Cindy Choek

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Travis Scott’s lawyer disputes fan’s copyright claim that rapper stole centaur artwork

A lawyer for Travis Scott has cast doubt on a fan’s claim that the rapper used his artwork without permission for an unreleased music project. Ed McPherson has alleged to TMZ that the cover art, which depicts Scott as a centaur, was originally uploaded to some streaming services by fans but was quickly removed by DSPs when the realisation that it was unofficial dawned. As such, he has argued that a copyright lawsuit is unfounded. But artist Mickaël Mehala, who claims he designed the work in 2015 and shared it with Scott via Instagram in 2018 but never received a reply, said that he noticed the art was being used in conjunction with Scott’s unofficial compilation release, ‘Travis La Flame’. Advertisement The project in question stems from 2016 and features, among other tracks, songs from Scott’s ‘Days Before Rodeo’ mixtape. As Complex notes, its release status has remained a source of confusion for fans. The project is currently unavailable on DSPs including Apple Music and Spotify, however, a Tidal upload of the compilation remains active. Travis Scott performs live in 2019. CREDIT: Scott Legato/Getty Images for Live Nation Mehala, who also goes by the name Black Childish, claimed in legal… Read More →

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Methyl Ethel announces new album ‘Are You Haunted?’ with Stella Donnelly-featuring lead single ‘Proof’

Methyl Ethel has shared details of his new album, ‘Are You Haunted?’, alongside releasing a new single with Stella Donnelly called ‘Proof’. READ MORE: Methyl Ethel – ‘Hurts To Laugh’ EP review: wonky pop studded with glimmers of brilliance ‘Are You Haunted?’ will be the fifth album by Methyl Ethel, the nom de plume of Australian artist Jake Webb. It’s released on February 18 via Future Classic (pre-order here). Lead single ‘Proof’ features fellow Aussie Donnelly. It follows on from last year’s ‘Matters‘ and ‘Neon Cheap‘ singles, both of which are included on the new album. Advertisement ‘Proof’ is accompanied by a self-directed video – watch below. Webb said of working with Donnelly: “Stella is one of the most truth-telling artists I’ve ever heard. It made for a perfect match.” Donnelly added: “Working on ‘Proof’ with Jake felt like being invited to the set of your favourite movie, such an insightful and wonderful experience.” ‘Are You Haunted?’ is Ethel’s first album since 2019’s ‘Triage‘ and the first collection of new music since the 2020 EP ‘Hurts To Laugh‘. Webb added of the album title: “There are these spirits, memories of our old selves, our younger selves, parents, generations past whose… Read More →

The new issue of Uncut comes with an exclusive Johnny Marr CD

Johnny Marr has compiled a free, 12-track CD that is only available with the new issue of Uncut – which is on sale January 13 and also available to buy online. Marr has always been an avid music fan and this 12-track selection titled Fever Dreaming underscores his continuing passion and commitment. There are some old favourites here – as well as a trove of discoveries, including tracks from Broken Social Scene, Sparks, Khruangbin and more. “I wanted to give people a taste of what I have been listening to over the last few years, whether I’m driving, setting up in the studio or at home,” Marr says. “I’m often asked whether I think guitar bands are a thing of the past – and this selection is one of the reasons I can give why the answer is no!” Advertisement The new Uncut also features an exclusive interview with The Smiths guitarist to discuss his most ambitious album to date: his upcoming solo full-length release, Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4. Also inside the latest issue, Carole King, Lou Reed, The Damned, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Black Country, New Road, Cate Le Bon and loads more. Order the latest issue of… Read More →

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Lil Yachty teases an “alternative”, “non-rap” new album

