Month: June 2023

Donald Trump had a tumultuous Tuesday as the former president was arraigned on federal charges in Miami after being indicted for his alleged mishandling of classified documents. The indictment has been called damning for its staggering amount of evidence, and Trump’s legal woes are only looking to get worse from here.

As Trump faced his arraignment without the aid of a local attorney because no one wants to join his legal team, a judge allowed E. Jean Carroll to expand her lawsuit against the former president. Carroll had already successfully sued Trump for defamation, and he responded by trashing her during his controversial CNN town hall. The former president continued to defame Carroll even after her lawyers filed legal action to amend her previous suit. With a judge approving the expansion, Trump’s big mouth could reportedly cost him an additional $10 million in damages, according to Axios.

Meanwhile, special counsel Jack Smith might not be finished with Trump. On top of the classified documents indictment, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Weismann told MSNBC that he believes the former president is still looking at charges over his involvement in the January 6 attack.

Via Raw Story:

“The January 6th case, goes to the heart of our democracy. If you look at the fact that numerous people who are much more junior foot soldiers have been prosecuted and Donald Trump, um, was leading that. And the fact that this current indictment is so meticulous, um, and was prepared in relatively short order. And I, I have a good sense of like, how much it takes to put this together; I think there is no question that there will be a federal January 6th case. It would be brought in DC.”

Weismman went even further by saying that the January 6 charges is “the most serious of the cases” and that’s including the classified documents indictment, which alone has the potential to put Trump in prison.

(Via Axios, Raw Story)

Anita Baker and Babyface have been on tour together recently, but there’s been tension. Back in May, a show was delayed, so Baker apparently asked Babyface to not perform his set. He said at the time, “I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at the Prudential Center. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band and I are extremely saddened we didn’t get to perform for y’all tonight.”

Things have soured since then, to the point that Baker has dropped Babyface from the tour.

In an announcement tweet shared yesterday (June 13), she wrote, “After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest[heart emoji]/Support Act. In the Interest of Personal Safety. I will continue, The Songstress Tour, alone. Appropriate refunds will be made.”

Babyface has since offered a response, saying in a statement shared with ET, “I am saddened by the news that Anita Baker has decided to remove me from The Songstress Tour. It’s unfortunate and disheartening to see how things have played out via social media. While I was looking forward to the rest of the dates, I have nothing but love & respect for Anita and I wish her the best for the remainder of her tour.”

Tom Hanks was the co-lead in two of Nora Ephron‘s most popular romantic-comedies, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. It could have been three, but it turns out he was too happy being the most divorced man alive.

“People probably don’t know this, but Tom was offered When Harry Met Sally… and he turned it down because he was going through a divorce and he was very happy to be not married,” his wife Rita Wilson revealed on the Table for Two podcast. “And so he could not understand that a person going through a divorce would have anything other than just like, I’m so happy.”

Hanks divorced his first wife Samantha Lewes in 1987 and married Wilson in 1988. Hanks’ marital status notwithstanding, director Rob Reiner considered a number of actors for the Harry role before settling on Billy Crystal, including Albert Brooks, Richard Dreyfuss, and Michael Keaton, while Molly Ringwald was considered for Sally Albright.

If Hanks had starred in When Harry Met Sally…, he might have been too busy to make The ‘Burbs, the Jon Dante cult comedy that came out the same year. A world without Hanks in The ‘Burbs, and Billy Crystal looking marvelous in a white sweater, is not a world I want to live in.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

Olivia Rodrigo unveiled that her first single, “Vampire,” from her new era is arriving at the end of the month. The reveal came complete with cover art of Rodrigo’s side profile, as she is wearing a purple band-aid on her neck.

In a hilarious bit, former Twilight actor Taylor Lautner chimed in with his thoughts. (For those who don’t recall, he played a werewolf in the movie who was fighting vampires for a woman’s affection, ended up losing, and then decided to date her vampire daughter instead.)

