Keyshia Luc

Liam Gallagher and Ed Sheeran among BRIT Awards 2022 performers

Liam Gallagher, Ed Sheeran and Dave are among the acts to perform at the BRIT Awards 2022, it’s been announced. READ MORE: At last! The BRIT Awards nominations feel like a real representation of UK music This year’s ceremony is due to take place at The O2 Arena in London on Tuesday, February 8, with comedian Mo Gilligan replacing Jack Whitehall on hosting duties. Today (January 21) organisers have confirmed that Gallagher, Sheeran and Dave will take to the stage next month. The former Oasis frontman will perform his upcoming new single ‘Everything’s Electric’, he told fans on Twitter this morning. Advertisement “I’d appreciate it if you stopped what you were doing and tuned in cheers,” Gallagher wrote. See that tweet below. Holly Humberstone (the winner of this year’s BRITs Rising Star Award) is also set to perform at The O2 along with Doja Cat (nominated for International Artist and International Song Of The Year) and Little Simz, who’s in the running for four statues. ready for some performers? ? here’s who will be taking to The BRITs stage:@Santandave1@DojaCat@edsheeran@HolHumberstone@liamgallagher@LittleSimz + more to be announced don’t miss The #BRITs on Tuesday 8 Feb on ITV (UK) and https://t.co/QjEmDoNxZW (International) pic.twitter.com/8sUq91d90T —… Read More →

21JANHit Singles

Jana Horn – Optimism

It seems simple enough on the surface. “Baby, there ain’t no clouds,” Jana Horn sings blithely on the title track of her debut album, voice as clear as a mountain stream. “Baby, there ain’t no crying, or figuring this thing out”. However, for all of the promise of blue skies, sunshine and one-word answers, there’s something profoundly inscrutable about Optimism, a curious deep-fake ‘folk’ record which smacks of Broadcast, hippy Donovan, Julia Holter, Syd Barrett and the more wistful bits of The Cure while retaining an odd, metallic taste entirely of its own. By the time you’ve realised that her pond has no bottom, it’s already too late. ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut Raised in a strict Baptist household in Glen Rose, not too far from Dallas, Horn tells Uncut that her only significant childhood exposure to pop was Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits, a bit of Queen and a spell playing bass drum in her school marching band. However, she embraced local psychedelic-country culture after a move to bohemian Austin in her late teens and started to make music of her own. Having abandoned a first effort at a solo album,… Read More →

21JANNews

Adele postpones Las Vegas residency: “We’ve tried absolutely everything we can”

Adele has announced the postponement of her Las Vegas residency in an emotional video. READ MORE: Adele – ‘30’ album review: dependable pop titan finally mixes things up Adele’s Las Vegas residency was scheduled to kick off at the Colosseum in the Caesars Palace hotel from January 21, and was slated to run for 12 weeks, through April 16. The concerts were also supposed to be her first since 2017. Adele took to Instagram on Thursday night (January 20) to break the news to her fans via a video. She said, teary-eyed: “I’m so sorry, but my show ain’t ready. We’ve tried absolutely everything we can to put it together in time and for it to be good enough for you, but we’ve been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and COVID.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adele (@adele) Advertisement “Half my crew, half my team are down with COVID. They still are, and it’s been impossible to finish the show and I can’t give you what I have right now. I’m gutted – I’m sorry it’s so last minute, we’ve been awake for over 30 hours trying to figure it out and we’ve run out of… Read More →

