Next year will mark ABBA‘s 50th anniversary as a band. Just in time for that major milestone, the Swedish superstars have released their first, official Christmas song, “Little Things.”
The gentle tune centers on the joy parents feel waking up on Christmas morning and imagining what it’ll be like to watch their children open presents under the tree.
ABBA also delighted fans on Friday with the track’s official music video, which follows a group of school-age children putting on their own ABBA tribute concert using motion-capture technology and other innovations. The group says they wanted to honor the “next generation of geniuses” who will harness future technological advances to stage even greater shows.
“Little Things” is featured on ABBA’s new album, Voyage, which is their first in 40 years. The track is available to stream and purchase now. Proceeds from the single will benefit UNICEF’s Global Child Protection Fund.
The group released a joint statement Friday explaining why they wanted to turn the track into a charity single.
“We think it is impossible to eradicate poverty without the empowerment of women. That’s why we support UNICEF in protecting girls from sexual violence and empowering them through the Global Child Protection Fund,” Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad said. “We have done so for many years with our song ‘Chiquitita’ and now we have decided to give Unicef a Christmas gift in the form of a second song: ‘Little Things’ from our album Voyage.”
The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem are headlining the revived This Ain’t No Picnic festival.
Originally launched in 1999 by Coachella promoters Goldenvoice, This Ain’t No Picnic has been on hiatus for the past two decades. It’s now set to return in 2022, taking place August 27-28 at the Brookside golf club outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Other artists on the bill include Kathleen Hanna‘s reunited electronic rock group Le Tigre, Phoebe Bridgers, Wet Leg, Turnstile, and Courtney Barnett.
Registration for pre-sale tickets is open now. For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit ThisAintNoPicnic.com.
Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter has opened up about one of the “scariest” moments in his life, when his newborn daughter, Pearl, spent five days in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Speaking with People, the singer recalled the traumatic moment following his daughter’s birth in April. His wife, Lauren, had been “experiencing some minor complications” while in labor, and there were further problems after Pearl arrived.
“To see your child being born and then having to be put in the NICU … it’s the scariest thing,” Nick explained. He called the five days Pearl spent in the NICU “really emotional” and noted they were waiting for her oxygen levels to rise, but declined to go into further detail about her condition other than saying, “It was tough.”
Pearl, who is now seven months old, is now home and enjoying life with her two other siblings, five-year-old Odin and two-year-old Saoirse.
After experiencing such a scare, Nick calls it a “blessing” to watch his baby grow up healthy, adding, “I’m very happy that she’s here in our lives and we will do everything that we can to make sure that all of our kids are protected and love.”
Nick hopes that, by sharing his daughter’s story, he can “help someone else feel a little better if it did happen to them. You can make it through. Maybe that’s a silver lining.”
Nick will host Home 4 the Holidays, a virtual dinner and singalong, on December 16 to benefit the Cure 4 the Kids Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to cure and prevent childhood diseases.
Zero 9:36 has released a new single called “I’m Not.”
The defiant track finds the “Adrenaline” artist declaring, “I’m not making your decisions/ Because you’re everything I’m not.” You can download it now via digital outlets.
“I’m Not” follows Zero’s EP …If You Don’t Save Yourself, which was released earlier this year. In addition to the top-three Billboard rock single “Adrenaline,” the set includes collaborations with Blink-182‘s Travis Barker and Hollywood Undead.
Zero’s also released collaborations with We Came as Romans and Atreyu.
You can catch Zero 9:36 on his current tour with Neck Deep, which wraps up December 11 in Worcester, Massachusetts.
(HONOLULU) — A blizzard warning has been issued for Hawaii, with at least 12 inches of snow forecast this weekend.
The warning is in effect for the Big Island summits from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday local time.
In addition to blizzard conditions, wind gusts over 100 mph are also expected, according to the alert issued by National Weather Service Honolulu.
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the alert said. “Blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility at times, with periods of zero visibility.”
“The strong winds will likely cause significant drifting of snow,” it added.
A blizzard warning for tropical Hawaii may come as a surprise, but snow is not uncommon; the summits of the Big Island’s Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes reach nearly 14,000 feet in elevation.
Also on the radar this weekend is rain — a flood watch has been issued for all Hawaiian islands through Monday afternoon, as a prolonged period of heavy rainfall is anticipated over the weekend.
“Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible,” the alert said.
“Landslides may also occur in areas with steep terrain,” it warned.
The “very active weather” in Hawaii is due to what’s known as the kona low, a seasonal cyclone that pulls moisture from the south, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Ari Sarsalari.
“The coverage of the precipitation is going to get a little more intense into the weekend,” Sarsalari said in a video update Friday. “This is going to be a lot of rain, so be prepared for some flooding issues.”
