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Country musician Stonewall Jackson, who sang on the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and had No. 1 hits with “Waterloo” and others, died Saturday after a long … Click to Continue »
Artist Es Devlin wanted guests to engage in all their senses when she designed “Five Echoes,” the public installation commissioned by Chanel to honor the 100th anniversary of the house’s iconic No. 5 fragrance. More than 2,000 fragrant trees, grasses and other plants were sourced to create a forest-like environment at Jungle Plaza in Miami’s Design District, with a walkable labyrinth 100 feet in diameter — its shape inspired by a French abbey from Coco Chanel’s childhood — rising from its center.
While Devlin sought myriad ways to honor the codes of Chanel in the experience, sustainability was also top of mind, said the British-born artist and stage designer. “We began with a conversation about how a temporary artwork can be made without polluting the planet,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “Sadly, many of them end up in landfills. Once I saw this huge, beautiful space, my immediate thought was to turn it into a temporary forest, and then when all is said and done, replant that forest here in Miami.”
All trees and plants will be donated to public parks in Miami-Dade County, while Devlin adopted the same approach with the labyrinth. Crafted with stretched fabric and timber, the installation’s materials will be donated to local theater companies once the public event concludes Dec. 21. (More information about visiting the space can be found here.)
To celebrate the installation’s opening, Chanel hosted a splashy dinner in Jungle Plaza on Friday evening, Dec. 3, with guests who included Pharrell and Helen Williams, Joe Jonas, Venus Williams, Rebecca Dayan, Dylan Penn, Maluma and the Haim sisters.
For the L.A.-based rock trio, the night’s event was a first for them with both Chanel and Art Basel Miami Beach, and they were quick to agree that they’re big fans of Devlin’s work. “We’ve followed her for a long time,” Danielle Haim said. “The pieces she’s done for rock shows, for U2 or Adele, are incredible. We’ve always been in awe and so inspired by her.”
Like other guests, the three sisters wore head-to-toe Chanel. They also appear in one of the year’s hottest films, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza. Did they have any idea that the movie ultimately would generate so much buzz during production? “It’s not surprising because I was so in love with the script the first time I read it,” Alana Haim told THR. “Doing something you’re passionate about, and you really believe in was important to all of us, and we really believe in Paul. It was such an amazing experience; I wish I could go back and do it again 40 million times.”
Maluma, who’s starring in Marry Me with Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson (expected to release Feb. 11, 2022), likewise embraced the spirit of the evening, pairing a pink-and-white knit cardigan from Chanel’s Spring 2021 collection with white sequined trousers and a group of pearl necklaces. “With my [styling] team, we always think ahead and want to change the game,” he said of his look. “I’m not afraid of trying different things; I love pink, and I love pearls, that’s why I’m wearing this. I like to create trends, not follow them.”
Guests toured the labyrinth and surrounding forest before a seated dinner that included citrus-poached lobster and candy squash risotto, while desserts of basil sorbet and chocolate-chai mousse were being served, Devlin appeared at the center of the labyrinth to introduce the night’s surprise musical guest: Rosalia.
The Barcelona-born singer and songwriter, who won a Grammy in 2020 for best Latin rock, urban or alternative album, shared her own Chanel memories in the middle of a four-song set. “My grandmother, Lucretia, she was obsessed with this perfume,” she told the crowd. “She used to wear it all the time, and let’s be honest, it wasn’t a little. Every time she came to visit us, we all knew Lucretia was there before we saw her because [the scent of Chanel] was all over the house.”
This final night of Art Basel Miami Beach ultimately capped a week of events hosted by the legendary French label, starting with a drone show Wednesday evening, Dec. 1, at Faena Beach. Also designed to celebrate the Chanel No. 5 anniversary, the light show at that event included more than 500 drones creating a rendering of the No. 5 bottle that stretched more than 600 feet in the night sky.
On Thursday, Dec. 2, the brand opened its first boutique in the Miami Design District, with architect and interior designer Peter Marino present to sign copies of his just-released book, The Architecture of Chanel (Phaidon Press, $125), which chronicles his many collaborations with the house. “We’ve done more than 400 boutiques together, but they’ve also given me 12 architectural commissions, and that to me is meaningful,” Marino explained to THR. “Twelve buildings for a brand with the same architect just doesn’t happen, and I wanted to record it.”
