Peter Shep

Cardi B deactivates Twitter and Instagram after online Grammys 2022 argument

Cardi B has deleted her Twitter and Instagram accounts following a spat with some of her followers during the airing of the Grammys on Sunday (April 3). The rapper was nominated for Best Rap Performance for her 2021 single ‘Up’ but didn’t make it to the ceremony. Fans expressed their disappointed online by attacking her, noting that she had made them believe she would be in attendance. “I’m deleting my twitter but On God I hate this fuchkin dumbass fan base,” she wrote before deactivating her account. “You got the slow dumbasses dragging my kids all cause y’all though I was going to the Grammys and I didn’t the fuck ? When the fuck I hinted I was going ? just fuvkin stupid I can’t I needs to protect myself.” Advertisement Things escalated when fans began speaking about her children. “I bet yo son wouldnt like for you to be on your ass while teasing us fans and not ever dropping music,” wrote one fan (via Rolling Stone). Cardi replied: “I hope your moms die”, then deleted the tweet. Cardi moved over to Instagram Live shortly after deleting her Twitter, to explain her reasoning. “I’m doing girl-day shit today, right?… Read More →

04APRNews

Halsey attended the 2022 Grammys a few days after surgery

Halsey was in attendance at the 2022 Grammys that took place last night (April 3) despite having surgery a few days ago. READ MORE: Here are all the winners from the Grammys 2022 Taking to Instagram before the event, she wrote: “The last time I attended the Grammys was 2017 and it was 3 days after I had my first Endometriosis surgery. I walked the carpet with my stitches still in.” “As luck would have it, I’m attending tomorrow for the first time in years and I had surgery again (you guessed it) 3 days ago,” she continued. “Only posting this to say, if you see me be gentle lol I’m fragile. Fragile but excited.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by halsey (@iamhalsey) Advertisement After the ceremony, Halsey posted an Instagram Story saying she’d left the event early because she wasn’t “feeling super well” but had watched BTS’ performance of ‘Butter’. Halsey’s’ ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ was nominated for best alternative music album, vocal or instrumental at the 2022 Grammys. The prize ended up going to St. Vincent for ‘Daddy’s Home’. Despite releasing ‘If I Can’t Have Love…’ last year, Halsey has already spoken… Read More →

04APRNews

Hear NMIXX’s emotional cover of BLACKPINK’s ‘Kill This Love’

Up-and-coming K-pop girl group NMIXX have performed a unique rendition of BLACKPINK’s 2019 single ‘Kill This Love’. READ MORE: K-pop’s fourth generation girl groups need to give the girl crush concept a rest Last week, the rookie girl group were featured on K-pop live music channel It’s Live on YouTube, where they performed their debut track ‘O.O’. In a newly released clip, the six-member JYP Entertainment act also took on the challenge of covering BLACKPINK’s 2019 single ‘Kill This Love’. For their cover, NMIXX swap out the bombastic, blaring horns of the original BLACKPINK version for a stripped-down, vocal-led arrangement, which slowly builds up intensity as the drums and electric guitar kick in. Advertisement “What should I do, I can’t stand myself being so weak / While I force myself to cover my eyes / I need to bring an end to this love,” sings vocalist Sullyoon in the emotional pre-chorus. NMIXX first debuted in February with the single album ‘Ad Mare’, which included the single ‘O.O’ and a B-side track titled ‘Tank’. In a two-star review of the debut release, NME’s Tanu I. Raj wrote that the former track’s mix of genres “tries, but fails, to capture any attention… Read More →

