Category: Viral

It’s officially December, which means that no one can be told it’s too early to listen to Christmas music. Thankfully, pop musicians have already gotten a head-start on the holiday cheer by offering up some original holiday tunes. Carly Rae Jepsen and the Jonas Brothers shared their Christmas songs several weeks ago, but now, Finneas is throwing his own tune into the mix.

Finneas shared the forlorn ballad “Another Year” today. Over delicate piano keys, Finneas sings of spending the holidays surrounding by loving friends and family.

In a statement alongside the track, Finneas said he actually penned the song last December, but says it has taken on a new meaning in light of the events that have unfolded in 2020. “I wrote this song last Christmas, with a year of uncertainty ahead of us, had I known, anything I know now about how 2020 would go, I don’t think I would have changed a word,” he said.

“Another Year” is the latest in a handful of singles the singer has released as of late. Along with recording the upcoming James Bond theme song “No Time To Die” with Billie Eilish, Finneas has also shared the poignant singles “Where The Poison Is,” “Can’t Wait To Be Dead,” and “What They’ll Say About Us.”

Listen to “Another Year” above.

Because questionable legal moves are his bread and butter these days, Rudy Giuliani has reportedly approached Donald Trump with a request for a “preemptive pardon,” which would effectively shield him charges after the president leaves office. According to two sources for The New York Times, Giuliani floated the idea as recently as last week, and it wasn’t the first time the subject has been broached. As for what future charges Giuliani is attempting to duck is unknown, but a likely scenario is the ongoing investigation into his activities in Ukraine, which ultimately lead to Trump’s impeachment.

While a preemptive pardon is unusual, it has happened before, but in extremely rare and extenuating circumstances. Via the Times:

Such a broad pardon pre-empting any charge or conviction is highly unusual but does have precedent. George Washington pardoned plotters of the Whiskey Rebellion, shielding them from treason prosecutions. In the most famous example, Gerald R. Ford pardoned Richard M. Nixon for all of his actions as president. Jimmy Carter pardoned thousands of American men who illegally avoided the draft for the Vietnam War.

Taking a page from Trump’s playbook, Giuliani denied requesting a pardon and accused the Times of being “#FakeNews” on Twitter. “NYT lies again. Never had the discussion they falsely attribute to an anonymous source,” Giuliani wrote. “Hard to keep up with all their lies.”

Of course, Giuliani securing a pardon from Trump wouldn’t exactly come as a shock. The president recently pardoned his former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, and in 2017, he pardoned Sheriff Joe Arpaio before he was even sentenced for contempt of court. Like Giuliani, both men are loyal Trump supporters.

(Via New York Times)

Elliot Page, once publicly known as Ellen Page, has announced he is transgender. The announcement makes the Oscar-nominated actor one of the most high-profile celebrities to come out as transgender.

The actor currently stars in Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” and has acted in films such as “Juno,” “Inception,” and the “X-Men” franchise.

Page made the announcement on social media where he celebrated the joy of coming out while taking the opportunity to discuss the issues faced by the transgender community.

“I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,” Page wrote.

“I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community,” he continued. “Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.”

Page’s announcement is powerful because he acknowledges the joy and hope of living as his authentic self while understanding his road will be difficult and that countless transgender people face life-threatening discrimination.

“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better,” Page continued.

“The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared. I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, ‘the jokes,’ and of the violence…” Page wrote.

“The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious, and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences,” he continued. “In 2020 alone, it has reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women.”

Page’s announcement was celebrated on Instagram by his spouse, Emma Portner. The couple married in 2018.

via Emma Portner / Instagram

Page’s pronouns are he/they and he identifies as transgender and non-binary. A non-binary person’s gender identity is neither man nor woman and can be fluid.

The announcement was celebrated by Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Media. “Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” Adams said in a statement.

“He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people,” Adams continued. “All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”

Page’s decision to come out is brave and will hopefully broaden the conversation surrounding transgender issues and inspire greater tolerance among mainstream society.

Celebrities like Page are in a unique position to change people’s opinions on controversial matters such as gender. When people are comfortable having you in their homes through the magic of television they are more likely to accept others of the same identity.

Back in the ’90s, Ellen DeGeneres suffered career setbacks and public outrage for coming out as a lesbian. But her visibility was a major factor in turning the tide of public opinion on LGBTQ issues among mainstream Americans.

Hopefully, Page’s announcement can do the same by shining a light on the issues facing transgender individuals and promote their inclusion.

