Coachella Announces Festival Dates for 2014; Advance Ticket Sale Begins on Friday

Posted today at 11:00am

Photo Credit: Marc BaptisteWhile the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival just wrapped up a little more than a month ago, producers for the event have already revealed their plans for 2014.

According to the festival's website, next year's event will span two weekends, April 11-13 and April 18-20, in Indio, California. While the lineup isn't expected to be announced until next year, advance passes for the 2014 installment of Coachella will go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. PT.

Acts who took the stage during last month's festival included Janelle Monae, 2 Chainz, Wu-Tang Clan, Pusha T and Allen Stone.

Rihanna Adds Second Mentor to "Styled to Rock" Series

Posted today at 8:00am

PR NewswireRihanna's new fashion competition series, Styled to Rock, just got a new addition. Rih announced last week that Pharrell Williams would serve as a mentor on the show, and now model, actress and designer Erin Wasson has joined the team. She'll serve as the second mentor on Styled to Rock.

As previously reported, Rihanna is an executive producer of the series, which will show her and her crew as they search for the next trendsetting designer. Styled to Rock will feature 12 up-and-coming designers who will compete each week for a shot at dressing A-list celebrities.

Styled to Rock will premiere on the Style Network, though there's no official word on exactly when.

Kelly Rowland Joining "The X Factor" Judges' Panel

Posted today at 5:53am

Facebook.com/KellyRowlandThe rumors are true. Fox announced Monday night that Kelly Rowland will be joining Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato on the judges’ panel when The X Factor returns this fall. Mexican singer Paulina Rubio will also be joining the panel.

Rowland, who served as a judge on the British version of The X Factor in 2011, said in a statement, "I am very exciting to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and The X Factor family. It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the states."

Rowland and Rubio fill the vacancies left by the departures of Britney Spears and L.A. Reid.

Janet Jackson Working on a New Album

Posted today at 5:00am

Facebook.com/JanetJacksonJanet Jackson celebrated her 47th birthday last week, and Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of her sexy, fifth studio album, janet. The music veteran has spent more than 30 years in the music business, but Janet doesn't seem ready to retire.

"I am working on a new project now," Janet tells Billboard, blowing apart rumors that she would be giving up her recording career now that she's married to billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana.

Aside from releasing a book in 2011, Janet hasn't released an album since 2008's Discipline. Her follow-up to the set is still in the early stages, however, with Janet revealing to Billboard, "We are creating the concept and initial thoughts on the music."

Looking back on the release of janet., she says, "I can’t believe it is already 20 years! I always write my music based on what is going on in my life at the time. I wanted to allow people in...I want my fans to really know me. The janet. album was sexual, and I was beginning to really discover that side of me."

In case you've forgotten, one version of the janet. cover art shows the singer topless, with her hands above her head. Her then-husband, Rene Elizondo Jr., covers her breasts with his hands. Months later, the photograph appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone.

J. Cole Will Compete with Kanye West Next Month

Posted yesterday at 8:00pm

Photo courtesy of J. Cole via InstagramJ. Cole is going up against Kanye West next month. Just days after Kim Kardashian announced that her guy Kanye would be releasing his Yeezus album on June 18, Cole revealed via Twitter that he's delivering his Born Sinner project the same day.

The original release date for J. Cole's sophomore set was June 25, but the rapper took to Twitter to announce the new date. He also explained the reason for the change, tweeting, "Kanye West is one of the greatest artists of our generation. Which is exactly why I'm moving my release date up."

On Monday, J. Cole revealed cover art for both versions of his Born Sinner project. The standard set's cover art features what looks like a golden gate against the black silhouette of a building in the clouds. The deluxe version of the project shows a shiny black figure with devil's horns against a white background. Above the figure's head floats a golden crown.

In other J. Cole news, he'll be appearing alongside The Roots on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this Tuesday.

Prince Pushes Boundaries with New Music Venture

Posted yesterday at 8:00pm

PRNewsFoto/42 WestA day after receiving the Billboard Icon Award, Prince has announced a new music venture that will allow him and other artists to break free of the old-school label system.

The Purple One has joined forces with independent music-services company Kobalt Music Group, giving him the freedom to self-release his own music recordings.

Prince will unleash projects from a roster of new acts as well. As part of the new venture, he'll also provide artist development and recording services to newly signed performers. Meanwhile, Kobalt will market and distribute the music around the globe through its digital platform and network of brick-and-mortar partners.

