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Mariah Carey reflects on 30th anniversary of ‘MTV Unplugged’ EP

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It’s officially been 30 years since Mariah Carey dazzled on the MTV Unplugged stage and released her standout EP, and the hitmaker reflected Thursday on how important the pivotal moment was for her career.

Sharing an Instagram video highlighting moments of her Unplugged set, where she belted out hits from her album Emotions, Mariah reflected on how much she’s changed since 1992.

“Happy anniversary to that girl on stage who was so nervous and scared to even sing in front of a crowd. Also she had no idea this last minute ‘unplugged’ show would become a ‘thing!'” she remarked.

Mariah also revealed how that performance changed the course of her career.

“During that performance, I remember having a breakthrough moment…the realization that all I needed to do was SING and actually CONNECT with the people in the audience and be in the moment with THEM!!! And then we were in it together,” she recalled.

The Grammy winner continued, “When I watch this now, it’s revelatory how many insanely talented musicians and singers I had the privilege of sharing that small stage with and I truly feel blessed. I am thankful to that majestic group of people who made that stage come to life and to the audience in the room for sharing what became a life changing experience for me and as always.”

“Thank you my fans for sharing this journey with me. You save my life each day,” she closed out the sentimental post.

Mariah’s MTV Unplugged EP sold over 4 million copies and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 200. It also spun off her hit duet with Trey Lorenz, “I’ll Be There,” which was a last-minute addition to her Unplugged set list. Her cover of the Jackson 5 song earned her two Grammy nods.

Dua Lipa celebrates her debut album’s fifth anniversary

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Hard to believe it’s been five years since Dua Lipa released her eponymous debut studio album, which propelled her into superstardom with hits “New Rules”, “IDGAF” and more.

The Grammy winner marked the milestone occasion on Instagram Thursday and shared throwback photos of herself taken five years ago. Photos included her on tour, signing copies of her album and Polaroid snaps.

“5 years ago today I dropped my debut album,” she said. “i’m so proud of every baby step and stepping stone, every room, club and venue, every artist, songwriter and producer that i’ve been lucky to write and collaborate with and that has led me to where I am today.”

Dua continued, “i thank my lucky stars everyday and I thank you all for being on this insane journey with me.”

Dua Lipa, the album, debuted on June 2, 2017, and garnered positive reviews from music critics. It was nominated for numerous awards and earned her the golden gramophone for Best New Artist at the 61st annual Grammy Awards.

The “Cold Heart” singer rereleased the album as a two-disc “complete edition,” which included the standout tracks “Electricity,” “No Lie” and “One Kiss.”

After a nearly three-year wait, she released her sophomore album, Future Nostalgia, on March 27, 2020. Fans are anxiously waiting for her third album and hope she has something to tease very soon.

Bonnie Tyler, Stella McCartney chosen for prestigious honors by Queen Elizabeth II

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Bonnie Tyler and Stella McCartney are among the people who have been acknowledged in the 2022 edition of Queen Elizabeth II‘s annual Birthday Honours list, which recognizes “outstanding achievements” and service of people across the U.K.

Tyler, who is from Wales and whose birth name is Gaynor Hopkins, is also is known by her married name, Gaynor Sullivan. She was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire honor, or an MBE, for her services to music.

“I am truly honoured to be awarded an MBE and especially so in Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, which makes this even more special,” Bonnie wrote in a message posted on her official website. “This honour just goes to show that anyone from any background can become a success, and be recognised by our wonderful country, if they put their minds and efforts into what they do.”

She added, “I hope that my honour may in some small way motivate others to give their best … I’m just a girl from a small town in Wales who just loves to sing, so to be recognised for that in this way is very significant to me and my family and friends.”

The “Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer will help celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, marking her 70-year reign, at a special concert this Saturday at Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales.

Paul McCartney‘s daughter Stella, a successful fashion designer who also is known for promoting vegetarianism, was honored with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire award, or CBE. The CBE is a higher honor than an MBE, ranked just below a knighthood. Stella’s famous dad was knighted in 1997.

Check out the queen’s full 2022 Birthday Honours list online.

Kim Kardashian says Pete Davidson is handy in the bedroom — with skin care

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Apparently, Pete Davidson has been hiding some hidden talents in the bedroom: amateur dermatology.

Sure, Kim hinted she’s having the “best sex” of her life in the most recent installment of Hulu’s The Kardashians, but apparently she’s also celebrating the literally skin-deep gestures, too.

“I had this big pimple on my nose and I kept on complaining about [it],” the SKIMS mogul told her sisters Kourtney and Khloé, adding that one thing she has in common with Davidson is “we’re obsessed with skin care and dermatologists and beauty products.”

