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    Janet Jackson to Celebrate 'Control' 35th Anniversary With NFT Release

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    The ‘Nasty’ singer is preparing for her first NFT collection to celebrate the 35th anniversary of her 1986 studio album with part of the proceeds going to charity.

    Apr 28, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Janet Jackson will celebrate the 35th anniversary of her acclaimed LP “Control” with a series of NFTs.

    The influential record was her third solo record and included hits such as “What Have You Done for Me Lately”, “Nasty”, and “When I Think of You”.

    And following the milestone anniversary in February, the 54-year-old music icon has partnered with gaming and augmented reality firm RTFKT on the NFTs and “augmented experiences” for her fans.

    What’s more, Janet is donating part of the money made from the NFTs to the American child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organisation, Compassion International.

    Randy Jackson, the founder of The Association Entertainment Corporation, said in a statement, “Once again technology through NFTs creates a new lane for artists to express their art in an innovative way throughout the world.”

    “RTFKT is the leader in this medium. Janet and I are grateful to be working with them.”

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    RTFKT President and Chief Strategy Officer, Rocky Mudaliar, added, “Janet’s longevity is a testament to her forward-thinking. Working with Randy Jackson, Janet and the Rhythm Nation team has been creatively refreshing.”

    “Our partnership will bring rare and highly interactive experiences to the blockchain and social media. We are thrilled to welcome Janet Jackson to the RTFKT family.”

    Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are an emerging market within blockchain where single-impression unique digital art and goods known as the “token” can be sold.

    “Control” recently hit the number one spot on Apple’s Top 40 U.S. Pop Album chart.

    The singer said in an emotional video posted on social media, “I was at home just the other day by myself and I began to cry. I was crying because I was so thankful for all that God has blessed me with, all that he has given me. I’m so thankful for Him being in my life. And I am so thankful for all of you being in my life. You’re so special to me.”

    “And I want to thank all of you for making ‘Control’ number one once again after 35 years. I never, never in a million years, I would never think that this would happen. I really appreciate you and I love you so, so much. Thank you.”

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    Indonesia Submarine Crew Sang a Farewell Song, Weeks Before Sinking

    A video of the sailors singing went viral on social media, prompting many to infer a hidden meaning in the pop song’s lyrics.Below deck on their submarine, Indonesian sailors crowded around a crewman with a guitar and crooned a pop song called “Till We Meet Again.”Weeks later, the same sailors vanished deep beneath the Pacific Ocean while descending for a torpedo drill, setting off a frantic international search. Indonesian military officials said on Sunday, four days after the vessel disappeared, that it had broken into three pieces hundreds of meters below the surface, leaving no survivors among the 53 crew members.Now, the video of the submariners singing is resonating across Indonesian social media, in a nation where many people are jaded by a steady stream of bad news: devastating earthquakes, erupting volcanoes and sinking ferries.“If land is not where you are destined to return to, there is a place for you in heaven,” members of the band Endank Soekamti, who composed the song, wrote on Instagram below a clip of the sailors’ performance.The clip went viral after the Indonesian Navy released it on Monday. Lt. Col. Djawara Whimbo, a spokesman for the Indonesian military, said in an interview on Tuesday that the video had been recorded last month to honor the outgoing commander of the navy’s submarine fleet.The video has hit a nerve online, in part because the song — which describes a reluctant goodbye — sounds especially poignant in the wake of the accident.Some social media users speculated that the sailors had a “hunch” about the looming accident and were singing about their own fate. Colonel Whimbo said that was a reflection of “cocoklogi,” an Indonesian phrase that describes looking back at people’s lives to find clues to explain seemingly random events.People in the Muslim-majority country, from remote villagers to senior politicians, often rely on faith and superstition to understand current events. A succession of Indonesian presidents have paid their respects to the spirit world, consulting with seers or collecting what they believed were magic tokens, for example.In the years after the 2004 tsunami that killed 230,000 people in Indonesia and elsewhere, many Indonesians blamed the disaster on then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, saying that he carried the shadow of cosmic misfortune.Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a former spokesman for Indonesia’s disaster management agency, told The New York Times in 2018 that he made a point of incorporating local wisdom and traditional beliefs while communicating the science of disasters.“The cultural approach works better than just science and technology,” Mr. Sutopo said. “If people think that it is punishment from God, it makes it easier for them to recover.”The latest diaster struck last week, when a 44-year-old submarine, the Nanggala, disappeared before dawn during training exercises north of the Indonesian island of Bali. Search crews from the United States, India, Malaysia, Australia and Singapore later helped the Indonesian Navy hunt for the vessel in the Bali Sea.For a few days, naval experts worried that the sub might run out of oxygen. Then the navy confirmed over the weekend that it had fractured and sank to a deep seabed.Among the items a remote-controlled submersible found at the crash site was a tattered orange escape suit.A tattered orange escape suit that was found in the waters near where the submarine sank. Fikri Yusuf/Antara Foto, via ReutersPresident Joko Widodo of Indonesia expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen sailors on Monday, calling them “the nation’s best sons” and noting that the government would pay for their children’s education through college.“May the spirits of the golden shark warriors get the best place at the side of Almighty God,” he said.The song the sailors sang last month, “Till We Meet Again,” happens to have a complex back story.The musician Erix Soekamti said that he and his bandmates wrote it about six years ago on a remote island east of Bali, as a tribute to the local people they had met over the course of a monthlong recording session.The song’s lyrics can be interpreted as fatalistic:Beginning will endRise will setUps will meet downsThe song was meant to convey optimism, Mr. Soekamti said, but it has slowly become associated with loss, misfortune and death.A few years ago, he said, the crowd at an Indonesian soccer game sang it after a goalie for one of the teams died during a previous match. “Then it became a loser song,” he said. “Now, when a team loses, that song will be sung.”“Till We Meet Again” has been covered by other musicians; a melancholic version by the Indonesian singer Tami Aulia has more than nine million page views on YouTube.But Mr. Soekamti said his band now avoids playing it and recently declined to include it on an upcoming live album.“I am sad,” he said, “and, in a way, afraid.” More

