Ariana Grande shared an Instagram Story of herself with bleached blonde hair, which might be for her role as Glinda in the movie version of Broadway musical Wicked. She’s currently rehearsing for the film.
Ed Sheeran can turn anything into music, including a sprinkler system. Taking to TikTok, he duetted a video of a timed water hose and sang”Shape of You” to the beat. “This record was actually made on a farm,” he joked.
After a rocky start, The Weeknd‘s stadium tour is in full swing. Sharing photos from his concert in Philadelphia, he raved, “We finally did it. thank you for helping me ring in the tour. last night was emotional for all of us.” He also shared what his show entails, such as crazy background images and special effects.
Avril Lavigne has a pool that’s big enough to surf on, according to her Instagram Story, which shows fiancé Mod Sun jumping on a board and skimming across the water. Avril also revealed she’s ready for Halloween, which is a little over 100 days away: She’s painted both her nails and toes black and orange.
Some fans have accused Gwen Stefani of cultural appropriation for wearing a Jamaican flag-themed dress and her hair in dreadlocks in Sean Paul‘s “Light My Fire” music video, reportsPage Six. Gwen has not responded to the backlash.
Lizzo says she was put on this Earth to spread “love” in a manner that makes people want to fight for themselves. “This is revolutionary self-love. This is radical self-love,” she told fans in a video shared to Instagram. “This is fighting for your rights. That is self-love.”
Kelsey, the wife of late Wanted member Tom Parker, marked their fourth wedding anniversary with a heartbreaking message. She wrote, “Most people wish to have their wedding day again, I’d settle for a hug.” Tom died of an inoperable brain tumor in March.
The 13-track collection features two Depp originals alongside an eclectic selection of 11 covers, including songs by The Beach Boys, late Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, The Miracles, Marvin Gaye, The Velvet Underground and The Everly Brothers.
In an exclusive interview to promote 18, Beck says he really enjoyed working with Depp and appreciated his contributions to the project.
“He was a major force on this record,” Beck notes. “I haven’t had another partner for ages.”
Beck says he knew he was taking a risk covering “What’s Going On,” admitting, “I fully expect the full force of criticism because of that song being so precious,” while adding with a laugh, “but I was going through the Motown appreciation time.”
Beck recalls that “Ooo Baby Baby” came about while working on the album at Depp’s home in France. While waiting for Johnny to wake up one day, he laid down the track as a way to get a good audio balance. By the time Depp joined the session, Beck says he started feeling under the weather and went lie down for a bit.
Beck says that when he woke up, “I heard [Johnny] singing ‘Ooo Baby’… He was doing the three-part harmonies, and I crept into the studio without him seeing me. And it was just amazing watching him put these parts together.”
Beck also praised Depp’s songwriting skills, particularly how in “This Is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr” he expressed “respect for that actress and what she achieved.”
Here’s the full 18 track list:
“Midnight Walker” (Davy Spillane cover)
“Death and Resurrection Show” (Killing Joke cover)
“Time” (Dennis Wilson cover)
“Sad Motherf***in’ Parade” (Johnny Depp original)
“Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)” (Beach Boys cover)
“This Is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr” (Johnny Depp original)
“Caroline, No” (Beach Boys cover)
“Ooo Baby Baby” (The Miracles cover)
“What’s Going On” (Marvin Gaye cover)
“Venus in Furs” (The Velvet Underground cover)
“Let It Be Me” (The Everly Brothers cover)
“Stars” (Janis Ian cover)
“Isolation” (John Lennon cover)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(NEW YORK) — As the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline prepared for the launch of a nationwide three-digit number on Saturday, local, state and federal government officials gathered in Philadelphia Friday to discuss the effort to get the new nationwide 988 calling code.
“There’s been a lot of work to get to this day,” Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission, said. “But what we’ve done is we’ve made it easy. 988 is easy to remember. Now we have to make it clear to the entire country that it is a sign of strength to call it and use it, and not a sign of weakness.”
