Taylor Swift receives 20 nominations for 2023 Billboard Music Awards – see the full list!

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Taylor Swift has received 20 nominations for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
The 33-year-old pop superstar already holds the record for the most awarded female with 29 to her name but has been nominated a further 20 times for the upcoming ceremony, which will take place on November 19.
The ‘Karma’ songstress has received a nod for Top Artist alongside Drake, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and SZA as well as Top Female Artist but will face competition from the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Beyonce and will also be considered for Top 100 Hot Song for her hit ‘Anti-Hero’ as well as Top 100 Hot Artist, Top 100 Hot Songwriter and Top Streaming Song Artist amongst a host of others.
Hot on her heels are ‘Kiss Me More’ hitmaker SZA and country star Morgan Wallen, both of whom have received 17 nominations for their musical efforts over the course of the last year.
Other stars to receive a string of nominations includeThe Weeknd, who has received 16 nominations, Drake with 14 and Zach Bryan with 13.
Miley Cyrus has received nominations in a total of 10 categories, and will go head-to-head with Taylor for Top Female Artist and has seen her megahit ‘Flowers’ nominated in six categories, whilst fellow superstar Beyonce’s comeback album ‘Renaissance’ will go up against Drake, SZA, Steve Lacy and Brent Faiyaz.

The full list of nominations is as follows:

Top Artist
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift

Sting, Nile Rodgers + CHIC first names announced for Forest Live

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Sting and Nile Rodgers + CHIC will perform at Forest Live next year.
The ‘Roxanne’ hitmaker will be backed by an electric rock ensemble when he takes to the stage at Delamere Forest, Thetford Forest and Sherwood Pines with his ‘My Songs 2024’ concert, treating fans to some of his biggest hits from both his solo career and his time with The Police.
Meanwhile, Nile and his band will be bringing party vibes to Delamere Forest, Sherwood Pines, Dalby Forest and Westonbirt Arboretum, supported by both Sophie Ellis-Bextor and 80s-inspired pop band Deco.
Tickets will go on sale from 3 November.
Meanwhile, Nile recently expressed his belief that artificial intelligence in music could be “something wonderful”.
The Chic guitarist has weighed in on the debate about the future of AI in songwriting, and he admitted while there will be “a lot of controversy” as the technology “becomes viable”, he sees some advantages.
He told the Daily Star newspaper’s Wired column: “Just like at the Academy Awards there is animation and there is real-life, there’s documentaries.
“Right now we have to let the cards fall where they may because you can’t tell an artist, ‘You can’t paint with that colour’. You just can’t do that.
“You have to let artists figure out what’s right and I believe that we all inherently know right from wrong and we will figure it out – this is right, this wrong.
“In a weird way I think it’s a big deal out of nothing, but it maybe something wonderful.”
The 71-year-old musician pointed to the way people reacted to the emergence of drum machines, computers and samplers, but he sees them as “wonderful tools”.
He added: “I hear people talking about fake stuff. That sounds like noise to me. That sounds like the noise we’ve been hearing all our lives.
“The drum machine and sequencer have been wonderful tools. There are bands that could never have had a record if it wasn’t for a sequencer.
“If we want to have a really relevant conversation, let’s talk about songwriters getting paid.”
Further names for Forest Live will be announced in the coming months, but fans can sign up for information, announcements and exclusive pre-sale access at forestlive.com.
Forestry England uses the money generated by the concerts to maintain the natural areas and run conservation projects, with last year seeing them plant 7.4 million trees and welcoming 291 million visits across the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests.

Nile Rodgers CHIC + Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Deco:
Saturday 15 June: Delamere Forest, Cheshire
Friday 21 June: Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire
Saturday 22 June: Dalby Forest, Yorkshire
Friday 12 July: Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire

Sting:
Friday 14 June: Delamere Forest, Cheshire
Saturday 22 June: High Lodge, Thetford Forest, Suffolk
Sunday 23 June: Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire

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Cher doesn’t like her ‘weird’ voice

