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Articles about music

2018 Billboard Music Awards: Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato added to performer lineup

May 9, 2018

The following is a press release from Dick Clark Productions and NBC:

Dick Clark Productions and NBC announced today that singer, songwriter, actress and producer Jennifer Lopez will hit the stage the only way she knows how—with a performance at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

Lopez first revealed the news during her appearance this morning on NBC’s “Today.”

Lopez, the 2014 Billboard Music Awards ICON Award recipient, judge and executive producer on NBC’s hit summer series “World of Dance,” as well as executive producer and star of the hit drama “Shades of Blue,” will take a break from her current Las Vegas residency show “All I Have,” on a night filled with music’s biggest names.

And the rumors are true – Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato have teamed up for the first time and will perform the world television debut of Aguilera’s new single, “Fall In Line,” featuring Lovato, at the “2018 Billboard Music Awards.” Rumors have been swirling that the pop chanteuses have been collaborating together on a track since early this year, and fans have been eagerly awaiting confirmation of the news.

Aguilera and Lovato will join previously announced performers BTS, Camila Cabello, Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, John Legend, Dua Lipa and Shawn Mendes, on a night filled with music’s biggest names. It was also announced that global superstar, Janet Jackson, will receive this year’s ICON Award, given to artists who have led industry-defining careers and shaped the music landscape. Jackson will also take the stage for a highly anticipated performance of her greatest hits, marking her first performance on television in nine years.

Hosted by “The Voice” coach Kelly Clarkson, the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC. The three-hour telecast will feature performances from this year’s hottest musical acts, unexpected collaborations and buzzworthy moments that celebrate 60 years of the Billboard Hot 100.

Nominations for the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” were announced last month on NBC’s “Today” and on a livestream from Billboard’s New York office. Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran tie for the most nominations this year with 15 each.

Voting for the two fan voted categories – Billboard Chart Achievement Award and Top Social Artist – will open on Monday, May 14 and additional details will be available soon.
Billboard Chart Facts:

    Jennifer Lopez debuted on Billboard’s charts in 1999 with the smash single “If You Had My Love,” which spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and paved the way for 10 total Top 10s and 17 Top 40 hits. Since “Love,” Lopez has made three more visits to No. 1 on the Hot 100. In addition, the 2014 Billboard ICON Award honoree has earned two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, 16 No. 1s on the Dance Club Songs chart and a trio of No. 1s on the Hot Latin Songs chart. Lopez has earned over 1.2 billion on-demand streams in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music.

Jennifer Lopez is an award-winning singer, actress, producer and entertainer who has established herself in both music and film. She is a successful recording and touring artist who has sold over 75 million records and has a cumulative box-office gross of over $2 billion. Lopez is one of the most influential female artists in history. As an artist, fashion icon, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Lopez has been named Forbes magazine’s most powerful celebrity and People magazine’s first “Most Beautiful Woman in the World.” Without a doubt, Lopez is a global icon and the ultimate multihyphenate.Jennifer Lopez’s BBMA Giphy stickers are now available! These stickers can be found within Instagram Stories by clicking the GIF button and searching for “BBMAs.”

  • Christina Aguilera made a huge entrance with her debut self-titled album. The set debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on its way to 8.3 million copies sold in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music. The album also spun off three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Genie in a Bottle,” “What a Girl Wants” and “Come On Over (All I Want Is You)” – making the diva still the most recent female artist to launch three Hot 100 No. 1s from a debut album. Aguilera has since added two more Hot 100 leaders to her resume – the all-star remake of “Lady Marmalade,” with Lil’ Kim, Mya and Pink, in 2001, and, “Moves Like Jagger,” a collaboration with Maroon 5, in 2011. In total, Aguilera has charted 12 Top 10 singles on the Hot 100 and eight Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. She has also remained a constant force on pop radio, charting 14 Top 10 hits on the Pop Songs airplay chart. On May 3, the recent Billboard cover star dropped her latest release, the Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz-assisted “Accelerate,” which counts Kanye West among its co-producers. Her next studio album, “Liberation,” will be released on June 15.
  • Actress and singer, Demi Lovato, has made a huge splash since she arrived on the Billboard charts in 2008 with her hit duet with Joe Jonas, “This Is Me.” The “Camp Rock” single became her first of four career Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including her highest-peaking single yet, “Sorry Not Sorry,” which climbed to No. 6 in November 2017. She has also powered her way to six consecutive Top Five albums on the Billboard 200, including one No. 1, 2009’s “Here We Go Again.” Lovato has also proven to be a mighty contender on pop radio, with eight Top 10 hits on the Pop Songs airplay chart. In November 2017, she earned her first No. 1 on the chart in more than five years – “Sorry Not Sorry” completed her first trip to the top since “Give Your Heart a Break” in 2012.

Christina Aguilera is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter renowned for her powerful voice and hit songs. She just announced her highly anticipated 6th studio album, Liberation, would be released on June 15. Throughout her career, she has sold more than 43 million records worldwide. Aguilera has achieved five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and, with No. 1s in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, she is just the fourth female artist to top the chart in three consecutive decades. She has won six Grammys including one Latin Grammy Award. She has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and holds the prestigious honor of being the only artist under the age of 30 included in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. In 2011 she entered the world of television as a coach on NBC’s four-time Emmy Award-winning show “The Voice.” Aguilera continues to use her voice for good. She has served as global spokesperson for Yum! Brands’ World Hunger Relief effort since 2009 and has helped raise over $150 million for the World Food Program and other hunger relief agencies.

Demi Lovato is a Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum singer, songwriter, actress, advocate, philanthropist and business women. In addition, she’s one of the biggest names on social media, with an engaged combined following of over 200 million. Lovato’s highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Confident,” was released in 2015. Within hours of the release of the first single, “Cool for the Summer,” the anthem trended worldwide and hit No. 1 on iTunes in 37 countries. Her previous album, 2013’s “Demi,” hit No. 1 on iTunes in over 50 countries around the world, with the lead single “Heart Attack” earning Platinum status just 10 weeks after its release. “Heart Attack” was followed by the Top 5 radio smash and platinum single “Neon Lights,” and her Top 10 single “Really Don’t Care.” The album supported two headlining tours (“Neon Lights” and “Demi World Tour”), which made stops throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

In April 2017, Lovato played the voice of Smurfette in the Sony animated film “Smurfs: The Lost Village.” Additionally, beyond the stage and the screen, in 2013 her book “Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year,” became a New York Times best-seller, and in 2014 she became a global ambassador for Sketchers. In 2015, Lovato partnered with Episode, a leading mobile storytelling network, to make “Demi Lovato: Path to Fame.” Since launching, her story has been read over 225 million times. In 2017, Lovato took on a new venture and was announced as the first-ever collaboration with Fabletics, the innovative active wear brand co-founded by Kate Hudson.

As a result of her long-time commitment to raising awareness around LGBT issues and causes, in 2016 Lovato became the recipient of GLAAD’s Vanguard Award. She continues to be a global advocate for mental health, and in 2017 was honored by Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA with the Artistic Award for Courage for her work in mental health. In addition, also in 2017, she was named by Global Citizen as the organization’s official ambassador for mental health, with a special focus on vulnerable communities around the world.

In July 2017, she released the first single “Sorry Not Sorry” off her album, which instantly flew into the Top 5 on the iTunes Charts and is now certified triple-platinum. The hit has garnered over 500 million streams, climbed to No.1 on the viral charts, and has over 310 million views for its house party video. Lovato’s sixth studio album, “Tell Me You Love Me,” is now certified platinum after debuting at No. 1 on iTunes in 37 countries on September 29. In addition to her critically hailed album release, Lovato released a 78-minute documentary film, “Simply Complicated,” which has amassed over 15 million views to date.  Lovato just wrapped her 20-city tour across the U.S. and Canada with DJ Khaled and Kehlani, and is set to tour South America and Europe later this year.

