Music News

Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and Lana Del Rey Debut New Song in Charlie's Angels Trailer. The Angels are back! It's been almost two decades since Charlie's Angels hit the big screen. On Thursday, Sony Pictures released the first trailer for its 2019 reboot. The new version stars Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska. In the film, the women work for Charles Townsend, whose investigative and security agency has gone global. With this new international force of Angels, the agency is taking on the toughest jobs around the world. The movie is directed, written and produced by Elizabeth Banks and promises to bring both action and the comedy. However, Stewart, Scott and Balinska aren't the only power trio featured in the film. The trailer also includes a new single by Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and Lana Del Rey. The artists teased the collaboration via social media on Wednesday, and fans' excitement went full throttle. As fans will recall, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu starred in the 2000 movie Charlie's Angels and the 2003 sequel Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. The first film came out almost 20 years after the original TV show ended, which starred Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson. During a recent interview with E! News, Stewart revealed it felt like there was a "good reason" to revisit the story again. "Liz Banks is kind of the perfect person, in my eyes, to do this, and it makes the whole idea of doing something that's already really good worthwhile," she said. "I like her sensibilities. I like how she approached the project with real feminine warmth. It's very well-intentioned, and it's grounded. It's still going to be fun, and we're going to, like, jump around and, like, beat people up, but it feels like there's a good reason to do it again." She also remained tight-lipped when asked if any of the former Angels would make a cameo. The movie hits theaters this November. We can't wait to see the new film! (Eonline)

Idris Elba wrote a song inspired by his Hobbs & Shaw villain. We all have ways to kill downtime between obligations. Some of us knit. Some of us scroll endlessly through Twitter. And some of us are like Idris Elba, who, during breaks from filming the Fast & Furious spin-off Hobbs & Shaw, decided to write, produce, and record an original song inspired by his villainous character. When EW visited the set of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw in January, we sat down with Elba in his trailer to discuss his heel turn as the film's cyber-enhanced antagonist, Brixton. The film follows its namesake heroes, Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw, as they reluctantly join forces to stop Brixton from stealing a globe-threatening virus and unleashing it upon the world. (Typical bad guy stuff.) So, what did Elba do between scenes of planning global mischief and brawling with Statham and Johnson? Well, he explained, he wrote a song on his iPad, inspired by his character. And then he polished it and eventually recorded it with Cypress Hill. And then he played the final mix for director David Leitch, who liked it so much he decided to include it in a scene in the final film. "People know that I DJ and I make music and all that, but the hybrid of being able to put something that I've made specifically for a movie I'm in is new territory for me," Elba told EW. The 46-year-old actor may be best known for his dramatic roles in The Wire and Luther, but he's also spent years spinning records under the name DJ Big Driis. Before he landed The Wire, he supported himself by taking DJ gigs wherever he could, and although his music career has largely taken a backseat to his acting, he still performs and writes. In April, he performed at Coachella, and he recently signed a global publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. "Idris is an artist in so many ways; he's an incredible actor and also a martial artist and a musician," Leitch says. "And when you're surrounded by artists like that, you want to just take advantage of it and support the creativity and see where it goes." (Entertainment Weekly)

Madonna's new music video is a shocking and graphic recreation of a mass shooting scene ... that seems to emulate the horrific Pulse Nightclub murders. Madonna dropped the video Wednesday for her politically-charged track, "God Control" -- a play on gun control -- and it shows 32 incredibly disturbing seconds of people being gunned down in a nightclub. Warning . . . the bloody scenes of bodies falling to the ground will be difficult for many people to watch. If Madonna's goal was draw visceral reactions . . . it's a guarantee she'll get 'em. In the music video . . . the shooting violence starts at 2 minutes, 38 seconds when you see the shooter hold a gun up to his mouth and seemingly pull the trigger but the scene flashes to the guy opening fire on a bunch of people who are dancing in the club. Madonna told People that her video is meant to be a commentary on the epidemic of mass shootings in the U.S., which she says is "out of control." She included a disclaimer at the beginning that reads, "The story you're about to see is very disturbing. But it's happening everywhere and it has to stop." (TMZ)

Johnta Austin Brings R&B Back to Its Classic Roots With 'Love Angel': Exclusive After penning hits for artists like Mariah Carey, Trey Songz and Justin Bieber, singer-songwriter Johnt Austin is now saving a bit of that magic for himself on his new solo single "Love Angel" -- Produced by Troy Taylor and Spruill, "Love Angel" finds the Atlanta-born artist going back to the heart of the R&B that he grew up on and helped shape his career. The smooth midtempo is fueled by romance, as Austin croons sweet nothings to his lover atop a melodic, bass-driven beat. "I think these feelings ultimately comes from a higher power and has a purpose," he explains to Billboard about the song's meaning. "When you see the line 'Your love is my religion,' some people may call it sacrilegious. But for those of us who believe that we're created in the higher power's image, your significant other can be a representation of the creator themselves. It's like you're looking at a creation of God. You should never be ashamed of whatever that love -- as long as it's pure and doesn't hurt anyone -- represents for you." Austin says his debut album Love, Sex & Religion, set to release on Aug. 2, is inspired by the resurgence of R&B: "There is a return to more substance as far as songwriting with H.E.R., Daniel Caesar and Bruno Mars. R&B feels like it's in a space where everyone wants to hear and be a part of it. I feel like now it's the perfect time for [my album]." (Billboard)

Maude Latour Takes a Trip Through the Galaxy With 'Starsick': Exclusive. What do you do when you're sick of giving all your time and energy to songs about silly boys who broke your heart? Turn inwards and ask yourself about what really matters -- your best friends, the planet, your dreams. That's what 19-year-old singer-songwriter Maude Latour does with her new song, "Starsick," premiering Thursday (June 27), exclusively via Billboard. Written as a gift for her best friend, on "Starsick," the NYC-based artist exhibits her worldliness and takes a trip to the stars. The track begins with quiet, a capella hums as Latour meditates, "I've got a plan for how we run the world/ I was watching TV, then I was talking to God." Soon after, it bursts into a synth-heavy frenzy. There's a true, genuine feeling that this song is pure catharsis for Latour, and it is for the listener too, with its intoxicating sparkle. "I get a little star sick when we talk about love/ 'Cause I don't know a thing about love," she sings with a Lorde-like growl over a beat as mesmerizing as a long night in Joshua Tree, which is what inspired the song. "I was done writing about stupid love songs, sick and drained of the stories of the boys who broke my heart. I needed to write about what I actually was consumed by...my dreams for the ideal planet, solar power, how the feeling of loving your best friend is one step removed from enlightenment," Latour tells Billboard of the track, which was produced by Alexander 23. "[The song] is about being drunk on transcendence, in my lows and in my highs, I feel connected to this overpowering awareness of my mortality. It is what makes life beautiful. This is my 'thank you' to existence," she adds. There's no word of a debut album just yet, but Latour is currently a freshman at Columbia University, where she studies philosophy and political science. (Billboard)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fall Book Discussion and Movie Series

Book discussion group to meet

City Page Survey