This isn't the first time Prince has pushed the envelope when it comes to releasing new music. Earlier this year, the music veteran began teasing new songs and videos that would be available for purchase via his official website.

K. Michelle Serves Up Her New Single, "V.S.O.P."

Posted yesterday at 5:00pm

Atlantic RecordsK. Michelle's debut album, Rebellious Soul, arrives in stores July 30, and on Monday she released, "V.S.O.P.," the first single from her upcoming set. The new track samples Debra Laws' 1981 hit "Very Special."

Presumably, "V.S.O.P." is an acronym for "very special old pale" cognac, which K. Michelle mentions in the song's hook. "We gon' light some candles tonight, very special/We gon' do whatever you like, very special/got some Henny chillin' on ice, very special," she sings, referring to Hennessy.

Next month, K. Michelle will be performing in New York City. Tickets are on sale now for her June 6 show at Highline Ballroom in Manhattan.

Mary J. Blige Reportedly Faces More Money Drama

Posted yesterday at 2:00pm

InterscopeMary J. Blige's financial problems are getting worse. Just months after the state of New Jersey stuck the singer with a $901,000 tax lien, TMZ reports that Uncle Sam is also coming after Mary.

The IRS has filed a $3.4 million federal tax lien against Mary, claiming that she failed to pay the full amount of her income taxes for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.

As previously reported, Mary's financial woes don't stop there. Last year, the singer was sued by Signature Bank, which claimed she had defaulted on a $2.2 million dollar loan. TD Bank also sued a charity led by Mary and former music exec Steve Stoute. TMZ reported that TD Bank claimed in its lawsuit that the Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now had failed to repay a $250,000 loan.

Regarding the TD Bank lawsuit, a rep for Mary said that the charity was going through changes, specifically in its "management and headquarters."

Janelle Monae to Perform Alongside the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Posted yesterday at 11:00am

Photo Credit: Marc BaptisteJanelle Monae will perform alongside the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Monday night, just days after doing a similar show with the San Francisco Symphony.

Aretha Franklin had been slated to headline the Windy City gig, but she had to cancel under doctor's orders. Luckily, Janelle was available to fill in, promising to perform new arrangements of her music, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra accompanying her.

Proceeds from Janelle's performance will benefit the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's general operations and nationally recognized community engagement and music education programs.

Janelle is set to release her new album, The Electric Lady, later this year.

Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys Film Lands U.S. Distributor

Posted yesterday at 8:01am

ABC/RICK ROWELLThe Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, an upcoming movie starring Jennifer Hudson, has just been picked up for U.S. distribution by CodeBlack Films, according to Deadline.com. Alicia Keys is among the project's executive producers, and she also served as the film's composer.

Audiences got an early look at The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete when it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The movie follows a 13-year-old boy, Mister, and his 9-year-old friend, Pete, as they navigate life in New York City on their own.

Kanye Performs Two New Songs on "SNL"; New Album "Yeezus" Gets Release Date

Posted yesterday at 6:10am

Dana Edelson/NBCKanye West used his appearance on Saturday Night Live over the weekend as a platform to promote two new, socially-charged songs.

One of the new tracks, "New Slaves," was actually debuted the night before, via a video projected onto the sides of 66 buildings around the world. In a YouTube clip of one such projection in Brooklyn, New York, Kanye's face is superimposed onto a building as he raps the lyrics, which include, "I know that we're the new slaves/I see the blood on the leaves."

"New Slaves" was previously teased earlier this month when a DJ played it at a festival in Poland.

Kanye performed both "New Slaves" and another new, electronic rock-sounding track, "Black Skinhead," on SNL. He later tweeted a photo of the lyrics to "Black Skinhead," written by hand.

At one point in "Black Skinhead" 'Ye quickly raps, "You see a black man with a white woman/At the top floor they gone come to kill King Kong/Middle America packed in/Came to see me in my black skin."

The songs are rumored to be part of Kanye's follow-up to 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which, according to Kanye's baby mama Kim Kardashian, will be titled Yeezus and will be released June 18. She revealed the news on Instagram.

Beyoncé Addresses Pregnancy Rumors on Instagram

Posted yesterday at 5:29am

Frank Micelotta/Invision for Parkwood Entertainment/AP ImagesBeyoncé has addressed the pregnancy rumors surrounding her and her husband, Jay-Z.

After E! News on Friday reported that B and Jay are expecting their second child, she posted a note onto Instagram that scoffed at the speculation -- though she didn't quite deny it, either.

