Carrie Underwood

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Carrie Underwood Unveils New Music Video For "Cry Pretty"

Watch the country superstar face the flood in the video for the title track of her new studio album

GRAMMYs

May 7, 2018 - 7:13 pm

Last night on "American Idol," GRAMMY-winning country superstar Carrie Underwood treated fans to the world premiere of her latest music video, the glamorously bittersweet "Cry Pretty," which is the title track of her forthcoming new studio album.

The video teases the juxtaposition between an artist's public image and the emotional hardship that can often be at odds with a life and a career lived entirely in the spotlight. The theme has been explored successfully in song and visual media by other artists such as Britney Spears in "Lucky," and, more recently, by Taylor Swift in the video for "Delicate." Underwood's use of the visual theme works here to dramatic effect.

"The title refers to when emotions take over and you just can't hold them back," the "American Idol" alum said regarding the song's lyrics, as reported by Rolling Stone. "It really speaks to a lot of things that have happened in the past year and I hope when you hear it, you can relate those feelings to those times in your life."

Underwood's Cry Pretty LP is due out on Sept. 14.

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Babymetal

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Babymetal Drop Incendiary New Single, Video "Distortion"

The Japanese pop metal outfit have released a surprise new single and music video

Brian Haack

GRAMMYs

May 8, 2018 - 11:44 am

The Japanese pop metal trio Babymetal dropped a new surprise today as a gift for their legions of rabid fans and to commemorate the opening date of their new world tour, which kicks off with an eight-date U.S. run and will include appearances at some of the world's most iconic metal festivals.

The new video for "Distortion" is the group's first new release since announcing on May 1 that they have partnered with U.S.-based 5B Artist Management and Records and U.K.-based Cooking Vinyl to launch their own record label, Babymetal Records.

Part of the group's mystique is there incorporation of pseudo lore surrounding their music, in the form of "prophecies," as Blabbermouth elucidates further:

"On April 1, known as 'Fox Day', a new prophecy was revealed. The prophecy revealed that up until now we have only experienced the Light Side and there exists an unknown Dark Side …'Distortion' explores the unrevealed Dark Side …The music video of this song presents this unknown side and marks the important beginning of a new legend."

(How metal is that??)

"Distortion" is now available through all major digital streaming services. The U.S. leg of Babymetal's world tour starts tonight in Kansas City, Mo., and will run through May 20, wrapping up at Rock On The Range before skipping across the Atlantic for a series of European dates. Further show details can be found on Babymetal's official website.

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Celine Dion

Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/Getty Images

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'Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds Makes A Hilarious Cameo In New Celine Dion Music Video

The Canadian actor/comic brings a hint of levity to the GRAMMY-winning singer's new music video

Brian Haack

GRAMMYs

May 3, 2018 - 12:48 pm

Even as Avengers: Infinity War continues to smash box-office records with no hint of slowing down, the creative forces behind the summer's next big comic-book blockbuster Deadpool II are gearing up to try to smash some records of their own.

Despite the pervasive ultraviolence and wisecracking comedic elements that set the Deadpool franchise slightly apart from its fellow superhero films, the producers for Deadpool II contracted GRAMMY-winning singer Celine Dion to spearhead the performance of the movie's theme song "Ashes," which hearkens more to the balladic laments of her previous contributions to films such as Titanic than to an R-rated action-comedy.

Yet although the song is both somber and moody, it is possessed with the same beauty and depth of feeling of Dion's best works, and its thoughtful motif is clearly an intentional choice by makers of Deadpool II, as seen in the new music video, where musical sentiments serve as an obvious foil to lead character Deadpool's absurdist fourth wall-breaking actions.

Though the music video opens in rather traditional fashion, with Dion garbed in operatic diva fashion standing alone on a stage in an empty theater, we soon see Deadpool pirouette out onto the stage and engage in a performance of contemporary interpretive ballet decked out in stiletto heels.

Though it's obviously doubtful that actor Ryan Reynolds himself is the one inside the suit during the expertly-executed dance routine, we are indeed treated to a vocal cameo from the film's lead actor at the close of the video via a hilarious skit that's definitely worth sticking around for.

