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Taylor Swift cheers on NYU graduating class in commencement speech: “You should be very proud”

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Taylor Swift cheered on New York University’s 2022 graduating class in a heartfelt commencement speech about the importance of being resilient.

Taylor spoke Wednesday at Yankee Stadium and told the graduating class, “Last time I was in a stadium this size, I was dancing in heels and wearing a glittery leotard. This outfit is much more comfortable.”

Taylor, of course, was referring to wearing a cap and gown for commencement for the first time because she never went to college. Despite not having a bachelor’s degree, NYU upgraded the Grammy winner with an honorary doctor in fine arts degree.

Jokes aside, the “Shake It Off” singer imparted her wisdom about becoming an adult. “Part of growing up and moving into new chapters of your life is about catch and release,” she expressed. “What I mean by that is, knowing what things to keep and what things to release. You can’t carry all things, all grudges, all updates on your ex, all enviable promotions your school bully got at the hedge fund his uncle started. Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go.”

She also spoke of the value of appreciating the cringey things of childhood because, “I’m a big advocate for not hiding your enthusiasm for things.” Taylor also expressed, “Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth.”

The singer also spoke of being disappointed, telling the graduates, “My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things in my life. And being embarrassed when you mess up is part of the human experience.”

“Hard things will happen to us. We will recover. We will learn from it. We will grow more resilient because of it,” she encouraged before ending her speech with, “So let’s just keep dancing like we’re the class of ’22!”

You can read Taylor’s full address on Good Morning America.

Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne on how music helps his mental health: “It allows me to express myself”

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and for Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne, that’s personal. He has previously discussed his battles with depression and anxiety, saying that he went through a difficult period of depression and suicidal ideation in late 2019 that led to a hospitalization.

In partnership with ACM Lifting Lives, John talks about how he maintains his mental health and how music plays into that.

“I learned to be OK with not being OK,” he reflects. “Being OK with not being OK is just being patient with how you feel.”

Stepping onstage with his guitar and playing music for his fans is an outlet, John continues, that can help him keep his mental health stable. “It allows me to express myself — musically, but it [also] gets all of the feelings that I have inside out.”

And as a listener? John says that he doesn’t typically dance, but there’s one pop star who he likes to jam out to every now and again.

“I’m a wretched dancer, but if I’m alone and someone plays Dua Lipa, I might shake my butt a little bit,” he jokes.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even if it feels like it, you are not alone.

After back-to-back chart-toppers, Lainey Wilson teases her next radio single

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Lainey Wilson’s got a new single coming out on Friday, and she’s hoping it’ll make three for three atop the country radio chart. Her last two singles, “Things a Man Oughta Know” and a Cole Swindell duet called “Never Say Never,” each made it to the top spot.

Her new song is called “Heart Like a Truck,” and Lainey teased the song on her social channels this week, posting video of herself singing along.

“I’ve got a heart like a truck / It’s been drug through the mud / Runs on dreams and gasoline / And that ol’ highway holds the key,” she sings in the chorus.

“Heart Like a Truck” marks a new chapter for Lainey. It’s the first new music she’s put out since Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’, her major-label debut from early 2021.

Since that album came out, Lainey’s star has rapidly risen, and she shows no signs of slowing down: She’s joining Luke Combs on his Middle of Somewhere Tour this year, and she’s playing festivals like next month’s CMA Fest and the Dierks Bentley-led Seven Peaks Fest, plus appearing in Brian Kelley’s May We All musical.

‘Billion Dollar Babies’-themed Alice Cooper action figure available now

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A new Alice Cooper action figure celebrating the shock rocker’s memorable early-1970s look and his band’s classic 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies has been released by the Super7 toy company as part of its ReAction Figure series.

The figurine depicts Cooper with his trademark face makeup wearing a black leather outfit, including a vest, gloves and knee-high boots with silver lightning bolts on the side. The toy also features two accessories — a microphone and Cooper’s pet snake.

