The Sick and Shut Down list returns with nine restaurants in Miami, Broward and Palm Beach — each of which has its own flavor of vermin problems. A reminder: This … Click to Continue »
Kesha overhauled the opening lyric of her 2009 breakthrough hit, “Tik Tok,” when she joined Reneé Rapp on stage at Coachella on Sunday (April 14). The song famously name-drops Diddy, who faces sexual assault and abuse allegations and whose homes were recently raided in connection with a federal sex-trafficking investigation.
In the original recording of “Tik Tok,” off of Kesha’s Animals album, she sings: “Wake up in the mornin’ feelin’ like P. Diddy/ Grab my glasses, I’m out the door, I’m gonna hit this city.”
During Rapp’s set at the Indio, California, festival Sunday, Kesha was warmly introduced as a special guest (and also as “the hottest person on the Earth”).
Kesha arrived on stage and launched into a 2024 version of “Tik Tok,” singing: “Wake up in the mornin’ like, ‘F— P. Diddy.’” Rapp yelled this out with Kesha, with both pop stars giving the middle finger at the same time.
And just in case anyone thought they misheard that lyric, Kesha made it loud and clear with a tweet following her surprise appearance at the fest.
“WAKE UP IN THE MORNING LIKE F— P DIDDY,” Kesha wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Sunday night.
Rapp and Kesha have previously shared the stage, performing the latter’s “Your Love Is My Drug” in Brooklyn in November. “Getting to sing with one of your idols, who is unapologetically perfect, is so insane,” gushed Rapp, who at the time said Kesha was one of the artists “who shaped who I was as a kid, and made me want to be sexy, and funny, and exciting, and outrageous, and loud and, most of all, really f—ing sexy.”
“Tik Tok” was first released in 2009 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 2010, spending nine weeks at No. 1.
See the Diddy lyric change and their “Tik Tok” collab at Coachella below.
A radical restaging of Hollywood film noir musical Sunset Boulevard was the big winner on Sunday (April 14) at the London stage Olivier Awards, taking seven trophies including best musical revival and best actress for American star Nicole Scherzinger.
Soccer-themed state-of-the-nation drama Dear England was named best new play, while Sarah Snook and Mark Gatiss were among the acting winners.
Scherzinger was rewarded for her performance as fading silver screen star Norma Desmond in a flashy revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, three decades after the musical’s 1990s debut. Her co-star Tom Francis won the corresponding best actor prize as a struggling screenwriter fatefully drawn into Desmond’s orbit.
Jamie Lloyd took the directing trophy for the technically innovative production, which melds live video with the onstage action and also won Oliviers for sound and lighting design. It’s due to open in New York later this year, and Lloyd predicted it would “take Broadway by storm.”
Scherzinger said that when she was growing up in Kentucky, “I always wanted to be a singer and do musicals.”
“I dreamed of so many roles I wanted to do — and honestly this role, Norma Desmond, was not one of those roles,” she said. “But God works in mysterious ways.”
The prize for best new musical went to Operation Mincemeat, a word-of-mouth hit based on an audacious real-life espionage operation that deceived the Nazis during World War II. The show began life in a tiny theater in 2019 and has moved to progressively larger venues, gathering accolades along the way.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a dazzlingly staged prequel to the Netflix supernatural series, was named best new entertainment or comedy.
The Oliviers — the U.K. equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards — are celebrating a bumper year for new shows in the West End, finally bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several winners lamented the soaring cost of theater tickets, and cuts to arts education that are squeezing working-class talent out of theatrical careers and theater audiences.
“If you don’t tell a kid to go and see a show … they’re not going to develop that habit, they’re not going to get that experience,” said Dear England playwright James Graham, who grew up in a small mining town. “So I am really worried.”
But the mood was largely celebratory as Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham presided over an exuberant ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall, opening the show by belting out “Anything Goes” alongside the London Community Gospel Choir. The show was peppered with performances from several of the nominated musicals, including Guys and Dolls, Hadestown and homegrown hit The Little Big Things.
The prizes, which recognize achievements in theater, opera and dance, were founded in 1976 and named for the late actor-director Laurence Olivier. Winners are chosen by voting groups of stage professionals and theatergoers.
Snook – the scheming Shiv Roy in Succession – beat a talented field including Sarah Jessica Parker and Sophie Okonedo to be named best actress in a play for The Picture of Dorian Gray, an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s cautionary fable in which Snook plays more than two dozen characters.
Backstage, the Emmy Award-winning Australian performer said the solo stage show was “so much harder” than doing TV.
“I’ve never done anything harder than this,” said Snook, who said she’d asked herself “why am I doing a 60,000-word monologue with an 8-month-old baby?” She revealed she’d learned her lines for the play during filming of the final series of Succession, at night while breastfeeding her daughter.
