Lin-Manuel Miranda will receive the National Music Publishers’ Association’s Songwriter Icon Award, says Billboard. The songwriter will be the first theatrically focused recipient. Previous winners include Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Jon Bon Jovi and Pharrell.
Speaking of Taylor … is she heading to Grey’s Anatomy? We know she named her cat Meredith after the drama series’ main character, and fans are convinced she will make a cameo in the upcoming 400th episode, titled “Out for Blood,” because the IMDb page allegedly listed her among in the cast. She has since been removed. We’ll find out if Tay will make her long-awaited debut when the episode drops this Thursday.
Lance Bass says his twins are “NEVER getting a pony” because Alexander and Violet were caught wearing “I love Backstreet Boys” onesies. “BUSTED,” the NSYNC singer captioned the Instagram snap. “Looks like the twins have picked a side.” He later admitted, “I guess I was asking for it after naming [my son] after AJ McLean.”
Lindsey Stirling is celebrating the milestone 10th anniversary of her career. “Time is a funny thing,” she captioned the Instagram Reel that shows her growth over the past decade. The violinist added on an Instagram Story, “5 albums, 1,000+ shows and 4 hair transformations later: So much has changed and so much is still the same.”
Sam Smith is flexing their vocals to bring a cartoon character to life. Deadline reports the “Love Me More” singer is joining the cast of Amazon Studios’ The Hospital, about alien surgeons, which also stars Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Kieran Culkin. Sam voices the character Dr. Azel.
Demi Lovato confirmed the lead single off their new album is called “Skin of My Teeth.” The exchange happened after a fan tweeted, “Skin of My Teeth is the lead [single] according to the streets” and another demanded to know “what street” they were talking about. Demi responded, “My Street.”
Lil Nas X has been reunited with his son — kinda. The singer shared a photo of a plush Elmo toy buckled into the passenger seat on his Instagram Story and wrote, “They lost my old elmo in london so i want everyone to welcome my new son elmo jr. he’s coming to work with me today.”
Sam Smith is flexing their vocals to bring a cartoon character to life. Deadline reports the “Love Me More” singer is joining the cast of Amazon Studios’ The Hospital, about alien surgeons, which stars Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Kieran Culkin. Sam voices the character Dr. Azel.
Lin-Manuel Miranda will receive the National Music Publishers’ Association’s Songwriter Icon Award, says Billboard. The songwriter will be the first theatrically focused recipient. Previous winners include Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys and Pharrell.
Speaking of Taylor … is she heading to Grey’s Anatomy? We know she named her cat Meredith after the drama series’ main character, and fans are convinced she will make a cameo in the upcoming 400th episode, titled “Out for Blood,” because the IMDb page allegedly listed her among in the cast. She has since been removed. We’ll find out if Tay will make her long-awaited debut when the episode drops this Thursday.
Lance Bass says his twins are “NEVER getting a pony” because Alexander and Violet were caught wearing “I love Backstreet Boys“onesies. “BUSTED,” the NSYNC singer captioned the Instagram snap. “Looks like the twins have picked a side.” He later admitted, “I guess I was asking for it after naming [my son] after AJ McLean.”
-On a recent episode of David Letterman‘s Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Will Smith opened up about being mocked early on his music career.
In the sit-down interview, which was reportedly filmed before the Oscars slap, Smith talked with the late night host about his life and acting career, including feeling hurt when he was called “soft” for his nonexplicit songs.
“Dave, I hated that, being called soft,” he said, adding, “I couldn’t even curse well.” The actor told the story of a time his grandmother found one of his rap books that had lyrics with profanity in it. Recalling that incident, Smith said, “[She] wrote a letter in [the] front of my book and said, ‘Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like these to express themselves. Please show the world that you’re as smart as we think you are. Love, Gigi.'”
Smith said the exchange with his grandmother was the reason he never cursed in any of his records.
–Rising DMV rapper Rico Nasty released her latest single “Intrusive” on Tuesday, along with the accompanying music video. The “beautifully, chaotic” new single — as described in a press release — follows “Vaderz,” which was released last month on 4/20, and will be featured on her upcoming project.
Sharing an image of the single’s artwork, the rapper alerted fans of the new drop on Instagram, saying, “INTRUSIVE OUT NOW ! Go watch the video link in BIO.”