The Lifeline has been in operation at a ten-digit number (1-800-283-TALK) since 2005, has taken over 20 million calls in that time, and that number will continue to route callers to the Lifeline following the launch of 988. However, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (a division of HHS) anticipates the increased ease of use for the three-digit number will dramatically increase calls to the service.
Tim Jansen, chief executive officer of Community Crisis Services Inc. in Hyattsville, Maryland, told ABC News that call volume at his facility has gone up over the last few years, and he expects the increase will continue amid the launch of 988.
“I think we’re going to see a significant uptick in calls,” Jansen said, adding that his facility has been working to increase their staff over the last six months in preparation. “I think the big thing is [988 will] make the number much easier to remember.”
The Biden administration has put an unprecedented amount of funding toward launching the new number for the Lifeline. Following the addition of $150 million for the Lifeline as part of the recently passed gun safety legislation, the federal investment in 988 stands at $432 million.
Jansen says that funding, along with about $5 million in funding from Maryland that will be distributed across the state this fiscal year, has helped his facility increase the salary of existing staff and hire about 150 new employees. CCSI now has about 225 employees available to answer calls, chats and texts for the Lifeline in its capacity as both a local center and one of the national backup call centers.
Experts say that, ideally, Lifeline calls should be answered at the local level so callers can be more easily connected with follow-up resources in their area, but there are several national backup centers (such as CCSI) that can field calls from anywhere in the country if a particular center is unable to answer.
Jansen explained that local centers have about 30 seconds to answer a call before it is forwarded to the next nearest local or regional call center. If it is not answered by that center within about three minutes, he added, it then goes to the national backup network.
Nationwide, HHS officials say, the influx of federal funding for the Lifeline has enabled call centers to field 17,000 more calls, 37,000 more chats and 3,000 more texts in June of this year, compared to 2021.
While the federal funding has increased the ability of the Lifeline to respond nationwide, answer rates still vary from state to state, as much of the funding for these call centers happens at the state level.
When Congress designated 988 as the new number for the Lifeline in 2020, it gave states the authority to levy fees on cell phone bills to help sustainably fund the service, similar to how 911 call centers are funded.
So far, only four states have passed that legislation. Some others, like Maryland, have allocated some funding for the launch. Experts worry, however, that many states will not be able to accommodate the volume of calls anticipated after the new number launches.
HHS officials continue to emphasize the need for state-level investment for this system to be built out long-term and able to handle the volume of calls.
“Failure is not an option,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said at the launch news conference on Friday.
“988 is a three digit number, but it really is more.” Becerra said. “It’s a message — when you need someone, we will be there.”
The transition to a fully reimagined mental health crisis care system — the ultimate goal of 988 — will take time, officials say.
While most of the callers reaching out to the Lifeline during a mental health crisis can be deescalated over the phone, some require additional care, which can include a visit from a mobile crisis response team, a trip to a crisis stabilization unit or in some cases, inpatient hospitalization.
Those additional elements of what experts call the “crisis care continuum” are currently available in some cities across the country, but that portion of the crisis care system will take additional time to build out, they say.
“One of the challenges with 988 is it’s going to expose the fact that there are not enough vendors, not enough therapists, not enough counselors,” Jansen said.
Despite the expected hiccups in the overall nationwide rollout, he said, “To me, one life saved is success,” adding, “But I think that the ultimate gauge of what makes [988] successful is if we ultimately see a reduction in the rates of suicide. That’s going to take some time.”
An employee for nearly 26 years at the center he now runs, Jansen said, “It’s one call, one text, one chat at a time … [Every day] You can walk out of here knowing that I helped somebody with a safety plan. Somebody said that their only option was dying and now they have other options.”
If you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises please call or text the new three digit code at 9-8-8. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org or dial the current toll free number 800-273-8255 [TALK].
(JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia) — President Joe Biden on Friday, after a much-criticized meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, said he had raised the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi with the de-facto Saudi leader.
“I raised it at the top of the meeting,” Biden said of the case of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist based in the U.S., “making it clear what I thought of it at the time, and what I think of it now.”