The slow-moving kona low is expected to bring the “greatest potential for heavy rain” over Maui and the Big Island, NWS Honolulu said.
Elsewhere in the United States, a storm system is expected to sweep from the northern Rockies to northern Great Lakes, bringing a blast of snow and gusty winds later this weekend. Winter storm watches and warnings have been issued from Montana to northern Wisconsin, where more than a half a foot of snow is possible this weekend.
Strong, gusty winds will also impact parts of the northern Rockies later Saturday into Saturday night. High wind alerts are in effect from Great Falls, Montana, to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
ABC News’ Dan Peck and Max Golembo contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., attempted to downplay the tumultuous week in the Republican conference on Friday, acknowledging only that some of his hard-right members distract from the GOP midterm message in their feuds with Democrats and each other but not condemning the anti-Muslim rhetoric from his member that set off the most recent controversies.
“It’s things we would not want to deal with,” he said of the controversies over the last few weeks surrounding comments and social media posts from Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona.
“It’s [distracting from] things the American people want to focus on: stopping inflation, gas prices and others,” he said. “Anything that deviates from that causes problems.”
The infighting this week began when Boebert’s remarks that likened Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., to a terrorist first appeared on social media. Boebert tweeted an apology to “anyone in the Muslim community I offended” but refused Omar’s request to make a direct public apology to her.
“She apologized publicly, she apologized personally,” McCarthy suggested of Boebert’s comments, defending the lawmaker.
According to both Omar and Boebert, Omar hung up on Boebert in their private phone call because, Omar said, she refused to apologize directly and Bobert, instead, demanded she apologize for “anti-American” sentiments.
McCarthy did not specifically address the content of Boebert’s bigoted remarks that set off the exchange.
The second feud of the week broke out soon after between Greene and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a freshman who has loudly and repeatedly criticized some of her far-right colleagues.
After Mace condemned Boebert’s remarks in a CNN interview, Greene referred to her as “trash” and a “RINO” or “Republican in name only,” calling her “pro-abort” because Mace, a rape survivor, supports access to abortion in cases of rape and incest.
Mace responded on Twitter with taunting emojis to Greene, calling her “crazy” and “insane.” The feud continued even after McCarthy met with both women in private: Greene claimed to have spoken with former President Donald Trump about supporting a primary challenger against Mace next year.
The escalating series of attacks left moderate Republicans grumbling and worried that McCarthy’s refusal to publicly condemn his far-right members’ antics could further embolden them and inject more chaos into the midterms and hurt Republicans’ increasingly likely chances of taking the House next year.
McCarthy, who needs to keep both wings of his party happy to win the speaker’s gavel next year, had a different take.
“We’re going to be quite fine,” he predicted brightly.
McCarthy’s press conference comes hours after more than 40 House Democrats called for Boebert to be removed from her committee assignments “following her Islamophobic comments and incitement of anti-Muslim animus.”
“There must be consequences for vicious workplace harassment and abuse that creates an environment so unsafe for colleagues and staff that it invites death threats against them,” said the statement from Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, Congressional Asian Pacific American Chair Judy Chu, D-Calif., Congressional Equality Caucus Chair David Cicilline, D-R.I., and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and signed by 36 other members of the Progressive Caucus.
If the House does take action against Bobert, it would follow Green and Gosar being stripped from their committee assignments, as well as Gosar becoming the first congressional lawmaker to be censured in more than a decade last month after he tweeted an edited Japanese cartoon depicting violence against Democrats.
(WASHINGTON) — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., attempted to downplay the tumultuous week in the Republican conference on Friday, acknowledging only that some of his hard-right members distract from the GOP midterm message in their feuds with Democrats and each other but not condemning the anti-Muslim rhetoric from his member that set off the most recent controversies.
“It’s things we would not want to deal with,” he said of the controversies over the last few weeks surrounding comments and social media posts from Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona.
“It’s [distracting from] things the American people want to focus on: stopping inflation, gas prices and others,” he said. “Anything that deviates from that causes problems.”
The infighting this week began when Boebert’s remarks that likened Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., to a terrorist first appeared on social media. Boebert tweeted an apology to “anyone in the Muslim community I offended” but refused Omar’s request to make a direct public apology to her.
“She apologized publicly, she apologized personally,” McCarthy suggested of Boebert’s comments, defending the lawmaker.
According to both Omar and Boebert, Omar hung up on Boebert in their private phone call because, Omar said, she refused to apologize directly and Bobert, instead, demanded she apologize for “anti-American” sentiments.
McCarthy did not specifically address the content of Boebert’s bigoted remarks that set off the exchange.
The second feud of the week broke out soon after between Greene and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a freshman who has loudly and repeatedly criticized some of her far-right colleagues.
