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GRAMMYs

Meek Mill

Photo: Brian Stukes/Getty Images

News
Meek Mill's REFORM Donates Masks To Prisons jay-z-and-meek-mills-reform-donates-surgical-masks-vulnerable-prison-population

Jay-Z And Meek Mill's REFORM Donates Surgical Masks To Vulnerable Prison Population

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says correctional facilities are particularly vulnerable places for COVID-19 to spread
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Apr 6, 2020 - 6:01 pm

Jay-Z and Meek Mill's criminal justice reform organization REFORM has donated roughly 100,000 surgical masks to correctional facilities including in the states of New York, Tennessee and Mississippi.

The organization said it donated 50,000 masks to New York City's Rikers Island Correctional Facility, 40,000 masks to the Tennessee Department of Correction and 5,000 to Mississippi State Penitentiary. Spin reports that an additional 2,500 masks were sent to a Rikers medical facility. 

https://twitter.com/REFORM/status/1246561255910969346

BREAKING: At the request of @BryanStirling, Director @scdcnews, we located 36,000 masks for @scdcnews to buy for its incarcerated population. Thanks Sec. Stirling for your efforts to protect against #COVID19 - the masks shipped last night and are on their way! #noprisonpandemic

— REFORM Alliance (@REFORM) April 4, 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says correctional facilities are particularly vulnerable places for COVID-19 to spread.  

"Incarcerated/detained persons live, work, eat, study, and recreate within congregate environments, heightening the potential for COVID-19 to spread once introduced," according to the CDC. Other vulnerabilities include the fact that incarcerated people, for the most part, can't leave and, depending on the size of the facility, space for someone to medically isolate could be limited.

"We need to protect vulnerable people behind bars & GET THEM OUT!" REFORM said in a tweet. The organization sees this as a threat to public health and said on its website that it is working with experts and advocates "to develop a set of common-sense recommendations that would make us all SAFER."

They also announced on Twitter that they helped the South Carolina Department of Corrections locate 36,000 masks for their population. 

Across the nation, COVID-19 cases have been popping up in correctional facilities, including North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. 

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'Bitches Brew' At 50: Why Miles Davis' Masterpiece Remains Impactful

GRAMMYs

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#WomenCrush Music Announces Virtual Tour Dates womencrush-music-launch-virtual-tour-august

#WomenCrush Music To Launch Virtual Tour In August

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The non-profit will support the music community via online showcases, industry panels and more.
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 28, 2020 - 12:49 pm

#WomenCrush Music, a non-profit arts organization supporting up-and-coming women songwriters, has announced a virtual tour that will bring songwriting showcases, panels and other online events with industry professionals to music communities across the country.

The national tour will kick off on Aug. 3 in San Francisco and then continue to 14 other cities through mid-December. The non-profit will collaborate with venues and sponsors at each stop to donate all proceeds to women, Black and people of color-owned venues as well as artists. They have also started a donation page on Facebook. Ten percent of the funds will go to Public Functionary, a platform for grassroots organizing across music, visual art, performance, and more.  

https://twitter.com/womencrushmusic/status/1287831020964896768

🔥#WomxnCrush Music Virtual Tour - Bay Area!⁣⁣🔥
Join us as #WomxnCrush Music Virtual Tour officially kicks off in the Bay Area!! ⁣⁣

⁣⁣Showcase: August 6th 6:30pm PST https://t.co/RUUk3tSf0W
Webinar: August 11th 2pm PST https://t.co/zcQFlIskRX#WCMOnTour #virtualtour pic.twitter.com/Y1DsTcvsGh

— #WomxnCrush Music (@womxncrushmusic) July 27, 2020

One of the Bay Area dates will benefit the Ivy Room and will feature a showcase with local musicians Skip The Needle, Coraza and No Lovely Thing's Melissa Jones on Aug. 6. On Aug.11, a webinar with Founder / CEO at Indie Music Women Linda Garnett and Manager & Consultant at Direct Input Management Courtney Fairchild will focus on taking careers to the next level.

The move to virtual events an effort to continue supporting the music community. The added local element to the online events was something #WomenCrush Music felt could further help connect communities. 

"When COVID-19 hit, I knew that as a community-focused organization we had to continue supporting our community in any way we possibly could," #WomenCrush Music Founder/CEO Ashley K. Stoyanov said in a statement. "While the weekly Instagram Lives and webinars were reaching an international audience and were a valuable resource, we wanted a way to help further connect the rising womxn songwriter community on a local level, as well as help support local music venues who truly make the local music scenes in these communities special. We have always wanted our events to be a place where womxn songwriters can find their next collaborators for shows and to share resources, and we hope that we can continue doing that even if it is virtually through this pandemic."

