The 1975‘s upcoming album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, lives up to at least the first part of its title. And you don’t need to take our word for it, just ask Taylor Swift.
In a new profile of frontman Matty Healy, Pitchfork reports that Swift “got an early listen” of Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Her thoughts? Three words: “It’s so funny.”
The “Shake It Off” singer isn’t the only music superstar who’s a 1975 fan. Healy reveals he received a text from Coldplay‘s Chris Martin calling the lead Being Funny single, “Part of the Band,” a “brave song.”
“And I was, like, ‘I don’t know how to be brave,'” Healy laughs.
Elsewhere in the interview, Healy reveals that he “hate[s]” Metallica — “My worst band of all time,” he says — but also shares he once got weed from another “Big Four” thrash rocker: Megadeth‘s Dave Mustaine.
Being Funny in a Foreign Language drops October 14. The 1975 will launch a U.S. tour in support of the album in November.
If you, like many others, are working from home because of the ongoing pandemic and find yourself struggling to be productive, you should listen to Taylor Swift‘s music.
A new study from Voices looked into the kind of music that shakes the most motivation back into remote workers, and songs by Taylor were found to be the most effective. They based their findings on the Spotify API, which tracks what artists are being featured in what kind of playlists based off of key words.
Taylor was the artist most commonly found in playlists using key words like “focus” and “work.” As for her most popular work-from-home songs, the survey suggests the “Taylor’s Version” of the Red and Fearless albums are taking up the most real estate in people’s playlists.
Harry Styles is the second-most popular WFH artist, while Ed Sheeran comes in third. Rounding out the top five are, respectively, The Weeknd and Rihanna.
But, when it comes to who has the most popular WFH songs, the honor goes to Harry. His singles “As It Was,” “Watermelon Sugar” and “Golden” are respectively in first, second and fourth place. Glass Animals‘ “Heat Waves” comes third.
So why is pop music better to listen to than classical or jazz music? Apparently, peppy lyrics are pretty effective at dragging people out of the work-from-home doldrums. The study adds those working from home are turning to more energetic music to soundtrack their day.
Research has already backed up claims that listening to music during a task boosts one’s happiness, creativity and efficiency. Apparently, while lyrics are viewed as distracting in some settings, the research finds working from home is a little more monotonous — so listening to someone singing helps break up the static.
Beyoncé is expressing gratitude for the reception Renaissance has received thus far. Following reports about her #1 album and #1 single “Break My Soul,” she took to her official website with a message of gratitude to the Beyhive and all those who helped bring her project to fruition.
The project, Bey says, was the result of “years of experimentation,” “hard work, blood, sweat, and tears.” So, seeing peers show up to her private Renaissance-themed event in New York over the weekend brought her joy.
“We did it!!!” she wrote. “Thank you so much for your love and support. Nothing made me happier than seeing a club full of people sing every single word to every song from top to bottom.”
“I’m thankful that it was received and understood,” she continued of her album. “Thank you to my beautiful team for your heart and grind. Thank you to all of the brilliant collaborators and musicians, composers and everyone involved in creating this piece of art. And thank you to the absolute best fans on the planet. I’m grateful to be loved by you. I love ya’ll deep.”
Beyoncé’s Renaissance-themed party featured star-studded appearances from Chlöe Bailey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kendrick Lamar, Donald Glover and Questlove, who tweeted about his experience.
“don’t even know if I’m allowed to say it but I literally watched an entire club LOSE IT. Renaissanceplayed from start to finish 3 times…,” he penned. “I never seen nothin like this.”
(LOS ANGELES) — The parents of a 12-year-old California girl who died last year after an accident involving an electric bike, or e-bike, say they want to see change.
Kaye and Jonathan Steinsapir, the parents of Molly Steinsapir, have filed a lawsuit against Rad Power Bikes, a Seattle-based e-bike company.
According to the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior County Court, Molly and her 11-year-old best friend were riding a RadRunner bike on Jan. 31, 2021, with Molly riding on the back. As the friends were going down a steep hill, the bike, “began to shake and wobble, causing the bike to crash.”
Molly died on Feb. 15, 2021, after undergoing multiple brain surgeries and spending more than two weeks in the hospital, with her parents by her side.
“I massaged her hands and her feet and sang to her and read to her,” Kaye Steinsapir, whose tweets about Molly’s fight to survive started a following known as “Team Molly,” told ABC News. “I read the book that her class was reading because I didn’t want her to be behind when she woke up.”
In their lawsuit, the Steinsapirs claim that the model of bike Molly was riding, Rad Power Bikes’ RadRunner, has “multiple design defects,” including an issue with the brakes and front wheel that, according to the lawsuit, “in some cases can cause the wheel to come all the way off.”
