Shakira has canceled a concert in Colombia, among dozens of dates on her world tour, due to a damaged stage roof that posed safety concerns, event organizers said on Friday.
The Colombian singer-songwriter is on her first world tour in seven years, with nearly 50 performances scheduled in Latin America through June, followed by more concerts in the United States and Canada.
"During the process of setting up the show scheduled for February 24, the stage roof installed by a local production company suffered damage that put the artist's safety at risk," event organizer Paramo Presenta wrote on social media on Friday.
The company added that it hoped to reschedule the concert, which was due to take place at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin.
The 48-year-old four-time Grammy winner had already been forced to scrap a tour date in Peru after she received treatment in hospital last week for an abdominal condition.
Titled "Las mujeres ya no lloran" (Women Don't Cry Anymore), the tour kicked off in Rio de Janeiro this month just a few days after she received a Grammy for best Latin pop album.
She returned to her hometown of Barranquilla, where she was welcomed on Thursday by tens of thousands of fans at the Metropolitano stadium.
With more than 90 million records sold worldwide, Shakira is one of the most popular Latin artists of all time.She has back-to-back concerts scheduled in Bogota on Wednesday and Thursday, according to her website. Shakira cancels Colombia concert over venue safety concerns
RIO DE JANEIRO - Shakira launched her first worldwide tour in seven years from Rio de Janeiro this week for her latest Grammy-winning album "Las mujeres ya no lloran" (Women Don't Cry Anymore).
The Colombian singer-songwriter treated fans at the 46,000-capacity Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium to the top hits from her 12th album on Tuesday.
"Music heals," Shakira told the audience. "Loving somebody else is a very good thing, but it's better to love oneself."
She notably performed "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," a track that alludes to her highly publicized separation from former Spanish footballer Gerard Pique in June 2022.
"She has been through a very difficult time in her personal life," said Juliana Modenesi, a fan who traveled 600 kilometers (370 miles) to see her perform for the first time.
"She has reinvented herself and today, she is stronger than ever."
AFP | Pablo PORCIUNCULA
It is the first tour since 2018 for Shakira, who shot to fame with her 2001 hit song "Whenever, whenever."
She entertained the crowd with a blend of styles from pop and reggaeton to salsa and Dominican bachata during her two-and-a-half-hour performance.
The show came just a few days after she received a Grammy for best Latin pop album, which she dedicated to migrants in the United States who are facing deportation under President Donald Trump.
She also performed some of her classic hits including "Hips Don't Lie," "Chantaje" and "Waka Waka," the official song of the 2010 football world cup in South Africa.
With more than 90 million records sold worldwide and four Grammy Awards under her belt, among many other prizes, Shakira is one of the most popular Latin artists of all time.
Chandrika Tandon, 2025 Grammy award winner. PHOTO: Courtesy Chandrika Tandon
Chennai-born Indian-American businesswoman and musician Chandrika Tandon, 71, of New York, claimed a Grammy award at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards held Feb. 2, 2025 in Los Angeles, emceed by talk-show host and comedian Trevor Noah.
The singer, songwriter, and producer won the coveted award in the Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album category for her album ‘Triveni.’ This marks her first Grammy win and second nomination, lending to her reputation in the world of spiritual and healing music.
“Music is love, music ignites the light within all of us, and, even in our darkest days, music spreads joy and laughter,” Tandon said upon receiving the award. “Congratulations to all the other nominees in our category. Thank you for the music, and thank you for each and everyone that creates and supports the music; may all our lives be enveloped in love, light, and laughter,” she added.
‘Triveni’ is a seven-track album and brings together Tandon, Grammy-winning South African flutist Wouter Kellerman, and Japanese American cellist Eru Matsumoto with the aim to create a deeply meditative musical experience. The album blends ancient mantras with the soothing sounds of flute and cello, serving as a bridge between cultures and traditions, the press release from Tandon said.
The album’s name is meant to symbolize the confluence of three rivers, which metaphorically represents the fusion of the artists’ diverse traditions.
For many years, Tandon has been melding Sanskrit chants and western musical traditions for large choral groups, and her compositions have recently been performed by her and others at the World Cultural Festival and Lincoln Center. She is Artist in Residence for the Young People’s Chorus of New York City Artist and received a New York State Council on the Arts grant to compose Sanskrit chants for choral ensembles.
Music producer George Varghese took to his Instagram handle to congratulate Chandrika Tandon and the team for the big win.
Music producer put up a group photo at the Grammys on Instagram. PHOTO: Screenshot from Instagram via ANI
Sharing a group picture from the Arena, he wrote, “And the winner is !!!!! Wouter Kellerman Chandrika Tandon and Eru Matsumoto and my sister from another mother Tholsi Pillay!!” adding, “Congratulations to the Dream Team for winning the Grammy Awards for the BEST NEW AGE album for their Album ‘TRIVENI’ . I am ever grateful and blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of your Video Team but more than that .. always treating me as part of your family over the years.”
This year marks Tandon’s second Grammy nomination, with her first in 2010 for her album ‘Om Namo Narayana: Soul Call’.
She was nominated this year alongside some prominent names, including producer Ricky Kej, sitar player Anoushka Shankar, and Indian-origin British artist Radhika Vekaria.
In a social media post earlier, Tandon wrote, “We wouldn’t be here except for the incredible support of so many! There are such spectacular fellow musicians I met along the way — many nominees and many not — and I want to tell you ALL how much joy you created for me and the world with your artistry. Thank you.” She also gave a shout out to her collaborators Eru Matsumoto and Wouter Kellerman.\
Chennai-born Chandrika Tandon wins Grammy for Best New Age AlbuM ‘Triveni’. PHOTO: Instagram @chandrikatandon
Beyond her musical achievements, Tandon is known for her philanthropic endeavors. She is also a successful businesswoman. The first Indian-American woman elected partner at McKinsey, Tandon is the founder of Tandon Capital Associates and chairs the Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation. She also serves as a trustee of NYU, chairs the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and has supported numerous business and community education programs.
