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She allegedly sent an anonymous text message to her supervisor that said, “Mass shooting at 4 pm location Lollapalooza. We have 150 targets.”
In a new interview with Listen Next!, Phil Collen was asked which artist or artists DEF LEPPARD will “pass the baton to” once he and his bandmates decide to retire. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I don’t know. I’m still waiting, ac…
The super-producer’s sixth album takes you on a journey to a star-studded boogie wonderland
The post Calvin Harris – ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2’ review: an all-star grab-bag of sun-drenched sounds appeared first on NME.
Five years ago, Calvin Harris released ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1’. A hook-laden, nostalgic collection filled with big-name guests, tropical production – and, as the title would suggest – a hefty dose of funk. It was an ideal soundtrack to the summer months, marking the transformation of the Dumfries artist, born as Adam Wiles, from EDM hero making chart-topping belters to trendy super-producer with a penchant for laidback nu-disco.
Now, half a decade on, Harris has returned to this sonic world with his sixth studio album ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2’ – but this time around he approached things differently. With ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1’, he shaped the songs in the same way he had dance and EDM tracks, creating electronic beats and then working with guest artists for vocal lines. For its sequel, though, he embraced live sounds. As he told Apple Music: “I want the layers and the grit and the dirt – and I don’t want everything to be mixed perfectly.”
The effects of this see ‘Vol. 1’s’ sun-drenched sound fused with earthy instrumentation: squelchy bass lines, cinematic strings (‘New to You’) and roaring guitar solos (‘Somebody Else’, ‘Potion’). This adds personality and warmth to his sound – something the bevvy of guests also contribute to. The Scottish producer has once again pulled out his impressive Rolodex, calling in a host of big-name pals to contribute to the record – over 20 feature across the LP’s 14 tracks – and each artist’s respective sound spun through this jubilant soundscape.
The Dua Lipa and Young Thug featuring lead single ‘Potion’ – which sees the former purr, “Late night conversations, electric emotions / Sprinkled with a little bit of sex, and it’s a potion” – is a sultry, carefree jam. Then there’s the Justin Timberlake, Halsey and Pharrell Williams team-up ‘Stay with Me’, a whip-smart, Chic-indebted ode to dancing all night.
On ‘Obsessed’, Harris combines Charlie Puth‘s earnest vocals with dancehall hero Shenseea’s powerhouse verses, ending up with the ultimate infatuation banger. Puth’s hooky refrain of “I miss you every single day / But you don’t even look my way / I really wish that you were / Obsessed with me” is sure to soundtrack countless TikToks in the coming months. Meanwhile, on the sweltering ‘Woman of the Year’, which features Stefflon Don, Chlöe and Coi Leray, he gracefully spins the trio of guest artists’ parts over a glossy rhythm section, giving each a moment to shine.
On ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2’, the producer meshes a wistful grab-bag of influences – nu-disco, funk, boogie, soul – with his skill for creating a mega-watt pop-hit, taking listeners on a journey on a psychedelic trip you won’t want to end.
Release date: August 5
Record label: Columbia
The post Calvin Harris – ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2’ review: an all-star grab-bag of sun-drenched sounds appeared first on NME.
Gaga is expected to portray Harley Quinn alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the film, which will arrive in October 2024
The post Lady Gaga confirms she will star in ‘Joker’ sequel ‘Folie à Deux’ appeared first on NME.
Lady Gaga has confirmed she will star in the forthcoming sequel to Todd Phillips’ 2019 film Joker alongside Joaquin Phoenix.
The musician and actor, real name Stefani Germanotta, shared a teaser of the film confirming both her and Phoenix’s involvement in Joker: Folie à Deux earlier today (August 4).
Joker: Folie à Deux
10.04.24 pic.twitter.com/obp7T9lBFL— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) August 4, 2022
Phillips confirmed back in June that a sequel to 2019’s Joker was on the way, sharing a cover of the script written by himself and collaborator Scott Silver, along with a photo of Phoenix reading the screenplay.
Shortly after Folie à Deux was revealed, it was reported that Gaga was in early discussions to play Harley Quinn, the Joker’s psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who falls in love with him, helps him escape the facility and eventually becomes his sidekick and love interest. It was also rumoured that the film – the title of which translates to “shared madness” in French – will be a musical.
Gaga has had multiple starring roles in recent years, such as 2018’s A Star Is Born – which Phillips produced – and last year’s House of Gucci.
Gaga’s confirmation of her involvement in the film comes shortly after its release date was announced. Joker: Folie à Deux is set to arrive in cinemas on October 4, 2024 – exactly five years after the original Joker was released. According to Deadline, production on Joker: Folie à Deux will begin in December.