19JANNews

Hikaru Utada Looks Into The Mirror

By Erica Russell Following a string of years that challenged and pushed us all to self-reflect in unexpected ways, Hikaru Utada’s new album, Bad Mode, finds the J-pop legend looking in the mirror. Out January 19, their eighth studio album is largely about growing up, self-love, self-partnering, and acceptance. Utada says it’s also about “working on the relationship with myself to improve on the relationships I have with other people.” It’s a relatable ambition made all the more enjoyable when soundtracked by glossy, jazzy electronica and Utada’s soothing, soulful voice. “Most of the songs were written since the pandemic began, and I think it’s reflective of how my life was focused on surviving, living, and getting through a shared difficult time, all of us together,” Utada tells MTV News. “It made me really proud of being a mother … I saw how that gave me a lot of strength or maybe [helped me] discover how strong I could be, or how strong I have always been.” Though Utada spends much of the album reflecting on their own behaviors and desires, they also ruminate on the many dynamic one-on-one relationships in their life. Bad Mode kicks off with a breezy, groovy… Read More →

19JANNews

The Specials would love to collaborate with Madness

The Specials bassist Horace Panter has revealed that the band would love to collaborate and tour with Madness. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – The Specials Panter told the Daily Star newspaper’s ‘Wired’ column (via Music News) that there had previously been talk of the groups doing a co-headline tour or heading into the studio together to record. He said: “Let’s see what we can do. There was talk about a doubleheader, but normally if we are making a record then they are taking a break, but it would be good to do something with those guys.” Advertisement The Specials, who formed in 1977, currently comprise of bassist Panter, guitarist Lynval Golding and vocalist Terry Hall. Back in September, The Specials released an album of cover songs titled ‘Protest Songs 1924-2012’. In a four-star review, NME’s Mark Beaumont called it “an album of thoughtful and considered dissent rather than the righteous rage of old”. The group’s most recent album of original work, ‘Encore’, landed back in 2019. That too scored a four-star review, with Beaumont writing: “These are tracks cutting deep into the malignant tumours of society, out to heal them by brutal, frank exposure.” The Specials, 2021. CREDIT: Press. Madness,… Read More →

19JANNews

Stevie Wonder calls for the protection of voting rights

Stevie Wonder has shared a video online urging Senators to protect voting rights – you can watch below. The video arrives as politicians take the debate over new voting rights legislation to the Senate floor. The bill, known as the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, would represent a change in how the nation’s elections are carried out, including how votes are cast and tallied and how House districts are drawn. “Any Senator who cannot support the protection of voting rights in the United States Of America cannot say that they support the Constitution,” Wonder says in the video. Advertisement “Stop the hypocrisy, cut the bull-tish. If you care and support our rights, do the hard work. You can’t please everybody, but you can protect all of us. And to keep it all the way real? The filibuster is not working for democracy. Why won’t you?” Republicans have long opposed the bill and two Democratic Senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who are needed to push the bill forward, continue to be reluctant to support it because of their opposition to changing filibuster rules. Wonder has been vocal in the past about calling out… Read More →

18JANNews

Sonic Youth announce rarities compilation ‘In/Out/In’, share slow-burner ‘In & Out’

Sonic Youth have announced ‘In/Out/In’, a compilation of rare tracks recorded throughout the 2000s. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Thurston Moore Due out March 11 via Three Lobed Recordings, the five-track effort bundles two songs recorded at the band’s old stomping grounds – the Echo Canyon studio in New York, which they operated before relocating to Hoboken – in 2000, one tracked during a soundcheck in 2010, and two home recordings minted in 2008. To preview the record, Sonic Youth have shared the slow-burning jam ‘In & Out’. It’s the aforementioned track pulled from a soundcheck – which took place before a show in the Californian city of Pomona – spanning over seven minutes of atmospheric buzzing, cantering percussion, experimental twangs and Kim Gordon’s wordless vocal melodies. Advertisement Have a listen to it below: In/Out/In by Sonic Youth According to a caption for ‘In/Out/In’ on BandCamp – where fans can pre-order a limited black vinyl pressing of it – the record is said to “reveal their last decade to be still heavy on the roll-tape and bug-out Sonic Youth”. “The sequencing here is especially well thought out,” it continues, describing opener ‘Basement Contender’ as “a super-unfiltered… Read More →

17JANNews

Yard Act on post-punk tag: “We’ll outgrow it like every other band worth their salt”