–Complex Magazine reminded fans about ComplexLand kicking off Wednesday. The free digital experience takes place May 25-27 and features exclusive sneaker drops, art, daily prizes and more. To join the brand in the “metaverse” this week, visit ComplexLand.com.
Former Blue Öyster Cult bassist Joe Bouchard has released a second advance track from his forthcoming solo album, American Rocker, a melodic rock tune called “In the Golden Age” that finds him reflecting on the band’s 1970s heyday.
“‘In the Golden Age’ is a high energy rocker that sets the pace for the entire album,” Joe says. “The song started out inspired by the old ’60s TV show Route 66. I updated the theme to be about the early shows of Blue Öyster Cult when we began playing big shows on the West Coast of the U.S. Yes, my life in the ’70s was an endless highway with adventures at every turn … It was all good and exciting!”
The track is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, and a lyric video has premiered at the Deko Entertainment label’s official YouTube channel. It was preceded by the first advance song from American Rocker, “My Way Is the Highway.”
The album is an 11-track collection that will be released on June 3. As Joe explains, “American Rocker is a musical journey of my life as a rock star,” adding, “I feel lucky to live a life of music, and to be fulfilling my wildest dreams.”
CD copies of the album can be preordered now at MerchBucket.com. Special bundles also available are pairing the CD with a T-shirt and an autographed booklet.
Joe has a series of five North American shows lined up in July with his band Blue Coupe — which also features his brother and fellow Blue Öyster Cult alum Albert Bouchard and original Alice Cooper bassist Dennis Dunaway. He and Albert will also be playing a series of U.K. concerts in August, performing as The Bouchard Brothers.
Here’s American Rocker‘s full track list:
“My Way Is the Highway”
“In the Golden Age”
“Deadly Kisses”
“Love Out of Thin Air”
“Off Season Hotel”
“Hounds of Hell”
“Conspiracy”
“Rocket to Fame”
“The Devil’s in the Details”
“Katherine”
“Hey There Suzi Dear”
Lenny Bruce, Joan Rivers and Bill Hicks blazed their own trails for comedy before they passed on, and now they’re blazing new ground: as action figures.
The trio is being immortalized in plastic — though Rivers might have joked she already has been — as part of the Nacelle Company’s Legends of Laughter action figure line.
The figures are a pretty natural fit for the company behind the documentary series The Toys That Made Us and A Toy Store Near You, and its award-winning Comedy Dynamics label.
Each figure will come packaged with a QR code giving collectors access to a previously unreleased track from that artist, personally curated by the estates of Rivers, Hicks and Bruce.
In a statement, Melissa Rivers, Joan’s daughter, joked, “I think the term, ‘Action Figure,’ may be a bit ambitious for a woman who considered making a martini exercise.” She added, “Nonetheless, It is a treat to see my mother captured, and I do mean captured.”
Preorders will start August 16, in celebration of National Joke Day, at NacelleStore.com.
Maren Morris‘ hit collaboration with Zedd, “The Middle,” is now certified six-times Platinum by the RIAA.
Dierks Bentley will perform at the first BeachLife Ranch Country & Americana festival, taking place September 16-18 in Redondo Beach, California. Dierks will headline the Saturday night show on September 17. Tickets are on sale now.
Parmalee has unveiled the music video for their top five radio hit “Take My Name.”
Carrie Underwood has shared a behind-the-scenes video from the final show of her Las Vegas residency, Reflection.
(WASHINGTON) — The power of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement and lasting influence over Republican midterm voters faces its biggest test yet on Tuesday in Georgia, where Trump and his former vice president are on opposite sides in a significant statewide race and where Trump’s “big lie” is effectively on the ballot.
So, for Trump, it’s not just politics — it’s personal.
Incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both Republicans, are defending their offices from challengers — but also from their most vocal critic, Trump, since both men resisted his pressure in 2020 to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory, in a state where three audits confirmed Trump lost by more than 11,000 votes.
Appearing to lay the groundwork for 2024, Trump has endorsed a slate of his loyalists who espouse his “big lie,” including former GOP Sen. David Perdue, relentlessly attacking Kemp in the process as a “sellout” and “coward.” But Trump appears headed for a showdown of his own, as some of his favored candidates, including Perdue, are behind in the polls.