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    Miranda Lambert Tears Up at First Concert Since COVID-19 Pandemic

    Instagram

    Taking the stage at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, Texas, the Grammy-winning singer breaks into tears while singing ‘The House That Built Me’ in front of a socially-distanced audience.

    Apr 27, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Miranda Lambert could not help but get emotional while performing at her first concert since the COVID-19 pandemic. When taking the stage at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, Texas, the country singer broke down in tears.

    The 37-year-old shared on TikTok a video of herself crying on stage while singing “The House That Built Me” in front of a socially-distanced audience at the Thursday, April 22 concert. Alongside the footage, she wrote, “First show back in over a year. I missed y’all so much.”

    Miranda told the crowd, per Entertainment Tonight, “No matter what I’ve ever done in my career and what I’m still gonna do, somehow I still feel most at home on a barstool under a neon sign,” She added, “I walked in here and I took a little tour around, and I just felt so at home. I remembered why I do this and why I missed y’all’s faces so damn much.”

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    The “Mama’s Broken Heart” songstress performed at the concert from Thursday to Saturday, April 24. She is set to take the stage again on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1.

    Miranda, who will release “The Marfa Tapes” album in May along with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall, revealed that she took a break from music in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. “The first six months of 2020, I didn’t write anything. I didn’t do anything,” she told Entertainment Weekly for its June issue. “I painted and cooked. Like everyone else, I ate too much and tried out all the wine and found all the places we had it hidden.”

    “After about six months, I started to miss it so much I was like, ‘I need to create. I don’t feel like myself.’ That’s where Marfa came in. It was my burst of creativity,” the ex-wife of Blake Shelton added. “When you slow down that much, you’re like, ‘Wow. I was really going 100 miles an hour, not only physically but mentally.’ It was nice to just check out.”

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    Gwen Stefani Plays Cupid in New Music Video for ‘Slow Clap’

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    Gwen Stefani Plays Cupid in New Music Video for 'Slow Clap'

    [embedded content]

    In the visuals, the fiancee of Blake Shelton can be seen riding her white scooter to an elementary school where she helps a young man to express his feelings to his crush.

    Apr 27, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Gwen Stefani is back with a new music video for her latest single “Slow Clap”. In the visuals, the fiancee of Blake Shelton can be seen riding her white scooter to an elementary school where she helps a young man to express his feelings to his crush.

    Donning a bomber jacket with a cupid drawn on the back, Gwen sings her heart out while walking down the school hallway. She guides the young boy to show off his dancing skills in front of his schoolmates and his crush. However, they laugh at him instead of being impressed. That, however, doesn’t stop him from trying to get better with his moves.

    After practicing hard, he eventually asks his crush to meet him at the field. The two later dance to the song. They are not the only ones having a blast with the song though as their teacher is also seen dancing in the hallway.

