0 Comments
Move over Ed Sheeran, there's a new mega-selling male star in town (we still love you really, Ed).
Rag'n'Bone Man has scored the biggest-selling debut album by a male artist in over a decade, beating the debuts of Sheeran in 2011 and Sam Smith in 2014. His breakthrough album Human has shifted 117,000 copies in its first week of release, which has outsold the rest of the Top 20 combined. "A massive thank you for going out and buying my album, streaming it and making it such a success so quickly, it means the world to me," he told Official Charts. "Number 1 album... smash!" Human is also the highest-selling first week of an album since David Bowie's Blackstar last year, and ranks only behind One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds in terms of first week sales this decade. Rag – real name Rory Graham – released the album February 10th and has already been named the Critics' Choice at the 2017 Brit Awards. "I thought they had made a mistake," the singer said of his Brits win. "I was up against two pop giants. It's bloody brilliant! I'm crazy happy. Proper massive grin." Rag'n'Bone Man first hit the scene last summer with his single 'Human', which has peaked at number two on the UK singles charts. One of the best things about heading to a festival is the car ride up to the gates. You're packed in with all your festival essentials, a.k.a. your best friends, and you guys are smiling and laughing and damn near ready to pee yourself you're so excited. You crank the tunes to 11, and of course, you're listening to all the songs you're looking forward to the most.
Wait, what do you mean you forgot to make a playlist? You had one job, person in the passenger seat! It's okay, Insomniac Records put together a dope compilation showing off the best the EDC Mexico 2017 lineup has to offer. These artists represent an array of nationalities, sounds and influences. Somehow, they have all been mixed together in one beautiful shining example of the beat that ties us all together. "EDC Mexico has grown into one of our largest international events, drawing thousands of fans and legendary artists from around the world each year." Founder and CEO of Insomniac Pasquale Rotella says in an emailed statement. "The Insomniac Records crew has put together a soundtrack that will showcase the festival's global sound and massive energy in the official EDC Mexico 2017 Compilation.” The mini-mix below melts the sounds of native Mexico with nastiness of the bass frontier. It swirls underground New York City warehouse parties into South American backyard parties. It's a powerful, colorful, 20-minute high-five. You'll have no choice but to turn up. Head over to EDC Mexico online for tickets and more information on the two-day festival, coming to Mexico City Feb. 25 and 26, and buy the compilation online. The productions will feature an original story by hip-hop historian Dan Charnas.Universal Music Group has signed on as a lead producer of The Scenario, Russell Simmons' long-in-the-works Broadway music celebrating hip-hop culture. The show, announced in March 2015, is now shooting to premier during the 2017-18 Broadway season before embarking on a national tour.
The Scenario will feature an original story by hip-hop historian Dan Charnas, who is weaving the genre's "groundbreaking rhythms, iconic songs and timeless ideas with a completely original story that will take audiences on an electrifying ride that celebrates hip hop culture." A lineup of songs has not yet been revealed. Previous "jukebox musicals" -- original productions featuring well-known hits -- have featured punk songs, doo-wop, hair metal, Abba songs and Carole King, but the hip-hop genre has yet to produce a Broadway hit (Hamilton excluded since it is original music). "It's an honor to join Russell in producing the The Scenario, which promises to provide fans with an exciting live experience of iconic songs that still influence music today," said Michele Anthony, executive vp of Universal Music Group. "With this project, UMG continues to build on our history of helping to produce prominent theatrical productions that tap into our unparalleled artist roster and music." Simmons co-founded Def Jam Records in 1983 and sold his share of the label to UMG in 1996. In a statement, he calls the major label group a "pillar partner of mine for many years. Their support and resources will be immensely important in staging this extraordinary musical experience, and we could not be more excited to be moving forward with such a platinum-level producing team." Simmons and UMG are sharing producer credit on the new musical with Jake Stein of Def Pictures; and Scott Prisoned and Jamie Bendell of Big Block. Jumpstart Entertainment is serving as general manager. Cast and creative team will be announced at a later date. Singer-turned-actress Janelle Monae was brought to tears on Monday (20Feb17) as she helped to honour a female engineering pioneer on U.S. TV.
The star, who portrays real-life NASA scientist Mary Jackson in critically-acclaimed film Hidden Figures, made a surprise appearance on breakfast show Good Morning America to pay her respects to retired U.S. Navy engineer Raye Montague. Janelle became emotional on air as she celebrated Raye's achievement as the first person to design a ship using a computer, recognising the 82-year-old African-American as a real-life hidden figure, whose story, like those of the ground-breaking black women featured in the space race movie, is not widely known. "We thank you so much for your service," Janelle told Raye. "You are an American hero. And you are hidden no more." Expressing her pride at helping to highlight the work of NASA mathematicians Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan in the early 1960s, she added, "It was an honour to just honour those women... I didn't know these were the women who sent the first American astronauts into space. These were American heroes." "Without their brains, we would not have sent John Glenn (into space in 1962)," she continued. "I hear this is the anniversary of his orbital flight today, so this is a very special day." Monday marked the 55th anniversary of Glenn's successful mission as the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth. Janelle also introduced a special video message for Raye from her Hidden Figures co-star Octavia Spencer, who is nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Vaughan. "It is such an honour and privilege to thank you for being a pioneer and trailblazer for women all across the world," Octavia said in the pre-recorded clip. "I wanna let you know you are no longer hidden. We see you, we salute you, and we thank you." |
Karlito YaYoBringing You the Best Global Music Gossip. Archives
January 2024
Categories |