“Billboard Music Awards” nominees and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The awards are based on the reporting period of April 8, 2017 through March 31, 2018. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.

Tickets for the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” are on-sale now. To purchase tickets online, fans should go to www.axs.com.

For additional information on the “2018 Billboard Music Awards,” visit us at www.billboardmusicawards.com or check out the Billboard hub at www.billboard.com/bbma.

For the latest Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) news, exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the BBMAs on social media and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #BBMAs.
Facebook: FB.com/TheBBMAs
Twitter: @BBMAs
Instagram: bbmas
Snapchat: thebbmas

Cheat Tweet: Global icon @JLo is the latest performer confirmed for the #BBMAs LIVE May 20 on NBC. bbmas.news/JLo #BBMAs
The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Mark Bracco, Barry Adelman, Kelly Clarkson and Robert Deaton are executive producers.

The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” are sponsored by T-Mobile.

About Billboard
Billboard is the world’s largest voice in music, built on the most complete and well-respected database of charts across all music genres. The Billboard charts define success in music. From the iconic Billboard magazine to Billboard.com, the ultimate consumer-facing destination for millions of passionate music fans, to the industry’s most elite conference series and influencer events including the Power 100 and Women in Music – the Billboard brand has unmatched authority among fans, artists and the industry alike. Billboard has a social media footprint of 16.4 million social followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and creates more than 200M cross-platform video views per month. Billboard magazine has published major news-generating covers recently including Travis Scott, Zayn, Lorde, Marshmello, Demi Lovato, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, Eminem, DJ Khaled, Charlie Puth, and an open letter to Congress signed by 180+ of the music industry’s biggest stars and executives. In December 2017, the Billboard Women in Music ceremony, which honored Selena Gomez as Woman of the Year, was live-streamed globally on Twitter. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group acquired SpinMedia’s storied music assets Spin, Vibe, and Stereogum, establishing the world’s largest music brand by digital traffic, social reach, and audience share. The combined entity of music and entertainment properties now reaches 47 million unique visitors and one in every three U.S. millennials.

About dick clark productions
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. dcp is a division of Valence Media, a diversified media company with divisions and strategic investments in premium television, wide release film, specialty film, live events and digital media. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.

2018 CMT Music Awards: Little Big Town set to host the show; Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood leading nominees

May 8, 2018

Little Big Town
Little Big Town (Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS)

The following is a press release from CMT:

CMT announced the nominations and hosts for the “2018 CMT Music Awards,” premiering on Wednesday, June 6 at 8pm ET/PT. In celebration of blended-genre collaborations dominating all formats, this year’s nominations feature the most eclectic and diverse list to date, spanning the worlds of pop, hip-hop, Americana and R&B. Each winner is selected by the fans with voting open now at CMT.com.

Little Big Town, nominated for three awards this year, is set to host their first-ever awards show when the “2018 CMT Music Awards” premieres LIVE from Nashville next month. With multiple “CMT Music Awards” wins and performances under their belts, the chart-topping and record-breaking group are no strangers to dominating the loudest night in country music.

For the first-time ever, the highly-coveted “Video of the Year” category features pop artists, as Justin Timberlake’s soul searching “Say Something,” featuring Chris Stapleton, and Bebe Rexha’s head-bopper hit “Meant To Be,” with Florida Georgia Line are added into the mix, along with videos from Blake Shelton, Brett Young, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris, Dan + Shay, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, and Thomas Rhett. The top five “Video of the Year” nominees will be announced the morning of the show and fans will be able to vote all day and throughout the show on Twitter.

Country superstar Carrie Underwood, who holds the title of most “CMT Music Awards” wins with 17, looks to add to her trophy case and defend her crown against superstars Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean, who are tied with Underwood for the most nominations with four each. Other artists with multiple nominations include “2018 CMT Music Awards” hosts Little Big Town (3), Chris Stapleton (3), Lauren Alaina (3), Thomas Rhett (3), Bebe Rexha (2), Blake Shelton (2), Brothers Osborne (2), Carly Pearce (2), Dan + Shay (2), Danielle Bradbery(2), Justin Timberlake (2), Kane Brown (2), Keith Urban (2), Kelsea Ballerini (2), Lady Antebellum (2), LANco (2), Ludacris (2) and Maren Morris (2).

As a longtime advocate and supporter of the emerging artist community, each of this year’s nominees for “Breakthrough Video of the Year” (Carly Pearce, Danielle Bradbery, Devin Dawson, LANco, Russell Dickerson, Walker Hayes) have been featured across CMT’s multiple platforms and screens as part of its “CMT Listen Up” campaign and/or highly-lauded “CMT Next Women of Country” franchise.

Artists with first-time nominations this year include Andra Day, Backstreet Boys, Bebe Rexha, Carly Pearce, Common, Derek Trucks, Devin Dawson, High Valley, Justin Timberlake, LANco, Ludacris, Russell Dickerson, Walker Hayes, and the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire.

Fan voting begins today at CMT.com and continues until 12:01am ET on Monday, June 4.

The nominations follow renewed ratings growth and critical acclaim for CMT music specials and events due in part to a creative refresh featuring current and genre-bending artist pairings and pro-social elements. In October, “CMT Artists of the Year” notched its highest rating to date and now ranks as one of the fastest growing award shows, while “CMT Crossroads” recently garnered its highest ratings in five years with an episode featuring Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line. The network recently finished its highest-rated quarter since 2014 and notched its fifth consecutive quarter of year-over-year ratings growth. April 2018 was CMT’s best April performance in 4 years, extending to 17 the channel’s streak of consecutive months of year-over-year ratings growth among Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49 (L+SD, CMT Total Day).

The nominees for the 2018 CMT MUSIC AWARDS are:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Final nominees announced the morning of the show, with final voting held on social media during the live telecast.

  • Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line –“Meant To Be”
  • Blake Shelton – “I’ll Name The Dogs”
  • Brett Young – “Mercy”
  • Brothers Osborne – “It Ain’t My Fault”
  • Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
  • Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
  • Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – “Say Something”
  • Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina – “What Ifs”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “Legends”
  • Luke Combs – “When It Rains It Pours”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Marry Me”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

  • Blake Shelton –“I’ll Name the Dogs”
  • Dustin Lynch – “Small Town Boy”
  • Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
  • Jon Pardi – “Heartache on the Dance Floor”
  • Luke Bryan – “Light It Up”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Marry  Me”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”
  • Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “Legends”
  • Lauren Alaina – “Doin’ Fine”
  • Maren Morris – “I Could Use a Love Song”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Tin Man” From 2017 ACM Awards

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

  • Big & Rich – “California”
  • Brothers Osborne – “It Ain’t My Fault”
  • Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
  • Florida Georgia Line – “Smooth”
  • High Valley – “She’s With Me”
  • Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – “Speak To A Girl”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

  • Lady Antebellum – “You Look Good”
  • LANco – “Greatest Love Story”
  • Little Big Town – “When Someone Stops Loving You”
  • Midland – “Make A Little”
  • Old Dominion – “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart”
  • Rascal Flatts – “Yours If You Want It”
  • Zac Brown Band – “My Old Man”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”
  • Danielle Bradbery – “Sway”
  • Devin Dawson – “All On Me”
  • LANco – “Greatest Love Story”
  • Russell Dickerson – “Yours”
  • Walker Hayes – “You Broke Up With Me”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

  • Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be”
  • Carrie Underwood feat. Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Cole Swindell feat. Dierks Bentley – “Flatliner”
  • Justin Timberlake feat. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something”
  • Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina – “What Ifs”
  • Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris – “Craving You”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

  • From 2017 CMT Artists of the Year: Andra Day, Common, Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack and Danielle Bradbery – “Stand Up For Something”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line – “Everybody”
  • From 2017 CMT Music Awards: Charles Kelley, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Derek Trucks – “Midnight Rider”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Earth, Wind & Fire and Lady Antebellum – “September”
  • From 2017 CMT Artists of the Year: Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town – “I Won’t Back Down”
  • From 2017 CMT Music Awards: Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood – “The Fighter”

For more information, follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

To request media credentials for the 2018 CMT Music Awards, please visitcmtmusicawardspress.com.