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Cher doesn’t like her “weird” singing voice because she sounds “somewhere in-between” a man and a woman.
The 77-year-old pop veteran has spent most of her life working in the music industry and carved out a hugely successful career for herself – but she’s adamant she’s not a fan of her distinctive vocals despite selling more than 100 million records over the years.
She told Paper magazine: “[My voice is] weird. It doesn’t sound like a man, it doesn’t sound like a woman. I’m somewhere more in-between. I have this strange style. I do what you do when you can’t hold a note: I don’t pronounce my Rs. I guess some consonants are hard to sing, so I just gotta leave them open.”
She added: “I never liked it very much. I mean, people seem to like it and I’m happy as a clam, but I wouldn’t have picked it. I liked it on my mother and it’s definitely my mom’s voice. My mom’s is softer, mine is edgier – different, but the same, but I don’t think I would have picked it.”
Cher also went on to talk about the changes to her voice made on her hit song ‘Believe’ revealing she walked out of the studio after her producer told her to “sing it better”.
She explained: “He kept saying, ‘Cher you gotta sing it better,’ and he said it so many times that I just said, ‘If you want it better, get someone else,’ and I walked out.”
The singer added: “I asked him about using a vocoder and he went, ‘It won’t work, but I got this pitch machine and I’ve been playing around with it. If I have a couple more hours, I can make it work’. … Then he played ‘Believe’ and I was mesmerised, and it really picked up the verses, because I could never make the verses really work. And all of a sudden, they were so amazing, they just pulled you in. Also, it didn’t sound like me, so I was really excited.”

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Madness drop new song about band member’s home getting burgled

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Madness member Lee Thompson’s real-life home burglary has inspired the Ska legends’ latest tune, ‘Baby Burglar’.
The ‘Our House’ group’s longtime saxophonist, 66, admits he’s “more sympathetic” towards the robbers as he and his bandmates also went through their own “youthful straying from the straight and narrow”.
Madness said of the song: “The story behind Baby Burglar is actually quite a funny one…it’s about Lee finding a midnight meddler loose in his house and how it reminded him of his younger self and all the shenanigans we used to get up to when we were whippersnappers. Not long now until you can hear the whole of our new album Theatre of the Absurd presents C’est La Vie.”
‘Theatre Of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’ is their first new studio album in seven years.
The new collection was recorded in an industrial unit in Cricklewood, London, after a “disparate couple of years which saw the band at their most polarised and fragmented.”
BAFTA-winning superfan, Martin Freeman, 52, plays a central role in telling the story of the record as he recorded the prologue running throughout.
The ‘Hobbit’ star became friends with Suggs and co after standing in a meet and greet queue for the ‘It Must Be Love’ band and being fast-tracked to meet them by Madness’ manager.
The record also marks the first time the group has self-produced a record with assistance from engineer and mixer Matt Galsbey.
The ‘Baggy Trousers’ band’s last record was 2016’s ‘Can’t Touch Us Now’, however, they released the soundtrack LP ‘The Get Up!’ last year.
‘Theatre Of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’ is released on November 17, and the band will also embark on the ‘C’est La Vie’ 2023 UK tour the same month.
The album is available on double vinyl and CD with a limited crystal clear vinyl sold through HMV and indie stores.
Head to www.madness.co.uk for the full tour dates.

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And Venus was her name! Zara Larsson reveals new album and 2024 tour

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Zara Larsson has announced her new album, ‘Venus’, and an accompanying tour.
The Swedish pop star will drop her follow-up to 2021’s ‘Poster Girl’ on February 9, 2024, via her own label Sommer House and Black Butter/Sony.
It’s been hailed a “pop album fit for a goddess”, which sees the singer “looking back on where she’s come from.”
A full tracklisting is yet to be unveiled.
However, it will feature the previously released singles, ‘Can’t Tame Her’, ‘End of Time’, and ‘On My Love’ with DJ David Guetta.
The ‘Ain’t My Fault’ hitmaker will kick off ‘The Venus Tour’ in Manchester on February 16, 2024, before heading to Glasgow, Birmingham, and London,
Zara will then head to Paris on February 24, and play several dates in Europe, before wrapping the jaunt in Dublin on June 21.
Meanwhile, Zara revealed she was having lessons to become a qualified helicopter pilot.
The ‘Symphony’ hitmaker revealed in March o the ‘Zach Sang Show’, she said: “It’s a fun challenge. Maybe I’ll end up not using it, but I can tell myself, ‘I did that’. And if there’s an emergency, you know who to call.
“I think it’s making up for not graduating high school or something. If you go to the studio and you put down 100 hours you might write a good song. If you put down 100 hours in the air you are getting a certificate.
“It’s very absolute and very much about your own discipline and how you want the outcome to be. It’s fun and something completely different from the music. It’s so not creative in any way.”
The 25-year-old star enjoys being in the cockpit because she must be fully focused on flying and it is a hobby that doesn’t allow for distractions.
She added: “There’s so much you need to do. If you fly an aeroplane, once you’re up in the air you don’t need to do too much.
“When you’re flying a helicopter, you have the pedals, you hold one thing with this hand and one thing with this hand. You can’t let go of anything.
“It’s my dream because I can’t be like, ‘Let me just check my phone’. I struggle with that even when I drive. I think it’s good for my brain to be constantly stimulated.”
And if that wasn’t enough, Zara is making her acting debut in Netflix’s upcoming movie ‘A Part Of You’ in 2024.
Fans who pre-order any format of ‘Venues’ before October 31 at 3pm BST can gain pre-sale access for the 2024 UK tour.

