OHMYGOSSIP — Justin Bieber made a surprise appearance at the Rolling Loud music festival in California on Saturday (04.03.23).
The pop star – who recently cancelled the postponed dates of his ‘Justice World Tour’ – returned to the stage at the event in Inglewood over the weekend to perform with his collaborator Don Toliver – treating the crowd to a rendition of their new track ‘Private Landing’ which appears on Toliver’s album ‘Love Sick’.
It marked Bieber’s first public performance since September 2022 when he appeared at the Rock in Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and came just days after the singer scrapped the remaining dates on his world tour.
The ‘Love Yourself’ hitmaker first postponed his tour in June 2022 around a month after the shows kicked off – revealing to fans he had been stricken with partial facial paralysis due to Ramsay Hunt Syndrome and needed time off to recover.
In an Instagram video, he explained: “Obviously as you can probably see with my face. I have this syndrome called Ramsay Hunt syndrome and it is from this virus that attacks the nerves in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis. “Can’t believe I’m saying this. I’ve done everything to get better but my sickness is getting worse. “My heart breaks that I will have to postpone these next few shows (doctors orders.) To all my people I love you so much and I’m gonna rest and get better.”
Last week it was seemingly confirmed the rest of the dates – which numbered around 80 – won’t go ahead. The dates have been removed from Justin’s official website and ticketing sites such as Ticketmaster have also updated their pages to reflect that the gigs have been axed. Gig-goers have also received emails confirming shows have been cancelled.

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Blink-182 have postponed the start of their reunion tour due to drummer Travis Barker’s finger injury.
The pop punk trio – also comprising Mark Hoppus – have reunited with original co-frontman Tom DeLonge for their upcoming comeback tour, which was due to kick off on March 11, but after the sticksman injured his ring finger twice during rehearsals for the jaunt, he requires surgery, meaning they are having to postpone the first 11 shows.
Tom told fans in an Instagram video: “This has been something we’ve been aiming to do for so long and we work so hard and we just kind of had one of those freak accidents that nobody saw coming.
“Travis needs to go in and have surgery on his finger and we have to get that well. We have to get that strong before we can do anything else. This is just so sad.”
The Latin America leg is impacted, including the first night in Tijuana, Mexico, plus 10 other March and April dates, which will now take place in 2024.
Tom added: “These were the biggest shows we ever played.
“These are some of the most important places in the world for a band this is like the pinnacle of our career was coming down and playing for you guys. So I really want you all to know, we are devastated and we plan to come back.”
The ‘All The Small Things’ rocker first mentioned his injury at the start of February, telling his Instagram followers: “I was playing the drums at rehearsals yesterday and I smashed my finger so hard I dislocated it and tore the ligaments.”
He later revealed he would need to have surgery.
If Travis gets the all-clear, the tour should kick off on May 4 at Minnesota’s Xcel Energy Center.

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — SZA dedicated her Woman of the Year prize to all the other female artists she respects “so deeply”.
The ‘Kill Bill’ hitmaker was presented with the top honour at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theater on Wednesday (01.03.23), following in the footsteps of the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.
And in an empowering, unscripted speech, she admitted any of the other artists in the room could have won the accolade, including Latto and Lana Del Rey.
SZA – who won the Rulebreaker Award in 2018 – began: “I didn’t write anything, but that’s also not who I am.
“I’m a very off-the-dome kind of person, and I guess what I wanted to say is like, there’s so many women in this room right now that I respect so deeply. This could have been any of us in this room.”
The 33-year-old star – whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe – went on to admit that she wants her life to be “more than music” as she vowed to “serve others”.
She said: “I used to feel like I didn’t belong.
“but I realised that the key is to stay open and available for whatever the universe or God wants to do with your life.
“I really just want my life to be more than music, to be more than an artist. I want to serve others, I want to serve people, I want to be open and available for whatever God wants for me, and saying yes to everything that’s scary, to everything that feels like it’s not for you or where you don’t belong, is really the only way where we walk through those doors.”
