Art inspired by musicians that have recorded for Interscope Records, including U2 and No Doubt, will be displayed at an upcoming exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of the label.
Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined, which opens at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on January 30, features over 50 original works by visual artists relating to particular albums or songs from the Interscope catalog.
The U2-themed art was based on the band’s 2000 hit “Beautiful Day,” and was created by John Currin. Two No Doubt songs from the band’s 1995 breakthrough album Tragic Kingdom served as inspiration for two separate pieces of art that will be featured in the exhibit — “Just a Girl” by Julie Curtiss and “Spiderwebs” by Lucy Bull.
Among the many other acts whose music inspired artwork for the exhibit are musicians including Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish, No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Tupac, Nine Inch Nails, Olivia Rodrigo, Kendrick Lamar, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Eve and Helmet.
“Interscope’s original mission was to find the most profound artists, empower their creativity and watch what happens,” says the label’s co-founder, Jimmy Iovine. “For the 30th, we wanted to continue that vision by assembling the most admired visual artists and empower them with that same creative license to honor the musical artists we have worked with over three decades.”
The exhibition will be on display through February 13. For more info, visit LACMA.org.
(BALTIMORE) — A federal grand jury in Maryland has indicted Marilyn Mosby, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, on two counts of perjury and making false statements on mortgage applications that she allegedly used toward the purchase of two vacation properties in Florida, according to a case unsealed Thursday.
Mosby gained national prominence after filing charges against the six officers who arrested 25-year-old Freddie Gray in 2015. His death while in police custody led to several days of protests and at times violent unrest in Baltimore. None of the officers were eventually convicted on the charges.
The indictment alleges Mosby lied on federal loan applications, including one where she asserted she experienced “adverse financial consequences” in her position as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, while prosecutors say her gross salary of nearly $250,000 was never reduced in 2020. In fact, the indictment says Mosby’s gross salary increased by nearly $10,000 between 2019 and 2020.
As a result of her relief application, Mosby received $36,000, which she used “toward a down payment for a vacation home in Kissimmee Florida” that she purchased in September 2020.
The indictment accuses Mosby of making false statements on applications for a mortgages of nearly $500,000 for the Kissimmee, Florida, home and a nearly $430,000 mortgage for a condominium in Long Boat Key, Florida.
If convicted of the charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland said Mosby faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the two counts of perjury and a maximum of 30 years for each of the two counts of making false mortgage applications, though actual sentences for such crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
Mosby has not entered a plea to any of the charges and has not had her initial appearance scheduled as of Thursday evening.
A spokesperson for Mosby did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday evening.
As the entertainment world continues to mourn the passing of Ronnie Spector, Zendaya, who will portray The Ronettes‘ lead singer an an upcoming biopic, paid tribute to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
“This news just breaks my heart. To speak about her as if she’s not with us feels strange as she is so incredibly full of life,” the Euphoria star writes on Instagram. “There’s not a time I saw her without her iconic red lips and full teased hair, a true rockstar through and through.”
The Emmy Award winner also says she’s grateful to have spent time with Spector preparing for the role.
“Ronnie, being able to know you has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Zendaya writes. “Thank you for sharing your life with me, I could listen to your stories for hours and hours. Thank you for your unmeasured talent, your unwavering love for performing, your strength, resilience and your grace.”
The 25-year-old actress adds, “There is absolutely nothing that could dim the light you cast. I admire you so much and am so grateful for the bond we share. You are a magical force of greatness and the world of music will never be the same.”
Zendaya concludes, “We celebrate your beautiful life and give you all the flowers you so rightfully deserve. Rest in great power Ronnie. I hope to make you proud.”
As previously reported, Spector died on Wednesday after battling cancer. She was 78.
A statement on her website reads, “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face…Her joyful sound, playful nature and magical presence will live on in all who knew, heard or saw her.”
(NOTE LANGUAGE)Days after Alec Baldwincalled claims he wasn’t cooperating with authorities “a lie,” the Santa Fe County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office announced that the actor still hasn’t surrendered his cellphone in the Rust shooting investigation.
Authorities had issued a search warrant for the device back in December, to aid in the analysis of Baldwin’s fatal shooting of camerawoman Halyna Hutchins back on October 21.
Despite negotiations between the Santa Fe County District Attorney’s office and Alec’s legal reps, “To date, the cell phone has not be turned over to authorities,” the Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.
In his Instagram post, Baldwin was defensive about the situation, explaining, “They can’t just go through your phone and take your photos, or your love letters to your wife, or what have you,” the actor and producer of the Western said.