Yard Act have spoken about the post-punk tag that often gets attached to them and their music. READ MORE: Yard Act: “‘Fixer Upper’ was kind of a joke that got out of hand” The rising Leeds group sat down with NME for this week’s Big Read cover interview in which they discussed their anticipated debut album ‘The Overload’ (released January 21), not shying away from the chart success of many guitar bands before them and more. At one point during the chat, frontman James Smith broached the subject of the band being labelled post-punk – a catch-all term for British guitar music – which has seen a bit of a revival in recent years through the success of bands like IDLES and Shame. Advertisement Asked whether the tag has helped or hindered Yard Act, Smith replied: “I think it helps people get into it. “We’ll outgrow it like every other band worth their salt will. It really helps here on the mainland. It helps people understand there’s a British guitar movement coming through to get excited about.” Also discussing whether audiences have moved on from “being shouted at from a political pedestal” like so many artists used to do during punk’s heyday,… Read More →

17JANNews

Tears For Fears open up about missing Live Aid: “We were exhausted”

Tears For Fears have opened up about missing Live Aid in 1985. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Tears For Fears Speaking to NME, the duo’s Curt Smith said the group were initially upset with Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof because he announced that they were performing without their knowledge. Additionally, Smith went on to explain that the group were in the middle of a year long tour, with the Live Aid event falling on their only weekend off. Advertisement Smith said: “Initially, I was pissed off because Bob had announced we were doing it without even asking us and it was smack in the middle of a year-long tour. It was the first week off we had. “We kissed and made up with Bob and did ‘Everybody Wants To Run The World’ for him [for Sport Aid] afterwards, but we didn’t think us not performing would affect the amount of money they were raising in any way, so we didn’t do it so we could have that break.” Bob Geldof at Wembley Stadium during Live Aid preparations in 1985. CREDIT: AP Photo/David Caulkin When asked if the band regret not performing, Smith replied: “No, because we were exhausted. “I… Read More →

17JANNews

Plan B COVID restrictions in England expected to be scrapped this month

All Plan B COVID restrictions in England are expected to be scrapped later this month, according to a senior government source. READ MORE: “We wanted togetherness and community”: how gigs came back with a bang in 2021″ Currently, as part of Plan B restrictions, face masks are required in cinemas and theatres, and people need to show proof they’re fully vaccinated or provide a negative test when visiting clubs, indoor unseated venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any event with more than 10,000 people. According to The Telegraph, coronavirus passports and work from home guidance are widely expected inside Whitehall to be lifted from January 26 for England, although some rules on face masks may remain. Advertisement “There frankly doesn’t seem to be any other expectation at the moment,” a government source close to COVID policy said about ending Plan B restrictions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his speech during the Conservative Party conference at Manchester Central Convention Complex on October 6, 2021 Credit: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images The introduction of the restrictions in December was criticised by the music industry. Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, released a… Read More →

13JANNews

Kang Daniel on acting debut in ‘Rookie Cops’: “I was really nervous”

Kang Daniel has opened up about making his acting debut in Disney+’s upcoming K-drama series Rookie Cops. READ MORE: ‘Bad And Crazy’ first look review: solid cop drama with huge stars, humour and plenty of punches The former Wanna One member is set to make his acting debut in the Disney+ series as Wi Seung-Hyun, an honours student who enrolls in the police academy in the hopes of following his father’s footsteps. “It’s my first time acting, and I was really nervous being in an unfamiliar environment,” Kang told OSEN in a new interview, as translated by Soompi. “But I was able to enjoy filming thanks to the help of various staff members and my fellow actors.” Advertisement He also spoke about his debut performance as an actor, comparing it to the experience of being a musician. “It felt like entering into someone else’s life,” he said. “I think there’s a specific charm to acting that is different from performing on stage.” Elsewhere in the interview, the producers of Rookie Cops also praised Kang for his work on the upcoming K-drama. “His sincerity and enthusiasm for acting is incredible. This [drama] will become an opportunity to discover a new charm of… Read More →

