beyonce real name |
- Beyoncé at Glastonbury 2011: a sassy triumph, rock purists be damned - Telegraph.co.uk
- Beyoncé's classic Glastonbury 2011 set – as it happened (nine years ago) - The Guardian
- The Real Stars of the Eurovision Song Contest on the Competition Behind the New Netflix Comedy - TIME
- Beyonce, Drake, Lil Baby: Who has 2020's best summer song? - Los Angeles Times
- Britney Spears and Beyonce's fans are warring over bee painting - Wonderwall
- Baauer Releases Sophomore Album ‘Planet’s Mad’ - Forbes
| Beyoncé at Glastonbury 2011: a sassy triumph, rock purists be damned - Telegraph.co.uk Posted: 26 Jun 2020 02:00 PM PDT  Removed from the comfort zone of their usual sci-fi staging, U2 were forced to rely on road warrior skills, and proved consummate crowd-pleasers whose greatest strengths lie with heart and art, not space-age showbiz. At the end of the set, Bono pulled an Irish and a Union flag from the crowd to drape over amplifiers but that was about as political as it got, if you discount the limp balloon of a tax protest. Glastonbury 2011 had everything the British weather could throw at it, from torrential rain to baking sunshine. But mud was its defining feature. Before the festival had properly begun, 200,000 visitors had tramped the thoroughfares and campsites into a quagmire that made every step a battle. The wisest option was to settle in one spot, try not to sink too deep, and enjoy whatever appeared in front of you. Among the best things I caught by accident: BB King playing hot Chicago blues on a wet Somerset afternoon, Paolo Nutini ripping it up like a Glaswegian Otis Redding, and heavy-rock girl group Stonefield partying like it was 1969. You could argue the festival has been a victim of its success, but there is also a kind of avarice about its transformation from small hippy gathering to a world famous celebration of pop culture with too much going on for anyone to get to grips with. The defining characteristic is a kind of belligerently exuberant stoicism: drunken, windswept, sunburned, mud-splattered campers in danger of being swept away in rivers of urine from overflowing latrines, but refusing to move because they are having such a good time.  |
| Beyoncé's classic Glastonbury 2011 set – as it happened (nine years ago) - The Guardian Posted: 26 Jun 2020 03:53 PM PDT  "I've done a lot of things in my life but I have never played in front of 175,000 people," Beyoncé says. I wonder whether that's still the case?   |
| Posted: 26 Jun 2020 10:07 AM PDT  For the first time in 64 years, the annual Eurovision Song Contest was canceled this spring. Dashed were the hopes of the frontrunner going into the competition: a submission from Iceland, Daði Freyr's jazzy, catchy "Think About Things." That song is not featured in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, the new Netflix movie out June 26 starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a small-town Icelandic singing duo passionate about ABBA, metallic costumes and over-the-top pop. But according to many of the former winners who live and breathe the Eurovision life, the blithely self-skewering movie, co-written by Ferrell, may not be so far off from the glittery, campy, subtly political reality of one of the world's marquee events. Not just Europe's IdolEach year, the Eurovision Song Contest draws about 200 million viewers for the final night of the weeklong competition, making it more popular than the Grammys, the Academy Awards and the Super Bowl. It's the world's longest-running annual international TV contest, growing from a seven-country event hosted by the European Broadcasting Union to one that has included 52 nations. Conceived as a way to bring post-WWII European nations together, it kicked off in Switzerland in 1956 and has been hosted by rotating countries ever since. "In theory, it's a contest to choose Europe's best original song," explains William Lee Adams, a longtime Eurovision superfan and commentator based in the U.K. "In reality, it's a smorgasbord of pop culture, where music, politics and even notions of good taste mingle in wonderful and often uncomfortable ways. You could call it the World Cup of pop music, but with a lot more dancing." Adams started a blog in 2009 to track the contest. Ever since, he has been one of its most avid viewers; now, he sits on judging panels for countries selecting their entrants, and hosts an annual party attended by thousands during the competition.  EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: The Story of Fire Saga-(L-R) Rachel McAdams as Sigrit Ericksdottir, Will Ferrell as Lars Erickssong. John Wilson/NETFLIX—© 2020 Netflix, Inc. But he also emphasizes that the show, which helped launch careers of artists like ABBA and Celine Dion, is much more than just a talent contest with fun costumes. "The first thing I do with Americans is disavow them of the notion that it's just a European take on a reality singing contest. Eurovision is so technically advanced; the staging is so immense. It makes American Idol look like a bunch of people humming in your living room," he says. It also pioneered tele-voting and made real-time cross-border broadcasting a reality. Plus, it has notable sociopolitical value. The scoreboard lists countries, not artists, and government entities often play a role in the selection. "Whenever you have an individual as the torchbearer for a nation, they become a cultural or even a political symbol," Adams says. Contestants have often been selected to tell stories about their country's history, invoke traditional pride or suggest a nation's forward-looking stances. That's been the experience for stars like Netta, the Israeli 2018 winner; Alexander Rybak, the Norwegian winner from 2009; and Conchita Wurst, the stage name of Austrian drag queen Thomas Neuwirth, who took home the title in 2014. Related Stories  "You turn from a musician into a real national hero," recalls Netta. She hadn't been planning on becoming a Eurovision star, but a victory in an Israeli talent contest boosted her to the global stage. "That's a really, really weird thing to go through. It's suddenly like you win in the musical Olympics, and you give your little country hope and pride." Netta says that countries are known to be demonstrably happier after their contestants qualify for finals, and especially when they win. "I get shivers," Netta says, when she sees videos of fellow Israelis screaming and taking to the streets the night she won.  EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: The Story of Fire Saga - Netta Barzilai as Neta. Jonathan Olley/NETFLIX—© 2020 Netflix, Inc. "It's a very, very, very big deal," agrees Conchita. "I'm so lucky, because in this universe, I'm Beyoncé. At least, that's what I keep telling myself." Countries are also known to make statements with their choices. In 2015, Armenia sent a group called Genealogy that consisted of members of that nation's diaspora; they sang a song called "Don't Deny," which references the Armenian Genocide, the denial of which remains a painful issue. In 2018, France was represented by a song titled "Mercy," performed by a duo who told the story of a Nigerian immigrant. "This isn't just a singing contest. The songs become treatises on the zeitgeists," Adams insists. And while, yes, it can also be "a whole world of trash, cheese, tears, fairies, glitter and pink," as Netta describes it, there are layers to it. Ferrell and McAdams' version certainly leans into the cheesy side: at one point, Ferrell wears a tight, pure-white onesie while being hoisted in the air and runs on a human-sized hamster wheel; Dan Stevens, who plays a flamboyant Russian competitor named Alexander Lemtov, gives an increasingly bare-chested and lascivious performance of the red-blooded show song "Lion of Love." But in the second half, the importance of national pride and cultural heritage come to play a surprising role. A parody with heartNetta, Conchita and Rybak are just three of the former winners who were asked by Ferrell and director David Dobkin to make cameos in the Eurovision movie, all appearing in a festive party scene stocked with fellow Eurovision stars. "Norwegians, we are very skeptical all the time," Rybak says. "In Norway, and in Russia, I'm this big celebrity; but in London, maybe [Dobkin] doesn't even remember who I look like," Rybak recalls of his insecurities upon arriving to set. But that wasn't the case at all: Rybak was flattered to be drawn to the center of the action by Dobkin himself.  EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: The Story of Fire Saga - Melissa Mahut as Mita, Alex Rybak, Will Ferrell as Lars Erickssong. Jonathan Olley/NETFLIX—© 2020 Netflix, Inc. Netta, Conchita and Adams—who plays a version of himself in the movie as well—also felt the cast's support. Ferrell sought out Adams to discuss Eurovision in 2018, he says. "I was really impressed with his knowledge. He wanted to make something respectful of the contest, while still having fun with it," Adams says. "There are some fans who are deeply offended by the thought of a Eurovision parody, but I think we have to celebrate that. The fact is, Eurovision is like a lazy susan that spins round: you can take the political drama, you can take the disposable pop songs or you can take the deep meaning ballad." Rybak doesn't mind the movie's comic tone, either. "[Ferrell] likes to make fun, but he does parodies with heart. It's not mocking the weak people." Netta suggests that the over-the-top quality of the comedy is right at home with the comedy of Eurovision itself. "It takes you from saying 'Huh?' to a great amount of laughter to being obsessed with it. That's the definition of camp. This whole movie celebrates it." Plus, it was a rare moment for the elite Eurovision crew to reunite in one place. In the movie, they all seem like old friends, pros at breaking out into spontaneous, glamorous song-and-dance numbers at parties. In reality, the stars admit, they don't often see each other outside of social media. "I loved it so much. I played the diva of set: 'Where are my lines? Can I get some lines?'" Conchita remembers. "I had the best time." "You win by being original"Part of Eurovision's long-term appeal is its pure campiness. And part of that campiness is in the way it embraces the idiosyncrasies of its competitors. The more outlandish the song, the better. On-stage pyrotechnics? A human-sized hamster wheel? Folk musicians and electronica? You name it, a Eurovision contestant has done it in real life. (Those parts of the movie are not exaggerated parody at all, but perhaps closest to what's real.) "It's one of the last shows where you don't win by fitting in," Rybak says. "You don't win by copying what's on the playlist. You win by being original." He snagged his 2009 trophy with "Fairytale," in which he flexed his violin skills and transformed a traditional folk melody into a pop tune. Many recent additions to the Eurovision hall of fame have had a powerful back story, too. "Every winner is different," Netta says. "I've also been ashamed of being who I am. I am a big, plus sized, weird, quirky pop star." But her winning entry, "Toy," was a referendum of self-empowerment that has endeared her to a new legion of fans. "Conchita: she's a symbol of gender fluidity and thinking outside the box," Netta says of her fellow winner. "A big part of Eurovision is Russia and Ukraine and Bulgaria, which are countries that are not so gay-friendly. To them, the competition is one of the biggest music events for the entire year. They put so much money into this. But parts of them are very homophobic." Netta has witnessed this homophobia firsthand: at a recent Bulgarian Pride parade, a counter-protest popped up nearly double the size of the main Pride parade. But her experience with Eurovision has made her a firm ally. "Eurovision also brings you to a deep connection with gay pride and the gay community," she says.  EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: The Story of Fire Saga - Estonian singer Elina Netsajeva, Austrian singer Conchita Wurst. Jonathan Olley/NETFLIX—© 2020 Netflix, Inc. Conchita recognizes the rare space she occupies, too. "As a gay man, being on that stage in a dress, and doing my thing, and getting so much love—I'd never experienced something like that before. It was overwhelming and beautiful. And I got the stage not only to perform but to say something, and make it count." With a floor-length red carpet gown, long lashes and sleek hair, and a thick beard, Conchita's distinct drag look is both surprising and defiant. Conchita is not the first contestant to push gender norms; in 1998, Netta's own Israel was represented by Dana International, a singer who was a transgender woman. She ended up taking home the prize. "For them to even think about sending a transgender woman to represent was outrageous!" Netta says. But Eurovision is not about kowtowing to expectations. "You can almost do whatever you want. You can come as you are, you can be as you want to be, you will be welcomed, respected and accepted," Conchita says. In the Eurovision movie, Stevens' outrageous character grapples with this exact conundrum—the gap between political realities of the "dark side" of Europe and some of its more conservative values, and the show's LGBTQ-friendly ethos. The result is a surprising bit of reflective honesty in a movie that also involves fiery ghosts and fantastical, murderous elves. (As for that character? That "semi-sweet, semi-Dracula kind of vibe," as Netta puts it, reminded her of San Marino's 2019 entry. "It's exactly him!" she says. "He's playing him so accurately.")  The Story of Fire Saga - Dan Stevens as Alexander Lemtov. John Wilson/NETFLIX—© 2020 Netflix, Inc. Beyond EurovisionEurovision isn't just restricted to continental Europe: countries like Israel and Australia also send contestants. Why, wonders Rybak, hasn't it expanded even further? "It's nice that we have a European culture, this Euro tradition. But America [as a continent] doesn't have anything like this. One of the great things about Eurovision is we forget about politics. For a week, it's a competition, but it's a peaceful competition. It would be so nice to have Africa, America, Asia, whole continents," Rybak says. For now, with 2020's contest canceled and 2021 a year away, audiences whose interest is piqued by Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga will have to be satisfied with the 65-year backlog of Eurovision content waiting to be explored. From Loreen's "Euphoria" to Mahmood's "Soldi" (some of Netta's recommendations) to this year's submissions from Iceland and Malta (Conchita's suggestions), the stars rattle off a diverse list of their favorites. Since their big wins, Netta, Conchita and Rybak have each carved out ongoing musical careers of their own, too. Still, there are challenges. "There's all these artists, and all they do is just one song. If you're a fan of the competition, when you remember someone, you remember that one song. That becomes them. That's the danger of being a Eurovision star," Netta says. "I cherish Eurovision for opening me to the world, but I found out that it's a very difficult path." Her latest single "Cuckoo" is about this struggle. It's one thing that the zany characters Ferrell and and McAdams play might not have minded too much, however. They seem quite satisfied with returning to their small-town Icelandic existence. "Can you imagine if the contest would have taken place, and Iceland would have won, and this movie would have come out?" Conchita laughs. "I mean, I'm sorry!" It's rough luck this year for the real-life Icelandic artists. But already, the wheels are turning for the 2021 installment next May, set to take place in Rotterdam. The movie may work as a quick hit of Eurovision euphoria, or an introduction for those of us yet to be drawn into its orbit. But ultimately it's the show that must—and will—go on. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. 
Thank you!For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. |
| Beyonce, Drake, Lil Baby: Who has 2020's best summer song? - Los Angeles Times Posted: 26 Jun 2020 07:07 AM PDT Anointing the song of the summer was going to be a challenge even before once-in-a-generation protests roared to life last month in response to George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis police. By shutting down so many of the activities that make a song of the summer happen — concerts, sporting events, pool parties involving people beyond your immediate family — the COVID-19 pandemic had already interrupted the annual process that led tunes like Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" and Luis Fonsi's "Despacito" to warm-weather cultural ubiquity. But the explosive widening of the Black Lives Matter movement only deepened the task at hand: Suddenly, the established hallmarks of the song of the summer — a casually flirty lyric or a groove to inspire a night without cares — felt insufficient to soundtrack a season of such righteous discontent. The Times asked 17 arts and music journalists and industry insiders to pick the song that best embodies the spirit of a summer defined by contradictory imperatives: to stay inside or to take to the streets? That so little consensus materialized says plenty about the different needs listeners count on music to meet. Advertisement Ideally, one song could exult, could object, could mourn, could reassure. And indeed, just such a tune appeared last week from Beyoncé, whose exuberant "Black Parade" — released with no advance notice but plenty of symbolic significance on Juneteenth — celebrates Blackness in its many glories, even as it acknowledges the persistent threats of racism and police violence. Over a swaggering beat brightened with wind instruments redolent of an outdoor march, Beyoncé boasts of looking "pandemic fly on the runway" and of having "made a picket sign off your picket fence." She's rapping and singing with equal command in another display of her mastery of synthesis. Yet as good as the track is — and in spite of Beyoncé's authority as pop's most clear-eyed thought leader — "Black Parade" is unlikely to end up as 2020's song of the summer, if only because it came out late in a season that typically starts heating up in the spring. Often the songs competing in a given year are well known by Memorial Day, which means you can think of the actual summer as the home stretch of a longer race. (Last year, "Old Town Road" began its record-setting 19-week run atop Billboard's Hot 100 in early April.) Advertisement This summer, the Weeknd's gleaming "Blinding Lights" and Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" — the latter best heard in a remix featuring fellow Houston native Beyoncé — are among the tunes that softened the ground well in advance; ditto "Toosie Slide" by Drake, who claimed the song of the summer in 2018 with the similarly sleek "In My Feelings." But these