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Adele picked “Easy on Me” as the first single from her upcoming album, 30, but says she could have gone in a very different direction.
The singer spoke with BBC Radio’s Zoe Ball Breakfast Show for a segment that aired soon after releasing her new song and admitted that she had three strong contenders in mind.
“There was three options for the first single. Very, very different, all of them,” Adele said.
Without giving too much away, she dropped a few details about the songs that were almost chosen as the lead single from 30.
“Obviously ‘Easy on Me,’ and then there’s another one which is like, I got very into Goldfrapp again,” she noted.
“There’s another one that’s very sort of ’70s, like piano, singer-songwriter-y,” added Adele. “When I say piano, I mean it’s got a whole band on it, but just very Carpenters, like very Elton, whatever.”
In the end Adele went with “Easy on Me” because of its “soaring chorus” — and because it simply “just felt like a me song,” which felt important to her after not releasing a new album since 2015.
Adele’s “Easy on Me” arrived on Oct. 14 as the first taste of 30, and it’s headed for a noteworthy chart debut. Of the three albums she’s previously released, she’s had two No. 1s on the Billboard 200 albums chart (with a record-smashing first week for 2015’s 25, which sold 3.38 million copies in just its debut week in the U.S.) and four No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
Listen to the full BBC Radio interview with Adele here.
Drake got to hear Adele’s upcoming album 30 far in advance of its Nov. 19 release.
“I played it to Drake maybe last year, when he was in town,” Adele revealed in a new interview with Capital FM this week.
The singer recalled, “I’m like, ‘You think this is like what people want?’ And he was like, ‘Absolutely.’”
“I don’t send it around to like, various people, being like, ‘Can I get your thoughts on this?’” Adele clarified during her chat with the U.K. radio station.
“It’s always just been about how it makes me feel,” she said. “Quality control is my forte. I can write a song about my own experiences my own life, and stuff like that. People certainly aren’t waiting for a club banger from me. I feel like I’m gonna give people what it is that they’ve been missing while I’ve been away.”
Just the other day, Drake — whose own Certified Lover Boy just returned to No. 1 for its fourth nonconsecutive week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart — showed his support for his pal on Instagram, where he posted a Story about her new single “Easy on Me.”
“One of my best friends in the world just dropped a single,” Drake wrote with a smiley emoji, tagging Adele and topping his message off with “WOIIIIIII.”
Adele’s “Easy on Me,” just released on Oct. 14 as the first single from 30, is headed for a splashy chart debut. Her previous releases have given her an impressive track record on the charts that’s included two No. 1s on the Billboard 200 albums chart (with a combined 34 weeks atop the list) and four No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
Watch Adele chat about Drake’s preview of 30 in the interview clip below.
Ronnie Tutt, a legendary drummer who spent years playing alongside Elvis Presley and teamed up with other superstars ranging from Johnny Cash to Stevie Nicks, has died. He was 83.
In a Facebook post early Sunday (Oct. 17), Terie Tutt wrote that her father died at home surrounded by his family.
“It’s with deep sadness that my family and I share the loss of our beloved dad,” Terie Tutt wrote. “The Legendary Drummer, Ronnie Tutt, ‘has left the building.’”
Elvis Presley Enterprises noted Tutt’s death in a statement Saturday. The group that runs Graceland recalled how Tutt drummed for Elvis with the TCB Band from 1969 until 1977, joining the band put together by James Burton for Elvis’ 1969 Las Vegas opening and staying with Elvis until his death in 1977.
Beyond Elvis, Tutt played with some of the biggest names in music, touring with Neil Diamond’s band and recording and playing with Cash, Nicks, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, Elvis Costello, Michael McDonald and more, Elvis Presley Enterprises wrote.
“In addition to being a legendary drummer, he was a good friend to many of us here at Graceland,” the group said in a statement. “We enjoyed each time he joined us here to celebrate Elvis Week, Elvis’ Birthday and many other special occasions. Ronnie was an amazing ambassador to Elvis’ legacy – sharing his memories of working with Elvis with fans – as well as bringing Elvis’ music to arenas around the globe through later Elvis in Concert shows and performances.”
Adele’s new song “Easy On Me” has topped this week’s new music poll.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Oct. 15) on Billboard, choosing the 33-year-old British superstar’s beautiful piano ballad — which is aiming for a splashy debut on the Billboard charts — as their favorite new music release of the past week.
