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FKA Twigs, the British singer and dancer who is making inroads into acting, is co-starring in the reboot and re-imagining of The Crow, the supernatural revenge thriller being directed by Rupert Sanders.
Bill Skarsgård, who played Pennywise the Clown in the It horror movies, is toplining the project, which has seen numerous iterations and close calls come and go amid years of development.
Crow was an indie comic written and drawn by James O’Barr in the late 1980s that told the dark tale of a man and his fiancee who are assaulted and killed by a gang after the couple’s car breaks down. The man is resurrected by a crow and exacts vengeance on those who took his life and the life of his love.
Twigs is playing the girlfriend/fiancée. The role was not significant in the original movie but sources say that in this re-imagining, the part has been re-conceived into a co-lead. It is unclear if the character never quite dies, perhaps returns in some supernatural form, or may even be a representation of the crow itself.
Crow is due to begin shooting in June with production to take place in Prague and Munich.
Producing are Victor Hadida, Molly Hassell, John Jencks and Edward R. Pressman. Dan Farah is an exec producer on the project.
Twigs earlier this year released a mixtape album titled Caprisongs and had a song on The King’s Man soundtrack.
This article originally appeared in THR.com.
Singer-songwriter Lauren Alaina has parted ways with her longtime record label home, Billboard has confirmed.
Alaina first shared the news on social media, with a lengthy statement thanking UMG Nashville and Mercury Records for being her label home from the beginning of her career, after she came in second place on the 10th season of American Idol in 2011 (fellow country entertainer Scotty McCreery was the winner that season).
“I want to thank the staff at Mercury Records and UMG Nashville for everything they have done for me over the last 11 years,” Alaina said. “They have been my label home since the day I walked off the American Idol stage as a really young, wide-eyed, eager 16-year-old kid. Now, at 27 years old I look back and see just how much I have changed and grown in to the woman I am now.”
She added, “I have made the tough decision to spread my wings and close a very important chapter of my life. There are more exciting things happening in my career right now than ever before, and I just can’t wait to see where it all leads. Much to share soon. With gratitude and hope, Lauren.”
To date, Alaina has earned three No. 1 hits on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, including two No. 1 hits in 2017: “What Ifs” with Kane Brown and her solo hit “Road Less Traveled.” In 2020, she earned a third chart-topper alongside HARDY and Devin Dawson with “One Beer.” Along the way, she’s picked up honors including a win for New Female Vocalist of the Year at the ACM Awards in 2018 and two CMA nominations for New Artist of the Year. She is also a multi-year winner at the CMT Music Awards, winning Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Road Less Traveled” and Collaborative Video of the Year, with Brown, for “What Ifs.”
Last year, Alaina released her third studio album, Sitting Pretty on Top of the World, which featured “Getting Good” with Trisha Yearwood and the Jon Pardi duet “Getting Over Him.” On Feb. 12, Alaina officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
She’s currently starring alongside fellow country crooner Craig Morgan on the CBS series Beyond The Edge, which features nine celebrities facing the jungles of Panama, using teamwork and survival instincts to overcome daily adventure challenges to raise money for their favorite charities.
Yahritza y Su Esencia score their first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, as the band’s debut single “Soy El Único” opens in the top slot on the April 9-dated ranking. The band also earns its first Billboard Hot 100 entry as the song bows at No. 20. Fifteen-year-old lead singer Yahritza marks a historic feat, becoming the youngest Latin performer to enter the all-genre tally.
“It is one of the greatest achievements in my young age and more than that, it is a reminder that we can all achieve our dreams.” Yahritza tells Billboard.
“Soy El Único” trades places on Hot Latin Songs with Becky G and Karol G’s “Mamiii,” which slides 2-1 after it banked six consecutive weeks in charge.
The Mexican-American outfit, comprised of 24-year-old Armando (or Mando) on guitar, 17-year-old bassist Jairo, and 15-year-old vocalist Yahritza, was born in Yakima, Wash., to Michoacán parents. The band’s musical career took off after Ramón Ruiz (Lumbre Music) found Yahritza’s videos on TikTok.
“Soy El Único,” the last of the ensemble’s projects, also went viral on the social network.
“This means the world to us, to be able to achieve this on our first release,” Armando Martinez, the oldest of the Martinez siblings and the group’s 12-string guitarist, adds. “It’s crazy to think but the song opened doors to much more than we could imagine. It feels great having a solid team behind us that are always there.”
The sad sireño tune earned 13.97 million U.S. streams after its first tracking week, ending in March 31, according to Luminate, formerly MRC Data. The song received its official release on March 25. The high figure prompts a No. 4 start on the overall Streaming Songs chart and No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs. On the former, it’s the highest start for a Latin act since Bad Bunny’s “Yonaguni” launched at No. 2 in June 2021.
“Soy” concurrently benefits from 4,000 downloads sold in the same tracking week, enough to yield a No. 1 debut on Latin Digital Song Sales and No. 14 on the overall Digital Song Sales tally.