03APRNews

Lil Nas X Absolutely Sparkles During Montero Grammys Medley

Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow brought “Industry Baby” to the music industry’s biggest night, the 64th Grammys on Sunday (April 3). At last year’s VMAs, the dynamic duo performed their hit collab live for the first time, and tonight (April 3) Nas X and Harlow reunited on the Grammys stage to sing their nominated track, “Industry Baby,” part of a medley of Montero hits. https://twitter.com/MTVNEWS/status/1510780706850590724 The colorful performance began with Nas X — dressed in a glittering black robe — singing “Dead Right Now,” backed by a drumline chorus and intergalactic images. The cosmos on the screens were then replaced with hate tweets reacting to Nas X’s controversial album campaign and music videos before the rapper returned to the stage in a sparkly marching drum major uniform. He then sang “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” in front of a giant bust of himself, complete with backup dancers in matching marching band uniforms. Nas X then launched into “Industry Baby” as Harlow joined him onstage, to perform their song. Nas X closed out his Montero medley with an electrifying dance break, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy This is the second… Read More →

03APRNews

Watch Francis Bourgeois do a tailwhip during Sam Fender’s Wembley show

Viral TikTok star Francis Bourgeois was in attendance at Sam Fender‘s recent Wembley show, where he was spotted on stage doing a tailwhip on a scooter. READ MORE: Sam Fender at the BandLab NME Awards 2022: Geordie hero kicks off the night in style Fender is currently on tour in support of his new record ‘Seventeen Going Under’, having played two dates at London’s Wembley Arena on April 1 and 2. During last night’s show (April 2), Bourgeois was seen on the screen behind Fender and his band as they played ‘Getting Started’. He then appeared from the side, performing a tailwhip and scooting about the stage as the band continued to play. Advertisement “Francis Bourgeois hitting a tailwhip whilst Sam Fender belts out one of his tunes at Wembley wasn’t what I was expecting of tonight, but I loved it,” one person wrote on Twitter. Another added: “Sam Fender bringing Francis Bourgeois on stage last night was the last thing I expected to see.” Francis Bourgeois hitting a tailwhip whilst Sam Fender belts out one of his tunes at Wembley wasn't what I was expecting of tonight, but I loved it ? pic.twitter.com/44PVWaeHQw — C (@IsonCallum) April 2, 2022 Last… Read More →

03APRNews

Queen’s Brian May “frustrated” by Taylor Hawkins’ death

Brian May has said that he feels “so frustrated” by the death of the late Taylor Hawkins. READ MORE: Taylor Hawkins, 1972 – 2022: Foo Fighters drummer who always stole the show The Foo Fighters drummer passed away last Friday (March 25) at the age of 50 in Bogotá, Colombia while the band were on their South American tour. The Queen guitarist, who was friends with Hawkins, commented on the tragedy during an interview on SiriusXM – noting that he had just spoken to the drummer before his death. “Taylor was very close to [Queen], he’s been in my studio a few of times. In my life, I talk to him often. I talked to him just a week ago from when we lost him,” May said (via Variety). “We talk about stuff, talking about Dave [Grohl], about what life is like, his joys, frustrations, being in Foo Fighters.” Hawkins was a huge fan of Queen, with Foo Fighters regularly covering the band during live performances. During the band’s last show at Lollapalooza Argentina, Hawkins took the mic for a cover of Queen’s ‘Somebody To Love’, while frontman Dave Grohl played the drums. “We instantly bonded because Taylor and Pat Smear were the… Read More →

03APRNews

Listen to Freddie Gibbs team up with Rick Ross on new single ‘Ice Cream’

Freddie Gibbs has enlisted Rick Ross for a new collaborative single, sharing a punchy cut titled ‘Ice Cream’. The track was produced by Kenny Beats, and is built around a sample used by Wu-Tang Clan‘s RZA and Raekwon for the latter’s 1995 single, also titled ‘Ice Cream’, which appeared on his ‘Only Built 4 Cubin Linx’ LP. Gibbs and Ross pay homage to Raekwon’s ‘Ice Cream’ throughout their cut, notably in the accompanying music video. In it, we see Gibbs riding around in an ice cream van, mirroring footage from Raekwon’s ’90s clip. The women in Gibbs and Ross’ video also sport similar t-shirts to those in Raekwon’s, emblazoned with ice cream flavours such as chocolate, vanilla and butter pecan. Advertisement Watch it below. It’s the second new track from Gibbs this year, following on from ‘Hate To Say It’ with Azizi Gibson. He released a slew of singles and collaborations throughout 2021, including ‘Gang Signs’ with ScHoolboy Q, ‘Black Illuminati’ with Jadakiss and ‘Big Boss Rabbit’, among others. Last year, Gibbs also announced his fifth studio album ‘Soul Sold Separately’ was on its way, however it’s yet to receive an official release date. Earlier this month, Gibbs said he… Read More →

