The pandemic proved to be a time of introspection for Andy Grammer, and now he’s released a super-upbeat single inspired by what he learned about himself during that time.
The song is called “Damn It Feels Good to Be Me,” about which Andy explains, “The pandemic forced me to spend nearly two years stripped of the identity I had worked hard to create for myself in the world. I had the gift of time to re-examine a lot and realized that sometimes, in an effort to fit in with culture, I am tempted to turn myself down for the fear of not being accepted.”
“So, I wrote ‘Damn It Feels Good To Be Me’ as a reminder to myself to follow the beat of my own drum,” he adds. “I want this song to be for those who have come to that point in their life where they’re just FINALLY enjoying the freedom of self-acceptance.”
“I’m no good at being you/Ain’t got nothing left to prove/man, I’m finally free/damn it feels good to be me,” Andy sings in the song.
“Damn It Feels Good to Be Me” is the first official single from Andy’s upcoming fifth album, which will be out in early 2022. He previously released the song “Lease on Life,” inspired by the arrival of his and his wife’s second daughter, Izzy, during the pandemic last year.
This Thursday, September 9, would’ve been late soul legend Otis Redding‘s 80th birthday, and to commemorate the milestone, his home state of Georgia will declare that day to be “Otis Redding Day.”
The official proclamation will be announced during an event Thursday at The Otis Redding Museum in Macon, Georgia. The museum also will unveil a new collection of Redding memorabilia that day that will celebrate the singer’s life, legacy and his influence on the world. The display will feature handwritten notes, rare photos and more. More information about the exhibit can be found at OtisReddingFoundation.org.
Meanwhile, coinciding with Redding’s 80th birthday on Thursday, new immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of seven of Otis’ popular recordings — “These Arms of Mine,” “Pain in My Heart,” “Love Man,” “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” and the classic holiday covers “Merry Christmas Baby” and “White Christmas” — will be available on high-res streaming platforms.
Also on Thursday, DJ D-Nice will host a Redding birthday celebration as part of one of his Club Quarantine virtual parties on Instagram, starting at 8 p.m. ET. In addition, for his support of Redding’s legacy, D-Nice will receive the Award of RESPECT from The Otis Redding Foundation, a charitable organization that was established in 2007 by Otis’ widow, Zelma.
In other news, a series of special remixes of classic Redding songs created by various artists will be released this fall. The first of the series, which will arrive this Thursday, will be a remix of Otis’ classic 1967 duet with Carla Thomas, “Tramp,” by Australian electronic duo Korky Buchek.
Redding died in a December 10, 1967, plane crash, just three days after he finished recording his enduring soul ballad “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.” He was 26.
In season two of Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Ashton Sanders, who reprises his role as Wu-Tang Clan founder Bobby “RZA” Diggs, says fans will get to see the making of one of the group’s most iconic albums.
“This season is solely focused on the making of 36 Chambers,” Sanders tells ABC Audio of the hip-hop group’s debut album. “I think it’s something that the fans were wanting [in] season one. I think [in] season one, we spent a lot of time getting to know these guys before they became the RZA and Method Man, and so on and so forth. So this season, we see them become these these people. Bobby becomes the RZA [and] Ason becomes ODB.
36 Chambers, formally called Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is considered one of the most influential hip-hop albums from 1990s. It helped set the blueprint for hardcore rap and influenced many other New York emcees, including Nas, Biggie, Mobb Deep and Jay-Z. Produced by RZA and inspired by martial-arts films like Enter the Dragon and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the album also had commercial success, eventually going triple platinum in 2018.
Sanders says in this season of the show, “We’re definitely witnessing [Wu-Tang’s] rise to fame through the production of this album, 36 Chambers, and how big of an impact it can potentially have in hip hop, which is pretty exciting.”
He adds, “I feel like that’s the meat of the series, the music in this first iconic album of 36 Chambers.”
The second season of Wu-Tang: An American Saga is now available to stream on Hulu.
Foo Fighters have announced an intimate, surprise show in Washington, D.C.
Dave Grohl and company will play the 1,200 capacity 9:30 Club tomorrow, September 9, in celebration of the legendary venue’s re-opening week. Tickets went on sale Wednesday morning and sold out immediately.
The Foos were scheduled to play a much bigger D.C.-area show last summer at FedExField to celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary on July 4. However, that concert, along with the rest of their 2020 plans, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Foo Fighters have been touring in celebration of their 26th anniversary. Following the D.C. date, the tour will continue September 15 in Syracuse, New York.
Jimmie Allen is joining the 30th season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars! The news was announced on Good Morning America from one of Jimmie’s favorite places: Disneyland.
