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New YG Entertainment girl group BABYMONSTER to debut in November

YG Entertainment’s new girl group, BABYMONSTER, are finally set to debut in November, the agency has confirmed. The act will be the first female group to debut on the label since BLACKPINK arrived under the agency in 2016. BABYMONSTER’s debut track will boast a “powerful mood”, according to YG. “To come up with the best output, we have been extra cautious about the lead track,” the label said in a press release (per Korea JoongAng Daily). Advertisement “All preparations have been completed, and when the girl group officially debuts in November, we plan on relentlessly marching forward at full speed, so please look forward [to BABYMONSTER].” [embedded content] It added that the group is practicing the song’s choreography and will shoot the music video for the single later this month. Previously, BABYMONSTER had been scheduled to debut in September. At the time that timeframe was reported, it was said the agency had chosen a “strong hip-hop song” for the group to debut with. Earlier this year, YG Entertainment founder Yang Hyun-suk confirmed the line-up for the upcoming girl group would feature all seven members featured in the group’s web show Last Evaluation, despite previously saying the group would only include… Read More →

10OCTNews

Guillermo del Toro opens up about axed ‘Star Wars’ film: “We designed a great world”

Guillermo del Toro has opened up about his Star Wars film that never got made, calling it “good practise” for him and his team. READ MORE: Guillermo del Toro: “It’s difficult to make a film for adults right now” Last month, del Toro confirmed that he was once in line to direct a Star Wars film, though it ultimately never came to fruition. Now, the Pan’s Labyrinth filmmaker has begun speaking more about the axed project, even confirming that it was meant to focus on Jabba The Hutt. Speaking to Collider‘s Steven Weintraub, Guillermo del Toro revealed: “In the last moment, things go away; I’ve had it happen many, many, many times. We had the rise and fall of Jabba the Hutt, so I was super happy.” Advertisement “We were doing a lot of stuff, and then it’s not my property, it’s not my money, and then it’s one of those 30 screenplays that goes away. Sometimes I’m bitter, sometimes I’m not. I always turn to my team and say, ‘Good practice, guys. Good practice. We designed a great world. We designed great stuff. We learned.’” asked @RealGDT how close he came to directing a #StarWars movie at @collider‘s 10th anniversary… Read More →

10OCTNews

‘Immortal Songs’ New York concert downgrades venue from MetLife Stadium

The upcoming Immortal Songs live concert in New York has had its venue downgraded from MetLife Stadium to the Prudential Center. The event is set to take place on October 26 and will feature performances from NewJeans, ATEEZ, Psy and g.o.d member Kim Tae-woo. Singers Lena Park, Patti Kim and Young Tak will also appear, as will indie rock duo Jannabi. An official announcement from organisers Studio PAV yesterday (October 9) confirmed the venue change. “KBS Immortal Songs LIVE CONCERT in US is being relocated to: The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ,” it read. Advertisement “This decision was made with the utmost consideration for the expectations and support of our audience. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused to our ticket holders and thank them for their patience and understanding.” To all dedicated K-Pop enthusiasts across generations who have been following the “KBS Immortal Songs LIVE CONCERT in US,” we have some important news to share. Due to production changes, “KBS Immortal Songs LIVE CONCERT in US” is being relocated from MetLife Stadium in East… pic.twitter.com/KGOdC0z3r2 — Studio PAV (@studio_pav) October 9, 2023 Those who had already purchased tickets were advised that their tickets would be cancelled… Read More →

10OCTNews

Halsey to star in ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ live concert at the Hollywood Bowl