How did he approach the look of the Design District boutique? “Chanel waited to be the last brand in the neighborhood, so I created a white cube, the same height and width on all sides, and put all the drama on the inside,” he said. “The design is the cleanest and the simplest of everything we see here, and it’s the one people will relate to the most.” (Among Marino’s upcoming projects is the redesign of Chanel’s Rodeo Drive boutique, expected for completion in 2022.)
From a white cube to a verdant forest, the messages communicated by the brand via art and design throughout the week were wholly intentional. “Every generation that comes along, we have a responsibility to explore our relationship with nature and our surroundings,” Devlin said. “I work with Chanel because I know they take a similar view. I’ve been working with them since 2016, since the first time I met [house perfumer] Olivier Polge, so I’ve experienced that dedication for several years. I feel really supported by them.”
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
The Christmas lights tend to shine a little brighter in Los Angeles, and such was certainly the case with the star-packed lineup behind iHeartRadio’s 102.7 KIIS FM Jingle Ball 2021 on Friday night (Dec. 3). Crowds of families and passionate fans decked out in light-up deer antler headbands and ugly Christmas sweaters filed into the sold-out Forum in Inglewood to see some of pop music’s biggest acts grace the stage after a pandemic-influenced hiatus canceled the Jingle Ball tour’s 2020 outing.
BTS, Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X and Black Eyed Peas were among the show’s headlining acts, all creatively incorporating the spirit and festivities of the holidays into their performances. A laryngitis diagnosis made Dua Lipa a last-minute drop, but performances from The Kid LAROI, Saweetie, Dixie, Tate McRae, Bazzi and surprise guest Anitta kept the crowd in high holiday spirits.
The diverse array of acts gave the L.A. crowd a little taste of everything, from swaying singalongs to bombastic live instrumentation that tore the Forum house down. Stars from the show also spoke with Billboard about their Jingle Ball experiences and voiced excitement about their fellow performers.
Here’s a roundup of the five best moments from Jingle Ball 2021 in Los Angeles.
BTS Blasts the Show Open With Holiday-Inspired ‘Dynamite’
It was hard to dismiss the deafening screams that led up to the seven-piece boy band stepping onto the Jingle Ball stage as the show’s opening act. After a four-night, sold out stint at the neighboring SoFi Stadium, the K-pop supergroup brought their stadium energy to the Forum arena with a two-song set.
After opening with “Butter,” the group took some time to speak to fans and voice their excitement about the holidays and being able to perform and sing with fans once again. The KIIS FM staff brought out a birthday cake and spearheaded a happy birthday singalong to Jin, who turns 29 today. They ended their brief set with a holiday version of “Dynamite,” with jingle bells complimenting the Hot 100 No. 1 hit.
Lil Nas X’s Hit-Filled Set Came With a Doja Cat Surprise
JoJo Siwa introduced Lil Nas X to the Jingle Ball crowd just before his set, and gushed over his talent to Billboard. “I would be down for a JoJo Siwa Lil Nas X collaboration,” she said. “Never say never!”
And as the show’s penultimate performer, Lil Nas X brought hit after hit and had some friends come along to help out. After running through discography staples like “Industry Baby,” the fitting “Holiday” and “Old Town Road” – which he reminded last night’s audience had come out three years ago to the day – his performance of “Scoop” was met with crowd roars as Doja Cat hopped back on the Jingle Ball stage after her set to play her verse alongside him.
“Who wants love?” Nas asked the crowd while introducing “That’s What I Want,” which was immediately met with cheers. “Well, you’re never gonna get it! I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” he joked.
Of his performance, fellow Jingle Ball act Tate McRae had glowing remarks for the Montero artist. “I feel like [Lil Nas X] has something very very special in his performance quality that no other artist has,” she said. “Watching him and his dancers on stage is incredibly inspiring to me as an artist who aspires to reach that level, just for me to be able to go on stage and hopefully do the same as him!”