He insisted, “Any suggestion that I am not complying with requests or orders or demands or search warrants about my phone, that’s bulls***, that’s a lie.”
Baldwin’s lawyer Aaron Dyer had previously issued a statement that claimed they wanted to “take steps to protect Mr. Baldwin’s family and personal information…unrelated to the investigation. A phone contains a person’s entire life, and personal information needs to be protected.”
Baldwin insisted to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he didn’t pull the trigger of the vintage-style Colt revolver that was pointed at Hutchins during a rehearsal. Nevertheless, a live round that went unnoticed in the pistol discharged and fatally struck Hutchins, and also injured director Joel Souza.
The statement from Baldwin’s lawyer continued, “While they evaluate the phone information, we hope that the authorities continue to focus on how the live rounds got on the set in the first place.”
Investigators say hundreds of rounds were recovered from the set, “a mix” of harmless dummy rounds, fireable blanks, and potentially deadly live ammunition.
As Hollywood continues to mourn the late Sidney Poitier, Halle Berry wrote a tribute to her idol for Variety.
As a biracial child, she said watching Poitier in the 1967 classic, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, about an interracial couple, changed her life. “For the first time in my childhood, I felt seen. Understood. Validated,” she wrote.
Halle will also never forget interviewing the iconic actor when she starred in the 1999 film, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. “I can’t imagine anyone other than you bringing my dear friend Dorothy to the screen,” he told her. “You embody the essence of who she was.”
In 2002, when Berry became the first Black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Monster’s Ball, Poitier was in the balcony.
“History will remember Sidney as a giant of the screen, a legendary actor and director, a performer whose enormous talents were eclipsed only by his kindness,” she continued. “I will forever see him as the angel in the balcony watching over all of us.”
In other news, West Side Story star Ariana DeBose tells Entertainment Tonight it’s an “overwhelming and wonderful” feeling to be nominated for a SAG Award for Female Actor in a Supporting Role. DeBose recently won a Golden Globe Award for the film, and now she’s focusing on hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend.
“I still have no idea what I am doing and I probably won’t know until we go live, so it will be a surprise to me and you,” she says.
Finally, Deadline reports that Jada Pinkett Smith will star in Redd Zone for Netflix. Based on a true story, the film tells the story of a single mother helping her sons and their high school football teammates heal after the murder of their best friend.
(HOUSTON) — A woman was killed and two children injured when a deputy collided with their vehicle while chasing a robbery suspect. Now, multiple authorities are investigating.
The incident occurred Wednesday night in Houston, after a Harris County Sheriff’s deputy picked up a call about a nearby robbery where the suspect had fled the scene, police said.
Once in the area, the deputy saw a man leave a CVS and get into a car matching the description of the one involved in the robbery, according to Houston Police Department Assistant Chief Chandra Hatcher.
“The deputy at that point in time decided to stop the vehicle on a traffic stop. The suspect did not comply and a vehicle pursuit ensued,” Hatcher told reporters during a late-night press briefing.
As the deputy entered an intersection with his lights and sirens on traveling eastbound, he collided with a black Kia Borrego traveling northbound, resulting in a “major crash,” Hatcher said.
Police are still determining which was the “striking” vehicle, and how fast the deputy was driving, the chief said.
The impact of the collision caused the Kia to roll over and strike two other cars. The deputy’s car caught fire and crashed into a nearby parking lot, striking several cars in the lot. Seven cars total were involved in the collision, police said.
The woman driving the Kia was pronounced dead at the scene. She has not been identified pending notification to family members by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
Two children in the car were also transported to an area hospital. A 5-year-old boy is in critical condition, while a 2-year-old girl is in stable condition, said police, who have not provided details about the kids’ relationship to the driver.
The deputy, who was pulled out of his burning patrol car by several citizens, was also hospitalized and is in stable condition, the sheriff’s office said. He has not been identified.
Three people were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries after their cars were struck, Hatcher said.
“Our deepest condolences go out [to] the family of the female that was pronounced deceased at last night’s pursuit crash at Laura Koppe & Lockwood,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a statement. “We pray for the recovery of the injured children and our deputy.”
The suspect fled the scene in what authorities believe to be a gray Lincoln Town Car, according to Gonzalez.
Surveillance footage showed that an armed robbery occurred at the CVS, Hatcher said. The sheriff’s office is investigating that incident and the first reported robbery.