“I fell asleep at 8:30, I was so tired, and I woke up with dried pimple medicine on my nose. He put it on for me in my sleep.”

As for what he’s doing in that room when Kim’s awake, they’re all good in that department, too.

“When I turned 40, everyone said it’s the best sex of your life,” the 41-year-old also said, adding with a wink, “And so far …”

The reality show queen and her 28-year-old King of Staten Island also vibe outside the bedroom. “I never knew you could just be so happy watching [a] TV series or [going] to the gym, from someone that I never thought would go to the gym or had been to the gym before,” Kim said.

A new episode of The Kardashians dropped Thursday on Hulu.

This Day in Black History: ’The Wire’ debuted 20 years ago

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

On June 2, 2002, the groundbreaking series The Wire debuted on HBO. Due to its in-depth focus on Baltimore’s narcotics scene and its raw portrayal of the city’s drug trade, education, government and bureaucracy, the show was highly scrutinized by some. But to many others it is considered one of the most beloved and celebrated TV shows of the 21st century.

The Wire spanned 60 episodes across five seasons on prime time television. The series’ creators, former police reporter David Simon and former cop Ed Burns, drew upon real-life experiences to craft complex, accurate storytelling that, to this day, influences and inspires similar projects.

Some of today’s most celebrated stars trace their beginnings to The Wire — Golden Globe-winning actor Idris Elba is widely known for his role as antagonist Stringer Bell, while Creed star Michael B. Jordan got his start as a young Wallace in the series. The late Michael K. Williams received great praise for his portrayal of stickup man Omar Little, and Wood Harris is well known for his character, Avon Barksdale, a big-time Baltimore drug dealer.

Twenty years later the show still garners critical acclaim, including the boastful but indisputable — as many critics refer to them — comments made by the creators themselves, who say they’re more than aware of The Wire’s cultural impact.

“I told you so,” is a phrase Simon uses frequently in a New York Times’ article about the show’s legacy. Because, as Burns tells it, “this show will live forever.”

In honor of The Wire’s 20th anniversary, check out HBO’s official podcast episode, featuring Simon and Burns, narrated by Clifford “Method Man” Smith Jr.

QotSA’s Josh Homme producing new album by country artist Nikki Lane

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The closest thing to a new Queens of the Stone Age album in the last five years may be a new record from country artist Nikki Lane.

Lane has teamed up with QotSA frontman Josh Homme to produce and mix her just-announced new album Denim & Diamonds, due out September 23. Additionally, Homme brought along his bandmates Dean Fertita and Michael Shuman to play organ and bass, respectively, on the record, as well as frequent Queens collaborator Alain Johannes on guitar.

Denim & Diamonds also features Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders, who previously played with Homme on Iggy Pop‘s 2016 Post Pop Depression record, and former Jack White live member Carla Azar.

“I was blessed with the opportunity to deep dive into these songs with Josh Homme and the wonderful band he put together…smack in the middle of lockdown,” Lane shares.

You can listen to the first Denim & Diamonds single, “First High,” now via digital outlets.

The most recent Queens of the Stone Age album is 2017’s Villains.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

Sara Bareilles had to memorize entirety of ‘Into The Woods’ within “10 days”

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Sara Bareilles played the Baker’s Wife in the New York City Center Encores! production of Into The Woods this spring — and the “Brave” singer revealed she was given just days to memorize everything.

“It was wild. It’s a fast process through Encores! at City Center,” she told The View. “You get 10 days to learn the show. It is insane.”

The show, which ran for a few weeks before wrapping May 15, also starred Neil Patrick Harris. Sara revealed everyone on the cast was overwhelmed by the grueling schedule.

“We all had meltdowns, we were all, like, crying in the bathroom during our breaks and stuff. But we just felt like we stumbled on lightning in a bottle,” the Grammy winner said.

Sara said the hard work was well worth it, adding the show “won a Pulitzer Prize for a reason! It’s really, really special.”

The singer also shouted out the “really special cast,” adding everyone was “so excited” to be part of Into The Woods.

The New York City Center production was so successful, it is now heading to Broadway. It will return to the Great White Way for an eight-week engagement at Broadway’s St. James Theatre starting June 28.

Tickets are on sale now via SeatGeek.com/into-the-woods.

Mickey Guyton to reunite with The Black Pumas for next ‘CMT Crossroads’

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Mickey Guyton, who shared the stage with The Black Pumas at this year’s CMT Music Awards, is reuniting with the soul duo once more for a new installment of CMT Crossroads, according to a report from People.

Their performance is the newest episode of the Crossroads series, which pairs two acts from different musical genres together for a performance of their respective hits.