Stephen Curry was quite busy this weekend, starting with playing in The Match III with Peyton Manning against Charles Barkley and Phil Mickelson on Friday and then launching his Curry Brand with Under Armour on Tuesday. He also was among the many NBA players that tuned in to watch Nate Robinson’s boxing debut that went very poorly against Jake Paul on Saturday night, and the two-time MVP went viral with a tweet at Nate that joked he did indeed shock the world, just not in a good way.

On Monday night, Curry joined Trevor Noah for an interview on The Daily Show to talk about the upcoming season and the launch of Curry Brand, but Noah began the interview by asking Curry about that tweet. Curry laughed about it but made sure to note that he loves Nate and that there are few guys more resilient than Robinson, and he’ll be betting on Nate to bounce back in whatever he does next. He also got asked about his own loss in The Match and which of the two was worse, losing to Charles Barkley in a golf event or Nate getting knocked out by Jake Paul.

Curry split the answer into two parts, saying Nate’s loss was worse because Steph didn’t have any physical harm come his way, but that his was arguably more embarrassing because of who it was against and how much trash talk he’ll have to deal with from Charles Barkley the rest of the year.

In the years since Lorde released 2017’s Melodrama, she has kept mostly out of the public sphere, although she has popped up on occasion. That has been happening more frequently lately, and once again, we have a new dispatch from Lorde. This time, it comes via an an interview with Blackbird Spyplane, a site that describes itself as “yr no. 1 source across all media for ‘unbeatable recon’ on dope under-the-radar joints.”

During the chat, she was asked about her next album, and while she didn’t say much she hasn’t already said, she did say she’s working on “the whole cinematic universe” of it:

“I’m telling people that something is taking shape. More than ‘taking shape’ — something is — there’s a thing. But, you know, I really take my time, and I like to know the whole universe, the whole cinematic universe for what I’m making, so I’m in that process right now. I don’t know how much more I want to say. It’s such a kooky year in terms of knowing anything about timing, but I guess with me, as an artist generally, no one ever knows when anything’s coming anyway…”

There’s no word yet on whether that universe features Pablo Picasso, with whom she would definitely have had sex.

Read the full interview here.

History was made this weekend when chef David Chang won $1 million for his charity on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, becoming the first celebrity in the show’s history to successfully answer the million-dollar question correctly.

Helping him to do so was ESPN analyst Mina Kimes, who went to Yale and was a business and economics journalist before moving into the world of sports where she’s now one of the top NFL analysts at ESPN. As such, she knows many things about many subjects and was Chang’s choice as his Phone A Friend lifeline. On that final question, which asked which president was the first with electricity in the White House, Chang dialed up Mina who said Benjamin Harrison seemed right before time cut off.

On Tuesday, Kimes joined Pablo Torre on the ESPN Daily podcast to discuss her role in the Millionaire moment, and explained that she somewhat accidentally gave Chang the right answer, because she would’ve kept talking about the other options and said she wasn’t sure had time not cut off and caused her to get hung up on.

Kimes, of course, is being a bit modest when she says it was “bananas” for Chang to listen to her on that question, but it worked out well, which she’s very thankful for, because she wouldn’t have been able to look him in the eyes had she gotten it wrong. Now, she’s helped him make history and make $1 million to help hospitality workers who have been so incredibly hurt by the pandemic, and as Torre says at the end, she’s probably earned some free food from Chang’s restaurants.

Earlier this year, the Virginia singer/rapper formerly known as Big Baby DRAM quietly changed his name on streaming services to his government-issued first name Shelley, although he generously tagged himself “FKA DRAM” so fans could still find his catalog. However, he hadn’t released any new music under his rebranded moniker until his label, Love Renaissance (or LVRN), issued its first-ever holiday album, Home For The Holidays, last month. Today, the label shared the first video from the project, which features Shelley and newcomer Young Rog covering José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad.”

Featuring a quick intro by LVRN’s resident DJ Kitty Cash, the video documents the two crooners recording their rendition in a thoroughly decorated studio complete with Christmas trees, stockings, and fairy lights. Shelley — who’s recently taken to filming cooking content for his Instagram throughout the pandemic — looks like he’s been baking some cookies for Santa and his labelmates, wearing a printed apron and holding a blunt as he embellishes Rog’s mellow take on the holiday standard. Fittingly, the production still features a subtropical flair, with bossa nova percussion and a soft, Spanish guitar backing the singers’ smooth vocals.

Other standards that appear on Home For The Holidays include “Santa Baby,” sung by Summer Walker, “This Christmas,” by Eli Derby, and Shelley’s second take on “The Christmas Song” after he dueted the song with his mom on his own holiday EP in 2017. Meanwhile, 6lack and Summer Walker take a turn on James Brown’s “Santa Claus, Go Straight To The Ghetto” with “Ghetto Christmas,” while rappers Westside Boogie and OMB Bloodbath put a ratchet twist on a classic with their irreverent “12 Days Of Bhristmas.”

