Month: May 2023

Coca-Cola® and Warner Music Group’s WMX recently unveiled the Coca-Cola® Transformation Team, a talent search inspired by Coca-Cola® Move that ultimately chose three rising artists who embody the program’s goals of celebrating “the transformational power of music” while also exhibiting a clear flair for experimentation and pushing musical boundaries. These performers got some pretty sweet opportunities, including a one-day boot camp with a seasoned industry professional to learn about things like songwriting, stage style, and mixing. On top of that, all three got behind the mic on The Eye, a stripped-down performance series that captures live music raw, in one take with one camera.

First is Kallitechnis, a Canadian up-and-comer whose song “Gifted” is fresh off of receiving a Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording Of The Year nomination at the 2022 Juno Awards.

She went in a different direction for The Eye, choosing to perform “Wound Up.” Kallitechnis says of the original track, “It’s basically about not being able to tame something that is intangible. So in my case, it’s my spirit and my creativity.” She also noted of her approach to this specific performance, “Today, what I’m really focusing on is just being present and not thinking too much about the performance, but knowing that it’s one-take, just giving it my all.”

On set, Kallitechnis got some feedback from fellow Transformation Team artists San Cha and Eduardo Marìa, who had a lot of (earned) compliments to offer. The video also shows some behind-the-scenes of what goes into a performance on The Eye, so check it out above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

For the first time in 15 years, the Writers Guild of America is on strike. The decision came late Monday after talks to renew a contract — one that would, the WGA hoped, better reflect the changes streaming has wrought upon film and television — stalled. The effect on movies, which can take years to make, won’t be felt for a while. TV, however, is a different ball game. While many sitcoms already have a bunch of episodes in the can, much of late night television, taped and aired on the same day, quickly announced they were going dark.

There was a show that was a bit slow to go on hiatus, one that wasn’t scheduled to air for a few days. But, as per Deadline, that program — SNL — announced mid-afternoon that they, too, were at least temporarily shuttering their next episode. And it would have been a doozy: It was to be the return of one of its most popular and news-grabbing modern cast members, Pete Davidson.

Granted, Davidson hasn’t been away from the show that long. His final episode was about a year ago, during the Season 47 finale. Still, that would have made him perhaps the fastest SNL alum to return as host. He could still do that homecoming at another date, but it might have to wait till next season. SNL seasons tend to wrap in May, and given the long list of quarrels between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major studios and streamers, this strike might not be resolved any time soon.

Indeed, the last WGA strike lasted a whopping 100 days. While that means SNL viewers got almost an entire season worth of new episodes, it may be a while till they watch the likes of Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers yukking it up on late night weekdays.

(Via Deadline)

In television’s best crossover since BoJack Horseman and Mr. Peanutbutter were in the same room, Abbott Elementary made a brief appearance during Sunday’s episode of Succession.

It happened in the background of the scene where Roman Roy is riding a golf cart on the way to his very productive (note: it was not productive) meeting with executive Joy Palmer. If you look closely in the background, you’ll see the exterior of the elementary school from the ABC sitcom, which films on the Warner Bros. Studios lot.

I didn’t notice because I was too distracted by the way that Roman is sitting, but the set sighting was confirmed by Abbott Elementary writer Joya McCrory. “Spotted: Abbott Elementary in the background of tonight’s Succession,” she tweeted, along with the bugged-out eyes emoji.

The Abbott cameo helped “Living+” become Succession‘s most-watched episode yet:

Episode six hit another series high with 2.7 million people tuning in on Sunday across linear telecasts and HBO Max. This marks the fourth time that Succession has attracted a record same-day audience this season. Total viewing for episode six was up 7 percent over last week’s viewership, which had held even with episode four’s previous series high of 2.6 million viewers. It’s also 18 percent above the season four premiere episode’s 2.3 million.

You know what needs to happen next? Let Ava run ATN.

(Via Deadline)

Matt Gaetz has announced that he will be pressing charges against a Florida woman who threw a drink at him over the weekend. Gaetz believes there could be an “escalation” if people aren’t charged for their crimes, and he wants to nip these things in the bud lest the offender will be emboldened, the congressman (who may have his own legal troubles) argued with no sense of irony whatsoever.

“We were enjoying catching up with new friends and old, and folks recognized me. And so we were taking pictures and having polite conversations. And as I was chatting with one gentleman, a lady threw a drink on the both of us and she was promptly arrested,” Gaetz revealed in a video posted to his Twitter account. After detailing the alleged incident, Gaetz justified pressing charges by delineating the difference between protected speech like shouting and throwing objects.

Via Mediaite:

Gaetz said that he would never want anyone to be in harm’s way.

“But if we start allowing stuff to be thrown or hurled, if we allow people to be harmed, there is a severe risk of escalation and accident. And we don’t want to see anyone in harm’s way, whether it’s family members, supporters, or even our detractors,” Gaetz said.

