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Hailey Bieber shares update on Justin Bieber: “He’s getting better every single day”

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Justin Bieber was forced to postpone his tour after being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which has paralyzed the right side of his face.

The Grammy winner has been updating fans about his recovery and said on Tuesday, “Each day has gotten better.” Justin also expressed he is “fully committed to performing again.”

His wife, Hailey Bieber, has acted as his rock as he works on recovery and, in a new interview with Good Morning America, she shared an update about how he’s faring.

Saying the “Ghost” singer is “doing really well,” she shared an optimistic outlook. “He’s getting better every single day. He’s feeling a lot better… He’s going to be totally OK, and I’m just grateful that he’s fine.”

It is unknown how long it will take the Grammy winner to return to full health. Justin has previously revealed he’s working with a team of specialists and is doing facial exercises and getting plenty of rest so he can recover.

Hailey added that Justin’s fans are also helping him heal. “Every single person has sent well wishes, advice, recommendations, and it’s actually been really amazing,” she explained.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is caused by the chickenpox virus, which continues to lay dormant in a person after initial infection and can reactivate as a shingles rash, according to the Mayo Clinic. The syndrome is caused when a shingles rash, which can be painful, breaks out near one’s ear. It can trigger facial paralysis and hearing loss.

Justin revealed late last week he had to call off a slew of performances because he is “just physically not capable of doing them,” adding that his condition is “pretty serious.”

Garth Brooks will conclude his 2022 North American Stadium Tour shows with a Texas stop

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Garth Brooks announced his final 2022 North American Stadium Tour stop on Wednesday: He’ll conclude the run in Houston, Texas.

The show, which is set for August, will take place at the city’s NRG Stadium. It’s the first time Garth has ever played that venue, and the first time in seven years that he’s played in Houston.

Though it’s the last Stadium Tour show he’ll play in the U.S., it’s not the end of the tour by any means. Garth has already set five September dates for Dublin’s Croke Park, all of which have sold out. Before that happens, Garth has big plans for the summer: His Stadium Tour will take him to cities across the U.S., including a show in Buffalo, New York and back-to-back Charlotte dates in July.

Tickets for Garth’s Houston show go on sale July 24 at 10 a.m. CT, and though the stadium seats over 70,000, fans should still hurry to snap up their tickets. Since it launched, the Stadium Tour has been breaking sales records left and right.

As always with Garth’s Stadium Tour shows, the concerts will feature in-the-round seating, and ticket purchase assumes COVID-19 risk. The ticket price for Houston is $98.95 per seat.

Mass shooting threat on Snapchat shuts down Kansas City-area schools, suspect in custody

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — Multiple school districts in the Kansas City, Missouri, area closed their doors on Wednesday in the wake of a mass shooting threat.

The Blue Springs Police Department said someone called Tuesday morning to report a suspicious Snapchat post made by an individual “threatening ‘killing people — mass murdering.'”

No specific location was mentioned, police said, but the Blue Springs School District, the nearby Fort Osage School District and others decided to close as a precaution.

Blue Springs police said Wednesday morning that a suspect — a male former student — is in custody and charges are pending.

There’s no threat to the public, police said.

The FBI in Kansas City said it was notified of the threat but deferred further comment to Blue Springs police.

Chris Evans responds to Lizzo’s wish to have him play piano on her next album

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Lizzo may have a new man, but that’s not stopping her from holding a candle to her crush, Chris Evans.

The “Truth Hurts” singer appeared on the Spout podcast last month and revealed she slid into Evans’ DMs, asking if he would play piano on her new album. “He just said ‘Ha,'” Lizzo revealed, noting she asked after watching his Instagram stories of him playing the instrument. “It would have been so cool, but unfortunately, not this time,” she sighed.

Now, the Captain America star is responding and told Extra that he declined the opportunity because it was in Lizzo’s best interests.

“I’m not good enough to play piano on an album. I mean, I fooled around on a piano, but in no way would I be qualified enough to actually play on someone’s album. Let alone Lizzo’s,” he confessed. He is keeping the door open, adding that he will “need a few more years of lessons” before featuring on one of her albums.