Check out Home For The Holidays here.

Mariah Carey may be crowned the Queen Of Christmas, but that isn’t stopping other musicians from serving up their own holiday jingles. In the last few weeks, artists like Carly Rae Jepsen, the Jonas Brothers, and Finneas debuted original Christmas songs, and now, BTS are similarly getting into the holiday spirit with their performance of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.”

In order to spread some holiday cheer, the boys gathered around a lit-up Christmas tree lined with presents to perform for ABC’s holiday singalong program. Donning cozy and festive outfits, the seven BTS members danced in front of the tree and had a merry time while delivering their “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” lyrics.

The performance arrives on the tail end of a huge year for BTS. They kicked things off in January by becoming the first K-pop group to become Platinum certified in the US for their 2018 LP Love Yourself: Answer. Since then, BTS have gone on to release three projects, break YouTube’s record for the biggest video premiere, and receive a number of other accolades. Just this week, the K-pop group’s song “Dynamite” secured their third No. 1 single within three months.

Watch BTS’ “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” singalong above.

Elliot Page, nominated in 2007 for a lead performance in Juno and currently starring in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, has announced that he’s transgender. In a note to over 3 million Instagram followers, Page broke the news:

“Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.”

Page continued while sending out a message of support to trans people who have experienced harassment, including threats of violence:

“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.”

This statement follows Page’s advocacy on behalf of GLAAD and his condemnation of Vice President Mike Pence’s policies, which Page previously argued has contributed to the normalization of homophobia that leads to hate crimes like the one former Empire star Jussie Smollett was accused of staging in Chicago.

In a statement to Variety, GLAAD Director of Transgender Media, Nick Adams, declared, “Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people. He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”

Page favors the he/him and they/them pronouns, and as Variety notes, Page describes himself as non-binary (which means that Page’s gender identity is neither man nor woman). Read the rest of Elliot’s Instagram statement below:

(Via Variety)

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got the annual holiday cover from Phoebe Bridgers, a collection of covers from Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, and a massive double album from The Smashing Pumpkins. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays

What started as a way for Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong to kill the time in quarantine became a full-fledged cover compilation, serving as a tribute his wide array of influences, from The Bangles and Kim Wilde to John Lennon and The Clash. Hearing Armstrong’s signature vocal drawl take on a John Lennon song with a punk rock makeover sure is fun, even if the album’s title might indicate otherwise.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Cyr

Gone are the big guitars and thrashing riffs of Smashing Pumpkins’ heyday, instead replaced by a synth-pop aesthetic fostered by Billy Corgan’s desire to achieve a contemporary sound. Cyr marks the first time since 1995 that The Smashing Pumpkins have recorded two consecutive albums without a lineup change, featuring contributions from much of the band’s original lineup. All told, Cyr finds the veteran band pushing into uncharted territory, with twenty songs giving them more than enough space to experiment.

Various Artists – No Cover: Carpark’s 21st Anniversary Covers Compilation

To celebrate the 21st anniversary of Carpark Records, the label recruited 21 artists from its present and past roster to cover their label mates. No Cover features contributions from Sad13, Cloud Nothings, The Beths, Emily Reo, Madeline Kenney, Dan Deacon, Johanna Warren, Melkbelly, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, TEEN, and more. Some covers are faithful, while others reimagine the source material, but the album as a whole is a testament to the label’s lasting impact on the indie scene at large.

Phoebe Bridgers – “If We Make It Through December” (Merle Haggard cover)

Keeping with the tradition she started in 2017, Phoebe Bridgers has shared a special holiday track. This time, it’s a cover of Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December,” a hopeful number that looks ahead to the year to come after a particularly difficult time. It’s a sparsely arranged track featuring little more than piano performed by longtime collaborator Ethan Gruska, showcasing Bridgers’ melancholy vocals and the narrative lyrics.

Growing Stone – “Party City”

Skylar Sarkis has spent the better part of the last five years touring full time as vocalist/guitarist of New York punk band Taking Meds. One of the side effects of Taking Meds (hehe, get it?) was that Sarkis had to table his solo project Growing Stone indefinitely. Now, with touring not on the table, Sarkis finally had the time to revisit the Growing Stone project and complete his debut album I Had Everyone Snowed. “Party City” is an impressive lo-fi number centered around a drum machine with a chorus that evokes one of the more dialed-back, melodic iterations of late Nirvana.

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