songs spent a relatively short time at No. 1 — just a week each for "Toosie Slide" and "Savage," and four nonconsecutive weeks for "Blinding Lights." In fact, as nine different chart-toppers emerged over the last three months — including "Rain on Me," Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's club jam for an era with no clubs, and DaBaby and Roddy Ricch's "Rockstar," with its references to abusive cops — the top of the Hot 100 has experienced more churn, according to Billboard, than at any point since 1990. That's another sign, along with our poll responses, that this fraught moment has splintered listeners' desires. (Also: that TikTok, where many a smash first catches on these days, is chewing through new songs with increasing speed.) Advertisement One upside of this fragmentation is that it's created a window for viral hits from outside the pop machine — see the irrepressible "Lose Yo Job," with vocals sourced from a Facebook video shot in a parking lot. No longer do listeners need giant record companies to tell them what's happening; no longer do folks with something to say need those companies to help them say it. At a time when it feels like anything might happen, we should be on the lookout for major statements from anywhere. "The Bigger Picture," Lil Baby Lil Baby (Lil Baby) Scott Plagenhoef, Apple Music's global head of music programming: Advertisement While "Rockstar" and "Rain on Me" battle for the title of the summer's biggest song, Lil Baby has turned in the season's most crucial record. The Atlanta rapper's socially conscious turn lives up to its title's promise, channeling the mood of the moment as much of the country comes to grips with the magnitude of systemic racism and recognizes the opportunity to finally take it on and create lasting change. "Lose Yo Job," Johnniqua Charles, iMarkkeyz x DJ Suede The Remix GodJenn Pelly, Pitchfork contributing editor: When Johnniqua Charles was being detained outside a South Carolina strip club in February, she knew it was wrong, and she quickly spoke truth to power. "You about to lose yo job / Get this dance!" Charles sang at a security guard. "You about to lose yo job 'cause you are detaining me for nothing!" Two producers — Atlanta's DJ Suede the Remix God and Brooklyn's DJ iMarkkeyz — turned Charles' statement of conviction into a bona fide rap banger. "Lose Yo Job" is a protest anthem for 2020 brought to life online and in the streets as protesters around the country are calling to defund the police. Advertisement "Gagarin," Moses Sumney Moses Sumney (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Makeda Easter, Los Angeles Times staff writer: I'm not sure what it is about "Gagarin" — the feeling of time slowing down to almost nothing, its sense of otherworldliness and profound sadness — but I've been hooked on this song lately. There's something about Sumney's voice that allows me to give in to the weight of my feelings instead of trying to pretend that everything is OK. "Toosie Slide," DrakeAndrew Unterberger, Billboard deputy editor: Advertisement Leave it to Drake to go to No. 1 with a dance-craze instructional when there isn't an open dance floor in North America. But it's not like the low-energy "Toosie Slide" was really intended for the club anyway: Like all of Drake's frostiest and most insidious jams, it was meant for the internet and the bedroom — a muted smash for a muted season. "Blinding Lights," The WeekndClinton Yates, The Undefeated columnist: With its themes of loneliness and the importance of touch and escapism, paired with the adventurous old-school synth beat, "Blinding Lights" evokes the perfect feeling that all of us can relate to either because we're doing it or because we can't: drowning in the night. Advertisement "Change," Moor Mother featuring Sham-e-Ali NayeemBrandon Stosuy, the Creative Independent co-founder: It feels like a piece of Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" broken off like communion. The words swirl and overlap within a broken-glass landscape of keyboards, drums and bass; it could go on for days without losing its energy. We're always looking for a way into something better, and "Change" is a reminder that while new futures are possible, now and then we need someone to tell us to keep going. "Rain on Me," Lady Gaga and Ariana GrandeEve Barlow, freelance writer: A show of solidarity and level prowess that demonstrates the life lesson we're hoping a pandemic has served us: that we're only going to get through this together. "Rain on Me" is successful because of its directness and its simplicity. The lyrics are open to multiple interpretations — a metaphor of being caught in a storm, a possible nod to struggles with sobriety — but at the heart of the matter is survival. It exists as a memory of what has been and what will be again — of silliness, of ecstasy, of oneness. Advertisement "The Crime Rate Jingle"Devon Maloney, freelance writer: TikTok user Rynnstar's viral smash — it has no name, but we'll call it "The Crime Rate Jingle" — started as a blithe-but-deadly riff another TikTok user identified only as EC rattled off on her porch one afternoon in response to manipulated "statistics" about crime rates in Black neighborhoods. Then it shot into the stratosphere when a third user, Alex Engelberg, added virtual three-part barbershop harmony. Since then, the jingle has been remixed, choreographed and passive-aggressively shared with racist family members all over the country. "Yo Perreo Sola," Bad BunnyMaria Sherman, author of "Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS": While I'm stuck inside my Brooklyn apartment, there's no song I hear more frequently than Bad Bunny's dembow ode to gender-fluid autonomy on the dance floor, blasted from passing cars and teens' backpacks between sirens and the distant cadence of political protest. In that way, the song is both a soundtrack to isolation and collective action. When Bad Bunny sings, "Yo perreo sola" (I twerk alone), the sentiment reverberates. This summer, between moments of combating injustice, everyone twerks alone. Advertisement "Clorox Wipe," ChromeoVanessa Franko, Southern California News Group digital director of entertainment: Chromeo turned its weekly coronavirus-themed Instagram jams into a real EP, and this sexy, funky ode to the elusive