“K WHO TF BIT YOU,” he commented on her Instagram post. The official Twilight account also chimed in, “been waiting for this day!!!!! [crying emoji] dreams really do come true [watery eyed smile emoji].”

While Rodrigo didn’t reply back just yet, she has been a notable Twilight fan. Even her bestie, Conan Gray, promoted the upcoming song with a meme of Edward from Twilight talking to Bella.

“I know what you are,” Bella says. “Say it. Out loud. Say it,” Edward responds. And then the regular movie’s dialogue is changed to, “Olivia Rodrigo’s new single.”

She went on to repost Gray’s photo to her Instagram Story. Last year, the duo also recreated one of Twilight‘s other scenes for a hilarious TikTok.

Additionally, Rodrigo reportedly has an unreleased song from her Sour era that is referred to as both “Twilight” and “Twilight Song,” according to her Fandom wiki. She had first teased it on Instagram in 2020.

While it’s unclear if the two are related, fans will get to find out pretty soon either way.

Charlie Puth is very transparent about his songwriting process. A scroll through his TikTok will offer fans a behind-the-scenes look at how some of his songs come together. But before the age of TikTok, one of his earlier hits has been revealed to have quite an interesting backstory.

During an interview on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen last month, Meghan Trainor said that she and Puth made out in the studio during the writing and recording session for their 2015 duet, “Marvin Gaye.”

In a recent interview with Interview, Puth confirmed that this did, in fact, happen after a bout of drinks.

“I had just moved to LA and yeah, I’m not denying that happened,” said Puth. “That definitely did happen once in 2015. I also don’t think I’d ever had vodka before, Grey Goose vodka.”

This event took place around the time Puth was garnering mainstream pop airplay with his collaboration with Wiz Khalifa, “See You Again.” The song proved to be a breakthrough for Puth, who was riding the high of having a song in one of the Fast And Furious movies.

“I felt like I was on top of the world,” said Puth. “So sure, if Meghan wanted to kiss me, I was definitely down. I think Meghan’s one of the most brilliant songwriters still. I even love her new song.”

Puth is currently on his Charlie: The Live Experience tour in support of his self-titled third album.

Charlie Puth is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ex-President Donald Trump has been indicted (for the second time) for a laundry list of 37 counts, including 31 counts of the Espionage Act, for hoarding all those classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. This development caused Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade’s spirit to deflate on live TV and Donald Trump Jr. to get twitchy. And of course, two of his biggest congressional enthusiasts/MAGA yahoos, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, are offering up the most absurd defenses imaginable. In the process, the latter tripped over so many lies that it’s astounding.

Then again, Greene appears to peddle lies and doesn’t even want her own staff educated, so this is normal for her. The congresswoman from Georgia took to Twitter in a lengthy video that reaches a crescendo pretty fast. Lawyer Ron Filipkowski posted this shorter clip, in which she declares of the indictment, “This is a communist country… We’re not a free country anymore.”

Here’s the longer video where those remarks appear after the 0:50 mark.

So many lies surface in this video that it’s not even worth counting them, but in her caption, she falsely claims that Trump’s second arraignment is based upon “charges of election interference.” Then she goes on in the video to acknowledge that these charges are due to classified document mishandling, but Greene also falsely claims that Trump had every right to hang onto national secrets and stuff those boxes into a bathroom and shower stall:

“Today, President Trump is being arraigned on 37 charges having to do with documents that he absolutely, by the Presidential Records Act, has the right to possess, but here they are, the Biden Administration, really arresting their top political opponent and enemy. This is a communist country.”

She’s echoing Trump’s own lies words on the subject, as relayed by CBS News: “Whatever documents a president decides to take with him, he has the right to do so. It’s an absolute right. This is the law.” That, too, is false.

At this point, it can be hard to tell whether Trump believes his own lies or simply believes that his fans will believe anything that he says. He doesn’t have the right to hang onto “presidential records” via the Presidential Records Act, only “personal” records. And going back to Greene, she doesn’t acknowledge that Trump was not indicted for being a political enemy. He simply happens to be a “top political opponent” who did a bunch of illegal things.