In the quickly-pulled note, a screenshot of which appears on the website of Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, Beyoncé wrote, "I can't stop the rumors from starting, and I can't really change peoples [sic] minds who believe them, all I can do is sit back and laugh at these low life people who have nothing better to do than talk about me."

Beyoncé performed in Milan, Italy, over the weekend, after postponing a recent Belgium date due to "dehydration and exhaustion."

Beyoncé and Jay-Z currently have a daughter, Blue Ivy, who was born in January 2012.

Report: Rihanna Suing Topshop Over T-Shirt

Posted yesterday at 5:01am

PR NewswireIt's clear from Rihanna's Instagram updates, that she doesn't mind posing for pictures. But it's apparent from her reported lawsuit against British retailer Topshop that the singer doesn't take kindly to having her image used without her consent.

Rih has reportedly filed a $5 million lawsuit in London, going after Topshop for selling t-shirts in the UK bearing her image without her consent, according to the New York Post. A source tells the newspaper, "Rihanna's management asked Topshop a number of times to stop selling her image and were told, 'We do what we want.' The source adds that, "What is most offensive for Rihanna is that they basically told her, 'Go to hell. We don’t care; we are going to continue selling you.'"

According to the Post, the retailer buys the pictures from a photographer, but the artist isn't protected under UK law and doesn't get a licensing fee.

Topshop declined comment to the Post. However, a source tells the newspaper that Topshop is aware of Rihanna's lawsuit. As for the $5 million Rihanna is supposedly seeking, the source points out, "The amount of damages sought has not been articulated anywhere in the claimant’s document."

"Billboard" Music Awards Recap: Taylor Swift Wins Big, Justin Bieber Demands to Be Taken Seriously

Posted yesterday at 1:33am

ABCTaylor Swift's night at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas was a success. She led all artists at the Sunday-night ceremony with eight wins, including top artist and top Billboard 200 album, for Red.

During her top artist acceptance speech, Taylor thanked her fans for making her music about her crazy emotions the soundtrack to their own crazy emotions. She added that her relationship with her fans was the longest and best relationship she's ever had.

Taylor found out she won the top Billboard 200 album category when fans in the mosh pit held up smartphones that spelled out the album title, RED, in big letters. She said, "I'm really happy about this" and went on to thank her fans for the "magical" award.

Taylor also delivered one of the more memorable performances of the night, singing her hit "22" in an elaborate production that began backstage and featured several dancers, a bicycle ride and plenty of red balloons.

Rihanna and Gotye each received four awards. Several artists, including Justin Bieber, picked up three.

Justin made a bid for musical relevance while accepting the first-ever Milestone Award for musical ingenuity and innovation. During his acceptance speech, Justin took the opportunity to address all the tabloid headlines saying, "I'm 19 years old. I think I'm doing a pretty good job, and basically, from my heart, it should be about the music and the craft that I'm making it."

Justin added, "This is not a gimmick. I'm an artist, and I should be taken seriously, and all this bull should not be spoken of."

Justin also accepted the top male artist award from Miley Cyrus. Her new song, "We Can't Stop," comes out June 3.

Prince closed out the night performing a rocked out version of his classic "Let's Go Crazy" backed by his all female band, 3rdEyeGirl. The Purple One, who received the Billboard icon award, was dressed in a fringe jacket and wore his hair in an afro. It was the first full-on rock performance of the show, and he went into the new song, "FIXURLIFEUP," after an extended guitar and bass solo.

Here's a rundown of the rest of the night's performances and winners:

The Performances:

Bruno Mars kicked off the night with a finely choreographed performance of "Treasure." Bruno's set looked like it was lifted from classic Soul Train footage with its multiple disco balls and gold flashing lights. Bruno worked the stage with him and his band all wearing matching '70s-inspired, red suits.

Selena Gomez heated things up performing a Middle Eastern-inspired dance routine as she sang "Come and Get It." Selena returned later to introduce Taylor Swift's performance of "22." Taylor kicked the song off singing in her dressing room before continuing the performance with a choreographed romp through the backstage area. An entire crew of dancers, showgirls and masked men accompanied Taylor as she entered the arena on the back of a bicycle during the second verse. She then took the stage to finish the song out with a dance remix breakdown of the song as red balloons rained down on the crowd.

Country star Jennifer Nettles was on hand to introduce The Band Perry's performance of their #1 country hit, "Better Dig Two," which featured a dramatic laser light show. The sibling trio broke it down towards the end with all three members playing individual drums in synch before returning to the chorus.

