Music
Gladys Knight Sings the National Anthem at Super Bowl 2019. The Empress of Soul is back in Georgia -- and she probably didn't have to take a midnight train to get there. Dressed in a dazzling white outfit, Gladys Knight kicked off Super Bowl LIII by belting an elegant rendition of the national anthem at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this Sunday (Feb. 3). Pink, Luke Bryan, Lady Gaga and Idina Menzel have all sung the anthem before the game in recent years. Knight, a seven-time Grammy winner behind Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers like "Midnight Train to Georgia" (released as Gladys Knight & the Pips), has previously said in a statement that she saw the opportunity to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" as a chance to "unite and represent our country." Knight said in an interview with NBC's Today earlier last week that she considered joining a boycott of the NFL over its treatment of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who is currently suing the NFL. (Cardi B, for instance, has said she turned down a chance to perform at this year's Super Bowl in solidarity with Kaepernick.) "Everybody got their opinions about whatever it is," she said in the interview, "but once we get into that love thing, it all just comes together and just goes wherever and we end up clapping and having a good time." In a video that accompanied the announcement of her national anthem performance, Knight spoke about the racism she experienced coming up in her career and her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. "I hope that this anthem will touch people in a different way," she said. "We've been singing it forever. But this time I would hope that they would feel it so deeply that it would lift them to a higher place. That's what I feel when I sing this song." (Billboard)
2019 Super Bowl: Chloe x Halle Perform 'America the Beautiful'. Prior to the Super Bowl LIII kickoff, R&B duo Chloe x Halle delivered a pristine rendition of "America the Beautiful" in their hometown of Atlanta on Sunday night (Feb. 3). Matching in all-black, letting their falsettos ring out and clasping hands at the end, the sisters preceded Gladys Knight, who sang the national anthem at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi are scheduled to perform during halftime. Sunday, Chloe x Halle will compete for best new artist at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, along with best urban contemporary album for their 2018 debut The Kids Are Alright. The full-length was released on Beyonce's Parkwood Entertainment label after the superstar discovered the duo on YouTube. Leslie Odom Jr. performed "America the Beautiful" at last year's Super Bowl, preceding an Eagles-Patriots showdown. The Pats have returned to this year's big game to take on the Los Angeles Rams. (Billboard)
Justin Timberlake serenaded at Broadway show. A year ago Justin Timberlake was playing the Super Bowl halftime show, but this week he was being serenaded by the cast of a Broadway show. Spies said that the pop star and wife Jessica Biel were in the audience of "To Kill A Mockingbird." Said a source, "After the show, the couple popped backstage to congratulate the cast. When Justin revealed that the tickets were an early birthday present from Biel, cast member Gideon Glick joked, 'Instead of us singing to you, why don't you sing to us?'" Timberlake passed, so the entire cast sang, Happy Birthday" to the Grammy winner. (PageSix)
Adam Levine Dedicates Halftime Performance to Jordan Feldstein Over a Year After Manager's Death. Adam Levine dedicated his Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show performance to his late manager, Jordan Feldstein, on Sunday. While on stage with the band in Atlanta for Super Bowl 53, the Maroon 5 frontman said, "This one's for you, Jordy," as a tribute to Feldstein, who died suddenly in December 2017 at the age of 40. Feldstein, the brother of actor Jonah Hill and actress Beanie Feldstein, died as a result of a blood clot that originated in his leg. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office's online records, he died of a pulmonary thromboembolism and deep leg vein thrombosis. Acute bronchopneumonia and obesity were listed as other significant causes in the death of Feldstein. Feldstein was the CEO and founder of Career Artist Management (CAM), a leading management firm in Beverly Hills, California. He worked with Maroon 5 since the band's inception more than 15 years ago. He is survived by his two children. After his death, a representative for the family told PEOPLE in a statement, "Unfortunately, last night Jordan called 911 for shortness of breath, when paramedics arrived it was determined he went into full cardiac arrest and passed away shortly thereafter." In an interview with Variety in November, Levine, 39, opened up about the impact Feldstein's death had on his life. "It was a tragedy foisted upon us and far and away one of the saddest