Gatiss — co-creator of the BBC TV series Sherlock — won the best actor trophy for playing theater great John Gielgud in The Motive and the Cue, Jack Thorne’s play about the struggle to mount a 1964 production of Hamlet with Richard Burton.
Gatiss recalled that Gielgud had considered awards ceremonies “vulgar.”
“I’m very, very thrilled to be in such wonderfully vulgar company,” he said.
Gatiss beat Dear England star Joseph Fiennes and Andrew Scott, who had been the favorite to win for the solo show Vanya. The Anton Chekhov adaptation by Simon Stephens took the prize for best revival.
Will Close was named best supporting actor in a play for his performance as footballer Harry Kane in Dear England.
Haydn Gwynne, who died in October, was posthumously awarded the best supporting actress prize for her final stage role in When Winston Went to War with the Wireless, about the early days of radio in Britain.
Awards for supporting performances in musicals were Amy Trigg for The Little Big Things and Jak Malone for Operation Mincemeat.
The show ended with a tribute to the National Theatre, which turned 60 in 2023 — culminating in a star-studded cast singing the anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Over the past years, Coachella has been committed to integrating regional Mexican music into its lineup, with previous performers including Banda MS, Grupo Firme, Natanael Cano and Los Tucanes de Tijuana. This year, among the música mexicana stars were Peso Pluma and Carin León, both making their Coachella debut this year — a nod to the genre’s continued global and mainstream rise.
On Sunday (April 14), before León took the main stage around 5:30 p.m. to chants of “Carin, Carin,” a video played showing images of the singer face-to-face with a potent lion who runs wild across a desert. The ferocious animal is then immortalized onstage with a massive wooden-shaped lion wearing a tejana (cowboy hat) erected in the background.
The sun was beginning to set in Indio, Calif., when León took the stage, and it was the perfect vibe for his soulful tunes and tremendous vocals that roared across the desert and pulled spectators that perhaps had never heard of the Sonora-born artist. With his live band — consisting of more than 20 musicians that played the tuba, accordion, guitars and drums, among other instruments — León didn’t hold back in his performance, understanding the significance of this moment on the main stage.
“Viva México chingada madre,” he said, extra prideful of being Mexican, and representing a genre that has long been a backbone of Latin music. “Dónde están dolidos (Where are those who are hurting)?” he asked, setting the tone for a set that could mend broken hearts. He began singing the hits early on, not wanting to waste a minute, from “Me La Aventé” to “Te Lo Agradezco,” “Corazón de Oro” and his bilingual country song with Kane Brown, “The One (Pero No Como Yo).”
It didn’t take long for León to get ahold of a Mexican flag, which he held onto tightly. He then burst into the hip-swiveling “Que Vuelvas,” his collab with Grupo Frontera. Of course, it was a perfect opportunity for him to showcase his mesmerizing dance moves that have now become a staple at his shows. The irresistible huapango “La Boda del Huitlacoche” followed, which inspired a massive sing-along, and fans couldn’t help but show off their zapateado moves, literally dancing up a storm in the desert.
He transitioned to rock en español with a spot-on cover of Hombres G’s “Te Quiero.” And after that, he brought out Mau y Ricky for “Llorar y Llorar,” marking the duo’s first time at Coachella. Nearing the end of his almost 50-minute set, he winded down with a fan-favorite, “Si Una Vez,” honoring one of the greats, Selena Quintanilla, and then went on to perform “Primera Cita.”
“Thank you for this first time,” he said before stepping off the stage. “Arriba la raza, arriba Coachella, but more than anything, arriba la música.” He closed with the hit song “Según Quién,” his 2023 collab with Maluma.
Other Latin artists who performed at Coachella this year included Young Miko, Bizarrap, Santa Fe Klan, Ludmilla and J Balvin, who was night three’s pre-headliner (just before headliner Doja Cat).
León is also set to also make his Stagecoach debut on Friday, April 26.
Dua Lipa will be pulling double duty on SNL in May.
Saturday Night Live posted a lineup update for the NBC sketch comedy this weekend, following Saturday night’s Ryan Gosling/Chris Stapleton episode. The “Illusion” artist was announced as both host and musical guest for May 4.
Fans in the comments section on Instagram couldn’t help but pull out the puns upon seeing Dua Lipa’s name tacked up twice on the SNL board — among their quips were “Dual Lipa,” “Duo Lipa” and “Double Lipa.”
The singer also made the announcement and exclaimed “DOUBLE DUTY DUA!!!!!!!!” on her own Instagram post.
The burning question: Will there be a live reading from Studio 8H of a sequel to Oscar Isaac’s Dua Lipa fan fiction, The Apogee of Midnight?
Dua Lipa just released her new single “Illusion,” the third from upcoming album Radical Optimism, which arrives May 3.