Halsey will take on the role of Sally in a stage adaptation of The Nightmare Before Christmas later this month, it has been reported. READ MORE: Halsey – ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ review: an endlessly compelling artistic statement Per a report from Variety, Halsey has supposedly signed on to take on the role of Sally for the upcoming live production of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The three-night concert event will be held at the Hollywood Bowl from between October 27 and October 29. Advertisement According to Variety, Halsey will be singing the role of Sally on the first two nights of the engagement, before the movie’s original voice actor, Catherine O’Hara takes over the role on the third. It is currently unclear if Halsey will also be voicing Sally for the entirety of the performances, or if they will only provide the character’s singing voice. Other cast members include Danny Elfman – who was the original 1993 film’s songwriter – who will be reprising the principal role of Jack Skellington, Fred Armisen as Lock and Ken Page as Oogie Boogie. ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’. Credit: Touchstone Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images Halsey… Read More →

09OCTNews

Blossoms share ‘Milk And Honey’ inspired single ‘To Do List (After The Breakup)’

Blossoms have shared their new single ‘To Do List (After The Breakup)’, inspired by the viral poetry book Milk And Honey by Rupi Kaur. The track features Manchester singer Findlay and was produced by James Skelly. It marks the first new music since their 2022 LP ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb‘. ‘To Do List (After The Breakup)’ is inspired and named after Kaur’s poem from her 2014 poetry book, which shot her to fame on its initial release, selling more than 3 million copies. Speaking of the song in a press release, Blossoms’ frontman, Tom Ogden, said: “We initially kicked the song around as a band in a way that we did when we first started – all in the round together at our rehearsal room. It’s something we’ve not really been able to do for a long time but it felt so natural and euphoric for the five of us! Some of the song’s DNA lies within the local Manchester bands we grew up listening to from our parents’ record collections, bands like New Order and James.” Advertisement TO DO LIST (AFTER THE BREAKUP) IS OUT NOW! Big up to our mate @Findlaymusic for bringing some magic to the song. As produced… Read More →

09OCTNews

Fans predict new music as Dua Lipa wipes Instagram and changes profile picture

Dua Lipa Fans are predicting that a new era of music is on the way from the musician due to a change in her social media profiles. READ MORE: Dua Lipa: “If somebody told me not to discuss issues I’m passionate about? I wouldn’t listen” The musician’s Instagram account was wiped and a new profile picture appeared on her X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts. It’s of a light blue jewel-like material in which Dua Lipa is seemingly reflected. The singer’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s ‘Future Nostalgia’ has been teased for a few years. In March last year, she told Elton John that the record was “50 per cent done”, before walking the statement back in December. “When I was speaking to Elton I really felt like I was halfway done,” she said. Advertisement [embedded content] Dua Lipa’s new profile picture confirms what insiders had already mentioned about her new album and style: a new sound that blends psychedelic and mature techno-pop. pic.twitter.com/ZpWCD7yIca — Dua Lipa Protocol (@dualipaprotocol) October 9, 2023 ooooh dua lipa releasing a new album soon… waiting for the jennie collab! pic.twitter.com/Ckc4JphBdq — alba🌙 (@jenniesillusion) October 9, 2023 Dua Lipa new album coming I dreamed of this — Cold Girl Meg (@MegIsSlaying) October… Read More →

09OCTNews

Greta Gerwig had to fight to keep ‘I’m Just Ken’ sequence in ‘Barbie’

Greta Gerwig has revealed she had to fight to keep the ‘I’m Just Ken’ dance sequence in Barbie. During a Screen Talk conversation at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday (October 8), Gerwig said she was asked whether the sequence led by Ryan Gosling’s Ken was necessary during a “big meeting”. READ MORE: ‘Barbie’ review: Greta Gerwig’s grown-up toy story is fantastic fun “It just said in the script, ‘And then it becomes a dream ballet and they work it out through dance,’” Gerwig told Succession creator Jesse Armstrong at the event (via Variety). “There was a big meeting that was like, ‘Do you need this?’ And I was like, ‘Everything in me needs this.’ Advertisement “They were like, ‘What do you even mean? What is a dream ballet?’ And I was like, ‘A dream ballet? Where do I begin!’” [embedded content] Gerwig said the sequence, which is soundtracked by the song ‘I’m Just Ken’ written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, was inspired by 1952’s Singin’ In The Rain which featured a “dream ballet inside of a dream ballet”. “I was like, if people could follow that in Singin’ In The Rain, I think we’ll be fine,” Gerwig said…. Read More →