moments of our lives, and personally of mine," Levine said. "This is a kid I've known since we were in diapers. He was one of the most important people in my life from a very early age." Levine noted that he thinks about his late friend "every day." "It will always be something that's missing in my life," Levine explained to the outlet. "I break down; I cry. We built this together, and it will never be complete without him. But at the same time, we know he wants us to keep trucking." During the Super Bowl halftime show, Levine and Maroon 5 opened the show with a throwback from their first album, "Harder to Breathe," as red sparklers erupted around the stadium and the crowd went wild. Next, the band continued the nostalgia with "This Love." Then a brief SpongeBob SquarePants interlude introduced Travis Scott, and Levine supported "Sicko Mode" with his guitar before he took the stage to serenade the nation with "Girls Like You" with some help from Voice of Atlanta. Next, Maroon 5 threw it back once again with "She Will Be Loved" as the crowd looked on and released paper lanterns into the sky to spell "One Love." Then the third headliner, Big Boi, rolled up in a car wearing a floor-length fur coat while rapping Outkast's classic "I Like the Way You Move." Afterward, Levine melted hearts once again with his rendition of "Sugar." For it, he ditched the button-down and showed off his tats in a tank top. During the next song, "Moves Like Jagger," he lost the shirt altogether. Super Bowl 53 aired live from Atlanta on CBS. (People)
Ariana Grande's '7 Rings' Enters Second Week Atop Australia's Singles Chart. Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" lassos another chart crown in Australia, as songs from the popular Hottest 100 countdown flood the national survey. Grande enters a second week atop the ARIA Singles Chart with "7 Rings" (Universal) -- lifted from her forthcoming fifth studio album Thank U, Next -- just ahead of Post Malone and Swae Lee "Sunflower" (unmoved at No. 2 via Universal) and Ava Max's U.K. chart-topper "Sweet But Psycho" (unmoved at No. 3 via Atlantic/Warner). Triple J's annual Hottest 100 poll was the hottest yet, with the youth network's listeners casting a record number of votes this time. A raft of tracks which appeared in the countdown enjoy strong climbs and, in the case of Ocean Alley's Hottest 100-winning track "Confidence" (UNFD/Orchard), a top 10 debut. Ocean Alley also score a new peak with their March 2018 album release Chiaroscuro, which returns to the chart at No. 11, besting its previous peak of No. 15. Travis Scott and Drake's triple-platinum certified "Sicko Mode" (Universal/Sony) leaps 12-6, its peak position, after coming at No. 3 on the publicly-voted poll. Ocean Alley's gold-certified Hottest 100 champ "Confidence" starts at No. 9, almost a year after its official release, while Billie Eilish's "When The Party's Over" (Interscope/Universal) vaults 31-23 in its 15th week on the chart, after securing eighth place on the Hottest 100. Meanwhile, British rock outfit Bring Me The Horizon land their fourth successive No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with Amo (RCA/Sony), this week's U.K. chart leader. And finally, Backstreet Boys are back in the top 10 for the first time since 2005 with DNA (RCA/Sony), their ninth studio set. It's new at No. 5, eclipsing the No. 30 peak of their most recent album, 2013's In A World Like This. (Billboard)
Bradley Cooper Talks Lady Gaga Oscars Duet: "I'm Sure I'll Be Terrified." At the 2019 Oscars, actor and director Bradley Cooper will showcase onstage his new role: Singer. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced last week that he and Lady Gaga will perform their Oscar-nominated song "Shallow" from his movie A Star Is Born, Cooper's directorial debut, which sees him playing a famous country singer and her a rising music star. Last weekend, Cooper made a surprise onstage appearance at Gaga's show in Vegas to perform a "Shallow" duet. "That was terrifying," Cooper told E! News' Tamara Dhia on Saturday at the 2019 Directors Guild Awards in Hollywood. "I just had to like, Zen out and just pray that I wouldn't ruin her show. Because, think about it, she just crushed it or two hours..and I thought, 'Please let me just be on pitch.'" When asked about his Oscars performance with Gaga, Cooper said, "I'm sure I'll be terrified." Cooper was nominated for two DGA Awards but did not take any home. He was, however, honored onstage as a nominee by his former Hangover director Todd Phillips. Meanwhile, in addition to their nod for "Shallow," Cooper and Gaga are nominated for Oscars their leading acting roles in A Star Is Born. Cooper was not nominated in the directing category. However, the movie is nominated for Best Picture. The 2019 Oscars will air live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on ABC on Sunday, February 24 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. ET. (Eonline)
