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    Faith Evans' Appalling Performance at DMX's Funeral Service Sparks Twitter Backlash

    BET

    Social media users are left impressed by the ‘All Night Long’ singer’s off-key performance and appearance during the virtual event, while others are concerned for her.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Faith Evans’ attempt to honor DMX at his “Homegoing Celebration” has earned negative responses from viewers and fans alike. The R&B veteran, who opened her set with a story of how “I Miss You”, her collaboration with the late rapper from 2001’s “The Great Depression”, came together, left social media users appalled with her off-key performance and dull appearance during the virtual event on Sunday, April 25.

    Those critics took to Twitter to sound off their disappointment, with one writing, “Faith Evans and em could’ve just sent some flowers to the fune instead of singing dry faced, shoeless and off key tearing up everybody’s songs in this damn video…”

    “I’m just going to assume that Faith Evans didn’t know she was performing virtually at DMX’s funeral today. The hair,the vocals, white socks, water bottles all over the floor,etc,” another tweeted. A third one remarked, “Faith Evans she’s flying HIGH right now!!”

    For some others, Evans’ lackluster performance seemed to raise a flag. “Watching Faith Evans looking and sounding as bad as she did…praying for her because…..,” one person reacted after watching the memorial service. Another similarly expressed concern as imploring, “So, for those of y’all that know Faith Evans personally and have her contact information, please reach out and just check in! That’s all I’m gonna say….”

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    Her lackluster performance aside, Evans vividly described her memory of DMX. “I remember the first time I met Earl, he came to my hotel room at 3 A.M.,” she shared. “The front desk called me, and he took the phone from them like, ‘Just tell her it’s DMX!’ And how could I say no to him coming upstairs? It’s DMX wanting to talk to me, so it had to be important. And he came upstairs and told me that he wanted to do this song with me dedicated to his grandmother…”

    The “I’ll Be Missing You” hitmaker went on speaking of DMX’s faith in God. She recalled, “…after he told me, we prayed together, when I went to the studio to record, we prayed together, at the video shoot, we prayed together, and every time I saw him thereafter, we prayed together. There’s a video going around of him praying on the Bad Boy tour. That day, it was my turn to pray, I walked out of my dressing room and saw X, and he said, ‘Faith, you’re an angel in my life! … Cause we always pray together!’ ”

    DMX’s life was previously celebrated at a special memorial at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Nas, Eve and Swizz Beatz were among celebrities who paid their final respect to the late hip-hop icon at the Celebration of Life event, which took place on Saturday.

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    Joe Alwyn Collects His First Grammy for Contribution to Taylor Swift's 'Folklore'

    WENN

    ‘The Favourite’ actor has his name added to the winners’ list on the Grammys website after his singer girlfriend become the first female artist in history to win the Album of the Year title three times.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    British actor Joe Alwyn has officially been recognized as a 2021 Grammy Award winner after contributing to his girlfriend Taylor Swift’s “Folklore”, which was crowned Album of the Year.

    “The Favourite” star had originally been credited on Swift’s liner notes under the pseudonym William Bowery, helping to pen the tracks “Exile” and “Betty”, which he also co-produced, alongside four other songs on the 2020 release.

    “Folklore” claimed the top honor at music’s big night last month (March 21), making Swift the first female artist in history to win the accolade three times.

    She shared the prize with producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, but now eagle-eyed fans have noticed Alwyn’s name has also been added to the winners’ list on the Grammys website, meaning he would have received his very own award, reports People.com.

    The stars, who have been careful to keep much of their romance under wraps, have yet to comment on the news, but Swift gave her man a special shout-out during her acceptance speech at the prestigious event.

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    “Joe is the first person that I play every single song that I write, and I had the best time writing songs with you in quarantine,” she smiled.

    The couple has been dating since 2016.

    Swift has also confirmed that Alwyn used the pseudonym William Bowery when talking to Dessner and Antonoff in Disney+ film, “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions”. She first stated, “There’s been a lot of discussion about William Bowery and his identity. He’s not a real person.”

    The 31-year-old continued explaining, “William Bowery is Joe, as we know.” She went on to gush, “And Joe, Joe plays piano beautifully, and he’s always just playing and making things up and kind of creating things.”

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    Manic Street Preachers Describe Their New Music as 'Great Pop' With 'Miserable Lyrics'

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    The James Dean Bradfield-fronted band have started recording their upcoming fourteenth studio installment which is claimed to sound like ‘The Clash playing ABBA.’