The Houston Police Department is leading the ongoing investigation into the deadly crash.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is also investigating the crash, Hatcher said. ABC News has reached out to the office for more information on its investigation.
Surveillance footage obtained by ABC Houston station KTRK captured the deputy’s flaming car crashing into the parking lot.
Authorities commended the citizens who helped rescue the deputy from his burning car.
“We are very thankful that the citizens out here immediately jumped into action to help keep the deputy as safe as possible,” Hatcher said.
Gonzalez said he was “very grateful for the heroic actions.”
A good Samaritan, Johnny Walker, told KTRK in an emotional interview that he was finishing a job and ran outside when he heard the “boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom” of the crash.
“I ran out here to see what it is and I saw a lot of cars, but I paid attention to the fire,” he told the station. “My instincts were to go to that car and help him out, because he was crushed in on both sides.”
He said the deputy came to after they brought him inside a store, and they checked his pulse.
“I kept talking to him, ‘Stay with us. Help is on the way,'” Walker told KTRK.
Walker believes he was “at the right place at the right time,” though said through tears he was disappointed they weren’t able to help the woman who died.
According to local reports, Walker, who is homeless, was reunited with his family after they saw him in news reports about the crash.
(WASHINGTON) — Last month, President Joe Biden announced that 500 million free at-home rapid tests for COVID would be mailed out to American homes. On Thursday, Biden announced that he was doubling that promise and would now ship out another 500 million — to make 1 billion in total.
That’s on top of 50 million free at-home tests already sent to community health centers around the country, 20,000 free testing sites and an insurance reimbursement plan that goes into effect on Saturday to allow Americans to get tests covered if they find and buy them at retailers.
Taken together, it all signifies a clear effort on behalf of the administration to increase the testing supply after the omicron variant surge caught the government off guard.
But a timeline for when the 1 billion free tests will reach American households remains elusive. From obtaining the kits to packaging and mailing them to some 160 million households, the plan could take months to complete – well beyond what experts project will be the peak of the Omicron surge.
When will you see your free tests from the government?
Biden first announced the plan to ship out free tests to all Americans when it was nearly impossible to find any on pharmacy shelves and lines for testing sites were hours long. The free tests were welcome news.
But by mid-January, the Biden administration still hadn’t shipped out a single free test.
Details on the website Americans will use to request these tests will be revealed on Friday, along with information on when and how many tests each American can order, and the White House has said the first tests will be delivered by the end of the month.
Tens of millions of tests could go out in January, according to recently released contracts between the White House and testing companies, while more are expected to be delivered in February.
But interviews with the majority of the biggest at-home testing companies suggested that it will be months before all 500 million tests could reach American doorsteps, meaning it’s unlikely the average American will get free tests delivered in time for the January peak of omicron cases predicted by most models.
And on Tuesday, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services gave a clearer timeline to Congress, telling senators that the remaining 500 million tests would go out “over the next 60 days.”
So how long will it take for all 1 billion to reach Americans?
Biden’s announcement on Thursday that an extra 500 million tests would be added to the plan didn’t include any details on delivery.
If they’re sent out after the initial batch of 500 million, it will be at least mid-March before they reach Americans.
How hard will it be to deliver all of these tests?
It’s been increasingly difficult for testing companies to distribute their at-home rapid tests in the last few weeks.
“The supply chain challenges have been an issue for tests as they are with so many other goods and services,” said Mara Aspinall, the head of the National Testing Action Program at the Rockefeller Foundation, which connects testing companies with state governments.
Some of it is general supply issues, like getting individual parts required to make the tests, but more and more Aspinall said she’s hearing that companies are seeing breakdowns in their shipping process because so many people are out with COVID.
And as more testing companies are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, there’s more competition for the shipping companies that help get these tests out.
But for Biden’s plan, the government will use the U.S. Post Office to get tests out — hopefully bypassing distribution issues that testing companies face when they have to figure it out for themselves by using a massive government institution that successfully delivered over 13 billion pieces of mail and packages for the holidays with an average delivery time of less than 3 days.
Mark Dimondstein, the president of the American Postal Workers Union, said Thursday that the Postal Service will retain up to 7,000 seasonal workers at 43 sites across the country to help package and label the tests, “and then from there, it will go into the regular mail stream,” a process that typically takes 2-5 days.
“This is absolutely feasible … as fast as the orders come in, the Postal Service should be able to handle it,” Dimondstein said. “Of course, the Biden administration needs to do its part for us to be able to do our part.”