The figurine comes packaged on a special billion-dollar-bill cardback similar to the one that came with the original Billion Dollar Babies LP.

Billion Dollar Babies is the only Cooper album ever to top the Billboard 200. It included the top-40 hits “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “Hello Hooray.”

The Cooper figure is available now at Super7.com and is priced at $18. Previous toys in the ReAction Figure series include figurines depicting Motorhead‘s Lemmy, late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, late Exodus frontman Paul Baloff, Iron Maiden mascot Eddie, King Diamond and Ghost singer Papa Emeritus II.

Cooper is set to kick off a 2022 European tour this Sunday, May 22, in Swansea, Wales. Check out his full schedule at AliceCooper.com.

Career-spanning Al Stewart box set, ‘The Admiralty Lights,’ to be released in June

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A massive Al Stewart box set titled The Admiralty Lights, spanning the veteran Scottish singer/songwriter’s nearly 60-year career, will be released on June 3.

The 50-CD collection features remastered versions of all 21 of Stewart’s studio albums, 18 discs of previously unheard live recordings spanning from 1970 to 2009, three CDs of BBC sessions that Stewart recorded from 1965 to 1972, and eights discs of demos, outtakes and other rare tracks dating from 1964 to 2008.

The box set also includes a 160-page hardback book featuring extensive liner notes, an interview with Stewart, and rare photos and memorabilia; a 24-page “Collectors’ Book” with details about the various rare recordings; a print of the cover of Stewart’s smash 1976 album Year of the Cat signed by artist Colin Elgie; and a poster of Stewart’s 1988 album Last Days of the Century.

Stewart emerged from the British folk scene during the 1960s, but he enjoyed his biggest success as a rock artist with two platinum-selling, Alan Parsons-produced albums — Year of the Cat and 1978’s Time Passages.

Year of the Cat featured the hit title track, which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as “On the Border,” which fell just short of the chart’s top 40. The album peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200.

Time Passages reached #10 on the Billboard 200, while its title track became Stewart’s highest-charting single in the U.S., peaking at #7 on the Hot 100.

Other noteworthy recordings in the box set include Stewart’s 1969 Love Chronicles album, featuring contributions from Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones; and 1973’s Present & Future, which boasts appearances by Yes‘ Rick Wakeman and Queen‘s Roger Taylor.

The Admiralty Lights can be preordered now.

The joe about nothing: ‘Seinfeld’ inspires coffee collection

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

For those who have been drinking in Seinfeld repeats since the Emmy-winning show went off the air in 1998, you can now do it literally.

The company Bean Box has created the official Seinfeld Coffee Collection. Pretty apt — albeit arguably very late — for a show in which Monk’s Diner was a staple.

According to the company, they’ve curated coffee from the nation’s best roasters to “embody the complex and quirky personalities of New York’s most relatable group of friends.”

Included in the collection is “a spicy and chocolaty medium roast” called Elaine’s Little Kicks and a “dark, rich” blend called George’s “Serenity Now.”

Also up for grabs are Jerry’s Diner Blend, a Brazilian coffee with “notes of chocolate, brown sugar and roasted almonds,” and Kramer’s Giddy-Up, an Ethiopian blend, fittingly for the show’s fruit fan, that has notes of “mango, papaya and citrus.”

Not included, interestingly, is decaf — which TV Jerry drank — or Elaine’s favorite, Arabian Mocha Java, a blend so strong she once referred to it as “PLO blend.”

Listen to John Legend’s new song, “Dope”

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Surprise, surprise! John Legend just dropped a new song … and right on time for the nice weather, it could very well turn into the song of the summer.

Legend released the upbeat, catchy track “Dope,” featuring Atlanta rapper J.I.D, on Wednesday, marking the first single off the EGOT winner’s upcoming album.