Lizzo is about to drop her new album, Special, on July 11. She released the title track, the viral hit “About Damn Time” and the new single, “Grrrls,” to hype its arrival.

Janet Jackson graces the cover of ‘Essence’

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Ahead of her highly-anticipated performance as one of the headliners of the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture next month, legendary musician Janet Jackson lands the cover of the magazine’s June/July issue.

She’ll be rounding out the fest on Saturday, July 2nd — alongside fellow R&B artists Jazmine Sullivan and Summer Walker — but prior to the show, she talked with Essence about her revered music career, definition of success and more.

“I’ve never been that person to have my awards on display. There’s nothing wrong with it, that’s just not me,” she said. Jackson defines success by reflecting on how far she’s come in her music journey and realizing the woman she is today. “If you came to my home, you would never know — if you did not know who I was — that I am an entertainer. I don’t have one award on my wall,” she said.

Jackson’s regarded by many in the industry as one of the greatest musicians of all time, but she says her legendary status isn’t as important as one might think.

“It’s really the body of music touching people and how it impacts their lives that matters to me. It’s not the accolades. I honestly don’t think about that stuff.”

As it relates to new music, Jackson says fans should expect something soon. “Exactly when? I can’t say just yet.” And while she loves music “too much not do it,” she says her “number one job is being a mama.”

The Janet Jackson Essence Festival of Culture issue hits newsstands June 28, followed by Essence Fest in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 30 – July 3.

The Weeknd lands a spot on Polaris Music Prize 2022 longlist

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The singers up for this year’s coveted Polaris Music Prize have been announced, and among the pack is The Weeknd.

Pitchfork reports the Canadian-born singer is in the running to pick up his country’s prestigious prize, which “honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction.” The Weeknd scored a nod thanks to his new album, Dawn FM, which has produced the hits “Take My Breath,” “Sacrifice” “Gasoline” and others.

Each year, a jury consisting of 197 individuals determines who receives the ultra-competitive award. They are tasked to sift through all the qualifying albums — 223 albums were up for consideration this year — before determining the longlist.

In all, 40 artists have made it to the next round, but the list will be whittled down to just 10 albums when Polaris Music Prize 2022 submits the list of this year’s finalists on July 14.

The ceremony will be held on September 19 in Toronto. In addition to some incredible bragging rights, winners also go home with a $50,000 prize.

Watch Post Malone cover Pearl Jam’s “Better Man”

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Having previously paid tribute to Nirvana, Post Malone is now tackling another titan of grunge: Pearl Jam.

The “Circles” artist performed a cover of the PJ tune “Better Man” during his appearance on The Howard Stern Show this week. Speaking with host Howard Stern, Post recalled hearing “Better Man” when he visited his brother Jordan, a Marine who was stationed in Hawaii at the time.

The stripped-down rendition consisted of Post’s voice and an acoustic guitar played by frequent collaborator Andrew Watt, who produced Eddie Vedder‘s new solo album, Earthling, and toured in his Earthlings solo band.

You can watch the performance streaming now on YouTube.

Also during the Stern appearance, Post shared that he received approval from Kurt Cobain‘s daughter Frances Bean Cobain to play his Nirvana tribute set in 2020.

“I…never want to offend anybody by trying to show support, so I just wanted to make sure everything was OK,” Post explained. “And it was OK.”

Faith Hill recalls why she almost swore off acting

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Faith Hill was thrust back into the spotlight with her role on 1883, but there was a time when she almost swore off acting.

Faith and her husband, Tim McGraw, have earned critical acclaim for their portrayal of Margaret and James Dutton on the series that serves as the prequel to Yellowstone. Prior to that, Faith had a lead role in the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives, starring alongside Nicole Kidman, Glenn Close and Matthew Broderick.

Though she praises the “amazing” cast, Faith tells Kelly Clarkson that it “wasn’t the best experience” — her main gripe being the long wait times in between takes. “I said, ‘I will never ever do another movie,” Faith recalls on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “It took so long. The waiting for me, I cannot. I have to be busy doing stuff.”