09OCTNews

The Last Dinner Party share new single ‘My Lady Of Mercy’

The Last Dinner Party have shared their third and latest single ‘My Lady Of Mercy’ – check out the video below. The track marks the third single the band have released so far. It sees the band lean toward a darker route, differing from their previous releases ‘Nothing Matters‘ and ‘Sinner’. ‘My Lady Of Mercy’ was produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Florence + The Machine, Haim, Kylie Minogue). Speaking of the track in a press release, the band shared: “‘My Lady of Mercy’ is about being a girl. A girl looking up at a painting of Joan of Arc for the first time and thinking that she looks so brave and so beautiful that she wants to kiss her. And maybe she also wants to kiss the girl who stands next to her in the school choir.” Advertisement They continued: “We are expanding the world of The Last Dinner Party to encompass a darker, heavier atmosphere. The lyrics explore the anguish of a teenage crush that can only be described through the bloody, carnal language of religious experience, as the soundworld takes cues from Nine Inch Nails, PJ Harvey and Roxy Music.” [embedded content] The song comes with an… Read More →

09OCTNews

Watch Incubus and Lizzo team up for ‘Aqueous Transmission’ performance

This past weekend (October 6), Incubus staged a special concert at the Hollywood Bowl during which they performed their seminal 2001 album ‘Morning View’ in its entirety. READ MORE: Incubus’ Brandon Boyd talks 20 years of ‘Morning View’: “We wanted to change our environment dramatically” During the show, Incubus brought out pop star Lizzo to perform ‘Aqueous Transmission’ off the record, for which she provided support on the flute. Watch the moment below. [embedded content] Advertisement Elsewhere during their performance of ‘Morning View’, Incubus played old songs like ‘Blood on the Ground’, ‘Have You Ever’, and ‘Under My Umbrella’ for the first time in a decade. They also incorporated fan favourites like ‘Anna Molly’, ‘Pardon Me’, ‘Dig’ and ‘Drive’ in their 21-song setlist. Incubus spoke to NME about ‘Morning View’ for its 20th anniversary back in 2021. Speaking on the initial decision to record the album in the house on Morning View Drive in Malibu, frontman Brandon Boyd told NME that the band, who were used to recording in “windless padded rooms,” wanted to be free from distractions during the recording process. “We made the decision to not make our next album in a traditional setting so we rented this big, empty house up… Read More →

09OCTNews

BTS’ V draws criticism for wearing durag during live broadcast

BTS’ V has drawn criticism from fans for wearing a durag during his latest live broadcast on Weverse Live today (October 9). The star spoke to fans during a brief livestream on the fan community platform early this morning after attending an after-party for Lil Uzi Vert in Seoul. During the Weverse Live, V showed fans a red durag that was hanging on a keyboard stand behind him. After fans noticed it, he put it on to show them what it was, saying: “I received it as a gift.” After wearing the item for around 20 seconds, he removed it. He did not confirm who gave him the durag, and fans online shared that they had spotted it in previous live broadcasts by the singer. Advertisement The durag was initially worn by slaves in the 19th century to keep their hair out of their way, while in the 1970s, it became a popular tool for Black men to protect and preserve hairstyles while sleeping. In the ‘90s, it became a style item, popularised by artists in the hip-hop community. for the people trying to downplay Taehyung wearing the durag: it’s part of black culture and used to protect our hair…. Read More →

09OCTNews

Lana Del Rey has donated ticket sales from her tour back to the cities she’s performed in

