It’s been a year since Meghan Trainor released the music video for “I Believe in Santa,” and the singer is ready to dish on some little-known facts about the festive offering.
Meghan released the “Vevo footnotes” of the music video, which explained how she brought her creative vision to life and why she made the song.
“I’m a Christmas baby and I’ve wanted to write a Christmas album since I was very young. I wrote and produced ‘I Believe in Santa’ with my brothers. When writing the song, I remembered my friends fighting over whether or not Santa was real when we were 10 years old,” Meghan revealed.
She also explained she asked JoJo Siwa to star in the music video because she was “super pregnant” at the time with her son, Riley. “I couldn’t do all of the dancing,” Meghan explained before crediting the video for making her and JoJo closer friends.
It was also disclosed JoJo and her mom, Jessalynn Siwa, designed the whimsical and glitter-filled costumes she wore in the video. In addition, Meghan cast “‘the’ verified Santa J Claus from TikTok” in the music video, but had actor David Haverty do all of his stunts.
Additionally, director Josh Forbes says the music video had an alternate ending where a mecha Santa “picked up JoJo like King Kong and blew up the house with laser eyes.” As for why it wasn’t used, Forbes said “nobody liked it and it was way too expensive.”
The song was featured in A Very Trainor Christmas, which Meghan released in 2020.
For all the Ben Gibbard super fans out there, this tour is for you.
Death Cab for Cutie has announced a co-headlining tour with Gibbard’s The Postal Service side project. The outing will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the two bands’ respective 2003 albums, Transatlanticism and Give Up.
“I know for a fact I will never have a year again like 2003,” Gibbard says. “The Postal Service record came out, Transatlanticism came out. These two records will be on my tombstone, and I’m totally fine with that. I’ve never had a more creatively inspired year.”
The tour kicks off September 8 in Portland, Maine, and will wrap up October 13 in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale next Friday, December 16, at 10 a.m. local time, with presales beginning Wednesday, December 14.
Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen is recovering from what’s described as a “procedure,” and will have to miss the band’s scheduled shows this Friday and Saturday.
On Instagram, the band notes, “Six weeks ago Rick had a procedure that has required him to stay off the road until fully recovered. Unfortunately, Rick still needs a little bit more time and will not be out with us this week.”
The post goes on to say, “Robin Taylor Zander will be moving to lead guitar for the next two shows. We appreciate the continued support.”
Robin Taylor Zander, the 28-year-old son of Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander, has filled in on drums, bass and guitar multiple times over the years when the band members were sidelined by health or personal issues.
Cheap Trick is scheduled to perform Friday at Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment in Sahuarita, Arizona, on Friday, and at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, on Saturday. Then they’re off the road until January, when they have two shows lined up for the 12th and 13th. Starting August 4, they’ll join Rod Stewart for a string of tour dates.
Dolly Parton’s third children’s book is officially in the works.
The country legend announced the news to People this week, explaining that the book, Billy the Kid Makes it Big, stars her goddog, Billy the Kid. Billy’s got big dreams of country stardom, and when he finds himself the target of bullies at the Battle of the Bow-wows, he must rely on music to restore his self-confidence.
“I am so proud to bring this book and the message it conveys to life,” Dolly tells People. “Years back I wrote a song called ‘Makin’ Fun Ain’t Funny’ for my children’s album I Believe in You. I wanted kids to understand how harmful bullying can be to someone.”
Dolly has worked with her goddog once before: Billy the Kid is featured in the promotional images for her new line of pet apparel and accessories, Doggy Parton.
“Since he’s a big star now, I knew a story with him at the center of it could help drive home important messages in a unique way,” the singer says. “I hope this is the first of many books with Billy.”
Dolly’s new book will be published by Penguin Workshop and is intended for children ages 4 to 7. Billy the Kid Makes it Big is due out April 25, 2023.
The Stranglers in 1988; Jet Black on far right; Mike Prior/Getty Images
Jet Black, drummer for the influential British punk/new wave band The Stranglers, has died. He was 84.
The band wrote on social media, “It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our dear friend, colleague and band elder statesman Jet Black. Jet died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Fond adieu, fly straight JB.”
