Tag: Aretha Franklin

NEWS ROUNDUP: Remembering Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson & More

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, Pool)

In Memory of Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin will be laid to rest today with services fit for the Queen of Soul. This morning more than 100 pink Cadillacs lined the street leading to Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple, a reference to her 1985 single “Freeway of Love.” Musical tributes from Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia and Jennifer Holliday are expected, along with speeches from former President Bill Clinton, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Franklin was transported to her final farewell inside a gold casket in Rosa Parks’ hearse.

Michael Jackson’s 60th Birthday

Janet Jackson posted a video tribute to her brother for what would have been his 60th birthday. The clip references Michael Jackson’s video for “Remember The Time,” which starred Iman and Eddie Murphy.

The New New

The Struts released a video for their single “Body Talks,” featuring Kesha (whose legal battle with Dr. Luke was back in news thanks to some unsealed court documents). Tune-Yards covered Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” for Spotify’s Singles Sessions. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper announced a soundtrack to accompany their remake of A Star is Born featuring 19 songs and 15 dialogue tracks written by Gaga and Cooper, along with Jason Isbell, Mark Ronson, Julia Michaels, Lori McKenna, Lukas Nelson (of Promise of the Real), and others.

End Notes

  • The Orwells announce their breakup following sexual abuse allegations that surfaced against three of their members. 
  • Mastodon and Dinosaur Jr. have cancelled their joint tour due to a “critical situation of a member of the Mastodon family.” They have no plans as of now to reschedule the tour.
  • Frightened Rabbit announce first performance since the death of their frontman Scott Hutchinson, which will be billed as “The Songs of Frightened Rabbit,” featuring the band alongside guest vocalists including Twilight Sad’s James Graham. The show is scheduled for December 8th at Sleep in the Park in Glasgow, Scotland.

NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Aretha Franklin, Azealia Banks’ Elon Musk Sleepover & More

Aretha Franklin 1942-2018

Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul, voice of the civil rights movement and feminist icon has died at the age of 76 of pancreatic cancer according to her family. Franklin not only defined her times with her powerful voice, but transcended them to become a key figure for social justice. With more than one hundred singles on the Billboard chart over the course of her career, she become the most charted female in history. She also had a large collection of purses that made many public appearances, with Franklin even taking them on stage on with her. 

What happened to Azealia Banks last weekend?

According to now deleted Instagram stories, Banks spent the weekend waiting for Grimes at Elon Musk’s LA home, describing the scene as a real live version of Get Out. Banks and Grimes were supposed to collaborate on a single for Banks’ forthcoming album, but when Grimes never showed, Banks went on a Musk-bashing tirade, claiming he tweets while on acid, that he is only dating Grimes because he needed a date to the Met Gala, and that she overheard Musk on the phone scrambling to find investors for his projects. Elon Musk responded by saying he has never met Azealia Banks and that her story is “complete nonsense.”

The New New

Nicki Minaj dropped her fourth album Queen this week and although she is not the main artist listed on 6ix9ine’s “Fefe,” she added the song as track 20, most likely to boost album sales. Cat Power has a new song called “Woman” featuring Lana Del Rey. Paul McCartney released a “raunchy” new song called “Fuh You.”

End Notes