Over the years, Epic Games’ Fortnite has increasingly become a home not just for legions of gamers but also for musicians who enjoy the game’s combination of third-person shooter and building mechanics. Those musicians have also partnered with Epic Games for in-game appearances like Travis Scott’s 2020 concert, which broke the game’s streaming record, and Ariana Grande’s 2021 concert.
Today, Epic announced the game’s latest musical partners: Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars — known collectively as Silk Sonic. Rather than playing an in-game concert, though, Silk Sonic will offer their music to gamers another way, via an in-game radio station that will play their hits like “Leave The Door Open.” Their debut hit previously featured in the game as an emote, or a dance that the player’s avatar can perform on command. Emotes have been a big part of the game’s success, as the game itself is free, but players can buy emotes via mini-transactions with real money.
The radio station can be accessed when a player uses one of the vehicles in the game and will be hosted by Bootsy Collins, who is featured on Silk Sonic’s debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic. In addition, new skins will allow players to dress their avatars in funky, ’70s-style outfits inspired by Andy and Bruno.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Silk Sonic had one of 2021’s most beloved albums with An Evening With Silk Sonic, but they didn’t really get to tour behind it. Sure, they performed songs from it during various award shows and TV appearances, but that’s not the same as a full-blown concert. Now, though, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have a run of shows lined up, as they’ve announced a Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live. Currently, the residency consists of 13 shows between February and April.
Mars wrote on Twitter, “Its happening! The sexiest party of the year! Them Silk Sonic Boyz are performing Live in Las Vegas!” .Paak added on Instagram, “The terms are locked and Vegas might not ever be the same Jack!! You’re invited to the hottest show in Sin City!”
02/25 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
02/26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/02 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/04 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/05 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/16 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/18 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/19 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/23 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/25 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
03/31 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
04/02 — Las Vegas, NV @ Dolby Live
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Kelly Clarkson Show has been airing for a couple years now, and during the program’s run, its titular host has established herself as a real force in daytime television. She hasn’t lost touch with her music roots, though, as the show’s “Kellyoke” segment regularly has Clarkson putting her spin on recognizable tunes with her covers. On today’s episode, she took on Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Silk Sonic hit “Leave The Door Open” and showed that she can really sing just about anything.
Clarkson’s backing band delivered a serviceable performance of the soulful song, and Clarkson, being the pro that she is, dominated the track with her powerful vocals, whether she was belting it out during the climactic moments or keeping things reserved and smooth during more low-key sections.
Clarkson has had a handful of memorable moments on her show this year. She successfully covered some of this year’s other biggest hits, like Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever.” Of course, she also had a particularly illuminating conversation with country legend Clint Black, in which she described a time that she narrowly avoided voiding her bowels on stage, saying, “I got some kind of wrecked up from some kind of food and I literally… we were in an arena, and I shouldn’t tell this story, but like I said, my man: I don’t have a filter. I had to run backstage to my quick-change. I grabbed this poor trash can and boy, I destroyed it. It was bad. It was bad, Clint.”
Watch Clarkson sing “Leave The Door Open” above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Anderson Paak has been on fire lately. His success with Bruno Mars on the duo Silk Sonic notwithstanding, Paak also released not one but two albums in the last three years, putting up Oxnard and Ventura within a year of each other. Like most people, he cooled things down last year during the pandemic, but apparently spent that time constructing a throwback duo with Bruno that kicked off with the hit single “Leave The Door Open” and exploded from there. And given his great taste in collaborators, it’s not surprising that Paak made his way to SoFi Stadium last night to make sure he got some facetime with one of the biggest pop groups in the world, BTS.
Taking a group pic with the beloved boy band and immediately posting that content to Instagram, Paak had the best caption for the moment, too. “@bts.bighitofficial lmk if you need another member! I work well in groups!!!” he wrote. Well, I don’t think anyone would be mad about a collaboration between these two — Paak himself said he’d be down earlier this year — so we can at least start there. Or BTS jumps on a Silk Sonic song? When the supergroups are just every pop star in the ecosystem, we’ll have reached peak internet.