For more information on how to get tickets for the Bay Area or other cities, visit the #WomenCrush Music website. 

Ella Vos Talks About The 'Turbulence' That Inspired Her New Album

GRAMMYs

Katy Perry

Photo: Getty Images/Getty Images

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"In The House": Katy Perry, John Legend + More houseparty%E2%80%99s-house-katy-perry-john-legend-alicia-keys-more

Houseparty’s "In The House": Katy Perry, John Legend, Alicia Keys + More

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The three-day livestream event taking place this weekend (May 15-17) will allow users to view performances and segments while chatting with friends in realtime
Onaje McDowelle
GRAMMYs
May 14, 2020 - 1:46 pm

Houseparty, the face-to-face social video app, is bringing a star-studded lineup of performances, workouts and cooking lessons to its users, including appearances by Katy Perry, John Legend, Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys and more than 40 other celebrities. The event, "In The House," will take place over the course of three days, beginning this weekend on Friday, May 15 and running through Sunday, May 17.

https://twitter.com/houseparty/status/1260009608971722753

Houseparty is throwing a BIG in-app event featuring all your favorite stars and celebrities on May 15th through the 17th. @aliciakeys, @DojaCat, @sanbenito, @DaBabyDaBaby are #InTheHouse and performing, only on Houseparty!

See the full lineup at https://t.co/n020RNpHfg pic.twitter.com/WHkpFfoEcn

— Houseparty (@houseparty) May 12, 2020

Per Rolling Stone, the event’s programming will see a live performance of Perry’s unreleased track “Daisies,” slated to be released on Friday, May 15, in addition to sets by Legend, Chvrches and others. The program will also feature special cooking lessons on unique recipes provided by Snoop Dogg, 2 Chainz and Zooey Deschanel. Alicia Keys will also host a karaoke session and lead a 30 minute at-home workout. The full lineup and event schedule are available here.

Read More: How To Use Music Techniques To Prepare Healthy Food

The three-day event will allow those who tune in to enjoy free performances from the comfort of their homes, and they’ll be able to chat and interact with friends via the app all in real time. In a statement to Variety discussing the program, Houseparty CEO and co-founder Sima Sistani said “We are bringing back appointment viewing… to capture that feeling of sitting on the couch for that special show with your family or friends on a Friday night.”

Houseparty is available to download for free on iOS and Android devices, as well as online where users can tune in to stream the live event. Each segment will air again 12 hours following its original stream for those who may have missed the original broadcasts.

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John Legend Performs “Nothing Compares 2 U”

Justin Bieber performs in 2016

Justin Bieber performs in 2016

Photo: David Wolff - Patrick/Redferns

News
Justin Bieber, Miguel, More Join ALL IN Challenge justin-bieber-miguel-chainsmokers-and-more-offer-once-lifetime-experiences-all

Justin Bieber, Miguel, The Chainsmokers And More Offer "Once-In-A-Lifetime Experiences" For ALL IN Challenge COVID-19 Relief Campaign

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The world's leading artists and entertainers are donating prized possessions and creating one-off experiences to help raise funds for nonprofit organizations working to "eliminate food insecurity during these challenging times"
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Apr 15, 2020 - 9:50 am

Justin Bieber, Miguel, The Chainsmokers, Meek Mill, Migos member Quavo and Tainy are among some of the superstar artists offering "once-in-a-lifetime" fan experiences and unique items as part of the newly launched ALL IN Challenge, an online fundraiser providing food for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the ALL IN Challenge, the world's leading artists, celebrities, entertainers, athletes and business heads are donating prized possessions and rare items and creating one-off experiences that are then offered online as auction items and raffles through the benefit's website. Users can also donate directly to the fundraiser without participating in the auctions or raffles. 

The money raised through the initiative will benefit several nonprofit organizations working to "eliminate food insecurity during these challenging times," according to the fundraiser's website, including Meals On Wheels, No Kid Hungry and America's Food Fund, which is directly benefiting Feeding America and World Central Kitchen.

https://twitter.com/Fanatics/status/1250187666903027712

@justinbieber is going ALL IN! Justin is offering an incredible opportunity by coming to your house and singing "One Less Lonely Girl" to YOU! Enter for a chance to win! Visit https://t.co/K1pgbCkwkM to learn more and help raise millions to feed those in need. #ALLInChallenge pic.twitter.com/BZYJCpJ6Lq

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) April 14, 2020

Some of the unique items and experiences available now include: a personal visit from Justin Bieber, who will sing his hit "One Less Lonely Girl"—at your house!; a chance to bid on Meek Mill's 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom; exclusive studio time with superproducer Timbaland; and much more.