Ed Sheeran Performs ‘Merry Christmas’ for the First Time
Ed Sheeran stood out as a pure performer during his Jingle Ball set, stepping onto the stage by himself with his acoustic guitar in hand. Before starting with “Shivers,” he briefly explained his loop station setup to the audience and quickly built out the song’s production elements entirely with his guitar before breaking into the full performance in a creative display of his musical ability.
He assured fans that he picked out songs for his set that the audience knew and that notion was immediately followed with an arena-wide singalong to “Perfect,” crowd slow dancing and swaying phone flashlights in tow. Sheeran ended his set with the first live performance of his “Merry Christmas” single, and a surprising amount of dedicated fans sung along to the newly released holiday track.
Dixie D’Amelio Brings out Sister Charli to Dance
While having to follow BTS might be daunting for most, Dixie held her own with an engaging and choreographed performance of her early singles. Opening with “Psycho” and running through songs like recent single “The Real Thing,” Dixie later brought her younger sister Charli to the stage with a touching introduction about how she’s one of the most important people in her life. Charli then joined in on her older sister’s backing choreography during the performance.
Billboard caught up with Dixie on the show’s red carpet, where she shared some insight into her Jingle Ball tour experience so far.
“I’ve talked to Tate and watched her set, she’s amazing! I’ve also watched Bazzi’s set which was after mine in Dallas, but I had such a crazy experience,” she said. “I had such a bad migraine [in Dallas] that I fell asleep on the green room floor and I missed everything after my set! I was so upset, but I’m excited to see [the rest of] tonight’s performances.”
The Kid LAROI Starts Heartfelt ‘Long Live Juice WRLD’ Crowd Chant
During his set, The Kid LAROI introduced his collaboration with the late Juice WRLD with a simple question for the crowd: “Does anyone here know Juice WRLD?” After that was met with deafening applause for LAROI’s mentor, the artist born Charlton Howard started a spirited “Long Live Juice” chant for the late rapper and singer, who would’ve turned 23 on Dec. 2.
The Australian singer then went on to finish his set of crowd-pleasing hits, including current Hot 100 mainstay “Stay” and “Without You.” Running back and forth between different sides of the stage to acknowledge fans in different areas of the arena, his formidable vocal talent reverberated all across the Forum as the lively crowd sung his lyrics back to him.
Stonewall Jackson, a Grand Ole Opry member who had a longtime career in country music, has died. He was 89.
Jackson passed away on Saturday (Dec. 4) following a battle with vascular dementia, the Grand Ole Opry confirmed.
Born in Tabor City, North Carolina, Jackson was then raised in Georgia before heading to Nashville.
Jackson was known for his classic country singles that charted on the Hot Country Songs chart, including the country No. 1s “Waterloo” (1959) and “B.J. the D.J.” (1963), as well as songs like “Life to Go” (1958) and “Don’t Be Angry” (1964).
In an interview with Music Charts Magazine, Jackson recalled the excitement of being offered a five-year contract with the Grand Ole Opry on his first invitation to play there in 1956, after Wesley Rose heard his music and set him up with an audition. Jackson became a member of the Opry without having a record deal at the time.
He joined the Grand Ole Opry on Nov. 3, 1956, longer ago than any other current member.
“I’m not putting down the record end of the business because that’s very important, too,” Jackson noted in the interview. “But to me, the way I came here and all, the Grand Ole Opry’s been the mainstay in my career. I still love the Grand Ole Opry very, very much.”
“I intend to play it as long as I can still sing ‘Don’t Be Angry,’” Jackson said, referencing one of the first songs he ever performed at the Opry.
In a statement after Stonewall’s passing, Nancy Jones, wife of the late George Jones, wrote, “Stonewall’s breakout hit ‘Life to Go’ was written by George [Jones] and they both became members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1956. They held a special friendship over the years and although Stonewall was retired, he participated in the final George Jones No Show tribute event after he passed. I will always have a special place in my heart for Stonewall. May he rest in Peace!”
A performance at the Grand Ole Opry Saturday night will be in dedication to Jackson.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
At 22 years old, Christian Nodal has rewritten the rules of regional Mexican music, navigating between traditional music and hip-hop and setting a record of No. 1s (13) for a solo act on the Billboard Regional Mexican Airplay chart.
