Elon Musk Plans to Sell a Song About NFTs… as an NFT

Elon Musk is hopping on the NFT craze with plans to sell a new song about the non-fungible tokens… as its own NFT.

Musk’s exact involvement in the dance track is unclear, and he has not yet provided a link to the NFT or any additional context on where or when it might go on sale.

In Musk’s tweet, the unnamed track plays over the visual of a rotating golden trophy, with the words “Vanity Trophy” revolving around a shiny sphere and a base that reads “Computers Never Sleep” (an actual lyric from the song) — above that, the acronym “HODL,” which is short for “hold on for dear life.” That phrase is an oft-used slogan for the bitcoin community that’s used to discourage crypto traders from divesting from the cryptocurrencies.

The trophy additionally includes golden dogs evocative of shiba inus, a.k.a. the mascot for the dogecoin cryptocurrency that gained some traction amid the Gamestop phenomenon earlier this year and which Musk himself has tweeted about a number of times.

Musk has been a vocal cheerleader for bitcoin both on Twitter and through his company Tesla, which invested $1.5 billion in the cryptocurrency last month and has revealed plans to accept bitcoin as payment for its vehicles in the future.

You can read Billboard’s full explainer on the NFT phenomenon — and the music industry’s exploding interest in it — here.

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Here’s Why Eddie Van Halen’s Son Declined to Perform for Grammy ‘In Memoriam’ Tribute

When Eddie Van Halen’s portion of the Grammys’ “In Memoriam” segment included just a short clip of the Van Halen guitarist performing in archival footage and a lone guitar perched onstage, a lot of fans wondered why he didn’t get the same treatment as Kenny Rogers, Little Richard, John Prine or Gerry and the Pacemakers’ Gerry Marsden at Sunday’s show. According to a tweet Monday (March 15), Eddie’s son Wolfgang Van Halen was expecting something more substantial too.

Wolfgang said he was asked by the Recording Academy to play “Eruption” — which is what his dad was playing in the footage shown Sunday night — but declined. “I don’t think anyone could have lived up to what my father did for music but himself,” he wrote. What he didn’t realize is that his dad’s brief moment would be surrounded by full tribute performances from Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak (Little Richard), Lionel Richie (Kenny Rogers), Brandi Carlile (John Prine) and Brittany Howard (Marsden).

“It was my understanding that there would be an ‘In Memoriam’ section where bits of songs were performed by legendary artists that had passed,” Wolfgang wrote. “I didn’t realize that they would only show Pop for 15 seconds in the middle of 4 full performances for others we had lost.

“What hurt the most was that he wasn’t even mentioned when they talked about artists we lost in the beginning of the show,” he added. “I know rock isn’t the most popular genre right now, (and the academy does seem a bit out of touch) but I think it’s impossible to ignore the legacy my father left on the instrument, the world of rock, and music in general. There will never be another innovator like him.”

Wolfgang says his dad probably wouldn’t have even cared about the supposed snub since the music was all he cared about. “I’m not looking to start some kind of hate parade here, I just wanted to explain my side,” he wrote. “I know Pop would probably just laugh it off and say ‘Ehh who gives a sh–?’ He was only about the music anyway. The rest didn’t matter.” Wolfgang concluded his note by saying he would like to have a conversation with the Grammys “not only about the legacy of my father, but the legacy of the Rock genre moving forward.”

Eddie Van Halen earned one Grammy Award in his lifetime: best hard rock performance with vocal for Van Halen’s 1991 album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Van Halen died Oct. 6 after a battle with cancer.

See Wolfgang’s statement below, and revisit Eddie Van Halen’s full “Eruption” solo too.

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Teen Singer Battling Cystic Fibrosis Proves She’s a ‘Walking Miracle’ in ‘American Idol’ Audition

Before she got her ticket to Hollywood, Brianna Collichio endured a long journey, with hospital visits starting from the age of 7 due to cystic fibrosis.