“Easy On Me,” Adele’s first single in five years, brought in 69% of the vote, beating out new music by Coldplay (Music of the Spheres), Young Thug (Punk), PinkPantheress (To Hell With It), Paulina Rubio (“Yo Soy”), and others.
Created with longtime collaborator Greg Kurstin, “Easy On Me” is the lead single from Adele’s upcoming fourth album, 30, which is scheduled for release on Nov. 19. The song was accompanied by black-and-white music video, in which the singer drives away from an empty house with a “Sold” sign in the front yard.
Adele’s last three albums — 19, 21 and 25 — have all reached the top five on the Billboard 200, with the latter two hitting No. 1. Her most recent project, 2015’s 25, spent a staggering 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned the album of the year Grammy, selling 3.38 million copies in its debut week. It marked the biggest sales week for an album since MRC Data began tracking point-of-sale purchases in 1991.
Placing second on the past week’s tally with nearly 12% of the vote was Coldplay’s ninth album, Music of the Spheres, released through Parlophone/Atlantic Records. The Max Martin-produced set is the follow-up to the British band’s 2019 double album, Everyday Life, which led the Official U.K. Albums chart and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
See the final results of this week’s new music release poll below.
Bowen Yang brought the Saturday Night Live house down when he appeared as a “proud gay Oompa Loompa” for a segment on “Weekend Update.” The comic was trending on social media Sunday (Oct. 17) thanks to the hilarious moment.
Dropping by to initially talk about the unsafe working conditions in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, co-host Colin Jost introduced Yang’s impeccable character as a “proud gay Oompa Loompa,” there to talk about the reaction to the first look at Timothée Chalamet’s upcoming Wonka.
“Oh, my God,” said Yang’s Oompa Loompa. “You just outed me on national television.”
Colin apologized for the confusion as Yang’s character explained all he wanted to do was talk about a possible Oompa Loompa strike over the unsafe conditions at the chocolate factory.
“Now I guess I have got to call my parents,” Yang’s Oompa Loompa said to big laughs. “They live in Loompa-land. It’s not as progressive as here. They, like, just got Will & Grace. So yeah, it’s gonna be a conversation.”
Pushing forward, Yang’s Oompa Loompa said, “You know what, Colin? You did me a huge favor because now I can be honest — about everything. Point blank: the man doesn’t know how to make chocolate! He’s an ideas man who’s never touched a machine. He just tumbles into the inventing room and says something like ‘What about a gumdrop that makes children dream silly dreams?’ And it’s like, ‘Yeah, b—-. What about it?!’”
Yang has quickly become an SNL fan favorite, his unique characters who drop by “Weekend Update” — including Fran Lebowitz and the iceberg that sunk the Titanic — creating comedy gold.
Watch the full segment below, and check out the full episode of SNL on Hulu here. The streaming service is currently offering a 30-day free trial, which you can sign up for here.
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
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Lil’ Kim’s career is being guided by Nick Cannon.
The rapper revealed her current connection to Cannon in Complex’s interview series “Hiking With Rappers,” for which she joined host King Keraun on some Los Angeles trails, but spent more time chatting about her career in a golf cart.
Lil’ Kim at first insisted she jogs five miles and takes a hike every day but later admitted, “I never hiked a day in my life, and I don’t like it.”
When asked about what’s next for her, Cannon’s name entered the conversation — since he’s apparently helping her make those decisions.
“I just shot a movie with Nick Cannon,” she said. “Nick Cannon, people don’t even know, like he’s one of my best friends. We’ve been best friends for years … And we just shot a movie called Miracle Across 125th Street. I really did that movie for Nick, but I love doing movies.”
“It’s part of my next level,” she added. “Nick is convincing me. You know he’s my manager?”
“I did not know that,” the host replied. “Your manager has like 20 kids.”
“Leave my manager alone,” Lil’ Kim joked.
(For the record, Cannon, who also keeps busy as a TV and radio host, is the father of seven children, four of whom were born in the last year. Earlier this month, he announced his plans to practice celibacy until 2022.)
Lil’ Kim’s most recent album, 9, was released in 2019. Three of her albums — 2000’s The Notorious KIM, 2003’s La Bella Mafia and 2005’s The Naked Truth — reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
She has an upcoming memoir titled The Queen Bee that’s slated for a Nov. 2 release.