Among her many honors, Tandon has received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, NYU’s Gallatin Medal, and The Town Hall’s Friend of the Arts Award.She has released six albums under Soul Chants Music and performed at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Times Square, and Washington D.C.’s National Mall. Chennai-born New Yorker Chandrika Tandon wins Grammy for Best New Age Album
Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience is a six-part reality show following five British trainees over 100 days as they debut as a Korean-pop (K-pop) idol boy group called Dear Alice. In collaboration with SM Entertainment, a K-pop powerhouse, the show will introduce the behind-the-scenes of making a K-pop idol through an immersive training system.
Showing a glimpse of the lives of K-pop trainees, the first episode introduces K-pop as a multi-billion global phenomenon, stating: “Six of the top 20 best-selling artists in the world were K-pop and 90 billion streams were by K-pop idols.”
K-pop is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Girl group Aespa and boy group BTS have sold out shows in the country’s largest arenas.
In 2023, the group Blackpink became the first Korean band to headline a UK festival at BST Hyde Park, where they played to an audience of 65,000. They were also awarded honorary MBEs by the king for their role in encouraging young people to engage with the global UN climate change conference at COP26 in Glasgow 2021.
There is certainly an appetite for shows about K-pop for western audiences. Netflix have released their own version of Made in Korea, Pop Star Academy: Katseye.
The docuseries follows 20 girls from Japan, South Korea, Australia and the UK going through a year of K-pop training to become the group Kasteye. It’s a collaboration between the K-pop label Hybe and US label Geffen (a subsidiary of Universal).
Generally speaking, K-pop is characterised by catchy and lively melodies and highly choreographed dance routines in perfect unison and fancy outfits. Inspired by various pop music genres – including but not limited to electronic dance, hip hop, and R&B – the genre became distinctive from the nation’s traditional music, especially after a handful of pioneers began producing idol groups in the 1990s.
I’m South Korean and I’m studying cultural industries, so it’s interesting for me to see westernerss becoming K-pop-inspired idol groups. It’s a famously competitive industry, which is already oversaturated with hopeful K-idols. Considering that the domestic market is small and highly saturated, their success will be a breakthrough for SM Entertainment and HYBE, as well as other K-pop companies, proving whether they can continue to grow beyond east Asia.
The production and delivery of this popular music genre have become more international than ever in recent years, with hundreds of choreographers, composers and producers worldwide contribute to creating K-pop songs and performances. In contrast, K-pop performers have until recently been predominantly Korean. But as the new shows demonstrate, this too is changing.
K-pop companies have hosted auditions outside the country to recruit foreign trainees to make their idols appeal to global audiences. Huge global music corporations like Sony, Universal Music Group and Virgin Records have also got in on the game, signing distribution contracts with major K-pop idols to promote their music in foreign markets.
This search isn’t because there is a lack of willing hopefuls in Korea. There were around an estimated 800 trainees waiting to debut in 2022. But Korea’s population is only around 50 million and record companies want to appeal beyond the domestic market, so they are hoping recruiting non-Korean stars will help do that.
Music agencies in the west tend to find new artists who are already gifted and then largely serve as intermediaries arranging things like tours, marketing and artists’ wider schedules. However, major K-pop companies have developed a unique system of finding and launching new artists. This involves hosting auditions with a competition of at least 1,000 to 1 odds. The winners then undergo years of of acting, vocal, and dance training before debuting.
To make the vocals flawless and the dance moves precise, trainees, known as yeonseupsaeng (연습생), are expected to spend up to 17 hours per day practising performances and training for several years – although they aren’t guaranteed to become professional artists. Even if they do become successful, their private lives – including their dating lives – are strictly controlled.
It is no exaggeration to say that the industry is labour-intensive as well as capital-intensive, built on the blood, sweat and tears of yeonseupsaeng.
The first episode of Made in Korea ends with SM’s director Hee Jun Yoon’s critique of the Britons’ first performance. It’s difficult viewing for those unfamiliar with the harsh world of K-pop. To borrow the words of BBC’s unscripted content head, Kate Phillips, it makes “Simon Cowell look like Mary Poppins.”
Some might question the prefix “K-” being used to describe these international groups but the genre will remain decidedly Korean. It is Korean companies which will lead the production mechanisms and the domestic market will continue to serve as the testbed for new artists. But the success of Dear Alice and Katseye is important if the genre is to survive and continue to grow beyond Korea.
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When a three-day music festival was called off and the organizers declined to offer a refund to pass holders, a totally different festival decided to welcome them all for free.
Now in its 12th year, the Lucidity Festival was set to kick off in Santa Barbara, California this September. But citing “unforeseen last-minute changes in requirements” imposed by Santa Barbara County, the festival had to be canceled.
To make matters worse, the circumstances lead “to a postponement that we can not financially recover from,” and so organizers announced there would be no refunds for the passes.
To be fair, Lucidity Festival’s official policy is that passes can only be transferred from one holder to another, but refunds are never offered. While hundreds of derelict pass-holders are incensed and considering a class-action lawsuit, Lucidity has warned that if they can’t find a solution for a place to host the event by April next year, they will declare bankruptcy and end the festival for good.
The end of that saga, no one can yet predict, but a totally unaffiliated festival called Same Same But Different (SSBD) heard what was happening and decided to welcome all Lucidity pass holders free of charge as a gesture of goodwill.
“We know how challenging these times can be, especially when the festival experiences we all cherish don’t go as planned,” reads a statement released by SSBD. “It’s never easy when something you’ve been looking forward to doesn’t work out, and we understand how much time, energy, and anticipation went into planning for Lucidity.”
“Featuring a big lineup of electronic music artists the likes of Big Gigantic, Ganja White Night, and LSDREAM, SSBD is making it known that they are well-positioned to welcome thousands of Lucidity ticket-holders from September 27-29,” writes EDM.com.