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Manic Street Preachers’ new music is like “The Clash playing ABBA,” according to bassist Nicky Wire. The Welsh indie trio spent two weeks recording its upcoming 14th LP at Rockfield Studios, Wales earlier this year (21), and although lockdown measures meant the process was a bit different, the three are very happy with the record’s “miserable lyrics and great pop.”

    Speaking to Mojo magazine, bassist and songwriter Wire said, “I recorded my entire f**king bass parts with a mask on.

    “But it’s the most rehearsed we’ve ever been for an album. The catchphrase was ‘like The Clash playing ABBA’ – The Clash when you felt they could play in any style.”

    “It’s quite a subtle record. There are, always, guitars, but it’s very restrained for us, and really tasteful. It’s the usual thing, miserable lyrics and great pop.”

    The “Motorcycle Emptiness” hitmakers knew they were going to make a “good record” when it snowed on their first day at the studio.

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    Frontman James Dean Bradfield recalled, “It was snowing. And when the first snowflake came down and you wake up to a beautiful blanket of snow, it was, ‘Yeah, this is going to be a really good record.’ ”

    And the musicians – who are joined in the band by drummer Sean Moore – admitted the coronavirus pandemic really influenced the songs.

    James shared, “I had a very smug idea of how I saw the world, but I’ve realised I’d undervalued absolutely everything in my life.”

    “I think that’s what the album became about. That’s what the music did, it found a way out of lockdown.”

    Nicky added, “There’s a lot of exploring the internal galaxies of the mind on this album, and understanding. It didn’t feel like the right time for spite. It’s more internalised, bathed in a comforting melancholia, rather than a self-defeating one.”

    “I certainly feel like these are some of the best words I’ve ever written.”

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    Young Thug's 'Slime Language 2' Reigns Over Billboard 200 Chart in Debut Week

    Eric Church’s new album ‘Heart’, meanwhile, arrives at No. 5 in this week’s Billboard 200 chart with 49,000 equivalent album units, marking his sixth Top 10 album.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Young Thug’s star-studded project “Slime Language 2” has arrived at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Hailing from Young Stoner Life Records, the set earns 113,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending April 22, according to MRC Data.

    Of the number, most of them are from streaming activity. SEA units comprise 106,000 which equals to 142.68 million on-demand streams of the album’s tracks. Meanwhile, 6000 of them are album sales with 1,000 being in the form of TEA units.

    Released on April 16, “Slime Languange 2” features Gunna, Yak Gotti, Lil Duke, T-Shyne and Lil Keed. Additionally, the 23-track project also sees Young Thug collaborating with big names from outside the Young Stoner Life camp, including Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Big Sean, NAV and Future. The album marks Young Thug’s second No. 1 album after “So Much Fun”.

    At No. 2 is Taylor Swift’s former leader “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”. The album dips one spot after earning 7,000 equivalent album units. Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous: The Double Album”, meanwhile, ascends one rang to No. 3 with 56,000 equivalent album units earned this week. Trailing behind is Justin Bieber’s latest album “Justice” that falls from No. 3 to No. 4 in its fifth week with 54,000 units.

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    Eric Church’s new album “Heart”, meanwhile, arrives at No. 5 with 49,000 equivalent album units, marking his sixth Top 10 album. It is also the first time for three country albums being in the Top 5 together with “Heart”, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Dangerous: The Double Album” nabbing No, 5, No. 2 and No. 3 respectively.

    Back to this week’s chart, Rod Wave’s “SoulFly” dips from No. 5 to No. 6 with 46,000 equivalent album units earned. As for rock band Greta Van Fleet, they score second Billboard 200 top 10, as “The Battle at Garden’s Gate” debuts at No. 7 with 44,000 equivalent album units. Descending from No. 7 to No. 8 is The Weeknd’s “The Highlights”, earning 40,000 equivalent album units.

    Rounding out the Top 10 are Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” and Pop Smoke’s “Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon”. While “Future Nostalgia” rises from No. 10 to No. 9 with 35,000 units, Pop’s posthumous album falls from No. 9 to No. 10 with 34,000 units.