After Mace condemned Boebert’s remarks in a CNN interview, Greene referred to her as “trash” and a “RINO” or “Republican in name only,” calling her “pro-abort” because Mace, a rape survivor, supports access to abortion in cases of rape and incest.
Mace responded on Twitter with taunting emojis to Greene, calling her “crazy” and “insane.” The feud continued even after McCarthy met with both women in private: Greene claimed to have spoken with former President Donald Trump about supporting a primary challenger against Mace next year.
The escalating series of attacks left moderate Republicans grumbling and worried that McCarthy’s refusal to publicly condemn his far-right members’ antics could further embolden them and inject more chaos into the midterms and hurt Republicans’ increasingly likely chances of taking the House next year.
McCarthy, who needs to keep both wings of his party happy to win the speaker’s gavel next year, had a different take.
“We’re going to be quite fine,” he predicted brightly.
McCarthy’s press conference comes hours after more than 40 House Democrats called for Boebert to be removed from her committee assignments “following her Islamophobic comments and incitement of anti-Muslim animus.”
“There must be consequences for vicious workplace harassment and abuse that creates an environment so unsafe for colleagues and staff that it invites death threats against them,” said the statement from Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, Congressional Asian Pacific American Chair Judy Chu, D-Calif., Congressional Equality Caucus Chair David Cicilline, D-R.I., and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and signed by 36 other members of the Progressive Caucus.
If the House does take action against Bobert, it would follow Green and Gosar being stripped from their committee assignments, as well as Gosar becoming the first congressional lawmaker to be censured in more than a decade last month after he tweeted an edited Japanese cartoon depicting violence against Democrats.
Luke Bryan and Morgan Wallen have just been announced as the headlining acts for TidalWave Music Festival, a brand-new country event that’s coming to the beach of New Jersey’s Atlantic City in 2022.
The three-day fest will take place August 12-14. Luke and Morgan are each scheduled to headline one day, with an additional headliner expected to be announced soon.
Taking place alongside Atlantic City’s Boardwalk, concertgoers will be able to take in the area’s many attractions — such as saltwater taffy shops, casinos and the Steel Pier amusement park — in between sets.
Other artists performing on the main stage include Riley Green, Hardy, Runaway June, Travis Denning, Breland and more. The event will also feature a second stage, with a lineup to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for TidalWave Music Festival go on sale December 13 at 10 a.m. ET. Three-day general admission passes start at $249, and VIP packages are available.
Styx and REO Speedwagon will sail away together next year on a U.S. co-headlining tour, and they’re taking Loverboy with them as their special guest.
The Live & Unzoomed Tour kicks off on May 31 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is plotted out through an August 21 concert in Wantagh, New York. The trek, which currently features 35 dates, includes one show in Canada, an August 16 event in Toronto.
To announce the tour, a hilarious video has premiered on YouTube featuring Styx’s Tommy Shaw, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin and Loverboy’s Mike Reno chatting via Zoom about what they’ve been up to at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tickets for various dates of Live & Unzoomed Tour will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 10, at 10 a.m. local time at LiveNation.com. Styx and REO Speedwagon will be making available VIP packages and exclusive pre-sales starting Monday, December 6, at 10 a.m. local time at StyxWorld.com and REOSpeedwagon.com.
Citi cardmembers will be able to buy pre-sale tickets for the U.S. shows beginning Tuesday, December 7, at 10 a.m. local time; visit CitiEntertainment.com for more details.
“I can’t think of a better way of touring the USA next year than with good friends we’ve known for years and performed with on many a stage,” Shaw says in a statement. “What a great night of music this will be!”
Adds Cronin, “Tommy and I have done a number of Zoom performances together during the pandemic, and REO and Styx are ready to go get UnZoomed, and out on the road for our fifth U.S. tour together. Add our great friends Mike Reno and the Loverboy guys, and I am totally psyched.”
Meanwhile, Reno declares, “Best tour of the summer…guaranteed.”
“The Road West Was Paved with Blood,” reads a title card in the new trailer of Yellowstone‘s prequel series 1883 — and there’s plenty of the red stuff to go around.
As previously reported, real-life husband and wife Tim McGraw and Faith Hill star in the Paramount+ series, playing James and Margaret Dutton, the patriarch and matriarch of Yellowstone‘s Dutton family.
The series, which also stars Sam Elliot, Billy Bob Thornton and newcomer Isabel May, centers on this country’s often brutal westward expansion, following the Dutton clan “as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America…Montana.”
“This way is a free country,” Elliot’s Civil War vet Shea Brennan tells a settler, pointing to the east.
“That way is No Man’s Land, and that’s where we’re headed,” he adds, gesturing to the then-untamed, and unclaimed, West.
The trailer is as brutal as the journey: As one might expect of the Western genre, there’s more gunplay than you can shake a six-shooter at, from beginning to end.