About Little Big Town

GRAMMY, ACM, CMA, and AMA Award-winning group, Little Big Town — consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook — first entered the music scene over 19 years ago with hit songs “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone” and the GRAMMY-nominated “Little White Church.” Their breakthrough albums Tornado and Pain Killer produced multiple #1 singles, including “Pontoon,” “Tornado,” and “Day Drinking,” as well as the history-making, best-selling country single of the year (2015) “Girl Crush.”  Released February 24, 2017, Little Big Town’s latest studio album, The Breaker, debuted #1 on the Billboard Country Charts and Top 10 (No.4) on the Billboard 200 to critical acclaim, marking the group’s fourth Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. The album features their GRAMMY-winning, multi-week #1 single, “Better Man,” as well as “When Someone Stops Loving You.”

Little Big Town has earned more than 40 award show nominations and in the past five years has taken home nearly 20 awards, including multiple GRAMMY, AMA, People’s Choice, CMA, ACM awards, and an Emmy award. Currently the reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year, the Country Music Hall of Fame inductees (2014) went onto receive their star on the Nashville Walk of Fame in 2017. Also in 2017, Little Big Town hosted a sold-out, year-long artist residency at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville — marking the venue’s first-ever, year-long residency in its 125-year history. The band also recently launched 4 Cellars wine, their first non-musical project as a band, with Browne Family Vineyards. For more information on Little Big Town visit LittleBigTown.com or follow them @littlebigtown.

About CMT

CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT App, CMT.com) and social (CMT on Facebook, CMT on Instagram and CMT on Twitter). CMT is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

2018 Billboard Music Awards: Janet Jackson to receive Icon Award, will do first TV performance in nine years

May 7, 2018

Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson (Photo by Solamain Fazel)

The following is a press release from Dick Clark Productions and NBC:

Dick Clark Productions and NBC announced today that music legend Janet Jackson will be honored with the prestigious ICON Award at the “2018 Billboard Music Awards,” and will deliver a highly-anticipated performance that will be her first on television in nine years.

Hosted by “The Voice” coach Kelly Clarkson, the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” will broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC. The three-hour telecast will feature performances from this year’s hottest musical acts, unexpected collaborations and buzzworthy moments that celebrate 60 years of the Billboard Hot 100.

Janet Jackson Billboard chart facts include:

  • As a leading voice in music, Jackson has earned more than 100 No. 1s on Billboard’s charts in her career, spending more than 300 weeks at No. 1.
  • She has 19 No. 1s on the Dance Club Songs charts.
  • Jackson is one of only four artists to have a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 in each of the last four decades.
  • She was the first woman to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 (with “Scream,” her duet with brother Michael), and the only artist with seven Top five Hot 100 hits from one album (“Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814”).
  • She owns a record of 18 consecutive Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 and is also the only artist to have three different albums each contain at least five Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 (“Control,” “Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814” and “janet”).

Previous recipients of the ICON Award include Cher, Neil Diamond, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Prince and Stevie Wonder.Janet Jackson is one of the most influential entertainers of the modern era. She has won six Grammy® Awards, a Golden Globe Award, earned two Emmy nominations, a nomination for an Academy Award as well as dozens of American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. She has received accolades as an actress as well, including the NAACP Best Supporting Actor award. Jackson is a published author, dancer, businessperson, philanthropist and one of the biggest-selling artists in popular music history. With sales of over 160 million records worldwide, Jackson stands as one of the best-selling artists of all time with a string of hits that have left an indelible impression on pop culture. Her music and artistry has opened doors through which other top artists have followed, many acknowledging her impact on their musical perceptions. For more information please visit janetjackson.com.

Janet Jackson’s BBMA Giphy stickers are now available! These stickers can be found within Instagram Stories by clicking the GIF button and searching for “BBMAs.”
Nominations for the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” were announced last month on NBC’s “Today” and on a livestream from Billboard’s New York office. Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran tie for the most nominations this year with 15 each.

Voting for the two fan voted categories – Billboard Chart Achievement Award and Top Social Artist – will open on Monday, May 14 and additional details will be available soon.

“Billboard Music Awards” nominees and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The awards are based on the reporting period of April 8, 2017 through March 31, 2018. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.

For additional information on the “2018 Billboard Music Awards,” visit us at www.billboardmusicawards.com or check out the Billboard hub at www.billboard.com/bbma.

For the latest Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) news, exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the BBMAs on social media and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #BBMAs.
Facebook: FB.com/TheBBMAs
Twitter: @BBMAs
Instagram: bbmas
Snapchat: thebbmas

Cheat Tweet: .@JanetJackson will receive the ICON Award at the 2018 @BBMAs. bbmas.news/IconJanet #BBMAs

The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions.  Mark Bracco, Barry Adelman, Kelly Clarkson and Robert Deaton are executive producers.

The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” are sponsored by T-Mobile.

About Billboard
Billboard is the world’s largest voice in music, built on the most complete and well-respected database of charts across all music genres. The Billboard charts define success in music. From the iconic Billboard magazine to Billboard.com, the ultimate consumer-facing destination for millions of passionate music fans, to the industry’s most elite conference series and influencer events including the Power 100 and Women in Music – the Billboard brand has unmatched authority among fans, artists and the industry alike. Billboard has a social media footprint of 16.4 million social followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and creates more than 200M cross-platform video views per month. Billboard magazine has published major news-generating covers recently including Travis Scott, Zayn, Lorde, Marshmello, Demi Lovato, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, Eminem, DJ Khaled, Charlie Puth, and an open letter to Congress signed by 180+ of the music industry’s biggest stars and executives. In December 2017, the Billboard Women in Music ceremony, which honored Selena Gomez as Woman of the Year, was live-streamed globally on Twitter. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group acquired SpinMedia’s storied music assets Spin, Vibe, and Stereogum, establishing the world’s largest music brand by digital traffic, social reach, and audience share. The combined entity of music and entertainment properties now reaches 47 million unique visitors and one in every three U.S. millennials.

About dick clark productions  
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. dcp is a division of Valence Media, a diversified media company with divisions and strategic investments in premium television, wide release film, specialty film, live events and digital media. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.

ABBA reunites for new song to be revealed in TV special

May 4, 2018

by Gwen Kirkland

ABBA
ABBA, pictured from left to right: Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. (Photo by Torbjörn Calvero © Premium Rockshot)

ABBA Fever is re-igniting in 2018. The four members ABBA (the biggest-selling music act from Sweden) have reunited for a new song: “I Still Have Faith in You,” which will debut in a worldwide TV special “ABBA: Thank You for the Music, An All-Star Tribute” that will air in December 2018 on a date to be announced. NBC has the U.S. telecast of the concert.