Carly Rae Jepsen introduced new Swedish pop duo Icona Pop to sing their debut U.S. hit, "I Love It." Psy and host Tracy Morgan had a dance off before Chris Brown hit the stage for a performance of "Fine China." Chris's Chinese-inspired set and costuming were accented by a martial arts-style dance breakdown. Chris even tapped Michael Jackson's former guitar player, Orianthi, to play as he closed the performance with moves reminiscent of Michael's classic "Billie Jean" routine.

Nashville's Hayden Panettiere introduced Macklemore & Ryan Lewis singing "Thrift Shop" live from the Tryst nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas. Country duo Florida Georgia Line introduced fellow country newcomer Kacey Musgraves' acoustic performance of her debut hit, "Merry Go 'Round."

Justin Bieber emerged from an airplane cockpit to sing and dance his way through "Take You," the song his fans chose via Twitter for him to perform. Justin returned to perform "That Power" with will.i.am from Will's new album #Willpower.

Ke$ha introduced Pitbull and Christina Aguilera's performance of "Feel This Moment," which includes a sample of the '80s hit "Take on Me" by Norwegian band A-ha. A-ha actually showed up to sing a chorus of the original song to close it out. Pitbull returned later for his latest collaboration with Jennifer Lopez, "Live It Up."

Miguel crooned his breakthrough hit "Adorn" behind a screen projecting evocative images to go along with the sexy song. Once the screen went up, Miguel danced around the smoke-filled stage and even jumped over the fans in the mosh pit to the catwalk, accidentally landing on top of one girl and kicking another in the head.

Ed Sheeran turned in an intimate, solo performance of "Lego House" from the arena's b-stage. David Guetta, Ne-Yo and Akon transformed the MGM Grand into a giant rave with their high-energy performance of "Play Hard," and Nicki Minaj gave Lil Wayne a full-on lap dance during their performance of "High School."

The Winners:

Vegas headliner Shania Twain noted how odd it was that she was presenting the evening's first trophy, top rap artist. Nicki Minaj took that award and admitted she didn't expect to win it in her acceptance speech.

Will.i.am confessed his favorite Madonna song is "Like a Virgin" before introducing Madonna herself to accept the top touring artist award for her blockbuster MDNA tour. An extended highlights reel of the show, including a shot of Madonna's bare backside, aired before she took the stage. She joked that it took longer to negotiate whether she could show her bottom in that trailer than it took to rehearse for the actual tour. Madonna took off what she called her "pretentious sunglasses" to thank a few key people in her touring organization, her four children and her fans.

Avril Lavigne and Alyssa Milano presented the digital song award to Carly Rae Jepsen for "Call Me Maybe," which has sold seven million downloads.

Kid Rock got a jab in at people lip-synching to pre-recorded music on the show before presenting the top rap song award to "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. Macklemore thanked Goodwill and Value Village for the win.

Kelly Rowland and Austin Mahone handed the top EDM artist award to David Guetta. Fun. took the top rock artist award, and Psy's "Gangnam Style" won honors for top streaming video. Rihanna was named top radio artist, and One Direction won new artist honors.

For a full list of winners, go to Billboard.com.

2013 "Billboard" Music Awards Air Live from Las Vegas Sunday Live with Chris Brown, Miguel, Ne-Yo & More

Posted Sunday morning

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images via ABStar-studded collaborations are on tap for this Sunday night's Billboard Music Awards, airing live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on ABC. Fans will see solo artists like Chris Brown and Miguel perform, of course, but they'll also enjoy some musical collaborations during the telecast, which starts at 8 p.m. ET.

Prince will be making a rare awards show appearance to receive the Billboard Icon Award on Sunday night, and will treat the audience to an as-yet-to-be-determined song as well. Chris is set to perform his latest single "Fine China," while Miguel will sing his hit "Adorn."

As for collaborations, Ne-Yo, David Guetta & Akon will perform the song "Play Hard," and Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne will perform "High School."

Other stars who'll appear on the show include Madonna, who'll receive a special award for her top-grossing MDNA tour; and presenters Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Ke$ha, Carly Rae Jepsen, Miley Cyrus, PSY, Kid Rock, Cee Lo Green and Alanis Morissette.

As for the actual awards, Rihanna is nominated in 10 different categories, including Top Artist of the Year.

Aretha Franklin Responds to Reports About Baby KimYe Going on Tour

Posted Saturday morning

Photo: Matthew Jordan SmithAretha Franklin is mom to four sons, so Kim Kardashian should probably take heed to the Queen's motherly wisdom and re-"Think" her reported post-pregnancy plans.

