#MAGFAB: The Awards issue: Janelle MonΓ‘e for Harper's Bazaar!
In the past year, Janelle Monáe has released The Age of Pleasure, a sensual, career-defining album; performed sold-out shows on a subsequent tour; had a song – ‘Only Have Eyes 42’, a cheeky ode to polyamory – make Barack Obama’s annual playlist; walked the Met Gala’s red carpet in a glittering Thom Browne bikini; and attended the Oscars following a brilliant turn in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. But, adds the musician and actor, there are a few more highlights that no one knows about.
"I had tea with Josephine Baker," Monáe says with a straight face. "I went skinny-dipping with James Baldwin. I also went to the strip club with David Bowie." They (Monáe identifies as non-binary and uses the pronouns she/they) are talking to me on Zoom from a hotel room in Atlanta, wearing a wide double-breasted blazer adorned with pins and sparkling Gucci sunglasses, hair cascading in long black braids, skin aglow. The following night, the singer will perform a sold-out show in the city; the next in New Orleans, where we meet in person backstage. But now they’re in this room, on a form of vocal rest, speaking in a low voice that adds an air of mystique to their curious declarations. "Mushrooms," Monáe finally explains. "It was amazing." These are exactly the kind of shroom-induced visions the Grammy-nominated performer would have, cavorting with late icons, all of whom have influenced their artistry. Baker, for example, has surely been on Monáe’s mind a lot recently, as they have been cast to play the 20th-century singer and dancer in an upcoming series for A24. Monáe will also produce the series through the Wondaland banner, the name for their arts collective and business enterprises. (They cannot discuss the project due to the ongoing SAG strike.)
Monáe adds one more highlight to the list of this year’s successes: playing their new album in person for Grace Jones, who is featured on one of its tracks. This collaboration blossomed in 2022, after Monáe performed with Jones at the Hollywood Bowl, then invited her to their home. The pair spent 72 hours together, eating dinner, recording multiple songs (unreleased, for now) in the studio and lounging pool-side. Monáe recalls that, when Jones decided to go for a dip, she whisked off her shirt and announced: "I’m going topless, like the French do." There is an allusion to that moment on the album track ‘Oooh La La’, in an interlude that features Jones flirting in French with two strangers at once. Monáe, like Jones, has always been a disruptive influence on the fashion as well as the music scene, initially often seen dressed in retro black and white suits. Their debut EP, 2008’s Metropolis, marked the beginning of a multi-instalment Afrofuturistic sci-fi fantasia featuring an android alter ego, Cindi Mayweather; the monochrome uniform was a nod to Monáe’s working-class background and roots in Kansas City. A heady blend of pop, R&B and old-school flourishes, topped off with pristine vocals, it garnered the first of many Grammy nominations. In 2018, Monáe released Dirty Computer, another deeply realised sci-fi tale but with personal touches.
"I had tea with Josephine Baker," Monáe says with a straight face. "I went skinny-dipping with James Baldwin. I also went to the strip club with David Bowie." They (Monáe identifies as non-binary and uses the pronouns she/they) are talking to me on Zoom from a hotel room in Atlanta, wearing a wide double-breasted blazer adorned with pins and sparkling Gucci sunglasses, hair cascading in long black braids, skin aglow. The following night, the singer will perform a sold-out show in the city; the next in New Orleans, where we meet in person backstage. But now they’re in this room, on a form of vocal rest, speaking in a low voice that adds an air of mystique to their curious declarations. "Mushrooms," Monáe finally explains. "It was amazing." These are exactly the kind of shroom-induced visions the Grammy-nominated performer would have, cavorting with late icons, all of whom have influenced their artistry. Baker, for example, has surely been on Monáe’s mind a lot recently, as they have been cast to play the 20th-century singer and dancer in an upcoming series for A24. Monáe will also produce the series through the Wondaland banner, the name for their arts collective and business enterprises. (They cannot discuss the project due to the ongoing SAG strike.)