The 15-year-old singer’s older sister Sentina Collichio posted a TikTok on June 27 of Brianna performing Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful” at a small venue, with hopes that she’d go viral and eventually audition for American Idol so “the world hears her story and beautiful voice.”

Brianna was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth, a condition that makes her prone to chronic lung infections. With her sister’s video amassing 2.1 million views, the teen from upstate New York scheduled an Idol audition in August. But unfortunately, she collapsed the evening before and had to go undergo surgery. Sentina shared another viral TikTok clip, this time with 3.3 million views, that was filmed in the hospital with the same “Scars to Your Beautiful” audio, and requested she get another shot at auditioning.

Collichio found herself in front of judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie in an audition clip that premiered Sunday, explaining that with CF, a person can experience scarring on their lungs. “But my lungs are not scarred and my voice is not raspy. So I want to inspire people,” she told them before delving into her stirring performance of “Scars to Your Beautiful.”

Richie thanked her for her “bravery” in sharing her story and later thanked her sister on Twitter for sharing that first TikTok video that made it all happen, while Bryan assured her she “knocked it out of the park.” Perry’s description of her as a “walking miracle” particularly struck a chord with Collichio, because that’s the nickname her mother gave her.

“Mom, you know what I called your daughter?” the pop star asked the tearful mother who entered the audition room at the end. “A walking miracle. And Mama, she’s walking her miracle straight to Hollywood.”

Watch Collichio’s inspirational story and Idol audition below.

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Laura Pausini Reacts to Her Oscar Nomination: ‘I Still Don’t Believe It’

After being nominated Monday (March 15) for the 2021 Oscars, Laura Pausini took to social media to say, “I still don’t believe it.”

The Italian crooner, known for timeless Latin ballads including “Viveme,” “En Cambio No,” and “Amores Extraños,” is nominated for best original song alongside Diane Warren for “Io Sí (Seen),” the theme song to the Edoardo Ponti-directed film The Life Ahead, starring his mother, Sophia Loren.

“Being able to be part of such a special project as ‘The Life Ahead’ with #EdoardoPonti and #SophiaLoren was for me one of the greatest gifts that life could give me,” she wrote. “And now knowing that I’m nominated for an Oscar is beyond any wish or expectation I could dream of. I want to thank the Academy for welcoming ‘Io Si’ and the message it brings with it. Congratulations to @dianewarren, it was an incredible experience working together.”

Pausini’s nomination comes on the heels of her winning the Golden Globe for best original song.

“I heard the song in English [titled ‘Seen’] and immediately felt a very strong connection,” she previously told Billboard of the song that was born during the pandemic. “I felt I came back to life. It felt right to do it because the message behind the song was so uplifting and necessary.”

See her reaction below:

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Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion Bring Wild ‘WAP’ to 2021 Grammys

Fresh off her best new artist win and teary-eyed acceptance speech, Megan Thee Stallion hit the 2021 Grammys stage with fellow Grammy winner Cardi B for a truly wild performance of their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “WAP.”

Despite being one of the defining smash hits of 2020, this is actually the first time Megan and Cardi performed “WAP” on TV, probably having something to do with the song’s less than family-friendly subject matter. But while it was after 10 p.m. ET when they busted out “WAP,” they still kept it reasonably PG-13; By way of introducing the song, Grammys host Trevor Noah said, “If you have small children in the room, just tell them it’s a song about giving a cat a bath.”

After a mini concert from Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B came out with a coterie of dancers to deliver her new single “Up” before segueing into “WAP.” Dressed in a metallic silvery outfit straight out of Jane Fonda’s Barbarella, Cardi B strutted across stage to do a pole dance on the ten-foot-tall stiletto of a giant platform heel. Dollars floated down from the sky, painted dancers pranced around her – it was a sci-fi strip club fantasia.