02APRNews

††† (Crosses): “There’s beyond a record in the can”

††† (Crosses), the side-project of Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and Far multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez, have spoken to NME about what to expect from their new album and upcoming live shows. READ MORE: “This record embedded in our brains”: the endless power of Deftones’ ‘White Pony’ The duo, who released their self-titled debut album in 2014, announced their return in December by signing a new deal with Warner Records and releasing a cover of Q Lazzarus’ ‘Goodbye Horses’. Then last month, they shared two brand new original songs, ‘Initiation’ and ‘Protection‘. ‘Initiation’ was described by the LA band as “a soundtrack for uncertain times”, while ‘Protection’ “digs deeper into their influences and electronic textures with its masterful production”. “We couldn’t just put out one song, because there are so many different moods and vibes to what we’ve been working on and we just want to show everything,” Lopez told NME. “We want to show our different sides and these two songs are quite different from one another. The thing that ties them together is Chino’s voice.” Advertisement Asked if they had a new album’s worth of material ready to drop, Moreno replied: “I think there’s beyond a record in the can. It’s… Read More →

01APRNews

Pabllo Vittar teams up with Rina Sawayama on sultry new single ‘Follow Me’

Brazilian singer-songwriter and world-renowned drag queen Pabllo Vittar has teamed up with Rina Sawayama to release a dazzling new single, ‘Follow Me’. READ MORE: Rina Sawayama at the BandLab NME Awards 2022: an exhilarating performance of extremes Released today (April 1), the club-ready pop number boasts a wild guitar riff and fierce vocals from both artists as well as a vibrant music video to match the track’s carefree yet exotic direction. Speaking on the track in a press release, Vittar – who is a noted activist – called Sawayama “an icon”, adding that the merging of their musical styles in ‘Follow Me’ is “perfect”. Advertisement “I really hope the fans love it as much as we do,” she said. “Shooting the video was so much fun as well, wearing iconic outfits, and strutting our stuff on the runway! SERVE!” Check out the ‘Follow Me’ video – directed by Amber Park – below: Sawayama had compliments for Vittar, too, also calling the artist an icon. “For us to collaborate on an original I wanted a moment that felt fitting,” she said. “When she [Vittar] sent me the idea for ‘Follow Me’ I was just in love with it immediately and the… Read More →

01APRNews

Ukrainian band Antytila share footage of “one day from the war” in Kyiv

Ukrainian band Antytila have posted a video with footage they’ve captured from the frontlines during “one day from the war” in Kyiv. Watch the video below. The pop-rock band are currently serving as soldiers in their war-torn country. “We are driving from our positions in the frontline directly to our base to do one important thing,” frontman Taras Topolia says at the start of the video adding: “We are situated in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and I wanted to show one day from the war”. READ MORE: Ukrainian band Antytila talk to us from the frontline ahead of benefit show: “We try to show people some light” Topolia goes on to explain the band’s task “to give first aid to wounded soldiers” as well as protective gear, as he pans the cell phone camera over to them preparing gas masks and chemical protection suits. Advertisement The video also shows the band prepping ammunition and standing by a World War II bunker, with the frontman commenting that “after 80 years, the Ukrainian army and Ukrainian people [are] fighting again, the Russian occupiers.” At one point Toplia stops in front of multiple crumbling homes, saying: “Destroyed by the Russian fires, houses… Read More →