“I’m so thrilled to be releasing new music,” Legend said in the official announcement. “The past year or so has been so exciting for me creatively. I have been writing and collaborating with some of the most talented people in music, and we have some great new material to share with the world.” He continued, “‘Dope’ is one of my favorites. I love the energy of the song. I loved collaborating with my gifted co-writers and producers, and J.I.D is one of my favorite emerging artists in hip-hop. I hope the song can be a part of people’s soundtrack for this summer.”

The new song comes on the heels of the sold-out first run of Legend’s new Las Vegas residency, Love in Las Vegas, and just a month before he heads to Washington, D.C., to host the 2022 Something in the Water music festival.

Russian soldier pleads guilty to shooting unarmed Ukrainian civilian

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(KYIV, Ukraine) — Russian Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian. The guilty plea carries a life sentence.

Shishimarin, 21, is accused of shooting a 62-year-old man on Feb. 28. The man was a resident of Chupakhivka who was riding a bike on the roadside when he was shot, according to Iryna Venediktova, Ukraine’s prosecutor general.

This is the first trial Ukraine has conducted for an act that could be considered a war crime.

Asked by the presiding judge whether he accepted his guilt, Shishimarin said: “Yes. Fully yes.”

Shishimarin is charged with murder and two counts of robbery. He surrendered to Ukrainian law enforcement and has been a prisoner of war since, Ukrainian prosecutor Andriy Syniuk said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the proceedings on Wednesday, telling reporters that accusations leveled against Russian soldiers by Ukraine were “simply fake or staged.”

Cardi B shares tips on how to change diapers with super-long nails

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Cardi B has no problem sharing the knowledge she’s gained after becoming a mom. And when fellow rapper Kash Doll reached out for advice on how to change her newborn son’s diaper with long nails, the Grammy winner was quick to provide the new mom some help.

In a tutorial video posted to Twitter on Tuesday, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper took Kash Doll, and her 22.5 million Twitter followers, through a step-by-step process of how she wipes her baby boy Wav‘s bottom clean, despite the 1- to 2-inch-long nails that might get in the way.

Sporting her bright red nails and using a cute brown teddy bear to demonstrate how it’s done, Cardi emphasized many parts of the diaper-changing process, including, “… you always wanna make sure you clean the butt cheeks, the butt cheeks, the butt cheeks …” An inquiring 3-year-old Kulture wanted to know why her mommy was wiping a teddy bear’s bottom, to which Cardi jokingly responded, “It’s a long story.”

It wasn’t long after Kash Doll, who welcomed her baby boy Kashton in January, admitted she was “struggling,” even with her press-on nails, that Cardi assured her that she’ll soon “get the hang of it.”

Kash Doll thanked the rapper for the thorough video, saying she’ll back in a week to let her know how it’s going.

Chinese plane crash that killed 132 caused by intentional act: US officials

May 18, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The China Eastern Airlines plane crash that killed 132 people is believed to have been caused by an intentional act, according to U.S. officials who spoke to ABC News.

The Boeing 737-800 passenger jet was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou on March 21 when it plunged into a mountainous area in Guangxi, China. All 123 passengers and nine crew members were killed.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report the news.

The officials who spoke to ABC News point to the plane’s flaps not being engaged and landing gear not put down. The near-vertical descent of the plane, they believe, would’ve required intentional force.

The plane slammed into the ground with such force that it created a 66-foot deep hole in the ground, according to Chinese officials.

Investigators also looked into the pilot’s personal life and background and believe he may have been struggling through certain issues right before the crash, ABC News has learned.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said all information on the investigation will come from their counterparts in the Civil Aviation Administration of China, but regulators and Boeing have not flagged any mechanical issues. Sources said Chinese investigators also haven’t flagged any mechanical issues.

“The NTSB will not be issuing any further updates on the CAAC’s investigation of the China Eastern 5735 crash,” the NTSB said in a statement. “When and whether CAAC issues updates is entirely up to them. And I haven’t heard anything about any plans for them to do so.”

The first black box, the cockpit voice recorder, was found on March 23, while the flight data recorder was found March 27.

ABC News’ Mark Osborne contributed to this report.

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