The family claims in the lawsuit that Rad Power Bikes, “knew or should have known that this was an unsafe and defective design.”
“Rad Power Bikes was aware of this issue or had been made aware of this issue, and they never redesigned their bike,” Jonathan Steinsapir told Good Morning America in his family’s first television interview about the lawsuit. “So this was, what we believe, was preventable.”
E-bikes have a motor and often have more power than a normal bike.
Rad Power Bikes’ RadRunner model is capable of reaching speeds up to 20 miles per hour, according to the lawsuit.
Molly was wearing a helmet while riding the e-bike, according to her parents. The maker of the helmet Molly was wearing, Giro Sport Design, is also named in the lawsuit.
Giro Sport Design did not reply to ABC News’ request for comment.
Rad Power Bikes told ABC News in a statement it “extends its deepest condolences to the Steinsapir family.”
The company said it does not comment on pending litigation.
In the lawsuit, the Steinsapirs claim the owner’s manual for the RadRunner, the type of bike Molly was riding, says in small print on page 49, out of 57 pages, it is “designed for use by persons 18 years and older. The lawsuit alleges that Rad Power Bikes “knows children will operate” the bike since the company’s website includes what the suit describes as “glowing reviews from adults” about buying the bike for their children.
“Let’s be honest, no one reads manuals. We all know that,” Jonathan Steinsapir said. “The first step Rad should have is something on the bike itself warning about age appropriateness.”
The Steinsapirs said they are filing the lawsuit in hopes of preventing tragedy for another family.
“I would much rather just walk away from this and just go on with my life,” Jonathan Steinsapir said. “But you know, the next child who dies or is paralyzed because of this issue that they refuse to address, I mean I couldn’t possibly live with myself with that.”
Added his wife, Kaye, “Every single time I just hear Molly. I hear her voice say, ‘Mom, it’s not okay. It’s not right,’ that that’s who Molly was. She is somebody who stood up for what is right and no matter what the personal cost, and there is tremendous personal cost to us in pursuing this litigation.”
Dr. Charles DiMaggio, a faculty member in the department of surgery, division of trauma and critical care at New York University School of Medicine, told ABC News that e-bikes represent “potentially a revolution” in how people get around, but that they need to be considered with safety first.
“They need to be introduced in a safe way,” DiMaggio said. “Engineering them in a way so that they stop and brake appropriately and safely, so that they are not necessarily going faster than they need to go and by marketing them to the appropriate age groups.”
Greg Billing, executive Director at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, told ABC News in an interview in 2020 that accidents with e-bikes can and do happen — that’s why it’s imperative for users to practice safety.
“It is a different skill than just riding a bike,” Billing said then. “Which is why we encourage people when they are starting to use e-bikes to really practice and understand how to handle the power of the bike and make sure that they feel comfortable before they get out on the road or on a trail around other people or cars.”
Country artists are paying tribute to Olivia Newton-John following her passing.
Keith Urban took to Twitter to share a throwback picture of him and his wife, Nicole Kidman, with the Grease star. “Livvie brought the most divine light into the world … so much love, joy, inspiration and kindness … and we will always be hopelessly devoted to you,” he writes in the caption.
Maren Morris shared a screenshot of a scene from Grease of John portraying the character of Sandy, wearing the famous black leather outfit with a cigarette in her mouth. “RIP Queen,” the singer posted on Instagram Stories.
Kelsea Ballerini turned her tribute into a song, sharing an a cappella cover of “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” which John sings in Grease. “Olivia Newton-John forever,” she captions the video with a heartbroken emoji.
John died at the age of 73 on Monday. A statement from her husband, John Easterling, says that she “passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
The actress experienced three bouts of breast cancer over the past 30 years. Throughout the 1970s, she had several hits that peaked on country charts, including “If You Love Me (Let Me Know),” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and “Please Mr. Please.”
(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Sunday narrowly approved a $700 billion-plus tax, climate and health care-pricing bill, capping an unusually jam-packed summer on Capitol Hill and marking another win for Democrats’ fragile congressional majorities before they face a competitive midterm cycle with the GOP eager to retake control.
Over the past 12 weeks, Democrats (joined with some Republicans) have pieced together passage on a slate of legislation for veterans’ health care, the tech manufacturing industry, gun violence prevention and, finally, a social spending bill they have been working on in some form since President Joe Biden took office last year.
The Senate also approved Finland and Sweden joining NATO.