Monáe adds one more highlight to the list of this year’s successes: playing their new album in person for Grace Jones, who is featured on one of its tracks. This collaboration blossomed in 2022, after Monáe performed with Jones at the Hollywood Bowl, then invited her to their home. The pair spent 72 hours together, eating dinner, recording multiple songs (unreleased, for now) in the studio and lounging pool-side. Monáe recalls that, when Jones decided to go for a dip, she whisked off her shirt and announced: "I’m going topless, like the French do." There is an allusion to that moment on the album track ‘Oooh La La’, in an interlude that features Jones flirting in French with two strangers at once. Monáe, like Jones, has always been a disruptive influence on the fashion as well as the music scene, initially often seen dressed in retro black and white suits. Their debut EP, 2008’s Metropolis, marked the beginning of a multi-instalment Afrofuturistic sci-fi fantasia featuring an android alter ego, Cindi Mayweather; the monochrome uniform was a nod to Monáe’s working-class background and roots in Kansas City. A heady blend of pop, R&B and old-school flourishes, topped off with pristine vocals, it garnered the first of many Grammy nominations. In 2018, Monáe released Dirty Computer, another deeply realised sci-fi tale but with personal touches.
They also came out as pansexual and unveiled music videos such as ‘Pynk’, which co-starred Tessa Thompson, Monáe’s rumoured partner at the time, and presented the singer wearing pink trousers designed to look like a vagina. (The garment left a strong sartorial impression and was displayed at the Museum at FIT in New York and the V&A in London.) In 2022, Monáe shared they are non-binary, explaining in an interview at the time: "I feel like God is so much bigger than the ‘he’ or the ‘she.’ And if I am from God, I am everything."
"Dancing with people is one of my love languages. Giving them a moment to shine, to really commune with each other"
The Age of Pleasure is a departure from Monáe’s previous work, celebrating both a personal and a musical evolution. "I wanted people to get a sense of my life during [this] time," says the singer. The album cover alone declares this shift, depicting Monáe swimming topless through a sea of legs. If the message wasn’t clear, the lyrics of ‘Float’ seal the deal: "No, I’m not the same/I think I done changed." A ‘love letter’ to Black diasporic influence – from Afrobeats to reggae, featuring artists including Jones, Sean Kuti and Doechii – the record epitomises hedonistic bliss, soundtracking a party from its bright-eyed beginning to its sultry end, when the sun rises on the revellers.
"Dancing with people is one of my love languages. Giving them a moment to shine, to really commune with each other"
The Age of Pleasure is a departure from Monáe’s previous work, celebrating both a personal and a musical evolution. "I wanted people to get a sense of my life during [this] time," says the singer. The album cover alone declares this shift, depicting Monáe swimming topless through a sea of legs. If the message wasn’t clear, the lyrics of ‘Float’ seal the deal: "No, I’m not the same/I think I done changed." A ‘love letter’ to Black diasporic influence – from Afrobeats to reggae, featuring artists including Jones, Sean Kuti and Doechii – the record epitomises hedonistic bliss, soundtracking a party from its bright-eyed beginning to its sultry end, when the sun rises on the revellers.
Many of the songs have their origins in the Covid-lockdown period, when all Monáe wanted to do was party and dance in the sun with loved ones. In a music video for the track ‘Lipstick Lover’, co-directed by Monáe, the singer dances and kisses their way through an erotic pool party that goes from flirtatious day to orgiastic night. It was inspired by the fact that, thanks to their signature red lipstick, their lovers were easily identifiable once the lights came on. (Speaking of make-up, Monáe is eager to get into the beauty game: "I’m ready to design my favourite red lipstick with whoever is ready to collaborate with me. I have lots of ideas around colour. I have thoughts on formula. Come and find me.")
While working on the album, Monáe was simultaneously burnishing an acting career, which began fortuitously in 2016 with a warmly received supporting role in Moonlight. Since then, they have starred in the blockbuster biopic Hidden Figures, the Amazon series Homecoming and, most recently, Glass Onion, the star-packed sequel to Rian Johnson’s comedic whodunnit Knives Out.
Monáe brings the same energy to the stage. Two days after our call, the artist flies me out to New Orleans to see their sold-out concert at the Orpheum Theatre, one of the tour’s last stops. "Welcome to your vacation," Monáe purrs into the microphone, to a diverse crowd dressed in looks from their career. Standing atop a staircase adorned with flowers, wearing a Midsommar-esque cape, boots and headpiece, they disrobe to reveal a black blazer over a bodysuit. The set is a summery explosion, with Monáe’s dancers in jewel-toned versions of the bold outfit. First up is ‘Float’, the crowd screaming along as the band plays a live version of the catchy anthem; later comes ‘Phenomenal’, which opens with a perfect concert lyric: "I’m looking at a thousand versions of myself/And they’re all fine as fuck."