Lil Yachty has teased an “alternative” album with “psychedelic” elements that won’t exhibit his usual rap music. READ MORE: Lil Yachty – ‘Michigan Boy Boat’ review – Atlanta rapper heads to Michigan to showcase inter-state rap unity The rapper made the comments while picking up new custom pieces at the Atlanta-based jewellery store Icebox, which released a clip from his visit. “My new album is a non-rap album,” he said in footage captured at the store. Yachty added that it was the first time he’d publicly addressed the project: “It’s alternative, it’s sick.” Advertisement When asked who or what inspired him to go in a different musical direction, he answered: “I’ve always wanted to [make an alternative album] but now I’ve met all these amazing musicians and producers” [quotes transcribed by Complex]. He continued: “It’s like a psychedelic alternative project. It’s different. It’s all live instrumentation…I’ve changed my dynamic…I’m creating music a whole lot differently.” Yachty commissioned the jewellery makers to produce his new Concrete Boys and Working Man pieces, the latter of which is from his Concrete Boys company logo. Lil Yachty last released an album in 2020, ‘Lil Boat 3‘, which had guest spots from Drake, Tyler, the… Read More →

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Watch Dave Grohl terrorise Foo Fighters bandmates in trailer for comedy horror film ‘STUDIO 666’

The first trailer for Foo Fighters‘ comedy horror movie STUDIO 666 has landed. READ MORE: Foo Fighters: “Our connection is beyond music” Frontman Dave Grohl stars alongside his bandmates in the film, which is released in US cinemas on February 25. A clip from the movie was shared last December. In the trailer the musicians, who are portraying themselves, arrive at a studio inside the Encino, Los Angeles mansion where they recorded their 10th album ‘Medicine At Midnight‘ (2021). As they progress with recording the LP, Grohl and the Foos come to suspect that the building is haunted. Advertisement Grohl becomes forgetful and also starts to exhibit devilish behaviour. He becomes more powerfully possessed by supernatural forces and at points violently attacks bandmates including Chris Shiflett, whose face he shoves onto a fired-up BBQ grill. Grohl explained of the movie last year: “After decades of ridiculous music videos and numerous music documentaries under our collective belts, it was finally time to take it to the next level… A full-length feature horror-comedy film. Like most things Foo, STUDIO 666 began with a far fetched idea that blossomed into something bigger than we ever imagined possible. “Filmed at the same house where… Read More →

Pavement announce expanded reissue of Terror Twilight

The long-awaited deluxe edition of Pavement’s final album will be released by Matador on April 8. Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal expands the remastered original album with B-sides, home demos, rehearsal tapes, live recordings and the rough tracks from Pavement’s scrapped session at Sonic Youth’s Echo Canyon studio. It features 45 tracks in total across 4xLPs or 2xCDs, 28 of them previously unreleased. Hear one of those unheard tracks, “Be The Hook”, below: Advertisement Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal includes a book with never-before-seen photos and commentary from band members Mark Ibold, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Spiral Stairs and Steve West, as well as producer Nigel Godrich. The LP version restores Godrich’s suggested sequence for the album; peruse the full tracklisting below and pre-order here. LP1 – Side A 1) Platform Blues 2) The Hexx 3) You Are a Light 4) Cream of Gold 5) Ann Don’t Cry LP1 – Side B 1) Billie 2) Folk Jam 3) Major Leagues 4) Carrot Rope 5) Shagbag # 6) Speak, See, Remember 7) Spit On a Stranger LP2 – Side C 1) The Porpoise and the Hand Grenade 2) Rooftop Gambler 3) Your Time to Change 4) Stub Your Toe 5) Major Leagues (Demo… Read More →

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“Don’t stop me-owww”: Cat goes viral for resembling Freddie Mercury

A cat has gone viral on social media due to its resemblance to the late Freddie Mercury. Mostaccioli – which means “moustaches” in Italian – is a female British Shorthair from California whose Instagram page has attracted almost 11,000 followers. READ MORE: Freddie Mercury: The Final Act review: inside the rock god’s prejudice-defying curtain call As its owners and many fans have pointed out, the feline appears to sport a ‘tache similar to that of the iconic Queen frontman’s – resulting in cat puns aplenty in the photos’ comments sections (“Don’t stop me-owww” and “Freddie Purrcury”, to name just a couple). Advertisement The black-and-white cat shares the social media page with her sister Izanami, who is a Scottish Fold. According to iHeart, the profile is managed by their owner Natalie, a veterinarian officer worker. It’s said that Natalie discovered a litter of stray kittens in the summer of 2020, and decided to adopt Mostaccioli herself. Through Mostaccioli and Izanami’s Instagram page, the owner is raising money for Cats Of San Bernardino – a non-profit organisation that is “dedicated to saving the lives of cats and kittens in the city of San Bernardino, CA”. View this post on Instagram A post… Read More →