She wrapped her speech with the poignant message: “You just have to say yes to the possibility.
“And thank y’all for saying yes to me.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Lana Del Rey shouted out Olivia Rodrigo and SZA in her acceptance speech for the Visionary Award at the 2023 Billboard Women In Music event.
The ‘Video Games’ hitmaker paid tribute to her fellow female pop stars at the ceremony at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theater on Wednesday (01.03.23), gushing that she was thrilled to be handed the prize from 20-year-old Olivia.
She began her acceptance speech: “I can’t tell you how much it means that someone [Olivia] who wrote ‘Drivers License’ is standing next to me
Lana also said of this year’s Woman of the Year recipient: “SZA, from the minute I heard you, I knew I wanted to know you.”
Olivia was Woman of the Year for 2022.
The 37-year-old star went on to address the criticism she faced early on in her career for expressing herself and said it’s “wonderful” that artists today can do so freely now.
She said: “I don’t exactly have a long-term vision at all, but if you were curious, I am very, very happy.
“When I released my first album 14 years ago, the waters were not quite as warm. I’m really happy for everyone who feels like it’s a wonderful time in the culture to be themselves and express themselves. It didn’t feel that way in 2008.”
The ‘White Dress’ singer concluded: “I feel like being happy is the ultimate goal, so I did it.
“Thank you, Billboard!”
Meanwhile, Lana’s dad has just launched his own music career.
Rob Grant announced last week that he will release his debut piano album ‘Lost at Sea’ on June 9, and also shared the lead single ‘Setting Sail On A Distant Horizon’.
Lana – who added her vocals to the album’s title track and the closing song ‘Hollywood Bowl’ – commented on Instagram: “This is either gonna be the beginning of something beautiful or take us all down… May the force be w all of us. I mean let’s get real – he’s always been the star.”
The ‘Born to Die’ hitmaker – whose mother is Patricia Grant – also lent her dad her superstar producer Jack Antonoff for the project.
The 68-year-old copywriter – who has inked a record deal with Decca Records – become an “accidental musician”.
A press release noted: “He can’t read sheet music. But when he sits down at a piano, notes flow from him. Melodies come unbidden.
“He can play for hours. Emotion overwhelms thought, and out pours composition after composition.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Kim Petras would “die” for a collaboration with Madonna.
The ‘Malibu’ singer made history as the first openly transgender artist to win the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy award for her Sam Smith collaboration ‘Unholy’ at last month’s ceremony, and The Queen of Pop introduced the pair’s performance of the hit at the bash.
The 64-year-old singer also used her time on stage to celebrate the “rebels” who are happy to “take the heat” as they forge a new path and reassured them that their “fearlessness doesn’t go unnoticed”.
Kim, 30, is thankful to the ‘Like a Virgin’ hitmaker for her support of the LGBTQ+ community.
She told ‘Entertainment Tonight’ at the Billboard Women in Music event at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theater on Wednesday (01.03.23): “I mean, I’m such a huge fan.
“I don’t know how good of a friend I can be to her because I’m just like, ”Confession: Ray of Light’ changed my life.’ Every time I see her, I just talk about her music and how much it means to me, but it’s just been the most incredible thing for me to get respected by Madonna, and for her to even know anything about me is just…”
Asked if a collaboration is on the cards, she replied: “I would die to.
“I would die to have Madonna on anything, or be on anything Madonna, so yeah, absolutely.”
The pop star admitted she doesn’t think she “could be here without” Madonna during her Grammys acceptance speech.
Standing next to Sam, Kim said: “Thank you so much, crazy. Sam I love you so much and this song has been an incredible journey for me. Sam has been a big supporter of me for a long time and Sam graciously wanted me to accept the award because I’m the first transgender woman to win this award.