#RHOA: Kandi Burruss Says Housewives Need to Take ‘Some Type of Responsibility for Ourselves’
“I saw a piece of it. I never did get to finish reading it. I just kind of saw the first couple of paragraphs and was like, ‘Y'all, I’ve been on this show for 14 seasons, and they haven’t gotten me to drink yet. I’ve never been tipsy in my life. Nobody on here is going to change that,’” Burruss, 47, exclusively told Us Weekly at BravoCon on Saturday, November 4.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star added that Bravo stars need to have “some type of responsibility for ourselves.”
“That’s just my opinion,” she clarified. “I mean, I’m not hating on nobody.”
Biggest ‘Real Housewives’ Feuds Ever — And Where the Relationships Stand Today
In a Vanity Fair article published last month, McSweeney, 41, said that she felt encouraged by producers to drink despite struggling with substance abuse in the past. Bravo denied the claims saying that “production spent endless amounts of time accommodating her.”
The feature also included former Housewife Bethenny Frankel, who has slammed the network over a lack of residuals and alleged Andy Cohen goes too far in his line of questioning. Eboni K. Williams also accused Ramona Singer of saying the N-word during production on season 14 of RHONY. (Cohen, for his part, called the article a “factually inaccurate rehash” at BravoCon while the network took action to remove Singer from the fan convention lineup when she reused the N-word when texting a Page Six reporter about the story.)
The Vanity Fair story and, more specifically, Frankel’s calls for a “reality TV reckoning” were a hot topic at BravoCon. When Us caught up with her longtime friend Kyle Richards, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star had a similar take to Burress.
“Obviously, I know there’s certain things people think about reality television. It has it’s downside [and] it has its upside,” Richards, 54, shared with Us at BravoCon on Saturday. “My personal experience has been very good in spite of everything. I wouldn’t be here for 13 years if it wasn’t [a good experience]. And anything that I’ve done in these 13 years is something I chose to do and I only have myself to blame or answer to. So that’s my take.”
Lisa Vanderpump also showed her support for the Bravo network.
‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast’s Biggest Scandals and Controversies Over the Years
“To have an amazing television career, I’m so thankful to NBC and Bravo. They’ve taken so much crap lately from so many people that you know used to work for them, [and] I think it’s a shame,” Vanderpump, 63, told Us at BravoCon. “You’ve got to also look at what they’ve given you as well.”
She continued: “I think when people are gonna be great authorities on something, they check their facts. And also I don’t like the degeneration of somebody like NBC and Bravo that have given so much to these people, so many opportunities.”
Vanderpump also touched on Rachel “Raquel” Leviss’ appearance on Frankel’s podcast where the Vanderpump Rules alum claimed that her affair with Tom Sandoval was exploited by the series.
“Of course, I’m sure people got rights, but Raquel — she said she was at some point negotiating for more money to come back. So these people that are now complaining — like Lisa Rinna [saying], ‘Boycott BravoCon’ and Bethenny saying this — I think a lot of them were pitching and asking for shows,” Vanderpump concluded.
#NewMusic from Jordin Sparks Debuts Steamy 'Call My Name' Music Video With Husband Dana Isaiah!
The singer released a new music video for her latest single, 'Call My Name,' on Friday.
A week after Jordin Sparks dropped her new single, "Call My Name," the singer is taking things up a notch with the steamy music video! Sparks released the single's Alfredo Flores-directed video on Friday. The simple yet sensual visual reflects the song's intimate lyrics, solely featuring the 33-year-old singer and her husband, Dana Isaiah.
"Sometimes I weep 'cause I feel lost, you know / Like I don't know where to go / That's until you / You call my name, name, name," Sparks croons to the camera with her arms wrapped around Isaiah's shirtless form. "You call my (You call my name) / And I feel strong enough to move a building / You can call on me, fall on me / Feel like I can take on anything When you call my name, mm."
The singer explores the gorgeous grounds of the video backdrop, the Malibu Estate of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Lloyd Wright, in several stunning outfits as she belts out the steamy love song, interwoven with scenes of her wound around Isaiah as he faces away from the camera.
"Call My Name" was written by Sparks along with Dwayne Abernathy, Mathew Jarragin, Nicholas Stone, Matisse Pasillas, and Cole Fredrick. In a press release sent alongside the song's drop, Sparks described the single as having an "old-school R&B vibe."
"I'm so excited for my fans to hear it!" she added.
The new single is a preview of the singer's upcoming album, which is set for release in 2024. The release will mark the fifth studio album, as well as her first full-length release since 2020.