Famous Dex says the fan who tried stealing a 44-seat airplane to fly himself to see the rapper in concert attempted, hands down, the craziest thing ANYONE has ever done to see him live ... so, he's hooking him up. A little backstory ... Zemarcuis Scott, a teenager from Texarkana, AR, was busted last Fourth of July after cops say he broke into an American Eagle twin-engine jet at Texarkana Regional Airport with the intention to fly himself to see Dex perform in Illinois. Cops found Scott sitting in the pilot's seat and said he wasn't worried about having zero flying experience ... because it looked simple. Earlier this week ... Scott pled guilty to attempting to steal a commercial jet and avoided jail time with 5 years of felony probation. Enter, Famous Dex ... who thought the story was a hoax when he first heard about it, but now wants the fan to go through fewer hassles ... by flying him to one of his concerts, and then some. (TMZ)
2019 Super Bowl: Chloe x Halle Perform 'America the Beautiful'. Prior to the Super Bowl LIII kickoff, R&B duo Chloe x Halle delivered a pristine rendition of "America the Beautiful" in their hometown of Atlanta on Sunday night (Feb. 3). Matching in all-black, letting their falsettos ring out and clasping hands at the end, the sisters preceded Gladys Knight, who sang the national anthem at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi are scheduled to perform during halftime. Sunday, Chloe x Halle will compete for best new artist at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, along with best urban contemporary album for their 2018 debut The Kids Are Alright. The full-length was released on Beyonce's Parkwood Entertainment label after the superstar discovered the duo on YouTube. Leslie Odom Jr. performed "America the Beautiful" at last year's Super Bowl, preceding an Eagles-Patriots showdown. The Pats have returned to this year's big game to take on the Los Angeles Rams. (Billboard)
Justin Timberlake serenaded at Broadway show. A year ago Justin Timberlake was playing the Super Bowl halftime show, but this week he was being serenaded by the cast of a Broadway show. Spies said that the pop star and wife Jessica Biel were in the audience of "To Kill A Mockingbird." Said a source, "After the show, the couple popped backstage to congratulate the cast. When Justin revealed that the tickets were an early birthday present from Biel, cast member Gideon Glick joked, 'Instead of us singing to you, why don't you sing to us?'" Timberlake passed, so the entire cast sang, Happy Birthday" to the Grammy winner. (PageSix)
Adam Levine Dedicates Halftime Performance to Jordan Feldstein Over a Year After Manager's Death. Adam Levine dedicated his Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show performance to his late manager, Jordan Feldstein, on Sunday. While on stage with the band in Atlanta for Super Bowl 53, the Maroon 5 frontman said, "This one's for you, Jordy," as a tribute to Feldstein, who died suddenly in December 2017 at the age of 40. Feldstein, the brother of actor Jonah Hill and actress Beanie Feldstein, died as a result of a blood clot that originated in his leg. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office's online records, he died of a pulmonary thromboembolism and deep leg vein thrombosis. Acute bronchopneumonia and obesity were listed as other significant causes in the death of Feldstein. Feldstein was the CEO and founder of Career Artist Management (CAM), a leading management firm in Beverly Hills, California. He worked with Maroon 5 since the band's inception more than 15 years ago. He is survived by his two children. After his death, a representative for the family told PEOPLE in a statement, "Unfortunately, last night Jordan called 911 for shortness of breath, when paramedics arrived it was determined he went into full cardiac arrest and passed away shortly thereafter." In an interview with Variety in November, Levine, 39, opened up about the impact Feldstein's death had on his life. "It was a tragedy foisted upon us and far and away one of the saddest moments of our lives, and personally of mine," Levine said. "This is a kid I've known since we were in diapers. He was one of the most important people in my life from a very early age." Levine noted that he thinks about his late friend "every day." "It will always be something that's missing in my life," Levine explained to the outlet. "I break down; I cry. We built this together, and it will never be complete without him. But at the same time, we know he wants us to keep trucking." During the Super Bowl halftime show, Levine and Maroon 5 opened the show with a throwback from their first album, "Harder to Breathe," as red sparklers erupted around the stadium and the crowd went wild. Next, the band continued the nostalgia with "This Love." Then a brief SpongeBob SquarePants interlude introduced Travis Scott, and Levine supported "Sicko Mode" with his guitar before he took the stage to serenade the nation with "Girls Like You" with some help from Voice of Atlanta. Next, Maroon 5 threw it back once again with "She Will Be Loved" as the crowd looked on and released paper lanterns into the sky to spell "One Love." Then the third headliner, Big Boi, rolled up in a car wearing a floor-length fur coat while rapping Outkast's classic "I Like the Way You Move." Afterward, Levine melted hearts once again with his rendition of "Sugar." For it, he ditched the button-down and showed off his tats in a tank top. During the next song, "Moves Like Jagger," he lost the shirt altogether. Super Bowl 53 aired live from Atlanta on CBS. (People)