In a longer statement on the band’s website, they reveal that founding member Black, born Brian Duffy, died “peacefully at his home on December 6.” He had retired from performing live with the band in 2015 due to respiratory health issues.
Referring to Stranglers keyboard player Dave Greenfield‘s death in 2020 from COVID, bass player and vocalist Jean-Jacques Burnel said, “The welcoming committee has doubled. After years of ill health Jet has finally been released.”
Burnel continued, “He was a force of nature. An inspiration. The Stranglers would not have been if it wasn’t for him. The most erudite of men. A rebel with many causes. Say hi to Dave for me.”
Black, a successful businessman who’d been a semi-professional drummer in the ’50s and ’60s, formed the band in 1974 after he decided to return to music. The Stranglers were identified with the punk rock movement because they toured with The Ramones and Patti Smith, but in actuality, they were older and much more musically adept than the other bands in the genre.
While they never had a U.S. hit, their songs “Peaches,” “No More Heroes,” “Something Better Change,” “Golden Brown,” “Skin Deep” and “Always the Sun” were hits in the United Kingdom and have been heavily used in commercials, TV shows and movies. “Golden Brown” was used in the Black Mirror episode “Metalhead” and in season 2 of The Umbrella Academy.
On his Instagram Thursday, Will Smith let his followers know he’s hooking them up with a free Apple TV+ subscription, just so they can catch up with his new Antoine Fuqua-directed drama, Emancipation.
“I went to Apple and I said, ‘Yo, my people need to have Apple TV so they can watch the film,'” Will said, adding the company granted two months of access to the streaming service for free.
And if you happen to already have the streaming service, Smith says, “Well, your aunt doesn’t.” So he suggests tagging three people who don’t have access: “And if you got tagged, tag three more people who you think need it.”
You can also go to apple.co/willgift to redeem the offer, the star explains, or follow the link in his Insta bio.
Lizzo is going viral for her resounding acceptance speech at the People’s Choice Awards earlier this week, with some fans saying she should run for office. Among those voices is Fleetwood Mac‘s Stevie Nicks.
Lizzo told the crowd while accepting The People’s Champion trophy, “I don’t need a trophy for championing people … to be an icon isn’t about how long you’ve had your platform. Being an icon is what you do with that platform.”
She then brought a group of female activists onstage — 17 in all — and individually highlighted their work, which encompassed anti-gun violence organizations, and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples, transgender people, women and much more. Images of the activists were shown on video screens around the stage.
“Give them their flowers,” the singer rallied. “Power will always be to the people … follow them and support them.”
Stevie was so moved by Lizzo’s speech that she wrote on her socials, “Dearest Lizzo … your presentation … was not only so beautiful and so needed, that you get the award for being a great woman of our time.”
“I was so impressed and so touched that you put that together and pulled it off,” Stevie continued. “It was stunning, and everyone heard you. You have given all women soundbites forever— flute player, singer, songwriter, future politician…?”
Stevie concluded, “Your name is in the stars now.”
So far, Lizzo hasn’t responded to Stevie’s kind words.
(NEW YORK) — “I’m very disgusted,” Derek Maltz, who oversaw the Drug Enforcement Administration’s investigation of Viktor Bout, told ABC News after Bout was traded for Brittney Griner. “It’s really upsetting to me.”
On Thursday, the WNBA star was swapped for Bout — a Russian convicted arms dealer who spend 15 years in U.S. prison — in an international prisoner exchange. Griner was serving a nine-year sentence in a Russian prison for possession of vaping cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in Russia, before the exchange.
Maltz, in 2008, was the special agent in charge of the DEA’s special operations division which took down Bout in a sting operation in Thailand.
“DEA was asked to help take this guy down because he was such a national security threat,” Maltz said. “We at the DEA were just trying to step up to the plate and do the right thing for national security.”
In November 2007, Bout agreed to sell DEA informants posing as FARC rebels in Colombia millions of dollars in weapons, including: 800 surface-to air-missiles; 30,000 AK-47s; 10 million rounds of ammunition; 5 tons of C4 plastic explosives; and ultra light airplanes outfitted with grenade launchers to attack U.S. helicopters in Columbia, according to Maltz.
“Viktor Bout was ready to sell a weapons arsenal that would be the envy of any small country,” Maltz said.