LISTEN HERE
Isaiah also shared the gallery to his page, captioning the slides with the note, "World premiere of Call My Name video tomorrow. Shoutout the squadddddddd and all those involved π«ΆπΎ @jordinsparks ππ₯°π€€ I was ready to turn set into something else ππ«£π."
Sparks and Isaiah announced that they secretly tied the knot in July 2017, and revealed that they were expecting their first child the following spring.
The then-28-year-old "No Air" singer and her husband welcomed a baby boy named Dana Isaiah Thomas Jr. (DJ for short), on May 2, 2018.
#HipHopNews: Issa Rae Shares Hopes Of Uniting Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, And Megan Thee Stallion Fans
In an effort to bridge fan base divides, Issa Rae is eying a groundbreaking collaboration for the third season of HBO Max’s “Rap Sh!t.”
With filming and production for the second wrapped, the actress and writer told ET about her stretch goal to bring together heavy hitters Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion. An alliance among the rap titans could signal a ceasefire between their respective supporters — as of right now, it’s the Barbz vs. Bardi Gang and Hotties.
When asked about future musical cameos, Rae responded, “There’s a list. We want [Megan Thee Stallion]. We want Cardi [B]. Nicki [Minaj] would be a nice little tie-around. If we could unite them — maybe in season three — we can unite the fan bases.”
In the past, “Rap Sh!t” drew from various real-life narratives of women in hip hop, situating its storytelling within Miami’s rap scene. City Girls’ Yung Miami and JT notably contributed to the show as executive producers.
“I think because it’s set in Miami, people are like, ‘Oh, it’s the City Girls’ story.’ But the City Girls actually exist in the ‘Rap Sh!t’ world. It’s Cardi’s story. It’s Megan’s story. It’s Azealia’s story. I was just influenced by so much of what it is to be a female rapper in today’s time,” Rae explained to EBONY in 2021.
The series is slated to return on Nov. 9 after delays due to the WGA strike and SAG-AFTRA protests. Both Aida Osman and KaMillion will serve as the main characters, playing Shawna Clark and Mia Knight, respectively.
As it relates to fan bases, Minaj issued a stern warning to her followers on Sunday (Nov. 5). The musician shared a message about online conduct and not harassing others. She wrote, “Dear Barbz, be sure to never threaten anyone on my behalf. Whether on the internet or in person. Whether in jest or not. I don’t [and] never have condoned that.”
Timbaland Apologizes To Britney Spears And Her Fans After Backlash Over 'Muzzle' Comment
As he does most nights, the 51-year-old musician went live on TikTok on Tuesday, November 7. After reading through the comments, some of which criticized his remark about Britney, he took the time to address his controversial comment.
"I apologize to the Britney fans and her," Timbaland said during the live session. He then responded to a comment asking about his attitude towards women, "Yes, 'you know about respecting women?' Hell yeah."
Other comments defending Britney which appeared during the livestream read, "Britney is a sweetheart. She's always treated ppl kind. Over the good ones being treated like this," and "You should've shown a little more respect for Britney. TALKING ABOUT A BOSAL WAS DISGUSTING."
Timbaland made a shocking comment on Britney during a live interview with 9th Wonder at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on October 29. When addressing the "Toxic" songstress' memoir "The Woman in Me", Timbaland, who produced Justin's hit single "Cry Me a River", said, "I wanted to call and say, 'JT, you gotta put a muzzle on that girl.' "
He was quickly called out on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person claiming, "If you see Timbaland talking s**t about Britney Spears it's because she refused to work with him in 2006 after he begged her to work with him. She chose Danja instead and was executive producer of her own album, making history with 'Blackout'."
Another slammed him, "Timbaland saying that Justin Timberlake should have put a 'muzzle' on Britney is actually INSANE considering Britney has been treated like a caged animal for the past 13 years." A third added, "Timbaland saying that Justin Timberlake needs to put a muzzle on Britney is so disgusting. This coming from a man who was in love and obsessed with a 17-year-old to the point that he married his ex wife because she looked like her. Justin is grown & can handled his f**k ups."
In her memoir, Britney spilled details about her past relationship with Justin, including her alleged abortion. She also accused the former NSYNC star of cheating on her with two female celebrities.
Lori Harvey And Damson Idris Have 'Nothing But Love And Respect' As They Confirm Split
Lori Harvey and Damson Idris are officially back on the market. After a little more than one year of dating, the model and the actor have confirmed that they have pulled the plug on their relationship.
