ODESZA is back with new music for the first time in almost four years.
The duo has released a track called “The Last Goodbye,” featuring soul and blues singer Bettye LaVette. The song is a reworking of LaVette’s 1965 song, “Let Me Down Easy.”
“This song was born out of the concept of trying to bring these lasting, defining musical pieces like the 1965 release of ‘Let Me Down Easy’ by Bettye LaVette into a modern and contemporary electronic setting,” ODESZA says. “The idea of bringing two worlds together, that at first seem distant, has always been something we’ve been drawn to.”
You can download “The Last Goodbye” now via digital outlets.
ODESZA’s most recent album is 2017’s A Moment Apart, which features the single “Line of Sight.”
Elvie Shane is exploring “County Roads” in his new single.
The singer has unveiled the follow up single to his #1 hit, “My Boy,” is the rock-infused country song that’s inspired by his youth growing up in Caneyville, KY filled with “young love,” “good music” and “cheap gasoline.”
“Here’s to the wild and restless souls/Who got their street smarts running down them/County roads,” Elvie chants in the chorus.
“The story in ‘County Roads’ is the American graffiti that painted my coming of age years,” Elvie describes in a statement. “Knowing where you came from is important to understand where you are and where you could go. All the full-throttle mistakes made, lessons learned, and good times had are equally important. The choice for next single was a no-brainer after showing my better sides with ‘My Boy.’”
“County Roads” is featured on Elvie’s debut 2021 album, Backslider, the same year “My Boy” became his first #1 single.
The hit singer is about to head out on his headlining My Kinda Trouble Tour that kicks off February 17 in Chattanooga, TN.
Trumbull in 1977, working on ‘Close Encounters’ — Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Douglas Trumbull, a groundbreaking visual effects artist who left his mark on cinema history thanks to his pioneering work on classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, died Monday evening.
On Facebook, his daughter Amy noted Trumbull’s passing at 79 after “a major two year battle with cancer, a brain tumor and a stroke.”
Trumbull also worked on 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture, earning an Oscar nomination, and directed the sci-fi films Brainstorm and 1973’s Silent Running. George Lucas sought to tap Trumbull to head his brand-new production house, Industrial Light and Magic, for the original Star Wars. But Trumbull was already working on Steven Spielberg‘s Close Encounters and so he recommended his assistant, John Dykstra, who went on to win his first Academy Awards for the film as a founding member of ILM.
Considered one of the fathers of modern visual effects — even in this day of computer-driven movie magic — Trumbull was also Oscar nominated for 2001: A Space Odyssey and Blade Runner. He also held many patents in the field, and in 1983 he was awarded an Academy Scientific and Engineering Award for various camera technologies he helped develop.
Trumbull was honored for his technological contributions with the Academy’s Gordon E. Sawyer Award in 2012.
John Shearer/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Florida Georgia Line is going on hiatus.
Following speculation that the duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley was breaking up after Tyler temporarily unfollowed his band mate on social media in the midst of the 2020 election and canceling their 2021 tour over COVID-19 concerns, FGL is setting the record straight.
“I think ‘taking a break’ is the proper term, as opposed to breaking up,” Tyler tells People. Brian, who has moved back to his home state of Florida, insists that they’re not parting ways, but rather focusing on their personal passions. The Ormond Beach native recently released his debut solo album, Sunshine State of Mind, and will be embarking on the headlining Made by the Water Tour this spring and summer.
“We’re taking a break from recording our music,” Brian says. “We’re being artists. We love creating. And so a couple years back, we started writing without each other and trying different writers, and now we’re both doing that with our music.”
FGL currently has a handful of shows scheduled on the calendar this year, which Tyler refers to as a chance to “celebrate” their legacy and fans.” He says that he and Brian will “then support each other on the next chapter of our musical and creative journey, which is going to be individually for a while,” adding, “So we’re excited.”
On Sunday, the duo reunited for the opening of their new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Florida Georgia Line: Mix It Up Strong, which is on display until January 1, 2023.
Who are the smartest college students in the country? A new primetime Jeopardy! event aims to answer that question.
Jeopardy! National College Championship starts tonight, and host Mayim Bialik tells ABC Audio, “It’s kind of a March Madness of the best kind. But obviously, there’s three contestants per game, not two. And we start with 36 and we get down to three.”
And, just like March Madness, the students are from colleges all over the country.
“Ivy Leagues, public colleges, small colleges, historically black colleges,” Bialik shares. “Just colleges from places, you’re like, ‘Where is that? I don’t even know where that is.'”
Although the students are all staggeringly smart, that’s not necessarily enough to take home a win. Bialik notes that other factors like timing, nerves and focus also play a part.
For those who tuned in to the Professors tournament, Bialik shares that this college primetime special won’t feel that same “because this generation is so collaborative.”
“They were so friendly with each other, it felt really different. It felt more like they were on the same team,” she says.” Whereas the professors felt like, you know, grown up professors competing against each other.”
Bialik adds, “A lot of the categories are really, really fun in the college tournament. There is a lot more laughter than with the adult contestants I think.”