Lana Del Rey has revealed that she has donated money from ticket sales of her tour back to the cities she’s performed in. While performing in Charleston, West Virginia on October 5 to end her 2023 string of live shows, the ‘Video Games’ singer-songwriter told her fans in attendance that she had donated the money earned from ticket sales back to the cities in which she had performed during the course of the tour. “I just wanted to say thank you to you and just every city I’ve gone to before this…every ticket, every dollar, it is poured right back into the city.” Lana Del Rey donates ticket sales back to the cities she performs in: “For me it’s not about the money, and I know that sounds cheesy, but I do it because I love it”byu/Substantial-Trip-250 inFauxmoi Advertisement “It’s not about [the money] for me,” Lana Del Rey added. “I know that sounds cheesy, but I tour because I love it… I don’t need to. I just love it, and we’re all about the places we’ve been to.” She did not expand on her donations, and has not revealed which organisations she has sent the money to. This isn’t… Read More →

09OCTNews

BTS’ Jungkook announces first solo concert, ‘Golden Live On Stage’

BTS’ Jungkook has announced details of his first solo concert, which will be titled ‘Golden Live On Stage’. The show will be held in the weeks following the release of the singer’s upcoming debut solo album, which is also called ‘Golden’. Jungkook will headline Seoul’s Jangchung Arena in Seoul, with the concert set to stream online for fans around the world. It will take place on November 20 at 8pm KST (11am GMT), with tickets available for fans who hold ARMY membership or who have purchased ‘Golden’ from the Weverse Shop. Advertisement “Jungkook ‘Golden’ Live On Stage will feature performances of various tracks in the album,” a notice on Weverse read. “We eagerly anticipate your love and support you’ll bring to this unique showcase with the artist.” BTS’ Jungkook CREDIT: BIGHIT MUSIC While Jungkook has performed solo before – including at the recent Global Citizen festival in New York – ‘Golden Live On Stage’ will mark his first full-length concert as a solo artist. Further details on ticketing and the livestream will be announced in the coming weeks.Jungkook will release his first solo album ‘Golden’ on November 3. The record will feature 11 tracks, including the recent singles ‘Seven’, which… Read More →

08OCTNews

Bruno Mars cancels Tel Aviv Concert amid Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Bruno Mars was forced to cancel his concert in Tell Aviv yesterday (October 7) following an attack in which Palestinian militants launched an early morning attack on Southern Israel. Days earlier (October 4), Mars performed his first concert at Tel Aviv’s Park HaYarkon, and was due to return yesterday (October 7) for the second of the dates. “Bruno Mars concert scheduled to take place tonight is cancelled,” Live Nation Israel wrote Saturday on Instagram. “All ticket purchases to the show will receive an automatic refund to the credit card through which the purchase was made. We stand with the residents of Israel, IDF fighters and the security forces in these difficult moments.” Meanwhile, dozens of Israeli music festival goers were killed following yesterday’s attack. According to CNN, music fans attending the festival reported that rockets began to hit the site around 6:30am before gunfire opened up on those in attendance soon after. At the time of writing, media reports say that over 400 Israelis have been killed in the wider conflict, with over 2000 injured and over 100 abducted. According to The Guardian, around 350 Palestinians have also been killed since fighting began. Separate reports from media outlets in the area… Read More →

08OCTNews

PJ Harvey teases career-spanning 2024 US tour

PJ Harvey has teased a career-spanning US tour that could be happening next year. READ MORE: PJ Harvey live in Manchester: a show full of pinch-yourself moments Earlier this year, Harvey shared her first album in seven years, ‘I Inside The Old Year Dying’. In a four star review of that, NME said it was “an immersive return from a modern master.” Harvey has been touring the album in the UK and Europe recently and has now hinted at a possible US tour in a new interview with Vulture. In that, Harvey discusses her ongoing European tour while also shining a light on what’s ahead for her in the future. Advertisement Speaking ahead of the upcoming UK and European tour, Harvey told the outlet: “It’ll be a look at all of my material over the years, but with a concentration on the latest album…I think it’ll be a really comprehensive show for all ages of PJ Harvey fans,” she said. “It’s been a great joy, actually, to play some of those earlier songs. I haven’t played many of them live for years. So, I think it’s gonna be a special show for that reason as well.” The interview noted that the artist had… Read More →