Seemingly blaming their busy schedules for their separation, they said in a joint statement issued to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, November 7, "We are at a point in our lives where our individual paths require our full attention and dedication."
The former couple, however, assured that they remain amicable. "We part ways remaining friends with nothing but love and respect for each other and the time we shared together," they concluded their statement.
Lori and Damson first sparked dating rumors in December 2022, months after she called it quits with Michael B. Jordan. They made their relationship Instagram official in January on her 26th birthday.
However, earlier this month, fans began to speculate if they were no longer an item after Lori and Damson stopped following each other on Instagram. Lori has even deleted all photos of her with the actor from her page, leaving no trace of her romance with the "Snowfall" star. Meanwhile, the British actor is not following anyone now after he disabled his Instagram account completely earlier.
Further fueling the speculation, they were seen attending the same party earlier this week. On Monday night, November 6, the socialite and the "Outside the Wire" actor came to Odell Beckham Jr.'s birthday party separately.
For the outing, Lori went pantless and showed off her pert derriere in black panties. She completed her racy look with a gray graphic T-shirt tucked into her panties and sheer tights. The stepdaughter of Steve Harvey strutted her stuff as she walked into the venue in her high heels with her raven hair styled in an updo.
As for Damson, he also looked in high spirits while sporting a casual outfit consisting of a stripped Tommy Hilfiger rugby shirt teamed with straight-leg denim jeans. He added a pair of black hightop canvas sneakers to finish off his look.
Andy Cohen Asks CNN to Allow Alcohol for New Year’s Eve Broadcast!
"Hopefully, I will not be sneaking it," Andy told Justin and co-host Adrienne Bailon-Houghton at BravoCon, as seen in the Nov. 6 episode. "I haven't heard anything yet, but come on, they need to let us drink. It's New Year's Eve. That didn't go well last year in terms of viewer happiness about us drinking. People really cared and I hope CNN gives the people what they want."
Advocating for himself and his co-host Anderson Cooper, he quipped, "Give the daddies some juice."
CNN's program has made headlines in years past for its booze-induced moments, which included a diss directed at Ryan Seacrest—who hosts Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on ABC—in December 2021.
After Journey performed on the ABC show, Andy referred to the band as "Ryan Seacrest's group of losers that are performing behind us."
He doubled down and added, "I mean, with all due [respect], if you've been watching ABC tonight, you've seen nothing. I'm sorry."
Andy admitted he may have had too much to drink during the broadcast, as he captioned his Jan. 1 Instagram post, "I was a hair over-served last night, but man did I have fun! I hope you did too."
However, Andy later apologized for his comments. "The only thing that I regret saying, the only thing is that I slammed the ABC broadcast and I really like Ryan Seacrest and he's a great guy," he said on SiriusXM's Andy Cohen Live in January 2022. "And I really regret saying that, and I was just stupid and drunk and feeling it."
After that year's coverage, CNN implemented their new rules and Ryan took a moment to weigh in on the change, telling Entertainment Weekly in December 2022 that he doesn't "advocate drinking when one is on the air."
"I don't know how that started as a tradition," continued Ryan, adding that " it's probably a good idea" for CNN to scale back.
The American Idol host then admitted he felt that Andy's drinking led him to comment on his broadcast.
"There's some pretty respectable people or at least one, right? I think there's a serious journalist and then a friend of mine who has a lot of fun, but it's probably a good idea. Although the viewers probably wish they would drink more," Ryan said. "But I think they had something to say about my show at one point, which was I'm sure from the alcohol because, I don't think they would say what they said about our performers if they weren't drinking."
Hugh Jackman Allegedly Wants Estranged Wife To Sign ‘Ironclad’ NDA Amid Divorce To Protect His ‘Secrets’
New reports have revealed that Hugh Jackman is making moves to get his estranged wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The two are gearing up for a divorce after being married for 27 years and welcoming two kids, Oliver and Ava.
Jackman reportedly wants Furness to sign the NDA to prevent Furness from discussing their relationship. The actor is also ready to give Furness a large part of his $100 million fortune if she agrees to the NDA.
According to reports, "Deadpool 3" star Jackman, wants Furness to sign an "ironclad" NDA amid their ongoing plans to end their marriage of almost three decades officially.
It comes after they announced their separation publicly, suggesting that they reached the decision jointly.
Now, the NDA proposed by the "Wolverine" actor is supposedly to keep his estranged wife from talking about their time together in interviews, memoirs, or other possible outlets.