Ariana Grande's '7 Rings' Enters Second Week Atop Australia's Singles Chart. Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" lassos another chart crown in Australia, as songs from the popular Hottest 100 countdown flood the national survey. Grande enters a second week atop the ARIA Singles Chart with "7 Rings" (Universal) -- lifted from her forthcoming fifth studio album Thank U, Next -- just ahead of Post Malone and Swae Lee "Sunflower" (unmoved at No. 2 via Universal) and Ava Max's U.K. chart-topper "Sweet But Psycho" (unmoved at No. 3 via Atlantic/Warner). Triple J's annual Hottest 100 poll was the hottest yet, with the youth network's listeners casting a record number of votes this time. A raft of tracks which appeared in the countdown enjoy strong climbs and, in the case of Ocean Alley's Hottest 100-winning track "Confidence" (UNFD/Orchard), a top 10 debut. Ocean Alley also score a new peak with their March 2018 album release Chiaroscuro, which returns to the chart at No. 11, besting its previous peak of No. 15. Travis Scott and Drake's triple-platinum certified "Sicko Mode" (Universal/Sony) leaps 12-6, its peak position, after coming at No. 3 on the publicly-voted poll. Ocean Alley's gold-certified Hottest 100 champ "Confidence" starts at No. 9, almost a year after its official release, while Billie Eilish's "When The Party's Over" (Interscope/Universal) vaults 31-23 in its 15th week on the chart, after securing eighth place on the Hottest 100. Meanwhile, British rock outfit Bring Me The Horizon land their fourth successive No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with Amo (RCA/Sony), this week's U.K. chart leader. And finally, Backstreet Boys are back in the top 10 for the first time since 2005 with DNA (RCA/Sony), their ninth studio set. It's new at No. 5, eclipsing the No. 30 peak of their most recent album, 2013's In A World Like This. (Billboard)
Bradley Cooper Talks Lady Gaga Oscars Duet: "I'm Sure I'll Be Terrified." At the 2019 Oscars, actor and director Bradley Cooper will showcase onstage his new role: Singer. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced last week that he and Lady Gaga will perform their Oscar-nominated song "Shallow" from his movie A Star Is Born, Cooper's directorial debut, which sees him playing a famous country singer and her a rising music star. Last weekend, Cooper made a surprise onstage appearance at Gaga's show in Vegas to perform a "Shallow" duet. "That was terrifying," Cooper told E! News' Tamara Dhia on Saturday at the 2019 Directors Guild Awards in Hollywood. "I just had to like, Zen out and just pray that I wouldn't ruin her show. Because, think about it, she just crushed it or two hours..and I thought, 'Please let me just be on pitch.'" When asked about his Oscars performance with Gaga, Cooper said, "I'm sure I'll be terrified." Cooper was nominated for two DGA Awards but did not take any home. He was, however, honored onstage as a nominee by his former Hangover director Todd Phillips. Meanwhile, in addition to their nod for "Shallow," Cooper and Gaga are nominated for Oscars their leading acting roles in A Star Is Born. Cooper was not nominated in the directing category. However, the movie is nominated for Best Picture. The 2019 Oscars will air live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on ABC on Sunday, February 24 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. ET. (Eonline)
Famous Dex says the fan who tried stealing a 44-seat airplane to fly himself to see the rapper in concert attempted, hands down, the craziest thing ANYONE has ever done to see him live ... so, he's hooking him up. A little backstory ... Zemarcuis Scott, a teenager from Texarkana, AR, was busted last Fourth of July after cops say he broke into an American Eagle twin-engine jet at Texarkana Regional Airport with the intention to fly himself to see Dex perform in Illinois. Cops found Scott sitting in the pilot's seat and said he wasn't worried about having zero flying experience ... because it looked simple. Earlier this week ... Scott pled guilty to attempting to steal a commercial jet and avoided jail time with 5 years of felony probation. Enter, Famous Dex ... who thought the story was a hoax when he first heard about it, but now wants the fan to go through fewer hassles ... by flying him to one of his concerts, and then some. (TMZ)
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