Other artists and celebrities from the sports, entertainment and business worlds involved in the ALL IN Challenge include Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Ferrell, Tom Brady, Mark Cuban, Magic Johnson, Tony Hawk, Ryan Seacrest, rapper Yo Gotti, TikTok stars Charli + Dixie and many others. 

Created by Michael Rubin, the founder and executive chairman of global licensed sports retailer and merchandiser Fanatics and Philadelphia 76ers partner, the ALL IN Challenge, operated and sponsored by the All In Challenge Foundation, has already raised more than $2.5 million since launching Tuesday (April 14), at the time of this writing. 

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

In a video post shared on the Fanatics Instagram page announcing the fundraiser, Rubin explained his vision behind the ALL IN Challenge. "Together what we wanna do, is literally build the largest movement with all the best entertainers, celebrities, athletes, business titans, coming together to make a real impact on this issue ... If we all work together, I think we can make a huge impact on feeding people."

https://www.instagram.com/p/B--MzBxJP7K

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fanatics (@fanatics)

According to the fundraiser's website, "The ALL IN Challenge aims to be the world's largest digital fundraiser in history by raising tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. Food insecurity is a mounting issue but never more important than during COVID-19 and the unprecedented shortage of food resources our nation is facing."

Since going live, the fundraiser has attracted backing from several major artists and celebrities who have shared their involvement and support on social media.

https://twitter.com/Fanatics/status/1250421822769659908

JUST IN: @LeoDiCaprio is now ALL IN! Leo offering a Walk On Role In A Scorsese Film with himself and DeNiro, you have a chance to enter to win right now! Visit https://t.co/K1pgbCkwkM to learn more and help raise tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. #ALLInChallenge pic.twitter.com/suDO8wGSHL

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) April 15, 2020

https://twitter.com/Fanatics/status/1250264327614910466

JUST IN: @robinthicke is going ALL IN! Robin is offering a chance to write and record a custom love song just for YOU! Enter for a chance to win! Visit https://t.co/K1pgbCkwkM to learn more and help raise tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. #ALLInChallenge pic.twitter.com/wwrqwIKW8e

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) April 15, 2020

https://twitter.com/Fanatics/status/1250228956218843136

JUST IN: @Miguel is going ALL IN! Miguel is offering YOU to join him on tour for an All-Access Concert Experience! Enter for a chance to win now! Visit https://t.co/K1pgbCkwkM to learn more and help raise tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. #ALLInChallenge pic.twitter.com/Bc3FXF3rIS

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) April 15, 2020

https://twitter.com/Fanatics/status/1250218218821521409

JUST IN: @tonyhawk is ALL IN! Tony is offering up a Private Skateboarding Lesson and you have a chance to enter to win right now! Visit https://t.co/K1pgbCkwkM to learn more and help raise tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. #ALLInChallenge pic.twitter.com/m4fxNmM3ZW

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) April 15, 2020

Performing Rights Organizations ASCAP, BMI & SESAC Join In Support Of MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund

GRAMMYs

Photo: Getty Images

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Indie Publicists Persist Through COVID-19 Pandemic independent-publicists-persist-through-coronavirus-impact-music-industry

Independent Publicists Persist Through The Coronavirus Impact On The Music Industry

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A part of the greater fabric that helps the music industry run, indie publicists are re-strategizing their approach while facing financial hardships during this unprecedented COVID-19 "new normal"
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Mar 27, 2020 - 3:43 pm

On the morning of March 16, Loren Medina sent an email very different from the kind she's used to sending. The Los Angeles-based publicist behind Jessie Reyez and Kali Uchis wasn’t running business as usual. She wasn’t sending a new single or album press release announcement. Instead, she found herself sending out a plea to the music industry.

"Dear colleagues and media partners, it is our duty to find creative solutions to keep our industry afloat," she began."With lockdowns enforced and more travel restrictions soon to come, we must not let the current situation paralyze us and/or allow the virus to take up all the space in the media."

By now, there is no doubt the music industry will come out of the coronavirus pandemic as one of the hardest-hit fields worldwide. Live music is gone: Tours and concerts, which serve as both a space for music discovery and the primary source of income for artists, have been universally canceled or postponed. Already, the loss of live music events alone could potentially be in the billions in the U.S.