01APRNews

Phoebe Bridgers must face deposition in libel lawsuit

Phoebe Bridgers must sit for a deposition in the defamation lawsuit that’s been filed against her by the producer Chris Nelson. READ MORE: Phoebe Bridgers: “I definitely feel a lot less apologetic than I did before” In a ruling issued on Tuesday (March 29) a Los Angeles judge agreed with Nelson that the deposition would be necessary before deciding whether or not the lawsuit could be dismissed. “Because the subjective belief of [Bridgers] is critical, the defendant herself is necessarily the primary, if not sole, source of evidence regarding actual malice,” Judge Curtis A. Kin said, according to court documents shared by Billboard. Advertisement In October 2020 Bridgers directed her followers on Instagram to a thread written by her friend Emily Bannon, which Nelson has claimed was defamatory. Nelson subsequently sued the singer for defamation and is currently seeking $3.8million (£2.8million) in damages. He claims Bridgers “intentionally used her high-profile public platform on Instagram to publish false and defamatory statements” about him “in order to destroy his reputation”. Phoebe Bridgers. CREDIT: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images In a sworn declaration filed on February 14, Bridgers responded to the allegations, saying: “I believe that the statements I made in my Instagram story are true…. Read More →

31MARNews

She & Him announce 2022 Brian Wilson tribute tour

She & Him have announced thier ‘Melt Away Tour: A Tribute To Brian Wilson’, which kicks off this summer – tickets are available here. READ MORE: The 12 greatest albums about Los Angeles, California The duo, comprising M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, will play original songs from their six-album catalogue as well as classics written by the Beach Boys’ founder. The 11-date trip kicks off in Denver, Colorado on June 13 with stops in Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver. The tour makes a stop in Los Angeles on June 25, before its final September stop in Vienna, Virginia. See the full list of dates below. Advertisement She & Him’s most recent tour was for their holiday albums, ‘A Very She & Him Chrismas’ and ‘Christmas Party’ in 2019. They also released new music in 2018, when they shared two She & Him songs for the ‘Universal Love’ LGBTQ project. View this post on Instagram A post shared by She & Him (@sheandhim) She & Him ‘Melt Away Tour: A Tribute To Brian Wilson’ dates: JUNE 2022 13 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre 14 – Salt Lake City – TBD 16 – Forest Grove, OR – Grand Lodge Hotel… Read More →

31MARNews

Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse steps away from live duties

Deep Purple‘s Steve Morse has announced that he will be temporarily stepping away from live duties with the band. READ MORE: Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan: “Young artists should upset the previous generation and clear the decks” The legendary rockers were back on stage in February, where they kicked off their 2022 dates with three shows in Florida. They’re due to head to Europe in May, June and July, with dates at festivals including Hellfest in France and Stimmen Festival in Germany. In a statement posted on Facebook, the band confirmed that Morse will be taking a break, with Simon McBride replacing the guitarist for any upcoming dates. Morse also added his own statement, revealing that he is stepping back to care for his wife, who is unwell. Advertisement “Today, Deep Purple announce that, due to a family matter, Steve Morse will be taking a temporary hiatus from Deep Purple live shows but remains a full member of the band,” the band’s statement read. “Steve’s replacement for the upcoming live shows in May, June and July 2022 will be guitarist Simon McBride, who has previously toured with both Ian Gillan and Don Airey amongst others.” Morse added: “Hello, everybody. I’ve just done… Read More →

31MARNews

Listen to Glass Animals’ cover of Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’ for ‘Spotify Singles’