    “Clap, clap/ Clap, clap, clap, clap/ Clap de-clap de-clap clap/ Slow clap/ Walk into the room like a boss (slow clap)/ Putting on a little extra sauce,” Gwen sings on the energetic track. “Clap, clap/ Clap, clap, clap, clap/ Clap de-clap de-clap clap/ Slow clap/ Side stepping people down the hall (slow clap)/ Winter, Spring or Summer or the Fall.”

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    Prior to this, Gwen unveiled another version of music video for “Slow Clap”. Teaming up with raptress Saweetie for the remix version of the song, the music video saw the pair taking over a high school.

    [embedded content]

    Of the song which she co-wrote along with Ross Golan and producer Luke Niccoli, the No Doubt singer said in an interview with “Good Morning America”, “Generally, I just wanted to make an album that was full of joy and hope. I think the one line in [‘Slow Clap’] is, ‘Are you rooting for me like I’m rooting for you?’ I feel like that was just kind of where I was at in that moment when I wrote the song.”

    “I’m still writing,” she continued. “I think that’s what’s been really fun about this project, is to be able to drop singles and actually still be working on new music as I’m doing it. That’s new for me, so that’s kind of what I’m doing right now, just in the studio writing and being creative.”

    Gushing over Ross, Gwen said, “Ross is really good at getting in your head and investigating, and he has the right tone for me right now. I always feel like my songs have a bit of a kitschy, fun, silly side to them lyrically, even if I’m talking about something serious, and he’s really good at that as well.”

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    Bon Jovi 'Happy' as It Announces Drive-In Concert Series

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    The group has teamed up with Encore Live for the production company’s Encore Drive-In Nights 2021 concert series to welcome fans back to real live music next month

    Apr 27, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Bon Jovi have lined up a drive-in experience to welcome fans back to real live music next month (May 2021).

    The group has teamed up with Encore Live for the production company’s Encore Drive-In Nights 2021 concert series, and Jon Bon Jovi and his bandmates will perform a show that will be beamed to drive-in and outdoor theaters across the world.

    Bon Jovi’s show on 22 May follows the Encore Drive-In Nights 2020 series, which featured shows hosted by Metallica, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, and Kane Brown.

    “Bon Jovi is a global icon and we’re so happy that the band will be launching our 2021 concert season!” Encore Drive-In Nights CEO Walter Kinzie said in a press release. “The pandemic has taught us that there are new avenues for live entertainment and this model is one of the safest and most innovative options for world-class, fun events for the whole family.

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    “There are millions of fans who don’t usually attend live shows, whether it’s because they live far away from the big touring arenas or because of the cost. Artists can now connect with these fans in a completely new way.”

    Prior to this, the group honored George Floyd by turning his life into a new song, titled “American Reckoning”. “God damn those eight long minutes/Laying face down in cuff on the ground/ Bystanders pleaded for mercy/ As one cop shoved a kid in the crowd,” Jon Bon Jovi sings. “When did a judge and jury/Become a badge and a knee on these streets?”
    He also questions the state of America’s soul as he belts the notes, “America’s on fire/ There’s protests in the streets/ Her conscience has been looted/ And her soul is under siege/ Another mother’s crying as history repeats/ I can’t breathe.”

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    Bob Dylan Once Keen on Covering Foo Fighters' 'Everlong', Dave Grohl Unveils

    WENN/Instagram/Danny Clifford

    In a new magazine interview, the Foo Fighters frontman recalls the conversation he had with the ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ hitmaker when he and his band were invited to open for the latter’s 2008 tour.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Folk rock icon Bob Dylan was once eager to record a cover version of Foo Fighters hit “Everlong”.

    Dave Grohl and his bandmates were invited to open for the “Like a Rolling Stone” hitmaker on his 2008 tour, and the frontman recalls being terrified when he was summoned to meet with the legendary singer, only for Dylan to heap praise on the group and its music.

    Speaking to Uncut magazine, Grohl said, “All I could see was his silhouette, he had a black hooded sweatshirt pulled up over his head, a black leather jacket, black jeans and black boots on. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.”

    “I walked up to him and said, ‘Hey Bob, how’re you doing?’ He’s like, ‘Hey man, how’s it going?’ We talked for a little bit and he thanked us for being on the tour and then he said, ‘Man, what’s that song you guys got?’ ” before reciting a line from the 1997 classic.

    “I said, ‘Oh, that’s Everlong.’ He said, ‘That’s a great song man, I should do that song,’ ” Grohl remembered. “I was like, ‘You know, I think you’ve got enough good songs to hold you over.’ ”

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    The brief meeting remains one of the highlights of former Nirvana drummer Grohl’s career.