“The enchanting festival will also feature sunrise-to-sunset DJ sets, a Vegas-inspired casino pop-up experience, yoga sessions, mindfulness workshops, and much more.”
LONDON - David Bowie's original handwritten lyrics for the pop classic "Starman", part of an album that catapulted him to international stardom, on Tuesday sold at auction in Britain for £203,500.
Released as a single in 1972, the song about a Starman who would "like to come and meet us but he thinks he'd blow our minds" featured on the Ziggy Stardust concept album.
The handwritten lyrics sold for five times as much as the £40,000 estimate.
The winning bidder was Olivier Varenne, director of acquisitions and alliances and collections at the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania, on behalf of a private collector.
"We had almost unprecedented interest from around the world for this historic piece of memorabilia," said Paul Fairweather of Omega Auctions.
"We’re very pleased with the incredible price achieved and are sure the lyrics will be rightly prized and treasured by the winning bidder."
The lyrics were previously on display as part of the V&A Museum's David Bowie Is collection. They had been owned by the same person since the 1980s.
The A4 page features handwritten amendments and edits by Bowie, including corrected spelling mistakes and additions.
The lyrics were sold as part of a David Bowie and glam rock sale on Tuesday.
In 2019, the first demo of Bowie singing Starman sold for 51,000 pounds after gathering dust in a loft for nearly five decades.
Bowie can be heard telling his guitarist Mick Ronson, who died in 1993, that he has not finished singing the song when he tries to end the demo.
As the largest section of the orchestra, sitting front and centre of the stage performing memorable melodies, it’s easy for violinists to steal the limelight. Ask any violinist why there are so many in an orchestra, and we’ll often reply, tongue-in-cheek: “obviously it’s because we’re the best”.
The real answer is a bit more complex, and combines reasons both logistical and historical.
How we got the modern orchestra
During the Baroque period between around 1600 and 1750, the composition of the orchestra was not standardised, and often used instruments based on availability. Monteverdi’s opera L'Orfeo, which premiered in 1607, is one of the earliest examples of a composer specifying the desired instrumentation.
The size of the orchestra also varied. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for and worked with ensembles of up to 18 players in Germany. At Palazzo Pamphili in Rome, Corelli directed ensembles of 50–80 musicians – and, on one notable occasion to celebrate the coronation of Pope Innocent XII, an ensemble of 150 string players.
The modern-day violin was also developed around this time, and eventually replaced the instruments of the viol family. The violin has remained a staple member of the orchestra ever since.
Music of this period was created on a smaller scale than much of the repertoire we hear today, and often placed a strong focus on string instruments. As the orchestra became more standardised, members of the woodwind family appeared, including the oboe, bassoon, recorder and transverse flute.
During the classical period from around 1730 to 1820, orchestral performances moved from the royal courts into the public domain, and their size continued to grow. Instruments were organised into sections, and bowed strings formed the majority.
Composers began to use a wider range of instruments and techniques. Beethoven wrote parts for the early double bassoon, piccolo flute, trombone (which was largely confined to church music beforehand), and individual double bass parts (where previously they had often doubled the cello part).
During the romantic period of the 19th century, composer Hector Berlioz, author of a Treatise on Instrumentation and Modern Orchestration (1841), further developed the symphony orchestra by adding instruments such as the tuba, cor anglais and bass clarinet.
By the end of the 19th century, many orchestras reached the size and proportions we recognise today, with works that require more than 100 musicians, such as Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
What’s size got to do with it?
As increasing numbers of performers and instruments became standard in orchestral repertoire, ensembles became louder, and more string players were needed to balance the sound. The violin is a comparatively quiet instrument, and a solo player cannot be heard over the power of the brass.
Having violinists at the front of the stage also helps the sound reach the audience’s ears without competing to be heard over the louder instruments.
The typical layout of the orchestra has not always been standard. First violinists (who often carry the melody) and second violinists (who typically play a supportive role) used to sit opposite each other on stage.
US conductor Leopold Stokowski rearranged the position of the first and second violinists during the 1920s so they sat next to each other on the left of the stage. This change meant the voices of each string section were arranged from high to low across the stage.
This change was widely adopted and has become a standard setup for the modern orchestra.
Stokowski is known for experimenting with the layout of the orchestra. He once placed the entire woodwind section at the front of the orchestra ahead of the strings, receiving widespread criticism from the audience and musicians. The board of the Philadelphia Orchestra allegedly said the winds “weren’t busy enough to put on a good show”.
Sound, texture and timbre
String players do not need to worry about lung capacity or breaking for air. As such, violinists can perform long melodic passages with fast finger work, and our bows allow for seemingly endless sustain. Melodies written for strings are innumerable, and often memorable.
Having several violinists play together creates a specific sound and texture that is distinct from a solo string player and the other sections of the orchestra. Not only is the sound of every violin slightly different, the rate of each string’s vibration and the movement of each player’s bow varies. The result is a rich and full texture that creates a lush effect.
Today, symphony orchestras are expected to perform an incredibly diverse range of repertoire from classical to romantic, film scores to newly commissioned works. Determining the number of violinists who will appear in any given piece is a question of balance that will change depending on the repertoire.
A Mozart symphony might require fewer than ten wind or brass players, who would be drowned out by a full string section. However, a Mahler symphony requires more than 30 non-string players – meaning far more string players are needed to balance out this sound.
Room for experimentation
Notable exceptions to the orchestra’s standard setup include Charles Ives’ 1908 The Unanswered Question for string orchestra, solo trumpet and wind quartet spread around the room; Stockhausen’s 1958 Gruppen, pour trois orchestres, in which three separate orchestras perform in a horseshoe shape around the audience; and Pierre Boulz’s 1981 Répons featuring 24 performers on a stage surrounded by the audience, who are in turn surrounded by six soloists.