Reports indicate that Jackman is motivated by his desire for privacy, as he is known to be a very private individual and is wary of having any of his numerous secrets exploited by the media.
"This move is less about the financial aspect and more about retaining control," an insider told the National Enquirer, per Radar Online.
The source added, "Hugh's concern has never been money, but rather control. He's a man with lots of secrets and doesn't want any of them exposed."
In the meantime, it is unclear whether Furness is in agreement with signing an NDA, as she has yet to. However, reports have claimed that Jackman is willing to sacrifice a significant portion of his $100 million estate if Furness will append her signature.
"Let's just say Deb will not need to worry about getting a job," an insider said about the situation. "She'll have enough money for the rest of her life — if she signs an airtight non-disclosure agreement."
The insider also shared that the duo did not sign a prenup at the start of the marriage, which would have legally restricted the amount of money Furness could get.
The source continued, "They do not have a prenup and he is poised to be exceedingly generous with his $100 million fortune, provided she accedes to his stipulations."
Back in September, Jackman and Furness shocked the world by announcing that they were going their separate ways.
They shared the decision in a joint statement that noted how "blessed" they were to have spent almost three decades together as "husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage."
The duo also told the public that their "journey now is shifting" toward focusing on "individual growth." However, their children, Oscar, aged 23, and Ava, aged 18, continue to be their "highest priority."
Jackman and Furness further mentioned that there would be no other public statement about the divorce, suggesting that the separation would be handled amicably.
They added: "We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives. This is the sole statement either of us will make."
Per reports, Jackman and Furness's separation has been a long time coming, and their announcement was just a public confirmation of how much they had grown apart.
According to the Daily Mail, the COVID pandemic "really put a strain on their relationship," leaving it "broken" by the time restrictions were lifted.
Initially, both Jackman and Furness attempted to work through their marital issues, providing each other with an opportunity to reconcile. However, the recent Hollywood writers' strike posed another setback that drew them further apart.
Ultimately, they decided on what they deemed the next "best option," which was for them to divorce and remain friends.
A source told the news outlet: "They worked on it and couldn't get it back…..Hugh found it all to not have the same magic as they once had. Deb had similar concerns and thoughts, and separating is the best option."
The Weeknd's upcoming tour dates postponed "due to unforeseen circumstances"
Live Nation also shared a message about the unfortunate news on the artist’s event page. “We understand fans will be disappointed and [we are] focused on working with The Weeknd to secure a new tour schedule. We will make a further announcement as soon as possible,” it read.
The Canadian chart-topper was set to head Down Under for 11 dates with stops planned for Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. The first performance of that leg was scheduled for Nov. 20. Veteran DJ-producer Mike Dean and XO Records signee Chxrry22 were slated to provide support.
The “After Hours Til Dawn Tour” kicked off back in 2022 and brought The Weeknd to a wealth of cities in North America, Latin America, and Europe. Different records have been broken throughout its duration, including two at London Stadium for attendance and tickets sold. As previously reported by REVOLT, the yearlong run surpassed Michael Jackson’s 1987 “Bad Tour” as the highest-grossing ever for a Black artist.
The Weeknd spoke on his massive tour in an interview with Variety. “The performances are mostly in the daytime, so I get to see the audience. It’s easier to connect with their eyes and feels a bit more intimate, so instead of a performance, it feels like more of a conversation with them,” he explained. “Every night I’m changing up the set — I never do that, it’s usually very formulaic — so I’m spicing it up and going into deep, deep, deep cuts and older songs.”
Mariah Carey Is Working On New Music: 'It's Exciting'
Mariah Carey confirms that she has been making new music!! The “We Belong Together” singer, who kicked off the Christmas season last week, has not released her own music since 2020, when she dropped the compilation album, The Rarities, and the soundtrack for her Apple TV+ special Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas.
While it may not be until 2024 until she releases something new, Mariah teased fans with what she’s been working on.
“There is new music on the horizon,” she teased with People. “I’ve been working the past three, four weeks on just writing new songs.”
The “Emotions” songstress even teased one song that they were just recording recently.
“Yesterday we were in the studio working on something with a choir, working on a new song,” she dished. “So it’s exciting.”
Mariah‘s last full-length album of new, original music was Caution in 2018.
Since it is the holiday season, Mariah is hitting the road NEXT week for her Merry Christmas One and All! Tour, which kicks off on November 15th in Highland, Calif.
