Music

Love & Hip Hop: Miami is back — and so is Amara La Negra! The Afro-Latina has returned to the series for season four and she tells ABC Audio what keeps her coming back.

“These checks,” she says with a laugh before revealing, “I feel like Love & Hip Hop is home.”

Sharing that the show “opened up major doors,” the Dominican-American singer adds that she loves being on Love & Hip Hop: Miami because she can share who she is a person and promote new things she has going on in her life. That includes new music, which she says is on the horizon. 

“You’re going to see new music, new music videos and everything now,” Amara shares. “I’ve just been holding on to it waiting for the show to come out so I could be like ‘Look at this!'”

Speaking of new music, the Love & Hip Hop cast is full of other talented artists… So who would she want to collaborate with if given the chance? Amara picked Spice, from Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, another branch of the franchise. 

“From the show… I am the biggest fan of Spice,” she gushes. “I love Spice. I love what she stands for. I love her body. I love that she’s a beautiful Black chocolate woman. I love that she’s an amazing mother. I love her positivity. I love who she is.”

Amara adds, “And also there’s that Caribbean energy… If I had the possibility of collaborating with her I would love that.” 

Love & Hip Hop Miami airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on VH1.

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After sending social media into a frenzy when she went platinum blonde, Billie Eilish has changed her hair yet again.

The singer unveiled a brand new chop Monday on her Instagram Story. She’s now rocking a shaggy blonde bob.

Billie posted some old photos of her mom sporting a similar hairstyle, captioning one of the pics, “Like my mama.” She also posted a short video clip of her tousling the new ‘do, writing, “I love it.”

Of course, fans were instantly obsessed.

“Billie Eilish cut off her hair like she cut off her exes,” one fan tweeted. Another wrote, “BILLIE EILISH WITH THIS MARILYN MONROE STYLE HAIR FOR THE MET GALA????????????? GOODBYE.”

Yet another added, “that one women who breaks the internet just by cutting her hair: BILLIE EILISH.”

This week, Billie’s album Happier than Ever topped the Billboard 200 chart for the third week. She leads an all-female top three on the chart, along with Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo, marking the first time that’s happened in over 10 years.

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Lauren Daigle‘s latest single, “Hold On to Me,” is doing well, but it remains to be seen if it can match the record-breaking success of “You Say.” Lauren says she doesn’t expect a repeat — and that’s O.K.

“You Say,” released three years ago last month, topped numerous Billboard charts, including Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary and Hot Christian Songs.  On the latter, it stayed at number one for an astonishing 129 weeks.  In fact, it was the first song to spend 100 or more weeks on any Billboard chart, ever.

“That was a one and done, probably,” Laure laughs. “I mean, unless there’s other plans out there, I have no idea if that will ever happen again. That’s why you have to revel in the moment when it happens.”

“Being present is so…rich because moments will pass you by and you’ll realize, ‘OK, I missed out on the joy of what that moment had. And now I’m longing for that moment in a different season,'” she cautions. “And it just doesn’t work out.”

Lauren, who’ll kick off a world tour on September 24, says for her, that’s the only way to approach any sort of overwhelming achievement.

“Being present and really reveling in, like, the ‘Wow, I can’t believe that happened,’ because it may never happen again,” she says. “But hopefully, fingers crossed, you wish for the best!” 

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

SZA surprised her fans Sunday with three new songs, which she described on Twitter as “Dumping random thoughts.”

The Oscar and Grammy nominee shared the new tracks on an anonymous Soundcloud account, and tweeted that her astrologer reader, known on Twitter on Messiah of Astrology, “made me do it.”

On the first song, “Nightbird,” SZA begs her lover to “please spend the night. I only have you for a short time,” followed by the midtempo “I Hate You” about a relationship filled joy and pain. The trio of tunes ends with “Joni,” a tender acoustic guitar ballad.

Two months ago, 30-year-old SZA collaborated with SAINt JHN on the love song “Just for Me,” from the Space Jam: A New Legacy soundtrack, and prior to that, in April, she teamed up with Doja Cat for “Kiss Me More.”

SZA’s last solo single, “Good Days,” was released on Christmas 2020. Its been four years since she dropped her double platinum debut album, 2017’s Ctrl.

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Corey Taylor is encouraging all his fans to get vaccinated as he recovers from a battle with COVID-19.

The Slipknot frontman revealed that he tested positive for the virus last Friday, a day after he finished a solo tour. In a new video message posted Monday afternoon, Taylor shares that he’s feeling much better — his fever’s broken, and he no longer feels body aches — and credits being fully vaccinated for helping him in his recovery.

“This is the worst I’ve ever been sick in my life,” Taylor says. “Had I not been vaccinated, I shudder to think how bad it would have been. But because I had that extra little bit of protection, man, it definitely helped me get through it.”

To those who are “still on the fence” about getting the jab, Taylor has one piece of advice: “Go, go, go.” 

“If you’re still on the fence, I’m telling you right now, it’s the best thing you can do for yourself,” he says.

Just a little update on how I’m recovering. Thanks so much to everyone who sent their best wishes and to friends and family who reached out. pic.twitter.com/haWwWZbdN3

— SHRED DJENT REDEMPTION (@CoreyTaylorRock) August 23, 2021

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Elton John is back on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in 21 years — and he has Dua Lipa to thank.

Billboard reports Elton’s song with Dua, “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” debuts at number 81 on the chart dated August 28.

Elton’s last appearance on the chart was on the tally dated July 29, 2000, when “Someday Out of the Blue” ranked at number 99 after peaking at 49.

“Cold Heart” also debuted at number three on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and at number 16 on the Adult Contemporary radio airplay chart, giving Elton his 74th career entry and extending his current record for the most AC hits of any artist.

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Kelsea Ballerini kicked off her opening slot on the Jonas Brothers‘ tour with a tribute to Taylor Swift. 

During the opening night of The Remember This Tour in Las Vegas on Friday, Kelsea dedicated part of her set to a medley of songs by her favorite artists, including that of the country and pop superstar. 

“There is one particular woman who really paved the way for people like me,” Kelsea prefaced her performance, playing a few notes on her guitar before launching into “Teardrops on My Guitar,” as the crowd let out elated cheers upon hearing the first few lyrics. 

Kelsea then offered an understated, acoustic rendition of the track, and the audience sang passionately alongside her. 

“Teardrops on My Guitar” was released in 2007 as the second single off Taylor’s self-titled debut album. The multi-platinum song reached the top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Hot Country Songs chart.  

Kelsea continues on with the Jonas Brothers through the fall, when the tour wraps at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 27. 

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