08OCTNews

SZA teases “intimate mini tour” for ‘SOS’ deluxe album ‘Lana’

SZA has teased a potential tour for her ‘SOS’ deluxe album, which she has called ‘Lana’. The singer-songwriter took to Twitter on Saturday (October 7) to float the idea to her followers: “Was thinking I wanna do an intimate mini tour for deluxe .[sic] But ONLY in the most turnt cities form SOS tour . I made a list . Y’all deserve a reward . I’m so grateful” Fans have speculated about the cities SZA might be visiting in the comments. One user commented that “atlanta better be on it niece”; the singer replied: “U already know .” Baltimore was another city confirmed by SZA for a ‘Lana’ mini tour date. Was thinking I wanna do an intimate mini tour for deluxe . But ONLY in the most turnt cities form SOS tour . I made a list . Y’all deserve a reward . I’m so grateful 🙏🏾❤️ — SZA (@sza) October 7, 2023 Advertisement SZA, who recently had to postpone her Toronto date due to illness, might be joined by Drake the next time she visits the city. He wrote: “We gon do that shit together when you come back lemme open for you [angel emoji].” The singer recently released… Read More →

08OCTNews

Chris Rock reportedly teams up with Steven Spielberg for new Martin Luther King Jr. biopic

Chris Rock has reportedly teamed up with director Steven Spielberg for a new Martin Luther King Jr. biopic. According to Variety, Rock is in final negotiations to direct and produce an adaptation of author Jonathan Eig’s biography King: A Life, while Spielberg will executive produce the project. Universal Pictures are thought to be on board for the film. King became a leading voice of the civil rights movement in the ’60s before his assassination in 1968. Actors who have recently played King on sreen include David Oyelowo in the 2014 Oscar-nominated historical drama Selma and Anthony Mackie in 2016’s All the Way. Advertisement An official synopsis of the book from Macmillan reads: “Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig’s King: A Life is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. [embedded content] “In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family’s origins as well as MLK’s… Read More →

07OCTNews

Easy Life’s MP makes plea to EasyJet to withdraw legal action

MP Harriet Harman has made a plea to EasyGroup for them to retract their threat of legal action against Easy Life. Earlier this week, the group revealed that they were being sued by the conglomerate owning easyJet and claimed the company was “forcing” them to change their name or they risked facing a costly legal battle. In response, an EasyGroup spokesperson told NME: “Stelios and easyGroup founded and (now) own the right to the easy brand name. Advertisement “Other companies (including easyLife) pay annual royalties for its use as part of their business strategy. We cannot allow unauthorised third parties to simply use it free, gratis and for nothing. That would be very unfair.” The company said in a separate statement: “With reference to the brand thief Mr Matravers and his fellow band members who have decided to use our brand, easyLife, without permission, we have a long established record of legally stopping thieves from using our brands and I am confident we will stop Mr Matravers.” The band refuted the suggestion that they were “brand thieves” and argued that they had been using their name a long time before the conglomerate licensed the name of the online retailer EasyLife, for which it receives… Read More →