‘The Venus Tour’ dates:
16.02.24, Manchester, Manchester Academy
17.02.24, Glasgow, O2 Academy
18.02.24, Birmingham, O2 Academy
21.02.24, London, Roundhouse
24.02.24, Paris, Le Trianon
25.02.24, Brussels, Ancienne Belgique
26.02.24, Amsterdam, AFAS Live
28.02.24, Berlin, Verti Music Hall
01.03.24, Cologne, Palladium
02.03.24, Milan, Fabrique
04.03.24, Zurich, Komplex 457
06.03.24, Prague, Forum
07.03.24, Warsaw, Towar
08.03.23, Vienna, Gasometer
16.03.24, Reykjavik, Laugardalshollin
21.06.24, Dublin, Fairview Park

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Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon is not big on Halloween, insists new LP Danse Macabre is Nick Rhodes’ ‘fantasy’

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Simon Le Bon has confessed he couldn’t care less about Halloween as his band Duran Duran release their spooky-themed album, ‘Danse Macabre’, on his 65th birthday (27.10.23).
The frontman insists the record, the idea for which came after they performed a Halloween show in Las Vegas last year, is keyboardist Nick Rhodes’ “fantasy”.
Simon – who will be celebrating his special day in the temporary flat his family is residing at while major works continue on extending their South West London abode, including the addition of a swimming pool – admits he doesn’t like the October 31st holiday taking the attention away from his birthday.
In an interview with The Sun newspaper, he said: “Danse Macabre is Nick’s fantasy album.
“I don’t give a f*** about Halloween, to be honest, as it’s always a distraction in my birthday week.”
Despite not being big on Halloween, Simon enjoyed every minute of getting to put his own ghoulish spin on classics by the likes of The Specials (‘Ghost Town’), Talking Heads (‘Psycho Killer’), Siouxsie and the Banshees (‘Spellbound’), alongside new songs, and admits they didn’t apply the same pressure they usually put themselves under to overanalyse their work.
He continued: “But it was great fun to make.
“We set ourselves a goal to make an album within a year.
“I think self-consciousness is the biggest enemy of art but this time we didn’t have time to stand back. We had to get on with it.”
The group – who worked with longtime collaborator Nile Rodgers on the record – also got to reunite with former guitarists Andy Taylor – who has been undergoing specialist treatment for prostate cancer – and Warren Cuccurullo on ‘Danse Macabre’, describing it as one big “family” reunion.
Simon said: “Andy is family. We love him and wanted him on the album.
“We wanted to do as much as possible to help his situation and we’ve helped him get into a place where he is able to change his life and mentality.
“I want him around as long as we can have him.
“Recording with Andy was amazing. We recorded seven guitar tracks in two days when he was quite low.
“But Andy has been getting treatment and he is now symptom-free. This new Lutetium-177 targeted radiotherapy can give him another ten years of life, which would be incredible.
“We also played a fundraiser show for him and I heard he played a prostate cancer benefit concert the other night and got Robert Plant to play Stairway To Heaven for the first time in 20 years. Absolutely amazing. I am so proud of Andy. I love him dearly.”
Meanwhile, despite three decades in the music business, the ‘Wild Boys’ – also including drummer Roger Taylor, 63, and bassist John Taylor, 63 – have never stepped foot in Glastonbury, and they would only agree to play if they are offered a prime slot on the Pyramid Stage.
In a separate interview, Nick, 61, told The Daily Telegraph: “I believe they have our telephone number, we haven’t changed it.”
Simon insisted: “3pm in the Disco Tent isn’t really where we see ourselves.”
He added: “A long time ago I vowed I would never set foot in Glastonbury unless it was on the Pyramid Stage at a decent hour of the night. So although I’ve been asked to camp, to glamp and invited to fly in and out by helicopter, I’ve always refused on principle.”
‘Danse Macabre’ is out now.