“I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked the doors open for me so I could be here tonight. Sophie especially, my friend who passed away two years ago, who told me this would happen and always believed in me thank you so much for your inspiration. I adore you and you’re inspirational for everybody.
“Madonna, for fighting for LGBTQ rights. Thank you so much, I don’t think I could be here without Madonna.
“My mother, my mother believed me that I Was a girl and I wouldn’t be here without her and her support.
“Everyone who believed in me to this point, I love you so much, this is a huge moment for me.
“Sam, you’re a true hero and an angel and I love you. Everyone who helped make this song, I love you so much.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Amy Grant is set to release her first new music in a decade.
The 62-year-old singer, who was hospitalised last summer after coming off her bike, has announced a pair of tracks are on the way.
‘Trees We’ll Never See’ is the first song and will be released on March 24.
Amy had to wait until she was recovered from her injuries to return to the studio.
She explained in an interview on ‘Today’: “So much creativity has been put on hold in my life, for all kinds of reasons.
“Last summer I was asked to sing on a new Cory Asbury song yet to be released. This might be one of the best songs I have heard in a long time. I was so glad they waited for me to heal up and get back to the studio.”
Amy added: “Inspired by Cory’s beautiful song, Marshall Altman and I started talking about songs that we’ve written recently that affected us.
“I played him one of mine. He played me one of his. His song was ‘Trees We’ll never See’. I loved it immediately and asked him if I could record it, and within two weeks, both songs were mixed and mastered!”
The six-time Grammy winner’s last studio album was 2013’s ‘How Mercy Looks from Here’, though she released the festive collection ‘Tennessee Christmas’ in 2016.
The Christian singer was forced to postpone a number of scheduled shows last August as she continued her recovery at home.
A post on her Instagram explained: “Amy Grant was in an accident after hitting a pothole while riding a bicycle with a friend (note: she was wearing a helmet).
“Following a brief hospitalisation where she was treated for her injuries, doctors have ordered additional recovery time at home for Amy, where she is now resting comfortably.”
Amy underwent open-heart surgery three years ago to correct a rare condition that she only discovered after having a medical check-up.
And the music star confessed that women can be guilty of putting their own health on the “back burner”.
The ‘Baby Baby’ singer – who is married to country star Vince Gill – said: “I think women tend to put their health on the back burner.
“It’s more like, ‘Oh my children, my grandchildren, my work, my spouse.’ All of those things and we need the gift of each other. So even if you go, ‘Oh, I got nothing on the radar,’ just get somebody else to check it out.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Pulp bassist Steve Mackey has died.
The ‘Disco 2000’ hitmaker’s wife Katie Grand has paid an emotional tribute to the musician, revealing he passed away on Thursday (02.03.23) at the age of 56, having spent the last few months in hospital.
The stylist wrote on Instagram: “After three months in hospital, fighting with all his strength and determination, we are shocked and devastated to have said goodbye to my brilliant, beautiful husband, Steve Mackey.
“Steve died today, a loss which has left myself, his son Marley, parents Kath and Paul, sister Michelle and many friends all heartbroken.
“Steve was the most talented man I have ever known, an exceptional musician, producer, photographer and filmmaker. As in life, he was adored by everyone whose paths he crossed in the multiple creative disciplines he conquered.
“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the NHS staff who worked tirelessly for Steve. He will be missed beyond words.
“The family has asked for privacy at this time.”
Pulp shared a statement on Twitter confirming the loss of their “beloved friend” alongside a photo of Steve walking with his back to the camera.
It read: “Our beloved friend + bass player Steve Mackey passed away this morning.
“Our thoughts are with his family + loved ones.
“This photo of Steve dates from when Pulp were on tour in South America in 2012. We had a day off + Steve suggested we go climbing in the Andes. So we did.
“Steve made things happen. In his life + in the band. + We’d very much like to think that he’s back in those mountains now, on the next stage of his adventure.
“Safe travels, Steve. We hope to catch up with you one day. All our love.”