Not only is it more fun, she says that the students may have a slight edge when it comes to “certain aspects” of the game show due to having an “easier command of technology.”
Bialik has served as the interim host of the syndicated Jeopardy! show, alongside Ken Jennings, but when it comes to the search for a permanent replacement for Alex Trebek, she doesn’t have much news to share.
Kevin Mazur/MTV VMAs 2021/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS
Conor McGregor has nothing but love for Justin Bieber and, in a sweet post on Monday, the Irish MMA fighter let fans know what happens when the two randomly cross paths.
“I bumped into @justinbieber again today. In the Bahamas! I always randomly see Justin out of nowhere and just chop it up, I love this kid,” McGregor raved on Instagram and shared a collage of photos of the two shooting the breeze after a game of tennis. “Two goats on a cliff sideways, just chopping it up, what’s happenin JB my brotha.”
The UFC champion went on to suggest that he believes these random run-ins aren’t coincidental, but fate. “I put it up to the sky this keeps happening, it’s something from above that keeps doing this,” he wrote. “God bless you my brother, great to see you always. Some serve today.”
Justin and Conor are longtime friends — and, prior to that, the “Peaches” singer was a big fan of the fighter. In September, the Irish athlete made it clear how overjoyed he was to present Justin with the prestigious Artist of the Year Award at the MTV VMAs.
The family of Cliff Burton has announced a livestream celebrating what would’ve been the late Metallica bassist’s 60th birthday.
The virtual event will premiere on this Thursday, February 10, at 7 p.m. PT on host Nicholas Gomez‘s YouTube channel. Among the guests taking part are Anthrax‘s Charlie Benante, Faith No More‘s Mike Bordin and Slayer‘s Gary Holt.
Benante has also designed two t-shirts celebrating the occasion, which are available for pre-order now.
Burton was born February 10, 1962. He played on Metallica’s first three albums — 1983’s Kill ‘Em All, 1984’s Ride the Lightning and 1986’s Master of Puppets — before he was tragically killed in a bus accident at age 24.
Spoon has released a new song called “My Babe,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, Lucifer on the Sofa.
The tune, which is available now for digital download, is accompanied by a live performance video filmed during Spoon’s concert in Los Angeles last fall. You can watch that streaming now on YouTube.
“My Babe” is the third song to be released from Lucifer on the Sofa, following lead single “The Hardest Cut” and “Wild.” The whole album arrives this Friday, February 11.
Spoon will launch a U.S. tour in support of Lucifer on the Sofa in April. Tonight, they’re playing a one-off show in Santa Ana, California.
Carlos Santana‘s reunion single with “Smooth” collaborator Rob Thomas, “Move,” was released back in August of 2021, but now the song has made it into the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart. The Matchbox Twenty frontman says he’s happy about the success of the single — which also features American Authors — simply because he would’ve hated to see something he likes so much get ignored.
“At some point you get old enough where…you don’t live and die by things doing well,” he tells ABC Audio. “But obviously, when you write music, you want to know that people are getting to hear it.”
He adds, “That’s the worst thing ever…when you put out something and them for some reason or another, signals get crossed, it just doesn’t quite land and you realize that it just means that a lot of people don’t get to hear something you worked really hard on.”
Thomas goes on to say that in that respect, the success of “Move” is “kind of amazing.”
He explains, “It’s great that something that Carlos and I really love and care about and…all the American Authors guys, we did something that meant a lot to us, and it can mean something to somebody else.”
“Move” is on Santana‘s album Blessings and Miracles. Rob plans to put out new music with Matchbox Twenty ahead of their upcoming tour, and he also has a solo album ready to go at some future date.
Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Lil Baby have been added to the star-studded pre-Super Bowl entertainment this week in Los Angeles.
They all will perform at Michael Rubin‘s Fanatics party on Saturday, Page Six reports. Kevin Hart, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson and Alex Rodriguez are among the stars expected to attend.
Meanwhile, after the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said he always listens to Kid Cudi‘s music to get him pumped before each game. Cudi asked for his jersey from the game, and Burrow happily sent it to the “Erase Me” rapper, who will attend the Super Bowl as the Bengals play the Los Angeles Rams.
“Rockin’ this b**** to the game and then framing it. I am so geeked right now,” Cudi tweeted, along with a photo of the jersey.
As previously reported, many more stars will be featured in Super Bowl events:
–Bounce TV will present the 23rd annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. CeCe Winans, Chloe, Regina Belle, CeeLo Green and LeCrae will be among the performers. Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks will also appear.
–The Poppy nightclub in Hollywood will be jammin’ all weekend with appearance by Wiz Khalifa, Swae Lee, Roddy Ricch, French Montana and T-Pain.
—Usher will sing at the Chairman’s Party on Saturday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, site of the Super Bowl.
—Gunna will hit the stage at the DirecTV/Maxim party on Friday at City Market LA.
–The same night, Lil Wayne headlines Shaquille O’Neal’s “Shaq’s Fun House” party at the Shrine Auditorium.
—Drake will perform at the “Homecoming” party on Saturday at the Pacific Design Center.
