Author: Nick Reilly

NME

The second part of Billie Eilish‘s conversation with Steve Carell as part of a podcast devoted to The Office is set to air later today (August 17).

Eilish, a self-confessed super fan of the NBC sitcom, sat down with Carell and his co-star Brian Baumgartner last year for iHeartRadio’s ‘An Oral History Of The Office’.

Now, it’s been confirmed that the second offering on ‘The Office Deep Dive With Brian Baumgartner’ sees Eilish in conversation once more with Baumgartner – who played Kevin Malone on the beloved show – as well as Carell, who fronted the series as Michael Scott.

In the new episode, Eilish discussed her decision to sample dialogue from The Office on first album track ‘My Strange Addiction’.

Baumgartner asked Eilish: “Why did you decide – like, is it your strange addiction? Is The Office your strange addiction?”

She replied: “Definitely my strange addiction. That’s why I have to use that song.”

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NME

Live Nation will require all artists, crew and attendees to show evidence of full vaccination against COVID-19, or a negative test, at their venues and events in the UK.

• READ MORE: Lollapalooza 2021 review: Chicago festival makes its raucous return

A representative for the touring giant confirmed the policy when contacted by NME, days after the same plans were unveiled in the U.S.

The firm currently operates the entire network of O2 Academy venues in the UK, as well as festivals such as Reading & Leeds, Download, Wireless and Creamfields.

It is yet to be confirmed when the policy will be fully implemented in the UK, but Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has described it as “your ticket back to shows”.

“We will be following the model we developed for Lollapalooza and requiring this for artists, fans and employees at Live Nation venues and festivals everywhere possible in the US,” Rapino said in a statement.

The decision comes after Lollapalooza, which Live Nation organises, was confirmed to not be a superspreader event. More than 90 per cent of attendees were vaccinated.

In the UK, it was confirmed last month that festival-goers attending Reading & Leeds will need to prove their COVID-19 status.

“Just like many other festivals and events, Reading and Leeds Festival will ask all ticket holders aged 11 and over to demonstrate their COVID-19 status before entering the festival,” said organisers.

Ticket-holders will be asked to provide either proof of full vaccination, with the second dose received at least 14 days before the festival, a negative NHS lateral flow test taken prior to travel on the day of arrival at the event, or proof of natural immunity based upon a positive PCR test within 180 days of the festival.

Live music performances in England have taken place at full capacity once more since July 19, the country’s so-called “Freedom Day” which saw the vast majority of coronavirus restrictions coming to an end.

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NME

Chance The Rapper has revealed how Kanye West reportedly tried to axe his feature on ‘Ultralight Beam’.

The ‘Colouring Book’ rapper featured on ‘The Life Of Pablo’ track in February 2016, but says his verse didn’t come without a few creative differences.

In a new interview to mark the five-year anniversary of ‘Coloring Book’, Chance revealed that Kanye wasn’t a fan of his lyrics which referenced the Grammys.

“I met Kanye West, I’m never going to fail/He said, ‘Let’s do a good ass job with ‘Chance 3’/I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy’,” Chance raps on the track.

Chance told the Grammys.: “I rapped on Kanye’s shit right before it came out that I was working on these three Grammys, and I was like, ‘If I keep rapping like that, and just saying shit’s gonna happen, that’s just gonna happen,'” he said.

“And it started happening. Kanye didn’t want me to say that [line] on that song. And I had to go back and forth with him about keeping my line on there.”

Chance’s mixtapes weren’t eligible for the Grammys until June 2016, when the Recording Academy allowed streaming-only albums. ‘Coloring Book’ went on to Best Rap Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

He added of the experience: “Just being in a position to rap [with] the person who probably is the reason I became a rapper—to be able to produce and write and to be featured on the intro, the first real rap verse you hear on the album, was crazy to me.

“I was, at that time, speaking it into existence like, ‘Kanye gonna hit us up soon. You gonna be working with ‘Ye soon.’ And when that happened, I had to keep doing that. I had to keep being like, ‘I’m gonna just say what’s gonna happen.’”

Earlier this year, a video clip emerged that appears to show Kanye West shouting at Chance The Rapper during a recent studio session.

The footage is reportedly from an upcoming documentary, filmed last summer at the ‘Jesus Walks’ hitmaker’s Wyoming compound.

The clip appears to show West growing increasingly frustrated during a recording session for the unreleased album before lashing out at Chance, telling him to sit his “ass down and listen to the album or leave.”

Meanwhile, Kanye’s fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of his new album ‘DONDA’ after a series of prolonged delays.

The post Kanye West tried to axe Chance The Rapper feature on ‘Ultralight Beam’: “I had to go back and forth with him” appeared first on NME.