Source: IconInsider.com

MIKA, JLS and Passenger set for Kew the Music 2024

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — MIKA, JLS and Passenger are the first acts confirmed for Kew the Music 2024.
The ‘Grace Kelly’ hitmaker, ‘Beat Again’ boy band and ‘Let Her Go’ hitmaker will play the summer concert series held within the picturesque setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew.
MIKA will headline on July 9, Passenger on July 11, and JLS on July 12.
They will be joined by special guests set to be unveiled at a later date.
‘Love Today’ singer MIKA recently announced he has a new album coming out on December 1, ‘Que ta tête fleurisse toujours’.
He announced on X: “Big news! I can finally reveal that my album ‘Que ta tête fleurisse toujours’ will be released on December 1st! The artwork was created in collaboration with the amazingly talented
@matmaitland with photography by Royal Gilbert and I am so proud of what we have achieved!”
As for Passenger, he’s releasing an anniversary edition of his acclaimed album ‘All The Little Lights’, which features collaborations with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Foy Vance, on November 10.
The singer-songwriter has reworked each song on the LP from scratch.
JLS reunited in 2021 and are currently on their ‘EVERYBODY SAY JLS: The Hits’ tour.
The pop group – comprising Aston Merrygold, JB Gill, Marvin Humes and Oritsé Williams – will bring all their hits to Kew next summer.
More names will be added to the line-up in due course.
A pre-sale for the above shows will take place on November 2 at 10am, with general on-sale set for the same time on November 3. Head to kewthemusic.org for more.

Tuesday 9th July – MIKA plus guests
Wednesday 10th July – TO BE ANNOUNCED
Thursday 11th July – Passenger plus guests
Friday 12th July – JLS plus guests
Saturday 13th July – TO BE ANNOUNCED
Sunday 14th July – TO BE ANNOUNCED

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Britney Spears puts music career on ice to lead ‘spiritual life’ for a while

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Britney Spears is putting her music career on hold to lead a slower “spiritual life”.
The 41-year-old pop idol has admitted that her desire to perform in front of huge live audiences has “lessened” and she prefers to spend more time “alone” than entertaining the masses.
Writing in her memoir, ‘The Woman In Me’, she confessed: “My music career is not my focus at the moment. Right now it’s time to get my spiritual life in order, to pay attention to the little things, to slow down….being an entertainer was great, but over the last 5 years my passion to entertain in front of a live audience has lessened. I do it for myself now. I feel God more when I’m alone.”
This suggests the star isn’t planning to release any new music or tour any time soon.
Britney returned to music in the summer, teaming up with will.i.am on ‘Mind Your Business’.
Prior to then, she released ‘Hold Me Closer’ with Sir Elton John, her first musical release in six years and since the termination of her 13-year controversial conservatorship.
Meanwhile, Britney recently said she wants to collaborate with Jay-Z on a Beyonce cover one day.
The ‘Piece of Me’ singer is keen to team up with the 53-year-old rapper – who is married to the ‘Crazy In Love’ hitmaker – on a new version of her 2016 song ‘Daddy Lessons’.
Sharing a video of herself dancing to the track on Instagram, she wrote: “So many people have done remixes to my songs without my knowledge … so I guess it’s safe to say I will be redoing this song eventually !!!
“Just need to meet Jay-Z and add a rap to it … what’s up ??? (sic)”
The song originally featured on Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’ album seven years ago, while a remix featuring The Chicks came out later that year.

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Barry Manilow finds it a ‘surprise’ that people enjoy his singing