“It feels great,” Jimmie gushed. “I proposed to my wife at Disney. We had our baby reveal at Disney. I’ve gone like 70 times since 2012. It’s pretty bad. But there’s worst things to be addicted to. So why not give all my money to the Mouse?”
Jimmie has spoken to several former DWTS competitors, including some of his friends in the country music community.
“I talked to Chuck Wicks, he did it,” Jimmie says. “Lauren Alaina. I actually talked to AJ [McLean]. Rashad Jennings, Bobby Bones. I know Nelly did it last season. They said it’s gonna be difficult, but it’s fun, and they’re not lying. These rehearsals … I never ballroom danced a day in my life. It’s rough.”
Other cast members include JoJo Siwa, Sunisa Lee, Brian Austin Green, Amanda Kloots, Olivia Jade and more.
Season 30 of Dancing with the Stars will premiere on Monday, September 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
(NEW YORK) –There was mid-flight chaos on one American Airlines flight over the Labor Day holiday after a passenger began growling and berating the flight attendants on board.
“What? What? What? What are you going to kick me off this flight?” the 61-year-old man taunted the flight crew.
At one point, a flight attendant had to block him from gaining access to the galley.
“Now!” the flight attendant shouted. “Sit Down Now!”
Once the plane landed in Salt Lake City, authorities boarded the aircraft and took the passenger, who they said was intoxicated, into custody.
“Really? Really? Really?” the man says as he is taken off the plane.
“His behavior was so bizarre,” Dennis Busch, a fellow passenger, told ABC News. “Not particularly threatening towards us other passengers but it was very surreal.”
The man was later cited for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
Monday’s incident is just the latest in a surge of aggressive behavior on planes.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it has received nearly 4,200 reports of unruly passengers since the start of the year. More than 3,000 of them are people who refuse to wear a mask.
The subsequent fines for unruly behavior during flights have soared in 2021, with the FAA reporting last month that it has proposed more than $1 million in penalties this year alone.
Airline crews have reported incidents in which visibly drunk passengers verbally abused them, shoved them, kicked seats, threw trash at them, defiled the restrooms and in some cases even punched them in the face.
The FAA had hoped its zero-tolerance policy for in-flight disruptions, which could lead to fines as high as $52,500 and up to 20 years in prison, would be enough to deter potential offenders, but they’ve still seen hundreds of incidents per month.
In-flight tensions are unlikely to wane as the mask requirement for planes was extended from September into January.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson has urged airport police to arrest more people who are unruly or violent on flights.
“While the FAA has levied civil fines against unruly passengers, it has no authority to prosecute criminal cases,” Dickson told airport executives.
He said they see many passengers — some who physically assaulted flight attendants — interviewed by local police and then released “without criminal charges of any kind.”
The agency has looked into more than 682 potential violations of federal law so far this year — the highest number since the agency began keeping records in 1995. But it is unclear how many people have actually paid the FAA’s proposed fines.
ABC News’ Sam Sweeney, Gio Benitez, and Amanda Maile contributed to this report.
Last week, both Ed Sheeran and his pal Elton John told the media that Elton had criticized Ed’s utter lack of fashion sense, and helped hook him up with some decent threads. Well, Ed’s come up with an outfit that Elton can’t possibly criticize — because it’s one of his signature looks.
On Instagram, Ed posted a photo of himself dressed like mid-’70s Elton John, complete with huge pink crystal-studded glasses, sequined trousers, a fringed silver leather jacket, sparkly black-and-gold shoes, and a huge feathered collar.
“My brand new single Shivers is out friday,” Ed captioned the pic. “I glammed up for the occasion.”
In a second photo, Ed is wearing a suit and sitting on a colorful couch, looking utterly dejected. Behind him is a parrot sitting on a branch. The caption on that pic reads, “The moment you realize your last single has been number one for 10 weeks and there’s now a lot of pressure on the next one not to flop.”
The photo appears to be a still from the “Shivers” video, as Ed goes on to note, “Shivers out friday, presave it, I rented a parrot for the video, don’t let that be a waste.”
“Bad Habits,” the first single from Ed’s upcoming album, = (Equals), has topped the charts for 10 weeks in his native U.K.
Today would have been the 32nd birthday of Tim Bergling, the late superstar DJ and producer known to millions of fans as Avicii. The Swedish artist is celebrated in today’s Google Doodle — the image that you see on the Google home page with the search bar.
The Google Doodle features a 90-second animated video showing scenes of Avicii’s life, soundtracked to his worldwide hit with Aloe Blacc, “Wake Me Up.”
