The Weeknd reverts back to his birth name Abel Tesfaye on social media

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The Weeknd recently revealed he would be working on his final album under his stage name, but hinted he was also thinking of releasing music under a new name. Now, the singer has changed his name on Twitter and Instagram to his birth name, Abel Tesfaye (although his handles on both social media platforms remain The Weeknd).

Tesfaye told W Magazine in an article last month: “I’m going through a cathartic path right now. It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter. I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd. But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will. Eventually. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”

Fans of The Weeknd (and/or Abel) will soon be able to watch his new show on HBO, the Sam Levinson-directed series “The Idol.”

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Take a look at the trailer for ‘The Crowded Room’ starring Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried

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Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for the upcoming limited series, “The Crowded Room” has been released.  The 10-episode psychological thriller follows Danny Sullivan (Tom Holland), a young man arrested in connection to a shooting in Rockefeller Center in New York in 1979. Amanda Seyfried plays Rya Goodwin, an interrogator who speaks with Sullivan about the shooting and details of his background.

The series also stars Emmy Rossum, Sasha Lane, Will Chase, Lior Raz, Laila Robins, Christopher Abbott and Henry Eikenberry. The first three episodes are set to premiere on June 9 on Apple TV+, with subsequent episodes airing weekly.

Take a look the trailer for “The Crowded Room” – here.

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William Shatner’s ‘Stars on Mars’ to feature Lance Armstrong, Ronda Rousey and more

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Fox’s upcoming reality television competition ‘Stars on Mars’, hosted by William Shatner, will feature Lance Armstrong, Ronda Rousey, Tallulah Willis, Ariel Winter and eight more celebrities.

Stars on Mars simulates a human colony on Mars. Shatner, as mission control commander, gives the celebrities weekly missions as they live together on a simulated Mars colony, eliminating one contestant each week.

Comedian Natasha Leggero, football player Marshawn Lynch, “McLovin” actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse, figure skater Adam Rippon, restaurateur and TV host Tom Schwartz, football player and analyst Richard Sherman, singer/songwriter/dancer Tinashe and actor/author Porsha William Goubadia will also be featured on ‘Stars on Mars.’

Stars on Mars premieres June 5, airing Mondays on FOX.

‘Stars On Mars’: Natasha Leggero, Ariel Winter, Lance Armstrong, Adam Rippon, Ronda Rousey Among Celebs Set For Fox Competition Series

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Kylie Minogue announces new album ‘Tension’

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Kylie Minogue announced that her new album “Tension” will be out Sept. 22 via BMG. Kylie tweeted: “Baby break the tension ….. my brand new album 💎TENSION💎will be yours on 22nd September! The first single ❤PADAM PADAM❤ is coming soon!”

The album, Kylie’s first since 2020’s Disco, is described as a blend of “personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic high.”  Several of the tracks of “Tension” are produced and co-written by her frequent collaborator Richard “Biff” Stannard and “Disco” contributor Duck Blackwell.

Minogue said in a statement: “I started this album with an open mind and a blank page. Unlike my last two albums there wasn’t a ‘theme,’ it was about finding the heart or the fun or the fantasy of that moment and always trying to service the song. I wanted to celebrate each song’s individuality and dive into that freedom … I loved being back in the studio with my collaborators but was also able to benefit from remote recording, which we have all got used to – my mobile studio never left my side for a year and a half!  The album is a mix of songs I have written and songs which really spoke to me. Making this album helped me navigate challenging times and celebrate the now. I hope it accompanies listeners on their own journeys and becomes part of their story.”

To pre-order “Tension” head here.

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BTS shares new song for animated series ‘Bastions’

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BTS have shared their latest single, “The Planet,” written for the upcoming animated series Bastions. . Bastions is an upcoming animated series that will follow a team of “rookie heroes” as they attempt to save the environment from destruction. It will premiere on May 14th via the Korean broadcasting station SBS.

“The Planet” is bilingual, as the members of BTS deliver the lyrics in English and Korean. The chorus ‘encourages listeners to look inwards to find their star power and strive for greatness.’ According to Billboard, the song will be the only release for an extended period since BTS members Jin and J-Hop have begun their mandatory service with the South Korean military; meanwhile RM, Jimin, and Suga have all focused on their solo careers since the group’s temporary break.

Listen to the song “The Planet” – here.

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Kelly Clarkson responds to toxic workplace reports on her talk show

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Kelly Clarkson has issued a statement responding to allegations of a toxic work climate behind the scenes at her eponymous talk show. Rolling Stone published a story Friday that quoted several former workers as claiming they were overworked, underpaid and found the environment “traumatizing to their mental health.” Staffers claim their experience on the show “is by far the worst experience I’ve ever had in my entire life,” and that it has “deterred me from wanting to work in daytime ever again.”