As for the testing companies, Biden’s latest plan shows a commitment to avoiding the mistakes revealed by omicron.
Fast action requires manufacturing capabilities that the U.S. wasn’t prepared for, in part because of the unpredictability of the virus but also due to the country’s vaccine-focused approach over the past year, which drove down demand for tests and left the country with fewer tests when it needed them most.
“It is important for the U.S. to maintain the testing manufacturing capacity and supply during periods of low demand so we can respond to future variants and surges,” John Koval, a spokesperson for the at-home testing company Abbott, told ABC News last week.
“We’re on the right path now, but we can’t be complacent or think that testing won’t play a critical role in our ability to gather safely,” he said.
ABC News’ Mark Abdelmalek contributed to this report.
Five years ago today, the video that would become YouTube’s most-viewed music video of all time hit the streaming platform. Today, it stands at 7.7 billion views. What is it? None other than “Despacito.”
The Luis Fonsi/Daddy Yankee single was originally released January 12, and the video, uploaded the day after, featured the two performing in Puerto Rico and showing off the island’s beauty. It racked up a billion views in 97 days, becoming, at the time, the second-fastest video on the site to reach that milestone.
Then, starting in August of 2017 through February of 2019, it became the first music video on YouTube to surpass three, four, five and six billion views. In November of 2020, it hit the seven-billion mark and officially became the most-viewed video on the site.
Ironically, the video for “Despacito” doesn’t feature Justin Bieber, whose addition to the song in April of 2017 via a remix helped it top the Billboard Hot 100.
“Despacito” eventually spent 16 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, tying the record for the longest-running number one ever on that chart, which had been set in 1996 by “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.
That record was eventually broken by Lil Nas X‘s “Old Town Road, which spent 19 weeks on top in 2019 and still holds the title.
Speaking of titles, Pinkfong‘s “Baby Shark” has since become the first video on YouTube to hit 10 billion views, but reps for YouTube confirm to ABC Audio that “Despacito” is still considered the most-viewed music video of all time on the platform.
Taylor Swift ended 2021 as one of the top-selling artists in the country and a new report shows just how tremendous her year was.
Billboardreports that one in every 50 albums sold in the U.S. over the past year belonged to the “Shake It Off” singer. The outlet reports that she sold a whopping 2.4 million albums last year, nearly a million more than the amount Adele sold. In all, the British singer saw 1.6 million copies of her albums fly off the shelf in 2021. When it came to digital sales, Taylor’s albums accounted for 1.35 percent of all downloads while Adele’s accounted for 1.07 percent of total digital album sales.
Taylor also sold 1.1 million vinyl copies of her albums while her CD sales amounted to 898,000.
BTS was the only other artist to move over a million albums last year after fans snapped up 1.1 million copies of their studio works. But, in the race for who sold the most songs, that honor goes to the K-pop sensations who sold 2.95 million singles. No other music act managed to sell over one million songs, with second place Dua Lipa finishing out the year with 954,000 sold.
The wait for season two of Secrets of Sulphur Springs is finally over when Harper, Griffin and Savannah return to the Disney Channel on Friday. Ahead of the premiere, the cast chatted with ABC Audio about how the time-traveling paranormal series will explore the 1930s and how it approaches racism.
Last season, the series saw the main cast discovering a portal that helps them solve the mystery of Savannah’s, played by Elle Graham, disappearance in the 1990s. This season, the time-traveling device malfunctions and traps Kyliegh Curran‘s character Harper in the 1930s while her doppelgänger great grandmother, Daisy, is stuck in present day.
Tracey Thomson, who created the series, says the reason she selected the 1990s, 1960s and, now, the 1930s is because she “wanted to tell multi-generational stories.”
“The different time periods gave us moments,” she stresses, noting some “touch on racism.”
Executive producer Charles Pratt Jr. explains, “We touched on racism in every single era and the more we did, the more you realized that, while the world has changed, it hasn’t changed that much… Things are still going on that went on in 1930.” Pratt adds they “did the research” to ensure accuracy.
Ethan Hutchison, who plays Daisy’s brother Sam, says the series will show how his character “persevered” and what he did to “survive in that time.” When describing Sam, Ethan said he is a “sweet and loving kid.”
Curran adds her big-hearted and “determined” character, Harper, falls in love with her great grandmother’s family and does “whatever she [can] to keep them safe.” The actress teased a future episode will show “how much she cares for Ethan’s character, Sam.”
Find out how Harper gets back to present day when Secrets of Sulphur Springs returns to the Disney Channel on Friday.
