Court documents say federal prosecutors in Brooklyn are in plea negotiations with Miami Beach resident Garrett O’Rourke, but the Securities and Exchange Commission already has a judgment ordering O’Rourke to … Click to Continue »
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If it’s meant to be, it will be. Was Evermore single “Willow” already on Taylor Swift’s mind nearly 10 years ago?
On Saturday (Dec. 12), a fan of Swift’s with a sharp eye found the word “Willow” was featured in the music video for “Mean,” circa 2011. The song was on Swift’s Speak Now album, released a decade ago.
“No words,” they wrote. The tweet showed a collage of music video stills comparing “Willow” to “Mean,” both of which had Swift outfitted in a lace dress and wearing her hair in a braid. On Swift’s “Mean” stage set is a sign that clearly says “Willow” (which can be seen pretty well about 56 seconds in, if you’re watching for it yourself).
This finding shows up on Swift’s feed of tweets she’s liked, with a trail of stunned reactions in the comments section.
“what the actual f—!??” one fan wrote, posting a meme that reads, “She’s so powerful. Her mind… UGH it amazes me sometimes.”
“She’s f—ed in the head,” another fan joked, quoting one of Swift’s own lines, from Evermore’s “Champagne Problems.”
See the “Willow” sighting below.
The next round of Verzuz will feature a battle between “legends of the bay” E-40 and Too $hort.
The official Verzuz Instagram account revealed the news Sunday evening (Dec. 13), a day after the weekend’s scheduled Ashanti and Keyshia Cole battle was postponed until January due to Ashanti testing positive for COVID-19.
E-40 and Too $hort — who released the collaborative History double album back in 2012 — are set to face off next weekend, on Saturday (Dec. 19).
“Y’all know we had to do a BIG holiday party!” the announcement read. “Who you wit!?”
“Me & @e40 are READY to tell all the youngstas how we put The Bay on the map & influenced the world,” Too $hort promised on his own Instagram page.
“We gon’ end this year on a good note, loved ones,” E-40 added. “It’s a celebration, ya feel me.”
Viewers can tune in to see the West Coast rappers go head-to-head Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. ET on Instagram or Apple Music.
While Taylor Swift gave fans a present on her own birthday, friends and peers sent warm messages her way via social media on Sunday (Dec. 13), when the star turned 31.
Among the many notes was one from Aaron Dessner, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the “Willow” remix she dropped for her birthday.
“This is frickin’ amazing and happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Dessner wrote to his Folklore and Evermore co-creator.
“Happy 31st, @taylorswift13,” Maren Morris sent out in a tweet, along with a glimmer of hope for 2021. “I am assuming you’ll be putting out 13 albums this next year?”
Kristin Chenoweth, meanwhile, took her at-home celebration of Swift very seriously, recording a snippet of herself covering one of her favorite Folklore songs, “Mad Woman,” to share with the world.
Blake Lively posted a personal snapshot in celebration of her pal’s birthday — “There was happiness because of you,” the actress wrote, quoting an Evermore track. “Happy happy birthday. Thank you for #Evermore. Absolutely nothing better than getting presents on other people’s birthdays. love you” — and Ryan Reynolds also put up an Instagram Story in honor of Swift.
Todrick Hall left some kind words on Instagram for his friend on her special day, too: “Happy Lucky Number Backwards Birthday @taylorswift. Thank you for your love, kindness, honesty, loyalty, your cooking, your cat loving, your generosity, your wittiness, your talent and for taking your precious time to listen to me over share about my hot mess express saga of men. You deserve the world, streaming ‘Evermore’ AND ‘Folklore’ today to celebrate you. 2020 worked hard, but you worked harder. LOVE YOUUUUUU MWAH.”
“Wish we could be together to celebrate. Love u so much,” Gigi Hadid wrote in an Instagram Story, where she shared a photo of Swift.
And while it wasn’t exactly a “happy birthday,” Halsey commended Swift on Sunday for gifting her fans with so much new music this year.
“I just love @taylorswift13 for committing to bringing so much magic to a time in which she knows so many of her fans may be suffering,” she wrote on Swift’s birthday. “This is the least profitable era of music we’ve lived to see and she’s working very hard because it makes people happy. That’s really somethin’.”
See some of these highlights, as well as more birthday messages for Swift, below.