The Waltons County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that 41-year-old Selena Chambers was charged with “battery on an elected official” over the weekend, and Gaetz made it a point to note her “left wing” politics during his Twitter video.

“Her stuff is not exactly my type, it seems after the 2016 election, based on some of her writing, she became very obsessed with Donald Trump,” Gaetz said. “She’s also a donor to the Joe Biden presidential campaign. As she talked about her emotional turmoil following the 2016 election and just going through some of the stuff she’s written. It is really bizarre. She writes about feminist surrealism.”

(Via Mediaite)

Destroy Lonely has his heart set on being rap music’s next household name. After crushing his Rolling Loud Los Angeles performance, the Playboi Carti signee is well on his way. The musician’s upcoming album, If Looks Could Kill, is slated to be his breakout moment.

When asked about what fans should expect from the album, the musician told Complex, “I was out in New York working on my album, If Looks Could Kill. That sh*t’s hard. I got really in my mode on that. On a bunch of the songs, I’m talking about how ‘I’m The Look Killer’ and a whole bunch of sh*t.”

Here’s everything we know about If Looks Could Kill so far.

Release Date

If Looks Could Kill is out 5/5 via Opium/Interscope. Find more information here.

Tracklist

1. “How U Feel?”
2. “If Looks Could Kill”
3. “Fly Sht”
4. “Which One”
5. “Raver”
6. “Came in Wit”
7. “By The Pound”
8. “All the Time”
9. “Biggest Problem”
10. “Chris Paul”
11. “Superstar”
12. “New New”
13. “Right Now”
14. “Which Way”
15. “Wagwan”
16. “Moment of Silence”
17. “Brazy Girls”
18. “Goin Up”
19. “Passenger”
20. “Promo”
21. “Worth It”
22. “Redlight”
23. “Make Sum Work”
24. “Safety (interlude)”
25. “Your Eyes”
26. “Money & Sex” (bonus) with Ken Carson

Features

In the album’s credits, there is only one listed guest feature, Ken Carson, who’s worked with Destroy Lonely in the past.

Artwork

Singles

So far, “If Looks Could Kill,” co-produced by Clayco and Ssor.t is the only single to be released from the project. “Ain’t Free” was previously released as a snippet, but it did not make the album. Different editions of the album will include additional songs. “Too Damn Rich” and “Spillin” will not make the bonus CD release. As for the vinyl edition, songs “Check the Fleet” and “Back Sippin” will be added.

Tour

Although he hasn’t made a formal tour announcement to support the project, on his official website, there are several upcoming festival appearances and one-off shows listed. See the dates below.

05/19 — Montréal, QC @ Metro Metro Festival 2023
06/15 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2023
06/16 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2023
06/17 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2023
06/18 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2023
06/29 — Gräfenhainichen, Germany @ Ferropolis
06/30 — Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Ahoy Rotterdam
07/01 — Rotterdam, Netherlands @Ahoy Rotterdam
07/06 — Frauenfeld, Switzerland @ Openair Frauenfeld 2023
07/07 — Frauenfeld, Switzerland @ Openair Frauenfeld 2023
07/07 — London, United Kingdom @ Wireless Festival
07/08 — Frauenfeld, Switzerland @ Openair Frauenfeld 2023
07/21 — Miami Gardens, FL @ Rolling Loud 2023
07/22 — Miami Gardens, FL @ Rolling Loud 2023
07/23 — Miami Gardens, FL @ Rolling Loud 2023
08/03 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/04 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/05 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/06 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza

Kim Petras and Nicki Minaj’s anticipated collaboration “Alone” now has a glossy music video that shows off both performers’ love for vinyl clothing and campy looks. Throughout the video, Petras appears as a marching band leader and a 1980s aerobics instructor. Nicki appears in a black leather jumpsuit that turns out to be backless, revealing her Barbie-pink lingerie at the right angles.

“Alone” is built over a sample of Eurodance group Alice Deejay’s 1999 hit “Better Off Alone,” continuing what’s become a Nick Minaj trend of sampling ’80s and ’90s hits which has most recently included “Super Freaky Girl” and “Red Ruby Da Sleaze.”

The two stars have both turned out to be trendsetters in their own right, with Petras becoming the first trans woman to be honored with a Billboard Women In Music Award and to win a Grammy, with her son “Unholy” taking the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance trophy earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj has been extending her reach, adding a verse to Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana” remix after collaborating with NBA YoungBoy and launching her new record label. She’s also become the longest-charting female rapper since Missy Elliott, surpassing her predecessor in January.

You can watch the video for Kim and Nicki’s “Alone” above.