“I was straightforward and direct in discussing it. I made my new crystal clear. I said very straightforwardly, for an American president to be silent on an issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” he added.
Mohammed bin Salman’s response was that he was not personally responsible, Biden said. “I indicated I thought he was,” Biden continued about the 2018 killing at the Saudi embassy in Turkey that U.S. intelligence says the crown prince approved.
Before the meeting, Biden had declined to commit to raising Khashoggi’s murder and the Saudi record on human rights in general.
Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancee, previously described Biden’s decision to visit Saudi Arabia as “heartbreaking.” On Friday, she criticized Biden’s seemingly warm welcome with the crown prince, adding a photo of them fist bumping.
“What Jamal Khashoggi would tweet today,” Cengiz wrote on Twitter. “Hey @POTUS, Is this the accountability you promised for my murder? The blood of MBS’s next victim is on your hands.”
When asked about her statement, Biden said she was “sorry she feels that way” and continued to condemn Khashoggi’s killing as “outrageous.”
BREAKING: Pres. Biden says he raised murder of Jamal Khashoggi at top of meeting in Saudi Arabia: “I was straightforward and direct in discussing it. I made my view crystal clear…I’ll always stand up for our values.” https://t.co/o4hQ2HoBg4pic.twitter.com/DaHI2Pv6B8
“The fist bump between President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman was worse than a handshake—it was shameful,” Washington Post Publisher and CEO Fred Ryan said in a statement. “It projected a level of intimacy and comfort that delivers to MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking.”
The meeting comes three years after Biden vowed, as a presidential candidate, to make the Saudis and MBS, as he’s known, a global “pariah.”
Nevertheless, Biden was given a warm reception on Friday in Jeddah as he sat across from the Saudi crown prince.
“Mr. President, welcome to Saudi Arabia,” said a smiling crown price, clearly delighted that Biden made the trip to his turf.
Mohammed bin Salman and members of the Saudi delegation appeared pleasant throughout their brief discussion, with the powerful Saudi leader appearing to nod as Biden spoke to him.
Before reporters were ushered out, they peppered the leaders, unsuccessfully, with questions, asking the crown prince if he would apologize to the Khashoggi’s family.
When one reporter asked Biden if Saudia Arabia is still a pariah state, a noticeable smirk was briefly spotted on Mohammed bin Salman’s face.
Biden, continuing his first visit to the Middle East as president, shared a fist bump with Mohammed bin Salman upon meeting him outside the Al Salam Royal Palace,, ahead of their highly-anticipated meeting despite criticism around the Saudi Arabia stop. The close-up photo of the moment was provided by the Saudis, who wanted it seen around the world.
Biden met, separately, with the prince’s father, King Salman.
Earlier, the president stepped off Air Force One in Jeddah and onto a lavender carpet — symbolic of blooming flowers in the Saudi Kingdom — shortly after 11 a.m. ET, descending the steps and greeted immediately by two individuals. He fist bumped the first greeter and shook hands with others. He then walked towards the “Beast” — the armored presidential limousine — stopping to greet a few other officials lined up for his arrival, accompanied by national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
Sullivan pushed back again Friday on a reporter’s suggestion that Biden was “dancing around” whether he would directly address Khashoggi’s murder, despite the slain journalist’s fiancé saying the White House assured her his specific case would be raised.
“I think it’s wrong to say the president was dancing around it,” Sullivan said, ticking through Biden’s statement on the matter.
“First statement, he doesn’t describe the details of what he is going to raise in meetings, particularly before he’s had them, because he wants to go have those meetings. Second statement, he always raises issues of human rights, and this will be no different,” Sullivan said.
Although, as a presidential candidate, Biden vowed to make oil-rich Saudi Arabia a “pariah” state over Khashoggi’s murder, the rapprochement in U.S.-Saudi Arabia relations comes at a time when gas prices have skyrocketed as the West has attempted to boycott Russian oil, ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, and as Biden faces calls to balance security interests with human rights concerns.