Despite experimentation, the placement and number of instruments in an orchestra has remained relatively standard since the 19th century.
Many aspects of the traditional orchestra’s setup make sense. However, many of the orchestra’s habits come down to tradition and perhaps unconscious alignment with “just the way things are done”.
Los Angeles, (IANS): Global pop sensation Justin Bieber and his wife, model Hailey Bieber have welcomed their first child, a baby boy.
Justin took to Instagram and made this announcement on Saturday morning. He posted a close-up picture of his baby’s tiny foot and captioned it as “Welcome Home Jack Blue Bieber”.
His friend Kylie Jenner commented “I can’t handle this little foot Jack Blues Bieber”
Hailey shared the same picture on her Instagram stories.
Justin and Hailey Bieber, tied the knot in 2018, just two months after getting engaged. They later celebrated their wedding with a large ceremony, exchanging vows in front of family and friends.
In 2023 Hailey acknowledged to the Sunday Times that she is scared to have children as a celebrity.
In May the couple announced they were expecting a baby together. They have been sharing adorable videos and photos from Hailey’s pregnancy diaries.
A few months ago speaking to W magazine Hailey Bieber spoke about how she managed to hide her pregnancy for six months. She stated “I was honestly able to keep it quiet because I stayed small for a long time...I didn't have a belly, really, until I was six months pregnant, which was when I announced it. I was able to wear big jackets and stuff.”
Hailey, a supermodel has walked the ramp for top designers. She has been part of Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week and Milan fashion week.
Los Angeles, (IANS) Singer Dua Lipa has opened up about enduring "two years of humiliation" following criticism of her dancing and revealed that it wasn't until her comeback with 'Future Nostalgia' that she regained her confidence.
The singer told the Guardian magazine: "When people took that snippet of me dancing online and just turned it into a meme, and then when I won the best new artist Grammy and people were like, ‘She’s not deserving of it, she’s got no stage presence, she’s not going to stick around.’ Those things were hurtful. It was humiliating. I had to take myself off Twitter."
She further explained, "The thing that made me the happiest -- performing and writing songs -- was also making me really upset because people were picking everything apart that I’d been working on, and I had to learn all that in front of everyone."
"In the public eye, I was figuring out who I was as an artist, as a performer. All that was happening while I was 22- 23 years old and still growing up. You have to build tough skin. You have to be resilient."
Lipa reflected on the duration of her struggle, stating, "(The humiliation lasted) until I finished writing 'Future Nostalgia' and did my first performance of 'Don’t Start Now', at the MTV Europe Music Awards. I want to say -- gosh, I don’t know -- two years."
"It never was like I couldn’t get out of bed because of what I thought people thought of me. I didn’t care to that degree. But that’s when it was most heightened for me."
Meanwhile, Lipa has released her third studio album titled 'Radical Optimism' and is set to headline Glastonbury later this summer.
Salieri’s handwritten notes on part of the opening movement from Pafio e Mirra – SWNS / Austria National Library
Whether Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart, it’s widely recognized that classical music can affect a person’s mood.
Now, scientists are using brainwave measurements and neural imaging techniques to show exactly how Western classical music elicits its positive effects on the brain.
The discovery could lead to effective ways to use music as treatment to activate the brain in people with treatment-resistant depression.
“Ultimately, we hope to translate our research findings into clinical practice, developing convenient and effective music therapy tools and applications,” said Professor Bomin Sun, of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
The study focused on 13 patients with treatment-resistant depression who already had electrodes implanted in their brains for the purpose of deep-brain stimulation.
The implants are placed in a circuit connecting two areas in the forebrain—the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc).
Using the implants, the researchers found that music generates its antidepressant effects by synchronizing the neural oscillations between the auditory cortex, which is responsible for processing of sensory information—and the rewards circuit, responsible for processing emotional information.
“The BNST-NAc circuit, sometimes referred to as part of the ‘extended amygdala’—underscores the close relationship between this circuit and the amygdala, a central structure in emotional information processing,” said Prof. Sun, a corresponding author of the paper published in the journal Cell Reports.
“This study reveals that music induces triple-time locking of neural oscillations in the cortical-BNST-NAc circuit through auditory synchronization.”
The patients in the study were divided into two groups: low music appreciation or high music appreciation. The research team found that those in the high music appreciation group showed more significant neural synchronization and better antidepressant effects, while those in the low music appreciation group showed poorer results.
By grouping the patients, the researchers were able to study the antidepressant mechanisms of music more precisely and propose personalized music therapy plans that would improve treatment results.
For example, when inserting theta frequency noise into music to enhance BNST-NAc oscillatory coupling, those in the low music appreciation group of patients reported higher music enjoyment.
Several pieces of Western classical music that most participants had no familiarity with were used in the study, to avoid any interference that could arise from subjective experience.
“We concluded that the music choices during the formal listening process were individualized and unrelated to the music’s emotional background,” said Sun.
Integrating the fields of neuroscience, psychiatry, and neurosurgery
Now the team plans to study how the interaction between music and the deep structures of the brain play a role in depressive disorders.
They also plan to introduce other forms of sensory stimuli—including visual images—to investigate potential combined therapeutic effects of multi-sensory stimulation on depression.
“By collaborating with clinicians, music therapists, computer scientists, and engineers, we plan to develop a series of digital health products based on music therapy, such as smartphone applications and wearable devices.
“Be Free” – a testimonial song by Lemuel J Philip was released on Monday evening in his YouTube channel @LemuelJPhilip. This is Lemuel’s first song.
The debut of “Be Free” was not only a proud and emotional moment for the parents, but also an inspiring evidence of what a child can achieve on their own.
Written and composed by Lemuel when he was just six years old, his parents told The Morung Express that the song birthed during the ‘40 Days of Revival’ organised by The Lighthouse Church at different churches in and around Dimapur.
