Spain: Shakira rejects prosecutors' offer, faces tax trial
The public relations firm that represents Shakira says the Colombian pop singer has opted to go to trial instead of accepting a deal offered by Spanish prosecutors to settle allegations she defrauded Spain’s government of 14.5 million euros ($15 million) in taxes.
Paul Simon sells song catalog to Sony Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing announced Wednesday, March. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Paul Simon is the latest icon to sell his rich catalog of songs. Sony Music Publishing announced Wednesday that it has acquired Simon's catalog, which includes six decades of music, from his time in Simon & Garfunkel to his solo career. Ad“I’m pleased to have Sony Music Publishing be the custodian of my songs for the coming decades. Sony Music Publishing also represents catalogs by Motown, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Ashford & Simpson, Leonard Cohen and more.
Ariana Grande joining 'The Voice' for season 21 as a coach
FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2018 file photo, Ariana Grande attends the 13th annual Billboard Women in Music event in New York. NBC said Tuesday that Grande will join the Emmy-winning series "The Voice" for its fall 2021 cycle. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – “The Voice" is switching their positions for Ariana Grande: the pop star is taking her seat in the coach's chair later this year. NBC said Tuesday that Grande will join the Emmy-winning series for its fall 2021 cycle. The 20th season of “The Voice" is currently on air and features those three singers along with Nick Jonas.
The Weeknd vows to tone it down for his Super Bowl show
This photo provided by the NFL shows singer The Weekend speaking at the halftime press conference ahead of the Super Bowl 55 football game, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (Perry Knotts/NFL via AP)The Weeknd may be known for his graphic music videos and performances featuring blood and violence, but the three-time Grammy winner says he will tone down his act during the Super Bowl halftime show. The pop star said he will “keep it PG” during his headliner slot on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium as the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida. The 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show will be different this year due to the pandemic and The Weeknd said he will use different parts of the stadium, the field and a “little bit" of the famously massive pirate ship. AdWhen asked for his favorite Super Bowl halftime show, The Weeknd cited Diana Ross' 1996 performance. The Weeknd, whose real name is, Abel Tesfaye, joins a list of celebrated musicians who have played during Super Bowl halftime shows, including Madonna, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Katy Perry, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson and last year’s duo of Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
Shakira sells music publishing rights to UK company
The Board of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, a U.K.-based investment company, has acquired 100% of Grammy-winning superstar Shakiras music publishing rights. Shakiras catalog includes 145 songs, including Hips Dont Lie, Whenever, Wherever, La Tortura, She Wolf and Waka Waka (This Time for Africa). (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – The Board of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, a U.K.-based investment company, has acquired 100% of Grammy-winning superstar Shakira’s music publishing rights. She’s won three Grammy Awards, 12 Latin Grammys, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards and 39 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Last month, Bob Dylan said he sold his publishing rights of more than 600 songs to Universal Music Publishing Group.
Reggaeton redemption: Balvin, Bunny top Latin Grammy nods
J Balvin performs during the Coca-Cola Flow Reggaeton festival in Mexico City on Nov. 23, 2019, from left, Ozuna performs at the Latin American Music Awards in Los Angeles on Oct. 17, 2019 and Bad Bunny performs a medley at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 25, 2019. Balvin scored a whopping 13 nominations at the 2020 Latin Grammys, including two nominations for album of the year and two for record of the year. The Latin Academy announced Tuesday that Bad Bunny and Ozuna are behind Balvin with nine and eight nominations, respectively.
Reggaeton redemption: Balvin, Bunny top Latin Grammy nods
Balvin scored a whopping 13 nominations at the 2020 Latin Grammys, including two nominations for album of the year and two for record of the year. The Latin Academy announced Tuesday that Bad Bunny and Ozuna are behind Balvin with nine and eight nominations, respectively. (AP Photo)NEW YORK – At last year’s Latin Grammy Awards, popular reggaeton and Latin trap musicians such as J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Ozuna were dismissed in the show’s top categories. The Latin Academy announced Tuesday that Bad Bunny and Ozuna are behind Balvin with nine and eight nominations, respectively. Ozuna and Bad Bunny will also compete with themselves in several categories.
Roc Nation partners with Brooklyns LIU to launch new school
NEW YORK Jay-Zs Roc Nation entertainment company is partnering with Brooklyns Long Island University to launch the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment. The new school will begin enrolling students for the fall 2021 semester, and 25% of the incoming freshmen class will receive Roc Nation Hope Scholarships. Roc Nation Sports was founded in 2013 and has worked with many athletes as well as the NBA, MLB and NFL, even co-producing this years Emmy-nominated halftime show with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will offer undergraduate degrees in music, music technology, entrepreneurship and production, and sports management. The school will also offer resources to high school students and those younger: Starting in spring 2021, the school will launch summer residential camps for high schoolers and Saturday programs for students ages 10-18 that focus on music and sports management.
Pharrell, Beastie Boys, RZA, halftime show score Emmy nods
Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Starring Jennifer Lopez And Shakira picked up four nominations, including outstanding variety special (live). It was not clear if Lopez and Shakira were specifically nominated, though past halftime singers, including Beyonc, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, have earned Emmy nominations as performers. For their work on Watchmen, they scored a second Emmy nomination for outstanding music composition for a limited series, movie or special. They earned nominations as producers for outstanding documentary or nonfiction special and as writers for outstanding writing for a nonfiction program. Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington, who composed music for the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming, picked up a nomination for outstanding music composition for a documentary series of special.
Shakira, Dwayne Johnson highlight coronavirus equity concert
NEW YORK Dwayne Johnson will host and Shakira, Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Hudson will perform on a globally broadcast concert calling on world leaders to make coronavirus tests and treatment available and equitable for all. The advocacy organization Global Citizen and the European Commission announced Monday that Global Goal: Unite for Our Future The Concert will air on June 27. The concert will also feature appearances from Billy Porter, Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, Kerry Washington, Salma Hayek and David Beckham. It will be broadcast on NBC in the U.S. and other television stations, radio stations, websites and streaming outlets around the world. The event aims to lift up the global community that is tackling equitable access to healthcare, and other enormous injustices facing our world, Johnson said in a statement.
Shakira’s meme-worthy tongue trill is actually called a zaghrouta -- and it’s culturally significant to the singer
Shakira may have created the best new meme of 2020, but there’s cultural significance behind the tongue trill that instantly became iconic Sunday night. There were hit songs, lasers, sexy backup dancers, guitar solos and Lopez on a stripper pole absolutely living her best life. Most people know that Shakira is Colombian, but her father is Lebanese, and the tongue flick she did is actually called a zaghrouta, which is a traditional Arabic expression of celebration and happiness. This is called zaghrouta. https://t.co/bixdVn34vF — Bozi Tatarevic (@hoonable) February 3, 2020Chiming in because I know everyone will be making jokes about this for days — this is a popular Arab tradition, called zaghrouta, used to express joy at celebrations.
These 2020 Super Bowl commercials made us laugh, cry and smile
The 2020 Super Bowl has come and gone, and as usual, everyone seems to be talking about the great commercials they saw, and just how great Jennifer Lopez and Shakira were during the halftime performance. Most unexpected cry: GoogleDid anyone else suddenly find themselves sobbing during the first half of the game during the Google commercial? The commercial featured extraordinary Americans doing extraordinary things. Most likely to make you want to crash the patriarchy: MicrosoftIn case you didn’t know, this year’s big game featured the first woman to coach during a Super Bowl. She didn’t become the first woman to help coach a team to a Super Bowl victory, but we’ve got a feeling she’ll be getting there very soon.