Glass Animals have shared their cover of Lorde‘s single ‘Solar Power’ – you can listen to the band’s rendition of the 2021 track below. The cover is the latest to be recorded for an ongoing special edition of the Spotify Singles series, which is celebrating the Best New Artist category at this Sunday’s Grammys (April 3). READ MORE: Glass Animals on the success of ‘Heat Waves’ and their “Celtic opera” new album Following on from recent covers in the series by Arlo Parks and Finneas, Glass Animals have now shared their take on Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’, which was the title track from the New Zealand artist’s third studio album. Advertisement “I chose ‘Solar Power’ because in a time when we were all stuck indoors a bit, this song made me feel like I was on a beach…. we all needed a bit of that!” Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley said in a statement about their choice of track. “It’s a stunning song, and then I just had a version of it in my head where it was faster with a gospel choir behind it…. so…. we made it!” You can listen to Glass Animals’ take on Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’, as well as… Read More →

30MARNews

Tyler, The Creator want fans to stop throwing things on stage at his shows

Tyler, The Creator has issued a request to fans who come to see him live, asking them not to throw things on stage while he’s performing. READ MORE: Tyler, the Creator – ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’ review: a love letter to the genre that made him The Odd Future rapper is currently in the midst of the US leg of his ‘Call Me If You Get Lost Tour’, and it seems as if he’s fed up with his audiences tossing stuff at him. “Stop throwing your shit on stage,” Tyler wrote on Twitter yesterday (March 29). “I don’t want it. Now mid show i gotta move it. What’s the logic? Fucking stop. Thanks b.” Advertisement After Tyler made the request, a fan replied with a video in which the rapper stopped a recent show to address someone who threw something on stage. “I don’t understand the logic of throwing your shit up here,” Tyler says in the clip. “Not only for safety reasons, but bro, I don’t want your shit. I don’t want it. Like, not even being funny. Every show someone throws something up here, and I don’t understand the logic. Why do you think I want your shit?”… Read More →

30MARNews

Travis Scott accused of violating Astroworld gag order

Travis Scott has been accused of violating a gag order earlier this week (March 28). Attorneys for some of the victims of last year’s Astroworld tragedy alleged in court on Monday that Scott violated a gag order that was issued in lawsuits they filed relating to the case. The rapper is currently facing hundreds of lawsuits over the events that unfolded at Astroworld in Houston in November, where 10 people died and 300 people were injured at the festival following a crowd surge. The attorneys allege that breaking the rules of the gag order could influence future jurors and improve Scott’s reputation ahead of any potential trial. It stems from an announcement that Scott made earlier this month regarding ‘Project HEAL’, an initiative that includes funding for large-scale events to help them address safety challenges. On social media, Scott wrote: “My team and I created Project HEAL to take much needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be. I will always honour the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by flame (@travisscott) Bob Hilliard, one of the attorneys… Read More →

29MARNews

Help Musicians to provide new funding, advice and services for touring artists affected by Brexit

Help Musicians has announced details of a new fund which will help realise UK artists’ domestic, international touring and live performance plans. The financial support has been set up in response to the much-criticised Brexit deal – which, former minister David Frost recently admitted, presents “a whole set of problems” for touring musicians and their crew – and to help reset the live music industry following the COVID-19-enforced shutdown of recent years. READ MORE: Brexit, one year on: Music industry remains frustrated at “clueless” government Help Musicians has today (March 29) announced that it will be providing £250,000 in financial support for touring musicians, with artists eligible to receive up to £5,000 each towards “their plans to drive their careers forward and propel their forthcoming releases”. Advertisement The financial support is expected to help cover touring expenses, session musician and crew fees, PR and marketing, merchandise, a proportion of international administration fees (such as visas and carnets) and more. Help Musicians is also seeking to provide advice to musicians by funding 30-minute consultations with Viva La Visa, a service pioneered by the Incorporated Society of Musicians and The Musicians’ Union. “Through this support, the charity aims to help musicians re-build… Read More →