“We went to attend the ‘40 Days of Revival’ at NCRC Sumi Church, Purana Bazaar. After reaching home, he made us record and wrote the song,” his parents shared. After letting him be himself for some time, Lemuel was ready with the song. It happened on March 23, 2022.
“We did not change anything. The lyrics, song, everything… he did it on his own. Shortly, we decided to make the music video for the song,” they added.
Past two years, now Lemuel is eight years old and yet he is very clear and vivid about the vision behind “Be Free.” In a brief conversation with this newspaper, he said, “This song to me is about freedom, life and not to be scared of anything and that God always choose the right path for us. And I pray that this song will bless, heal and speak to many people.”
‘He only chooses the best path for you to be free’
This song has a story.
In his song, Lemuel writes, “It is like you are stuck in pain, death, sickness, and all the bad things. You don’t know what to do. That is when all the shame surrounds you and there is only one place you can go; that is when you go to an open place where Jesus is waiting for you.”
“Fountain is a need for us but broken fountain can’t be used. Then you go to another place where some flowers are raised while some grow. He knows everything, He knows the path. When God guides your way, He only chooses the best path for you to be free. Humans ride vehicles but God drives in unbelievable things like mountains,” the lyrics continue.
“We see with our eyes, telescopes, microscopes and other things but God sees clearer things. Jesus Himself said in the Bible that He will come again for us.” For the music video, the concept and direction were done by Ihang Lungalang, Moaren Pongen and Rongsenchila Longchar, while it was shot and produced by Yanger Imchen. Be Free: A child’s prayer for freedom and life | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
The Donalsonville/Seminole County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that this year’s 2024 Harvest Festival featured entertainment is country artist Jason Michael Carroll. So, mark your calendar for Saturday, October 19th and make plans to tap your toes to the music and more in downtown Donalsonville.
Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Youngsville, North Carolina, Carroll has been adapting to the changing landscape in country music for almost two decades with no signs of slowing down.
Breaking out with success in 2006 thanks to the heart-wrenching ballad “Alyssa Lies”, Carroll followed that first chart-topping hit quickly with a flurry of hit songs that cemented his voice and his name among the elite performers from Nashville. Hits such as “Livin’ Our Love Song,” “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead,” “Where I’m From” and many others helped fuel a string of albums and sold out live shows. Couple that with an intense connection with his fans and you can see why Nashville calls Jason a triple-threat artist to be reckoned with: Singer. Songwriter. Entertainer.
Proud of his past success but always focused firmly on his next move, the country music star launched his first major independent release since 2016 with the new song “Pass It On Around” (Jan. 27, 2023). Delivered with powerful vocals accented at times by his signature growling lyrics and laser precision, “Pass It On Around” made Nashville once again turn and take notice of Carroll. Indeed, his best days still lie firmly ahead of him. He is so excited to bring his talent to Donalsonville!
In addition to the festival’s featured entertainment, the day’s festivities will kick off with the Rejoice Run & Mom’s Mile, the annual Harvest Festival parade, a performance from local Persnickety Studios, a fine arts show, a large variety of arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, and local shopping with numerous downtown shops.
New Delhi, (IANSlife) The adventure of hitting the open road with kids! A mix of exhilaration, boundless curiosity, and yes, the unavoidable stretches of "Mum, are we there yet?" Throughout our family trips, I've stumbled upon a quiet hero that makes our journeys more delightful, and that’s audio. Let's walk through how this unassuming gem has transformed our travels.
Doorways to adventures and amazing time-fillers
Long drives or flights, especially with my sprightly daughter, have their moments of restlessness. And here, audiobooks and journals have been a godsend.
On one such journey, I remember introducing my daughter to an audio tale set in a mystical forest. As the narrative unfolded, the mundane road we were on transformed in her eyes. Each tree we passed became part of that fantastical forest, every town a hub of enchanting inhabitants.
The best part? The usual barrage of "Are we there yet?" was replaced with "Can we listen to one more chapter?" The relief and joy, knowing she was both entertained and engaged, was immeasurable.
A solution to motion-sickness among kids
It’s very common for kids to feel motion sickness as they travel in different vehicles. Audio is proven to cure motion sickness as it helps distract and comfort kids. Along with audio, we have been able to travel further and longer with lessening or no episodes of nausea.
Audio as an Introduction to Destination Wonders
Traditional travel guides, with their pages of historical data and must-see spots, are useful. But when it comes to kids, a more engaging companion can make all the difference. Audiobooks craft stories that breathe life into our chosen destinations.
Envision this: Before a family trip to Rome, your children indulge in tales that whirl around the Roman Empire or the gladiators in the Colosseum, and when they finally stand before these majestic monuments, there's an instant connection.
Making Memories: Crafting the Trip’s Playlist
The universality of music offers a unique advantage during travels. Whether it's tapping feet to local tunes or humming along to global hits, songs become an integral part of a journey's rhythm. Before trips, it's great to curate playlists with your child with their current favourites.
One of my favourite memories is how my daughter heard a song on the radio that was playing during one of our road trips and this became her anthem of the trip! Even months later when that same song was played she would remember fondly where she heard it and we would discuss the wonderful memories of our trip together! I loved how it transported me and her back to that joyful moment!
A Journey of Growth and LearningBeyond the realms of entertainment and engagement, there's a subtle yet profound layer of learning infused within audio content. As children listen, they absorb – be it vocabulary, moral values, cultural nuances, or historical tidbits. Coupled with real-world experiences, these stories and songs stimulate deeper conversations and reflections. The magic of audio deepening travel experience with kids | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
For those who have watched Virie's live performances, one is often left transfixed by the soulful voice taking the audience to a wistful world of Sad core and Indie. With a growing loyal fan base beyond Nagaland, Virie is no stranger in the Nagaland music scene.
She made her first social media appearance in a cover song of Lorde's Yellow Flicker Beat in 2014 which was followed by another cover song of Lana Del Rey's Video Games the same year, garnering praise, excellent reviews and a huge fan base.