07OCTNews

Coldplay counter-sue former manager Dave Holmes for over £14million

Coldplay are counter-suing their former manager, Dave Holmes, just under two months after he sued them over a contractual dispute. According to The Times, the band claim Holmes owes them damages of over £14million and allege that he took out two loans from Live Nation that they had no knowledge of. They claim that Holmes borrowed $20million (£16.3million) from the promoter in 2015 at an interest rate of 2.72 per cent a year before allegedly taking out a second loan of $10million in 2018 (£8.1million) at the same interest rate. Advertisement “To the best of [our] knowledge . . . Mr Holmes used monies obtained by the loan agreements to fund a property development venture in or around Vancouver, Canada,” say the band in their filing at the High Court in London. They add that they believe this Vancouver deal was “profitable”. “It is to be inferred,” continues the claim, “that Mr Holmes was only able to acquire loans totalling $30 million at a fixed annual interest rate of 2.72 per cent from Live Nation by virtue of his position as Coldplay’s manager.” The filing goes on to mention that Holmes owing $27.1million to Live Nation would have “potentially or… Read More →

07OCTNews

Martin Scorsese wants young filmmakers to make cinema over “content”: “It’s like candy”

Martin Scorsese has encouraged young filmmakers to “reinvent” cinema with technology, emphasising the difference between film experiences and “content”. The director discussed the future of cinema during a Screen Talk with host Edgar Wright on Saturday (October 7) at the BFI’s London Film Festival. The talk encompassed Scorsese’s entire career, from his 1974 breakthrough film Mean Streets to his latest collaboration with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers Of The Flower Moon. When asked about his views on the film industry today, after having frequently denounced franchise films like Marvel in the past, Scorsese said its up to filmmakers and audiences to decide what the future of cinema will be. Advertisement “I didn’t want to be the last line of defence,” Scorsese joked. “I honestly think it’s thrown back now on all of you. I really mean this – I don’t know where cinema is going to go. Why does it have to be the same as it was for the past 90-100 years? It doesn’t. Do we prefer cinema from the last 90-100 years? I do, but I’m old.” Martin Scorsese. CREDIT: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Apple TV+ The director said young people “are going to see the… Read More →

07OCTNews

Lovejoy on new single ‘Normal People Things’, long-awaited debut album and connecting with fans

“We’ve been working on some stuff, just normal people things,” teased Lovejoy when NME sat down with the band backstage at Reading Festival earlier this year. Rather than downplaying their rockstar credentials, it turns out Lovejoy were giving fans a clue about their brilliant new single ‘Normal People Things’, which came out yesterday (October 6). “That song is about finding someone who ironically isn’t normal and that rare connection you get where you go ‘oh damn, You’re different but in a good way’,” vocalist Will Gold tells NME for the latest in our In Conversation series. Written on the road and inspired by bands like The Hives, it’s an explosive track that doesn’t hang about. “The length is entirely down to how long the song needs to be,” continues Gold with the band taking an “art first” approach to their music. “If we had more elements we needed to touch on, it would be longer. I like the simplicity of the subject and the punchiness of the outcome,” he explains, wanting the song to make people “want to get up and join in.” [embedded content] Advertisement This year, a lot of people have got involved with Lovejoy. The band’s third… Read More →

07OCTNews

David Beckham docuseries creator explains why he didn’t include Qatar controversy

The director of the new Netflix docuseries about David Beckham’s life and career has explained why he didn’t include the controversy around his involvement in last year’s Qatar World Cup. Beckham, which was released on Wednesday (October 4), was directed by Succession’s Fisher Stevens and charts the former England midfielder’s rise to fame through interviews with himself, his wife Victoria and other famous faces. It doesn’t shy away from exploring some of the controversies Beckham has faced, including the infamous red card he received during the 1998 World Cup against Argentina, as well as his marriage difficulties with Victoria. However, it doesn’t touch on the criticism Beckham faced for reportedly accepting a £10million ambassadorship with Qatar amid controversy surrounding the country’s poor record on LGBTQ+ rights. Advertisement Homosexuality remains illegal in Qatar and many pointed out that Beckham’s decision was at odds with his status as a gay icon and an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Joe Lycett was one particular critic of the ambassadorship and offered to donate £10,000 of his own money to queer charities if Beckham ended the sponsorship before the tournament started. If not, he threatened to shred it on the opening day of the tournament. Beckham… Read More →