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Eddie Vedder announces tracklist for his new solo album ‘Earthling’

Eddie Vedder has announced further details of his forthcoming new solo album ‘Earthling’. The Pearl Jam frontman previously confirmed that his first new solo record in 11 years, which has been produced by Andrew Wyatt, would be arriving on February 11. READ MORE: Pearl Jam – ‘Gigaton’ review: one of the biggest rock bands in the world return to semi-brilliance Vedder has now announced the official tracklist for ‘Earthling’, confirming that the album will feature 13 new tracks – including the two previously released singles ‘Long Way’ and ‘The Haves’. Advertisement The record will be available for digital pre-order on Friday (January 14), which will also see the release of the third ‘Earthling’ single, ‘Brother The Cloud’. You can hear a snippet of that track below. Earthling Tracklist Announcing the official tracklist for Eddie Vedder’s upcoming album, Earthling. The next single, “Brother the Cloud,” will be released on Friday, January 14th along with a digital pre-order for the album. Earthling will be released on Friday, February 11th. Posted by Eddie Vedder on Monday, January 10, 2022 You can see the tracklist for Eddie Vedder’s ‘Earthling’ album below. ‘Invincible’ ‘Long Way’ ‘Power of Right’ ‘Brother the Cloud’ ‘Fallout Today’ ‘The Dark’… Read More →

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Young Dolph tribute album to be released this month

A tribute album to the late Young Dolph, titled ‘Paper Route Empire Presents: Long Live Dolph’, has been announced. Dolph’s label Paper Route Empire will oversee the release, which will feature new songs by label members Key Glock, Snupe Bandz, Big Moochie Grape, Kenny Muney, and more. The rapper – real name Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. – was shot and killed in November 2021 as he entered a bakery in his native Memphis. He was 36 years old. Advertisement ‘Paper Route Empire Presents: Long Live Dolph’ is set for release on January 21. Its lead single, Jay Fizzle’s ‘LLD’ featuring Ricco Barrino, has been released. Listen to it below. Paper Route Empire CEO Daddyo issued a statement about the release. “My best friend, brother, and loyal business partner, Dolph was loved and admired by people all over the world,” Daddyo said to Rolling Stone. “He led by example and influenced so many people both near and far. The world will never be the same without Dolph but I know he’d want me to continue his legacy by working hard to push all our artists to the next level and make PRE an international brand. I hope his fans love it… Read More →

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Elvis Costello says radio stations would be “doing him a favour” if they stopped playing ‘Oliver’s Army’

Elvis Costello has called on radio stations to stop playing his controversial 1979 single ‘Oliver’s Army’. READ MORE: Mark, My Words: my weird weekend of gigging on the edge of lockdown The track, which is taken from his third studio album ‘Armed Forces’, has attracted criticism over the years for using the N-word, in the lyrics. Now, he has insisted he doesn’t want radio stations to play the track at all. Advertisement “On the last tour, I wrote a new verse about censorship, but what’s the point of that? So I’ve decided I’m not going to play it. [Bleeping the word out] is a mistake. They’re making it worse by bleeping it for sure. Because they’re highlighting it then. Just don’t play the record!” he told The Telegraph. Elvis Costello. CREDIT: Press He added: “You know what. It [not playing it] would do me a favour. Because when I fall under a bus, they’ll play ‘She’, ‘Good Year For The Roses’ and ‘Oliver’s Army’.” ‘She’ was originally written and performed by Charles Aznavour while ‘Good Year For The Roses’ was penned by Jerry Chesnut and performed George Jones. Costello joked that he will only be “celebrated” for writing songs he… Read More →