Shawn Mendes scores his fourth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as his latest studio effort, Wonder, bows atop the tally. The set earned 89,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 10, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
Meanwhile, the top 10 is very festive, as half of the titles in the region are Christmas albums for the first time since 2013.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 19-dated chart (where Wonder bows at to No. 1) will be posted in full on Billboard’s website on Dec. 15. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Of Wonder’s 89,000 equivalent album units earned in the tracking week ending Dec. 3, album sales comprise 54,000, SEA units comprise 34,000 (equaling 46.92 million on-demand streams of the album’s songs) and TEA units comprise 1,000.
All four of Mendes’ full-length studio albums have now debuted at No. 1. He began his chart career with his introductory project, The Shawn Mendes EP, which debuted and peaked at No. 5 on the Aug. 16, 2014-dated chart. He followed it up with his debut full-length studio set, Handwritten (No. 1 on May 2, 2015), and then his next studio effort, Illuminate (No. 1, Oct. 15, 2016). He then charted two live albums (Live at Madison Square Garden, No. 200 on Jan. 14, 2017, and MTV Unplugged, No. 71 on Nov. 25, 2017) before seeing his self-titled third studio set bow atop the list dated June 9, 2018.
Wonder was led by its title track, which peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 14 on the Pop Songs airplay chart. The album’s second radio single, “Monster,” a co-billed track with Justin Bieber, has so far peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 and No. 19 on Pop Songs (through the most recently published charts, dated Dec. 12).
Bad Bunny’s El Ultimo Tour del Mundo falls to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 57,000 equivalent album units earned (down 50%), following its history-making debut at No. 1 a week ago – when it became the first all-Spanish-language album to top the list.
Ariana Grande’s former No. 1 Positions rises a spot to No. 3 with just over 55,000 equivalent album units (up 4%).
Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas album climbs 6-4 with 55,000 equivalent album units (up 14%). It leads a total of five holiday albums in the top 10, the first time that’s happened in seven years. Also joining in the merriment: Carrie Underwood’s My Gift (9-5, a new peak, with 53,000 units; up 19%), Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song (12-7 with 42,000 units; up 20%), Pentatonix’s The Best of Pentatonix Christmas (16-8 with just over 39,000; up 22%) and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas (15-10 with 38,000; up 17%).
The last time five holiday albums were among the top 10 occurred on the Dec. 21, 2013-dated chart. That week, the top 10 housed Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped in Red (No. 3), The Robertsons’ Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas (No. 5), Pentatonix’s PTXmas (EP) (No. 7), Bublé’s Christmas (No. 8) and Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas (No. 10).
Notably, Underwood’s My Gift previously peaked at its debut rank of No. 8 on the Oct. 10-dated chart, following its release on Sept. 25. With its 9-5 jump on the new Billboard 200, it also becomes the highest charting newly released holiday album since Pentatonix’s A Pentatonix Christmas in late 2016 and early 2017. A Pentatonix Christmas was released on Oct. 21, 2016, debuted at No. 3 on the Nov. 12, 2016-dated chart and peaked at No. 1 for two weeks (Jan. 7-14, 2017).
As for the remaining non-holiday albums in the latest top 10: Pop Smoke’s former No. 1 Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon dips 5-6 with 47,000 equivalent album units (down 2%) and Megan Thee Stallion’s Good News descends 7-9 (39,000; down 17%).
Matty Healy showed some love for FKA Twigs, whom he affectionately referred to as “loml” (love of my life) in his latest post on Instagram, after she came forward with allegations of abuse against former boyfriend Shia LaBeouf this week.
The 1975 frontman captioned an adorable snapshot of her with descriptors like “legend,” “icon” and “loml,” surrounded by emojis, on Sunday (Dec. 13).
FKA Twigs (Tahliah Barnett) filed a lawsuit against the actor on Dec. 11, claiming she suffered “relentless abuse” during their relationship. The singer-songwriter said that while involved with LaBeouf, she was the victim of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress.
Over the weekend, fellow musician Sia also showed support for Barnett, alleging that she too had been “hurt” by LaBeouf.
“I too have been hurt emotionally by Shia, a pathological liar, who conned me into an adulterous relationship claiming to be single,” Sia tweeted. “I believe he’s very sick and have compassion for him AND his victims. Just know, if you love yourself- stay safe, stay away.
“Also I love you @fkatwigs,” she said. “This is very courageous and I’m very proud of you.”