Steve joined the band in 1989, first featuring on the group’s third album ‘Separations’. He played on all their subsequent records but in October, he confirmed he wouldn’t be joining Jarvis Cocker, Candida Doyle, Nick Banks and Mark Webber on their reunion tour this summer.
In an Instagram statement, he said: “Pulp is a very important part of my creative life.
“I’m exceptionally proud of the body of work we’ve created together. Jarvis and I remastered Pulp’s entire Universal Records back catalogue together just over two years ago at Abbey Road Studios. It was a huge pleasure to do that and review our songs and recordings together.
“There have been wide reports of a full reunion for UK concerts today. However, I’ve decided to continue the work I’m engaged in – music, filmmaking and photography projects, and will not be joining them for these UK shows just announced.
“Wishing Candy, Nick, Mark and Jarvis the very best with forthcoming performances in the UK and also an enormous thanks to Pulp’s amazing fanbase, many of whom have sent me lovely messages today.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Tom Grennan has had to stop performing his debut single live because of a row over the lyrics.
The 27-year-old singer is being sued by an unnamed individual, who claims the ‘Lionheart’ hitmaker plagiarised the words for his 2016 track ‘Something In The Water’ and he is finding the dispute “really painful”.
A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Tom has been going through hell behind the scenes after someone claimed they wrote ‘Something In The Water’.
“It is his first track and means so much to Tom, so to have someone saying this is really painful for him.
“He can no longer perform the song live and is having to try and fight it off.”
Tom recently alluded to the row on his ‘Phone In’ podcast where he admitted he is desperate to find video footage of him performing the song while a student at St Mary’s University in Twickenham because he never used to write down his lyrics, so doesn’t have physical proof that he wrote ‘Something In The Water’ himself.
He said: “I never used to write lyrics down, I used to remember them.
“But there was no proof that I wrote the songs.
“There was this one thing that happened to me that I showed a guy this song before I was signed and that, and when it came out, he said that he had written the song.
“There’s this thing where I can’t access anything of that song, it’s one of my biggest songs as well.
“I can’t say what song it is, it’s an ongoing thing.
“There’s videos of me doing it at uni but everybody’s got new phones now, everybody’s thrown phones out, so there’s no proof. Done me.”
“I’m still waiting for someone to be like, ‘Ah, I’ve found one!’ but nobody has, unfortunately.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Aaron Dessner has heaped praise on Ed Sheeran for “shifting sadness, pain and anxiety” into music “so beautifully” on ‘Subtract’.
The National star produced and co-wrote the 14 “deeply personal” tracks on the ‘Shape of You’ hitmaker’s forthcoming final album in his mathematical series, which Ed revealed this week acted as therapy for him through the most difficult time of his life, which saw his wife Cherry Seaborn delay getting treatment for a tumour because she was pregnant with the couple’s daughter Jupiter, now nine months, and on top of that, his best friend Jamal Edwards died suddenly.
The ‘Bad Habits’ hitmaker – who also has Lyra Antarctica, two, with childhood sweetheart Cherry – admitted writing the record was therapeutic as his mental health had spiralled.
Aaron, 46, was introduced to Ed, 32, through mutual friend Taylor Swift, 33, and he also produced their song ‘Run’ for 2021’s ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’.
In a lengthy Instagram post about working with Ed, he shared: “I was introduced to @teddysphotos through @taylorswift when I helped produce their song “Run” for Taylor’s Version of Red last year. It was special for me to hear two old friends singing together and bringing the past to life — and an interesting way to meet someone, working on music remotely first before actually meeting in person. Some time later we met up in New York City for dinner and talked at length about music and life. It felt so relaxed and as if we already knew each other. Thinking about Ed’s music, I realized I was hearing things in my head I thought we could explore, musical ideas that would allow for more space and bring out what I admire about his guitar playing and incredible voice. I spent some time sketching these ideas and shared a folder with Ed. A few months later in the winter of 2021, he started writing to them and sending sometimes multiple song ideas a day, inspired by a very difficult period he was going through in his life. I could really empathize with what he was feeling and was eager to help realize these songs. (sic)”
The pair ended up recording 30 songs in a single week for the album, with almost half making the final cut, and Aaron hailed the Grammy winner for sharing his “vulnerability and honesty” with him and transforming “darkness into light”.