The Google Doodle, which can be seen in more than 46 countries, was created by artist Alyssa Winans and coincides with National Suicide Prevention Week. Avicii died by suicide in 2018 after struggling with mental health issues.
After his death, Avicii’s parents started the Tim Bergling Foundation, which works to remove the stigma attached to suicide and promote mental health awareness. In a statement, Avicii’s father Klas says, “The Doodle is fantastic, my family and I feel honored and Tim would have been very proud and love it.”
He adds, “It is a friendly and warm story of a young man fulfilling his dream to be a DJ and at the same time telling us that our journey in life is not always easy despite fame and fortune.”
Aloe Blacc re-posted the video and wrote on Instagram, “Wow! For @avicii birthday he is honored with a Google Doodle. That’s a pretty big deal. Head to Google.com and check it out. Congrats, Tim!“
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or 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.
Drake has a brand-new seasonal gig with sports giant ESPN. Fresh off the success of his new album, Certified Lover Boy, the rapper will now work closely with the sports network throughout the NFL season.
Variety reports that Drizzy will help curate the playlist fans will hear during certain Monday Night Football games, selecting music that “encapsulates both the energy and mood” of the stadium. He will chose music from his catalogue as well as songs from artists he admires or that have influenced his craft.
Drake’s picks will play during promo spots, pre-game shows and live telecasts, with his first batch slated to fire this week.
ESPN’s vice president of sports marketing, Emeka Ofodile, said in a statement, “Now we are here…the kickoff of the football season. And who better to curate music for Monday Night Football than Drake, who sits firmly at the intersection of music and sports…The music curator role has been a big hit with our fans with Diplo and DJ Khaled in previous years….and this season, we will be living inside the moment with Drake as our NFL on ESPN soundtrack.”
Drake is a major sports fan and is the official ambassador of his hometown NBA team, the Toronto Raptors.
(NEW YORK) — Reproductive rights are taking center stage in California’s recall election, in a bid to nationalize the stakes of next week’s special election.
Last week, Texas passed the strictest anti-abortion legislation in the nation, effectively nulling Roe v. Wade. The law blocks abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. It also empowers whistleblowers to report and sue anyone aiding an abortion, including doctors and Uber drivers who may have no knowledge of the situation.
Much of the discourse from candidates over the course of this campaign cycle has focused on COVID-19, homelessness and climate change. Though Republican challengers have offered dramatically different approaches to handling these crises, their responses haven’t energized voters as much as Democrats had hoped.
Now, following Texas’ abortion ban, Democrats are turning their focus to the issue, sending a stark warning to voters: California could be next if Gov. Gavin Newsom loses.
“The fight that’s going on nationally, has come to California,” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Zohreen Shah during a campaign stop with Newsom. “That’s why this is the moment to vote no on the recall.”
Newsom added, “Imagine the judges a Republican governor will appoint. Imagine the ability to use the line item veto to cut expansions of reproductive rights and health care for women. Imagine a governor from the state of California joining Republican governors on amicus brief supporting overturning Roe v. Wade or using the bully pulpit nationally to advance that cause I think it could be profoundly consequential.”
A reality check on California politics might prove otherwise, though. California has some of the strongest abortion protections in the nation, so if Newsom were to be recalled, his successor would face a variety of obstacles trying to enact a major consequential anti-abortion legislation. Notably, the legislation would have to go up against a heavy Democratic majority in the state legislature and the governor would only have until the end of the term in 2022 to do it.
However, that has not stopped some Republican candidates from taking stances about stripping funding from health services that provide abortions and trying to overturn Roe v. Wade.
During an appearance on CNN’s New Day this week, former Olympian and TV personality Caitlyn Jenner said she supports Texas’ decision because she believes states should have the ability to make their own laws — but she still thinks women should have the right to choose whether or not to give birth.
As it relates to California, Jenner said, “I don’t see any changes in our laws in California in the future.”
Others, aware of California’s political landscape, are calling out Newsom’s alleged strategy of using the issue of abortion to vilify his Republican opponents.
“It’s not that big of an issue in California because California, you know, has constitutional protection,” businessman John Cox told ABC News. “So the politicians are using it. Mr. Newsom is using it to scare people right now.”
Some Republicans, like former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, have complicated Newsom’s alleged efforts to try to paint his Republican challengers as anti-abortion. Faulconer told ABC News, “I’ve been pro-choice … I’ve always been and I will continue to be that way.”
While the effectiveness of Newsom’s strategy will play out at the ballot box on Sept. 14, one thing is for certain: The fight for access to reproductive rights is far from over. Each party appears determined to use the controversial issue to energize their base as the 2022 midterms quickly approach.