“We have to win,” Trump said in a tele-town hall for Perdue in Georgia Monday night. “We want to win, and we have a governor that’s done the worst job of any governor in probably decades on election integrity.”
Cementing his break from Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence appeared in Kennesaw, Georgia, at the same time on Monday to rally behind Kemp and tout what he called “the Republican Party is the party of the future,” in what could be as an indirect swipe at Trump for continuing to falsely claiming 2020 election fraud.
“I know the polls look good — real good,” Pence said to applause. “But don’t let up, don’t slow down. Keep chopping.”
Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich, turning the heat on Pence, said in a statement to ABC News that the former vice president is “desperate to chase his lost relevance” and “parachuting in to races, hoping someone is paying attention.”
With Kemp polling better than 50%, according to data compiled by FiveThirtyEight, Pence’s endorsee is expected to not only win renomination but surpass the need for a runoff with Trump’s pick. Polling also suggests Perdue would be a weaker candidate in the general election this fall, where Republicans will face Stacey Abrams, running unopposed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination — a point Pence hammered.
“I’m here because Brian Kemp is the only candidate in tomorrow’s primary who has already defeated Stacey Abrams, whether she knows it or not,” Pence said Monday, praising Kemp without once mentioning Trump.
Perdue lost a Senate runoff last year to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Georgia’s other senator, Rev. Sen. Raphael Warnock, will likely defend his seat in the emerging battleground against Herschel Walker, the Georgia college football legend Trump endorsed who is holding steady as the frontrunner in the GOP Senate primary, despite allegations of violent behavior, which Walker has denied.
Secretary of state race
In a closer, but arguably more consequential race, Trump has directed his ire at Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who famously refused in a January 2021 phone call to “find” the former president more votes, and endorsed challenger Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., who voted against certifying the 2020 election results.
The winner of the secretary of state race will play a key role in the next presidential election if Georgia again comes down to the wire.
Hice is one of at least 23 election deniers were running for secretary of state in 18 states, according to the States United Action, a nonpartisan advocacy group tracking the uptick in election deniers running for office. Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican critic of Trump and co-chair of the group, warned that if Trump were to get his loyalists in place for 2024, it would presumably be much easier to ensure a loss wouldn’t happen again.
“People tend to focus just on the federal races and federal elections but forget that they’re run by the states. And that’s why these elections are so important,” Whitman told ABC News, describing the thinking behind their strategy: “We change the laws, so we can change the referee, so we can change the outcomes.”
So far, more than 850,000 votes have already been cast in Georgia – surpassing the early vote in the 2018 and 2020 elections, despite new election rules inspired by unproven claims of fraud surrounding the 2020 election which Democrats argue have restricted the vote.
“We know that increased turnout has nothing to do with suppression,” Abrams said at a press conference on Tuesday morning. “We know voters want their right to vote to be made real and be held sacrosanct. And so they are showing up.”
Raffensperger, providing reporters with an update on voting in Georgia on Tuesday, declined to answer a question about his race from the state capital, saying “Since we’re in this building, I really have my secretary of state hat on right now.”
(ATLANTA) — Stacy Abrams, a Black Democrat running for Georgia governor, declined on Tuesday to directly comment on Republican David Perdue saying she should “go back to where she came from.”
“No, not at all,” Abrams, said at a news conference in Atlanta, when asked by ABC News whether she wanted to respond to what was widely labeled as racist remarks from Perdue on Monday night while giving a campaign speech in which he also charged she was “demeaning her own race.”
“I will say this,” Abrams told ABC News at Tuesday’s press conference. “I have listened to Republicans for the last six months attack me. But they’ve done nothing to attack the challenges facing Georgia. They’ve done nothing to articulate their plans for the future of Georgia. Their response to a comment on their record is to deflect and to pretend that they’ve done good for the people of Georgia.”
Perdue, running to get the GOP nomination for Georgia governor, seized on Abram’s comments last week that Georgia was “worst state in the country to live,” citing residents’ disparities in mental health and maternal mortality, among other issues.
“She ain’t from here. Let her go back to where she came from,” Perdue, a former senator challenging Gov. Brian Kemp for their party’s nomination, said at a campaign event in the Atlanta suburbs on Monday night. “She doesn’t like it here.”