cleaning product outlasts 99.9% of lockdown-inspired songs. "Pig Feet," Terrace Martin featuring Denzel Curry, Kamasi Washington, G Perico and DaylytPhilip Cosores, Uproxx managing editor, music: Of the many anthems to emerge during the protests, L.A.'s own Terrace Martin delivered what might be the most immediate. Released with a video depicting moments that have defined the recent demonstrations and a list of Black people killed by police officers, Martin's track recaptures the magic of Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" (which he and Washington both worked on), while Curry and Daylyt lose their collective minds with searing verses that could melt skin. Advertisement "Désolé," Gorillaz featuring Fatoumata DiawaraAidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle staff writer: With its fidgety disco rhythms, jangly guitars and soaring vocals from the French-based Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara, this may be the closest most of us get to summer vacation. The incessantly creative Damon Albarn serves as captain of the ship, not only in wrangling together his eclectic influences in a song that was built for repeated plays but also quite literally in its accompanying video that sees him and Diawara cruising around Italy's Lake Como with assorted animated band members in the holiday afternoon of our dreams. "Comfortable," H.E.R. H.E.R., photographed in her dressing room at the STAPLES Center during the 2017 BET Experience. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) Nelson George, writer and filmmaker: Advertisement The most important young female R&B artist of this era, H.E.R. has made a song about intimacy in a year when our ideas about connection, personal space and human touch are being transformed by COVID-19. "Simmer," Hayley WilliamsIlana Kaplan, freelance writer: The ominous harmonies build gradually, rebelling against what a song of the summer should sound like. But this isn't a typical summer, and perhaps its anthem needs to be dark and defiant — a way for us to confront reality, find catharsis and plan for a different future. Advertisement "Hate for Sale," the PretendersHolly Gleason, writer and artist development consultant: I'd forgotten how good furious, stripped-down rock and roll can be. In 2 minutes and 32 seconds of pure combustion, Chrissie Hynde reminds us of punk's raw, gutting capabilities. The song is an indictment of the win-at-all-costs ethos for today's Gordon Gekkos who bleed the systems dry, step on the bones and don't look back as they move on to the next. "Watermelon Sugar," Harry StylesSean Ross, Ross on Radio newsletter: It's genuinely good, different from everything else on the radio — and already a proven hit elsewhere in the world. I was sorry in December when Columbia Records went with Styles' "Adore You," which sounded more like everything else on the radio, as the American single. But "Watermelon Sugar" is certainly teed up as a result. Advertisement "Savage," Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé Megan Thee Stallion performs during the Rolling Loud Hip-hop music festival at the Banc of California Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly critic at large: "Sassy, moody, nasty / Acting stupid, what's happening?" is pretty much my entire emotional color wheel for this quarantine.  |
| Britney Spears and Beyonce's fans are warring over bee painting - Wonderwall Posted: 25 Jun 2020 09:18 AM PDT They say that art is in the eye of the beholder. That seems to be exactly the issue for Britney Spears and Beyonce's fan bases. On Instagram earlier this week, Britney shared a picture of a painting that showed a bee with a crown, a photo that unintentionally ended up pitting the Britney Army and the Beyhive against each other. "To all my fans who call me Queen 👑 B," Brit captioned the photo. "I believe this would be more accurate." The pop star also added several bee emojis. The photo didn't sit well with Beyonce's fans who staunchly believe that the "Lemonade" singer is the only person worthy of that title.  Richard Young/Shutterstock"BEYONCE GISELLE KNOWLES-CARTER is THE ONLY QUEEN B," one person wrote. Others voiced similar stinging opinions. Many, naturally, backed Britney, claiming she is B royalty. For the better part of two days, each fan base was swarming and attacking the other via the comment's section of Britney's Instagram.  Rob Latour/ShutterstockWith fans buzzing, the painter of the picture, a woman named Jenna Paddey, attempted to clear up confusion by admitting that neither woman was the inspiration for the painting. Jenna told TMZ that the illustration was done in 2018, and it was only intended to reflect a play on words for the phrase, "queen bee." She doesn't know how Britney stumbled upon the two-year-old picture, but the pop star did eventually tag Jenna in the Instagram post. In posting a picture of the painting to Instagram in January 2018, Jenna made no reference to either woman in her caption. Tamron Hall is being blasted for posting a luxurious photo to Instagram as 20 people were on the verge of being let go from her talk show. According to The Daily Mail, the majority of the employees let go on Thursday were senior producers and audience team employees. Just one day prior, the talk show host posted a beachside picture while sipping wine. "Around 20 people lost their jobs yesterday at the Tamron Hall Show. It was a giant blood bath," a source said. "[Tamron] is living her best life on her personal Instagram while people are losing their livelihoods." Tamron's spokesperson called The Daily Mail's story "entirely inaccurate." "There were no layoffs or firings; rather, the show is making behind-the-scenes changes and chose not to renew some staff. We appreciate everyone's contributions to our first season," a statement read. "Change is not uncommon for a show between seasons. It remained a top priority to ensure our entire creative team remained employed during the season in the midst of the pandemic." "We have been humbled and overwhelmed by the viewer response to recent shows, including coverage of COVID-19 and our episodes focused on the national conversation on race," the statement continued. "We are assembling an even bigger team for season two and beyond, on the heels of three Emmy nominations."  