Rap has a long history of teen stars — the creation of the genre is largely credited to a group of New York teenagers throwing house parties in the Bronx — and the latest just might be one of its biggest yet. Luh Tyler is just 17 years old and already signed a deal with Atlantic Records — a deal that has already produced one of the better-received projects of the year — and been dubbed the “coolest rapper/teenager in America/rap” by Pitchfork and Stereogum, the “most exciting rapper in Florida” by Complex, and the “feel-good story in rap” by GQ.

Hailing from Tallahassee, Tyler — not to be confused with the similarly-named Luh Kel — creates low-stakes but engaging music supported by breezy rhymes that don’t so much detail the circumstances of his upbringing as his immediate surroundings at any given moment. He makes the basics sound fly — like a teen Curren$y — but what sets him apart from his contemporaries from the sunshine state is his insistence on defining his existence by good times rather than trauma.

Perhaps no song better exemplifies this than “Back Flippin,” one of his standout tracks and the one that has become his calling card. Then, there’s “Law & Order,” his most successful track to date, built on a sample of the theme from the long-running procedural. Tyler built on the momentum from these two tracks on his debut My Vision with songs like “Stand On Biz” and following up with “First Show,” and if he can keep it up, he might just remain the coolest well beyond the next three years he’s still a teen.

At yesterday’s (May 1) Met Gala, guests were served a meal of, as Vogue notes, “chilled spring pea soup with baby vegetables, lemon crème fraîche, and truffle snow, followed by Ōra King salmon with vegetable nage, asparagus, pickled strawberries, and radish–all served on vintage china.” Caterer Olivier Cheng explained, “This menu was designed to honor the late fashion icon [Karl Lagerfeld] and pay homage to his favorite foods and global palate. These dishes were created to maintain seasonality while using some of his favorite ingredients, such as King salmon. There is a sophisticated elegance to these pairings, one we feel that he would have truly enjoyed.”

To that, Teyana Taylor said no and opted to bring her own Chick-Fil-A instead.

Pusha T couldn’t believe what he was seeing, so he documented it on his Instagram Story, showing off Taylor’s plate of chicken, waffle fries, and dipping sauce. He wrote on one of the videos, @teyanataylor is embarrassing me. She brought @chicfilausa to the #MetGala. I want her away from me…#HARLEM.” In another clip, Usher looks at what Taylor has going on and does some light teasing.

This has actually become a bit of a tradition for Taylor: At last year’s Met Gala, she brought chicken from Popeyes.

In 2019, Luh Kel burst onto the scene with his breakout hit, “Wrong.” Appearing on his debut mixtape Mixed Emotions, which was released under Cinematic Music Group, “Wrong” peaked at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs chart, establishing Kel as a star in the making. Since then, the singer/rapper has only grown in esteem; despite only being 20 years old, he’s accumulated nearly 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, where “Wrong” has over 250 million streams.

In 2020, Luh Kel followed up with L.O.V.E., producing even more hits with “Real,” “Y.O.U.,” “Pull Up,” and “How To Love” (here he is breaking down the music video for the song “Feen” featuring Trippie Redd for Uproxx). Now, his fans await his third mixtape, which is expected to drop sometime this year.

In a 2020 interview with Billboard, the St. Louian crooner credited his hometown with his drive, saying, “It made me want to push harder because, where I’m from, a lot of people don’t really have a lot. The fact that I’m the one person that got to do something and make it better for my city — me seeing that and knowing that pushes me harder every day, knowing that I can do something better with myself.”

Although he wasn’t put out any new music yet this year (“Feeling In Love,” above), when he does you can bet it’ll be an event worth checking out.

Primus, Tool’s Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor, and Queens Of The Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen have released a new live video of their performance of Tool’s “Ænema.” Filmed at LA’s The Belasco on April 17, the benefit concert was for a friend, Jimmy Hayward, who’s undergoing cancer treatment.

“Every now and again cancer steps into our world and pulverizes the lives of people that are dear to us,” Primus’ Les Claypool shared in a statement. “Such a thing happened a while back with our good friend Jimmy Hayward.”

“Over the past couple years Jimmy has undergone many major surgeries to remove then reconstruct major damage from a cancer that invaded his bones,” he added. “With a wife and two very young children at hand, Jimmy has shown incredible courage and tenacity in an unbelievably challenging time.”

They are also currently auctioning off signed merchandise from the intimate event, including a Dunable Cyclops Guitar, Dunable USA Custom Yeti Bass, Dunlop Justin Chancellor Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal, Danny Carey Custom Drum Head, and a Limited Edition Concert Poster, according to a press release.

100 percent of the proceeds will go to Hayward’s treatment. Bids on all items are now open until May 10 at 3 p.m. ET, with more information available here. There is also a GoFundMe set up that can be found here.

Check out Primus’ cover of Tool’s “Ænema” above.