Abrams grew up in Mississippi but has deep ties to Georgia, a state she moved to during high school and where she previously served as the House minority leader. She said last week that “when you’re No. 48 for mental health, when you’re No. 1 for maternal mortality, when you have an incarceration rate that’s on the rise and wages that are on the decline, then you are not the No. 1 place to live.”
Perdue’s dismissal that she “go back” somewhere else echoes comments by his party’s standard-bearer, former President Donald Trump, who notoriously told four progressive, non-white lawmakers in 2019 to “go back” to the “broken and crime infested places from which they came.” The lawmakers Trump targeted are all U.S. citizens and his tweet sparked a firestorm of criticism. (Perdue’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News on Tuesday about the fallout of his attack on Abrams.)
While Abrams did not address Perdue directly at Tuesday morning’s press conference, she conceded that what she said last week about Georgia’s problems was “inelegant.” Still, she reiterated her larger point about what she called the many health and social challenges Georgians, especially voters, face.
“I had an inelegant delivery of the statement that I was making, and that is that Brian Kemp is a failed governor and doesn’t care about the people of Georgia,” she said. “Look at his record. Look at the results under his four years of leadership.” Kemp, for his part, has continued to assail Abrams as an out-of-step leftist while touting how he addressed COVID-19 and more.
Perdue on Monday also criticized comments Abrams made during her 2018 campaign for governor when she said she wanted to diversify the state’s economy beyond agriculture and hospitality.
But Perdue responded to her comments by claiming Abrams had “told Black farmers, ‘You don’t need to be on the farm,’ and she told Black workers in hospitality and all this, ‘You don’t need to be.'”
“She is demeaning her own race when it comes to that. I am really over this,” Perdue said. “She should never be considered material for governor of any state, much less our state where she hates to live.”
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Abrams actually said in 2018: “I want to create a lot of different jobs. Because people shouldn’t have to go into agriculture or hospitality in Georgia to make a living in Georgia. Why not create renewable energy jobs? Because, I’m going to tell y’all a secret: Climate change is real.” (Even then, she was dinged by the GOP as “brash and condescending,” with her aides at the time calling the criticism “absurdly misleading.”)
Perdue, who has been endorsed by Trump, is hoping to overtake what polls show is a significant deficit behind Kemp in order to win the Republican nomination and face Abrams in November.
Abrams, the only major Democrat running for her party’s nomination, is preparing for a rematch with Kemp, whom she ran against in 2018 — losing by a very narrow margin that she claimed was influenced by tactics that suppressed the vote. The GOP has repeatedly highlighted Abrams’ criticism of the election she lost, saying it is hypocritical given how Democrats have renounced Trump’s election lies.
“In 2018, voters across the state were denied access to the right to vote,” Abrams said Tuesday. “They were denied the ability to register and stay on the rolls. They were denied the ability to cast the ballot and the ability to have that ballot counted In 2018.”
Even in the face of high voter turnout, she said, “We know that … has nothing to do with suppression. Suppression is about whether or not you make it difficult for voters to access the ballot.”
ABC News’ Miles Cohen, MaryAlice Parks, Brittany Shepherd and Briana Stewart contributed to this report.
While comic book geeks might have technical reasons to disagree, Doctor Strange can beat Batman … at the box office, that is.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness might not have gotten the level of praise as The Batman seemed to, but the Sam Raimi-directed Marvel movie crossed the $800 million mark at the worldwide box office.
Matt Reeves‘ The Batman, it should be said, was no slouch, standing at some $760 million worldwide, enough to motivate Warner Bros. Discovery to green-light a sequel to the Robert Pattinson-led film.
The Doctor Strange sequel has officially become the second-highest-grossing film of the pandemic period, a distant second to Sony Pictures’ nearly $1.9 billion-grossing Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which Madness’sBenedict Cumberbatch also starred.
Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
Dressed in a black leather outfit, complete with chaps, a sparkling jacket and cowboy hat, Kane pulls up to a neon-clad honky tonk in his pick up truck. Once inside, he grabs a drink at the bar and hops onstage to serenade the lively crowd of two-stepping patrons. Kane joins them as he busts out his best moves on the dance floor in between shots of him singing in front of a Western-themed backdrop.
“Like I Love Country Music” is currently climbing through the top 20 on country radio. It follows Kane’s chart-topping hit “One Mississippi.” The hitmaker is currently putting the finishing touches on his new album and will embark on the international Drunk or Dreaming Tour later this year.