In a statement to the New York Times regarding Barnett’s allegations against him, LaBeouf said, “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel … I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
LaBeouf, who said he is in therapy and is a “sober member of a 12-step program,” added that “many of these allegations are not true,” but that he owed the women “the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done.”
See Healy’s photo and post commending FKA Twigs on Instagram.
After a handful of artists questioned if country legend Charley Pride, who died Saturday (Dec. 12) of COVID-19, could have been exposed at Nov. 11’s CMA Awards, where he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Nashville ceremony, the Country Music Association and representatives for Pride released a joint statement explaining the show and Pride’s testing procedures.
“Everyone affiliated with the CMA Awards followed strict testing protocols outlined by the city health department and unions,” the CMA wrote in a statement posted to its website late Saturday afternoon. “Charley was tested prior to traveling to Nashville. He was tested upon landing in Nashville, and again on show day, with all tests coming back negative. After returning to Texas following the CMA Awards, Charley again tested negative multiple times. All of us in the country music community are heartbroken by Charley’s passing. Out of respect for his family during their grieving period, we will not be commenting on this further.”
Maren Morris, a triple winner at the awards, was one of the first to question how Pride had been infected. She tweeted, “I don’t want to jump to conclusions because no family statement has been made, but if this was a result of the CMAs being indoors, we should all be outraged. Rest in power, Charley … F— this f—ing year.”
“We need answers as to how Charley Pride got covid,” Mickey Guyton wrote, bringing the discussion to her Twitter page.
The CMA Awards were held at Music City Center in Nashville, attended only by performers, nominees and selected guests sitting at socially distanced tables.
In an interview with Billboard after this year’s CMA Awards — an event that had a number of artists, including Florida Georgia Line, Lee Brice, Rascal Flatts and Lady A, not attending because they or a member of their family tested positive for COVID-19 — CMA CEO Sarah Trahern addressed the rigorous testing protocols their team had in place.
“We began testing weeks before the show, in October. It’s not just the artists and their guests we tested — we tested literally everyone: stagehands, production crew, our staff, in addition to talent. We have our final load out happening now at Music City Center, so testing doesn’t just stop because talent is no longer on site. We also consulted with an epidemiologist throughout the process,” Trahern said of preparing for the first awards show during the pandemic to include a live, if socially distanced and limited, audience.
“None of the artists who tested positive had ever entered the venue,” added Trahern. “The protocols we followed were required not only by the CDC but the local health department, as well as the unions and guilds.”
The heartbreak anthems of the aughts were originally going to bring Ashanti and Keyshia Cole together Saturday night (Dec. 12) for their Verzuz battle. But the legendary ladies night was shelved after Ashanti tested positive for COVID-19.
She announced it on Instagram just two hours before the Verzuz battle was slated to begin. “Hey y’all, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I tested positive for COVID-19,” the “Happy” singer wrote while in good spirits. “I’m ok and not in any pain. I’m actually down to do the verzuz from my house… we’re trying to figure it all out!!!”
But even after Verzuz co-creators Swizz Beatz and Timbaland officially postponed it, Ashanti took to her own Instagram Live on Saturday to openly discuss her positive COVID status. She later teased Cole to join her IG Live, and the two R&B queens talked about how their upcoming battle would celebrate the new year and deliver us from 2020, which Ashanti described as “the year of the devil.”
“We’re gonna do it for the ladies, how the fellas just did it last week,” Cole said in reference to Gucci Mane and Jeezy’s record-setting Verzuz battle on Nov. 19 that kicked off season two.
And as Ashanti wrote earlier this month to promote their battle, “women empowerment” will remain at the core of the celebration — not just amongst the heartbroken women who’ve found consolation in their 2000s sentimental ballads, but also amongst the women in the music industry.
“I wanna give you a hug, I wanna love on you, I wanna sing your songs in front of you,” Cole reiterated from their phone conversation last night (Dec. 11), when Ashanti first told her about testing positive for COVID-19 but still expressed her desire to participate in the Verzuz. “I want you to enjoy your flowers, I want to enjoy my flowers. And I want to be united as one. There’s too much separation and division in this business as women. Guys are constantly sticking together. For ladies, we should be able to do the same.”
While the “Woman to Woman” singers couldn’t have felt more honored by the cakes and parties their fans planned ahead of Saturday night’s scheduled showdown, Cole wished Ashanti “to be in your best health and your best spirits” during her required quarantine period.
