The Weeknd reveals trailer and tracklist for upcoming album ‘Dawn FM’

shutterstock_655016305-2

The Weeknd is gearing up for the release of his fifth studio album ‘Dawn FM’ on Friday (Jan. 7), promising fans a “new sonic universe.” Dawn FM follows The Weeknd’s highly-successful 2020 release After Hours.

After releasing the album cover that features an elderly version of himself earlier this week, the 37-year-old revealed the full tracklist for the project, revealing 16 songs which will feature Quincy Jones, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Oneohtrix Point Never, and actor Jim Carrey.

The teaser features a dramatic scene where The Weeknd confronts and attacks an aged version of himself in a club. You can check it out – here.

Editorial credit: Sky Cinema / Shutterstock.com

Release date for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ starring Keanu Reeves is pushed back to 2023

shutterstock_1410988742

Lionsgate has pushed back the release date of John Wick: Chapter 4, starring Keanu Reeves. The action-thriller, which had been scheduled to open in theaters on May 27, 2022, has now been pushed back to debut on March 24, 2023.

Donnie Yen, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, Bill Skarsgård, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson and Ian McShane co-star alongside Reeves in the movie, which was directed by Chad Stahelski.  John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum earned more than $300 million worldwide when it was released in 2019.

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

Seth Meyers cancels ‘Late Night’ shows for a week after testing positive for COVID-19

shutterstock_1401642935

Seth Meyers announced on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and has canceled his talkshow Late Night for the remainder of the week.  Meyers said on Twitter: “The bad news is, I tested positive for COVID (thanks 2022!) the good news is, I feel fine (thanks vaccines and booster!). We are canceling the rest of the shows this week, so tune in next Monday to see what cool location we will try and pass off as a studio!!!”

Meyers hosted Monday’s edition of ‘Late Night’ virtually, which featured ‘This is Us’ stars Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley and Chrissy Metz, as well as musician David Byrne.

Jimmy Fallon, who hosts NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show,’ announced on Instagram Monday that he also tested positive for COVID-19 during his holiday break. Fallon was able host The Tonight Show on Monday.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Grammy Awards will ‘likely’ be postponed due to surge of COVID-19

shutterstock_1428695414

For the second year in a row, it appears the Grammy Awards will be postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

It appears the Grammy Awards will be postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for the second year in a row.  Citing unnamed sources “with direct knowledge” of the situation, Billboard reported that the annual event will be pushed back as the Omicron variant of the virus continues spreading across America.

As of press time, no official announcement regarding the postponement of the 2022 Grammy Awards had been made. The Twitter account of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences still lists the original date, Jan. 31, for this year’s event.

Last year’s Grammy Awards was originally scheduled for Jan. 31, 2021, but was pushed back to March 14. The event was stripped back and moved from Staples Center (now called Crypto.com Arena) to the nearby Los Angeles Convention Center.  The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah is set to host the 2022 Grammys, reprising his role from last year.

Editorial credit: rafapress / Shutterstock.com

Halsey releases extended edition of her “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power” album

shutterstock_1098981329

Halsey is kicking off 2022 with an extended edition of her album “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power”. The extended edition features two new tracks – ‘Nightmare Reprise” and “People Disappear Here” in addition to the original 16-tracks.

Halsey shared on Twitter: “The extended version of IICHLIWP is out now featuring the new and moody ethereal goodness that is People Disappear Here plus a Nine Inch Nails reimagined version of Nightmare.” 

If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power  was produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and dropped in August. Halsey also released an IMAX film of the same name alongside the album. The film featured Halsey — who was pregnant at the time of filming — incorporating themes of motherhood and mysticism into its storyline.

Listen to the extended album in full – here.

Editorial credit: Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com

Whoopi Goldberg absent from ‘The View’ after testing positive for COVID-19

shutterstock_1197364429

Whoopi Goldberg has tested positive for COVID-19 with a breakthrough case of the virus. Joy Behar, Goldberg’s co-host on ‘The View,’ announced the news on the show Monday. Said Behar: “Why am I here instead of Whoopi? Well, Whoopi, unfortunately, tested positive over the break but she’ll be back probably next week. Since she’s vaxxed and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very, mild. But we’re being super cautious here at The View.”