When Megan rejoined her on stage, Cardi took her to bed – literally, the two delivered their verses while crawling and gyrating around what looked like a queen-sized bed for giants. It was insane and incredible.

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Megan Thee Stallion & Beyonce Win Best Rap Song For ’Savage’ at the 2021 Grammy Awards

Minutes after Megan Thee Stallion performed “Savage” at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, the Houston rapper won best rap song with the No. 1 smash — and while Beyoncé didn’t join Meg for the performance, she did join her onstage to collect a much-deserved trophy.

Megan Thee Stallion, who won best new artist earlier on Sunday night (March 14), used part of her acceptance speech to discuss how much Beyoncé’s artistry meant to her when she was growing up, and how she first saw Destiny’s Child perform at a local rodeo.

“My momma would always be like, ‘What would Beyoncé do?’” Meg said, adding that she would strive to try to answer that question with her own behavior, “but make it a little ratchet.”

When she took her turn at the mic, Beyoncé told Megan, “I have so much respect for you, and I’m honored that you asked me to be a part of this song.” Megan Thee Stallion originally released “Savage” as a solo track, but Beyoncé’s rework of the track — also nominated for record of the year at the Grammys — helped it reach the top of the Hot 100 chart.

“Savage” triumphed in the best rap song category over Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture,” Roddy Ricch’s “The Box,” “Laugh Now Cry Later” by Drake featuring Lil Durk, and “Rockstar” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch. As Grammys host Trevor Noah pointed out following the acceptance speeches, the win gives Beyoncé 27 career Grammys — tied with Alison Krauss for the most all-time by a female artist.

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Megan Thee Stallion Continues 2021 Grammys Victory Lap With ‘Savage’ and ‘Body’ Medley

Fresh off her win for best new artist earlier in the broadcast, Megan Thee Stallion barnstromed the Grammy stage on Sunday night (Mar. 14) for a performance of her Grammy-nominated “Savage,” following a quick intro that also dipped into her Good News hit “Body.”

Looking like a hip-hop Marilyn Monroe in a shimmering silver bodysuit, Megan cascaded a giant staircase and of course offered no shortage of twerking — particularly once she put the mic down during a piped-in version of Beyoncé’s “Savage” guest verse. Combining the classic with the modern, the performance also took a minute out for a tap-dance break, with two backing dancers doing jumping splits in a likely homage to The Nicholas Brothers.

In addition to her best new artist victory, Megan The Stallion also took home best rap performance for “Savage” — which is still up for two more awards on the night: best rap song and record of the year. Megan was also a two-time performer on the night, appearing alongside Cardi B shortly after her own solo performance for a debut TV performance of the star duo’s 2020 smash “WAP.”

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H.E.R. Wins Song of the Year For ‘I Can’t Breathe’ at the 2021 Grammys: ‘We Are the Change We Wish to See’

H.E.R. took home the win for song of the year with her powerful tune “I Can’t Breathe” at the 2021 Grammy Awards on Sunday (March 14).

“I think the first thing I want to say is that I’ve never been so proud to be an artist,” H.E.R. said in her acceptance speech, noting that she considered all of the music by her competitors in the category to also be songs of the year. “I didn’t imagine that my fear and that may pain would turn into impact, and it would possibly turn to change, and I think that’s what this is about. That’s why I write music. That’s why I do this.”

The singer-songwriter also thanked her parents and noted that she wrote the song — inspired by George Floyd’s last words as he struggled to breathe while a police officer kneeled on his neck — in her bedroom at her mother’s house. H.E.R. also shared that her dad, who was the first person she played the song for, cried when he first heard it.

“Remember, we are the change we wish to see,” she concluded. “And that fight that we had in us the summer of 2020? Keep that same energy.”

When H.E.R. premiered the emotional song during iHeartRadio’s Living Room Concert series in June, she shared that in addition to Floyd’s final words, she was inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests following his death.

