It appears that finally, Lorde season is approaching. A couple weeks ago, she was announced as part of the massive Primavera Sound lineup for 2022. A few days ago, she starting trending, seemingly for no reason beyond fans just wanting new music from her. Then, yesterday happened: Lorde shared what seems to be album art for a project called Solar Power. The image in question quickly went viral, as the cheeky photo used was shot from a super-low perspective and shows off a lot of skin from the waist down.
It’s certainly an atypical sort of image, at least as it relates to Lorde and album covers. Naturally, the photo quickly caught fire online and spawned a bunch of hilarious memes. For example, some folks hilariously compared it to the one-off Family Guy cutaway gag character Legs Go All The Way Up Griffin:
Elsewhere, Lorde was edited into a scene from Attack On Titan, a popular mange and anime that features gigantic human-like creatures that eat normal-sized humans:
It was looking hopeful last June when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the MTV VMAs the go-ahead to take place at the Barclays Center in 2020 with a “limited” audience. However, following an uptick in COVID cases, the VMAs instead opted to host the event at an outdoor space, invite only a virtual audience, and have just a handful of in-person performances. But now as large-scale events eye a late summer return, the VMAs are looking to host their 2021 event indoors.
The VMAs announced Tuesday that the awards show will make an in-person return this year. It’s slated to take place September 12 at the Barclays Center once again, and organizers say they plan to allow fans to attend. According to press materials, the event will “feature epic performances from the biggest names in music and bring fans together from across the globe to celebrate the return of live entertainment.”
Though organizers are feeling confident about gathering indoors, they are still making sure to take safety protocols seriously. “The health and safety of artists, fans, staff, and partners remain the number one priority, and MTV and Barclays Center are working closely with state and local officials to implement best practices in order to safely bring together music fans from around the globe,” organizers wrote in a statement.
The VMAs have yet to announce which artists are set to take the stage in September. Last year’s ceremony saw some showstopping performances by The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, BTS, and Lady Gaga, whose various eye-catching masks stole the show.
Over the past year, more and more music venues have been forced to close by the ongoing pandemic. However, there will soon be a new one in Toronto, courtesy of hometown hero Drake and Live Nation. Billboard reports that the new venue, History, will open later this year with a capacity of just 2,500.
Drake said in a statement that his passion for playing intimate shows early in his career was the driving sentiment behind the smaller size. “Some of my most memorable shows were playing smaller rooms,” he recalled. “I wanted to take those memories and what I learned to create an incredible experience for both the artists and the fans.”
The club has been in development for three years, and once open, will host around 200 events a year. History is just one of many venues that were in planning or construction during the pandemic; while Live Nation has the 5,000-capacity Terminal opening this November in Houston, Billboard lists a number of venues set to open in the future, such as The Factory in St. Louis and the Harry Styles-backed Co-Op Live in Manchester. While many other venues — particularly independently-owned venues — across the nation have been forced to close, others are set to return in 2021. While this creates space for new ventures, it’ll still be some time until the live entertainment industry fully recovers.
Jay Williams is a ubiquitous presence on ESPN’s morning programming. He’s one of the hosts of ESPN Radio’s morning show, Keyshawn, JWill, and Zubin, and makes frequent appearances on Get Up!
That means there are lots of opportunities to double-dip when it comes to analysis, takes, and stories, and we got a great example of the car wash of takes on Tuesday morning. Unsurprisingly, one of the lead topics of the day was the Brooklyn Nets dominating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2, winning by 39 points to take a 2-0 series lead to Milwaukee. Kevin Durant was magnificent once again, leading all scorers with 32 points, including a few moments where he took Giannis Antetokounmpo one-on-one and gave him the business.
Williams decided to tell a story about how one time he called Giannis, physically, something akin to if Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant had a baby, praising what the Greek Freak is capable of as a ball-handler and physical presence. According to Williams — who told this story on both shows — that led to KD confronting him about it at a holiday party to tell him to never compare him to Giannis again. Williams believes this indicates that Durant has something personal to prove in this matchup against Giannis.
This, of course, quickly began making the rounds, and for most athletes, they wouldn’t respond quickly. But this is Kevin Durant, who is very aware of what’s happening online, and within an hour or two, he had ripped Williams for telling a “f*ckin lie” in Instagram comments and then expanded on that to torch Williams on Twitter and ask to be left out of all legacy and “who’s better” conversations, calling it “corny ass talk.”
