Pop

Dolly Parton Says She’s ‘Honored’ And ‘Flattered’ That Lil Nas X Covered ‘Jolene’

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Lil Nas X likes to mix genres. Country, hip-hop, and pop have all intermingled in his hit songs. So his recent cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” shouldn’t come as a surprise. He delivered the cover of Parton’s 1973 song during an appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge last week, where he also performed “That’s What I Want,” “Dead Right Now,” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” off his new album, Montero.

After finally getting a chance to watch the performance, Parton had nothing but praise. “I was so excited when someone told me that Lil Nas X had done my song #Jolene,” she wrote. ” I had to find it and listen to it immediately…and it’s really good. Of course, I love him anyway. I was surprised and I’m honored and flattered. I hope he does good for both of us. Thank you @LilNasX.”

Lil Nas caught wind of her comments and had a short yet excited reaction to it, writing, simply, “HOLY SH*T.” What’s more, Lil Nas currently has three songs simultaneously in the top 10 on the Billboard singles chart: “Industry Baby” at No. 2, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at No. 9, and “That’s What I Want” at No. 10.

Ashnikko Continues To Unfold Her Sound On Two New Tracks — ‘Panic Attacks In Paradise’ And ‘Maggots’

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Ashnikko made our rising pop stars list at the beginning of this year, and her fierce, darkly funny sound has continued to unfold throughout 2021. Kicking off with her Demidevil project in January, she’s been busy doing things like starring in her “Slumber Party” video with Princess Nokia and collaborating with Lady Gaga on the Dawn Of Chromatica remix album for a new version of “Plastic Doll.”

Now, she’s back with two brand new singles, and both “Panic Attacks In Paradise” and “Maggots” build on her sound in unexpected ways. Check out her thoughts on writing both singles below.

“‘Panic Attacks In Paradise’ and ‘Maggots’ were both written when I was in a very low place,” she said. “‘PAIP’ is a commentary on how much I was annoying myself at the time. I was healthy and my career was going great. I was in a metaphorical “paradise.” But alas my brain chemistry had other plans. I was an insufferable mess, so obsessed with my own hurt. I was leading it around with me like a rabid dog, letting it bite anyone I came into contact with. Where ‘PAIP’ is soft and forlorn, ‘Maggots’ is pure rage. I’m casting a protective shield of electricity around myself and daring anyone to try to cross it. I’d rather be a raging b*tch than let people take advantage of my kindness. I will take every parasite burrowing its way into my flesh and flatten it under my boots.”

Listen to the softer “Panic Attacks In Paradise” above and the rageful “Maggots” below.

SZA Sings In Spanish For Kali Uchis’ Sultry ‘Fue Mejor’ Remix Video

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Kali Uchis may have released her album Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) in 2020, but it’s gotten a lot of recent attention thanks to TikTok. The album’s tracks “Fue Mejor” and “Telepatía” went viral on the platform, the latter of which has been used in over 1.7 million videos. Capitalizing on the album’s newfound attention, Uchis prepped a remixed version of the LP which includes a song with SZA.

After previously teasing a snippet of their collaboration, Uchis and SZA officially dropped a remix to “Fue Mejor” on Wednesday. The instrumentals stay the same on the new version of the song, but PartyNextDoor’s verse is swapped out for SZA’s smooth addition. The singer delivers the majority of her lyrics in Spanish, a first for the TDE singer.

Along with releasing the official collaboration as a single, the duo shared a sultry single to celebrate the new track. The visual opens with Uchis strutting her stuff in a parking garage and sees both singers showing off their best dance moves atop moving cars, delivering sweltering choreography while speeding down the highway.

Watch Uchis and SZA’s “Fue Mejor” video above.

Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) Deluxe is out 9/29 via EMI/Interscope. Pre-order it here.

G-Eazy And Demi Lovato Confront Their Reflections For A Haunting Peformance Of ‘Breakdown’

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G-Eazy’s got a new album, These Things Happen Too, out and to mark the release, the Bay Area star hit the Tonight Show stage with pop singer Demi Lovato to perform the haunting “Breakdown” from the new project. The performance, which takes place on a two-sided stage adorned with mirrors, finds the duo confronting their controversies as images of the various headlines written about them flash on the screens behind them.

Between them, the two have accumulated enough headlines to wallpaper a museum wing. Most recently, G-Eazy was in the news for a fight outside a hotel bar and filing a restraining order against an alleged stalker. Meanwhile, Demi Lovato recently came out as non-binary, drawing criticism from conservative corners of the internet.

