Monsters and Men played a series of concerts in their native Iceland to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album, My Head Is an Animal. In the very likely event you weren’t able to attend any of the shows in person, you’ll still be able to watch them streaming online starting tonight, December 1.

Fittingly, the shows were recorded Gamla Bíó, the same place where Of Monsters and Men threw the release party for My Head Is an Animal a decade ago.

“We’re kinda just going back to that night, really,” vocalist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir tells ABC Audio. “We’re going to do the album in its entirety, and [will be] playing with…people who have been with us throughout this journey.”

Vocalist Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson adds that the concerts have a real “family” vibe to them, while also allowing the band to get back to their “sweaty club show” roots.

“I’m craving it,” Raggi says.

With the streams, Raggi and Nanna hope that “people will get sweaty with us around the world.”

“Watch on the internet and get sweaty,” Nanna laughs.

The shows will be available to watch via the streaming platform Mandolin. Subsequent airings will be held December 8, 15 and 22.

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Miley Cyrus and Rihanna have made Forbes‘ Under 30 Hall of Fame in honor of the 30 Under 30 list’s 10th anniversary.

Miley initially made the 30 Under 30 list in 2014 at age 21, just after her album Bangerz came out. She’s since released three more albums and founded the Happy Hippie Foundation to support LGBTQ+ and at-risk youth.

“FORBES 30 UNDER 30. I turned 29 last week. It was now or never,” Miley tweeted. “Thank you for the honor.”

In a behind-the-scenes video of her Forbes cover shoot, she reflects on her music career, calling songwriting her “greatest joy” and discussing the special bond that she has with her fans. She also discusses exploring different forms of creativity, including her collaboration with Gucci, as well as combining her artistry and activism with Happy Hippie.

Rihanna, meanwhile, originally made the 30 Under 30 ranking in 2013 at age 24. The now-33-year-old singer and businesswoman has since become a billionaire thanks to Fenty Beauty and her Savage x Fenty lingerie line, and was just named National Hero of her native Barbados.

Also making Forbes‘ Hall of Fame list are Kylie Jenner, Mark Zuckerberg, Malala Yousafzai, LeBron James and Naomi Osaka.

FORBES 30 UNDER 30.

I turned 29 last week. It was now or never. Thank you for the honor. @Forbes @happyhippiefdn @gucci pic.twitter.com/tPbtDXbSpF

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) November 30, 2021

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Pharrell Williams has recorded with a who’s who of music, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Mariah Carey and Kanye West, and he’s worked more than anyone else with one of the new members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Jay-Z. They began recording in 1999, and their seemingly endless list of hits includes “Frontin’,” “Excuse Me Miss” and “Change Clothes.”

The 13-time Grammy winner has observed Hova create classic lyrics many times, and he says his recording process is quite unorthodox.

“He’s really a character. He’s an odd guy. When you have a conversation with him, it’s not a regular conversation,” Pharrell explains in a recent episode of the Fader Uncovered Podcast.

The Virginia Beach, Virginia, native used the recording session for their 2000 hit “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me),” as an example.

“When he writes, he’s just sitting there mumbling to himself — in falsetto, by the way,” Pharell explains. “He goes [in falsetto], ‘Yo, yo, when the Remy’s in the system/ Ain’t no telling will I f*** ’em? Will I diss ’em?/ That’s what they be yellin’/ I’m a pimp by blood.’ And he taps you on the shoulder and takes it back again. He writes in falsetto.”

Pharrell continues, “That’s odd and different and weird and amazing! And makes him a character. I gotta ask him why he does that. I don’t know why he does it. But he’s always done that.”

Pharrell also reveals that “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” was inspired by another hit he wrote and produced, also in 2000 — Mystikal‘s “Shake Ya A**.”

“It just came together, ’cause [Jay-Z] loved ‘Shake Ya A**,'” the “Happy” singer remembers. “He was like, ‘Yo, I need that!’ I was like, ‘Uhhh, OK.'”

 

 

 

 

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Jack White is headlining the 2022 High Water Festival, which will take place April 23-24 in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The bill, which is curated by Charleston folk duo Shovels & Rope, also includes Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Black Pumas, Local Natives and Sharon Van Etten, among others.

Pre-sale tickets are available now, and while tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Thursday, December 2, at noon ET. For the full lineup and ticket info, visit HighWaterFest.com.

High Water is White’s first announced live performance for 2022. The White Stripes rocker plans to release two solo albums next year: Fear of the Dawn on April 8, and Entering Heaven Alive on July 22.

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