“‘Illusion’ was the first song Caroline [Ailin], Danny [Harle], Tobias [Jesso Jr.], Kevin [Parker] and I worked on together, and it really broke the ice for the record,” the singer shared in a press statement. “It’s about knowing what you’re getting yourself into, but staying for the hell of it. The joke’s on them, it’s the fun of playing someone at their own game because ultimately you won’t fall for an illusion.”
On the latest episode of SNL to air, host Ryan Gosling parodied a Ken-inspired version of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” during his monologue, while Chris Stapleton performed his songs “White Horse” and “Mountains of My Mind” and played the ex in the musical sketch “Get That Boy Back” starring Chloe Troast, Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman and Gosling.
More than 50 years into his career, Billy Joel will air one of his concerts on a broadcast network for the first time.
The singer-songwriter’s The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run of All Time concert special was announced in a promotional spot on CBS on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 11).
The special was filmed on March 28, which marked Joel’s 100th consecutive performance at the iconic New York City venue. His first gig at Madison Square Garden was on Dec. 14, 1978.
It’s set to air tonight, Sunday, April 14 from 9 to 11 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. The special will also be available to stream live or on demand in the United States for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers; Paramount+ Essential subscribers will have access to watch it on demand in the U.S. the day after its debut (sign up for a 7-day free trial to Paramount+ here).
The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run of All Time — directed by Paul Dugdale and executive produced by Steve Cohen, Barry Ehrmann and Paul Dugdale — is a co-production of Sony Music Entertainment and Enliven Entertainment, with Sony Music Vision as the distributor.
Joel recently released his first new single in 17 years, “Turn the Lights Back On,” and performed it live for the first time at the 2024 Grammys.
The song — penned by by Joel, Arthur Bacon, Wayne Hector and Freddy Wexler — blasted onto Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart, debuting at No. 11 after just one day of airplay.
“The melody, the chords, the chord progression, even the time signature was something that struck me immediately, and that’s how I relate to music,” Joel said earlier this month on Audacy Check In, recalling when he first heard the song co-writer Wexler had started working on. “This particular lyric in this song, I’ve had these thoughts, I could have written these lyrics verbatim. I’ve chewed on these words and I’ve thought of these words, and I’ve said these words before. It was all kind of falling into place — and who am I to fight that?”
The Piano Man is slated to perform at select stadiums around the U.S. with Stevie Nicks and Sting in between his ongoing residency at Madison Square Garden. See his 2024 tour dates here.
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Under the blazing desert sun, chants of “Mexico” echoed through the Coachella Valley. Santa Fe Klan emerged, his accordion in hand, as a massive silver inflatable “SFK” loomed behind him. His Coachella debut on Saturday (April 13) at 4:45 p.m. PT was a memorable moment.
Kicking off with the infectious rhythm of “Cuidando El Territorio,” the rapper wasted no time amping the crowd’s energy. “¡Y arriba México, cabrones!” he shouted, igniting a wave of Mexican pride that swept through the audience at the Coachella main stage.
Sporting an oversized black jersey emblazoned with the numbers “473,” the area code of his native Santa Fe, Guanajuato, the wordsmith delivered a riveting showcase. From the gritty bars of “Cypher” to the heartfelt melodies of “Mi Vicio,” and the poetic prowess of “Luna y Mar,” he effortlessly blended rap, cumbia, and Mexican symbolism.
Accompanied by a crew of dancers clad in bulletproof vests, army cargo pants and bandanas, and a full band consisting of a drummer, bassist, guitarist and DJ, the Mexican star’s presence was undeniable. As he picked up his accordion, the crowd erupted into a frenzy, ready to dance to the infectious cumbia sonidera of “Soledad.” “Vamos a bailar cumbia,” he asserted.
But his performance was more than just music — it was a celebration of Mexican culture, the barrio life and resilience. “Con la bandera arriba, ¡que se sienta México!” he exclaimed, expressing gratitude to his fans and honoring his heritage.
Guest appearances added to the spectacle, with poet/rapper Nanpa Básico from Colombia joining SFK on stage for a soulful rap rendition of “Te Iré A Buscar.” Later, “Tornillo” took the spotlight, delivering a powerful performance of “Un Día Todo Se Termina (Remix)” alongside the star of the show.
Midway through his set, the artist took off his shirt to demonstrate his fully tattooed body with stunning portraits of Mexican idols like Chalino Sánchez and Pedro Infante.
As his set drew to a close, the Guanajuato native paid tribute to his late comrade Lefty SM with a heartfelt rendition of “Por Mi Bandera,” from their joint 2020 album Necesidad. Mexican flags waved proudly, decorating the desert as Santa Fe Klan’s growing legacy echoed through the Coachella Valley.
The day before, on Day 1 of the festival, Santa Fe Klan surprised fans during Peso Pluma’s set with an electrifying rendition of “NO SON KLLE,” cementing his status as a force to be reckoned with.