Maltz said he has no issue with bringing home Americans and called this “a great day for Brittney Griner and for America” but he said the exchange for Bout would make things less safe for Americans traveling internationally.
“To make that exchange, all Americans are at greater risk with international travel,” Maltz said, fearing it would promote taking American citizens captive.
(WASHINGTON) — The White House on Thursday disclosed additional details about how President Joe Biden and administration officials were able to secure WNBA star Brittney Griner’s release and return from Russia.
White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the deal “really came to fruition in the last week or so.”
Biden made the call to go ahead with the swap “last week,” he said.
But the deal was the product of months and months of a painstaking negotiation effort from across the U.S. government, including officials at the highest levels engaging directly with Russia.
Here’s the inside story of how it happened:
When was Griner released?
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said over the summer that the U.S. had made a “substantial offer” to Russia for the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, but that Russia rejected that offer.
Both sides finally reached an agreement in recent days, according to the White House, and Biden made the difficult decision to accept a deal with no Whelan exchange in order to get Griner home.
A senior administration official said on Thursday morning that the release came together within the last 48 hours.
“In recent days, we were able to reach agreement on an option to secure Brittany’s release. And the president, President Biden, made the difficult decision to accept that option because it resulted in a safe return home of an American,” the official told reporters. “Through multiple, multiple engagements, the Russians made clear that the only route to securing Britney’s return was a release of a Russian national, Viktor Bout.”
Bout, a Russian arms dealer, was extradited to the U.S. and convicted in 2011 of conspiring to supply weapons that could be used to kill Americans. As the exchange neared, Griner was moved from a penal colony to Moscow and then to the United Arab Emirates.
“In the last 48 hours, as this had all come together, Brittney was moved from the penal colony where she was being held to Moscow, and this morning, she was brought to the United Arab Emirates, where she was met by U.S. officials,” the official said.
Roger Carstens, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, greeted Griner on the tarmac upon her release, specifically to let her know that he was there to bring her home and was there on behalf of the president and Secretary Blinken, an official said. They described Griner as “in an extremely upbeat mood, all smiles and extremely grateful.”
From the tarmac, Griner spoke on the phone with Biden and wife, Cherelle Griner.
Who was involved in the exchange?
The Saudi government on Thursday issued a joint statement with the UAE about their alleged role in the Griner prisoner swap, claiming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman led a mediation on the successful exchange, but U.S. officials have categorically denied the claim.
“This was a deal done by the U.S. government,” Kirby repeated several times to White House reporters. “We spoke with many different interlocutors to involve some foreign governments who had ideas and concepts and thoughts… but this deal was brokered by the United States government,” he added.
A senior administration official, on an earlier call with reporters, thanked former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who for months tried to help negotiate a trade for Griner and Whelan, but the extent of his involvement in Griner’s ultimate agreement was not clear.
“I also want to thank those outside government who have engaged with us constructively and worked to improve Griner’s conditions while detained and to support government efforts to reach this result, including Governor Bill Richardson, as well as a number of others who have shown a great deal of care and concern about this case,” a senior administration official said. “There is gratitude from the government to outside advocates who raised their voices in support of Brittney, like Governor Richardson, who tried to be constructive in keeping us informed as to how they were thinking about the matter.”
Armani White is showcasing a musical performance of his hit song “Billie Eilish” exclusively on the Vevo platform. The rapper earned a stamp of approval from the network as one of the DSCVR Artists to Watch in 2023.
The annual campaign, which is headed into its ninth year, “highlights emerging global artists poised to break through in the year ahead,” giving them promotion and exposure across Vevo’s network. White is one of 20 global artists to make the 2023 list.
“VEVO Artist To Watch has a history of being one of those platforms that almost always calls out the next stars early,” White says in a statement. “To be among that is an honor and a challenge I’m gratefully accepting.”
”After spending the last few years refining his craft, Armani White has been showing the world exactly what a dynamic artist looks like. His vivid storytelling is earnest and energetic,” adds Jordan Ferree, manager of artist & label relations. “Whether freestyling while getting his hair braided, or shining on our DSCVR stage, he leaves nothing on the table. The rising MC has lived many lives, and none without adversity. We can’t wait to see the one unfolding as he becomes the star he’s destined to be.”