NME declared the original Joker an “instant classic” in a five-star review upon its release in 2019, in particular praising Phoenix’s performance as Arthur Fleck. “The appearance is one thing, but the all-round delivery is a tour-de-force,” wrote Greg Wetherall
“He pulls off the difficult trick of delivering an anti-hero whom connects with the viewer even though they may deplore his decisions and abhor his actions. Phoenix translates this discombobulating sensation out of the screen and into your senses.”
The post Lady Gaga confirms she will star in ‘Joker’ sequel ‘Folie à Deux’ appeared first on NME.
The Infowars founder has long claimed Sandy Hook was a hoax.
Jury Orders Alex Jones to Pay Sandy Hook Parents $49.3 Million in Damages [Updated]
Carys Anderson
A Texas jury has ordered conspiracy theorist and Infowars owner Alex Jones to pay the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim $4.1 million in compensatory damages and $45.2 million in punitive damages Jones has spent almost a decade arguing that the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School —…
Please click the link below to read the full article.
Jury Orders Alex Jones to Pay Sandy Hook Parents $49.3 Million in Damages [Updated]
Carys Anderson
Once both apps are integrated, Warner Bros. Discovery will begin offering both “ad-lite” and “ad-free” tiers.
HBO Max and Discovery+ Will Become One Streaming Service
Abby Jones and Liz Shannon Miller
Following the recent merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, the company confirmed plans to re-launch its two streaming platforms, HBO Max and Discovery+, as a single service, projected to roll out in the U.S. beginning Summer 2023. Warner Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced the news during the company’s Q2 earnings call…
Please click the link below to read the full article.
HBO Max and Discovery+ Will Become One Streaming Service
Abby Jones and Liz Shannon Miller
“This was the only date available until the fall and because the family is so solid everybody is flying back in to make it happen for you all.”
“This was the only date available until the fall and because the family is so solid everybody is flying back in to make it happen for you all”
“This was the only date available until the fall and because the family is so solid everybody is flying back in to make it happen for you all”
Backstage at Lollapalooza, the singer told us the potential name of the new track
The post Gracie Abrams on working with The National’s Aaron Dessner and performing an unreleased track appeared first on NME.
Gracie Abrams spoke to NME backstage at Lollapalooza 2022 and told us her songwriting process, what it’s like to work with The National‘s Aaron Dessner, and the potential name of an unreleased track she just performed live. Watch our interview above.
Hours before taking on the festival’s Discord stage Saturday (July 30), one of her first performances since going on tour with Olivia Rodrigo, Abrams told us Chicago was one of her “favourite cities to play in.”
“Having been here a couple of times on tour, they’re just the greatest people,” Abrams said. The singer has been writing songs since she was just eight years-old and released her debut, EP ‘Minor’ in 2020, followed by a second EP, last year’s ‘This Is What It Feels Like.’
“I’m fascinated by human behaviour,” she told NME when asked about what inspires her songwriting. “I hyperfocus on details that may feel very irrelevant to other people, and rightfully so, but I’m just like a psychotic journaler.”
Abrams added: “I love being able to look back at certain times in my life through music. It’s like this funny documentation process I sometimes regret but mostly appreciate.”
The singer who has recently been on tour with Phoebe Bridgers and is currently working with Dessner, also told us what she looks for when it comes to collaborating with other artists.
Abrams said: “I’ve so admired Phoebe and Aaron, since I was 10 years-old. To be in close proximity to them, anytime ever is the greatest blessing of my life. To be able to learn from masters at their craft and it’s deeply inspiring.”
She continued: “Aaron is who I’ve been working with the most the past year. What I appreciate so much about him is that he really leans into creating a world with the projects we’re working on right now. I have gotten super lost in those worlds, and I love what that feels like. Anytime I get close to that feeling, it’s worth spending some time there for sure.”
Before heading to the stage, Abrams told us the songs she’s having the most fun performing at the moment, including a new unnamed track she decided to perform live over Lollapalooza weekend.
“Last night we played a new song that’s not out yet. We had never played it before,” she said. “To have that, selfishly, was a nice experience and made me really hyped on the album that’s coming out later.”
When asked about the name of the unreleased track, Abrams said, “it doesn’t even have a title yet.” “I think I’m going to call it ‘Difficult’, that might change,” she added.
The singer is currently selling merch with all proceeds going towards the National Network of Abortion Funds. “It’s necessary,” Abrams said of using her platform to raise funds for abortion access.
“I think what we can all do regardless of the size of our platform is really lift the voices of the experts the doctors, the attorneys, the activists who have been on the front lines working to secure our right to have control over our own bodies,” she continued. “The misinformation is one of the scariest parts right now, so I think anything I can do to lift those voices is necessary, and we’re all capable of that.”
Check back here on NME.com for more coverage from Lollapalooza 2022.
The post Gracie Abrams on working with The National’s Aaron Dessner and performing an unreleased track appeared first on NME.