Again, yeah, there are so many lies involved with Greene and Trump that it’s fruitless to single them all out, but man, they never run out of energy, do they?

Katy Perry has had some viral moments on the latest season of American Idol (the show that may or may not have started the “downfall of society,” depending on which The View host you ask). For example, she blew up on TikTok a few months ago over some fun-but-unhinged behavior. It hasn’t all been good, though, as she was accused of mom-shaming and was later booed on the show. Fellow judge Luke Bryan thinks Katy’s doing just fine, though.

In a recent Fox News interview (as People notes), Bryan said, “Katy Perry’s been dealing with stuff like that her whole career,” he said. “We all get it… I mean, we’re judging kids that people at home fall in love with. We’re not gonna bat 1,000 as judges.” He also noted, “I think we get set up. As judges, you know, we kinda fall on the sword a lot of times, and get set up to where people can get very vocal on socials and stuff. My thing is, I think when me and Lionel and Katy sit down at the desk, in our hearts, we’re doing the best we can.”

He continued, “Katy gets picked on for going out and trying to have fun making a TV show. You can’t be so safe in the moment that you’re so homogenized, you can’t ever go for a joke, or go for a fun moment. Sometimes you just gotta say stuff. It may be my year next year. It makes me appreciate her even more, just how big of a scale she’s had to deal with that her whole career.”

Former contestant Oliver Steele recently came to her defense, too, writing on Instagram, “Katy is not a bully, nor does she shame people. I remember being nervous at my audition, nervous during Hollywood week, hell even nervous throughout various points in the competition. Katy has an incredible ability to not just tell what emotional state you’re in, but to be able to tell what’s holding you back. I love all the judges, but Katy always seemed to be able to look into my soul and tell exactly what was troubling me, or what it was I was struggling with. It’s one thing to teach someone to believe in their ability, which the judges are fabulous at. Katy reminded me to believe in who I am as an artist. She challenged me to push myself, to take on challenges that made me uncomfortable. I’m a better musician and artist after Katy Perry pushed me to believe in my potential, and to exceed my limitations.”

The Weeknd and Sam Levinson’s new HBO series The Idol is here, and so far, the response has been… not great: It has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score for any HBO show ever, currently at 26 percent (with a 58 percent audience score). The Weeknd doesn’t seem fazed by this, though. In fact, it looks like he’s happy with how things are going, as he indicated in a new GQ interview.

At the top of the conversation, he was asked how he’s feeling about the response to the show after the first two episodes, and he responded, “I’m loving it. It’s definitely shaken up the culture for sure [laughs]. We knew we were making something dark and controversial but true to what we want to say.” When asked if he thinks “the audience is engaging with it in the way” he intended, he replied, “I just think discussion is healthy, no matter what. To me it’s like, I’m just happy that there’s conversation. That’s important for anything I do, especially this new medium that I’m in.”

Meanwhile, The Weeknd continues busting out new music as new episodes premiere. The fresh tracks that followed this past weekend’s episode were “Family” by The Weeknd with Suzanna Son and “Devil’s Paradise” by Mike Dean.

The pop world has been eating in 2023. Though, it hasn’t always been because of new music. For pop fans, the biggest shaking of their cultural core has occurred in stadiums, as Taylor Swift has swept through the South and East, while Beyoncé’s massive tour has taken Europe by storm. 2023 has also featured big-ticket tours from Harry Styles, SZA, and Lizzo as well, making for a year where pop fans can gather and scream their lungs out together.

But that doesn’t mean the albums of 2023 haven’t been impactful. From critical darlings like Caroline Polachek and Jessie Ware to stadium-ready institutions like Karol G and the Jonas Brothers, there has been plenty for pop fans to savor. It’s a world that still might favor the single to the full release, but the following offerings argue the opposite. Check out the best pop albums of 2023 so far below (including one from December 2022, which is basically just 2023 a little early).

Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

Caroline Polachek is by no means new to the music world. Despite this, her solo sophomore release, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, finds her experimenting with a range of influences and elevating herself beyond the initial sound that first drew listeners in. Here, she plays with flamenco on “Sunset,” while also not alienating anyone by adding the catchy, electronic early preview of “Bunny Is A Rider.” In her present chameleon fashion, she then flips the script once more for the quiet tension on “Crude Drawing Of An Angel.” Just as the title suggests, Polachek reaches a new peak by being able to play with the concept of transformation and versatility on this album. – Lexi Lane

Gracie Abrams — Good Riddance

“You fell hard / I thought, good riddance,” Abrams twists the knife on the album opener “Best,” while maintaining themes of self-criticism throughout. The new album finds her exploring new horizons by working with Aaron Dessner and putting her biggest fears, worst behaviors, and an expanded level of emotional vulnerability on full display — all while backed by some gentle production. She also provides pauses to lift the energy, like the sweet caught-by-surprise moment on “The Blue.” Yet, staying true to the themes of struggling with the rollercoaster of entering adulthood, the album ends with the darkly contemplative “Right Now,” where Abrams wonders if her “little brother thinks my leaving was wrong,” as she continues growing up, getting out, and saying good riddance. – L.L.

Jessie Ware — That! Feels Good!

Jessie Ware snuck “Free Yourself” under the wire last July. She’s ahead of the game this year with a disco-pop indulgence inspired by divas like Donna Summer. “Lightning” is ready-made for dog days, oozing romance. “Freak Me Now” is brash lust. “Begin Again” is pure refreshment. Pick one, and you will feel good. – Megan Armstrong

Jonas Brothers — The Album

The Jonas Brothers are a trifecta, but the Jon Bellion-produced The Album underscores their dynamism. “Waffle House,” TikTok’s favorite single, reframes their formative fights with loving eyes. “Little Bird” delicately illustrates their newer roles as girl dads. They haven’t lost their edge in marriage — just listen to “Summer In The Hamptons.” Life keeps changing, and Joe, Kevin, and Nick keep writing. The ‘70s-inspired LP propels them into a boundless future. – M.A.

Kali Uchis — Red Moon In Venus

Kali Uchis’ third album Red Moon In Venus is without question her best album to date. Maybe it’s because she’s more in touch with herself than ever or maybe it’s because she’s more at peace than ever. The result of either, or maybe both of those observations, is a 15-track body of work that captures Uchis majestically and graceful float through elements of R&B and pop, while also tapping into her Spanish roots, to make what sounds like Uchis’ idea of paradise. Whether it’s “Fantasy” with Don Toliver, “Deserve Me” with Summer Walker, or solo efforts like “All Mine” and “Moonlight,” Kali Uchis’ Red Moon In Venus has plenty of music to get lost in and find your own paradise. – Wongo Okon

Karol G — ‘Mañana Será Bonito’

After a very public breakup, Karol G chose to heal the way she knows best — through music. The Colombian superstar’s fourth album Mañana Será Bonito proves to be a therapeutic experience, for both Karol and the fans. Over the course of 17 flawless tracks, Karol engages in self-care, debates returning to an ex, falls in love on her travels, and has several good cries. All while repeating the very phrase that got her through it all — “Mañana será bonito.” – Alex Gonzalez

Lana Del Rey — Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

Lana Del Rey’s career has been defined by a hot and cold reaction from the press, and equally hot and cold moments of self-sabotage and self-mythologizing. But if anything, it speaks volumes that any online spat that might accompany a rollout is generally forgotten by the next album cycle. That’s how continually surprising and sharp Lana is as a songwriter, that mild controversy slides off her. And that talent is underscored on Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. “A&W” is another high point in sonic adventurousness and lyrical insight, while “The Grants” and the title track are so instantly familiar, they might as well be pulled directly from the singer-songwriter canon. We just can’t quit you, Lana. – Philip Cosores

Myke Towers — La Vida Es Una

Puerto Rican artist Myke Towers couldn’t be held in a box while making his third album, La Vida Es Una. On the album, Towers showcases his versatility by way of lightly revisiting his rap roots, but mostly experimenting with a multitude of genres. While 23 tracks may seem saturated for an album in 2023, Towers delivers through reggaeton, dancehall, and ‘80s-synthpop sounds, defying the pigeonholing of the industry. Needless to say, he’s keeping fans fed. – A.G.