This month is a big one when it comes to the release of new music from today’s top stars. The smash-hit duo of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, shared their debut album. On the same day, Taylor Swift graced fans with the rerecorded version of her classic LP Red. Though Silk Sonic had one of their singles previously top the charts, Swift’s new album seems to have wildly out-performed Silk Sonic’s when it came to first-week album sales, leaving .Paak with a few regrets.
A few days after the release of his collaborative LP An Evening With Silk Sonic, .Paak shared a screenshot of the projected numbers for this week’s Billboard 200 albums chart. It show Swift’s music at No. 1, having nearly five times the amount of streams as Silk Sonic at No. 2. As a result of the numbers, .Paak joked that he wishes he formed Silk Sonic with Swift rather than Mars.
“Looks like I linked up with the wrong pop star,” he wrote. “Hey @taylorswift13 is your number still the same!? Lmk if you need help with 1989, I’m available! #ShakeItOff”
Despite the joke at Mars’ expense, .Paak has said he really does admire working with the singer. .Paak recently commended Mars as “one of the greatest vocalists” he’s ever worked with, going on to say that Mars has been able to push him “to a different level.” Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Now that Silk Sonic has released its debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are ready to give something else a try. In fact, they just announced their next endeavor: The duo is hosting a new limited Apple Music radio series, which shares its name with the new album. They also shared a trailer for the show today.
The series premieres today at 10 p.m. ET on Apple Music 1 and press materials note of the first episode, “On the debut episode, Bruno and Anderson, with the help of Bootsy Collins, invite listeners to join them on an after-hours journey with music from The Jackson 5, Con Funk Shun, Thundercat, The Isley Brothers, Partynextdoor, and much more.” Of the series as a whole, press materials also say, “Over the course of four one-hour episodes, the pair feature Silk Sonic-inspired sets of all of their favorite records, ranging from old-school hits to R&B jams, hip-hop, funk, disco, and everything in between. From surprise guests to even more surprising conversation, it’s your turn to be a fly on the wall and spend some time with the kings of smooth.”
Mars says of the show, “Apple Music asked us to host a radio show to talk about the album. We had so much fun that we’ve decided to retire from music and become full time radio personalities. We want to thank Apple Music for helping us find our new calling. Goodbye cruel world of music. Hello radio. See you at the top.”
.Paak added, “When we come together on those rare instances when the clouds open and the stars unite, we go as Silk Sonic. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s never too late to turn it around, and speaking of never too late, I think we right on time.”
Watch the teaser clip above.
An Evening With Silk Sonic is out now via Atlantic Records. Get it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Silk Sonic’sorigin story dates back to the European leg of Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic Tour. Anderson .Paak served as the opening act for the string of shows and it’s here that Silk Sonic’s funky, free-spirited roots were planted. More than four years later, the tourmates-turned-good-friends delivered what will undoubtedly be one of 2021’s most memorable albums with An Evening With Silk Sonic. This brief, but rich musical experience, is birthed out of a few things: Bruno and .Paak’s trajectory in their careers, the combination of their respective inspirations, and a schedule that was unexpectedly freed up due to the coronavirus pandemic.
An Evening With Silk Sonic is a unique spectacle that Bruno and .Paak were kind enough to release in a format that allows us to infinitely experience this magic. From the very moment that the curtains open and Bootsy Collins’ ethereal voice seeps out, Silk Sonic coasts with no regard for distractions and an incredible display of showmanship. Collins’ multiple appearances on An Evening With Silk Sonic are key as it’s an endorsement that requires both acknowledgment and respect. Bootsy Collins, who rose to fame beside James Brown, stands as one of the front names in funk’s history. That’s on top of inductions to the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as well as being recognized as one of the top bassists of all time.