If Virie is new to the music enthusiast, one cannot be blamed. The introvert singer has always kept things private. "I prefer doing it less. I'm very inward turning I should say. I don't usually share details continuously of my everyday life. Sometimes I'll just cut myself out of everything,” says Virie.
However, it is hard not to be enraptured by the artist: her humble demeanor, her soulful voice, her music and her songwriting, let alone her reserved introversion.
Drawing inspirations from genres i.e Sad core, Indie and Dream Pop and her favorite artists such as Lana del Rey, Lorde, Tove Lo, Sanam Puri and Khalid, Virie has already created a niche for herself with nine originals and collaborations including her newly released single 'Lost'. Her originals and collaborations include 'Silver lining Skies' (Virie feat. Polar lights), 'My summer' (Virie), 'Down that road (Virie and Zaza), 'Five minutes from now' (Virie and Zaza), 'Angels in Bethlehem' (Virie, Zaza and Shalo Kent), 'All I need' (feat Virie and Zaza by ViceVersa), 'Hills of Silence' (Ina feat Virie), 'Come with me' (Mozzey feat Virie and Zaza).
“I'm influenced and inspired by everything that's around me, my family, God, friends, loved one, nature. The songs I wrote so far are all about every little things that's around me,” shares Virie whose passion for singing began at a very young age during her Sunday school phase.
For many years, she did not pursue or keep in touch with music but during her masters, she began to develop her interest again. “I was always scared of the outside stage but it was in the year 2014 that I started practicing and gave so much effort. I finally decided to upload a cover song on YouTube and I was so overwhelmed by all the feedbacks. It boosted me up to make more music and I'm happy I've come this far sharing my story through my songs to places,” Virie reflects.
"I think every artist has gone through the same struggles for a long time in the past starting from of lack of opportunities and platforms,” says Virie.
However, with a new government and especially with the introduction of Task Force of Music and Arts, Virie shares optimism in the future of musicians in Nagaland. “Upcoming artistes and all renowned artistes are getting the privilege to participate in different shows which I really think will mould them and lift them to a greater height,” says Virie.
Written and composed by Virie, her latest release ,'Lost' is a about the struggles the artist went through in her life, Virie expresses that the song not only talks about the dark side, but instills emotions that better days are coming. "So far I'm getting positive feedbacks and I'm grateful for it. It inspires me to keep making more music," affirms Virie.
The music video, choreographed by Percy Medo and Ethel Wangha, is directed by Sanen Kichu and Ase kuotsu. The video was mixed, mastered and produced by Mozzey Music. Released just four weeks ago, the single has already hit 93K likes on YouTube.
Besides music, Virie is a full time Tenyidie Teacher at Fernwood Higher Secondary School Kohima. “I've been in the teaching profession for seven years now. I’ve always been passionate about teaching at a very young age, and the same goes with music although my music journey started just a few years go. I love my job and I prioritise it, and as for music, I work on it and make use of it with all the time I get after work,” says Virie.
Musicians around the world have described artificial intelligence as a threat to creativity, but the CEO of one popular platform told AFP he thinks critics are looking at it all wrong.
SINGAPORE - Musicians around the world have described artificial intelligence as a threat to creativity, but the CEO of one popular platform told AFP he thinks critics are looking at it all wrong.
BandLab, a mostly free online music workstation and distribution platform based in Singapore, has more than 100 million registered users.
It recently incorporated an AI music creation tool dubbed SongStarter, which generates song ideas from genre, key, tempo and lyric prompts.
For BandLab founder and CEO Kuok Meng Ru, whose company bought music magazine NME in 2019, AI is no substitute for a real musician.
"It's not called SongFinisher. It's called SongStarter. It's not trying to replace people's creativity... (with) a vending machine approach of a magic button where you press and a song comes out," Kuok said in an interview with AFP.
"You still need to use your human creativity to build on that, to turn it into something."
Proponents of easy-to-use apps like BandLab say they have revolutionised the music industry by allowing artists to be their own producers, and by bringing cheap bedroom recordings into the charts.
But many musicians are concerned that AI will be used to replicate voices and sounds, and also that it will become even harder for professional artists to sustain themselves in a brutally competitive industry.
Kuok, a Radiohead fan from a billionaire family, believes there is no going back from the shift towards more self-production.
One of BandLab's biggest successes came via American lo-fi indie artist David Burke, better known as "d4vd".
Relying totally on the app to record and master the track in his sister's closet, d4vd's song "Romantic Homicide" recently surpassed one billion Spotify streams.
"He did that on his phone with just headphones. It's ultimately his talent. We're more like someone's guitar, you know? We're an instrument," Kuok said.
- 'Doomsday scenarios' -
"The definition of music creators will change. In the same way previously not everyone thought of themselves as a videographer or a photographer. Today, with a mobile phone, everybody is a hyper-casual photographer," he added.
Among the newer AI functions being rolled out is Voice Cleaner, designed to enhance the quality of vocal recordings.
Kuok wants AI critics to look at the tech not as an end to human creativity but as a tool that enhances it.
"There are a lot of doomsday scenarios for every sort of innovation in technology, right? So, if you look back historically, what's happening with AI is, in my opinion, a technological evolution and it's not as simple as a simple evolution," he says.
The Cambridge mathematics degree holder uses the invention of the phonograph -- later called the gramophone -- as an example of how new technology once instilled fear when musicians thought it would be the end of live performances.
- What would Radiohead say? –
Kuok learned to play the guitar as a teenager and was a fan of bands like Radiohead and The Strokes.
AFP | Roslan RAHMAN
Later on, he became obsessed with the classics, from singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell to blues icon BB King.
Asked how he would pitch BandLab to Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Kuok says he would try to get the band on board with the app's social features.
The 35-year-old's father is a palm oil tycoon, and his great-uncle, Robert Kuok, is Malaysia's richest man.