12JANNews

Watch Stromae perform his candid new single ‘L’enfer’

Stromae has shared his new single ‘L’enfer’, which explores his own struggles with his mental health – you can watch the Belgian artist perform the track on French TV below. The singer/songwriter (real name Paul Van Haver) has released the second preview of his forthcoming album ‘Multitude’, which is set for release on March 4 via Island Records, with the new track. Stromae debuted ‘L’enfer’ during an appearance on the French TV channel TF1 over the weekend, which you can see below. The track sees Stromae candidly sing: “Sometimes I’ve had suicidal thoughts and I’m not proud of it / Sometimes you feel it’d be the only way to silence them. “All these thoughts putting me through hell.” The official video for Stromae’s ‘L’enfer’ is set to arrive this evening. ‘Multitude’ will feature Stromae’s comeback single ‘Santé’, which arrived back in October. The album is the artist’s first full-length LP since 2013’s ‘Racine Carrée’. During Stromae’s eight-year hiatus from his own music, he worked on music videos for the likes of Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa. For help and advice on mental health: ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next Help Musicians UK… Read More →

12JANNews

German DJ Remute is releasing his next album as a Nintendo 64 cartridge

Hamburg-based musician Remute has announced that his next project will be “the first ever music album released as a Nintendo 64 cartridge”. READ MORE: How ‘Thief: The Dark Project’ sidelined action in favour of shadow-clinging tension Remute’s next album will be called ‘R64’ and will be housed on a Nintendo 64 cartridge. As Remute clarifies on his Bandcamp page, this isn’t simply a packaging gimmick – the N64 cartridge will be a fully-functional “cartridge for your console”, so buyers will need a Nintendo 64 to use the cartridge. Remute – who has previously released albums as cartridges for retro consoles like the SNES and Game Boy – says that fans can expect copies of ‘R64’ to start shipping from around March 25, 2022. Advertisement As for what’s on it, Remute says it’s his “most diverse and playful album so far and contains 15 brand new songs ranging from ultra-catchy electro pop reminiscent of Yello, Kraftwek or Yellow Magic Orchestra to sinister techno and house excursions”. Of course R64 will also feature some trippy 3D eye candy while you listen to the tunes. We’re talking of 64 bit here. ? Just think of MTV Party Zone.https://t.co/mhQ0jph66I pic.twitter.com/k1YDL7LTY2 — remute (@remute) January… Read More →

11JANNews

New vinyl pressing plant to open in Middlesbrough

A new vinyl pressing plant – Press On Vinyl – will be opening in Middlesbrough in the coming months. READ MORE: What’s causing the vinyl delay? “Adele is not the problem”, say music industry insiders The company will aim to focus on independent artists and labels, small-run releases, and musicians local to the plant in the North East. David Todd, Danny Lowe, and David Hynes are heading the company which is based at the new Tees-Advance Manufacturing Park (TeesAMP). Press On Vinyl aim to press 50,000 records per month, which they hope will gradually increase as they acquire more pressing machines. Their first pressing will be ‘You Say She’s Satisfied’ – the debut EP from Teesside indie pop band Komparrison. Advertisement According to the British Phonographic Industry, in 2021 vinyl sales reached its highest level in 30 years, with the format making up 23 per cent of all albums sold that year. But the spike in demand has come alongside a persistent delay in pressing plants worldwide due to an overabundance of orders clashing with limited pressing plant resources, which has affected future releases from both major and independent labels. We’re incredibly proud to announce that the first record to come… Read More →