29MARNews

Sigur Rós announce 2022 Australian and New Zealand tour

Sigur Rós have added four more shows to their sprawling list of impending tour dates, slating gigs in New Zealand and Australia for this August – get tickets here. READ MORE: Jónsi – ‘Shiver’ review: Sigur Rós frontman lets his hair down with a little help from Robyn The four-date stint will be sandwiched between their 27 shows in North America – the first of which will go down in just under a month – and their 29-date run in the UK and Europe this September. It’ll start in New Zealand, with a lone show at Auckland’s Spark Arena slotted in for Saturday August 6, before the band take to stages in the Australian cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Tickets for the Auckland and Brisbane dates can be found here, while Sydney and Melbourne fans can get their hands on tickets here. They’ll go on sale to the general public at 1pm local time next Monday (April 4), with a presale running from 9am this Friday (April 1). Advertisement These shows will mark Sigur Rós’ first Down Under in over five years. They were last seen there in 2017, when they played the annual Splendour In The Grass festival…. Read More →

28MARNews

18-year-olds in Spain to receive €400 culture vouchers

Spain has approved a plan for 18-year-olds to receive €400 (£335) in culture vouchers to spend on the arts. The vouchers can be spent on festivals, events, books, vinyl, and digital music. READ MORE: 20 festivals to look forward to in 2022 The Youth Cultural Bonus was officially approved last Wednesday (March 23) by Spain’s council of ministers in hopes of restoring cultural and creative industries that have suffered during the ongoing pandemic. Recipients will have one year to spend the digital voucher, a €200 (£170) spending cap on live events and festivals, a €100 (£85) cap for physical products such as vinyl, and a €100 cap for digital products. Food, textbooks, and instruments can’t be bought using cultural vouchers. Advertisement The official Spanish government website states: “Following the example of nearby countries, such as France or Italy, where similar initiatives are already being practised for young people who turn 18, the Youth Cultural Bonus is intended for those people who reach the age of majority in the calendar year in which it is requested.” Primavera Sound Festival. CREDIT: Getty Images The statement continued: “The Youth Cultural Voucher project seeks to facilitate universal and diversified access to culture for young people, generate… Read More →

28MARNews

Taylor Swift to receive honorary doctorate from New York University

Taylor Swift is set to receive an honorary doctorate in fine arts from New York University. READ MORE: Taylor Swift – ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ review: a retread of heartbreak The university will honour the singer on May 18 during their “doubleheader” 188th and 189th Commencement Exercises – which will celebrate the Classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 – at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Swift will receive her doctorate – becoming a Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa – and address the graduates and guests on behalf of all the degree recipients for the Class of 2022 during the morning ceremony. Advertisement Lifelong disability rights advocate Judith Heumann will also receive a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, during the evening ceremony, where she will address the Classes of 2020 and 2021. View this post on Instagram A post shared by New York University (@nyuniversity) “I cannot overstate how thrilled I am to be coming together in person with graduates, parents, faculty, and honourees for NYU’s Commencement,” NYU President Andrew Hamilton said in a statement. “Since 2019, we have been deprived of Commencement’s festive, communal joy, and its absence has been keenly felt. Few groups of graduates are more deserving… Read More →

28MARNews

Florence + The Machine announce expansive 2022 North American tour

Florence + The Machine have announced an expansive North American tour kicking off this September in Montreal – tickets will be available here. The tour, which includes arena stops at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl, will be joined by Arlo Parks, Sam Fender, King Princess, Yves Tumor, Japanese Breakfast and Wet Leg on select dates. See the full tour schedule below. READ MORE: The story of NME in 70 (mostly) seminal songs The run of massive gigs are in support of the Florence Welch-led band’s forthcoming album ‘Dance Fever’, which drops on May 13. The album has been previewed with the singles ‘My Love’, ‘King’, and ‘Heaven Is Here’. Advertisement Florence + The Machine – ‘Dance Fever’ official cover artwork. CREDIT: Press Ticket sales for the general public are set to begin Tuesday (March 29) at 10am local time. One dollar from every ticket sold will benefit Choose Love to aid refugees worldwide. These new dates follow the announcement that Florence will play two very special intimate shows in the US this spring: April 29 in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Theatre and May 6 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York. View ticket details… Read More →