Mans will do anything to advance their careers in this media shit, wanting to be accepted by an industry that will dispose of you whenever they please. Keep me out all that corny ass talk about whos better and legacy and all that dumb ass shit. I don’t even talk like that
It’s quite possible this conversation really did happen but that Williams took it as some big thing (and is embellishing it for the good of television), where KD was simply saying “I don’t like being compared to guys” on a general scale — something he stresses here — and not saying he has some issue with Giannis. That seems more likely than Williams flat out making things up, but it does point to an interesting dynamic with former players turned media. Former players do often have relationships with the guys they cover and have plenty of stories and conversations that are had as friends, not as athlete talking to media, and when they don’t have the right filter for what stories should be told on TV and what need to remain just for them, they can find themselves in awkward situations — just see the Shannon Sharpe-Julio Jones situation.
In this case, Williams seems to have struck a nerve with Durant, as he’s been pitted against players before in beefs and seems to want to avoid that going forward. KD called out Williams for trying to use him to advance his career, effectively reminding him that the media business is a fickle one and he should be careful about burning bridges to try and make good TV, because ESPN will one day kick him to the curb.
In 2005, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn teamed up for the comedy Wedding Crashers and it was an unexpectedly huge hit. Now it’s 2021, and Wilson and Vaughn are 52 and 51 years old, respectively, and they’re still talking about making a sequel.
Rumors of a second Wedding Crashers first sprung up almost immediately after the original movie took in a tidy sum of nearly $210 million in U.S. theaters. According to Variety, the “rumors” became more than that a few times over the years—first in 2014, when director David Dobkin mentioned that he was working on an idea for a sequel that somehow also “involved Daniel Craig in a Speedo.”
Two years later, co-star Isla Fisher mentioned the possibility of a second film during an appearance on the Today show. Now, Wilson—who is currently promoting his role in the new Loki series—seemed to indicate that the sequel could be getting closer to a greenlight.
“Some people are saying that ‘You guys are going to be going in August,’ and that’s not right,” Wilson told Variety. However, he did confirm that Dobkin “has been working on something” and “talking with Vince,” but that’s about as far as they’ve gotten so far.
Which means that fans of the buddy-comedy will likely have a while to wait to see where Wilson and Vaughn’s characters, John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, are today. (And how that maple syrup conglomerate worked out for them.) But first, they have to come up with an idea they all agree works.
“If we all agree that we have a good idea, then we’re trying to make something good,” Wilson said. “But it’s sort of figuring out what that idea would be and if we think we could do something worthwhile.”
After a few days of teasing, John Mayer recently confirmed that his next album is called Sob Rock and it’s on the way. The album is set for July 16, but ahead of then, he dropped a video for his Maren Morris-featuring single “Last Train Home.” Last night, just a few days after the song dropped, Mayer gave it its television debut with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Mayer and his accompanying performers did a fine job at re-creating the studio version of the song, although there are a few differences. For the Kimmel performance, Morris didn’t join in with her background vocals. Additionally, while the studio version of the song just fades out, that’s not really how live performances work, so Mayer wrapped the song up by showing off his guitar skills with a solo.
This appearance was also good practice for Mayer being on TV, practice that may end up coming in useful for him. It was reported recently that Mayer is set to get his own Paramount Plus talk show based on the long-running and renowned UK program Later With Jools Holland.
Watch Mayer perform “Last Train Home” on Kimmel above.
Sob Rock is out 7/16 via Columbia. Pre-order it here.
Since the last year and a half put a damper on live events due to the pandemic, every festival is planning their comeback in a different way. Some, like Coachella, have simply rescheduled for 2022, while other events like Bonnaroo are charging full speed ahead for fall of 2021. New Orleans’ boutique event Buku Festival is splitting the difference, offering a smaller one-off version of their festival this fall while they plan to comeback in full force next spring. The event will take place this October 22 and October 23 in New Orleans, and offers a pretty stacked lineup for what’s considered a scaled back version.
Headlined by artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Machine Gun Kelly, Playboi Carti and Pooh Shiesty, the event shows its range with further inclusions like Kaytranada, Alison Wonderland and Jamie xx, along with Remi Wolf, Arlo Parks, Yung Baby Tate and Flo Milli. Pre-sale for the event begins on Thursday, June 10 with general tickets on sale starting Monday, June 14.