Carole King’s 1973 Central Park concert to be released by Third Man Records

Carole King‘s landmark 1973 concert in New York’s Central Park is being released by Jack White’s Third Man Records. The previously unreleased show was recorded in front of an audience of 100,000 people at Central Park’s Great Lawn on May 26, 1973. It caught King at the peak of her powers, just ahead of the release of her Fantasy album. The concert is released by Third Man as part of their subscription-only Vault series. Produced by Lou Adler and released in conjunction with Ode Records and Sony Music, the package for Carole King Home Again includes two LPs on brick-coloured vinyl, with one side dedicated to a graphic etching of the Fantasy tour logo. The gatefold jacket and printed inner sleeves feature photos from the concertrt, while the professionally-filmed performance is presented here in its entirety on DVD. Exclusive to this set is a 7-inch single containing Lucy Dacus‘ covers of “Home Again” and “It’s Too Late”, both of which were specifically recorded for this package. Sign up is open now until January 31. For more news about Carole King, keep an eye out for the new issue of Uncut.

Woodstock organiser Michael Lang has died

Michael Lang, the organiser behind the Woodstock Festival, has died aged 77. According to family spokesperson Michael Pagnotta, Lang passed away following complications from a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace,” Pagnotta shared in a statement on Twitter. We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/wTVNoZ353r — MichaelPagnotta (@reachmp) January 9, 2022 Advertisement After dropping out of University, Lang, a Brooklyn native, moved to Miami to put on events, including 1968’s Miami Pop Festival which hosted Jimi Hendrix. The following year a 24-year-old Lang, alongside businessmen John Roberts and Joel Rosenman and music industry promoter Artie Kornfeld, created the Woodstock Music And Art Fair. The festival featured performances from Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, Joe Cocker and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Famously billed as “Three Days Of Peace And Music,” the New York festival drew up to 400,000 people. “Woodstock… Read More →

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Ex-Day6 member Jae Park apologises to Jamie for derogatory comments

Former Day6 member Jae Park has apologised after he made derogatory comments about solo singer Jamie during a recent livestream. Since taking a step back from group activities last year – and JYP Entertainment later confirming he was no longer a part of Day6 – Park has been communicating with fans through Twitch streams and broadcasts. READ MORE: Day6 (Even Of Day): “Whenever we listen to songs in different languages, there’s still emotions that we can feel” In one recent stream, he said: “Now that I’m not in K-pop anymore, I can say this. Why is Jamie trying to be a thot?” He went on to laugh at his words and told fans to tell her what he’d said. Advertisement In another clip circulating social media, Park said if Jamie asked him why he called her a thot, he would say it was because “you’re posting this kind of picture with these kind of poses – that makes me believe that you are perfectly described under that description of what I just said”. Jae thot-shaming Jamie #JAE #DAY6 #JAMIE #apologizetojamie pic.twitter.com/yF2G9HivFH — ☕️? BAE ϟ J-MIN ?? (@dreamyminuk) January 9, 2022 y’all it gets even worse, this is what jae said after… Read More →

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Meet Me @ The Altar announce their debut album will arrive this year

Meet Me @ The Altar have announced that their debut album will be released sometime this year. READ MORE: Meet Me @ The Altar: Energetic trio putting the positivity back into pop-punk The US pop-punk trio – comprising guitarist Téa Campbell, drummer Ada Juarez and singer Edith Johnson – aren’t giving too much away, but they have assured fans that their first full-length project will definitely arrive in 2022. “American pop punk band ‘Meet Me @ The Altar’ will release their debut full length album in 2022,” the band said in a tweet on Friday (January 7). Advertisement The yet-to-be-titled album will follow last year’s acclaimed ‘Model Citizen’ EP, which NME‘s Jenessa Williams called “the work of a band who are absolutely for the now” in a four-star review. “The pop-punk revival so far may have platformed big-budget solo artists – including Willow, Machine Gun Kelly, and Olivia Rodrigo – but with ‘Model Citizen’, Meet Me @ The Altar prove there is still nothing quite like rocking out with your best mates, and confronted with the burden that they are what so many needed as younger fans, the weight on their shoulders could have been too heavy to bare,” the… Read More →