Jason Merritt/Radarpics/ShutterstockWhile many are understandably frustrated to be out of job, Tamron's picture, posted a day before the restructuring, seemed to rub salt into the wound. "Her name is on the show so she would've known what was coming, yet there she is celebrating date night, the night before 20 people no longer have an income. Talk about tone deaf," the source told the Daily Mail. Tamron made no mention of the employees in her post. "What really sucks is Tamron is earning millions of dollars a year, yet these team members aren't. Why couldn't she take a pay cut to keep everyone employed during this really difficult time? It is so unfair," the upset source said. "Nothing about wishing people well or thanking them for their hard work. It's pathetic and giant slap in the face." The source added, "What's even more disgusting is on the show's official Instagram page, they posted a video of Tamron making comfort food with Carla Hall. How nice of them, I'm sure all the fired staff went home and whipped up the grilled cheese to feel better about no longer paying their bills." The United States has never had a female President…. unless you ask Roseanne Barr. The controversial comedian thinks Donald Trump is "the first woman President of the United States."  Broadimage/REX/ShutterstockOn Thursday, Roseanne tweeted out a bizarre one-minute video clip in which she voiced her opinion. "You know what I think — discuss amongst yourselves if you don't agree — you don't really have to burn me at the stake for not agreeing with me — but let me just throw out one idea," she said in the video. "And I hope that the hungry dogs in the street have enough meat as to not come after me for thinking and speaking. I'm tired of it." After saying she's tired of being "monitored and corrected," Roseanne said, "Trump — hear me when I say this — Trump is, in my opinion, the first woman President of the United States." Roseanne abruptly ended the video, which has since been deleted, following her theory that Trump has two X chromosomes. Some social media users were able to copy the video before it was purged. Fans were understandably confused, with many wondering if this was meant as a show of support or disapproval. Roseanne, of course, was a staunch supporter of Trump while he was a candidate for president.  Craig Ruttle/AP/REX/ShutterstockIn June 2016, she told The Hollywood Reporter that America would be "lucky" if Trump were to win. She even credited Trump's victory as the reason for the reboot of her eponymous show, "Roseanne," which scored huge ratings upon its return to network TV. Roseanne's view from the top wouldn't last long, as she had a very public fall from grace and was fired from her ABC show in 2018 after referring to former Obama White House staffer Valerie Jarrett, who's Black, as an "ape" during a middle-of-the-night tweet. She later apologized and said she was taking Ambien while tweeting. Last year she admitted that although she still tweets from her confirmed Twitter account, she also uses anonymous accounts to troll people. "I have a lot of troll accounts so I say what a want under anonymous names," she told TMZ in May 2019. Under these anonymous accounts, she said, "I say the stuff I want to say." Matthew Morrison has broken his silence in regards to the recent backlash that's been unleashed upon his former "Glee" co-star Lea Michele.  David Fisher/ShutterstockDuring an interview with FUBAR Radio's "All Access Areas," the singer-actor was asked to weigh in on allegations that Lea was difficult to work with. He managed to tiptoe around the question, neither defending nor supporting her. "I honestly think it's a distraction of the bigger issues that are going on right now," he said. "I don't really want to comment too much on it, but it's, um … yeah, going back to what I was saying, you want to be a pleasant person to work [with and] be around." He added, "Yeah, that's about all I'm going to say on that."  BDG/ShutterstockLea has had a rough few weeks. The trouble started on June 1 when the actress tweeted her outrage over the death of George Floyd. Samantha Marie Ware, who starred alongside Lea on "Glee," then called out the mom-to-be for making her time on set "a living hell." Afterward, others in the spotlight, including actor-musician Dabier, piled on. "GIRL YOU WOULDNT LET ME SIT AT THE TABLE WITH THE OTHER CAST MEMBERS CAUSE 'I DIDNT BELONG THERE,'" he tweeted. Heather Morris said Lea was "unpleasant" to work with on "Glee." Lea's "Spring Awakening" co-star Gerard Canonico said she was "nothing but a nightmare" to work with, saying the actress made him feel like he "didn't belong there." "The Real Housewives of New York City" alum Aviva Drescher wasn't surprised by the negativity, saying Lea was once "very unkind" to her. Amid the allegations, Hello Fresh dropped Lea as a spokesperson.  Ron Adar/SOPA Images/ShutterstockLea responded to the claims in a June 3 Instagram post, saying she's now realized her actions hurt people. "Whether it was my privileged position and perspective that caused me to be perceived as insensitive or inappropriate at times or whether it was just my immaturity and me just being unnecessarily difficult, I apologize for my behavior and for any pain which I have caused," she wrote. "We all can grow and change and I have definitely used these past several months to reflect on my own shortcomings." The apology didn't work — many branded it a "non-apology," noting Lea's use of the word "perceived." In fact, Lea's Instagram post only helped stoke the fury for some, as multiple people used the comments section to share negative experiences they've had with her over the years. Lisa Rinna is never shy when it comes to her opinions, but her beliefs aren't mixing well with some of QVC's viewers. The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star claims she's been "muzzled" because of upset QVC fans, whom she calls "Karens."  Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock"I am sad to report It would now seem I can't use my platform to inform or question or say how I feel politically because the Karen's have bombarded Qvc begging them to fire me and saying they will no longer buy my clothes," Lisa wrote on her Instagram Story, according to a Page Six screengrab. "It is a shame that I must be muzzled in order to support my family but that is just what it is," Lisa, who's been selling her eponymous clothing line on QVC since 2012, continued in her takedown. "Remember you know how I feel. Use your voice and Vote."  