Aaron added: “We then met up to work in England in January 2022 and finished over 30 songs together in a week. I’m so excited to share that 14 of the songs we made in that time comprise Ed’s 6th album, “subtract”, which will Be released on May 5th. I couldn’t be more proud of this record and the vulnerability and honesty Ed showed in making these songs with me. There’s something deeply vulnerable and ultimately cathartic and therapeutic about shifting sadness and pain and anxiety into music, transforming darkness into light in this way and sharing these sentiments with others. This is what “subtract” does so beautifully and I can’t wait for you all to hear it. Thanks so much to Ed for trusting me to help him on his journey as an artist. I continue feel so grateful to have the opportunity to make music with so many friends, new and old, and to experience the way community grows and grows. (sic)”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Roger Waters insists his re-working of ‘Us and Them’ is not a “replacement” for the “irreplaceable” original.
The former Pink Floyd member is releasing a solo version of the band’s iconic 1973 album, and upon sharing a preview of the longest track on the iconic LP – which is 7 minutes and 49 seconds – Roger explained that he simply intended to tip the hat to a song that he and his former bandmates, Nick Mason, Dave Gilmour, and the late Rick Wright, have “every right to be proud of”.
He wrote in the description of the YouTube clip: “It’s not a replacement for the original which, obviously, is irreplaceable.
“But it is a way for the seventy nine year old man to look back across the intervening fifty years into the eyes of the twenty nine year old and say, to quote a poem of mine about my Father, “We did our best, we kept his trust, our Dad would have been proud of us”. And also it is a way for me to honor a recording that Nick and Rick and Dave and I have every right to be very proud of. (sic)”
However, Roger also wishes to “re-address the political and emotional message of the whole album.”
Fans seemingly won’t have much longer to wait for the record as he confirmed he’s “now in the process of finishing the final mix.”
Upon revealing he had been working on the project for months without the knowledge of David and Nick, Roger dismissed his former bandmates’ contributions to the record insisting it was always his “project, let’s get rid of all this ‘we’ crap.”
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph newspaper last month, he said: “I wrote ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’. Let’s get rid of all this ‘we’ c***! Of course we were a band, there were four of us, we all contributed – but it’s my project and I wrote it. So… blah!”
Roger wrote the album’s lyrics and is credited with composing three of the 10 tracks along with co-writing the music for another two.
He has taken the record’s iconic instrumental songs – such as ‘On The Run’ – and performed an unedited prose poem over the music after being inspired by a bad dream.
Roger added: “It was a revelation, almost Patmosian whatever that means… a fight with evil, in this case an apparently all-powerful hooded and cloaked figure… it brooked no rebuttal.”
The dream included a bonfire with the voice of Atticus Finch from the classic novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, and he believes it is tied to his big idea about following “the voice of reason”, which he considers to be the message of both the original ‘Dark Side’ and his new version.
Asked why he has remade the record, he said: “Because not enough people recognised what it’s about, what it was I was saying then.”
The decision to re-record the LP won’t help repair his fractured relationship with his former bandmates, particularly after Dave’s wife Polly Samson recently accused him of being an anti-Semite and Vladimir Putin apologist.
She tweeted: “Sadly @rogerwaters you are antisemitic to your rotten core.
“Also a Putin apologist and a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy, megalomaniac.
“Enough of your nonsense.”
Roger’s team responded by stating he is “aware of the incendiary and wildly inaccurate comments made about him on Twitter by Polly Samson which he refutes entirely.”