Kuok also owns Swee Lee, one of Asia's top musical instrument retailers.
"My mom will always joke that my son sells guitars," he says.
Performance by Varsha Joshi and band at Mother’s Day event May 12, 2024, at King Palance Banquet in New Jersey. PHOTO: organizers
Prominent Indian American community leaders and other members of the community attended a house-full show of the musical band Josh, led by Varsha Joshi, recently, in New Jersey. About 185 people attended the rocking performance on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2024, that featured retro songs right up to the 1990s, and brought people to the dance floor. The songs included some garbas and Sanedo music as well, a press release from Joshi said. The event was held at King Palace Banquet, and it lasted for four hours. The event was organized jointly by Varsha Joshi, Som Biswas, and Tri-Sha Brothers
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Trophy that carries the details of the Mothers Day event. PHOTO: organizers
The party included gifts for lucky draws by Aabhushan jewelers, Pinaka foods Inc of NJ, Josh musical Varsha Joshi, Saj dhaj ke boutique , and Purpose Fitness studio of Edison NJ. From 12 noon sharp the party started with music as well as a big variety of appetizers and lunch items for vegetarians and non vegetarians, plus sweets and ice cream.
Performance at the King Palace Banquet, NJ, May 12, 2024, on Mother’s Day. PHOTO: organizers
The highlight of the event was recognizing some prominent “Mothers” of the Indian American community with a token for their dynamic journeys and successes in their respective fields.
Attendees, organizers, participants at the Mother’s Day event at King Palace, NJ. PHOTO: organizers
The music fraternity in the state capital Kohima today gathered for Musicians Fellowship at Symphony Cafe, Kohima. Musicians Fellowship is held every last Sunday of the month at Symphony Kohima. In this platform, musicians perform and interact with each other and offer thanksgiving prayer to God. In today’s fellowship, Praise Fountain KABA led worship. Tumchobeni, Azi & friends, Yimkhiung students and Hunlong performed special number and folk tune.Rachel Francis from Mumbai addressed the gathering and described this musicians’ fellowship as a “very special gathering.” The programme was led by Vikhrie.‘Connecting Musicians’ fellowship in Kohima | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
NBC’s “The Voice” had just announced that Legend would join as a judge. He would go on to reportedly earn US$14 million per season by his third year on the show. Meanwhile, all of the participants on “The Voice,” save for the winner, earned $0 for their time, apart from a housing and food stipend – much like those congressional interns.
The fall 2023 TV lineup will be saturated with low-cost reality TV shows like “The Voice”; for networks, it’s an end-around to the ongoing TV writersand actors strikes.
Whether it’s “The Voice,” “House Hunters,” “American Chopper” or “The Bachelorette,” reality shows thrive thanks to a simple business model: They pay millions of dollars for big-name celebrities to serve as judges, coaches and hosts, while participants work for free or for paltry pay under the guise of chasing their dreams or gaining exposure.
These participants are the unpaid interns of the entertainment industry, even though it’s their stories, personalities and talent that draw the viewers.
The book was about the exploitative nature of record contracts. But during my research, I kept running into singers who had either auditioned for or participated in “The Voice.”
On “The Voice,” singers compete on teams headed by a celebrity coach. Following a blind audition and various elimination rounds, the live broadcasts begin with four teams of five members apiece. These 20 contestants spend months working in Los Angeles and are provided with only their room and board. Each week, at least one player is eliminated. At the end of each season, the winner receives $100,000 and a record contract.
While some viewers might see reality shows like “The Voice” as launching pads for music careers, many of the musicians I spoke with were disheartened by their experiences on the show.Contestants audition for ‘The Voice’ ahead of its 24th season.
Unlike “American Idol,” where a number of winners, from Kelly Clarkson to Jordan Sparks, have made it big, no winners of “The Voice” have become stars. The closest person to “making it” from “The Voice” is the controversial country singer Morgan Wallen, who was infamously dropped by his label and country radio following the emergence of a video of him using a racial slur. And Wallen didn’t even win “The Voice”; in fact, he barely made it past the blind audition.
Former contestants repeatedly told me that the television exposure did little to help their careers.
Prior to joining the show, many of the musicians were trying to scratch out a living through touring or performing. They put their developing careers on pause to chase their dreams.
However, the show’s contracts have stipulated that contestants cannot perform, sell their name, image and likeness, or record new music while on “The Voice.” (The Conversation reached out to NBC to see if this remains the case for the current season, but did not receive a comment.)
This leaves the 20 finalists with no means to sell their music, even as they spend up to eight months competing. When the show’s losers return to performing, many of them have little new material to promote. By the time they drop a new single or album and announce a tour, some of them told me that they had lost a good portion of their following.
There is one group of people who receive meaningful exposure from these shows: the coaches and judges. Several singers, such as Gwen Stefani and Pharell Williams, have used “The Voice” to jolt their stagnating music careers. While earning millions as coaches and judges, these stars even use the show to promote their music – something the contestants themselves are barred from doing.
Paying these contestants is feasible. If Legend earned $13 million instead of $14 million, that spare million dollars could be dispersed to half of the contestants at $100,000 apiece – an amount that’s currently only reserved for the winner of the show. Cut the salaries of all four coaches by $1 million apiece, and it would free up enough money to pay all 20 contestants $200,000 each.
A gold mine for networks
“The Voice” is far from the only reality show to take advantage of the genre’s low overhead costs.
Viewers might not realize just how profitable these shows are.
Take “House Hunters.” The show follows a prospective homebuyer as they tour three homes. Homebuyers featured on the show have noted that they earn only$500 for their work, and the episodes take three to five days and about 30 hours to film. The show’s producers don’t pay the realtors to be on it.
The low pay for people on reality TV shows matches the low budget for these shows. A former participant wrote that episodes of “House Hunters” cost around $50,000 to film. Prime-time sitcoms, by comparison, have a $1.5 million to $3 million per episode budget.