However, both stars also have their fair share of good news, as well. G-Eazy recently started a wellness brand, FlowerShop, giving an interview to Uproxx’s Dane Rivera about the new brand, and has strung together an impressive list of features in 2021, including on EST Gee’s “At Will.” Meanwhile, Lovato recently helped to honor queer icon Elton John at the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards, so both seem to be doing alright, even despite their respective mishaps.

Watch G-Eazy’s Tonight Show performance of “Breakdown” with Demi Lovato above.

G-Eazy And Demi Lovato Confront Their Reflections For A Haunting Peformance Of ‘Breakdown’

by

G-Eazy’s got a new album, These Things Happen Too, out and to mark the release, the Bay Area star hit the Tonight Show stage with pop singer Demi Lovato to perform the haunting “Breakdown” from the new project. The performance, which takes place on a two-sided stage adorned with mirrors, finds the duo confronting their controversies as images of the various headlines written about them flash on the screens behind them.

Between them, the two have accumulated enough headlines to wallpaper a museum wing. Most recently, G-Eazy was in the news for a fight outside a hotel bar and filing a restraining order against an alleged stalker. Meanwhile, Demi Lovato recently came out as non-binary, drawing criticism from conservative corners of the internet.

However, both stars also have their fair share of good news, as well. G-Eazy recently started a wellness brand, FlowerShop, giving an interview to Uproxx’s Dane Rivera about the new brand, and has strung together an impressive list of features in 2021, including on EST Gee’s “At Will.” Meanwhile, Lovato recently helped to honor queer icon Elton John at the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards, so both seem to be doing alright, even despite their respective mishaps.

Watch G-Eazy’s Tonight Show performance of “Breakdown” with Demi Lovato above.

CL’s Swaggering New Single ‘Lover Like Me’ Closes The Door On A Past Relationship

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CL is one of the most OG artists in the K-Pop sphere, racking up attention and accolades as a global force long before BTS hit the scene. Born Lee Chae-rin, the South Korean rapper and pop star is finally back and gearing up to release her debut studio album, Alpha. After a lengthy hiatus, she returned earlier this year, first with a touching recollection of her late mother for the sweet tribute “Wish You Were Here,” and then with the ferocious new single “Spicy.”

That single introduced her album, Alpha, which was originally slated for release last but was pushed to this year, and it’s a return to form her CL recalling her past work like “Hello Bitches” and “The Baddest Female.” Tonight, she’s shared another new cut off Alpha, which falls somewhere between sweet and spicy. “Lover Like Me” has the braggadocio of “Spicy” but it’s undercut with some of the softness of her pop sound. That softness doesn’t stop her from going into full-on rap mode for a Nicki-level verse toward the end of the track, though. Check out the new song above and look for more updates on the quickly-approaching Alpha — it’s shaping up to be one of the year’s most important releases.

Check Out These Photos Of Life Is Beautiful’s Return To Las Vegas

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Paul L. Carter

I don’t know about you, but I really, really missed music festivals. And after a year and a half without them, music festivals returned big time this summer, and are now in full swing. Some favorites, like Lollapalooza, Rolling Loud, and Pitchfork Music Festival, all already welcomed fans back to their grounds (and you can look at what’s still to come in our handy hub that we built for you). But there is no festival quite like Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas.

Taking over Downtown Vegas for the weekend, LiB shows visitors a different side of the desert oasis. It’s not held on the more popular strip area, but in what is commonly referred to as Old Vegas, featuring some of the classic area casinos and hotels as a backdrop and abundant street art on the side of nearly every building. In a city that already feels like a playground, Life Is Beautiful ups the anti, imparting fans with stunning views, top-tier cuisine, educational seminars, and, of course, music. This year saw an impressive slate, including Tame Impala, Green Day, Glass Animals, St. Vincent, Young Thug, ASAP Rocky, and many more. Check out some of the highlights, shot by our own Paul L. Carter, below.