Deadpool II will open in theaters everywhere on May 18. The film hopes to break the box office records set by its predecessor Deadpool, which achieved the highest-ever opening worldwide ticket sales numbers for an R-rated film.

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Jason Derulo

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World Cup Fever Heats Up As Jason Derulo Drops Video For 2018 Anthem "Colors"

Watch the energetic new video for Derulo's official 2018 World Cup anthem

Brian Haack

GRAMMYs

Apr 11, 2018 - 5:34 pm

Florida-based R&B singer Jason Derulo's energetic 2018 World Cup anthem "Colors" has been catching ears and popping up on charts around the world in anticipation of the upcoming quadrennial meeting of soccer's top teams set to duke it out in a month-long series of matches to determine the sport's new world champion. Just one month after releasing the song itself, Derulo is back with a dizzying new music video.

Derulo explained in a statement that his goal in writing "Colors" was to, "celebrate that diversity and be a part of the amazing energy that sports fans around the world give to their teams."

The new video sees Derulo dance his way around the world in a visual celebration of multinationalism uniquely suited to a globally-focused event like the World Cup. From a castle in Haiti to Derulo's hometown of Miami, dancers are seen waving flags representing their countries of origin as he sings, "there's beauty in the unity we've found/…/hands up for your colors."

The 2018 World Cup will kick off in Russia on June 14 and run through July with matches taking place in a host of venues across western Russia. The final championship match will take place on July 15.

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Lionel Richie

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Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Lionel Richie: Pilgrimage Fest 2018 Lineup Announced

Pilgrimage Festival co-founder & Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin shares excitement over the festival's latest lineup

Brian Haack

GRAMMYs

Mar 27, 2018 - 6:16 pm

Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival has officially announced its lineup for 2018, with the billing topped by multi-GRAMMY winners Jack White, Chris Stapleton, and GRAMMY winner and 2016 MusiCares Person Of The Year honoree Lionel Richie.

Included in the lineup for 2018 are exciting names like Hozier, Bleachers, Brandi Carlile, Counting Crows, Valerie June, Keb' Mo', Caitlyn Smith, and many more.

"We're all about showcasing Middle Tennessee and Nashville first," explains Pilgrimage co-founder Kevin Griffin. "That means not only being an incubator for emerging talent on our smaller stages, but [also] embracing the bands who are just starting to happen on our middle card. And then obviously having the icons – the giants of the genre – who just happen to be from Nashville."

And Nashville is quite well-represented on the festival billing, with both Stapleton and White claiming the iconic music mecca as their bases of operations, while Richie originally hails from Tuskegee, Ala. – "just a stone's throw away," as Griffin points out.

"We get better every year," Griffin adds. And indeed the festival has grown by leaps and bounds in just four years – even doubling in size from Year Two to Year Three, thanks in part to a landmark booking of Justin Timberlake for its 2017 installment. "I think we try to distill what people want to see, and also make sure it's a very inclusive festival. When we're booking [the talent], it's always, 'Are we diverse enough? Are we representing all types of music and all type of backgrounds?' That's always our charge, and we feel really good about this year."

In addition to co-founding Pilgrimage with friends and business partners Brandt Wood and Michael Whelan, Griffin is also a founding member and guitarist/vocalist for alternative rock band Better Than Ezra, who traditionally make an appearance in one of Pilgrimage's key evening slots.

This year, however, Griffin plans to debut new music from his forthcoming solo record, due out next fall.

"I've done this great album that Vance Powell is mixing," Griffin reveals. "Vance, as you know, has done tons of Jack White, tons of Chris Stapleton stuff. Awesome mixer, awesome dude. We're making some great music, and I can't wait for people to hear it."

Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival will take place on Sept. 22 – 23 in Franklin, Tenn., in The Park at Harlinsdale outdoor venue. Tickets will go on-sale this Friday, March 30, at 10 a.m. CST, and include options for VIP ticketing and on-site camping.