GRAMMYs

Loren Medina

Other areas have not gone unscathed. Although Medina says her clients are not pausing their record releases, other artists, including Lady Gaga, Haim and Kehlani, have postponed or rescheduled major projects, citing the coronavirus as the reason. Elsewhere, Amazon is prioritizing deliveries of essential goods and has stopped CD and vinyl orders for the time being, a move that could ultimately hurt smaller labels the most. Across the pond, musicians in the U.K. have so far lost 13.9 million pounds (+$17 million) in estimated earnings, according to the Guardian.

Medina’s home has become a type of ground zero. She now works remotely, just like the possibly millions of other people across the U.S. under the government's direction to stay home in an attempt to flatten the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic curve in the county, which now faces upwards of 86,000 cases. At her newfound home base, she assesses how to move forward day-by-day as the music industry faces such an unprecedented time.

A part of the greater fabric that helps the music industry run, Medina, who owns Guerrera PR, Marketing & Management and also represents acts like Omar Apollo and Cuco, among other artists, has been forced to re-strategize. Other publicists, tour managers, festival organizers and countless more in the music industry ecosystem are on the same boat. The new reality consists of social distancing and quarantining, a scenario that creates a challenge for parts of the modern music industry to function. Beyond it all, the virus is stripping music of its magic; no longer can people from all over the world come together in one place to enjoy it.

Independent publicists and smaller PR agencies now face their own unique challenges. Many run on project-based work focused on touring and album campaigns. With artists now canceling tours and rethinking album releases, the music publicity sector now faces a potential, and significant, loss in income—if not now, then in the future. On top of that, there is no option of severance for many publicists if they lose their jobs or clients.

While Medina isn’t experiencing a loss of work now, because she works on project-based campaigns, future clients might be at stake as some artists are holding off on releasing new music until the current situation is alleviated.

RELATED: How The Global Coronavirus Pandemic Is Directly Impacting Songwriters, Musicians And Artists

For Detroit-based publicist Nathan Walker, tour-related press comprises 50 percent of his work. Nearly every tour date he was working through his boutique PR company Riot Act Media, whose roster includes Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Young Jesus and STRFKR, was canceled last week or was on "the wait" to see what happens. 

Part of his new normal, which also means working from home with his wife and a four-year-old, has been trying to uncrack the new pitching protocol. There is an ongoing conversation among publicists about how to pitch music media during a never-before-lived pandemic that only seems to worsen by the day and continues to dominate headlines. How should they be pitching about music now?

"I'm just trying to be really calculated with my pitches so that I'm not just blanketing people with lots and lots of music," Walker says.

And he isn’t only practicing caution with media, but empathy as well.

"When I pitch an album during this time, I’m including a note sincerely hoping, because these are people I’ve worked with for years. I'm sincerely hoping they're in a good place right now," he says. "I'm just trying to keep the train on the tracks and send them a record that I think they'd love, and if they want me to stop pitching them, that's OK. I will understand."

Walker, who is staying hopeful about the situation and doing what he can for his artists, is not alone. Sarah Avrin of Girlie Action Media, Marketing & Management, home to Bikini Kill, Imogen Heap, Palehound and more, is pitching with thoughtfulness, too.

"I’m really focused on carefully and thoughtfully reaching out to journalists to make sure that they’re in the headspace to be accepting pitches and discussing new art at the moment," she says.

A Desire For Escapism

Artists continue to put out work, whether or not pitches about it are accepted, and publicists will continue to push for their clients. "It may be a little less busy right now," Avrin says. "But I think it’s going to pick up as artists have time on their hands to create and want to get engage, whether it’s livestream performances or just putting out new singles and sharing."

Although initially she felt panic, Medina's email to media partners was one of her first steps toward regrouping her approach to engaging with the media. "I was just like, OK, technology can definitely make us rethink the way we do things and can provide us the opportunities to keep going and not completely stay stagnant,” she says. "We still want to consume content, we want to be distracted, and there's a need for artists to continue to push out content.”

Phoebe Smolin, who owns Locamotive PR and has worked with Caloncho, Mon Laferte, Carla Morrison and more, says culture is needed now more than ever. 