Glass Animals // Paul L. Carter
Glass Animals // Paul L. Carter
Ashnikko // Paul L. Carter
Tame Impala // Paul L. Carter
Tame Impala // Paul L. Carter
ASAP Rocky // Paul L. Carter
ASAP Rocky // Paul L. Carter
ASAP Rocky // Paul L. Carter
Green Day // Paul L. Carter
Green Day // Paul L. Carter
Haim // Paul L. Carter
Haim // Paul L. Carter
Haim // Paul L. Carter
Ludacris // Paul L. Carter
St. Vincent // Paul L. Carter
Young Thug // Paul L. Carter
Young Thug // Paul L. Carter

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

Nicki Minaj Confirms Her Next Collab Will Be With Former Little Mix Star Jesy Nelson

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After dropping the 2020 album Confetti, Little Mix‘s Jesy Nelson announced she was officially parting ways as a member of the girl group. The singer, who formed Little Mix on The X-Factor in 2011, after feeling the “constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard.” But it looks like Nelson already has plans to jump start her solo career — and it’s with a very high-profile collaboration.

It all started when Nelson cleared all the posts on her Instagram feed and posted a teaser vaguely promising a “new chapter” for the musician. On Tuesday, Nelson returned to preview what exactly she has in store for her new chapter, and it involves a joint track called “Boyz” with none other than Nicki Minaj.

Nelson and Minaj both shared some behind-the-scenes footage of a dance practice. The end of the clip features a snippet of Minaj in a faux British accent rapping the hook: “It’s the UK baddie and the Barbie.” “Do you think they’re ready for this?” Nelson asked Minaj in the teaser’s caption.

Neither Nelson nor Minaj have offered insight into when “Boyz” is expected to see a release. But the song’s announcement arrives shortly after Minaj made her first public appearance in over two years on stage at Lil Baby’s LA tour stop. Minaj returned to the stage to perform her verses from “Seeing Green” and BIA’s “Whole Lotta Money” remix.

Rihanna Says It’s ‘Hard To Even Accept’ The Fact She’s A Billionaire

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While fans may be waiting on Rihanna’s ninth studio album, the singer has been hard at work growing her wealth. As a musician, beauty guru, and business mogul, Rihanna’s net worth last year jumped to a whopping $1.7 billion. That’s a number that’s hard to conceptualize, and even Rihanna agrees. The singer recently said when reflecting on her “humble beginnings,” her billionaire status can be “hard to even accept.”

Speaking in a recent interview with the New York Times, Rihanna said it can be difficult to wrap her head around her massive fortune:

“It’s tricky because it’s hard to even accept that’s where you’re at because I know where I’ve come from. At the same time, it feels good to be able to inspire young women and boys, who like me, come from humble beginnings, who come from parents who are immigrants or who are immigrants themselves, to be able to do this.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Rihanna noted that she aims to give back. She wants a lot of her massive fortune to benefit her Clara Lionel Foundation, which is named after her grandparents Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. The foundation not only funds emergency responses to natural disasters caused by climate change, but it also supports education initiatives for marginalized communities. “Every dollar I make, I want to give it back,” she said. “When it comes to people who need help, it hurts when I can’t do as much as I want, so now we’re just putting our foot down and C.L.F. is about to grow in a way that I’m really proud of.”

Read Rihanna’s full interview with the New York Times here.

Sonos Is Adding An Erykah Badu-Curated Station Called ‘Badubotron Radio’ To Their Radio Offerings

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Erykah Badu has been a legendary force in the music industry for a few decades now, so it’s no surprise that the ultra-hip speakers brand Sonos wanted to partner with the artist. In a new initiative that includes 20 additional stations and shows, Sonos has announced Badu will have her own artist-curated station called Badubotron Radio. According to a press release, Badubotron will “celebrate her 2021 live tour with tracks to help you unwind and expand your mind — from reggae lulla-vibes to induce relaxation to experimental R&B promoting exploration of the mind, body and soul.”

Further description of the station from the brand references all the psychedelic vibes that a Badu-curated mix is going to include: “Erykah Badu’s Badubotron Radio blasts off as Badu takes you outta this world and into her sonic orbit. A space where music genres are stars and the galaxy is filled with psychedelic funk, retro soul, classic rock, spiritual jazz and experimental hip hop. A trip to Badu’s curated station will take your mind exactly where it needs to go.”

For her part, Badu gave a very typical-of-her answer. “WELL Listeners can expect whatever they please,” she began. “I just want them to feel something. Something new, something good, something unfamiliar, something triggering, something that inspires them to peace… Or war, or whatever they may need. Music makes me feel soooo great. There are billions and trillions of atomic memories in these notes. I curated this station especially for me… WITH you In mind, of course. I’m grateful. Push up the faderrrrrrrrrrrrr.”

Yeah, this is going to be good. The station will be debuting sometime in October. As usual, the Sonos Radio offerings are only available on Sonos speakers. If you’re a massive Badu fan and want to find your way in, check out the options here.