ABBA formed 1972, with the group’s name being an acronym of the members’s first names: Agnetha Fältskog (vocals),  Björn Ulvaeus (guitar), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (vocals) and Benny Andersson (keyboards). At the height of ABBA’s success, Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus were married to each other, and Lyngstad and Andersson were married to each other, but both couples would eventually get divorced. ABBA had an unbroken strong of hits until the group’s breakup in 1982, including “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen,” “Fernando,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Winner Takes It All.”

Since ABBA’s breakup, the music has been kept alive through tribute bands and the stage musical “Mamma Mia!,” which became a 2008 Universal Pictures movie starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård and Christine Baranski. “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (the sequel to 2008’s “Mamma Mia!”) reunites the “Mamma Mia!” movie’s cast for more ABBA music, and will include new cast member Cher.  “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is set for release in cinemas on July 20, 2018. (NBC and Universal Pictures are both owned by NBCUniversal.)

The following is a press release by NBC about the ABBA special:

Paying homage to one of the most influential groups of all time, NBC is celebrating Sweden’s most popular export with “ABBA: Thank You for the Music, An All-Star Tribute.” The two-hour special, set to air in December, will showcase specially invited artists performing classic songs made famous by ABBA, including “Dancing Queen”, “Mamma Mia”, The Winner Takes It All” and “Take A Chance On Me”.

The once-in-a-lifetime event will be broadcast around the world to a global audience. BBC Worldwide will handle the international distribution.

One of the bestselling music groups of all time with album and single sales of 385 million, the four members of ABBA – Agnetha Faltskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Anderson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – will be debuting their first new song in 35 years, written by Andersson and Ulvaeus. It is set to be performed by virtual ABBA, a state-of-the-art digital representation of the band in 1979 but voiced and recorded by ABBA today.

Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anni-Frid said: “The decision to go ahead with the exciting ABBA avatar tour project had an unexpected consequence. We all four felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and go into the recording studio. So we did. And it was like time had stood still and that we only had been away on a short holiday. An extremely joyful experience! It resulted in two new songs and one of them “I Still Have Faith In You” will be performed by our digital selves in a TV special produced by NBC and the BBC aimed for broadcasting in December. We may have come of age, but the song is new. And it feels good”.

The telecast will be produced and directed by Johan Renck and executive produced by Simon Fuller, with Es Devlin on board as set designer.

“There is a lot of music in the DNA of NBC and we are so proud that the iconic members of ABBA and world-class producer Simon Fuller chose us to bring this incredible tribute special to the world,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

Added Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment, “This network is also thrilled to be the home of brand new ABBA music for the first time in decades. It’s a gift.”

Simon Fuller said: “It has been such a pleasure to work with ABBA. To see their unique talent, passion and attention to every detail has been enlightening and a true honor. In this global TV event we will be able to celebrate the music of ABBA and see other incredible artists perform their wonderful songs. I still can’t believe we will also be showcasing a new song, the first in over 35 years, which is set to ignite a whole new timeless journey in their incredible career.”

Johan Renck said: “As an adult, to find a new relation and perspective to the music that formed your childhood is a formidable thing, I feel tremendously fortunate to engage in this journey with a group that played such an integral part of my upbringing. We can’t wait to make this event come to life.”

ABOUT ABBA

The ABBA story began in the 1960s when Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson first met in Sweden and became songwriting partners. By 1969, they had met Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad and, after musical collaboration on each other’s solo and duo acts, they began their career together as ABBA, achieving superstardom with their breakthrough hit “Waterloo,” winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, charting at No. 1 across Europe and reaching the Top 10 in the U.S.

In the years that followed, ABBA became successful around the world, releasing eight studio albums, two live albums, seven compilation albums, four tours and 73 singles. To date they have sold 380 million albums and singles worldwide. They became the first music group from a non-English speaking country to top the charts in English-speaking countries and their distinctive ’70s-style costumes became synonymous with their unique look and sound.

Topping the charts globally from 1974-82, many of ABBA’s songs have become timeless classics internationally. ABBA placed 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with 14 making the Top 40 and 10 soaring to the Top 20. “Dancing Queen” became a No. 1 hit in 1977 in the U.S. while “Take a Chance on Me,” “Waterloo” and “The Winner Takes It All” peaked at No. 3, No. 6 and No. 8, respectively. In the U.K., ABBA had nine No. 1 singles, including “Dancing Queen” and “Super Trouper,” 19 Top 10 hits and 26 in the Top 40s. Collectively, their singles retained entries in the U.K. Top 75 chart for a total of 260 weeks. They were named Vocal Group of the Year by the American Guild of Variety Artists in 1981 and won nine Bravo Otto Awards between 1974-82. In 2010, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Barry and Robin Gibb.

In 1999, ABBA’s songs were the inspiration for the West End and Broadway hit musical “Mamma Mia!” and the film that followed, “Mamma Mia!” became a box office smash, and became the fifth highest-grossing film of 2008. The 2018 seque,l “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters and Dominic Cooper, is set for global release in July.

ABOUT SIMON FULLER

Simon Fuller is an entrepreneur, artist manager, film and television producer, best known as the creator of “American Idol.” Fuller is also the executive producer of hit shows and films including “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Q’Viva,” “Spiceworld The Movie” and “My Generation,” starring Sir Michael Caine. An influential figure in British popular culture, Fuller first came to prominence managing the pop group Spice Girls though he has since guided a range of talent that includes David and Victoria Beckham, Annie Lennox, Steven Tyler, Lewis Hamilton, Andy Murray, Amy Winehouse, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Lisa Marie Presley and others. In 2008, Fuller was certified as the most successful British music manager of all time by Billboard magazine. Fuller received the 2,441st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. Today his business interests extend across the world and include high-value ventures in content production, branded goods and innovative ventures in music, leisure and technology. Fuller’s XIX Entertainment is represented by Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz PC.

ABOUT JOHAN RENCK

Johan Renck is one of the most respected and sought after directors of television series, commercials and music videos of today. You will have seen his name as a director of your favorite TV shows such as “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Vikings,” “Bloodline” and “Last Panthers.” Renck is currently helming “Chernobyl,” the much-anticipated HBO miniseries featuring Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson. Renck worked closely with David Bowie before his death and directed both the videos for “Blackstar” and “Lazarus.” His previous music videos include artists such as Beyoncé, Madonna, Lana Del Ray, New Order and Kylie Minogue, among others. Renck’s commercials currently include a long-standing partnership with Chanel, Paco Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier, Cartier and Calvin Klein, to name a few.

ABOUT ES DEVLIN

Artist and stage designer Es Devlin OBE has made stage sculptures in collaboration with U2, Beyoncé, Kanye West, The Weeknd and Adele as well as stage designs for The Met Opera, The Royal Opera House and La Scala. She has created solo art installations at Miami Art Basel and V&A Museum, London and designed the London Olympic Closing Ceremony. Most recent work includes a huge sculptural portrait of The Weeknd for his recent Coachella performance and a large scale projection mapped ovoid model of Manhattan now showing at the new XI Gallery in Chelsea.

Devlin was the designer for Adele’s 2015 “Live in New York City” special on NBC and was profiled in the first season of the Netflix docu-series “Abstract: The Art of Design.”

2018 Billboard Music Awards: Ariana Grande, BTS, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend added to lineup of performers

May 2, 2018

The following is a press release from Dick Clark Productions and NBC:

Dick Clark Productions and NBC announced that multiplatinum, record-breaking superstar Ariana Grande will open the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” with a show-stopping performance from her upcoming LP. Grande revealed the big news, exclusively, last night on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

The pop songstress, who’s new single “No Tears Left to Cry” hit No. 1 on iTunes in 85+ markets and No. 1 on U.S. iTunes for seven consecutive days in its debut week, will join previously announced performers BTS, Camila Cabello, Dua Lipa and Shawn Mendes on a night filled with music’s biggest names.