"We can't lose sight of how important [culture] is, and in a time where we’re all connecting in a way that we haven't before, I just think it's necessary," she says.

https://twitter.com/mdoukmas/status/1242591460022763520

The @Chicago_Reader has lost 90% of its advertising revenue and we're now relying on individuals and foundations more than ever to keep us afloat. Please consider giving or becoming a member at this critical time! Every $1 helps us survive another week 🥰https://t.co/zDD3YaYZyc

— Maya Dukmasova (@mdoukmas) March 24, 2020

Smolin spent two days just replying to cancelations and has seen a loss in work in Europe, the U.S. and Latin America. She has also brainstormed with artists and media on how to move forward. 

But Walker says sending pitches to some publications can be tough right now as they face their own troubles. Amid a constantly changing landscape dominated by digital giants like Facebook and Google, the virus has caused even more economic strain on traditional print magazines and newspapers as well as digital publications relying on ads.

Playboy announced its magazine will fold, stating: "the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic to content production and the supply chain became clearer and clearer, we were forced to accelerate a conversation we've been having internally: the question of how to transform our U.S. print product to better suit what consumers want today."

Alt-weeklies, which largely specialize in covering regional music and arts scenes and local live events, across the nation have announced layoffs and staff salary cuts. The cancelation of this year's SXSW greatly impacted the Austin Chronicle. Seattle's The Stranger and the Portland Mercury both announced layoffs, with the Mercury also announcing it would temporarily stop its print edition. Ad sales are cutting back and have affected newspapers like the Chicago Reader.

RELATED: Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: West Region

“The other biggest challenge is promoting something like music to the press, who are currently worried about losing their jobs and also worried about a global pandemic," Walker says. "It's hard to be a publicist in these times because … It just seems frivolous to try and cheerlead music to people that have been crying, worried and stressed all day."

Change Needs To Happen

Just as the coronavirus has shed light on the weaknesses of governments around the world, this pandemic is highlighting how unfeasible the music industry has become for artists in the age of digital streaming. Music artists still heavily depend on touring and live events as a major income stream. While streaming comprises a majority of the industry's revenue, low royalty rates are not enough to make a living for some—the average musician makes between $20,000 and $25,000, according to a 2018 survey. Ultimately, the coronavirus will change the world and it will change the music industry along with it. How and if it will benefit artists remain the million-dollar questions.

For now, some artists have pivoted to livestream concerts. Erykah Badu, who had concert postponements due to COVID-19 precautions, is doing a series of streaming performances for which she is asking fans to pay $1, essentially sidestepping the middleman. Other artists have used "digital tip jars" to which fans can donate, while some have asked for nothing at all.

The rise of livestreams has become one of the industry's reactions to the pandemic, giving publicists material to help spread the word on what their artists are doing now. But livestreamed sets will never replace a live set, according to Medina, who's also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s Thorton School of Music.

https://twitter.com/baduworldmarket/status/1240134275971899400

Apocalypse One. Live interactive experiment from @fatbellybella. This weekend. YOU choose the songs. $1 to get in. Stay tuned for details. pic.twitter.com/qdqNzNQr8q

— baduworldmarket (@baduworldmarket) March 18, 2020

Walker agrees: "Cybersex isn't sex. It's a temporary adjustment. Whether it's something that we can make financially viable during this time, depending on how long this time extends to, I'm not certain," he adds. "It has to come from the fan's heartfelt desire to support the artist."

Everyone in the industry is bracing, day by day, for what the repercussions for the loss of revenue and income will be. The situation has brought Walker to think about what it could mean for publicists specifically. "If I'm being honest, it's made me afraid that my work will no longer be viable," he says.

The uncertainty in the industry is at an all-time high and people are scared, but the situation has brought publicists to find solace in each other. "We're in a music community, so we're trying to be there for other people, even though we're indie publicists at other companies; we’re a friendly company and there are other friendly indies out there, so we're all putting our heads together," Avrin says.

Smolin says she's become a "pseudo- psychologist" for her artists who fear what the pandemic's outcome could mean for them. Ultimately, the situation has caused relationships with her clients to strengthen. 

Medina feels her extensive experience as an indie publicist has made it easier to survive such times of uncertainty. "Last week, I was very worried. I actually felt a little bit depressed," she says. "This week, I'm like, it's fine. I'm going to figure out what else I can do. If I have to put a pause on PR, I'll figure out what else I can do. It's nothing that I've never had to do before."

Avrin is taking things one day at a time. She believes this experience will force everyone in the industry, from artists to media, to get creative while also potentially opening unique opportunities for independent artists. All in all, "It’s hard to say there is a silver lining," she says. "People are in pain and people are dying."

Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy and its Affiliates.