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Barry Manilow always finds it a “surprise” that people enjoy his singing.
The 80-year-old music legend – who is one of the biggest-selling recording artists of all time and has had hits with ‘Mandy’, ‘Could It Be Magic’ and ‘Copacabana’ – considers himself a musician and not a singer or performer and can’t see why anyone would like his singing.
He told Parade magazine: “I never had ambitions to perform.
“It surprises me to this day that I’m still doing it, because I don’t think of myself as a singer or a performer. I’m a musician. And performing and singing it’s always a surprise that anybody likes it.”
Despite this, Manilow still loves to perform his most famous tracks at his shows and could never grow tired of them as the audience makes him feel like he’s “never heard” the songs before.
He told USA Today in 2019: “I’ve stopped performing album cuts and medleys of big bands and stuff. I know what the audience wants. They want the hits. And I am happy to give that to them. I’m one of those lucky guys who has a catalogue of hits that can fill up 90 minutes. I don’t know how that happened, but I’m very grateful. And I want to give them every song they know. So it’s a very happy audience out there …
“I could see the difference. When I would do something, they didn’t know, they would be very polite. And then when I would do ‘Looks Like We Made It,’ the roof would cave in. They were telling me what they wanted. And it’s my pleasure, honestly. It’s theirs. They gave these hits to me. So I’m happy to do it. I don’t mind it. I really don’t. You would think that I’d be sick of them by now. But I really am not because they make it brand new for me. It’s as if they’ve never heard these songs before.”

Source: IconInsider.com

Iron Maiden announce North American tour

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Iron Maiden have announced a North American 2024 tour.
The English heavy metal band will take their ‘Future Past Tour’ to the US and Canada in October 2024, opening at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in San Diego, California before performing in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland, Denver, Rosemont, Toronto, Quebec and Montreal.
In November, they will move on to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, with stops in Brooklyn, Pittsburg, Baltimore, Charlotte, Fort Worth, and San Antonio before wrapping up the tour in Chile.
Bassist Steve Harris said: “We’re really excited to be bringing the ‘Future Past tour’ back to Canada and the United States next year. We know from the reaction of our fans at Power Trip and the shows we played in Canada recently that they really enjoyed hearing new songs from both ‘Senjutsu’ and ‘Somewhere in Time’, and we’ve really enjoyed playing them!
“So it’s going to be a great experience for us to visit many other cities across North America and bring this new show to those fans who’ve waited patiently to see it. See you all in 2024!”
Iron Maiden founder Harris, 67, who also serves as keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter has been their only constant member since 1975 and, along with guitarist Dave Murray, the only member to appear on every album.

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Tupac Shakur almost signed with Bad Boy Records

Ohmygossip.com

October 28, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Tupac Shakur considered signing with Bad Boy Records.
The late rapper – who died in 1996 at the age of 27 – originally wanted to sign with the label founded by Diddy, according to his brother, but he ultimately chose to work with Death Row Records.
Mopreme Shakur told ‘The Art Of Dialogue’: “There was a point ‘Pac was considering going to Bad Boy before his relationship with Death Row. He wanted to be on a Black label. He wanted to be with his people. He wanted to be with the brothers. He supported Black business.
“There was a period where we were all cool. Over time, things happened and ‘Pac started seeing things. Biggie was on Puffy’s label so with them two, it was Puffy calling the shots. There were some legitimate problems there.”
Mopreme also revealed that Diddy personally called him to deny having any involvement with Tupac’s death.
He said: “Puffy called me back in the day. He called me and he was like, ‘I just want you to know [that] I ain’t had nothing to do with your brother’s [death].”
Tupac was targeted in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, before passing away six days later.
Last month, Duave ‘Keefe D’ Davis was arrested and charged in connection to the shooting.
Police believe Davis’ late nephew, Orlando Anderson, was the shooter and that he allegedly obtained the gun used “for the purpose of seeking retribution against Tupac”.

Source: IconInsider.com

Taylor Swift drops live version and remix of Cruel Summer

Ohmygossip.com

October 23, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Taylor Swift has released two new versions of mega-hit ‘Cruel Summer’.
Amid the record-breaking success of the ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ concert film, the pop superstar has been left blown away by the fans dancing and even “getting engaged” at the cinema showings.
And she wants Swifties to be able to “shriek” and dance along to fan-favourite ‘Cruel Summer’, so she’s releasing the live version from her tour and a remix by DJ LP Giobbi.
Thanking her fans for the epic response, she wrote on Instagram: “What a truly mind blowing thing you’ve turned The Eras Tour Concert Film into. I’ve been watching videos of you guys in the theaters dancing and prancing and recreating choreography, creating inside jokes, casting spells, getting engaged, and just generally creating the exact type of joyful chaos we’re known for.
“One of my favorite things you’ve done was when you supported ‘Cruel Summer’ SO much, I ended up starting The Eras Tour show with it. For old times sake, I’m releasing the live audio from the tour so we can all shriek it in the comfort of our homes and cars PLUS a brand new remix by @lpgiobbi. Thank you, so much, forever, wow, just thank you!!! (sic)”
The film was recorded over the first three nights that Taylor played at California’s SoFi stadium in the summer.
Taylor’s tour is due to resume in South America in November before heading to the UK in the summer of 2024.
The remix and live version of ‘Cruel Summer’ comes almost a week before the ‘Anti-Hero’ hitmaker releases ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ on October 27.
So far, Taylor has released the re-recordings ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version’), ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ and ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’.
The ‘Shake It Off’ singer is re-recording the six albums she released on Big Machine Records after Scooter Braun acquired the label and took ownership of her masters.