Hosted by “The Voice” coach Kelly Clarkson, the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” will broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC. The three-hour telecast will feature performances from this year’s hottest musical acts, unexpected collaborations and buzzworthy moments that celebrate 60 years of the Billboard Hot 100.

[May 3, 2018 UPDATE: Kelly Clarkson and John Legend have been added to the lineup of performers.]

Ariana Grande Billboard chart facts:

  • With three full-length albums to her name at just 24 years old, Ariana Grande has been a reliable hitmaker since her 2013 breakthrough hit “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller. The singer has earned 25 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including nine Top 10s and 12 Top 40 hits. She made history in 2014 by becoming just the second woman to land three songs in the Hot 100’s Top 10 as a lead artist, joining Adele. Two of her studio albums have hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while her entire catalog of songs have generated 4.6 billion on-demand streams in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music. With the release of “No Tears Left to Cry,” Grande is the only artist to have the first single from each of her first four LPs debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.
With her powerful vocals and astonishing range, Ariana Grande has emerged as one of the most magnetic and massively successful performers in pop music today. At age 24 she’s delivered three platinum-selling albums and surpassed 18 billion streams, in addition to nabbing four Grammy Award nominations and landing eight hits in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With her most recent album — 2016’s critically acclaimed Dangerous Woman — Grande both boldly defies expectation and reveals the full force of her voice (recently hailed as an “extraordinary, versatile, limitless instrument” upon Grande’s appearance on Time’s magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” list).

Since making her full-length debut with 2013’s “Yours Truly” (featuring the game-changing, triple-platinum smash single “The Way”), Grande has brought her striking vocal presence to a genre-blurring breed of pop, taking on R&B, soul and electronic music with equal nuance and assurance. Arriving in 2014, her sophomore effort, “My Everything,” garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and spawned the 6x-platinum hits “Problem” and “Bang Bang” (a Grammy nominee for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance). Through the years, the longtime actress and former Broadway star has proven the scope of her talent by appearing on “Scream Queens” and “Hairspray Live!” and showcased her comedic chops by hosting “Saturday Night Live.” With her social media following now surging past 200 million, Grande has also earned numerous accolades from the MTV Video Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards and American Music Awards (including the highly coveted Artist of the Year prize).The first artist in music history to see the lead single from her first three albums debut on the Billboard Hot 100, Grande embraced a more uncompromising vision than ever before in the making of “Dangerous Woman.” With People magazine noting that the album “celebrates feminine might,” Entertainment Weekly praised Grande for “having something meaningful to say with that jaw-dropping voice — one of the most exquisite in pop today.” Grande wrapped up her widely lauded “Dangerous Woman Tour” in support of the album, performing 85 arena shows worldwide.

Ariana Grande’s BBMA Giphy stickers are now available! These stickers can be found within Instagram Stories by clicking the GIF button and searching for “BBMAs.”
Nominations for the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” were announced earlier this month on NBC’s “Today” and on a livestream from Billboard’s New York office. Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran tie for the most nominations this year with 15 each.

Voting for the two fan-voted categories — Billboard Chart Achievement Award and Top Social Artist — will open in the coming weeks and additional details will be available soon.

“Billboard Music Awards” nominees are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The finalists and award winners are determined using data reflecting a 12-month tracking period.  The awards are based on the reporting period of April 8, 2017 through March 31, 2018. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.

Tickets for the “2018 Billboard Music Awards” are on-sale now. To purchase tickets online, fans should go to www.axs.com.

For additional information on the “2018 Billboard Music Awards,” visit us at www.billboardmusicawards.com or check out the Billboard hub at www.billboard.com/bbma.

For the latest Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) news, exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the BBMAs on social media and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #BBMAs.
Facebook: FB.com/TheBBMAs
Twitter: @BBMAs
Instagram: bbmas
Snapchat: thebbmas

Cheat Tweet: .@ArianaGrande is set to open the @BBMAs, LIVE May 20 on NBC! bbmas.news/ArianaPerform #BBMAs

The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, Mark Bracco, Barry Adelman and Robert Deaton are executive producers.

The “2018 Billboard Music Awards” are sponsored by T-Mobile.

About Billboard
Billboard is the world’s largest voice in music, built on the most complete and well-respected database of charts across all music genres. The Billboard charts define success in music. From the iconic Billboard magazine to Billboard.com, the ultimate consumer-facing destination for millions of passionate music fans, to the industry’s most elite conference series and influencer events including the Power 100 and Women in Music – the Billboard brand has unmatched authority among fans, artists and the industry alike. Billboard has a social media footprint of 16.4 million social followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and creates more than 200M cross-platform video views per month. Billboard magazine has published major news-generating covers recently including Travis Scott, Zayn, Lorde, Marshmello, Demi Lovato, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, Eminem, DJ Khaled, Charlie Puth, and an open letter to Congress signed by 180+ of the music industry’s biggest stars and executives. In December 2017, the Billboard Women in Music ceremony, which honored Selena Gomez as Woman of the Year, was live-streamed globally on Twitter. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group acquired SpinMedia’s storied music assets Spin, Vibe, and Stereogum, establishing the world’s largest music brand by digital traffic, social reach, and audience share. The combined entity of music and entertainment properties now reaches 47 million unique visitors and one in every three U.S. millennials.

About dick clark productions
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. dcp is a division of Valence Media, a diversified media company with divisions and strategic investments in premium television, wide release film, specialty film, live events and digital media. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.

2018 BET Experience: Fan Fest lineup of performers, celebrity appearances announced

May 1, 2018

BET Experience

The following is a press release from BET:

BET NETWORKS and AEG announced the highly anticipated free BET Fan Fest lineup as part of the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® June 21 – 24, 2018. The annual festival will include the return of Genius Talks, Acoustically Speaking, BETX Celebrity Basketball Game, BETX Main Stage, Coca-Cola® Music Studio, BETX House of Fashion and Beauty, BETX Live and the Kicksperience, along with a newly added activation, Celebrity Dodgeball.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22 AND SATURDAY, JUNE 23

BETX MAIN STAGE

Performers include Leikeli47, Tee Grizzley, Duckwrth, Jessie Reyez, YBN Nahmir, Molly Brazy, Lil Skies, Lil Baby, Derez Deshon, Bryant Myers, A. CHAL, M. Mereba and other special guests.

COCA-COLA® MUSIC STUDIO

The Coca-Cola Music Studio will debut some of today’s newly discovered R&B and hip-hop acts including DaniLeigh, DJ Mal-Ski, Lauren Sanderson, Trinidad Cardona, Domani Harris,LouGotCash and Peso Da Mafia.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22

ACOUSTICALLY SPEAKING

Jussie Smollett (Photo by Chris Fragapane/FOX)

Acoustically Speaking sponsored by M&M features special musical guests who share their insight on the scope of the music industry from their unique perspectives. Exclusive performances cap the candid conversations. Jussie Smollett, Lecrae and Gallant will each grace the stage for intimate Acoustically Speaking performances, hosted by Big Tigger.