This time around, they’ll perform highlights from Mickey’s discography, such as “Black Like Me” and “Better Than You Left Me,” plus Pumas’ hits “Fire” and “Confines.” Before the show airs, you can check out a sneak peek of the live trio version of “Fire.”

“We are huge Black Pumas fans in my house, so I was so excited to do this CMT Crossroads!” Mickey says in a statement. “Eric [Burton] and Adrian [Quesada] are just incredible and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as we did.”

Mickey and the Black Pumas’ Crossroads episode will air June 15 at 10 p.m. ET on CMT.

Seth MacFarlane on ‘The Orville”s “make or break” third season, launching today on Hulu

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The sci-fi show The Orville got off to a rocky launch on its original network, creator and star Seth MacFarlane tells ABC Audio.

“I mean … when the show premiered, it was marketed by Fox as almost a Spaceballs kind of thing. And of course, that was not what it was at all. It was something very different,” he explains.

The series has more in common with classic Star Trek than MacFarlane’s other hit, Family Guy. The show follows MacFarlane’s unlikely starship captain, Ed Mercer, whose titular ship is on a deep space exploratory mission.

As the series progressed, word of mouth, and a dedicated fan base, grew, and “that’s a really exciting thing,” MacFarlane says, which led to Hulu scooping it up and rebranding the pandemic-stalled third season as The Orville: New Horizons.

“I follow as many of the podcasts and fan reactions as I can to really hear what’s working … and what’s not. And obviously, we have our own ideas of what we want to do,” MacFarlane says, praising this “dialogue” with fans.

“This season is really going to be a make or break for us. I know a lot more people discovered the show over the pandemic. Whether that works to the degree that Family Guy worked way back when, when the show had … some downtime … We will see.”

Seth admits, “Either it works like gangbusters this season or it’s, you know, it wraps.

“I will say scope wise, we are delivering a little movie every week.”

The Orville: New Horizons also stars Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald and Scott Grimes, as well as the voice of the late Norm MacDonald.

Suspect in Buffalo mass shooting set to be arraigned on 25 counts in ‘terrorism’ case

June 2, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(BUFFALO, N.Y.) — The white teenager who allegedly killed 10 Black people in a Buffalo, New York, supermarket last month in what authorities described as a racially motivated attack is expected to be arraigned on Thursday.

Payton Gendron, 18, is set to appear in Erie County Court in Buffalo Thursday afternoon.

A grand jury returned a 25-count indictment against Gendron, including 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, three counts of attempted murder as a hate crime and one count of criminal possession of a weapon.

The indictment accuses Gendron of carrying out a “domestic act of terrorism motivated by hate,” according to a copy obtained by Buffalo ABC affiliate WKBW.

Gendron is accused of fatally shooting the six women and four men inside a Tops supermarket on May 14 “because of the perceived race and/or color” of the victims, according to the indictment. He also allegedly shot and wounded three people.

He is expected to enter a plea to the charges during Thursday’s hearing.

The FBI is also conducting a parallel investigation, which the Department of Justice said could lead to federal hate crime and terrorism charges.

During Gendron’s last court appearance on May 19, he was led into the courtroom in chains on his legs and hands and surrounded by numerous court officers. He appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest under his jumpsuit.

Loved ones of some of the victims killed in the attack attended the previous hearing, and one yelled out “Payton, you’re a coward” as Gendron was being led out of the courtroom.

Gendron was initially charged with one count of murder a day after the massacre at a Tops Friendly Market. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered to be held without bail.

Investigators allege Gendron drove three hours from his home in Conklin, New York, and spent the day before the rampage conducting a final reconnaissance on the store before committing the mass shooting on a Saturday afternoon.

Authorities allege Gendron was wielding an AR-15-style rifle, dressed in military fatigues, body armor and wearing a tactical helmet with a camera attached when he stormed the store around 2:30 p.m., shooting four people outside the business and nine others inside. Police said the suspect fired a barrage of 50 shots during the massacre.

Gendron allegedly livestreamed the attack on the gaming website Twitch before the company took down the live feed two minutes into the shooting.

Among those killed was 55-year-old Aaron Salter Jr., a retired Buffalo police officer who was working as a security guard at the supermarket. Authorities said Salter fired at the gunman, but the bullets had no effect due to the bulletproof vest the suspect wore.

Buffalo police officers arrived at the store one minute after getting the first calls for an active shooter and confronted the suspect, who responded by placing the barrel of the rifle to his chin and threatening to kill himself, police officials said. Officers de-escalated the situation and talked Gendron into surrendering, according to authorities.

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