10JANNews

Watch Tool rehearse ahead of their 2022 world tour

Ahead of their first run of live shows in almost two years, Tool have livestreamed themselves rehearsing with a setlist spanning their entire back catalogue. READ MORE: Tool – ‘Fear Inoculum’ review Notably absent from the jam, streamed on Instagram by guitarist Adam Jones, was frontman Maynard James Keenan. The band performed instrumentally in his absence, running through a list of songs drawing heavily from 2001’s ‘Lateralus’ and 2019’s ‘Fear Inoculum’. Check out a snippet of footage from the livestream – featuring ‘The Patient’ and ‘The Pot’ – below: Advertisement Tool are set to kick off their 38-date run of US tour dates tonight (January 10) with a gig at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. It’s been a long time coming for the prog-metal icons, having last performed in March of 2020. They were set to embark on a tour in support of ‘Fear Inoculum’ the following month, but opted to cancel after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, it was reported that Tool – as well as acts like Eric Church, Metallica and The Black Keys – would be employing specially trained sniffer dogs to detect COVID-19 at their shows. The dogs are able to sniff… Read More →

10JANNews

Corey Taylor confirms new Slipknot album will be released this year

Corey Taylor has confirmed that Slipknot’s new album will be released this year alongside more “big shit”. READ MORE: Corey Taylor: “If I can wear a mask for a two hour Slipknot show, people can wear one for five minutes in a grocery store” Taking to Twitter, Taylor wrote: “Big Shit Coming, 2022 edition” before saying a new Slipknot album would be released this year. He then shared the quote “Hold On To Your Butts”. Taylor also promised updates on his gonzo comedy/horror movie Zombie Versus Ninja and “secret ‘homecoming’ plans’”. Big Shit Coming, 2022 edition: ZvN updates, SK album, secret ‘homecoming’ plans, etc. Stay Tuned! “Hold On To Your Butts”- Franklin D. Roosevelt — PANDEMIC! AT THE DISCO (@CoreyTaylorRock) January 8, 2022 Advertisement Taylor previously stated Slipknot’s upcoming seventh album is “really good; I’m really, really stoked on it. I actually like this one more than I like ‘We Are Not Your Kind’, and I loved ‘We Are Not Your Kind’.” In August, Taylor confirmed he had just three songs left to record after his COVID diagnosis initially “screwed” things up. In December, he said he hoped the record would be mixed at the start of this year and… Read More →

10JANNews

John Legend becomes latest artist to sell recording catalogue

John Legend has become the latest artist to sell rights to his recording catalogue in a big money deal. According to Bloomberg, the companies KKR and BMG have each acquired a 50 per cent stake in Legend’s catalogue for an undisclosed fee. The two companies first came together to purchase the publishing rights and back catalogue of ZZ Top last month, while BMG have also recently acquired the rights to the back catalogues of Mick Fleetwood, Tina Turner and Mötley Crüe. Advertisement The new report, coming from a US regulatory filing, sees KKR and BMG each owning half of Legend’s rights for music recorded between 2004 and 2021, including his 2004 debut album ‘Get Lifted’ and biggest hit ‘All Of Me’ (2013). Another huge catalogue sale recently came from the estate of David Bowie, who sold the late singer’s publishing catalogue to Warner Chappell Music for a price reported to be upwards of $250million (£186million). The catalogue spans Bowie’s career from 1968 to 2016, including songs from the musician’s 26 solo studio albums and the two albums from his Tin Machine side project. Bowie’s “lost” 2001 posthumous album, ‘Toy’, which is released this Friday (January 7), also falls under the agreement. Last year, Warner Music… Read More →

10JANNews

‘Snowdrop’: Kim Hye-yoon says she “stuck to” BLACKPINK’s Jisoo on set

South Korean actress Kim Hye-yoon has opened up about working with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo on the set of Snowdrop. READ MORE: The 10 best Korean dramas of 2021 The 25-year-old actress, known for her roles in Sky Castle, Secret Royal Inspector & Joy and, most recently, Snowdrop, had revealed that she had grown close to the idol after spending time together on set. “While we were filming, I think I stuck to Jisoo the most,” Kim told Star1 Magazine in an interview, describing the BLACKPINK vocalist as having a “bright and easy-going” personality. “She was so friendly, so I was able to breathe comfortably around her,” she added. “I think we got pretty close while acting together.” Advertisement Kim currently stars in the historical romance series as Gye Bun-ok, a telephone operator at the Hosu Women’s University dormitory who shares a close bond with its residents, yet simultaneously resents them for being able to afford university. The actress also said that she felt like she was “meeting celebrities” while working with Jisoo and male lead Jung Hae-in. “I met Jung Hae-in for the first time through [Snowdrop], and I was very curious about what kind of person he would be,” Kim said…. Read More →