David Byrne’s Broadway Musical ‘Here Lies Love’ to Close Due to Low Ticket Sales
The final performance will be a Sunday matinee on Nov. 26, concluding a run of 33 previews and 149 regular performances. The show, co-written by David Byrne and veteran DJ Fatboy Slim, began previews at the Broadway Theatre on June 17 before opening on July 20.
“Here Lies Love” began as a concept album and staged runs in Seattle and Off Broadway before its bow on the Great White Way. The Broadway transfer involved reconstructing the venue to remove the orchestra seating and replace it with a dance floor. While there was traditional seating in the mezzanine section, a portion of the audience stood and moved with the actors during the show to create a party ambiance.
All of those changes were expensive to maintain, and the show was losing money because tickets weren’t selling out. It cost about $700,000 per week to mount “Here Lies Love,” which exceeded its weekly box office take of $500,000 to $620,000, according to The Washington Post.
“When we started this journey to bring this bold and original work to Broadway, we asked ourselves: Can anyone produce on Broadway in a new way? Is there a new path forward? What does the template look like? Will audiences want something radically new? Who will those audiences be?” the producers said in a lengthy statement.
“We have learned a great deal about the answers to those questions. Yes, new ways can work. Artistic excellence can be achieved. But the reality is, succeeding on Broadway means not only producing excellent work with artistic merit — it also means creating the audience for it. And how much time it takes to find and grow new audiences is out of sync with the tight timeframes for audience-building and awareness.”
'Captain Marvel' sequel was always going to be a team-up movie, but director Nia DaCosta fought for the title 'The Marvels'
Let’s be clear: Nothing happened after the release of 2019’s Captain Marvel to alter the plan. A sequel to the blockbuster film starring Brie Larson as the titular Avenger was always going to be a team-up movie, The Marvels executive producer Mary Livanos tells Yahoo Entertainment in a new interview.
“The notion that the Marvels would all team up together on-screen in a Captain Marvel sequel has long been the design,” says Livanos, who also worked on Captain Marvel and the Disney+ series WandaVision. “What’s really fun to show on-screen for the first time is a team-up movie outside of The Avengers. It really borrows from the comics. Team-ups and crossovers are so much a part of the DNA of the comics. It’s awesome to bring it to screen.”
While Captain Marvel introduced Larson’s Carol Danvers in the mid-'90s as she returns to Earth amid a brewing battle between rival alien races the Kree and the Skrull, The Marvels finds her joining forces with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Danvers’s adopted niece/daughter of old friend Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), the eponymous breakout hero of last year’s stellar series Ms. Marvel.
“I was fortunate enough to work on the first Captain Marvel movie where we very intentionally made Monica Rambeau the age that she was in that installment because that storyline took place in the past,” Livanos explains. “We always knew that we wanted to team up an adult Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers on-screen. They have such a rich and wonderful relationship in the comics. We really wanted to explore that in this film, and we do. We really explore themes surrounding reconnection. And of course, when Ms. Marvel entered the MCU, it was a no-brainer to team her up with Monica and Carol as well, because Ms. Marvel was the perfect lens through which to examine and in ways deconstruct Captain Marvel as a hero, which really subsequently means getting to know Carol Danvers for the person that she is.”
Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in The Marvels. (Laura Radford/Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection) (©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection)
While the basic story beats were long plotted out, it doesn’t mean the film was always going to be called The Marvels.
“I really pushed for it to be called The Marvels because I really wanted them to be on equal footing,” says director Nia DaCosta (Little Woods, Candyman), who co-wrote the script with Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik. “I think it was important for all of us that it felt like they were really sharing center stage. So The Marvels for me was a really important title for them and it's a team, so it was nice to be able to name a team and create this new dynamic in the MCU.”
DaCosta says she and Livanos “pretty much badgered” Marvel chief Kevin Feige to let them go with that title. “I kept sending him pictures of the Marvels in different ways while we were prepping and in pre-production. It was just a conversation and I think at the end of the day we all were like, ‘This makes sense. This is right.’”
The sequel’s title switch to make room for more heroes is not unprecedented in the MCU. While Captain America, Iron Man and Thor all had multiple standalone sequels (even if films like Captain America: Civil War and Thor: Love and Thunder were essentially team-ups), Marvel decided to go a different route with the follow-ups to 2015’s Ant-Man Both sequels, 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and this year’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, gave equal billing to Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne alongside Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang.