Sidestepping the unions
That massive budget gap between reality TV and sitcoms is not simply due to an absence of star actors.
Many scripted television shows are based in Los Angeles, where camera crews, stunt doubles, costume artisans, makeup artists and hair stylists are unionized. But shows like “House Hunters,” which are filmed across the country, will recruit crews from right-to-work states. These are states where employees cannot be compelled to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. For these reasons, unions have far less power in these states than they do in places traditionally associated with film and entertainment, such as California and New York.
That’s one reason why TV production started moving to Atlanta – what’s been dubbed the “Hollywood of the South” – where shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Stranger Things” have been filmed.
But in my research, I also learned that Knoxville, Tennessee, has become a reality TV mecca. Like Georgia, Tennessee is also a right-to-work state. In Knoxville, many working musicians join the city’s low-paying entertainment apparatus by taking gigs working on TV and film production crews in between shows and tours.
At a time when TV writers and actors are on strike, it is important to understand that the entertainment industry will try to exploit labor for profit whenever it can.
Reality TV is a way to undercut the leverage of striking workers, whether it’s through their lack of unionized actors, or their use of nonunionized production crews.
With actors and writers on strike, many networks and streaming services are featuring reality TV-heavy fall lineups. David McNew/Getty Image
Contestants, casts and crew members are starting to catch on. Many reality TV participants have said that they feel like strike scabs, and Bethenny Frankel of “Real Housewives” is reportedly trying to organize her fellow reality performers.
Preying off contestants who are desperate for exposure, reality TV might just be the next labor battle in the entertainment industry.
As John Legend put it, “Unpaid internships make it so only kids with means and privilege get the valuable experience.”
Reality TV does the same to aspiring actors, musicians and celebrities.
Colombian music star Shakira will stand trial in a Spanish court for allegations of tax fraud amounting to 14.5 million Euros. A Barcelona court has ordered the singer to stand trial for six alleged tax crimes, although a date has not yet been set. Spanish prosecutors want to jail the superstar for eight years and fine her 23.8 million Euros if she is found guilty.The 45-year-old has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Source: https://www.fijivillage.com/
The three contested songs from his posthumous album have been removed from streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify
By: Sourit Sanyal, Michael Jackson has left a legacy in the musical world of pop. Often referred to as the 'King of Pop', the singer-dancer died on June 25, 2009, due to a cardiac arrest. A significant pop cultural figure, Jackson's hit songs like Billie Jean, Beat, and Thriller continue to be some of the most popular 80's pop songs across various streaming platforms.
Following his death, a posthumous album called 'Michael' was released in 2010 that consisted of some old unreleased songs that Jackson recorded before his untimely death. From this album, three songs, namely Monster, Breaking News and Keep Your Head Up made headlines after the songs were removed from streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music on July 5.
Why Were These Songs Removed?
The three songs that featured in his posthumous compilation album Michael have been removed after facing persistent backlash and claims that the songs feature fake vocals. From his loyal fan base to critics, musicologists and even musicians, there has been a decade-long suspicion that the songs do not feature Michael Jackson's actual voice.
A fan filed a court case claiming that the vocals in the songs are by a session singer. The songs were removed from streaming platforms by Sony Music and the Estate of Michael Jackson together. According to them, the removal of the songs has got nothing to do with the authenticity but to end the controversies surrounding the songs.
In a statement, they said their action is "the simplest and best way to move beyond the conversation associated with these tracks once and for all". They also said, "The album's remaining tracks remain available. Nothing should be read into this action concerning the authenticity of the tracks – it is just time to move beyond the distraction surrounding them".
With this, they also mentioned how "the focus remains where it belongs - on the exciting new and existing projects celebrating Michael Jackson's legacy". This includes the Broadway musical titled, 'MJ: The Musical' and a biopic produced by Graham King.
The posthumous album 'Michael' was completed by Jackson's friends, musicians and Sony Music. Many critics and musicologists pointed out that the album was highly edited, using fragments from his previous verses that got combined with powerful orchestral music.
While Sony claims the album to be authentic, with a statement saying that it had "complete confidence in the results of our extensive research, as well as the accounts of those who were in the studio with Michael, that the vocals… are his own."
The back cover of the posthumous album said, "This album contains nine previously unreleased vocal tracks performed by Michael Jackson. These tracks were recently completed using music from the original vocal tracks and music created by the credited producers". If the songs are found to be fake, there's a lot in line for both the Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music besides just credibility.
In 2014, Vera Serova, a Michael Jackson fan filed a class-action lawsuit under California's Unfair Competition Law and the Consumers Legal Remedies Act against Cascio, Angelikson Productions (Cascio's production company), Porte, John Branca (the co-executor of Jackson Estate), MJJ Productions (Estate's music label) and Sony Music.
Serova alleged that Porte, Cascio and Agelikson committed an "elaborate artistic fraud" where they sold tracks to the Estate of Michael Jackson for millions of dollars. But after Sony Music and Estate denied the allegations in 2018, the California court dismissed Serova's appeal.
With speculations going around the songs, Sony Music and the Estate of MJ decided to remove the songs. But many claim that if the songs had been originally sung by Jackson, they wouldn't have been removed by the label. Meanwhile, both Sony Music and the Estate aim to be looking for stopping the conversation and further speculations once and for all.
While the three songs: Monster, Keep Your Head Up and Breaking News are officially unavailable across streaming platforms like YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify, the internet has still got unofficial uploads of the removed songs.
LONDON - David Bowie's original handwritten lyrics for the pop classic "Starman", part of an album that catapulted him to international stardom, on Tuesday sold at auction in Britain for £203,500.
Country singer Adley Stump, a former contestant on NBC’s hit reality show ‘The Voice,’ performs at an Air Force base in Washington state. 
With actors and writers on strike, many networks and streaming services are featuring reality TV-heavy fall lineups. 