Source: IconInsider.com

Olivia Rodrigo announces limited-edition GUTS vinyl with four bonus tracks

Ohmygossip.com

October 23, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Olivia Rodrigo has four bonus tracks coming out on a limited-edition vinyl of ‘GUTS’.
The 20-year-old Grammy winner has announced a Record Store Day’s Black Friday version of her hit second studio album that boasts the “secret tracks”.
However, they will only be available on this vinyl and not on streaming services.
The ‘Good 4 U’ hitmaker got her pal Jack White’s Third Man Records to press the songs; ‘Obsessed’, ‘Scared of My Guitar’, ‘Stranger’, and ‘Girl I’ve Always Been’.
A small batch of the ‘Guts: The Secret Tracks’ vinyl will be available from November 24 via recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/16493.
Olivia teaming up with Jack comes after she revealed he wrote her a letter.
The former White Stripes star, 48, told the ‘Bad Idea Right?’ singer that her “only job” is to write radio-worthy music.
In an interview with The New York Times, Olivia said: “He wrote me this letter the first time I met him that said, ‘Your only job is to write music that you would want to hear on the radio.
“I mean, writing songs that you would like to hear on the radio is in fact very hard.”
St. Vincent – whose real name is Anne Clark – also had this praise for the star in the profile: “I’ve never met anyone so young and so effortlessly self-possessed. [Rodrigo] knows who she is and what she wants — and doesn’t seem to be in any way afraid of voicing that. And just a really lovely girl too.
“I’ve never heard her say a bad word about anyone.”
Olivia “felt immense pressure” making the follow-up to her record-breaking 2021 debut LP ‘SOUR’.
Speaking on Hits Radio Breakfast, she said: “Making this album definitely had its ups and downs. “And there were some days where I’m just like, wow, the pressure is just insurmountable. I just feel, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, and other days where it was really fun and, you know, had a great time.
“But uh, you know, I think at the end of the day, the most important thing, it sounds like so cheesy and cliché, but I just wanted to make an album that I really liked and felt really proud of.”

Source: IconInsider.com

Ozzy Osbourne’s final solo album won’t be features-heavy

Ohmygossip.com

October 23, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Ozzy Osbourne’s new solo album will have fewer featured artists.
Despite his ongoing health issues and retiring from touring, Ozzy recently revealed he is planning to record “one more album” before hopefully going back on tour in 2024.
The ‘Paranoid’ hitmaker is waiting for studio wizard Andrew Watt – who he worked with on 2020’s ‘Ordinary Man’ and last year’s ‘Patient Number 9’ – to be free as he’s so in-demand so they can crack on with completing the record.
Appearing on Philadelphia’s 93.3 WMMR radio station, he said: “Being laid up for about five years because of the surgery thing and the fall I had, I was going nuts.
So I met Andrew Watt and we did a couple of albums together. And I’m waiting for him to get free to do another album. ‘Cause everybody wants to use him now.”
He went on: “Personally, I like to get stuff [worked out] before I go in the studio. But the last couple of albums I had to do differently. A lot of it was done as we went along.”
Ozzy had Post Malone, Sir Elton John, Eric Clapton, the late Jeff Beck, and Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi on his last two albums.
Asked about featured artists on his next studio effort, he said: “It’s gonna be maybe one.”
The heavy metal legend has undergone a series of spinal operations after suffering a fall in 2019 and has Parkinson’s disease.
Ozzy recently underwent his “final surgery” and teased he has some big plans for the coming year.
He told Metal Hammer magazine: “I’m getting myself fit. I’ve done two albums fairly recently, but I want to do one more album and then go back on the road.”
When it comes to his recovery from surgery and his fall, the ‘Crazy Train’ hitmaker admitted he is struggling to “get used to this mode of living”.
He explained: “I’ve had all the surgery now, thank God. I’m feeling OK — it was just dragging on.
“I thought I’d be back on my feet months ago, I just couldn’t get used to this mode of living, constantly having something wrong.
“I can’t walk properly yet, but I’m not in any pain anymore and the surgery on my spine went great.”
In February, Ozzy cancelled all of his planned performances because he was “too weak” to perform.
He wrote on social media: “Never would I have imagined my touring days would end this way.”

