BTS to dazzle fans with series of US shows next week

SEOUL — K-pop super band BTS will dazzle the world music scene with a series of high-profile performances in the United Sates next week ahead of its official release of a new album.

American broadcaster iHeartRadio recently announced an upcoming live show featuring the septet, heralding the band‘s full-swing return to the public eye in the run-up to the official release of a new album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” on Feb. 21.


“Although fans have a lot of upcoming dates to look forward to, they can add one more to the list: January 27th,” iHeartRadio said last week on its website.

“The BTS ARMY can watch the band during an exclusive event in Los Angeles, ’iHeartRadio LIVE with BTS‘ presented by Hot Topic,” the broadcaster said.

The Monday show will be closely followed by BTS’ much-anticipated showcase of its new single, “Black Swan,” during a US TV show the very next day.

Appearing on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on Tuesday, BTS will stage the emo hip-hop song off the band‘s upcoming album, according to the band’s management agency, Big Hit Entertainment.

“Black Swan,” a track under the upcoming full-length album, was pre-released last week before the full release of the album.

Ahead of the two programs, BTS was also reported to take the Grammy stage next week alongside American rapper and singer-songwriter Lil Nas X during the 62nd Grammy Awards ceremony slated for Jan. 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

US magazine Variety has recently reported that the American artist will be joined onstage by BTS and other musicians when he performs his megahit song, “Old Town Road,” during the ceremony.

In July last year, BTS leader RM released a collaboration with Lil Nas X called “Seoul Town Road,” a Seoul version of “Old Town Road.”

If confirmed, it will be the K-pop band‘s second appearance on the Grammy stage after BTS attended the awards’ 2019 event as an award presenter. (Yonhap)

Beck wins Grammy for Best Alternative Album

Beck, the genre-bending experimental artist whose postmodern arrangements have endured since the 1990s, won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album Sunday.

The 48-year-old Californian whose eccentric sound collages have won him both critical and commercial success, beat competition from fellow musical shapeshifters Bjork and St Vincent.

The 13th studio album of Beck, “Colors”, found praise for its lush soundscapes and energetic ear candy.

The album was the first for Beck since 2014’s “Morning Phase”, for which he earned three Grammys, including the coveted Album of the Year.

“Colors” is also nominated this year for Best Pop Solo Performance and won for Best Non-Classical Engineered Album. Beck boasts 20 career nominations, of which he has now won seven awards.

Two of Beck’s earlier albums, “Odelay” and “Sea Change”, are ranked as Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest albums of all time. JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Lady Gaga to sing at Super Bowl, Grammys

LOS ANGELES, United States—Lady Gaga will perform at two of February’s most-watched events as she sings the national anthem at the Super Bowl and leads a tribute to David Bowie at the Grammys.

The National Football League announced that Lady Gaga would sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl 50 on Sunday in San Francisco, where British rockers Coldplay will be the halftime entertainment.

The Super Bowl is often the most-watched television event each year in the United States, and the league generally seeks out non-controversial performers.

Lady Gaga has increasingly traded her ostentatious stage persona to focus on singing pop classics, performing duets with 89-year-old Tony Bennett.

Lady Gaga turns 30 next month and plans to release an album in 2016.

While the National Football League rarely picks artists known for controversy, their performances can draw intense scrutiny as when Christina Aguilera botched lyrics in the national anthem in 2011.

Lady Gaga was separately announced Tuesday as a performer at the Grammy Awards on February 15 where she will lead a tribute to Bowie.

Gaga will perform “a multisensory testament to the icon’s incredible artistry and a reflection of his limitless creativity,” the Recording Academy said in a statement.

The tribute will be directed by Nile Rodgers of Chic fame, a longtime friend of Bowie who produced his disco-infused 1983 album “Let’s Dance.”

Bowie, one of the most influential figures in pop music history who invented glam rock before experimenting in soul, electronica and jazz, died on January 10 after a previously undisclosed battle with cancer.

Lady Gaga—with her array of glittery costumes and sexual openness—is one of many contemporary stars who claims artistic descent from Bowie.

Despite the wide respect for Bowie in the music world, the British artist won only one Grammy during his half-century career, which was for a video.

Bowie, who lived in New York but enjoyed more commercial success in Britain and other European countries, was also presented a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2006.

This year’s Grammys, the biggest night in the US-based music industry, will also feature performances by superstar British ballad singer Adele as well as award nominees including rapper Kendrick Lamar, who is in the running in the most categories at 11.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Taylor Swift, Kanye West reunite at Grammys 6 years after VMA gaffe

MANILA, Philippines—Six years after rapper Kanye West crashed Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the two were seen being chummy with each other during the 2015 Grammy Awards on Monday (Philippine time).