But the singer did find her way back in front of the camera with 1883. She says that she and her husband were so captured by the script that they had to be a part of it.

“For the script to have been so incredibly well-written, I honestly had never read anything like it,” she raves. “So we just made the decision to do it.”

1883 premiered on Paramount+ in December.

“You were never invited”: Britney Spears refutes brother’s claim he was unable to attend wedding due to “timings”

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Britney Spears‘ wedding guest list included Madonna, Drew Barrymore, Selena Gomez and Paris Hilton — but her family was noticeably absent from the ceremony. Now, the Grammy winner is clearing the air on why that was.

Britney spoke out after her brother, Bryan Spears, and his girlfriend, Amber Lynn Conklin, issued a joint statement explaining why they were absent from the wedding. The two claimed in the since-deleted post that his daughter’s elementary school graduation was the same day.

“Bryan felt terrible having to choose but he had to be there for his daughter and sent his love to Britney,” the post read, per Page Six. “We are so sad to miss such an important moment but so so happy for Britney and Sam’s Marriage!”

Britney fired back on her Instagram, “You were never invited to my wedding.” The “Toxic” singer detailed the alleged abuse she endured from Bryan while under her 13-year conservatorship, adding, “I know you’re blood and yes blood runs deep but no family of mine would do what you guys did to me.”

Her post has also been deleted.

In other Britney news, TMZ reports the singer has fired her security team for failing to stop her ex-husband Jason Alexander from breaking into her home on the day of her wedding.

Alexander was arrested by police and now faces a multitude of charges. As for Britney, she has been awarded a three-year restraining order against her ex.

The “Perfume” singer has since hired a new security detail, which sources to the outlet say happened shortly after the terrifying incident.

Massive search ongoing for 3-year-old Massachusetts boy who vanished from babysitter’s yard

June 15, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(LOWELL, Mass.) — A massive search for a 3-year-old Massachusetts boy who vanished from his babysitter’s yard entered its second day on Wednesday and involved nearly 200 law enforcement officers, authorities said.

The toddler, identified only as Harry, was reported missing at about 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday in Lowell, Massachusetts. Police said a search for the boy was immediately launched.

Police asked neighboring residents to search their properties, outbuildings and vehicles for the boy.

“He’s active. He likes going outside. When he’s at home, he goes to the yard and plays. He’s a healthy kid but he can’t speak. He’s trying to learn how to speak, but he can’t talk,” Harry’s father told ABC affiliate station WCVB in Boston in a phone interview.

Volunteers eager to join the search were asked by police stay away from the area around the babysitter’s home where police are focusing their efforts.

“Right now we are concentrating efforts with law enforcement personnel and we are trying not to contaminate search areas,” the Lowell Police Department said in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday morning.

Harry was last seen wearing a long-sleeve maroon shirt and gray pants with a white stripe, police said.

Upon getting the call of the missing child, officers went to the babysitter’s home in the Pawtucketville section of northwest Lowell and immediately began searching the neighborhood. When they found no sign of the boy, they expanded the search to the nearby Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest and the Merrimack River.

Lowell Police Chief Barry Golner said Wednesday morning that investigators have found no evidence suggesting foul play in the boy’s disappearance.

“We are still treating the incident as a missing person, a missing child. All our efforts have been focused on re-searching, retracing. We brought in other assets today — the state police, we have everything from mounted units to marine units,” Golner said.

The child’s parents dropped him off at his babysitter’s house about 7 a.m. Tuesday, police said. At least one neighbor saw the child playing in his babysitter’s backyard around 9:15 a.m., police said.

Carlisle Police Chief John Fisher, president of the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, which is assisting in the search, urged local residents with surveillance cameras, particularly those with Ring doorbells, to check their footage for any sign of the child.

“A 3-year-old of average mobility, unfortunately or fortunately, can get pretty far,” Fisher said.

Lowell police notified the community of the missing boy on Tuesday by using a reverse 911 system to contact residents and asked them to call the police immediately if they believe they have seen the boy or have information about his whereabouts.

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