The festival’s co-creator, Dante DiPasquale, said the new take on the event is inspired by watching fans hold steady through uncertain times. “For the past year, we’ve watched our fans step outside of their comfort zones and persevere through weird times,” said Dante DiPasquale, BUKU’s co-creator. “Planet B is the result of us being inspired by them to do the same, and all of us at Team BUKU are excited to finally party with them again.”
Check out the festival’s full lineup below and over at their site.
Megan Thee Stallion
ILLENIUM
Machine Gun Kelly
Playboi Carti
Kaytranada
Zeds Dead
Alison Wonderland
Jamie xx
Pooh Shiesty
Chris Lake
Still Woozy
EARTHGANG
Ghostemane
Ashnikko
Subtronics
SVDDEN DEATH: VOYD
Arlo Parks
Flo Milli
LSDREAM
Purple Disco Machine
Remi Wolf
slowthai
$NOT
Yung Baby Tate
Chee
Dua Saleh
Lucii
Mize
Moore Kismet
박혜진 Park Hye Jin
Pears
Pell presents: GLBL WRMNG
ssgkobe
TVBOO
VNSSA
504icygrl
ANTWIGADEE!
BluShakurX
Bouffant Bouffant
DJ Heelturn
Don Peyote B2B BuckTen
GØ PNIK
Lady Lavender
Lango
Legatron Prime
Lil Iceberg
Malik Ninety Five
Odd the Artist
Rob49
Stone Cold Jzzle
Treety
ZiggMonster
This week in the best new pop music saw some exciting releases by some of today’s biggest pop stars. Billie Eilish offered another look of her upcoming album, Dua Lipa debuted a jazzy tune, and Hayley Kiyoko issued a bouncy track about self-reliance.
After announcing her highly-anticipated sophomore album Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish offered a preview of its matured sound with her stripped-down ballad “Your Power.” This week, Eilish returned with “Lost Cause,” another album preview with equally sparse instrumentation. With her sultry lyrical delivery at the forefront of the track, Eillish issues a kiss-off tune about standing up to a deadbeat guy.
Dua Lipa — “Can They Hear Us?”
The last we heard from Dua Lipa, she was earning a Spice Girls cosign for her ’90s-inspired Brit Awards performance. Now, the singer departs from the revved-up music on her Future Nostalgia release to showcase her ability to draft more intimate songs. Her new track “Can They Hear Us?” was written for the film Gully. The loungy track is Lipa’s version of a lush piano ballad, featuring gentle keys underneath Lipa’s room-filling vocals.
Hayley Kiyoko — “Chance”
Following up on her sunny 2021 single “Find My Friends,” Hayley Kiyoko returns with the heartwarming love song “Chance.” Over a bouncy beat, Kiyoko delivers a poignant reflection about finding the self confidence to take a chance on romance. “‘Chance’ is a song based on those moments when I denied my true feelings for someone out of fear of rejection, and therefore didn’t allow someone to take a chance on me,” Kiyoko said of the track. “I hope this song empowers people to push past their own self-doubt and realize how worthy they are of love.”
John Mayer — “Last Train Home”
Jack Mayer is back and he’s got an album to prove it. Announcing his upcoming LP Sob Rock, the singer returned to showcase his ’80s-inspired pivot with the synth-heavy single “Last Train Home.” The jaunty tune even features backup vocals by country star Maren Morris, further blending genre lines.
Bad Bunny — “Yonaguni”
After issuing his 2021 return with the opulent track “100 Millones,” Bad Bunny looks to mend a broken heart with his emotional track “Yonaguni.” Named after a Japanese island with mythic connections, the song features the singer’s lovelorn vocals as he delivers lyrics about learning to love again.
King Princess — “House Burn Down”
After gaining a massive following with her 2019 debut LP Cheap Queen, King Princess is making sure her fans don’t miss her. This week, the singer shared a shimmering studio version of “House Burn Down,” which has been a staple of her live shows and has since become a fan favorite. The recorded version was co-produced by Mark Ronson and features drums from Fabrizio Moretti and bass from Nikolai Fraiture, the latter two both of The Strokes.