“These lyrics were kind of easy to write because it came from a conversation of what’s happening right now, what’s been happening, and the change that we need to see,” she told fans at the time. “I think music is powerful when it comes to change and when it comes to healing and that’s why I wrote this song, to make a mark in history. And I hope this song does that.”

Trevor Noah, who hosted the show, presented H.E.R. with the award. She beat out Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Roddy Ricch, Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and JP Saxe for the win.

The 63rd annual ceremony was broadcast live from the Los Angeles Convention Center and surrounding areas. The show also included nearly two dozen performances from artists ranging from BTS to Taylor Swift to Megan Thee Stallion and beyond.

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Anderson .Paak’s ‘Lockdown’ Wins Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2021 Grammys

Though Anderson .Paak is enjoying his newly-minted partnership with Bruno Mars as part of Silky Sonic, his solo career continues to flourish after netting another Grammy at this year’s ceremonies Sunday night (March 14)

Winning best melodic rap performance for his 2020 emotionally-charged single “Lockdown,” Paak issued a riveting acceptance speech following his victory.

“I wanna say thank you to the team that helped me put this record together. I wanna say thank you to the academy,” he said. “Lastly, I want to say that this song “Lockdown” is dedicated to every human being who actually has a voice. If you have a voice, don’t be afraid to use it ’cause they watching, and this is proof.”

Earlier in the night, .Paak joined Bruno Mars for a series of performances, most notably their first together as Silky Sonic. .Paak’s lastest feat extends his Grammy win-total to four. He previously netted two in 2019 for best R&B performance and best R&B album.

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How Cardi B Feels About the Grammys: ‘Congratulate the Small Black Artists’

The night before the 2021 Grammys, Cardi B chimed in with her feelings about this year’s awards show.

The “Up” rapper chose to focus on uplifting many of the Black artists who did receive nods, sending a tweet out on Saturday (March 13) that said, “How I feel bout the Grammies. Don’t forget to congratulate the small black artist that got nominated that got overshadowed again cause of the drama.”

“I’m highlighting these underrated artist that got nominated and no one blinked a eye to congratulate them cause everybody throwing tantrums over artist that submit their music to a award show that they claim they hate .AGAIN CONGRATS TO YALL !” she added in another tweet.

In a lengthy note further explaining her thoughts, she clarified, “I do feel that there were some albums and songs that should have been considered for nominations. Maybe next year they will get it right.”

“However let’s not forget the Grammy’s nominated soo many independent black artists this year that don’t get exposure by blogs, magazines and other award shows like Chika, D Smoke, Royce 5’9′, Freddie Gibbs, Jay Electronica, Kaytranada, Brittany Howard, Mykal Kilgore, Ledisi, Jean & Marcus Baylor, Luke James, Gregory Porter, Giveon, Ant Clemons, Robert Glasper, Free Nationals & Thundercat and so much more,” Cardi noted. (See the full list of 2021 Grammy nominations here.)

“It’s frustrating sometimes to work and work on your craft and you feel overlooked because you might not look like others, are not mixxy so you not always around other artists, you rap or sing about different material, you stay out of drama and the media or yet still not as popular however youre talented ass f— and one day you wake up and you find out youre nominated and got a notice from one of the biggest award shows purely cause of your TALENT!” explained Cardi. “Soo besides all the bulls— let’s not forget to congratulate these artists. This is their moment too and they been working their ass off with no exposure and let’s not overshadow it with feelings cause your favorite might not be on the list. Congrats guys and good luck on the Grammys. You deserve it.”

In 2019, Cardi enjoyed her own Grammys recognition when she won best rap album for Invasion of Privacy. Though Lauryn Hill was awarded best rap album in 1997 as part of the Fugees for The Score, Cardi B was the first solo female to win best rap album. “I f—ing worked my ass off,” she said after the win.

The 2021 Grammy Awards are airing on Sunday (March 14) at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The show can be watched on CBS, Paramount+ and Grammy.com.

See Cardi B’s Twitter note below.

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