Broadimage/ShutterstockThe reality TV star has been vocal in her support of human rights matters, backing the Black Lives Matter movement and standing up for the LGBTQ community. On Thursday, Lisa shared an illustration that reads, "Black Lives Matter," "Love Is Love," "Science Is Real," "Women Are Equal," "Humans Are Not Illegal" and "Kindness Is Everything." She also wrote on her Instagram Story, "I have decided not to shut up ever." Say goodbye to the Dixie Chicks. On Thursday, the group quietly changed their name to simply The Chicks.  Suzanne Cordeiro/Shutterstock"We want to meet this moment," the group said on their website. The trio changed their social media handles and website to reflect the new name. Pitchfork says The Chicks also amended the cover of their upcoming album "Gaslighter" to reflect the new name. In addition, the group released a new song on Thursday under the name The Chicks. The song, "March March," speaks of peaceful protesting and includes images from the recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations following George Floyd's death. The Chicks' rep confirmed the name change. "A sincere and heartfelt thank you goes out to 'The Chicks' of NZ for their gracious gesture in allowing us to share their name," the group said in a statement. "We are honored to co-exist together in the world with these exceptionally talented sisters. Chicks Rock!" The Chicks follow in the footsteps of Lady A — formerly known as Lady Antebellum — who changed their name earlier this month to disassociate from racial undertones linked to slavery.  Matt Sayles/AP/ShutterstockThe Chicks' name change also comes following a recent op-ed in Variety questioning the band's name and citing the recent Lady A switch. "The Dixie Chicks don't need to change their name to get that kind of publicity, but their silence has been deafening," the op-ed read. "This is a discussion we need to have, and they should be a part of it." Kiss this! Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair puckered up to recreate their iconic kiss from 1999's "Cruel Intentions" — this time with a slight twist. "I got my kiss @selmablair," Sarah captioned a photo showing Selma kissing her face mask, which was decorated with bedazzled lips. The women famously smooched in the cult drama when Sarah's character, Karythn Merteuil, teaches Selma's character, Cecile Caldwell, how to go to "second base." One day before recreating the kiss, Sarah posted a photo of the women sharing a peck at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards. "Since I will have to stay six feet away from you today (and wear a mask) this will be as close as I get to giving you a birthday kiss. 💋 Happy Birthday @selmablair," the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star captioned the image.  Rob Latour/ShutterstockSarah also shared the photo on her Instagram Story, writing, "Birthday kisses." She then shared several shots from a small birthday party held in Selma's honor. In one picture, Selma could be seen blowing out candles in her hand one by one. Sarah joked, "How you blow out candles during Covid…away from the cake @selmablair." Kelly Clarkson and Demi Lovato had a love fest on the June 24 episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show," praising each other for their vulnerability and honesty when it comes to their respective mental health battles.  Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images"I love how open you are about mental health because I have similar issues, and I suffer from depression," Kelly told Demi during their online video chat. "I think a lot of people, especially in the creative world or just from childhood even, [are] kind of trained to just keep going and 'you can handle it,' especially as a woman it's like, 'Don't let them see you sweat.'" Kelly continued, "I just love that you're open about that because not everybody's as vulnerable at being like that. And I think it's helpful for your fans, 'cause I know, in every meet and greet, you probably get people saying that — I do too — like, thank you for being open in your songs and open with everybody, 'cause I felt like this was just me, and like, knowing that somebody else is going through it makes you not feel alone and so depressed about it. So thank you for doing that," Kelly told Demi — who's long been open about her mental health and addiction issues — acknowledging that "it's really hard." Demi then thanked Kelly — the first ever "American Idol" winner who went on to become a huge pop star outside of the TV singing competition show — for influencing her and inspiring her to always be open and honest. "You were, like, the first idol that I ever had, and I wouldn't be the artist or even the person that I am with being so outspoken and vulnerable and fearless if I hadn't had you to look up to," said Demi, who's 27. "So I thank you for that." She continued of Kelly, who's 38, "I looked at you as my idol growing up. You are fearless and courageous and real … and I love that about you and I've always just thought to myself like, when I was younger, I always thought to myself that if I ever make it, I want to be like her because she's real and she's genuine." Kelly then said that it's hard to always live up to that expectation. "I'm not all the time. It takes work. Like, that's the thing I think everybody looks at us like, even when you overcome something, it's like, no, no, no, that's a daily effort in trying to be positive," she explained, adding, "That's not like, a given, like you're just over it, you went to some magical therapy session and it's over." According to Kelly, it's "a daily thing that you work at, and a daily thing that I work at." She thanked Demi for her compliments and then addressed how tough it can be to be open and vulnerable when you're famous. "It's not easy to always have a spotlight on you and arrows being aimed at you," she added, "especially when you are vulnerable and you give people more ammo for all the trolls out there." Ready to zig-a-zig-ah again? A new report claims that the Spice Girls are planning to reunite — again — in 2021 for a world tour and movie to mark their 25th anniversary.  