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Listen to a 28-track Los Campesinos! charity covers compilation

Scottish DIY indie label Heavenly Creature Records has released its 28-track charity compilation of Los Campesinos! tracks – check it out below. READ MORE: Los Campesinos! live in London: celebrations as ‘Hello Sadness’ turns 10 The compilation, simply called ‘Los Campesinos!’, was released Friday (January 7) and is basically a Greatest Hits record for the band. It opens with a faithful take on ‘Songs About Your Girlfriend’ by Belfast band Strange New Places and also features How I Became Invisible’s synthy version of ‘Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks’, The Red Scare’s ‘We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed’ and Bingo Bronson’s rendition of ‘Miserabilia’. Giving the record their endorsement, Los Campesinos! shared the compilation on their Twitter and wrote: “Thank you to Heavenly Creature Records and the artists for raising so much money for such an important org.” Advertisement “If you’ve not picked it up yet then please do grab the comp. We’ve been listening and smiling all day, feeling very good about this small band of ours,” they continued. ‘Los Campesinos!’ is available to download from Bandcamp now on a pay what you want basis. You can stream it below: Los Compesinos! by heavenly creature records All proceeds from the compilation go to… Read More →

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Sinéad O’Connor pays tribute to 17-year-old son following his death

Sinéad O’Connor has paid tribute to her 17-year-old son Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor following his death on Friday (January 7). Writing on social media, Sinéad said: “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God. May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.” Shane had gone missing earlier in the week with the Gardaí launching an appeal for his whereabouts. The 17-year-old went missing from Newbridge, County Kildare, and was last seen on Friday morning in the Tallaght, Dublin 24 area. In the appeal, which was reissued on Friday, officers said they were concerned for his welfare. pic.twitter.com/zBgw7KvZGC — Sinead The 1 And Only (@OhSineady) January 8, 2022 During the search, Sinéad used social media to try and get in contact with her son. “Shane, your life is precious. God didn’t chisel that beautiful smile on your beautiful face for nothing,” she wrote on Thursday (January 6). “My world would collapse without you. You are my heart. Please don’t stop it from beating. Please don’t harm yourself…. Read More →

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King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard share DJ Shadow’s ‘My Own Reality’ remix of ‘Black Hot Soup’

King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard have shared a new preview of their forthcoming remix album, ‘Butterfly 3001’, with a punchy, drum-centric redux by DJ Shadow. READ MORE: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – ‘Butterfly 3000’ review: sun-kissed psych positivity Labelled as the Californian trip-hopper’s ‘My Own Reality’ re-write, the new mix is almost entirely instrumental, carried by crunchy, digitised bass guitars, turntable scratches and loose, bombastic drum fills evocative of early ‘90s hip-hop (think a Beastie Boys instrumental). Fittingly, the song only features one lyric: “My own reality.” It arrives alongside a cinematic video helmed by longtime King Gizzard collaborator John Angus Stewart, starring the legendary Australian media figure John Safran. The clip – shot on film to emulate the visual aesthetic of the era from which DJ Shadow drew inspiration – puts Safran in a range of precarious scenarios as he loses himself in the music. Advertisement Check out the video for DJ Shadow’s “re-write” of ‘Black Hot Soup’ below: The new track land as our third taste of ‘Butterfly 3001’, following a remix of ‘Butterfly 3000’ by Peaches and a dub version of ‘Shanghai’ by The Scientist. Both of those came alongside the album’s announcement, with… Read More →

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Drake feature seemingly axed from Gunna’s new album ‘DS4Ever’