Remi Wolf — “Liz”
Remi Wolf is readying herself for summer festival season and to celebrate, the singer shared the summery tune “Liz.” The song was a staple at Wolf’s live performances and quickly became a fan favorite. Now, she’s celebrating her fans (who call themselves Remjobs) with a vibrant studio version of the song. “This record shows a different side of my work,” Remi Wolf wrote about the track. “I felt so happy and free creating this song and I hope it makes whoever is listening feel the same.”
Jungle — “Talk About It”
British duo Jungle continues to preview their liberating third studio album Loving In Stereo with the funk-forward track “Talk About It.” The song continues their signature dance-ready sound, infusing a cascade of percussion with luminous production. “The bass riff and drum break were recorded very early on during the process of making this record and it was one of the songs where we really bottled the essence of the idea from very early on and not over-work it,” said Jungle’s Tom McFarland about the track.
Glaive — “Detest Me”
16-year-old songwriter Glaive first began making music at the onset of the pandemic. After finding breakout success with his hyperpop-leaning sound, Glaive shares his new track “Detest Me” as the second single of his forthcoming EP All Dogs Go To Heaven. The track is a reflection on growth and the inevitable change that comes along with it, combining upbeat instrumentals with emotional lyrics.
Fousheé — “My Slime”
After being announced as Apple’s Up Next artist this month, recent Uproxx cover star Fousheé shared her debut project Time Machine. The mixtape featured her whimsical track “My Slime,” a tender reflection on the euphoria of a new romance. Crisp and intimate, the song leans on gentle guitar and Fousheé silken voice.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
With the release of its new Ch’King Sandwich, Burger King has entered the chicken sandwich wars with a vengeance. Capitalizing on a recent report that Chick-fil-A has continued to make donations to the National Christian Charitable Foundation, which has been working against the Equality Act, Burger King decided to troll its fast fast competitor on Twitter and for a good cause.
For every Ch’King Sandwich sold, Burger King will donate 40 cents to the Human Rights Campaign up to $250,000. And in case that wasn’t a clear enough dig at Chick-fil-A, Burger King made sure to mention that its charitable giving is still valid on Sundays when Chick-fil-A is famously closed.
“The #ChKing says LGBTQ+ rights!” Burger King tweeted. “During #pride month (even on Sundays) your chicken sandwich craving can do good! we are making a donation* to @HRC for every Ch’King sold.”
*6/3-6/30 with every Ch’King sold, BK will contribute 40₵ to the Human Rights Campaign (Max. donation $250k)
“This is a community we love dearly and have proudly supported over the years, so we couldn’t miss an opportunity to take action and help shine a light on the important conversation happening.”
The Burger King tweet is yet another black eye for Chick-fil-A after the damaging The Daily Beast report exposed that the company’s charitable givings are still going towards anti-LGBTQ causes. After facing controversy in the past for making similar donations, Chick-fil-A had promised to do better with its charitable giving. However, that’s easier said than done given the fast food chicken joint’s close association with right-wing evangelical groups. But with competitors like Burger King dunking on Chick-fil-A for its discriminatory donations, it’ll be interesting to see how the southern-based franchise reacts as the chicken sandwich wars rage on.
Aquaman star Jason Momoa is used to buckling down and taking all of the “talking to fish” jokes as the DCEU’s Arthur Curry, but his Netflix co-star is now dubbing him as “The Little Mermaid,” so there might be some talking to crabs in his future, too. As part of Netflix’s Geeked Week, which will be chock full of announcements, trailers, special appearances, and all things geeky, Momoa appeared in a two-way quiz with the Isabela Merced, his co-star in the upcoming Sweet Girl film.
The title of the film doesn’t go too far explain that this is a revenge movie, and Momoa’s a bit of a John Wick but protecting his daughter, rather than a dog, while aiming for justice against those who killed his wife. Well, Momoa had his hands full with Merced, who sounds like she gave him a hard time about all his dude-collectible stuff. And yup, she even calls him “The Little Mermaid,” given his shared habit with Ariel for collecting “gizmos,” “whatsits,” and “thingamabobs,” all associated with memories that are near and dear. A bit of a roasting goes down at 3:15 in the below video.
“I call him The Little Mermaid… He collects all this stuff, and it’s usually old stuff,” Merced remarked. “He likes it when it looks like it’s been used a bunch.” How did Momoa respond? “Dead on, you got me.” Please say that Momoa has a closet full of scrunchies somewhere. Or at least a drawer full. That’s really not too much of an ask.
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Don’t miss it Sunday, September 12th LIVE from Brooklyn’s 