“Honestly, when I wrote the song it was like putting myself in the shoes of the people I watched on TikTok who were going through sad episodes in their lives,” Yahritza muses. “I thought they could identify with what I write. For me it has always been connecting with others”
Highest Start for a Regional Mexican Song on Billboard Hot 100: In line with its Hot Latin Songs arrival, “Soy” also debuts at No. 20 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart, the latest of the wave of regional Mexican songs that have visited the survey since May 2021. With its No. 20 debut, “Soy” becomes the highest-ranked regional Mexican title and first to reach the top 40. Its predecessors include Gera MX and Christian Nodal’s “Botella Tras Botella” (No. 60 debut and peak, May 8, 2021); Ivan Cornejo’s “Está Dañada” (No. 61-peaked, Oct. 23); and Grupo Firme’s “Ya Supérame (En Vivo Desde Culiacán, Sinaloa)” (No. 91 high, Nov. 13)
Youngest Latin Act to Enter Billboard Hot 100: At 15 years old, Yahritza becomes the youngest regional Mexican act to notch an entry on the all-genre ranking. She overthrows Ivan Cornejo, who secured his first entry at 17 years old.
Back on the all-metric Hot Latin Songs, “Soy” is just the second song to open at the summit in 2022. Notably, two other female acts took the lead previously: Becky G and Karol G’s “Mamiii” (No. 1 debut, Feb. 26-dated survey).
“Wow, it’s such a privilege to follow their footsteps, especially because they are both grand women who inspire me greatly,” Yahritza adds. “I hope I get to be as big as them one day. I saw that Becky G started following me on Instagram and honestly, it feels nice.”
Bill Maher weighed in on the Oscars slap heard ’round the world on Friday and decided to take aim at Jada Pinkett Smith in the process.
“I must say, comparing a woman to Demi Moore looking her hottest is not exactly the worst insult I’ve ever heard in the world,” the talk show host said on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, referencing Chris Rock’s G.I. Jane joke during the 2022 Academy Awards as well as the onstage altercation with Will Smith that followed. “I mean, alopecia, it’s not leukemia, OK? Alopecia is when your hair falls out … there are worse things.”
Later in the show, Maher brought up the topic again in a roundtable with politician Andrew Yang and legal analyst Laura Coates, saying, “If you are so lucky in life as to have that be your medical problem, just say, ‘Thanks, God.’ It’s not life-threatening. It’s part of — for most people, 80 percent of men, 50 percent of women — it’s part of aging.
“Aging is, trust me I know, it’s the degradation of the flesh. It happens to all of us,” he continued. “And you know, just put on a f—ing wig like everybody else at the Oscars if it bothers you so much.”
For her part, Pinkett Smith has been open about learning to accept her alopecia with grace, though her husband clearly didn’t take kindly to Rock’s public swipe while presenting the award for best documentary feature.
The eventual best actor Oscar winner has faced public consequences for his actions since, including resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and having two film projects — Fast and Loose and Bad Boys 4 — face uncertain futures.
Watch Maher’s opening monologue about the Oscars below.
NBCUniversal and independent investment company Atairos are set to acquire a 30% minority ownership stake in Ryman Hospitality Properties’ subsidiary OEG Attractions Holdings.
OEG Attractions Holdings directly or indirectly owns the assets that comprise Opry Entertainment Group (OEG), including the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, WSM 650 AM, Ole Red and a 50% interest in the country lifestyle media network Circle (which Ryman Hospitality Properties owns in a joint venture with Gray Television).
The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022.
Atairos’ investment values OEG at $1.415 billion (including OEG’s previously announced acquisition of Block 21, which is expected to close June 1). Atairos has agreed to make an additional $30 million investment in OEG, contingent on certain performance targets being met. The initial $1.415 billion valuation includes a recapitalization of OEG with a new $300 million Term Loan B and the assumption of a $137 million CMBS facility for Block 21 upon consummation of that transaction. Atairos’ and NBCUniversal’s initial 30% equity investment in OEG will be approximately $293 million, with Atairos directly investing approximately $278 million and NBCUniversal directly investing up to approximately $15 million.
Once the transaction is complete, Ryman Hospitality Properties will retain a controlling 70% interest in OEG, with chairman and CEO Colin Reed serving as executive chairman of OEG. Atairos will enter into an LLC agreement with Ryman Hospitality Properties and OEG upon the closing of the investment. Atairos partners Alex Evans and Jackson Phillips will join OEG’s board of directors, which will be comprised of four Ryman Hospitality Properties directors and two Atairos directors.
In a statement, Reed said, “Back in June 2021, given the unsolicited interest we had received, we embarked on a formal process to identify a strategic partner that shares our vision for growing OEG to a position where it can operate independently of our core hospitality business while enabling our shareholders to participate in the significant upside for OEG that lies ahead. We view this partnership as a significant opportunity to strengthen these beloved institutions and cement their influence on American music culture.”
Michael Angelakis, chairman/CEO of Atairos, added, “OEG’s dynamic collection of entertainment venues, digital content and iconic country music brands provide a strong foundation for continued growth as a fully-integrated country lifestyle platform. We are excited to partner with the RHP and OEG teams to explore new content distribution strategies and support their ambition of becoming the leading player in country lifestyle live entertainment and media content.”
In his own statement, David Pietrycha, executive vp of strategy and business development at NBCUniversal, added, “We are excited to invest in OEG alongside our strategic partner Atairos. We look forward to exploring opportunities to leverage our media, technology and content creation expertise to help OEG accelerate its plans and bring its iconic brands, as well as artists and storied cities, to music lovers worldwide.”
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