“You might feel great like, ‘Nah, I’mma do this for the fans.’ We all know that the show must go on, that’s just how we do. That’s what we’re accustomed to,” Cole said. “But at the same time, I think it’s best for you to be able to get up and do your bop and do your little shuffle with your little hands on the side…. I can’t wait till we’re actually in the same room when I’m able to hold you and hug you and we both get our flowers.”
The “Always on Time” singer discussed how the timing of her contracting COVID-19 couldn’t have been worse. Earlier during her IG Live, Ashanti shut down rumors that she caught the virus from her travels to Antigua and Barbuda and most recently Kenya and claimed she caught it from hugging a family member.
“Listen, I still feel bad…. But to have the opportunity to do it, to have it be postponed, and the fact that I’m not in ICU right now, I’m super grateful for that,” Ashanti said. “…. Listen, [the Verzuz battle is] going to be better, it’s going to be amazing. I ain’t going nowhere for a whole month!”
Ashanti and Cole’s Verzuz battle is now set for Jan. 9, 2021, according to VerzuzTV’s social media accounts. “First time this has struck us so close to showtime. We apologize to our incredible audience! Get well soon, Ashanti,” the announcement read. “Wear a mask, stay inside, and take COVID-19 seriously. It’s truly affecting our community.”
The Verzuz battles, which began as a quarantine-friendly celebration of R&B and hip-hop music from the ’90s to ’00s, kicked off in March with the same remote format as Ashanti and Cole’s split-screen IG Live session from separate locations. But the format changed in May when dancehall legends Bounty Killer and Beenie Man appeared in the same room and in the same VerzuzTV IG Live video feed.
Frank Amadeo, the longtime president of Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s Estefan Enterprises, died suddenly of a heart attack Friday night (Dec. 11) in his Miami home. He was 57 years old.
Amadeo, a courteous and unfailingly gracious man, worked for the Estefans for nearly 30 years and was an instrumental ally in growing their company into a multimillion dollar enterprise. Amadeo not only managed Gloria Estefan’s career, but also oversaw Estefan Enterprises’ hotels, restaurants and recording studio. Far more than a business associate, Amadeo was widely regarded as part of the extended Estefan family.
“I am devastated, shocked beyond belief and sad beyond words to share with you the sudden and unexpected passing of Frank Joseph Amadeo […] the most trusted ally we could have ever hoped for and an angel to everyone that had the good fortune of knowing him,” wrote Gloria Estefan on her Instagram account.
“In the great journey that is life, few people appear [that can be counted on] in sad moments and in moments of joy,” wrote Emilio Estefan on Instagram. There are not enough words to express the great love and gratitude that we have for Frank Amadeo. A key man in our lives. You are irreplaceable.”
Although Amadeo wasn’t Latin, he was raised in Miami and fell in love with the music of Miami Sound Machine in the group’s early days in the 1980s.
Amadeo was program director at Miami pop radio station Y-100 when he first heard “Dr. Beat,” a boisterous dance track built on Latin percussion and rhythm patterns and brash Latin horns with English vocals, courtesy of Gloria Estefan. His support on the station was instrumental in pushing the track to the top of the charts. Beyond the single, Amadeo became a fan and advocate of the bilingual, bicultural group, sowing the seeds for what would become a lifetime friendship.
In 1992, the Estefans, already established as stars, brought him to Estefan Enterprises as media relations director. Amadeo proved to be a masterful executive whose even temper and charming demeanor allowed him to interact with both industry leaders and artists, and his knowledge of the mainstream music world made him an excellent ambassador for his artists’ music.
He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming vice president and, by 1998, president. In his years at Estefan Enterprises, he also helped manage Jon Secada, Shakira and, most recently, Emily Estefan.
Hugely respected in both the Latin and mainstream worlds, Amadeo was known both as a power broker, problem solver and bridge builder. He always returned emails, always found a way to help non-profit ventures, always shared information. As someone who came from radio, he intuitively understood the needs of journalists and media and always managed to extend a thank you for an article or a gesture of support.
“Miami is mourning! Miami Symphony lost one of their most loved producers, advisory board member, right hand of Emilio Estefan and loved friend! We are so sorry for the lost of Frank Amadeo!” read a post on the Miami Symphony’s Facebook page.
According to Miami’s Channel 10, Amadeo is survived by his partner, Ernesto.