The Twitter statement added: “He is currently taking advice as to his position.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses have been confirmed as the final headliners for Glastonbury 2023.
Alex Turner and co will headline the Pyramid Stage at the world-famous festival for the third time in their career on Friday, June 23.
And the ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ rockers are set to make their Worthy Farm debut on Saturday, June 24.
They join previously confirmed Sunday night headliner, Sir Elton John, who will close out the music extravaganza in Somerset, South West England, on June 25.
Lil Nas X is set to perform before the ‘I’m Still Standing’ hitmaker.
Music legend Cat Stevens – who goes by the name Yusuf – will play the Sunday teatime legends slot.
Lana Del Rey was also announced as a headliner for the Other Stage.
‘Eurovision’ winners Maneskin will also make their Glasto debut.
The stacked line-up also includes Lizzo, Lewis Capaldi, The War On Drugs, Christine And The Queens, Thundercat, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Manic Street Preachers.
Plus the likes of Becky Hill, Aitch, Raye and Rina Sawayama.
The first line-up poster comes after Blondie self-confirmed themselves.
The group’s drummer Clem Burke let slip last month that the Debbie Harry-fronted punk rock band are playing at the iconic festival.
He told Foxy Radio: “We’re also doing Isle of Wight and we’re doing some other festivals.
“I guess it hasn’t really been announced, the full list of artists to be playing Glastonbury, but we are going to be playing Glastonbury, so maybe you got an exclusive there.”
Elton – who has never played Glastonbury before – said: “I couldn’t be more excited to be headlining the Pyramid Stage. As the end of my ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour comes into view, there is no more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans. They have been beyond brilliant, and have supported me through all the highs and lows of my career.
“Every week I speak to new artists on my radio show and Glastonbury is often cited as a pivotal moment in launching their careers – the festival’s genuine, enthusiastic support for the best emerging talent is something I’ve long admired. I’ve been talking to Emily Eavis about it over the last few weeks and I can’t wait to embrace the spirit of the greatest festival in the world. It’s going to be incredibly emotional.”
And the ‘Tiny Dancer’ hitmaker is already planning to ask his celebrity pals to join him.
A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Elton knows just about everyone in music so he’s not short of names he could ask to appear with him on stage.
“Glastonbury has long been linked with some epic special guests, and Elton’s set will be one of the biggest ever.
“Sir Paul McCartney was joined by Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl this year and Elton wants to top that, which will be no mean feat.
“It’s been years in the making but now he has finally signed on the ¬dotted line. Everyone is excited to put the plans into action.”
Last year’s festival – the first post-COVID – was headlined by Sir Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar.
Tickets swiftly sold-out for this year in November, but a resale is due to take place in spring.

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — ABBA’s ‘Voyage’ avatar concert is set to go on a world tour.
Universal Music Group chairman Sir Lucian Grainge confirmed the news during an earnings call for the firm this week.
The music mogul is quoted by Variety as saying: “Plans are now in development to take ‘ABBA Voyage’ around the world.”
The show is taking place at the purpose-built ABBA Arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, until January 2024.
No dates have been confirmed for the global run.
The ‘Dancing Queen’ hitmakers launched the spectacular concert featuring their ‘Abba-tars’ (holograms) in May 2022.
The 90-minute show features pre-recorded classics mixed with the band’s new numbers such as ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’.
ABBA played their last concert just over 41 years ago.
The avatar shows could go on even after the group – comprising Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – have left this world.
And the ‘Super Trouper’ hitmakers have teased they are planning to use their concert holograms for “exciting new things” in the future.
They said: “If you are an ABBA fan, who loyally has stuck with us for many years, our hope is that you will see the Abba-tars as agents in the new story, which may lead to exciting new things in the future.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Nicki Minaj has released her first track of 2023, ‘Red Ruby Da Sleeze’.