10JANNews

Vinyl pressing plant in Taiwan announces new service designed for limited pressings

Taiwan-based vinyl record pressing plant Mobineko has announced a new service which aims to fulfill smaller orders by record labels with a fast turnaround time. READ MORE: What’s causing the vinyl delay? “Adele is not the problem”, say music industry insiders The news was announced by Mobineko last Friday (January 7) in a Facebook post revealing the new service called Mobineko Express, which will feature a brand new pressing system designed exclusively for it. Mobineko Express is touted to accommodate orders from 25 to 100 records per title, with a turnaround time of four to eight weeks. Advertisement The plant explained that while they see Mobineko Express as a possible solution to major pressing plants allegedly “refusing to take orders for 2022 delivery”, the service had already been in the works for “the last few years”. “[We have been] building a brand new press that’s designed from scratch to be extremely efficient and fast for pressing runs starting at 25pcs with a 4 week turn time,” they wrote. We’ve seen lots of frustrated artists talking about pressing plants refusing to take orders for 2022 delivery so it’s… Posted by Mobineko on Thursday, January 6, 2022 For now, Mobineko will only open… Read More →

09JANNews

Years & Years’ Olly Alexander opens up about going solo: “It was coming for a long time”

Years & Years’ Olly Alexander has opened up about going solo in a new interview, saying the move was “coming for a long time”. The pop star is still using the Years & Years moniker for his musical output, but is no longer working with his former bandmates Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen. READ MORE: Watch Olly Alexander gatecrash our interview with Adam Lambert at the BRITs Speaking to the Guardian, he said he had decided to continue to operate under the band name because he “didn’t want to let Years & Years go”. Advertisement While Alexander maintained that the split was amicable, as previously suggested in an official statement last March, he conceded that “bands are like marriages” and “any separation is difficult”. He also explained that he and his bandmates had grown apart in their ideas for what the group should be doing. Olly Alexander of Years & Years. CREDIT: Press “Early on, we were more or less on the same ship, trying to steer in the same direction, and then just clearly we weren’t any more,” he said. “It was definitely the best thing for us, to go our separate ways, rather than try to make it work.”… Read More →

09JANNews

Adam Lambert praises Lil Nas X for “pushing” the conversation around sexuality

Adam Lambert has praised Lil Nas X for the way the conversation around sexuality has evolved in recent years. READ MORE: Lil Nas X – ‘Montero’ review: ‘Old Town Road’ prankster makes his case as a Serious Artist Speaking to Boy George and Attitude Magazine, Lambert was asked: “How do you feel the way sexuality and gender are evolving in 2022?” “Mine’s evolving lovely,” replied the Queen singer. “I’m so happy we’re moving the needle. There’s a lot of work to be done, but someone like Lil Nas, he’s a proper pop star at this point, lots of hits, streams, eyes on him.” Advertisement “Not only that, but he’s pushing it. He’s not afraid of controversy, to get in people’s faces, challenge people. He’s on Twitter, clapping back. It’s brilliant, funny, irreverent, confident,” continued Lambert before comparing Nas X to Boy George. “Who does that remind me of…” It’s not the first time Lambert has praised Lil Nas X. “I just think it’s high time we had somebody out there being exactly who they are,” he said about the rapper in a 2021 interview with Gay Times. “The thing I love about what he’s doing is not just to say… Read More →