BETX CELEBRITY DODGEBALL GAME

This year, four teams of celebrity challengers will face off in the all-new Celebrity Dodgeball Game taking place on Friday, June 22 at 8:30 p.m. PST. Christian Crosby and Gia Peppersprovide the play-by-play commentary alongside DJ Brittany Sky. Participants include members of the “Love and Hip Hop” casts: Ray J., Safaree, Stevie J., Yung Joc, K. Michelle, Nikki Mudarris, Rasheeda, Momma Dee,Karlie Redd; Nick Cannon and surprise guests from “Wild N Out”as well as the hit boy band, PRETTYMUCH.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23

GENIUS TALKS

Yara Shahidi (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Turner Image)

The always inspirational Genius Talks sponsored by AT&T returns with prominent personalities across various industries joining fans for uplifting conversation and gems of guidance based on their experiences. Past guests have included illustrious stars such as Snoop Dogg, DJ Khaled, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Kobe Bryant, Tracee Ellis Ross and Ava DuVernay. This year, Yara Shahidi, Tip “T.I” Harris and Yvonne Orji join the series alongside moderator, Jemele Hill,to share their knowledge and keys to success with fans.  All Genius Talks will be streamed live at BETExperience.com/live.

BETX CELEBRITY BASKETBALL GAME

Two star-studded teams will go head-to-head for bragging rights at the BETX Celebrity Basketball Game sponsored by Sprite®. This year’s celebrity line-up will include Nick Cannon, Caleb McLaughlin, Miles Brown, Nipsey Hussle, Tank, Rapsody, Rich Homie Quan, Lil Rel, Trevor Jackson, Casanova, Lecrae, Rotimi, Lil Dicky, Kap G, Erica Ash, Christian Keyes, Travis Greene and Bambi. Additionally, members of the Compton Sounders Drummers, Syncopated Ladies and World of Dance willjoin the lineup.NBA veteran, Doug Christie; professional dunker, Chris Staples andstreetball star, Larry “Bone Collector” Williams round off the all-star teams. Fat Joe and Big Boy join this year’s matchup as team coaches, alongside guest commentators Jemele Hill, Big Tigger, Gia Peppers and Christian Crosby. The BETX Celebrity Basketball teams tip off at 12:00 p.m. PST on Saturday, June 23, 2018 and will be streamed live at BETExperience.com/live.  Tickets for the Celebrity Basketball Game sponsored by Sprite® are now available for purchase at http://www.axs.com/betexperience.

As previously announced, BET Networks will make its return to Los Angeles for the four-day music and entertainment festival, the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola®, June 21 – 24, 2018. Teaming up with AEG, one of the world’s leading entertainment companies and developer/operator of L.A. LIVE and the STAPLES Center, the star-studded concert series will span across three nights, capped by the 2018 BET Awards on June 24.  The BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® will feature some of today’s hottest artists including Chris Brown, SZA, Rae Sremmurd, Ferg, Nipsey Hussle, Playboi Carti, LL Cool J ft. DJ Z-Trip, Nas, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Kamaiyah, Ella Mai and Wondagurl.

HOW TO ATTEND:

The BET Fan Fest wristbands return to the fan experience this year. All attendees will be required to wear their wristband upon arrival in order to enter the free BET Fan Fest. Beginning May 1, attendees will be able to register for the BET Fan Fest wristbands by downloading the BETX ’18 app or going to www.betexperience.com. The BET Fan Fest wristband grants attendees access to some of the hottest events happening during the BET Experience weekend; including the BETX Main Stage music performances, Acoustically Speaking sponsored by M&M, Genius Talks sponsored by AT&T, Celebrity Dodgeball Game, BETX Live Shows, BETX House of Fashion & Beauty, Coca-Cola® Music Studio, Kicksperience and year two of the BET Casting Call.  Additionally, tickets to the BETX Celebrity Basketball game will be available for purchase starting today.

VIP Packages for the 6th year of the BET Experience weekend are better than ever and now on-sale. In addition to VIP amenities throughout the weekend and incredible seats for STAPLES Center shows, all levels of BETX VIP Packages offer guests the only opportunity to purchase tickets to the highly-anticipated BET Awards, broadcast live from Microsoft Theater. Full package amenities and pricing for the Diamond, Platinum, Gold Plus and Gold VIP Packages can be found by visiting BETExperience.com or by calling (877) 234-8425.

General tickets for the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® are on sale now at http://www.axs.com/betexperience.

Download the BETX ’18 App powered by AT&T, your personal pocket guide to all things #BETX. Get real-time event updates, complete schedules, BET Fan Fest wristbands, daily prizes, ticket giveaways, maps, access to live streams & much more. Available on iOS & Android.  Download at BETExperience.com/app.

Follow BET Experience on all social media @betexperience for the latest news and be sure to join the conversation by using #BETX.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B sted NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly CENTRIC), a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET Networks around the globe.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA®

BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and developer/operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 21 – 24, 2018 presented by Coca-Cola®. This four-day festival will be filled with music concerts taking place at The Novo by Microsoft and STAPLES Center; the BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special interactive events. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at Microsoft Theater.

 

ABOUT AEG

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which is affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 120 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas; AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world’s largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events; and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.

2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival: Paul McCartney, Metallica, Childish Gambino among announced performers

May 1, 2018

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2008

The following is a press release from Live Nation:

The 17th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival will deliver one of the most exceptional lineups of this year’s festival season with headliners Paul McCartney, Metallica, Childish Gambino, Arctic Monkeys, TRAVIS SCOTT and ODESZA. The history-making bill includes first time ACL Fest performances and only North American festival appearances by both Paul McCartney and Metallica, a triumphant return by GRAMMY, Golden Globe and Emmy-Award winning Childish Gambino, a highly anticipated performance from Arctic Monkeys, and debut sets from Texas native TRAVIS SCOTT and electronic superstars ODESZA. The National, Khalid, Hozier, David Byrne, CHVRCHES, Deftones, Justice, ST. VINCENT, Sylvan Esso, FATHER JOHN MISTY, Brandi Carlile, ILLENIUM, Janelle Monáe and many more will take the stage throughout ACL Fest’s colossal two consecutive weekends. ACL Fest 2018 will deliver more than 125 bands across eight stages at Zilker Park, October 5-7 and October 12-14. Tickets are available now at www.aclfestival.com.

This year’s incredible lineup will showcase some of music’s most captivating artists including Shawn Mendes (Weekend Two), Camila Cabello (Weekend One), Deftones (Weekend One), BØRNS, Manchester Orchestra, Lily Allen (Weekend Two), The Breeders, Houndmouth, Sharon Van Etten (Weekend One), Marian Hill (Weekend Two), Elle King, Bishop Briggs, Bahamas, Mt. Joy, Cuco, Durand Jones & The Indications, and much more. Buzzworthy artists including BROCKHAMPTON, REZZ, GRETA VAN FLEET (Weekend One), San Holo, Gryffin, and Sofi Tukker (Weekend One) will electrify audiences, while Prince’s legendary backing band, The Revolution, bring the groove.

Honoring homegrown talent has always been a tradition of ACL Fest, and this year is no exception. Native Texans including Shakey Graves and Golden Dawn Arkestra will perform both weekends, while Khruangbin, Asleep at the Wheel, Sweet Spirit, Jackie Venson, Molly Burch, Sailor Poon and more will deliver the tunes on Weekend One. Charley Crockett, Duncan Fellows, Harry Paradise, Kydd Jones, Curtis Roush and more will perform on Weekend Two.

Austin City Limits Music Festival has been honored to call Zilker Park home for the past 17 years. In a continued commitment to enrich our community, a portion of proceeds from ACL Festival go directly towards improving Austin’s parks. Since 2006, ACL Festival, in partnership with the Austin Parks Foundation, has donated more than $30 million towards improvements to Zilker Park and parks across the city.