That’s exactly what makes An Evening With Silk Sonic so special. The idea that a mere collection of jam sessions beautifully produced a body of work created in the glory of greats from the 1970s. “After Last Night,” which supplies help from Thundercat and Bootsy Collins, balances sensual and soulful with funky and yearnful. Bruno and .Paak lay stomach-flat with feet to the sky on cloud nine after an unforgettable experience with the woman of their dreams. “If I still had my phone, I’d call every girl I know / And tell them goodbye,” the duo sings blinded by love. “Cars, clothes, diamonds, and gold / Anything you want, any place you want.” This dramatic account of surefire love after one encounter is soon greeted with an equally-dramatic display of despair and sadness on “Smokin’ Out The Window” after both singers find out their newfound romance is nothing but a sham. That’s exactly how Silk Sonic’s show is supposed to be: exaggerated, hyperbolic, and melodramatic. It’s a quality that .Paak solidifies on that song. “Look here, baby I hope you find whatever it is that you need,” he says. “But I also hope your triflin’ ass is walking ‘round barefoot in these streets!”
The theatrics behind Silk Sonic’s new album, when taken from the viewpoint of Bruno and .Paak’s respective discographies, is a clash of 24K Magic and Yes Lawd!. The intentional blast to the past intertwines itself with dressed to the nines cockiness on An Evening With Silk Sonic. .Paak leads a ridiculously confident and infectiously good declaration of self-excellence on “Fly As Me,” one that also crowns a lucky woman with a top-notch title of her own. “I’m tryna love, is you gon’ love me back?” .Paak quips on the track. Towards the backend of the album, Silk Sonic gets lost in gambling and the other addicting aspects of Las Vegas on “777.” If you needed any proof that Bruno and .Paak could be the life of the party, “777” is both evidence of that and an enticing invitation to join them in some high-risk/high-reward fun.
A large part of Silk Sonic’s success lives behind the scenes. Critically-acclaimed producers and songwriters James Fauntleroy and D’Mile live within the notes of the album. Fauntleroy co-wrote three of the album’s nine songs while D’Mile co-wrote and co-produced each one in addition to delivering background vocals and contributions to the project’s instrumentation. Furthermore, Babyface’s contribution to “Put On A Smile,” a song dedicated to putting on a front through heartbreak, as well as that from others throughout the album, are notable in their own right. Together, they emphasize Bruno and .Paak’s strive to make An Evening With Silk Sonic as perfect and flawless as possible. The freedom of the album’s jam session contributes to the rawness and true spirit of the project while help from the industry’s best ensure that its rough edges aren’t too sharp.
Long story short, Silk Sonic did it. An Evening With Silk Sonic is fun, charismatic, and ambitious in all the best ways. Sure, the sonics of this project aren’t particularly new, but it’s a change in the wind direction in today’s R&B/soul landscape. And yes, maybe the album could’ve been a bit longer, but according to D’Mile every song Silk Sonic and company created appears on the album, except one. Bruno and .Paak gave us everything that had for their first collaborative effort. Soon enough, fans from all over will be able to spend an evening with Silk Sonic when the duo (hopefully) goes on tour. Once that comes to an end, An Evening With Silk Sonic will be capsuled as a moment in time for years to come. So let’s enjoy the great music and make room for the memories that will arrive with it because An Evening With Silk Sonic won’t be forever.
An Evening With Silk Sonic is out now via Atlantic/Aftermath. Get it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After months of build-up, Silk Sonic finally released An Evening With Silk Sonic. The album was preceded by a trio of great singles, “Leave The Door Open,” which topped the singles chart, “Skate,” and “Smokin’ Out The Window.” So far, the reception has been positive. Shortly after it was released, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak stopped by Apple Music to speak about the album.
“Everybody told me the cheat code is linking up with this dude,” .Paak said about Bruno. “Get Bruno on your side, and yeah, it’s dope.” He added, “I tell him all the time I have a lot of trust in him and that felt good too. I felt like a large part of my career I’ve done collabs and everything but it felt good to be able to trust a dude to try it like this – great vocal producer, one of the greatest vocalists I’ve ever worked with and just pushing me to a different level.”
Bruno also spoke about the album’s concept. “We needed this to work,” Bruno said. “We just wanted it to feel like… feel special. Instead of trying to get too cute with the concept.” He added, “It’s like, man, what’s more special than Anderson Paak behind a drum set singing a song and me having his back when it’s my turn, you know? And the band moving in the same direction, it was just like… it’s like a musician’s dream, being in the studio recording a song like that.”
You can watch Silk Sonic’s interview on Apple Music above.
An Evening With Silk Sonic is out now via Atlantic/Aftermath. Get it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