REX/ShutterstockThe Sun reported on June 25 that on the heels of their wildly successful 2019 reunion tour — which sold 700,000 tickets and earned a reported $250 million — the British girl group, which got its start in 1994, plans to take its concert trek to America, Europe and Australia next year after the coronavirus pandemic is under control. However, according to The Sun's sources, only four members — Scary Spice Mel B, Sporty Spice Mel C, Baby Spice Emma Bunton and Ginger Spice Geri Horner — will hit the road. Posh Spice Victoria Beckham, who sat out the last tour to focus on her fashion brand, will also skip this one, according to the British tabloid's sources. However, Posh will still benefit financially from a future tour. As The Sun reported in early June, Victoria was still entitled to a fifth of the take of endorsements, licensing deals and merchandising fees generated by renewed interest in the Spice Girls due to their 2019 tour, which earned her right around $1 million even though she didn't perform with her bandmates.  Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images"It's going to be a huge year and the girls are excited," a source close to Mel C — who's allegedly the driving force behind the idea — told The Sun. "After all the coronavirus problems, there really needs to be something to look forward to and they want to take over 2021 with a tour." Despite two previous reunions, this is expected to be the final time the "Wannabe" singers tour as a group. "They are approaching 50 so they want to get out while they still look great for the fans," explained another source, noting that Melanie Brown is now 45, Melanie Chisholm is 46, Emma is 44 and Geri is 47. (Victoria, by the way, is 46.) According to The Sun, the Mels, Emma and Geri have been planning things via WhatsApp conversations and Zoom video calls during lockdown.  |
| Baauer Releases Sophomore Album ‘Planet’s Mad’ - Forbes Posted: 19 Jun 2020 03:09 AM PDT  Baauer. Courtesy of Teddy Fitzhugh. Teddy FitzhughToday, critically-acclaimed producer Baauer, whose real name is Harrison Bauer Rodrigues, released his sophomore album, Planet's Mad. The 12-track body of work draws inspiration from crossover dance acts and astronomy documentaries, while also utilizing sounds found in techno, drum and bass, dubstep and funk. Overall, Planet's Mad is innovative, diverse and impressive. "I wanted to make an album sort of like ones I really loved when I was a teen, which were instrumental, kind of conceptual electronic albums by people like Fatboy Slim, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers and The Avalanches," Rodrigues says. "Those were albums I really loved listening to, so I wanted to give it a shot and build my own world the way I thought those artists did." Most Popular In: Arts The producer adds that he started conceptualizing Planet's Mad by creating hundreds of 30-second long loops. While he felt that many of those snippets of music were perfect at that length, he knew he needed to make them longer. "I always sort of resisted albums because it felt like that's not how people really listen to music," he says. "I listen to music in little bite-sized chunks, and I feel like most people do. But [making an album] always came back to feeling like the right thing to do because it's like a body of work—it's like a bigger project you can make." Rodrigues says he selected his favorite clips and began thinking of the album like a movie soundtrack, which led him to create a movie of the album. This concept of a movie soundtrack can even be seen in the music video for his single "AETHER," which depicts an immersive and complex world based on the story of a rogue planet on a direct collision course with earth. Rodrigues says he was inspired by Luc Besson's creature design in Fifth Element, and he wanted to create something similar. "The whole seed of the idea was that there was another planet where all this music came from," he adds. "I thought it would be cool if this music is not from earth—this music is from some alien planet."  Baauer in his home. Courtesy of Kylie Hoffman. Kylie HoffmanThe Portuguese New Yorker and London-raised artist boasts an illustrious career to date. He is a double platinum producer and he was the first artist to become No. 1 in the streaming era (as defined by the majority of his chart being made out of streaming and not sales). He has also appeared on "Good Morning America" and "The Simpsons" as a result of his hit single "Harlem Shake," and his music can be found in notable movies such as Star Wars and Logan. He has even soundtracked Super Bowl campaigns for Budweiser, catwalks for Alexander Wang, the latest Grand Theft Auto V Expansion Pack and more. However, the 31-year-old producer says one of his career highlights was meeting Jay-Z and Beyoncé. According to Rodrigues, meeting the ultra-famous artists was a coincidence. He was with Just Blaze working on their 2013 track "Higher" when Just Blaze said he needed to drop an item off at the studio. Rodrigues said he would go with him and, to his surprise, Jay-Z and Beyoncé were at the studio. "I was just petrified out of my mind," Rodrigues says. "As far as meeting people, that was definitely the coolest one." He admits he was starstruck, so all he could muster was saying "hi" while standing in the corner. As he and Just Blaze were leaving the studio, Just Blaze had the idea to record Jay-Z for the track so he ran back in and recorded him on his iPhone, which resulted in Jay-Z being part of the single. Rodrigues' interaction with Jay-Z is quite unique and different from his typical creative process, which usually consists of creating 30-second sound bites and utilizing sound design to build ideas around found-sound that he has recorded. "I just try my best to turn my brain off as hard as I can and just let the idea happen," Rodrigues adds. " I find the more I try to think about something, think about how it's going to end up or like what's this going to sound like at a club, I start to tinker with it in a way that gets in the way of the original idea." Learn more about Baauer here.  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from "beyonce real name" - Google News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
0 Yorumlar