    “Honestly, it was one of the most incredible experiences of my entire life,” he shared. “It was f**king terrifying – but he couldn’t have been nicer.”

    Producer Arthur Baker also recalled hearing Dylan sing a surprising choice of cover during some downtime in the studio when they were working on his 1985 release, “Empire Burlesque”.

    He said, “I was mixing something one night and hearing something really weird beneath it. So I turned the volume down quickly and it was Bob singing Like a Virgin on acoustic guitar.”

    “He was figuring out how to play Madonna. We’d already finished the record and he’d say to me, ‘I’d like to make a record like Prince [or] Madonna. Can we do that?’ He was a joker. He liked to f**k with me, y’know?”

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    AJ Tracey Vows to Retire as Soon as People Are Not Feeling Him Anymore

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    Speaking about his future in the industry, the ‘West Ten’ hitmaker expresses his hope to emulate 50 Cent and drop tunes occasionally rather than continue to ‘force’ himself to put out music.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Rapper AJ Tracey has vowed to retire “gracefully” when people aren’t “feeling” him any more.

    The “West Ten” hitmaker would like to emulate 50 Cent and drop tunes occasionally rather than continue to “force” himself to put out music when he’s reached his “shelf life.”

    Speaking to The Agenda Radio on Apple Music 1, AJ said, “Boy, I’ll be honest with you, I’ll retire as soon as everyone’s not feeling me no more.”

    “I’m gracefully bowing out, there’s no more forcing it, old man thing. I’ll just bow. 100 percent there’s a shelf life. We ain’t gotta say no names.”

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    “You’ve heard rappers, and you’re just like, ‘Bro, you’re like, however old you are, wearing Nike Tech like the youth dem. And on that little electric scooter, you are trying to force it. And it’s not that honestly, bro, it’s not that.’ ”

    He added, “You can hold me to that. I’m never going to be that guy, never. I’m going to do the 50 Cent thing. If I feel like putting out something random, I’ll just put something out random, but I’m not going to force the thing at all [sic].”

    In another interview, Tracey shared his thought on performing live again after COVID-19 put a halt to shows. “Honestly, not even to sound like a hippie, but just sharing moments with the fans, man. Because making music and you’re disconnected from everyone in life, just over the internet, it’s not the same is it? It’s just not the same,” he shared.

    “I just want to go out there, get the energy from the fans, give it back. And everyone who knows me like, yeah, cool, the studio thing is great,” he added. “The radio, I’m doing quite well. But my shows is where I can really show off and impress people, you know what I’m saying? I’ll turn it mad and I just haven’t been able to do that for a long time. So I’m really looking forward to getting back on stage.”

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    Artist of the Week: Jimmie Allen

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    The ‘Mercury Lane’ crooner has shattered barriers in the country music industry as he scores two consecutive No. 1 singles on Billboard Country Airplay chart.

    Apr 26, 2021

    AceShowbiz –
    Jimmie Allen continued to make history in the country music industry. The 34-year-old artist celebrated more milestones this year after becoming the first black musician to have his debut single sit at the first position on Billboard Country Airplay following the release of his single “Best Shot” in 2018.

    He’s back at the summit with a follow-up song “Make Me Want To”. It climbed up to the top spot after more than a year on the chart. The 58-week trek to No. 1 became the longest climb to the top in the history of the Country Airplay chart. The feat also made him the first black artist to have two consecutive chart toppers on country radio.

    ” ‘Make Me Want To’ is really just about a song about someone having feelings, catching ’em fast and not being ashamed to say [so],” Allen explained in an interview with ABC Radio. “I think being vulnerable is cool. And, you know, when you have feelings for someone else, or when you want to be with them, tell ’em. That’s really what the song is.”

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    Meanwhile, the music video was inspired by his love for Disney, Harry Potter, and the classic love story “The Notebook. “I feel like authenticity is celebrated today more than ever, so with this video, I really wanted to highlight my quirky side,” so he told CMT.

    Both “Make Me Want To” and “Best Shot” have been certified platinum for selling over a million units. The tracks are taken from Allen’s first studio album “Mercury Lane” which came out in 2018.

    If his chart history is any indication, he is expected to make another wave as a new song called “This Is Us”, his collaboration with Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter Noah Cyrus, has been released. The track was recorded for his mini album “Bettie James” which came out last year.

    Besides dominating the country music charts, Jimmie Allen was critically lauded at notable awards show. He was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards last year and won New Male Artist of the Year this year at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards.

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    Oscars 2021: Ariana DeBose, Leslie Odom Jr., Tiara Thomas and More Glam Up on Red Carpet

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