On the heels of his chart success, Nodal brought his Botella Tras Botella Tour to Inglewood on Friday Night (Dec. 3), performing his biggest hits to a sold-out crowd at the YouTube Theater, and was joined by surprise guests, including Mexican hip-hop acts Gera MX and Akwid.
Nodal is a Gen-Z sensation who is refreshing regional Mexican music with his mariacheño (mariachi and norteño) sound. And despite using social media to air his grievances to break free from Universal Music, Nodal won a Latin Grammy in September and is nominated in the 2022 Grammys.
But on Friday, he kept record label drama off the stage, emerging like an urban cowboy in his black leather pants and commanding the audience with the tip of his hat. He put on a nearly two-hour show that had his fans on their feet, dancing and singing along. Here are five memorable moments from Nodal’s concert.
Nodal’s Greatest Hits
In his five years as an artist, Nodal has racked up numerous hits, including 13 No. 1s on the regional Mexican Airplay chart. He loaded up his set list with early hits like “Adiós Amor,” “No Te Contaron Mal” and “De Los Besos Que Te Di” and had the crowd moving to his recent smashes, like the country-influenced “Se Me Olvidó” and his reggaeton-infused Piso 21 collaboration “Pa’ Olvidarme De Ella.”
‘Botella Tras Botella’ with Gera MX
Nodal’s tour is named after his global hit “Botella Tras Botella” with Gera MX. In May, the duo made history by becoming the first regional Mexican entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. When Nodal started to sing their song, Gera MX came out to loud cheers from the crowd. The compa chemistry was so big, that in a surprise move, the two performed “Botella Tras Botella” for a second time to close out the concert.
Akwid’s Surprise Appearance
Immediately after Gera MX, brother duo Sergio and Francisco Gómez of Akwid joined Nodal onstage. The Californian/Mexican rappers, who pioneered regional hip-hop, performed their classics “Es Mi Gusto” and “No Hay Manera.” Nodal rapped alongside the guys, showing he has a hip-hop flow that can hold up against the veterans. As Mexican rap is making a global impact, it was cool to see Nodal share the spotlight with two pioneers of the genre.
Nodal Honored The Mexican Legends
Nodal’s concert was also filled with plenty of covers, paying homage to the icons of regional Mexican music that came before him. Nodal performed a heartfelt version of Joan Sebastian’s “Eso y Más” and had the crowd moving to Ramón Ayala’s “Tragos Amargos.” In front of the Mexican flag, he also belted out Vicente Fernández’s classic “Acá Entre Nos,” to delirious screams of “¡Arriba México!”
Nodal’s Fan Love
Throughout the concert, Nodal thanked his fans for their support and called them a blessing in his life. When fans rushed to the front of the stage to try to get a selfie, Nodal obliged, flashing his smile and a peace sign. He clipped a flower from a fan to his hat and tossed a few of his bandanas, and eventually his hat, into the crowd. A sweet moment was his performance of “Mi Chula,” where Nodal serenaded his female fans and blew kisses to the audience. It was all about spreading the love.
Legendary rocker Lenny Kravitz gave a private performance Friday (Dec. 3) for a star-studded crowd that included Leonardo DiCaprio and local Latin boy band CNCO during Miami’s Art Week.
The lavish party is an annual affair hosted by business mogul and art collector Wayne Boich. He and his wife also hosted a private dinner before the Richard Mille After Dark event at their waterfront estate. Venus and Serena Williams danced and sang along as Kravitz took the stage for a 75-minute concert as a yacht pulled alongside to hear the rocker.
“This ain’t a concert. We’re just hanging out,” the “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” singer said, pulling Boich onstage to dance.
Kravitz, who has lived on and off in Miami for years, is a regular during the prestigious Art Basel week and even displayed his photography during an exhibit in 2015, saying he was tired of always being the subject of photos and wanted to turn the camera around for a change.
The black-and-white collection, titled Flash, captured soulful photographs and people in their everyday environments.
After midnight, rapper T.I. surprised a crowd that included French Montana, Transformers actor Amaury Nolasco and NBA star Joakim Noah.