3-Day General Admission Tickets for both weekends are on sale now at www.aclfestival.com. 3-Day VIP and Platinum Tickets and Hotel Packages are also available. VIP ticketholders will enjoy a brand new shaded viewing deck with exceptional sightlines of the main stage, as well as the new VIP-Platinum bar located at Rock Island, the perfect place to grab a complimentary cold beer or glass of wine while roaming the festival grounds. A full list of VIP and Platinum amenities can be viewed here . Music fans ages 10 and under will be admitted free of charge accompanied by a ticketed adult. 1-Day General Admission Tickets, 1-Day VIP Tickets and 1-Day Platinum Tickets will be available later in the year.

Fans worldwide who can’t make it to Zilker Park can watch The Official 2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival Live Broadcast on Red Bull TV, which is distributed digitally for free on the web at redbull.tv , connected TVs, smartphones and tablets as well as ACLFestival.com . A full schedule of performances will be announced this summer on ACLFestival.com .

Fans can sign up for the E-List to be the first to get new information at www.aclfestival.com , download the ACL Fest Mobile App , and follow social media to stay in the loop for all festival announcements. Facebook || Instagram || Twitter .

Austin City Limits Music Festival is generously sponsored by American Express, Honda, Miller Lite, HomeAway, BMI, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Karbach Brewing Co., and Lifeway Kefir.

2018 Tony Awards: ‘Mean Girls,’ ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical’ get the most nominations

May 1, 2018

Tony Awards logo

The following is a press release from the Tony Awards:

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing’s 72nd Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards were announced today by Tony and Grammy Award-winner Leslie Odom, Jr. and Katharine McPhee, who is currently starring in the Tony nominated musical “Waitress,” at the Tony Award Nominations ceremony, sponsored by IBM, held at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 43 theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. The 2018 Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.  (The list of nominations follows.)

Marking 72 years of excellence on Broadway, The Tony Awards, hosted by Tony Award nominees Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban, will be broadcast live from the Radio City Music Hall on CBS, on Sunday, June 10, 2018, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT time delay).

Legitimate theatrical productions opening in any of the 41 eligible Broadway theatres during the current season may be considered for Tony nominations. The 2017/2018 eligibility season began April 28, 2017 and ended April 26, 2018. The Tony Awards will be voted in 26 competitive categories by 842 designated Tony voters within the theatre community.

It was also announced this morning that a Special Tony Award will be presented to both John Leguizamo and Bruce Springsteen. Leguizamo will be recognized for his body of work and for his commitment to the theatre, bringing diverse stories and audiences to Broadway for three decades. Springsteen is receiving a Special Tony Award for his ongoing engagement “Springsteen on Broadway,” a once-in-a-lifetime theater going experience for the Broadway stage, allowing fans an intimate look at a music idol.

As previously announced, the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be presented to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Chita Rivera.  The 2018 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to New York Times Culture Photographer Sara Krulwich, Costume Beader Bessie Nelson and the Ernest Winzer Cleaners.  The Isabelle   Stevenson Tony Award will be presented to Executive Vice President of the Nederlander Organization, Nick Scandalios.

Each year, the Tony Awards Administration Committee presents a Tony Award to a regional theatre on the recommendation of the American Theatre Critics Association. The 2018 Regional Theatre Tony Award will be presented to the La MaMa E.T.C. in New York City.

The 2017-2018 Tony Award Nominating Committee consists of Bob Alwine, Adrian Bailey, Victoria Bailey, Milly Barranger, Suzy Benzinger, Luis Castro, Dawn Chiang, Hope Clarke, Patricia Cruz, Carmen de Lavallade, Edgar Dobie, Judith Dolan, Scott Elliott, Tim Federle, Peter Jay Fernandez, Anna Glass, Daniel Goldfarb, Sam Gonzalez, Mason Granger, Katori Hall, Peter Hedges, Mara Isaacs, Lou Jacob, Michael Kantor, Anne Keefe, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Marjorie Bradley Kellogg, Fran Kumin, Michael John LaChiusa, Tony Meola, Jessica Molaskey, Laurence O’Keefe, Paige Price, Paul Rudnick, Don Scardino, Mikki Shepard, Warner Shook, Randy Skinner, Ellen Sorrin, Jessica Stone, Edward Strong, Jennifer von Mayrhauser and Tom Watson.

The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

The 2018 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Thomas Schumacher is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is President. At the American Theater Wing, David Henry Hwang is Chairman and Heather A. Hitchens is President & CEO.

For the CBS broadcast, Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss/White Cherry Entertainment are Executive Producers.  Weiss also serves as Director.

Tickets for the 2018 Tony Awards will go on sale on May 15 through TonyAwards.com and TicketMaster.com.

Sponsors for the 2018 Tony Awards include: IBM – develops, designs, and hosts the official Tony Awards digital experience anchored by TonyAwards.com; Carnegie Mellon University – the first-ever, exclusive higher education partner; Grant Thornton LLP – official accounting services partner; City National – official bank of the Tony Awards and presenting sponsor of the Creative Arts Awards; Nordstrom – official sponsor of the Red Carpet; Sofitel New York – the official hotel of the Tony Awards; Rainbow Room – official partner of the Tony Nominee Luncheon; United Airlines – the official airline of the Tony Awards for the last 18 years and People/Entertainment Weekly – official magazine partners of the Tony Awards.

Here is the complete list of nominees for the 2018 Tony Awards:

Best Musical
“The Band’s Visit”
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Play
“The Children”
“Farinelli and The King”
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
“Junk”
“Latin History for Morons”

Best Revival of a Play
“Angels in America”
“Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
“Lobby Hero”
“Travesties”

Best Revival of a Musical
“My Fair Lady”
“Once on This Island”
“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”
Tom Hollander, “Travesties”
Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and The King”
Denzel Washington, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Glenda Jackson, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”
Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”
Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”
Joshua Henry, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”
Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”
Hailey Kilgore, “Once on This Island”
LaChanze, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”
Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”
Jessie Mueller, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”
Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”
David Morse, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Susan Brown, “Angels in America”
Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Deborah Findlay, “The Children”
Denise Gough, “Angels in America”
Laurie Metcalf, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”
Alexander Gemignani, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”
Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Ariana DeBose, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Renée Fleming, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Lindsay Mendez, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Ashley Park, “Mean Girls”
Diana Rigg, “My Fair Lady”

Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott, “Angels in America”
Joe Mantello, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Patrick Marber, “Travesties”
John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
George C. Wolfe, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, “Once On This Island”
David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”
Tina Landau, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Bartlett Sher, “My Fair Lady”

Best Book of a Musical
Itamar Moses, “The Band’s Visit”
Jennifer Lee, “Frozen”
Tina Fey, “Mean Girls”
Kyle Jarrow, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Original Score
“Angels in America” (Music: Adrian Sutton)
“The Band’s Visit” (Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek)
“Frozen” (Music & Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)
“Mean Girls” (Music: Jeff Richmond. Lyrics: Nell Benjamin.)
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical” (Music & Lyrics: Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., Domani & Lil’C)

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Santo Loquasto, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce, “Angels in America”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Dane Laffrey, “Once On This Island”
Scott Pask, “The Band’s Visit”
Scott Pask, Finn Ross & Adam Young, “Mean Girls”
Michael Yeargan, “My Fair Lady”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Costume Design of a Play
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”
Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Ann Roth, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Ann Roth, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”
Clint Ramos, “Once On This Island”
Ann Roth, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Paule Constable, “Angels in America”
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
Paul Russell, “Farinelli and The King”
Ben Stanton, “Junk”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once On This Island”
Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”
Brian MacDevitt, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Sound Design of a Play
Adam Cork, “Travesties”
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”
Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Tom Gibbons, “1984”
Dan Moses Schreier, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”
Peter Hylenski, “Once On This Island”
Scott Lehrer, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”
Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Choreography
Christopher Gattelli, “My Fair Lady”
Christopher Gattelli, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Steven Hoggett, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Justin Peck, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Orchestrations
John Clancy, “Mean Girls”
Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Annmarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin, “Once On This Island”
Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”
Jonathan Tunick, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel

Tony Nominations by Production

Mean Girls – 12

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical – 12

Angels in America – 11

The Band’s Visit – 11

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel – 11

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two – 10

My Fair Lady – 10

Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh – 8

Once On This Island – 8

Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women – 6

Farinelli and The King – 5

Travesties – 4

Frozen – 3

Lobby Hero – 3

The Children – 2

Junk – 2

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical – 2

Children of a Lesser God – 1

Latin History for Morons – 1

Meteor Shower – 1

1984 – 1

Saint Joan – 1

Shania Twain, Jake Owen are hosts and judges of talent contest ‘Real Country’

April 30, 2018

The following is a press release from USA Network:

USA Network today announced “Real Country,” a new country music showcase series featuring multi-platinum, five-time GRAMMY Award®-winning trailblazer Shania Twain, and ACM Award-winning and platinum-selling singer-songwriter Jake Owen. Premiering this fall on USA, the eight-part “Real Country”  will film this summer in Nashville and is produced by Wilshire Studios, with Twain, Nicolle Yaron, Stijn Bakkers and Leslie Garvin set to executive produce.

In each hour-long episode, Twain and Owen hand-select emerging solo artists, duos and groups to perform in showcases that spotlight the rich traditions, songs and themes of specific country genres. The best artists from each showcase will perform in a grand finale, for the chance to be named one of country music’s next breakout acts.

“’Real Country’ celebrates everything we love about country music, while providing a unique platform for emerging artists to showcase their talent,” said Heather Olander, Senior Vice President, Alternative Development and Production, USA Network. She added: “We are extremely lucky to work with both Shania and Jake. Shania is a true international icon who remains the best-selling female country artist of all time and whose music broke barriers across genres, and Jake is an ACM Award-winner who consistently dominates the country charts with some of today’s biggest hits.”

Twain shared: “It’s been an incredible year for me, releasing my new album and coming back to country music. I feel it’s time for me to add my own support in finding our greatest undiscovered talent. It’s beyond thrilling to be leading the charge with “Real Country,” and I’m on a mission to find artists who will keep country music diverse and dynamic. The kind of diversity that inspired all of us.”

Added Owen: “Country music truly seems to be the healing factor in a lot of people’s lives. I will always be grateful for music, whether I’m performing or listening, and I want to encourage up-and-coming artists to tell their stories, find their audiences and make their mark in country music with the same guidance that artists have given to me throughout my journey.”

“NBCUniversal has made a commitment to reimagine the commercial experience,” said Mark Marshall, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Advertising Sales, NBCUniversal. “’Real Country’ is a tremendous opportunity for advertisers to connect with the genre’s passionate fan base in an engaging and authentic way.”

Anyone interested in being invited to perform on one of “Real Country’s” showcases can apply at http://realcountry.castingcrane.com or via email at [email protected].

About Shania Twain:
International superstar Shania Twain is a five-time GRAMMY winner and the reigning Queen of Country Pop. With more than 90 million albums sold worldwide and U.S. sales topping 34.5 million, Twain remains the top-selling female country artist of all time. Her albums include “Shania Twain,” Twain’s Platinum-selling 1993 debut; “The Woman in Me,” her GRAMMY Award-winning, Double Diamond-selling 1995 release; “Come On Over,” the best-selling studio album in Soundscan history by a female artist in any genre and the best-selling country album of all time with over 40 million units sold worldwide; and “UP!,” Twain’s third consecutive Diamond-selling album release.

Recognizing her indelible impact and achievements in music, Twain is the first and only female to receive CMT’s Artist of a Lifetime Award, and she recently received the Icon Award at Billboard’s Women in Music ceremony. Twain’s hits include “Any Man of Mine,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “You’re Still the One” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” Twain’s first album in 15 years, “NOW,” was released in September 2017 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums, making it the first female country release in over three years to top the all-genre chart. Additionally, the album landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country album chart and went to No. 1 in Canada, Australia and the UK. Twain is currently gearing up to embark on her 2018 NOW World Tour.

About Jake Owen:
ACM award-winner and Grammy-nominated Owen has had six No. 1 singles to date – the two-time platinum anthem “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” platinum-certified hits “Beachin’,” “Anywhere with You,” “Alone with You,” “The One That Got Away” and, gold-certified “American Country Love Song.” Owen’s fifth studio album, “American Love,” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart. Most recently, Owen signed a new label deal with Big Loud Records, reuniting him with producer Joey Moi. Owen’s debut single for Big Loud, “I Was Jack (You Were Diane),” is the fastest rising single of his career. Owen and Moi are currently in the studio working on a forthcoming project.

About USA Network:
USA Network, the leader in cable entertainment, offers a powerful stable of dramatic, comedic and unscripted originals in more than 102 million U.S. homes. The network also features spectacular live television, a dynamic portfolio of acquired series and the best in blockbuster theatrical films and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. USA’s award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Watch USA Network anywhere: On Demand, online or across mobile and connected TVs.

About Wilshire Studios:
Wilshire Studios develops and produces a diverse slate of original unscripted programming for multiple platforms, aligning with award-winning producers and innovative storytellers to create compelling content that explores reality through a variety of formats. From E!’s signature “Live from the Red Carpet,” USA Network’s “The Cromarties” and Oxygen’s “Mysteries and Scandals,” to the upcoming “Real Country” for USA, “Unspeakable Crime: The Killing of Jessica Chambers for Oxygen” and the debut “People’s Choice Awards” on E!, Wilshire Studios produces series that are informative, revealing, thrilling and entertaining. Wilshire Studios is part of the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment portfolio.

2018 Essence Festival: Queen Latifah added to lineup for her first Essence Festival performance

April 26, 2018

Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah in “Girls Trip” (Photo by Michele K. Short)

For the first time in the event’s history, a special performance by multi-talented rapper, singer, actress and producer, Queen Latifah, has been added to the all-star line up for this summer’s ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola concert series, taking place July 6-8 in New Orleans, LA.

Commemorating three decades in the entertainment business, the Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy and SAG Award recipient will be performing alongside Mary J. Blige and Xscape during the Festival’s second evening on Saturday, July 7 in the Louisiana Superdome.  Queen Latifah rounds out a stellar performance roster spotlighting women, including Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and more. The full night-by-night lineup is available here. Single-night tickets are on sale now.
Since the debut release of her classic album All Hail the Queen, Latifah has consistently promoted a message of positivity, empowerment, leadership, fearlessness and unity among women–specifically, young women of color. Fans will be treated to a slew of the Queen’s most popular records including U.N.I.T.Y, Ladies First and Bananas [Who You Gonna Call?], along with a few thrilling surprises.
Join the Festival community by following us on Twitter, @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2018 ESSENCE Festival® on Facebook.  For more information about ticket sales and accommodations and for the latest news about the ESSENCE Festival®, visit www.essencefestival.com.

 

The ESSENCE Festival® is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc., and is produced by Solomon Group.

Sponsors of the 2018 ESSENCE Festival® in New Orleans include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors AT&T, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart.

About Essence Communications Inc.

Essence Communications is the number one media company dedicated to Black women and inspires a global audience of more than 15 million through diverse storytelling and immersive original content.  With a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online, ESSENCE encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; as well as live events, including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, Street Style and the ESSENCE Festival.  Essence Communications is owned by Essence Ventures, an independent African-American owned company focused on merging content, community and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of women of color.

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