The flurry of activity is tempered by a looming political reality: Despite Democratic achievements, multiple of which were passed with bipartisan majorities, Biden’s approval ratings remain underwater on a number of issues that voters say are top of mind, including the economy and historically high inflation.
As Democrats prepare to face voters in November, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer insisted that Americans will soon begin to see the effects of the Inflation Reduction Act — the tax, health and climate bill passed Sunday — and other legislation, priorities that have proven popular in recent polling.
Having left COVID-19 isolation over the weekend, Biden will sign the PACT and CHIPS Acts — for veterans and computer chip manufacturing, respectively — on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the White House. The House will take up the IRA on Friday before sending it to Biden’s desk for his signature.
Here’s an overview of the notable measures Congress has passed this summer.
The IRA
Democrats’ latest reconciliation spending bill raises taxes on large corporations and the wealthy, allows Medicare to negotiate down some prescription drug costs, extends Affordable Care Act subsidies to make health insurance cheaper, makes major investments in combating climate change and opens millions of acres in federal property to oil and gas drilling, among other things, while cutting hundreds of millions from the federal deficit.
The IRA passed along party lines, 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie. Its passage comes off the heels of turbulent negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and then the addition of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.; both Manchin and Sinema are centrists in the Democratic caucus whose approval was key in the divided Senate.
The legislation’s tax provisions, prescription drug-pricing reform, as well as boosted IRS tax enforcement measures, are anticipated to raise an estimated revenue of $739 billion — $300 billion of which Democrats say would go toward reducing the deficit.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the bill would have a minimal affect on high inflation in the short-term but would reduce federal budget deficits by $102 billion over 10 years.
“It’s been a long tough and winding road, at last we’ve arrived,” Schumer said on Sunday. “Our bill reduces inflation, lowers costs, creates millions of manufacturing jobs, enhances our energy security and is the boldest climate action in US history.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who led Republicans in uniform opposition to the IRA, took another view: “Democrats’ policies have torn down the savings, the stability, and the lifestyles that families worked and sacrificed for years to build up. The effect of this one-party government has been an economic assault on the American middle class,” he said in a statement.
PACT act
PACT expedites care and disability payments to veterans related to illnesses caused by toxic exposure from so-called “burn pits” during their service.
The proposal initially passed the Senate earlier this year. But after a small fix in the House required the bill to be voted on again, 26 Republican senators then changed their votes and blocked swift passage last week, objecting to a so-called “budget gimmick” they argued could be exploited by Democrats.
Amid outcry from veterans’ advocates, including comedian Jon Stewart, the Senate took up PACT again.
A final 86-11 vote on the passage of the bill came Tuesday, after long hours of emotional lobbying.
“Every so often folks, America lives up to its ideals, and those are days that we savor,” Schumer said at a press conference outside the Senate after the vote.
CHIPS
A bipartisan group in the House passed a bill in late July that boosts the domestic production of crucial semiconductor — computer — chips, along with funding the nation’s science and technology industries with additional research and development.
CHIPS cleared the chamber in a 243-187 vote (with one “present” vote) despite late-hour pushes from GOP leadership against the legislation Twenty-four Republicans joined Democrats in backing the measure out of what would have been additional GOP support, curbed because of the surprise development that Schumer and Manchin had brokered a deal on the IRA, despite many conservatives believing Manchin had killed hopes of a party-line reconciliation bill.
Supporters of the $280 billion proposal highlight the roughly $52 billion it provides to incentivize the creation of semiconductor facilities, increasing American competitiveness in an industry where countries like China dominate.
There’s a nationwide shortage of the needed computer chips, which has caused production delays, stalling industries from automotive to medical and spurring already-punishing inflation rates.
Gun control
In late June, Biden signed the first major piece of federal gun legislation in almost 30 years, after Congress swiftly passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
The Senate approved the anti-gun violence package by a vote of 65-33, including the entire Democratic caucus and 15 Republicans like Minority Leader McConnell.
A group of senators began crafting the legislation in the aftermath of the May mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers.
But the law doesn’t go as far as Democrats — and Biden — wanted, excluding measures such as universal background checks and a reinstating a federal ban on assault-style weapons (as well as banning high-capacity magazines). But it does support the implementation of so-called “red flag” laws to remove firearms from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others, as well as other violence prevention programs.
It also provides funding for a variety of programs aimed at shoring up the nation’s mental health apparatus and securing schools.
“At a time when it seems impossible to get anything done in Washington, we are doing something consequential,” Biden has said.
ABC News’ Alliison Pecorin, Alexandra Hutzler and Trish Turner contributed to this report.
Jordan Davis‘ two young children are slowly but surely figuring out their dad is a rockstar.