Even the “Live Your Life” rapper seemed impressed by the event, calling it an “extravagant party … and as the founder of trap music my expectations are high.”
The night ended with Hannah Bronfman’s husband DJ’ing as she and actress Karrueche danced.
In a week filled with over-the-top events, Boich’s parties have become a mainstay. It was canceled last year due to COVID, but guests at his 2019 party which included Floyd Mayweather, Dwyane Wade and Alesso, watched a performance by Wyclef Jean, a cameo from “Country Grammar” singer Nelly and an after-party show by rapper 2 Chainz.
In what prosecutors are describing as a brazen case of fraud, two men have been charged with illegally collecting over $20 million in Latin music royalties.
José Teran of Scottsdale, Arizona and Webster Batista of Doral, Florida were charged Wednesday (Dec. 1) in federal court in Phoenix after being accused of fraudulently monetizing over 50,000 songs through their company, MediaMuv. According to sources, and to a report published in Marketwatch, the men unlawfully collected royalties on songs from a wide range of Latin artists, including Piso 21, El Fantasma, Angeles Azules and Los Askis.
According to the indictment, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Arizona, Terán and Batista made false representations in order to claim more than $20 million in YouTube royalties in a scheme that began back in 2016. Operating under MediMuv, Teran and Batista allegedly sent an email to YouTube in 2017 stating they represented over 50,000 songs and requesting access to YouTube’s Content Management System (CMS). The men not only falsely claimed to own the legal rights to the songs but also assumed false identities to aid in their plot.
Court documents show Teran and Batista used their allegedly ill-gotten money to fund a lavish lifestyle, with Teran allegedly using over $500,000 to put a down payment on a mansion outside of Phoenix. Other alleged purchases included more than $90,000 paid to Beverly Hills BMW and another $129,000 paid to Tesla.
Today, Teran and Batista stand accused of conspiracy, wire fraud, transactional money laundering and aggravated identity theft. They could face up to 5 years in prison for conspiracy, 20 years for wire fraud, 10 years for transactional money laundering and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 2 years for aggravated identity theft.
Kacey Musgraves is the latest musician to make a visit to Sesame Street.
During her recent appearance, the country singer struggles to pick her favorite color in the rainbow while singing the song “All the Colors of the World” but is able to come to a solution by the end of the segment with help from the show’s beloved characters.
In the clip, Elmo asks Musgraves what her problem is, to which she replies that she can’t decide what her favorite color is. After Elmo reveals that his favorite color is red — like his furry body — she sings, “Red is Elmo’s favorite color/ You know I really like red too/ It sometimes means stop/ Or love you a lot/ And red reminds me of you/ And that’s why of all the colors in the world/ Red is the color I like the most.”
Elmo and Musgraves are then joined by Gabrielle, who reveals that her favorite color is yellow, like the two ribbons she wears in her curly pigtails. Musgraves decides that yellow is her favorite color too, and sings, “Yellow is my favorite color/ I love yellow because it’s so fun/ It can mean to go slow/ Yes, and you know/ Yellow is the color of the sun/ And that’s why of all the colors in the world/Yellow is the favorite one that I love.”
But after The Count and Big Bird provide their own color suggestions (green and brown), Abby Cadabby swoops in and reminds Musgraves it’s OK to enjoy all the colors equally. “I don’t need a favorite color/ I can like them all the same/ Red, black and brown and yellow/ Any color you can name/ The world is full of colors/ No one is better than the other/ So let’s enjoy them all/ Having all the colors is best,” Musgraves sings joyfully, concluding the segment.
The 33-year-old spoke with Spin after her Sesame Street cameo aired and revealed that she’s always been a fan of the show. “There are few institutions more iconic than Sesame Street, and I’ve always adored how they blend music and learning,” she said. “It was a massive honor to be a guest on the show and something I’ll never forget. It made me kind of emotional to see behind the curtain of such a big part of my childhood.”
The “star-crossed” singer previously appeared on Sesame Street in 2020, where she performed “Rubber Duckie” on The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo.
Watch Musgraves sing “All the Colors of the World” on Sesame Street below.