According to TMZ, after giving birth, Kim wants to join Kanye West on his reported tour and bring their brand-new baby along for the ride. When TMZ asked Ms. Franklin what she thought of the plan, she said, "I wouldn't," adding, "I can't speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't."

Kim is expected to give birth in two months or so. While Kanye hasn't officially announced a tour, it makes sense, considering that a few of his industry pals have confirmed he's been working on new solo material. On top of that, TMZ reports that sources close to the touring company behind Kanye's supposed trek say they've already been told to secure cribs and soundproof hotel rooms for KimYe's little one.

Kanye West Isn't Laughing in "Saturday Night Live" Promos

Posted Saturday morning

Universal Music GroupKanye West said during a surprise performance this week in New York City that he wouldn't be doing any skits when he drops in on the season finale of Saturday Night Live this weekend. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped the rapper from displaying a little humor in promos for the upcoming show.

Despite Kanye's declaration that this is his "goddamn life," and it "ain’t no motherf**king joke," he seems to poke fun at himself. Appearing alongside Saturday night's host Ben Affleck and cast member Fred Armisen, Kanye sports a Band-Aid in the SNL promo clips. Presumably, it's his nod to that incident last week when he walked head-first into a sign post while trying to get past paparazzi on the sidewalk.

For the record, though, Kanye never cracks a smile in the promos. He doesn't even grin after shutting down Fred's attempts to freestyle. "No, no. Don't do that," 'Ye says. In another version, Kanye ditches the Band-Aid and stands with his arms crossed. Ben introduces Kanye as the musical guest, then Fred announces, "Look at this, the boooys." Kanye follows up, declaring dryly, "Three best friends, back at it."

Natalie Cole "Seriously Offended" by Candice/J-Hud American Idol Duet

Posted Friday night

PRNewsFoto/Verve Music Group, Verve RecordsMost people watching the American Idol finale Thursday night would say that the duet that Candice Glover sang with Jennifer Hudson on the song "Inseparable" was one of the highlights of the evening. Someone who wouldn't say that is the woman who originally recorded the song: Natalie Cole.

Natalie was evidently miffed that she wasn't invited to sing her song with Candice on the finale. In a tweet, she wrote, "Make no mistake. 'Inseparable' was NOT originally recorded by [Jennifer Hudson] but by ME." Cole further wrote on Facebook, "American Idol ought to be ashamed of themselves....I am seriously offended!"

Some fans responded that they, too, are upset that Natalie wasn't tapped to appear on the finale -- after all, for years, veteran artists have made special appearances to duet with the finalists. Others, meanwhile, have advised Natalie to chill out, saying that at least Jennifer and Candice did the song justice and gave her song some exposure.

So far, neither Candice nor Jennifer have responded to Natalie's comments.

Alicia Keys Helps Introduce the Latest Mercedes S-Class Model

Posted Friday evening

Photo Courtesy of Daimler AGAlicia Keys probably could have taken a mini-vacation after closing out the U.S. leg of her Set the World on Fire tour. But instead, the singer was in Germany on Wednesday, helping unveil the new 2014 Mercedes S-Class model at a launch party hosted inside an Airbus jet plant in Hamburg.

Dressed in a black, floor-length gown, Alicia sang and played piano, while 19 musicians from the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra accompanied her. The Grammy Award winner will do several concerts in the U.K., later stopping in Luxembourg, before she returns to Germany in early June for shows in Frankfurt and Cologne. Alicia will stop in several other European cities before her Set the World on Fire tour wraps up Sept. 15 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Report: Beyonce Pregnant; Blue Ivy Becoming a Big Sister

Posted Friday afternoon

James Devaney/WireImageIf the reports are correct, Beyonce's having another baby. Multiple sources have confirmed to E! that the singer is pregnant. ABC News has reached out to reps for both Bey and her husband, Jay-Z, for comment; so far, there's been no response.

Rumors that they are expecting their second child began swirling earlier this month when Beyonce showed up to the Met Gala in New York City wearing a belly-concealing Givenchy gown. The buzz intensified when the singer postponed a Belgium concert earlier this week, with her publicist citing "dehydration and exhaustion."

If the news of Beyonce's pregnancy is true, then the timing might come as a bit of a surprise, what with her Mrs. Carter Show world tour under way. Then again, Beyonce revealed in an exclusive interview with ABC a couple of weeks ago that she "would like more children," explaining that she thinks her daughter, Blue Ivy, "needs some company."

Well, now it looks like a new sibling may be coming to Blue, who was born January of last year.