Jordan and his wife, Kristen, are parents to 2-year-old daughter Eloise and 11-month-old son Locklan. While they’re still too young to fully comprehend their dad’s life in the spotlight, the singer says it’s fun for him to watch them take in his live shows.
“My daughter, she’s almost 3, so [it’s] connecting with her ‘that’s dad and all these people are singing with him,'” Jordan describes on the Todayshow, adding that baby Locklan is “just along for the ride.” “I don’t think it’s set in that Eloise’s dad does that kind of stuff, but I think it’s fun for her to see side stage and see her react with it. It’s pretty cool.”
Jordan also channels his family into his music, particularly with his current single, “What My World Spins Around,” which is inspired by his wife.
“She’s used to hearing a lot of my songs, so most of them she doesn’t pay attention to it. But this one, she locked in on, so maybe she picked up on who it was about,” the singer says.
“World” follows Jordan’s previous chart-topping single featuring Luke Bryan, “Buy Dirt.”
Camila Cabello proved she has moved on after breaking up with Shawn Mendes last year. The “Bam Bam” singer was photographed strolling hand-in-hand with rumored new beau Austin Kevitch.
Daily Mail shared photos of Camila palling around with Kevitch, a 31-year-old dating app CEO, on a coffee run. Aside from holding hands, she also gave the Lox Club co-founder a sweet peck on the cheek. As they sat, he rested a hand on her knee.
Camila was wearing a breezy blue sundress decorated with a white daisy print while Kevitch was wearing a white tee and green shorts for their outing.
Entertainment Tonightpreviously contacted a source when rumors first sparked in June that Camila was dating Kevitch. The insider claimed the dating app mogul had some friends in common with the “Havana” singer and asked them to set something up — and it worked. Per a source, “They went out and had fun together.”
Camila broke up with Mendes in November 2021. They both said in an announcement, “We’ve decided to end our romantic relationship but our love for one another as humans is stronger than ever.” The two had been dating since 2019.
As for Shawn, he hasn’t been sparking any rumors on the dating front, but he did go partying with fellow Canadian superstar The Weeknd on Sunday. The “Stitches” singer also recently canceled his entire Wonder tour to focus on his mental health.
Tributes continue to pour in for singer, actress and activist Olivia Newton-John, who died Monday at age 73 after a yearslong battle with cancer.
Fellow 1970s icon Elton Johnposted several photos of himself with Olivia, including one from the mid-’70s of him with Olivia and Stevie Wonder. “The saddest of news to wake up to,” he captioned the post. “Olivia was a beautiful and courageous woman, who I never heard complain about her illness. A beautiful voice and a warm and loving friend. I will miss her so much. Condolences to her family and loved ones.”
Elton co-wrote the title track of Olivia’s 1988 album The Rumour.
Mariah Carey also posted several photos of herself with Olivia and wrote a heartfelt message about how much the star meant to her as a kid.
“I first fell in love with Olivia’s voice when I was a little girl and heard ‘I Honestly Love You,'” Mariah wrote. “Songs like ‘Magic,’ ‘Suddenly’ and ‘Have You Never Been Mellow’ showcased her beautiful airy tone and signature sound. And THEN there was GREASE. I was obsessed.”
She continues, “I dressed up as Bad Sandy for Halloween in 5th grade and thought I was everything. Years later, THE one and only Olivia Newton-John actually walked out onto my stage in Melbourne, Australia and we sang our hearts out together to ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You.’ This is a moment I will never ever forget.”
Mariah goes on to praise Olivia as “one of the kindest, most generous and lovely people I’ve ever met,” adding, “She will be missed. She will be remembered. She will be loved.”
As he heads into his 20th season on Saturday Night Live, Kenan Thompson has been selected as the host of September’s 74th annual Emmy Awards.
The telecast will be carried on NBC and, for the first time ever, will stream live on Peacock. The celebration of the best in TV will be held at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET.
In the announcement, the former Kenan lead and six-time nominee said, “Being a part of this incredible evening where we honor the best of the television community is ridiculously exciting, and to do it on NBC — my longtime network family — makes it even more special.”
He added, “Like all TV fans, I can’t wait to see the stars from my favorite shows.”
Also of note, the Television Academy announced the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3, and Sunday, Sept. 4, with an edited presentation of the events airing Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8 p.m. ET on FXX.
Heading into the Primetime Emmy Awards, HBO’s Succession leads the pack with 25 noms. Another HBO drama, The White Lotus, scored 20, tying with Apple TV+’s previous Emmy sweeper Ted Lasso in the Comedy category.
HBO’s Hacks and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building each scored 17 noms.