Watch her discuss working with Nick Cannon in her hike-and-interview video below.
Hip-hop legends Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One will go head-to-head in New York City for the next Verzuz battle.
The face-off between the two MCs — who helped define the genre with in the late 1980s and early 1990s — will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday (Oct. 17).
Kane, who rose to prominence in the ’80s as part of the Queens’ Juice Crew — which also featured Marley Marl — set himself apart from the pack with his double-time flow, signature high-top fade and casual cool style on early hits, including “Ain’t No Half Steppin’” and “Smooth Operator.”
KRS-One blew up around the same time as Kane, but followed a different path to stardom, focusing on conscious lyrics and social commentary, first as part of the Boogie Down Productions crew alongside late DJ Scott La Rock and then as a solo act. With an in-your-face, rapid-fire attack, KRS pulled no punches on songs such as the squealing “Sound of Da Police,” BDP’s “My Philosophy” and “The Bridge Is Over.”
The Kane-KRS’ showdown follows the mid-September Verzuz battle between rap icons Ja Rule and Fat Joe at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The Verzuz matchup between Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One takes place Sunday (Oct. 17) at 7 p.m. ET. For those unable to watch live from the Barclays Center, fans can catch the action on the Triller app, FITE TV or the Verzuz TV Instagram account.
From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
Nicki Nicole’s Tiny Desk
Joined by an 11-member band, Nicki Nicole presented her NPR “Tiny Desk (Home) Concert” this week, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The blossoming Argentine star gave a select of her hits a different twist, kicking off with a tango-infused version of “Colocao.” She continues to flaunt her effortless swagger and soulful, powerhouse vocals in tracks such as “Mala Vida,” “Wapo Traketero” and “Freestyle.” Nicki also performed her stripped-down, ultra-personal ballad “Parte de Mi” and wrapped up with the groovy, chachacha “Baby.” In case you missed it, watch her performance below.
Bad Bunny on ‘Allure’ Magazine
This week, Allure magazine revealed Bad Bunny as its November cover star. Rocking different bold outfits for the photo shoot, the Puerto Rican global star opens up about gender non-conformity in the article. “When I was starting to make my music, my style came as part of the process of liberating my mind and liberating spirit,” he said. “Since I was young, I had it in me — I just had to liberate it.”
Maffio Partners with Cadillac
Latin hitmaker Maffio, currently making the rounds with his Gente de Zona-assisted “Hablame de Miami,” partnered once again with automotive brand Cadillac. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and the 2021 Sport Escalade, the brand highlights the Dominican artist’s passion for music, culture, and rise as a successful Latino artist. “Life is about your legacy, this is why I am excited to partner once again with legendary brand Cadillac,” he said in a statement. “At Cadillac, we champion big dreams and bold ambitions,” added Juanita Slappy, head of multicultural marketing for the brand. “Maffio’s sound is the soundtrack of our creative reflecting our drive — powerful and innovative.” Watch the video titled “Mi Cultura, My People” for Cadillac below.
KOATI Movie
A star-studded green carpet premiere took place this week at Miami’s Silverspot Cinema for the new animated film Koati. Directed by Rodrigo Perez-Castro and executive produced by Sofia Vergara and Marc Anthony, the film “follows the adventures of Nachi, a mischievous, solitary and good-hearted Coati who embarks on a journey to save his fellow animals of Xo after their beloved leader dies.” Showcasing the magical realism of the Latin American jungles, the cast stars Vergara, Joe Manganiello, Evaluna Montaner, Adriana Barraza, Karol G, and De La Ghetto, to name a few. Koati is available at select theaters and will soon premiere on Prende TV.
Las Villa & Their ‘La Tortura’ Cover
Colombian duo Las Villa, formed by twin sisters Laura and Lucia Villa, released their version of Shakira and Alejandro Sanz’s “La Tortura” as part of Amazon Music LAT!N’s Hispanic Heritage Month initiative. On their cover, the girls flaunt their mesmerizing harmonizing vocals without compromising the authentic, catchy melody. The exclusive song appears on Amazon Music’s Breakthrough playlist, which “features emerging artists that are redefining the future of music and diversifying the industry.”