Behar, co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines, and guest host Ana Navarro are filming ‘The View’ from home ‘out of an abundance of caution’ this week. Hostin said on Monday that she and her mom also tested positive for COVID-19 over the holiday break but have since recovered. Navarro’s father also tested positive for the virus but was able to join the family for New Years.

The 66-year-old Goldberg is fully vaccinated and boosted. Goldberg and Hostin’s positive diagnoses come amid the surge of COVID-19 cases due in part to the highly contagious omicron variant.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

‘Squid Game’ creator says he’s in talks with Netflix about Season 3 of the hit series

shutterstock_2084030476

‘Squid Game’ creator Hwang Dong-hyuk confirmed in a recent interview that he’s presently in talks with Netflix over a second and third season of the show.  Following its Sept. 17 debut, the South Korean show became the Netflix’s biggest series in its history — reaching 142 million member households globally and becoming the first to surpass 100 million views.

According to The Korea Times, Hwang said:“I’m in talks with Netflix over season 2 as well as season 3. We will come to a conclusion any time soon.”  During a November special screening and Q&A for the series, Hwang shared that he had been working on a season two storyline and was currently in talks with Netflix over another season.   The writer-director shared: “I do have a basic storyline for season two — it’s all in my head — and I am currently in the brainstorming stage. It will happen, someday, but as for when I cannot tell you the details.”

Squid Game follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who receives a mysterious invitation to join a tournament of traditional Korean children’s games with a deadly twist. Held in a secret location, the games offer its 456 participants a shot at winning 45.6 billion in prize money.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Ellie Goulding opens up about her struggle with anxiety

shutterstock_1518869840

Singer Ellie Goulding shared a recap of her 2021 on Instagram, which began with her stating that this past year was “the very best [year] of [her] life.”  Said Goulding: “I became a mother, the greatest joy I’ve known. I’ve had time to sit down with great musicians and writers and made exciting new music that I hope will give people who hear it the same euphoric escape that I experienced when writing it. I have released my first book, performed to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the President and Joni Mitchell (and I can’t explain how grateful I am for that privilege).”

However, Goulding also shared how 2021 was also the “hardest of [her] life,” sharing, “I’ve struggled daily, nightly, hourly with a kind of panic I didn’t even know existed. If I was to really think about it, my anxiety has dictated quite a lot of my life and career, and I feel sad about that. But it has also made me who I am, and sometimes at my most terrified, when I feel there is no escape from the sheer panic and dread in my heart and brain, I remind myself that I can feel. I feel so much and that is how I have got to this place in my life. I want to tell you this on the last day of this year because so many of you have been asking how I’m doing and often do not get a reply. It’s because I’ve been too scared to admit that the answer is, not very good. I feel like something is broken inside—something that has been echoed deeply by the few I have opened up to.”

Goulding ended her post saying: “I have so much love and energy for anyone going through this. Let’s get through this together. 2022 is going to be a bright year. Positive energy. Together. Signing off (for a bit) and sending so much love, as ever, to you all xx.”

Editorial credit: A.PAES / Shutterstock.com

The Weeknd confirms new album ‘Dawn FM’ will drop on Friday

shutterstock_1192063000

The Weeknd has announced that his new album Dawn FM will drop this Friday, January 7. The artist – real name Abel Tesfaye – teased the news over the New Year weekend on his Instagram.  On Monday, The Weeknd confirmed that the album will be out this week, writing in a caption alongside a video teaser of new music: “new album : dawn FM // january 7th.”  

Dawn FM is the follow-up to The Weeknd’s 2020 release After Hours.  He has since released multiple songs, remixes, collaborations and videos, and also starred in and co-wrote the forthcoming HBO series The IdolDawn FM will be The Weeknd’s fifth album, in addition to three mixtapes he released in 2011.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

100th Birthday documentary on the late Betty White will be released as planned

shutterstock_103703156

The producers of the documentary film “Betty White: 100 Years Young” say a theatrical screening will proceed as scheduled on the comedy legend’s 100th birthday, despite her death on December 31st, just a few weeks shy of that milestone.

Producers/directors Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein said in a joint statement: “Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White. During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the ‘luckiest broad on two feet’ to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long. We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life—and experience what made her such a national treasure.”

The documentary will feature appearances by Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, and many more.   The film was expected to screen at 900 theaters across the U.S. on White’s birthday, Jan. 17, 2022. You can learn more about the documentary at Fathom Events’ website.

Editorial credit: s_bukley/ Shutterstock.com