Biden has defended his trip to the oil-rich nation, writing in an op-ed for The Washington Post published ahead of his visit that “my aim was to reorient — but not rupture — relations with a country that’s been a strategic partner for 80 years.”
“As president, it is my job to keep our country strong and secure,” he wrote. “We have to counter Russia’s aggression, put ourselves in the best possible position to outcompete China, and work for greater stability in a consequential region of the world.”
But Sullivan on Friday ahead of the meeting downplayed any chance of an agreement from Saudi Arabia to increase oil production as a result of Biden’s meetings in the kingdom.
“I don’t think you should expect a particular announcement here bilaterally,” he told reporters on AF1. “We will discuss energy security at this meeting,” he said broadly, when asked if the public should expect an agreement.
Since taking office, Biden has spoken twice with King Salman, the crown prince’s father, who officially rules the country, but had dispatched Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to serve as his administration’s point of contact with the crown prince, in what was widely perceived as a snub to the powerful Saudi leader.
On Saturday, Biden plans to attend a summit of Arab leaders in Jeddah, a meeting that the crown prince will also attend, though it’s not yet clear how the two leaders will interact or engage there.
Biden noted in his op-ed he would be the first U.S. president to fly from Israel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, describing it as a “small symbol” of the deepening ties between Israel and the Arab world.
ABC News’ Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.
In its eighth week in theaters, Top Gun: Maverick shows its need for speed isn’t slowing down. The Tom Cruise movie has flown past the $1.2 billion mark, thanks to strong performances both here and overseas.
In addition to making more than $600 million here, the Joseph Kosinski-directed film has made more $602.5 million and counting from foreign moviegoers, making it the highest-grossing worldwide release in Paramount Pictures’ history and the studio’s #3 overseas earner of all time, according to Variety.
As previously reported, the movie officially became the biggest hit in Cruise‘s long career weeks ago, just as the star was about to turn the big six-oh.
In its eighth week in theaters, Top Gun: Maverick shows its need for speed isn’t slowing down. The Tom Cruise movie has flown past the $1.2 billion mark, thanks to strong performances both here and overseas.
In addition to making more than $600 million here, the Joseph Kosinski-directed film has made more $602.5 million and counting from foreign moviegoers, making it the highest-grossing international release in Paramount Pictures’ history and the studio’s #3-earning movie of all time, according to Variety.
As previously reported, the movie officially became the biggest hit in Cruise‘s long career weeks ago, just as the star was about to turn the big six-oh.
(NEW YORK) — Brittney Griner’s attorney presented new evidence on the fourth day of her trial in Russia, where the WNBA star has been detained for nearly five months.
The lawyer had a letter from an American doctor giving Griner permission to use cannabis to reduce chronic pain.
Griner was expected to testify but her testimony was delayed until July 26 at the request of her legal team so she can have more time to prepare.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was visiting Russia to play basketball in the off-season when she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport after being accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country.
If convicted, Griner, 31, faces up to 10 years in prison and also has a right to an appeal.
Griner pleaded guilty on drug charges in court last week, saying that the vape cartridges containing hashish oil were in her luggage mistakenly.
Griner, who has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17, said she had no “intention” of breaking Russian law and did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag.
Her legal team told ABC News in a statement last week that her “guilty” plea was recommended by her Russian attorneys.
“Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” they said in the statement. “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”
Her trial, which is taking place in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow, began on July 1 as the U.S. government works to secure her release.
At the trial on Thursday, several Russian individuals testified as character witnesses about their experience with the Phoenix Mercury player, who also played in the WNBA offseason for UMMC, a Russian basketball club in the city of Yekaterinburg.
The first witness was Maxim Ryabkov, the director of UMMC. The second witness was team doctor Anatoly Galabin, who said that Griner never tested positive for doping while playing for the team. A third witness, Evgenia Belyakova, one of Griner’s Russian teammates, said that Griner was the leader of the team.
The U.S. government classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters last week that Griner’s guilty plea will have “no impact” on any of the negotiations to bring her home.