RAYE — My 21st Century Blues

After years of having her debut album delayed, UK singer/songwriter RAYE took matters into her own hands. Two years ago, RAYE outed her previous label, Polydor, for holding her music hostage. In February, she finally released My 21st Century Blues independently. And in turn, she flipped the industry on its head, with tales of heartache, insecurity, and gaslighting. Having finally earned number one song and album on the UK charts, it’s safe to say RAYE’s big risk paid off. – A.G.

Skrillex — Quest For Fire, Don’t Get Too Close

Skrillex is most readily associated with the early 2010s, but he’s been killing it lately, too. Aside from his beloved Coachella performance alongside Fred Again.. and Four Tet, he dropped a pair of albums in February, his first since 2014: Quest For Fire came first and Don’t Get Too Close followed the next day. The list of artists featured across the projects (including Justin Bieber, Missy Elliott, Kid Cudi, and PinkPantheress) evidence how much esteem Skrillex has in the industry, while the top-rate albums illustrate why he remains an icon. – D.R.

SZA — SOS

Yes, this album came out in 2022, but with most of its success taking place in 2023 and the fact that it came after our 2022 lists, it’s only right that SZA’s SOS makes the cut here. Five years removed from her debut album, SZA returns to a world riddled with troubled waters that people from all over hoped to survive and swim out of. Through the album’s expansive 23 songs, SZA guides us on a journey of surviving life’s elements, the lessons learned along the way, and what it looks like to make it to shore. The ups and downs of life, growing pains, and artistic struggles are all present on this album, and it’s even more impressive that she made its 23 songs not feel like an absolute drag. It was a long time coming for SZA, but boy did she arrive. – W.O.

Twice — Ready To Be

One of my close friends is a gigantic Twice fan, which by association, has led to me getting into their Ready To Be mini-album from earlier this year. While I’m not as familiar with their past records to compare, the early singles, “Moonlight Sunrise” and “Set Me Free,” showcase the group’s romantic side over the bubbly production that truly just pulls you in. (Plus, their live performances are so impeccable and synchronized.) On other tracks from the record, Twice shift into fiery, flirty territory with the rock-influenced “Blame It On Me,” which shows off the band’s wide-spanning inspirations that push the boundaries of the general K-Pop conceptions — and prove that they really are the ones to watch. – L.L.

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

Arlo Parks just released her transcendent new album My Soft Machine, whose opening track “Bruiseless” is a slam-poetry supernova. So it’s not a surprise that the 2021 Mercury Prize winner just announced a poetry collection.

The Magic Border: Poetry and Fragments From My Soft Machine will arrive this fall. It features 20 new poems, as well as lyrics from her latest LP. Read her statement about the book:

“Writing poetry, to me, is about profound interiority. It is about wading into the saltwater of your own body, capillaries bursting, eyes brimming, unmoored. This collection is the fruit of that inner probing. It is a tangled mass of everything that has made me angry or giddy or low or impossibly happy to be alive. It has taken me almost [23] years to share my poetry beyond a few trusted friends. Poetry was my place, my little clearing in the forest, where I could quietly put everything I was holding. I’m not sure what gave me the courage to open up that space to you but here I am, doing it. I am proud to show you this personal lens that life shimmers through. This book is no longer mine. It is yours.”

The Magic Border: Poetry and Fragments From My Soft Machine is out 9/12 on HarperCollins, 4th Estate, and Dey Street Books. Find more information here.