DaCosta says The Marvels, the MCU’s 33rd film, differentiates from its predecessors by embracing and tapping into the weirdness of the comics.
“It’s just really fun, and weird,” she says. “It felt very comic book in the sense that you pick up an issue of a comic book and the craziest things are happening, but it's all pinned together by this true emotional foundation. And that's what we have here. You have these three women, you have them learning how to be a team, you have the Khan family as sort of the emotional core of the film and then you have them bopping around to all these different planets. We see Carol's past, we see people she's known, we see how she knows them and it's all really exciting and a bit weird.
“That's part of what attracted me to it. Marvel was like, ‘We're going to get really weird with this one.’ And I was like, ‘Excellent.’”
The Marvels opens Nov. 10.
Missy Elliott Posted Her Mother Patricia Elliot and Left Social Media Gagging
*Missy Elliott left social media gagging when she posted two pictures of her mother, Patricia Elliott. Fans were left befuddled at the youthful appearance of Missy’s Mom Dukes. “Mom?! Ain’t no way!!! I need to be going to the same church mama at! πππ,” tweeted one fan. Yep, God’s word comes through in the clutch, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Psalm 103: 1-5.” Patricia is a faithful Jesus follower, and God has done well by her. The praises continued with others posting, “Yes! She’s always been fine fine! Google Patricia Elliot!! π,” said another person. One fan couldn’t believe their eyes and wrote, “Naw this crazy cause missy in her 50s ain’t no way this 30-year-old woman is her momma.” Believe it, baby! One IG user posted, “Pharrell wasn’t lying when he said it’s “something in the water” because all these people from Virginia don’t age!” Ok, we think we got it: live for God and reside in Virginia to gain eternal youth…on it!
Tyler Perry Breaks Down on ‘The View’ After Co-Host Sara Haines Says She ‘Met’ His Late Mother Through New Documentary
Perry appeared on a recent taping of “The View” and was emotionally moved when host Sara Haines told him she “met” his mother through the documentary.
“It was so well done,” Haines said, “I met Maxine through all of it. I didn’t know her.”
Maxine, Perry’s mother, passed away in 2009. Perry was moved to tears by Haines’ words, pausing during the interview for a moment.
“OK, wait a minute, that one took me, that you met, ” Perry said, immediately choking up and trying to catch his breath. “You met my mother through it, man. That’s, wow. Wow. Thank you.”
“To say that you met her through that, that takes me somewhere, because she, you know, this woman endured so much pain. And she didn’t have some legacy,” he continued, visibly holding in his tears. “But she had me and to say that I was able to introduce her to you, you got me there, man. S–t. I’m sorry. Lord, have mercy. Thank you for that. I appreciate that.”
He was comforted by hosts Sunny Hostin and Joy Behar, who sat on both sides of him. Perry tried to continue talking but needed more time to compose himself as Haines also teared up.
The 54-year-old multi-talented Oscar winner appeared on ABC’s daytime talk show to promote the Prime Video doc, which details his traumatic childhood, surviving his abusive father, and the challenges he faced on the road to success in the entertainment industry. And, of course, his mother Maxine’s unwavering love.
Perry’s beloved Madea is inspired by his mother, who Perry said lived a painful life.
“This film, I will watch every time I need my own power,” Haines said. “I wanted to run laps. It was so well done.”
Eventually, Perry and the host were able to move on from the heartfelt moment to continue the show and ask Perry more questions.
“Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” premieres Nov. 17 on Prime Video.
Nelly Responds to Fan Who Says He & Ashanti Should Have a Baby Together: “I’m Working On It”
Nelly recently celebrated his 49th birthday with his girlfriend Ashanti, who splurged big on the St. Louis rapper.
After receiving a royal blue 64’ Chevy Impala from Ashanti, the rapper posted a thank you message to her on social media: “Sometimes all you can say is “Thank You” Best gift I ever received besides my kids!!!! You showed out shawty!!! Love you @ashanti.”
“Ur welcome bighead! Your face was priceless! love u too! Pound town soon as I get back to the house,” the singer responded.
Their public display of affection didn’t go unnoticed. One Instagram user gave their suggestion for Nelly to have a baby with Ashanti.
“Get her pregnant @nelly TONIGHT!!,” to which Nelly responded, “I’m on it.”
Nelly has children from previous relationships, but it looks like he isn’t opposed to having one with Ashanti. The two have rekindled their relationship after breaking up in 2013.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Box Man
You can never be too careful.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
No comments:
Post a Comment