On the eve of the song’s release, the rap star warned ghost writers “they will be scrambling” and declared that Nicki is “still on hiatus” while she channels her Chinese alter-ego Chun-Li from the 2018 track of the same name.
The 40-year-old star wrote on Instagram: “#RedRubyDaSleeze tmrw night. ghost writers all around the world are scrambling. Just watch. Nicki still on hiatus. This b**** right here tho? She outside. (sic)”
‘Red Ruby Da Sleeze’ sees Nicki spit over a sample of Lumidee’s 2003 hit ‘Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)’.
The fiery star raps: “Red Ruby Da Sleeze, Chinese on my sleeve/ These wannabe Chun-Li’s, anyway, nǐ hǎo/ Who the f*** told b****** they was me now?”
The single follows 2022’s mega-hit ‘Super Freaky Girl’, which sampled Rick James’ raunchy 1981 hit ‘Super Freak’.
Meanwhile, Nicki recently blasted new artists who rip off established musicians.
The music star fumed that it was “irking the c***” out of her that artists today have no originality.
She said: “What I’m seeing now is that so many new artists are trying to become the person they looked up to instead of giving us a new flavour, and it’s irking the c*** out of me.
“I know I could see so much talent in some of the new artists but they lose me when I’m seeing the person who they are trying to be like, or sound like, more than I’m seeing who they are.
“So if I’m hearing too much of that artist who already has hits out, when I’m finished listening to your song or watching your performance, I’m going to play that artist.
“And so if I’m hearing too much of that artist who already has hits out, when I’m finished listening to your song or watching your performance, I’m going to go and play that artist. I’m not going to go and look more into you, because you’ve just reminded me so much of the other person. Now you just woke up all the other hits that they had in my head, and it’s later for you.”
She said about starting out in music: “When I started falling in love with rap, I felt like everybody was their own unique thing. Whether it was the Jay-Zs and the DMXs or the Wu-Tang Clans or the Nases or the Pacs or the Biggies.
“Even the female rappers, whether it was Eve, MC Lyte, who I’ve always loved, even Left Eye’s voice was so unique, to Salt-N-Pepa. (Lil) Kim and Foxy (Brown) never even sounded alike to me. Everyone had their own thing.
“You had to! Because think about it, we had a magazine that we might see our favourite person on. We couldn’t just go and binge mad photos on their Instagram and see their personal life and see this and see that. So you had to stand out. You might be in one photo in the magazine for the next couple of months, you know?
“I don’t know what’s happening, but I want to urge all the new artists to just believe in yourself, trust that you are that superstar that you loved coming up, and get that something special! Please! For god’s sake!”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Zara Larsson has defended Meghan Trainor after she was accused of making music just to go viral on TikTok.
The Swedish pop star took to Twitter to respond to a user who suggested the ‘All About That Bass’ hitmaker was part of the “TikTokification (sic)” of pop music”, and hit back saying it’s the other way around as the video-sharing platform was “created for Meghan”.
The person wrote alongside a clip of the singer’s unreleased track ‘Mother’: “the tiktokification of pop music is real and we are witnessing it as we speak (sic)”
And Zara fired back: “Meghans music have always been sounding like this tho, fun and catchy. She didn’t create this for TikTok, TikTok was created for Meghan so she could put her songs on there. TikTok’s real mother. (sic)”
Meghan’s recent hit single ‘Made You Look’ went viral on the app.
At the time of writing, the star has almost 17 million followers on the platform and her clips have received more than 300 million likes.
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old pop star – who is pregnant with her second child with ‘Spy Kids’ actor Daryl Sabara, with whom she also has two-year-old son Riley – recently revealed that becoming a mother has changed how she feels about music.
She said: “It’s more important now. I guess I’m also more mature, because I’m older and been through more, so now, I’m at an age and point in my life where I’m like, ‘Here’s what actually matters and here’s what doesn’t. I’m not going to stress anymore’. I really had to work with my therapist on what I can and can’t control. These stretch marks are here, [I have to] get used to them and learn to love them because I can’t control whether they go away or not. In my songwriting, I try to put in that ‘let it go’ vibe.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Kings of Leon have announced a pair of gigs at Wrexham AFC’s stadium.