Entertainment Tonight reported that the two were seen clasping hands and posing for photos.

In 2009, Kanye stormed the stage and aired his sentiment on the VMA snub on Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” for Best Female Music Video as Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” bagged the award.

“Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’m [going to] let you finish — but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time,” Kanye infamously told a shocked Taylor.

During Monday’s Grammys, Kanye also poked fun at himself by repeating his 2009 VMA act as he tried to interrupt Beck’s speech for winning Album of the Year for “Morning Phase.”

However, in an interview with E! Online after the awards show, Kanye revealed that he has an issue with Beck’s win.

“I don’t even know what [Beck] said. I just know that, the Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We aren’t going to play with them no more. ‘Flawless.’ Beyoncé’s video. And Beck needs to respect artistry, he should have given his award to Beyoncé,” the rapper said. AJH

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Adele wins 4 early Grammys; Foo Fighters five

LOS ANGELES - British soul singer Adele won four early Grammys on Sunday, including song of the year for her smash hit "Rolling in the Deep," in a show that began on a somber note with a prayer for late pop superstar Whitney Houston.

Adele, whose album "21" was among the smash hits of 2011, took the stage and thanked her doctors, who performed surgery on her throat last year. "Seeing as it's a vocal performance I need to thank my doctors, I suppose, who brought my voice back," she said.

Aside from surgery, the British singer has enjoyed a stellar year. Her sophomore album "21" has sold more than 6.3 million copies in the U.S. and broken many sales records, including spending 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.

She has thrilled fans singing about personal heartbreak in a raw, soulful manner in singles including "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone Like You," which earned her a second Grammy for best solo pop performance, and "Set Fire to the Rain."

Adele also sang for the first time in front of a public audience since her operation, belting out a rendition of "Rolling In the Deep." She earned a standing ovation and basked in the limelight.

Rockers Foo Fighters were the other big winners early in the show, picking up five Grammys in rock music categories, including best rock performance for their hit "Walk."

"This is a great honor because this record was a special record for our band. Rather than go to the best studio ... we made this one in my garage with some microphones and a tape machine," said frontman Dave Grohl. "It shows that the human element of making music is what's most important."

But as jubilant as the audiences was for Adele and as much as Foo Fighters rocked the house, the Grammys audience was equally serious about the death of Houston on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel room.

Host LL Cool J took the stage and offered a prayer for Houston, her fans and her family. "Although she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed by her musical spirit," he said.

Organizers played a video of Houston performing her hit "I Will Always Love You" from a previous Grammy show. Later, actress and singer Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for her role in movie musical "Dreamgirls," is expected to perform the same song in a tribute to the singer.

Many winners

Grammy organizers give out awards in more than 75 categories and many early winners mentioned Houston. Singer Melanie Fiona, who won with Cee Lo Green for traditional R&B performance for "Fool For You," said she was inspired by Houston.

"Whitney Houston, I would not be standing up here if not for you," Fiona said. Backstage, she told reporters her mother had rocked her in the cradle to Houston's songs when she was a baby.

Major winners included Jay-Z and Kanye West for best rap performance with their song, "Otis" from the album "Watch the Throne," but they failed to show up to claim their prize. Chris Brown won the Grammy for best R&B album "F.A.M.E.," and Lady Antebellum took home best country album with "Own the Night."

Rousing performances came from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Chris Brown, Coldplay and Rihanna, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, and Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt sang a duet of "A Sunday Kind of Love" from Etta James, who also died in 2012.

Country singer Taylor Swift picked up two awards for her song "Mean," about people she felt had wronged her, and DJ Skrillex won two Grammys for best dance recording and top dance/electronica album with "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites."

Rapper Kanye West earned seven nominations, but was shut out of the top categories, paving the way for Adele to be the night's big winner - or surprise loser if she fails to overcome competition. Along with his rap performance trophy, West won a second award for best rap album with "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy."

Still to come were top awards including best album where Adele's "21" faces rockers Foo Fighters and their hit "Wasting Light," Lady Gaga with "Born This Way," Bruno Mars and his "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," and pop star Rihanna with "Loud."

Adele also figures prominently among nominees for record of the year where "Rolling in the Deep" squares off against rockers Bon Iver and "Holocene," Bruno Mars for "Grenade," Mumford & Sons with "The Cave," and Katy Perry for "Firework."

One poignant moment came early in the day when Mitch and Janis Winehouse, parents of late singer Amy Winehouse who died of excessive drinking in 2011, accepted the award for best pop duo or group performance - Amy and Tony Bennett - "Body and Soul."

"Long live Whitney Houston. Long live Amy Winehouse and long live Etta James," referring to the "At Last" singer who died earlier this year. "There's a beautiful girl band up there." — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com