Gunna dropped his star-studded third album ‘DS4Ever’ earlier today (January 7), though it’s missing a previously announced Drake feature. READ MORE: Young Stoner Life – ‘Slime Language 2’ review: follow-up record doesn’t quite stick When the Young Thug-signed rapper shared the album’s tracklist earlier this week, Drizzy was listed as a featured artist on a track called ‘Pussy Power’. It appears to be only song on ‘DS4Ever’ scrapped from its streaming release – which spans a weighty 19 tracks – with the likes of 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Lil Baby and Roddy Ricch all appearing as promised. It wouldn’t be the first time Drake was missing from a tracklist he’d previously been announced on. Back in November, it was confirmed that Drake’s feature on French Montana‘s ‘Splash Brothers’ would be cut from the latter’s new album, ‘They Got Amnesia’. Advertisement That decision reportedly came down to the recent Astroworld tragedy, though fans also pointed to a line in the track appearing to diss Kanye West and Kim Kardashian – “I fuck a rapper’s wife/ She ain’t even my type but I make the sacrifice” – with speculation arising that Drake had the track cut after he and West ended their feud. Earlier in… Read More →

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‘Cobra Kai’ creators say they “can’t afford” to use AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’ in the series

Cobra Kai co-creator Jon Hurwitz has revealed that he has tried to get AC/DC‘s ‘Thunderstruck’ on the show, but has failed to do so on multiple occasions. The Emmy-nominated series – which serves as a spin-off from the Karate Kid films – returned to Netflix for a fourth season last month. It was renewed for a fifth run of episodes over the summer. READ MORE: Cobra Kai: why season four should be the last During a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hurwitz explained that he and the team attempted to secure 1990’s ‘Thunderstruck’ to use in a season four training montage featuring Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). Advertisement “We had ‘Thunderstruck’ written into the script,” he told the outlet. “We’ve written ‘Thunderstruck’ into the script several times over the years, and we’ve never been able to afford it in that moment or to make that choice [to spend the money on it] right now.” After suggesting various alternatives to AC/DC’s rock anthem, Cobra Kai‘s music supervisor, Michelle Johnson, selected the similarly epic ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’ by the Australian band Airbourne. “A lot of times we write things into the script, but sometimes we’ll write something into the script… Read More →

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Ukrainian rapper “dismembered” and “fed to rats” after allegedly being murdered by wife

WARNING: Contains graphic details Ukrainian rapper Alexander Yusko – aka Andy Cartwright – was allegedly murdered and fed to rodents by his wife, it has been reported. According to The Mirror, new forensic evidence suggests that Cartwright, 30, was still alive when his wife Marina Kokhal, 37, began dismembering him at their home in St Petersburg, Russia. The late artist had reportedly been having an affair with a fan around the time of his death. Kokhal admitted to cutting up Cartwright’s corpse before storing some body parts in her fridge, but maintains that her husband died of a drugs overdose. She said she dismembered his body with a knife and hacksaw so his fans “would never find out he died such an inglorious death”, and planned to claim that he had gone missing. Kokhal denies murder. She was released from detention jail to house arrest last October, but remains the only suspect in the murder investigation. New high-tech forensic tests have now indicated that Cartwright died as a result of oxygen starvation, according to legal sources cited in a report by gazeta.ru. It is claimed that the dismembering of his body “occurred shortly – a few minutes, dozens of minutes… Read More →

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BTS cancel plans to return to US after Grammys Awards 2022 postponed

BTS have cancelled their plans to return to the United States, following the indefinite postponement of the Grammys Awards 2022. READ MORE: 20 albums to get excited about in 2022 Today (January 6), BTS’ agency Big Hit Music said in a statement to South Korean media outlet Newsen that the K-pop boyband have cancelled plans to return to the US to attend the Grammys. This comes shortly after the Recording Academy confirmed that this year’s ceremony would be delayed due to the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. “We were preparing to attend the Grammys, but stopped discussing plans after hearing about the postponement of the ceremony,” said a spokesperson for Big Hit Music, as translated by Koreaboo. The ceremony was initially scheduled to take place on January 31 in Los Angeles. Advertisement BTS are up for the Best Pop Duo Or Group Performance for their summer single ‘Butter’ at the upcoming Grammys Awards 2022. This is the boyband’s second Grammy nomination, following their 2020 smash hit ‘Dynamite’ at the Grammys Awards 2021. BTS’ next official confirmed activity as a group is currently their upcoming in-person concert in Seoul this March. Big Hit Music also clarified in the… Read More →