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Mark Owen thought he’d end up on Coronation Street pre-Take That

Ohmygossip.com

October 23, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Take That’s Mark Owen thought he’d end up on ‘Coronation Street’ before he auditioned for the boy band.
The 51-year-old singer’s mother got him to come along to a multi-faceted talent agency because he wouldn’t come out of his bedroom after being left heartbroken when his girlfriend at the time dumped him.
Bizarrely, he ended up learning how to do facials – far from auditioning for the ITV soap.
Speaking to his bandmates Gary Barlow, 52, and Howard Donald, 55, on the first episode of their podcast ‘Life of Take That: This Life’, he said: ‘You know when you put your ‘missing you’ mixtape on and you’re having a bit of a downtime and you’re in your bedroom for about two weeks listening to sad music, thinking ‘I can’t go on’. My mum said to me, my brother and sister, to go and see Nigel, who had an agency that did lots of different things, model casting, acting. We went as a family, probably thinking we might get on Coronation Street. I think [my mum] was mainly doing it to try and get me out my bedroom. Nigel used to do these classes where you’d learn different parts of the industry. I was learning how to do a facial massage or some sort of facial cleansing thing, you paid like two pounds to do these classes.”
The three of them were introduced to talent manager Nigel Martin-Smith and he helped form Take That in the 1990s.
Gary replied: “Massages? We’ve gone from casting to massages.”
Mark went on: “Yeah, but for me, it was just getting out my bedroom. I was learning how to do a facial massage, different things every Wednesday. The lady who was teaching us introduced me to Nigel and he said have you ever sung and danced? Just asked whether I’d be interested in being in a band. And I said, oh yeah great, that’ll be good. And then never heard owt [anything] for about a year.”
A surprised Gary reacted: “Get lost. A year?”
Mark added: “About a year. My dad at one point phoned him and said, ‘Is this still happening,’ and I think spoke to Nigel. I’d not really spoken to Nigel properly and then I got a call two weeks before this was to say come to this club in Manchester, there’s a meeting.”
The ‘Could It Be Magic’ hitmakers went on to become one of the most successful boy bands of all time, selling 14.3 million albums and 12 million singles in the UK alone.
Take That previously featured Robbie Williams, 48, and Jason Orange, 53.
Episode 1 of ‘Take That: This Life is out now’ is available now via Global Player.

Source: IconInsider.com

Jon Bon Jovi named MusiCares Person of the Year

Ohmygossip.com

October 23, 2023

OHMYGOSSIP — Jon Bon Jovi has been named the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year.
The Bon Jovi frontman will be honoured at the 33rd annual Person of the Year benefit gala – which raises money for the music charity – on 2 February at the Los Angeles Convention Centre after being chosen for his “remarkable contributions” to rock and roll, as well as his work for the homeless and those in poverty through his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.
Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares, said: “MusiCares is thrilled to honor Jon Bon Jovi at the 2024 Person of the Year Gala.
“His remarkable contributions to rock and roll have not only left an indelible mark on the music industry, but also in the hearts of countless fans around the world.
“Furthermore, his long-standing commitment to serving food-insecure and unhoused individuals inspires us all. We’re looking forward to celebrating him and the many ways he has made a difference in this world.”
The 61-year-old rocker is “truly humbled” by the recognition.
He said: “I’m truly humbled to be this year’s MusiCares honoree. MusiCares’ work with music professionals is vitally important in creating much needed support and wellness programs that cultivate a healthier and more vibrant community for us all.
“Philanthropic work has been a cornerstone of my life and has always run in tandem to my music career and achievements.
“Nearly two decades ago when I formed the JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchens, I saw firsthand and continue to see today the impact of charitable community-based work. I know this for sure: helping one’s community is helping one’s self.”
The charity gala takes place two days before the Grammy Awards and includes a cocktail reception, dinner, and tribute concert.
Past honourees include Dolly Parton, Fleetwood Mac and Smokey Robinson.

Source: IconInsider.com

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Jon Bon Jovi named MusiCares Person of the Year