Calls to free Griner escalated following the release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed last month, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.
“We’re going to do everything that we can to bring home Brittney Griner safely, and to also make sure that we bring Paul Whelan back home, as well,” Jean-Pierre said.
ABC News’ Joseph Simonetti, Tanya Stukalova, Patrick Reevell and Henderson Hewes contributed to this report.
Mickey Guyton joins LeAnn Rimes and percussionist Sheila E. for “The Wild,” a new song off LeAnn’s forthcoming new album, god’s work.
The Recording Academy has officially set a date for the 65th annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony. It’ll take place February 5, 2023 in Los Angeles.
Hillary Scott of country trio Lady A joins Christian group For King + Country for a new duet rendition of “For God is With Us.” The original version of the song was a number-one hit for the duo.
If you’ve ever wondered what it was like growing up with a father as a music mentor, here’s a look into the life of superstars who were afforded that opportunity.
Beyoncé and Solange Knowles‘music careers were managed by their father, top record executive Mathew Knowles, who also the oversaw the hit all-girl group Destiny’s Child.
A very active user on social media, Mathew recently tweeted a few bits of advice for performing artists and musicians — the same lessons he instilled in his daughters growing up.
“One thing I taught Beyoncé and Solange was to practice failure,” he said, sharing a collage image of the two singers onstage. “We would practice how they’d respond if their microphone got cut off, if their shoes broke on stage, if the wrong song got queued in their performance set. Anything can happen…”
Mathew said that his teachings worked: “they were always prepared to have a response!”
Suggesting that artists should utilize the same teaching method, Mathew said, “I would like for you to consider the same lesson. Whether you’re a performer or artist, or an entrepreneur or professional, practice how you’ll respond in the event you fail.”
He added, “It’s a skill that can and should be developed!”
Mathew managed each of this daughters’ solo careers up until their adult years. In an interview with US Magazine in 2011, Beyoncé spoke about her split from her father, saying, “I’ve only parted ways with my father on a business level,” adding, “He is my father for life and I love my dad dearly.”
Beyoncé and Solange are the daughters of Mathew and his former wife of more than 30 years, Tina Knowles-Lawson.
Ten years ago — July 15, 2012 — Psy‘s supremely goofy video “Gangnam Style” debuted on YouTube. Less than six months later, the video had gone where no other music video had ever gone: it hit 1 billion views on the platform. That’s why today YouTube is celebrating 10 years of its Billion Views Club.
1. Adele – “Hello” – 88 days
2. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” – 97 days [tied]
3. Luis Fonsi – “Despacito” ft. Daddy Yankee – 97 days [tied]
4. J Balvin, Willy William – “Mi Gente” – 103 days
5. Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa” – 111 days
Most viewed music videos of all time:
1. Luis Fonsi – “Despacito” ft. Daddy Yankee – 7.9B
2. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You – 5.7B
3. Wiz Khalifa – “See You Again” ft. Charlie Puth – 5.5B
4. Mark Ronson – “Uptown Funk” ft. Bruno Mars – 4.6B
5. PSY – “Gangnam Style” – 4.4B
Music videos by the decade (pre-2000s):
1970s music videos in the Billion Views Club:
Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
1980s music videos in the Billion Views Club:
Guns N’ Roses – “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
a-ha – “Take On Me”
Michael Jackson – “Billie Jean”
Rick Astley – “Never Gonna Give You Up”
Cyndi Lauper – “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”
Europe – “The Final Countdown”
1990s music videos in the Billion Views Club:
Guns N’ Roses – “November Rain”
Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
The Cranberries – “Zombie”
Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You”
4 Non Blondes – “What’s Up”
Metallica – “Nothing Else Matters”
AC/DC – “Thunderstruck”
Backstreet Boys – “I Want It That Way”
Dr. Dre – “Still D.R.E.” ft. Snoop Dogg
Aqua – “Barbie Girl”
Coolio – “Gangsta’s Paradise” (feat. L.V.)