The ‘Sex on Fire’ hitmakers will rock Racecourse Ground over the Bank Holiday Weekend, on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May, 2023.
Wrexham AFC is owned by Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds and his comedy pal Rob McElhenney, and the duo announced the shows in a hilarious skit.
‘Deadpool’ star Ryan bizarrely told his business partner in a video on the band’s official Instagram page: “Okay let’s listen to a traditional Welsh song.”
A clip of the Welsh flag flying as their hit ‘Someone Like You’ played was then shown.
Rob then said: “I know what you’re thinking, that’s Kings of Leon. Not a traditional Welsh song.”
Before announcing: ‘On May 27th and May 28th of this year, Kings of Leon will be playing at the Racecourse Ground.”
Ryan confirmed: “That is a major band playing at Wrexham’s football stadium, Rob.”
The Welsh link is that the pre-sale for tickets will begin on St David’s Day (01.03.23), while the general sale starts on Friday (03.03.23).
Tickets will be available from www.gigsandtours.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Meanwhile, Ryan previously vowed to be part of Wrexham AFC until the day he dies.
The 46-year-old actor became co-owner of the Welsh soccer team in 2021, and he’s been blown away by how the nation has “embraced” Rob and himself and he hopes to be involved in some capacity for the rest of his days.
He told the Metro last year: “This isn’t hyperbole when I say it has been the great privilege of my life to be a part of this incredible project and something that I’m quite sure I’ll be a part of until the day I finally close my eyes to this weird, dumb show.
I’ve enjoyed every second of it. Not just the football club, but the community of Wrexham, the way they’ve embraced Rob [McElhenney] and me. It certainly was an unorthodox kind of proposition when we came in but putting community first … we didn’t really necessarily come in with that ethos.
They taught us that when we looked at the community and so it’s been a really beautiful experience, top to bottom. Win or lose. We just adore every aspect of this community and this club.”

Source: IconInsider.com

OHMYGOSSIP — Van Morrison is set to play a special one-off show at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall.
The Irish icon is set to perform tracks from his new album ‘Moving On Skiffle’ at the world-famous venue on June 28.
Van’s 44th studio album is a record inspired by his childhood love of the folk music genre, which was popularised by Lonnie Donegan in the 60s.
Tickets for the show go on general sale 9am on Friday (03.03.23).
Meanwhile, Van recently revealed he has had to research “alternative outlets” to release his albums.
The 77-year-old music legend admits he’s going to need to stop himself from writing more tunes because he has so much piled up it makes his “head spin”, but he’s hoping to find another way of releasing the material instead of the traditional route of a record label because they can only put so many records out each year.
Speaking to fellow musician and activist Billy Bragg for the April issue of MOJO magazine, Van said: “It’s been a problem getting records out, so I’ve been looking at other alternative outlets.”
He explained: “Well the big companies can only do one or two big records a year. This one has taken five months to get it out from its delivery. So there’s no way they can cope with two a year even. But I’ve always been prolific. Even now I’m working on stuff I recorded in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, compiling stuff I did that they just couldn’t get out. People laugh when I tell them this but back in the day Warner Brothers only wanted 22 minutes a side for their albums. They were saying to me that it can’t be over 22 minutes a side because the levels drop and all this. So I was recording maybe 40 songs but only 10 ended up on the album. So my plan is now to find an alternative outlet to get all that stuff out.
Asked if he’s still penning more songs, he replied: “Oh yeah, in fact, I have to curb the writing, because once I write stuff, I want to go in and record it, so I have to curb it – I have so much stuff it makes my head spin. Original stuff, covers, it’s a mountain of material.”

Source: IconInsider.com