    Top Ten of Billboard 200:

    “Slime Language 2” – Young Thug (113,000 units)
    “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” – Taylor Swift (57,000 units)
    “Dangerous: The Double Album” – Morgan Wallen (56,000 units)
    “Justice” – Justin Bieber (54,000 units)
    “Heart” – Eric Church (49,000 units)
    “SoulFly” – Rod Wave (46,000 units)
    “The Battle at Garden’s Gate ” – Greta Van Fleet (44,000 units)
    “Highlights” – The Weeknd (43,000 units)
    “Future Nostalgia” – Dua Lipa (35,000 units)
    “Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon” – Pop Smoke (34,000 units)

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    Van Morrison Defends Anti-Lockdown Songs, Cites 'Freedom of Speech'

    WENN

    The ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ hitmaker comes to his own defense after he received ‘very negative reaction’ following the release of his anti-lockdown songs amid Covid-19 pandemic.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Veteran singer/songwriter Van Morrison is bemoaning the “very negative reaction” to his anti-lockdown protest songs last year (20), insisting he was simply exercising his “freedom of speech.”

    The “Brown Eyed Girl” hitmaker has been outspoken in his criticism of lockdown measures introduced to curb the spread of COVID-19, which halted almost all live music events in the U.K. from March, 2020.

    He dropped a series of tracks outlining his strong views, including one with rock legend Eric Clapton, called “Stand and Deliver”, which was released in support of Van’s Save Live Music campaign, raising funds for his Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund, helping struggling musicians who were unable to perform.

    However, Van is dismayed that only Eric paid attention to his plea for fellow famous artists to “fight the pseudoscience and speak up” and he is concerned people are being silenced for expressing alternative views.

    He told The Times newspaper’s Saturday Review, “The only other person who has any traction or motivation to speak out about what’s going on, to get out there and question things, is Eric.”

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    “A few people got a petition together to end the lockdown, but nobody pays attention to petitions, do they?”

    “If I can write about it, I do. Poetic licence, freedom of speech… these used to be OK. Why not now? I don’t understand it. Some people call it a cult. It is like a religion. Whether anyone agrees with me or not is irrelevant.”

    “Just as there should be freedom of the press, there should be freedom of speech, and at the minute it feels like that is not in the framework,” he grumbled. “If you do songs that are an expression of freedom of speech you get a very negative reaction.”

    And the crooner doesn’t think it’s “a given” that live music will return any time soon.

    “Your guess is as good as mine because freedom is not a given any more,” he said. “You have to fight for it. That’s where the blues come in.”

    Van’s views on the state of the world are explored on his new album, “Latest Record Project: Volume 1”, which hits retailers on 7 May (21).

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    Dave Keuning Confirms He's Back With The Killers After Four Years of Break

    WENN

    The lead guitarist of the Brandon Flowers-fronted band is reuniting with his bandmates, four years after he took a step back to spend time with his family.

    Apr 25, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    The Killers co-founder Dave Keuning has confirmed reports he’s back with the band after stepping away from the spotlight in 2017 to focus on his family.

    The guitarist featured in a video the band posted from the studio earlier this year (21), leading fans to believe Dave was working with the group again after sitting out The Killers’ last album “Imploding the Mirage and opting not to tour, and now he reveals he’s back with his former bandmates while insisting life on the road is over for him.

    Keuning tells Rolling Stone magazine he quit the group because he was “sick of the touring, which is the other 22 hours of the day, when you aren’t onstage,” and wanted to be home with his young son.

    “I was done with that, just travelling and going back to the hotel or going back to the bus and going to the next town,” he explains. “I’ve done that a lot. Some people aren’t very sympathetic. But everyone’s situation is different at home, or how much they can take. Sometimes I felt like I was under a little, unnecessary microscope.”

    “It was like, ‘Why don’t you want to tour?’ I’d be like, ‘You mean why don’t I want to be gone 11 months out of the year? Do I need to come up with a detailed explanation? Are you gone 11 months out of the year?’ ”

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    “Everyone has a different threshold or motivation or personal situation… I really do miss the shows… and the fans and the crowds and all that stuff. But I did it a lot for 10 years. After a while, I just wanted to experience something else. I was fortunate to get a house, but I was never there. I wanted to actually live in it and have a normal life… I got tired of constantly feeling guilty because I was never home and I have a son.”

    Dave insists the break from the band has served him well, because he has been able to use a bunch of songs that never made it onto The Killers’ albums for his own solo project, adding, “At least it gives me a finished sense of satisfaction. And I’m happy that some of these songs are seeing the light of day instead of never being finished.”

    He admits the COVID pandemic brought the band back together again. “They were about to go on tour before the pandemic and that tour was cancelled,” he explains. “And then they reached out. They were working on a record because they had all this time on their hands, and they asked if I wanted to be a part of it… It hasn’t actually been super easy to get all four of us in a room because of the pandemic, but it got me talking to them again and recording with them again.”

    Keuning admits he’ll even consider touring with The Killers again – if he’s not away from home for 11 months of the year.