NME

Karen Elson has called on Ryan Adams to show “accountability” for his actions after he was the subject of an in-depth profile in Los Angeles Magazine earlier this week.

Seven women, including Elson, Phoebe Bridgers and his ex-wife Mandy Moore, levelled accusations against the US singer-songwriter in 2019. Adams issued a lengthy apology for his “harmful behaviour” last summer and recently pleaded for a “second chance” in music.

Speaking about the claims coming to light and the subsequent fallout, the musician told Los Angeles Magazine in a new interview this week that he felt like his accusers “were asking me to die”.

In the article, Adams also discussed the “deeply hurtful” effects of his cancellation and responded to some of the specific allegations against him.

Responding to the article, model and singer Elson has now said it attempted to “gaslight” the testimonies of Adams’ accusers.

“Ryan denied any wrong doing and I was ultimately threatened with a ‘false prosecution lawsuit’,” wrote Elson. “I have spoke very little about my situation for this reason but was subsequently made aware others had allegedly experienced similar things online when distancing themselves from him.

“I’ve never asked people to boycott his music. I am a big believer in redemption if you are able to admit wrong doing and make amends. He has yet to both. This article attempts to gaslight and rewrite the experiences of many without asking for their opinion on this beforehand.”

She concluded: “I hope Ryan comes to the realisation that an apology should contain accountability. I look forward to the day I’m able to receive that.”

Elson previously wrote and then deleted a post that hinted at a “traumatising experience” with Adams, and responded when the Daily Mail published a public apology from the singer last year.

“I believe in redemption and amends even for him. However he has not reached out to me since 2018 to apologise for his terrible behaviour … His actions going forward will dictate the sincerity of his statement and if I’m able to forgive,” she said.

Back in January Adams was cleared of sending sexual messages to an underage fan after facing an FBI investigation.

Asking for “a second chance to make some music” on Instagram last month, the musician said he was “months from losing my label, studio and my home”.

“I’m 46 and scared I’m gonna be living in my sister’s basement,” he wrote. “If you are a label and interested please let me know.”

Adams released his first album in the wake of the allegations last December with ‘Wednesdays’, the first in a trio of albums that were originally expected in 2019 before the claims emerged. He followed that up with his 18th solo album ‘Big Colors’, which arrived last month.

The post Karen Elson responds to Ryan Adams interview: “An apology should contain accountability” appeared first on NME.

NME

Karen Elson has called on Ryan Adams to show “accountability” for his actions after he was the subject of an in-depth profile in Los Angeles Magazine earlier this week.

Seven women, including Elson, Phoebe Bridgers and his ex-wife Mandy Moore, levelled accusations against the US singer-songwriter in 2019. Adams issued a lengthy apology for his “harmful behaviour” last summer and recently pleaded for a “second chance” in music.

Speaking about the claims coming to light and the subsequent fallout, the musician told Los Angeles Magazine in a new interview this week that he felt like his accusers “were asking me to die”.

In the article, Adams also discussed the “deeply hurtful” effects of his cancellation and responded to some of the specific allegations against him.

Responding to the article, model and singer Elson has now said it attempted to “gaslight” the testimonies of Adams’ accusers.

“Ryan denied any wrong doing and I was ultimately threatened with a ‘false prosecution lawsuit’,” wrote Elson. “I have spoke very little about my situation for this reason but was subsequently made aware others had allegedly experienced similar things online when distancing themselves from him.

“I’ve never asked people to boycott his music. I am a big believer in redemption if you are able to admit wrong doing and make amends. He has yet to both. This article attempts to gaslight and rewrite the experiences of many without asking for their opinion on this beforehand.”

She concluded: “I hope Ryan comes to the realisation that an apology should contain accountability. I look forward to the day I’m able to receive that.”

Elson previously wrote and then deleted a post that hinted at a “traumatising experience” with Adams, and responded when the Daily Mail published a public apology from the singer last year.

“I believe in redemption and amends even for him. However he has not reached out to me since 2018 to apologise for his terrible behaviour … His actions going forward will dictate the sincerity of his statement and if I’m able to forgive,” she said.

Back in January Adams was cleared of sending sexual messages to an underage fan after facing an FBI investigation.

Asking for “a second chance to make some music” on Instagram last month, the musician said he was “months from losing my label, studio and my home”.

“I’m 46 and scared I’m gonna be living in my sister’s basement,” he wrote. “If you are a label and interested please let me know.”

Adams released his first album in the wake of the allegations last December with ‘Wednesdays’, the first in a trio of albums that were originally expected in 2019 before the claims emerged. He followed that up with his 18th solo album ‘Big Colors’, which arrived last month.

The post Karen Elson responds to Ryan Adams interview: “An apology should contain accountability” appeared first on NME.