Clarkson wrote on Instagram: “In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right. I love my team at The Kelly Clarkson Show, and to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and disrespected on this show is unacceptable. I have always been, and will continue to be, committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment at ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show.’ As we prepare for a move to the East Coast, I am more committed than ever to ensuring that not only our team that is moving but also our new team in NY is comprised of the best and kindest in the business. Part of that build will include leadership training for all of the senior staff, including myself. There is always room to grow and ensure we are all being/becoming the best version of ourselves in any business, especially when it comes to leadership, to ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated. -Kelly”

The series, which is now in its fourth season, premiered in 2019 and was taped in Los Angeles. Production is set to move from Universal Studios Hollywood to NBC Studios in Manhattan’s 30 Rockefeller Center next season, where a new set will be built in Studio 6A with accommodation for offices and a live studio audience.  A rep with NBCUniversal, which produces the show, said in a statement, “We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue. When issues are reported they are promptly reviewed, investigated and acted upon as appropriate. The Kelly Clarkson Show strives to build a safe, respectful and equitable workplace that nurtures a culture of inclusivity and creativity.”

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Take a look at the new trailer for Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’

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A new trailer has been released for Christoper Nolan‘s upcoming summer blockbuster, Oppenheimer, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin.  The book explores how Robert Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project led to the creation of the first atomic bomb during World War II.

Oppenheimer, written and directed by Nolan, stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, an American theoretical physicist known as the “father of the atomic bomb.”  The trailer shows Oppenheimer (Murphy) assemble a secret team of scientists to build the bomb, saying in one scene: “We’ve got one hope. All of America’s industrial might and scientific innovation connected here, a secret laboratory. Keep everyone here until it’s done.”

The film also stars Emily Blunt alongside Murphy as his wife, biologist, and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, while Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. The film also features Florence Pugh, who plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, as well as Benny Safdie, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek and more.

Oppenheimer is set for release in theaters on July 21, 2023. Take a look at the trailer – here.

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Doja Cat heads to Twitter to reveal title for upcoming album

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Doja Cat has shared several updates about her new album recently, and now she is providing more details. The rapper/singer has been teasing the upcoming project through IG live sessions, and she now she has clarified the updated title for the album.

However before revealing the album title, Doja referred to her previous two projects “Cash Grabs.” She tweeted: “planet her and hot pink were cash-grabs and yall fell for it. sh “now i can go disappear somewhere and touch grass with my loved ones on an island while yall weep for mediocre pop.” She later tweeted that her upcoming album – which was initially called “Hell Mouth” – will now be titled “First Of All”.

Doja has also stated over the last few months that she will no longer make pop music. “no more pop … i also agree with everyone who said the majority of my rap verses are mid and corny … I know they are. I wasnt trying to prove anything I just enjoy making music but I’m getting tired of hearing yall say that i can’t so I will … pop isnt exciting to me anymore. I dont wanna make it.” 

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Lana Del Rey premieres video for ‘Candy Necklace’

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Lana Del Rey dropped her new video for ‘Candy Necklace’, the fourth single taken from her ninth studio album, ‘Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.’

The video, directed by Rich Lee, was shot in Los Angeles, coming in at over 10 minutes long. The video sees Lana take on the role of multiple Hollywood starlets throughout history including Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Short aka The Black Dahlia, and more.

Lana is set to headline Chicago’s Lollapalooza and San Francisco’s Outside Lands this August, as well as the All Things Go Music Festival in Columbia, Maryland. Lana was also announced as the final headliner for the 10th anniversary of London’s festival American Express presents BST Hyde Park, taking place on Sunday July 9th.

Take a look at the video for ‘Candy Necklace’ here.

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‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 1 coming to Peacock on May 25

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Following the announcement that Yellowstone will end with Season 5, Peacock confirmed that the eight most recent episodes of the series (Season 5, Part 1) will stream exclusively on Peacock beginning on May 25. Seasons 1-4 are already available on Peacock. Peacock acquired exclusive streaming rights to Yellowstone in 2020, rather than the Paramount+ streaming service.

Yellowstone, created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, follows the Duttons, a ranch-owning family in Montana. Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser and Kelsey Asbille star in the series, which airs on Paramount Network. Season 5, Part 2 will premiere on Paramount Network in November, and will most likely be available to stream on Peacock at a later date.

It was also announced that a new Yellowstone sequel series will debut in December. The untitled spinoff of the series, created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, will debut on Paramount Network and Paramount+.

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