    “I’ll do 100 (shows),” he laughs. “What people don’t understand is that I’m only in their town one night of the year, but there were some years where (we did 200 shows) a year.”

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    Dave Grohl Releases Duet With Daughter to Pay Tribute to 'Family History'

    Instagram/Troy Conrad

    The Foo Fighters ringleader has released a collaboration with his daughter Violet Grohl, a cover of X’s song ‘Nausea’ to pay tribute to family ties with X drummer.

    Apr 25, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Dave Grohl has paid tribute to his “family history” by releasing a duet with his daughter.

    The Foo Fighters frontman and his eldest child, 15-year-old Violet, have teamed up for a cover of X’s 1980 track “Nausea”, with the song recorded at the “All My Life” singer’s home studio and featuring in his upcoming documentary “What Drives Us”.

    Dave explained on Instagram how he is connected to X both through music and family ties and how those connections ultimately “serve as the foundation to the soundtrack to our lives.”

    The rocker explained how, following Nirvana’s 1992 world tour, his grandmother told him he could be related to X drummer DJ Bonebrake because his surname was her maiden name and, in 2007 after a Foo Fighters gig, he and other members of his family had a reunion with the musician.

    He recalled, “After the show, Pat (Smear) brought DJ to the dressing room backstage, where my mother, sister and I were having drinks. As he came through the door, we all stood up and warmly greeted him like a long lost relative, inspecting every feature, desperately trying to identify the trademark family brow or chin, passed down over centuries.”

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    “Long discussions of distant relatives and our historic family tree ensued, and by the end of the night we parted ways feeling a bit more connected to the lineage that brought us to this place, musical and otherwise.”

    After finishing work on “What Drives Us” and watching it back, he felt it was important to commemorate those connections in some way.

    Dave wrote in the third part of his lengthy post, “I wanted to record a song that would not only pay tribute to the people and music that influenced me to become a musician, but also to pay tribute to my long family history.”

    “So what better than an X song? And what better person to sing it than my daughter, Violet Grohl, another descendant of Johann Christian Beinbrech. I picked up one of my favorite X songs, ‘Nausea’, from their 1980 debut album ‘Los Angeles’ and forwarded it to Violet, hoping that she would agree to my most impulsive idea.”

    “Anyone who has ever heard Violet sing knows that she was certainly capable of doing it, but it was just a matter of getting her in front of the microphone to record, something that the two of us had never done together before. It felt so meaningful to have the first song Violet and I record together be a tribute to our Bonebrake heritage.”

    Violet agreed and Dave recorded the instrumental tracks before she added her vocals and he then put harmonies over the top, and the “Everlong” hitmaker couldn’t be prouder of the track.

    He gushed, “We smiled upon listening to playback at full volume. It was a moment that superseded anything musical. A life moment that I will cherish forever. A family moment.”

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    Tom Jones Credits Late Wife for Saving Him From Ridicule for Attempting to Embrace Hip-Hop

    WENN

    The ‘It’s Not Unusual’ hitmaker recalls being advised by his late wife Linda against releasing a rap-inspired album after she listened to his experimental material.

    Apr 25, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Welsh crooner Tom Jones credits his late wife Linda with saving him from public ridicule after once attempting to embrace hip-hop in his pop music.

    The “It’s Not Unusual” hitmaker, who lost his longtime partner to lung cancer in 2016, recalls Linda wisely advising him against releasing his rap-inspired tunes after giving her a preview of his experimental material.

    “Every time I would record an album, she would be the first one I ever played it to and she would tell me what she thought,” Tom told U.S. news show “Today”.

    “I got a little, sort of hip-hop at one stage in my career and she said, ‘Who are you aiming this at?’ and I said, ‘Whoever wants to listen to it!’ ”

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    “She said, ‘There are other people who do that stuff, you don’t need to do that, do you…?’ and she was right, it didn’t really work.”

    Tom released “Surrounded by Time”, his first album since Linda’s passing, on Friday (23Apr21), and without having her as his sounding board, he can only imagine what she may make of the songs.

    “I would hope she would like it…,” he smiled.

    During the interview, Tom, who moved back to London from the U.S. following Linda’s death, admitted he still talks to his wife on a daily basis because he keeps her ashes in his bedroom so she will always be close by.

    He shared, “She wanted to be cremated… and I have her ashes in a box and I’ve got them in my bedroom on top of a chest of drawers with her photograph over the top, so she’s the last person I speak to at night, and the first person I speak to in the morning.”

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